bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study of the Numerical Approximations of the Quenching Time for a Nonlinear Reaction-Diffusion Equation
Authors: JONES Frederick , YANG He
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we study the numerical methods for solving a nonlinear reaction-diffusion model for the polarization phenomena in ionic conductors. In particular, we propose three types of numerical methods, including the finite difference, cubic B-spline collocation, and local discontinuous Galerkin method, to approximate the quenching time of the model. We prove the conservation properties for all three numerical methods and compare their numerical performance.
Warped Translation Surfaces of Finite Type in Simply Isotropic 3-Spaces
Authors: KELLECİ AKBAY Alev
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we classify warped translation surfaces being invariant surfaces of i-type, that is, the generating curve has formed by the intersection of the surface with the isotropic xz-plane in the three-dimensional simply isotropic space $\mathbb I^3$ under the condition $\Delta^{J}x_i=\lambda_i x_i,$  with J=I,II.  Here, $\Delta^{J}$ is the Laplace operator with respect to first and second fundamental form and $\lambda_i$, $i=1,2,3$ are some real numbers. Also, as an application, we give some examples for these surfaces and also some explicit graphics of them. All graphics have been plotted with Maple14.
A Case Study of Risk Management of Automotive Industry Projects Using RFMEA Method
Authors: Mirboroon Leili , Razavi Hamideh
Published: November 2020

Considering the market need and customer attraction, automakers are always trying to define new projects and present products with new capabilities in the market. That is why a significant part of car companies’ development research is focused on the definition of new projects. Principally, project risk management in car companies is essential and thus given special attention. There are different theories and methods of project risk control. However, since there is complete awareness of FMEA-related issues (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) in automotive companies due to the establishment of the quality management system, the project's risk analysis using FMEA method to control the risk of automotive industry projects is presented in this paper by a real example. For this purpose, FMEA indicators tables are designed and presented proportionally to project risk management. Results of this research show that using failure mode and effects analysis for project risk management ensures the detection of project's weaknesses and provides a practical model for identification and reduction of project risks.
Método para el desarrollo de software seguro basado en la ingeniería de software y ciberseguridad
Authors: López Álvarez Diana María
Published: November 2020

El incremento de los ataques informáticos va en creciente demanda, hoy en día es más frecuente los ciberdelitos a los que nuestros datos están expuestos. Por otro lado, el manejo que se tiene del software y las herramientas utilizadas en informática es lo que representa hoy en día un pilar fundamental en lo que enseñanza e investigación científica se refiere, sin embargo, el concepto va mucho más allá de ello, de la mano de la seguridad informática que involucra muchos más factores de los que se creen, no solo físicos sino lógicos, refiriéndose a todas las aplicaciones que ejecutan en cada uno de los equipos y que forman parte del software. Este trabajo presenta un modelo de software seguro basado en el ciclo de vida de desarrollo de software y pretende crear profesionales capaces de desarrollar productos seguros de software y al mismo tiempo crear conciencia ante los diversos problemas que se pueden originar al no establecer medidas de seguridad en el desarrollo de sistemas. Se realiza un análisis final de la importancia que tiene crear profesionales con conocimiento del uso y aplicación de la seguridad informática.
La integración socioeducativa, factor clave para una mejor comprensión lectora
Authors: Rodríguez Martínez Aydeé De Las Mercedes
Published: November 2020

El presente estudio pretende integrar el contexto social en los procesos de lectura. Nace de la investigación realizada en el 2019 en la Institución Educativa La Frontera; su objetivo general es evaluar la eficacia de una propuesta pedagógica de integración socioeducativa en la mejora de la comprensión lectora de los estudiantes de sexto grado. Es una investigación aplicada, de nivel explicativo, enfoque cuantitativo y diseño cuasiexperimental. La población fueron 160 estudiantes y 80 padres de estudiantes del grupo experimental. Se usó el cuestionario y como técnica, la prueba escrita. La validez de los instrumentos se realizó a través del juicio de expertos y la congruencia de jueces; la confiabilidad por medio del Coeficiente Alpha de Cronbach. Se usó la estadística descriptiva e inferencial; las pruebas de Kolmogorov-Smirnov, U de Mann-Whitney y Wilcoxon. Se diseñó e implementó “PPECLE: leer contigo, leer conmigo”. Se comprobó su eficacia en los niveles inferencial (0,048), crítico (0.40) y de comprensión lectora general (0,04), pero no en el nivel literal (0,273); al comparar los resultados en el grupo experimental (antes y después), se obtuvo una alta significancia en todos los niveles y en la comprensión lectora general (0.00 y 0,06).
Estudio sobre la tasa de interés de referencia de Estados Unidos y su comportamiento en la inversión peruana periodo 2016 al 2019
Authors: Cavero Egúsquiza Vargas Lauralinda Leonor , Munsibay Muñoa Manuel Alberto
Published: November 2020

El presente artículo, titulado Estudio sobre la tasa de interés de referencia de Estados Unidos y su comportamiento en la inversión peruana periodo 2016 al 2019, surge por la inquietud de determinar en qué medida incide la tasa de interés de referencia de Estados Unidos ante una variación de esta en las inversiones en la economía peruana hasta el año 2019. El enfoque usado fue el cuantitativo, el tipo de investigación aplicada y el diseño no experimental. El instrumento usado fue el análisis de contenido cuantitativo, para establecer la incidencia que existe entre las variables se aplica el modelo econométrico a través de la regresión lineal simple mediante el programa econométrico E-views, el cual da como resultado el coeficiente de determinación de R2  (0.47) lo que significa que la tasa interés de referencia de Estados Unidos incide en la inversión de la economía peruana en 47%, concluyendo que ante una variación de 1% de la tasa de interés de referencia, esta incide 36% para las inversiones en la economía peruana, afectando a la demanda interna, movimiento de capital y al problema del endeudamiento.
Efecto de la luz artificial en la anidación de tortugas marinas en playas del Cantón Puerto López, Manabí, Ecuador
Authors: Arízaga Medina Renato Enrique , Cárdenas Pasato Luis Eduardo
Published: November 2020

En muchas playas del mundo las actividades antropogénicas coexisten con los procesos naturales de las especies silvestres. En Ecuador las tortugas marinas no son la excepción, especies como: Laúd (Dermochelys coriacea), Boba (Caretta caretta) y Golfina (Lepidochelys olivacea) se ubican en la categoría de Vulnerables según la UICN; la Tortuga Verde (Chelonia mydas) En Peligro; las Tortuga Carey (Eretmochelys imbricata) y Bastarda (Lepidochelys kempii) En Peligro de Extinción. Debido a la vulnerabilidad de estos organismos, como resultado de las actividades humanas, el presente estudio evalúa uno de los factores que inciden en los procesos de anidación de estas tortugas, la incidencia de la luz artificial en cuatro playas del Cantón Puerto López, Manabí, como un elemento que impacta en la anidación y la alteración de los desplazamientos de los neonatos hacia el océano. Los resultados alcanzados en este estudio muestran que distintas zonas de paya tienen barreras contra la luz, siendo éstas de origen antrópico o natural favoreciendo a las distintas especies de tortugas que puedan anidar en estos lugares.
Proceso de instauración institucional del acuerdo comercial entre Ecuador y la Unión Europea y su efecto en las unidades societales. Caso de estudio: sector lácteo ecuatoriano
Authors: Carranco Paredes Santiago Francisco , Garcés Yépez Daniela , Pérez Pico Camila
Published: November 2020

Las organizaciones internacionales son los espacios que descentralizan el sistema internacional, imparten orden, mejoran los canales de comunicación y reducen la posibilidad de conflicto. Este trabajo, se enfoca en las instituciones comerciales, específicamente en los acuerdos de libre comercio, y la forma en la que generan cambios tanto a nivel internacional como a nivel doméstico en las políticas económicas de los Estados. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar los efectos que ha generado el acuerdo comercial multipartes firmado por el Ecuador y la Unión Europea sobre un sector productivo sensible de Ecuador como es la industria de lácteos. De esta manera se estudió el proceso de institucionalización del mencionado acuerdo comercial por medio de documentación. Considerando de manera especial las estrategias planteadas para la implementación del acuerdo por parte del gobierno ecuatoriano y la participación de los representantes de las pequeñas industrias en las mesas de negociación del acuerdo. Por su parte, se realizó un análisis cuantitativo en el que se estudió el comportamiento de las importaciones en los periodos previos y posteriores al acuerdo comercial. De esta manera, por medio de una triangulación entre la teoría, el caso de estudio y los resultados empíricos, se permitió evidenciar que la sociedad civil y grupos empresariales ejercen un alto nivel de influencia en las decisiones gubernamentales. A su vez, se concluye que los efectos generados por el acuerdo en los pequeños productores de lácteos se materializan en, la reducción del precio de sus productos, lo que ha resultado en el abandono de la actividad.
Estandarización del Cuestionario de Actitudes y Estrategias Cognitivas Sociales en Escolares de Instituciones Educativas del Distrito de Ate
Authors: Jara Ames Edith Honorina , Cubas Romero Taniht Lisseth , Cárdenas Vila Roxana Maribel , Lizarraga Carrasco Omar Arturo
Published: November 2020

La investigación tuvo como finalidad evaluar las propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Actitudes y Estrategias Cognitivas Sociales (AECS) en escolares de instituciones educativas del Distrito de Ate. Para ello se trabajó un estudio de diseño no experimental de tipo instrumental con una muestra de 979 estudiantes de ambos sexos entre las edades de 12 a 17 años.  Para la obtención del resultado se empleará la estadística descriptiva, a través de la media y la desviación estándar. También se utilizará la estadística inferencial analizando la confiabilidad por medio del coeficiente Alpha de Crombach, la validez del constructo desde el análisis factorial y los baremos normativos que se presentarán en percentiles. El diseño utilizado en esta investigación fue No experimental de tipo instrumental. Se empleó el instrumento de actitudes y estrategias cognitivas sociales el cual consta de 137 preguntas con una escala múltiple del 1 al 7. De acuerdo con los resultados estadísticos se concluye que el test es válido y confiable para la población de escolares del Distrito de Ate, además se elaboraron los percentiles correspondientes.
Planificación Estratégica Administrativa para Pymes en Tiempos Post Covid. Caso de Estudio de Empresa Textil para la toma de decisiones 2019-2020
Authors: San Andrés Reyes Pablo Ricardo , Parra Trelles Lourdes Rufina , Paredes Chévez Ivonne Elizabeth
Published: November 2020

Las Pymes en tiempos post covid necesitan de la planificación estratégica administrativa para mejorar la toma de decisiones e incremento de la rentabilidad. El objetivo del estudio es realizar el análisis integral de la planeación estratégica administrativa para la Pyme textil Amy´s Factory Jeans, período 2016-2018, de tal manera que le permita fomentar la rentabilidad en tiempos post covid y mejorar la toma de decisiones 2019-2020. La metodología es descriptiva, bibliográfica y explicativa, además se ha aplicado un diseño no experimental de tipo transversal con muestreo no probabilístico dirigido y enfoque mixto, utilizando como herramientas de recolección de datos la entrevista semiestructurada a la gerencia, el grupo focal a miembros de la organización y el Cuadro de Mando Integral. Los principales resultados encontrados son: la empresa no cumplió los objetivos planteados en un 100%  por la inejecución de las metas propuestas, debido a que las decisiones son tomadas de manera empírica sin la correcta utilización del plan estratégico.
Desbalance entre costo del inventario y nivel de servicio de producto terminado
Authors: Quezada Cepeda Diego Paúl , Nájera Acuña Santiago Nicolás
Published: November 2020

El presente trabajo tiene como principal objetivo desarrollar una herramienta de control y gestión para el inventario de producto terminado para una empresa industrial con la ayuda de herramientas tecnológicas como Excel y el software R Studio. Por tal razón, se analizarán las variables que intervienen o afectan directa e indirectamente al inventario como: datos históricos de venta, datos atípicos de ventas, pronóstico de demanda futura, modelo de proyección, tiempos de reabastecimiento, nivel de servicio, stock de seguridad, inventario promedio e inventario óptimo. Además, el modelo de optimización del inventario está basado en el análisis estadístico de datos como: coeficientes de variación, desviación estándar, valores mínimos y máximos y cuartiles. Debido a la confiabilidad de los datos e información estratégica de la empresa, el presente estudio tiene sus limitaciones y por lo tanto se generan supuestos que serán detallados para que la herramienta a futuro pueda ser utilizada, evaluada y mejorada según amerite.
Evaluación de la gestión financiera y cualidades gerenciales en empresas ecuatorianas
Authors: Duque Espinoza Gabriela , Córdova León Fernando , González Soto Karla , Aguirre Quezada Juan Carlos
Published: November 2020

Los recursos que disponen las empresas y los resultados que obtienen, determinan su situación financiera y desempeño económico, reflejados en sus estados financieros. La función gerencial ejerce un rol fundamental para la maximización del valor empresarial, mediante el liderazgo, dirección y la acertada toma de decisiones; de forma que, las cualidades de la persona que administra una empresa repercuten en sus resultados. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar la gestión financiera de los cuatro sectores económicos más importantes de la industria manufacturera del Ecuador: Cárnico, Textil, Bebidas y Muebles, durante el período 2013 – 2018, y estudiar su relación con la gerencia, a través de la cuantificación y análisis de sus cualidades, tales como género, permanencia en el cargo, formación académica y afinidad. Se utilizaron los estados financieros reportados por las empresas ante la Superintendencia de Compañías, Valores y Seguros del Ecuador. La gestión financiera se evaluó mediante la aplicación y comparación de razones financieras, con la finalidad de estudiar su comportamiento y evolución, al identificar las principales similitudes y diferencias. Los resultados muestran una participación mayoritaria del género masculino en la gerencia de los cuatro sectores estudiados. El índice de endeudamiento es superior cuando la gerencia posee formación universitaria, lo que evidencia que la preparación académica incide en la capacidad de asumir mayores riesgos. Las empresas cuyos gerentes poseen formación afín, presentan mayores niveles de liquidez, lo que muestra mejores estrategias financieras de corto plazo.
El Agave Andino como diversificador de la oferta turística en el Distrito Metropolitano de Quito
Authors: Llugsha Guijarro Víctor Elías , Oviedo Costales María Soledad , Ocaña Zambrano Walter Omar
Published: November 2020

Las actividades turísticas en el Valle Equinoccial del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito reciben a la mayor cantidad de turistas que llegan a la ciudad, esto se debe en gran medida por su ubicación: La Mitad del Mundo. Diversificar su oferta turística permitirá responder a las necesidades de un mercado turístico que requiere experiencias vinculadas a un turismo sostenible y que no involucre a los actores locales en el proceso. La investigación establece la relación entre estos aspectos y el incipiente turismo gastronómico que existe en el Valle Equinoccial alrededor del agave andino. Las tendencias vinculadas a una mejor alimentación y la búsqueda del fortalecimiento de una identidad local que haga frente a la globalización han encontrado un nicho en el agave andino como un recurso turístico de gran potencial para Quito. Debido a las particularidades del fenómeno a estudiar, la presente investigación es exploratoria, utiliza herramientas propias de la metodología cualitativa, lo que permite identificar las particularidades del territorio y proponer un perfil de turista gastronómico que responda los aspectos planteados alrededor del agave.
Liderazgo directivo y su impacto en el aprendizaje estudiantil en instituciones educativas
Authors: Yangali Vicente Judith Soledad , Torres Lévano Gian Carlos
Published: November 2020

El objetivo general de la investigación fue determinar la correlación  entre la percepción del liderazgo directivo y el aprendizaje estudiantil en instituciones educativas del Callao. La metodología utilizada fue el enfoque cuantitativo, prospectivo, de corte transversal, de alcance correlacional y diseño no experimental. La muestra estudiada fue en base a una población censal de 20 docentes entre 20 a 60 años y a una población censal de 20 alumnos pertenecientes al 6° grado de primaria. Los datos fueron recolectados mediante una encuesta basada en un cuestionario sobre estilos de liderazgo y un registro de notas estandarizado. Se realizó el análisis estadístico mediante el software SPSS versión 22.0. Los datos fueron registrados en términos de medidas descriptivas. Los resultados arrojaron que existe un grado de correlación bajo entre las variables (Rho de Spearman: 0,205) con nivel bilateral de significancia de 0.05, es decir a un 95% de confianza. Por lo tanto, se concluye que no existe impacto directo ni significativo entre la percepción del liderazgo directivo y el aprendizaje estudiantil en las instituciones educativas del Callao.
Monitoring Blockchain Cryptocurrency Transactions to Improve the Trustworthiness of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0)
Authors: Sabri-Laghaie Kamyar , Jafarzadeh Ghoushchi Saeid , Elhambakhsh Fatemeh , Mardani Abbas
Published: November 2020

A completely new economic system is required for the era of Industry 4.0. Blockchain technology and blockchain cryptocurrencies are the best means to confront this new trustless economy. Millions of smart devices are able to complete transparent financial transactions via blockchain technology and its related cryptocurrencies. However, via blockchain technology, internet-connected devices may be hacked to mine cryptocurrencies. In this regard, monitoring the network of these blockchain-based transactions can be very useful to detect the abnormal behavior of users of these cryptocurrencies. Therefore, the trustworthiness of the transactions can be assured. In this paper, a novel procedure is proposed to monitor the network of blockchain cryptocurrency transactions. To do so, a hidden Markov multi-linear tensor model (HMTM) is utilized to model the transactions among nodes of the blockchain network. Then, a multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) control chart is applied to the monitoring of the latent effects. Average run length (ARL) is used to evaluate the performance of the MEWMA control chart in detecting blockchain network anomalies. The proposed procedure is applied to a real dataset of Bitcoin transactions.
A Combined Full-Reference Image Quality Assessment Method Based on Convolutional Activation Maps
Authors: Varga Domonkos
Published: November 2020

The goal of full-reference image quality assessment (FR-IQA) is to predict the perceptual quality of an image as perceived by human observers using its pristine (distortion free) reference counterpart. In this study, we explore a novel, combined approach which predicts the perceptual quality of a distorted image by compiling a feature vector from convolutional activation maps. More specifically, a reference-distorted image pair is run through a pretrained convolutional neural network and the activation maps are compared with a traditional image similarity metric. Subsequently, the resulting feature vector is mapped onto perceptual quality scores with the help of a trained support vector regressor. A detailed parameter study is also presented in which the design choices of the proposed method is explained. Furthermore, we study the relationship between the amount of training images and the prediction performance. Specifically, it is demonstrated that the proposed method can be trained with a small amount of data to reach high prediction performance. Our best proposal—called ActMapFeat—is compared to the state-of-the-art on six publicly available benchmark IQA databases, such as KADID-10k, TID2013, TID2008, MDID, CSIQ, and VCL-FER. Specifically, our method is able to significantly outperform the state-of-the-art on these benchmark databases.
Efficient Approaches to the Mixture Distance Problem
Authors: Juan Justie Su-Tzu , Chen Yi-Ching , Lin Chen-Hui , Chen Shu-Chuan
Published: November 2020

The ancestral mixture model, an important model building a hierarchical tree from high dimensional binary sequences, was proposed by Chen and Lindsay in 2006. As a phylogenetic tree (or evolutionary tree), a mixture tree created from ancestral mixture models, involves the inferred evolutionary relationships among various biological species. Moreover, it contains the information of time when the species mutates. The tree comparison metric, an essential issue in bioinformatics, is used to measure the similarity between trees. To our knowledge, however, the approach to the comparison between two mixture trees is still unknown. In this paper, we propose a new metric named the mixture distance metric, to measure the similarity of two mixture trees. It uniquely considers the factor of evolutionary times between trees. If we convert the mixture tree that contains the information of mutation time of each internal node into a weighted tree, the mixture distance metric is very close to the weighted path difference distance metric. Since the converted mixture tree forms a special weighted tree, we were able to design a more efficient algorithm to calculate this new metric. Therefore, we developed two algorithms to compute the mixture distance between two mixture trees. One requires O(n2) and the other requires O(nh1h2) computational time with O(n) preprocessing time, where n denotes the number of leaves in the two mixture trees, and h1 and h2 denote the heights of these two trees.
A First Investigation of Agriculture Sector Perspectives on the Opportunities and Barriers for Agrivoltaics
Authors: Pascaris Alexis S. , Schelly Chelsea , Pearce Joshua M.
Published: November 2020

Agrivoltaic systems are a strategic and innovative approach to combine solar photovoltaic (PV)-based renewable energy generation with agricultural production. Recognizing the fundamental importance of farmer adoption in the successful diffusion of the agrivoltaic innovation, this study investigates agriculture sector experts’ perceptions on the opportunities and barriers to dual land-use systems. Using in-depth, semistructured interviews, this study conducts a first study to identify challenges to farmer adoption of agrivoltaics and address them by responding to societal concerns. Results indicate that participants see potential benefits for themselves in combined solar and agriculture technology. The identified barriers to adoption of agrivoltaics, however, include: (i) desired certainty of long-term land productivity, (ii) market potential, (iii) just compensation and (iv) a need for predesigned system flexibility to accommodate different scales, types of operations, and changing farming practices. The identified concerns in this study can be used to refine the technology to increase adoption among farmers and to translate the potential of agrivoltaics to address the competition for land between solar PV and agriculture into changes in solar siting, farming practice, and land-use decision-making.
Development and Use of a Planter for Simultaneous Application of Seed, Fertilizer and Compost in Pearl Millet Production in Niger—Effects on Labor Use, Yield and Economic Return
Authors: Nourou Abdourahamane Issa M. , Saidou Addam Kiari , Aune Jens B.
Published: November 2020

Sowing and application of mineral and organic fertilizer is generally done manually in the Sahel, resulting in low precision and delayed application. The objective of this paper is to present a new mechanical planter (Gangaria) for the combined application of seeds and soil amendments (mineral fertilizer, compost, etc.), and to assess the effects of using this planter in pearl millet on labor use, yield and economic return. The labor study showed that the mechanized application of seeds and compost reduced time use by a factor of more than six. The on-station experiments were completely randomized experiments with six replications and six treatments: T0 (control), T1 (0.3 g NPK hill−1), T2 (25 g compost hill−1), T3 (25 g compost + 0.3 g NPK hill−1), T4 (50 g compost hill−1) and T5 (50 g compost + 0.3 g NPK hill−1). Treatments T1 to T5 were sown by the planter with seeds that were primed in combination with coating of seeds with a fungicide/insecticide. The treatment T5 increased grain yield and economic return compared to the control by 113% and 106%, respectively. The advantages for farmers using this approach of agricultural intensification are timelier sowing of dryland cereal crops, easy application of organic fertilizer and more precise delivery of input, thereby making this cropping system more productive and less vulnerable to drought.
The Identification of Runs of Homozygosity Gives a Focus on the Genetic Diversity and Adaptation of the “Charolais de Cuba” Cattle
Authors: Rodríguez-Valera Yoel , Rocha Dominique , Naves Michel , Renand Gilles , Pérez-Pineda Eliecer , Ramayo-Caldas Yuliaxis , Ramos-Onsins Sebastian E.
Published: November 2020

Inbreeding and effective population size (Ne) are fundamental indicators for the management and conservation of genetic diversity in populations. Genomic inbreeding gives accurate estimates of inbreeding, and the Ne determines the rate of the loss of genetic variation. The objective of this work was to study the distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROHs) in order to estimate genomic inbreeding (FROH) and an effective population size using 38,789 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Illumina Bovine 50K BeadChip in 86 samples from populations of Charolais de Cuba (n = 40) cattle and to compare this information with French (n = 20) and British Charolais (n = 26) populations. In the Cuban, French, and British Charolais populations, the average estimated genomic inbreeding values using the FROH statistics were 5.7%, 3.4%, and 4%, respectively. The dispersion measured by variation coefficient was high at 43.9%, 37.0%, and 54.2%, respectively. The effective population size experienced a very similar decline during the last century in Charolais de Cuba (from 139 to 23 individuals), in French Charolais (from 142 to 12), and in British Charolais (from 145 to 14) for the ~20 last generations. However, the high variability found in the ROH indicators and FROH reveals an opportunity for maintaining the genetic diversity of this breed with an adequate mating strategy, which can be favored with the use of molecular markers. Moreover, the detected ROH were compared to previous results obtained on the detection of signatures of selection in the same breed. Some of the observed signatures were confirmed by the ROHs, emphasizing the process of adaptation to tropical climate experienced by the Charolais de Cuba population.
Combined Supplementation of Nano-Zinc Oxide and Thyme Oil Improves the Nutrient Digestibility and Reproductive Fertility in the Male Californian Rabbits
Authors: Abdel-Wareth Ahmed A. A. , Al-Kahtani Mohammed Ali , Alsyaad Khalid Mushabab , Shalaby Fatma Mohsen , Saadeldin Islam M. , Alshammari Fahdah Ayed , Mobashar Muhammad , Suleiman Mohamed H. A. , Ali Abdalla H. H. , Taqi Mohamed O. , El-Sayed Hazem G. M. , El-Sadek Mahmoud S. Abd , Metwally Abdallah E. , Ahmed Ahmed Ezzat
Published: November 2020

The present study aimed to determine the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), thyme oil (THO), or their combination on the nutrient digestibility coefficients, reproductive parameters, and some blood metabolites of male Californian rabbits. One hundred rabbits, 29-weeks of age (initial body weight 3.48 ± 0.08 kg) were randomly distributed into four groups, 25 rabbits each. Treatment groups were fed a control diet, a control diet supplemented with ZnO-NPs (100 mg/kg), THO (500 mg/kg), or combination of ZnO-NPs (100 mg/kg) and THO (500 mg/kg). The feeding trial lasted for 35 days. Results showed improvements in dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and crude fiber in ZnO-NPs, THO, and their combination treated groups compared to those of control. Furthermore, semen volume, sperm motility, vitality, and morphology were significantly improved (p < 0.01) in ZnO-NPs and THO groups rather than the control. Both ZnO-NPs and THO, as either individual or combined treatments significantly improved the serum alanine amino-transferase (ALT), aspartate amino-transferase (AST), urea, and creatinine compared to the control. Moreover, serum concentrations of testosterone were significantly increased in rabbits supplemented with ZnO-NPs, THO, or their combination compared to those of control (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ZnO-NPs, THO, or their combination improved the digestibility of nutrients, liver/ kidney functions, semen characteristics, and testosterone concentration in male rabbits.
Replacing Forage by Crude Olive Cake in a Dairy Sheep Diet: Effects on Ruminal Fermentation and Microbial Populations in Rusitec Fermenters
Authors: García-Rodríguez Jairo , Mateos Iván , Saro Cristina , González Jesús S. , Carro María Dolores , Ranilla María José
Published: November 2020

Olive oil extraction generates large amounts of a highly pollutant by-product called olive cake (OC), and its use in ruminant feeding could be an alternative. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of partially replacing forage by crude OC (COC) in a mixed dairy diet on rumen fermentation and microbial populations in Rusitec fermenters. The COC replaced 33% of the forage (66% maize silage and 33% barley straw) and was included at 16.6% of the total diet. Four fermenters were used in a cross-over design with two 13-day incubation periods. Experimental diets had a 50:50 forage-to-concentrate ratio and were formulated to contain the same protein (16.0%) and neutral detergent fiber (32.5%) levels. Compared with control fermenters, those fed the COC diet showed greater (p ≤ 0.02) pH (6.07 vs. 6.22), diet disappearance (0.709 vs. 0.748), and butyrate proportions (18.0 vs. 19.4), but there were no differences in volatile fatty acids and ammonia production. Microbial growth, bacterial diversity, protozoal abundance, and relative abundance of fungi and archaea were unaffected by diet, although the solid phase of COC-fed fermenters showed greater (p = 0.01) bacterial abundance than control ones. Results indicate that COC could replace 33% of the forage in a mixed dairy diet.
Sepsis—A Retrospective Cohort Study of Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Santella Biagio , Folliero Veronica , Pirofalo Gerarda Maria , Serretiello Enrica , Zannella Carla , Moccia Giuseppina , Santoro Emanuela , Sanna Giuseppina , Motta Oriana , De Caro Francesco , Pagliano Pasquale , Capunzo Mario , Galdiero Massimiliano , Boccia Giovanni , Franci Gianluigi
Published: November 2020

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, among infectious diseases. Local knowledge of the main bacteria involved in BSIs and their associated antibiotic susceptibility patterns is essential to rationalize the empiric antimicrobial therapy. The aim of this study was to define the incidence of infection and evaluate the antimicrobial resistance profile of the main pathogens involved in BSIs. This study enrolled patients of all ages and both sexes admitted to the University Hospital “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, Salerno, Italy between January 2015 to December 2019. Bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed with Vitek 2. A number of 3.949 positive blood cultures were included out of 24,694 total blood cultures from 2015 to 2019. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were identified as the main bacteria that caused BSI (17.4%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (12.3%), Escherichia coli (10.9%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.4%). Gram-positive bacteria were highly resistant to Penicillin G and Oxacillin, while Gram-negative strains to Ciprofloxacin, Cefotaxime, Ceftazidime, and Amoxicillin-clavulanate. High susceptibility to Vancomycin, Linezolid, and Daptomycin was observed among Gram-positive strains. Fosfomycin showed the best performance to treatment Gram-negative BSIs. Our study found an increase in resistance to the latest generation of antibiotics over the years. This suggests an urgent need to improve antimicrobial management programs to optimize empirical therapy in BSI.
Revalorization of Broccoli By-Products for Cosmetic Uses Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction
Authors: Borja-Martínez María , Lozano-Sánchez Jesús , Borrás-Linares Isabel , Pedreño María A , Sabater-Jara Ana B
Published: November 2020

The agri-food industry is currently one of the main engines of economic development worldwide. The region of Murcia is a reference area in Europe for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables and produces the bulk of Spanish exports of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica). The processing of fresh produce generates a huge number of by-products that represent an important economic and environmental problem when discarded. In this work, an advanced extraction technique using environmentally friendly solvents was applied to assess the revalorization of broccoli by-products, by performing a comparative analysis with conventional extraction. To achieve this goal, supercritical fluid extraction based on response surface methodology was performed using CO2 and ethanol as solvents. The results obtained showed that the supercritical fluid extracts were rich in β-carotene, phenolic compounds, chlorophylls and phytosterols. Moreover, in bioactivity assays, the supercritical fluid extracts exhibited a high antioxidant activity and a cytoprotective effect in a non-tumorigenic keratinocyte cell line exposed to ultraviolet B light. The results indicate that supercritical fluid extracts from broccoli by-products could potentially serve as an ingredient for cosmetic purposes.
Protective Effects of Melatonin against Severe Burn-Induced Distant Organ Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies
Authors: Sumsuzzman Dewan Md. , Choi Jeonghyun , Khan Zeeshan Ahmad , Hong Yonggeun
Published: November 2020

Extensive burns result in a local wound response and distant-organ injury (DOI) caused by oxidative-stress and inflammation. Melatonin (MT) shows promise in alleviating oxidative-stress and inflammation, but its role in thermal injury is largely unexplored. The present systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to assess the effects of MT on oxidative-stress and inflammatory markers against severe burn-induced DOI. Mean difference (MD)/standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using fixed-effect/random-effects models. Eighteen experimental studies met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the control group, MT significantly decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (SMD, −1.03; 95% CI, −1.30, −0.76, p < 0.00001) and 4-hydroxynonenal (MD, −1.06; 95% CI, −1.57, −0.56, p < 0.0001). Additionally, MT increased the levels of glutathione (SMD, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.27, 2.61, p < 0.00001) and superoxide-dismutase (SMD, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.08, 1.45, p = 0.03). Finally, MT significantly decreased the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (SMD, −1.34; 95% CI, −1.92 to −0.77; p < 0.00001) and C-reactive protein (MD, −12.67; 95% CI, −16.72 to −8.62; p < 0.00001). Meta-analysis indicates that severe burn followed by immediate MT (10 mg/kg) intervention shows significant beneficial effects after 24-h against DOI by regulating oxidative-stress and the inflammatory response.
Validation of Bifacial Photovoltaic Simulation Software against Monitoring Data from Large-Scale Single-Axis Trackers and Fixed Tilt Systems in Denmark
Authors: Riedel-Lyngskær Nicholas , Berrian Djaber , Alvarez Mira Daniel , Aguilar Protti Alexander , Poulsen Peter Behrensdorff , Libal Joris , Vedde Jan
Published: November 2020

The size and number of utility-scale bifacial photovoltaic (PV) installations has proliferated in recent years but concerns over modeling accuracy remain. The aim of this work is to provide the PV community with a validation study of eight tools used to simulate bifacial PV performance. We simulate real 26 kilowatt-peak (kWp) bifacial arrays within a 420-kWp site located in northern Europe (55.6° N, 12.1° E). The substructures investigated include horizontal single-axis trackers (HSATs) and fixed tilt racks that have dimensions analogous to those found in utility-scale PV installations. Each bifacial system has a monofacial reference system with similar front side power. We use on-site solar radiation (global, diffuse, and beam) and albedo measurements from spectrally flat class A sensors as inputs to the simulation tools, and compare the modeled values to field measurements of string level power, rear and front plane of array irradiance, and module temperature. Our results show that state-of-the-art bifacial performance models add ~0.5% uncertainty to the PV modeling chain. For the site investigated, 2-D view factor fixed tilt simulations are within ±1% of the measured monthly bifacial gain. However, simulations of single-axis tracker systems are less accurate, wherein 2-D view factor and 3-D ray tracing are within approximately 2% and 1% of the measured bifacial gain, respectively.
Parameters Adjustment Optimization for Prepreg of Copper Clad Laminate Based on Virtual Metrology
Authors: Kuo Yiyo , Chen Ssu-Han
Published: November 2020

In this research, virtual metrology models, which can estimate the quality characteristics based on the given manufacturing parameters, were developed by lasso regression and support vector regression. Then, the virtual metrology (VM) models were integrated into a mathematical model to minimize the adjustment of manufacturing parameters and ensure the corresponding quality characteristics that would meet the customers’ needs. According to the results of the experiment, it was found that developing the virtual metrology model by using integration of lasso regression and support vector regression and taking second order terms into consideration produces the best performance for estimating the quality characteristics. Moreover, the integrated mathematical model can provide manufacturing parameters that minimize the amount of adjustment and ensure that the quality characteristics equal their corresponding target values. The proposed methodology can reduce the setup times and consequently increase productivity.
Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI
Authors: Offenbacher Stefan , Neuhold Johannes , Veit Peter , Landgraf Matthias
Published: November 2020

Adequate railway track condition is a prerequisite for safe and reliable railway operation. Many track quality indices (TQIs) have been developed with the aim of assessing the track condition holistically. These indices combine measurement signals of some or all relevant geometry parameters with different mathematical models. In this paper, a selection of important TQIs is evaluated. Using measurement data of a five kilometer track section, the indices are calculated and their properties are discussed. This study reveals that all indices exhibit drawbacks to varying degrees. As a consequence, a new index has been developed—the track quality index of Graz University of Technology (TUG_TQI). Its favorable characteristics are presented by means of the above-mentioned test section. The TUG_TQI combines all relevant track geometry parameters, which are normalized beforehand to eliminate over or underrepresentation of different parameters. Thus, the index reliably describes the overall geometrical track quality.
Force Fight and Its Elimination in a Prototype of a Redundant Direct-Drive Avionic Actuator
Authors: Estival Pierre , Sehab Rabia , Krebs Guillaume , Barbedette Bertrand
Published: November 2020

Nowadays, in aeronautical applications, rigorous reliability requirements are high constraints for embedded systems. Therefore, material redundancy is adopted to ensure safety whatever operation conditions may be. In the design of a direct-drive actuator for a specific application, redundancy is taken into account using a compound of four three-phase permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM). Each two electric machines are mounted in series sharing the same rotor with a common through shaft. The stators of each two electric machines are designed and manufactured as a six-phase machine. For each machine, power supply, sensors, and control loops are independent. In the characterization of the designed actuator and in the validation of its specific control in healthy operation mode and in faulty operation mode, taking into account the force fight phenomenon between the motor lanes, a specific test bench is developed. The aim of this paper is to highlight this phenomenon in faulty operation mode and to develop an easily implementable monitoring architecture, in order to eliminate it. Finally, with the proposed approach of monitoring, the force fight phenomenon is eliminated in faulty operation mode keeping the same performance as in healthy operation mode.
NMR-Based Metabolomic Study of Purple Carrot Optimal Harvest Time for Utilization as a Source of Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Sciubba Fabio , Tomassini Alberta , Giorgi Giorgio , Brasili Elisa , Pasqua Gabriella , Capuani Giorgio , Aureli Walter , Miccheli Alfredo
Published: November 2020

The carrot (Daucus carota L.), one of the most important vegetable crops in the world, is recognized as a source of different compounds with healthy properties. Due to their high content of anthocyanins, purple carrots have been used as a natural colorant source to face the increasing demand of consumers for non-synthetic products. However, the root developmental stage can greatly affect the phytochemical composition and, in this regard, the identification of chemical biomarkers for the optimal harvest time would be of paramount interest both from a nutritional point of view and for the agri-food industry. In the present work, the metabolic profiling of purple carrots was monitored over four months using high-resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy. Several metabolites were identified, and their quantitative variations allowed for the investigation of the carrot development processes. The metabolic profile analysis showed an increase in amino acid, NAD, and caffeic acid levels during carrot development. A more tardive harvest in December entailed an increase in levels of luteolin-7-O-glucoside, chlorogenic acid, falcarinol, and γ-aminobutyrate, and a decrease in carotenoids and ω-6 fatty acid. The results showed how the harvest time affects the composition in terms of flavonoids, phenols, and polyacetylenes, therefore, improving the bioactive compound content.
Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Predictor with an Incremental Tree Structure Based on a Context-Based Fuzzy Clustering Approach
Authors: Yeom Chan-Uk , Kwak Keun-Chang
Published: November 2020

We propose an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with an incremental tree structure based on a context-based fuzzy C-means (CFCM) clustering process. ANFIS is a combination of a neural network with the ability to learn, adapt and compute, and a fuzzy machine with the ability to think and to reason. It has the advantages of both models. General ANFIS rule generation methods include a method employing a grid division using a membership function and a clustering method. In this study, a rule is created using CFCM clustering that considers the pattern of the output space. In addition, multiple ANFISs were designed in an incremental tree structure without using a single ANFIS. To evaluate the performance of ANFIS in an incremental tree structure based on the CFCM clustering method, a computer performance prediction experiment was conducted using a building heating-and-cooling dataset. The prediction experiment verified that the proposed CFCM-clustering-based ANFIS shows better prediction efficiency than the current grid-based and clustering-based ANFISs in the form of an incremental tree.
Substrate Cleaning Processes and Their Influence on the Laser Resistance of Anti-Reflective Coatings
Authors: Gischkat Thomas , Schachtler Daniel , Stevanovic Igor , Balogh-Michels Zoltan , Botha Roelene , Bächli Andreas , Cucinelli Marco , Mocker André , Gutsche Martin , Günther Sven , Alder Philipp , Eiermann Bernd
Published: November 2020

Substrate cleaning prior to coating has a strong influence on the performance of the optical component. Exemplary, none or inadequate cleaning reduces the resistance against laser irradiation drastically. Especially in laser components coated with anti-reflective layers, the interface between substrate and coating is one of the most limiting factors. This study investigates different precision cleaning processes and their influence on the laser resistance of ion-beam sputtered anti-reflective coatings. Therefore, a SiO2/Ta2O5 multilayer anti-reflective coating for a wavelength of 1064 nm and a normal angle of incidence was deposited onto high-quality fused silica substrates. Prior to deposition, the substrates were cleaned with various cleaning processes using different solutions and ultrasonic frequencies. To characterize the cleaned surface quality, the surfaces were analyzed with respect to root-mean-square (RMS) roughness and particle density. Laser damage was measured using a 1064 nm ns-pulsed laser test bench. It was found that an alcoholic pre-clean is recommendable to prevent laser damage caused by organic films remaining from the polishing process. The applied ultrasonic frequencies strongly influenced the particle density down to the sub-micrometer range and in consequence, the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT). Ultrasonic cleaning at excessive power levels can reduce laser resistance.
Intelligent Health Services Based on Biomedical Smart Sensors
Authors: Colomo-Palacios Ricardo , Gómez-Pulido Juan A. , Pérez Alfredo J.
Published: November 2020

Health services can be improved by means of intelligent techniques that handle efficiently massive volumes of data collected from biomedical variables. Nowadays, these services are not only oriented to disease diagnosis and prevention, but wellness too. Advanced technologies and last trends in computing, internet of things, sensors, and data science are driving the development of new systems and applications in the area of intelligent health services based on biomedical smart sensors that deserve to be known. Through five research articles and a review, this Special Issue provides the opportunity to obtain a representative view of the potential of these technologies when applied to such a human welfare-oriented area.