bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formation of Information Culture of Students as an Integral Component of Educational Activity
Authors: Nurkulova E. , Nurkulova M.
Published: July 2020

In the modern developing knowledge society, the role and importance of information is expanding more and more, information is becoming a key factor in the development of human civilization. Under these conditions, an important place in the structure of the personality belongs to its information culture, which involves the possession of information sources, the ability to search for it and its active use in life processes. An important role in the mastery of information culture by young people belongs to universities and university libraries. The article shows the relevance of the problem, the importance of these factors in the formation of the information culture of young generations during the period of higher education, when the formation of the entire culture of the personality as a whole is in progress. The content of the concept of information culture is revealed, the current state of the formation of information culture in universities of Kyrgyzstan is briefly characterized, the role of university libraries in the education of students’ information culture is determined.
Application of Methodical Problems in Forming Professional-Technological Competence of Future Physics Teachers
Authors: Isaeva R.
Published: July 2020

The article discusses the role and importance of methodological tasks in the preparation of future physics teachers. In order to form professional and technological competencies in students, a system has been developed for the compilation and application of methodological tasks in the educational process, which consists of the following components: didactic goals, the didactic basis for compiling methodological problems, solution conditions, decision logic, stages of solving methodological problems.
Technology of the Special Course for Forming Methodical Competence of Future Physics Teachers
Authors: Isaeva R.
Published: July 2020

One of the most important tasks that the school is called to solve is to ensure that students learn the basic knowledge of science. The main components of the system of scientific knowledge: scientific facts, scientific concepts, theories, laws, research methods, applied issues. The main core of this system is scientific concepts. Without assimilation of concepts, there can be no conscious assimilation of the laws and theories of physics. All this leads to the conclusion about the importance of the problem of the formation of scientific concepts in school students and the formation of the competence of future teachers in this type of activity. To consciously control the process of the formation of concepts, it is necessary to know the main features, patterns. The article presents the experience of conducting a special course to prepare students for the formation of physical concepts in schoolchildren.
Conflict Management in the Teaching Staff
Authors: Tokareva A.
Published: July 2020

This article discusses the theoretical aspects of pedagogical conflicts, explores the causes of conflicts between teachers in school. In addition to this, an experimental study of conflicts was conducted and recommendations were developed to reduce conflict situations in pedagogical groups. The mechanisms of conflict resolution in the teaching staff are investigated in detail. The conditions of the emergence, course and management of the conflict in the teachers’ labor collective are studied, and dynamics is revealed that shows how the level of personal self-control affects tactics of behavior in a conflict situation. The practical significance lies in the fact that, in the framework of the study, I, together with the supervisor, managed to identify a number of patterns in the behavior of the participants in the teaching staff, taking into account their personal characteristics.
Ancient Egypt Focuses on “Cultural Memory”
Authors: Sherkova T.
Published: July 2020

The existence of culture is impossible without memory as a supra-individual intellectual and communicative system in synchronous and diachronic dimensions. From semiotics in pre-written (as in unwritten) cultures, all facts, phenomena, events, objects, etc., are natural and cultural texts, as they contain information encrypted in image-symbolic language, which explains the mythological consciousness of the cultures of antiquity. In this context, this article examines the forms of keeping in the collective memory of the basic spiritual values of the culture. The basis of myth-religious ideas was the idea of returning to the origins, of the great-time creation of the world. This sacred time was repeated in rituals, cementing the identity of the population of ancient Egyptian culture through centuries and millennia. The main channels of cultural memory keeping were temples and texts and rituals. The king responsible for the prosperity of society played a key role. The cult of the ruling and deceased king had a cosmogony basis. The notions of the cyclical movement of time, the victory of order over chaos were reflected at all levels and spheres of society. The central model of an orderly world with a dedicated core was a model for social structure, temple buildings, burial complexes of elite necropolises, rites, compositions on ritual objects. Cultural memory kept ancient symbols, placing them in the contexts of subsequent eras, as a reminder of the ancient, eternal foundations of culture.
Forms of Repetition in ‘The Robins Nest’
Authors: Houghton-Walker Sarah
Published: July 2020

This essay uses Clare's interest in birds as a lens to focus its examination of the way his poetry exhibits a particular kind of attention to attention. More particularly, it explores various ways in which repetition functions in Clare's poem, ‘The Robins Nest’. The essay argues that the tension between specifics and generalities which inevitably arises in the construction of natural history, and the gap between natural history and poetry, are significantly negotiated in ‘The Robins Nest’ through the poet's use of forms of repetition. These in turn both invite the reader's attention to the world and represent something of the quality of the poet's attention as he makes his own observations.
John Clare and the Language of Listening
Authors: Gorji Mina
Published: July 2020

This essay examines the representation of listening in a number of Clare's 1832 poems, paying attention to the language used, including prepositions, ideophones, verb forms, dialect and literary allusion. It considers how listening locates and is located in his poems and argues that in ‘The Fernowls Nest’ literary allusion is an especially appropriate language for describing the poem's strangely displaced sounds. It proposes that Clare's listening is alert and responsive to different aural perspectives, that it is compound and reflexive, and especially attuned to moments of aural ambiguity, when the boundary between self and other, subject and object becomes blurred. Such moments offer a mode of ethical relation to the natural world that resists the politics of representation John Barrell has associated with the eye in loco-descriptive poetry. 1 If the particularity and multiplicity of Clare's poems offer an alternative to the visual mode of control and possession associated with the prospect view, the distinctive forms of listening we find in his poems, and, in particular, his attunement to aural ambiguity, represent another kind of resistance to the aesthetic expression of human ownership and control over the natural world. Listening in Clare is thus a form of environmentalist poetics.
The Life of Rural Scenery
Authors: Chirico Paul
Published: July 2020

John Clare observed and described the natural world with an unsurpassed accuracy and intimacy. But his landscapes also bore the memories of life and labour. Like Wordsworth, he sought to create textual objects in transmissible forms, to deliver their reported worlds – expansive, dynamic, somehow inhabitable – to distant readers, drawing them into sympathetic intercommunion with a complex living scene. His intimate descriptive poetry reveals the tangible qualities of light and sound, and the material basis of the apparently abstract concept of time. Memory and imagination are understood to inhabit bodily spaces, provoking ‘real transport’: an observer lost in – and to – the moment. From his place and time, Clare felt solidarity with isolated birds, alienation from labour, estrangement from human communities. Publications such as annuals often showcased formulaic reflections on nature and on memory; Clare exploited textual duplicability, his meditative descriptive poetry spanning the history and futurity of an observed scene.
REFORMASI BIROKRASI DALAM MENINGKATKAN KINERJA APARATUR PADA DINAS KOPERASI, UMKM, PERDAGANGAN DAN PERINDUSTRIAN KABUPATEN PESISIR SELATAN PROVINSI SUMATERA BARAT
Authors: Permana Briyam Ksatria
Published: July 2020

Cooperatives, SMEs and trade sector of South Pesisir have not been maximized in supporting the people’s economy. Even the number of cooperatives and SMEs of South Pesisir Regency is still relatively minimal that of 333 the number of cooperatives, only 221 active cooperatives and only 69 cooperative srunning RAT. Also from 4440 the number of SMEs only 210 who have received coaching. In order to make the Cooperatives, SMEs and Trade as the main sector in supporting the economy of South Pesisir community, it is necessary to improve the performance apparatur of the Cooperative, SME, Trade and The Industry of South Pesisir Regency in conducting the cooperative and SMEs in the South Pesisir Regency. So that needed Bureaucratic Reform in improving performance of apparatus of Cooperatives, SME, Trade and Industry office of South Pesisir Regency.

This research aims to determine and describe the form of Bureaucratic Reform that is applied and its effect on the performance of apparatus in Cooperatives, SME, Trade and Industry Office of South Pesisir Regency of West Sumatra Province. This research uses Descriptive Method with Inductive approach and data collection technique using Triangulation technique consist of interview technique, observation, and documentation.

This research concludes that Bureaucratic Reform has been applied well in Cooperatives, SME, Trade and Industry Office of South Pesisir Regency, so that have improved apparatus performance. However, the implementation of Bureaucratic Reforms leads to quite fundamental changes that require adjustment. Therefore, socialization related to the changes that occurred, the provision of new SOP hardcopy and supervision attached to the apparatus.
A Review of Metal and Metal-Oxide Nanoparticle Coating Technologies to Inhibit Agglomeration and Increase Bioactivity for Agricultural Applications
Authors: Cartwright Anthony , Jackson Kyle , Morgan Christina , Anderson Anne , Britt David W.
Published: July 2020

Coatings offer a means to control nanoparticle (NP) size, regulate dissolution, and mitigate runoff when added to crops through soil. Simultaneously, coatings can enhance particle binding to plants and provide an additional source of nutrients, making them a valuable component to existing nanoparticle delivery systems. Here, the surface functionalization of metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles to inhibit aggregation and preserve smaller agglomerate sizes for enhanced transport to the rooting zone and improved uptake in plants is reviewed. Coatings are classified by type and by their efficacy to mitigate agglomeration in soils with variable pH, ionic concentration, and natural organic matter profiles. Varying degrees of success have been reported using a range of different polymers, biomolecules, and inorganic surface coatings. Advances in zwitterionic coatings show the best results for maintaining nanoparticle stability in solutions even under high salinity and temperature conditions, whereas coating by the soil component humic acid may show additional benefits such as promoting dissolution and enhancing bioavailability in soils. Pre-tuning of NP surface properties through exposure to select natural organic matter, microbial products, and other biopolymers may yield more cost-effective nonagglomerating metal/metal-oxide NPs for soil applications in agriculture.
Seed Yield, Seed Protein, Oil Content, and Agronomic Characteristics of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) Depending on Different Seeding Systems and Cultivars in Germany
Authors: Sobko Olena , Zikeli Sabine , Claupein Wilhelm , Gruber Sabine
Published: July 2020

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) is one of the most important crops worldwide. In several European countries such as Germany, soybean cultivation is not traditional and as such remains to be optimized. One option to increase soybean production is to adapt and improve the seeding system. To investigate the effects of different seeding systems on seed yield, seed protein, and oil content, plant characteristics were assessed using a two-factorial (two seeding systems and four cultivars) field trial over two years (2017–2018) at two locations in southeast Germany. The seeding systems were drill (row spacing 14 cm) and precision seeding (row spacing 28 cm), and the cultivars were Viola 000, Lissabon 000, ES Mentor 00, and Orion 00. Depending on the seeding system, a seed yield of 3.8 t ha−1 dry matter (DM), 40.9% protein content (DM), and 18.8% oil content (DM) was achieved by drilling, and 3.6 t ha−1 yield (DM), 40.1% protein content (DM), and 19.1% oil content (DM) with precision seeding (average across four cultivars, two locations, and two years). No significant effects of the seeding system on all seed and plant characteristics were observed. As drilling and precision seeding did not affect the seed yield, seed protein, oil contents, and plant characteristics of soybean in this study, farmers are able to choose the seeding system which fits best into their farms and is economically most viable.
Antibacterial Drug Development: A New Approach Is Needed for the Field to Survive and Thrive
Authors: Safir M. Courtney , Bhavnani Sujata M. , Slover Christine M. , Ambrose Paul G. , Rubino Christopher M.
Published: July 2020

It is often said that the marketplace for new antibiotics is broken. This notion is supported by the observation that many recently-approved antibiotics to treat drug-resistant bacteria have failed commercially in a spectacular fashion. Today, companies with peak market-cap values in excess of USD 500 million to 1 billion prior to product launch regularly sell for pennies on the dollar a few years after market introduction. It is possible, however, that the market is not as broken as we perceive. That is, in the collective mind of the clinician, recently-approved antibiotics may be too-poorly differentiated to justify their broad use and inordinate cost relative to those already existing. Perhaps we in the antibacterial drug development field must change our way of thinking if we are to survive and thrive. Rather than reflexively developing new β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combinations for every new enzyme that evades our current inhibitors, we should focus discovery and development efforts on agents that revolutionize how we potentiate antibiotics. To this end, there has been renewed interest in phage therapies, virulence inhibitors, bacterial growth rate modulators, monoclonal antibodies, and other approaches to augment antibiotic effects. Herein, we suggest that the unmet medical need is less about adding poorly-differentiated antibiotics to our armamentarium and more about the need for innovation in how we augment antibiotic regimen effects.
Continual Learning for Addressing Optimization Problems with a Snake-Like Robot Controlled by a Self-Organizing Model
Authors: Chen Jong-Chen
Published: July 2020

We have entered a new era, “Industry 4.0”, that sees the overall industry marching toward an epoch of man–machine symbiosis and intelligent production. The developers of so-called “intelligent” systems must attempt to seriously take into account all possible situations that might occur in the real world, to minimize unexpected errors. By contrast, biological systems possess comparatively better “adaptability” than man-made machines, as they possess a self-organizing learning that plays an indispensable role. The objective of this study was to apply a malleable learning system to the movement control of a snake-like robot, to investigate issues related to self-organizing dynamics. An artificial neuromolecular (ANM) system previously developed in our laboratory was used to control the movements of an eight-joint snake-like robot (called Snaky). The neuromolecular model is a multilevel neural network that abstracts biological structure–function relationships into the system’s structure, in particular into its intraneuronal structure. With this feature, the system possesses structure richness in generating a broad range of dynamics that allows it to learn how to complete the assigned tasks in a self-organizing manner. The activation and rotation angle of each motor are dependent on the firing activity of neurons that control the motor. An evolutionary learning algorithm is used to train the system to complete the assigned tasks. The key issues addressed include the self-organizing learning capability of the ANM system in a physical environment. The experimental results show that Snaky was capable of learning in a continuous manner. We also examined how the ANM system controlled the angle of each of Snaky’s joints, to complete each assigned task. The result might provide us with another dimension of information on how to design the movement of a snake-like robot.
Study on the Curing Process of Silver Paste of Heterojunction Solar Cells Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Li Xin , Dong Hongyu , Guo Shaoqing , Zhao Liangfu
Published: July 2020

Adhesion strength is of great importance for silver paste of heterojunction solar cells (HJT silver paste). It has a close relation with the curing system, as well as the curing process or curing conditions of the paste. The interactions among all the curing conditions such as curing time (t, min), treatment temperature (T, °C), and curing agent dosage (m, wt%) are obviously complex and hard to analyze. Response surface methodology (RSM) is used to research the interactions among t, T, and m and to optimize the curing process. The results of this study indicate that an increase of curing time and treatment temperature both had a positive effect on adhesion strength. The effect of curing time is more obvious under a lower treatment temperature. 41 wt%, 199 °C, and 44 min were determined as the optimum process conditions. The quadratic model predictions fitted well with the experimental data with a deviation less than 3%. The FTIR results indicated that there were both addition and esterification processes in the reaction of E51 and ring-open MeTHPA. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the silver paste formed a dense interconnected network and provided a continuous pathway for current carrier transmission. This research demonstrated the effectiveness of the E51-MeTHPA system for HJT silver paste and the superiority of RSM in studying the curing process of silver paste.
A Multiple N-Glucosylated Peptide Epitope Efficiently Detecting Antibodies in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Nuti Francesca , Fernandez Feliciana Real , Sabatino Giuseppina , Peroni Elisa , Mulinacci Barbara , Paolini Ilaria , Pisa Margherita Di , Tiberi Caterina , Lolli Francesco , Petruzzo Martina , Lanzillo Roberta , Morra Vincenzo Brescia , Rovero Paolo , Papini Anna Maria
Published: July 2020

Diagnostics of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are essentially based on the gold standard magnetic resonance imaging. Few alternative simple assays are available to follow up disease activity. Considering that the disease can remain elusive for years, identification of antibodies fluctuating in biological fluids as relevant biomarkers of immune response is a challenge. In previous studies, we reported that anti-N-glucosylated (N-Glc) peptide antibodies that can be easily detected in Solid-Phase Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assays (SP-ELISA) on MS patients’ sera preferentially recognize hyperglucosylated adhesin of non-typeable Haemophilus Influenzae. Since multivalency can be useful for diagnostic purposes to allow an efficient coating in ELISA, we report herein the development of a collection of Multiple N-glucosylated Peptide Epitopes (N-Glc MEPs) to detect anti-N-Glc antibodies in MS. To this aim, a series of N-Glc peptide antigens to be represented in the N-GlcMEPs were tested in competitive ELISA. We confirmed that the epitope recognized by antibodies shall contain at least 5-mer sequences including the fundamental N-Glc moiety. Using a 4-branched dendrimeric lysine scaffold, we selected the N-Glc MEP 24, carrying the minimal epitope Asn(Glc) anchored to a polyethylene glycol-based spacer (PEG) containing a 19-atoms chain, as an efficient multivalent probe to reveal specific and high affinity anti-N-Glc antibodies in MS.
A Novel High-Frequency Ultrasonic Approach for Evaluation of Homogeneity and Measurement of Sprayed Coating Thickness
Authors: Xu Chunguang , He Lei , Xiao Dingguo , Ma Pengzhi , Wang Qiutao
Published: July 2020

A high-frequency ultrasonic approach for testing and evaluating sprayed coating thickness is proposed in this paper. This technique is based on the maximum frequency interval method of the magnitude spectrum of the acoustic pressure reflection coefficient that adopts Welch spectrum estimation. The acoustic propagation model was set up at normal incidence, and the relationship between the maximum frequency interval by the Welch power spectrum and the coating thickness was established to provide the principle for determining coating thickness. According to this principle, the thickness of a series of stainless steel coatings and ZrO2–Y2O3 (yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)) coatings were detected by scanning acoustic microscopy. The relative error was less than 4% with the microscope method, indicating that the proposed ultrasonic method provides a reliable nondestructive way to measure sprayed coating thickness. The uniformity of the sprayed coating thickness could be intuitively observed from C-scan images by programming.
Control of the Mg-Treated Iron Casting Skin Formation by S-Diffusion Blocking at the Metal–Mould Interface
Authors: Anca Denisa , Stan Iuliana , Chisamera Mihai , Riposan Iulian , Stan Stelian
Published: July 2020

Having established that sulphur presence in the mould materials appears to have an important contribution in graphite degeneration at least in the casting surface layer, a research program is undertaken to explore the possible beneficial effect of sulphur diffusion blocking at the metal–mould interface. Test samples, with and without a thin steel sheet (up to 3 mm thickness) application on the inner surface of the mould cavity, before iron melt pouring, are considered for structure analysis. A higher nodulizing potential (0.048% Mgres, 0.015% Ceres, and 0.006% Lares) decreases the occurrence of surface graphite degeneration in castings obtained in rigid chemically bonded resin sand moulds, using P-toluol sulfonic acid (PTSA) hardener (S-including), but it is not enough to avoid this phenomenon (200–400 μm skin in present experimental conditions). The casting skin appears to have different values, depending on the evaluation technique (un- and Nital-etching direct measurement, or graphite parameters variation on the casting section). In the presence of a thin steel sheet at the metal–mould interface, the casting skin thickness decreases or is just excluded. It is supposed that it acts as a barrier, blocking S-diffusion from the mould media into the iron melt. Without this S-diffusion, the graphite degeneration in the casting surface layer could be avoided, or at least diminished. For industrial application, the increasing of residual content of nodulizing elements is a limited solution, and it is recommended to use barriers to block S transfer on the mould/metal surface, such as dense coatings or coatings with desulphurization capacity.
Automatic Code Generation of MVC Web Applications
Authors: Paolone Gaetanino , Marinelli Martina , Paesani Romolo , Di Felice Paolino
Published: July 2020

As Web applications become more and more complex, the development costs are increasing as well. A Model Driven Architecture (MDA) approach is proposed in this paper since it simplifies modeling, design, implementation, and integration of applications by defining software mainly at the model level. We adopt the The Unified Modeling Language (UML), as modeling language. UML provides a set of diagrams to model structural and behavioral aspects of the Web applications. Automatic translation of UML diagrams to the Object-Oriented code is highly desirable because it eliminates the chances of introducing human errors. Moreover, automatic code generation helps the software designers delivering of the software on time. In our approach, the automatic transformations across the MDA’s levels are based on meta-models for two of the most important constructs of UML, namely Use Cases and classes. A proprietary tool (called xGenerator) performs the transformations up to the Java source code. The architecture of the generated Web applications respects a variant of the well-known Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern.
Secure Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Hyperchaos and Dynamic DNA Coding
Authors: Zhu Shuqin , Zhu Congxu
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we construct a five dimensional continuous hyperchaotic system and propose an image encryption scheme based on the hyperchaotic system, which adopts DNA dynamic coding mechanism and classical scrambling diffusion encryption structure. In the diffusion stage, two rounds of diffusion are adopted and the rules of DNA encoding (DNA decoding) are dynamically changed according to the pixel value of the plaintext image, that is, the rules of DNA encoding (DNA decoding) used to encrypt different images are different, which makes the algorithm can resist chosen-plaintext attack. The encryption (decryption) key is only the initial value of the chaotic system, which overcomes the difficulty of key management in the “one time pad” encryption system. The experimental results and security analysis show that the algorithm has some advantages of large key space, no obvious statistical characteristics of ciphertext, sensitivity to plaintext and key and able to resist differential attacks and chosen plaintext attack. It has good application prospects.
Development of Stock Networks Using Part Mutual Information and Australian Stock Market Data
Authors: Yan Yan , Wu Boyao , Tian Tianhai , Zhang Hu
Published: July 2020

Complex network is a powerful tool to discover important information from various types of big data. Although substantial studies have been conducted for the development of stock relation networks, correlation coefficient is dominantly used to measure the relationship between stock pairs. Information theory is much less discussed for this important topic, though mutual information is able to measure nonlinear pairwise relationship. In this work we propose to use part mutual information for developing stock networks. The path-consistency algorithm is used to filter out redundant relationships. Using the Australian stock market data, we develop four stock relation networks using different orders of part mutual information. Compared with the widely used planar maximally filtered graph (PMFG), we can generate networks with cliques of large size. In addition, the large cliques show consistency with the structure of industrial sectors. We also analyze the connectivity and degree distributions of the generated networks. Analysis results suggest that the proposed method is an effective approach to develop stock relation networks using information theory.
An Energy Preservation Index for Evaluating the Rockburst Potential Based on Energy Evolution
Authors: Gao Lin , Gao Feng , Xing Yan , Zhang Zhizhen
Published: July 2020

The estimation of rockburst potential has attracted great attention in the field of rock mechanics and engineering. In this study, an original energy preservation index is proposed to evaluate the rockburst potential in view of the energy evolution characteristics of rock materials. To investigate the energy evolution during rock deformation and failure, a number of cyclic uniaxial compression experiments on five kinds of rocks were carried out. The results showed that the curves of energy evolution exhibited obvious stages and there were significantly different weakening degrees for different rock materials embodied by the decreasing degrees of the ratios of elastic strain energy to dissipated strain energy at the weakening stage. Then, the energy preservation index was further formulated based on the decreasing ratio. Furthermore, by analyzing the acoustic emission activities at the failure stage and failure modes of the five rock materials, the rockburst potential was analyzed according to the energy preservation index.
Analysis on the Fire Growth Rate Index Considering of Scale Factor, Volume Fraction, and Ignition Heat Source for Polyethylene Foam Pipe Insulation
Authors: Park Jung Wook , Lim Ohk Kun , You Woo Jun
Published: July 2020

The fire growth rate index (FIGRA), which is the ratio of the maximum value of the heat release rate (Qmax) and the time (tmax) to reach the maximum heat release rate, is a general method to evaluate a material in the fire-retardant performance in fire technology. The object of this study aims to predict FIGRA of the polyethylene foam pipe insulation in accordance with the scale factor (Sf), the volume fraction of the pipe insulation (VF) and the ignition heat source (Qig). The compartments made of fireboard have been mock-up with 1/3, 1/4, and 1/5 reduced scales of the compartment as specified in ISO 20632. The heat release rate data of the pipe insulation with the variation of Sf, VF, and Qig are measured from 33 experiments to correlate with FIGRA. Based on a critical analysis of the heat transfer phenomenon from previous research literature, the predictions of Qmax and tmax are presented. It is noticeable that the fire-retardant grade of the polyethylene foam pipe insulation could have Grade B, C, and D in accordance with the test conditions within ±15% deviation of the predicted FIGRA. In case of establishing the database of various types of insulation, the prediction models could apply to evaluate the fire-retardant performance.
Steam Explosion Pretreatment of Beechwood. Part 1: Comparison of the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Washed Solids and Whole Pretreatment Slurry at Different Solid Loadings
Authors: Balan Robert , Antczak Andrzej , Brethauer Simone , Zielenkiewicz Tomasz , Studer Michael H.
Published: July 2020

Steam explosion is a well-known process to pretreat lignocellulosic biomass in order to enhance sugar yields in enzymatic hydrolysis, but pretreatment conditions have to be optimized individually for each material. In this study, we investigated how the results of a pretreatment optimization procedure are influenced by the chosen reaction conditions in the enzymatic hydrolysis. Beechwood was pretreated by steam explosion and the resulting biomass was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis at glucan loadings of 1% and 5% employing either washed solids or the whole pretreatment slurry. For enzymatic hydrolysis in both reaction modes at a glucan loading of 1%, the glucose yields markedly increased with increasing severity and with increasing pretreatment temperature at identical severities and maximal values were reached at a pretreatment temperature of 230 °C. However, the optimal severity was 5.0 for washed solids enzymatic hydrolysis, but only 4.75 for whole slurry enzymatic hydrolysis. When the glucan loading was increased to 5%, glucose yields hardly increased for pretreatment temperatures between 210 and 230 °C at a given severity, and a pretreatment temperature of 220 °C was sufficient under these conditions. Consequently, it is important to precisely choose the desired conditions of the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction, when aiming to optimize the pretreatment conditions for a certain biomass.
Recent Climatic Mass Balance of the Schiaparelli Glacier at the Monte Sarmiento Massif and Reconstruction of Little Ice Age Climate by Simulating Steady-State Glacier Conditions
Authors: Weidemann Stephanie Suzanne , Arigony-Neto Jorge , Jaña Ricardo , Netto Guilherme , Gonzalez Inti , Casassa Gino , Schneider Christoph
Published: July 2020

The Cordillera Darwin Icefield loses mass at a similar rate as the Northern and Southern Patagonian Icefields, showing contrasting individual glacier responses, particularly between the north-facing and south-facing glaciers, which are subject to changing climate conditions. Detailed investigations of climatic mass balance processes on recent glacier behavior are not available for glaciers of the Cordillera Darwin Icefield and surrounding icefields. We therefore applied the coupled snow and ice energy and mass balance model in Python (COSIPY) to assess recent surface energy and mass balance variability for the Schiaparelli Glacier at the Monte Sarmiento Massif. We further used COSIPY to simulate steady-state glacier conditions during the Little Ice Age using information of moraine systems and glacier areal extent. The model is driven by downscaled 6-hourly atmospheric data and high resolution precipitation fields, obtained by using an analytical orographic precipitation model. Precipitation and air temperature offsets to present-day climate were considered to reconstruct climatic conditions during the Little Ice Age. A glacier-wide mean annual climatic mass balance of −1.8 ± 0.36 m w.e. a − 1 was simulated between between April 2000 and March 2017. An air temperature decrease between −0.9 ° C and −1.7 ° C in combination with a precipitation offset of up to +60% to recent climate conditions is necessary to simulate steady-state conditions for Schiaparelli Glacier in 1870.
Autonomous Aerial Vehicles (AAVs) as a Tool for Improving the Spatial Resolution of Snow Albedo Measurements in Mountainous Regions
Authors: Sproles Eric A. , Mullen Andrew , Hendrikx Jordy , Gatebe Charles , Taylor Suzi
Published: July 2020

We present technical advances and methods to measure effective broadband physical albedo in snowy mountain headwaters using a prototype dual-sensor pyranometer mounted on an Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (an AAV). Our test flights over snowy meadows and forested areas performed well during both clear sky and snowy/windy conditions at an elevation of ~2650 m above mean sea level (MSL). Our AAV-pyranometer platform provided high spatial (m) and temporal resolution (sec) measurements of effective broadband (310–2700 nm) surface albedo. The AAV-based measurements reveal spatially explicit changes in landscape albedo that are not present in concurrent satellite measurements from Landsat and MODIS due to a higher spatial resolution. This AAV capability is needed for validation of satellite snow albedo products, especially over variable montane landscapes at spatial scales of critical importance to hydrological applications. Effectively measuring albedo is important, as annually the seasonal accumulation and melt of mountain snowpack represent a dramatic transformation of Earth’s albedo, which directly affects headwaters’ water and energy cycles.
Occurrence and Spatial Distribution of Dibothriocephalus Latus (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea) in Lake Iseo (Northern Italy): An Update
Authors: Menconi Vasco , Pastorino Paolo , Momo Ivana , Mugetti Davide , Bona Maria Cristina , Levetti Sara , Tomasoni Mattia , Pizzul Elisabetta , Ru Giuseppe , Dondo Alessandro , Prearo Marino
Published: July 2020

Dibothriocephalus latus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea; syn. Diphyllobothrium latum), is a fish-borne zoonotic parasite responsible for diphyllobothriasis in humans. Although D. latus has long been studied, many aspects of its epidemiology and distribution remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, mean intensity of infestation, and mean abundance of plerocercoid larvae of D. latus in European perch (Perca fluviatilis) and its spatial distribution in three commercial fishing areas in Lake Iseo (Northern Italy). A total of 598 specimens of P. fluviatilis were caught in 2019. The total prevalence of D. latus was 6.5%. However, there were significant differences between areas (10.2% North; 7.3% Center; 1.5% South) (Chi-square test, p = 0.0018). The mean intensity of infestation ranged from 1 larva in southern area to 1.2 larvae in both the central and northern (Pisogne) areas. In addition, the mean abundance ranged from 0.02 in the southern area to 0.26 in the northern area (Pisogne). The total number of larvae (anterior dorsal—AD = 21; anterior ventral—AV = 1; posterior dorsal—PD = 15; posterior ventral—PV = 5) differed significantly between the four anatomical quadrants (Kruskal–Wallis test; p = 0.0001). The prevalence of D. latus plerocercoid larvae in European perch from Lake Iseo has long been investigated, but without an appropriate sampling design. With the present study, a broader analysis in spatial distribution has been added to the existing literature, revealing new information about D. latus distribution and occurrence in Lake Iseo, with new data that will be useful for health authorities and future studies.
Determinants of Allergic Sensitization, Asthma and Lung Function: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in Italian Schoolchildren
Authors: Drago Gaspare , Ruggieri Silvia , Cuttitta Giuseppina , La Grutta Stefania , Ferrante Giuliana , Cibella Fabio
Published: July 2020

Prenatal smoking exposure and early-life respiratory infections are major determinants of asthma during childhood. We investigate the factors influencing allergic sensitization (AS), asthma, and lung function in children and the balance between individual and environmental characteristics at different life stages. 1714 children aged 7–16 years and living in southern Italy were investigated using a parental questionnaire, skin prick tests, and spirometry. We found 41.0% AS prevalence: among children without parental history of asthma, male sex, maternal smoking during pregnancy (MatSmoke), and acute respiratory diseases in the first two years of life (ARD2Y) were significant risk factors for AS. MatSmoke was associated (OR = 1.79) with ARD2Y, and this association was influenced by sex. ARD2Y was, in turn, a significant risk factor (OR = 8.53) for childhood current asthma, along with AS (OR up to 3.03) and rhinoconjuctivitis (OR = 3.59). Forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF25–75%) was negatively affected by ARD2Y, with a sex-related effect. Thus, males exposed to MatSmoke had significantly lower FEF25–75% than unexposed males. Despite the difficulty of discriminating among the complex interactions underlying the development of allergic respiratory diseases, ARD2Y appears to strongly influence both asthma and lung function during childhood. In turn, ARD2Y is influenced by prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke with a sex-dependent effect.
Linking Cooperative Learning and Emotional Intelligence in Physical Education: Transition across School Stages
Authors: Rivera-Pérez Sergio , León-del-Barco Benito , Fernandez-Rio Javier , González-Bernal Jerónimo J. , Iglesias Gallego Damián
Published: July 2020

The present research had two complementary aims: (a) to examine the associations between cooperative learning (CL) and emotional intelligence (EI) in physical education (PE) and (b) to explore and compare the use of CL in PE in primary education (PED), secondary education (SED) and baccalaureate (BA). A total of 1332 students (682 males, 650 females) took part in the study. All participants were aged between 10 and 20 years old (M = 13.09; SD = 2.47) and belonged to 13 different schools in Southwest Spain. They completed the cooperative learning questionnaire (CLQ), referring to the PE classes, in addition to the emotional intelligence questionnaire in physical education (EIQPE). Positive and significant associations were found between CL and EI in all school stages. In addition, moderately strong associations were uncovered between CL and the different dimensions of EI: emotional recognition, emotional control and regulation and emotional empathy. Participants belonging to classrooms with larger cooperation indices presented higher levels of EI. Results also highlighted a greater use of CL in PE classes during the PED stage in comparison to the SED and BA stages. These outcomes are discussed in light of the existing literature and methodological implications are derived for teaching PE. The use of CL in PE is recommended because of its positive contribution to the affective domain through IE. This will be especially important during the SED and BA stages, where lower rates of CL were observed.
On the Way to the Marathon—Motivation for Participating in Mass Running Events Among Children and Adolescents: Results of the Poznan Half Marathon Pilot Study
Authors: Malchrowicz-Mośko Ewa , Castañeda-Babarro Arkaitz , Guereño Patxi León
Published: July 2020

The market for mass sports events geared towards adults is already saturated, while more new initiatives are exclusively targeting children and adolescents. Mass sports events for amateur athletes can be a great way to encourage young people to exercise regularly, such as in cases where physical education classes do not fully play this role. A lot of research has already been conducted on the subject of adult motivation for participating in amateur sports events, i.e., marathons, ultramarathons, duathlons or triathlons. However, the research niche is children and adolescents’ motivation. The aim of this study is to recognize motivation among children aged 12 for participating in children’s running events in Poland. The study was conducted via a diagnostic survey using the Motives for Physical Activity Measure–Revised (MPAM-R) scale to determine what motivation is most important for young athletes and whether there are any differences in terms of gender. The highest values were obtained by motivation related to fun and enjoyment during sporting events, while the lowest values were obtained by motivation related to social affiliation. Aspects associated with good fun should be promoted during activities related to the marketing of sporting events for young people. This article contains the results obtained from the Poznan Half Marathon pilot study and recommendations for future lines of research. Such results will allow us to understand the motivation behind modern young amateur athletes and to better manage mass sports events that target children and adolescents.
The Validity of Connecting Conversations: A Narrative Method to Assess Experienced Quality of Care in Nursing Homes from the Resident’s Perspective
Authors: Sion Katya , Verbeek Hilde , Aarts Sil , Zwakhalen Sandra , Odekerken-Schröder Gaby , Schols Jos , Hamers Jan
Published: July 2020

It is important to assess experienced quality of care in nursing homes, as this portrays what is important to residents and helps identify what quality improvements should focus on. Connecting Conversations is a narrative method that assesses experienced quality of care from the resident’s perspective in nursing homes by having separate conversations with residents, family, and professional caregivers (triads) within a learning network. This study assessed the validity of performing the narrative method, Connecting Conversations. Trained nursing home staff (interviewers) performed the conversations in another nursing home than where they were employed. In total, 149 conversations were performed in 10 nursing homes. Findings show that experts deemed the narrative assessment method appropriate and complete to assess experienced quality of care (face validity). The questions asked appeared to capture the full construct of experienced quality of care (content validity). Additionally, there was a range in how positive conversations were and first results indicated that a nursing home scoring higher on satisfaction had more positive conversations (construct validity). More data are needed to perform additional construct validity analyses. In conclusion, Connecting Conversations shows promising results for its use as a valid narrative method to assess experienced quality of care.
Brazilian Children’s Understanding of the Quality of Life in Their Living Environment: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Oliveira Camilla Aparecida Silva de , Vargas Andréa Maria Duarte , Ferreira Fernanda de Morais , Ferreira Efigênia Ferreira e
Published: July 2020

(1) Objective: To understand the perception of Brazilian children about the Quality of Life (QoL) considering their living environment. (2) Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted with children aged 6–10 years, from a medium-sized Brazilian municipality, recruited from public and private schools. An adaptation of the “draw, write, and say” method was used to collect data. At first, all children (n = 252) drew a “neighborhood with QoL”. On the same day, the researcher analyzed the graphic elements of the representations and intentionally selected the two best-detailed drawings from each class (n = 49) and the children were invited to narrate them. The narratives were analyzed through content analysis. (3) Results: Two major themes emerged from the content analysis, namely, the physical environment and social environment. The first included the needs to live in a community, such as housing, places of leisure, essential services, and natural elements. The second was relationships with family and friends. (4) Conclusion: The children presented the meaning of an environment with QoL, pointing out essential items to have this ideal environment. The social environment and the physical environment were perceived interdependently; that is, any change in one of these aspects may affect children’s QoL.
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Tick-Borne Diseases in North-Central Wisconsin from 2000–2016
Authors: Rau Austin , Munoz-Zanzi Claudia , Schotthoefer Anna M. , Oliver Jonathan D. , Berman Jesse D.
Published: July 2020

Lyme disease is a well-recognized public health problem in the USA, however, other tick-borne diseases also have major public health impacts. Yet, limited research has evaluated changes in the spatial and temporal patterns of non-Lyme tick-borne diseases within endemic regions. Using laboratory data from a large healthcare system in north-central Wisconsin from 2000–2016, we applied a Kulldorf’s scan statistic to analyze spatial, temporal and seasonal clusters of laboratory-positive cases of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis at the county level. Older males were identified as the subpopulation at greatest risk for non-Lyme tick-borne diseases and we observed a statistically significant spatial and temporal clustering of cases (p < 0.05). HGA risk shifted from west to east over time (2000–2016) with a relative risk (RR) ranging from 3.30 to 11.85, whereas babesiosis risk shifted from south to north and west over time (2004–2016) with an RR ranging from 4.33 to 4.81. Our study highlights the occurrence of non-Lyme tick-borne diseases, and identifies at-risk subpopulations and shifting spatial and temporal heterogeneities in disease risk. Our findings can be used by healthcare providers and public health practitioners to increase public awareness and improve case detection.