bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PERBANDINGAN DATA ANTROPOMETRI BERDASARKAN SUKU DI INDONESIA
Authors: Zetli Sri , Fajrah Nofriani , Paramita Melanda
Published: November 2019

Anthropometry is defined as the science of measurement and art in applying human physicalproperties, which is one of the most important factors to consider in designing a product. Productsthat meet ergonomic rules are products that are designed according to the dimensions of the user'sbody. Various factors affect anthropometric data, one of which is ethnicity. Ethnicity is defined as agroup of people identified through ancestral heritage, certain languages and certain cultures.Indonesia has more than 300 different ethnic groups, so it is important to represent anthropometricdata based on ethnicity. Batam City has a heterogeneous community consisting of various tribes andgroups. The dominant tribes include Batak, Javanese, Malay, Minang and Chinese. With the variationin anthropometric size, it is not possible for a design system to adjust to all types of sizes, thereforethere is a need for a database of anthropometric sizes in Indonesia. From the comparative testconducted by Anova testing, all 36 anthropometric with Sig. <α (0.05) which means that there aredifferences in Anthropometric between the five terms. Whereas for differences in AnthropometricBatak and Javanese are 19 same and 17 different, Batak and Malay are 14 same and 22 different,Batak and Minang are 12 same and 24 different, Batak and Chinese are 14 same and 22 different,Java and Malay are 12 same and 24 different, Java and Minang are 12 same and 24 different, Javaand Chinese are 12 same and 24 different, Malay and Minang are 9 same and 27 different, Malay andChinese are 14 same and 22 different, Minang and Chinese are 14 same and 22 different. The resultsof anthropometry obtained based on this research are expected to be a recommendation in thedevelopment of more ergonomic tools for users, especially the people of Indonesia.
PENGUKURAN TINGKAT KEPUASAN PENGUNJUNG TERHADAP PANTAI VIO-VIO DAN PANTAI MELAYU DI KOTA BATAM
Authors: Arista Anggia , Damanik Yan Mahesa
Published: November 2019

Batam is a city located in the Riau archipelago., besides being known as an industrial city, Batam City is also a famous tourist attraction, where one of them is a motorcycle tourism ojek, several beaches frequented by local and national tourists are beaches located in the region barelang namely vio-vio beach and Malay beach. The beauty of nature and the attractiveness of building and beach facilities are needed for the advancement of the beaches in the city of Batam in order to advance and develop coastal tourism. To maintain and maintain the number of beach visitors is needed an effort to maintain the quality of service so that visitor satisfaction can be maintained and improved. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of satisfaction of the end using the servqual method based on five aspects, namely tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, and by taking a sample of 130 samples. The results of the study of 130 respondents were for the servqual score, which is the average value of the gab for each dimension. Based on the results of research conducted servqual value of each dimension on the vio-vio beach is tangible (-1,014), reliability (-0,910), responsiveness (-0,969) assurance (-0,967), and empathy, namely (-1,077), while for Malay beach are tangible (-1,005), reliability (0,969), responsiveness (-0,938) assurance (-0,883), and empathy (-0,992), and based on servqual score calculation results of the calculation of gab for the five dimensions> -1 which means satisfied, for IPA analysis on the vio-vio beach that needs to be improved is in quadrant I namely the dimensions of reliability, responsiviness and empathy while on the Malay coast is tangible, responsiviness and empathy
The Influence of In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Chemical Composition and Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibitory Capacities of Carob Liqueurs Obtained with Different Elaboration Techniques
Authors: Rodríguez-Solana Raquel , Coelho Natacha , Santos-Rufo Antonio , Gonçalves Sandra , Pérez-Santín Efrén , Romano Anabela
Published: November 2019

Carob liqueur is a traditional Mediterranean alcoholic beverage obtained via a wide range of production techniques contributing to the different organoleptic attributes of the final product. The aim of this research was to evaluate the stability of the chemical composition and biological capacities (antioxidant and enzyme inhibition) under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion of liqueurs prepared by flavouring the fig spirit with carob pulp by maceration, distillation, percolation, or aqueous and hydro-alcoholic infusions. For this purpose, the phenolic and furanic compositions, the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, antioxidant capacity (AC), and enzyme inhibitory potential against acethylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes were evaluated. The content of gallic acid decreased after gastrointestinal digestion, while TPC, TFC, and AC significantly increased after each digestion phase. Overall, no significantly different enzyme inhibitions (p < 0.05) were observed among digested liqueurs, with moderate inhibition against acethylcholinesterase and tyrosinase (enzymes related with neurodegenerative diseases), and potent and low inhibitory capacities for α-glucosidase and α-amylase, respectively (ideal conditions employed in antidiabetic therapy). The study indicates that hydro-alcoholic infusion and maceration were the most appropriate methods to obtain liqueurs with higher values of the aforementioned parameters and safe levels of toxic furanics.
Photon Counting Statistics of a Microwave Cavity Coupled with Double Quantum Dots
Authors: Wang Faqiang , Liu Weici , Wang Xiaolei , Wei Zhongchao , Meng Hongyun , Liang Ruisheng
Published: November 2019

The statistical properties of photon emission counting, especially the waiting time distributions (WTDs) and large deviation statistics, of a cavity coupled with the system of double quantum dots (DQDs) driven by an external microwave field were investigated with the particle-number-resolved master equation. The results show that the decay rate of the WTDs of the cavity for short and long time limits can be effectively tuned by the driving external field Rabi frequency, the frequency of the cavity photon, and the detuning between the microwave driving frequency and the energy-splitting of the DQDs. The photon emission energy current will flow from the thermal reservoir to the system of the DQDs when the average photon number of the cavity in a steady state is larger than that of the thermal reservoir; otherwise, the photon emission energy current will flow in the opposite direction. This also demonstrates that the effect of the DQDs can be replaced a thermal reservoir when the rate difference of a photon absorbed and emitted by DQDs is larger than zero; otherwise, it is irreplaceable. The results deepen our understanding of the statistical properties of photon emission counting. It has a promising application in the construction of nanostructured devices of photon emission on demand and of optoelectronic devices.
The Design of an Automated System for the Analysis of the Activity and Emotional Patterns of Dogs with Wearable Sensors Using Machine Learning
Authors: Aich Satyabrata , Chakraborty Sabyasachi , Sim Jong-Seong , Jang Dong-Jin , Kim Hee-Cheol
Published: November 2019

The safety and welfare of companion animals such as dogs has become a large challenge in the last few years. To assess the well-being of a dog, it is very important for human beings to understand the activity pattern of the dog, and its emotional behavior. A wearable, sensor-based system is suitable for such ends, as it will be able to monitor the dogs in real-time. However, the question remains unanswered as to what kind of data should be used to detect the activity patterns and emotional patterns, as does another: what should be the location of the sensors for the collection of data and how should we automate the system? Yet these questions remain unanswered, because to date, there is no such system that can address the above-mentioned concerns. The main purpose of this study was (1) to develop a system that can detect the activities and emotions based on the accelerometer and gyroscope signals and (2) to automate the system with robust machine learning techniques for implementing it for real-time situations. Therefore, we propose a system which is based on the data collected from 10 dogs, including nine breeds of various sizes and ages, and both genders. We used machine learning classification techniques for automating the detection and evaluation process. The ground truth fetched for the evaluation process was carried out by taking video recording data in frame per second and the wearable sensors data were collected in parallel with the video recordings. Evaluation of the system was performed using an ANN (artificial neural network), random forest, SVM (support vector machine), KNN (k nearest neighbors), and a naïve Bayes classifier. The robustness of our system was evaluated by taking independent training and validation sets. We achieved an accuracy of 96.58% while detecting the activity and 92.87% while detecting emotional behavior, respectively. This system will help the owners of dogs to track their behavior and emotions in real-life situations for various breeds in different scenarios.
Single-Pass Laser Frequency Conversion to 780.2 nm and 852.3 nm Based on PPMgO:LN Bulk Crystals and Diode-Laser-Seeded Fiber Amplifiers
Authors: Zhang Kong , He Jun , Wang Junmin
Published: November 2019

We report the preparation of a 780.2 nm and 852.3 nm laser device based on single-pass periodically poled magnesium-oxide-doped lithium niobate (PPMgO:LN) bulk crystals and diode-laser-seeded fiber amplifiers. First, a single-frequency continuously tunable 780.2 nm laser of more than 600 mW from second-harmonic generation (SHG) by a 1560.5 nm laser can be achieved. Then, a 250 mW light at 852.3 nm is generated and achieves an overall conversion efficiency of 4.1% from sum-frequency generation (SFG) by mixing the 1560.5 nm and 1878.0 nm lasers. The continuously tunable range of 780.2 nm and 852.3 nm are at least 6.8 GHz and 9.2 GHz. By employing this laser system, we can conveniently perform laser cooling, trapping and manipulating both rubidium (Rb) and cesium (Cs) atoms simultaneously. This system has promising applications in a cold atoms Rb-Cs two-component interferemeter and in the formation of the RbCs dimer by the photoassociation of cold Rb and Cs atoms confined in a magneto-optical trap.
Decision-Making Method for Estimating Malware Risk Index
Authors: Kim Dohoon
Published: November 2019

Most recent cyberattacks have employed new and diverse malware. Various static and dynamic analysis methods are being introduced to detect and defend against these attacks. The malware that is detected by these methods includes advanced present threat (APT) attacks, which allow additional intervention by attackers. Such malware presents a variety of threats (DNS, C&C, Malicious IP, etc.) This threat information used to defend against variants of malicious attacks. However, the intelligence that is detected in this manner is used in the blocking policies of information-security systems. Consequently, it is difficult for staff who perform Computer Emergence Response Team security control to determine the extent to which cyberattacks such as malware are a potential threat. Additionally, it is difficult to use this intelligence to establish long-term defense strategies for specific APT attacks or implement intelligent internal security systems. Therefore, a decision-making model that identifies threat sources and malicious activities (MAs) that occur during the static and dynamic analysis of various types of collected malware and performs machine learning based on a quantitative analysis of these threat sources and activities is proposed herein. This model estimates malware risk indices (MRIs) in detail using an analytic hierarchy process to analyze malware and the probabilities of MAs. The analysis results were significant, as the consistency index of the estimated MRI values for 51300 types of malware, which were collected during a specific control period, was maintained at <0.051.
Rock Dynamic Crack Propagation under Different Loading Rates Using Improved Single Cleavage Semi-Circle Specimen
Authors: Wang Fei , Wang Meng , Mousavi Nezhad Mohaddeseh , Qiu Hao , Ying Peng , Niu Caoyuan
Published: November 2019

The objective of this paper is to investigate the complete process of dynamic crack propagation in brittle materials under different loading rates. By using Improved Single Cleavage Semi-Circle (ISCSC) specimens and Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar equipment, experiments were conducted, with the fracture phenomenon and crack propagation of tight sandstone investigated. Meanwhile, the process of crack propagation behaviour was simulated. Moreover, with the experimental–numerical method, the crack propagation dynamic stress intensity factor (DSIF) was also calculated. Then, the crack propagation toughness of tight sandstone under different loading rates was investigated and illustrated elaborately. Investigation results demonstrate that ISCSC specimens can achieve the crack arrest position unchanged, and the numerical simulation could effectively deduce the actual crack propagation, as their results were well matched. During crack propagation, the crack propagation DSIF in the whole process increases with the rising loading rate, and so does the crack propagation velocity. Several significant dynamic material parameters of tight sandstone are also given, for engineering reference.
Contactless Monitoring of Microcirculation Reaction on Local Temperature Changes
Authors: Volynsky Maxim A. , Margaryants Nikita B. , Mamontov Oleg V. , Kamshilin Alexei A.
Published: November 2019

Assessment of skin blood flow is an important clinical task which is required to study mechanisms of microcirculation regulation including thermoregulation. Contactless assessment of vasomotor reactivity in response to thermal exposure is currently not available. The aim of this study is to show the applicability of the imaging photoplethysmography (IPPG) method to measure quantitatively the vasomotor response to local thermal exposure. Seventeen healthy subjects aged 23 ± 7 years participated in the study. A warm transparent compress applied to subject’s forehead served as a thermal impact. A custom-made IPPG system operating at green polarized light was used to monitor the subject’s face continuously and simultaneously with skin temperature and electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. We found that the thermal impact leads to an increase in the amplitude of blood pulsations (BPA) simultaneously with the skin temperature increase. However, a multiple increase in BPA remained after the compress was removed, whereas the skin temperature returned to the baseline. Moreover, the BPA increase and duration of the vasomotor response was associated with the degree of external heating. Therefore, the IPPG method allows us to quantify the parameters of capillary blood flow during local thermal exposure to the skin. This proposed technique of assessing the thermal reactivity of microcirculation can be applied for both clinical use and for biomedical research.
Temperature Analysis of Obstacle Lighting Lamp Working under Various Ambient Conditions: Theoretical and Practical Experiments
Authors: Wotzka Daria , Błachowicz Andrzej , Weisser Patryk
Published: November 2019

The article presents the results of experimental and theoretical works aimed at determining the distribution of heat emitted by an obstacle lighting lamp. These kind of lamps are commonly applied as a warning for air traffic vehicles. There is a need for lighting devices with various intensities, whose application depends on the location and operating conditions. The overall aim of the author’s work is to develop a computer model that would enable us to conduct research aimed at determining the optimal parameters of lamp operation without the need to build many physical models. Measurements of heat emitted by a currently manufactured lamp were made, and based on these, a numerical model of the lamp operating under laboratory conditions was developed. The considered lamp has two heat sources, one of which is light-emitting diodes (LEDs), while the other heat source consists of stabilizers and other elements of the lamp power supply system. After positive experimental verification of the numerical model, theoretical analyses of heat emission under various meteorological conditions were carried out, while the values of ambient temperature and airflow velocity were changed; then, the influence of these parameters on the temperature distribution on the surface of the lamp was determined.
Measurement Enhancement on Two-Dimensional Temperature Distribution of Methane-Air Premixed Flame Using SMART Algorithm in CT-TDLAS
Authors: Jeon Min-Gyu , Doh Deog-Hee , Deguchi Yoshihiro
Published: November 2019

In this study, the temperature distribution of the Methane-Air premixed flame was measured. In order to enhance the measurement accuracy of the CT-TDLAS (Computed tomography-tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy), the SMART (simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique) algorithm has been adopted. Further, the SLOS (summation of line of sight) and the CSLOS (corrective summation of line of sight) methods have been adopted to increase measurement accuracies. It has been verified that the relative error for the temperatures measured by the thermocouples and calculated by the CT-TDLAS was about 10%.
Quantification of Trans-Resveratrol-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles by a Validated Reverse-Phase HPLC Photodiode Array
Authors: Rigon Roberta B. , Fachinetti Naiara , Severino Patrícia , Durazzo Alessandra , Lucarini Massimo , Atanasov Atanas G. , El Mamouni Soukaina , Chorilli Marlus , Santini Antonello , Souto Eliana B.
Published: November 2019

A new method based on reverse-phase HPLC combined with photodiode array (PDA) was developed to quantify the release of trans-resveratrol (tRES) from solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). The mobile phase was composed of 75:0:25 (V/V) water/methanol/acetonitrile at 0–3.5 min, 32.5:30.0:37.5 (V/V) water/methanol/acetonitrile at 3.6–5.8 min, and 75:0:25 (V/V) water/methanol/acetonitrile at 5.9–10 min. The flow rate was set at 1.0 mL/min, and tRES was detected at the wavelength of 306.6 nm. A concentration range of 1–100 µg/mL was used to obtain the linear calibration curve. SLN were produced by ultrasound technique to load 0.1% (wt/wt) of tRES, and the in vitro release of the drug was run in modified Franz diffusion cells. The mean recovery of tRES was found to be 96.84 ± 0.32%. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 5%. The proposed method was applied to in vitro permeability studies, and the Weibull model was found to be the one that best fits the tRES release, which is characterized by a simultaneous lipid chain relaxation and erosion during drug release.
Low-Level Organic Solvents Improve Multienzyme Whole-Cell Catalytic Synthesis of Myricetin-7-O-Glucuronide
Authors: Yang Yan , Liu Min-Zhi , Cao Yun-Song , Li Chang-Kun , Wang Wei
Published: November 2019

Multienzyme whole-cell biocatalysts are preferred in industrial applications, and two major concerns regarding the use of these biocatalysts, cell viability and cell membrane integrity, must be addressed. In this work, the transformation of myricetin to myricetin-7-O-glucuronide catalyzed by an engineered Escherichia coli strain was taken as the model reaction to examine the impacts of low-level organic solvents on whole-cell biocatalysis. Low-level organic solvents (2%, v/v) showed a significant increase (roughly 13-fold) in myricetin-7-O-glucuronide yields. No obvious compromises of cellular viability and integrity were observed by a flow cytometry assay or in the determination of extracellular protein leakage, suggesting the addition of low-level organic solvents accommodates whole E. coli cells. Furthermore, a scaled-up reaction was conducted to test the capability and efficiency of whole-cell catalysis in the presence of organic solvents. This study presents a promising and simple means to enhance the productivity of multienzyme whole-cell catalysis without losing the barrier functions of the cell membrane.
Nerve, Muscle, and Synaptogenesis
Authors: Swenarchuk Lauren
Published: November 2019

The vertebrate skeletal neuromuscular junction (NMJ) has long served as a model system for studying synapse structure, function, and development. Over the last several decades, a neuron-specific isoform of agrin, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, has been identified as playing a central role in synapse formation at all vertebrate skeletal neuromuscular synapses. While agrin was initially postulated to be the inductive molecule that initiates synaptogenesis, this model has been modified in response to work showing that postsynaptic differentiation can develop in the absence of innervation, and that synapses can form in transgenic mice in which the agrin gene is ablated. In place of a unitary mechanism for neuromuscular synapse formation, studies in both mice and zebrafish have led to the proposal that two mechanisms mediate synaptogenesis, with some synapses being induced by nerve contact while others involve the incorporation of prepatterned postsynaptic structures. Moreover, the current model also proposes that agrin can serve two functions, to induce synaptogenesis and to stabilize new synapses, once these are formed. This review examines the evidence for these propositions, and concludes that it remains possible that a single molecular mechanism mediates synaptogenesis at all NMJs, and that agrin acts as a stabilizer, while its role as inducer is open to question. Moreover, if agrin does not act to initiate synaptogenesis, it follows that as yet uncharacterized molecular interactions are required to play this essential inductive role. Several alternatives to agrin for this function are suggested, including focal pericellular proteolysis and integrin signaling, but all require experimental validation.
Lifestyle Modification for Enhancing Autonomic Cardiac Regulation in Children: The Role of Exercise
Authors: Speer Kathryn E , Naumovski Nenad , Semple Stuart , McKune Andrew J
Published: November 2019

Decreased physical activity (PA) is a global concern contributing to the rise in cardiometabolic diseases. One potential mechanism linking insufficient PA and poor health is dysregulated autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. This relationship is established in adults and PA recommendations, with specific exercise prescription guidelines, have been proposed to overcome this societal health burden. However, research on the benefits and underlying mechanisms of exercise on ANS activity in children <18 years old is limited. This review aimed to describe the optimal exercise “dose” and potential mechanisms of action that exercise may pose on enhancing child ANS activity, represented by heart rate variability (HRV). PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for articles examining the influence of exercise on child HRV. Various exercise duration and frequency combinations appear to improve HRV indices, primarily those representing parasympathetic influence. Furthermore, both aerobic and resistance training benefit HRV through potentially different mechanisms with intensity proposed to be important for exercise prescription. Findings indicate that exercise is a crucial lifestyle modification with protective and therapeutic effects on cardiometabolic health associated with improvements in child ANS activity. Exercise programming must consider the various components including mode, intensity and population characteristics to optimize ANS health.
A Survey on Fault Tolerance Techniques for Wireless Vehicular Networks
Authors: Almeida João , Rufino João , Alam Muhammad , Ferreira Joaquim
Published: November 2019

Future intelligent transportation systems (ITS) hold the promise of supporting the operation of safety-critical applications, such as cooperative self-driving cars. For that purpose, the communications among vehicles and with the road-side infrastructure will need to fulfil the strict real-time guarantees and challenging dependability requirements. These safety requisites are particularly important in wireless vehicular networks, where road traffic presents several threats to human life. This paper presents a systematic survey on fault tolerance techniques in the area of vehicular communications. The work provides a literature review of publications in journals and conferences proceedings, available through a set of different search databases (IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect). A systematic method, based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) Statement was conducted in order to identify the relevant papers for this survey. After that, the selected articles were analysed and categorised according to the type of redundancy, corresponding to three main groups (temporal, spatial and information redundancy). Finally, a comparison of the core features among the different solutions is presented, together with a brief discussion regarding the main drawbacks of the existing solutions, as well as the necessary steps to provide an integrated fault-tolerant approach to the future vehicular communications systems.
An Enhanced Trust Mechanism with Consensus-Based False Information Filtering Algorithm against Bad-Mouthing Attacks and False-Praise Attacks in WSNs
Authors: Suh Taisuk , Cho Youngho
Published: November 2019

To defend against insider attacks in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), trust mechanisms (TMs) using the notion of trust in human society have been proposed and are still actively researched. In the WSN with a trust mechanism (TM), each sensor node evaluates the trustworthiness of its neighbor sensors based on their behaviors, for example packet forwarding, and collaborates only with trustworthy neighbors while removing untrustworthy neighbor from its neighbor list. The reputation system (RS) is an advanced type of trust mechanism that evaluates the trustworthiness of a node by additionally considering neighbor nodes’ observations or evaluations about it. However, intelligent inside attackers in WSNs can discover the security vulnerabilities of trust mechanisms by examining the operations of TM (or RS), because the software modules of the TM (or RS) are installed and operating in their local storage and memory, and thus, they can avoid detection by the trust mechanisms. Bad-mouthing attacks and false-praise attacks are well-known examples of such intelligent insider attacks. We observed that existing trust mechanisms do not have effective countermeasures to defend against such attacks. In this paper, we propose an enhanced trust mechanism with a consensus-based false information filtering algorithm (TM-CFIFA) that can effectively defend against bad-mouthing attacks and false-praise attacks. According to our experiment results, compared with an existing representative RS model, our TM-CFIFA shortened the detection time of a packet drop attacker, which is supported by a false-praise attacker by at least 83%, and also extended the lifetime of a victim sensor node that is under bad-mouthing attacks by at least 15.8%.
A Comparative Study of Digital Government Policies, Focusing on E-Government Acts in Korea and the United States
Authors: Chung Choong-Sik , Kim Sung-Bou
Published: November 2019

The first enactment of a single national e-government act took place in Korea in 2001. Subsequently, the United States enacted its electronic government act in November 2002. Unified e-government acts in Korea and the United States have since been established and enforced for nearly two decades, and provide interesting case studies for examining the long-term influences of the e-government act on national e-government and digital government policies. The e-government act of the United States is much more comprehensive than the e-government act of Korea. The US e-government act focuses on strengthening the federal government’s ability to regulate the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s role in e-government implementation. The OMB has overall jurisdiction over the e-government promotion process and will continue to consult with ministries on appropriate budget support for each project. In contrast, the e-government law in Korea is based on electronic document processing as the basic viewpoint and has been downgraded to a level that supports document reduction and electronic processing of documents, rather than a comprehensive law that can support e-government projects. The comparative case study of e-government acts in Korea and the United States revealed that, from the standpoint of digital government transformation using information technology, it is most important to promote digital government policy directly from the ministry that manages the budget, or to establish a dedicated organization under the ministry to secure strong coordination while linking it with the budget.
Control Experiences Regarding Clearable Materials from Nuclear Power Plants and Nuclear Installations: Scaling Factors Determination and Measurements’ Acceptance Criteria Definition
Authors: Albertone Luca , Altavilla Massimo , Marga Manuela , Porzio Laura , Tozzi Giuseppe , Tura Pierangelo
Published: November 2019

Arpa Piemonte has been carrying out, for a long time, controls on clearable materials from nuclear power plants to verify compliance with clearance levels set by ISIN (Ispettorato Nazionale per la Sicurezza Nucleare e la Radioprotezione - National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection) in the technical prescriptions attached to the Ministerial Decree decommissioning authorization or into category A source authorization (higher level of associated risk, according to the categorization defined in the Italian Legislative Decree No. 230/95). After the experience undertaken at the “FN” (Fabbricazioni Nucleari) Bosco Marengo nuclear installation, some controls have been conducted at the Trino nuclear power plant “E. Fermi,” “LivaNova” nuclear installation based in Saluggia, and “EUREX” (Enriched Uranium Extraction) nuclear installation, also based in Saluggia, according to modalities that envisage, as a final control, the determination of γ-emitting radionuclides through in situ gamma spectrometry measurements. Clearance levels’ compliance verification should be performed for all radionuclides potentially present, including those that are not easily measurable (DTM, Difficult To Measure). It is therefore necessary to carry out upstream, based on a representative number of samples, those radionuclides’ determination in order to estimate scaling factors (SF), defined through the logarithmic average of the ratios between the i-th DTM radionuclide concentration and the related key nuclide. Specific radiochemistry is used for defining DTMs’ concentrations, such as Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63, Sr-90, Pu-238, and Pu-239/Pu-240. As a key nuclide, Co-60 was chosen for the activation products (Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63) and Cs-137 for fission products (Sr-90) and plutonium (Pu- 238, Pu-239/Pu-240, and Pu-241). The presence of very low radioactivity concentrations, often below the detection limits, can make it difficult to determine the related scaling factors. In this work, the results obtained and measurements’ acceptability criteria are presented, defined with ISIN, that can be used for confirming or excluding a radionuclide presence in the process of verifying clearance levels’ compliance. They are also exposed to evaluations regarding samples’ representativeness chosen for scaling factors’ assessment.
Consumer Motivation to Buy Organic Food Depends on Lifestyle
Authors: Soroka Andrzej , Wojciechowska-Solis Julia
Published: November 2019

The aim of the paper was to determine the relationship between the physical activity undertaken by Polish consumers and their attitude towards organic food. The motives for the selection of organic food, the barriers that consumers face when buying it, and the requirements set by consumers were determined. The research was carried out by means of a diagnostic survey using the author′s questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). In total, 3436 respondents from all over Poland were examined using the selected research sample. Statistica 13.1 PL was used for statistical analyses. The results of the research indicate that the main reasons for the selection of organic food, especially among physically active respondents, were the perceived lack of harmful substances and that it is healthy in itself. The study showed that physically active respondents preferred to purchase, to a greater extent, less processed food produced in a natural way and on organic farms. The main reason for purchasing organic food in physically inactive respondents was due to its taste values. The originality of the paper stems from demonstrating differences and similarities in the motives for buying organic food expressed by physically active consumers and those preferring passive lifestyles.
A Family of C0 Quadrilateral Plate Elements Based on the Refined Zigzag Theory for the Analysis of Thin and Thick Laminated Composite and Sandwich Plates
Authors: Di Sciuva Marco , Sorrenti Matteo
Published: November 2019

The present work focuses on the formulation and numerical assessment of a family of C0 quadrilateral plate elements based on the refined zigzag theory (RZT). Specifically, four quadrilateral plate elements are developed and numerically tested: The classical bi-linear 4-node element (RZT4), the serendipity 8-node element (RZT8), the virgin 8-node element (RZT8v), and the 4-node anisoparametric constrained element (RZT4c). To assess the relative merits and drawbacks, numerical tests on bending (maximum deflection and stresses) and free vibration analysis of laminated composite and sandwich plates under different boundary conditions and transverse load distributions are performed. Convergences studies with regular and distorted meshes, transverse shear-locking effect for thin and very thin plates are carried out. It is concluded that the bi-linear 4-node element (RZT4) has performances comparable to the other elements in the range of thin plates when reduced integration is adopted but presents extra zero strain energy modes. The serendipity 8-node element (RZT8), the virgin 8-node element (RZT8v), and the 4-node anisoparametric constrained element (RZT4c) show remarkable performance and predictive capabilities for various problems, and transverse shear-locking is greatly relieved, at least for aspect ratio equal to 5 × 102, without using any reduced integration scheme. Moreover, RZT4c has well-conditioned element stiffness matrix, contrary to RZT4 using reduced integration strategy, and has the same computational cost of the RZT4 element.
A New Explicit Four-Step Symmetric Method for Solving Schrödinger’s Equation
Authors: Obaidat Saleem , Mesloub Said
Published: November 2019

In this article we have developed a new explicit four-step linear method of fourth algebraic order with vanished phase-lag and its first derivative. The efficiency of the method is tested by solving effectively the one-dimensional time independent Schrödinger’s equation. The error and stability analysis are studied. Also, the new method is compared with other methods in the literature. It is found that this method is more efficient than these methods.
Effect of Deposition Parameters on Microstructure of the Ti-Mg Immiscible Alloy Thin Film Deposited by Multi-Arc Ion Plating
Authors: Wei Xianshun , Dong Yue , Qu Dongdong , Ma Tiancai , Shen Jun
Published: November 2019

Ti-Mg immiscible alloy thin films were prepared using a multi-arc ion plating technique with various deposition parameters. The surface and cross-section morphologies, crystal structures, and chemical compositions of the Ti-Mg films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The influence of the substrate negative bias voltage and Ar gas pressure on the microstructure of the Ti-Mg films was systematically studied. Mg atoms were incorporated into the Ti lattice to form an FCC immiscible supersaturated solid solution phase in the thin film. Microparticles were observed on the film surface, and the number of microparticles could be significantly reduced by decreasing the substrate bias voltage and increasing the Ar gas pressure. The appropriate substrate bias voltage and Ar gas pressure increased the deposition rate. The TEM results indicated that columnar, nanolayer, and equiaxed nanocrystals were present in the thin films. Ti and Mg fluctuations were still evident in the nanoscale structures.
Effects of Mg Content on Hydrogen Content and Melt Quality of Al-Mg Alloys
Authors: Jang Ho Sung , Kang Ho Jeong , Yoon Pilhwan , Lee Gyuheun , Jeon Jong Bae , Park Jin Young , Kim Eok Soo , Shin Sunmi
Published: November 2019

In Al-Mg alloys with Mg content 0 ≤ XMg ≤ 6 wt. %, the effects of XMg on dissolved hydrogen content ([H]) and melt quality were investigated. [H] was measured using the Closed-Loop Recirculation method, and the melt quality was quantified using the density index (DI), bifilm index (BI), and porosity measurement. [H] in the molten alloys increased with increasing XMg and melt temperature TMelt; these trends agree with theoretical calculations for hydrogen solubility. The tendency of melt quality vs XMg was similar in DI, BI, and porosity measurements, and the poorest melt quality was observed in the Al-4Mg alloy that had XMg = 4 wt. %, whereas the highest [H] was obtained in the Al-6Mg alloy melt that had XMg = 6 wt. % Mg. During thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis, rapid oxidation occurred in the Al-4Mg alloy melt during the holding time between 45 and 60 min at 800 °C, i.e., just before the molten metal was cast. The inferior melt quality of Al-4Mg alloy may have been caused by high-temperature oxidation.
The Type III Accessory Protein HrpE of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Surpasses the Secretion Role, and Enhances Plant Resistance and Photosynthesis
Authors: Sheikh Taha , Zhang Liyuan , Zubair Muhammad , Hanif Alvina , Li Ping , Farzand Ayaz , Ali Haider , Bilal Muhammad , Hu Yiqun , Chen Xiaochen , Song Congfeng , Dong Hansong , Zhang Meixiang
Published: November 2019

Many species of plant-pathogenic gram-negative bacteria deploy the type III (T3) secretion system to secrete virulence components, which are mostly characteristic of protein effectors targeting the cytosol of the plant cell following secretion. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), a rice pathogen causing bacterial blight disease, uses the T3 accessory protein HrpE to assemble the pilus pathway, which in turn secretes transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors. The hrpE gene can execute extensive physiological and pathological functions beyond effector secretion. As evidenced in this study, when the hrpE gene was deleted from the Xoo genome, the bacteria incur seriouimpairments in multiplication, motility, and virulence. The virulence nullification is attributed to reduced secretion and translocation of PthXo1, which is a TAL effector that determines the bacterial virulence in the susceptible rice varieties. When the HrpE protein produced by prokaryotic expression is applied to plants, the recombinant protein is highly effective at inducing the defense response. Moreover, leaf photosynthesis efficiency is enhanced in HrpE-treated plants. These results provide experimental avenues to modulate the plant defense and growth tradeoff by manipulating a bacterial T3 accessory protein.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Methoxy- Substituted γ-Oxa-ε-lactones Derived from Flavanones
Authors: Gładkowski Witold , Siepka Monika , Janeczko Tomasz , Kostrzewa-Susłow Edyta , Popłoński Jarosław , Mazur Marcelina , Żarowska Barbara , Łaba Wojciech , Maciejewska Gabriela , Wawrzeńczyk Czesław
Published: November 2019

Six γ-oxa-ε-lactones, 4-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,5-benzodioxepin-2-one (5a) and its five derivatives with methoxy groups in different positions of A and B rings (5b–f), were synthesized from corresponding flavanones. Three of the obtained lactones (5b,c,f) have not been previously described in the literature. Structures of all synthesized compounds were confirmed by complete spectroscopic analysis with the assignments of signals on 1H and 13C-NMR spectra to the corresponding atoms. In most cases, lactones 5a–f exerted an inhibitory effect on the growth of selected pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus), filamentous fungi (Fusarium graminearum, Aspergillus niger, and Alternaria sp.), and yeast (Candida albicans). The broadest spectrum of activity was observed for unsubstituted lactone 5a, which was particularly active against filamentous fungi and yeast. Lactones with methoxy groups in the 3′ (5c) and 4′ (5d) position of B ring were more active towards bacteria whereas lactone substituted in the 7 position of the A ring (5e) exhibited higher antifungal activity. In most cases, the introduction of lactone function increased the activity of the compound compared to its flavonoid precursors, chalcones 3a–e, and flavanones 4a–f.
Novel Carbon Dots Derived from Puerariae lobatae Radix and Their Anti-Gout Effects
Authors: Wang Xiaoke , Zhang Yue , Zhang Meiling , Kong Hui , Wang Suna , Cheng Jinjun , Qu Huihua , Zhao Yan
Published: November 2019

Gout is a disease with a high incidence and causing great harm, and the current treatment drugs are not satisfactory. In this study, novel water-soluble carbon dots (CDs) with anti-gout effect, named Puerariae lobatae Radix CDs (PLR-CDs), are reported. PLR-CDs were synthesized with an improved pyrolysis method at 300 °C, and their characterization was performed with multifaceted approaches, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In addition, the biocompatibility of PLR-CDs was studied using the cell counting kit (CCK)-8 in LO2 cells and RAW264.7 cells, and the anti-gout activity of PLR-CDs was examined on animal models of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis. The characterization of PLR-CDs indicated that they were nearly spherical, with diameters ranging from 3.0 to 10.0 nm, and the lattice spacing was 0.283 nm. The toxicity experiment revealed that PLR-CDs were non-poisonous for LO2 cells and RAW264.7 cells at concentrations below 250 μg/mL. The results of pharmacodynamic experiments showed that PLR-CDs could lower the blood uric acid level in model rats by inhibiting the activity of xanthine oxidase and reduce the degree of swelling and pathological damage of gouty arthritis. Thus, PLR-CDs with anti-gout biological activity and good biocompatibility have the prospect of clinical application for the treatment of gout.
Effect of Ultrasound on the Green Selective Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzaldehyde
Authors: Chevallier Marion L. , Dessolin Sarah , Serres Fanny , Bruyas Lucile , Chatel Gregory
Published: November 2019

Oxidation of alcohols plays an important role in industrial chemistry. Novel green techniques, such as sonochemistry, could be economically interesting by improving industrial synthesis yield. In this paper, we studied the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol as a model of aromatic alcohol compound under various experimental parameters such as substrate concentration, oxidant nature and concentration, catalyst nature and concentration, temperature, pH, reaction duration, and ultrasound frequency. The influence of each parameter was studied with and without ultrasound to identify the individual sonochemical effect on the transformation. Our main finding was an increase in the yield and selectivity for benzaldehyde under ultrasonic conditions. Hydrogen peroxide and iron sulfate were used as green oxidant and catalyst. Coupled with ultrasound, these conditions increased the benzaldehyde yield by +45% compared to silent conditions. Investigation concerning the transformation mechanism revealed the involvement of radical species.
Yuccalechins A–C from the Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Ortgies Bark: Elucidation of the Relative and Absolute Configurations of Three New Spirobiflavonoids and Their Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activities
Authors: Pecio Łukasz , Alilou Mostafa , Kozachok Solomiia , Erdogan Orhan Ilkay , Eren Gokcen , Senol Deniz Fatma Sezer , Stuppner Hermann , Oleszek Wiesław
Published: November 2019

The ethyl acetate fraction of the methanolic extract of Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Ortgies bark exhibited moderate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity (IC50 47.44 and 47.40 µg mL−1, respectively). Gel filtration on Sephadex LH-20 and further RP-C18 preparative HPLC of EtOAc fraction afforded 15 known and 3 new compounds, stereoisomers of larixinol. The structures of the isolated spirobiflavonoids 15, 26, and 29 were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR and MS spectroscopic techniques. The relative configuration of isolated compounds was assigned based on coupling constants and ROESY (rotating-frame Overhauser spectroscopy) correlations along with applying the DP4+ probability method in case of ambiguous chiral centers. Determination of absolute configuration was performed by comparing calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra with experimental ones. Compounds 26 and 29, obtained in sufficient amounts, were evaluated for activities against AChE and BChE, and they showed a weak inhibition only towards AChE (IC50 294.18 µM for 26, and 655.18 µM for 29). Furthermore, molecular docking simulations were performed to investigate the possible binding modes of 26 and 29 with AChE.
The Influence of Inulin on the Retention of Polyphenolic Compounds during the Drying of Blackcurrant Juice
Authors: Michalska Anna , Wojdyło Aneta , Brzezowska Jessica , Majerska Joanna , Ciska Ewa
Published: November 2019

In blackcurrant juice powders made using freeze-, vacuum-, and spray-drying methods, 19 polyphenolic compounds were identified: anthocyanins (6), (+)-catechin, flavonols (8), and phenolic acids (4). The highest content of identified polyphenols was noted after vacuum drying at 90 °C, which was connected with the thermally induced release of (+)-catechin. Drying at this temperature also increased the formation of the Maillard reaction/caramelization product, hydroxymethyl-l-furfural, when inulin was added. The higher the vacuum drying temperature was, the stronger the degradation of anthocyanins was. Inulin was a better protectant of anthocyanins than maltodextrin, except during vacuum drying at 90 °C, which probably triggered inulin’s participation in the formation of hydroxymethyl-l-furfural (HMF), thus limiting its capability to protect anthocyanins. Flavonols and phenolic acids were best retained after vacuum drying at 50 °C. Carrier selection affected only slightly, whereas carrier concentration did not affect, the content of flavonols and phenolic acids. The quality of fruit juice powders should be considered taking into account a broad spectrum of factors, including the initial composition of the material subjected to drying, the drying parameters, the carrier type and concentration, and the interactions that occur during the thermal treatment of fruit juices.