bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical Study on Electronic Structural Properties of Catalytically Reactive Metalloporphyrin Intermediates
Authors: Cao Meijuan , Gao Aijing , Liu Yuanyuan , Zhou Yang , Sun Zhicheng , Li Yaling , He Furui , Li Luhai , Mo Lixin , Liu Ruping , Han Yumeng , Yang Yonggang
Published: February 2020

Metalloporphyrins have attracted great attention in the potential application of biomimetic catalysis. Especially, they were widely investigated as green catalysts in the chemical oxidation of various hydrocarbons through the catalytic activation of molecular oxygen. The structural properties of active central metal ions were reported to play a decisive role in catalytic activity. However, those delicate structural changes are difficult to be experimentally captured or elucidated in detail. Herein, we explored the electronic structural properties of metalloporphyrins (metal porphyrin (PMII, PMIIICl)) and their corresponding catalytically active intermediates (metal(III)-peroxo(PMIII-O2), metal(III)-hydroperoxo(PMIII-OH), and metal(IV)-oxo(PMIV=O), (M=Fe, Mn, and Co)) through the density functional theory method. The ground states of these intermediates were determined based on the assessment of relative energy and the corresponding geometric structures of ground states also further confirmed the stability of energy. Furthermore, our analyses of Mulliken charges and frontier molecular orbitals revealed the potential catalytic behavior of reactive metalloporphyrin intermediates.
Supermagnetic Nano-Bifunctional Catalyst from Rice Husk: Synthesis, Characterization and Application for Conversion of Used Cooking Oil to Biodiesel
Authors: Hazmi Balkis , Rashid Umer , Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin , Ibrahim Mohd Lokman , Nehdi Imededdine Arbi
Published: February 2020

The present work investigated the biodiesel production from used cooking oil catalyzed by nano-bifunctional supermagnetic heterogeneous catalysts (RHC/K2O/Fe) derived from rice husk doped with K2O and Fe synthesized by the wet impregnation method. The synthesized catalysts (RHC/K2O/Fe) were characterized for crystallinity by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), total acidity and basicity using CO2/NH3-TPD, textural properties through Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermal stability via thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), functional group determination by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), surface morphology through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and magnetic properties by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The VSM result demonstrated that the super-paramagnetic catalyst (RHC/K2O-20%/Fe-5%) could be simply separated and regained after the reaction using an external magnetic field. The operating conditions such as catalyst loading, methanol/oil molar ratio, temperature, and reaction duration were studied. The screened RHC/K2O-20%/Fe-5% catalyst was selected for further optimization and the optimum reaction parameters found were 4 wt % of catalyst, a molar ratio of methanol/oil of 12:1, 4 h reaction duration, and 75 °C reaction temperature with a maximal yield of 98.6%. The reusability study and reactivation results revealed that the nano-bifunctional magnetic catalyst (RHC/K2O-20%/Fe-5%) could be preserved by high catalytic activity even after being reused five times.
Skeletal Muscle Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma Evaluated by F18-FDG PET/CT
Authors: Hitu Liviu , Cainap Calin , Apostu Dragos , Gabora Katalin , Bonci Eduard-Alexandru , Badan Marius , Mester Alexandru , Piciu Andra
Published: February 2020

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid malignancy and is characterized by slow growth and an indolent biological behavior. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma is the PTC with the maximum size of the tumor <1cm, considered the most indolent form of thyroid cancer. PTC is usually metastasizes in cervical lymph nodes, lungs and bones and, less commonly, in brain or liver. Skeletal muscle metastases from PTC are extremely rare, a retrospective review of the literature revealed only 13 case reports. Among them, six cases are solitary skeletal muscle metastases, and seven are multiple metastases, most of them being associated with lung lesions. It seems that PTC is prone to metastasizing to the erector spinae and thigh muscles groups with unique cases located in trapezoid, biceps, deltoid, gastrocnemius and rectus abdominis muscles. Although extremely rare, one must bear in mind the fact that muscle metastasis from PTC is possible, and that is the reason we would like to discuss the existing clinical cases and to add a unique case of solitary skeletal muscle metastasis from papillary microcarcinoma.
American Indian College Student Mentoring: A Study to Measure Changes in Self-Efficacy
Authors: Chelberg Kelli , Bosman Lisa
Published: February 2020

The underrepresentation of American Indian (AI) students pursuing higher education opportunities continues to persist. This study sought to measure the perceived changes in participants’ self-efficacy and confidence in navigating the college environment as a result of their participation in a mentoring program and addressed the research question “How does mentoring contribute to changes in tribal college students reported self-efficacy?” Nineteen participants who had participated in a semester-long mentoring program were given a retrospective pre- then post-program survey to measure changes in participants’ perceived confidence in navigational and informational skills related to college success. Participants reported a significantly higher level of awareness in the post-program survey than they did in the pre-program survey across all of the mentoring program goals with the exception of one goal. In addition, there were no reported differences in AI and non-AI participants’ and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)/non-STEM responses on the five scaled variables for the mentoring survey. Providing support early on in a student’s educational career allows for the establishment of student connections with peers, support personnel, and resources that they can turn to for help in academics or setting goals. Additionally, early support provides encouragement and a sense of belief in themselves, which is critical to student success.
Correction: Balasubramanian, P., et al. Hardware Optimized and Error Reduced Approximate Adder. Electronics 2019, 8, 1212
Authors: Balasubramanian Padmanabhan , L. Maskell Douglas
Published: February 2020

Authors make a change because the modification is required to ensure the accuracy of a result [...]
Pneumatic ABS Modeling and Failure Mode Analysis of Electromagnetic and Control Valves for Commercial Vehicles
Authors: Li Xiaohan , Zhao Leilei , Zhou Changcheng , Li Xue , Li Hongyan
Published: February 2020

A failure of the pneumatic ABS (anti-lock braking system) weakens the braking performance of commercial vehicles. It affects the driving safety of vehicles. There are four typical failure modes that include: the failure of the pilot inlet solenoid valve and pilot exhaust solenoid valve of the pressure regulator, the failure of the series dual-chamber brake valve, and the failure of the relay valve. In order to study the braking performance and the rule of vehicles under the failure modes of the pneumatic ABS, the co-simulation model of the pneumatic ABS of the commercial vehicle was established based on AMESim and Simulink softwares. The gas path subsystem of the pneumatic ABS and the vehicle model were built based on AMESim. The controller was established based on Simulink/Stateflow. The data were transmitted between the AMESim and Simulink software by using the data interface block. The co-simulation model was validated by tests. The results showed that the maximum error of the braking deceleration is 13.51%. The model can simulate the braking process of the vehicle well. Based on this, the four typical failure modes of the pneumatic ABS were simulated, and the influences of different failure modes on the braking ability were analyzed. The influence of failure ratio on braking distance in four modes was obtained. It can be seen from the simulation results that the failure of the pilot inlet solenoid valve and the pilot exhaust solenoid valve of the pressure regulator cause the wheel lock. The failure of the lower chamber of the brake valve and the failure of the relay valve have a great influence on the braking distance.
Role of IoT Technology in Agriculture: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Shoaib , Riaz Shamyla , Abid Adnan , Umer Tariq , Zikria Yousaf Bin
Published: February 2020

The growing demand for food in terms of quality and quantity has increased the need for industrialization and intensification in the agriculture field. Internet of Things (IoT) is a highly promising technology that is offering many innovative solutions to modernize the agriculture sector. Research institutions and scientific groups are continuously working to deliver solutions and products using IoT to address different domains of agriculture. This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) by conducting a survey of IoT technologies and their current utilization in different application domains of the agriculture sector. The underlying SLR has been compiled by reviewing research articles published in well-reputed venues between 2006 and 2019. A total of 67 papers were carefully selected through a systematic process and classified accordingly. The primary objective of this systematic study is the collection of all relevant research on IoT agricultural applications, sensors/devices, communication protocols, and network types. Furthermore, it also discusses the main issues and challenges that are being investigated in the field of agriculture. Moreover, an IoT agriculture framework has been presented that contextualizes the representation of a wide range of current solutions in the field of agriculture. Similarly, country policies for IoT-based agriculture have also been presented. Lastly, open issues and challenges have been presented to provide the researchers promising future directions in the domain of IoT agriculture.
Direct 3-D Sparse Imaging Using Non-Uniform Samples Without Data Interpolation
Authors: Sun Dou , Pang Bo , Xing Shiqi , Li Yongzhen , Wang Xuesong
Published: February 2020

As an emerging technique, sparse imaging from three-dimensional (3-D) and non-uniform samples provides an attractive approach to obtain high resolution 3-D images along with great convenience in data acquisition, especially in the case of targets consisting of strong isolated scatterers. Although data interpolation in k-space and fast Fourier transform have been employed in the existing 3-D sparse imaging methods to reduce the computational complexity, the data-gridding errors induced by local interpolation may usually result in poor imaging performance. In this paper, we directly regard the imaging problem as a joint sparse reconstruction problem from non-uniform data without interpolation in 3-D space. Combining dictionary reduction and Gauss iterative method with the optimized signal processing scheme, a sparse imaging algorithm is proposed to address the difficulty of large-scale computation involved in direct 3-D sparse reconstruction. Benefited from the optimized signal processing scheme and the avoidance of data interpolation, the direct 3-D sparse imaging (DTDSI) method proposed in this paper is of low computation scale and high imaging performance. Experiments of electromagnetic simulation data demonstrate the DTDSI method outperforms baseline methods in terms of resolving ability, lower side-lobes and higher accuracy.
Targeting the RNA-Binding Protein QKI in Myeloid Cells Ameliorates Macrophage-Induced Renal Interstitial Fibrosis
Authors: de Bruin Ruben G. , Vogel Gillian , Prins Jurrien , Duijs Jacques M. J. G. , Bijkerk Roel , van der Zande Hendrik J. P. , van Gils Janine M. , de Boer Hetty C. , Rabelink Ton J. , van Zonneveld Anton Jan , van der Veer Eric P. , Richard Stéphane
Published: February 2020

In the pathophysiologic setting of acute and chronic kidney injury, the excessive activation and recruitment of blood-borne monocytes prompts their differentiation into inflammatory macrophages, a process that leads to progressive glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis. Importantly, this differentiation of monocytes into macrophages requires the meticulous coordination of gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. The transcriptomes of these cells are ultimately determined by RNA-binding proteins such as QUAKING (QKI), that define their pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA transcript patterns. Using two mouse models, namely (1) quaking viable mice (qkv) and (2) the conditional deletion in the myeloid cell lineage using the lysozyme 2-Cre (QKIFL/FL;LysM-Cre mice), we demonstrate that the abrogation of QKI expression in the myeloid cell lineage reduces macrophage infiltration following kidney injury induced by unilateral urethral obstruction (UUO). The qkv and QKIFL/FL;LysM-Cre mice both showed significant diminished interstitial collagen deposition and fibrosis in the UUO-damaged kidney, as compared to wild-type littermates. We show that macrophages isolated from QKIFL/FL;LysM-Cre mice are associated with defects in pre-mRNA splicing. Our findings demonstrate that reduced expression of the alternative splice regulator QKI in the cells of myeloid lineage attenuates renal interstitial fibrosis, suggesting that inhibition of this splice regulator may be of therapeutic value for certain kidney diseases.
How Does Paradoxical Leadership Affect Employees’ Voice Behaviors in Workplace? A Leader-Member Exchange Perspective
Authors: Xue Ying , Li Xiyuan , Liang Hao , Li Yuan
Published: February 2020

We theorized and tested a leader-member perspective beyond the existing studies in paradoxical leadership and employee voice behavior. We proposed that paradoxical leadership influences employees’ voice behavior through psychological safety and self-efficacy. We also theorized that team size influences an extent to which the subordinates internalize their self-efficacy and psychological safety to exhibit proactive behavior. In a longitudinal study conducted on 155 subordinates and 96 supervisors in China, we found that when leaders adopt paradoxical behavior, employees are more likely to engage into promotive voice behavior; however, employees’ prohibitive voice behavior is reduced when their leaders adopt paradoxes in leadership behavior. Additionally, psychological safety mediates the relationship between paradoxical leadership and promotive voice behavior. Further, team size has significant interaction effects with psychological safety on promotive voice behavior.
Did Government Expenditure on the Grain for Green Project Help the Forest Carbon Sequestration Increase in Yunnan, China?
Authors: Lu Ya’nan , Yao Shunbo , Ding Zhenmin , Deng Yuanjie , Hou Mengyang
Published: February 2020

Reasonably assessing the effectiveness of government expenditure on the Grain for Green project (GFG) in providing forest carbon sequestration would contribute to the development of China’s forest carbon sequestration. Using the government expenditure data from the GFG in Yunnan Province from 2001 to 2015 and the MODIS Land Cover Type (MCD12Q1) time-series datasets, we calculated the forest carbon sequestration of various counties (cities or districts). The impacts of GFG government expenditure on forest carbon sequestration were empirically evaluated by the least squares dummy variables method (LSDV). The research results indicate that a 1% increase in government expenditure on the GFG yielded a 0.0364% increase in forest carbon sequestration. However, the effects of GFG government expenditure on forest carbon sequestration differed greatly in different areas because of the diversity of the natural environments, forest resource endowment, and government policies. If the initial forest endowment was not considered, the effectiveness of government expenditure on the GFG in providing forest carbon sequestration would have been overestimated. This study argues that, to improve the efficiency of GFG government expenditure in Yunnan Province, more investment should be made in regions with positive regression coefficients that have passed the significance t-test, such as Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the northwest, Baoshan City in the west, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the south, and Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the east.
Headedness and the Lexicon: The Case of Verb-to-Noun Ratios
Authors: Polinsky Maria , Magyar Lilla
Published: February 2020

This paper takes a well-known observation as its starting point, that is, languages vary with respect to headedness, with the standard head-initial and head-final types well attested. Is there a connection between headedness and the size of a lexical class? Although this question seems quite straightforward, there are formidable methodological and theoretical challenges in addressing it. Building on initial results by several researchers, we refine our methodology and consider the proportion of nouns to simplex verbs (as opposed to light verb constructions) in a varied sample of 33 languages to evaluate the connection between headedness and the size of a lexical class. We demonstrate a robust correlation between this proportion and headedness. While the proportion of nouns in a lexicon is relatively stable, head-final/object-verb (OV)-type languages (e.g., Japanese or Hungarian) have a relatively small number of simplex verbs, whereas head-initial/verb-initial languages (e.g., Irish or Zapotec) have a considerably larger percentage of such verbs. The difference between the head-final and head-initial type is statistically significant. We, then, consider a subset of languages characterized as subject-verb-object (SVO) and show that this group is not uniform. Those SVO languages that have strong head-initial characteristics (as shown by the order of constituents in a set of phrases and word order alternations) are characterized by a relatively large proportion of lexical verbs. SVO languages that have strong head-final traits (e.g., Mandarin Chinese) pattern with head-final languages, and a small subset of SVO languages are genuinely in the middle (e.g., English, Russian). We offer a tentative explanation for this headedness asymmetry, couched in terms of informativity and parsing principles, and discuss additional evidence in support of our account. All told, the fewer simplex verbs in head-final/OV-type languages is an adaptation in response to their particular pattern of headedness. The object-verb/verb-object (OV/VO) difference with respect to noun/verb ratios also reveals itself in SVO languages; some languages, Chinese and Latin among them, show a strongly OV ratio, whereas others, such as Romance or Bantu, are VO-like in their noun/verb ratios. The proportion of nouns to verbs thus emerges as a new linguistic characteristic that is correlated with headedness.
Effect of Mill-Rejected Granular Cement Grains on Healing Concrete Cracks
Authors: Asrat Feseha Sahile , Ghebrab Tewodros Tekeste
Published: February 2020

The effect of mill-rejected granular cement (MRGC) on enabling concrete to autogenously heal its cracks was investigated. The crack-healing efficiency of concrete containing 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% wt. of MRGC as a replacement for natural fine aggregate was investigated at the age of 28 days. Concrete specimens were induced with artificial cracks and placed in water or air at 20 ± 2 °C to cure and heal the cracks for an additional 28 days. Compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths and water permeability tests were carried out to evaluate crack-healing by evaluating the strength to regain and the reduction in water permeability of concrete. For the air-cured specimens, the gain in compressive strength was between 45% and 79%, the flexural strength was between 74% and 87%, and the tensile strength was between 75% and 84% of the reference specimens for the MRGC content was between 0% and 20%, respectively. For the water-cured specimens, the gain in compressive strength was between 54% and 92%, the flexural strength was between 76% and 94%, the tensile strength was between 83% and 96% of the reference specimens for the MRGC content between 0% and 20%. The water permeability coefficients of the concrete specimens cured in water after cracking decreased by one order of magnitude, while those of the specimens cured in the air increased by the same order of magnitude. The crack-healing efficiency of concrete could be enhanced by increasing the MRGC content of concrete and hydration water.
A New Vision on the Prosumers Energy Surplus Trading Considering Smart Peer-to-Peer Contracts
Authors: Neagu Bogdan-Constantin , Ivanov Ovidiu , Grigoras Gheorghe , Gavrilas Mihai
Published: February 2020

A growing number of households benefit from government subsidies to install renewable generation facilities such as PV panels, used to gain independence from the grid and provide cheap energy. In the Romanian electricity market, these prosumers can sell their generation surplus only at regulated prices, back to the grid. A way to increase the number of prosumers is to allow them to make higher profit by selling this surplus back into the local network. This would also be an advantage for the consumers, who could pay less for electricity exempt from network tariffs and benefit from lower prices resulting from the competition between prosumers. One way of enabling this type of trade is to use peer-to-peer contracts traded in local markets, run at microgrid (μG) level. This paper presents a new trading platform based on smart peer-to-peer (P2P) contracts for prosumers energy surplus trading in a real local microgrid. Several trading scenarios are proposed, which give the possibility to perform trading based on participants’ locations, instantaneous active power demand, maximum daily energy demand, and the principle of first come first served implemented in an anonymous blockchain trading ledger. The developed scheme is tested on a low-voltage (LV) microgrid model to check its feasibility of deployment in a real network. A comparative analysis between the proposed scenarios, regarding traded quatities and financial benefits is performed.
High Strain Rate Behavior of Aluminum Alloy for Sheet Metal Forming Processes
Authors: Ubertalli Graziano , Matteis Paolo , Ferraris Sara , Marcianò Caterina , D’Aiuto Fabio , Tedesco Michele Maria , De Caro Daniele
Published: February 2020

Aluminum alloy sheets are gaining increasing interest in the construction of some or all components of the car body in view of their lightweight properties which can allow significant fuel consumption reduction. In order to be suitable for car body application, aluminum alloy sheets should have sufficient mechanical properties both in static (e.g., structural stability and durability) and dynamic conditions (e.g., crash test). Static and dynamic mechanical tests (strain rates: ε ˙ ≈ 1 × 10−3 s−1 and ε ˙ ≈ 5 × 102 s−1 respectively) were conducted on AA6016 alloy sheet (1 mm thick), in T4 and T6 temper and for the longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal rolling directions by means of standard static tensile test and modified Hopkinson bar dynamic tests. Microstructural and fracture morphology observations are also reported. The results show that the ultimate tensile strength increases by 13−14%, and the elongation at fracture increases by 75−105%, depending on the temper, by increasing the strain rate.
Application of a Broad Range Lytic Phage LPST94 for Biological Control of Salmonella in Foods
Authors: Islam Md. Sharifull , Zhou Yang , Liang Lu , Nime Ishatur , Yan Ting , Willias Stephan P. , Mia Md. Zakaria , Bei Weicheng , Connerton Ian F. , Fischetti Vincent A. , Li Jinquan
Published: February 2020

Salmonella, one of the most common food-borne pathogens, is a significant public health and economic burden worldwide. Lytic phages are viable alternatives to conventional technologies for pathogen biocontrol in food products. In this study, 40 Salmonella phages were isolated from environmentally sourced water samples. We characterized the lytic range against Salmonella and among all isolates, phage LPST94 showed the broadest lytic spectrum and the highest lytic activity. Electron microscopy and genome sequencing indicated that LPST94 belongs to the Ackermannviridae family. Further studies showed this phage is robust, tolerating a wide range of pH (4–12) and temperature (30–60 °C) over 60 min. The efficacy of phage LPST94 as a biological control agent was evaluated in various food products (milk, apple juice, chicken breast, and lettuce) inoculated with non-typhoidal Salmonella species at different temperatures. Interestingly, the anti-Salmonella efficacy of phage LPST94 was greater at 4 °C than 25 °C, although the efficacy varied between different food models. Adding phage LPST94 to Salmonella inoculated milk decreased the Salmonella count by 3 log10 CFU/mL at 4 °C and 0.84 to 2.56 log10 CFU/mL at 25 °C using an MOI of 1000 and 10000, respectively. In apple juice, chicken breast, and lettuce, the Salmonella count was decreased by 3 log10 CFU/mL at both 4 °C and 25 °C after applying phage LPST94 at an MOI of 1000 and 10,000, within a timescale of 48 h. The findings demonstrated that phage LPST94 is a promising candidate for biological control agents against pathogenic Salmonella and has the potential to be applied across different food matrices.
Antimicrobial Lock Therapy in Clinical Practice: A Scoping Review Protocol
Authors: Alfieri Aniello , Di Franco Sveva , Passavanti Maria Beatrice , Pace Maria Caterina , Stanga Agata , Simeon Vittorio , Chiodini Paolo , Leone Sebastiano , Niyas Vettakkara Kandy Muhammed , Fiore Marco
Published: February 2020

Our objective is to review the scientific literature on the use of antimicrobial lock therapy (ALT). To achieve this result, our scoping review will address the following seven key questions: (1) Who are the patients who will benefit from this technique? (2) What are the techniques utilized? (3) What are the settings in which the technique is performed? (4) When the technique is performed? (5) Why the technique is performed? (6) How the technique is performed? (7) In how much amount, of such technique performed? This review considers all studies published in full and in peer-reviewed journals, with no restrictions on language, on the year of publication and age of the participants. Both randomized controlled trials and observational studies will be included. This scoping review has been planned on a five-stage framework: 1. Identifying the review question; 2. identifying relevant studies; 3. study selection; 4. charting the data; 5. collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. It is conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Guidelines. The databases utilized will include MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Grey Literature. SCOPING REVIEW REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/vphwm/.
Impact on Isoleucine and Valine Supplementation When Decreasing Use of Medical Food in the Nutritional Management of Methylmalonic Acidemia
Authors: Bernstein Laurie E. , Burns Casey , Drumm Morgan , Gaughan Sommer , Sailer Melissa , Baker II Peter R.
Published: February 2020

Background: Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder treated with precursor-free medical food while limiting natural protein. This retrospective chart review was to determine if there was a relationship between medical food, valine (VAL) and/or isoleucine (ILE) supplementation, total protein intake, and plasma amino acid profiles. Methods: A chart review, of patients aged 31 days or older with MMA treated with dietary intervention and supplementation of VAL and/or ILE and followed at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Inherited Metabolic Diseases Clinic. Dietary prescriptions and plasma amino acid concentrations were obtained at multiple time points. Results: Baseline mean total protein intake for five patients was 198% of Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) with 107% natural protein and 91% medical food. Following intervention, total protein intake (p = 0.0357), protein from medical food (p = 0.0142), and leucine (LEU) from medical food (p = 0.0276) were lower, with no significant change in natural protein intake (p = 0.2036). At baseline, 80% of patients received VAL supplementation and 100% received ILE supplementation. After intervention, only one of the cohort remained on supplementation. There was no statistically significant difference in plasma propiogenic amino acid concentrations. Conclusions: Decreased intake of LEU from medical food allowed for discontinuation of amino acid supplementation, while meeting the RDA for protein.
Effectiveness of Leadership Decision-Making in Complex Systems
Authors: Hallo Leonie , Nguyen Tiep , Gorod Alex , Tran Phu
Published: February 2020

This paper traverses the domains of leadership and decision-making within various types of systems with different levels of complexity. The article presents some background about both leadership and decision-making, and then explores the concept of leadership decision-making and some of the factors involved. The paper then reviews complex systems and provides examples to differentiate complex systems from other systems. Finally, these strands are brought together with a consideration of leadership decision-making in complex systems and presentation of a framework to assist managers faced with decision-making in complexity, based on data collected in a survey. The aim and practical contribution of this paper is to improve the outcomes of leadership decision-making within complex systems, based upon the findings and on a decision aid model derived from them. The paper, therefore, should help people in real life and leaders within organizational settings to improve their decision-making effectiveness within the ever-increasing range of complex situations which are now widely encountered.
First Draft Genome of the Trypanosomatid Herpetomonas muscarum ingenoplastis through MinION Oxford Nanopore Technology and Illumina Sequencing
Authors: d’Avila-Levy Claudia M. , Bearzatto Bertrand , Ambroise Jérôme , Helaers Raphaël , Butenko Anzhelika , Yurchenko Vyacheslav , A. Morelli Karina , L. C. Santos Helena , Brouillard Pascal , Grellier Philippe , Gala Jean-Luc , Vikkula Miikka
Published: February 2020

Here, we present first draft genome sequence of the trypanosomatid Herpetomonas muscarum ingenoplastis. This parasite was isolated repeatedly in the black blowfly, Phormia regina, and it forms a phylogenetically distinct clade in the Trypanosomatidae family.
Development of an IL-17A DNA Vaccine to Treat Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Mice
Authors: Koriyama Hiroshi , Ikeda Yuka , Nakagami Hironori , Shimamura Munehisa , Yoshida Shota , Rakugi Hiromi , Morishita Ryuichi
Published: February 2020

The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family, especially IL-17A, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study developed an IL-17A epitope vaccine to treat SLE in NZBWF1 and MRL/lpr mouse models. A plasmid vector encoding a hepatitis B core (HBc)-IL-17A epitope fusion protein was injected using electroporation into the skeletal muscle of NZBWF1(New Zealand Black mice x New Zealand White mice F1 hybrid strain) or MRL/lpr mice three times at 2-week intervals. As a result, anti-IL-17A antibodies were successfully produced in the HBc-IL-17A group. Accordingly, serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) concentrations were significantly reduced in the HBc-IL-17A group. According to pathological analysis, the IL-17A DNA vaccine significantly suppressed renal tissue damage and macrophage infiltration. Consequently, the survival rate was significantly improved in the HBc-IL-17A group. In addition, we evaluated the antigen reactivity of splenocytes from IL-17A-immunized mice using an enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot (ELISPot) assay for safety evaluation. Splenocytes from IL-17A-immunized mice were significantly stimulated by the HBc epitope peptide, but not by the IL-17A epitope or recombinant IL-17A. These results indicate that the IL-17A vaccine did not induce autoreactive T cells against endogenous IL-17A. This study demonstrates for the first time that an IL-17A DNA vaccine significantly reduced organ damage and extended survival time in lupus-prone mice.
Aspects rhétoriques de la musique vocale anglaise de la Renaissance
Authors: Guinle Francis
Published: February 2020

The study of word-painting in Elizabethan vocal music shows the various codes used to set a literary text to music and the different aspects of musical rhetorical devices. However, close analysis points to the limits and limitations of such an approach and raises the question of meaning in music. Theoreticians such as Boris de Schloezer, Suzanne K. Langer and Nicolas Ruwet have already tried to tackle the question of the setting of poetry to music, and their various positions form the background of this particular study. The examples here are taken from madrigals and lute songs.
De Macbeth à Macbetto : éléments pour une nouvelle approche comparative
Authors: Lehmann Michel
Published: February 2020

Some comparative studies of Shakespeare ’s play and Verdi ’s opera display many flaws. They are most of the time detrimental to Verdi. In many ways, Macbetto is an ambitious piece of work written by a young, inexperienced composer who was, nevertheless, extremely sensitive to the beauty of Shakespeare ’s drama. Moreover, his lack of experience seems to have been tempered by Verdi’s thorough knowledge of Romantic criticism about the staging of Shakespeare’s play. Coleridge’s, Garrick’s and Siddons’s influences, added to Schlegel’s, thus seem to have inspired him.
Alienation in American Gothic Fiction
Authors: Amfreville Marc
Published: February 2020

À travers l’étude de trois textes ("Somnambulim" de Charles Brockden Brown (1799), "The Yellow Wallpaper" de Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1890) et Silent Terror de James Ellroy (1988), le présent article tente de cerner un "reste" gothique au sens que J. -J. Lecercle a donné à ce terme. Choisies pour leurs dates de parution emblématiques, ces fictions de l’aliénation solipsiste témoignent de la place qu’a toujours donnée à la folie la littérature "gothique américaine" et du lien que ce choix implique avec une pratique auto-réflexive, tout aussi constamment présente. Ne serait-ce pas du côté d’un "même" qui serait la voix privilégiée de la représentation de l'"autre" qu’il conviendrait de chercher une (par avance impossible) redéfinition des vestiges du Gothique américain, une quête d’identité aux deux sens de ce terme : essence et similitude.
Analisis Kondisi Atmosfer dengan Memanfaatkan Citra Satelit Cuaca dan Karakteristik Tanah pada Kejadian Tanah Longsor di Pesisir Barat Lampung sepanjang Tahun 2014
Authors: Paski Jaka A. I.
Published: February 2020

Berdasarkan data BNPB pada tahun 2014, terdapat 385 kasus tanah longsor di Indonesia dengan Kabupaten Pesisir Barat Lampung merupakan salah satu wilayah rawan longsor di Provinsi Lampung. Menurut data curah hujan dari Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika, curah hujan di Kabupaten Pesisir Barat berkisar antara 2.500 - 3.500 milimeter dalam setahun atau 140 - 221 milimeter dalam sebulan. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah membahas dinamika atmosfer selama terjadi longsor serta karakteristik tanah di Kabupaten Pesisir Barat pada tahun 2014. Analisis dinamika atmosfer pada penelitian ini dilakukan dengan memanfaatkan citra satelit MTSAT BMKG melalui kanal IR1 dan IR3. Dari analisis yang dilakukan, citra satelit MTSAT mampu menggambarkan sebaran awan dan kandungan uap air saat kejadian tanah longsor. Dari hasil analisis data jenis tanah diperoleh bahwa kondisi karakteristik tanah di Pesisir Barat cenderung rentan erosi dengan kemiringan lereng 25-40 % serta ada anomali signifikan dari curah hujan bulanan selama kejadian tersebut.
Тенденції дисертаційних досліджень з державного управління у 2015 – 2019 роках
Authors: Bakumenko Valery
Published: February 2020

У статті зібрано, узагальнено та проаналізовано статистику і динаміку вітчизняних дисертаційних досліджень з державного управління у період з 2015 по 2019 роки за кількома показниками. Серед них маємо наукові ступені та спеціальності з державного управління, сфери, рівні та засоби управлінського впливу, спеціалізовані вчені ради, де вони відбулися, рівні консультування та керівництва дисертаціями, їх зв’язок з практикою публічного управління. Виявлено низку позитивних тенденцій, зокрема: зростання кількості й помітне переважання за цим показником досліджень державного рівня, а також тих, що спрямовані на вирішення проблем і завдань державотворення; зростання рівня різноманіття тематики та зв’язку з практикою; зменшення кількості робіт широкого профілю з досліджень державної політики та їх дублювання за тематикою; суттєве зменшення відсотку непрофільного консультування докторських дисертацій та керівництва кандидатськими дисертаціями; активна робота нових спеціалізованих вчених рад на фоні збереження лідерства Національної академії державного управління при Президентові України та її регіональних інститутів з державного управління за більшістю з розглянутих показників. В той же час, ще залишаються окремі прояви низької якості захищених дисертацій. Для упередження таких ситуацій необхідно й надалі посилювати принциповість та професіоналізм спеціалізованих вчених рад. Запропоновано для підвищення рівня експертизи, обмежити роботу рад не більше ніж одним засіданням на місяць. Також слід додатково впровадити механізм, схожий на умовну акредитацію освітніх програм, шляхом повернення за рішенням колегії дисертації на виправлення недоліків до спеціалізованої вченої ради з вимогою повторного її захисту не раніше, ніж через рік. З метою реального підвищення рівня зв’язку дисертаційних досліджень з практикою  публічного управління рекомендовано здійснювати вибір тематики дисертацій у прив’язці до перспективних планів законодавчої роботи, прогнозування та стратегічного планування, державного програмування розвитку суспільних сфер, галузей і територій.
Реформування адміністративно-територіального устрою Миколаївщини як шлях до здійснення децентралізації
Authors: Yehorov Serhii , Shtyrov Oleksandr , Andriyash Victoria
Published: February 2020

В статті приділено увагу аналізу основних подій та процесів що відбулись протягом 2014-2019 років у царині децентралізації на Миколаївщині.
Зауважено що аналіз чинного законодавства та його застосування, а також дослідження зарубіжного досвіду інших держав засвідчує що є найважливіші «виклики» що висуває влада до суспільства можуть вирішувати лише структури де немає авторитарної монополії, а де є мультицентральний поділ повноважень.
Показано, що система місцевого самоврядування є одним з головних механізмів реалізації державної політики у житлово-комунальному господарстві, соціальній сфері, послугах міського транспорту, територіальному благоустрою тощо. Прийняття рішень органів місцевого самоврядування з більшості питань місцевого значення небайдуже для центральних та регіональних органів влади, оскільки економічне та політичне становище країни залежить від їх рішень.
У висновках наголошено що сама децентралізація не вирішить усіх наявних проблем, якщо національна реформа не принесе з собою критичну масу політичних лідерів особливо на регіональному рівні та державних службовців на рівні місцевого самоврядування, які отримують достатньо високу матеріальну винагороду та будуть практично обізнані у найкращих практиках прозорого та підзвітного надання державних та муніципальних послуг, щоб протистояти і протидіяти українським реаліям з їх високим рівнем корумпованості, та потягом до елітарності та влади. Тобто ключовим фактором у боротьбі з корупцією та інших проблем є не децентралізація, а професійні посадові особи; зокрема, люди з управлінським досвідом, які прагнуть внести прозорість до повсякденних функцій місцевого самоврядування - починаючи навіть з дрібних деталей, таких як компонування адміністративних будівель, де державні службовці помітніші та доступніші в офісах відкритого плану, замість того, щоб ховатися у теренах дверей та коридорів.
Особливості реалізації концепції SMART-спеціалізації в Україні
Authors: Yemelyanov Volodymyr , Kozlova Liudmyla
Published: February 2020

У статті розглянуто особливості реалізації концепції SMART-спеціалізації в Україні, визначено основі проблеми, які відбуваються при спробі запровадити концепцію в практичну діяльність в рамках формування стратегій соціально-економічного розвитку регіонів. Стаття присвячена таким питанням, як зміст та цілі стратегічного управління з урахуванням SMART-спеціалізації, її взаємозв’язок з інноваційною, промисловою та економічною політикою держави, роль органів виконавчої влади центрального та регіонального рівнів при формуванні та реалізації політики стратегічного управління з урахуванням концепції SMART-спеціалізації, зарубіжний досвід  та  можливості його адаптації в нашій країні. Матеріалами для дослідження стали основні наукові праці вітчизняних дослідників та фахівців в сфері вивчення стратегічного управління та SMART-спеціалізацій, а також аналіз загальних проблем, які виникають в практичній діяльності при формуванні стратегій соціально-економічного розвитку регіонів. Серед методів, які були використані в дослідженні, слід зазначити метод системного аналізу, методи порівняння та моделювання ситуацій. В результаті дослідження було систематизовано основні ключові проблеми в реалізації SMART-спеціалізації при формуванні стратегій соціально-економічного розвитку регіону.
Місце антикорупційної культури у процесі запобігання корупції в Україні
Authors: Tymofieiev Serhij
Published: February 2020

Статтю присвячено актуальним питанням запобігання корупції в Україні. Визначається, що в українському суспільстві діють подвійні стандарти відносно корупційних дій. Це проявляється у розподілові на притаманну елітам корупцію з одного боку, та побутову – з іншого. Якщо перша оцінюється доволі негативно, то друга виправдовується багатьма. Показовою є відчутна різниця між оцінками корупціогенної діяльності інших та поблажливе ставлення до власної поведінки. Розглядається антикорупційна культура як складова антикорупційної політики. Значна увага приділяється участі громадянського суспільства у вирішенні проблеми корупції, моральній та психологічній складовій цього питання. Існування корупції в країні ставить під сумнів спрямування влади на розбудову сучасної демократичної держави, тому варто акцентувати увагу на суперечливому ставленні до різних проявів корупції. Зазначається, що для подолання корупції необхідно не тільки стабілізувати економіку та створити систему правоохоронних та антикорупційних органів. Не менш важлива наявність політичної волі влади та бажання суспільства, оскільки корупційні дії втілюються не тільки у державно-владних відносинах, а й у суспільних. Визначається, що будь-яка діяльність антикорупційного характеру лежить у площині людської психології. Фактично боротьба з корупцією є боротьбою проти негативних якостей та вад індивіда. Різні корупційні дії з етичної точки зору оцінюються по різному: одні з них сприймаються як злочинні, інші в свою чергу вважаються лише аморальними, хоча з точки зору закону вони в однаковій мірі є злочинними. Відмічається, що одним з визначальних напрямів запобігання та протидії корупції в сфері державного управління загалом, соціальній політиці зокрема, є формування антикорупційної культури серед широкого загалу. Основоположним в цьому напрямку є забезпечення негативного ставлення серед громадськості до корупції та бажання протидіяти цьому явищу.
Pengaruh Pembelajaran Kooperatif Tipe STAD Terhadap Peningkatan Hasil Belajar, Sikap Sosial, dan Motivasi Belajar
Authors: Dedek Andrian  , Astri Wahyuni  , Syarul Ramadhan  , Fini Rezy Enabela Novilanti  , Zafrullah
Published: February 2020

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh pembelajaran kooperatif tipe student team achievement division (STAD) dalam meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa, sikap sosial, dan motivasi siswa. Penelitian in merupakan penelitian quasi eksperimen dengan menggunakan kelas kontrol dan kelas eksperimen. Instrumen penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah tes dan kuesioner. Analisis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan Multivariate Analisis Varian (MANOVA). Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh signifikan antara kelas eksperimen dengan pembelajaran kooperatif tipe STAD dan kelas kontrol dengan pembelajaran konvensional berdasakkan hasil belajar, sikap sosial, dan motivasi belajar mahasiswa. Hasil ini dapat dilihat dari nilai statistic Hotelling's Trace yang lebih kecil dari 0.05. Pembelajaran kooperatif secara simultan dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar, sikap sosial, dan motivasi belajar siswa SMAN 1 Tebing Tinggi.
Socio-cultural identity in the existential perspective The context of intercultural education
Authors: Sobecki Mirosław
Published: February 2020

The article presents the issue of identification with groups of a cultural nature. The need to belong to a community is considered as one of the fundamental existential issues. In solving the dilemmas that arise in this context, the key role should be played by pedagogy. The involvement of pedagogy in this task should be connected with the recognition of a clear humanistic axiology taking into account the equality of existence of the communities created around various (different from each other) sets of cultural symbols.
Youth and school – about partially separated systems
Authors: Szczurek-Boruta Alina
Published: February 2020

This study refers to one of the basic paradigms of holistically understood modern science – the system approach. The article presents my own research experiences concerning youth, school and other elements of the educational environment. It indicates the significance of the research on youth for pedagogy and other social sciences and the role of various elements of the educational environment, including school, in forming the identity of young people. Presented against the background of the results of my own quantitative and qualitative research (life orientations of young people, choice of ideals, choice of life path, importancen attributed to different elements of the educational environment in the formation of knowledge about themselves and the world) is the social isolation of youth and school. It is indicated that the essence of education lies in mutual relations between different systems (not only between youth and school), flows of values, emotions, information, energy, only then the proper mechanism of the process of education can be seen.
The rationale for the layout of working bodies of the wide-reach flat cutter for the tractor of traction class 8 by the criteria of material consumption and rolling resistance
Authors: Derepaskin Alexei I. , Polishchuk Yuri V. , Dyadyuchenko Alexander F.
Published: February 2020

The article describes the current development state of equipment and mechanical tillage technology. It is revealed that creation of tillage tool drags for the modern tractors of high traction class, is associated with certain difficulties caused by the fact that they must be wide, hinged or trailed and they must match the requirements of regulatory documentation, as well as fully ensure the implementation of agrotechnical requirements for technological processes. We conducted laboratory and field studies in order to obtain quantitative characteristics of changes in the rolling resistance of tractors from their working conditions in the soil environment. It is established that a working body operating in the free cutting mode has the minimum rolling resistance, and the maximum rolling resistance is obtained in the mode of blocked cutting at equal speeds. The technique proposed in the article allows a reasonable approach to the choice of the scheme of a wide-reach flat cutter for the tractor of traction class 8 according to the criteria of metal consumption and rolling resistance.