bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hough Transform-Based Large Dynamic Reflection Coefficient Micro-Motion Target Detection in SAR
Authors: Zhou Yang , Bi Daping , Shen Aiguo , Wang Xiaoping , Wang Shuliang
Published: July 2019

Special phase modulation of SAR echoes resulted from target rotation or vibration, is a phenomenon called the micro-Doppler (m-D) effect. Such an effect offers favorable information for micro-motion (MM) target detection, thereby improving the performance of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. However, when there are MM targets with large differences in reflection coefficient, the weak reflection components will be difficult to be detected. To find a solution to this problem, we propose a novel algorithm. First, we extract and detect the strongest reflection component. By removing the strongest reflection component from the original azimuth echo one by one, we realize the detection of reflection components sequentially, from the strongest to the weakest. Our algorithm applies to detecting MM targets with different reflection coefficients and has high precision of parameter estimation. The results of simulation and field experiments verify the advantages of the algorithm.
Motor Competence in Adolescents: Exploring Association with Physical Fitness
Authors: Gísladóttir Thórdís , Haga Monika , Sigmundsson Hermundur
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was twofold: First, to examine the correlation between adolescents’ performance on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children -2 (MABC-2) and the Test of Motor Competence (TMC), and second, to interpret the correlation between performance on physical fitness measures and motor competence. This study had a cross-sectional design, in which 101 adolescents age 15–16 years were recruited. The participants were assessed with the MABC-2 (eight tasks), the TMC (four tasks) and physical fitness measures (four tasks). Ninety-four participants completed all the test items (51% male). The correlation between the standard score of the MABC-2 and TMC total score was found to be moderate (r = −0.418). A weak correlation was found between MABC-2 and total score of physical fitness (r = 0.278), while the correlation between TMC and physical fitness was a little stronger (r = 0.361). However, when removing one measure from the TMC (the walking/running in slopes), the correlation was weak and not significant (r = 0.109). The results suggest that different test batteries can cause discrepancy in the results regarding correlation between motor competence and physical fitness in adolescents.
Meat Consumption and Vegaphobia: An Exploration of the Characteristics of Meat Eaters, Vegaphobes, and Their Social Environment
Authors: Vandermoere Frédéric , Geerts Robbe , De Backer Charlotte , Erreygers Sara , Van Doorslaer Els
Published: July 2019

This article highlights the importance of the dietary pattern of significant others in one’s social network to explain both individual meat consumption and vegaphobia, the negative and stigmatizing attitude toward vegetarianism and non-meat-eaters. Using survey data (N = 996), this study first contrasted convinced meat-eaters with non-meat eaters, or people who actively reduce or limit their meat consumption, in terms of different socio-demographic characteristics. Results showed that convinced meat eaters are more often male. A negligible effect on meat consumption was found for education, and age differences were not significant. Next, attention was paid to the social context of meat consumption. Specifically, results of a logistic regression analysis showed that a person’s meat consumption is considerably lower when one of their household members is vegetarian. This was also the case, but to a lesser extent, if people’s social circle included a vegetarian friend or family member. Similar results were found when looking at the linear correlates of vegaphobia using ordinary least squares regression (OLS). Vegaphobes were more often male and lower-educated. In addition, vegaphobia was more common among older persons and convinced meat eaters. Moreover, vegaphobia was less common among people who had a vegetarian in their household or groups of friends. The article ends with a discussion on the importance of studying the social environment in meat consumption and attitudes toward vegetarianism. Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Using the FAHP, ISM, and MICMAC Approaches to Study the Sustainability Influencing Factors of the Last Mile Delivery of Rural E-Commerce Logistics
Authors: Jiang Xiaohong , Wang Huiying , Guo Xiucheng , Gong Xiaolin
Published: July 2019

The development of rural e-commerce has rapidly driven the development of rural logistics in China. Improving the service quality of the last mile delivery is an important measure to promote the sustainable development of rural e-commerce logistics. However, such work is challenging because the current rural last mile delivery is inefficient and unsustainable and is influenced by a set of interacting factors. It is necessary to explore the relationships among the sustainability influencing factors of rural last mile delivery. A total of 15 sustainability influencing factors are selected. The improved fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) is used to assign the weights of the factors and then the interpretative structural model (ISM) is used to determine the hierarchical structure of each factor. The driving force-dependency quadrant graph is constructed by cross-impact matrix multiplication (MICMAC). The research results show that four factors, including “convenience of returning goods”, “integrity of goods”, “advance reservation of goods pickup”, and “delivery costs”, are the most basic factors affecting the sustainability of rural last mile delivery and are the deepest and most indispensable factors. This research provides valuable information for decision makers to develop proactive strategies and reinforcement policies to improve the service quality of rural last mile delivery, which could promote the sustainable development of rural logistics.
Seismic and Energy Retrofit of Apartment Buildings through Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks Infill Walls
Authors: Artino Antonio , Evola Gianpiero , Margani Giuseppe , Marino Edoardo
Published: July 2019

All around the world, a huge amount of buildings have been built before the enforcement of specific codes for seismic resistance and energy efficiency. Particularly in Italy, over 74% of residential buildings were constructed before 1980, when only 25% of the territory was classified as seismic, and nearly 86% were built before 1991, when the first restrictive regulation on energy efficiency was issued. This means that most buildings need both seismic and energy renovation actions to improve their sustainability level. The proposed combined retrofit strategy for reinforced concrete framed buildings is based on the replacement of the external layer of double-leaf infill walls, made of hollow bricks, with high-performing AAC blocks: this solution can be implemented by operating mainly from the outside of the building, thus reducing occupants’ disruption during retrofitting. The generally neglected structural contribution of masonry infill panels is here considered using a recently developed macro-element modeling approach. The results suggest that, from a structural viewpoint, the proposed intervention involves the highest improvement at the damage limitation limit state, while lower upgrades are recorded at life safety limit state and near-collapse limit state. In regards to the energy issues, the energy demand can be reduced by 10% and 4% for heating and cooling, respectively, just by replacing the outer layer of blocks; further savings can be achieved through the application of a supplementary insulation layer.
The Intersection of Race, Immigration Status, and Environmental Justice
Authors: Pellow David , Vazin Jasmine
Published: July 2019

Environmental injustice occurs when marginalized groups face disproportionate environmental impacts from a range of threats. Environmental racism is a particular form of environmental injustice and frequently includes the implementation of policies, regulations, or institutional practices that target communities of color for undesirable waste sites, zoning, and industry. One example of how the United States federal and state governments are currently practicing environmental racism is in the form of building and maintaining toxic prisons and immigrant detention prisons, where people of color and undocumented persons are the majority of inmates and detainees who suffer disproportionate health risk and harms. This article discusses the historical and contemporary conditions that have shaped the present political landscape of racial and immigration conflicts and considers those dynamics in the context of the literature on environmental justice. Case studies are then presented to highlight specific locations and instances that exemplify environmental injustice and racism in the carceral sector. The article concludes with an analysis of the current political drivers and motivations contributing to these risks and injustices, and ends with a discussion of the scale and depth of analysis required to alleviate these impacts in the future, which might contribute to greater sustainability among the communities affected.
Conjunctive Water Resources Management in Densely Urbanized Karst Areas: A Study in the Sete Lagoas Region, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Salis Hugo Henrique Cardoso de , Costa Adriana Monteiro da , Künne Annika , Sanches Fernandes Luís Filipe , Leal Pacheco Fernando António
Published: July 2019

Headwater catchments store valuable resources of quality water, but their hydraulic response is difficult to assess (model) because they are usually deprived of monitoring stations, namely hydrometric stations. This issue becomes even more pertinent because headwater catchments are ideal for the practice of conjunctive water resources management involving the supply of towns with groundwater and surface water, a solution that can be used to mitigate overexploitation of groundwater resources in densely urbanized and populated areas. In this study, a stepwise approach is presented whereby, in a first stage, a gauged basin was modeled for stream flow using the JAMS J2000 framework, with the purpose to obtain calibrated hydraulic parameters and ecological simulated stream flow records. Having validated the model through a comparison of simulated and measured flows, the simulated record was adjusted to the scale of an ungauged sub-basin, based on a new run of JAMS J2000 using the same hydraulic parameters. At this stage, a second validation of modeled data was accomplished through comparison of the downscaled flow rates with discharge rates assessed by field measurements of flow velocity and water column height. The modeled basin was a portion of Jequitiba River basin, while the enclosed sub-basin was the Marinheiro catchment (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil). The latter is a peri-urban watershed located in the vicinity of Sete Lagoas town, a densely urbanized and populated area. This town uses 15.5 hm3 year−1 of karst groundwater for public water supply, but the renewable resources were estimated to be 6.3 hm3 year−1. The impairment between abstraction and renewable resources lasts for decades, and for that reason the town experiences systemic water table declines and sinkhole development. The present study claims that the storage of quality water in the Marinheiro catchment, in a dam reservoir, would help alleviate the depletion of groundwater resources in the karst aquifer because this catchment could deliver 4.73 hm3 year−1 of quality surface water to the municipality without endangering ecologic flows. The construction of a small dam at the outlet of Marinheiro catchment could also improve aquifer recharge. Presently, the annual recharge in this catchment approaches 1.47 hm3 but could be much larger if the small dam was installed in the water course and the captured stream water managed properly.
Determining Key Agricultural Strategic Factors Using AHP-MICMAC
Authors: Barati Ali Akbar , Azadi Hossein , Dehghani Pour Milad , Lebailly Philippe , Qafori Mostafa
Published: July 2019

Agriculture is an irrefutable part of food policy. This paper aims to introduce an integrated method using MICMAC and AHP techniques to deal with understanding the key strategic variables of agricultural system. MICMAC was used to determine the classifications of variables and AHP was applied to weigh these classifications. MICMAC is a structural analysis tool used to structure ideas and AHP is an effective tool to deal with complex decision making and helps decision-makers making the best decision. The results show that strategic variables had different types of influence and direct, indirect, and potential dependencies did not have the same importance. AHP-MICMAC not only considers these differences, but also puts a total priority weight for each variable. These characteristics have an important role in forming strategies and scenarios for agricultural development. Therefore, the case of Iran was used to illustrate the application of MICMAC aiming to supply instructions for the development of agriculture system.
An Assessment of the Impact of Spatial Agglomeration on the Quality of China’s Wood Processing Industry Products
Authors: Tao Chenlu , Zhang Jinzhu , Cheng Baodong , Liu Yu
Published: July 2019

The influence of industrial agglomeration on corporate export behavior has been widely studied by both industry and academia. However, few studies have explored the impact of the spatial agglomeration of China’s wood processing industry on the quality of its products at the micro level. In this study, we analyzed data from the China Customs Database to determine the quality of wood processing industry products at the enterprise level. Then, we matched the China Customs Database with the data in the China Industrial Enterprise Database. Based on this, we analyzed the impact of the spatial agglomeration on the quality of wood products using panel data regression. According to our results, spatial agglomeration of the wood processing industry can significantly improve product quality. Also, private enterprises are more likely to benefit from the advantages conferred by agglomeration than state-owned enterprises. Moreover, trade method does not significantly modulate the effect of spatial agglomeration on the quality of wood products. Last but not least, the agglomeration has the most significantly positive impact on the quality of products produced by the wood chip processing industry, followed by the wood products industry and the wood panel industry. Agglomeration of the bamboo and rattan palm industry actually decreases product quality. Therefore, we encourage agglomeration of timber processing enterprises, especially privately owned wood chip, wood product, and wood panel enterprises, to fully realize the benefits of the agglomeration economy. We also make policy recommendations to improve wood product quality.
A Sustainability Assessment of Bioethanol (EtOH) Production: The Case of Cassava in Colombia
Authors: Pabon-Pereira Claudia , Slingerland Maja , Hogervorst Sanna , van Lier Jules , Rabbinge Rudy
Published: July 2019

This paper shows how system design determines sustainability outcomes of cassava bioethanol production in Colombia. The recovery of the energy contained in by-products is recommended as compared to single product production. In particular, this study assesses the energy, greenhouse gases, water, and land use performance of alternative cassava cascades working at different scales, highlighting the implications of including anaerobic digestion technology in the chain. The centralized systems showed a poorer energy and greenhouse gases performance as compared to decentralized ones in part due to the artificial drying of cassava chips in the centralized facility. Under solar drying of cassava chips, systems with anaerobic digestion produced three to five times more energy than demanded and produced greenhouse gas savings of 0.3 kgCO2eq L EtOH−1. The water balance output depends upon the water reuse within the ethanol industry, which demands 21–23 L EtOH−1. In the anaerobic digestion scenarios, assuming liquid flows are treated separately, complete water recovery is feasible. Land use for cassava cultivation was calculated to be 0.27–0.35 ha tEtOH−1. The energy and water content of the material to digest, the options for digestate reuse, and the recovery of the methane produced are major considerations substantially influencing the role of anaerobic digestion within cassava cascade configurations.
BlockDeepNet: A Blockchain-Based Secure Deep Learning for IoT Network
Authors: Rathore Shailendra , Pan Yi , Park Jong Hyuk
Published: July 2019

The recent development in IoT and 5G translates into a significant growth of Big data in 5G—envisioned industrial automation. To support big data analysis, Deep Learning (DL) has been considered the most promising approach in recent years. Note, however, that designing an effective DL paradigm for IoT has certain challenges such as single point of failure, privacy leak of IoT devices, lack of valuable data for DL, and data poisoning attacks. To this end, we present BlockDeepNet, a Blockchain-based secure DL that combines DL and blockchain to support secure collaborative DL in IoT. In BlockDeepNet, collaborative DL is performed at the device level to overcome privacy leak and obtain enough data for DL, whereas blockchain is employed to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of collaborative DL in IoT. The experimental evaluation shows that BlockDeepNet can achieve higher accuracy for DL with acceptable latency and computational overhead of blockchain operation.
Solving Current Limitations of Deep Learning Based Approaches for Plant Disease Detection
Authors: Arsenovic Marko , Karanovic Mirjana , Sladojevic Srdjan , Anderla Andras , Stefanovic Darko
Published: July 2019

Plant diseases cause great damage in agriculture, resulting in significant yield losses. The recent expansion of deep learning methods has found its application in plant disease detection, offering a robust tool with highly accurate results. The current limitations and shortcomings of existing plant disease detection models are presented and discussed in this paper. Furthermore, a new dataset containing 79,265 images was introduced with the aim to become the largest dataset containing leaf images. Images were taken in various weather conditions, at different angles, and daylight hours with an inconsistent background mimicking practical situations. Two approaches were used to augment the number of images in the dataset: traditional augmentation methods and state-of-the-art style generative adversarial networks. Several experiments were conducted to test the impact of training in a controlled environment and usage in real-life situations to accurately identify plant diseases in a complex background and in various conditions including the detection of multiple diseases in a single leaf. Finally, a novel two-stage architecture of a neural network was proposed for plant disease classification focused on a real environment. The trained model achieved an accuracy of 93.67%.
Smart Contract-Based Pool Hopping Attack Prevention for Blockchain Networks
Authors: Singh Sushil , Salim Mikail , Cho Minjeong , Cha Jeonghun , Pan Yi , Park Jong
Published: July 2019

Pool hopping attack is the result of miners leaving the pool when it offers fewer financial rewards and joining back when the rewards of mining yield higher rewards in blockchain networks. This act of leaving and rejoining the pool only during the good times results in the miner receiving more rewards than the computational power they contribute. Miners exiting the pool deprive it of its collective hash power, which leaves the pool unable to mine the block successfully. This results in its competitors mining the block before they can finish mining. Existing research shows pool hopping resistant measures and detection strategies; however, they do not offer any robust preventive solution to discourage miners from leaving the mining pool. To prevent pool hopping attacks, a smart contract-based pool hopping attack prevention model is proposed. The main objective of our research is maintaining the symmetrical relationship between the miners by requiring them all to continually contribute their computational power to successfully mine a block. We implement a ledger containing records of all miners, in the form of a miner certificate, which tracks the history of the miner’s earlier behavior. The certificate enables a pool manager to better initiate terms of the smart contract, which safeguards the interests of existing mining pool members. The model prevents frequent mine hoppers from pool hopping as they submit coins in the form of an escrow and risk losing them if they abandon the pool before completing mining of the block. The key critical factors that every pool hopping attack prevention solution must address and a study of comparative analysis with existing solutions are presented in the paper.
Pain and Lethality Induced by Insect Stings: An Exploratory and Correlational Study
Authors: Schmidt Justin O.
Published: July 2019

Pain is a natural bioassay for detecting and quantifying biological activities of venoms. The painfulness of stings delivered by ants, wasps, and bees can be easily measured in the field or lab using the stinging insect pain scale that rates the pain intensity from 1 to 4, with 1 being minor pain, and 4 being extreme, debilitating, excruciating pain. The painfulness of stings of 96 species of stinging insects and the lethalities of the venoms of 90 species was determined and utilized for pinpointing future directions for investigating venoms having pharmaceutically active principles that could benefit humanity. The findings suggest several under- or unexplored insect venoms worthy of future investigations, including: those that have exceedingly painful venoms, yet with extremely low lethality—tarantula hawk wasps (Pepsis) and velvet ants (Mutillidae); those that have extremely lethal venoms, yet induce very little pain—the ants, Daceton and Tetraponera; and those that have venomous stings and are both painful and lethal—the ants Pogonomyrmex, Paraponera, Myrmecia, Neoponera, and the social wasps Synoeca, Agelaia, and Brachygastra. Taken together, and separately, sting pain and venom lethality point to promising directions for mining of pharmaceutically active components derived from insect venoms.
Spatial Analytics Based on Confidential Data for Strategic Planning in Urban Health Departments
Authors: Yonto Daniel , Issel L. Michele , Thill Jean-Claude
Published: July 2019

Spatial data analytics can detect patterns of clustering of events in small geographies across an urban region. This study presents and demonstrates a robust research design to study the longitudinal stability of spatial clustering with small case numbers per census tract and assess the clustering changes over time across the urban environment to better inform public health policy making at the community level. We argue this analysis enables the greater efficiency of public health departments, while leveraging existing data and preserving citizen personal privacy. Analysis at the census tract level is conducted in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on hypertension during pregnancy compiled from 2011–2014 birth certificates. Data were derived from per year and per multi-year moving counts by aggregating spatially to census tracts and then assessed for clustering using global Moran’s I. With evidence of clustering, local indicators of spatial association are calculated to pinpoint hot spots, while time series data identified hot spot changes. Knowledge regarding the geographical distribution of diseases is essential in public health to define strategies that improve the health of populations and quality of life. Our findings support that spatial aggregation at the census tract level contributes to identifying the location of at-risk “hot spot” communities to refine health programs, while temporal windowing reduces random noise effects on spatial clustering patterns. With tight state budgets limiting health departments’ funds, using geographic analytics provides for a targeted and efficient approach to health resource planning.
The Needs for Developing Experiments on Reservoirs in Hantavirus Research: Accomplishments, Challenges and Promises for the Future
Authors: Madrières Sarah , Castel Guillaume , Murri Séverine , Vulin Johann , Marianneau Philippe , Charbonnel Nathalie
Published: July 2019

Due to their large geographic distribution and potential high mortality rates in human infections, hantaviruses constitute a worldwide threat to public health. As such, they have been the subject of a large array of clinical, virological and eco-evolutionary studies. Many experiments have been conducted in vitro or on animal models to identify the mechanisms leading to pathogenesis in humans and to develop treatments of hantavirus diseases. Experimental research has also been dedicated to the understanding of the relationship between hantaviruses and their reservoirs. However, these studies remain too scarce considering the diversity of hantavirus/reservoir pairs identified, and the wide range of issues that need to be addressed. In this review, we present a synthesis of the experimental studies that have been conducted on hantaviruses and their reservoirs. We aim at summarizing the knowledge gathered from this research, and to emphasize the gaps that need to be filled. Despite the many difficulties encountered to carry hantavirus experiments, we advocate for the need of such studies in the future, at the interface of evolutionary ecology and virology. They are critical to address emerging areas of research, including hantavirus evolution and the epidemiological consequences of individual variation in infection outcomes.
Generation of a Reassortant Influenza A Subtype H3N2 Virus Expressing Gaussia Luciferase
Authors: Wang Lin , Cui Qinghua , Zhao Xiujuan , Li Ping , Wang Yanyan , Rong Lijun , Du Ruikun
Published: July 2019

Reporter influenza A viruses (IAVs) carrying fluorescent or luminescent genes provide a powerful tool for both basic and translational research. Most reporter IAVs are based on the backbone of either subtype H1N1 viruses, A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8) or A/WSN/1933, but no reporter subtype H3N2 virus is currently available to our knowledge. Since the IAV subtype H3N2 co-circulates with H1N1 among humans causing annual epidemics, a reporter influenza A subtype H3N2 virus would be highly valuable. In this study, the segments of A/Wyoming/3/03 (NY, H3N2) virus encoding hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, respectively, were reassorted with the six internal genes of PR8 where the NS gene was fused with a Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) gene. Using reverse genetics, NY-r19-Gluc, a replication competent reassortant influenza A subtype H3N2 virus expressing reporter Gluc was successfully generated. This reporter virus is stable during replication in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, and preliminary studies demonstrated it as a useful tool to evaluate antivirals. In addition, NY-r19-Gluc virus will be a powerful tool in other studies including the application of diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies as well as the evaluation of novel vaccines.
Data-Driven Approach for Leak Localization in Water Distribution Networks Using Pressure Sensors and Spatial Interpolation
Authors: Soldevila Adrià , Blesa Joaquim , Fernandez-Canti Rosa M. , Tornil-Sin Sebastian , Puig Vicenç
Published: July 2019

This paper presents a new data-driven method for leak localization in water distribution networks. The proposed method relies on the use of available pressure measurements in some selected internal network nodes and on the estimation of the pressure at the remaining nodes using Kriging spatial interpolation. Online leak localization is attained by comparing current pressure values with their reference values. Supported by Kriging; this comparison can be performed for all the network nodes, not only for those equipped with pressure sensors. On the one hand, reference pressure values in all nodes are obtained by applying Kriging to measurement data previously recorded under network operation without leaks. On the other hand, current pressure values at all nodes are obtained by applying Kriging to the current measured pressure values. The node that presents the maximum difference (residual) between current and reference pressure values is proposed as a leaky node candidate. Thereafter, a time horizon computation based on Bayesian reasoning is applied to consider the residual time evolution, resulting in an improved leak localization accuracy. As a data-driven approach, the proposed method does not need a hydraulic model; only historical data from normal operation is required. This is an advantage with respect to most data-driven methods that need historical data for the considered leak scenarios. Since, in practice, the obtained leak localization results will strongly depend on the number of available pressure measurements and their location, an optimal sensor placement procedure is also proposed in the paper. Three different case studies illustrate the performance of the proposed methodologies.
Effect of Water Column Stability on Surface Chlorophyll and Time Lags under Different Nutrient Backgrounds in a Deep Reservoir
Authors: Zhang Min , Niu Zhipan , Cai Qinghua , Xu Yaoyang , Qu Xiaodong
Published: July 2019

Hydrodynamic conditions are considered to be very important in the control of algal blooms. Weekly or daily measurements may miss some important events in the hydrodynamic process, resulting in inaccurate evaluations of the impacts of hydrodynamics on phytoplankton. In this study, high-frequency (15-min interval) measurements were used to analyze the effect of water column stability on surface chlorophyll a (Chl a) and lag time under different nutrient backgrounds during a cyanobacterial bloom in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Cross-correlation analysis between the relative water column stability (RWCS) and Chl a was performed at different stages. The results showed that the RWCS above the euphotic depth influenced the surface Chl a concentration most significantly. A lower RWCS (<20) limited the increase in the Chl a concentration, and a higher RWCS caused a significant increase in Chl a only when nutrients were not limited (TN/TP < 29) and light and temperature conditions were suitable. It took a short time for a higher RWCS to significantly increase the surface Chl a concentration compared with a lower RWCS. When the waterbody had a very low Chl a concentration (almost 0), approximately 2 days were needed to significantly increase the Chl a concentration, while approximately only half an hour was needed when the background concentration of Chl a was slightly higher. During the bloom period, a decline in the RWCS significantly decreased the Chl a in a very short time (approximately half an hour). Reducing the water column stability could be a good approach to control cyanobacterial blooms.
Middleware to Operate Smart Photovoltaic Irrigation Systems in Real Time
Authors: González Perea Rafael , Mérida García Aida , Fernández García Irene , Camacho Poyato Emilio , Montesinos Pilar , Rodríguez Díaz Juan Antonio
Published: July 2019

Climate change, water scarcity and higher energy requirements and electric tariff compromises the continuity of the irrigated agriculture. Precision agriculture (PA) or renewable energy sources which are based on communication and information technologies and a large amount of data are key to ensuring this economic activity and guaranteeing food security at the global level. Several works which are based on the use of PA and renewable energy sources have been developed in order to optimize different variables of irrigated agriculture such as irrigation scheduling. However, the large amount of technologies and sensors that these models need to be implemented are still far from being easily accessible and usable by farmers. In this way, a middleware called Real time Smart Solar Irrigation Manager (RESSIM) has been developed in this work and implemented in MATLABTM with the aim to provide to farmers a user-friendly tool for the daily making decision process of irrigation scheduling using a smart photovoltaic irrigation management module. RESSIM middleware was successfully tested in a real field during a full irrigation season of olive trees using a real smart photovoltaic irrigation system.
Integral Flow Modelling Approach for Surface Water-Groundwater Interactions along a Rippled Streambed
Authors: Broecker Tabea , Teuber Katharina , Sobhi Gollo Vahid , Nützmann Gunnar , Lewandowski Jörg , Hinkelmann Reinhard
Published: July 2019

Exchange processes of surface and groundwater are important for the management of water quantity and quality as well as for the ecological functioning. In contrast to most numerical simulations using coupled models to investigate these processes, we present a novel integral formulation for the sediment-water-interface. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model OpenFOAM was used to solve an extended version of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations which is also applicable in non-Darcy-flow layers. Simulations were conducted to determine the influence of ripple morphologies and surface hydraulics on the flow processes within the hyporheic zone for a sandy and for a gravel sediment. In- and outflowing exchange fluxes along a ripple were determined for each case. The results indicate that larger grain size diameters, as well as ripple distances, increased hyporheic exchange fluxes significantly. For higher ripple dimensions, no clear relationship to hyporheic exchange was found. Larger ripple lengths decreased the hyporheic exchange fluxes due to less turbulence between the ripples. For all cases with sand, non-Darcy-flow was observed at an upper layer of the ripple, whereas for gravel non-Darcy-flow was recognized nearly down to the bottom boundary. Moreover, the sediment grain sizes influenced also the surface water flow significantly.
APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS FOR PREDICTING ROUGHNESS AT CLEANING AND GETTING POINT
Authors: Баранов Д. , Baranov Denis , Дуюн Т.А. , Duyun T.A.
Published: July 2019

A technique for the development of artificial neural networks to predict the roughness of the treated surface during finishing and semi-finishing turning is presented. The back-propagation network architecture was adopted, having an input, hidden and output layers, a sigmoidal activation function for the hidden layer and a linear one for the output layer. To form a training sample, empirical expressions in the form of power functions were used, training of networks was carried out according to the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, which has fast convergence. Technological modes (cutting speed and depth of cut, tool feed), cutting tool geometrical parameters (main and auxiliary angles in terms of the tool, radius at the tip of the tool, rake angle), physicomechanical properties of the material being processed, each the training sample is formed from thousands of source data combinations. Separate networks have been developed that predict roughness during finishing and semi-turning turning, as well as a combined network that takes into account both types of processing. Analysis of the accuracy of the networks showed good results, the relative error of calculations does not exceed 1%. The proposed neural network models can be used in technological preparation of production, as well as in systems of adaptive control of the cutting process.
DETERMINATION OF INITIAL DATA FOR DESIGNING A DEVICE TO REMOVE CONDENSATE FROM THE RECUPERATOR OF VENTILATION EQUIPMENT
Authors: Галюжин С. , Galyuzhin Sergey , Лобикова Н. , Lobikova Nadezhda , Лобикова О. , Lobikova Ol'ga
Published: July 2019

The technique is developed and equations are obtained for determining the volume of condensate formed in the exhaust air when it passes through the recuperator. The necessity of providing a ventila-tion unit with a device for capturing and removing condensate, which eliminates the formation of ice in the exhaust duct after the heat exchanger and, accordingly, reduces the cost of electricity for driving the exhaust fan is justified. Thermodynamic processes occurring in the humid removed air during its passage through the recuperator are investigated. For designing a device for capturing and removing condensate, dependences are obtained that make it possible to determine the consumption of condensate depending on the supply, temperature and relative humidity of the exhaust air, as well as the degree of its cooling at the outlet of the heat exchanger. To automate the calculations, an approximation of the known data is made and a polynomial is obtained to determine the dependence of the absolute humidity on the saturation line on the air temperature. The polynomial is made for the maximum temperature range of the heat exchanger. As an example, the operation of a ventilation unit equipped with a heat exchanger is considered in the workshop of an industrial enterprise with work category IIb during the cold period of the year with the supply of exhaust air of 45 103 m3 / h. To analyze the dependence of the volume of condensate on the parameters of exhaust air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger, a series of calculations are performed using the Mathcad software package based on the developed methodology. A schematic diagram of a ventilation unit with a heat exchanger, equipped with a condensate removal device is developed. To exclude the formation of ice inside the recuperator, the air flow in it must be downward.
ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE IN DECENTRALIZED SWARM CONTROL SYSTEMS OF MULTI-ROBOTIC COMPLEXES USING ZIGBEE
Authors: Петручук Е. , Petruchuk Evgeniy , Иванов Д. , Ivanov Donat
Published: July 2019

The article considers the single-minded, hierarchical, collective, flock and swarm-based methods of managing groups of robots. In extreme robotics, it is preferable to use a decentralized swarm control method, since the network is easily scalable, allowing to cover a large area. There is no need in op-timization of collective movement, excluding the Central control device from the network, which makes the network independent of the control center and resistant to external sources of influence.

The implementation of this method requires a good and stable communication between the network participants, which allows making a constant exchange and processing of information in real time.

The ZigBee information exchange standard (IEEE 802.15.4) is suitable for solving this scientific and technical problem. It’s hardware implementation and components are more cost-effective, frequency ranges are less loaded, the standard involves low power consumption, which is another advantage for small-sized robots with a small supply of energy. In spite of this, using a wireless communication line there are risks of covert receipt of information, unauthorized access and discredit of information.

For protection, it is proposed to use the software encryption instead of the hardware, which reduces the weight and price of a small-sized robot. The algorithm of the DES family is presented. It allows to see the visual advantages of software encryption.
CALCULATION OF HIGH EARTHEN DAM TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE STRESSED CONDITION AND PORE PRESSURE (CONSIDERING THE DATA OF NATURAL OBSERVATIONS)
Authors: Салямова К. , Salyamova Klara , Турдикулов Х. , Turdikulov Husanboy Hudoynazarovich H. , Мифтахова И. , Miftahova I.
Published: July 2019

Large-scale design, construction and operation of groundwater structures (dams) in the seismic zone of the Republic of Uzbekistan challenges researchers with the task of continually improving methods for calculating the basic loads (gravitational forces, hydrostatics), as provided by the design standards. Accidents or damage to water supporting structures can lead to catastrophic consequences. Static calculation of plane models of earthen dams on a rigid and pliable base is made on the basis of the developed set of applied programs. It takes into account the structural heterogeneity under its own weight and hydrostatic pressure on the upper slope. Finite element discretization of models is used in the calculation. The accuracy and convergence of the results obtained is shown in a test example. Numerical calculations are performed on the example of Charvak earthen dam. On the basis of developed programs, calculations are carried out and the effect of the base compliance on the stress-strain condition of the earthen dam under its own weight is investigated. Studies of the stress-strain condition of a soil structure revealed a violation of strength in the central part of a heterogeneous soil dam near the core and adjacent areas, on a part of the surface and at the foot of the side slopes, regardless of the base flexibility. It is shown that pore pressure dispersion in the clay core of the stone-earthen dam of the Charvak Hydroelectric Station is very slow. This may contribute to the formation of an unfavorable stress-strain condition of the dam, which changes over time.
Chronique de la fiscalité française de l’environnement en 2014
Authors: Caudal Sylvie
Published: July 2019

Le bilan apparaît des plus minces lorsqu’il s’agit de mesurer les progrès de la fiscalité de l’environnement : est-ce parce que l’actuelle ministre de l’Écologie est notoirement opposée au développement de celle-ci, qualifiée par elle d’ «écologie punitive » ? Toujours est-il que le bilan de l’année 2014 consiste d’abord en un abandon : celui de l’écotaxe poids lourds. Certes, la qualification d’ «écotaxe » était quelque peu imméritée, mais le renoncement est lourd de sens. Pour le reste, il s’agit de mesures dont les motivations premières ne sont pas vraiment écologiques (comme la hausse de la TICPE sur le gazole ou la transformation du crédit d’impôt développement durable), voire de mesures très ponctuelles. Enfin, doivent être mentionnées certaines menaces, tandis que l’inaction de l’État dans plusieurs domaines devient inquiétante, notamment à propos de la fiscalité de l’eau.
ATTRIBUTION AND SELF-CONCEPT AS PREDICTORS OF CAREER MATURITY AMONG LECTURERS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS OF KANO STATE, NIGERIA
Authors: Kibiya Yusuf Musa , Zandam Bilkisu Umar
Published: July 2019

This study examined how attribution and self-concept predict career maturity of lecturers in tertiary institutions of Kano State. The study adopted correlation method with a sample of 312 out of 1,653 tertiary institutions’ teachers. Four hypotheses were formulated and tested through the use of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Standard Multiple Regressions. The result of the study posits that there is a significant relationship among attribution, self-concept and career maturity of lecturers in tertiary institutions of Kano State. That is to say attribution and self-concept of the teachers predict their career maturity. Among the independent variables, self-concept with a higher beta value of 0.631 serves as a major contributor toward predicting career maturity of the teachers in tertiary institutions of Kano State. This entails that Kano State Ministry for Higher Education should motivate her teachers to develop positive self-concept as well as internal attribution towards their career. Other recommendations were proffered for practical application, especially provision of necessary facilities to make the working environment friendlier.
TRAINING AND RETRAINING AS A TOOL FOR PROMOTING WORKERS’ PRODUCTIVITY IN NIGERIA
Authors: Oyitso Mabel , Olomukoro C. O.
Published: July 2019

Human resources are the key element in any organization as they plan, coordinate, organize and harness all other resources towards the achievement of organizational goals. For any organization to increase its productivity level depends on the level of competence of its workforce. Hence, the need for training and retraining of workers to develop their abilities in order to function effectively and efficiently in the organization. Training is an indispensable tool for human and national development, hence a worthwhile investment for greater productivity in the organization. Training can be viewed as the acquisition of skills, knowledge and abilities to enable one function effectively in the performance of one’s job. The major types of training for workers are in-service training made up of on – the – job and off – the – job training. Training makes workers to be confident, enriches employee’s knowledge and increased performance skill, creates greater efficiency and effectiveness, increases productivity and leads to higher profitability. The major problems affecting the training of workers are inadequate finance and lack of constant training. Therefore, periodic training should be organized for workers to keep them abreast of technological changes in their work and adequate financial allocation should be devoted to training of workers in the organization.
ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES IN CONTENT DELIVERY AMONG LECTURERS IN FEDERAL COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
Authors: Zubairu Suleiman Abubakar , Tukur Abdullahi K.
Published: July 2019

This paper aimed at assessing the availability, accessibility and utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources in content delivery among lecturers of FCEs in Nigeria. Three research questions were drawn to guide the study. A Survey research design was adopted in conducing the study. The population of the study comprises of all the lecturers in Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria. They are five thousand and seventy one (5,071) in number. A sample size of eight hundred and forty three (843) lecturers was used for the study. They were selected using cluster, simple random and proportional sampling techniques. A modified questionnaire tagged Teachers ICT usage survey from the ICT Survey Indicator for teachers and staff developed by both UNESCO (2004) and the New Zealand Ministry of Education (MINEDU) (1999) was used for data collection. Frequency count was used to answer research questions. The findings of this study revealed that ICT resources are not available in Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria. It was also revealed that ICT resources which were supposed to be used in content delivery in FCE were not accessible. This study recommends, among others, that the Government, NCCE and the managements of FCE should join hands to ensure that computer laboratories are available in FCE in Nigeria with adequate functional computer hardware and software and functional internet facilities that will enhance the standard of content delivery.
AVAILABILITY OF LABORATORY SUPPORTING STAFF AND ITS EFFECT ON THE CONDUCT OF BIOLOGY PRACTICAL LESSON AMONG PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA
Authors: Bello Shamsudeen
Published: July 2019

The study has investigated availability of laboratory supporting staff and its effect on the conduct of biology practical lesson among public secondary schools in Sokoto State, Nigeria. The study answered two research questions and one hypothesis. The population of the study comprised 32 senior secondary schools in Sokoto metropolis with 93 biology teachers. Fifteen (15) public secondary schools were randomly selected with 30 biology teachers as sampled teachers, including heads of biology departments. The study used an instrument titled Biology Laboratory Practical Work Questionnaire (BLPWQ) with reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data obtained from the field were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and chi-square. The findings revealed that public schools in Sokoto metropolis have no sufficient laboratory supporting staff. The schools also conduct little practical lessons. Similarly, there was significant relationship between laboratory supporting staff availability and frequency of conduct of biology practical lessons. It’s recommended that, the government should provide adequate and qualified laboratory supporting staff (laboratory assistant, technician/attendant) to the secondary schools in the state.