bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Cohesive Device in Writing Cause and Effect Essay
Authors: Saud Indah Wardaty
Published: April 2018

This study investigated the cohesive errors I composing essay writing done by undergraduate English Department students of University of Muhammadiyah Gorontalo, Indonesia. In elucidating the students’ difficulties in using cohesive devices, the researchers examined the cohesive errors both quantitatively and qualitatively. This study was analyzed based on an error analysis paradigm and Halliday and Hasan’s cohesion framework and taxonomy. The quantitative analysis investigated frequency and the percentage of cohesive errors and also the types of cohesive errors committed by the student. The qualitative analysis investigated linguistic a description and the explanation of the cohesive composed by the students.
Factor de la reflectancia bi-cónica en especies vegetales contrastantes: modelación de los ángulos cenitales
Authors: Cano González Alejandro , Paz Pellat Fernando , Marin Ma. Isabel , López Bautista Eliezer , Chávez José , Bolaños Martín , Oropeza José Luis
Published: April 2018

La información multi-angular de las reflectancias de las clases de la vegetación natural ha sido planteada, para su discriminación, bajo diferentes enfoques de caracterización. Aunque en apariencia este enfoque permite def inir en forma conf iable f irmas espectrales multi-angulares típicas, su uso generalizado no ha sido analizado. En este trabajo se presenta un modelo de los efectos del ángulo cenital de visión e iluminación en las reflectancias y se valida en un conjunto de experimentos de ocho especies vegetales con arquetipos contrastantes más suelo desnudo, bajo condiciones de iluminación-visión bi-cónicas. Los resultados muestran que el modelo propuesto es robusto y conf iable, por lo que puede usarse en forma operacional. Los análisis realizados para el efecto del suelo y la densidad de plantas muestran que hay importantes zonas de confusión (traslape de información) entre las especies, al considerar efectos combinados para diferentes ángulos acimutales. Estos resultados ponen en duda el uso en forma generalizada de la información espectral multi-angular y solo justif ican este enfoque de clasif icación si se dejan f ijos el fondo de la vegetación y la densidad de plantas (cantidad de follaje).
Almacenamiento y flujo de carbono en suelos áridos como servicio ambiental: Un ejemplo en el noroeste de México
Authors: Ayala-Niño Fernando , Maya-Delgado Yolanda , Troyo-Diéguez Enrique
Published: April 2018

El suelo se concibe como soporte de infraestructura y medio de producción agrícola, en tanto que los servicios ambientales que provee son poco valorados y reconocidos. Entre ellos, la captura y almacenamiento de carbono (C) son un punto focal de interés científ ico por la enorme cantidad que almacena el suelo. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron: (1) revisar los diferentes componentes, procesos y características que se presentan en los suelos áridos para el almacenamiento de C y (2) estimar el flujo y contenido de C en los suelos de la región semiárida de La Paz, BCS, noroeste de México, mediante dos estudios de caso. Dieciséis perf iles de suelo fueron descritos y muestreados considerando la geomorfología representativa para determinar los contenidos de carbono orgánico (COS) e inorgánico del suelo (CIS). Los valores estimados en 0.15 a 44.25 Mg ha‑1 para COS y 0.045 a 28.19 Mg ha‑1 para CIS, superan lo reportado para los suelos de Baja California Sur con 16 Mg ha-1. Valores de flujos de CO2 obtenidos de 22 meses de mediciones mensuales fueron muy variables (-0.058 a 0.828 µmol s-1 m-2), valores positivos de respiración sólo se registraron tras el paso de lluvias extraordinarias. Valores negativos se asocian a la captura de CO2 a través de organismos fotosintéticamente activos como las costras biológicas del suelo, las cuales, bajo condiciones específ icas de humedad y temperatura, en conjunto con los microorganismos del suelo, presentan evidencias de funcionamiento como fuente y sumidero de C. El presente estudio contribuye al entendimiento sobre el potencial que tienen los suelos de la región árida del noroeste de México en la provisión de SA por captura de C y coadyuva a incrementar el conocimiento de las CBS y su función en la relación suelo-ecosistema.
Reflexivity in International Contexts: Implications for U.S. Doctoral Students International Research Preparation
Authors: W. Yao Christina , Michelle Vital Louise
Published: April 2018

Aim/Purpose: Learning to conduct research, including considerations for concepts such as reflexivity, is a key component of doctoral student preparation in higher education. Yet limited attention is given to doctoral student training for conducting international research, particularly in understanding researcher reflexivity within international contexts.

Background: Incorporating reflexive practices in one’s scholarship is of particular importance because international research often includes U.S.-based researchers working with cultural groups and contexts that are very different from them. Thus, we examined the following: how do novice U.S. trained researchers understand the role of their reflexivity in qualitative international research?

Methodology: We utilized qualitative inquiry to answer the study’s research question. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 participants representing 11 higher education doctoral programs in the United States.

Contribution: This study provides insight on how U.S. doctoral students reflect on their researcher reflexivity as emerging international researchers utilizing three types of reflexivity as outlined by the conceptual perspectives that frame this study: introspection, social critique, and discursive deconstruction

Findings: Most participants believed that self-reflection is a critical component of reflexivity in international research. Several participants demonstrated an awareness of the privilege and power they bring to their international research based on their identities as Western-trained researchers. Participants utilized different forms of self-reflection when collecting, analyzing, and interpreting their data in order to ensure that the voices of their participants were appropriately represented in their research

Recommendations for Practitioners: Our recommendations for graduate preparation programs include helping doctoral students to understand reflexivity as both a research concept and an applied practice in international context.

Recommendation for Researchers: We recommend that novice researchers learn how to incorporate reflexive practices when conducting research because as emerging scholars they can have a better sense of how who they are and how they think about research influences their research activities.

Impact on Society: Implications from this study affect Western-based education programs that seek to internationalize curriculum and research priorities.

Future Research: In terms of next steps, we recommend research that explores how faculty train doctoral students to participate in the global contexts of educational research.
El estudio de los manuales escolares. Historiografí­a y estado actual: autores, investigaciones e instituciones
Authors: Malheiro Gutiérrez Xosé Manuel
Published: April 2018

Los manuales escolares han ocupado el centro de la actividad académica desde que la escuela existe como institución normalizada. Incluso en la actualidad, cuando emergen movimientos renovadores a favor de la incorporación de nuevos materiales, de la modernización de los métodos y de la diversificación de recursos, una parte significativa de la cultura escolar se sigue basando en el uso de manuales, y los docentes dependen en buena medida de ellos. Este trabajo realiza un recorrido sobre el estudio reciente de los manuales escolares en relación con la historia de la educación; la mirada está puesta principalmente en España, pero se la ubica en el contexto europeo e iberoamericano. Mediante revisión bibliográfica, se actualiza la información sobre las investigaciones que se han llevado a cabo en este campo en los últimos años, las instituciones que los promueven y los autores y autoras más relevantes en este campo de saber.
Reseña del coloquio Pensar la Historia del Tiempo Presente, Universidad Iberoamericana (22-26 de febrero de 2016)
Authors: Pérez Caballero Margarita
Published: April 2018

Historia del tiempo presente o del presente; historia reciente o de nuestro tiempo; historia del mundo actual o historia próxima o inmediata son algunas de las formas empleadas para referir un modelo historiográfico cuya temporalidad está í­ntimamente relacionada con la coetaneidad; es decir, con una "historia vivida" que conforma la historicidad "según es percibida por los sujetos que actúan en una determinada coyuntura temporal": es "la historia que perciben los propios sujetos que la viven" (Arostegui, s.f.: 1).
Additional components of risk assessment and their impact on the probability parameter
Authors: Saja Piotr , Woźny Artur , Pacana Andrzej , Dobosz Magdalena
Published: April 2018

The article raises the issue of risk assessment and its impact on the quality and safety of work. During the assessment of the turning lathe position additional components associated with the jobs personalization were taken into account. Paragraph 2 item 7 of the Regulation of the Minister of Laborr and Social Policy of 26 September 1997 on general safety regulations defines occupational risk as the likelihood of an adverse event. The authors drew attention to the reality of the accident, which sometimes depends on the predisposition of the employee. It turns out that a correct estimation of the probability of occurrence of the accident to be able to react in a timely way seems extremely important.. This parameter will be assessed more accurately if we take into account a number of additional components resulting from the characteristics of the employee. The results of the personalized assessment of risk may allow appropriate planning of corrective and preventive actions.
PDCA cycle as a part of continuous improvement in the production company - a case study
Authors: Jagusiak-Kocik Marta
Published: April 2018

The paper presents a case study of the practical use of Deming cycle in a manufacturing company, from the plastics processing industry, from the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises. The paper is a study of literature in the field of continuous improvement and characterized by a cycle of continuous improvement, called the Deming cycle, or PDCA cycle. This cycle was used as a solution to quality problems which occurred during production of photo frames: discolorations and scorches on the surface of the frame. When measures were introduced to reduce the number of nonconformities, a decrease by more than 60% was observed.
TEORI-TEORI PENDIDIKAN DALAM AL-QUR’AN
Authors: Sholichah Aas Siti
Published: April 2018

Teori merupakan landasan awal dalam melaksanakan praktek. Dalam teori pendidikan hadirnya teori dapat memberikan stimulus dan pijakan dalam menentukan kurikulum, proses belajar mengajar dan tujuan pendidikan yang akan dicapai.Berbagai teori dikembangkan dalam dunia pendidikan mulai dari teori nativisme, teori empirisme dan teori konvergensi, dalam pelaksanaannya masih terjadi perdebatan dalam memaknai dan melaksanakan berbagai teori tersebut, karena masing-masing memiliki kelebihan dan kekurangan dan teori yang berkembang saat ini harus disesuaikan dengan kondisi riil dunia pendidikan, Sehingga sampai saat ini dari teori tersebut masih belum menjawab permasalahan kualitas pendidikan.Hadirnya Al-Qur’an menurut Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) seorang ahli sejarah kebangsaan Inggris merupakan sebuah kitab kemajuan, kitab kenegaraan, perdagangan, peradilan, dan undang-undang kemiliteran dalam Islam. Selain itu kandungan isi Al-Qur’an juga menjelaskan mengenai ibadah, ketauhidan dan muamalah. Kandungan Al-Qur’an yang komprehensif dapat menjadi sumbangsih bagi perkembangan teori pendidikan khususnya.Berkaitan dengan pendidikan, Al-Qur’an mengandung dua unsur pembelajaran, pertama materi pembelajaran di dalamnya harus berisi materi tauhid, ini bertujuan agar setiap individu mengetahui akan keesaan Allah swt, dan mengetahui pencipta alam raya serta penciptaan ilmu yang terkandung di alam raya, kedua risalah Ilahiyah, yang disampaikan kepadasetiap rasul untuk dsampaikan kepada umat dalam bentuk tauhid, ibadah dan muamalah.Modawi berpendapat bahwa untuk menemukan teori-teori dalam Al-Qur’an diperlukan ketajaman tafsir dan kaidah ilmu yang berkaitan dengan Al-Qur’an. Di samping itu untuk mencapai kesempurnaan teori diharapkan dapat menjawab permasalahan dan lingkup kehidupan yang berkaitan dengan kekinian.Metode yang digunakan dalam penulisan ini adalah menggunakan metode kualitatif yang bersumber dari berbagi buku yang berkaitan dengan permasalahan di atas. Adapun pendekatan metode penafsiran Al-qur’an menggunakan metode tematik, karena metode ini dapat mengkaji problem kontemporer.Dengan berlandaskan Al-Qur’an dan Hadits sebagai pijakan dalam membuat teori diharapkan dapat menciptakan sistem dan kurikulum pendidikan yang berpijak pada tauhid, akhlak, ibadah dan hubungan sosial sehingga dapat menciptakan pribadi paripurna (Ulu al-Bab). Kata kunci: Teori Pendidikan, Al-Qur’an, Teori Pendidikan dalam Al-Qur’an.
AKHLAK ISLAMI PERSPEKTIF ULAMA SALAF
Authors: Mz Syamsul Rizal
Published: April 2018

Perkembangan teknologi dapat dirasakan telah membawa perkembangan besar terhadap kehidupan di dunia. Selain berdampak positif juga membawa dampak negatif terhadap cara pandang dan tingkah laku manusia. Sementara akhlak dalam Islam merupakan bagian dari agama yang harus selalu dijaga, karena itu para ilmuwan dan tokok umat Islam selalu menyentuh ranah akhlak sebagai bagian yang harus disampaikan dan diajarkan pada manusia. Salah satu tokoh itu ialah Imam al-Ghazali. Salah satu karyanya yang fenomenal adalah sebuah kitab tasawuf yang berisi banyak nasehat-nasehat agama yaitu Ihya al-Din yang dikarang di Baghdad. Di dalam kita ini, dan karya-karyanya yang lain ia juga banyak menjelaskan mengenai akhlak. Sehingga, seperti apa akhlak menurutnya dan bagaimana metode menjadi akhlak yang baik. Inilah yang menjadi fokus masalah dalam penelitian ini. Konsep pemikiran Imam al-Ghazali itu dapat memberikan refleksi kepada setiap orang yang mengkajinya tentang bagaimana akhlak dan penerapannya yang baik harus dilakukan oleh setiap individu muslim. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah library research, atau penelitian kepustakaan pada beberapa kita al-Ghazali dengan jenis penelitian kepustakaan pada beberapa kitab al-Ghazali dengan jenis penelitian kualitatif. Sumber datanya adalah beberapa kitab karangan al-Ghazali. Data yang terkumpul akan dianalisa dengan menggunakan metode deskriptif analisis. Metode tersebut diguanakan untuk menjelaskan pengertian akhlak dan metodenya menurut Imam al-Ghazali. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsep pendidikan menurut Imam al-Ghazali dalam kitab Ihya Ulum al-Din meliputi: Pengertian akhlak menurutnya adalah sesuatu ungkapan tentang kondisi yang metap di dalam jiwa, dan dilakukan perbuatan tersebut dengan mudah, tanpa memerlukan pemikiran. Ia juga membagi akhlak menjadi dua, yaitu akhlak yang baik (al-Khuluq al-Hasan) dan akhlak yang buruk (al-Khuluk as-Sayy’i), landasannya adalah al-Qur’an dan al-Hadits, dan tujuannya ialah untuk mendekatkan diri kepada Allah Swt, selain itu juga untuk membersihkan diri agama mendapatkan kebahagiaan dan ketenangan di dunia dan di akhirat. Sementara metode pembentukannya adalah dengan Mujahadah dan Riyadhah (pelatihan). Memiliki tekad yang kuat untuk mau berubah, dan meninggalkan nafsu syahwat yang berlebihan dan al-Ghazabiyah yang ada di dalam jiwa. Muhasabah al-Nafs (introfeksi), Istiqomah (kontinu). Ajaran yang bersumber dari al-Qur’an dan Hadits, harus pula dengan pembiasaan, pelatihan yang istiqomah, untuk selalu berbuat yang baik, dan selalu berakhlak yang terpuji. Semoga ajaran ini bisa dibiasakan dengan pelatihan oleh setiap manusia, agar bahagia di dunia dan di akhirat. Kata Kunci: Akhlak, Al-Ghazali
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM BASED ON EXCEL IN HELPING CV. LADI COLLECTION PREPARING THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Authors: Wulanditya Putri , Aprillianita Riski
Published: April 2018

Microenterprises in Indonesia is showing increasing progress, especially the printing industry. This study wanted to know what is the description of printing business cycle, accounting records on financial transactions, calculation of production costs and operating income. Research method used is study case at CV. Ladi Collection through field observation, interview, and documentation. Data analysis technique used is qualitative descriptive. From study result in CV. Ladi Collection, there are 2 types of business namely screen printing and school badge production. Accounting recording has been done but only limited to Accounts Receivable Bookkeeping. Many of cash receipts transactions from cash sales are derived from screen printing orders and expenditures were not stored and recorded. Solution on production costs calculation for CV. Ladi Collection is using job order costing for screen printing service and job product costing for badge production. This research also produces Excel design For Accounting (EFA), which consists of 7 sheets of the navigation sheet, beginning balance, journal, ledger, income statement, financial position statement, and depreciation.
THE ROLE OF EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HRM PRACTICES AND SERVICE QUALITY IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION
Authors: Sasongko Totok
Published: April 2018

The human resources management in the healthcare institution is essential to enable the delivery of efficient and effective medical services. This study conducted to investigate how HRM practices  can enhance service quality and proposes an integrated framework in which perceived HRM practices are related to employee commitment, which in turn related to perceived service quality performance. Five HRM practices was selected. A questionnaire was constructed. The quantitative methodology was applied to collect and analyze data. Data was collected from 270 employees (including nurse and doctor) and bottom manager in  Dr. Radjiman Wediodiningrat in Indonesia. The result shows that the selected HRM practices all significantly and meaningfully can predicted the employee motivation, in which feedback and recogniton was the most effective practices. The result also shows that employee motivation is an effective predictor of service quality performance. Lastly, employee motivation has a role as mediator effect toward the relationship between HRM practice and service quality. This research suggests that HRM departement need to chooses human resources management practices properly that can increase employe motivation and their service quality performances.
Waveguide Coupling via Magnetic Gratings with Effective Strips
Authors: Roccapriore Kevin , Lyvers David , Brown Dean , Poutrina Ekaterina , Urbas Augustine , Germer Thomas , Drachev Vladimir
Published: April 2018

Gratings with complex multilayer strips are studied under inclined incident light. Great interest in these gratings is due to applications as input/output tools for waveguides and as subwavelength metafilms. The structured strips introduce anisotropy in the effective parameters, providing additional flexibility in polarization and angular dependences of optical responses. Their characterization is challenging in the intermediate regime between subwavelength and diffractive modes. The transition between modes occurs at the Wood’s anomaly wavelength, which is different at different angle of incidence. The usual characterization with an effective film using permittivity ε and permeability μ has limited effectiveness at normal incidence but does not apply at inclined illumination, due to the effect of periodicity. The optical properties are better characterized with effective medium strips instead of an effective medium layer to account for the multilayer strips and the underlying periodic nature of the grating. This approach is convenient for describing such intermediate gratings for two types of applications: both metafilms and the coupling of incident waves to waveguide modes or diffraction orders. The parameters of the effective strips are retrieved by matching the spectral-angular map at different incident angles.
Ensemble Classification of Data Streams Based on Attribute Reduction and a Sliding Window
Authors: Chen Yingchun , Li Ou , Sun Yu , Li Fei
Published: April 2018

With the current increasing volume and dimensionality of data, traditional data classification algorithms are unable to satisfy the demands of practical classification applications of data streams. To deal with noise and concept drift in data streams, we propose an ensemble classification algorithm based on attribute reduction and a sliding window in this paper. Using mutual information, an approximate attribute reduction algorithm based on rough sets is used to reduce data dimensionality and increase the diversity of reduced results in the algorithm. A double-threshold concept drift detection method and a three-stage sliding window control strategy are introduced to improve the performance of the algorithm when dealing with both noise and concept drift. The classification precision is further improved by updating the base classifiers and their nonlinear weights. Experiments on synthetic datasets and actual datasets demonstrate the performance of the algorithm in terms of classification precision, memory use, and time efficiency.
Correction: Koutsouris et al. Utilization of Global Precipitation Datasets in Data Limited Regions: A Case Study of Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. Atmosphere, 2017, 8, 246
Authors: Koutsouris Alexander , Seibert Jan , Lyon Steve
Published: April 2018

The authors would like to correct the published article [1], following the detection of editorial mistakes by the main author, as explained below[...]
Broadening of the Neutral Helium 492 nm Line in a Corona Discharge: Code Comparisons and Data Fitting
Authors: Sheeba Roshin Raj , Koubiti Mohammed , Bonifaci Nelly , Gilleron Franck , Pain Jean-Christophe , Stambulchik Evgeny
Published: April 2018

Passive plasma spectroscopy is a well-established non-intrusive diagnostic technique. Depending on the emitter and its environment which determine the dominant interactions and effects governing emission line shapes, passive spectroscopy allows the determination of electron densities, emitter and perturber temperatures, as well as other quantities like relative abundances. However, using spectroscopy requires appropriate line shape codes retaining all the physical effects governing the emission line profiles. This is required for line shape code developers to continuously correct or improve them to increase their accuracy when applied for diagnostics. This is exactly the aim expected from code–code and code–data comparisons. In this context, the He i 492 nm line emitted in a helium corona discharge at room temperature represents an ideal case since its profile results from several broadening mechanisms: Stark, Doppler, resonance, and van der Waals. The importance of each broadening mechanism depends on the plasma parameters. Here the profiles of the He i 492 nm in a helium plasma computed by various codes are compared for a selected set of plasma parameters. In addition, preliminary results related to plasma parameter determination using an experimental spectrum from a helium corona discharge at atmospheric pressure, are presented.
Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Patients with Parkinson Disease with Prior Pallidotomy or Thalamotomy
Authors: Khabarova Elena A. , Denisova Natalia P. , Dmitriev Aleksandr B. , Slavin Konstantin V. , Verhagen Metman Leo
Published: April 2018

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN DBS) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who previously underwent lesioning of the basal ganglia. Material and methods. The study included 22 patients who underwent STN DBS. Eleven patients had undergone prior unilateral pallidotomy (n = 6) or VL/VIM thalamotomy (n = 5) while the other 11 patients had not. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the motor subscore of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III) 12 months after STN DBS. Secondary outcomes included change in motor response complications (UPDRS-IV) and change in levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD). Results. In the group with prior lesioning UPDRS-III improved by 45%, from 51.5 ± 9.0% (range, 35–65) to 26.5 ± 8.4 (range, 21–50) (p < 0.01) and UPDRS-IV by 75%, from 8.0 ± 2.01 (range, 5–11) to 2.1 ± 0.74 (range, 1–3) (p < 0.01). In the group without prior lesioning UPDRS-III improved by 61%, from 74.2% ± 7.32 (range, 63–82) to 29.3 ± 5.99 (range, 20–42) (p < 0.01) and UPDRS-IV by 77%, from 9.1 ± 2.46 (range, 5–12) to 2.0 ± 1.1 (range, 1–4) (p < 0.01). Comparing the two groups (with and without lesioning) no significant differences were found either in UPDRS-III (p > 0.05) or UPDRS-IV scores (p > 0.05) at 12 months post-DBS. The LEDD was reduced by 51.4%, from 1008.2 ± 346.4 to 490.0 ± 194.3 in those with prior surgery (p < 0.01) and by 55.0%, from 963.4 ± 96.2 to 433.3 ± 160.2 in those without (p < 0.01).UPDRS-III improved by 51.8%, from 53.7 ± 4.6 (range, 50–62) to 25.0 ± 3.8 (range, 21–31) in those with prior pallidotomy (p < 0.01), and by 37.5%, from 48.8 ± 12.6 (range, 35–65) to 29.8 ± 13.6 (range, 22–50) in those with prior thalamotomy (p < 0.01). This numerical difference in improvement was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion. Our comparative study indicates that bilateral STN DBS is effective and can be used in patients with Parkinson disease with prior unilateral stereotactic destructive operations on subcortical structures. The results in our patient cohort are generally consistent with previously published reports of smaller series from multiple centers worldwide.
Metal Oxide Nanostructures in Food Applications: Quality Control and Packaging
Authors: Galstyan Vardan , Bhandari Manohar , Sberveglieri Veronica , Sberveglieri Giorgio , Comini Elisabetta
Published: April 2018

Metal oxide materials have been applied in different fields due to their excellent functional properties. Metal oxides nanostructuration, preparation with the various morphologies, and their coupling with other structures enhance the unique properties of the materials and open new perspectives for their application in the food industry. Chemical gas sensors that are based on semiconducting metal oxide materials can detect the presence of toxins and volatile organic compounds that are produced in food products due to their spoilage and hazardous processes that may take place during the food aging and transportation. Metal oxide nanomaterials can be used in food processing, packaging, and the preservation industry as well. Moreover, the metal oxide-based nanocomposite structures can provide many advantageous features to the final food packaging material, such as antimicrobial activity, enzyme immobilization, oxygen scavenging, mechanical strength, increasing the stability and the shelf life of food, and securing the food against humidity, temperature, and other physiological factors. In this paper, we review the most recent achievements on the synthesis of metal oxide-based nanostructures and their applications in food quality monitoring and active and intelligent packaging.
Low-Frequency Dynamics of Strongly Correlated Electrons in (BEDT-TTF)2X Studied by Fluctuation Spectroscopy
Authors: Müller Jens , Thomas Tatjana
Published: April 2018

Fluctuation spectroscopy measurements of quasi-two-dimensional organic charge-transfer salts (BEDT-TTF) 2 X are reviewed. In the past decade, the method has served as a new approach for studying the low-frequency dynamics of strongly correlated charge carriers in these materials. We review some basic aspects of electronic fluctuations in solids, and give an overview of selected problems where the analysis of 1 / f -type fluctuations and the corresponding slow dynamics provide a better understanding of the underlying physics. These examples are related to (1) an inhomogeneous current distribution due to phase separation and/or a percolative transition; (2) slow dynamics due to a glassy freezing either of structural degrees of freedom coupling to the electronic properties or (3) of the electrons themselves, e.g., when residing on a highly-frustrated crystal lattice, where slow and heterogeneous dynamics are key experimental properties for the vitrification process of a supercooled charge-liquid. Another example is (4), the near divergence and critical slowing down of charge carrier fluctuations at the finite-temperature critical endpoint of the Mott metal-insulator transition. Here also indications for a glassy freezing and temporal and spatial correlated dynamics are found. Mapping out the region of ergodicity breaking and understanding the influence of disorder on the temporal and spatial correlated fluctuations will be an important realm of future studies, as well as the fluctuation properties deep in the Mott or charge-ordered insulating states providing a connection to relaxor or ordered ferroelectric states studied by dielectric spectroscopy.
Epitaxial Crystallization of Precisely Methyl-Substituted Polyethylene Induced by Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene
Authors: Miao Weijun , Li Yiguo , Jiang Libin , Wu Feng , Zhu Hao , Chen Hongbing , Wang Zongbao
Published: April 2018

How large of a substituent/branch a polyethylene possesses that can still be induced by nanofillers to form ordered chain structures is interesting, but uncertain. To solve this problem, precisely methyl-substituted polyethylene (PE21M) was chosen as a model to prepare its one-dimensional and two-dimensional nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene via solution crystallization. It is shown that kebab-like and rod-like nanofiller-induced crystals were separately observed on the surfaces of CNTs and graphene and the density of rod-like crystals is significantly less than kebab-like ones. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveal that CNTs and graphene cannot induce polymers with the substituent volume greater than, or equal to, 2 Å (methyl) to form ordered lattice structure, but CNTs exhibit the better nucleation effect, providing us with guidance to manipulate the physical performance of polymer composites on the basis of the size of the substituent and the type of nanofiller.
Dimensional Lifting through the Generalized Gram–Schmidt Process
Authors: Havlicek Hans , Svozil Karl
Published: April 2018

A new way of orthogonalizing ensembles of vectors by “lifting” them to higher dimensions is introduced. This method can potentially be utilized for solving quantum decision and computing problems.
A Co-Opetitive Automated Negotiation Model for Vertical Allied Enterprises Teams and Stakeholders
Authors: Gao Taiguang , Wang Qing , Huang Min , Wang Xingwei , Zhang Yu
Published: April 2018

Upstream and downstream of supply chain enterprises often form a tactic vertical alliance to enhance their operational efficiency and maintain their competitive edges in the market. Hence, it is critical for an alliance to collaborate over their internal resources and resolve the profit conflicts among members, so that the functionality required by stakeholders can be fulfilled. As an effective solution, automated negotiation for the vertical allied enterprises team and stakeholder will sufficiently make use of emerging team advantages and significantly reduce the profit conflicts in teams with grouping decisions rather than unilateral decisions by some leader. In this paper, an automated negotiation model is designed to describe both the collaborative game process among the team members and the competitive negotiation process between the allied team and the stakeholder. Considering the co-competitiveness of the vertical allied team, the designed model helps the team members making decision for their own sake, and the team counter-offers for the ongoing negotiation are generated with non-cooperative game process, where the profit derived from negotiation result is distributed with Shapley value method according to contribution or importance contributed by each team member. Finally, a case study is given to testify the effectiveness of the designed model.
Transfer Entropy
Authors: Gençağa Deniz
Published: April 2018

Statistical relationships among the variables of a complex system reveal a lot about its physical behavior[...]
A Simplified Control Method for Tie-Line Power of DC Micro-Grid
Authors: Che Yanbo , Zhou Jinhuan , Lin Tingjun , Li Wenxun , Xu Jianmei
Published: April 2018

Compared with the AC micro-grid, the DC micro-grid has low energy loss and no issues of frequency stability, which makes it more accessible for distributed energy. Thus, the DC micro-grid has good potential for development. A variety of renewable energy is included in the DC micro-grid, which is easily affected by the environment, causing fluctuation of the DC voltage. For grid-connected DC micro-grid with droop control strategy, the tie-line power is affected by fluctuations in the DC voltage, which sets higher requirements for coordinated control of the DC micro-grid. This paper presents a simplified control method to maintain a constant tie-line power that is suitable for the DC micro-grid with the droop control strategy. By coordinating the designs of the droop control characteristics of generators, energy storage units and grid-connected inverter, a dead band is introduced to the droop control to improve the system performance. The tie-line power in the steady state is constant. When a large disturbance occurs, the AC power grid can provide power support to the micro-grid in time. The simulation example verifies the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
A Practical Guide to Gaussian Process Regression for Energy Measurement and Verification within the Bayesian Framework
Authors: Maritz Jacques , Lubbe Foster , Lagrange Louis
Published: April 2018

Measurement and Verification (M&V) aims to quantify savings achieved as part of energy efficiency and energy management projects. M&V depends heavily on metered energy data, modelling parameters and uncertainties that govern the energy system under consideration. M&V therefore requires a stringent handle on the inherent uncertainties in the calculated savings. The Bayesian framework of data analysis in the form of non-parametric, nonlinear Gaussian Process (GP) regression provides a mechanism by which these uncertainties can be quantified thoroughly, and is therefore an attractive alternative to the more traditional frequentist approach. It is important to select appropriate kernels to construct the prior when performing GP regression. This paper aims to construct a guideline for a practical GP regression within the energy M&V framework. It does not attempt to quantify energy losses or savings, but rather presents a case study that could act as a road map for energy managers and M&V professionals to apply the GP regression as a Bayesian alternative to base-line adjustment. Special attention will be given to the selection of appropriate kernels for the application of baseline adjustment and energy savings quantification in a model-independent manner.
Efficient Low-Cost IBC Solar Cells with a Front Floating Emitter: Structure Optimization and Passivation Layer Study
Authors: Dong Peng , Zhang Yuming , Guo Hui , Zhang Chenxu , Ma Jikui , Qu Xiaoyong , Zhang Chunfu
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we investigate interdigitated back contact solar cells with the front floating emitter structure systematically by using simulated and experimental methods. By comparing the front floating emitter structure with the front surface field structure, it is found that the efficiency of solar cells with the front surface field structure quickly reduces with the increasing of back surface field width; while solar cells with the front floating emitter structure can have a wider front surface field width range with minimum impact on the cell efficiency. More importantly, solar cells with the front floating emitter structure have a larger fabrication process tolerance, especially for the back surface field width, emitter width, and the bulk resistivity, which means that the fabrication process flow can be simplified and the production cost can be reduced. Based on the above results, large area (156.75 mm × 156.75 mm) interdigitated back contact solar cells with the front floating emitter structure are fabricated by using the simplified process with only one masking step. SiOx:B is used as the passivation layer, which can lead to a higher open circuit voltage and lower surface saturation current density. Finally, an efficiency of 20.39% is achieved for the large area solar cells.
Simulation Modeling and Optimization of Uniflow Scavenging System Parameters on Opposed-Piston Two-Stroke Engines
Authors: Ma Fukang , Zhang Lei , Su Tiexiong
Published: April 2018

Based on the introduction of opposed-piston two-stroke (OP2S) gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, the OP2S-GDI engine working principle and scavenging process were analyzed. GT-Power software was employed to model the working process based on the structural style and principle of OP2S-GDI engine. The tracer gas method and OP2S-GDI engine experiment were employed for model validation at full load of 6000 rpm. The OP2S-GDI engine scavenging system parameters were optimized, including intake port height stroke ratio, intake port circumference ratio, exhaust port height stroke ratio, exhaust port circumference ratio, and opposed-piston motion phase difference. At the same time, the effect of the port height stroke ratio and opposed-piston motion phase difference on effective compression ratio and expansion ratio were considered, and the indicated work was employed as the optimization objective. A three-level orthogonal experiment was applied in the calculation process to reduce the calculation work. The influence and correlation coefficient on the scavenging efficiency and delivery ratio were investigated by the orthogonal experiment analysis of intake and exhaust port height stroke ratio and circular utilization. The effect of the scavenging system parameters on delivery ratio, scavenging efficiency and indicated work were calculated to obtain the best parameters. The results show that intake port height stroke ratio is the main factor for the delivery ratio, while exhaust port height stroke ratio is the main factor to engine delivery ratio and scavenging efficiency.
DC Fault Analysis and Clearance Solutions of MMC-HVDC Systems
Authors: Xu Zheng , Xiao Huangqing , Xiao Liang , Zhang Zheren
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the DC short-circuit fault and corresponding clearance solutions of modular multilevel converter-based high-voltage direct current (MMC-HVDC) systems are analyzed in detail. Firstly, the analytical expressions of DC fault currents before and after blocking the MMC are derived based on the operation circuits. Before blocking the MMC, the sub-module (SM) capacitor discharge current is the dominant component of the DC fault current. It will reach the blocking threshold value in several milliseconds. After blocking the MMC, the SM capacitor is no longer discharged. Therefore, the fault current from the AC system becomes the dominant component. Meanwhile, three DC fault clearance solutions and the corresponding characteristics are discussed in detail, including tripping AC circuit breaker, adopting the full-bridge MMC and employing the DC circuit breaker. A simulation model of the MMC-HVDC is realized in PSCAD/EMTDC and the results of the proposed analytical expressions are compared with those of the simulation. The results show that the analytical DC fault currents coincide well with the simulation results.
Economic Dispatch of the Low-Carbon Green Certificate with Wind Farms Based on Fuzzy Chance Constraints
Authors: Wang Xiuyun , Wang Jian , Tian Biyuan , Cui Yang , Zhao Yu
Published: April 2018

As the low-carbon economy continues to expand, wind power, as one form of clean energy, promotes the low-carbon power development process. In this paper, a multi-objective environmental economic dispatch (EED) model is proposed considering multiple uncertainties of the system. Carbon trading costs and green certificate trading costs are introduced into the economic costs. Meanwhile, the objective function of pollutant emissions is taken into account in the model, which can further promote the reduction of pollutant emissions in the system scheduling. The output of wind turbines is uncertain and volatile, so it brings new challenges to the power system EED once the large-scale wind power accesses the power grid. For the multiple uncertainties of the system, fuzzy chance-constrained programming is introduced, and the output of the wind turbines and the load are regarded as fuzzy variables. We use the clear equivalence forms to clarify the fuzzy chance constraints. The improved multi-objective standard particle swarm optimization (SPSO) algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem effectively. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm are verified by an example of a 10-unit system with two wind farms.
Cost-Based Design and Selection of Point Absorber Devices for the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Piscopo Vincenzo , Benassai Guido , Della Morte Renata , Scamardella Antonio
Published: April 2018

Sea wave energy is one of the most promising renewable sources, even if relevant technology is not mature enough for the global energy market and is not yet competitive if compared with solar, wind and tidal current devices. Particularly, among the variety of wave energy converters developed in the last decade, heaving point absorbers represent one of the most feasible and studied technologies, as shown by the small-scale testing and full-scale prototypes, deployed in the last years throughout the world. Nevertheless, the need for further reduction of the energy production costs requires a specialized design of wave energy converters, accounting for the restraints provided by the power take-off unit and the device operational profile. Hence, actual analysis focuses on a new cost-based design procedure for heaving point absorbers. The device is equipped with a floating buoy with an optional fully submerged mass connected, by means of a tensioned line, to the power take-off unit. It consists of a permanent magnet linear generator, lying on the seabed and equipped with a gravity-based foundation. The proposed procedure is applied to several candidate deployment sites located in the Mediterranean Sea; the incidence of the power take-off restraint and the converter operational profile is fully investigated and some recommendations for preliminary design of wave energy converter devices are provided. Current results show that there is wide scope to make the wave energy sector more competitive on the international market, by properly selecting the main design parameters of point absorbers, on the basis of met-ocean conditions at the deployment site.
Stacking Ensemble Learning for Short-Term Electricity Consumption Forecasting
Authors: Divina Federico , Gilson Aude , Goméz-Vela Francisco , García Torres Miguel , Torres José
Published: April 2018

The ability to predict short-term electric energy demand would provide several benefits, both at the economic and environmental level. For example, it would allow for an efficient use of resources in order to face the actual demand, reducing the costs associated to the production as well as the emission of CO 2 . To this aim, in this paper we propose a strategy based on ensemble learning in order to tackle the short-term load forecasting problem. In particular, our approach is based on a stacking ensemble learning scheme, where the predictions produced by three base learning methods are used by a top level method in order to produce final predictions. We tested the proposed scheme on a dataset reporting the energy consumption in Spain over more than nine years. The obtained experimental results show that an approach for short-term electricity consumption forecasting based on ensemble learning can help in combining predictions produced by weaker learning methods in order to obtain superior results. In particular, the system produces a lower error with respect to the existing state-of-the art techniques used on the same dataset. More importantly, this case study has shown that using an ensemble scheme can achieve very accurate predictions, and thus that it is a suitable approach for addressing the short-term load forecasting problem.
Exploring the Future of Fuel Loads in Tasmania, Australia: Shifts in Vegetation in Response to Changing Fire Weather, Productivity, and Fire Frequency
Authors: Harris Rebecca Mary Bernadette , Remenyi Tomas , Fox-Hughes Paul , Love Peter , Bindoff Nathaniel L.
Published: April 2018

Changes to the frequency of fire due to management decisions and climate change have the potential to affect the flammability of vegetation, with long-term effects on the vegetation structure and composition. Frequent fire in some vegetation types can lead to transformational change beyond which the vegetation type is radically altered. Such feedbacks limit our ability to project fuel loads under future climatic conditions or to consider the ecological tradeoffs associated with management burns. We present a “pathway modelling” approach to consider multiple transitional pathways that may occur under different fire frequencies. The model combines spatial layers representing current and future fire danger, biomass, flammability, and sensitivity to fire to assess potential future fire activity. The layers are derived from a dynamically downscaled regional climate model, attributes from a regional vegetation map, and information about fuel characteristics. Fire frequency is demonstrated to be an important factor influencing flammability and availability to burn and therefore an important determinant of future fire activity. Regional shifts in vegetation type occur in response to frequent fire, as the rate of change differs across vegetation type. Fire-sensitive vegetation types move towards drier, more fire-adapted vegetation quickly, as they may be irreversibly impacted by even a single fire, and require very long recovery times. Understanding the interaction between climate change and fire is important to identify appropriate management regimes to sustain fire-sensitive communities and maintain the distribution of broad vegetation types across the landscape.
The Craft of Fractional Modeling in Science and Engineering 2017
Authors: Hristov Jordan
Published: April 2018

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Transcriptomic Analysis of Flower Bud Differentiation in Magnolia sinostellata
Authors: Fan Lijie , Chen Mengqian , Dong Bin , Wang Ninghang , Yu Qin , Wang Xingli , Xuan Lingjuan , Wang Yaling , Zhang Shouzhou , Shen Yamei
Published: April 2018

Magnolias are widely cultivated for their beautiful flowers, but despite their popularity, the molecular mechanisms regulating flower bud differentiation have not been elucidated. Here, we used paraffin sections and RNA-seq to study the process of flower bud differentiation in Magnolia sinostellata. Flower bud development occurred between 28 April and 30 May 2017 and was divided into five stages: undifferentiated, early flower bud differentiation, petal primordium differentiation, stamen primordium differentiation, and pistil primordium differentiation. A total of 52,441 expressed genes were identified, of which 11,592 were significantly differentially expressed in the five bud development stages. Of these, 82 genes were involved in the flowering. In addition, MADS-box and AP2 family genes play critical roles in the formation of flower organs and 20 differentially expressed genes associated with flower bud differentiation were identified in M. sinostellata. A qRT-PCR analysis verified that the MADS-box and AP2 family genes were expressed at high levels during flower bud differentiation. Consequently, this study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic regulation of flowering in M. sinostellata, which lays a foundation for further research into flowering genes and may facilitate the development of new cultivars.