bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinan Terhadap Efektivitas Pemberdayaan Keluarga Dalam Pendewasaan Usia Perkawinan di Kota Tangerang Selatan
Authors: Septina Rossi , Novita Astrid
Published: May 2019

Pemberdayaan keluarga merupakan upaya untuk memandirikan keluarga lewat perwujudan potensi kemampuan yang mereka miliki. Adapun pemberdayaan keluarga senantiasa menyangkut dua kelompok yang saling terkait, yaitu keluarga sebagai pihak yang diberdayakan dan pihak yang menaruh kepedulian sebagai pihak yang memberdayakan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui pengaruh langsung maupun tidak langsung serta besarannya antara fasilitas kesehatan, peran tenaga kesehatan, lingkungan keluarga, fungsi keluarga terhadap efektivitas pemberdayaan keluarga dalam pendewasaan usia perkawinan di Tangerang Selatan Tahun 2017. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan kuantitatif yang menggunakan desain cross-setional (potong lintang). Sampel yang digunakan sebanyak 60 responden. Metode analisis yang digunakan adalah Structural Equation Model (SEM) mengunakan SmartPLS 2.0 dan SPSS 15. Hasil penelitian menghasilkan temuan yaitu variabel variabel efektivitas pemberdayaan keluarga dipengaruhi oleh fasilitas (0,58%), peran tenaga kesehatan (4,66%), lingkungan keluarga (45,11%) dan fungsi keluarga (21,87%). Total pengaruh langsung terhadap efektivitas pemberdayaan keluarga sebesar 72,21% dan pengaruh tidak langsung sebesar 1,22%. Total pengaruh langsung dan tidak langsung terhadap efektivitas pemberdayaan keluarga sebesar 73,44%. Model hasil analisis dapat menjelaskan 99,87% keragaman data dan mampu mengkaji fenomena yang dipakai dalam penelitian, sedangkan 0,13% dijelaskan komponen lain yang tidak ada dalam penelitian ini. Saran penelitian tenaga kesehatan perlu meningkatkan sosialisasi pendewasaan usia perkawinan di lingkungan keluarga dengan memperhatikan beberapa aspek dalam upaya pemberdayaan keluarga yang perlu ditingkatkan lagi agar kegiatan pemberdayaan keluarga dapat berjalan dengan baik dan lancar.
Hubungan Kualitas Pelayanan Dengan Kepuasan Pasien di Ruang Dahlia RSUD Kota Bogor
Authors: Wulandari Retno , Oktarini Selvi , Astuti Winda , Adriansyah Rian , Nahor Debora Banjar , Sinaga Erlina H , Firnanda Karina , Mayangsari Paramitha , Oktarini Selvi
Published: May 2019

Saat ini mulai banyak peningkatan kualitas pelayanan kesehatan Rumah Sakit (RS) dari berbagai RS yang ada di Indonesia khususnya di Bogor. RSUD Kota Bogor melaporkan bahwa presentase kepuasan pelanggan/pasien pada bulan juli-sepetember 2017 tidak mencapai target (81%) dimana capaian tahap II sebesar 75.8% pada bulan agustus sedangkan dibulan juli dan september tidak terjadi. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui pengaruh kualitas pelayanan di ruang dahlia RSUD Kota Bogor terhadap kepuasan pasien. Metode penelitian ini menggunakan metode descriptive correlational dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Populasi penelitian berjumlah 115 orang dengan sampel 30 responden. Alat pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan kuesioner skala likert. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mayoritas kualitas pelayanan yang diberikan ruang dahlia RSUD Kota Bogor dengan kategori baik sebanyak 17 responden (56.7%), kemudian mayoritas kepuasan pasien dikategorikan puas sebanyak 19 responden (63.3%). Hasil uji stastistik menggunakan uji Fisher’s Exact Test menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapat hubungan yang bermakna atau signifikan antara kualitas pelayanan terhadap kepuasan pasien, hal ini ditunjukkan dengan nilai p-value yang didapatkan sebesar 0.454.
El impuesto a los consumos especiales (ICE) aplicado a las bebidas alcohólicas incluida la cerveza.
Authors: Egas Moreno Fanny Graciela , Cifuentes Luz Marina , Toala Preciado Domitilo , Proaño Gonzalez Esther Angélica
Published: May 2019

El impuesto a los consumos especiales (ice) aplicado a las bebidas Alcohólicas incluida la cerveza en el Ecuador, es una investigación de enfoque cuantitativo, de alcance correlacional y de corte longitudinal que partió desde la identificación del problema de estudio y la situación actual según la reforma del 01 de Mayo del 2016, que aplica el Impuesto a los Consumos Especiales(ICE)  a las Bebidas Alcohólicas, en base a la información se definieron claramente los objetivos tanto generales y específicos, por lo tanto el estado del arte ayudo afianzar los resultados que engloban características y conceptos relacionados con el tema de estudio y de investigación. Para su desarrollo utilizamos el método deductivo y analítico que se aplicó con énfasis al reconocimiento de la problemática y el conocimiento general de las variables el tipo de investigación fue descriptiva y de campo mientras el diseño fue no experimental. La población y la muestra fueron seleccionadas de la matriz de contribuyentes autorizados parala comercialización de bebidas alcohólicas, la recolección de datos se realizó

mediante una encuesta que permitieron definir las respectivas conclusiones y recomendaciones cumpliendo con los objetivos de estudio que permitieron elaborar y determinar cómo incide la reforma Tributaria (ICE) en los impuestos a los consumos especiales en las bebidas alcohólicas.
Metabolic and functional state of the liver at the combined effect of lead and fluorine on the background of bioprotectors application
Authors: Fedorenko Yu.V.
Published: May 2019

Introduction. The potential danger of combined effect of lead and fluorine to human health motivates the search and experimental substantiation of physiologically acceptable ways of bioprophylaxis directed to preventing or reducing the negative effect on the organism. Objective: the study of the dynamics of the metabolic and functional state of the liver under conditions of combined effect of lead and fluorine without application of bioprotectors and on the background of bioprotectors application. Material and Methods. 4 series of researches were carried out on white rats, each according to the orthogonal planning scheme 22. Lead and fluorine were administered by intragastric within 30 days: in the first series — without bioprotectors application, in the second series — on the background of pectin application, in the third series — pectin and calcium application, in the fourth series — the complex of pectin, calcium and triovit application. The level of diene conjugates, the active products of thiobarbituric acid, the activities of superoxide dis-mutase and catalase, the index of general antioxidant activity in the liver tissue, the activities of alanine aminotransferases, aspartate aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase in blood serum, concentration of urea were determined at the 15th and 30th day of the experiments, the integral coefficient of antioxidant defense and the type of combined action were calculated. Results. The combined effect of lead and fluorine leads to an imbalance between the indicators of lipoperox-idation and antioxidant activity of the liver tissue, the increased activities of alanine aminotransferases and aspartate aminotransferases, the phase changes in alkaline phosphatase activity, and urea concentration in serum. The application of pectin did not affect the indicators. Pectin and calcium have improved the mechanisms of antioxidant system and the activity of enzymes. The complex of pectin, calcium and triovit normalizes metabolic processes in the liver tissue and improves its functional state. The type of the combined action depends on the registered effect, the duration of the stress factor and the applied bioprotektor. Conclusion. The optimal prophylactic effect under the combined action of lead and fluorine is achieved with the help of a complex of pectin, calcium and triovit. Key Words: lead, fluorine, combined effect, pectin, calcium, triovit, indicators of lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defense, enzyme activity.
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF LIPID AND CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM OBSERVED IN YOUNG MALES WITH DIFFERENT SOMATOTYPES OF NORTHEAST RUSSIA
Authors: Averyanova I V , Maximov A L
Published: May 2019

Our research was aimed at studying main parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in North-born young males, Europeans by origin, with different somatotypes. According to the examinee's body type, we found 45 % of them sthenic, 29 % hypersthenic and 26 % asthenic. Blood biochemicals proved to range within the referent indices; however, the average lipid indices were close to the lower line of the norm. Of note that, those indices grew higher from asthenic subjects to hypersthenic ones. The most lipid disorders were observed in hypersthenic examinees while asthenic subjects demonstrated no deviation among the indices of lipid spectrum. As for carbohydrate study, all the examinees showed their values close to the upper line of the normoglycemia. Of them, hypersthenic subjects were the highest in glucose.
REHABILITATION OF CHILDREN WITH RECURRENT BRONCHITIS USING A NON-INVASIVE APPARATUS OF MICROWAVE EXPOSURE
Authors: Savenkova N D , Dzhumagaziev A A , Bezrukova D A , Rajsky D V
Published: May 2019

We presented our own data on use effectiveness of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of centimetric band of not thermal intensity in children rehabilitation with recurrent bronchitis (RB), generated by means of the device "Aster". 101 children aged from 1 year up to 6 years, including 60 boys (59.4 %) and 41 girls (40.6 %) were examined. EMR influence on the parameters of innate immunity and cytokine regulation was assessed. The level of IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 was determined in blood serum by method of an enzyme immunoassay by means of ООО "Cytokin" test systems. Immune status disturbances were revealed, which were characterized by a decrease in phagocytosis (PF) percentage - PF average value was (48.9 ± 2.8) % in children of group 1, (51.6 ± 2.7) % in control group 2, activation of oxygen-dependent killing mechanisms (NST-test spontaneous - (46.3 ± 4.6) units in group 1 and (47.9 ± 6.7) in group 2, NST test induced - (77.7 ± 4.9) in group 1 and in group 2 (73.7 ± 3.9) standard units). The data obtained are typical for a region with environmental problems, which corresponds to earlier research work in the Astrakhan region. The conducted studies showed that rehabilitation programs using EMR, increase the effectiveness of activities conducted in children with the recurrent bronchitis, reduce the average duration of bronchial obstruction from (6.3 ± 0.4) days to (4.4 ± 0.2) days, p = 0,005.
Dispossession and Development in the Neoliberal ERA
Authors: GÜREL Burak
Published: May 2019

Based on a detailed review of the existing literature, this article makes four arguments regarding the dispossessory effects of development projects in the neoliberal era. First, it redefines “accumulation by dispossession” as the state’s transfer of lower-class people’s small-scale private property or common property over land, water, and other resources to capital through extra-economic and/or economic coercion. In doing so, the paper stresses the need to clearly distinguish the state’s deliberate manipulation of the market for dispossessory purposes from the centralization of capital through market competition. Second, it suggests that while the goal of expanding capitalist production shaped dispossessory practices in the era of national developmentalism, the link between production and dispossession has been less direct and relatively weaker in the neoliberal era. Hence, due to the rapid development of labor-saving technology and increasing significance of the real estate sector, capital prioritizes the land and natural resources of the lower-class people over the exploitation of their labor. Third, international development institutions like the World Bank depoliticize development in order to naturalize and legitimize dispossession. Finally, this paper points to the potentials of and challenges to possible alliances of workers’ movements and popular struggles against dispossession.
Potential Youth’s Civic Engagement on Virtual Public Sphere in Developing World
Authors: Abdalla Khamis Juma
Published: May 2019

The emergence of new media with multiple platforms has abundantly adjusted the socio-political perspectives in such a way that our everyday conducts and professionalism point of views are entrenched over technological diffusion. The young people remain the potential users on the social media, considering their primary bases for daily accomplishments, owing to the novel features and realistic methods available. As an entry point, this paper intends to draw the conception of the public sphere, whereby the notion of publics is vital on abstracting the sphere of the internet, in which abundant spheres meant for the multiple clusters embark on political communication for their ways distinctly. It’s the ideal realm which converges the peripheral spheres into the inclusive domain through communicative actions. In the developing countries, the youths along with minorities’ engagement and reliance on the internet has been ominously mounting, comprehensive for political identities and rationalizing their civic opinions. Polling discussion on running candidates and political parties’ manifestations are common during the general election and some diaspora communities and further foreign activists play a part in political affairs of the countries. Thus, this article aims at tracing the potential civil integrity for youths with political information efficacy fostered on digital public spheres, by which traditional media are politically run-downed, remoted by draconian legal framework and commercial determinants. Besides, this paper argues about the offline publics which are ideally distant, thus far implies to the narrow unitary sphere theorization owing to the technology division which so far entails partial civic life.
The Effects of Individual Variables, Farming System Characteristics and Perceived Barriers on Actual Use of Smart Farming Technologies: Evidence from the Piedmont Region, Northwestern Italy
Authors: Caffaro Federica , Cavallo Eugenio
Published: May 2019

Smart Farming Technologies (SFTs) have a real potential to deliver more productive and sustainable agricultural production. However, limited empirical research is available on the role played by objective and subjective factors in the adoption of such disruptive innovations, especially in the Italian context. This study investigated the role of education, farm size, being a sole farmer, and perceived barriers in affecting the use of SFTs in a sample of Italian farmers from the Piedmont region (North-West Italy). Three hundred and ten farming operators were questioned via a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The analyses showed that low levels of education and working on-farm alone were positively associated with perceived economic barriers, which in turn were negatively associated with the adoption of SFTs. Farm size had a positive direct effect on SFT adoption. The results pointed out the need for targeted policies and training interventions to encourage the use of SFTs.
Low Lignin Mutants and Reduction of Lignin Content in Grasses for Increased Utilisation of Lignocellulose
Authors: Christensen Cecilie S. L. , Rasmussen Søren K.
Published: May 2019

Biomass rich in lignocellulose from grasses is a major source for biofuel production and animal feed. However, the presence of lignin in cell walls limits its efficient utilisation such as in its bioconversion to biofuel. Reduction of the lignin content or alteration of its structure in crop plants have been pursued, either by regulating genes encoding enzymes in the lignin biosynthetic pathway using biotechnological techniques or by breeding naturally-occurring low lignin mutant lines. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of these studies, focusing on lignin (monolignol) biosynthesis and composition in grasses and, where possible, the impact on recalcitrance to bioconversion. An overview of transgenic crops of the grass family with regulated gene expression in lignin biosynthesis is presented, including the effect on lignin content and changes in the ratio of p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) units. Furthermore, a survey is provided of low-lignin mutants in grasses, including cereals in particular, summarising their origin and phenotypic traits together with genetics and the molecular function of the various genes identified.
Urea Addition Promotes the Metabolism and Utilization of Nitrogen in Cucumber
Authors: Ma Chao , Ban Tiantian , Yu Hongjun , Li Qiang , Li Xiaohui , Jiang Weijie , Xie Jianming
Published: May 2019

Nitrogen (N) forms include ammonium [NH4+-N], nitrate [NO3−-N], and urea [CO(NH2)2]. Urea is the most common nitrogen fertilizer in agriculture due to its inexpensive price and high N content. Although the reciprocal influence between NO3−-N and NH4+-N is well known, CO(NH2)2 interactions with these inorganic N forms have been poorly studied. We studied the effects of different nitrogen forms with equal nitrogen on dry matter, yield, enzyme activity, and gene expression levels in cucumber. NO3−-N treatment with equal CO(NH2)2 promoted nitrate reduction, urea utilization, and the GS/GOGAT cycle but reduced the nitrate content. UR-2, NR-2, NR-3, NiR, GOGAT-1-1, and GS-4 were upregulated in response to these changes. NH4+-N treatment with equal CO(NH2)2 promoted nitrogen metabolism and relieved the ammonia toxicity of pure NH4+-N treatment. UR-2, GOGAT-2-2, and GS-4 were upregulated, and GDH-3 was downregulated in response to these changes. Treatment with both NO3−-N with added equal CO(NH2)2 and NH4+-N with added equal CO(NH2)2 enhanced the activities of GOGAT, GS, and UR and the amino acid pathway of urea metabolism; manifested higher glutamate, protein, chlorophyll, and nitrogen contents; and improved dry matter weight. A greater proportion of dry matter was distributed to the fruit, generating significantly higher yields. Therefore, the addition of urea to ammonium or nitrate promoted N metabolism and N utilization in cucumber plants, especially treatments with 50% NO3−-N + 50% CO(NH2)2, as the recommended nitrogen form in this study.
Diversity of Parasitic Diarrhea Associated with Buxtonella Sulcata in Cattle and Buffalo Calves with Control of Buxtonellosis
Authors: El-Ashram Saeed , Aboelhadid Shawky M. , Kamel Asmaa A. , Mahrous Lilian N. , Abdelwahab Khatib H.
Published: May 2019

The association between parasite isolates, including Buxtonella sulcata, in suckling and post-weaning calves and diarrhea was studied with the aim to control diarrhea caused by B. sulcata. A total of 1100 diarrheic fecal samples were collected from 609 suckling calves and 491 post-weaning calves with diarrhea. Salt floatation and modified Ziehl–Neelsen techniques were applied for the microscopic examination of the presence or absence of parasite eggs and oocysts/cysts. The microscopic findings revealed that 20.36% of the calves had parasitic diarrhea, with a prevalence rate of 19.54% in suckling calves and 21.38% in post-weaning calves. The most frequently detected parasites according to morphological characters were Eimeria species, Buxtonella sulcata, Toxocara vitulorum, Cryptosporidium species, and Moneizia species. In suckling calves, Eimeria species, B. sulcata, and T. vitulorum had the highest prevalence rates of infection, corresponding to about 37.14%, 32.86%, and 20.00%, respectively. However, in post-weaning calves, B. sulcata infection was more prevalent (30.15%) than infections with Eimeria species and T. vitulorum. The highest parasite score density was found in multiple infections with B. sulcata, Eimeria species, and T. vitulorum; however, the score density of B. sulcata when present alone in the fecal specimens was higher than in specimens co-infected with other parasites. The risk factors affecting the prevalence rate of parasitic diarrhea, such as sex, season, housing system, and feed stuff, are discussed. Concerning the treatment of diarrhea caused by B. sulcata in post-weaning cattle calves, 20 calves were divided into 4 equal groups. Group A was given sulphadimidine sodium (1.0 g/10 kg body weight) and metronidazole (500 mg/40 kg body weight); group B was treated with oxytetracycline hydrochloride (500 mg/45 Kg of body weight) and metronidazole (500 mg/40 kg body weight); group C was daily administered garlizine (allicin), 2 g/ L in drinking water; group D was the untreated control group. All medications were administered orally for four successive days. The results showed that the cyst count was significantly lower in the drug-treated groups, and the metronidazole + oxytetracycline hydrochloride and metronidazole + sulphadimidine combinations achieved 98.77% and 96.44% efficacy, respectively. Garlizine had 72.22% efficacy. Intriguingly, B. sulcata infection was associated with other parasitic infections, but B. sulcata mono-infection was the most common cause of diarrhea. Moreover, the combinations of oxytetracycline hydrochloride or sulphadimidine with metronidazole are recommended to control buxtonellosis in calves. Further studies are recommended to investigate the bacterial, viral, and fungal infections associated with B. sulcata infection.
Effects of Sulfur Levels in Fermented Total Mixed Ration Containing Fresh Cassava Root on Feed Utilization, Rumen Characteristics, Microbial Protein Synthesis, and Blood Metabolites in Thai Native Beef Cattle
Authors: Supapong Chanadol , Cherdthong Anusorn , Wanapat Metha , Chanjula Pin , Uriyapongson Sutipong
Published: May 2019

The influence of sulfur included in fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) containing fresh cassava root on rumen characteristics, microbial protein synthesis, and blood metabolites in cattle was evaluated. Four Thai native beef cattle were randomly assigned according to a 2 × 2 factorial in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, and dietary treatments were as follows: factor A included a level of sulfur at 1% and 2% in total mixed ration, and factor B featured ensiling times at zero and 7 days. Digestibility of dry matter was increased when FTMR was supplemented with 2% sulfur. Blood thiocyanate increased by 69.5% when ensiling time was 7 days compared to no ensiling (p < 0.01). Bacterial populations were significantly different in the FTMR containing sulfur at 2% and 7 days of ensiling. Furthermore, microbial crude protein and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were higher in the FTMR containing 2% sulfur and 7 days of ensiling (p < 0.01). Thus, high levels of hydrocyanic acid from fresh cassava root could be detoxified by a sulfur addition with an ensiling process to become nontoxic to cattle.
Preliminary Study: Depriving Piglets of Maternal Feces for the First Seven Days Post-Partum Changes Piglet Physiology and Performance before and after Weaning
Authors: Aviles-Rosa Edgar O. , Rakhshandeh Anoosh , McGlone John J.
Published: May 2019

Coprophagy has been described in piglets although its importance has not been fully assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate how deprivation of maternal feces influenced piglet physiology, behavior, and performance. Eight litters were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. Control (CON) litters had access to maternal feces while deprived (DEP) litters were deprived of maternal feces for the first 7 d post-partum. Piglet behavior was quantified for 24 h at 7 d of age. Blood samples were collected from one male and female from each litter at 0, 7, and 21 d for hematological analyses, and post-weaning performance was assessed until 123 d post-weaning. No treatment effects were observed on piglet behavior. DEP piglets had 25% lower leukocyte counts (p < 0.01). Relative to DEP litters, CON litters had increased post-weaning feed intake (0.998 vs 0.901 kg/d; p = 0.02) and weight gain (0.536 vs 0.483 kg/d; p < 0.01). At 123 d post-weaning, CON pigs were 9.3 ± 2.3 kg heavier than treatment pigs (p < 0.01). These results suggest that access to maternal feces improves immunocompetence and growth performance. Further studies are needed to explore the physiological mechanisms through which maternal feces improve growth performance, including nutritional and microbial factors, or the presence of maternal semiochemicals.
Dairy Farmers’ Perceptions of and Actions in Relation to Lameness Management
Authors: Sadiq Mohammed Babatunde , Ramanoon Siti , Shaik Mossadeq Wan , Mansor Rozaihan , Syed Hussain Sharifah
Published: May 2019

Lameness continues to be a welfare and economic issue for dairy cows. However, the consequences of lameness seem to be better understood by veterinarians and related personnel in comparison to dairy farmers. Prompt detection and treatment of lame cows is essential in reducing its negative impact on milk processing systems. To that end, understanding farmers’ perceptions regarding the significance of lameness to dairy cows is vital. One fundamental aspect is the underestimation of lameness prevalence by dairy farmers, which is as a result of different understanding of the problem. The same applies to their decision to treat lame cows and to adopt various detection and management practices. All of these shortcomings contribute to poor cattle welfare and economic losses in dairy production. This review summarizes the results of studies that have investigated dairy farmers’ perceptions of lameness and the associated implications on the wellbeing and productivity of dairy cows. Factors associated with farmers’ attitudes toward claw health and lameness management are also presented. Additionally, economic observations relating to lameness prevention, treatment and the adoption of lameness detection systems are also highlighted. To strengthen these points, interventional programmes requiring farmers’ participation are discussed as a promising approach in answering some of these challenges. A review of the literature indicates both the opportunities and barriers inherent in the tackling the lameness issue from the farmers’ perspectives. Such knowledge is crucial in identifying measures on how to motivate dairy farmers towards proper lameness management.
Phenotypic Stability of Sex and Expression of Sex Identification Markers in the Adult Yesso Scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis throughout the Reproductive Cycle
Authors: Nagasawa Kazue , Thitiphuree Tongchai , Osada Makoto
Published: May 2019

The objective of the present study was to analyze the phenotypic stability of sex after sex differentiation in the Yesso scallop, which is a gonochoristic species that has been described as protandrous. So far, no study has investigated in detail the sexual fate of the scallop after completion of sex differentiation, although bivalve species often show annual sex change. In the present study, we performed a tracking experiment to analyze the phenotypic stability of sex in scallops between one and two years of age. We also conducted molecular marker analyses to describe sex differentiation and gonad development. The results of the tracking experiment revealed that all scallops maintained their initial sex phenotype, as identified in the last reproductive period. Using molecular analyses, we characterized my-dmrt2 and my-foxl2 as sex identification markers for the testis and ovary, respectively. We conclude by proposing that the Yesso scallop is a sex-stable bivalve after its initial sex differentiation and that it maintains a sex-stable maturation system throughout its life. The sex-specific molecular markers identified in this study are useful tools to assess the reproductive status of the Yesso scallop.
A First Attempt to Produce Proteins from Insects by Means of a Circular Economy
Authors: Cappellozza Silvia , Leonardi Maria Giovanna , Savoldelli Sara , Carminati Domenico , Rizzolo Anna , Cortellino Giovanna , Terova Genciana , Moretto Enzo , Badaile Andrea , Concheri Giuseppe , Saviane Alessio , Bruno Daniele , Bonelli Marco , Caccia Silvia , Casartelli Morena , Tettamanti Gianluca
Published: May 2019

The worldwide growing consumption of proteins to feed humans and animals has drawn a considerable amount of attention to insect rearing. Insects reared on organic wastes and used as feed for monogastric animals can reduce the environmental impact and increase the sustainability of meat/fish production. In this study, we designed an environmentally closed loop for food supply in which fruit and vegetable waste from markets became rearing substrate for Hermetia illucens (BSF— black soldier fly). A vegetable and fruit-based substrate was compared to a standard diet for Diptera in terms of larval growth, waste reduction index, and overall substrate degradation. Morphological analysis of insect organs was carried out to obtain indications about insect health. Processing steps such as drying and oil extraction from BSF were investigated. Nutritional and microbiological analyses confirmed the good quality of insects and meal. The meal was then used to produce fish feed and its suitability to this purpose was assessed using trout. Earthworms were grown on leftovers of BSF rearing in comparison to a standard substrate. Chemical analyses of vermicompost were performed. The present research demonstrates that insects can be used to reduce organic waste, increasing at the same time the sustainability of aquaculture and creating interesting by-products through the linked bio-system establishment.
Super-Resolution Lensless Imaging of Cells Using Brownian Motion
Authors: Fang Yuan , Yu Ningmei , Jiang Yuquan
Published: May 2019

The lensless imaging technique, which integrates a microscope into a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) digital image sensor, has become increasingly important for the miniaturization of biological microscope and cell detection equipment. However, limited by the pixel size of the CMOS image sensor (CIS), the resolution of a cell image without optical amplification is low. This is also a key defect with the lensless imaging technique, which has been studied by a many scholars. In this manuscript, we propose a method to improve the resolution of the cell images using the Brownian motion of living cells in liquid. A two-step algorithm of motion estimation for image registration is proposed. Then, the raw holographic images are reconstructed using normalized convolution super-resolution algorithm. The result shows that the effect of the collected cell image under the lensless imaging system is close to the effect of a 10× objective lens.
Numerical Approach for Studying the Evolution of the Degrees of Coherence of Partially Coherent Beams Propagation through an ABCD Optical System
Authors: Ma Pujuan , Kacerovská Barbora , Khosravi Raha , Liang Chunhao , Zeng Jun , Peng Xiaofeng , Mi Chenkun , Monfared Yashar E. , Zhang Yuping , Wang Fei , Cai Yangjian
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we propose a numerical approach to simulate the degree of coherence (DOC) of a partially coherent beam (PCB) with a Schell-model correlator in any transverse plane during propagation. The approach is applicable for PCBs whose initial intensity distribution and DOC distribution are non-Gaussian functions, even for beams for which it is impossible to obtain an analytical expression for the cross-spectral density (CSD) function. Based on our approach, numerical examples for the distribution of the DOC of two types of PCBs are presented. One type is the partially coherent Hermite–Gaussian beam. The simulation results of the DOC agree well with those calculated from the analytical formula. The other type of PCB is the one for which it is impossible to obtain an analytical expression of CSD. The evolution of the DOC with the propagation distance and in the far field is studied in detail. Our numerical approach may find potential applications in optical encryption and information transfer.
Risk-Aware Wireless Positioning in Maritime Environment
Authors: Seok Keun Young , Ryu Jong Yeol , Lee Jung Hoon
Published: May 2019

The evolution of wireless communications systems has promoted various applications that require user positions in various environments including indoor, maritime and aerial environments. This progress has also brought advanced wireless location tracking (i.e., positioning) schemes for many purposes such as military, accident prevention and facility management. In this paper, we propose a risk-aware wireless positioning scheme, where the position information is required for safety. Especially for the maritime environment, we model the risk of the user at each position as a function of location accuracy, geometry, ocean current speed and so forth. Considering the power budget of each user, we optimize the user’s wireless positioning signal frequency (i.e., the positioning signal broadcasting rate) at each position so that our positioning scheme can minimize the average risk for each user.
Model of a Coil-Reinforced Cylindrical Soft Actuator
Authors: Kanno Takahiro , Ohkura Shunya , Azami Osamu , Miyazaki Tetsuro , Kawase Toshihiro , Kawashima Kenji
Published: May 2019

A cylindrical soft actuator is suitable for applications in which pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders are conventionally used. In this report, we discuss the force output model of a spring-reinforced-type cylindrical soft actuator. This type of actuator outputs a larger force than the air pressure multiplied by the pressure-receiving area. We construct a quasi-static model to explore the reason for this phenomenon, based on the strength of materials. A thick-walled cylinder model with three boundary conditions was defined and analyzed. The model indicates that the rubber cylinder itself transmits pneumatic pressure and contributes to the output force. We also modeled the relationship between the pressure and the elongation of the soft actuator. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the proposed models.
A Survey on Deep Learning-Driven Remote Sensing Image Scene Understanding: Scene Classification, Scene Retrieval and Scene-Guided Object Detection
Authors: Gu Yating , Wang Yantian , Li Yansheng
Published: May 2019

As a fundamental and important task in remote sensing, remote sensing image scene understanding (RSISU) has attracted tremendous research interest in recent years. RSISU includes the following sub-tasks: remote sensing image scene classification, remote sensing image scene retrieval, and scene-driven remote sensing image object detection. Although these sub-tasks have different goals, they share some communal hints. Hence, this paper tries to discuss them as a whole. Similar to other domains (e.g., speech recognition and natural image recognition), deep learning has also become the state-of-the-art technique in RSISU. To facilitate the sustainable progress of RSISU, this paper presents a comprehensive review of deep-learning-based RSISU methods, and points out some future research directions and potential applications of RSISU.
Dynamic Response Enhancement and Fault Protection of Boost Converter-Fed Brushless DC Motor in Aerospace Applications
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Jingwen
Published: May 2019

The permanent magnet (PM) brushless DC (BLDC) machine has been widely used in various applications due to its high reliability and simplicity. In aerospace applications, the requirements of its dynamic acceleration characteristic and fault protection capability have further increased. This paper proposes an optimized inverter topology composed of a boost converter, two protective power switches, and a three-phase full bridge for the dynamic response improvement and fault protection capability enhancement of PM BLDC machines. The corresponding drive logic, control method, and protection strategy are designed to develop a drive system for an aeronautical fuel pump. The response performance is significantly improved in handling under-voltage and over-rated conditions by utilizing the boost converter during different processes, and the protection capability is enhanced to deal with over-voltage and over-current fault isolation. A boost converter-fed BLDC pump system prototype is built and tested. It is concluded that the simulation and experiment results verify the rationality and validity of the proposed method.
A State Validation System for Augmented Reality Based Maintenance Procedures
Authors: Manuri Federico , Pizzigalli Alessandro , Sanna Andrea
Published: May 2019

Maintenance has been one of the most important domains for augmented reality (AR) since its inception. AR applications enable technicians to receive visual and audio computer-generated aids while performing different activities, such as assembling, repairing, or maintenance procedures. These procedures are usually organized as a sequence of steps, each one involving an elementary action to be performed by the user. However, since it is not possible to automatically validate the users actions, they might incorrectly execute or miss some steps. Thus, a relevant open problem is to provide users with some sort of automated verification tool. This paper presents a system, used to support maintenance procedures through AR, which tries to address the validation problem. The novel technology consists of a computer vision algorithm able to evaluate, at each step of a maintenance procedure, if the user correctly completed the assigned task or not. The validation occurs by comparing an image of the final status of the machinery, after the user has performed the task, and a virtual 3D representation of the expected final status. Moreover, in order to avoid false positives, the system can identify both motions in the scene and changes in the camera’s zoom and/or position, thus enhancing the robustness of the validation phase. Tests demonstrate that the proposed system can effectively help the user in detecting and avoiding errors during the maintenance process.
Human Action Recognition Based on Foreground Trajectory and Motion Difference Descriptors
Authors: Dong Suge , Hu Daidi , Li Ruijun , Ge Mingtao
Published: May 2019

Aimed at the problems of high redundancy of trajectory and susceptibility to background interference in traditional dense trajectory behavior recognition methods, a human action recognition method based on foreground trajectory and motion difference descriptors is proposed. First, the motion magnitude of each frame is estimated by optical flow, and the foreground region is determined according to each motion magnitude of the pixels; the trajectories are only extracted from behavior-related foreground regions. Second, in order to better describe the relative temporal information between different actions, a motion difference descriptor is introduced to describe the foreground trajectory, and the direction histogram of the motion difference is constructed by calculating the direction information of the motion difference per unit time of the trajectory point. Finally, a Fisher vector (FV) is used to encode histogram features to obtain video-level action features, and a support vector machine (SVM) is utilized to classify the action category. Experimental results show that this method can better extract the action-related trajectory, and it can improve the recognition accuracy by 7% compared to the traditional dense trajectory method.
Study on the Self-Monitoring of Bending Fatigue Cumulative Damage for Carbon Nanofiber Polyurethane Cement
Authors: Yang Nan , Sun Quansheng
Published: May 2019

Polyurethane cement (PUC) is a kind of high-strength composite bending and strengthening material that is made by adding an appropriate amount of super fine aggregate, such as cement, into the polyurethane matrix. Carbon nanofiber polyurethane cement (CNFPUC) prepared by adding an appropriate amount of carbon nanofiber (CNF) can significantly reduce the resistivity of PUC. In order to reveal the change regulation of electrical resistivity of CNFPUC under fatigue load, the four-point bending fatigue life test of CNFPUC under different temperatures and stress levels was conducted by using a multifunction test device on a mixture of UTM-30 asphalt. The results showed that the resistivity increased slightly with the increase of bending strain in the process of the CNFPUC bending test, which presented a two-stage trend of a small increase and a sharp increase, and the maximum bending tensile stress was up to 26.65 MPa. Under periodic load, the resistivity increased with the increase of stress level and cycle times. When the damage amount reached 90%, the fatigue resistivity increased sharply, and with the increase of stress level, the effect of temperature on resistivity decreased gradually. This study may provide a theoretical basis for practical engineering applications.
A Priority-Based Synchronous Phasor Transmission Protocol Extension Method for the Active Distribution Network
Authors: Tao Weiqing , Ma Mengyu , Ding Ming , Xie Wei , Fang Chen
Published: May 2019

With the advancement of active distribution network construction, to solve the shortcomings of the existing distribution network technology in distribution network perception and control, the relevant technologies of the Wide Area Measurement System (WAMS) in the transmission network have attracted more attention in terms of their usage in the distribution network. Micro Multifunction Phasor Measurement Unit (μMPMU), as an example, is being gradually utilized in the distribution network. However, the existing synchronous phasor transmission protocol is mainly designed for the transmission network, which requires an extension to meet the communication requirements to be directly used in the distribution network. In this work, the requirements of active distribution network communication are analyzed, and trade-offs between National Standard of the People’s Republic of China/Recommended (GB/T) 26865.2-2011 and International Electro technical Commission (IEC) 60870-5-101/104 protocol are compared. An extension method of the communication protocol is proposed, with the benefits of the prioritized transmission of important data, expanded remote control function of μMPMU, increased types of offline files, and reduced amount of network communication and data storage. The method is built upon the existing GB/T 26865.2-2011 protocol, and refers to the Application Service Data Unit (ASDU) of IEC 60870-5-101/104 to add an application extension frame. Application extension frames are used to transmit telemetry data, telesignalization, partial commands, and partial offline files. Finally, an experimental environment is set up, which includes a phasor measurement unit (PMU) Emulator, distribution network phasor data concentrator (PDC), and main station emulator to implement the standard GB/T 26865.2-2011 protocol and extension protocol. The feasibility and effectiveness of the method are confirmed by the superior performance of the extended protocol compared with the standard protocol.
Development of Automatic Accumulating Equipment for Roller-Type Onion Pot-Seeding Machine
Authors: Hwang Seok-Joon , Nam Ju-Seok
Published: May 2019

In this study, an automatic accumulating equipment for a roller-type onion pot-seeding machine was developed. The developed accumulating equipment accumulates the pot trays that complete the seeding in multiple stages using a conveyor belt and elevator plate, and can be easily attached to the existing roller-type onion pot-seeding machines as it is fabricated as a module. The components were selected to meet the conditions required for the accumulating equipment. A factorial experiment was performed by setting the transport speed of the conveyor belt and the one-time operating time of the actuator as test factors. Through the experiment, appropriate operating conditions to minimize the seed bounce rate in the accumulating process were derived. If the developed accumulating equipment is applied to a roller-type onion pot-seeding machine, the labor force and labor load required for seeding will be reduced.
Assessment of Cognitive Aging Using an SSVEP-Based Brain–Computer Interface System
Authors: Sridhar Saraswati , Manian Vidya
Published: May 2019

Cognitive deterioration caused by illness or aging often occurs before symptoms arise, and its timely diagnosis is crucial to reducing its medical, personal, and societal impacts. Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) stimulate and analyze key cerebral rhythms, enabling reliable cognitive assessment that can accelerate diagnosis. The BCI system presented analyzes steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) elicited in subjects of varying age to detect cognitive aging, predict its magnitude, and identify its relationship with SSVEP features (band power and frequency detection accuracy), which were hypothesized to indicate cognitive decline due to aging. The BCI system was tested with subjects of varying age to assess its ability to detect aging-induced cognitive deterioration. Rectangular stimuli flickering at theta, alpha, and beta frequencies were presented to subjects, and frontal and occipital Electroencephalographic (EEG) responses were recorded. These were processed to calculate detection accuracy for each subject and calculate SSVEP band power. A neural network was trained using the features to predict cognitive age. The results showed potential cognitive deterioration through age-related variations in SSVEP features. Frequency detection accuracy declined after age group 20–40, and band power declined throughout all age groups. SSVEPs generated at theta and alpha frequencies, especially 7.5 Hz, were the best indicators of cognitive deterioration. Here, frequency detection accuracy consistently declined after age group 20–40 from an average of 96.64% to 69.23%. The presented system can be used as an effective diagnosis tool for age-related cognitive decline.
Amyloidosis and Longevity: A Lesson from Plants
Authors: Surguchov Andrei , Emamzadeh Fatemeh Nouri , Surguchev Alexei A.
Published: May 2019

The variety of lifespans of different organisms in nature is amazing. Although it is acknowledged that the longevity is determined by a complex interaction between hereditary and environmental factors, many questions about factors defining lifespan remain open. One of them concerns a wide range of lifespans of different organisms. The reason for the longevity of certain trees, which reaches a thousand years and exceeds the lifespan of most long living vertebrates by a huge margin is also not completely understood. Here we have discussed some distinguishing characteristics of plants, which may explain their remarkable longevity. Among them are the absence (or very low abundance) of intracellular inclusions composed of amyloidogenic proteins, the lack of certain groups of proteins prone to aggregate and form amyloids in animals, and the high level of compounds which inhibit protein aggregation and possess antiaging properties.
Analytical Solution of the Time-Dependent Microfluidic Poiseuille Flow in Rectangular Channel Cross-Sections and Its Numerical Implementation in Microsoft Excel
Authors: Risch Patrick , Helmer Dorothea , Kotz Frederik , Rapp Bastian E.
Published: May 2019

We recently demonstrated that the Navier–Stokes equation for pressure-driven laminar (Poiseuille) flow can be solved in any channel cross-section using a finite difference scheme implemented in a spreadsheet analysis tool such as Microsoft Excel. We also showed that implementing different boundary conditions (slip, no-slip) is straight-forward. The results obtained in such calculations only deviated by a few percent from the (exact) analytical solution. In this paper we demonstrate that these approaches extend to cases where time-dependency is of importance, e.g., during initiation or after removal of the driving pressure. As will be shown, the developed spread-sheet can be used conveniently for almost any cross-section for which analytical solutions are close-to-impossible to obtain. We believe that providing researchers with convenient tools to derive solutions to complex flow problems in a fast and intuitive way will significantly enhance the understanding of the flow conditions as well as mass and heat transfer kinetics in microfluidic systems.