bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relation of Intracerebral Hemorrhage Descriptors with Clinical Factors
Authors: Kliś Kornelia M. , Krzyżewski Roger M. , Kwinta Borys M. , Stachura Krzysztof , Popiela Tadeusz J. , Gąsowski Jerzy , Długopolski Jacek
Published: April 2020

The association between intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) shape and a poor treatment outcome has been established by few authors. We decided to analyze whether computationally assessed hemorrhage shape irregularity is associated with any known predictors of its poor treatment outcome. We retrospectively analyzed 48 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. For each patient we calculated Fractal Dimension, Compactness, Fourier Factor and Circle Factor. Our study showed that patients above 65 years old had significantly higher Compactness (0.70 ± 0.19 vs. 0.56 ± 0.20; p < 0.01), Fractal Dimension (0.46 ± 0.22 vs. 0.32 ± 0.20; p = 0.03) and Circle Factor (0.51 ± 0.25 vs. 0.35 ± 0.17; p < 0.01). Patients with hemorrhage growth had significantly higher Compactness (0.74 ± 0.23 vs. 0.58 ± 0.18; p < 0.01), Circle Factor (0.55 ± 0.27 vs. 0.37 ± 0.18; p < 0.01) and Fourier Factor (0.96 ± 0.06 vs. 0.84 ± 0.19; p = 0.03). In conclusion, irregularity resulting from the number of appendices can be a predictor of ICH growth; however, the size of those appendices is also important. Shape roughness better reflects the severity of brain tissue damage and a patient’s general condition.
Self-Collection for Cervical Screening Programs: From Research to Reality
Authors: Hawkes David , Keung Marco H. T. , Huang Yanping , McDermott Tracey L. , Romano Joanne , Saville Marion , Brotherton Julia M. L.
Published: April 2020

In 2018, there were an estimated 570,000 new cases of cervical cancer globally, with most of them occurring in women who either had no access to cervical screening, or had not participated in screening in regions where programs are available. Where programs are in place, a major barrier for women across many cultures has been the requirement to undergo a speculum examination. With the emergence of HPV-based primary screening, the option of self-collection (where the woman takes the sample from the vagina herself) may overcome this barrier, given that such samples when tested using a PCR-based HPV assay have similar sensitivity for the detection of cervical pre-cancers as practitioner-collected cervical specimens. Other advantages of HPV-based screening using self-collection, beyond the increase in acceptability to women, include scalability, efficiency, and high negative predictive value, allowing for long intervals between negative tests. Self-collection will be a key strategy for the successful scale up of cervical screening programs globally in response to the WHO call for all countries to work towards the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. This review will examine self-collection for HPV-based cervical screening including the collection devices, assays and possible routine laboratory processes considering how they can be utilized in cervical screening programs.
Two-Dimensional Materials and Composites as Potential Water Splitting Photocatalysts: A Review
Authors: Saleem Zubia , Pervaiz Erum , Yousaf M. Usman , Niazi M. Bilal Khan
Published: April 2020

Hydrogen production via water dissociation under exposure to sunlight has emanated as an environmentally friendly, highly productive and expedient process to overcome the energy production and consumption gap, while evading the challenges of fossil fuel depletion and ecological contamination. Various classes of materials are being explored as viable photocatalysts to achieve this purpose, among which, the two-dimensional materials have emerged as prominent candidates, having the intrinsic advantages of visible light sensitivity; structural and chemical tuneability; extensively exposed surface area; and flexibility to form composites and heterostructures. In an abridged manner, the common types of 2D photocatalysts, their position as potential contenders in photocatalytic processes, their derivatives and their modifications are described herein, as it all applies to achieving the coveted chemical and physical properties by fine-tuning the synthesis techniques, precursor ingredients and nano-structural alterations.
Visualising Silicon in Plants: Histochemistry, Silica Sculptures and Elemental Imaging
Authors: Guerriero Gea , Stokes Ian , Valle Nathalie , Hausman Jean-Francois , Exley Christopher
Published: April 2020

Silicon is a non-essential element for plants and is available in biota as silicic acid. Its presence has been associated with a general improvement of plant vigour and response to exogenous stresses. Plants accumulate silicon in their tissues as amorphous silica and cell walls are preferential sites. While several papers have been published on the mitigatory effects that silicon has on plants under stress, there has been less research on imaging silicon in plant tissues. Imaging offers important complementary results to molecular data, since it provides spatial information. Herein, the focus is on histochemistry coupled to optical microscopy, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy of microwave acid extracted plant silica, techniques based on particle-induced X-ray emission, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and mass spectrometry imaging (NanoSIMS). Sample preparation procedures will not be discussed in detail, as several reviews have already treated this subject extensively. We focus instead on the information that each technique provides by offering, for each imaging approach, examples from both silicifiers (giant horsetail and rice) and non-accumulators (Cannabis sativa L.).
Guidelines for a Standardized Filesystem Layout for Scientific Data
Authors: Spreckelsen Florian , Rüchardt Baltasar , Lebert Jan , Luther Stefan , Parlitz Ulrich , Schlemmer Alexander
Published: April 2020

Storing scientific data on the filesystem in a meaningful and transparent way is no trivial task. In particular, when the data have to be accessed after their originator has left the lab, the importance of a standardized filesystem layout cannot be underestimated. It is desirable to have a structure that allows for the unique categorization of all kinds of data from experimental results to publications. They have to be accessible to a broad variety of workflows, e.g., via graphical user interface as well as via command line, in order to find widespread acceptance. Furthermore, the inclusion of already existing data has to be as simple as possible. We propose a three-level layout to organize and store scientific data that incorporates the full chain of scientific data management from data acquisition to analysis to publications. Metadata are saved in a standardized way and connect original data to analyses and publications as well as to their originators. A simple software tool to check a file structure for compliance with the proposed structure is presented.
Accuracy of 3D Landscape Reconstruction without Ground Control Points Using Different UAS Platforms
Authors: Kalacska Margaret , Lucanus Oliver , Arroyo-Mora J. , Laliberté Étienne , Elmer Kathryn , Leblanc George , Groves Andrew
Published: April 2020

The rapid increase of low-cost consumer-grade to enterprise-level unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has resulted in the exponential use of these systems in many applications. Structure from motion with multiview stereo (SfM-MVS) photogrammetry is now the baseline for the development of orthoimages and 3D surfaces (e.g., digital elevation models). The horizontal and vertical positional accuracies (x, y and z) of these products in general, rely heavily on the use of ground control points (GCPs). However, for many applications, the use of GCPs is not possible. Here we tested 14 UASs to assess the positional and within-model accuracy of SfM-MVS reconstructions of low-relief landscapes without GCPs ranging from consumer to enterprise-grade vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platforms. We found that high positional accuracy is not necessarily related to the platform cost or grade, rather the most important aspect is the use of post-processing kinetic (PPK) or real-time kinetic (RTK) solutions for geotagging the photographs. SfM-MVS products generated from UAS with onboard geotagging, regardless of grade, results in greater positional accuracies and lower within-model errors. We conclude that where repeatability and adherence to a high level of accuracy are needed, only RTK and PPK systems should be used without GCPs.
Information Is Selection—A Review of Basics Shows Substantial Potential for Improvement of Digital Information Representation
Authors: Orthuber Wolfgang
Published: April 2020

Any piece of information is a selection from a set of possibilities. In this paper, this set is called a “domain”. Digital information consists of number sequences, which are selections from a domain. At present, these number sequences are defined contextually in a very variable way, which impairs their comparability. Therefore, global uniformly defined “domain vectors” (DVs), with a structure containing a “Uniform Locator” (“UL”), referred to as “UL plus number sequence”, are proposed. The “UL” is an efficient global pointer to the uniform online definition of the subsequent number sequence. DVs are globally defined, identified, comparable, and searchable by criteria which users can define online. In medicine, for example, patients, doctors, and medical specialists can define DVs online and can, therefore, form global criteria which are important for certain diagnoses. This allows for the immediate generation of precise diagnostic specific statistics of “similar medical cases”, in order to discern the best therapy. The introduction of a compact DV data structure may substantially improve the digital representation of medical information.
Exploiting Two-Dimensional Geographical and Synthetic Social Influences for Location Recommendation
Authors: Liu Jiping , Zhang Zhiran , Liu Chunyang , Qiu Agen , Zhang Fuhao
Published: April 2020

With the rapid development of location-based social networks (LBSNs), because human behaviors exhibit specific distribution patterns, personalized geo-social recommendation has played a significant role for LBSNs. In addition to user preference and social influence, geographical influence has also been widely researched in location recommendation. Kernel density estimation (KDE) is a key method in modeling geographical influence. However, most current studies based on KDE do not consider the problems of influence range and outliers on users’ check-in behaviors. In this paper, we propose a method to exploit geographical and synthetic social influences (GeSSo) on location recommendation. GeSSo uses a kernel estimation approach with a quartic kernel function to model geographical influences, and two kinds of weighted distance are adopted to calculate bandwidth. Furthermore, we consider the social closeness and connections between friends, and a synthetic friend-based recommendation method is introduced to model social influences. Finally, we adopt a sum framework which combines user’s preferences on a location with geographical and social influences. Extensive experiments are conducted on three real-life datasets. The results show that our method achieves superior performance compared to other advanced geo-social recommendation techniques.
Comparative Mortality and Adaptation of a Smurf Assay in Two Species of Tenebrionid Beetles Exposed to Bacillus thuringiensis
Authors: Zanchi Caroline , Lindeza Ana Sofia , Kurtz Joachim
Published: April 2020

Bacillus thuringiensis is a spore-forming bacterium which infects insect larvae naturally via the oral route. Its virulence factors interact with the epithelium of the digestive tract of insect larvae, disrupting its function and eventually leading to the death of susceptible hosts. The most cited B. thuringiensis killing mechanism is the extensive damage caused to the insect midgut, leading to its leakage. The mortality caused by B. thuringiensis has been shown to vary between serovars and isolates, as well as between host life stages. Moreover, whether susceptibility to B. thuringiensis-induced gut leakage is generalized to all host species and whether there is individual variation within species is unclear. In this study, we adapted a non-invasive “Smurf” assay from Drosophila melanogaster to two species of tenebrionid beetles: The mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor and the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, during exposure to B. thuringiensis. We highlight a differential mortality between two age/size classes of T. molitor larvae, as well as different killing dynamics between B. thuringiensis var. tenebrionis and var. tolworthi in T. castaneum. The Smurf assay did not reveal a high occurrence of extensive gut disintegration in both host species upon ingestion during B. thuringiensis exposure.
Effect of Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) Functionalization and Maleic Anhydride-Grafted Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT-g-MA) on the Preparation of Antistatic Packages of PTT/CNT Nanocomposites
Authors: Ferreira Braga Natália , Morales Zaggo Henrique , Stieven Montagna Larissa , Roberto Passador Fabio
Published: April 2020

Electronic devices require the use of antistatic packing to prevent electrostatic discharge during their storage or transport. Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) is a polyester with excellent properties and can be a good candidate for this application. To make this insulating polymer an extrinsic conductor, carbon nanotubes (CNT) can be added to reduce the electrical resistivity of the nanocomposites. In order to facilitate the CNT distribution on polymeric matrix, it was proposed a chemical functionalization using nitric acid for the creation of functional groups on its surface. Moreover, the PTT matrix was modified with a compatibilizer agent based on maleic anhydride grafted PTT (PTT-g-MA), to improve interfacial adhesion between the nanofiller and matrix. In this work, nanocomposites based on PTT/PTT-g-MA/CNT were prepared by extrusion process, with 0.5 wt% and 1.0 wt% of CNT and functionalized CNT. CNT was characterized by stability dispersion in water, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR and XPS analysis, which prove the success of functionalization. The nanocomposites were evaluated by thermal analysis, tensile tests, electrical conductivity, and morphological analysis. The CNT functionalization and the addition of PTT-g-MA increased the dispersion and distribution of CNT in the PTT matrix. The electrical properties show that this material can be used as an antistatic packaging.
Soil Interaction and Grout Behavior for the NREL Reference Monopile Offshore Wind Turbine
Authors: Vieira Mário , Viana Miguel , Henriques Elsa , Reis Luís
Published: April 2020

Monopiles for offshore wind are the most used foundations by farm operators due to their low production costs, when compared to other bottom-fixed or floating foundations. In this research, a monopile foundation for offshore wind power was evaluated for its soil interaction and grout behavior, and an appropriate numerical model for the structural analysis of the foundation and tower was developed. FAST 8, an aero-hydro-servo-elastic numerical code developed by NREL, was used to obtain the loads applied on the supporting structures. These loads were pre-processed before they were inputted on the finite element model, developed using the finite element software ANSYS. The considered conical grout connection, which connects the monopile to the transition piece through friction, was modeled under a changing-status nonlinearity condition. To model the soil–pile interaction, a p-y model was applied using the ANSYS APDL commands. Static, modal, and transient structural analyses were produced to study the structure suitability for its use on offshore environments. Different soil interactions were modeled, and their results were then compared within the transient and modal analysis, indicating that the angle of the grout connection strongly affects the loading conditions on the grout. Moreover, scouring affects the dynamic behavior of the overall supporting structures, thus protection against this phenomenon is suggested.
Calculation of the Incompressible Viscous Fluid Flow in Piston Seals of Piston Hybrid Power Machines
Authors: Shcherba Viktor , Shalai Viktor , Pustovoy Nikolay , Pavlyuchenko Evgeniy , Gribanov Sergey , Dorofeev Egor
Published: April 2020

The article considers the calculation of the flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in piston seals of piston hybrid power machines. The most widely used and effective seals are considered: a smooth gap seal and a step-type gap seal, and—based on the references analyses—the initial boundary conditions for their calculation are determined. The laminar and turbulent flows in gap seals are calculated based on the well-known analytical relationships, experimental studies and flow models, including the k-ε, Menter’s Shear StressTransport (SST) and Reynolds Stress (RSM) turbulence models. The effectiveness of using each model to determine average velocities, flow rates, and velocity plots in the cross section of a gap seal, as well as the adequacy of the description of known physical laws, is estimated. The results proved that the RSM turbulence model is better for the gap seals of different types under different modes of motion.
Robustness of Interval Monge Matrices in Fuzzy Algebra
Authors: Hireš Máté , Molnárová Monika , Drotár Peter
Published: April 2020

Max–min algebra (called also fuzzy algebra) is an extremal algebra with operations maximum and minimum. In this paper, we study the robustness of Monge matrices with inexact data over max–min algebra. A matrix with inexact data (also called interval matrix) is a set of matrices given by a lower bound matrix and an upper bound matrix. An interval Monge matrix is the set of all Monge matrices from an interval matrix with Monge lower and upper bound matrices. There are two possibilities to define the robustness of an interval matrix. First, the possible robustness, if there is at least one robust matrix. Second, universal robustness, if all matrices are robust in the considered set of matrices. We found necessary and sufficient conditions for universal robustness in cases when the lower bound matrix is trivial. Moreover, we proved necessary conditions for possible robustness and equivalent conditions for universal robustness in cases where the lower bound matrix is non-trivial.
Trauma Coagulopathy and Its Outcomes
Authors: Savioli Gabriele , Ceresa Iride Francesca , Macedonio Sarah , Gerosa Sebastiano , Belliato Mirko , Iotti Giorgio Antonio , Luzzi Sabino , Del Maestro Mattia , Mezzini Gianluca , Giotta Lucifero Alice , Lafe Elvis , Simoncelli Anna , Manzoni Federica , Cobianchi Lorenzo , Mosconi Mario , Cuzzocrea Fabrizio , Benazzo Francesco , Ricevuti Giovanni , Bressan Maria Antonietta
Published: April 2020

Background and Objectives: Trauma coagulopathy begins at the moment of trauma. This study investigated whether coagulopathy upon arrival in the emergency room (ER) is correlated with increased hemotransfusion requirement, more hemodynamic instability, more severe anatomical damage, a greater need for hospitalization, and hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU). We also analyzed whether trauma coagulopathy is correlated with unfavorable indices, such as acidemia, lactate increase, and base excess (BE) increase. Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective, monocentric, observational study of all patients (n = 503) referred to the Department of Emergency and Acceptance, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, for major trauma from 1 January 2018 to 30 January 2019. Results: Of the 503 patients, 204 had trauma coagulopathy (group 1), whereas 299 patients (group 2) did not. Group 1 had a higher hemotransfusion rate than group 2. In group 1, 15% of patients showed hemodynamic instability compared with only 8% of group 2. The shock index (SI) distribution was worse in group 1 than in group 2. Group 1 was more often hypotensive, tachycardic, and with low oxygen saturation, and had a more severe injury severity score than group 2. In addition, 47% of group 1 had three or more body districts involved compared with 23% of group 2. The hospitalization rate was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (76% vs. 58%). The length of hospitalization was >10 days for 45% of group 1 compared with 28% of group 2. The hospitalization rate in the ICU was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (22% vs. 14.8%). The average duration of ICU hospitalization was longer in group 1 than in group 2 (12.5 vs. 9.78 days). Mortality was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (3.92% vs. 0.98%). Group 1 more often had acidemia and high lactates than group 2. Group 1 also more often had BE <−6. Conclusions: Trauma coagulopathy patients, upon arrival in the ER, have greater hemotransfusion (p = 0.016) requirements and need hospitalization (p = 0.032) more frequently than patients without trauma coagulopathy. Trauma coagulopathy seems to be more present in patients with a higher injury severity score (ISS) (p = 0.000) and a greater number of anatomical districts involved (p = 0.000). Head trauma (p = 0.000) and abdominal trauma (p = 0.057) seem related to the development of trauma coagulopathy. Males seem more exposed than females in developing trauma coagulopathy (p = 0.018). Upon arrival in the ER, the presence of tachycardia or alteration of SI and its derivatives can allow early detection of patients with trauma coagulopathy.
Influence of Laser-Assisted Fusing on Microstructural Evolution and Tribological Properties of NiWCrSiB Coating
Authors: Park Changkyoo , Chun Eun-Joon
Published: April 2020

The present study examines the applicability of a diode laser-assisted fusing treatment and a temperature-control system to the NiWCrSiB thermal spray coating to develop the enhanced wear resistance of continuous-casting molds. As a result of the use of the lasers, the variations in the microstructure and the hardening behavior during the fusing treatment could be controlled. Fine secondary phases (approximately 0.05–10 μm in size) homogeneously present in the coating after the laser-assisted fusing were observed to be Cr-, Mo- and W-based carbides and borides. Transmission electron microscope analysis was used to characterize these fine secondary phases as M7C3 and M23C6 carbides and M5B3 boride. Because of these fine secondary phases, the hardness increased from 730 (as-sprayed status) to 1230 HV (after fusing at a temperature of 1473 K). Finally, given the formation of fine secondary phases and the occurrence of surface hardening, the laser-assisted fusing treatment was deemed to enhance the tribological performance of the thermal-sprayed coating, in that it exhibited a lower coefficient of friction and lower wear rate than the as-sprayed coating.
Effect of Cooling Rates on the Microstructure and Mechanical Property of La Modified Al7SiMg Alloys Processed by Gravity Die Casting and Semi-Solid Die Casting
Authors: Li Longfei , Li Daquan , Feng Jian , Zhang Yongzhong , Kang Yonglin
Published: April 2020

Rare earth (RE) additions are capable of refining the α-Al phase as well as modifying the eutectic Si particles of alloys. The cooling rate in casting process should be carefully concerned when the Al-Si alloys are refined and modified by adding RE elements. In this study, the effect of cooling rates on the microstructure and mechanical properties of La modified Al-7.0Si-0.3Mg alloys was studied in gravity die casting and semi-solid die casting. It is found that in La modified Al-7.0Si-0.3Mg alloys, with increasing the cooling rate from 0.2 to 9 K/s in gravity die casting, the α-Al grains are greatly refined and the Si particles are modified to branching morphology, which evidently increases the UTS and elongation of alloys. In addition, when increasing the cooling rate from 30 to 130 K/s in semi-solid die casting, the α-Al grains are refined from 140 to 47 μm, and the Si particles are modified to fibrous morphology, which increases the UTS from 190 to 230 MPa and elongation from 10% to 11%. However, the 0.4 wt.% La addition results to La-rich phases formed in microstructure, which impairs the mechanical properties of Al-7.0Si-0.3Mg alloys in semi-solid die casting.
Corrosion Behavior and Mechanical Properties of AISI 316 Stainless Steel Clad Q235 Plate
Authors: Di Schino Andrea , Testani Claudio
Published: April 2020

This paper deals with carbon steel and stainless steel clad-plate properties. Cladding is performed by the submerged-arc welding (SAW) overlay process. Due to element diffusion (Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mn), a 1.5 mm wide diffusion layer is formed between the stainless steel and carbon steel interface of the cladded plate affecting corrosion resistance. Pitting resistance is evaluated by measuring the critical-pitting temperature (CPT), as described in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) G-48 standard test. Additionally, Huey immersion tests, in accordance with ASTM A262, Type C, are carried out to evaluate the intergranular corrosion resistance. Some hardness peaks are detected in microalloyed steel close to the molten interface line in the coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ). Results show that stress-relieving treatments are not sufficient to avoid hardness peaks. The hardness peaks in the CGHAZ of the microalloyed steel disappear after quenching and tempering (Q and T).
Survival Rate of Cells Sent by a Low Mechanical Load Tube Pump: The “Ring Pump”
Authors: Uesugi Kaoru , Nishiyama Keizo , Hirai Koki , Inoue Hiroaki , Sakurai Yoichi , Yamada Yoji , Taniguchi Takashi , Morishima Keisuke
Published: April 2020

A ring pump (RP) is a useful tool for microchannels and automated cell culturing. We have been developing RPs (a full-press ring pump, FRP; and a mid-press ring pump, MRP). However, damage to cells which were sent by the RP and the MRP was not investigated, and no other studies have compared the damage to cells between RPs and peristaltic pumps (PPs). Therefore, first, we evaluated the damage to cells that were sent by a small size FRP (s-FRP) and small size MRPs (s-MRPs; gap = 25 or 50 μm, respectively). “Small size” means that the s-FRP and the s-MRPs are suitable for microchannel-scale applications. The survival rate of cells sent by the s-MRPs was higher than those sent by the s-FRP, and less damage caused by the former. Second, we compared the survival rate of cells that were sent by a large size FRP (l-FRP), a large size MRP (l-MRP) (gap = 50 μm) and a PP. “Large size” means that the l-FRP and the l-MRP are suitable for automated cell culture system applications. We could not confirm any differences among the cell survival rates. On the other hand, when cells suspended in Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline solution were circulated with the l-MRP (gap = 50 μm) and the PP, we confirmed a difference in cell survival rate, and less damage caused by the former.
Effects of Sample Shapes and Thickness on Distribution of Temperature inside the Mineral Ilmenite Due to Microwave Heating
Authors: Hidayat Mas Irfan P. , Felicia Dian M. , Rafandi Ferdiansyah I. , Machmudah Affiani
Published: April 2020

The study of interaction between microwave radiation and minerals is gaining increasing interest in the field of minerals and material processing. Further studies are, however, still required to deepen the understanding of such microwave heating mechanisms in order to develop innovative techniques for mineral treatment using microwave heating. In this paper, effects of sample shapes and thickness on the distribution of temperature inside the mineral ilmenite (FeTiO3) due to microwave heating were numerically studied using the finite element (FE) method. The analysis was carried out in such a way that the flux of microwave energy was converted into an equivalent amount of heat generation in the mineral through the Poynting theorem of conservation of energy for the electromagnetic field. In this study, as a first attempt, the cylinder and slab of ilmenite were modeled to be irradiated from top and bottom surfaces with the variation of cylinder and slab thicknesses. Temperature-dependent material properties of ilmenite were taken into account in the FE simulation. Corresponding boundary conditions were then applied accordingly to the cylinder and slab of ilmenite with comparable characteristic length. Numerical results showed that, in terms of temperature differences between locations having maximum and minimum temperatures, slab geometries tended to produce higher values in comparison to those of cylinder geometries with the thickness variation, while the profiles of temperature inside the ilmenite samples were similar for both geometries. For the same duration of microwave heating, the slab geometry, hence, induced greater non-uniformity of temperature inside the ilmenite. It was also observed that, for the ilmenite samples with thickness value greater than 1.5 cm, the hotspot locations were not in the center of the sample, but on the surface of sample. Moreover, from several thickness values considered in this study, the ilmenite sample with thickness value of 3 cm gave a good trade-off between the maximum temperature value attained and temperature differences inside the sample, for both geometries. Thus, the shape and thickness of ilmenite samples affect the effectiveness of microwave heating of ilmenite, in terms of maximum temperature attained, temperature differences, and uniformity of temperature.
Generating Silicon Nanofiber Clusters from Grinding Sludge by Millisecond Pulsed Laser Irradiation
Authors: Momoki Ko , Takahashi Kunimitsu , Kobinata Kyosuke , Kobayashi Yoshikazu , Kawai Akihito , Yan Jiwang
Published: April 2020

Silicon nanofiber clusters were successfully generated by the irradiation of millisecond pulsed laser light on silicon sludge disposed from wafer back-grinding processes. It was found that the size, intensity, and growing speed of the laser-induced plume varied with the gas pressure, while the size and morphology of the nanofibers were dependent on the laser pulse duration. The generated nanofibers were mainly amorphous with crystalline nanoparticles on their tips. The crystallinity and oxidation degree of the nanofibers depended on the preheating conditions of the silicon sludge. This study demonstrated the possibility of changing silicon waste into functional nanomaterials, which are possibly useful for fabricating high-performance lithium-ion battery electrodes.
Ab-Initio Study of the Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Boron- and Nitrogen-Doped Penta-Graphene
Authors: Zhang Chao , Cao Yu , Dai Xing , Ding Xian-Yong , Chen Leilei , Li Bing-Sheng , Wang Dong-Qi
Published: April 2020

First-principles calculations were performed to investigate the effects of boron/nitrogen dopant on the geometry, electronic structure and magnetic properties of the penta-graphene system. It was found that the electronic band gap of penta-graphene could be tuned and varied between 1.88 and 2.12 eV depending on the type and location of the substitution. Moreover, the introduction of dopant could cause spin polarization and lead to the emergence of local magnetic moments. The main origin of the magnetic moment was analyzed and discussed by the examination of the spin-polarized charge density. Furthermore, the direction of charge transfer between the dopant and host atoms could be attributed to the competition between the charge polarization and the atomic electronegativity. Two charge-transfer mechanisms worked together to determine which atoms obtained electrons. These results provide the possibility of modifying penta-graphene by doping, making it suitable for future applications in the field of optoelectronic and magnetic devices.
Better Dietary Knowledge and Socioeconomic Status (SES), Better Body Mass Index? Evidence from China—An Unconditional Quantile Regression Approach
Authors: Yu Jie , Han Xiao , Wen Hongxing , Ren Jinzheng , Qi Lihong
Published: April 2020

Obesity is a rapidly growing public health threat in China. Improvement of dietary knowledge may potentially reduce the risk of obesity and being overweight. However, existing studies focus on measuring the mean effects of nutrition knowledge on body mass index (BMI). There is a lack of literature on the effect of dietary knowledge on BMI, and the potential heterogeneity of the effect across the whole BMI distribution and across socioeconomic status (SES) groups. This study aims to investigate the heterogeneous nature of the relationship between dietary knowledge, SES, and BMI, using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 2015. We employed unconditional quantile regression (UQR) to assess how the relationship between dietary knowledge, SES, and BMI varies across the whole BMI distribution, and conducted subgroup analyses using different socio-economic subsamples. Results indicate that dietary knowledge had no statistically significant impact on BMI across the BMI distribution. There was a large degree of heterogeneity in the SES effect across the BMI distribution as well as a major gender difference in the SES effect on BMI. Education had a significant and inverse association with BMI across the BMI distribution, greater at higher BMI quantiles. Income growth had a larger effect on the 50th quantile of BMI for males in the middle-income group, but was not significant for females. As income increased, males without college educations had higher BMI while females with college or higher education generally had lower BMI. The findings of this study reveal the heterogeneous nature of the relationship between SES, gender, and obesity across the entire BMI distribution, suggesting that quantile regressions might offer a valuable framework for exploring the complex relationship of dietary knowledge, demographic, and socio-economic factors on obesity.
Phenylpropanoid Pathway Engineering: An Emerging Approach towards Plant Defense
Authors: Yadav Vivek , Wang Zhongyuan , Wei Chunhua , Amo Aduragbemi , Ahmed Bilal , Yang Xiaozhen , Zhang Xian
Published: April 2020

Pathogens hitting the plant cell wall is the first impetus that triggers the phenylpropanoid pathway for plant defense. The phenylpropanoid pathway bifurcates into the production of an enormous array of compounds based on the few intermediates of the shikimate pathway in response to cell wall breaches by pathogens. The whole metabolomic pathway is a complex network regulated by multiple gene families and it exhibits refined regulatory mechanisms at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels. The pathway genes are involved in the production of anti-microbial compounds as well as signaling molecules. The engineering in the metabolic pathway has led to a new plant defense system of which various mechanisms have been proposed including salicylic acid and antimicrobial mediated compounds. In recent years, some key players like phenylalanine ammonia lyases (PALs) from the phenylpropanoid pathway are proposed to have broad spectrum disease resistance (BSR) without yield penalties. Now we have more evidence than ever, yet little understanding about the pathway-based genes that orchestrate rapid, coordinated induction of phenylpropanoid defenses in response to microbial attack. It is not astonishing that mutants of pathway regulator genes can show conflicting results. Therefore, precise engineering of the pathway is an interesting strategy to aim at profitably tailored plants. Here, this review portrays the current progress and challenges for phenylpropanoid pathway-based resistance from the current prospective to provide a deeper understanding.
Intention to Use Sustainable Green Logistics Platforms
Authors: Kwak Su-Young , Cho Woo-Sung , Seok Gil-Am , Yoo Seung-Gyun
Published: April 2020

Recently, logistics platforms that facilitate interaction and the exchange and transaction of information have quickly emerged in the Korean domestic market. In order to further advance the development of logistics platforms into green logistics platforms in which participation in the early stages is not active, appropriate checks and balances are needed so that service providers, users, and platform operators can grow together in green logistics platforms. The purpose of this study is to empirically verify the factors affecting participants’ intentions to use green logistics platforms. Out of the 230 questionnaires distributed from 25 June to 11 July 2019, 14 were excluded from analyses due to unsatisfactory responses, while 216 responses were used for statistical processing. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to test hypotheses in this research. The results showed that the network effect and security factors influenced perceived usefulness, and trust did not affect perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness also significantly influenced the intention to use green logistics platforms. The results of this study present strategies and directions for the future development of green logistics platforms.
Marketing industrial: un tópico poco explorado
Authors: Fernández Bedoya Victor Hugo
Published: April 2020

El propósito de este artículo fue el de proporcionar una fuente actualizada en relación a los tópicos de marketing industrial. Se analizaron los fundamentos del marketing en empresas industriales (de ahora en adelante B2B) de diversas fuentes, comparándolo con el marketing de empresas de consumo (de ahora en adelante B2C). Para finalizar, el investigador presentó las conclusiones del análisis y una serie de recomendaciones para su correcto aprovechamiento en la industria.
El progreso de las tecnología de información y comunicación en el ámbito educativo
Authors: Agnelli faggioli Alizia
Published: April 2020

El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo, analizar a las tecnologias de información y comunicación en la educación en el escenario de transformaciones, debido a que la enseñanza y el proceso educativo deben machar a la par de los cambios que se viven a diario en el contexto local, regional, nacional, internacional y global, donde el desarrollo del internet y las tecnologia de información y comunicación, han creado en las personas y en la sociedad en general un conocimiento en la forma de vivir el presente y de plantearse en el futuro grandes cambios. Su alcance consiste en la necesidad de entender que los ambientes telemáticos  han permitido una interacción de comunicaciones a través de una cadena de redes que ha logrado que el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje sea de una forma efectiva. Desde la perspectiva metodológica la investigación fue documental a través del análisis de las fuentes bibliográficas sobre la temática. Los resultados permitieron determinar que este sistema que abarca educadores y alumnos, les posibilita interactuar en un tiempo real. Se concluyó que a través de las tecnologias de información y comunicación se ha logrado una evolución en la educación porque ha reformado la manera de enseñar y donde el rol del docente y el estudiante juegan un papel importante.
Palabras Claves: Tecnologia. Información. Comunicación. Educación.
Papel de la Educación en la prevención de la criminalidad femenina
Authors: Conopoima Moreno Yeriny del carmen
Published: April 2020

Reflexionar en torno a las causas que impulsan la comisión de delitos, es ubicarse en un amplio espectro de factores, no obstante, se ha determinado que dentro de esos factores se cuentan el nivel socioeconómico de quienes incursionan en acciones criminales, que a su vez se vincula directamente con la educación, la cultura, la familia, la sociedad, la psicología, y la economía del individuo. Dentro de ese campo delictivo, la criminalidad femenina, aun cuando se ha ido progresivamente incrementando, es un tema que pareciera no tener la importancia que merece. De hecho, se realizan diversidad de estudios alrededor de la temática delictiva masculina, pero en cuanto a la femenina, no pareciera despertar el mismo interés. De allí que el presente artículo aborda esta importante problemática de la criminalidad femenina desde el rol que debe cumplir la educación para su prevención. Se parte de la premisa de la Escuela como factor de protección en las conductas transgresoras y como elemento coadyuvador de la educación que debe ser impartida en la familia para una formación en valores.
Análisis de la demanda del servicio eléctrico de los hogares de la Parroquia Jambelí
Authors: León Lady
Published: April 2020

Los cambios de comportamiento en la adquisición de servicios básicos han repercutido en los niveles de consumo de cada localidad de la ciudad de Machala, aun cuando las características de los habitantes son diferentes por la calidad de vida, han incidido en el factor social, familiar y renta. Por tal motivo, el objetivo de la investigación es determinar la demanda de servicio eléctrico de los hogares de la Parroquia Jambelí, ciudad de Machala, para cumplir con el objetivo fue necesario establecer la localidad y tipo de instrumento de aplicación que influyeron en la variación del consumo de energía eléctrica. La metodología fue de tipo exploratoria, descriptiva y de alcance correlacional, se aplicó el instrumento de investigación correspondiente a una ficha tipo encuesta dirigida a las familias del sector, los datos fueron procesados mediante modelación econométrica. Los principales resultados demostraron que el modelo aplicado es acertado y las variantes tienen incidencia en la demanda de dicho servicio básico. Las conclusiones generales establecieron que el nivel de ingresos, la edad, número de integrantes por hogar, número de artefactos eléctricos, temporada y tipo de vivienda (edificio) fueron factores claves para el aumento del consumo de electricidad, afectando la capacidad económica de los hogares, así como la necesidad de políticas públicas para mantener un consumo responsable.
Diseño de un plan de manejo forestal para el bosque de la Hacienda el Prado
Authors: Álvarez Poveda Carlos Andrés , Casamín Serrano Henry
Published: April 2020

Se realizó un plan de manejo forestal para el bosque de la Hacienda El Prado, con la finalidad de obtener la licencia de aprovechamiento forestal que permita aprovechar los recursos forestales del bosque de manera sostenible y sustentable. Primeramente se determinó el área de bosque, luego se realizó una valoración de los recursos forestales existentes y en base a esta información se llenaron los formularios del Plan Operativo de Aprovechamiento (POAP), para el manejo sustentable de los bosques andinos, requisitos necesarios para el trámite de obtención de la licencia de aprovechamiento forestal. El área del bosque de eucalipto encontrada en la hacienda El Prado fue de 113 ha, de las cuales 72,32 ha correspondieron a pendiente alta y 40,68 ha a pendiente leve. Con la información recolectada, se elaboró un plan operativo de aprovechamiento, en donde se detallan las tareas de aprovechamiento selectivo en el área previamente preparada y delimitada y los volúmenes de madera de eucalipto a ser cortada, aprovechada, utilizada y/o afectada, directamente; este plan deberá ser presentado en el Ministerio del Ambiente para la obtención de la licencia de aprovechamiento forestal.
Aumento de alta calidad de la brachiaria (Brachiaria humidicola) por asociación del árbol Leguminoso Acacia (Acacia mangium): -sistema silvopastoril en un suelo inceptisol, Panamá
Authors: Tomita Kentaro
Published: April 2020

El presente artículo muestra la baja sostenibilidad de la producción arrocera de ssecano por el uso de crecientes cantidades de insumos químicos. Esto con la finalidad de lograr establecer un sistema sostenible con bajos insumos para el cultivo de arroz en la región. Por otra parte, la Acacia mangium, es un árbol leguminoso, robusto de fácil establecimiento en plantaciones. El trabajo consistió en la evaluación de los tratamientos en parcelas experimentales ubicadas en la finca experimental de El Coco perteneciente, sobre un suelo clasificado en la familia Fino, mezclado, isohipertérmico, Aeric Tropaquept. El clima del sitio se caracteriza por ser tropical húmedo, con promedio de 1480 mm de precipitación al año, con una temperatura promedio que oscila entre 20 y 35 ºC. Se utilizó los árboles leguminosos Acacia que se han establecido durante unos 13 años en la Finca experimental de El Coco en el Instituto de Investigación Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP). De los resultados obtenidos, el crecimiento y análisis nutritivo de la Brachiaria en el tratamiento de Brachiaria asociada con Acacia fueron más altos que los de la Brachiria en el tratamiento de Brachiaria sola, relativamente, y especialmente, se observó más alto para proteína bruta en la hoja veija de la Acacia en comparación con el contenido de preteína bruta en la Brachiaria, teniendo en cuenta un árbol leguminoso.
Sistem Informasi Penggajian di PT. Perkebunan Nusantara IV
Authors: Hamizan Auji , Mayasari Mayasari , Saputri Rahayu , Pohan Randi Novhendra
Published: April 2020

PT. Perkebunan Nusantara IV merupakan suatu Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN) yang bergerak pada bidang usaha agroindustri. Walaupun sebuah perusahaan yang besar, namun sistem informasi penggajian pada perusahaan tersebut ada beberapa tahap yang masih dilakukan dengan cara yang manual, sehingga dapat menyebabkan tidak efektif dalam manajemen waktu dan keamanan data. Adapun perancangan sistem yang akan dibangun dengan menggunakan metode waterfall dan pemprograman terstruktur sebagai alat bantu proses, sedangkan alat pengembangan aplikasi database menggunakan MySQL. Pembuatan aplikasi ini mengikuti tahapan-tahapan SDLC (System Development Life Cycle). Hal ini menjadikan sistem penggajian perlu didukung oleh sistem informasi yang baik. Dalam rangka mengembangkan sistem penggajian di PT. Perkebunan Nusantara IV . Website ini berfungsi untuk mengolah data tentang penggajian di PT. Perkebunan Nusantara IV. Tujuannya adalah untuk mempermudah perusahaan dalam manajemen waktu dan keamanan terhadap perhitungan maupun keamanan data penggajian karyawan dan menyajikan informasi yang akurat untuk tiap karyawan.