bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Improved Spatiotemporal Fusion Approach Based on Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis
Authors: Liu Wenjie , Zeng Yongnian , Li Songnian , Pi Xinyu , Huang Wei
Published: May 2019

High spatial and temporal resolution remotely sensed data is of great significance for the extraction of land use/cover information and the quantitative inversion of biophysical parameters. However, due to the limitation of sensor performance and the influence of rain cloud weather, it is difficult to obtain remote sensing images with both high spatial and temporal resolution. The spatiotemporal fusion model is a crucial method to solve this problem. The spatial and temporal adaptive reflectivity fusion model (STARFM) and its improved models are the most widely used spatiotemporal adaptive fusion models. However, the existing spatiotemporal adaptive reflectivity fusion model and its improved models have great uncertainty in selecting neighboring similar pixels, especially in spatially heterogeneous areas. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively search and determine neighboring spectrally similar pixels in STARFM-like models, resulting in a decrease of imagery fusion accuracy. In this research, we modify the procedure of neighboring similar pixel selection of ESTARFM method and propose an improved ESTARFM method (I-ESTARFM). Based on the land cover endmember types and its fraction values obtained by spectral mixing analysis, the neighboring similar pixels can be effectively selected. The experimental results indicate that the I-ESTARFM method selects neighboring spectrally similar pixels more accurately than STARFM and ESTARFM models. Compared with the STARFM and ESTARFM, the correlation coefficients of the image fused by the I-ESTARFM with that of the actual image are increased and the mean square error is decreased, especially in spatially heterogeneous areas. The uncertainty of spectral similar neighborhood pixel selection is reduced and the precision of spatial-temporal fusion is improved.
Physiological Arousal Quantifying Perception of Safe and Unsafe Virtual Environments by Older and Younger Adults
Authors: Leite Sofia , Dias Miguel S. , Eloy Sara , Freitas João , Marques Sibila , Pedro Tiago , Ourique Lázaro
Published: May 2019

Physiological arousal has been increasingly applied to monitor exploration (or navigation) of a virtual environment (VE), especially when the VE is designed to evoke an anxiety-related response. The present work aims to evaluate human physiological reactions to safe and unsafe VEs. We compared the effect of the presence of handrails in the VE in two different samples, young and older adults, through self-reports and physiological data: Electrodermal activation (EDA) and electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors. After navigation, self-report questionnaires were administered. We found that the VEs evoked a clearly differentiated perception of safety and unsafety demonstrated through self-reports, with older adults being more discriminative in their responses and reporting a higher sense of presence. In terms of physiological data, the effect of handrails did not provoke significant differences in arousal. Safety was better operationalized by discriminating neutral/non-neutral spaces, where the reaction of older adults was more pronounced than young adults. Results serve as a basis for orienting future experiments in the line of VE and applied physiology usage in the architectural spaces design process. This specific work also provided a basis for the development of applications that integrate virtual reality and applied biofeedback, tapping into mobility and ageing.
Non-Invasive Sensing of Nitrogen in Plant Using Digital Images and Machine Learning for Brassica Campestris ssp. Chinensis L.
Authors: Xiong Xin , Zhang Jingjin , Guo Doudou , Chang Liying , Huang Danfeng
Published: May 2019

Monitoring plant nitrogen (N) in a timely way and accurately is critical for precision fertilization. The imaging technology based on visible light is relatively inexpensive and ubiquitous, and open-source analysis tools have proliferated. In this study, texture- and geometry-related phenotyping combined with color properties were investigated for their potential use in evaluating N in pakchoi (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis L.). Potted pakchoi treated with four levels of N were cultivated in a greenhouse. Their top-view images were acquired using a camera at six growth stages. The corresponding plant N concentration was determined destructively. The quantitative relationships between the nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) and the image-based phenotyping features were established using the following algorithms: random forest (RF), support vector regression (SVR), and neural network (NN). The results showed the full model based on the color, texture, and geometry-related features outperforms the model based on only the color-related feature in predicting the NNI. The RF full model exhibited the most robust performance in both the seedling and harvest stages, reaching prediction accuracies of 0.823 and 0.943, respectively. The high prediction accuracy of the model allows for a low-cost, non-destructive monitoring of N in the field of precision crop management.
Pseudo-Random Encryption for Security Data Transmission in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Liang , Chen Wen , Li Tao , Liu Yuling
Published: May 2019

The security of wireless sensor networks (WSN) has become a great challenge due to the transmission of sensor data through an open and wireless network with limited resources. In the paper, we discussed a lightweight security scheme to protect the confidentiality of data transmission between sensors and an ally fusion center (AFC) over insecure links. For the typical security problem of WSN’s binary hypothesis testing of a target’s state, sensors were divided into flipping and non-flipping groups according to the outputs of a pseudo-random function which was held by sensors and the AFC. Then in order to prevent an enemy fusion center (EFC) from eavesdropping, the binary outputs from the flipping group were intentionally flipped to hinder the EFC’s data fusion. Accordingly, the AFC performed inverse flipping to recover the flipped data before data fusion. We extended the scheme to a more common scenario with multiple scales of sensor quantification and candidate states. The underlying idea was that the sensor measurements were randomly mapped to other quantification scales using a mapping matrix, which ensured that as long as the EFC was not aware of the matrix, it could not distract any useful information from the captured data, while the AFC could appropriately perform data fusion based on the inverse mapping of the sensor outputs.
Emerging Transistor Technologies Capable of Terahertz Amplification: A Way to Re-Engineer Terahertz Radar Sensors
Authors: Božanić Mladen , Sinha Saurabh
Published: May 2019

This paper reviews the state of emerging transistor technologies capable of terahertz amplification, as well as the state of transistor modeling as required in terahertz electronic circuit research. Commercial terahertz radar sensors of today are being built using bulky and expensive technologies such as Schottky diode detectors and lasers, as well as using some emerging detection methods. Meanwhile, a considerable amount of research effort has recently been invested in process development and modeling of transistor technologies capable of amplifying in the terahertz band. Indium phosphide (InP) transistors have been able to reach maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) values of over 1 THz for around a decade already, while silicon-germanium bipolar complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) compatible heterojunction bipolar transistors have only recently crossed the fmax = 0.7 THz mark. While it seems that the InP technology could be the ultimate terahertz technology, according to the fmax and related metrics, the BiCMOS technology has the added advantage of lower cost and supporting a wider set of integrated component types. BiCMOS can thus be seen as an enabling factor for re-engineering of complete terahertz radar systems, for the first time fabricated as miniaturized monolithic integrated circuits. Rapid commercial deployment of monolithic terahertz radar chips, furthermore, depends on the accuracy of transistor modeling at these frequencies. Considerations such as fabrication and modeling of passives and antennas, as well as packaging of complete systems, are closely related to the two main contributions of this paper and are also reviewed here. Finally, this paper probes active terahertz circuits that have already been reported and that have the potential to be deployed in a re-engineered terahertz radar sensor system and attempts to predict future directions in re-engineering of monolithic radar sensors.
Unsupervised Learning for Depth, Ego-Motion, and Optical Flow Estimation Using Coupled Consistency Conditions
Authors: Mun Ji-Hun , Jeon Moongu , Lee Byung-Geun
Published: May 2019

Herein, we propose an unsupervised learning architecture under coupled consistency conditions to estimate the depth, ego-motion, and optical flow. Previously invented learning techniques in computer vision adopted a large amount of the ground truth dataset for network training. A ground truth dataset, including depth and optical flow collected from the real world, requires tremendous effort in pre-processing due to the exposure to noise artifacts. In this paper, we propose a framework that trains networks while using a different type of data with combined losses that are derived from a coupled consistency structure. The core concept is composed of two parts. First, we compare the optical flows, which are estimated from both the depth plus ego-motion and flow estimation network. Subsequently, to prevent the effects of the artifacts of the occluded regions in the estimated optical flow, we compute flow local consistency along the forward–backward directions. Second, synthesis consistency enables the exploration of the geometric correlation between the spatial and temporal domains in a stereo video. We perform extensive experiments on the depth, ego-motion, and optical flow estimation on the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Toyota Technological Institute (KITTI) dataset. We verify that the flow local consistency loss improves the optical flow accuracy in terms of the occluded regions. Furthermore, we also show that the view-synthesis-based photometric loss enhances the depth and ego-motion accuracy via scene projection. The experimental results exhibit the competitive performance of the estimated depth and the optical flow; moreover, the induced ego-motion is comparable to that obtained from other unsupervised methods.
Heuristics for Two Depot Heterogeneous Unmanned Vehicle Path Planning to Minimize Maximum Travel Cost
Authors: Bae Jungyun , Chung Woojin
Published: May 2019

A solution to the multiple depot heterogeneous traveling salesman problem with a min-max objective is in great demand with many potential applications of unmanned vehicles, as it is highly related to a reduction in the job completion time. As an initial idea for solving the min-max multiple depot heterogeneous traveling salesman problem, new heuristics for path planning problem of two heterogeneous unmanned vehicles are proposed in this article. Specifically, a task allocation and routing problem of two (structurally) heterogeneous unmanned vehicles that are located in distinctive depots and a set of targets to visit is considered. The unmanned vehicles, being heterogeneous, have different travel costs that are determined by their motion constraints. The objective is to find a tour for each vehicle such that each target location is visited at least once by one of the vehicles while the maximum travel cost is minimized. Two heuristics based on a primal-dual technique are proposed to solve the cases where the travel costs are symmetric and asymmetric. The computational results of the implementation have shown that the proposed algorithms produce feasible solutions of good quality within relatively short computation times.
Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Nanotube Structures Used for Temperature Measurement
Authors: Monea Bogdan Florian , Ionete Eusebiu Ilarian , Spiridon Stefan Ionut , Ion-Ebrasu Daniela , Petre Emil
Published: May 2019

Accurate measurement of temperatures with low power consumption with the highest sensitivity and smallest possible elements is still a challenge. The thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have suggested that their use as a very sensitive sensing element will allow the creation of different sensors, far superior to other devices of similar size. In this paper, we present a short review of different constructive designs of CNTs based resistive sensors used for temperature measurement, available in literature, assembled using different processes, such as self-assembly, drop-casting from a solution, thin films obtained by gluing, printing, spraying, or filtration over a special membrane. As particular cases, temperature sensors obtained from CNT-polymer nanocomposite structures, CNTs filled with uniformly dispersed Fe3O4 nanoparticles or with gallium, and carbon nanotube wires (CNWs) hybrids are presented. Using these preparation procedures, mixtures of CNTs with different dimensions and chirality, as well as with a variable level of impurities and structural defects, can be produced. The sensors’ performance charts are presented, highlighting a number of aspects regarding the applicability of CNT structures for temperature measurement ranging from cryogenic temperatures to high temperatures, the limitations they have, their characteristics and advantages, as well as the special situations that may arise given the particular structure of these new types of materials, together with basic relationships and parameters for CNTs characterization. Further research will be required to develop the techniques of manipulating and depositing individual CNTs on supports and electrodes for the development of temperature sensors.
Autonomous Searching for a Diffusive Source Based on Minimizing the Combination of Entropy and Potential Energy
Authors: Song Cheng , He Yuyao , Lei Xiaokang
Published: May 2019

The infotaxis scheme is a search strategy for a diffusive source, where the sensor platform is driven to reduce the uncertainty about the source through climbing the information gradient. The infotaxis scheme has been successfully applied in many source searching tasks and has demonstrated fast and stable searching capabilities. However, the infotaxis scheme focuses on gathering information to reduce the uncertainty down to zero, rather than chasing the most probable estimated source when a reliable estimation is obtained. This leads the sensor to spend more time exploring the space and yields a longer search path. In this paper, from the context of exploration-exploitation balance, a novel search scheme based on minimizing free energy that combines the entropy and the potential energy is proposed. The term entropy is implemented as the exploration to gather more information. The term potential energy, leveraging the distance to the estimated sources, is implemented as the exploitation to reinforce the chasing behavior with the receding of the uncertainty. It results in a faster effective search strategy by which the sensor determines its actions by minimizing the free energy rather than only the entropy in traditional infotaxis. Simulations of the source search task based on the computational plume verify the efficiency of the proposed strategy, achieving a shorter mean search time.
ADLAuth: Passive Authentication Based on Activity of Daily Living Using Heterogeneous Sensing in Smart Cities
Authors: Malik Maryam Naseer , Azam Muhammad Awais , Ehatisham-Ul-Haq Muhammad , Ejaz Waleed , Khalid Asra
Published: May 2019

The Internet of Things is a rapidly growing paradigm for smart cities that provides a way of communication, identification, and sensing capabilities among physically distributed devices. With the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoTs), user dependence on smart systems and services, such as smart appliances, smartphone, security, and healthcare applications, has been increased. This demands secure authentication mechanisms to preserve the users’ privacy when interacting with smart devices. This paper proposes a heterogeneous framework “ADLAuth” for passive and implicit authentication of the user using either a smartphone’s built-in sensor or wearable sensors by analyzing the physical activity patterns of the users. Multiclass machine learning algorithms are applied to users’ identity verification. Analyses are performed on three different datasets of heterogeneous sensors for a diverse number of activities. A series of experiments have been performed to test the effectiveness of the proposed framework. The results demonstrate the better performance of the proposed scheme compared to existing work for user authentication.
A Sensitive Band to Optimize Winter Wheat Crop Residue Cover Estimation by Eliminating Moisture Effect
Authors: Wang Yamei , Zhao Shuhe , Cai Wenting , Heo Joon , Peng Fanchen
Published: May 2019

Crop residues can retain soil moisture and increase soil organic matter. Crop residue cover is also a hot issue in agricultural remote sensing. Crop residue cover can be estimated linearly with cellulose absorption index (CAI), while moisture of crop residues and soil would reduce the accuracy of crop residue cover estimation. Crop residue and soil were used as materials to carry out the laboratory experiment to reveal the impact of moisture on crop residue cover estimation and eliminate said impact. This paper discovered a sensitive band, R2005, which can invert water content of materials to eliminate moisture effect and improve estimation accuracy of crop residue cover. In terms of inverting water content, compared with two ratio water indices proposed in 2016 (R1.6/R1.5, R1.6/R2.0), using R2005 can increase R2 from 0.828 to 0.935 and decline root-mean-square error (RMSE) from 0.12 to 0.07. At the point of results validation, R2 is 0.958 and RMSE is 0.06, indicating R2005 has a high accuracy. Another advantage of R2005 is that it is more suitable to promote to actual production because of simple and efficient band calculation.
Combined Influence of Absorptive Capacity and Corporate Entrepreneurship on Performance
Authors: Jiménez-Barrionuevo M.ª Magdalena , Molina Luis M. , García-Morales Víctor J.
Published: May 2019

Drawing on a dynamic capabilities perspective and a resource-based view, this article analyzes the relationship between absorptive capacity and corporate entrepreneurship, and their combined effect on organizations’ performance. It contributes to the literature by dissociating the dimensions of absorptive capacity (potential and realized) and corporate entrepreneurship (innovativeness, proactiveness, new business venturing, and self-renewal). A quantitative study was performed with data gathered by personal interviews, using a structured questionnaire. The theoretical model was estimated through a structural equation model, using a sample of 168 Spanish firms. The results show that proactiveness positively influences innovativeness and that both proactiveness and innovativeness have a positive influence on potential and realized absorptive capacity. A significant positive relationship also exists between potential and realized absorptive capacity. Furthermore, realized absorptive capacity positively influences new business venturing and self-renewal. Finally, proactiveness and new business venturing directly and positively influence organizational performance, but not innovativeness and self-renewal. The study demonstrates that entrepreneurs must be able to enhance potential and realize absorptive capacities at the same time in order to improve the end performance of their corporate entrepreneurial projects. Both absorptive capacities are strongly related to corporate entrepreneurial activities and have a strong influence on firms’ performance.
Tourists’ Willingness to Pay Increased Entrance Fees at Mexican Protected Areas: A Multi-Site Contingent Valuation Study
Authors: Witt Brian
Published: May 2019

It can be challenging to set protected area entrance fees without information on how much visitors are willing to pay. It is particularly difficult for agencies managing multiple sites to set fees without conducting surveys at each location. In order to examine how willingness to pay estimates would vary across sites with distinctive profiles, 877 visitors at five Mexican protected sites (Calakmul, Cobá, Palenque, Sian Ka’an, and Yum Balam) were interviewed through double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation surveys. The results suggest that visitors would be willing to pay higher entrance fees, with mean maximum willingness to pay estimates of 2.8–9.8 times current fees, ranging from US$15.70 to US$25.83. Visitor demand was found to be relatively inelastic, with aggregate fee rises of 26% estimated to result in a 5% decrease in visitation. These results suggest that there is room to raise revenues through moderate fee increases without a concomitant drop-off in visitation.
The Effects of Urban Sprawl and Industrial Agglomeration on Environmental Efficiency: Evidence from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Feng Dong , Li Jian , Li Xintao , Zhang Zaisheng
Published: May 2019

Environmental efficiency evaluation is an effective way to assess the synergetic development degree between the economy and environment. In order to realize the mechanism of the effects of urban sprawl and industrial agglomeration on environmental efficiency by using the super efficiency Slacks-based Measure (SBM) model with undesirable outputs, this paper firstly calculates the environmental efficiency of the 13 cities in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration from 2006 to 2017. Then, based on the panel data of the 13 cities, we empirically examine the influence of urban sprawl and industrial agglomeration on environmental efficiency by adopting the panel Tobit regression model. The results show that large gaps exist in the degree of the cities’ environmental efficiency in the research period, and only Beijing’s environmental efficiency exhibits full efficiency in the 13 cities, with the overall environmental efficiency of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration presenting a decreasing trend. Additionally, the Tobit regression results indicate that urban sprawl has a significantly negative impact on environmental efficiency, but with the continual improvement of industrial agglomeration, the negative effects of urban sprawl will be partially offset. From the regression results of control variables, economic growth and urbanization developments have an inhibiting effect on the promotion of environmental efficiency. Furthermore, industrial structure optimization and technological innovation are helpful to improve environmental efficiency. The opening-up policy has had a significantly positive impact on environmental efficiency, and the “pollution paradise” hypothesis was untenable in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration.
Environmental Efficiency of Organic and Conventional Cotton in Benin
Authors: Bonou-zin Régina D.C. , Allali Khalil , Fadlaoui Aziz
Published: May 2019

Recent years have seen an increasing awareness of the relative advantage of organic and conventional agriculture. This study aims to analyze the environmental efficiency of organic and conventional cotton in Benin. A Translog hyperbolic distance function which allows us to consider the joint production of desirable and undesirable output is used to analyze the environmental efficiency among organic and conventional cotton production farmers. The model includes factors that affect environmental efficiency. Greenhouse gas (GHG) was used as an indicator of undesirable output. Data were collected from 355 cotton producers (180 organics and 175 conventional) randomly selected in the cotton belt of Northern Benin. The results show that although organic cotton producers contribute less to GHG emission, they are environmentally inefficient compared to their conventional counterparts. Producers could improve the quantity of cotton produced by 27% and 17% while reducing emissions by 21% and 14% respectively for both organic and conventional cotton to achieve better environmental performance. However, the analysis of the shadow price revealed that organic cotton producers face lower opportunity cost than conventional producers. These results suggest that there is a need for more technical support and environmental education to improve the environmental efficiency of organic cotton in Benin.
Elements of Hyperstructure Theory in UWSN Design and Data Aggregation
Authors: Novák Michal , Křehlík Štepán , Ovaliadis Kyriakos
Published: May 2019

In our paper we discuss how elements of algebraic hyperstructure theory can be used in the context of underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSN). We present a mathematical model which makes use of the fact that when deploying nodes or operating the network we, from the mathematical point of view, regard an operation (or a hyperoperation) and a binary relation. In this part of the paper we relate our context to already existing topics of the algebraic hyperstructure theory such as quasi-order hypergroups, E L -hyperstructures, or ordered hyperstructures. Furthermore, we make use of the theory of quasi-automata (or rather, semiautomata) to relate the process of UWSN data aggregation to the existing algebraic theory of quasi-automata and their hyperstructure generalization. We show that the process of data aggregation can be seen as an automaton, or rather its hyperstructure generalization, with states representing stages of the data aggregation process of cluster protocols and describing available/used memory capacity of the network.
Isolation of a Divergent Strain of Bovine Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 (BPIV3) Infecting Cattle in China
Authors: Leal Élcio , Liu Cun , Zhao Zhanzhong , Deng Yong , Villanova Fabiola , Liang Lin , Li Jinxiang , Cui Shangjin
Published: May 2019

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is one of the most important known viral respiratory pathogens of both young and adult cattle. It is also named “heat stress in transport”, causing morbidity and mass death. New variants of BPIV3 have been detected or isolated in China since 2008. Here, we isolate one BPIV3 strain (named BPIV3 BJ) in Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells from nasal samples collected in China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that our isolate is related to BPIV3 of the genotype A. The comparison of BPIV3-BJ and the reference Chinese isolate NM09 showed that these strains are highly divergent. We found many differences in the amino acid composition in the nucleocapsid (NP) protein among these genotype A strains. Since the NP protein has been implicated in immunization studies, our BPIV3 isolate will be useful for the development of immune assays and vaccine studies. The diversity of BPIV3 lineages that we found in China indicated ongoing evolution for immune escape. Our study highlights the importance of genetic surveillance for determining the effect of BPIV3 variability on pathogen evolution and population-scale immunity.
Current Understanding of Human Enterovirus D68
Authors: Sun Jing , Hu Xiao-Yi , Yu Xiao-Fang
Published: May 2019

Human enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a member of the species Enterovirus D of the Picornaviridae family, was first isolated in 1962 in the United States. EV-D68 infection was only infrequently reported until an outbreak occurred in 2014 in the US; since then, it has continued to increase worldwide. EV-D68 infection leads to severe respiratory illness and has recently been reported to be linked to the development of the neurogenic disease known as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), mostly in children, seriously endangering public health. Hitherto, treatment options for EV-D68 infections were limited to supportive care, and as yet there are no approved, specific antiviral drugs or vaccines. Research on EV-D68 has mainly focused on its epidemiology, and its virologic characteristics and pathogenesis still need to be further explored. Here, we provide an overview of current research on EV-D68, including the genotypes and genetic characteristics of recent epidemics, the mechanism of infection and virus–host interactions, and its relationship to acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), in order to broaden our understanding of the biological features of EV-D68 and provide a basis for the development of effective antiviral agents.
Culex torrentium: A Potent Vector for the Transmission of West Nile Virus in Central Europe
Authors: Jansen Stephanie , Heitmann Anna , Lühken Renke , Leggewie Mayke , Helms Michelle , Badusche Marlis , Rossini Giada , Schmidt-Chanasit Jonas , Tannich Egbert
Published: May 2019

The continuous circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) in Central, South and East Europe and its recent detection in several dead birds and two horses in Germany highlights the need for information on WNV vector competence of mosquitoes from Central Europe. Therefore, three common Culex species (Culex pipiens biotype pipiens, Culex pipiens biotype molestus and Culex torrentium) from Germany were orally infected with WNV and kept at 18 °C, 21 °C, 24 °C or 27 °C for 14 or 21 days post infection (dpi). Thereafter viable WNV was present in the saliva in all tested taxa, but only at incubation temperatures of 24 °C or 27 °C and predominantly at the extended incubation period of 21 dpi. Highest transmission efficiency rates of 17 % (24 °C) and 24% (27 °C) were found for Cx. torrentium. Culex p. pipiens and Cx. p. molestus showed low transmission efficiencies with a maximum of only 3%. Consequently, temperatures above 21 °C support transmission of WNV, which matches the predominant distribution of human WNV cases around the Mediterranean Sea and in South-East Europe. Culex torrentium has been identified as a potent vector for WNV in Central and Northern Europe, which highlights the need for surveillance of mosquito-borne viruses north of the Alps.
An Ecological Function Approach to Managing Harmful Cyanobacteria in Three Oregon Lakes: Beyond Water Quality Advisories and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
Authors: Hall Eric S. , Hall Robert K. , Aron Joan L. , Swanson Sherman , Philbin Michael J. , Schafer Robin J. , Jones-Lepp Tammy , Heggem Daniel T. , Lin John , Wilson Eric , Kahan Howard
Published: May 2019

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) uses Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) calculations, and the associated regulatory process, to manage harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) attributable to non-point source (NPS) pollution. TMDLs are based on response (lagging) indicators (e.g., measurable quantities of NPS (nutrients: nitrogen {N} and phosphorus {P}), and/or sediment), and highlight the negative outcomes (symptoms) of impaired water quality. These response indicators belatedly address water quality issues, if the cause is impaired riparian functions. Riparian functions assist in decreasing the impacts of droughts and floods (through sequestration of nutrients and excess sediment), allow water to remain on the land surface, improve aquatic habitats, improve water quality, and provide a focus for monitoring and adaptive management. To manage water quality, the focus must be on the drivers (leading indicators) of the causative mechanisms, such as loss of ecological functions. Success in NPS pollution control, and maintaining healthy aquatic habitats, often depends on land management/land use approaches, which facilitate the natural recovery of stream and wetland riparian functions. Focusing on the drivers of ecosystem functions (e.g., vegetation, hydrology, soil, and landform), instead of individual mandated response indicators, using the proper functioning condition (PFC) approach, as a best management practice (BMP), in conjunction with other tools and management strategies, can lead to pro-active policies and approaches, which support positive change in an ecosystem or watershed, and in water quality improvement.
Application of the Simple Biosphere Model 2 (SiB2) with Irrigation Module to a Typical Low-Hilly Red Soil Farmland and the Sensitivity Analysis of Modeled Energy Fluxes in Southern China
Authors: Jing Zhihao , Jing Yuanshu , Zhang Fangmin , Qiu Rangjian , Wido Hanggoro
Published: May 2019

Land surface processes are an important part of the Earth’s mass and energy cycles. The application of a land surface process model for farmland in the low-hilly red soil region of southern China continues to draw research attention. Conventional model does not perform well in the simulation of irrigated farmland, because the influence of land surface water is not considered. In this study, an off-line version of the Simple Biosphere model 2 (SiB2) was locally parameterized in a typical farmland of the low-hilly red soil region using field observations and remote sensing data. The performance of SiB2 was then evaluated through comparison to Bowen-ratio direct measurements in a second growing period of rice in 2015 (late rice from 23 July to 31 October). The results show that SiB2 underestimated latent heat flux (LE) by 16.0% and overestimated sensible heat flux (H) by 16.7%, but net radiation flux (Rn) and soil heat flux were reasonably simulated. The single factor sensitivity analysis of Rn, H, and LE modeled in SiB2 indicated that downward shortwave radiation (DSR) and downward longwave radiation (DLR) had a significant effect on Rn simulation. In driving data, DSR, DLR and wind speed (u) were the main factors that could cause a distinct change in sensible heat flux. An irrigation module was added to the original SiB2 model to simulate the influence of irrigated paddy fields according to the sensitivity analysis results of the parameters (C1, bulk boundary-layer resistance coefficient; C2, ground to canopy air-space resistance coefficient; and Ws, volumetric water content at soil surface layer). The results indicate that application of the parameterized SiB2 with irrigation module could be better in southern Chinese farmland.
Prison primary care and non-communicable diseases: a data-linkage survey of prevalence and associated risk factors
Authors: Wright Nat MJ , Hearty Philippa , Allgar Victoria
Published: May 2019

Background

The size and mean age of the prison population has increased rapidly in recent years. Prisoners are a vulnerable group who, compared with the general population, experience poorer health outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research quantifying the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among prisoner populations.

Aim

To explore both the prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors.

Design & setting

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken that was compared with clinical records in two male prisons in the north of England.

Method

Self-report surveys were completed by 199 prisoners to assess sociodemographic characteristics, general health, NCD prevalence, and risk factor prevalence. Data were checked against that retrieved from prison clinical records.

Results

It was found that 46% reported at least one NCD and 26% reported at least one physical health NCD. The most common self-reported NCD was 'anxiety and depression' (34%), followed by 'respiratory disease' (17%), and 'hypertension' (10%). Having a physical health NCD was independently associated with increasing age or drug dependence.

The level of agreement between clinical records and self-report ranged from 'fair' for alcohol dependence (kappa 0.38; P<0.001) to 'very good' for diabetes (kappa 0.86; P<0.001).

Conclusion

Compared with mainstream populations and despite high prevalence of risk factors for NCDs physical illness NCDs, with the exception of respiratory disease, are less common. However, poor mental health is more common. These differences are possibly owing to the younger average age of prison populations, since prevalence of risk factors was reported as high.

Secondary data analysis of clinical records is a more methodologically robust way of monitoring trends in prisoner population disease prevalence.
IMPROVE THE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS’ ENGLISH SPEAKING PERFORMANCE AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY THROUGH LANGUAGE GAMES
Authors: Hương Nguyễn Lan , Hoa Văn Thị Quỳnh
Published: May 2019

Kĩ năng nói thường được coi là một trong những kĩ năng khó nhất của việc học ngôn ngữ. Thật không dễ dàng để người học ngoại ngữ có thể nói tốt vì vậy mục đích của nghiên cứu này là để tìm ra hiệu quả của việc sử dụng trò chơi ngôn ngữ để nâng cao khả năng nói tiếng Anh của sinh viên năm thứ nhất tại trường Đại học Nông Lâm – Đại học Thái Nguyên. Đối tượng nghiên cứu là 60 sinh viên thuộc trường Đại học Nông Lâm. Nghiên cứu sử dụng phương pháp thực nghiệm, câu hỏi điều tra, bài kiểm tra trước và bài kiểm tra sau là công cụ chính để thu thập dữ liệu. Kết quả cho thấy không có sự khác biệt giữa điểm số trung bình của sinh viên của 2 nhóm trong bài kiểm tra trước khi bắt đầu khoá học. Kết quả của bài kiểm tra cuối khoá học chứng minh rằng sinh viên của nhóm sử dụng trò chơi ngôn ngữ trong học kĩ năng nói có điểm số cao hơn những sinh viên ở nhóm giảng dạy theo phương pháp truyền thống. Dựa trên kết quả nghiên cứu, tác giả đã đưa ra một số kiến nghị và tác giả cũng hi vọng rằng nghiên cứu này sẽ giúp sinh viên năm thứ nhất trường Đại học Nông Lâm – Đại học Thái Nguyên nâng cao khả năng nói tiếng Anh.
Penentuan Keunggulan Kompetitif Pemasaran Teh Melalui Audit Strategi Marketing Plus (Kasus Pada PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VIII Jawa Barat)
Authors: Ritonga Utan Sahiro
Published: May 2019

The goal of this research is to measure the competitive advantage in tea marketing with a case study on PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VIII West Java, and describing the deciding factors in the improvement of competitive advantage in tea marketing competition. The method used in this research is case study with quantitative approach using marketing plus strategy audit by comparing the values of Company Alignment Index (CAI) and Competitive Setting Index (CSI). The calculation of both indexes is obtained from questionnaires about the confidence level of the respondents who manage the marketing policies of PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VIII. By comparing CSI value which is consisted of Customer (C1), Competitor (C3), Change-Driven (C4) against CAI which is consisted of Company (C2) which would be the measure of the competitive advantage of the company’s marketing strategy. From the analysis results, it can be seen that a negative gap of -1.09 where the value of CAI < CSI would mean that the company does not possess the competitive advantage in tea marketing strategy, and is relatively left behind in terms of tea industry competition. It can be learned that the cause of such low score in tea marketing strategy is caused by the low score of segmentation = 1 in the strategy, value with a score of 1.72 in the process, tactics which is consisted of differentiation = 2.63 and marketing mix = 2.63. To achieve competitive advantage in an ideal markting strategy, the factors that contribute to the marketing strategy competitive advantage value should be considered in the implementation of tea marketing strategy.
Pengaruh Pupuk Kompos Kulit Buah Kakao Dan Pupuk Tablet Terhadap Produksi Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.)
Authors: Suprapto Muhamad Eza , Rosniawaty Santi , Ariyanti Mira
Published: May 2019

Cocoa is one of the estate crop whose role is quite important for the national economy, particularly as a provider of employment,  income and foreign exchange. The high export opportunities of cocoa beans has not been followed by the production of cocoa beans in Indonesian. The production of dried cacao  beans in Indonesia is still low. The low productivity of seeds generally caused by  Cherelle wilt of cacao. Wilting occurs due to inability of the cherelle to compete with the other cherelle in absorbing nutrients. Fertilization is an effort to maintain and fulfill the nutrients in the plants. This research is aimed to assess the effect of fertilization using cocoa pod husk and NPK tablets fertilization on cocoa crop yields. This experiment was conducted at PT. PP. Bajabang Indonesia, Cipeundeuy, West Bandung regency from December 2016 to March 2017. The experiment was conducted using a Simple Randomized Block Design that consists 10 treatments: control, single N, P, K fertilizer  297 g/tree, cocoa pod husk  9 kg/tree, cocoa pod husk  9 kg/tree + single N, P, K fertilizer 297 g/tree, cocoa pod husk 18 kg/tree + single N, P, K fertilizer  297 g/tree, cocoa pod husk 9 kg/tree  + NPK tablet fertilizer 20 tablets/tree, NPK tablet fertilizer 20 tablets/tree,  cocoa pod husk  9 kg/tree  +  NPK tablet fertilizer 10 tablets/tree, cocoa pod husk 18 kg/tree + NPK tablet fertilizer 20 tablets/ tree, cocoa pod husk 18 kg/ tree + NPK tablet fertilizer 10 tablets/tree. The result of experiment showed that there was an influence of cocoa pod husk and NPK tablet fertilizer on cocoa fruit weight at 12 MSP, that is cocoa pod husk 9 kg/tree  +  NPK  tablet fertilizer 20  tablets/tree.  Number of cherelle wilted  at 12 MSP with cocoa pod  husk 9 kg/tree  +  NPK  tablet fertilizer 20  tablets/tree.
Pengujian Efektivitas Tipe Pemangkasan Terhadap Produksi Tiga Varietas Semangka Pada Hidroponik Sistem Fertigasi (Drip Irrigation)
Authors: Laksono Rommy Andhika
Published: May 2019

Watermelon is an annual horticultural commodity that is easily damaged (perishable) so it must be consumed in a fresh state and must be marketed after harvest. Opportunities to increase production and productivity of watermelon in Indonesia are still very wide open both through the intensification and improvement of agricultural technology. The purpose of this study is to study and obtain the type of pruning that provides the highest production in hydroponics watermelon cultivation Fertigation system. The experiment was conducted at Screen House Mekarsari Fruit Garden Bogor Regency. from April to Augustus 2018. The research method used is experimental method and experimental design used is Single Factor Random Design, which consists of 9 treatments in 3 repetitions. The usual is a combination of two types of cutting (Toping and Pruning) and three watermelon varieties (Amara F1, Angela F1, and Batu Sengkaling). The data of the research using the analysis of variance based on F test of 5% level. If there is a real difference, the analysis is continued with DMRT (Duncan Multiple Range Test) test of 5% level.The results showed that the application of the cutting type had a significant effect on the stem diameter of 21 HST, 28 HST, and 35 HST, flowering age, harvest age, fruit diameter, and fruit weight per plant, three watermelon varieties in the hydroponic fertigation system. Application of Toping Trimming on Amara F1 Varieties provides the highest watermelon yields of 39, 24 tonnes per hectare or 8.24 kg per plant in the hydroponic fertigasi system.
Pengaruh Lama Perendaman Kolkisin terhadap Pertumbuhan Planlet (Chrysanthemum morifolim R) Krisan Varietas Pasopati Cara In Vitro
Authors: Nursalmin Arip , Komariah Ai , Hidayat Odang
Published: May 2019

Laboratory-time studies to determine the duration of immersion of colchicine against growth of planlet (Krrysanthemum morifolim R) chrysanthemum varieties of in vitro way inpatients. The experiment was carried out at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Winaya Mukti from July to September 2017. The environmental design using Randomized Completely Random Design (RAL) consists of six treatments with 4 replications including: A (without colchicine immersion), B (immersion colcisin 1 hour, C (2-hour colchicine immersion), D (3-hour colchicine immersion), E (4-hour colchicine immersion) and F (5-hour colchicine immersion). The results showed that the duration of immersion of kolkisin on chrysanthemum varieties of pasopati in vitro gave a significant effect on the observation of the number of leaves aged 2 MST, 4 MST, 6 MST and 8 MST, the number of books aged 4 MST, 6 MST and 8 MST, root length , the number of roots as well as the height of the planlet. Immersion of 1 hour colchicine had a better effect on the observation of leaf count of age 2 MST, 4 MST, 6 MST and 8 MST, number of books aged 4 MST, 6 MST and 8 MST, root length, root number and plantlet height.
Agencias (de modelos), estéticas, revistas e ¿investigaciones?: Una breve discusión acerca de la moda
Authors: Rivera Martínez Ángela
Published: May 2019

¿Puede la moda ser objeto de investigación para la antropología urbana contemporánea? A pesar de que en el sentido común está alojada una amplia gama de asociaciones “libres” entre la moda y la superficialidad (vagamente entendida como frivolidad), la respuesta a esta pregunta puede ser positiva; sin embargo, todo depende de la aproximación a la problemática y de su formulación. Sobre la frase “lo más profundo es la piel” de Paul Valery, Gilles Deleuze (2006) dijo alguna vez que los dermatólogos, al ser los artífices de las superficies, deberían tenerla inscrita en su puerta. Quizás esto es similar en el caso de la moda. Si algo le debemos al mencionado sentido común es...
Hegel, un pensador (in)actual
Authors: Covarrubias Israel
Published: May 2019

Un estudio de filosofía política siempre debe cubrir tres campos de significatividad que podríamos referir por medio de las siguientes preguntas: de quién vamos a hablar (autor), qué vamos a decir de él (conceptos clave, léxico), y quién ha dicho algo relevante sobre su obra (cultores). Hegel actual. La paciencia de lo negativo es un libro que de inmediato cubre estas tres direcciones de trabajo del pensamiento. Compuesto por un largo “Prólogo”, en sí mismo un capítulo único, o bien una suerte de “separata”, y...
La interpretación constitucional:¿eclipse del control al poder?
Authors: Echeverri Quintana Eudoro
Published: May 2019

El presente artículo tiene como propósito generar el debate acerca de la realidad del contenido del título. Se apuntó a aspectos generales del tema central. Seguidamente, se abordaron problemas de la Corte Constitucional en su función principal de la guarda de la Constitución, como los relativos a su jurisprudencia del estado de cosas inconstitucional. Se analizaron algunas ambivalencias en relación con el control de constitucionalidad como el principio in dubio pro legislatoris. Se hicieron críticas respecto a la sistemática política oficial de inadmitir en alto volumen las demandas de acción pública, contraviniendo precisamente su razón de ser. Se analizaron unas sentencias de tutela donde las decisiones parecieran obedecer a criterios selectivos para favorecer a sectores privilegiados y en otras se predica una mutación constitucional. Se cuestionó que los titulares de la Corte Constitucional asumieran el conocimiento de reformas constitucionales sobre aspectos que les comprometen, cuando en su lugar deben hacerlo los conjueces. También se elaboró una crítica al Consejo de Estado como guardián residual de la Carta.
Los derechos sociales en Perú. La influencia de la Constitución mexicana de 1917
Authors: Orbegoso Silva Miluska
Published: May 2019

En este trabajo abordaremos la importancia e influencia del constitucionalismo mexicano en la construcción del Estado social, especialmente en Perú. La Constitución mexicana de 1917 fue la primera del mundo en recoger los derechos sociales. Ello trajo consigo que las Constituciones latinoamericanas del siglo XX siguieran esta corriente y recogieran un amplio catálogo de derechos sociales, a lo cual no ha sido ajeno el constitucionalismo peruano.