bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analisis faktor – faktor yang memengaruhi strategi manajemen Sumber daya manusia pada Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS)
Authors: Hadi Moch Aminudin
Published: February 2020

BAZNAS merupakan lembaga negara non struktural yang dibentuk berdasarkan UU Nomor 23 tahun 2011.  BAZNAS memiliki fungsi strategis di dalam mengelola potensi zakat di Indonesia guna memperbaiki taraf hidup masyarakat, terutama masyarakat miskin.Tujuan penelitian ini ialah untuk menganalisis faktor – faktor yang memengaruhi strategi manajemen sumber daya manusia Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS). Penelitian ini menggunakan paradigma kualitatif dan dengan strategi pendekatan fenomenologi.  Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara kepada 5 informan. Dilakukan proses transkripsi data wawancara, penyusunan tema dan pengelompokan tema.  Model dibangun dengan pendekatan Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) serta didukung oleh asumsi strategis dari metode SAST (Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing).Hasil penelitian menemukan 16 faktor yang memengaruhi perencanaan sumber daya manusia BAZNAS, yaitu 1) Fiqh sebagai common understanding, building trust dan pengelolaan yang reliable, 2) 4 Pilar Gerakan Zakat di Indonesia, 3) Mobilisasi dana yang besar yang belum tergarap, 4) Zakat menjadi inspirasi kemakmuran dan penyumbang APBN & APBD, 5) BAZNAS sebagai puncak bangunan Zakat di Indonesia, 6) Input SDM BAZNAS belum banyak dari yang terbaik, 7) Global Mind-set, 8) Digital Life Style, 9) Interest politik berpengaruh pada kolegial pimpinan, 10) Pendekatan pemodelan, 11) Paradigma pengelolaan SDM BAZNAS, 12) Model yang spesifik, khas dan unik, 13) Small Model Organization, 14) Kolaborasi dan Kemitraan, 15) Prinsip Sharing Ekonomi, dan 16) Peranan kepemimpinan dalam menetapkan core value dan core competence.Kontribusi penelitian ini ialah informasi tentang faktor – faktor yang perlu dipertimbangkan di dalam menyusun strategi manajemen sumberdaya manusia pada BAZNAS, agar dapat meningkatkan kinerja BAZNAS di dalam membantu pemerintah Republik Indonesia mengurangi angka kemiskinan.
FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI KINERJA PERAWAT DI INSTALASI RAWAT INAP RSUD SAWAHLUNTO
Authors: Desrison Desrison , Ratnasari Sri Langgeng
Published: February 2020

Human resources like the nurses as a integral parts from medical services, have big contribution to select medical services at hospital. The nurses at hospital are a main point medical services, couses that human resources that contain the biggest and most interaktif with client continously and balance to give comprehensives medical services and professional reactions. The research purposing to know the factors that connected with styling work grade of nurses. The research do at resting installation RSUD, Sawah Lunto. The factor that observe are royalty grade, education grade, and leader grade. The research design that using is cross sectional, data proses and analyzes with using computerization program SPSS for window version 11.0 with Chi Square Test. The research populations are all nurses that have duty at resting room RSUD, Sawah Lunto in surgical operation, child room, and midwife services, that amount are 56 people, and all of population be a sample. From result research get 51,8% styling work from the nurses is like usual not the best. Statistic result show that relationship between motivations, salary, and leadership wit styling work, at the other side education grade not show relationship wit styling work. According the observation, the nurses more add motivation at working, officer at hospitas must attract nurses incentives and head officer more add activity and controlling to the working nurses.
PENGARUH PELATIHAN MOTIVASI DAN KOMPENSASI TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN DI PT. PRISMA REKSA SEJAHTERA
Authors: Tamami Sastra
Published: February 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pelatihan, motivasi dan kompensasi terhadap kinerja karyawan di PT. Prisma Reksa Sejahtera. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan penyebaran kuisioner kepada 72 karyawan yang bekerja di PT. Prisma Reksa Sejahtera. Sampel diambil dengan teknik system random sampling. Metode analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis kuantitatif, yaitu uji reliabilitas dan uji validitas, uji asumsi klasik, uji T dab Uji F, koefisien determinasi serta analisis regresi linier bergandaBerdasarkan hasil analisis data, menunjukkan bahwa :  variable pelatihan mempunyai pengaruh signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan nilai T sig sebesar 0,000 < 0,05, variable motivasi mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan nilai T sig sebesar 0,000 < 0,05 dan variable kompensasi mempunyai pengaruh yang tidak signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan nilai T sig sebesar 0,562 > 0,05. Berdasarkan perhitungan uji F, secara bersama-sama variable komunikasi, kerjasama kelompok dan pengambilan keputusan mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan nilai F sig 0,000 < 0,05. Kata Kunci : Pelatihan, Motivasi, Kompensasi, Kinerja Karyawan
PENGARUH KOMPETENSI, KETERLIBATAN KERJA GURU DAN KOMPENSASI TERHADAP KINERJA GURU SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEJURUAN NEGERI BATAM KEPULAUAN RIAU
Authors: Asmarazisa Deni
Published: February 2020

ABSTRACT         Effect of Competence, Work Involvement and Employment Compensation on teachers on teacher performance at Batam State Vocational High School. This study aims to determine the effect of teacher work competency and work involvement and compensation for the performance of Batam State Secondary School Teachers. Sources of data found are primary data obtained directly from the answers from the questionnaire concerned with the research with the above qualifications. Coupled with several references from the researchers themselves. Based on this study, the Competence of Teacher Involvement and Compensation on the Performance of Teachers of Batam State Vocational Middle School Teachers has a significant effect both partially and simultaneously at a 100% confidence level. The value of R Square in this study is 0.644 which means that only 64.4% changes in employee performance levels can be explained by Competency, Teacher Involvement, Teacher Performance and Teacher Compensation at Batam Vocational High School while the rest are influenced by other variables that are not observed. in this research. Keywords: Competence, Employee Engagement, Compensation, and Employee Performance
PENGARUH KEPRIBADIAN, ORIENTASI KERJA DAN PENEMPATAN PEGAWAI TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN PT. ADVANTAGE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (SCM) CABANG BATAM
Authors: Yona Mira , Yulita Cut Della
Published: February 2020

ABSTRAK Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh variabel kepribadian, orientasi kerja dan penempatan pegawai secara parsial dan simultan terhadap kinerja karyawan PT. Advantage Supply Chain Management (SCM) Cabang Batam. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah karyawan PT. Advantage Supply Chain Management (SCM) Cabang Batam yang berjumlah 80 orang dengan anggota populasi dijadikan sampel secara keseluruhan dengan metode kuesioner.Hasil penelitian ini dengan analisis regresi linear berganda. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa (1) kepribadian berpengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan dilihat dari nilai signifikan 0,000 < 0,05 dan nilai t hitung 12,393 > t tabel 1,991. (2) orientasi kerja berpengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan dilihat dari nilai signifikan 0,000 < 0,05 dan nilai t hitung 6,282. (3) penempatan pegawai tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan dilihat dari nilai signifikan 0,689 > 0,05 dan nilai t hitung 0,402 < t tabel 1,991. (4) hasil penelitian secara simultan menujukkan bahwa kepribadian, orientasi kerja dan penempatan pegawai berpengaruh bersama-sama terhadap kinerja karyawan PT Advantage Supply Chain Management (SCM) Cabang Batam. Hal tersebut dapat dilihat dari hasil uji F dimana nilai signifikansi sebesar 0,000 < 0,05 dan nilai F hitung 122,781 > F tabel 2,72.
PENGARUH KOMPETENSI SDM, PELATIHAN DAN PROMOSI JABATAN TERHADAP KINERJA PEGAWAI DI DINAS PENANAMAN MODAL DAN PELAYANAN TERPADU SATU PINTU KOTA BATAM
Authors: Hasibuan Rahman , Yona Mira , Kasmawati Kasmawati
Published: February 2020

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh Kompetensi, Pelatihan dan Promosi Jabatan terhadap kinerja pegawai di Dinas Penanaman Modal dan Pelayanan Terpadu Satu Pintu Kota Batam.Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan penyebaran kuisioner kepada 114 karyawan yang bekerja di Dinas Penanaman Modal dan Pelayanan Terpadu Satu Pintu Kota Batam Sampel diambil dengan teknik systematic random sampling dan menggunakan perhitugan Slovin dengan tingkat kesalahan sebesar 10%. Metode analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis kuantitatif, yaitu uji reliabilitas dan uji validitas, uji asumsi klasik, uji T dan uji F, koefisisen determinasi serta analisis regresi linear berganda.Dari hasil regresi berganda, menunjukan bahwa secara parsial maupun simultan (bersama-sama) Kompetensi SDM, Pelatihan dan Promosi Jabatan memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap Kinerja PegawaiKata kunci : Kompetensi SDM, Pelatihan dan Promosi Jabatan
PELATIHAN PEMBUATAN STUDI KELAYAKAN DAN PROPOSAL KREDIT BAGI USAHA MIKRO KECIL DAN MENENGAH (UMKM) (Studi Kasus: Kelurahan Sagulung Kota Kecamatan Sagulung Kota Batam Tahun 2017)
Authors: Nurhayati Nurhayati
Published: February 2020

Penyusunan studi kelayakan suatu usaha adalah merupakan langkah terakhir yang perlu dilakukan sebelum suatu usaha mulai dilaksanakan hingga sampai kepada keputusan bahwa gagasan usaha tersebut dapat dilaksanakan atau dibatalkan. Sebelumnya terlebih dahulu dilakukan identifikasi dan formulasi sampai dengan keputusan perlu tidaknya dilakukan studi kelayakan. Penyusunan studi kelayakan untuk usaha mikro, kecil dan menengah (UMKM) di negara berkembang termasuk di Indonesia masih sangat jarang dilaksanakan.  Hal ini disebabkan antara lain karena : Kondisi modal terbatas sedangkan biaya untuk menyusun studi kelayakan relatif tinggi., Kesadaran dan pengetahuan akan pentingnya manfaat suatu studi kelayakan masih belum tumbuh dengan baik, Pengusaha masih beranggapan bahwa studi kelayakan hanya perlu untuk mengajukan dana kredit kepada bank saja.   Aspek-aspek yang penting dan menentukan terhadap kelayakan suatu rencana usaha, adalah aspek teknis produksi, aspek pasar dan pemasaran, aspek hukum, aspek sosial ekonomi, aspek manajemen, aspek keuangan dan aspek lingkungan. Hasil analisis semua aspek tersebut di atas, harus sampai kepada kesimpulan kelayakan yang menyeluruh.
PENDAMPINGAN PELATIHAN KETERAMPILAN – PEMANFAATAN SAMPAH BUNGKUS MINUMAN MENJADI BARANG BERNILAI EKONOMI Bagi Kelompok Ibu Rumah Tangga (PKK) RW 05 Kelurahan Bukit Tempayan Batam
Authors: Hati Ravika Permata , Hidayat Muhammad
Published: February 2020

Pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan masyarakat tentang pengolahan sampah bungkus minuman menjadi barang bernilai guna (ekonomis) dan memberdayakan masyarakat untuk melakukan pengolahan tersebut sehingga bisa menambah pendapatan mereka. Kegiatan ini melibatkan ibu rumah tangga (PKK) RW 05 Kelurahan Bukit Tempayan, Kecamatan Batu Aji, Batam. Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini dilakukan selama 3 hari dengan jumlah peserta sebanyak 30 orang. Metode kegiatan ini adalah dengan cara ceramah atau presentasi dan demonstrasi langsung kepada peserta. Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini dinilai berhasil yang dilihat dari kepuasan peserta setelah mengikuti pelatihan. Selain itu, peserta berpendapat bahwa mereka memperoleh ilmu baru dan berharap pelatihan ini dapat berkelanjutan.
PENINGKATAN KEMAMPUAN PERCAKAPAN DAN MENGEJA BILANGAN ANGKA DALAM BAHASA INGGRIS PADA SISWA SD DAN SMP DI RW 09 KELURAHAN SAGULUNG KOTA – KOTA BATAM
Authors: Santoso Cahyo Budi
Published: February 2020

Tujuan pengabdian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana meningkatan kemampuan percakapan dan mengeja bilangan angka dalam Bahasa Inggris pada siswa SD dan SMP di RW 09 Kelurahan Sagulung Kota – Kota Batam. Metode yang digunakan dalam pengabdian ini adalah metode langsung yaitu menuntun anak-anak  mengucapkan kata per kata, kalimat per kalimat dan melatih kemahiran siswa dalam mengucapkan Bahasa Inggris dengan baik dan benar. Hasil yang diperoleh Anak-anak mulai mengerti materi dasar yang diberikan (mengeja abjad dan angka dalam Bahasa Inggris), mengetahui pentingnya Bahasa Inggris dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, berani berkomunikasi / mampu mengenalkan dirinya secara sederhana menggunakan Bahasa Inggris.
Kültürlerarası Bir Bilgi ve Barış Köprüsü Olarak İsrâiliyât
Authors: AYDAR Hidayet
Published: February 2020

Bu çalışmada rivayet geleneğimizin en önemli unsurlarından biri olan İsrâiliyâtın tanımı, ortaya çıkışı, gösterilen tepkiler, negatifleşmesi gibi konular kısaca belirtildikten sonra özellikle, Yahudi ve İslam kültürü ile İslam ve Batı medeniyetleri arasında bilgi, birikim ve kültür aktarımında bir köprü görevi gördüğü hususu üzerinde durulmaktadır. Bunun için isrâiliyâtın İslam havzasına geçişi, İslam coğrafyasında kazandığı yeni şekil ve bu haliyle Batı âlemine intikali konuları işlenmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Yahudi ve diğer din ve kültürlere ait bilgilerin şifâhî olarak İslam kültürüne geçişi isrâiliyât olarak görüldüğü gibi, bu bilgilerin yabancı kültür ve medeniyetlere ait kitaplardan tercüme edilerek Müslümanlara kazandırılması da isrâiliyât olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Yine İslâmî bilgi ve birikimlerin muhtelif yollarla Batı âlemine intikali de isrâiliyât olarak isimlendirilmektedir. Zira şayet bir kültür ve coğrafyaya ait bilgilerin –isrâiloğulları örneğinde olduğu gibi- şifâhî olarak başka bir kültür havzasına geçişi isrâiliyât ise bu bilgilerin bir kültürden başka bir kültüre yazılı olarak intikali de isrâiliyât olarak değerlendirilebilir. Burada da bu yapılmaktadır. Bu bakış açısından hareketle bütün olumsuz yönlerine rağmen geçmişte kültürler arasında bir köprü görevi gören isrâiliyâtın, bugün de hayra, barışa ve kardeşliğe vesile olabileceği hesaba katılarak bu çalışma yapılmakta ve buna göre bazı değerlendirmelerde bulunulmaktadır. İsrâiliyât konusu muhtelif yönlerden birçok çalışmaya konu olmuştur. Çok yer alacağından burada bunları zikretmeye gerek yoktur. Ancak makalede bunların çoğundan yararlanılmaktadır ve bunlar kaynakçada yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmada bütün bunlardan farklı olarak, isrâiliyât üzerinden farklı din ve kültürler arasında bir bilgi köprüsü, bir barış yolu kurulması hususu üzerinde durulmakta ve bunun din ve kültür mensupları arasında yakın bir ilişkinin kurulmasına vesile olabileceği hususu öne çıkarılmaktadır.
Auditing the State: Everyday Forms of Institutional Resistance in the Mexican Freedom of Information Process
Authors: Torres Guillén
Published: February 2020

Governmental transparency through Freedom of Information (FOI) Laws has become a standard in modern liberal democracies. However, a recent trend documented by practitioners and academics alike consists of governments stating in paper their support for transparency, but in practice implementing various kinds of strategies to limit the flow of information towards engaged citizens, increasing secrecy and opaqueness. While scholarly attention has mostly been set on the motivations and effects of secrecy within institutions, the consequences experienced by politically engaged citizens have received less interest. In this paper I focus on how information activists experience and make sense of instances of information control during the performance of the FOI process, through a case study set in Mexico. I suggest that the constant denials, delays and obstructions activists face during the process of requesting information can be productively analyzed through the concept of Everyday Forms of Resistance.
Green Tea Powder Decreased Egg Weight Through Increased Liver Lipoprotein Lipase and Decreased Plasma Total Cholesterol in an Indigenous Chicken Breed
Authors: Chen Xingyong , He Kaiqin , Wei Congcong , Yang Wanli , Geng Zhaoyu
Published: February 2020

Whether or not green tea promotes egg production is unclear. Huainan partridge chickens at 20 weeks of age were divided into two groups, with one group fed a basal diet (control) and one fed a basal diet plus 10 g/kg green tea powder (GTP) for 12 weeks. Egg production (EP) and feed intake (FI) were recorded daily. Plasma lipid parameters, and apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) expression were determined every four weeks. Egg production and FI showed no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). Egg weight was 47.58 g in the control group, which was higher than that of the GTP group, and the feed-to-egg ratio (FCR) was 4.62 in the control group, which was lower than that of the GTP group after 12 weeks feeding. Compared with the control group, plasma orexin A (p < 0.05), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoprotein A (Apo A), and very high-density lipoprotein (VHDL) (p < 0.01, respectively) were increased. Plasma glucose (Glu), free fatty acid (FFA), apolipoprotein B (Apo B), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.01, respectively), and low density lipoprotein (LDL) (p < 0.05) were decreased in the GTP group after 8 weeks feeding. The LPL expression in the liver was increased in the GTP group after 8 to 12 weeks feeding when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Chickens fed GTP did not affect EP, but decreased egg weight, which might be because of lower plasma lipid concentration, increased plasma Orexin A, and liver LPL expression.
Oocyte Maturation in Starfish
Authors: Chiba Kazuyoshi
Published: February 2020

Oocyte maturation is a process that occurs in the ovaries, where an immature oocyte resumes meiosis to attain competence for normal fertilization after ovulation/spawning. In starfish, the hormone 1-methyladenine binds to an unidentified receptor on the plasma membrane of oocytes, inducing a conformational change in the heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein α-subunit (Gα), so that the α-subunit binds GTP in exchange of GDP on the plasma membrane. The GTP-binding protein βγ-subunit (Gβγ) is released from Gα, and the released Gβγ activates phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), followed by the target of rapamycin kinase complex2 (TORC2) and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1)-dependent phosphorylation of serum- and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (SGK) of ovarian oocytes. Thereafter, SGK activates Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) to increase the intracellular pH (pHi) from ~6.7 to ~6.9. Moreover, SGK phosphorylates Cdc25 and Myt1, thereby inducing the de-phosphorylation and activation of cyclin B–Cdk1, causing germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Both pHi increase and GVBD are required for spindle assembly at metaphase I, followed by MI arrest at pHi 6.9 until spawning. Due to MI arrest or SGK-dependent pHi control, spawned oocytes can be fertilized normally
Biocomposite Fabrication from Enzymatically Treated Nanocellulosic Fibers and Recycled Polylactic Acid
Authors: Laadila Mohamed Amine , Suresh Gayatri , Rouissi Tarek , Kumar Pratik , Brar Satinder Kaur , Cheikh Ridha Ben , Abokitse Kofi , Galvez Rosa , Jacob Colin
Published: February 2020

Recycled polylactic acid (PLAr) was reinforced with treated nanocellulosic hemp fibers for biocomposite fabrication. Cellulosic fibers were extracted from hemp fibers chemically and treated enzymatically. Treated nanocellulosic fibers (NCF) were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Biocomposite fabrication was done with PLAr and three concentrations of treated NCF (0.1%, 0.25%, and 1% (v/v)) and then studied for thermal stability and mechanical properties. Increased thermal stability was observed with increasing NCF concentrations. The highest value for Young’s modulus was for PLAr + 0.25% (v/v) NCF (250.28 ± 5.47 MPa), which was significantly increased compared to PLAr (p = 0.022). There was a significant decrease in the tensile stress at break point for PLAr + 0.25% (v/v) NCF and PLAr + 1% (v/v) NCF as compared to control (p = 0.006 and 0.002, respectively). No significant difference was observed between treatments for tensile stress at yield.
A Fuzzy Logic Model for Power Transformer Faults’ Severity Determination Based on Gas Level, Gas Rate, and Dissolved Gas Analysis Interpretation
Authors: Prasojo Rahman Azis , Gumilang Harry , Suwarno  , Maulidevi Nur Ulfa , Soedjarno Bambang Anggoro
Published: February 2020

In determining the severity of power transformer faults, several approaches have been previously proposed; however, most published studies do not accommodate gas level, gas rate, and Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) interpretation in a single approach. To increase the reliability of the faults’ severity assessment of power transformers, a novel approach in the form of fuzzy logic has been proposed as a new solution to determine faults’ severity using the combination of gas level, gas rate, and DGA interpretation from the Duval Pentagon Method (DPM). A four-level typical concentration and rate were established based on the local population. To simplify the assessment of hundreds of power transformer data, a Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based DPM with high agreements to the graphical DPM has been developed. The proposed approach has been implemented to 448 power transformers and further implementation was done to evaluate faults’ severity of power transformers from historical DGA data. This new approach yields in high agreement with the previous methods, but with better sensitivity due to the incorporation of gas level, gas rate, and DGA interpretation results in one approach.
Three-Dimensional Thermal Modeling of Internal Shorting Process in a 20Ah Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery
Authors: Li Yubai , Zhou Zhifu , Wu Wei-Tao
Published: February 2020

To better address the safety issues of a lithium-ion battery, understanding of its internal shorting process is necessary. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) thermal modeling of a 20 Ah lithium-ion polymer battery under an internal shorting process is performed. The electrochemical thermal coupling scheme is considered, and a multi-scale modeling approach is employed. An equivalent circuit model is used for characterizing the subscale electrochemical behaviors. Then, at the cell scale, the electrical potential field and thermal field are resolved. For modeling the internal shorting process, a block of an internal short is directly planted inside the lithium-ion battery. Insights of the temperature evolutions and 3D temperature distributions are drawn from the simulations. The effects of shorting resistance, through-plane thermal conductivity, and mini-channel cold-plate cooling are investigated with the simulations. A large amount of heat generation by a small shorting resistance and highly localized temperature rise are the fundamental thermal features associated with the internal shorting process. The through-plane thermal conductivity plays an important role in the maximum temperature evolutions inside the battery cell, while the external cooling condition has a relatively weak effect. But the cold plate cooling can benefit lithium-ion battery safety by limiting the high temperature area in the internal shorting process through heat spreading.
A Geothermal-Solar Hybrid Power Plant with Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Bokelman Brady , Michaelides Efstathios E. , Michaelides Dimitrios N.
Published: February 2020

The concept of a geothermal-solar power plant is proposed that provides dispatchable power to the local electricity grid. The power plant generates significantly more power in the late afternoon and early evening hours of the summer, when air-conditioning use is high and peak power is demanded. The unit operates in two modes: a) as a binary geothermal power plant utilizing a subcritical Organic Rankine Cycle; and b) as a hybrid geothermal-solar power plant utilizing a supercritical cycle with solar-supplied superheat. Thermal storage allows for continuous power generation in the early evening hours. The switch to the second mode and the addition of solar energy into the cycle increases the electric power generated by a large factor—2 to 9 times—during peak power demand at a higher efficiency (16.8%). The constant supply of geothermal brine and heat storage in molten salts enables this power plant to produce dispatchable power in its two modes of operation with an exergetic efficiency higher than 30%.
RECQ5: A Mysterious Helicase at the Interface of DNA Replication and Transcription
Authors: Andrs Martin , Hasanova Zdenka , Oravetzova Anna , Dobrovolna Jana , Janscak Pavel
Published: February 2020

RECQ5 belongs to the RecQ family of DNA helicases. It is conserved from Drosophila to humans and its deficiency results in genomic instability and cancer susceptibility in mice. Human RECQ5 is known for its ability to regulate homologous recombination by disrupting RAD51 nucleoprotein filaments. It also binds to RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and negatively regulates transcript elongation by RNAPII. Here, we summarize recent studies implicating RECQ5 in the prevention and resolution of transcription-replication conflicts, a major intrinsic source of genomic instability during cancer development.
Synaptic GluN2A-Containing NMDA Receptors: From Physiology to Pathological Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Franchini Luca , Carrano Nicolò , Di Luca Monica , Gardoni Fabrizio
Published: February 2020

N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic glutamate-gated receptors. NMDARs are tetramers composed by several homologous subunits of GluN1-, GluN2-, or GluN3-type, leading to the existence in the central nervous system of a high variety of receptor subtypes with different pharmacological and signaling properties. NMDAR subunit composition is strictly regulated during development and by activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Given the differences between GluN2 regulatory subunits of NMDAR in several functions, here we will focus on the synaptic pool of NMDARs containing the GluN2A subunit, addressing its role in both physiology and pathological synaptic plasticity as well as the contribution in these events of different types of GluN2A-interacting proteins.
Pathomechanisms of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis: Chondrocyte Behavior and Fate in a Precarious Environment
Authors: Riegger Jana , Brenner Rolf E.
Published: February 2020

Traumatic injuries of the knee joint result in a wide variety of pathomechanisms, which contribute to the development of so-called posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). These pathogenetic processes include oxidative stress, excessive expression of catabolic enzymes, release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and synovial inflammation. The present review focuses on the underlying pathomechanisms of PTOA and in particular the behavior and fate of the surviving chondrocytes, comprising chondrocyte metabolism, regulated cell death, and phenotypical changes comprising hypertrophy and senescence. Moreover, possible therapeutic strategies, such as chondroanabolic stimulation, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory treatment, as well as novel therapeutic targets are discussed.
Design of a Wide-Band Microstrip Filtering Antenna with Modified Shaped Slots and SIR Structure
Authors: Al-Yasir Yasir I. A. , A. Alhamadani Hana’a , Kadhim Ahmed S. , Ojaroudi Parchin Naser , Saleh Ameer L. , Elfergani Issa T. E. , Rodriguez Jonathan , Abd-Alhameed Raed A.
Published: February 2020

This paper presents a new compact microstrip filtering antenna with modified shaped slots to improve the impedance bandwidth. The proposed microstrip filtering antenna consists of three parts: the monopole radiating patch antenna; the Stepped Impedance Resonator (SIR) filter; and the feeding microstrip line. The designed structure is achieved on one-sided glass epoxy FR-4 substrate with dielectric constant εr = 4.4 and thickness h = 1.6 mm. The design procedure of the proposed filtering antenna starts from the second-order Chebyshev low pass filter (LPF) prototype. The achieved results show an excellent performance of S11-parameter with broadside antenna gain on +z-direction. Having two transmission zeros at 5.4 GHz and 7.7 GHz, good skirt selectivity and a wide-band impedance bandwidth of about 1.66 GHz makes the designed filtering antenna suitable for high-speed data communications. Both the simulation results generated by using the Computer Simulation Technology (CST) software package and the measurement achieved by using a vector network analyzer (HP 8510C) and the anechoic chamber show good agreement.
A Unique Methodology for Tool Life Prediction in Machining
Authors: Hosseinkhani Keyvan , Ng Eu-Gene
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a unique approach for estimating tool life using a hybrid finite element method coupled with empirical wear rate equation is presented. In the proposed approach, the computational time was significantly reduced when compared to nodal movement technique. However, to adopt such an approach, the angle between tool’s rake and flank faces must be constant through the process and at least two cutting experiments need to be performed for empirical model calibration. It is also important to predict the sliding velocity along the tool/flank face interface accurately when using Usui’s model to predict the tool wear rate. Model validations showed that when the sliding velocity was assumed to be equivalent to the cutting speed, poor agreement between the predicted and measured wear rate and tool life was observed, especially at low cutting speed. Furthermore, a new empirical model to predict tool wear rate in the initial or break-in period as a function of Von Mises stress field was developed. Experimental validation shows that the newly developed model substantially improved the initial tool wear rate in terms of trend and magnitude.
Use It Sustainably or Lose It! The Land Stakes in SDGs for Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Mbow Cheikh
Published: February 2020

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) failed to meet most Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require knowledge-intensive actions that weigh development goals against sustainability options with several possibilities in various contexts. Land resources are the mainstay for most African communities and the basis of achievement of most SDGs. The “transformation imperative” in Africa will only take place in a differentiated set of resource management and use. The baselines in African countries are rather low in terms of internal policy and economic functions. The objective of this paper is to instate ideas on ways to achieve the SDGs through a new transformative design based on a collective capacity of diverse actors to access a range of land-based practices. We should selectively adapt, adopt, or consolidate various land innovations by targeting place and time where various practices have worked or can work in a range of ecologies; what seems to work over the short-term but reduces risks for the long-term; and what the implications are for wealth, food production, livelihoods, climate change, resilience, and development. This requires a greater capacity to apply what is known about transformative action but also set a collaborative learning system to influence policy-makers and action-takers to support sustainable transformation.
The Preparation and Properties of a Shell Structure Ceramsite
Authors: Zheng Wukui , He Diyang , Li Hui , Wang Fei , Yang Yuxuan , Zhang Jingjie
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a shell structure ceramsite has been prepared and researched in order to attempt a new method of producing lightweight ceramsite. In the experiment, raw material was made into slurry and polypropylene balls were treated with the soak-and-pick process in the slurry to make the green body; later, the green body was dried and fired in the furnace to make the shell structure ceramsite. The result showed that the shell structure ceramsite has an appropriate cylindrical compressive strength (0.87 MPa) with a bulk density at a low level (0.375 × 103 kg/m3), which can be used for lightweight concrete preparation, and with its special structure, it can be used for many other purposes.
Topography of the Interfacial Shear Strength and the Mean Intrinsic Tensile Strength of Hemp Fibers as a Reinforcement of Polypropylene
Authors: Hernández-Díaz David , Villar-Ribera Ricardo , Julián Fernando , Tarrés Quim , Espinach Francesc X. , Delgado-Aguilar Marc
Published: February 2020

The strength of the interphase between the reinforcements and the matrix has a major role in the mechanical properties of natural fiber reinforced polyolefin composites. The creation of strong interphases is hindered by the hydrophobic and hydrophilic natures of the matrix and the reinforcements, respectively. Adding coupling agents has been a common strategy to solve this problem. Nonetheless, a correct dosage of such coupling agents is important to, on the one hand guarantee strong interphases and high tensile strengths, and on the other hand ensure a full exploitation of the strengthening capabilities of the reinforcements. The paper proposes using topographic profile techniques to represent the effect of reinforcement and coupling agent contents of the strength of the interphase and the exploitation of the reinforcements. This representation allowed identifying the areas that are more or less sensitive to coupling agent content. The research also helped by finding that an excess of coupling agent had less impact than a lack of this component.
Flexible Magnetic Polymer Composite Substrate with Ba1.5Sr1.5Z Hexaferrite Particles of VHF/Low UHF Patch Antennas for UAVs and Medical Implant Devices
Authors: Lee Sang-Eui , Choi Seong Pil , Oh Kyung-Sub , Kim Jaehwan , Lee Sang Min , Cho Kang Rae
Published: February 2020

Our goal is to fabricate flexible magnetic polymer composites as antenna substrates for very high frequency (VHF)/low ultra high frequency (UHF) antennas for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and medical devices. Magnetodielectric materials, which have permeability (μ) similar to permittivity (ε), have attracted great attention, because they facilitate miniaturization of microwave devices while keeping or enhancing electromagnetic characteristics. Mechanically millled Ba1.5Sr1.5Co2Fe24O41 (Ba1.5Sr1.5Z) hexaferrite particles were used to increase permeability in the interesting frequency band. The microwave properties of Ba1.5Sr1.5Z composites were predicted and measured. Hansen’s zero-order analysis of antenna bandwidth and electromagnetic field simulation showed that the hexaferrite-based flexible composite could enhance a bandwidth and achieve the miniaturization of antennas as well. The magnetic antenna substrates can be a good solution to integrate antennas into the UAVs whose dimensions are comparable to or larger than communication wavelength.
Non-Tuned Machine Learning Approach for Predicting the Compressive Strength of High-Performance Concrete
Authors: Al-Shamiri Abobakr Khalil , Yuan Tian-Feng , Kim Joong Hoon
Published: February 2020

Compressive strength is considered as one of the most important parameters in concrete design. Time and cost can be reduced if the compressive strength of concrete is accurately estimated. In this paper, a new prediction model for compressive strength of high-performance concrete (HPC) was developed using a non-tuned machine learning technique, namely, a regularized extreme learning machine (RELM). The RELM prediction model was developed using a comprehensive dataset obtained from previously published studies. The input variables of the model include cement, blast furnace slag, fly ash, water, superplasticizer, coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, and age of specimens. k-fold cross-validation was used to assess the prediction reliability of the developed RELM model. The prediction results of the RELM model were evaluated using various error measures and compared with that of the standard extreme learning machine (ELM) and other methods presented in the literature. The findings of this research indicate that the compressive strength of HPC can be accurately estimated using the proposed RELM model.
Surface Reflectance: An Optical Method for Multiscale Curvature Characterization of Wear on Ceramic–Metal Composites
Authors: Lemesle Julie , Robache Frederic , Le Goic Gaetan , Mansouri Alamin , Brown Christopher A. , Bigerelle Maxence
Published: February 2020

Surface gradient characterization by light reflectance (SGCLR) is used for the first time for multiscale curvature calculations and discrimination of worn surfaces on six damaged ceramic–metal composites. Measurements are made using reflectance transformation imaging (RTI). Slope and curvature maps, generated from RTI, are analyzed instead of heights. From multiscale decompositions, bootstrapping, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), a strong correlation (R² = 0.90) is found between the density of furrows of Mehlum curvatures, with a band pass filter at 5.4 µm, present in ceramic grains and their mechanical properties. A strong correlation is found between the mean curvatures of the metal and the ceramics, with a high pass filter at 1286 µm.
Synthesis of Superheat-Resistant Polyimides with Enhanced Dielectric Constant by Introduction of Cu(ΙΙ)-Coordination
Authors: Qian Guangtao , Hu Mengjie , Zhang Shangying , Wang Mengxia , Chen Chunhai , Yao Jianan
Published: February 2020

To achieve polyimide-metal complexes with enhanced properties, 5-amine-2-(5-aminopyridin-2-yl)-1-methyl-benzimidazole (PyMePABZ) that contains stiff 2-(2′-pyridyl)benzimidazole (PyBI) was synthesized and exploited to construct the Cu(ΙΙ)-crosslinked polyimides (Cu-PIs). These Cu-PIs exhibited higher dielectric, thermal, and mechanical properties with an increase in Cu2+ content. Among them, their dielectric constants (εrS) were up to 43% superior to that of the neat PI, glass transition temperatures (Tgs) were all over 400 °C, and 5% weight loss temperature (T5%) maintained beyond 500 °C. These data indicate that the metal coordination crosslinking provided a useful guide to develop high performance PIs which possess potential application as useful high temperature capacitors.
Optical and Nonlinear Properties of Photonic Polymer Nanocomposites and Holographic Gratings Modified with Noble Metal Nanoparticles
Authors: Sakhno Oksana , Yezhov Pavel , Hryn Volodymyr , Rudenko Valentyn , Smirnova Tatiana
Published: February 2020

Nanocomposites based on transparent polymer matrices containing nanoparticles (NPs) of noble metals are modern-day materials that can be specially designed for photonics, linear and nonlinear optics, laser physics and sensing applications. We present the improved photosensitive nanocomposites doped with Au and Ag NPs allowing fabrication of high effective submicrometer dimensional diffraction structures using holographic method. A general approach for the fabrication of holographic structures using a two-component mixture of the monomers of different reactivity was developed. Two different methods, ex situ and in situ, were studied to introduce Au and Ag NPs in the polymer matrix. The diffusion model of the grating formation upon holographic exposure as well as the process of Ag NP synthesis in a polymer matrix is considered. The influence of the NP size on the polymerization process, material dynamic range and nonlinear properties were investigated. The mechanisms and characteristics of the nanocomposite nonlinear optical response are discussed.
A Comprehensive Machine-Learning-Based Software Pipeline to Classify EEG Signals: A Case Study on PNES vs. Control Subjects
Authors: Varone Giuseppe , Gasparini Sara , Ferlazzo Edoardo , Ascoli Michele , Tripodi Giovanbattista Gaspare , Zucco Chiara , Calabrese Barbara , Cannataro Mario , Aguglia Umberto
Published: February 2020

The diagnosis of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) by means of electroencephalography (EEG) is not a trivial task during clinical practice for neurologists. No clear PNES electrophysiological biomarker has yet been found, and the only tool available for diagnosis is video EEG monitoring with recording of a typical episode and clinical history of the subject. In this paper, a data-driven machine learning (ML) pipeline for classifying EEG segments (i.e., epochs) of PNES and healthy controls (CNT) is introduced. This software pipeline consists of a semiautomatic signal processing technique and a supervised ML classifier to aid clinical discriminative diagnosis of PNES by means of an EEG time series. In our ML pipeline, statistical features like the mean, standard deviation, kurtosis, and skewness are extracted in a power spectral density (PSD) map split up in five conventional EEG rhythms (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and the whole band, i.e., 1–32 Hz). Then, the feature vector is fed into three different supervised ML algorithms, namely, the support vector machine (SVM), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and Bayesian network (BN), to perform EEG segment classification tasks for CNT vs. PNES. The performance of the pipeline algorithm was evaluated on a dataset of 20 EEG signals (10 PNES and 10 CNT) that was recorded in eyes-closed resting condition at the Regional Epilepsy Centre, Great Metropolitan Hospital of Reggio Calabria, University of Catanzaro, Italy. The experimental results showed that PNES vs. CNT discrimination tasks performed via the ML algorithm and validated with random split (RS) achieved an average accuracy of 0.97 ± 0.013 (RS-SVM), 0.99 ± 0.02 (RS-LDA), and 0.82 ± 0.109 (RS-BN). Meanwhile, with leave-one-out (LOO) validation, an average accuracy of 0.98 ± 0.0233 (LOO-SVM), 0.98 ± 0.124 (LOO-LDA), and 0.81 ± 0.109 (LOO-BN) was achieved. Our findings showed that BN was outperformed by SVM and LDA. The promising results of the proposed software pipeline suggest that it may be a valuable tool to support existing clinical diagnosis.
A Robust Detection Algorithm for Infrared Maritime Small and Dim Targets
Authors: Lu Yuwei , Dong Lili , Zhang Tong , Xu Wenhai
Published: February 2020

Infrared maritime target detection is the key technology of maritime target search systems. However, infrared images generally have the defects of low signal-to-noise ratio and low resolution. At the same time, the maritime environment is complicated and changeable. Under the interference of islands, waves and other disturbances, the brightness of small dim targets is easily obscured, which makes them difficult to distinguish. This is difficult for traditional target detection algorithms to deal with. In order to solve these problems, through the analysis of infrared maritime images under a variety of sea conditions including small dim targets, this paper concludes that in infrared maritime images, small targets occupy very few pixels, often do not have any edge contour information, and the gray value and contrast values are very low. The background such as island and strong sea wave occupies a large number of pixels, with obvious texture features, and often has a high gray value. By deeply analyzing the difference between the target and the background, this paper proposes a detection algorithm (SRGM) for infrared small dim targets under different maritime background. Firstly, this algorithm proposes an efficient maritime background filter for the common background in the infrared maritime image. Firstly, the median filter based on the sensitive region selection is used to extract the image background accurately, and then the background is eliminated by image difference with the original image. In addition, this article analyzes the differences in gradient features between strong interference caused by the background and targets, proposes a small dim target extraction operator with two analysis factors that fit the target features perfectly and combines the adaptive threshold segmentation to realize the accurate extraction of the small dim target. The experimental results show that compared with the current popular small dim target detection algorithms, this paper has better performance for target detection in various maritime environments.
On the Design of Thermal-Aware Duty-Cycle MAC Protocol for IoT Healthcare
Authors: Monowar Muhammad Mostafa , Alassafi Madini O.
Published: February 2020

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) are designed to provide connectivity among diverse miniature body sensors that support different Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare applications. Among diverse body sensors, WBANs exploit in-vivo sensor nodes that detect and collect the required biometric data of certain physiological change inside the human body, and transmits the sensed data utilizing wireless communication. However, sensing and wireless communication activities of in-vivo sensors produce heat and could result thermal damage to the human tissue if the sensing and communication continues for a long period. Furthermore, Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning for diverse traffic types is another striking requirement for WBANs. These pressing yet conflicting concerns trigger the design of ThMAC—a Thermal aware duty cycle MAC protocol for IoT healthcare. The protocol regulates the communication operation of a body sensor based on estimated temperature surrounding a tissue to maintain moderate temperature level in a body, also avoiding hotspot. Exploiting both contention-based and contention free channel access mechanisms, ThMAC introduces a superframe structure, where disjoint periods are allocated for diverse traffic types to achieve QoS provisioning. Moreover, ThMAC ensures a reliable and timely delivery of sporadically generated emergency data through an emergency data management mechanism. ThMAC performance is evaluated through computer simulations in terms of thermal rise, energy consumption as well as QoS metrics such as delay and reliability. The results show superior performance of ThMAC compared to that of IEEE 802.15.6.
Valve-Actuator-Integrated Reference Electrode for an Ultra-Long-Life Rumen pH Sensor
Authors: Higuchi Shogo , Okada Hironao , Takamatsu Seiichi , Itoh Toshihiro
Published: February 2020

We demonstrated a newly developed Ag/AgCl reference electrode- with a valve-actuator for two years or longer rumen pH monitoring. Previous studies on pH sensors reported that the short lifetime of Ag/AgCl reference electrodes is caused by an outflow of internal electrolyte. We introduced a valve-actuator into a liquid junction to reduce the outflow by intermittent measurement. The results indicated that the potential change when switching the liquid junction was less than 0.5 mV and its response time was less than 0.083 s. In the 24-h potential measurement with the valve-actuator-integrated reference electrode (VAIRE), the valve was actuated once every hour, and the standard deviation of the potential was 0.29 mV. The lifetime of the VAIRE was estimated at 2.0 years calculating from an electrolyte outflow, which is significantly longer than that of conventional reference electrodes. A pH sensor using the VAIRE was estimated to operate for 2.0 years with the pH error ≤0.1, which meets the requirement of cows’ rumen pH monitoring.
A Tunable Freeform-Segmented Reflector in a Microfluidic System for Conventional and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Liu Qing , Stenbæk Schmidt Michael , Thienpont Hugo , Ottevaere Heidi
Published: February 2020

We present a freeform-segmented reflector-based microfluidic system for conventional Raman and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) analysis. The segmented reflector is directly designed by a numerical approach. The polymer-based Raman system strongly suppresses the undesirable background because it enables confocal detection of Raman scattering through the combination of a freeform reflector and a microfluidic chip. We perform systematic simulations using non-sequential ray tracing with the Henyey-Greenstein model to assess the Raman scattering behavior of the substance under test. We fabricate the freeform reflector and the microfluidic chip by means of ultra-precision diamond turning and laser cutting respectively. We demonstrate the confocal behavior by measuring the Raman spectrum of ethanol. Besides, we calibrate the setup by performing Raman measurements on urea and potassium nitrate solutions with different concentrations. The detection limit of our microfluidic system is approximately 20 mM according to the experiment. Finally, we implement a SERS microfluidic chip and discriminate 100 µM urea and potassium nitrate solutions.