bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
JIHADIST HYBRID WAR AS MILITARY STRATEGY FOR AGGRESSIVE NON-STATE RELIGIOUS ACTORS – MAIN CHARACTERISTICS AND DOCTRINAL IMPLICATIONS OF MODERN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
(DAESH, TALIBAN AND “CAUCASUS ISLAMIC EMIRATE” CASES)
Authors: Maisaia Vakhtang , Scott Jon
Published: December 2019

Two geostrategically important regions the Caucasus and Central Asia still remain as one of the instable and “blackly” pliable ones from international security perspective. Namely, on case of Afghanistan is very clear case. The country is still considering as a source-drive actor of so-called “Asymmetric Threats” emanated from the “Taliban” movement as a non-state political actor. Jihadist movements’ activation in Afghanistan caused direct military threats toward Central Asia and Caucasus regions and certainly after NATO ISAF mission, the situation could more deteriorate. Among asymmetric threats include – drug smuggling, arms illegal trafficking, export of Political Islam doctrinal scripts, military Jihadist network, international terrorism, etc. Global actors – USA, Russia, NATO, and China are seeking to cope with those challenges stemming from “Taliban” and “Islamic Caliphate” (DAESH) forces as well as “Al-Qaida” and this strategy needs joint efforts together with strategic partners in combating these new military actors at global and regional levels. The authors are going to describe in the article the DAESH’s, the Taliban’s and the Caucasus Islamic Emirate’s military tactics, sources of financing, war crimes as well as foreign powers’ policies and attitudes toward these military non-state aggressive actors over time. Moreover it envisages hybrid warfare component implications in Jihadist military strategic and tactical operational planning.
The Beginning of the Post-modern Geopolitical Epoch and the Peculiarities of the System of Contemporary International Relations in the 21st Century
Authors: Zviadadze George
Published: December 2019

After transformation of unipolarity and reformatting world order system,
a question been forwarded on how new system is to be founded on. As it is known
classical international relations system developed since Westphalia Agreement
of 1648 has been composed mainly by the state as key actors of international politics.
The system has been developed two type of regimes: soft bipolarity and balance
of power interchanged in several period of time consequently. One of the
characteristic features of globalization is a fundamental change of the international
system and world order. It differs from the world of post-Cold War period with the
stance of different actors of international relations on each other as well as with the
forms of sharing power and that of interconnections. In that context there were four
phases of the international relations systems: the system of Westphalia, the system
of Vienna, the system of Versailles, the system of Yalta-Potsdam and later
international relations were transformed into bipolarity one. Since demolishing
classical Cold War order and entering into new epoch of anarchic scenario, the
states as key actors of the system have been diminishing in favour of so-called “nonstate actors”. However, in the international system of the 21st century, the nationstate still has particular functions. It represents the dominant element of the world
politics which can influence the behaviour of the population and non-state actors.
Factors Affecting Prolonged Stay in Postoperative Period in General Surgery Intensive Care Unit
Authors: ÜSTÜN Mehmet , KILINÇ Gizem , KARACA Avni Can , DEMİR Halit Batuhan , ŞENOĞLU Nimet , AYDIN Cengiz
Published: December 2019

Aim:Prolonged stay in intensive care unit is associated with a high risk of mortality. Predictability of it is important to reduce mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting prolonged stay in secondary general surgery intensive care unit.Materials and Methods: Between January 2014 and October 2017, 68 patients with prolonged stay undergoing general surgery ICU follow-up in the postoperative period after the general surgical procedure and the same number of randomly selected patients with similar characteristics were compared in two groupsResults:The median age of the patients with prolonged stay was 69,00 (22,50) and the median age of the patients in the control group was 59,00 (14,75) (p < 0,001).In prolonged stay group, 59 patients underwent abdominal emergency surgery, and 9 patients underwent abdominal elective surgery. The number of patients undergoing abdominal emergency procedures in the control group was 23, and the number of patients undergoing abdominal elective procedure was 45 ( p=0,001). Fourty eight of the patients in the prolonged stay group had mortality, 7 of the patients in the control group had mortality (p=0,001).  As a result of multivariate analysis; in the prolonged stay group, emergency abdominal surgical procedure rate (p <0.001) (Odds ratio:12.983), age (p = 0.006) (Odds ratio:0.96) and mortality rate (p <0.001) (Odds ratio: 20,91) was found to be statistically significant.Conclusion: . Emergency abdominal surgical procedure, age and high mortality rate are associated with prolonged stay.
TO THE QUESTION OF ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC SERVICE
Authors: Parkhomenko Daria , Predtechynskaya Elena
Published: December 2019

The article discusses legislative changes regarding new public easements, in particular public easements in relation to public lands and public easements for certain purposes. Their differences from public easements that existed earlier in accordance with the classical theory of limited property rights are discussed. The jurisprudence is analyzed in the framework of attracting forensic experts in cases of establishing public easements. Cases of attracting experts in litigation for land surveying are identified.
DAMPAK ALOKASI DANA DESA BAGI PEMBANGUNAN DAERAH DAN KESEJAHTERAAN MASYARAKAT
Authors: Mujiwardhani Alfian , Wibowo Heru , Mulya Iman Tri
Published: December 2019

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the Village Fund allocation on the improvement of regional development, which is measured by improvements in physical capital, human capital, economy, and community welfare (economic growth, poverty, and unemployment). The Difference in Difference (DID) method is applied to estimate the effects of village fund allocation by comparing the changes in outcome between the district that get village fund allocation (intervention group) and the cities that did not (control group). The results of the study show that the Village Fund has an impact on improving the achievement of outputs in infrastructure, education and health services, as well as improving economic performance, but has not been able to improve welfare indicators. The Village Fund is expected to be able to increase economic growth in the short term, but it has not yet affected poverty and unemployment.
Comparison of SHD and Open-Center Training Systems in Almond Tree Orchards cv. ‘Soleta’
Authors: Casanova-Gascón José , Figueras-Panillo Marcos , Iglesias-Castellarnau Ignasi , Martín-Ramos Pablo
Published: December 2019

The increase in the demand for almonds, the development of novel self-fertile and late-flowering varieties, and the establishment of plantations in new irrigated areas have led to significant progress in the productive techniques of almond tree cultivation. One of the most important has been the increase in planting density, due to the development of dwarfing rootstocks. This paper presents a comparison between two training systems with ‘Soleta’ almond cultivar: a super high density (SHD) system using Rootpac-20 dwarfing rootstock versus an open-center training system using GF-677 rootstock. To this end, several parameters related to chlorophyll content (fluorescence and SPAD) and light interception (from photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) measurements) were monitored throughout two vegetative cycles, and other productive conditions (flowering, fruit set and production) were tracked at specific times of the cycle. The open-center system resulted in higher PAR interception than the SHD system, but also in the presence of poorly illuminated fractions of the canopy. Differences were observed between both systems in terms of average fruit weight and yield per canopy volume. Lower yields were obtained in SHD system than in open-center, which may be significantly increased by adapting the inter-row spacing. However, the degree of efficiency in the use of resources or productive inputs, such as irrigation, was favorable to the new SHD training system, so its potential to become a reference system in modern plantations (using over-the-row harvesters similar to those used for vine and olive trees) seems promising.
Conventional Industrial Robotics Applied to the Process of Tomato Grafting Using the Splicing Technique
Authors: Pardo-Alonso José-Luis , Carreño-Ortega Ángel , Martínez-Gaitán Carolina-Clara , Golasi Iacopo , Gómez Galán Marta
Published: December 2019

Horticultural grafting is routinely performed manually, demanding a high degree of concentration and requiring operators to withstand extreme humidity and temperature conditions. This article presents the results derived from adapting the splicing technique for tomato grafting, characterized by the coordinated work of two conventional anthropomorphic industrial robots with the support of low-cost passive auxiliary units for the transportation, handling, and conditioning of the seedlings. This work provides a new approach to improve the efficiency of tomato grafting. Six test rates were analyzed, which allowed the system to be evaluated across 900 grafted units, with gradual increases in the speed of robots work, operating from 80 grafts/hour to over 300 grafts/hour. The results obtained show that a higher number of grafts per hour than the number manually performed by skilled workers could be reached easily, with success rates of approximately 90% for working speeds around 210–240 grafts/hour.
Partnering with Taxidermists for Improved Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance
Authors: Ableman Ashley , Hynes Kevin , Schuler Krysten , Martin Angela
Published: December 2019

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a neurodegenerative disease of cervids caused by a misfolded protein called a prion. This disease affects captive and free-ranging deer, moose, elk, and reindeer, and has been detected in 26 states. Cervids infected with CWD may be asymptomatic for months or years. In most areas, older male deer have higher prevalence rates. Prior to 2013, CWD surveillance in New York State focused on testing samples of convenience, by collecting deer heads from meat processors. However, this sampling was biased because many of the heads from older male deer were taken to taxidermists to be mounted. In 2013, the Taxidermy Partnership Program (TPP) was created to train taxidermists to collect CWD samples, and to increase the proportion of older male deer submitted for CWD testing. Added benefits include improved communication with taxidermists and increased awareness about CWD. Trained taxidermists were able to successfully collect and submit tissue samples with few errors. Participating taxidermists were paid for viable samples. Currently, there is a stable number of taxidermists that participate each year. This program has proven to be a valuable resource for obtaining high-value CWD samples for the wildlife agency, requiring a minimal amount of funding and time.
Genome Survey of Male and Female Spotted Scat (Scatophagus argus)
Authors: Huang Yuanqing , Jiang Dongneng , Li Ming , Mustapha Umar Farouk , Tian Changxu , Chen Huapu , Huang Yang , Deng Siping , Wu Tianli , Zhu Chunhua , Li Guangli
Published: December 2019

The spotted scat, Scatophagus argus, is a species of fish that is widely propagated within the Chinese aquaculture industry and therefore has significant economic value. Despite this, studies of its genome are severely lacking. In the present study, a genomic survey of S. argus was conducted using next-generation sequencing (NGS). In total, 55.699 GB (female) and 51.047 GB (male) of high-quality sequence data were obtained. Genome sizes were estimated to be 598.73 (female) and 597.60 (male) Mbp. The sequence repeat ratios were calculated to be 27.06% (female) and 26.99% (male). Heterozygosity ratios were 0.37% for females and 0.38% for males. Reads were assembled into 444,961 (female) and 453,459 (male) contigs with N50 lengths of 5,747 and 5,745 bp for females and males, respectively. The average guanine-cytosine (GC) content of the female genome was 41.78%, and 41.82% for the male. A total of 42,869 (female) and 43,283 (male) genes were annotated to the non-redundant (NR) and SwissProt databases. The female and male genomes contained 66.6% and 67.8% BUSCO core genes, respectively. Dinucleotide repeats were the dominant form of simple sequence repeats (SSR) observed in females (68.69%) and males (68.56%). Additionally, gene fragments of Dmrt1 were only observed in the male genome. This is the first report of a genome-wide characterization of S. argus.
In Vitro Evaluation of Different Dietary Methane Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Chagas Juana C. , Ramin Mohammad , Krizsan Sophie J.
Published: December 2019

We assessed and ranked different dietary strategies for mitigating methane (CH4) emissions and other fermentation parameters, using an automated gas system in two in vitro experiments. In experiment 1, a wide range of dietary CH4 mitigation strategies was tested. In experiment 2, the two most promising CH4 inhibitory compounds from experiment 1 were tested in a dose-response study. In experiment 1, the chemical compounds 2-nitroethanol, nitrate, propynoic acid, p-coumaric acid, bromoform, and Asparagopsis taxiformis (AT) decreased predicted in vivo CH4 production (1.30, 21.3, 13.9, 24.2, 2.00, and 0.20 mL/g DM, respectively) compared with the control diet (38.7 mL/g DM). The 2-nitroethanol and AT treatments had lower molar proportions of acetate and higher molar proportions of propionate and butyrate compared with the control diet. In experiment 2, predicted in vivo CH4 production decreased curvilinearly, molar proportions of acetate decreased, and propionate and butyrate proportions increased curvilinearly with increased levels of AT and 2-nitroethanol. Thus 2-nitroethanol and AT were the most efficient strategies to reduce CH4 emissions in vitro, and AT inclusion additionally showed a strong dose-dependent CH4 mitigating effect, with the least impact on rumen fermentation parameters.
Trends and Drivers of Change of Pastoral Beef Production Systems in a Mediterranean-Temperate Climate Zone of Chile
Authors: Toro-Mujica Paula , Vera Raúl , Vargas-Bello-Pérez Einar , Pinedo Pablo , Bas Fernando
Published: December 2019

The present study used surveys of the cattle sector over the period of 2009–2015 to develop a typology of cattle farms to evaluate their evolution over time and to identify variables that may be associated with systems’ adaptive changes and continuance. Four groups of farms were defined using multivariate analyses as follows: Group I are small calf-cow operations using non-specialized beef breeds; Group II is similar to Group I but employs specialized beef breeds; Group III is dedicated to finishing cattle, and Group IV are larger farms (>1000 animals) with a complete cycle of breeding and fattening. In general, beef cattle production in the temperate—Mediterranean Southern Zone of Chile is declining in response to the opening up of the economy that allows for ample imports, the high opportunity cost of land, and recurrent droughts associated with climate change. Current policies and regulations have modified farms’ businesses models depending on their ease of access to markets, farm size and financial capacity. The defined groups require different development paths and strategies. Sustainable intensification is an alternative strategy for farms in Group I and II, particularly if they were to contract the finishing stage of their cattle with Group III farms. In contrast, it is suggested that Group IV farms concentrate on pastoral production using low external inputs to enhance the production of “natural” beef for high-value niche markets, with positive externalities.
Re-Understanding the Mechanisms of Action of the Anti-Mycobacterial Drug Bedaquiline
Authors: Sarathy Jickky Palmae , Gruber Gerhard , Dick Thomas
Published: December 2019

Bedaquiline (BDQ) inhibits ATP generation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by interfering with the F-ATP synthase activity. Two mechanisms of action of BDQ are broadly accepted. A direct mechanism involves BDQ binding to the enzyme’s c-ring to block its rotation, thus inhibiting ATP synthesis in the enzyme’s catalytic α3β3-headpiece. An indirect mechanism involves BDQ uncoupling electron transport in the electron transport chain from ATP synthesis at the F-ATP synthase. In a recently uncovered second direct mechanism, BDQ binds to the enzyme’s ε-subunit to disrupt its ability to link c-ring rotation to ATP synthesis at the α3β3-headpiece. However, this mechanism is controversial as the drug’s binding affinity for the isolated ε-subunit protein is moderate and spontaneous resistance mutants in the ε-subunit cannot be isolated. Recently, the new, structurally distinct BDQ analogue TBAJ-876 was utilized as a chemical probe to revisit BDQ’s mechanisms of action. In this review, we first summarize discoveries on BDQ’s mechanisms of action and then describe the new insights derived from the studies of TBAJ-876. The TBAJ-876 investigations confirm the c-ring as a target, while also supporting a functional role for targeting the ε-subunit. Surprisingly, the new findings suggest that the uncoupler mechanism does not play a key role in BDQ’s anti-mycobacterial activity.
Knowledge, Perceptions and Practices of Community Pharmacists Towards Antimicrobial Stewardship: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Saha Sajal K. , Barton Chris , Promite Shukla , Mazza Danielle
Published: December 2019

The scope of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) surveys on community pharmacists (CPs) is uncertain. This study examines the breadth and quality of AMS survey tools measuring the stewardship knowledge, perceptions and practices (KPP) of CPs and analyse survey outcomes. Following PRISMA-ScR checklist and Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework seven medical databases were searched. Two reviewers independently screened the literatures, assessed quality of surveys and KPP outcomes were analysed and described. Ten surveys were identified that assessed CPs’ AMS perceptions (n = 7) and practices (n = 8) but none that assessed AMS knowledge. Three survey tools had been formally validated. Most CPs perceived that AMS improved patient care (median 86.0%, IQR, 83.3–93.5%, n = 6), and reduced inappropriate antibiotic use (84.0%, IQR, 83–85%, n = 2). CPs collaborated with prescribers for infection control (54.7%, IQR 34.8–63.2%, n = 4) and for uncertain antibiotic treatment (77.0%, IQR 55.2–77.8%, n = 5). CPs educated patients (53.0%, IQR, 43.2–67.4%, n = 5) and screened guideline-compliance of antimicrobial prescriptions (47.5%, IQR, 25.2–58.3%, n = 3). Guidelines, training, interactions with prescribers, and reimbursement models were major barriers to CP-led AMS implementation. A limited number of validated survey tools are available to assess AMS perceptions and practices of CPs. AMS survey tools require further development to assess stewardship knowledge, stewardship targets, and implementation by CPs.
Flavanol Polymerization Is a Superior Predictor of α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity Compared to Flavanol or Total Polyphenol Concentrations in Cocoas Prepared by Variations in Controlled Fermentation and Roasting of the Same Raw Cocoa Beans
Authors: Racine Kathryn C. , Wiersema Brian D. , Griffin Laura E. , Essenmacher Lauren A. , Lee Andrew H. , Hopfer Helene , Lambert Joshua D. , Stewart Amanda C. , Neilson Andrew P.
Published: December 2019

Raw cocoa beans were processed to produce cocoa powders with different combinations of fermentation (unfermented, cool, or hot) and roasting (not roasted, cool, or hot). Cocoa powder extracts were characterized and assessed for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro. Cocoa processing (fermentation/roasting) contributed to significant losses of native flavanols. All of the treatments dose-dependently inhibited α-glucosidase activity, with cool fermented/cool roasted powder exhibiting the greatest potency (IC50: 68.09 µg/mL), when compared to acarbose (IC50: 133.22 µg/mL). A strong negative correlation was observed between flavanol mDP and IC50, suggesting flavanol polymerization as a marker of enhanced α-glucosidase inhibition in cocoa. Our data demonstrate that cocoa powders are potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase. Significant reductions in the total polyphenol and flavanol concentrations induced by processing do not necessarily dictate a reduced capacity for α-glucosidase inhibition, but rather these steps can enhance cocoa bioactivity. Non-traditional compositional markers may be better predictors of enzyme inhibitory activity than cocoa native flavanols.
Inhibitory Effect of β-Carotene on Helicobacter pylori-Induced TRAF Expression and Hyper-Proliferation in Gastric Epithelial Cells
Authors: Park Yongchae , Lee Hanbit , Lim Joo Weon , Kim Hyeyoung
Published: December 2019

Helicobacter pylori infection causes the hyper-proliferation of gastric epithelial cells that leads to the development of gastric cancer. Overexpression of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor (TRAF) is shown in gastric cancer cells. The dietary antioxidant β-carotene has been shown to counter hyper-proliferation in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. The present study was carried out to examine the β-carotene mechanism of action. We first showed that H. pylori infection decreases cellular IκBα levels while increasing cell viability, NADPH oxidase activity, reactive oxygen species production, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation, and TRAF1 and TRAF2 gene expression, as well as protein–protein interaction in gastric epithelial AGS cells. We then demonstrated that pretreatment of cells with β-carotene significantly attenuates these effects. Our findings support the proposal that β-carotene has anti-cancer activity by reducing NADPH oxidase-mediated production of ROS, NF-κB activation and NF-κB-regulated TRAF1 and TRAF2 gene expression, and hyper-proliferation in AGS cells. We suggest that the consumption of β-carotene-enriched foods could decrease the incidence of H. pylori-associated gastric disorders.
Exercise Training Promotes Cardiac Hydrogen Sulfide Biosynthesis and Mitigates Pyroptosis to Prevent High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kar Sumit , Shahshahan Hamid R. , Hackfort Bryan T. , Yadav Santosh K. , Yadav Roopali , Kambis Tyler N. , Lefer David J. , Mishra Paras K.
Published: December 2019

Obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes and subsequently, diabetic cardiomyopathy (DMCM). Reduced cardioprotective antioxidant hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and increased inflammatory cell death via pyroptosis contribute to adverse cardiac remodeling and DMCM. Although exercise training (EX) has cardioprotective effects, it is unclear whether EX mitigates obesity-induced DMCM by increasing H₂S biosynthesis and mitigating pyroptosis in the heart. C57BL6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) while undergoing treadmill EX for 20 weeks. HFD mice developed obesity, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance, which were reduced by EX. Left ventricle pressure-volume measurement revealed that obese mice developed reduced diastolic function with preserved ejection fraction, which was improved by EX. Cardiac dysfunction was accompanied by increased cardiac pyroptosis signaling, structural remodeling, and metabolic remodeling, indicated by accumulation of lipid droplets in the heart. Notably, EX increased cardiac H₂S concentration and expression of H₂S biosynthesis enzymes. HFD-induced obesity led to features of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and subsequently DMCM. EX during the HFD regimen prevented the development of DMCM, possibly by promoting H₂S-mediated cardioprotection and alleviating pyroptosis. This is the first report of EX modulating H₂S and pyroptotic signaling in the heart.
Manganese Porphyrin-Based SOD Mimetics Produce Polysulfides from Hydrogen Sulfide
Authors: Olson Kenneth R. , Gao Yan , Arif Faihaan , Patel Shivali , Yuan Xiaotong , Mannam Varun , Howard Scott , Batinic-Haberle Ines , Fukuto Jon , Minnion Magdalena , Feelisch Martin , Straub Karl D.
Published: December 2019

Manganese-centered porphyrins (MnPs), MnTE-2-PyP5+ (MnTE), MnTnHex-2-PyP5+ (MnTnHex), and MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ (MnTnBuOE) have received considerable attention because of their ability to serve as superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics thereby producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and oxidants of ascorbate and simple aminothiols or protein thiols. MnTE-2-PyP5+ and MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ are now in five Phase II clinical trials warranting further exploration of their rich redox-based biology. Previously, we reported that SOD is also a sulfide oxidase catalyzing the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to hydrogen persulfide (H2S2) and longer-chain polysulfides (H2Sn, n = 3–7). We hypothesized that MnPs may have similar actions on sulfide metabolism. H2S and polysulfides were monitored in fluorimetric assays with 7-azido-4-methylcoumarin (AzMC) and 3′,6′-di(O-thiosalicyl)fluorescein (SSP4), respectively, and specific polysulfides were further identified by mass spectrometry. MnPs concentration-dependently consumed H2S and produced H2S2 and subsequently longer-chain polysulfides. This reaction appeared to be O2-dependent. MnP absorbance spectra exhibited wavelength shifts in the Soret and Q bands characteristic of sulfide-mediated reduction of Mn. Taken together, our results suggest that MnPs can become efficacious activators of a variety of cytoprotective processes by acting as sulfide oxidation catalysts generating per/polysulfides.
Effectiveness of Vapor Lock Effect Removal in Endo Training Blocks: Manual Dynamic Agitation versus Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation
Authors: Dioguardi Mario , Crincoli Vito , Sovereto Diego , Caloro Giorgia Apollonia , Aiuto Riccardo , Illuzzi Gaetano , Caponio Vito Carlo Alberto , Troiano Giuseppe , De Lillo Alfredo , Ciavarella Domenico , Lo Muzio Lorenzo
Published: December 2019

Root canal cleaning plays an important role in endodontics. In most cases, root canal cleaning is performed using irrigants, such as sodium hypochlorite or EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). The efficacy of these irrigants may be compromised by different phenomena, such as vapor lock. Different methods can be used to overcome this problem; in this paper, we compare the efficacy of two such methods: manual dynamic agitation (MDA) and passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI). We shaped 50 endo training blocks, which were divided into two groups of 25 samples each, into MDA or PUI groups. In both groups, the vapor lock was produced by delivering a watery solution using a disposable syringe with a tip-opened needle. Using the MDA technique, vapor lock was removed in 15/25 cases. The PUI technique produced the same results in 17/25 cases, where vapor lock was only reduced, not removed. The MDA method produced an average reduction in vapor lock of 80%, whereas the PUI method yielded a 55% reduction. The differences among groups were assessed through a Mann–Whitney U test, and the results had a p-value of 0.0013, which was considered to be statistically significant. The MDA method was able to effectively remove vapor lock. PUI, however, was only able to reduce but not remove vapor lock.
Detection and Imaging of Underground Objects for Distinguishing Explosives by Using a Fluxgate Sensor Array
Authors: Gürkan Serkan , Karapınar Mustafa , Doğan Seydi
Published: December 2019

Active and passive techniques are two different techniques with which to detect buried explosives. In practice, the most preferred active method works by broadcasting a signal underground. This signal may stimulate the buried explosive and cause it to explode. It is important to eliminate or minimize this drawback to ensure the safety of the detector operator. In this respect, it is important to increase the studies on the passive detection technique which is not currently used in practice. The aim of this study was to passively detect improvised explosive devices without stimulating them, and to classify underground objects as explosive or non-explosive. A fluxgate sensor array having 33 components was used for passive magnetic field measurements, and the nearest neighborhood algorithm was preferred for classifying the resulting data. In experimental studies, 33 different samples having different amounts of ferromagnetic properties were used. Successful imaging and classification were achieved for the measurements up to 20 cm below the surface of soil. Data were recorded as 32 × 25 matrices, and then they were reduced to 32 × 2 matrices having the same features. Samples having explosive properties were distinguished from other underground objects with success rates of 86% and 95% for 32 × 25 and 32 × 2 data matrices, respectively. Classification times for 32 × 25 and 32 × 2 data matrices were 42 ms and 3.62 ms, respectively. For data groups where the best results were obtained for the data matrices, frame numbers classified in one second were calculated as 23.80 and 276.2, respectively. False alarm rate achieved was 5.31%. The experimental results proved the successes of the matrices reduction and classification approach. One of the most common problems encountered in passive detecting techniques is that the sensor position affects the measurements negatively. In this paper, a solution has been proposed for this important problem.
Climate Change: Impacts on Climatic Actions and Structural Reliability
Authors: Croce Pietro , Formichi Paolo , Landi Filippo
Published: December 2019

Climatic loads on structures are commonly defined under the assumption of stationary climate conditions; but, as confirmed by recent studies, they can significantly vary because of climate change effects, with relevant impacts not only for the design of new structures but also for the assessment of the existing ones. In this paper, a general methodology to evaluate the influence of climate change on climatic actions is presented, based on the analysis of observed data series and climate projections. Illustrative results in terms of changes in characteristic values of temperature, precipitation, snow, and wind loads are discussed for Italy and Germany, with reference to different climate models and radiative forcing scenarios. In this way, guidance for potential amendments in the current definition of climatic actions in structural codes is provided. Finally, the influence of climate change on the long-term structural reliability is estimated for a specific case study, showing the potential of the proposed methodology.
β-Caryophyllene: A Sesquiterpene with Countless Biological Properties
Authors: Francomano Fabrizio , Caruso Anna , Barbarossa Alexia , Fazio Alessia , La Torre Chiara , Ceramella Jessica , Mallamaci Rosanna , Saturnino Carmela , Iacopetta Domenico , Sinicropi Maria Stefania
Published: December 2019

β-Caryophyllene (BCP), a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene, is a selective phytocannabinoid agonist of type 2 receptors (CB2-R). It isn’t psychogenic due to the absence of an affinity to cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1). Among the various biological activities, BCP exerts anti-inflammatory action via inhibiting the main inflammatory mediators, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α), nuclear factor kapp a-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPAR-α) effects are also mediated by the activation of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ receptors. In detail, many studies, in vitro and in vivo, suggest that the treatment with β-caryophyllene improves the phenotype of animals used to model various inflammatory pathologies, such as nervous system diseases (Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke), atherosclerosis, and tumours (colon, breast, pancreas, lymphoma, melanoma and glioma cancer). Furthermore, pre-clinical data have highlighted that BCP is potentially useful in Streptococcus infections, osteoporosis, steatohepatitis, and exerts anticonvulsant, analgesic, myorelaxing, sedative, and antidepressive effects. BCP is non-toxic in rodents, with a Lethal dose, 50% (LD50) greater than 5000 mg/kg. Nevertheless, it inhibits various cytochrome P450 isoforms (above all, CYP3A4), which metabolise xenobiotics, leading to adverse effects, due to drug levels over therapeutic window. All the reported data have highlighted that both pharmacological and toxicological aspects need to be further investigated with clinical trials.
Independent Analysis of Decelerations and Resting Periods through CEEMDAN and Spectral-Based Feature Extraction Improves Cardiotocographic Assessment
Authors: Fuentealba Patricio , Illanes Alfredo , Ortmeier Frank
Published: December 2019

Fetal monitoring is commonly based on the joint recording of the fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine contraction signals obtained with a cardiotocograph (CTG). Unfortunately, CTG analysis is difficult, and the interpretation problems are mainly associated with the analysis of FHR decelerations. From that perspective, several approaches have been proposed to improve its analysis; however, the results obtained are not satisfactory enough for their implementation in clinical practice. Current clinical research indicates that a correct CTG assessment requires a good understanding of the fetal compensatory mechanisms. In previous works, we have shown that the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise, in combination with time-varying autoregressive modeling, may be useful for the analysis of those characteristics. In this work, based on this methodology, we propose to analyze the FHR deceleration episodes separately. The main hypothesis is that the proposed feature extraction strategy applied separately to the complete signal, deceleration episodes, and resting periods (between contractions), improves the CTG classification performance compared with the analysis of only the complete signal. Results reveal that by considering the complete signal, the classification performance achieved 81.7% quality. Then, including information extracted from resting periods, it improved to 83.2%.
System Reliability Assessment with Imprecise Probabilities
Authors: Yang Guodong , Huang Xianzhen , Li Yuxiong , Ding Pengfei
Published: December 2019

The exact statistical characteristics of some components may be unavailable because of the limited sample information in practical engineering. One challenge that system reliability analysis faces is dealing with limited sample sizes, which introduces the potential for a high level of uncertainty in the analysis results. In this paper, we propose a procedure for the reliability analysis of complex systems with a limited number of samples. Bayesian inference is used to estimate the parameter intervals of the life distributions of the components with a limited number of samples. Then, probability boxes (p-box) are constructed from the parameter intervals to represent the life distributions of the components with a limited number of samples. In addition, the theory of survival signature is applied to calculate the reliability of the system with a mixture of precise and imprecise knowledge of the life distributions of the components. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity of the methods.
Mechanical Harvesting Line Setting of Giant Reeds
Authors: Assirelli Alberto , Civitarese Vincenzo , Caracciolo Giuseppina , Sannino Maura , Faugno Salvatore
Published: December 2019

This study evaluated the possibility of adopting haymaking farming machinery in giant reed (Arundo donax L.) harvesting. The test shows the technical and energy aspects of mechanical harvesting using only one specific machine, a shredding machine, designed and developed by an Italian constructor for large biomass herbaceous crops (giant reed, sorghums, switchgrass, Mischantus, etc). It is designed for high vegetative growth crops, as it is able to spread products over all soil surfaces or, alternatively, carry out windrowing. Tests were conducted in the south of Italy (Campania region) on the experimental farm Torre Lama in Bellizzi (SA). Biomass was shredded, dried in the field, and baled for use in a logistic chain and storage. The first step was the cutting and shredding of biomass crops with the specific shredder rear-mounted in an agricultural tractor. The biomass then was dried on the field, constantly monitored for moisture content, and finally, baled with a trailed round baler for storage (second step) and used in a specific logistic chain. The test showed good performance of the shredder machine between 1.17 and 1.77 ha h−1 with an operative speed between 3.9 and 5. 9 km h−1. To define the hourly production, a high wet production level of 60.70 t ha−1 and a low level of 56 t ha−1 were used as references. Under the climatic conditions of the experimental test, this harvesting system showed some advantages, such as the possibility of immediate and long-term biomass storage (less than 14% moisture content), the potential alternative use of the biomass, and the reduced resource use compared to that of other ordinary crops growing in the area.
A Weighted PageRank-Based Bug Report Summarization Method Using Bug Report Relationships
Authors: Kim Beomjun , Kang Sungwon , Lee Seonah
Published: December 2019

For software maintenance, bug reports provide useful information to developers because they can be used for various tasks such as debugging and understanding previous changes. However, as they are typically written in the form of conversations among developers, bug reports tend to be unnecessarily long and verbose, with the consequence that developers often have difficulties reading or understanding bug reports. To mitigate this problem, methods that automatically generate a summary of bug reports have been proposed, and various related studies have been conducted. However, existing bug report summarization methods have not fully exploited the inherent characteristics of bug reports. In this paper, we propose a bug report summarization method that uses the weighted-PageRank algorithm and exploits the 'duplicates’, ‘blocks’, and ‘depends-on’ relationships between bug reports. The experimental results show that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art method in terms of both the quality of the summary and the number of applicable bug reports.
Vehicle Cornering Performance Evaluation and Enhancement Based on CAE and Experimental Analyses
Authors: Huang Hsing-Hui , Tsai Ming-Jiang
Published: December 2019

A full-vehicle analysis model was constructed incorporating a SLA (Short Long Arm) strut front suspension system and a multi-link rear suspension system. CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) simulations were then performed to investigate the lateral acceleration, yaw rate, roll rate, and steering wheel angle of the vehicle during constant radius cornering tests. The validity of the simulation results was confirmed by comparing the computed value of the understeer coefficient (Kus) with the experimental value. The validated model was then used to investigate the steady-state cornering performance of the vehicle (i.e., the roll gradient and yaw rate gain) at various speeds. The transient response of the vehicle was then examined by means of simulated impulse steering tests. The simulation results were confirmed by comparing the calculated values of the phase lag, natural frequency, yaw rate gain rate, and damping ratio at various speeds with the experimental results. A final series of experiments was then performed to evaluate the relative effects of the cornering stiffness, initial toe-in angle, and initial camber angle on the steady-state and transient-state full-vehicle cornering handling performance. The results show that the handling performance can be improved by increasing the cornering stiffness and initial toe-in angle or reducing the initial camber angle.
Numerical Investigation on the Effects of Chemical Reactions on the Discharge Characteristics and Energy Balance of a Nanosecond Repetitive Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge
Authors: Zhang Shen , Chen Zhenli , Zhang Binqian , Chen Yingchun
Published: December 2019

Numerical investigation on a nanosecond repetitively pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (NS-DBD) in air is a temporal and spatial multi-scale problem involving a large number of species and chemical reactions. To know the effects of the species and chemical reactions on the discharge characteristics and energy balance, a high voltage repetitive plane to plane NS-DBD is numerically studied. Four groups of species and the corresponding chemical reactions are adopted in the investigation. The most complex one has 31 species and 99 chemical reactions that contains all reaction types, in particular, the vibrational-translational relaxation reactions, whereas the simplest one has only 4 species and 4 reactions, which represents the main kinetic processes. The others are in between. The discharge energy reaches to a periodic phase equality state after the second pulse in the repetitive pulses, and the present analysis is focused on the 7th pulse. All the N 2 / O 2 mixture reaction models predict almost the same discharge energies, which are qualitatively similar with that in the simplified 4-species model. The prediction of the discharge energy is determined by the electronic excitation and the energy gain by ions, but the vibrational excitation, negative ions, associative ionization, dissociation of nitrogen and oxygen molecules have very weak effects. The gas heating is determined by the exothermic reactions and the ions. The main processes in the fast and slow gas heating are the energy release of ions and the exothermic reactions, respectively. The negative ions, vibrational excitation, and associative ionization have very weak effects on the gas heating during the high voltage pulse, but they have considerable effects at a larger time scale. The magnitudes of the fast gas heating efficiency ( η G H ) are in the range of 41%∼47% in the N 2 / O 2 mixture reduced kinetic models, but η G H is higher in the 4-reaction model.
Interaction of Shock Waves with Discrete Gas Inhomogeneities: A Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Approach
Authors: Albano Andrea , Alexiadis Alessio
Published: December 2019

In this study, we propose a smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for simulating a shock wave interacting with cylindrical gas inhomogeneities inside a shock tube. When the gas inhomogeneity interacts with the shock wave, it assumes different shapes depending on the difference in densities between the gas inhomogeneity and the external gas. The model uses a piecewise smoothing length approach and is validated by comparing the results obtained with experimental and CFD data available in the literature. In all the cases considered, the evolution of the inhomogeneity is similar to the experimental shadowgraphs and is at least as accurate as the CFD results in terms of timescale and shape of the gas inhomogeneity.
In-Band OSNR Measurement Method for All-Optical Regenerators in Optical Domain
Authors: Wan Feng , Wu Baojian , Wen Feng , Qiu Kun
Published: December 2019

We propose an in-band measurement method of optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) output from an all-optical regeneration system with a nonlinear power transfer function (PTF) according to the fact that there are different average gains of signal and noise. For the all-optical quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) regenerator as an example, the output OSNR is derived from the input OSNR and the total gain of the degraded QPSK signal. Our simulation shows that the OSNR results obtained by this method are in agreement with those calculated from the error vector magnitude (EVM) formula. The method presented here has good applicability for different data rates but is also useful for analyzing the OSNR degradation of other nonlinear devices in optical communication links.
Data Mining Based on Chinese Traditional Calendar in the Han Dynasty Yang Mausoleum Museum
Authors: Jiang Hui , Zhu Mingzhe , Li Jun , Zhong Lu , Su Xiaofan , Feng Zhenpeng , Qi Yue , Zhang Xinliang
Published: December 2019

The Outer Burial Pits of the Han Dynasty Yang Mausoleum is the first fully enclosed site museum in China. The Internet of things sensor installed in the pavilion has accumulated more than 7,000,000 heterogeneous data. Traditional algorithms, such as temperature prediction model, only use statistical value to predict the trend of temperature change, so the data utilization rate is insufficient. In addition, the accuracy of prediction model is also relatively low. The extreme learning machine is a single layer feedback neural network learning method. Using extreme learning machine to analyze and model data is an effective prediction algorithm for preventive protection. However, due to the mismatch between solar calendar characteristics and temperature changes, the accuracy of the prediction model is unsatisfactory. To solve the above problem, a temperature prediction model based on lunar calendar characteristics is proposed in this paper. A large number of measured data show that the model can more accurately predict the future temperature variation trend and detailed characteristics. Its performance is better than that of the model based on solar calendar characteristics. In this paper, a new prediction model is proposed. The advantages of lunar calendar in natural data recording and processing are preliminarily verified, which provides reference for the label selection of follow-up monitoring data.
A New Method of Two-stage Planetary Gearbox Fault Detection Based on Multi-Sensor Information Fusion
Authors: Wu Zhe , Zhang Qiang , Cheng Lifeng , Tan Shengyue
Published: December 2019

Due to their high transmission ratio, high load carrying capacity and small size, planetary gears are widely used in the transmission systems of wind turbines. The planetary gearbox is the core of the transmission system of a wind turbine, but because of its special structure and complex internal and external excitation, the vibration signal spectrum shows strong nonlinearity, asymmetry and time variation, which brings great trouble to planetary gear fault diagnosis. The traditional time-frequency analysis technology is insufficient in the condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of wind turbines. For this reason, we propose a new method of planetary gearbox fault diagnosis based on Compressive sensing, Two-dimensional variational mode decomposition (2D-VMD) and full-vector spectrum technology. Firstly, the nonlinear reconstruction and noise reduction of the signal is carried out by using compressed sensing, and then the signal with multiple degrees of freedom is adaptively decomposed into multiple sets of characteristic scale components by using 2D-VMD. Then, Rényi entropy is used as the optimization index of 2D-VMD analysis performance to extract the effective target intrinsic mode function (IMF) component, reconstruct the dynamics signal in the planetary gearbox, and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Then, using the full-vector spectrum technique, the homologous information collected by numerous sensors is data layer fused in the spatial domain and the time domain to increase the comprehensiveness and certainty of the fault information. Finally, the Teager–Kaiser energy operator is used to demodulate the potential low-frequency dynamics frequency characteristics from the high-frequency domain and detect the fault characteristic frequency. Furthermore, the correctness and validity of the method are verified by the fault test signal of the planetary gearbox.