bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TWO-STAGES TECHNIWUE OF TO FULL WAVEFORM INVERSION: FROM NEAR SURFACE TO DEEP TARGET GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES
Authors: Gadylshin Kirill , Neklyudov Dmitry , Protasov Maksim , Tcheverda Vladimir , Korolev Aleksandr , Starkov Kirill , Shevchenko Aleksey
Published: November 2019

Full Waveform Inversion in its traditional formulation is nothing else but finding the minimum of the objective functional, that characterizes L2 difference between acquired and simulated wave fields. The accumulated experience proves the necessity of the following conditions for correct recovery of the wave propagation velocity:
• The presence of low time frequencies in the data;
• Information about near surface structure of the media.
We modify the traditional L2 objective functional on thy base of decomposition of the model space. This modification weakens the requirements for the presence of low time frequencies.
GEOCHEMICAL CONDITION OF NATURAL WATERS OF THE SOUTH OF KUZBASS FOR EXAMPLE TUTUYASSKAYA AREA
Authors: Domrocheva Evgenia
Published: November 2019

The results of the chemical composition study of natural waters on the Mutuashi square of the Tom-Usinsk area of the Kuznetsk Basin are presented. It is shown that the observed changes in mineralization and pH values are natural. The studied waters are of infiltration Genesis, and their source is precipitation penetrating into the system from the areas of nutrition.
MULTIPHYSICAL RESERVOIR MODEL COLLECTION ATLAS MPHM
Authors: Nesterova Galina , Yeltsov Igor , Sobolev Andrey , Surodina Irina
Published: November 2019

ATLAS MPhM is collection (database) of multiphysical models of typical reservoirs of the Western Siberia oilfields. A systematic set is constantly updated with models that are built for the received practical data. ATLAS MPhM can be used to estimate the influence of model parameters on the mud invading into the reservoir, electromagnetic logs and interpretation of geophysical and geotechnological well data based on multiphysical simulation. The ATLAS MPhM includes visualization tools that allow to observe evolution of the borehole environment and well logs.
DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE FOR TRANSPARENT REMOTE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF DRILLING AND DATA FROM A DOWNHOLE TELEMETRY SYSTEM IN UNSTABLE COMMUNICATION CONDITIONS
Authors: Litvinov Vasiliy , Vlasov Aleksandr , Teytelbaum Dmitry
Published: November 2019

In some cases, drilling of oil and gas wells requires the provision of support for the drilling process, which includes monitoring of parameters and making urgent decisions. Based on the implementation of the SSH protocol, a software tool has been developed for transparent access to drilling parameters, taking into account the constraints of office-rig channels, such as low data transfer rates, frequent connection breaks, the use of NAT.
Isolasi dan Seleksi Bakteri Pendegradasi Solar Dari Pelabuhan Penyeberangan Kendari – Wawonii, Sulawesi Tenggara
Authors: Mijaya M. Rajab Sutra , Yanti Nur Arfa , Ardiansyah Ardiansyah , Muhiddin Nurhayani H.
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to obtain the ability of bacteria to degrade diesel fuel. Method of this research was exploration method. Bacteria were isolated by enrichment method used SMSSe enriched diesel 2% (v/v). Selection of hidrocarbonoclastic bacteria based on the ability of to grow on agar medium solid. The bacteria in the test made in the form of suspension with Mc Farland Standard 0.5. Test of bacterial isolates were used 10% of the inoculum put in 150 mL media with different concentrations of diesel fuel were 1%, 2% and 3% and incubated on a rotary shaker at 120 rpm. Samples were taken on 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days to test diesel emulsion by centrifugation at a speed of 3500 rpm ±15 minutes, the comparison between the media and diesel 4:1. Growth in the amount of bacteria accounted by a Standard Plate Count method. The levels of the diesel rest calculated every sampling during incubation. The selection results of obtained diesel degrading bacteria isolates that PSI.1 PSII.1 and PSIII.2. All of bacteria have the ability to degrade diesel fuel in different treatment, the best result in lowered diesel fuel that were a concentration of 3% during 20 days of incubated at PSII.1 isolate, that have the highest ability to reduce levels of diesel up to 70,70%.Keywords: Hydrocarbonoclastic, Degradation, Diesel fuels ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kemampuan bakteri dalam mendegradasi solar. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian eksploratif. Isolasi bakteri menggunakan metode enrichment dengan media yang digunakan yaitu SMSSe yang diperkaya solar 2% (v/v). Pemilihan bakteri hidrokarbonoklastik berdasarkan kemampuan bakteri tumbuh pada media agar padat. Inokulum bakteri dibuat dalam bentuk suspensi dengan Standar Mc Farland 0,5. Pengujian kemampuan degradasi solar dilakukan menggunakan media minimal dengan variasi konsentrasi solar 1%, 2% dan 3% dan diinkubasi pada rotary shaker. Sampel diambil pada hari ke 1, 5, 10, 15 dan 20 untuk uji emulsi solar dengan menghitung volume solar yang teremulsi. Pertumbuhan jumlah bakteri dihitung dengan metode Standard Plate Count. Kadar sisa solar dihitung setiap pengambilan sampel selama inkubasi. Hasil seleksi bakteri pendegradasi solar diperoleh tiga isolat yaitu PSI.1 PSII.1 dan PSIII.2. Ketiga isolat bakteri memiliki kemampuan mendegradasi solar pada perlakuan yang berbeda, hasil terbaik dalam menurunkan kadar solar yaitu konsentrasi 3% selama 20 hari inkubasi pada isolat PSII.1 yang memiliki kemampuan tertinggi menurunkan kadar solar hingga 70,70%. Kata kunci : Hidrokarbonoklastik, Pendegradasi, Solar
Patlama Yükleri Etkisi Altında Sismik Yalıtımlı Betonarme Yapıların Performansının İncelenmesi
Authors: Toplu Elif , Kırtel Osman
Published: November 2019

Sismik yalıtım araçları günümüzde yaygın bir şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Özelikle; taban yalıtımında kullanılan kauçuk esaslı sönümleyiciler, ülkemizde 1999 Kocaeli depremi sonrasında oluşan büyük sismik titreşimlerin sönümlenmesi için kullanılmaya başlanmış ve nihayetinde “Türkiye Bina Deprem Yönetmeliği, 2018” de tasarımcılar için bir bölüm olarak eklenmiştir. Ülkemizde yapıların deprem etkilerinin yanı sıra terör faaliyetleri sonucunda patlama etkilerine maruz kaldığı bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmada patlama yükleri etkisi altında yapıların dinamik davranışına sismik yalıtım araçlarının etkisi araştırılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında mevcut betonarme bir bina modeli oluşturulmuş ve sismik yalıtım aracı olarak kurşun çekirdekli kauçuk sönümleyiciler kullanılmıştır. Mevcut betonarme bir binanın patlama etkileri altında peformansı doğrusal olmayan analiz yöntemlerine göre değerlendirilmiştir.Analiz sonucunda taban yalıtımında kullanılan kurşun çekirdekli kauçuk esaslı sismik sönümleyicilerin patlama yüklerini sönümlemede etkili olduğu görülmüştür.
Tarımsal Kuraklık
Authors: KABAY Turgay
Published: November 2019

Son yıllarda küresel ısınma sonucunda iklimlerde büyük değişiklikler meydana gelmektedir. Bu değişiklikler dört mevsimde de görülen düzensiz yağışlar, kuraklık, düşük ve yüksek sıcaklık olarak sayılabilinir. Özellikle kuraklık insan hayatını olumsuz etkileyen iklim olaylarından biridir. Genellikle literatürlerde Meteorolojik Kuraklık, Hidrolojik Kuraklık Tarımsal Kuraklık olmak üzere üç tip kuralık tipi vardır. Tarımsal kuraklık bitkileri ve hayvansal üretimi çok etkilemektedir. Bitkinin kök bölgesinde, büyüyüp gelişmesi için yeterli nem bulunmaması durumu tarımsal kuraklık olarakta tanımlanır. Büyüme periyodu boyunca, bir bitkinin suya ihtiyaç duyduğu kritik döneminde topraktan suyu alamaması durumunda tarımsal kuraklık meydana gelir. Tarımsal kuraklık, toprağın derinlikleri doymuş halde olsa bile ürün verimlerini ciddi oranda düşürebilir. Yağışların ve su temininin azalması gibi nedenlerden dolayı üreticilerin üretim yaptığı bitkiyi sulama yapamamakta veya kısıtlı sulama yapma zorunda kalmaktadır. Bu durum ise üretim yapılan bitkide verim azalmasına neden olmaktadır. Böylece üretici yaptığı harcamayı karşılayamamakta ve zarar etmektedir. Ayrıca kuraklığın yani sulamanın uzun süre yapılamaması durumundada bitkiler su alamadığından dolayı bitkilerde kurumalar ve zararlanmalar büyük boyutlara ulaşmakta ve ürün alınamamaktadır. Bu ise tam bir kuraklık felaketi sayılabilir. Bu kuraklık şartlarından kurtulmak amacıyla plansız artezyenlerin artması sonucunda arazilerde yüzey çöküntüleri ve çukurlaşmalar artmaktadır. Bu nedenle kuraklık nedeniyle oluşan tarımsal kayıpların önlenmesi için alınana tedbirlerde konu ile ilgili kurumlardan destek alınmalı ve tavsiyelere uylmalıdır.
Evaluation of Elazığ Province Precipitation Data by Innovative Trend Analysis
Authors: AYDIN Mahsum , YALTAY Namık , ÖZ Arif
Published: November 2019

The effect of climate change that have been occurred in worldwide is felt especially in Turkey in recent years. Rainfall is the parameter most affected by climate change. Rainfalls affects the amount of water to be used for drinking, irrigation and electrical energy production by feeding the streams flow. In this study, the total monthly precipitation data of 5 meteorological observation stations in Elazığ province were investigated and the changes of these precipitations under the influence of climate change were analyzed monthly, seasonal and yearly using Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA). When the results obtained by ITA method were evaluated, it was found that rainfall measurements of selected stations were negatively affected by climate change and there was a significant decrease in precipitation when analyzed monthly, seasonal and yearly.
Penambahan Sabut Kelapa dan Penggunaan Lem Kayu Sebagai Perekat untuk Meningkatkan Nilai Kalor pada Biobriket Enceng Gondok (Eichhornia crassipes)
Authors: Yanti Indri , Pauzan Muh
Published: November 2019

Penggunaan energi fosil yang berlebihan menjadikan ketersedian sumber energi tersebut semakin menipis. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan suatu usaha untuk mengurangi ketergantungan terhadap bahan bakar fosil, seperti menyediakan energi alternatif yang dapat diperbahurui, melimpah jumlahnya, dan ekonomis. Salah satu sumber energi alternatif yang dapat dikembangkan adalah biobriket dari biomassa. Pada penelitian ini, biomassa yang digunakan yaitu enceng gondok dan sabut kelapa dengan menggunkan lem kayu sebagai perekat. Nilai kalor enceng gondok masih rendah maka untuk meningkatkan nilai kalornya dilakukan penambahan sabut kelapa. Konsenterasi perekat adalah 10% dari massa total sampel dengan ukuran partikel 20 mesh untuk ketiga variasi perbandingan antara enceng gondok dan sabut kelapa yaitu 1:1, 3:1 dan 1:3 berturut-turut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa biobriket dengan perbandingan 1:1, 3:1 dan 1:3 memiliki nilai kalor sebesar 4990 kal/g, 4749 kal/g dan 5312 kal/g berturut-turut. Nilai kalor 5312 kal/g sudah sesuai standar SNI 01-6235-2000. Sampel yang memiliki nilai kalor tertinggi tersebut disebabkan oleh komposisi sabut kelapa yang paling banyak diantara sampel lain. Sampel dengan kalor tertinggi memiliki kadar air, kadar abu, kadar zat terbang dan kadar karbon padat sebesar 9%, 12%, 60%, dan 19% berturut-turut.Excessive use of fossil energy results decrease of energy resources. Therefore, an alternative energy is studied to reduce the dependent on fossil energy. Alternative energy has the characteristics such as renewable, abundant and economist. One of the alternative energy that could be developed is biobriquette from biomass. In this research, biobriquette is synthesized from both water hyacinth and coconut husk, wood glue as adhesive. Due to the calorific value of water hyacinth that is relatively small, coconut husk is added, wood glue is used to improve the value. Glue’s concentration is 10% of the total sample’s mass with 20 mesh particle size for three samples with ratio between water hyacinth and coconut husk is 1:1, 3:1 and 1:3, respectively. The result shows that biobriquette with the ratio 1:1, 3:1 and 1:3 has a calorific value of 4990 cal/g, 4749 cal/g and 5312 cal/g, respectively. The 5312 cal/g is match to SNI 01-6235-2000 standard and that the highest value is the effect of the largest amount of coconut husk than the other samples. Biobriquette that has the highest calorific value has the inherent moisture, ash content, volatile matter and fixed carbon 9%, 12%, 60% and 19% respectively.
Exploring an Ensemble of Methods that Combines Fuzzy Cognitive Maps and Neural Networks in Solving the Time Series Prediction Problem of Gas Consumption in Greece
Authors: Papageorgiou Konstantinos I. , Poczeta Katarzyna , Papageorgiou Elpiniki , Gerogiannis Vassilis C. , Stamoulis George
Published: November 2019

This paper introduced a new ensemble learning approach, based on evolutionary fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and their hybrid structure (FCM-ANN), for time series prediction. The main aim of time series forecasting is to obtain reasonably accurate forecasts of future data from analyzing records of data. In the paper, we proposed an ensemble-based forecast combination methodology as an alternative approach to forecasting methods for time series prediction. The ensemble learning technique combines various learning algorithms, including SOGA (structure optimization genetic algorithm)-based FCMs, RCGA (real coded genetic algorithm)-based FCMs, efficient and adaptive ANNs architectures, and a hybrid structure of FCM-ANN, recently proposed for time series forecasting. All ensemble algorithms execute according to the one-step prediction regime. The particular forecast combination approach was specifically selected due to the advanced features of each ensemble component, where the findings of this work evinced the effectiveness of this approach, in terms of prediction accuracy, when compared against other well-known, independent forecasting approaches, such as ANNs or FCMs, and the long short-term memory (LSTM) algorithm as well. The suggested ensemble learning approach was applied to three distribution points that compose the natural gas grid of a Greek region. For the evaluation of the proposed approach, a real-time series dataset for natural gas prediction was used. We also provided a detailed discussion on the performance of the individual predictors, the ensemble predictors, and their combination through two well-known ensemble methods (the average and the error-based) that are characterized in the literature as particularly accurate and effective. The prediction results showed the efficacy of the proposed ensemble learning approach, and the comparative analysis demonstrated enough evidence that the approach could be used effectively to conduct forecasting based on multivariate time series.
What Do a Longest Increasing Subsequence and a Longest Decreasing Subsequence Know about Each Other?
Authors: Itskovich Elizabeth J. , Levit Vadim E.
Published: November 2019

As a kind of converse of the celebrated Erdős–Szekeres theorem, we present a necessary and sufficient condition for a sequence of length n to contain a longest increasing subsequence and a longest decreasing subsequence of given lengths x and y, respectively.
Microscopic Object Recognition and Localization Based on Multi-Feature Fusion for In-Situ Measurement In Vivo
Authors: Yan Shi-Xian , Zhao Peng-Fei , Gao Xin-Yu , Zhou Qiao , Li Jin-Hai , Yao Jie-Peng , Chai Zhi-Qiang , Yue Yang , Wang Zhong-Yi , Huang Lan
Published: November 2019

Microscopic object recognition and analysis is very important in micromanipulation. Micromanipulation has been extensively used in many fields, e.g., micro-assembly operation, microsurgery, agriculture, and biological research. Conducting micro-object recognition in the in-situ measurement of tissue, e.g., in the ion flux measurement by moving an ion-selective microelectrode (ISME), is a complex problem. For living tissues growing at a rate, it remains a challenge to accurately recognize and locate an ISME to protect living tissues and to prevent an ISME from being damaged. Thus, we proposed a robust and fast recognition method based on local binary pattern (LBP) and Haar-like features fusion by training a cascade of classifiers using the gentle AdaBoost algorithm to recognize microscopic objects. Then, we could locate the electrode tip from the background with strong noise by using the Hough transform and edge extraction with an improved contour detection method. Finally, the method could be used to automatically and accurately calculate the relative distance between the two micro-objects in the microscopic image. The results show that the proposed method can achieve good performance in micro-object recognition with a recognition rate up to 99.14% and a tip recognition speed up to 14 frames/s at a resolution of 1360 × 1024. The max error of tip positioning is 6.10 μm, which meets the design requirements of the ISME system. Furthermore, this study provides an effective visual guidance method for micromanipulation, which can facilitate automated micromanipulation research.
Pneumatic Hyperelastic Actuators for Grasping Curved Organic Objects
Authors: Galley Alexandre , Knopf George K. , Kashkoush Mohamed
Published: November 2019

Soft robotic grippers often incorporate pneumatically-driven actuators that can elastically deform to grasp delicate, curved organic objects with minimal surface damage. The complexity of the actuator geometry and the nonlinear stress–strain behavior of the stretchable material during inflation make it difficult to predict actuator performance prior to prototype fabrication. In this work, a scalable modular elastic air-driven actuator made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is developed for a mechanically compliant robotic gripper that grasps individual horticultural plants and fungi during automated harvesting. The key geometric design parameters include the expandable surface area and wall thickness of the deformable structure used to make contact with the target object. The impact of these parameters on actuator displacement is initially explored through simulation using the Mooney–Rivlin model of hyperelastic materials. In addition, several actuator prototypes with varying expandable wall thicknesses are fabricated using a multistep soft-lithography molding process and are inserted in a closed ring assembly for experimental testing. The gripper performance is evaluated in terms of contact force, contact area with the target, and maximum payload before slippage. The viability of the gripper with PDMS actuators for horticultural harvesting applications is illustrated by gently grasping a variety of mushroom caps.
Effect of Heat Stress on Bacterial Composition and Metabolism in the Rumen of Lactating Dairy Cows
Authors: Zhao Shengguo , Min Li , Zheng Nan , Wang Jiaqi
Published: November 2019

Heat stress negatively impacts the health and milk production of dairy cows, and ruminal microbial populations play an important role in dairy cattle’s milk production. Currently there are no available studies that investigate heat stress-associated changes in the rumen microbiome of lactating dairy cattle. Improved understanding of the link between heat stress and the ruminal microbiome may be beneficial in developing strategies for relieving the influence of heat stress on ruminants by manipulating ruminal microbial composition. In this study, we investigated the ruminal bacterial composition and metabolites in heat stressed and non-heat stressed dairy cows. Eighteen lactating dairy cows were divided into two treatment groups, one with heat stress and one without heat stress. Dry matter intake was measured and rumen fluid from all cows in both groups was collected. The bacterial 16S rRNA genes in the ruminal fluid were sequenced, and the rumen pH and the lactate and acetate of the bacterial metabolites were quantified. Heat stress was associated with significantly decreased dry matter intake and milk production. Rumen pH and rumen acetate concentrations were significantly decreased in the heat stressed group, while ruminal lactate concentration increased. The influence of heat stress on the microbial bacterial community structure was minor. However, heat stress was associated with an increase in lactate producing bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus and unclassified Enterobacteriaceae), and with an increase in Ruminobacter, Treponema, and unclassified Bacteroidaceae, all of which utilize soluble carbohydrates as an energy source. The relative abundance of acetate-producing bacterium Acetobacter decreased during heat stress. We concluded that heat stress is associated with changes in ruminal bacterial composition and metabolites, with more lactate and less acetate-producing species in the population, which potentially negatively affects milk production.
Changes in the Acute-Phase Protein Concentrations and Activities of Some Enzymes in Pigs Following the Repair of Experimentally Induced Articular Cartilage Defects Using Two Types of Biocement Powder
Authors: Tothova Csilla , Novotny Jaroslav , Nagy Oskar , Hornakova Petra , Zert Zdenek , Varga Maros , Medvecky Lubomir , Vdoviakova Katarina , Danko Jan , Petrovova Eva
Published: November 2019

The objective of the study was to assess the usefulness of acute-phase proteins (APPs) and serum enzymes in the evaluation of post-operative state after cartilage reconstruction in an animal model (Sus scrofa domesticus). Fifteen clinically healthy female pigs were evaluated during the first 30 days after the repair of experimentally induced articular cartilage defects using two types of biocement powders. Animals were divided into groups according to the type of biocement powder used: CAK—with amino acids (n = 6), C—without amino acids (n = 6) and the control group (Ctr) was without biocement (n = 3). The concentrations of selected APPs—serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and C-reactive protein (CRP), and the activities of some serum enzymes—creatine kinase (CK), alkaline phosphatase (AP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LD) were measured one day before the surgery and on days 7, 14, and 30 after the surgical intervention. The most significant changes during the evaluated period were observed in the concentrations of SAA (p < 0.001) and Hp (p < 0.001), with marked increase of values 7 days after surgery. There was a numerical, but not statistically significant, difference between CAK, C and Ctr groups (p > 0.05). Marked variations were observed also in the activities of the evaluated enzymes, with the most significant changes in the activity of AP in the CAK group (p < 0.001). Presented results suggest possible usefulness of some APPs and serum enzymes in the evaluation of post-operative inflammatory state after the reconstruction of articular cartilage defects.
Evaluating Cognitive and Behavioral Outcomes in Conjunction with the Secure Base Effect for Dogs in Shelter and Foster Environments
Authors: Thielke Lauren E. , Udell Monique A. R.
Published: November 2019

Although it is widely accepted that dogs and humans form attachment relationships, characterizing attachment styles in dogs has only recently received attention in the literature. Previous research has shown that pet dogs display patterns of behavior in an attachment test that can be classified into secure and insecure attachment styles, much like human children and their caretakers. However, we currently know relatively little about the role of attachment styles in relation to canine well-being. This question may be of particular interest for the 3.9 million dogs that enter animal shelters in the United States alone each year, as this transition marks the dissolution of prior bonds and the establishment of new attachment relationships. Herein, results are presented from analyses of volunteer-reported canine personality and behavior measures, as well as performance on two cognitive tasks as they relate to attachment styles developed within shelter and foster environments. Results from the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) indicated that foster dogs were scored as having significantly higher levels of attachment and attention-seeking behaviors when compared with shelter dogs. In both environments, dogs categorized as securely attached to a shelter or foster volunteer had lower neuroticism scores. Secure attachment in foster homes was also associated with improved persistence and performance on a point following task. These results provide support for the idea that attachment styles formed with temporary caregivers is associated with other behavioral and personality measures, and therefore may have implications for behavior and welfare in dogs living in foster homes and animal shelters.
Effect of Varying Levels of Chromium Propionate on Growth Performance and Blood Biochemistry of Broilers
Authors: Arif Muhammad , Hussain Imtiaz , Mahmood Muhammad A. , Abd El-Hack Mohamed E. , Swelum Ayman A. , Alagawany Mahmoud , Mahmoud Ahmed H. , Ebaid Hossam , Komany Ahmed
Published: November 2019

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of varying levels of chromium propionate on blood biochemistry and growth performance of broilers (1–35 days). Five diets were formulated by using chromium propionate with inclusion levels of 0, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 ppb. A total of 300 broilers were divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates of 10 birds in each under completely randomized design. The starter feed intake remained unaffected (p > 0.05) whereas finisher and overall feed intake was different (p < 0.05) among different experimental groups. Feed conversion ratio and weight gain in starter, finisher and overall improved significantly (p < 0.05) with the increasing levels of chromium propionate. Blood glucose was decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing dietary chromium level. Chromium supplementation did not affect antibodies titers against NDV and AIV-H9. Neither live, hilal, after skin removal, eviscerated, chest weight and legs with shanks weight nor liver and heart weights were affected (p > 0.05) while gizzard weight reduced significantly (p < 0.05) due to supplementation of chromium. On the basis of results, it may be concluded that chromium propionate supplementation improved weight gain and FCR and reduced blood glucose. However, better performance and weight gain may be achieved if chromium propionate is added at the rate of 400 ppb in broiler diets.
An Efficient Disinfectant, Composite Material {SLS@[Zn3(CitH)2]} as Ingredient for Development of Sterilized and Non Infectious Contact Lens
Authors: Karetsi V.A. , Banti C.N. , Kourkoumelis N. , Papachristodoulou C. , Stalikas C.D. , Raptopoulou C.P. , Psycharis V. , Zoumpoulakis P. , Mavromoustakos T. , Sainis I. , Hadjikakou S.K.
Published: November 2019

The [Zn3(CitH)2] (1) (CitH4= citric acid), was dispersed in sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) to form the micelle of SLS@[Zn3(CitH)2] (2). This material 2 was incorporated in hydrogel made by hydroxyethyl-methacrylate (HEMA), an ingredient of contact lenses, toward the formation of pHEMA@(SLS@[Zn3(CitH)2]) (3). Samples of 1 and 2 were characterized by UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, FT-IR, FT-Raman, single crystal X-ray crystallography, X-ray fluorescence analysis, atomic absorption and TG/DTA/DSC. The antibacterial activity of 1–3 as well as of SLS against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis (St. epidermidis) and Staphylococcus aureus (St. aureus)) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1), and Escherichia coli (E. coli)) bacteria was evaluated by the means of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and inhibitory zone (IZ). 2 showed 10 to 20-fold higher activity than 1 against the bacteria tested. Moreover the 3 decreases the abundance of Gram-positive microbes up to 30% (St. aureus) and up to 20% (PAO1) the Gram-negative ones. The noteworthy antimicrobial activity of the obtained composite 3 suggests an effective antimicrobial additive for infection-free contact lenses.
The Ageing Process Affects the Antioxidant Defences and the Poly (ADPribosyl)ation Activity in Cistus Incanus L. Leaves
Authors: Arena Carmen , Vitale Luca , Bianchi Anna , Mistretta Carmela , Vitale Ermenegilda , Parisi Costantino , Guerriero Giulia , Magliulo Vincenzo , De Maio Anna
Published: November 2019

The ageing process in living organisms is characterised by the accumulation of several deleterious changes occurring in cells and tissues. The increase of reactive oxygen species with the advancement of age is responsible for the oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA, enhancing the risk of diseases. The antioxidant response and the activation of the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation process represent the first defences activated by organisms at all life stages to counteract damage to cell structures and genomic material. The regulation of poly(ADP ribosyl)ation with age is little known in plants, especially in combination with antioxidant defences modulation. In this study, the relationships between poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant pool have been studied together with the photosynthetic apparatus efficiency in the Mediterranean species Cistus incanus L., examining leaves at different developmental stages: young, mature and senescent. The photosynthetic performance was evaluated by chlorophyll a fluorescence measurement, the total soluble and fat-soluble antioxidant capacity, as well as the activities of enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), were determined by spectrophotometer, PARP activity was assessed by radioactive labelling. The highest photochemical activity was observed in young leaves, together with the highest GST activity. With the progress of the ageing process, the non-enzymatic antioxidant pool (namely ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol) declined, reaching the lowest value in senescent leaves, whereas PARP activity rose significantly. The overall results indicate that the decline of photosynthetic apparatus efficiency during senescence is due to the reduction of specific defences against oxidative damages, which increase the damages to DNA, as demonstrated by PARP activity rise.
Adaptive Network Based Fuzzy Inference System with Meta-Heuristic Optimizations for International Roughness Index Prediction
Authors: Nguyen Hoang-Long , Pham Binh Thai , Son Le Hoang , Thang Nguyen Trung , Ly Hai-Bang , Le Tien-Thinh , Ho Lanh Si , Le Thanh-Hai , Tien Bui Dieu
Published: November 2019

The International Roughness Index (IRI) is the one of the most important roughness indexes to quantify road surface roughness. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid approach between adaptive network based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and various meta-heuristic optimizations such as the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and the firefly algorithm (FA) to develop several hybrid models namely GA based ANGIS (GANFIS), PSO based ANFIS (PSOANFIS), FA based ANFIS (FAANFIS), respectively, for the prediction of the IRI. A benchmark model named artificial neural networks (ANN) was also used to compare with those hybrid models. To do this, a total of 2811 samples in the case study of the north of Vietnam (Northwest region, Northeast region, and the Red River Delta Area) within the scope of management of the DRM-I Department were used to validate the models in terms of various criteria like coefficient of determination (R) and the root mean square error (RMSE). Experimental results affirmed the potentiality and effectiveness of the proposed prediction models whereas the PSOANFIS (RMSE = 0.145 and R = 0.888) is better than the other models named GANFIS (RMSE = 0.155 and R = 0.872), FAANFIS (RMSE = 0.170 and R = 0.849), and ANN (RMSE = 0.186 and R = 0.804). The results of this study are helpful for accurate prediction of the IRI for evaluation of quality of road surface roughness.
A Survey on Challenges and Progresses in Blockchain Technologies: A Performance and Security Perspective
Authors: Zheng Xiaoying , Zhu Yongxin , Si Xueming
Published: November 2019

Blockchain naturally fits multiple industry sectors due its characteristics of decentralization, enhanced security, tamper-proof, improved traceability and transparency. However, there is a significant concern of blockchain’s performance, since blockchain trades off its performance for a completely distributed feature, which enhances its security. In this paper, we investigate the state-of-the-art progress of blockchain, mainly from a performance and security perspective. We extracted 42 primary papers from major scientific databases and 34 online technical articles. The objective is to understand the current research trends, challenges and future directions. We briefly introduce the key technologies of blockchain including distributed ledger, cryptography, consensus, smart contracts and benchmarks. We next summarize the performance and security concerns raised in the investigation. We discuss the architectural choices, performance metrics, database management enhancements, and hybrid blockchains, and try to identify the effort that the state-of-the-art has made to balance between the performance and security. We also make experiments on Ethereum and survey other popular blockchain platforms on the scalability feature of blockchain. We later discuss the potential applications and present the lessons learned. Finally, we attempt to identify the open issues and possible research directions.
An Accident Model with Considering Physical Processes for Indoor Environment Safety
Authors: Yang Zhengguo , Lim Yuto , Tan Yasuo
Published: November 2019

Accident models provide a conceptual representation of accident causation. They have been applied to environments that have been exposed to poisonous or dangerous substances that are hazardous in nature. The home environment refers to the indoor space with respect to the physical processes the of indoor climate, e.g., temperature change, which are not hazardous in general. However, it can be hazardous when the physical process is in some states, e.g., a state of temperature that can cause heat stroke. If directly applying accident models in such a case, the physical processes are missing. To overcome this problem, this paper proposes an accident model by extending the state-of-the-art accident model, i.e., Systems-Theoretic Accident Model and Process (STAMP) with considering physical processes. Then, to identify causes of abnormal system behaviors that result in physical process anomalies, a hazard analysis technique called System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) is tailored and applied to a smart home system for indoor temperature adjustment. The analytical results are documented by a proposed landscape genealogical layout documentation. A comparison with results by applying the original STPA was made, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the tailored STPA to apply in identifying causes in our case.
A Generic Block-Level Error Confinement Technique for Memory Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Shao Cuiping , Li Huiyun , Wang Zheng , Fang Jiayan
Published: November 2019

Nanoscale CMOS technology has encountered severe reliability issues especially in on-chip memory. Conventional word-level error resilience techniques such as Error Correcting Codes (ECC) suffer from high physical overhead and inability to correct increasingly reported multiple bit flip errors. On the other hands, state-of-the-art applications such as image processing and machine learning loosen the requirement on the levels of data protection, which result in dedicated techniques of approximated fault tolerance. In this work, we introduce a novel error protection scheme for memory, based on feature extraction through Principal Component Analysis and the modular-wise technique to segment the data before PCA. The extracted features can be protected by replacing the fault vector with the averaged confinement vectors. This approach confines the errors with either single or multi-bit flips for generic data blocks, whilst achieving significant savings on execution time and memory usage compared to traditional ECC techniques. Experimental results of image processing demonstrate that the proposed technique results in a reconstructed image with PSNR over 30 dB, while robust against both single bit and multiple bit flip errors, with reduced memory storage to just 22.4% compared to the conventional ECC-based technique.
Effect of Initial Granular Structure on the Evolution of Contact Force Chains
Authors: Park Ka-Hyun , Jung Young-Hoon , Kwak Tae-Young
Published: November 2019

The effect of initial granular structural conditions on load transmission patterns was experimentally investigated. Two types of granular structures were prepared by laminating cylindrical model particles of different diameters, to which photoelastic sheets were attached. Two-dimensional, reflective photoelasticity tests were performed under two granular conditions: (1) a uniform structure without initial defects and (2) with initial local imperfections at the bottom of the granular assembly. Two granular assemblies were tested for uniaxial compressive loading and shallow foundation loading conditions. For macroscopic analyses of the load–displacement relationship, the photoelastic response of individual particles was measured to microscopically observe the distribution of the main contact force chains within each granular assembly. Furthermore, the effect of initial local defects on the bearing capacity of granular assemblies was examined by confirming particle movement and the expansion of initial local defects in the granular assembly via particle image velocimetry (PIV). As a result, a completely different form of internal contact force chain was developed from the beginning of loading to the final failure stage, depending upon whether or not initial local instability existed in the granular assembly. In particular, a significant effect on the bearing capacity was found under shallow foundation loading conditions.
A Model Predictive Controller with Longitudinal Speed Compensation for Autonomous Vehicle Path Tracking
Authors: Yao Qiangqiang , Tian Ying
Published: November 2019

Autonomous vehicle path tracking accuracy faces challenges in being accomplished due to the assumption that the longitudinal speed is constant in the prediction horizon in a model predictive control (MPC) control frame. A model predictive control path tracking controller with longitudinal speed compensation in the prediction horizon is proposed in this paper, which reduces the lateral deviation, course deviation, and maintains vehicle stability. The vehicle model, tire model, and path tracking model are described and linearized using the small angle approximation method and an equivalent cornering stiffness method. The mechanism of action of longitudinal speed changed with state vector variation, and the stability of the path tracking closed-loop control system in the prediction horizon is analyzed in this paper. Then the longitudinal speed compensation strategy is proposed to reduce tracking error. The controller designed was tested through simulation on the CarSim-Simulink platform, and it showed improved performance in tracking accuracy and satisfied vehicle stability constrains.
Study on Air Bubble Defect Evolution in Wind Turbine Blade by Infrared Imaging with Rheological Theory
Authors: Zhou Bo , Zhang Xueyan , Li He
Published: November 2019

Air bubble is a manufacturing defect that is common to composite wind turbine blades, which might evolve into cracks, leading to failure under load. The evolution and critical state of air bubble are studied to establish a condition assessment method for blade quality control. A method that is based on rheological theory is proposed to recognize the critical state by temperature jump. The air bubble is regarded as a null set and the temperature distribution of bubble defect is affected by the volumetric strain energy under tensile load. An infrared camera can detect a temperature jump when mechanical characteristics drastically change due to crack formation. A tensile fatigue test was carried out to verify the accuracy of this method. The relative error between the measured and calculated temperature rise at the critical moment was less than 7%. Additionally, the specimen with [0/90]s ply angles is more favorable to maintain the structural stability than the others. The method in this paper establishes a quantitative relationship between the meso-defect and macro mechanical properties. The defect severity of wind turbine blade can be defined by infrared imaging technology.
A Novel Approach to Short-Term Stock Price Movement Prediction using Transfer Learning
Authors: Nguyen Thi-Thu , Yoon Seokhoon
Published: November 2019

Stock price prediction has always been an important application in time series predictions. Recently, deep neural networks have been employed extensively for financial time series tasks. The network typically requires a large amount of training samples to achieve high accuracy. However, in the stock market, the number of data points collected on a daily basis is limited in one year, which leads to insufficient training samples and accordingly results in an overfitting problem. Moreover, predicting stock price movement is affected by various factors in the stock market. Therefore, choosing appropriate input features for prediction models should be taken into account. To address these problems, this paper proposes a novel framework, named deep transfer with related stock information (DTRSI), which takes advantage of a deep neural network and transfer learning. First, a base model using long short-term memory (LSTM) cells is pre-trained based on a large amount of data, which are obtained from a number of different stocks, to optimize initial training parameters. Second, the base model is fine-tuned by using a small amount data from a target stock and different types of input features (constructed based on the relationship between stocks) in order to enhance performance. Experiments are conducted with data from top-five companies in the Korean market and the United States (US) market from 2012 to 2018 in terms of the highest market capitalization. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of transfer learning and using stock relationship information in helping to improve model performance, and the proposed approach shows remarkable performance (compared to other baselines) in terms of prediction accuracy.
Pre-Concentration Based on Cloud Point Extraction for Ultra-Trace Monitoring of Lead (II) Using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry
Authors: H. Kamel Ayman , E. Amr Abd El-Galil , A. Al-Omar Mohamed , A. Elsayed Elsayed
Published: November 2019

The cloud point extraction (CPE) method was successfully used for the isolation and pre-concentration of ultra-low concentration of Pb prior to its determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Lead(II) reacts with methyl 4,20-diisobutyl-2,5,8,16,19,22- hexaoxo-7,17-dipropyl-3,6,9,15,18,21-hexaaza-1(2,6)-pyridinacyclo-docosaphane-10-carboxylate (DLNL) as chelating agent in the presence of octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114) as a nonionic surfactant giving a surfactant-rich phase chelate which could be used for CPE. Factors affecting the CPE such as solution pH, concentrations of the chelating ligand and surfactant, temperature of equilibration, and time were optimized. The efficacy features of the proposed protocol such as linear range, lower limit of detection, pre-concentration, and progress factors were evaluated. The method revealed a wide linear range in the range of 7–250 ng/mL of Pb2+ with a limit of detection of 5 ng/mL using FAAS. Validation of the presented protocol revealed good performance characteristics including high between-batch repeatability, high precision, wide linear range, low limit of detection, and acceptable accuracy. The presented procedure was successfully introduced for the separation and quantification of lead (II) in wastewater samples with acceptable results.
Facile Fabrication of a Low-Cost Alginate-Polyacrylamide Composite Aerogel for the Highly Efficient Removal of Lead Ions
Authors: Wang Zhuqing , Yang Qi , Zhao Xiuqin , Wei Gang
Published: November 2019

In this study, we demonstrate a one-step method for fabricating a novel sodium alginate-polyacrylamide (Alg–PAM) composite aerogel, which exhibits a very high affinity and selectivity towards Pb2+. The as-prepared Alg–PAM composite aerogel can uptake 99.2% of Pb2+ from Pb2+-containing aqueous solution (0.1 mM) and the maximum adsorption capacity for Pb2+ reaches 252.2 mg/g, which is higher than most of the reported Pb2+ adsorbents. Most importantly, the prepared Alg–PAM adsorbent can be regenerated through a simple acid-washing process with only a little loss of the adsorption performance after five adsorption–desorption cycles. In addition, the influence of the experimental conditions, such as the solution pH, contact time, and temperature, on the adsorption performance of the Alg–PAM adsorbent was studied. It is clear that the low-cost raw materials, simple synthesis, regeneration ability, and highly efficient removal performance mean that the designed Alg–PAM aerogel has broad application potential in treating Pb2+-containing wastewater.
Remediation of Organically Contaminated Soil Through the Combination of Assisted Phytoremediation and Bioaugmentation
Authors: Anza Mikel , Salazar Oihane , Epelde Lur , Becerril José María , Alkorta Itziar , Garbisu Carlos
Published: November 2019

Here, we aimed to bioremediate organically contaminated soil with Brassica napus and a bacterial consortium. The bioaugmentation consortium consisted of four endophyte strains that showed plant growth-promoting traits (three Pseudomonas and one Microbacterium) plus three strains with the capacity to degrade organic compounds (Burkholderia xenovorans LB400, Paenibacillus sp. and Lysinibacillus sp.). The organically contaminated soil was supplemented with rhamnolipid biosurfactant and sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate to increase the degradability of the sorbed contaminants. Soils were treated with organic amendments (composted horse manure vs. dried cow slurry) to promote plant growth and stimulate soil microbial activity. Apart from quantification of the expected decrease in contaminant concentrations (total petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), the effectiveness of our approach was assessed in terms of the recovery of soil health, as reflected by the values of different microbial indicators of soil health. Although the applied treatments did not achieve a significant decrease in contaminant concentrations, a significant improvement of soil health was observed in our amended soils (especially in soils amended with dried cow slurry), pointing out a not-so-uncommon situation in which remediation efforts fail from the point of view of the reduction in contaminant concentrations while succeeding to recover soil health.
MT–HVdc Systems Fault Classification and Location Methods Based on Traveling and Non-Traveling Waves—A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Muzzammel Raheel , Raza Ali , Hussain Mohammad Rashid , Abbas Ghulam , Ahmed Ishtiaq , Qayyum Mohammed , Rasool Mohammad Ashiquee , Khaleel Mohammed Abdul
Published: November 2019

Estimation of fault classification and location in a multi-terminal high voltage direct current (MT–HVdc) transmission system is a challenging problem and is considered to be a fundamental maneuver of dc grid protection. This research paper critically reviews traveling and non-travelling wave methods of classification and location of dc faults in multi-terminal HVdc transmission systems. Detailed mathematical analysis of MT–HVdc systems composed of high grounding resistance, cable and overhead line segments, and bipolar coupled transmission network under healthy and faulty conditions, are evaluated. The gravity of this research paper addresses benefits and shortcomings of traveling and non-traveling wave methods and futuristic techniques of fault classification and location.