bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WONDERFUL MALANG WITH SUMMER TOUR ON SAHID MONTANA HOTEL
Authors: Limanto Patrick Citra , Soenaidy Aldo , Wareerit Thiyada , Hu Jingru , Engelenhoven Annelieke Michelle van
Published: April 2019

Hotel Sahid Montana is a 3 stars hotel. The hotel has facilities and resources that ready to go international. Team 07 knew about it, because team 07 had conducted several surveys about it. First, we search for information through Internet media. The information we get is about the facilities, prices and services that available on the official website of Sahid Montana. In addition, Team 07 also found information about consumer experiences or feedback when staying at Hotel Sahid Montana. Not only positive feedback, but also a negative feedback given by consumers.

We conducted an interview with Mr. Umar as marketing manager at Hotel Sahid Montana. He explains in detail about facilities, resources, services, how to advertise, and how to handle complaints from consumers. So Team 07 made the decision that this Hotel Sahid Montana was ready for go international, although there are still some things that need to be improved for the future.This research aims to introduce Indonesian culture and increase the value of tourism object. For the hotel, to introduce and increasing value of hotel Sahid in international are.
Structural changes and economic growth in the world economy and Russia
Authors: Mironov Valeriy V. , Konovalova Liudmila D.
Published: April 2019

The article considers the problem of the relationship of structural changes and economic growth in the global economy and Russia in the framework of different methodological approaches. At the same time, the paper provides the analysis of complementarity of economic policy types, which, on the one hand, are aimed at developing the fundamentals of GDP growth (institutions, human capital and macroeconomic stabilization), and on the other hand, at initiating growth (with stable fundamentals) with the help of structural policy measures. In the study of structural changes in the global economy, new forms of policies of this kind have been revealed, in particular aimed at identifying sectors — drivers of economic growth based on a portfolio approach. In a given paper a preliminary version of the model of the Russian economy is provided, using a multisector version of the Thirlwall’s Law. Besides, the authors highlight a number of target parameters of indicators of competitiveness of the sectors of the Russian economy that allow us to expect its growth rate to accelerate above the exogenously given growth rate of the world economy.
“Análisis de la aplicación de la normativa andina de transporte por carretera en la frontera Tulcán - Ipiales”
Authors: Mora Chuquer Edwin Jonathan , Realpe Delgado Ofelia Beatriz , Sanipatín Ponce Luis Enrique
Published: April 2019

Esta investigación pretende determinar las causas del incumpliendo de la normativa de transporte pesado de carga en la frontera Tulcán - /piales, para lo cual se establecen metodologías de investigación común- mente aceptadas, sin inclinaciones de ningún tipo sino más bien con un espíritu académico en busca de la verdad para poder plantear soluciones que propongan bien común. Se muestra un resumen de los problemas encontrados por la Comunidad Andina CAN en lo relativo al transporte pesado de carga que fueron encontrados a través de las mesas binacionales de trabajo, espe- cializas en temas clave de la economía de los países miembros. Se realizó una revisión documental del desarrollo del transporte en la región y el país a través de la realización del estado del arte, lo que permitió mirar con claridad el problema investigado que se planteó así: ¿Porque el transporte de carga en la frontera Tulcán - /piales no cumple íntegramente la normativa de la comunidad andina? Dentro de la metodología de investigación se estableció una idea a defender para poder guiar la inves- tigación formulada así: El incumplimiento de la normativa andina de transporte de carga en la frontera Tulcán /piales se fomenta por el desconocimiento de las leyes comunitarias por parte de los transportistas pesados de Carchi y Nariño. El estudio aplicó instrumentos de investigación de campo (entrevistas) a los transportistas de Tulcán e /piales para tener información de primera mano sobre la realidad de la aplicación de la normativa andina en sus operaciones diarias. Al final del estudio se rechazó la idea a defender y se pudo identificar que la razón principal para el incum- plimiento parcial de la normativa andina de transporte es la resistencia al paso directo de carga entre los dos países que se encuentra establecido en el artículo 21 de la decisión 399 de la CAN (1997).
Cadexomer iodine: A fresh look at an old gem
Authors: Brett David
Published: April 2019

Iodine-based preparations have been used for almost two centuries in the prevention of surgical site and other wound infections, but they can be toxic to tissue. Cadexomer iodine is an iodophor, which provides controlled release of iodine without cytotoxic effects. Cadexomer iodine is a long-established topical antimicrobial, which is used in the treatment of a variety of wounds. Its therapeutic efficacy is supported by a large body of clinical evidence. Moreover, ongoing research continues to reveal new insights into the mode of action of cadexomer iodine, and suggests new therapeutic applications. In addition, new clinical evidence/reviews in the form of Cochrane Reviews reveals comparisons to a wide range of topically applied wound care therapies.
Molecular profile of the Lynch Syndrome in the Republic of Macedonia
Authors: Hiljadnikova-Bajro Marija , Josifovski Toni , Panovski Milco , J. Dimovski Aleksandar
Published: April 2019

The most frequent type of hereditary colorectal cancer, the one occurring in the setting of the Lynch syndrome (LS) is considered a phenotypic manifestation of a germline defect in the mismatch repair mechanism i.e. in the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 or PMS2 gene. Aiming towards establishment of a standardized protocol involving molecular analyses for diagnosis of this syndrome and developing a unique national register of families with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes in the Republic of Macedonia, we began a prospective study to reveal the genetic defects among Macedonian patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and identifying families with hereditary CRC. A total of 53 patients fulfilling the revised Bethesda criteria for MSI-genetic testing were compared to 350 patients with sporadic CRC. The results reveal significant differences in age at diagnosis (p=0.03), involvement of microsatellite instability (p<0.0001) and localization
of the tumor in respect to flexura lienalis (p=0.009) and suggest affiliation of the majority of the “Bethesda+” CRCs to the so called Familial Colorectal cancer Type X group. The molecular characterization of LS suspects identified the novel MLH1 c.392C>G nonsense mutation with a possible founder effect in the Macedonian population, the MLH1 ex.3-12 deletion, as well as the c.244A>G mutation, IVS14- 19A>G and IVS4+65A>C changes in MLH1 without confirmed pathological significance. The observed high frequency (87.5%) of the Ile219Val (c.655A>G) variant in MLH1 among the LS suspects prompts further analyses to evaluate its involvement in the development of hereditary CRC by itself or as a risk modifying factor among the patients from the Republic of Macedonia.
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF HUMAN MIXED SALIVA IN NORM
Authors: Bel'skaya L V , Sarf E A , Kosenok V K , Massard Zh
Published: April 2019

It is known that the monitoring of superoxide dismutase and catalase activity allows to assess the level of influence of environmental situation in particular chemical factors of ecosystem on public health. "Oxidative stress" is one of the mechanisms of environmental influence on human organism. Considering complex character of catalase and superoxide dismutase activity change interpretation of the obtained results can be difficult, thus it is more effective to use integrated indices in particular, antioxidant activity. The aim of the study was to develop approaches to assessing the severity of "oxidative stress" by determining the activity of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant activity of human saliva and study variations of these parameters in norm. It is shown that activity of individual antioxidant enzymes varies even during the day, and therefore the interpretation of these values і s difficult. Antioxidant activity can be a most promising indicator for assessing the intensity of the "oxidative stress" of biological fluids, such as saliva. Method of determining of antioxidant activity saliva is picked up using 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol. Temporal and physiological characteristics are determined for the dynamics of saliva antioxidant activity in norm, the stability of this parameter is shown, taking into account age and gender characteristics.
The Early Findings of an Urban Education Teacher Preparation Program
Authors: Terry Alice W. , Head Catherine
Published: April 2019

A university near a major city in Georgia and a large, urban school district established a Professional Development School (PDS) in which the majority of junior and senior-level pre-service teacher coursework and fieldwork took place at seven urban, high-needs public schools.  The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary feedback to the middle grades teacher preparation program concerning the UE (Urban Education) program in preparation for the second cohort of UE interns and the second year of study with the first cohort.  What emerged from the study was evidence that the program, for its participating teacher candidates, leads to commitment, strengthens self-efficacy, and fosters early development of teacher efficacy, but which ultimately evolves into teacher candidate overconfidence.  As pressure continues to mount concerning the quality of education in America, teacher preparation programs must improve their programs in order to better prepare teachers for diverse classrooms.  This study relates one such effort toward that end.
Post Secondary educators can increase educational reach with Universal Design for Learning
Authors: Coy Kimberly
Published: April 2019

Meeting the needs of a variety of learners in college and university settings is of vital importance. By designing courses infused with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, guidelines and checkpoints; professors and instructors create environments targeted toward meeting the educational needs of a wider variety of students. UDL works most effectively at the design stage. This paper aims to support learning environment design by presenting ten specific strategies for infusing UDL within post-secondary courses at the university level. These strategies will include: identifying barriers to learning, alternatives for participating during class time, effective alternative assessments based on construct relevance and UDL meta cognitive goals and transparency.
From Pre-Service to Employed Teacher
Authors: Guise Megan , Thiessen Krystal
Published: April 2019

The research study described in this article is an extension of a yearlong mixed methods study of eight co-teaching pairs (four English and four science) and their implementation of co-teaching during the clinical experience. A year after these eight pre-service teachers participated in the co-teaching research study while enrolled in a teacher education program, they were interviewed at the conclusion of their first year of employed teaching with the goal of exploring the impact that the co-teaching experience had on their development as a teacher. Findings reveal that co-teaching during the clinical experience provides an opportunity to shape pre-service teachers to be collaborative, reflective practitioners who seek out opportunities to collaborate and position themselves as lifelong learners. However, teacher education programs that implement co-teaching during the clinical experience have a responsibility to ensure that co-teaching occurs with fidelity and that pre-service teachers are supported to transition to full-time employment where the day-to-day co-teaching opportunities may be more limited.
Inclusive Design for Online and Blended Courses
Authors: Gronseth Susie
Published: April 2019

Course accessibility is a priority in higher education, particularly in the design and delivery of digital learning experiences. Proactively addressing accessibility as part of online and blended course design meets the needs of all learners, including those in the margins. Inclusive design for online and blended courses connects the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in order to address learner variability as an intentional part of course design. Inclusive design fosters expanded options in the ways that learners access learning materials, engage in learning experiences, and demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have learned. This paper describes practical applications of WCAG and UDL for the design and facilitation of inclusive online and blended courses in the post-secondary setting.
Cyanine Dyes: Fine Structures in Their Absorption Spectra
Authors: Zarow Anna , Shin Yeung-gyo
Published: April 2019

Absorption spectra were studied for two series of 3 cyanine dyes with varying length of conjugated hydrocarbon chains. Fine structures in absorption spectra were analyzed to determine its concentration dependence as the concentration of dyes were changed from 10–8 M to 10–4 M. In all 6 dyes studied, ratios of minor peaks to the major peak remained constant within the experimental error. These results indicate that the origin of the absorption fine structure is due to the electronic coupling, an intramolecular process, rather than the aggregates formation, an intermolecular process.
Deterministic Computer Simulations of Grazing Impacts on Planetary Surfaces
Authors: Massina C , Roth M , Gray Paul
Published: April 2019

Many bodies in the solar system have features which could conceivably have been formed by a grazing impact with a comet or asteroid. We present the results of deterministic computer simulations of various objects striking a terrestrial planet at a grazing angle. The system is modeled using a combination of the Material Point Method (MPM) and classical planetary dynamics. The impact exhibits three distinct regimes: (i) the initial stage where rapid ejecta leaves the planet in a nearly straight line, (ii) the intermediate stage where the ejecta begins to curve in towards the planet and the trench is being created on the surface and the (iii) the long term stage where the trench is created and any paths exhibited by the ejecta are stable capture orbits. In the case of Mars, we show that a grazing impact can not only dig a trench which has the same general morphology as Valles Marineris but also can create ejecta which orbits the planet at distances comparable to those for current Martian satellites.
An Investigation of the Structure Underlying Irreducible Devisors
Authors: Smallwood Hilary , Swartz Drew
Published: April 2019

In previous literature Coykendall & Maney, as well as Axtell & Stickles, have discussed the concept of irreducible divisor graphs of elements in domains and ring with zero-divisors respectively, with two different definitions. In this paper we seek to look at the irreducible divisor graphs of ring elements under a hybrid definition of the two previous ones—in hopes that this graph will reveal structure concerning irreducible divisors in rings with zero-divisors. We also compare the three graphs and examine in what respects they are related. Other graph-theoretic properties of this graph will also be discussed.
Gold Nanowires: Their Synthesis and Surface Plasmon Resonances
Authors: Faghih Ali , Waks Edo
Published: April 2019

The objective of the project was to fabricate gold nano-rods and study the optical properties of gold nano-particles when coupled to Indium Arsenide quantum dots. The gold nano-rods were synthesized by a seed-mediated growth method using CTAB and BDAC as the surfactants, and the feasibility of changing the aspect ratio of the rods and their Plasmon resonance frequency was studied by varying the concentrations of these two surfactants. Finally, gold nano-rods with longitudinal Plasmon resonance of 940 nm were synthesized. Next, we studied the feasibility of coupling gold nano-wires to indium arsenide quantum dots for investigating their optical properties and studying the spontaneous emission enhancement of InAs QDs in the presence of the plasmon resonances of gold nano-wires. The sample containing nano-wires coupled to quantum dots was excited by red laser, and the emission was passed through a spectrometer and the spectrum was obtained.
Music-elicited EEG Activity and Emotional Responses are Altered in Schizophrenia
Authors: Burge Rondell , Siebert Aimee
Published: April 2019

Studies of patients with schizophrenia using facial affect recognition and voice discrimination tasks have identified emotional dysfunction as a prominent clinical feature. In the present study we examine whether emotion processing in patients is also impaired in a less explicitly social context -- continuous self-report of emotions during music using a two-dimensional (pleasantness X activation) emotion space. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was also recorded during this task since previous studies using EEG measures have found underlying cortical processes related to emotion. Twelve patients with schizophrenia and eleven controls listened to five 25-second songs. These songs included J.S. Bach‟s Invention #13 in A minor (BWV 784) (designated the original piece), and four computer-generated pieces of which two were designed to be similar to the original, and two were designed to be different. While no significant effects were found in the activation dimension of the self-report measures, the pattern of pleasantness ratings was significantly less differentiated among songs in the patient group than in controls. EEG asymmetry indices at frontal and central electrodes provided evidence of greater hemispheric activation asymmetry (with higher activation on the left) in controls than in patients, a difference that was significant at the central electrodes (C3 and C4). These findings indicate that individuals with schizophrenia interpret emotion-eliciting music differently than do controls, even in a relatively non-social setting, possibly because of less differentiated hemispheric representations.
Forensic Identification of Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A
Authors: Nontell Dana , Armstrong Douglas
Published: April 2019

Salvia divinorum is a member of the mint family that is growing in popularity in the United States and many other countries as a hallucinogenic drug. Because of this, numerous studies have been conducted in identifying the plant material. Some of the most common methods include UV/Vis, TLC, and GC/MS. This article discusses these methods, as well as two other common identification methods proven to be ineffective towards salvia. An extraction method is also discussed.
An Interruption in the Highway: New Approach to Modeling Car Traffic
Authors: Rezaeezadeh Amin
Published: April 2019

A very common phenomenon in car traffic is investigated in this article. The problem is one-dimensional. We find the wave equation of the traffic, and illustrate a simulation using Matlab 7.6
Sizing Up Outer Billiard Tables
Authors: Doǧru Filiz , Otten Samuel
Published: April 2019

The outer billiard dynamical system models the motion of a particle around a compact domain, such as a planet orbiting a star. When considering outer billiards in hyperbolic space, an interesting problem is to determine precisely the conditions in which an orbiting particle breaks orbit and escapes to infinity. Past work has classified triangular and Penrose kite billiard tables according to whether or not their orbiting particles escape. This article presents a classification of regular polygonal tables.
A deterministic model for (n = 2) competitive products in a market system
Authors: Kekana M , Makinde O
Published: April 2019

We proposed a new deterministic model for the dynamics of two competitive products in a given market system. The model was analyzed qualitatively to determine the stability of its equilibrium under the influence of factors such as advertisement, personal interaction, immigration and emigration. Numerical verification of the analytical results is performed and presented graphically.
Conic Sections in the Double-Slit Experiment
Authors: Hughes Joe , Liebrand Frederic
Published: April 2019

The use of conic sections in obtaining the locations of double-slit maxima is absent in many undergraduate treatments [1-3]. However, their inclusion is not conceptually difficult and increases the understanding not only of interference phenomena, but also of the underlying geometry. This paper illustrates how elliptic and hyperbolic conic sections arise naturally in a conceptual analysis of the double slit.
Memory Accuracy for Emotional and Neutral Narratives: Investigating the Influence of Suggestive Misinformation on the Frequency of False Memories
Authors: Paige Laura , Kensinger Elizabeth
Published: April 2019

Memory is a reconstructive process, impressionable and not always vigilant in detecting devices working against its accuracy. False memory occurs when memory for an event is infiltrated by new information or alterations are made to the information that was previously stored. The present study investigated the effect of emotional valence on false memory occurrence through the misinformation effect – memory errors that arise as a consequence of exposure to misleading information - by presenting participants with narratives in one of three valence conditions (negative, positive, neutral) and subjecting them to suggestive questions providing credulous misinformation following a one-hour delay. Results revealed that when collapsing across negative and positive conditions, overall false memory occurrences were significantly reduced for these narratives compared to the neutral condition. Some of the effects of emotion on memory accuracy were more pronounced for negative information than for positive or neutral information; response rates in the negative condition, as compared to the two other valence conditions, revealed an increase in hits and a decrease in false alarms suggesting negative valence enhances discriminability.
Observations of Enamel Microstructure in Incipient Lesions Remineralized by NaF Dentifrices
Authors: Asaizumi Makoto , Yagi Naoto , Aoyama Koki , Kato Tomoaki , Kuga Tetsuya , Oode Nahoko , Oda Takehide , Sakurada Tsuguo , Nagase Shinichi , Tabara Tomohiro , L. Karlinsey Robert
Published: April 2019

Synchrotron Radiation (SR) Wide-angle X-ray Diffraction (WAXD) and Small-angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) techniques were used to assess microstructure of bovine enamel white-spot lesions (WSL) evaluated in a 10-day pH cycling model comprising three different dentifrice groups: (A) 0.21% NaF plus TCP (Clinpro Tooth Crème), (B) 1.1% NaF plus TCP (Clinpro 5000), or (C) 0% NaF (Tom’s of Maine) dentifrice. Each day consisted of four 2-minute treatments, one 4-hour acid challenge (pH=5.0), and immersion in artificial saliva (pH=7.0) between these events. These specimens were also examined with cross-sectional microhardness, digital light microscopy and FE-SEM (field emission scanning electron microscope), and demonstrated the remineralization model effected changes in subsurface microstructure. X-ray diffraction data from WAXD and SAXS were collected on enamel slab cross-sections extending from 0 μm to 150 μm, in 6 μm microbeam increments. A primary outcome of this observational study was that simultaneous WAXD and SAXS measurements were able to resolve significant differences (ANOVA, Student’s t-test, p<0.05) between the effects of the two fluoridecontaining dentifrices on subsurface lesion microstructure. In particular, enamel lesions treated with 1.1% NaF dentifrice group manifested an abundance of nanometer-sized crystallites, while treatment with the 0.21% NaF dentifrice produced larger apatite-like crystals. While the presence of fluoride in both cases promoted regularity in crystal size and orientation, this was not observed for lesions treated without fluoride. Altogether, our observations demonstrate the pathological processes for remineralization are markedly influenced by the presence and concentration of fluoride, the microstructural characteristics of which can be distinguished using the simultaneous WAXD and SAXS technique.
Correlation between Morphological Facial Index and Canine Relationship in Adults - An Anthropometric Study
Authors: Trivedi Hiamanshu , Azam Aftab , Tandon Ragni , Chandra Pratik , Kulshrestha Rohit , Gupta Ankit
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study was to correlate the morphological facial index and canine relationship in adults. Materials and method: The research was conducted on 1000 subjects (563 males and 437 females), aged 18-40 years, selected randomly. The parameters were morphological facial height and facial width. The standard spreading caliper with its scale was used for the measurement of facial parameters. Canine relationship was observed intra-orally with the subjects seated on the dental chair. Result: Euryprosopic facial type (53.2%) was most common in majority of the subjects followed by Mesoprosopic (21.6%), Hypereuryprosopic (19%), Leptoprosopic (5.6%) and the least common was Hyperleptoprosopic (0.6%). The canine relation was mostly Class I in both the genders, females showed a higher value of Class II and Class III canine relation. Conclusion: The overall majority had the euryprosopic facial type and there was no significant association between facial morphologic types and canine relationship in both the genders in different age groups at either side. The canine relationship association with facial morphologic type was significant only for left side.
Reversible Stress Induced Cardiomyopathy in Adrenal Insufficiency
Authors: Salman M , AlKhoury J , AlSherooqi R , Assar W
Published: April 2019

It’s evident in the literature that Addisonian crisis is tightly linked with cardiovascular manifestations, with very few cases reporting an associated between adrenal insufficiency and reversible cardiomyopathy. We report a case of a 57 years old lady who presented with an acute onset of adrenal insufficiency then developed severe heart failure that resolved post hydrocortisone administration. The clinical presentation, course of management and outcome will be discussed.
Dietary Energy Level Promotes Rumen Microbial Protein Synthesis by Improving the Energy Productivity of the Ruminal Microbiome
Authors: Lu Zhongyan , Xu Zhihui , Shen Zanming , Tian Yuanchun , Shen Hong
Published: April 2019

Improving the yield of rumen microbial protein (MCP) has significant importance in the promotion of animal performance and the reduction of protein feed waste. The amount of energy supplied to rumen microorganisms is an important factor affecting the amount of protein nitrogen incorporated into rumen MCP. Substrate-level phosphorylation (SLP) and electron transport phosphorylation (ETP) are two major mechanisms of energy generation within microbial cells. However, the way that energy and protein levels in the diet impact the energy productivity of the ruminal microbiome and, thereafter, rumen MCP yields is not known yet. In present study, we have investigated, by animal experiments and metagenome shotgun sequencing, the effects of energy-rich and protein-rich diets on rumen MCP yields, as well as SLP-coupled and ETP-coupled energy productivity of the ruminal microbiome. We have found that an energy-rich diet induces a significant increase in rumen MCP yield, whereas a protein-rich diet has no significant impacts on it. Based on 10 reconstructed pathways related to the energy metabolism of the ruminal microbiome, we have determined that the energy-rich diet induces significant increases in the total abundance of SLP enzymes coupled to the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidation in the glucose fermentation and F-type ATPase of the electron transporter chain, whereas the protein-rich diet has no significant impact in the abundance of these enzymes. At the species level, the energy-rich diet induces significant increases in the total abundance of 15 ETP-related genera and 40 genera that have SLP-coupled fermentation pathways, whereas the protein-rich diet has no significant impact on the total abundance of these genera. Our results suggest that an increase in dietary energy levels promotes rumen energy productivity and MCP yield by improving levels of ETP and SLP coupled to glucose fermentation in the ruminal microbiome. But, an increase in dietary protein level has no such effects.
Programming Agents by Their Social Relationships: A Commitment-Based Approach
Authors: Baldoni Matteo , Baroglio Cristina , Micalizio Roberto , Tedeschi Stefano
Published: April 2019

Multiagent systems can be seen as an approach to software engineering for the design and development of complex, distributed software. Generally speaking, multiagent systems provide two main abstractions for modularizing the software: the agents and the environment where agents operate. In this paper, we argue that also the social relationships among the agents should be expressed explicitly and become first-class objects both at design- and at development-time. In particular, we propose to represent social relationships as commitments that are reified as resources in the agents’ environment and can be directly manipulated by the agents via standard operations. We demonstrate that this view induces an agent programming schema that is substantially independent of the actual agent platform, provided that commitments are available as explained. The paper exemplifies the schema on two agent platforms, JADE and JaCaMo, where commitments are made available via the 2COMM library.
Embedding Equality Constraints of Optimization Problems into a Quantum Annealer
Authors: Vyskocil Tomas , Djidjev Hristo
Published: April 2019

Quantum annealers such as D-Wave machines are designed to propose solutions for quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems by mapping them onto the quantum processing unit, which tries to find a solution by measuring the parameters of a minimum-energy state of the quantum system. While many NP-hard problems can be easily formulated as binary quadratic optimization problems, such formulations almost always contain one or more constraints, which are not allowed in a QUBO. Embedding such constraints as quadratic penalties is the standard approach for addressing this issue, but it has drawbacks such as the introduction of large coefficients and using too many additional qubits. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach for implementing constraints based on a combinatorial design and solving mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problems in order to find better embeddings of constraints of the type ∑ x i = k for binary variables x i. Our approach is scalable to any number of variables and uses a linear number of ancillary variables for a fixed k.
Applications of Non-Uniquely Decodable Codes to Privacy-Preserving High-Entropy Data Representation
Authors: Külekci Muhammed Oğuzhan , Öztürk Yasin
Published: April 2019

Non-uniquely-decodable (non-UD) codes can be defined as the codes that cannot be uniquely decoded without additional disambiguation information. These are mainly the class of non–prefix–free codes, where a code-word can be a prefix of other(s), and thus, the code-word boundary information is essential for correct decoding. Due to their inherent unique decodability problem, such non-UD codes have not received much attention except a few studies, in which using compressed data structures to represent the disambiguation information efficiently had been previously proposed. It had been shown before that the compression ratio can get quite close to Huffman/Arithmetic codes with an additional capability of providing direct access in compressed data, which is a missing feature in the regular Huffman codes. In this study we investigate non-UD codes in another dimension addressing the privacy of the high-entropy data. We particularly focus on such massive volumes, where typical examples are encoded video or similar multimedia files. Representation of such a volume with non–UD coding creates two elements as the disambiguation information and the payload, where decoding the original data from these elements becomes hard when one of them is missing. We make use of this observation for privacy concerns. and study the space consumption as well as the hardness of that decoding. We conclude that non-uniquely-decodable codes can be an alternative to selective encryption schemes that aim to secure only part of the data when data is huge. We provide a freely available software implementation of the proposed scheme as well.
Modeling and System Integration for a Thin Pneumatic Rubber 3-DOF Actuator
Authors: Kawamura Shuhei , Sudani Mizuki , Deng Mingcong , Noge Yuichi , Wakimoto Shuichi
Published: April 2019

Recently, soft actuators have been getting increased attention within various fields. The actuators are composed of flexible materials and driven by pneumatic pressure. A thin pneumatic rubber actuator generating 3 degrees of freedom motion, called 3-DOF micro-hand, has small diameter McKibben artificial muscles which generate a contraction force in the axial direction. By this structure, the micro-hand contracts in the longitudinal direction and bends in any direction by changing the applied air pressure pattern to the artificial muscles. The input–output relation of the micro-hand, however, is complicated and has not been modeled. In this paper, modeling for 3-DOF micro-hand is proposed. Moreover, the experimental system is built for the micro-hand and the proposed model is evaluated by using the experimental results.
Design and Analysis of a 1D Actively Stabilized System with Viscoelastic Damping Support
Authors: Passenbrunner Josef , Jungmayr Gerald , Amrhein Wolfgang
Published: April 2019

Passively magnetically stabilized degrees of freedom yield the benefit of reduced complexity and therefore costs. However, the application of passive magnetic bearings (PMBs) also features some drawbacks. The poor damping capability leads to exaggerated deflection amplitudes when passing the resonance speeds of the applied system. This results in the necessity of external damping. Complying with the goal of costs and complexity, viscoelastic materials offer a suitable solution. However, these materials show high frequency and temperature dependent properties which induce the necessity of a proper model. Thus, the design of systems, as presented in this paper, requires accurate modeling of the dynamic behavior including the nonlinear characteristic of damping elements to predict the system displacements. In the investigated setup only two degrees of freedom remain to be controlled actively. These are the axial rotation and the axial position of the rotor which are controlled by the motor and an active magnetic axial bearing (AMB). This article focuses on the rotor dynamic modeling of a radial passively magnetically stabilized system especially considering the nonlinear behavior of viscoelastic damping elements. Finally, the results from the analytic model are verified by measurements on a manufactures test system.
Eating Hamburgers Slowly and Sustainably: The Fast Food Market in North-West Italy
Authors: Bonadonna Alessandro , Alfiero Simona , Cane Massimo , Gheribi Edyta
Published: April 2019

The Italian food movement shows some peculiarities of meeting consumer demand in the foodservice subsector where innovation is considered strategic to meet targets and reach goals. A particular kind of innovation is the return to tradition by enhancement of the territory, e.g., reinstating local recipes and local gastronomy or high-quality local raw materials. Some entrepreneurs are redefining the fast-food service, providing foodstuffs through a short supply chain. The aim of this paper is to identify the different hamburger foodservices operating in North-West Italy and address their diverse peculiarities. A sample of 11 hamburger restaurants was identified, a mystery shopping analysis was implemented to collect information on the foodservice phenomenon, and a Business Model Canvas was carried out to compare different foodservices. The results consider two different hamburger foodservices, i.e., International Hamburger Foodservice (IHF) and Local Hamburger Foodservice (LHF), the former concentrating mainly on customer service, human resource management, and operations management, and the latter focussing on high product quality in terms of materials and psychology, plus selection of local raw materials and ingredients, supporting the local economy and businesses. Moreover, the findings provide some information on the interaction between selected Hamburger Foodservices and related supply chains, highlighting the consumer transition toward meals of high quality standards in terms of raw materials and ingredients.
Effects of Natural Hail on the Growth, Physiological Characteristics, Yield, and Quality of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Thompson Seedless under Mediterranean Growing Conditions
Authors: Petoumenou Despoina G. , Biniari Katerina , Xyrafis Efstratios , Mavronasios Dimitrios , Daskalakis Ioannis , Palliotti Alberto
Published: April 2019

Hailstorms are typically localized events, and very little is known about their effect on crops. The objective of this study was to examine the physiological and vine performance responses to natural hail, registered four weeks after full bloom, of field-grown Thompson seedless (Vitis vinifera L.) grapevines, one of the most important table grape varieties cultivated in Greece and especially in the Corinthian region in northeastern Peloponnese. Leaf gas exchange, vegetative growth, vine balance indices, cane wood reserves, yield components, and fruit chemical composition were recorded from hail-damaged vines and compared with control vines. Visibly, the extent of the hailstorm damage was great enough to injure or remove leaves as well as cause partial stem bruising and partial injury or total cracking of berries. Our results indicated that natural hail did not affect leaf photosynthesis, berry weight, total acidity, and cane wood reserves but significantly reduced the total leaf area, yield, and the total phenolics of berries at harvest. At the same time, hail-damaged vines increased the leaf area of lateral canes and presented a higher total soluble solid (TSS) accumulation, while no effect on the next year’s fertility was registered. The present work is the first attempt to enhance our understanding of the vegetative yield, berry quality, and physiological responses of grapevines to natural hail, which is an extreme and complex natural phenomenon that is likely to increase due to climate change.
The Welfare of Cows in Indian Shelters
Authors: Sharma Arvind , Kennedy Uttara , Schuetze Catherine , Phillips Clive J. C.
Published: April 2019

Cow shelters (gaushalas) are unique traditional institutions in India, where aged, infertile, diseased, rescued, and abandoned cows are sheltered for the rest of their life, until they die of natural causes. These institutions owe their existence to the reverence for the cow as a holy mother goddess for Hindus, the majority religion in India. There is a religious and legal prohibition on cow slaughter in most Indian states. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the welfare of cows in these shelters, which included the development of a welfare assessment protocol, based on direct animal-based measurements, indirect resource-based assessments, and description of the herd characteristics by the manager. A total of 54 cow shelters in 6 states of India were studied and 1620 animals were clinically examined, based on 37 health, welfare, and behavior parameters. Thirty resources provided to the animals, including housing, flooring, feeding, watering, ease of movement, cleanliness of facilities, lighting, temperature, humidity, and noise levels in the sheds were measured. The study showed that the shelters contained mostly non-lactating cows, with a mean age of 11 years. The primary welfare problems appeared to be different to those in Western countries, as the major issues found in the shelters were facility-related—the low space allowance per cow, poor quality of the floors, little freedom of movement, and a lack of pasture grazing. Very few cows were recorded as lame, but about one half had carpal joint hair loss and swelling, and slightly less had lesions from interacting with shelter furniture. Some shelters also had compromised biosecurity and risks of zoonosis. These issues need to be addressed to aid in ensuring the acceptability of these institutions to the public. This welfare assessment protocol aims to address the welfare issues and problems in the shelters, by providing feedback for improvement to the stakeholders.
Effects of Maternal Undernutrition during Mid-Gestation on the Yield, Quality and Composition of Kid Meat Under an Extensive Management System
Authors: Zhou Xiaoling , Yan Qiongxian , Yang Hong , Ren Ao , Kong Zhiwei , Tang Shaoxun , Han Xuefeng , He Zhixiong , Bamikole Musibau Adungbe , Tan Zhiliang
Published: April 2019

Nutritional status during mid-gestation is often ignored under extensive husbandry. This study aimed to examine the effect of maternal undernutrition during mid-gestation on kid meat production under an extensive system. Twenty-seven goats (45 ± 3 d of gestation) were randomly assigned to an unrestricted group (100% of nutrient requirements), or a restricted group (60% of nutrient requirements from 45 to 100 d of gestation, and then re-alimented to 100%). Among the offspring, 16 eligible kids (eight per treatment) were selected, based on birth type and survival, and were harvested to evaluate the meat yield, quality, and composition at 90 d after birth. Maternal undernutrition reduced the body weight and size, average daily gain and hot carcass weight of the kids (p < 0.05). The lightness of the meat at 45 min postmortem was increased (p = 0.029) in the restricted kids. Apart from an increase in tyrosine concentration (p = 0.046), the proximate composition and the amino acid and fatty acid profiles were unaffected in the restricted kids (p > 0.05). Overall, maternal undernutrition during mid-gestation decreased the yield of kid meat, but did not significantly modify the quality and composition. These results highlight the importance of nutrient status during mid-gestation in the meat production of small ruminants under an extensive regime.
Dnd1 Knockout in Sturgeons By CRISPR/Cas9 Generates Germ Cell Free Host for Surrogate Production
Authors: Baloch Abdul Rasheed , Franěk Roman , Tichopád Tomáš , Fučíková Michaela , Rodina Marek , Pšenička Martin
Published: April 2019

Sturgeons also known as living fossils are facing threats to their survival due to overfishing and interference in natural habitats. Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) due to its rapid reproductive cycle and small body size can be used as a sterile host for surrogate production for late maturing and large sturgeon species. Dead end protein (dnd1) is essential for migration of Primordial Germ Cells (PGCs), the origin of all germ cells in developing embryos. Knockout or knockdown of dnd1 can be done in order to mismigrate PGCs. Previously we have used MO and UV for the aforementioned purpose, and in our present study we have used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knockout dnd1. No or a smaller number of PGCs were detected in crispants, and we also observed malformations in some CRISPR/Cas9 injected embryos. Furthermore, we compared three established methods to achieve sterility in sterlet, and we found higher embryo survival and hatching rates in CRISPR/Cas9, UV and MO, respectively.
On the Origin and Fate of Reactive Oxygen Species in Plant Cell Compartments
Authors: Janků Martina , Luhová Lenka , Petřivalský Marek
Published: April 2019

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been recognized as important signaling compounds of major importance in a number of developmental and physiological processes in plants. The existence of cellular compartments enables efficient redox compartmentalization and ensures proper functioning of ROS-dependent signaling pathways. Similar to other organisms, the production of individual ROS in plant cells is highly localized and regulated by compartment-specific enzyme pathways on transcriptional and post-translational level. ROS metabolism and signaling in specific compartments are greatly affected by their chemical interactions with other reactive radical species, ROS scavengers and antioxidant enzymes. A dysregulation of the redox status, as a consequence of induced ROS generation or decreased capacity of their removal, occurs in plants exposed to diverse stress conditions. During stress condition, strong induction of ROS-generating systems or attenuated ROS scavenging can lead to oxidative or nitrosative stress conditions, associated with potential damaging modifications of cell biomolecules. Here, we present an overview of compartment-specific pathways of ROS production and degradation and mechanisms of ROS homeostasis control within plant cell compartments.
Interhemispheric Brain Switching Correlates with Severity of Sleep-Disordered Breathing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients
Authors: Li Yuwen , Zhang Zhimin , Zhu Guohun , Gan Hongping , Liu Deyin , Weng Wei , Wei Shoushui
Published: April 2019

(1) Background: Alternating interhemispheric slow-wave activity during sleep is well-established in birds and cetaceans, but its investigation in humans has been largely neglected. (2) Methods: Fuzzy entropy was used to calculate a laterality index (LI) from C3 and C4 EEG channels. The subjects were grouped according to an apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) for statistical analyses: Group A AHI < 15 (mild); Group B 15 ≤ AHI < 30 (moderate); Group C AHI ≥ 30 (severe). The LI distribution was analysed to characterise the brain activity variation in both hemispheres, and the cross-zero switching rate was given statistical tests to find the correlations with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea and sleep states, i.e., wake (W), light sleep (LS), deep sleep (DS), and REM. (3) Results: EEG brain switching activity was observed in all sleep stages, and the LI distribution shows that, for obstructive sleep apnea patients, the interhemispheric asymmetry of brain activity is more obvious than healthy people. A one-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference of switching rate among three groups (F(2,95) = 7.23, p = 0.0012), with Group C shows the least, and also a significant difference among four sleep stages (F(3,94) = 5.09, p = 0.0026), with REM the highest. (4) Conclusions: The alternating interhemispheric activity is confirmed ubiquitous for humans during sleep, and sleep-disordered breathing intends to exacerbate the interhemispheric asymmetry.
Method of Feature Reduction in Short Text Classification Based on Feature Clustering
Authors: Li Fangfang , Yin Yao , Shi Jinjing , Mao Xingliang , Shi Ronghua
Published: April 2019

One decisive problem of short text classification is the serious dimensional disaster when utilizing a statistics-based approach to construct vector spaces. Here, a feature reduction method is proposed that is based on two-stage feature clustering (TSFC), which is applied to short text classification. Features are semi-loosely clustered by combining spectral clustering with a graph traversal algorithm. Next, intra-cluster feature screening rules are designed to remove outlier feature words, which improves the effect of similar feature clusters. We classify short texts with corresponding similar feature clusters instead of original feature words. Similar feature clusters replace feature words, and the dimension of vector space is significantly reduced. Several classifiers are utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of this method. The results show that the method largely resolves the dimensional disaster and it can significantly improve the accuracy of short text classification.