bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AS HISTORICIDADES DAS MULHERES NEGRAS NOS LIVROS DIDÁTICOS DO PNLD-CAMPO: UM OLHAR A PARTIR DOS ESTUDOS DAS EPISTEMOLOGIAS DO SUL
Authors: Lima Silva Mariai Iveni de , Da Silva Maria Girlene Callado , Da Silva Vanessa Azevedo Cabral
Published: September 2020

Este trabajo es fruto de reflexiones y del diálogo abordado en la disciplina de Epistemologías del Sur del Programa de Postgrado en Educación Contemporánea (PPGduc), en la Universidad Federal de Pernambuco-Centro Académico del Agreste (UFPE-CAA). En este trabajo abordamos como cuestión problema: ¿cuáles son los principales sentidos de las historicidades de las mujeres negras presentes en el libro didáctico (LD) del Campo? El objetivo general fue: comprender los principales sentidos atribuidos a las historicidades de las mujeres negras. Los objetivos específicos son: a) identificar y caracterizar las historias presentes en los LD sobre las mujeres negras; b) describir los sentidos atribuidos a las historicidades de las mujeres negras en los LD; y c) analizar en los LD los elementos presentes en las historicidades que contribuyen o no a la afirmación étnica de mujeres negras. En los procedimientos metodológicos utilizamos la investigación cualitativa y documental pautada en el análisis del contenido. No encontramos de forma directa historicidades de mujeres negras que contribuyeron a la historia, que pudiera romper con el silenciamiento puesto sobre la presencia de las mujeres en espacio como la política, la cultura, las artes, entre otros.
Um relato de experiência metodológica no estudo das migrações: controlando o tempo e o espaço
Authors: Da Silva Romerito Valeriano , Fernandes Duval Magalhães
Published: September 2020

Estudos sobre migrações internacionais são fundamentais para se entender a complexidade do espaço geográfico, já que os fluxos conectam os fixos (as edificações e elementos naturais) e formam esse objeto de estudo da geografia. A literatura específica demonstra de maneira farta as dificuldades que se apresentam para a pesquisa de objetos dinâmicos, como são os movimentos populacionais. Entre essas dificuldades destacam-se as opções metodológicas dos estudiosos, por serem caminhos que poderão ser seguidos por outros pesquisadores da área. Nesse sentido, de maneira a contribuir para o debate, apresenta-se aqui um relato de experiência metodológica para o estudo das migrações internacionais entre Brasil e Portugal. O caminho aqui apresentado já foi testado em campo e demonstrou sua efetividade, o que pode contribuir para pesquisas na área, bem como pode ser complementado e adaptado de maneira a ampliar suas potencialidades.
RANCANG BANGUN APLIKASI PEMBAYARAN IURAN KOMITE BERBASIS WEB DI SMK TAMAN ILMU KROMENGAN
Authors: Wahyudi Farid
Published: September 2020

SMK Taman Ilmu Kromengan/SMK Roudlotul Ulum Kromengan merupakan salah satu SMK yang ada di Kabupaten Malang yang masih menggunakan model konvensional dalam pembayaran iuran komite, hal tersebut tentunya menimbulkan masalah diantaranya proses transaksi pembayaran lama, kesalahan input data pembayaran tinggi, keamanan data kurang terjamin, pengelolaan data sulit, dan terlambatnya penyampaian laporan pembayaran ke kepala sekolah. Dengan adanya masalah-masalah tersebut maka dibangunlah aplikasi pembayaran Iuran Komite Berbasis Web. Pemodelan SDLC menggunakan model Waterfall, menggunakan data base mySql dan menggunakan PHP sampai jadi sebuah aplikasi yang dapat membantu proses pembayaran iuran komite di SMK Taman Ilmu Kromengan.
RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM PENDUKUNG KEPUTUSAN BANTUAN BERAS MISKIN DESA KALIBENDO MENGGUNAKAN METODE MULTIFACTOR EVALUATION PROCESS (MFEP)
Authors: Masfiil Anam , Susanto Gaguk
Published: September 2020

Abstrak.Proses pengambilan keputusan seleksi penentuan bantuan Beras Miskin masih dilakukan secara manual, yaitu dengan menggunakan Microsoft Exce.l  Dalam menentukan warga yang mendapatkan bantuan beras miskin masih mengalami salah tepat sasaran. Dalam penelitian ini adalah membuat rancang bangun sistem pendukung keputusan bantuan beras miskin di Desa kalibendo dengan metode Multi Facktor Evaluation Process (MFEP). Pada metode MFEP ini pengambilan keputusan dilakukan dengan memberikan pertimbangan  subjektif dan intututif terhadap faktor yang dianggap penting. Dengan adanya sistem pendukung keputusan bantuan beras miskin di Desa Kalibendo lebih akurat dalam menyeleksi warga yang berhak mendapatkan bantuan beras miskin Desa Kalibendo.
 
Kata Kunci: Beras Miskin, MFEP, Kalibendo
Quantifying sublethal Florida manatee-watercraft interactions by examining scars on manatee carcasses
Authors: Bassett BL , Hostetler JA , Leone E , Shea CP , Barbeau BD , Lonati GL , Panike AL , Honaker A , Ward-Geiger LI
Published: September 2020

A leading human-related threat to the Florida manateeTrichechus manatus latirostrisis collisions with watercraft, which account for 20-25% of reported mortalities. Quantitative threat assessments do not include information on all known manatee-watercraft interactions. These interactions often result in sublethal wounding, usually leaving multiple fresh external wounds in a variety of patterns. These wounds then resolve into well-healed scars. We characterized and quantified watercraft-related scar patterns (1 pattern = 1 strike event) on 2935 nonperinatal carcasses (>150 cm total length) that were recovered from 2007 through 2016 to compare the number of patterns by life stage, sex, and population region and across years. We used generalized linear mixed models to examine the effects of several factors on the probability carcasses having scars and on the number of scar patterns per carcass. The models indicated that approximately 96% of adults, approximately 70% of subadults, and approximately 34% of calves had watercraft-related scars. The raw data showed that 1 in 4 adults had been hit 10 or more times; 5 adult carcasses bore evidence of 40 or more strikes. On average, adult females had more scar patterns than did adult males. Manatees on Florida’s west coast had more scar patterns than did those on the east coast, while carcasses from the less populated Everglades had significantly fewer scar patterns than did those from the rest of the state. These results improve our understanding of the extent of sublethal injury of the Florida manatee caused by boat strikes.
Important marine areas for the conservation of northern rockhopper penguins within the Tristan da Cunha Exclusive Economic Zone
Authors: Steinfurth A , Oppel S , Dias MP , Starnes T , Pearmain EJ , Dilley BJ , Davies D , Nydegger M , Bell C , Le Bouard F , Bond AL , Cuthbert RJ , Glass T , Makhado AB , Crawford RJM , Ryan PG , Wanless RM , Ratcliffe N
Published: September 2020

The designation of Marine Protected Areas has become an important approach to conserving marine ecosystems that relies on robust information on the spatial distribution of biodiversity. We used GPS tracking data to identify marine Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) for the Endangered northern rockhopper penguin Eudyptes moseleyi within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic. Penguins were tracked throughout their breeding season from 3 of the 4 main islands in the Tristan da Cunha group. Foraging trips remained largely within the EEZ, with the exception of those from Gough Island during the incubation stage. We found substantial variability in trip duration and foraging range among breeding stages and islands, consistent use of areas among years and spatial segregation of the areas used by neighbouring islands. For colonies with no or insufficient tracking data, we defined marine IBAs based on the mean maximum foraging range and merged the areas identified to propose IBAs around the Tristan da Cunha archipelago and Gough Island. The 2 proposed marine IBAs encompass 2% of Tristan da Cunha’s EEZ, and are used by all northern rockhopper penguins breeding in the Tristan da Cunha group, representing ~90% of the global population. Currently, one of the main threats to northern rockhopper penguins within the Tristan da Cunha EEZ is marine pollution from shipping, and the risk of this would be reduced by declaring waters within 50 nautical miles of the coast as ‘areas to be avoided’.
RETRACTED: Combination of Tanshinone IIA and Cisplatin Inhibits Esophageal Cancer by Downregulating NF-κB/COX-2/VEGF Pathway
Authors: Liao Xiaozhong , Gao Ying , Liu Jiahui , Tao Lanting , Wang Dongmei , Xie Dan , Mo Suilin
Published: September 2020

Cisplatin (DDP) represents one of the common drugs used for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but side effects associated with DDP and drug resistance lead to the failure of treatment. This study aimed to understand whether tanshinone IIA (tan IIA) and DDP could generate a synergistic antitumor effect on ESCC cells. Tan IIA and DDP are demonstrated to restrain ESCC cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent mode. Tan IIA and DDP at a ratio of 2:1 present a synergistic effect on ESCC cells. The combination suppresses cell migration and invasion abilities, arrests the cell cycle, and causes apoptosis in HK and K180 cells. Molecular docking indicates that tan IIA and DDP could be docked into active sites with the tested proteins. In all treated groups, the expression levels of E-cadherin, β-catenin, Bax, cleaved caspase-9, P21, P27, and c-Fos were upregulated, and the expression levels of fibronectin, vimentin, Bcl-2, cyclin D1, p-Akt, p-ERK, p-JNK, P38, COX-2, VEGF, IL-6, NF-κB, and c-Jun proteins were downregulated. Among these, the combination induced the most significant difference. Our results suggest that tan IIA could be a novel treatment for combination therapy for ESCC.
Drought Stress Responses and Resistance in Plants: From Cellular Responses to Long-Distance Intercellular Communication
Authors: Takahashi Fuminori , Kuromori Takashi , Urano Kaoru , Yamaguchi-Shinozaki Kazuko , Shinozaki Kazuo
Published: September 2020

The drought stress responses of vascular plants are complex regulatory mechanisms because they include various physiological responses from signal perception under water deficit conditions to the acquisition of drought stress resistance at the whole-plant level. It is thought that plants first recognize water deficit conditions in roots and that several molecular signals then move from roots to shoots. Finally, a phytohormone, abscisic acid (ABA) is synthesized mainly in leaves. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of stress sensors and the regulators that initiate ABA biosynthesis in response to drought stress conditions are still unclear. Another important issue is how plants adjust ABA propagation, stress-mediated gene expression and metabolite composition to acquire drought stress resistance in different tissues throughout the whole plant. In this review, we summarize recent advances in research on drought stress responses, focusing on long-distance signaling from roots to shoots, ABA synthesis and transport, and metabolic regulation in both cellular and whole-plant levels of Arabidopsis and crops. We also discuss coordinated mechanisms for acquiring drought stress adaptations and resistance via tissue-to-tissue communication and long-distance signaling.
Neural Correlates of Theory of Mind Are Preserved in Young Women With Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Leslie Monica , Halls Daniel , Leppanen Jenni , Sedgewick Felicity , Smith Katherine , Hayward Hannah , Lang Katie , Fonville Leon , Simic Mima , Mandy William , Nicholls Dasha , Murphy Declan , Williams Steven , Tchanturia Kate
Published: September 2020

People with anorexia nervosa (AN) commonly exhibit social difficulties, which may be related to problems with understanding the perspectives of others, commonly known as Theory of Mind (ToM) processing. However, there is a dearth of literature investigating the neural basis of these differences in ToM and at what age they emerge. This study aimed to test for differences in the neural correlates of ToM processes in young women with AN, and young women weight-restored (WR) from AN, as compared to healthy control participants (HC). Based on previous findings in AN, we hypothesized that young women with current or prior AN, as compared to HCs, would exhibit a reduced neural response in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the inferior frontal gyrus, and the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) whilst completing a ToM task. We recruited 73 young women with AN, 45 WR young women, and 70 young women without a history of AN to take part in the current study. Whilst undergoing a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan, participants completed the Frith-Happé task, which is a commonly used measure of ToM with demonstrated reliability and validity in adult populations. In this task, participants viewed the movements of triangles, which depicted either action movements, simple interactions, or complex social interactions. Viewing trials with more complex social interactions in the Frith-Happé task was associated with increased brain activation in regions including the right TPJ, the bilateral mPFC, the cerebellum, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. There were no group differences in neural activation in response to the ToM contrast. Overall, these results suggest that the neural basis of spontaneous mentalizing is preserved in most young women with AN.
A Method for Improved Flight Testing of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Using Multisine Inputs
Authors: Larsson Roger , Sobron Alejandro , Lundström David , Enqvist Martin
Published: September 2020

Unless a segregated airspace and the corresponding clearances can be afforded, flight testing of remotely piloted aircraft is often done near the ground and within visual line-of-sight. In addition to the increased exposure to turbulence, this setup also limits the available time for test manoeuvres on each pass, especially for subscale demonstrators with a relatively high wing loading and flight speed. A suitable testing procedure, efficient excitation signals and a robust system identification method are therefore fundamental. Here, the authors use ground-based flight control augmentation to inject multisine signals with low correlation between the different inputs. Focusing on initial flight-envelope expansion, where linear regression is common, this paper also describes the improvement of an existing frequency-domain method by using an instrumental variable (IV) approach to better handle turbulence and measurement noise and to enable real-time identification analysis. Both simulations and real flight tests on a subscale demonstrator are presented. The results show that the combination of multisine input signals and the enhanced frequency-domain method is an effective way of improving flight testing of remotely piloted aircraft in confined airspace.
Phosphorus and Zinc Fertilization Influence Crop Growth Rates and Total Biomass of Coarse vs. Fine Types Rice Cultivars
Authors: Amanullah  , Inamullah  , Alkahtani Jawaher , Elshikh Mohamed Soliman , Alwahibi Mona S. , Muhammad Asim , Ahmad Manzoor , Khalid Shah
Published: September 2020

Under the rice–wheat cropping system (RWS), the continuous cropping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) deplete soil fertility, and reduce crop growth and total rice biomass. In RWS, both phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are considered important nutritional constraints for reducing rice crop growth rates (CGR) and total biomass/biological yield (BY). The objective of this experiment was to investigate the impact of phosphorus (0, 40, 80, 120 kg P ha−1) and zinc rates (0, 5, 10, 15 kg Zn ha−1) on CGR and BY of three rice genotypes [fine (Bamati-385) versus coarse (Fakhre-e-Malakand and Pukhraj)] in Northwestern Pakistan during summer 2011 (Y1) and 2012 (Y2). The results revealed that higher CGR at various growth stages and total BY was obtained with the integrated use of higher phosphorus (80 and 120 kg P ha−1) and zinc rates (10 and 15 kg Zn ha−1). The lower CGR and BY were recorded when P and Zn were not applied (control) or when P and Zn were applied alone. In the case of rice genotypes, the highest CGR and BY were recorded for the hybrid rice (Pukhraj) than the other two genotypes. The CGR was increased to the highest level at the heading stage as compared to tillering and physiological maturity. The increase in CGR had a positive impact on the total BY of rice cultivars. The increase in BY had a positive relationship with grain yield and grower’s income. It was concluded from the study that the combined application of higher P and Zn rates to the coarse rice genotypes (Fakhre-e-Malakand and Pukhraj) could increase CGR, total BY, crop productivity and profitability.
An Appraisal of Calcium Cyanamide as Alternative N Source for Spring-Summer and Fall Season Curly Endive Crops: Effects on Crop Performance, NUE and Functional Quality Components
Authors: Sabatino Leo , Iapichino Giovanni , La Bella Salvatore , Tuttolomondo Teresa , D’Anna Fabio , Cardarelli Mariateresa , Consentino Beppe Benedetto , Rouphael Youssef
Published: September 2020

A two-year study was conducted in both spring-summer and fall seasons to evaluate calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) as an alternative nitrogen (N) source for curly endive (Cichorium endivia L. var. crispum) grown in a Mediterranean environment. Four types of N applications were administered: (i) pre-transplanting base application of 100 kg N ha−1 corresponding to 100% of the supplied N (100CC), (ii) pre-transplanting base application of 50 kg N ha−1 corresponding to 50% of the supplied N (50CC) complemented with 50 kg N ha−1 as ammonium nitrate (50AN) supplied through fertigation, (iii) standard application of 100 kg N ha−1 as ammonium nitrate (100AN) supplied entirely through fertigation, and (iv) a N-deprived control (0 kg N ha−1) used as base reference to calculate the N use efficiency indices (NUE). Fall season increased head fresh weight, head height, stem diameter and plant visual quality, compared with the spring-summer season. The CaCN2 and standard fertigation N applications were equally effective in increasing head fresh weight and other physical parameters such as, head height, stem diameter, visual quality, number of leaves and head dry matter when compared to the unfertilized control. However, in spring-summer season, CaCN2, especially when applied straight at 100 kg N ha−1, effectively increased ascorbic acid and total phenolic content, whereas, in fall season, an increase in TSS and ascorbic acid was recorded. In both, spring-summer and fall seasons, CaCN2 significantly decreased N content and nitrogen accumulation (Nacc). Furthermore, CaCN2 pre-transplant application improved NUE indices both in terms of N fertilizer recovery efficiency and in terms of physiological efficiency of applied N. Our results finally demonstrated that NUE indices increased in the fall season as compared to the spring-summer season.
Evaluating Irrigation Efficiency with Performance Indicators: A Case Study of Citrus in the East of Spain
Authors: Parra Lorena , Botella-Campos Marta , Puerto Herminia , Roig-Merino Bernat , Lloret Jaime
Published: September 2020

Improving water efficiency in farming systems is one of the major challenges of these decades. Water scarcity due to climate change, together with the increasing demand of food, is leading experts from around the world find appropriate indicators for water-use efficiency. In this paper we propose and test different indicators for service delivery performance, productive efficiency, and economic efficiency. Since the characteristics of the studied area and the citrus cropping system in the East of Spain are particular, we include in our analysis two other variables which are key to understanding the changes in the indicators: the obtained productivity, and the applied irrigation. The indicators and these two variables are tested with the information provided by farmers of citrus orchards belonging to an irrigation community from the East of Spain. The effect of different factors, such as cultivated varieties, type of farmer (professional or non-professional), or plantations’ size, are evaluated against the productivity and irrigation performance of the evaluated orchards. The effect of excess of irrigation on the indicators is also studied with the previous factors. Finally, an artificial intelligence system is used to predict productive efficiency of an orchard, based on the size and the water supply. Among the proposed indicators, the service delivery performance indicators came out to be the least useful and might provoke overirrigation due to the lack of accuracy of the data used for its calculation. The productive and economic efficiency indicators have been useful to illustrate the remarkable effect that excess of irrigation has on water efficiency, since a reduction of 66% of productive efficiency is found for some of the analysed varieties. On other cases, a reduction of 50% in economic efficiency is detected due to the excess of irrigation. Moreover, the excess of irrigation implied higher economic efficiency in only one of the evaluated varieties.
Rapid Acquisition, Management, and Analysis of Spatial Maize (Zea mays L.) Phenological Data—Towards ‘Big Data’ for Agronomy Transformation in Africa
Authors: Tonnang Henri E. Z. , Balemi Tesfaye , Masuki Kenneth F. , Mohammed Ibrahim , Adewopo Julius , Adnan Adnan A. , Mudereri Bester Tawona , Vanlauwe Bernard , Craufurd Peter
Published: September 2020

Mobile smartphones, open-source set tools, and mobile applications have provided vast opportunities for timely, accurate, and seamless data collection, aggregation, storage, and analysis of agricultural data in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In this paper, we advanced and demonstrated the practical use and application of a mobile smartphone-based tool, i.e., the Open Data Kit (ODK), to assemble and keep track of real-time maize (Zea mays L.) phenological data in three SSA countries. Farmers, extension agents, researchers, and other stakeholders were enlisted to participate in an initiative to demonstrate the applicability of mobile smartphone-based apps and open-source servers for rapid data collection and management. A pre-installed maize phenology data application based on the ODK architecture was provided to the participants (n = 75) for maize data collection and management over the maize growing season period in 2015–2017. The application structure was custom designed based on maize developmental stages such as planting date, date of emergence, date of first flowering, anthesis, grain filling, and maturity. Results showed that in Ethiopia, early maturing varieties took 105 days from sowing to maturity in low altitudes, whereas late-maturing varieties took up to 190 days to complete developmental stages in high altitude areas. In Tanzania, a similar trend was observed, whereas in Nigeria, most existing varieties took an average of 100 days to complete their developmental stages. Furthermore, the data showed that the durations from sowing to emergence, emergence to flowering, flowering to maturity were mainly dependent on temperature. The values of growing degree for each phase of development obtained from different planting dates were almost constant for each maize variety, which showed that temperature and planting time are the main elements affecting the rate of maize development. The data aggregation approach using the ODK and on-farm personnel improved efficiency and convenience in data collection and visualization. Our study demonstrates that this system can be used in crop management and research on many spatial scales, i.e., local, regional, and continental, with relatively high data collation accuracy.
Insights into the Oxidative Stress Response of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis Revealed by the Next Generation Sequencing Approach
Authors: Liu Xiaoying , Omar Misara , Abrahante Juan E. , Nagaraja Kakambi V. , Vidovic Sinisa
Published: September 2020

As a facultative intracellular pathogen, Salmonella Enteritidis must develop an effective oxidative stress response to survive exposure to reactive oxygen species within the host. To study this defense mechanism, we carried out a series of oxidative stress assays in parallel with a comparative transcriptome analyses using a next generation sequencing approach. It was shown that the expression of 45% of the genome was significantly altered upon exposure to H2O2. Quantitatively the most significant (≥100 fold) gene expression alterations were observed among genes encoding the sulfur utilization factor of Fe-S cluster formation and iron homeostasis. Our data point out the multifaceted nature of the oxidative stress response. It includes not only numerous mechanisms of DNA and protein repair and redox homeostasis, but also the key genes associated with osmotic stress, multidrug efflux, stringent stress, decrease influx of small molecules, manganese and phosphate starvation stress responses. Importantly, this study revealed that oxidatively stressed S. Enteritidis cells simultaneously repressed key motility encoding genes and induced a wide range of adhesin- and salmonellae-essential virulence-encoding genes, that are critical for the biofilm formation and intracellular survival, respectively. This finding indicates a potential intrinsic link between oxidative stress and pathogenicity in non-typhoidal Salmonella that needs to be empirically evaluated.
FAU-Net: Fixup Initialization Channel Attention Neural Network for Complex Blood Vessel Segmentation
Authors: Huang Dongjin , Yin Liwen , Guo Hao , Tang Wen , Wan Tao Ruan
Published: September 2020

Medical image segmentation based on deep learning is a central research issue in the field of computer vision. Many existing segmentation networks can achieve accurate segmentation using fewer data sets. However, they have disadvantages such as poor network flexibility and do not adequately consider the interdependence between feature channels. In response to these problems, this paper proposes a new de-normalized channel attention network, which uses an improved de-normalized residual block structure and a new channel attention module in the network for the segmentation of sophisticated vessels. The de-normalized network sends the extracted rough features to the channel attention network. The channel attention module can explicitly model the interdependence between channels and pay attention to the correlation with crucial information in multiple feature channels. It can focus on the channels with the most association with vital information among multiple feature channels, and get more detailed feature results. Experimental results show that the network proposed in this paper is feasible, is robust, can accurately segment blood vessels, and is particularly suitable for complex blood vessel structures. Finally, we compared and verified the network proposed in this paper with the state-of-the-art network and obtained better experimental results.
Quantum Confinement Effect and Photoenhancement of Photoluminescence of PbS and PbS/MnS Quantum Dots
Authors: Zaini Muhammad Safwan , Ying Chyi Liew Josephine , Alang Ahmad Shahrul Ainliah , Mohmad Abdul Rahman , Kamarudin Mazliana Ahmad
Published: September 2020

The quantum confinement effect and photoenhancement of photoluminescence (PL) of lead sulphide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) and lead sulphide/manganese sulphide (PbS/MnS) core shell QDs capped with thiol ligands in aqueous solution were investigated. From PL results, the presence of MnS shells gives a strong confinement effect which translates to higher emission energy in PbS/MnS core shell QDs. Increasing MnS shell thickness from 0.3 to 1.5 monolayers (ML) causes a blueshift of PL peak energies as the charge carriers concentrated in the PbS core region. Enhancement of the PL intensity of colloidal PbS and PbS/MnS core shell QDs has been observed when the samples are illuminated above the band gap energy, under continuous irradiation for 40 min. Luminescence from PbS QDs and PbS/MnS core shell QDs can be strongly influenced by the interaction of water molecules and oxygen present in aqueous solution adsorbed on the QD surface. However, PbS/MnS core shell QDs with a shell thickness of 1.5 ML did not show a PL peak energy stability as it was redshifted after 25 min, probably due to wider size distribution of the QDs.
Experimental and Numerical Study on Performance Enhancement by Modifying the Flow Channel in the Mechanical Chamber Room of a Home Refrigerator
Authors: Kim Dong Kyun
Published: September 2020

Recently, many refrigerators of high have been designed so as to improve the performance of the refrigerator and to economize on energy. There are many methods of improving the total efficiency of the refrigerators using a methodological approach. In this experimental and numerical study, three methods—namely, modifying the flow channel and the operating conditions and changing the positions of the fan at the mechanical chamber room (MCR)—are used to analyze the performance improvement of the refrigerator. These methods of changing the flow channel in an MCR of a refrigerator are, in many ways, used as a regulation of the upper flow region of the condenser, especially in this research. Modifying the refrigerators’ MCR is carried out by changing the shape of the cover back machine (CBM). We compute the fluid flow in a refrigerator MCR by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The commercial code ANSYS CFX 16.2 is used for this computation. The regulation flow region shows a reduction in power consumption of about 0.75% per month. The result of the operating conditions of the fan at MCR is relative to the flow rate for reducing power consumption. The changing positions are also relative to the length of the reducing power consumption. Moreover, with the results obtained by CFD, we understand the flow structure in a refrigerators’ MCR for various types of CBM. The results also show that the efficiency of the refrigerator is improved by 1.2%.
Recent Strategies for Environmental Remediation of Organochlorine Pesticides
Authors: Ajiboye Timothy O. , Kuvarega Alex T. , Onwudiwe Damian C.
Published: September 2020

The amount of organochlorine pesticides in soil and water continues to increase; their presence has surpassed maximum acceptable concentrations. Thus, the development of different removal strategies has stimulated a new research drive in environmental remediation. Different techniques such as adsorption, bioremediation, phytoremediation and ozonation have been explored. These techniques aim at either degrading or removal of the organochlorine pesticides from the environment but have different drawbacks. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a relatively new technique that has become popular due to its ability to completely degrade different toxic pollutants—instead of transferring them from one medium to another. The process is driven by a renewable energy source, and semiconductor nanomaterials are used to construct the light energy harvesting assemblies due to their rich surface states, large surface areas and different morphologies compared to their corresponding bulk materials. These make it a green alternative that is cost-effective for organochlorine pesticides degradation. This has also opened up new ways to utilize semiconductors and solar energy for environmental remediation. Herein, the focus of this review is on environmental remediation of organochlorine pesticides, the different techniques of their removal from the environment, the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques and the use of specific semiconductors as photocatalysts.
Virtual Reality Simulation and Augmented Reality-Guided Surgery for Total Maxillectomy: A Case Report
Authors: Kim Hee-Jin , Jo Ye-Joon , Choi Jun-Seok , Kim Hyo-Joon , Park In-Seok , You Jae-Seek , Oh Ji-Su , Moon Seong-Yong
Published: September 2020

With the improvement in computer graphics and sensors, technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have created new possibilities for developing diagnostic and surgical techniques in the field of surgery. VR and AR are the latest technological modalities that have been integrated into clinical practice and medical education, and are rapidly emerging as powerful tools in the field of maxillofacial surgery. In this report, we describe a case of total maxillectomy and orbital floor reconstruction in a patient with malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the maxilla, with preoperative planning via VR simulation and AR-guided surgery. Future developments in VR and AR technologies will increase their utility and effectiveness in the field of surgery.
Energy and Exergy Analyses of a Combined Infrared Radiation-Counterflow Circulation (IRCC) Corn Dryer
Authors: Li Chengjie , Li Bin , Huang Junying , Li Changyou
Published: September 2020

Energy consumption performance evaluation of an industrial grain dryer is an essential step to check its current status and to put forward suggestions for more effective operation. The present work proposed a combined IRCC dryer with drying capacity of 4.2 t/h that uses a novel drying technology. Moreover, the existing energy–exergy methodology was applied to evaluate the performance of the dryer on the basis of energy efficiency, heat loss characteristics, energy recovery, exergy flow and exegetic efficiency. The results demonstrated that the average drying rate of the present drying system was 1.1 gwater/gwet matter h. The energy efficiency of the whole drying system varied from 2.16% to 35.21% during the drying process. The overall recovered radiant energy and the average radiant exergy rate were 674,339.3 kJ and 3.54 kW, respectively. However, the average heat-loss rate of 3145.26 MJ/h indicated that measures should be put in place to improve its performance. Concerning the exergy aspect, the average exergy rate for dehydration was 462 kW and the exergy efficiency of the whole drying system ranged from 5.16% to 38.21%. Additionally, the exergy analysis of the components indicated that the combustion chamber should be primarily optimized among the whole drying system. The main conclusions of the present work may provide theoretical basis for the optimum design of the industrial drying process from the viewpoint of energetics.
Environmental Disinfection Strategies to Prevent Indirect Transmission of SARS-CoV2 in Healthcare Settings
Authors: Lauritano Dorina , Moreo Giulia , Limongelli Luisa , Nardone Michele , Carinci Francesco
Published: September 2020

(1) Introduction: The novel respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is rapidly spreading in many countries and represents a public health emergency of international concern. The SARS-CoV-2 transmission mainly occurs from person-to-person via respiratory droplets (direct transmission route), leading to the onset of mild or severe symptoms or even causing death. Since COVID-19 is able to survive also on inanimate surfaces for extended periods, constituting an indirect transmission route, healthcare settings contaminated surfaces should be submitted to specific disinfection protocols. Our review aimed to investigate the existing disinfection measures of healthcare settings surfaces, preventing the nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2. (2) Materials and Methods: We conducted electronic research on PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library, and 120 items were screened for eligibility. Only 11 articles were included in the review and selected for data extraction. (3) Results: All the included studies proposed the use of ethanol at different concentrations (70% or 75%) as a biocidal agent against SARS-CoV-2, which has the capacity to reduce the viral activity by 3 log10 or more after 1 min of exposure. Other disinfection protocols involved the use of chlorine-containing disinfectant, 0.1% and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, quaternary ammonium in combination with 75% ethanol, isopropyl alcohol 70%, glutardialdehyde 2%, ultraviolet light (UV-C) technology, and many others. Two studies suggested to use the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectants, while one article chooses to follow the WST-512-2016 Guidance of Environmental and Surfaces Cleaning, Disinfection and Infection Control in Hospitals. (4) Conclusion: Different surface disinfection methods proved to reduce the viral activity of SARS-CoV-2, preventing its indirect nosocomial transmission. However, more specific cleaning measures, ad hoc for the different settings of the healthcare sector, need to be formulated.
Prediction of Glioma Grades Using Deep Learning with Wavelet Radiomic Features
Authors: Çinarer Gökalp , Emiroğlu Bülent Gürsel , Yurttakal Ahmet Haşim
Published: September 2020

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors. They are classified into 4 grades (Grade I–II-III–IV) according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). The accurate grading of gliomas has clinical significance for planning prognostic treatments, pre-diagnosis, monitoring and administration of chemotherapy. The purpose of this study is to develop a deep learning-based classification method using radiomic features of brain tumor glioma grades with deep neural network (DNN). The classifier was combined with the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) the powerful feature extraction tool. This study primarily focuses on the four main aspects of the radiomic workflow, namely tumor segmentation, feature extraction, analysis, and classification. We evaluated data from 121 patients with brain tumors (Grade II, n = 77; Grade III, n = 44) from The Cancer Imaging Archive, and 744 radiomic features were obtained by applying low sub-band and high sub-band 3D wavelet transform filters to the 3D tumor images. Quantitative values were statistically analyzed with MannWhitney U tests and 126 radiomic features with significant statistical properties were selected in eight different wavelet filters. Classification performances of 3D wavelet transform filter groups were measured using accuracy, sensitivity, F1 score, and specificity values using the deep learning classifier model. The proposed model was highly effective in grading gliomas with 96.15% accuracy, 94.12% precision, 100% recall, 96.97% F1 score, and 98.75% Area under the ROC curve. As a result, deep learning and feature selection techniques with wavelet transform filters can be accurately applied using the proposed method in glioma grade classification.
Evaluation of In-Package Atmospheric Dielectric Barrier Discharge Cold Plasma Treatment as an Intervention Technology for Decontaminating Bulk Ready-To-Eat Chicken Breast Cubes in Plastic Containers
Authors: Lee Eun Song , Cheigh Chan-Ick , Kang Joo Hyun , Lee Seung Young , Min Sea C.
Published: September 2020

This article evaluates the effects of in-package atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (ADCP) treatment on microbial inactivation, nitrate and nitrite contents, oral toxicity, and storage quality of protein-coated boiled chicken breast cubes (CBCs). ADCP treatment at 24 kV for 3 min inactivated natural mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Salmonella, and Tulane virus in CBCs by 0.7 ± 0.2, 1.4 ± 0.1 log CFU/cube, and 1.1 ± 0.2 log PFU/cube, respectively. ADCP treatment did not affect the nitrite content of CBCs (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the hematological and blood biochemical parameters from toxicity tests indicated the toxicological safety of ADCP-treated CBCs. Microbial counts of natural bacteria and Salmonella in ADCP-treated CBCs were lower than the ADCP-untreated CBCs by 0.7–0.9 and 1.4–1.7 log CFU/cube, respectively, throughout post-treatment storage at 4 °C for 21 d. ADCP treatment did not alter the pH, color, total volatile basic nitrogen, lipid oxidation, and tenderness of CBCs during storage at 4 and 24 °C, and did not change the sensory properties of CBCs following a 3 d storage period at 4 °C (p > 0.05). Thus, ADCP treatment has the potential to be applied as a method to increase the microbiological safety of packaged ready-to-eat chicken products, leading to overall toxicological safety.
Nano-Formulations of Copper Species Coated with Sulfated Polysaccharide Extracts and Assessment of Their Phytotoxicity on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Seedlings in Seed Germination, Foliar and Soil Applications
Authors: Essa Hanaa L. , Abdelfattah Mohamed S. , Marzouk Alaa S. , Guirguis Hania A. , El-Sayed Mayyada M. H.
Published: September 2020

Copper nanoparticles were synthesized via a bioreduction using sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) extracted from Avicennia marina mangrove leaves and their phytotoxicity effect on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings was assessed. As analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), SPs extract constituted mainly 49.3% glucose, 24.6% galactose and 20.5% glucouronic acid by mol. A nanoformulation of ultrafine Cu2O/Cu(OH)2 nanoparticles coated with SPs (Cu NPs) was prepared with an average particle size of 2.11 ± 0.64 nm and a slightly negatively-charged zeta potential of 11 ± 0.46 mV. Applying high concentrations of Cu NPs on wheat seeds inhibited the respective shoot and root relative growth percentages, yielding 13.22 ± 9.91 and 36.72 ± 18.51% at 0.06 mg/mL of the nanoformulation. Comparable values were obtained when the seeds were subjected to 0.06 mg/L of SPs extract applied in the free form. In a foliar application, 0.06 mg/mL of Cu NPs reduced the respective total chlorophyll and carotenoids contents by 17.4% and 24.3% relative to the control while the treatment with SPs reduced them by slightly higher values of 27.9% and 32.6%, respectively, after 14 days of application. Therefore, Cu NPs show a comparable inhibition effect to that of the free SPs extract but offer the additional advantages of nanoformulations. In soil applications, however, Cu NPs stimulated the growth of wheat seedlings in contrary to SPs and increased the total chlorophyll and carotenoids by 49.76% and 70%, respectively. This gives an additional merit to the nanoformulation that can potentially be used as an effective biostimulant in soil.
Revisiting Problem-Solution Co-Evolution in the Context of Team Conceptual Design Activity
Authors: Martinec Tomislav , Škec Stanko , Perišić Marija Majda , Štorga Mario
Published: September 2020

The conventional prescriptive and descriptive models of design typically decompose the overall design process into elementary processes, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. This study revisits some of the assumptions established by these models and investigates whether they can also be applied for modelling of problem-solution co-evolution patterns that appear during team conceptual design activities. The first set of assumptions concerns the relationship between performing analysis, synthesis, and evaluation and exploring the problem and solution space. The second set concerns the dominant sequences of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, whereas the third set concerns the nature of transitions between the problem and solution space. The assumptions were empirically tested as part of a protocol analysis study of team ideation and concept review activities. Besides revealing inconsistencies in how analysis, synthesis, and evaluation are defined and interpreted across the literature, the study demonstrates co-evolution patterns, which cannot be described by the conventional models. It highlights the important role of analysis-synthesis cycles during both divergent and convergent activities, which is co-evolution and refinement, respectively. The findings are summarised in the form of a model of the increase in the number of new problem and solution entities as the conceptual design phase progresses, with implications for both design research and design education.
Liquid Nitrogen Efficiency in Treatment of Giant Cell Tumor of Bone and Prevention of Recurrence
Authors: Ioan Faur Cosmin , Abu-Awwad Ahmed , Pop Daniel Laurențiu , Zamfir Carmen Lăcrămioara , Gurgus Daniela , Hoinoiu Teodora , Motoc Andrei , Haivas Carmen , Grigoraș Mirela Loredana , Folescu Roxana
Published: September 2020

Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a benign aggressive bone lesion with significant recurrence rates following surgical curettage. Historically, these tumors were approached by performing an intralesional curettage of the tumoral tissue by filling the resulting cavity using morselized iliac bone autograft. The major problems of this therapy were the high recurrence rates of up to 40–50%. Several adjuvant treatments have been proposed in order to augment resection margins, including liquid nitrogen (LN), phenol, ethanol, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and bone cement (polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)). LN can be used either to preserve tissues or for controlled necrosis depending on the cycles of freezing and thawing. Usually, a quick freeze followed by a slow thaw will lead to destruction of human cells. This article reviews the results of cryosurgery with LN associated with surgical resection and the additional use of PMMA in a small group of patients with a histopathological confirmation of bone GCT with different localizations (i.e., tibia, distal radius and iliac bone). Cryosurgery with LN of bone GCT proved to be an efficient tool to decrease the recurrence rate for this tumoral type. In our series of cases, there were no complications, oncological or otherwise, at the two-year minimum follow-up, with good and excellent functional results.
IoT-Based Intelligent Construction System for Prefabricated Buildings: Study of Operating Mechanism and Implementation in China
Authors: Wang Xuetong , Wang Shuiling , Song Xiangnan , Han Yilong
Published: September 2020

At present, the low degree of informatization in the construction industry chain is one of the prominent problems impeding the application efficiency of prefabrication. To break through the bottleneck of information integration and interaction in the construction process of prefabricated buildings, this paper proposes a conceptual framework of an Intelligent Construction System for Prefabricated Buildings based on the Internet of Things (ICSPB-IoT) according to the needs of government supervision departments, contractors and owners. Then this paper describes the formation of the “information network” from “information flow”, based on which the operating mechanism of the ICSPB-IoT is discussed using the method of system engineering analysis. Finally, the proposed ICSPB-IoT is graded into different implementation levels according to the degree of intelligence of the Internet of Things information, and the implementation path is proposed for construction enterprises with different levels of digitalization. The results show that the ICSPB-IoT provides cross-phase, cross-organizational information interaction for government supervision departments, contractors and owners to improve the efficiency of communication and collaboration between them. This paper also provides decision-making support for the design, layout and implementation of the Internet of Things for prefabrication construction enterprises.