bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MENUMBUHKAN MINAT BACA MASYARAKAT MELALUI TAMAN BACAAN MASYARAKAT BERBASIS TEKNOLOGI INFORMASI
Authors: Saepudin Asep , Mentari Bunga Nisa
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the community reading interest at Community Library, the implementation of the Community Library program based on information technology, and the third, the impact of Community Library program based on information technology to increase the community interest in the Community Library. The method used is descriptive method with qualitative approach. subjects numbered five persons consisting of one manager, three participants, and one facilitator of Community Library. The results of this study is: (1) the community interest in reading at Community Library arising from internal factors and external factors. however, that has more influence that external factor because people tend to be always invited, persuaded, and given encouragement from others; second implementation of the Community Library based information technology is done through of the following stages: organizing, mobilizing, and coaching; thrid impact of Community Library based technology infornmation views of the cognitive domain, it is known that the citizens involved in the Community Library program has subsequently internalized the new knowledge, and applied in everyday. in the affective domain, citizens have a positive attitude towards the movement of at least ten minutes reading through the “games” in Community Library. In conclusion, Community Library has increased the ability to read community that are useful in performing activities of daily living. AbstrakTujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk me-nganalisis minat baca masyarakat di wilayah Taman Bacaan Masyarakat Sukamulya Cerdas, pelaksanaan kegiatan Taman Bacaan Masyarakat berbasis Information Technology, dan dampak pengelolaan Taman Bacaan Masyarakat (TBM) berbasis IT terhadap peningkatan minat baca masyarakat di wilayah TBM Sukmulya Cerdas. Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu metode deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Subyek penelitian berjumlah lima orang terdiri dari satu orang pengelola, tiga orang peserta kegiatan, dan satu orang fasilitator TBM Sukamulya Cerdas. Hasil penelitian adalah bahwa minat baca masyarakat sekitar TBM timbul dari faktor internal dan faktor eksternal (faktor eksternal lebih berpengaruh karena masyarakat cenderung harus selalu diajak, dibujuk, serta diberikan dorongan dari orang lain), pelaksanaan kegiatan TBM berbasis teknologi informasi dilakukan melalui tahapan pengorganisasian, penggerakkan, dan pembinaan, dampak kegiatan TBM berbasis teknologi informasi dari ranah kognitif (masyarakat memiliki pengetahuan baru yang selanjutnya diinternalisasi dan diterapkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari), dan ranah afektif (warga masyarakat memiliki sikap positif terhadap gerakan membaca buku minimal sepuluh menit melalui “games” di TBM). Simpulan penelitian adalah bahwa TBM telah meningkatkan kemampuan membaca masyarakat yang bermanfaat dalam menjalankan aktivitas hidup sehari-hari.
KEBUTUHAN GURU SEKOLAH DASAR INKLUSI DALAM MENINGKATKAN KOMPETENSI MELALUI MEDIA VIDEO
Authors: Purnomo Edi
Published: July 2018

This study is a research of instructional video development which aims to gain informations about the needs of inclusive primary school teachers in improving their competencies through video media. Such information includes: implementation constraints, teacher characteristics, teacher attitudes, and competencies required of teachers. The study used a survey research design. The data collection with a focus group discussion (FGD) and the enclosed questionnaire. The results showed that the main obstacle implementation of inclusive education is the classroom teacher competence is still not good and the number of special guidance counselor (GPK) is still lacking. The majority of primary school inclusion teacher educational background S1PGSD and no experience teaching in inclusive schools. Many theachers of inclusion primary school have not attended training on inclusive education. The efforts to increase the competence of self-done by discussing with fellow-teachers. The attitude of teachers to implement inclusive education is very good but the handling of learning obstacles still lacking. Teachers need to increase the competence of inclusive learning strategy. The study concluded that primary school inclusion teachers need a tutorial learning strategies in the classroom inclusion. The packed tutorial in the videos media so that it can individually study or the training delivered. AbstrakPenelitian ini merupakan tahapan penelitian pengembangan media video yang bertujuan menggali informasi kebutuhan guru sekolah dasar inklusi dalam meningkatkan kompetensi melalui media video. Informasi tersebut meliputi: kendala pelaksanaan, karakteristik guru, sikap guru, dan kompetensi yang dibutuhkan guru. Penelitian menggunakan desain penelitian survey. Pengumpulan data dengan focus group discussion (FGD) dan kuesioner tertutup. Hasil penelitianmenunjukkan bahwa kendala utama penyelenggaraan pendidikan inklusif adalah kompetensi guru kelas masih kurang baik dan jumlah guru pembimbing khusus (GPK) masih kurang. Guru SD inklusi mayoritas berlatar belakang pendidikan S1 PGSD dan belum berpengalaman mengajar di sekolah inklusi. Banyak Guru SD inklusi yang belum mengikuti pelatihan pendidikan inklusif. Upaya untuk meningkatkan kompetensi diri dilakukan dengan berdiskusi dengan sesama guru. Sikap guru terhadap pelaksanaan pendidikan inklusif sangat baik, tetapi dalam menangani kendala pembelajaran masih kurang. Guru membutuhkan peningkatan kompetensi tentang strategi pembelajaran inklusif. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa guru SD inklusi membutuhkan tutorial strategi pembelajaran di kelas inklusi. Tutorial dikemas dalam media video sehingga dapat dipelajari secara mandiri maupun disampaikan dalam pelatihan.
PEMANFAATAN TEKNOLOGI INFORMASI DAN KOMUNIKASI PADA SEKOLAH MENENGAH PERTAMA NEGERI AKREDITASI A DI PROVINSI JAWA TIMUR
Authors: Widyastono Herry
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study is to obtain information on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and school management in SMP Negeri Accreditation of A in East Java province. The study was conducted in August-September 2016 on SMP Negeri 4 Accreditation of A in East Java province. The study concluded that the ICT has been used in teaching and school management in Junior High School Accreditation in East Java province. The use of ICT in the form of ICT-based learning, blended e-learning, Web-based learning/Blog, assessment based on ICT, ICT labs, class multi-media, digital libraries, and application data base school. The study concluded that the ICT has been used in teaching and school management in Junior High School Accreditation in East Java province. The use of ICT in the form of ICT-based learning, blended e-learning, Web-based learning/Blog, assessment based on ICT, ICT labs, class multimedia, digital libraries, and application data base school. The study recommends that the use of ICT optimized, particularly in terms of: learning in the form of mailing lists/discussion groups, distance learning, virtual world class, assessment of learning outcomes that can be accessed by students and parents, as well as documents and digital library services. AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan informasi mengenai pemanfaatan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi (TIK) dalam pembelajaran dan manajemen sekolah di SMP negeri akreditasi A di Provinsi Jawa Timur. Penelitian dilakukan pada bulan Agustus-September 2016, pada empat SMP negeri akreditasi A di Provinsi Jawa Timur. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan bahwa TIK telah dimanfaatkan dalam pembelajaran dan manajemen sekolah pada sekolah menengah pertama negeri akreditasi A di  Provinsi Jawa Timur. Pemanfaatan TIK berupa pembelajaran berbasis TIK, blended e-learning, pembelajaran berbasis Web/Blog, penilaian berbasis TIK, laboratorium TIK, kelas multi media, perpustakaan digital, dan aplikasi data base sekolah. Penelitian merekomendasikan agar pemanfaatan TIK dioptimalkan, terutama dalam hal: pembelajaran dalam bentuk mailing list/grup diskusi, pembelajaran langsung jarak jauh, kelas dunia maya, penilaian hasil belajar yang dapat diakses oleh peserta didik dan orang tua, serta dokumen dan layanan perpustakaan digital.
STRATEGI PEMANFAATAN E-LEArNING DALAM MENGATASI KETERBATASAN JUMLAH DOSEN
Authors: Rivalina Rahmi
Published: July 2018

The increasing number of students demands an increase in the number of lecturers. The addition of qualified lecturers is not easy. One of the effort to overcome this shortage of lectures, Pamulang University started to apply e-learning. This study aims to find out the e-learning strategy as well as the responses of students and lecturers in the utilization of e-learning. The research method is descriptive one. Data collections were done through an interview, direct observation, questionnaire, and documentation study. Based on the result of data processing, it is known that the strategy of e-learning utilization is done through some stages, such as: preparation of facilities and infrastructure (lecture building, ICT facilities, laboratory facilities, computerization in academic affairs, and e-learning technology), strong leadership policy support, and training and socialization to students and lecturers. Students’ responses to e-learning models have not been optimally yet due to the limitations of socialization, content that has not been packaged interestingly and meaningful, students’ relatively low reading interest, curiosity and low reading interest, curiosity and low student motivation, and not conducive learning climate. Responses of lecturers besides not yet optimally in preparing the communicative and inspirational content, the lecturer is not used in utilizing e-learning technology. Although the implementation of e-learning still has some weaknesses/constraints, but to some extent, the utilization of e-learning has been able to help the shortage of lecturers.AbstrakMeningkatnya jumlah mahasiswa menuntut adanya peningkatan jumlah dosen. Penambahan jumlah dosen yang berkualitas ternyata tidak mudah. Salah satu upaya untuk mengatasi hal tersebut, Universitas Pamulang menerapkan e-learning. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk untuk mengetahui strategi pembelajaran e-learning dan respon dari mahasiswa maupun dosen dalam pemanfaatan pembelajaran elearning. Metode penelitian adalah deskriptif. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara, pengamatan langsung, kuesioner, studi dokumentasi. Hasil pengolahan data menunjukkan bahwa strategi pemanfaatan e-learning dilakukan melalui tahapan: persiapan sarana dan prasarana (gedung kuliah, fasilitas TIK, laboratorium, komputerisasi di bidang akademik, dan teknologi e-learning), dukungan kebijakan pimpinan yang kuat, serta pelatihan dan sosialisasi kepada mahasiswa dan dosen. Respon mahasiswa terhadap pembelajaran e-learning belum optimal sebagai akibat keterbatasan mensosialisasi, konten yang belum menarik dan bermakna, minat baca rendah, rasa ingin tahu dan motivasi mahasiswa yang rendah, dan iklim yang belum mendukung. Respon dosen disamping belum optimal menyiapkan konten yang komunikatif dan inspirati juga karena belum terbiasa dalam memanfaatkan teknologi e-learning. Sekalipun memiliki beberapa kekurangan/ kelemahan namun pemanfaatan e-learning tersebut sudah dapat membantu mengatasi kekurangan tenaga dosen.
Regiospecific 1,4-Michael Addition of Phenylacetonitrile to 1,5-Diarylpenta-2,4-Dien-1-Ones
Authors: Li Zheng , Song Wenli
Published: July 2018

The regiospecific 1,4-Michael addition of phenylacetonitrile to (2E,4E)-1,5-diarylpenta-2,4-dien-1-ones produced 12 novel (E)-3-(2-oxo-2-arylethyl)-2,5-diarylpent-4-enenitriles in 77-88% yield. The advantages of the method are broad substrate scope, mild conditions, good to high yields and high selectivity. The method can also be extended to a gram scale.
Improved Synthesis of Yt-14, A Potent Antibiotic to Multidrug-Resistant Strains
Authors: Wei Jianhai , Kong Deyu , Wang Lei , Zhang Yinyong , Hu Wenhao , Yang Yushe
Published: July 2018

A new practical synthetic approach produced clinical drug candidate YT-14, improving the overall yield from 1.3% to 13.8%. Compared with the previous route, the new route is two steps shorter and all of the steps involve purifications without column chromatography. The advantages of this procedure include simple operating conditions and higher yields.
Diastereoselective Synthesis of Spiro[Pyrrolo[2,1-B][1,3] Benzothiazole-3,5′-[1,3]Thiazolo[3,2-B][1,2,4]Triazol]-6′-Ones via Cycloaddition Reaction of Benzothiazolium Salts
Authors: Zeng Qing , Ren Demin , Huang Yulin , Fu Xinliang , Li Xiaofang
Published: July 2018

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of (Z)-5-arylidene[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-b][1,2,4]triazol-6(5H)-one and azomethine ylide, which was generated in situ by the reaction of N-4-methoxyphenacylbenzothiazolium bromides and triethylamine, afforded novel 2-(aryl)-1-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-1,2-dihydrospiro[pyrrolo[2,1-b][1,3]benzothiazole-3,5′-[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-b][1,2,4]triazol]-6′-ones in moderate yields. The structures of all the products were characterised thoroughly by NMR, IR and HRMS spectroscopy together with X-ray crystallographic analysis.
Synthesis of 6-Aryl-6H-Chromeno[4’,3’:4,5][1,3]Thiazolo[3,2-A]Benzimidazoles from 2-Aryl-3-Nitro-2H-Chromenes and 1H-Benzimidazole-2-Thiol
Authors: Ren Demin , Hu Xiaolian , Huang Yulin , Fu Xinliang , Li Xiaofang
Published: July 2018

A number of 6-aryl-6H-chromeno[4’,3’:4,5][1,3]thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole derivatives were synthesised by the reaction of 2-aryl-3-nitro-2H-chromenes with 1H-benzimidazole-2-thiol in the presence of Cu(OAc)2•H2O in moderate yields via successive C-N and C-S bond formations. The structures of all the products were characterised thoroughly by NMR and HRMS spectroscopy together with X-ray crystallographic analysis.
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as Promising Delivery Systems for Plant Extracts: The Case of Silymarin
Authors: Piazzini Vieri , Lemmi Beatrice , D’Ambrosio Mario , Cinci Lorenzo , Luceri Cristina , Bilia Anna Rita , Bergonzi Maria Camilla
Published: July 2018

Background: Silymarin is the extract from seeds of Silybum marianum L. Gaertn. and it has been used for decades as hepatoprotectant. Recently, it has been proposed to be beneficial in type 2 diabetes patients. However, silymarin is a poorly water soluble drug with limited oral bioavailability. In this study, nanostructured lipid carriers were proposed to enhance its solubility and intestinal absorption. Methods: Nanostructured lipid carriers were made of Stearic acid:Capryol 90 as lipid mixtures and Brij S20 as surfactant. Formulations were physically and chemically characterized. Stability and in vitro release studies were also assessed. In vitro permeability and Caco-2 cellular uptake mechanism were investigated. Results: Obtained results were based on size, homogeneity, ζ-potential and EE%. Nanostructured lipid carriers could be orally administered. No degradation phenomena were observed in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Storage stability of suspensions and lyophilized products was also tested. Glucose was selected as best cryoprotectant agent. About 60% of silymarin was released in 24 h in phosphate buffered saline. In vitro parallel artificial membrane permeability assay experiments revealed that the nanocarrier enhanced the permeation of Silymarin. Caco-2 study performed with fluorescent nanoparticles revealed the ability of carrier to enhance the permeation of a lipophilic probe. Cellular uptake studies indicated that active process is involved in the internalization of the formulation. Conclusions: The optimized nanostructured lipid carriers showed excellent chemical and physical stability and enhanced the absorption of silymarin.
MCDM-ECP: Multi Criteria Decision Making Method for Emergency Communication Protocol in Disaster Area Wireless Network
Authors: Wang Xiaoming , Li Demin , Zhang Xiaolu , Cao Yongsheng
Published: July 2018

Disaster Area Wireless Networks (DAWNs) are widely deployed in natural or man-made disaster scenes, since the communication infrastructure may be completely destroyed by the disaster. This paper proposes a hybrid network architecture for DAWNs due to the mobility of first responders and refugees. Based on the link characterization of DAWNs, we choose four essential criteria and propose a multi-criteria decision-making method for emergency communication protocol (MCDM-ECP), which utilizes the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to find the optimal next-hop node in DAWNs. Routing discovery and routing maintenance processes are included in the novel protocol. The simulation results show that MCDM-ECP performs better than other classical protocols both in energy consumption and packet received rate (PRR) for long-term emergency communications.
The Local Atomic Structure of Colloidal Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Theranostics in Oncology
Authors: Kuchma Elena , Kubrin Stanislav , Soldatov Alexander
Published: July 2018

The paper contains an overview of modern spectroscopic methods for studying the local atomic structure of superparamagnetic nanoparticles based on iron oxide (SPIONs), which are an important class of materials promising for theranostics in oncology. Practically important properties of small and ultra small nanoparticles are determined primarily by their shape, size, and features of the local atomic, electronic, and magnetic structures, for the study of which the standard characterization methods developed for macroscopic materials are not optimal. The paper analyzes results of the studies of SPIONs local atomic structure carried out by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at synchrotron radiation sources and Mössbauer spectroscopy during the last decade.
A Review of Trends for Corrosion Loss and Pit Depth in Longer-Term Exposures
Authors: Melchers Robert
Published: July 2018

For infrastructure applications in marine environments, the eventual initiation of corrosion (and pitting) of steels (and other metals and alloys) often is assumed an inescapable fact, and practical interest then centres on the rate at which corrosion damage is likely to occur in the future. This demands models with a reasonable degree of accuracy, preferably anchored in corrosion theory and calibrated to actual observations under realistic exposure conditions. Recent developments in the understanding of the development of corrosion loss and of maximum pit depth in particular are reviewed in light of modern techniques that permit much closer examination of pitted and corroded surfaces. From these observations, and from sometimes forgotten or ignored observations in the literature, it is proposed that pitting (and crevice corrosion) plays an important role in the overall corrosion process, but that longer term pitting behaviour is considerably more complex than usually considered. In turn, this explains much of the, often high, variability in maximum depths of pits observed at any point in time. The practical implications are outlined.
An Autonomous, Self-Authenticating, and Self-Contained Secure Boot Process for Field-Programmable Gate Arrays
Authors: Owen Jr. Don , Heeger Derek , Chan Calvin , Che Wenjie , Saqib Fareena , Areno Matt , Plusquellic Jim
Published: July 2018

Secure booting within a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) environment is traditionally implemented using hardwired embedded cryptographic primitives and non-volatile memory (NVM)-based keys, whereby an encrypted bitstream is decrypted as it is loaded from an external storage medium, e.g., Flash memory. A novel technique is proposed in this paper that self-authenticates an unencrypted FPGA configuration bitstream loaded into the FPGA during the start-up. The internal configuration access port (ICAP) interface is accessed to read out configuration information of the unencrypted bitstream, which is then used as input to a secure hash function SHA-3 to generate a digest. In contrast to conventional authentication, where the digest is computed and compared with a second pre-computed value, we use the digest as a challenge to a hardware-embedded delay physical unclonable function (PUF) called HELP. The delays of the paths sensitized by the challenges are used to generate a decryption key using the HELP algorithm. The decryption key is used in the second stage of the boot process to decrypt the operating system (OS) and applications. It follows that any type of malicious tampering with the unencrypted bitstream changes the challenges and the corresponding decryption key, resulting in key regeneration failure. A ring oscillator is used as a clock to make the process autonomous (and unstoppable), and a novel on-chip time-to-digital-converter is used to measure path delays, making the proposed boot process completely self-contained, i.e., implemented entirely within the re-configurable fabric and without utilizing any vendor-specific FPGA features.
Morphological and Molecular Perspectives on the Phylogeny, Evolution, and Classification of Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea): Proceedings from the 2016 International Weevil Meeting
Authors: McKenna Duane , Clarke Dave , Anderson Robert , Astrin Jonas , Brown Samuel , Chamorro Lourdes , Davis Steven , De Medeiros Bruno , Del Rio M. , Haran Julien , Kuschel Guillermo , Franz Nico , Jordal Bjarte , Lanteri Analia , Leschen Richard , Letsch Harald , Lyal Chris , Marvaldi Adriana , Mermudes Jose , Oberprieler Rolf , Schütte André , Sequeira Andrea , Shin Seunggwan , Van Dam Matthew , Zhang Guanyang
Published: July 2018

The 2016 International Weevil Meeting was held immediately after the International Congress of Entomology (ICE). It built on the topics and content of the 2016 ICE weevil symposium Phylogeny and Evolution of Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea): A Symposium in Honor of Dr. Guillermo "Willy” Kuschel. Beyond catalyzing research and collaboration, the meeting was intended to serve as a forum for identifying priorities and goals for those who study weevils. The meeting consisted of 46 invited and contributed lectures, discussion sessions and introductory remarks presented by 23 speakers along with eight contributed research posters. These were organized into three convened sessions, each lasting one day: (1) weevil morphology; (2) weevil fossils, biogeography and host/habitat associations; and (3) molecular phylogenetics and classification of weevils. Some of the topics covered included the 1K Weevils Project, major morphological character systems of adult and larval weevils, weevil morphological terminology, prospects for future morphological character discovery, phylogenetic analysis of morphological character data, the current status of weevil molecular phylogenetics and evolution, resources available for phylogenetic and comparative genomic studies of weevils, the weevil fossil record, weevil biogeography and evolution, weevil host plants, evolutionary development of the weevil rostrum, resources available for weevil identification and the current status of and challenges in weevil classification.
A Prosthodontic Treatment Plan for a Saxophone Player: A Conceptual Approach
Authors: Clemente Miguel , Mendes Joaquim , Moreira André , Ferreira Afonso Pinhão , Amarante José Manuel
Published: July 2018

Introduction: A wind instrumentalist was diagnosed with a periapical lesion on tooth 21. The prosthetic rehabilitation options were considered with respect to the embouchure mechanism of the saxophonist. The underlying mechanism associated with the embouchure of the saxophone player was observed in this particular case in order to understand if asymmetrical forces were transmitted to the upper central incisors. Periapical lesions can be harmful to the oral health of musicians. The treatment options thus have to be taken into consideration with special focus on the need for oral rehabilitation on the anterior maxilla. Material and Methods: The patient underwent a radiographic examination with a panoramic X-ray. Subsequently, two piezoresistive sensors (FlexiForce™) were placed on the upper surface of the mouthpiece in order to quantify the pressure applied to the central incisors during the embouchure. In order to understand the values involved during this procedure, the saxophone player was required to play three different notes at different pitches: high, medium, and low. This procedure was repeated three times for each pitch in order to obtain a medium value for each note. Signal acquisition was obtained within software developed for this purpose, with the voltage output observed in LabView 2011®. Results: The panoramic X-ray showed a periapical lesion with the characteristics of a radicular cyst on tooth 21. The FlexiForce™ piezoresistive sensors allowed us to find that greater force (kg) was being applied to tooth 11 in comparison to tooth 21 during the embouchure mechanism. Conclusions: The sensors used in this research are acceptable for identifying the tooth where the greatest pressure is applied during the mouthpiece stabilization. In the case of executing an oral rehabilitation procedure for wind instrumentalists, a clinical examination can be complemented with the aid of bioengineering and the inherent development of sensor technology in order to better understand the embouchure mechanism. Likewise, the prosthetic rehabilitation should be taken into consideration in order to provide minimal changes to the musician’s performance.
Design of a Building-Integrated Photovoltaic System with a Novel Bi-Reflector PV System (BRPVS) and Optimal Control Mechanism: An Experimental Study
Authors: Khan Muhammad Adil , Zeb Kamran , Uddin Waqar , Sathishkumar P. , Ali Muhammad Umair , Hussain S. , Ishfaq M. , Himanshu  , Subramanian Archana , Kim Hee-Je
Published: July 2018

Environment protection and energy saving are the most attractive trends in zero-carbon buildings. The most promising and environmentally friendly technique is building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), which can also replace conventional buildings based on non-renewable energy. Despite the recent advances in technology, the cost of BIPV systems is still very high. Hence, reducing the cost is a major challenge. This paper examines and validates the effectiveness of low-cost aluminum (Al) foil as a reflector. The design and the performance of planer-reflector for BIPV systems are analyzed in detail. A Bi-reflector solar PV system (BRPVS) with thin film Al-foil reflector and an LLC converter for a BIPV system is proposed and experimented with a 400-W prototype. A cadmium–sulfide (CdS) photo-resistor sensor and an Arduino-based algorithm was developed to control the working of the reflectors. Furthermore, the effect of Al-foil reflectors on the temperature of PV module has been examined. The developed LLC converter confirmed stable output voltage despite large variation in input voltage proving its effectiveness for the proposed BRPVS. The experimental results of the proposed BRPVS with an Al-reflector of the same size as that of the solar PV module offered an enhancement of 28.47% in the output power.
Thermo–Economical Evaluation of Producing Liquefied Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids from Flare Gases
Authors: Barekat-Rezaei Ehsan , Farzaneh-Gord Mahmood , Arjomand Alireza , Jannatabadi Mohsen , Ahmadi Mohammad Hossein , Yan Wei-Mon
Published: July 2018

In many industrial plants including petrochemicals and refineries, raw hydrocarbons (mostly flammable gas) are released during unplanned operations. These flammable gases (usually called flare gases) are sent to a combustor and the process is called flaring. Flaring wastes energy and produces environmental pollution. Consequently, recovering the flare gases is an important subject in these industries. In this work, an economical and technical analysis is presented for the production of valuable products, namely, liquefied natural gas and natural gas liquids from flare gas. The flare gas of Fajr Jam refinery, a refinery located in the south part of Iran, is selected as a case study. One of the issues in recovering flare gases is the nonconstant flow rate of these gases. For this reason, an auxiliary natural gas flow rate is employed to have a constant feed for the flare recovery process. The Poly Refrigerant Integrated Cycle Operations (PRICO) refrigeration cycle is employed for producing liquefied natural gas and natural gas liquids. In the PRICO cycle, the mixed refrigerant is used as the working fluid. The other issue is the existence of H2S in the flare gases. The main idea is that the flare gas components, including H2S, have different boiling points and it is possible to separate them. Consequently, flare gases are separated into several parts during a number of successive cooling and heating stages and passing through phase separators. It is shown that the proposed flare gas recovery process prevents burning of 12 million cubic meters of the gases with valuable hydrocarbons, which is almost 70% of the current flare gases. Furthermore, about 11,000 tons of liquefied natural gas and 1230 tons of natural gas liquids are produced in a year. Finally, the economic evaluation shows a payback period of about 1.6 years.
Increasing Abundance of Silky Sharks in the Eastern Indian Ocean: Good News or a Reason to be Cautious?
Authors: Simeon Benaya Meitasari , Muttaqin Efin , Mardhiah Ulfah , Ichsan Muhammad , Dharmadi  , Prasetyo Andhika Prima , Fahmi  , Yulianto Irfan
Published: July 2018

The silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) is the most common shark landed in Indonesian waters, including in the Indian Ocean. However, even though they are frequently caught, there is a lack of information on the population and abundance of silky sharks in the Indian Ocean. Cilacap and Tanjung Luar are two of Indonesia’s shark fishery hotspots, both located on the edge of the Indian Ocean, which is a part of the Indonesian Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 573. The fishers from both places usually have fishing grounds in that particular fisheries management area. This research aims to update the abundance, and to investigate the factors, which influence catches of silky shark in the FMA 573 based on monthly enumeration during 2015–2016. This study found that standardized catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) or abundance indices of silky shark in the Indonesian FMA 573 increased from 2015 to 2016. We suggested that fish immigration and decreasing fishing pressure may affect the fish abundance. Fisheries management is required to regulate the fishing pressure, such as controlling the number of boats/licenses and the number of trips or fishing gear, as well as initializing spatial and temporal fishing closure.
Balance and Gait of Frail, Pre-Frail, and Robust Older Hispanics
Authors: Vieira Edgar R. , Da Silva Rubens A. , Severi Maria T. , Barbosa Alexandre C. , Amick III Benjamin C. , Zevallos Juan C. , Martinez Iveris L. , Chaves Paulo H. M.
Published: July 2018

Older Hispanics are an understudied minority group in the US, and further understanding of the association between frailty, gait and balance impairments in disadvantaged older Hispanics is needed. The objectives of this study were to compare the balance and gait of older Hispanics by their frailty status. Sixty-three older Hispanics (21 men, 42 women, mean age 75 ± 7 years) attending senior centers in disadvantaged neighborhoods were grouped by their frailty status and completed balance and walking tests at a preferred speed and during street crossing simulations. Sixteen percent (n = 10) of the participants were frail, 71% (n = 45) were pre-frail, and 13% (n = 8) were robust. Frail participants had poorer balance than robust participants (F = 3.5, p = 0.042). The preferred walking speed of frail and pre-frail participants was lower (F = 6.3, p < 0.011) and they took shorter steps (F > 3.5, p = 0.002) than robust participants. During street crossing conditions, frail participants had wider steps (F = 3.3, p = 0.040), while pre-frail participants walked slower (F = 3.6, p = 0.032), and both took shorter steps than robust participants (F > 3.5, p < 0.043). Frailty and pre-frailty were prevalent and associated with gait and balance impairments in disadvantaged older Hispanics. The findings can inform the development of programs and interventions targeting this vulnerable underserved population.
Towards Molecular Profiling in Multiple Myeloma: A Literature Review and Early Indications of Its Efficacy for Informing Treatment Strategies
Authors: Willenbacher Wolfgang , Seeber Andreas , Steiner Normann , Willenbacher Ella , Gatalica Zoran , Swensen Jeff , Kimbrough Jeffery , Vranic Semir
Published: July 2018

Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most common hematologic malignancy, is characterized by the clonal expansion of plasma cells. Despite dramatic improvements in patients′ survival over the past decade due to advances in therapy exploiting novel molecular targets (immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies), the treatment of relapsed and refractory disease remains challenging. Recent studies confirmed complex, dynamic, and heterogeneous genomic alterations without unifying gene mutations in MM patients. In the current review, we survey recent therapeutic strategies, as well as molecular profiling data on MM, with emphasis on relapsed and refractory cases. A critical appraisal of novel findings and of their potential therapeutic implications will be discussed in detail, along with the author’s own experiences/views.
Different Myosin Head Conformations in Bony Fish Muscles Put into Rigor at Different Sarcomere Lengths
Authors: Eakins Felicity , Harford Jeffrey J. , Knupp Carlo , Roessle Manfred , Squire John M.
Published: July 2018

At a resting sarcomere length of approximately 2.2 µm bony fish muscles put into rigor in the presence of BDM (2,3-butanedione monoxime) to reduce rigor tension generation show the normal arrangement of myosin head interactions with actin filaments as monitored by low-angle X-ray diffraction. However, if the muscles are put into rigor using the same protocol but stretched to 2.5 µm sarcomere length, a markedly different structure is observed. The X-ray diffraction pattern is not just a weaker version of the pattern at full overlap, as might be expected, but it is quite different. It is compatible with the actin-attached myosin heads being in a different conformation on actin, with the average centre of cross-bridge mass at a higher radius than in normal rigor and the myosin lever arms conforming less to the actin filament geometry, probably pointing back to their origins on their parent myosin filaments. The possible nature of this new rigor cross-bridge conformation is discussed in terms of other well-known states such as the weak binding state and the ‘roll and lock’ mechanism; we speculate that we may have trapped most myosin heads in an early attached strong actin-binding state in the cross-bridge cycle on actin.
Low-Rate Characterization of a Mechanical Inerter
Authors: Madhamshetty Karthik , Manimala James M.
Published: July 2018

In this study, improved analytical models, numerical parametric explorations, and experimental characterization are presented for a mechanical inerter to bring out dependencies for dynamic mass amplification under low rates (<5 Hz) of excitation. Two common realizations of the inerter—the ball-screw and the rack-and-pinion versions—are considered. Theoretical models incorporating component inertias and sizing were developed for both versions. The dependence of the specific inertance on key design parameters is explored through simulations. Based on these simulations, a prototype rack-and-pinion inerter delivering a specific inertance above 90 was designed, fabricated, and tested under low-rate displacement and acceleration-controlled excitations. The measured specific inertance was found to display an exponential decline with an increase in excitation frequency for both cases. Deviations from predictions are attributable to the frequency dependence of internal stiffness and damping in the fabricated prototype. Using a phase-matching procedure for a representative lumped model, the internal stiffness and damping in the prototype were estimated. Examination of the phase spectra reveals an influence of the excitation frequency on the internal stiffness, damping, and consequently specific inertance. Further, based on the results of this study, design perspectives for such mechanical inerters, which are seeing increasing use in several low-frequency applications, are also presented. It is envisioned that this approach can be utilized to subsume the specific nonlinear characteristics of individual inerters into a simple yet unsimplistic model that can be used to more efficiently and accurately predict the behavior of multi-element, inerter-based systems that employ them.
Eccentricity Based Topological Indices of an Oxide Network
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Siddiqui Muhammad , Abunamous Amna , Adi Dana , Rafique Saida , Baig Abdul
Published: July 2018

Graph theory has much great advances in the field of mathematical chemistry. Chemical graph theory has become very popular among researchers because of its wide applications in mathematical chemistry. The molecular topological descriptors are the numerical invariants of a molecular graph and are very useful for predicting their bioactivity. A great variety of such indices are studied and used in theoretical chemistry, pharmaceutical researchers, in drugs and in different other fields. In this article, we study the chemical graph of an oxide network and compute the total eccentricity, average eccentricity, eccentricity based Zagreb indices, atom-bond connectivity (ABC) index and geometric arithmetic index of an oxide network. Furthermore, we give analytically closed formulas of these indices which are helpful in studying the underlying topologies.
Long-Term Effects of Dietary Protein and Branched-Chain Amino Acids on Metabolism and Inflammation in Mice
Authors: Mu Wei-Chieh , VanHoosier Erin , Elks Carrie M. , Grant Ryan W.
Published: July 2018

Aging is the main factor involved in the onset of degenerative diseases. Dietary protein restriction has been shown to increase the lifespan of rodents and improve metabolic phenotype. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) can act as nutrient signals that increase the lifespan of mice after prolonged supplementation. It remains unclear whether the combination of protein restriction and BCAA supplementation improves metabolic and immunological profiles during aging. Here, we investigated how dietary protein levels and BCAA supplementation impact metabolism and immune profile during a 12-month intervention in adult male C57BL/6J mice. We found that protein restriction improved insulin tolerance and increased hepatic fibroblast growth factor 21 mRNA, circulating interleukin (IL)-5 concentration, and thermogenic uncoupling protein 1 in subcutaneous white fat. Surprisingly, BCAA supplementation conditionally increased body weight, lean mass, and fat mass, and deteriorated insulin intolerance during protein restriction, but not during protein sufficiency. BCAA also induced pro-inflammatory gene expression in visceral adipose tissue under both normal and low protein conditions. These results suggest that dietary protein levels and BCAA supplementation coordinate a complex regulation of metabolism and tissue inflammation during prolonged feeding.
Multi-Level Relationships between Satellite-Derived Nighttime Lighting Signals and Social Media–Derived Human Population Dynamics
Authors: Ma Ting
Published: July 2018

Satellite-based measurements of the artificial nighttime light brightness (NTL) have been extensively used for studying urbanization and socioeconomic dynamics in a temporally consistent and spatially explicit manner. The increasing availability of geo-located big data detailing human population dynamics provides a good opportunity to explore the association between anthropogenic nocturnal luminosity and corresponding human activities, especially at fine time/space scales. In this study, we used Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) day/night band (DNB)–derived nighttime light images and the gridded number of location requests (NLR) from China’s largest social media platform to investigate the quantitative relationship between nighttime light radiances and human population dynamics across China at four levels: the provincial, city, county, and pixel levels. Our results show that the linear relationship between the NTL and NLR might vary with the observation level and magnitude. The dispersion between the two variables likely increases with the observation scale, especially at the pixel level. The effect of spatial autocorrelation and other socioeconomic factors on the relationship should be taken into account for nighttime light-based measurements of human activities. Furthermore, the bivariate relationship between the NTL and NLR was employed to generate a partition of human settlements based on the combined features of nighttime lights and human population dynamics. Cross-regional comparisons of the partitioned results indicate a diverse co-distribution of the NTL and NLR across various types of human settlements, which could be related to the city size/form and urbanization level. Our findings may provide new insights into the multi-level responses of nighttime light signals to human activity and the potential application of nighttime light data in association with geo-located big data for investigating the spatial patterns of human settlement.
Consideration of Radiometric Quantization Error in Satellite Sensor Cross-Calibration
Authors: Bhatt Rajendra , Doelling David , Haney Conor , Scarino Benjamin , Gopalan Arun
Published: July 2018

The radiometric resolution of a satellite sensor refers to the smallest increment in the spectral radiance that can be detected by the imaging sensor. The fewer bits that are used for signal discretization, the larger the quantization error in the measured radiance. In satellite inter-calibration, a difference in radiometric resolution between a reference and a target sensor can induce a calibration bias, if not properly accounted for. The effect is greater for satellites with a quadratic count response, such as the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-5 (GMS-5) visible imager, where the quantization difference can introduce non-linearity in the inter-comparison datasets, thereby affecting the cross-calibration slope and offset. This paper describes a simulation approach to highlight the importance of considering the radiometric quantization in cross-calibration and presents a correction method for mitigating its impact. The method, when applied to the cross-calibration of GMS-5 and Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors, improved the absolute calibration accuracy of the GMS-5 imager. This was validated via radiometric inter-comparison of GMS-5 and Multifunction Transport Satellite-2 (MTSAT-2) imager top-of-atmosphere (TOA) measurements over deep convective clouds (DCC) and Badain Desert invariant targets. The radiometric bias between GMS-5 and MTSAT-2 was reduced from 1.9% to 0.5% for DCC, and from 7.7% to 2.3% for Badain using the proposed correction method.
Cellular Simulation for Distributed Sensing over Complex Terrains
Authors: Truong Tuyen Phong , Pottier Bernard , Huynh Hiep Xuan
Published: July 2018

Long-range radio transmissions open new sensor application fields, in particular for environment monitoring. For example, the LoRa radio protocol enables connecting remote sensors at a distance as long as ten kilometers in a line-of-sight. However, the large area covered also brings several difficulties, such as the placement of sensing devices in regards to topology in geography, or the variability of communication latency. Sensing the environment also carries constraints related to the interest of sensing points in relation to a physical phenomenon. Thus, criteria for designs are evolving a lot from the existing methods, especially in complex terrains. This article describes simulation techniques based on geography analysis to compute long-range radio coverages and radio characteristics in these situations. As radio propagation is just a particular case of physical phenomena, it is shown how a unified approach also allows for characterizing the behavior of potential physical risks. The case of heavy rainfall and flooding is investigated. Geography analysis is achieved using segmentation tools to produce cellular systems which are in turn translated into code for high-performance computations. The paper provides results from practical complex terrain experiments using LoRa, which confirm the accuracy of the simulation, and scheduling characteristics for sample networks. Performance tables are produced for these simulations on current Graphics Processing Units (GPUs).
Terahertz Image Detection with the Improved Faster Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Zhang Jinsong , Xing Wenjie , Xing Mengdao , Sun Guangcai
Published: July 2018

In recent years, terahertz imaging systems and techniques have been developed and have gradually become a leading frontier field. With the advantages of low radiation and clothing-penetrable, terahertz imaging technology has been widely used for the detection of concealed weapons or other contraband carried on personnel at airports and other secure locations. This paper aims to detect these concealed items with deep learning method for its well detection performance and real-time detection speed. Based on the analysis of the characteristics of terahertz images, an effective detection system is proposed in this paper. First, a lots of terahertz images are collected and labeled as the standard data format. Secondly, this paper establishes the terahertz classification dataset and proposes a classification method based on transfer learning. Then considering the special distribution of terahertz image, an improved faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster R-CNN) method based on threshold segmentation is proposed for detecting human body and other objects independently. Finally, experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method for terahertz image detection.
Fault Detection and Isolation via the Interacting Multiple Model Approach Applied to Drive-By-Wire Vehicles
Authors: Judalet Vincent , Glaser Sébastien , Gruyer Dominique , Mammar Saïd
Published: July 2018

The place of driving assistance systems is currently increasing drastically for road vehicles. Paving the road to the fully autonomous vehicle, the drive-by-wire technology could improve the potential of the vehicle control. The implementation of these new embedded systems is still limited, mainly for reliability reasons, thus requiring the development of diagnostic mechanisms. In this paper, we investigate the detection and the identification of sensor and actuator faults for a drive-by-wire road vehicle. An Interacting Multiple Model approach is proposed, based on a non-linear vehicle dynamics observer. The adequacy of different probabilistic observers is discussed. The results, based on experimental vehicle signals, show a fast and robust identification of sensor faults while the actuator faults are more challenging.