bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A General Solution to Determine Strain Profile in the Core of Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors under Any Arbitrary Strain Fields
Authors: Chapeleau Xavier , Bassil Antoine
Published: August 2021

Despite recent publications, the strain transfer in distributed optical fiber sensors is still often overlooked and poorly understood. In the first part of this paper, strain transfer is shown to be driven by a second-order differential equation, whether the optical fiber is embedded into the host material or surface-mounted. In this governing equation, only the value of a key parameter, called strain lag parameter, varies according to the attachment configuration and the type of optical fiber used as a sensor. Then, a general solution of the governing equation is proposed. It is an analytical expression established from new boundary conditions that are more adequate than those used previously in the literature and allows the determination of the strain profile in the core of a distributed optical fiber sensor under any arbitrary strain fields. This general solution has been validated by two experiments presented in the third part of the paper. A very good agreement between the analytical solutions and measured strain profiles using a high spatial resolution optical interrogator for both uniform and non-uniform strain fields has been obtained. These results highlight the importance of the strain lag parameter which must be taken into account for a correct interpretation of measurements, especially in the case of important strain gradients.
Defect Width Assessment Based on the Near-Field Magnetic Flux Leakage Method
Authors: Li Erlong , Chen Yiming , Chen Xiaotian , Wu Jianbo
Published: August 2021

Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) testing has been widely used as a non-destructive testing method for various materials. However, it is difficult to separate the influences of the defect geometrical parameters such as depth, width, and length on the received leakage signals. In this paper, a “near-field” MFL method is proposed to quantify defect widths. Both the finite element modelling (FEM) and experimental studies are carried out to investigate the performance of the proposed method. It is found that that the distance between two peaks of the “near-field” MFL is strongly related to the defect width and lift-off value, whereas it is slightly affected by the defect depth. Based on this phenomenon, a defect width assessment relying on the “near-field” MFL method is proposed. Results show that relative judging errors are less than 5%. In addition, the analytical expression of the “near-field” MFL is also developed.
Ensemble of Deep Learning Models for Sleep Apnea Detection: An Experimental Study
Authors: Mukherjee Debadyuti , Dhar Koustav , Schwenker Friedhelm , Sarkar Ram
Published: August 2021

Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder occurring during sleep. Older people suffer most from this disease. In-time diagnosis of apnea is needed which can be observed by the application of a proper health monitoring system. In this work, we focus on Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) detection from the Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals obtained through the body sensors. Our work mainly consists of an experimental study of different ensemble techniques applied on three deep learning models—two Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based models, and a combination of CNN and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models, which were previously proposed in the OSA detection domain. We have chosen four ensemble techniques—majority voting, sum rule and Choquet integral based fuzzy fusion and trainable ensemble using Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) for our case study. All the experiments are conducted on the benchmark PhysioNet Apnea-ECG Database. Finally, we have achieved highest OSA detection accuracy of 85.58% using the MLP based ensemble approach. Our best result is also able to surpass many of state-of-the-art methods.
Spatial and Temporal Variations in Atmospheric Ventilation Index Coupled with Particulate Matter Concentration in South Korea
Authors: Lee Seoyeon , Lee Seung-Jae , Kang Jung-Hyuk , Jang Eun-Suk
Published: August 2021

The spatiotemporal variations in the atmospheric ventilation index (AVI) with the particulate matter (PM) concentrations in South Korea were investigated using a regional grid model derived from the National Center for AgroMeteorology and PM10 concentration data obtained from AirKorea and the Korea Meteorological Administration. To construct a high-resolution AVI database with 1 h time intervals and a spatial resolution of approximately 2.4 km, a medium-range prediction was performed using a regional model twice a week from December 2018 to November 2019. The resultant dataset was used to explore the seasonal patterns of the areal distribution of a novel index: Ventilation Index coupled with PM (VIP), defined by the ratio of the AVI to PM. To determine the effects of geography on the VIP, diurnal variations of the VIP were examined at three major cities in South Korea. The emphasis of the investigation was on major cities that are planned to be developed into smart cities. This study reveals the specific spatiotemporal structure of the AVI in South Korea for the first time at a high resolution and introduced the potential usefulness of the VIP. The results provide insights that could aid decision making for determining favorable locations for better air-quality cities on an annual basis and can enable the sustainable management of fine PM in and around the areas of interest.
Application of TestBed 4.0 Technology within the Implementation of Industry 4.0 in Teaching Methods of Industrial Engineering as Well as Industrial Practice
Authors: Kliment Marek , Pekarcikova Miriam , Trebuna Peter , Trebuna Martin
Published: August 2021

The paper is focused on the area of the constantly evolving industrial revolution both at the level of individual local economic opportunities and on a global scale. One of the tools of this time called Industry 4.0 is the TestBed 4.0 technology, which helps in its development and opens up opportunities for its use both in research and in practice in manufacturing companies. The paper describes the possibilities and capabilities of the laboratory, which was established as the first of its kind in the Slovak Republic on the campus of the Technical University in Košice in order to combine research activities with practical use directly in the production business processes. Its role is also to involve students in these processes, who, based on the acquired knowledge and experience, will strengthen their position in the labour market after completing their studies. The paper includes a description of available technologies, as well as several case studies carried out at the workplace where this laboratory is located, mainly in the field of industrial and digital engineering.
Sustainable Civil Engineering: Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education Curricula
Authors: Álvarez Irantzu , Etxeberria Paulo , Alberdi Elisabete , Pérez-Acebo Heriberto , Eguia Isabel , García María José
Published: August 2021

In the current climate emergency context, many national and international organizations have adopted measures to integrate sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in all their fields of action. Within education, steps have been taken to incorporate the perspective of sustainability at all levels. This process has also started at the university since it plays a fundamental role in the strategy for the implementation of specific policies to promote sustainability. However, sometimes it is difficult to include this type of knowledge in the curriculum, due to the lack of flexibility of the university structure or the lack of time to cover the syllabus. In this scenario, civil engineering plays a main role as a fundamental activity in the creation of services and infrastructures with a high environmental impact. The objective of this study is to show a multidisciplinary approach to working on sustainability in a transversal way in the civil engineering degree and to analyze the impact that this type of initiative can have from the learning point of view. The study shows a curricular trajectory supported by problem-based learning and project-based learning designed to promote sustainability in the practice of civil engineering. The good results obtained in the evaluation of the project and the growing incorporation of the SDGs in the final degree projects suggest that this methodology can be implemented by other university degrees.
Transformative Learning and Pedagogical Approaches in Education for Sustainable Development: Are Initial Teacher Education Programmes in England and Turkey Ready for Creating Agents of Change for Sustainability?
Authors: Bourn Douglas , Soysal Nese
Published: August 2021

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a feature of academic and policy debates within initial teacher education around the world. A theme within these debates is the extent to which ESD is more than just a body of knowledge, and if it suggests different pedagogical approaches which may be prevalent in most countries. Another feature of these debates is whether ESD can be seen as suggesting a transformative approach as opposed to a transmissive approach. As a qualitative study, using examples from research and evidence gathered in England and Turkey through document analysis, this article identifies both the opportunities and challenges for teacher education courses using ESD as a means for promoting a distinctive pedagogical approach and whether they can be seen as posing transformative learning.
Sustainability, Efficiency, and Competitiveness in Rail Mobility: The ADIF-Spain Case Study
Authors: García-Aranda José Ramón , Ortega-Lapiedra Raquel , Bernués-Olivan Jara
Published: August 2021

This work aims to propose alternatives to the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) Model from the perspectives of sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness, with an application to the railway sector in Spain. Concerning improvement factors, a retroactive analysis is based on a second-degree confirmatory factorial analysis, suggesting a new grouping of factors. With respect to the transformation process, a systemic proposal of seven cross-cutting elements (Integral Framework for Transformation into Outstanding Organizations) is presented, providing a sequence of reflection and action initiatives to successfully address the current environmental sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness challenges in the railway sector through a case study, ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias). The proposal for this Integrated Framework for The Transformation of Organizations is carried out to consolidate the EFQM Model, not only as a management evaluation tool, but also as a quality of management and sustainability instrument, increasing its role as a driving mechanism for actions that generate an effective improvement and transformation in an organization dedicated to mobility. The confirmation of all the hypotheses related to the relationship between Leadership and Strategy, on the one hand explanations., and People, Alliances and Resources, and Processes on the other, along with the four Criteria of Results (People, Clients, Society, and Key Results), allows for the proposal of an EFQM Model that evolves around three major constructs: Guidance, Action, and Feedback. The implications of this work focus on three areas: (1) theoretical, as it is the first analysis of this magnitude to be performed in literature; (2) research, as it opens new hypotheses for contrasting with other organizations in the sector; and (3) management, as it proposes a sustainable organizational and business model.
Sustainable Development Economics of Enterprises in the Services Sector Based on Effective Management of Value Streams
Authors: Straková Jarmila , Korauš Antonín , Váchal Jan , Pollák František , Černák Filip , Talíř Milan , Kollmann Jaroslav
Published: August 2021

The world’s economy has been significantly affected by the ongoing pandemic crisis. Its logical reflection is a deteriorating condition of national and regional economies and their vehicles—enterprises. Negative effects of the crisis have influenced both the manufacturing sector and the services sector, where some segments have been hit fatally. In the corporate sphere in general, including in the services sector, there has been a growing need to change the approach to corporate strategy. The strategy should be generated based on management of value-creating processes with the objective to maximize satisfaction of customers while minimizing costs. This is also the topic of this paper. A representative sample of small and medium enterprises from the services sector have been surveyed about their size, using mathematical statistics and models that have been proposed to maximize profit probability. The objective was to propose models that maximize probability of profit and, at the same time, minimize costs for each combination of value chain activities (input logistics, provision of services, output logistics, marketing and sale, servicing, and other accompanying activities, purchasing material management, science-technical development, human resources management and company infrastructure). The main outcome of this paper is the fact that we have been able to prove the functionality of the tested model, which has demonstrated the growing importance of value stream management in relation to the size of enterprises. Such a universal and structured model provides a practical tool for the definition of economic-financial, investment and personnel policies in enterprises.
Candidate Digital Tasks Selection Methodology for Automation with Robotic Process Automation
Authors: Choi Daehyoun , R’bigui Hind , Cho Chiwoon
Published: August 2021

Today’s business environments face rapid digital transformation, engendering the continuous emerging of new technologies. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is one of the new technologies rapidly and increasingly grabbing the attention of businesses. RPA tools allow mimicking human tasks by providing a virtual workforce, or digital workers in the form of software bots, for automating manual, high-volume, repetitive, and routine tasks. The goal is to allow human workers to delegate their tedious routine tasks to a software bot, thus allowing them to focus on more difficult tasks. RPA tools are simple and very powerful, according to cost-saving and other performance metrics. However, the main challenge of RPA implementation is to effectively determine the business tasks suitable for automation. This paper provides a methodology for selecting candidate tasks for robotic process automation based on user interface logs and process mining techniques.
Modelling Faecal Sludge Dewatering Processes in Drying Beds Based on the Results from Tete, Mozambique
Authors: Moiambo Osvaldo , Mutevuie Raúl , Ferreira Filipa , Matos José
Published: August 2021

Currently, in sub-Saharan African countries, 65 to 100% of the urban population is served by on-site sanitation systems, typically pit latrines and septic tanks. Faecal sludge dewatering in drying beds is one of the most commonly adopted low-cost treatment technologies in developing countries due to favourable climate conditions in terms of temperature and radiation and because their operation and maintenance are simple. Nevertheless, research in tropical dry zones regarding these processes is scarce. In this paper, a mathematical model for faecal sludge dewatering in sludge drying beds (SDBs) focusing on gravity drainage and evaporation processes is presented and discussed. Experimental campaigns were carried out at a pilot site in Tete, Mozambique, to determine the model parameters. The results suggest that the model can be used to estimate, in similar situations, the dewatering process of different types of faecal sludge. The present research might be considered as a contribution to the design and operation of SDBs, supporting sludge management and allowing the estimation of drying times and optimal loading cycles, namely, the sludge thickness and final moisture content.
Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Perception of Outdoor Learning Activities in the Spanish Region of Extremadura
Authors: Rojo-Ramos Jorge , Manzano-Redondo Fernando , Barrios-Fernandez Sabina , García-Gordillo Miguel Angel , Adsuar José Carmelo
Published: August 2021

Over the years, it has been demonstrated that nature is a very important pillar in learning. Outdoor education is an innovative pedagogical approach that is gaining prominence and brings numerous benefits to the students who receive it. Previous studies have tried to show the positive relationship between education and nature and its benefits for children, but only a few reports refer to the specific perception of teachers on this issue, as well as possible differences according to the location of the school. Thus, taking into account the research questions, this paper aims to identify, analyze, and interpret the perception of early childhood education teachers in the Spanish region of Extremadura about outdoor educational practices. For this purpose, attention is paid to the implementation, difficulties, training, or area in which these outdoor educational practices take place, considering the location of the school. Findings showed that teachers are aware of the benefits of outdoor education, but most of them have not received specific training on it, perceive difficulties in carrying them out, or only carry them out at school. As a result, some differences can be perceived depending on the location of the school. Therefore, these results should make us change our perception of education and be able to propose alternatives, involving all the agents and participants of the education system and being aware of the benefits of outdoor education.
Compatibility and Biomineralization Oriented Optimization of Nutrient Content in Nitrate-Reducing-Biogranules-Based Microbial Self-Healing Concrete
Authors: Kardogan Beyza , Sekercioglu Kadir , Erşan Yusuf Çagatay
Published: August 2021

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) can be mentioned among the popular approaches to develop a self-healing concrete. The production of dissolved inorganic carbon through microbial activity is the main precursor for MICP in concrete and it is limited by the bioavailability of the nutrients. When nutrients are added to the mortar as admixtures, their bioavailability becomes more significant for crack repair because nutrients disperse in the mortar and considerable fraction stays far from a single crack. Therefore, the determination of bioavailability of nutrients and its variation with the initial nutrient content and crack age is essential to optimize a recipe for bacteria-based self-healing concrete. This study presents the optimum nutrient content defined for nitrate-reduction-based self-healing bioconcrete. In the tests, calcium nitrate (CN) and calcium formate (CF) were combined with a CF:CN w/w ratio of 2.50. Mortar properties and bioavailability of nutrients were analysed at different nutrient doses. Moreover, the bioavailability of nutrients at different crack ages changing between 3 and 56 days was monitored. Finally, resuscitation, microbial activity and the MICP performance of nitrate reducing biogranules were tested at defined nutrient bioavailabilties. The optimum nutrient content was determined as 7.00% (CF 5.00% and CN 2.00%). The leaching rates of formate ions were twice the leaching rate of the nitrate ions at similar initial concentrations, which led to a bioavailable HCOO−/NO3-N ratio of 23 g/g in cracked mortar. Under optimum nutrient conditions, the CaCO3 precipitation yield of nitrate reducing biogranules was recorded as 1.5 g CaCO3/g HCOO− which corresponded to 68% C precipitation efficiency.
Centralising Monoids with Low-Arity Witnesses on a Four-Element Set
Authors: Behrisch Mike , Vargas-García Edith
Published: August 2021

As part of a project to identify all maximal centralising monoids on a four-element set, we determine all centralising monoids witnessed by unary or by idempotent binary operations on a four-element set. Moreover, we show that every centralising monoid on a set with at least four elements witnessed by the Mal’cev operation of a Boolean group operation is always a maximal centralising monoid, i.e., a co-atom below the full transformation monoid. On the other hand, we also prove that centralising monoids witnessed by certain types of permutations or retractive operations can never be maximal.
Evaluation of the Therapeutic Effects of Protocatechuic Aldehyde in Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Chang Yu-Teng , Chung Mu-Chi , Hsieh Chang-Chi , Shieh Jeng-Jer , Wu Ming-Ju
Published: August 2021

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most severe chronic kidney diseases in diabetes and is the main cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Protocatechuic aldehyde (PCA) is a natural product with a variety of effects on pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we examined the effects of PCA in C57BL/KS db/db male mice. Kidney morphology, renal function indicators, and Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining data were analyzed. The results revealed that treatment with PCA could reduce diabetic-induced renal dysfunction, as indicated by the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (db/m: 120.1 ± 46.1μg/mg, db/db: 453.8 ± 78.7 µg/mg, db/db + 30 mg/kg PCA: 196.6 ± 52.9 µg/mg, db/db + 60 mg/kg PCA: 163.3 ± 24.6 μg/mg, p < 0.001). However, PCA did not decrease body weight, fasting plasma glucose, or food and water intake in db/db mice. H&E staining data revealed that PCA reduced glomerular size in db/db mice (db/m: 3506.3 ± 789.3 μm2, db/db: 6538.5 ± 1818.6 μm2, db/db + 30 mg/kg PCA: 4916.9 ± 1149.6 μm2, db/db + 60 mg/kg PCA: 4160.4 ± 1186.5 μm2p < 0.001). Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining indicated that PCA restored the normal levels of diabetes-induced fibrosis markers, such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and type IV collagen. Similar results were observed for epithelial–mesenchymal transition-related markers, including fibronectin, E-cadherin, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). PCA also decreased oxidative stress and inflammation in the kidney of db/db mice. This research provides a foundation for using PCA as an alternative therapy for DN in the future.
Proteo-Transcriptomic Characterization of Sirex nitobei (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Venom
Authors: Gao Chenglong , Ren Lili , Wang Ming , Wang Zhengtong , Fu Ningning , Wang Huiying , Wang Xiaochen , Ao Tegen , Du Wensheng , Zheng Zijin , Li Huadong , Shi Juan
Published: August 2021

The wood-boring woodwasp Sirex nitobei is a native pest in Asia, infecting and weakening the host trees in numerous ecological and commercial coniferous forest plantations. In China, hosts of S. nitobei are diverse, so the pest has spread to several provinces of China, resulting in considerable economic and ecological damage. During female oviposition, S. nitobei venom along with arthrospores of the symbiotic fungus Amylostereum areolatum or A. chaetica is injected into host trees, and the combination of these two biological factors causes the death of xylem host trees. The presence of venom alone causes only the yellowing and wilting of needles. In this study, we constructed the venom gland transcriptome of S. nitobei for the first time and a total of 15,036 unigenes were acquired. From the unigenes, 11,560 ORFs were identified and 537 encoding protein sequences with signal peptides at the N-terminus. Then, we used the venomics approach to characterize the venom composition of female S. nitobei and predicted 1095 proteins by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. We focused on seven proteins that were both highly expressed in the venom gland transcriptome and predicted in the crude venom proteome. These seven proteins are laccase-2, laccase-3, a protein belonging to the Kazal family, chitooligosaccharidolytic β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-galactosidase, icarapin-like protein, and waprin-Thr1-like protein. Using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), we also proved that the genes related to these seven proteins are specifically expressed in the venom glands. Finally, we revealed the functional role of S. nitobei venom in the physiological response of host trees. It can not only promote the colonization of symbiotic fungus but contribute to the development of eggs and larvae. This study provides a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism of the woodwasp–pine interaction.
Coxsackievirus A2 Leads to Heart Injury in a Neonatal Mouse Model
Authors: Ji Wangquan , Zhu Peiyu , Liang Ruonan , Zhang Liang , Zhang Yu , Wang Yuexia , Zhang Weiguo , Tao Ling , Chen Shuaiyin , Yang Haiyan , Jin Yuefei , Duan Guangcai
Published: August 2021

Coxsackievirus A2 (CVA2) has emerged as an active pathogen that has been implicated in hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and herpangina outbreaks worldwide. It has been reported that severe cases with CVA2 infection develop into heart injury, which may be one of the causes of death. However, the mechanisms of CVA2-induced heart injury have not been well understood. In this study, we used a neonatal mouse model of CVA2 to investigate the possible mechanisms of heart injury. We detected CVA2 replication and apoptosis in heart tissues from infected mice. The activity of total aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was notably increased in heart tissues from infected mice. CVA2 infection also led to the disruption of cell-matrix interactions in heart tissues, including the increases of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)3, MMP8, MMP9, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)4. Infiltrating leukocytes (CD45+ and CD11b+ cells) were observed in heart tissues of infected mice. Correspondingly, the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in tissue lysates of hearts, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were significantly elevated in CVA2 infected mice. Inflammatory signal pathways in heart tissues, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), were also activated after infection. In summary, CVA2 infection leads to heart injury in a neonatal mouse model, which might be related to viral replication, increased expression levels of MMP-related enzymes and excessive inflammatory responses.
Mandate or Not Mandate: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Italian Occupational Physicians towards SARS-CoV-2 Immunization at the Beginning of Vaccination Campaign
Authors: Riccò Matteo , Ferraro Pietro , Peruzzi Simona , Balzarini Federica , Ranzieri Silvia
Published: August 2021

Vaccinations used to prevent coronavirus disease (COVID-19)—the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—are critical in order to contain the ongoing pandemic. However, SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccination rates have only slowly increased since the beginning of the vaccination campaign, even with at-risk workers (e.g., HCWs), presumptively because of vaccine hesitancy. Vaccination mandates are considered instrumental in order to rapidly improve immunization rates (but they minimize the impact of vaccination campaigns). In this study, we investigated the acceptance (i.e., knowledge, attitudes, and practices) from occupational physicians (OPs)) in regard to SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccination mandates. A total of 166 OPs participated in an internet-based survey by completing structured questionnaires. Adequate, general knowledge of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 was found in the majority of OPs. High perception of SARS-CoV-2 risk was found in around 80% of participants (79.5% regarding its occurrence, 81.9% regarding its potential severity). SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccination was endorsed by 90.4% of respondents, acceptance for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was quite larger for mRNA formulates (89.8%) over adenoviral ones (59.8%). Endorsement of vaccination mandates was reported by 60.2% of respondents, and was more likely endorsed by OPs who exhibited higher concern for SARS-CoV-2 infection occurrence (odds ratio 3.462, 95% confidence intervals 1.060–11.310), who were likely to accept some sort of payment/copayment for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccination (3.896; 1.607; 9.449), or who were more likely to believe HCWs not vaccinates against SARS-CoV-2 as unfit for work (4.562; 1.935; 10.753). In conclusion, OPs exhibited wide acceptance of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccinations, and the majority endorsed vaccination mandates for HCWs, which may help improve vaccination rates in occupational settings.
On the Way to the Fluvial Anthroposphere—Current Limitations and Perspectives of Multidisciplinary Research
Authors: Werther Lukas , Mehler Natascha , Schenk Gerrit Jasper , Zielhofer Christoph
Published: August 2021

Floodplains represent a global hotspot of sensitive socioenvironmental changes and early human forcing mechanisms. In this review, we focus on the environmental conditions of preindustrial floodplains in Central Europe and the fluvial societies that operated there. Due to their high land-use capacity and the simultaneous necessity of land reclamation and risk minimisation, societies have radically restructured the Central European floodplains. According to the current scientific consensus, up to 95% of Central European floodplains have been extensively restructured or destroyed. Therefore, question arises as to whether or when it is justified to understand Central European floodplains as a ‘Fluvial Anthroposphere’. The case studies available to date show that human-induced impacts on floodplain morphologies and environments and the formation of specific fluvial societies reveal fundamental changes in the medieval and preindustrial modern periods. We aim to contribute to disentangling the questions of when and why humans became a significant controlling factor in Central European floodplain formation, and how humans in interaction with natural processes and other chains of effects have modified floodplains. As a conclusion, we superimpose emerging fields of research concerning the onset of the Fluvial Anthroposphere and provide 10 specific thematic objectives for future multidisciplinary work.
Size Characteristics of Sediments Eroded under Different Masson Pine Litter Covers in South China
Authors: Zhu Fangfang , Li Yuchen , Cheng Jinhua
Published: August 2021

The particle size distribution characteristics of runoff sediments are vital for understanding the effect of the mechanism of soil erosion on slopes. The objective of this study was to investigate the particle-size distribution of sediments eroded from slopes covered by different litter coverage masses under artificial rainfall simulation. Litter was spread on the surface of a soil tank according to different biomasses (0 g·m−2, 100 g·m−2, 200 g·m−2 and 400 g·m−2). The mean weight diameter (MWD), fractal dimension (D) and enrichment ratio (ER) are characteristic parameters of sediment particle size. The MWD and D were more sensitive to soil erosion and had a significant negative correlation with the slope angle and rainfall intensity. The performance of the MWD on the slope (5°) was less than the MWD on the slope (10°). The relationship between eroded sediment distribution characteristic parameters and the litter coverage mass had a significant influence on the content of coarse particles. The content of fine particles accelerated, decreased and then stabilized, whereas coarse particles increased first and then stabilized. The litter diameter and surface area were the main parameters that affected the MWD and D. Under different rain intensities and slopes, the ER varied inconsistently with litter coverage mass. Coarse particles were eroded easily and selectively, and soil erosion had no sorting effect on fine particles. These findings support the quantitative study of the relationship between the amount of litter coverage mass and the particle size of soil sediments.
Practical aspects of consulting field and human resource management in projects
Authors: Korneeva I.V. , Timokhina D.S.
Published: August 2021

In the field of consulting, there are companies with completely different directions and completely different practices. That is why it is so important to take a detailed look at the company and analyze its human resource management in order to spread positive experience in this regard.
The analysis of stimulating motivators of creative activity of the personnel of a particular company
Authors: Filin S.A. , Sidorov N.V.
Published: August 2021

One of the main goals of human resources management is to achieve a situation in which the goals of the employee coincide with the goals of the organization. It is in this case that in their work, the employees will be focused not only on achieving personal goals, but also will sincerely strive to benefit the organization and make their contribution. It is well known that being the main labor force, personnel is one of the main competitive advantages of any organization, making it stand out from the competition. Both the present and the future of any company depend on how motivated, ambitious and determined the staff is not only to be operational, but also to be creative in making suggestions to improve the current state of their workplace.
A Novel Scheme for Fault Tolerant Computing
Authors:   Retired Principal, Kabi Nazrul Mahavidyalaya, Sonamura, Tripura 799131, India, Bhattacharjee Pramode Ranjan
Published: August 2021

A novel scheme for ensuring reliability in the operation of a combinational digital network has been offered in this paper. This has been achieved by making use of three copies of the same digital network along with two additional sub-networks, one of which consists of three additional control inputs, which can also be used as additional observable outputs. If both the said two sub-networks are fault free, then the primary output of the network in the present scheme will always give fault-free responses even if a fault (single or multiple) occurs in one of the three copies of the digital network under consideration. Unlike the Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) scheme, the present scheme does not require any majority voter circuit. Furthermore, unlike the TMR scheme, the additional sub-networks in the present scheme can be tested off-line by predefined test input patterns.
Comparison of different mathematical functions for fitting growth curves of ascitic and healthy broiler chickens
Authors: NEMATZADEH Ramin , ALİJANİ Sadegh , HASANPUR Karim , OLYAYEE Majid , SHODJA Jalil
Published: August 2021

Ascites syndrome (AS) causes major economic losses in commercial meat-type chickens. The objectives of the current study were to select the best non-linear growth curve functions (GCFs) of the ascitic and healthy chickens, and to investigate the association of ascites incidence with the growth pattern. A total of 5584 body weight (BW) records belonging to 823 chickens (381 male and 442 female) from a paternal pure Arian broiler line were used. The birds were categorized into; healthy male and female, ascitic male and female. Five GCFs including Logistic, Gompertz, Lopez, Richards, and Von baretanalffy were fitted to the BW records of all groups, separately. After the estimation of growth curve parameters for all the chicks individually, the effect of sex and health status on the growth curve parameters were assessed. The results revealed that the Richards function is the best for all the groups. Comparison of the growth curves showed that the ascitic chickens reach the inflection point of the curve earlier than their healthy counterparts (P<0.05). The average growth rate of the healthy birds in the rearing period was significantly higher than that of the ascitic birds (P<0.05), thereby suggesting that there is no direct relationship between the rapid growth rate and the incidence of ascites. Therefore, genetic improvement of the used population for both rapid growth rate and reduced ascites incidence may be possible and the utilization of growth curve parameters in the selection index might be beneficial.
Abandono por inasistencia a las audiencias en el sistema procesal oral reguladas por el COGEP
Authors: Miranda Sánchez Ana María , Pozo Calderon Edison Manuel
Published: August 2021

El objetivo de la investigación fue proponer un anteproyecto de ley reformatoria al COGEP, sobre la declaratoria de abandono a las audiencias para garantizar los derechos personales y patrimoniales del accionante. La metodología fue de tipo descriptiva- propositivo, bajo un enfoque mixto, y un diseño documental de campo, a su vez, se utilizaron los métodos sistemático, deductivo, inductivo e histórico-lógico. La técnica e instrumento empleados fueron la observación y la encuesta (cuestionario). La población estuvo conformada por 2705, abogados en libre ejercicio de la Provincia de Tungurahua y la muestra utilizada fue de 96. Se obtuvo como resultado, que existe mucha inconformidad con lo que estipula el COGEP, en relación al abandono de la acción por vulnerar el derecho a la igualdad. De esta manera, se concluye que la propuesta está encaminada a que al accionante se le permita justificar la inasistencia a las Audiencias.
título valor y su incidencia como instrumento de comercio en la bolsa de valores
Authors: Nieto Hernández Kristian Guillermo
Published: August 2021

La investigación tuvo como objetivo principal determinar el título de valor y su incidencia como instrumento de comercio, en la bolsa de valores de Quito. La metodología usada fue de tipo descriptivo con un diseño documental de campo, bajo un enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo, con un método, inductivo, deductivo, histórico, lógico, la técnica e instrumento utilizado fue la entrevista y la encuesta (cuestionario) la población y la muestra estuvo conformada por 1 abogado del departamento jurídico bolsa de valores de Quito y 10 abogados expertos en derecho bursátil. Se obtuvo como resultado que es necesario una reforma en la Ley de Mercado de Valores, para emplear a los títulos valores como instrumentos de comercio. Por lo que se concluyó que el mercado de valores es importante para cualquier país porque procura el desarrollo de actividades financieras que fortalecen su economía.
OS FALOS NAS PINTURAS RUPESTRES DO PARQUE NACIONAL SERRA DA CAPIVARA/PNSC – PI/BRASIL
Authors: Justamand Michel , de Oliveira Gabriel Frechiani
Published: August 2021

O Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara está localizado entre os municípios de São Raimundo Nonato, Brejo do Piauí, João Costa e Coronel José Dias no estado brasileiro do Piauí. As imagens rupestres foram o deflagrador do investimento científico no local, a partir dos anos 70 do século XX. Parte dessa história está contada, parece-nos, nas imagens pintadas nas rochas do parque. Destacamos nesse texto cenas especialmente com a presença de falos. Apresentadas durante os escritos com seus respectivos sítios arqueológicos.
DO FOLIAGE LEAVES AND BRACTS HAVE USEFULNESS IN THE SEPARATION OF STENOCEPHALUM (VERNONIEAE, ASTERACEAE) SPECIES?
Authors: Voltolini Caroline Heinig , de Souza Luiz Antonio
Published: August 2021

It is well known that the leaf structure has usefulness in the Asteraceae taxonomy. Foliage leaves and bracts (involucral bracts) of six Stenocephalum Sch. Bip. species were investigated with the main purpose of indicating characters for diagnose of species. Leaves e bracts were obtained from herbarium and from the rupestrian fields, and sectioned in rotation microtome. Both leaves were investigated using light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Foliage leaves have epidermis with stomata and glandular and non-glandular trichomes, and are dorsiventral. Bracts also have stomata, indumentum, and parenchymatous and sclerenchymatous mesophyll. The structure of the foliage leaves and bracts has little diagnosis value, but the study allowed to separate some species, mainly those closely related within the genus, as S. hexanthum and S. megapotamicum.
O SUCESSO DA REABILITAÇÃO ORAL COM IMPLANTES CURTOS EM MANDÍBULA ATRÓFICA: REVISÃO DE LITERATURA
Authors: Castro Rafaela Alves , Lima Rosa Milene Menezes , Matos Lucas Andeilson dos Santos , Mesquita Carla Natiara Rabelo , Pinho Filho João Eudes Teixeira
Published: August 2021

A odontologia obteve avanços significativos na reabilitação oral de pacientes edêntulos através das próteses dentárias, sejam elas totais ou unitárias. Os implantes dentários surgem com o objetivo de promover uma restituição oral funcional, estética e com boa durabilidade. Em casos de atrofia óssea os implantes curtos se tornam os precursores para a reabilitação oral menos invasiva se comparada à enxertia óssea, comumente utilizada como subsídio para os implantes convencionais.
РОЗПОВСЮДЖЕНІСТЬ І ІНТЕНСИВНІСТЬ ПРОЯВУ СТОМАТОЛОГІЧНОЇ ОРТОПЕДИЧНОЇ ЗАХВОРЮВАНОСТІ СЕРЕД ЧОЛОВІКІВ ПРИЗОВНОГО ВІКУ ПІВДНЯ УКРАЇНИ
Authors: Рачинський С. В. , Шнайдер С. А. , Лабунець О. В. , Дієва Т. В. , Лабунець В. А. , Дієва О. Є.
Published: August 2021

Проведено стоматологічні огляди 332 осіб призовного віку від 18 до 20 років, які підлягали до військовій службі у Збройних силах України, з яких 170 осіб серед міського і 162 — сільського населення. Встановлена ве-личина розповсюдженості стоматологічної ортопедичної захворюваності, яка склала 247 , 1 осіб серед місь-кого і 253, 1 осіб серед сільського населення на 1000 обстежених даної вікової категорії і статі. Доведена практична ідентичність показників розповсюдженості даної патології серед міських і сільських мешканців даного регіону України. При цьому, загальний об’єм основних ортопедичних хвороб також практично ідентич-ний незважаючи і на деяку різницю по окремим показникам їх структури і складає відповідно 452 , 9 і 463 , 0 на 1000 обстежених. Згідно даним анатомо-топографічної структури дефектів зубних рядів, спостерігається переважна більшість подібних дефектів за відсутністю 1 зуба, що складає відповідно 93 , 7% і 96 , 5%. З від-сутністю 2-х зубів, відповідно 5,2 % і 3,5 % із 3-ма зубами — 2, 5 % серед міських мешканців, при повній відсу-тності серед сільських.
КАРІОЛОГІЧНІ ПОКАЗНИКИ БУКАЛЬНИХ ЕПІТЕЛІОЦИТІВ СЛИЗОВОЇ ОБОЛОНКИ РОТОВОЇ ПОРОЖНИНИ У ЗДОРОВИХ ТА ХВОРИХ НА ГЕНЕРАЛІ-ЗОВАНИЙ ПАРОДОНТИТ
Authors: Хомик М. І. , Ковальчук Л. Є. , Мельничук Г. М. , Ястребова О. С.
Published: August 2021

Для вивчення внутрішньоклітинних механізмів формування генералізованого пародонтиту (ГП) досліджу-вали каріологічні показники букальних епітеліоцитів слизової оболонки ротової порожнини у 88 обстежених, поділених на групи: І – 20 здорових (10 чоловіків і 10 жінок); ІІ – 48 хворих на ГП початкового-І ступеня (24 чоловіків і 24 жінок) і ІІІ – 20 хворих на ГП ІІ-ІІІ ступеня (10 чоловіків і 10 жінок).Вивчали по 100 інтерфазних ядер епітеліоцитів і оцінювали їхні структурні характеристики у препара-тах, зафарбованих ацетоорсеїном, за допомогою мікроскопа ,,MICROmed” XS 3320, зб.:х720. Для ідентифіка-ції ядерець препарати дофарбовували метиленовим синім. Визначали чотири групи каріологічних показників (12 варіантів ядерних порушень), а саме: цитогенетичні показники: індекс хроматизації, протрузія ядра, ати-пові ядра, ядра з ядерцями; показники проліферації: два ізольовані ядра, здвоєні ядра (ядра з перетяжкою); по-казники ранньої деструкції ядра: перинуклеарна вакуоля, вакуолізація ядра, гетерохроматинові (ГХ) ядра; по-казники завершення деструкції ядра: каріопікноз, каріорексис, каріолізис.У хворих на ГП зростала частота виявлення всіх ядерних порушень порівняно з даними здорових. При цьо-му збільшення кількості цитологічних показників було вірогідним (р≤0,005; р<0,001). Серед показників ранньої деструкції ядра достовірно зростало число вакуолізованих і ГХ ядер (р<0,005; р<0,001), а серед показників завершення деструкції ядра – каріорексис і каріолізис (р=0,005; р<0,001). Із наростанням ступеня розвитку ГП підвищувалася кількість усіх каріологічних порушень, особливо число протрузій і каріорексису (р1<0,005; р1<0,05).
АНАЛІЗ РЕЗУЛЬТАТІВ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ЗАЯВЛЕНИХ І ТРАДИЦІЙНИХ НЕЗНІМНИХ ШИНУЮЧИХ ОРТОПЕДИЧНИХ КОНСТРУКЦІЙ У ПАЦІЄНТІВ БЕЗ ДЕФЕКТА ЗУБНОГО РЯДУ, ЩО МАЮТЬ ГЕНЕРАЛІЗОВАНИЙ ПАРОДОНТИТ У СТАДІЇ СТАБІЛІЗАЦІЇ ЗА ПОКАЗНИКОМ ІГ
Authors: Іщенко П. В. , Борисенко А. В.
Published: August 2021

Актуальність. Проблема захворювань пародонту займає великий відсоток серед стоматологічних захво-рювань,що спонукає лікарів науковців та стоматологів практиків більш активно займатися даною патологі-єю. Ортопедичне втручання дуже важливе при функціональному відновленні цілісності зубного ряду у пацієн-тів без дефектів зубного ряду з генералізованим пародонтитом у стадії стабілізації.Нами для лікування генералізованого пародонтиту з боку ортопедичної складової запропоновані заявлені інтердентальні шини, які використовувались при ортопедичному лікуванні пацієнтів з даною патологією по-ряд з традийійним шинуванням.Мета З'ясувати клінічно, які з використаних у дослідженні шин більш фізіологічні для спровокованого па-родонту в зоні їх відповідальності за допомогою ІГ.Матеріали та методи Дане клінічне дослідження проведене на групі з 54 хворих генералізованим пародо-нтитом, у стадії стабілізації. Попередньо їм було проведено комплексне лікування генералізованого пародон-тита. У досліджуваній групі зі станом пародонта в стадії стабілізації перебувало 24 людини . Це група із за-явленими досліджуваними шинами. І група із шинами відомими традиційними - у кількості 30 людей у групі.Результати При проведенні дослідження встановлено, що через 18 місяців значення показника індексу гі-гієни (ІГ) для хворих без дефектів зубного ряду в групі контролю покращилось, у середньому, на 60,9±2,1 %, а в групі дослідження – лише на 27,6±2,8 % (p<0,001).За весь період дослідження в групі без дефектів зубного ряду динаміка розвитку ознак процесу запалення в досліджуваній групі більш стримана в порівнянні з контролем, що говорить про доцільність застосування зая-влених конструкцій в даній групі.Висновки. Проведені дослідження у групах пацієнтів виявили перевагу в застосувнні нових шинуючих конструкцій при застосуванні їх при генералізованому пародонтиті у стадії стабілізації перед традиційним шинуванням за показником ІГ. Поліпшення у відсотковому співвідношенні склало за 18 місяців 33,3±3,5 %.