bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Summer management of sheep on summer-wet hill country: insights into decisions made by an "expert" farmer
Authors: Gray D.I. , Reid J.I. , Kemp P.D. , Brookes I.M. , Horne D. , Kenyon P.R. , Matthew C. , Morris S.T. , Valentine I.
Published: June 2020

Although summer is a critical season for sheep production on summer-wet hill country, little is known about how high-performing farmers manage livestock and pastures during this period. If their practices could be captured and disseminated, it would provide the opportunity for other farmer s to increase productivity. The decisions made by a high-performing summer-wet hill-country farmer over summer were investigated using a single-case study design. This study highlights the relative complexity of summer management on hill country. Farmers must consider key strategic decisions such as when to wean, when to sell, what to sell, how many to sell, where to sell and at what weight. In this study, the answer s to these questions were found to be a function of the conditions (summerwet versus summer-dry) under which one farms and the amount of finishing country one has. Under summerwet conditions, the need to control pasture quality dictates important strategic decisions. To control pasture quality, the case farmer runs a high stocking rate (SR), high performance, later lambing system with a low sheep:cattle ratio. This system, particularly with a low proportion of finishing country, is not conducive to lamb finishing and a store policy is a more profitable alternative. As such, the case farmer's focus over summer is on ensuring the potential for high ovulation and conception rates in his ewes and ewe hoggets rather than lamb finishing. This is achieved by ensuring his ewes are in good condition (2.7 condition score (CS)) with adequate feed (1400 kg dry matter (DM)/ha) at flushing and his ewe hoggets reach 41 kg live weight (LW) by May 1st. These nonnegotiable targets are central to the farmer's consistent high performance. Minimisation of the distribution of LW (or CS) a bout the mean of different sheep classes through preferential feeding of younger, lighter and thinner stock was also found to be a critical element. To achieve high lamb growth rates, low priority stock and older finishing cattle were used to ensure pastures remained actively growing, of high quality and with low levels of infective larvae. A late weaning date and a high proportion of cattle and older stock were also important in maintaining pasture quality on summer-wet hill country. A critical feature of summer grazing management is area allocation and the use of post-grazing residuals to achieve animal performance targets. Pasture monitoring, microbudgeting and the use of this information in conjunction with market related data, to help decide the appropriate timing of stock sales was central to coping with uncertainty and achieving pasture and animal targets. Keywords: farmer decision making, grazing management, sheep productivity
Feed-out losses of whole-crop cereal silage
Authors: Stevens D.R. , Platfoot G.J.
Published: June 2020

The utilisation of whole-crop cereal silage, when fed on pasture, is an unknown factor when assessing the economics of whole-crop cereal silage in dairy farming systems. This study aimed to document the utilisation of whole-crop cereal silage and compare it to the utilisation of pasture silage fed under the same conditions. Data was collected from nine whole-crop cereal and two pasture silage feeding events during the autumn and spring of 2004. The concentration of silage fed in spring (3.04 kg (dry matter) DM/m) was lower (P
Clover root weevil (Sitona lepidus) in New Zealand: the story so far
Authors: Eerens J.P.J. , Hardwick S. , Gerard P.J. , Willoughby B.E.
Published: June 2020

The rapid spread of clover root weevil (Sitona lepidus) (CRW) since its introduction in the early 1990s, threatens the competitive advantage of New Zealand's pastoral industry. When CRW was discovered, it had already spr ead too far for containment. The insect's distribution currently covers the North Island and there is no reason to prevent its spread ultimately throughout NZ. With no competing species, CRW is more damaging in NZ than in its native Europe. Clover root weevil affects white clover nitrogen (N) fixation while simultaneously reducing the clover content of pastures thereby lowering total forage quality. Legume germplasm was screened for resistance/tolerance and while no resistance was discovered, vigorous growing white c lover plants showed tolerance to CRW and gains from selection for tolerance were achieved. Eliminating remnant clover before pasture renovation or growing a crop between grass stages reduces the resident CRW population and improves clover re-establishment. However, CRW can reinvade and potentially return to its original density. Two candidate biological control agents are being pursued for release later in 2005. Clover root weevil's impact on pastoral farming varies, partially due to environmental variation, which dictates clover growth and CRW development. Keywords: clover root weevil, cultivar selection, life cycle analysis, pasture management, Sitona lepidus
Applying science as a tool for dairy farmers
Authors: Savage J. , Lewis C.
Published: June 2020

Dairy Systems Monitoring (DSM) was developed out of response from dairy farmers for a benchmarking tool that made fair and equitable comparisons between farms. This benchmarking system is used by the clients to improve their productivity and profitability. The dairy farm simulation model UDDER is used to simulate the farm system. The input information is milk production from fencepost, and monthly data from the farm, including, areas, stock numbers, supplements, crops and nitrogen (N). The model is then calibrated to simulate the farms production, revised and validated monthly. There has been a successful uptake of this program. Currently 50 farms are involved. Dairy Systems Monitoring has generated change in the systems of participating farmers. Dairy Systems Monitoring has proven to be an effective tool to demonstrate the impact of a range of new technologies on farm systems. The tool is used on an ongoing basis to simulate and compare different operating strategies. It has the ability for clients to compare themselves to simular farms. A key benchmark that is analysed is the feed harvested. For every additional 1 tonne of dry matter (DM) harvested, the gross margin (GM) increases by $339/ha. The question this poses for participants is "how do we harvest more pasture"? Is it by growing more pasture, or improving management to harvest more of the existing pasture growth? Dairy Systems Monitoring is an effective extension tool to highlight the impact of new technologies or management practices on the client's farm program. Keywords: benchmarking, dairy farm programmes, feed harvested, gross margins, UDDER model
More beef calves from the dairy industry: a survey
Authors: Oliver L. , Mcdermott A.
Published: June 2020

A telephone survey of dairy farmers, calf rearing farmers, and finishing farmers was undertaken to discover opinions regarding dairy-beef cattle and the barriers to increasing the quality and quantity of dairy-beef cattle produced by the dairy industry. A total of 158 farmers were surveyed from throughout New Zealand. Dairy farmers make the most critical decisions regarding the genetic make-up of most cattle entering the NZ beef industry. To ensur e these decisions benefit the beef industry, there is a need for incentives to encourage dairy farmers to use more beef genetics across their herds. The survey results suggest a premium for dairy-beef calves of $30-$50/calf above Friesian bull calf prices would be an adequate incentive. Delivering this premium requires a co-ordinated effort involving beef finishers, calf rearers, dairy farmers and beef processors. Keywords: beef finishers, calf rearers, dairy-beef cattle, dairy farmers, incentives, industry co-ordination
PERANAN IDEOLOGI DALAMINTERGASI NASIONAL
Authors: HASIBUAN AFRIADI S , SULISTYONO DJOKO
Published: June 2020

The relationship between ideology and nation integration is interrelated. The linkageaccording to the existence of the ideology, it is indeed intended to collect, to unite and tomobilize the people politically and ideologically. Therefore, it has been integrated underthe protection of the nation ideology called Pancasila. In this context, Pancasila hadbeen prepared as an ideology of unity by the nation’s founders. Pancasila has functionsas a common reference in solving differences and political conflicts between groups andthe existing political forces. Pancasila ideology plays a role in nation integration as aunifier, which can be understood through the efforts of various ideological socializationfields. This hope will be able to comprehend the meaning contained in the nationideology, the five aspects of Pancasila. Furthermore, this understanding will be able tobe implemented and be realized in various fields of real life. This is followed up by givingan opportunity to develop new thoughts that are relevant and meets the reality time bytime to make the ideology of Pancasila actual.Keywords: ideology, nation integration
IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN SISTEM PEMUNGUTAN PAJAK SELF ASSESSMENT
Authors: Sakinah Anzala
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACTOne of the problems that occurred in the Probolinggo City, East Java province is thegaps in the implementation of the tax collection system self assessment at the restauranttax. Where, there is no public support for the policy of self assessment tax collectionsystem at the restaurant tax in Probolinggo City.Self assessment tax collection system at the restaurant tax is a tax collection system inwhich the public taxpayer restaurant was entrusted to carry out the national mutualcooperation through compute, calculate, and report on their own pay taxes owed.This study aimed to analyze the policy of the tax system of selfassessment on taxesrestaurants in Probolinggo City East Java province, in force since the enactment ofConstitution No. 6 of 1983 on General Provisions and Tax Procedures, as amendedby Constitution No. 9 of 1994 and Constitution No. 16 of 2000, and changed again toConstitution Number 28 of 2007. This study is the use of qualitative research methods.Determination of informants done purporsive sampling method is sampling techniquebased on a certain criteria. The number of informants interviewed was 18.The results of the analysis in this study showed that the implementation of the policy of taxcollection system of self-assessment at the restaurant tax still has not managed entirelyto be applied in Probolinggo City due to several factors into obstacles such as lack ofawareness of the taxpayer (tax consciousness), honesty taxpayer, willingness or desire topay taxes (willingness to pay), discipline taxpayer (tax discipline) in implementing the taxlaws, the laws are weak and some other obstacles.Based on the analysis, researchers gave suggestions to the Government of ProbolinggoCity to further enhance socialization activities, consider the e-tax system, andalso to policy-makers to pay more attention to return the contents of the policy andimplementation context .Keywords: policy implementation, self assessment, tax restaurants
PERANAN KOMISI PEMILIHAN UMUM PROVINSI BENGKULU DALAM PENYELENGGARAAN PEMILIHAN KEPALA DAERAH SERENTAK DI PROVINSI BENGKULU TAHUN 2015
Authors: Wibawa Muhammad Laksmana Surya Adi
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACTThe general election is held directly to execute the mandate of the Constitution which stipulates that sovereignty belongs to the people. Therefore, a country that calls itself as a democratic state, the elections should be held at a certain time. Election Commission is an institution established by legislation to hold elections which is national, permanent and independent. Indonesia is a unitary state is a republic whose government delivery system is framed within a policy of decentralization and regional autonomy. One of the most important steps in ensuring good governance at central and local is the process of forming a good government anyway, so also in the Bengkulu Province. Therefore, researchers are interested in taking the title essay “The Role of the Bengkulu Provincial Election Commission in Simultaneously Local Elections in 2015 in Bengkulu Province”. This research aims to determine the role of Bengkulu Provincial Election Commission in conducting simultaneously local elections in 2015 in the Bengkulu Province, the obstacles encountered and efforts made to overcome these obstacles. In analyzing the problems and the facts, the researchers used the theory of the role according to Soekanto. Furthermore, this research will yield some suggestions for the various parties to the improvement of the election system with simultaneous concepts, especially in the Bengkulu Province for the next elections. Through a kind of qualitative research with descriptive and inductive approach, researchers find and process the data and facts onthe ground and then explained in detail and deep understanding of the role of Bengkulu Provincial Election Commission in conducting simultaneously local elections in 2015 in Bengkulu Province. Researchers conducted ethnographic data collection techniques, participant observation, and in-depth interviews. Conducted semi structured interviews with several informants were selected according to the criteria of an ideal informant. Data, facts, and information obtained from the interviews will be through reduction techniques, featuring in a table or chart display, and conclusion drawing. Based on the results of research conducted, proving that Bengkulu Provincial Election Commission perform the role well in the simultaneously local elections in 2015 in Bengkulu Province. The role has not been well executed in terms of facilitating the campaign and increase the number of voter, unfortunately the number of abstention is increase. There are four obstacles faced by the Bengkulu Provincial Election Commission, but followed up with a four attempts have been made in overcoming these obstacles.

Keywords: role, bengkulu provincial election commission, simultaneously local elections
KONSEP DAN IMPLEMENTASI IDEOLOGI PANCASILA DALAM PERUMUSAN KEBIJAKAN PEMERINTAHAN
Authors: Azikin Andi
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACTThe Pancasila that has been agreed upon by the Indonesian people as a state ideology in regulating the life of the nation and state always experiences challenges and tests on the socio-political situation and the conditions of the times which are constantly changing. As an open ideology, Pancasila implies that the basic values of Pancasila are expected to be developed and form the basis of formulating government policies in accordance with the dynamics of life in society and nation to achieve the goals of the country. In the practice of state and government since the old order, the new order and the reform order, the existing philosophical values of Pancasila are considered not enough to have an assessment index to be implemented in the operationalization of rules in formulating government policies, where the interpretation of Pancasila values is always different -different in formulating government policies for each government regime. Even Pancasila is always only used as a “jargon” by every regime in power in maintaining its power against parties that are critical or not in line with the politics of the ruling regime. As a result, Pancasila always loses its essence, because every government regime always builds its own discourse about the essence of the meaning of Pancasila, which is adjusted to its political interests. Even in the course of reform in Indonesia since 1998, Indonesia has become a “Pancasila” state under the guise of Liberal Capitalism. The application of neoliberal government policy has never been questioned, whether it is appropriate or not with the values of Pancasila. Even though later, the problem of new style authoritarianism and new style corruption in the liberal era arose, again the value and meaning of Pancasila was again interpreted to adapt the current liberal capitalism system.. The method with the coalition process between the executive and political party parties in the legislature coupled with “political” support of capitalist holders of capital gave birth to a coalition to secure the interests of each party, as a result of the legislative and executive (President) directly elected by the people as representatives of government power holders, become ineffective, in guaranteeing the welfare of the people because of the hostility of government power with the interests of capitalists who have supported it. Then where is the concept and implementation of social justice for all Indonesian people ....?

Keywords: Pancasila ideology, government policy
KEPEMIMPINAN SITUASIONAL DALAM KEBIJAKAN PUBLIK
Authors: Toana Ahmad Averus
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACTSituational leadership is very important because the world changes so fast that regions are encouraged to develop even faster so that they are able to adapt to the changes. Situational leadership is one of the leadership models that has a close relationship between the leader and the subordinate. This is not easy considering the behavior and abilities of those who are led sometimes becomes a problem. The objective of this research is to analyze and to describe situational leadership and how important it is for public policy actors. This study uses a qualitative method. The results shows that situational leadership in the regions is very important because the gaps between those who are led and the leaders are not so far and has a mutually reinforcing relationship. Situationalleadership cannot be realized without the presence of leaders and subordinates who both have good relationship and task behavior. In the future, the presence of qualified people with strong personalities and intellectual abilities will become the priority of government administrators because they will be the policy actors as well as the proponents of situational leadership.Keywords: situational leadership
Kewenangan Pemerintah Daerah Dalam Pengawasan Alat Kesehatan
Authors: WIFAQAH SANDY
Published: June 2020

Kewenangan Pemerintah Daerah Dalam Pengawasan Alat Kesehatan. Fenomena yang dijadikan obyek penelitian ini adalah kewenangan pemerintah daerah provinsi dan kabupaten/kota terhadap pengawasan alat kesehatan. Tujuan penelitian adalah membahas pelaksanaan kewenangan pemerintah daerah provinsi dan kabupaten/kota terhadap pengawasan alat kesehatan. Penelitian ini memggunakan pendekatan penelitian hukum normatif. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan studi kepustakaan. Hasil penelitian adalah sebagai berikut bahwa urusan pemerintahan konkuren yang menjadi kewenangan pemerintah pusat dalam hal pengawasan alat kesehatan diselenggarakan sendiri oleh pemerintah pusat, dengan cara melimpahkan kepada gubernur sebagai wakil pemerintah pusat atau kepada instansi vertikal yang ada di daerah berdasarkan asas dekonsentrasi; atau dengan cara menugasi daerah berdasarkan asas tugas pembantuan. Dengan demikian untuk memperkuat Otonomi Daerah serta tidak terjadi tumpang tindih pengaturan maka perlu adanya mekanisme pembinaan, pengawasan, pemberdayaan, serta sanksi yang jelas dan tegas. Adanya pembinaan dan pengawasan serta sanksi yang tegas dan jelas tersebut memerlukan adanya kejelasan tugas pembinaan, pengawasan dari Kementerian yang melakukan pembinaan dan pengawasan umum serta kementerian/lembaga pemerintah nonkementerian yang melaksanakan pembinaan teknis. Untuk itu perlu upaya sinergi antara Pemerintah Pusat dan Daerah, kementerian/lembaga pemerintah nonkementerian dalam membuat norma, standar, prosedur, dan kriteria (NSPK) untuk dijadikan pedoman bagi daerah dalam menyelenggarakan Urusan Pemerintahan yang diserahkan ke daerah dan menjadi pedoman bagi kementerian/lembaga pemerintah nonkementerian untuk melakukan pembinaan dan pengawasan.

Kata Kunci: Pemerintah daerah, Pengawasan Alat Kesehatan, dan Otonomi Daerah.
MAGUNATIP AND WAYANG KULIT: THE INFLUENCE OF MALAYSIAN TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ARTS IN RAZAK ABDUL AZIZ’S 10 PANTUN SETTINGS
Authors: Zamani Mohd Fairuz
Published: June 2020

Razak Abdul Aziz has been writing music since in the 1980’s. His work 10 Pantun Settings is among the most frequently performed work since its complete premiere in May 2018. As this is one of the composer’s early works, Razak drew his inspirations from the environment he grew up in as his younger self, having some of the songs in this cycle influenced by Malaysian traditional music he had chanced to encounter. From my investigation, of many of these music, he had special fondness towards magunatip dance and wayang kulit, which he had transformed their idioms into musical notation with his compositional style and used as the music materials in two of the songs in his song-cycle 10 Pantun Settings. Music excerpts from these songs are used to demonstrate the transformation process mentioned. Investigation on works inspired and influenced by Malaysian traditional music should be expanded to other local composers, in line with the growing interest in researching local works among academics, gaining its rightful place in the world of academia.
Analisis Penerapan Sistem Informasi Akuntansi Dan Kualitas Laporan Keuangan UMKM Dalam Mengembangkan Bisnis Di Kota Batam
Authors: Effendi Syahril , Harahap Baru
Published: June 2020

This research is motivated by the number of companies in Batam that closed and left Batam which caused many unemployment, so the role of MSMEs in Batam is now very much needed. The focus of this study is to determine the application of accounting information systems and the quality of MSME financial reports on business development in Batam City. This research was conducted at Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Batam City, Riau Islands Province. The subjects of this study are business people or MSME businesses that utilize revolving funds from the City Government (Pemko) of Batam, which are recorded at the Batam City Cooperative and MSME Office. The population in this study are business or MSME businesses that utilize revolving funds from the City Government (Pemko) of Batam as many as 2,105 businesses and by using the Slovin formula so that the sample becomes 96 MSMEs. All samples come from SMEs who run businesses in Batam City. Research shows that the application of accounting information systems has a significant effect on business development in Batam City, the quality of MSME financial reports has a significant effect on business development in Batam City, the application of accounting information systems and the quality of MSME financial reports simultaneously has a significant effect on business development in Batam City
ANALISIS PENGARUH PENERAPAN MANAJEMEN STRATEGIK DAN PENYUSUNAN ANGGARAN PEMILUKADA TERHADAP KINERJA LEMBAGA PENYELENGGARA PEMILU
Authors: Yando Agus Defri , Lubis Syarif Hidayah
Published: June 2020

KPU in the city of Batam is a state institution that organizes public services in the ownership sector. In planning its duties and functions, KPU Batam has compiled a strategic plan, annual work plan and performance agreement. The implementation of strategic management and budget preparation is considered to affect the performance of the institutions both financial performance and program performance. This research is a quantitative descriptive study with a correlational approach. The variables tested in this study were the application of Stratejic management and budget drafting as independent variables and performance achievements as dependent variables. This research uses secondary data consisting of institutional documents in the form of strategic plan comments, annual work plans, performance reports and budget realization. This research shows that the variable (X1) is the application of strategic management that is engaged towards the performance of the board. Variable (X2) Implementation of budget drafting that affects the institution's performance.
PENGARUH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DAN PERENCANAAN PAJAK TERHADAP NILAI PERUSAHAAN
Authors: Sumantri Indra Iman , Andini Intan Ayu
Published: June 2020

This study aims to determine and provide empirical evidence about the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Planning on Company Value in agricultural sector manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the period 2014-2017. The number of samples used in this study are agricultural sector manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) and published a complete financial report in 2014-2017 with 18 sample companies obtained using the purposive sampling method. The independent variable of this study is Corporate Social Responsibility measured by calculating the index according to GRI4, Tax Planning which is measured by calculating the effective tax rate, and company value measured by calculating the book price.

                    The results of the study were based on a hypothesis test with a significant level of 5%, the results of this study concluded: Corporate Social Responsibility does not affect the value of the company. Tax planning affects the value of the company. Immediately (together) the variable Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Planning have a significant effect on Company Value.
The RONO (Rank-Order-Normalization) Procedure for Power-Spectrum Analysis of Datasets with Non-Normal Distributions
Authors: Sturrock Peter , Scholkmann Felix
Published: June 2020

Standard (Lomb-Scargle, likelihood, etc.) procedures for power-spectrum analysis provide convenient estimates of the significance of any peak in a power spectrum, based—typically—on the assumption that the measurements being analyzed have a normal (i.e., Gaussian) distribution. However, the measurement sequence provided by a real experiment or a real observational program may not meet this requirement. The RONO (rank-order normalization) procedure generates a proxy distribution that retains the rank-order of the original measurements but has a strictly normal distribution. The proxy distribution may then be analyzed by standard power-spectrum analysis. We show by an example that the resulting power spectrum may prove to be quite close to the power spectrum obtained from the original data by a standard procedure, even if the distribution of the original measurements is far from normal. Such a comparison would tend to validate the original analysis.
Assessing Wheat Response to N Fertilization in a Wheat–Maize–Soybean Long-Term Rotation through NUE Measurements
Authors: Vidican Roxana , Mălinaș Anamaria , Rotar Ioan , Kadar Rozalia , Deac Valeria , Mălinaș Cristian
Published: June 2020

Nitrogen fertilization is indispensable in increasing wheat crop productivity but, in order to achieve maximum profitable production and minimum negative environmental impact, improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) should be considered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in a long-term wheat–maize–soybean rotation system with the final purpose of increasing the overall performance of the wheat cropping system. Research was undertaken at the Agricultural Research Development Station Turda (ARDS Turda), located in Western Transylvania Plain, Romania. The experimental field was carried out at a fixed place during seven wheat vegetation seasons. The plant material consisted of a wheat variety created by the ARDS Turda (Andrada), one variety of maize (Turda 332) and one variety of soybean (Felix). The experiment covered two planting patterns: wheat after maize and wheat after soybean and five levels of nitrogen fertilization (control-unfertilized, fertilization with 0—control plot, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg N ha−1 y−1). The following indices were assessed: NUE (nitrogen use efficiency), N uptake and PFP (partial factor productivity). The results of the present study suggest that reduced N-fertilization doses could improve N uptake and utilization for both planting patterns.
A Leaky Noisy-OR Bayesian Network Applied to Genetic Counseling in Dogs
Authors: Detilleux Johann. C.
Published: June 2020

Genetic disorders are very frequent in dogs but evaluating individualized risks of their occurrence can be uncertain. Bayesian networks are tools to characterize and analyze such events. The paper illustrates their benefits and challenges in answering two typical questions in genetic counselling: (1) What is the probability of a test-positive animal showing clinical signs of the disease? (2) What is the risk of testing positive for the mutant allele when one parent presents clinical signs? Current limited knowledge on the hereditary mode of transmission of degenerative myelopathy and on the effects of sex, diet, exercise regimen and age on the occurrence of clinical signs concurrent with the finding of the deleterious mutation was retrieved from the scientific literature. Uncertainty on this information was converted into prior Beta distributions and leaky-noisy OR models were used to construct the conditional probability tables necessary to answer the questions. Results showed the network is appropriate to answer objectively and transparently both questions under a variety of scenarios. Once users of the network have agreed with its structure and the values of the priors, computations are straightforward. The network can be updated automatically and can be represented visually so interactive discussion are easy between the veterinarian and his/her interlocutor.
The Need for a National Accreditation Programme for Professionals Working in the Field of Animal Training and Behavioural Modification in New Zealand
Authors: Skyner Lindsay J. , Cameron Kristie E. , Dale Arnja , Walker Jessica K.
Published: June 2020

Companion animals are at risk of psychological (and physical) harm if outdated, incorrect or aversive methods of training or equipment are used during training and behavioural modification. Companion animal guardians often engage professional animal behaviour and training services, yet this industry is not regulated in New Zealand. A voluntary national accreditation and registration programme could act to protect the welfare of animals by robustly evaluating the experience, qualifications and training methods of industry professionals. To investigate industry readiness for a national accreditation programme, we conducted an online survey and analysed the responses of 262 animal trainers, behavioural consultants, dog safety educators, veterinarians and veterinary nurses. A national accreditation programme, promoting the use of reward-based training and behavioural modification techniques, was generally supported, especially by individuals holding qualifications and membership of professional organisations. The implementation of such a programme would ensure that those seeking these services are able to source professionals that use best practice when it comes to training and behavioural modification, with lasting benefits to animal welfare.
Experimental Study of Thermal and Humidity Conditions in a Historic Wooden Building in Southern Poland
Authors: Nawalany Grzegorz , Sokołowski Paweł , Michalik Małgorzata
Published: June 2020

This article presents experimental research on hygrothermal conditions in a historic wooden church in southern Poland. The scope of the research included the continuous monitoring of temperature and relative humidity in several measuring plots in different areas inside and outside of the church. We also continuously monitored the number of people attending services. This study presents a detailed analysis of the development of heat and humidity conditions within the church. A model of the object was developed, and a computational analysis of the risk of condensation of water vapor on the inner surface of the partitions was carried out. An analysis of the results showed a large variation in the temperature and humidity conditions in the church. The internal temperature ranged from −9.7 to 25.9 °C, and the relative humidity of the indoor air ranged from 45.6% to 91.6%. The test results showed that the temperature and humidity of the indoor air periodically exceeded the accepted values of thermal comfort for historic buildings. The analysis of the obtained research results showed that the humidity and humidity conditions in the church mainly depend on the climatic zone and the number of people participating in the services. Moreover, an analysis of the results showed no risk of condensation on the wooden partitions of the church, but it should be noted that the temperature of the partitions was subject to rapid fluctuations (from −8.0 to 24.6 °C), which may have a negative impact on these historic wooden objects.
Targeting the Redox Landscape in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Narayanan Dilip , Ma Sana , Özcelik Dennis
Published: June 2020

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced predominantly by the mitochondrial electron transport chain and by NADPH oxidases in peroxisomes and in the endoplasmic reticulum. The antioxidative defense counters overproduction of ROS with detoxifying enzymes and molecular scavengers, for instance, superoxide dismutase and glutathione, in order to restore redox homeostasis. Mutations in the redox landscape can induce carcinogenesis, whereas increased ROS production can perpetuate cancer development. Moreover, cancer cells can increase production of antioxidants, leading to resistance against chemo- or radiotherapy. Research has been developing pharmaceuticals to target the redox landscape in cancer. For instance, inhibition of key players in the redox landscape aims to modulate ROS production in order to prevent tumor development or to sensitize cancer cells in radiotherapy. Besides the redox landscape of a single cell, alternative strategies take aim at the multi-cellular level. Extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, are crucial for the development of the hypoxic tumor microenvironment, and hence are explored as target and as drug delivery systems in cancer therapy. This review summarizes the current pharmaceutical and experimental interventions of the cancer redox landscape.
Publisher’s Note: Welcome to Dermatopathology—A New Society Journal at MDPI Publishers
Authors: Roth Peter
Published: June 2020

The European Society of Dermatopathology (ESDP) decided to publish their official journal with MDPI Publishers, Basel, Switzerland [...]
Convergence Behavior of DNNs with Mutual-Information-Based Regularization
Authors: Jónsson Hlynur , Cherubini Giovanni , Eleftheriou Evangelos
Published: June 2020

Information theory concepts are leveraged with the goal of better understanding and improving Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). The information plane of neural networks describes the behavior during training of the mutual information at various depths between input/output and hidden-layer variables. Previous analysis revealed that most of the training epochs are spent on compressing the input, in some networks where finiteness of the mutual information can be established. However, the estimation of mutual information is nontrivial for high-dimensional continuous random variables. Therefore, the computation of the mutual information for DNNs and its visualization on the information plane mostly focused on low-complexity fully connected networks. In fact, even the existence of the compression phase in complex DNNs has been questioned and viewed as an open problem. In this paper, we present the convergence of mutual information on the information plane for a high-dimensional VGG-16 Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) by resorting to Mutual Information Neural Estimation (MINE), thus confirming and extending the results obtained with low-dimensional fully connected networks. Furthermore, we demonstrate the benefits of regularizing a network, especially for a large number of training epochs, by adopting mutual information estimates as additional terms in the loss function characteristic of the network. Experimental results show that the regularization stabilizes the test accuracy and significantly reduces its variance.
Multivariate Tail Coefficients: Properties and Estimation
Authors: Gijbels Irène , Kika Vojtěch , Omelka Marek
Published: June 2020

Multivariate tail coefficients are an important tool when investigating dependencies between extreme events for different components of a random vector. Although bivariate tail coefficients are well-studied, this is, to a lesser extent, the case for multivariate tail coefficients. This paper contributes to this research area by (i) providing a thorough study of properties of existing multivariate tail coefficients in the light of a set of desirable properties; (ii) proposing some new multivariate tail measurements; (iii) dealing with estimation of the discussed coefficients and establishing asymptotic consistency; and, (iv) studying the behavior of tail measurements with increasing dimension of the random vector. A set of illustrative examples is given, and practical use of the tail measurements is demonstrated in a data analysis with a focus on dependencies between stocks that are part of the EURO STOXX 50 market index.
Establishment and Characterization of an Empirical Biomarker SS/PV-ROC Plot Using Results of the UBC® Rapid Test in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Oehr Peter , Ecke Thorsten
Published: June 2020

Background: This investigation included both a study of potential non-invasive diagnostic approaches for the bladder cancer biomarker UBC® Rapid Test and a study including comparative methods about sensitivity–specificity characteristic (SS-ROC) and predictive receiver operating characteristic (PV-ROC) curves that used bladder cancer as a useful example. Methods: The study included 289 urine samples from patients with tumors of the urinary bladder, patients with non-evidence of disease (NED) and healthy controls. The UBC® Rapid Test is a qualitative point of care assay. Using a photometric reader, quantitative data can also be obtained. Data for pairs of sensitivity/specificity as well as positive/negative predictive values were created by variation of threshold values for the whole patient cohort, as well as for the tumor-free control group. Based on these data, sensitivity–specificity and predictive value threshold distribution curves were constructed and transformed into SS-ROC and PV-ROC curves, which were included in a single SS/PV-ROC plot. Results: The curves revealed TPP-asymmetric improper curves which cross the diagonal from above. Evaluation of the PV-ROC curve showed that two or more distinct positive predictive values (PPV) can correspond to the same value of a negative predictive value (NPV) and vice versa, indicating a complexity in PV-ROC curves which did not exist in SS-ROC curves. In contrast to the SS-ROC curve, the PV-ROC curve had neither an area under the curve (AUC) nor a range from 0% to 100%. Sensitivity of the qualitative assay was 58.5% and specificity 88.2%, PPV was 75.6% and NPV 77.3%, at a threshold value of approximately 12.5 µg/L. Conclusions: The SS/PV-ROC plot is a new diagnostic approach which can be used for direct judgement of gain and loss of predictive values, sensitivity and specificity according to varied threshold value changes, enabling characterization, comparison and evaluation of qualitative and quantitative bioassays.
Application of IRT Models to Selection of Bidding Paths in Financial Transmission Rights Auction: U.S. New England
Authors: Jang Peter , Jung Kwanghee , Beruvides Mario
Published: June 2020

This paper explores a way to apply Item Response Theory (IRT), one of the popular statistical methodologies in measurement and psychometrics, to evaluate Financial Transmission Rights (FTR) paths in the U.S. electricity market. FTR is an energy derivative product to hedge congestion cost risks inherent in constrained transmission lines. In New England, with about 1200 pricing locations, the theoretical combinations of FTR paths amount to 1.4 million in prevailing flows alone. With capital constraints, it is imperative that FTR market participants build the capability to evaluate FTR paths to bid on. IRT provides a framework of how well tests work, and how individual items work on tests, estimating respondents’ latent abilities, and individual item parameters. IRT is utilized to analyze historical electricity data of 2019 for a daily congestion cost of eight customer load zones and one hub in the U.S., New England, for the evaluation of FTR paths. In the analysis, an item represents an FTR path, while item difficulty, item discrimination, and a latent trait variable for the path correspond to the path profitability, risk level, and daily congestion ability, respectively. This paper explores the experimental procedures by which IRT, a psychometric tool, may also be applicable in complex energy markets, providing a consistent and standardized analytical framework to address the issues of selection and prioritization among multiple opportunities. FTR path evaluation is conducted in three steps to determine bid priority paths in FTR auctions: parameter significance tests, ranking on path profitability and risk level, and weighting scores of individual rankings on the two criteria.
Solving the Stochastic Generation and Transmission Capacity Planning Problem Applied to Large-Scale Power Systems Using Generalized Shift-Factors
Authors: Hinojosa Victor H. , Sepúlveda Joaquín
Published: June 2020

In this study, we successfully develop the transmission planning problem of large-scale power systems based on generalized shift-factors. These distribution factors produce a reduced solution space which does not need the voltage bus angles to model new transmission investments. The introduced formulation copes with the stochastic generation and transmission capacity expansion planning problem modeling the operational problem using a 24-hourly load behaviour. Results show that this formulation achieves an important reduction of decision variables and constraints in comparison with the classical disjunctive transmission planning methodology known as the Big M formulation without sacrificing optimality. We test both the introduced and the Big M formulations to find out convergence and time performance using a commercial solver. Finally, several test power systems and extensive computational experiments are conducted to assess the capacity planning methodology. Solving deterministic and stochastic problems, we demonstrate a prominent reduction in the solver simulation time especially with large-scale power systems.
Voltage and Reactive Power Optimization Using a Simplified Linear Equations at Distribution Networks with DG
Authors: Go Seok-Il , Yun Sang-Yun , Ahn Seon-Ju , Choi Joon-Ho
Published: June 2020

In this paper, the VVO (Volt/Var optimization) is proposed using simplified linear equations. For fast computation, the characteristics of voltage control devices in a distribution system are expressed as a simplified linear equation. The voltage control devices are classified according to the characteristics of voltage control and represented as the simplified linear equation. The estimated voltage of distribution networks is represented by the sum of the simplified linear equations for the voltage control devices using the superposition principle. The voltage variation by the reactive power of distributed generations (DGs) can be expressed as the matrix of reactance. The voltage variation of tap changing devices can be linearized into the control area factor. The voltage variation by capacitor banks can also be expressed as the matrix of reactance. The voltage equations expressed as simplified linear equations are formulated by quadratic programming (QP). The variables of voltage control devices are defined, and the objective function is formulated as the QP form. The constraints are set using operating voltage range of distribution networks and the control ranges of each voltage control device. In order to derive the optimal solution, mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP), which is a type of mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP), is used. The optimal results and proposed method results are compared by using MATLAB simulation and are confirmed to be close to the optimal solution.
Investigation of the Internal Displacement Chamber Pressure of a Rotary Vane Pump
Authors: Hieronymus Timm , Lobsinger Thomas , Brenner Gunther
Published: June 2020

Low noise emissions of vehicle components are today a quality feature in the automotive sector. In automatic transmissions in particular, the hydraulic pump often contributes significantly to noise, which motivates research to clarify the noise sources and transmission pathways in these components. The subject of the present investigation is the generation of noise by the inherently instationary flow in hydraulic pumps. In order to shed some light on these phenomena, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation model for flow investigations on rotary vane pumps was set up. In this work, first the influence of different simulation parameters on the numerical results is analyzed. Then the pressure in the internal displacement chambers of the pump is examined, as it can be assumed that this is the essential parameter for noise generation. Different operating conditions such as rotational speeds and delivery pressures are investigated. Furthermore, the simulation results are compared to pressure measurements for validation and are used to find optimization potentials.
Online Simulation Model to Estimate the Total Costs of Tobacco Product Waste in Large U.S. Cities
Authors: Schneider John E. , Scheibling Cara M. , Peterson N. Andrew , Stigler Granados Paula , Fulton Lawrence , Novotny Thomas E.
Published: June 2020

Tobacco product waste (TPW) is one of the most ubiquitous forms of litter, accumulating in large amounts on streets, highways, sidewalks, beaches, parks, and other public places, and flowing into storm water drains, waste treatment plants, and solid waste collection facilities. In this paper, we evaluate the direct and indirect costs associated with TPW in the 30 largest U.S. cities. We first developed a conceptual framework for the analysis of direct and indirect costs of TPW abatement. Next, we applied a simulation model to estimate the total costs of TPW in major U.S. cities. This model includes data on city population, smoking prevalence rates, and per capita litter mitigation costs. Total annual TPW-attributable mean costs for large US cities range from US$4.7 million to US$90 million per year. Costs are generally proportional to population size, but there are exceptions in cities that have lower smoking prevalence rates. The annual mean per capita TPW cost for the 30 cities was US$6.46, and the total TPW cost for all 30 cities combined was US$264.5 million per year. These estimates for the TPW-attributable cost are an important data point in understanding the negative economic externalities created by cigarette smoking and resultant TPW cleanup costs. This model provides a useful tool for states, cities, and other jurisdictions with which to evaluate a new economic cost outcome of smoking and to develop new laws and regulations to reduce this burden.