bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Pesticide Drift from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Application to a Vineyard
Authors: Brown Colin R. , Giles Durham K.
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now being used to perform commercial pesticide applications in California, but little information is available regarding the amount of pesticide drift resulting from these applications. The physical dimensions and operating speed of UAVs differ substantially from those of manned aircraft and fall outside the validated range of spray dispersion models. This study measured spray drift from a 0.84 ha aerial pesticide application of imidacloprid performed with a Yamaha R-Max II UAV over a Napa Valley vineyard. Downwind deposition samples, in-swath deposition samples, and downwind air samples were collected up to 48 m downwind of the application field. In-swath deposition samples measured approximately 57% of the target rate, while downwind drift deposition decreased from approximately 0.4% at 7.5 m downwind to 0.03% at 48 m downwind. All air samples were below the method detection limit. A drift deposition curve fitted to measured ground deposition using a log-log second-degree polynomial function yielded an R2 value of 0.985. An estimated 0.28% to 0.54% of applied material was lost as drift out to 50 m downwind of the field edge based on ground deposition measurements, 82% of which deposited within the first 7.5 m downwind. Uncertainty in mass accountancy and deposition measurements is discussed, with sources of error including obstructions in the downwind measurement area, low collection efficiency of the sampling media, a high coefficient of variation of spray deposition in the treatment field, and possible photodegradation of the tracer material. Keywords: Aerial application, AGDISP, Pesticide deposition, Pesticide drift, Remotely piloted aircraft, UAV, Unmanned aerial vehicle, Vineyard.
Effect of Drainage Water Reuse on Supplementary Irrigation and Drainage Reduction
Authors: Jiao Pingjin , Yu Yingduo , Xu Di
Published: October 2018

Drainage water reuse has the potential to supplement irrigation, reduce drainage, and alleviate the area source pollution caused by agricultural drainage. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of influencing factors of drainage water reuse on supplementary irrigation and drainage reduction rates. To evaluate the effects, a water balance model was constructed to describe the irrigation water requirement and drainage water storage of a pond. The irrigation water requirement was calculated using the Penman-Monteith equation and the crop coefficient method while considering field leakage and effective rainfall; the drainage water volume was calculated using the improved Soil Conservation Service (SCS) model. The model was applied to the rice planting area in the Zhanghe Reservoir Irrigation District. Simulation results show that the supplementary irrigation and drainage reduction rates are primarily affected by the ratio of irrigation to drainage areas (RID), the pond volume ratio (PV), and the initial storage ratio (PSi); interactions among the three parameters are also observed. The RID, PV, and PSi contribute approximately 4:3:1 to the average variations in the supplementary irrigation rate. The supplementary irrigation rate increases with the values of PV and PSi but decreases with the increases of RID. For the drainage reduction rate variation, the average contribution percentages of PV and RID are 70% and 10%, respectively. Increasing PV and RID or reducing PSi enhances the drainage reduction rate. Adjusting the combination of parameters PV and RID can simultaneously maximize the supplementary irrigation and drainage reduction rates. Keywords: Drainage reduction, Drainage water reuse, Pond, Supplementary irrigation, Water balance model.
Evaluation of the Accuracy of Machine Reported CAN Data for Engine Torque and Speed
Authors: Rohrer Rodney A. , Luck Joe D. , Pitla Santosh K. , Hoy Roger
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Most modern off-road machinery use embedded electronic controllers connected to a controller area network (CAN) to broadcast machine information for on-board processes and diagnostics. Commercially available tools can record CAN data for a variety of research and commercial uses. For agricultural tractors, there is an opportunity to create advanced test procedures that are more representative of field operations and that could supplement existing machine performance tests, such as the OECD Code 2 Standard Code for the Official Testing of Agricultural and Forestry Tractor Performance. CAN parameters provide an efficient way to collect tractor performance data during field operations. However, the accuracy of CAN messages is not known, and little information was found in the literature regarding the accuracy of CAN messages or validation of reported signals. The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy of net engine torque as calculated from several relevant CAN channels by comparing it to torque measured with a calibrated laboratory dynamometer. Results of this study indicate statistically significant differences between calculated and measured net engine torque, although there was a strong correlation. Recommendations for future work include replicating this study on more and different engines that report actual engine percent torque - fractional (SPN 4154) and estimated engine parasitic losses - percent torque (SPN 2978). This would provide higher-resolution torque estimates that may help explain the torque differences observed in this study. Keywords: Accuracy, Agricultural machinery, Calibration, Controller area network, CAN bus, Data acquisition, Diesel engine, Dynamometer, Equipment performance, J1939, Machinery, Off-road vehicles, Power take-off, PTO, Tractors, Torque.
Modeling Evapotranspiration and Crop Growth of Irrigated and Non-Irrigated Corn in the Texas High Plains Using RZWQM
Authors: Zhang Huihui , Malone Robert Wayne , Ma Liwang , Ahuja Lajpat R. , Anapalli Saseendran S. , Marek Gary W. , Gowda Prasanna H. , Evett Steve R. , Howell Terry A.
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Accurate quantification and management of crop evapotranspiration (ET) are critical to optimizing crop water productivity for both dryland and irrigated agriculture, especially in the semiarid regions of the world. In this study, four weighing lysimeters in Bushland, Texas, were planted to maize in 1994 with two fully irrigated and two non-irrigated for measuring crop ET. The Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) was used to evaluate soil water balance and crop production with potential evapotranspiration (PET) estimated from either the Shuttleworth-Wallace method (PTSW) or the ASCE standardized alfalfa reference ET multiplied by crop coefficients (PTASCE). As a result, two water stress factors were defined from actual transpiration (AT) and were tested in the model against the lysimeter data, i.e., AT/PTSW and AT/PTASCE. For both water stress factors, the simulated daily ET values were reasonably close to the measured values, with underestimated ET during mid-growing stage in both non-irrigated lysimeters. Root mean squared deviations (RMSDs) and relative RMSDs (RMSD/observed mean) values for leaf area index, biomass, soil water content, and daily ET were within simulation errors reported earlier in the literature. For example, the RMSDs of simulated daily ET were less than 1.52 mm for all irrigated and non-irrigated lysimeters. Overall, ET was simulated within 3% of the measured data for both fully irrigated lysimeters and undersimulated by less than 11% using both stress factors for the non-irrigated lysimeters. Our results suggest that both methods are promising for simulating crop production and ET under irrigated conditions, but the methods need to be improved for dryland and non-irrigated conditions. Keywords: ET, RZWQM modeling, Stress factor, Weighing lysimeter.
Feature Extraction and Analysis of Passive Underwater Acoustic Signals for Different Species and Quantities of Freshwater Fish
Authors: Tu Qunzi , Huang Hanying , Li Lu , Xiong Shanbai
Published: October 2018

Abstract. The underwater signals from one and six breams, crucians, grass carps, and cyprinoids using a hydrophone were preprocessed by Wiener filtering. Three features were extracted: frequency band energy based on wavelet packet decomposition, average mel cepstral coefficient, and main peak frequency and main peak value based on the power spectrum. The effects of fish species and quantity on these features were analyzed. The results show that fish species had significant effects on the frequency band energy based on wavelet packet decomposition, average mel cepstral coefficient, and main peak frequency and main peak value based on the power spectrum. The fish quantity had significant effects on the frequency band energy based on wavelet packet decomposition and main peak value based on the power spectrum, but had no significant effects on the average mel cepstral coefficient and main peak frequency based on the power spectrum. Keywords: Feature extraction, Freshwater fish, Passive underwater acoustic technology, Significance analysis.
Chemical Clogging Behavior in Drip Irrigation Systems Using Reclaimed Water
Authors: Zhou Bo , Wang Di , Wang Tianzhi , Li Yunkai
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Reusing reclaimed water in agricultural irrigation has become an effective way to alleviate water shortages in agriculture. However, the multiple substances in reclaimed water and their coupling effects easily lead to emitter clogging when using drip irrigation technology. The microorganisms present in reclaimed effluents secrete extracellular substances and absorb large amounts of solid particles, ions, nutrients, and organic matter and thus become the main part of the clogging substance. Meanwhile, traditional drip irrigation systems converted from irrigation to both irrigation and fertilization and the water-fertilizer coupling effects result in more chemical precipitation. Determining whether the chemical process has a significant impact on clogging and understanding the mechanism of this process was considered a difficult and important research question. For this reason, an indoor experiment, under a controllable environment, for drip irrigation emitter clogging using both reclaimed water with three Ca2++Mg2+ concentrations and groundwater was carried out. Several precise testing methods, such as x-ray diffraction, were applied to identify the mineral components in the clogging substances, and their characteristics and impacts on clogging were systematically explored. The results indicated that the emitter clogging characteristics were coincident under different treatments when using reclaimed water, and chemical precipitates were found in all treatments. Higher Ca2++Mg2+ concentrations led to more serious emitter clogging. The discharge ratio variation and Christiansen coefficient of uniformity for the reclaimed water treatments were lower than those for the groundwater treatment. Meanwhile, the total weights of the clogging substances were 5.6% to 58.8% higher. There were sufficient mineral components in the clogging substances, and they were identified as quartz, silicate, carbonate, and salt. Their contents all showed significant linear correlations with the degree of emitter clogging (R2 > 0.64, p < 0.05), which indicated that mineral components increased as the system continued operation. Among them, salt and silicate were linearly correlated to quartz contents, as they mainly originated from the water used for drip irrigation. However, carbonate contents increased in an exponential pattern with quartz contents (R2 > 0.67, p < 0.01), which demonstrated that carbonate was the main mineral component formed during the clogging process and the key component that increased clogging. The results obtained in this study provided insights into the chemical clogging process and the targeted chemical precipitates to be dealt with when using reclaimed water for drip irrigation. Keywords: Chemical precipitation, Emitter, Microirrigation clogging, Reclaimed water application.
Mathematical Modeling of a Cross-Flow Rice Dryer with Grain Inverters
Authors: Prakash Bhagwati , Siebenmorgen Terry J.
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Industrial-scale cross-flow dryers are commonly equipped with grain inverters to improve the uniformity of drying across the column thickness. While a few mathematical models have been reported that include the operation of grain inverters, such models were rarely validated with experiments comprising grain inversions. In this study, a mathematical model was developed to evaluate the impact of grain inverters on the uniformity of grain moisture content (MC) across the column in cross-flow dryers. To improve the accuracy of model predictions, the impact of using two thin-layer drying equations, the Newton and modified Page equations, in the model was also investigated. An experimental setup was fabricated to simulate grain inversion, and drying experiments were performed to measure rice MC and air temperature across the column thickness, which were then compared with model-predicted values. When the modified Page equation was used in the model, the model predictions matched the experimental observations more closely than when using the Newton equation. The model successfully predicted grain and air properties when 0, 1, and 2 grain inversions were used; the root mean square error between predicted and measured values of rice MC and air temperature were within 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points and 1°C to 4°C, respectively. Grain inversions were shown to improve the uniformity of drying in rice kernels; in the tested drying conditions, a single grain inversion produced more uniform drying than two or more grain inversions in the column. The presented results demonstrate the usefulness of the developed model in investigating the role of grain inversion in cross-flow drying of rice. As such, the model could be readily used to improve dryer design, particularly the number and arrangement of grain inverters, and optimize rice drying operations. Keywords: Deep-bed drying, Grain inverters, Mathematical modeling, Reversed airflow, Thin-layer drying.
Rare and life-threatening complication after an attempted lower third molar extraction: Lemierre syndrome
Authors: Varvara G , Bernardi S , Piattelli M , Cutilli T
Published: October 2018

Lemierre’s syndrome is also known as the forgotten disease, and is a rare but life-threatening complication that can arise after surgical extractions of infected mandibular third molars. Owing to its rarity, oral and maxillofacial surgeons might not immediately recognise or can underestimate the pathological signs, and consequently do not apply the appropriate therapy to treat the syndrome. Here, we report on the occurrence and management of a case of Lemierre’s syndrome, where the complications affected the right sigmoid sinus. Since the condition appear to be underreported and not properly highlighted, eventual systematic review and meta-analysis of the occurrence of the Lemierre’s syndrome are highly recommended.
Retroperitoneal paraganglioma: a chameleon masquerading as an adrenal pheochromocytoma
Authors: Parmar K , Chandna A , Kumar S
Published: October 2018

Retroperitoneal paragangliomas are rare tumours arising from neural crest cells located near or in the autonomic nervous system; right from the skull bass to the pelvic floor. Often called the great masqueraders, their diagnosis and treatment is often difficult and fraught with danger, considering the close proximity of these tumours to important retroperitoneal organs.

A 29-year-old woman presented to the outpatient department with complaints of paroxysms of headache, sweating and palpitations for one year. She was found to have elevated urinary metadrenalines (metanephrines) and a suprarenal mass on contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen, which demonstrated increased tracer activity on I-131 iodine-123 meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy. Adrenal pheochromocytoma was diagnosed and she underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy after stabilisation of her blood pressure. Laparoscopy revealed a large suprarenal mass with dense adhesions to the inferior vena cava that was carefully separated from the vein and surrounding structures. The cut section revealed a heterogeneous mass encasing a normal adrenal gland and histopathology confirmed the same, confirming the final diagnosis of retroperitoneal paraganglioma.
Editorial: Categorising Migrants: Standards, complexities, and politics
Authors: Meyer Claus K. , Boll Sebastian
Published: October 2018

In spring 2017, New York Times correspondent Patrick Kingsley went to Turkey to cover the lives of Syrian refugees. In Istanbul, Kingsley met Abu Mohammed, a former surgeon’s assistant from Syria, who between 2015 and 2016 had helped to facilitate the passage of refugees from his home country into Greece. After narrowly escaping death in his own failed attempt to reach Europe, Mohammed had earned some USD 800,000 with ‘smuggling’ activities. He himself spoke of a ‘dirty business’, but it had also been more than just a business—the refugees whom he had helped reach Europe included relatives and even his own son.

Kingsley also met 15-year-old Syrian Ismail Alanzi, a refugee working ‘up to 11 hours a day, six days a week’ on a farm in the east of Turkey—much more than the limit set by Turkish law for someone his age. With his father unable to find employment, however, the burden of supporting the family fell upon Ismail. He earned about TRY 800 (USD 225) per month for his toil, which was little more than half of the statutory minimum wage in the country. Ismail also received permission for his family to set up a tent on the land of his employer as they struggled to find proper housing. Turkish law restricts refugees to residing in the province where they are registered, but the family had moved in search of work.
Seeing Migration like a State: The case of irregular Indonesian migrant workers deported from Malaysia
Authors: Juliawan Benny Hari
Published: October 2018

The corridor linking Indonesia with Malaysia is particularly rife with transborder mobility, including large-scale labour migration. While irregularity has long been a major feature of these flows, much of the movement now falls under the migration regimes adopted by Malaysia and Indonesia. Long-established casual migration flows collide with recently codified norms and, as a result, oscillate between regularity and irregularity. This paper explores the following questions: How does the regulatory state view and handle undocumented migrants? How does it interact with established social networks that have facilitated irregular labour migration? Particular attention is given to the distinction between the categories of deportable criminals and victims deserving protection, as ascribed by state actors to certain groups of migrants. Based on interviews with twelve deported Florenese migrant workers, the paper discusses how the Indonesian-Malaysian migration regime seeks to shape mobility. It argues that shifting categorisations reflect political imperatives more than the migrants’ needs that prompt them to migrate in the first place.
Refugees or Victims of Human Trafficking? The case of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong
Authors: Anderson Jade , Li Annie
Published: October 2018

China is party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 2000 UN Trafficking Protocol, but has not extended coverage of either of the treaties to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (Hong Kong). Hong Kong does however offer non-refoulement protection on the basis of risks of torture or persecution. Further, Hong Kong legislation defines human trafficking, albeit only in terms of cross-border sex work. Victim identification also remains inadequate. The limited extant protection systems for refugees and victims of human trafficking operate separately and assume that such people are distinct with respect to their experiences and needs. These practices are often mirrored in the approaches of NGOs working in the city. Based on research undertaken by Justice Centre Hong Kong, this paper argues instead that boundaries between the two categories are blurry. The paper focuses on migrant domestic workers who may have claims to asylum and may be at the same time victims of human trafficking. It explores some of the implications for NGOs trying to secure better protections for such groups in Hong Kong. The paper concludes that siloing the refugee and the human trafficking frameworks creates a protection gap, particularly for people who enter Hong Kong as migrant domestic workers and cannot return home because they face a risk of persecution or torture.
‘Circuit Children’: The experiences and perspectives of children engaged in migrant smuggling facilitation on the US-Mexico border
Authors: Sanchez Gabriella
Published: October 2018

In Mexican child protection circles the term ‘circuit children’ has been used to designate people under the age of 18 who cross the US-Mexico border irregularly and cyclically for the purpose of smuggling drugs or irregular migrants. Young people of the border region have historically been involved in these markets. Yet their activities have become more visible in recent years in the context of increased border militarisation, and immigration and crime controls implemented by both the US and Mexican governments. Depicted in official and media discourses as forced recruits of local organised crime gangs, circuit children have increasingly been at the centre of initiatives that seek to identify and treat them as victims of trafficking. These efforts often rely on portrayals that frame them as gullible and defenceless, and their families and communities as inherently dysfunctional, dangerous and crime-prone. The structural and geopolitical conditions related to the children’s participation in smuggling, however, remain unchallenged. Most troublingly, trafficking discourses tend to silence the perspectives of circuit children themselves. This paper, based on interviews and participant observation, shows how circuit children, rather than seeing themselves as victims, articulate legitimate, important claims concerning their engagement in illicit markets, reflective of the ways they navigate the complex economic, socio-political and migratory contexts of the US-Mexico border.
A Kosztolányi-novella alakváltásai
Authors: Bengi László
Published: October 2018

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Kompozíció és orális nyelvhasználat összefüggései az Esti Kornél kalandjai szövegében
Authors: Gintli Tibor
Published: October 2018

„Kosztolányi egyik legtöbbet elemzett műve az Esti-novellaciklus, s talán ennek értelmezéseiben figyelhetők meg a legnagyobb szélsőségek is. S minthogy nyíltan ars poetika-jellegű alkotásról van szó, az interpretáció szükségképpen a Kosztolányi-műforma, írásmód kérdéseit érinti.” (Szitár, 2000: 193)
Oligodendrocytes Development and Wnt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Soomro Shahid Hussain , Jie Jifu , Fu Hui
Published: October 2018

Oligodendrocytes are specialized glial cell in central nervous system (CNS) responsible for the formation of myelin sheath around the axon. Oligodendrocyte proliferation and differentiation is regulated by Wnt signaling pathway, at various stages. However, different study groups have described controversial conclusions about the effect of Wnt on oligodendrocytes precursor cells (OPCs) development. Initially it has been proposed that Wnt pathway negatively regulates the OPCs proliferation and differentiation but recently some studies have described that Wnt promotes the differentiation of OPCs. After carefully reviewing the literature, we believe that Wnt play multiple roles in OPCs differentiation and its function is time (stage) and dose sensitive. Low to moderate activation of Wnt promotes OPC development, while too much or too low is inhibitory. Current evidences also suggested that in early developmental stages, Wnt inhibits the OPCs formation from neural progenitors and differentiation into immature oligodendrocytes. But in late stages Wnt plays promoting role in differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes. This review summarized the updated information regarding the critical role of Wnt signaling cascade in proliferation and differentiation of OPCs.
Physiology of Distinct Modes of Muscular Contraction
Authors: Habibzadeh Nasim
Published: October 2018

Physiological changes in musculature allow widespread movements in human body. Correspondingly, varying in muscle prototypes characterise direct different training paradigms in therapeutics practice or can governs athletic performances. Mode of muscle contraction type are isometric, concentric or eccentric. Great examples of concentric exercise are walking- up-hill, stair ascent and lifting a dumbbell in bicep curl or pushing a bar up. Examples of eccentric muscle actions are walking - down-hill, satire decent and, isokinetic arm and leg extensions. During isometric muscle contraction the length of muscle does not change while muscle exert force .This type of movement can be seen while a person performs a maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs).Eccentric exercises increasing the concentric and isometric contraction as well. Performing the eccentric muscle contraction in daily life enhance quality of life and lifespan due to increasing muscle strength with low cost of energy consuming and thus it can apply in variety of domains. A simple walking task such as downhill - walking (i.e. 30 min) can provide the aforementioned conditions.
A Comparative Study on Iraqi EFL Teachers’ and Learners’ Preferences of Corrective Feedback in Oral Communication
Authors: HASSAN Ali Weli , YALÇIN ARSLAN Fadime
Published: October 2018

This
study aims to investigate oral corrective feedback in an Iraqi English as a
Foreign Language (EFL) setting by comparing learners’ preferences with those of
their teachers. A parallel questionnaire including 36
items was administrated to 100 EFL learners and 52 EFL teachers. For further
study, interviews were also conducted with 10 teachers and 10 learners.
Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the collected data. The
findings revealed that teachers and learners preferred teacher feedback,
self-correction, immediate feedback, and students’ responsibility for
correction. Moreover, the most preferable type of corrective feedback among
learners was elicitation. The results also confirmed that there exists a
difference between teachers’ and learners’ preferences of corrective feedback
in oral communication skills as well as a difference between learners’
preferences based on gender.
The Curriculum of Preschool and Primary School: Examination of Teacher Candidates’ Views*
Authors: Zembat Rengin , Tunçeli Hilal İlknur , Akşin Yavuz Ezgi , Yorulmaz Alper
Published: October 2018

The
current study conducted to investigate the opinions of pre-service preschool and
primary school teachers about the preschool and primary school programs
employed the embedded multiple-case study design, one of the qualitative
research methods. The data of the study were collected from the fourth-year pre-service
preschool and primary school teachers attending in Marmara University and
voluntarily participating in the study in 2015-2016 academic year. As a data
collection tool, a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers
was used. In the determination and interpretation of the pre-service teachers’
opinions related to each theme, frequencies were used. When the data of the
study were analyzed, it was found that the pre-service teachers from these two
departments think that they are not well informed about the pre-school and
elementary school programs but they are aware that they need to be
knowledgeable about these two levels of schooling succeeding thus feeding each
other. Moreover, when the pre-service teachers from these two departments were
asked their opinions about developmental characteristics, skills and
competencies to be possessed by a child to be able to start elementary
education, they mostly emphasized physical/psycho-motor development, preparedness
level, self-care and language skills.
A Critical Look at the Physics Education Research in Turkey and in the World
Authors: Kaltakçı Gürel Dr. Derya , Didiş Körhasan Dr. Nilüfer
Published: October 2018

Physics education is an
interdisciplinary research area, which was introduced first by physicists and
has been researched for almost forty years. In this study, basic research areas
in physics education, main journals published in this field, national and
international congress and conferences, the pioneer physics education research
groups in the world and their research areas were critically examined. The
present study is a critical research study to find solutions to the questions
of other researchers about the current status and recent trends in this field. In
this respect, this study is conducted to enhance the students, who are
registered undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs of Science and Physics
Education Majors of College of Education, to gain an overall idea about physics
education research. In addition, by presenting theoretical and current trends,
it aims to provide useful sources for physics educators in their research
articles, thesis and projects.
Perceptions of Trainers on a Flipped Train–the-Trainers Course for Simulation
Authors: Sezer Barış , Elcin Melih , Topbaş Eylem
Published: October 2018

The aim of our study was to
use the Flipped Classroom (FC) model in a train–the-trainers course for
simulation, and learn the perceptions of the participating educators. We worked
with a group of 15 educators registered as trainees in the Train-the-Simulation
Educator Course delivered by the Department of Medical Education and
Informatics at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. At the preparation
stage of the course, the educational goals and the content were defined by four
academicians working in the field of medical education, and then the course
materials were prepared, and transferred to an electronic format. The course
materials were shared on a pre-set website three days before the course, and
the participants were informed via e-mail. At the beginning of the face-to-face
stage of the course, the goals of the course were shared, and a discussion was
held for the unclear parts about the course. Feedback Form was designed by the
researchers and used as the data collecting tool in this study. While examining
research results, the majority of participants accessed the course materials
via their smart phones, were able to access the materials without any trouble,
agreed that training enriched with the FC model contributed significantly to
their learning. The participants also emphasized some negative aspects: the
video file sizes, videos were not interactive, receiving the videos at a date
longer than three-day period.
Emission of Greenhouse Gases and Odorants from Pig Slurry - Effect on the Environment and Methods of its Reduction
Authors: Marszałek Marta , Kowalski Zygmunt , Makara Agnieszka
Published: October 2018

Pig slurry is classified as a natural liquid fertilizer, which is a heterogeneous mixture of urine, faeces, remnants of feed and technological water, used to remove excrement and maintain the hygiene of livestock housing. The storage and distribution of pig slurry on farmland affect the environment as they are associated with, among others, the emission of various types of gaseous pollutants, mainly CH4, CO2, N2O, NH3, H2S, and other odorants. Methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are greenhouse gases (GHGs) which contribute to climate change by increasing the greenhouse effect. Ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are malodorous gases responsible for the occurrence of odour nuisance which, due to their toxicity, may endanger the health and lives of humans and animals. NH3 also influences the increase of atmosphere and soil acidification. The article presents the environmental impact of greenhouse gases and odorous compounds emitted from pig slurry. Key gaseous atmospheric pollutants such as NH3, H2S, CH4, CO2 and N2O have been characterized. Furthermore, methods to reduce the emission of odours and GHGs from pig slurry during its storage and agricultural usage have been discussed.
Quantity and Quality of Biogas Produced from the Poultry Sludge Optimized by Filamentous Fungi
Authors: Wrońska Ilona , Cybulska Krystyna
Published: October 2018

One of the methods for recovery and utilization of waste products from the poultry industry is to subject them to the methane fermentation process in the biogas plant. These are waste with a high content of fatty compounds and proteins, including keratin. Their specificity is characterized by rapid possibility of spoilage, rancidity and problems of further management. These wastes are characterized by varying degrees of complexity, thus their use as a raw material for the biogas fermenter should be preceded by a pre-treatment. An example of waste generated in poultry processing is biological sludge. Optimizing this material with highly enzymatic fungi could accelerate the degradation of the organic matter contained and, as a result, increase the energy efficiency of this type of waste. Quantitative and qualitative parameters of biogas produced from biological sludge processed by isolated filamentous fungi with high metabolic potential were determined. Laboratory tests were based on the modified methodology included in the standards DIN 38414-S8 and VDI 4630. Based on the results obtained, it was found that the pre-optimization of biological sludge by fungal strains with different metabolic potential, influences on the yield of biogas production, including methane. There was an increase in the biogas yield from the biological sludge processed by the mixed fungal consortium (by 20 %) and the strain marked as F1 (by 14 %) as compared to the non-inoculated material, which was also reflected in the amount of methane produced in the case of the mixed fungal consortium (by 28 %) and the strain marked as F1 (by 12 %).
Heavy Metal Adsorption by Dewatered Iron-Containing Waste Sludge
Authors: Yildiz Sayiter , Sevinç Selahattin
Published: October 2018

Drinking water treatment plants produce significant amounts of waste sludge. In this study, removal of Nickel ion by use of wastewater sludge was aimed. The adsorption capability of waste sludge was optimized with varying physical parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, adsorbate concentration, contact time, shaking speed and temperature. Initial concentration was set as 25 mg/dm3, absorbent dose was set as 0.3 g/cm3, and temperature was set as 25 °C. Compliance of balance data with Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and D-R isotherm models was investigated. The highest R
2 values were obtained with Freundlich isotherm (R
2 = 0.92-0.95). Adsorption kinetics was analysed using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Weber and Morris intraparticle diffusion and Elovich kinetic models, and the system was found to be in a better compliance with pseudo-second order kinetic model. Iron sludge was used as sorbent, and accordingly total iron ion measurements were carried out to determine its possible effects on water. Additionally, SEM, EDX, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD spectrum and atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements were conducted to determine the interaction between the sorbent and metal ions, in addition to characterization of the sorbent. As indicated by research results, drinking water treatment sludge proved to be a potential adsorbent for removal of nickel(II) ions from the solution.
The Effect of Cadmium on Oxidative Stress in Beta vulgaris
Authors: Rombel-Bryzek Agnieszka , Rajfur Małgorzata , Żuk Olga , Zając Patryk
Published: October 2018

As a heavy metal, cadmium has strongly toxic effects on plants and can induce oxidative stress. It is absorbed by the roots and transported to the stems and leaves. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of cadmium on the metabolic activity of Beta vulgaris and assess the dependence of these processes on the content of metal in the plants. To demonstrate the effect of cadmium on metabolism, protein and photosynthetic pigment content, lipid peroxidation, and the activity of enzymes specific for oxidative stress in roots and shoots were measured. Seeds of B. vulgaris were treated with different concentrations of Cd supplied via a CdCl2 solution: 0 (control), 200, 300 and 400 mg/dm3. Results of the present study revealed increased GPOX activity as cadmium concentration rose, while SOD activity was stimulated by a low Cd concentration (200 mg/dm3) and reduced by high levels of Cd. Based on the present findings, it can be concluded that GPOX in B. vulgaris played a more important role in ROS scavenging than SOD did and was able to reduce the level of lipid peroxidation in plants. Cadmium, in the concentration range used, did not show any significant effect on protein or photosynthetic pigment content.
Network Simulator for Botnet DoS Attacks
Authors: Aleksieva Y. , Valchanov H.
Published: October 2018

The most serious appearance of modern malware is Botnet. Botnet is a fast growing problem that is still not well understood and studied. One widely spreading variant of the botnet attacks is an IRC botnet. There are a number of techniques to detect botnet attacks and infections, but they do not have the functionality to prevent malicious botnet activity. The development of a quality equipment to detect and remove botnet infection needs a good simulation environment that is safe and fully meets the functionality of botnet DoS attacks. The paper presents the features of the implementation of network simulator for DoS attacks. The simulator allows creating different attacks with various parameters. Some performance experiences are performed and the obtained results are shown.
Mathematical Modelling and Extremum Seeking Control of Cascade of Two Bioreactors for Production of Hydrogen and Methane
Authors: Lakov V. , Chorukova E. , Simeonov I.
Published: October 2018

A mathematical model of a cascade of two continuously stirred anaerobic bioreactors is presented in this paper and the extremum seeking control is applied on it. The dilution rate of the first bioreactor is chosen as control action and the joint biogas flow rate both bioreactors is the measured output to be maximized. The concentration of inlet organics is accepted as the disturbance. The correction of the working volume of the second bioreactor is studied as the inner loop of the cascade control system. The outer control loop is represented by the extremum seeking controller, which finds the optimum control action and reacts to the disturbance. Computer simulation studies show the feasibility of this scheme.
Computer Simulations for Stability Analysis of a Numerical Procedure for Crossbar Packet Switch
Authors: Tashev T. , Monov V. , Tasheva R.
Published: October 2018

The paper is concerned with the problem of calculating the bound of the throughput (THR) of a crossbar packet switch. For this purpose a suitable numerical procedure is used. The input data for the procedure are the results of computer simulations executed on a grid-computational structure (www.hpc.acad.bg). The modeling of the THR uses MiMa-algorithm for a crossbar packet switch, specified by the apparatus of Generalized Nets. For studying the stability of the numerical procedure we use a modified family of patterns for i.i.d. Bernoulli uniform load traffic simulation. The obtained results show that the numerical procedure is stable which means that small input perturbations result in small changes in the output.
Long-Lasting Electrophysiological After-Effects of High-Frequency Stimulation in the Globus Pallidus: Human and Rodent Slice Studies
Authors: Luo Feng , Kim Linda H. , Magown Philippe , Noor M. Sohail , Kiss Zelma H.T.
Published: October 2018

Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) is a highly effective therapy for movement disorders, yet its mechanism of action remains controversial. Inhibition of local neurons because of release of GABA from afferents to the GPi is a proposed mechanism in patients. Yet, high-frequency stimulation (HFS) produces prolonged membrane depolarization mediated by cholinergic neurotransmission in endopeduncular nucleus (EP, GPi equivalent in rodent) neurons. We applied HFS while recording neuronal firing from an adjacent electrode during microelectrode mapping of GPi in awake patients (both male and female) with Parkinson disease (PD) and dystonia. Aside from after-suppression and no change in neuronal firing, high-frequency microstimulation induced after-facilitation in 38% (26/69) of GPi neurons. In neurons displaying after-facilitation, 10 s HFS led to an immediate decrease of bursting in PD, but not dystonia patients. Moreover, the changes of bursting patterns in neurons with after-suppression or no change after HFS, were similar in both patient groups. To explore the mechanisms responsible, we applied HFS in EP brain slices from rats of either sex. As in humans, HFS in EP induced two subtypes of after-excitation: excitation or excitation with late inhibition. Pharmacological experiments determined that the excitation subtype, induced by lower charge density, was dependent on glutamatergic transmission. HFS with higher charge density induced excitation with late inhibition, which involved cholinergic modulation. Therefore HFS with different charge density may affect the local neurons through multiple synaptic mechanisms. The cholinergic system plays a role in mediating the after-facilitatory effects in GPi neurons, and because of their modulatory nature, may provide a basis for both the immediate and delayed effects of GPi-DBS. We propose a new model to explain the mechanisms of DBS in GPi.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTDeep-brain stimulation (DBS) in the globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) improves Parkinson disease (PD) and dystonia, yet its mechanisms in GPi remain controversial. Inhibition has been previously described and thought to indicate activation of GABAergic synaptic terminals, which dominate in GPi. Here we report that 10 s high-frequency microstimulation induced after-facilitation of neural firing in a substantial proportion of GPi neurons in humans. The neurons with after-facilitation, also immediately reduced their bursting activities after high-frequency stimulation in PD, but not dystonia patients. Based on these data and further animal experiments, a mechanistic hypothesis involving glutamatergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic synaptic transmission is proposed to explain both short- and longer-term therapeutic effects of DBS in GPi.
Win-Concurrent Sensory Cues Can Promote Riskier Choice
Authors: Cherkasova Mariya V. , Clark Luke , Barton Jason J.S. , Schulzer Michael , Shafiee Mahsa , Kingstone Alan , Stoessl A. Jon , Winstanley Catharine A.
Published: October 2018

Reward-related stimuli can potently influence behavior; for example, exposure to drug-paired cues can trigger drug use and relapse in people with addictions. Psychological mechanisms that generate such outcomes likely include cue-induced cravings and attentional biases. Recent animal data suggest another candidate mechanism: reward-paired cues can enhance risky decision making, yet whether this translates to humans is unknown. Here, we examined whether sensory reward-paired cues alter decision making under uncertainty and risk, as measured respectively by the Iowa Gambling Task and a two-choice lottery task. In the cued versions of both tasks, gain feedback was augmented with reward-concurrent audiovisual stimuli. Healthy human volunteers (53 males, 78 females) performed each task once, one with and the other without cues (cued Iowa Gambling Task/uncued Vancouver Gambling Task:n= 63; uncued Iowa Gambling Task/cued Vancouver Gambling Task:n= 68), with concurrent eye-tracking. Reward-paired cues did not affect choice on the Iowa Gambling Task. On the two-choice lottery task, the cued group displayed riskier choice and reduced sensitivity to probability information. The cued condition was associated with reduced eye fixations on probability information shown on the screen and greater pupil dilation related to decision and reward anticipation. This pupil effect was unrelated to the risk-promoting effects of cues: the degree of pupil dilation for risky versus risk-averse choices did not differ as a function of cues. Together, our data show that sensory reward cues can promote riskier decisions and have additional and distinct effects on arousal.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAnimal data suggest that reward-paired cues can promote maladaptive reward-seeking by biasing cost-benefit decision making. Whether this finding translates to humans is unknown. We examined the effects of salient reward-paired audiovisual cues on decision making under risk and uncertainty in human volunteers. Cues had risk-promoting effects on a risky choice task and independently increased task-related arousal as measured by pupil dilation. By demonstrating risk-promoting effects of cues in human participants, our data identify a mechanism whereby cue reactivity could translate into maladaptive behavioral outcomes in people with addictions.
Volumetric Сapnography As a Tool for Evaluation of Alveolar Ventilation Effectiveness in Clinical Practice
Authors: Török P. , Depta F. , Donic V. , Nosál’ M. , Imrecze S. , Benová J. , Galková K. , Paulíková M. , Berešík M. , Jankajová M. , Paulíny M.
Published: October 2018

The purpose of the study was to compare the relationship between the dead space volume and tidal volume (VD/VT) using volumetric capnography (VCap) during pressure controlled (PCV) and pressure supported (PSV) ventilation mode in the postoperative period.

Materials and methods. 30 randomly assigned cardiac surgical patients undergoing CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting) using ECC (extracorporeal circuit) were included in an observational, prospective study. Patients were connected to the ventilator immediately after ICU admission. After that, monitoring VD/VT, CO2 production (VECO2) as well as ventilation parameters was carried out. The parameters during PCV and PSV mode were statistically evaluated using t-test.

Results. Expiratory CO2 (ETCO2) concentration were not significantly different in both PCV or PSV (p=NS), although both VECO2 and minute ventilation (MV) increased during PSV mode (p<0.01). VD/VT in PSV mode was lower than in PCV. Gas exchange represented by alveolar ventilation (VA) was better during PSV (p<0.01). VA was also higher during PSV (p<0.05). The calculated VD/VT ratio differed between PCV and PSV mode (p<0.01).

Conclusion. VCap represents a tool for monitoring of CO2 exchange effectivness. We registered a decrease in VD/VT with improved alveolar ventilation (VA) in PSV mode. VCap seems to be a suitable instrument for adjustment of protective lung ventilation.
Dynamics of Inhaled Tobramycin Concentration in Blood and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid during Nosocomial Pneumonia (Preliminary Report)
Authors: Kuzovlev A. N. , Shabanov A. K. , Tyurin I. А.
Published: October 2018

This study was aimed to evaluate the dynamics of inhaled tobramycin concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood in victims with nosocomial pneumonia.

Materials and Methods. The study is presented as a series of clinical observations: 5 patients with severe concomitant craniocerebral injury were included, who were treated in the general resuscitation unit (men 4 (87.5%), women 1 (12.5%); age 36Ѓ}12 years; Injury Severity Score (ISS) 40.9Ѓ}8.3; acute blood loss volume 2356Ѓ}997 ml; mean bed-days 12.50 days; mortality 16.7%). Statistical analysis of data obtained was carried out using Statistica 10.0 software. Difference was considered significant at p<0.05.

Results. The dynamics of tobramycin concentrations was as follows: 1 hr. blood/BAL 0.96Ѓ}0.44 μg/ml / 49.6 μg/ml; 3 hrs. blood/BAL 0.98Ѓ}0.82 μg/ml / 15.5 μg/ml; 5 hrs. blood/BAL 0.79Ѓ}0.83 μg/ml / 3.5 μg/ml.

Conclusion.The results obtained confirm significant local concentrations of tobramycin in sputum and low in blood, which corresponds to the results of pharmacokinetic studies and clinical studies of inhaled tobramycin efficacy. At present, gathering of material for the study continues.