bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulación de la experiencia del cliente en puntos de atención de un sistema de transporte masivo empleando Dinámica de Sistemas
Authors: Carvajal Echeverri Luis Camilo , Alzate Carmona Valentina , Ceballos Yony Fernando
Published: August 2018

The process of generating identity cards in integrated transport systems is a generally source of complaints by almost all the users. This is the starting point in which customers have an ongoing relationship with the company. The way in which these users are handled must involve an agile and satisfactory process. However, in this system they must go through multiple service posts for treatment, generating delays and dissatisfaction with the little information users generally have. This document presents a conceptual model by the approach of system dynamics, which identifies the need to make decisions related to technology investment and training the servers in various tasks together with a better communication strategy, which allows users to enter the system with a previously completed form, given their availability online. It also identifies the necessary number of advisers and how much they must delay in the process of attention, so that the perceived satisfaction of the clients is maximized.
Tindak Pidana Pemilihan Sebagai Dasar Perselisihan Hasil Pemilihan Umum Kepala Daerah
Authors: Wijaya Rahmanu
Published: August 2018

The resolution of dispute over election results of regional head experienced a dynamic movement rate, in line with the dialectic of the implementation of election regional head itself. Whereas in the past, based on Article 34 Paragraph (1) of Indonesia Law Number 22 Year 1999, the filling of the position of regional head and deputy head of region shall be conducted by the Regional House of Representative by a peaceful election. However, since the enactment of Indonesia Law Number 32 Year 2004, in Article 24 paragraph (5) determined the filling of the position of regional head and regional representatives implemented through direct election by the people in the region concerned. This direct election which eventually became part of the election law regime based on Article 236 C of Indonesia Law Number 12 Year 2008. In line with the development of the election, there was also a mechanism for dispute resolution of the results of General Election based on Article 157 paragraph (3) of Indonesia Law Number 8 of 2015 becomes the absolute competence of the Constitutional Court where one of the reasons for the filing of a petition is based on an election crime.
Keywords: Crime of Elections, Dispute on Results of General Election of Regional Head
ANALISIS KERUGIAN TEGANGAN PADA JARINGAN TEGANGAN RENDAH (JTR) 380/220 VOLT GARDU DISTRIBUSI POLITEKNIK NEGERI AMBON
Authors: Latupeirissa Hamles Leonardo , Muskita Halomon , Leihitu Critter
Published: August 2018

Type jaringan distribusi pada kampus Politeknik Negeri Ambon merupakan type radial, dengan 17 titik beban. Memiliki kapasitas terpasang 200 kVA dengan ukuran panjang dan luas penampang kawat yang bervariasi pada setiap titik beban.Titik-titik beban yang berjarak jauh dan ukuran luas penampang tidak ideal seperti (i) gedung aula, (ii) gedung Teknik Elektro, dan (iii) gedung Teknik Sipil. Akibat dari jauhnya titik-titik beban tersebut dan juga ukuran luas penampang, maka mengakibatkan terjadinya jatuh tegangan.Hasil analisis terhadap kualitas tegangan pada jaringan tegangan rendah gardu Politeknik Negeri Ambon, terlihat bahwa ukuran panjang dan luas penampang suatu penghantar sangat mempengaruhi besar-kecilnya presentasi jatuh tegangan atau regulasi tegangan pada saluran penghantar tersebut. Hal tersebut dikarenakan semakin panjang suatu penghantar dan semaki kecil ukuran luas penampangnya, maka akan semakin besar hambatan atau resistansi pada penghantar.Pada perhitungan regulasi tegangan (VR), terlihat bahwa load bus 16 (8,21 %) dan 17 (8,56 %) terjadi regulasi tegangan yang melewati batas maksium 4 %. Hal ini diakibatkan dari panjang penghantar dan ukuran luas penampang penghantar yang kecil (16 mm2). Namun setelah mengganti ukuran luas penampang penghantar dengan yang lebih besar (70 mm2), maka terlihat adanya perbaikan kualitas tegangan, dimana regulasi tegangan pada load bus 16 turun menjadi 2,5 % dan pada load bus 17 turun menjadi 2,6 %.
Justificação e fundamentação racional da ética em Henrique Cláudio de Lima Vaz
Authors: Mariz Débora
Published: August 2018

O presente artigo visa demonstrar a possibilidade de uma justificação e fundamentação racionais da ética, bem assim o seu sentido, segundo o pensamento do filósofo Henrique Cláudio de Lima Vaz. Para tanto, será realizado um exame da fenomenologia do ethos, como objeto da ciência Ética; em seguida, será abordada a questão do sentido de uma justificação e fundamentação racionais da ética, na realidade contemporânea e, finalmente, será apresentada a proposta de Lima Vaz, a partir de dois caminhos convergentes (a saber: o histórico e o teórico) e que culminam apontando a Antropologia Filosófica e a Metafísica como base de tal justificação e fundamentação racional, cuja universalidade decorre do fato mesmo de ser, a Ética, fundamentada na razão filosófica, igualmente universal.
La hermenéutica en el pensamiento de Wilhelm Dilthey
Authors: Hidalgo Yaremis Da Trinidade , Cruz Yenisey López
Published: August 2018

La Filosofía de la Vida tiene su surgimiento y origen en las protestas del siglo XVIII contra el formalismo, el racionalismo y de hecho contra toda forma de pensamiento abstracto que no tenga en cuenta la totalidad de la persona, el vivir, el sentir, la personalidad deseante en su plenitud. La palabra vida en aquellos  momentos fue un grito de guerra contra  la fijeza y determinaciones de la convención. La vida se refería al conjunto de poderes internos del hombre, especialmente a los poderes irracionales del sentimiento y la pasión frente al poder imperante de la comprensión irracional. Wilhelm Dilthey fue uno de los representantes de esta corriente filosófica el cual se planteó como horizonte de su filosofía de la vida el problema de la formulación de una teoría de las ciencias humanas. La importancia de su pensamiento  radica en sus investigaciones sobre la gnoseología de las ciencias del espíritu y sobre la psicología, a la cual dio el nombre de Psicología Descriptiva y Analítica, Psicología Estructural o Psicología de la Comprensión. Por lo tanto, teniendo como objeto a la Filosofía de Dilthey se pretende determinar sus principales aportes a la teoría hermenéutica a través de su concepción de las Ciencias Humanas. Si la hermenéutica es la interpretación general de las manifestaciones del espíritu expresadas en signos y alusivas a las vivencias, el fundamento metódico de esta hermenéutica no es la explicación, sino la comprensión. La comprensión como acto original mediante el cual se capta el mundo del espíritu manifestado en exteriorizaciones y se refiere a lo objetivado al ser que lo objetiva, esto es el hombre como creador de la cultura, determinándola y siendo a su vez parte de ella. El significado es inmanente a la textura de la vida. El significado no es subjetivo, no es una proyección del pensamiento sobre el objeto, es una percepción real dentro de un nexo previo a la separación del sujeto y el objeto en el pensamiento. En este sentido, el texto es la expresión de los sentimientos de su autor y los intérpretes deben intentar ponerse en el lugar del autor  para revivir el acto creador. Sin embargo el problema de esta concepción es principalmente su exceso de fe en el género humano: presupone que todo el mundo tiene la misma capacidad para superar las dificultades que entraña todo proceso de comprensión. Se basa en la creencia de que es posible alcanzar una única interpretación correcta. Con la contribución de Dilthey a la hermenéutica se amplió el horizonte de esta disciplina sacándola de los marcos de la interpretación de textos y del análisis psicológico de Schleiermacher llevándola a un ámbito más general y abarcador en el cual integra diversas disciplinas para la explicación en el contexto de la interpretación de los estudios humanos.
PERGESERAN PARADIGMA PEMBELAJARAN PADA PENDIDIKAN TINGGI
Authors: Rahadian Dian
Published: August 2018

Terdapat tiga fungsi pendidikan tinggi menurutUndang-undang no.12 pasal 4 tahun 2012 tentang pendidikantinggi, yaitu (1) Mengembangkan kemampuan dan membentukwatak serta peradaban bangsa yang bermartabat dalam rangkamencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa; (2) Mengembangkan SivitasAkademika yang inovatif, responsif, kreatif, terampil, berdayasaing, dan kooperatif melalui pelaksanaan Tridharma; dan (3)Mengembangkan Ilmu Pengetahuan dan Teknologi denganmemperhatikan dan menerapkan nilai Humaniora. Untukmenjalankan ketiga fungsi tersebut di atas, perguruan tinggi harusmampu menyelenggarakan pembelajaran yang sangatmendukung terhadap pengembangan potensi setiap peserta didikdan pengajaran yang efektif. Perubahan paradigma pembelajaranterjadi dari paradigma berfokus pada guru/dosen menjadipembelajaran berfokus pada peserta didik atau mahasiswa. Padapendidikan tinggi dikenal Student-Centered Learning sebagaipembelajaran yang berfokus pada mahasiswa. Keterpaduanlembaga pendidikan dalam menghasilkan pembelajaran yangberkualitas yang dilakukan oleh dosen dan mahasiswa menjadibentuk yang utuh dalam pendekatan ini
Validity of Katex Test for Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: Sharmin Ishrat , Quamruzzaman AKM , Parveen Rezina , Khanam Rashida Akter , Yusuf Md Abdullah
Published: August 2018

Background: Newly developed KAtex test can be used as a non invasive tool for diagnosis of Kala-azar.Objectives: The aim of the present study was to validate the KAtex method to diagnose VL.Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in the Department of Microbiology at Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh in collaboration with the department of Parasitology at Institute of Epidemiology, Disease control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, Bangladesh for a period of one year. Clinically suspected Kala- azar (VL) cases of different age and sex attending IEDCR from different Kala-azar endemic areas of Bangladesh were selected for this study. Microscopy and culture was performed with Bone marrow (BM). KAtex was performed with urine sample. Urine samples taken from cases were pretreated to inactivate heat labile materials which might cause a false positive reaction. Antigen which is detected by KAtex is heat stable carbohydrate antigen. Latex sensitized with antibodies raised against Leishmania donovani antigen was mixed with the urine sample on a glass slide. No agglutination indicates absence of antigen in urine.Result: Cases were 130. Among 130 clinically suspected VL cases, 70 (53.85%) cases were BM positive and 60 (46.15%) cases were BM negative. All the 70 BM positive cases were positive by KAtex. Among 60 BM negative cases, 15 were positive by KAtex. The sensitivity of KAtex is 100% and specificity is 75%. Highest percentage (52.86%) of bone marrow positive cases were below 10 years of age group.Conclusion: In conclusion, KAtex test is a good diagnostic tool for the detection of VL.Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases, December 2017;4(2):45-47
Short Review on Vaccination and Surveillance on Avian Influenza in Bangladesh: Existing Gaps and Recent Insights
Authors: Zihadi Md Asief Hossain , Vahlenkamp Thomas W
Published: August 2018

Avian influenza has been considered as a serious threat to veterinary public health of Bangladesh since 2007. The national and international bodies responded so quickly as to control the outbreak at that time. A full scale long time strategic plan and its implementation could protect the country from further outbreak. The dynamic antigenic nature of this virus is an extra concern. Besides, mass vaccination without proper surveillance and use of ineffectiveborder-crossed unauthorized vaccines worsened the situations silently. Recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 is a matter of topmost national concern. It is time to navigate back to the unresolved issues prioritizing the analysis of existing avian influenza related data and metadata and fortification of surveillance system effectually. LBM (Live Bird Market) sink surveillance might serve the purpose given the feasibility of division wise surveillance system. Only by detecting existing field strain causing infections, master seed can be produced that will eventually result in efficient vaccine. Viral phylodynamics blended with computerized technology now provides prediction of variant protein and their phenotypic characteristics. Also the countries are more united than ever to share the genetic sequence of influenza virus and collaborate more actively.Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 2017;4(2):48-51
New Order Rights to Minerals in South Africa: Ten Years after Mayday
Authors: Badenhorst P. J.
Published: August 2018

This article examines the application and evolution of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 since its introduction in South Africa by the ANC government. Rights to minerals, the players, the processes and security of mineral tenure are discussed. A conclusion is reached about the type of mineral law regime that was created by the MPRDA as part of the transformation of the legacies of apartheid.
The Dominant Role of Commanders in the Sudanese Military Justice System and Accountability for International Crimes
Authors: Lubaale Emma Charlene
Published: August 2018

Members of national defence forces are increasingly being implicated in the commission of international crimes. In Sudan, for example, reports indicate that members of the Sudanese Armed Force (SAF) are responsible for a wide range of international crimes in respect of the Darfur war. In 2007, Sudan amended the Armed Forces Act by, inter alia, criminalising international crimes. The explicit criminalisation of international crimes is commendable as it provides a legal basis for holding members of the SAF to account for the international crimes allegedly committed. The question left unresolved, however, is whether, given the dominant role of commanders in the Sudanese military justice system, it is feasible to hold commanders of the SAF to account. By critically analysing selected aspects of Sudan's Armed Forces Act, this article argues that the dominant role of commanders in Sudan's military justice system makes holding commanders to account unviable at the national level. The article, however, questions whether making reforms to the dominant role of commanders would create lasting solutions to this accountability gap. Could, perhaps, the dominant role of commanders create an entry point for other forums such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold commanders to account, on the basis of the principle of command responsibility?
Settlement of Labour Disputes under Cameroonian Labour Law
Authors: Achu Fonja Julius
Published: August 2018

Labour relations dispute settlement in Cameroon is fraught with problems. This article is aimed at examining the adequacy of Cameroon's labour laws vis-à-vis the settlement of labour disputes.

The author uses published records, case law, academic documents and documentaries to gather data. The data collected constitute the sources from which the law is drawn, stated and analysed in light of the stated aim of the article The article argues that in Cameroon the legal mechanism used to regulate labour dispute settlement in the private sector is very fragile and so does not effectively handle labour disputes.

The relevance of the article lies in the fact that it addresses issues of law that affect employees, employers and trade unions as it enables them to be aware of the plight of workers and to explore effective strategies for dispute settlement. The findings are equally significant as they expose lacunae in the current law in relation to the settlement of labour disputes and conclude with suggestions on the way forward.
Compatibility Between US-BIT Norms and the Need for Local Remedies Through Relevant Egyptian Investment Laws
Authors: Elfakharani Ashraf M. A. , Rahman Rohana Abdul , Abdullah Nor Anita
Published: August 2018

This article investigates the legal mechanism designed for promoting private investment in Egypt through signing Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) including adoption of the United States of America's BIT Norms Model (US BIT Norms). It also explores their compatibility with the relevant Egyptian investment laws and investigates whether these norms had any significance in the creation of an investment environment in Egypt. The article cites examples from Egyptian investment laws to see whether these norms gave birth to any conflicts. The presence of Egypt has increased before the international tribunals. This article examines the post-adoption relevant investor-Egypt disputes in order to find out whether the allegations in these disputes hint at the abuse or failure of these BIT norms and whether these cases are a potential threat to the local remedies and the domestic legal and economic system of the country.
Pod Shattering: A Homologous Series of Variation Underlying Domestication and an Avenue for Crop Improvement
Authors: Ogutcen Ezgi , Pandey Anamika , Khan Mohd Kamran , Marques Edward , Penmetsa R. Varma , Kahraman Abdullah , Von Wettberg Eric J. B.
Published: August 2018

In wild habitats, fruit dehiscence is a critical strategy for seed dispersal; however, in cultivated crops it is one of the major sources of yield loss. Therefore, indehiscence of fruits, pods, etc., was likely to be one of the first traits strongly selected in crop domestication. Even with the historical selection against dehiscence in early domesticates, it is a trait still targeted in many breeding programs, particularly in minor or underutilized crops. Here, we review dehiscence in pulse (grain legume) crops, which are of growing importance as a source of protein in human and livestock diets, and which have received less attention than cereal crops and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We specifically focus on the (i) history of indehiscence in domestication across legumes, (ii) structures and the mechanisms involved in shattering, (iii) the molecular pathways underlying this important trait, (iv) an overview of the extent of crop losses due to shattering, and the effects of environmental factors on shattering, and, (v) efforts to reduce shattering in crops. While our focus is mainly pulse crops, we also included comparisons to crucifers and cereals because there is extensive research on shattering in these taxa.
Functional Metabolomics—A Useful Tool to Characterize Stress-Induced Metabolome Alterations Opening New Avenues towards Tailoring Food Crop Quality
Authors: Dawid Corinna , Hille Karina
Published: August 2018

The breeding of stress-tolerant cultivated plants that would allow for a reduction in harvest losses and undesirable decrease in quality attributes requires a new quality of knowledge on molecular markers associated with relevant agronomic traits, on quantitative metabolic responses of plants to stress challenges, and on the mechanisms controlling the biosynthesis of these molecules. By combining metabolomics with genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics datasets a more comprehensive knowledge of the composition of crop plants used for food or animal feed is possible. In order to optimize crop trait developments, to enhance crop yields and quality, as well as to guarantee nutritional and health factors that provide the possibility to create functional food or feedstuffs, knowledge about the plants’ metabolome is crucial. Next to classical metabolomics studies, this review focuses on several metabolomics-based working techniques, such as sensomics, lipidomics, hormonomics and phytometabolomics, which were used to characterize metabolome alterations during abiotic and biotic stress in order to find resistant food crops with a preferred quality or at least to produce functional food crops.
Volumetric, Radiographic, and Histologic Analyses of Demineralized Dentin Matrix Combined with Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 for Ridge Preservation: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial in Comparison with Xenograft
Authors: Jung Gyu-Un , Jeon Tae-Hyun , Kang Mong-Hun , Um In-Woong , Song In-Seok , Ryu Jae-Jun , Jun Sang-Ho
Published: August 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, volumetric, radiographic, and histologic aspects of autogenous demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) combined with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) used for ridge preservation, compared to those of deproteinized bovine bone with collagen (DBBC). Following atraumatic extraction, the socket was filled with DBBC, DDM, or rhBMP-2/DDM. Scanned images of dental casts and cone beam computed tomographs (CBCT) were superimposed for the calculation of soft and hard tissue volume alteration. Preoperative and postoperative measurements of the height and width of the alveolar ridge were compared using CBCT images. After 4 months, bone specimens were harvested for histomorphometric assessment. Loss of hard and soft tissue volume occurred at 4 months after extraction and ridge preservation in all groups. No volumetric differences were detected among the three groups before and 4 months after ridge preservation. The reduction in the horizontal width at 5 mm was higher in the DBBC compared to the DDM. Histologically, approximately 40% newly formed bone was founded in rhBMP-2/DDM group. The autogenous dentin matrix used to fill the socket was as beneficial for ridge preservation as conventional xenografts. The combination of rhBMP-2 with dentin matrix also demonstrated appreciable volumetric stability and higher new bone formation compared to DDM alone and DBBC.
Towards Enhanced Performance of Neural-Network-Based Fault Detection Using an Sequential D-Optimum Experimental Design
Authors: Mrugalska Beata
Published: August 2018

Increasing expectations of industrial system reliability require development of more effective and robust fault diagnosis methods. The paper presents a framework for quality improvement on the neural model applied for fault detection purposes. In particular, the proposed approach starts with an adaptation of the modified quasi-outer-bounding algorithm towards non-linear neural network models. Subsequently, its convergence is proven using quadratic boundedness paradigm. The obtained algorithm is then equipped with the sequential D-optimum experimental design mechanism allowing gradual reduction of the neural model uncertainty. Finally, an emerging robust fault detection framework on the basis of the neural network uncertainty description as the adaptive thresholds is proposed.
Towards Non-Degenerate Quantum Lithography
Authors: Zhou Yu , Peng Tao , Chen Hui , Liu Jianbin , Shih Yanhua
Published: August 2018

The photonic de Broglie wavelength of a non-degenerate entangled photon pair is measured by using a Young’s double slit interferometer, which proves that the non-degenerate entangled photon pairs have the potential to be used in quantum lithography. Experimental results show that the de Broglie wavelength of non-degenerate biphotons is well defined and its wavelength is neither the wavelength of the signal photon, nor the wavelength of the idler photon. According to the de Broglie equation, its wavelength corresponds to the momentum of the biphoton, which equals the sum of the momenta of signal and idler photons. The non-degenerate ghost interference/diffraction is also observed in these experiments.
Battery Aging Prediction Using Input-Time-Delayed Based on an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System and a Group Method of Data Handling Techniques
Authors: Rahbari Omid , Mayet Clément , Omar Noshin , Van Mierlo Joeri
Published: August 2018

In this article, two techniques that are congruous with the principle of control theory are utilized to estimate the state of health (SOH) of real-life plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) accurately, which is of vital importance to battery management systems. The relation between the battery terminal voltage curve properties and the battery state of health is modelled via an adaptive neuron-fuzzy inference system and a group method of data handling. The comparison of the results demonstrates the capability of the proposed techniques for accurate SOH estimation. Moreover, the estimated results are compared with the direct actual measured SOH indicators using standard tests. The results indicate that the adaptive neuron-fuzzy inference system with fifteen rules based on a SOH estimator has better performances over the other technique, with a 1.5% maximum error in comparison to the experimental data.
Anomalous Increase in Specific Heat of Binary Molten Salt-Based Graphite Nanofluids for Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Kim Hyun Jung , Jo Byeongnam
Published: August 2018

An anomalous increase of the specific heat was experimentally observed in molten salt nanofluids using a differential scanning calorimeter. Binary carbonate molten salt mixtures were used as a base fluid, and the base salts were doped with graphite nanoparticles. Specific heat measurements of the nanofluids were performed to examine the effects of the composition of two salts consisting of the base fluid. In addition, the effect of the nanoparticle concentration was investigated as the concentration of the graphite nanoparticles was varied from 0.025 to 1.0 wt %. Moreover, the dispersion homogeneity of the nanoparticles was explored by increasing amount of surfactant in the synthesis process of the molten salt nanofluids. The results showed that the specific heat of the nanofluid was enhanced by more than 30% in the liquid phase and by more than 36% in the solid phase at a nanoparticle concentration of 1 wt %. It was also observed that the concentration and the dispersion homogeneity of nanoparticles favorably affected the specific heat enhancement of the molten salt nanofluids. The dispersion status of graphite nanoparticles into the salt mixtures was visualized via scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results were explained according to the nanoparticle-induced compressed liquid layer structure of the molten salts.
Node-Based Resilience Measure Clustering with Applications to Noisy and Overlapping Communities in Complex Networks
Authors: Matta John , Obafemi-Ajayi Tayo , Borwey Jeffrey , Sinha Koushik , Wunsch Donald , Ercal Gunes
Published: August 2018

This paper examines a schema for graph-theoretic clustering using node-based resilience measures. Node-based resilience measures optimize an objective based on a critical set of nodes whose removal causes some severity of disconnection in the network. Beyond presenting a general framework for the usage of node based resilience measures for variations of clustering problems, we experimentally validate the usefulness of such methods in accomplishing the following: (i) clustering a graph in one step without knowing the number of clusters a priori; (ii) removing noise from noisy data; and (iii) detecting overlapping communities. We demonstrate that this clustering schema can be applied successfully using a wide range of data, including both real and synthetic networks, both natively in graph form and also expressed as point sets.
Novel Internet of Things Platform for In-Building Power Quality Submetering
Authors: Alonso-Rosa Manuel , Gil-de-Castro Aurora , Medina-Gracia Ricardo , Moreno-Munoz Antonio , Cañete-Carmona Eduardo
Published: August 2018

As the number of facilities adopting a Building Management System under the Industry 4.0 paradigm increases, it is critical to ensure the good health of their operations. Business continuity and uninterrupted operations are key requirements for any building, for which Power Quality and Supply Reliability sophisticated monitoring can play an extremely important role. Submetering, as opposed to bulk-metering, implies measuring power consumption for individual units or appliances in a building complex. An Internet of Things mesh network, which brings ubiquitous power quality submetering inside the entire facility, would be extremely beneficial for the management of the building thus ensuring seamless business operations. This work describes a novel low-cost Internet of Things sensor for measuring and analyzing power quality at the input of any individual Alternating Current (AC) appliance, providing an early detection and analysis system which controls those critical variables inside the facility and leads to anticipate faults with early-stage alerts based on on-time data streams treatment. Moreover, the recorded power quality parameters that are processed in the Cloud system can help to reduce energy consumption, as power quality disturbances can be automatically analyzed and even compared to standard values. The proposed Internet of Things sensor will help users to detect most power quality steady-state and events disturbances, while monitoring the energy consumption. This Internet of Things Power Quality sensor is built around a flexible microcontroller, which manages an energy metering Integrated Circuit (IC) through Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), increasing its original capabilities by including new sophisticated software functionality. Additionally, it wirelessly communicates with a cloud-based Internet of Things Platform to allow the storage and supervision of the different power quality events for the entire facility. An example of the access to the data is also included.
The Rise of Big Data Science: A Survey of Techniques, Methods and Approaches in the Field of Natural Language Processing and Network Theory
Authors: Ray Jeffrey , Johnny Olayinka , Trovati Marcello , Sotiriadis Stelios , Bessis Nik
Published: August 2018

The continuous creation of data has posed new research challenges due to its complexity, diversity and volume. Consequently, Big Data has increasingly become a fully recognised scientific field. This article provides an overview of the current research efforts in Big Data science, with particular emphasis on its applications, as well as theoretical foundation.
LPaaS as Micro-Intelligence: Enhancing IoT with Symbolic Reasoning
Authors: Calegari Roberta , Ciatto Giovanni , Mariani Stefano , Denti Enrico , Omicini Andrea
Published: August 2018

In the era of Big Data and IoT, successful systems have to be designed to discover, store, process, learn, analyse, and predict from a massive amount of data—in short, they have to behave intelligently. Despite the success of non-symbolic techniques such as deep learning, symbolic approaches to machine intelligence still have a role to play in order to achieve key properties such as observability, explainability, and accountability. In this paper we focus on logic programming (LP), and advocate its role as a provider of symbolic reasoning capabilities in IoT scenarios, suitably complementing non-symbolic ones. In particular, we show how its re-interpretation in terms of LPaaS (Logic Programming as a Service) can work as an enabling technology for distributed situated intelligence. A possible example of hybrid reasoning—where symbolic and non-symbolic techniques fruitfully combine to produce intelligent behaviour—is presented, demonstrating how LPaaS could work in a smart energy grid scenario.
Ultrasonic Effects on the Quality of Mulberry Juice
Authors: Nguyen Chi L. , Nguyen Ha V. H.
Published: August 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ultrasonic treatments on the extraction yield and the quality of mulberry juice. The mulberry mash was treated with ultrasound at different incubation times from 30 to 120 min and different temperatures from 30 to 75 °C. The determination of the juice yield, total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, antioxidant capacity, l-ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids, and the titratable acidity of the juice were carried out. Overall, applying ultrasound at 45 °C for 60 min resulted in the highest juice yield and antioxidant contents for the mulberry juice. The ultrasonic treatment increased the extraction yield (29.6%), the total soluble solid (8.7%), the titratable acidity (39.3%), the l-ascorbic acid content (94.3%), total phenolic content (174.1%), total anthocyanin content (156.9%) and the antioxidant capacity (40.7%) of the mulberry juice as compared to pressing only. A strong positive correlation between the total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity indicated that phenolic compounds were the main antioxidants in the beverage.
Functional Annotation of Caenorhabditis elegans Genes by Analysis of Gene Co-Expression Networks
Authors: Liu Wei , Li Ling , He Yiruo , Cai Sen , Zhao Wenjie , Zheng Hao , Zhong Yuexian , Wang Shaobo , Zou Yang , Xu Zhenhua , Zhang Yu , Tu Wei
Published: August 2018

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a well-characterized metazoan, whose transcriptome has been profiled in different tissues, development stages, or other conditions. Large-scale transcriptomes can be reused for gene function annotation through systematic analysis of gene co-expression relationships. We collected 2101 microarray data from National Center for Biotechnology Information Gene Expression Omnibus (NCBI GEO), and identified 48 modules of co-expressed genes that correspond to tissues, development stages, and other experimental conditions. These modules provide an overview of the transcriptional organizations that may work under different conditions. By analyzing higher-order module networks, we found that nucleus and plasma membrane modules are more connected than other intracellular modules. Module-based gene function annotation may help to extend the candidate cuticle gene list. A comparison with other published data validates the credibility of our result. Our findings provide a new source for future gene discovery in C. elegans.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Exercise in Type 1 Diabetes: Past, Present and Future
Authors: Houlder Shaelyn K. , Yardley Jane E.
Published: August 2018

Prior to the widespread use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), knowledge of the effects of exercise in type 1 diabetes (T1D) was limited to the exercise period, with few studies having the budget or capacity to monitor participants overnight. Recently, CGM has become a staple of many exercise studies, allowing researchers to observe the otherwise elusive late post-exercise period. We performed a strategic search using PubMed and Academic Search Complete. Studies were included if they involved adults with T1D performing exercise or physical activity, had a sample size greater than 5, and involved the use of CGM. Upon completion of the search protocol, 26 articles were reviewed for inclusion. While outcomes have been variable, CGM use in exercise studies has allowed the assessment of post-exercise (especially nocturnal) trends for different exercise modalities in individuals with T1D. Sensor accuracy is currently considered adequate for exercise, which has been crucial to developing closed-loop and artificial pancreas systems. Until these systems are perfected, CGM continues to provide information about late post-exercise responses, to assist T1D patients in managing their glucose, and to be useful as a tool for teaching individuals with T1D about exercise.
Cytokeratins Biosensing Using Tilted Fiber Gratings
Authors: Loyez Médéric , Albert Jacques , Caucheteur Christophe , Wattiez Ruddy
Published: August 2018

Optical fiber gratings have widely proven their applicability in biosensing, especially when they are coupled with antibodies for specific antigen recognition. While this is customarily done with fibers coated by a thin metal film to benefit from plasmonic enhancement, in this paper, we propose to study their intrinsic properties, developing a label-free sensor for the detection of biomarkers in real-time without metal coatings for surface plasmon resonances. We focus on the inner properties of our modal sensor by immobilizing receptors directly on the silica surface, and reporting the sensitivity of bare tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBGs) used at near infrared wavelengths. We test different strategies to build our sensing surface against cytokeratins and show that the most reliable functionalization method is the electrostatic adsorption of antibodies on the fiber, allowing a limit of detection reaching 14 pM by following the guided cladding modes near the cut-off area. These results present the biodetection performance that TFBGs bring through their modal properties for different functionalizations and data processing strategies.
Depressed as Freshmen, Stressed as Seniors: The Relationship between Depression, Perceived Stress and Academic Results among Medical Students
Authors: Iorga Magdalena , Dondas Corina , Zugun-Eloae Cristina
Published: August 2018

Research in the field has identified the presence of stress and depression among medical students. However, no other study has pointed out the differences between years of study. The objectives of the study are to identify the levels of stress and depression among medical students and to point out the relationship between these two variables. Methods: The cross-sectional study gathered data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, depression, self-identified psychological and physical symptoms during stressful periods and perceived stress among medical students in a university in Romania. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics v23. For comparative analysis the t-test for independent samples and one-way ANOVA was used and for correlational analysis, Pearson and Spearman correlations was used. Results: Freshmen are the most depressed and graduating students are the most stressed medical students. Statistical analysis reveals an average score of perceived stress (M = 17.31 ± 6.79) and mild-moderate depression (M = 10.11 ± 7.69). Women are more prone to symptoms of depression. Students enrolled in the third year of study are the least depressed and the least stressed. Perceived stress is significantly positive correlated with depression and negative in strong correlation with the number of course credits received. More than half of students experience an increased rate of anxiety and consumption of alcohol, coffee, sweets or cigarettes during stressful academic periods. Over 60% declare themselves satisfied with their academic results. Conclusions: Strategies to diminish the level of stress and depression among medical students are necessary. Psychological support and educational counseling should start from admission, since freshmen experience the highest rate of depression.
Spatio-Temporal Visualisation of Reflections from Building Integrated Photovoltaics
Authors: Schregle Roland , Renken Christian , Wittkopf Stephen
Published: August 2018

With the increasing adoption of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), concerns arise about potential glare. While recommended criteria to assess glare exist, it is challenging to apply these in the spatial and temporal domains and communicate the complex data to planning authorities and clients. This paper presents a new computational workflow using annual daylight simulation, material modelling using bi-directional scattering distribution functions (BSDFs) and image-based postprocessing to obtain 3-dimensional renderings of cumulative annual irradiance and glare duration on the built environment. The annual daylight simulation considers relevant sun positions in high temporal resolution (15-min timesteps) and measured BSDFs to model different PV materials. The postprocessing includes a relative irradiance visualisation comparing the impact of a proposed PV proportional to a reference material. It also includes a new spatio-temporal workflow to assess the glare duration based on recommended thresholds. This workflow is demonstrated with a case study of a proposed PV roof for a church, assessing the glare potential of two different PV materials. The visualisations indicate glare durations well below the thresholds with satinated PVs, and in noncritical zones outside observer positions with standard PVs. Thus the proposed PV roof does not cause any disturbing glare.
Comparison of Accelerometer-Based Cut-Points for Children’s Physical Activity: Counts vs. Steps
Authors: Howe Cheryl A. , Clevenger Kimberly A. , Leslie Ryann E. , Ragan Moira A.
Published: August 2018

Background: Accelerometers measure complex movements of children’s free play moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), including step and non-step movements. Current accelerometer technology has introduced algorithms to measure steps, along with counts. Precise interpretation of accelerometer-based cadence (steps/min) cut-points is necessary for accurately measuring and tracking children’s MVPA. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships and agreement between accelerometer-based cut-points (cadence and counts/min) to estimate children’s MVPA compared to measured values. Methods: Forty children (8–12 years; 25 boys) played 6–10 games while wearing a portable metabolic analyzer and GT3X+ to measure and estimate MVPA, respectively. Correlation, kappa, sensitivity, and specificity assessed the relationships and agreement between measured and estimated MVPA. Results: Games elicited, on average, 6.3 ± 1.6 METs, 64.5 ± 24.7 steps/min, and 3318 ± 1262 vertical (V) and 5350 ± 1547 vector-magnitude (VM) counts/min. The relationship between measured and estimated MVPA intensity was higher for cadence (r = 0.50) than V and VM counts/min (r = 0.38 for both). Agreement using V and VM counts/min for measuring PA intensity varied by cut-points (range: 6.8% (κ = −0.02) to 97.6% (κ = 0.49)), while agreement was low using cadence cut-points (range: 4.0% (κ = 0.0009) to 11.3% (κ = 0.001)). Conclusion: While measured and estimated values were well correlated, using cadence tended to misclassify children’s free-play MVPA.
IRI Sensitivity to the Influence of Surface Distress on Flexible Pavements
Authors: Kırbaş Ufuk
Published: August 2018

Today, authorities responsible for the operation of highways aim to provide comfort to road users as well as safety while driving. While driving, the most important component that determines comfort for road users is the pavement. The relative effects of various surface distress types in bituminous, hot mixed asphalt pavements on the International Roughness Index (IRI) component—used to evaluate the present performance, and hence the comfort, of pavements—are determined in this study. The presence of only one type of surface distress is very difficult to achieve in practice, especially in regards to pavements where a high degree of deterioration is observed. The presence of different types of surface distress in road pavements, due to similar problems in very close positions and even in nested forms, makes it difficult to assess this issue. The relationships between surface distress and IRI have been modelled to overcome this challenge. To this end, the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) modelling approach, which is very successful in investigating the relationships between a large number of independent variables and dependent variables, has been used. The sensitivities of the surface distress inputs are evaluated singularly by means of a model with 29 input variables calibrated using the pavement distress data collected in 3295 highway pavement sections. As a result of this analysis, the sensitivity of surface distress inputs collected, as an area, has been determined to have an effect on the increase in IRI. The results are interpreted with the help of figures and tables.
Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate-Stearate Inhibits the Growth of Streptococcus mutans: A Promising New Approach in Caries Prevention
Authors: Melok Amy Lynn , Lee Lee H. , Mohamed Yussof Siti Ayuni , Chu Tinchun
Published: August 2018

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the main etiological bacteria present in the oral cavity that leads to dental caries. All of the S. mutans in the oral cavity form biofilms that adhere to the surfaces of teeth. Dental caries are infections facilitated by the development of biofilm. An esterified derivative of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCG-S), was used in this study to assess its ability to inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. The effect of EGCG-S on bacterial growth was evaluated with colony forming units (CFU) and log reduction; biofilm formation was qualitatively determined by Congo red assay, and quantitatively determined by crystal violet assay, fluorescence-based LIVE/DEAD assays to study the cell viability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the morphological changes. The results indicated that EGCG-S was able to completely inhibit growth and biofilm formation at concentrations of 250 µg/mL. Its effectiveness was also compared with a commonly prescribed mouthwash in the United States, chlorhexidine gluconate. EGCG-S was shown to be equally effective in reducing S. mutans growth as chlorhexidine gluconate. In conclusion, EGCG-S is potentially an anticariogenic agent by reducing bacterial presence in the oral cavity.
Information-Theoretical Analysis of the Neural Code in the Rodent Temporal Lobe
Authors: Maidana Capitán Melisa B. , Kropff Emilio , Samengo Inés
Published: August 2018

In the study of the neural code, information-theoretical methods have the advantage of making no assumptions about the probabilistic mapping between stimuli and responses. In the sensory domain, several methods have been developed to quantify the amount of information encoded in neural activity, without necessarily identifying the specific stimulus or response features that instantiate the code. As a proof of concept, here we extend those methods to the encoding of kinematic information in a navigating rodent. We estimate the information encoded in two well-characterized codes, mediated by the firing rate of neurons, and by the phase-of-firing with respect to the theta-filtered local field potential. In addition, we also consider a novel code, mediated by the delta-filtered local field potential. We find that all three codes transmit significant amounts of kinematic information, and informative neurons tend to employ a combination of codes. Cells tend to encode conjunctions of kinematic features, so that most of the informative neurons fall outside the traditional cell types employed to classify spatially-selective units. We conclude that a broad perspective on the candidate stimulus and response features expands the repertoire of strategies with which kinematic information is encoded.
A Definition of Conditional Probability with Non-Stochastic Information
Authors: Bissiri Pier Giovanni , Walker Stephen G.
Published: August 2018

The current definition of a conditional probability enables one to update probabilities only on the basis of stochastic information. This paper provides a definition for conditional probability with non-stochastic information. The definition is derived by a set of axioms, where the information is connected to the outcome of interest via a loss function. An illustration is presented.