bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Produksi Serat Kasar dari Limbah Daun Nanas Melalui Ekstraksi Mekanik di Desa Satak Kabupaten Kediri
Authors: Soeprijanto Soeprijanto , Puspita Niniek Fajar , Ningrum Eva Oktavia , Hamzah Afan , Karisma Achmad Dwitama , Altway Saidah , Zuchrillah Daril Ridho
Published: November 2021

Desa Satak Kabupaten Kediri secara geografis terletak tidak jauh dari kawasan gunung Kelud. Karena letak desa Satak secara geografis berada disekitar kaki gunung kelud, maka daerah ini memiliki tanah pertanian yang potensial dan subur untuk pengembangan industri argo seperti tanaman pohon sengon, tanaman sayuran, buahbuahan seperti tanaman nanas. Tanaman nanas yang tumbuh di daerah kaki gunung kelud merupakan tanaman potensial bagi petani dari beberapa desa, karena tanaman nanas tersebut tumbuh dan berkembang tersebar luas di daerah kabupaten Kediri sampai perbatasan dengan kabupaten Kediri. Berdasarkan informasi dari petani setempat rata-rata 1 ha lahan ditanami pohon nanas antara 50 ribu sampai 70 ribu pohon dengan rata-rata jumlah daun setiap pohon antara 29-32 helai. Ketika masa panen tiba daun nanas sebagai limbah oleh petani hanya dibiarkan saja menumpuk disekitar lahan tanpa diolah, sehingga menjadi masalah bagi petani. Untuk mengatasi masalah tersebut, maka limbah daun nanas dapat diolah menjadi produk yang bernilai ekonomi sehingga diharapkan menjadi mata pencaharian alternatif bagi masyarakat. Target pengolahan limbah daun nanas pasca panen adalah produk serat serat kasar sebagai bahan baku produksi tekstil dan material komposit melalui proses ekstraksi mekanik.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Acupotomy for Scoliosis
Authors: Park Jung Hyeon , Kim Gyu Hui , Kim Tae Kyung , Lee Eun Ju , Yoon Hyun Min , Seo Jong Cheol , Song Choon Ho , Cho Sung Woo , Kim Cheol Hong
Published: November 2021

This review investigated the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy treatment for scoliosis. There were 7 online databases used in the search from inception to March 17, 2021, for randomized controlled trials of the use of acupotomy in patients with scoliosis. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies included (n = 12). A quantitative synthesis of the randomized controlled trials was performed using RevMan Version 5.3. The effect sizes of studies were presented as mean differences for continuous outcomes and risk ratios for dichotomous outcomes, with a 95% confidence interval. As part of combined therapy, acupotomy was reported to significantly improve Cobb’s angle compared with other treatments. Likewise, the Visual Analog Scale score, the Oswestry Disability Index score, and pulmonary function were also reported to be improved following acupotomy combination therapy. Although 5 studies mentioned the criteria for reporting adverse events, only 1 study reported adverse events. In conclusion, acupotomy may be an effective treatment for scoliosis. However, the small number, and heterogeneity of the included studies, as well as the poor methodological quality, indicate that higher-quality studies should be conducted to verify the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy treatment for scoliosis.
A Review of Acupuncture Treatment for Infertility
Authors: Chun Hea sun , Song Ho-Sueb
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze acupuncture treatment methods and acupoint used to treat infertility in the last decade. The data were retrieved from 2010.1 to 2021.8. using national and international electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, OASIS, NDSL, and KISS). “Infertility,” “sterility,” “acupuncture,” “electroacupuncture,” “bloodletting,” “pharmacopuncture,” were used as search terms. All studies were mainly concerned with acupuncture treatment of infertility, but the studies which were not related included; (1) infertility or acupuncture treatment; (2) animal studies; (3) review/meta/protocol or clinical study; comparative studies and case reports which were excluded from this review. Only clinical trials for acupuncture treatment of infertility were included in this review (n = 18). For infertility treatment studies using acupuncture, polycystic ovarian syndrome was the main cause of infertility, the most common acupoint used was CV4, CV3, CV6, SP6, BL23, and the treatment effect significantly improved in the group receiving acupuncture treatment compared with the control group, or the group taking Western medicine alone. In some studies, the group using acupuncture treatment did not show side effects. Acupuncture is an effective treatment for infertility.
A Novel Processing Model for P300 Brainwaves Detection
Authors: Srimaharaj Wanus , Chaisricharoen Roungsan
Published: November 2021

Event-related potential (ERP) is a distinctive pattern of brain activity that is elicited by the brain’s sensitivity and cognition whereas P300 evoked potential changes in cognitive functions. Since P300 wave is a cognitive response across multiple brain channels correlated between the measured electroencephalogram (EEG) and deviant stimulus in a specific period, it requires a suitable signal processing application for interpretation. Moreover, multiple steps of data processing under neuroscience criteria make the P300 reflection difficult to analyze by common methods. Therefore, this study proposes the processing model for brainwave applications based on P300 peak signal detection in multiple brain channels. This study applies 64 channels ERP datasets throughout bandpass filter in fast Fourier transform (FFT) with the specific ranges of signal processing while ERP averaging is applied as a feature extraction method. Furthermore, the experimental metadata is applied with the filtered P300 peak signals in channel classification via a machine learning method, the Decision Tree. The experimental results indicate the accurate mental reflection of P300 evoked potential in different brain channels with high classification accuracy relying on the contrast condition throughout the original data source averaged across the individual electrodes.
Reconstructing images of two adjacent objects passing through scattering medium via deep learning
Authors: Lai Xuetian , Li Qiongyao , Chen Ziyang , Shao Xiaopeng , Pu Jixiong
Published: November 2021

In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we first present a deep learning based method for reconstructing the images of two adjacent objects passing through scattering media. We construct an imaging system for imaging of two adjacent objects located at different depths behind the scattering medium. In general, as the light field of two adjacent objects passes through the scattering medium, a speckle pattern is obtained. We employ the designed adversarial network, which is called as YGAN, for reconstructing the two images simultaneously from the speckle. It is shown that based on the trained YGAN, we can reconstruct images of the two adjacent objects with high quality. In addition, the influence of object image types, and the location depths of the two adjacent objects on the imaging fidelity will be studied. Results demonstrate the strong generalization ability and effectiveness of the YGAN. Even in the case where another scattering medium is inserted between the two objects, the YGAN can reconstruct the object images with high fidelity. The technique presented in this paper can be used for applications in areas of medical image analysis, such as medical image classification, segmentation, and studies of multi-object scattering imaging, three-dimensional imaging etc.
Signal estimation and coherence: publisher’s note
Authors: Ares Laura , Luis Alfredo
Published: November 2021

This publisher’s note contains a correction to Opt. Lett. 46, 5409 (2021)10.1364/OL.439197.
Efficiency optimization of mid-infrared incandescent sources with time-varying temperature
Authors: Nguyen Anne , Greffet Jean-Jacques
Published: November 2021

A wide range of applications ranging from spectroscopy to communication use the mid wavelength infrared (MWIR) spectral range. Fast amplitude modulation is useful for applications such as communications or sensing but out of reach of incandescent emitters. Downsizing the emitter allows overcoming thermal inertia and enabling fast temperature modulation of nanoscale incandescent emitters in contact with a cold substrate. However, while heat conduction to the substrate is required for fast cooling, it is detrimental for the efficiency of the source. Here, we introduce a theoretical model and analyse the influence of the source parameters on the trade-off between fast modulation and efficiency of incandescent sources. We also compare harmonic and pulse modulation.
Kramers–Kronig relations and precision limits in quantum phase estimation
Authors: Gianani Ilaria , Albarelli Francesco , Verna Adriano , Cimini Valeria , Demkowicz-Dobrzanski Rafal , Barbieri Marco
Published: November 2021

Phase measurements are of paramount importance in quantum optical sensing. However, the promise of a quantum advantage, the celebrated Heisenberg scaling, is severely curtailed in the presence of noise and loss. Here we investigate systems in which phase and absorption profiles are linked by Kramers–Kronig relations and show that, in the limit of a large photon number, their use connects the uncertainties on the profiles attainable by optimal probes for loss and phase. This underlines a physical motivation for which the Heisenberg scaling for the phase is lost. Our results bear practical implications, revealing the metrological capabilities of absorption measurements in determining phase profiles.
Near-optimal intense and powerful terahertz source by optical rectification in lithium niobate crystal
Authors: Guiramand L. , Nkeck J. E. , Ropagnol X. , Ozaki T. , Blanchard F.
Published: November 2021

Using a 400 μJ ytterbium laser combined with a novel pulse compression technique, we demonstrate a state-of-the-art terahertz (THz) source from the tilted-pulse front pumping scheme in lithium niobate at room temperature with record efficiency of 1.3% capable of generating 74 mW of average power and 400 kV/cm at focus. Key points of this demonstration include the use of a pump pulse duration of 280 fs in combination with a stair-step echelon mirror and an off-axis ellipsoidal mirror. This source has unmatched characteristics of generating intense and powerful THz pulses at the same time and remains highly scalable as compared to existing Ti:sapphire-based THz sources pumped in the millijoule range.
A survey of biomedical journals to detect editorial bias and nepotistic behavior
Authors: Scanff Alexandre , Naudet Florian , Cristea Ioana A. , Moher David , Bishop Dorothy V. M. , Locher Clara
Published: November 2021

Alongside the growing concerns regarding predatory journal growth, other questionable editorial practices have gained visibility recently. Among them, we explored the usefulness of the Percentage of Papers by the Most Prolific author (PPMP) and the Gini index (level of inequality in the distribution of authorship among authors) as tools to identify journals that may show favoritism in accepting articles by specific authors. We examined whether the PPMP, complemented by the Gini index, could be useful for identifying cases of potential editorial bias, using all articles in a sample of 5,468 biomedical journals indexed in the National Library of Medicine. For articles published between 2015 and 2019, the median PPMP was 2.9%, and 5% of journal exhibited a PPMP of 10.6% or more. Among the journals with the highest PPMP or Gini index values, where a few authors were responsible for a disproportionate number of publications, a random sample was manually examined, revealing that the most prolific author was part of the editorial board in 60 cases (61%). The papers by the most prolific authors were more likely to be accepted for publication within 3 weeks of their submission. Results of analysis on a subset of articles, excluding nonresearch articles, were consistent with those of the principal analysis. In most journals, publications are distributed across a large number of authors. Our results reveal a subset of journals where a few authors, often members of the editorial board, were responsible for a disproportionate number of publications. To enhance trust in their practices, journals need to be transparent about their editorial and peer review practices.
Cascading epigenomic analysis for identifying disease genes from the regulatory landscape of GWAS variants
Authors: Ng Bernard , Casazza William , Kim Nam Hee , Wang Chendi , Farhadi Farnush , Tasaki Shinya , Bennett David A. , De Jager Philip L. , Gaiteri Christopher , Mostafavi Sara
Published: November 2021

The majority of genetic variants detected in genome wide association studies (GWAS) exert their effects on phenotypes through gene regulation. Motivated by this observation, we propose a multi-omic integration method that models the cascading effects of genetic variants from epigenome to transcriptome and eventually to the phenome in identifying target genes influenced by risk alleles. This cascading epigenomic analysis for GWAS, which we refer to as CEWAS, comprises two types of models: one for linking cis genetic effects to epigenomic variation and another for linking cis epigenomic variation to gene expression. Applying these models in cascade to GWAS summary statistics generates gene level statistics that reflect genetically-driven epigenomic effects. We show on sixteen brain-related GWAS that CEWAS provides higher gene detection rate than related methods, and finds disease relevant genes and gene sets that point toward less explored biological processes. CEWAS thus presents a novel means for exploring the regulatory landscape of GWAS variants in uncovering disease mechanisms.
Water-seeking behavior among terrestrial arthropods and mollusks in a cool mesic region: Spatial and temporal patterns
Authors: Becker Jamie E. , Mirochnitchenko Nadejda A. , Ingram Haley , Everett Ashley , McCluney Kevin E.
Published: November 2021

Dehydration can have negative effects on animal physiological performance, growth, reproduction, and survival, and most animals seek to minimize these effects by reducing water losses or seeking water sources. Much—but not all—of the research on animal water balance comes from dryland ecosystems. However, animals inhabiting mesic regions may also experience desiccating conditions, for example within urban heat islands or during heatwaves and droughts. Here we examined how spatial variation in impervious surface and spatial and temporal variation in microclimate impact water demand behavior of terrestrial arthropods and mollusks in three areas of mesic Northwest Ohio, with analysis of taxa that exhibited the greatest water demand behavior. Water demand behavior was measured as the frequency that individuals were observed at an artificial water source (a moistened pouch), relative to the frequency at a control (a dry pouch). Overall, terrestrial arthropods and mollusks were found about twice as often at the water source than at the control (equivalent to 86 more observations on the wet pouch than on dry at each site, on average), with ants accounting for over 50% of the overall response in urban areas. Daily fluctuations in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) best predicted daily variation in water demand behavior, with increased demand at higher VPD. Mean VPD was generally highest near urbanized areas, but effects of VPD on water demand behavior were generally lower in urbanized areas (possibly related to reductions in overall abundance reducing the potential response). On certain days, VPD was high in natural areas and greenspaces, and this coincided with the highest arthropod water demand behavior observed. Our results suggest that terrestrial arthropod communities do experience periods of water demand within mesic regions, including in greenspaces outside cities, where they appear to respond strongly to short periods of dry conditions—an observation with potential relevance for understanding the effects of climate change.
Differences in the clinical characteristics of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis according to spirometric impairment
Authors: Lee Myoung Kyu , Kim Sae Byol , Shin Beomsu
Published: November 2021

The clinical features by declining lung function remain uncharacterized in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) patients. We investigated the clinical characteristics of CPA patients based on spirometric impairments (restrictive spirometric pattern [RSP] and obstructive spirometric pattern [OSP]) and their severity. We retrospectively analyzed medical records of CPA patients who underwent pulmonary function tests from March 2017 to February 2020. We used Global Lung Initiative 2012 equations with lower limit of normal. The clinical characteristics of patients with RSP were compared to those with OSP. Additionally, RSP patients’ characteristics were analyzed according to forced vital capacity (FVC) tertile, and OSP patients’ characteristics were analyzed according to forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) tertile. Among the 112 patients with CPA (52 [46%] with RSP and 60 [54%] with OSP), body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in patients with RSP than in those with OSP (17.6 kg/m2 versus 20.3 kg/m2; P = 0.003), and non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease was more frequently observed in patients with RSP than in those with OSP (28.8% versus 11.7%; P = 0.004). Additionally, for patients with RSP, younger age and bilateral pulmonary lesions were more frequently observed in the first tertile group than in the other groups (P for trend: 0.025 and 0.001, respectively). For patients with OSP, low BMI, paracavitary infiltrates, and elevated WBC count were more frequently observed in the first tertile group than in the other groups (P for trend: < 0.001, 0.011, and 0.041, respectively). Differences in the clinical features of CPA patients were identified according to heterogeneous spirometric patterns and their severity. Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical significance of these findings.
Portable eye-tracking as a reliable assessment of oculomotor, cognitive and reaction time function: Normative data for 18–45 year old
Authors: Kullmann Aura , Ashmore Robin C. , Braverman Alexandr , Mazur Christian , Snapp Hillary , Williams Erin , Szczupak Mikhaylo , Murphy Sara , Marshall Kathryn , Crawford James , Balaban Carey D. , Hoffer Michael , Kiderman Alexander
Published: November 2021

Eye movements measured by high precision eye-tracking technology represent a sensitive, objective, and non-invasive method to probe functional neural pathways. Oculomotor tests (e.g., saccades and smooth pursuit), tests that involve cognitive processing (e.g., antisaccade and predictive saccade), and reaction time tests have increasingly been showing utility in the diagnosis and monitoring of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in research settings. Currently, the adoption of these tests into clinical practice is hampered by a lack of a normative data set. The goal of this study was to construct a normative database to be used as a reference for comparing patients’ results. Oculomotor, cognitive, and reaction time tests were administered to male and female volunteers, aged 18–45, who were free of any neurological, vestibular disorders, or other head injuries. Tests were delivered using either a rotatory chair equipped with video-oculography goggles (VOG) or a portable virtual reality-like VOG goggle device with incorporated infrared eye-tracking technology. Statistical analysis revealed no effects of age on test metrics when participant data were divided into pediatric (i.e.,18–21 years, following FDA criteria) and adult (i.e., 21–45 years) groups. Gender (self-reported) had an effect on auditory reaction time, with males being faster than females. Pooled data were used to construct a normative database using 95% reference intervals (RI) with 90% confidence intervals on the upper and lower limits of the RI. The availability of these RIs readily allows clinicians to identify specific metrics that are deficient, therefore aiding in rapid triage, informing and monitoring treatment and/or rehabilitation protocols, and aiding in the return to duty/activity decision. This database is FDA cleared for use in clinical practice (K192186).
Activated heme synthesis regulates glycolysis and oxidative metabolism in breast and ovarian cancer cells
Authors: Kaur Pritpal , Nagar Shreya , Bhagwat Madhura , Uddin Mohammad , Zhu Yan , Vancurova Ivana , Vancura Ales
Published: November 2021

Heme is an essential cofactor for enzymes of the electron transport chain (ETC) and ATP synthesis in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Heme also binds to and destabilizes Bach1, a transcription regulator that controls expression of several groups of genes important for glycolysis, ETC, and metastasis of cancer cells. Heme synthesis can thus affect pathways through which cells generate energy and precursors for anabolism. In addition, increased heme synthesis may trigger oxidative stress. Since many cancers are characterized by a high glycolytic rate regardless of oxygen availability, targeting glycolysis, ETC, and OXPHOS have emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy. Here, we report that enhancing heme synthesis through exogenous supplementation of heme precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) suppresses oxidative metabolism as well as glycolysis and significantly reduces proliferation of both ovarian and breast cancer cells. ALA supplementation also destabilizes Bach1 and inhibits migration of both cell types. Our data indicate that the underlying mechanisms differ in ovarian and breast cancer cells, but involve destabilization of Bach1, AMPK activation, and induction of oxidative stress. In addition, there appears to be an inverse correlation between the activity of oxidative metabolism and ALA sensitivity. Promoting heme synthesis by ALA supplementation may thus represent a promising new anti-cancer strategy, particularly in cancers that are sensitive to altered redox signaling, or in combination with strategies that target the antioxidant systems or metabolic weaknesses of cancer cells.
CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MILESTONES ALONG THE CONTINUUM OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: TRANSFORMING FUNCTIONAL SCORES INTO LEVELS OF DEPENDENCE
Authors: Kahle-Wrobleski K. , Andrews J.S. , Belger M. , Gauthier S. , Stern Y. , Rentz D.M. , Galasko D.
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND: Because Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by a gradual decline, it can be difficult to identify distinct clinical milestones that signal disease advancement. Adapting a functional scale may be a useful way of staging disease progression that is more informative for healthcare systems. Objectives: To adapt functional scale scores into discrete levels of dependence as a way of staging disease progression that is more informative to care providers and stakeholders who rely on the functional impact of diseases to determine access to supportive services and interventions. Design: Analysis of data from the GERAS study. Setting: GERAS is an 18-month prospective, multicenter, naturalistic, observational cohort study reflecting the routine care of patients with AD in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Participants: Data were from baseline results of 1497 community-living patients, aged ≥55 years, diagnosed with probable AD and their caregivers. Measurements: We used data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Inventory (ADCS-ADL) and mapped items onto established categories of functional dependence, validated using clinical and economic measures. Cognitive function, behavioral symptoms, caregiver burden, and cost were assessed. Based on stages of functional dependence described by the Dependence Scale, individual ADCS-ADL items were used to approximate 6 dependence levels. Results: There was a significant relationship between assigned level of dependence derived from the ADCS-ADL score and cognitive severity category. As the assigned level of dependence increased, the associated clinical and economic indicators demonstrated a pattern of greater disease severity. Conclusions: This mapping provides initial support for dependence levels as appropriate interim clinical milestones that characterize the functional deficits associated with AD.
TEA FOR ALZHEIMER PREVENTION
Authors: Feng L. , Chong M.-S. , Lim W.-S. , Lee T.-S. , Kua E.-H. , Ng T.-P.
Published: November 2021

The availability of empirical data from human studies in recent years have lend credence to the old axiomatic wisdom that health benefits of tea drinking extend to the area of cognition. Specifically, there is increasing interest as to whether tea drinking can delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Data from several cross-sectional studies have consistently shown that tea drinking is associated with better performance on cognitive tests. This association is supported by longitudinal data from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study, the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey and the Cardiovascular Health Study. The only two published longitudinal analyses on clinical outcome reported conflicting results: one study reported that mid-life tea drinking was not associated with risk reduction of Alzheimer’s disease in late life while the other one found that green tea consumption reduced the incidence of dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Two small trials from Korea and Japan reported encouraging but preliminary results. While the existing evidence precludes a definite conclusion as to whether tea drinking can be an effective and simple lifestyle preventive measure for AD, further research involving longer-term longitudinal studies and randomized controlled trials is clearly warranted to shed light on this topic of immense public health interest. Biological markers of tea consumption and Alzheimer diseases should be employed in future research to better delineate the underlying mechanisms of tea drinking’s protective effect on cognition.
COGNITIVE REHABILITATION IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE – A CONCEPTUAL AND METHODOLOGICAL REVIEW
Authors: Cavedo E. , Kasper E. , Ochmann S. , Hoffmann W. , Schneider W. , Hampel H. , S. Teipel
Published: November 2021

Within the last 20 years, several standardized cognitive trainings have been developed aiming at the delay of cognitive decline in older people who are at risk of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or in mild stages of dementia. The transfer of cognitive training effects into activities of daily living was very limited in most previous studies. Therefore, multimodal Cognitive Rehabilitation approaches have been designed that aim to improve the activities of daily living. These approaches also attempt to integrate the patient’s psychopathological and behavioral status as well as social relationships into the treatment plan. Contrary to other approaches, CR mainly focuses on compensation rather than restoration of impaired functionality. In this review, we define CR conceptually, and derive specific criteria to evaluate current CR approaches for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD dementia. In addition, we perform a critical, methodical analysis of available CR studies, reviewing their short- and long-term treatment effects. Findings suggest that CR approaches improve memory performance and competence of activity of daily living (ADL) in mildly cognitively impaired subjects (MCI), when compensatory, integrative, as well as interactive elements and domain specificity are taken into account. Interactive and individual aspects also appear to be relevant to sustain long-term effects. In AD dementia, similar results emerged, although with smaller effect sizes. The efficacy of individualized CR approaches was comparable with theory-based, manual-guided concepts as long as promoting interaction was part of the treatment. So far, only few randomized controlled studies of sufficient sample size are available. Future systematic efficacy studies need to consider precisely defined outcome variables. This is necessary before one can draw conclusions of how CR can be used for secondary prevention of AD dementia as well as AD treatment.
Learning from film to theatre and from theatre to film
Authors: Leonida Maria
Published: November 2021

This article explores the possibility of combining educational approaches to film and theatrical drama to enhance teachers’ confidence in creative, transmedia and multidisciplinary approaches to learning. A detailed case study is explored – a short teacher training event which utilised certain media literacy resources to inspire and familiarise teachers with the language of images, while seeking to demonstrate how simple media devices can be used to connect film- and theatre-based pedagogies. Overall, the article considers ways in which teachers can obtain the confidence within a short time to integrate approaches inspired by film-making into their teaching in connection with their students’ enthusiasm for, and expertise in, digital media.
Karol V: Cesarz z ludzką twarzą. Uwagi na marginesie książki Henry’ego Kamena, Carlos Emperador. Vida del rey césar, trad. del inglés de Paz Pruneda, La Esfera de los Libros, Madrid 2017, ss. 465
Authors: Kubiaczyk Filip
Published: November 2021

In this paper, the author undertakes a critical analysis of the findings relat-ing to the life and reign of Charles V, contained in the monarch’s biography by the English historian Henry Kamen. Particular attention is paid here to those elements of biographical narrative in which Kamen does not go beyond the established interpretive canon (as in the case of the imperial election of 1519 and rivalry with Francis I), those which go against predominant views (e.g. the question of the Reformation or Charles’ relationship with his mother), as well as the most controversial assertions (American policy, for instance). The chief intention of the author, who confronts the findings and the opinions expressed by Kamen with the interpretations of other researchers, is to address and fill some of the gaps in the Polish discourse concerning Charles V, where the es-tablished stereotypes surrounding the emperor continue to the iterated.
Effects of soil amendments on selected soil chemical properties and productivity of tef (Eragrostis tef [Zucc.] Trotter) in the highlands of northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Hunegnaw Yirsaw , Alemayehu Getachew , Ayalew Dereje , Kassaye Mulatu
Published: November 2021

The lack of sustainable soil fertility management is a critical challenge for crop production in the world. The problem is more serious in the East Gojjam Zone highlands. Integrated use of lime, manure, and chemical fertilizers is considered as a good approach for sustainable crop production on acidic soils. In 2016 and 2017, a field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of soil amendments on soil fertility and tef productivity in the Gozamin district. Factorial combinations of two rates of lime (0 and 2 t ha−1), two rates of NP fertilizers (0/0 and 46/20 kg N/P ha−1), and three rates of cattle manure (0, 10, and 15 t ha−1) were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that applying lime in combination with NP fertilizer and manure significantly improved soil chemical properties. Panicle length, effective tillers, and thousand seeds weight of tef increased from 25.1 to 44.4 cm, 2.8 to 11.3, and 0.23 to 0.37 g, respectively, when 10 t ha−1 manure and recommended NP fertilizer were applied together. The highest tef grain yield of 2.31 t ha−1 and net benefit of 2,252.91 USD ha−1 were obtained from the interaction of 10 t ha−1 cattle manure, 46/20 kg ha−1 N/P fertilizer, and 2 t ha−1 lime. This study recommends the combined application of 2 t ha−1 lime, 10 t ha−1 cattle manure, and 46/20 kg ha−1 N/P fertilizer as an effective amendment to improve soil chemical properties and yield of tef in acidic soils of northwest Ethiopian highlands.
Study of the Permeation to Ethylene Glycol in Flexible Tubular Adhesive Joints
Authors: Dantas M. A. , Carbas R. J. C. , Marques E. A. S. , Kushner D. , da Silva L. F. M.
Published: November 2021

Adhesive joints are currently being used throughout various industrial sectors, ranging from large-scale structures to smaller technological application, allowing them to obtain significantly more compact designs in many situations. In the present work, a tubular metal-polymer adhesive joint is designed to work in contact with a liquid at high temperature while withstanding large torsional deflections. The effect of the geometry of the joint, mainly the overlap length, was studied by evaluating the permeation rate to ethylene glycol. Results show that this parameter has a major influence on the behavior of the joint in terms of permeation, with this effect being most noticeable when shorter overlaps are used. Thus, a relation between the overlap length and the permeation was experimentally determined in this work.
The European model of market integration. Formation and perspective.
Authors:   Institute of Europe of Russian Academy Sciences, Kondratieva Natalia
Published: November 2021

The monograph contains the results of ten years of the author's research devoted to problematic issues of regulating the movement of factors and results of economic activity within the regional integration association, the structure of the Single Internal Market of the European Union, the formation and competition of regional trade regimes. Over the years of studying the subject, the principles of market unity have covered the newest areas of the European economy; the EU has faced a number of internal and external challenges that have led to a deepening of the integration process; EU partners such as Russia and Asian countries have fundamentally changed, which has expanded the objectives of the study.
The Legacy of Cooperatives among the African Diaspora
Authors: Hossein Caroline Shenaz
Published: November 2021

According to the International Co-operative Alliance, more than 12 percent of the global population belong to the world’s three million cooperatives. The African diaspora has contributed to this legacy. Many Caribbean people view cooperatives as trustworthy because these institutions put people’s local needs first. Both Haiti and Grenada have deeply embedded cooperative values and identities that are rooted in the ancient African systems of Sol and Susu. The African diaspora has a strong history of organizing solidarity financial economies to counter exclusion in business and society. This article draws on interviews with 138 direct users of cooperative institutions, bankers, and experts. Based on the findings, it argues that the African diaspora has had a key role in cooperative development and that Susu and Sol are the preferred financial institutions because they give people a way to help each other in times of adversity. This research uses the theory of the Black Social Economy to analyze Caribbean cooperators and their use of informal and formal cooperatives to stymie exclusion in business and society. Documenting the Haitian and Grenadian people’s cooperative legacy reveals that the choice of the people of the Black diaspora to politicize their economic solidarity, and this has been a major contribution to the global cooperative movement.
Elementos resilientes utilizados por estudiantes de la Normal Rural Vasco de Quiroga (Michoacán México) en su movimiento
Authors: Arreola Piñón Cinthia Gricell , Gómez del Campo del Paso María Inés
Published: November 2021

The aim of this paper is to describe the resilient resources that the students of Escuela Normal Rural Vasco de Quiroga, Michoacán, México use in their student/social movement and in their professional training. This research was carried out through a qualitative methodology, of the phenomenological kind, with the participation of 40 male students, using the focus group technique in 4 groups of 10 members each. The findings show the presence of such resilient elements as a positive attitude and the perception of personal growth and learning achievement from the student movement. This allows us to conclude that this type of movement generates positive aspects in students, which points to the importance of carrying out research emphasizing the knowledge of these phenomena not only as social or political movements but as promoters of psychological resources and human potential.
Una arqueología de las competencias básicas: la educación como protocolo para unas identidades predecibles
Authors: Martínez Cárceles Ibán
Published: November 2021

In this essay, we will describe the ideological paradigm of the competency-based system, which is developing in Catalonia in an uncritical way. To do this, our hermeneutics will be developed as an archeology; that is, we will not review all the academic literature on basic competencies, but we will bring out the elements that most clearly put forward the mentalities of the subject we analyze. This way, we will describe the account presented by those who exercise power, analyzing how the motivation to develop a system arises from the idea of competencies, how that motivation has subsequently been channeled towards the construction of an epistemological field based on the idea of “modern life”, and finally, we will delve into the dispute over key concepts, such as “social prerequisites”, “success”, and “autonomy”. This will be done with the intention of revealing one of the possible purposes of the competency story: to create a narrative about what an acceptable social identity should be.
Cultura, emociones y aprendizaje significativo en Educación Física
Authors: Mujica-Johnson Felipe Nicolás , Salgado-López José Ignacio
Published: November 2021

In the last decades, an affective shift has been developing in the theory and practice of pedagogical environments, which has caused emotions to be of greater importance in school learning. In this educational context, this essay has been elaborated with the objective of describing the relationship of cultural meanings with meaningful learning in the Physical Education subject based on an emotional perspective. The analyzes were mainly focused on the meanings associated with gender, socioeconomic status, and contact as cultural manifestations. Different studies are described that explain the influence of these aspects on the emotions of students during their motor learning. These meanings can alter the emotional disposition of students when learning new motor behaviors, so significant motor learning would also be affected. However, according to this theory, poor emotional disposition would not prevent developing new motor behaviors. Still, it would be important for teachers to have a good understanding of the motor capabilities of each student to optimize the process and not influence their subjective well-being negatively. It is concluded that in the face of cultural meanings that promote unpleasant emotions before some didactic content, it would be very useful to promote the acquisition of new meanings that have a contrary orientation to improve the emotional disposition of students.
Spray atomization simulation of bamboo kraft black liquor with high solid content at splash-plate nozzle
Authors: Xu Yongjian , Chen Shenglin , Du Xin , Yue Xiaopeng
Published: November 2021

Increasing the solids content of pulping black liquor burned in a furnace is a development trend of the alkali recovery system in the pulp and paper industry. However, the viscosity of kraft black liquor increases exponentially with an increase in solids content, especially in the case of non-wood pulping black liquor, such as bamboo. This brings great difficulties to the pulping system and atomization of black liquor at the splash-plate nozzle, which is a complete atomization unit constituted of a splash nozzle and a splash plate. To obtain instructive results for industry, a simulation of the atomization process was made using Fluent software for the bamboo kraft black liquor with solids contents of 70 wt% and 80 wt%, which flowed through splash nozzles with the diameter of 22 or 20 mm. The studies were conducted on the distribution of flow field in the nozzle and atomization region through changing the injection pressure and nozzle diameter. The variation of atomization characteristic parameters, such as liquid film thickness, and breakup length, were elucidated. The results reveal the relationship between spray atomization with injection pressure and nozzle diameter, which provides a theoretical basis for improving the concentration of black liquor entering alkali recovery in the future.
Modeling product distribution of top-lit updraft gasification
Authors: James R. Arthur M. , Castorena Cassie , Yuan Wenqiao
Published: November 2021

A kinetic model for predicting biochar, producer gas, and tar formations of top-lit updraft (TLUD) gasification was developed. The three main zones within the TLUD gasifier, the pyrolysis, incomplete combustion, and reduction reaction zones, were incorporated into the model and sequentially solved. Validated with experimental data, the model was found capable of predicting biochar yield on pine woodchips at varying airflow rates, biomass moisture contents, and biomass compactness. However, when the particle size was varied, the model underestimated biochar yield. The model also accurately predicted the higher heating value of the producer gas that varied from 3.45 to 3.98 MJ/m3 compared to 3.61 to 3.67 MJ/m3 for the experimental results. The model qualitatively predicted tar content in the producer gas at varying conditions. However, accurate quantification of tar generation in TLUD gasification was not achieved.
Comparative study between activated carbon and biochar for phenol removal from aqueous solution
Authors: Elbidi Moammar , Hewas Agab , Asar Rajab , Salleh Mohamad Amran Mohd
Published: November 2021

Removal of phenol from wastewater using local biochar (BC) was investigated, while using activated carbon (AC) as a reference material. The main parameters affecting the sorption process were initial concentration, contact time, pH, and temperature. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the maximum removal percent when using AC and BC were 95% and 55%, respectively. Experimental data showed that the removal of phenol has fast kinetics and reached equilibrium within 5 minutes. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to fit the adsorption experimental data. Pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetic models were employed.
Exploring the role of chemo-mechanical technique on the properties of nanocellulose isolated from different varieties of rice bran
Authors: Ilias Nurul Najihah , Rozalli Norazatul Hanim M. , Kassim Mohamad Haafiz M.
Published: November 2021

Nanocellulose (NC) was isolated from an underutilized agricultural residue, defatted rice bran (DRB), obtained from three major paddy varieties in Malaysia, MARDI Rice (MR): MR 220, MR 219, and MR 297. The DRB was subjected to alkali (NaOH) and bleaching treatments prior to the isolation of NC. The NC from DRB was produced through the acid hydrolysis technique using 55%wt sulphuric acid (H2SO4) with the assistance of ultrasonication. The morphological structure of NC was analyzed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on the observation, a needle-like structure was observed for NC 219 while NC 220 and NC 297 showed nano-web structures. All obtained NC dimensions ranged from 183 to 263 nm long and 4.70 to 4.97 nm wide. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the presence of all important compositions for the cellulose of each variety, indicating that the chemical structure of DRB cellulose has not been altered by acid hydrolysis. Particle size distributions portrayed a unimodal graph for NC 220 and NC 219. This comparative study provides an insight into the possibility of using DRB as a potential source of NC. The promising characteristics of NC from MR 219 allowed its application as an emulsifier for stabilizing a solid particle-based emulsion.
The influence of the opening size on the shear performance of the cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls
Authors: Zhang Daiyuan , Shen Liming , Zhu Xudong , Zhang Sujun , Gong Meng
Published: November 2021

Cross-laminated timber is a wood product with excellent fire resistance and mechanical performance that is often used in tiny houses. Using the ASTM standard E564, the shear performance of cross-laminated timber wall panels, with and without openings, were investigated in this study. The specimens were made of spruce-pine-fir IIc lumber and installed on a test platform using high-strength bolts passing through them. This connection mode limited the displacements obtained in the test, primarily the shear displacements and rocking displacements. By comparing the static load test data of the three specimens with openings and the one without an opening, it was found that openings reduced the shear strength and shear stiffness. For the same sized rectangular opening, the shear stiffness of the cross-laminated timber panel was less when the wider side was horizontal (normal to the direction of the applied force). The shear stiffness of the cross-laminated timber wall panels can be effectively improved by reinforcing the areas near the openings with metal sheets. With reinforcement, the shear strength did not change drastically, but the damage to the cross-laminated timber wall panels was significantly reduced.
Identification of tree species from the Peruvian tropical amazon “Selva Central” forests according to wood anatomy
Authors: Ferreira Cassiana A. , Inga Janet G. , Vidal Osir D. , Goytendia Walter E. , Moya Sthefany M. , Centeno Thonny B. , Vélez Andrés , Gamarra Daniel , Tomazello-Filho Mario
Published: November 2021

The “Selva Central” of Peru is characterized by its forest species richness that produces quality wood for countless uses. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the wood and its macroscopic anatomy, which is an important tool for the botanical identification of tree species. For this purpose, 13 sawmills located in 3 provinces were selected that exploit several tree species of “Selva Central”. Sampling of representative woods was carried out, identified by common names and, in the laboratory, they were polished, examined, and grouped by the similarity of the macroscopic anatomical structure, leading to the tree species identification. Twenty tree species were identified, belonging to 17 genera, with emphasis on the Lauraceae and Fabaceae families. However, Moraceae, Meliaceae, Lecythidaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Bignoniaceae, Myristicaceae, Combretaceae, and Burseraceae families were also identified. The anatomical structures of all the identified tree species were described, transversal and longitudinal tangential cross section images were collected, and a species identification key was constructed. The implications and importance of tree species identification via wood anatomy were discussed, in terms of controlling forest exploitation, traceability of the production chain, and the future development of an artificial intelligence tree-species identification method.