bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La aplicación del Derecho Comunitario como cuestión infraconstitucional en el ordenamiento jurídico español
Authors: Ollero Andrés
Published: December 2019

Reflexiones sobre la aplicación del Derecho Comunitario como cuestión infraconstitucional en el ordenamiento jurídico español
Reflexiones y propuestas sobre políticas de gratuidad de los libros de texto en España
Authors: Bayona Aznar Bernardo
Published: December 2019

SUMARIO: I. INTRODUCCIÓN. II. ANTECEDENTES. 1. La descentralización de las competencias educativas. 2. La gratuidad de los libros de texto. III. PRINCIPIOS DE ACTUACIÓN POLÍTICA. 1. La educación, asunto de Estado. 2. La unidad del sistema educativo español. 3. La financiación pública de la gratuidad. 4. Las libertades de enseñanza, de cátedra, de creación y de edición. 5. Respeto a la legislación concurrente sobre el libro y la propiedad intelectual. 6. El fomento de la lectura y del aprecio a los libros. 7. El doble carácter de las industrias culturales. 8. El principio constitucional de unidad de mercado. 9. El libro español como cauce de la presencia del español en el mundo. IV. ANÁLISIS DE SITUACIÓN. 1. La importancia del libro de texto en la educación. 2. La financiación de libros de texto por las Comunidades Autónomas. 3. Repercusiones en la industria editorial. 4. Desaparición de las librerías como redes culturales. 5. Creciente desigualdad entre ciudadanos. 6. La homologación curricular de los libros de texto. 7. Insuficiente gasto público en educación. V. CONTRADICCIONES EN CURSO. 1. El Congreso rechazó el préstamo y los partidos no lo defendieron. 2. PP y PSOE prometieron un Acuerdo sobre los libros de texto. 3. Las competencias básicas y el libro como objeto. 4. Desafección al libro en vez de aprecio y fomento de la lectura. 5. Incoherencia de las decisiones educativas con la política cultural.6. Incumplimiento de la legislación sobre el precio de libro. 7. Vulneración de los derechos de autor. 8. Ruptura de la unidad de mercado. 9. Perjuicio irreparable a la pluralidad lingüística y cultural. 10. A contracorriente de Europa. VI. EN LÍNEA DE PROPUESTA. 1. El Observatorio de la Lectura y del Libro. 2. Acuerdo entre el Ministerio de Educación, y las Comunidades Autónomas. 3. Modificaciones normativas. 4. La cooperación entre el sector público y el sector editorial. VII. CONCLUSIONES. REFERENCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS.
IV OPP Congress | Abstracts Book | Braga, 2018
Authors: IV OPP Congress, 2018 Scientific Committee
Published: December 2019

This book of abstracts includes the contents that have been submitted and accepted by the Scientific Commitee of the 4th Congress of OPP, venued in Braga,between the 12th and 15th September 2018, under the scope of: Psicologia na Prevenção e Promoção do Desenvolvimento das Pessoas, Coesão Social e Crescimento Económico.All accepted abstracts provided by authors are available: Keynotes speakers communications, Oral communications, Poster communications, and Simposia Communications.
Leave No Trace ordinances for coastal species management: influences on sea turtle nesting success
Authors: Ware M , Fuentes MMPB
Published: December 2019

Coastal environments provide critical ecosystem services but experience a number of threats including marine debris and abandoned beach equipment. To address this threat, municipalities have begun enacting policy measures such as Leave No Trace ordinances. The impact of these ordinances on coastal species management has not yet been established. To evaluate the effectiveness of Leave No Trace ordinances in coastal species management, sea turtle crawl distribution, nesting success, and the frequency of obstructed crawls pre- and post-ordinance at a loggerhead sea turtleCaretta carettanesting beach in Alabama, USA, were compared between 3 treatment groups: (1) Gulf Shores and Orange Beach with new Leave No Trace ordinances enacted in 2016, (2) Fort Morgan with no ordinance, and (3) the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Gulf State Park with Leave No Trace ordinances but no resident human population. The ordinance had no significant effect on crawl distribution or nesting success across the study site post-ordinance. However, the frequency of obstructed crawls in populated areas declined by 18.1% with the ordinance. The presence of a resident population was a more significant driver of obstructed crawls than the ordinance, as the Bon Secour NWR and Gulf State Park had fewer obstructed crawls than either populated treatment. With time and increased compliance, Leave No Trace ordinances may have the potential to improve coastal species management and increase coastal ecosystem services through reduced marine debris entanglement and ingestion, reduced physical damage to the environment, and increased tourism revenue and environmental education.
Особи, що керують окремими видами електротранспорту, як суб’єкти відповідальності у сфері забезпечення безпеки дорожнього руху
Authors: Панькевич В. М. , Безносюк А. М.
Published: December 2019

У статті розглянуто питання вдосконалення законодавства у сфері забезпечення безпеки дорожнього руху стосовно осіб, що керують окремими видами електротранспорту. Авторами запропоновано внесення змін до Закону України «Про дорожній рух» та постанови Кабінету Міністрів України № 1306 від 10 жовтня 2001 р. щодо віднесення до учасників дорожнього руху вищезазначених осіб. Крім цього, пропонується розглянути доцільність розширення переліку транспортних засобів категорії А1 окремими видами електротранспорту (враховуючи їх максимальну швидкість руху, вантажопідйомність тощо), що будуть підлягати реєстрації та отриманню посвідчення водія.
Європейські принципи належного урядування як фактор модернізації правового статусу суб’єктів публічного адміністрування в Україні
Authors: Демидова М. О.
Published: December 2019

У дослідженні висувається гіпотеза, що правове регулювання статусу суб’єктів публічного адміністрування потребує змін, які відповідають меті та завданням сучасного публічного управління. Уточнюється, що процес запровадження означених змін в Україні потребує врахування вже напрацьованих зарубіжних методик формування й розвитку правового статусу суб’єктів публічного адміністрування. Розкриваються особливості досвіду ЄС щодо запровадження принципів державного управління як моделі модернізації публічного адміністрування у країнах-бенефіціарах. Проаналізовано систематизацію та оцінку дієвості цих принципів на прикладі України.
Адміністративні послуги у сфері приватизації та приватизаційні послуги: співвідношення понять
Authors: Потіп М. М.
Published: December 2019

У статті розкрито наукові підходи до визначення ознак та змісту поняття «адміністративні послуги», з’ясовано особливості їх надання в сфері приватизації. Проаналізовано види адміністративних послуг, що надаються органами державної виконавчої влади та органами місцевого самоврядування щодо приватизації. Визначено відмінності «адміністративних послуг у сфері приватизації» та «приватизаційних послуг», сформульовані відповідні авторські поняття. Виявлено недоліки правового регулювання надання адміністративних послуг щодо приватизації та приватизаційних послуг, а також запропоновані напрямки його удосконалення.
«Глас вопиющего в пустыне» - чому?
Authors: Розовський Б. Г. , Бочковий О. В.
Published: December 2019

У статті зазначається, що вся історія цивілізації – це повсюдне подолання одвічного упередження: «цього не може бути, тому що не може бути». Незважаючи на відомі свідчення ефективного застосування в слідчій практиці нетрадиційних методів доказування, і сьогодні спостерігається їх ігнорування та відсутність інтересу в необхідності експериментального підтвердження чи спростування цього. Причому сучасний науково-технічний рівень дозволяє дослідним способом підтвердити чи спростувати вказані в статті способи отримання інформації. Підтвердження описаних фактів дозволить підвищити ефективність попередження та припинення, а також розслідування злочинів. Спростування ж цього факту назавжди позбавить від марних дискусій.
Особливості проведення виборів до органів місцевого самоврядування в Україні
Authors: Нестерович В. Ф.
Published: December 2019

У статті розкрито особливості проведення виборів до органів місцевого самоврядування в Україні. Указано, що вибори до органів місцевого самоврядування є найбільш наближеним до громадян видом виборів. Чергові вибори до органів місцевого самоврядування є чи не найбільш складними. При проведенні виборів до органів місцевого самоврядування в Україні мають місце вісім основних особливостей, які помітно вирізняють цей вид виборів від парламентських та президентських в Україні.
Кримінологічна характеристика кривдника
Authors: Біленко П. С.
Published: December 2019

У статті розкрито кримінологічну характеристику осіб, які вчиняють домашнє насильство. Указано, що насильницькі дії з боку членів власної родини завдають серйознішої психологічної та фізичної шкоди, ніж аналогічні вчинки від сторонніх осіб. Проаналізовано структурні елементи кримінологічної характеристики кривдника, зокрема соціально-демографічні, кримінально-правові та соціально-психологічні ознаки. Зроблено висновок, що домашнє насильство вчиняють чоловіки ( 96,6 % ) вікової групи 21-40 років, із них син – 50 %; особи мають повну середню освіту ( 50 % ), офіційно не працевлаштовані (96,52 %), а 62 % з них раніше не притягувалися до кримінальної відповідальності й 32,75 % перебували в стані алкогольного сп’яніння. Місце реєстрації та місце фактичного проживання в 65 % осіб співпадають.
HIGHLY CONCENTRATED ENERGY SOURCE FOR BROILERS
Authors: Gaganov Anatoly , Zverkova Zinaida , Osipyan Bella
Published: December 2019

Studies were conducted on the use of oil obtained from rapeseed cultivar 'Podmoskovnyj' selection of Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production and Agroecology in feeding broiler chickens. The experiments were carried out on chickens cross-country "ROSS-308". They were grown in a cell battery. For the experiment, 5 groups were formed. In the start and finish periods, the control group received 2.5 and 3.3% sunflower oil. In the experimental groups, sunflower oil was replaced with rapeseed in the following amounts: the first — 1.0 and 1.0%, the second — 1.5 and 1.7%, the third — 2.0 and 2.5% and the fourth — 2.5 and 3.3%. Feeding was carried out with dry loose feed from a day old. Studies have found that rapeseed oil had less saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, but more unsaturated fatty acids. The amount of erucic acid was 0.20%. The digestibility of nutrients was high and practically did not differ from the control variant, as was the use of nitrogen. The inclusion of rapeseed oil in the composition of feed for broilers did not have a significant impact on the increase in live weight and feed costs. The cost of feed with increasing rapeseed oil in their composition decreased, and the efficiency of converting feed into products increased slightly. Compound feeds with rapeseed oil were not inferior in terms of the efficiency of using compound feed containing sunflower oil.
PRODUCTION OF SEEDS OF F1 RAPE HYBRIDS IN MESH INSULATORS AT VARIOUS METHODS OF POLLINATION
Authors: Pastukhov Igor , Karpachev Vladimir
Published: December 2019

Spring rape is a valuable oil and fodder crop, a source of high-quality vegetable oil and feed protein. The basis for obtaining a high yield of seeds of rape, under the cover of mesh insulators is high-quality pollination of plants. In this regard, a comparison was made of the efficiency of pollination by forced ventilation, pollination by bumblebees and bees and open pollination at the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Rapeseed from 2017 to 2018. In insulators where pollination was carried out by insects, the mass of seeds from one plant and the number of seeds in the pod were higher than in plants from insulators in which pollination was carried out by forced ventilation and open pollination. At the same time, in insulators where plants were pollinated by forced ventilation and open pollination, the plant height, the number of pods per plant, and the mass of 1000 seeds exceeded those of the insulators where pollination was carried out by bumblebees and bees. Thus, mesh isolators can maintain the genetic purity of the original parental forms, provide the production of hybrid seeds with high sowing and yield characteristics.
ELEMENTS OF YELLOW LUPIN YIELD STRUCTURE IN COENOSIS WITH DIFFERENT DENSITY
Authors: YaGOVENKO Tat'yana , Troshina Larisa , Gribushenkova Nina
Published: December 2019

The article presents the impact of coenosis density of yellow lupin on yield, its structure elements and their variability. The non-determinant vars. Prestizh and Novozybkovskiy 100 produced the highest yield in coenosis with 1.3 mln. of plants per a hectare. The spike like var. Demidovskiy was more productive in coenosis with 1.6 mln. of plants per a hectare. First of all, coenosis density influenced pods’ number of the main stem. If the plants’ number increased pods’ number of the main stem decreased by 7–17%. It was noticed that influence level of coenosis density depended on a variety. Varieties’ differentiation for the weight of 1000 seeds was registered. Each structure index has a certain range of variability. The coefficient of economic use was the lowest one – less than 20%. Variability coefficients for other characters were about 25–38%. The variability of the characters as "plant weigh", "weight of 1000 seeds" of non-determinant lines demonstrated the tendency to decrease if coenosis density increased. The characters "productivity", "pods’ number of the main stem", "seeds’ number of the main stem" at the contrary have the higher variability. Variability coefficients of the economic valuable characters demonstrated that their variability increases if coenosis density of the yellow lupin is about 1.6 mln. plants per a hectare. It’s important for selection of perspective yellow lupin lines. The tested varieties haven’t clearly differentiation by the protein content in seeds. Coenosis didn’t affect the protein content. The var. Prestizh has the extreme instability of the character "alkaloid content in seeds" and strongly reacted to the increased coenosis density.
Different Diets Change the Expression of Bovine Serum Extracellular Vesicle-miRNAs
Authors: Quan Suyu , Nan Xuemei , Wang Kun , Jiang Linshu , Yao Junhu , Xiong Benhai
Published: December 2019

Cells can communicate with neighboring or distant cells using extracellular vesicles (EVs), mainly attributed to their containing miRNAs. Given that diets can change host circulatory miRNA profiling, and EVs are the major miRNA carriers in serum, we hypothesized that different diets could change bovine circulating EV-miRNA expression. We partly replaced alfalfa hay with whole cotton seed and soybean hull in the feed formula of the tested cows. Blood EVs were isolated using a polyethylene glycol precipitation kit. Particle size analysis revealed exosomes were dominant in bovine serum EVs. Small RNAs were enriched in bovine serum EVs, including miRNAs, snRNAs, tiRNAs, Cis-regulatory elements, piRNAs, etc. In total, 359 types of Bos taurus miRNAs were identified by Solexa sequencing. Each cow in the control group contained about 244 types of serum EV-miRNAs, compared to 246 types in the tested group. There were 15 immune-related miRNAs in the top 20 serum EV-miRNAs, accounting for about 80% of the total. Seven differently expressed known miRNAs were detected in responding to different diets. An analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) showed differently expressed miRNAs were related to hormone signal pathways and protein metabolism. Bovine serum EVs are abundant with miRNAs, most of which are immune-related. Different diets eventually change the miRNA profiling of bovine serum EVs.
Retrofit Existing Frame Structures to Increase Their Economy and Sustainability in High Seismic Hazard Regions
Authors: Li Shuang , Zhang Jintao
Published: December 2019

The study proposes a retrofitting method with an optimum design of viscous dampers in order to improve the structural resistant capacity to earthquakes. The retrofitting method firstly uses a 2D frame model and places the viscous dampers in the structure to satisfy the performance requirements under code-specific design earthquake intensities and then performs an optimum design to increase the structural collapse-resistant capacity. The failure pattern analysis and fragility analysis show that the optimum design leads to better performance than the original frame structure. For regular structures, it is demonstrated that the optimum pattern of viscous damper placement obtained from a 2D frame model can be directly used in the retrofitting of the 3D frame model. The economic loss and repair time analyses are conducted for the retrofitted frame structure under different earthquake intensities, including the frequent earthquake, the occasional earthquake, and the rare earthquake. Although the proposed method is based on time-history analyses, it seems that the computational cost is acceptable because the 2D frame model is adopted to determine the optimum pattern of viscous damper placement; meanwhile, the owner can clearly know the economic benefits of the retrofitting under different earthquake intensities. The retrofitting also causes the frame to have reduced environmental problems (such as carbon emission) compared to the original frame in the repair process after a rare earthquake happens.
Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) Monitoring at a Lab Scale of Aerobic Biological Processes in a Soil Contaminated by Diesel Oil
Authors: Vergnano Andrea , Godio Alberto , Raffa Carla Maria , Chiampo Fulvia , Bosco Francesca , Ruffino Barbara
Published: December 2019

This study aims to monitor the biological processes ongoing in a hydrocarbon polluted soil. The experiments were carried out at a laboratory scale by measuring the evolution of its geophysical electromagnetic parameters. Time-domain reflectometry (TDR) probes were used to measure dielectric permittivity and electrical conductivity in columns of sandy soil artificially contaminated with diesel oil (Voil/Vtot = 0.19). To provide aerobic conditions suitable for the growth of microorganisms, they were hydrated with Mineral Salt Medium for Bacteria. One mesocosm was aerated by injecting air from the bottom of the column, while the other had only natural aeration due to diffusion of air through the soil itself. The monitoring lasted 105 days. Geophysical measurements were supported by microbiological, gas chromatographic analyses, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Air injection heavily influenced the TDR monitoring, probably due to the generation of air bubbles around the probe that interfered with the probe–soil coupling. Therefore, the measurement accuracy of geophysical properties was dramatically reduced in the aerated system, although biological analyses showed that aeration strongly supports microbial activity. In the non-aerated system, a slight (2%) linear decrease of dielectric permittivity was observed over time. Meanwhile, the electrical conductivity initially decreased, then increased from day 20 to day 45, then decreased again by about 30%. We compared these results with other researches in recent literature to explain the complex biological phenomena that can induce variations in electrical parameters in a contaminated soil matrix, from salt depletion to pore clogging.
Sol-Gel Glass-Ceramic Materials Containing CaF2:Eu3+ Fluoride Nanocrystals for Reddish-Orange Photoluminescence Applications
Authors: Pawlik Natalia , Szpikowska-Sroka Barbara , Goryczka Tomasz , Pisarski Wojciech A.
Published: December 2019

CaF2:Eu3+ glass-ceramic sol-gel materials have been examined for reddish-orange photoluminescence applications. The transformation from precursor xerogels to glass-ceramic materials with dispersed fluoride nanocrystals was verified using several experimental methods: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR-ATR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and photoluminescence measurements. Based on luminescence spectra and their decays, the optical behavior of Eu3+ ions in fabricated glass-ceramics were characterized and compared to those of precursor xerogels. In particular, the determined luminescence lifetime of the 5D0 excited state of Eu3+ ions in nanocrystalline CaF2:Eu3+ glass-ceramic materials is significantly prolonged in comparison with prepared xerogels. The integrated intensities of emission bands associated to the 5D0 → 7F2 electric-dipole transition (ED) and the 5D0 → 7F1 magnetic-dipole transition (MD) are changed drastically during controlled ceramization process of xerogels. This implies the efficient migration of Eu3+ ions from amorphous silicate sol-gel network into low-phonon energy CaF2 nanocrystals.
Paint Removal with Pulsed Laser: Theory Simulation and Mechanism Analysis
Authors: Zhao Haichao , Qiao Yulin , Du Xian , Wang Sijie , Zhang Qing , Zang Yan , Cai Zhihai
Published: December 2019

This paper studies paint removal using laser technology. A finite element model was created using COMSOL Multiphysics software, and the temperature field generated during the cleaning process was analyzed and verified. Laser paint removal behavior was investigated using a fiber laser, and its mechanism studied by combining Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. In-depth analysis of this relatively new technology could provide the theoretical basis for industrial application. The results of this study show that, when compared to the original paint layer, the infrared absorption spectrum of the cleaned surface had two additional two peaks—1333.36 cm−1 and 678.82 cm−1. In addition, there was a decrease in C element content on the treated surface and an increase in O content. In addition, new organic and complex compounds were formed on the cleaned surface as a result of bond cleavage and rearrangement. Furthermore, paint particles of varying sizes and shapes were produced by the impact of plasma shock. Under high-energy laser irradiation, the paint layer underwent combustion, resulting in spherical nanoparticles of uniform shape.
On the Constellation Design of Multi-GNSS Reflectometry Mission Using the Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Han Yi , Luo Jia , Xu Xiaohua
Published: December 2019

Due to the great success of the CYclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission, the follow-on GNSS Reflectometry (GNSS-R) missions are being planned. In the perceivable future, signal sources for GNSS-R missions can originate from multiple global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) including Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou. On the other hand, to facilitate the operational capability for sensing ocean, land, and ice features globally, multi-satellite low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations with global coverage and high spatio-temporal resolutions should be considered in the design of the follow-on GNSS-R constellation. In the present study, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was applied to seek the optimal configuration parameters of 2D-lattice flower constellations (2D-LFCs) composed of 8, 24, 60, and 120 satellites, respectively, for global GNSS-R observations, and the fitness function was defined as the length of the time for the percentage coverage of the reflection observations reaches 90% of the globe. The configuration parameters for the optimal constellations are presented, and the performances of the optimal constellations for GNSS-R observations including the visited and the revisited coverages, and the spatial and temporal distributions of the reflections were further compared. Although the results showed that all four optimized constellations could observe GNSS reflections with proper temporal and spatial distributions, we recommend the optimal 24- and 60-satellite 2D-LFCs for future GNSS-R missions, taking into account both the performance and efficiency for the deployment of the GNSS-R missions.
Rainfall and Flooding in Coastal Tourist Areas of the Canary Islands (Spain)
Authors: López Díez Abel , Máyer Suárez Pablo , Díaz Pacheco Jaime , Dorta Antequera Pedro
Published: December 2019

Coastal spaces exploited for tourism tend to be developed rapidly and with a desire to maximise profit, leading to diverse environmental problems, including flooding. As the origin of flood events is usually associated with intense precipitation episodes, this study considers the general rainfall characteristics of tourist resorts in two islands of the Canary Archipelago (Spain). Days of intense rainfall were determined using the 99th percentile (99p) of 8 daily precipitation data series. In addition, the weather types that generated these episodes were identified, the best-fitting distribution functions were determined to allow calculation of probable maximum daily precipitation for different return periods, and the territorial and economic consequences of flood events were analysed. The results show highly irregular rainfall, with 99p values ranging 50–80 mm. The weather types associated with 49 days of flooding events were predominantly cyclonic and hybrid cyclonic. The Log Pearson III distribution function best fitted the data series, with a strong likelihood in a 100-year return period of rainfall exceeding 100 mm in a 24 h period. However, values below 30 mm have already resulted in significant flood damage, while intense rainfall events in the period 1998–2016 saw over 11.5 million euros paid out in damages for insured goods. Such flood-induced damages were found to be caused more by inadequate urban planning than by rainfall intensity.
Convective Shower Characteristics Simulated with the Convection-Permitting Climate Model COSMO-CLM
Authors: Purr Christopher , Brisson Erwan , Ahrens Bodo
Published: December 2019

This paper evaluates convective precipitation as simulated by the convection-permitting climate model (CPM) Consortium for Small-Scale Modeling in climate mode (COSMO-CLM) (with 2.8 km grid-spacing) over Germany in the period 2001–2015. Characteristics of simulated convective precipitation objects like lifetime, area, mean intensity, and total precipitation are compared to characteristics observed by weather radar. For this purpose, a tracking algorithm was applied to simulated and observed precipitation with 5-min temporal resolution. The total amount of convective precipitation is well simulated, with a small overestimation of 2%. However, the simulation underestimates convective activity, represented by the number of convective objects, by 33%. This underestimation is especially pronounced in the lowlands of Northern Germany, whereas the simulation matches observations well in the mountainous areas of Southern Germany. The underestimation of activity is compensated by an overestimation of the simulated lifetime of convective objects. The observed mean intensity, maximum intensity, and area of precipitation objects increase with their lifetime showing the spectrum of convective storms ranging from short-living single-cell storms to long-living organized convection like supercells or squall lines. The CPM is capable of reproducing the lifetime dependence of these characteristics but shows a weaker increase in mean intensity with lifetime resulting in an especially pronounced underestimation (up to 25%) of mean precipitation intensity of long-living, extreme events. This limitation of the CPM is not identifiable by classical evaluation techniques using rain gauges. The simulation can reproduce the general increase of the highest percentiles of cell area, total precipitation, and mean intensity with temperature but fails to reproduce the increase of lifetime. The scaling rates of mean intensity and total precipitation resemble observed rates only in parts of the temperature range. The results suggest that the evaluation of coarse-grained (e.g., hourly) precipitation fields is insufficient for revealing challenges in convection-permitting simulations.
A Comprehensive sLORETA Study on the Contribution of Cortical Somatomotor Regions to Motor Imagery
Authors: Yazici Mustafa , Ulutas Mustafa , Okuyan Mukadder
Published: December 2019

Brain–computer interface (BCI) is a technology used to convert brain signals to control external devices. Researchers have designed and built many interfaces and applications in the last couple of decades. BCI is used for prevention, detection, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and restoration in healthcare. EEG signals are analyzed in this paper to help paralyzed people in rehabilitation. The electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded from five healthy subjects are used in this study. The sensor level EEG signals are converted to source signals using the inverse problem solution. Then, the cortical sources are calculated using sLORETA methods at nine regions marked by a neurophysiologist. The features are extracted from cortical sources by using the common spatial pattern (CSP) method and classified by a support vector machine (SVM). Both the sensor and the computed cortical signals corresponding to motor imagery of the hand and foot are used to train the SVM algorithm. Then, the signals outside the training set are used to test the classification performance of the classifier. The 0.1–30 Hz and mu rhythm band-pass filtered activity is also analyzed for the EEG signals. The classification performance and recognition of the imagery improved up to 100% under some conditions for the cortical level. The cortical source signals at the regions contributing to motor commands are investigated and used to improve the classification of motor imagery.
A Hybrid Feature Pool-Based Emotional Stress State Detection Algorithm Using EEG Signals
Authors: Hasan Md Junayed , Kim Jong-Myon
Published: December 2019

Human stress analysis using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals requires a detailed and domain-specific information pool to develop an effective machine learning model. In this study, a multi-domain hybrid feature pool is designed to identify most of the important information from the signal. The hybrid feature pool contains features from two types of analysis: (a) statistical parametric analysis from the time domain, and (b) wavelet-based bandwidth specific feature analysis from the time-frequency domain. Then, a wrapper-based feature selector, Boruta, is applied for ranking all the relevant features from that feature pool instead of considering only the non-redundant features. Finally, the k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) algorithm is used for final classification. The proposed model yields an overall accuracy of 73.38% for the total considered dataset. To validate the performance of the proposed model and highlight the necessity of designing a hybrid feature pool, the model was compared to non-linear dimensionality reduction techniques, as well as those without feature ranking.
Cold Atmospheric Plasma Restores Paclitaxel Sensitivity to Paclitaxel-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells by Reversing Expression of Resistance-Related Genes
Authors: Park Sungbin , Kim Heejoo , Ji Hwee Won , Kim Hyeon Woo , Yun Sung Hwan , Choi Eun Ha , Kim Sun Jung
Published: December 2019

Paclitaxel (Tx) is a widely used therapeutic chemical for breast cancer treatment; however, cancer recurrence remains an obstacle for improved prognosis of cancer patients. In this study, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) was tested for its potential to overcome the drug resistance. After developing Tx-resistant MCF-7 (MCF-7/TxR) breast cancer cells, CAP was applied to the cells, and its effect on the recovery of drug sensitivity was assessed in both cellular and molecular aspects. Sensitivity to Tx in the MCF-7/TxR cells was restored up to 73% by CAP. A comparison of genome-wide expression profiles between the TxR cells and the CAP-treated cells identified 49 genes that commonly appeared with significant changes. Notably, 20 genes, such as KIF13B, GOLM1, and TLE4, showed opposite expression profiles. The protein expression levels of selected genes, DAGLA and CEACAM1, were recovered to those of their parental cells by CAP. Taken together, CAP inhibited the growth of MCF-7/TxR cancer cells and recovered Tx sensitivity by resetting the expression of multiple drug resistance–related genes. These findings may contribute to extending the application of CAP to the treatment of TxR cancer.
Post-ER Stress Biogenesis of Golgi Is Governed by Giantin
Authors: Frisbie Cole P. , Lushnikov Alexander Y. , Krasnoslobodtsev Alexey V. , Riethoven Jean-Jack M. , Clarke Jennifer L. , Stepchenkova Elena I. , Petrosyan Armen
Published: December 2019

Background: The Golgi apparatus undergoes disorganization in response to stress, but it is able to restore compact and perinuclear structure under recovery. This self-organization mechanism is significant for cellular homeostasis, but remains mostly elusive, as does the role of giantin, the largest Golgi matrix dimeric protein. Methods: In HeLa and different prostate cancer cells, we used the model of cellular stress induced by Brefeldin A (BFA). The conformational structure of giantin was assessed by proximity ligation assay and atomic force microscopy. The post-BFA distribution of Golgi resident enzymes was examined by 3D SIM high-resolution microscopy. Results: We detected that giantin is rather flexible than an extended coiled-coil dimer and BFA-induced Golgi disassembly was associated with giantin monomerization. A fusion of the nascent Golgi membranes after BFA washout is forced by giantin re-dimerization via disulfide bond in its luminal domain and assisted by Rab6a GTPase. GM130-GRASP65-dependent enzymes are able to reach the nascent Golgi membranes, while giantin-sensitive enzymes appeared at the Golgi after its complete recovery via direct interaction of their cytoplasmic tail with N-terminus of giantin. Conclusion: Post-stress recovery of Golgi is conducted by giantin dimer and Golgi proteins refill membranes according to their docking affiliation rather than their intra-Golgi location.
CD38 Expression by Myeloma Cells and Its Role in the Context of Bone Marrow Microenvironment: Modulation by Therapeutic Agents
Authors: Costa Federica , Dalla Palma Benedetta , Giuliani Nicola
Published: December 2019

In the last decades CD38 has emerged as an attractive target for multiple myeloma (MM). CD38 is a novel multifunctional glycoprotein that acts as a receptor, adhesion molecule interacting with CD31 and as an ectoenzyme. As an ectoenzyme, CD38 functions as a metabolic sensor catalyzing the extracellular conversion of NAD+ to the immunosuppressive factor adenosine (ADO). Other ectoenzymes, CD73 and CD203a, together with CD38, are also involved in the alternative axis of extracellular production of ADO, bypassing the canonical pathway mediated by CD39. CD38 is ubiquitously expressed in the bone marrow microenvironment; however, only MM cells display a very high surface density, which lead to the development of several anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The efficacy of anti-CD38 mAbs depends from the presence of CD38 on the surface of MM and immune-microenvironment cells. Interestingly, it has been reported that several drugs like lenalidomide, panobinostat, the all-trans retinoic acid and the DNA methyltransferase inhibitors may increase the expression of CD38. Hence, the possibility to modulate CD38 by increasing its expression on MM cells is the pre-requisite to potentiate the clinical efficacy of the anti-CD38 mAbs and to design clinical trials with the combination of anti-CD38 mAbs and these drugs.
Laser-Assisted Surface Texturing of Ti/Zr Multilayers for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Response
Authors: Petrović Suzana , Peruško Davor , Skoulas Evangelos , Kovač Janez , Mitrić Miodrag , Potočnik Jelena , Rakočević Zlatko , Stratakis Emmanuel
Published: December 2019

The formation of an ordered surface texture with micro and nanometer features on Ti/Zr multilayers is studied for better understanding and improvement of cell integration. Nanocomposite in form 30×(Ti/Zr)/Si thin films was deposited by ion sputtering on Si substrate for biocompatibility investigation. Surface texturing by femtosecond laser processing made it possible to form the laser-induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) in each laser-written line. At fluence slightly above the ablation threshold, beside the formation of low spatial frequency-LIPSS (LSFL) oriented perpendicular to the direction of the laser polarization, the laser-induced surface oxidation was achieved on the irradiated area. Intermixing between the Ti and Zr layers with the formation of alloy in the sub-surface region was attained during the laser processing. The surface of the Ti/Zr multilayer system with changed composition and topography was used to observe the effect of topography on the survival, adhesion and proliferation of the murine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Confocal and SEM microscopy images showed that cell adhesion and their growth improve on these modified surfaces, with tendency of the cell orientation along of LIPSS in laser-written lines.
Online Parametric Estimation of Grid Impedance Under Unbalanced Grid Conditions
Authors: Mohammed Nabil , Ciobotaru Mihai , Town Graham
Published: December 2019

Whereas power-electronics-based power systems are expected to enable more integration of renewable energy sources, they could pose crucial challenges including stability issues due to the Thévenin impedance seen by inverters. Such problems could be mitigated by enabling the inverters to estimate the grid impedance by including a grid impedance estimation technique into their control loop. However, one aspect which has been overlooked thus far is that the accuracy of such grid impedance estimation techniques is significantly affected by various grid conditions. For instance, the unbalance in three-phase power systems causes unwanted oscillations at double the fundamental frequency in the inverters control loops. Therefore, this paper proposes a simple and reliable online estimation of the grid impedance under unbalanced conditions. The technique is based on wide-band impedance estimation incorporated into the control loop of the positive sequence of a three-phase grid-connected inverter equipped with a positive- and negative-sequence control (PNSC) strategy. Additionally, complex curve fitting is utilized to obtain parametric models of the grid impedance. To demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed grid impedance estimation technique, extensive case studies are performed. These include: (1) unbalanced operations of both resistive-inductive (RL) and resistive-inductive-capacitive (RLC) models of the grid, (2) background harmonics, and (3) asymmetrical impedances of the network.
New Protection Scheme Based on Coordination with Tie Switch in an Open-Loop Microgrid
Authors: Seo Hun-Chul
Published: December 2019

Owing to the increase in renewable energy, microgrids (MGs) are increasing. A MG has a small loop-type grid configuration. In the loop MG, challenges in protection such as maloperation of protection relay may occur owing to bidirectional current flow. Herein, we propose a new protection scheme in the loop MG. Considerations for protection in loop MG and fault characteristics are analyzed. Based on these, a new index to solve the considerations for MG protection are proposed using a wavelet transform. Furthermore, the new protection scheme based on the coordination with tie switch using the proposed new index is proposed. To verify the proposed scheme, the MG and the proposed scheme are modeled using the electromagnetic transients program and MATLAB. Various simulations according to the fault location and the success/failure of fault section separation are performed. Simulation results indicate that the power supply on the original feeder can be maintained by proposed method.
Novel Grounding Electrode Model with Axial Construction Space Consideration
Authors: Dan Yihua , Zhang Zhanlong , Li Yiqiao , Deng Jun , Zou Jing
Published: December 2019

Grounding electrodes are used to ensure safe operation of electrical apparatus. The limited axial construction space for grounding electrodes is a significant constraining factor. Grounding performance will attenuate rapidly under the influence of the reduced length of horizontal or vertical grounding electrodes. However, if additional resistance-reducing measures are adopted, the operation and maintenance cost of grounding electrodes will considerably increase. To solve above problem, this study proposed a novel grounding model that uses a helical grounding electrode to improve grounding performance within limited axial construction space. Firstly, a calculation model of finite element methods (FEM) is built based on the concept of increasing the contact area between the grounding electrodes and the soil. Grounding performance parameters of helical grounding electrodes, grounding resistance, electrical potential rise (EPR) distribution and maximum touch voltage, are analyzed. At the same time, structural parameters and buried depth for the helical grounding electrodes are studied and the optimal design criteria for the parameters are given. Results show that the helical grounding electrode exhibits better grounding performance in a limited axial construction area.
The Influence of Room and Pillar Method Geometry on the Deposit Utilization Rate and Rock Bolt Load
Authors: Skrzypkowski Krzysztof
Published: December 2019

In this article, a model of ore deposit in form of a lense carried out in the MineScape program, is presented. The lense had a thickness of 30 m, length along the strike 200 m, and the depth buried was for 80 m to 110 m below the surface. In the first layer, counting from the lowest level, a room and pillar method with variable geometry was designed. The width and length dimensions for rooms and pillars were: 4 m, 5 m and 6 m, respectively. For the selected part of the deposit, three variants of the system with variable geometry of rooms and pillars were designed, for which the deposit utilization coefficient was determined. The next stage of the research was to determine the influence of the geometry of the pillars and rooms on the range of the rock destruction zone around room excavations. For this purpose, numerical calculations using the three-dimensional Examine 3D program, based on the boundary element method, were made. The results of numerical tests were used to calculate the load of the rock bolt support, which is currently used in the zinc and lead underground mine “Olkusz-Pomorzany” in Poland. Currently in the mine, the bolt spacing is 1 m × 1 m, and the technology for fixing the bolt rod is based on resin cartridges that completely fill the bolt hole. In order to spread the spacing of the rock bolt support and to apply segmental fixing of the bolt rod, in the laboratory tests, rock bolt supports with increased strength were tested. Based on the results obtained, it was found that the rock bolt can be installed segmentally, using a cement grout, and its spacing can be increased to 2 m.
Drought-Induced Reductions and Limited Recovery in the Radial Growth, Transpiration, and Canopy Stomatal Conductance of Mongolian Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv): A Five-Year Observation
Authors: Dang Hongzhong , Lu Ping , Yang Wenbin , Han Hui , Zhang Jun
Published: December 2019

Determining plant–water relationships in response to drought events can provide important information about the adaptation of trees to climate change. The Mongolian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv), as one of the major tree species to control soil loss and desertification in northern China, has experienced severe degradation in recent decades. Here, we aimed to examine the impacts of a two-year consecutive drought and another year of drought on the radial growth, transpiration, and canopy stomatal conductance of Mongolian Scots pine over a five-year period, especially in terms of its recovery after drought. The study period during 2013–2017 consisted of a ‘normal’ year, a ‘dry year’, a ‘very dry’ year, a ‘wet’ year, and a ‘dry’ year, according to annual precipitation and soil moisture conditions. Based on measurements of the sap flow and diameters at breast height of 11 sample trees as well as the concurrent environmental factors, we quantified the reductions in tree radial growth, transpiration, and canopy stomatal conductance during the drought development as well as their recovery after the drought. The results showed that the tree radial growth, transpiration, and canopy stomatal conductance of Mongolian Scots pines decreased by 33.8%, 51.9%, and 51.5%, respectively, due to the two consecutive years of drought. Moreover, these reductions did not fully recover after the two-year drought was relieved. The minimum difference of these parameters between before and after the two-year consecutive drought period was 8.5% in tree radial growth, 45.1% in transpiration levels, and 42.4% in canopy stomatal conductance. We concluded that the two consecutive years of drought resulted in not only large reductions in tree radial growth and water use, but also their lagged and limited recoveries after drought. The study also highlighted the limited resilience of Mongolian Scots pine trees to prolonged drought in semi-arid sandy environmental conditions.
Associations of Waist Circumference, Socioeconomic, Environmental, and Behavioral Factors with Chronic Kidney Disease in Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obese People
Authors: Duong Tuyen Van , Wu Pei-Yu , Yang Evelyn , Lin Yuh-Feng , Chiou Hung-Yi , Yang Shwu-Huey
Published: December 2019

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) places a heavy burden on the healthcare system worldwide. The risk factors may vary by body adiposity. We aimed to investigate the associations of socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral factors with CKD in different groups of body mass indexes (BMI). Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 3280 participants (1048 CKD and 2232 non-CKD) from seven hospitals and nearby communities from May 2012 to August 2015. Personal characteristics, anthropometrics, environmental exposures, and health−related behaviors were assessed using a structured questionnaire. The logistic regression models were utilized for analysis. Results: Older age (odd ratio, OR = 2.85; p < 0.001), being men (OR = 4.23; p < 0.001), smoking (OR = 3.36; p < 0.001), stable income (OR = 0.33; p < 0.001), higher education (OR = 0.37~0.38; p < 0.001), and daily adequate water intake (OR = 0.64; p = 0.010) were associated with CKD in normal weight people. Older age (OR = 2.49; p < 0.001), being men (OR = 3.36; p < 0.001), education (OR = 0.44, p = 0.004), hypertension (OR = 2.93; p<0.001), diabetes (OR = 1.83; p = 0.004), and using traditional Chinese medicine (OR = 2.03, p = 0.014) were associated with CKD in overweight people. Older age (OR = 2.71; p < 0.001), being men (OR = 2.69; p < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 2.93; p < 0.001), diabetes (OR = 1.94; p = 0.001) were associated with CKD in obese people. Conclusions: The associated factors of CKD varied by different groups of BMI. These findings may help to develop potential interventions to manage CKD.