bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sistem Informasi Geografis Wisata Bahari pada Dinas Pariwisata Kota Ternate
Authors: ambarita arisandy
Published: July 2018

Pariwisata merupakan salah satu sektor unggulan dalam pembangunan untuk meningkatkan pendapatan nasional, penyerapan tenaga kerja, dan penyumbang devisa negara. Penelitian ini betujuan untuk merancang sistem informasi geografis objek wisata bahari pada Dinas Pariwisata Kota Ternate. Metode Analisis dan Pengembangan Sistem menggunakan model terstruktur, serta Pengembangannya menggunakan metode sekuensial linier (Waterfall). Sistem ini dirancang dengan Alat bantu Flowchart, DFD, ERD dan dibuat menggunakan bahasa Pemrograman HTML, CSS, PHP, jQuery, Javascript serta database MySQL. Aplikasi Sistem Informasi Geografis Wisata dengan memanfaatkan teknologi informasi ini, memudahkan Dinas Pariwisata Kota Ternate menyediakan informasi kepada wisatawan, sehingga para wisatawan dapat mengakses informasi objek wisata bahari dimana saja
KAJIAN QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT UTILITAS KENDARAAN DAN FASILITAS PEMBERHENTIAN ANGKUTAN KOTA MAKASSAR
Authors: HANAFIE AHMAD , ABBAS HAMMADA , Samang Lawalenna , Hamid Sumarni
Published: July 2018

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) berguna untuk memastikan bahwa suatu perusahaan memusatkan perhatiannya terhadap kebutuhan konsumen sebelum setiap pekerjaan perancangan dilakukan. Sedangkan manfaat-manfaat QFD adalah memusatkan perancangan produk dan jasa pada kebutuhan dan kepuasan konsumen, menganalisa kinerja produk perusahaan untuk memenuhi kepuasan konsumen, dan mengurangi banyaknya perubahan desain. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengkaji pengembangan atribut-atribut pelayanan yang diprioritaskan untuk dikembangkan, untuk meningkatkan kualitas pelayanan yang sesuai dengan keinginan pengguna. Metode penelitian adalah pengumpulan data kualitatif pengguna angkutan umum di kota Makassar dengan cara penyebaran kuesioner dan pengambilan/pengukuran data terhadap penggunaka angkutan umum dan infrastruktur. Hasil penelitian atribut-atribut pelayanan yang diprioritaskan pertama adalah perlu perbaikan fasilitas halte dengan nilai perioritas 4,354, kedua material tempat duduk dengan nilai perioritas 3,680, ketiga perbaikan akses naik turun dengan nilai perioritas 3,678, keempat perbaikan tinggi kursi dengan nilai perioritas 3,511, kelima penambahan dan perbaikan trotoar dengan nilai perioritas 3,395,. Peningkatkan kualitas pelayanan yang sesuai dengan keinginan pengguna yaitu perlu pertama adanya tempat area parkir dan fasilitas yang ideal bagi kendaraan angkutan kota dan penumpang agar kendaraan tidak sebarangan menaik turunkan penumpang, kedua tata kursi dan material yang digunakan sesuai dengan nilai ergonomi agar penumpang merasakan kenyamanan saat menggunakan kendaraan. Ketiga untuk memudahkan pengguna kendaraan untuk akses naik turun kendaraan maka trotoar tingginya disesuaikan dengan dimensi tubuh pengguna.
AZESMEN RESIKO BENCANA MENGGUNAKAN METODE KUALITATIF PADA KELURAHAN KLABULU DISTRIK MALAIMSIMSA KOTA SORONG
Authors: Fauzi Fachrul
Published: July 2018

Bencana alam sering terjadi dalam kehidupan manusia. Bencana alam yangdimaksud adalah Gempa bumi , letusan gunung, tsunami, tanah longsor, banjirdan kekeringan. untuk mengantisipasinya perlu adanya Mitigasi yang dilakukanuntuk membantu ketika ada terjadi bencana alam. Pemerintah Kota Sorong sudamelakukan pembangunan infrastruktur yang sesuai standar, namun sering terjadibencana yang yang terjadi. Bencana yang sering terjadi akhir-akhir ini adalahbajin yang melanda beberapa titik ketika turungnya hujan. Upaya mitigasi untukmendata berapa banyak korban dan kerusakan yang di akibatkan oleh banjir(bencana alam).
Study of Modes Transformation Preferences of Private Transport Based on Travel Characteristics and user Behavior
Authors: Nur Nur Khaerat , Samang Lawalenna , Ramli M. Isran , Hamid Sumarni
Published: July 2018

This research is a study to explore the transformationpreferences of modes of private transport (four-wheeled andtwo-wheeled) based on travel characteristics and userbehavior. The design of the analysis approach consists ofdescriptive statistical method to obtain the travelcharacteristics and behavior of private transport user in termsof travel costs, vehicle operating costs, mileage and traveltime, accessibility, mobility, service. It also uses Partial LeastSquare (PLS) SEM modeling to obtain the interactive travelcharacteristics of private transport preferences, publictransport services quality to modes of transformation. Fromthe results based on data analysis, it is found out that the travelcharacteristics of the commuters for private transport userswith variable indicators of mileage and travel time is expectedto affect the determination of modes of transport that is fastand time-efficient. In the case of private transport preferences,most respondents think that the prestige and traffic culturefactor in using the modes of private transport have lessimpact. Next, for prestige factor in using public transport,most respondents think that it has less impact on the publictransport service quality. Then for the transformation ofmodes of travel, the private transport users prioritize more ontravel time, waiting time and total rate factor to be willing tomove to modes of public transport which is also followed byother factors.Based on the hypothesis test results, it is found that PublicTransport Service Quality (KPAU) does not significantlyaffect to Transformation (TRF) of 1.644. Commuters travelcharacteristics (KaerPerj) do not significantly affect to PrivateTransport Preferences (PAP) endogenous variable of 0973.Commuters travel characteristics (KaerPerj) do notsignificantly give direct effect to Public Transport ServiceQuality (KPAU) of 1.471. Commuters travel characteristics(KarPerj) significantly give direct effect to Public TransportService Quality (KPAU) of 5,461. Private TransportPreferences (PAP) does not significantly affect to PublicTransport Service Quality (KPAU) of 0.224. Private TransportPreferences (PAP) significantly give direct effect toTransformation (TRF) of 7.401.
STUDI PREFERENSI TRANSFORMASI MODA ANGKUTAN PRIBADI BERDASARKAN KUALITAS PELAYANAN ANGKUTAN UMUM
Authors: Nur Nur Khaerat , Samang Lawalenna , Ramli M. Isran , Hamid Sumarni
Published: July 2018

Salah satu faktor penyebab kemacetan yakni pertambahan jumlah kendaraan yang tidak sebanding denganpertambahan volume jalan. Pada masa sekarang ini umumnya masyarakat lebih memilih untukmenggunakan kendaraan pribadi dibandingkan kendaraan umum dengan berbagai alasan sepertikenyamanan, waktu tempuh perjalanan lebih cepat, kapasitas angkutan umum tidak dioperasikansebagaimana mestinya dan lain sebagainya. Kajian ini merupakan studi preferensi untuk menjajaki persepsitransformasi pengguna angkutan pribadi (roda empat dan roda dua) berbasis kualitas pelayanan angkutanumum. Rancangan pendekatan analisis terdiri dari metode statistik deskriptif untuk mendapatkankarakteristik kualitas pelayanan angkutan umum dalam hal aksesibilitas, mobilitas dan tingkat pelayanan,serta pemodelan SEM Partial Least Square (PLS) untuk mendapatkan pengaruh kualitas pelayananangkutan umum terhadap transformasi moda angkutan. Hasil penelitian berdasarkan analisa data diketahuidari semua indikator kualitas pelayanan angkutan umum yang tertinggi dalam hal kelompok jawaban setujuadalah Indikator waktu perjalanan sebesar 93.1%, disusul dengan indikator tertinggi kedua yakni indikatorwaktu tunggu sebesar 92.5%, kemudian indikator faktor keamanan sebesar 89.9%, waktu akses sebesar89.2%, perilaku mengemudi sebesar 88.9%, faktor kenyamanan sebesar 87.3%, resiko keselamatan sebesar74.8%, okupansi angkutan umum sebesar 67.3%, ganti kendaraan sebesar 60.5%, waktu berjalan kakisebesar 59.8%, kemungkinan duduk sebesar 57.5%, tidak berdesakan sebesar 52.6%, total tarif sebesar50.7%, dan yang terendah adalah indikator dalam hal fakor gengsi sebesar 46.5%.Kemudian persepsi responden terhadap Transformasi moda yang di dimanifestasikan dengan variabelindikator dalam hal kesediaan berpindah menggunakan moda angkutan umum responden yangmenyatakan sangat setuju sebesar 18.3%, setuju sebesar 20.6%, kurang setuju sebesar 22.2%, tidak setujusebesar 28.1% dan yang menyatakan sangat tidak setuju sebesar 10.8%. Indikator dalam hal faktor prioritasutama yang memepengaruhi bersedia pindah ke angkutan umum, responden yang menyatakan faktor waktuperjalanan sebesar 38.2%, faktor waktu tunggu sebesar 16.7%, faktor total tariff perjalanan sebesar 12.7%,faktor keamanan sebesar 9.8%, faktor keselamatan sebesar 7.8%, faktor kenyamanan sebesar 6.5%, faktortransfer moda sebesar 4,2%, faktor waktu akses 3.6% dan yang menyatakan faktor budaya (image) sebesar0.3%.Berdasarkan hasil uji hipotesis ditemukan bahwa karakteristik Kualitas Pelayanan Angkutan UmumKPAU) signifikan berpengaruh langsung terhadap variabel endogen Transformasi (TRF) sebesar 2.170.
Simply insane? Attributing terrorism to mental illness (versus ideology) affects mental representations of race Word
Authors: Kunst Jonas R.
Published: July 2018

Mainstream media and public figures are often criticized for readily attributing terrorism committed by White perpetrators to mental illness, while attributing the same behavior committed by non-Whites to ideological motivation. Using a data-driven reverse-correlation approach, we show that attributing terrorism to mental illness results in a phenotypically more White mental representation of the perpetrator as compared to attributing terrorism to ideology or providing no information about its motivation. Importantly, we show that, because terrorists who are described as being motivated by mental illness are perceived as more White than those motivated by ideology, they are subsequently judged as less guilty for alleged terrorist activities. We present further evidence that this effect may be due to perceived Whiteness signaling higher socio-economic status, which reduces perceptions of culpability. In sum, our research demonstrates that extreme violence attributed to unintentional causes is perceptually associated with White perpetrators, leading to leniency in criminal judgements.
Innovative Materials for Novel Concepts for Internal Heat Exchangers
Authors: Rüppel A. , Jähnig D. , Giesen R.-U. , Vajen K. , Heim H.-P.
Published: July 2018

Internal heat exchangers are often employed in solar thermal applications as well as in many other applications that involve heat, and, for the most part, consist of metallic materials (copper, stainless steel). Corrugated stainless steel tubes are easy to assemble, and are commonly used in various storage geometries. In order to significantly reduce costs, alternative materials, such as plastics, can function as excellent substitutes. Alternative heat exchangers for the following examinations using various materials and an extrusion process were produced. Subsequently, the heat exchangers were examined in regards to the heat they transfer. The heat transfer coefficient and the thermal conductivity of all materials were determined.
Morphology Influence of Nanoporous Nickel Phosphate on Intumescent Flame Retardant Polypropylene Composites
Authors: Nie S.-B. , Dong X. , Yang J.-N. , Dai G.-L.
Published: July 2018

The morphology of nanoporous nickel phosphate (NP) has a close relationship with its properties, so in this work NP with needle-like and mushroom-like shape was synthesized. Then NP with needle-like and mushroom-like shape was applied in intumescent flame retardant polypropylene (PP) composites. With the addition of suitable content of NP, both mushroom-like and needle-like NP can improve the combustion and thermal properties of intumescent flame retardant PP composites. Needle-like NP shows a better thermal ant flame retardant synergist effect with intumescent flame retardants compared to mushroom-like NP. However, mushroom-like NP shows a better effect on smoke suppression. With the addition of suitable content of needle-like NP, the peak heat release rate of flame retardant PP composite decreases by 68.2 % comparing with that of the pure PP, and decreases by 23.8 % comparing with that of flame retardant PP composite without NP. The maximum weight loss temperature of PP composites can be increased from 408 °C to 485 °C with the addition of needle-like NP. Furthermore, the pyrolysis products of flame retardant PP composite with needle-like NP were investigated. From the research, it provides a further understanding of the influence on synergic effects in intumescent flame retardant systems.
Production of Thermoplastic Elastomers Based on Recycled PE and Ground Tire Rubber: Morphology, Mechanical Properties and Effect of Compatibilizer Addition
Authors: Wang Y.-H. , Chen Y.-K. , Rodrigue D.
Published: July 2018

Constant growth of waste polymers around the world leads to several environmental problems. This is why solutions to reuse these high amounts of materials available must be developed. In this work, highly filled (up to 90 wt.%) recycled polyethylene (R-PE)/ground tire rubber (GTR) thermoplastic elastomers were prepared by extrusion compounding and injection molding. To improve on processability and overall properties, two copolymers (Engage 8180 and Vestenamer 8012) were added as compatibilizers for comparison. SEM results showed that compatibilizer addition changed the blend morphology. In all cases, the mechanical properties in tension and flexion decreased with GTR addition. It was also observed that the addition of a copolymer improved on some properties (such as elongation at break), but Engage 8180 showed better compatibilization effect than Vestenamer 8012 which was confirmed from SEM analysis, while other properties (tensile strength, Young's and flexural modulus) were reduced due to lower GTR and compatibilizer moduli. For impact strength, negligible variation was observed below 40 wt.% GTR. However, the samples did not break for GTR contents above 60 wt.%. Density increased with GTR content, while Shore A and D hardness decreased. Overall, the addition of a compatibilizer mostly enabled to produce compounds at higher GTR contents (above 70 wt.%). From the result obtained, it can be concluded that recycled materials can be used to produce blends with reasonable quality for automotive, packaging and construction applications since the mechanical properties can be optimized via formulation over a very wide range of GTR (0–90 wt.%).
Seneca Falls First Woman’s Rights Convention of 1848
Authors: Miller Bradford
Published: July 2018

This article explores parallels between the Seneca Fails First Woman’s Rights Convention of July, 1848, and the Badasht Conference, held in Persia that same month. In the former event, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was to become a leader in the women’s suffrage movement for the remainder of the century, was supported by Frederick Douglass, a noted abolitionist and radical newspaper publisher. In the latter event, a conference of the emerging Bábí Faith. Táhirih, an enlightened woman, also introduced the revolutionary feminine in collaboration with a significant man, Quddús. The independence and equality of women is a fundamental precept of the Bahá’í Faith, which is the culmination of the Bábí movement. The comparison is set in a broad frame of reference in which individuals today might face their own coming of age in social, sexual, and racial terms.
Pengaruh Risiko Kredit Dan Efisiensi Operasional Terhadap Kinerja BPR Konvensional
Authors: Hariasih Misti , Yulianto Rizal , Hidayat Amrin
Published: July 2018

Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui pengaruh risiko kredit (NPL) dan Efisiensi operasional (BOPO) secara simultan terhadap kinerja keuangan bpr konvensional, untuk mengetahui pengaruh risiko kredit (NPL) secara parsial terhadap kinerja keuangan bpr konvensional, dan untuk mengetahui pengaruh efisiensi operasional (BOPO) secara parsial terhadap kinerja keuangan bpr konvensional. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan analisis kuantitatif deskriptif dengan teknik analisis regresi linier berganda dan menggunakan program SPSS versi 16 for windows. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa secara parsial variabel risiko kredit (X1) berpengaruh secara signifikan negatif terhadap kinerja keuangan bpr konvensional (Y), sedangkan variabel efisiensi operasional (X2) secara parsial tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja keungan bpr konvensional (Y). Dan hasil uji secara simultan atau bersamabersama, variabel risiko kredit (X1) dan efisiensi operasional (X2) berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap kinerja keuangan bpr konvensional (Y), hal ini dibuktikan dengan hasil uji F dengan nilai sebesar sig 0,000 < 0.05. 

Keywords: risiko kredit (non performing loan), efisiensi operasional (Bopo), kinerja keuangan (return on assets)
Peran Mediasi Pemasaran Hijau Pada Pengaruh Persepsi Nilai Terhadap Repurchase Intension Pada Garden Villa Seminyak Bali
Authors: Arta Gilang Dwi , Purnami Ni Made
Published: July 2018

Penerapan pemasaran hijau suatu perusahaan berkaitan dengan tanggung jawab perusahaan mengenai kelestarian lingkungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui peran pemasaran hijau dalam memediasi pengaruh persepsi nilai terhadap repurchase intension. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Garden Villa Seminyak Bali dengan jumlah responden 140 orang. Responden penelitian adalah konsumen yang sudah pernah menginap di lebih dari satu malam di Garden Villa Seminyak Bali. Penelitian ini menggunakan teknik analisis jalur. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa 1) Persepsi nilai memiliki pengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap pemasaran hijau; 2) Persepsi nilai memiliki pengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap repurchase intension; 3) Pemasaran hijau memiliki pengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap niat beli kembali; 4) Pemasaran hijau memediasi pengaruh persepsi nilai terhadap repurchase intension pada Garden Villa Seminyak Bali. 

Keywords: pemasaran hijau, persepsi nilai, repurchase intension
Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Juglans regia Leaf Extract and Evaluation of Their Physico-Chemical and Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Eshghi Mahsa , Vaghari Hamideh , Najian Yahya , Najian Mohammad Javad , Jafarizadeh-Malmiri Hoda , Berenjian Aydin
Published: July 2018

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were synthesized using Juglans regia (J. regia) leaf extract, as both reducing and stabilizing agents through microwave irradiation method. The effects of a 1% (w/v) amount of leaf extract (0.1–0.9 mL) and an amount of 1 mM AgNO3 solution (15–25 mL) on the broad emission peak (λmax) and concentration of the synthesized Ag NPs solution were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). Fourier transform infrared analysis indicated the main functional groups existing in the J. regia leaf extract. Dynamic light scattering, UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the synthesized Ag NPs. Fabricated Ag NPs with the mean particle size and polydispersity index and maximum concentration and zeta potential of 168 nm, 0.419, 135.16 ppm and −15.6 mV, respectively, were obtained using 0.1 mL of J. regia leaf extract and 15 mL of AgNO3. The antibacterial activity of the fabricated Ag NPs was assessed against both Gram negative (Escherichia coli) and positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria and was found to possess high bactericidal effects.
Static Coherent States Method: One- and Two-Electron Laser-Induced Systems with Classical Nuclear Dynamics
Authors: Eidi Mohammadreza , Vafaee Mohsen , Landsman Alexandra
Published: July 2018

In this report, we introduce the static coherent states (SCS) method for investigating quantum electron dynamics in a one- or two-electron laser-induced system. The SCS method solves the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) both in imaginary and real times on the basis of a static grid of coherent states (CSs). Moreover, we consider classical dynamics for the nuclei by solving their Newtonian equations of motion. By implementing classical nuclear dynamics, we compute the electronic-state potential energy curves of H2+ in the absence and presence of an ultra-short intense laser field. We used this method to investigate charge migration in H2+. In particular, we found that the charge migration time increased exponentially with inter-nuclear distance. We also observed substantial charge localization for sufficiently long molecular bonds.
Compression of Phase-Only Holograms with JPEG Standard and Deep Learning
Authors: Jiao Shuming , Jin Zhi , Chang Chenliang , Zhou Changyuan , Zou Wenbin , Li Xia
Published: July 2018

It is a critical issue to reduce the enormous amount of data in the processing, storage and transmission of a hologram in digital format. In photograph compression, the JPEG standard is commonly supported by almost every system and device. It will be favorable if JPEG standard is applicable to hologram compression, with advantages of universal compatibility. However, the reconstructed image from a JPEG compressed hologram suffers from severe quality degradation since some high frequency features in the hologram will be lost during the compression process. In this work, we employ a deep convolutional neural network to reduce the artifacts in a JPEG compressed hologram. Simulation and experimental results reveal that our proposed “JPEG + deep learning” hologram compression scheme can achieve satisfactory reconstruction results for a computer-generated phase-only hologram after compression.
Experimental Design of a Prescribed Burn Instrumentation
Authors: Kochanski Adam K. , Fournier Aimé , Mandel Jan
Published: July 2018

Observational data collected during experiments, such as the planned Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE), are critical for evaluating and transitioning coupled fire-atmosphere models like WRF-SFIRE and WRF-SFIRE-CHEM into operational use. Historical meteorological data, representing typical weather conditions for the anticipated burn locations and times, have been processed to initialize and run a set of simulations representing the planned experimental burns. Based on an analysis of these numerical simulations, this paper provides recommendations on the experimental setup such as size and duration of the burns, and optimal sensor placement. New techniques are developed to initialize coupled fire-atmosphere simulations with weather conditions typical of the planned burn locations and times. The variation and sensitivity analysis of the simulation design to model parameters performed by repeated Latin Hypercube Sampling is used to assess the locations of the sensors. The simulations provide the locations for the measurements that maximize the expected variation of the sensor outputs with varying the model parameters.
The Effect of Nonlocal Vehicle Restriction Policy on Air Quality in Shanghai
Authors: Li Junjie , Li Xiao-Bing , Li Bai , Peng Zhong-Ren
Published: July 2018

In recent years, road space rationing policies have been increasingly applied as a traffic management solution to tackle congestion and traffic emission problems in big cities. Existing studies on the effect of traffic policy on air quality have mainly focused on the odd–even day traffic restriction policy or one-day-per-week restriction policy. There are few studies paying attention to the effect of nonlocal license plate restrictions on air quality in Shanghai. Restrictions toward nonlocal vehicles usually prohibit vehicles with nonlocal license plates from entering certain urban areas or using certain subsets of the road network (e.g., the elevated expressway) during specific time periods on workdays. To investigate the impact of such a policy on the residents’ exposure to pollutants, CO concentration and Air Quality Index (AQI) were compared during January and February in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Regression discontinuity (RD) was used to test the validity of nonlocal vehicle restriction on mitigating environmental pollution. Several conclusions can be made: (1) CO concentration was higher on ground-level roads on the restriction days than those in the nonrestriction days; (2) the extension of the restriction period exposed the commuters to high pollution for a longer time on the ground, which will do harm to them; and (3) the nonlocal vehicle restriction policy did play a role in improving the air quality in Shanghai when extending the evening rush period. Additionally, some suggestions are mentioned in order to improve air quality and passenger health and safety.
Low-Circulating Homoarginine is Associated with Dilatation and Decreased Function of the Left Ventricle in the General Population
Authors: Bahls Martin , Atzler Dorothee , Markus Marcello R.P. , Friedrich Nele , Böger Rainer H. , Völzke Henry , Felix Stephan B. , Schwedhelm Edzard , Dörr Marcus
Published: July 2018

Low homoarginine is an independent marker of mortality in heart failure patients and incident cardiovascular events. Whether homoarginine is related with healthier cardiac structure and function is currently unclear. We used data of the population-based “Study of Health in Pomerania” (SHIP-Trend) to assess this relation. Homoarginine was measured in serum using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Linear regression models assessed the relation between homoarginine and several structural as well as functional parameters and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP). All models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and renal function. A total of 3113 subjects (median age 48 (25th percentile 37 to 75th percentile 60) years, 46% male) were included. A standard deviation decrease in homoarginine was associated with a larger left ventricular diastolic diameter (0.3; 95%-confidence interval (CI): 0.2 to 0.5 mm; p < 0.001), left ventricular systolic diameter (0.38; 95%-CI: −0.22 to 0.54 mm; p < 0.001) as well as a less relative wall thickness (–0.003 95%-CI: −0.006 to −0.0008; p = 0.01), left ventricular ejection fraction (–0.47; 95%-CI: –0.79 to −0.15%; p < 0.01) and fractional shortening (−0.35; 95%-CI: −0.62 to 0.07%; p = 0.01). Low homoarginine was also related to higher NTproBNP (−0.02 95%-CI: −0.034 to −0.009 log pg/mL; p < 0.01). Lower serum homoarginine is associated with dilatation of the heart and decreased function. Prospective clinical studies should assess if homoarginine supplementation improves cardiac health in subjects with low serum concentrations.
Development of an Innovative Modular Foam-Filled Panelized System for Rapidly Assembled Postdisaster Housing
Authors: Sharafi P. , Nemati S. , Samali B. , Ghodrat M.
Published: July 2018

In this paper, the development process of a deployable modular sandwich panelized system for rapid-assembly building construction is presented, and its structural performance under some different action effects is investigated. This system, which includes an innovative sandwich panel and its integrated connections, can be used as structural walls and floors in quickly-assembled postdisaster housing, as well as load-bearing panels for prefabricated modular construction and semipermanent buildings. Panels and connections are composed of a pneumatic fabric formwork, and two 3D high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets as the skins, filled with high-density rigid polyurethane (PU) foam as the core. HDPE sheets manufactured with a studded surface considerably enhance stress distribution, buckling performance, and delamination strength of the sandwich panel under various loading conditions. The load-carrying behavior of the system in accordance with some American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards is presented here. The results show the system satisfies the codes’ criteria regarding semipermanent housing.
Promotional Effect of Cerium and/or Zirconium Doping on Cu/ZSM-5 Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO by NH3
Authors: Liu Ye , Song Chonglin , Lv Gang , Fan Chenyang , Li Xiaodong
Published: July 2018

The cerium and/or zirconium-doped Cu/ZSM-5 catalysts (CuCexZr1−xOy/ZSM-5) were prepared by ion exchange and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen (H2-TPR). Activities of the catalysts obtained on the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitric oxide (NO) by ammonia were measured using temperature programmed reactions. Among all the catalysts tested, the CuCe0.75Zr0.25Oy/ZSM-5 catalyst presented the highest catalytic activity for the removal of NO, corresponding to the broadest active window of 175–468 °C. The cerium and zirconium addition enhanced the activity of catalysts, and the cerium-rich catalysts exhibited more excellent SCR activities as compared to the zirconium-rich catalysts. XRD and TEM results indicated that zirconium additions improved the copper dispersion and prevented copper crystallization. According to XPS and H2-TPR analysis, copper species were enriched on the ZSM-5 grain surfaces, and part of the copper ions were incorporated into the zirconium and/or cerium lattice. The strong interaction between copper species and cerium/zirconium improved the redox abilities of catalysts. Furthermore, the introduction of zirconium abates N2O formation in the tested temperature range.
Co-Aromatization of n-Butane and Methanol over PtSnK-Mo/ZSM-5 Zeolite Catalysts: The Promotion Effect of Ball-Milling
Authors: Yang Kang , Zhu Lingting , Zhang Jie , Huo Xiuchun , Lai Weikun , Lian Yixin , Fang Weiping
Published: July 2018

The ball-milling (BM) method benefits the stabilization and dispersion of metallic particles for the preparation of the PtSnK–Mo/ZSM-5 catalyst. Based on the TPR, H2-TPD, XPS, and CO-FTIR results, the Pt–SnOx and MoOx species were formed separately on the BM sample. During the aromatization of cofeeding the n-butane with methanol, the yield of the aromatics is 59 wt.% at a n-butane conversion of 86% at 475 °C over the Pt Mo BM catalyst. The more weak acid sites also contribute to the aromatics formation with the less light alkanes formation. For the Pt Ga catalysts, the slow loss of activity suggests that the BM method can restrain the coke deposition on the Pt-SnOx species, because of a certain distance between the Pt–SnOx and GaOx species on the surface of ZSM-5.
New Insights into the Occurrence of Matrix Metalloproteases -2 and -9 in a Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients and Proteomic Correlations
Authors: Di Cara Gianluca , Marabeti Maria Rita , Musso Rosa , Riili Ignazio , Cancemi Patrizia , Pucci Minafra Ida
Published: July 2018

Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are a family of well-known enzymes which operate prevalently in the extracellular domain, where they fulfil the function of remodeling the extracellular matrix (ECM). Within the 26 family members, encoded by 24 genes in humans, MMP-2 and MMP-9 have been regarded as primarily responsible for the basement membrane and peri-cellular ECM rearrangement. In cases of infiltrating carcinomas, which arise from the epithelial tissues of a gland or of an internal organ, a marked alteration of the expression and the activity levels of both MMPs is known to occur. The present investigation represents the continuation and upgrading of our previous studies, now focusing on the occurrence and intensity levels of MMP-2 and -9 and their proteomic correlations in a cohort of 80 breast cancer surgical tissues.
GABAB Receptors Augment TRPC3-Mediated Slow Excitatory Postsynaptic Current to Regulate Cerebellar Purkinje Neuron Response to Type-1 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Activation
Authors: Tian Jinbin , Zhu Michael X.
Published: July 2018

During strong parallel fiber stimulation, glutamate released at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses activates type-1 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1) to trigger a slow excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC) in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. The sEPSC is mediated by transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) channels. Often co-localized with mGluR1 in Purkinje neuron dendrites are type B γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABABRs) that respond to inhibitory synaptic inputs from interneurons located in the molecular layer of cerebellar cortex. It has been shown that activation of postsynaptic GABABRs potentiates mGluR1 activation-evoked sEPSC in Purkinje cells, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here we report that the augmentation of mGluR1-sEPSC by GABABR activation in Purkinje neurons is completely absent in TRPC3 knockout mice, but totally intact in TRPC1-, TRPC4-, and TRPC1,4,5,6-knockout mice, suggesting that TRPC3 is the only TRPC isoform that mediates the potentiation. Moreover, our results indicate that the potentiation reflects a postsynaptic mechanism that requires both GABABRs and mGluR1 because it is unaffected by blocking neurotransmission with tetrodotoxin but blocked by inhibiting either GABABRs or mGluR1. Furthermore, we show that the co-stimulation of GABABRs has an effect on shaping the response of Purkinje cell firing to mGluR1-sEPSC, revealing a new function of inhibitory input on excitatory neurotransmission. We conclude that postsynaptic GABABRs regulate Purkinje cell responses to strong glutamatergic stimulation through modulation of mGluR1-TRPC3 coupling. Since mGluR1-TRPC3 coupling is essential in cerebellar long-term depression, synapse elimination, and motor coordination, our findings may have implications in essential cerebellar functions, such as motor coordination and learning.
Biomimicry: Do Frames of Inquiry Support Search and Identification of Biological Models?
Authors: Kennedy Emily B. , Niewiarowski Peter H.
Published: July 2018

A crucial step in the biomimicry process is the search and identification of biological models relevant to the design challenge. Anecdotal observations from case studies in authentic business contexts, as well as emerging literature on biomimicry methods, suggest that tools, which focus the search for biological models, could help research and development (R&D) professionals execute this step more effectively. We prototyped one such tool, a set of four frames of inquiry, to test whether it helped R&D professionals identify a greater quantity and variety of biological models. The tool we prototyped did not significantly improve biological model identification; however, its use was associated with a trend of higher quantity and variety of biological models. Our study, as well as previous work, both empirical and theoretical, suggests that tools, like ours, could improve the search and identification of biological models. We encourage further tests using larger samples sizes and/or conditions that maximize potential effect sizes.
Use of a Value Model to Ethically Govern Various Applications of Small UAS
Authors: Philpott Robert , Kwasa Benjamin , Bloebaum Christina
Published: July 2018

Widespread use of small unmanned aircraft systems is becoming prominent in the US. From structural health monitoring to journalism, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are allowing people to gain a view of their surroundings and conduct their jobs in ways like never before. With this come many ethical concerns that must be addressed before the sight of a sUAS flying overhead is a widely acceptable occurrence to a majority of the population. Currently, UAS operations used in civil airspace are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 rules, but these regulations do not address certain ethical considerations. This paper will use the concept of a value model to quantify these ethical concerns so that they may be encoded into the design of a UAS and evaluation of missions before the missions are conducted. This could prove valuable in addressing the ethical challenges that are faced when implementing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations into the airspace, especially when UASs are in airspace in densely populated areas.
Entropy Generation Due to the Heat Transfer for Evolving Spherical Objects
Authors: Kwak Ho-Young
Published: July 2018

Heat transfer accompanying entropy generation for the evolving mini and microbubbles in solution is discussed based on the explicit solutions for the hydrodynamic equations related to the bubble motion. Even though the pressure difference between the gas inside the bubble and liquid outside the bubble is a major driving force for bubble evolution, the heat transfer by conduction at the bubble-liquid interface affects the delicate evolution of the bubble, especially for sonoluminescing the gas bubble in sulfuric acid solution. On the other hand, our explicit solutions for the continuity, Euler equation, and Newtonian gravitational equation reveal that supernovae evolve by the gravitational force radiating heat in space during the expanding or collapsing phase. In this article, how the entropy generation due to heat transfer affects the bubble motion delicately and how heat transfer is generated by gravitational energy and evolving speed for the supernovae will be discussed. The heat transfer experienced by the bubble and supernovae during their evolution produces a positive entropy generation rate.
Nonlocality in Bell’s Theorem, in Bohm’s Theory, and in Many Interacting Worlds Theorising
Authors: Ghadimi Mojtaba , Hall Michael J. W. , Wiseman Howard M.
Published: July 2018

“Locality” is a fraught word, even within the restricted context of Bell’s theorem. As one of us has argued elsewhere, that is partly because Bell himself used the word with different meanings at different stages in his career. The original, weaker, meaning for locality was in his 1964 theorem: that the choice of setting by one party could never affect the outcome of a measurement performed by a distant second party. The epitome of a quantum theory violating this weak notion of locality (and hence exhibiting a strong form of nonlocality) is Bohmian mechanics. Recently, a new approach to quantum mechanics, inspired by Bohmian mechanics, has been proposed: Many Interacting Worlds. While it is conceptually clear how the interaction between worlds can enable this strong nonlocality, technical problems in the theory have thus far prevented a proof by simulation. Here we report significant progress in tackling one of the most basic difficulties that needs to be overcome: correctly modelling wavefunctions with nodes.
From the Balancing Reactive Compensator to the Balancing Capacitive Compensator
Authors: Pană Adrian , Băloi Alexandru , Molnar-Matei Florin
Published: July 2018

Nowadays, improving the power quality at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) between the consumers’ installations and the distribution system operators’ installations depends more and more on the use of specialized equipment, able to intervene in the network to eliminate or diminish the disturbances. The reactive power compensators remain valid solutions for applications in consumer and electricity distribution, in those situations when the criterion regarding the costs of installing and operating the equipment is more important than the ones related to the reaction speed or the control accuracy. This is also the case of the equipment for power factor improvement and load balancing in a three-phase distribution network. The two functions can be achieved simultaneously by using an unbalanced static var compensator, known as an adaptive balancing compensator, achieved by adjusting the equivalent parameters of circuits containing single-phase coils and capacitor banks. The paper presents the mathematical model for the sizing and operation of a balancing reactive compensator for a three-phase four-wire network and then presents some resizing methods to convert it into a balancing capacitive compensator, having the same functions. The mathematical model is then validated by a numerical application, modelling with a specialized software tool, and by experimental laboratory determinations. The paper contains strong arguments to support the idea that a balancing capacitive compensator becomes a very advantageous solution in many industrial applications.
Consequences of a Reduced Number of Plant Functional Types for the Simulation of Forest Productivity
Authors: Fischer Rico , Rödig Edna , Huth Andreas
Published: July 2018

Tropical forests represent an important pool in the global carbon cycle. Their biomass stocks and carbon fluxes are variable in space and time, which is a challenge for accurate measurements. Forest models are therefore used to investigate these complex forest dynamics. The challenge of considering the high species diversity of tropical forests is often addressed by grouping species into plant functional types (PFTs). We investigated how reduced numbers of PFTs affect the prediction of productivity (GPP, NPP) and other carbon fluxes derived from forest simulations. We therefore parameterized a forest gap model for a specific study site with just one PFT (comparable to global vegetation models) on the one hand, and two versions with a higher amount of PFTs, on the other hand. For an old-growth forest, aboveground biomass and basal area can be reproduced very well with all parameterizations. However, the absence of pioneer tree species in the parameterizations with just one PFT leads to a reduction in estimated gross primary production by 60% and an increase of estimated net ecosystem exchange by 50%. These findings may have consequences for productivity estimates of forests at regional and continental scales. Models with a reduced number of PFTs are limited in simulating forest succession, in particular regarding the forest growth after disturbances or transient dynamics. We conclude that a higher amount of species groups increases the accuracy of forest succession simulations. We suggest using at a minimum three PFTs with at least one species group representing pioneer tree species.
A Review on the Dynamics of Prescribed Fire, Tree Mortality, and Injury in Managing Oak Natural Communities to Minimize Economic Loss in North America
Authors: Dey Daniel C. , Schweitzer Callie Jo
Published: July 2018

The long history of fire in North America spans millennia and is recognized as an important driver in the widespread and long-term dominance of oak species and oak natural communities. Frequent wildfires from about 1850 to 1950 resulted in much forest damage, and gained fire a negative reputation. The lack of fire for the past nearly 100 years due to suppression programs is now indicted as a major cause of widespread oak regeneration failures and loss of fire-dependent natural communities. The use of prescribed fire is increasing in forest management and ecosystem restoration. An understanding of fire effects on trees can provide the basis for the silviculture of restoring and sustaining oak ecosystems. We present an overview of fire-tree wounding interactions, highlight important determinants of fire injury and damage, and discuss several practical situations where fire can be used to favor oak while minimizing damage and devaluation of the forest. We also identify stages in stand development, regeneration methods, and management objectives for which fire has the potential of causing substantial damage and recommend preferred alternative practices.
Renormalizable Gravitational Action That Reduces to General Relativity on the Mass-Shell
Authors: Morley Peter D.
Published: July 2018

We derive the equation that relates gravity to quantum mechanics: R|mass-shell=8πGc4LSM, where R is the scalar curvature, G is the gravitational constant, c is the speed of light and LSM is the Standard Model Lagrangian, or its future replacement. Implications of this equation are discussed in the paper. In particular, we show (in the last section) that this equation is the transformation that relates four-dimensional physics to two-dimensional physics.
Measuring Hyperscale Topographic Anisotropy as a Continuous Landscape Property
Authors: Newman Daniel R. , Lindsay John B. , Cockburn Jaclyn M. H.
Published: July 2018

Several landforms are known to exhibit topographic anisotropy, defined as a directional inequality in elevation. The quantitative analysis of topographic anisotropy has largely focused on measurements taken from specific landforms, ignoring the surrounding landscape. Recent research has made progress in measuring topographic anisotropy as a distributed field in natural landscapes. However, current methods are computationally inefficient, as they require specialized hardware and computing environments, or have a limited selection of scales that undermines the feasibility and quality of multiscale analyses by introducing bias. By necessity, current methods operate with a limited set of scales, rather than the full distribution of possible landscapes. Therefore, we present a method for measuring topographic anisotropy in the landscape that has the computational efficiency required for hyperscale analysis by using the integral image filtering approach to compute oriented local topographic position (LTP) measurements, coupled with a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) model that compares directional samples to an omnidirectional sample. Two tools were developed: One to output a scale signature for a single cell, and the other to output a raster containing the maximum anisotropy value across a range of scales. The performances of both algorithms were tested using two data sets containing repetitive, similarly sized and oriented anisotropic landforms, including a dune field and a drumlin field. The results demonstrated that the method presented has the robustness and sensitivity to identify complex hyperscale anisotropy such as nested features (e.g., a drumlin located within a valley).
A More Comprehensive Habitable Zone for Finding Life on Other Planets
Authors: Ramirez Ramses M.
Published: July 2018

The habitable zone (HZ) is the circular region around a star(s) where standing bodies of water could exist on the surface of a rocky planet. Space missions employ the HZ to select promising targets for follow-up habitability assessment. The classical HZ definition assumes that the most important greenhouse gases for habitable planets orbiting main-sequence stars are CO2 and H2O. Although the classical HZ is an effective navigational tool, recent HZ formulations demonstrate that it cannot thoroughly capture the diversity of habitable exoplanets. Here, I review the planetary and stellar processes considered in both classical and newer HZ formulations. Supplementing the classical HZ with additional considerations from these newer formulations improves our capability to filter out worlds that are unlikely to host life. Such improved HZ tools will be necessary for current and upcoming missions aiming to detect and characterize potentially habitable exoplanets.
Ti-Nb Mineralization of Late Carbonatites and Role of Fluids in Its Formation: Petyayan-Vara Rare-Earth Carbonatites (Vuoriyarvi Massif, Russia)
Authors: Kozlov Evgeniy , Fomina Ekaterina , Sidorov Mikhail , Shilovskikh Vladimir
Published: July 2018

This article is devoted to the geology of titanium-rich varieties of the Petyayan-Vara rare-earth dolomitic carbonatites in Vuoriyarvi, Northwest Russia. Analogues of these varieties are present in many carbonatite complexes. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of high field strength elements during the late stages of carbonatite formation. We conducted a multilateral study of titanium- and niobium-bearing minerals, including a petrographic study, Raman spectroscopy, microprobe determination of chemical composition, and electron backscatter diffraction. Three TiO2-polymorphs (anatase, brookite and rutile) and three pyrochlore group members (hydroxycalcio-, fluorcalcio-, and kenoplumbopyrochlore) were found to coexist in the studied rocks. The formation of these minerals occurred in several stages. First, Nb-poor Ti-oxides were formed in the fluid-permeable zones. The overprinting of this assemblage by residual fluids led to the generation of Nb-rich brookite (the main niobium concentrator in the Petyayan-Vara) and minerals of the pyrochlore group. This process also caused niobium enrichment with of early generations of Ti oxides. Our results indicate abrupt changes in the physicochemical parameters at the late hydro (carbo) thermal stage of the carbonatite formation and high migration capacity of Ti and Nb under these conditions. The metasomatism was accompanied by the separation of these elements.