bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
МЕТОДИ СИНТЕЗУ ВИМІРЮВАЛЬНИХ СИГНАЛІВ З НОРМОВАНИМ СПЕКТРОМ
Authors: Дакі Олена Анатоліївна
Published: July 2019

It is known that the requirements for the efficiency and quality of carrying out operations for controlling the technical condition of complex systems are increasing due to the transfer of systems and objects to operation in a state of technical condition. In the article the presence in the practice of controlling the technical condition of complex systems of contradiction is considered, namely, the provision of the given reliability of information about the technical state of the radio navigation complexes of the traffic control of water transport means requires an increase in the volume and accuracy of measurements in evaluating their characteristics on the one hand, and on the other - the lack of methods for automating processes the synthesis of the measurement signals and processing feedback on them for this. Traditional measurement signals for monitoring the technical condition of radio systems are sinusoidal oscillations. However, this approach requires a considerable workload of control and leads to a reduction in the efficiency of its conduct due to the need to introduce inertial blocks to increase impedance protection. Avoid this disadvantage is possible due to the use of multi-frequency signals with a normalized spectrum - polyharmonic signals. They represent the sum of a certain number of useful harmonics, modulated signals with a normalized spectrum and different forms of binary signals. Therefore, the actual scientific problem is the development of methods of synthesis of polar harmonic measuring signals and processing of reviews on them to increase the reliability and efficiency of automated control of the technical condition of radio systems. According to the results of the analysis of measuring signals and known methods for the synthesis of measuring signals, the results of the study of the subject area, which include the study of the methods of synthesis of measuring signals with the normalized spectrum, are proposed in order to improve the process of automated control of the technical state of radio systems. In addition, features of the experimental verification of the obtained theoretical results and the development of recommendations for their implementation for the automated control of the technical state of the radio navigation complexes for controlling the movement of water transport vehicles are presented
Izazovi liberalizacije tržišta usluga - pet godina članstva u EU
Authors: Bodiroga – Vukobrat Nada , Poščić Ana , Martinović Adrijana
Published: July 2019

Sloboda pružanja usluga kao jedna od
temeljnih gospodarskih sloboda omogućava svakom državljaninu države članice s
poslovnim nastanom u državi članici EU-a da može pružati usluge u drugoj državi
članici bez ograničenja i pod istim uvjetima kao i državljani te države
članice. Sve veća specijalizacija u pojedinim
profesijama i razvoj novih tehnologija i modela pružanja usluga donose nove
izazove i kontinuirano nameću potrebu preispitivanja usklađenosti nacionalnih
zakonodavstava s propisima koji reguliraju unutarnje tržište. Posebno je teško
pomiriti različite pravne kulture država članica, koje polaze od vlastitih
vrijednosti i pretpostavaka kako regulirati pojedine djelatnosti i pružanje
usluga. Neki sektori otporniji su na liberalizaciju i oslanjaju se na
tradicionalno protekcionističke propise država članica. Sve veći obujam usluga
i sve veća specijalizacija povećavaju broj i razinu profesionalnih aktivnosti
koje reguliraju države, regulatorna tijela ili se pak primjenjuje kombinacija tih
dvaju načina reguliranja. Osim odredaba Ugovora o funkcioniranju
Europske unije jedinstveni europski okvir za pružanje usluga čine brojni
sekundarni pravni izvori koji imaju cilj olakšati djelovanje slobode pružanja
usluga, uspostaviti zajednička pravila i olakšati administrativnu suradnju. U
tom je smislu najvažnija Direktiva 2006/123/EZ o uslugama o unutarnjem tržištu
koja je Zakonom o uslugama iz 2011. godine implementirana u hrvatsko
zakonodavstvo. Zakonom se nastoji pružateljima usluga olakšati ostvarivanje
slobode poslovnog nastana te slobodno kretanje usluga uz istodobno održavanje
visoka stupnja kvalitete tih usluga. Od država članica zahtijeva se stalno uklanjanje
prepreka slobodi pružanja usluga u nizu djelatnosti te se tako u Republici
Hrvatskoj kontinuirano provodi liberalizacija tržišta usluga raznim administrativnim i poreznim
rasterećenjima, ali i promjenom raznih sektorskih propisa koji imaju utjecaj na
funkcioniranje slobode poslovnog nastana i slobode pružanja usluga. Temeljna
načela liberalizacije tržišta usluga propisana su u Zakonu o uslugama, pri čemu
se u radu analiziraju samo neke od mnogobrojnih izmjena u odabranim područjima
u posljednjih pet godina.
Sambanis, Michaela & Walter, Maik (2019): In Motion – Theaterimpulse zum Sprachenlernen. Von neuesten Befunden der Neurowissenschaft zu konkreten Unterrichtsimpulsen. Berlin: Cornelsen
Authors: Völker Hanna
Published: July 2019

Mit In Motion haben die Autor*innen Michaela Sambanis und Maik Walter eine Publikation vorgelegt, die neurowissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und konkrete Theaterimpulse für den Fremdsprachenunterricht an Sekundarschulen verbindet. Das 2019 bei Cornelsen veröffentlichte Buch präsentiert von den Autor*innen in der Unterrichtspraxis erprobte Aktivitäten und richtet sich an alle, die sich mit Sprachunterricht im Sekundarbereich befassen (werden). Ausgehend von der Tatsache, dass Forderungen zum Einsatz von Körper und Bewegung im Unterricht in der jüngeren Vergangenheit und Gegenwart zwar schon geltend gemacht wurden, dieser Lernzugang in der Praxis, speziell in der Sekundarstufe, jedoch weiterhin häufig nicht genutzt wird (8), bieten die Autor*innen eine kompakte und präzise Darstellung mit vielen Angeboten zum Einsatz des Körpers als Unterrichtsressource. In drei Themenbereichen werden Theorie und Praxis verknüpft und jeweils durch einen Kommentar mit neurowissenschaftlichen und didaktischen Hinweisen abgerundet. Kapitel 1 wirft unter dem Begriff Embodied Cognition einen Blick auf Unterrichtssettings, die bewegtes Lernen ermöglichen und den Körper als „wichtiges Learning Tool“ (11) in den Unterricht einbeziehen. Unter Referenz auf zahlreiche kognitionswissenschaftliche Studien können Sambanis und Walter einen Zusammenhang zwischen Embodied Learning und erhöhter kognitiver Leistung nachweisen, was als Beleg für eine Body-Mind-Interaction angesehen werden kann. Die Annahme hier ist, dass sich ein dramapädagogisch ausgerichteter Unterricht, der die ...
Improving Language and Interpreting Skills: A Teaching Experience
Authors: Cecco Serena , Masiero Andrea
Published: July 2019

This paper explores the potential of improvisation theatre applied to training, in particular to interpreting studies. A theoretical background on theatre and learning (at an academic and professional level) together with a theoretical background on interpreting skills and qualities provide the basis for the presentation of a small-scale experimental workshop on the use of improvisation techniques. The workshop involved 16 students and was held at the Advanced School for Language Mediation of Ciels University, Campus Padua, Italy.2
Performative Professionalisation in the Context of Teacher Training: First Experiments with the Use of Drama-Based Pedagogies Across the Curriculum
Authors: Göksel Eva
Published: July 2019

Is there room for performative teaching and learning in Swiss teacher education? Staff and students at the University of Teacher Education Zug (PH Zug), Switzerland, are actively exploring this question and finding ways to create space for performative approaches in a densely packed three-year teacher education programme. The university is small, with approximately 370 student teachers working towards a bachelor’s degree in primary education (from kindergarten to grade six). The “all-rounder” programme (graduates will teach all ten school subjects, including math, music, physical education, German, and either English or French as a foreign language) includes several hands-on teaching internships in local elementary schools. Drama in Education (DiE) is a teaching and learning methodology that uses performative elements in a classroom setting, where the focus is not the final product but the learning process. It has a long history in the anglo-saxon tradition, dating back to the 1950’s. The recent introduction of DiE in several courses at PH Zug has opened up performative teaching and learning spaces across the curriculum. The integration of DiE in a variety of courses has students and staff reflecting on the impact of performance on teaching and learning. Drama is being used not only for teaching ...
Transnational parent–child separation and reunion during early childhood in Chinese migrant families: An Australian snapshot
Authors: Hui Yat Man Louise , Stevenson Julie , Gallego Gisselle
Published: July 2019

Limited international research exists on reasons for transnational child care, or developmental consequences of separations and reunions on young Chinese children. This descriptive study portrays a sample of children from Chinese migrant families residing in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, whose parents temporarily relinquished their care to grandparents in China. Data were collected via retrospective health record audits. The majority of parents were first-time parents and the majority of children were first-borns sent back to China during infancy. The average duration of transnational parent–child separation was 20 months. Results showed that male child subjects who experienced multiple transnational separations and reunions were more vulnerable to problems associated with disrupted attachment. This study links parental decision for transnational child care and feelings of disempowerment in their parenting role with patriarchal family values and expectations, and their own adverse early experiences. This study may assist child and family health (CFH) professionals identify, understand and help Chinese parents who may be considering transnational child care to avoid or ameliorate adverse consequences, or alternatively, to support parents following reunion to establish or re-establish attachment relationships with their child, and parent well to optimise their child’s development. Study findings increase the evidence base on reasons for transnational child care, and the complex range of developmental and psychological problems children and parents in this study faced following reunion.
Maternal and child health nurses’ experiences of implementing two community-based breastfeeding interventions in Victoria, Australia: A mixed methods process evaluation
Authors: Cramer Rhian L , McLachlan Helen L , Shafiei Touran , Amir Lisa H , Cullinane Meabh , Small Rhonda , Forster Della A
Published: July 2019

Despite high rates of breastfeeding initiation in Australia, there is a significant drop in breastfeeding rates in the early postpartum period, and Australian government breastfeeding targets are not being met. The Supporting breastfeeding In Local Communities (SILC) trial was a three-arm cluster randomised trial implemented in 10 Victorian local government areas (LGAs). It aimed to determine whether early home-based breastfeeding support by a maternal and child health nurse (MCH nurse) with or without access to a community-based breastfeeding drop-in centre increased the proportion of infants receiving ‘any’ breast milk at four months. Focus groups, a written questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore the interventions from the perspective of the SILC-MCH nurses (n=13) and coordinators (n=6), who established and implemented the interventions. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes, then findings further examined using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as a framework. SILC-MCH nurses and coordinators reported high levels of satisfaction, valuing the opportunity to improve breastfeeding in our community; and having focused breastfeeding time with women in their own homes. They felt the SILC interventions offered benefits to women, nurses and the MCH service. Implementing new interventions into existing, complex community health services presented unforeseen challenges, which were different in each LGA and were in part due to the complexity of the individual LGAs and not the interventions themselves. These findings will help inform the planning and development of future programs aimed at improving breastfeeding and other interventions in MCH.
Synthesis and Characterization of Niobium and Tungsten Substituted VOPO4
Authors: Roy Subrata Chandra , Yeasmin Lilufer , Rahman Mahmadur
Published: July 2019

Tungsten and Niobium substituted αII-VOPO4 structure type solid solution (V1–x-yWxNby) OPO4 where x = 0.07 and y ≤ 0.05 was synthesized by solution combustion technique followed by heating in air at 700˚C for 3 days. Further incorporation of niobium (y > 0.05) leads to a mixture of αII-VOPO4 structure type solid solution and two very weak reflections of another unknown phase. The synthesized product was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, SEM/EDX, FTIR, and magnetic property analysis.

Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 1, 31-37, 2019
The Seychelles–Somaliland Prisoner Transfer Agreement: A Case of Implicit Recognition?
Authors: Fenwick Toby
Published: July 2019

The self-declared and unrecognised ‘Republic of Somaliland’ signed a Prisoner Transfer Agreement with the Republic of Seychelles in April 2017. This article considers whether the PTA was an MoU or a treaty, and if it was a treaty, whether it constituted an act of implicit recognition. It concludes that the PTA was an international treaty of sufficient gravity to make it a possible route to confer implicit recognition, but that in this case there was not unambiguous Seychellois intent to implicitly recognise Somaliland, and that therefore implicit recognition did not occur.
POTRET LITERASI LINGKUNGAN MAHASISWA CALON GURU KIMIA DI UNIVERSITAS SRIWIJAYA
Authors: Farwati Ratna , Permanasari Anna , Firman Harry , Suhery Tatang
Published: July 2019

Abstrak: Artikel ini melaporkan gambaran tentang keterampilan literasilingkungan mahasiswa calon guru kimia di Fakultas Keguruan dan IlmuPendidikan di Universitas Sriwijaya. Keterampilan ini terdiri dari kompetensilingkungan, pengetahuan lingkungan, dan sikap terhadap lingkungan. Datadikumpulkan dengan melakukan survei pada mahasiswa semester 4 dan 6. Darihasil survey ditemukan bahwa mahasiswa calon guru kimia memiliki literasilingkungan pada kategori sedang untuk aspek kompetensi lingkungan danpengetahuan lingkungan, sedangkan untuk aspek sikap terhadap lingkunganberada pada kategori tinggi. Temuan ini mengindikasikan perlu dilakukan inovasiterhadap perkuliahan agar kompetensi lingkungan dan pengetahuan lingkunganmahasiswa dapat lebih baik lagi. Berdasar pada konsep literasi lingkungan,khususnya pada kompetensi lingkungan dan pengetahuan lingkungan, diduga kuatbahwa mata kuliah Kimia Lingkungan merupakan media potensial untukmembekalkan keterampilan tersebut kepada mahasiswa.Kata Kunci: Literasi Lingkungan, Calon Guru Kimia
PENGEMBANGAN PEMBELAJARAN INKUIRI BERBANTUAN PhET UNTUK MELATIHKAN KETERAMPILAN PROSES SAINS SISWA
Authors: Eko Saputra Teguh Budi Raharjo , Nur Mohamad , Purnomo Tarzan
Published: July 2019

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan perangkat pembelajaran IPA materi listrik dinamis menggunakan media KIT listrik yang dilengkapi PhET yang valid, praktis, dan efektif untuk melatihkan keterampilan proses sains siswa SMP. Penelitian dilaksanakan dengan menggunakan tiga tahap dari model 4-D, yaitu tahap pendefinisian (define), perancangan (design), pengembangan (develop) dan diujicobakan di kelas IX SMP Negeri 1 Kertek Wonosobo semester ganjil tahun pelajaran 2016/2017 dengan rancangan penelitian One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Parameter penelitian yang diukur adalah validitas, kepraktisan, dan efektivitas perangkat pembelajaran. Pengumpulan data menggunakan metode observasi, angket, dan tes. Teknik analisis data menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif kuantitatif dan kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan perangkat pembelajaran IPA menggunakan media KIT listrik yang dilengkapi PhET untuk materi listrik dinamis yang dikembangkan valid, praktis, dan efektif untuk melatihkan keterampilan proses sains siswa.Kata Kunci: Kit listrik, perangkat pembelajaran, keterampilan proses sains, simulasi PhET
L-phenylalanine Increased Gut Hormone Secretion through Calcium-Sensing Receptor in the Porcine Duodenum
Authors: Feng Jiangyin , Kang Cuicui , Wang Chao , Ding Liren , Zhu Weiyun , Hang Suqin
Published: July 2019

Luminal amino acids have a pivotal role in gut hormone secretion, and thereby modulate food intake and energy metabolism. However, the mechanisms by which amino acids exert this effect remains unknown. The purpose of this research was to investigate the response of L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) to gut hormone secretion and its underlying mechanisms by perfusing the pig duodenum. Eighty mM L-Phe and extracellular Ca2+ stimulated cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) release, and upregulated the mRNA expression of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), CCK, and GIP. Western blotting results showed that L-Phe also elevated the protein levels of CaSR, the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R), and protein kinase C (PKC). However, the CaSR inhibitor NPS 2143 reduced the mRNA expression of CaSR, CCK, and GIP, and the secretion of CCK and GIP, as well as the protein level of CaSR, IP3R, and PKC. These results indicated that Phe stimulated gut secretion through a CaSR-mediated pathway and its downstream signaling molecules, PKC and IP3R.
Endangered Exotic Pets on Social Media in the Middle East: Presence and Impact
Authors: Spee Leonarda B. , Hazel Susan J. , Dal Grande Eleonora , Boardman Wayne S.J. , Chaber Anne-Lise
Published: July 2019

The popularization of exotic pets on celebrity social media in the Middle East has led to questionable impacts on exotic pet demand and threats to species conservation. The objective of this study was to identify exotic animal species featured on Middle Eastern celebrity social media account posts, the public perception of those posts, and their potential impacts on exotic pet demand and conservation (for global-scale extrapolation). Public social media accounts of highly influential persons from oil-rich Middle Eastern regions were manually investigated to evaluate subject demographics, species features, and post information (likes, comments) between January 2017 and August 2018. Twenty-five subjects possessed active social media accounts, from which 418 social media posts were extracted based on their inclusion of a privately owned exotic animal. SPSS Version 25 was used for frequency and descriptive analyses of these posts, in addition to comment analyses to evaluate quantitative (emojis) and qualitative (text) audience perceptions from a total of 10 social media posts of CITES Appendix I- or II-listed species. A greater frequency of positive than negative comments was observed (n = 8017), demonstrating the higher likelihood of social media promotion rather than negation of the exotic pet trade. Public education on wildlife conservation and exotic animal trade risks is imperative for successful conservation and welfare protection.
Alternatives to Carbon Dioxide—Taking Responsibility for Humanely Ending the Life of Animals
Authors: Axiak Flammer Shannon , Eskes Chantra , Kohler Ingrid , Ochieng Pernet Awilo , Jakob Peter , Marahrens Michael , Gent Thomas C. , Golledge Huw , Weary Dan
Published: July 2019

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is commonly used to kill rodents. However, a large body of research has now established that CO2 is aversive to them. A multidisciplinary symposium organized by the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office discussed the drawbacks and alternatives to CO2 in euthanasia protocols for laboratory animals. Dialogue was facilitated by brainstorming sessions in small groups and a “World Café”. A conclusion from this process was that alternatives to CO2 were urgently required, including a program of research and extension to meet the needs for humane killing of these animals. The next step will involve gathering a group of international experts to formulate, draft, and publish a research strategy on alternatives to CO2.
Tunable Beam Steering, Focusing and Generating of Orbital Angular Momentum Vortex Beams Using High-Order Patch Array
Authors: Yin Zhiping , Zheng Qun , Guo Kai , Guo Zhongyi
Published: July 2019

In this paper, a tunable patch array based on high-order is proposed at the frequency of 300 GHz, achieving active controllable beam steering, focusing and generation of orbital angular momentum vortex beams. It has been demonstrated that the patch array can achieve wide beam scanning angle by controlling the phase of array elements with tunable phase shifters. Meanwhile, beam focusing on the specified position can also be realized by phase modulation of array elements based on the focusing theory. In addition, we also designed a patch array to generate vortex beams with multiple topological charges by high-order modes. The performances show that the patch antenna array we designed has a good application prospect.
Fault Diagnosis of Induction Motor Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Lee Jong-Hyun , Pack Jae-Hyung , Lee In-Soo
Published: July 2019

Induction motors are among the most important components of modern machinery and industrial equipment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a fault diagnosis system that detects the operating conditions of and faults in induction motors early. This paper presents an induction motor fault diagnosis system based on a CNN (convolutional neural network) model. In the proposed method, vibration signal data are obtained from the induction motor experimental environment, and these values are input into the CNN. Then, the CNN performs fault diagnosis. In this study, fault diagnosis of an induction motor is performed in three states, namely, normal, rotor fault, and bearing fault. In addition, a GUI (graphical user interface) for the proposed fault diagnosis system is presented. The experimental results confirm that the proposed method is suitable for diagnosing rotor and bearing faults of induction motors.
Dynamic Displacement Forecasting of Dashuitian Landslide in China Using Variational Mode Decomposition and Stack Long Short-Term Memory Network
Authors: Xing Yin , Yue Jianping , Chen Chuang , Cong Kanglin , Zhu Shaolin , Bian Yankai
Published: July 2019

In recent decades, landslide displacement forecasting has received increasing attention due to its ability to reduce landslide hazards. To improve the forecast accuracy of landslide displacement, a dynamic forecasting model based on variational mode decomposition (VMD) and a stack long short-term memory network (SLSTM) is proposed. VMD is used to decompose landslide displacement into different displacement subsequences, and the SLSTM network is used to forecast each displacement subsequence. Then, the forecast values of landslide displacement are obtained by reconstructing the forecast values of all displacement subsequences. On the other hand, the SLSTM networks are updated by adding the forecast values into the training set, realizing the dynamic displacement forecasting. The proposed model was verified on the Dashuitian landslide in China. The results show that compared with the two advanced forecasting models, long short-term memory (LSTM) network, and empirical mode decomposition (EMD)–LSTM network, the proposed model has higher forecast accuracy.
DNS-IdM: A Blockchain Identity Management System to Secure Personal Data Sharing in a Network
Authors: Alsayed Kassem Jamila , Sayeed Sarwar , Marco-Gisbert Hector , Pervez Zeeshan , Dahal Keshav
Published: July 2019

Identity management (IdM) is a method used to determine user identities. The centralized aspect of IdM introduces a serious concern with the growing value of personal information, as well as with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The problem with currently-deployed systems and their dominating approach, with identity providers (IdP) and single-point services, is that a third party is in charge of maintaining and controlling the personal data. The main challenge to manage data securely lies in trusting humans and institutes who are responsible for controlling the entire activity. Identities are not owned by the rightful owners or the user him/herself, but by the mentioned providers. With the rise of blockchain technology, self-sovereign identities are in place utilizing decentralization; unfortunately, the flaws still exist. In this research, we propose DNS-IdM, a smart contract-based identity management system that enables users to maintain their identities associated with certain attributes, accomplishing the self-sovereign concept. DNS-IdM has promising outcomes in terms of security and privacy. Due to the decentralized nature, DNS-IdM is able to avoid not only the conventional security threats, but also the limitations of the current decentralized identity management systems.
“Texting & Driving” Detection Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Celaya-Padilla José María , Galván-Tejada Carlos Eric , Lozano-Aguilar Joyce Selene Anaid , Zanella-Calzada Laura Alejandra , Luna-García Huizilopoztli , Galván-Tejada Jorge Issac , Gamboa-Rosales Nadia Karina , Velez Rodriguez Alberto , Gamboa-Rosales Hamurabi
Published: July 2019

The effects of distracted driving are one of the main causes of deaths and injuries on U.S. roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), among the different types of distractions, the use of cellphones is highly related to car accidents, commonly known as “texting and driving”, with around 481,000 drivers distracted by their cellphones while driving, about 3450 people killed and 391,000 injured in car accidents involving distracted drivers in 2016 alone. Therefore, in this research, a novel methodology to detect distracted drivers using their cellphone is proposed. For this, a ceiling mounted wide angle camera coupled to a deep learning–convolutional neural network (CNN) are implemented to detect such distracted drivers. The CNN is constructed by the Inception V3 deep neural network, being trained to detect “texting and driving” subjects. The final CNN was trained and validated on a dataset of 85,401 images, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.891 in the training set, an AUC of 0.86 on a blind test and a sensitivity value of 0.97 on the blind test. In this research, for the first time, a CNN is used to detect the problem of texting and driving, achieving a significant performance. The proposed methodology can be incorporated into a smart infotainment car, thus helping raise drivers’ awareness of their driving habits and associated risks, thus helping to reduce careless driving and promoting safe driving practices to reduce the accident rate.
SCADA-Based Heliostat Control System with a Fuzzy Logic Controller for the Heliostat Orientation
Authors: Salgado-Plasencia Eugenio , Carrillo-Serrano Roberto V. , Rivas-Araiza Edgar A. , Toledano-Ayala Manuel
Published: July 2019

In central receiver systems, there are local controls that modify the position of the heliostats, where the trend is to increase the intelligence of the local controls in order to give them greater autonomy from the central control. This document describes the design and construction of a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)-based heliostat control system (HCS) with a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) for the orientation control. The HCS includes a supervisory unit with a graphical user interface, a wireless communication network, and a stand-alone remote terminal unit (RTU) implemented on a low-cost microcontroller (MCU). The MCU uses a solar position algorithm with a maximal error of 0.0027° in order to compute the position of the sun and the desired angles of the heliostat, according to a control command sent by the supervisory unit. Afterwards, the FLC orients the heliostat to the desired position. The results show that the RTU can perform all the tasks and calculations for the orientation control by using only one low-cost microcontroller with a mean squared error less than 0.1°. Besides, the FLC orients the heliostat by using the same controller parameters in both axes. Therefore, it is not necessary to tune the controller parameters, as in the traditional PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controllers. The system can be adapted in order to control other two-axis solar-tracking systems.
The Evicted
Authors: Witt Andrew
Published: July 2019

The following essay examines Anthony Hernandez’s photographic work from the early 1970s to the present. The essay addresses how Hernandez reimagines the genre of street photography in Los Angeles, countering the misconception that the genre, so dominant in the history of the medium, is nearly inexistent in California.
Hereditary Coreflective Subcategories in Certain Categories of Abelian Semitopological Groups
Authors: Pitrová Veronika
Published: July 2019

Let A be an epireflective subcategory of the category of all semitopological groups that consists only of abelian groups. We describe maximal hereditary coreflective subcategories of A that are not bicoreflective in A in the case that the A -reflection of the discrete group of integers is a finite cyclic group, the group of integers with a topology that is not T 0 , or the group of integers with the topology generated by its subgroups of the form p n , where n ∈ N , p ∈ P and P is a given set of prime numbers.
Small Genomes and Big Data: Adaptation of Plastid Genomics to the High-Throughput Era
Authors: Klinger Christen M. , Richardson Elisabeth
Published: July 2019

Plastid genome sequences are becoming more readily available with the increase in high-throughput sequencing, and whole-organelle genetic data is available for algae and plants from across the diversity of photosynthetic eukaryotes. This has provided incredible opportunities for studying species which may not be amenable to in vivo study or genetic manipulation or may not yet have been cultured. Research into plastid genomes has pushed the limits of what can be deduced from genomic information, and in particular genomic information obtained from public databases. In this Review, we discuss how research into plastid genomes has benefitted enormously from the explosion of publicly available genome sequence. We describe two case studies in how using publicly available gene data has supported previously held hypotheses about plastid traits from lineage-restricted experiments across algal and plant diversity. We propose how this approach could be used across disciplines for inferring functional and biological characteristics from genomic approaches, including integration of new computational and bioinformatic approaches such as machine learning. We argue that the techniques developed to gain the maximum possible insight from plastid genomes can be applied across the eukaryotic tree of life.
Management of Bleeding from Unresectable Gastric Cancer
Authors: Kawabata Hideaki , Hitomi Misuzu , Motoi Shigehiro
Published: July 2019

Bleeding from unresectable gastric cancer (URGC) is not a rare complication. Two major ways in which the management of this issue differs from the management of benign lesions are the high rate of rebleeding after successful hemostasis and that not only endoscopic therapy (ET) and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) but palliative radiotherapy (PRT) can be applied in the clinical setting. However, there are no specific guidelines concerning the management of URGC with bleeding. We herein discuss strategies for managing bleeding from URGC. A high rate of initial hemostasis for active bleeding is expected when using various ET modalities properly. If ET fails in patients with hemostatic instability, emergent TAE is considered in order to avoid a life-threating condition due to massive bleeding. Early PRT, especially, regimens with a high biologically effective dose (BED) of ≥39 Gy should be considered not only for patients with hemostatic failure but also for those with successful hemostasis and inactive hemorrhage, as longer duration of response with few complications can be expected. Further prospective, comparative studies considering not only the hemostatic efficacy of these modalities but the patients’ quality of life are needed in order to establish treatment strategies for bleeding from URGC.
Other Language Proficiency Predicts Unique Variance in Verbal Fluency Not Accounted for Directly by Target Language Proficiency: Cross-Language Interference?
Authors: Paap Kenneth R. , Mason Lauren A. , Zimiga Brandon M. , Ayala-Silva Yocelyne , Frost Matthew M. , Gonzalez Melissa , Primero Lesley
Published: July 2019

The purpose of the study was to investigate cross-language effects in verbal fluency tasks where participants name in English as many exemplars of a target as they can in one minute. A series of multiple regression models were used that employed predictors such as self-rated proficiency in English, self-rated proficiency in a language other than English, a picture naming task used to measure productive vocabulary, the percentage of English use, and the frequency of language switching. The main findings showed that self-rated proficiency in the non-English language accounted for unique variance in verbal fluency that was not accounted for directly by self-rated proficiency in English. This outcome is consistent with cross-language interference, but is also consistent with an account that assumes bilingual disadvantages in verbal fluency and picture naming are due to bilinguals having weaker links between semantic concepts and their phonological form. The present study is also discussed in terms of a broader framework that questions whether domain-general inhibition exists and also whether it plays an important role in bilingual language control.
Strategies to Augment Natural Killer (NK) Cell Activity against Solid Tumors
Authors: Chen Ziqing , Yang Ying , Liu Lisa L. , Lundqvist Andreas
Published: July 2019

The immune system plays a crucial role to prevent local growth and dissemination of cancer. Therapies based on activating the immune system can result in beneficial responses in patients with metastatic disease. Treatment with antibodies targeting the immunological checkpoint axis PD-1 / PD-L1 can result in the induction of anti-tumor T cell activation leading to meaningful long-lasting clinical responses. Still, many patients acquire resistance or develop dose-limiting toxicities to these therapies. Analysis of tumors from patients who progress on anti-PD-1 treatment reveal defective interferon-signaling and antigen presentation, resulting in immune escape from T cell-mediated attack. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that can kill tumor cells without prior sensitization to antigens and can be activated to kill tumor cells that have an impaired antigen processing and presentation machinery. Thus, NK cells may serve as useful effectors against tumor cells that have become resistant to classical immune checkpoint therapy. Various approaches to activate NK cells are being increasingly explored in clinical trials against cancer. While clinical benefit has been demonstrated in patients with acute myeloid leukemia receiving haploidentical NK cells, responses in patients with solid tumors are so far less encouraging. Several hurdles need to be overcome to provide meaningful clinical responses in patients with solid tumors. Here we review the recent developments to augment NK cell responses against solid tumors with regards to cytokine therapy, adoptive infusion of NK cells, NK cell engagers, and NK cell immune checkpoints.
Cancer Vaccines: Research and Applications
Authors: Apostolopoulos Vasso
Published: July 2019

Designing cancer vaccines has been at the forefront of cancer research for over two-and-a-half decades. In particular, delivery methods used to stimulate effective and long-lasting immune responses have been the major focus. This special issue presents new tumor associated antigens, delivery methods, combination immune therapies, methods of measuring immunity induced following cancer vaccinations, and mechanisms in understanding tumor microenvironments and immunosuppression—all beneficial for the design of improved cancer vaccines.
Development of A New Mouse Model for Intrahepatic Cholangiocellular Carcinoma: Accelerating Functions of Pecam-1
Authors: Malik Ihtzaz , Malik Gesa , Ströbel Philipp , Wilting Jörg
Published: July 2019

Due to the lack of suitable in-vivo models, the etiology of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC) is poorly understood. We previously showed the involvement of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (Pecam-1/CD31) in acute liver damage. Here, we developed a model of ICC using thioacetamide (TAA) in drinking water of wild-type (WT)-mice and Pecam-1-knock-out (KO)-mice. Gross inspection and microscopy revealed liver-cirrhosis and ICC in both groups after 22 weeks of TAA. The severity of cirrhosis and ICC (Ck-19-positive) was reduced in Pecam-1 KO mice (stage-4 cirrhosis in WT vs. stage-3 in KO mice). Tumor networks (accompanied by neutrophils) were predominantly located in portal areas, with signs of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In serum, TAA induced an increase in hepatic damage markers, with lower levels in Pecam-1 null mice. With qPCR of liver, elevated expression of Pecam-1 mRNA was noted in WT mice, in addition to Icam-1, EpCam, cytokines, cMyc, and Mmp2. Thereby, levels of EpCAM, cytokines, cMyc, and Mmp2 were significantly lower in Pecam-1 null mice. Lipocalin-2 and Ccl5 were elevated significantly in both WT and Pecam-1 null mice after TAA administration. Also, EMT marker Wnt5a (not Twist-1) was increased in both groups after TAA. We present a highly reproducible mouse model for ICC and show protective effects of Pecam-1 deficiency.
A Retrospective Evaluation of Risk of Peripartum Cardiac Dysfunction in Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Malignancies
Authors: Chait-Rubinek Lori , Mariani Justin A. , Goroncy Natalie , Herschtal Alan , Wheeler Greg C. , Dwyer Mary K. , Seymour John F. , Campbell Belinda A.
Published: July 2019

Long-term survivors of childhood, adolescent and young adult (AYA) malignancies with past exposure to potentially cardiotoxic treatments are at risk of peripartum cardiac dysfunction. Incidence and risk factors for peripartum cardiac dysfunction and maternal cardiac outcomes in this population were investigated. Eligible long-term survivors were aged <30 years at cancer diagnosis, with ≥1 pregnancy occurring ≥5 years after diagnosis. “Peripartum” cardiac events were defined as occurring within pregnancy or ≤5months after delivery. Cardiac events were classified “symptomatic” or “subclinical”. “Peripartum cardiomyopathy” (PPCM) was defined as symptomatic dysfunction without prior cardiac dysfunction. Of 64 eligible women, 5 (7.8%) had peripartum cardiac events: 3 symptomatic, 2 subclinical. Of 110 live births, 2 (1.8%, 95% CI 0.2–6.4) were defined as PPCM: Significantly greater than the published general population incidence of 1:3000 (p < 0.001), representing a 55-fold (95% CI 6.6–192.0) increased risk. Risk factor analyses were hypothesis-generating, revealing younger age at cancer diagnosis and higher anthracycline dose. Postpartum, cardiac function of 4 women (80%) failed to return to baseline. In conclusion, peripartum cardiac dysfunction is an uncommon but potentially serious complication in long-term survivors of paediatric and AYA malignancies previously treated with cardiotoxic therapies. Peripartum cardiac assessment is strongly recommended for at-risk patients.
Long-Term Visual Outcomes for Small Uveal Melanoma Staged T1 Treated by Proton Beam Radiotherapy
Authors: Toutée Adélaïde , Angi Martina , Dureau Sylvain , Lévy-Gabriel Christine , Rouic Livia Lumbroso-Le , Dendale Rémi , Desjardins Laurence , Cassoux Nathalie
Published: July 2019

There is increasing evidence of the survival benefit of treating uveal melanoma in an early stage, however it is important to discuss with the patient the associated risk of visual loss. We investigated visual outcomes for uveal melanomas staged T1 (T1UM) treated by proton beam radiotherapy (PBR) as a function of their distance to fovea-optic disc. This retrospective study included a cohort of 424 patients with T1UM treated with PBR between 1991 and 2010 with at least a 5-year follow-up. Visual acuity (VA) was analyzed for patients with posterior edge of tumor located at ≥3 mm (GSup3) or <3 mm (GInf3) from fovea-optic disc. The mean follow-up duration was 122 months, no tumor recurrence was observed. The mean baseline and final VA were 20/25 and 20/32 for GSup3 (n = 75), and 20/40 and 20/80 for GInf3 (n = 317) respectively. The frequency of a 20/200 or greater visual conservation was 93.2%(CI95%:87.7–99.1) and 60.1%(CI95%:54.9–65.9) for GSup3 and GInf3 respectively. This difference between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The risk factors for significant VA loss (less than 20/200) were GInf3 location (p < 0.001), tumor touching optic disc (p = 0.04), initial VA inferior to 20/40 (p < 0.001), documented growth (p = 0.002), and age greater than 60 years (p < 0.001). In summary, PBR for T1UM yields excellent tumor control and good long-term visual outcomes for tumors located ≥3 mm from fovea-optic disc.
Risks of Mixtures of Oil Sands Contaminants to a Sensitive Mayfly Sentinel, Hexagenia
Authors: Howland Julia , Alexander Alexa , Milani Danielle , Peru Kerry , Culp Joseph
Published: July 2019

Tailings ponds in northeastern Alberta, Canada contain massive amounts of oil sands process water (OSPW) that cannot currently be released due to the toxicity of some components. Limited space and the need for reclamation of oil sands operation sites will necessitate the release of OSPW in the near future. Knowledge of the composition and toxicity of OSPW is lacking yet is crucial for both risk assessment and management planning. This study examines chronic toxicity of a mixture of OSPW components sodium naphthenate and naphthenic acid (NA) to nymphs of the mayfly Hexagenia spp. in control and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)-spiked sediment treatments. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of the PAH-spiked sediment significantly contributed to or masked responses of these sensitive mayflies to mixtures of NA. Mean survival in nymphs exposed to NA and PAH-spiked sediment treatments was reduced by 48% compared to those exposed to the NA mixture alone. Lethal responses were observed in all of the PAH-spiked sediment treatments. However, within PAH-spiked and control sediment treatments, there was no significant difference in nymph survival due to NA concentration, indicating that changes in survivorship were predominantly a reflection of increased mortality associated with sediment PAHs and not to the NA mixture treatment. Sublethal effects on body segment ratios suggest that mayflies exposed to NA and PAH-spiked sediment, as well as those exposed to the highest NA concentration tested (1 mg/L) and control sediment, made developmental trade-offs in order to emerge faster and escape a stressful environment. These results reveal that the release of OSPW to the surrounding environment could cause a reduction in mayfly populations. Mayflies provide ecosystem services and are an important food source for higher trophic levels in both the aquatic and terrestrial communities.
Internal Seed Structure of Alpine Plants and Extreme Cold Exposure
Authors: Jaganathan Ganesh K. , Dalrymple Sarah E.
Published: July 2019

Cold tolerance in seeds is not well understood compared to mechanisms in aboveground plant tissue but is crucial to understanding how plant populations persist in extreme cold conditions. Counter-intuitively, the ability of seeds to survive extreme cold may become more important in the future due to climate change projections. This is due to the loss of the insulating snow bed resulting in the actual temperatures experienced at soil surface level being much colder than without snow cover. Seed survival in extremely low temperatures is conferred by mechanisms that can be divided into freezing avoidance and freezing tolerance depending on the location of ice crystal formation within the seed. We present a dataset of alpine angiosperm species with seed mass and seed structure defined as endospermic and non-endospermic. This is presented alongside the locations of temperature minima per species which can be used to examine the extent to which different seed structures are associated with snow cover. We hope that the dataset can be used by others to demonstrate if certain seed structures and sizes are associated with snow cover, and if so, would they be negatively impacted by the loss of snow resulting from climate change.
Film Students’ Attitude toward Open Educational Resources (OERs) for Film Studies in Greece
Authors: Georgiadou Elissavet , Kolaxizis Ioannis
Published: July 2019

Open Educational Resources (OERs) have become a very useful medium in the fields of education, research, and training in recent decades, supported by governments and highly respected universities and institutions worldwide. Today’s university students—in western societies mainly—have been born and raised in a digital world; consuming, providing, and sharing information over the internet 24/7. In that respect, it is interesting to examine whether OERs are a type/kind of information that they would like to “consume, provide, and share” throughout their studies in a formal university course. The paper focus on the attitude toward OERs of students enrolled in a film studies course, offered by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. The aim of the study is to provide film educators with evidence regarding their students’ attitudes toward OERs that can be useful in designing teaching strategies to enhance the learning process. Findings suggest that film students want to use OERs in their studies but many of them are not aware that these resources exist and that they are offered from highly recognized institutions and universities worldwide. Therefore, university teachers should assist students to develop familiarity with OERs of high quality and educational value as a useful aid to their studies.
“I Didn’t Understand, I´m Really Not Very Smart”—How Design of a Digital Tutee’s Self-Efficacy Affects Conversation and Student Behavior in a Digital Math Game
Authors: Tärning Betty , Silvervarg Annika
Published: July 2019

How should a pedagogical agent in educational software be designed to support student learning? This question is complex seeing as there are many types of pedagogical agents and design features, and the effect on different student groups can vary. In this paper we explore the effects of designing a pedagogical agent’s self-efficacy in order to see what effects this has on students´ interaction with it. We have analyzed chat logs from an educational math game incorporating an agent, which acts as a digital tutee. The tutee expresses high or low self-efficacy through feedback given in the chat. This has been performed in relation to the students own self-efficacy. Our previous results indicated that it is more beneficial to design a digital tutee with low self-efficacy than one with high self-efficacy. In this paper, these results are further explored and explained in terms of an increase in the protégé effect and a reverse role modelling effect, whereby the students encourage digital tutees with low self-efficacy. However, there are indications of potential drawbacks that should be further investigated. Some students expressed frustration with the digital tutee with low self-efficacy. A future direction could be to look at more adaptive agents that change their self-efficacy over time as they learn.