bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON PEER CORRECTION IN ACADEMIC ENGLISH WRITING: A CASE STUDY IN A HIGHER EDUCATION
Authors: Tsuroyya Chasna
Published: June 2020

Peer correction has taken an important role in language teaching and learning as in contribution to motivate the performance of L2 learners in writing classroom. Peer correction encourages the development of autonomous learning due to teachers' review that took over-dependence thus lowered the students' initiative. However, the previous studies show that many teachers are still doubting the effectiveness of peer correction because of students' lack of knowledge and unable to assist other students. The current study investigated the writing performance of English L2 learners who either provided or received written peer correction in the context of academic writing tasks. Twenty participants enrolled and attended writing class in English Education Department in a state university in Surakarta. They were given a rubric to both reviews other students' writing tasks and receive peer feedback. In collecting data, questionnaires were collected after the writing projects. Results show the use of peer correction increased their writing motivation, self-regulated reflection, bidirectional communication, and deeper critical thinking. Thus, this study provide a clear finding of the efficiency of peer correction in improving students' academic writing and can be useful to be implemented in writing class for English learners
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION TOWARD THE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE MULTILITERACIES COMPETENCE IN EFL CLASSROOMS
Authors: Kustini Siti , Herlinawati Herlinawati , Indrasary Yoenie
Published: June 2020

The rapid development of information and communication technology in the 21st century undoubtedly has profound impacts on human lives and dramatically transforms education. This research aimed at finding out students’ perceptions on the integration of technology to improve multiliteracies in EFL teaching. This study employed explanatory sequential mixed method in which the data were obtained through questionnaire, interviews, and classroom observations. The results indicated that vast majority of the students supported to the use of technology in the teaching and learning practices (90.6%) for the reasons that  technology helped them acquire  lots of resources in their learning (89.5%) and boost their motivation (86.5%). Regarding with the students’ perceived technology level, they believed that they had good skills in using word-processing, spreadsheet, and presentation program (50%). They also could use communication tools (56.3%), social media (61.5%), authoring tools (52.1%), desktop publishing (57.3%), and creating video (57.3%).  In terms of the perceived barriers to integrating technology, the data indicated that the biggest constraint that the students had was the lack of or limited internet access in the their school environment (42.7%), followed by the limited to produce digital projects (39.6%). In addition, the findings show that technology was utilized as a tool for accomplishing the tasks given by the teachers and helped the students gather information from online resources and provided them more understanding about the topic learned in the classroom
E-PORTFOLIO AS AN AUTHENTIC LEARNING ASSESSMENT IN A RESPONSE TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN INDONESIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: TOWARD CRITICAL STUDENT-WRITERS
Authors: Misdi Misdi
Published: June 2020

This report, a part of a larger study, describes a case study investigating university educators who struggled in empowering student-teachers that aimed to promote critical writing awareness. This study aimed at revealing phenomenon of edmodo-based e-portfolio as an alternative authentic assessment for empowering student teachers in the covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia. Twenty-five out of seventy-eight student teachers in teacher college in Indonesia voluntarily participated in the study. For the data, the student teachers were observed during their writing completion to assess their writing as well as their critical arguments. At the end of the first writing project, they were interviewed to reveal their attitudes towards the projects.  Three main findings were reported, i.e. their writing skill improvement, attitudes, and critical writing. Overall, the findings show that edmodo-based portfolio provides graphic of students’ writing performance as authentic writing assessment and perceives positive attitudes from the student teachers. In addition, students’ critical writing awareness is also developed
Causes and Measures of Fume in Directed Energy Deposition: A Review
Authors: Kim Kang-Hyung , Jung Chan-Hyun , Jeong Dae-Yong , Hyun Soong-Keun
Published: June 2020

Pores and cracks are known as the main defects in metal additive manufacturing (MAM), including directed energy deposition(DED). A gaseous fume is often produced by laser flash (instantaneous high temperature) during laser processing, which may cause various defects such as porosity, lack of fusion, inhomogeneity, low flowability and composition change, either. However the cause and harmful effects of fume generation in DED are known little. In laser processing, especially laser welding, many studies have been conducted on the prevention of fume because it generates defects that hinder uniform reactions between the laser beam and the materials. Generally, the fume occurs with easily vaporizing low melting point components or sensitive oxidizing elements. Unsuitable conditions are also known to have an effect, including laser power, travel speed, powder feed rate and shielding gas supply. Practically, there are many more fume generating factors in the DED process, and the lack of understanding requires a lot of trial and error. In this article the laser-related and weld metallurgy literatures were reviewed, focusing on the prevention of fume in powder DED. The causes of the fume, were explained to result from the stages of cavitation bubbles generated by the laser induced plasma and the nanoparticles released. Additionally, the effects of alloying components and environmental conditions for fume generation in the DED process were investigated, and suggestions are proposed to prevent fume.
Adsorption and Recovery using Vaporization of Liquid Fluorocarbon Precursor
Authors: Park Junyoung , Oh Byoungmoon , Kim Kyongnam
Published: June 2020

PFC gas is primarily used during the etching process in the manufacture of ULSIs and in cleaning after CVD processes. PFC is classified as a greenhouse gas that stays in the atmosphere for a long time and has a high GWP. High capacity and high integration have been achieved in recent years as semiconductor device structures have been replaced by vertical layer structures, and the consumption of PFC gas has exploded due to the increase in high aspect ratio and patterning processes. Therefore, many researchers have been working on methods to decompose, recover, and reuse the gas after the etching process to reduce the emissions of PFC gas. In this study, etching and recovery processes were performed using C5F8 in L-FC which is in liquid phase at room temperature. Among the L-FCs, C5F8 gas has a high C/F ratio, similar to that of the C4F8 gas, which is a conventional PFC gas. In addition, to confirm its reusability, the recovered C5F8 was injected back into the chamber, and the electron temperature, plasma density, and ion energy distribution were analyzed. Based on these experimental data, the reliability of the etch processes performed with recovered C5F8 gas was evaluated, and the possibility of reusing the recovered C5F8 gas was confirmed.
Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Protein Derivatives: Potential to Promote Animal Health
Authors: Mouithys-Mickalad Ange , Schmitt Eric , Dalim Monika , Franck Thierry , Tome Nuria Martin , van Spankeren Michel , Serteyn Didier , Paul Aman
Published: June 2020

European legislation permits the inclusion of insect proteins in pet and aquaculture diets. Black soldier fly larvae (BSF) are one of the most actively produced species due to their low environmental impact and nutritional characteristics. BSF protein derivatives (proteins and protein hydrolysates) contain a substantial amount of low molecular weight peptides that are known to possess antioxidant potential. In this study, the in vitro antioxidant potential of commercial BSF proteins and protein hydrolysates was investigated for (1) radical scavenging activity, (2) myeloperoxidase activity modulation, and (3) neutrophil response modulation. Chickenmeal and fishmeal are commonly used in pet food and aquaculture formulations. Hence, both were used as industrial benchmarks during this study. The results indicate that fishmeal and chickenmeal are ineffective at suppressing the oxidative damage caused by neutrophil response and myeloperoxidase activity. Fishmeal and chickenmeal even exhibit pro-oxidant behavior in some of the models used during this study. On the other hand, it was found that BSF protein derivatives could be effective in protecting against the cellular damage resulting from neutrophil and myeloperoxidase activities. The outcomes of this study indicate that BSF protein derivatives could be potentially included in pet food and aquaculture feed formulations as health-promoting ingredients.
Analysis of Technological and Consumption Quality of Offal and Offal Products Obtained from Pulawska and Polish Landrace Pigs
Authors: Babicz Marek , Kropiwiec-Domańska Kinga , Skrzypczak Ewa , Szyndler-Nędza Magdalena , Szulc Karolina
Published: June 2020

The aim of the study was to determine technological and consumption quality of some offal components obtained from Pulawska and Polish Landrace fattening pigs, and to analyse the eating quality of the offal products. The study material consisted of 100 fattening pigs: Pulawska (PUL) and 50 Polish Landrace (PL) pigs. The offal components were analysed for physical traits, chemical composition and energy value. Offal products were made from the offal and their physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters were evaluated. Our study showed that breed had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on pH45 of the tongue, heart (PUL > PL), lungs and kidneys (PUL < PL), and on the fat content of the tongue, heart (PUL > PL), liver and kidneys (PUL < PL). A highly significant effect of breed (p ≤ 0.01) was observed for protein content of the lungs, liver (PUL < PL) and kidneys (PUL > PL), for collagen content of the kidneys (PUL < PL) and liver (PUL < PL), and for energy value (p ≤ 0.01) of the heart (PUL > PL) and liver (PUL < PL). Moreover, our results indicate that the organoleptic quality of the evaluated offal products was higher for Pulawska than Polish Landrace pigs, in particular with regard to consistency (p < 0.05) and flavour (p < 0.01) of the liver sausage.
(−)-Loliolide Isolated from Sargassum horneri Protects against Fine Dust-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human Keratinocytes
Authors: Dias Mawalle Kankanamge Hasitha Madhawa , Madusanka Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Dinesh , Han Eui Jeong , Kim Min Ju , Jeon You-Jin , Kim Hyun-Soo , Fernando Ilekuttige Priyan Shanura , Ahn Ginnae
Published: June 2020

The emergence of fine dust (FD) among air pollutants has taken a toll during the past few decades, and it has provided both controversy and a platform for open conversation amongst world powers for finding sustainable solutions and effective treatments for health issues. The present study emphasizes the protective effects of (–)-loliolide (HTT) isolated from Sargassum horneri against FD-induced oxidative stress in human HaCaT keratinocytes. The purification of (–)-loliolide was carried out by centrifugal partition chromatography. HTT did not show any cytotoxicity, and it further illustrated the potential to increase cell viability by reducing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in FD-stimulated keratinocytes. Furthermore, HTT suppressed FD-stimulated DNA damage and the formation of apoptotic bodies, and it reduced the population of cells in the sub-G1 apoptosis phase. FD-induced apoptosis was advancing through the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. The cytoprotective effects of the HTT against FD-stimulated oxidative damage is mediated through squaring the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway, dose-dependently increasing HO-1 and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone) 1 (NQO1) levels in the cytosol while concomitantly improving the nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Future studies could implement the protective functionality of HTT in producing pharmaceuticals that utilize natural products and benefit the diseased.
RADIO: Parameterized Generative Radar Data Augmentation for Small Datasets
Authors: Sheeny Marcel , Wallace Andrew , Wang Sen
Published: June 2020

We present a novel, parameterised radar data augmentation (RADIO) technique to generate realistic radar samples from small datasets for the development of radar-related deep learning models. RADIO leverages the physical properties of radar signals, such as attenuation, azimuthal beam divergence and speckle noise, for data generation and augmentation. Exemplary applications on radar-based classification and detection demonstrate that RADIO can generate meaningful radar samples that effectively boost the accuracy of classification and generalisability of deep models trained with a small dataset.
Application of Unconventional Seismic Attributes and Unsupervised Machine Learning for the Identification of Fault and Fracture Network
Authors: Ashraf Umar , Zhang Hucai , Anees Aqsa , Nasir Mangi Hassan , Ali Muhammad , Ullah Zaheen , Zhang Xiaonan
Published: June 2020

The identification of small scale faults (SSFs) and fractures provides an improved understanding of geologic structural features and can be exploited for future drilling prospects. Conventional SSF and fracture characterization are challenging and time-consuming. Thus, the current study was conducted with the following aims: (a) to provide an effective way of utilizing the seismic data in the absence of image logs and cores for characterizing SSFs and fractures; (b) to present an unconventional way of data conditioning using geostatistical and structural filtering; (c) to provide an advanced workflow through multi-attributes, neural networks, and ant-colony optimization (ACO) for the recognition of fracture networks; and (d) to identify the fault and fracture orientation parameters within the study area. Initially, a steering cube was generated, and a dip-steered median filter (DSMF), a dip-steered diffusion filter (DSDF), and a fault enhancement filter (FEF) were applied to sharpen the discontinuities. Multiple structural attributes were applied and shortlisted, including dip and curvature attributes, filtered and unfiltered similarity attributes, thinned fault likelihood (TFL), fracture density, and fracture proximity. These shortlisted attributes were computed through unsupervised vector quantization (UVQ) neural networks. The results of the UVQ revealed the orientations, locations, and extensions of fractures in the study area. The ACO proved helpful in identifying the fracture parameters such as fracture length, dip angle, azimuth, and surface area. The adopted workflow also revealed a small scale fault which had an NNW–SSE orientation with minor heave and throw. The implemented workflow of structural interpretation is helpful for the field development of the study area and can be applied worldwide in carbonate, sand, coal, and shale gas fields.
Retrospective Analysis of Tree Decline Based on Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency in Semi-Arid Areas of North China
Authors: Lu Weiwei , Yu Xinxiao , Jia Guodong
Published: June 2020

Long-term tree growth is significantly affected by climate change, which have become a global concern. Tree-ring width and isotopic information can show how trees respond to climate change on a long-term scale and reveal some phenomena of tree decline or death. In this study, we used isotopic techniques and investigated annual changes in carbon isotope composition and tree-ring width of Populus simonii Carr. in Zhangbei, as well as trends in tree-ring carbon discrimination (Δ13C) and iWUE in normal, mildly declining and severely declining trees, in order to make a retrospective analysis and further understand the process of tree decline. We found that there were significant differences (p < 0.01 **) in δ13C, Δ13C, ci and iWUE at different decline stages, meaning that the δ13C and iWUE could be new indicators of tree health. The iWUE of all groups increased significantly, while the growth rate of declined P. simonii was much higher than that of normal growth P. simonii. According to the analysis, there may be a threshold of iWUE for healthy trees, which once the threshold value is exceeded, it indicates that trees are resistant to adversity and their growth is under stress. Similarly, the changing trend of BAI supports our conclusion with its changes showed that tree growth became slower and slower as degradation progressed. iWUE inferred from tree-ring stable carbon isotope composition is a strong modulator of adaptation capacity in response to environmental stressors under climate change. Elevated annual temperatures and increased groundwater depth are all contributing to the decline of P. simonii in north China.
Drop Size Distribution Measurements in Outer Rainbands of Hurricane Dorian at the NASA Wallops Precipitation-Research Facility
Authors: Thurai Merhala , Bringi Viswanathan N. , Wolff David B. , Marks David A. , Pabla Charanjit S.
Published: June 2020

Hurricane rainbands are very efficient rain producers, but details on drop size distributions are still lacking. This study focuses on the rainbands of hurricane Dorian as they traversed the densely instrumented NASA precipitation-research facility at Wallops Island, VA, over a period of 8 h. Drop size distribution (DSD) was measured using a high-resolution meteorological particle spectrometer (MPS) and 2D video disdrometer, both located inside a double-fence wind shield. The shape of the DSD was examined using double-moment normalization, and compared with similar shapes from semiarid and subtropical sites. Dorian rainbands had a superexponential shape at small normalized diameter values similar to those of the other sites. NASA’s S-band polarimetric radar performed range height-indicator (RHI) scans over the disdrometer site, showing some remarkable signatures in the melting layer (bright-band reflectivity peaks of 55 dBZ, a dip in the copolar correlation to 0.85 indicative of 12–15 mm wet snow, and a staggering reflectivity gradient above the 0 °C level of −10 dB/km, indicative of heavy aggregation). In the rain layer at heights < 2.5 km, polarimetric signatures indicated drop break-up as the dominant process, but drops as large as 5 mm were detected during the intense bright-band period.
Quantitative Determination Procedures for Regional Extreme Drought Conditions: Application to Historical Drought Events in South Korea
Authors: Lee Chan Wook , Park Moo Jong , Yoo Do Guen
Published: June 2020

Recently, the signs of extreme droughts, which were thought of as exceptional and unlikely, are being detected worldwide. It is necessary to prepare countermeasures against extreme droughts; however, current definitions of extreme drought are just used as only one or two indicators to represent the status or severity of a drought. More representative drought factors, which can show the status and severity that are relevant to extreme drought, need to be considered depending on the characteristics of the drought and comprehensive evaluation of various indices. Therefore, this study attempted to quantitatively define regional extreme droughts using more acceptable factors. The methodology comprises five factors that are indicative of extreme drought. The five factors are (1) duration (days), (2) number of consecutive years (years), (3) water availability, (4) return period, and (5) regional experience. The results were analyzed by applying the procedure to droughts that took place in 2014–2015 in South Korea. The results showed that the applied historical event did not enter the status of extreme drought, which is proposed in this study; however, the proposed methodology is applicable because it uses acceptable and reasonable factors to judge extreme drought, but it can also take into account the past regional experience of extreme drought.
Subcutaneous Administration of Apolipoprotein J-Derived Mimetic Peptide d-[113–122]apoJ Improves LDL and HDL Function and Prevents Atherosclerosis in LDLR-KO Mice
Authors: Rivas-Urbina Andrea , Rull Anna , Aldana-Ramos Joile , Santos David , Puig Nuria , Farre-Cabrerizo Nuria , Benitez Sonia , Perez Antonio , de Gonzalo-Calvo David , Escola-Gil Joan Carles , Julve Josep , Ordoñez-Llanos Jordi , Sanchez-Quesada Jose Luis
Published: June 2020

Mimetic peptides are potential therapeutic agents for atherosclerosis. d-[113–122]apolipoprotein (apo) J (d-[113–122]apoJ) is a 10-residue peptide that is predicted to form a class G* amphipathic helix 6 from apoJ; it shows anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties. In the present study, we analyzed the effect of d-[113–122]apoJ in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice(LDLR-KO) on the development of atherosclerosis and lipoprotein function. Fifteen-week-old female LDLR-KO mice fed an atherogenic Western-type diet were treated for eight weeks with d-[113–122]apoJ peptide, a scrambled peptide, or vehicle. Peptides were administered subcutaneously three days per week (200 µg in 100 µL of saline). After euthanasia, blood and hearts were collected and the aortic arch was analyzed for the presence of atherosclerotic lesions. Lipoproteins were isolated and their composition and functionality were studied. The extent of atherosclerotic lesions was 43% lower with d-[113–122]apoJ treatment than with the vehicle or scramble. The lipid profile was similar between groups, but the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) of d-[113–122]apoJ-treated mice had a higher antioxidant capacity and increased ability to promote cholesterol efflux than the control group. In addition, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from d-[113–122]apoJ-treated mice was more resistant to induced aggregation and presented lower electronegativity than in mice treated with d-[113–122]apoJ. Our results demonstrate that the d-[113–122]apoJ peptide prevents the extent of atherosclerotic lesions, which could be partially explained by the improvement of lipoprotein functionality.
The Cancer Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Potential of Tetrahydrocurcumin
Authors: Lai Ching-Shu , Ho Chi-Tang , Pan Min-Hsiung
Published: June 2020

In recent decades, cancer has been one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite advances in understanding the molecular basis of tumorigenesis, diagnosis, and clinical therapies, the discovery and development of effective drugs is an active and vital field in cancer research. Tetrahydrocurcumin is a major curcuminoid metabolite of curcumin, naturally occurring in turmeric. The interest in tetrahydrocurcumin research is increasing because it is superior to curcumin in its solubility in water, chemical stability, bioavailability, and anti-oxidative activity. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that tetrahydrocurcumin exerts anti-cancer effects through various mechanisms, including modulation of oxidative stress, xenobiotic detoxification, inflammation, proliferation, metastasis, programmed cell death, and immunity. Despite the pharmacological similarities between tetrahydrocurcumin and curcumin, the structure of tetrahydrocurcumin determines its distinct and specific molecular mechanism, thus making it a potential candidate for the prevention and treatment of cancers. However, the utility of tetrahydrocurcumin is yet to be evaluated as only limited pharmacokinetic and oral bioavailability studies have been performed. This review summarizes research on the anti-cancer properties of tetrahydrocurcumin and describes its mechanisms of action.
A Kinetic Study on the Efficient Formation of High-Valent Mn(TPPS)-oxo Complexes by Various Oxidants
Authors: Procner Magdalena , Orzel Łukasz , Stochel Grażyna , van Eldik Rudi
Published: June 2020

New, more efficient methods of wastewater treatment, which will limit the harmful effects of textile dyes on the natural environment, are still being sought. Significant research work suggests that catalysts based on transition metal complexes can be used in efficient and environmentally friendly processes. In this context, a number of compounds containing manganese have been investigated. A suitable catalyst should have the capacity to activate a selected oxidant or group of oxidants, in order to be used in industrial oxidation reactions. In the present study we investigated the ability of MnIII(TPPS), where TPPS = 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)-21H,23H-porphyrine, to activate five different oxidants, namely hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, sodium hypochlorite, potassium peroxomonosulfate and sodium perborate, via the formation of high valent Mn(TPPS)-oxo complexes. Kinetic and spectroscopic data showed that the oxidation process is highly pH dependent and is strongly accelerated by the presence of carbonate in the reaction mixture for three of the five oxidizing agents. The highest efficiency for the oxidation of MnIII(TPPS) to high-valent Mn(TPPS)-oxo complexes, was found for peracetic acid at pH ≈ 11 in 0.5 M carbonate solution, which is at least an order of magnitude higher than the rate constants found for the other tested oxidants under similar conditions.
Morphological and Optical Properties of Cobalt Ion-Modified ZnO Nanowires
Authors: Choi Seok Cheol , Lee Do Kyung , Sohn Sang Ho
Published: June 2020

In this study, we prepared cobalt (Co) ion-modified ZnO nanowires using hydrothermal synthesis with zinc acetate dehydrate and Co (II) acetate hydrate precursors in ethanol solutions. Their morphological and optical properties were investigated with varying Co precursor concentration. The morphological changes of the ZnO nanowires depended positively on the concentration of the Co precursor. The ZnO nanowires showed modified crystal orientations and nanostructure shapes depending on the Co concentration in the solutions. Variations in the optical properties of the Co ion-modified ZnO nanowires could be explained by the interaction of the Co ions with the band electrons, oxygen vacancies, and zinc interstitials. The overall growth and characteristics of ZnO nanowires synthesized in solutions containing low levels of Co ions were related to Co doping into the ZnO bulks. In solutions containing high levels of Co ions, these were additionally related to the Co oxide cluster.
Where to from Here? Women Remain Absent from Senior Academic Positions at Aotearoa New Zealand’s Universities
Authors: Walker Leilani , Sin Isabelle , Macinnis-Ng Cate , Hannah Kate , McAllister Tara
Published: June 2020

In light of policies and programs designed to address the domination of academic positions by male, frequently white individuals, we review the participation of women, one of multiple minority identities within the academy, in Aotearoa New Zealand’s academic workforce using employment data from eight universities from 2002–2017. While the number of women employed continues to improve, the rate has slowed in recent years and senior roles remain heavily dominated by men. Women were more likely to be employed at lower levels of seniority, to advance to seniority more slowly than male colleagues, and were more likely to be employed part-time. We call for active strategies to address the cultural and structural bias in universities that favour the hiring and promotion of men to improve workforce diversity at all levels of seniority.
CNN-Based Network Intrusion Detection against Denial-of-Service Attacks
Authors: Kim Jiyeon , Kim Jiwon , Kim Hyunjung , Shim Minsun , Choi Eunjung
Published: June 2020

As cyberattacks become more intelligent, it is challenging to detect advanced attacks in a variety of fields including industry, national defense, and healthcare. Traditional intrusion detection systems are no longer enough to detect these advanced attacks with unexpected patterns. Attackers bypass known signatures and pretend to be normal users. Deep learning is an alternative to solving these issues. Deep Learning (DL)-based intrusion detection does not require a lot of attack signatures or the list of normal behaviors to generate detection rules. DL defines intrusion features by itself through training empirical data. We develop a DL-based intrusion model especially focusing on denial of service (DoS) attacks. For the intrusion dataset, we use KDD CUP 1999 dataset (KDD), the most widely used dataset for the evaluation of intrusion detection systems (IDS). KDD consists of four types of attack categories, such as DoS, user to root (U2R), remote to local (R2L), and probing. Numerous KDD studies have been employing machine learning and classifying the dataset into the four categories or into two categories such as attack and benign. Rather than focusing on the broad categories, we focus on various attacks belonging to same category. Unlike other categories of KDD, the DoS category has enough samples for training each attack. In addition to KDD, we use CSE-CIC-IDS2018 which is the most up-to-date IDS dataset. CSE-CIC-IDS2018 consists of more advanced DoS attacks than that of KDD. In this work, we focus on the DoS category of both datasets and develop a DL model for DoS detection. We develop our model based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and evaluate its performance through comparison with an Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Furthermore, we suggest the optimal CNN design for the better performance through numerous experiments.
A Quantitative Method for the DNS Isolation Management Risk Estimation
Authors: Liang SiYu , Tian ZhiHong , Cheng XinDa , Jiang Yu , Wang Le , Su Shen
Published: June 2020

The domain name system (DNS) is an important infrastructure of the Internet, providing domain name resolution services for almost all Internet communication systems. However, the current DNS is centrally managed, leading to unfair sovereignty of the Internet among countries. A domestic DNS is unable to work normally, noted as isolated management risk (IMR), especially when the national network is isolated from the rest of the Internet. To improve understanding of the DNS isolated management risk for better DNS resource deployment, it is critical to determine how serious the IMR is among various countries. In order to quantify DNS isolated management risk, this paper proposed an effective approach to collect DNS resolution demand data from the network used by various intelligent devices and to conduct data analysis to estimate isolated management risk of certain country’s domestic DNSs. Our idea is to quantify the domain name resolution demand and its relationship with the overseas resolution processes. We further used our quantitative method to compare the IMR of the USA and China and analyzed the difference between them.
Network Anomaly Detection inside Consumer Networks—A Hybrid Approach
Authors: Patel Darsh , Srinivasan Kathiravan , Chang Chuan-Yu , Gupta Takshi , Kataria Aman
Published: June 2020

With an increasing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the digital world, the attack surface for consumer networks has been increasing exponentially. Most of the compromised devices are used as zombies for attacks such as Distributed Denial of Services (DDoS). Consumer networks, unlike most commercial networks, lack the infrastructure such as managed switches and firewalls to easily monitor and block undesired network traffic. To counter such a problem with limited resources, this article proposes a hybrid anomaly detection approach that detects irregularities in the network traffic implicating compromised devices by using only elementary network information like Packet Size, Source, and Destination Ports, Time between subsequent packets, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Flags, etc. Essential features can be extracted from the available data, which can further be used to detect zero-day attacks. The paper also provides the taxonomy of various approaches to classify anomalies and description on capturing network packets inside consumer networks.
MDEAN: Multi-View Disparity Estimation with an Asymmetric Network
Authors: Pei Zhao , Wen Deqiang , Zhang Yanning , Ma Miao , Guo Min , Zhang Xiuwei , Yang Yee-Hong
Published: June 2020

In recent years, disparity estimation of a scene based on deep learning methods has been extensively studied and significant progress has been made. In contrast, a traditional image disparity estimation method requires considerable resources and consumes much time in processes such as stereo matching and 3D reconstruction. At present, most deep learning based disparity estimation methods focus on estimating disparity based on monocular images. Motivated by the results of traditional methods that multi-view methods are more accurate than monocular methods, especially for scenes that are textureless and have thin structures, in this paper, we present MDEAN, a new deep convolutional neural network to estimate disparity using multi-view images with an asymmetric encoder–decoder network structure. First, our method takes an arbitrary number of multi-view images as input. Next, we use these images to produce a set of plane-sweep cost volumes, which are combined to compute a high quality disparity map using an end-to-end asymmetric network. The results show that our method performs better than state-of-the-art methods, in particular, for outdoor scenes with the sky, flat surfaces and buildings.
The Evaluation and Sensitivity of Decline Curve Modelling
Authors: Manda Prinisha , Nkazi Diakanua
Published: June 2020

The development of prediction tools for production performance and the lifespan of shale gas reservoirs has been a focus for petroleum engineers. Several decline curve models have been developed and compared with data from shale gas production. To accurately forecast the estimated ultimate recovery for shale gas reservoirs, consistent and accurate decline curve modelling is required. In this paper, the current decline curve models are evaluated using the goodness of fit as a measure of accuracy with field data. The evaluation found that there are advantages in using the current DCA models; however, they also have limitations associated with them that have to be addressed. Based on the accuracy assessment conducted on the different models, it appears that the Stretched Exponential Decline Model (SEDM) and Logistic Growth Model (LGM), followed by the Extended Exponential Decline Model (EEDM), the Power Law Exponential Model (PLE), the Doung’s Model, and lastly, the Arps Hyperbolic Decline Model, provide the best fit with production data.
Sustainability of Small-Scale Forestry and Its Influencing Factors in Lithuania
Authors: Mizaras Stasys , Doftartė Asta , Lukminė Diana , Šilingienė Rita
Published: June 2020

Small-scale private forestry is widespread in many countries and occupies 40.3% of the total forest area in Lithuania. The pursuit of sustainability has become one of the main goals of forest policy. In order for small-scale private forestry to be based upon sustainability principles, its sustainability must first be assessed and analyzed. This study assesses the sustainability of 385 small forest holdings of Lithuania using established forest sustainability assessment methods and performs an analysis of the factors influencing the sustainability of small forest holdings using correlation analysis. The Lithuanian small-scale forest holdings were categorized in terms of their level of sustainability as being very high and high (assessed on a five-point scale as 3.5–5 points)—13.6%, middle (2.5–3.5 points)—28.8%, or low and very low (1.0–2.5 points)—57.6%, with the corresponding proportion of holdings indicated as a percentage. A total of 40 independent variables were hypothesized, and their correlation with the sustainability assessments of the holdings was verified. The correlation analysis found mostly weak but reliable (p < 0.05) relationships with 23 independent variables: very weak—12 variables, weak—7 variables, middle—2 variables, and strong—2 variables. Moderate and strong correlations were found for the following variables: the owner’s view of the forest’s economic importance (correlation coefficient: 0.862), income per hectare (0.840), the importance of forestry in the common activity of the owners (0.525), the percentage of mature stands (0.476), the diversity of activities in forest holdings (0.361), and how the wood is used (0.328).
Microwave Treatments of Cereals: Effects on Thermophysical and Parenchymal-Related Properties
Authors: Barba Anna Angela , Naddeo Carlo , Caputo Silvestro , Lamberti Gaetano , d’Amore Matteo , Dalmoro Annalisa
Published: June 2020

Dielectric heating is one of the most interesting techniques for pest disinfestation. However, most of the literature works give information about the ability of microwave treatments at different power-time conditions to kill insects; less is given about the analysis of matrices structural properties and heat transport. Accordingly, the aim of this work is to investigate the effect of microwave treatments, applied for pest disinfestation, on heat transport behavior and physical/structural properties, such as water uptake capability, mineral losses, texture change, and germination capability, of most consumed cereals in human diet, such as weak wheat, durum wheat, and corn. Two different radiative treatments were performed: one in time-temperature conditions capable of inactivating the weed fauna, and the other at high temperatures of ~150 °C, simulating uncontrolled treatments. Heat transport properties were measured and showed to keep unvaried during both effective and uncontrolled microwave treatments. Instead, grain physical properties were worsened when exposed to high temperatures (reduction of germination ability and texture degradation). The achieved results, on the one hand, provide new structural and heat transport data of cereals after microwave treatments, actually not present in the literature, and on the other, they confirm the importance of correctly performing microwave treatments for an effective disinfestation without affecting matrices physical properties and nutritional features.
Genome-Wide Diversity, Population Structure and Demographic History of Dromedaries in the Central Desert of Iran
Authors: Bitaraf Sani Morteza , Harofte Javad Zare , Bitaraf Ahmad , Esmaeilkhanian Saeid , Banabazi Mohammad Hossein , Salim Nader , Teimoori Abbas , Shafei Naderi Ali , Faghihi Mohammad Ali , Burger Pamela Anna , Silawi Mohammad , Taghipour Sheshdeh Afsaneh
Published: June 2020

The development of camel husbandry for good production in a desert climate is very important, thus we need to understand the genetic basis of camels and give attention to genomic analysis. We assessed genome-wide diversity, linkage disequilibrium (LD), effective population size (Ne) and relatedness in 96 dromedaries originating from five different regions of the central desert of Iran using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). A total of 14,522 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) with an average minor allele frequency (MAF) of 0.19 passed quality control and filtering steps. The average observed heterozygosity in the population was estimated at 0.25 ± 0.03. The mean of LD at distances shorter than 40 kb was low (r2 = 0.089 ± 0.234). The camels sampled from the central desert of Iran exhibited higher relatedness than Sudanese and lower than Arabian Peninsula dromedaries. Recent Ne of Iran’s camels was estimated to be 89. Predicted Tajima’s D (1.28) suggested a bottleneck or balancing selection in dromedary camels in the central desert of Iran. A general decrease in effective and census population size poses a threat for Iran’s dromedaries. This report is the first SNP calling report on nearly the chromosome level and a first step towards understanding genomic diversity, population structure and demography in Iranian dromedaries.
Unusual mtDNA Control Region Length Heteroplasmy in the COS-7 Cell Line
Authors: Kozhukhar Nataliya , Mitta Sunil , Alexeyev Mikhail F.
Published: June 2020

The COS-7 cell line is a workhorse of virology research. To expand this cell line’s utility and to enable studies on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription and replication, we determined the complete nucleotide sequence of its mitochondrial genome by Sanger sequencing. In contrast to other available mtDNA sequences from Chlorocebus aethiops, the mtDNA of the COS-7 cell line was found to contain a variable number of perfect copies of a 108 bp unit tandemly repeated in the control region. We established that COS-7 cells are heteroplasmic with at least two variants being present: with four and five repeat units. The analysis of the mitochondrial genome sequences from other primates revealed that tandem repeats are absent from examined mtDNA control regions of humans and great apes, but appear in lower primates, where they are present in a homoplasmic state. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mtDNA length heteroplasmy in primates.
Habitual Combined Exercise Protects against Age-Associated Decline in Vascular Function and Lipid Profiles in Elderly Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Pekas Elizabeth J. , Shin John , Son Won-Mok , Headid Ronald J. , Park Song-Young
Published: June 2020

Postmenopausal status is associated with increased risks for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This study investigated differences in vascular function, lipids, body composition, and physical fitness in elderly postmenopausal women active in combined resistance and aerobic exercise (CRAE) training for 1 year versus a sedentary cohort of similar-in-age counterparts. Elderly postmenopausal women performing habitual CRAE training for 1 year (age ~75 year; CRAE, n = 57) and elderly sedentary postmenopausal women (age ~78 year; SED, n = 44) were recruited. Arterial stiffness (brachial-to-ankle pulse-wave velocity, baPWV), blood pressure, blood lipids, anthropometrics, 2-min walking distance, and muscular strength were assessed for both groups. There were significant differences for baPWV, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein, and body fat percentage, which were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in CRAE vs. SED, and both 2 min walking distance and muscular strength were significantly greater (p < 0.05) in CRAE vs. SED. These results indicate that elderly postmenopausal women participating in habitual CRAE training may have better protection against risks for CVD and have better physical fitness compared to SED counterparts.
A Multi-factor Spatial Optimization Approach for Emergency Medical Facilities in Beijing
Authors: Zhou Liang , Wang Shaohua , Xu Zhibang
Published: June 2020

The outcomes for emergency medical services (EMS) are highly dependent on space-time accessibility. Prior research describes the location of EMS needs with low accuracy and has not integrated a temporal analysis of the road network, which accounts for varying mobility in a dynamic transportation network. In this study, we formulated a network-based location-allocation model (NLAM) and analyzed the spatial characteristics of emergency medical facilities within the fifth ring road in Beijing by considering time, traffic, and population characteristics. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The high demand area for EMS is concentrated in the areas in middle, north, and east during the daytime (8:00–20:00) and in the middle and north during the nighttime (20:00–8:00). From day to night, the centroid of the potential demand distribution shifts in the Western and Southern areas. (2) The road traffic data is sampled 20 times throughout the week, and variations in the average driving speed affect a higher mean driving speed on the weekend. This primarily impacts the main roads, due to these roads experiencing the greatest fluctuation in speed throughout the week of any roadway in the study area. (3) Finally, the 15-min coverage of emergency medical facilities are sampled 20 times in one week and analyzed. Fortunately, there is 100% coverage at night; however, due to traffic congestion, there were a few blind coverage areas in the daytime. The blind area is prevalent in Shijingshan South Station and the Jingxian Bridge in the South fifth ring.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Five Glutathione S-Transferase Genes and Promoters from Micromelalopha troglodyta (Graeser) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) and Their Response to Tannic Acid Stress
Authors: Tang Fang , Tu Huizhen , Shang Qingli , Gao Xiwu , Liang Pei
Published: June 2020

Plants accumulate phenolic compounds such as tannic acid to resist insect herbivores. The survival of insects exposed to toxic secondary metabolites depends on the detoxification metabolism mediated by limited groups of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Micromelalopha troglodyta (Graeser) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is an important foliar pest of poplar trees. GSTs play an important role in xenobiotic detoxification in M. troglodyta. Five GST genes were identified in M. troglodyta and were classified into five different cytosolic GST classes, delta, omega, sigma, theta, and zeta. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine the mRNA expression of the five cloned GSTs in the midguts and fat bodies of M. troglodyta. The mRNA expression of the five GSTs was significantly induced when M. troglodyta was exposed to tannic acid. To further understand the tannic acid regulatory cascade, the 5′-flanking promoter sequences of the five MtGSTs were isolated by genome walking methods, and the promoters were very active and induced by tannic acid. In summary, the induction of GST mRNA expression was due to the response of five MtGST promoters to tannic acid. Therefore, MtGST promoters play an important role in the regulation of GST transcription.
Infertility: Practical Clinical Issues for Routine Investigation of the Male Partner
Authors: Ferlin Alberto , Foresta Carlo
Published: June 2020

About one-fifth of couples has fertility problems in Western countries. Male factors are present in about half of them, either alone or in combination with female causes. Therefore, both partners should be evaluated simultaneously. The fertility status and/or specific conditions of each partner influence the clinical and treatment approach. This article summarizes in a practical way when, how, and why the male partner of an infertile couple should be investigated. The available evidence and international guidelines were used, interpreting, discussing, and expanding them from personal decades-long experience in this field. The aim is to delineate the most appropriate clinical approach for the male partner of infertile couples, considering traditional and emerging technologies and laboratory analyses in the context of their clinical significance. Components of the initial evaluation in men without known risk factors for infertility should include at minimum medical history, physical examination, and semen analysis. Semen microbiological examination, endocrine assessment, scrotal ultrasound, and transrectal ultrasound are suggested in most men and are mandatory when specific risk factors for male infertility are known to be present or when the initial screening demonstrated abnormalities. Full examination, including genetic tests, testicular histology, or additional tests on sperm, is clinically oriented and/or suggested after the results of initial investigations.