bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENINGKATAN KINERJA GURU TERHADAP EFEKTIFITAS PEMBELAJARAN MELALUI SUPERVISI KLINIS DI SEKOLAH MENENGAH PERTAMA
Authors: Zainuddin Zainuddin
Published: May 2020

Pada dasarnya tugas guru mendidik, mengajar, melatih serta mengevaluasi siswa, agar peserta didik dapat menjadi manusia yang dapat melaksanakan kehidupan selaras dengan kodratnya sebagai manusia. berkaitan dengan tugas guru didalam mengevaluasi siswa maka guru hendaknya memiliki ketrampilan mengajar. Untuk itu diperlukan peran kepala sekolah untuk memotivasi para guru untuk meningkatkan kinerjanya dan tujuan supervisi untuk membantu guru-guru melihat dengan jelas tujuan pendidikan dan berusaha mencapai tujuan pendidikan itu dengan membina dan mengembangkan metode-metode dan prosedur pengajaran yang lebih baik. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah ingin meningkatkan kinerja guru agar dapat mencurahkan waktu dan tenaga untuk mengefektifkan pembelajaran. Meningkatkan kemampuan dalam memecahkan masalah dalam pembelajaran melalui supervisi klinis. Hasil analisis deskripsi mengungkapkan, pada siklus I (satu) tingkat kinerja guru terhadap efektifitas pembelajaran sudah menunjukkan peningkatan disbanding dengan kondisi awal. Namun hasil yang dicapai pada siklus I tidaklah menjadikan peneliti merasa puas karena kurang maksimal. Oleh karena itu peneliti melanjutkan pada siklus II dengan terlebih dahulu melakukan perbaikan atas kelemahan yang terdapat pada siklus I. Pada pelaksanaan tindakan siklus II terjadi peningkatan yang cukup signifikan terhadap efektifitas pembelajaran. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah Melalui Supervisi Klinis Dapat Meningkatkan Kinerja Guru Terhadap Efektifitas Pembelajaran Pada SMPN 4 Birem Bayeun Kabupaten Aceh Timur.
MENGENANG KEMBALI
Authors: Usman Usman , Akob Bachtiar , Bukhari Bukhari
Published: May 2020

Madrasah Islam Modern (MIM) Langsa, yang berdiri sejak tahun 1948 oleh Ismail Thayeb Paya Bujok 72 tahun yang lalu merupakan salah satu pendidikan moderen di pantai timur Aceh, yang terdiri atas 3 tingkatan tingkatan permulaan, menengah pertama dan menengah atas, dan telah banyak menyumbangkan konstribusi buat anak bangsa. Tujuannya selain berhasil mencetak kader-kader masyarakat/pemuda Islam dalam masyarakat, dan para alumninya berperan aktif sebagai tokoh kaliber terkenal dalam bidang pemerintahan/ militer, anggota parlemen dan tenaga pendidikan di Aceh, misalnya Alauddin AE (militer/Bupati Aceh Timur), Ibrahim Daud (guru/anggota Dewan dari fraksi Golkar dan Zainab AR anggota Dewan dari komisi PPP Kabupaten Aceh Timur), dan setelah dua dasawarsa MIM membuat kegiatan ulang tahun ke-22 tahun 1970 dengan sangat meriah, dan dihadiri tamu undang baik dari Aceh dan luar negeri. Permasalahannya dalam kajian ini sebagai berikut; (1) bagaimana berdirinya Madrasah Islam Modern Langsa sebagai pusat pengembangan pendidikan Islam?, (2) bagaimana rencana pengajaran Madrasah dan Tenaga Guru/Pelajar?, (3) bagaimana perkembangan Madrasah Islam Moderen Tahun 1948-1970?, (4) apa saja usaha dalam pembaharuan pendidikan agama Islam?, (5) bagaimana pembinaan sebagai angkatan muda dalam parlemen, pemerintah dan tenaga pendidikan?, dan (6) bagaimana kegiatan dan perayaan ulang tahun ke-22 Madrasah Islam Moderen?. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah Sejarah Kritis  mencakup empat tahapan; Heuristik yaitu mencari dan mengumpulkan berbagai jenis sumber baik primer maupun skunder yang diperlukan sesuai dengan tujuan penelitia, Kritik terhadap sumber-sumber baik kritik ekstern maupun instern guna menguji otentisitas dan kridebilitas apakah sumber asli atau palsu; Menginterpretasikan atau memunculkan berbagai fakta yang diperlukan dari sumber atau mengumpulkan fakta, dan Melakukan historiografi atau dengan cara merangkaikan dari peristiwa-peristiwa sejarah yang dijadikan sebuah tulisan sejarah/karya tulis. Hasilnya keberadaan MIM berhasil memperbaharui sistem pendidikan tradisional ke sistem persekolahan berdasarkan jenjang pendidikan yaitu  permulaan (Ibtidaiyah/SD); menengah pertama (setara MTs/ SLTP), dan menengah atas (setara MA/SLTA). Alumni-alumni MIM sebagaian besar menjadi tokoh ilmuwan berkaliber terkenal dalam bidang pemerintahan, militer, anggota parlemen dan tokoh pemimpin masyarakat di Aceh.
Розробка імітаційної моделі утворюваної цінності на ланцюзі Маркова для форсайт методології
Authors: Chernova Ld. S. , Lukianov D.V. , Gogunskii V.D. , Chernova Lb.
Published: May 2020

Дослідження спирається на гіпотезу, що життєвий цикл переваг проектів може бути відображений за допомогою ланцюгів Маркова. Під станами ланцюгів Маркова розуміються характерні етапи життєвого циклу переваг проекту. Отримані результати не суперечать прийнятій гіпотезі. Показано, що трансформація життєвого циклу     переваг проектів у ланцюг Маркова є ефективним способом для феноменологічного відображенням проектної структури, що базується на циклі переваг проектів. Доведено, що застосування ланцюгів Маркова є прий-нятним для відображення життєвого циклу переваг проектів. Результати дослідження можуть слугувати основою для створення моделей Форсайт-проектів.
Концепт сухогрузного многоцелевого судна проекта RSD32M типа «НАВИС» класса «Азовский пятитысячник»
Authors: Yegorov G.V. , Tonyuk V.I.
Published: May 2020

Середній вік суден класу «Волго-Балт» / «Сормов-ський» в даний час складає більше за 30-35 років, що цілком обумовлює загальну необхідність поповнення флоту новими суднами з такою ж річковою вантажопідйомністю – суднами проекту RSD32M. Концепт є розвитком проектів RSD18 (типу «UCF») і RSD32, створених Морським Інженерним Бюро в 2005-2006 роках, і «однокласником» проекту RSD17 (типу «Мірзага Халілов») і суден типу «Валдай» і «Русич». Судно «південного» типу, тому вибір класу судна за районам плавання (R2) і за льодовою категорію (Ice1); застосування люкових закриттів знімного типу з козловим судновим краном; середньооборотні дизеля в якості головних двигунів і які вже стали класичними для цього типу суден повноповоротні гвинто-рульові колонки з гвинтами фіксованого кроку. Виконано детальний аналіз основних характеристик, а також їх порівняння з характеристиками суден-аналогів. Коефіцієнт викорис-тання водотоннажності за дедвейтом є найкращим на всіх розглянутих осадках. Питомі показники при інших осадках проекту RSD32M кращі, ніж на інших суднах аналогічного класу. При роботі в портах Каспій-ського і Азовського морів проект RSD32M матиме економічні переваги в порівнянні з усіма іншими суднами.
Сравнительная косвенная оценка пределов выносливости деталей по результатам их испытаний с возрастающей нагрузкой
Authors: Konoplev A.V. , Grechenko P.I. , Cheredarchuk N.I. , Halevskyi V.V. , Sologub V.О. , Rozhko О.К. , Kononova O.М.
Published: May 2020

Предложено проводить сравнительную оценку сопротивления усталости  деталей машин косвенно, путём сопоставления величин разрушающих напряжений при их испытании с возрастающей нагрузкой.  Расчётом показано, что эти напряжения имеют практически идентичный размах варьирования с пределом выносливости, а их дисперсии однородны.
Повышение начальной температуры пара для исключения его промежуточного перегрева
Authors: Vasserman A.A.
Published: May 2020

Рассматривается возможность исключения промежуточного перегрева пара в цикле паротурбинной установки (ПТУ) путём повышения начальной температуры пара. Приведены результаты расчётов при начальном давлении пара 6, 8 и 10 МПа и давлении конденсации 0,004 и 0,005 МПа. Анализ результатов показал, что возможно исключение промежуточного перегрева при указанных значениях начального давления и минимально допустимой степени сухости пара в конце расширения в турбине 0,86 при повышении начальной температуры пара до 800 оС
Формалізація причинно-наслідкових зв'язків складових процесу виконання судном рейсу
Authors: Koskina Yu.O.
Published: May 2020

Рейс судна, яким реалізується перевезення вантажів морем, є його основним виробничим процесом. Організація і реалізація перевезення вантажу морським судном багато у чому визначається чіткою координацією окремих процесів, якими ініціюється та супроводжується виконання судном рейсу. Початок та закінчення кожної складової рейсу забезпечується документооборотом та діями не лише перевізника, а і інших учасників процесу перевезення вантажів. З використанням операторів темпоральної логіки встановлено причинно-наслідкові зв'язки  частин рейсу із процесами, які реалізуються фрахтово-брокерськими, агентськими, стивідорними та експедиторськими компаніями, та формалізовано процес виконання судном рейсу.
Molecular phylogeny of south Indian Aphthona species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) with evidence for colour polymorphism
Authors: G M Vishnu , Alex Swapna , K B Soni , A G Kiran , G Anju Krishnan , S Shanas
Published: May 2020

Phylogenetic relationships among southern Indian Aphthona species using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene (COX1 or COI) is reported. This study confirms colour polymorphism in Aphthona: A. tamila and A. glochidionae; A. marataka and A. macarangae, respectively, could be confirmed as colour morphs. Aphthona phyllanthae is the most diverged taxon according to the genetic distance.
Prevalence of Stegomyia albopicta in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, India
Authors: K S Ishwara Prasad , K S Sreepada
Published: May 2020

Dengue is one of the rapidly spreading mosquito-borne diseases transmitted worldwide by the bites of infected Stegomyia aegypti and St. albopicta mosquito. Both species are adapted for human habitation and breeds mainly in temporary water bodies. In the present study, a preliminary larval survey was carriedout in four different localities of Dakshina Kannada District. Of the 1094 suspected water bodies, 496 sites showed the presence of St. albopicta larvae and none of them showed the presence of St. aegypti indicating the dominance of the former species. The occurrence of St. albopicta was significantly higher in natural phytotelmata compared to artificial containers. Among the different breeding sites, receptacles contributed 24.5% of larval positivity. The receptacles also showed a higher breeding preference ratio (1.56) indicating that abandoned waste thrashes when receives water may act as the most preferred breeding sites for dengue vector species.
Host plants of the home invading nuisance pest, Mupli beetle, Luprops tristis (Fabricius, 1801) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in agribelts of South India
Authors: P Aswathi , K Sabu Thomas
Published: May 2020

Presence of home invading nuisance pest Luprops tristis (Fabricius, 1801) in nonrubber belts and its generalist feeding behavior lead to assessment of its feeding preference on the leaves of common litter contributing plants in agribelts in south India. Bioassays with leaves of 17 plants namely, cashew, cassia, cocoa, flowering murdah golden flame tree, Indian-beech, Indian kino, jackfruit, macaranga, mahogany, mango, mexican lilac, raintree, rubber, tamarind, teak and wild jack were carried out. General bias towards tender leaves of most plants was distinct. Based on Leaf age related variation in feeding rates, host plant were categorised as tender leaf preferred, both tender and senescent leaves preferred and senescent leaf preferred. Based on leaf consumption rates, host plants were broadly categorized as most preferred, moderately preferred, low preferred and least preferred, and its implications are discussed. Aggressive feeding on leaves of many plants abundant in non-rubber agriculture belts necessitates their monitoring in the litter stands of the cited plants in non-rubber belts for preventing its establishment as uncontrollable nuisance pest across south India.
Effect of coriander plant extract on the parasitization behaviour of Trichogramma chilonis Ishii (Trichogrammatidae: Hymenoptera)
Authors: Manoj P Dominic , G Ravi , S Vellaikumar , M I Manivannan
Published: May 2020

In the present investigation the coriander plant volatiles for the tritrophic interactions on the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis Ishii is evaluated. The GCMS profile study of the foliage extract of coriander in both hexane and dichloromethane showed presence of 2-Dodecenal-(E), (E)-Tetradec-2-enal, Octadecane, Nonacosane, Hexadecane, Pentadecane and Heneicosane, which are of biologically active fractions in insects. In laboratory study the maximum parasitization was recorded in hexane extract treated Corcyra card (31.04 eggs/card) compared to 28.16 eggs per card observed in untreated control. The data gathered on number of parasitized eggs hatched into adult indicated that in hexane extract treated Corcyra card had 91.19 per cent while parasitoid emergence was 29.30 eggs per card followed by 87.76 per cent in untreated control 24.90 eggs per card. The GCMS profile study of the foliage extract of coriander in both hexane and dichloromethane showed presence of 2-Dodecenal-(E), (E)-Tetradec-2-enal, Octadecane, Nonacosane, Hexadecane, Pentadecane and Heneicosane, which are of biologically active fractions in insects. The above findings reveal the possible role of such active chemicals in parasitoid compatibility of the intercrop.
Evaluation of acaricides against false spider mite, Tenuipalpus aboharensis (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), a pest of pomegranate
Authors: Yosof Amini Mohammad , Shah Mohammadi Ahamad , N Srinivasa , S Onkarappa
Published: May 2020

False spider mites are serious pests of pomegranate and frequently cause considerable economic losses in other fruit crops as well. A field experiment conducted to evaluate eleven acaricides against Tenuipalpus aboharensis infesting pomegranate plants, revealed that wettable sulphur at 2.5 g and dicofol at 2.5 ml per litre were very effective and other acaricides viz. propargite, fenpyroximate, chlorfenapyr and buprofezin were also found effective against T. aboharensis.
Risk perceptions, misperceptions and sexual behaviours among young heterosexual people with gonorrhoea in Perth, Western Australia
Authors: Lobo Roanna , Rayson Josephine , Hallett Jonathan , Mak Donna B
Published: May 2020

Background
Notification rates of gonorrhoea in Australia for heterosexual young adults rose by 63% between 2012 and 2016. In Western Australian major cities, there was a 612% increase among non-Aboriginal females and a 358% increase in non-Aboriginal males in the ten-year period 2007–2016. A qualitative public health investigation was initiated to inform appropriate action.
Methods
Eighteen semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with non-Aboriginal heterosexual young adults aged 18–34 years living in Perth, Western Australia, who had recently been notified to the Department of Health with gonorrhoea, to explore the context of their sexual interactions and lifestyles which could have predisposed them to contracting gonorrhoea. Data were thematically analysed.
Results
Common themes were having several casual sexual partners, limited communication between sexual partners about condom use or sexual history prior to engaging in sexual activity, inconsistent condom use, normalisation of some sexually transmissible infections amongst young people, and poor understandings and assessment of sexually transmissible infection risk.
Conclusions
The findings support public health interventions that focus on communication between sexual partners and shifting of risk perceptions in sexual health education programs, ensuring accessibility of quality sexual health information, increasing condom accessibility and acceptability, and on strategies for addressing misperceptions of young people in relation to sexually transmitted infections.
Manx traditional songs, rhymes and chants in the repertoire of the last native Manx speakers
Authors: Broderick George
Published: May 2020

The following collection of Manx traditional songs and song-fragments derives from a series of scientific surveys on obsolescence in Manx Gaelic from native Manx speakers undertaken in Man between the years 1886 and 1972. These surveys involved the gathering of linguistic material, whether through phonetic notation of textual readings or questioning, formal questionnaires, and / or sound-recordings, in order to enable a phonological and morphological assessment of the state of Manx Gaelic at the time. Such material also included connected prose-texts in the form of stories and anecdotes, as well as lyric-texts consisting exclusively of traditional songs, rhymes, chants, etc., either complete or in fragmentary form.

Though it will be seen that many of the song-texts exist only in fragmentary form, this does not necessarily mean that the informant could not have given more. The reasons for this may be multiple: e.g. the unusual circumstances of the recordings. i.e., in the formal context of an interviewer-interviewee interface whereby the interviewee would likely not have been fully at ease. Nevertheless, the material available to us today is in my view sufficient to give us a good idea of what the informants could offer.

The song-texts gathered from the last native Manx speakers are brought together for the first time to enable a concise overview.
The intersection of literature & law: The Saga of Fergus mac Léti
Authors: Malthaner Ariana
Published: May 2020

The story of Fergus mac Léti is a delight of Old Irish scholars as it provides both an exciting saga tale as well as an insight into the Old Irish legal tradition. The text itself has primarily been discussed within the legal context, and understandably so as its early Irish extant versions exist exclusively within legal material. However, this focus on the legal aspects has left the literary aspects of the text entirely neglected. This paper examines The Saga of Fergus mac Léti within the context of the literary echtra tradition and compares it to the existing corpus of echtra material, discussing key elements that common across all the texts, that evidence the need for the story story of Fergus mac Léti to be examined as both a literacy text, and a legal one. This paper argues that the dissimilarities between the text, and the other extant echtrai are not enough to dismiss the text as merely legal fiction and contends that Echtra Fergussa maic Lete has earned its place within the saga material.
MOTIVES AND GRATIFICATIONS OF BOGOR STUDENTS IN USING THE INTERNET
Authors: Satriania Imani , Alamsyah Feri Ferdinan
Published: May 2020

Bogor City has 11 tertiary institutions consisting of 2 polytechnics, 3 academies, 3 colleges, and 3 universities. Studentsin Bogor as internet users have certain motives and gratifications to fulfil their needs for informational exchange. Students will decide or not decide to use the internet. In this case, it is certainly influenced by some motives. This qualitative research employs a descriptive survey method. It took place in Bogor Higher Education Institutions which include universities and institutes which provide academic and higher professional education, and academies and polytechnics which only provide the latter. Sampling techniques employed in this research is probability sampling and cluster sampling. Based on the Slovin formula, the determination of a minimum sample by setting precision of 10% (0.1), is 100 people. Then it divides the portions between students from universities and institutes with students from polytechnics and academies about 50% of each. Data collection techniques used in this research include questionnaires, interviews, observation, and literature review. The research results show that there are differences in motives and gratifications between academy students and university students using the internet. The differences are seen in the motives and gratification of information, motives, and gratification of social integration and interaction, motives and gratification of entertainment, as well as motives and gratification of personal identities in using five internet services which include messaging applications, social media, electronic mail, search engines, and video streaming
Mining Sequential Patterns with VC-Dimension and Rademacher Complexity
Authors: Santoro Diego , Tonon Andrea , Vandin Fabio
Published: May 2020

Sequential pattern mining is a fundamental data mining task with application in several domains. We study two variants of this task—the first is the extraction of frequent sequential patterns, whose frequency in a dataset of sequential transactions is higher than a user-provided threshold; the second is the mining of true frequent sequential patterns, which appear with probability above a user-defined threshold in transactions drawn from the generative process underlying the data. We present the first sampling-based algorithm to mine, with high confidence, a rigorous approximation of the frequent sequential patterns from massive datasets. We also present the first algorithms to mine approximations of the true frequent sequential patterns with rigorous guarantees on the quality of the output. Our algorithms are based on novel applications of Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension and Rademacher complexity, advanced tools from statistical learning theory, to sequential pattern mining. Our extensive experimental evaluation shows that our algorithms provide high-quality approximations for both problems we consider.
Moving Deep Learning to the Edge
Authors: Véstias Mário P. , Duarte Rui Policarpo , de Sousa José T. , Neto Horácio C.
Published: May 2020

Deep learning is now present in a wide range of services and applications, replacing and complementing other machine learning algorithms. Performing training and inference of deep neural networks using the cloud computing model is not viable for applications where low latency is required. Furthermore, the rapid proliferation of the Internet of Things will generate a large volume of data to be processed, which will soon overload the capacity of cloud servers. One solution is to process the data at the edge devices themselves, in order to alleviate cloud server workloads and improve latency. However, edge devices are less powerful than cloud servers, and many are subject to energy constraints. Hence, new resource and energy-oriented deep learning models are required, as well as new computing platforms. This paper reviews the main research directions for edge computing deep learning algorithms.
Effects of Soft Rock and Biochar Applications on Millet (Setaria italica L.) Crop Performance in Sandy Soil
Authors: Sun Yingying , Zhang Ningning , Yan Jiakun , Zhang Suiqi
Published: May 2020

In arid and semi-arid regions, desertification threatens crop production because it reduces the soil’s capacity to retain water and soil nutrients. At two fertilizer levels (90 kg N hm−2 and 45 kg P hm−2 and 270 kg N hm−2 and 135 kg P hm−2), the effects of soft rock (sand: soft rocks = 3:1) and biochar (4500 kg hm−2) applications on soil moisture, soil nutrients, and millet (Setaria italica L.) photosynthesis, yield, and its agronomic traits (biomass, thousand kernel weight, harvest index) were investigated in a field experiment in the Mu Us Sandy Land of China in 2018–2019. The addition of biochar and soft rock singly increased soil water content, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN), total nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP), and organic matter content significantly, suggesting that their application may increase the nutrient and water holding capacity of soil. Application of biochar and soft rock singly increased the net photosynthesis rate of millet flag leaf, at the flowering stage, from 15.97% to 56.26%. Biochar and soft rock application increased the yield range (2109.0 kg hm−2 to 5024.7 kg hm−2) from 5.26% to 54.60% under the same fertilizer level. Correlation analyses showed grain yield was significantly correlated with photosynthesis rate at the flowering stage, which was significantly correlated with soil AN at flowering, soil TP at flowering and harvest, and soil TN at flowering. These results indicated that the application of biochar and soft rock singly could increase soil fertilizer holding capacity to improve the photosynthesis rate at flowering, and, therefore, lead to improvements in crop yield.
Durum Wheat Seminal Root Traits within Modern and Landrace Germplasm in Algeria
Authors: Boudiar Ridha , González Juan M. , Mekhlouf Abdelhamid , Casas Ana M. , Igartua Ernesto
Published: May 2020

Seminal roots are known to play an important role in crop performance, particularly under drought conditions. A set of 37 durum wheat cultivars and local landraces was screened for variation in architecture and size of seminal roots using a laboratory setting, with a filter paper method combined with image processing by SmartRoot software. Significant genetic variability was detected for all root and shoot traits assessed. Four rooting patterns were identified, with landraces showing overall steeper angle and higher root length, in comparison with cultivars, which presented a wider root angle and shorter root length. Some traits revealed trends dependent on the genotypes’ year of release, like increased seminal root angle and reduced root size (length, surface, and volume) over time. We confirm the presence of a remarkable diversity of root traits in durum wheat whose relationship with adult root features and agronomic performance should be explored.
The Optimization of Nitrogen Fertilization Regulates Crop Performance and Quality of Processing Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Heinz 3402)
Authors: Petropoulos Spyridon A. , Fernandes Ângela , Xyrafis Eustratios , Polyzos Nikolaos , Antoniadis Vasileios , Barros Lillian , C.F.R. Ferreira Isabel
Published: May 2020

In this study, we evaluated the effect of various fertilization regimes on processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Heinz 3402) yield and quality by applying the following treatments: (i) control (C), (ii) conventional fertilizer (21-0-0, N-P-K) (CF), (iii) slow release nitrogen fertilizer 46-0-0 (SR), (iv) conventional fertilizer (21-0-0, N-P-K) + Zeolite (CFZ), and v) composted sheep manure (M). The results of the study showed that the SR and CFZ treatments resulted in the highest fruit yield per hectare compared to the rest of the fertilizer and the control treatments. Fruit firmness was higher for the treatments C, M and SR, while color parameters (chroma and hue angle) were higher for the C and M treatments, respectively. Moreover, the total soluble solids content (TSS; °Brix) was higher when manure (M) was applied. In terms of chemical composition, the total and individual tocopherols and sugars were the highest for the M and C treatments, respectively, whereas the oxalic, malic and total organic acid contents were the highest for the CFZ treatment. Moreover, the tested treatments showed a varied response in different antioxidant assays, although the M treatment exhibited a high antioxidant capacity in most of the assays, except for the β-carotene/linoleate assay. The carotenoid and chlorophyll contents were the highest for the control treatment. The main detected fatty acid was linoleic acid, followed by palmitic, oleic and α-linolenic acid, while the CFZ treatment had the highest content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) due to its high content of linoleic acid. In conclusion, although the application of fertilizers increased yield, the quality parameters and chemical composition showed a varied response to the fertilization regime, especially the TSS content and juice pH and electric conductivity (EC), which are significant for the marketability of the final product.
Forecasting Yield and Lignocellulosic Composition of Energy Cane Using Unmanned Aerial Systems
Authors: Cholula Uriel , da Silva Jorge A. , Marconi Thiago , Thomasson J. Alex , Solorzano Jorge , Enciso Juan
Published: May 2020

Crop monitoring and appropriate agricultural management practices of elite germplasm will enhance bioenergy’s efficiency. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) may be a useful tool for this purpose. The objective of this study was to assess the use of UAS with true color and multispectral imagery to predict the yield and total cellulosic content (TCC) of newly created energy cane germplasm. A trial was established in the growing season of 2016 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center in Weslaco, Texas, where 15 energy cane elite lines and three checks were grown on experimental plots, arranged in a complete block design and replicated four times. Four flights were executed at different growth stages in 2018, at the first ratoon crop, using two multi-rotor UAS: the DJI Phantom 4 Pro equipped with RGB camera and the DJI Matrice 100, equipped with multispectral sensor (SlantRange 3p). Canopy cover, canopy height, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), and ExG (Excess Green Index) were extracted from the images and used to perform a stepwise regression to obtain the yield and TCC models. The results showed a good agreement between the predicted and the measured yields (R2 = 0.88); however, a low coefficient of determination was found between the predicted and the observed TCC (R2 = 0.30). This study demonstrated the potential application of UAS to estimate energy cane yield with high accuracy, enabling plant breeders to phenotype larger populations and make selections with higher confidence.
Effect of Biosynthesized ZnO Nanoparticles on Multi-Drug Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
Authors: Ali Syed Ghazanfar , Ansari Mohammad Azam , Alzohairy Mohammad A. , Alomary Mohammad N. , Jalal Mohammad , AlYahya Sami , Asiri Sarah Mousa Maadi , Khan Haris M.
Published: May 2020

Synthesis of nanoparticles using the plants has several advantages over other methods due to the environmentally friendly nature of plants. Besides being environmentally friendly, the synthesis of nanoparticles using plants or parts of the plants is also cost effective. The present study focuses on the biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using the seed extract of Butea monsoperma and their effect on to the quorum-mediated virulence factors of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at sub minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by different techniques, such as Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average size of the nanoparticles was 25 nm as analyzed by TEM. ZnO NPs at sub MIC decreased the production of virulence factors such as pyocyanin, protease and hemolysin for P. aeruginosa (p ≤ 0.05). The interaction of NPs with the P. aeruginosa cells on increasing concentration of NPs at sub MIC levels showed greater accumulation of nanoparticles inside the cells as analyzed by TEM.
Andrographis paniculata and Its Bioactive Diterpenoids Protect Dermal Fibroblasts against Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Mussard Eugenie , Jousselin Sundy , Cesaro Annabelle , Legrain Brigitte , Lespessailles Eric , Esteve Eric , Berteina-Raboin Sabine , Toumi Hechmi
Published: May 2020

Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) has long been used in ayurvedic medicine through its anti-inflammatory properties. However, its protective effect of skin aging has not been studied in vitro. This study aimed to investigate the anti-aging effects of methanolic extract (ME), andrographolide (ANDRO), neoandrographolide (NEO), 14-deoxyandrographolide (14DAP) and 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (14DAP11-12) on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) under pro-oxidant or pro-inflammatory condition. The in vitro anti-aging capacity of ME, ANDRO, NEO, 14DAP, and 14DAP11-12 (1, 2.5 and 5 µg/mL) was performed in HDFa. Oxidative stress and inflammation were induced by hydrogen peroxide and lipopolysaccharide/TNF-α, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured by the fluorescence of DCF-DA probe and cytokines were quantified by ELISA (IL6 and IL8) or RTqPCR (TNF-α). Procollagen type I production was determined by an ELISA. Our results showed a decrease in ROS production with ME and 14DAP at 5 µg/mL and 1 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, IL-6 production and TNF-α expression decreased under ANDRO and ME at 5 µg/mL. Our data indicated that ME and 14DAP protect from oxidative stress. Additionally, ME and ANDRO decreased an inflammation marker, IL-6. This suggests their potential natural treatment against skin damage. Hence, their applications could be of interest in cosmetics for preventing skin ageing.
Evaluation of Viburnum opulus L. Fruit Phenolics Cytoprotective Potential on Insulinoma MIN6 Cells Relevant for Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity
Authors: Zakłos-Szyda Małgorzata , Kowalska-Baron Agnieszka , Pietrzyk Nina , Drzazga Anna , Podsędek Anna
Published: May 2020

In this study, the influence of guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) fruit fresh juice (FJ) and a phenolic-rich fraction (PRF) isolated from juice on mice insulinoma MIN6 cells activities was investigated. Extracts were able to decrease intracellular oxidative stress at the highest non-cytotoxic concentrations. They induced glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion in the presence of an elevated glucose concentration, and they inhibited in vitro activity of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) enzyme. Nonetheless, inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was detected, which was accompanied by a decrease of cellular membrane fluidity and hyperpolarization effect. In addition, the increase of free fatty acid uptake and accumulation of lipid droplets in MIN6 cells were observed. Elevated extract concentrations induced cell apoptosis through the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway with activation of initiatory caspase-9 and downstream caspases-3/7. The fluorescence-quenching studies indicated that PRF extract has binding affinity to human serum albumin, which is one of the factors determining drug bioavailability. Taken together, despite the cytoprotective activity against generated intracellular oxidative stress, V. opulus revealed potential toxic effects as well as decreased insulin secretion from MIN6 cells. These findings are relevant in understanding V. opulus limitations in developing diet supplements designed for the prevention and treatment of postprandial glucose elevation.
Thiol Peroxidases as Major Regulators of Intracellular Levels of Peroxynitrite in Live Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells
Authors: Condeles André Luís , Gomes Fernando , de Oliveira Marcos Antonio , Soares Netto Luís Eduardo , Toledo Junior José Carlos
Published: May 2020

Thiol peroxidases (TP) are ubiquitous and abundant antioxidant proteins of the peroxiredoxin and glutathione peroxidase families that can catalytically and rapidly reduce biologically relevant peroxides, such as hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite. However, the TP catalytic cycle is complex, depending on multiple redox reactions and partners, and is subjected to branching and competition points that may limit their peroxide reductase activity in vivo. The goals of the present study were to demonstrate peroxynitrite reductase activity of TP members in live cells in real time and to evaluate its catalytic characteristics. To these ends, we developed a simple fluorescence assay using coumarin boronic acid (CBA), exploiting that fact that TP and CBA compete for peroxynitrite, with the expectation that higher TP peroxynitrite reductase activity will lower the CBA oxidation. TP peroxynitrite reductase activity was evaluated by comparing CBA oxidation in live wild type and genetically modified Δ8 (TP-deficient strain) and Δ8+TSA1 (Δ8 strain that expresses only one TP member, the TSA1 gene) Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The results showed that CBA oxidation decreased with cell density and increased with increasing peroxynitrite availability. Additionally, the rate of CBA oxidation decreased in the order Δ8 > Δ8+TSA1 > WT strains both in control and glycerol-adapted (expressing higher TP levels) cells, showing that the CBA competition assay could reliably detect peroxynitrite in real time in live cells, comparing CBA oxidation in strains with reduced and increased TP expression. Finally, there were no signs of compromised TP peroxynitrite reductase activity during experimental runs, even at the highest peroxynitrite levels tested. Altogether, the results show that TP is a major component in the defense of yeast against peroxynitrite insults under basal and increasing stressful conditions.
An Automated Data Acquisition System for Pinch Grip Assessment Based on Fugl Meyer Protocol: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Alsayed Abdallah , Kamil Raja , Ramli Hafiz , As’arry Azizan
Published: May 2020

The Upper Extremity Fugl Meyer Assessment (UE-FMA) is the most comprehensive assessment for pinch impairment after stroke. The pinch test of UE-FMA is manually performed by pulling a pincer object away from the patient’s fingers while providing a visual observation that results in a subjective assessment. In this study, an automated data acquisition system that consists of a linear electric actuator applying automatic pulling to the customized pincer object held by the volunteer was developed. The pinch force was measured such that a strain gauge was placed on the pincer object while pulling force was measured using pulling force load cell connected in between the linear electric actuator and customized pincer object. The pincer object’s slip onset was detected using a displacement slip sensor. The mean pinch and pulling force values at the slip onset were 12.17 and 6.25 N for right hands, while mean pinch and pulling force values were 11.67 and 5.92 N for left hands of 50 healthy volunteers, respectively. Based on the paired t-test, there is no significant difference between right and left hands. The automated data acquisition system can objectively apply a pulling force, detect the slip onset, and measure the pinch and pulling forces.
Structure-Integrated Loudspeaker Using Fiber-Reinforced Plastics and Piezoelectric Transducers—Design, Manufacturing and Validation
Authors: Zenker Benjamin , Dannemann Martin , Geller Sirko , Holeczek Klaudiusz , Weißenborn Oliver , Altinsoy M. Ercan , Modler Niels
Published: May 2020

In the present study, it could be shown that by integration of a piezoceramic transducer in a fiber-reinforced door side panel, a flat loudspeaker can be realized. Taking into account the given restrictions, the integration position has been identified, where the geometry decouples the vibrating membrane from the supporting surface. With the help of an acoustic finite-element simulation, the main design variables of the integration position were found and the relevant effects for sound radiation were made visible. The manufacturing of the test specimen with piezoceramic transducers was performed using vacuum-assisted resin infusion and the long fiber injection procedure. The effect on the real sound radiation behavior of the door side panel with a material-immanent loudspeaker was experimentally determined using laser scanning vibrometry and sound pressure measurements. The presented work shows, for the first time, the high potential of acoustic functionalization of lightweight structures during the manufacturing process for the realization of lightweight and space-saving loudspeakers in a production-ready process.
A Review of Convolutional Neural Network Applied to Fruit Image Processing
Authors: Naranjo-Torres José , Mora Marco , Hernández-García Ruber , Barrientos Ricardo J. , Fredes Claudio , Valenzuela Andres
Published: May 2020

Agriculture has always been an important economic and social sector for humans. Fruit production is especially essential, with a great demand from all households. Therefore, the use of innovative technologies is of vital importance for the agri-food sector. Currently artificial intelligence is one very important technological tool widely used in modern society. Particularly, Deep Learning (DL) has several applications due to its ability to learn robust representations from images. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) is the main DL architecture for image classification. Based on the great attention that CNNs have had in the last years, we present a review of the use of CNN applied to different automatic processing tasks of fruit images: classification, quality control, and detection. We observe that in the last two years (2019–2020), the use of CNN for fruit recognition has greatly increased obtaining excellent results, either by using new models or with pre-trained networks for transfer learning. It is worth noting that different types of images are used in datasets according to the task performed. Besides, this article presents the fundamentals, tools, and two examples of the use of CNNs for fruit sorting and quality control.
Effect of Hippophae rhamnoides L. Leaves Treatment on the Antioxidant Capacity, Total Phenol Content and Sensory Profile of Moschofilero Wines Vinified with and without Added Sulphites
Authors: Tzachristas Alexandros , Pasvanka Konstantina , Liouni Maria , Calokerinos Antony C. , Tataridis Panagiotis , Proestos Charalampos
Published: May 2020

This study evaluated the antioxidant capacity, total phenol content, and sensory profile of selected Greek wines made from Vitis vinifera L. c.v. Moschofilero in two consecutive vintages, treated with powdered Hippophae rhamnoides L. leaves (HRL). Radical Scavenging activity, reducing power, total phenol content (TPC), and color intensity increased in a linear manner in relation to HRL treatments. Indicatively the addition of 0.8 g/L of HRL increased the radical scavenging activity as determined via the inhibition of the 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical from 28.4 to 55.8% in comparison to the initial values. Equally the reducing power as determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay increased from 35.3 to 62.1%, and total phenol content values increased from 11% to 23.7% and the color intensity increased from 39.9 to 50.7%. The main oenological attributes examined, remained unchanged after the HRL addition. The addition of up to 0.4 g/L of HRL did not have a major impact on the organoleptic characteristics of the wines tasted whereas concentrations higher than 0.8 g/L were not considered beneficial. Results denote that the addition of H. rhamnoides leaves to white wines contributes positively to the overall antioxidant capacity and could be used if authorized as an antioxidant agent in wines vinified in the absence of or in synergy with sulphur dioxide.
Biological Control of Phototrophic Biofilms in a Show Cave: The Case of Nerja Cave
Authors: Jurado Valme , del Rosal Yolanda , Gonzalez-Pimentel Jose , Hermosin Bernardo , Saiz-Jimenez Cesareo
Published: May 2020

Cyanobacteria and microalgae are usually found in speleothems, rocks and walls of show caves exposed to artificial lighting. These microorganisms develop as biofilms coating the mineral surfaces and producing aesthetic, physical and chemical deterioration. A wide number of physical, chemical and environmental-friendly methods have been used for controlling the biofilms with different results. Natural biological control has been suggested by some authors as a theoretical approach but without direct evidence or application. Here we report the finding of a natural biological control of phototrophic biofilms on the speleothems of Nerja Cave, Malaga, Spain. The formation of plaques or spots where the phototrophic microorganisms disappeared can be assumed on the basis of processes of predation of bacteria, amoebas and some other organisms on the phototrophic biofilms. This study aims at investigating the potentialities of the biological control of phototrophic biofilms in caves, but the originality of these data should be confirmed in future studies with a larger number of biofilm samples in different ecological scenarios.
Organizational Culture and Subcultures in the Spanish Nuclear Industry
Authors: Badia Eulàlia , Navajas Joaquín , Losilla Josep-Maria
Published: May 2020

Organizational culture determines the norms, values and behaviors of an organization, playing a key role in the safety of high-reliability organizations (HRO). Previous research has shown that differentiated subcultures can coexist within organizations, sharing some norms and values but not necessary everything From this perspective, this study was aimed at (1) describing the organizational culture of the Spanish nuclear industry and (2) determining the potential presence of organizational subcultures. To do that, a statistical analysis of organizational culture surveys (Organizational Culture Inventory®, N = 5825) handed over to all organizations within the Spanish nuclear industry, was carried out. Results allow us to accurately characterize the industry’s organizational culture, which is made up of predominant “Constructive”-style behaviors together with “Defensive” normative patterns of the “Conventional”, “Dependent” and “Perfectionistic” styles. Indications about the existence of various subcultures associated to the nuclear organization type, the sociodemographic aspect and the organizational structure component were also found. Certain safety implications potentially linked to the existence of subcultures and to the industry’s organizational culture are discussed.
Systematic Mapping Study on Remote Sensing in Agriculture
Authors: García-Berná José Alberto , Ouhbi Sofia , Benmouna Brahim , García-Mateos Ginés , Fernández-Alemán José Luis , Molina-Martínez José Miguel
Published: May 2020

The area of remote sensing techniques in agriculture has reached a significant degree of development and maturity, with numerous journals, conferences, and organizations specialized in it. Moreover, many review papers are available in the literature. The present work describes a literature review that adopts the form of a systematic mapping study, following a formal methodology. Eight mapping questions were defined, analyzing the main types of research, techniques, platforms, topics, and spectral information. A predefined search string was applied in the Scopus database, obtaining 1590 candidate papers. Afterwards, the most relevant 106 papers were selected, considering those with more than six citations per year. These are analyzed in more detail, answering the mapping questions for each paper. In this way, the current trends and new opportunities are discovered. As a result, increasing interest in the area has been observed since 2000; the most frequently addressed problems are those related to parameter estimation, growth vigor, and water usage, using classification techniques, that are mostly applied on RGB and hyperspectral images, captured from drones and satellites. A general recommendation that emerges from this study is to build on existing resources, such as agricultural image datasets, public satellite imagery, and deep learning toolkits.
Model Reference Adaptive Control of Vehicle Slip Ratio Based on Speed Tracking
Authors: Zhao Xiuchun , Guo Ge
Published: May 2020

This paper investigates a slip ratio control problem of a vehicle braking system in which real-time road conditions are unavailable. To overcome the nonlinearity and uncertainties, the slip ratio control problem is converted to a speed tracking control problem. By introducing a road-condition observer, a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) method is proposed to overcome modeling errors and system uncertainties. The road condition observer based on the Lyapunov theory is designed and a sliding mode observer is also constructed to estimate the unknown vehicle velocity. The asymptotic and robustness property of the adaptive controller is derived by the Popov hyperstability theory. Simulations under different conditions including different road adhesion coefficient, system uncertainties and modeling errors are provided to illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method.