bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Combined Ozone/Fenton Process on Olive Mill Wastewater Treatment
Authors: KİRMACİ Aslihan , DUYAR Ahmet , AKGUL Vildan , AKMAN Dilek , CİRİK Kevser
Published: April 2018

The aim of this study was to
investigate the applicability of Fenton process and combined ozone/Fenton
process to remove color, soluble chemical oxygen demand (CODs),
phenol, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from real olive mill wastewater
(OMW). The treatability of OMW was investigated in three different study parts.
Initially, Fenton process was optimized under varying H2O2/Fe2+
molar ratios ranging between 10 and 20 at the constant H2O2
concentration of 0.5 mM. The H2O2/Fe2+ molar
ratio of 10 was found optimum providing high color (51.6 %), CODs
(58%), DOC (27.9%) and phenol removals (93.9%). Further, combined ozone/Fenton
process was applied under gradually increasing dosages of Fe2+ and H2O2
reagents at constant H2O2/Fe2+ molar ratio of
10. The high color removal efficiency (51.6% color removal for Pt-Co) was obtained at the H2O2
and Fe2+ molar ratio of 0.5/0.05. Additionally, CODs,
color, DOC and phenol removal efficiencies improved at increasing reagents
concentrations. However, the color removal efficiency was adversely affected
while no significant difference on CODs and phenol removal was
observed at higher concentrations of molar concentrations above 0.5/0.05.
Additionally, the results indicated that combined process enhanced treatment
performance of OMW by 21%, 49% and 22% in terms of color, DOC and CODs
removals, respectively, compared to only-Fenton process. In the rest of this
study, combined ozone/Fenton process was optimized under varying ozonation time
(60-120 min) at the optimum H2O2 and Fe2+molar
dosage of 0.5/0.05 obtained from previous parts. Ozonation time significantly
affected the treatment performance, and optimum the reaction time was
determined as 90 minute in terms of the high treatment productivity and low
operating cost resulted from minimum ozone consumption and short reaction time.
Editorial. Transformación Digital
Authors: Toro C. Victor Manuel ,   Universidad de los Andes
Published: April 2018

Es curioso... pareciera que cada 3 o 4 años aparecen en nuestra profesión nuevos conceptos, nuevos enfoques, nuevas metodologías que prometen resolver grandes problemas, disminuir radicalmente costos y tiempos, aumentar sustancialmente la productividad, y organizar todo coherentemente. Al cabo de algún tiempo, estas promesas exageradas bajan a sus “justas proporciones” y seguimos trabajando normalmente. Algunas que recuerdo han sido: Reingeniería, Calidad Total, Planeación Estratégica de TI, Mejoramiento Continuo, Gerencia de proyectos de TI, Metodologías Ágiles, Arquitectura Empresarial. Y el actual término de moda es Transformación Digital.
La era digital: real desafío para la humanidad
Authors: Linares Martínez Luis Emilio
Published: April 2018

Un imperativo: aprender, educar y ser cómplices en la transformación que tienen estos nuevos rumbos en la historia de la humanidad.
Educación rural, trabajo social y Estado en México: 1920-1933
Authors: Calderón Mólgora Marco A.
Published: April 2018

Tras retomar información de archivo sobre Misiones Culturales Permanentes, este ensayo refiere a las complejas relaciones entre educación rural, trabajo social y cambio sociocultural vinculado al proceso de construcción del Estado de la posrevolución en México. Un punto central del proyecto "civilizatorio" impulsado por la Secretarí­a de Educación Pública en la década de 1920 era la "urgencia" de educar a todos los habitantes del campo, tanto a los infantes, como los profesores mismos y a la población en su conjunto, hombres y mujeres. Para la SEP, las trabajadoras sociales habrí­an de jugar un papel significativo en la transformación de la familia y el hogar; otro aspecto básico era el papel "histórico" de la mujer en la transición del estado porfiriano al mundo moderno, aspectos poco trabajados por lo historiografí­a sobre educación rural en México.
Evaluation of the quality of cyanoacrylate adhesive joints using the example of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polycarbonate
Authors: Mazur Piotr
Published: April 2018

Adhesive bonding is one of the simplest and most common methods used for joining materials. It is applied in both production and repair works. The most commonly used adhesives are cyanoacrylates, due to the possibility of combining various materials and short curing time. One of the ways to assess the quality of the adhesive used is testing the shear strength of bonded joints. Three adhesives commonly available on the Polish market, from various manufacturers and with different prices per gram of product were tested. The polymer materials bonded were poly(methyl methacrylate) and polycabonate, since they are broadly used in the automotive industry and household equipment. The study revealed significant differences in bonding strength, reaching as much as 38% The adhesive’s price was not commensurate with the quality of the product tested in all cases.
Construction-fitting process organization and management in a small business
Authors: Respondek Zbigniew
Published: April 2018

The article presents results of research concerning identification of organization schemes and management processes that make a small construction company function efficiently and hold against other entities in local markets. It was estimated to what extent the classic principles for organization and management are realized in a small construction company. Basic for that evaluation were the Toyota management principles and the HR organization principles as gathered and quoted by Rowiński. The research was conducted with the guided interview method, supplemented by CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) survey. Based on the information gathered the characteristics of organization and management of small construction companies active in the business of finishing works were described. The most important elements presented were the owner-employee relations, scope of activities performed personally by the owner, quality assurance methods for works, scope of cooperation with other entities, mode of customer acquisition and ways in which new technologies are adopted. It was found that there is large coincidence between organizational and management principles applied in researched companies, and the rules for the Toyota manufacturing processes, slightly lower coincidence was found in case of analysis of the rules quoted by Rowiński. The research has shown the large universality of the rules found in literature – these are largely accomplished, even without owners and employees having the knowledge about their exact reading.
Designing Online Marketplace To Resolve Marketing Problem For Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Hermawan Aditya , Murniati Aniek
Published: April 2018

The study aims to design an online marketplace to provide solutions to problems faced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the difficulty to market their products online. One of the problems faced by SMEs is difficult to market their products online. One of the solutions that we provide is by designing an online marketplace to solve marketing problems effectively. We found that SMEs have attempted to market their products through social media such as facebook, twitter and others. In addition, some SMEs also have a website and advertise their products through online advertising. However, many of those who did not know how to market products online in order to increase sales. We designed an online marketplace for SMEs based on the concept of e-commerce to resolve the problems faced by SMEs, the effective marketing. The online market design is made taking into account the needs of SMEs as well as customer needs. Therefore, this study was conducted to SMEs in Malang, East Java, Indonesia  and the people who often make purchases online.With the existence of the online market, SMEs can increase sales lead to increased profits for SMEs.Keyword: Online market, E-Commerce, Maketing
The Role of Customer Relationship Management in Indonesia Business
Authors: Andajani Erna , Badriyah Nurul
Published: April 2018

Companies need to have tactics to win business competition. One way that can be used by the company is to recognize and understand the customer. Companies that perform customer relationship management will be able to sustain its business. The existence of customers is the driving force of business enterprises in various industries. In business services, the customer can be as an actor and a very crucial business objects. This study aimed to clarify the concept of customer relationship management and serves some research management customer relations in Indonesia. The study also describes the application of customer relationship management the company has done in Indonesia.  Keywords : Customer Relationship Management, Customer, Relationship Judul Asli : Peran Manajemen Hubungan Pelanggan dalam Bisnis Indonesia
THE ROLE OF ACCOUNTANTS IN IMPLEMENTATION CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AT HOSPITAL Dr. H. MOH. ANWAR SUMENEP DISTRICT
Authors: Syahril Syahril , Andini Isnani Yuli
Published: April 2018

Internal accountants has critical leverage to encourage hospitals to be involved in activities such as social or corporate social responsibility.This study aims to examines the role of internal accountants in the implementating of corporate social responsibility at RSUD Moh. Anwar Sumenep District. Research uses descriptive (qualitative) approach to interpret and describe data that obtained from observation, interview and documentation. This research concludes that RSUD Moh. Anwar Sumenep District does not have a clear standard about corporate social responsibility. Its only depends on the willingness of the organization, not an obligation to disclose in hospital financial statements. Internal accountant who is in charge of performing systematic and objective analysis and assessment on the operation and control of company's activities is needed to encourage companies to carry out social responsibility. Researcher suggest that governments needs to increasing their concern toward this issues whether in the form of programs, policies, regulations or awards of the social environment.Keywords: Internal Accountant, Corporate Social Responsibility, Hospital
IDENTIFICATION OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISES BUMDES BASED ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECT (Case Study at BUMDes Ijen Lestari Tamansari Village District of Banyuwangi)
Authors: Setyobakti Moh. Hudi
Published: April 2018

Law No. 6 of 2014 on Villages, provides an important position for the village to play its role in development. The important role of the village is the local authority possessed by the village in managing its household. Village economy is one of the important factors in assessing the success of village development. The village economic problems need to be solved by handling thoroughly, starting from the construction of infrastructure facilities, to developing the potential of the village to be optimized into opportunities for business opportunities that prosper the village community. Village Owned Enterprises, here in after referred to as BUMDes, become one of the important mandates contained in the Village Law. BUMDes urgency is affirmed in Permendesa number 4 of 2015. The context of BUMDes establishment is expected to be the driving force of the village economy, meaning that the establishment of BUMDes is not merely an orientation to the profit of the institution, but the more essence is the establishment of BUMDes should be able to provide both economic and social benefits to villagers.The type of this research is descriptive qualitative, with the aim to identify and analyze the feasibility aspects of BUMDes business in terms of social and economic aspects. The results showed that BUMDesIjen Lestari Tamansarivillage District of Banyuwangi gave positive impacts economically and socially for the villagers like directly or indirectly. BUMDes's main business sector engaged in tourism management has an impact for residents around Ijen region, in the form of additional income from multiplayer tourism effects. The direct impact of BUMDes employees' involvement in the management of activities and community involvement in BUMDes businesses such as local food producers packed with BUMDes and community-based homestay managers.Keywords: BUMDes, Social Aspect, Economic Aspect, Banyuwangi
ANALYSIS OF SYARIAH OPERATIONAL FINANCIAL COURSE LEARNING ELEMENTS TO STUDENT FRUITFULNESS
Authors: Anwar Siti Aminah , Junaidi Junaidi
Published: April 2018

Learning Elements which consists of Internships, Practicum Books, Student Activity, and Mid-Final Exam can drive the level of success of students in taking the Syariah Financial Operations Course. The fact that there are 70% Students who have less satisfactory score in Syari'ah Financial Operations Course need to be explained. Therefore it is necessary to analyze which elements that can help and encourage the success level of students. The purpose of this study is (1) to justify the learning model of the Syariah Operational Financial Course (2) to analyze the factors affecting the success rate of Students (3) to detect the constraints that faced by the learning model element of the Syariah Operational Finance Course as well as offer solutions in minimizing problematics. The population of this study is students who have taken the Syari'ah Financial Operations Courses (150-190 students or 90-95% of the population). In collecting data, researcher uses interview and questionary. Researcher uses qualitative descriptive approach to answer the objectives (1) and (3). While the others research objective is answered through Multiple Regression. Prominent analysis results can be used as a basis in revising future learning models.Keywords: Internships, Practicum Books, Student Activity, Mid-Final Exam, Student Result
THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT TOWARD LECTURER PERFORMANCE WITH ISLAMIC WORK ETHICS AS A MODERATING ROLE
Authors: Pardiman Pardiman
Published: April 2018

The number of private Islamic higher educations (PTIS) in Indonesia today amounted to 631 institutions. This condition has a tremendous potential in order to build the civilization of the Indonesian nation as aspired by Islam which is to be a nation that baldatun thoyyibatun wa rabbun ghaffur, a nation with a peace, the savety, and prosperity. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Islamic work ethic as moderating role on the influence of social capital and organizational commitment to the performance of lecturers. Researcher is using random sampling technique. The data collected from 236 respondents in PTIS that classified as “A” accredited by BANPT. Researcher analyzes the data collected by using WarlpPls 5.0. This research concluded that the social capital and organizational commitment has a positive effect on lecturer’s performance, Islamic work ethics reinforces these influences. However, the decision of researcher in choosing only “A” accredited as his research object make this study can’t be generalize.
An Overview of the Post-Harvest Grain Storage Practices of Smallholder Farmers in Developing Countries
Authors: Manandhar Ashish , Milindi Paschal , Shah Ajay
Published: April 2018

Grain storage loss is a major contributor to post-harvest losses and is one of the main causes of food insecurity for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Thus, the objective of this review is to assess the conventional and emerging grain storage practices for smallholder farmers in developing countries and highlight their most promising features and drawbacks. Smallholder farmers in developing countries use conventional grain storage structures and handling systems such as woven bags or cribs to store grain. However, they are ineffective against mold and insects already present in the grain before storage. Different chemicals are also mixed with grain to improve grain storability. Hermetic storage systems are effective alternatives for grain storage as they have minimal storage losses without using any chemicals. However, hermetic bags are prone to damage and hermetic metal silos are cost-prohibitive to most smallholder farmers in developing countries. Thus, an ideal grain storage system for smallholder farmers should be hermetically sealable, mechanically durable, and cost-effective compared to the conventional storage options. Such a storage system will help reduce grain storage losses, maintain grain quality and contribute to reducing food insecurity for smallholder farmers in developing countries.
Are Nitrogen Fertilizers Deleterious to Soil Health?
Authors: Singh Bijay-
Published: April 2018

Soil is one of the most important natural resources and medium for plant growth. Anthropogenic interventions such as tillage, irrigation, and fertilizer application can affect the health of the soil. Use of fertilizer nitrogen (N) for crop production influences soil health primarily through changes in organic matter content, microbial life, and acidity in the soil. Soil organic matter (SOM) constitutes the storehouse of soil N. Studies with 15N-labelled fertilizers show that in a cropping season, plants take more N from the soil than from the fertilizer. A large number of long-term field experiments prove that optimum fertilizer N application to crops neither resulted in loss of organic matter nor adversely affected microbial activity in the soil. Fertilizer N, when applied at or below the level at which maximum yields are achieved, resulted in the build-up of SOM and microbial biomass by promoting plant growth and increasing the amount of litter and root biomass added to soil. Only when fertilizer N was applied at rates more than the optimum, increased residual inorganic N accelerated the loss of SOM through its mineralization. Soil microbial life was also adversely affected at very high fertilizers rates. Optimum fertilizer use on agricultural crops reduces soil erosion but repeated application of high fertilizer N doses may lead to soil acidity, a negative soil health trait. Site-specific management strategies based on principles of synchronization of N demand by crops with N supply from all sources including soil and fertilizer could ensure high yields, along with maintenance of soil health. Balanced application of different nutrients and integrated nutrient management based on organic manures and mineral fertilizers also contributed to soil health maintenance and improvement. Thus, fertilizer N, when applied as per the need of the field crops in a balanced proportion with other nutrients and along with organic manures, if available with the farmer, maintains or improves soil health rather than being deleterious.
Physiological and Biochemical Characterization of a Red Escarole Obtained from an Interspecies Crossing
Authors: Natalini Alessandro , Cocetta Giacomo , Acciarri Nazzareno , Ferrante Antonio
Published: April 2018

Escarole (Cichorium endivia L.) and radicchio (Cichorium intybus L.) are two important leafy vegetables appreciated by consumers for their sensory attributes, and at the same time, they can be considered a good source of health-promoting secondary metabolites, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. The aim of this work is the characterization of a new variety of red escarole obtained after a long-term breeding program involving the interspecies crossing between red radicchio and green escarole. Our multidisciplinary approach of investigation allowed us to study the effects of the crossing on several aspects, including the accumulation of phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, the expression pattern of some of the key genes in the phenylpropanoid pathway, and the sensory profiling of the new variety obtained. Given the results, it is possible to conclude that the new variety of red escarole presents traits deriving from both radicchio and escarole. The sensory profile and the preliminary data on yield, suggests that red escarole has interesting characteristics that could be successfully introduced into the market of leafy crops.
Use of Unpalatable Forages by Ruminants: The Influence of Experience with the Biophysical and Social Environment
Authors: Distel Roberto , Villalba Juan
Published: April 2018

Unpalatable forage resources (low nutrient density, potentially toxic metabolites) are widespread and represent a challenge for ruminant nutrition, health, and welfare. Our objective was to synthesize the role of biophysical and social experience on the use of unpalatable forages by ruminants, and highlight derived behavioural solutions for the well-being of soils, plants, and animals. Environmental experiences early in life modulate gene expression and promote learning, which alters morpho-physiological and psychological mechanisms that modify behavioural responses and change food and habitat selection. In this process, ruminants can become better adapted to the habitat where they are reared. Moreover, experiential learning provides flexibility in diet selection, which is critical for changing foraging environments. Learned associations between unpalatable and palatable foods, if ingested in appropriate amounts, sequence, and close temporal association, induce the development of preference for the former type of food. In this way, a more uniform use of resources can be achieved from the landscape level down to the individual plant, with the associated benefits to ecosystem integrity and stability. Ruminants can also learn the medicinal benefits of ingesting foods with toxins (e.g., condensed tannins and saponins with antiparasitic properties). This knowledge on behavioural processes can be translated into behavioural applications that provide low-cost solutions to many challenges that producers face in managing sustainable livestock production systems.
Cell Adhesion Molecules Are Mediated by Photobiomodulation at 660 nm in Diabetic Wounded Fibroblast Cells
Authors: Houreld Nicolette N. , Ayuk Sandra M. , Abrahamse Heidi
Published: April 2018

Diabetes affects extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism, contributing to delayed wound healing and lower limb amputation. Application of light (photobiomodulation, PBM) has been shown to improve wound healing. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of PBM on cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in diabetic wound healing. Isolated human skin fibroblasts were grouped into a diabetic wounded model. A diode laser at 660 nm with a fluence of 5 J/cm2 was used for irradiation and cells were analysed 48 h post-irradiation. Controls consisted of sham-irradiated (0 J/cm2) cells. Real-time reverse transcription (RT) quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine the expression of CAM-related genes. Ten genes were up-regulated in diabetic wounded cells, while 25 genes were down-regulated. Genes were related to transmembrane molecules, cell–cell adhesion, and cell–matrix adhesion, and also included genes related to other CAM molecules. PBM at 660 nm modulated gene expression of various CAMs contributing to the increased healing seen in clinical practice. There is a need for new therapies to improve diabetic wound healing. The application of PBM alongside other clinical therapies may be very beneficial in treatment.
Scheduling and Tuning for Low Energy in Heterogeneous and Configurable Multicore Systems
Authors: Alsafrjalani Mohamad , Gordon-Ross Ann
Published: April 2018

Heterogeneous and configurable multicore systems provide hardware specialization to meet disparate application hardware requirements. However, effective multicore system specialization can require a priori knowledge of the applications, application profiling information, and/or dynamic hardware tuning to schedule and execute applications on the most energy efficient cores. Furthermore, even though highly disparate core heterogeneity and/or highly configurable parameters with numerous potential parameter values result in more fine-grained specialization and higher energy savings potential, these large design spaces are challenging to efficiently explore. To address these challenges, we propose a novel configuration-subsetted heterogeneous and configurable multicore system, wherein each core offers a small subset of the design space, and propose a novel scheduling and tuning (SaT) algorithm to efficiently exploit the energy savings potential of this system. Our proposed architecture and algorithm require no a priori application knowledge or profiling, and incur minimal runtime overhead. Results reveal energy savings potential and insights on energy trade-offs in heterogeneous, configurable systems.
Feedback-Based Admission Control for Firm Real-Time Task Allocation with Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling
Authors: Dziurzanski Piotr , Singh Amit Kumar
Published: April 2018

Feedback-based mechanisms can be employed to monitor the performance of Multiprocessor Systems-on-Chips (MPSoCs) and steer the task execution even if the exact knowledge of the workload is unknown a priori. In particular, traditional proportional-integral controllers can be used with firm real-time tasks to either admit them to the processing cores or reject in order not to violate the timeliness of the already admitted tasks. During periods with a lower computational power demand, dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) can be used to reduce the dissipation of energy in the cores while still not violating the tasks’ time constraints. Depending on the workload pattern and weight, platform size and the granularity of DVFS, energy savings can reach even 60% at the cost of a slight performance degradation.
The Influence of Hydroxyl Groups on Friction of Graphene at Atomic Scale
Authors: Li Rui , Song Chenggang
Published: April 2018

Hydroxyl groups play an important role in friction of graphene oxides. In this paper, the influence of hydroxyl groups on friction of graphene is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that the friction does not always go up with the rising of hydroxyl groups ratio, and reaches the maximum when the hydroxyl groups ratio between interfaces is about 10%. The reason is that hydrogen bonds tend to form in interlayers when the hydroxyl groups ratio is high. The formed hydrogen bonds between interfaces are closely related to the friction. However, the analysis of the component of van der Waals, Coulomb’s forces and hydrogen bonds interaction between interfaces indicates that van der Waals forces are dominant in friction, which can be attributed to the influence of interface distance on friction.
Vision-Based Autonomous Landing of a Quadrotor on the Perturbed Deck of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle
Authors: Polvara Riccardo , Sharma Sanjay , Wan Jian , Manning Andrew , Sutton Robert
Published: April 2018

Autonomous landing on the deck of an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is still a major challenge for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this paper, a fiducial marker is located on the platform so as to facilitate the task since it is possible to retrieve its six-degrees of freedom relative-pose in an easy way. To compensate interruption in the marker’s observations, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimates the current USV’s position with reference to the last known position. Validation experiments have been performed in a simulated environment under various marine conditions. The results confirmed that the EKF provides estimates accurate enough to direct the UAV in proximity of the autonomous vessel such that the marker becomes visible again. Using only the odometry and the inertial measurements for the estimation, this method is found to be applicable even under adverse weather conditions in the absence of the global positioning system.
Development of Probiotic Fruit Juices Using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 Fortified with Short Chain and Long Chain Inulin Fiber
Authors: White Jessica , Hekmat Sharareh
Published: April 2018

Typically, probiotics are consumed in dairy based products such as yogurt. However, given the rise in various diet types, non-dairy alternatives have been developed, such as inoculating fruit juices with probiotics. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 is a probiotic strain exerting a number of human health benefits such as the prevention of urinary tract infections. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1 in apple cider, orange, and grape juice when fortified with either 4% short chain or 4% long chain inulin fiber over 72 h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage. The secondary objective was to determine consumer acceptability of apple cider and orange juice samples using the hedonic scale. All of the fruit juice samples achieved a mean viable count of at least 107 CFU/mL during 72 h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage. According to the sensory evaluation, which evaluated samples according to appearance, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability, apple cider juice with long chain inulin fiber proved to have the highest score for all characteristics except appearance. Therefore, this study indicated a potential for probiotic fruit juices as a valid alternative to dairy based probiotic products.
Yeast Flocculation—Sedimentation and Flotation
Authors: Stewart Graham
Published: April 2018

Unlike most fermentation alcohol beverage production processes, brewers recycle their yeast. This is achieved by employing a yeast culture’s: flocculation, adhesion, sedimentation, flotation, and cropping characteristics. As a consequence of yeast recycling, the quality of the cropped yeast culture’s characteristics is critical. However, the other major function of brewer’s yeast is to metabolise wort into ethanol, carbon dioxide, glycerol, and other fermentation products, many of which contribute to beer’s overall flavour characteristics. This review will only focus on brewer’s yeast flocculation characteristics.
Multi-Analytical Approach for Identifying Asbestos Minerals In Situ
Authors: Bloise Andrea , Miriello Domenico
Published: April 2018

An innovative and, as yet, untested approach is to analyze serpentinite and metabasite rocks containing asbestos using a portable multi-analytical device, which combines portable digital microscopy (p-DM), portable X-ray Fluorescence (p-XRF) and portable micro-Raman Spectroscopy (p-µR). The analyses were carried out in two inactive quarries of serpentinitic and metabasitic rocks from the Gimigliano-Mount Reventino Unit (Southern Italy) already characterized in previous studies, with the aim of testing the efficiency of these portable tools. In this study, a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer was used to obtain the in situ rapid chemical discrimination of serpentinite and metabasite rocks. The characterization of outcropping rocks using portable devices enabled us to detect the presence of chrysotile and asbestos tremolite. The results obtained were consistent with the findings from previous research studies and therefore combining p-DM, p-XRF and p-µR could be a useful approach for discriminating asbestos contained in outcropping rocks, especially when sampling is prohibited or for field-based sampling.
Downscaling Africa’s Drought Forecasts through Integration of Indigenous and Scientific Drought Forecasts Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps
Authors: Masinde Muthoni , Mwagha Mwanjele , Tadesse Tsegaye
Published: April 2018

In the wake of increased drought occurrences being witnessed in Sub-Saharan Africa, more localized and contextualized drought mitigation strategies are on the agendas of many researchers and policy makers in the region. The integration of indigenous knowledge on droughts with seasonal climate forecasts is one such strategy. The main challenge facing this integration, however, is the formal representation of highly-structured and holistic indigenous knowledge. In this paper, we demonstrate how the use of fuzzy cognitive mapping can address this challenge. Indigenous knowledge on droughts from five communities was modeled and represented using fuzzy cognitive maps. Maps from one of these case communities were then used in the implementation of the integration framework, called ĩtiki.
Physical Activity on Prescription with Counsellor Support: A 4-Year Registry-Based Study in Routine Health Care in Sweden
Authors: Andersen Pia , Holmberg Sara , Lendahls Lena , Nilsen Per , Kristenson Margareta
Published: April 2018

Background: Public health gains from physical activity on prescription (PAP) depend on uptake in routine care. We performed an evaluation of the implementation, in a Swedish county council, of counsellors who give personalized support to PAP recipients aimed at facilitating PAP delivery. The aim was to compare characteristics between PAP recipients and the health care population as well as between PAP recipients who used and did not use counsellor support. We also investigated professional belonging and health care setting of health care professionals who prescribed PAP. Methods: All patients’ ≥18 years who received PAP during 2009–2012 in primary and secondary care in the County Council of Kronoberg were included (n = 4879). Data were retrieved from electronic medical records. Main outcome measures were patient and professional characteristics. Results: A third of the PAP recipients had diseases in ≥5 diagnostic groups and more than half had ≥11 office visits the year before receiving PAP. Counsellor support was used by one-third and PAP recipients who used counsellor support had more multiple diagnoses and office visits compared with non-users. Physicians issued 44% of prescriptions and primary care was the predominant setting. The amount of PAP did not change over time, but the proportion of physicians’ prescriptions decreased while the proportion of nurses’ prescriptions increased. Conclusions: PAP recipients had high morbidity and were frequent health care attenders, indicating that PAP was predominantly used for secondary or tertiary prevention. PAP rates did not increase as intended after the implementation of counsellor support.
Influence of Highly Accessible Urban Food Environment on Weight Management: A Qualitative Study in Seoul
Authors: Yoon Nan-He , Yoo Seunghyun , Kwon Soonman
Published: April 2018

We explored the characteristics of the food environment and its influence on weight management in Seoul, Korea. Photo elicitation interviews were conducted with 73 participants who took three photographs per topic related to their food environment and discussed these photographs in groups. Through thematic analysis, we identified four themes concerning participants’ perceptions of the food environment and weight management: (1) “convenience comes first,” (2) “tempting food environment,” (3) “alcohol and anju,” and (4) “burden of individual effort to manage weight.” A systematic change toward an environment supportive of healthy eating and weight management is recommended.
Therapeutic Potential of Annexin A1 in Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Ansari Junaid , Kaur Gaganpreet , Gavins Felicity
Published: April 2018

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death in the world. Increased inflammation and an enhanced thrombotic milieu represent two major complications of CVD, which can culminate into an ischemic event. Treatment for these life-threatening complications remains reperfusion and restoration of blood flow. However, reperfusion strategies may result in ischemia–reperfusion injury (I/RI) secondary to various cardiovascular pathologies, including myocardial infarction and stroke, by furthering the inflammatory and thrombotic responses and delivering inflammatory mediators to the affected tissue. Annexin A1 (AnxA1) and its mimetic peptides are endogenous anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving mediators, known to have significant effects in resolving inflammation in a variety of disease models. Mounting evidence suggests that AnxA1, which interacts with the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family, may have a significant role in mitigating I/RI associated complications. In this review article, we focus on how AnxA1 plays a protective role in the I/R based vascular pathologies.
Comment on Kluckow M. Barriers to the Implementation of Newborn Pulse Oximetry Screening: A Different Perspective. Int. J. Neonatal Screen. 2018, 4(1), 4
Authors: Gentles Thomas , Cloete Elza , Mellander Mats
Published: April 2018

We read the review article by Kluckow M (Barriers to the Implementation of Newborn Pulse Oximetry Screening[...]
Assessing Judicial Empowerment
Authors: Keck Thomas M.
Published: April 2018

Drawing on an ongoing international data collection effort, this paper examines the free expression jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Canada and the European Court of Human Rights in an effort to assess the political beneficiaries of judicial empowerment. Free expression is a universally recognized fundamental right, and it is a right that is regularly invoked in court by a rich diversity of political actors. As such, free speech law provides an illuminating window onto how constitutional courts respond to similar claims from differently situated claimants. This paper compares the response by two influential courts to free expression claims filed by for-profit businesses and by labor advocates.
Fretting Wear Damage Mechanism of Uranium under Various Atmosphere and Vacuum Conditions
Authors: Li Zhengyang , Cai Zhenbing , Wu Yanping , Meng Xiandong , Zhang Dongxu
Published: April 2018

A fretting wear experiment with uranium has been performed on a linear reciprocating tribometer with ball-on-disk contact. This study focused on the fretting behavior of the uranium under different atmospheres (Ar, Air (21% O2 + 78% N2), and O2) and vacuum conditions (1.05 and 1 × 10−4 Pa). Evolution of friction was assessed by coefficient of friction (COF) and friction-dissipated energy. The oxide of the wear surface was evaluated by Raman spectroscopy. The result shows that fretting wear behavior presents strong atmosphere and vacuum condition dependence. With increasing oxygen content, the COF decreases due to abrasive wear and formation of oxide film. The COF in the oxygen condition is at least 0.335, and it has a maximum wear volume of about 1.48 × 107 μm3. However, the COF in a high vacuum condition is maximum about 1.104, and the wear volume is 1.64 × 106 μm3. The COF in the low vacuum condition is very different: it firstly increased and then decreased rapidly to a steady value. It is caused by slight abrasive wear and the formation of tribofilm after thousands of cycles.
Advances in Plastic Forming of Metals
Authors: Lee Myoung-Gyu , Korkolis Yannis P.
Published: April 2018

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Research and Analysis of MEMS Switches in Different Frequency Bands
Authors: Tian Wenchao , Li Ping , Yuan LinXiao
Published: April 2018

Due to their high isolation, low insertion loss, high linearity, and low power consumption, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches have drawn much attention from researchers in recent years. In this paper, we introduce the research status of MEMS switches in different bands and several reliability issues, such as dielectric charging, contact failure, and temperature instability. In this paper, some of the following methods to improve the performance of MEMS switches in high frequency are summarized: (1) utilizing combinations of several switches in series; (2) covering a float metal layer on the dielectric layer; (3) using dielectric layer materials with high dielectric constants and conductor materials with low resistance; (4) developing MEMS switches using T-match and π-match; (5) designing MEMS switches based on bipolar complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology and reconfigurable MEMS’ surfaces; (6) employing thermal compensation structures, circularly symmetric structures, thermal buckle-beam actuators, molybdenum membrane, and thin-film packaging; (7) selecting Ultra-NanoCrystalline diamond or aluminum nitride dielectric materials and applying a bipolar driving voltage, stoppers, and a double-dielectric-layer structure; and (8) adopting gold alloying with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), hermetic and reliable packaging, and mN-level contact.
Carotenoid Lutein Selectively Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Potentiates the Effect of Chemotherapeutic Agents through ROS-Mediated Mechanisms
Authors: Gong Xiaoming , Smith Joshua , Swanson Haley , Rubin Lewis
Published: April 2018

Increasing evidence suggests that dietary carotenoids may reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, anti-breast cancer effects of carotenoids have been controversial, albeit understudied. Here, we investigated the effects of specific carotenoids on a wide range of breast cancer cell lines, and found that among several carotenoids (including β-carotene, lutein, and astaxanthin), lutein significantly inhibits breast cancer cell growth by inducing cell-cycle arrest and caspase-independent cell death, but it has little effect on the growth of primary mammary epithelial cells (PmECs). Moreover, lutein-mediated growth inhibition of breast cancer cells is quantitatively similar to that induced by chemotherapeutic taxanes, paclitaxel and docetaxel, and exposure to lutein plus taxanes additively inhibits breast cancer cell growth. Analysis of mechanisms showed that lutein treatment significantly increases the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, but not in normal PmECs. Lutein-induced growth inhibition is also attenuated by the radical oxygen scavenger N-acetyl cysteine, suggesting a role for ROS generation in the growth inhibitory effect of lutein on TNBC cells. Additionally, we found that the p53 signaling pathway is activated and HSP60 levels are increased by lutein treatment, which may contribute partly to the induction of growth inhibition in TNBC cells. Our findings show that lutein promotes growth inhibition of breast cancer cells through increased cell type-specific ROS generation and alternation of several signaling pathways. Dietary lutein supplementation may be a promising alternative and/or adjunct therapeutic candidate against breast cancer.
Gold Nanoparticles Grafted with PLL-b-PNIPAM: Interplay on Thermal/pH Dual-Response and Optical Properties
Authors: Li Hui-Juan , Li Peng-Yun , Li Li-Ying , Haleem Abdul , He Wei-Dong
Published: April 2018

Narrowly distributed poly(l-lysine-b-N-isopropylacrylamide) (PLL-b-PNIPAM) was prepared through ring-opening polymerization of ε-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-lysine N-carboxy-α-amino anhydride and atom transfer radical polymerization of NIPAM, followed with the removal of ε-benzyloxycarbonyl group. Then gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) grafted with PLL-b-PNIPAM (PNIPAM-PLL-AuNPs) were obtained by the reduction of chloroauric acid with sodium citrate in the presence of PLL-b-PNIPAM. PNIPAM-PLL-AuNPs and its precursors were thoroughly characterized by proton magnetic resonance spectroscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, UV-vis spectroscope, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, and circular dichroism. The obtained PNIPAM-PLL-AuNPs exhibited high colloid stability even at strong alkaline (pH = 12) and acidic (pH = 2) conditions. The thermal and pH dual-responsive behaviors of the grafting PLL-b-PNIPAM chains was observed to be affected by AuNPs, while not for the secondary structure of PLL chains. Correspondingly, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of AuNPs was found to be sensitive to both pH value and temperature. A blue shift in the SPR happened both with increasing pH value and increasing temperature. The stimuli-response was reversible in heating-cooling cycles. The gold nanoparticles with both pH and temperature response may have potential applications in biomedical areas and biosensors.
Cajal’s Law of Dynamic Polarization: Mechanism and Design
Authors: Barberis Sergio Daniel
Published: April 2018

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the primary architect of the neuron doctrine and the law of dynamic polarization, is considered to be the founder of modern neuroscience. At the same time, many philosophers, historians, and neuroscientists agree that modern neuroscience embodies a mechanistic perspective on the explanation of the nervous system. In this paper, I review the extant mechanistic interpretation of Cajal’s contribution to modern neuroscience. Then, I argue that the extant mechanistic interpretation fails to capture the explanatory import of Cajal’s law of dynamic polarization. My claim is that the definitive formulation of Cajal’s law of dynamic polarization, despite its mechanistic inaccuracies, embodies a non-mechanistic pattern of reasoning (i.e., design explanation) that is an integral component of modern neuroscience.
Robot Learning from Demonstration in Robotic Assembly: A Survey
Authors: Zhu Zuyuan , Hu Huosheng
Published: April 2018

Learning from demonstration (LfD) has been used to help robots to implement manipulation tasks autonomously, in particular, to learn manipulation behaviors from observing the motion executed by human demonstrators. This paper reviews recent research and development in the field of LfD. The main focus is placed on how to demonstrate the example behaviors to the robot in assembly operations, and how to extract the manipulation features for robot learning and generating imitative behaviors. Diverse metrics are analyzed to evaluate the performance of robot imitation learning. Specifically, the application of LfD in robotic assembly is a focal point in this paper.
Escalator: An Autonomous Scheduling Scheme for Convergecast in TSCH
Authors: Oh Sukho , Hwang DongYeop , Kim Ki-Hyung , Kim Kangseok
Published: April 2018

Time Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) is widely used in the industrial wireless sensor networks due to its high reliability and energy efficiency. Various timeslot and channel scheduling schemes have been proposed for achieving high reliability and energy efficiency for TSCH networks. Recently proposed autonomous scheduling schemes provide flexible timeslot scheduling based on the routing topology, but do not take into account the network traffic and packet forwarding delays. In this paper, we propose an autonomous scheduling scheme for convergecast in TSCH networks with RPL as a routing protocol, named Escalator. Escalator generates a consecutive timeslot schedule along the packet forwarding path to minimize the packet transmission delay. The schedule is generated autonomously by utilizing only the local routing topology information without any additional signaling with other nodes. The generated schedule is guaranteed to be conflict-free, in that all nodes in the network could transmit packets to the sink in every slotframe cycle. We implement Escalator and evaluate its performance with existing autonomous scheduling schemes through a testbed and simulation. Experimental results show that the proposed Escalator has lower end-to-end delay and higher packet delivery ratio compared to the existing schemes regardless of the network topology.
A Numerical Study of the Temperature Reduction by Water Spray Systems within Urban Street Canyons
Authors: Lee Ying-Chen , Chang Tsang-Jung , Hsieh Cheng-I
Published: April 2018

To reduce energy demand (both fossil fuel and renewable energy) for cooling the urban heat island environment, some solutions have been studied. Among these methods, the water spray system is considered more flexible due to its dynamic controls. This study investigated the cooling effect of water spray systems in the street canyon under different aspect ratios and high relative humidity environments using a computational fluid dynamics model. This model was validated with water channel and wind tunnel experiments. The results showed that the most effective cooling area was the area just under the spray nozzles. However, in a narrow street canyon, people in the middle of the street may feel the cooling effect because of the dispersion and accumulation of the cooled air. Our simulations demonstrated that air under the nozzles was saturated and this revealed that under drier conditions the water spray systems will have higher cooling performance. We also found that using large water droplets created a wider cooling area in the middle of the street canyon, and this phenomenon was not changed much if the nozzle height was increased from 2.5 m to 3.5 m.