bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selenonium Polyelectrolyte Synthesis through Post-Polymerization Modifications of Poly (Glycidyl Methacrylate) Scaffolds
Authors: Eom Taejun , Khan Anzar
Published: November 2020

Atom transfer radical polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate monomer with poly(ethylene glycol)-based macroinitiators leads to the formation of reactive block copolymers. The epoxide side-chains of these polymers can be subjected to a regiospecific base-catalyzed nucleophilic ring-opening reaction with benzeneselenol under ambient conditions. The ß-hydroxy selenide linkages thus formed can be alkylated to access polyselenonium salts. 77Se-NMR indicates the formation of diastereomers upon alkylation. In such a manner, sequential post-polymerization modifications of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) scaffolds via selenium-epoxy and selenoether alkylation reactions furnish practical access to poly(ethylene glycol)-based cationic organoselenium copolymers.
Methodology for Concurrent Multi-Parametric Physical Modeling of a Target Natural Unfractured Homogeneous Sandstone
Authors: Fu Joseph Y. , Yue Xiang’an , Zhang Bo
Published: November 2020

In petroleum, geological and environmental science, flow through porous media is conventionally studied complementarily with numerical modeling/simulation and experimental corefloods. Despite advances in numerical modeling/simulation, experimental corefloods with actual samples are still desired for higher-specificity testing or more complex mechanistic studies. In these applications, the lack of advances in physical modeling is very apparent with the available options mostly unchanged for decades (e.g., sandpacks of unconsolidated packing materials, industry-accepted substitutes with fixed/mismatching petrophysical properties such as Berea sandstone). Renewable synthetic porous media with adjustable parameters are the most promising but have not advanced adequately. To address this, a methodology of advanced physical modeling of the fundamental parameters of dominant mineralogy, particle size distribution, packing, and cementation of a target natural porous media is introduced. Based upon the tight physical modeling of these four fundamental parameters, the other derived parameters of interests including wettability, porosity, pore throat size distribution, permeability, and capillary pressure can be concurrently modeled very close as well by further fine-tuning one of the fundamental parameters while holding the rest constant. Through this process, concurrent multi-parametric physical modeling of the primary petrophysical parameters including particle size distribution, wettability, porosity, pore throat size distribution, permeability, capillary pressure behavior in a target sandstone becomes possible.
Formulation of Piperine Ternary Inclusion Complex Using β CD and HPMC: Physicochemical Characterization, Molecular Docking, and Antimicrobial Testing
Authors: Alshehri Sultan , Imam Syed Sarim , Hussain Afzal , Altamimi Mohammad A.
Published: November 2020

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) on the complexation efficiency and dissolution of piperine (PPR) and β cyclodextrin (β CD) complex. The binary and ternary inclusion complexes were prepared using solvent evaporation and microwave irradiation methods. The samples were further evaluated for physicochemical evaluation, morphology, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. The binary and ternary samples showed high stability constant (Ks) value and complexation efficiency (CE). The dissolution study results revealed marked enhancement in the release of the binary inclusion complex and ternary inclusion complex compared to pure PPR. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and molecular docking results confirm the complex formation. X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) data revealed modification in the structure of PPR. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and antimicrobial results showed enhanced activity in the PPR complex in comparison to pure PPR. In conclusion, a remarkable enhancement in dissolution, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were attained due to marked improvement in solubility through complexation of PPR with HPMC/β CD.
Processing, Characteristics and Composition of Umqombothi (a South African Traditional Beer)
Authors: Hlangwani Edwin , Adebiyi Janet Adeyinka , Doorsamy Wesley , Adebo Oluwafemi Ayodeji
Published: November 2020

Traditional beers, such as palm wine, kombucha and others, are notable beverages consumed all over the globe. Such beverages historically contribute to food security on a global scale. Umqombothi is a South African traditional beer nutritionally packed with minerals, amino acids, B-group vitamins and much-needed calories. As a result, the production and consumption of this traditional beverage has been an integral part of South African’s social, economic and cultural prosperity. Unfortunately, difficulties in bioprocessing operations have limited its availability to household and small-scale production. It is at these micro-production scales that poor hygiene practices and the use of hazardous additives and contaminated raw materials continue to increase, posing serious health risks to the unassuming consumer. This study provides an overview of the processing steps and underlying techniques involved in the production of umqombothi, while highlighting the challenges as well as future developments needed to further improve its quality and global competitiveness with other alcoholic products.
Controlled Degradation of Lubricating Media by Means of an Accelerated Electron Beam
Authors: Stodola Jiří , Stodola Petr
Published: November 2020

The article deals with the possibilities of using electron accelerator for controlled aging of lubricating media used in special vehicles. During use, e.g., in combustion engines, the lubricants get contaminated and thermo-oxidative degradation also occurs. The pilot project confirms the hypothesis that ionizing radiation makes it possible to simulate the operating load of lubricating media, which was repeatedly confirmed by long-term monitoring of changes in viscosity of statistically significant samples of motor oils used in special equipment. Preliminary test results also show that there are likely to be possibilities to influence other selected properties, such as the coefficient of friction depending on the radiation dose. The authors describe physicochemical processes during irradiation and, in the example of kinematic viscosity, present summary results for selected lubricating media.
The Woman’s Curse: A Redemptive Reading of Genesis 3:16
Authors: Doukhan Abi
Published: November 2020

In light of the recent developments featuring women around the world reclaiming their autonomy and self-respect in the face of male domination, it is becoming increasingly urgent to rethink the ancient “curse” on woman and the way that it has not only allowed but condoned male oppression and domination over women throughout the centuries. Rather than read the text through the traditional Aristotelian lens used by Church fathers to describe woman as the seductress and man as the legitimate authority over woman’s corrupt nature, this paper proposes a radical re-reading of the “curse” of Genesis 3:16 as a redemptive rather than a punitive moment wherein the woman is given back her power as the ezer kenegdo of man, and man is given back his kingdom lost and his reign over the whole of Creation, or mashal, through the woman’s love, or teshuqah. This will entail that the two key concepts mashal and teshuqah be profoundly re-interpreted from a Hebrew inter-textual perspective rather than through a Greek philosophical lens.
Differential Facial Articulacy in Robots and Humans Elicit Different Levels of Responsiveness, Empathy, and Projected Feelings
Authors: Konijn Elly A. , Hoorn Johan F.
Published: November 2020

Life-like humanoid robots are on the rise, aiming at communicative purposes that resemble humanlike conversation. In human social interaction, the facial expression serves important communicative functions. We examined whether a robot’s face is similarly important in human-robot communication. Based on emotion research and neuropsychological insights on the parallel processing of emotions, we argue that greater plasticity in the robot’s face elicits higher affective responsivity, more closely resembling human-to-human responsiveness than a more static face. We conducted a between-subjects experiment of 3 (facial plasticity: human vs. facially flexible robot vs. facially static robot) × 2 (treatment: affectionate vs. maltreated). Participants (N = 265; Mage = 31.5) were measured for their emotional responsiveness, empathy, and attribution of feelings to the robot. Results showed empathically and emotionally less intensive responsivity toward the robots than toward the human but followed similar patterns. Significantly different intensities of feelings and attributions (e.g., pain upon maltreatment) followed facial articulacy. Theoretical implications for underlying processes in human-robot communication are discussed. We theorize that precedence of emotion and affect over cognitive reflection, which are processed in parallel, triggers the experience of ‘because I feel, I believe it’s real,’ despite being aware of communicating with a robot. By evoking emotional responsiveness, the cognitive awareness of ‘it is just a robot’ fades into the background and appears not relevant anymore.
Robotic Development for the Nuclear Environment: Challenges and Strategy
Authors: Smith Richard , Cucco Elisa , Fairbairn Colin
Published: November 2020

Improvements in robotics and artificial intelligence have enabled robotics to be developed for use in a nuclear environment. However, the harsh environment and dangerous nature of the tasks pose several challenges in deploying robots. There may be some unique requirements for a nuclear application that a commercial system does not meet, such as radiation effects, the needs remote maintenance and deployment constraints. This paper reviews the main challenges that robots need to face to be deployed in a nuclear environment, examines the development and assessment processes required in the nuclear industry, and highlights the assistance that is available for developers. Due to comparable environments and operating restrictions, the development process employed by the nuclear industry has a similar structure as that employed by NASA and the ESA for space exploration. The nuclear industry has introduced a number of development support programs, such as Innovate and Game Changers, to fund and mentor developers through the initial design stages to proving viability in a representative independently assessed test environment. Robust and reliable technologies, which may also have application beyond the original nuclear application, are being successfully developed and tested, enabling robotics in making nuclear operations safer and more efficient. Additional development sources are given in the text.
Model Selection in Atmospheric Remote Sensing with an Application to Aerosol Retrieval from DSCOVR/EPIC, Part 1: Theory
Authors: Sasi Sruthy , Natraj Vijay , Molina García Víctor , Efremenko Dmitry S. , Loyola Diego , Doicu Adrian
Published: November 2020

The retrieval of aerosol and cloud properties such as their optical thickness and/or layer/top height requires the selection of a model that describes their microphysical properties. We demonstrate that, if there is not enough information for an appropriate microphysical model selection, the solution’s accuracy can be improved if the model uncertainty is taken into account and appropriately quantified. For this purpose, we design a retrieval algorithm accounting for the uncertainty in model selection. The algorithm is based on (i) the computation of each model solution using the iteratively regularized Gauss–Newton method, (ii) the linearization of the forward model around the solution, and (iii) the maximum marginal likelihood estimation and the generalized cross-validation to estimate the optimal model. The algorithm is applied to the retrieval of aerosol optical thickness and aerosol layer height from synthetic measurements corresponding to the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) instrument onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. Our numerical simulations show that the heuristic approach based on the thesolution minimizing the residual, which is frequently used in literature, is completely unrealistic when both the aerosol model and surface albedo are unknown.
Farmland Parcel Mapping in Mountain Areas Using Time-Series SAR Data and VHR Optical Images
Authors: Liu Wei , Wang Jian , Luo Jiancheng , Wu Zhifeng , Chen Jingdong , Zhou Yanan , Sun Yingwei , Shen Zhanfeng , Xu Nan , Yang Yingpin
Published: November 2020

Accurate, timely, and reliable farmland mapping is a prerequisite for agricultural management and environmental assessment in mountainous areas. However, in these areas, high spatial heterogeneity and diversified planting structures together generate various small farmland parcels with irregular shapes that are difficult to accurately delineate. In addition, the absence of optical data caused by the cloudy and rainy climate impedes the use of time-series optical data to distinguish farmland from other land use types. Automatic delineation of farmland parcels in mountain areas is still a very difficult task. This paper proposes an innovative precise farmland parcel extraction approach supported by very high resolution(VHR) optical image and time series synthetic aperture radar(SAR) data. Firstly, Google satellite imagery with a spatial resolution of 0.55 m was used for delineating the boundaries of ground parcel objects in mountainous areas by a hierarchical extraction scheme. This scheme divides farmland into four types based on the morphological features presented in optical imagery, and designs different extraction models to produce each farmland type, respectively. The potential farmland parcel distribution map is then obtained by the layered recombination of these four farmland types. Subsequently, the time profile of each parcel in this map was constructed by five radar variables from the Sentinel-1A dataset, and the time-series classification method was used to distinguish farmland parcels from other types. An experiment was carried out in the north of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The result shows that, the producer’s accuracy of farmland parcels obtained by the hierarchical scheme is increased by 7.39% to 96.38% compared with that without this scheme, and the time-series classification method produces an accuracy of 80.83% to further obtain the final overall accuracy of 96.05% for the farmland parcel maps, showing a good performance. In addition, through visual inspection, this method has a better suppression effect on background noise in mountainous areas, and the extracted farmland parcels are closer to the actual distribution of the ground farmland.
Determining Optimal Location for Mangrove Planting Using Remote Sensing and Climate Model Projection in Southeast Asia
Authors: Syahid Luri Nurlaila , Sakti Anjar Dimara , Virtriana Riantini , Wikantika Ketut , Windupranata Wiwin , Tsuyuki Satoshi , Caraka Rezzy Eko , Pribadi Rudhi
Published: November 2020

The decreasing area of mangroves is an ongoing problem since, between 1980 and 2005, one-third of the world’s mangroves were lost. Rehabilitation and restoration strategies are required to address this situation. However, mangroves do not always respond well to these strategies and have high mortality due to several growth limiting parameters. This study developed a land suitability map for new mangrove plantations in different Southeast Asian countries for both current and future climates at a 250-m resolution. Hydrodynamic, geomorphological, climatic, and socio-economic parameters and three representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios (RCP 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5) for 2050 and 2070 with two global climate model datasets (the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques Climate model version 5 [CNRM-CM5.1] and the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate [MIROC5]) were used to predict suitable areas for mangrove planting. An analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine the level of importance for each parameter. To test the accuracy of the results, the mangrove land suitability analysis were further compared using different weights in every parameter. The sensitivity test using the Wilcoxon test was also carried out to test which variables had changed with the first weight and the AHP weight. The land suitability products from this study were compared with those from previous studies. The differences in land suitability for each country in Southeast Asia in 2050 and 2070 to analyze the differences in each RCP scenario and their effects on the mangrove land suitability were also assessed. Currently, there is 398,000 ha of potentially suitable land for mangrove planting in Southeast Asia, and this study shows that it will increase between now and 2070. Indonesia account for 67.34% of the total land area in the “very suitable” and “suitable” class categories. The RCP 8.5 scenario in 2070, with both the MIROC5 and CNRM-CM5.1 models, resulted in the largest area of a “very suitable” class category for mangrove planting. This study provides information for the migration of mangrove forests to the land, alleviating many drawbacks, especially for ecosystems.
Improved Estimates of Arctic Land Surface Phenology Using Sentinel-2 Time Series
Authors: Descals Adrià , Verger Aleixandre , Yin Gaofei , Peñuelas Josep
Published: November 2020

The high spatial resolution and revisit time of Sentinel-2A/B tandem satellites allow a potentially improved retrieval of land surface phenology (LSP). The biome and regional characteristics, however, greatly constrain the design of the LSP algorithms. In the Arctic, such biome-specific characteristics include prolonged periods of snow cover, persistent cloud cover, and shortness of the growing season. Here, we evaluate the feasibility of Sentinel-2 for deriving high-resolution LSP maps of the Arctic. We extracted the timing of the start and end of season (SoS and EoS, respectively) for the years 2019 and 2020 with a simple implementation of the threshold method in Google Earth Engine (GEE). We found a high level of similarity between Sentinel-2 and PhenoCam metrics; the best results were observed with Sentinel-2 enhanced vegetation index (EVI) (root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean error (ME) of 3.0 d and −0.3 d for the SoS, and 6.5 d and −3.8 d for the EoS, respectively), although other vegetation indices presented similar performances. The phenological maps of Sentinel-2 EVI compared well with the same maps extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in homogeneous landscapes (RMSE and ME of 9.2 d and 2.9 d for the SoS, and 6.4 and −0.9 d for the EoS, respectively). Unreliable LSP estimates were filtered and a quality flag indicator was activated when the Sentinel-2 time series presented a long period (>40 d) of missing data; discontinuities were lower in spring and early summer (9.2%) than in late summer and autumn (39.4%). The Sentinel-2 high-resolution LSP maps and the GEE phenological extraction method will support vegetation monitoring and contribute to improving the representation of Artic vegetation phenology in land surface models.
FPGA-Based On-Board Hyperspectral Imaging Compression: Benchmarking Performance and Energy Efficiency against GPU Implementations
Authors: Caba Julián , Díaz María , Barba Jesús , Guerra Raúl , López Jose A. de la Torre and Sebastián
Published: November 2020

Remote-sensing platforms, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, are characterized by limited power budget and low-bandwidth downlinks. Therefore, handling hyperspectral data in this context can jeopardize the operational time of the system. FPGAs have been traditionally regarded as the most power-efficient computing platforms. However, there is little experimental evidence to support this claim, which is especially critical since the actual behavior of the solutions based on reconfigurable technology is highly dependent on the type of application. In this work, a highly optimized implementation of an FPGA accelerator of the novel HyperLCA algorithm has been developed and thoughtfully analyzed in terms of performance and power efficiency. In this regard, a modification of the aforementioned lossy compression solution has also been proposed to be efficiently executed into FPGA devices using fixed-point arithmetic. Single and multi-core versions of the reconfigurable computing platforms are compared with three GPU-based implementations of the algorithm on as many NVIDIA computing boards: Jetson Nano, Jetson TX2 and Jetson Xavier NX. Results show that the single-core version of our FPGA-based solution fulfils the real-time requirements of a real-life hyperspectral application using a mid-range Xilinx Zynq-7000 SoC chip (XC7Z020-CLG484). Performance levels of the custom hardware accelerator are above the figures obtained by the Jetson Nano and TX2 boards, and power efficiency is higher for smaller sizes of the image block to be processed. To close the performance gap between our proposal and the Jetson Xavier NX, a multi-core version is proposed. The results demonstrate that a solution based on the use of various instances of the FPGA hardware compressor core achieves similar levels of performance than the state-of-the-art GPU, with better efficiency in terms of processed frames by watt.
Classification and Detection of Breathing Patterns with Wearable Sensors and Deep Learning
Authors: McClure Kristin , Erdreich Brett , Bates Jason H. T. , McGinnis Ryan S. , Masquelin Axel , Wshah Safwan
Published: November 2020

Rapid assessment of breathing patterns is important for several emergency medical situations. In this research, we developed a non-invasive breathing analysis system that automatically detects different types of breathing patterns of clinical significance. Accelerometer and gyroscopic data were collected from light-weight wireless sensors placed on the chest and abdomen of 100 normal volunteers who simulated various breathing events (central sleep apnea, coughing, obstructive sleep apnea, sighing, and yawning). We then constructed synthetic datasets by injecting annotated examples of the various patterns into segments of normal breathing. A one-dimensional convolutional neural network was implemented to detect the location of each event in each synthetic dataset and to classify it as belonging to one of the above event types. We achieved a mean F1 score of 92% for normal breathing, 87% for central sleep apnea, 72% for coughing, 51% for obstructive sleep apnea, 57% for sighing, and 63% for yawning. These results demonstrate that using deep learning to analyze chest and abdomen movement data from wearable sensors provides an unobtrusive means of monitoring the breathing pattern. This could have application in a number of critical medical situations such as detecting apneas during sleep at home and monitoring breathing events in mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit.
Personalization of the MES System to the Needs of Highly Variable Production
Authors: Zwolińska Bożena , Tubis Agnieszka Anna , Chamier-Gliszczyński Norbert , Kostrzewski Mariusz
Published: November 2020

The new generation Manufacturing Executions System (MES) is considered as one of the most important solutions supporting the idea of Industry 4.0. This is confirmed by research conducted among companies interested in the implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept, as well as the publications of researchers who study this issue. However, if MES software is a link that connects the world of machines and business systems, it must take into account the specifics of the supported production systems. This is especially true in case of production systems with a high level of automation, which are characterised by flexibility and agility at the operational level. Therefore, personalization of the MES software is proposed for this class of production systems. The aim of the article is to present the MES system personalization method for a selected production system. The proposed approach uses the rules of Bayesian inference and the area of customisation is the technological structure of production, taking into account the required flexibility of the processes. As part of the developed approach, the variability index was proposed as a parameter evaluating the effectiveness of the production system. Then, the results of evaluation of the current system effectiveness by use of this index are presented. The authors also present the assumptions for the developed MES personalization algorithm. The algorithm uses the rules of Bayesian inference, which enable multiple adjustments of the model to the existing environmental conditions without the need to formulate a new description of reality. The application of the presented solution in a real facility allowed for determining production areas which are the determinants of system instability. The implementation of the developed algorithm enabled control of the generated variability in real time. The proposed approach to personalization of MES software for a selected class of production systems is the main novelty of the presented research and contributes to the development of the described area of research.
A Spatial-Frequency Domain Associated Image-Optimization Method for Illumination-Robust Image Matching
Authors: Liu Chun , Jia Shoujun , Wu Hangbin , Zeng Doudou , Cheng Fanjin , Zhang Shuhang
Published: November 2020

Image matching forms an essential means of data association for computer vision, photogrammetry and remote sensing. The quality of image matching is heavily dependent on image details and naturalness. However, complex illuminations, denoting extreme and changing illuminations, are inevitable in real scenarios, and seriously deteriorate image matching performance due to their significant influence on the image naturalness and details. In this paper, a spatial-frequency domain associated image-optimization method, comprising two main models, is specially designed for improving image matching with complex illuminations. First, an adaptive luminance equalization is implemented in the spatial domain to reduce radiometric variations, instead of removing all illumination components. Second, a frequency domain analysis-based feature-enhancement model is proposed to enhance image features while preserving image naturalness and restraining over-enhancement. The proposed method associates the advantages of the spatial and frequency domain analyses to complete illumination equalization, feature enhancement and naturalness preservation, and thus acquiring the optimized images that are robust to the complex illuminations. More importantly, our method is generic and can be embedded in most image-matching schemes to improve image matching. The proposed method was evaluated on two different datasets and compared with four other state-of-the-art methods. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method outperforms other methods under complex illuminations, in both matching performances and practical applications such as structure from motion and multi-view stereo.
Online Learning and Emergency Remote Teaching: Opportunities and Challenges in Emergency Situations
Authors: Ferri Fernando , Grifoni Patrizia , Guzzo Tiziana
Published: November 2020

The aim of the study is to analyse the opportunities and challenges of emergency remote teaching based on experiences of the COVID-19 emergency. A qualitative research method was undertaken in two steps. In the first step, a thematic analysis of an online discussion forum with international experts from different sectors and countries was carried out. In the second step (an Italian case study), both the data and the statements of opinion leaders from secondary online sources, including web articles, statistical data and legislation, were analysed. The results reveal several technological, pedagogical and social challenges. The technological challenges are mainly related to the unreliability of Internet connections and many students’ lack of necessary electronic devices. The pedagogical challenges are principally associated with teachers’ and learners’ lack of digital skills, the lack of structured content versus the abundance of online resources, learners’ lack of interactivity and motivation and teachers’ lack of social and cognitive presence (the ability to construct meaning through sustained communication within a community of inquiry). The social challenges are mainly related to the lack of human interaction between teachers and students as well as among the latter, the lack of physical spaces at home to receive lessons and the lack of support of parents who are frequently working remotely in the same spaces. Based on the lessons learned from this worldwide emergency, challenges and proposals for action to face these same challenges, which should be and sometimes have been implemented, are provided.
Determinants of Residents’ Support for Sustainable Tourism Development: Implications for Rural Communities
Authors: Demirović Bajrami Dunja , Radosavac Adriana , Cimbaljević Marija , Tretiakova Tatiana N. , Syromiatnikova Yulia A.
Published: November 2020

One of the key factors for success of sustainable tourism industry in all areas, including rural, is the support of community members. The paper aims to analyze how rural residents’ perceptions of sustainable tourism development (expressed through economic, social, environmental, and physical benefits) can affect residents’ intentions to support tourism. The second aim was to determine if attachment to the particular community and perceived quality of life can have influence on attitudes towards sustainable development of tourism in rural communities. Using a sample of 881 residents living in rural areas of the Republic of Serbia, the results highlighted that perceived values of tourism were important for evaluating how tourism is developed, if it is sustainable for a community, and how it affects quality of residents’ life. The study provided better understanding of factors that can have impact on residents’ attitudes in relation to tourism and highlighted the importance of paying attention to local community as significant player for tourism development, especially in those regions that want to boost its economy by developing sustainable tourism.
Identification of Consumer Behavior Based on Price Elasticity: A Case Study of the Prague Market of Accommodation Services
Authors: Petricek Martin , Chalupa Stepan , Chadt Karel
Published: November 2020

The article deals with customer behavior in the market of accommodation services. The main purpose of this article is to identify tourist behavior using their sensitivity to changes in the price, based on the data from 2011 to 2018. The results can help to understand the booking behaviors of tourists in the long term period, identify specific situations, and to improve the application of revenue management. Using simple log-log regression analysis, the daily performance data of 103 Prague hotels were analyzed, and the coefficient of price elasticity of demand was identified for various timeframes: low and high seasons, summer months, weekends and weekdays, and individual years. The results show that the coefficient of price elasticity of demand is decreasing. In the low season, the low price sensitivity is caused mainly by the high proportion of the non-yieldable leisure group segment, where fixed rates are created for tour operators more than a year in advance. In the high season, Giffen’s paradox was identified in 2016 and shows the situation of customers expecting further growth of room rates. The Giffen paradox was identified only on specific dates of the year and was confirmed by year-to-year growth of the Average Daily Rate.
Robust Filtering for Discrete-Time Linear Parameter-Varying Descriptor Systems
Authors: Rodriguez Carlos , Barbosa Karina A. , Coutinho Daniel
Published: November 2020

This paper deals with robust state estimation for discrete-time, linear parameter varying (LPV) descriptor systems. It is assumed that all the system state-space matrices are affine functions of the uncertain parameters and both the parameters and their variations are bounded functions of time with known minimum and maximum values. First, necessary and sufficient conditions are proposed for admissibility and bounded realness for discrete linear time-varying (DLTV) descriptor systems. Next, two convex optimisation based methods are proposed for designing admissible stationary linear descriptor filters for LPV descriptor systems which ensure a prescribed upper bound on the ℓ2-induced gain from the noise signal to the estimation error regardless of model uncertainties. The proposed filter design results were based on parameter-dependent generalised Lyapunov functions, and full-order, augmented-order and reduced-order filters were considered. Numerical examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed filtering scheme. In particular, the proposed approach was used to estimate the state variables of a controlled horizontal 2-DOF robotic manipulator based on noisy measurements.
Genetic and Antigenic Evolution of European Swine Influenza A Viruses of HA-1C (Avian-Like) and HA-1B (Human-Like) Lineages in France from 2000 to 2018
Authors: Chastagner Amélie , Hervé Séverine , Quéguiner Stéphane , Hirchaud Edouard , Lucas Pierrick , Gorin Stéphane , Béven Véronique , Barbier Nicolas , Deblanc Céline , Blanchard Yannick , Simon Gaëlle
Published: November 2020

This study evaluated the genetic and antigenic evolution of swine influenza A viruses (swIAV) of the two main enzootic H1 lineages, i.e., HA-1C (H1av) and -1B (H1hu), circulating in France between 2000 and 2018. SwIAV RNAs extracted from 1220 swine nasal swabs were hemagglutinin/neuraminidase (HA/NA) subtyped by RT-qPCRs, and 293 virus isolates were sequenced. In addition, 146 H1avNy and 105 H1huNy strains were submitted to hemagglutination inhibition tests. H1avN1 (66.5%) and H1huN2 (25.4%) subtypes were predominant. Most H1 strains belonged to HA-1C.2.1 or -1B.1.2.3 clades, but HA-1C.2, -1C.2.2, -1C.2.3, -1B.1.1, and -1B.1.2.1 clades were also detected sporadically. Within HA-1B.1.2.3 clade, a group of strains named “Δ146-147” harbored several amino acid mutations and a double deletion in HA, that led to a marked antigenic drift. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that internal segments belonged mainly to the “Eurasian avian-like lineage”, with two distinct genogroups for the M segment. In total, 17 distinct genotypes were identified within the study period. Reassortments of H1av/H1hu strains with H1N1pdm virus were rarely evidenced until 2018. Analysis of amino acid sequences predicted a variability in length of PB1-F2 and PA-X proteins and identified the appearance of several mutations in PB1, PB1-F2, PA, NP and NS1 proteins that could be linked to virulence, while markers for antiviral resistance were identified in N1 and N2. Altogether, diversity and evolution of swIAV recall the importance of disrupting the spreading of swIAV within and between pig herds, as well as IAV inter-species transmissions.
Protective Vaccination Reshapes Hepatic Response to Blood-Stage Malaria of Genes Preferentially Expressed by NK Cells
Authors: Araúzo-Bravo Marcos J. , Delic Denis , Gerovska Daniela , Wunderlich Frank
Published: November 2020

The role of natural killer (NK) cells in the liver as first-line post infectionem (p.i.) effectors against blood-stage malaria and their responsiveness to protective vaccination is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the effect of vaccination on NK cell-associated genes induced in the liver by blood-stage malaria of Plasmodium chabaudi. Female Balb/c mice were vaccinated at weeks 3 and 1 before being infected with 106P. chabaudi-parasitized erythrocytes. Genes preferentially expressed by NK cells were investigated in livers of vaccination-protected and non-protected mice on days 0, 1, 4, 8, and 11 p.i. using microarrays, qRT-PCR, and chromosome landscape analysis. Blood-stage malaria induces expression of specific genes in the liver at different phases of infection, i.e., Itga1 in expanding liver-resident NK (lrNK) cells, Itga2 in immigrating conventional NK (cNK) cells; Eomes and Tbx21 encoding transcription factors; Ncr1, Tnfsf10, Prf1, Gzma, Gzmb, Gzmc, Gzmm, and Gzmk encoding cytolytic effectors; natural killer gene complex (NKC)-localized genes encoding the NK cell receptors KLRG1, KLRK1, KLRAs1, 2, 5, 7, KLRD1, KLRC1, KLRC3, as well as the three receptors KLRB1A, KLRB1C, KLRB1F and their potential ligands CLEC2D and CLEC2I. Vaccination enhances this malaria-induced expression of genes, but impairs Gzmm expression, accelerates decline of Tnfsf10 and Clec2d expression, whereas it accelerates increased expression of Clec2i, taking a very similar time course as that of genes encoding plasma membrane proteins of erythroblasts, whose malaria-induced extramedullary generation in the liver is known to be accelerated by vaccination. Collectively, vaccination reshapes the response of the liver NK cell compartment to blood-stage malaria. Particularly, the malaria-induced expansion of lrNK cells peaking on day 4 p.i. is highly significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced by enhanced immigration of peripheral cNK cells, and KLRB1F:CLEC2I interactions between NK cells and erythroid cells facilitate extramedullary erythroblastosis in the liver, thus critically contributing to vaccination-induced survival of otherwise lethal blood-stage malaria of P. chabaudi.
Priming with Recombinant BCG Expressing HTI Enhances the Magnitude and Breadth of the T-Cell Immune Responses Elicited by MVA.HTI in BALB/c Mice
Authors: Saubi Narcís , Kilpeläinen Athina , Eto Yoshiki , Chen Chun-Wei , Olvera Àlex , Hanke Tomáš , Brander Christian , Joseph-Munné Joan
Published: November 2020

The use of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) as a live vaccine vehicle is a promising approach for HIV-1-specific T-cell induction. In this study, we used recombinant BCG expressing HIVACAT T-cell immunogen (HTI), BCG.HTI2auxo.int. BALB/c mice immunization with BCG.HTI2auxo.int prime and MVA.HTI boost was safe and induced HIV-1-specific T-cell responses. Two weeks after boost, T-cell responses were assessed by IFN-γ ELISpot. The highest total magnitude of IFN-γ spot-forming cells (SFC)/106 splenocytes was observed in BCG.HTI2auxo.int primed mice compared to mice receiving MVA.HTI alone or mice primed with BCGwt, although the differences between the vaccination regimens only reached trends. In order to evaluate the differences in the breadth of the T-cell immune responses, we examined the number of reactive peptide pools per mouse. Interestingly, both BCG.HTI2auxo.int and BCGwt primed mice recognized an average of four peptide pools per mouse. However, the variation was higher in BCG.HTI2auxo.int primed mice with one mouse recognizing 11 peptide pools and three mice recognizing few or no peptide pools. The recognition profile appeared to be more spread out for BCG.HTI2auxo.int primed mice and mice only receiving MVA.HTI. Here, we describe a useful vaccine platform for priming protective responses against HIV-1/TB and other prevalent infectious diseases.
Hydrochemistry Differences and Causes of Tectonic Lakes and Glacial Lakes in Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Sun Meiping , Jin Huian , Yao Xiaojun , Yan Luxia , Li Xiaofeng , Gao Yongpeng
Published: November 2020

The Tibetan Plateau has the largest lake cluster in China and in the world. In order to clarify the differences of lake hydrochemistry of Tibetan Plateau, water samples were collected from 32 lakes, including 22 tectonic lakes and 11 glacial lakes, along the Tibetan Plateau road, from September to October 2016. We detected and analyzed the major ion concentrations and characteristics of samples, and discuss the hydrochemistry type, controlling factors, and major ion sources of lake water. The results showed that, firstly, tectonic lake samples on the Tibetan Plateau have much higher physicochemical parameters and ion contents than glacial lakes, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) contents fluctuate from high to low latitudes. The variations of ion concentrations in the northern part of the Qiagui Co were more fluctuating and have two obvious peaks, while the variations in the southern part were moderate. The TDS of glacial lakes were low and leveling off in the upper and middle reaches of the basin, while higher and more variable in the lower reaches. Secondly, the tectonic lakes were mainly chloride saline lakes, with Na+ as the major cation, and SO42−, Cl− as the major anions. Glacial lakes were mainly carbonate and sulfate type lakes, Ca2+ and Mg2+ were the major cations, HCO3− was the major anion, and SO42− was the second. Thirdly, the hydrochemistry processes of the tectonic lakes were mainly controlled by evaporation-crystallization, and the ions mainly came from the evaporites of basin. Glacial lake water samples were mainly influenced by the weathering of basin rocks, with ion sources strongly influenced by the weathering of basin carbonates than evaporites, with calcite and dolomite being important sources of Ca2+, Mg2+, and HCO3−.
Democracia participativa brasileira
Authors: Possolo Gonçalves Raquel Cristina , Megali Neto Almir
Published: November 2020

A fim de discutir o contexto brasileiro e como ele se relaciona ao que a literatura internacional tem percebido como deteriorização democrática, o presente artigo busca analisar o Decreto nº 9.759/2019. Esse Decreto teve como objetivo extinguir conselhos e órgãos colegiados, canais de participação direta da sociedade civil em deliberações sobre políticas públicas. Várias críticas foram direcionadas a esse ato normativo, principalmente pela sua característica antidemocrática, por visar mitigar os canais de participação construídos a partir do projeto constituinte instaurado em 1988, tendo como marco a Constituição brasileira. A análise do Decreto se deu através da mobilização de teorias que buscam entender os ataques aos quais a democracia brasileira tem sido alvo, bem como através da literatura a respeito da ascensão de novas formas de autoritarismo, e da ótica da razão neoliberal, de Wendy Brown (2015), a fim de discutirmos a ameaça que os valores neoliberais trazem para o jogo democrático.
Sobre as trajetórias de futebolistas infames
Authors: Jahnecka Luciano
Published: November 2020

Através de relatos de trajetórias de futebolistas profissionais, esboçamos uma análise sobre a construção biográfica que passa de singularidade à singularidade de uma vida. Sem pretender fazer de uma vida a representação para as demais e para ela mesma, utilizamos uma experiência comum dado a condição de futebolista para analisar como algumas escolhas e condições de possibilidade são alteradas em carreiras pouco conhecidas (infames). Afirmamos com estas escolhas um duplo uso da noção de biopolítica, “poder sobre a vida” e “poder que uma vida exerce”.
“Deve ou não deve o football invadir os domínios das saias?”
Authors: Soares de Almeida Caroline , Rodrigues de Almeida Thaís
Published: November 2020

Este artigo aborda algumas histórias de pessoas que compuseram a trajetória do Futebol Feminino no Brasil, desde a sua introdução até 1979 - ano em que foi revogado o Decreto-Lei nº 3.199. Parte dessa história já foi relatada por diferentes autoras/es em trabalhos de grande qualidade publicados, sobretudo nos últimos vinte anos. Nesse sentido, este texto tem o objetivo de somar na construção dessa narrativa, a partir de informações encontradas em jornais pesquisados na Hemeroteca Digital da Biblioteca Nacional. Embora as mulheres estejam há mais de cem anos protagonizando jogos de futebol nos gramados brasileiros, ainda há pouca visibilidade. Essa história é composta não somente por rupturas e injustiças baseada na ideia de gênero a partir do saber biomédico da época que o dividia em masculino "viril" e feminino "frágil" (e que serviram como argumento à proibição do Futebol Feminino em 1941), mas também por lutas de mulheres que propunham uma nova perspectiva sobre o corpo.
Implementasi Aplikasi al-Kafâlah di Lembaga Keuangan Syari’ah di Indonesia
Authors: Moh. Asra
Published: November 2020

Generally, al-kafalah is an act of combining the dependents of the insurer and the main insurer related to claims about life, debt, goods, or work. Al-kafalah is implemented by the existence of the insurer, the main insurer, the insured, and the dependents. This research primary source is literature, using a qualitative descriptive approach. Shaykh Mustofa Al-Khin and Shaykh Mustofa Al-Bugha quote the wisdom of al-kafalah through the maqashid syariah. He both explained that the al-kafalah procedure made it easier for someone to meet their needs through the principle of helping. Al-kafalah can protect the possibilities that occur during the transaction or as long as the debt has not been paid. Al-kafalah has been widely applied in financial institutions such as banks, as well as e-commerce based on the al-kafalah bi al-ujrah system which has previously been permitted by contemporary scholars. Meanwhile, al-kafalah which is based on tabarru 'in Indonesia is only found in the Indonesian Health Card (KIS) mechanism.
Penerapan Metode Tahsin untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Membaca Al-Qur’an Siswa Sekolah Menengah Atas
Authors: Della Indah Fitriani  , Fitroh Hayati
Published: November 2020

This research was motivated by the poor of students’ ability in class X IPS SMA Al-Falah Dago in reading and writing Al-Qur'an (BTAQ). It aims, first, to know how the objective conditions of their Al-Qur'an reading ability. Second, to find out how to apply the tahsin method to improve their Al-Qur'an reading ability. Third, to find out how is the effect of the tahsin method implementation to improve their Al-Qur'an reading ability. It was a quantitative study using the experimental method. The results of this study had indicated that the implementation of the tahsin method had a significant effect on improving their Al-Qur'an reading ability which is applicable to the correct makharijul huruf and tajwid rules. The teacher was using classical reading and listening (KBS) in the teaching and learning process. They also were participating to exemplify good reading and to justify the students' reading.
Hubungan Pembiasaan Shalat Dhuha dengan Akhlak Siswa Sekolah Menengah Atas
Authors: Indah Suci Sapitri
Published: November 2020

Islamic education has many objectives. It also includes the construction of students’ noble character. Students should be able to understand and be able to build a noble character with the dhuha prayer habituation. This study aims to determine how is the relationship between dhuha prayer habituation and the students’ morals in SMA Negeri 2 Kota Bogor. The method in this research used a quantitative approach. The data collection techniques in this research used questionnaires.  The results of this research were with df in the amount of 77, with the value of r table at a significant level of 5%, these were known that r table 5% = 0.221.  Therefore the research hypothesis stated that the Pearson Correlation (0.667)> r table (0.221). So that Ho was rejected and Ha was accepted by stating that there was a positive relationship between the practice of dhuha prayer and student morals, which is 44.5%.