bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IMPROVEMENT OF MATHEMATICAL CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING REACT STRATEGY
Authors: N Eldi Fajri , Taufina Taufina
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this research is to find out the improvement of students' mathematical critical thinking skills in elementary school students by using the REACT strategy. This research is a classroom action research conducted in class IV at SDN 02 VII Koto Sungai Sarik Padang Pariaman . The results showed that there was an increase in students' mathematical critical thinking skills starting from the initial ability of 43.67, cycle 1 gained an average of 68.56, and cycle 2 gets an average of 83.37. So it can be concluded that there is an increase in mathematical critical thinking skills of elementary school students by using the REACT strategy. This study recommends that primary school teachers can use the REACT strategy as an effort to improve mathematical critical thinking skills of elementary school students.
Core Ethical Values of Character Education Based on Islamic Values in Islamic Boarding Schools
Authors: Solihin Ihin , Hasanah Aan , Fajrussalam Hisny
Published: July 2020

This research was motivated by the spread of radicalism ideology that’s carried out by leaders of some boarding schools (Islamic school of Qur’anic studies), the degradation of society moral, and the immoral behavior in education institutions. This research aims to investigate the core ethical values of character education based on Islamic values in Islamic boarding schools to facilitate the embedding of those values in Indonesian society so that the radicalism ideology, moral degradation, and immoral behavior can be eliminated. This research uses a qualitative approach and method. The type of research is library research; data were obtained from books, journals, and other relevant references. Then the data were analyzed by using content analysis techniques. The result of this research shows that the core ethical values of character education based on Islamic values in Islamic boarding schools are divided into four core teachings of Islamic studies, namely al-fiqh (fiqh), al-tauhid (monotheism), al-tasawuf (Sufism), and al-akhlaq (moral). Values consist in those four core teachings are cleanliness, health, neatness, faith, piety, belief toward blessing (baraka), moderate, benignity, simplicity, self-attitude of accepting and feeling sufficient for the results of his efforts (qonaah), sincerity, humility, religious culture, respect for older people, and hard work.

Keywords: Education Character, Islamic Values, Ethical Value
Exploration Ethnomathematics of the Malind Tribe for Character Building in Elementary Schools
Authors: Fredy Fredy , Tembang Yonarlianto , Bito Gregorius Sebo , Sholikhah Octarina Hidayatus
Published: July 2020

This article aimed to explore ethnomathematics in the Malind tribe to strengthen the character values ​​of elementary school students. The method used descriptive survey method with data collection techniques such as observation, interviews, and literature review. The researchers act as a human instrument. The qualitative data were obtained and then analyzed by paying attention to ethnomathematics material or theme. The results showed: firstly, ethnomathematics in the culture of the Malind tribe was found in activities of daily life such as the manufacture of farming tools, hunting, fishing, musical instruments, noken, ornaments and paintings, traditional ceremonies, life behaviors, and traditional games. Second, the attitude of responsibility, like to work hard, practice religious values, develop creativity, friendship, responsibility, the spirit of cooperation and kinship and tolerance is an integrated national character in the cultural values ​​of the Malind tribe. Ethnomathematics can be integrated into learning mathematics in elementary schools

Keywords:  Ethnomathematics, Malind Tribe, Education Character
Monsters in the Capital: Helen Vaughan, Count Dracula and Demographic Fears in fin-de-siècle London
Authors: Renshaw Daniel
Published: July 2020

This article examines the confluence of fears of demographic change occasioned by Jewish migration to Britain between 1881 and 1905 with two key gothic texts of the period – Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan (1894) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). The descriptions of the activities of the demonic protagonists Helen Vaughan and Count Dracula in London will be compared with contemporary depictions of Jewish settlement by leading anti-migrant polemicists. Firstly, it will consider the trope of settlement as a preconceived plan being put into effect directed against ‘Anglo-Saxon’ English society. Secondly, it will look at ideas of the contested racial inferiority or superiority of the ‘other’. Thirdly, the article will examine the imputed chameleonic natures of both gothic monsters and Jews rising up the metropolitan social scale. The article will conclude by comparing the way Machen's and Stoker's protagonists deal with their opponents with posited ‘solutions’ for the Eastern European immigration ‘problem’.
‘Dreadful Women’: Vampires and Storytellers in Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's ‘Luella Miller’
Authors: Palumbo-DeSimone Christine
Published: July 2020

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's ‘Luella Miller’ is the most critically acclaimed and puzzling story in her 1903 The Wind in the Rose-Bush and Other Stories of the Supernatural. As described by the tale's storyteller, Lydia Anderson, Luella Miller is a parasitic creature who drains those closest to her of their life force, leading many scholars to label Luella ‘vampire’ despite the many ways Lydia Anderson's storytelling runs counter to literary vampire conventions. Even so, Freeman's haunting tale of death and community paranoia strikingly mirrors the claustrophobic small-town New England that Freeman knew intimately and depicted unflinchingly. Tapping into pervasive rural folklore, Lydia Anderson casts Luella as a ‘New England Vampire,’ a figure that served important social and psychological functions throughout backwoods New England. Ultimately, Freeman's ‘vampires’ expose how easily – and disastrously – unconventional women are transformed into ‘dreadful women’ in this closed, cannibalistic world.
War Gothic and Bodily Decay: Reshaping Identity in All Quiet on the Western Front
Authors: Douglas Katherine
Published: July 2020

Confronting mutilated and decaying bodies on a mass scale is both shocking and traumatic. As such, decay as an aesthetic element of the Neogothic genre can be utilised as an analytical tool to explore relations of existence, reality, and authority. This article investigates the Gothic landscape of decay presented in Eric Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front (1929) as the protagonist is disturbed and haunted by his surroundings and the rotting and decomposing bodies of the dead soldiers of the trenches. Focusing on these encounters with human decay wrought by warfare not only continues Paul's disillusionment with the Great War, it elucidates the manner in which the protagonist's experience shapes and directs his perception of mortality, purpose, and his relations with authority.
RETRACTED: The Design, Characterizations, and Tumor Angiogenesis Inhibition of a Multi-Epitope Peptibody With bFGF/VEGFA
Authors: Zhang Ligang , Deng Yanrui , Zhang Yinmei , Liu Chunyan , Zhang Simin , Zhu Wenhui , Tang Yong , Deng Ning
Published: July 2020

Tumor angiogenesis is dependent on growth factors, and inhibition of their pathways is one of the promising strategies in cancer therapy. However, resistance to single pathway has been a great concern in clinical trials so that it necessitates multiple targetable factors for developing tumor angiogenesis inhibitors. Moreover, the strategy of Fc fusion protein is an attractive platform for novel peptide agents, which gains increasing importance with FDA approval because of better immunogenicity and stability. Here, we applied the Fc fusion protein concept to bFGF/VEGFA pathways and designed a multi-epitope Peptibody with immunogenic peptides derived from human bFGF and VEGFA sequences. Immunization with Peptibody could elicit high-titer anti-bFGF and anti-VEGFA antibodies, activate T cells, and induce Th1/Th2-type cytokines. In in vitro experiments, the isolated anti-Peptibody antibody inhibited the proliferation and migration of A549 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by decreasing the MAPK/Akt/mTOR signal pathways. In the murine tumor model, pre-immunization with Peptibody suppressed the tumor growth and neovascularization of lung cancer by decreasing the production of bFGF/VEGFA/PDGF, the MAPK/Akt/mTOR signal pathways, and the activation of suppressive cells in tumor sites. Further, the biological characterizations of the recombinant Peptibody were investigated systematically, including protein primary structure, secondary structure, stability, and toxicity. Collectively, the results highlighted the strategy of bFGF/VEGFA pathways and Fc fusion protein in suppressing tumor progression and angiogenesis, which emphasized the potential of multiple targetable factors for producing enduring clinical responses in tumor patients.
Findings From the International Lucid Dream Induction Study
Authors: Adventure-Heart Denholm Jay
Published: July 2020

The International Lucid Dream Induction Study (ILDIS) investigated and compared the effectiveness of five different combinations of lucid dream induction techniques including reality testing (RT), Wake Back to Bed (WBTB), the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) technique, the Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD) technique, and a hybrid technique combining elements of both MILD and SSILD. Participants with an interest in lucid dreaming (N = 355) completed a pre-test questionnaire and then a baseline sleep and dream recall logbook for 1 week before practicing the lucid dream induction techniques for another week. Results indicated that the MILD technique and the SSILD technique were similarly effective for inducing lucid dreams. The hybrid technique showed no advantage over MILD or SSILD. Predictors of successful lucid dream induction included superior general dream recall and the ability to fall asleep within 10 min of completing the lucid dream induction techniques. Successful lucid dream induction had no adverse effect on sleep quality. Findings indicated that the techniques were effective regardless of baseline lucid dreaming frequency or prior experience with lucid dreaming techniques. Recommendations for further research on lucid dream induction techniques are provided.
Narrow-Spectrum Antibacterial Agents—Benefits and Challenges
Authors: Alm Richard A. , Lahiri Sushmita D.
Published: July 2020

The number of antibacterial agents in clinical and preclinical development possessing activity against a narrow spectrum of bacterial pathogens is increasing, with many of them being nontraditional products. The key value proposition hinges on sparing antibiotic use and curtailing the emergence of resistance, as well as preventing the destruction of a beneficial microbiome, versus the immediate need for effective treatment of an active infection with a high risk of mortality. The clinical use of a targeted spectrum agent, most likely in combination with a rapid and robust diagnostic test, is a commendable goal with significant healthcare benefits if executed correctly. However, the path to achieving this will come with several challenges, and many scientific and clinical development disciplines will need to align their efforts to successfully change the treatment paradigm.
The Herbal Combination CPA4-1 Inhibits Changes in Retinal Capillaries and Reduction of Retinal Occludin in db/db Mice
Authors: Kim Young Sook , Kim Junghyun , Kim Chan-Sik , Lee Ik Soo , Jo Kyuhyung , Jung Dong Ho , Lee Yun Mi , Kim Jin Sook
Published: July 2020

Increased formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) plays an important role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) via blood-retinal barrier (BRB) dysfunction, and reduction of AGEs has been suggested as a therapeutic target for DR. In this study, we examined whether CPA4-1, a herbal combination of Cinnamomi Ramulus and Paeoniae Radix, inhibits AGE formation. CPA4-1 and fenofibrate were tested to ameliorate changes in retinal capillaries and retinal occludin expression in db/db mice, a mouse model of obesity-induced type 2 diabetes. CPA4-1 (100 mg/kg) or fenofibrate (100 mg/kg) were orally administered once a day for 12 weeks. CPA4-1 (the half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50 = 6.84 ± 0.08 μg/mL) showed approximately 11.44-fold higher inhibitory effect on AGE formation than that of aminoguanidine (AG, the inhibitor of AGEs, IC50 = 78.28 ± 4.24 μg/mL), as well as breaking effect on AGE-bovine serum albumin crosslinking with collagen (IC50 = 1.30 ± 0.37 μg/mL). CPA4-1 treatment ameliorated BRB leakage and tended to increase retinal occludin expression in db/db mice. CPA4-1 or fenofibrate treatment significantly reduced retinal acellular capillary formation in db/db mice. These findings suggested the potential of CPA4-1 as a therapeutic supplement for protection against retinal vascular permeability diseases.
A Bayesian Neo-Normal Mixture Model (Nenomimo) for MRI-Based Brain Tumor Segmentation
Authors: Pravitasari Anindya Apriliyanti , Iriawan Nur , Fithriasari Kartika , Purnami Santi Wulan , Irhamah  , Ferriastuti Widiana
Published: July 2020

The detection of a brain tumor through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is still challenging when the image is in low quality. Image segmentation could be done to provide a clear brain tumor area as the region of interest. In this study, we propose an improved model-based clustering approach for MRI-based image segmentation. The main contribution is the use of the adaptive neo-normal distributions in the form of a finite mixture model that could handle both symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns in an MRI image. The neo-normal mixture model (Nenomimo) also resolves the limitation of the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and the generalized GMM (GGMM), which are limited by the short-tailed form of their distributions and their sensitivity against noise. Model estimation is done through an optimization process using the Bayesian method coupled with a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach, and it employs a silhouette coefficient to find the optimum number of clusters. The performance of the Nenomimo was evaluated against the GMM and the GGMM using the misclassification ratio (MCR). Finally, this study discovered that the Nenomimo provides better segmentation results for both simulated and real data sets, with an average MCR for MRI brain tumor image segmentation of less than 3%.
The Acute Effect of Match-Play on Hip Isometric Strength and Flexibility in Female Field Hockey Players
Authors: Sánchez-Migallón Violeta , López-Samanes Alvaro , Terrón-Manrique Pablo , Morencos Esther , Fernández-Ruiz Vicente , Navandar Archit , Moreno-Pérez Victor
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to determine the acute effect of simulated field hockey match-play on isometric knee flexion, adductor (ADD) and abductor (ABD) strength, adductor/abductor (ADD/ABD) strength ratio, countermovement jump height (CMJ), hip flexion and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM). Thirty competitive female field hockey players (23.0 ± 3.9 years old) participated in the study. Apart from the afore-mentioned variables, external (through GPS) and internal load (through RPE) were measured before (pre-match) and immediately after simulated hockey match-play (post-match) in both limbs. Isometric knee flexion strength (+7.0%, p = 0.047) and hip flexion ROM (+4.4%, p = 0.022) were higher post-match in the non-dominant limb, while CMJ values reduced (−11.33%, p = 0.008) when comparing from pre-match data. In addition, no differences were observed for isometric hip ADD, ABD, ADD/ABD strength ratio, passive hip flexion ROM and ankle dorsiflexion ROM test. A simulated field-hockey match produces an increment in hip isometric strength and hip flexion ROM values in the non-dominant limb and a decrease in jump height capacity. As a result, CMJ assessment should be considered post-match in order to identify players who would require further rest before returning to training.
Attributes Reduction in Big Data
Authors: Albattah Waleed , Khan Rehan Ullah , Khan Khalil
Published: July 2020

Processing big data requires serious computing resources. Because of this challenge, big data processing is an issue not only for algorithms but also for computing resources. This article analyzes a large amount of data from different points of view. One perspective is the processing of reduced collections of big data with less computing resources. Therefore, the study analyzed 40 GB data to test various strategies to reduce data processing. Thus, the goal is to reduce this data, but not to compromise on the detection and model learning in machine learning. Several alternatives were analyzed, and it is found that in many cases and types of settings, data can be reduced to some extent without compromising detection efficiency. Tests of 200 attributes showed that with a performance loss of only 4%, more than 80% of the data could be ignored. The results found in the study, thus provide useful insights into large data analytics.
A Multi-Analytical Approach to Predict the Determinants of Cloud Computing Adoption in Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Qasem Yousef A. M. , Asadi Shahla , Abdullah Rusli , Yah Yusmadi , Atan Rodziah , Al-Sharafi Mohammed A. , Yassin Amr Abdullatif
Published: July 2020

Cloud computing (CC) delivers services for organizations, particularly for higher education institutions (HEIs) anywhere and anytime, based on scalability and pay-per-use approach. Examining the factors influencing the decision-makers’ intention towards adopting CC plays an essential role in HEIs. Therefore, this study aimed to understand and predict the key determinants that drive managerial decision-makers’ perspectives for adopting this technology. The data were gathered from 134 institutional managers, involved in the decision making of the institutions. This study applied two analytical approaches, namely variance-based structural equation modeling (i.e., PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN). First, the PLS-SEM approach has been used for analyzing the proposed model and extracting the significant relationships among the identified factors. The obtained result from PLS-SEM analysis revealed that seven factors were identified as significant in influencing decision-makers’ intention towards adopting CC. Second, the normalized importance among those seven significant predictors was ranked utilizing the ANN. The results of the ANN approach showed that technology readiness is the most important predictor for CC adoption, followed by security and competitive pressure. Finally, this study presented a new and innovative approach for comprehending CC adoption, and the results can be used by decision-makers to develop strategies for adopting CC services in their institutions.
Image Inpainting Based on Multi-Patch Match with Adaptive Size
Authors: Yang Shiyuan , Liang Haitao , Wang Yi , Cai Huaiyu , Chen Xiaodong
Published: July 2020

Patch-based image inpainting methods iteratively fill the missing region via searching the best sample patch from the source region. However, most of the existing approaches basically use the fixed size of patch regardless of content features nearby, which may lead to inpainting defects. Also, global match is needed for searching the best sample patch, but only to fill one target patch in each iteration, resulting in low efficiency. To handle the issues above, we first evaluate the nonuniformity in an image, by which the patch size is adaptively determined. Moreover, we divide the source region into multiple non-overlapping subregions with different nonuniformity levels, and the patch match proceeds in every subregion, respectively. This strategy not only saves the match time for single target patch, but also reduces the mismatch, and enables the simultaneous filling of multiple target patches in a single iteration. Experimental results show that in comparison to previous patch-based works, our method has achieved further improvement both in quality and efficiency. We believe our method could provide a new way for patch match with better accuracy and efficiency in image inpainting tasks.
Model-Guided Manufacturing of Transducer Arrays Based on Single-Fibre Piezocomposites
Authors: Angerer Martin , Zapf Michael , Leyrer Benjamin , Ruiter Nicole V.
Published: July 2020

For breast cancer imaging, ultrasound computer tomography (USCT) is an emerging technology. To improve the image quality of our full 3-D system, a new transducer array system (TAS) design was previously proposed. This work presents a manufacturing approach which realises this new design. To monitor the transducer quality during production, the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) was measured initially and after each assembly step. To evaluate the measured responses, an extended Krimholtz–Leedom–Matthaei (KLM) transducer model was used. The model aids in interpreting the measured responses and presents a useful tool for evaluating parasitic electric effects and attenuation at resonance. For quality control, the phase angle at thickness resonance φ t was found to be the most specific EMI property. It can be used to verify the functionality of the piezocomposites and allows reliable detection of faults in the acoustic backing. Evaluating the final response of 68 transducers showed 5% variance of the series resonance frequency. This indicates good consistency of derived ultrasound performance parameters.
On Smoothness of the Solution to the Abel Equation in Terms of the Jacobi Series Coefficients
Authors: Kukushkin Maksim V.
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we continue our study of the Abel equation with the right-hand side belonging to the Lebesgue weighted space. We have improved the previously known result— the existence and uniqueness theorem formulated in terms of the Jacoby series coefficients that gives us an opportunity to find and classify a solution by virtue of an asymptotic of some relation containing the Jacobi series coefficients of the right-hand side. The main results are the following—the conditions imposed on the parameters, under which the Abel equation has a unique solution represented by the series, are formulated; the relationship between the values of the parameters and the solution smoothness is established. The independence between one of the parameters and the smoothness of the solution is proved.
Peptide Profiling and Biological Activities of 12-Month Ripened Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Authors: Solieri Lisa , Baldaccini Andrea , Martini Serena , Bianchi Aldo , Pizzamiglio Valentina , Tagliazucchi Davide
Published: July 2020

Proteolysis degree, biological activities, and water-soluble peptide patterns were evaluated in 12 month-ripened Parmigiano Reggiano (PR) cheeses collected in different dairy farms and showing different salt and fat content. Samples classified in high-salt and high-fat group (HH) generally showed lower proteolysis degree than samples having low-salt and low-fat content (LL). This positive correlation between salt/fat reduction and proteolysis was also confirmed by the analysis of biological activities, as the LL group showed higher average values of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory and antioxidant activities. UHPLC/HR-MS allowed the identification of 805 unique peptides: LL and HH groups shared 59.3% of these peptides, while 20.9% and 19.9% were LL and HH specific, respectively. Frequency analysis of peptides identified a core of 183 peptides typical of 12-month ripened PR cheeses (corresponding to the 22.7% of total peptides), but no significant differences were detected in peptide patterns between LL and HH groups. Forty bioactive peptides, including 18 ACE-inhibitors and 12 anti-microbial peptides, were identified, of which 25 firstly found in PR cheese. Globally, this work contributed to unraveling the potentially healthy benefits of peptides fraction in PR cheese and provided prior evidence that PR with reduced fat/salt content showed the highest antihypertensive and antioxidant activities.
MOF-Derived CuPt/NC Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Anwar Rehan , Iqbal Naseem , Hanif Saadia , Noor Tayyaba , Shi Xuan , Zaman Neelam , Haider Daarain , M. Rizvi Syed Aun , Kannan A. M.
Published: July 2020

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been at the center stage of material science in the recent past because of their structural properties and wide applications in catalysis. MOFs have also been used as hard templates for the preparation of catalysts. In this study, highly active CuPt/NC electrocatalyst was synthesized by pyrolyzing Cu-tpa MOF along with Pt precursor under flowing Ar-H2 atmosphere. The catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Rotating disk electrode study was performed to determine the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity for CuPt/NC in 0.1 M HClO4 at different revolutions per minute (400, 800, 1200, and 1600) and it was also compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst. Further the ORR performance was evaluated by K-L plots and Tafel slope. CuPt/NC shows excellent ORR performance with onset potential of 0.9 V (vs. RHE), which is comparable with commercial Pt/C. The ORR activity of CuPt/NC is demonstrated as an efficient electrocatalyst for fuel cell.
Trilayer Films of YBa2Cu3O7−x/LaAlO3/YBa2Cu3O7−x with Superconducting Properties Prepared via Sol-Gel Method
Authors: Wu Chuanbao , Wang Yunwei
Published: July 2020

The YBa2Cu3O7−x/LaAlO3/YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO/LAO/YBCO) heterogeneous trilayer film structures were prepared on the LaAlO3 (001) single-crystal substrate via the sol-gel method. The characteristics of the phase, orientation, and superconducting properties were studied via an X-ray diffractometer and a comprehensive physical property measurement system. The results show that when the LAO layer was thin (<40 nm), the trilayer films were relatively pure and had a high c-axis orientation. When the nominal thickness of the LAO layer increased to 70 nm, non-c-axis oriented grains started to appear in the trilayer film. In this case, the top and bottom YBCO layers exhibited superconducting properties, and the resistance was found to be zero at 80.1 and 72.5 K, respectively. In addition, for the YBCO/LAO (40 nm)/YBCO structure, the intermediate LAO layer was too thin to completely cover the surface of the underlying YBCO. This resulted in point contact and micro-bridge contact in several micro-regions, thus forming a weak connection and exhibiting a current-voltage (I–V) characteristic similar to the direct-current (DC) Josephson effect. On the other hand, for the YBCO/LAO (70 nm)/YBCO structure, the thicker LAO layer could completely cover the underlying YBCO surface, which could isolate the superconducting current between the YBCO layers.
Optical Characterization of GaN-Based Vertical Blue Light-Emitting Diodes on P-Type Silicon Substrate
Authors: Lei Yu , Wan Hui , Tang Bin , Lan Shuyu , Miao Jiahao , Wan Zehong , Liu Yingce , Zhou Shengjun
Published: July 2020

Fabricating GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on a silicon (Si) substrate, which is compatible with the widely employed complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) circuits, is extremely important for next-generation high-performance electroluminescence devices. We conducted a systematic investigation of the optical properties of vertical LEDs, to reveal the impacts of the manufacturing process on their optical characteristics. Here, we fabricated and characterized high-efficiency GaN-based LEDs with integrated surface textures including micro-scale periodic hemispherical dimples and nano-scale random hexagonal pyramids on a 4 inch p-type Si substrate. The highly reflective Ag/TiW metallization scheme was performed to decrease downward-absorbing light. We demonstrated the influence of transferring LED epilayers from a sapphire substrate onto the Si substrate on the emission characteristics of the vertical LEDs. The removal of the sapphire substrate reduced the adverse impacts of the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE). The influence of integrated surface textures on the light extraction efficiency (LEE) of the vertical LEDs was studied. With the injection current of 350 mA, vertical LEDs with integrated surface textures demonstrated an excellent light output power of 468.9 mW with an emission peak wavelength of 456 nm. This work contributes to the integration of GaN-based vertical LEDs into Si-based integrated circuits.
Frequency-Domain Evidence for Climate Change
Authors: Mangat Manveer Kaur , Reschenhofer Erhard
Published: July 2020

The goal of this paper is to search for conclusive evidence against the stationarity of the global air surface temperature, which is one of the most important indicators of climate change. For this purpose, possible long-range dependencies are investigated in the frequency-domain. Since conventional tests of hypotheses about the memory parameter, which measures the degree of long-range dependence, are typically based on asymptotic arguments and are therefore of limited practical value in case of small or medium sample sizes, we employ a new small-sample test as well as a related estimator for the memory parameter. To safeguard against false positive findings, simulation studies are carried out to examine the suitability of the employed methods and hemispheric datasets are used to check the robustness of the empirical findings against low-frequency natural variability caused by oceanic cycles. Overall, our frequency-domain analysis provides strong evidence of non-stationarity, which is consistent with previous results obtained in the time domain with models allowing for stochastic or deterministic trends.
A Review on Evaluation and Configuration of Fault Injection Attack Instruments to Design Attack Resistant MCU-Based IoT Applications
Authors: Kazemi Zahra , Hely David , Fazeli Mahdi , Beroulle Vincent
Published: July 2020

The Internet-of-Things (IoT) has gained significant importance in all aspects of daily life, and there are many areas of application for it. Despite the rate of expansion and the development of infrastructure, such systems also bring new concerns and challenges. Security and privacy are at the top of the list and must be carefully considered by designers and manufacturers. Not only do the devices need to be protected against software and network-based attacks, but proper attention must also be paid to recently emerging hardware-based attacks. However, low-cost unit software developers are not always sufficiently aware of existing vulnerabilities due to these kinds of attacks. To tackle the issue, various platforms are proposed to enable rapid and easy evaluation against physical attacks. Fault attacks are the noticeable type of physical attacks, in which the normal and secure behavior of the targeted devices is liable to be jeopardized. Indeed, such attacks can cause serious malfunctions in the underlying applications. Various studies have been conducted in other research works related to the different aspects of fault injection. Two of the primary means of fault attacks are clock and voltage fault injection. These attacks can be performed with a moderate level of knowledge, utilizing low-cost facilities to target IoT systems. In this paper, we explore the main parameters of the clock and voltage fault generators. This can help hardware security specialists to develop an open-source platform and to evaluate their design against such attacks. The principal concepts of both methods are studied for this purpose. Thereafter, we conclude our paper with the need for such an evaluation platform in the design and production cycle of embedded systems and IoT devices.
End-to-End Noisy Speech Recognition Using Fourier and Hilbert Spectrum Features
Authors: Vazhenina Daria , Markov Konstantin
Published: July 2020

Despite the progress of deep neural networks over the last decade, the state-of-the-art speech recognizers in noisy environment conditions are still far from reaching satisfactory performance. Methods to improve noise robustness usually include adding components to the recognition system that often need optimization. For this reason, data augmentation of the input features derived from the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) has become a popular approach. However, for many speech processing tasks, there is an evidence that the combination of STFT-based and Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT)-based features improves the overall performance. The Hilbert spectrum can be obtained using adaptive mode decomposition (AMD) techniques, which are noise-robust and suitable for non-linear and non-stationary signal analysis. In this study, we developed a DeepSpeech2-based recognition system by adding a combination of STFT and HHT spectrum-based features. We propose several ways to combine those features at different levels of the neural network. All evaluations were performed using the WSJ and CHiME-4 databases. Experimental results show that combining STFT and HHT spectra leads to a 5–7% relative improvement in noisy speech recognition.
Bidirectional Operation Scheme of Grid-Tied Zeta Inverter for Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Choi Woo-Young
Published: July 2020

The zeta inverter has been used for single-phase grid-tied applications. For its use of energy storage systems, this paper proposes the bidirectional operation scheme of the grid-tied zeta inverter. A shoot-through switching state is introduced, providing reliable bidirectional operation modes. A shoot-through duty cycle is utilized for the bidirectional grid current control of the inverter. The grid current is bidirectionally controlled by the shoot-through duty cycle, which enables the inverter to operate with seamless change of operation modes. Over the state-of-the art techniques using flyback and Cuk inverter topologies, the grid-tied zeta inverter using the proposed operation scheme provides advantages of high efficiency, low cost, and high reliability. The operation principle is presented by describing the operation mode and control method for the grid-tied zeta inverter. A 500 W prototype has been built and tested to verify its operation principle.
SAPTM: Towards High-Throughput Per-Flow Traffic Measurement with a Systolic Array-Like Architecture on FPGA
Authors: Cheng Qixuan , Zhao Xiaolei , Wen Mei , Shen Junzhong , Tang Minjin , Zhang Chunyuan
Published: July 2020

Per-flow traffic measurement has emerged as a critical but challenging task in data centers in recent years in the face of massive network traffic. Many approximate methods have been proposed to resolve the existing resource-accuracy trade-off in per-flow traffic measurement, one of which is the sketch-based method. However, sketches are affected by their high computational cost and low throughput; moreover, their measurement accuracy is hard to guarantee under the conditions of changing network bandwidth or flow size distribution. Recently, FPGAplatforms have been widely deployed in data centers, as they demonstrate a good fit for high-speed network processing. In this work, we aim to address the problem of per-flow traffic measurement from a hardware architecture perspective. We thus design SAPTM, a pipelined systolic array-like architecture for high-throughput per-flow traffic measurement on FPGA. We adopt memory-friendly D-left hashing in the design of SAPTM, which guarantees high space utilization during flow insertion and eviction, successfully addressing the challenge of tracking a high-speed data stream under limited memory resources on FPGA. Evaluations on the Xilinx VCU118 platform with real-world benchmarks demonstrate that SAPTM possesses high space utilization. Comparisons with state-of-the-art sketch-based solutions show that SAPTM outperforms comparison methods in terms of throughput by a factor of 14.1x–70.5x without any accuracy loss.
Development of a New-Concept Supercharged Single-Cylinder Engine for Race Car
Authors: Song Chuanxue , Yu Gangpu , Yang Shuai , Yang Ruoli , Sun Yi , Wang Da
Published: July 2020

This article summarises the development and experience of the Formula Student race car engine from 2018. According to the technical rules of Formula Student after the change in 2017, this engine adopts a new design concept, employs a 690-mL single-cylinder engine as the base, and applies ‘response enhancement technology’ with supercharging as the core to achieve a high-power output, a wide high-torque range and an excellent response capability. During the development, various studies on the dynamic performance of the vehicle and the engine were conducted, including vehicle dynamics analysis and track simulation, parameter matching of the supercharger and the engine, control strategy design, and the intake and exhaust system design. This research builds a supercharger air flow and efficiency test bench and an engine performance test bench. Test results show that the developed engine can output 122% of the original power and 120% of the original torque with a 20-mm diameter intake restrictor. Compared with previous generation race cars with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the new race car‘s 0–100 km/h acceleration time is shortened by 0.2 s, the torque response time under typical condition is shortened by 80%, and the lap time of the integrated circuit is reduced by 7%.
Advantages and Pitfalls in Fluid Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Omar Syed Haris , Preddy John
Published: July 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a commonly occurring neurodegenerative disease in the advanced-age population, with a doubling of prevalence for each 5 years of age above 60 years. In the past two decades, there has been a sustained effort to find suitable biomarkers that may not only aide with the diagnosis of AD early in the disease process but also predict the onset of the disease in asymptomatic individuals. Current diagnostic evidence is supportive of some biomarker candidates isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), including amyloid beta peptide (Aβ), total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) as being involved in the pathophysiology of AD. However, there are a few biomarkers that have been shown to be helpful, such as proteomic, inflammatory, oral, ocular and olfactory in the early detection of AD, especially in the individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To date, biomarkers are collected through invasive techniques, especially CSF from lumbar puncture; however, non-invasive (radio imaging) methods are used in practice to diagnose AD. In order to reduce invasive testing on the patients, present literature has highlighted the potential importance of biomarkers in blood to assist with diagnosing AD.
Effectiveness of Cover Crops to Reduce Loss of Soil Organic Matter in a Rainfed Vineyard
Authors: López-Vicente Manuel , Calvo-Seas Elena , Álvarez Sara , Cerdà Artemi
Published: July 2020

Cover crops (CCs) minimize the loss of soil in permanent cropping systems where the soil is usually bare due to intense tillage or overuse of herbicides. The topsoil, the richer layer in soil organic carbon and organic matter (OM), is affected by water erosion. Nature-based solutions appear as a suitable option for sustainable farming. In this study, the effectiveness of two years of CC management to reduce the OM loss is evaluated in a rainfed vineyard in a rolling landscape (Huesca, NE Spain). Two sediment traps collected runoff over 15 months. Topsoil OM contents (1.64% and 1.60%) and sediment/soil OM enrichment ratio (2.61 and 3.07) were similar. However, the average annual rate of OM loss was 3.6 times higher in the plot with lower vegetation cover than in the plot with CCs (1.29 vs. 0.35 kgOM ha−1 yr−1). The concentration of OMSed showed a negative relationship with the net soil loss; and significant differences appeared between the OMSed in the months with low and moderate-to-high ground cover. CCs are an excellent nature-based solution to control the unsustainable soil and OM losses measured in vineyards, which will contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
Structural Properties of Interfacial Layers in Tantalum to Stainless Steel Clad with Copper Interlayer Produced by Explosive Welding
Authors: Paul Henryk , Chulist Robert , Mania Izabela
Published: July 2020

A systematic study of explosively welded tantalum and 304 L stainless steel clad with M1E copper interlayer was carried out to characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties of interfacial layers. Microstructures were examined using transmission and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy, whereas mechanical properties were evaluated using microhardness measurements and a bending test. The macroscale analyses showed that both interfaces between joined sheets were deformed to a wave-shape with solidified melt zones located preferentially at the crest of the wave and in the wave vortexes. The microscopic analyses showed that the solidified melt zones are composed of nano-/micro-crystalline phases of different chemical composition, incorporating elements from the joined sheets. SEM/electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) measurements revealed the microstructure of layers of parent sheets that undergo severe plastic deformation causing refinement of the initial grains. It has been established that severely deformed areas can undergo recovery and recrystallization already during clad processing. This leads to the formation of new stress-free grains. The microhardness of welded sheets increases significantly as the joining interface is approaching excluding the volumes directly adhering to large melted zones, where a noticeable drop of microhardness, due to recrystallization, is observed. On lateral bending the integrity of the all clad components is conserved.
Stenamoeba dejonckheerei sp. nov., a Free-Living Amoeba Isolated from a Thermal Spring
Authors: Borquez-Román Manuel Alejandro , Lares-Jiménez Luis Fernando , Rodriguez-Anaya Libia Zulema , Gonzalez-Galaviz Jose Reyes , Fuerst Paul A. , Ibarra-Gámez José Cuauhtémoc , Casillas-Hernández Ramón , Lares-Villa Fernando
Published: July 2020

Two amoeboid organisms were obtained from water samples taken from a thermal spring, "Agua Caliente", in Northwestern Mexico. The isolates were obtained when samples were cultivated at 37 °C on non-nutrient agar coated with Escherichia coli. The initial identification of the isolates was performed morphologically using light microscopy. The samples were found to have trophozoite morphology consistent with members of the genus Stenamoeba, a genus derived in 2007 from within the abolished polyphyletic genus Platyamoeba. Further analysis was performed by sequencing PCR products obtained using universal eukaryotic primers for the small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA) gene. Sequencing primers were designed to allow the comparison of the 18S rRNA gene sequences of the new isolates with previous sequences reported for Stenamoeba. Phylogenetic relationships among sequences from Stenamoeba were determined using Maximum Likelihood analysis. The results showed the two "Agua Caliente" sequences to be closely related, while clearly separating them from those of other Stenamoeba taxa. The degrees of sequence differentiation from other taxa were considered sufficient to allow us to propose that the Mexican isolates represent a new species.
Automatic Detection of Pornographic and Gambling Websites Based on Visual and Textual Content Using a Decision Mechanism
Authors: Chen Yang , Zheng Rongfeng , Zhou Anmin , Liao Shan , Liu Liang
Published: July 2020

Pornographic and gambling websites become increasingly stubborn via disguising, misleading, blocking, and bypassing, which hinder the construction of a safe and healthy network environment. However, most traditional approaches conduct the detection process through a single aspect of these sites, which would fail to handle the more intricate and challenging situations. To alleviate this problem, this study proposed an automatic detection system for porn and gambling websites based on visual and textual content using a decision mechanism (PG-VTDM). This system can be applied to the intelligent wireless router at home or school to realize the identification, blocking, and warning of ill-suited websites. First, Doc2Vec was employed to learn the textual features that can be used to represent the textual content in the hypertext markup language (HTML) source code of the websites. In addition, the traditional bag-of-visual-words (BoVW) was improved by introducing local spatial relationships of feature points for better representing the visual features of the website screenshot. Then, based on these two types of features, a text classifier and an image classifier were both trained. In the decision mechanism, a data fusion algorithm based on logistic regression (LR) was designed to obtain the final prediction result by measuring the contribution of the two classification results to the final category prediction. The efficiency of this proposed approach was substantiated via comparison experiments using gambling and porn website datasets crawled from the Internet. The proposed approach outperformed the approach based on a single feature and some state-of-the-art approaches, with accuracy, precision, and F-measure all over 99%.
Direct and Indirect Impacts of Housing Tenure Mix on Antisocial Behavior: A Study of Hong Kong’s Private Housing Communities
Authors: Yau Yung
Published: July 2020

The problem of antisocial behavior (ASB) undermines the life quality of urban residents. While many previous studies on ASB focused on the solutions, little effort has been dedicated to finding out the social determinants of the levels of ASB problems in private housing communities, especially in high-rise residential settings in Asian cities. Previous empirical research suggests that ASB seriousness can be a function of poor neighborliness, community detachment and management efficacy. Yet, the link between housing tenure mix and ASB problems has been underexplored in the literature. In this light, a multilevel design with hierarchical modeling was employed to test the hypothesized direct and indirect (moderation) effects of housing tenure mix on the perceived seriousness of ASB in neighborhoods. The dataset came from a structured questionnaire survey of 592 residents living in 17 private high-rise housing communities in Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong. The results indicated that the seriousness of the ASB problem was largely dependent on poor neighborliness and community detachment. A higher level of renting in a housing community was also found to amplify perceived ASB seriousness, and enhance the influence of poor neighborliness on ASB seriousness. The research findings highlight the importance of tenure mix in predicting the degree of ASB proliferation in a housing community.
Dyscirculatory encephalopathy in clinical practice
Authors: Skvortsov V. , Gavrilenko E. , Sultanova Yu. , Demiashchenkova A.
Published: July 2020

Dyscirculatory encephalopathy (DE) or chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency (CPVC) is a condition in which the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the brain cells is impaired, and damage and impairment of the functions occur in these cells. It is worth noting that elderly people suffer from this disease more often, but there has been a disappointing tendency of early onset of the disease. Clinical picture of this syndrome is as follows: impaired memory, speech, hearing; function of maintaining balance and even gait suffer, in rare cases there are urinary disorders — all this inevitably leads to a decrease in the quality of human life.