bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strengthening Student Character Through Internalization of Religious Values in School
Authors: Sauri Sofyan , Sanusi Anwar , Saleh Nalahuddin , Khalid Shofa Musthofa
Published: December 2022

Abstract: Religious character is the principal capital teachers must teach students in schools. The religious character formed from a religious footing will allow someone to measure everything. Therefore, strengthening religious character must be seen as a conscious and planned effort by the teacher, not an effort that occurs by chance. This study aimed to explore in depth the implementation of strengthening student character through the internalization of religious character values carried out by teachers in Cianjur district schools. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive method. Furthermore, data collection is done through observation, interviews, and documentation. The results showed that the highest percentage of strengthening students' character through internalization of religious values carried out by teachers to students was the value of worship, as much as 95%. At the same time, the patient value has the lowest percentage, 75%. This shows that the value of patience must be increased again in its cultivation both in learning and outside the classroom. Abstrak: Karakter religius merupakan modal utama yang harus diajarkan oleh guru kepada siswa di sekolah. Karakter religius yang terbentuk dari pijakan religius akan memungkinkan seseorang untuk mengukur segala sesuatu. Oleh karena itu, penguatan karakter religius harus dilihat sebagai upaya sadar dan terencana oleh guru, bukan upaya yang terjadi secara kebetulan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menggali secara mendalam tentang pelaksanaan penguatan karakter siswa melalui internalisasi nilai-nilai karakter religius yang dilakukan oleh guru di sekolah kabupaten Cianjur. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif. Selanjutnya pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persentase paling tinggi dari penguatan karakter siswa melalui internalisasi nilai-nilai religius yang dilakukan oleh guru kepada siswa adalah nilai ibadah sebanyak 95%. Sedangkan nilai sabar memiliki persentase paling rendah yaitu 75%. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa nilai sabar mesti ditingkatkan kembali dalam penanamannya baik dalam pembelajaran di kelas maupun di luar kelas.
The Internalization Of Islamic Values In The Learning Of Aqidah Akhlak In Shaping The Character Of Students At Man 1 Bone
Authors: Abidin A. Mustika
Published: December 2022

Abstract: This study aims to describe the internalization of Islamic values in the learning of moral aqidah in shaping the character of students at MAN 1 Bone. This research uses empiricism qualitative research. The results showed that: 1) The form of internalization of Islamic values in the learning of moral aqidah in shaping the character of students which was applied by the teacher was by internalizing the value of monotheism, the value of aqidah/faith, moral values, sharia values, and the value of Insan Kamil, 2) Method internalization of Islamic values in the learning of moral aqidah applied by teachers, namely using the lecture method, question and answer, group discussions, stories/examples, creating a conducive atmosphere, habituation, instilling and enforcing discipline, giving good advice, using media/technology, and doing field trips or nature tadabur in shaping the character of students at MAN 1 Bone, 3) The implication of internalizing Islamic values on learning aqidah and morals in shaping the character of students at MAN 1 Bone causes students to always be active, obedient, and subject to the rules, both individually as well as intellectually-religiously. Another implication is that it has a positive impact on the minds, attitudes, and souls of students so that various changes appear that result in the formation of good character. Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan internalisasi nilai-nilai Islam pada pembelajaran akidah akhlak dalam membentuk karakter siswa di MAN 1 Bone. Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian kualitatif empirisme. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: 1) Bentuk internalisasi nilai-nilai Islam pada pembelajaran akidah akhlak dalam membentuk karakter siswa yang diterapkan oleh guru yaitu dengan menginternalisasikan nilai tauhid, nilai akidah/keimanan, nilai akhlak, nilai syariah, dan nilai Insan kamil, 2) Metode internalisasi nilai-nilai Islam pada pembelajaran akidah akhlak yang diterapkan oleh guru yaitu menggunakan metode ceramah, tanya jawab, diskusi kelompok, kisah/keteladanan, menciptakan suasana yang kondusif, pembiasaan, penanaman dan penegakan kedisiplinan, memberikan nasihat yang baik, menggunakan media/teknologi, dan melakukan karyawisata atau tadabur alam dalam membentuk karakter siswa di MAN 1 Bone, 3) Implikasi internalisasi nilai-nilai Islam pada pembelajaran akidah akhlak dalam membentuk karakter siswa di MAN 1 Bone menyebabkan siswa selalu aktif, patuh, dan tunduk terhadap aturan-aturan, baik secara individu-kelompok maupun secara intelektual-agama. Implikasi lainnya yaitu, memberi dampak positif bagi pikiran, sikap, dan jiwa siswa sehingga muncul berbagai perubahan yang mengakibatkan terbentuknya karakter yang baik.
USULAN RANCANGAN ULANG UNTUK AREA MAKAN DI DR. MOCHTAR RIADY STUDENT CENTER UNIVERSITAS MA CHUNG MALANG
Authors: Priskila Mega Octiandriani  , Teguh Oktiarso  , Yuswono Hadi
Published: December 2022

Dr. Mochtar Riady Student Center merupakan salah satu bangunan di Universitas Ma Chung yang digunakan sebagai area makan untuk mahasiswa, karyawan, maupun dosen. Pada saat ini, luas area makan belum digunakan secara maksimal serta fasilitas yang ada di dalam area makan kurang memadai. Oleh karena itu, dibuatlah perancangan layout usulan  yang dapat memaksimalkan luas area makan dan memaksimalkan  fasilitas penunjang kebutuhan pada area makan Student Center lantai 1 dan 2 dengan menggunakan penerapan ergonomi. Hasil dari penelitian adalah adanya perancangan fasilitas yang ergonomis dan juga layout yang dapat memaksimalkan luas area. Fasilitas pada area makan mengingkat dari 36 meja menjadi 138 meja, 190 kursi menjadi 652 kursi, 3 area stop kontak listrik menjadi 22 area, 3 tempat sampah menjadi 14 tempat sampah dan juga adanya perancangan fasilitas baru untuk stand, booth, wastafel dan rak pengembalian alat makan.
USULAN PERBAIKAN LABORATORIUM KOMPUTER UNIVERSITAS MA CHUNG PADA ASPEK SUHU DAN PENCAHAYAAN DENGAN PENDEKATAN ERGONOMI PARTISIPATORI
Authors: Jovita Febrini Lius  , Teguh Oktiarso  , Novenda Kartika Putrianto
Published: December 2022

Kenyamanan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan fasilitas kampus sangatlah penting. Universitas Ma Chung menyediakan banyak fasilitas kampus untuk mahasiswa nya, salah satunya adalah laboratorium komputer. Terdapat dua laboratorium komputer yang sering digunakan adalah laboratorium komputer Kristen Nygaard dan laboratorium komputer Ole Johan Dahl. Pada penelitian ini akan menggunakan metode pendekatan Ergonomi Partisipatori untuk mengetahui apakah mahasiswa merasa nyaman ketika menggunakan laboratorium komputer. Penelitian ini meneliti kenyamanan mahasiswa dalam aspek suhu dan pencahayaan untuk mengetahui apakah kedua aspek tersebut mempunyai pengaruh terhadap kenyamanan mahasiswa ketika menggunakan laboratorium komputer. Pendekatan ergonomi partisipatori didalam penelitian ini dilakukan dengan meminta mahasiswa sebagai partisipan untuk mengisi kuesioner kenyamanan dalam menggunakan laboratorium komputer, yang didalamnya terdapat total 13 pertanyaan dengan 3 indikator kenyamanan, yaitu suhu ruangan, pencahayaan ruangan, dan LCD. Setelah mahasiswa mengisi kuesioner kemudian data hasil kuesioner kemudian akan diuji dengan menggunakan uji validitas, uji reliabilitas dan uji normalitas. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian yang telah dilakukan dan hasil analisis data didapatka bahwa aspek suhu dan pencahayaan mempengaruhi tingkat kenyamanan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan laboratorium komputer.
Classification and Regression Trees (CART) Algorithm for Employee Selection
Authors: Rahmawati Aulia , Affandi Rizal Muhammad , Aprillia Dea Debora , Maulana Daffa , Pratama Zudha , Hidajat Moch. Sjamsul
Published: December 2022

Recruitment is the main key in an effort to improve the quality of human resources in a company. Good or bad employees greatly affect the quality of the company. Therefore, it is necessary to be thorough and take a long time in screening applicants in order to get competent, professional and as expected prospective employees. The absence of professional staff to conduct employee selection is the background of this research. So the researcher uses the CART algorithm for the classification of employee recruitment, so it is hoped that it can help companies in conducting employee selection. The dataset was obtained from the selection of freelance daily workers at the Pati Regency Civil Service Police Unit in 2018, totaling 290 prospective employees. Based on calculations on 5-fold cross validation, the resulting accuracy is 98.27%, precision is 99.13% and recall is 96.88%.
Balanced development of agricultural activity in rural areas of Ukraine
Authors: Krokhtiak O. , Olkhovych S. , Grynyk O.
Published: December 2022

Rural areas play an important role in the socioeconomic and environmental development of any state, as they focus on almost all agricultural activities, which are impossible without three components: economic, environmental and social. Therefore, our work is devoted to the development of economic relations in various industries (crop production, animal husbandry) in rural areas. An analysis of agricultural activity (crop production) in 2017–2020 by indicators: crop yield, sown area of crops and the number of agricultural products of own production sold by households. It is established that in 2020 the yield of agricultural crops decreased from 3.12% (sugar beet) to 9.31% (cereals and legumes), also decreased the sown area and the number of products sold. The analysis of agricultural activity (livestock) was conducted on the following indicators: the presence of farm animals, livestock products and sales of own products and showed a downward trend in 2020 compared to 2017. Thus, the presence of farm animals in 2020 decreased from 3.4% (cattle) to 20.04% of sheep), decreased the number of sold livestock products from 12.04% (eggs) to 20.04% (sheep); at the same time, the number of products increased. All this indicates that agricultural activity by industry in rural areas is gradually declining. In our opinion, the balanced development of agricultural activities in rural areas should be in harmony with environmental, social and economic components. It is also necessary to revive rural areas through the optimization of territorial organization.
Cyber-Security Attacks, Prevention and Malware Detection Application
Authors: Moldovan Darius , Riurean Simona
Published: December 2022

The internet has become more or less, for most of us a dangerous place to live, work and relax when no proper measures are taken, and the response to incidents is not very clear and well implemented, both for organizations and individuals. This paper makes a short overview of current types and incidents of cyber-attacks, as well as the current state of threats, and the grade of awareness worldwide. Some methods to prevent cyber-attacks, malware analysis, and threat hunting, are presented, too. The paper also contains an application developed with a series of APIs that link the application to open-source tools and activate them, hence analyzing the content of the possible malicious files.
Investigating Different Social Media Platforms Used by Tourists to Book a Hotel in Greece
Authors: Vlachopoulou Olympia , Paliktzoglou Vasileios
Published: December 2022

The tourism industry has been recognized as one of the largest economic sector in Greece. The expansion of social media has contributed to introducing new digital marketing tools and changed the way tourist acquire and digest information in the decision-making process to book a hotel. The aim of this quantitative research is to investigate the different types of social media platforms used by tourists to book a hotel in Greece. Descriptive analysis was employed to analyze the data (N= 171) from tourists in Greece. The findings revealed that the majority of participants used TripAdvisor, Instagram and Nikana.gr to book a hotel in Greece, followed by grecia.directbooking.ro and Booking.com receiving lower percentages. Moreover, the guests’ reviews of the hotel, the photos and shots of the hotel on the social media platforms and special offers and discounts on hotels’ social media were the three main participants’ criteria for choosing social media to book a hotel. This study provides an insight for all the relevant stakeholders involved with social media in the travel and hospitality sector more specifically in the hotel field in Greece.
The Current Landscape of Digital Transformation. An Overview, and Prospects in Romania
Authors: Riurean Simona
Published: December 2022

Many scientific papers, articles, and books related to digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation have been published, and many issues are defined, researched, and discussed for two decades already worldwide, yet with timid application in real life. However, the digital transformation process in many countries has been significantly accelerated by the Covid-19 difficult situations due to social distance restrictions, and especially the lockdowns imposed by governments. The paper summarizes the roadmap to digital transformation in 193 countries according to EGDI (United Nations E-Government Development Index), the EU’s main areas for multi-projects, and Romania’s e-Government and e-Business current situation. There are also presented a number of examples of successful e-Government and e-Business projects in Romania.
Excessive response to provocation rather than disinhibition mediates irritable behaviour in Huntington’s disease
Authors: McLauchlan Duncan James , Linden David E. J. , Rosser Anne E.
Published: December 2022

Background

Irritable and impulsive behaviour are common in Huntington’s disease (HD: an autosomal dominant disorder causing degeneration in cortico-striatal networks). However, the cognitive mechanisms underlying these symptoms remain unclear, and previous research has not determined if common mechanisms underpin both symptoms. Here we used established and novel tasks to probe different aspects of irritable and impulsive behaviour to determine the neural mechanisms involved.

Methods

We recruited a cohort of 53 gene positive HD participants and 26 controls from non-affected family members and local volunteers. We used established questionnaire measures of irritability in HD (Snaith Irritability Scale, Problem Behaviours Assessment) and impulsivity [Urgency, Premeditation Perseverance, Sensation-seeking, Positive urgency scale (UPPSP), Barratt Impulsivity Scale], in addition to cognitive tasks of provocation, motor inhibition, delay discounting and decision making under uncertainty. We used generalised linear models to determine differences between cases and controls, and associations with irritability in the HD group.

Results

We found differences between cases and controls on the negative urgency subscale of the UPPSP, which was associated with irritability in HD. The frustrative non-reward provocation task also showed differences between cases and controls, in addition to predicting irritability in HD. The stop signal reaction time task showed case-control differences but was not associated with irritability in HD. None of the other measures showed group differences or predicted irritability in HD after correcting for confounding variables.

Discussion

Irritability in HD is mediated by excessive response to provocation, rather than a failure of motor inhibition.
Long Non-Coding RNAs as Epigenetic Regulators of Immune Checkpoints in Cancer Immunity
Authors: Saadi Wiam , Fatmi Ahlam , Pallardó Federico V. , García-Giménez José Luis , Mena-Molla Salvador
Published: December 2022

In recent years, cancer treatment has undergone significant changes, predominantly in the shift towards immunotherapeutic strategies using immune checkpoint inhibitors. Despite the clinical efficacy of many of these inhibitors, the overall response rate remains modest, and immunotherapies for many cancers have proved ineffective, highlighting the importance of knowing the tumor microenvironment and heterogeneity of each malignancy in patients. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted increasing attention for their ability to control various biological processes by targeting different molecular pathways. Some lncRNAs have a regulatory role in immune checkpoints, suggesting they might be utilized as a target for immune checkpoint treatment. The focus of this review is to describe relevant lncRNAs and their targets and functions to understand key regulatory mechanisms that may contribute in regulating immune checkpoints. We also provide the state of the art on super-enhancers lncRNAs (selncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), which have recently been reported as modulators of immune checkpoint molecules within the framework of human cancer. Other feasible mechanisms of interaction between lncRNAs and immune checkpoints are also reported, along with the use of miRNAs and circRNAs, in generating new tumor immune microenvironments, which can further help avoid tumor evasion.
Clinical Significance of Glycolytic Metabolic Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Jung Joann , Park Sowon , Jang Yeonwoo , Lee Sung-Hwan , Jeong Yun Seong , Yim Sun Young , Lee Ju-Seog
Published: December 2022

High metabolic activity is a hallmark of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular features of HCC with high metabolic activity contributing to clinical outcomes and the therapeutic implications of these characteristics are poorly understood. We aimed to define the features of HCC with high metabolic activity and uncover its association with response to current therapies. By integrating gene expression data from mouse liver tissues and tumor tissues from HCC patients (n = 1038), we uncovered three metabolically distinct HCC subtypes that differ in clinical outcomes and underlying molecular biology. The high metabolic subtype is characterized by poor survival, the strongest stem cell signature, high genomic instability, activation of EPCAM and SALL4, and low potential for benefitting from immunotherapy. Interestingly, immune cell analysis showed that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are highly enriched in high metabolic HCC tumors, suggesting that high metabolic activity of cancer cells may trigger activation or infiltration of Tregs, leading to cancer cells’ evasion of anti-cancer immune cells. In summary, we identified clinically and metabolically distinct subtypes of HCC, potential biomarkers associated with these subtypes, and a potential mechanism of metabolism-mediated immune evasion by HCC cells.
The Anti- and Pro-Tumorigenic Role of Microbiota and Its Role in Anticancer Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Greco Giulia , Zeppa Sabrina Donati , Agostini Deborah , Attisani Giuseppe , Stefanelli Claudio , Ferrini Fabio , Sestili Piero , Fimognari Carmela
Published: December 2022

Human gut microbiota physiologically and actively participates as a symbiont to a wide number of fundamental biological processes, such as absorption and metabolism of nutrients, regulation of immune response and inflammation; gut microbiota plays also an antitumor role. However, dysbiosis, resulting from a number of different situations—dysmicrobism, infections, drug intake, age, diet—as well as from their multiple combinations, may lead to tumorigenesis and is associated with approximately 20% of all cancers. In a diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, and epidemiological perspective, it is clear that the bifaceted role of microbiota needs to be thoroughly studied and better understood. Here, we discuss the anti- and pro-tumorigenic potential of gut and other microbiota districts along with the causes that may change commensal bacteria from friend to foes.
The CAM Model—Q&A with Experts
Authors: Fischer Dagmar , Fluegen Georg , Garcia Paul , Ghaffari-Tabrizi-Wizsy Nassim , Gribaldo Laura , Huang Ruby Yun-Ju , Rasche Volker , Ribatti Domenico , Rousset Xavier , Pinto Marta Texeira , Viallet Jean , Wang Yan , Schneider-Stock Regine
Published: December 2022

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), as an extraembryonic tissue layer generated by the fusion of the chorion with the vascularized allantoic membrane, is easily accessible for manipulation. Indeed, grafting tumor cells on the CAM lets xenografts/ovografts develop in a few days for further investigations. Thus, the CAM model represents an alternative test system that is a simple, fast, and low-cost tool to study tumor growth, drug response, or angiogenesis in vivo. Recently, a new era for the CAM model in immune-oncology-based drug discovery has been opened up. Although there are many advantages offering extraordinary and unique applications in cancer research, it has also disadvantages and limitations. This review will discuss the pros and cons with experts in the field.
To β or Not to β: How Important Is β-Catenin Dependent and Independent WNT Signaling in CLL?
Authors: Urbanek Karol D. , Stilgenbauer Stephan , Mertens Daniel
Published: December 2022

WNT pathways play an important role in cancer development and progression, but WNT pathways can also inhibit growth in melanoma, prostate, and ovarian cancers. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is known for its overexpression of several WNT ligands and receptors. Canonical WNT signaling is β-catenin-dependent, whereas non-canonical WNT signaling is β-catenin-independent. Research on WNT in CLL focuses mainly on non-canonical signaling due to the high expression of the WNT-5a receptor ROR1. However, it was also shown that mutations in canonical WNT pathway genes can lead to WNT activation in CLL. The focus of this review is β-catenin-independent signaling and β-catenin-dependent signaling within CLL cells and the role of WNT in the leukemic microenvironment. The major role of WNT pathways in CLL pathogenesis also makes WNT a possible therapeutic target, directly or in combination with other drugs.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Transcriptional Profiles That Affect the Clinical Response to PD-1 Inhibitors in Patients with Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Byeon Hye Eun , Haam Seokjin , Han Jae Ho , Lee Hyun Woo , Koh Young Wha
Published: December 2022

Using a machine learning method, we investigated the intrinsic and extrinsic transcriptional profiles that affect the clinical response to PD-1 inhibitors in 57 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among the top 100 genes associated with the responsiveness to PD-1 inhibitors, the proportion of intrinsic genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) (69%) was higher than in NSCLC overall (36%) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) (33%). The intrinsic gene signature of LUAD (mean area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.957 and mean accuracy = 0.9) had higher predictive power than either the intrinsic gene signature of NSCLC or LUSC or the extrinsic gene signature of NSCLC, LUAD, or LUSC. The high intrinsic gene signature group had a high overall survival rate in LUAD (p = 0.034). When we performed a pathway enrichment analysis, the cell cycle and cellular senescence pathways were related to the upregulation of intrinsic genes in LUAD. The intrinsic signature of LUAD also showed a positive correlation with other immune checkpoint targets, including CD274, LAG3, and PDCD1LG2 (Spearman correlation coefficient > 0.25). PD-1 inhibitor-related intrinsic gene patterns differed significantly between LUAD and LUSC and may be a particularly useful biomarker in LUAD.
Analysis of Scat for Gut Microbiome Identification in Wolves from a Mediterranean and an Alpine Area
Authors: Nardi Francesco , Lazzeri Lorenzo , Iannotti Nicola , Donini Valerio , Cucini Claudio , Belardi Irene , Frati Francesco , Carapelli Antonio , Ferretti Francesco
Published: December 2022

The gut microbiome can play a fundamental role in several processes associated with an organism’s ecology, and research on the microbiota of wild animals has flourished in the last decades. Microbiome composition can vary across and within species according to taxonomy and environmental variability, including the availability of food resources. Species with a large distribution may exhibit spatial patterns acting at local/regional scales. We considered one of the most widespread and ecologically important predators in the world, i.e., the grey wolf Canis lupus, for which microbiome data is unduly limited. We studied four packs in different ecological conditions in Italy—two packs from a Mediterranean coastal area and two packs from an Alpine range—using an amplicon sequencing barcoding approach. Overall, our results are consistent with food habits entailing a diet largely based on wild prey and agree with findings obtained on other species of canids. If confirmed through a larger sample, they would support the hypothesis of an influence of the shared evolutionary history across canids on the composition of the gut microbiome. Some emerging differences were observed among packs in terms of species composition (Jaccard) and diversity, providing partial support to recent indications on pack identity as a significant determinant of microbiome composition. These results should be considered preliminary results of gut microbiome composition in our study areas.
Terrestrial and Subterranean Mammals as Reservoirs of Zoonotic Diseases in the Central Part of European Russia
Authors: Andreychev Alexey , Boyarova Ekaterina , Brandler Oleg , Tukhbatullin Andrei , Kapustina Svetlana
Published: December 2022

Russia has a number of historical foci of zoonotic anthropogenic diseases. In Central Russia, the Republic of Mordovia is one of such areas, a region being known to have foci of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and tularemia. It therefore requires continuous monitoring. The role of small terrestrial mammals as reservoirs of zoonoses has been previously proven for the region. The aim of this work is to take an integrated approach to assess the role of terrestrial and subterranean small mammals. Subterranean mammals are often not considered important reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens that cause human morbidity. Among small mammals in the wild environment, the bank vole, the yellow-necked mouse and the house mouse play important roles as vectors of zoonoses. Among wild subterranean mammals, the greater mole rat is important as a vector of tularemia and HFRS. We analyzed homogenized internal organs of these animals (lungs, spleen, kidneys). Of all samples from the greater mole rat, 83% were positive for tularemia antigens and 17% were positive forHFRS. None of the analyzed European moles had antigens of tularemia and HFRS. No double infection with both tularemia and hantavirus was detected in the subterranean mammals. Double infection was found among terrestrial mammals in the bank vole and the forest dormouse.
The Impact of Hoffmann Reflex on Standing Postural Control Complexity in the Elderly with Impaired Plantar Sensation
Authors: Sun Mengzi , Zhang Fangtong , Lewis Kelsey , Song Qipeng , Li Li
Published: December 2022

In people with peripheral neuropathy (PN), impaired plantar sensation can cause adaptive changes in the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in changes in the standing postural control, which is reflected in the variability of standing output signals. Standard deviation (SD) and entropy are reliable indicators of system variability, especially since entropy is highly sensitive to diseased populations. The relation between SD and entropy, CNS and center of pressure (COP) variability is unclear for people with severe PN. The purpose of this study was to explore the adaptability of the CNS to the severe of PN and its effect on the degree and complexity of COP variability. Here, people with PN were divided into less affected (LA) and more affected (MA) groups based on plantar pressure sensitivity. We studied Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) and standing balance performance with the control group (n = 8), LA group (n = 10), and MA group (n = 9), recording a 30 s COP time series (30,000 samples) of double-leg standing with eyes open. We observed that the more affected group had less COP complexity than people without PN. There is a significant negative correlation between the SD and sample entropy in people without PN, less affected and more affected. The COP complexity in people without PN was inversely correlated with H-reflex. We concluded that: (1) The complexity of COP variability in patients with severe plantar sensory impairment is changed, which will not affect the degree of COP variability; (2) The independence of the COP entropy in the AP and ML directions decreased, and the interdependence increased in people with PN; (3) Although the CNS of people with PN has a greater contribution to standing balance, its modulation of standing postural control is decreased.
Slope Entropy Normalisation by Means of Analytical and Heuristic Reference Values
Authors: Cuesta-Frau David , Kouka Mahdy , Silvestre-Blanes Javier , Sempere-Payá Víctor
Published: December 2022

Slope Entropy (SlpEn) is a very recently proposed entropy calculation method. It is based on the differences between consecutive values in a time series and two new input thresholds to assign a symbol to each resulting difference interval. As the histogram normalisation value, SlpEn uses the actual number of unique patterns found instead of the theoretically expected value. This maximises the information captured by the method but, as a consequence, SlpEn results do not usually fall within the classical [0,1] interval. Although this interval is not necessary at all for time series classification purposes, it is a convenient and common reference framework when entropy analyses take place. This paper describes a method to keep SlpEn results within this interval, and improves the interpretability and comparability of this measure in a similar way as for other methods. It is based on a max–min normalisation scheme, described in two steps. First, an analytic normalisation is proposed using known but very conservative bounds. Afterwards, these bounds are refined using heuristics about the behaviour of the number of patterns found in deterministic and random time series. The results confirm the suitability of the approach proposed, using a mixture of the two methods.
Extraordinarily High Organic Matter Enrichment in Upper Permian Wujiaping Formation in the Kaijiang-Liangping Trough, Sichuan Basin
Authors: Du Yao , Wang Xingzhi , Tang Ruifeng , Zhu Yiqing , Yang Cong , Zhou Hongfei , Pang Qian
Published: December 2022

The study of extraordinarily high organic matter content (EHOMC) is beneficial to promote the fine evaluation of shale oil and gas, but so far, there have been few studies on its mechanism. This paper carried out a comprehensive lithological and geochemical analysis of the black shales of the Wujiaping Formation in the Kaijiang-Liangping Trough. The results showed that the black shales of the Wujiaping Formation can be divided into two units (the upper and lower parts), and EHOMC occurs in its upper part. The redox-sensitive trace elements (RSTEs), MoEF-UEF covariation, and Ni/Co correlation showed that the lower part of Wujiaping Formation was a weakly restricted oxidation environment, while the upper part evolved into a sulfidation reducing environment. The productivity indicator elements (BaXS, NiXS, CuXS, P, and Mo) indicated that the upper Wujiaping Formation had higher primary productivity than the lower part. However, rare earth elements ((La/Yb)N) indicated that the deposition rate in the lower part of the Wujiaping Formation was higher than that in the upper part. In general, although the oxygenated water in the lower part of the Wujiaping Formation is not conducive to the preservation of organic matter, the high input of nutrients from land sources and the high deposition rate inhibit the decomposition of organic matter, so the lower part has a certain degree of organic matter accumulation. The sulfidation reducing environment and high paleoproductivity are the main reasons for the enrichment of organic matter in the upper part of the Wujiaping Formation. In addition, the sulfidation reducing environment and high paleoproductivity occurred during the violent upwelling at the end of Guadeloupe, a period of high sea level, these factors have jointly contributed to the enrichment of OM in the upper the Wujiaping Formation.
Multivariate Strategy Using Artificial Neural Networks for Seasonal Photovoltaic Generation Forecasting
Authors: Moreira Max Olinto , Kaizer Betania Mafra , Ohishi Takaaki , Bonatto Benedito Donizeti , Zambroni de Souza Antonio Carlos , Balestrassi Pedro Paulo
Published: December 2022

Electric power systems have experienced the rapid insertion of distributed renewable generating sources and, as a result, are facing planning and operational challenges as new grid connections are made. The complexity of this management and the degree of uncertainty increase significantly and need to be better estimated. Considering the high volatility of photovoltaic generation and its impacts on agents in the electricity sector, this work proposes a multivariate strategy based on design of experiments (DOE), principal component analysis (PCA), artificial neural networks (ANN) that combines the resulting outputs using Mixture DOE (MDOE) for photovoltaic generation prediction a day ahead. The approach separates the data into seasons of the year and considers multiple climatic variables for each period. Here, the dimensionality reduction of climate variables is performed through PCA. Through DOE, the possibilities of combining prediction parameters, such as those of ANN, were reduced, without compromising the statistical reliability of the results. Thus, 17 generation plants distributed in the Brazilian territory were tested. The one-day-ahead PV generation forecast has been considered for each generation plant in each season of the year, reaching mean percentage errors of 10.45% for summer, 9.29% for autumn, 9.11% for winter and 6.75% for spring. The versatility of the proposed approach allows the choice of parameters in a systematic way and reduces the computational cost, since there is a reduction in dimensionality and in the number of experimental simulations.
Improving the Battery Energy Storage System Performance in Peak Load Shaving Applications
Authors: Rocha Anderson V. , Maia Thales A. C. , Filho Braz J. C.
Published: December 2022

Peak load shaving using energy storage systems has been the preferred approach to smooth the electricity load curve of consumers from different sectors around the world. These systems store energy during off-peak hours, releasing it for usage during high consumption periods. Most of the current solutions use solar energy as a power source and chemical batteries as energy storage elements. Despite the clear benefits of this strategy, the service life of the battery energy storage system (BESS) is a driving factor for economic feasibility. The present research work proposes the use of storage systems based on actively connected batteries with power electronics support. The proposed scheme allows the individualized control of the power flow, enabling the use of batteries with different ages, technologies or degradation states in a same BESS. The presented results show that overcoming inherent limitations found in passively connected battery banks makes it possible to extend the system’s useful life and the total amount of dispatched energy by more than 50%. Experimental tests on a bench prototype with electronified batteries are carried out to proof the central concept of the proposed solution. Computational simulations using collected data from a photovoltaic plant support the conclusions and discussions on the achieved benefits.
Numerical Study of Liquid Metal Turbulent Heat Transfer in Cross-Flow Tube Banks
Authors: Tassone Alessandro , Meeusen Jasper , Serafini Andrea , Caruso Gianfranco
Published: December 2022

Heavy liquid metals (HLM) are attractive coolants for nuclear fission and fusion applications due to their excellent thermal properties. In these reactors, a high coolant flow rate must be processed in compact heat exchangers, and as such, it may be convenient to have the HLM flowing on the shell side of a helical coil steam generator. Technical knowledge about HLM turbulent heat transfer in cross-flow tube bundles is rather limited, and this paper aims to investigate the suitability of Reynolds Average Navier–Stokes (RANS) models for the simulation of this problem. Staggered and in-line finite tube bundles are considered for compact (a=1.25), medium (a=1.45), and wide (a=1.65) pitch ratios. The lead bismuth eutectic alloy with Pr=2.21×10−2 is considered as the working fluid. A 2D computational domain is used relying on the k−ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) for the turbulent momentum flux and the Prt concept for the turbulent heat flux prediction. The effect of uniform and spatially varying Prt assumptions has been investigated. For the in-line bundle, unsteady k−ω SST/Prt=0.85 has been found to significantly underpredict the integral heat transfer with regard to theory, featuring a good to acceptable agreement for wide bundles and Pe≥1150. For the staggered tube bank, steady k−ω SST and a spatially varying Prt has been the best modeling strategy featuring a good to excellent agreement for medium and wide bundles. A poor agreement for compact bundles has been observed for all the models considered.
Sugarcane Bagasse as Aggregate in Composites for Building Blocks
Authors: Souza Patrícia P. L. de , Eires Rute , Malheiro Raphaele
Published: December 2022

Each year, hundreds of millions of tons of processed sugarcane generate, by weight, 25 to 30% of bagasse as waste, whose destination is combustion for energy cogeneration. This research proposes an alternative and more sustainable use for this waste. The use of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as the single aggregate in composites for building blocks was studied. The raw bagasse was used without any treatment. As the binder, aerial lime and/or soil were used. Both provided enough mechanical strength for non-load-bearing walls. The composite of SCB with soil achieved the best performance in terms of mechanical resistance: 2.6 MPa in compressive strength and 2.1 MPa in bending strength, while the composite of SCB with lime achieved 1.76 MPa and 1.7 MPa, respectively. The higher number of fibers in the SCB/lime mixture provides better thermal insulation than clay brick or conventional concrete, such as “hempcrete”. The lime composites obtained greater water resistance and less loss of mechanical strength when saturated. However, the higher water absorption coefficient makes it necessary to apply a waterproof mortar on surfaces exposed to the weather. The replacement of supplied blocks by SCB blocks can offer a better and more economical solution that improves the quality of the built environment and is more ecofriendly.
Development of Virtual Flow-Meter Concept Techniques for Ground Infrastructure Management
Authors: Vylegzhanin Ruslan , Cheremisin Alexander , Kolchanov Boris , Lykhin Pavel , Kurmangaliev Rustam , Kozlov Mikhail , Usov Eduard , Ulyanov Vladimir
Published: December 2022

This paper describes the further development of the virtual flow meter concept based on the author’s simulator of an unsteady gas–liquid flow in wells. The results of comparison with commercial simulators based on real well data are given as practical applications. The results of the comparison of the simulators demonstrated high correspondence (<10% error) for a number of target parameters. The description of the architecture and results of testing the algorithm for automatic settings of the model parameters are given. Operating speed was the key criterion in the architecture development. According to the test results, it became possible to achieve the adaptation accuracy of 5% specified.
Comprehensive Review of Renewable Energy Communication Modeling for Smart Systems
Authors: Ugwu Justin , Odo Kenneth C. , Ohanu Chibuike Peter , García Jorge , Georgious Ramy
Published: December 2022

Due to the rising trends in the adoption of smart systems such as smart grids, smart homes, and vehicle-to-grid, there has been a lot of research interest in these areas. To manage these complex systems effectively and intelligently, a reliable, high-speed, and secure data communication network is very essential. The key distinguishing feature between smart systems and traditional ones is that smart systems use a two-way communication system while traditional systems usually use one-way communication. The requirements and techniques needed to ensure safe, secure, and reliable communication in smart systems have been the focus of many researchers in recent times. This work is aimed at providing a comprehensive, all-encompassing, up-to-date review of smart systems communication to ascertain the research directions as well as challenges. This review will guide other researchers in delving into smart systems communication to identify potential research problems and future research directions or research gaps.
Measurement and Modeling of Magnetic Materials under 3D Vectorial Magnetization for Electrical Machine Design and Analysis
Authors: Guo Youguang , Liu Lin , Ba Xin , Lu Haiyan , Lei Gang , Yin Wenliang , Zhu Jianguo
Published: December 2022

The magnetic properties of magnetic cores are essential for the design of electrical machines, and consequently appropriate mathematical modeling is needed. Usually, the design and analysis of electrical machines consider only the one-dimensional (1D) magnetic properties of core materials, i.e., the relationship of magnetic flux density (B) versus magnetic field strength (H), and their associated power loss under 1D magnetization, in which the B and H are constrained in the same orientation. Some studies have also been performed with the two-dimensional (2D) magnetizations in which the B and H are vectorial, rotating on a plane, and they may not be in the same direction. It has been discovered that the 2D rotational property is very different from its 1D alternating counterpart. However, the magnetic fields in an electrical machine, in particular claw pole and transverse flux machines, are naturally three-dimensional (3D), and the B and H vectors are rotational and may not lie on the same plane. It can be expected that the 3D vectorial property might be different from its 2D or 1D counterpart, and hence it should be investigated for the interests of both academic research and engineering application. This paper targets at a general summary about the magnetic material characterization with 3D vectorial magnetization, and their application prospect in electrical machine design and analysis.
Metaheuristic for the Allocation and Sizing of PV-STATCOMs for Ancillary Service Provision
Authors: Alves Zedequias Machado , Martins Renata Mota , Marchesan Gustavo , Cardoso Junior Ghendy
Published: December 2022

In addition to active power generation, photovoltaic inverters can be used to provide ancillary services to grids, including reactive power compensation. This paper proposes a metaheuristic approach based on particle swarm optimization for the allocation and sizing of photovoltaic inverters that perform the complementary functions of static synchronous compensator (PV-STATCOM) units. The objective of the aforementioned approach is to reduce the initial investment cost in the acquisition of PV-STATCOM units. The proposed methodology considers both the daily load curve and generation and is applied to a 33-bus test system. The methodology is validated based on an exhaustive search algorithm and tested over 1000 consecutive simulations for the same problem; consequently, the methodology produces low standard deviations and errors, indicating its robustness. The methodology demonstrates an improved grid voltage profile throughout the day when applied to the 33-bus test system. Furthermore, the photovoltaic inverter efficiently performs its main function of active power generation. As a major contribution, the proposed methodology may assist investors in determining the allocation and sizing of PV-STATCOM units to perform the ancillary service of reactive power compensation in grids
Effects of Pre-Hardening and Autumn Fertilization on Biomass Allocation and Root Morphology of Pinus koraiensis Seedlings
Authors: Huang He , Wu Haibo , López Rosana , Yin Dongsheng , Shen Hailong , Zhang Peng
Published: December 2022

The effects of pre-hardening fertilization and autumn fertilization on seedling growth have been studied separately, but studies on their combined effects are relatively scarce. We studied the effects of pre-hardening fertilization type and autumn fertilization level on biomass allocation and root morphology of container-grown seedlings of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.), a valuable evergreen conifer distributed from Changbai Mountain to the Xiaoxing’an Mountains in northeastern China. Three pre-hardening fertilization types (conventional fertilization, exponential fertilization, and controlled-release fertilizer) were all applied with 72 mg of nitrogen. We also applied four nitrogen levels of autumn fertilization: 0 mg/plant, 2 mg/plant, 4 mg/plant, and 6 mg/plant. We found that autumn fertilization increased Korean pine seedling biomass accumulation and root growth by 65.91%–92.15% and 108.86%–141.48%, respectively. There was significant interaction between pre-hardening fertilization type and autumn fertilization level on biomass allocation and root morphology. Seedlings with conventional fertilization during the growing season have the best response to autumn fertilization, particularly in the 2 mg/seedling and 4 mg/seedling treatments. Autumn fertilization can be applied to the cultivation of high-quality Korean pine seedlings.
Diversity of Beetles Captured in Pitfall Traps in the Șinca Old-Growth Forest, Brașov County, Romania: Forest Reserve versus Managed Forest
Authors: Isaia Gabriela , Dragomir Ionuț-Marian , Duduman Mihai-Leonard
Published: December 2022

Natural forests have unique, very stable structures and host a large number of endemic species, making them of high conservation value. The Șinca Old-Growth Forest in Brasov County (Romania) is no exception, being a flagship natural forest of mixed beech and silver fir among European mountain forests. Knowledge of the diversity of beetles living in this ecosystem and of the conservation degree of the species can be obtained by comparing it with the diversity existing in a managed forest, similar in composition and structure. Thus, the present study allowed a first analysis of the terrestrial coleopteran communities captured in pitfall traps both in a forest reserve and in a managed forest. The abundance of captured beetles was about 17% higher in the forest reserve (16,393 individuals) than in the managed forest (14,008 individuals), while species richness was higher in the managed forest (44 species), where 19.1% more taxa were identified than in the forest reserve (37 species). There were significant differences between the two beetle communities indicated via a PERMANOVA test; these differences are most likely due to the presence of certain beetle species only in a certain stand type, but also due to large differences between populations of common insect species. Analyses of the Shannon, Simpson, Evenness, and Berger–Parker diversity indices showed a similar diversity between the two terrestrial beetle communities. The presence of rare species such as Carabus variolosus (Fabricius, 1787), Ceruchus chrysomelinus (Hochenwarth, 1785), and Rhysodes sulcatus (Fabricius, 1787) indicates the high value of this ecosystem and illustrates the importance of its conservation. A more in-depth analysis of beetle diversity in the Șinca forest may only be possible after further research based on additional beetle sampling methods capable of capturing dead wood-dependent insects in particular.