bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Researches on the Effects of Some Antibiotics on Carrageenan-induced Rat Paw Inflamation
Authors: Dmour Rashad , Tartau Liliana Mititelu , Sindilar Allia , Pasca Sorin Aurelian , Nedelcu Alin Horatiu , Crauciuc Dragos Valentin , Drochioi Cristian Ilie , Haliga Raluca Ecaterina , Hilitanu Loredana , Pinzariu Alin Constantin , Cobzaru Roxana Gabriela , Lupusoru Catalina Elena , Lupusoru Raoul Vasile
Published: February 2020

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of some antibiotics on hepatic and renal integrity in rats with acute paw inflammation. Acute inflammation was induced after sub-plantar administration of carrageenan in rats. The substances: prednisone (PDN), indomethacin (IND), cefotaxime (CEF), gentamicin (GEN) and sulfamethoxazole (SMT) were injected intraperitoneally, 30 min before carrageenan administration. Saline was intra-paw administered in control group. Prednisone and indomethacin were injected in a single daily dose, and the antibiotics every 12 hours, during 3 days. Specific biochemical parameters, liver and kidney tissues were examined after 3, 24 and 72 hours. Experimental protocol was conducted according to the recommendation of our University Committee for Research and Ethical Issues. The use of GEN, SMT and CEF resulted in exacerbation of hepatic enzymes activity, increasing in serum creatinine, blood urea and uric acid levels, statistically significant comparing with control group. Histopathological examination revealed the alteration of liver and kidney architecture in groups treated with GEN and SMT. The effects of GEN were more accentuated than those of SMT and CEF. The treatment with GEN and SMT manifested hepatic and renal toxicity in rats with experimental carrageenan-induced acute paw inflammation.
Chemical Effects and Predictive Factors in Premature Birth
Authors: Neacsu Adrian , Calin Alina , Braila Anca Daniela , Navolan Dan , Dimitriu Mihai , Stanica Catalina Diana , Ioan Raluca , Ionescu Cringu
Published: February 2020

Premature birth is considered to be the consequence of independent alterations in the cervix and in the uterus. During labor, for full-term birth, as well as for premature birth, the cervix changes, from firm, long and closed, to soft and pliable, through a biochemical process characterized by the reshaping of the extracellular matrix and a growth of the tissue concentration of inflammatory mediators; the uterus proves an increase in contractility and sensitivity to endogenic hormones, such as oxytocin. Premature labor is associated with the premature activation of the release of cytokines in the decidua (mucosa lining uterus walls) and cervix. Interleukins IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8 and the alpha tumoral necrosis factor increase the production and activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-9) and of cathepsin S, which digests the collagen from the extracellular matrix of the cervix, causing the wiping and softening of the cervix. These cytokines are released by leukocytes in the myometer, leading to the production of prostaglandins and oxytocin, which stimulate uterine contractions. Therefore, the cervical shortening represented by ultrasound is believed to represent premature cervical softening. The obstetrical approach of aspects related to premature birth are based, considerably, on the prognosis expected by the obstetrician regarding the survival of the premature new-born baby, as well as the therapeutic variants to be followed. And not only survival is important, of equal importance is also the quality of life of underweight, immature new-born babies, who are considerably affected both physically, and intellectually.
Optical and Chemical Study of Quartz from Granitic Pegmatites
Authors: Androne Delia Anne Marie , Dorohoi Dana Ortansa , Dimitriu Dan Gheorghe , Kasper Haino Uwe
Published: February 2020

Of the nine quartz samples collected from the Contu - Negovanu granitic pegmatites (Southern Carpathians, Romania), three were separated under binocular lenses and turned into fine grained powders, for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) investigation techniques, whilst the other six samples were prepared in thin slides for electron microprobe analyzer (EMPA) and optical investigations, using a Babinet compensator and a Rayleigh interferometer. The results show that the quartz samples belonging to the Contu-Negovanu granitic pegmatites are chemically very pure, showing an expected high participation of silica and only some remarkable contents of Fe, derived from iron oxide micro-inclusions finely disseminated in the quartz grains. The minor and trace elements distribution suggests that different crystallization conditions influenced the quartz composition, thus resulting some rather high contents of Ba, Rb, Sr and some REE contents (Ce) in the pegmatite quartz crystallized from alkali- and alkaline-earth-rich fluids, while the metamorphic quartz appears to be highly pure, showing no such presence. The analyzed quartz samples present birefringence parameters within the limits of other quartz samples and a decrease of the linear birefringence of quartz with the light wavelength increase is emphasized by the data obtained using the channeled spectrum.
The Effects of a 5-Chromene-yl-thiazolidin-2,4-dione Derivative in Alleviating Oxidative Stress in Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis
Authors: Chis Irina C. , Baltaru Doina , Clichici Simona , Oniga Ovidiu , Cojocaru Ileana , Nastasa Cristina
Published: February 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that reduces life quality and requires long-life therapy. Quercetin (Que) is a natural flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. (3-(2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl)-5-((6-methyl-4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)methylene) thiazolidine-2,4-dione (TZD) is a thiazolidinedione derivative synthesized in our laboratory. This study was designed to investigate the antioxidant effects of the Que and TZD derivative administration in adjuvant-induced arthritic (AIA) rats. AIA was induced in Wistar rats by the intraplantar injection of Freund�s complete adjuvant (FCA), unilaterally in the right hind paw. The control non-arthritic rats and the arthritic rats were treated with Que (30 mg/kg/day) or TZD derivative (12 mg/kg/day) for 21 days. The antioxidant effects of 5-chromen-yl- thiazolidinedione were compared to Que. The serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) groups, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity were assessed. AIA rats showed significatly increased oxidative stress parameter levels in the blood. The results indicated that the TZD derivative decreased the blood oxidative stress parameters in the treated arthritic rats, compared to Que. The antioxidant effects of 5-chromen-yl-thiazolidinedione in AIA suggest its therapeutic properties for the clinical treatment of RA.
The Algorithm of Chemical Risk Assessment in a Welded Construction Company
Authors: Babis Claudiu , Semenescu Augustin , Petrescu Valentin , Chivu Oana Roxana , Negoita Olivia , Iacobescu Gabriel , Ghimisi Stefan
Published: February 2020

There is no industrial sector in which welding is not used as a manufacturing process. Welding assembly is a highly polluting technology process, especially of the atmosphere and soil. The formation of gases in the welding process is the result of burning the electrodes, flows, forming the molten metal bath and making the weld seam. Welding operators are exposed to smoke and toxic gases resulting from the welding process, which may be dangerous to health. Many acute intoxications due to excessive exposure or short-term exposure to smoke and gas resulting from the welding process have been studied over time. However, in addition to general effects such as respiratory irritation, long-term effects have been directly attributed the influence of smoke and toxic gases, for example, the chronic effects due to the presence of chromium, nickel and aluminum. There are some welding sections where the level of noxes exceeds the limits allowed by the law, and in these cases it is fairly possible to speak of so-called chemical risk. The paper aims is to measure the emissions of noxious substances in case of welding of welded specimens and if the limits allowed by the welding laws are exceeded, to present a chemical risk assessment algorithm, going through three stages: inventory of materials and products used at a workstation, hierarchy of potential risks noted IRP and ultimately, the risk assessment.
Evolución y desarrollo de la arquitectura en Santiago de Veraguas, desde el siglo XVI hasta el siglo XXI
Authors: Aguilar Sebastián
Published: February 2020

Este artículo se desprende de la investigación denominada Evolución Arquitectónica y Urbana, de la ciudad de Santiago de Veraguas, desde la época Colonial (Siglo XVII), hasta la fecha, haciendo énfasis en la parte técnica, el diseño arquitectónico y la planificación urbana. El objetivo de esta investigación es ofrecer un trabajo teórico-dinámico, que integre la metodología de la investigación arquitectónica y la información historiográfica. Los resultados obtenidos pueden ser utilizada como material con base didáctica y técnica en futuras investigaciones de profesionales, estudiantes y para el uso cultural de toda la población panameña y a nivel internacional. Aquí se tocan aspectos, como los sistemas constructivos utilizados y sus pasos detallados, utilización de materiales y su procedencia, crecimiento poblacional y análisis de la misma, influencia de la población en el desarrollo urbano de las áreas estudiadas, fecha y construcción de edificaciones, estilos arquitectónicos, infraestructuras desde su creación a posibles proyecciones, desarrollo de planos y reconstrucción de algunas edificaciones. En esta investigación se analizaron una extensa documentación gráfica, por medio de diseños, fotografías, planos inéditos, teorías de desarrollo urbano, que fueron de gran ayuda para conocer la evolución de la ciudad y sus futuras proyecciones.
Subfamily composition of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) from eastern Uruguay
Authors: Fernandes Daniell R. R. , Pádua Diego G. , Lara Rogéria I. R. , Perioto Nelson W. , Burla Juan P. , Castiglioni Enrique
Published: February 2020

The knowledge of invertebrate diversity in Uruguay is much less as compared to bird and tetrapod fauna, but some important advances have been made within some groups of insects. The Ichneumonidae constitute one of the largest families in the animal kingdom. This family is important because their larvae can be either endo- or ectoparasitoids of larvae or pupae of holometabolous insects as well as Chelicerata. In this study ichneumonid wasps were collected from three environments near the city of Castillos, Rocha Department, Uruguay between December 2014 and December 2016. A total of 5740 Ichneumonidae specimens were collected, representing 19 subfamilies, of which 3685 specimens (64.2%) correspond to three subfamilies: Campopleginae (1533 specimens/26.7%), Ichneumoninae (1303/22.7%) and Cryptinae (849/14.8%) ; all others subfamilies together represented less than 7.0% of the total specimens. In addition, 32 genera were registered for the first time in Uruguay.
Forecast of Major Solar X-Ray Flare Flux Profiles Using Novel Deep Learning Models
Authors: Yi Kangwoo , Moon Yong-Jae , Shin Gyungin , Lim Daye
Published: February 2020

In this Letter, we present the application of a couple of novel deep learning models to the forecast of major solar X-ray flare flux profiles. These models are based on a sequence-to-sequence framework using long short-term memory cell and an attention mechanism. For this, we use Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 10 X-ray flux data from 1998 August to 2006 April. Seven hundred sixty events are used for training and 85 for testing. The models forecast 30 minutes of X-ray flux profiles during the rise phase of the solar flare with a minute time cadence. We evaluate the models using the 10-fold cross-validation and rms error (RMSE) based on flux profiles and RMSE based on its peak flux. For comparison we consider two simple deep learning models and four conventional regression models. Major results of this study are as follows. First, we successfully apply our deep learning models to the forecast of solar flare X-ray flux profiles, without any preprocessing to extract features from data. Second, our proposed models outperform the other models. Third, our models achieve better performance for forecasting X-ray flux profiles with low-peak fluxes than those with high-peak fluxes. Fourth, our models successfully predict flare duration with high correlations for both all cases and cases at peak times. Our study indicates that our deep learning models can be useful for forecasting time-series data in astronomy and space weather, even for impulsive events such as major flares.
Molecular Pathway of Influenza Pan-neuraminidase Inhibitor Resistance in an Immunocompromised Patient
Authors: Abed Yacine , Schibler Manuel , Checkmahomed Liva , Carbonneau Julie , Venable Marie-Christine , Fage Clément , Giannotti Federica , Goncalves Ana Rita , Kaiser Laurent , Boivin Guy
Published: February 2020

Background

Neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors (NAIs), including oseltamivir and zanamivir, play an important therapeutic role against influenza infections in immunocompromised patients. In such settings, however, NAI therapy may lead to the emergence of resistance involving mutations within the influenza surface genes. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of NA and haemagglutinin (HA) genes of influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus in an immunocompromised patient receiving oseltamivir then zanamivir therapies.

Methods

Nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) samples were collected between 27 January 2018 and 11 April 2018 from a haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient. These include 10 samples collected either pre-therapy, during oseltamivir and zanamivir treatment as well as after therapy. The A(H1N1)pdm09 HA/NA genes were sequenced. The H275Y NA substitution was quantified by droplet digital RT-PCR assay. A(H1N1)pdm09 recombinant viruses containing HA mutations were tested by HA elution experiments to investigate in vitro binding properties.

Results

Oseltamivir rapidly induced the H275Y NA mutation which constituted 98.33% of the viral population after 15 days of oseltamivir treatment. The related HA gene contained S135A and P183S substitutions within the receptor-binding site. After a switch to zanamivir, 275H/Y and 119E/G/D mixed populations were detected. In the last samples, the double H275Y-E119G NA variant dominated with S135A and P183S HA substitutions.

Conclusions

This report confirms that oseltamivir can rapidly induce the emergence of the H275Y substitution in A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses and subsequent switch to zanamivir can lead to additional substitutions at codon E119 resulting in multi-drug resistance. Such data additionally suggest a potential compensatory role for HA substitutions near the receptor binding site.
Déterminants, freins et perspectives de l’implantation d’une formation à distance pour les parents d’enfants avec autisme
Authors: Mourgela Vasiliki , Clément Céline
Published: February 2020

L’accès aux services dédiés aux familles d’enfants avec autisme reste un défi dans de nombreux pays, alors même que les recommandations nationales mentionnent que l’accompagnement des familles doit être visé. Afin de pallier les difficultés d’accès aux services, la formation à distance est une option retenue depuis de nombreuses années. Cependant la démocratisation de l’accès à Internet et aux applications d’appel vidéo constitue une opportunité nouvelle. Ainsi des formations en ligne ont été développées ; certaines proposent des cours en ligne, d’autres permettent la supervision d’intervention, et d’autres encore sont la transposition d’intervention existant en présentiel. Notre article vise à présenter ce qui peut présider aux modalités d’adaptation d’un programme en ligne, le programme L’ABC du comportement d’enfant ayant un TSA : des parents en action ! , les difficultés rencontrées dans ce type d’adaptation en lien avec la pluralité d’acteurs concernés.
Aux frontières de la mobilité sociale
Authors: Delon Margot
Published: February 2020

Résumé À partir du cas des bidonvilles et cités de transit de l’après-guerre à Nanterre, cet article questionne les rapports entre socialisations spatiales et mobilité sociale. La première partie montre comment ces espaces résidentiels se singularisent par des socialisations des enfants et adolescents à une triple frontière, urbaine, sociale et raciale. La seconde partie souligne le rôle des acteurs extérieurs – bénévoles, militants – qui ont perturbé ces dynamiques en socialisant les enfants et les adolescents des bidonvilles et cités à différentes dispositions propices à une mobilité ascendante. Des portraits de famille mettent également en évidence la façon dont ces socialisations affectent les trajectoires en fonction des ressources familiales et des aspirations migratoires (et dans une moindre mesure du sexe et de la génération).
Des relations de réciprocité intergénérationnelle en crise
Authors: Xing-Bongioanni Jingyue , Chu Jun
Published: February 2020

À partir d’une enquête ethnographique réalisée dans cinq villages et un tribunal du nord de la Chine, cet article propose un nouvel angle d’analyse des rapports de réciprocité intergénérationnelle dans les milieux ruraux chinois à travers le cas de la prise en charge des vieilles personnes par leurs enfants. Pour s’assurer une telle aide dans leurs vieux jours, ces dernières doivent avoir rempli une série de devoirs envers leurs descendants, notamment en termes de transmission de patrimoine. Si la logique de réciprocité entre générations joue toujours un rôle important, le contenu des dons et des contre-dons ainsi que les conditions préalables aux échanges se sont modifiés dans les dernières décennies. L’échange semble de plus en plus inégalitaire en défaveur des personnes âgées, qui développent alors des stratégies plus individuelles de survie au grand âge, dans un contexte d’absence de politique vieillesse au niveau national et de réticence du pouvoir judiciaire à intervenir dans les conflits intrafamiliaux.
Long-term Outcomes of Accelerated Corneal Cross-linking in the Treatment of Keratoconus: Comparison of Hypotonic Riboflavin Solution With Standard Riboflavin Solution
Authors: Akkaya Serkan , Ulusoy Döndü Melek , Duru Zeynep , Demirtaş Atılım Armağan
Published: February 2020

PURPOSE:

To determine 2-year efficacy of accelerated corneal cross-linking (CXL) in keratoconus treatment using standard riboflavin-dextran or hypotonic riboflavin solutions.

METHODS:

Patients undergoing accelerated CXL (epitheliumoff 10 minutes, 9 mW/cm
2
protocol) with standard riboflavin solution (48 eyes of 48 patients) or hypotonic riboflavin solution (43 eyes of 43 patients) were included and followed up for 2 years. Thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), maximum keratometry, and visual acuity were measured and changes from baseline to postoperative 6, 12, and 24 months were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS:

The preoperative mean TCT with intact epithelium was 472.0 ± 23.9 and 427.5 ± 22.3 µm in the standard riboflavin and hypotonic riboflavin groups, respectively (
P
< .001). The decreases in the mean TCT values from baseline to postoperative 6 months were similar between the standard riboflavin (from 472 to 436 µm) and hypotonic riboflavin (from 427 to 394 µm) groups. This suggested that the hypotonic riboflavin solution was comparable with the standard riboflavin solution in preserving corneal thickness in keratoconus. There were no significant differences between the study groups regarding the postoperative changes in maximum keratometry or visual acuity.

CONCLUSIONS:

The efficacy of accelerated CXL with hypotonic riboflavin solution was comparable to that with the standard riboflavin solution in reducing keratoconus progression in a 2-year follow-up period.

[
J Refract Surg.
2020;36(2):110–117.]
Privacy, Ethics, and the Dark Web
Authors: Herschel Richard T.
Published: February 2020

This article examines the impact that dark web activities are having on society. Hacking and data breach activities have created serious challenges to cybersecurity leading to new data privacy legislation in Europe and the United States. The dark web is a segment of the web where people employ special browsers that can mask their identity and hide their network activity. Here can be found a wide range of illicit activities that are oftentimes criminal in nature, including sales of stolen documents, the information of others, and other contraband. Companies are actively trying to monitor dark web activities because new legislation requires them to inform authorities if a breach compromising data privacy has occurred; otherwise, they can be penalized. It is argued that as governments act to reign in dark web activities, they must employ an ethical perspective that is grounded in theory to weigh the intentions of darknet actors and their impact. This is due to the fact that some dark web activities such as whistleblowing can actually benefit society.
Drifting on the Web
Authors: Luchessi Lila , Lambrecht Ana
Published: February 2020

The expansion of social networks worldwide generates the need for their study from an interdisciplinary perspective. In Argentina, the use of digital social networks led state agencies to share public and management information through them, becoming increasingly present in these new platforms. The advantages that are visualized on their uses seem to be clear and multiple. However, the actions that are carried out in them involve certain legal conflicts, which a priori may go against principles applicable to the Argentina Public Administration and of the countries that legally protect the data of their citizens. It is proposed to carry out an analysis from a legal-communicational approach that refers specifically to analyzing the use of social networks in the state with respect to compliance with the regulations regarding the protection of personal data as opposed to the expressive right and regarding the obligation of the state as guarantor of the protection of personal data.
International Context of Cybercrime and Cyber Law
Authors: Rehman Tansif Ur
Published: February 2020

It is clearly evident that as people become more dependent on technology, they become easier targets of cybercrime, as it also could evolve to bring about new problems. It is also important to realize to what extent it is understood by common people that either they are really a victim or can be the victim of a cybercrime. This research includes significance as well as international aspects of cyber laws, initiatives by the EU, USA, China, and the role of international forum for cybercrime. At the very least, it demonstrates the fact that cybercrime attacks are an almost routine form of criminality and most internet users are likely to face an attack on a daily basis.
The Nature of Cyberbullying Among Youths
Authors: Wright Michelle F.
Published: February 2020

The purpose of this article is to examine cyberbullying among children and adolescents, referred to as “youths” throughout the article. An extension of traditional bullying, cyberbullying is a form of bullying which takes place by means of electronic technologies, such as email, instant messaging, Facebook, and text messaging through mobile devices. Drawing on research from a variety of disciplines, such as psychology, education, social work, sociology, and computer science, this article is organized into nine sections. The article will draw on multidisciplinary qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-design research methodologies from psychology, sociology, social work, and criminology. Furthermore, this article reviews literature utilizing cross-sectional, longitudinal, qualitative, and quantitative research methodologies to describe cyberbullying.
Preliminary Insights Into the Adoption of Bitcoin in a Developing Economy
Authors: Broni Frederick Edem , Boateng Richard , Owusu Acheampong
Published: February 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of bitcoin adoption among individuals and also to assess whether the usage of the bitcoin technology for payment of transactions is preferable to other modes of payment. The study proposed a conceptual model analyzing the driving factors that influence a behavior towards the utilization of bitcoins in a developing economy, Ghana, through the lens of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model. A qualitative method which employed a purposive sampling technique in the selection of twelve respondents who understand and utilize the bitcoin technology was used. The findings showed that majority of the respondents were exceptionally positive about the idea of bitcoin and had the goal to keep utilizing it, on conditions with respect to the usefulness, the ease of use, the secureness, and the price value of bitcoin. The study offers practitioners with a framework based on theory that goes beyond not only investigating the adoption but also to assess the impact in utilizing bitcoin for organizational benefits.
Kinetics of Heavy Metals Adsorption on Gravels Derived From Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland
Authors: Defo Celestin , Kaur Ravinder
Published: February 2020

Adsorption kinetics of Ni, Cr, and Pb on gravels collected from constructed wetland was studied at varied metal concentrations and contact period for estimating the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. Batch experiments were conducted by shaking 120 ml of metal solutions having 5 concentration levels each of Ni (1.0, 2.0, 3.5, 5.0 and 6.0 mg l-1), Cr (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 mg l-1), and Pb (1.0, 3.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 12.0 mg l-1) with 50 g of gravels for as function of time. Adsorption of Ni, Cr, and Pb on gravels ranged from 34.8 to 47.2, 42.7-54.9, and 47.5-56.9%, indicating their removal in the order: Pb > Cr > Ni. Freundlich model showed a good fit for Ni and Cr (R2>0.9) while Langmuir model fitted better for Pb (R2= 0.7). The pseudo-second-order model showed the best fit to simulate the adsorption rates of these metals on gravel.
Bridging Marketing and STEM Education
Authors: Frias Kellilynn M. , Popovich Deidre
Published: February 2020

As digitally-driven marketing initiatives expand, it becomes increasingly imperative to integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) functions into marketing education to improve business processes. New product development (NPD) relies heavily on successfully incorporating both STEM and marketing perspectives. This research contributes to the interdisciplinary pedagogy literature by examining a cross-disciplinary project that combines students from an undergraduate-level marketing strategy course and an electrical engineering course. In the process of undertaking this project, students also learned how to interact with and engage a community of external business stakeholders to accomplish their project goals. The NPD project is described in detail, and an evaluation of perceived student skill improvement is reported. Qualitative and quantitative data revealed that students reported improving their NPD, professional, and peer feedback skills as a result of this cross-disciplinary project.
Community Engagement in the Earth Sciences
Authors: Fortner Sarah K. , Scherer Hannah H. , Ritter John B.
Published: February 2020

Situated learning posits that all learning happens in context. Applied to earth resilience challenges (e.g., water, climate, hazards), learning should include building the skills, habits, and relationships needed for participatory and equitable community planning and political change. Students should encounter the operational context needed to enact geoscience in communities (e.g., jurisdictional, institutional, political, cultural, information-sharing). This work describes how the geology and environmental science programs at Wittenberg University, a four-year, liberal arts college, use community engagement to deepen student preparation. Together, both programs are recognized as exemplars in civic learning and democratic engagement by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. It especially highlights how community engagement prepares graduates for work in communities by 1) designing courses around community priorities and authentic data analyses and 2) modeling partnering and project evolution as key modes for improving community outcomes.
Quantum Cryptography Key Distribution
Authors: Chander Bhanu
Published: February 2020

Quantum cryptography is actions to protect transactions through executing the circumstance of quantum physics. Up-to-the-minute cryptography builds security over the primitive ability of fragmenting enormous numbers into relevant primes; however, it features inconvenience with ever-increasing machine computing power along with current mathematical evolution. Among all the disputes, key distribution is the most important trouble in classical cryptography. Quantum cryptography endows with clandestine communication by means of offering a definitive protection statement with the rule of the atmosphere. Exploit quantum mechanics to cryptography can be enlarging unrestricted, unfailing information transmission. This chapter describes the contemporary state of classical cryptography along with the fundamentals of quantum cryptography, quantum protocol key distribution, implementation criteria, quantum protocol suite, quantum resistant cryptography, and large-scale quantum key challenges.
Critical Infrastructure Security
Authors: Sinha Ayush , Vyas Ranjana , Subramanian Venkatesan , Vyas O. P.
Published: February 2020

Cyber-physical security applied to the domain of critical infrastructure (CI) poses different challenges. To acknowledge the security concern of CI from a cyber-physical perspective becomes imperative since the failure of any one of the CI's components may not only lead to cascading effects, but also the overall services may shut-down state. The energy infrastructure is becoming the backbone in CI due to the complexity of environment, heterogeneous communication technologies, and different configurations of the energy infrastructure, so securing the communication among these devices and control centers becomes a central issue. Many significant works in the related domain has been done. The main focus of the chapter is identification of the attack vector formulation with prevention and detection mechanisms for different components, providing countermeasures cohesively against security threats.
Funding Rural Development in Post-Apartheid South Africa's Land Reform Programme
Authors: Nthai Mukovhe Maureen
Published: February 2020

The development of Africa is not only a problem to the Africans alone but also to the world at large. This is because some regions of the world also depend on Africa for their livelihoods. In Sub Saharan Africa one of the rural development strategies identified is land reform. Post-colonial African governments have argued that land reform would alleviate the majority of the people in the region from poverty, create employment, and address inequality. This is the position adopted by the post-apartheid government in South Africa beyond 27 April 1994. However, the South African post-apartheid land reform has had some significant complexities in its implementation – especially with regard to funding. Funding was impeded by widespread corruption in government. In addition, there has been immense lack of interest in making funds available for land reform in South Africa from non-governmental entities and donors.
Out of Our Minds
Authors: Malicki-Sanchez Keram
Published: February 2020

With the exponential development rate of technology at the start of the 21st century, humanity faces data that it alone cannot process without the aid of even more technology. As we move into a post-human era, how can immersive, spatialized, and embodied media assist us in comprehending the effects of these agents, and reconsider our past conclusions? These are media that can communicate new perspectives or run complex simulations tirelessly. They can provide the scaffolding to test our analytical reasoning and process to potentially escape our cognitive biases, develop greater plasticity, or even test new forms of embodiment. We must also consider how they can be manipulated and weaponized, and the rights of our future digital selves, as we become subsumed by data. This chapter explores ontology and embodied media in a post-human paradigm.
Towards a Fulldome Manifesto
Authors: Remann Micky , Francis Kelley M.
Published: February 2020

The time for a Fulldome Manifesto has come because fulldome as an immersive, surround, communal medium is happening now. It comes as a vast vessel and in new form, with deep changes in the production and perception of 360-degree media. Within seconds, and without changing seat or body, one can switch from visiting a church, mosque, synagogue, or temple to being lured onto The Red Light District on a custom, generative, real-time responsive, science-fiction planet. Fulldome's mere scale can provoke profound wonder and interconnectedness and encapsulate the intersection of all media disciplines, unlike any other multimedia vessels humans have built so far. Like the membrane of a cell, fulldome houses the cross mingling of desires, projections, and technological abilities. In Tour d'Horizon For The Immersive Inclined, authors venture Towards a Fulldome Manifesto—exploring fulldome as a medium, venue, and genre while pointing to its promise for the advancement of immersive media.
Tools to Mediate Learning and Self-Assessment in a STEAM Unit of Work
Authors: Thompson Kate , Chapman Susan Narelle , Kanasa Harry
Published: February 2020

In some high school learning environments, hundreds of students engage in collaborative, term-long, project-based learning STEM or STEAM units of work. In this chapter, the authors report on an ongoing design-based research project in which researchers and teachers collaborate to design, teach, and assess STEAM units of work. They draw on research on project-based learning and interdisciplinary collaboration to inform the analysis drawing on Jonassen's typology of problem solving. The purpose of this chapter is to present two tools that functioned as boundary objects mediating learning and self-assessment: (1) a ‘STEAM slider' used by students in groups to reach consensus on the use of the tools, knowledge, and processes employed in their project and (2) a criteria sheet developed to mediate students' and teachers' engagement in self- and teacher-assessment. The authors use these results to make recommendations for the next iteration of the project.
Augmented Reality and Mobile Consumers
Authors: Canbolat Zehra Nur , Pinarbasi Fatih
Published: February 2020

In this chapter, consumer perceptions of augmented reality mobile applications will be emphasized and the analysis will be carried out through the mobile application markets of two different countries. In the research, the top 20 applications were selected from the UK and USA mobile application markets and the last consumer evaluations regarding these applications were obtained. In accordance with the purpose of the research, text mining methods were used to evaluate the expressions of consumers, since data mining methodologies can contribute to a better understanding of unstructured data. In the research, top words, bigram, and trigram are used in consumer comments. Then sentiment analysis method is employed to determine the emotions in consumer comments. Authors conclude that both markets have positive polarities. While the study provides a theoretical contribution in terms of consumer evaluations and new product perception, it also contributes to the sector in terms of expressions and evaluations used by consumers.
Do We Really Care About Artificial Intelligence?
Authors: Guerreiro João
Published: February 2020

Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) is based on research from the 20th century, computation and new algorithms have only recently allowed AI to gain momentum and practical applications in society. Examples of such uses include self-driving cars and autonomous robots that are changing society and how we interact. Despite these advances, the discussion about the social transformations and ethical implications of this new reality remains scarce. This chapter reviews the current stance of ethical and social transformation discussions on AI and presents a framework for future developments. The main contributions of the chapter allow researchers to understand the major gaps in research that may be explored further in this topic and allow practitioners to gain a better picture of how AI may change society in the near future and how society should prepare for those changes.
A Professional Development Program Proposal for English Language Teachers
Authors: Marlowe Zoe , Coşkun Abdullah
Published: February 2020

As there is a need to enable English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers to use technology in their classes, this study aims to propose an online in-service teacher training program aiming to prepare EFL teachers in Turkey to use Google Classroom and Piktochart. The planned training module is provided on a virtual online platform known as Second Life (SL). Included in the technology training, there would be an introductory session in which the instructor could ‘walk' the participants through the particulars of operating their virtual selves, as in their ‘avatars'. The course itself could commence with a short tour of the virtual sim being used for the training sessions. Immediately following the introduction, attending avatars and the instructor would congregate in the theatre area sim of the VSTE Island conference venue in-world at SL. The instructor, addressing the participants from the virtual stage, would present according to the agenda of showcasing the possible uses of the online software packages followed by step-by-step procedural instructions for the attendees to follow.
Multi-Agent Actor Critic for Channel Allocation in Heterogeneous Networks
Authors: Zhao Nan , Liu Zehua , Cheng Yiqiang , Tian Chao
Published: February 2020

Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) can equalize traffic loads and cut down the cost of deploying cells. Thus, it is regarded to be the significant technique of the next-generation communication networks. Due to the non-convexity nature of the channel allocation problem in HetNets, it is difficult to design an optimal approach for allocating channels. To ensure the user quality of service as well as the long-term total network utility, this article proposes a new method through utilizing multi-agent reinforcement learning. Moreover, for the purpose of solving computational complexity problem caused by the large action space, deep reinforcement learning is put forward to learn optimal policy. A nearly-optimal solution with high efficiency and rapid convergence speed could be obtained by this learning method. Simulation results reveal that this new method has the best performance than other methods.
Deep Learning in Plant Diseases Detection for Agricultural Crops
Authors: Loey Mohamed , ElSawy Ahmed , Afify Mohamed
Published: February 2020

Deep learning has brought a huge improvement in the area of machine learning in general and most particularly in computer vision. The advancements of deep learning have been applied to various domains leading to tremendous achievements in the areas of machine learning and computer vision. Only recent works have introduced applying deep learning to the field of using computers in agriculture. The need for food production and food plants is of utmost importance for human society to meet the growing demands of an increased population. Automatic plant disease detection using plant images was originally tackled using traditional machine learning and image processing approaches resulting in limited accuracy results and a limited scope. Using deep learning in plant disease detection made it possible to produce higher prediction accuracies as well as broadened the scope of detected diseases and plant species considered. This article presents a survey of research papers that presented the use of deep learning in plant disease detection, and analyzes them in terms of the dataset used, models employed, and overall performance achieved.
Bio-CAPTCHA Voice-Based Authentication Technique for Better Security and Usability in Cloud Computing
Authors: Hedaia Omar Ahmed , Shawish Ahmed , Houssein Essam H , Zayed Hala
Published: February 2020

Cloud computing has gained increased interest in the last few years, where an increasing number of providers are converging to such a promising platform. However, the security issues are still a big concern in the cloud, where authentication is a major one. Much research has been conducted to secure the authentication, where some of them used biometric features (fingerprint, face, and voice, etc.). In general, the biometric authentication techniques have a noticeable advantage compared to the traditional techniques because biometric features are hard to be altered or forged. Nevertheless, a new generation of attacks threatens the biometric security by using brute force approaches. This article proposes a nontraditional authentication technique that was called Bio-CAPTCHA. The proposed technique uses a random voice-based password challenge that dynamically changes every time the user tries to login, which promises to significantly decrease the possibility of unauthorized access. The conducted Experimental and theoretical analysis confirms the high-security level of the proposed technique.
Evaluation of ecotoxicity of contaminated water for validation of phytoremediation time
Authors: Fernandes Katiúcia Dias , Roque Amanda De Campos , Fonseca Ana Lúcia
Published: February 2020

Phytoremediation has been used as an alternative for removal of heavy metals in aquatic environments, but plant residence time and toxicity reduction need to be studied. Ecotoxicological bioassays and root anatomic studies were conducted in order to validate the phytoremediation of Echinochloa crus-galli L. at three different ages. The experiment was conducted using E. crus-galli seeds with processing factorial experimental design (2x3) and four replicates. Cadmium presence and absence (0.8 and 0 mg L-1) at three times (20, 30, and 45 days after germination). Cd levels were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy on both aerial parts and roots. A bioassay was performed testing both acute and chronic effects using microcrustacean Daphnia similis with the purpose of evaluating phytoremediation efficiency.  Regardless of biomass, E. crus-galli L. can be used for 16 to 19 days for 45 days after germination (DAG), tolerating the phytotoxicity of this metal. The residual solution after phytoremediation had chronic effect on D. similis, indicating that the time taken was not sufficient to reduce the toxicity of the solution. Thus, ecotoxicological essays are important tools in evaluating the efficiency of this type of process. While E. crus-galli L. is a valuable tool in Cd phytoremediation programs, exposure time must be higher than 19 days to reduce concentrations of this metal in the water to conform to the CONAMA 357/2005 e 430/2011 standards.
Assessment of Information and Communication Technologies Usage by Maize Farmers in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Oke O.O. , Adeoye A.S⃰. , Jatto K.A. , Adelusi F.T. , Ojo-Fakuade F.F.
Published: February 2020

The study was carried out to assess the information and communication technology usage by maize farmers in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State. The study was necessitated by persistent poor communication of new technologies from research institutes which has hampered the productivity and livelihood of farmers. The parameters assessed include socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ICT devices used, extent of radio usage, extent of mobile phone usage, effect of radio on maize farming, effect of mobile phone on maize farming, and constraints to effective use of ICT among respondents, respectively. A multistage sampling procedure was used for sample selection with 30% random selection of 10 wards which were Aawe, Imini, and Ilora with 8 villages selected randomly, and from each of these 8 selected villages, 10 respondents were selected systematically to give rise to a total of 80 respondents as sample size. A well-structured questionnaire was used for data collection while frequencies, percentages, chi-square and pearson product moment correlation were used for data analysis. The results showed that 60.0% of the respondents were male while 40.0% were female. The findings revealed that the use of radio, television and mobile phone has increased the income and livelihood of the maize farmers due to new methods learnt from agricultural programmes, also maize farmers have been exposed to latest technology on maize production through watching of documentaries and  communicating with other maize farmers and customers. The study also showed the problems faced by the respondents were irregular power supply, high cost of ICT devices, and inadequate knowledge on technical know-how. It was therefore recommended that Maize farmers should be encouraged to access and utilize ICTs by supporting, them financially and materially by the governments and private sectors/donor agencies. Government should improve on electricity supply to the rural areas which will enable the farmers to utilize the ICT devices.Keywords: Information Communication Technologies, Usage, Maize farmers
RESEARCH ON 3D BUILDING VISUALIZATION BASED ON TEXTURE SIMPLIFICATION AND FRACTAL COMPRESSION
Authors: Bao X. , Zhou G. Q. , Yue T. , Wang H. Y. , Zhang W. X. , Huang Y. S. , Ni J. S.
Published: February 2020

Abstract. There are some problems in the visualization of 3D model of buildings at present, such as redundant texture data and large memory occupation of loading texture data, which pose challenges to the smooth loading of 3D building visualization. In this paper, we propose a method which using fractal quadtrees to simplify texture data and compress management. Firstly, this method uses the fractal self-similarity and the feature that the same texture has the same fractal dimension to screen all the textures, when the fractal dimension of multiple textures is within the threshold range. Radon transform will be performed on these textures to calculate their standard deviation and further simplify the texture. Secondly, we use fractal texture compression to create a multi-resolution texture data structure with quadtree structure, so that the building 3D model can achieve dynamic visualization of different scales. Finally, the parallel texture mapping of all faces of the 3D model of the building is implemented according to the texture calling rules. Experimental results demonstrate that the texture is managed by the method proposed in this paper, which shortens the loading time of texture and reduces the memory occupation by about 48.92%. Therefore, the method of texture simplification and compression proposed in this paper has a significant effect in the process of building 3D model visualization.