bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Religionswissenschaft as Colonialist Discourse: The Case of Rudolf Otto
Authors: MURPHY TIM
Published: November 2019

The dominant approach to the study of religion known as the phenomenology of religion's core assumption was that underlying the multiplicity of historical and geographically dispersed religions was an ultimately metaphysical, trans-historical substratum, called 'man', Geist, or 'consciousness'. This transhistorical substratum is an expressive agent with a uniform, essential nature. By reading the data of religion as its 'expressions', it is possible to sympathetically understand their meaning. Geist, or 'man', then, is both a philosophy of history and i hermeneutical theory. It also forms a systematic set of representations, which replicate the structure of the asymmetrical relations between Europeans and those colonized by Europeans. The metanarrative of Geist is a narrative of the supremacy - their term, not mine - of white, Christian Europe over black, 'primitive' Africal and 'despotic' Asia. Spirit moves from the South to the North; away from the East to the West. This paper locates Rudolf Otto's work within the structure and history of phenomenological discourse and argues that the science of religion as described there conforms nearly perfectly to the structures of colonial discourse as this has been discussed and analyzed by theorists such as Jaques Derrida and Edward Said.
Weapons of Mass Defamation: Aspects of the 2006 'Cartoon Crisis'
Authors: ROTHSTEIN MIKAEL
Published: November 2019

The so called 'cartoon crisis' that arose in the wake of the publication of twelve satirical drawings of the Prophet Muhammad has been discussed in numerous ways. So far, however, the debate has not included a deeper analysis of why the desecration of Islam's prophet ignited such a response. Contrary to the claims of Islamic dogmaticism, the attributions regarding Muhammad's properties as a human being in Islamic culture in certain ways supersedes the cult for Allah. Muhammad is perceived as the perfect human being, and everything good about humanity consequently has Muhammad at its root. The disfavouring of Muhammad therefore is the disfavouring of any Muslim and of humanity as such. The article argues that the cartoons were interpreted more than anything else as a mockery of human dignity, and that the response was in defense of that rather than of Islamic dogmaticism.
Feminist Theory, Agency, and the Liberatory Subject: Some Reflections on the Islamic Revival in Egypt
Authors: MAHMOOD SABA
Published: November 2019

This article argues that insomuch as feminism is both an analytical and politically prescriptive project, it aims not only to analyze the situation of women in different historical and cultural locations but also to transform their conditions of subjugation. Consequently, feminist scholarship tends to accord freedom a normative status, and to emphasize those instances that exemplify women's desire to be free from relations of subordination. An important consequence of this tendency in feminist scholarship is to limit the conceptualization of agency to acts that further the moral autonomy of the individual in the face of power. Through an examination of the women's piety movement in Egypt, this article argues for uncoupling the notion of agency from that of resistance as a necessary step in thinking about forms of desire and politics that do not accord with norms of secular-liberal feminism and its liberatory telos.
Thanatos and the Passion for Transformation
Authors: JANTZEN † GRACE
Published: November 2019

In this paper I shall restrict myself to an exploration of three theoretical accounts of violence that have been offered in relation to religion, with specific reference to the question of how that violence could be transformed. What is the relationship between creativity and violence? How does newness enter the world, the newness that is needed if there is to be transformation of the violence of the present world order? None of the thinkers whose ideas of violence I shall consider has much to say about beauty or creativity. However, I shall argue that although beauty is ignored in their work, just as it has regularly been pushed to the margins in the Bible, andin the theology of Christendom, it still offers a place of resistance from which violence can be challenged. In the final section of this paper I shall begin an exploration of what that entails.
Neo-Structuralism and the Contestation of Sacred Place in Biblical Israel
Authors: KUNIN SETH D.
Published: November 2019

One of the most interesting features of anthropological discussions (and those in related disciplines) of sacred place has been the issue of contestation both in relation to the construction of sacred place and in the construction of theorizing about such spaces. This aspect, however, has often been ignored or underplayed in structuralist or structuralist-functionalist analyses (as for example in many of Victor Turner's discussions of pilgrimage). This is also in part true of my earlier structuralist analysis of this subject, God's Place in the World (1998). That volume examined a range of different models of sacred space found in Judaism from the Biblical to the modern period. While the discussion of Biblical use of sacred space did touch on alternative models of space (centralized and decentralized models), the issues of contestation and a theoretical basis for a more complex understanding of structure were not developed.
Religious Processions: Urban Politics and Poetics
Authors: KONG LILY
Published: November 2019

In this paper, I will explore the ways in which processions, by their very visibility, foreground the relationships between the secular and the sacred, while contributing to a construction of identity and community, and simultaneously surfacing fractures therein. Using the example of multireligious yet secular Singapore, I will examine (a) the state's management of religious processions, including the regulation of time and space for such events, as well as regulations over noise production; (b) the tactics of adaptation, negotiation and resistance the participants engage in at an everyday level in response to the state's ideologies, policies, laws and strategies; (c) the participants' experience of these processions in terms of the sense of communitas that Turner describes but which Eade and Sallnow dispute, through emphasis on faultlines within "community" based on age, class and nationality; (d) the investment of sacred meanings in these processions by participants and the nature of their "sacred experience"; and (e) the manner in which such activities, associated state actions and participants' responses evoke reactions from non-participants within and beyond the specific religious group, exploring variations, from obvious fractures between groups to curiosity to enthusiastic support. My specific case focuses on Thaipusam processions in Singapore as one of the most colourful, organized and long-lasting religious processions.
Theology, Religious Studies and the Secular Academy: Rhetoric and the Control of Meanings
Authors: Fitzgerald Timothy
Published: November 2019

The debates among academics over whether Religious Studies belongs within Faculties of Theology, the Social Sciences or The Humanities is a distraction from a more fundamental issue, which is the pervasive and largely unquestioned assumption that religious experiences, practices and institutions are universally distinct in kind and essentially separate from non-religious ones. Theologians and non-theologians alike have contributed to constructing a modern discourse on ‘religion’ and ‘religions’ that tacitly embeds its distinction from ‘non-religious’ or ‘secular’ practices. What is assumed as a commonplace is best understood as a rhetorical construction, which historically has had the ideological function of subverting a much older understanding of ‘religion’ that inhibited class mobility and the growth of capital- ist institutions. The most notable feature of the study of ‘religions’ lies in the tacitly distinct and embedded ‘secular’ or non-religious ground from which the study is assumed to be conducted. It was this wider rhetoric that made possible a basic part of the warp and woof of modern consciousness, the non-religious state and the ubiquitous arena of ‘secular politics’. Keywords: theology, religion, politics, secular, economics, state, sacred and profane
Religious Studies and its Relationship with Theology: A Spatial Analysis
Authors: Knott Kim
Published: November 2019

Academic disciplines can be understood as tribes with their own territories (Becher 1989) which are protected from outsiders and invested with power and meaning for those within. The language which scholars use to delineate and distinguish them from one another is replete with spatial metaphor and the language of war and struggle. References to inside/outside, inclusion/exclusion, to boundaries, incursions, incorporation, integration and embrace are frequently made, particularly when scholars write about their own discipline in relation to others. In this article I offer a spatial analysis of discourse about the discipline of religious studies and its relationship to theology. I note the importance in such discourse of the container schema (Lakoff and Johnson 1999) for depicting possible disciplinary relationships and various perspectives on ‘religion’ as an object of study. A spatial approach offers a clear visual depiction of the views of selected scholars of religion on the relationship of religious studies to theology, whilst also revealing some of the power strategies at work in disciplinary construction. Keywords: Religious studies, Theology, spatial language, academic disciplines
KEBERADAAN GALERI INVESTASI DALAM MENINGKATKAN ANIMO MASYARAKAT MUSLIM UNTUK BERINVESTASI PADA PASAR MODAL SYARIAH DI KOTA MATARAM
Authors: Halpiah Halpiah , Putra Hery Astika
Published: November 2019

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the investment gallery in increasing the interest of Muslim communities to invest in the Islamic capital market in Mataram. This study uses qualitative research that describes the actual phenomena and conditions based on field findings that are presented using descriptive data in the form of information. The result of the study indicates that the presence of investment galleries in the tertiary institutions has not been able to attract the interest of Muslim communities outside the campus to invest in the Islamic capital market. Data collected from Phintraco securities working with investment galleries  shows that the growth of syariah capital market in the UIN mataram as of July 2019 is only 33% which is dominated by lecturers and students of the UIN Mataram, and there were no Muslim investors from the outside campus. Similar finding in the University of Mataram shows that investment gallery growth of opening Islamic accounts is only 1% compared to regular accounts ( 55% -60% ) which also dominated by lecturers and students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Mataram and there are no Muslim investors from communities outside university.
PENGEMBANGAN PARIWISATA KOTA BATU YANG BERDAYA SAING
Authors: Pangestuti Edriana
Published: November 2019

East Java, especially Batu City has the potential to be developed into a tourist city with many natural and cultural tourist attractions. The attraction can be used to attract tourists to visit East Java and improve the competitiveness of tourism in Batu. Understanding of the factors that influence the improvement of competitiveness and their implications for tourism development is the basis of this research. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach with the types of primary and secondary data obtained from observation and interviews and direct observation. The results explained that Batu City has alot of tourism destination and the government focused on building it. While the facilities and infrastructure were still lack of budged. However, the conducive and the secure condition of Batu City supported by mass media and technology greatly attract tourist come to Batu City
RUPA PARIWISATA INDONESIA DALAM DUNIA MAYA STUDI SEDERHANA PEMANFAATAN INSTAGRAM OLEH KEMENTERIAN PARIWISATA REPUBLIK INDONESIA
Authors: Aziz Aulia Luqman , Fajri Detha Alfrian
Published: November 2019

Sebagai salah satu media sosial dengan jumlah pengguna yang semakin meningkat di Indonesia, pelaku bisnis tentu tak boleh ketinggalan dalam memanfaatkan Instagram sebagai salah satu media pengenalan produknya, termasuk produk pariwisata. Tulisan ini menyampaikan sebuah hasil observasi sederhana tentang pemanfaatan Instagram dalam perkenalan destinasi wisata di Indonesia melalui akun @indtravel yang dikelola secara resmi oleh Kementerian Pariwisata Republik Indonesia. Di akhir tulisan, beberapa saran akan disampaikan kepada pengelola akun tersebut dalam semangat meningkatkan kesadaran merek (brand awareness) pariwisata Indonesia kepada masyarakat global
PENGARUH HARGA DAN FASILITAS TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN BERKUNJUNG WISATAWAN DI TAMAN IMPIAN JAYA ANCOL JAKARTA DENGAN METODE STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING
Authors: Ardiansyah Imam
Published: November 2019

Impian Jaya Ancol atau biasa disebut Ancol adalah kawasan wisata terpadu yang dikembangkan oleh PT. Pembangunan Jaya Ancol Tbk yang menyediakan banyak pilihan bagi masyarakat untuk berekreasi. Dalam upaya peningkatan keuntungan dalam kelangsungan usaha, objek wisata Ancol  harus menetapkan strategi yang tepat dan memahami apa yang menjadi kebutuhan konsumen. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menguji pengaruh Harga dan Fasilitas terhadap Keputusan Berkunjung. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian eksplanatory dimana jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah jenis penelitian deskriptif dan kausal. Responden penelitian adalah 100 pengunjung Taman Impian Jaya Ancol. Instrumen penelitian berupa kuesioner terstruktur melalui Model Skala Likert. Metode analisis dalam penelitian ini adalah structural equation modeling (SEM) dengan menggunakan Lisrel 8.54.  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan Hipotesis H1 terbukti diterima karena t-value 4.24  (tingkat keyakinan 95%) > 1.96 dengan nilai estimasi 0.79 yang berarti terdapat hubungan signifikan antara variabel harga dan fasilitas terantisipasi positif, H2 ditolak karena t-value yaitu 1,15 (tingkat keyakinan 95%) < 1.96. Penolakan H2  berarti menunjukkan adanya hubungan yang tidak signifikan antara variabel fasilitas dan keputusan berkunjung walaupun nilai koefisien fasilitas terhadap  keputusan kunjungan  terantisipasi positif menunjukkan 0.23 signifikan, hipotesis H3 yang menyatakan adanya hubungan positif antar variabel harga dan keputusan kunjungan (H3) terbukti diterima karena nilai t-value yaitu 2.01 > 1.96 (tingkat keyakinan 95%) dengan nilai koefisien estimasinya adalah 0.47. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa variabel harga pengaruh yang positif dan signifikan terhadap keputusan kunjungan di Taman Impian Jaya Ancol sedangkan variabel fasilitas menunjukkan  hubungan yang tidak signifikan antara variabel keputusan kunjungan walapun secara nilai koefisien estimasi adalah positif.
SPEECH COMPOSING MENURUT UNDANG-UNDANG NOMOR 28 TAHUN 2014 TENTANG HAK CIPTA
Authors: Putra Jessica Djaja , Budialim Mariska , Djunita Djunita , Budiman Michelle Yaputri
Published: November 2019

Speech Composing is a creation that has not been clearly regulated in Law Number 28 Year 2014 on Copyright. This opens up the possibility of copyright infringement from making Speech Composing. Copyright is an exclusive right of the creator granted by the State automatically after a creation is manifested in its tangible form. This exclusive right consists of the eternal inherent moral rights of the creator and the economic right of creation. Often people think just by putting the name of the creator in his work can prevent him from copyright infringement. Whereas the element of permission is an absolute thing if there are other parties who want to utilize the economic rights of the creator under Article 9 paragraph 2 of Law No. 28 of 2014 on Copyright. In this regard, X is the person who composed a song in Speech Composing using pieces of speech in AW's speech and uploaded to YouTube with no rights and without permission from AW. X infringes AW's copyright under Article 43 Sub-Article d of Law No. 28 of 2014 on Copyright.
PELAKSANAAN PENANGANAN PENYIDIKAN TINDAK PIDANA PERSETUBUHAN DAN PENCABULAN TERHADAP ANAK DI POLSEK EMPAT ANGKAT CANDUNG
Authors: Fauzi Rahmat
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study was to find out and analyze the implementation of a criminal investigation of sexual intercourse and sexual abuse of children in the Fourth Admission Police Station. The method used in this research is empirical juridical research. The results showed that the research on the crime of intercourse and sexual abuse of children carried out by the investigating authority was in accordance with the provisions of the legislation. Investigation of this case is in accordance with the existing rules of receiving reports, confiscating evidence, arresting, detaining filing and sending files to the Public Prosecutor (P21). Factors inhibiting irregularities in the process of criminal acts of sexual intercourse and sexual abuse of children are: human resources from the investigator, victims are still children, the suspect does not argue, has nothing to do with seeing directly and does not want to come to provide assistance Information and bordering forensic doctors. The way out by investigators in the process of sexual intercourse and sexual abuse of children is to increase existing investigators and those requested by investigating members to the police station, allocate and request assistance to assist these sexual acts of sexual intercourse and coitus with the Social Service Bukittinggi, replace a lot of information and opinions will not come, then called back after it was visited at home to be able to provide information, the suspect did not confess then the investigator made a case at the location, processing evidence and multiply giving reports to provide information and help the doctor Forensics, the investigator is still waiting for the results of the post mortem.
PERAN DIPLOMASI PERTAHANAN INDONESIA DALAM KERJASAMA PERTAHANAN INDONESIA DAN AMERIKA SERIKAT
Authors: Sukadis Beni
Published: November 2019

This research is focused on Indonesia-US diplomatic relations in politics and defense. The relationships are very volatile both in terms of closeness and depth of defense cooperation between the two countries. Bilateral defense cooperation is aimed at improving military relations between the two countries and building professionalism of the TNI - in addition to achieving the Indonesian defense goals such as maintaining the sovereignty and integrity of the country. Indonesia has interest in maintaining defense cooperation with the US due to the fact that the majority of Indonesia’s major defense equipment is from the US and other western countries. By taking the perspective of the Susilo B. Yudhoyono administration (2004-2014), defense diplomacy is closely related to the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) program. The MEF program has initiated the Indonesian government to cooperate with the US in the context of maintenance and procurement of weapons that have been embargoed since 1999. This research also finds that among various defense cooperation activities between Indonesia and the US, the major one is actually in the field of education and training, e.g., short courses, staff and command education, seminars, post graduate programs and others. Meanwhile, the other defense cooperation activity, namely defense industry, is still very minor until today. The method of research is qualitative using descriptive analytical collected from the interview of practitioners and from secondary sources such  book, paper, and open sources
The Effects of Corruption in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems on Entrepreneurial Intentions
Authors: Ceresia Francesco , Mendola Claudio
Published: November 2019

Although researchers have identified corruption as a factor capable of affecting the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the national level of analysis, scholars have reported conflicting results regarding the exact nature of the relationship between corruption and entrepreneurial intentions. This paper formulates some propositions about the complex relationship between corruption and entrepreneurship at different levels of analysis and it suggests and explores the socio-cultural consequences of such domains’ interactions. Finally, the slippery-slope effect will be discussed as an intra-individual psychological mechanism that could explain why even morally-engaged people might replicate corrupt behaviors. The limitations of this work, and its implications for future researchers and for government policies will be analyzed.
Minimum-Cost Drone–Nest Matching through the Kuhn–Munkres Algorithm in Smart Cities: Energy Management and Efficiency Enhancement
Authors: Mirzaeinia Amir , Hassanalian Mostafa
Published: November 2019

The development of new concepts for smart cities and the application of drones in this area requires different architecture for the drones’ stations (nests) and their placement. Drones’ stations are designed to protect drones from hazards and utilize charging mechanisms such as solar cells to recharge them. Increasing the number of drones in smart cities makes it harder to find the optimum station for each drone to go to after performing its mission. In classic ordered technique, each drone returns to its preassigned station, which is shown to be not very efficient. Greedy and Kuhn–Munkres (Hungarian) algorithms are used to match the drone to the best nesting station. Three different scenarios are investigated in this study; (1) drones with the same level of energy, (2) drones with different levels of energy, and (3) drones and stations with different levels of energy. The results show that an energy consumption reduction of 25–80% can be achieved by applying the Kuhn–Munkres and greedy algorithms in drone–nest matching compared to preassigned stations. A graphical user interface is also designed to demonstrate drone–station matching through the Kuhn–Munkres and greedy algorithms.
Inherent Reflectance Variability of Vegetation
Authors: Mamaghani Baabak , Saunders M. Grady , Salvaggio Carl
Published: November 2019

With the inception of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), remotely sensed images have been captured much closer to the ground, which has meant better resolution and smaller ground sample distances (GSDs). This has provided the precision agriculture community with the ability to analyze individual plants, and in certain cases, individual leaves on those plants. This has also allowed for a dramatic increase in data acquisition for agricultural analysis. Because satellite and manned aircraft remote sensing data collections had larger GSDs, self-shadowing was not seen as an issue for agricultural remote sensing. However, sUAS are able to image these shadows which can cause issues in data analysis. This paper investigates the inherent reflectance variability of vegetation by analyzing six Coneflower plants, as a surrogate for other cash crops, across different variables. These plants were measured under different forecasts (cloudy and sunny), at different times (08:00 a.m., 09:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.), and at different GSDs (2, 4 and 8 cm) using a field portable spectroradiometer (ASD Field Spec). In addition, a leafclip spectrometer was utilized to measure individual leaves on each plant in a controlled lab environment. These spectra were analyzed to determine if there was any significant difference in the health of the various plants measured. Finally, a MicaSense RedEdge-3 multispectral camera was utilized to capture images of the plants every hour to analyze the variability produced by a sensor designed for agricultural remote sensing. The RedEdge-3 was held stationary at 1.5 m above the plants while collecting all images, which produced a GSD of 0.1 cm/pixel. To produce 2, 4, and 8 cm GSD, the MicaSense RedEdge-3 would need to be at an altitude of 30.5 m, 61 m and 122 m respectively. This study did not take background effects into consideration for either the ASD or MicaSense. Results showed that GSD produced a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, a commonly used metric to determine vegetation health), R 2 values demonstrated a low correlation between time of day and NDVI, and a one-way ANOVA test showed no statistically significant difference in the NDVI computed from the leafclip probe (p-value of 0.018). Ultimately, it was determined that the best condition for measuring vegetation reflectance was on cloudy days near noon. Sunny days produced self-shadowing on the plants which increased the variability of the measured reflectance values (higher standard deviations in all five RedEdge-3 channels), and the shadowing of the plants decreased as time approached noon. This high reflectance variability in the coneflower plants made it difficult to accurately measure the NDVI.
Somatic Embryogenesis and Plant Regeneration from Cotyledon and Hypocotyl Explants of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench lpls Mutant
Authors: Fei Yue , Wang Lan-Xiang , Fang Zheng-Wu , Liu Zhi-Xiong
Published: November 2019

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum, Family Polygonaceae) is an annual pseudo-cereal crop with healing benefits. However, the genetic improvement of common buckwheat has achieved only limited success, mainly due to buckwheat’s dimorphic flowers and heteromorphic self-incompatibility. Here, we develop a useful protocol for indirect somatic embryogenesis and subsequent plant regeneration from hypocotyl explants of F. esculentum. Firstly, the initial calli of hypocotyl explants were induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing 2.0 mgL−1 2,4-D and 1.5 mgL−1 6-BA for 30 days culture, and then the yellowish white friable embryogenic calli were developed when the initial calli were transferred to fresh MS basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mgL−1 6-BA and 0.5 mgL−1 thidiazuron (TDZ)two to three times subculture at 40–60 days intervals. Subsequently, the somatic embryos were able to germinate from embryogenic callus sub-cultured on MS basal medium containing 1.0 mgL−1 6-BA and 0.5 mgL−1 TDZ with 15% potato puree for 20 days subculture. Finally, maximum mean percentage (75.75%) of somatic embryo-derived plants were obtained when the mature somatic embryos were transferred to MS basal medium without growth regulators for 40 days culture. Our result provides a useful protocol for plant regeneration and SE from hypocotyl explants of F. esculentum.
The Relationship between S. aureus and Branched-Chain Amino Acids Content in Composite Cow Milk
Authors: Grispoldi L. , Karama M. , Ianni F. , La Mantia A. , Pucciarini L. , Camaioni E. , Sardella R. , Sechi P. , Natalini B. , Cenci-Goga B. T.
Published: November 2019

The early diagnosis of mastitis is an essential factor for the prompt detection of the animal for further actions. In fact, if not culled, infected cows must be segregated from the milking herd and milked last, or milked with separate milking units. Besides microbiological analysis, the somatic cell count (SCC) commonly used as predictor of intramammary infection, frequently lead to a misclassification of milk samples. To overcome these limitations, more specific biomarkers are continuously evaluated. The total amino acid content increases significantly in mastitic milk compared to normal milk. S. aureus requires branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs—isoleucine, leucine, and valine) for protein synthesis, branched-chain fatty acids synthesis, and environmental adaptation by responding to their availability via transcriptional regulators. The increase of BCAAs in composite milk has been postulated to be linked to mammary infection by S. aureus. The aim of this work is to demonstrate, by a direct ion-pairing reversed-phase method, based on the use of the evaporative light-scattering detector (IP-RP-HPLC-ELSD), applied to 65 composite cow milk samples, a correlation between the concentration of isoleucine and leucine, and S. aureus load. The correlation coefficient, r, was found to be 0.102 for SCC (p = 0.096), 0.622 for isoleucine (p < 0.0001), 0.586 for leucine (p < 0.0001), 0.013 for valine (p = 0.381), and 0.07 for tyrosine (p = 0.034), standing for a positive correlation between S. aureus and isoleucine and leucine concentration. The link between the content of BCAAs, isoleucine and leucine, and udder infection by S. aureus demonstrated with our study has an important clinical value for the rapid diagnosis of S. aureus mastitis in cows.
Effects of the Diet Inclusion of Common Vetch Hay Versus Alfalfa Hay on the Body Weight Gain, Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency, Energy Balance, and Enteric Methane Emissions of Crossbred Simmental Cattle
Authors: Du Wuchen , Hou Fujiang , Tsunekawa Atsushi , Kobayashi Nobuyuki , Ichinohe Toshiyoshi , Peng Fei
Published: November 2019

A low nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE, the ratio of retained N to N intake) and high methane (CH4) emissions of ruminants can lead to potentially high diet protein wastage and directly contribute to global warming. Diet manipulation is the most effective way to improve NUE or reduce CH4 emissions. This study investigated how replacing oat hay with alfalfa hay (AH) or common vetch hay (CVH) with different proportions (20% (20) and 40% (40) of the total dry matter (DM) allowance) affects the body weight gain (BWG), NUE, and CH4 emissions of crossbred Simmental cattle. The forage dry matter intake (DMI) and the total DMI of cattle fed on a CVH40 diet were significantly higher than the values for those fed on AH20 or AH40 diets (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the BWG for the four treatments observed, however, nutrient digestibility significantly decreased in the AH40 diet as compared with the AH20 diet (p < 0.05). The NUE was significantly lower in AH40 than in CVH20. The CH4 emissions were significantly lower for the CVH40 diet than with the AH20 diet (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that a 20% AH and 40% CVH substitution for oat hay are the optimal proportions to maintain the BWG, NUE, nutrient digestibility, and reduce the CH4 emissions of crossbred Simmental cattle. Overall, CVH has a greater potential to reduce CH4 emissions than AH.
The Effect of Animal Welfare Training on the Knowledge and Attitudes of Abattoir Stakeholders in China
Authors: Descovich Kris , Li Xiaofei , Sinclair Michelle , Wang Yan , Phillips Clive Julian Christie
Published: November 2019

Globally, China is one of the largest producers and exporters of meat, and animal welfare is an emerging focal issue for Chinese society and for primary producers. We assessed the effectiveness of a “train the trainer” program to increase awareness of animal welfare issues in stakeholders in the livestock industries of China. Chinese abattoir employees were trained in slaughter and transportation standards in either a classroom setting or using posted materials. They subsequently held training sessions within their own workplace and the participants were surveyed either before (n = 161) or after (n = 147) their training. The post-training group had more confidence to improve the welfare of animals in their care than the pre-training group (p = 0.03), and also scored better on the knowledge section of the survey (p = 0.006) only when the facilitator was trained in the classroom setting. The participants’ knowledge of animal welfare was also affected by living area (p = 0.005) and education (p = 0.005). Participants with the least formal education (to middle school only) scored lower than all other participants. Female respondents reported more positive attitudes towards animal welfare than males (p = 0.009). These results indicate that training can effectively improve stakeholder knowledge on animal welfare during slaughter and transport, however, the mode of delivery has an important influence on learning success, and participant demographics, such as gender and education level, need to be considered when preparing training material.
Rumen Fermentation Characteristics in Pre- and Post-Weaning Calves upon Feeding with Mulberry Leaf Flavonoids and Candida tropicalis Individually or in Combination as a Supplement
Authors: Kong Luxin , Yang Chuntao , Dong Lifeng , Diao Qiyu , Si Bingwen , Ma Junnan , Tu Yan
Published: November 2019

Although flavonoids or yeast have been used as feed additives to improve the production efficiency and health of adult cattle, little information is available on their effects on rumen fermentation in calves. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feed supplementation with mulberry leaf flavonoids and Candida tropicalis on performance, blood parameters, and rumen fermentation characteristics during pre-weaning and post-weaning periods. Forty-eight Holstein calves were used in a four-groups trial and were supplemented with (1) no yeast or flavonoids (CON), (2) active dry yeast (ADY; C. tropicalis, 5.0 × 109 CFU/d), (3) flavonoids (FLA; 3 g/d), or (4) yeast and flavonoids (YF; C. tropicalis, 5.0 × 109 CFU/d; flavonoids, 3 g/d). The feeding strategy was as follows: milk replacer was offered at 12% of body weight in two meals per calf each day at age 21 d, and a gradual weaning process was adopted at age 50 to 56 days. Data of daily feed intake, body weight, and serum and rumen fermentation parameters were obtained at 28, 42, 56, and 80 d ages, respectively. A significant time effect and interaction between treatment and time was found for average daily gain, feed efficiency, total volatile fatty acid concentration, and proportion of propionate in calves (p < 0.05). Average daily gain and feed efficiency increased during post-weaning and overall periods for calves in FLA and YF groups compared with CON and ADY groups (p < 0.05). A reduction of fecal scores with supplementation was found in FLA and YF groups (p < 0.05). Rumen fluid pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration remained constant across the groups, whereas total volatile fatty acid concentration and molar proportion of propionate significantly increased during the pre-weaning and overall periods in FLA and YF groups (p < 0.05). Calves in YF group had the highest serum concentrations of IgG and IgA during the overall period (p < 0.05). Additionally, serum β-hydroxybutyric acid concentration was higher in ADY and FLA groups during the post-weaning period (p < 0.05). Supplementation with C. tropicalis showed little effect on increasing growth performance and health compared with flavonoids alone. Meanwhile, the combination of C. tropicalis and flavonoids was not synergistic with respect to improving health and rumen fermentation compared with use of flavonoids alone in pre- and post-weaning calves (p > 0.05).
Impact of Bovine Lipocalin-2 Gene on the Antioxidant Activity of Milk from Polish Holstein-Friesian Cows
Authors: Pokorska Joanna , Kułaj Dominika , Piestrzyńska-Kajtoch Agata , Radko Anna
Published: November 2019

In the recent years, antioxidant properties of food products have become an important aspect for consumers. Milk is a very good source of easily absorbable proteins and minerals, as well as a valuable source of antioxidants. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), given that, inter alia, it is produced in large quantities by various types of cells in response to oxidative stress caused by physical or chemical factors, it can be considered a protein that determines the total antioxidant capacity of milk. The main objective of this study was to analyze polymorphisms within the lipocalin-2 gene and to determine their impact on antioxidant activity of milk from Holstein-Friesian cows. The genotyping was carried out by sequencing of PCR products. To determine the antioxidant activity of milk, the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) method was used. A total of four polymorphic sites were identified in the examined segment of the bovine lipocalin-2 gene. It was shown that cows of the CC genotype at the locus g.98793763G>C produced milk of significantly higher antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant capacity of milk also varied according to the age of cows, their daily milk yield, and SCC in milk.
Changes in Saliva Analytes Correlate with Horses’ Behavioural Reactions to An Acute Stressor: A Pilot Study
Authors: Contreras-Aguilar María D. , Henry Séverine , Coste Caroline , Tecles Fernando , Escribano Damián , Cerón Jose J. , Hausberger Martine
Published: November 2019

Acute stress induces an array of behavioural reactions in horses that vary between individuals. Attempts to relate behavioural patterns and physiological responses have not always given clear-cut results. Here, we measured the changes in a panel of salivary components: salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), lipase, total esterase (TEA), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and cortisol, and their potential link with horses’ behaviours after acute stress. Saliva samples were collected in nine riding horses subjected to a test consisting of opening an umbrella. Saliva sampling was obtained at a basal time point in the stall (T1), in the test indoor arena (T2), at a time of stress (T3), and 30 min (T4) and 60 min (T5) later. The horses’ behaviour was recorded at T3 for 1 min. sAA, lipase, TEA, and BChE showed significant changes along time, increasing at T3 for BChE, and decreasing at T4 for sAA and BChE. Butyrylcholinesterase appeared to be the most reliable predictor of behavioural responses, as it correlated with the index of emotionality, of laterality, and the occurrence of alarm signals, while sAA decreased when horses expressed quieter behaviours. These first results bring promising lines for novel, more precise physiological markers of acute stress in horses that can bridge the gap between behaviour and physiology.
Age-Dependent Utilization of Shelters and Habitat in Two Reptile Species with Contrasting Intraspecific Interactions
Authors: Kolanek Aleksandra , Bury Stanisław , Turniak Edyta , Szymanowski Mariusz
Published: November 2019

Reptiles undergo worldwide decline driven mostly by habitat change. Detailed recognition of factors underlying spatial structure and habitat utilization is therefore a prerequisite of effective conservation of this group. While the body of data on spatial ecology of reptiles is rapidly growing, studies on social factors remain still underrepresented. We studied age-specific patterns of shelter use, range size, and habitat preferences in the context of intraspecific interactions in the smooth snake Coronella austriaca—known to exhibit intraspecific predation—and the limbless lizard slow worm Anguis fragilis—with no such behavior observed. Despite smaller availability of preferred microhabitats, juveniles of smooth snakes occupied habitat and shelters located at the edge of the population range that did not overlap with adults. No such pattern was observed in the slow worm. Our study indicates that intraspecific interactions affect the spatial ecology of squamates. Passive and active protection of habitat must include wide buffers to preserve the poorly detectable young fraction of the population.
Visual Search Performance and Strategy for Three-Dimensional Visualization Systems: Impact of Radiologist Experience
Authors: Pladere Tatjana , Delesa-Velina Mara , Andriksone Viktorija , Pitura Reinis , Panke Karola , Krumina Gunta
Published: November 2019

The visual search performance of radiologists is systematically challenged due to the use of flat-panel displays when viewing multi-slice images. Three-dimensional visualization of information is expected to facilitate visual search for radiologists. However, as the differences in user performance, depending on radiologist experience, have not yet been assessed for real three-dimensional images, it is difficult to estimate the usability of new visualization systems for radiologists with different amounts of professional search experience. In this study, we aimed to determine how three-dimensional visual search is affected by radiologist experience and the physical properties of stimuli. Radiologists, residents, and medical students accomplished visual search tasks with varying set sizes and target-distractor similarities. Search items were presented on multiple display planes and image manipulation was conducted using a computer keyboard. We compared the search outcome and strategy among three groups of participants. All three groups submitted a similar number of correct responses depending on target-distractor similarity. However, in contrast to radiologists and residents, it took a considerably longer time for students to find the targets. The major differences were evident in search strategy when comparing the image manipulations of radiologists with those of residents and students. Our results demonstrated that experienced radiologists’ search performance benefited from seeing the entire three-dimensional view of an image, whereas residents and students focused instead on reducing the amount of information and searched in a selective manner. These findings should be taken into account when planning the implementation of new workstations with three-dimensional visualization in radiology.
Wind Turbine Power Curve Modeling with a Hybrid Machine Learning Technique
Authors: Pei Shenglei , Li Yifen
Published: November 2019

A power curve of a wind turbine describes the nonlinear relationship between wind speed and the corresponding power output. It shows the generation performance of a wind turbine. It plays vital roles in wind power forecasting, wind energy potential estimation, wind turbine selection, and wind turbine condition monitoring. In this paper, a hybrid power curve modeling technique is proposed. First, fuzzy c-means clustering is employed to detect and remove outliers from the original wind data. Then, different extreme learning machines are trained with the processed data. The corresponding wind power forecasts can also be obtained with the trained models. Finally, support vector regression is used to take advantage of different forecasts from different models. The results show that (1) five-parameter logistic function is superior to the others among the parametric models; (2) generally, nonparametric power curve models perform better than parametric models; (3) the proposed hybrid model can generate more accurate power output estimations than the other compared models, thus resulting in better wind turbine power curves. Overall, the proposed hybrid strategy can also be applied in power curve modeling, and is an effective tool to get better wind turbine power curves, even when the collected wind data is corrupted by outliers.
Research on Dynamic Modeling and Transition Flight Strategy of VTOL UAV
Authors: Wang Chunyang , Zhou Zhou , Wang Rui
Published: November 2019

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can meet both VTOL and horizontal flight performance, but how to achieve a safe and stable transition is a research focus of this type of aircraft. According to the overall configuration characteristics of VTOL UAV, aerodynamic models of lift fan, lift duct and induced wing surface of VTOL UAV were established. Three flight modes of induced VTOL UAV are studied, including hover, transition and horizontal flight. The method of longitudinal flight balance of UAV in transition mode is also studied. Finally, a UAV is taken as an example to conduct the research of transition flight mode balancing and flight simulation with the method presented in this paper. The results show that the proposed method can reasonably give the control quantity and longitudinal attitude of UAV in the whole transition mode, so that the UAV can achieve a steady transition flight.
Laser Processed Oxygen-Free High-Conductivity Copper with Ti and Ti–Zr–V–Hf Films Applied in Neutron Tube
Authors: Wang Jie , Gao Yong , You Zhiming , Fan Jiakun , Zhang Jing , Yang Shanghui , Guo Shaoqiang , Wang Sheng , Xu Zhanglian
Published: November 2019

The laser processing method has proven to produce surfaces while ensuring a low secondary electron yield of oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (OFHC) samples, making it attractive for electron cloud mitigation in next-generation particle accelerators and neutron tubes. In this work, the laser processing method is proposed to OFHC targets for the first time, aiming to reduce the secondary electrons in the neutron tube. The secondary electron yields (SEYs) and the thermal conductivities of Ti film and quaternary Ti–Zr–V–Hf films with unprocessed and laser processed OFHC substrates are investigated. Our results highlight that the thermal conductivity of Ti film with laser processed OFHC substrates is in proximity to the cleaned bare OFHC sample, especially at high temperatures. Moreover, the SEY of coated OFHC substrates are higher than that of coated laser processed substrates, which indicates the better secondary electron suppression capability of coated laser processed substrates. Therefore, the thermal conductivity and SEY results illustrate that the application of Ti and Ti–Zr–V–Hf coated laser processed OFHC can be considered to improve the neutron yield in neutron tubes in the future.
The Influence of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on the Mechanical Properties and Parameters of the Duncan-Chang Constitutive Model of Remolded Saline Soil in Nong’an County, Jilin Province, Northeastern China
Authors: Peng Wei , Wang Qing , Liu Yufeng , Sun Xiaohui , Chen Yating , Han Mengxia
Published: November 2019

In seasonally frozen areas, physical and mechanical soil properties change dynamically under the effect of the freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs), which is a problem that cannot be ignored in geotechnical engineering. In order to study the effect of the FTC on the strength and the mechanism of deformation and failure of saline soil, this paper took Nong’an saline soil as the research object. In total, 105 groups of remolded samples with different salt contents (S) after FTCs were examined in unconsolidated-undrained tests. On the basis of the experiment results, the influence of FTCs on the mechanical properties of Nong’an saline soil was analyzed. The failure principal stress difference (σ1 − σ3)f and cohesion (c) were both decreased with FTC. This occurred especially rapidly after the first cycle and became stable between 30 and 60 cycles. The internal friction angle φ increased at first and then decreased. According to experimental data, a modified Duncan-Chang model was established. Compared with the experiment results, this model was reasonable to simulate the stress-strain relationship of Nong’an saline soil. Furthermore, the empirical formulas of Duncan-Chang model parameters were obtained by regression analysis. This provides a theoretical basis for saline–soil foundation and subgrade engineering in seasonal frozen areas.