bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene Oxide Carboxymethylcellulose Nanocomposite for Dressing Materials
Authors: Saladino Maria Luisa , Markowska Marta , Carmone Clara , Cancemi Patrizia , Alduina Rosa , Presentato Alessandro , Scaffaro Roberto , Biały Dariusz , Hasiak Mariusz , Hreniak Dariusz , Wawrzyńska Magdalena
Published: April 2020

Sore, infected wounds are a major clinical issue, and there is thus an urgent need for novel biomaterials as multifunctional constituents for dressings. A set of biocomposites was prepared by solvent casting using different concentrations of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and exfoliated graphene oxide (Exf-GO) as a filler. Exf-GO was first obtained by the strong oxidation and exfoliation of graphite. The structural, morphological and mechanical properties of the composites (CMCx/Exf-GO) were evaluated, and the obtained composites were homogenous, transparent and brownish in color. The results confirmed that Exf-GO may be homogeneously dispersed in CMC. It was found that the composite has an inhibitory activity against the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, but not against Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. At the same time, it does not exhibit any cytotoxic effect on normal fibroblasts.
3D Digital Impression Systems Compared with Traditional Techniques in Dentistry: A Recent Data Systematic Review
Authors: Cicciù Marco , Fiorillo Luca , D’Amico Cesare , Gambino Dario , Amantia Emanuele Mario , Laino Luigi , Crimi Salvatore , Campagna Paola , Bianchi Alberto , Herford Alan Scott , Cervino Gabriele
Published: April 2020

The advent of new technologies in the field of medicine and dentistry is giving improvements that lead the clinicians to have materials and procedures able to improve patients’ quality of life. In dentistry, the last digital techniques offer a fully digital computerized workflow that does not include the standard multiple traditional phases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate all clinical trials and clinical randomized trials related to the digital or dental impression technique in prosthetic dentistry trying to give the readers global information about advantages and disadvantages of each procedure. Data collection was conducted in the main scientific search engines, including articles from the last 10 years, in order to obtain results that do not concern obsolete impression techniques. Elsevier, Pubmed and Embase have been screened as sources for performing the research. The results data demonstrated how the working time appears to be improved with digital workflow, but without a significant result (P = 0.72596). The papers have been selected following the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) question, which is related to the progress on dental impression materials and technique. The comparison between dentists or practitioners with respect to classic impression procedures, and students open to new device and digital techniques seem to be the key factor on the final impression technique choice. Surely, digital techniques will end up supplanting the analogical ones altogether, improving the quality of oral rehabilitations, the economics of dental practice and also the perception by our patients.
Effects of Mn, Zn Additions and Cooling Rate on Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of Al-4.6Mg Casting Alloys
Authors: Wu Chih-Ting , Lee Sheng-Long , Chen Ye-Feng , Bor Hui-Yun , Liu Kung-Hui
Published: April 2020

The mechanical properties of the Al-Mg alloy can be enhanced by adding metallic elements, but a continuous distribution of precipitates at grain boundaries leads to intergranular corrosion during sensitization treatment. In the present work, Mn, Zn additions, water cooling and furnace cooling were executed to investigate their effects on the mechanical and corrosion properties of the Al-4.6Mg alloy. Our results show that adding Mn to Al-4.6Mg alloys may produce grain refinement and dispersion strengthening, increasing tensile strength and hardness. The presence of Mn did not affect the corrosion resistance of Al-Mg alloys. Adding Zn to the Al-4.6Mg alloy increased tensile strength and hardness, but decreased corrosion resistance. Combined, the addition of Mn and Zn to the Al-4.6Mg alloy exhibited the highest tensile strength and hardness, but seriously reduced corrosion resistance. Furnace cooling substituted for water quenching could avoid intergranular corrosion, but slightly decreased the tensile strength and hardness by 7.0% and 6.8%, respectively.
Modern Biodegradable Plastics—Processing and Properties: Part I
Authors: Sikora Janusz , Majewski Łukasz , Puszka Andrzej
Published: April 2020

This paper presents a characterization of a plastic extrusion process and the selected properties of three biodegradable plastic types, in comparison with LDPE (low-density polyethylene). The four plastics include: LDPE, commercial name Malen E FABS 23-D022; potato starch based plastic (TPS-P), BIOPLAST GF 106/02; corn starch based plastic (TPS-C), BioComp®BF 01HP; and a polylactic acid (polylactide) plastic (PLA), BioComp®BF 7210. Plastic films with determined geometric parameters (thickness of the foil layer and width of the flattened foil sleeve) were produced from these materials (at individually defined processing temperatures), using blown film extrusion, by applying different extrusion screw speeds. The produced plastic films were tested to determine the geometrical features, MFR (melt flow rate), blow-up ratio, draw down ratio, mass flow rate, and exit velocity. The tests were complemented by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and chemical structure analysis. It was found that the biodegradable films were extruded at higher rate and mass flow rate than LDPE; the lowest thermal stability was ascertained for the film samples extruded from TPS-C and TPS-P, and that all tested biodegradable plastics contained polyethylene.
Porous Silicon-Zinc Oxide Nanocomposites Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition for Biophotonic Applications
Authors: Pavlenko Mykola , Myndrul Valerii , Gottardi Gloria , Coy Emerson , Jancelewicz Mariusz , Iatsunskyi Igor
Published: April 2020

In the current research, a porous silicon/zinc oxide (PSi/ZnO) nanocomposite produced by a combination of metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) methods is presented. The applicability of the composite for biophotonics (optical biosensing) was investigated. To characterize the structural and optical properties of the produced PSi/ZnO nanocomposites, several studies were performed: scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance, and photoluminescence (PL). It was found that the ALD ZnO layer fully covers the PSi, and it possesses a polycrystalline wurtzite structure. The effect of the number of ALD cycles and the type of Si doping on the optical properties of nanocomposites was determined. PL measurements showed a “shoulder-shape” emission in the visible range. The mechanisms of the observed PL were discussed. It was demonstrated that the improved PL performance of the PSi/ZnO nanocomposites could be used for implementation in optical biosensor applications. Furthermore, the produced PSi/ZnO nanocomposite was tested for optical/PL biosensing towards mycotoxins (Aflatoxin B1) detection, confirming the applicability of the nanocomposites.
Digitization of One-Piece Oral Implants: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Pieralli Stefano , Spies Benedikt Christopher , Kohnen Luisa Valentina , Beuer Florian , Wesemann Christian
Published: April 2020

For digital impression-making of two-piece oral implants, scan bodies are used to transfer the exact intraoral implant position to the dental laboratory. In this in vitro investigation, the accuracy of digitizing a one-piece ceramic oral implant without a scan body (OC) was compared to that of a standard two-piece titanium implant with a scan body (TT) and a preparation of a natural single tooth (ST). Furthermore, incomplete scans of OC simulating clinical compromising situations (OC1–4) were redesigned using a virtual reconstruction tool (RT) and superimposed to OC. OC and TT oral implants and one ST were inserted into a mandible typodont model and digitized (N = 13) using two different intraoral scanners. The resulting virtual datasets were superimposed onto a three-dimensional (3D) laser scanner-based reference. Test and reference groups were aligned using an inspection software according to a best-fit algorithm, and circumferential as well as marginal discrepancies were measured. For the statistical evaluation, multivariate analyses of variance with post-hoc Tukey tests and students t-tests to compare both scanners were performed. A total of 182 datasets were analyzed. For circumferential deviations, no significant differences were found between ST, TT, and OC (p > 0.964), but increased deviations for OC1–4 (p < 0.001) were observed. The measurements of the marginal deviations revealed that ST had the smallest deviations, and that there were no significant differences between TT, OC, and OC1–4 (p > 0.979). Except for marginal deviation of OC (p < 0.001), the outcome was not affected by the scanner. Within the limitations of this study, digitization of OC is as accurate as that of TT, but less than that of ST. In the case of known geometries, post-processing of compromised scans with a virtual reconstruction results in accurate data.
Performance of Ceramic-Metal Composites as Potential Tool Materials for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminium, Copper and Stainless Steel
Authors: Kolnes Mart , Kübarsepp Jakob , Sergejev Fjodor , Kolnes Märt , Tarraste Marek , Viljus Mart
Published: April 2020

The aim of the research was to disclose the performance of ceramic-metal composites, in particular TiC-based cermets and WC-Co hardmetals, as tool materials for friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium alloys, stainless steels and copper. The model tests were used to study the wear of tools during cutting of metallic workpiece materials. The primary focus was on the performance and degradation mechanism of tool materials during testing under conditions simulating the FSW process, in particular the welding process temperature. Carbide composites were produced using a common press-and-sinter powder metallurgy technique. The model tests were performed on a universal lathe at the cutting speeds enabling cutting temperatures comparable the temperatures of the FSW of aluminium alloys, stainless steels and pure copper. The wear rate of tools was evaluated as the shortening of the length of the cutting tool nose tip and reaction diffusion tests were performed for better understanding of the diffusion-controlled processes during tool degradation (wear). It was concluded that cermets, in particular TiC-NiMo with 75–80 wt.% TiC, show the highest performance in tests with counterparts from aluminium alloy and austenitic stainless steel. On the other hand, in the model tests with copper workpiece, WC-Co hardmetals, in particular composites with 90–94 wt.% WC, outperform most of TiC-based cermet, including TiC-NiMo. Tools from ceramic-metal composites wear most commonly by mechanisms based on adhesion and diffusion.
The Effect of Mixed Doping on the Microstructure and Electrophysical Parameters of the Multicomponent PZT-Type Ceramics
Authors: Bochenek Dariusz , Niemiec Przemysław , Dercz Grzegorz
Published: April 2020

This work shows the influence of admixture on the basic properties of the multicomponent PbZr1−xTixO3 (PZT)-type ceramics. It presents the results of four compositions of PZT-type material with the general chemical formula, Pb0.99M0.01((Zr0.49Ti0.51)0.95Mn0.021Sb0.016W0.013)0.9975O3, where, in the M position, a donor admixture was introduced, i.e., samarium (Sm3+), gadolinium (Gd3+), dysprosium (Dy3+) or lanthanum (La3+). The compositions of the PZT-type ceramics were obtained through the classic ceramic method, as a result of the synthesis of simple oxides. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern studies showed that the obtained multicomponent PZT materials have a tetragonal structure with a P4mm point group. The microstructure of the obtained compositions is characterized by a well crystallized grain, with clearly visible grain boundaries. The composition with the admixture of lanthanum has the highest uniformity of fine grain microstructure, which positively affects its final dielectric and piezoelectric properties. In the multicomponent PZT-type ceramic, materials utilize the mixed (acceptor and donor) doping of the main compound. This dopiong method has a positive effect on the set of the electrophysical parameters of ceramic materials. Donor dopants W6+ (at positions B) and M3+ = Sm3+, Gd3+, Dy3+, and La3+ (at positions A) increase the dielectric and piezoelectric properties, while the acceptor dopant Sb3+ (at positions B) increases the time and temperature stability of the electrophysical parameters. In addition, the suitable selection of the set of admixtures improved the sinterability of the ceramic samples, as well as resulted in obtaining the required material with good piezoelectric parameters for the poling process. This research confirms that all ceramic compositions have a set of parameters suitable for applications in micromechatronics, for example, as actuators, piezoelectric transducers, and precision microswitches.
3-D Printed Protective Equipment during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Wesemann Christian , Pieralli Stefano , Fretwurst Tobias , Nold Julian , Nelson Katja , Schmelzeisen Rainer , Hellwig Elmar , Spies Benedikt Christopher
Published: April 2020

While the number of coronavirus cases from 2019 continues to grow, hospitals are reporting shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers. Furthermore, PPE for the eyes and mouth, such as face shields, allow for additional protection when working with aerosols. 3-D printing enables the easy and rapid production of lightweight plastic frameworks based on open-source data. The practicality and clinical suitability of four face shields printed using a fused deposition modeling printer were examined. The weight, printing time, and required tools for assembly were evaluated. To assess the clinical suitability, each face shield was worn for one hour by 10 clinicians and rated using a visual analogue scale. The filament weight (21–42 g) and printing time (1:40–3:17 h) differed significantly between the four frames. Likewise, the fit, wearing comfort, space for additional PPE, and protection varied between the designs. For clinical suitability, a chosen design should allow sufficient space for goggles and N95 respirators as well as maximum coverage of the facial area. Consequently, two datasets are recommended. For the final selection of the ideal dataset to be used for printing, scalability and economic efficiency need to be carefully balanced with an acceptable degree of protection.
Carbon-Bonded Alumina Filters Coated by Graphene Oxide for Water Treatment
Authors: Jankovský Ondřej , Lojka Michal , Jiříčková Adéla , Aneziris Christos G. , Storti Enrico , Sedmidubský David
Published: April 2020

The aim of this paper is to prepare nano-functionalized ceramic foam filters from carbon-bonded alumina. The carbon-bonded filters were produced via the Schwartzwalder process using a two-step approach. The prepared ceramic foam filters were further coated using graphene oxide. Graphene oxide was prepared by the modified Tour method. The C/O of the graphene oxide ratio was evaluated by XPS, EDS and elemental analysis (EA). The amount and type of individual oxygen functionalities were characterized by XPS and Raman spectroscopy. The microstructure was studied by TEM, and XRD was used to evaluate the interlayer distance. In the next step, filters were coated by graphene oxide using dip-coating. After drying, the prepared composite filters were used for the purification of the water containing lead, zinc and cadmium ions. The efficiency of the sorption was very high, suggesting the potential use of these materials for the treatment of wastewater from heavy metals.
Biological Activities of Rhamnan Sulfate Extract from the Green Algae Monostroma nitidum (Hitoegusa)
Authors: Suzuki Koji , Terasawa Masahiro
Published: April 2020

Monostroma nitidum is a green single-cell layered algae that grows on the southwest coast of Japan. It is often used for salad ingredients, boiled tsukudani, soups, etc., due to its health benefits. M. nitidum is composed of many cell aggregates, and the various substances that fill the intercellular space are dietary fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Rhamnan sulfate (RS), a sulfated polysaccharide, is main the component of the fiber extracted from M. nitidum. Recently, some biological properties of RS have been demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies that probably protect human subjects from viruses and ameliorate vascular dysfunction caused by metabolic disorders, especially lifestyle-related diseases. In this review, we focus on the antithrombotic effects of RS and introduce its antiviral and other biological activities.
Pregnancy and Childbirth in Uterus Didelphys: A Report of Three Cases
Authors: Slavchev Stanislav , Kostov Stoyan , Yordanov Angel
Published: April 2020

Uterus didelphys is a rare form of congenital anomaly of the Müllerian ducts. The clinical significance of this anomaly of the female reproductive tract is associated with various reproductive issues: increased risk of preterm birth before 37 weeks’ gestation, abnormal fetal presentation, delivery by caesarean section, intrauterine fetal growth restriction, low birth weight less than 2500 g, and perinatal mortality. We present three cases of uterus didelphys and full-term pregnancy, which resulted in favorable birth outcomes of live-born, full-term infants. In two of the cases, delivery was performed via Caesarean section: due to lack of labor activity in one of the cases and lack of response to oxytocin stimulation in the second case. The weight of two of the new-born infants was lower than expected for the gestational age.
Spirulina Enhances Bone Modeling in Growing Male Rats by Regulating Growth-Related Hormones
Authors: Cho Jin Ah , Baek Seong Yeon , Cheong Sun Hee , Kim Mee Ree
Published: April 2020

In recent years, growth hormone deficiency in children has been treated with hormone therapy despite the possible significant side effects. Therefore, it was deemed beneficial to develop functional foods or dietary supplements for safely improving children’s growth. Spirulina platensis is known for its high antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-cancer, and immunity-enhancing properties, as well as its high digestibility and high protein content, but little has been reported about its influence on bone development in children with a normal supply of protein. In this study, we evaluated the effects of spirulina on the bone metabolism and antioxidant profiles of three-week-old growing male rats. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 17 per group) and were fed AIN93G diets with 0% (control), 30% (SP30), 50% (SP50), and 70% (SP70) of casein protein replaced by spirulina, respectively, for seven weeks. We observed that spirulina enhanced bone growth and bone strength by stimulating parathyroid hormone and growth hormone activities, as well its increased antioxidant activity. These results indicate that spirulina provides a suitable dietary supplement and alternative protein source with antioxidant benefits for growth improvement in early developmental stages.
Mechanisms of Lifespan Regulation by Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting in Model Organisms
Authors: Hwangbo Dae-Sung , Lee Hye-Yeon , Abozaid Leen Suleiman , Min Kyung-Jin
Published: April 2020

Genetic and pharmacological interventions have successfully extended healthspan and lifespan in animals, but their genetic interventions are not appropriate options for human applications and pharmacological intervention needs more solid clinical evidence. Consequently, dietary manipulations are the only practical and probable strategies to promote health and longevity in humans. Caloric restriction (CR), reduction of calorie intake to a level that does not compromise overall health, has been considered as being one of the most promising dietary interventions to extend lifespan in humans. Although it is straightforward, continuous reduction of calorie or food intake is not easy to practice in real lives of humans. Recently, fasting-related interventions such as intermittent fasting (IF) and time-restricted feeding (TRF) have emerged as alternatives of CR. Here, we review the history of CR and fasting-related strategies in animal models, discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying these interventions, and propose future directions that can fill the missing gaps in the current understanding of these dietary interventions. CR and fasting appear to extend lifespan by both partially overlapping common mechanisms such as the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway and circadian clock, and distinct independent mechanisms that remain to be discovered. We propose that a systems approach combining global transcriptomic, metabolomic, and proteomic analyses followed by genetic perturbation studies targeting multiple candidate pathways will allow us to better understand how CR and fasting interact with each other to promote longevity.
Special Issue “Fibre Optic Sensors for Structural and Geotechnical Monitoring”
Authors: Caponero Michele Arturo
Published: April 2020

In this editorial on the special issue “Fibre Optic Sensors for Structural and Geotechnical Monitoring” a review of the contribution papers selected for publication is given. Each paper is briefly summarized, presenting its objective and methods, then a comment is given about the relevance of the work with respect to the advance and the spreading of the fibre optic technology for monitoring applications.
Safe Helicopter Landing on Unprepared Terrain Using Onboard Interferometric Radar
Authors: Shimkin Pavel E. , Baskakov Alexander I. , Komarov Aleksey A. , Ka Min-Ho
Published: April 2020

This letter proposes a radar interferometric survey system for the ground surface of helicopter landing sites. This system generates high-quality three-dimensional terrain surface topography data and estimates the slope of the site with the required accuracy. This study presents the processing algorithms of the radar system for safe helicopter landing using an interferometric method and also demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed approach based on computer simulation results. The results of the calculated potential accuracy characteristics of such a system are presented, as well as one of the variants of the algorithmic implementation of a simulation computer model implemented on MATLAB. Visual results of modeling using an example of a helicopter landing on a non-uniform surface relief similar to a real case are shown. The study focuses on the simulation of a unique on-board radar system, which allows helicopters to land on an unprepared site with a high degree of safety, having previously determined the presence of dangerous irregularities, inclines, foreign objects, and mechanisms on the site.
Research on Visualization and Error Compensation of Demolition Robot Attachment Changing
Authors: Deng Qian , Zou Shuliang , Chen Hongbin , Duan Weixiong
Published: April 2020

Attachment changing in demolition robots has a high docking accuracy requirement, so it is hard for operators to control this process remotely through the perspective of a camera. To solve this problem, this study investigated positioning error and proposed a method of error compensation to achieve a highly precise attachment changing process. This study established a link parameter model for the demolition robot, measured the error in the attachment changing, introduced a reference coordinate system to solve the coordinate transformation from the dock spot of the robot’s quick-hitch equipment to the dock spot of the attachment, and realized error compensation. Through calculation and experimentation, it was shown that the error compensation method proposed in this study reduced the level of error in attachment changing from the centimeter to millimeter scale, thereby meeting the accuracy requirements for attachment changing. This method can be applied to the remote-controlled attachment changing process of demolition robots, which provides the basis for the subsequent automatic changing of attachments. This has the potential to be applied in nuclear facility decommissioning and dismantling, as well as other radioactive environments.
Combined Long-Period Fiber Grating and Microcavity In-Line Mach–Zehnder Interferometer for Refractive Index Measurements with Limited Cross-Sensitivity
Authors: Janik Monika , Koba Marcin , Król Krystian , Mikulic Predrag , Bock Wojtek J. , Śmietana Mateusz
Published: April 2020

This work discusses sensing properties of a long-period grating (LPG) and microcavity in-line Mach–Zehnder interferometer (µIMZI) when both are induced in the same single-mode optical fiber. LPGs were either etched or nanocoated with aluminum oxide (Al2O3) to increase its refractive index (RI) sensitivity up to ≈2000 and 9000 nm/RIU, respectively. The µIMZI was machined using a femtosecond laser as a cylindrical cavity (d = 60 μm) in the center of the LPG. In transmission measurements for various RI in the cavity and around the LPG we observed two effects coming from the two independently working sensors. This dual operation had no significant impact on either of the devices in terms of their functional properties, especially in a lower RI range. Moreover, due to the properties of combined sensors two major effects can be distinguished—sensitivity to the RI of the volume and sensitivity to the RI at the surface. Considering also the negligible temperature sensitivity of the µIMZI, it makes the combination of LPG and µIMZI sensors a promising approach to limit cross-sensitivity or tackle simultaneous measurements of multiple effects with high efficiency and reliability.
The Relationship between Physical Activity Levels, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Academic Achievement School-Age Children from Southern Spain
Authors: Ávila-García Manuel , Baena-Ogalla Nuria , Huertas-Delgado Francisco Javier , Tercedor Pablo , Villa-González Emilio
Published: April 2020

The relationship between physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and academic achievement in young people is unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between PA, CRF and academic achievement in 152 children according to sex (average age of 8.6 ± 0.3 years) in southern Spain. A tri-axial accelerometer was used to measure PA; the 20-m Shuttle Run Test was performed to assess the CRF; and to know the academic achievement, the official school records were considered. The results showed a weak correlation between moderate PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) with CRF in boys (all, 0.2 > r < 0.4; p < 0.05), whereas the vigorous PA showed a moderate and weak correlation with CRF (all, p < 0.05), in both boys (r = 0.537) and girls (r = 0.382), respectively. In addition, a weak inverse correlation between moderate PA and MVPA with academic achievement showed in girls (all, 0.2 > r < 0.4; p < 0.05). Finally, the CRF weakly correlated with academic achievement only in boys (all, 0.2 > r < 0.4; p < 0.05). Our study showed a relationship between PA and CRF in both sexes. Nonetheless, the PA was inversely related to academic achievement in girls, whereas the CRF was related to academic achievement in boys.
A Framework to Tackling the Synchrony between Social and Ecological Phases of the Annual Cyclic Movement of Transhumant Pastoralism
Authors: Pérez León Natalia , Bruzzone Octavio , Easdale Marcos H.
Published: April 2020

Transhumant pastoralism is mobile livelihood strategy in which families and their herds move seasonally from lowlands, where they settle during the winter, towards the highlands, located in mountainous areas, during the summer. We propose a framework, rooted in a socio-environmental coevolutionary perspective, for the transhumant annual cycle as comprised by the winter-phase, the summer-phase, and movement transitions between them. The aim was to assess the level of synchrony between ecological phases and social phases and the benefit of moving between pasturelands in selected study cases from Patagonia, Argentina. Ecological phases were addressed by the difference between vegetation productivity of winter- and summer-lands, with Fourier transform applied to data series of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Social phases were estimated by the proportion of annual time spent by pastoralists and their herds in each site and during transitions, respectively, obtained from interviews. The framework was sensitive to capturing differences across study cases. There was an observed tendency towards more synchronisation in the cases with closer distances and asynchrony in the cases with longer distances and longer movement transitions between pasturelands. Results are encouraging as a step towards the development of a monitoring system of both transhumant pastoralism activity and environmental changes.
The Concern about Biodiversity as a Criterion for the Classification of the Sustainable Consumer: A Cross-Cultural Approach
Authors: Murgado-Armenteros Eva M. , Gutierrez-Salcedo María , Torres-Ruiz Francisco José
Published: April 2020

One of the variables assessed in the research related to the consumption of green products is environmental concern. This work explores a new dimension to environmental concern: biodiversity. The reasons why research has focused on the mentioned dimension are, on one hand, the consideration of biodiversity as the main environmental indicator of the sustainability and, on the other, the paucity of marketing studies analyzing this variable and its relationship with the purchase behavior of sustainable products. The present paper proposes a classification of sustainable consumers according to their level of biodiversity concern. It is based on a quantitative study on the consumption behavior of olive oils carried out in four European countries, using the clustering multivariate technique. The results point out that there are differences between the segments depending on their level of commitment to biodiversity. The country’s influence on the way that its people experience biodiversity was also tackled. As a main conclusion, we identify four clusters or segments (not concerned, passive, active and influencers), setting up a multilevel structure of ascending intensity with regard to their level of biodiversity concern, with differences in the composition according to age and sex between countries.
Spatial-Temporal Response Patterns of Tourist Flow under Real-Time Tourist Flow Diversion Scheme
Authors: Yang Guang , Han Yan , Gong Hao , Zhang Tiantian
Published: April 2020

This paper excavates tourist decision-making mechanism under the real-time tourist flow diversion scheme (RTFDS) and evaluates the tourist flow diversion effect of RTFDS. To meet the objectives, the stated preference survey and tourist flow survey of the Summer Palace were implemented. The tourist behavior adjustment model and tourist flow diversion simulation model were established. The results show that: (a) For core tourist spots, 66.5% and 16.5% of tourists will choose “behavior adjustment” and “no longer adjustment” under RTFDS, these behavior adjustments all shorten tourists’ residence time in tourist spots; (b) When the tourist congestion perception degree equals 4 or 5, tourists tend to adopt behavior adjustment or the individuals adopt no longer adjustment instead of cognitive adjustment when they face low tourist congestion perception degree, which equals 1 or 2; (c) When core tourist spots’ residence time is reduced by 10% and 20%, there are 60% and 73% time nodes where core tourist spots’ tourist flow density is less than or equal to the condition of null information, there are 73% and 60% time nodes where periphery tourist spots’ density is more than the condition of null information. The simulation results showed that some tourists could be guided from core tourist spots to periphery tourist spots through releasing RTFDS information. The research can provide theoretical support for the implementation of RTFDS, and alleviate the congestion inside the tourist attraction.
The Effect of UV-C Stimulation of Potato Tubers and Soaking of Potato Strips in Water on Color and Analyzed Color by CIE L*a*b*
Authors: Sobol Zygmunt , Jakubowski Tomasz , Nawara Piotr
Published: April 2020

The color of French fries is an organoleptic attribute indicative of this product quality and also a reliable indicator of its safety. The darker the product color, the higher its acrylamide concentration. Acrylamide is an organic compound of the amide group showing neurotoxic and potential mutagenic actions in the human body. The content of acrylamide in fried potato products essentially depends on the contents of reducing sugars in intermediates of French fries’ production. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of UV-C irradiation and the soaking of potato strips in water on French fries’ color. The study was conducted on French fries obtained from tubers of the Innovator variety. The study was performed with the use of a special chamber for UV-C irradiation of biological samples and the CIE L*a*b* model for color analysis. The results of the study demonstrated that UV-C stimulation of potato tubers before processing had a beneficial effect on French fries’ color while the blanching of potato strips and soaking in water at a temperature of 40 °C resulted in the production of French fries lighter in color.
Implementation of E-Proctoring in Online Teaching: A Study about Motivational Factors
Authors: González-González Carina S. , Infante-Moro Alfonso , Infante-Moro Juan C.
Published: April 2020

Most online teaching institutions still do not offer complete remote teaching, requiring the physical presence of the student in the evaluation process (for supervisory reasons), which could aggravate the evaluation and certification in massive open online teaching. Although, there are already e-proctoring tools (electronic proctoring) that allow this process to be carried out remotely, without requiring that physical presence. For this reason, and in order for this complete remote teaching to be extended to institutions that do not yet believe in the success of its implementation, this study, through a bibliographic study and a causal study carried out by experts in online teaching, focuses on locating the determining motivational factors when accepting and implementing this evaluation system as a method of remote supervision and tries to encourage its use through them. The list obtained consists of the following motivational factors: Quality management, available information, external conditioning, trust, perceived compatibility, perceived usefulness, attitude and intention, and the most decisive factor in this whole process is trust (which would be the extent of security and privacy that institutions have in the use of this tool).
Can A Faraday’s Cage In Today’s Digital Age Safeguard Our Privacy?
Authors: Ankit Kumar
Published: April 2020

We all grew up learning from experiments and observations, making sure that we learn and understand things with interaction. In India, we are more familiar with cricket and football than lawn-tennis or golf, or we all learn our mother tongue by being exposed to it. Imagine me having exposure to only indoor variety of games, would I develop a taste for outdoor games like cricket or football? This learning by exposure is also equally easily applicable on food, religion, language and other habits, which define a person, his thoughts and his habits. The larger question is whether we can weave a new habit without having an exposure. How do we know what we don’t know when our choices to know are restricted.

In the increasing digital market of trans-boundary content, goods and services, the choices for us are often made by a super intelligent, biased algorithm, backed by immense computing power specifically designed to detect tastes of sports, food, music, living lifestyle, depending on the way we have used our smartphones, connected devices, location shares, search strings and photographs. We are aware that our browsers use cookies and trackers, and have ability to smartly direct us to the algorithm chosen choices. I would like to imagine a situation where our actions, emotions and urge to know is not used against us by directing us to content which fills up the void of our search with content that has been tailored to make us feel happy.

This leads to a question whether we exercise the choices we actually want to exercise, or do we just go by the flow of algorithms to let it determine what we should experience? This is the question for today which has implications on how the global economy sustains and caters to its users.
Experiential Learning of Networking Technologies: Evolution of Socket Programming – Part II
Authors: Rustagi Ram P. , Kumar Viraj
Published: April 2020

In our last article [1], we discussed the concept of a perpetual server handling multiple concurrent clients and explored several design/implementation choices. These included creating one child process (or thread) per client connection, pre-creating a number of children processes (and/or threads) and assigning a new TCP connection to one of the free child process/thread and a single threaded server using the socket API call select()[2][3]. We briefly discussed the latter approach using select(), in which, the process maintains a list (array) of open sockets, and each time whichever socket is active, the process uses that socket. For example, when data is available to read from the socket or the socket has enough buffer for the data to be written into, then the network stack will be transmitted subsequently.

The approach of using select() performs better than other approaches of creating multiple threads/processes. As discussed in [1], one of the limitations of using select() is that it is generally limited to handling 1024 concurrent connections. This number turns out be quite insufficient today as modern servers need to deal with many more than 1024 concurrent connections [4]. There are other inefficiency issues when using select() especially on account of frequent switching between user space and kernel space execution of a process. In this article we focus on these limitations of select() and alternatives available (such as poll() [5], and epoll() [6]) to improve upon the performance.
Kistik Ekinokokkozis Şüpheli Hastaların İndirekt Hemaglutinasyon Yöntemiyle Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: BEHÇET Mustafa , AVCIOĞLU Fatma
Published: April 2020

Amaç: 2013-2018 tarihlerinde Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi, İzzet Baysal Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Laboratuvarına kliniklerden kistik ekinokokkozis (KE) şüphesi ile gönderilen serum örneklerinden anti-Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) Ig G seropozitiflik oranının saptanması amaçlanmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Toplam 644 hastadan kliniklerden gönderilen kan örnekleri İndirekt hemaglutinasyon (IHA) (Echinococcosis Fumouze, Fumouze Diagnostics, Fransa) yöntemiyle üretici firmanın talimatlarına uygun olarak anti-E. granulosus IgG antikorları araştırılmıştır. IHA testinde ≥1/160 serum titreleri pozitif olarak kabul edilmiştir. Test sonuçları retrospektif olarak incelenmiştir.
Bulgular: Hastaların 386’ sı kadın (%59,9), 258’ i erkek (%40,1) olup hasta örnekleri en çok genel cerrahi (%51,5) kliniğinden gönderilmiştir. 644 hastanın 68 (%10,6)’ inde seropozitiflik saptanmıştır. Seropozitiflik saptanan 68 hastanın 42’ si (%61,8) kadın, 26’sı (%38,2) erkekti. KE seropozitifliği, ≤20 yaş grubunda %11,8, 21-40 yaş grubunda %27,9, 41-60 yaş grubunda %26,5 ve >61 yaş grubunda %33,8 oranında saptanmıştır.
Sonuç: Çalışmamızda KE şüpheli hastalarda seropozitiflik %10,6 oranında saptanmıştır. 2013-2018 tarihlerinde yıllara göre görülme sıklığı, yaş grupları ve cinsiyete göre KE seropozitifliğinde istatistiksel olarak fark saptanmamıştır.
Yenidoğan Döneminde Dirençli Supraventriküler Taşikardi Olgusu
Authors: PALA Ayşegül , DERVİŞOĞLU Pınar , ÖZDEMİR Öner
Published: April 2020

Supraventriküler taşikardi (SVT) yenidoğan döneminde görülen en yaygın aritmidir. Kliniği asemptomatik seyirden kalp yetersizliği ve kardiyojenik şoka kadar değişkenlik gösterebilir. En sık görülen formu atriyoventriküler reentran tipi olmakla birlikte fokal atriyal taşikardi, nodal taşikardi, atriyal flutter ve fibrilasyon tipleri daha nadir olarak görülür. SVT prevalansı konjenital kalp hastası çocuklarda yaklaşık %7'dir. Vagal manevralar, farmakolojik tedavi ve kardiyoversiyon ile çoğu vakada başarı sağlanır. Bazı kontrol altına alınamayan SVT olgularında aritmik durum hemodinamiyi bozar ve istenmeyen sonuçlara neden olabilir. Bu yazıda yenidoğan döneminde akut kalp yetersizliği ile başvuran, ancak tedavisinin 80. saatinde aritminin kontrol altına alınabildiği dirençli SVT olgusu sunulmuştur.
Endothelium-Mimicking Multifunctional Coating Modified Cardiovascular Stents via a Stepwise Metal-Catechol-(Amine) Surface Engineering Strategy
Authors: Yang Ying , Gao Peng , Wang Juan , Tu Qiufen , Bai Long , Xiong Kaiqin , Qiu Hua , Zhao Xin , Maitz Manfred F. , Wang Huaiyu , Li Xiangyang , Zhao Qiang , Xiao Yin , Huang Nan , Yang Zhilu
Published: April 2020

Stenting is currently the major therapeutic treatment for cardiovascular diseases. However, the nonbiogenic metal stents are inclined to trigger a cascade of cellular and molecular events including inflammatory response, thrombogenic reactions, smooth muscle cell hyperproliferation accompanied by the delayed arterial healing, and poor reendothelialization, thus leading to restenosis along with late stent thrombosis. To address prevalence critical problems, we present an endothelium-mimicking coating capable of rapid regeneration of a competently functioning new endothelial layer on stents through a stepwise metal (copper)-catechol-(amine) (MCA) surface chemistry strategy, leading to combinatorial endothelium-like functions with glutathione peroxidase-like catalytic activity and surface heparinization. Apart from the stable nitric oxide (NO) generating rate at the physiological level (

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lasting for 60 days), this proposed strategy could also generate abundant amine groups for allowing a high heparin conjugation efficacy up to ∼1 
μ
g/cm
2
, which is considerably higher than most of the conventional heparinized surfaces. The resultant coating could create an ideal microenvironment for bringing in enhanced anti-thrombogenicity, anti-inflammation, anti-proliferation of smooth muscle cells, re-endothelialization by regulating relevant gene expressions, hence preventing restenosis in vivo. We envision that the stepwise MCA coating strategy would facilitate the surface endothelium-mimicking engineering of vascular stents and be therefore helpful in the clinic to reduce complications associated with stenosis.
Mapping porosity anomalies in deep Jurassic sandstones – an example from the Svane-1A area, Danish Central Graben
Authors: Abramovitz Tanni
Published: April 2020

Hydrocarbon-bearing Upper Jurassic sandstone reservoirs at depths of more than 5000 m may form a future exploration target in the Danish Central Graben (Fig. 1). The Upper Jurassic sandstone play in the Danish sector has historically been less successful than in the neighbouring Norwegian and British sectors of the North Sea. This is mainly due to poor reservoir quality of the sandstones. However, the discovery in 2001 of an oil accumulation at a depth of more than 5000 m in the Svane-1 well has triggered renewed interest in the Upper Jurassic High Temperature – High Pressure (HTHP) sandstone play in Danish waters. The Jurassic plays comprise sandstone reservoirs deposited in a variety of environments, ranging from fluvial to deep marine.
Sürdürülebilir Üretim için Grafit Takviyeli Polipropilen Kompozit Ürünlerin Bazı Termal ve Mekanik Özelliklerinin Deneysel Analizi
Authors: ŞENGÜL Ömer , ŞEREMET Musa , KAM Menderes
Published: April 2020

Günümüzde, çevreye duyarlı üretim yöntemleri çerçevesinde ve doğal kaynakların ve enerjinin verimli kullanması, iklim değişikliğine sebep olan salınımların azaltmak için yeni ürünlere ihtiyaç duyulmuştur. Plastik malzemeler günlük hayatımızda önemli yer tutmaktadır. Termoplastik polimer malzemelerden olan polipropilen (PP), otomotiv sanayisi, tekstil ve yiyecek paketlemesi gibi çok geniş kullanım alanlarına sahiptir fakat bazı durumlarda istenilen özellikleri verememektedir. Bu malzemelerin özelliklerini daha iyileştirmek için kompozit malzemeye ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Sürekli gelişim ve değişim içinde olan kompozit malzemeler; maliyetlerin düşürülmesi, ürünün verimliliğinin ve kalitesinin arttırılması gibi birçok avantajlara sahiptir. Plastik malzemelere katkı olarak kullanılan bazı malzemeler plastik kompozit olarak mekanik ve termal özelliklerinde de iyileşmeler meydana getirmektedir. Bu çalışmada, % 1 grafit maddesi ile yaygın olarak kullanılan polipropilen (PP) malzeme ile çift vidalı ekstrüder tezgahında homojen karışımı yapılarak, enjeksiyon makinesinde 100 adet standart test çubuğu üretimi yapılmıştır. Katkısız polipropilen (PP) ile prototipi yapılan ürün ve kompozit ürünün izod darbe testi, eriyik akış endeksi (MFI), ısı deformasyon testi (HDT), sertlik testi (Shore-D), çekme testi ve yoğunluk testleri yapılmıştır. Test sonuçlarına göre, katkısız polipropilen (PP) ve Grafit katkılı polipropilen (GPP) kompozit malzemenin bazı termal ve mekanik özelliklerindeki değişmeler incelenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, bu iki malzemenin mekanik özellikleri yaklaşık olarak % 30 üzerinde ve termal özelliklerinde de yaklaşık % 15 üzerinde iyileşme meydana gelmiştir. Mekanik ve termal özelliklerinin iyileştirilmesi ile plastik sektöründe büyük avantajlar sağlayacaktır. Ayrıca, savunma sanayisi, havacılık ve otomotiv sektöründe yeni ürün olarak kullanılabileceği öngörülmüştür.
THE TREATMENT EFFECT IN A MICROWAVE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD TO CHANGE THE FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE CURED CARBON-FIBER COMPOSITES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Authors: Zlobina I. , Bekrenev N. , Katsuba I.
Published: April 2020

The article describes the results of comparative tests for three-point bending of carbon fiber samples processed in a microwave electromagnetic field after being exposed to environmental factors for 3 months. It is shown that the influence of external climatic factors leads to a decrease in the bending strength of control and experimental samples by 3.7% and 1.4%, respectively. At the same time, the strength of the test samples increases by 8% in comparison with the control ones.
INTERACTION WITH A VISCOUS CONTACT WHEN CUTTING AUSTENITIC STEEL WITH A CARBIDE TOOL
Authors: Lipatov A.
Published: April 2020

On the microsections of chip roots (oblique slices) obtained when turning austenitic steel, carbide tool, studies of the microhardness of the contact area on the front surface. It is established that at zone of viscous-fluid contact when a minimum distance from the front surface the microhardness of the contact area is not change not only along the length of the contact but as the distance from the front surface.