bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning Large Margin Multiple Granularity Features with an Improved Siamese Network for Person Re-Identification
Authors: Li Da-Xiang , Fei Guo-Yuan , Teng Shyh-Wei
Published: January 2020

Person re-identification (Re-ID) is a non-overlapping multi-camera retrieval task to match different images of the same person, and it has become a hot research topic in many fields, such as surveillance security, criminal investigation, and video analysis. As one kind of important architecture for person re-identification, Siamese networks usually adopt standard softmax loss function, and they can only obtain the global features of person images, ignoring the local features and the large margin for classification. In this paper, we design a novel symmetric Siamese network model named Siamese Multiple Granularity Network (SMGN), which can jointly learn the large margin multiple granularity features and similarity metrics for person re-identification. Firstly, two branches for global and local feature extraction are designed in the backbone of the proposed SMGN model, and the extracted features are concatenated together as multiple granularity features of person images. Then, to enhance their discriminating ability, the multiple channel weighted fusion (MCWF) loss function is constructed for the SMGN model, which includes the verification loss and identification loss of the training image pair. Extensive comparative experiments on four benchmark datasets (CUHK01, CUHK03, Market-1501 and DukeMTMC-reID) show the effectiveness of our proposed method and its performance outperforms many state-of-the-art methods.
Application of the Structure Function in the Evaluation of the Human Factor in Healthcare
Authors: Zaitseva Elena , Levashenko Vitaly , Rabcan Jan , Krsak Emil
Published: January 2020

A structure function is one of the possible mathematical models of systems in reliability engineering. A structure function maps sets of component states into system performance levels. Methods of system reliability evaluation based on structure function representation are well established. A structure function can be formed based on completely specified data about system behavior. Such data for most real-world systems are incomplete and uncertain. The typical example is analysis and evaluation of the human factor. Therefore, the structure function is not used in human reliability analysis (HRA) typically. In this paper, a method for structure function construction is proposed based on incomplete and uncertain data in HRA. The proposed method application is considered for healthcare to evaluate medical error. This method is developed using a fuzzy decision tree (FDT), which allows all possible component states to be classified into classes of system performance levels. The structure function is constructed based on the decision table, which is formed according to the FDT. A case study for this method is considered by evaluating the human factor in healthcare: complications in the familiarization and exploitation of a new device in a hospital department are analyzed and evaluated. This evaluation shows the decreasing of medical errors in diagnosis after one year of device exploitation and a slight decrease in quality of diagnosis after two months of device exploitation. Numerical values of probabilities of medical error are calculated based on the proposed approach.
A New Approach in Analytical Dynamics of Mechanical Systems
Authors: Negrean Iuliu , Crișan Adina-Veronica , Vlase Sorin
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a new approach to the advanced dynamics of mechanical systems. It is known that in the movements corresponding to some mechanical systems (e.g., robots), accelerations of higher order are developed. Higher-order accelerations are an integral part of higher-order acceleration energies. Unlike other research papers devoted to these advanced notions, the main purpose of the paper is to present, in a matrix form, the defining expressions for the acceleration energies of a higher order. Following the differential principle in generalized form (a generalization of the Lagrange–D’Alembert principle), the equations of the dynamics of fast-moving systems include, instead of kinetic energies, the acceleration energies of higher-order. To establish the equations which characterize both the energies of accelerations and the advanced dynamics, the following input parameters are considered: matrix exponentials and higher-order differential matrices. An application of a 5 d.o.f robot structure is presented in the final part of the paper. This is used to illustrate the validity of the presented mathematical formulations.
e-Diagnosis in Medical Parasitology
Authors: Sheorey Harsha
Published: January 2020

Over the past decade or two, the teaching of laboratory diagnostic parasitology has been neglected in Australasia, as parasitic infections are relatively uncommon. As a consequence, expertise in medical parasitology is dwindling. A team of international experts (including Professor John Goldsmid) has been formed to help in the diagnosis of human parasitic infections. The team includes experts from Australia, Europe, South Africa and the USA. Some senior members of the team are excellent morphologists, and we have both human and veterinary parasitologists who help with molecular diagnosis in difficult cases.
Investigation of Infrasound Background Noise at Mátra Gravitational and Geophysical Laboratory (MGGL)
Authors: Fenyvesi Edit , Molnár József , Czellár Sándor
Published: January 2020

Infrasound and seismic waves are supposed to be the main contributors to the gravity-gradient noise (Newtonian noise) of the third-generation subterranean gravitational wave detectors. This noise will limit the sensitivity of the instrument at frequencies below 20 Hz. Investigation of its origin and the possible methods of mitigation have top priority during the designing period of the detectors. Therefore, long-term site characterizing measurements are needed at several subterranean sites. However, at some sites, mining activities can occur. These activities can cause sudden changes (transients) in the measured signal, and increase the continuous background noise, too. We have developed an algorithm based on discrete Haar transform to find these transients in the infrasound signal. We found that eliminating the transients decreases the variation of the noise spectra, and therefore results a more accurate characterization of the continuous background noise. We carried out experiments for controlling the continuous noise. Machines operating at the mine were turned on and off systematically in order to see their effect on the noise spectra. These experiments showed that the main contributor of the continuous noise is the ventilation system of the mine. We also estimated the contribution of infrasound Newtonian noise at MGGL to the strain noise of a subterranean GW detector similar to Einstein Telescope.
The Serine/Threonine Kinase AP2-Associated Kinase 1 Plays an Important Role in Rabies Virus Entry
Authors: Wang Chong , Wang Jinliang , Shuai Lei , Ma Xiao , Zhang Hailin , Liu Renqiang , Chen Weiye , Wang Xijun , Ge Jinying , Wen Zhiyuan , Bu Zhigao
Published: January 2020

Rabies virus (RABV) invades the central nervous system and nearly always causes fatal disease in humans. RABV enters cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis upon receptor binding. The detailed mechanism of this process and how it is regulated are not fully understood. Here, we carried out a high-through-put RNAi analysis and identified AP2-associated kinase 1 (AAK1), a serine/threonine kinase, as an important cellular component in regulating the entry of RABV. AAK1 knock-down greatly inhibits RABV infection of cells, and AAK1-induced phosphorylation of threonine 156 of the μ subunit of adaptor protein 2 (AP2M1) is found to be required for RABV entry. Inhibition of AAK1 kinase activity by sunitinib blocked AP2M1 phosphorylation, significantly inhibiting RABV infection and preventing RABV from entering early endosomes. In vivo studies revealed that sunitinib prolongs the survival of mice challenged with RABV street virus. Our findings indicate that AAK1 is a potential drug target for postexposure prophylaxis against rabies.
The R251K Substitution in Viral Protein PB2 Increases Viral Replication and Pathogenicity of Eurasian Avian-like H1N1 Swine Influenza Viruses
Authors: Cai Mengkai , Zhong Ruting , Qin Chenxiao , Yu Zhiqing , Wen Xiaoyan , Xian Junsi , Chen Yongjie , Cai Yu , Yi Heyou , Gong Lang , Zhang Guihong
Published: January 2020

The Eurasian avian-like swine (EA) H1N1 virus has affected the Chinese swine industry, and human infection cases have been reported occasionally. However, little is known about the pathogenic mechanism of EA H1N1 virus. In this study, we compared the mouse pathogenicity of A/swine/Guangdong/YJ4/2014 (YJ4) and A/swine/Guangdong/MS285/2017 (MS285) viruses, which had similar genotype to A/Hunan/42443/2015 (HuN-like). None of the mice inoculated with 106 TCID50 of YJ4 survived at 7 days post infection, while the survival rate of the MS285 group was 100%. Therefore, a series of single fragment reassortants in MS285 background and two rescued wild-type viruses were generated by using the reverse genetics method, and the pathogenicity analysis revealed that the PB2 gene contributed to the high virulence of YJ4 virus. Furthermore, there were 11 amino acid differences in PB2 between MS285 and YJ4 identified by sequence alignment, and 11 single amino acid mutant viruses were generated in the MS285 background. We found that the R251K mutation significantly increased the virulence of MS285 in mice, contributed to high polymerase activity and enhanced viral genome transcription and replication. These results indicate that PB2-R251K contributes to the virulence of the EA H1N1 virus and provide new insight into future molecular epidemiological surveillance strategies.
Taking over Cellular Energy-Metabolism for TBSV Replication: The High ATP Requirement of an RNA Virus within the Viral Replication Organelle
Authors: Nagy Peter D. , Lin Wenwu
Published: January 2020

Recent discoveries on virus-driven hijacking and compartmentalization of the cellular glycolytic and fermentation pathways to support robust virus replication put the spotlight on the energy requirement of viral processes. The active recruitment of glycolytic enzymes in combination with fermentation enzymes by the viral replication proteins emphasizes the advantages of producing ATP locally within viral replication structures. This leads to a paradigm shift in our understanding of how viruses take over host metabolism to support the virus’s energy needs during the replication process. This review highlights our current understanding of how a small plant virus, Tomato bushy stunt virus, exploits a conserved energy-generating cellular pathway during viral replication. The emerging picture is that viruses not only rewire cellular metabolic pathways to obtain the necessary resources from the infected cells but the fast replicating viruses might have to actively hijack and compartmentalize the energy-producing enzymes to provide a readily available source of ATP for viral replication process.
A Polymorphism in the Catalase Gene Promoter Confers Protection against Severe RSV Bronchiolitis
Authors: Chambliss Jeffrey M. , Ansar Maria , Kelley John P. , Spratt Heidi , Garofalo Roberto P. , Casola Antonella
Published: January 2020

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is associated with oxidative lung injury, decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes (AOEs), and the degradation of the transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a master regulator of AOE expression. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AOE and NRF2 genes have been associated with various lung disorders. To test whether specific NRF2 and/or AOE gene SNPs in children with RSV lower respiratory tract infection were associated with disease severity, one hundred and forty one children <24 month of age with bronchiolitis were assessed for seven AOE and two NRF2 SNPs, and data were correlated with disease severity, which was determined by need of oxygen supplementation and intensive care support. One SNP in the promoter region of the catalase gene, rs1001179, which is associated with higher enzyme expression, was significantly underrepresented (p = 0.01, OR 0.38) among patients with moderate to severe RSV bronchiolitis, suggesting a protective effect against disease severity. Our results suggest that increasing catalase expression/activity could exert a protective role in the context of RSV infection and represent a potential novel therapeutic target to ameliorate viral-induced lung disease.
The MGF360-16R ORF of African Swine Fever Virus Strain Georgia Encodes for a Nonessential Gene That Interacts with Host Proteins SERTAD3 and SDCBP
Authors: Ramírez-Medina Elizabeth , Vuono Elizabeth A. , Velazquez-Salinas Lauro , Silva Ediane , Rai Ayushi , Pruitt Sarah , Berggren Keith A. , Zhu James , Borca Manuel V. , Gladue Douglas P.
Published: January 2020

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a contagious and frequently lethal disease of pigs with significant economic consequences to the swine industry. The ASFV genome encodes for more than 160 genes, but only a few of them have been studied in detail. Here we report the characterization of open reading frame (ORF) MGF360-16R. Kinetic studies of virus RNA transcription demonstrated that the MGF360-16R gene is transcribed as a late virus protein. Analysis of host–protein interactions for the MGF360-16R gene using a yeast two-hybrid screen identified SERTA domain containing 3 (SERTAD3) and syndecan-binding protein (SDCBP) as host protein binding partners. SERTAD3 and SDCBP are both involved in nuclear transcription and SDCBP has been shown to be involved in virus traffic inside the host cell. Interaction between MGF360-16R and SERTAD3 and SDCBP host proteins was confirmed in eukaryotic cells transfected with plasmids expressing MGF360-16R and SERTAD3 or SDCBP fused to fluorescent tags. A recombinant ASFV lacking the MGF360-16R gene (ASFV-G-ΔMGF360-16R) was developed from the highly virulent field isolate Georgia2007 (ASFV-G) and was used to show that MGF360-16R is a nonessential gene. ASFV-G-ΔMGF360-16R had a similar replication ability in primary swine macrophage cell cultures when compared to its parental virus ASFV-G. Experimental infection of domestic pigs showed that ASFV-G-ΔMGF360-16R is as virulent as the parental virus ASFV-G.
HIV-1 Unique Recombinant Forms Identified in Slovenia and Their Characterization by Near Full-Length Genome Sequencing
Authors: Lunar Maja M. , Mlakar Jana , Zorec Tomaž Mark , Poljak Mario
Published: January 2020

Surveillance of HIV circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) is important because HIV diversity can affect various aspects of HIV infection from prevention to diagnosis and patient management. A comprehensive collection of pol sequences obtained from individuals diagnosed with HIV-1 from 2000 to 2016 in Slovenia was subtyped to identify possible unique recombinant forms (URFs). Selected samples were subjected to near full-length genome (NFLG) sequencing and detailed recombination analyses. Discordant subtyping results were observed for 68/387 (17.6%) sequences and 20 sequences were identified as the most probable URFs and selected for NFLG characterization. Further, 11 NFLGs and two sequences of >7000 base pairs were obtained. Seven sequences were identified as “pure” subtypes or already characterized CRFs: subtype B (n = 5), sub-subtype A6 (n = 1), and CRF01_AE (n = 1). The remaining six sequences were determined to be URFs; four displayed a single recombination event and two exhibited a complex recombination pattern involving several subtypes or CRFs. Finally, three HIV strains were recognized as having epidemic potential and could be further characterized as new CRFs. Our study shows that the identification of new CRFs is possible, even in countries where HIV diversity is considered limited, emphasizing the importance of the surveillance of HIV recombinant forms.
Investigating Prime-Pull Vaccination through a Combination of Parenteral Vaccination and Intranasal Boosting
Authors: Roces Carla B. , Hussain Maryam T. , Schmidt Signe T. , Christensen Dennis , Perrie Yvonne
Published: January 2020

Formulation of inhalable delivery systems containing tuberculosis (TB) antigens to target the site of infection (lungs) have been considered for the development of subunit vaccines. Inert delivery systems such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) are an interesting approach due to its approval for human use. However, PLGA suffers hydrolytic degradation when stored in a liquid environment for prolonged time. Therefore, in this study, nano- and microparticles composed of different PLGA copolymers (50:50, 75:25 and 85:15), sucrose (10% w/v) and L-leucine (1% w/v) encapsulating H56 TB vaccine candidate were produced as dried powders. In vitro studies in three macrophage cell lines (MH-S, RAW264.7 and THP-1) showed the ability of these cells to take up the formulated PLGA:H56 particles and process the antigen. An in vivo prime-pull immunisation approach consisting of priming with CAF01:H56 (2 × subcutaneous (s.c.) injection) followed by a mucosal boost with PLGA:H56 (intranasal (i.n.) administration) demonstrated the retention of the immunogenicity of the antigen encapsulated within the lyophilised PLGA delivery system, although no enhancing effect could be observed compared to the administration of antigen alone as a boost. The work here could provide the foundations for the scale independent manufacture of polymer delivery systems encapsulating antigens for inhalation/aerolisation to the lungs.
Comparative Analysis of Four Baseflow Separation Methods in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region of the U.S.
Authors: Chen Hao , Teegavarapu Ramesh
Published: January 2020

Baseflow estimation and evaluation are two critical and essential tasks for water quality and quantity, drought management, water supply, and groundwater protection. Observed baseflows are rarely available and are limited to focused pilot studies. In this study, an exhaustive evaluation of four different baseflow separation methods (HYSEP, WHAT, BFLOW, and PART) using surrogates of observed baseflows estimated with the conductivity mass balance (CMB) method is carried out using data from several streamflow gauging sites from the South Atlantic-Gulf (SAG) region comprised of nine states in the Southeastern U.S. Daily discharge data from 75 streamflow gauging sites for the period 1970–2013, located in the least anthropogenically affected basins in the SAG region were used to estimate the baseflow index (BFI), which quantifies the contribution of baseflow from streamflows. The focus of this study is to compare the four different baseflow separation methods and calibrate and validate these methods using CMB method based estimates of baseflows to evaluate the variation of BFI values derived from these methods. Results from the study suggest that the PART and HYSEP methods provide the highest and lowest average BFI values of 0.62 and 0.52, respectively. Similarities in BFI values estimated from these methods are noted based on a strong correlation between WHAT and BFLOW. The highest BFI values were found in April in the eastern, western, and central parts of the SAG region, and the highest contribution of baseflow to the streamflow was noted in October in the southern region. However, the lowest BFI values were noted in the month of September in all regions of SAG. The calibrated WHAT method using data from the CMB method provides the highest correlation as noted by the coefficient of determination. This study documents an exhaustive and comprehensive evaluation of baseflow separation methods in the SAG region, and results from this work can aid in the selection of the best method based on different metrics reported in this study. The use of the best method can aid in the short and long term management of low flows at a regional level that supports a sustainable aquatic environment and mitigates the effects of droughts effectively.
Sobol Global Sensitivity Analysis of a Coupled Surface/Subsurface Water Flow and Reactive Solute Transfer Model on a Real Hillslope
Authors: Gatel Laura , Lauvernet Claire , Carluer Nadia , Weill Sylvain , Paniconi Claudio
Published: January 2020

The migration and fate of pesticides in natural environments is highly complex. At the hillslope scale, the quantification of contaminant fluxes and concentrations requires a physically based model. This class of model has recently been extended to include coupling between the surface and the subsurface domains for both the water flow and solute transport regimes. Due to their novelty, the relative importance of and interactions between the main model parameters has not yet been fully investigated. In this study, a global Sobol sensitivity analysis is performed on a vineyard hillslope for a one hour intensive rain event with the CATHY (CATchment HYdrology) integrated surface/subsurface model. The event-based simulation involves runoff generation, infiltration, surface and subsurface solute transfers, and shallow groundwater flow. The results highlight the importance of the saturated hydraulic conductivity K s and the retention curve shape parameter n and they reveal a strong role for parameter interactions associated with the exchange processes represented in the model. The mass conservation errors generated by the model are lower than 1% in 99.7% of the simulations. Boostrapping analysis of sampling methods and errors associated with the Sobol indices highlights the relevance of choosing a large sampling size (at least N = 1000) and raises issues associated with rare but extreme output results.
Rainfall-Runoff Modeling of the Nested Non-Homogeneous Sava River Sub-Catchments in Slovenia
Authors: Lavtar Katarina , Bezak Nejc , Šraj Mojca
Published: January 2020

Rainfall-runoff modeling is nowadays applied for water resources management, water system design, real-time forecasting, flood design and can be carried out by using different types of hydrological models. In this study, we focused on lumped conceptual hydrological models and their performance in diverse sub-catchments of the Sava River in Slovenia, related to their size and non-homogeneity. We evaluated the difference between modeled and measured discharges of selected discharge gauging stations, using different model performance criteria that are usually applied in hydrology, connecting the results to geospatial analysis of geological and hydrogeological characteristics, land use, runoff potential, proportion of agglomeration and various meteorological variables. Better model performance was obtained for catchments with a higher runoff potential and with less variations in meteorological variables. Regarding the number of used parameters, the results indicated that the tested Genie Rural 6-parameter Journalier (GR6J) model with 6 parameters performed better than the Genie Rural 4-parameter Journalier (GR4J) model with 4 parameters, especially in the case of larger sub-catchments. These results illustrate the comprehensive nature of lumped models. Thus, they yield good performance in case of the catchments with indistinguishable characteristics.
The Development of a Framework for Assessing the Energy Efficiency in Urban Water Systems and Its Demonstration in the Portuguese Water Sector
Authors: Loureiro Dália , Silva Catarina , Cardoso Maria Adriana , Mamade Aisha , Alegre Helena , Rosa Maria João
Published: January 2020

Urban water systems (UWSs) are energy-intensive worldwide, particularly for drinking-water pumping and aeration in wastewater treatment. Usual approaches to improve energy efficiency focus only on equipment and disregard the UWS as a continuum of stages from source-to-tap-to-source (abstraction/transport—treatment—drinking water transport/distribution—wastewater and stormwater collection/transport—treatment—discharge/reuse). We propose a framework for a comprehensive assessment of UWS energy efficiency and a four-level approach to enforce it: overall UWS (level 1), stage (level 2), infrastructure component (level 3) and processes/equipment (level 4). The framework is structured by efficiency and effectiveness criteria (an efficient but ineffective infrastructure is useless), earlier and newly developed performance indicators and reference values. The framework and the approach are the basis for a sound diagnosis and intervention prioritising, and are being tested in a peer-to-peer innovation project involving 13 water utilities (representing 17% of the energy consumption by the Portuguese water sector in 2017). Results of levels 1–3 of analysis herein illustrated for a water utility demonstrate the framework and approach potential to assess UWS effectiveness and energy efficiency, and to select the stages and infrastructures for improvement and deeper diagnosis.
Selecting Bacteria Candidates for the Bioaugmentation of Activated Sludge to Improve the Aerobic Treatment of Landfill Leachate
Authors: Michalska Justyna , Piński Artur , Żur Joanna , Mrozik Agnieszka
Published: January 2020

In this study, a multifaceted approach for selecting the suitable candidates for bioaugmentation of activated sludge (AS) that supports leachate treatment was used. To determine the exploitation of 10 bacterial strains isolated from the various matrices for inoculating the AS contaminated with the Kalina pond leachate (KPL), their degradative potential was analyzed along with their aptitude to synthesize compounds improving remediation of pollutants in wastewater and ability to incorporate into the AS flocs. Based on their capability to degrade aromatic compounds (primarily catechol, phenol, and cresols) at a concentration of 1 mg/mL and survive in 12.5% of the KPL, Pseudomonas putida OR45a and P. putida KB3 can be considered to be the best candidates for bioaugmentation of the AS among all of the bacteria tested. Genomic analyses of these two strains revealed the presence of the genes encoding enzymes related to the metabolism of aromatic compounds. Additionally, both microorganisms exhibited a high hydrophobic propensity (above 50%) and an ability to produce biosurfactants as well as high resistance to ammonium (above 600 µg/mL) and heavy metals (especially chromium). These properties enable the exploitation of both bacterial strains in the bioremediation of the AS contaminated with the KPL.
Water Vapor from Western Eurasia Promotes Precipitation during the Snow Season in Northern Xinjiang, a Typical Arid Region in Central Asia
Authors: Wang Weiguo , Li Hongyi , Wang Jian , Hao Xiaohua
Published: January 2020

Atmospheric water vapor plays an important role in the water cycle, especially in arid Central Asia, where precipitation is invaluable to water resources. Understanding and quantifying the relationship between water vapor source regions and precipitation is a key problem in water resource research in typical arid Central Asia, Northern Xinjiang. However, the relationship between precipitation and water vapor sources is still unclear of snow season. This paper aimed at studying the role of water vapor source supply in the Northern Xinjiang precipitation trend, which was investigated using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. The results showed that the total water vapor contributed from Western Eurasia and the North Polar area presented upward trends similar to the precipitation change trend, which indicated that the water vapor contribution from the two previous water vapor source regions supplied abundant water vapor and maintained the upward precipitation trend from 1980 to 2017 in Northern Xinjiang. From the climatology of water vapor transport, the region was controlled by midlatitude westerlies and major water vapor input from the western boundary, and the net water vapor flux of this region also showed an annual increasing trend. Western Eurasia had the largest moisture percentage contribution to Northern Xinjiang (48.11%) over the past 38 years. Northern Xinjiang precipitation was correlated with water vapor from Western Eurasia, the North Polar area, and Siberia, and the correlation coefficients were 0.66, 0.45, and 0.57, respectively. These results could aid in better understanding the water cycle process and climate change in this typical arid region of Central Asia.
Hydro-Meteorological Trends in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin and Possible Associations with Large-Scale Circulation
Authors: Zhang Rui , Xu Zongxue , Zuo Depeng , Ban Chunguang
Published: January 2020

Climate change poses potential challenges to sensitive areas, such as high-elevation regions. The Yarlung Zangbo River (YLZR) basin is located in the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It contains large amounts of snow and numerous glaciers that are vulnerable to climate change. Based on daily observational data at 17 meteorological stations in and around the YLZR basin during 1957–2015, the variability of precipitation, air temperature, and streamflow were analyzed. The nonparametric Mann–Kendall test, Sen’s slope estimate method, cross wavelet transform (XWT), and wavelet coherence (WTC) were used to identify the annual seasonal trends. the abrupt changes of precipitation and air temperature, and their associations with large-scale circulation. The results showed that the YLZR basin experienced an overall rapid warming and wetting during the study period, with an average warming rate of 0.33 °C/10 a and wetting rate of 4.25 mm/10a, respectively. Abrupt change points in precipitation and air temperature occurred around the 1970s and 1990s, respectively. The abrupt change points of three hydrological stations occurred around the late 1960s and the late 1990s, respectively. The precipitation, annual average temperature, and the streamflow of the three hydrological stations were negatively correlated with the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and the multivariate El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index (MEI), reaching a significant level of 0.05.
Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Aerobic Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria in Tama River, Japan
Authors: Sato-Takabe Yuki , Hirose Setsuko , Hori Tomoyuki , Hanada Satoshi
Published: January 2020

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (AAnPB) are widely distributed and regarded as key players driving the carbon cycle in surface water of global oceans, coastal and estuary areas and in other freshwater environments (e.g., ponds and lakes). However, the abundance and spatial distribution of AAnPB in rivers is much less well-known. Here we investigated the variation of the absolute cell abundances of the total bacteria, AAnPB and cyanobacteria, at four different sites in Tama River, Japan, and the spatial distribution (i.e., free-living or particle-attached existence form) of AAnPB at two out of the four sites using infra-red epifluorescence microscopy. Free-living cell abundances for the total bacteria, AAnPB and cyanobacteria were 1.6–3 × 105, 1.5–4.4 × 104 and <3.2 × 104 cells mL−1, respectively. The free-living AAnPB accounted for 6.1%–19.6% of the total bacterial abundance in the river. The peaks of the AAnPB and cyanobacteria abundances were found at the same site, suggesting that the AAnPB could potentially coexist with cyanobacteria. Meanwhile, the particle-attached AAnPB were observed at the two sites of the river, accounting for 52.2% of the total bacteria abundance in the particle. Our results showed the existence and aggregation form of AAnPB in the riverine environment.
Türkiye’de Eğitim Bilimleri Alanında Eylem Araştırması İçeren Doktora Tezlerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: TURHAN TÜRKKAN Buket , YOLCU Ece , KARATAŞ Tuğçe
Published: January 2020

Türkiye’de
eğitim bilimleri alanında eylem araştırması içeren doktora tezlerinin
incelenmesini amaçlayan bu çalışma betimsel bir araştırmadır. Araştırmada
doküman incelemesi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Bu bağlamda, YÖK Tez Veri tabanında,
1998-2016 yılları arasında eğitim bilimleri alanına yönelik yapılan toplam 118
tezde eylem araştırması yapıldığı belirlenmiştir. Ancak veri tabanında 28 tezin
kullanımının ve yayınlanmasının kısıtlı olması nedeniyle araştırmada, eylem
araştırması içeren, eğitim bilimleri alanında gerçekleştirilmiş ve erişime
izinli 90 tez incelenmiştir. Verilerin analizi kapsamında, tümdengelimsel
analiz yaklaşımı göz önünde bulundurulmuştur. Araştırmada geçerlik ve güvenirlik
çalışmaları kapsamında, uzman incelemesi yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın bulgu ve
sonuçları, yıla, üniversitelere, ana bilim dallarına, konuya, düzeye, uygulama
süresine, uygulayıcıya, modele, yönteme, veri toplama araçlarına, geçerlik ve
güvenirlik çalışmalarına ve uygulamanın pilot çalışması durumuna göre
dağılımlarına yönelik boyutlar altında düzenlenmiştir.
Adding Custom Intersectors to the C++ Ray Tracing Template Library Visionaray
Authors: Zellmann Stefan
Published: January 2020

Most ray tracing libraries allow the user to provide custom functionality that is executed when a potential ray surface interaction
was encountered to determine if the interaction was valid or traversal should be continued. This is e.g. useful for alpha mask
validation and allows the user to reuse existing ray object intersection routines rather than reimplementing them. Augmenting
ray traversal with custom intersection logic requires some kind of callback mechanism that injects user code into existing
library routines. With template libraries, this injection can happen statically since the user compiles the binary code herself. We
present an implementation of this “custom intersector” approach and its integration into the C++ ray tracing template library
Visionaray.
Socioenvironmental problems in agrarian reform settlement projects in the Amazon region portal, Brazil
Authors: Vale J. C. E. , Barradas A. C. , Miranda R. P. , Weihs M. L. , Yamashita O. M.
Published: January 2020

The creation of rural settlements for the purpose of agrarian reform within the Brazilian Amazon has generated discussions and since its first implementation and brought innumerable contradictions, both environmental and social. So, naturally, questions arise about questions such as: In what context were these settlements constituted? How did the occupation of this territory impact the environment and what were the consequences of these impacts on the ecosystems and families of small farmers? This work aims, through an bibliographical review, to conceptualize the socioenvironmental impacts of the implantation of agrarian reform settlements in the Amazon and to try to elucidate or at least contribute to discuss how the failures in the management of these projects affected the lives of settled families and the ecosystem as a whole. The current structure of the landscape reveals management failures, such as the inconsistencies in the division of lots, which combined with the implantation of pastures, have increased deforestation. The inconsistencies in the construction and implementation of public policies that enabled the farmer to remain on the land in a sustainable manner, generated a state of poverty and consequent rural exodus. It is possible to produce in a sustainable way, being necessary to provide orientation and resources for farmers and the promotion of actions that aim at the production with sustainability, such as Agroforestry Systems and extractivism, practices that have been working in some localities.
THE EFFECT OF HEALTH EDUCATION THROUGH SESSION-HEALTH APPLICATION MEDIA ON BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT BEHAVIOR OF DIABETES MELITUS IN BENGKULU CITY
Authors: Hanifah Hanifah , Giena Vike Pebri , Sari Ruri Maiseptya
Published: January 2020

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease that requires specific self-management behavior for a lifetime, to avoid long-term diabetic complication. Education about diabetes self-management for people with diabetes mellitus and families is absolutely necessary to overcome diabetic complications. The use of smartphones as educational media provides space for people with DM without restrictions on place and time.Objective: The aims of this study was to identify the effect of health education through the Salam-Sehat application media on diabetes self-management behavior.Method: This research is quantitative with pre-experiment design with one group pre-test post-test. The population of this study was all people with DM in Bengkulu City. Sample was selected by using Multi Stages Cluster Sampling technique. The sample size was determined using the Slovin formula which results are 384 respondents. The sample was selected by using proportional random sampling. The Data were analyzed by using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test.Result: The results showed that the average DM self-management behavior before being given education through the Salam-Sehat application was 35.42 and the average DM self-management behavior after being given education through the Salam-Sehat application was 65.18. There is significant influence of health education through Salam-Sehat application media for self-management behavior among diabetes mellitus people in Bengkulu City, with Asymp value. Sig (p) = 0.000.Conclusion: It is expected that the research results of the Salam-Sehat application can be used as an online-based health education media that provides convenience in obtaining health information without being limited by space and time for people with DM in Bengkulu City.Â Key words: Diabetes Mellitus, Self-Management, Application.
Opportunities And Challenges With Special Reference To Balochistan: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
Authors: Khalil Naseema , Khan Bijar , Aurangzaib
Published: January 2020

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) stability the nearly recent
undertaking into a heritage marked by way of respective monetary collaboration,
together with a $46 billion pastime between power yet fabric improvement into
Pakistan is considered so a distinct advantage because Pakistan's economy. As a
leader undertaking about China's One Belt One Road activity, the passageway wish
companion Kashgar within Western China together with the city about Gwadar in
Pakistan about the Arabian nation Sea, filling within as much a gate in conformity
with the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. The CPEC, however boosting
Pakistan's economic system and meeting China's power needs yet improvement
regarding its western area, is probable going after find electricity the local thru
monetary mix. In some case, a challenge of certain distance positively faces
similarly vast difficulties. This postulation appears at obstructions so much be able
perhaps have an effect on the usage about the task, remembering the shaky
background because of Afghanistan, contending pastimes over quick neighbors
kind of India or Iran, specifically India's doubts, yet U.S. issues respecting the
activity
Optimizing UAS Mission Training Needs Through Tradespace Analysis
Authors: Bearden Matthew , Scribbick Aidan , West Kristen , Zapcic Scott , Motupalli Jasmine
Published: January 2020

The Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) training program requires the reallocation of multiple fully operational UAS from the operational environment to facilitate training. The UAS Project Management Office (PM UAS) is concerned that this practice lacks efficiency. This study sought to: (1) conduct a comprehensive analysis for resource optimization with respect to achieving essential training tasks across multiple UAS, (2) conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to assess the value of allocating a full-time and Gray Eagle platforms to accomplish training versus part-task trainers, and (3) define and quantify measures of performance and effectiveness. To achieve these objectives, this study implemented a tradespace analysis methodology to produce a discrete-event simulation model and a resource optimization tool. The impacts of this project will result in substantial cost savings per fiscal year, allow the client to forecast the resource needs of the organization effectively, and allow for the proper allocation of these resources.
Safety Climate as an Indicator and Predictor of Safety Performance: A Case Study
Authors: Baertschi Brandon , Choi Sang D , Ahn Kwangseog
Published: January 2020

This study compared and objectively gauged the safety climate in the manufacturing facilities (high safety performing vs. low safety performing) to identify the most impactful areas to focus to reduce or prevent workplace injuries. In order to accomplish the study objective, we employed the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50) consisted of 50 items across seven dimensions. A total of 116 operations employees in the paper laminate manufacturing completed the survey. The two sites were both within the United States and had structured the same operations. The results of the comparisons showed that there was a significant difference in the total scores for the sites. The high performance site had significantly higher NOSACQ-50 scores than the underperforming site in all dimensions. The high performing site had the greater safety climate scores in the area of “management safety priority & ability”. The underperforming site recorded comparatively lower scores in the areas of “management safety empowerment”, “group safety priority”, and “worker safety commitment”. We provided the recommendations of three focus areas: commitment, involvement, and accountability. The outcomes from this study could be useful to apply resources and focus to the appropriate areas in order to make safety improvements. In turn, improving safety climate can have positive impacts on increasing employee safety while improving the viability of the organization.
Developing a Solution to the TRADOC Analysis Center’s Big Data Problem: A Big Data Opportunity
Authors: Bares Lee , Davis Daniel , Min Daniel , Rau Kenneth , Dabkowski Matthew
Published: January 2020

As data production, collection, and analytic techniques grow, emerging issues surrounding data management and storage challenge businesses and organizations around the globe. The US Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Analysis Center (TRAC) is no exception. For example, among TRAC's many tasks is the evaluation of new materiel solutions for the Army, which typically necessitates the use of computer simulation models such as COMBAT XXI. These models are computationally expensive, and they generate copious amounts of data, straining TRAC's current resources and forcing difficult, suboptimal decisions regarding data retention and analysis. This paper addresses this issue directly by developing "big data" solutions for TRAC and evaluating them using its organizational values. Framed in the context of a use case that prescribes system requirements, we leverage Monte Carlo simulation to account for inherent uncertainty and, ultimately, focus TRAC on several high potential alternatives.
Expanding the Hyper-Enabled Operator Technology across the Special Forces Enterprise
Authors: Flanick Scott , Davidson Andrew , Yoo Ashley , Mote John David , Mittal Vikram
Published: January 2020

The Hyper-Enabled Operator (HEO) system is the next-generation Special Forces system that will increase the survivability and lethality of operators by providing the right person with the right information at the right time. This system was originally intended for direct-action operators; however, the need for information is common to many Special Forces jobs, including joint terminal air controllers, helicopter pilots, helicopter crew chiefs, intelligence officers, psyops officers, civil affairs officers, and vehicle drivers. This analysis set out to determine the applicability of HEO technology to these eight different positions. First, the HEO system was analyzed to identify the technologies that will play a role in the system. Stakeholder analysis then provided insights into each job, allowing for the determination of their capability gaps. These capability gaps were then aligned against HEO technology. The analysis revealed that several high-level requirements should be added to the HEO system to make it adaptable across the Special Forces enterprise.
Simulation Study for Multi-Echelon Multi-Depot Supply Chain System Using Live Data
Authors: Rajkumar Rohan , Harikrishnakumar Ramkumar , Madhu Ajaykrishna , Krishnan Krishna
Published: January 2020

The manufacturing industry is eager to implement the advancements of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) due to the magnitude of the benefits it can provide. Hence, Industry 4.0 opens a wide avenue for researchers to explore possibilities in the field of the supply chain. This project focuses on building a decision framework for a supply chain system with disruptions. The impact of strategic decisions under the condition of unprecedented events for a vehicle routing problem (VRP) using simulation models is studied here. Those results help the supply chain managers in making sound decisions regarding different scenarios of disruption in VRP. To achieve this, multiple cases under different scenarios of facility disruption are considered. For all cases, the dependent parameter, namely, retailer service level and lost revenue, form the basis of the decision framework. The concept of live data is implemented by making retailer demand, current inventory at the depot, the position of the vehicle in the network and the current number of units in transit as the input data.
A Cost-Based Allocation of Inspection Efforts in Quality Control of a Multistage Assembly Line: A Case Study of an Electronics Assembly Line
Authors: Bheda Aditya , Nagarur Nagen
Published: January 2020

Firms within the electronics manufacturing industry is often a high-volume high-mix product manufacturing industry. This study presents a cost-based allocation of inspection efforts in quality control of a sequential multi-stage electronic assembly line, considering all relevant costs and proposes the optimum inspection strategy. A dynamic sampling plan is incorporated in the model to maintain the desired quality levels. Monte-Carlo simulation is used to obtain the solution of this complex model. The model is created based on an actual electronics packaging company. This approach provides the ability to minimize the costs and does not sacrifice the quality of the products. The input factors that significantly affect the costs are identified so that they can be optimized for performance improvement and decision-making.
INFORMATION SEARCH BEHAVIOR AND TAX CONSULTANTS’ RECOMMENDATION: EXPERIMENTAL EXAMINATION ON THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NORMS
Authors: Misra Fauzan , Sugiri Slamet , Suwardi Eko , Nahartyo Ertambang
Published: January 2020

This study examines the influence of client preference with respect to information search behavior and subsequent tax recommendation. Prior studies have identified that tax consultants exhibit confirmation bias in their information search processes, which is explained by the theory of motivated reasoning (Kunda, 1990). However, that theory does not take into consideration responses of tax consultant that are attributable to the way clients present their preferences. This study fills the gap by proposing a social norm activation model which can help to foster a better understanding of the nature of the confirmatory behavior. To accomplish this purpose, study participants role-played as advisors on a tax compliance task. The experiment used aweb-based instrument that involved 82 tax professionals. Results showed that tax consultants engaged inlower confirmation bias when they received an explicitly preference statement from their client than those who received an implicit statement. Furthermore, the former tax consultants recommended a more conservative tax position than the latter. These findings underscore the importance of social norm in a professional tax work environment. As a practical contribution, these findings suggest that the beliefs and norms of tax professionals influence the way they do their work.