bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENGARUH SOFT SKILL DAN LOCUS OF CONTROL TERHADAP KESIAPAN FRESH GRADUATE DALAM ERA INDUSTRI 4.0 (STUDI PADA PRODI MANAJEMEN UNIHAZ BENGKULU)
Authors: Fauzan Fauzan
Published: March 2020

Sifat penelitian ini adalah eksplanatory risearach, yaitu untuk mengetahui hubungan variabel soft skill (X1) dan locus of control (X2) dengan kesiapan fresh graduate dalam era industri 4.0 (Y) dan menguji hipotesa. Penelitian ini menggunakan data kuantitatif yang berasal dari penyebaran kuesioner kepada reponden kemudian diolah kedalam analisa statistik.

Hasi analisis diperoleh (1) variabel soft skill (X1) dan Locus Of Control Internal (X2) berpengaruh positif terhadap kesiapan fresh graduate dalam era industri 4.0 (Y). Hal tersebut ditunjukkan oleh regrasi berganda, korelasi berganda, determinasi, uji-t dan uji-f. (2) Variabel soft skill memberikan kontribusi yang lebih besar dibandingkan dengan Locus Of Control Internal dalam menumbuhkan kesiapan menghadapi era industri 4.0 bagi lulusan prodi manajemen Unihaz Bengkulu yang menyelesaikan masa studinya..

Sebagai saran, mahasiswa diberikan pasilitas dan kesempatan untuk mengembangkan soft skill seperti mengikuti organisasi kemahasiswaan, organisasi kerohanian dan mengikuti lomba-lomba untuk pengembangan diri. Disamping itu perlu ditumbuh dan kembangkan rasa percaya diri agar lulusan yang baru menyelesaikan studi tetap optimis dalam menatap masa depan dalam era industri 4.0
MEASUREMENT CONTROL OF READY-MADE GARMENTS WITH IMAGE ANALYSIS METHODS
Authors: URAL Özge , VURAL Tuba
Published: March 2020

In the ready-made clothing industry accurate garment measurement is one of the most important points for the right fitting of the apparel. Garments should be produced to the determined size by the customer or the enterprise. Although, the measurement control of the final product is made by trained operator, the factors such as gradually loose of attention, fatigue and stress could cause faults that could lead to lack of quality and waste of time. In this sense, developing and using objective, fast and economic measurement control systems in terms of both cost effectiveness and the reliability of the controls has become a must. The purpose of the study is to design a system and develop an algorithm to control the measurements of garments automatically. This study, which is determined that image analysis method can be used in measurement control of ready-made garments, will be a new measurement control method in the literature and an example for similar studies. By benefiting from the image analysis methods, measurement mistakes likely to result from the operator will be prevented and the results will be made more reliable.
Diabetic Muscle Infarction: A Rare Complication of a Common Disease
Authors: Samargandy Shaza Ahmed , Alhozali Amani M.
Published: March 2020

Diabetes mellitus is a multifaceted metabolic disease with several serious complications. Diabetic muscle infarction is a rare musculoskeletal diabetic complication that can be frequently misdiagnosed as it shares clinical manifestations with multiple other more common clinical disorders. We present in this report, a case of diabetic myonecrosis with brief discussion about this unusual complication along with its management and expected outcomes.
Pensionados o jubilados
Authors: De Justicia de la Nación Suprema Corte
Published: March 2020

Los efectos de la sentencia que les otorga la protección constitucional respecto del artículo 25, fracción I, de la Ley del Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado de Sonora, deben acotarse a la devolución de las cantidades descontadas a partir del acto de aplicación que motivó la promoción del juicio de amparo.
Caso Jenkins vs Argentina
Authors: De Derechos Humanos Corte Interamericana
Published: March 2020

El 26 de noviembre de 2019, la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (en adelante “la Corte” o “este Tribunal”) dictó una Sentencia mediante la cual declaró la responsabilidad internacional del Estado de Argentina por: (i) la falta de motivación de la resolución que ordenó la prisión preventiva del señor Óscar Gabriel Jenkins (en adelante, señor Jenkins); (ii) la duración de la prisión preventiva; (iii) la ineficacia de los recursos para cuestionar la privación de libertad, y (iv) la violación del plazo razonable en el marco de un proceso de daños e indemnización de perjuicios. En consecuencia, la Corte concluyó que el Estado de Argentina es responsable por la violación de los derechos reconocidos en los artículos 7.1, 7.3, 7.6, 8.1 y 8.2, en relación con el artículo 1.1, así como los artículos 7.1, 7.3, 7.5, 8.2 y 24 de la Convención Americana, en relación con los artículos 1.1 y 2, en perjuicio del señor Jenkins.demnización de perjuicios.
Analytical and Experimental Investigation of Ice Melting in Power Line Ground Wires
Authors: Bagi Tamas
Published: March 2020

The present case study, using computer modeling technology, is to investigate the process of ice melting (de-icing) on iced ground wires due to current flowing through the ground wire. Using the AC model, the time course of heating of the given ground wire has been determined, and treating the results as input to the thermal model, the ice melting process has also been investigated by finite element thermal analysis. After comparing the elements by computer analysis to laboratory measurements, the results obtained were validated with numerical analysis.
La competitividad empresarial de las PYME’s a través de modelación matemática
Authors: Chuquin-Vasco Nelson , Villagómez-Arellano Patricio , Oleas-López Julio
Published: March 2020

El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar un modelo funcional de aplicación para las pequeñas y medianas empresas (MIPYME), con el propósito de determinar las preferencias de producción óptima de un sistema productivo en concreto. La problemática que origina esta investigación es la metodología de proyección de los costos que practican este tipo de empresas en el mercado, basados en modelos de determinación matemática. La metodología aplicada es de carácter analítico de tipo transversal, el desarrollo de ecuaciones determinó las variables del estudio factorial. El resultado de la investigación consiste en la aplicación de un escenario que representa el nivel óptimo de costos de transporte de las MIPYME, que interactúan en el mercado.
Factores integrales del marketing político. Análisis de redes sociales
Authors: Jordán-Vaca Jorge , López-Paredes María , Soria-Carrillo Manuel , Chasipanta-Nieves Angela
Published: March 2020

La presente investigación partió de la ausencia de estrategias de marketing en redes sociales por parte de los partidos políticos lo que ha generado la perdida de adeptos y disminución de popularidad en futuras elecciones. El propósito del estudio fue determinar los factores integrales del marketing de los partidos políticos. El diseño metodológico de se caracterizó por ser de enfoque mixto, pues, atravesó diversas tipologías de análisis. El alcance investigativo fue descriptivo, pues, se describe factores de influencia que favorecen a los actores políticos. La muestra de estudio fueron 384 usuarios de redes sociales mayores de 18 años con derecho a sufragar. El resultado principal reveló que la audiencia toma en cuenta los factores planes de ejecución y tipo de campaña, bajo la perspectiva de la creación de fuentes de trabajo y cuidado del medioambiente. Se concluye que, la red social Instagram posee la capacidad de captar mayores adeptos, pues, permite conectar a las figuras políticas de manera directa e interactiva con una audiencia meta.
Aspectos sociales y su influencia en el emprendimiento femenino Sudamericano
Authors: Mayorga-Meléndez Juan , Carvajal-Larenas Ramiro , Morales-Urrutia Diana
Published: March 2020

El estudio del emprendimiento femenino ha despertado el interés económico y político, así como el académico y científico, por lo que resulta de relevancia contribuir en la generación de conocimiento de esta temática que aún se encuentra en estado incipiente. Esta investigación analiza los factores sociales que inciden en la actividad emprendedora femenina en Sudamérica. Se parte de una revisión de literatura especializada, a nivel empírico se aplica el análisis de componentes principales (ACP) con datos del Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) para el periodo 2008-2013. Los resultados evidencian que los factores relacionados con aspectos sociales y culturales tales como: crear una empresa es una opción profesional socialmente aceptada para la mujer, fomento del autoempleo o la creación de empresas entre las mujeres y tanto hombres como mujeres tienen igual acceso a buenas oportunidades para crear una empresa, mantienen alto grado de significancia con el emprendimiento femenino en los países analizados. Un aspecto a concluir está relacionado con algunas notas de reflexión y retos que sugieren reforzar aspectos que no están siendo contemplados lo suficiente en las sociedades de la región sudamericanas.
Sea-ice edge is more important than closer open water access for foraging Adélie penguins: evidence from two colonies
Authors: Michelot C , Kato A , Raclot T , Shiomi K , Goulet P , Bustamante P , Ropert-Coudert Y
Published: March 2020

Sentinel species, like Adélie penguins, have been used to assess the impact of environmental changes, and their link with sea ice has received considerable attention. Here, we tested if foraging Adélie penguins from 2 colonies in East Antarctica target the distant sea-ice edge or take advantage of closer open waters that are readily available near their colony. We examined the foraging behaviour of penguins during the incubation trips of females in 2016 and males in 2017, using GPS tracking and diet data in view of daily sea-ice data and bathymetry. In 2016-2017, sea-ice cover was extensive during females’ trips but flaw leads and polynyas were close to both study sites. Sea ice receded rapidly during males’ trips in 2017-2018. Despite close open water near both colonies in both years, females and males preferentially targeted the continental slope and the sea-ice edge to forage. In addition, there was no difference in the diet of penguins from both colonies: all penguins fed mostly on Antarctic krill and males also foraged on Antarctic silverfish. Our results highlight the importance of the sea-ice edge for penguins, an area where food abundance is predictable. It is likely that resource availability was not sufficient in closer open water areas at such an early stage in the breeding season. The behaviours displayed by the penguins from both colonies were similar, suggesting a common behaviour across colonies in Terre Adélie, although additional sites would be necessary to confirm this hypothesis.
‘Tied up in a legal mess’: The alcohol industry's use of litigation to oppose minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland
Authors: Hawkins Benjamin , McCambridge Jim
Published: March 2020

This article examines the alcohol industry's legal challenges to minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland through the stages heuristic of the policy process. It builds on previous studies of alcohol pricing policy in Scotland and across the UK, and of the use of legal challenges by health harming industries to oppose health policy globally. Having failed to prevent MUP passing into law, industry actors sought to frustrate the implementation of the legislation via challenges in the Scottish, European and UK courts. However, the relevance of legal challenges is not limited to the post-legislative stage of the policy process but was foreshadowed in all earlier stages of the policy process. The potential for a legal challenge to MUP, and the alcohol industry's clearly articulated intention to pursue such action, was used by industry actors to seek to prevent the adoption of MUP in the agenda setting, policy formulation and legislative stages and created significant ‘regulatory chill’ in other areas of Scottish and UK alcohol policy. Litigation, and the prospect of it, was thus part of a coherent and integrated long-term strategy which adapted to changes in the political climate and to different stages in the policy process. While both the rhetoric and reality of litigation failed to prevent policy implementation, it succeeded in causing a delay of six years, imposing significant costs on the Scottish government and creating policy inertia in Scottish alcohol policy subsequently. Moreover, the inclusion of a ‘sunset clause’ in the legislation, requiring ongoing evaluation of the policy's effects, presents additional opportunities for the industry to reverse MUP. Thus, industry strategies to undermine MUP and delay further alcohol policy developments require ongoing attention by policy actors and scholars.
The use of access thresholds to widen participation at Scottish universities
Authors: Boliver Vikki , Gorard Stephen , Powell Mandy , Moreira Tiago
Published: March 2020

The Scottish Government has set ambitious targets for widening access to full-time undergraduate degree programmes. Meeting these targets will be a real challenge, not least because young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged contexts continue to lag substantially behind their more advantaged peers when it comes to achievement at Higher level. Following the recommendations of the Commission on Widening Access, the Scottish Government has mandated Scottish universities to set separate entry requirements for contextually disadvantaged applicants, known as ‘access thresholds’. In this article, we draw on the findings of a research project commissioned by the Scottish Funding Council to develop an empirical evidence base for the use of access thresholds to widen participation in higher education. We show that access thresholds are mathematically necessary if wider access is to be achieved, and we present evidence demonstrating that applicants admitted with Higher grades lower than the market rate have a high probability of success at degree level. We welcome the widespread use of access thresholds but highlight the scope to be much bolder than is currently the case. We also show that the use of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) to identify contextually disadvantaged learners runs a high risk of failure to reach the intended beneficiaries. We argue strongly in favour of the use of administratively verified individual level measures of contextual disadvantage instead, specifically receipt of free school meals and low household income.
PENENTUAN DAERAH PRIORITAS PELAYANAN AKTA KELAHIRAN DENGAN METODE K-NN DAN K-MEANS
Authors: Anwar Ade Muchlis Maulana , Harsani Prihastuti , Maesya Aries
Published: March 2020

Population Data is individual data or aggregate data that is structured as a result of Population Registration and Civil Registration activities. Birth Certificate is a Civil Registration Deed as a result of recording the birth event of a baby whose birth is reported to be registered on the Family Card and given a Population Identification Number (NIK) as a basis for obtaining other community services. From the total number of integrated birth certificate reporting for the 2018 Population Administration Information System (SIAK) totaling 570,637 there were 503,946 reported late and only 66,691 were reported publicly. Clustering is a method used to classify data that is similar to others in one group or similar data to other groups. K-Nearest Neighbor is a method for classifying objects based on learning data that is the closest distance to the test data. k-means is a method used to divide a number of objects into groups based on existing categories by looking at the midpoint. In data mining preprocesses, data is cleaned by filling in the blank data with the most dominating data, and selecting attributes using the information gain method. Based on the k-nearest neighbor method to predict delays in reporting and the k-means method to classify priority areas of service with 10,000 birth certificate data on birth certificates in 2019 that have good enough performance to produce predictions with an accuracy of 74.00% and with K = 2 on k-means produces a index davies bouldin of 1,179
Food-Based Composts Provide More Soil Fertility Benefits Than Cow Manure-Based Composts in Sandy Soils
Authors: Kelley Alicia , Wilkie Ann C. , Maltais-Landry Gabriel
Published: March 2020

Nutrient concentration and availability vary substantially among composts depending on the materials used and the production process. Composts produced from agricultural operations typically utilize animal wastes such as manures, whereas composts produced in urban areas mainly incorporate food and yard waste. Our objective was to assess how different composts affect nutrient availability and cycling, mostly carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). In a laboratory incubation, we compared three composts derived from cow manure (composted dairy manure solids, vermicompost made from those manure solids, and Black KowTM) and two composts derived from food waste (composted food waste from the UF-IFAS Compost Cooperative and EcoscrapsTM). We used two sandy soils from Gainesville, FL: one from an area under perennial grasses and a second heavily-tilled soil lower in organic matter. Incubations were conducted for eight weeks at 24 and 30 °C, i.e., the annual and July mean soil temperature for the area. The composted and vermicomposted cow manure solids had the greatest CO2 emissions relative to the unamended soils. Soil nitrate was highest with composted food waste, whereas all three cow manure-derived composts resulted in lower soil nitrate compared to the unamended soils. This suggests that N was immobilized with cow manure-derived composts, consistent with the high CO2 emissions measured with these amendments. We found similar results for both soils. Our results indicate a greater potential for food-waste compost as a nutrient source than compost derived primarily from cow manure solids, which could be more beneficial to building soil C.
“Are They Aware, and Why?” Bayesian Analysis of Predictors of Smallholder Farmers’ Awareness of Climate Change and Its Risks to Agriculture
Authors: Ng’ombe John N. , Tembo Moses C. , Masasi Blessing
Published: March 2020

While climate change threatens global food security, health, and nutrition outcomes, Africa is more vulnerable because its economies largely depend on rain-fed agriculture. Thus, there is need for agricultural producers in Africa to employ robust adaptive measures that withstand the risks of climate change. However, the success of adaptation measures to climate change primarily depends on the communities’ knowledge or awareness of climate change and its risks. Nonetheless, existing empirical research is still limited to illuminate farmers’ awareness of the climate change problem. This study employs a Bayesian hierarchical logistic model, estimated using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) methods, to empirically determine drivers of smallholder farmers’ awareness of climate change and its risks to agriculture in Zambia. The results suggest that on average, 77% of farmers in Zambia are aware of climate change and its risks to agriculture. We find socio-demographics, climate change information sources, climate change adaptive factors, and climate change impact-related shocks as predictors of the expression of climate change awareness. We suggest that farmers should be given all the necessary information about climate change and its risks to agriculture. Most importantly, the drivers identified can assist policymakers to provide the effective extension and advisory services that would enhance the understanding of climate change among farmers in synergy with appropriate farm-level climate-smart agricultural practices.
Fine Mapping of a Grain Shape Gene from a Rice Landrace Longliheinuo-Dwarf (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica)
Authors: Shang Fei , Chao Xu , Meng Kaiwen , Meng Xianghe , Li Qin , Chen Lifang , Wang Jianfei
Published: March 2020

Identification of grain shape genes can facilitate breeding of rice cultivars with optimal grain shape and appearance quality. In this study, we selected two rice germplasms, namely Longliheinuo-dwarf (LH) and N643, with different grain shape, to construct a genetic population for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. A major QTL (qGS7), controlling the ratio of grain length to grain width, was mapped on the chromosome 7 in a BC1F4 line. By high-resolution linkage analysis, qGS7 was delimited to a 52.8 kb region including eight predicted genes. Through sequence alignment and real-time PCR expression analysis of these ORFs, ORF3 (LOC_Os07g42410) was selected as the candidate gene for further analysis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) diversity analysis of ORF3 revealed that a single nucleotide deletion in the 7th exon resulted in a frameshift in parent LH and the parent in which a premature stop codon was identified. It was a rare mutation that caused grain shape difference. Real-time PCR analyses showed that the expression characteristics of ORF3 was in accordance with the development of spikelets. Of the 18 agronomic traits investigation in qGS7 near isogenic lines (NILs) showed that qGS7 not only changed grain shape but also affected plant height, panicle curvature, panicle length, the length of second leaf from the top, and chalkiness.
Gelidium amansii Attenuates Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Oxidative Injury in Primary Hippocampal Neurons through Suppressing GluN2B Expression
Authors: Hannan Md. Abdul , Haque Md. Nazmul , Mohibbullah Md. , Dash Raju , Hong Yong-Ki , Moon Il Soo
Published: March 2020

Oxidative stress is known to be critically implicated in the pathophysiology of several neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic stroke. The remarkable neurotrophic activity of Gelidium amansii, which has been reported consistently in a series of our previous studies, inspired us to investigate whether this popular agarophyte could protect against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced oxidative injury in hippocampal neurons. The primary culture of hippocampal neurons challenged with H/R suffered from a significant loss of cell survival, accompanied by apoptosis and necrosis, DNA damage, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), which were successfully attenuated when the neuronal cultures were preconditioned with ethanolic extract of G. amansii (GAE). GAE also attenuated an H/R-mediated increase of BAX and caspase 3 expressions while promoting Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, the expression of N-methyl-d-acetate receptor subunit 2B (GluN2B), an extrasynaptic glutamate receptor, was significantly repressed, while synaptic GluN2A expression was preserved in GAE-treated neurons as compared to those without GAE intervention. Together, this study demonstrates that GAE attenuated H/R-induced oxidative injury in hippocampal neurons through, at least in part, a potential neuroprotective mechanism that involves inhibition of GluN2B-mediated excitotoxicity and suppression of ROS production, and suggests that this edible seaweed could be a potential source of bioactive metabolites with therapeutic significance against oxidative stress-related neurodegeneration, including ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.
Oxidative Status of Goats with Different CSN1S1 Genotypes Fed ad Libitum with Fresh and Dry Forages
Authors: Giorgio Daniela , Di Trana Adriana , Di Gregorio Paola , Rando Andrea , Avondo Marcella , Bonanno Adriana , Valenti Bernardo , Di Grigoli Antonino
Published: March 2020

Forty late-lactation Girgentana goats were used to study the effect of diets fed ad libitum and αS1-casein (CSN1S1) genotype on redox balance. The goats genotyped at CSN1S1 locus (A/A, A/F) were subjected to four feeding treatments different for percentage inclusion of dry and fresh forage: DAF100 (98% of Dry Alfalfa Forage), DAF65 (65% of Dry Alfalfa Forage), FSF100 (100% of Fresh Sulla Forage) and FSF65 (65% of Fresh Sulla Forage). Blood samples were analyzed for superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), albumin, glucose and cholesterol contents. The oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated as percentage ratio of ROMs to BAP. Redox balance was improved by Sulla inclusion, as reflected in the lower OSI values found in FSF100 and FSF65 groups. DAF100 group displayed the highest GPX activity, while other groups exhibited the highest SOD activity. Fresh forage diets increased albumin concentration while no effect of tested factors was noted on glucose, NEFA, BHBA and cholesterol contents. The interaction diet × genotype was significant only for GPX activity. GPX and albumin were negatively correlated and were correlated positively and negatively with ROMs, respectively. Diet rather than genotype affects redox balance in dairy goats and a possible role of forage polyphenol compounds on oxidative status needs to be tested in future studies.
Dietary Compound Isoliquiritigenin, an Antioxidant from Licorice, Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Tumor Growth via Apoptotic Death Program Activation in Cell and Xenograft Animal Models
Authors: Lin Po-Han , Chiang Yi-Fen , Shieh Tzong-Ming , Chen Hsin-Yuan , Shih Chun-Kuang , Wang Tong-Hong , Wang Kai-Lee , Huang Tsui-Chin , Hong Yong-Han , Li Sing-Chung , Hsia Shih-Min
Published: March 2020

Patients with triple-negative breast cancer have few therapeutic strategy options. In this study, we investigated the effect of isoliquiritigenin (ISL) on the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells. We found that treatment with ISL inhibited triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) cell growth and increased cytotoxicity. ISL reduced cell cycle progression through the reduction of cyclin D1 protein expression and increased the sub-G1 phase population. The ISL-induced apoptotic cell population was observed by flow cytometry analysis. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was reduced by ISL treatment, whereas the Bax protein level increased; subsequently, the downstream signaling molecules caspase-3 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) were activated. Moreover, ISL reduced the expression of total and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), ULK1, and cathepsin B, whereas the expression of autophagic-associated proteins p62, Beclin1, and LC3 was increased. The decreased cathepsin B cause the p62 accumulation to induce caspase-8 mediated apoptosis. In vivo studies further showed that preventive treatment with ISL could inhibit breast cancer growth and induce apoptotic and autophagic-mediated apoptosis cell death. Taken together, ISL exerts an effect on the inhibition of triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell growth through autophagy-mediated apoptosis. Therefore, future studies of ISL as a supplement or alternative therapeutic agent for clinical trials against breast cancer are warranted.
Image Magnification Based on Bicubic Approximation with Edge as Constraint
Authors: Ji Linlin , Zhang Rui , Han Huijian , Chaddad Ahmad
Published: March 2020

Image magnification can be reduced to construct an approximation surface with data points in the image while keeping image details and edge features. In this paper, a new image magnification method is proposed by constructing piecewise bicubic polynomial surfaces constrained by edge features. The main innovation includes three parts. First, on the small adjacent area of each pixel, the new method constructs a quadratic polynomial sampling patch to approximate pixels on the small neighborhood with edge features as constraints. All quadric polynomial sampling patches are weighted to generate piecewise whole bicubic polynomial sampling surface. Second, a technique for calculating the error image is proposed: the error image is used to construct a correction surface to improve the accuracy and visual effect of the magnified image. Finally, in order to improve the accuracy of the approximation surface, a technology of balancing polynomial coefficients is put forward. Experimental results show that, compared with other methods, the proposed method makes better use of the local feature information of the image, which not only improves the PSNR/SSIM numerical accuracy of the magnified image but also improves the visual effect of the magnified image.
Effect of Local Gas Flow in Full Penetration Laser Beam Welding with High Welding Speeds
Authors: Schmidt Leander , Schricker Klaus , Bergmann Jean Pierre , Junger Christina
Published: March 2020

Spatter formation is a major issue in deep penetration welding with solid-state lasers at high welding speeds above 8 m/min. In order to limit spatter formation, the use of local gas flows represents a technically feasible solution. By using the gas flow, the pressure balance inside the keyhole, and therefore the keyhole stability, is affected. Existing investigations demonstrate a reduction in spatter and pore formation for partial penetration welding up to a welding speed of 5 m/min. However, the effect of the gas flow is not yet clarified for full penetration welding at welding speeds above 8 m/min. By using a precisely adjustable shielding gas supply, the effect of a local gas flow of argon was characterized by welding stainless steel AISI304 (1.4301/X5CrNi18-10). The influence of the gas flow on the melt pool dynamics and spatter formation was recorded by means of high-speed videography and subsequently analyzed by image processing. Schlieren videography was used to visualize the forming flow flied. By the use of the gas, a change in melt pool dynamics and gas flow conditions was observed, correlating to a reduction in loss of mass up to 70%. Based on the investigations, a model of the acting effect mechanism was given.
A Machine-Learning Model Based on Morphogeometric Parameters for RETICS Disease Classification and GUI Development
Authors: Bolarín José M. , Cavas F. , Velázquez J.S. , Alió J.L.
Published: March 2020

This work pursues two objectives: defining a new concept of risk probability associated with suffering early-stage keratoconus, classifying disease severity according to the RETICS (Thematic Network for Co-Operative Research in Health) scale. It recruited 169 individuals, 62 healthy and 107 keratoconus diseased, grouped according to the RETICS classification: 44 grade I; 18 grade II; 15 grade III; 15 grade IV; 15 grade V. Different demographic, optical, pachymetric and eometrical parameters were measured. The collected data were used for training two machine-learning models: a multivariate logistic regression model for early keratoconus detection and an ordinal logistic regression model for RETICS grade assessments. The early keratoconus detection model showed very good sensitivity, specificity and area under ROC curve, with around 95% for training and 85% for validation. The variables that made the most significant contributions were gender, coma-like, central thickness, high-order aberrations and temporal thickness. The RETICS grade assessment also showed high-performance figures, albeit lower, with a global accuracy of 0.698 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.623–0.766. The most significant variables were CDVA, central thickness and temporal thickness. The developed web application allows the fast, objective and quantitative assessment of keratoconus in early diagnosis and RETICS grading terms.
Control System Applied to the Microinjection of Artificial Tears for Severe Dry Eye Treatment
Authors: Meni-Babakidi Narcisse , Viramontes-Gamboa Gonzalo , Ibarra-Bracamontes Laura Alicia , Luna-Reyes Israel
Published: March 2020

This paper presents a portable automated teardrop microinjection system as a practical solution for patients suffering from severe dry eye. The electronic device for the controlled and continuous injection of artificial tears is designed, assembled, and tested for performance and stability. It is controlled via Wi-Fi from an Android programmable device. Its design is based on the physicochemical properties of artificial tears, and with both production costs and portability in mind. The system was modeled according to the V methodology of the association for professional German engineers VDI 2206 standard. The microinjector handles a wide range of internal variables such as tears flow rate (0.13 to 60 μL/min), tears viscosity (up to 600 Pa·s), temperature (up to 60 °C), injected volume of tears, and time between consecutive injections. For evaluation purposes, a comprehensive set of experimental tests were carried out to the system, comparing the actually delivered amount of tears, flow rate, and prescribed time vs. programmed values, the error was ∼0.2% for commercially available artificial tears.
Insights into the Effect of WJ-7 Fastener Rubber Pad to Vehicle-Rail-Viaduct Coupled Dynamics
Authors: Liu Linya , Zuo Zhiyuan , Zhou Yunlai , Qin Jialiang
Published: March 2020

The high-speed railway (HSR) has been a long-term hotspot in both scientific and engineering societies to enhance the long-term high quality HSR service. This study aims to investigate the WJ-7B type small resistance fastener rubber pad applied in HSR, and temperature sweep test is applied to determine the mechanical parameters of the fastener rubber pad, which are hereafter introduced into the vehicle-track-viaduct vertical coupling model via dynamic flexibility method. The track irregularity spectrum is considered as fixed-point excitation to investigate the temperature-dependent effect of fastener rubber pad on the dynamic responses. The results reveal that the rigidity of the fastener rubber pad is low temperature sensitive and high temperature stable, and the temperature variation has little effect on the vertical dynamic responses of the vehicle. The dynamic flexibility of the rail increases in amplitude and the dominant frequency decreases as the temperature of the fastener rubber pad increases. The vertical dynamic responses of the wheel-rail force, the wheelset and the rail-viaduct system gradually decrease as the temperature of the fastener rubber pad increases, and the peak frequency follows the similar rule. While under high temperature circumstances, the temperature dependent stiffness of the fastener rubber pad has little influence on the peak of the dominant frequency in the vertical dynamic response of the track-viaduct system.
The Influence of the Activation Function in a Convolution Neural Network Model of Facial Expression Recognition
Authors: Wang Yingying , Li Yibin , Song Yong , Rong Xuewen
Published: March 2020

The convolutional neural network (CNN) has been widely used in image recognition field due to its good performance. This paper proposes a facial expression recognition method based on the CNN model. Regarding the complexity of the hierarchic structure of the CNN model, the activation function is its core, because the nonlinear ability of the activation function really makes the deep neural network have authentic artificial intelligence. Among common activation functions, the ReLu function is one of the best of them, but it also has some shortcomings. Since the derivative of the ReLu function is always zero when the input value is negative, it is likely to appear as the phenomenon of neuronal necrosis. In order to solve the above problem, the influence of the activation function in the CNN model is studied in this paper. According to the design principle of the activation function in CNN model, a new piecewise activation function is proposed. Five common activation functions (i.e., sigmoid, tanh, ReLu, leaky ReLus and softplus–ReLu, plus the new activation function) have been analysed and compared in facial expression recognition tasks based on the Keras framework. The Experimental results on two public facial expression databases (i.e., JAFFE and FER2013) show that the convolutional neural network based on the improved activation function has a better performance than most-of-the-art activation functions.
Codon Harmonization of a Kir3.1-KirBac1.3 Chimera for Structural Study Optimization
Authors: Van Aalst Evan , Yekefallah Maryam , Mehta Anil K. , Eason Isaac , Wylie Benjamin
Published: March 2020

The expression of functional, folded, and isotopically enriched membrane proteins is an enduring bottleneck for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. Indeed, historically, protein yield optimization has been insufficient to allow NMR analysis of many complex Eukaryotic membrane proteins. However, recent work has found that manipulation of plasmid codons improves the odds of successful NMR-friendly protein production. In the last decade, numerous studies showed that matching codon usage patterns in recombinant gene sequences to those in the native sequence is positively correlated with increased protein yield. This phenomenon, dubbed codon harmonization, may be a powerful tool in optimizing recombinant expression of difficult-to-produce membrane proteins for structural studies. Here, we apply this technique to an inward rectifier K+ Channel (Kir) 3.1-KirBac1.3 chimera. Kir3.1 falls within the G protein-coupled inward rectifier K+ (GIRK) channel family, thus NMR studies may inform on the nuances of GIRK gating action in the presence and absence of its G Protein, lipid, and small molecule ligands. In our hands, harmonized plasmids increase protein yield nearly two-fold compared to the traditional ‘fully codon optimized’ construct. We then employ a fluorescence-based functional assay and solid-state NMR correlation spectroscopy to show the final protein product is folded and functional.
Rings, Hexagons, Petals, and Dipolar Moment Sink-Sources: The Fanciful Behavior of Water around Cyclodextrin Complexes
Authors: F. Garrido Pablo , Calvelo Martín , Garcia-Fandiño Rebeca , Piñeiro Ángel
Published: March 2020

The basket-like geometry of cyclodextrins (CDs), with a cavity able to host hydrophobic groups, makes these molecules well suited for a large number of fundamental and industrial applications. Most of the established CD-based applications rely on trial and error studies, often ignoring key information at the atomic level that could be employed to design new products and to optimize their use. Computational simulations are well suited to fill this gap, especially in the case of CD systems due to their low number of degrees of freedom compared with typical macromolecular systems. Thus, the design and validation of solid and efficient methods to simulate and analyze CD-based systems is key to contribute to this field. The behavior of supramolecular complexes critically depends on the media where they are embedded, so the detailed characterization of the solvent is required to fully understand these systems. In the present work, we use the inclusion complex formed by two α-CDs and one sodium dodecyl sulfate molecule to test eight different parameterizations of the GROMOS and AMBER force fields, including several methods aimed to increase the conformational sampling in computational molecular dynamics simulation trajectories. The system proved to be extremely sensitive to the employed force field, as well as to the presence of a water/air interface. In agreement with previous experiments and in contrast to the results obtained with AMBER, the analysis of the simulations using GROMOS showed a quick adsorption of the complex to the interface as well as an extremely exotic behavior of the water molecules surrounding the structure both in the bulk aqueous solution and at the water surface. The chirality of the CD molecule seems to play an important role in this behavior. All together, these results are expected to be useful to better understand the behavior of CD-based supramolecular complexes such as adsorption or aggregation driving forces, as well as to introduce new methods able to speed up general MD simulations.
Self-Regulation and Psychological Well-Being in Early Adolescence: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study
Authors: Fomina Tatiana , Burmistrova-Savenkova Angelika , Morosanova Varvara
Published: March 2020

This paper addresses the question of whether self-regulation capacities are a significant psychological resource of schoolchildren’s psychological well-being. The study contributes to the search of significant predictors of the students’ psychological well-being. Moscow secondary schools pupils (N = 239) participated in a two-wave longitudinal study, the procedure being made in the 4th grade and repeated in the 5th grade, six months after the first measurement. The results are presented describing the dynamics of manifestations of the psychological well-being and the conscious self-regulation of the schoolchildren during their transition from the primary to the middle school. Using the cross-lagged panel analysis allowed concluding that the level of conscious self-regulation of the learning activity of the 4th graders significantly predicts their psychological well-being not only in the 4th grade, but also in the 5th grade. The study revealed the specific regulatory predictors characteristic of different manifestations of the schoolchildren’ psychological well-being. The obtained results highlight the significance of research on the conscious self-regulation of learning activities as a resource for pupils’ psychological well-being, which is predictive for its maturation in the subsequent ages.
Earthquake Safety Assessment of Buildings through Rapid Visual Screening
Authors: Harirchian Ehsan , Lahmer Tom , Buddhiraju Sreekanth , Mohammad Kifaytullah , Mosavi Amir
Published: March 2020

Earthquake is among the most devastating natural disasters causing severe economical, environmental, and social destruction. Earthquake safety assessment and building hazard monitoring can highly contribute to urban sustainability through identification and insight into optimum materials and structures. While the vulnerability of structures mainly depends on the structural resistance, the safety assessment of buildings can be highly challenging. In this paper, we consider the Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) method, which is a qualitative procedure for estimating structural scores for buildings suitable for medium- to high-seismic cases. This paper presents an overview of the common RVS methods, i.e., FEMA P-154, IITK-GGSDMA, and EMPI. To examine the accuracy and validation, a practical comparison is performed between their assessment and observed damage of reinforced concrete buildings from a street survey in the Bingöl region, Turkey, after the 1 May 2003 earthquake. The results demonstrate that the application of RVS methods for preliminary damage estimation is a vital tool. Furthermore, the comparative analysis showed that FEMA P-154 creates an assessment that overestimates damage states and is not economically viable, while EMPI and IITK-GGSDMA provide more accurate and practical estimation, respectively.
Can Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Predict Tolerance of Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer in Men Aged 75 Years or Older?
Authors: Goineau Aurore , Campion Loïc , Commer Jean-Marie , Vié Brigitte , Ghesquière Agnès , Béra Guillaume , Jaffres Didier , Magné Nicolas , Artignan Xavier , Chamois Jérôme , Bergerot Philippe , Créhange Gilles , Deniaud-Alexandre Elisabeth , Buthaud Xavier , Belkacémi Yazid , Doré Mélanie , De Decker Laure , Supiot Stéphane
Published: March 2020

Curative radiotherapy for prostate cancer is common in the elderly. However, concerns about potential toxicity have inhibited access to radiotherapy for this population, for whom preserving quality of life (QoL) is crucial. The primary endpoint was to identify predictors of impaired QoL in men aged 75 years or older treated with curative intent radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer. We prospectively performed comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and administered QoL questionnaires to 208 elderly (>75 years) patients prior to, plus two and six months after, radiotherapy (NCT 02876237). The median age of the patients was 77 years (range 75–89). At the start of the study, comorbidities were highlighted in 65% of patients: 23% were depressed, 23% had cognitive impairment, and 16% had reduced independence. At six months, 9% of patients had a consistently decreased QoL (>20 points), and a further 16% had a more moderate reduction (10 to 20 points) in QoL. None of the parameters studied (tumor characteristic, treatment, or oncogeriatric parameters) were predictive of a reduced QoL following radiotherapy. Though co-existing geriatric impairment was common, QoL was maintained for 75% of patients six months after radiotherapy. CGA was poorly predictive of tolerance of prostatic radiotherapy. Geriatric assessments dedicated to quality of life following radiotherapy need to be developed.
Functional Classification of TP53 Mutations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Dutta Sayantanee , Pregartner Gudrun , Rücker Frank G. , Heitzer Ellen , Zebisch Armin , Bullinger Lars , Berghold Andrea , Döhner Konstanze , Sill Heinz
Published: March 2020

Mutations of the TP53 gene occur in a subset of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and confer an exceedingly adverse prognosis. However, whether different types of TP53 mutations exert a uniformly poor outcome has not been investigated yet. Here, we addressed this issue by analyzing data of 1537 patients intensively treated within protocols of the German-Austrian AML study group. We classified TP53 mutations depending on their impact on protein structure and according to the evolutionary action (EAp53) score and the relative fitness score (RFS). In 98/1537 (6.4%) patients, 108 TP53 mutations were detected. While the discrimination depending on the protein structure and the EAp53 score did not show a survival difference, patients with low-risk and high-risk AML-specific RFS showed a different overall survival (OS; median, 12.9 versus 5.5 months, p = 0.017) and event-free survival (EFS; median, 7.3 versus 5.2 months, p = 0.054). In multivariable analyses adjusting for age, gender, white blood cell count, cytogenetic risk, type of AML, and TP53 variant allele frequency, these differences were statistically significant for both OS (HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.15–4.0; p = 0.017) and EFS (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.06–3.69; p = 0.033). We conclude that the AML-specific RFS is of prognostic value in patients with TP53-mutated AML and a useful tool for therapeutic decision-making.
The Role of Nitrate on the Sol-Gel Spread Self-Combustion Process and Its Effect on the NH3-SCR Activity of Magnetic Iron-Based Catalyst
Authors: Ning Xing , Xiong Zhi-bo , Yang Bin , Lu Wei , Wu Shui-mu
Published: March 2020

Sol-gel spread self-combustion is the burning of the complexing agent in dried gel and the oxidant. Meanwhile, high temperature takes place during the combustion process, which is harmful to the pore structure of the catalyst. The nitrate from metal nitrate precursors as an oxidant could participate in the spread of the self-combustion process. Therefore, the influence of nitrate from metal nitrate on the spread self-combustion of an iron–cerium–tungsten citric acid gel and its catalytic performance of NOx reduction were investigated by removing nitrate via the dissolution of washing co-precipitation with citric acid and re-introducing nitric acid into the former solution. It was found that the removal of nitrate contributes to enhancing the NH3–SCR activity of the magnetic mixed oxide catalyst. The NOx reduction efficiency was close to 100% for Fe85Ce10W5–CP–CA at 250 °C while the highest was only 80% for the others. The results of thermal analysis demonstrate that the spread self-combustion process of citric acid dried gel is enhanced by re-introducing nitric acid into the citric acid dissolved solution when compared with the removal of nitrate. In addition, the removal of nitrate helps in the formation of γ-Fe2O3 crystallite in the catalyst, refining the particle size of the catalyst and increasing its pore volume. The removal of nitrate also contributes to the formation of Lewis acid sites and Brønsted acid sites on the surface of the catalyst compared with the re-introduction of nitric acid. The in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) demonstrates that both Eley–Rideal (E–R) and Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) mechanisms exist over Fe85Ce10W5–CP–CA at 250 °C with E–R as its main mechanism.