bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competitive Learning in a Spiking Neural Network: Towards an Intelligent Pattern Classifier
Authors: Lobov Sergey A. , Chernyshov Andrey V. , Krilova Nadia P. , Shamshin Maxim O. , Kazantsev Victor B.
Published: January 2020

One of the modern trends in the design of human–machine interfaces (HMI) is to involve the so called spiking neuron networks (SNNs) in signal processing. The SNNs can be trained by simple and efficient biologically inspired algorithms. In particular, we have shown that sensory neurons in the input layer of SNNs can simultaneously encode the input signal based both on the spiking frequency rate and on varying the latency in generating spikes. In the case of such mixed temporal-rate coding, the SNN should implement learning working properly for both types of coding. Based on this, we investigate how a single neuron can be trained with pure rate and temporal patterns, and then build a universal SNN that is trained using mixed coding. In particular, we study Hebbian and competitive learning in SNN in the context of temporal and rate coding problems. We show that the use of Hebbian learning through pair-based and triplet-based spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) rule is accomplishable for temporal coding, but not for rate coding. Synaptic competition inducing depression of poorly used synapses is required to ensure a neural selectivity in the rate coding. This kind of competition can be implemented by the so-called forgetting function that is dependent on neuron activity. We show that coherent use of the triplet-based STDP and synaptic competition with the forgetting function is sufficient for the rate coding. Next, we propose a SNN capable of classifying electromyographical (EMG) patterns using an unsupervised learning procedure. The neuron competition achieved via lateral inhibition ensures the “winner takes all” principle among classifier neurons. The SNN also provides gradual output response dependent on muscular contraction strength. Furthermore, we modify the SNN to implement a supervised learning method based on stimulation of the target classifier neuron synchronously with the network input. In a problem of discrimination of three EMG patterns, the SNN with supervised learning shows median accuracy 99.5% that is close to the result demonstrated by multi-layer perceptron learned by back propagation of an error algorithm.
Visual Locating of Reactor in an Industrial Environment Using the Composite Method
Authors: Cao Chenguang , Ouyang Qi , Hou Jiamu , Zhao Liming
Published: January 2020

To achieve an automatic unloading of a reactor during the sherardizing process, it is necessary to calculate the pose and position of the reactors in an industrial environment with various amounts of luminance and floating dust. In this study, the defects of classic image processing methods and deep learning methods used for locating the reactors are first analyzed. Next, an improved You Only Look Once(YOLO) model is employed to find the region of interest of the handling hole and a handling hole corner detection method based on the image morphology and a Hough transform is presented. Finally, the position and pose of the reactors will be obtained by establishing a 3D handling hole model according to the principle of a binocular stereo system. To test the performance of the proposed method, a set of experimental systems was set up and experiments were conducted. The results indicate that the proposed location method is effective and the precision of the position recognition can be controlled to within 4.64 mm and 1.68 ° when the cameras are approximately 5 m away from the reactor, meeting the requirements.
Sensor Fault Diagnosis for Impedance Monitoring Using a Piezoelectric-Based Smart Interface Technique
Authors: Huynh Thanh-Canh , Nguyen The-Duong , Ho Duc-Duy , Dang Ngoc-Loi , Kim Jeong-Tae
Published: January 2020

For a structural health monitoring (SHM) system, the operational functionality of sensors is critical for successful implementation of a damage identification process. This study presents experimental and analytical investigations on sensor fault diagnosis for impedance-based SHM using the piezoelectric interface technique. Firstly, the piezoelectric interface-based impedance monitoring is experimentally conducted on a steel bolted connection to investigate the effect of structural damage and sensor defect on electromechanical (EM) impedance responses. Based on the experimental analysis, sensor diagnostic approaches using EM impedance features are designed to distinguish the sensor defect from the structural damage. Next, a novel impedance model of the piezoelectric interface-driven system is proposed for the analytical investigation of sensor fault diagnosis. Various parameters are introduced into the EM impedance formulation to model the effect of shear-lag phenomenon, sensor breakage, sensor debonding, and structural damage. Finally, the proposed impedance model is used to analytically estimate the change in EM impedance responses induced by the structural damage and the sensor defect. The analytical results are found to be consistent with experimental observations, thus evidencing the feasibility of the novel impedance model for sensor diagnosis and structural integrity assessment. The study is expected to provide theoretical and experimental foundations for impedance monitoring practices, using the piezoelectric interface technique, with the existence of sensor faults.
Multiplexed Remote SPR Detection of Biological Interactions through Optical Fiber Bundles
Authors: Desmet Cloé , Vindas Karim , Alvarado Meza Ricardo , Garrigue Patrick , Voci Silvia , Sojic Neso , Maziz Ali , Courson Rémi , Malaquin Laurent , Leichle Thierry , Buhot Arnaud , Roupioz Yoann , Leroy Loic , Engel Elodie
Published: January 2020

The development of sensitive methods for in situ detection of biomarkers is a real challenge to bring medical diagnosis a step forward. The proof-of-concept of a remote multiplexed biomolecular interaction detection through a plasmonic optical fiber bundle is demonstrated here. The strategy relies on a fiber optic biosensor designed from a 300 µm diameter bundle composed of 6000 individual optical fibers. When appropriately etched and metallized, each optical fiber exhibits specific plasmonic properties. The surface plasmon resonance phenomenon occurring at the surface of each fiber enables to measure biomolecular interactions, through the changes of the retro-reflected light intensity due to light/plasmon coupling variations. The functionalization of the microstructured bundle by multiple protein probes was performed using new polymeric 3D-printed microcantilevers. Such soft cantilevers allow for immobilizing the probes in micro spots, without damaging the optical microstructures nor the gold layer. We show here the potential of this device to perform the multiplexed detection of two different antibodies with limits of detection down to a few tenths of nanomoles per liter. This tool, adapted for multiparametric, real-time, and label free monitoring is minimally invasive and could then provide a useful platform for in vivo targeted molecular analysis.
Airborne and Terrestrial Observations of the Thermal Environment of Urban Areas Surrounding a High-Rise Building during the Japanese Winter
Authors: Oshio Haruki , Chen Kan , Asawa Takashi
Published: January 2020

We investigated the distribution of air temperature (Ta) and the factors affecting it in low-rise areas surrounding an isolated high-rise building during the Japanese winter. The study site was the central part of a regional city in Japan (36°5′ N, 140°12′ E), lying north-east of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The daytime surface temperature (Ts) in the shade is generally considered to be comparable to Ta; however, according to airborne remote sensing conducted in December 2009 where a multi-spectral scanner was installed on a fixed-wing aircraft, Ts for pavements in the shade of a high-rise building was significantly lower than Ta of sub-urban areas, indicating an influence of cold storage on Ts. Then, we conducted mobile observations using instruments (thermocouple, four component radiometer, and so on) installed on a bicycle in January 2016 to investigate the detailed distribution of Ta and the factors affecting it. The results showed the Ta over the pavements in the shade of the high-rise building was lower than the Ta of sunlit areas in the same urban area by −2 °C and lower than the Ta of sub-urban areas by −1–1.5 °C, although the advection effect was large due to strong winds around the building. In conclusion, a locally lower Ta compared to the surrounding areas can develop during the day in winter, even in spaces that are open to areas beyond the canopy.
A Method to Estimate Horse Speed per Stride from One IMU with a Machine Learning Method
Authors: Schmutz Amandine , Chèze Laurence , Jacques Julien , Martin Pauline
Published: January 2020

With the emergence of numerical sensors in sports, there is an increasing need for tools and methods to compute objective motion parameters with great accuracy. In particular, inertial measurement units are increasingly used in the clinical domain or the sports one to estimate spatiotemporal parameters. The purpose of the present study was to develop a model that can be included in a smart device in order to estimate the horse speed per stride from accelerometric and gyroscopic data without the use of a global positioning system, enabling the use of such a tool in both indoor and outdoor conditions. The accuracy of two speed calculation methods was compared: one signal based and one machine learning model. Those two methods allowed the calculation of speed from accelerometric and gyroscopic data without any other external input. For this purpose, data were collected under various speeds on straight lines and curved paths. Two reference systems were used to measure the speed in order to have a reference speed value to compare each tested model and estimate their accuracy. Those models were compared according to three different criteria: the percentage of error above 0.6 m/s, the RMSE, and the Bland and Altman limit of agreement. The machine learning method outperformed its competitor by giving the lowest value for all three criteria. The main contribution of this work is that it is the first method that gives an accurate speed per stride for horses without being coupled with a global positioning system or a magnetometer. No similar study performed on horses exists to compare our work with, so the presented model is compared to existing models for human walking. Moreover, this tool can be extended to other equestrian sports, as well as bipedal locomotion as long as consistent data are provided to train the machine learning model. The machine learning model’s accurate results can be explained by the large database built to train the model and the innovative way of slicing stride data before using them as an input for the model.
Analysis of Primary Field Shielding Stability for the Weak Coupling Coil Designs
Authors: Huang Jiangbo , Wang Haowen , Fu Zhihong , Fu Wei
Published: January 2020

As an electromagnetic field conversion tool in the transient electromagnetic method (TEM), the weak coupling coils reduce the mutual inductance of its transmitter and receiver coils by special structural optimization, so the detection signal can be protruded from the primary field interference generated by the transmitter coil; thus, this kind of coil design can significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio. However, with the popularity of drag or aerial TEM exploration, the structural stability problem caused by bumps or windage leads to non-negligible primary field leakages, thereby reducing the detection reliability. This paper incorporates the primary field shielding stability as a key indicator of the weak coupling designs and proposes a calibration scheme for this stability assessment, based on which the shielding stability of five typical weak coupling coil designs is quantitatively compared, and the relationship between the primary field density and the shielding stability explored in this study may contribute to the selection and improvement of TEM coils.
Indoor Environmental Quality in Latin American Buildings: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Valderrama-Ulloa Claudia , Silva-Castillo Lorena , Sandoval-Grandi Catalina , Robles-Calderon Carlos , Rouault Fabien
Published: January 2020

The amount of time people spend inside buildings is significant. Indoor environment quality deficiencies in some of these buildings may affect the health of its users. Therefore, a systematic literature review has been conducted to assess the quality of indoor environments in existing buildings in Latin America. The objectives of this review are (1) identifying countries and building types whose indoor environment quality has been analyzed the most, (2) identifying most used evaluation strategies, (3) identifying comfort types and most evaluated variables, and (4) determining whether or not Latin American buildings are comfortable and what local factors contribute to that effect. From the 100 selected papers for this analysis, it was noted that Brazil and Argentina led the studies on residences and schools. It was also noted that hygrothermal comfort was the most analyzed comfort type, with temperature and humidity leading the number of studies. Finally, this review shows a lack of studies including buildings whose users are sensitive to indoor environmental quality, such as nurseries, senior homes, or health facilities. Additionally, there is a sustained discrepancy between objective measuring methods and user perception. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of 88 buildings shows that in Latin America, 67.5% of buildings are uncomfortable; thus, it is necessary to improve the designs and regulatory standards, to educate users, and to improve building monitoring management at the operational stage.
Correlation of Vulnerability and Damage between Artistic Assets and Structural Elements: The DataBAES Archive for the Conservation Planning of CH Masonry Buildings in Seismic Areas
Authors: Valluzzi Maria Rosa , Calò Sergio , Giacometti Gianluca
Published: January 2020

Historical buildings in seismic hazard-prone regions need specific measures in safety protection, largely due to the presence of artistic assets and/or decorations, both movable (e.g., statues, pinnacles, etc.) and unmovable (e.g., frescoes, valuable plasters or wall paintings, mosaics, and stuccoes). A correlation of damage between structural systems and artworks is fundamental for defining limit states, which can identify the proper conditions for interventions. Nevertheless, several vulnerability aspects can be identified before a seismic event occurs, the study of which can provide the basic dataset for setting up preventive measures in conservation programs. In this paper, the vulnerability and damage conditions related to structural elements (SE) and unmovable artistic assets (AA) belonging to historical masonry buildings are analysed. Optimized survey forms for the onsite detection of either intrinsic (e.g., compositional) defects or deterioration phenomena for both materials and structure are proposed, and results are provided in a web data system (called DataBAES). This enables us to compare the current levels of vulnerability and damage of AA and SE on a scale of five increasing grades. This procedure has been validated on a series of buildings struck by earthquakes in Italy and can be used for correlations of the seismic behaviour of SE and AA in predictive analyses.
Does the Asset Allocation Policy Affect the Performance of Climate-Themed Funds? Empirical Evidence from the Scandinavian Mutual Funds Market
Authors: Dopierała Łukasz , Mosionek-Schweda Magdalena , Ilczuk Daria
Published: January 2020

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the performance of climate-themed mutual funds, taking into consideration the structure of their asset allocation, especially their geographical focus of investment. Additionally, the influence of differences in the industry allocations on the funds’ investment results is evaluated. Our analyses are based on climate-friendly mutual funds registered in Scandinavian countries (i.e., Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) during 2010–2019. To classify the analyzed funds as climate-friendly, we use the relative carbon footprint measure, which is a novelty in studies on ESG funds (meeting the environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria). In our analyses, we use the absolute performance as well as the relative performance methods. The obtained results confirm that geographical and industrial asset allocations significantly affect the performance of Scandinavian climate-friendly funds. On the basis of our studies, we may state that analyzed mutual funds do not get abnormal returns, and their performance mostly depends on the market state. Additionally, the unconditional firm size factor did not influence the return of particular portfolios, while the conditional firm size factor was significant for European, global, and North American funds. Moreover, the firm value factor was significant. Finally, the momentum factor was only significant for the emerging markets portfolio when it reached positive values.
The Scientific Cooperation Network of Chinese Scientists and Its Proximity Mechanism
Authors: Shi Wentian , Yang Wenlong , Du Debin
Published: January 2020

The collaboration of scientists is important for promoting the scientific development and technological progress of a country, and even of the world. Based on the cooperation data of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), we portray the scientific cooperation network of Chinese scientists using Pajek, Gephi, ArcGIS, and other software, and the complexity of the scientific cooperation network of Chinese scientists and its proximity mechanism are explored by combining complex network analysis, spatial statistical analysis, and negative binomial regression models. Our main conclusions are as follows: (1) In terms of network structure, the scientific cooperation network of Chinese scientists has a multi-triangular skeleton, with Beijing as its apex. The network has an obvious hierarchical structure. Beijing and Shanghai are located in the core area, and 16 cities are located in the semi-periphery of the network, while other cities are located at the periphery of the network. (2) In terms of spatial distribution, the regional imbalance of the scientific cooperation of Chinese scientists is obvious. Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the central-south region of Liaoning are hot spots for the scientific research activities of Chinese scientists. (3) The negative binomial regression model accurately explains the proximity mechanism of the scientific cooperation network of Chinese scientists. The geographical proximity positively affects the scientific cooperation of Chinese scientists under certain conditions. The educational proximity is the primary consideration for scientists to cooperate in scientific research. The closer the educational level of the cities, the greater the cooperation. Economic and social proximity can promote scientific cooperation among scientists, whereas institutional proximity negatively and significantly affects scientific cooperation.
An Econophysics Study of the S&P Global Clean Energy Index
Authors: Ferreira Paulo , Loures Luís Carlos
Published: January 2020

The study of how financial markets behave continues to be interesting. The existence of more and more data and the development of statistical techniques are some reasons for the increase in research in finance. However, the difficulty in understanding some markets’ behavior is a continuous challenge. In this context, a new research area called Econophysics has emerged, which is constantly increasing in size. We propose in this work to use methodologies related to Econophysics to analyze one stock index composed of firms producing clean energy (S&P Global Clean Energy Index) and compare it with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as a stock market benchmark and with the price of crude oil. In a context where environmental issues are on the agenda, this is an important area of research, because it could help investors to make their decisions. Our results show that the clean energy index seems to have higher time serial dependence than the others, and is less exposed to oil price than the NYSE.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Nonlinear Negative Relationship between Urbanization and Habitat Quality in Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Zhu Jingfeng , Ding Ning , Li Dehuan , Sun Wei , Xie Yujing , Wang Xiangrong
Published: January 2020

Urbanization intensity (UI) affects habitat quality (HQ) by changing land patterns, nutrient conditions, management, etc. Therefore, there is a need for studies on the relationship between UI and HQ and quantification of separate urbanization impacts on HQ. In this study, the relationship between HQ and UI and the direct and indirect impacts of urbanization on HQ were analyzed for the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) from 1995 to 2010. The results indicated that the regional relationship between HQ and UI was nonlinear and negative, with inflection points where urbanization reached 20% and 80%. Furthermore, depending on different urbanization impacts, the relationship types generally changed from a steady decrease to stable in different cities. Negative indirect impacts accelerate habitat degradation, while positive impacts partially offset habitat degradation caused by land conversion. The average offset extent was approximately 28.23%, 17.41%, 22.94%, and 16.18% in 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010, respectively. Moreover, the dependency of urbanization impacts on human demand in different urbanization stages was also demonstrated. The increasing demand for urban land has exacerbated the threat to ecological areas, but awareness about the need to protect ecological conditions began to strengthen after the antagonistic stage of urbanization.
Exploring Ethical Business in Central Europe: Leaders’ Values and Perspectives on Good Practices
Authors: Perényi Áron , Selvarajah Christopher , Tanas Janusz , Tučková Zuzana , Odrowaz-Coates Anna , Tóth-Bozó Brigitta , Minarova Martina
Published: January 2020

Weaknesses in the institutional environment of Central Europe challenge the sustainability of economic development. Institutional theory stipulates that institutions drive economic development, and institutions are configured by individual values and practices. The World Governance Indicators, the Corruption Perception Index, and the Doing Business Indicators indicate weaknesses in the institutional environments of the Visegrád countries. This paper explores the micro level perspective of institutions, focusing on values and practices, in terms of leadership and ethics. A survey of 868 private and public sector managers from Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia provides evidence that leadership practices and ethical values are congruent, suggesting a positive influence on the institutional environment. The results also provide evidence for the presence of the gap, spanning between the micro and the macro level factors affecting sustainable economic development. These results imply that a bottom-up view of sustainable economic development is more suitable to the Central European context, and promotion of sustainable economic development needs to focus on the micro level factors.
Untangling the Origins of Sustainable Commitment: New Insights on the Small vs. Large Firms’ Debate
Authors: Cantele Silvia , Vernizzi Silvia , Campedelli Bettina
Published: January 2020

The sustainable development challenge is increasingly being included in entrepreneurs’ agendas. Firms are considered responsible for social and environmental effects but are also considered as social actors that can effectively incorporate sustainability solutions into market transactions. The literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in small business has depicted these firms as less involved in sustainability management implementation owing to resource constraints and limited perception of the business case for sustainability. Further, studies on both small business and sustainable entrepreneurship have highlighted the pivotal role of entrepreneurs’ values in motivating a more sustainable way of conducting business while, large companies, driven by external pressures, are more focused on a strategic CSR approach than small firms. Starting from these premises, the paper aims to identify the main drivers or barriers of sustainability implementation and to verify any significant differences between small and large-sized companies in their approach to sustainability practices implementation. The study adopts a qualitative research method based on semi-structured interviews addressing 22 participants from Italian firms of different sizes selected for their social and environmental commitment. The findings of the study highlight the existence of some common features among small and large firms, in particular, regarding motivations, entrepreneur values, and business vision, contributing new perspectives to the sustainable entrepreneurship debate.
Foraging Wild Food in Urban Spaces: The Contribution of Wild Foods to Urban Dietary Diversity in South Africa
Authors: Garekae Hesekia , Shackleton Charlie M.
Published: January 2020

Globally, approximately one billion people benefit from contributions of wild foods to their food security and dietary diversity. Wild foods are known to be important in rural communities in terms of food and micronutrient provision, diversifying diets, reducing vulnerability to non-communicable diseases and overall health. However, the potential contribution of wild foods towards food security and dietary diversity in urban food systems has been largely overlooked. This study examined the contribution of wild foods to household dietary diversity in two towns in South Africa, based on a survey of 137 households. Household diets were quite diverse, with half (51%) having consumed ≥ 8 food groups, 39% consumed 6 or 7 food groups, and only 10% recorded ≤ 5 food groups in the previous 48 h. Wild foods were prevalent across the sample, with 62% of the households consuming them to some degree. Wild vegetables and fruits were the most common wild foods, consumed by 96 and 79% of the households, respectively. Although wild foods had limited significance on overall dietary diversity, they exhibited substantial contributions within particular food groups. For example, the consumption of vegetables and oil and fats was most prevalent among households consuming wild foods than those who did not. The findings show that wild foods could contribute towards diversifying urban diets at a micro-level, within particular food groups consumed, such as vegetables and fruits. Hence, wild foods are important in ameliorating the monotonous diets of some households and in turn promoting dietary diversity.
Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction using Magnetic Carbon Nanotube Composite for the Determination of Emergent Mycotoxins in Urine Samples
Authors: Arroyo-Manzanares Natalia , Peñalver-Soler Rosa , Campillo Natalia , Viñas Pilar
Published: January 2020

Dispersive magnetic solid-phase extraction (DMSPE) has received growing attention for sample treatment preconcentration prior to the separation of analytes due to its many advantages. In the present work, the potential of DMSPE for the determination of emergent mycotoxins (enniatins A, A1, B and B1, and beauvericin) is investigated for the first time. Different magnetic nanoparticles were tested and a magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotube (Fe3O4@MWCNT) composite was selected for the extraction and preconcentration of the five target mycotoxins in human urine samples before their analysis by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The nanocomposite was characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry, and X-ray diffraction. Several parameters affecting the adsorption and desorption of DMSPE steps were optimized and the method was fully validated. Due to a matrix effect, matrix-matched calibration curves were necessary to carry out quantification. In this way, limits of quantification of between 0.04 and 0.1 μg/L, relative standard deviation values lower than 12% and recoveries between 89.3% and 98.9% were obtained. Finally, a study of the reuse of the Fe3O4@MWCNT composite was carried out, confirming that it can be reused at least four times.
Population- and Variant-Based Genome Analyses of Viruses from Vaccine-Derived Rabies Cases Demonstrate Product Specific Clusters and Unique Patterns
Authors: Calvelage Sten , Smreczak Marcin , Orłowska Anna , Freuling Conrad Martin , Müller Thomas , Fehlner-Gardiner Christine , Nadin-Davis Susan , Höper Dirk , Trębas Paweł
Published: January 2020

Rabies in wildlife has been successfully controlled in parts of Europe and North America using oral rabies vaccination, i.e., the distribution of baits containing live-attenuated virus strains. Occasionally, these vaccines caused vaccine virus-induced rabies cases. To elucidate the mechanisms of genetic selection and the effect of viral populations on these rabies cases, a next generation sequencing approach as well as comprehensive data analyses of the genetic diversity of Street Alabama Dufferin (SAD) and ERA vaccine virus strains and vaccine-induced rabies cases from Canada and several European countries were conducted. As a result, twelve newly generated sets of sequencing data from Canada and Poland were added to a pool of previously investigated samples. While the population-based analysis showed a segregation of viruses of ERA vaccine-induced rabies cases from those of SAD Bern original (SAD Bernorig)-derived rabies cases, the in-depth variant analysis revealed three distinct combinations of selected variants for the ERA vaccine-induced cases, suggesting the presence of multiple replication-competent haplotypes in the investigated ERA-BHK21 vaccine. Our findings demonstrate the potential of a deep sequencing approach in combination with comprehensive analyses on the consensus, population, and variant level.
Real Time Analysis of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Infection and Its Dependence on Bovine CD46
Authors: Riedel Christiane , Chen Hann-Wei , Reichart Ursula , Lamp Benjamin , Laketa Vibor , Rümenapf Till
Published: January 2020

Virus attachment and entry is a complex interplay of viral and cellular interaction partners. Employing bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) encoding an mCherry-E2 fusion protein (BVDVE2-mCherry), being the first genetically labelled member of the family Flaviviridae applicable for the analysis of virus particles, the early events of infection—attachment, particle surface transport, and endocytosis—were monitored to better understand the mechanisms underlying virus entry and their dependence on the virus receptor, bovine CD46. The analysis of 801 tracks on the surface of SK6 cells inducibly expressing fluorophore labelled bovine CD46 (CD46fluo) demonstrated the presence of directed, diffusive, and confined motion. 26 entry events could be identified, with the majority being associated with a CD46fluo positive structure during endocytosis and occurring more than 20 min after virus addition. Deletion of the CD46fluo E2 binding domain (CD46fluo∆E2bind) did not affect the types of motions observed on the cell surface but resulted in a decreased number of observable entry events (2 out of 1081 tracks). Mean squared displacement analysis revealed a significantly increased velocity of particle transport for directed motions on CD46fluo∆E2bind expressing cells in comparison to CD46fluo. These results indicate that the presence of bovine CD46 is only affecting the speed of directed transport, but otherwise not influencing BVDV cell surface motility. Instead, bovine CD46 seems to be an important factor during uptake, suggesting the presence of additional cellular proteins interacting with the virus which are able to support its transport on the virus surface.
CALCULATION METHOD OF CULTIVATION FACILITY COMBINED HEATING SYSTEM USING WINTER GREENHOUSE AS AN EXAMPL
Authors: Pavlov M. , Karpov D.
Published: January 2020

Modern systems of artificial heating of cultivation structures on the example of winter greenhouses intended for year-round use require the development of sufficiently accurate and reliable methods of calculation. According to the calculations, a decentralized heating system of agricultural facilities, which includes only ceiling infrared heating elements, is justified only in a moderately cold period of the year. At lower outdoor temperatures, mainly in January, the indoor temperature may drop below standard values due to the specifics of radiant heating. Therefore, the article considers the method of calculating heat power of the radiant and convective heating system that includes infrared emitters for soil heating and convective heating devices for maintaining the target indoor air temperature. The calculation procedure of radiant and convective (combined) heating system comes to the calculation of incoming and outgoing heat and mass fluxes as well as finding unknown microclimate parameters (first of all, inside air temperature) that form design heat and humidity conditions of an agrobiotechnological facility. The proposed calculation method has been tested at the industrial greenhouse “Fermer 7.5”.
ANALYSIS OF THE MARKET AND CONSUMER PROPERTIES OF CERAMIC BRICK
Authors: Shelkovnikova T. , Baranov E. , Sazanov S.
Published: January 2020

A ceramic brick is one of the most popular building materials used in residential, public and landscape construction, in the construction of temple structures over a long period and is still relevant today. The article presents the results of the ceramic brick market analysis to assess the demand for the market and the dynamics of the development of production over the years. An analysis of the export and import of ceramic bricks in Russia is presented; the distribution of production capacities by districts of the Russian Federation is analyzed. It has been established that the basic requirements for a ceramic brick are fully satisfied, mainly due to Russian production, the volumes of which depend on the pace and volume of construction. The nomenclature and basic consumer properties of ceramic bricks, satisfying the requirements of builders and customers, ensuring a long period of maintenance-free operation, preserving architectural expressiveness and aesthetic properties are considered. It has been revealed that the main producers with significant production capacities for the production of ceramic bricks react in a timely manner to market fluctuations and consumer demands by adjusting the change in shape, color, size and quantity of products manufactured.
Subclass of Harmonic Univalent Functions Associated with the Generalized Mittag-Leffler Type Functions
Authors: Alamoush Adnan Ghazy
Published: January 2020

In the present paper, we introduce a new subclass of harmonic functions in the unit disc U defined by using the generalized Mittag-Leffler type functions. Coefficient conditions, extreme points, distortion bounds, convex combination are studied.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCT OF FOREST GENETICS AND BREEDING AND ITS SYNERGICAL EFFECT FOR FORESTRY AND RELATED AREAS
Authors: Kozhukhov Nikolay , Kostrikin Viktor , Topcheev Andrey
Published: January 2020

New nature management, biotechnologies and other elements of the sixth technological order, to which the most developed countries are already beginning to move, also create new problems, risks and challenges. In the forest sector of the economy of the Russian Federation, such a challenge and problem is the need to strike a balance between sustainable development of forestry, as the basic sector of the forest sector, on which the entire pyramid of forestry industries rely, and environmentally responsible and safe forest management. Unfortunately, the Voronezh region has long lost its former glory, backed up by the presence of mighty oak stands and huge ship timber reserves, prompting Peter I to create a powerful Russian fleet. And when in 1970 it was decided to host the Research Institute of Forest Genetics and Breeding in Voronezh, then considerations about the revival of the forest potential of Voronezh oak forests was one of the last argument in favor of this particular territory. And today, it’s not too late to develop an ambitious project to restore selective, highly productive oak stands, increase the forest cover of the region to 12 percent or more, which will affect not only the quality of the ecological environment, growth of socio-economic indicators, increase in the yield of agricultural producers, but also at the level of investment attractiveness of the region. As a rule, in this case, the system organizes itself, the degree of its ordering increases, and a positive synergistic effect of a multifaceted nature arises. Moreover, the total synergistic effect of the self-organizing system is not a simple sum of the individual components of this effect, but often their multiplication, which significantly increases the final result
IMPROVEMENT OF THE OPERATING PROCEDURE OF WOOD HARVESTING AND TRANSPORTATION USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Mokhirev Aleksandr , Gerasimova Marina , Krasil'nikov Mihail
Published: January 2020

Making the right management decisions in the logging industry is a complex multi-factorial task. The multivariance of solutions consists of various options for the application of technological chains of logging operations and timber transportation. Indeed, today the market offers a lot of options for systems of forestry machines, with or without forest storage with timber transportation at different seasons. Previous studies propose mathematical dependencies, an algorithm, and methods to solve all these problems. It makes it possible to search for the maximum flow of minimum cost in the dynamic structure of the technological process of performing work at the enterprise. They determine the conditions for solving the problem by the graph method. However, the proposed calculations for graphs with a large number of vertices and arcs connecting them are very laborious and require a lot of time. To solve this problem, the article presents the development of a computer application that performs basic calculations and calculates the optimal technological sequence of operations. The algorithms of the application, its description and principle of operation have been presented. The developed program enables to automate the process of finding the optimal sequence of technological operations in the logging enterprise operating procedure. Upon receipt of the results, it is possible to compare and analyze various process options for decision making.
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE OF THERMAL PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MILLED WOOD MATERIALS IN A SOLID WOOD DISPERSION SYSTEM UNDER PILE STORAGE
Authors: Melekhov Vladimir , Desnev Aleksandr , Danilov Viktor , Tyurikova T.
Published: January 2020

Shredded wood materials are stored at wood processing enterprises in open areas in formed piles that have various shapes and sizes. The disadvantage of wood mass storage in this way is uncontrolled self-heating of wood chips to critical temperatures under the influence of thermophilic microorganisms. In the absence of proper control over the self-heating process, the useful mass of wood is lost, its quality is significantly deteriorated and there is a risk of wood burning. It is necessary to remove excess thermal energy from the array of ground wood material to prevent negative consequences. The purpose of the work is to study the dynamics of quantitative indicators of the thermophysical characteristics of chopped wood materials (wood chips, sawdust, shavings, and bark) in an environment of bulk pile during storage. During the work, standard thermal analysis methods have been used. The studies have been carried out in the laboratory of fire and technical expertise of building and finishing materials and the central design department of Common Use Center "Arctic", Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov. As a result, a mathematical description of the dependence of the coefficients of thermal conductivity and heat capacity of ground wood materials on humidity and temperature, numerical values of the temperatures of smoldering, ignition and self-ignition of technological wood chips, sawdust, screenings from wood chips and bark has been obtained. The results of experimental studies are used to simulate heat and mass transfer processes in the objects of storage of crushed wood and to improve the technology of safe storage of technological chips.
DETERMINING THE MINIMUM HEIGHT OF THE EMISSION SOURCE FROM CAMERA FOR DRYING BEECH WOOD
Authors: Platonov Aleksey , Mikhaylova Yu. , Snegireva Svetlana , Kiseleva Aleksandra , Mozgovoy Nikolay
Published: January 2020

The process of chamber drying of wood is accompanied by a prolonged exposure to wood of heat and moisture. As a result of this effect, the ligno-carbohydrate complex of wood decomposes with the release of various harmful substances, the most dangerous are furfural and formaldehyde. The amount of furfural and formaldehyde in the spent drying agent depends on the initial moisture content of the wood, duration and drying mode. The degree of environmental impact of harmful substances depends on the drying regime, the height of the release of the drying agent from the chamber, and environmental conditions. The low emission height of the spent drying agent with harmful substances leads to exceeding the maximum permissible concentration of harmful substances in the surface layer. Therefore, the aim of research is to reduce the concentration of furfural and formaldehyde in the surface layer. The studies were carried out on beech wood growing in the Krasnodar region. It was found that the maximum amount of furfural and formaldehyde is released from beech wood during drying by mild conditions. The largest amount of harmful substances is released from beech wood in the first stage, when free moisture is removed, regardless of the drying mode. It is possible to lower the value of near-ground concentration at the border of the sanitary zone by correctly choosing the height of the source of dispersion of harmful substances. The work determines the height of the source of emissions of harmful substances from the drying chamber, depending on the drying regime of beech wood and climatic environmental conditions. In the warm season and at dangerous wind speeds (less than 1 m / s), the height of the source of emission during drying of beech wood should be the greatest, in the cold - the smallest. Based on the studies performed, recommendations are given for the placement of exhaust pipes and their heights for drying chambers, taking into account the volume of simultaneously dried wood.
FEATURES OF FORMATION OF PROTECTIVE PLANTINGS FROM A BIRCH HANGING IN THE CENTRAL FOREST-STEPPE OF RUSSIA
Authors: Mikhin Vyacheslav , Mikhina Elena
Published: January 2020

Negative natural phenomena, erosive processes in agroforestry of the European part of Russia are stabilized using protective forest stands. When creating artificial linear plantations, it is necessary to take into account their silvicultural and reclamation properties. The most efficient are stands with the participation of fast-growing species. Using taxation methods, we studied the growth of tree species (drooping birch) in the age dynamics in various soil conditions and depending on forest cultural, agrotechnical methods of creation. More significant biometric growth indicators are observed in field-protecting forest strips 7.5-10.0 m wide with a plant density of 4-5 thousand trunks per 1 ha, where a highly efficient blown structure is formed. In narrow protective stands with the participation of birch, the biometric growth indicators (diameter, height) have a higher value (1.4-1.6 times) compared with forest reclamation objects, where the width exceeds 50 % or more in the compared variants. Pure horticultural forest strips are most effective when placing seats 4.0 × 4.0 m. In artificial middle-aged stands, growth rates are 12.0-26.8 % higher on chernozem typical in comparison with other soil conditions. The intervals of ameliorative influence on the landscape of protective planting systems were determined. To optimize agro-territories in the forest-steppe conditions, shelterbelts should occupy an area of at least 3.13 % from arable land. Protective planting systems, where optimal conditions for the growth of rocks are combined, and the placement parameters in the landscape make it possible to have biologically stable ecosystems with a high reclamation effect.
Sentezlenen Yeni Ni (II) Komplekslerinin Spektroskopik ve antifungal özelliklerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: KARAKURT Tuncay , AĞAR Ayşen Alaman , MERAL Seher , ONARAN Abdurrahman
Published: January 2020

Bu çalışmada, 6,6'-((1E,1'E)-(propan-1,3-diilbis(azanyiliden))bis(fenilmetaniliden))bis(3
(oktiloksi)fenol) (HL1) ve 6,6’-((1E,1’E)-(etan-1,2 diilbis(azanyiliden))bis(fenilmetanyiliden))bis(3-oktiloksi)fenol)
(HL2) ligandları  ile Ni metal atomunun
iki farklı kompleksi hazırlanarak FT-IR ve Uv-Vis spektroskopik  yöntemleri ile karakterize edilmiştir. İki
komplex yapının (HL1Ni ve HL2Ni ) deneysel olarak antifungal
aktivite çalışmaları yapılmıştır. Bu çalışmada, Rhizoctonia solani ve Fusarim
oxysporum f.sp radicis-lycopersici (FORL) bitki patojenlerine karşı, HL1Ni ve HL2Ni
komplekslerinin in vitro koşullar altında etkinlik çalışmaları yürütülmüştür. Etkinliği
belirlenen bileşiklerin doz miktarına göre test edilen patojenlere karşı orta
ve yüksek düzeyde aktivite sergilediği belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca Komplex yapıların
moleküller arası etkileşimlerin
daha iyi anlaşılabilmesi amacıyla da bileşiklerin, HOMO-LUMO orbitalleri teoriksel
olarak elde edilmiştir. Son olarak da moleküler doking çalışması ile
reseptör-ligant etkileşimleri simüle edilmiştir. Bu hesaplama sonucunda bileşiklere ait affinite değerleri (Doking
skoru) sırasıyla -6.9 ve -6.4 kcal/mol olarak hesaplanmıştır. Doking skoru ile kompleks yapıların HOMO
orbital enerjilerinin birbirleri ile ilişkili olduğu gözlenmiştir.
Kuru Atık Nitrifikasyon Organizmasına Ni(II) İyonu Biyosorpsiyonu
Authors: ASLAN Şükrü
Published: January 2020

Bu deneysel çalışmada, biyolojik reaktörden alınan kuru atık
nitrifikasyon organizmasına Ni(II) biyosorpsiyonu farklı işletme koşullarında
araştırılmıştır. Deneysel sonuçlar, Ni(II) gideriminde NO’ların başarılı olarak
kullanılabileceğini göstermektedir. Biyosorpsiyon süreci, 3 saat temas
süresinde pH 7,0’de hızlı olarak gerçekleşmiştir. Langmuir model için en yüksek
korelasyon katsayısı elde edilmiştir. Sorpsiyon hızının belirlenmesinde kinetik
modeller karşılaştırıldığında, sistem yalancı II. derece model ile en iyi
tanımlanmaktadır. ΔG˚, ΔH˚ ve ΔS˚ gibi termodinamik
parametreleri, biyosorpsiyon yapısını tahmin etmek amacıyla uygulanmıştır. Sonuçlar
Ni(II)’nin NO’ya biyosorpsiyonunun ekzotermik olduğunu göstermektedir.