bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salinomycin-Loaded Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma Therapy
Authors: Norouzi Mohammad , Yathindranath Vinith , Thliveris James A. , Miller Donald W.
Published: March 2020

Salinomycin is an antibiotic introduced recently as a new and effective anticancer drug. In this study, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were utilized as a drug carrier for salinomycin for potential use in glioblastoma (GBM) chemotherapy. The biocompatible polyethylenimine (PEI)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-IONPs (PEI-PEG-IONPs) exhibited an efficient uptake in both mouse brain-derived microvessel endothelial (bEnd.3) and human U251 GBM cell lines. The salinomycin (Sali)-loaded PEI-PEG-IONPs (Sali-PEI-PEG-IONPs) released salinomycin over 4 days, with an initial release of 44% ± 3% that increased to 66% ± 5% in acidic pH. The Sali-IONPs inhibited U251 cell proliferation and decreased their viability (by approximately 70% within 48 h), and the nanoparticles were found to be effective in reactive oxygen species-mediated GBM cell death. Gene studies revealed significant activation of caspases in U251 cells upon treatment with Sali-IONPs. Furthermore, the upregulation of tumor suppressors (i.e., p53, Rbl2, Gas5) was observed, while TopII, Ku70, CyclinD1, and Wnt1 were concomitantly downregulated. When examined in an in vitro blood–brain barrier (BBB)-GBM co-culture model, Sali-IONPs had limited penetration (1.0% ± 0.08%) through the bEnd.3 monolayer and resulted in 60% viability of U251 cells. However, hyperosmotic disruption coupled with an applied external magnetic field significantly enhanced the permeability of Sali-IONPs across bEnd.3 monolayers (3.2% ± 0.1%) and reduced the viability of U251 cells to 38%. These findings suggest that Sali-IONPs combined with penetration enhancers, such as hyperosmotic mannitol and external magnetic fields, can potentially provide effective and site-specific magnetic targeting for GBM chemotherapy.
Nanostructured Organic/Hybrid Materials and Components in Miniaturized Optical and Chemical Sensors
Authors: Prosa Mario , Bolognesi Margherita , Fornasari Lucia , Grasso Gerardo , Lopez-Sanchez Laura , Marabelli Franco , Toffanin Stefano
Published: March 2020

In the last decade, biochemical sensors have brought a disruptive breakthrough in analytical chemistry and microbiology due the advent of technologically advanced systems conceived to respond to specific applications. From the design of a multitude of different detection modalities, several classes of sensor have been developed over the years. However, to date they have been hardly used in point-of-care or in-field applications, where cost and portability are of primary concern. In the present review we report on the use of nanostructured organic and hybrid compounds in optoelectronic, electrochemical and plasmonic components as constituting elements of miniaturized and easy-to-integrate biochemical sensors. We show how the targeted design, synthesis and nanostructuring of organic and hybrid materials have enabled enormous progress not only in terms of modulation and optimization of the sensor capabilities and performance when used as active materials, but also in the architecture of the detection schemes when used as structural/packing components. With a particular focus on optoelectronic, chemical and plasmonic components for sensing, we highlight that the new concept of having highly-integrated architectures through a system-engineering approach may enable the full expression of the potential of the sensing systems in real-setting applications in terms of fast-response, high sensitivity and multiplexity at low-cost and ease of portability.
Surface Energy of Au Nanoparticles Depending on Their Size and Shape
Authors: Holec David , Dumitraschkewitz Phillip , Vollath Dieter , Fischer Franz Dieter
Published: March 2020

Motivated by often contradictory literature reports on the dependence of the surface energy of gold nanoparticles on the variety of its size and shape, we performed an atomistic study combining molecular mechanics and ab initio calculations. We show that, in the case of Au nanocubes, their surface energy converges to the value for ( 0 0 1 ) facets of bulk crystals. A fast convergence to a single valued surface energy is predicted also for nanospheres. However, the value of the surface energy is larger in this case than that of any low-index surface facet of bulk Au crystal. This fact can be explained by the complex structure of the surface with an extensive number of broken bonds due to edge and corner atoms. A similar trend was obtained also for the case of cuboctahedrons. Since the exact surface area of the nanoparticles is an ill-defined quantity, we have introduced the surface-induced excess energy and discuss this quantity as a function of (i) number of atoms forming the nano-object or (ii) characteristic size of the nano-object. In case (i), a universal power-law behaviour was obtained independent of the nanoparticle shape. Importantly, we show that the size-dependence of the surface energy is hugely reduced, if the surface area correction is considered due to its expansion by the electronic cloud, a phenomenon specifically important for small nanoparticles.
Patients’ Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Solid Forms of Oral Medications—Results of the Discrete Choice Experiment in Polish Outpatients
Authors: Kurczewska-Michalak Marta , Kardas Przemysław , Czajkowski Mikołaj
Published: March 2020

Purpose: Personal preferences play an important role in the patients’ decision process whether to adhere to treatment, or not. The purpose of this study is to assess Polish outpatients’ preferences for solid forms of oral medications across various scenarios. Methods: The convenience sample of 200 outpatients took part in this study. According to the discrete choice experiment (DCE) design, participants were provided with selection of tablets and capsules, in different shapes, sizes, colors, and copayment levels and were asked to state their preferences. DCE results were analyzed using mixed logit (MXL) models. Results: MXL models revealed patients’ willingness to pay for various solid forms of medications. The most preferred combination of drug parameters were: small yellow capsule for chronic treatment, and small yellow long tablet for short-term treatment. Study participants were happy to pay extra 6.52 PLN (≈1.63 EUR) for this drug formulation per month of antihypertensive treatment, and 14.44 PLN (≈3.61 EUR) for this drug formulation per 7-days’ long course of antibiotic treatment, respectively. Conclusion: Results suggest that color, shape, and size of solid form of oral medications are important predictors of patients’ acceptance. It can not only be expressed in monetary value, but also may serve as an important hint for companies designing new drugs, or policymakers who are happy to improve patient adherence with better prescribing, or dispensing. However, our findings are probably country-specific, and further research is necessary to better understand the relationship between solid drug characteristics, and patient’s preferences across countries.
Solid-in-Oil Nanodispersions for Transcutaneous Immunotherapy of Japanese Cedar Pollinosis
Authors: Kong Qingliang , Kitaoka Momoko , Wakabayashi Rie , Tahara Yoshiro , Kamiya Noriho , Goto Masahiro
Published: March 2020

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) is a common affliction caused by an allergic reaction to cedar pollen and is considered a disease of national importance in Japan. Antigen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only available curative treatment for JCP. However, low compliance and persistence have been reported among patients subcutaneously or sublingually administered AIT comprising a conventional antigen derived from a pollen extract. To address these issues, many research studies have focused on developing a safer, simpler, and more effective AIT for JCP. Here, we review the novel antigens that have been developed for JCP AIT, discuss their different administration routes, and present the effects of anti-allergy treatment. Then, we describe a new form of AIT called transcutaneous immunotherapy (TCIT) and its solid-in-oil (S/O) nanodispersion formulation, which is a promising antigen delivery system. Finally, we discuss the applications of S/O nanodispersions for JCP TCIT. In this context, we predict that TCIT delivery by using a S/O nanodispersion loaded with novel antigens may offer an easier, safer, and more effective treatment option for JCP patients.
Polyaniline Based Pt-Electrocatalyst for a Proton Exchanged Membrane Fuel Cell
Authors: Huang Wen-Yao , Chang Mei-Ying , Wang Yen-Zen , Huang Yu-Chang , Ho Ko-Shan , Hsieh Tar-Hwa , Kuo Yu-Chun
Published: March 2020

Calcination reduction reaction is used to prepare Pt/EB (emeraldine base)-XC72 (Vulcan carbon black) composites as the cathode material of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The EB-XC72 core-shell composite obtained from directly polymerizing aniline on XC72 particles is able to chelate and capture the Pt-ions before calcination. X-ray diffraction spectra demonstrate Pt particles are successfully obtained on the EB-XC72 when the calcined temperature is higher than 600 °C. Micrographs of TEM and SEM illustrate the affluent, Pt nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on EB-XC72 at 800 °C (Pt/EB-XC72/800). More Pt is deposited on Pt/EB-XC72 composite as temperatures are higher than 600 °C. The Pt/EB-XC72/800 catalyst demonstrates typical type of a cyclic voltammograms (C-V) curve of a Pt-catalyst with clear Pt–H oxidation and Pt–O reduction peaks. The highest number of transferred electrons during ORR approaches 3.88 for Pt/EB-XC72/800. The maximum power density of the single cell based on Pt/EB-XC72/800 reaches 550 mW cm−2.
A Unidirectional Soft Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Enabled by Built-In Honeycomb Metastructures
Authors: Liu Kun , Chen Shitong , Chen Feifei , Zhu Xiangyang
Published: March 2020

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are able to undergo large deformation in response to external electric stimuli and have been widely used to drive soft robotic systems, due to their advantageous attributes comparable to biological muscles. However, due to their isotropic material properties, it has been challenging to generate programmable actuation, e.g., along a predefined direction. In this paper, we provide an innovative solution to this problem by harnessing honeycomb metastructures to program the mechanical behavior of dielectric elastomers. The honeycomb metastructures not only provide mechanical prestretches for DEAs but, more importantly, transfer the areal expansion of DEAs into directional deformation, by virtue of the inherent anisotropy. To achieve uniaxial actuation and maximize its magnitude, we develop a finite element analysis model and study how the prestretch ratios and the honeycomb structuring tailor the voltage-induced deformation. We also provide an easy-to-implement and scalable fabrication solution by directly printing honeycomb lattices made of thermoplastic polyurethane on dielectric membranes with natural bonding. The preliminary experiments demonstrate that our designed DEA is able to undergo unidirectional motion, with the nominal strain reaching up to 15.8%. Our work represents an initial step to program deformation of DEAs with metastructures.
Drying Applications during Value-Added Sustainable Processing for Selected Mass-Produced Food Coproducts
Authors: Yang Huaiwen , Sombatngamwilai Tulakorn , Yu Wen-Yao , Kuo Meng-I
Published: March 2020

Developing circular value chains for continuing the use of and reducing the waste of the resources of industrial processing would eliminate impairments to the environment. The generation of nutrient-dense byproducts and coproducts with high-moisture contents are considered to be an issue for global food industries. These byproducts and coproducts spontaneously undergo chemical, biochemical, or microbial deteriorations due to high storage-temperatures, and consequently are turned into direct animal feed sources or even just treated as waste with eutrophication activity. This review provides an overview of selected mass-produced botanical food byproducts and coproducts (BFBC) including soybean okara, wheat germ, banana, and spent coffee grounds, with respect to value-added sustainable processing via proper drying technologies being employed. This review includes the current production of the above-mentioned agricultural products, the nutritional aspects of them, and the sustainable utilization of their coproducts. Additionally, the possible drying kinetics for value-added prospects are discussed.
Methodologies for the Design of Solar Receiver/Reactors for Thermochemical Hydrogen Production
Authors: Murmura M.A. , Annesini M.C.
Published: March 2020

Thermochemical hydrogen production is of great interest due to the potential for significantly reducing the dependence on fossil fuels as energy carriers. In a solar plant, the solar receiver is the unit in which solar energy is absorbed by a fluid and/or solid particles and converted into thermal energy. When the solar energy is used to drive a reaction, the receiver is also a reactor. The wide variety of thermochemical processes, and therefore of operating conditions, along with the technical requirements of coupling the receiver with the concentrating system have led to the development of numerous reactor configurations. The scope of this work is to identify general guidelines for the design of solar reactors/receivers. To do so, an overview is initially presented of solar receiver/reactor designs proposed in the literature for different applications. The main challenges of modeling these systems are then outlined. Finally, selected examples are discussed in greater detail to highlight the methodology through which the design of solar reactors can be optimized. It is found that the parameters most commonly employed to describe the performance of such a reactor are (i) energy conversion efficiency, (ii) energy losses associated with process irreversibilities, and (iii) thermo-mechanical stresses. The general choice of reactor design depends mainly on the type of reaction. The optimization procedure can then be carried out by acting on (i) the receiver shape and dimensions, (ii) the mode of reactant feed, and (iii) the particle morphology, in the case of solid reactants.
Okra-Thioglycolic Acid Conjugate—Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation as a Mucoadhesive Polymer
Authors: Naveen N. Raghavendra , Gopinath Chakka , Kurakula Mallesh
Published: March 2020

The success of mucoadhesive drug delivery systems relies on the type of polymer used, which becomes adhesive naturally upon hydration. Intended polymers should be able to maintain prolonged contact with biological membranes, and to protect or cater the drug to a prolonged period. Most of the hydro polymers form weak non-covalent bonds, that hinder localization of dosage forms at specific sites resulting in therapeutic inefficiency. This can be overcome by the thiol functionalization of natural polymers. In the present study, natural okra gum (OG) was extracted, followed by thiolation (TOG) and evaluated for mucoadhesion property and its role in enhancing the efficacy of repaglinide as a model drug (short-acting Type II antidiabetic drug). The thiol functionalization of OG (TOG) was confirmed by a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study that showed a polyhedral to a spherical shape that had a rougher surface. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) studies of TOG indicated a decline in endothermic transition temperature and high crystallinity, respectively, in comparison to OG. CSFR (Crushing Strength: Friability Ratio), weight and thickness variations of repaglinidetablets formulated using TOG were >80% and <2.5% respectively. The highest swelling index (107.89 ± 1.99%) and strong mucoadhesion due to high disulfide bonds were observed for repaglinide TOG tablets in comparison to RG OG tablets. In-vitro release studies indicated a controlled drug release from thiolated formulations proportional to the concentration of thiomers that have a good correlation with in-vivo studies. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated higher AUC (area under the curve), longer t1/2 with thiomers. and Level A IVIV (in vitro in vivo) correlation was established from the bioavailability and dissolution data. Consequently, all the obtained results suggest that thiomers based formulations can be promising drug delivery systems, even in targeting onerous mucosal surfaces like nasal, ocular or vaginal.
Martin Luther and the Early Modern Beginnings of a Feminist Maternal Theology
Authors: Marga Amy
Published: March 2020

This essay argues that the German Reformer, Martin Luther, makes a contribution to a Christian feminist theology of mothering. His preaching and theology about child-bearing stand out in the Christian theology of his time because of the realistic way in which he describes the experiences of pregnancy and birth, especially in contrast to conventional descriptions of the Virgin Mary’s maternity. Yet Luther is no feminist. He maintains essentialist views of women and attaches women too closely to home life. But his optimistic view of the female child-bearing body subverts the traditional Christian views of the cursed female body and affirms the power that women have in God’s activities of creation and new creation.
Accelerometer Triad Calibration for Pole Tilt Compensation Using Variance Based Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Thalmann Tomas , Zechner Manuel , Neuner Hans
Published: March 2020

In Engineering Geodesy, most coordinate frames are aligned with the local vertical. For many measurement tasks, it is therefore necessary to manually (or arithmetically) align sensors or equipment with the local vertical, which is a common source of errors and it is very time consuming. Alternatively, accelerometer triads as part of inertial measurement units (IMUs) are used in several applications for horizon leveling. In this contribution we analyze and develop a method to use accelerometer triads for pole tilt compensation with total stations. Several triad sensor models are investigated and applied in a calibration routine using an industrial robot arm. Furthermore a calibration routine to determine the orientation of the IMU mounted on the pole is proposed. Using variance based sensitivity analysis we investigate the influence of different model parameters on leveling and pole tilt compensation. Based on this inference the developed calibration routines are adjusted. The final evaluation experiment shows an RMS of 2.4 mm for the tilt compensated measured ground point with tilts up to 50 gon.
Community-Based Cooperatives: A New Business Model for the Development of Italian Inner Areas
Authors: Mastronardi Luigi , Romagnoli Luca
Published: March 2020

Italian municipalities distant from main service supply hubs are defined by the Development Ministry as “inner areas”. A new business model, called community-based cooperatives, has recently developed in these areas. The name itself highlights the strong link between these firms and the local population. Their essential features are the pursuit of general interest and the creation of partnerships. This research explores the potential contribution of these enterprises to the growth of Italian inner areas. The data come from a direct survey, and the methodology includes text analysis techniques and correspondence analysis to create useful concept maps that define the paths that community-based cooperatives can take to regenerate their territories. The results highlight the critical issues of inner areas and the needs of their communities, together with the potential fields of business for the establishment of a community-based cooperative. In conclusion, these new firms may lead to real and enduring benefits to local communities. They could also contribute to demographic decline inversion by introducing new practices that reduce inequalities, enhance social, natural, and artificial capital, and boost the sustainable development process.
Fundamental Solutions for the Coupled KdV System and Its Stability
Authors: Abdelrahman Mahmoud A. E. , Almatrafi M. B. , Alharbi Abdulghani
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we establish exact solutions for the non-linear coupled KdV equations. The exp-function method is used to construct the solitary travelling wave solutions for these equations. The numerical adaptive moving mesh PDEs (MMPDEs) method is also implemented in order to solve the proposed coupled KdV equations. The achieved results may be applicable to some plasma environments, such as ionosphere plasma. Some numerical simulations compared with the exact solutions are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed methods. Furthermore, the modulational instability is analyzed based on the standard linear-stability analysis. The depiction of the techniques are straight, powerful, robust and can be applied to other nonlinear systems of partial differential equations.
Real Space Theory for Electron and Phonon Transport in Aperiodic Lattices via Renormalization
Authors: Sánchez Vicenta , Wang Chumin
Published: March 2020

Structural defects are inherent in solids at a finite temperature, because they diminish free energies by growing entropy. The arrangement of these defects may display long-range orders, as occurring in quasicrystals, whose hidden structural symmetry could greatly modify the transport of excitations. Moreover, the presence of such defects breaks the translational symmetry and collapses the reciprocal lattice, which has been a standard technique in solid-state physics. An alternative to address such a structural disorder is the real space theory. Nonetheless, solving 1023 coupled Schrödinger equations requires unavailable yottabytes (YB) of memory just for recording the atomic positions. In contrast, the real-space renormalization method (RSRM) uses an iterative procedure with a small number of effective sites in each step, and exponentially lessens the degrees of freedom, but keeps their participation in the final results. In this article, we review aperiodic atomic arrangements with hierarchical symmetry investigated by means of RSRM, as well as their consequences in measurable physical properties, such as electrical and thermal conductivities.
Symmetric Performance Analysis for Mechanical Properties of Sustainable Asphalt Materials under Varying Temperature Conditions: An Application of DT and NDT Digital Techniques
Authors: Anwar Muhammad Kashif , Shah Syyed Adnan Raheel , Sadiq Abdullah Naveed , Siddiq Muhammad Usman , Ahmad Hassam , Nawaz Saqib , Javead Asif , Saeed Muhammad Hasnain , Khan Ahsan Rehman
Published: March 2020

During the development of symmetric asphalt concrete material samples, aggregates play a vital role in the performance of its production. Shape characteristics and aggregates geology are two major factors influencing strength parameters of the asphalt concrete mix. In this study, two different geological sources of aggregates with different shape characterizations have been utilized for the development of the asphalt concrete mix. In addition to that, the stability analysis has been performed under different temperature conditions ranging between 25 and 60 °C. By the application of the destructive technique (DT) and non-destructive technique (NDT), the performance of the asphalt concrete mix has been analyzed and compared based on the geology of aggregates under various temperatures. Furthermore, a statistical model has been developed to analyze the stability and performance of the developed asphalt concrete mix with reference to regional climatic conditions. This study will help in the development of symmetric formation of sustainable asphalt materials.
EMBLR: A High-Performance Optimal Routing Approach for D2D Communications in Large-scale IoT 5G Network
Authors: Tilwari Valmik , Dimyati Kaharudin , Hindia MHD , Mohmed Noor Izam Tengku , Amiri Iraj
Published: March 2020

Coping with the skyrocketing needs for massive amounts of data for the future Fifth Generation (5G) network, Device-to-Device (D2D) communications technology will provide seamless connectivity, high data rates, extended network coverage, and spectral efficiency. The D2D communications are a prevalent emerging technology to achieve the vision of symmetry in the Internet of Things (IoT) services. However, energy resource constraints, network stability, traffic congestion, and link failure of the devices are the crucial impediments to establish an optimal route in the D2D communications based IoT 5G network. These obstacles induced packet drop, rapid energy depletion, higher end-to-end delay, and unfairness across the network, leading to significant route and network performance degradation. Therefore, in this paper, an energy, mobility, queue length, and link quality-aware routing (EMBLR) approach is proposed to overcome the challenges and boost network performance. Moreover, a multicriteria decision making (MCDM) technique is utilized for the selection of the intermediate device in an optimal route. Extensive simulation has been conducted and proven that the proposed routing approach significantly enhances network performance. Overall, results have been carried out in Quality of Service (QoS) performance metrics and compared with other well-known routing approaches.
Evolution of Quasiperiodic Structures in a Non-Ideal Hydrodynamic Description of Phase Transitions
Authors: Voskresensky D. N.
Published: March 2020

Various phase transitions could have taken place in the early universe, and may occur in the course of heavy-ion collisions and supernova explosions, in proto-neutron stars, in cold compact stars, and in the condensed matter at terrestrial conditions. Most generally, the dynamics of the density and temperature at first- and second-order phase transitions can be described with the help of the equations of non-ideal hydrodynamics. In the given work, some novel solutions are found describing the evolution of quasiperiodic structures that are formed in the course of the phase transitions. Although this consideration is very general, particular examples of quark-hadron and nuclear liquid-gas first-order phase transitions to the uniform k 0 = 0 state and of a pion-condensate second-order phase transition to a non-uniform k 0 ≠ 0 state in dense baryon matter are considered.
Enhanced Monovalent Cation Biomineralization Ability by Quartz Sand for Effective Removal of Soluble Iron in Simulated Acid Mine Drainage
Authors: Wang Heru , Li Mengying , Song Yongwei
Published: March 2020

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is characterized by low pH, high soluble Fe, and heavy metal concentrations. Conventional lime neutralization produces large amounts of Fe(OH)2 and Fe(OH)3, which complicate subsequent disposal. Secondary iron minerals synthesized by biomineralization can reduce the concentration of soluble Fe in addition to adsorbing and removing heavy metals in AMD. Therefore, an appropriate method for improving the precipitation efficiency of Fe is urgently needed for AMD treatment. Using simulated AMD, this work analyzes the influence of quartz sand (40 g/L) on the Fe2+ oxidation and total Fe deposition efficiencies, as well as the phases of secondary iron minerals in an Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans system including K+, Na+, or NH4+ (53.3 mmol/L). Quartz sand had no significant effect on Fe2+ oxidation and 160 mmol/L Fe2+ was completely oxidized by A. ferrooxidans in 168 h, but contributed to the oxidized product (Fe3+) mineralization, improving the total Fe removal efficiency in simulated AMD. Compared with treatments involving K+ or Na+ alone, quartz sand improved the total Fe precipitation efficiency by 26.6% or 30.2%, respectively. X-ray diffraction showed that quartz sand can promote the transformation of the biomineralization pathway from schwertmannite to jarosite with higher yields, which is important for improving the removal efficiency of heavy metals in AMD.
Experimental and Simulation Study on Validating a Numerical Model for CO2 Density-Driven Dissolution in Water
Authors: Class Holger , Weishaupt Kilian , Trötschler Oliver
Published: March 2020

Carbon dioxide density-driven dissolution in a water-filled laboratory flume of the dimensions 60 cm length, 40 cm height, 1 cm thickness, was visualized using a pH-sensitive color indicator. We focus on atmospheric pressure conditions, like in caves where CO2 concentrations are typically higher. Varying concentrations of carbon dioxide were applied as boundary conditions at the top of the experimental setup, leading to the onset of convective fingering at differing times. The data were used to validate a numerical model implemented in the numerical simulator DuMux. The model solves the Navier–Stokes equations for density-induced water flow with concentration-dependent fluid density and a transport equation, including advective and diffusive processes for the carbon dioxide dissolved in water. The model was run in 2D, 3D, and pseudo-3D on two different grids. Without any calibration or fitting of parameters, the results of the comparison between experiment and simulation show satisfactory agreement with respect to the onset time of convective fingering, and the number and the dynamics of the fingers. Grid refinement matters, in particular, in the uppermost part where fingers develop. The 2D simulations consistently overestimated the fingering dynamics. This successful validation of the model is the prerequisite for employing it in situations with background flow and for a future study of karstification mechanisms related to CO2-induced fingering in caves.
Civil Society and the Governance of Water Services: German Political Parties’ Reactions to Right2Water
Authors: Tosun Jale , Triebskorn Rita
Published: March 2020

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) Right2Water asked for guaranteed water quality and quantity all over Europe, and demanded that water services remain in the hands of public entities. Support for Right2Water was particularly pronounced in Germany. The German organisers managed to collect 16 times more signatures than the minimum necessary to be counted towards the quorum. How have the German political parties reacted to the overwhelming public support for Right2Water? To answer this question, we examined the election manifestos of the main political parties, published for the federal elections in 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2017, and the elections to the European Parliament in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. We concentrated on one specific goal of Right2Water, which refers to preventing the liberalisation of water services in the European Union. We expected the attention to and positioning of the liberalisation of water services to vary across the individual German parties. Since Right2Water was organised by public service trade unions and pursues an anti-liberalisation agenda, we expected left-wing parties to have laid a greater emphasis on this issue than right-wing parties, and for them to have adopted positions that aligned with the goals of the ECI. Our empirical findings show that a left–right division exists among the parties concerning the attention they paid to this issue as well as how they positioned themselves.
Assessment of Water Security in Socially Excluded Areas in Kolkata, India: An Approach Focusing on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Authors: Mukherjee Subham , Sundberg Trude , Schütt Brigitta
Published: March 2020

Water security is essential not only to ensure the availability and accessibility of water for drinking, producing food, washing, but also to maintain both human and environmental health. The 2011 Census of India reveals that 17.4% of urban households in India live in deprived areas in urban landscapes which are designated as slums in the Census dataset. The increasing number of people living in these areas poses serious challenges to the provision of basic urban water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) services. Perceived susceptibility of risks from contaminated water and lack of proper sanitation and hygiene will be addressed in the light of social exclusion factors. This study attempts to assess the present situation of water, sanitation and required hygiene provisions within the areas defined as slums by the Census of India 2011 in Kolkata, India. Based on the results obtained from the datasets from the census, and a household survey, we identified a lack of supplies associated with WaSH provisions in these areas of Kolkata. The WaSH provisions in the slum areas of Kolkata city are facing various issues related to regularity, quality and quantity of supplied water. Additionally, there is poor maintenance of existing WaSH services including latrine facilities and per capita allocation of a sustainable water security among the slum dwellers. By adding to our understanding of the importance of factors such as gender, religions, and knowledge of drinking water in deprived areas, the study analyses the links between both physical and social issues determining vulnerability and presence of deprivation associated with basic WaSH provisions as human rights of slum communities.
Scenes of Hell and Damnation in Dunhuang Murals
Authors: Moretti Costantino
Published: March 2020

The descriptions of the various hells in Buddhist eschatological and cosmological literature constitute one of the most fascinating speculations on the characteristics of otherworldly realms elaborated by this religious system, which provides extravagant details on sinners’ atonement processes. While a number of important works have focused on the illustrated manuscripts of the Sūtra on the Ten Kings, which portrays the ten judges of Chinese “purgatory,” the visual narrative describing the theme of hell damnation, as seen in Dunhuang murals, has received less attention. Preliminary research has shown that these illustrations can be divided into at least three different categories: hell representations found in scenes illustrating various sūtras; damnation scenes in cosmological charts; and mural paintings of Dizang/ Kṣitigarbha showing bureaucratised representations of the underworld featuring the Ten Kings “system.” This paper sets out the major characteristics of the visual vocabulary of hell representations in Mogao murals that fall into the first two categories.
The Transformations of Our Lady: From the Taishan Precious Scroll to Daoist Paintings
Authors: Xi Ju
Published: March 2020

En 1890, l’abbé du monastère taoïste Baiyunguan de Pékin, Gao Rentong, commanda à un peintre resté anonyme une série de vingt-et-une peintures, Les Transformations de Notre-Dame. Celles-ci montrent comment Bixia yuanjun, d’une femme ordinaire, se transforma au cours de son ascèse en une multitude de corps divisés avant de devenir la déesse des Nuages de l’aube. En effet, devenue une adepte de l’alchimie intérieure taoïste, elle accéda au statut divin. Un spécialiste du taoïsme, Liu Xun, a avancé l’idée que cette série devait son origine aux liens qui unissaient le Baiyunguan à la cour impériale à la fin des Qing (1644-1911), et par-dessus tout avec les jeunes filles de la noblesse mandchoue. Dans l’article, l’auteur démontre que les peintures du Baiyunguan s’inspirent probablement des peintures murales d’un temple du début des Qing dans le Hebei. De plus, elle établit que leur contenu, comme celui des peintures du temple, a été directement tiré du Précieux rouleau du Taishan sur les origines de l’Immortelle céleste et de la Sainte Mère, un écrit sacré (baojuan) qui circulait largement dans la région de la capitale.
EFFICACY OF DUONG-QUY-LUC-HOANG DECOCTION IN TREATMENT OF CHRONIC URTICARIA
Authors: Tran Thien An , Doan Van Minh , Nguyen Thi Tu Anh
Published: March 2020

Background: Chronic urticaria (CU) is characterized by repeated occurrence of wheals and itching for more than 6 weeks. Treatment of chronic urticaria with traditional medicine has been shown to relieve symptoms and prevent recurrence. In recent years, more and more evidence-based studies of CU treatment by Traditional medicine were report, including acupuncture, herbs, and food.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Duong-Quy-Luc-Hoang (DQLH) decoction in treatment of Chronic Urticaria.
Material and Method: Including 30 patients with chronic urticaria had been treated by DQLH decoction in Faculty of Traditional Medicine, Hue Central Hospital. Prospective study, clinical intervention, comparison before and after treatment.
Results: The decoction of DQLH has efficacy in 100% patient, include 56.7% of patient who became symtom-free. There is no side effects observed during the progress of this study.

Key words: Chronic urticarial, Duong-quy-luc-hoang decoction, Traditional medicine
Indeterminacy, Indigeneity, Peer Review and the Mind–Body Problem
Authors: Tomaselli Keyan G
Published: March 2020

Peer review is discussed from the perspective of different ways of making sense, most specifically, Immanuel’s Kant’s statement on the indeterminacy of radical translation.   Ontological differences are examined with specific examples illustrating actual contestations, with some instances invoking indigeneity and self-knowing.  The veracity of claims of racism and exclusion by allegedly hegemonic Western-dominated editorial boards of scientific journals is examined.     Positivism is contrasted with relational thinking and just where ‘the body’ fits into scientific practice is discussed.  Paradigm and paradigm shift as constituting the rules of peer engagement is proposed.  The method is an autoethnographic one that draws on the author’s own experience as a journals’ editor analysing peer review issues via the prism of Western philosophy on the one hand, and the Subject-Object integration of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) postulates on the other. Conspiracy theories are questioned and the conclusion is that both determinacies (Cartesian and IKS) need to generate new insights via dialectical engagements.
Research and development of the moisture separation system to extract water to meet the needs of people living in drought area
Authors: Hung Ly Cam , Lu Le Van , Tuan Phan Dinh , Anh Le Huu Quynh
Published: March 2020

In the context of global adaptation to climate change, the demandfor water, especially drinking water, becomes a serious issue that needs to be studied to find feasible and economical solutions. Many available technologies have been applied to produce drinking water such as filtration of groundwater or seawater. However, the implementation of these technologies is feasible or not depending on specific nature as well as socio-economic conditions. For the drought regions where there is no seawater and lack of groundwater, moisture separation technology becomesafeasible solution. A system to extract the water from moisture has been designed, fabricated and installed to provide 10 litersof drinking water per day. As the system operates; it can produce around 2.1 litersof drinking water per hour; and consume 1.8 kW of electricity. The system has been designed to be able to use two typesof power sources: one from solar energy (main source) and the other from the national grid (auxiliary source).
The Effects of Characteristics of the Board of Commissioners and Audit Committee on the Level of Risk Disclosure in Financial Sector Service Companies in the Banking Sector Listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the Period 2015-2017
Authors: Hasibuan David H M , Auliya Meiliani
Published: March 2020

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of the board of commissioners and audit committee characteristics such as the proportion of independent commissioners, the board of commissioner size, frequency of board meetings, audit committee size, the proportion of independent audit committee and frequency of audit committee meetings on the level of risk disclosures. The results show that the frequency of board meetings, the proportion of independent audit committee and frequency of audit committee meetings significantly affect the level of risk disclosures, while the proportion of independent commissioners, the board of commissioner size, and audit committee size do not significantly affect the level of risk disclosures. The results show that the proportion of independent commissioners, the board of commissioner size, frequency of board meetings, audit committee size, the proportion of independent audit committee and frequency of audit committee meetings simultaneously have significant effects on the level of risk disclosures. The results of the study provide investors the information regarding the risk that companies could have, and they are also useful as a basis for making decisions
ДЖЕРЕЛА ІНСПІРАЦІЙ КИЛИМАРСТВА ПОЛТАВЩИНИ КІНЦЯ ХVІІІ–ХІХ СТОЛІТЬ
Authors: Харковина Євгенія
Published: March 2020

Статтю присвячено виявленню особливостей мистецтва килимарства Полтавщини за артефактами, що зберігаються в колекціях державних музеїв України. Розглянуто різновиди найбільш ранніх виробів, атрибутованих дослідниками як автентичні твори полтавських килимарних майстерень кінця ХVІІІ – першої пол. ХІХ ст. Здійснена спроба верифікації інформації щодо полтавських килимів означеного періоду, виконаних у східній стилістиці. Охарактеризовано джерела інспірацій окресленої групи килимів з урахуванням сучасних даних щодо світових мистецьких центрів килимарства та художніх особливостей їхньої продукції.Проаналізовано художні смаки населення Полтавщини кінця ХVІІІ – першої пол. ХІХ ст., встановлено вимоги місцевих споживачів до стилізованої орієнтально орієнтованої килимової продукції, виконаної зі знанням азійських першовзірців. Прослідковано зв’язок творчості місцевих художників із високохудожніми іранською, афганською, пакистанською, турецькою, азербайджанською, французькою традиціями виготовлення килимів.
Implementación de nuevas políticas en tecnología (I+D+I) en las capacidades operativas de la fuerza de submarinos
Authors: Moran Peñafiel Salomon Miguel Alberto
Published: March 2020

La conversión de materias primas en productos sofisticados ha sido un proceso que se ha convertido en generador de riquezas sustanciales a las nacionesindustrializadas, muy a contraparte de la producción primaria de los países en vías de desarrollo. Las políticas generadas por los organismos gubernamentalesde las grandes potencias económicas se basan generalmente en la fabricación de sistemas que son producto de la Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (I+D+I), desencadenando un gran impulso educativo ya que eleva el nivel de conocimiento de su población. Estos equipos y sistemas son vendidos a los países no industrializados a elevados costos, por lo que se genera una dependencia tecnológica que favorece al fabricante. Las Fuerzas Armadas no son ajenas a estas dificultades, es por eso que en el caso del Perú, mantenemos un alto grado de supeditación en los diferentes equipamientos que sirven de componentes en nuestras plataformas navales. La globalización ha generado la apertura del comercio, de los mercados, de la información, entre otros, es por eso que en la actualidad la tecnología está a la mano y lo que nos queda es generar políticas de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (I+D+I) que nos permitan disminuir esa dependencia en la cual estamos inmersos. Tal como sucede con la Marina de Guerra del Perú y específicamente de la Fuerza de Submarinos, estos esfuerzos de conocimiento conllevan a mejorar sus Capacidades Operativas.
La democracia y la participación de las Fuerzas Armadas (FF.AA) frente a las convulsiones sociales en los países de América Latina
Authors: Romero Mier Steeven Gustavo
Published: March 2020

Las convulsiones sociales en América Latina, las cuales han despertado una nueva primavera latinoamericana, ponen de manifiesto que el triángulo de la democracia, desigualdad y pobreza, es sin duda uno de los principales componentes sobre los cuales están girando las corrientes revolucionarias, cuyo fin es refundar la democracia Latinoamericana. En este ambiente cuyos escenarios giran en torno a una seguridad multidimensional donde las Fuerzas Armadas (FFAA) tienen un rol polivalente que se adapte a las transformaciones políticas del continente, exige de cada uno de los gobiernos de América Latina un marco jurídico apropiado, que permita ejercer la autoridad de forma gradual, frente a graves acontecimientos de conmoción social, que de forma trasparente y sincera facilite la divulgación oficial de los hechos, apegado al estricto cumplimiento de los Derechos Humanos (DDHH), en una era donde las redes sociales como abanderado de la libertad de expresión, sean un complemento y aliado de las fuerzas del orden.
Development of Smart Vehicle Security and Entertainment System SSES using Raspberry Pi
Authors:   Department of Information Technology, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Oman, Tabassum Mujahid , Gabr Mohab ,   Faulty of Engineering, Science and Computing, Swinburne University of Technology, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia., Mohanan Saju ,   Department of Information Technology, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Oman, Mathew Kuruvilla ,   Faulty of Engineering, Science and Computing, Swinburne University of Technology, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Published: March 2020

This paper deals with development of a Vehicle Security and Entertainment System, which is being used to monitor, track the vehicle, and to offer local entertainment system. The development system makes used of two embedded devices to split the entertainment system from the security system to ensure isolation and security. The security system is equipped with camera, distress signal switch and GPS/GPRS module to track, report a problem, and monitor the vehicle by sending data to a centralized database server where vehicle owner can access and retrieve these data to guarantee the safety of the passengers and the vehicle too. The second system is the entertainment system, where this system uses a powerful Intel atom embedded device and local network to allow users to connect and offer entertaining services. These services include, E-Book library and multimedia streaming. The main concept of research to develop a low cost system to secure and entertain passengers on vehicles like buses, train and even cars. The development is cost effective and as well as can be modified to add extra modules or to develop extra entertainment services. If the vehicle is stolen the system is able to send a distress signal to the owner or company. They can help the passengers by monitoring through the vehicle camera. In this research we have successfully developed and tested the system.
Twitter Sentiment Analysis using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Department of Information Technology, Kongu Engineering College, Erode., Sentamilselvan K. , Aneri D. ,   Final Year Student, Department of Information Technology, Kongu Engineering College, Erode., Athithiya A. C. ,   Final Year Student, B.Tech IT, Kongu Engineering College, Erode., Kumar P. Kani ,   Final Year Student, B.Tech Information Technology, Kongu Engineering College, Erode.
Published: March 2020

Nowadays people share their views and opinions in twitter and other social media platforms, the way of recognizing sentiments and speculation in tweets is Twitter Sentiment Analysis. Determining the contradiction or sentiment of the tweets and then listing them into positive, negative and neutral tweets is the main classifying step in this process. The issue related to sentiment analysis is the naming of the correct congruous sentiment classifier algorithm to list the tweets. The foundation classifier techniques like Logistic regression, Naive Bayes classifier, Random Forest and SVMs are normally used. In this paper, the Naïve Bayes classifier and Logistic Regression has been used to perform sentiment analysis and classify based on the better accuracy of catagorizing Technique. The outcome shows that Naive Bayes classifier works better for this approach. Data pre-processing and feature extraction is realized as a portion of task.