bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acupuntura en prevención, tratamiento de lesiones y mejora del rendimiento en atletas: Revisión de la literatura
Authors: Junior Julio Cesar Dias
Published: May 2020

Los estudios han demostrado que la acupuntura mejora el rendimiento físico en atletas profesionales, pero el gran problema son las lesiones deportivas, que pueden dejarlas lejos de las actividades durante largos períodos. El estudio llevó a cabo una revisión de la literatura, buscando la eficacia de la técnica en la prevención, mejora del rendimiento y en el tratamiento de lesiones. Algunos autores ejemplifican y aclaran el proceso de neurofisiología del dolor y la forma en que la acupuntura puede intervenir en este problema, otros, desarrollan y aplican protocolos para lograr una mejora en el rendimiento, el tratamiento de enfermedades y la prevención de Lesión. Entre los resultados se encontraron ochenta y nueve artículos sobre el tema, donde: veintidós informaron el tratamiento de las lesiones y treinta y siete la prevención y mejora del rendimiento deportivo, dirigiendo la aplicación una vez a la semana, de 20 – 30 minutos, presentando resultados satisfactorios para los datos analizados. Sobre la base de esta literatura y la práctica basada en la evidencia se puede concluir que la acupuntura es una gran intervención para lograr estos objetivos dentro del área del deporte.
Representasi Etnis Muslim Rohingya di Media Massa Islam
Authors: H Nanda Dendy
Published: May 2020

Melihat pemberitaan tentang etnis rohingya beberapa waktu belakangan ini seringkali kita disuguhkan dengan gambaran atau pemberitaan oleh media kita terutama media yang bernafaskan Islam. Berbagai bentuk pemberitaan di tampilakan oleh media tersebut. Dengan kemasan yang berbeda-beda antara satu media dengan media yang lain. Tentu akan berbeda antara media yag beraliran nasionalis dana media yang berideologikan agama. Mulai dari sudut pandang berita, pembahasaan di teks, maupun foto atau gambar yang ada di media tersebut. Menarik bila kita cermati bagaimana media yang berideologikan Islam dalam mengemas pemberitaanya. Seringkali kita melihat media Islam di Indonesia menampilkan berita tentang etnis rohingya dengan sangat mengebu-gebu. Terkadang penulisannya cendrung provokatif dan  kelihatan seperti sangat mendramatisir. Mulai dari judul berita, konten dari berita tersebut hingga foto-foto yang ditampilakan. Seperti yang menjadi kepala berita di media online Arrahmah.com ketika mengemas berit dengan judul “Setan Gundul Budha Myanmar Harus Diberi Pelajaran Setimpal” (Arrahmah.com, akses15 Juni 2013), ini tentu sangat terlihat provokatif dan sebagai media yang membawa simbol agama tentu hal ini akan sulit diterima dengan akal sehat. Contoh lainnya “Muslim Rohingya menderita diskriminasi dan penganiayaan yang hampir tak pernah henti” (Arrahmah.com, akses 15 Juni 2013). Dari dua contoh pemberitaan diatas dapat kita lihat bagaimana ada dua dikotomi yang berbeda yang ditampilkan oleh media Arrahman.com. Disatu sisi orang Budha Myanmar di hadirkan dengan sangat hina dengan kata-kata yang cendrung sangat melecehkan dengan kata “Gundul”, sedangkan disisi lain orang muslim rohingya ditampilkan dengan kondisi sangat memprihatinkan dengan menggunakan kata “penganiyaan yang hapir tak penah henti”. Tentu berita itu sangat sangat provokatif dan mengandung unsur propaganda. Padahal bila kita pelajari dalam kaidah jurnalistik, setiap wartawan harus bersikap profesional dan netral. Dimana harus ada keseimbangan fakta dalam suatu pemberitaan, namu tidak dengan apa yang terjadi di media Arrahmah.com. Keberpihakan inilah yang semakin penulis anggap relefan dengan apa yang dikatakan oleh paradigma kritis bahwa tidak ada media yang bisa netral, selalu ada kepentingan di balik pemberitaanya.
Amplification of health risk messages in leading Philippine newspapers
Authors: Nuñez Jedess Miladel , Gravoso Rotacio
Published: May 2020

his study aimed to find out the coverage and amplification of health risk messages of leading Philippine newspapers: Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, and Manila Bulletin. Data were gathered through a content analysis of health risk articles published by those newspapers in 2005.
Results revealed that the health risk articles published in 2005 by the three newspapers focused on bird flu, dengue fever, food poisoning and meningococcemia. However, the three newspapers did not give prominence to health risk articles. In terms of sources of information, most of the articles quoted experts and government officials but were prompted by public experiences. Most of the articles assigned blame or responsibility to organizations rather than individuals.
The lexical content analysis using the Language Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) showed that negative emotion words, words linked to people’s ratings of anxiety, were present in health risk articles, indicating intensification of the health risk. For bird flu articles, most of the negative words were in the pre-peak and post-peak periods, while for dengue fever, in the peak period. For food poisoning and meningococcemia, most negative emotion words in the articles were published during the post-peak period.
Welfare assessment of calf rearing management practices in family-based dairy units in rural areas of Mymensingh district, Bangladesh
Authors: Islam M. A. , Shanta S. A. , Lima R. A. , Milon M. , Rudra K.
Published: May 2020

Background: Dairy calves are the future stock of the dairy farms. It is important to describe weaknesses in rearing calves not only to improve their welfare, but also to detect areas where current scientific knowledge is poorly integrated into practice. The aim of the present study was to gather information on calf rearing management practices followed by dairy owners, which are related to welfare.

Methods: A survey of calf rearing practices was conducted using a farmer questionnaire to collect data. The survey included 140 family-based small dairy units in seven upazilas of Mymensingh district, Bangladesh. The frequency and percentage of the response were described.

Results: We observed that all respondents attended their animals during calving and 82.14% respondents allowed cow to clean the calves immediately after calving. Only 13.57% farmers cleaned the mouth and nose of calf after birth. More than 85.0% owners cleaned and trimmed hooves of the calf after birth. More than 90%% respondents did not cut the naval cord of calf and apply antiseptic. More than half of the owners (54.28%) fed colostrum to calves when the animals were able to stand on their feet and only 37.14% of them fed colostrum within one hour of birth. About 44.28% respondents allowed ad lib quantity of colostrum to calf. It was found that 73.57% of the owners allowed suckling of calf until 3 to 6 month of age. Most of the owners (55.0%) allowed the calves to suckle all the quarter of udder before and after milking. None practiced castration and dehorning for male calves. Majority (97.14%) of farmers did not perform deworming and vaccination schedule of calves.

Conclusion: This study identified a number of rearing practices that represent a poor welfare for calf, which may prone towards diseases and hampering the productivity. Therefore, in addition to the traditional practices, scientific knowledge for this aspect is also important to get superior animals for future.
Cumplimiento de las normas legales en el concurso de méritos y oposición del sistema educativo ecuatoriano
Authors: Velasco Almachi Luis David , Ortega Araus Estefanía del Rosario Ortega Araus , Yungán Yungán Raúl Yungán Yungán , Tenelema Toapanta Verónica Janeth
Published: May 2020

El presente artículo comprende el proceso del concurso de méritos y oposición en los que participan los profesionales en educación de todo el país, para la obtención de un nombramiento en el magisterio público mediante el programa del Ministerio de Educación denominada “Quiero ser maestro”. Se manifiesta la sistematización para obtener la elegibilidad dividida en una fase de méritos y una fase de oposición apoyada en la normativa vigente y en el Sistema de Información del Ministerio de Educación (SIME). La modalidad es bibliográfica y de campo, la finalidad de la presente investigación es identificar el cumplimiento de la normativa legal. Así indica la Ley Orgánica de Educación Intercultural (LOEI) en el capítulo segundo del concurso de méritos y oposición para llenar vacantes de docentes públicos, a fin de ver el desarrollo y transparencia del proceso. Con este propósito se diseñó un cuestionario de autoevaluación que incluye 10 preguntas 7 de ellas son pregunta abiertas; y 3 preguntas de alternativas con un apartado para detallar la opción seleccionada. Este cuestionario se aplicó a 10 docentes de varias instituciones quienes participan o participaron en el concurso. A partir de los resultados se encuentran 3 perfiles (alto, medio y bajo) en conocimiento sobre la aplicación de la normativa legal. Los resultados que muestra la investigación es la transparencia del proceso, que este tarda mucho tiempo para completar sus fases según el cronograma establecido y además el desconocimiento de las bonificaciones.
Semi-Symmetric Metric Connection on Homothetic Kenmotsu Manifolds
Authors: Thangmawia L. , Kumar R.
Published: May 2020

The object of the paper is to study homothetic Kenmotsu manifold with respect to semi-symmetric metric connection. We discuss locally -symmetric homothetic Kenmotsu manifold and -projectively flat homothetic Kenmotsu manifold with respect to semi-symmetric metric connection. Finally, we construct an example of 3-dimensional homothetic Kenmotsu manifold to verify some results.
Synthesis and Characterization of Some NH-Analogues of Ciprofloxacin on Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Rabbani M. G. , Islam M. R.
Published: May 2020

Present work includes synthesis of five NH-analogues of ciprofloxacin, 2-6 have been prepared to find out their medicinal assessment, for instance, antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxicity. The structure of the analogues has been confirmed by FT- IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, mass spectral data and elemental analysis. The compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activities by the disc diffusion method. Cytotoxicity was also tested against brine shrimp lethality assay. The antimicrobial activity of the analogues compared with the parent was evaluated against three Gram-positive, five Gram-negative bacterial strains and three fungi. The synthesized compounds showed diverse antimicrobial profile among which derivatives, 2 and 3 possessed enhanced activity in contrast to the ciprofloxacin. Additionally, unlike ciprofloxacin, most of the derivatives were also found to show antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Regarding cytotoxicity, most of the derivatives exhibited better cytotoxic activity than ciprofloxacin.
A Magnetized Dark Energy Type R/W Model with Polytropic Equation of State in Brans-Dicke Theory
Authors: Dewri M.
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we study the spatially homogeneous Robertson-Walker cosmological models with magnetized isotropic dark energy like fluid in the scalar-tensor theory of gravitation proposed by Brans-Dicke. Variable cosmological constant ᴧ and Polytropic equation of state have been used to find exact solutions of the models with volumetric expansion and power-law relation. The Physical and dynamical behaviors of the models have been discussed using some physical quantities like energy density, pressure, and coefficient of bulk viscosity.
Meat Quality of Land Crab, Cardiosoma armatum (Herklots, 1851) Fattened with Trash Fish and Formulated Diet
Authors: OLuwole G. , Moruf R. O. , Lawal-Are A. O.
Published: May 2020

Meat quality in terms of its nutritional value, is a major factor when considering dietary items. This study highlighted the proximate and mineral compositions in the meat of Land Crab, Cardiosoma armatum (Herklots, 1851) fed with Trash Fish (Natural feed) and formulated diet for three (3) months. The meat proximate composition of both crabs fed the two different diets was similar, and there was no significant difference in the crude protein, fat and fiber contents of the meat (p > 0.05). The diets had no significant effects on magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus contents of the meat. Crabs fed formulated diet had significantly higher calcium content of 20428.52±0.10 mg/100 g, compared with the crabs fed with Trash Fish of 18541.83±0.10 mg/100 g (p < 0.05). The pattern of mineral contents in both crabs was calcium > phosphorus > magnesium > sodium > potassium. This study suggested no negative effects of formulated diet on the meat quality. Therefore, formulated diet could be used for fattening of Land Crabs.
In Vitro Assessment of Antioxidant, Thrombolytic, Antimicrobial Activities of Medicinal Plant Pandanus odoratissimus L. Leaves Extract
Authors: Penu F. I. , Ivy S. M. , Ahmed F. , Uddin J. , Hossain M. S. , Labu Z. K.
Published: May 2020

The present study was carried out to investigate phytochemical, antioxidant; antimicrobial, thrombolytic activity and estimate total phenolic, total flavonoid content of Pandanus odoratissimus (p.odoratissimus) leaves of methanol extract. In thrombolytic activity, aqueous soluble fraction (AQSF) exhibited highest percentage (46.58 %) of potential to lyse blood clot compared to standard drug streptokinase (69.52 %). In antimicrobial assay, dichloromethane soluble fraction (DCMSF) explored the highest diameter of clear zone of inhibition against both gram positive (19.60 ± 0.12 mm) and gram negative (20.00 ± 0.20 mm) bacteria compared to standard antibiotic, Kanamycin (50.00 ± 0.19). Levels of antioxidant were determined by DPPH assay followed by calculated IC50 values of different Kupchan extracts. The methyl soluble fraction (MSF) showed the lowest level of IC50 value (36.70 ± 0.32 µg/mL) in comparison to ascorbic acid (12.48 ± 0.09 µg/mL) while MSF disclosed the maximum level (62.19 ±  0.26 mg of GAE/g of extract) of total phenolic content in the extracts of P. odoratissimus. This study was conducted to validate the P. odoratissimus leaves used as a folk medicine such as, antioxidant, thrombolytic, and antimicrobial potential.
Solving Some Oscillatory Problems using Adomian Decomposition Method and Haar Wavelet Method
Authors: Haq I. , Singh I.
Published: May 2020

In this research, we presented two classical numerical techniques to solve some oscillatory problems arised in various applications of sciences and engineering. Adomian decomposition method (ADM) and Haar wavelet method (HWM) are utilized for this purpose. Some numerical examples have been performed to illustrate the accuracy of the present methods.
Group Acceptance Sampling Plans for Resubmitted Lots UnderType II Generalized Half Logistic Distribution
Authors: Rao G. S. , Jilani S. , Rao A. V.
Published: May 2020

In this research article, we build-up a group acceptance sampling plan (GASP) for a resubmitting lot when the lifetime of a product follow the  Type II Generalized half-logistic distribution (GHLD).  The design parameters of the group acceptance sampling plan for the resubmitted are determined by fixing the experiment termination time and the numbers of testers at the stated producer’s and consumer’s risks both satisfy at the same time. We contrast the proposed GASP with the ordinary group sampling plan and the results are demonstrated with a live data set.
Saber lego y experto en salud
Authors: Levin Echeverri Rodolfo
Published: May 2020

Resumen: En el presente artículo se proponen tres insumos orientados a la reflexión teórico metodológica sobre la pertinencia de estrategias de investigación cualitativa para comprender la relevancia del conocimiento lego en salud y su importancia en la gestión de un sistema sanitario : 1 La circulación de saberes legos y expertos en torno a la enfermedad renal crónica, 2- Proceso de adquisición de saberes expertos por parte de una comunidad de legos ante la organización de un servicio de salud, 3-Los vínculos entre el conocimiento lego y el conocimiento médico en tiempos de internet e incorporación normativa de la figura del paciente experto en un sistema de salud. El objetivo de este artículo es sistematizar hallazgos empíricos y convergencias teóricas sobre la utilidad de la estrategia cualitativa en la investigación social en salud y observar nexos probables con metodologías ancladas en la investigación participativa en salud.Palabras clave: Investigación cualitativa; Conocimiento lego y experto; Participación social. Know lego and expert in health Abstract: This article proposes three inputs aimed at theoretical methodological reflection on the relevance of qualitative research strategies to understand the relevance of lay knowledge in health and its importance in the management of a health system: 1 The circulation of lay knowledge and experts around chronic kidney disease, 2- Process of acquiring expert knowledge by a community of lay people before the organization of a health service, 3-The links between lay knowledge and medical knowledge in times of internet and incorporation normative of the figure of the expert patient in a health system. The objective of this article is to systematize empirical findings and theoretical convergences about the usefulness of the qualitative strategy in social health research and to observe probable links with methodologies anchored in participatory health research.Keywords: Qualitative research; Lay and expert knowledge; Social participation. Conhecimento leigo e especializado em saúdeResumo: Este artigo propõe três insumos destinados à reflexão metodológica teórica sobre a pertinência das estratégias de pesquisa qualitativa para compreender a relevância do conhecimento leigo em saúde e sua importância na gestão de um sistema de saúde: 1 A circulação de conhecimentos leigos e especialistas em torno da doença renal crônica, 2- Processo de aquisição de conhecimento especializado por uma comunidade de leigos diante da organização de um serviço de saúde, 3-Os vínculos entre conhecimento leigo e conhecimento médico em tempos de internet e incorporação normativa da figura do paciente especialista em um sistema de saúde. O objetivo deste artigo é sistematizar descobertas empíricas e convergências teóricas sobre a utilidade da estratégia qualitativa na investigação social em saúde e observar possíveis ligações com metodologias ancoradas na investigação participativa em saúde.Palavras-chave: Investigação qualitativa; Conhecimento leigo e especializado; Participação social.
Wudu as Islamic Psychotherapy to Improve Sleep Quality in Young Women
Authors: Fani Reza Iredho
Published: May 2020

Many previous studies have tried to find therapies in dealing with poor sleep quality in women. Where many researchers find that women are more likely to have poor sleep quality than men. Therefore, this study is to prove the effectiveness of wudu as a psychotherapy for sleep quality. This research is a quantitative pre-experimental research with One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Research respondents were determined by the purposive sampling technique (N = 17) all of them were young women. To measure sleep quality using the Sleep Quality Scale developed by Yi, Shin, and Shin (2006). Data analysis techniques using the Paired Samples T-Test technique using the help of JASP (Jeffrey's Amazing Statistics Program) version: 0.8.5.1. This study found that wudu therapy is effective in improving sleep quality in young women by focusing on increasing satisfaction with sleep which consists of three indicators namely: 1) Satisfaction Level with overall sleep; 2) Sleep tight; 3) Enough sleep.
Emotional intelligence and mathematics learning interest in students’ mathematical reasoning ability
Authors: Jehabun Safrianus , Gunur Bedilius , Kurniawan Yohanes
Published: May 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui; 1) hubungan antara kecerdasan emosional dengan kemampuan penalaran matematis siswa; 2) mengetahui hubungan antara minat belajar matematika dengan kemampuan penalaran matematis; dan 3) mengetahui hubungan yang simultan antara kecerdasan emosional dan minat belajar matematika terhadap kemampuan penalaran matematis siswa.  Metode yang digunakan adalah korelasional. Populasinya adalah siswa kelas VIII SMPN 10 Ruteng, kecamatan Ruteng, kabupaten Mangarai, provinsi NTT yang berjumlah 225 siswa. Dengan Teknik random diperoleh 70 siswa sebagai sampel, selanjutnya dengan menggunakan teknik proporsional random sampling diperoleh sampel dari masing-masing kelas yaitu 10 siswa. Angket dan soal tes uraian merupakan instrumen yang digunakan. Data dianalisis menggunakan korelasi sederhana dan korelasi ganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa; 1) Terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara kecerdasan emosional dengan penalaran matematis siswa, dengan kontribusi sebesar 23,3%; 2) terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara minat belajar matematika dengan penalaran matematis siswa, dengan kontribusi sebesar 16%; 3) terdapat hubungan yang simultan antara kecerdasan emosional dan minat belajar matematika terhadap penalaran matematis, dengan kontribusi sebesar 30,2%.
The North Coast 500: Developing tourism in the Northern Scottish Highlands
Authors: Lennon J. John , Harris John
Published: May 2020

This paper looks at the development of the North Coast 500 (NC500) route as a key initiative contributing to the increase of tourism in one of the least visited parts of Scotland. Drawing upon data on visitor numbers within the area between 2014–2018 it considers whether the NC500 has catalysed and encouraged tourism to an area of the country that has for many years been a peripheral region in terms of visitation. The findings highlight that the route seems to have had an impact upon a number of different aspects of tourism within the area generating increased expenditure and employment.
Management of Aedes aegypti using green silver nanoparticles and botanical extracts
Authors: Saeed Hassan , Muhammad Tariq Muhammad , Gulzar Asim , Mashwani Zia-ur-Rehman , Bajwa Muhammad Safian
Published: May 2020

The excessive use of insecticides has led to development of resistance in Aedes aegypti and negative impact on environment and non-target organisms. To overcome these problems, emphasis is being laid for alternatives, therefore, in the present study, the toxicity of eight plant extracts and their green synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated against A. aegypti. Clove extracts caused the maximum mortalities of 92% and 90% of 3rd and 4th instar larvae of A. aegypti followed by ginger causing 90% and 78% mortalities respectively. On the other hand, the minimum mortalities of these larvae were caused by neem and garlic extracts. In case of green silver nanoparticles, the maximum mortalities of 3rd and 4th instar larvae of A. aegypti were caused by clove followed by ginger while the minimum mortalities were caused by nanoparticles of datura followed by garlic. All the green silver nanoparticles caused mortalities of both the instars of the mosquito above 80% with few exceptions. Datura extracts showed the minimum LC50 values after 72 hours of application followed by neem against the 3rd and 4th instar larvae of A. aegypti.  The highest LC50 value was observed in case of ginger followed by clove and eucalyptus. In case of silver nanoparticles, the minimum LC50 values after 72 hours were recorded in case of datura, neem and garlic while the values were the maximum in case of clove and ginger. The LC50 values decreased with the passage of time.
Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Nursing Diagnoses and Clinical Decision-Making
Authors: İNANGİL Demet , ÜZEN CURA Şengül
Published: May 2020

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate nursing students’ perceptions regarding nursing diagnoses and clinical decision-making skills level and to examine how these perceptions differ according to which nursing model was followed.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted. The study was carried out in one nursing department in Istanbul province and one nursing high school in Çanakkale province, Turkey. A total sample of 257 students participated. A Structured Information Form, Perception of Nursing Diagnoses Survey and Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Scale were used to collect data.Results: 77.1% of the participants were women, with an average age of 19.09, and their average grade from the Fundamentals of Nursing course was 74.23 ± 9.41. The total of the PND score for the ADLs group was 2.45 ± 0.55, in the FHP group it was 2.31 ± 0.27. This difference in the incidence of value was not significant. The total of the CDMNS score means of the ADLs group was 147.44 ± 12.95, and the mean of the FHP group was 154.3 ± 12.29. A statistically significant difference was detected between the groups for the CDMNS score (p = 0.00). Conclusion: From the results, it can be concluded that the use of nursing diagnoses is positively perceived by nursing students and their clinical decision-making perceptions are in the process of development. Nursing models that are used in nursing education may affect clinical decision making.
PIAAC and the South – Is Southering the new Othering? Global Expansion of dominant Discourses on Adult Literacy
Authors: Grotlüschen Anke , Buddeberg Klaus
Published: May 2020

Large-scale studies such as Programme for the international assessment of adult competencies (PIAAC) are currently the most influential variant of literacy research. PIAAC is undergoing a process of regional expansion towards countries located in the geographical south. Based on the finding that large-scale studies can create stereotypes about social groups, this contribution examines the extent to which this danger also exists with regard to countries and regions. For doing so we suggest the term southering. Southering brings together the discourses about the South with the concept of othering, introduced by Said (1978). The presentation of the results as tables and world maps can result in exposing countries of the South to a pronounced deficit perspective. The contribution does not pursue the goal of questioning the legitimacy of international studies. Rather, we would like to point out the necessity of exercising due care in the interpretation of corresponding study results.
Extending the Shelf Life of White Peach Fruit with 1-Methylcyclopropene and Aloe arborescens Edible Coating
Authors: Sortino Giuseppe , Saletta Filippo , Puccio Stefano , Scuderi Dario , Allegra Alessio , Inglese Paolo , Farina Vittorio
Published: May 2020

The maintenance of high-quality standards for prolonging the shelf life of fruit and preserving sensory and nutritional quality is a priority for horticultural products. The aim of this work is to test the effectiveness of a single treatment of edible coating based on Aloe arborescens (EC) and a combined treatment of 1-methylcycyclopropene (1-MCP) and edible coating to prolong the shelf life of “Settembrina” white flesh peach fruit. White flesh peach fruit were harvested at the commercial ripening stage, treated with an edible coating (EC) or 1-MCP + EC or 1-MCP, and stored for 28 days at 1 °C. After 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, fruits were removed from cold storage, transferred at 20 °C and then analyzed immediately (cold out) and after 6 days (shelf life) to evaluate the combined effect of cold storage and room temperature. The fruits were tested for carotenoids content, phenolic content, reducing activity (ABTS). The physicochemical traits were measured in terms of the titratable acidity, total soluble content, weight loss, and vitamin C content. Moreover, their sensory profile was analyzed by a semi-trained panel. Fruit treated with EC and 1-MCP + EC kept their marketing values better than control after 14 days of storage and 6 days of simulated shelf life in terms of flesh firmness, total soluble solids and titratable acidity, as well as sensory parameters. After 21 days of storage, all treatments showed a deterioration of all the quality parameters. The single and combined application of Aloe-based coating (with 1-MCP) slowed down the maturation processes of the fruit, limited the weight loss, and preserved its organoleptic characteristics.
Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Services to Ensure Sustainable Agricultural Income in the GAP-Harran Plain, Şanlıurfa, Turkey
Authors: Doğan Hatice Parlakçı , Aydoğdu Mustafa Hakkı , Sevinç Mehmet Reşit , Cançelik Mehmet
Published: May 2020

Sustainable agriculture is necessary for farmers to have a sustainable income. This research aims to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) of farmers in the GAP-Harran Plain for services that would ensure sustainable agricultural income, the factors affecting their willingness, and the minimum amount they would be willing to pay. The main material of the research has been obtained by means of face-to-face surveys involving farmers selected by a simple random sampling method in the GAP-Harran Plain. The sampling volume was determined with a 95% confidence limit and a 5% error margin. Heckman’s two-stage model was used for the analysis. According to the results of the research, 22.61% of the participants showed WTP, and the average amount they were willing to pay was 180.82 TL/hectare (ha) ($31.86/ha). This amount was 3.08% of the average annual agricultural income calculated. About 41.22% of the participants showed no WTP. They believed that the public sector is accountable of the services and consequently, they should be provided free of charge. About 23.14% of the participants showed WTP only for the services that they needed. The average WTP for all participants was calculated as 40.9 TL/ha ($7.21/ha) and 1.2 million $/year for the GAP-Harran Plain. This amount is the minimum and may increase by several folds with a demand-based variety of service delivery. The factors that statistically effect WTP have been determined as age, education, experience, number of households working in agriculture, amount of land, agricultural income, non-agricultural income, membership status of agricultural cooperatives, and product pattern. The results provide useful information to guide researchers, decision-makers, and policy-makers.
A Practical Application of Unsupervised Machine Learning for Analyzing Plant Image Data Collected Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Authors: Davis II Roy L. , Greene Jeremy K. , Dou Fugen , Jo Young-Ki , Chappell Thomas M.
Published: May 2020

Unmanned aircraft systems are increasingly used in data-gathering operations for precision agriculture, with compounding benefits. Analytical processing of image data remains a limitation for applications. We implement an unsupervised machine learning technique to efficiently analyze aerial image data, resulting in a robust method for estimating plant phenotypes. We test this implementation in three settings: rice fields, a plant nursery, and row crops of grain sorghum and soybeans. We find that unsupervised subpopulation description facilitates accurate plant phenotype estimation without requiring supervised classification approaches such as construction of reference data subsets using geographic positioning systems. Specifically, we apply finite mixture modeling to discern component probability distributions within mixtures, where components correspond to spatial references (for example, the ground) and measurement targets (plants). Major benefits of this approach are its robustness against ground elevational variations at either large or small scale and its proficiency in efficiently returning estimates without requiring in-field operations other than the vehicle overflight. Applications in plant pathosystems where metrics of interest are spectral instead of spatial are a promising future direction.
Interaction between Humic Substances and Plant Hormones for Phosphorous Acquisition
Authors: Jindo Keiji , Canellas Luciano , Albacete Alfonso , Figueiredo dos Santos Lidiane , Frinhani Rocha Rafael , Carvalho Baia Daiane , Oliveira Aguiar Canellas Natália , Goron Travis , Olivares Fábio
Published: May 2020

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint in highly weathered tropical soils. Although phosphorous rock reserves may last for several hundred years, there exists an urgent need to research efficient P management for sustainable agriculture. Plant hormones play an important role in regulating plant growth, development, and reproduction. Humic substances (HS) are not only considered an essential component of soil organic carbon (SOC), but also well known as a biostimulant which can perform phytohormone-like activities to induce nutrient uptake. This review paper presents an overview of the scientific outputs in the relationship between HS and plant hormones. Special attention will be paid to the interaction between HS and plant hormones for nutrient uptake under P-deficient conditions.
Remote Sensing for Precision Agriculture: Sentinel-2 Improved Features and Applications
Authors: Segarra Joel , Buchaillot Maria Luisa , Araus Jose Luis , Kefauver Shawn C.
Published: May 2020

The use of satellites to monitor crops and support their management is gathering increasing attention. The improved temporal, spatial, and spectral resolution of the European Space Agency (ESA) launched Sentinel-2 A + B twin platform is paving the way to their popularization in precision agriculture. Besides the Sentinel-2 A + B constellation technical features the open-access nature of the information they generate, and the available support software are a significant improvement for agricultural monitoring. This paper was motivated by the challenges faced by researchers and agrarian institutions entering this field; it aims to frame remote sensing principles and Sentinel-2 applications in agriculture. Thus, we reviewed the features and uses of Sentinel-2 in precision agriculture, including abiotic and biotic stress detection, and agricultural management. We also compared the panoply of satellites currently in use for land remote sensing that are relevant for agriculture to the Sentinel-2 A + B constellation features. Contrasted with previous satellite image systems, the Sentinel-2 A + B twin platform has dramatically increased the capabilities for agricultural monitoring and crop management worldwide. Regarding crop stress monitoring, Sentinel-2 capacities for abiotic and biotic stresses detection represent a great step forward in many ways though not without its limitations; therefore, combinations of field data and different remote sensing techniques may still be needed. We conclude that Sentinel-2 has a wide range of useful applications in agriculture, yet still with room for further improvements. Current and future ways that Sentinel-2 can be utilized are also discussed.
Microelement Variability in Plants as an Effect of Sewage Sludge Compost Application Assessed by Different Statistical Methods
Authors: Jakubus Monika , Graczyk Małgorzata
Published: May 2020

This research deals with the effects of soil amendment with sewage sludge compost (SSC) on the accumulation of microelements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Fe) in plants—white mustard (Sinapis alba), triticale (Triticale) and white lupine (Lupinus albus)—cultivated on two contrasting soils (light vs. medium agronomic class). Additionally, the influence of experimental factors on variability of the harvest index (HI) was determined for individual plants and micronutrients. A 3-year pot experiment was conducted and SSC at the rate of 6 t·ha−1 was applied into the soils. These changes were determined by ANOVA and subject to regression analysis and subsequently visualized. The study clearly demonstrated that SSC as an organic fertilizer had a significant, but weak effect on the microelements level variability in the shoots and grains of plants cultivated in crop rotation. Regardless of the experimental factors, on average, the plants accumulated higher amounts of Cu, Zn and Mn in the grains, and Fe and Ni in the shoots. Harvest index values confirmed the significance and variable translocation of microelements within plant organs. The influence of SSC on micronutrient contents in plant organs was more significant in the case of medium soil.
Effects of Italian Ryegrass (IRG) Supplementation on Animal Performance, Gut Microbial Compositions and Odor Emission from Manure in Growing Pigs
Authors: Park Sungkwon , Cho Sungback , Hwang Okhwa
Published: May 2020

Fermentable carbohydrate (FC) is a promising material to reduce odor emission from pig manure. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of diets containing Italian ryegrass (IRG), as a FC, on animal performance, odorous chemical and bacterial composition of manure. Pigs were weighed and fed diets containing various levels of IRG powder (0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%) for 28 days. At the end of the trial, manure was collected to analyze the chemical composition, odorous compounds and bacterial community structure. As dietary IRG levels increased, concentrations of phenols and indoles were decreased by 12% and 37% compared with control, respectively, without changes in growth performance. IRG treatment increased the relative abundances of genera belong to the family Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Veillonellaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae and Lactobacillaceae, in order Clostridiales of phylum Firmicutes, but decreased the relative abundances of genus Sphaerochaeta in phylum Spirochaetes and genus AB243818_g of family Porphyromonadaceae in phylum Bacteroidetes when compared with control. Results from the current study demonstrate that IRG supplemented diets had a beneficial effect of reducing the odorous compounds in manure, possibly by altering the bacterial community structure towards predominantly carbohydrate utilizing microorganisms in the large intestine.
Reclaimed Wastewater to Irrigate Olive Groves and Vineyards: Effects on Soil Properties
Authors: De las Heras Jorge , Mañas Pilar
Published: May 2020

Having drinking water is one of the sustainable development goals (SDG no. 6) that is not always easy to ensure, especially in countries like Spain or arid regions marked by water deficit. The reuse of treated water should be considered when planning water resources, but it is necessary to verify that this effectiveness is applicable to real situations. A field trial was carried out in several study areas distributed in agricultural parcels of south east Spain. Soils from two olive groves and two vineyards irrigated with treated wastewater (TW) were monitored for to compare with other plantations irrigated with conventional well water (WW) since July 2016–September 2018. Five different irrigation water sources were analyzed (two from well water and three from reclaimed wastewater). No microbiological, metal content, toxicity or organic compounds (PAHs and PCBs) in the studied water samples were detected and reclaimed municipal wastewater was comparable in quality to the conventional sources at all the demonstration sites, except for higher electrical conductivity. Soils irrigated with TW had higher values for electrical conductivity, N, K, Na, Mg, Mn and cation exchange capacity. The main precautions to be considered when irrigating with treated wastewater are its salt content and its tendency to high values of electrical conductivity. Otherwise, they are an interesting contribution of nutrients to soil. Hence adopting this water type to irrigate orchards, vineyards and olive groves could help to save primary water resources.
Identification and Genetic Diversity Analysis of Edible and Medicinal Malva Species Using Flow Cytometry and ISSR Molecular Markers
Authors: Jedrzejczyk Iwona , Rewers Monika
Published: May 2020

The Malva genus contains species that reveal therapeutic properties and are mostly important in medicine and the functional food industry. Its breeding, cultivation, and utilization are based on proper germplasm/plant identification, which is difficult using morphological features. For this reason, we applied flow cytometry and inter simple sequence repeat polymerase chain reaction (ISSR-PCR) for fast and accurate species identification. Genome size estimation by flow cytometry was proposed as the first-choice method for quick accession screening. Out of the 12 tested accessions, it was possible to identify six genotypes based on genome size estimation, whereas all species and varieties were identified using ISSR markers. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that Malva species possessed very small (1.45–2.77 pg/2C), small (2.81–3.80 pg/2C), and intermediate (11.06 pg/2C) genomes, but the majority of accessions possessed very small genomes. Additionally, this is the first report on genome size assessment for eight of the accessions. The relationships between the investigated accessions showed the presence of two clusters representing malvoid and lavateroid group of species. Flow cytometry and ISSR molecular markers can be effectively used in the identification and genetic characterization of Malva species.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Important Transcription Factor Families and Reproductive Biological Processes of Flower Development in Celery (Apium graveolens L.)
Authors: Li Mengyao , Tan Shanshan , Tan Guofei , Luo Ya , Sun Bo , Zhang Yong , Chen Qing , Wang Yan , Zhang Fen , Zhang Yunting , Lin Yuanxiu , Wang Xiaorong , Tang Haoru
Published: May 2020

There are few reports on the reproductive biology of celery, which produces small flowers in a long flowering period. Anther development was analyzed by paraffin sectioning and related genes were examined by transcriptome sequencing and qPCR. The development process was divided into nine stages based on the significant changes in the cell and tissue morphologies. These stages included: archesporial stage, sporogenous cell stage, microspore mother cell stage, dyad and tetrad stage, mononuclear microspore stage, late uninucleate microspore stage, binuclear cell stage, mature pollen stage, and dehiscence stage. A total of 1074 differentially expressed genes were identified by transcriptome sequencing in the early flower bud, middle flower bud, and early flowering period. Functional annotation indicated that these genes were involved in physiological and biochemical processes such as ribosomes metabolism, sugar metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Transcription factors such as C2H2, AP2/ERF, bZIP, WRKY, and MYB played key regulatory roles in anther development and had different regulatory capabilities at various stages. The expression patterns based on qPCR and transcriptome data of the selected transcription factor genes showed consistency, suggesting that these genes played an important role in different flower development stages. These results provide a theoretical basis for molecular breeding of new celery varieties with pollen abortion. Furthermore, they have enriched research on the reproductive biology of celery and the Apiaceae family.
Implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Roadmap for Business Model Innovation
Authors: Reim Wiebke , Åström Josef , Eriksson Oliver
Published: May 2020

Technical advancements within the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) leads towards development of human-like machines, able to operate autonomously and mimic our cognitive behavior. The progress and interest among managers, academics and the public has created a hype among many industries, and many firms are investing heavily to capitalize on the technology through business model innovation. However, managers are left with little support from academia when aiming to implement AI in their firm’s operations, which leads to an increased risk of project failure and unwanted results. This paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of AI and how it can be used as a catalyst for business model innovation. Due to the increasing range and variety of the available published material, a literature review has been performed to gather current knowledge within AI business model innovation. The results are presented in a roadmap to guide the implementation of AI to firm’s operations. Our presented findings suggest four steps when implementing AI: (1) understand AI and organizational capabilities needed for digital transformation; (2) understand current BM, potential for BMI, and business ecosystem role; (3) develop and refine capabilities needed to implement AI; and (4) reach organizational acceptance and develop internal competencies.
Timing Predictability and Security in Safety-Critical Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems: A Position Paper
Authors: Mubeen Saad , Lisova Elena , Vulgarakis Feljan Aneta
Published: May 2020

Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs) are systems that are developed by seamlessly integrating computational algorithms and physical components, and they are a result of the technological advancement in the embedded systems and distributed systems domains, as well as the availability of sophisticated networking technology. Many industrial CPSs are subject to timing predictability, security and functional safety requirements, due to which the developers of these systems are required to verify these requirements during the their development. This position paper starts by exploring the state of the art with respect to developing timing predictable and secure embedded systems. Thereafter, the paper extends the discussion to time-critical and secure CPSs and highlights the key issues that are faced when verifying the timing predictability requirements during the development of these systems. In this context, the paper takes the position to advocate paramount importance of security as a prerequisite for timing predictability, as well as both security and timing predictability as prerequisites for functional safety. Moreover, the paper identifies the gaps in the existing frameworks and techniques for the development of time- and safety-critical CPSs and describes our viewpoint on ensuring timing predictability and security in these systems. Finally, the paper emphasises the opportunities that artificial intelligence can provide in the development of these systems.
Modal Analysis of Selected Measuring Bases and Their Impact on the Recorded Level of Surface Accelerations
Authors: Czech Krzysztof Robert
Published: May 2020

In predicting the impact of vibrations propagated in a ground on newly designed construction objects, it is extremely important to reliably measure the time histories of velocity or acceleration at the site of the planned investment. As some studies show, the method of coupling accelerometers and geophones to the ground can affect not only the level of peak particle accelerations (PPA) or peak particle velocities (PPV)—commonly used in this type of evaluation—but also vibration frequency distribution of recorded signals. This makes it difficult to compare and analyze the results obtained by various research teams. Conclusions based on this type of comparison may be wrong. For this reason, it is extremely important that reliable dynamic measurements related to the propagation of ground surface vibrations should be carried out using not only appropriately selected measuring equipment (with the required sensitivity and measurement ranges—both in the time domain and frequency domain), but also the measurement bases/setups used for mounting various types of transducers, whose natural frequencies will be outside the frequency range relevant to the possible impact of vibrations on buildings and human beings inside. The paper presents the results of modal analyses carried out with the use of Ansys Engineering Simulation and 3D Design Software (based on the Finite Element Method) for three different types of measuring bases used to coupling accelerometers to the ground. Measuring bases selected for numerical analyses were in the form of a stiff steel spike of an X-shaped cross section (a measuring base No. 1) and two steel spikes of L-shaped cross-sections (a measuring bases No. 2 and No. 3). In the places of screwed accelerometers (three different types of IEPE/ICP transducers of varying sensitivity and a weight) point masses were attached to the measuring bases. As a result of the analyses, it was possible to determine the impact of individual methods of coupling of accelerometers to the ground on the reliability of recorded ground surface accelerations. Among others it was concluded that in each analyzed case the lowest natural frequencies of the measuring bases with attached accelerometers significantly exceeded 100 Hz. The widest frequency band free of resonance vibrations can be provided by the measuring base No. 3 (L50 × 50 × 5).