bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pengaruh Jumlah Transaksi Jual Beli Tanah dan atau Bangunan dan Pajak BPHTB Terhadap Pajak Daerah Kota Bandung
Authors: Putriyandari Rofily , Setiawanti Oktavianti
Published: June 2018

Penelitian ini menganalisis pengaruh jumlah transaksi jual beli tanah dan/atau bangunan dan penerimaan pajak BPHTB terhadap pendapatan pajak daerah di Kota Bandung selama periode 2012-2016. Data diolah menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif verifikatif dengan pendekatan kuantitatif. Hasil menunjukkan secara parsial Jumlah Transaksi Jual beli tanah dan/atau bangunan dan pajak BPHTB berpengaruh signifikan dengan thitung>ttabel, signifikansi >0,05. Secara simultan bahwa Jumlah Transaksi Jual beli tanah dan/atau bangunan dan Pajak BPHTB bersama-sama berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Pajak Daerah dengan Fhitung>Ftabel, signifikansi >0,05. Penerimaan pajak BPHTB terus mengalami penurunan, tetapi pajak BPHTB atas transaksi jual beli terus mengalami peningkatan. Hal tersebut dikarenakan semakin tingginya harga tanah dan bangunan di Kota Bandung. Realisasi penerimaan pajak BPHTB periode tahun 2012 sampai 2016 pada Badan Pengelolaan Pendapatan Daerah mengalami peningkatan.  Pendapatan pajak daerah Kota Bandung pada selama periode 2012-2016 mengalami peningkatan, walaupun tidak mencapai target yang telah ditentukan. Bertambahnya realisasi pendapatan pajak daerah dikarenakan realisasi penerimaan beberapa mata pajak yang telah melampaui 100% atau over target. Transaksi jual beli tanah dan/atau bangunan secara parsial memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pendapatan pajak daerah Kota Bandung dikarenakan meningkatnya investasi tanah dan bangunan (properti) di Kota Bandung. Penerimaan pajak BPHTB secara parsial memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pendapatan pajak daerah dikarenakan naiknya NJOP tanah bangunan dan banyak proyek pembangunan infrastruktur di Kota Bandung yang mampu meningkatkan pembangungan nasional Kota Bandung.
Tinjauan Yuridis Pembinaan Anak di Lembaga Pembinaan Khusus Anak (LPKA) Tangerang
Authors: Eleanora Fransiska Novita , Masri Esther
Published: June 2018

Anak yang melakukan tindak pidana seyogyanya tidak dihukum di Lembaga Pemasyarakatan, melainkan dibina mental dan kejiwaannya agar menjadi lebih baik lagi. Hal ini sejalan dengan Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2012 tentang Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak (SPPA) yang mengatur bahwa Pembinaan dilakukan kepada anak yang melakukan tindak pidana di Lembaga Pembinaan Khusus Anak (LPKA) Tangerang. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui dampak/perubahan ditempatkan anak di LPKA mendapatkan hak-haknya seperti wajib untuk mengikuti pendidikan formal dan informal serta mewujudkan pola ramah anak yang berbasis budi pekerti. Metode penelitian yakni penelitian normaif empiris. Hasilnya adalah Lembaga Pembinaan Khusus Anak (LPKA) sudah cukup memadai memberikan fasuiitas, sarana dan prasarana terhadap anak yang berkonflik dengan hukum, meskipun masih terdapat kendala dan hambatan di dalam pelaksanaannya dalam pelaksanaanya masih terdapat  kendala/hambatan yaitu, implemantasi/regulasi, sarana/prasarana, ambigunya putusan dari hakim, kurangnya data dan informasi yang akurat, antar instansi kurang bekerjasama, dalam menerapkan aturan anak yang bermasalah dengan hukum, kebijakan pusat dan daerah selalu berbeda.
Analisa Penjualan Produk Retail Dengan Metode Data Mining Asosiasi
Authors: Prayitno Mokhammad Hadi , Rasim Rasim
Published: June 2018

Dalam melakukan analisis penjualan dapat dilakukan dalam beberapa sudut pandang, salah satunya yaitu melakukan analisis terhadap barang yang sering muncul dan dibeli bersamaan oleh pelanggan. Hal ini bertujuan agar penyediaan barang memiliki sifat yang saling berhubungan atau membentuk aturan assosiasi. Setiap barang akan memiliki nilai penunjang dan nilai kepastian. Metode yang digunakan untuk menangani masalah ini adalah Data Mining Asosiasi dengan menerapkan algoritma apriori pada proses pembacaan data transaksi pada database. Untuk membantu mencapai hasil akhir yang optimal, digunakan software Rapid Miner. Hasil dari penerapan assosiation rule ini dapat digunakan sebagi bahan pertimbangan dalam membuat keputusan strategi pemasaran dan penjualan yang efektif, khususnya barang dagang yang seharusnya diadakan.
Metode Bagging Untuk Imbalance Class Pada Bedah Toraks Menggunakan Naive Bayes
Authors: Fitriyani Fitriyani
Published: June 2018

Kanker paru merupakan masalah yang terjadi di Indonesia dan merokok merupakan salah satu penyebab kanker paru. Bedah toraks dapat mengobati pasien yang terkena kanker paru, akan tetapi usia hidup pasien pasca operasi yang menjadi masalah, jika kanker paru yang diderita pasien sudah parah. Usia pasien setelah satu tahun menjalani bedah toraks dapat hidup atau tidak. Dataset thoracic surgery merupakan data yang berisi tentang pasien yang menjalani bedah toraks dan usia hidup pasien setelah pasca operasi. Naive Bayes merupakan algoritma machine learning yang sederhana dan cepat dalam hal klasifikasi, kinerja yang baik dan mudah dalam penerapannya. Banyak penelitian dalam menentukan pasien tersebut hidup atau tidak setelah satu tahun menjalani bedah toraks, salah satunya menggunakan Naive Bayes. Dataset bedah toraks memiliki permasalahan imbalance class (ketidakseimbangan kelas) karena nilai false lebih banyak dibandingkan nilai true. Dataset yang tidak seimbang dapat menyebabkan kinerja pada model yang digunakan menurun, sehingga dibutuhkan metode yang dapat menangani permasalahan tersebut. Bagging merupakan metode yang tepat dalam menangani permasalahan imbalance class dan dapat meningkatkan kinerja dari model yang digunakan. Pada penelitian ini menggunakan model Naive Bayes dan Bagging untuk prediksi model bedah toraks.
Analysis of the 1990–2007 neurosurgery residency match: does applicant gender affect neurosurgery match outcome?
Authors: Durham Susan R. , Donaldson Katelyn , Grady M. Sean , Benzil Deborah L.
Published: June 2018

OBJECTIVE

With nearly half of graduating US medical students being female, it is imperative to understand why females typically make up less than 20% of the neurosurgery applicant pool, a number that has changed very slowly over the past several decades. Organized neurosurgery has strongly indicated the desire to overcome the underrepresentation of women, and it is critical to explore whether females are at a disadvantage during the residency application process, one of the first steps in a neurosurgical career. To date, there are no published studies on specific applicant characteristics, including gender, that are associated with match outcome among neurosurgery resident applicants. The purpose of this study is to determine which characteristics of neurosurgery residency applicants, including gender, are associated with a successful match outcome.

METHODS

De-identified neurosurgical resident applicant data obtained from the San Francisco Fellowship and Residency Matching Service for the years 1990–2007 were analyzed. Applicant characteristics including gender, medical school attended, year of application, United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 score, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status, and match outcome were available for study.

RESULTS

Of the total 3426 applicants studied, 473 (13.8%) applicants were female and 2953 (86.2%) were male. Two thousand four hundred forty-eight (71.5%) applicants successfully matched. USMLE Step 1 score was the strongest predictor of match outcome with scores > 245 having an OR of 20.84 (95% CI 10.31–42.12) compared with those scoring < 215. The mean USMLE Step 1 score for applicants who successfully matched was 233.2 and was 210.8 for those applicants who did not match (p < 0.001). Medical school rank was also associated with match outcome (p < 0.001). AOA status was not significantly associated with match outcome. Female gender was associated with significantly lower odds of matching in both simple (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.48–0.72) and multivariate analyses (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34–0.94 CI). USMLE Step 1 scores were significantly lower for females compared to males with a mean score of 230.1 for males and 221.5 for females (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in medical school ranking or AOA status when stratified by applicant gender.

CONCLUSIONS

The limited historical applicant data from 1990–2007 suggests that USMLE Step 1 score is the best predictor of match outcome, although applicant gender may also play a role.
A new model of experimental hemispherotomy in young adult Rattus norvegicus: a neural tract tracing and SPECT in vivo study
Authors: Matias Ivair , Elias-Filho Daoud Hibrahim , Garcia Camila Araújo Bernardino , Silva Guilherme Henrique , Mejia Jorge , Cabral Francisco Romero , Miranda Ana Cláudia Camargo , Gomes da Silva Sérgio , da Silva Lopes Luíza , Coimbra Norberto Cysne , Machado Hélio Rubens
Published: June 2018

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe a new experimental model of hemispherotomy performed on laboratory animals.

METHODS

Twenty-six male young adult Wistar rats were distributed into two groups (surgery and control). The nonfluorescent anterograde neurotracer biotinylated dextran amine (BDA; 10,000 MW) was microinjected into the motor cortex area (M1) according to The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates atlas to identify pathways and fibers disconnected after the experimental hemispherectomy. SPECT tomographic images of 99mTc hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime were obtained to verify perfusion in functioning areas of the disconnected and intact brain. A reproducible and validated surgical procedure is described in detail, including exact measurements and anatomical relationships. An additional 30 rodents (n = 10 rats per group) were divided into naïve, sham, and hemispherotomy groups and underwent the rotarod test.

RESULTS

Cortico-cortical neural pathways were identified crossing the midline and contacting neuronal perikarya in the contralateral brain hemisphere in controls, but not in animals undergoing hemispherotomy. There was an absence of perfusion in the left side of the brain of the animals undergoing hemispherotomy. Motor performance was significantly affected by brain injuries, increasing the number of attempts to maintain balance on the moving cylinder in the rotarod test at 10 and 30 days after the hemispherotomy, with a tendency to minimize the motor performance deficit over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings show that the technique reproduced neural disconnection with minimal resection of brain parenchyma in young adult rats, thereby duplicating the hemispherotomy procedures in human patients.
Endoscopic endonasal resection of epidermoid cysts involving the ventral cranial base
Authors: Forbes Jonathan A. , Banu Matei , Lehner Kurt , Ottenhausen Malte , La Corte Emanuele , Alalade Andrew F. , Ordóñez-Rubiano Edgar G. , Greenfield Jeffrey P. , Anand Vijay K. , Schwartz Theodore H.
Published: June 2018

OBJECTIVE

Epidermoid cysts (ECs) commonly extend to involve the ventral cisterns of the cranial base. When present, symptoms arise due to progressive mass effect on the brainstem and adjacent cranial nerves. Historically, a variety of open microsurgical approaches have been used for resection of ECs in this intricate region. In recent years, the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has been proposed as an alternative corridor that avoids crossing the plane of the cranial nerves. To date, there is a paucity of data in the literature regarding the safety and efficacy of the EEA in the treatment of ECs of the ventral cranial base.

METHODS

The authors reviewed a prospectively acquired database of EEAs for resection of ECs over 8 years at Weill Cornell, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. All procedures were performed by the senior authors. Standardized clinical and radiological parameters were assessed before and after surgery. Statistical tests were used to determine the impact of previous surgery and tumor volume on extent of resection and recurrence as well as the method of closure on rate of CSF leak.

RESULTS

Between January 2009 and February 2017, 7 patients (4 males and 3 females; age range 16–70 years) underwent a total of 8 surgeries for EC resection utilizing the EEA. Transplanum and transclival extensions were performed in 3 and 5 patients, respectively. Methods of closure incorporated a gasket seal in 6 of 8 procedures and a nasoseptal flap in 7 of 8 procedures. Gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved in 43% of patients, and near-total resection (> 95%) was obtained in another 43%. Complications included diabetes insipidus (n = 2), postoperative CSF leak (n = 2), transient third cranial nerve palsy (n = 1), and epistaxis (n = 1). With a mean follow-up of 43.5 months, recurrence has been observed in 2 of 7 patients. In 1 case, reoperation for recurrence was required 71 months following the initial surgery. Use of the gasket-seal technique with nasoseptal flap coverage significantly correlated with the absence of postoperative CSF leakage (p = 0.018). GTR was achieved in 25% of the patients who had prior surgeries and in 50% of patients without previous resections. The mean volume of cysts in which GTR was achieved (4.3 ± 1.8 cm3) was smaller than that in which subtotal or near-total resection was achieved (12.2 ± 11 cm3, p = 0.134).

CONCLUSIONS

The EEA for resection of ECs of the ventral cranial base is a safe and effective operative strategy that avoids crossing the plane of the cranial nerves. In the authors’ experience, gasket-seal closure with nasoseptal flap coverage has been associated with a decreased risk of postoperative CSF leakage.
High-resolution 3D volumetric contrast-enhanced MR angiography with a blood pool agent (ferumoxytol) for diagnostic evaluation of pediatric brain arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Iv Michael , Choudhri Omar , Dodd Robert L. , Vasanawala Shreyas S. , Alley Marcus T. , Moseley Michael , Holdsworth Samantha J. , Grant Gerald , Cheshier Samuel , Yeom Kristen W.
Published: June 2018

OBJECTIVE

Patients with brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) often require repeat imaging with MRI or MR angiography (MRA), CT angiography (CTA), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The ideal imaging modality provides excellent vascular visualization without incurring added risks, such as radiation exposure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of ferumoxytol-enhanced MRA using a high-resolution 3D volumetric sequence (fe-SPGR) for visualizing and grading pediatric brain AVMs in comparison with CTA and DSA, which is the current imaging gold standard.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, 21 patients with AVMs evaluated by fe-SPGR, CTA, and DSA between April 2014 and August 2017 were included. Two experienced raters graded AVMs using Spetzler-Martin criteria on all imaging studies. Lesion conspicuity (LC) and diagnostic confidence (DC) were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, and interrater agreement was determined. The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to assess the raters’ grades and scores of LC and DC, with subsequent post hoc pairwise comparisons to assess for statistically significant differences between pairs of groups at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Assigned Spetzler-Martin grades for AVMs on DSA, fe-SPGR, and CTA were not significantly different (p = 0.991). LC and DC scores were higher with fe-SPGR than with CTA (p < 0.05). A significant difference in LC scores was found between CTA and fe-SPGR (p < 0.001) and CTA and DSA (p < 0.001) but not between fe-SPGR and DSA (p = 0.146). A significant difference in DC scores was found among DSA, fe-SPGR, and CTA (p < 0.001) and between all pairs of the groups (p < 0.05). Interrater agreement was good to very good for all image groups (κ = 0.77–1.0, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Fe-SPGR performed robustly in the diagnostic evaluation of brain AVMs, with improved visual depiction of AVMs compared with CTA and comparable Spetzler-Martin grading relative to CTA and DSA.
Parasitic rachipagus conjoined twin: case report
Authors: Khavanin Nima , Ruge John R. , Vicari Frank A. , Belin Eric J. , Kellogg Robert G. , Steinberg Jordan P.
Published: June 2018

A parasitic twin represents a rare developmental anomaly in which an asymmetrical, nonviable conjoined twin is attached to the host body at the time of birth. Rachipagus is among the rarest of conjoined twin subtypes and typically features a parasitic twin mass attached at the spine. Herein, the authors review the literature and describe the case of a 9-month-old girl presenting with a rachipagus parasitic twin consisting of a fully developed set of lower extremities originating from the midline upper back. After a complete workup to delineate parasite and autosite anatomy, the parasitic twin mass was successfully excised by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, and the resulting defect was closed in a single stage.
Moments of 2D parabolic Anderson model
Authors: Gu Yu , Xu Weijun
Published: June 2018

In this note, we use the Feynman–Kac formula to derive a moment representation for the 2D parabolic Anderson model in small time, which is related to the intersection local time of planar Brownian motions.
On the asymptotic behaviour of the pure Neumann problem in cylinder-like domains and its applications
Authors: Chipot Michel , Zube Stephanie
Published: June 2018

We consider in this paper the pure Neumann problem in n-dimensional cylinder-like domains. We are interested in the asymptotic behaviour of the solution of this kind of problems when the domain becomes infinite in p-directions, [Formula: see text]. We show that this solution converges exponentially to the solution of a Neumann problem in the corresponding unbounded domain. We distinguish between the case [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] the latter requiring a more involved analysis. For [Formula: see text] we consider also the special situation when the domain and the initial data are periodic.
T-cell infiltration into the perilesional cortex is long-lasting and associates with poor somatomotor recovery after experimental traumatic brain injury
Authors: Ndode-Ekane Xavier Ekolle , Matthiesen Liz , Bañuelos-Cabrera Ivette , Palminha Cátia Alexandra Pêgas , Pitkänen Asla
Published: June 2018

Background:

T-lymphocyte (T-cell) invasion into the brain parenchyma is a major consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the role of T-cells in the post-TBI functional outcome and secondary inflammatory processes is unknown. We explored the dynamics of T-cell infiltration into the cortex after TBI to establish whether the infiltration relates to post-injury functional impairment/recovery and progression of the secondary injury.

Method:

TBI was induced in rats by lateral fluid-percussion injury, and the acute functional impairment was assessed using the neuroscore. Animals were killed between 1–90 d post-TBI for immunohistochemical analysis of T-cell infiltration (CD3), chronic macrophage/microglial reaction (CD68), blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction (IgG), and endophenotype of the cortical injury. Furthermore, the occurrence of spontaneous seizures and spike-and-wave discharges were assessed using video-electroencephalography.

Results:

The number of T-cells peaked at 2-d post-TBI, and then dramatically decreased by 7-d post-TBI (5% of 2-d value). Unexpectedly, chronic T-cell infiltration at 1 or 3 months post-TBI did not correlate with the severity of chronic inflammation ( p > 0.05) or BBB dysfunction ( p > 0.05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that inflammation and BBB dysfunction is associated with 48% of the perilesional T-cell infiltration even at the chronic time-point ( r = 0.695, F = 6.54, p < 0.05). The magnitude of T-cell infiltration did not predict the pathologic endophenotype of cortical injury, but the higher the number of T-cells in the cortex, the poorer the recovery index based on the neuroscore ( r = – 0.538, p < 0.05). T-cell infiltration was not associated with the number or duration of age-related spike-and-wave discharges (SWD). Nevertheless, the higher the number of SWD, the poorer the recovery index ( r = – 0.767, p < 0.5).

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that acute infiltration of T-cells into the brain parenchyma after TBI is a contributing factor to poor post-injury recovery.
Introduction: Enlightenment and Empire
Authors: Macinnes Allan I. , Dunyach Jean-François
Published: June 2018

The Enlightenment is here located in the global transmission of goods, people and ideas. The Scottish participation in Empires is explored through four distinctive themes. The first scrutinises how Whig and Jacobite perspectives on Enlightenment affected Scottish engagement with the British and other Empires. The second relates to the impact of Enlightenment thinking on the reputed decline of Spanish Empire on Scottish commercial access to Latin America. The third deals with enlightened critiques of Empire that were not necessarily sustained by observation and practical experience. The fourth explores through case studies the application of Enlightenment in North America and India.

Most of the contributions were primarily given as papers to the Eighteenth Century Scottish Studies Society Conference held in Paris Sorbonne in July 2013 with the Adam Smith Society and the Centre Roland Mousnier (Sorbonne) on ‘Scotland, Europe and Empire in the Age of Adam Smith and Beyond’. This volume is published with the financial support of the Centre Roland Mousnier, Sorbonne University.
William Robertson on Natural Resources and Cultural Contacts in Colonial America
Authors: Wolloch Nathaniel
Published: June 2018

Key to the Scottish conception of historical progress was the famous four-stages theory, claiming that all societies, given the proper natural surroundings, would progress from a hunting stage, to a shepherding (pastoral), agricultural, and finally the commercial stage found in modern advanced societies. Scholars have long recognized that each stage was characterized by the development of new modes of acquiring subsistence. What has not been sufficiently emphasized, however, is that stadial theory entailed growing sophistication in utilizing natural resources, thus enhancing the Enlightenment's emphasis on the mastery of nature. The purpose of the present paper is not to revisit these well-studied aspects of Scottish Enlightenment thought, but rather to investigate their intersection. Scholars to date have devoted little attention to how these two topics were often mutually at play in discussions of the progress, or lack thereof, of non-Europeans. This was particularly evident in the thought of Robertson, and to a certain extent also Smith.
‘Sick Nature Blasting’: The Ecological Limits of British Imperialism in Thomson's The Seasons
Authors: Van Renen Denys
Published: June 2018

This article argues that James Thomson depicts the 2nd duke of Argyll's methods as a counterpart to Britain's rapacious imperial ventures as epitomized by Edward Vernon. It supplements scholars' efforts to reassess Thomson's treatment of Scotland and its cultural practices. Argyll's many affiliations with the region authorize his rule; his sensitivity to his surroundings influences traditional pursuits – agricultural labour, for example – industry, and wider enterprises that reverberate across Scotland and the globe. This article considers the ways in which Thomson moderates his tribute to Britain as a benevolent colonial power. The article examines: the interplay between robust British commerce and the preservation of healthy ecologies; Thomson's poem The Castle of Indolence to analyze the responsibilities of the georgic poet; and the anxieties and responsibilities that attend supplementing and even replacing the energy of the sun.
Negotiation and Officialisation
Authors: Milana Marcella , Rasmussen Palle
Published: June 2018

In this article we examine and contrast how the work of commissions and task forces, assembled to negotiate consensus on important policy issues, contributed to reforms affecting adult education in Italy and Denmark over the period 2000-2016. First, we conceptualise the work of commissions and task forces as a key, yet underexplored, element in national policy reforms, then outline the methodology employed. Following is our comparative analysis. Our discussion highlights that commissions and task forces have been an important element in both countries, and at least three dimensions help explain their country-specific functions: 1) the type of the national political system; 2) its ideological strength over time; and, 3) the nature of its relation to the European Union (EU). We suggest that these dimensions should be adequately considered in further studies.
Ion Transport in Solvent-Free, Crosslinked, Single-Ion Conducting Polymer Electrolytes for Post-Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Elmore Clay T. , Seidler Morgan E. , Ford Hunter O. , Merrill Laura C. , Upadhyay Sunil P. , Schneider William F. , Schaefer Jennifer L.
Published: June 2018

Solvent-free, single-ion conducting electrolytes are sought after for use in electrochemical energy storage devices. Here, we investigate the ionic conductivity and how this property is influenced by segmental mobility and conducting ion number in crosslinked single-ion conducting polyether-based electrolytes with varying tethered anion and counter-cation types. Crosslinked electrolytes are prepared by the polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate, and ionic monomers. The ionic conductivity of the electrolytes is measured and interpreted in the context of differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy measurements. A lithiated crosslinked electrolyte prepared with PEG31DA and (4-styrenesulfonyl)(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (STFSI) monomers is found to have a lithium ion conductivity of 3.2 × 10−6 and 1.8 × 10−5 S/cm at 55 and 100 °C, respectively. The percentage of unpaired anions for this electrolyte was estimated at about 23% via Raman spectroscopy. Despite the large variances in metal cation–STFSI binding energies as predicted via density functional theory (DFT) and large variations in ionic conductivity, STFSI-based crosslinked electrolytes with the same charge density and varying cations (Li, Na, K, Mg, and Ca) were estimated to all have unpaired anion populations in the range of 19 to 29%.
A Facile Method Using a Flux to Improve Quantum Efficiency of Submicron Particle Sized Phosphors for Solid-State Lighting Applications
Authors: Ha Jungmin , Novitskaya Ekaterina , Hirata Gustavo , Zhou Chenhui , Ridley Robyn , Graeve Olivia , McKittrick Joanna
Published: June 2018

This work successfully verified that the addition of a flux (NH4F, NH4Cl, and H3BO3) during synthesis has an impact on the crystallite size and quantum efficiency of submicron-sized particles of CaMgSi2O6:Eu2+ phosphors. The addition of NH4F or NH4Cl increased the crystallite size in the submicron-sized particles, yielding an increase in emission intensity and quantum efficiency. On the other hand, the use of the H3BO3 flux crystallized a secondary phase, SiO2, and changed the lattice parameters, which degraded the luminescent properties. In addition, an excessive amount of NH4Cl was examined, resulting in nucleation of a secondary phase, CaSiO3, which changed the lattice parameters with no improvement in luminescent properties. These results demonstrate that the addition of a flux could be a method to improve the quantum efficiency of submicron-sized particles composed of nanocrystallites; however, a judicious choice of the flux composition and amount has to be carefully considered.
Multifractal Analysis of High-Frequency Temperature Time Series in the Urban Environment
Authors: Karatasou Stavroula , Santamouris Mat
Published: June 2018

Continuous monitoring systems have been regarded as a very useful tool to provide continuous high-frequency measurements of many parameters. Here, we analyze high-frequency time series of air temperature measurements, recorded every 10 min during 2003 in Athens (Greece) by an online monitoring system for the urban environment. We propose a set of time series analysis techniques, where missing data are well respected and information concerning the system’s dynamics is preserved. A power spectral density analysis is performed over time scales spanning from 10 min to several days. A scale-invariant behavior of the form E ( f ) ≈ f − β is revealed for scales below 9 h. Over this scaling range, we have performed structure functions analysis, and shown that air temperature data exhibit turbulent-like intermittent properties with multi-fractal statistics. The multifractal exponents obtained possess some similarities with passive scalar turbulence results. Although we illustrate the proposed approach using air temperature data, the method can be used as an efficient tool to analyse other environmental parameters monitored in urban environment.
A Novel Image Encryption Scheme Based on Self-Synchronous Chaotic Stream Cipher and Wavelet Transform
Authors: Fan Chunlei , Ding Qun
Published: June 2018

In this paper, a novel image encryption scheme is proposed for the secure transmission of image data. A self-synchronous chaotic stream cipher is designed with the purpose of resisting active attack and ensures the limited error propagation of image data. Two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform and Arnold mapping are used to scramble the pixel value of the original image. A four-dimensional hyperchaotic system with four positive Lyapunov exponents serve as the chaotic sequence generator of the self-synchronous stream cipher in order to enhance the security and complexity of the image encryption system. Finally, the simulation experiment results show that this image encryption scheme is both reliable and secure.
Myths of Priority and Unity in Mathematics Learning
Authors: Goldenberg E. Paul , Carter Cynthia J.
Published: June 2018

How people see the world, even how they research it, is influenced by beliefs. Some beliefs are conscious and the result of research, or at least amenable to research. Others are largely invisible. They may feel like “common knowledge” (though myth, not knowledge), unrecognized premises that are part of the surrounding culture. As we will explain, people also hold ideas in both a detailed form and in a thumbnail image and may not notice when they are using the low-resolution image in place of the full picture. In either case, unrecognized myths about how young learners develop mathematical ideas naturally or with instruction are insidious in that they persist unconsciously and so sway research and practice without being examined rigorously. People are naturally oblivious to the ramifications of unrecognized premises (myths) until they encounter an anomaly that cannot be explained without reexamining those premises. Like all disciplines, mathematics education is shaped and constrained by its myths. This article is a conceptual piece. It uses informally gathered (but reproducible) classroom examples to elaborate on two myths about mathematics learning that can interfere with teaching and can escape the scrutiny of empirical research. Our goal is to give evidence to expand the questions researchers think to pose and to encourage thoughtful reappraisal of the implications of the myths. The myths we will discuss involve the order in which mathematical ideas are learnable and the “unity” of mathematical topics, with special attention to algebra. With examples, we will show that some ideas develop at a strikingly counterintuitive and early time. Taking advantage of such unexpectedly early developments can let educators devise pedagogies that build on the logic young children already have rather than predicating learning on statistically observed learning patterns or even the apparent structure of mathematics. Acknowledging such early developments might change the questions researchers ask and change how they study children’s mathematical learning, with the possible result of changing how children are taught.
Computational Intelligence Techniques Applied to the Day Ahead PV Output Power Forecast: PHANN, SNO and Mixed
Authors: Ogliari Emanuele , Niccolai Alessandro , Leva Sonia , Zich Riccardo E.
Published: June 2018

An accurate forecast of the exploitable energy from Renewable Energy Sources is extremely important for the stability issues of the electric grid and the reliability of the bidding markets. This paper presents a comparison among different forecasting methods of the photovoltaic output power introducing a new method that mixes some peculiarities of the others: the Physical Hybrid Artificial Neural Network and the five parameters model estimated by the Social Network Optimization. In particular, the day-ahead forecasts evaluated against real data measured for two years in an existing photovoltaic plant located in Milan, Italy, are compared by means both new and the most common error indicators. Results reported in this work show the best forecasting capability of the new “mixed method” which scored the best forecast skill and Enveloped Mean Absolute Error on a yearly basis (47% and 24.67%, respectively).
Preventive Security-Constrained DCOPF Formulation Using Power Transmission Distribution Factors and Line Outage Distribution Factors
Authors: Hinojosa Victor H. , Gonzalez-Longatt Francisco
Published: June 2018

This study proposes a very effective formulation to carry out the security-constrained direct current (DC)-based optimal power flow (OPF) problem using two linear factors: (i) the power transmission distribution factors (PTDF) and (ii) the line outage distribution factors (LODF). The security-constrained (SC) DCOPF problem has been reformulated using these linear distribution factors, and mainly the pre- and post-contingency constraints have been added into the optimization problem based on the active power unit generation (decision variables). The main advantage of this formulation is the reduction of decision variables as well as equality and inequality constraints. To validate the introduced formulation, several experiments have been conducted using MatPower, DIgSILENT Power Factory and Gurobi. Simulation results demonstrate both the feasibility to carry out the SCOPF problem and the potential applicability of the proposed formulation to medium and large-scale power systems.
Energy Optimization Strategies for Eco-Friendly Cellular Base Stations
Authors: Alsharif Mohammed H. , Kim Jeong , Kim Jin Hong
Published: June 2018

This study focuses on the economic and environmental impacts of the deployment of cellular base stations (BSs) in remote/rural areas of South Korea. The optimal system, energy production, and operational costs of various renewable energy systems (RESs), such as solar power systems and hybrid solar power/wind power systems, in supplying third-generation cellular BSs with their required energy are discussed in this paper. To highlight the economic feasibility of the proposed RESs, a comparison between their economic feasibilities is presented. In addition, a comparison between the economic feasibilities of the proposed RESs and the classic energy solution of using a diesel generator (DG) is provided. Results show that the total operating expenses that can be saved can reach up to 56.13% if DG is replaced with the hybrid solar power/wind power system. Moreover, the operating expense savings are increased to 56.99% when a stand-alone solar power system is used. These results can be considered a valuable reference for mobile operators to show that shifting toward renewable energy technology is an attractive option.
Genetic Diversity in the UV Sex Chromosomes of the Brown Alga Ectocarpus
Authors: Avia Komlan , Lipinska Agnieszka P. , Mignerot Laure , Montecinos Alejandro E. , Jamy Mahwash , Ahmed Sophia , Valero Myriam , Peters Akira F. , Cock J. Mark , Roze Denis , Coelho Susana M.
Published: June 2018

Three types of sex chromosome system exist in nature: diploid XY and ZW systems and haploid UV systems. For many years, research has focused exclusively on XY and ZW systems, leaving UV chromosomes and haploid sex determination largely neglected. Here, we perform a detailed analysis of DNA sequence neutral diversity levels across the U and V sex chromosomes of the model brown alga Ectocarpus using a large population dataset. We show that the U and V non-recombining regions of the sex chromosomes (SDR) exhibit about half as much neutral diversity as the autosomes. This difference is consistent with the reduced effective population size of these regions compared with the rest of the genome, suggesting that the influence of additional factors such as background selection or selective sweeps is minimal. The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of this UV system, in contrast, exhibited surprisingly high neutral diversity and there were several indications that genes in this region may be under balancing selection. The PAR of Ectocarpus is known to exhibit unusual genomic features and our results lay the foundation for further work aimed at understanding whether, and to what extent, these structural features underlie the high level of genetic diversity. Overall, this study fills a gap between available information on genetic diversity in XY/ZW systems and UV systems and significantly contributes to advancing our knowledge of the evolution of UV sex chromosomes.
Do Big Four Auditors Always Provide Higher Audit Quality? Evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Abid Ammar , Shaique Muhammad , Anwar ul Haq Muhammad
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of external auditors in potentially approving or limiting a firm’s earnings management practices in institutional settings which do not provide incentives for auditors to deliver high audit quality. We use signed discretionary and performance-adjusted discretionary accruals as proxies for earnings management, and audit firm size (Big 4 vs. Non-Big 4) and audit opinion type (Qualified vs. Unqualified) as measures for audit quality. Using a sample of 183 firms listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange, Pakistan for the five-year period from 2009 to 2013, we find that there is statistically no significant difference between earnings management activities of firms audited by Big 4 and non-Big 4 auditors. Audit opinion is not being issued in response to the earnings management activities being employed by firms. Further consistent with the entrenchment hypothesis, we find that earnings management is pervasive in family controlled firms and Big 4 auditors do not moderate the relation between family firm dominance and earnings management. A small audit market coupled with non-existent litigation risk, strong economic bonding of auditors with their clients, lower investor protection, poor enforcement mechanisms and dominance of firms by influential family groups lead auditors to behave opportunistically, which undermines their independence and objectivity.
Target Tracking Algorithm Based on an Adaptive Feature and Particle Filter
Authors: Lin Yanming , Huang Detian , Huang Weiqin
Published: June 2018

To boost the robustness of the traditional particle-filter-based tracking algorithm under complex scenes and to tackle the drift problem that is caused by the fast moving target, an improved particle-filter-based tracking algorithm is proposed. Firstly, all of the particles are divided into two parts and put separately. The number of particles that are put for the first time is large enough to ensure that the number of the particles that can cover the target is as many as possible, and then the second part of the particles are put at the location of the particle with the highest similarity to the template in the particles that are first put, to improve the tracking accuracy. Secondly, in order to obtain a sparser solution, a novel minimization model for an Lp tracker is proposed. Finally, an adaptive multi-feature fusion strategy is proposed, to deal with more complex scenes. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can not only improve the tracking robustness, but can also enhance the tracking accuracy in the case of complex scenes. In addition, our tracker can get better accuracy and robustness than several state-of-the-art trackers.
Frequent Insect Visitors Are Not Always Pollen Carriers in Hybrid Carrot Pollination
Authors: Gaffney Ann , Bohman Björn , Quarrell Stephen R. , Brown Philip H. , Allen Geoff R.
Published: June 2018

Insect crop visitations do not necessarily translate to carriage or transfer of pollen. To evaluate the potential of the various insects visiting hybrid carrot flowers to facilitate pollen transfer, this study examines insect visitation rates to hybrid carrot seed crops in relation to weather, time of day and season, pollen carrying capacity, inter-row movement, and visitation frequency to male-fertile and male-sterile umbels. The highest pollen loads were carried by nectar scarabs, honey bees, and the hover fly Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus). Honey bees and muscoid flies were observed to forage mostly within the male fertile carrot row while nectar scarabs and E. tenax foraged across rows, carrying equal pollen loads regardless of their distance from the pollen source. All observed insect taxa were more frequently seen visiting male-fertile than male-sterile umbels. In contrast to other visiting insects, honey bees were abundant and frequent visitors and were observed carrying high pollen loads. Consequently, we suggest both optimizing honey bee management and improving the attraction of carrot lines to honey bees to improve pollination rates for hybrid carrot seed crops.
Expression of Resistance in Amaranthus spp. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae): Effects of Selected Accessions on the Behaviour and Biology of the Amaranth Leaf-Webber, Spoladea recurvalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Authors: Othim Stephen T. O. , Ramasamy Srinivasan , Kahuthia-Gathu Ruth , Dubois Thomas , Ekesi Sunday , Fiaboe Komi K. M.
Published: June 2018

Spoladea recurvalis F. is a major pest moth of amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) flowers worldwide, with a potential of causing complete foliage loss under severe outbreaks. Chemical insecticides are uneconomical for resource-poor farmers and pose health and environmental risks. Host plant resistance (HPR) to insects is an effective, economical and environmentally friendly alternative that is poorly understood and largely unexploited among traditional leafy vegetables. A total of 35 amaranth accessions were evaluated for the expression of their antixenotic and antibiotic traits against S. recurvalis, focusing on their effects on the biology of the pest in comparison with a susceptible accession. The accession VI036227 was found to be highly resistant against the pest, exhibiting exemplary antibiosis by causing 100% larval mortality within the first 36 h, despite not being deterrent for oviposition. The accessions VI048076, VI056563 and VI047555-B demonstrated moderate resistance against the pest for specific parameters including low oviposition, moderate early stage larval mortality and reduced adult longevity. Total mortality and weight gain in these three accessions were, however, not significantly different from the susceptible control. Higher numbers of eggs were laid in no-choice compared to choice situations. The implications of these findings in the management of S. recurvalis on amaranths are discussed.
Why Current Statistics of Complementary Alternative Medicine Clinical Trials is Invalid
Authors: Pandolfi Maurizio , Carreras Giulia
Published: June 2018

It is not sufficiently known that frequentist statistics cannot provide direct information on the probability that the research hypothesis tested is correct. The error resulting from this misunderstanding is compounded when the hypotheses under scrutiny have precarious scientific bases, which, generally, those of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) are. In such cases, it is mandatory to use inferential statistics, considering the prior probability that the hypothesis tested is true, such as the Bayesian statistics. The authors show that, under such circumstances, no real statistical significance can be achieved in CAM clinical trials. In this respect, CAM trials involving human material are also hardly defensible from an ethical viewpoint.
RETRACTED: Azuma et al. Chitin, Chitosan, and Its Derivatives for Wound Healing: Old and New Materials. J. Funct. Biomater. 2015, 6, 104–142
Authors: Azuma Kazuo , Izumi Ryotaro , Osaki Tomohiro , Ifuku Shinsuke , Morimoto Minoru , Saimoto Hiroyuki , Minami Saburo , Okamoto Yoshiharu ,   Journal of Functional Biomaterials Editorial Office
Published: June 2018

The Journal of Functional Biomaterials Editorial Office have been made aware that some parts of the article [1] are duplicated from other publications[...]
Deep Learning with a Spatiotemporal Descriptor of Appearance and Motion Estimation for Video Anomaly Detection
Authors: Gunale Kishanprasad G. , Mukherji Prachi
Published: June 2018

The automatic detection and recognition of anomalous events in crowded and complex scenes on video are the research objectives of this paper. The main challenge in this system is to create models for detecting such events due to their changeability and the territory of the context of the scenes. Due to these challenges, this paper proposed a novel HOME FAST (Histogram of Orientation, Magnitude, and Entropy with Fast Accelerated Segment Test) spatiotemporal feature extraction approach based on optical flow information to capture anomalies. This descriptor performs the video analysis within the smart surveillance domain and detects anomalies. In deep learning, the training step learns all the normal patterns from the high-level and low-level information. The events are described in testing and, if they differ from the normal pattern, are considered as anomalous. The overall proposed system robustly identifies both local and global abnormal events from complex scenes and solves the problem of detection under various transformations with respect to the state-of-the-art approaches. The performance assessment of the simulation outcome validated that the projected model could handle different anomalous events in a crowded scene and automatically recognize anomalous events with success.
When Irrational Biases Are Smart: A Fuzzy-Trace Theory of Complex Decision Making
Authors: Reyna Valerie
Published: June 2018

I take a decision-making approach to consider ways of addressing the “unresolved and dramatic problems in the world”. Traditional approaches to good decision-making are reviewed. These approaches reduce complex decisions to tradeoffs between magnitudes of probabilities, and outcomes in which the quantity and precision of information are key to making good decisions. I discuss a contrasting framework, called “fuzzy-trace theory”, which emphasizes understanding the simple gist of options and applying core social and moral values. Importantly, the tendency to rely on meaningful but simple gist increases from childhood to adulthood (or, in adulthood, as people gain experience in a domain), so that specific irrational biases grow with knowledge and experience. As predicted theoretically, these violations of rationality in the traditional sense are associated empirically with healthier and more adaptive outcomes. Thus, interventions that help decision makers understand the essential gist of their options and how it connects to core values are practical approaches to reducing “unresolved and dramatic problems in the world” one decision at a time.
Correction: Deuchar, M.; Stammers, J.R. English-Origin Verbs in Welsh: Adjudicating between Two Theoretical Approaches. Languages 2016, 1, 7
Authors: Deuchar Margaret , Stammers Jonathan R.
Published: June 2018

n/a