bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ANALYSIS OF ONLINE MODELS IN THE INDEPENDENT CAMPUS
Authors: Mulyanto Agus Iwan
Published: July 2020

Rapid response When the Minister of Education and Culture issued Circular Letter No. 3 of 2020 concerning the Prevention of Covid-19 must be taken to take effective prevention and mitigation measures for the outbreak that has now become a global pandemic. This article analyzes the implementation of online learning in the era of independent learning and independent campus under COVID-19 conditions. With library research methods that refer to resources available online, this article presents a perspective of service activist learning about strategies to deal with conditions that are difficult to predict. From the results of theoretical analysis, there is no uniformity of understanding of information about the characteristics of the plague in the government as a regulator, discussing the understanding of the main definitions related to the problem of online learning with the perspective of independent learning and independent campuses. The choice that most allows lecturers in 'free teaching' so that they focus more on efforts to transfer knowledge and skills to students. The policy can also encourage students to be more innovative and creative in learning (student-centered learning) is online. The physical encounter will not be abandoned even though advances in virtual and digital technology have thickened. Although the COVID-19 outbreak will last a long time, there is no harm in having to think about patterns and methods of physical and social learning that are safe for everyone. The development of communication and digital technology has a significant role that can be utilized as widely as possible by academia to look brighter future.
PENGARUH PELAYANAN ADMINISTRASI AKADEMIK DAN IKLIM ORGANISASI TERHADAP KEPUASAN MAHASISWA FAKULTAS ILMU KESEHATAN UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH TANGERANG
Authors: Panggabean Swandi , Kamil Mustofa , Mulyadi Edi
Published: July 2020

The title of this Research is the Influence of Academic and Clinical Administration Service of the Organization to the Student Satisfaction of Faculty of Health Sciences at Muhammadiyah University of Tangerang. This research was conducted at the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Muhammadiyah with the object of the researchers are all students of the Faculty of Health Sciences Muhammadiyah University of Tangerang. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of Academic and Clinical Administrative Services on Student Satisfaction Faculty of Health Sciences Muhammadiyah University of Tangerang. Research is a quantitative study using the method of causal survey, this method uses path analysis (goal analysis) whose purpose is to determine the effect of service Academic administration, and organizational climate with student satisfaction of Faculty of Health Sciences UMT. In order to answer the above problem formulation, this study was conducted with the total population of 528 students, samples taken as many as 228 students by distributing questionnaires to respondents. From the results of research conducted showed that there is a significant influence between academic administration services with student satisfaction with coefficient value 0.801, and there is significant influence between organizational climate to student satisfaction with coefficient value 0.733; And there is a simultaneous influence between academic administration services and organizational climate on student satisfaction.Keywords: Academic administration services, organizational climate, student satisfaction.
PENGARUH BUDAYA KERJA DAN DISIPLIN KERJA TERHADAP KINERJA APARATUR SIPIL NEGARA PADA BIRO ADMINISTRASI RUMAH TANGGA PIMPINAN SEKRETARIAT DAERAH PROVINSI BANTEN
Authors: Widyawati Ferlita , Mulyadi Edy , Tumanggung Anen
Published: July 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh Budaya Kerja dan Disiplin Kerja terhadap KinerjaAparatur Sipil Negara di Biro Administrasi Rumah Tangga Pimpinan Sekretariat Daerah Provinsi Banten.Metode pendekatan penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu metode korelasi untuk melihatseberapa besar pengaruh variabel bebas dan variabel terikat. Populasi penelitian ini adalah seluruh pegawai diBiro Administrasi Rumah Tangga Pimpinan Sekretariat Daerah Provinsi Banten sebanyak 58 orang. Penentuansampel dengan menggunakan total teknik sampling, sehingga jumlah sampel dalam penelitian ini sebanyak 58orang. Setiap responden diberikan sebanyak 39 pertanyaan dengan menggunakan angket skala likert. Data dianalisis dengan menggunakan analisis jalur (Path Analysisi). Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalahstudi pustaka, observasi dan angket. Pengolahan data dibantu dengan program SPSS for Windows versi 17. Darihasil pengolahan data diketahui bahwa budaya kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja aparatursipil negara dimana pengaruh langsung dari budaya kerja terhadap terhadap kinerja aparatur sipil negara adalah22,4 % sedangkan pengaruh tidak langsungnya adalah 25,8 % dengan besarnya pengaruh total adalah 48,2 %.Ditemukan pula bahwa disiplin kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja aparatur sipil negaradimana pengaruh langsung dari budaya kerja terhadap terhadap kinerja aparatur sipil negara adalah 3,3 %sedangkan pengaruh tidak langsungnya adalah 25,8 % dengan besarnya pengaruh total adalah 29,1 %. Budayakerja dan disiplin kerja secara bersama-sama berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja aparatur sipilnegara dimana pengaruh langsung dari budaya kerja terhadap terhadap kinerja aparatur sipil negara adalah 48,2% sedangkan pengaruh tidak langsungnya adalah 29,1 % dengan besarnya pengaruh total adalah 77,3 %. Hasilpenelitian menunjukkan bahwa ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan dari Budaya Kerja dan Disiplin Kerja baiksecara parsial maupun simultan terhadap Kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara.Kata Kunci: Budaya Kerja, Disiplin Kerja dan Kinerja
Manfaat Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Bagi Pasien Dengan Gangguan Kecemasan
Authors: Lataima Nurmawati S , Kurniawati Ninuk Dian , Astuti Puji
Published: July 2020

Background: Psychological problems such as anxiety are one of the most common problems in the world. Handling for this anxiety problem is not adequate and requires a lot of money. Psychological intervention is needed to help patients overcome the anxiety they experience. Objective: To outline some of the benefits of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) intervention that can help patients reduce anxiety Method: The database used in this study was Scopus, Google Schoolar and Pubmed was limited to the last 5 years from 2015 to 2020, full text article in English. The keywords used were "Emotional Freedom Technique", "OR", "AND", "Anxiety", "AND", "Tapping". This systematic review used 11 articles that fit the inclusion criteria. Result: The EFT intervention was an easy, inexpensive and effective intervention. The benefits of the EFT intervention were reduce depression, anxiety, stress, increase immunological levels, reduce levels of cortisol in the blood and improve quality of life. Conclusion: EFT intervention has many benefits in helping patients who experience various psychological illnesses. Suggestion: EFT can be applied in health services or applied independently.

Keywords: Emotional Freedom Technique; anxiety; tapping

ABSTRAK

Latar belakang: Masalah psikologi seperti kecemasan menjadi salah satu masalah yang paling umum di dunia. Penanganan untuk masalah kecemasan ini belum mamadai dan memerlukan biaya yang tidak sedikit. Intervensi psikologi sangat dibutuhkan untuk membantu pasien mengatasi kecemasan yang dialami. Tujuan: Untuk menguraikan beberapa manfaat intervensi EFT yang dapat membantu pasien dalam mengurangi kecemasan. Metode: Database yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Scopus, Google Schoolar dan Pubmed terbatas 5 tahun terakhir dari 2015 hingga 2020, full text article dengan berbahasa Inggris. Kata kunci yang digunakan adalah “Emotional Freedom Technique”, ”OR”, “AND”, “ Anxiety”, “AND”, “Tapping”. Systematic review ini menggunakan 11 artikel yang sesuai dengan kriteria inklusi. Hasil: EFT merupakan intervensi yang mudah, murah dan efektif. Manfaat intervensi EFT yaitu dapat menurunkan depresi, kecemasan, stress, meningkatkan kadar imunologi, menurunkan kadar kortisol dalam darah dan meningkatkan kualitas hidup. Simpulan: EFT memiliki banyak manfaat dalam membantu pasien yang mengalami berbagai penyakit psikologi. Saran: EFT dapat diterapkan dalam pelayanan kesehatan maupun diterapkan secara mandiri.

Kata kunci: Emotional Freedom Technique; anxiety; tapping
Faktor-Faktor yang Berhubungan dengan Manajemen Pengasuhan Anak dalam Pencegahan Kecanduan Smartphone di Kabupaten Jember
Authors: Lestari Dwi Indah , Devy Shrimarti Rukmini , Endang N Hanik
Published: July 2020

The increase in childhood mobile devices has increased dramatically in various countries over the past few decade. The involvement of parents in educating children is very important, so that the ability to provide appropriate parenting is needed in reducing children to use smartphones in their daily live. Factors related to childcare management in smartphone addiction in Jember district. This study used a cross sectional design. The sample in this study was 300 parents who have school-school children in Jember Regency. The sampling technique in this study was random sampling. The results of the analysis have a communication relationship (p=0.016), goals in parenting (p=0.025), discipline in conducting care (p=0.029), listen mindfully (p=0.031), self-acceptance and non-judgmental (p=0.011), by managing childcare in preventing smartphone addiction. Recommendations from this study for parents increase parental care regarding smartphone use so that the expected parenting will be able to provide limits on the use of smartphone to school children.

Keywords: smartphone; parents; parenting

ABSTRAK

Peningkatan perangkat seluler masa anak-anak telah meningkat secara drastis di berbagai negara selama beberapa dekade ini Keterlibatan orangtua dalam mendidik anak sangat penting, sehingga kemampuan dalam memberikan pola asuh yang sesuai sangat dibutuhkan dalam mengurangi anak dalam penggunaan smartphone dalam kehidupan sehari hari. Faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan manajemen pengasuhan anak dalam pencegahan kecanduan smartphone di Kabupaten Jember. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan cross-sectional. Sampel pada penelitian ini 300 orang tua yang memiliki anak usia sekolah di Kabupaten Jember. Teknik sampling pada penelitian ini random sampling. Hasil analisis ada hubungan komunikasi (p-0,016), tujuan dalam pengasuhan (p-0,025), disiplin dalam melakukan pengasuhan (p-0,029), mendengarkan dengan penuh kesadaran (p-0,031), penerimaan diri dan tidak menghakimi (p-0,011) dengan menajemen pengasuhan anak dalam mpencegahan kecanduan smartphone. Rekomendasi dari penelitian ini bagi orang tua meningkatkan pengasuhan orang tua terkait penggunaan smartphone sehingga pola asuh yang di harapkan akan mampu memberikan batasan pada penggunaan smrtphone pada anak usia sekolah.

Kata kunci: smartphone; orang tua; pengasuhan
Development of a Piezoelectric Actuator for Separation and Purification of Biological Microparticles
Authors: Ostasevicius Vytautas , Jurenas Vytautas , Gaidys Rimvydas , Golinka Ievgeniia , Kizauskiene Laura , Mikuckyte Sandra
Published: July 2020

The technique of a larger volume of microparticle continuous separation in the acoustic field is proposed in this paper. This technique has got considerable potential with regard to the development of technologies for the portable, low-cost and non-biodegradable procedures of energy-efficient separation/purification of microparticles in biological suspension. Using a disk-shaped piezo transducer-bimorph (DSPTB) mounted on the bottom of a plastic conical fluid container (CFC), the acoustic waves (AWs) in the fluid and the eigenmodes of the CFC were excited. The AWs, induced by piezo transducer in the CFC, pushed the suspension with the microparticles upwards, which accumulated in the nodal zones of the resonating CFC walls by purifying the suspension that accumulates in the anti-nodal zones. The outlets distributed in the nodal and anti-nodal zones of the conical fluid container walls resonating on the fourth eigenmode allowed the collection of enriched or purified from microparticles suspension.
Phosphorus and Zinc Fertilization Improve Productivity and Profitability of Rice Cultivars under Rice-Wheat System
Authors: Amanullah  , Inamullah  , Alkahtani Jawaher , Elshikh Mohamed Soliman , Alwahibi Mona S. , Muhammad Asim , Imran  , Khalid Shah
Published: July 2020

Continuous cropping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) deplete soil fertility, reduced crop productivity, and grower’s income. Phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are considered important nutritional constraints under rice-wheat cropping system. One strategy to increase crop productivity and grower’s income under the rice-wheat system is the balanced application of P and Zn fertilizers. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of sole and various combinations of P (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1) and Zn levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 kg ha−1) on productivity (grain yield and yield components) and profitability (net returns) of different rice genotypes (cultivars) (fine (cv.Bamati-385) vs. coarse (cv. Fakhre-e-Malakand and cv. Pukhraj)) and their residual effect on the income of the succeeding wheat crop (cv. Siran-2010). The results revealed that both rice and wheat productivity and profitability was higher with the combined application of both nutrients at higher rates (80 and 120 kg P ha−1 and 10 and 15 kg Zn ha−1). The highest productivity and profitability was obtained with the cultivation of hybrid rice “Pukhraj” (Pukhraj > Fakhre-e-Malakand > Basmati-385). It was concluded from this study that application of higher P and Zn levels and growing of hybrid rice increased productivity and profitability under the rice-wheat cropping system.
Influence of Reheating Methods and Frozen Storage on Physicochemical Characteristics and Warmed-Over Flavor of Nutmeg Extract-Enriched Precooked Beef Meatballs
Authors: Parvin Rashida , Zahid Md. Ashrafuzzaman , Seo Jin-Kyu , Park Junyoung , Ko Jonghyun , Yang Han-Sul
Published: July 2020

The effects of convection-oven precooking, frozen storage (−18 °C/ two months) and four different reheating methods—namely, boiling, pan-roasting, convection oven and microwave oven on pH, color, texture, antioxidant activity and warmed-over flavor of beef meatballs were investigated. In this study, four kinds of beef meatballs were prepared: with added butylated hydroxyl toluene (0.02% BHT, M1); with nutmeg extract (0.02%, M2); with nutmeg powder (0.02%, M3) and control (no antioxidant). Addition of (0.02%) nutmeg extracts in beef meatballs M2 resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in lipid and protein oxidation, hardness and gumminess values after convection oven precooking. Again, M2 reheated by microwave oven significantly (p < 0.05) reduced cooking loss, gumminess, springiness, rancid flavor, saltiness and burnt taste and increased oxidative stability, redness and adhesiveness with the chewiness intensity and overall acceptability compared to control, M1 and M3. Conclusively, the addition of nutmeg extracts (0.02%) as a natural plant antioxidant to precooked beef meatballs can result in reduced lipid and protein oxidation levels, stabilized color and texture values and improved overall acceptance after reheated by microwave oven during two months of frozen storage.
Melatonin—A Potent Therapeutic for Stroke and Stroke-Related Dementia
Authors: Sadanandan Nadia , Cozene Blaise , Cho Justin , Park You Jeong , Saft Madeline , Gonzales-Portillo Bella , Borlongan Cesar V.
Published: July 2020

Secreted by the pineal gland to regulate the circadian rhythm, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that has been used to combat oxidative stress in the central nervous system. Melatonin-based therapies have been shown to provide neuroprotective effects in the setting of ischemic stroke by mitigating neuroinflammation and accelerating brain tissue restoration. Melatonin treatment includes injection of exogenous melatonin, pineal gland grafting and melatonin-mediated stem cell therapy. This review will discuss the current preclinical and clinical studies investigating melatonin-based therapeutics to treat stroke.
Extraction of Antioxidants from Winemaking Byproducts: Effect of the Solvent on Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-Cholinesterase Activities, and Electrochemical Behaviour
Authors: Jara-Palacios María José , Gonçalves Sandra , Heredia Francisco J. , Hernanz Dolores , Romano Anabela
Published: July 2020

Extraction solvent is a very important factor in the recovery of antioxidants from natural matrices. In this study, the effect of three solvents (ethanol, ethanol/water and water) on the phenolic composition, antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activities and electrochemical behaviour of four winemaking byproducts (seeds, skins, stems, and pomace) was evaluated. Phenolic composition was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), antioxidant activity by the capacity to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals, anti-cholinesterase activity by the Ellman’s method, and electrochemical behaviour by cyclic voltammetry. Eight phenolic compounds were quantified with higher content in water/ethanol extracts (e.g., epicatechin in pomace: 17 mg/100 g vs. 7 and 6 mg/100 g in ethanol and water extracts, respectively), although there were some exceptions (e.g., gallic acid in seeds was most abundant in water extracts). Moreover, the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity were found in ethanol/water extracts (between 2 and 30-fold the values of the other extracts). Overall, the most active extracts in inhibiting both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes were ethanol/water and ethanol extracts from seeds (between 31.11 and 53.90%). The electrochemical behaviour allowed for differentiating the extracts depending on the solvent and the byproduct. Our findings indicate that winemaking byproducts represent a source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activities and suggest that cyclic voltammetry is a promising technique to evaluate the phenolic extraction process from these byproducts.
A New Under-Sampling Method to Face Class Overlap and Imbalance
Authors: Guzmán-Ponce Angélica , Valdovinos Rosa María , Sánchez José Salvador , Marcial-Romero José Raymundo
Published: July 2020

Class overlap and class imbalance are two data complexities that challenge the design of effective classifiers in Pattern Recognition and Data Mining as they may cause a significant loss in performance. Several solutions have been proposed to face both data difficulties, but most of these approaches tackle each problem separately. In this paper, we propose a two-stage under-sampling technique that combines the DBSCAN clustering algorithm to remove noisy samples and clean the decision boundary with a minimum spanning tree algorithm to face the class imbalance, thus handling class overlap and imbalance simultaneously with the aim of improving the performance of classifiers. An extensive experimental study shows a significantly better behavior of the new algorithm as compared to 12 state-of-the-art under-sampling methods using three standard classification models (nearest neighbor rule, J48 decision tree, and support vector machine with a linear kernel) on both real-life and synthetic databases.
Norovirus Detection in Ready-To-Eat Salads by Propidium Monoazide Real Time RT-PCR Assay
Authors: Terio Valentina , Lorusso Patrizio , Mottola Anna , Buonavoglia Canio , Tantillo Giuseppina , Bonerba Elisabetta , Di Pinto Angela
Published: July 2020

Ready-to-eat (RTE) salads have recently been associated with food-borne norovirus outbreaks, although these infections are mainly related to shellfish and berry consumption in the EU. A total of 135 bagged RTE vegetables were analyzed in order to investigate the occurrence of norovirus (NoV) genotype I (GI) and II (GII) RNA and to differentiate between infectious and non-infectious viruses by using propidium monoazide (PMAxx) coupled with the real time Reverse Transcription (RT) PCR method. Initially, the PMAxx real time RT-PCR assay was optimized on NoV GI and GII suspensions, and proved capable of detecting significant (p < 0.05) differences between infectious and inactivated viruses. Our analysis conducted on RTE salads samples showed the presence of norovirus GII in 74.8% of samples, of which 37.6% were infectious. The samples tested for viral contamination came from only two RTE vegetable-processing plants. The findings in this study could also be due to virally-contaminated water used in food production, processing, or preparation. This study stresses the need for effective real-time RT-PCR tools capable of qualitative and quantitative detection of NoV RNA, as well as being able to measure virus infectivity, for risk assessment, which is crucial in several public health measures and food regulations.
On the QKD Integration in Converged Fiber/Wireless Topologies for Secured, Low-Latency 5G/B5G Fronthaul
Authors: Zavitsanos Dimitris , Ntanos Argiris , Giannoulis Giannis , Avramopoulos Hercules
Published: July 2020

A research contribution focusing on the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)-enabled solutions assisting in the security framework of an optical 5G fronthaul segment is presented. We thoroughly investigate the integration of a BB84-QKD link, operating at telecom band, delivering quantum keys for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256 encryption engines of a packetized fronthaul layer interconnecting multiple 5G terminal nodes. Secure Key Rate calculations are studied for both dedicated and shared fiber configurations to identify the attack surface of AES-encrypted data links in each deployment scenario. We also propose a converged fiber-wireless scenario, exploiting a mesh networking extension operated by mmWave wireless links. In addition to the quantum layer performance, emphasis is placed on the strict requirements of 5G-oriented optical edge segments, such as the latency and the availability of quantum keys. We find that for the dark fiber case, secret keys can be distilled at fiber lengths much longer than the maximum fiber fronthaul distance corresponding to the round-trip latency barrier, for both P2P and P2MP topologies. On the contrary, the inelastic Raman scattering makes the simultaneous transmission of quantum and classical signals much more challenging. To counteract the contamination of noise photons, a resilient classical/QKD coexistence scheme is adopted. Motivated by the recent advancements in quantum technology roadmap, our analysis aims to introduce the QKD blocks as a pillar of the quantum-safe security framework of the 5G/B5G-oriented fronthaul infrastructure.
Antioxidant and Antiglycation Properties of Seventeen Fruit Teas Obtained from One Manufacturer
Authors: Zieniewska Izabela , Zalewska Anna , Żendzian-Piotrowska Małgorzata , Ładny Jerzy Robert , Maciejczyk Mateusz
Published: July 2020

The antioxidant activity of teas depends on the type and quality of the ingredients used in the process of tea production, location of the crops, and manner of the raw material processing. Our study is the first to compare the antioxidant and antiglycation properties of seventeen fruit teas obtained from one manufacturer. We evaluated three different brewing times (3, 5, and 10 min) and two brewing temperatures (70 and 100 °C). We demonstrated that infusions with the longest brewing time reveal the highest antiradical activity, while increased brewing temperature does not significantly affect the assessed parameters. The best antioxidant properties were obtained for the teas made from lemon balm with pear, forest fruits, cranberry with pomegranate, raspberry, and raspberry with linden. Fruit teas owe their high antioxidant activity to the presence of polyphenolic compounds in infusions. Extracts from fruit teas also diminish the oxidation and glycation of albumin in vitro, observed as a decrease in the fluorescence of aromatic amino acids and advanced glycation (AGE) and oxidation (AOPP) protein products levels. In conclusion, in order to prepare fruit teas with the best antioxidant properties, a longer extraction time is needed. The health-promoting properties of dried fruit infusions can be modified by changing the qualitative and quantitative composition of the ingredients.
Study of the Effect of Surface Treatment on the Chloride Ion Transport at the Cementitious Spacer–Concrete Interface
Authors: Yang Yibo , Huang Chen , Guo Wenying , Zhao Hui , Li Zhenjie , Li Jiankuan , Bao Jianyong , Wang Hengchang
Published: July 2020

Spacers are important components in reinforced concrete structures to provide cover between the steel reinforcement and the formwork. Cementitious spacers are of particular interest for coastal engineering structures, as they are compatible with cement-based chloride-resistant high-performance concrete compared to plastic and steel spacers. However, the cementitious spacer–concrete interface was found to be highly porous and microcracked. This study investigated the effect of surface treatment on the chloride ion transport at the cementitious spacer–concrete interface. A surface treatment technique for potential mass production was introduced and the state-of-practice tests of the hardened concrete were modified to evaluate the performance of the spacer–concrete composite specimens. The results showed that the surface treatment on a cementitious spacer improved the bonding between the spacer and concrete at the interface. The surface treatment of the spacer improved the compressive strength and the chloride resistance of the composite specimen locally compared to those without surface treatment. The advantage of surface treatment on the chloride resistance was partially represented in either the diffusion coefficient or the column electric flux. The maximum chloride ion penetration depth at the spacer–concrete interface was recommended as an additional proxy for the evaluation of the chloride resistance performance of composite specimens.
Maneuver Strategy Generation of UCAV for within Visual Range Air Combat Based on Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning and Target Position Prediction
Authors: Kong Weiren , Zhou Deyun , Yang Zhen , Zhang Kai , Zeng Lina
Published: July 2020

With the development of unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) and artificial intelligence (AI), within visual range (WVR) air combat confrontations utilizing intelligent UCAVs are expected to be widely used in future air combats. As controlling highly dynamic and uncertain WVR air combats from the ground stations of the UCAV is not feasible, it is necessary to develop an algorithm that can generate highly intelligent air combat strategies in order to enable UCAV to independently complete air combat missions. In this paper, a 1-vs.-1 WVR air combat strategy generation algorithm is proposed using the multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient (MADDPG). A 1-vs.-1 WVR air combat is modeled as a two-player zero-sum Markov game (ZSMG). A method for predicting the position of the target is introduced into the model in order to enable the UCAV to predict the target’s actions and position. Moreover, to ensure that the UCAV is not limited by the constraints of the basic fighter maneuver (BFM) library, the action space is considered to be a continuous one. At the same time, a potential-based reward shaping method is proposed in order to improve the efficiency of the air combat strategy generation algorithm. Finally, the efficiency of the air combat strategy generation algorithm and the intelligence level of the resulting strategy is verified through simulation experiments. The results show that an air combat strategy using target position prediction is superior to the one that does not use target position prediction.
Variation in Atmospheric Precipitation in Poland in the Years 2001–2018
Authors: Ziernicka-Wojtaszek Agnieszka , Kopcińska Joanna
Published: July 2020

Climate change scenarios are in agreement as to the direction of air temperature changes in global warming, although the magnitude of the warming depends on the scenario adopted. In contrast, projections of changes in precipitation totals in Poland are not clear and obvious. Analysis of long-term observational series reveals no clear significant trends in levels of precipitation, despite periods of fluctuation, as well as an upward trend reported in the annual amount of precipitation, especially in northern Poland. However, the increasing variability of annual rainfall totals is commonly highlighted. In the years 1861–1990, the coefficient of variation of annual precipitation totals increased from about 10% to 16%. In the years 1971–2000, this coefficient for Poland increased to 17%, and in the period of 2001–2018, which is the subject of the present study, to 19%. Despite the lack of clear trends in annual totals, the increase in the coefficient of variation results in an increase in the frequency of both drought and floods. This unfavorable situation is exacerbated by the downward trend observed in the share of summer rainfall in the annual total. In urban areas with increasing surface sealing, the share of surface runoff in the water balance increases, and in this situation short-term rainfall will cause local flooding.
The Role of Executive Functions in the Development of Empathy and Its Association with Externalizing Behaviors in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Other Psychiatric Comorbidities
Authors: Cristofani Chiara , Sesso Gianluca , Cristofani Paola , Fantozzi Pamela , Inguaggiato Emanuela , Muratori Pietro , Narzisi Antonio , Pfanner Chiara , Pisano Simone , Polidori Lisa , Ruglioni Laura , Valente Elena , Masi Gabriele , Milone Annarita
Published: July 2020

Executive functions have been previously shown to correlate with empathic attitudes and prosocial behaviors. People with higher levels of executive functions, as a whole, may better regulate their emotions and reduce perceived distress during the empathetic processes. Our goal was to explore the relationship between empathy and executive functioning in a sample of children and adolescents diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder alone or associated with comorbid Disruptive Behavior Disorders and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder. We also aimed to examine the role of empathic dimensions and executive skills in regulating externalizing behaviors. The 151 participants with ADHD were assigned to four groups according to their psychiatric comorbidity (either “pure” or with ASD and/or ODD/CD) and assessed by means of either parent- or self-reported questionnaires, namely the BRIEF−2, the BES, and the IRI. No questionnaire was found to discriminate between the four groups. Affective Empathy was found to positively correlate with Emotional and Behavioral Regulation competences. Furthermore, Aggressiveness and Oppositional Defiant Problems were positively associated with Executive Emotional and Behavioral Regulation competences. On the other hand, Rule-Breaking Behaviors and Conduct Problems were negatively associated with Affective Empathy and with Behavioral skills. Our study provides an additional contribution for a better understanding of the complex relationship between empathic competence and executive functions, showing that executive functioning and empathic attitudes interact with each other to regulate aggressive behaviors. This study further corroborates developmental models of empathy and their clinical implications, for which externalizing behaviors could be attenuated by enhancing executive functioning skills.
Body Representations in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Di Vita Antonella , Cinelli Maria Cristina , Raimo Simona , Boccia Maddalena , Buratin Stefano , Gentili Paola , Inzitari Maria Teresa , Iona Teresa , Iosa Marco , Morelli Daniela , Ruggeri Francesco , Russo Giuseppina , Guariglia Cecilia , Palermo Liana
Published: July 2020

We constantly process top-down and bottom-up inputs concerning our own body that interact to form body representations (BR). Even if some evidence showed BR deficits in children with cerebral palsy, a systematic study that evaluates different kinds of BR in these children, taking into account the possible presence of a general deficit affecting non-body mental representations, is currently lacking. Here we aimed at investigating BR (i.e., Body Semantics, Body Structural Representation and Body Schema) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) taking into account performance in tasks involving body stimuli and performance in tasks involving non-body stimuli. Thirty-three CP (age range: 5–12 years) were compared with a group of 103 typically-developing children (TDC), matched for age and sex. 63.64% of children with CP showed a very poor performance in body representation processing. Present data also show alterations in different body representations in CP in specific developmental stages. In particular, CP and TDC performances did not differ between 5 to 7 years old, whereas CP between 8 and 12 years old showed deficits in the Body Structural Representation and Body Schema but not in Body Semantics. These findings revealed the importance of taking into account the overall development of cognitive domains when investigating specific stimuli processing in children who do not present a typical development and were discussed in terms of their clinical implications.
Montmorillonite K10: An Efficient Organo-Heterogeneous Catalyst for Synthesis of Benzimidazole Derivatives
Authors: Bonacci Sonia , Iriti Giuseppe , Mancuso Stefano , Novelli Paolo , Paonessa Rosina , Tallarico Sofia , Nardi Monica
Published: July 2020

The use of toxic solvents, high energy consumption, the production of waste and the application of traditional processes that do not follow the principles of green chemistry are problems for the pharmaceutical industry. The organic synthesis of chemical structures that represent the starting point for obtaining active pharmacological compounds, such as benzimidazole derivatives, has become a focal point in chemistry. Benzimidazole derivatives have found very strong applications in medicine. Their synthesis is often based on methods that are not convenient and not very respectful of the environment. A simple montmorillonite K10 (MK10) catalyzed method for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives has been developed. The use of MK10 for heterogeneous catalysis provides various advantages: the reaction yields are decidedly high, the work-up procedures of the reaction are easy and suitable, there is an increase in selectivity and the possibility of recycling the catalyst without waste formation is demonstrated. The reactions were carried out in solvent-free conditions and in a short reaction time using inexpensive and environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalysis. It has been shown that the reaction process is applicable in the industrial field.
Effect of Casuarina Plantations Inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Frankia on the Diversity of Herbaceous Vegetation in Saline Environments in Senegal
Authors: Djighaly Pape Ibrahima , Ngom Daouda , Diagne Nathalie , Fall Dioumacor , Ngom Mariama , Diouf Diégane , Hocher Valerie , Laplaze Laurent , Champion Antony , Farrant Jill M. , Svistoonoff Sergio
Published: July 2020

Land salinization is a major constraint for the practice of agriculture in the world. Considering the extent of this phenomenon, the rehabilitation of ecosystems degraded by salinization has become a priority to guarantee food security in semi-arid environments. The mechanical and chemical approaches for rehabilitating salt-affected soils being expensive, an alternative approach is to develop and utilize biological systems utilizing salt-tolerant plant species. Casuarina species are naturally halotolerant, but this tolerance has been shown to be improved when they are inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and/or nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Frankia). Furthermore, Casuarina plantations have been proposed to promote the development of plant diversity. Thus, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a plantation comprising the species Casuarina inoculated with AMF and Frankia on the diversity of the sub-canopy and adjacent vegetation. Work was conducted on a plantation comprising Casurina equisetifolia and C. glauca variously inoculated with Frankia and Rhizophagus fasciculatus prior to field planting. The experimental area of 2500 m2 was divided into randomized blocks and vegetation sampling was conducted below and outside of the Casuarina canopy in 32 m2 plots. A total of 48 samples were taken annually over 3 years, with 24 taken from below the Casuarina canopy and 24 from outside the canopy. The results obtained show that co-inoculation with Frankia and Rhizophagus fasciculatus improves the height and survival rate of both species. After 4–5 years, there was greater species diversity and plant biomass in the sub-canopy environment compared with that of the adjacent environments. Our results suggest that inoculation of beneficial microbes can improve growth of Casuarina species and that planting of such species can improve the diversity of herbaceous vegetation in saline environments.
The Causal Efficacy of Consciousness
Authors: Owen Matthew
Published: July 2020

Mental causation is vitally important to the integrated information theory (IIT), which says consciousness exists since it is causally efficacious. While it might not be directly apparent, metaphysical commitments have consequential entailments concerning the causal efficacy of consciousness. Commitments regarding the ontology of consciousness and the nature of causation determine which problem(s) a view of consciousness faces with respect to mental causation. Analysis of mental causation in contemporary philosophy of mind has brought several problems to the fore: the alleged lack of psychophysical laws, the causal exclusion problem, and the causal pairing problem. This article surveys the threat each problem poses to IIT based on the different metaphysical commitments IIT theorists might make. Distinctions are made between what I call reductive IIT, non-reductive IIT, and non-physicalist IIT, each of which make differing metaphysical commitments regarding the ontology of consciousness and nature of causation. Subsequently, each problem pertaining to mental causation is presented and its threat, or lack thereof, to each version of IIT is considered. While the lack of psychophysical laws appears unthreatening for all versions, reductive IIT and non-reductive IIT are seriously threatened by the exclusion problem, and it is difficult to see how they could overcome it while maintaining a commitment to the causal closure principle. Yet, non-physicalist IIT denies the principle but is therefore threatened by the pairing problem, to which I have elsewhere provided a response that is briefly outlined here. This problem also threatens non-reductive IIT, but unlike non-physicalist IIT it lacks an evident response. The ultimate aim of this survey is to provide a roadmap for IIT theorists through the maze of mental causation, by clarifying which commitments lead to which problems, and how they might or might not be overcome. Such a survey can aid IIT theorists as they further develop and hone the metaphysical commitments of IIT.
A 350-GHz Coupled Stack Oscillator with −0.8 dBm Output Power in 65-nm Bulk CMOS Process
Authors: Nguyen Thanh Dat , Hong Jong-Phil
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a push-push coupled stack oscillator that achieves a high output power level at terahertz (THz) wave frequency. The proposed stack oscillator core adopts a frequency selective negative resistance topology to improve negative transconductance at the fundamental frequency and a transformer connected between gate and drain terminals of cross pair transistors to minimize the power loss at the second harmonic frequency. Next, the phases and the oscillation frequencies between the oscillator cores are locked by employing an inductor of frequency selective negative resistance topology. The proposed topology was implemented in a 65-nm bulk CMOS technology. The highest measured output power is −0.8 dBm at 353.2 GHz while dissipating 205 mW from a 2.8 V supply voltage.
The Potential of Photovoltaics to Power the Railway System in China
Authors: Ji Li , Yu Zhenwei , Ma Jing , Jia Limin , Ning Fuwei
Published: July 2020

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s forecast, China will fully electrify its railway system by 2050. However, the development of electrified railways is limited in the weak areas of China’s power grid. To surpass these limitations, we turn our attention to new railway energy sources, among which the most suitable is photovoltaic power generation. To evaluate the feasibility of integrating railway systems and photovoltaic power generation in China, this paper analyzes the geographical conditions and railway layout of China, gives a potential method for evaluating railway asset energy transformation measures and asset energy transformations that are suitable for China’s national conditions, and proposes an application of railway system energy transformation on this basis. Then, this method is used to evaluate the potential of a substation section of the Lanxin high-speed railway in China for reference. The results show that the green energy potential and scheduling potential of China’s railway assets are great and can effectively alleviate the energy anxiety of China’s railway system.
The Balanced Energy Mix for Achieving Environmental and Economic Goals in the Long Run
Authors: To Anh Hoang , Vo Duc Hong
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we seek to find a balanced structure of energy sources that can simultaneously achieve two essential goals: (i) the environmental (degradation) goal and (ii) the economic (growth) goal. This study combines quantitative and qualitative methods to estimate and then rank each of the energy sources (including coal, gas, oil, hydropower, and renewable energy) to achieve the above two goals. This paper uses the weighted scoring method, the most popular method in multi-criteria decision-making techniques, to combine the rankings using five energy sources and two goals from panel data of 28 countries from Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for the period 1980–2017. Techniques for estimating the mean group long-run effect, including fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), are used. The empirical findings of this paper reveal that, in the long term, in achieving both environmental goals and economic goals, the OECD countries should consider adopting a balanced energy mix in which the following structure is preferred: (i) hydropower, (ii) renewables and (iii) fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal).
Spatial and Temporal Wildfire Decomposition as a Tool for Assessment and Planning of an Efficient Forest Policy in Galicia (Spain)
Authors: Barreal Jesús , Jannes Gil
Published: July 2020

Wildfires in Galicia have various temporal and spatial trends. This temporal and spatial behavior must therefore be studied and taken into account in order to design more efficient forest policies. Since both factors are inhomogeneous, it was proposed to study them using a Gini index decomposition. The number of fires and the affected forest area were studied in terms of the months and the forest districts, which serve as basic temporal and spatial elements. The objective of this methodology is to know the months in which the fires are most concentrated throughout the administrative geographical districts of the various provinces of Galicia, and the elasticity of each month with respect to the global concentration. It is also used to know the temporal inequality in each forest district of Galicia and its contribution to the global index. To apply this methodology, monthly data are taken from 2006 to 2015 for each of the Galician forest districts. It is found that there is a high spatial concentration of fires in the autumn and winter months, and a much lower one in the remaining months. On the other hand, most districts register a great temporal inequality in the occurrence of fires. Tentative suggestions of how the forest policy in Galicia could be improved by taking into account both these spatial and temporal patterns are discussed.
One Month into the Reinforcement of Social Distancing due to the COVID-19 Outbreak: Subjective Health, Health Behaviors, and Loneliness among People with Chronic Medical Conditions
Authors: Elran-Barak Roni , Mozeikov Maya
Published: July 2020

We sought to examine how the near-lockdown measures, announced by the Israeli government in an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, impacted the self-rated health (SRH), health behaviors, and loneliness of people with chronic illnesses. An online cross-sectional survey was carried out about one month (20–22 April 2020) after the Israeli government reinforced the severe social distancing regulations, among a convenience sample of 315 participants (60% women) with chronic conditions (27% metabolic, 17% cardiovascular, 21% cancer/autoimmune, 18% orthopedic/pain, 12% mental-health). Results suggested that about half of the participants reported a decline in physical or mental SRH, and as many as two-thirds reported feeling lonely. A significant deterioration in health behaviors was reported, including a decrease in vegetable consumption (p = 0.008) and physical activity (p < 0.001), an increase in time spent on social media (p < 0.001), and a perception among about half of the participants that they were eating more than before. Ordinal regression suggested that a decline in general SRH was linked with female gender (p = 0.016), lack of higher education (p = 0.015), crowded housing conditions (p = 0.001), longer illness duration (p = 0.010), and loneliness (p = 0.008). Findings highlight the important role of loneliness in SRH during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Future studies are warranted to clarify the long-term effects of social-distancing and loneliness on people with chronic illnesses.
A Real-Time Infrared Stereo Matching Algorithm for RGB-D Cameras’ Indoor 3D Perception
Authors: Zhong Jiageng , Li Ming , Liao Xuan , Qin Jiangying
Published: July 2020

Low-cost, commercial RGB-D cameras have become one of the main sensors for indoor scene 3D perception and robot navigation and localization. In these studies, the Intel RealSense R200 sensor (R200) is popular among many researchers, but its integrated commercial stereo matching algorithm has a small detection range, short measurement distance and low depth map resolution, which severely restrict its usage scenarios and service life. For these problems, on the basis of the existing research, a novel infrared stereo matching algorithm that combines the idea of the semi-global method and sliding window is proposed in this paper. First, the R200 is calibrated. Then, through Gaussian filtering, the mutual information and correlation between the left and right stereo infrared images are enhanced. According to mutual information, the dynamic threshold selection in matching is realized, so the adaptability to different scenes is improved. Meanwhile, the robustness of the algorithm is improved by the Sobel operators in the cost calculation of the energy function. In addition, the accuracy and quality of disparity values are improved through a uniqueness test and sub-pixel interpolation. Finally, the BundleFusion algorithm is used to reconstruct indoor 3D surface models in different scenarios, which proved the effectiveness and superiority of the stereo matching algorithm proposed in this paper.