bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metafora Tangan dalam Idiom Bahasa Jepang Berdasarkan Teori Metafora Konseptual
Authors: Rachmawati Dita
Published: September 2020

This thesis is a conceptual metaphor research which analyse the element te â€˜handâ€™ in the Japanese idioms. The purpose of this research is to know the te 'hands' image scheme in Japanese idioms and analyze it based on the conceptual metaphors. The data source in this research were taken from the dictionary of idiom â€œiitai naiyou kara gyakuhiki dekiru reikai kanyouku jitenâ€ by Inoue Muneo. The amount of the data found and analysed were 59 and the amount of data presented were 15. The results of data analysis describe the idiom with the main element of the hand are filled with metaphorical expressions because the hand is the most used body part for activities. The results of the analysis also show eight concepts of hand, which are : HAND as ACTIVITIES/JOB, POSSESSION, LINK, ATTITUDE, TACTICS, CAPABILITY/SKILLS, SUPPORT, and EXPERTISE.To understand the concept of hand, it is useful to not only use ontological metaphors analysis, but in terms of the hand that has a spatial orientation, it must be analyse with orientational metaphors.
Komunikasi Fatis dalam Talk Show Sawako no Asa
Authors: Sutrisno Edi
Published: September 2020

This study discusses the form of phatic expression and also phatic communication function analyzed based on the phatic theory by Jakobson. The objective of this study is to find out the variation of Japanese phatic expression and phatic communication function in Sawako no Asa Talk Show. The data this study analyses come from Sawako no Asa Talk Show and the research method used is descriptive qualitative. The speeches in the talk show are analyzed using Jakobson theory of Phatic and Communication Function theory by Jumanto. The result of the study found that the forms of Phatic were based on particles, words, phrases in the form of small talk. Phatic communication were used to maintain or reaffirm communication in the talk show. The researcher hope that this study can give reference to other studies in the future, especially studies regarding Phatic Communication in order to create or maintain social relationships. This study in many ways is still lacking, the researcher hope that there will be further studies towards this subject matter.
PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS PROJEK (PROJECT BASED LEARNING) PADA PENGAJARAN ENGLISH DRAMA APPRECIATION DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN MEDIA PEMENTASAN DRAMA BERBAHASA INGGRIS â€˜SANGKURIANGâ€™
Authors: Sulistyorini Haryati
Published: September 2020

Â Abstract: This paper entitled Wisata Sastra pada Pengajaran English Drama Appreciation dengan menggunakan Media Pementasan Drama â€˜Sangkuriang, has a purpose for learners dan teachers in literature to give an assumption that literary criticism could be done not only by using reception theory but also used another model in teaching like Project Based Learning. The Project Based Learning in Engish Drama Appreiation with a play perform, Sangkuriang also has the main purpose to introduce and promote the toursm object of Tangkuban Perahu as the popular tourism object in Indonesia especially in West of Java. This is usually called by travelling literature which also has a function to promote and popular the tourism object. Descriptive qualitative is used to describe the data which is acquired in the project based learning.The result shows that teaching learning in English Drama Appreciation which is done by the project based learning is able to give students in the interpretation on a literary work in a play perform like Sangkuring. Â Key words: Tourism, Literature, Drama, SangkuriangÂ Â Â
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS IN JACK CANFIELD AND MARK VICTOR HANSEN NOVELâ€™S â€œCHICKEN SOUP FOR THE MOTHER OF PRESCHOOLERâ€™S SOULâ€
Authors: Novianti Amelia , Soerjowardhana A
Published: September 2020

Abstract: This research entitled Translation Techniques of Illocutionary Acts in Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen Novelâ€™s â€œChicken Soup for the Mother of Preschoolerâ€™s Soulâ€. It is directed to find out the illocutionary acts and the translation techniques in translating quotes in target language. This research used descriptive-qualitative method.Based on the analysis, there are 3 illocutionary acts used including Representative occurs 65 times, represents 77,38%. Directive occurs 16 times, represents 19,05%. Commissive occurs 3 times, represents 3,57%. There are no Declaration and expressive illocutionary are found. The researcher also found there are 15 translation techniques by Molina Albir. They are Adaptation (4 data) 4,76%, Amplification (7 data) 8,33%, Pure Borrowing (1 data) 1,19%, Naturalized Borrowing (2 data) 2,38%, compensation (6 data) 7,14%, description (1 data) 1,19%, discursive creation (5 data) 5,95%, establish equivalent (9 data) 10,71%, generalization (1 data) 1,19%, linguistic amplification (15 data) 17,86%, linguistic compression (7 data) 8,33%, literal translation (12 data) 14,29%, modulation (2 data) 2,38%, particularization (3 data) 3,57%, reduction (4 data) 4,76%, transposition (5 data) 5.95%. The total data is 84. The technique of translation that the researcher found is dominated by Linguistic Amplification technique 17,86%. it is caused by illocutionary acts which contain mostly linguistic amplification that make the message more clearly to the target reader. From the findings, it concludes that the translator should know about the pragmatic, speech acts that involve illocutionary acts to maintain the intention from the author and understand the technique in translating text to get good translation to make the readers understand and get the message of the text.Â
The Effect of Human Resource Skills on Risk Management in AL-Manhal Contracting EST
Authors: Al Dabbas Mohammed Mutasim , Alkshali Shaker Jaralla
Published: September 2020

The study aimed to examine the effect of human resource skills (technical skills, intellectual skills, and communication skills) on risk management (risk identification, risk transfer, and risk reduction) in AL-Manhal Contracting EST in Jordan. The study was conducted on a sample of (226) employees in the company. The study used a descriptive and analytical method. The results indicated that there are high levels of human resource skills, preceded by technical skills, then communication skills, and finally intellectual skills. As for the dimensions of risk management, the results indicated that there is a high level of risk identification, while risk transfer and risk reduction came at medium levels. The results showed that there is a significant effect of human resource skills on risk management.
Prediksi Nilai Perusahaan melalui Penilaian Struktur Modal sebagai Pemoderasi
Authors: Zarah Puspitaningtyas  , Hari Karyadi  , Kristina Dwi Wulandari
Published: September 2020

This research analyses the capital structures moderation to profitability that influences the company's value in infrastructure, utilities, and transportation companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2015-2018. The sample of this study is 14 companies. The data analyzed by using moderated regression analysis. The novelty of this study lies on the testing of capital structure ability as a moderation based on the Mogdiliani-Miller and the Trade-Off theory. We find the significance of the profitability influence on the company's value is not moderated by capital structure. It shows that the company debt exceeds its optimum amount, thus, reducing the net income.
Abstrak
Penelitian ini menganalisis moderasi struktur modal terhadap profitabilitas yang berpengaruh pada nilai perusahaan di perusahaan infrastruktur, utilitas, dan transportasi yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia tahun 2015-2018. Sampel studi ini berjumlah 14 perusahaan. Data yang terkumpul selanjutnya dianalisis menggunakan moderated regression analysis. Kebaruan studi ini adalah terletak pada pengujian kemampuan struktur modal sebagai pemoderasi dengan berdasarkan pada Teori Mogdiliani-Miller dan Teori Trade-Off. Temuan penelitian mengindikasikan bahwa signifikansi pengaruh profitabilitas terhadap nilai perusahaan tidak dimoderasi struktur modal. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa perusahaan memiliki beban utang melebihi jumlah optimumnya, sehingga mengurangi jumlah laba bersih yang diperoleh.
Menakar Eksistensi Financial Technology Lending
Authors: Diah Ayu Septi Fauji  , Moch. Wahyu Widodo
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this study is to measure the existence of financial technology lending companies. This research uses a case study and is a single case study. The results of this study indicate that the existence of the company is included in the system of absolute community life because of the dependence between the company and the community. Thus, they are inseparable. The existence of financial lending technology is rated 4, this means that financial lending technology is considered good by the community. Financial lending technology can meet the needs of people who are unbanked and underserved. This rating also shows that the existence of financial technology lending has gained trust from the community.
Abstrak
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menakar eksistensi perusahaan financial technology lending. Penelitian ini menggunakan studi kasus dan bersifat single case study. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa eksistensi perusahaan financial technology lending mutlak masuk dalam tata kehidupan bermasyarakat karena adanya ketergantungan diantara perusahaan dan masyarakat. Keduanya tidak bisa dipisahkan. Keberadaan financial technology lending ini mendapatkan rating 4, yang artinya keberadaannya dinilai baik oleh masyarakat. Financial technology lending dapat memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat yang unbanked dan undeserved. Rating ini juga menunjukkan bahwa keberadaan financial technology lending telah mendapat kepercayaan dari masyarakat.
Tinjauan Kecurangan Akademik dari Perspektif Fraud Diamond
Authors: Shanti Rahayu Kusuma Ningrum  , Nur Indah Riwajanti  , Kuni Utami Handayawati
Published: September 2020

This research aims to prove the existence of the Fraud Diamond Theory in academic fraud at the Accounting Department StatePolytechnic of Malang. The sample was determined based on a simple random sampling method with 374 students and a multiple regression method. This study shows that three elements of fraud diamond theory (pressure, opportunity, and rationalization) partially have a positive effect on academic fraud. On the contrary, the capability has a negative impact on the student’s academic fraud behavior. This research concludes that students in the Accounting Department State Polytechnic of Malang know and are aware of academic fraud caused by pressure, opportunity, and rationalization.
Abstrak
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk membuktikan teori fraud diamond dalam academic fraud di Jurusan Akuntansi Politeknik Negeri Malang. Penelitian dilakukan dengan menggunakan data primer dengan kuesioner sebagai instrumen penelitian. Sampel ditentukan berdasarkan metode simple random sampling sebanyak 374 orang mahasiswa. Metode yang digunakan adalah analisis regresi multipel. Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa tiga dimensi dalam fraud diamond yakni pressure, opportunity, dan rationalization secara parsial berpengaruh positif terhadap academic fraud, berbalik dengan sedangkan capability yang berpengaruh negatif. Melalui hasil dari penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan mahasiswa Jurusan Akuntansi mengetahui dan menyadari bahwa mereka melakukan academic fraud yang dipengaruhi oleh pressure, opportunity, dan rationalization.
Motivasi Manajer dalam Melakukan Manajemen Laba Dikaji dalam Pandangan Islam
Authors: Ilhamda Azis
Published: September 2020

Managers’ motivation to do earnings management are due to the capital market expectations, management compensation contracts, lending contracts motivations, political motivation. This study aimed to review managers’ movitation in earnings management viewed from Islamic perspective that sourced from the Qur'an and Hadith, as well as supplemented by PSAK Sharia. The results of the study stated that manager's motivation for earnings management is still within the limits of accounting standards. Compliance in application of accounting standards is reflected by the obligation to obey Ulil Amri. However, utilizing position to maximize bonuses, presenting biased information, presenting lust are attitudes that is prohibited in Islamic teachings.
Abstrak
Motivasi manajer dalam manajemen laba adalah berupa capital market expectations, management compensation contract, lending contracts motivations, dan political motivation. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji motivasi manajer dalam manajemen laba dilihat dari perspektif Islam yang bersumber dari Alquran dan Hadis, serta dilengkapi oleh PSAK Syariah. Hasil studi menyatakan motivasi manajer untuk melakukan manajemen laba masih dalam batasan standard akuntansi. Kepatuhan dalam penerapan standar akuntansi merupakan cerminan kewajiban taat kepada ulil amri. Akan tetapi, memanfaatkan jabatan untuk memaksimalkan bonus, penyajian informasi bias, memperturutkan hawa nafsu merupakan sikap yang dilarang dalam ajaran Islam.
Nanoparticles as Potential Antivirals in Agriculture
Authors: Vargas-Hernandez Marcela , Macias-Bobadilla Israel , Guevara-Gonzalez Ramon Gerardo , Rico-Garcia Enrique , Ocampo-Velazquez Rosalia Virginia , Avila-Juarez Luciano , Torres-Pacheco Irineo
Published: September 2020

Viruses are estimated to be responsible for approximately 50% of the emerging plant diseases, which are difficult to control, and in some cases, there is no cure. It is essential to develop therapy practices to strengthen the management of these diseases caused by viruses in economically important crops. Metal nanoparticles (MeNPs) possess diverse physicochemical properties that allow for them to have a wide range of applications in industry, including nanomedicine and nano-agriculture. Currently, there are reports of favorable effects of the use of nanoparticles, such as antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects, in animals and plants. The potential antiviral property of MeNPs makes them a powerful option for controlling these histological agents. It is crucial to determine the dosage of NPs, the application intervals, their effect as a biostimulant, and the clarification of the mechanisms of action, which are not fully understood. Therefore, this review focuses on discussing the ability of metal nanoparticles and metal oxides to control viruses that affect agriculture through an exhaustive analysis of the characteristics of the particles and their interaction processes for a possibly beneficial effect on plants.
Effects of Tillage Systems and Cropping Patterns on Soil Physical Properties in Mozambique
Authors: Chichongue Oscar , van Tol Johan , Ceronio Gert , Du Preez Chris
Published: September 2020

Conservation agriculture (CA) practices are advocated to reduce soil degradation, resulting in more sustainable food production as compared to conventional tillage (CT). In this study, the short-term effects of two tillage systems in combination with cropping patterns on selected soil physical parameters on four experimental sites in Mozambique were studied. The study sites differ according to their climatic conditions, soil types, and crop adaptation. Tillage systems evaluated were CA and CT, while the cropping pattern had four levels of sole cropping and three levels of intercropping. In general, soil physical properties showed significant changes due to the tillage systems, but the cropping pattern and their interaction with tillage systems did not yield significant impacts on the soil physical properties. CA increased bulk density, penetration resistance, and saturated hydraulic conductivity as compared to CT. A significant difference due to the tillage system was observed across the four sites, and in general, evaporation was higher in CT compared to CA. The presence of crop residues in CA contributed to lower evaporation. Thus, in the short term, CA practices could be a sustainable option to conserve soil water through higher infiltration and less evaporation.
Music for Monkeys: Building Methods to Design with White-Faced Sakis for Animal-Driven Audio Enrichment Devices
Authors: Piitulainen Roosa , Hirskyj-Douglas Ilyena
Published: September 2020

Computer systems for primates to listen to audio have been researched for a long time. However, there is a lack of investigations into what kind of sounds primates would prefer to listen to, how to quantify their preference, and how audio systems and methods can be designed in an animal-focused manner. One pressing question is, if given the choice to control an audio system, would or could primates use such a system. In this study, we design an audio enrichment prototype and method for white-faced sakis that allows them to listen to different sounds in their regular zoo habitat while automatically logging their interactions. Focusing on animal-centred design, this prototype was built from low fidelity testing of different forms within the sakis’ enclosure and gathering requirements from those who care for and view the animal. This process of designing in a participatory manner with the sakis resulted in an interactive system that was shown to be viable, non-invasive, highly interactive, and easy to use in a zoo habitat. Recordings of the sakis’ interactions demonstrated that the sakis triggered traffic audio more than silence, rain sounds, zen, and electronic music. The data and method also highlight the benefit of a longitudinal study within the animals’ own environment to mitigate against the novelty effect and the day-to-day varying rhythm of the animals and the zoo environment. This study builds on animal-centred methods and design paradigms to allow the monitoring of the animals’ behaviours in zoo environments, demonstrating that useful data can be yielded from primate-controlled devices. For the Animal-Computer Interaction community, this is the first audio enrichment system used in zoo contexts within the animals own environment over a long period of time that gives the primate control over their interactions and records this automatically.
In Vitro Culture of Chicken Circulating and Gonadal Primordial Germ Cells on a Somatic Feeder Layer of Avian Origin
Authors: Szczerba Agata , Kuwana Takashi , Paradowska Michelle , Bednarczyk Marek
Published: September 2020

The present study had two aims: (1) To develop a culture system that imitates a normal physiological environment of primordial germ cells (PGCs). There are two types of PGCs in chicken: Circulating blood (cPGCs) and gonadal (gPGCs). The culture condition must support the proliferation of both cPGCs and gPGCs, without affecting their migratory properties and must be deprived of xenobiotic factors, and (2) to propose an easy-to-train, nonlabeling optical technique for the routine identification of live PGCs. To address the first aim, early chicken embryo’s feeder cells were examined instead of using feeder cells from mammalian species. The KAv-1 medium at pH 8.0 with the addition of bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) was used instead of a conventional culture medium (pH approximately 7.2). Both cPGCs and gPGCs proliferated in vitro and retained their migratory ability after 2 weeks of culture. The cultivated cPGCs and gPGCs colonized the right and/or left gonads of the recipient male and female embryos. To address the second aim, we demonstrated a simple and rapid method to identify live PGCs as bright cells under darkfield illumination. The PGCs rich in lipid droplets in their cytoplasm highly contrasted with the co-cultured feeder layer and other cell populations in the culture.
Effect of Parameters on Vapor Generation in Ship-to-Ship Liquefied Natural Gas Bunkering
Authors: Lee Hyunyong , Choi Jungho , Jung Inchul , Lee Sangick , Yoon Sangdeuk , Ryu Borim , Kang Hokeun
Published: September 2020

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is attracting increasing attention as an alternative fuel in the maritime sector, as it can reduce harmful emissions for compliance with stricter environmental regulations. Owing to this environmental advantage, the number of ships using LNG as a fuel is increasing; thus, the demand for ship-to-ship LNG bunkering is increasing. One of the challenges of ship-to-ship LNG bunkering is boil-off gas (BOG) management, as it is more difficult than normal BOG management. This study analyzed the influences of the parameters on vapor generation, including the temperature difference between the bunker tank and receiving tank, bunkering flow rate, insulation performance, and compositions. A model based on a typical bunkering system was established, and a dynamic simulation was conducted using a commercial process simulator, Aspen HYSYS. The results indicated that as the initial temperature of the receiving tank increased, the amount of vapor return increased proportionally. In addition, increasing the bunkering flow rate decreased the amount of heat entering through the pipes and tanks; however, the heat dissipated by the pump shaft power increased. Different LNG compositions in the bunker tank led to changes in the initial pressure of the bunker tank, influencing the vapor return and vapor generation in the receiving tank. Through a parametric study, it was found that the pressure of the tank is the most important factor in terms of vapor return and vapor generation. As such, a pressure control method was proposed for the tank, so as to reduce vapor generation and vapor return. With pressure control, the total amount of vapor return to the bunker tanks is reduced from 7392 to 3317 kg. The net vapor generation in the receiving tank is reduced by up to 4047 kg and the net vapor generation in the overall system is reduced by 16.2%.
Application of the Theory of Convex Sets for Engineering Structures with Uncertain Parameters
Authors: Pełczyński Jan
Published: September 2020

The present paper discusses an innovative approach providing the solution sets of engineering structures with uncertain parameters. The approach is based on the properties of convex sets and can be applied to structures described by the system of algebraic equations. The present paper focuses on trusses and frames applications, but in general it can be applied to various structures made of thin and thick bars and some plate and shell problems. The uncertain parameters are assumed to be independent. In addition, calculations are valid for any level of uncertainty and the obtained solution sets are exact within the assumed theory and are insensitive for perturbed data. Furthermore, solutions obtained by the present approach can be considered as benchmark solutions and can be used as a reference for other algorithms. The presented formulae allow the analysis of the influence of uncertain parameters on the behaviour of the structure. The presented considerations are illustrated by calculation of two truss examples.
Deep Learning Models Compression for Agricultural Plants
Authors: Fountsop Arnauld Nzegha , Ebongue Kedieng Fendji Jean Louis , Atemkeng Marcellin
Published: September 2020

Deep learning has been successfully showing promising results in plant disease detection, fruit counting, yield estimation, and gaining an increasing interest in agriculture. Deep learning models are generally based on several millions of parameters that generate exceptionally large weight matrices. The latter requires large memory and computational power for training, testing, and deploying. Unfortunately, these requirements make it difficult to deploy on low-cost devices with limited resources that are present at the fieldwork. In addition, the lack or the bad quality of connectivity in farms does not allow remote computation. An approach that has been used to save memory and speed up the processing is to compress the models. In this work, we tackle the challenges related to the resource limitation by compressing some state-of-the-art models very often used in image classification. For this we apply model pruning and quantization to LeNet5, VGG16, and AlexNet. Original and compressed models were applied to the benchmark of plant seedling classification (V2 Plant Seedlings Dataset) and Flavia database. Results reveal that it is possible to compress the size of these models by a factor of 38 and to reduce the FLOPs of VGG16 by a factor of 99 without considerable loss of accuracy.
Impacts of Built-Up Area Geometry on PM10 Levels: A Case Study in Brno, Czech Republic
Authors: Neubauer Jiří , Michálek Jaroslav , Šilinger Karel , Firbas Petr
Published: September 2020

This paper presents a statistical comparison of parallel hourly measurements of particulate matter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) from two monitoring stations that are located 560 m from each other in the northern part of Brno City. One monitoring station is located in a park, the other in a built-up area. The authors’ aim is to describe the influence of a built-up area geometry and nearby traffic intensity on modeling of PM10 pollution levels in the respective part of Brno. Furthermore, the purpose of this study is also to examine the influence of meteorological factors on the pollution levels; above all, to assess the influence of wind speed and direction, temperature change, and humidity change. In order to evaluate the obtained data, the following methods of mathematical statistics were applied: descriptive statistics, regression analysis, analysis of variance, and robust statistical tests. According to the results of the Passing–Bablok test, it can be stated that the parallel measurements of PM10 are significantly different. A regression model for PM10 pollution prediction was created and tested in terms of applicability; subsequently, it was used in order to compare measurements from both stations. It shows that in addition to the monitored meteorological factors, pollution levels are influenced mainly by traffic intensity and the geometry of the monitored built-up area.
Daily Variability in the Terrestrial UV Airglow
Authors: Immel Thomas J. , Eastes Richard W. , McClintock William E. , Mende Steven B. , Frey Harald U. , Triplett Colin , England Scott L.
Published: September 2020

New capability for observing conditions in the upper atmosphere comes with the implementation of global ultraviolet (UV) imaging from geosynchronous orbit. Observed by the NASA GOLD mission, the emissions of atomic oxygen (OI) and molecular nitrogen (N2) in the 133–168-nm range can be used to characterize the behavior of these major constituents of the thermosphere. Observations in the ultraviolet from the first 200 days of 2019 indicate that the oxygen emission at 135.6 nm varies much differently than the broader Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (LBH) emission of N2. This is determined from monitoring the average instrument response from two roughly 1000 km2 areas, well separated from one another, at the same time of each day. Variations in the GOLD response to UV emissions in the monitored regions are determined, both in absolute terms and relative to a running 7-day average of GOLD measurements. We find that variations in N2 emissions in the two separate regions are significantly correlated, while oxygen emissions, observed in the same fixed geographic regions at the same universal time each day, exhibit a much lower correlation, and exhibit no correlation with the N2 emissions in the same regions. This indicates that oxygen densities in the airglow-originating altitude range of 150–200 km vary independently from the variations in nitrogen, which are so well correlated across the dayside to suggest a direct connection to variation in solar extreme-UV flux. The relation of the atomic oxygen variations to solar and geomagnetic activity is also shown to be low, suggesting the existence of a regional source that modifies the production of atomic oxygen in the thermosphere.
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Single and Double Rice Cropping Systems under the Background of Global Warming
Authors: Ye Qing , Yang Xiaoguang , Li Yong , Huang Wanghua , Xie Wenjuan , Wang Tianying , Wang Yan
Published: September 2020

Global warming might expand crop growth areas for the prevailing single and double rice cropping systems in Southern China. Based on historical weather and crop data from 1981 to 2015, we evaluated the economic benefit and environmental cost for single and double rice cropping systems (SRCS and DRCS) in areas that are sensitive to climate variability in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The five chosen indices were: net profit, agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (ANUE), water use efficiency (WUE), total amount, and global warming potential (GWP) of greenhouse gas (GHG). The goal of this study is to provide scientific evidence for local policymakers to use in selecting the most suitable rice cropping systems to maximize economic profits while adapting to climate change. The results showed that net profit was $171.4 per hectare higher for DRCS than for SRCS in the study region. In addition, output per unit nitrogen usage was $0.25 per kg N higher for DRCS than for SRCS. Net profit would increase if DRCS replaced SRCS, and the maximum amplitude of increase in net profit for this replacement occurred under the settings of 150 kg ha−1 nitrogen fertilizer level and continuous irrigation when the paddy water layer started to fade. On the other hand, annual variation in net profit for SRCS was consistently smaller than DRCS, regardless of changes in nitrogen fertilizer level and irrigation regime settings. SRCS showed better WUE than DRCS in both rainfed and irrigated situations, as well as lower seasonal CH4 and N2O emissions during the study period. Therefore, we conclude that SRCS is superior to DRCS for the sake of maximizing economic profit while maintaining sustainable agriculture in areas that are sensitive to climate variability in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Systematic Ancient DNA Species Identification Fails to Find Late Holocene Domesticated Cattle in Southern Africa
Authors: Horsburgh K. Ann , Gosling Anna L.
Published: September 2020

Establishing robust temporal control of the arrival of domesticated stock and the associated husbandry skills and lifeways in Southern Africa remains frustrated by the osteological similarities between domestic stock and wild endemic fauna. We report the results of a systematic ancient DNA survey of appropriately sized bovid remains from Later Stone Age deposits in four South African archaeological sites. We show that none of the tested remains originated in domesticated cattle. The precise date of arrival of domestic cattle in the region awaits further study, although we also report new radiocarbon determinations which further refine the local chronology.
Identification and Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds in the Leaves and Bark of Salix alba (L.) and Their Biological Potential
Authors: Piątczak Ewelina , Dybowska Monika , Płuciennik Elżbieta , Kośla Katarzyna , Kolniak-Ostek Joanna , Kalinowska-Lis Urszula
Published: September 2020

The study examines the phenolic compounds in hydromethanolic extracts of Salix alba (L.) leaves and bark as well as their antioxidant activity and cytotoxic potential. UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS analysis showed a total of 29 phenolic compounds in leaves and 34 in bark. Total phenolic compound content was 5575.96 mg/100 g of dry weight (DW) in leaves and 2330.31 mg/100 g DW in bark. The compounds were identified as derivatives of phenolic acids (seven in leaves and five in bark), flavanols and procyanidins (eight in leaves and 26 in bark) and flavonols (14 in leaves and three in bark). Both extracts exhibited strong antioxidant potential, assessed by radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), but the bark extract was even stronger than the ascorbic acid used as a standard. The cytotoxicity of both extracts was evaluated against human skin fibroblasts and human epidermal keratinocytes cell lines using the Presto Blue cell viability assay. The keratinocytes were more resistant to tested extracts than fibroblasts. The leaf and bark extracts at concentrations which exhibited antioxidant activity were also not toxic against the keratinocyte cell line. Thus, S. alba extracts, especially the leaf extract, offer promise as a nontoxic natural antioxidant, in cosmetic products or herbal medicines, and as a source of bioactive secondary metabolites.
Large Animal Models of Cell-Free Cardiac Regeneration
Authors: Spannbauer Andreas , Mester-Tonczar Julia , Traxler Denise , Kastner Nina , Zlabinger Katrin , Hašimbegović Ena , Riesenhuber Martin , Pavo Noemi , Goliasch Georg , Gyöngyösi Mariann
Published: September 2020

The adult mammalian heart lacks the ability to sufficiently regenerate itself, leading to the progressive deterioration of function and heart failure after ischemic injuries such as myocardial infarction. Thus far, cell-based therapies have delivered unsatisfactory results, prompting the search for cell-free alternatives that can induce the heart to repair itself through cardiomyocyte proliferation, angiogenesis, and advantageous remodeling. Large animal models are an invaluable step toward translating basic research into clinical applications. In this review, we give an overview of the state-of-the-art in cell-free cardiac regeneration therapies that have been tested in large animal models, mainly pigs. Cell-free cardiac regeneration therapies involve stem cell secretome- and extracellular vesicles (including exosomes)-induced cardiac repair, RNA-based therapies, mainly regarding microRNAs, but also modified mRNA (modRNA) as well as other molecules including growth factors and extracellular matrix components. Various methods for the delivery of regenerative substances are used, including adenoviral vectors (AAVs), microencapsulation, and microparticles. Physical stimulation methods and direct cardiac reprogramming approaches are also discussed.
Design of a Carangiform Swimming Robot through a Multiphysics Simulation Environment
Authors: Costa Daniele , Palmieri Giacomo , Palpacelli Matteo-Claudio , Scaradozzi David , Callegari Massimo
Published: September 2020

Bio-inspired solutions devised for autonomous underwater robots are currently being investigated by researchers worldwide as a way to improve propulsion. Despite efforts to harness the substantial potential payoffs of marine animal locomotion, biological system performance still has far to go. In order to address this very ambitious objective, the authors of this study designed and manufactured a series of ostraciiform swimming robots over the past three years. However, the pursuit of the maximum propulsive efficiency by which to maximize robot autonomy while maintaining acceptable maneuverability ultimately drove us to improve our design and move from ostraciiform to carangiform locomotion. In order to comply with the tail motion required by the aforementioned swimmers, the authors designed a transmission system capable of converting the continuous rotation of a single motor in the travelling wave-shaped undulations of a multijoint serial mechanism. The propulsive performance of the resulting thruster (i.e., the caudal fin), which constitutes the mechanism end effector, was investigated by means of computational fluid dynamics techniques. Finally, in order to compute the resulting motion of the robot, numerical predictions were integrated into a multibody model that also accounted for the mass distribution inside the robotic swimmer and the hydrodynamic forces resulting from the relative motion between its body and the surrounding fluid. Dynamic analysis allowed the performance of the robotic propulsion to be computed while in the cruising condition.
The RECAP Test Rapidly and Reliably Identifies Homologous Recombination-Deficient Ovarian Carcinomas
Authors: van Wijk Lise M. , Vermeulen Sylvia , Meijers Matty , van Diest Manuela F. , ter Haar Natalja T. , de Jonge Marthe M. , Solleveld-Westerink Nienke , van Wezel Tom , van Gent Dik C. , Kroep Judith R. , Bosse Tjalling , Gaarenstroom Katja N. , Vrieling Harry , Vreeswijk Maaike P. G.
Published: September 2020

Recent studies have shown that the efficacy of PARP inhibitors in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is related to tumor-specific defects in homologous recombination (HR) and extends beyond BRCA1/2 deficient EOC. A robust method with which to identify HR-deficient (HRD) carcinomas is therefore of utmost clinical importance. In this study, we investigated the proficiency of a functional HR assay based on the detection of RAD51 foci, the REcombination CAPacity (RECAP) test, in identifying HRD tumors in a cohort of prospectively collected epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs). Of the 39 high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC), the RECAP test detected 26% (10/39) to be HRD, whereas ovarian carcinomas of other histologic subtypes (n = 10) were all HR-proficient (HRP). Of the HRD tumors that could be sequenced, 8/9 showed pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants or BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation, indicating that the RECAP test reliably identifies HRD, including but not limited to tumors related to BRCA1/2 deficiency. Furthermore, we found a trend towards better overall survival (OS) of HGSOC patients with RECAP-identified HRD tumors compared to patients with HRP tumors. This study shows that the RECAP test is an attractive alternative to DNA-based HRD tests, and further development of a clinical grade RECAP test is clearly warranted.
Radio-Resistance and DNA Repair in Pediatric Diffuse Midline Gliomas
Authors: Pedersen Henriette , Schmiegelow Kjeld , Hamerlik Petra
Published: September 2020

Malignant gliomas (MG) are among the most prevalent and lethal primary intrinsic brain tumors. Although radiotherapy (RT) is the most effective nonsurgical therapy, recurrence is universal. Dysregulated DNA damage response pathway (DDR) signaling, rampant genomic instability, and radio-resistance are among the hallmarks of MGs, with current therapies only offering palliation. A subgroup of pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGG) is characterized by H3K27M mutation, which drives global loss of di- and trimethylation of histone H3K27. Here, we review the most recent literature and discuss the key studies dissecting the molecular biology of H3K27M-mutated gliomas in children. We speculate that the aberrant activation and/or deactivation of some of the key components of DDR may be synthetically lethal to H3K27M mutation and thus can open novel avenues for effective therapeutic interventions for patients suffering from this deadly disease.
Translating Biomarkers of Cholangiocarcinoma for Theranosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wijetunga Imeshi , McVeigh Laura E. , Charalambous Antonia , Antanaviciute Agne , Carr Ian M. , Nair Amit , Prasad K. Raj , Ingram Nicola , Coletta P. Louise
Published: September 2020

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare disease with poor outcomes and limited research efforts into novel treatment options. A systematic review of CCA biomarkers was undertaken to identify promising biomarkers that may be used for theranosis (therapy and diagnosis). MEDLINE/EMBASE databases (1996–2019) were systematically searched using two strategies to identify biomarker studies of CCA. The PANTHER Go-Slim classification system and STRING network version 11.0 were used to interrogate the identified biomarkers. The TArget Selection Criteria for Theranosis (TASC-T) score was used to rank identified proteins as potential targetable biomarkers for theranosis. The following proteins scored the highest, CA9, CLDN18, TNC, MMP9, and EGFR, and they were evaluated in detail. None of these biomarkers had high sensitivity or specificity for CCA but have potential for theranosis. This review is unique in that it describes the process of selecting suitable markers for theranosis, which is also applicable to other diseases. This has highlighted existing validated markers of CCA that can be used for active tumor targeting for the future development of targeted theranostic delivery systems. It also emphasizes the relevance of bioinformatics in aiding the search for validated biomarkers that could be repurposed for theranosis.
The Relationship between Diabetes Mellitus Type II and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Diabetic Rodent Models: A Systematic and Comprehensive Review
Authors: Mahmoud Mohamed , Kokozidou Maria , Auffarth Alexander , Schulze-Tanzil Gundula
Published: September 2020

The number of diabetic patients grows constantly worldwide. Many patients suffer simultaneously from diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), suggesting a strong link between T2DM and IVDD. T2DM rodent models provide versatile tools to study this interrelation. We hypothesized that the previously achieved studies in rodents approved it. Performing a search in the publicly available electronic databases according to our inclusion (e.g., experimental study with clearly outlined methods investigating IVDD in diabetic rodent models) and exclusion (e.g., non-experimental) criteria, we included 23 studies from 1992 to 2020 analyzing different aspects of IVDD in diabetic rodents, such as on pathogenesis (e.g., effects of hyperglycemia on IVD cells, sirtuin (SIRT)1/p53 axis in the interrelation between T2DM and IVDD), risk factors (e.g., high content of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in modern diets), therapeutical approaches (e.g., insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I)), and prophylaxis. Regarding their quality, 12 studies were classified as high, six as moderate, and five as low. One strong, 18 moderate, and three mild evidences of the link between DM and IVDD in rodents were found, while only one study has not approved this link. We concluded that T2DM has a devastating effect on IVD, particularly in advanced cases, which needs to be further evaluated.
Interaction of Cytochrome C Oxidase with Steroid Hormones
Authors: Oleynikov Ilya P. , Azarkina Natalia V. , Vygodina Tatiana V. , Konstantinov Alexander A.
Published: September 2020

Estradiol, testosterone and other steroid hormones inhibit cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) purified from bovine heart. The inhibition is strongly dependent on concentration of dodecyl-maltoside (DM) in the assay. The plots of Ki vs [DM] are linear for both estradiol and testosterone which may indicate an 1:1 stoichiometry competition between the hormones and the detergent. Binding of estradiol, but not of testosterone, brings about spectral shift of the oxidized CcO consistent with an effect on heme a33+. We presume that the hormones bind to CcO at the bile acid binding site described by Ferguson-Miller and collaborators. Estradiol is shown to inhibit intraprotein electron transfer between hemes a and a3. Notably, neither estradiol nor testosterone suppresses the peroxidase activity of CcO. Such a specific mode of action indicates that inhibition of CcO activity by the hormones is associated with impairing proton transfer via the K-proton channel.
Electrophoretic Deposition of Gentamicin-Loaded ZnHNTs-Chitosan on Titanium
Authors: Humayun Ahmed , Luo Yangyang , Mills David K.
Published: September 2020

There is a need for titanium (Ti), an antimicrobial implant coating that provides sustained protection against bacterial infection. Chitosan (CS) coatings, combined with halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), are an attractive solution due to the inherent biocompatibility of halloysite, its ability to provide sustained drug release, and the antimicrobial properties of CS. In this study, the electrodeposition (EPD) method was used to coat titanium foil with CS blended with zinc-coated HNTs (ZnHNTs) and pre-loaded with the antibiotic gentamicin. The CS-ZnHNTs-gentamycin sulfate (GS) coatings were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-visible spectroscopy. The coatings were further examined for their ability to sustain GS release, resist bacterial colonization and growth, and prevent biofilm formation. The CS-ZnHNTs-GS coatings were cytocompatible, exhibited significant antimicrobial properties, and supported pre-osteoblast cell proliferation. Hydroxyapatite also formed on the coatings after immersion in simulated body fluid. While the focus in this study was on zinc-coated HNTs doped into CS, our design offers tunability, as different metals can be coated onto the HNT surface and different drugs or growth factors loaded into the HNT lumen. Our results, and the potential for customization, suggest that these coatings have potential in the construction of an array of infection-resistant implant coatings.
Heat Transport in a Spin-Boson Model at Low Temperatures: A Multilayer Multiconfiguration Time-Dependent Hartree Study
Authors: Yang Chou-Hsun , Wang Haobin
Published: September 2020

Extending our previous work, quantum dynamic simulations are performed to study low temperature heat transport in a spin-boson model where a two-level subsystem is coupled to two independent harmonic baths. Multilayer multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree theory is used to numerically evaluate the thermal flux, for which the bath is represented by hundreds to thousands of modes. The simulation results are compared with the approximate Redfield theory approach, and the physics is analyzed versus different physical parameters.
Twin Least Square Support Vector Regression Model Based on Gauss-Laplace Mixed Noise Feature with Its Application in Wind Speed Prediction
Authors: Zhang Shiguang , Liu Chao , Wang Wei , Chang Baofang
Published: September 2020

In this article, it was observed that the noise in some real-world applications, such as wind power forecasting and direction of the arrival estimation problem, does not satisfy the single noise distribution, including Gaussian distribution and Laplace distribution, but the mixed distribution. Therefore, combining the twin hyperplanes with the fast speed of Least Squares Support Vector Regression (LS-SVR), and then introducing the Gauss–Laplace mixed noise feature, a new regressor, called Gauss-Laplace Twin Least Squares Support Vector Regression (GL-TLSSVR), for the complex noise. Subsequently, we apply the augmented Lagrangian multiplier method to solve the proposed model. Finally, we apply the short-term wind speed data-set to the proposed model. The results of this experiment confirm the effectiveness of our proposed model.
Fractional Norms and Quasinorms Do Not Help to Overcome the Curse of Dimensionality
Authors: Mirkes Evgeny M. , Allohibi Jeza , Gorban Alexander
Published: September 2020

The curse of dimensionality causes the well-known and widely discussed problems for machine learning methods. There is a hypothesis that using the Manhattan distance and even fractional lp quasinorms (for p less than 1) can help to overcome the curse of dimensionality in classification problems. In this study, we systematically test this hypothesis. It is illustrated that fractional quasinorms have a greater relative contrast and coefficient of variation than the Euclidean norm l2, but it is shown that this difference decays with increasing space dimension. It has been demonstrated that the concentration of distances shows qualitatively the same behaviour for all tested norms and quasinorms. It is shown that a greater relative contrast does not mean a better classification quality. It was revealed that for different databases the best (worst) performance was achieved under different norms (quasinorms). A systematic comparison shows that the difference in the performance of kNN classifiers for lp at p = 0.5, 1, and 2 is statistically insignificant. Analysis of curse and blessing of dimensionality requires careful definition of data dimensionality that rarely coincides with the number of attributes. We systematically examined several intrinsic dimensions of the data.