bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alianças estratégicas: revisão de literatura de 2007 a 2017
Authors: Steinhäuser Vivian , Hodge Viana de carvalho Patricia Ayumi
Published: February 2019

As últimas décadas apresentaram um crescimento vertiginoso da pesquisa em alianças estratégicas, espelhando um fenômeno mundial de empresas buscando parcerias para fazer frente a mercados cada vez mais competitivos e globalizados. No entanto, esse aumento considerável da produção acadêmica tem como consequência a fragmentação da literatura, tornando árdua a tarefa do pesquisador em acessar o conhecimento acumulado na área. Embora existam revisões de literatura na área, estas são bibliometrias ou meta-revisões, com pouca análise sobre o estado-da-arte no tema. O presente estudo teve como objetivo preencher essa lacuna, realizando uma revisão da produção acadêmica recente sobre alianças estratégicas. Foram analisados 113 artigos das áreas de administração e negócios publicados entre 2007 e 2017 com enfoque em alianças. A revisão desses artigos permitiu a construção de um panorama sobre a pesquisa em alianças no que tange às motivações para sua formação, às formas de governança e ao desempenho, com levantamento de tendências e sugestões para pesquisas futuras.
Sistemas de informação no controle de estoque no setor supermercadista
Authors: Silva Cíntia Milena Vasconcelos Dias da , Costa Filho Francisco Carlos da , Rosa Jaqueline Silva da , Ferko Geórgia Patrícia da Silva , Rocha Daiane Tretto da
Published: February 2019

O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar possíveis formas de aprimorar e otimizar o processo de utilização de sistemas de informações no controle de estoque de empresas do segmento supermercadista. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, a qual empregou-se o estudo de casos múltiplos. A técnica de coleta empregada foi a entrevista com uso de um roteiro de questões abertas adaptado de Veríssimo e Musetti (2003) e ainda, a observação participante, aplicados em dois supermercados da cidade de Boa Vista, em Roraima. As evidências indicam que o treinamento pode ser uma forma de aprimorar e otimizar o uso de sistemas de informações no controle de estoque, já que na pesquisa realizada ossoftwares, na percepção dos entrevistados, não requerem aprimoramento do ponto de vista da tecnologia. A principal lacuna encontrada nos dados coletados diz respeito aos operantes do sistema. Dessa forma, recomenda-se para trabalhos futuros que seja colocado em prática, nos supermercados que foram objetos de estudo deste trabalho, treinamentos mais eficazes e, então observar as melhorias proporcionadas por esta otimização no processo de controle de estoque.
Characterization and evaluation of antioxidation of lignin from bamboo powder using a formic acid-catalyzed ethanol organosolv process
Authors: Guo Yunpu , Liu Bei , Zou Cheng , Guo Daliang , Xue Guoxin
Published: February 2019

The antioxidant activity of lignin for producing biochemicals has attracted attention. In this paper, a separation method for lignin is proposed, with high-yield and high-antioxidant activity by using a formic acid-catalyzed subcritical ethanol process. The formic acid-catalyzed ethanol lignin (EOL/FA) and ethanol organosolv lignin (EOL) were first prepared using a high-pressure autoclave at different formic acid dosages. Then, the antioxidant activity and the structural and thermal properties of EOL/FA, EOL, alkali lignin, and sodium lignosulfonate were analyzed using antioxidant analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The phenolic hydroxyl content of the four lignins was also determined by the Folin–Ciocalteau colorimetric method. Results showed EOL/FA had a higher radical scavenging ability and higher total phenolic hydroxyl content than industrial lignin. It indicated that the formic acid-catalyzed subcritical ethanol process was effective for enhancing the antioxidant activity of lignin.
Nano-magnesium oxide as hard template synthesis of lignin carbonbased solid acids and its application for cellulose hydrolysis
Authors: Ma Zhao , Gong Runming , Han Ying , Wang Xing , Sun Guangwei , Li Yao , Zhou Jinghui
Published: February 2019

In comparison with templates of zeolites and silica, a template of nano-magnesium oxide (nano-MgO) has some unique advantages. Namely, it is easily removed by dilute noncorrosive acid solution, is recyclable for nano-MgO precursors, and has tunable pore size by selecting various nano-MgO precursors. In this study, the nano-MgO as a hard template synthesis of lignin carbon-based solid acids catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). After using nano-MgO as a hard template, the resulting nano-MgO mesoporous carbon-based solid acids (MLCSAs) presented a uniform porous morphology and the smooth surface became rough. When the carbonization temperature was 400°C, the catalytic activity of MLCSAs for the hydrolytic reaction of cellulose was greater than lignin carbon-based solid acids (LCSAs) without nano-MgO as a hard template.
Aplicación del índice de riesgo nutricional geriátrico en la unidad de cuidados intensivos de la clínica La Merced, Quito Ecuador.
Authors: Vinueza Ortiz Diana , Noboa Escobar Diego Mauricio , Ruales Paredes Salome Shayana
Published: February 2019

La aplicación del Índice de Riesgo Nutricional Geriátrico (IRNG) tuvo como finalidad la predicción de la probabilidad a desarrollar consecuencias adversas a la desnutrición como aumento del riesgo de infección, estancia hospitalaria y mortalidad en los pacientes críticos de tercera edad; y observar su comportamiento en las patologías de daño hepático crónico y daño renal severo. La presente investigación tiene un carácter observacional y analítico longitudinal. Se incluyeron a 61 pacientes mayores de 60 años de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de la Clínica “La Merced” (Quito, Ecuador), durante los meses de mayo a agosto del 2013. A través de la estadística inferencial se realizó un análisis multifactorial de correspondencias múltiples y desagregaciones para determinar la asociación entre el IRNG, la sobrevida, el desarrollo de un proceso infeccioso y el tiempo de estancia hospitalaria. El IRNG pudo pronosticar la mortalidad, sin embargo, la presencia de infección y estancia hospitalaria dependieron de factores como el diagnóstico de ingreso, y la alta exposición a agentes infecciosos. No se observó una asociación concluyente entre las patologías anteriormente mencionadas y el IRNG, no obstante, se requiere de la realización de estudios con una muestra mayor para confirmar la aplicación del IRNG en todos los pacientes geriátricos.
SISTEM PENGAMBILAN KEPUTUSAN DALAM PEMILIHAN JURUSAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE EKSPONENSIAL (MPE) DI PERGURUAN TINGGI NEGERI DAN SWASTA DI JAWA BARAT
Authors: Jurnal Redaksi Tim
Published: February 2019

Information technology give a lot of convenience that can be perceived by the human life. One example  is the information technology era with the birth of the computer in the lives masyarakat..Komputer now felt mamfaat give an awful lot that can not be separated from human life. Every company and institution, in its data processing has been applied by using a computer. Thus the computer can be used as decision support aspects of good and right in taking a decision. Particularly relevant agencies that college is the most important thing when they apply the learning and teaching among faculty and students. It's very important to consider if college graduates want to produce a good and accomplished, then the universities should take steps leading if it is to achieve it. Things can be addressed is the new admissions system kesetiap public and private universities in Indonesia. Why is that, with the existence of a computerized system that will provide convenience in determining the choice of majors to choose, As one of the most important factors is how  prospective students can make choices in accordance with their interests and talents. So in their teaching and  learning activities will be optimal, there will be complaints that caused the student to have a mind to discontinue their studies. It should be time for a change college party existing systems by creating an information system for the selection of future student majoring in accordance with the desired direction. From this then as a researcher wants to provide input by presenting a new innovation is to build information systems majors elections for state and private universities in Indonesia
RANCANG BANGUN APLIKASI MULTIMEDIA SEBAGAI PANDUAN DALAM PELAKSANAAN UPACARA BENDERA DI SEKOLAH MENENGAH ATAS
Authors: Jurnal Redaksi Tim
Published: February 2019

Multimedia mengubah sajian tradisional komputer yang berupa teks, menjadi suatu media yang menarik perhatian dan keingintahuan. Penerimaan informasi menjadi semakin baik, dan jika disusun secara baik, multimedia juga bisa menjadi amat menghibur. Multimedia memiliki banyak manfaat dalam semua bidang kehidupan manusia. Di bidang bisnis, multimedia dimanfaatkan sebagai iklan yang kreatif untuk menarik konsumen. Selain itu dengan multimedia, informasi yang disampaikan menjadi lengkap dan mudah dimengerti. Penempatan Multimedia dapat dilaksanakan dimana saja selama peran masyarakat membutuhkan akses menuju sumber media yang membutuhkan informasi elektronik. Peran Multimedia juga menjembatani dan menjangkau masyarakat yang sedikit sukar dalam penerimaan terhadap bentuk penyampaian standard komputer kedalam bentuk yang lebih mudah dapat diterima dan mudah digunakan. Rancang bangun Panduan Upacara Bendera Berbasis Multimedia Dalam Pelaksanaan Upacara Bendera di Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) yang bertujuan sebagai salah satu alternative untuk membuat upacara bendera menjadi lebih menarik bagi siswa SMA. Upacara bendera setiap hari Senin di sekolah bertujuan untuk melatih kedisiplinan siswa serta memupuk rasa cinta tanah air dan bangsa ataupun menumbuhkan semangat jiwa nasionalisme. Upacara bendera setiap hari Senin di sekolah bertujuan untuk melatih kedisiplinan siswa serta memupuk rasa cinta tanah air dan bangsa ataupun menumbuhkan semangat jiwa nasionalisme. Seiring dengan perkembangan Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi dengan memanfaatkan multimedia maka pelaksanaan upacara bendera di setiap sekolah setiap Hari Senin pagi diharapkan dapat lebih menarik.
SISTEM PAKAR ANALISA KERUSAKAN PADA SEPEDA MOTOR HONDA BEAT INJECTION DENGAN METODE BACKWARD CHAINING
Authors: Siregar Riki
Published: February 2019

Expert system is one part of artificial intelligence designed to mimic the expertise of an expert in answering questions and completing a problem. This application made to resolve damages acquired from the symptoms which mostly encountered by motorcyclist. This application created by backward chaining using backward tracking method that works based on conclusions from series of happenings. In this study, collecting the data gained from the experts involved in the existing system by direct interview, direct observation and also from the literatures as references to support the explanation of the elements studied. The objective of this application is to help the mechanics or technicians in analyzing damages occured in Honda Beat Injection motorcycle at the garage in Honda Motor Festival faster.
RANCANG BANGUN SISTEM INFORMASI EVALUASI SISWA DAN KEHADIRAN GURU BERBASIS WEB
Authors: Yani Ahmad , Saputra Beni , Jurnal Redaksi Tim
Published: February 2019

The information system of student assessment results and the presence of teachers is the most important component in building the school's academic system. With the application of information systems evaluating student grades and teacher attendance, the school can process data related to academic information which includes data on students, teachers, education, subjects, absences, classes, departments, years of teaching, grades, schedule of lessons. he student evaluation information system and teacher absenteeism can be the main points most needed by schools in managing each student's grades and the presence of each teacher. Without an information system on the value and presence of teachers, the school will be very difficult in getting report cards and reports on teacher attendance during teaching. Student evaluation information system and teacher attendance are designed web-based with the method of developing the waterfall system. With the information system evaluation of student evaluations and teacher attendance, it is expected to be able to provide better service to students, teachers and parents in getting information about the value and presence of teachers at the school.
FORWARD CHAINING DALAM DIAGNOSIS PENYAKIT TUMBUHAN ALLIUM CEPA VAR AGGREGATUM
Authors: Kusuma Dine Tiara , Karmila Sely , Nova Tiara Amalia
Published: February 2019

The agriculture department of Solok West Sumatra district especially Agricultural Extension Agency (BPP) of Lembang Jaya Sub-district, has decreased the productivity of onion every year. This plant has decreased because it often attacked by pests or diseases, and lack of knowledge about the symptoms of onion’s pests or diseases. To fix this problem, made an application to facilitate the farmers, to know the type of pest or disease from symptoms on the onion and solution of each type of diseases. The method used is Forward Chaining. Forward Chaining Method is collection of data from each symptom that appear on the Allium Cepa Var Aggregatum. Then, made a decision to get the results about the solution and type of disease on the Allium Cepa Var Aggregatum. The results of this study is to show the type of disease and solution that has been detected based on symptoms on the Allium Cepa Var Aggregatum.
RANCANG BANGUN APLIKASI REMINDER PENGUMPULAN SOAL UJIAN DI SMK JAKARTA 1 BERBASIS WEB
Authors: Kusniyati Harni , Putro Arum Waruju Jono
Published: February 2019

The exam is a test to given to assess the lessons that have given by a teacher to student in a period of time. Usually almost every six months the school always organizing the exam like the midterm or the final exams for one semester. Before the semesters started usually a teacher the result are wired to make about submitted to the biannual the organizing committee .To help the committee in conveying information to each teachers and remind teachers to collect the exam questions then a reminder is needed. Reminder is a messaging feature that can help to remind something at a certain time. Reminder application becomes one of the alternatives to help the committee and become a faithful remind for the teacher to make it easy to use to access anywhere and anytime. In this research, the writer will make reminder application to collect test questions in SMK Jakarta 1 by using PHP programming language with notification to teacher's email and committee, and design process flow using UML (Unified Modeling Language).
EDUKASI EVAKUASI GEMPA BUMI SEBAGAI MITIGASI BENCANA DI SMK AD-DA’WAH
Authors: IDUWIN Tommy
Published: February 2019

Abstrak

SMK Ad Da’wah yang terletak di Kelurahan Duri Kosambi Kecamatan Cengkareng Jakarta Barat merupakan sekolah yang terkena dampak gempa bumi Banten 2018. Setelah peristiwa gempa bumi di bulan Januari 2018, sekolah belum memberikan pelatihan maupun sosialisasi tentang bagaimana langkah-langkah yang harus dilakukan apabila terjadi gempa bumi dan belum mengintegrasikan mengenai materi kesiapsiagaan bencana gempa bumi kedalam mata pelajaran.

Kegiatan edukasi dilakukan dengan metode penyuluhan dan demonstrasi evakuasi gempa bumi oleh tim dan siswa-siswi SMK AD’Da’wah. Narasumber berasal dari Jurusan Teknik Sipil STT PLN Duri Kosambi, Kecamatan Cengkareng, Jakarta Barat, serta dukungan  perangkat sekolah SMK AD’-Da’wah. Dana pendukung dari institusi STT-PLN merupakan aspek penting terselenggaranya kegiatan PKM ini.

Manfaat yang diperoleh dari kegiatan PKM ini antara lain SMK Ad-Da’wah memahami arti pentingnya kesiapsiagaan terhadap bencana gempa bumi sehingga dapat mengurangi korban jiwa dan kerusakan yang ditimbulkan akibat bencana gempa bumi.

Kata kunci: Gempa Bumi, Evakuasi, Korban Jiwa
Usages relating to wine: nunc est bibendum
Authors: Mousseron Pierre
Published: February 2019

Defined as practices with legal force, usages are the issue of a debate relating to the definition of the most relevant sources of law. This debate is particularly lively in the agro-food sector. The first part of the article examines the presence of many usages in the production, the marketing as well as the consumption of wine. In a more dynamic perspective, the second part shows a marginalization of regional usages and the vitality of the transnational usages. This situation invites to defend, in the third part, regional usages in order to promote legal diversity. This promotion highlights a new protective effect of usages concerning traditional practices restricted by certain “appellations d’origine controlee” or “protégée”.
Posições do Poder Judiciário sobre os negócios processuais atípicos do artigo 190 do CPC/15: breve cenário após dois anos de vigência do CPC/15
Authors: Medeiros Neto Elias Marques de
Published: February 2019

O presente artigo propõe uma análise teórica panorâmica acerca dos negócios processuais atípicos previstos no art. 190 do Código de Processo Civil de 2015 e um balanço dos reflexos jurisprudenciais desse instituto ao longo de dois anos de vigência desse código.
Il problema costituzionale dell’attuazione dei diritti sociali
Authors: Pallante Francesco
Published: February 2019

L’articolo si interroga sul problema dell’attuazione dei diritti costituzionali, e in particolare dei diritti sociali, nel quadro di una costituzione pluralista. Considerando i diritti costituzionali vincoli all’esercizio dei pubblici poteri – in quanto contenuto del patto costituente, prima ancora che per via della loro collocazione gerarchica –, si argomenta che, pur nell’ambito della loro discrezionalità politica, i pubblici poteri stessi hanno il dovere di realizzare interventi volti all’attuazione dei diritti (e di astenersi dal compiere interventi ostativi alla loro attuazione). Ciò vale anche per la decisione di bilancio, che deve rispettare le priorità costituzionali, privilegiando le «spese costituzionalmente vincolate» rispetto alle «spese costituzionalmente facoltative» (ed evitare le «spese costituzionalmente vietate»). In vista del raggiungimento di questo obiettivo, si suggerisce la configurazione di vincoli, costituzionalmente giustiziabili, non di ma al bilancio, vale a dire in favore della destinazione di risorse certe agli interventi pubblici volti a dare concretezza al contenuto minimo dei diritti costituzionali.
Preparation of Marketable Functional Food to Control Hypertension using Basil (ocimum basillium) and Peppermint (mentha piperita).
Authors: Saleem Afshan , Durrani Arjumand Iqbal , Awan Fatima Batool , Irfan Amina , Noreen Misbah , Kamran Ali , Arif Duaa
Published: February 2019

Functional foods are of great importance which are used to ensure improvements in human health by all aspects. A potential functional food was prepared with five different formulations A, B, C, D and E by using different combination of basil leaf, peppermint leaf and green cardamom to control hypertension. The raw material used for formulation wAS collected from the local market of Shahdara Lahore in September 2017. Selection of raw materials was totally based on the availability of specified bioactive components which can control hypertension. Formulations A, B, C, D and E were sensory evaluated. The overall acceptability for formulation A was 5/10, B was 6/10, C was 8/10, D was 9/10 and E was 7/10. On the basis of sensory analysis, formulation D was selected. For preliminary analysis, ethanolic and ethyl acetate fraction of basil leaf was prepared. Standard methods of phytochemical analysis were performed to identify flavonoids, alkaloids, polyphenolics and antioxidant activity. Antioxidant activity was measured by using DPPH assay. Quercetin was used as standard. Results were statistically analyzed which showed that IC50 (µg/mL) value of ethyl acetate fraction (389.00±0.99) was higher than the ethanolic extract (1372.00±6.32) of the basil leaf. On the basis of phytochemical analysis and DPPH assay. We formulated herbal tea that showed promising antioxidant properties. Characterization of food product proved it as potentially beneficial dietary supplement and hence recommended as potential functional food for hypertension. Keywords: Hypertension; Functional food; DPPH; Sensory Evaluation and Antioxidant activity.
Additions of Tropospheric Ozone (O3) in Regional Climates (A case study: Saudi Arabia)
Authors: Hassan Syed Shehzad , Mukhtar Maham , Haq Ehsan ul , Aamir Muneeb , Rafique Hafiz M , Kamran Ali , Shah Ghulam , Ali Safeer
Published: February 2019

Anthropogenic activities are responsible for enhancing the concentration of various toxic gases that produces bad Ozone in the troposphere which is harmful to human health. The specific objective of this research was to analyze the spatio-temporal variations in a vertical column of Ozone (O3) over Saudi Arabia during 2006-2016 using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard AQUA platform and AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) data. The results show that the optical depth of Ozone column varied from 252 Dobson Units (DU) to 264 DU. The main reason of this variation corresponds to the increase in O3 precursors including Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2). The concentration of CO2 varied between (379-401) Parts Per Million (PPM), SO2 varied (3.5x10-6 - 4x10-6kg m-2) kg m-2 and NO2 varies (2.25x1015 - 2.5x1015)1/cm2 during the investigated timeframe. The results confirm that NO2 and SO2 have contributed directly in O3 formation while CO2 just increased regional temperatures that enhanced the optical depth of O3. Keywords: AIRS, AERONET, Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Sulfur dioxide, Aerosol optical depth and Dopson Unit.
Evaluación de la Contaminación Microbiológica Presente en los Arroyos La Carolina y La Totora Ubicados en el Partido de Gral. Alvarado. Prov. de Buenos Aires. Argentina.
Authors: Maggiore Marina A. , Rampi Mariana G. , Cuestas Natalia R. , Campins Macarena
Published: February 2019

La contaminación fecal de las aguas superficiales es un problema que incide directamente en la salud humana. El indicador más significativo entre la exposición a aguas ambientales y riesgo de enfermedad es Escherichia coli. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la contaminación ambiental y el riesgo sanitario en los arroyos La Carolina y La Totora, entre julio 2016 y junio 2017, utilizando como indicadores a los Coliformes totales, Coliformes fecales (CF), E. coli y Enterococos fecales (EF). Los análisis se llevaron a cabo siguiendo lo descripto en Standard Methods. Los resultados obtenidos fueron similares en ambos arroyos, se presentaron los mayores recuentos en enero, febrero y marzo del 2017. Si bien, los resultados no presentan valores relevantes, se puede concluir que en casi la totalidad de los muestreos, los resultados de CF, E. coli y EF fueron superiores a los valores guía de la Resolución 42/06 del ADA.
Karakteristik Pengguna Media Sosial
Authors: Asiati Diah Isnaini , Septadiyanto Septadiyanto
Published: February 2019

The development of technology has resulted in the development of communication media through social media. The use of this media varies in terms of its demographic characteristics, whereas the benefits of this media for each group are different. Therefore, to maximize the benefits of technological advancements, it is important to study the accuracy of the group of users. This study aims to determine the distinguishing characteristics of social media users. The study used a number of 93 samples taken in clusters. The results showed that there were no differences in the characteristics of social media users based on gender and religion. The characteristics of social media users are especially those who are students. This group has the highest frequency of use for entertainment and communication purposes.
The Role of Higher Education in Development of Entrepreneurial Competencies: Some Insights from Castilla-La Mancha University in Spain
Authors: González Moreno Ángela , López Muñoz Llanos , Pérez Morote Rosario
Published: February 2019

This study presents an analysis of the entrepreneurial competences of second- and fourth-year undergraduate students at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), under the framework of the Entrepreneurial Teachers Network, an ongoing project at this institution. The analysis of a sample of 1874 students identified three profiles of competences of students at the UCLM. The first profile is related to competences in performing and resolving activities, the second is related to risk aversion and uncertainty management and the third is associated with the capacity for teamwork. Furthermore, it was found that the competences related to implementing and performing activities significantly influence job creation as they exhibit a positive relationship with the intention of creating a company in the first three years after graduation. Emotion-related competences also exhibit a significant effect on entrepreneurial intention, although this association is negative. Finally, relation-based competences were found to have no impact on entrepreneurial intention.
Multiscale Object Detection in Infrared Streetscape Images Based on Deep Learning and Instance Level Data Augmentation
Authors: Qu Hao , Zhang Lilian , Wu Xuesong , He Xiaofeng , Hu Xiaoping , Wen Xudong
Published: February 2019

The development of object detection in infrared images has attracted more attention in recent years. However, there are few studies on multi-scale object detection in infrared street scene images. Additionally, the lack of high-quality infrared datasets hinders research into such algorithms. In order to solve these issues, we firstly make a series of modifications based on Faster Region-Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN). In this paper, a double-layer region proposal network (RPN) is proposed to predict proposals of different scales on both fine and coarse feature maps. Secondly, a multi-scale pooling module is introduced into the backbone of the network to explore the response of objects on different scales. Furthermore, the inception4 module and the position sensitive region of interest (ROI) align (PSalign) pooling layer are utilized to explore richer features of the objects. Thirdly, this paper proposes instance level data augmentation, which takes into account the imbalance between categories while enlarging dataset. In the training stage, the online hard example mining method is utilized to further improve the robustness of the algorithm in complex environments. The experimental results show that, compared with baseline, our detection method has state-of-the-art performance.
Time and Cost Overrun in the Saudi Arabian Oil and Gas Construction Industry
Authors: Bin Seddeeq Abdulaziz , Assaf Sadi , Abdallah Abdullatif , Hassanain Mohammad A.
Published: February 2019

Many construction projects exceed time and budget. The Saudi Arabian construction projects are not an exception to this phenomenon. However, the causes of time and cost overrun of Saudi Arabian oil and gas construction projects have never been studied. Thus, this paper endeavors to investigate the main causes of time and cost overrun in Saudi Arabian oil and gas construction projects. Thirty-eight causes of time and cost overrun were identified through the literature and an interview. Responses from 48 professionals based in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were obtained. The respondents were solicited to evaluate the significance of the causes, which were then ranked and a test of agreement was conducted. All survey participants agreed that the five major causes of time and cost overrun, combined, were found to be “changing of design and scope by client during construction”, “poor planning and scheduling of project”, “design errors”, “Inadequate comprehension of scope of work at the bidding stage”, and “underestimating of cost and schedules/overestimating of benefits”. On the other hand, the major cause of time overrun was found to be “changing of design and scope by client during construction”. Finally, the major cause of cost overrun was found to be “underestimating of cost and schedules/overestimating of benefits”, respectively. The findings of this study will be beneficial to project stakeholders who must operate in an industry that is highly sensitive. The findings will also facilitate organizations planning to conduct construction projects in the Saudi Arabian oil and gas industry.
Self-Immobilizing Biocatalysts Maximize Space–Time Yields in Flow Reactors
Authors: Peschke Theo , Bitterwolf Patrick , Hansen Silla , Gasmi Jannis , Rabe Kersten S. , Niemeyer Christof M.
Published: February 2019

Maximizing space–time yields (STY) of biocatalytic flow processes is essential for the establishment of a circular biobased economy. We present a comparative study in which different biocatalytic flow reactor concepts were tested with the same enzyme, the (R)-selective alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis (LbADH), that was used for stereoselective reduction of 5-nitrononane-2,8-dione. The LbADH contained a genetically encoded streptavidin (STV)-binding peptide to enable self-immobilization on STV-coated surfaces. The purified enzyme was immobilized by physisorption or chemisorption as monolayers on the flow channel walls, on magnetic microbeads in a packed-bed format, or as self-assembled all-enzyme hydrogels. Moreover, a multilayer biofilm with cytosolic-expressed LbADH served as a whole-cell biocatalyst. To enable cross-platform comparison, STY values were determined for the various reactor modules. While mono- and multilayer coatings of the reactor surface led to STY < 10, higher productivity was achieved with packed-bed reactors (STY ≈ 100) and the densely packed hydrogels (STY > 450). The latter modules could be operated for prolonged times (>6 days). Given that our approach should be transferable to other enzymes, we anticipate that compartmentalized microfluidic reaction modules equipped with self-immobilizing biocatalysts would be of great utility for numerous biocatalytic and even chemo-enzymatic cascade reactions under continuous flow conditions.
MiRNAs from DLK1-DIO3 Imprinted Locus at 14q32 are Associated with Multiple Sclerosis: Gender-Specific Expression and Regulation of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Signaling
Authors: Baulina Natalia , Osmak German , Kiselev Ivan , Popova Ekaterina , Boyko Alexey , Kulakova Olga , Favorova Olga
Published: February 2019

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the most prevalent course of multiple sclerosis. It is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. To investigate the gender-specific involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in RRMS pathogenesis, we compared miRNA profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells separately in men and women (eight RRMS patients versus four healthy controls of each gender) using high-throughput sequencing. In contrast to women, six downregulated and 26 upregulated miRNAs (padj < 0.05) were identified in men with RRMS. Genes encoding upregulated miRNAs are co-localized in DLK1-DIO3 imprinted locus on human chromosome 14q32. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis was performed in independent groups of men (16 RRMS patients and 10 healthy controls) and women (20 RRMS patients and 10 healthy controls). Increased expression of miR-431, miR-127-3p, miR-379, miR-376c, miR-381, miR-410 and miR-656 was again demonstrated in male (padj < 0.05), but not in female RRMS patients. At the same time, the expression levels of these miRNAs were lower in healthy men than in healthy women, whereas in RRMS men they increased and reached or exceeded levels in RRMS women. In general, we demonstrated that expression levels of these miRNAs depend both on “health–disease” status and gender. Network-based enrichment analysis identified that receptor tyrosine kinases-activated pathways were enriched with products of genes targeted by miRNAs from DLK1-DIO3 locus. These results suggest the male-specific involvement of these miRNAs in RRMS pathogenesis via regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling.
Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction in Methanol at Cu and Cu2O-Deposited Carbon Black Electrodes
Authors: Uemoto Naoki , Furukawa Mai , Tateishi Ikki , Katsumata Hideyuki , Kaneco Satoshi
Published: February 2019

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in methanol was investigated with Cu and Cu2O-supported carbon black (Vulcan XC-72) nanoparticle electrodes. Herein, Cu or a Cu2O-deposited carbon black catalyst has been synthesized by the reduction method for a Cu ion, and the drop-casting method was applied for the fabrication of a modified carbon black electrode. A catalyst ink solution was fabricated by dispersing the catalyst particles, and the catalyst ink was added onto the carbon plate. The pH of suspension was effective for controlling the Cu species for the metallic copper and the Cu2O species deposited on the carbon black. Without the deposition of Cu, only CO and methyl formate were produced in the electrochemical CO2 reduction, and the production of hydrocarbons could be scarcely observed. In contrast, hydrocarbons were formed by using Cu or Cu2O-deposited carbon black electrodes. The maximum Faraday efficiency of hydrocarbons was 40.3% (26.9% of methane and 13.4% of ethylene) at −1.9 V on the Cu2O-deposited carbon black catalyst. On the contrary, hydrogen evolution could be depressed to 34.7% under the condition.
Biocleaning to Remove Graffiti: A Real Possibility? Advances towards a Complete Protocol of Action
Authors: Sanmartín Patricia , Bosch-Roig Pilar
Published: February 2019

The first academic studies on the use of microorganisms in cleaning procedures appeared in the late 1980s/early 1990s. In the past thirty years, most of such studies have addressed the removal of nitrate and sulphate salts and organic matter from surfaces by using non-pathogenic anaerobic microorganisms, mainly sulphate-reducing bacteria. The successful use of microbes in the removal of graffiti paint remains, however, a work in progress. Biocleaning surfaces to remove graffiti is not a simple task, because of the complex chemical composition of graffiti paints. This study looks at ways of improving the bioremoval of graffiti and presents the latest findings regarding different methodological aspects of cleaning natural and man-made stone. Granite and concrete substrates were coated with silver and black graffiti spray paints for comparison of the efficacy of the biocleaning method on these different materials. Visual and microscopic examination along with colour and infrared measurements made after application of the bacterial strains tested (previously shown to be suitable candidates for bioremoval of graffiti) revealed remarkably successful results. The findings presented thus represent progress in the development of a biocleaning protocol applicable to the in-situ removal of graffiti. Important improvements have been made regarding the time of treatment, which has been reduced by up to 20 days, and the use of a culture medium enriched with powdered graffiti, which facilitates and accelerates the adaptation of the microorganisms to the target surface.
Investigation of Polymer Coatings Formed by Polyvinyl Alcohol and Silver Nanoparticles on Copper Surface in Acid Medium by Means of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Samide Adriana , Stoean Ruxandra , Stoean Cătălin , Tutunaru Bogdan , Grecu Roxana , Cioateră Nicoleta
Published: February 2019

In order to assemble effective protective coatings against corrosion, electrochemical techniques such as linear potentiometry and cyclic voltammetry were performed on a copper surface in 0.1 mol·L−1 HCl solution containing 0.1% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in the absence and presence of silver nanoparticles (nAg/PVA). A recent paradigm was used to distinguish the features of the coatings, that is, a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) was implemented to automatically and hierarchically extract the discriminative characteristics from the information given by optical microscopy images. In our study, the material surface morphology, controlled by the CNN without the interference of the human factor, was successfully conducted to extract the similarities/differences between unprotected and protected surfaces in order to establish the PVA and nAg/PVA performance to retard copper corrosion. The CNN results were confirmed by the classical investigation of copper behavior in hydrochloric acid solution in the absence and presence of polyvinyl alcohol and silver nanoparticles. The electrochemical measurements showed that the corrosion current density (icorr) decreased and polarization resistance (Rp) increased, with both PVA and nAg/PVA being effective inhibitors for copper corrosion in an acid environment, forming polymer protective coatings by adsorption on the metal surface. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) certifies the formation of polymer coatings, revealing a specific morphology of the copper surface in the presence of PVA and nAg/PVA, very different from that of corroded copper in uninhibited solutions. Finally, the correlation of the CNN information with experimental data was reported.
Boreal Sand Hills are Areas of High Diversity for Boreal Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Glasier James , Nielsen Scott , Acorn John , Pinzon Jaime
Published: February 2019

The boreal forest in Canada comprises a wide variety of ecosystems, including stabilized (overgrown) sand dunes, often referred to as sand hills. Globally, sandy soils are known for supporting a high diversity of invertebrates, including ants, but little is known for boreal systems. We used pitfall trap sampling in sand hill, aspen parkland and peatland ecosystems to compare their ant diversity and test the prediction that areas with sandy soils have higher invertebrate diversity compared to more mesic/organic soils. Overall, sand hills had ~45% more ant species compared to other sampled ecosystems from Alberta. Similar to other studies, local canopy cover within sand hills was found to be inversely related to ant species richness and diversity. Although sand hills are rare across the region, they are high biodiversity areas for ants, with the sand hills of north-central Alberta having higher species richness of ants compared to other studied areas in Canada.
Universality of Logarithmic Loss in Successive Refinement
Authors: No Albert
Published: February 2019

We establish an universal property of logarithmic loss in the successive refinement problem. If the first decoder operates under logarithmic loss, we show that any discrete memoryless source is successively refinable under an arbitrary distortion criterion for the second decoder. Based on this result, we propose a low-complexity lossy compression algorithm for any discrete memoryless source.
Special Issue “Quantum Foundations: 90 Years of Uncertainty”
Authors: Bosyk Gustavo M. , Fortin Sebastian , Lamberti Pedro W. , Holik Federico
Published: February 2019

The VII Conference on Quantum Foundations: 90 years of uncertainty (https://sites [...]
A Comparison Study on Criteria to Select the Most Adequate Weighting Matrix
Authors: Herrera Marcos , Mur Jesus , Ruiz Manuel
Published: February 2019

The practice of spatial econometrics revolves around a weighting matrix, which is often supplied by the user on previous knowledge. This is the so-called W issue. Probably, the aprioristic approach is not the best solution although, presently, there are few alternatives for the user. Our contribution focuses on the problem of selecting a W matrix from among a finite set of matrices, all of them considered appropriate for the case. We develop a new and simple method based on the entropy corresponding to the distribution of probability estimated for the data. Other alternatives, which are common in current applied work, are also reviewed. The paper includes a large study of Monte Carlo to calibrate the effectiveness of our approach compared to others. A well-known case study is also included.
Active Power Decoupling for Current Source Converters: An Overview Scenario
Authors: Zhang Jianhua , Ding Hao , Wang Baocheng , Guo Xiaoqiang , Padmanaban Sanjeevikumar
Published: February 2019

For single-phase current source converters, there is an inherent limitation in DC-side low-frequency power oscillation, which is twice the grid fundamental frequency. In practice, it transfers to the DC side and results in the low-frequency DC-link ripple. One possible solution is to install excessively large DC-link inductance for attenuating the ripple. However, it is of bulky size and not cost-effective. Another method is to use the passive LC branch for bypassing the power decoupling, but this is still not cost-effective due to the low-frequency LC circuit. Recently, active power decoupling techniques for the current source converters have been sparsely reported in literature. However, there has been no attempt to classify and understand them in a systematic way so far. In order to fill this gap, an overview of the active power decoupling for single-phase current source converters is presented in this paper. Systematic classification and comparison are provided for researchers and engineers to select the appropriate solutions for their specific applications.
Insights from Past Trends in Exergy Efficiency and Carbon Intensity of Electricity: Portugal, 1900–2014
Authors: Felício Laura , Henriques Sofia T. , Serrenho André , Domingos Tiago , Sousa Tânia
Published: February 2019

We use the societal exergy analysis to identify periods and factors controlling efficiency dilution and carbon deepening of electricity in Portugal from 1900 to 2014. Besides estimating the carbon intensity of electricity production, we propose a new indicator, the carbon intensity of electricity use, which quantifies CO2/kWh of electricity derived useful exergy. Results show final to useful efficiency dilution until World War I (50% to 30%) due to a decrease in share of the high-efficiency transport sector and from mid-1940s to 1960 and mid-1990s onwards (58% to 47% and 47% to 40%) due to an increase in share of the low efficiency commercial and residential sector. Decarbonization from 1900 to mid-1960s, with carbon intensities of electricity production and use dropping respectively from 12.8 to 0.2 and from 33.6 to 0.4 kg CO2/kWh due to an increase in thermoelectricity efficiencies and an increase in share of hydro. Then, a period of carbon deepening until 1990 with carbon intensities tripling due to a shift in shares from hydro to thermoelectricity and more recently a period of decarbonization with carbon intensities decreasing to 0.35 and 0.9 kg CO2/kWh, due to the increase in renewable electricity despite a dilution in final to useful efficiency.
Theoretical Investigation into the Ripple Source of External Gear Pumps
Authors: Zhao Xinran , Vacca Andrea
Published: February 2019

External gear pumps are among the most popular fluid power positive displacement pumps, however they often suffer of excessive flow pulsation transmitted to the downstream circuit. To meet the increasing demand of quiet operation for modern fluid power system, a better understanding of the ripple source of gear pumps is desirable. This paper presents a novel approach for the analysis of the ripple source of gear pumps based on decomposition into a kinematic component and a pressurization component. The pump ripple can be regarded as the superposition of the displacement solution and the pressurization solution. The displacement solution is driven by the kinematic flow, and it can be derived from the kinematic flow theory; instead, the pressurization solution can be approximated by overlapping the pressurization flow for a single displacement chamber. Furthermore, in this way the changes of these two components with modification of the delivery circuit are determined in both analytical and numerical ways. The result of this analysis provides a good interpretation of the pulsation simulated by a detailed lumped-parameter simulation model, thus showing its validity. The result also indicates that the response of two ripple sources to the change of the loading in the downstream hydraulic circuit is very different. These findings reveal the limitation of the traditional experimental method for determining the pump ripple, that new experimental methods which are more physics-based can be potentially formulated based on this work.
Case Study about the Energy Absorption Capacity of Metal Oxide Varistors with Thermal Coupling
Authors: Frigura-Iliasa Flaviu Mihai , Musuroi Sorin , Sorandaru Ciprian , Vatau Doru
Published: February 2019

Metal oxide varistors are applied today inside modern surge arresters for overvoltage protection for all voltage levels. Their main issue is the thermal activation of their crossing current, which could lead to complete destruction by thermal runaway. This article presents a new technological solution developed in order to increase the thermal stability of metal oxide varistors. It consists in connecting in parallel two or more similar varistors (for dividing their current), having a thermal coupling between them (for equalizing their temperatures and forcing them to act together and simultaneously as much as possible). Starting from a finite element computer model performed for each situation (varistor standalone or parallel), up to real measurements, the thermal stability of the equipment was analyzed in permanent and impulse regime. Experiments were carried out in the same conditions. Experimental data obtain from two disk varistors corresponds very well to simulations, proving that parallel connection of varistors, combined with a thermal exchange between them is an efficient technical solution for thermal stability improvement, even if not apparently economically justified.
Feasible Islanding Operation of Electric Networks with Large Penetration of Renewable Energy Sources considering Security Constraints
Authors: Alavi Seyed , Ilea Valentin , Saffarian Alireza , Bovo Cristian , Berizzi Alberto , Seifossadat Seyed
Published: February 2019

The high penetration of Renewable Energy Sources into electric networks shows new perspectives for the network’s management: among others, exploiting them as resources for network’s security in emergency situations. The paper focuses on the frequency stability of a portion of the grid when it remains islanded following a major fault. It proposes an optimization algorithm that considers the frequency reaction of the relevant components and minimizes the total costs of their shedding. The algorithm predicts the final frequency of the island and the active power profiles of the remaining generators and demands. It is formulated as a Mixed-Integer Non-Linear Programming problem and the high computation time due to a large-size problem is mitigated through a simplified linear version of the model that filters the integer variables. The algorithm is designed to operate on-line and preventively compute the optimal shedding actions to be engaged when islanding occurs. The algorithm is validated for a typical distribution grid: the minimum amount of shedding actions is obtained while the most frequency reactive resources are maintained in operation to assure a feasible frequency. Finally, time-domain simulations show that the optimal solution corresponds to the one at the end of the network’s transients following the islanding.