bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodical Services of the Central Libraries of the Regions: Questions of Organizational and Staffing Maintenance
Authors: Tikunova Irina P.
Published: April 2018

The activity of methodical services is prerequisite for sustainable development of libraries and effective innovation. The article presents the results of the first survey over the last 30 years, conducted by the Center for study of problems of the development of libraries in the information society of the Russian state library in April — October 2017, aimed to analyse the organization of methodical services in the Central libraries of subjects of the Russian Federation, to assess their workforce capacity and to offer solutions to the revealed problems. The results of the data analysis (representativeness is 94%) demonstrates that in most of the Central libraries the methodical activity is the priority (core) trend, and methodical services continue to evolve. In their organization there is a great diversity, which manifests in setting the activity goals and objectives, in choosing the approaches to determining staffing levels, building a structure. The capacity of human resource in most of the libraries can be considered quite high: experts belong to the potentially productive age group, have sufficient experience, and regularly update their knowledge. Among the acute problems is lack of the approved methods for calculation of the normative standards for staffing levels of these units, as well as the requirements for professional growth training for methodologists. There is made the conclusion on the need to work out recommendations for the formation of staff size of methodological services, to identify and spread the best practices for the development of the government order for performance of works (services) on the methodological support of librarianship. For the organization of advanced professional training of methodologists, it is needed to combine the efforts of Federal libraries and actively introduce distance learning.
Libraries in the Era of Socio-Cultural Transformations: Modern Challenges and Grounds for Evidential Library Science
Authors: Gendina Natalia I. , Ryabtseva Larisa N.
Published: April 2018

The processes of informatization and globalization, development of information technologies, mass media and electronic communication are the major factors that caused socio-cultural transformations. Under these conditions, all social institutions, including libraries, are being transformed and modernized. The article discusses the problem of library “To be or not be in the era of Internet” and the place and role of library in the period of socio-cultural transformations. There are described publicistic and scientific works of library scientists devoted to the modern library. Their position is compared with the interpretation of library as a social institution in the abstracts of dissertation theses defended in the Russian Federation in the period of 2000—2013 in three branches of knowledge — “Philosophical Sciences”, “Cultural Science”, and “Sociological Sciences”. On the basis of their analysis, there are revealed four entities of library as a social institution: “Library as a cultural phenomenon”, “Library as a heart of significant social and cultural information”, “Library as a foundation for the development of science and advanced ideas”, and “Library as a stabilizing social factor”. The author substantiates the need for evidence-based library science as a special approach to library practice, where the management decisions at any level (government, regional, municipal) shall be made on the basis of available evidence, based on the interests of readers (users) and society as a whole, taking into account possible social risks and requirements of social safety. Philosophers, culturologists and sociologists give special attention to the characteristics of the advantages that libraries possess in comparison with the Internet. Library provides selection, systematization and cataloguing of significant social and cultural information; represents knowledge in a documentary and observable form; does not impose on the user the patterns of mass culture and behavioral templates, and encourages readers to spiritual growth by reading and addressing to valuable and relevant cultural information.
Comparison of sagittal spinal curvatures and pelvic tilt in highly trained athletes from different sport disciplines
Authors: López-Miñarro Pedro A. , Muyor Jose M.
Published: April 2018

The aim of this study was to compare the thoracic and lumbar curvatures and pelvic tilt in relaxed standing and maximal trunk flexion among highly-trained young athletes from three different sports disciplines. Thirty-two male canoeists, 30 male kayakers and 24 male tennis players were recruited for the study. The Spinal Mouse® system was used to measure the thoracic and lumbar sagittal spinal curvatures and pelvic tilt in relaxed standing and maximal trunk flexion in sitting with flexed (McRae & Wright test) and extended knees (sit-and-reach test). Significant differences were found in maximal trunk flexion tests among athletes. Kayakers and canoeists showed increased anterior pelvic tilt compared to tennis players in the McRae & Wright (p<.01) and decreased posterior pelvic tilt in the sit-and-reach (p<.001) tests; however, canoeists had increased posterior pelvic tilt compared to kayakers in the sit-and-reach test (p<.01). Canoeists had increased thoracic kyphosis curvature compared to kayakers (p<.01) and tennis players (p<.001) in the sit-and-reach test. Spinal sagittal curvatures and pelvic tilt in relaxed standing did not show significant differences. In conclusion, specific sport training may be associated with adaptations in the sagittal spinal curvatures and pelvic tilt when maximal trunk flexion positions are performed.
The effects of a comprehensive teaching program on dribbling and passing decision-making and execution skills of young footballers
Authors: Práxedes Pizarro Alba , del Villar Álvarez Fernando
Published: April 2018

The importance of decision-making on what to do and skill execution within sport expertise has been emphasized in many research studies. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of a 22-session comprehensive teaching program on tactical behavior in agreement with different actions (passing and dribbling) in young footballers. This program was based on the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) model (Bunker & Thorpe, 1982). A quasi-experimental design intervention was developed with nine footballers (U-12) over a 15-week period, which was divided into two phases: pre-intervention (comprised of six sessions and measured during three matches) and intervention (comprised of 22 sessions and measured during 12 matches). Two measures were carried out during the latter phase: an intermediate measure during the First 11 sessions, and a final measure, during the remaining 11 sessions. A total of 2 432 actions were observed (1 793 passes and 639 dribbling actions). Results showed a significant improvement in decision-making and skill execution capabilities after the 22 sessions but not after the first 11 sessions. In addition, differences were found between the two game actions, given that a significant improvement was encountered in both variables of the pass action, but only in the execution variable of the dribbling action. These findings highlight the need to know which type of action is going to be trained (more tactical or technical) in order to adapt the training session methodology. It also seems that, for the teaching program to be effective, it should be applied over a longer timeline of at least 22 sessions.
The intermediate learner’s choice of self-as-a-model strategies and the eight-session practice in learning of the front crawl swim
Authors: Garcia Marques Priscila , Corrêa Umberto Cesar
Published: April 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate the intermediate learners’ choice of self-as-a-model strategies for learning the front crawl swim by extending the amount of practice. Participants (n=40) were divided into three groups: choice (free to choose to watch a video footage of their best or overall performance anytime during a practice), yoked (paired to the learners of the choice group), and control group (did not watch any video). Experimental design also involved a pretest, eigh tacquisition blocks, and a 48-hour retention test. The measures included a qualitative analysis of the front crawl swim and the rate of self-efficacy belief questionnaire. Results showed better learning of the front crawl swim for the choice group in comparison to the yoked and control group. It was also verified that the belief of self-efficacy improved in the choice and yoked groups. Most learners chose self-observation of their overall performance during the entire practice.

The rest of learners waved in their choices. Self-observation of either the best or overall performance had similar effects on learning the front crawl swim. In conclusion, to provide learners with freedom of choice

during the extended acquisition phase was positive for motor learning, regardless of whether or not there were changes in their choices.
The use of classification and regression tree when classifying winning and losing basketball teams
Authors: Gómez Miguel A. , Ibáñez Sergio J.
Published: April 2018

The aim of the present study was to identify the best predictors when classifying winning and losing teams in basketball in consideration of situational variables using the classification and regression tree (CRT) non-parametric analysis. The sample was composed of 1,404 balanced games (score-differences: 1-14 points) from the Spanish EBA Basketball League that presented high heterogeneity and a non-parametric distribution. These games were split into faster- and slower-paced games according to ball possessions per game (using a cluster k-means). The CRT analysis was used to predict which game-related variable/s better classified winning and losing teams during slower- and faster-paced games. In total, this approach explained 72% of the total variance in the slower- and 69.3% in the faster-paced games. The results identified importance of defensive-rebounds (100%), successful free-throws (94.7%), assists (86.1%), and fouls committed (55.9%) for the classification of winning and losing teams in the fast-paced games. Conversely, in the slow-paced games the better classification of winning or losing teams was accomplished by the following variables: successful free-throws (100%), defensive-rebounds (82.3%), fouls committed (68.4%), assists (66.9%), successful 2-point (62.2%) and 3-point field-goals (61.6%). The influence of situational variables was identified only for team quality in the slow-paced games. The present findings allow coaches for a better control of games and competition.
La Triple Hélice de las TIC en Ecuador
Authors: Ledesma Silva Yolanda Esperanza , Cobos Reina Ángel Rodrigo
Published: April 2018

Las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) contribuyen al crecimiento económico global de un país. El uso de las TIC puede ser una oportunidad para modernizar tanto la gestión de la información como la administración del sistema en los tres sectores de la economía: Gobierno, Universidad y Empresa. El problema identificado es la ausencia de literatura sobre este tema. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo contribuir a resolver este problema y responder a la pregunta: ¿Cuáles son las interrelaciones entre el gobierno, las universidades y las empresas en el uso de las TIC en Ecuador? La metodología utilizada es el modelo de la Triple Hélice, con el fin de analizar las interacciones entre los tres sectores mencionados. Entre las principales conclusiones están: La primera hélice, Gobierno-Universidad, incluye la planificación pública en materia de TIC que se caracteriza por ser vertical, centralizada y excluyente, lo cual se puede observar por la falta de participación de los actores que intervienen en la formulación de proyectos y políticas relacionadas con las TIC y su aplicación.  En la segunda hélice, Gobierno-Empresa, existe la necesidad de invertir en las TIC, especialmente en el sector rural, con el fin de motivar la participación respectiva de la empresa privada y el gobierno. La tercera hélice, Empresa-Universidad, se expresa en la necesidad de conformar una comunidad 2.0 en las universidades que contribuya a la mejora del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje a través de la compartición e intercambio de información relevante entre los docentes, estudiantes y su entorno.
Model of Customer Experience and Purchase Intention in Online Environment
Authors: Maitlo Muhammad Zahid , Jugwani Neelam , Gilal Rehman Gul
Published: April 2018

The online purchase intention is very critical and fascinating in today’s e-environment. It has direct involvement in customer decision making in terms of purchase. Thus, corporations use various marketing tools to seize customer attention for product purchase decision. This study provides the model of customer experience and purchase intention in e-environment. A total of 326 internet users were requested to provide the data through distributed questionnaire using non-probability e-convenience sampling technique. Further, Analysis of Moment Structure was employed and Structural Equation Model was used to measure the model of customer experience and online purchase intention with customer experience sub-dimension i.e. online hedonic elements, online aesthetics and online functional elements. The result of the study clearly indicates that customer with tremendous experience tends to purchase frequently in an online environment. In other words, customer online experience is directly proportional to purchase intention. Hence, increase in online customer experience will increase purchase intention.
Relationship between Salary Packages and Employee’s Subjective Well-being: Evidence from Service-based SMEs in Pakistan
Authors: Khokher Nimra Ali , Raziq Abdul
Published: April 2018

An excellent package of salary plays very important role in the management of the talented people of the organization because such packages bring positivity in the feelings, behaviors and in the satisfaction of the people. The objective of this study is to test the hypotheses to investigate the relationship between salary packages and employee’s subjective well-being. The study employed a quantitative methodology. Data were collected through a self-administered survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was adapted from a previous validated survey. The target population consisted of SMEs operating in the city of Quetta, Pakistan. Convenience sampling was applied to collect data from service-sector SMEs. A total of 486 questionnaires were distributed. Of these, 380 were received. However, 349 questionnaires were finally considered as useable. The results of correlation and regression analyses indicate that salary packages have significant positive impact upon employee’s subjective well-being. Our study indicates that when an organization implement practice of excellent and attractive salary packages then such practices develop a realization of trust among the employees which bring positivity in their feelings and behaviors and this will develop their belonging and satisfaction towards the organization. This study also suggests that the top management should continuously monitor the structure of salary in the organization and devise such kind of salary structure which gives recognition to the competent talent of the organization.
A deconstructed guru
Authors: Taatila Hippo
Published: April 2018

Review of Tobias Churton's Deconstructioning Gurdjieff: Biography of a Spiritual Magician (Rochester, Inner Traditions, 2017).
KETIDAKPATUHAN TKI : SEBUAH PROSES PENDAMPINGAN DI TENGAH HUKUM MODERN
Authors: Widiandono Erwin
Published: April 2018

Ketidakpatuhan Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (TKI) ke Malaysia asal desa Sugihan lebih disebabkan karena mengikuti prosedur pemerintah dirasakan menyulitkan, karena banyak aturan; melalui prosedur pemerintah pemberangkatannya terlalu lama; pemerintah seringkali tidak jujur; serta tidak memiliki kebebasan untuk memilih pekerjaan. Kata kunci : Ketidakpatuhan, birokrasi
THE IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOR ON SALES VOLUME
Authors: Eltaria Adjeng Tiara , Rachmawati Ani Wahyu
Published: April 2018

This research was conducted at the Culinary Hawkers that located on Highway Sukapura, Dayeuhkolot, Bandung. This study examines the Entrepreneurial behaviour which resulted in increased sales volumes. Almost all Culinary Hawkers on Highway Sukapura doesn’t yet have the entrepreneurial behavior in accordance with the characteristics - traits mentioned by Suryana, Confident, Own initiative, Have achievement motive, Having leadership, and Dare to take risks with the full calculation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of entrepreneurial behavior to the merchant's sales volume culinary pavement on Highway Sukapura, Dayeuhkolot, Bandung.Researchers used quantitative research methods. The population in this study was 63 Merchants Culinary Street on Highway Sukapura. Samples are 63 street vendors in JalanSukapura. Data were analyzed using simple regression analysis.The results showed that entrepreneurial behavior affect the sales volume of culinary street traders in Highway Sukapura. Based on the calculation coefficient of determination (R2) can be seen the effect of entrepreneurial behavior variables (X) on sales volume (Y) is approximately 94%. While the remaining 6% are influenced by other factors such as competence, performance, and motivation.
O ensino confessional e a dimensão religiosa da educação: liberdade e formação humana
Authors: Rocha Magna Celi Mendes da
Published: April 2018

O Supremo Tribunal Federal brasileiro rejeitou, em 2017, o pedido da Procuradoria Geral da República que considerava inconstitucional o acordo Brasil-Santa Sé que permitia o ensino confessional católico ou de outras confissõesnas escolas públicas. Prevaleceu o entendimento da importância do ensino religioso em vista da formação integral da pessoa e de que o ensino religioso, de carater facultativo, é parte integrante da formação básica do cidadão, não sendo suficiente para sua concretização que o fosse de carater secular, confundindo-se com o estudo de história, filosofia ou ciência das religiões. Saindo do complexo e multifacetado embate entre laicidade e confessionalidade, o presente artigo pretende apresentar elementos teóricos para pensar ou re-pensar a educação confessional, a partir do pensamento de Edith Stein (Santa Teresa Benedita da Cruz/ 1891-1943) que dedicou boa parte e sua vida aos estudos sobre a formação humana e tinha a convicção de que a educação religiosa era a parte mais importante da formação.
Dual Market Facility Network Design under Bounded Rationality
Authors: Mogale D. G. , Lahoti Geet , Jha Shashi Bhushan , Shukla Manish , Kamath Narasimha , Tiwari Manoj Kumar
Published: April 2018

A number of markets, geographically separated, with different demand characteristics for different products that share a common component, are analyzed. This common component can either be manufactured locally in each of the markets or transported between the markets to fulfill the demand. However, final assemblies are localized to the respective markets. The decision making challenge is whether to manufacture the common component centrally or locally. To formulate the underlying setting, a newsvendor modeling based approach is considered. The developed model is solved using Frank-Wolfe linearization technique along with Benders’ decomposition method. Further, the propensity of decision makers in each market to make suboptimal decisions leading to bounded rationality is considered. The results obtained for both the cases are compared.
Principles of Product Design in Developing Countries
Authors: Gorrie Alexander W. T. , Pons Dirk J. , Maples David , Docherty Paul D.
Published: April 2018

Problem—The conventional view of new product development (NPD) methodologies focuses on marketing and commercial prospects in developed countries. There is a need to identify both the barriers and the enablers to design within a rural context in developing countries (DC). Method—A researcher was embedded in a rural DC design project. Issues were observed and critical success and failure factors determined. These were abstracted into a set of design principles, and a new model of the NPD process was created. Findings—Whereas commercial NPD emphasizes market intelligence and a highly directive approach to the engineering workflow, in the DC situation the objective is to fulfil community needs and this necessitates co-determination regarding the engineering. There is commonality between the two NPD processes, with ours having a greater emphasis on the socio-cultural factors. The deployment principles are categorized into technical and socio-cultural. Within these are included project management, design, material selection, visualization, communication, maintainability, safety, and health. Originality—A novel representation of the process for conducting design in developing countries is provided. Critical success factors are identified. The socio-cultural perspective is explicitly included, which is absent from the conventional engineering and business perspectives.
Spatial Factor Analysis for Aerosol Optical Depth in Metropolises in China with Regard to Spatial Heterogeneity
Authors: Shi Hui , He Qingqing , Zhang Wenting
Published: April 2018

A substantial number of studies have analyzed how driving factors impact aerosols, but they have been little concerned with the spatial heterogeneity of aerosols and the factors that impact aerosols. The spatial distributions of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieved by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data at 550-nm and 3-km resolution for three highly developed metropolises, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and the Pearl River Delta (PRD), in China during 2015 were analyzed. Different degrees of spatial heterogeneity of the AOD were found, which were indexed by Moran’s I index giving values of 0.940, 0.715, and 0.680 in BTH, YRD, and PRD, respectively. For the spatial heterogeneity, geographically weighted regression (GWR) was employed to carry out a spatial factor analysis, where terrain, climate condition, urban development, and vegetation coverage were taken as the potential driving factors. The results of the GWR imply varying relationships between the AOD and the factors. The results were generally consistent with existing studies, but the results suggest the following: (1) Elevation increase would more likely lead to a strong negative impact on aerosols (with most of the coefficients ranging from −1.5~0 in the BTH, −1.5~0 in the YRD, and −1~0 in the PRD) in the places with greater elevations where the R-squared values are always larger than 0.5. However, the variation of elevations cannot explain the variation of aerosols in the places with relatively low elevations (with R-squared values approximately 0.1, ranging from 0 to 0.3, and approximately 0.1 in the BTH, YRD, and PRD), such as urban areas in the BTH and YRD. (2) The density of the built-up areas made a strong and positive impact on aerosols in the urban areas of the BTH (R-squared larger than 0.5), while the R-squared dropped to 0.1 in the places far away from the urban areas. (3) The vegetation coverage led to a stronger relief on the AOD in parts of the YRD and PRD (with coefficients less than −0.6 and ranging from −0.4~−0.6, respectively) where there is greater vegetation coverage, and led to a weaker relief on the AOD in the urban area of the PRD with a coefficient of approximately −0.2~−0.4.
Implications of PI3K/AKT/PTEN Signaling on Superoxide Dismutases Expression and in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Matsuda Satoru , Nakagawa Yukie , Tsuji Ai , Kitagishi Yasuko , Nakanishi Atsuko , Murai Toshiyuki
Published: April 2018

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative sickness, where the speed of personal disease progression differs prominently due to genetic and environmental factors such as life style. Alzheimer’s disease is described by the construction of neuronal plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of phosphorylated tau protein. Mitochondrial dysfunction may be a noticeable feature of Alzheimer’s disease and increased production of reactive oxygen species has long been described. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) protect from excess reactive oxygen species to form less reactive hydrogen peroxide. It is suggested that SODs can play a protective role in neurodegeneration. In addition, PI3K/AKT pathway has been shown to play a critical role on the neuroprotection and inhibiting apoptosis via the enhancing expression of the SODs. This pathway appears to be crucial in Alzheimer’s disease because it is related to the tau protein hyper-phosphorylation. Dietary supplementation of several ordinary compounds may provide a novel therapeutic approach to brain disorders by modulating the function of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Understanding these systems may offer a better efficacy of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize recent progresses on the involvement of the SODs and PI3K/AKT pathway in neuroprotective signaling against Alzheimer’s disease.
Classification Method to Define Synchronization Capability Limits of Line-Start Permanent-Magnet Motor Using Mesh-Based Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Computation Results
Authors: Wymeersch Bart , De Belie Frederik , Rasmussen Claus B. , Vandevelde Lieven
Published: April 2018

Line start permanent magnet synchronous motors (LS-PMSM) are energy-efficient synchronous motors that can start asynchronously due to a squirrel cage in the rotor. The drawback, however, with this motor type is the chance of failure to synchronize after start-up. To identify the problem, and the stable operation limits, the synchronization at various parameter combinations is investigated. For accurate knowledge of the operation limits to assure synchronization with the utility grid, an accurate classification of parameter combinations is needed. As for this, many simulations have to be executed, a rapid evaluation method is indispensable. To simulate the dynamic behavior in the time domain, several modeling methods exist. In this paper, a discussion is held with respect to different modeling methods. In order to include spatial factors and magnetic nonlinearities, on the one hand, and to restrict the computation time on the other hand, a magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) modeling method is developed. In order to accelerate numerical convergence, a mesh-based analysis method is applied. The novelty in this paper is the implementation of support vector machine (SVM) to classify the results of simulations at various parameter combinations into successful or unsuccessful synchronization, in order to define the synchronization capability limits. It is explained how these techniques can benefit the simulation time and the evaluation process. The results of the MEC modeling correspond to those obtained with finite element analysis (FEA), despite the reduced computation time. In addition, simulation results obtained with MEC modeling are experimentally validated.
A Domestic Microgrid with Optimized Home Energy Management System
Authors: Iqbal Zafar , Javaid Nadeem , Iqbal Saleem , Aslam Sheraz , Khan Zahoor Ali , Abdul Wadood , Almogren Ahmad , Alamri Atif
Published: April 2018

Microgrid is a community-based power generation and distribution system that interconnects smart homes with renewable energy sources (RESs). Microgrid efficiently and economically generates power for electricity consumers and operates in both islanded and grid-connected modes. In this study, we proposed optimization schemes for reducing electricity cost and minimizing peak to average ratio (PAR) with maximum user comfort (UC) in a smart home. We considered a grid-connected microgrid for electricity generation which consists of wind turbine and photovoltaic (PV) panel. First, the problem was mathematically formulated through multiple knapsack problem (MKP) then solved by existing heuristic techniques: grey wolf optimization (GWO), binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO), genetic algorithm (GA) and wind-driven optimization (WDO). Furthermore, we also proposed three hybrid schemes for electric cost and PAR reduction: (1) hybrid of GA and WDO named WDGA; (2) hybrid of WDO and GWO named WDGWO; and (3) WBPSO, which is the hybrid of BPSO and WDO. In addition, a battery bank system (BBS) was also integrated to make our proposed schemes more cost-efficient and reliable, and to ensure stable grid operation. Finally, simulations were performed to verify our proposed schemes. Results show that our proposed scheme efficiently minimizes the electricity cost and PAR. Moreover, our proposed techniques, WDGA, WDGWO and WBPSO, outperform the existing heuristic techniques.
Towards Improved Energy and Resource Management in Manufacturing
Authors: Hassan Khattak Sanober , Oates Michael , Greenough Rick
Published: April 2018

Exergy analysis has widely been used to assess resource consumption, and to identify opportunities for improvement within manufacturing. The main advantages of this method are its ability to account for energy quality and consumption. However, its application in industrial practice is limited, which may be due to the lack of its consistent application in practice. Current energy management standard, that facilitate consistent application of procedures do not consider the quality aspects of energy flows. An exergy based energy management standards is proposed in this paper that would take into account energy quality aspects, while facilitating the consistent application of exergy analysis in industrial practice. Building on ISO50001, this paper presents guidelines for implementing energy and resource management in factories, incorporating the concepts of exergy and holistic factory simulation, as illustrated through a manufacturing case study. From the factory level analysis, a chilling process was identified to have significant improvement potential. A dry fan cooler, using ambient air was proposed for the improved efficiency of the chillers. Energy based metrics portrayed a system that operated at high efficiency, however exergy analysis indicated much room for further improvement, therefore impacting decision making for technology selection. The contribution of this paper is in presenting a set of prescriptive guidelines that could possibly be further developed into a new energy management standard that would utilize the advantages of exergy analysis towards improved energy and resource management in manufacturing.
A Hybrid Seasonal Mechanism with a Chaotic Cuckoo Search Algorithm with a Support Vector Regression Model for Electric Load Forecasting
Authors: Dong Yongquan , Zhang Zichen , Hong Wei-Chiang
Published: April 2018

Providing accurate electric load forecasting results plays a crucial role in daily energy management of the power supply system. Due to superior forecasting performance, the hybridizing support vector regression (SVR) model with evolutionary algorithms has received attention and deserves to continue being explored widely. The cuckoo search (CS) algorithm has the potential to contribute more satisfactory electric load forecasting results. However, the original CS algorithm suffers from its inherent drawbacks, such as parameters that require accurate setting, loss of population diversity, and easy trapping in local optima (i.e., premature convergence). Therefore, proposing some critical improvement mechanisms and employing an improved CS algorithm to determine suitable parameter combinations for an SVR model is essential. This paper proposes the SVR with chaotic cuckoo search (SVRCCS) model based on using a tent chaotic mapping function to enrich the cuckoo search space and diversify the population to avoid trapping in local optima. In addition, to deal with the cyclic nature of electric loads, a seasonal mechanism is combined with the SVRCCS model, namely giving a seasonal SVR with chaotic cuckoo search (SSVRCCS) model, to produce more accurate forecasting performances. The numerical results, tested by using the datasets from the National Electricity Market (NEM, Queensland, Australia) and the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO, NY, USA), show that the proposed SSVRCCS model outperforms other alternative models.
Shifts in Eastern Mediterranean Fish Communities: Abundance Changes, Trait Overlap, and Possible Competition between Native and Non-Native Species
Authors: Arndt Erik , Givan Or , Edelist Dor , Sonin Oren , Belmaker Jonathan
Published: April 2018

During the last few decades the fish community has changed substantially along the Eastern Mediterranean continental shelf, which is a hotspot of invasion by species that had migrated via the Suez Canal. Trawl data from the Israeli coast spanning two periods (1990–1994 and 2008–2011) were compared to identify species with substantial variation in their relative abundance between the two periods. The aim of this study was to examine if certain ecological traits characterize fish species showing an increase or decrease in relative abundance, and if non-indigenous fishes with strongly increasing populations may have caused the decline of native species with similar habitats and diets. We found that the main predictors of population trends were species length, habitat affinity, and maximum depth, with larger and soft bottom species displaying decreasing abundances. Comparing native and non-indigenous fishes with similar habitat and diet, we found a potential for competitive impact of the Indo-Pacific Plotosus lineatus and two Upeneus spp. on the native Mullus species. However, competition with non-indigenous fishes could not generally explain the dramatic decline of many other native species between the two study periods. Alternative causes, such as fishery pressure and increasing water temperature, are discussed.
An Operational Method for Flood Directive Implementation in Ungauged Urban Areas
Authors: Papaioannou George , Efstratiadis Andreas , Vasiliades Lampros , Loukas Athanasios , Papalexiou Simon Michael , Koukouvinos Antonios , Tsoukalas Ioannis , Kossieris Panayiotis
Published: April 2018

An operational framework for flood risk assessment in ungauged urban areas is developed within the implementation of the EU Floods Directive in Greece, and demonstrated for Volos metropolitan area, central Greece, which is frequently affected by intense storms causing fluvial flash floods. A scenario-based approach is applied, accounting for uncertainties of key modeling aspects. This comprises extreme rainfall analysis, resulting in spatially-distributed Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) relationships and their confidence intervals, and flood simulations, through the SCS-CN method and the unit hydrograph theory, producing design hydrographs at the sub-watershed scale, for several soil moisture conditions. The propagation of flood hydrographs and the mapping of inundated areas are employed by the HEC-RAS 2D model, with flexible mesh size, by representing the resistance caused by buildings through the local elevation rise method. For all hydrographs, upper and lower estimates on water depths, flow velocities and inundation areas are estimated, for varying roughness coefficient values. The methodology is validated against the flood event of the 9th October 2006, using observed flood inundation data. Our analyses indicate that although typical engineering practices for ungauged basins are subject to major uncertainties, the hydrological experience may counterbalance the missing information, thus ensuring quite realistic outcomes.
Research Priorities in Suicide Prevention: Review of Australian Research from 2010–2017 Highlights Continued Need for Intervention Research
Authors: Reifels Lennart , Ftanou Maria , Krysinska Karolina , Machlin Anna , Robinson Jo , Pirkis Jane
Published: April 2018

Suicide is a major public health concern in Australia and globally, requiring targeted research efforts to build the evidence base for its effective prevention. We examined current and future priorities in Australian suicide prevention research during the period 2010–2017, and compared these to 1999–2006 baseline data. We classified current research priorities in terms of the type of research published in 424 journal articles and 36 grants and fellowships funded during 2010–2017. A questionnaire administered to 390 stakeholders identified future research priorities. The total number of suicide prevention focussed journal articles and the value of funded grants increased dramatically. Congruent with baseline data, current research priorities in 2010–2017 reflected a strong emphasis on epidemiological studies, while funding for intervention studies declined. This is despite the fact that stakeholders continually identified intervention studies as being the highest future research priority. If we are to make real advances in suicide prevention, we need to know what works, and identify and test effective interventions. This study highlighted the existing dearth and continued need for intervention research. Mechanisms to support future intervention research in suicide prevention are likely to lead to significant gains in knowledge and population health.
Prevalence of General and Central Obesity and Associated Factors among North Korean Refugees in South Korea by Duration after Defection from North Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kim Yoon Jung , Kim Sin Gon , Lee Yo Han
Published: April 2018

Previous studies on obesity status among North Korean refugees (NKRs) have been limited. We investigated mean body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and general and central obesity prevalence among NKRs in South Korea (SK) by duration after defection from North Korea (NK), using cross-sectional data of the North Korean Refugee Health in South Korea (NORNS) study and compared these data with a sample from the general South Korean population (the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). The prevalence of general and central obesity among NKRs with duration after defection from NK of less than five years were lower than among South Koreans, except for central obesity among NKR females (obesity prevalence, 19% (12–27%) vs. 39% (34–44%) for NK vs. SK males (p < 0.001) and 19% (14–24%) vs. 27% (24–29%) for NK vs. SK females (p = 0.076); central obesity prevalence, 13% (6–19%) vs. 24% (20–29%) for NK vs. SK males (p = 0.011) and 22% (17–28%) vs. 20% (18–22%) for NK vs. SK females (p = 0.382)). The prevalence of general and central obesity among NKRs with duration after defection from NK (≥10 years) were comparable to those of South Koreans in both genders (obesity prevalence, 34% (18–50%) vs. 39% (34–44%) for NK vs. SK males (p = 0.690) and 23% (18–29%) vs. 27% (24–29%) for NK vs. SK females (0.794); central obesity prevalence, 21% (7–34%) vs. 24% (20–29%) for NK vs. SK males (p = 0.642); 22% (17–28%) vs. 20% (18–22%) for NK vs. SK females (p = 0.382)). Male sex, age and longer duration after defection from NK (≥10 years) were positively associated with obesity. As for central obesity, age was the only independently associated factor. NKR females with duration after defection from NK of less than five years had comparable central obesity prevalence to South Korean females in spite of a lower BMI, which suggests that we need further monitoring for their metabolic health among NKRs in SK.
Molecular Characterization and the Function of Argonaute3 in RNAi Pathway of Plutella xylostella
Authors: Hameed Muhammad Salman , Wang Zhengbing , Vasseur Liette , Yang Guang
Published: April 2018

Argonaute (Ago) protein family plays a key role in the RNA interference (RNAi) process in different insects including Lepidopteran. However, the role of Ago proteins in the RNAi pathway of Plutella xylostella is still unknown. We cloned an Argonaute3 gene in P. xylostella (PxAgo3) with the complete coding sequence of 2832 bp. The encoded protein had 935 amino acids with an expected molecular weight of 108.9 kDa and an isoelectric point of 9.29. It contained a PAZ (PIWI/Argonaute/Zwile) domain and PIWI (P-element-induced whimpy testes) domain. PxAgo3 was classified into the Piwi subfamily of Ago proteins with a high similarity of 93.0% with Bombyx mori Ago3 (BmAgo3). The suppression of PxAgo3 by dsPxAgo3 was observed 3 h after treatment and was maintained until 24 h. Knockdown of PxAgo3 decreased the suppression level of PxActin by dsPxActin in P. xylostella cells, while overexpression of PxAgo3 increased the RNAi efficiency. Our results suggest that PxAgo3 play a key role in the double stranded RNA (dsRNA)-regulated RNAi pathway in P. xylostella.
In Vitro Identification of New Transcriptomic and miRNomic Profiles Associated with Pulmonary Fibrosis Induced by High Doses Everolimus: Looking for New Pathogenetic Markers and Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Granata Simona , Santoro Gloria , Masola Valentina , Tomei Paola , Sallustio Fabio , Pontrelli Paola , Accetturo Matteo , Antonucci Nadia , Carratù Pierluigi , Lupo Antonio , Zaza Gianluigi
Published: April 2018

The administration of Everolimus (EVE), a mTOR inhibitor used in transplantation and cancer, is often associated with adverse effects including pulmonary fibrosis. Although the underlying mechanism is not fully clarified, this condition could be in part caused by epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of airway cells. To improve our knowledge, primary bronchial epithelial cells (BE63/3) were treated with EVE (5 and 100 nM) for 24 h. EMT markers (α-SMA, vimentin, fibronectin) were measured by RT-PCR. Transepithelial resistance was measured by Millicell-ERS ohmmeter. mRNA and microRNA profiling were performed by Illumina and Agilent kit, respectively. Only high dose EVE increased EMT markers and reduced the transepithelial resistance of BE63/3. Bioinformatics showed 125 de-regulated genes that, according to enrichment analysis, were implicated in collagen synthesis/metabolism. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was one of the higher up-regulated mRNA. Five nM EVE was ineffective on the pro-fibrotic machinery. Additionally, 3 miRNAs resulted hyper-expressed after 100 nM EVE and able to regulate 31 of the genes selected by the transcriptomic analysis (including CTGF). RT-PCR and western blot for MMP12 and CTGF validated high-throughput results. Our results revealed a complex biological network implicated in EVE-related pulmonary fibrosis and underlined new potential disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Lipid Biosynthesis as an Antifungal Target
Authors: Pan Jiao , Hu Cuiting , Yu Jae-Hyuk
Published: April 2018

Lipids, commonly including phospholipids, sphingolipids, fatty acids, sterols, and triacylglycerols (TAGs), are important biomolecules for the viability of all cells. Phospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterols are important constituents of biological membranes. Many lipids play important roles in the regulation of cell metabolism by acting as signaling molecules. Neutral lipids, including TAGs and sterol esters (STEs), are important storage lipids in cells. In view of the importance of lipid molecules, this review briefly summarizes the metabolic pathways for sterols, phospholipids, sphingolipids, fatty acids, and neutral lipids in fungi and illustrates the differences between fungal and human (or other mammalian) cells, especially in relation to lipid biosynthetic pathways. These differences might provide valuable clues for us to find target proteins for novel antifungal drugs. In addition, the development of lipidomics technology in recent years has supplied us with a shortcut for finding new antifungal drug targets; this ability is important for guiding our research on pathogenic fungi.
A Dose-Dependent Improvement in Exercise Tolerance in Patients With Stable Angina Treated With Mildronate: A Clinical Trial “MILSS I”
Authors: Dzerve Vilnis ,   MILSS I Study Group
Published: April 2018

Objective. To assess the efficacy of various doses of Mildronate in combination with standard therapy for the exercise tolerance of patients with stable angina pectoris. The primary efficacy variable was the change in exercise time in bicycle ergometry from the baseline to 12 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints were the changes in maximum achieved load and time to the onset of angina from the baseline to week 12. Material and Methods. A total of 512 patients with chronic coronary heart disease who had ischemia as the limiting factor in the exercise test from 72 study centers in 4 countries were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled phase 2 study. The patients were assigned to either 4 groups receiving standard therapy plus Mildronate at different daily doses or 1 group receiving standard therapy plus placebo. Results. The mean change in the total exercise time in the mildronate 100 mg and mildronate 300 mg groups was –2.12±108.45 and 11.48±62.03 seconds, respectively. The mean change for the placebo group was –7.10±81.78 seconds. The difference between Mildronate 100 mg and 300 mg and placebo groups was not significant. Patients in the Mildronate 1000 mg group showed a remarkable increase in the mean change in the total exercise time (35.18±53.29 seconds, P=0.002). Mildronate at a dose of 3000 mg caused a smaller increase as compared with a dose of 1000 mg. Similar changes in the secondary end parameters were observed. Conclusion. The most effective dose of Mildronate in combination with standard therapy was found to be 500 mg twice a day.
The First Evidence of Hereditary and Familial Gastric Cancer in Latvia: Implications for Prevention
Authors: Vanags Andrejs , Štrumfa Ilze , Gardovskis Andris , Āboliņš Arnis , Simtniece Zane , Trofimovičs Genādijs , Gardovskis Jānis
Published: April 2018

Background and Objective. Gastric cancer is a frequent cause of cancer mortality. The prognosis of established tumor is unfavorable due to the propensity to spread and limited treatment efficiency. Therefore, prevention has a high significance. We tested a population screening approach in order to identify families with an increased gastric cancer load for further surveillance. Material and Methods. Population screening was performed by questionnaire reaching 76.6% of the population. Hereditary gastric cancer (HGC) syndrome was diagnosed if 3 mutually first-degree relatives with gastric cancer were reported in the kindred. Additional group (HGC2) of families with 2 first-degree relatives affected by gastric cancer was identified. Results. The HGC syndrome was diagnosed in 0.11%, but HGC2 syndrome, in 0.4% probands. The gastric cancer frequency among blood relatives was 25.2% (95% CI, 20.6%–30.4%) in HGC, but 16.0% (95% CI, 13.8%–18.5%) in HGC2 families. The mean age at diagnosis of cancer was 56.9 years (95% CI, 53.4–60.3) in HGC and 62.5 years (95% CI, 60.1–64.8) in HGC2. The mean survival was 2.6 years (95% CI, 1.2–4.0). Conclusions. Population screening identifies reasonable number of families with a high frequency of gastric cancer. The frequency of gastric cancer and an unfavorable course characterized by low survival justify surveillance in families with 2 or 3 first-degree relatives affected by gastric cancer. Population screening provides the age characteristics of the respective tumors in order to adjust the surveillance schedule.