bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reusability of Ashes for the Building Sector to Strengthen the Sustainability of Waste Management
Authors: Doğan-Sağlamtimur Neslihan , Bilgil Ahmet , Öztürk Baki
Published: April 2018

Coal, as a fossil fuel, is used to generate power for industrial operation. Two types of industrial ash, including fly and bottom ash, which are solid residues arising from coal burning, are dumped to the landfill with no care for reuse. These wastes consist of environmental issues needing to be resolved. The ashes are used in the production of cement, concrete, aggregates, adobe, brick, and insulation material, in the construction of dam and road, and in geotechnical applications. Construction material is a form of cementitious materials based on ash as source material and it is an environmentally friendly choice against Portland cement releasing a large amount of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere during energy intensive manufacturing process. It is a good alternative to the solution of environmental problems based on the waste ashes in the international scale. In addition to its economic benefits, it is suitable for industrial symbiosis. This chapter explores the reusability of ashes for the building sector to strengthen the sustainability of waste management.
Novice Programming Environments
Authors: Good Judith
Published: April 2018

In 2011, the author published an article that looked at the state of the art in novice programming environments. At the time, there had been an increase in the number of programming environments that were freely available for use by novice programmers, particularly children and young people. What was interesting was that they offered a relatively sophisticated set of development and support features within motivating and engaging environments, where programming could be seen as a means to a creative end, rather than an end in itself. Furthermore, these environments incorporated support for the social and collaborative aspects of learning. The article considered five environments—Scratch, Alice, Looking Glass, Greenfoot, and Flip—examining their characteristics and investigating the opportunities they might offer to educators and learners alike. It also considered the broader implications of such environments for both teaching and research. In this chapter, the author revisits the same five environments, looking at how they have changed in the intervening years. She considers their evolution in relation to changes in the field more broadly (e.g., an increased focus on “programming for all”) and reflects on the implications for teaching, as well as research and further development.
A Design Method for People-Oriented Programming
Authors: Goschnick Steve
Published: April 2018

The miniature Raspberry Pi computer has become of interest to many researchers as a platform for building sociotechnical IoT systems for end-users; however, for the end-user to design and build such apps themselves requires new people-oriented tools and design methods. This chapter describes a people-oriented design method called TANDEM and demonstrates the use of it in detail, by way of a case study—the design of a mashup of services and local data stores—that solves the so-called movie-cinema problem. An implementation of the newly designed movie-cinema app is then built within the DigitalFriend, an end-user programmer IDE. Furthermore, a significant part of the TANDEM design method is then automated within the development tool itself. This automation removes the most skilled task required by TANDEM of the end-user: the automation of the process of data normalization. The automation applies data normalization to the initial model of components and data sources that feed into the mashup. The presentation here relies on some understanding of data normalization, so a simple example is presented. After this demonstrated example of the method and the implementation, the authors discuss the applicability of a model achievable by end-users using TANDEM coupled with the automated normalization process built into the IDE vs. using a top-down model by an experienced information analyst. In conclusion, the TANDEM method combined with the automation as demonstrated does empower an end-user to a significant degree in achieving a workable mashup of distributed services and local data stores and feeds. Such a powerful combination of methods and tools will help the Raspberry Pi to become a significant people-oriented platform, beyond just a platform for teaching novices to code. Furthermore, the TANDEM method does have broader applicability to designing a broad class of logic programs, complementing the use of collected patterns in logic programs.
A New Approach for Reinforcement of Project DEMATEL-FMCDM-TODIM Fuzzy Approach
Authors: Srivastava Rajshree , Verma Shiv Kumar , Thukral Vikas
Published: April 2018

This chapter describes how an effective work towards software project risk plays a vital role in determining the accomplishment of any project. In this chapter, the aim is to associate fuzzy criteria decision-making based on the approaches for the development of an assessment framework. This framework will be helpful in terms of identification and ranking the software risk according to its characteristics which will be helpful in decision-making of a software lifecycle. For the assessment for the risk of a project, there is an integration of fuzzy decision-making trial, evaluation laboratory trial and fuzzy multi-criteria decision. This new method proposed will be effective in terms of ranking and as well as to measure the software risk factors.
Role of Attacker Capabilities in Risk Estimation and Mitigation
Authors: Chhabra Deepshikha , Sharma Isha
Published: April 2018

This chapter describes how the impacts of risk, or we may say risk exposure, are dependent upon the losses already occurred by the risk and probability to occur. There are various methods for estimating the risks and its impacts. The loss created by the threat can be reduced if the attacker does not have access to the system's objects or resources which are vulnerable to the risk. Attacker capabilities play the major role in the risk estimation and mitigation approach. Use of appropriate knowledge, skill and time to exploit the system or to create the threat comes under Attacker Capability. In this chapter, we will discuss how to include attacker capabilities when the risk estimation or mitigation plan is made. We will conclude the chapter with an appropriate study of various examples which indicate that impacts of risks can be minimised or reduced if we include the attacker capability while estimating the risk impacts and preparing the risk mitigation approach.
Risks Analysis and Mitigation Technique in EDA Sector
Authors: Pawar Lokesh , Kumar Rohit , Sharma Anurag
Published: April 2018

This chapter describes how as the semiconductor industry is growing at a streaming pace, it comprises a number of global business entities. The industry includes the designing of the VLSI chips, manufacturing of those chips, system integration and the distribution of the VLSI chip. With this the industry has raised the bar among its vendors to provide best possible IC solutions and a highly secure product. The authors thus present this chapter in calculating views on risk involved in this area which are prone to security risks and at the same time focuses on the VLSI supply chain with references to a recent survey that illustrates various ways to handle those risks. In the absence of an effective security mechanism, a varlet here viz. an intellectual property (IP)provider or an integrated circuit design industry, an EDA company, a foundry lab, a distributor of chips or a system integrator, may easily lead to design IP theft or tampering with a designed IC. Since these risks compromise the security system for the VLSI chips, this leads to have a sound security system for an apt risk management.
Why India Should Make It Compulsory to Go for BIM
Authors: Srao Bhupinder Kaur , Rai Hardeep Singh , Mann Kulwinder Singh
Published: April 2018

This chapter describes how the effective tool for scheduling and controlling costs, calculating time periods and managing the technological enhancement of a construction project is project risk assessment. Projects under construction usually encounter a lot of uncertainties at different stages of work, which leads to increase of risk in terms of the expected cost of construction, delays in handing over and a poor quality of the project. The Indian built environment sector is ruined by delays and cost overruns as projects are not completed within time and within quality guidelines. Due to the increasing complexity of the design, operation, construction maintenance of modern built environmental assets, traditional construction has become an outdated paradigm. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a multi-dimensional tool. It is a process that puts all the team members together to build a virtual design and construction methodologies all through the complete design. This extends to the full life of the project, entailing all the construction processes and maintenance of the building.
A formação contínua dos professores e as avaliações externas no contexto educacional brasileiro
Authors: Araújo Osmar Hélio Alves , Coelho Rodrigues Janine Marta Coelho
Published: April 2018

Neste texto, objetivou-se analisar os desdobramentos das avaliações externas na formação contínua dos professores no contexto educacional brasileiro. Recorreu-se à pesquisa bibliográfica e ao estudo qualitativo de natureza exploratória para identificar as principais questões em debate no âmbito dessa temática de modo a compreender e refletir sobre por que e para que os professores precisam de formação contínua, assim como evidenciar as implicações das avaliações externas nessa etapa da formação docente.Conclui-se que a formação contínua dos professores da escola pública brasileira, centrada nas políticas das avaliações externas, é, na maioria das vezes, minimamente adequada aos desafios postos aos professores, entre eles, assegurar as condições necessárias para a concretização dos processos de ensino e aprendizagem.
Fabrication and Characterization of Screen Printed Stretchable Carbon Interconnects
Authors: Mosallaei Mahmoud , Khorramdel Behnam , Honkanen Mari , Iso-Ketola Pekka , Vanhala Jukka , Mäntysalo Matti
Published: April 2018

Electronic devices that are deformable in arbitrary directions would open up a new generation of applications such as epidermal electronics, implantable electronics and soft robotics. It would not be feasible to fabricate them with conventional rigid materials. To make the electronics stretchable, one can miniaturize the functional units and link them by stretchable interconnects. In this paper, we report a method for fabrication and characterization of stretchable interconnects using deformable materials based on carbon ink and thermoplastic polyurethane. The static resistances of interconnects were on average 296 Ω/□, and half of the samples withstood single strain up to 108 % elongation. Fabricated samples survived a 1000 cycles strain test up to 40 % of stretching.
Liquid Cooling in an LTCC-Module for a Switched Mode Amplifier
Authors: Uhlig Peter , Serwa Alexandra , Altmann Ulrich , Welker Tilo , Müller Jens , Schwanke Dieter , Pohlner Jürgen , Rittweg Thomas
Published: April 2018

Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) is a proven packaging technology for microwave and millimetre-wave applications. Advanced low-loss material systems and improved manufacturing technology facilitate economic and highly reliable packaging solutions for automotive, telecom, medical and security applications. The fact that the substrate is hermetic facilitates unique packaging concepts where the LTCC multilayer is part of a hermetic package. However, there is a trade-off for the increasing complexity of these modules: When active devices are involved, the density of power dissipation is also rising. Liquid cooling provides an alternative where (forced air) convection cooling is not possible for lack of space or because of other limitations. With the integration of micro-channels into the LTCC-multilayer-stack the microwave-substrate becomes part of the piping for liquid cooling and brings the coolant in close contact to the heat source. As an example for such a solution a switched mode amplifier shall be presented that uses liquid cooling for the power transistor. Two different approaches for the routing of the cooling channels inside the LTCC are compared with cooling on a metal block at constant temperature. For the exact determination of all parameters, dissipated power and temperature on the die (junction temperature) a thermal test die is used instead of the transistor for the test vehicles.
The Top 50 most-cited articles on Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Malik Azeem Tariq , Noordin Shahryar
Published: April 2018

Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA) is a relatively new and evolving field in Foot and Ankle surgery. We conducted a citation analysis to identify the characteristics of the top 50 most cited articles on total ankle arthroplasty. Using the Web of Science database and the search strategy total ankle arthroplasty OR total ankle replacement, we identified 2445 articles. After filtering for relevant articles, the top 50 cited articles on total ankle arthroplasty were retrieved for descriptive and statistical analysis. The publication years ranged from 1979 to 2013. USA was the most productive country in terms of research output, followed by the UK. Though citation analysis has its flaws, this is a comprehensive list of the top 50 articles significantly impacting literature on total ankle arthroplasty. Based on our study, we conclude that there ismarked deficiency of high level articles with respect to the number of citations and future researches need to cater to this question to produce high quality studies.
The role of tax incentives in encouraging energy efficiency in the largest listed South African businesses
Authors: Dippenaar Mareli
Published: April 2018

Background: South Africa is faced with a significant challenge of securing the supply of electricity as well as reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. The implementation of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) measures by energy consumers, especially businesses, is becoming increasingly important and a number of tax incentives have been introduced to promote EE and RE. Objective: The objective of this preliminary study was to determine the role that the available tax incentives play in the decision making of South African businesses regarding investment in RE or EE projects. Aim: To determine this role, the largest South African businesses were selected from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Top 40 Index. Method: The study contained both empirical and non-empirical elements. A literature review was conducted to determine the role of tax incentives globally, while questionnaires were distributed to determine the role in South Africa. Results: Findings highlighted that, while tax incentives do play a role in decision making, various other non-tax factors drive South African businesses’ decisions to invest in EE and/or RE projects. These businesses do not perceive the available tax incentives as effective, nor do they regard them as sufficiently motivating for businesses to change their environmental behaviour. They also feel that the government should reduce the burden of complying with the requirements of Section 12L (the EE allowance). Conclusion: Improving the available RE and EE tax incentives in South Africa might result in more businesses considering the implementation of RE or EE projects. It is therefore recommended that the available tax incentives are expanded and/or the qualifying criteria simplified.
Ethical practices of small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries: Literature analysis
Authors: Turyakira Peter K.
Published: April 2018

Background: There is increasing pressure on business organisations to behave ethically, in addition to running their operations in the most economical, efficient and effective manner possible to increase performance. Customers have also become increasingly mindful of the reputation of the businesses they patronise. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become the worst affected since they lack the funds, strategic information and relevant alliances to implement ethical practices. Aim: This article aims at evaluating the aspects of business ethics, significance of business ethics to SMEs, ethical dilemmas and challenges of SMEs, particularly in developing countries, and suggests strategies to address ethical dilemmas and challenges. Methods: The background literature review on ethical practices in SMEs in the context of developing countries was conducted on several journal articles. Peer-reviewed articles in recent journals were analysed to identify the aspects of business ethics, significance of business ethics to SMEs, ethical dilemmas and challenges of SMEs and the proposed strategies to address ethical dilemmas and challenges thereof. Results and conclusion: It is clear that business enterprises can no longer afford to disregard business ethics. There are continuous business failures as a result of unethical practices, especially those associated with employees and top executives. This article has added to the body of existing literature on ethical practices of SMEs in developing countries. As such, SME owners and managers can use the findings of this article to design ethical policy frameworks and guidelines to improve their reputations and competitiveness.
On the Cauchy Problem for Differential Operators with Double Characteristics, A Transition from Non-effective to Effective Characteristics
Authors: Nishitani Tatsuo
Published: April 2018

We discuss the well-posedness of the Cauchy problem for hyperbolic operators with double characteristics which changes from non-effectively hyperbolic to effectively hyperbolic, on the double characterisitic manifold, across a submanifold of codimension 1. We assume that there is no bicharacteristic tangent to the double characteristic manifold and the spatial dimension is 2. Then we prove the well-posedness of the Cauchy problem in all Gevrey classes assuming, on the double characteristic manifold, that the ratio of the imaginary part of the subprincipal symbol to the real eigenvalue of the Hamilton map is bounded and that the sum of the real part of the subprincipal symbol and the modulus of the imaginary eigenvalue of the Hamilton map is strictly positive.
Regularity of a D-Module Along a Submanifold
Authors: Laurent Yves
Published: April 2018

We study how regularity along a submanifold of a differential or microdifferential system can propagate from a family of submanifolds to another. The first result is that a microdifferential system regular along a Lagrangian foliation is regular. However, when restricted to a fixed submanifold the corresponding result is true only under a condition on the characteristic variety.
Erratum to Hodge Theory of the Middle Convolution
Authors: Dettweiler Michael , Sabbah Claude
Published: April 2018

We give a correction to the statement of Theorem 3.2.3 of [2].
Contributions from intrinsic low-frequency climate variability to the accelerated decline in Arctic sea ice in recent decades
Authors: Yu Lejiang , Zhong Shiyuan
Published: April 2018

Abstract. In recent decades, the Arctic sea ice has been declining at a rapid pace as the Arctic is warmed at a rate of twice the global average. The underlying physical mechanisms for the Arctic warming and accelerated sea ice retreat are not fully understood. In this study, we apply a relatively novel statistical method called Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) to examine the trend and variability of autumn Arctic sea ice in the past four decades and their relationships to large-scale atmospheric circulation changes. Our results show a large portion of the autumn Arctic sea ice decline between 1979 and 2016 may be associated with anomalous autumn Arctic intrinsic atmospheric modes. The Arctic atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with anomalous sea surface temperature patterns over the North Pacific and North Atlantic influence Arctic sea ice primarily through anomalous temperature and water vapor advection and associated radiative feedback.
How methane emission from rice paddy is affected by management practices and region?
Authors: Wang Jinyang , Akiyama Hiroko , Yagi Kazuyuki , Yan Xiaoyuan
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Rice cultivation has long been known as one of the dominant anthropogenic contributors to methane (CH4) emissions, yet there is still uncertainty when estimating its emissions at the global/regional scale. An increasing number of rice field measurements have been conducted globally, which allow us to assess the major variables controlling CH4 emissions and develop the region- and country-specific emission factors (EFs). Results shown that the CH4 flux from rice fields were closely related to organic amendment, water regime during and before the rice-growing season, soil properties and climate. The average CH4 flux from fields with single and multiple drainages were 71 % and 55 % of that from continuously flooded rice fields. The CH4 flux from fields that were flooded in the previous season were 2.4 and 2.7 times that from fields previously drained for a short and long season. Contrary to the previously reported optimum soil pH of around neutrality, paddy soils with pH of 5.0–5.5 gave the maximum CH4 emission. Rice straw applied at 6 t ha−1 shortly before rice transplanting can increase CH4 emission by 3.2 times, while it increases CH4 emission by only 1.6 times when applied in the previous season. The default EF was estimated to 1.19 kg CH4 ha−1 d−1 with a 95 % confidence interval of 0.80 to 1.76 kg CH4 ha−1 d−1 for continuously flooded rice fields without organic amendment and with a preseason water status of short drainage. The default EFs at sub-regional and country levels were also estimated. We conclude that these default EFs and scaling factors can be used to develop national or regional emission inventories.
The Climatology of Brewer-Dobson Circulation and the Contribution of Gravity Waves
Authors: Sato Kaoru , Hirano Soichiro
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The climatology of residual mean circulation, which is a main component of Brewer-Dobson circulation, and the potential contribution of gravity waves (GWs) are examined for the annual mean state and for each season based on the transformed-Eulerian mean zonal momentum equation using modern four reanalysis data, which allows us to examine the whole stratosphere. First, the potential contribution of Rossby waves (RWs) to residual mean circulation is estimated from Eliassen-Palm flux divergence. The rest of residual-mean circulation, from which the potential RW contribution and zonal mean zonal wind tendency are subtracted, is regarded as the potential GW contribution. These potential wave contributions are exact contributions for the annual mean state and give good approximates for solstitial seasons. The GWs contribute to drive not only the summer hemispheric part of the winter deep branch and low-latitude part of shallow branches, as indicated by previous studies, but also cause a higher-latitude extension of the deep circulation in all seasons except for summer. This GW contribution is essential to determine the location of the turn-around latitude. The autumn circulation is stronger and wider than that of spring in the equinoctial seasons, regardless of almost symmetric RW and GW contributions around the equator. This asymmetry is attributable to the existence of the spring-to-autumn pole circulation corresponding to the angular momentum transport associated with seasonal variation due to the radiative process. The potential GW contribution is larger in September-to-November than in March-to-May in both hemispheres. The upward mass flux is maximized in the boreal winter in the lower stratosphere, while it exhibits semi-annual variation in the upper stratosphere. The GW contribution to the annual mean upward mass flux is in a range of 10–30 %, depending on the reanalysis data. The boreal winter maximum in the lower stratosphere is attributable to stronger RW activity in both hemispheres than in the austral winter.
Dissolved iron in the North Atlantic Ocean and Labrador Sea along the GEOVIDE section (GEOTRACES section GA01)
Authors: Tonnard Manon , Planquette Hélène , Bowie Andrew R. , van der Merwe Pier , Gallinari Morgane , Desprez de Gésincourt Floriane , Germain Yoan , Gourain Arthur , Benetti Marion , Reverdin Gilles , Tréguer Paul , Boutorh Julia , Cheize Marie , Menzel Barraqueta Jan-Lukas , Pereira-Contreira Leonardo , Shelley Rachel , Lherminier Pascale , Sarthou Géraldine
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Dissolved Fe (DFe) samples from the GEOVIDE voyage (GEOTRACES GA01, May–June 2014) in the North Atlantic Ocean were analysed using a SeaFAST-picoTM coupled to an Element XR HR-ICP-MS and provided interesting insights on the Fe sources in this area. Overall, DFe concentrations ranged from 0.09 ± 0.01 nmol L−1 to 7.8 ± 0.5 nmol L−1. Elevated DFe concentrations were observed above the Iberian, Greenland and Newfoundland Margins likely due to riverine inputs from the Tagus River, meteoric water inputs and sedimentary inputs. Air-sea interactions were suspected to be responsible for the increase in DFe concentrations within subsurface waters of the Irminger Sea due to deep convection occurring the previous winter, that provided iron-to-nitrate ratios sufficient to sustain phytoplankton growth. Increasing DFe concentrations along the flow path of the Labrador Sea Water were attributed to sedimentary inputs from the Newfoundland Margin. Bottom waters from the Irminger Sea displayed high DFe concentrations likely due to the dissolution of Fe-rich particles from the Denmark Strait Overflow Water and the Polar Intermediate Water. Finally, the nepheloid layers were found to act as either a source or a sink of DFe depending on the nature of particles.
Biogeochemical and microbiological evidence for methane-related archaeal communities at active submarine mud volcanoes on the Canadian Beaufort Sea slope
Authors: Lee Dong-Hun , Kim Jung-Hyun , Lee Yung Mi , Stadnitskaia Alina , Jin Young Keun , Niemann Helge , Kim Young-Gyun , Shin Kyung-Hoon
Published: April 2018

Abstract. In this study, we report lipid biomarker patterns and phylogenetic identities of key microbes mediating anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) communities in active mud volcanos (MVs) on the continental slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea. The enriched δ13C values of total organic carbon (TOC) as well as lipid biomarkers such as archaeol and biphytanes (BPs) relative to δ13CCH4 values suggested that the contribution of AOM-related biomass to sedimentary TOC was in general negligible in the Beaufort Sea MVs investigated. However, the δ13C values of sn-2- and sn-3-hydroxyarchaeol were more negative than CH4, indicating the presence of AOM communities, albeit in a small amount. The ratio of sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol to archaeol and the 16S rRNA results indeed indicated that archaea of the ANME-2c and ANME-3 clades were involved in AOM. Further studies are needed to investigate the diversity and distribution of AOM communities and to characterize their habitats in the uppermost surface sediments of Beaufort Sea MV systems.
A touch of post-truth: the roles of narratives in urban policy mobilities
Authors: Honeck Thomas
Published: April 2018

Abstract. This paper characterizes different types of policy narratives that influence the trans-local motion of urban policies and elaborates on their relations. The paper first introduces conceptual and methodological recommendations from policy narrative literature to debates on policy mobility. In an empirical section, it then analyzes narratives that support policies on temporary use of vacant lands and buildings in the German cities of Berlin and Stuttgart. Based on semi-structured interviews with experts and document reviews, the paper finds different, partly competing narratives on temporary use in both case study cities. It identifies their typical elements, categorising them by form and content. Referential narratives are understood as connecters between different cities and influencers of policy mobility. Finally, the paper shows how narratives work with association as well as imagination and thus emphasize the non-factual, yet inherent aspects of relational policy making.
Modelling the water balance of Lake Victoria (East Africa), part 2: future projections
Authors: Vanderkelen Inne , van Lipzig Nicole P. M. , Thiery Wim
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, is one of the major sources of the Nile River. The outlet to the Nile is controlled by two hydropower dams of which the allowed discharge is dictated by the Agreed Curve, an equation relating outflow to lake level. Some regional climate models project a decrease of precipitation and an increase of evaporation over Lake Victoria, with potential important implications for its water balance and resulting level. Yet, nothing is known about the potential consequences of climate change for the water balance of Lake Victoria. In this second part of a two-paper series, we feed a new water balance model for Lake Victoria presented in the first part with climate simulations available through the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) Africa framework. Our results reveal that most regional climate models are not capable of giving a realistic representation of the water balance of Lake Victoria. Therefore we applied two bias correction methods, resulting in both cases in a closed water balance. Our results reveal that for two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and 8.5), the decrease in precipitation over the lake and an increase in evaporation are compensated by an increase in basin precipitation leading to more inflow. The future lake level projections show that the outflow scenario and not the emission scenario is the main controlling factor of the future water level evolution. Moreover, inter-model uncertainties are larger than emission scenario uncertainties. The comparison of four different outflow scenarios for the future uncovers that the only sustainable outflow scenario is regulating outflow following the Agreed Curve. The associated outflow encompasses however large uncertainties ranging up to 177 %, which are important to take into account regarding future hydropower generation and water availability downstream.
SAUSŲ AKIŲ SINDROMO PAPLITIMAS TARP STUDENTŲ
Authors: Kuliešytė Lina , Jurelė Ieva , Jankauskienė Jūratė
Published: April 2018

Sausų akių sindromas (sin. sausų akių liga, sausasis
keratokonjunktyvitas, SAS) yra vienas dažniausiai
pasitaikančių sutrikimų oftalmologijoje, apibūdinamas
kaip ašarų plėvelės ir akies paviršiaus liga, pasireiškianti
akių diskomfortu ir regėjimo sutrikimais.
Tyrimo tikslas - nustatyti sausų akių sindromo paplitimą
tarp studentų, labiausiai paplitusius simptomus,
simptomų pasireiškimo ir rizikos veiksnių priklausomybę.
Atliktas vienmomentis tyrimas siekiant apklausti
studentus. Šiam tyrimui atlikti buvo sudaryta
originali anketa, kurioje respondentų buvo prašoma
atsakyti į 17 klausimų, susijusių su varginančiais akių
simptomais bei juos lemiančiais rizikos veiksniais.
Tyrimo rezultatai - buvo apklausta 116 Lietuvos
sveikatos mokslų universiteto (LSMU) studentų: 79
(68,1%) moterys ir 37 ( 31,9 %) vyrai. Respondentų
amžius vyravo nuo 19 iki 25 metų, vidutinis - 22,18
± 1,7. Kliniškai diagnozuotas sausų akių sindromas
buvo 4 (3,44%) studentams. Dažniausi studentus varginę
sausų akių sindromo simptomai buvo akių niežėjimas
(pasireiškė 39,58% ), akių ašarojimas (27,08%)
ir akių jautrumas šviesai (25,0%). Moterims statistiškai
reikšmingai dažniau pasireiškė nemalonūs su
akimis susiję pojūčiai. Simptomai respondentus daugiausia
vargindavo dirbant kompiuteriu (70,83%) bei
vėjuotoje aplinkoje (61,45%). Studentai, visą laiką ar
dažnai naudoję dirbtines ašaras, statistiškai reikšmingai
rečiau skundėsi daugiau nei 4 SAS simptomais
arba jų neturėjo visai, lyginant su retkarčiais naudojančiais
ir visai nenaudojančiais studentais.
The Impact of Working Capital Management on Firm Value: Evidence from a Frontier Market
Authors: Arachchi A.N. Hingurala , Perera Wasantha , Vijayakumaran Ratnam
Published: April 2018

Corporate finance literature and finance practitioners have the notion that the efficient working capital management (WCM) affects firm value. This study investigates the value effect of working capital management, using a sample of 44 listed companies on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) over the period 2011-2015. The CSE is currently recognized as a high growth frontier market (FM) in the world.  The efficiency of WCM is measured using the Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) and its components while firm value is measured by the Tobin Q ratio. The firm size, leverage and sales growth are used as the control variables. Using panel data regression methodology (the pooled OLS and fixed effects regressions), the study finds that CCC is inversely related to Tobin Q, suggesting that managers can create value for their shareholders by efficiently managing investment in working capital of their firms.
The Influence of Advertising Media towards Consumer Purchasing Behavior in the Food and Beverage Industry in Malaysia
Authors: Hee Ong Choon , Yen Woon Say
Published: April 2018

This paper aims to analyze the relationship between print service advertising, broadcast advertising, social media advertising and consumer purchasing behavior. Focusing on the role of advertising media in enhancing consumer purchasing behavior, the research was set in the context of Malaysian food and beverages industry. The respondents consisted of consumers of the food and beverages outlets in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. A quantitative cross sectional survey method was adopted, coupled with factor analysis and multiple regression analysis to analyze the collected data. The findings of this study revealed that print service advertising, broadcast advertising and social media advertising were positively and significantly related to consumer purchasing behaviour. Further, social media advertising was found to be the strongest predictor of consumer purchasing behavior. The findings of this research facilitate food and beverages operators to identify the appropriate method of advertising to capture the attention of consumers and subsequently increase their market share.
Use of Chlorella sp. for coating ‘tommy atkins’ mango fruits stored under refrigeration
Authors: Oliveira Agda Malany Forte de , Rocha Railene Hérica Carlos , Guedes Wellinghton Alves , Dias George Alves , Lima José Franciraldo de
Published: April 2018

The number of studies on edible coatings that are used for extending the shelf life of fruits has steadily increased. For this purpose, it is necessary to choose raw materials with characteristics that maintain product quality. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of coatings of Chlorella sp. on the post-harvest conservation of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango fruits. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design, and spray treatments (T) with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, or 4% of Chlorella sp. were applied to the fruits. After the treatments, the fruits were stored for 28 days (21 days at 10 °C and 42% relative humidity and 7 days at 25 °C and 42% relative humidity), and were analyzed on day 28. There was higher pulp firmness in fruits as the concentration of Chlorella sp. was increased, and the concentration of ascorbic acid was comparatively higher (22.17%) in fruits treated with 3% Chlorella sp. The percentage of soluble solids and the soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio were decreased as the coating concentrations were decreased. The use of Chlorella sp. at 1% and 2% allowed fruit maturation without compromising fruit quality attributes during the 28-day storage period.
Characteristics of the carcass and quality of meat of male and female calves with different high-grain diets in confinement
Authors: Cattelam Jonatas , Argenta Flânia Mônego , Alves Filho Dari Celestino , Brondani Ivan Luiz , Pacheco Paulo Santana , Pacheco Rangel Fernandes , Mayer Andrei Retamoso , Rodrigues Leonel da Silva , Martini Patrícia Machado , Klein John Lenon
Published: April 2018

The goal of the present study was to evaluatecharacteristics of the carcass and meat of steers and heifers, finished in feedlots and fed different high-grain diets. Forty-five bovines were used: 21 heifers, with an initial age of 32 months and initial weight of 359.9 kg, and 24 steers, with an initial age of 20 months and initial weight of 337.6 kg, from a Charolais × Nelore crossbreed. The animals were divided among the treatments, which were defined by the energy source used in the diet: rice, white oats, or corn; seven heifers and eight steers were used per diet treatment. The animals remained confined until reaching an estimated warm carcass weight of 220 kg. The experimental design was completely randomized, with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. Weights at slaughter were higher for animals fed white oats (449.3 kg) or corn (430.4 kg) than for animals fed rice (401.8 kg). Higher carcass yields were found in corn-fed animals. Animals that received rice had lower coverfat thickness. The yields of the rib and hind-quarter commercial cuts were higher for cattle that received white oats or corn. Animals that received corn diets had greater arm circumference than animals that received white oatsand both were larger than animals that were fed rice. The tenderness (5.15 points) and palatability (5.46 points) of rice-fed animals werelower than those of animals fed white oats (5.73 and 6.40 points, respectively) or corn (6.04 and 6.45 points, respectively). Slaughter weights were similar between categories - 424.1 kg and 430.2 kg for steers and heifers, respectively. Steers had higher fore-quarter yield (38.0% vs.37.4%), whereas heifers had a greater carcass length (126.0 cm vs. 123.1 cm). The finishing of cattle with corn- or white oat-based high grain-diets yielded heavier carcasses, with adequate deposition of fat, andbetter performance of principal carcass cuts. Feeding with rice in high-grain diets produced leaner meats, but reduced carcass weight, with greater losses upon cooling and less tender meat. The production of confined heifers or steers ensures similar meat products.
Dehydrated cashew apple meal in the feeding of growing rabbits
Authors: Gomes Thalles Ribeiro , Freitas Ednardo Rodrigues , Watanabe Pedro Henrique , Guerreiro Maria Elizimar Felizardo , Sousa Amanda Da Rocha , Ferreira Ana Carolina Sampaio
Published: April 2018

Two trials were conducted aiming to determine the chemical composition, the digestibility of nutrients and energy from dehydrated cashew apple meal, as well as to evaluate the effects generated by including increasing levels (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%) of this ingredient in growing rabbit feed, on performance, carcass characteristics and economic evaluation. In the digestibility trial, were used 24 rabbits with 55 days of age, distributed in a completely randomized design with two treatments and twelve repetitions, being one reference feed and the other test feed, composed by 70% of the reference feed and 30% DCAM. The coefficients of the dry matter digestibility, crude protein and gross energy of the DCAM were, respectively, 67.79; 30.03 and 48.61%. The digestible dry matter, digestible protein and digestible energy, based on dry matter, were, respectively, 59.55%; 4.76% and 2,119.66 kcal/kg. In the second trial, 120 mixed breed rabbits were used, with an average of 45 days of age and weight 1143 ± 153g. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, with six treatments and ten repetitions with two rabbits of the same sex per cage. It was observed that the inclusion of DCAM did not affect (P > 0.05) the feed intake, but reduced (P < 0.05) the feed conversion efficiency, as well as a linear reduction in carcass yield. A quadratic effect on daily weight gain and the ratio meat/bone was observed, with better inclusion level estimated at 25.31 and 24.65%, respectively. The inclusion of DCAM linearly improved economic viability to the level of 50%, however not to harm the weight gain and the ratio meat/bone, it is recommended to include up to 25%.
Crude corn oil with high acidity in broiler feed
Authors: Santos Sâmela Keila Almeida dos , Crosara Flávia De Souza Gomes , Litz Fernanda Heloísa , Carvalho Carolina Magalhães Caires , Limão Veridiana Aparecida , Girão Lúcio Vilela Carneiro , Dias Ana Luísa Neves Alvarenga , Moraes Tatiane Alves de , Souza Larissa Christine Gosuen Mariano de , Fernandes Evandro De Abreu
Published: April 2018

This study aimed to evaluate crude corn oil with high acidity (CCOHA) as a surrogate for degummed soybean oil (DSO) in broiler diets. The design was completely randomized, with four treatments and ten replicates. Each box contained 40 birds (male), totaling 1600 Cobb Slow birds. Treatments consisted of two sorghum-based diets, one with DSO (SSO) another with CCOHA (SCO), and two corn-based diets, one with DSO (CSO) another with CCOHA (CCO). At 30 days of age, a digestibility test was performed using total excreta collection to determine apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) from test rations. At 42 days of age, we evaluated live weight (LW), feed intake (FI), feed conversion (FC), carcass yield (CY), and the yields of breast with bone and skin (BWBS), skinless boneless breast (SBB), thigh (T), drumstick (D), and wing (W), as well as breast centesimal composition. Neither corn nor sorghum-based diets with CCOHA showed differences between AME and AMEn. Both DSO and CCOHA diets showed no differences in LW, FI, FC, carcass and cuts yields when using CCOHA. Regarding breast composition, no differences in dry matter and in the levels of crude protein, fat, and mineral matter were observed. We may conclude that CCOHA had no effect on the performance variables, carcass and cuts yields, and broiler meat quality.
Compatibility of Azospirillum brasilense with fungicide and insecticide and its effects on the physiological quality of wheat seeds
Authors: Munareto Janete Denardi , Martin Thomas Newton , Müller Tania Maria , Nunes Ubirajara Russi , Rosa Guilherme Bergeijer da , Grando Luiz Fernando Teleken
Published: April 2018

Seed treatment is a practice that helps the initial establishment of the crop without the effects caused by pests and diseases. The association of diazotrophic bacteria with grasses has been used in the supply of nitrogen to plants; however, these microorganisms produce growth-promoting substances, which promote benefits in the growth and development of the crops. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the compatibility of Azospirillum brasilense associated with the fungicide difenoconazole and the insecticide thiamethoxam by observing the effects on the quality of seed emergence of three wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.). Three wheat cultivars, arranged in a 4 x 2 factorial system with four replicates, were tested. The treatments were the control; difenoconazole (Spectro® at a dose of 150 mL per 100 kg of seed); thiamethoxam (Cruiser® FS 350 at a dose of 200 mL per 100 kg seed) and difenoconazole + thiamethoxam, applied on wheat cultivars TBIO Mestre, TBIO Itaipu and TBIO Sinuelo. Bacteria from the Azospirillum genus were used in the inoculation. The wheat seed retains its quality when it checks the germination, vigor and independent accelerated aging, whether or not fungicide, insecticide and A. brasilense were used. The insecticide thiamethoxam increased the length of shoots and roots and provided compatibility with A. brasilense, and fungicide inhibited the length of shoots and roots and was antagonistic to the bacterium A. brasilense.
Natural infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs located in Ituberá, Southern Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Souza Graziela Baroni de , Guedes Paula Elisa Brandão , Oliveira Thaís Nascimento De Andrade , Carvalho Fábio Santos , Albuquerque George Rêgo , Silva Fabiana Lessa
Published: April 2018

Chagas disease, caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an anthropozoonosis of great importance for public health. Several species of mammals are reservoirs for this parasite, including dogs. The objective of this work was to verify the natural infection by T. cruzi in the population of dogs of the municipality of Ituberá, Bahia. A total of 392 domiciled dogs from all districts of the city were evaluated; five milliliters of blood was collected from the dogs for molecular diagnosis. T. cruzi DNA was amplified through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR); the primers P35 and P36, which amplify a fragment of 330 bp, were used. The PCR products were subjected to 2% agarose gel electrophoresis containing Sybr (Invitrogen). Of the 392 dogs evaluated, only 2 (0.51%) animals, one male and one female, tested positive for T. cruzi. This study concluded that there are dogs naturally infected by T. cruzi in the municipality of Ituberá-Bahia and that this finding is an alert to veterinarians, health professionals, and local health authorities that their own dogs can act as reservoirs of the disease.
Non-Native English Teachers’ Beliefs on Grammar Instruction
Authors: Onalan Okan
Published: April 2018

Research on teacher cognition, which mainly focuses on identifying what teachers think, know and believe, is essential to understanding teachers’ cognitive framework as it relates to the instructional choices they make. The aim of this study is to find out the beliefs of non-native speaker teachers of English on grammar instruction and to explain how those reported beliefs are influenced by particular demographic factors. 75 non-native speaker teachers of English participated in the study. Data was collected by a 5-Likert type questionnaire with 15 items that addressed a range of key issues in grammar instruction, particularly direct (explicit) or indirect (integrated) grammar instruction. The study has provided a number of valuable insights, particularly in relation to teachers’ beliefs about grammar instruction. The representation of grammar instruction that arises from participant teachers’ responses in this study is one characterized by systematic explicit grammar teaching with regular opportunities for grammar practice, not in isolation but in relation to skills-oriented work. Moreover, teachers with higher English proficiency levels and higher degrees (master’s/doctorate) showed stronger belief towards teaching grammar indirectly. Teachers of adult learners showed a higher tendency towards direct grammar teaching. Non-native speaker teachers preferred to use more indirect grammar instruction as they progressed academically and proficiency-wise, but they implemented more direct grammar teaching as the ages and level of their students increased.
Cyber burnout. A siren song among digital temptations
Authors: Galanciak Sylwia , Siwicki Marek
Published: April 2018

We are increasingly moving our lives to the Internet, working in the Internet space, building social relationships, doing errands or seeking our passions there. However, we rarely ponder on how that space affects us. We are online all the time. We are on the web. We are possessed by the web. We become cyber burned-out. So far, the phenomenon of burnout has been studied only in a work-related context and treated as a category that refers to adults only. However, it is beginning to apply to children as well – physicians diagnose child burnout that results from the pressure children are placed under to meet expectations relating to their academic performance and the pursuit of success.