bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patterns in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteoporosis in Men: A Questionnaire-based Survey in Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Boyanov M. A. , Czerwinski E. , Shinkov A. , Palička V. , Lakatos P. , Poiana C. , Payer J. , Killinger Z. , Kocjan T. , Lesnyak O. , Holzer G. , Resch H.
Published: October 2017

To assess the current practice patterns in the diagnosis and treatment of male osteoporosis based on questionnaires. Questionnaires were presented and filled out by osteoporosis experts from Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Russia. The questions included focused on the proportion of male referrals to DXA, the main reasons for referral, the preferred measurement sites and reference database, the definition of male osteoporosis, needed laboratory investigations, data on calcium and vitamin D supplementation as well as on treatment modalities and their reimbursement rate. Men comprised 5 to 10% of all DXA referrals. The main reasons for referral were low back pain and fractures. Most of the respondents used the International male reference database. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was based mainly on a T-score below −2.5 after the age of 50, but a few respondents added fractures as a necessary condition. Only 1/3 of men visiting DXA sites are expected to have normal BMD. A consensus for the use of laboratory investigations in male osteoporosis is practically lacking. Treatment modalities include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronate, denosumab, rhPTH and strontium (with some restrictions for the latter three). Data on treatment adherence and persistence are generally lacking except for Austria, Romania and Slovakia. The levels of reimbursement vary a lot across countries. Osteoporosis in men is an under-recognized problem in CEE countries, leading to a tremendous gap in the diagnosis and treatment.
Altruistic Surrogacy – Ethical Issues and Demographic Differences in Public Opinion
Authors: Krastev R. , Mitev V.
Published: October 2017

This is the first study of the attitude of Bulgarian people towards the allowing of altruistic surrogacy which is prohibited in Bulgaria. This study used an online survey which was active during one year (July 2010-June 2011) and which was answered by 951 respondents between 18-65 years of age. The majority of them (87%) are young people between 18-43 years. The respondents are men and women with secondary, university and medical university education from the capital and the countryside. They have different marital status. The data were treated with statistical package SPSS 16. The link between the demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, marital status and place of residence) and the answers of the respondents was identified. The majority of the respondents (73%) think that the altruistic surrogacy must be allowed in Bulgaria and the main supporters are the women and the residents in the countryside – married or living with partner. Only 38% of the respondents mostly divorced middle aged persons accept the access of same sex couples to surrogacy. The majority of the respondents (53%) fear that the surrogacy may transform poor women into incubators for babies. This opinion is shared by the men, by the youngest and the oldest respondents and by the unmarried persons.
Medial Orbital Epidermoid Cyst
Authors: Valkanov St. , Valkanov P. , Trifonova K. , Slaveykov K.
Published: October 2017

Dermoid and epidermoid cysts are among the most common orbital tumors, comprising 3% to 9% of all orbital masses. We report a rare case of upper medial orbital epidermoid cyst of a 2-year-old patient. The patient was complaining of pain in the right eye and infrequent vomiting. The neurological and radiographic examinations showed no pathological findings, only after CT scan was performed a tumor formation was found. After the extirpation a histological examination was performed proving the diagnosis.
Basic Mechanisms of Action of the Antiepileptic Drugs
Authors: Kuzmanova R. , Stefanova I.
Published: October 2017

Available antiepileptic drugs interact with a variety of different molecular targets. The mechanism of action of most anticonvulsants is most often complex with a number of affected regions. The combination of mechanisms of action of drugs in particular proportions can possibly determine the showcase of its antiepileptic activity. The common factor between the different supposed mechanisms for a number of drugs includes the possibility for modulating the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission through effects upon the voltage-gated ion channels, synaptic plasticity, heterogeneous receptors, and metabolism of neurotransmitters. There are controversial data on the extent to which a specific action can be the reason for the wholesome anticonvulsive characteristics of various medications, as well as the relation with the presence of undesired drug effects. The complexity of the action of some antiepileptic drugs creates conditions for optimal choice during therapy. In many cases, the insufficient familiarity with individual genetic differences and the disease related receptor damages can hinder defining a particular drug action. Characterizing the mechanisms of action of the present antiepileptic medications would increase the understanding for the pathophysiological mechanisms of epileptic seizures, as well as the development of new therapeutic strategies. The development of novel antiepileptic drugs and the ongoing research regarding the mechanism of action of established antiepileptic drugs, are continuously increasing the level of complexity in the spectrum of molecular targets relevant for epilepsy therapy. The current state of knowledge as well as the limitations in our understanding should guide future research aiming for a more detailed elucidation of the impact of genetics and pathophysiological mechanisms on interindividual differences in expression and function of antiepileptic drug targets.
The effect of pulsed laser radiation on a thermoviscoelastic semi-infinite solid under two-temperature theory
Authors: Othman Mohamed I. , Abouelregal Ahmed E.E.
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this paper is to study the thermoviscoelastic interactions in a homogeneous, isotropic semi-infinite solid under two-temperature theory with heat source. The Kelvin-Voigt model of linear viscoelasticity which describes the viscoelastic nature of the material is used. The bounding plane surface of the medium is subjected to a non-Gaussian laser pulse. The generalized thermoelasticity theory with dual phase lags model is used to solve this problem. Laplace transform technique is used to obtain the general solution for a suitable set of boundary conditions. Some comparisons have been shown in figures to estimate the effects of the phase lags, viscosity, temperature discrepancy, laser-pulse and the laser intensity parameters on all the studied fields. A comparison was also made with the results obtained in the case of one temperature thermoelasticity theory.
Quantification of the Solar Radiative Regime Variability Based on the Clearness Index
Authors: Lucaciu Sergiu , Blaga Robert , Stefu Nicoleta , Paulescu Marius
Published: October 2017

The fluctuation of solar radiation at ground level represents a challenge in modeling the time series of solar irradiance. A procedure for the quantification of the instability of the solar radiative regime is reported. This procedure is based on the clearness index, as the ratio of the horizontal solar irradiance measured at ground level and the estimated one at extraterrestrial level. New quantities for classifying the days from the radiative stability point of view are being introduced. A procedure for classifying days according to their stability regime as stable, variable and unstable is presented.
Pente Grammai and the ‘Holy Line’
Authors: Kidd Stephen
Published: October 2017

A great deal of the literary evidence surrounding the ancient Greek board game pente grammai has to do with its central and proverbial ‘holy line’. Although it seems that the goal of the game was to reach this holy line, the proverb always refers to ‘moving away from’ this holy line not toward it. But why would players move away from the line which is the goal? This paper argues that there was a strategic element to the game: just like in modern backgammon and in Zeno’s ‘table’ game from late antiquity, in pente grammai a player could knock an opponent’s ‘blots’ (azuges) off the board. This explains why a player might make the odd move of leaving the holy line: the aggressive and risky act might bring an advantage if the opponent has left a number of vulnerable pieces exposed. At the end, a possible reconstruction of the game is offered.
Stranger Games: The life and times of the spintriae
Authors: Duggan Eddie
Published: October 2017

In 2010 a Roman token was discovered in the mud of the Thames near Putney Bridge in London. When the token was discovered to have an erotic image on one side and a Roman numeral on the other, and was identified in a Museum of London press release as a rare Roman “brothel token”, the press reported on the story in the expected manner, for example: “A Roman coin that was probably used by soldiers to pay for sex in brothels has been discovered on the banks of the River Thames” (Daily Telegraph, 4 Jan 2012) and “Bronze discs depicting sex acts, like the one discovered in London, were used to hire prostitutes-and directly led to the birth of pornography during the Renaissance” (The Guardian, 4 Jan 2012). Even before this particular spate of media interest, these curious tokens have generated confusion, speculation and prurience-often simultaneously. They are of interest to games scholars because the speculation often includes the suggestion these objects may have had a ludic function, and were used as game counters. This paper will look at some of the proposals that have been offered by way of explanation of these peculiar objects.
Isoliquiritigenin inhibits colorectal cancer cells HCT-116 growth by suppressing the PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Huang Ya-Li , Wei Fang , Zhao Ke , Zhang Yong , Wang Dong , Li Xin-Hua
Published: October 2017

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a member of the flavonoids, is known to possess antitumor activity in different types of cancer including human breast cancer, hepatoma cancer, prostate cancer and others, bothin vitroandin vivo. In the present study, we reported the effect of ISL on cell growth in human colorectal cancer cells HCT-116. As examined by CCK8 assays, ISL inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 cells. Additionally, the antimigratory activity of ISL in HCT-116 cells was confirmed by trans-well chamber migration assays and invasion assays. Moreover, the results of fluorescence-activated cell sorting and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis showed that ISL induced apoptosis in HCT-116 cells. Further detection using SDS-PAGE assay revealed that ISL decreased the levels of phospho-AKT (p-AKT), phospho-mTOR (p-mTOR), Cyclin D1 and phospho-p70S6 Kinase (p-P70S6K). Collectively, these findings indicated that isoliquiritigenin induced growth-inhibition and apoptosis through downregulating of PI3K/AKT in human colorectal cancer.
The production of arabitol by a novel plant yeast isolate Candida parapsilosis 27RL-4
Authors: Kordowska-Wiater Monika , Kuzdraliński Adam , Czernecki Tomasz , Targoński Zdzisław , Frąc Magdalena , Oszust Karolina
Published: October 2017

Polyalcohol arabitol can be used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as a natural sweetener, a dental caries reducer, and texturing agent. Environmental samples were screened to isolate effective yeast producers of arabitol. The most promising isolate 27RL-4, obtained from raspberry leaves, was identified genetically and biochemically as Candida parapsilosis. It secreted 10.42– 10.72 g l-1 of product from 20 g l-1 of L-arabinose with a yield of 0.51 - 0.53 g g-1 at 28°C and a rotational speed of 150 rpm. Batch cultures showed that optimal pH value for arabitol production was 5.5. High yields and productivities of arabitol were obtained during incubation of the yeast at 200 rpm, or at 32°C, but the concentrations of the polyol did not exceed 10 g l-1. In modified medium, with reduced amounts of nitrogen compounds and pH 5.5-6.5, lower yeast biomass produced a similar concentration of arabitol, suggesting higher efficiency of yeast cells. This strain also produced arabitol from glucose, with much lower yields. The search for new strains able to successfully produce arabitol is important for allowing the utilization of sugars abundant in plant biomass.
Pyrolysis of waste tyres – The effect of reaction kinetics on the results of thermogravimetric analysis
Authors: Cherbański Robert , Wróblewski Krzysztof , Molga Eugeniusz
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a systematic thermogravimetric (TG) study on the kinetics of end-of-life tyre (ELT) pyrolysis. In the experimental part of this work, TG results are compared for tyre samples of different mass and size. This shows that the conduction resistance in the milligram scale (up to ~100 mg) tyre sample can be neglected. A comparison of experimental results demonstrates that the characteristic maxima on the DTG curve (the first derivative of TG signal) shift towards higher temperatures for higher heating rates. This phenomenon is explained to have kinetic origin and it is not caused by the internal heat transfer resistance. In the modelling part of this work, the kinetic parameters of the Three-Component Simulation Model (TCSM) are calculated and compared to the literature values. Testing of the kinetic model is carried out using experiments with a varying heating rate. This shows the limitation of the simplified kinetic approach and the appropriate selection method of the kinetic parameters.
Dynamical and technological consequences of multiple isolas of steady states in a catalytic fluidised-bed reactor
Authors: Bizon Katarzyna
Published: October 2017

Steady-state characteristics of a catalytic fluidised bed reactor and its dynamical consequences are analyzed. The occurrence of an untypical steady-state structure manifesting in a form of multiple isolas is described. A two-phase bubbling bed model is used for a quantitative description of the bed of catalyst. The influence of heat exchange intensity and a fluidisation ratio onto the generation of isolated solution branches is presented for two kinetic schemes. Dynamical consequences of the coexistence of such untypical branches of steady states are presented. The impact of linear growth of the fluidisation ratio and step change of the cooling medium temperature onto the desired product yield is analyzed. The results presented in this study confirm that the identification of a region of the occurrence of multiple isolas is important due to their strong impact both on the process start-up and its control.
Influence of rotating magnetic field on gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient
Authors: Rakoczy Rafał , Konopacki Maciej , Kordas Marian , Drozd Radosław , Fijałkowski Karol
Published: October 2017

The main objective of these experiments was to study the oxygen mass transfer rate through the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) for an experimental set-up equipped with a rotating magnetic field (RMF) generator and various liquids. The experimental results indicated that kLa increased along the magnetic strength and the superficial gas velocity. Mathematical correlations defining the influence of the considered factors on kLa were proposed.
Numerical analysis of momentum transfer processes in a mechanically agitated air – biophase – liquid system
Authors: Musiał Monika , Cudak Magdalena , Karcz Joanna
Published: October 2017

The results of numerical computations concerning momentum transfer processes in an air – biophase – liquid system agitated in a bioreactor equipped with baffles and a Smith turbine (CD 6 impeller) are presented in this paper. The effect of sucrose concentration on the distributions of the velocity of the continuous phase, gas hold-up and the size of gas bubbles in the system was analysed. Simulation results were presented in the form of the contours of the analysed magnitudes. The effect of sucrose concentration on the averaged values (i.e. determined on the basis of local values) of gas hold-up and gas bubbles size was evaluated. The results of the numerical computations of gas hold-up were compared with our own experimental data.
Understanding the Different Dimensions of Human Dignity: Analysis of the Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia on the »Tito Street« Case
Authors: Kleindienst Petra
Published: October 2017

In 2011, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia made a historical decision on the ‘Tito street’ case, thereby placing human dignity at the centre of the constitutional order. A few years later, some related doubts not resolved by the Constitutional Court remain. For instance, the Court argues that an exhaustive a priori definition of human dignity is impossible since the notion depends on the development of its historical and ethical substance over time. The question thus arises of why legislation states that human dignity is universal even though it can be perceived as being a product of time and place. In this paper, we strive to answer this question by arguing that human dignity has two dimensions, initial dignity and realised dignity, and interpret the Court’s decision from a new angle. Thereby, the aim of this paper is to build a conceptual framework of human dignity and discuss it from a fresh perspective as well as to prove its applicability by presenting Slovenian constitutional case law. The paper offers significant insights into the discussion and may therefore help to improve future interpretations of human dignity in the field of constitutional case law.
Application of Window Malmquist Index for Examination of Efficiency Change of Czech Commercial Banks
Authors: Palecková Iveta
Published: October 2017

The aim of the paper is to apply the Window Malmquist index approach to examine the efficiency change of Czech commercial banks within the period 2004-2013. We used the Data Envelopment Analysis and theWindow Malmquist index approaches to estimate the efficiency change of Czech commercial banks. The average efficiency computed under the assumption of constant returns to scale was 73% and under the assumption of variable returns to scale the value was 83%. We estimated the average positive efficiency growth of Czech commercial banks during the period 2004-2013. We found that average scale efficiency was 88%, which means that Czech commercial banks were of an inappropriate size, especially the largest banks.
The younger, the better?: A usage-based approach to learning and teaching of English in Danish primary schools
Authors: Cadierno Teresa , Eskildsen Søren W.
Published: October 2017

This project investigates early learning and teaching of English in Danish primary schools. Encouraged by recent calls for research to apply a complex multifactor research design to investigate early foreign language (FL) learning (Edelenbos & Kubanek 2009; Lindgren & Muñoz 2013), the project investigates the impact of starting age of learning, i.e., the age factor, and a range of contextual factors (the quantity and quality of exposure to English inside and outside the classroom) and socio-affective factors (children’s motivation and attitudes towards learning, and parents’ education, (perceived) proficiency in the FL, their attitudes towards language learning, and their use of the foreign language professionally) in children’s rate of L2 learning and short-term English language proficiency.
Personal names in Modern Hebrew: A morphosyntactic and gender analysis
Authors: Muchnik Malka
Published: October 2017

The article presents a morphosyntactic analysis of personal names in Modern Hebrew, with emphasis on gender characteristics. In fact, Hebrew uses existing words for personal names, and we would expect grammatical rules to apply to names in the same manner as they apply to other words. Almost all words in the language are gender distinguished, meaning that they must be either masculine or feminine, with no neuter form, and full syntactic agreement for gender is required. While masculine words are unmarked, feminine nouns, adjectives, and participles are marked by the suffixes -
Nominal category marking on personal names: A typological study of case and definiteness
Authors: Handschuh Corinna
Published: October 2017

This paper investigates differences in encoding the two nominal categories case and definiteness between proper nouns (more precisely anthroponyms) and common nouns, based on a maximally diverse 40-language sample. These differences can be found in a number of unrelated languages, though the majority of languages appear to not distinguish between proper and common nouns. However, this generalization has to be taken with a grain of salt, since the paper illustrates that differences between the two types of nouns can be very subtle and can thus be easily overlooked or left untreated in written grammars. Differences are either manifested in the overall absence of marking of a category on one type of nominal, or in distinct forms and/or conditions for the encoding.
Chemical composition and fiber properties of fast-growing species in Latvia and its potential for forest bioindustry
Authors: Sable Inese , Grinfelds Uldis , Vikele Laura , Rozenberga Linda , Lazdina Dagnija , Zeps Martins , Jansons Aris
Published: October 2017

Bioenergy, including energy from wood, currently provides about 9–13% of the total global energy supply. Every fibre of fast-growing wood has a value for its potential use as a material in both pulp and paper and wood chemical industries. The aim of this study was to assess the chemical composition and fibre’s properties of fast-growing species in Latvia – aspen, hybrid aspen, lodgepole pine, poplar and willow. Results showed a variation of cellulose, lignin, extractives and ash contents among the species. Kraft pulp yield and amount of residual lignin were measured and properties of pulp fibres determined. Form factor and fine content in pulp were measured. Poplar and aspen wood had the highest content of cellulose, while lodgepole pine had the highest lignin content in wood and the longest kraft pulp fibres. Willow had 20% of fines in pulp. Individual results suggest the most suitable application of each species.
The chipping cost of wood raw material for fuel in Estonian conditions
Authors: Irdla Marek , Padari Allar , Kurvits Vahur , Muiste Peeter
Published: October 2017

In Estonia up to now the producers of wood fuels have not yet adequately analysed the production and transport costs although it is known that the share of these costs form up to half of the final price of wood chips or hog fuel. With this in mind the goal of the case study was defined – to analyse the price formation of comminuted wood fuels in Estonian conditions. Within one year of the survey the initial data was collected from the company SLG Energy. Different types of machines (7 in total) were observed – wood chippers Jenz HEM 561, Jenz HEM 582, Heinola 910ES, and Doppstadt DH 608. All machines were equipped with a GPS tracking device which recorded the route and the fuel consumption and during the observation period all costs and revenues related to the concerned machines were accounted. It was determined that due to frequent repairs the maintenance costs of older machines were higher and productivity lower compared with new machines. The biggest item of expenditure turned out to be the fuel consumption. The second was the cost of repairs in the case of older machines and price in the case of new machines. Also the type of chipper had an impact on the production cost. Under the cumulative effect of various factors the production cost turned out to vary widely from 1.03 to 2.38 €/ml
3.
Free by cyclic groups and linear groups with restricted unipotent elements
Authors: Button Jack O.
Published: October 2017

We introduce the class of linear groups that do not contain unipotent elements of infinite order, which includes all linear groups in positive characteristic. We show that groups in this class have good closure properties, in addition to having properties akin to non-positive curvature, which were proved in [
Product Seeding: Word-of-Mouth Effects For and Beyond the Focal Product
Authors: Bart Yakov
Published: October 2017

In a classic seeded WOM marketing campaign, a company sends product samples to a selected group of influencers, and encourages them share the product information and their own opinions with other consumers. Positive effects include more WOM for the focal product in the target segment, but also in additional segments. But there are additional spillover effects on the brand and the product category level and they are negative. More conversations about the focal product reduced the “off-topic” conversations about other brands in the same category as well as other products of the same brand. These negative brand and category spillover effects are stronger when the focal product is of a more functional nature. Marketers tend to consider only positive spillovers to be beneficial for a company, but negative spillovers should not be immediately classified as “bad news.” There are upsides to this effect that managers can use in their favor.
Exploring Links Between Engaging Customers in Value Co-Creation and Product Innovativeness
Authors: Zaborek Piotr , Mazur Jolanta
Published: October 2017

The study examines the hypothesis that firms engaging customers in value co-creation tend to display more innovativeness. As such, it is one of the few quantitative studies on the link between these two concepts. Customer engagement in value co-creation was operationalized as a multiple scale following the DART framework by Prahalad and Ramaswamy. The DART acronym denotes four salient dimensions of enabling co-creation: Dialog, Access, Risk and Transparency. The applied innovativeness metric was revenue share from new and modified products. Data were collected from 432 managers of manufacturing and service SMEs. Statistical data analysis methods included EFA, CFA and multiple regression modeling.

The major finding is the existence of a significant positive effect between engaging customers in value co-creation and innovativeness. In particular, certain DART dimensions, such as Dialog, elements of Access and Risk, coincided with increased levels of innovativeness. Among the study’s limitations, two are particularly pertinent. First, different conceptualizations of customer engagement in value co-creation could yield different results in terms of effect magnitudes, although the authors believe that the direction of relationships should remain the same. Second, the research considered customer engagement from the perspective of managers, which could induce bias. Hence, it may be worthwhile to examine how customers evaluate their own engagement.

In terms of practical application, to enhance innovativeness, firms should intensify their efforts to engage customers in day-to-day operations. However, not all aspects of co-creation provide equal benefits – it appears that more involved actions on the part of the company are needed to produce noticeable positive effects.

From a theoretical viewpoint, the findings empirically validate the business relevance of engaging customers in value co-creation. Unlike many other studies of the co-creation stream, this paper relies on a large, representative sample of manufacturing and service firms.
The influence of knowledge management “bottleneck” on company’s performance
Authors: Subanidja Steph , Hadiwidjojo Djumilah
Published: October 2017

Interviews with 10 marketing managers of 10 four-wheeled motor vehicle brand in Jakarta that have the highest sales in January up to April 2017 show that the managers do not have enough cognitive understanding of knowledge management (KM). However, the managers, in general, are very eloquent when discussing about practical business aspects such as supply-chain, business competition, products, organizational culture, and company’s performance. Based on previous research, KM was placed as independent or intervening or moderating variable on company’s performance. The aim of this study is to analyze the role of KM on company’s performance. By using stratified random sampling, linear regression, moderated regression, and path analysis, it can be concluded that KM can be as independent, moderating, or intervening variable. KM becomes similar to a “bottleneck” when the managers do not know well what and how to implement KM. Therefore, this study suggests that needed further researches are needed to explore the role of KM and to understand how KM can be implemented in a company in order to sustainably improve the company’s performance.
Organizational Diversity Commitment: A Web-Based Investigation
Authors: Vasconcelos Anselmo Ferreira
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine organizational held values and beliefs related to diversity, particularly derived from the corporate websites of the best companies to work for in Brazil, that is, an annual edition published by Época magazine along with the Great Place to Work® Institute (GPTW). Therefore, this study focuses on how these companies are addressing the themes of diversity, inclusion, and discrimination through their organizational discourses. More specifically, it draws exclusively on the statements and corporative documents posted on their websites. Overall, findings indicated that barely 57 (43.8%) of the 130 companies awarded by GPTW-Época 2014’s list showed some interest in providing a discourse toward diversity/inclusion issues in their websites. Moreover, no more than 31 firms (54.4% of the sample) depicted a compelling or somewhat acceptable diversity discourse (i.e., an indication that this issue has been addressed, yet it requires additional measures). Taken as a whole, results suggest that diversity appears to be a topic of low status in the most of the best organizations to work for in Brazil. In general, multinational corporations tend to put aside desirable aspects on their statements, even so they enact better diversity, inclusion, and anti-discrimination discourses than Brazilian firms.
Uncertainty Modeling and Evaluation of CMM Task Oriented Measurement Based on SVCMM
Authors: Li Hongli , Chen Xiaohuai , Cheng Yinbao , Liu Houde , Wang Hanbin , Cheng Zhenying , Wang Hongtao
Published: October 2017

Due to the variety of measurement tasks and the complexity of the errors of coordinate measuring machine (CMM), it is very difficult to reasonably evaluate the uncertainty of the measurement results of CMM. It has limited the application of CMM. Task oriented uncertainty evaluation has become a difficult problem to be solved. Taking dimension measurement as an example, this paper puts forward a practical method of uncertainty modeling and evaluation of CMM task oriented measurement (called SVCMM method). This method makes full use of the CMM acceptance or reinspection report and the Monte Carlo computer simulation method (MCM). The evaluation example is presented, and the results are evaluated by the traditional method given in GUM and the proposed method, respectively. The SVCMM method is verified to be feasible and practical. It can help CMM users to conveniently complete the measurement uncertainty evaluation through a single measurement cycle.
Euglenoids from the El Farafra Oasis (Western Desert, Egypt)
Authors: Wołowski Konrad , Saber Abdullah Antar , Cantonati Marco
Published: October 2017

The paper reports the first detailed study of the diversity of euglenoids recorded from the El Farafra Oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt. Four of the 20 identified species are new records for the Egyptian algal flora: the colorless Peranema inflexum Skuja, and the three pigmented species Euglena adhaerens Matv., Phacus crassus Zakryś & M. Łukomska and Ph. cristatus Zakryś & M. Łukomska. A brief description and original documentation are given for each reported morphospecies.
Affective response to a lottery prize moderates processing of payoffs and probabilities: An eye-tracking study
Authors: Traczyk Jakub , Kus Jakub , Sobkow Agata
Published: October 2017

Expected utility theory posits that our preferences for gambles result from the weighting of utilities of monetary payoffs by their probabilities. However, recent studies have shown that combining payoffs and probabilities is often distorted by affective responses. In the current study, we hypothesized that affective response to a lottery prize moderates processing of payoffs and probabilities. Attentional engagement (measured by the number of fixations in the eye tracking experiment) was predicted by probability, value of an outcome, and their interaction, but only for affect-poor lottery tickets. A corresponding pattern of results was not observed in affect-rich lottery tickets, suggesting more simplified processing of such lotteries.
Adapting The Survey Of Perceived Organizational Support
Authors: Wojtkowska Katarzyna , Andersz Nina , Czarnota-Bojarska Joanna
Published: October 2017

The subject of the present study was the Polish adaptation of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support. The adapted scale demonstrates good psychometric properties, indicating high internal consistency. Construct validity was assessed using measures of job and life satisfaction, and a Work-Family Fit Questionnaire. The results have shown that the adapted scale is strongly positively correlated with felt satisfaction with work, and also demonstrates a positive, although weaker correlation with satisfaction with life. Correlations with the Work-Family Fit demonstrate that perceived organizational support is important for the relationship between professional and family roles when work is the source of influence. The results of the study indicate that the adapted SPOS can be successfully used in Poland.
The sense of body boundaries – subjective determinants and implications for body self-relation in people with psychosomatic illnesses
Authors: Krzewska Iwona , Dolińska-Zygmunt Grażyna
Published: October 2017

This article seeks to explore the determinants of the sense of body boundaries and its implications for body self- relation in psychosomatic patients - patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Stepwise regression analysis and paths analysis were carried out. The most significant condition affecting the strength of the sense of body boundaries among IBS patients is their sensitivity to the violation of self- boundaries in the dimension of the social self. Likewise, among patients with skin diseases, the most important factor is their style of cognitive functioning (field independence). Furthermore, both similarities and differences have been found in the groups involved in the research in terms of determinants of the sense of body boundaries, as well as in comparison with the results from healthy patients. The results which were obtained indicated that the greater the strength of the sense of body boundaries in IBS patients, the greater its positive impact on the assessment of the patients’ own health, their physical attractiveness and comfort from touch, in a similar way to that in healthy people. As far as patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are concerned, the sense of body boundaries was revealed to have a positive impact on the level of health orientation: active involvement with either maintaining or improving the health condition.
Issues on Financing Sources of Environmental Fund In Romania
Authors: Barbu Liliana
Published: October 2017

Environmental taxation has been developing for decades and it started to gain its importance, especially with the European Union extending. The usage of taxes as a part of environmental policy has been known for some time in Romania and developments in this area continued year by year. The present paper explores the current system of environmental taxes in Romania. It highlights the importance of car pollution tax in financing Environmental Fund and the existence of many tax liabilities irrelevant as financial importance.
A Snapshot of the World of Global Multinationals – An Industry Based Analysis of Fortune Global 500 Companies
Authors: Ogrean Claudia
Published: October 2017

For better or for worse, the “corporations rule the world” assertion is nowadays more actual and accurate than ever before, as multinational companies represent the undisputable engine of the globalization process, and the latter continuously (re)creates the background against which global multinationals are flourishing, while reinforcing their “domination”. Since 1995, the Fortune Global 500 ranking (FG 500) annually provides a comprehensive and eloquent image of the world of global multinationals; the merits of the FG 500 ranking go beyond the synchronic approach of the characteristics of global multinationals (in terms of revenues, profits, assets and employees - by sector, industry and country), as it also favors diachronic analysis and comparisons - which are essential for strategists in identifying evolving trends and substantiating corporate strategies able to lead to sustainable competitiveness. The paper aims to determine the contribution of sectors to FG 500 ranking in 2016, on one hand, and to emphasize on some industry-based dynamics in FG 500 - by comparatively analyzing the 2016 and 1996 rankings, on the other hand.
Determining Mission Statement Effectiveness from a Fit Perspective
Authors: Toh Seong-Yuen , Koon Vui-Yee
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between the organization's mission statement and its outcomes from a fit perspective in the alignment of the organization's structural and cultural elements. Based on an extension of Campbell's (1991) mission model by combination of ideas from two schools of thought in mission statement studies (structural and cultural), the authors introduce the concept of “fit” to show how it contributes towards a new mission statement model. The results show that both alignments are important to create a fit situation in order to positively impact organization outcomes. Based on Cohen (1988), the detected effect size of .322 is considered large. The managerial implication is that there should be more focus on managing organisational alignment to support a fit situation as this is instrumental to mission statement effectiveness. The originality of this study stems from the idea that while past studies develop model based on ideas from within the confine of a particular school of thought, this study is one of the first to combine ideas from both the structural and cultural schools of thought by extending Campbell's (1991) mission model using the fit perspective.
Next Generation Mobile Communication System with Cognitive Radio, OFDM and Beamforming Tecnique
Authors: Kumar Arun , Rathore Hemant , Bharti Shikha
Published: October 2017

This work explores beam forming and two-way relaying to alleviate the dual issues of the spectrum congestion and spectrum under-utilization. These problems can be alleviated by the implementation of underlay cognitive radio networks. However, their reliability, capacity or power, and coverage depend on bi-directional or abbreviated as primary-to-secondary (P2S) and secondary-to-primary (S2P) interference constraints. This work makes of two-way relaying to improve these essential and paramount efficiencies, performance and effectiveness measures.
Determination of the Lifetime Influence Upon the Conversion Efficiency of the Photovoltaic Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Preduşcă G. , Fluieraru C.
Published: October 2017

If the electrons and holes in excess are created in a semiconductor, either by means of light absorption, or using other methods, the thermic balance is disturbed, therefore these electrons and holes should be nullified after the source had been stopped. This process is named recombination. There are three main recombination types: radioactive, Auger and deep energy level recombination. All three are based on the doping concentration to a certain point. The life time is determined using the three recombination processes in semiconductor.
A Simple Technique for Palm Recognition Using Major Lines
Authors: Kumar V. , Dua A. , Bansal H. , Aggarwal H. , Madan A. , Bhatia J.S.
Published: October 2017

Present manuscript deals with the biometric identification and security. Features exploited for the purpose are the principal lines of the palm of an individual. We developed an algorithm which extracts palm region from a human hand, calculates few palm specific parameters using only principal lines that differentiate one palm from another and then verifies it against a database which contain s the palms of the registered users.
Characteristics Analysis of Battery Used in Equipment for Monitoring and Remote Transmission of Vital Human Parameters
Authors: Vasile Ion
Published: October 2017

Nowadays, the use of remote monitoring and transmission of vital parameters became extremely common, because these systems reduce the degree of risk among ill people and provide an additional time necessary for the intervention teams - in case of emergency action. Generally, these devices monitor and transmit data as values of blood pressure and the heart rate. This equipment permanently worn by the ill people have as sources of electric energy supply batteries or accumulators. The behavior of batteries and the parameters measurement for different operating states are defined as particularly important analyses, especially in terms of voltage and time. In this article we have analyzed two types of batteries (Lithium-Ion and Nickel-Metal Hydride) with different characteristics, using a monitoring device that measures the depth of discharge (DOD) while under load in our biomedical system. The battery characterizations were made while the system was operating measuring the body signs and transmitting the data.
Genetic Parameters of Growth Traits and Wood Density in Eucalyptus grandis Progenies Planted in Argentina
Authors: Hernández J. J. Vargas , Upton J. López , Valverde G. Ramirez , Harrand L.
Published: October 2017

To determine the genetic parameters of growth traits and wood density (estimated by Pilodyn penetration) in a population of Eucalyptus grandis formed by families from 11 seed origins in NE Queensland, Australia and a local land race, 8.5-year-old progenies established in three sites in NE Argentina were evaluated. Local trees exhibited higher growth rate at two sites and better stem form, but also deeper Pilodyn penetration, at all sites; thus, there is potential to infuse new genetic variation into the current breeding population in the region. A significant amount of genetic variation was found for all traits assessed, with growth traits [diameter (DBH), height (HT) and volume (VOL)] showing different genetic structure and degree of genetic control as compared to stem straightness (FORM), bark thickness (BARK) and Pilodyn penetration (PILO). The effect of origin was negligible for growth traits while it was important for the other traits, so it should be considered in the selection strategy; in addition, individual heritability for growth traits (0.11-0.16 in the combined analyses) was generally lower than for the other traits (0.20-0.35). Genetic correlations between sites for all traits were high enough to indicate that genotype-environment interaction would not affect the selection program by using a single breeding population for this region. Genetic correlations between growth traits were high (rg > 0.80), and negligible between these and FORM; the only unfavorable genetic correlation was between PILO and BARK (rg = -0.44). Age-age correlations for growth traits and FORM were very high (rg > 0.90). Results suggest that all traits evaluated could be handled in a breeding program, either independently or combined, without negative correlated effects. Early selection for growth traits and stem form is also possible, with major savings in time.
Genetic Diversity in Kenyan Populations of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. Based on ISSR Markers
Authors: Chiveu Chemulanga Josiah , Dangasuk O. G. , Omunyin M. E. , Wachira F. N.
Published: October 2017

Acacia senegal (L.) Willd is an African arid and semi arid zones, leguminous multipurpose tree species belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae, family Fabaceae and subgenus Aculeiferum, highly valued for gum arabic production. Patterns of genetic diversity of this important species in Kenya have not been studied for efficiency of germplasm utilization, conservation and improvement. Four natural populations of A. senegal in Kenya (Bulla Sambul, Kutulo, Wamba and Meisori) were analyzed to estimate genetic variation among and within populations, by use of ISSR (Inter-simple sequence repeat) markers. Using five primers, 17 polymorphic loci were observed, ranging in size from 564bp to 983bp. A high mean total genetic diversity index for the species was observed (H= 0.27). The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of the 95 samples from the four populations showed that about 40.75% of the total variation was described by the first two axes with much overlap among populations; hence populations were not defined on the basis of geographic distance. Much of the genetic variation resided within the populations based on the coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst = 0.0573) and Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) (95%). It was therefore recommended that selection for the desired important economic traits for improvement and conservation should emphasize on individual trees within populations rather than among populations, and also ensure a comprehensive coverage of the entire ecological amplitude of the populations.
Growth Rhythm Parameters as Components of Hybrid Vigour in Young Seedlings of Hybrid Larch (Larix decidua x L. kaempferi)
Authors: Pâques Luc E.
Published: October 2017

Heterosis for growth traits was investigated on 2-yrold seedlings from related intra- and inter-specific progenies collected in hybridisation seed orchards combining Larix decidua (EL) and L. kaempferi (JL). Following taxa identification, seedlings phenology and growth were observed over a complete growing season in two experiments. Start, cessation, duration and rates of growth for the different taxa were explored in relation to hybrid vigour. Variable levels of heterosis were observed, depending on the genetic background of the parental species, the species over which superiority was evaluated, environmental conditions and the traits considered. While significant and consistent differences have been observed between hybrids and their related EL progenies for phenological growth traits, a better timing of the growth rhythm over the growing season together with a greater growth efficiency allowed for a consistently positive heterosis over EL. The situation appeared more complex with JL as heterosis could be either positive or negative. Besides the high variation in heterosis levels, the way heterosis for height built up over the growing season seemed also to be variable according to genetic backgrounds: cumulative constant superiority of the hybrid for growth rhythms along the growing season or greater growth rates during discrete periods of time.