bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photoperiodic regulation in a wild-derived mouse strain
Authors: de Miera Cristina Sáenz , Beymer Matthew , Routledge Kevin , Krol Elżbieta , Hazlerigg David G. , Simonneaux Valerie
Published: February 2020

Mus musculus molossinus (MSM) is a wild-derived mouse strain which maintains the ability to synthesize melatonin in patterns reflecting the ambient photoperiod. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of photoperiodic variation on metabolic and reproductive traits, and the related changes in pituitary-hypothalamic gene expression in MSM mice. MSM mice were kept in long (LP) or short photoperiod (SP) for 6 weeks. Our results demonstrate that MSM mice kept in LP, as compared to mice kept in SP, display higher expression of genes encoding thyrotropin (TSH) in the pars tuberalis, thyroid hormone deiodinase 2 (dio2) in the tanycytes, RFamide-related peptide (RFRP3) in the hypothalamus and lower expression of dio3 in the tanycytes, along with larger body and reproductive organ mass. Additionally, to assess the effects of the gestational photoperiodic environment on the expression of these genes, we kept MSM mice in LP or SP from gestation and studied offspring. We show that the gestational photoperiod affects the TSH/dio pathway in newborn MSM mice in a similar way to adults. This result indicates a transgenerational effect of photoperiod from the mother to the fetus in utero. Overall, these results indicate that photoperiod can influence neuroendocrine regulation in a melatonin-proficient mouse strain, in a manner similar that documented in other seasonal rodent species. MSM mice may therefore become a useful model for research into the molecular basis of photoperiodic regulation of seasonal biology.
Biomechanical Response to Acute Stretching in Dancers and Non-Dancers
Authors: Pessali-Marques Bárbara , Peixoto Gustavo H.C. , Cabido Christian E.T. , Andrade André Gustavo P. , Rodrigues Sara A. , Tourino Frank D. , O'Dowd Dawn , Chagas Mauro H.
Published: February 2020

This study aimed to investigate the bio- mechanical response of the hamstring muscles to acute stretching in dancers (D) compared to non-dancers (ND). Maximal range of motion (ROMMax) and stiffness of the hamstrings were assessed in 46 young males, 23 undergraduate students
(ND) and 23 professional dancers (D). Ages of the two groups were D 21.5 ± 0.60 years; ND 27.5 ± 0.98 years). Testing was performed in two sessions, familiarization with procedures in the first session and the tests themselves (pre- and post-test and intervention) in the second,
with a 24- to 48-hour interval between. The pre-test consisted of three trials of passive knee extension to the point of increased tension in the hamstrings, defined as ROMMax. The resistance torque recorded at ROMMax was defined as torqueMax. Six 30-second
constant torque stretches were performed at 100% of the torqueMaxreached in the pre-test in one lower limb only (intervention), with the contralateral limb used as control. The torque measured at an identical ROM before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the intervention was defined
as torqueROM, and represented stiffness in this study. Reliability of the ROMMax, torqueMax, and torqueROMwas assessed via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC3, k) and standard error of the measurements (SEM). Comparison between dancers and
non-dancers, control, and intervention conditions for all dependent variables was performed using ANOVA repeated measures followed by Tukey post hoc comparisons to highlight any interaction. The submaximal stretch intensity applied caused torqueROM to decrease in both D and ND groups
(p < 0.01), indicating a decrease in stiffness, but no difference between the groups was found. A significantly greater increase in ROMMax was found for the D group compared to the ND group (p < 0.01), suggesting that other aspects in addition to MTU biomechanical adaptations
may have played a role in the ROMMax increase, especially for the D group. Further research is needed to explore what those other adaptations are. Meanwhile, coaches and physical therapists should be aware that dancers may require different stretch training protocols than non-dancers.
The features of analysis and diagnostics in the process of control of financial result of activity of organization
Authors: Vyborova E.
Published: February 2020

The purpose of the article is to determine the specifics of the use of indicators used in the analysis and diagnostics in the system of controlling the financial results of the organization. The features of analysis of financial results in the controlling with the lookup of chain is presented in the article.
Taxation of Alternative Energy Facilities
Authors: Tatarov Konstantin
Published: February 2020

Alternative energy begins to enter into economic activity, being a factor in reducing costs. The multivariance of the forms of its existence gives rise to differences in the formation of the initial cost, depreciation and calculation of residual value. With various options, it is possible to consider objects as movable or immovable property. The article proposes a methodology for calculating property tax of organizations depending on the purpose, type and installation of the object.
An Institutional Approach to Gender Diversity and Firm Performance
Authors: Zhang Letian
Published: February 2020

This study examines data from 35 countries and 24 industries to understand the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance. Previous studies report conflicting evidence: some find that gender-diverse firms experience more positive performance, and others find the opposite. However, most research to date has focused on a single country or industry and has not accounted for possible variation across social contexts. This paper advances an institutional framework and predicts that gender diversity’s relationship with performance depends on both its normative and regulatory acceptance in the broader institutional environment. Using a unique longitudinal sample of 1,069 leading public firms around the world, I find that the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance varies significantly across countries and industries owing to differences in institutional context. The more that gender diversity has been normatively accepted in a country or industry, the more that gender-diverse firms experience positive market valuation and increased revenue. These findings underscore the importance of the broader social context when considering the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance.
Dynamic Matching for Real-Time Ride Sharing
Authors: Özkan Erhun , Ward Amy R.
Published: February 2020

In a ride-sharing system, arriving customers must be matched with available drivers. These decisions affect the overall number of customers matched, because they impact whether future available drivers will be close to the locations of arriving customers. A common policy used in practice is the closest driver policy, which offers an arriving customer the closest driver. This is an attractive policy because it is simple and easy to implement. However, we expect that parameter-based policies can achieve better performance. We propose matching policies based on a continuous linear program (CLP) that accounts for (i) the differing arrival rates of customers and drivers in different areas of the city, (ii) how long customers are willing to wait for driver pickup, (iii) how long drivers are willing to wait for a customer, and (iv) the time-varying nature of all the aforementioned parameters. We prove asymptotic optimality of a forward-looking CLP-based policy in a large market regime and of a myopic linear program–based matching policy when drivers are fully utilized. When pricing affects customer and driver arrival rates and parameters are time homogeneous, we show that asymptotically optimal joint pricing and matching decisions lead to fully utilized drivers under mild conditions.
When are combinations of antibiotics clinically useful?
Authors: York Joshua A , Varadarajan Maithili , Barlow Gavin
Published: February 2020

Antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis. Prescribing antibacterial combinations may be one way of reducing the development of resistance in target pathogens, as in the treatment of tuberculosis. Combinations may be useful for ascertaining synergy, broadening antimicrobial cover to reduce the risk of non-susceptibility, antimicrobial stewardship reasons, and immune modulation. The current research literature and/or prevailing global standards of clinical care suggest that combination therapy may be advantageous in: severe community-acquired pneumonia; severe hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia or when there is a high risk of resistance in hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia; multi-drug or extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative infections; and severe group A streptococcal infections. In other situations, combinations may be harmful. Overall, outside of tuberculosis, combination antibacterial therapy is likely to improve outcomes only in specific circumstances and there is little evidence to suggest that this prevents the development of bacterial resistance. Further high-quality research is essential.
Assessment of Spring Potential for Sustainable Agriculture: A Case Study in Lesser Himalayas
Authors: Kumar Vikram , Sen Sumit
Published: February 2020

Highlights

Spring flows are the primary source of water for rural Himalayan communities.

An attempt was made to understand the potential of spring discharge as an alternative irrigation source.

Improved management of resources is vital to account for agricultural water use.

Managing water resources is a collective endeavor for achieving water security.

Abstract.With increasing population and restricted water and land resources, there is a growing concern for better planning of the available water and land resources. In the mountainous regions or mountains, there is limited land with uncertain water availability as the rainfall patterns pose a major threat to the livelihood of the people. Therefore, it becomes necessary to quantify and manage the available water resources in a sustainable way. People in the Himalayas are mainly dependent on the springs for drinking water, but not much attention has been dedicated to the development and conservation of these springs. A spring in the Tehri-Garhwal district of Uttarakhand state of India, has been continuously monitored to quantify the available water for domestic use and agriculture. In this study, an attempt is made to understand the potential of a spring for agricultural water use by evaluating the crop water requirement and potential improved strategies to increase the water productivity. Analysis proves that crop evapotranspiration is higher (946-1062 mm) for crops with extended duration (165-180 days) as compared to evapotranspiration (92.91 mm) of short duration (60 days) crops. The total water requirement for major crops in the area is 6411.35 mm and the monitored spring has the potential to supplement this water requirement. Adopting the system of rice intensification to increase the rice yield (by 49%), increases the water productivity. The sensitivity analysis of benefit to cost suggests that, an increase in the crop yield by 30% can increase the revenue in the study area by Rs.3687197, which is 217% more than the input costs. Therefore, it is essential to optimize the available water and area for irrigation to achieve the global water security for increasing population. Further, utilizing springs as potential irrigation sources will support rural community in meeting domestic water requirement and achieving environmental sustainability. Findings of this study will help in planning and implementing management strategies that are resilient in the face of future changes and improve the economic condition of farmers. Keywords: Crop evapotranspiration, Himalaya, Optimization, Sensitivity analysis, Spring.
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study on Internal Flow Characteristic in the Dynamic Fluidic Sprinkler
Authors: Fordjour Alexander , Zhu Xingye , Yuan Shouqi , Dwomoh Frank Agyen , Issaka Zakaria
Published: February 2020

Highlights

A detailed study of the relationship between the velocity distribution, length of tube and nozzle sizes.

Rotation speed decreased approximately linearly as the length of the tube increased.

Relative error was less than 4% for validated results indicating a perfect correlation between the values of numerical simulation, calculated, and experiment results.

Abstract.A detailed study of the relationship between velocity distribution, length of tube and nozzle sizes was conducted using a dynamic fluidic sprinkler. Therefore, the objectives of this article were: (1) to study inner flow characteristics of dynamic fluidic sprinkler, (2) to compare numerical simulation and experimental results (3) to introduce an empirical equation of the variation trend of rotation speed for the newly designed sprinkler. A mathematical model for simulation of the inner flow distribution of the sprinkler was obtained by using computational fluid dynamics. The results were validated by numerical simulation and compared to the experimental results. The minimum average deviation between the calculated, simulation and experiment was 0.25%, whiles the maximum was 0.90%. It was found that the relative error was less than 4% results indicating a perfect correlation between the values of numerical simulation, calculated and experiment results. It was established that the rotation speed decreases approximately linearly as the length of the tube increases. The results revealed that the nozzle diameter, length of the tube, and the operating pressure had a significant influence on the rotation speed of the sprinkler. This study provides baseline information to improve water application efficiency for crop production in sprinkler irrigated fields. Keywords: Dynamic fluidic sprinkler, Inner flow, Nozzle, Numerical simulation, Water saving.
IMAGEM, DESENHO E CULTURA: REFLEXÕES SOBRE O DESENVOLVIMENTO E A REALIDADE DO HOMEM.
Authors: Bomfim Cássio Brito
Published: February 2020

Desde os registros mais antigos que se tem sobre o homem, em todos eles percebe-se sua incansável luta na tentativa de dominar a natureza. O processo de desnaturalização e renaturalização é uma forma evidente de mostrar que esse homem necessita desenvolver mecanismos que contribuam para a garantia de sua sobrevivencia. Nesse contexto, a imagem aparece como um elemento de grande valia que contribuiu e contribue não somente como ferramenta na busca dessa compreensão, como também um elemento significativo na produção do conhecimento. A partir das reflexões de autores como Gomes (1996), Laraia (2001), Morin (1975), este estudo busca traçar uma relação entre a imagem, o desenho e a cultura na perspectiva de tentar demonstrar a importancia da imagem no desenvolvimento cognitivo e posteriormente cultural do homem.
Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Receptive Anal Intercourse Among Women
Authors: Scheidell Joy D. , Dyer Typhanye P. , Severe MacRegga , Tembunde Yazmeen E. , Young Kailyn E. , Khan Maria R.
Published: February 2020

CONTEXT

Receptive anal intercourse (RAI), which has become increasingly common among U.S. heterosexual women, is associated with STDs, including HIV, when it is unprotected and coercive. Childhood traumatic experiences may increase sexual risk behavior, but the relationship between childhood trauma and RAI among women has not been examined.

METHODS

Data from 4,876 female participants in Waves 1 (1994–1995), 3 (2001–2002) and 4 (2007–2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were used to examine associations between nine self‐reported childhood traumas (neglect; emotional, physical and sexual abuse; parental binge drinking and incarceration; and witnessing, being threatened with and experiencing violence) and RAI during adulthood using modified Poisson regression analysis. Whether depression, low self‐esteem, drug use, relationship characteristics or sex trade involvement mediated the relationship between trauma and RAI was also explored.

RESULTS

Forty percent of the sample reported having engaged in receptive anal intercourse. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, eight of the nine childhood traumas were associated with increased risk of RAI (adjusted prevalence ratios, 1.2–1.5); the strongest association was with experience of violence. Each unit increase in the number of traumas yielded a 16% increase in RAI prevalence. In mediation analyses, only drug use and relationship factors slightly attenuated the association between childhood trauma and RAI (1.2 for each).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with a history of childhood trauma may be at increased risk of engaging in RAI, highlighting the importance of screening and trauma‐informed education in sexual health settings. Pathways linking childhood trauma and RAI among women are complex and warrant further research.
Suppressing ripple distortions and spurious pistons in phase-shifting interferometry
Authors: Choque Ivan , Padilla Moises , Servin Manuel , Asmad Miguel , Ordones Sotero
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we present new phase-shifting algorithms (PSAs) that
suppress the ripple distortions and spurious pistons in phase-shifting
interferometry. These phase errors arise when non-uniform
phase-shifting interferograms are processed with PSAs that assume
uniform phase shifts. By modeling the non-uniform phase shifts as a
polynomial of the unperturbed phase-shift value

ω
0

, we show that the conditions for
eliminating the ripple distortion and the spurious piston are
associated with the

m

th derivative of the PSA’s frequency
transfer function (FTF). Thus, we propose an approach to design robust
algorithms based on the FTF formalism and we present four
ready-to-apply PSAs formulas. Finally, our conclusions are supported
by computer simulations.
Fourier-filtered, fast wavelength-scanned cavity ring-down spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Zhen , Peng Zhimin , Ding Yanjun , Du Yanjun
Published: February 2020

This paper presents accurate measurements of molecular absorption spectra using wavelength-scanned cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) based on Fourier transforms. The characteristic frequencies of the periodic ring-down time are extracted after the Fourier transform to recover the absorbance and significantly reduce the noise, especially the troublesome wavelength fluctuations. This method is simpler and has lower noise than conventional swept-cavity continuous-wave CRDS (S-CRDS). The smaller fitting residuals of the measured

C
O

2

(

6526.374

c
m

−
1

) and CO (

6371.299

c
m

−
1

) spectra show that the laser wavelength fluctuation effects are effectively reduced and the spectral SNR is improved. The measured

N

2

and Ar perturbed spectral parameters for

C
O

2

are consistent with the S-CRDS method results but with smaller uncertainties.
Discriminating randomly polarized fields
Authors: Eshaghi Mahdi , Dogariu Aristide
Published: February 2020

We introduce the scalar average similarity of an ensemble of randomly polarized states. This global measure is based on the complex degree of mutual polarization between any pair of vector fields in the ensemble. We show that, in the case of fully correlated and globally unpolarized fields, the variation of this parameter is bounded, and its value can effectively discriminate between different configurations of pure states.
Read between the Lines: Using drama to change attitudes towards suicide among young people
Authors: Layton James
Published: February 2020

As part of a regional initiative, South Ayrshire Council Community Safety Partnership developed a programme of workshops for secondary schools to contribute to the Scottish Government's Suicide Action Plan. Using an applied drama project titled Read between the Lines as a case study, this article outlines how drama is central to the fulfilment of this national strategy. Utilizing David Kolb's experiential learning cycle to evaluate how young people benefitted from the project, I demonstrate the efficacy of performance as a tool to explore real-life scenarios and in effecting change in young people's understanding of and attitudes to suicide. In doing so, I suggest that more tangibly connected communities are created as a means of improving general well-being.
'Wow, it's at the University'! Experiences of people with mental illness of an educational arts programme
Authors: Lambley Ruth , Kaley Elizabeth , Morris Rebecca , Robinson Anna , Rowe Nick , Sellar-Edmunds Jean , Wynn-Werninck Tim , Anderson Emma
Published: February 2020

This study gathered the experiences and perceptions of participants of a university-based programme of free arts education for people who use mental health services, known as Converge. A total of 70 per cent of the authors have lived experience of mental health difficulties and attend Converge courses. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach was taken, using Photo Elicitation to facilitate interviews with relatively new Converge participants. An inductive thematic analysis of the data identified four themes: establishing community; purpose; student not patient; and accessing valued, inclusive spaces. These reflected findings in the existing literature about the mental health benefits of the arts and factors important to the process of recovery. A major finding was the clear indication that locating courses in socially valued and inclusive venues is of very high importance to participants, and that this seems to amplify benefits they experience from attending. This suggests that forming partnerships between socially valued spaces and mental health services is worth energetically pursuing.
Art therapy and quality of life among children undergoing stem cell transplantation: A pilot study
Authors: Chou Y. Pat , Stuckey Shanna
Published: February 2020

Drawing from a multidimensional perspective on health and grounded in the western notion of positive psychology, we explored how art therapy impacted the quality of life (QoL) among children undergoing stem cell transplantation in a Midwestern hospital in America. Participants were three dyads of paediatric patients and parents and two healthcare professionals. All participants were European Americans. Data were collected through interviews, observations and self-report surveys. Quantitative results and qualitative findings indicated a discrepancy between the two types of data collected; the qualitative findings highlighted the importance of art therapy for patients during their hospital stays while the quantitative results from the KINDL-R surveys suggested that the patients' perceptions of QoL did not improve at the post-test administration time-point. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Sexy till I die: What applied theatre can offer in approaches to sexual health
Authors: Tidey Leah
Published: February 2020

For older adults in Canada, too often shame and silence describe their experiences of sexual health. With more citizens over the age of 65 than ever before and increasing rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in older adults, we are facing a serious issue. Applied theatre offers an innovative approach to deconstructing social stigma in sexuality across the life course, whereby new understandings and perceptions may emerge for people of all ages. The usefulness, gaps and application of three different approaches to sexual health issues are examined to highlight innovations in addressing sexual health and critique ageist, sexist and heteronormative assumptions through a feminist, critical pedagogy lens. The analysis culminates in a proposed outline for an intergenerational, community-based theatre project to address the social stigma of sexuality across the life course entitled You're Doing What?! At Your Age?!
The sound of silence: Blank spaces, fading narratives and fragile frames in comics
Authors: Sanyal Debarghya
Published: February 2020

How does one translate silence onto a silent medium? Printed comic books and graphic novels are generally a non-auditory art form. This has caused them to be traditionally perceived as ‘silent’. This also means that comics artists have come up with some of the most innovative ways of translating sound to a primarily visual medium – bold letters, onomatopoeic words, fading images, etc. Nonetheless, these innovations have often in fact failed to address silence. As an art form where both the blank space and the printed word acquire their own unique visual signification, is comics rather a stubbornly un-silent medium? If so, then how does one depict silence in an un-silent medium? My article addresses these questions by first examining the works of Scott McCloud, Thierry Groensteen and Barbara Postema and their study of sound in comics. I then build on these theoretical frameworks to problematize the conventional correlation of visual signifiers with sound and silence, primarily examining the use of blank space or the lack of words as a default signifier of silence. Ultimately, I will argue that comic books provide a unique transmedial approach to re-analyse our conventional ideas for visual representations of sound.
Rethinking illness through performance: The gaze and the aesthetics of health in Charles Burns' Black Hole
Authors: Donner Mathieu
Published: February 2020

Focusing on the relation Charles Burns' Black Hole weaves between identity, illness, performance and desire, this article reads in Black Hole a celebration of perversion as its own epistemic structure as it simultaneously exposes the possibilities opened up by performance for a re-articulation of abnormality as a positive identity whose own idiosyncratic value can, in turn, become a site of investment for new individual and cultural forms of desire. Narrating the story of a group of American teenagers whose community is prey to a sexually transmitted disease, which visibly transforms the body of its host through the addition of extraordinary appendages, Black Hole opens up the experience of sickness to the notion of performance. Multiplying the set of responses available to the subject, it promotes an idiosyncratic understanding of illness as an identity while cultivating an understanding of the latter as the solidification of a specific mode of performance. Exploring the ways in which the two contrary practices of dissimulation and voluntary spectacularization embodied by Burns' protagonists signal new possible spaces of resistance to the visual dominance of the medical apparatus and its identificatory discourse, this article exposes how the willful appropriation of the sick identity and its correlative self-objectification force the re-articulation of the unidirectional relation set up by the gaze as a bidirectional mode of address in which both actors participate in the constitution of desire. Reading in Burns' portrayal of Eliza a positive and active embrace of monstrosity as its own form of identity and a disruption of the traditional relationship posited by the dominant discourse between active observer and passive patient, this article explores the potential implicit in performance to challenge the traditional hegemonic discourse of medicine and public health and to articulate a new approach to desire and sexuality for and around the contagious monster.
Análisis del sistema socio-ecológico del estuario Bahía Blanca (Argentina) y su impacto en los servicios ecosistémicos y el bienestar humano
Authors: Speake María Angeles , Carbone María Elizabeth , Spetter Carla Vanesa
Published: February 2020

Los humedales costeros conforman uno de los ecosistemas más productivos del mundo, brindando diversos servicios ambientales tales como la regulación hídrica, climática, provisión de alimentos, recreación y disfrute espiritual, entre muchos otros. No obstante ello, los rápidos procesos de modificación antropogénica que enfrentan en la actualidad han logrado alterar dramáticamente su biocapacidad y resiliencia. La disponibilidad de información completa y actualizada resulta de vital importancia para la planificación y la gestión estratégica de las áreas litorales. Por ello, en el presente estudio se analiza el sistema socio-ecológico del estuario de Bahía Blanca (SSE-BB) bajo un enfoque integral. El método empleado se basó en el marco conceptual de la Evaluación de Ecosistemas del Milenio (EM), diseñado por la Organización de Naciones Unidas. Los resultados obtenidos permiten afirmar que las presiones más importantes que recibe el SSE-BB son la concentración de infraestructura en el borde costero, el dragado y relleno artificial de los humedales, la contaminación ambiental y la invasión de especies exóticas. Las consecuencias directas sobre el bienestar de la población local están signadas por la disminución de los alimentos provenientes de la pesca, la pérdida de valores asociados a la herencia cultural y de recursos turísticos de primer orden, problemas de salud derivados de la calidad del aire y conflictos entre usuarios de recursos, como es el caso de los pescadores artesanales y las empresas industriales. Se espera que el diagnóstico operativo realizado facilite la adecuada comprensión de los problemas actuales del área de estudio y fomente la búsqueda de soluciones integrales.
An Overview of River Side Pollutants and their Effects on Physico-Chemical Changes in Water Quality of River Halda, Bangladesh
Authors: Moula Muhammad Towhid , Nath Ranjit K. , Chowdhury Mh. Mosfeka , Siddique Md. Abu Bakar
Published: February 2020

Halda is an important river of Bangladesh, is now polluted in different ways through industrial, agricultural, domestic and sewage disposal. Increased anthropogenic activities have increased the potential pollution of the river and excessive pollutants may be toxic to humans and aquatic fauna. Presence of heavy metals in the river water causes perilous impact on the aquatic organisms. Hence, regular monitoring of pollution levels in the river is indispensable. In this study, we discuss about physico-chemical assessments of water quality parameters viz. pH, dissolve oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solid (TS), total suspended solid (TSS), total dissolved substance (TDS), total alkalinity, turbidity, salinity, electrical conductivity (EC), hardness, chloride and heavy metals in the water of Halda river during rainy and winter seasons, at different points; sources of pollutants in water and their effects given starting from the early research until the current research.
Synthesis and Characterization of Piperidin-4-one Derivatives Using Green Solvent
Authors: Sharma Harish , Kumar Rajesh , Vishwakarma Mahesh Chandra , Joshi Sushil Kumar , Bhandari Narender Singh
Published: February 2020

In present study, Pyras pashia leaves were used as low cost biosorbent to study biosorption of Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from contaminated wastewater. In the employed batch methods pH, contact time, metal ion concentration, temperature, biosorbent doses were taken as study parameters. The pH was varied from pH 1-9 to study the influence of pH on biosorption of metal ions by Pyras pashia. The optimum pH for the removal of Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) is observed at pH 5. The biosorption equilibrium time was varied between 15-75 min. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms were employed to study the biosorption. The biosorption parameter fits well with Langmuir isotherm. The biosorption of metal ions was increased with increasing biosorbent dose and contact time while increase in pH, metal ion concentration and temperature decrease the biosorption. Thermodynamic data suggest that the bisorption process was spontaneous, feasible and endothermic.
Electrochemical Production of Hydrogen in Fermented Flour by Stainless Steel Electrode
Authors: Yosephine Louise Isana Supiah , Suyanta  , Laksono Endang W.
Published: February 2020

Hydrogen gas production with an electrochemical method requires more energy. This research aimed to determine the efficiency of the electrolysis process in product and energy consumptions using stainless steel as a working electrode and various concentration of the fermented flour as the media. The fermented flour was prepared by fermentation of Manihot utilissima with Monascus sp. and characterized by infrared spectroscopy. The stainless steel was characterized by voltammetry, SEM-EDX, XRD and gas sorption analyzer. The results showed that stainless steel activity was decreased in the fermented flour because the surface of stainless steel was being covered. Moreover, addition of 0-2 g/L water fermented flour had relatively similar stainless steel activity. The cathodic current peaks were at -4.86 × 10-4 and -4.87 × 10-4 mA, respectively, for 0 and 2 g/L media. The processes had consumed the same energy with -0.0996 V of cathodic peak potential.
Design, Synthesis, Molecular Docking and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Some Tosyl Carbamate Derivatives
Authors: Kalaivani Panneerselvam , Arikrishnan Jayaraman , Gopalakrishnan Mannuthusamy
Published: February 2020

A series of tosyl carbamates have been synthesized and screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral techniques (IR, 1H, 13C NMR and mass) and elemental analysis. in silico Molecular docking method was performed to study their antimicrobial activity against the target protein 1T9U. Compound 27 showed good antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and compound 19 showed good antifungal activity. Molecular docking results revealed that the compound 19 exhibits minimum CDOCKER energy. Tosyl carbamate derivatives having good antimicrobial activities compared to that standard
and all the synthesized compounds exhibits moderate CDOCKER scores.
Antineoplastic Activity of Alkylaminolapachol Analogues and their
Copper Complexes against MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Pawar O.B. , Sanas K.V. , Patwardhan R.B. Patwardhan , Waghmode S.A. , Khaladkar M.Y.
Published: February 2020

In present study, three alkylamino substituted hydroxynaphthoquinone analogues of naturally occurring bioactive lapachol are synthesized. Further, copper(II) complexes of these ligands have been synthesized using hassle free modified grindstone method. Both ligands and copper(II) complexes were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, elemental analysis and NMR spectra. Cell viability assay of the
compound was carried out against growth of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. A better tumorocidal activity was observed for ligands and their copper(II) complexes in concentration of 2.95 to 0.11 mmol/L. Antineoplastic activity of copper(II) complexes was found to be more than parent ligands. Antimicrobial assay results showed that compound exhibit better activity against organisms under study. Antimicrobial susceptibility of compounds was carried out against culture of E. coli K12
(RP4), B. subtilis (pUB110), K. pneumoniae and S. paratyphi. The lowest MIC of < 0.20 mg/mL was obtained for L-3 against S. paratyphi. Cyclic voltammetry of ligand and complexes performed in non-aqueous system shows that ligand exhibits classical two step redox couple corresponds to the formation of semiquinone and catechole moieties in solution state at characteristic potential values. Whereas cyclic voltammogram of copper(II) complexes exhibit additional peak at characteristic potential corresponds to reversible redox reaction of central Cu(II) ion in complexes.
Copper Electropolishing in Phosphoric Acid under Normal and Forced Convection Conditions in Presence of Some Pharmaceutical Drugs
Authors: Abouzeid Fatma M. , Alshammery Sultanah
Published: February 2020

Some pharmaceutical drugs namely valsartan, hydrocholorothiazide, erythromycin thiocynate and diclofenac potassium were studied as chemical additions for enhancing the finished copper surface attained. Anode potential-limiting current relationship was measured and comparing of gradually increasing pharmaceutical compound concentrations (from 1 × 10-4 to 7 × 10-4 M). Copper dissolution behaviour in presence of pharmaceutical compounds was studied under natural convection [rotating cylinder (RCE) and rotating disc electrode (RDE)] as forced convection. The limiting current was found to diminish with enlarging additives concentration and increase with increasing temperature (293-313 K). Activation energies values confirm that reaction rate was diffusion controlled. The results showed that the improvement produced in electropolishing in presence of pharmaceutical compounds occurs through adsorption of their molecules above metal surface. All the pharmaceutical compounds adsorption process obey kinetic-thermodynamic model. The data under different conditions were controlled by dimensionless correlations viz. Sherwood, Schmidt and Reynolds numbers. Surface morphology also confirmed that an addition of pharmaceutical compound to copper dissolution bath enhance surface appearance and its texture quality to great extent.
New Zn(II) Complexes of Substituted bis(Salicylidene)phenyl-1,2-diamino
Based Organic Ligands: Synthesis, Photoluminescence, Applications in
Forensic Fingerprint and Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Srinivas M. , Sulochana N. , Kumar G.R.Yogesh , Mahadevan K.M. , Naik H.S. Bhojya
Published: February 2020

New azomethine-Zn(II) complexes of bis(salicylidene)phenyl-1,2-diamino organic ligand derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of salicylaldehyde, substituted phenyl-1,2-diamine with zinc acetate. The synthesized complexes were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR and EDS. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties were studied and their applicability for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and forensic finger print developments have been demonstrated. Photoluminescence studies revealed that the emission peaks of the complexes in solution state appeared at 372-406 nm and emitted blue light. Latent fingerprint detection study indicated that the powder compounds show good adhesion
and finger ridge details without back ground staining. Based on these results, it was ascertained that these Zn(II) complexes can serve as a suitable non-dopant blue light emitting compound for flat panel display applications and applied to detect fingerprints on all types of smooth surfaces.
Ethics in an individualized field of practice – Social pedagogy in the context of the neoliberal organization
Authors: Cleary Bill
Published: February 2020

Writing from a Danish social pedagogical perspective, the author raises concerns about the difficulty of developing and integrating ethical reflection within the organization in the context of neoliberalism. While ethical reflection in social pedagogy tends to focus on the relationship between practitioner and client, or the relationship between the profession and the general public, this article wishes to focus on how ethical reflection develops in the workplace on an everyday basis. The reason for this focus is that the culture and language of the workplace can have major consequences for how practitioners interpret their roles and how they interpret the official ethical code. Although this article addresses the problem from a Danish context, the author argues that the struggle to develop ethical reflection within the organization is a general concern in most professions in contemporary society. What makes this problem controversial within the Danish social pedagogical context is that the profession has a long tradition of working qualitatively with relationship-based-practices. In the neoliberal organization, mercantile logic undermines the ethical logic of relationship-based practices. This is due to the former’s emphasis on effectivity and the latter’s emphasis on responsibility. This article is a critique of what the author sees as the neoliberal organization’s inability to tackle this conflict of values. Furthermore, this article problematizes the ‘abstract individuality’ that neoliberal organizations produce, highlighting the fact that such individuality is inconsistent with responsibility. Finally, the author argues that, by reinterpreting the concept of reflective practice, the organization may develop a more concrete individuality that is more consistent with responsibility.
USE OF THE DELPHI METHOD TO IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE INCENTIVES FOR US HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
Authors: Minchin R. Edward , Hancock Gavin N. , Sullivan James G.
Published: February 2020

Crew leaders and foremen on construction job sites are skilled individuals that are dwindling in numbers due to the push on students throughout their secondary schooling to attend college, in addition to other economic factors. The focus of this research is to determine what incentives construction companies implement in order to retain, motivate and increase the productivity levels of their skilled crew leaders and foremen. This study utilizes the Delphi method, which consists of questioning a panel of experts in a series of rounds—with the summaries of responses from each round made available to each of the experts—until a consensus is reached. The Delphi method allows a researcher to utilize the expertise of a smaller population sample than traditional statistical methods, but has gained worldwide acceptance as a substitute for some of those traditional methods. Each construction company operates in a unique, independent manner as they compete to attract and then retain these valuable workers. The main goal of this research is to investigate this as an economic issue, and determine if offering more, or larger, incentives to the skilled crew leaders and foremen is worth the additional cost. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the Delphi Method was utilized to accomplish this.
INFLUENCE OF SPAN LENGTH AND CROSSBEAM ON LOAD DISTRIBUTION FACTOR FOR GIRDER BRIDGES
Authors: Kwak Hyo-Gyoung , Kim Joungrae
Published: February 2020

Load distribution factor at concrete girder bridges and steel girder bridges are analyzed with finite element method to see effect of span length and cross beam to load distribution factor. Span lengths of analyzed bridge models are 30m, 40m, 50m and 60m. The number of intermediate cross beam is increased from one to until distance between cross beams becomes 5m. The finite element analysis results show that concrete girder and steel girder can use same load distribution factor and span length doesn’t affect to load distribution factor. Even though load distribution factor in interior girders is not influenced by cross beam, in exterior girders it is influenced by cross beam. Effect of cross beam in exterior girder is influenced by the number of lanes and distance from exterior girder to curb. Since design code introduces conservative load distribution factor, economically improved load distribution factor is proposed. The proposed load distribution factor includes cross beam effect with the number of lanes and distance from exterior girder to curb. The proposed equation is compared with AASHTO code and grillage method which is well-known method to calculate load distribution. The comparison results showed that the proposed equation is more efficient and useful than AASHTO and safer than the grillage method.
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CULTURE IN GERMANY
Authors: Ben-David Albert , Shapira Aviad
Published: February 2020

In the course of a study of mega building construction projects in Germany, the need arose to identify and analyze the characteristics of the local construction culture, particularly upon realization that these characteristics may constitute significant contextual factors in equipment and site logistics planning. The study of the German building construction culture was based on (1) a focused literature review; (2) case studies of multicrane construction sites; and (3) structured interviews with experts of various professions from the German construction industry. The findings highlight the role of the following factors: (1) the typical German professional character; (2) various systems of contractual relationships; (3) state and city regulations; (4) technology and industrialization; (5) workforce sources; (6) rooted safety culture; (7) protection of the environment; (8) the crane market; (9) relationships between planning, engineering, and construction; (10) logistics concepts; and (11) additional unique features of Berlin as a major construction hub. Some of the German culture characteristics detected were further supported by a comparison with other advanced European construction cultures.
MOBILE APPLICATIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Authors: Barbarosoglu Bahadir V. , Arditi David
Published: February 2020

The construction industry has been criticized as an “old-school” industry, because of being a slow adopter of mobile technologies. This has changed recently. A 2014 survey of 1,048 participants found that 72% of construction practitioners have smartphones, and use smartphone applications for work purposes. While there are thousands of smartphone applications advertised as “construction apps”, the most popular smartphone applications offered by software providers to the construction industry are for field data collection, project management, bidding, building information modeling (BIM), accounting, customer relationship management, and estimating. This paper discusses the current state of smartphone applications available to the construction industry, and examines the apps’ functions. Due to the rapid growth in the smartphone applications market, new applications become available every day for use in different industries. Given the large number of choices, both companies and individuals in the construction industry must beware when selecting and purchasing smartphone applications. The business needs of the potential users and the expectations from the applications must be well identified, and the selection must be made accordingly. Properly selecting and deploying smartphone applications for construction-related tasks is expected to improve communication, enhance workflow with real time information, and increase productivity.
COASTAL PLANNING AND THE EVALUATION OF COASTAL STRUCTURES IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY
Authors: Gulbahar Necati , Kanli Imam Bakir , Odabasi Didem
Published: February 2020

Coasts are cross-sections of the water and land environments, for thousands of years they formed under the factors of climate, geological, geomorphological, topographic and hydraulic and it has reached a natural balance. But increasingly this natural balance is disrupted due to human impact. Coasts, with their strategic position, are a wealth of resources for people with endless possibilities and mild climate. Therefore, coasts continuously have remained under great pressure just because of residential, transportation, energy, economy and tourism. These pressures can be minimized by applying the principles of science and engineering with a rational urban planning. It will be held after an urban planning at the macro level, as a part of that plan, it should be considered in the design of optimal engineering structures. Therefore, the structure of the planning and design engineering for optimal site selection should be done and compatible structures integrated with topography and bathymetry such as coastal hydrodynamics should be designed. In this paper, after briefly the occurrence and type of coasts, the strategic importance of coastal will be highlighted and coastal planning and engineering structures in Turkey will be examined in terms of sustainability by demonstrating some examples and solutions will be proposed for encountered problems.