bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of caffeine on aerobic endurance performance
Authors: Muro Itze Noriega , Parada Miguel
Published: December 2017

Supplementation in sport has become very important. The athlete uses ergogenic products or supplements such as caffeine, seeking to improve performance in sports. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to determine the effect of caffeine on aerobic endurance in Mexican professional soccer players. A longitudinal, experimental and prospective, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted. Aerobic resistance was evaluated with the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test. Sixteen athletes were included, who were applied the Yo-Yo test before the administration of caffeine. With a crossover design, athletes received caffeine or placebo and the Yo-Yo test was applied. The initial heart rate (HR) of the athletes was 11.7 ± 93.2 (caffeine) and 94.4 ± 21.7 (placebo) (P = 0.85). The final HRs were of 175.8 ± 18.1 (caffeine) and 181.9 ± 13.0 (placebo) (P = 0.28). The HRs recovery were 141.4 ± 22.0 (caffeine) and 142.3 ± 24.4 (placebo) (P = 0.92) and a recovery rate of 34.4 ± 12.5 (caffeine) and 39.6 ± 19.3 (placebo) (P = 0.37). With a total of 2532.5 ± 267.6 meters traveled (caffeine) and 2622.5 ± 285.5 meters (placebo) (P = 0.36). Through the analysis of results, it is concluded that for this sample of athletes, caffeine supplementation had no positive influence on aerobic endurance.
Starch Biosynthesis in the Developing Endosperms of Grasses and Cereals
Authors: Tetlow Ian J. , Emes Michael J.
Published: December 2017

The starch-rich endosperms of the Poaceae, which includes wild grasses and their domesticated descendents the cereals, have provided humankind and their livestock with the bulk of their daily calories since the dawn of civilization up to the present day. There are currently unprecedented pressures on global food supplies, largely resulting from population growth, loss of agricultural land that is linked to increased urbanization, and climate change. Since cereal yields essentially underpin world food and feed supply, it is critical that we understand the biological factors contributing to crop yields. In particular, it is important to understand the biochemical pathway that is involved in starch biosynthesis, since this pathway is the major yield determinant in the seeds of six out of the top seven crops grown worldwide. This review outlines the critical stages of growth and development of the endosperm tissue in the Poaceae, including discussion of carbon provision to the growing sink tissue. The main body of the review presents a current view of our understanding of storage starch biosynthesis, which occurs inside the amyloplasts of developing endosperms.
Structural Damage Detection with Different Objective Functions in Noisy Conditions Using an Evolutionary Algorithm
Authors: Shabbir Faisal , Khan Muhammad , Ahmad Naveed , Tahir Muhammad , Ejaz Naeem , Hussain Jawad
Published: December 2017

Dynamic properties such as natural frequencies and mode shapes are directly affected by damage in structures. In this paper, changes in natural frequencies and mode shapes were used as the input to various objective functions for damage detection. Objective functions related to natural frequencies, mode shapes, modal flexibility and modal strain energy have been used, and their performances have been analyzed in varying noise conditions. Three beams were analyzed: two of which were simulated beams with single and multiple damage scenarios and one was an experimental beam. In order to do this, SAP 2000 (v14, Computers and Structures Inc., Berkeley, CA, United States, 2009) is linked with MATLAB (r2015, The MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, United States, 2015). The genetic algorithm (GA), an evolutionary algorithm (EA), was used to update the damaged structure for damage detection. Due to the degradation of the performance of objective functions in varying noisy conditions, a modified objective function based on the concept of regularization has been proposed, which can be effectively used in combination with EA. All three beams were used to validate the proposed procedure. It has been found that the modified objective function gives better results even in noisy and actual experimental conditions.
Relative Effects of Asymmetry and Wall Slip on the Stability of Plane Channel Flow
Authors: Ghosh Sukhendu
Published: December 2017

The effect of wall velocity slip on the stability of a pressure-driven two-dimensional asymmetric channel flow is examined by considering Navier slip condition on the channel walls. The two-parameter families of mean velocity profiles are considered to approximate the underlying asymmetric basic flow. Competing effects of skewness and maximum velocity on the stability of the flow are explored for a range of model parameters. The Orr–Sommerfeld system of the asymmetric flow is solved using a Chebyshev spectral collocation method for both symmetric and non-symmetric type slip boundary conditions. Numerical results indicate that moderate asymmetry in the basic flow has a significant role on the stability of the Poiseuille-kind parallel/nearly parallel flows. Wall slip shows a passive control on the instability of the asymmetric flow by increasing or decreasing the critical Reynolds number and the set of unstable wave numbers. The stabilizing/destabilizing effect of slip velocity on the flow instability is weak or strong depending on the presence of velocity slip at the upper or lower wall. Velocity slip has a profound grip on the flow behaviour by changing the shear rate inside the perturbed flow.
The Use of Nadir and Oblique UAV Images for Building Knowledge
Authors: Vacca Giuseppina , Dessì Andrea , Sacco Alessandro
Published: December 2017

This paper focuses on the processing and study of 3D models obtained from images captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In particular, we wanted to study the accuracy gains achieved in the surveying and the measurement, such as height, area, and volume, of the dimensions of the buildings in the 3D models obtained with both nadir and oblique UAV flights. These latter types of flights are particularly suitable for the 3D modeling of cities or urban agglomerations, where it is important to achieve a complete building reconstruction, including façades and footprints of buildings. For this purpose, several UAV surveys with both nadir and oblique axes were performed. The nadir flight acquired images over an area of about 3.5 hectares containing 30 buildings, while the second flight, performed with both a nadir camera and an oblique camera, was conducted on a single building. The images from the flights were processed with Photoscan software by Agisoft and with Pix4D, studying their different potentialities and functionality. The results were compared with the data from the 1:2000 scale Geotopographic Database (DBGT), with the results of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) survey and with 3D model from the Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) survey. The obtained results have shown that oblique UAV flights increase the achievable accuracy both in terms of the number of points in a point cloud, and in the in measurements taken on the 3D models, with respect to the limited cost, and at the increase in time for surveying and image processing.
Land-Use Suitability in Northeast Iran: Application of AHP-GIS Hybrid Model
Authors: Memarbashi Elnaz , Azadi Hossein , Barati Ali , Mohajeri Fatemeh , Passel Steven , Witlox Frank
Published: December 2017

Land-use suitability is the ability of a given type of land to support a defined use. Analysis of land-use suitability requires the consideration of a variety of criteria, not only the natural/physical capacity of a land unit, but also its socioeconomic and environmental impact implications. As land suitability is assessed within a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, it is formulated as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. The study was conducted in the Sangab Plain in northeast Iran. We investigated the study area’s suitability for grassland and agricultural uses. A hybrid method of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and GIS methodology was applied to evaluate land suitability based on a set of criteria and sub-criteria. Results showed that 20% of the study area had high (rich), 65% had medium (fair), and 15% had low (poor) suitability for agriculture. In terms of grassland use, the comparable amounts were, respectively, about 7%, 23%, and 70%. The lands of the Sangab Plain have medium potential for agricultural use and low potential for grassland use. This paper used both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
Drosophila as a Model to Study the Link between Metabolism and Cancer
Authors: Herranz Héctor , Cohen Stephen
Published: December 2017

Cellular metabolism has recently been recognized as a hallmark of cancer. Investigating the origin and effects of the reprogrammed metabolism of tumor cells, and identifying its genetic mediators, will improve our understanding of how these changes contribute to disease progression and may suggest new approaches to therapy. Drosophila melanogaster is emerging as a valuable model to study multiple aspects of tumor formation and malignant transformation. In this review, we discuss the use of Drosophila as model to study how changes in cellular metabolism, as well as metabolic disease, contribute to cancer.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of an Overheated Aluminum Droplet Wetting a Zinc-Coated Steel Surface
Authors: Gatzen Marius , Woizeschke Peer , Radel Tim , Thomy Claus , Vollertsen Frank
Published: December 2017

Wetting steel surfaces with liquid aluminum without the use of flux can be enabled by the presence of a zinc-coating. The mechanisms behind this effect are not yet fully understood. Research results on single aluminum droplets falling on commercial galvanized steel substrates revealed the good wetting capability of zinc coatings independently from the coating type. The final wetting angle and length are apparently linked to the time where zinc is liquefied during its contact with the overheated aluminum melt. This led to the assumption that the interaction is basically a fluid dynamic effect of liquid aluminum getting locally alloyed by zinc. A numerical model was developed to describe the transient behavior of droplet movement and mixing with the liquefied zinc layer to understand the spreading dynamics. The simulations reveal a displacement of the molten zinc after the impact of the droplet, which ultimately leads to an accumulation of zinc in the outer weld toe after solidification. The simulation approach neglects the effect of evaporating zinc, resulting in a slight overestimation of the final droplet width. However, in terms of spreading initiation during the first milliseconds, the simulation is in good correlation with experimental observations and demonstrates the reason for the good wetting in the presence of zinc coatings.
A Validated Model for Design and Evaluation of Control Architectures for a Continuous Tablet Compaction Process
Authors: Nunes de Barros Fernando , Bhaskar Aparajith , Singh Ravendra
Published: December 2017

The systematic design of an advanced and efficient control strategy for controlling critical quality attributes of the tablet compaction operation is necessary to increase the robustness of a continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing process and for real time release. A process model plays a very important role to design, evaluate and tune the control system. However, much less attention has been made to develop a validated control relevant model for tablet compaction process that can be systematically applied for design, evaluation, tuning and thereby implementation of the control system. In this work, a dynamic tablet compaction model capable of predicting linear and nonlinear process responses has been successfully developed and validated. The nonlinear model is based on a series of transfer functions and static polynomial models. The model has been applied for control system design, tuning and evaluation and thereby facilitate the control system implementation into the pilot-plant with less time and resources. The best performing control algorithm was used in the implementation and evaluation of different strategies for control of tablet weight and breaking force. A characterization of the evaluated control strategies has been presented and can serve as a guideline for the selection of the adequate control strategy for a given tablet compaction setup. A strategy based on a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) model predictive controller (MPC), developed using the simulation environment, has been implemented in a tablet press unit, verifying the relevance of the simulation tool.
Disease Activity of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis during and after Pregnancy: A Prospective Multicenter Study
Authors: Ursin Kristin , Lydersen Stian , Skomsvoll Johan F. , Wallenius Marianne
Published: December 2017

Objective.

To study disease activity in women with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) during and after pregnancy. There is little previous knowledge about this topic.

Methods.

Our study included 135 pregnancies in 114 women with JIA. Disease activity was assessed at 7 timepoints before, throughout, and after pregnancy with the Disease Activity Score–28–C-reactive protein 3 (DAS28-CRP3). Scores assessed at each visit were analyzed in a linear mixed model. The same statistical method was used to study self-reported physical function, pain, and mental health.

Results.

Almost 80% of the women were in remission or had low disease activity during and after pregnancy. Although disease activity was stable throughout the study period, we found that DAS28 6 weeks postpartum increased significantly compared to the first trimester (2.78 vs 2.51, p = 0.005) and third trimester (2.78 vs 2.56, p = 0.011), respectively. DAS28 decreased significantly between 6 weeks and 12 months postpartum (2.78 vs 2.54, p = 0.014). Self-reported mental health was significantly better 6 weeks postpartum than before pregnancy (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Mental Health subscale 80.7 vs 76.5, p = 0.039). Self-reported pain was stable. Physical function was significantly worse in the third trimester of pregnancy than postpartum (Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire 0.57 vs 0.39, p < 0.001).

Conclusion.

In women with JIA, disease activity was highest 6 weeks postpartum, but altogether low and stable in the period from planning pregnancy to 1 year after delivery.
Integrin α4β7 Blockade Preferentially Impacts CCR6+ Lymphocyte Subsets in Blood and Mucosal Tissues of Naive Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Calenda Giulia , Keawvichit Rassamon , Arrode-Brusés Géraldine , Pattanapanyasat Kovit , Frank Ines , Byrareddy Siddappa N. , Arthos James , Cicala Claudia , Grasperge Brooke , Blanchard James L. , Gettie Agegnehu , Reimann Keith A. , Ansari Aftab A. , Martinelli Elena
Published: December 2017

Infusion of a simianized anti-α4β7 mAb (Rh-α4β7) just before and following SIV infection protected rhesus macaques from developing AIDS and partially from vaginal SIV acquisition. Recently, short-term treatment with Rh-α4β7 in combination with cART was found to lead to prolonged viral suppression after withdrawal of all therapeutic interventions. The humanized form of Rh-α4β7, vedolizumab, is a highly effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. To clarify the mechanism of action of Rh-α4β7, naive macaques were infused with Rh-α4β7 and sampled in blood and tissues before and after treatment to monitor several immune cell subsets. In blood, Rh-α4β7 increased the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts, but not B cell counts, and preferentially increased CCR6+ subsets while decreasing CD103+ and CD69+ lymphocytes. In mucosal tissues, surprisingly, Rh-α4β7 did not impact integrin α4+ cells, but decreased the frequencies of CCR6+ and CD69+ CD4+ T cells and, in the gut, Rh-α4β7 transiently decreased the frequency of memory and IgA+ B cells. In summary, even in the absence of inflammation, Rh-α4β7 impacted selected immune cell subsets in different tissues. These data provide new insights into the mechanisms by which Rh-α4β7 may mediate its effect in SIV-infected macaques with implications for understanding the effect of treatment with vedolizumab in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Comparative Evaluation of Tensile Strength in Die Stone Incorporated with Sodium and Calcium Hypochlorite as Disinfectants: An in vitro Study
Authors: Pramodh NR , Naik Ravi , Mahesh CS , Kumari Manju R
Published: December 2017

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the tensile strength of die stone incorporated with sodium and calcium hypochlorite as disinfectants.

Materials and methods

Two commercially available type IV die stone (Kalrock: Kalabhai Karson Pvt., Ltd and Pearlstone: Asian Chemicals) and two commercially available disinfectant solutions (sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite: Beachem Laboratory Chemical Private Limited, Chennai and Leo Chem Private Limited, Bengaluru) were used in this study, and the tensile strength was measured using Lloyd's Universal Testing Machine.

Results

The results show that incorporating the disinfecting solutions decreases the tensile strength of both products. The effect of decreasing tensile strength on type IV gypsum product is seen more in calcium hypochlorite when compared with sodium hypochlorite disinfecting solution, and the tensile strength of Kalrock specimens is higher than Pearlstone specimens after disinfecting with sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite solution. The statistical results also show significant results in all the groups when compared with the control group.

Conclusion

The incorporation of sodium and calcium hypochlorite disinfecting solutions is not an encouraging method for both die materials as it reduces the tensile strength of type IV gypsum product. Tensile strength of Kalstone® die material is superior than Pearlstone® die material after mixing with sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite.

Clinical significance

According to the recommendations of Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, disinfecting the whole cast without or minimal changes in physical and mechanical properties was the motto of the study. The tensile strength in type IV gypsum product plays a most important role in retrieval of cast from impression, especially in narrow tooth preparation. This study reveals that incorporating method of disinfecting solutions is not recommended as it reduces the tensile strength.

How to cite this article

Pramodh NR, Kumar CNV, Pradeep MR, Naik R, Mahesh CS, Kumari MR. Comparative Evaluation of Tensile Strength in Die Stone Incorporated with Sodium and Calcium Hypochlorite as Disinfectants: An in vitro Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2017;18(12):1185-1189.
Survival after penetrating Shrapnel to the Heart and Colon: Which Injuries to tackle First?
Authors: Rabie M Ezzedien , Gallo Ricardo , Refaie Medhat A , Asmary Mansour Al
Published: December 2017

Aim

To report on the clinical course of a patient who received penetrating shrapnel to the heart and colon.

Background

Penetrating missiles to the heart is a highly lethal incident, particularly, when associated with other serious injuries.

Case report

This is the case of a 29-year-old male soldier, who sustained multiple shrapnel injuries caused by an explosive device in the war zone. Shrapnel penetrated the cecum and another lodged in the interventricular septum of the heart. Surprisingly, the patient was stable enough to undergo a staged procedure, where he was subjected to limited right hemicolectomy first, followed by open heart surgery to extract the cardiac shrapnel twelve hours later. His convalescence was uneventful and was discharged in a good condition.

Conclusion

With timely intervention and close collaboration between the concerned clinicians in specialized centers, patients with penetrating shrapnel to vital structures, including the heart, could have a successful outcome.

Clinical significance

Critical thinking is needed to prioritize which injuries to deal with first, in patients with near lethal injuries.

How to cite this article

Rabie ME, Gallo R, Refaie MA, Asmary MA. Survival after penetrating Shrapnel to the Heart and Colon: Which Injuries to tackle First? Panam J Trauma Crit Care Emerg Surg 2017;6(3):209-213.
Repetition in Children Stories: A Dynamic Aspect of a Persuasive Strategy
Authors: Sari Retno Purwani , Sobarna Cece , Sari Sujatna Eva Tuckyta , Darmayanti Nani
Published: December 2017

The patterning of repetitions, such a persuasive strategy, proposes the involvement of author’s emotion. Therefore, it potentially stimulates children’s emotion and imagination to explore their own thoughts and to learn to understand their world while reading. By investigating interpersonal relation involved, repetitions show participants’ attitudes. Thus, this study concentrates on how they work on children’s emotion and imagination, using pragma-stylistic approach. The focus itself is managed to answer the creation of meaning. In order to challenge the objective, this study was applied analytic descriptive qualitative method to 36 data of repetitions. By reviewing empirical indications, this study claims that repetitions reach emphatic prominence involving logical emphasis and emotional state. Both of them invest accumulation of ideas to promote emotion and expectation; leading to imagination in evaluating appropriateness to behave in the society. Consequently, repetitions are debatable as a rhetorical device to persuade children to adapt social values.
Race in Steinbeck's NoveletteLifeboat
Authors: Barden Thomas E.
Published: December 2017

Crooks, the stable hand in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, was the only black character Steinbeck created who was published. He created another black character, Joe, for his novelette Lifeboat, but Joe as Steinbeck wrote him never came before either a reading or movie-going public since his draft story was not used as the basis for the Alfred Hitchcock film.
“They fix 'em so you can't win nothing”: Agency inThe Grapes of Wrath
Authors: Käck Elin
Published: December 2017

While The Grapes of Wrath highlights specific social and institutional structures that direct the course of action of its main characters, shifting the analysis from structure to agency opens up the novel to new readings. This article considers how Steinbeck's novel problematizes agency and argues that it troubles distinctions between human agency and nonhuman agency. Traditional novels generally rely on the actions of their characters, but in The Grapes of Wrath such action is repeatedly thwarted or fails to lead to the desired outcome. Instead, the characters are acted on through various machines or chains of actors that lead back to a vague and bodiless entity, such as the monster-bank. The novel's emphasis on the tractor, the automobile, the handbill, and the bank provides the basis for my reading, together with more subtle instantiations of material agency as seen in the phonograph, the slot machine, the kerosene, and the sticker displayed on the red truck. Agency has traditionally rested on the notion of free will and intention, but recent theories, such as actor-network-theory, or ANT, highlight material agency and move beyond the subject in favor of networks and distribution of agency. This article uses theories on agency to reread Steinbeck's classic novel, but also attempts to show how Steinbeck's novel can increase our understanding of the concept of agency more broadly.
EFL Teacher Identity: Impact of Macro and Micro Contextual Factors in Education Reform Frame in Chile
Authors: Salinas Danisa
Published: December 2017

The research aims at exploring how macro and micro contextual factors have influenced on the construction ofEnglish as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ identity in education reform contexts in Chile based on socioculturaltheories. Grounded theory was used in the methodological design to analyse and categorize data utilizing theATLAS.ti software. Deep semi-structured and focus group interviews were used to collect data, and twelve EFLteachers participated in the research. From a macro contextual environment, results show that educational demandsturn into bureaucracy and a non-coherent EFL national curriculum which have weakened teachers’ identity resultingin a sense of frustration and resignation. Micro contextual factors have emotional (appreciation, student/teacher bond,and work climate) and cognitive dimensions (in-service training) with a dual role – strengthening or weakening EFLteachers’ identities.
Impediments to the Development of a Strong Consumer Credit System in Nigeria
Authors: Ekpo Mokutima , Alobo Eni , Enyia Jacob
Published: December 2017

Consumer credit is debt that is obtained by persons who intend to spend the money immediately. Assessingconsumer credit tells us imperative things about our economy. If consumers have the capacity to borrow effortlesslyand refund those debts on time, then the economy should be stimulated and we will have growth. Consumers are theinstrument and brainbox of the economy, when credit is unavailable, consumers will face foremost complications inborrowing. In this circumstance, consumers would consume less since they have less access to credit. For this reason,manufacturers will sell less, and produce less. The importance of a viable consumer credit system cannot be overemphasized. This paper hypothesizes that certain identified factors militate against the development of a strongconsumer credit system in Nigeria. It examines and analyses these challenges and exposes their negative roles in thedevelopment of a strong consumer credit system. It focuses on strategies that can improve consumer access to creditfacilities and concludes that there is need for a paradigmatic change. It therefore makes recommendations that canchallenge Nigerian policy makers to improve on, or evolve a stronger consumer credit system.
Modifiable Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors Trends in Urban Black South African Females and the Implications for Health Promotion Interventions
Authors: Grace Jeanne M.
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND: Multiple risk factors can contribute to the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) in an individual, yet any change in the modifiable CHD risk status of Black South African females in recent times is unknown.AIM: The researcher aimed to establish the current CHD risk status of urban Black African females and to report on any trends over a 10-year period with the purpose to direct health promotion programs.METHODS: Data from 62 urban Black females (Mean age 32.4 ± 8.5 years) in 2006 was paired for age with that of 67 women (Mean age 32.0 ± 9.0 years) in 2016. The modifiable CHD risk factors assessed were cigarette smoking, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.RESULTS: Physical inactivity (72.6% of the sample in 2006 vs. 75.8% in 2016) and obesity (42% in 2006 vs. 38.8% in 2016) were the top-ranked risk factors for CHD with the pattern unchanged in 2016. Significantly fewer participants (4.5% vs. 16.6%; p < 0.05) were hypertensive and significantly more women had hypercholesterolemia (5.6% vs. 23.9%; p < 0.05) in 2016. The multiple CHD risk profile showed that 42.4% had at least one CHD risk factor (an increase of 25%) and significantly fewer (27.3% vs. 45.2%; p < 0.05) had two CHD risk factors in 2016.CONCLUSION: A sedentary lifestyle and obesity were the highest CHD risk factors. Also, the multiple CHD risk profile of Black African women changed over a period of 10 years from higher to lower and normal risk. Health promotion strategies must be directed towards weight reduction, increasing physical activity levels and be tailored for the population for which the health promotion programs have been designed.
The Impact of the Tourism Promotion-Mix Elements on the Foreign Tourists’ Mental Images of the Jordanian Tourist Destinations (A Field Study)
Authors: Aldebi Hameed , Aljboory Noreyah
Published: December 2017

The present study aimed at identifying the impact of the tourism promotion-mix elements – which are represented in advertisement, publicity, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion - on the foreign tourists’ mental images of the Jordanian tourist destinations. Therefore, the sample of the present study was selected from Amman / Jordan and consisted from three hundred (300) foreign tourists. The tourism promotion-mix elements are considered independent variables and the foreign tourists’ mental images of the Jordanian tourist destinations are considered a dependant variable. Several statistical methods were used to test the study’s hypotheses and provide answers for the study’s question.It was concluded that the impacts of the tourism promotion-mix elements on the foreign tourists’ mental images of the Jordanian tourist destinations vary. For instance, advertisement is the most influential promotion-mix element on the foreign tourists’ mental images of the Jordanian tourist destinations. That is because it can interpret 47.4 % of the change that occur in the dependant variable. However, sales promotion is the least influential promotion-mix element on the foreign tourists’ mental images of the Jordanian tourist destinations. That is because it can interpret 29.1 % of the change that occur in the dependant variable. It was concluded that there are statistically significant differences between the extents of influence of the tourism promotion-mix elements on the foreign tourists’ mental images of the Jordanian tourist destinations which can be attributed to their nationality.The researchers of the present study suggested several recommendations that can participate in enhancing and developing the Jordanian tourism sector. They also recommended providing more attention and care to the promotional activities that are based on social networking sites.
The Effect of Social Capital and Absorptive Capacity through Knowledge Management on Finance Company Performance in Indonesia
Authors: Tan Alexander
Published: December 2017

The objective of this research is to present a model that describes the general effect of social capital and absorptive capacity on knowledge management and its implications on company performance.The model proposed in this research is tested by structural equation model. This research processed data from 258 respondents of employees of finance companies in Indonesia that meet certain requirements of 27 samples of the company.This research found that social capital has a positive and significant effect on absorptive capacity and knowledge management. Absorptive capacity has a positive and significant impact on knowledge management and company performance. Knowledge management also has a positive and significant effect on company performance. Social capital and absorptive capacity together have a positive and significant influence on knowledge management. Furthermore social capital, absorptive capacity and knowledge management together have a positive and significant impact on company performance. Absorptive capacity mediates the relationship between social capital and knowledge management. Knowledge management fully mediates the relationship between social capital and absorptive capacity on company performance. Social capital indirectly affects the company performance through knowledge management or absorptive capacity.This research model only limits the factors that affect company performance to three main variables namely social capital, absorptive capacity and knowledge management. Future research is suggested to try with additional other variables such as monetary incentives and/or corporate culture.The practical implication of this research is to improve knowledge management, it is necessary to improve social capital and absorptive capacity together. Furthermore company performance can be improved if social capital, absorptive capacity and knowledge management also improved simultaneously.The model proposed in this research improves the understanding of academics and practitioners about the construct of knowledge management. The mediation function of knowledge management is something new from this research compared to previous researches. This research also provides an additional contradictory list of previous researches on the relationship between social capital and company performance.
STRUCTURE OF DEFENSE SECTOR QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM IN POLAND AND ABROAD
Authors: Ćwik Dariusz , Sweklej Paweł
Published: December 2017

A short description of position and organisation of quality assurance system in the country and abroad is presented in the paper by stressing the questions of structure and the share of competencies in practical implementation of quality assurance idea. Foundation of a military quality assurance system with legal regulations governing its functionality in Poland is presented on the historical background. Moreover some premises are indicated for reshuffling the organisational structures and standards within the presented domain, and additionally possible organisational and development trends of quality assurance system in the national defence sector are described.
Editorial 2017/2
Authors: Kocourek Sheila
Published: December 2017

Apresentamos o volume 30, número 2/2017, da Revista Social e Humanas – RSH, vinculada ao Centro de Ciências Sociais e Humanas – CCSH, da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, o qual apresenta o dossiê Gênero/Políticas Públicas.
Local Ethnography: The Performability of the Definition
Authors: Matulytė Margarita
Published: December 2017

The research into the definition of local ethnography was prompted by the observation that the local history research is disappearing from the discourse of contemporary discipline of Lithuanian ethnology. In this article, it is attempted to reflect onand discuss the reasons for such a relation, and also to identify the points of mutual interests. The skeptical approach of ethnology in regard to local history and a certain confusion between the theory and practice have been formed by long-term processes. The understanding of local ethnography has been changing along with the sociopolitical situation of the country, the cultural politics, and its ideological attitudes. However, the turning point occurred during the Soviet period, when the local history movement was included in the propaganda network, and was given the role of a mass cultural amateur activity. The profanation of regional research activities has resulted in the devaluation of fundamental ethical ideas, and these consequences of the Sovietization are still present. Conscious avoidance of acknowledging the contribution of local history studies to ethnographic research is noticeable in the current academic environment, as is the separation between the academic and the “amateur” activities: a critical approach towards the latter is motivated by the doubtful expedience and reliability of the data collected by local history researchers, and the mismatch between their activities and the interests of the research programmes that are formed by research institutions.
In the case of the problem addressed by this research, the term performability is used in reference to an insight on the performability of language by John Langshaw Austin. In the communication of two platforms – the scientific and the cultural – he allows the opportunity to solve the related tasks by approaching them through different means of access. It is true, though, that the institutionalized research synthesizes the accumulated knowledge, models the interpretations, approbates the meanings, and legitimizes the knowledge. By remaining loyal to the meta-narrative of the modern science, and being a power authority, ethnology does traditionally include the work of local history researchers into its heterogenic knowledge model, which has been formed by methodological instruments. In such a model, the identification code of local history is lost. In the analysis of the performability of the Lithuanian definition local ethnography, the declaration of its activities (the purpose, tasks, and methods), its shift and the adaptation of the terminology is studied from the very first publications on this topic in the Lithuanian language to the meanings of already standardized concepts in the contemporary speciality vocabulary.
Riverine wood‐pasture responds to grazing decline
Authors: Krašić Dušanka , Groner Elli , Mészáros Minucsér , Nikolić Tijana , Radišić Dimitrije , Milić Stanko , Kebert Marko , Milić Dubravka , Vujić Ante , Galić Zoran
Published: December 2017

There is insufficient available information on structural changes within wood‐pastures including their relationship to abiotic influences such as livestock grazing, flooding and available soil nutrients. In this paper, we address the links between important environmental variables and different stages of the wood‐pasture cycle, with the aim of understanding fluctuations in this relationship and processes that follow changes in wood‐pasture condition. We used satellite and aerial image interpretation to identify structural vegetation shifts over 44 years under significantly declining livestock numbers. We used ground truthing of 24 plots to assess the current field scenario and employed canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to evaluate the relationship between plant communities and environmental influences. Three dominant structural vegetation types grassland, transitional vegetation with thorny shrubs and woody encroachment were surveyed and the following set of variables was chosen: grazing intensity, inundation frequency, elevation, soil total nitrogen, soil available phosphorus, soil potassium, soil magnesium, soil calcium, soil pH and soil carbon to nitrogen ratio. Interpretation of satellite images revealed dominance of wood‐pasture in the past, which alternated structurally between more open and more closed physiognomies. CCA with ground truthing data and forward selection revealed grazing intensity as the predominant ecological driver modifying vegetation structure, as well as transitioning vegetation patterns between open herbaceous and closed woody cover. Each structural vegetation type demonstrated a collective distribution pattern and a close relationship to certain abiotic drivers, indicating strong interactions between soil parameters, grazing pressure and vegetation composition.
Synthesis, crystallisation and thermodynamics of two polymorphs of a new derivative of meglumine: 1-(2,2,3-trimethyl-1,3-oxazolidin-5-yl)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol
Authors: Svärd Michael , Krishna Gamidi Rama , Rasmuson Åke C.
Published: December 2017

The structures of two polymorphs of a new compound have been determined, and the relative thermodynamic stability evaluated through comparison of their Gibbs energies of fusion.
Highly selective absorption of polychloromethanes in perhydroxylated cucurbit[6]uril-based supramolecular assemblies
Authors: Xia Xi , Chen Kai , Yao Yu-Qing , Shan Chun-Yan , Tao Zhu , Zhang Yun-Qian , Zhou QingDi , Wei Gang
Published: December 2017

Two perhydroxylated cucurbit[6]uril-based porous assemblies have been obtained by the crystallization of perhydroxylated cucurbit[6]uril {(HO)12Q[6]} from aqueous HCl solutions of different concentrations, which exhibit highly selective absorption of polychloromethanes.
Complications of Midface Fractures
Authors: Lozada Kirkland , Kadakia Sameep , Ducic Yadranko , Abraham Manoj
Published: December 2017

The midface relies on key vertical and horizontal buttresses for proper function and appearance. Trauma to the midface can lead to untoward complications involving critical structures of this area. Many reviews focus on operative management of midface fractures with little focus on complications of the injury and operative repair. We review the current literature on the most common initial and postoperative complications of midface trauma with a specific focus on zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) and Le Fort fracture patterns. A thorough literature review was conducted using PubMed analyzing articles relevant to the subject matter. Various search terms were used to identify articles regarding midface fracture presentation, diagnosis, and management, as well as postoperative complications. Articles were examined by all authors and pertinent information was gleaned for the purpose of generating this review. Disruption of the midfacial buttress system can lead to a significant compromise in form and function. A wide variety of complications are seen in nasal bone fractures, orbital floor fractures, Le Fort, and ZMC fractures. Some fracture patterns can be managed conservatively without operative intervention; however, complications such as loss of facial width/projection, trismus, malocclusion, ocular entrapment, and significant enophthalmos should be managed with open repair. Timing and method of repair depend on patient-specific injury patterns and surgeon preference. Proper management depends on a detailed understanding of the anatomy and pathophysiology of each fracture pattern along with restoration of the patient's premorbid state. Complications of midface fractures result from disruption of the vertical and horizontal buttress support systems. Proper management and repair of midface complications requires a strong understanding of its anatomic basis and pathophysiology. Sequelae from these fractures can be serious and long lasting if not addresses appropriately. Astute diagnosis and timely management can prevent patients from suffering debilitating long-term sequelae.
Orientation dependence of the work function for metal nanocrystals
Authors: Gao Lingyuan , Souto-Casares Jaime , Chelikowsky James R. , Demkov Alexander A.
Published: December 2017

Work function values measured at different surfaces of a metal are usually different. This raises an interesting question: What is the work function of a nano-size crystal, where differently oriented facets can be adjacent? Work functions of metallic nanocrystals are also of significant practical interest, especially in catalytic applications. Using real space pseudopotentials constructed within density functional theory, we compute the local work function of large aluminum and gold nanocrystals. We investigate how the local work function follows the change of the surface plane orientation around multifaceted nanocrystals, and we establish the importance of the orbital character near the Fermi level in determining work function differences between facets.
The physics of aerobreakup. IV. Strain-thickening liquids
Authors: Mitkin V. V. , Theofanous T. G.
Published: December 2017

We extend our previous work on aerobreakup of Newtonian and viscoelastic-liquid drops to liquids of dense nanoparticle suspensions with strain-thickening rheology. As in the previous work, the scope includes the full range of aerodynamics, from near-incompressible to supersonic flows, covering all regimes of aerobreakup and employing laser-induced-fluorescence visualizations with μs/μm resolutions. The key physics of Rayleigh-Taylor piercing (1st criticality), Shear-Induced Entrainment (SIE, 2nd criticality), and Kelvin-Helmholtz SIE (3rd criticality) are verified and quantified on the same scaling/theoretical approach as in our previous work but with modifications that account for the rheology of these liquids.
Magnetoresistance anisotropy of ultrathin epitaxial La0.83Sr0.17MnO3 films
Authors: Balevičius Saulius , Tornau Evaldas E. , Žurauskienė Nerija , Stankevič Voitech , Šimkevičius Česlovas , Tolvaišienė Sonata , Plaušinaitienė Valentina , Abrutis Adulfas
Published: December 2017

We present the study of temperature dependence of resistivity (ρ), magnetoresistance (MR), and magnetoresistance anisotropy (AMR) of thin epitaxial La0.83Sr0.17MnO3 films. The films with thickness from 4 nm to 140 nm were grown on an NdGaO3 (001) substrate by a pulsed injection metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique. We demonstrate that the resistivity of these films significantly increases and the temperature Tm of the resistivity maximum in ρ(T) dependence decreases with the decrease of film thickness. The anisotropy of ρ(T) dependence with respect to the electrical current direction along the [100] or [010] crystallographic axis of the film is found for ultrathin films (4–8 nm) at temperatures close to Tm. Both MR and AMR, measured in magnetic fields up to 0.7 T applied in the film plane parallel and perpendicular to the current direction, have shown strong dependence on the film thickness. It was also found that the anisotropy of magnetoresistance could change its sign from positive (thicker films) to negative (ultrathin films) and obtain very small values at a certain intermediate thickness (20 nm) when the current is flowing perpendicular to the easy magnetization axis [010]. While the positive AMR effect was assigned to the conventional magnetic ordering of manganites, the AMR of ultrathin films was influenced by the pinning of magnetization to the easy axis. The temperature dependence and change of the AMR sign with film thickness is shown to be well described by the two-region model (more strained closer to the film substrate and more relaxed further from it) assuming that the relative concentration of both regions changes with the film thickness. The possibility to use the effect of the AMR compensation for the development of scalar in-plane magnetic field sensors is discussed.
Unraveling the mechanisms responsible for the interfacial region formation in 4H-SiC dry thermal oxidation
Authors: S. Dartora G. H. , Pitthan E. , C. Stedile F.
Published: December 2017

Aiming to understand the processes involved in the formation of the transition region between SiO2 and SiC, known as the interfacial region, early steps of SiC oxidation were investigated using mainly nuclear reaction analyses. Oxidation kinetics reveals that an abrupt change in the oxidation mechanism is observed in C-face oxide films when their thickness is around 10 nm, while a continuous change in the oxidation mechanism is observed in Si-face oxide films with thicknesses up to about 4 nm. This last thickness corresponds to the maximum width of the interfacial region. Changes observed in the oxidation mechanism were related to oxidation reaction and interfacial atom emission that may take place during oxide film growth. Besides, the activation energies of such processes were obtained.