bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reinsurance and Performance of the Ceding Companies: The Nigerian Insurance Industry Experience
Authors: Aduloju Sunday Adekunle , Ajemunigbohun Sunday Stephen
Published: September 2017

This paper examines the relationship between ceding office gross premium income, underwriting profit and financial stability. The study made use of primary and secondary data. The primary data were obtained from 246 respondents selected from those companies through the use of structured questionnaire. The secondary data obtained from the 2014 and 2015 published financials of the selected ten companies were used to determine the Reinsurance Ceded Ratio (RCR), Return on Asset (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE) as well as the Ratio of Reinsurance Recoverables to Policyholders Surplus (RRPHS). A descriptive research design was employed. The sampling technique adopted was purposive in nature. The study population comprises 56 insurance companies in Nigeria. More so, data collected was analysed using correlation analytical method. The results of this study are quite in line with previous studies and show that reinsurance purchase increases significantly the insurers’ premium income. It is also shown that profitability of the firm is sensitive to change in reinsurance utilisation and has a positive relationship with it. It was established in the study that purchasing reinsurance reduces insurers’ insolvency risk by stabilizing loss experience and increasing capacity. Recommendations were made.
Moderating Role of Environmental Settings in Relationship Between Product Innovativeness and Its Performance During the Launch
Authors: Brazauskaitė Indrė , Auruškevičienė Viltė
Published: September 2017

The current research depicts the relationship between new product innovativeness and its performance, which was addressed in previous studies; yet the results remain contradictive with little focus on environmental settings. The paper aims to reveal the role of commercial environment towards new product performance, which allows forecasting the performance on the basis of expected settings and exploring the link between new product innovativeness and its performance in a more detailed way. In the study, moderating environmental settings are defined as a set of marketplace characteristics on market level, company commercial characteristics, and a set of sales channel characteristics on retailer’s category level. Research contributes to the following areas: reveals the role of environment towards performance and allows forecasting new product performance on the basis of expected settings.
Assumptions of Customer Knowledge Enablement in the Open Innovation Process
Authors: Jokubauskienė Raminta , Vaitkienė Rimgailė
Published: September 2017

In the scientific literature, open innovation is one of the most effective means to innovate and gain a competitive advantage. In practice, there is a variety of open innovation activities, but, nevertheless, customers stand as the cornerstone in this area, since the customers’ knowledge is one of the most important sources of new knowledge and ideas. Evaluating the context where are the interactions of open innovation and customer knowledge enablement, it is necessary to take into account the importance of customer knowledge management. Increasingly it is highlighted that customers’ knowledge management facilitates the creation of innovations. However, it should be an examination of other factors that influence the open innovation, and, at the same time, customers’ knowledge management. This article presents a theoretical model, which reveals the assumptions of open innovation process and the impact on the firm’s performance.
The Influence of It Innovation Mechanisms on Healthcare Project Management Strategies
Authors: Amedzro St-Hilaire Walter , De La Robertie Catherine
Published: September 2017

Healthcare projects with apparent productivity gaps require all available IT innovation mechanisms. The objective of this study is to investigate the predictors of the development of IT innovation mechanisms to improving healthcare business. This includes the utilization of the panel data in healthcare projects and the analysis of the relationship between IT innovation mechanisms and operational decision-making. The paper indicates that the implementation of innovative IT technology has a significant positive effect on the healthcare project productivity in Canadian hospitals.
Entrepreneurial Causation vs. Effectuation in a Business Incubation Context: Implications for Recruiting Policy and Management
Authors: Høvig Øystein , Pettersen Inger Beate , Aarstad Jarle
Published: September 2017

Many business incubators aim to provide network resources and to stimulate the sharing of ideas, but previous research has shown that limited knowledge exchange takes place between incubated firms. In this paper, we examine if an entrepreneurial approach of causation vs. effectuation is associated with the proclivity to share ideas between firms and the perceived value of such inter-tenant network resources. A causation approach implies that entrepreneurs focus on a predefined goal and then aim to find the means to reach this goal. An effectuation approach implies that entrepreneurs focus on the means at hand, which they aim to materialize into one or more goals that were not necessarily predefined. We carry out a multiple case study of start-ups in a business incubator and find that entrepreneurs taking an effectuation approach have a proclivity to share ideas and they perceive such network resources as having a high value. Entrepreneurs taking a causation approach, on the other hand, have limited proclivity to share ideas with other incubator firms and they perceive such network resources as having a relatively low value. The findings are striking since many incubators implicitly or explicitly tend to recruit firms taking a causation approach by selecting candidates with a rigorous and predefined business plan. We discuss the findings’ implications for incubator recruiting policy and management.
Catalytic performance of Ag, Au and Ag-Au nanoparticles synthesized by lichen extract
Authors: Çıplak Zafer , Gökalp Ceren , Getiren Bengü , Yıldız Atila , Yıldız Nuray
Published: September 2017

In the present study, the green chemistry approach for the biosynthesis of Ag, Au and Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) was applied using lichen extract [Cetraria islandica(L.) Ach.]. The lichen extract acts both as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The monometallic and bimetallic NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that NPs were successfully synthesized and the prepared structures were generally spherical. The synthesized nanostructures exhibited excellent catalytic activities towards reduction of nitrophenols (4-nitrophenol; 4-NP) to aminophenols (4-aminophenol; 4-AP) with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). It was determined that bimetallic NPs exhibit more effective catalytic activity than monometallic Ag and Au nanostructures. This is the first report on 4-NP reduction with Ag, Au and Au-Ag NP catalysts prepared by lichen extract.
Preparation of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10-diones using ZrO2 nanoparticles as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions
Authors: Piltan Mohammad
Published: September 2017

Zirconium oxide nanoparticles are an efficient catalyst for the preparation of 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10-diones via a three-component reaction of phthalhydrazide, aromatic aldehydes and malononitrile under solvent-free conditions.
Optimization Models Type Box-Behnken in the Obtaining of Biodiesel from Waste Frying Oil using a Large-acidity Carbonaceous Catalyst
Authors: Medina-Valtierra Jorge , Sánchez-Olmos Luis A. , Carrasco-Marin Francisco , Sánchez-Cárdenas Manuel
Published: September 2017

The trans-esterification and esterification of waste vegetable oil mainly under sub-critical temperature of methanol in the presence of sulfonated char were achieved. The carbonaceous materials were analyzed by means of various physical and chemical techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, temperature programmed desorption and X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy. The carbon-based large-acidity catalyst showed good chemical and thermal properties and a high performance in the production of methyl esters from waste vegetable oil, which was easily separated from the liquid mixture. A temperature of 210°C, reaction time of 20 min and a catalyst amount of 0.03 g were the optimal experimental conditions for the trans-esterification of the vegetable oil with methanol giving a conversion to triglycerides of 96.5% according to the response surface methodology. The design of experiments type Box-Behnken was successfully applied to study effects of the parameters in the production of biodiesel and it presented optimal conditions for maximum performance with values near to those experimentally found. The catalyst was recovered from the final mixture by filtration and reused without regeneration showing a catalytic activity stable up to 4 or more reaction cycles.
Expression and Activity of Lysozyme in Apis Mellifera Carnica Brood Infested with Varroa Destructor
Authors: Zaobidna Ewa A. , Żółtowska Krystyna , Łopieńska-Biernat Elżbieta
Published: September 2017

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite that attacks the honey bee, and previous studies have suggested that parasitosis caused by this mite is accompanied by immunosuppresion in the host. In this study, the effect of mite infestation on the expression of the lysozyme-1 (lys-1) gene and lysozyme activity in Apis mellifera carnica was determined. The experiment was carried out on the five developmental stages of honey bee workers and drones. Developmental and gender-related differences in gene expression and lysozyme activity were observed in a Varroa destructor-infested brood. The relative expression of the lys-1 gene increased in a infested worker brood and decreased in a drone brood except for P3 pupae. In the final stage of development, the lys-1 gene expression was significantly lower in infested newly emerged workers and drones. Changes in the relative expression of the lys-1 gene in infested individuals was poorly manifested at the level of enzyme activity, whereas at the two final stages of development (P5 and I) there was a positive correlation between relative lys-1 expression and lysozyme activity in infested bees of both genders (r=0.988, r=0.999, respectively). The results of this study indicate that V. destructor influences the lysozyme-linked immune response in bees.
Mitochondrial DNA Characterization of High Royal Jellyproducing Honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in China
Authors: Cao Lian Fei , Zheng Huo Qing , Shu Qi Yan , Hu Fu Liang , Xu Zi Wei
Published: September 2017

China is the largest producer and exporter of royal jelly in the world. The high production of royal jelly in China is mainly attributed to a high royal jelly-producing lineage of honeybees (Apis mellifera) (HRJB). However, few studies have been conducted on the genetic characterization of HRJB. In this study, the mitochondrial DNA intergenic region between cytochrome oxidase I and II (COI-COII) and the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequences (ND2) were determined for 90 HRJB colonies, collected from the regions of China where HRJB originated, and 25 unimproved A. m. ligustica colonies from China. COI-COII sequence analysis revealed two mitotypes (C1 and C2d) in HRJB colonies and one mitotype (C1) in unimproved A. m. ligustica colonies. The main mitotype (C1) in HRJB accounted for 93% of the colonies. Based on ND2 sequences, four and two mitotypes were found in HRJB and unimproved A. m. ligustica colonies, respectively. Sequence alignment showed that nucleotides in three positions of the ND2 sequence were different between the main mitotype of HRJB and that of unimproved A. m. ligustica. Our study suggested that HRJB was bred from A. m. ligustica and possibly had genetic characteristics different from unimproved A. m. ligustica.
ФункциональНо-Коммуникативная Типология Амбивалентности Как Прагматической Стратегии Иронии
Authors: Гнатюк Любомира
Published: September 2017

The research of ambivalence is an actual problem of modern linguistics because of active promotion of Strategic Ambiguity as one of the major pragmatic categories in order to understand the complexity of the speaker’s communicative intentions. The investigation of implicitness as the core of the Strategic Ambiguity is the current research issue because of the growth of interest in the modern linguistics to the effectiveness of interpersonal interaction. The purpose of investigation is to determine the qualifying and classifying features of strategic ambivalence in order to demonstrate much significance of it in the interpersonal interactions in comparison with the true ambivalence. The main task of the article is to analyse different types of strategic ambivalence in the ironic utterances as well as the mechanisms of optimization of interpersonal interaction on the factual material of English language and propose a model for determining the strategically ambiguous communication. New prospects of the proposed investigation deal with a number of national and cultural peculiarities of implicit discourse on the descriptive material of related and non-related languages in order to increase efficiency of cross-cultural interpersonal communication.
Nowcasting: Identifying German Cyclical Turning Points
Authors: Kovacs Kevin , Boulier Bryan , Stekler Herman
Published: September 2017

Historically, forecasters have failed to predict cyclical turning points and the forecasting record in this regard has not improved. This suggests that we should focus on what should be an easier task, recognizing recessions as they occur. We present a new approach that will enable us to determine in real-time when there is a significant deviation from an economy’s dynamic growth path. This approach uses a CUSUM-like methodology and requires us to construct an index,that we call the Economic News Index, from real-time data that shows how the economy is functioning. We apply this approach to German data to nowcast the recessions that began in 2008 and 2012.
Money and the Quality of Life
Authors: Luburić Radoica , Fabris Nikola
Published: September 2017

This paper deals with the influence of money on the quality of life, in the light of the major importance it has on all aspects of our lives. Bearing in mind that money is an everyday, inseperable and unavoidable companion, with all its advantages and power, as well as its numerous challenges, risks and temptations, it inevitably affects all segments of the quality of life. The relation between money and quality of life, therefore, can be viewed not only theoretically, but also at a practical level. In the times we live in, which have been labelled the digital age, with ever increasing change, the key questions which arise are whether and to what extent do people really manage their money, and to what extent does money manage people and their lives, do people own money or does money own people? Although it sounds paradoxical, money causes people financial worries, whether they have it or whether they do not and so can significantly influence their quality of life. Standard macro-economic indicators, traditionally used as measures of the well-being of society, do not always give a real and complete picture of the quality of life, as this encompasses the way of life, as well as the standard of living. The quality of life includes the whole spectrum of factors, not only economic, but also many others which lead to satisfaction, both material and spiritual. These can include financial and material living conditions, employment, health, education, leisure time and social activities, economic and physical safety, human rights and freedoms, protection of the environment and overall life satisfaction. This paper analyses the direct and indirect connections between effective and efficient money management and the aforementioned factors which are decisive in forming the quality of life.
Does Concentration Matter for Bank Stability? Evidence from the Albanian Banking Sector
Authors: Shijaku Gerti
Published: September 2017

Motivated by the debate on the concentration-stability nexus, this paper studies the impact of bank concentration on the likelihood of a country suffering systemic bank fragility. For this reason, we followed a new approach using on-site bank balance sheet information to construct our proxy that represents each bank stability condition and uses a variety of internal and external factors to estimate a balance panel dynamic two-step General Method of Moments (GMM) approach for the period 2008 - 2015. First, results provide supportive evidence consistent with the concentration-fragility view. Second, macroeconomic variables seem to have a significant effect on bank stability, which is not found for the sovereignty primary risk. By contrast, the bank-specific variables have also a significant effect on bank stability conditions. Finally, non-systemic banks are found to be more sensitive to macroeconomic condition and market concentration, while the better capitalised banks are less sensitive to fragility at the expense of lower operation efficiency.
Institutional Design, Macroeconomic Policy Coordination and Implications for the Financial Sector in the UK
Authors: Nasir Muhammad Ali , Yagob Milton , Solimanc Alaa , Wud Junjie
Published: September 2017

This study has analysed the implications of institutional design of macroeconomic policy making institutions for the macroeconomic policy interaction and financial sector in the United Kingdom. Employing a Vector Error Correction (VEC) model and using monthly data from January 1985 to August 2008 we found that the changes in institutional arrangement and design of policy making authorities appeared to be a major contributing factor in dynamics of association between policy coordination/combination and financial sector. It was also found that the independence of the Bank of England (BoE) and withdrawal from the Exchange Rate Mechanism led to the increase in macroeconomic policy maker’s ability to coordinate and restore financial stability. The results imply that although institutional autonomy in the form of instrument independence (monetary policy decisions) could bring financial stability, there is a strong necessity for coordination, even in Post-MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) and the BoE independence.
Revival of Legacy of Tooke and Gibson: Further Evidence and Implications for Monetary Policy
Authors: Atiq-ur-Rehman
Published: September 2017

Traditional economics assumes that interest rate effects inflation by changing the aggregate demand (Barth and Ramay, 2002). On the other hand, many economists in recent years have explored the cost side effects of monetary transmission and found very strong evidences in favour of cost channel. One of such studies is that by Rehman (2015) which explores the relationship between interest rate and inflation for a large data set comprising various measures of interest rate and inflation from countries around the globe. Rehman (2015) computes the correlation between two variables and he finds that the correlation between two variables is either positive or insignificant. Rehman argues that the finding is quite robust and does not change with a change in measure of interest rate and/or inflation. If the correlation between interest rate and inflation is positive then using interest rate to control inflation would be counterproductive. Thus it will endorse the warning of Wright Patman, a US congressman and Chairman of Joint Economic Committee who argues that “senseless of trying to fight inflation by raising interest rate, throwing the gasoline on fire to put out the flames would be as logical”. Findings of Rehman (2015) are based on correlation coefficients. The correlation without having control variables could only provide a clue and could be subject to serious missing variable bias. However, Rehman (2015) argues that thousands of similar clues from the entire globe collectively become very strong evidence. However, given the importance of the topic, it is necessary to do a more careful analysis and summarize the relationship between two variables which is not subject to missing variable bias. Therefore, this paper applies more sophisticated econometric techniques including Granger Causality and Static Long Run Solution to find the impact of interest rate and inflation.
Some Innovative Types of Fuzzy Ideals in AG-Groupoids
Authors: Khan Faiz Muhammad , Khan Hidayat Ullah , Mukhtar Safyan , Khan Asghar , Sarmin Nor Haniza
Published: September 2017

AG-groupoids (non-associative structure) are basic structures in Flocks theory. This theory mainly focuses on distance optimization, motion replication, and leadership maintenance with a wide range of applications in physics and biology. In this paper, we define some new types of fuzzy ideals of AG-groupoids called (α, β)-fuzzy bi-ideals, (α, β)-fuzzy interior ideals, (β̄, ᾱ)-fuzzy bi-ideals, and (β̄, ᾱ)-fuzzy interior ideals, where α, β∈{∈γ, qδ, ∈γ∨qδ, ∈γ∧qδ} and ᾱ, β̄∈{⋶γ, q̄δ, ⋶γ∨q̄δ, ⋶γ∧q̄δ}, with α≠∈γ∧qδ and β̄≠⋶γ∧q̄δ. An important milestone achieved by this paper is providing the connection between classical algebraic structures (ordinary bi-ideals, interior ideals) and new types of fuzzy algebraic structures [(∈γ, ∈γ∨qδ)-fuzzy bi-ideals, (∈γ, ∈γ∨qδ)-fuzzy interior ideals]. Special attention is given to (∈γ, ∈γ∨qδ)-fuzzy bi-ideals and (⋶γ, ⋶γ∨q̄δ) -fuzzy bi-ideals.
Ornamentation of dermal bones of Placodermi from the Lower Devonian of Morocco as a measure of biodiversity
Authors: Antczak Mateusz , Berkowski Błażej
Published: September 2017

Dermal bones are formed early during growth and thus constitute an important tool in studies of ontogenetic and evolutionary changes amongst early vertebrates. Ornamentation of dermal bones of terrestrial vertebrates is often used as a taxonomic tool, for instance in Aetosauria, extant lungfishes (Dipnoi) and ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii), for which it have been proved to be of use in differentiating specimens to species level. However, it has not been utilised to the same extent in placoderms. Several features of the ornamentation of Early Devonian placoderms from Hamar Laghdad (Morocco) were examined using both optical and scanning electron microscopy to determine whether it is possible to distinguish armoured Palaeozoic fishes. Four distinct morphotypes, based on ornamentation of dermal bones, are differentiated. These distinct types of ornamentation may be the result of either different location of dermal plates on the body or of ontogenetic (intraspecific) and/or interspecific variation.
Evolution of Early Pleistocene fluvial systems in central Poland prior to the first ice sheet advance – a case study from the Bełchatów lignite mine
Authors: Goździk Jan , Zieliński Tomasz
Published: September 2017

Deposits formed between the Neogene/Pleistocene transition and into the Early Pleistocene have been studied, mainly on the basis of drillings and at rare, small outcrops in the lowland part of Polish territory. At the Bełchatów lignite mine (Kleszczów Graben, central Poland), one of the largest opencast pits in Europe, strata of this age have long been exposed in extensive outcrops. The present paper is based on our field studies and laboratory analyses, as well as on research data presented by other authors. For that reason, it can be seen as an overview of current knowledge of lowermost Pleistocene deposits at Bełchatów, where exploitation of the Quaternary overburden has just been completed. The results of cartographic work, sedimentological, mineralogical and palynological analyses as well as assessment of sand grain morphology have been considered. All of these studies have allowed the distinction of three Lower Pleistocene series, i.e., the Łękińsko, Faustynów and Krzaki series. These were laid down in fluvial environments between the end of the Pliocene up to the advance of the first Scandinavian ice sheet on central Poland. The following environmental features have been interpreted: phases of river incision and aggradation, changes of river channel patterns, source sediments for alluvia, rates of aeolian supply to rivers and roles of fluvial systems in morphological and geological development of the area. The two older series studied, i.e., Łękińsko and Faustynów, share common characteristics. They were formed by sinuous rivers in boreal forest and open forest environments. The Neogene substratum was the source of the alluvium. The younger series (Krzaki) formed mainly in a braided river setting, under conditions of progressive climatic cooling. Over time, a gradual increase of aeolian supply to the fluvial system can be noted; initially, silt and sand were laid down, followed by sand only during cold desert conditions. These fluvio-periglacial conditions are identified in the foreground of the advance of the oldest ice sheet into this part of central Poland. The series studied have been compared with other fluvial successions which accumulated in the Kleszczów Graben during subsequent glaciations so as to document general changes in fluvial systems as reactions to climatic evolution. Thus, a palaeoenvironmental scenario has emerged which could be considered to be characteristic of central Poland during the Early Pleistocene.
A hitherto unknown river type from the Archaean at Bhurkuli (Jharkhand, E India)
Authors: Loon A.J. (Tom) van , De Shuvabrata
Published: September 2017

The Archaean granitoid pluton of the Singhbhum craton in E India is overlain by Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic metasediments. These sediments are still poorly known and their stratigraphy is under debate. Several scattered, most probably Meso- to Neoarchaean, conglomerates are present in the state of Jharkhand that differ so much in characteristics that they are probably not related to each other. The sedimentology of a series of conglomerate patches and layers near Bhurkuli has been investigated, including the characteristics of the clasts. It is deduced on the basis of these characteristics and the sedimentological context that the Bhurkuli conglomerates represent the channel facies of a river system that differed from the types of fluvial systems that exist nowadays.
Hydraulic conductivity changes in river valley sediments caused by river bank filtration – an analysis of specific well capacity
Authors: Kaczmarek Piotr M.J.
Published: September 2017

Parameters from archive data of the Kalisz-Lis waterworks, located in the Prosna River valley south of Kalisz, have been analysed. Well barrier discharges groundwater from Quaternary sediments which is mixed with riverbank filtration water. The analysis focused on specific well capacity, a parameter that represents the technical and natural aspects of well life. To exclude any aging factor, an examination of specific well capacity acquired only in the first pumping tests of a new well was performed. The results show that wells drilled between 1961 and 2004 have similar values of specific well capacity and prove that > 40 years discharge has had little influence on hydrodynamic conditions of the aquifer, i.e., clogging has either not occurred or is of low intensity. This implies that, in the total water balance of the Kalisz- Lis well barrier, riverbank filtration water made little contribution. In comparison, a similar analysis of archive data on the Mosina-Krajkowo wells of two generations of well barriers located in the Warta flood plains was performed; this has revealed a different trend. There was a significant drop in specific well capacity from the first pumping test of substitute wells. Thus, long-term groundwater discharge in the Warta valley has had a great impact on the reduction of the hydraulic conductivity of sediments and has worsened hydrodynamic conditions due to clogging of river bed and aquifer, which implies a large contribution of riverbank filtration water in the total water well balance. For both well fields conclusions were corroborated by mathematical modeling; in Kalisz-Lis 16.2% of water comes from riverbank filtration, whereas the percentage for Mosina-Krajkowo is 78.9%.
Cyclic and rotational latin hybrid triple systems
Authors: Kozlik Andrew Richard
Published: September 2017

It is well known that given a Steiner triple system (STS) one can define a binary operation * upon its base set by assigning x * x = x for all x and x * y = z, where z is the third point in the block containing the pair {x, y}. The same can be done for Mendelsohn triple systems (MTS), directed triple systems (DTS) as well as hybrid triple systems (HTS), where (x, y) is considered to be ordered. In the case of STSs and MTSs the operation yields a quasigroup, however this is not necessarily the case for DTSs and HTSs. A DTS or an HTS which induces a quasigroup is said to be Latin. In this paper we study Latin DTSs and Latin HTSs which admit a cyclic or a 1-rotational automorphism. We prove the existence spectra for these systems as well as the existence spectra for their pure variants. As a side result we also obtain the existence spectra of pure cyclic and pure 1-rotational MTSs.
On the upper and lower exponential density functions
Authors: Giuliano Rita , Grekos Georges
Published: September 2017

In the present paper we introduce the upper and lower exponential density functions of subsets A ⊆ ℕ*. We identify completely the form of the upper density and find many properties for the lower one. We provide examples and list some open problems.
On F-groups with the central factor of order p
4
Authors: Jafarian Amiri Seyyed Majid , Madadi Halimeh , Rostami Hojjat
Published: September 2017

A finite group G is called an F-group (G ∈ F) if for every x, y ∈ G ∖ Z(G), C

G
(x) ≤ C

G
(y) implies that C

G
(x) = C

G
(y). An important subclass of F-groups are CA-groups, consisting of groups in which all centralizers of noncentral elements are abelian. In this paper, among other results, we find the number of element centralizers and the maximum cardinality of subsets of pairwise non-commuting elements in an F-group G with |

G

Z
(
G
)

$\frac{G}{Z(G)}$

| = p
4 for some prime p.
Comparison of some families of real functions in porosity terms
Authors: Filipczak Małgorzata , Ivanova Gertruda , Wódka Julia
Published: September 2017

We consider the following families of real-valued functions: Darboux, quasi-continuous, Świątkowski functions and strong Świątkowski functions. The aim of this paper is to compare this sets in terms of topology.
On structural properties of porouscontinuous functions
Authors: Kowalczyk Stanisław , Turowska Małgorzata
Published: September 2017

The notion of porouscontinuous function introduced by Borsík and Holos is studied. Relations between porouscontinuous, continuous and ϱ-upper continuous are investigated. Moreover, we show that porouscontinuous functions may not belong to Baire class one.
On The betti numbers of oriented Grassmannians and independent semi-invariants of binary forms
Authors: Korbaš Július
Published: September 2017

We present a complete functional formula expressing theith ℤ2-Betti number of the oriented Grassmann manifold of oriented 3-dimensional vector subspaces in Euclideann-space forifrom the range determined by the characteristic rank of the canonical oriented 3-dimensional vector bundle over this manifold. The same formula explicitly exhibits the number of linearly independent semi-invariants of degree 3 of a binary form of degreen− 3. Using the approach and data presented in this note, analogous results can be obtained for the oriented Grassmann manifold of oriented 4-dimensional vector subspaces in Euclideann-space and semi-invariants of degree 4 of a binary form of degreen− 4.
Generalized Baskakov type operators
Authors: Erençin Ayşegül , Olgun Ali , Taşdelen Fatma
Published: September 2017

In this paper, we introduce a generalization of Baskakov operators based on a function ρ. We prove a weighted Korovkin type theorem and compute the rate of convergence via weighted modulus of continuity for these operators. Also we give a Voronovskaya type asymptotic formula.
Investigation by pXRF of Caltagirone Pottery Samples Produced in Laboratory
Authors: Gueli Anna M. , Delfino Antonio , Nicastro Emanuele , Pasquale Stefania , Politi Giuseppe , Privitera Antonella , Spampinato Sofia , Stella Giuseppe
Published: September 2017

In the study of archaeological ceramics, it is important to have compositional data to identify their origin and source. The fabric also provides useful information on the production technology, especially with regard to the firing steps. The work presented here is connected to this field and focuses on the main parameters related to the terracotta artefacts preparation. Thus, one can consider the effects in terracotta characteristics of different raw materials and firing parameters, in particular for pottery of Caltagirone, which is one of most important centres of pottery production in Italy, active since the Neolithic. To this end, terracotta samples have been reproduced in a laboratory setting according to the ancient procedure of Caltagirone manufacture, starting from clay and degreaser extraction in local historical sites. The analysis was conducted using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometer for elemental characterization of sand degreaser and of clays during each step of the realization process and in different firing conditions. SEM-ED techniques were also employed to verify the method and results for some of the samples after firing process. Framing the technological context of manufacture production, known in the specific case, it is also possible to identify potential outcomes and limits in the study of potsherds using pXRF technology, in applying the methodology to historic artefacts.
Hamiltonian extensions in quantum metrology
Authors: Fraïsse Julien Mathieu Elias , Braun Daniel
Published: September 2017

We study very generally towhat extent the uncertainty with which a phase shift can be estimated in quantum metrology can be reduced by extending the Hamiltonian that generates the phase shift to an ancilla system with a Hilbert space of arbitrary dimension, and allowing arbitrary interactions between the original system and the ancilla. Such Hamiltonian extensions provide a general framework for open quantum systems, as well as for “non-linear metrology schemes” that have been investigated over the last few years. We prove that such Hamiltonian extensions cannot improve the sensitivity of the phase shift measurement when considering the quantum Fisher information optimized over input states.
MicroRNA in Alzheimer’s disease revisited: implications for major neuropathological mechanisms
Authors: Dehghani Reihaneh , Rahmani Farzaneh , Rezaei Nima
Published: September 2017

Pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) goes far beyond neurotoxicity resulting from extracellular deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques. Aberrant cleavage of amyloid precursor protein and accumulation of Aβ in the form of the plaque or neurofibrillary tangles are the known primary culprits of AD pathogenesis and target for various regulatory mechanisms. Hyper-phosphorylation of tau, a major component of neurofibrillary tangles, precipitates its aggregation and prevents its clearance. Lipid particles, apolipoproteins and lipoprotein receptors can act in favor or against Aβ and tau accumulation by altering neural membrane characteristics or dynamics of transport across the blood-brain barrier. Lipids also alter the oxidative/anti-oxidative milieu of the central nervous system (CNS). Irregular cell cycle regulation, mitochondrial stress and apoptosis, which follow both, are also implicated in AD-related neuronal loss. Dysfunction in synaptic transmission and loss of neural plasticity contribute to AD. Neuroinflammation is a final trail for many of the pathologic mechanisms while playing an active role in initiation of AD pathology. Alterations in the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in AD and their relevance to AD pathology have long been a focus of interest. Herein we focused on the precise pathomechanisms of AD in which miRNAs were implicated. We performed literature search through PubMed and Scopus using the search term: (‘Alzheimer Disease’) OR (‘Alzheimer’s Disease’) AND (‘microRNAs’ OR ‘miRNA’ OR ‘MiR’) to reach for relevant articles. We show how a limited number of common dysregulated pathways and abnormal mechanisms are affected by various types of miRNAs in AD brain.
Iran’s Inflationary Experience: Demand Pressures, External Shocks, and Supply Constraints
Authors: Kandil Magda , Mirzaie Ida A.
Published: September 2017

This paper studies determinants of inflation in Iran. The buildup of international reserves has accelerated during the episode of higher oil price. The associated increase in government spending has limited contribution to capacity building and pronounced inflationary pressures, which accelerated at the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, and eased at the end of the war in 1988. Accommodating monetary stance has proven to be an important determinant of inflation, both in the long and in the short-runs. In the long-run, depreciation of the rial increases the cost of intermediate goods, increasing inflationary pressures with limited significant effect on output. In contrast, depreciation could boost competitiveness of non-energy exports, in support of higher demand and output growth in the short-run. For policy implications, priorities going forward should be in place to direct both public and private resources toward relaxing binding capacity constraints, capitalizing on oil resources in Iran and the prospects of the positive implications of lifting sanctions in the context of the recent nuclear agreement between Iran and the G5+1 countries.
Activation of Multiple Functionalities Through Interacting Nanoparticles
Authors: Chandler Morgan , Halman Justin R. , Khisamutdinov Emil F.
Published: September 2017

Nucleic acids are biocompatible, robust, and highly versatile polymers that can be used to design fine-tunable and dynamically responsive nanostructures. In this report, we focus our attention to recently introduced concepts of interdependent, cognate nucleic acid nanoparticles assembly that take advantage of dynamic interactions and consequent shape-switching to trigger the activation of multiple functionalities. Particularly, we discuss re-association of thermodynamically driven complementary nanocubes (“cube” and complementary “anti-cube”) into functional duplexes that do not require toehold interactions or extensive computational design, bringing a new perspective for utility of nucleic acid nanoparticles as a drug carriers, biosensors, and templates for the formation of siRNA duplexes.
Thermoelemente auf Graphitbasis –
Möglichkeiten und Grenzen
Authors: Edler Frank , Haupt Sebastian
Published: September 2017

In diesem Beitrag werden
der konstruktive Aufbau graphitbasierter Thermoelemente,
die Ergebnisse von Messungen absoluter
Seebeck-Koeffizienten der zum Bau der Thermoelemente
verwendeten Graphitmaterialien bis ca. 550 ○C
und die Ergebnisse metrologischer Untersuchungen von graphitbasierten
Thermoelementen bezüglich ihrer thermoelektrischen Stabilität bis
1950 ○C beschrieben.
Numerical Investigation of Three-dimensional Separation Control on a High-speed Compressor Stator Vane with Tailored Synthetic Jet
Authors: Qin Yong , Song Yanping , Wang Ruoyu , Liu Huaping
Published: September 2017

A numerical study on the performance of synthetic jet for flow separation control on a high-speed compressor stator vane is performed. Four control schemes including full-span and part-span configurations are investigated at both design and off-design conditions. Results indicate that both full-span and part-span schemes could effectively delay flow separation and reduce total pressure loss for the compressor stator vane, the adaptability of the flow control under off-design conditions is also validated. Within the investigated incidence range, the full-span configuration is able to gain the most significant performance improvement, by which a maximum loss reduction of 23.8 % is obtained at i=2 deg. The part-span configuration could reorganize the vortex structures more efficiently and cut off the interaction between the ring-like vortex and the passage vortex, thus improving its performance in the corner region. In terms of flow control efficiency, the part-span configurations turn out to be more superior, where the highest control efficiency of 614.0 % is achieved at i=0 deg with the total height of the actuator being 40 %H. The flow control efficiency for all the schemes is higher than 100 % within the whole operating range, demonstrating a promising prospect for the application of synthetic jet in axial compressors.
Klar – klärer – am klärsten? Umlaut comparison as a doubtful case in contemporary German
Authors: Nowak Jessica
Published: September 2017

The present paper addresses doubtful cases concerning the use of umlaut in the adjectival comparison of contemporary German: bang ‘anxious’ - banger/bänger - am bangsten/ bängsten. It aims to shed light on the concrete distribution of this variation, i.e. the preference for one of the variants. Corpus-based analyses will show that the adjectives under discussion are not equally affected by umlaut variation: some are (surprisingly) stable (e.g., gesund ‘healthy’), whereas many others have a clear preference (i.e. > 70%) for non-umlauting forms (e.g., blass ‘pale’, nass ‘wet’). Interestingly, a few of the supposedly stable cases appear to have at least some non-umlauting forms (e.g., krank ‘ill’, nah ‘near’, grob ‘rough’). Even more interesting (but still comparatively rare) is the use of umlaut in conceptual orality contexts with adjectives that exhibit no umlaut comparison in Standard German, e.g., klar ‘clear’, falsch ‘wrong’, doof ‘stupid’. As will be demonstrated, these doubtful cases reflect a centuries-old and still ongoing reorganization process within umlaut comparison. It will turn out that a complex network of interacting factors such as token frequency, phonological schemas, and morphological complexity is at work.
The embarrassment of riches: ‘Head’ words in the Indo-European family
Authors: Gąsiorowski Piotr
Published: September 2017

The notion of HEAD is reflected in the basic lexicon of all known languages; the identification of the head as a distinct and vitally important body part, labelled with a simplex word, seems to be a cross-cultural universal. Thanks to their high frequency of use and their “basic concept” status, words meaning ‘head’ tend to be diachronically stable and therefore important for comparative reconstruction. Their expected retention rate - as estimated on the basis of data from several uncontroversial language families - is on a par with words meaning ‘heart’ or ‘foot’. On the other hand, culture-specific factors may lead to the proliferation of secondary meanings, the rise of stylistically marked nearsynonyms, and consequently to locally accelerated lexical evolution. This seems to have happened repeatedly in the Indo-European family, in which not only the oldest reconstructible ‘head’ word, *ḱreh₂- but also secondary, branch-specific terms have often been subject to lexical replacement. This unusual variability of words for HEAD in Indo- European contrasts with the remarkable conservatism of words for several other bodypart concepts, such as EYE, EAR, TOOTH and HEART. In this paper, we shall attempt to identify recurrent patterns of semantic change in the emergence of new synonyms and the polysemic development of inherited ‘head’ words. Insights derived from recent studies of “embodiment” will be used to explain the observed tendencies.
Temporal/locative inversion in Arabic
Authors: Jarrah Marwan
Published: September 2017

This research scrutinizes the observation that when the thematic subject is extracted (i.e. questioned) in Jordanian Arabic, temporal/locative inversion may occur. Temporal inversion occurs irrespective of the verb being transitive or intransitive, whereas locative inversion is limited to contexts with an unaccusative verb. This research argues that this distinction correlates with the base-generation of temporal/locative adjuncts; temporal adjuncts are base-generated adjoining to TP, whereas locatives are base-generated adjoining to VP. Temporal but not locative adjuncts resist fronting with VP, demand the use of a tense copula (or a tensed verb), and are not subject to deletion along with the lexical verb. With the assumption that Spec, SubjP must be filled with a non-silent copy due to the effects of the so-called Subject Criterion (Rizzi and Shlonsky 2007), a temporal or locative adjunct, if any, fills this position instead of the extracted thematic subject. Given its low position, a locative adjunct is accessible to Subj0only when there is no v*P, hence the account of the correlation between locative inversion and the type of the verb. Furthermore, this research explores the existence of temporal/locative inversion in other two Arabic dialects (Najdi Arabic and Iraqi Arabic), arguing for a micro-parametric view of this strategy across Arabic dialects.
Structure and magnetic properties of Sm2Rh3Sn5 – an intergrowth of TiNiSi- and NdRh2Sn4-related slabs
Authors: Heying Birgit , Kösters Jutta , Hoffmann Rolf-Dieter , Heletta Lukas , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: September 2017

The stannide Sm2Rh3Sn5 was obtained by arc-melting of the elements and subsequent annealing at 1070 K in a silica tube. Sm2Rh3Sn5 crystallizes with the orthorhombic Y2Rh3Sn5 type structure, space group Cmc21, Z=4: a=444.46(8), b=2636.2(4), c=718.3(1) pm, wR=0.0711, 1761 F
2 values and 61 variables. The three crystallographically independent rhodium atoms show tricapped trigonal prismatic coordination by samarium and tin atoms. Sm2Rh3Sn5 can be considered as a simple 1:1 intergrowth structure of TiNiSi- and NdRh2Sn4-related slabs of compositions SmRhSn and SmRh2Sn4
. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility data revealed van Vleck type behavior caused by the proximity of the exited 6H7/2 state to the 6H5/2 ground state of Sm3+, and an antiferromagnetic ordering occurs at T
N=3.5(5) K.
Redemption through Sacred Song
Authors: Bohlman Philip V.
Published: September 2017

Music, especially sacred song, was also a critical subject in Herder’s professional life as a theologian and pastor in Weimar, the center of the German Enlightenment. Chapter 6 is an epistolary essay, in which Herder circulates thoughts about the ways in which song shapes the history, character, and national traits of a people. Beginning with Classical Greek and Roman vocal and poetic traditions, Herder traces the role of sacred song through different national traditions to the modern publications of song in England and the German lands. He concludes with a set of exegetical reflections on Handel’s Messiah as the epitome of sacred music.
From “Wirkung der Dichtkunst auf die Sitten neuerer Zeiten” / “The Influence of Poetry on the Customs of Modernity”
Authors: Herder Johann Gottfried
Published: September 2017

At the time when the sciences and scholarship flourished in Italy, new languages for poetry began to emerge, first of all modern Latin and, where possible, modern Greek. One was so enamored of everything newly discovered from the ancient world that one imitated it to the extent possible, even evoking the ancient gods and goddesses with beautiful language. In so doing, one was convinced that one was writing correctly in the ...
From Der Cid / The Cid
Authors: Herder Johann Gottfried
Published: September 2017

Don Diego sat in deep sadness,

Never had one been so mournful;

Full of grief, he pondered day and night

The disgrace that had befallen his house.

The disgrace of the ancient, noble

Heroism of the house of Lainez,

Which had exceeded that of the ...
“Von Musik” / “On Music”
Authors: Herder Johann Gottfried
Published: September 2017

In this way, we might speak about the “critique of independent aesthetic judgment,”b about poesy and eloquence, about sculpture and architecture, about painting, landscape architecture, interior decoration, and fashion. Alas, it is music alone among the fine arts that was left without commentary, and we are left wondering, Why music? Music is “a beautiful play of sensations,...