bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Air Purification Efficiency Assessment on Large City’s Street Road Network by Green Plantings and Photocatalytic Cleaners
Authors: Давыдов  , Davydov V. , Ворожнин  , Vorozhnin Vladimir , Трофименко  , Trofimenko Yuri , Зубова  , Zubova S.
Published: December 2014

Methods for organization of air purification on Yekaterinburg city’s street road network are considered.Air pollution by motor

transport and a polluting substances stream to the car salon are estimated with a use of the received consistent patterns,

dispersive models, transport streams’ characteristics, and data on current weather conditions. On a streams’ balance basis

a permissible density of cars (on the non-exceedance of CO maximum permissible threshold) on the city’s territory (no

more than 12-12.5 cars/sq. km) taking into account their emissions and work of photocatalytic cleaners in vehicles’ salons

and photocatalytic coverings on the street road network surfaces (acoustic screens, sidewalks, buildings), and also due to

processing of the polluting substances by different types of wood vegetation (protective forest strips, parks and forest parks)

has been established. It has been defined that the removal of CO by means of available city vegetation is equivalent to

additional presence on the city’s streets of 0.2-0.4 % of cars of the operated transport’s total number without air deterioration.

A necessary area of an active surface for photocatalytic cleaners in the car salon (0.1 sq. m), bus salon (0.5 sq. m), and also a

width of protecting surfaces with the deposited photocatalytic coverings near the pedestrian zone (5m) are estimated in this

work. It has been established that sharing of the considered cleaning methods is capable to lead to annual decrease of carbon

oxide from 0.14 to 6 %, and nitrogen oxides from 0.15 to 5.78 % in average concentration around the city.
Special Section Introduction—Information, Technology, and the Changing Nature of Work
Authors: Forman Chris , King John Leslie , Lyytinen Kalle
Published: December 2014

The information systems field started with the expectation that information and technology will significantly shape the nature of work. The topic provides ample scope for significant scholarly inquiry. Work content, process, and organization are now different from what they were in the 1960s and 1970s, which provided a foundation for theories and understanding. Although investigations about the changing nature of work have been made for years, this special section recognizes that the time of reckoning has come again. There is a growing need for deeper understanding of information, technology, and work. The specific contributions of this special section are at the heart of new frontiers of research in information, technology, and work. We observe a continued need to study their relationships, and to separate short-term and long-term effects. We expect continued surprises and conclude that patience is required to achieve increased understanding in this important domain.
Lateral Coordination Mechanisms and the Moderating Role of Arrangement Characteristics in Information Systems Development Outsourcing
Authors: Balaji S. , Brown Carol V.
Published: December 2014

Although increased information systems (IS) development outsourcing is the trend, many of these arrangements fail to meet client expectations. We take a coordination perspective and adopt an information processing lens used by prior organization theorists to conceptualize sets of formal structural and informal nonstructural mechanisms, and predict their positive impacts on the strategic IT benefits achieved by the client. Utilizing a strategic alliance lens, we also predict that two characteristics of the client-vendor arrangement will moderate the impacts of both sets of coordination mechanisms. We test our hypotheses using hierarchical regression techniques on field survey data collected from 141 IS managers in client firms, responsible for IS development outsourcing arrangements. We found that the implementation of both structural and informal mechanisms positively impact the client’s strategic IT benefits. In arrangements with greater resource provisioning by the vendor, the positive impacts of informal governance mechanisms are strengthened. In arrangements with higher values similarity, the positive impacts of structural governance mechanisms are strengthened, but the positive impacts of informal mechanisms are weakened. A post-hoc analysis of a mediation model reveals that values similarity also has a positive relationship to both structural and informal governance mechanisms. This study therefore provides empirical support for the validity of an information processing lens to theorize lateral mechanism solutions to the coordination challenges of IS development outsourcing. Implications for research and practice are discussed, including the need for future research to better understand how client managers evolve sets of formal and informal mechanisms over the life of an outsourcing arrangement to achieve strategic objectives for their IT organization.
Academic Advising Experiences of First-Year Undecided Students: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Ellis Kyle C.
Published: December 2014

Often the frontline campus representatives who interact with undecided students, academic advisors receive the opportunity to offer academic support and guidance during the academic journey, which especially benefits first-year students trying to navigate this new and challenging endeavor. As a result of their unique position, advisors have the potential to influence both students' academic experience and satisfaction with the institution. This qualitative case study focuses on the advising experiences of first-year students who were undecided in their majors while attending a high-research-activity institution. Through individual interviews, participants articulately revealed how they made meaning of academic advising.
Understanding the Advising Learning Process Using Learning Taxonomies
Authors: Muehleck Jeanette K. , Smith Cathleen L. , Allen Janine M.
Published: December 2014

To better understand the learning that transpires in advising, we used Anderson et al.'s (2001) revision of Bloom's (1956) taxonomy and Krathwohl, Bloom, and Masia's (1964) affective taxonomy to analyze eight student-reported advising outcomes from Smith and Allen (2014). Using the cognitive processes and knowledge domains of Anderson et al.'s revised taxonomy, we discuss the learning processes that underlie cognitive-based outcomes. We also describe the way the affective taxonomy developed by Krathwohl et al. contributes to understanding learning processes that promote affective outcomes. Through these analyses, we describe how learning occurs in advising and show that advising, as represented by Smith and Allen's eight defined outcomes, delivers the array of cognitive and affective changes presumed to constitute learning as articulated by these frameworks.
Supporting Working-Class Students in Higher Education
Authors: Soria Krista , Bultmann Mark
Published: December 2014

Utilizing data from the multi-institutional Student Experience in the Research University survey, we examined self-identified working-class students' experiences in higher education. The results suggest that working-class students experience a lower sense of belonging, perceive a less welcoming campus climate, and pursue fewer social engagements than their peers who self-identify as middle/upper-class. Specific suggestions direct academic advisors to promote working-class students' success.
The Effect of Career Cruising on the Self-efficacy of Students Deciding on Majors
Authors: Cunningham Karen , Smothers Anthony
Published: December 2014

We analyzed the impact of a self-assessment instrument on the self-efficacy of those deciding on majors in a university setting. Using a pre- and post-test methodology, we employed Career Cruising to measure career decision-making self-efficacy. Participants completed the Career Decision Self-Efficacy–Short Form (CDSE-SF) with dependent variables of academic advising and the levels of self-efficacy among the CDSE-SF five subscales: Accurate Self-Appraisal, Gathering Occupational Information, Goal Selection, Planning for the Future, and Problem Solving. The data were subjected to paired and independent t tests to measure any differences in mean scores. The results indicated a slight increase in career self-efficacy for students who participated in both Career Cruising and academic advising.
Exploring Work Values: Helping Students Articulate Their Good (Work) Life
Authors: Carlstrom Aaron H. , Hughey Kenneth F.
Published: December 2014

The current article builds on Living the Good (Work) Life: Implications of General Values for Work Values (Carlstrom, 2011) by presenting ways to address work values in career advising. The following questions are addressed in the current article: When should students explore work values in career advising? What career development and planning tasks and goals can advisors help them achieve with an exploration of work values? What advising settings and formats encourage exploration of work values? What activities help students address work values?
Book reviews
Authors: Walsh Denis , Hopkins Carol , Murphy-Black Tricia , van den Akker Olga
Published: December 2014

I should have realised by the title that this book was going to be steeped in a medical model approach to obstetric complications but I was unprepared for its worst excesses Jumping out at the reader in virtually every paragraph.
Issues for debate at the AGM
Authors: Jones Shirley R , Warwick Cathy
Published: December 2014

The motion: ‘Supervision of Midwifery Education Programmes’ proposed by The Royal College of Midwives English Board states that: ‘With the move into Higher Education and the economic need for shared learning, this Branch Delegates Conference requests Council to ask the four National Boards to ensure that midwifery education programmes produce practitioners fit for practice.’
Mapa de procedimentos de limpeza e ações de combate a derramamentos de óleo
Authors: Romero Ágata Fernandes , Abessa Denis Moledo de Souza
Published: December 2014

Contingency plans for oil spill episodes have been developed to assist coastal managers and direct protection and cleaning actions. These plans have focused in providing subsides to contain the oil slick, and historically have not provided enough information to the planning of cleanup procedures in affected coastal areas. The selection of correct cleanup procedure can prevent the amplification of the oil spill impacts onthe environment. This study presents a mapping of possible cleanup procedures and response actions in case of oil spill, in order to complement contingency plans. This map was developed by the creation of icons representing the main cleanup methods and their representation on ESI maps. The representation of the cleaning procedures and response to oil spills through icons on a map allows rapid visualization and thus a rapid decision-making from managers during emergency actions.
Heterogeneous radiolysis of urea. Implications
in astrobiology and prebiotic chemistry
Authors: Abigail E. Cruz-Hernández, Abigail E. , Colin-Garcia Maria , Heredia-Barbero Alejandro , Negron-Mendoza Alicia , Ramos-Bernal Sergio
Published: December 2014

Urea is an organic molecule present in most living organisms. Historically, it was the first organic molecule synthesized in the laboratory. In prebiotic chemistry, urea readily forms in different laboratory simulations using different energy sources. Furthermore, the role of solid surfaces, particularly minerals, might have been crucial to increase the complexity of the organic matter which may have led to the subsequent emergence of life on Earth.

In this work, the radiolysis of urea in presence of a clay is studied to determine to what extent the mineral surfaces influence the decomposition of organics. The results indicate that urea is relatively stable to ionizing radiation in aqueous solutions and up to 20 kGy no decomposition is observed. Moreover, the presence of sodium montmorillonite, by a mechanism until now unknown, affects the radiolytic behavior and urea remains in the heterogeneous solution without a change in concentration even at very high doses (140 kGy). These results indicate that solids could have protected some organics, like urea, from degradation enabling them to remain in the environment on the primitive Earth.
Sterilization of bacteria suspensions and identification of radicals deposited during
plasma treatment
Authors: Puač Nevena , Miletić Maja , Mojović Miloš , Popović-Bijelić Ana , Vuković Dragana , Miličić Biljana , Maletić Dejan , Lazović Saša , Malović Gordana , Petrović Zoran Lj.
Published: December 2014

In this paper we will present results for plasma sterilization of planktonic samples of two reference strains of bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. We have used a plasma needle as a source of non-equilibrium atmospheric plasma in all treatments. This device is already well characterized by OES, derivative probes and mass spectrometry. It was shown that power delivered to the plasma is bellow 2 W and that it produces the main radical oxygen and nitrogen species believed to be responsible for the sterilization process. Here we will only present results obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance which was used to detect the OH, H and NO species. Treatment time and power delivered to the plasma were found to have the strongest influence on sterilization. In all cases we have observed a reduction of several orders of magnitude in the concentration of bacteria and for the longest treatment time complete eradication. A more efficient sterilization was achieved in the case of gram negative bacteria.
The influence of Ki-67 proliferation index on
Tc-99m-EDDA-HYNIC-TOC somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in patients with carcinoids
Authors: Vlajković Marina , Rajić Milena , Ilić Slobodan , Stević Miloš , Kojić Marko , Živković Vesna , Karanikolić Aleksandar , Matović Milovan
Published: December 2014

The aim of this paper is to determine the influence of Ki-67 proliferation index on somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SSRS) with Tc-99m-EDDA-HYNIC-TOC (Tc-99m-Tektrotyd) somatostatin analogue in patients with carcinoid tumors. Sixty-one patients (31 female, 30 male; age range: 33-76 years) were examined: 13 patients highly suspected of having a carcinoid, and 48 patients who had undergone the surgical removal of the tumor. Whole body SSRS at 4 h postinjection, spot scintigrams and SPECT of the selected regions were obtained for all patients. Tc-99m-Tektrotyd scintigraphy was classified as true positive in 26 out of 30 and true negative in 24 out of 28 patients. The sensitivity of Tc-99mTc-Tektrotyd scintigraphy was found to be as high as 94.74% in the group of patients with low mitotic index Ki67 (<2%), and it progressively decreased in patients with higher mitotic index (77.78% for Ki67 2-15% and 20% for Ki67% >20%). The likelihood of Tc-99m-Tektrotyd scan being positive when a carcinoid is present was found to be inversely proportional to the value of Ki67 proliferation index. The results showed that Tc-99m-Tektrotyd SSRS is a sensitive method for diagnosing and staging patients with well-differentiated carcinoid tumors. However, in poorly differentiated tumors with high Ki67 proliferation index, additional analyses are necessary for precise staging.
Electron heating modes and frequency coupling effects in dual-frequency capacitive CF4 plasmas
Authors: Derzsi Aranka , Schüngel Edmund , Donkó Zoltán , Schulze Julian
Published: December 2014

Two types of capacitive dual-frequency discharges, used in plasma processing applications to achieve the separate control of the ion flux, Гi, and the mean ion energy, , at the electrodes, operated in CF4, are investigated by particle-in-cell simulations: (i) In classical dual-frequency discharges, driven by significantly different frequencies (1.937 MHz + 27.12 MHz),  and Гi are controlled by the voltage amplitudes of the low-frequency and high-frequeny components, ΦLF and ΦHF, respectively. (ii) In electrically asymmetric (EA) discharges, operated at a fundamental frequency and its second harmonic
(13.56 MHz + 27.12 MHz), ΦLF and ΦHF control Гi, whereas the phase shift between the driving frequencies, θ, is varied to adjust .

We focus on the effect of changing the control parameter for  on the electron heating and ionization dynamics and on Гi. We find that in both types of dual-frequency strongly electronegative discharges, changing the control parameter results in a complex effect on the electron heating and ionization dynamics: in classical dual-frequency discharges, besides the frequency coupling affecting the sheath expansion heating, additional frequency coupling mechanisms influence the electron heating in the plasma bulk and at the collapsing sheath edge; in EA dual-frequency discharges the electron heating in the bulk results in asymmetric ionization dynamics for values of θ around 45°, i.e., in the case of a symmetric applied
T- and H- forms of dc oxygen discharge at medium pressures: spectroscopic study
Authors: Schmiedt Lukáš , Morávek Matěj Jan , Kaňka Adolf , Hrachová Věra
Published: December 2014

The active DC glow discharge sustained in the pure oxygen can be employed in various technological applications, such as thin layer deposition or sterilization. Considering applied pressures of hundreds of Pascals, two different forms of the positive column of the discharge can co-exist: T- and H-form. These forms are commonly distinguished according to the values of the axial electric field strength: values in the H-form are generally one order of magnitude higher compared to the T-form. However, electric measurement itself may often affect the discharge plasma. Optical emission spectroscopy as a non-invasive diagnostic was therefore employed as an alternate characterization of both forms.

We found that the H- and T-forms can be clearly recognized by values of intensities of particular oxygen spectral lines. This characterization enabled us to observe transition between the both particular forms when spatial distribution measurements were employed. Moreover, transition in the rotational temperature Trot was also observed.
Temperature stability of mercury compounds
in solid substrates
Authors: Sedlar Matej , Pavlin Majda , Popovič Arkadij , Horvat Milena
Published: December 2014

The major aim of the newly adopted Mercury Convention is to reduce global mercury (Hg) emissions to the environment. In high temperature industrial processes, including coal combustion, Hg compounds present as impurities in solid materials are decomposed and evaporated leading to the emission of Hg to the atmosphere. The behaviour of different Hg compounds and their mixtures during heating have been the subject of numerous studies, and is the topic of the present work. Controlled heating can be used to fractionate Hg compounds in solid substrates, offering the possibility of identification and quantification of Hg compounds. In the attempt to develop a method for temperature fractionation of Hg, experiments were conducted with pure Hg compounds, and the compounds mixed with different substrates (SiO2 and CaSO4 • 2H2O), for calibration purposes. Detection was performed by two methods, namely Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV AAS) with Zeeman background correction, and Nier-type Mass Spectrometry with a Knudsen cell (MS). Further investigation is in process.
Platinum complex catalysts immobilized on epoxy resins cured with polythiourethane hardeners
Authors: Strzelec Krzysztof , Bączek Natalia
Published: December 2014

Some efficient polymer-supported platinum catalysts have been synthesized through
the novel application of epoxy resin D.E.R.TM332 cured with polythiourethanes. Epoxide supports were obtained as a result of the use of polythiourethane hardeners. The activity, stability and selectivity during long-term use of the investigated catalytic systems were tested in a hydrogenation reaction of cinnamaldehyde. The results of this study indicate that polythiourethanes used to cure epoxy resin can also greatly affect the catalytic properties of the epoxide-supported platinum catalysts. To fully characterize both polymeric supports and heterogenized catalysts numerous research methods like time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX) and nitrogen BET surface area measurements were used.
Chitosan immobilization to the polypropylene nonwoven after activation in atmospheric – pressure nitrogen plasma
Authors: Černáková Ľudmila , Černák Mirko , Tóth András , Mikulášová Mária , Tomašková Monika , Kováčik Dušan
Published: December 2014

Atmospheric-pressure air and nitrogen plasmas generated by surface dielectric barrier discharges have been used to incorporate new functionalities at the surface of polypropylene nonwoven fabric. The main goals were to activate the polymer surfaces for subsequent immobilization of chitosan from water solution without using any crosslinking and wetting agents. The samples were analyzed by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nitrogen plasma treatment resulted in relatively high oxygen incorporation, about 9 atomic % mainly in aliphatic C=O type bonds and about 4 at.% of nitrogen incorporation in amine and other nitrogen functionalities. Chitosan was immobilized on the fabric fibers surfaces very homogeneously in amount of
2 - 5 g m-2. The chitosan coated samples exhibited a good laundering durability and strong antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.
Studies on the Electrical Behaviour and Removal of Toluene with a Dielectric Barrier Discharge
Authors: Schmidt Michael , Schiorlin Milko , Brandenburg Ronny
Published: December 2014

This contribution attempts to establish an easy-to-apply non-thermal plasma reactor for efficient toluene removal. Derived from the already established knowledge of the so called Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Stack Reactor a new model reactor was used in this work. The DBD Stack Reactor is a multi-elements reactor but in this work only one stack element was used to investigate the efficiency and efficacy of toluene removal. In case of reliable results the scalability process for industrial application is already well known. Therefore, laboratory experiments were conducted in dry and wet synthetic air with an admixture of 50 ppm toluene. Along with the toluene removal process the electrical behaviour of the discharge configuration was investigated. It was found that the electrical capacitance of the dielectric barrier changes with variations of the operating voltage. This could be due to the changes in the area of the dielectric barrier which is covered with plasma. Additionally, it was found that the power input into the plasma, at a fixed operating voltage, is proportional to the frequency, which is in agreement with the literature.

Regarding the decomposition process, the total removal of toluene was achieved at specific input energy densities of 55 J L-1 under dry conditions and 110 J L-1 under wet conditions. The toluene removal was accompanied by the production of nitric acid (dry conditions) and formic acid (wet conditions). The latter suggested a combination of the plasma reactor with a water scrubber as an approach for total removal of pollutant molecules.
Synthesis and Characterization of PSSA-Polyaniline Composite with an Enhanced Processability
in Thin Films
Authors: Stan Corneliu Sergiu , Popa Marcel , Olariu Marius , Secula Marius Sebastian
Published: December 2014

This paper reports the synthesis and investigation of a polymer composite based on poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSA) and polyaniline (PANI) directly obtained in an aqueous PSSA medium, with improved conductivity and solubility in polar solvents. The oxidative polymerization reaction of aniline takes place in-situ with PSSA as protonating agent. The synthesis was tested at three PSSA/PANI molar ratios, an intense green colored aqueous composite solution being obtained in each case. For comparison purposes, commercially available polyaniline and PSSA were also investigated. PSSA-PANI composites, PANI and PSSA were investigated through thermal analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Thin films of PSSA/PANI complex were spin coated on glass substrates which were further investigated through Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Also, thin films of PSSA-PANI were deposited on interdigitated electrodes for dielectric measurements.
Low pressure RF plasma modification of the surface of three different nano-carbon materials
Authors: Bertóti Imre , Mohai Miklós , Balázsi Csaba , László Krisztina , Szépvölgyi János
Published: December 2014

Well-ordered nano-carbon materials, like multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, graphene due to their unique physical and chemical properties, are candidates for promising applications.

In this work thin multilayered graphene, single layer graphene oxide layers and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface were treated by RF activated N2 gas plasma at nominally room temperature. Negative bias in the 0–200 V range and treatment time of 10 min was applied. Surface chemical alterations were followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The applied treatments resulted in a significant build-up of nitrogen in the surface of these nano-carbon materials. The amount of nitrogen varied between 4 and 10 atomic %, depending on type of carbon and on biasing conditions. Evaluating the high-resolution N1s XP spectral region, typically three different chemical bonding states of the nitrogen were delineated. Peak component at 398.3 eV is assigned to C=N–C type, at 399.7 eV to sp2 N in melamine-type ring structure and at 400.9 eV to N substituting carbon in a graphite-like environment. Identical chemical bonding of the nitrogen was detected on the surface of HOPG treated in the same way for comparison.
Natural radioactivity in virgin soils and soils
from some areas with closed uranium
mining facilities in Bulgaria
Authors: Yordanova Ivanka I. , Banov Martin D. , Misheva Lidia G. , Staneva Donka N. , Bineva Tsvetanka K.
Published: December 2014

The natural radionuclide (238U, 226Ra, 232Th
and 40K) contents in soil were determined for three
different regions of Bulgaria using high-resolution
gamma-ray spectrometric analysis. A comparison of the
dynamics of their behavior throughout the years was
performed. Bulgaria is a country with intensive uranium
mining activities. That is why radiological monitoring
of closed uranium mining facilities in different regions
of the country are obligatory and of great interest.
This work presents results from such investigations made
in regions where remediation was necessary. The results
have been evaluated according to Bulgarian radionuclide
environment contamination legislation.
Spatially resolved spectroscopy
of an atmospheric pressure microwave
plasma jet used for surface treatment
Authors: Potočňáková Lucia , Hnilica Jaroslav , Kudrle Vít
Published: December 2014

In this study, the variations of properties of
a microwave plasma jet (surfatron) along the discharge axis have been investigated using optical emission spectroscopy. As the argon jet is not enclosed, the spatial distribution of individual species in effluent plasma is the result of rather complicated interplay between energy loss and gradual mixing with the air. Spatial 2D relative intensity profiles of atomic lines and molecular bands at 310 nm, 336 nm, 391 nm and 656 nm are presented in the form of colour maps revealing different positions of maximum emission intensity for 310 nm and 336 nm (in the effluent plasma) and for 391 nm and 656 nm (inside the discharge tube). The plasma jet was used for surface treatment of heat resistant samples (stainless steel, aluminium, silicon wafer) and the effectiveness of the plasma treatment was evaluated by measuring the sessile drop contact angle, with water and glycerol as testing liquids. The optimal position for plasma treatment (close to the tube nozzle) combined with longer treatment time (10 s) lead to hydrophilic properties of samples with contact angles as low as 10°.
The effect of TiO2 surface modification on the photovoltaic properties of hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on MEH-PPV/CdS/TiO2 active layer
Authors: Duong Vu Thi Thuy , Patel Jayeshkumar , Mighri Frej , Do Trong-On , Ajji Abdellah
Published: December 2014

In this work, we present the synthesis details of uniform shape and size-controlled titanium dioxide (TiO
What Is a Firm’s Life Expectancy? Empirical Evidence in the Context of Portuguese Companies
Authors: Reis Pedro Nogueira , Augusto Mário Gomes
Published: December 2014

It isa fact that the uncertainty about a firm’s future has to be measured and incorporated into a company’s valuation throughout the explicit analysis period – in the continuing or terminal value within valuation models. One of the concerns that can influence the continuing value of enterprises, which is not explicitly considered in traditional valuation models, is a firm’s average life expectancy. Although the literature has studied the life cycle of a firm, there is still a considerable lack of references on this topic. If we ignore the period during which a company has the ability to produce future cash flows, the valuations can fall into irreversible errors, leading to results markedly different from market values. This paper aims to provide a contribution in this area. Its main objective is to construct a mortality table for non-listed Portuguese enterprises, showing that the use of a terminal value through a mathematical expression of perpetuity of free cash flows is not adequate. We provide the use of an appropriate coefficient to perceive the number of years in which the company will continue to operate until its theoretical extinction. If well addressed regarding valuation models, this issue can be used to reduce or even to eliminate one of the main problems that cause distortions in contemporary enterprise valuation models: the premise of an enterprise’s unlimited existence in time. Besides studying the companies involved in it, from their existence to their demise, our study intends to push knowledge forward by providing a consistent life and mortality expectancy table for each age of the company, presenting models with an explicitly and different survival rate for each year. Moreover, we show that, after reaching a certain age, firms can reinvent their business, acquiring maturity and consequently postponing their mortality through an additional life period.
How ‘person’ got into focus: Grammaticalization of clefts in Lingala and Kikongo areas
Authors: van der Wal Jenneke , Maniacky Jacky
Published: December 2014

In several Bantu languages in the regions where Kikongo and Lingala are spoken, we encounter sentences where the word ‘person’ can appear after the subject of a canonical SVO sentence, resulting in a focused interpretation of the subject. Synchronically, we analyze this as a monoclausal focus construction with moto ‘person’ as a focus marker. Diachronically, we argue, the construction derives from a biclausal cleft, where moto functioned as the head noun of the relative clause. This is a crosslinguistically rare but plausible development. The different languages studied in this paper show variation in the properties indicative of the status of the ‘moto construction’, which reflects the different stages of grammaticalization. Finally, we show how contact-induced grammaticalization is a likely factor in the development of moto as a focus marker.
Causality and subjectivity in discourse: The meaning and use of causal connectives in spontaneous conversation, chat interactions and written text
Authors: Sanders Ted J. M. , Spooren Wilbert P. M.
Published: December 2014

Many languages of the world have connectives to express causal relations at the discourse level. Often, language users systematically prefer one lexical item (
Semantic profiles of antonymic adjectives in discourse
Authors: Paradis Carita , Löhndorf Simone , van de Weijer Joost , Willners Caroline
Published: December 2014

This study has two goals: First, to give an account of the semantic organization of individually used antonymic adjectives in discourse and second, based on those findings and previous work on antonymic meanings, to contribute to a comprehensive theoretical account of their representation within the framework of Cognitive Linguistics. The hypothesis is that the members of the pairs are used in the same contexts and in the same type of constructions, not only when they co-occur and are used to express binary opposition as shown in previous studies, but also when they do not. The manually coded corpus data from the BNC are analyzed along four semantic parameters: (i) the configuration of the adjectives in terms of gradability, (ii) the way they modify the nominal meanings, i.e., attributively or predicatively (iii) the meaning type of the modified nouns, and (iv) the status of the constructions with respect to whether their meanings are what we refer to as “basic”, metaphorical or metonymical. Correspondence analysis technique is used to identify similarities and differences on the basis of the totality of the data. As predicted, our findings confirm a high degree of pairwise similarity – but also some differences. On the basis of these results, it can be argued that the long-standing controversy within Structuralism between proponents of the co-occurrence hypothesis and the substitutability hypothesis in antonym research is a non-issue.
Relative annihilator-preserving congruence
relations and relative annihilator-preserving
homomorphisms in bounded distributive
semilattices
Authors: Celani Sergio A.
Published: December 2014

In this paper we shall study a notion of relative annihilator-preserving congruence relation and relative
annihilator-preserving homomorphism in the class of bounded distributive semilattices. We shall give a topological
characterization of this class of semilattice homomorphisms. We shall prove that the semilattice congruences that
are associated with filters are exactly the relative annihilator-preserving congruence relations.
New SOR-like methods for solving
the Sylvester equation
Authors: Kierzkowski Jakub
Published: December 2014

We present new iterative methods for solving the Sylvester equation belonging to the class of SOR-like
methods, based on the SOR (Successive Over-Relaxation) method for solving linear systems. We discuss convergence
characteristics of the methods. Numerical experimentation results are included, illustrating the theoretical
results and some other noteworthy properties of the Methods.
Interaction simulation and experimental physico-mechanical analysis of distinct polarity blends of polyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol
Authors: Sin Lee Tin , Bee Soo-Tueen , Ang Rui-Ren , Tee Tiam-Ting , Phang Siew-Wei , Rahmat Abdul R.
Published: December 2014

This paper aimed to investigate the interaction of distinct polarity polymer blends of polyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). Molecular mechanics and dynamics simulation were employed to determine the stability of polyethylene and PVOH complexes. It was found that the binding energies ΔE for all complexes of polyethylene and PVOH are negative values indicating that the interactions between both components are favorable to achieve a lower energy hierarchy. Such interactions are induced by the high polarity hydroxyl groups of PVOH which caused weak distortion to the dipole moment of inherently non-polar polyethylene. Furthermore, the molecular simulation results were compared with tensile strength, X-ray diffraction and morphology analyses. Tensile strength analysis revealed there was a reduction of magnitude for varying PVOH before achieving a maximum value. Adding small quantities of PVOH in polyethylene as the different polar elements would affect the ordered structure within the blends. Nevertheless, the reduction is insignificant due to the polarity of PVOH which has a slightly distorted polar network of polyethylene. The addition of PVOH (5–15 parts per hundred) into a polyethylene matrix has significantly reduced the crystallinity of the polyethylene matrix by disturbing the highly ordered arrangement structures.
ROCK1 is a potential combinatorial drug target for BRAF mutant melanoma
Authors: Smit Marjon A , Maddalo Gianluca , Greig Kylie , Raaijmakers Linsey M , Possik Patricia A , van Breukelen Bas , Cappadona Salvatore , Heck Albert JR , Altelaar AF Maarten , Peeper Daniel S
Published: December 2014

Treatment of BRAF mutant melanomas with specific BRAF inhibitors leads to tumor remission. However, most patients eventually relapse due to drug resistance. Therefore, we designed an integrated strategy using (phospho)proteomic and functional genomic platforms to identify drug targets whose inhibition sensitizes melanoma cells to BRAF inhibition. We found many proteins to be induced upon PLX4720 (BRAF inhibitor) treatment that are known to be involved in BRAF inhibitor resistance, including FOXD3 and ErbB3. Several proteins were down‐regulated, including Rnd3, a negative regulator of ROCK1 kinase. For our genomic approach, we performed two parallel shRNA screens using a kinome library to identify genes whose inhibition sensitizes to BRAF or ERK inhibitor treatment. By integrating our functional genomic and (phospho)proteomic data, we identified ROCK1 as a potential drug target for BRAF mutant melanoma. ROCK1 silencing increased melanoma cell elimination when combined with BRAF or ERK inhibitor treatment. Translating this to a preclinical setting, a ROCK inhibitor showed augmented melanoma cell death upon BRAF or ERK inhibition in vitro. These data merit exploration of ROCK1 as a target in combination with current BRAF mutant melanoma therapies.
Causal signals between codon bias, mRNA structure, and the efficiency of translation and elongation
Authors: Pop Cristina , Rouskin Silvi , Ingolia Nicholas T , Han Lu , Phizicky Eric M , Weissman Jonathan S , Koller Daphne
Published: December 2014

Ribosome profiling data report on the distribution of translating ribosomes, at steady‐state, with codon‐level resolution. We present a robust method to extract codon translation rates and protein synthesis rates from these data, and identify causal features associated with elongation and translation efficiency in physiological conditions in yeast. We show that neither elongation rate nor translational efficiency is improved by experimental manipulation of the abundance or body sequence of the rare AGG tRNA. Deletion of three of the four copies of the heavily used ACA tRNA shows a modest efficiency decrease that could be explained by other rate‐reducing signals at gene start. This suggests that correlation between codon bias and efficiency arises as selection for codons to utilize translation machinery efficiently in highly translated genes. We also show a correlation between efficiency and RNA structure calculated both computationally and from recent structure probing data, as well as the Kozak initiation motif, which may comprise a mechanism to regulate initiation.
Genetic Dissection of Internode Length Above the Uppermost Ear in Four RIL Populations of Maize (Zea maysL.)
Authors: Ku Lixia , Cao Liru , Wei Xiaomin , Su Huihui , Tian Zhiqiang , Guo Shulei , Zhang Liangkun , Ren Zhenzhen , Wang Xiaobo , Zhu Yuguang , Li Guohui , Wang Zhiyong , Chen Yanhui
Published: December 2014

The internode length above the uppermost ear (ILAU) is an important influencing factor for canopy architecture in maize. Analyzing the genetic characteristics of internode length is critical for improving plant population structure and increasing photosynthetic efficiency. However, the genetic control of ILAU has not been determined. In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) for internode length at five positions above the uppermost ear were identified using four sets of recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations in three environments. Genetic maps and initial QTL were integrated using meta-analyses across the four populations. Seventy QTL were identified: 16 in population 1; 14 in population 2; 25 in population 3; and 15 in population 4. Individual effects ranged from 5.36% to 26.85% of phenotypic variation, with 27 QTL >10%. In addition, the following common QTL were identified across two populations: one common QTL for the internode length of all five positions; one common QTL for the internode length of three positions; and one common QTL for the internode length of one position. In addition, four common QTL for the internode length of four positions were identified in one population. The results indicated that the ILAU at different positions above the uppermost ear could be affected by one or several of the same QTL. The traits may also be regulated by many different QTL. Of the 70 initial QTL, 46 were integrated in 14 meta-QTL (mQTLs) by meta-analysis, and 17 of the 27 initial QTL with R2 >10% were integrated in 7 mQTLs. Four of the key mQTLs (mQTL2-2, mQTL3-2, mQTL5-1, mQTL5-2, and mQTL9) in which the initial QTL displayed R2 >10% included four to 11 initial QTL for an internode length of four to five positions from one or two populations. These results may provide useful information for marker-assisted selection to improve canopy architecture.
Exploring Citizen Psych-Science and the Motivations of Errordiary Volunteers
Authors: Jennett Charlene , Furniss Dominic J. , Iacovides Ioanna , Wiseman Sarah , Gould Sandy J. J. , Cox Anna L.
Published: December 2014

Previous research investigating motivations in citizen science have focused mostly on environmental citizen science projects. In this paper we focus specifically on citizen psychology projects, which we term 'citizen psych-science'. We argue that citizen psych-science differs from typical citizen science projects because volunteers are asked to contribute personal data. Furthermore we argue that the personal nature of such contributions can have unanticipated consequences on volunteer's motivations to contribute and their experiences of participating in the project. Exploring these issues in more detail, we describe four research studies that we conducted with Errordiary, a citizen psych-science project where volunteers tweet about their everyday experiences of human error. These studies included: (1) an interview study to explore motivations of 8 Errordiary volunteers, and (2) one workshop and two focus groups, to explore the potential of attracting new communities to the project. One of our main findings is that the risks associated with sharing errors on Errordiary, such as negative perceptions from others, being viewed as incompetent at your workplace, may counteract a person’s general good will to help researchers. We suggest several ways that researchers can help citizen psych-science volunteers feel like they are in a safe space to contribute their experiences towards research. These include clearly communicating the purpose of their research, allowing the use of pseudonyms, explaining how data is protected, and ensuring that proper monitoring controls are in place.
Getting humans to do quantum optimization - user acquisition, engagement and early results from the citizen cyberscience game Quantum Moves
Authors: Lieberoth Andreas , Pedersen Mads Kock , Marin Andreea Catalina , Planke Tilo , Sherson Jacob Friis
Published: December 2014

The game Quantum Moves was designed to pit human players against computer algorithms, combining their solutions into hybrid optimization, to control a scalable quantum computer. In this midstream report, we open our design process and present the constitutive building stages. We present our approach starting with designing a core gameplay around quantum simulations, to putting extra game elements in place to frame, structure and motivate players’ difficult path from internet flâneur to competent science contributors. Among statistical predictors for retention and in-game high scores, the data from our first year suggest that people recruited based on real-world physics interest and via real-world events, but only with an intermediate science education, are more likely to become engaged and skilled contributors. We discuss this relationship between in-world and in-game factors on intrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and its implications for using real live humans to do hybrid optimization via initially simple, but very cognitively complex games.
The ForestWatchers: A Citizen Cyberscience Project for Deforestation Monitoring in the Tropics
Authors: Pacheco da Luz Eduardo Fávero , Correa Felipe R. S. , González Daniel L. , Grey François , Ramos Fernando M.
Published: December 2014

Millions of hectares of humid tropical forest are lost each year. Here we introduce the ForestWatchers project, a citizen cyberscience initiative that proposes to involve citizens around the globe in monitoring deforestation. ForestWatchers combines volunteered thinking with participatory sensing. In the project’s volunteered thinking segment, volunteers with their own smartphones, tablets and notebooks, are asked to use a Web interface to review satellite images of forested regions, and confirm whether automatic assignments of forested and deforested regions are correct. In the participatory sensing segment, citizens are invited to contribute with all sorts of data on the status of forested areas, such as pictures, videos or sound records. As the first forest-monitoring program to directly involve lay citizens, the ForestWatchers project aims at providing volunteer-assisted deforestation assessment for countries, regions or communities that do not have the necessary infrastructure or manpower.
Participatory Philology: Computational Linguistics and the Future of Historical Language Education
Authors: Crane Gregory , Dee Stella Rose , Krohn Anna
Published: December 2014

This brief contributes to the proceedings of the Citizen Cyberscience Summit 2014 with a summary of the presentation given by the Open Philology Project on its goals, work, and collaborators. With a focus on the interface between 21st-century philology and citizen science, this paper reviews the data we collect, why we gather that data, and the cohort that we engage for assistance with data production. The paper presents the work of the Historical Languages eLearning Project and the incorporation of pedagogy into resources for participatory philology, as well as briefly reviews a case study of a class at Tufts University that supports the viability of our approach. Above all, we seek to demonstrate the deep similarities of technical infrastructure and research processes between participatory philology and citizen science, despite fundamental differences in a humanistic versus a scientific approach to the subject matter. In so doing, we hope to help lay the foundation for increasing contribution by the humanities to the fields of  citizen science and human computation.
Citizen archaeologists. Online collaborative research about the human past
Authors: Bevan Andrew , Daniel Pett , Chiara Bonacchi , Keinan-Schoonbaert Adi , Lombraña González Daniel , Sparks Rachael , Wexler Jennifer , Wilkin Neil
Published: December 2014

Archaeology has a long tradition of volunteer involvement but also faces considerable challenges in protecting and understanding a geographically widespread, rapidly dwindling  and every-threatened cultural resource. This paper considers a newly launched, multi-application crowd-sourcing project called MicroPasts, whose focus is on enabling both community-led and massive online contributions to high quality research in archaeology, history and heritage. We reflect on preliminary results from this initiative with a focus on the technical challenges, quality control issues and contributors motivations.