bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
تقييم كفاءة الاداء الاقتصادي للشركة العامة لصناعة الزيوت النباتية في العراق للمدة(2003-2007)
Authors: نصوري فيصل اكرم , رشاد رؤى طارق
Published: December 2018

تعد الشركة العامة لصناعة الزيوت النباتية احدى اهم الشركات الحيوية في الاقتصاد العراقي وهي واحدة من شركات الصناعة التحويلية (الغذائية) التي تـأخذ بعداً استراتيجياً وانتاجياً يقع ضمن مفهوم توافر الامن الغذائي، هذا فضلاً عن اسهامها في تقليل الاعتماد على الاستيرادات وتشغيل الايدي العاملة الوطنية. تهدف هذه الدراسة محاولة لبيان كفاءة اداء الشركة العامة لصناعة الزيوت النباتية للمدة (2003-2007) التي اتسمت بعدم الاستقرار الاقتصادي والأمني التي مر بها البلد واعطاء صورة دقيقة عن مدى كفاءتها وقدرتها على الانتاج خلال هذه المدة.
تأثير القيادة التحويلية في تحفيز المرؤوسين في المنظمات (دراسة ميدانية في الشركة العامة للصناعات الجلدية العراقية في بغداد)
Authors: محمد علي عالية جواد
Published: December 2018

ان القيادات التحويلية الناجحة في جميع المنظمات تعتمد سياسةالتحفيز التي تعد من السياسات الرئيسة والاساسية التي تعتمدها القيادات الناجحة في المنظمات وذلك لتتمكن من تحقيق غايات مهمة من خلالها كزيادة ولاء المرؤوسين لمنظماتهم وكذلك تطوير وتنمية قدراتهم وقابليتهم في العمل ما يؤدي الى تطوير وزيادة الانتاجية وتقليل كلف الانتاج الى اقصى حد ممكن ومن ثم تحقيق العوائد والارباح الكبيرة للمنظمة فضلا عن النمو والتميز في سوق المنافسة. تم اجراء البحث في الشركة العامة للصناعات الجلدية في بغداد (في الكرادة)اذ توصل البحث الى عدد من الاستنتاجات والتوصيات منها ان اي اغفال لسياسات التحفيز من قبل القيادة الادارية العليا في المنظمة يؤدي الى خلق الفتور والرتابة في العمل والعكس صحيح فان اعتماد سياسات التحفيز المختلفة وفي مختلف المناسبات وبما يتلائم مع جهود المرؤوسين المبذولة في العمل يزيد من ولاء المرؤوسين لمنظماتهم فضلا عن الاستمرار في تطوير مهاراتهم وقدراتهم لتحقيق مستوى افضل لمنظماتهم..
مقارنة بضعة مقدرات لاخطية لتقدير دالة الانحدار
Authors: حمود مناف يوسف , عاشور مروان عبد الحميد
Published: December 2018

تركز هذا البحث على تقدير دالة الانحدار المتمثل بتطبيق عملي يشير الى كمية صادرات النفط السعودي كدالة بدلالة عدد حقول النفط المكتشفة فيها ،اذ تم اخذ السعودية ودراسة صادراتها كونها تعد من احدى كبريات الدول المصدرة للنفط ومن الدول المستقرة سياسيا وماليا وامنيا في منطقة الخليج العربي والشرق الاوسط .

ولغرض دراسة سلوك البيانات تبين ان السلوك الناتج لم يكن متبعا نمطا خطيا معروفا ولم تكن هنالك امكانية لمعرفة الاتجاه العام الناتج عن تلك الصادرات ،اذ لوحظ من خلال رسم البيانات وجود نمطا غير خطيا مما قاد هذا الى استخدام مقدرات لاخطية لامعلميه ،شبه معلميه فضلا عن مقدر يسمى بمقدر الشبكة العصبية الاصطناعية.

وبينت النتائج ان افضل مقدر اعطى تقديرا وافيا وكافيا وعبرعن الظاهرة المدروسة بشكل سليم هو مقدر الشبكة العصبية الاصطناعي الذي اثبت تفوقه على المقدرات اللامعلميه وشبه المعلميه المستخدمة في هذا البحث
قياس و تحليل التفاوت في توزيع الرفاهية الاقتصادية في محافظة السليمانية لعام 2007( )
Authors: عثمان صابر ثيرداود , حمة شظان جمال
Published: December 2018

المستخلص

 إن مسألة التفاوت في توزيع الدخل والانفاق الاستهلاكي متعلقة بالرفاهية الإقتصادية، وذلك لوجود علاقة عكسية بين الرفاهية الاقتصادية من جهة، ودرجة التفاوت في توزيع الدخل و/ أو الانفاق الاستهلاكي ،من جهة اخرى. فرغم أن وجود التفاوت في توزيع الدخل و/ أو الانفاق الاستهلاكي يعد ظاهرة طبيعية في كل مجتمع ، ولكن إذا ما تجاوز حداً معيناً ينجم عنه آثار اقتصادية واجتماعية وسياسية خطيرة لاتحمد عقباها ، الأمر يستلزم توافر مؤشرات خاصة به وذلك بهدف تخطيط ومتابعة وتقييم البرامج المتعقة بالتنمية الاقتصادية . إنطلاقاً مما ذكر آنفا , قامت الدراسة الحالية بقياس و تحليل درجات التفاوت في توزيع الإنفاق الاستهلاكي في محافظة السليمانية على مستوى ثلاث مناطق جغرافية: مركز المحافظة, بقية الحضر والريف، وذلك باستخدام المقاييس الموضوعية المعروفة لقياس التفاوت ضمن المناطق الثلاثة، كمعامل جيني، معامل كوزنتز،معامل الاختلاف ، فضلاً عن قيامها بقياس واختبار التفاوت الثنائي بين كل منطقتين من المناطق الثلاثة باستخدام مقاييس خاصة تسمى بنسب التفاوت الاقتصادي (Economic Distance Ratios). وقد توصلت الدراسة إلى أن درجات التفاوت في توزيع الانفاق الفردي مرتفعة نسبياً في العينة المدروسة، لاسيما في الحضر ، فضلاً عن معنوية التفاوت لتوزيع الانفاق بين المناطق الثلاثة  .

ان هذه النتائج متوافقة مع التوقعات المسبقة للدراسة. وقد تم استخدام بيانات الإنفاق الأسري للمسح الميداني الذي أنجزه الجهاز المركزي للاحصاء و تكنولوجيا المعلومات العراقي بالتعاون مع هيئة الإحصاء لأقليم كوردستان- العراق لعام (2007). وقد خرجت الراسة بجملة من المقترحات التي قد تخدم الدراسات المستقبلية المتعلقة بالتفاوت ، او التي تساعد في وضع البرامج التي تخفف من حدة التفاوت في المستويات المعيشية لافراد المجتمع ، بالتالي الحد من اثارها الضارة.
قياس المردودات الاقتصادية والبيئية والاجتماعية لتجارة القطاع الأخضر دراسة استطلاعية في مؤسسات البصرة بالتركيز على قطاع الكهرباء
Authors: الشاوي هاني فاضل , عيسى خليل ابراهيم , عبد الحسين عامر جميل
Published: December 2018

المستخلص

أصبح تزايد المخاطر البيئية تحدياً ومثار جدل وقلق لكثير من المهتمين بالشأن البيئي والاجتماعي والاقتصادي، والشيء نفسه يحدث مع الإداري الذي ليس بمعزل عن هذا الحراك، إذ باتت قضايا تغير المناخ تقلقه وتؤرقه ولاسيما بعد ما تسببت مخاطرها من دمار وطيش وفوضى وعبث في الموارد والمحاصيل والحقول والطبيعة والمنازل والمفاعلات ، والدليل على ذلك ما حدث في اليابان من ويلات أبان إعصار سونا مي والهزات الأرضية المتتالية التي رافقته وما آلت إليه من مفاجآت  أثرت في الاقتصاد والكون والإنسان  بوصفه المتضرر الأول ، وانطلاقا من هذه القضايا تولى الباحثين فكرة البحث الموسوم بـ ( قياس المردودات الاقتصادية والبيئية والاجتماعية لتجارة القطاع الأخضر) عنواناً للدراسة.

واعتمدت الدراسة فرضية مفادها " يسهم حسن استغلال مصادر الطاقة البديلة آو الخضراء بتحسين المردودات الاقتصادية والبيئية والاجتماعية في المؤسسات الصناعية "

اتخذ البحث من تعزيز مفاهيم الاستدامة بـ ( الاقتصادية والبيئية والاجتماعية) أهدافاً رئيسة له فضلا عن الاسهام في نشر المفاهيم ذات العلاقة بتوافر حصة متوازنة من مصادر الطاقة الحالية للجيل الحالي وللأجيال القادمة كرؤية ومسؤولية اجتماعية وأخلاقية مستقبلية.

اعتمدت الدراسة على الأسلوب الوصفي التحليلي كطريقة لها. واختيرت ثلاث مؤسسات صناعية في البصرة ( النفط، الغاز، الكهرباء) مجالا ميدانياً لتطبيقها .

إذ تم اعتماد مقياس مطور بعد عرضه على عدد من المختصين بالموضوع المبحوث والأخذ بتوجيهاتهم التي تجسدت باستبانة وزعت على عينة عشوائية  بلغ عددها (75) فرداً يمثلون مجتمعا مكونا من ثلاث مؤسسات اختيرت منها مجموعات عشوائية حدد عدد كل مجموعة منها بـ (25) فردا  يملكون مقدرات وجدارة تمكنهم من الإجابة بمهنية عن مفرداتها.

على هذا الأساس توصلت الدراسة إلى استنتاجات عدة منها :-

- ضعف الاهتمام بالأنشطة السياسية والثقافية  في مجال الطاقة البديلة.

- محدودية علاقة وتأثير ( الأنشطة السياسية، والأنشطة الثقافية) في تعزيز نواتج الطاقة البديلة .
واقع التحاسب الضريبي في العراق وافاق تطويره
Authors: عبد الجبار ورقاء خالد , عبيد فداء عدنان
Published: December 2018

الملخص:

هذا البحث يعد محاولة بسيطة وجهد متواضع هدفه الاول والاخير الاشارة الى الية عمل التحاسب الضريبي هدفها التخفيف عن كاهل المكلف واعطاء حرية اكثر للمخمن لتطبيق ماجاء به المشرع الضريبي في وصف المخمن ولكي يكون مخمن فعلاً وليس محاسباً يطبق عمليات حسابية املتها عليه الضوابط السنوية الصادرة عن الجهات فلا يستطيع تقدير وضع المكلف وقد يكون غير مقتنع بعمله في بعض الاحيان بسبب تحجيم دوره من قبل الهيئة العامة للضرائب .

وعليه يتضمن هذا البحث اربع مباحث ، المبحث الاول يتضمن منهجية البحث والمبحث الثاني يتضمن تعريف المحاسبة الضريبية واغراضها والمبحث الثالث تضمن التعرف على خطوات المحاسبة الضريبية وعناصرها أما المبحث الرابع فتضمن اهم الاستنتاجات والتوصيات.
PERANCANGAN SISTEM INFORMASI PENJUALAN BERBASIS E-COMMERCE STUDI KASUS TOKO KUN JAKARTA
Authors: Handayani Sutri
Published: December 2018

Information technology is very influential for the progress of a business. Various ways are done to promote the business owned, one of them by using ecommerce website. E-commerce is a buying and selling activity conducted online through the website or website. In KUN Toko case study case, the problem that often faced is the promotion media using only banners, the sale is still limited to offline, data storage and printing report is still in the form of records in the form of archives. The purpose of the research is to provide solutions to solve existing problems by designing an ecommerce-based sales information system. The results and conclusions of this research is ecommerce-based sales website can be used as a media campaign, simplify the process of selling done online, and can simplify the data processing and printing reports that no longer require recording in the form of archives.
Biologija i ekologija
bijele lobode (Chenopodium
album L.)
Authors: Brijačak Ema , Šoštarčić Valentina , Šćepanović Maja
Published: December 2018

Bijela loboda (Chenopodium album L.) jednogodišnji je širokolisni korov iz porodice lobodnjača (Chenopodiaceae). Podnosi vrlo različite klimatske uvjete i različite tipove tala zbog čega se ubraja među pet najrasprostranjenijih korovnih biljaka u svijetu. U Hrvatskoj je treći najučestaliji korov okopavinskih usjeva. Loboda je kozmopolitska vrsta s arealom rasprostranjenosti od 70° sjeverne do 50° južne geografske širine. Sposobna je prilagoditi se različitim klimatskim uvjetima pa biološki temperaturni minimum (Tb), ovisno o klimatu, varira od 2,0 do 6,0°C. Za područje kontinentalne Hrvatske Tb iznosi 3,4°C. Može nicati u uvjetima visokog vodnog stresa kao i u širokom rasponu pH tla vrijednosti od jako kiselih do alkalnih. Svojom prisutnošću u usjevu,ovisno o vremenu nicanja, gustoći i razvojnom stadiju kulture, znatno utječe na prinos okopavinskih kao i povrtlarskih kultura. Važan je korov u oko 40 poljoprivrednih kultura, a najčešće u šećernoj repi, krumpiru, soji, kukuruzu, suncokretu i jarim žitaricama. Glavna štetnost lobode, ogleda se u direktnim štetama. Važne su i indirektne štete kao npr. otežana žetva, kontaminacija uroda i tla sjemenjem, prenošenje virusnih bolesti na kultivirano bilje i dr. Pelud bijele lobode kod osjetljivih ljudi uzrokuje jake alergijske reakcije.
Monocyte Subsets in Atherosclerosis and Modification with Exercise in Humans
Authors: Aw Ning , Canetti Elisa , Suzuki Katsuhiko , Goh Jorming
Published: December 2018

Atherosclerosis is a progressive pathological remodeling of the arteries and one of its hallmarks is the presence of chronic inflammation. Notably, there is an increased proportion and activation state of specific monocyte subsets in systemic blood circulation. Monocyte subsets have distinct contributions to the formation, progression, and destabilization of the atherosclerotic plaque. Strong clinical and epidemiological studies show that regular aerobic exercise mitigates the progression of cardiovascular disease. In fact, aerobic fitness is a powerful predictor of cardiovascular mortality in adults, independent of traditional risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Acute bouts and chronic exercise training modulate monocyte behavior, ranging from their recruitment from the bone marrow or marginal pool, to tissue margination and functional changes in cytokine and chemokine production. Such modulation could reflect a potential mechanism for the cardio-protective effect of exercise on atherosclerosis. This review summarizes the current knowledge of monocyte subsets and highlights what is known about their responses to exercise.
Estimation of Association between Healthcare System Efficiency and Policy Factors for Public Health
Authors: Lee Seunggyu , Kim Changhee
Published: December 2018

Objective: To assess the association between the healthcare system’s efficiency and policy factors (the types of healthcare systems and various health policy indicators). Methods: In this study, a data envelopment analysis (DEA) with bootstrapping was applied to the healthcare system’s efficiency to correct the bias of efficiency scores and to rank countries appropriately. We analyzed data mainly from the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Health Data from 2014. After obtaining the efficiency score result, we analyzed which policy factor caused the inefficiency of the healthcare system by Tobit Regression. Results: Based on five types of healthcare system classification, the result suggested that the social health insurance (e.g., Austria, Germany, Switzerland) showed the lowest efficiency score on average when compared to other types of systems, but evidence of a statistically significant difference in healthcare efficiency among four types of healthcare systems was not found. It was shown that the pure technological efficiency of the healthcare system was negatively influenced by two main factors: user choice for basic insurance coverage and degree of decentralization to sub-national governments. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that countries with relatively low healthcare system efficiency may learn from countries that implement policies related to a low level of user choice and a high level of centralization to achieve more economical allocation of their healthcare resources.
Concentrations of Multiple Phytoplankton Pigments in the Global Oceans Obtained from Satellite Ocean Color Measurements with MERIS
Authors: Wang Guoqing , Lee Zhongping , Mouw Colleen B.
Published: December 2018

The remote sensing of chlorophyll a concentration from ocean color satellites has been an essential variable quantifying phytoplankton in the past decades, yet estimation of accessory pigments from ocean color remote sensing data has remained largely elusive. In this study, we validated the concentrations of multiple pigments (Cpigs) retrieved from in situ and MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) measured remote sensing reflectance (Rrs(λ)) in the global oceans. A multi-pigment inversion model (MuPI) was used to semi-analytically retrieve Cpigs from Rrs(λ). With a set of globally optimized parameters, the accuracy of the retrievals obtained with MuPI is quite promising. Compared with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) measurements near Bermuda, the concentrations of chlorophyll a, b, c ([Chl-a], [Chl-b], [Chl-c]), photoprotective carotenoids ([PPC]), and photosynthetic carotenoids ([PSC]) can be retrieved from MERIS data with a mean unbiased absolute percentage difference of 38%, 78%, 65%, 36%, and 47%, respectively. The advantage of the MuPI approach is the simultaneous retrievals of [Chl-a] and the accessory pigments [Chl-b], [Chl-c], [PPC], [PSC] from MERIS Rrs(λ) based on a closure between the input and output Rrs(λ) spectra. These results can greatly expand scientific studies of ocean biology and biogeochemistry of the global oceans that are not possible when the only available information is [Chl-a].
The Fundamental Contribution of Phytoplankton Spectral Scattering to Ocean Colour: Implications for Satellite Detection of Phytoplankton Community Structure
Authors: Lain Lisl Robertson , Bernard Stewart
Published: December 2018

There is increasing interdisciplinary interest in phytoplankton community dynamics as the growing environmental problems of water quality (particularly eutrophication) and climate change demand attention. This has led to a pressing need for improved biophysical and causal understanding of Phytoplankton Functional Type (PFT) optical signals, in order for satellite radiometry to be used to detect ecologically relevant phytoplankton assemblage changes. Biophysically and biogeochemically consistent phytoplankton Inherent Optical Property (IOP) models play an important role in achieving this understanding, as the optical effects of phytoplankton assemblage changes can be examined systematically in relation to the bulk optical water-leaving signal. The Equivalent Algal Populations (EAP) model is used here to investigate the source and magnitude of size- and pigment- driven PFT signals in the water-leaving reflectance, as well as the potential to detect these using satellite radiometry. This model places emphasis on the determination of biophysically consistent phytoplankton IOPs, with both absorption and scattering determined by mathematically cogent relationships to the particle complex refractive indices. All IOPs are integrated over an entire size distribution. A distinctive attribute is the model’s comprehensive handling of the spectral and angular character of phytoplankton scattering. Selected case studies and sensitivity analyses reveal that phytoplankton spectral scattering is most useful and the least ambiguous driver of the PFT signal. Key findings are that there is the most sensitivity in phytoplankton backscatter ( b b ϕ ) in the 1–6 μ m size range; the backscattering-driven signal in the 520 to 570 nm region is the critical PFT identifier at marginal biomass, and that, while PFT information does appear at blue wavelengths, absorption-driven signals are compromised by ambiguity due to biomass and non-algal absorption. Low signal in the red, due primarily to absorption by water, inhibits PFT detection here. The study highlights the need to quantitatively understand the constraints imposed by phytoplankton biomass and the IOP budget on the assemblage-related signal. A proportional phytoplankton contribution of approximately 40% to the total b b appears to a reasonable minimum threshold in terms of yielding a detectable optical change in R r s . We hope these findings will provide considerable insight into the next generation of PFT algorithms.
Ocean Color Analytical Model Explicitly Dependent on the Volume Scattering Function
Authors: Twardowski Michael , Tonizzo Alberto
Published: December 2018

An analytical radiative transfer (RT) model for remote sensing reflectance that includes the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is described. The model, called ZTT (Zaneveld-Twardowski-Tonizzo), is based on the restatement of the RT equation by Zaneveld (1995) in terms of light field shape factors. Besides remote sensing geometry considerations (solar zenith angle, viewing angle, and relative azimuth), the inputs are Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) absorption a and backscattering bb coefficients, the shape of the particulate volume scattering function (VSF) in the backward direction, and the particulate backscattering ratio. Model performance (absolute error) is equivalent to full RT simulations for available high quality validation data sets, indicating almost all residual errors are inherent to the data sets themselves, i.e., from the measurements of IOPs and radiometry used as model input and in match up assessments, respectively. Best performance was observed when a constant backward phase function shape based on the findings of Sullivan and Twardowski (2009) was assumed in the model. Critically, using a constant phase function in the backward direction eliminates a key unknown, providing a path toward inversion to solve for a and bb. Performance degraded when using other phase function shapes. With available data sets, the model shows stronger performance than current state-of-the-art look-up table (LUT) based BRDF models used to normalize reflectance data, formulated on simpler first order RT approximations between rrs and bb/a or bb/(a + bb) (Morel et al., 2002; Lee et al., 2011). Stronger performance of ZTT relative to LUT-based models is attributed to using a more representative phase function shape, as well as the additional degrees of freedom achieved with several physically meaningful terms in the model. Since the model is fully described with analytical expressions, errors for terms can be individually assessed, and refinements can be readily made without carrying out the gamut of full RT computations required for LUT-based models. The ZTT model is invertible to solve for a and bb from remote sensing reflectance, and inversion approaches are being pursued in ongoing work. The focus here is with development and testing of the in-water forward model, but current ocean color remote sensing approaches to cope with an air-sea interface and atmospheric effects would appear to be transferable. In summary, this new analytical model shows good potential for future ocean color inversion with low bias, well-constrained uncertainties (including the VSF), and explicit terms that can be readily tuned. Emphasis is put on application to the future NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission.
Influence of Three-Dimensional Coral Structures on Hyperspectral Benthic Reflectance and Water-Leaving Reflectance
Authors: Hedley John D. , Mirhakak Maryam , Wentworth Adam , Dierssen Heidi M.
Published: December 2018

Shading and inter-reflections created by the three-dimensional coral canopy structure play an important role on benthic reflectance and its propagation above the water. Here, a plane parallel model was coupled with a three-dimensional radiative transfer canopy model, incorporating measured coral shapes and hyperspectral benthic reflectances, to investigate this question under different illumination and water column conditions. Results indicated that a Lambertian treatment of the bottom reflectance can be a reasonable assumption if a variable shading factor is included. Without flexibility in the shading treatment, nadir view bottom reflectances can vary by as much as ±20% (or ±9% in above-water remote sensing reflectance) under solar zenith angles (SZAs) up to 50°. Spectrally-independent shading factors are developed for benthic coral reflectance measurements based on the rugosity of the coral. In remote sensing applications, where the rugosity is unknown, a shading factor could be incorporated as an endmember for retrieval in the inversion scheme. In dense coral canopies in clear shallow waters, the benthos cannot always be treated as Lambertian, and for large solar-view angles the bi-directional reflectance distribution functions (BRDF) hotspot propagated to above water reflectances can create up to a 50% or more difference in water-leaving reflectances, and discrepancies of 20% even for nadir-view geometries.
Estimating Underwater Light Regime under Spatially Heterogeneous Sea Ice in the Arctic
Authors: Massicotte Philippe , Bécu Guislain , Lambert-Girard Simon , Leymarie Edouard , Babin Marcel
Published: December 2018

The vertical diffuse attenuation coefficient for downward plane irradiance ( K d ) is an apparent optical property commonly used in primary production models to propagate incident solar radiation in the water column. In open water, estimating K d is relatively straightforward when a vertical profile of measurements of downward irradiance, E d , is available. In the Arctic, the ice pack is characterized by a complex mosaic composed of sea ice with snow, ridges, melt ponds, and leads. Due to the resulting spatially heterogeneous light field in the top meters of the water column, it is difficult to measure at single-point locations meaningful K d values that allow predicting average irradiance at any depth. The main objective of this work is to propose a new method to estimate average irradiance over large spatially heterogeneous area as it would be seen by drifting phytoplankton. Using both in situ data and 3D Monte Carlo numerical simulations of radiative transfer, we show that (1) the large-area average vertical profile of downward irradiance, E d ¯ ( z ) , under heterogeneous sea ice cover can be represented by a single-term exponential function and (2) the vertical attenuation coefficient for upward radiance ( K L u ), which is up to two times less influenced by a heterogeneous incident light field than K d in the vicinity of a melt pond, can be used as a proxy to estimate E d ¯ ( z ) in the water column.
Management of Waste Streams from Dairy Manufacturing Operations Using Membrane Filtration and Dissolved Air Flotation
Authors: Nagappan Subbiah , Phinney David M. , Heldman Dennis R.
Published: December 2018

Membrane filtration can provide a significant role in the management of waste streams from food manufacturing operations. The objective of this research was to evaluate the reductions in the organic content of waste streams accomplished when using membrane filtration. Reductions in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) by membrane filtration were compared to a Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) system. Membranes with six different pore sizes (200, 20, 8, 4, 0.083, and 0.058 kDa) were evaluated. In addition, the various membrane treatments were applied after the DAF as an additional level of comparison. The DAF treatment provided 75.15 ± 3.95% reduction in COD, and the reduction in COD improved from 85% to 99% as the membrane pore size decreased. When all membranes were used after a DAF pre-treatment, a reduction in COD to less than 1200 ppm in the permeate stream was achieved. These reductions were independent of the COD in the feed stream. The membrane fouling rates were evaluated for the membranes with the four largest pore-sizes membranes. The membranes with 20 kDa pore-size had the lowest fouling rates during extended fouling-rate studies.
Impregnation of Wood with Microencapsulated Bio-Based Phase Change Materials for High Thermal Mass Engineered Wood Flooring
Authors: Mathis Damien , Blanchet Pierre , Landry Véronic , Lagière Philippe
Published: December 2018

Wood is a porous material that can be impregnated and have enhanced properties. Two species of hardwood, red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), were impregnated in a reactor with a microencapsulated phase change material. The objective was to enhance the thermal mass of wood boards used as surface layers for engineered wood flooring manufacturing. Preliminary experiments were conducted on small samples in order to define suitable impregnation parameters, based on the Bethell cycle. Thin wood boards were impregnated with a microencapsulated phase change material dispersed into distilled water. Several cycles of pressure were applied. Heating storage of the impregnated wood boards was determined using a dynamic heat flow meter apparatus method. A latent heat storage of 7.6 J/g over 3 °C was measured for impregnated red oak samples. This corresponds to a heat storage enhancement of 77.0%. Sugar maple was found to be harder to impregnate and thus his thermal enhancement was lower. Impregnated samples were observed by reflective optical microscopy. Microcapsules were found mainly in the large vessels of red oak, forming aggregates. Pull-off tests were conducted on varnished samples to assess the influence of an impregnation on varnish adhesion and no significant influence was revealed. Engineered wood flooring manufactured with impregnated boards such as characterized in this study could store solar energy and thus improve buildings energy efficiency. Although wood is a material with a low-conductivity, the thermal exchange between the PCM and the building air could be good enough as the microcapsules are positioned in the surface layer. Furthermore, flooring is an area with frequent sunrays exposure. Such high thermal mass EWF could lead to energy savings and to an enhancement of occupant’s thermal comfort. This study aimed to characterize the potential of impregnation with MPCM of two wood species in order to make high thermal mass EWF.
Influence of Piano Key Vibration Level on Players’ Perception and Performance in Piano Playing
Authors: Flückiger Matthias , Grosshauser Tobias , Tröster Gerhard
Published: December 2018

In this study, the influence of piano key vibration levels on players’ personal judgment of the instrument quality and on the dynamics and timing of the players’ performance of a music piece excerpt is examined. In an experiment four vibration levels were presented to eleven pianists playing on a digital grand piano with grand piano-like key action. By evaluating the players’ judgment of the instrument quality, strong integration effects of auditory and tactile information were observed. Differences in the sound of the instrument were perceived by the players, when the vibration level in the keys was changed and the results indicate a sound-dependent optimum of the vibration levels. By analyzing the influence of the vibration levels on the timing and dynamics accuracy of the pianists’ musical performances, we could not observe systematic differences that depend on the vibration level.
A Full-Process Numerical Analyzing Method of Low-Velocity Impact Damage and Residual Strength for Stitched Composites
Authors: Zhang Hongjian , Wang Mingming , Wen Weidong , Xu Ying , Cui Haitao , Chen Jinbo
Published: December 2018

The failure and residual strength after low-velocity impact of stitched composites are very important in their service and maintenance phases. In order to capture the failure and residual strength more accurately, a full-process numerical analyzing method was developed in this paper. The full-process numerical analyzing method includes two parts: (1) Part 1 is the progressive low-velocity impact damage prediction method for stitched composites; (2) Part 2 is the progressive residual strength prediction method by introducing all types of damage that are caused by the low-velocity impact as the analysis presuppositions. Subsequently, the failure and residual strength of G0827/QY9512 stitched composites were simulated by the full-process numerical analyzing method. When compared with experiments, it is found that: (1) the maximum error of low-velocity impact damage areas was 17.8%, and their damage modes were similar; (2) the maximum error of residual strength was 8.9%. At last, the influence rules of stitched density and stitching thread thickness were analyzed. The simulation results showed that, if there is no suture breakage failure, stitched density affects the mechanical properties of the stitched composites, while stitching thread thickness has little effect on it; otherwise, both factors have a significant effect on the mechanical properties.
A Review of the Applications of OCT for Analysing Pharmaceutical Film Coatings
Authors: Lin Hungyen , Zhang Zijian , Markl Daniel , Zeitler J. Axel , Shen Yaochun
Published: December 2018

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has recently attracted a lot of interest in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry as a fast, contactless and non-destructive modality for quantifying thin film coatings on pharmaceutical dosage forms, which cannot be resolved easily with other techniques. In this topical review, we present an overview of the research that has been performed to date, highlighting key differences between systems and outlining major challenges ahead.
Dynamic Response Analysis of Rutting Resistance Performance of High Modulus Asphalt Concrete Pavement
Authors: Si Chundi , Cao Hang , Chen Enli , You Zhanping , Tian Ruilan , Zhang Ran , Gao Junfeng
Published: December 2018

In order to systematically study the rutting resistance performance of High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) pavements, a finite element method model of HMAC pavement was established using ABAQUS software. Based on the viscoelasticity theory of asphalt, the stress and deformation distribution characteristics of HMAC pavement were studied and compared to conventional asphalt pavement under moving loads. Then, the pavement temperature field model was established to study the temperature variation and the thermal stress in HMAC pavement. Finally, under the condition of continuous temperature variation, the creep behavior and permanent deformation of HMAC pavement were investigated. The results showed that under the action of moving loads, the strain and displacement generated in HMAC pavement were lower than those in conventional asphalt pavement. The upper surface layer was most obviously affected by outside air temperature, resulting in maximum thermal stress. Lastly, under the condition of continuous temperature change, HMAC pavement could greatly reduce the deformation of asphalt material in each surface layer compared to conventional asphalt pavement.
Interface Growth and Void Formation in Sn/Cu and Sn0.7Cu/Cu Systems
Authors: Chen Jieshi , Zhang Yongzhi , Yu Zhishui , Zhang Peilei , Zhao Wanqin , Yang Jin , Wu Di
Published: December 2018

In this work, the effects of electroplated Cu (EP Cu) and Cu addition (0.7%) in Sn solder on the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) growth and void formation were clarified by comparison with solder joints comprising of high purity Cu (HP Cu) substrate and pure Sn solder. After aging processes, a new IMC, Cu3Sn, was formed at the interface, in addition to Cu6Sn5 formed in the as-soldered joints. The EP Cu and Cu addition (0.7%) both had limited effects on the total IMCs thickness. However, the effects varied on the growth behaviors of different IMCs. Comparing to the void-free interface between Sn and HP Cu, a large number of voids were observed at the Cu3Sn/Cu interface in Sn/EP Cu joints. The formation of these voids may be induced by the impurities and fine grain, which were introduced during the electroplating process. The addition of Cu suppressed the inter-diffusion of Cu and Sn at the interface. Consequently, the growth of the Cu3Sn layer and formation of voids were suppressed.
Combining Optical Approaches with Human Inducible Pluripotent Stem Cells in G Protein-Coupled Receptor Drug Screening and Development
Authors: Bourque Kyla , Jones-Tabah Jace , Mnasri Nourhen , Martin Ryan D. , Hébert Terence E.
Published: December 2018

Drug discovery for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) stands at an interesting juncture. Screening programs are slowly moving away from model heterologous cell systems such as human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells to more relevant cellular, tissue and whole animal platforms. Investigators are now developing analytical approaches as means to undertake different aspects of drug discovery by scaling into increasingly more relevant models all the way down to the single cell level. Such approaches include cellular, tissue slice and whole animal models where biosensors that track signaling events and receptor conformational profiles can be used. Here, we review aspects of biosensor-based imaging approaches that might be used in inducible pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and organoid models, and focus on how such models must be characterized in order to apply them in drug screening.
Identification of the Genetic Variation and Gene Exchange between Citrus Trifoliata and Citrus Clementina
Authors: Liu Tian-Jia , Zhou Jing-Jing , Chen Fa-Yi , Gan Zhi-Meng , Li Yong-Ping , Zhang Jin-Zhi , Hu Chun-Gen
Published: December 2018

To identify the genetic variation between Citrus trifoliata and Citrus clementina, we performed genome resequencing on the two citrus species. Compared with the citrus reference genome, a total of 9,449,204 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 846,615 insertion/deletion polymorphisms (InDels) were identified in the two citrus species, while 1,868,115 (19.77%) of the SNPs and 190,199 (22.47%) of the InDels from the two citrus species were located in the genic regions. Meanwhile, a total of 8,091,407 specific SNPs and 692,654 specific InDels were identified in the two citrus genotypes, yielding an average of 27.32 SNPs/kb and 2.34 InDels/kb. We identified and characterized the patterns of gene exchanges in the grafted citrus plants by using specific genetic variation from genome resequencing. A total of 4396 transporting genes across graft junctions was identified. Some specific genetic variation and mobile genes was also confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Furthermore, these mobile genes could move directionally or bidirectionally between the scions and the rootstocks. In addition, a total of 1581 and 2577 differentially expressed genes were found in the scions and the rootstocks after grafting compared with the control, respectively. These genetic variations provide fundamental information on the genetic basis of important traits between C. trifoliata and C. clementina, as the transport of genes would be applicable to horticulture crops.
AuPt Nanoparticles Clusters on MWCNTs with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for Methanol Oxidation
Authors: Wang Changzheng , Yang Fengnan , Gao Li , Xu Shoufang , Fan Louzhen , Guo Tao , Liu Yongfeng , Zhou Lian , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2018

AuPt nanoparticles clusters (NPCs) were electrodeposited on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The as-prepared AuPt NPCs@MWCNTs nanocomposites exhibited considerably enhanced electrocatalytic activity than Pt NPs@MWCNTs for methanol oxidation in acid medium. In comparison with Pt NPs@MWCNTs, a remarkable resistance to CO poisoning and a higher If/Ib value (the ratio of the forward scan oxidation peak current (If) and reverse scan oxidation peak current (Ib)) was achieved by AuPt NPCs@MWCNTs electrocatalyst, which is attributable to the unique NPCs nanostructure with enlarged electrochemical active surface areas. These results demonstrated the potential of AuPt NPCs@MWCNTs, which can be considered as an efficient electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells.
Synthesis of Soluble Star-Shaped Polymers via In and Out Approach by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP) of Norbornene: Factors Affecting the Synthesis
Authors: Sun Zelin , Morishita Kazuya , Nomura Kotohiro
Published: December 2018

The methods for one-pot synthesis of ‘soluble’ star-shaped polymers by sequential living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene (NBE) and cross-linking (CL) reagent using Mo(CHCMe2Ph)(N-2,6-iPr2C6H3)(OtBu)2 have been explored. The method (called the “in and out” or core-first approach) basically consists of (i) the living ROMP of NBE (formation of arm), (ii) reaction with CL (formation of core), (iii) additional living ROMP of NBE (propagating arms from the core, formation of star), (iv) end-modification via Wittig-type cleavage of metal–carbon double bonds containing polymer chain with aldehyde. Two different approaches in the core formation step (reaction with CL mixed with/without NBE) for synthesis of the high molecular weight star-shaped ROMP polymers with more branching, unimodal molecular weight distributions have been explored in detail. The method (reacting CL with NBE in the core formation step) under highly diluted conditions afforded the high molecular weight polymers with unimodal molecular weight distributions.
Hydrogen Transfer Reactions of Carbonyls, Alkynes, and Alkenes with Noble Metals in the Presence of Alcohols/Ethers and Amines as Hydrogen Donors
Authors: Baráth Eszter
Published: December 2018

Hydrogen transfer reactions have exceptional importance, due to their applicability in numerous synthetic pathways, with academic as well as industrial relevance. The most important transformations are, e.g., reduction, ring-closing, stereoselective reactions, and the synthesis of heterocycles. The present review provides insights into the hydrogen transfer reactions in the condensed phase in the presence of noble metals (Rh, Ru, Pd) as catalysts. Since the H-donor molecules (such as alcohols/ethers and amines (1°, 2°, 3°)) and the acceptor molecules (alkenes (C=C), alkynes (C≡C), and carbonyl (C=O) compounds) play a crucial role from mechanistic viewpoints, the present summary points out the key mechanistic differences with the interpretation of current contributions and the corresponding historical achievements as well.
Filtering Techniques for Chaotic Signal Processing
Authors: Butusov Denis , Karimov Timur , Voznesenskiy Alexander , Kaplun Dmitry , Andreev Valery , Ostrovskii Valerii
Published: December 2018

The vulnerability of chaotic communication systems to noise in transmission channel is a serious obstacle for practical applications. Traditional signal processing techniques provide only limited possibilities for efficient filtering broadband chaotic signals. In this paper, we provide a comparative study of several denoising and filtering approaches: a recursive IIR filter, a median filter, a wavelet-based denoising method, a method based on empirical modes decomposition, and, finally, propose the new filtering algorithm based on the cascade of driven chaotic oscillators. Experimental results show that all the considered methods make it possible to increase the permissible signal-to-noise ratio to provide the possibility of message recognition, while the new proposed method showed the best performance and reliability.
H∞ Consensus Control for Heterogeneous Multi-Agent via Output under Markov Switching Topologies
Authors: Miao Guoying , Li Gang , Li Tao , Liu Yunping
Published: December 2018

The paper investigates H ∞ consensus problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems including agents with first- and second-order integrators in the presence of disturbance and communication time delays under Markov switching topologies. Based on current messages, outdated information stored in memory and communication time delay information from neighbors, a more general kind of distributed consensus algorithm is proposed, which is faster consensus convergence. By applying stochastic stability analysis, model transformation techniques and graph theory, sufficient conditions of mean square consensus and H ∞ consensus are obtained, respectively. Finally, simulation examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of obtained theoretical results.
S100A10 and Cancer Hallmarks: Structure, Functions, and its Emerging Role in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Noye Tannith M. , Lokman Noor A. , Oehler Martin K. , Ricciardelli Carmela
Published: December 2018

S100A10, which is also known as p11, is located in the plasma membrane and forms a heterotetramer with annexin A2. The heterotetramer, comprising of two subunits of annexin A2 and S100A10, activates the plasminogen activation pathway, which is involved in cellular repair of normal tissues. Increased expression of annexin A2 and S100A10 in cancer cells leads to increased levels of plasmin—which promotes the degradation of the extracellular matrix—increased angiogenesis, and the invasion of the surrounding organs. Although many studies have investigated the functional role of annexin A2 in cancer cells, including ovarian cancer, S100A10 has been less studied. We recently demonstrated that high stromal annexin A2 and high cytoplasmic S100A10 expression is associated with a 3.4-fold increased risk of progression and 7.9-fold risk of death in ovarian cancer patients. Other studies have linked S100A10 with multidrug resistance in ovarian cancer; however, no functional studies to date have been performed in ovarian cancer cells. This article reviews the current understanding of S100A10 function in cancer with a particular focus on ovarian cancer.
Medicinal Leech CNS as a Model for Exosome Studies in the Crosstalk between Microglia and Neurons
Authors: Raffo-Romero Antonella , Arab Tanina , Al-Amri Issa S. , Le Marrec-Croq Francoise , Van Camp Christelle , Lemaire Quentin , Salzet Michel , Vizioli Jacopo , Sautiere Pierre-Eric , Lefebvre Christophe
Published: December 2018

In healthy or pathological brains, the neuroinflammatory state is supported by a strong communication involving microglia and neurons. Recent studies indicate that extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, play a key role in the physiological interactions between cells allowing central nervous system (CNS) development and/or integrity. The present report used medicinal leech CNS to investigate microglia/neuron crosstalk from ex vivo approaches as well as primary cultures. The results demonstrated a large production of exosomes from microglia. Their incubation to primary neuronal cultures showed a strong interaction with neurites. In addition, neurite outgrowth assays demonstrated microglia exosomes to exhibit significant neurotrophic activities using at least a Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-β) family member, called nGDF (nervous Growth/Differentiation Factor). Of interest, the results also showed an EV-mediated dialog between leech microglia and rat cells highlighting this communication to be more a matter of molecules than of species. Taken together, the present report brings a new insight into the microglia/neuron crosstalk in CNS and would help deciphering the molecular evolution of such a cell communication in brain.
Muller’s Ratchet and Ribosome Degeneration in the Obligate Intracellular Parasites Microsporidia
Authors: Melnikov Sergey V. , Manakongtreecheep Kasidet , Rivera Keith D. , Makarenko Arthur , Pappin Darryl J. , Söll Dieter
Published: December 2018

Microsporidia are fungi-like parasites that have the smallest known eukaryotic genome, and for that reason they are used as a model to study the phenomenon of genome decay in parasitic forms of life. Similar to other intracellular parasites that reproduce asexually in an environment with alleviated natural selection, Microsporidia experience continuous genome decay that is driven by Muller’s ratchet—an evolutionary process of irreversible accumulation of deleterious mutations that lead to gene loss and the miniaturization of cellular components. Particularly, Microsporidia have remarkably small ribosomes in which the rRNA is reduced to the minimal enzymatic core. In this study, we analyzed microsporidian ribosomes to study an apparent impact of Muller’s ratchet on structure of RNA and protein molecules in parasitic forms of life. Through mass spectrometry of microsporidian proteome and analysis of microsporidian genomes, we found that massive rRNA reduction in microsporidian ribosomes appears to annihilate the binding sites for ribosomal proteins eL8, eL27, and eS31, suggesting that these proteins are no longer bound to the ribosome in microsporidian species. We then provided an evidence that protein eS31 is retained in Microsporidia due to its non-ribosomal function in ubiquitin biogenesis. Our study illustrates that, while Microsporidia carry the same set of ribosomal proteins as non-parasitic eukaryotes, some ribosomal proteins are no longer participating in protein synthesis in Microsporidia and they are preserved from genome decay by having extra-ribosomal functions. More generally, our study shows that many components of parasitic cells, which are identified by automated annotation of pathogenic genomes, may lack part of their biological functions due to continuous genome decay.
Extracellular Interactions of Alpha-Synuclein in Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Valdinocci Dario , Radford Rowan A. W. , Goulding Michael , Hayashi Junna , Chung Roger S. , Pountney Dean L.
Published: December 2018

Multiple system atrophy, characterized by atypical Parkinsonism, results from central nervous system (CNS) cell loss and dysfunction linked to aggregates of the normally pre-synaptic α-synuclein protein. Mostly cytoplasmic pathological α-synuclein inclusion bodies occur predominantly in oligodendrocytes in affected brain regions and there is evidence that α-synuclein released by neurons is taken up preferentially by oligodendrocytes. However, extracellular α-synuclein has also been shown to interact with other neural cell types, including astrocytes and microglia, as well as extracellular factors, mediating neuroinflammation, cell-to-cell spread and other aspects of pathogenesis. Here, we review the current evidence for how α-synuclein present in the extracellular milieu may act at the cell surface to drive components of disease progression. A more detailed understanding of the important extracellular interactions of α-synuclein with neuronal and non-neuronal cell types both in the brain and periphery may provide new therapeutic targets to modulate the disease process.