bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INVESTIGATIONS ON SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF THE EARTHWORM OCTOLASION CYANEUM (SAVIGNY, 1826) (LUMBRICIDAE: ANNELIDA) IN HIGH ALTITUDE FOREST SYSTEM OF THE KUMAUN HIMALAYAS, INDIA
Authors: NEHA RAJWAR  , SATPAL SINGH BISHT  , SPARSH BHATT  , RASHI MIGLANI  , VINAY SINGH
Published: July 2018

The study was conducted in Nainital 29Â°23â€²27.94â€²â€² N, 79Â°26â€²53.34â€²â€² E at 2046 m a.s.l. and describes the population dynamics of earthworm Octolasion cyaneum (Lumbricidae: Annelida) during three seasons i.e. summer (March-June), rainy (July-October) and winter (November-February) to determine the density of earthworm Octolasion cyaneum and its relationship with climatic and physico-chemical factors of soil. The area is inhabited by the earthworm Octolasion cyaneum which has been reported first time in the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand, India and is considered as the inhabitant of higher altitudes of Indian Himalayas. A mean total of 2550 earthworms from 6 field collections were collected in two consecutive study years i.e. 2015-17. The mean density of earthworm ranged between 10 m-2 to 48.25 m-2 during the study period. The study showed that the maximum density of earthworm was recorded in the upper monolith (0-15 cm) as the organic content is more abundant in upper strata. The age structure of earthworms indicated that the clitellates were more abundant than aclitellates. The mean soil pH from the forest sample was slightly acidic i.e. 6.5 and C: N has been found 11.3. A significant positive correlation has been obtained between worm density and soil temp (r<0.05) and soil C (r<0.05).
AVALIAÇÃO DAS ESCOLAS E REGULAÇÃO POLÍTICO-NORMATIVA: uma análise de discursos
Authors: Fonseca Dora , Costa Jorge Adelino
Published: July 2018

Em Portugal, nas últimas décadas, o discurso político-normativo em torno da educação tem sido marcado por uma gramática que alguns autores apelidam de gerencialista. Neste trabalho, procuramos proceder a uma análise sobre esse assunto, tendo por base, por um lado, o normativo legal que enquadra a avaliação das escolas (Lei nº 31/2002) e, por outro, as construções discursivas da Inspeção da Educação (relatórios de avaliação externa das escolas) e das escolas (relatórios de avaliação interna das escolas).Palavras-chave: Avaliação das escolas; Regulação transnacional; Políticas educativas.
SENSITIVITY OF HOUSEHOLDS CONSUMPTION DEFLATOR TO CHANGES IN PRICES OF IMPORTED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Authors: Gorzałczyński Artur , Przybyliński Michał
Published: July 2018

The aim of the article is to assess the sensitivity of the deflator of households consumption to changes in prices of imported agricultural products. In addition to assessing the scale of this sensitivity, its changes in time and spatial diversification were tracked. The research used the input – output price model. It is a macroeconomic model based on the cost formula, and therefore price sensitivity is described through the prism of flows of intermediate products, ignoring adjustment mechanisms. The statistical material for the period 2000–2014 was taken from world input – output database (WIOD) covering information about 43 countries of the world. The analysis carried out shows that changes in world prices of agricultural products have a rather small impact on the purchasing power of households. The observed changes in time are varied, however, the upward trend prevails. The results confirm the thesis that the sensitivity to price impulses flowing from abroad decreases along with the size of the country. Very clearly, especially in European countries, a breakdown in 2009 can be noticed, resulting from the financial crisis, which also moved to the real sphere.
INNOVATIVENESS OF EUROPEAN REGIONAL SPACE: CONVERGENCE OR DIVERGENCE?
Authors: Kijek Tomasz , Matras-Bolibok Anna
Published: July 2018

The aim of the article is to assess the convergence of innovativeness in European regions at the NUTS-2 level. In the first part of the work, the concept of region’s innovativeness is defined and methods of its measurement are presented. Next, the conditions and determinants of convergence/divergence of innovativeness in the regional area are discussed. The theoretical part of the paper suggests that the issue of convergence in the field of innovativeness is a significant, but relatively poorly explored, research area in economic literature. The empirical part of the article presents the results of the study of sigma and gamma convergence of innovativeness in a group of European regions. The research sample consists of 220 regions from 22 European Union countries, as well as Norway, Serbia and Switzerland. The obtained results indicate the occurrence of sigma divergence processes and the lack of gamma convergence processes.
The antimicrobial activity of some medical plants against bacteria that cause urinary tract infection
Authors: Hussein Nehia , Hanon Noor ameer
Published: July 2018

This study was done to evaluate the antibacterial activity of hot ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Syzygium aromatic (S.aromatic ) and Q.infectoria infectoria (gall) against pathogenic bacteria that cause urinary tract infection (UTI). Such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Qualitative detection of the active compounds of the plant extracts was done with chemical reagents. Also, the Qualitative detection of the active groups was further verified with (FTIR). The sensitivity of the UTI causing bacteria was examined against 12 different antibiotics. The results show that E.coli was the most resistant bacteria, resisting 8 from 12 antibiotics; P.aeruginosa resisted 5 from 12 antibiotics; while S.aureus showed resistance to 4 only. The antibacterial activity of the plant extracts was investigated by using four concentrations (40, 60, 80, 100 mg/ml) for each extract against two types of Gram negative bacteria (E.coli, P.aeruginosa), and one type of Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus). The plant extracts showed different effects on the growth of all bacterial strains. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and the Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the ethanolic extracts and aqueous extracts in the study were determined.The kill- time was determined also for each extract.The antioxidant activity of the plants in the study was investigated. Finally, the toxicity of the plant extracts was examined on human red blood cells.
Adoption of Geometric Properties to Detect Herniated Spinal Disc of Human
Authors: Hameed Sundos AbdulAmeer , Alwan Israa Muhamad
Published: July 2018

Image analysis and processing is useful in the medical images field, especially with the use of magnetic resonance images (MRI). In this research, MRI of the human's spine was analysis and processed to identify and detect the herniated spinal Disc, or the probability of occurrence in the future. Lumbar and sacrum regions have been applied by the system. The system includes three phases, the first is to identify the lumbar and sacrum regions second are the geometric properties measuring, and finally to detect the presence or probability of herniated to occur in the future.
Preprocessing signal for Speech Emotion Recognition
Authors: Nema Bashar M. , Abdul-Kareem Ahmed A.
Published: July 2018

Abstract: In this paper, we introduce and study preprocessing signal for speech emotion recognition. The aim of our work is to get pure signal which is created by sampling the signal from speaker. The discrimination between speech and music waves was achieved. A good signal is obtained by using preprocessing then it used for feature extraction. The files we used in this paper are wave-type for male, female and music have sample rate 48000, bit resolution is 16-bits and Mono channel. The Berlin dataset and RAVDESS dataset are used in this work.
Encrypted Image Retrieval System based on Features Analysis
Authors: GAATA Methaq Talib , Fouad Hantoosh Fadya
Published: July 2018

Abstract – Content-based search provides an important tool for users to consume the ever-growing digital media repositories. However, since communication between digital products takes place in a public network, the necessity of security for digital images becomes vital. Hence, the design of secure content-based image retrieval system is becoming an increasingly demanding task as never before. This paper, presents a mechanism that addresses the secure CBIR as a novel improvement and application for the image retrieval. The proposed system consists of six phases briefly described as follows: first, feature extraction phase, which produces the low-level quantitative description of the image (color and texture) that allows the computation of similarity measures, the definition of the ordering of the images, and the indexing of the search processes. Second, indexing for search process phase, hash table and bloom filter were employed for classification. Third, feature encryption phase, where content protection is performed using a method developed by us (including Chaotic Logistic Map). Fourth,  image encryption phase, as security mechanism for CBIR, we combine two research fields in computer science, CBIR and image cryptography, which grow up to meet the trends of security and speed in current computer sciences, chaos and stream cipher systems were applied as an image encryption system. Fifth, the retrieval phase, which provides a subset of images answering the query based on the similarity between images computed over the feature vector extracted from each image. Finally, Relevance feedback phase, a technique that attempts to capture the user’s needs through iterative feedback. Although the system proved its efficiency in search performance (with 88% of average precision), security strength, and computational complexity, it does not mean the optimal system is designed, since some weakness points still can be found that are suggested to be improved as a future work.
A Comarca de Ilhéus na ótica do Juiz Conservador Baltasar da Silva Lisboa (1797 – 1823)
Authors: Lima Ana Paula
Published: July 2018

No cargo de Juiz Conservador das Matas da Comarca de Ilhéus, que ocupou por cerca de vinte anos, Baltasar da Silva Lisboa escreveu suas memórias de Ilhéus, as quais foram as principais fontes de análise deste trabalho. A periodização escolhida diz respeito à época em que esse homem de ciência esteve envolvido em atividades relativas ao cargo de Juiz Conservador das Matas da Comarca de Ilhéus. Para desenvolver a argumentação nos pautamos por uma pesquisa e análise documental, cujas fontes principais são as já referidas memórias de Ilhéus, apoiadas por estudos e reflexões de bibliografias pertinentes ao tema. Elegeram-se três memórias principais: Ensaio da física vegetal dos bosques de Ilhéus (entre 1801 e 1803); Memória acerca da abertura de uma estrada (1808); Memória topográfica e econômica da Comarca dos Ilhéus (1823) por possuírem importantes noções de caráter naturalista.
Vitória do Futuro (1996-2010): marco e difusor do planejamento estratégico de cidades no estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil
Authors: Ferreira Giovanilton André Carretta , Bienenstein Glauco , Lira Pablo
Published: July 2018

Dentro de um contexto mais amplo de reflexão sobre as transformações geradas ou intensificadas pelo processo de globalização, com a organização do território e as suas formas de planejamento e gestão de cidades, o presente artigo apresenta a seguinte questão-problema: em que medida este “novo” ideário advindo da intensificação das políticas neoliberais no Brasil, foi incorporado ao planejamento e a gestão da cidade de Vitória, na década de 1990? Busca-se demonstrar algumas das transformações ocorridas no planejamento urbano brasileiro, por meio da análise da pioneira experiência de planejamento estratégico de Vitória, no Estado do Espírito Santo, na última década do século XX.
Transformasi Pendidikan untuk Menghadapi Globalisasi
Authors: Rinawati Anita
Published: July 2018

Globalisasi membawa dampak perubahan yang sangat signifikan terutama terhadap perubahan dari perilaku setiap individu. Kaitan antara globalisasi dan pendidikan terletak pada lahirnya suatu masyarakat baru yang ditandai dengan “knowledge-basedsociety” yang merupakan dasar dari globalisasi ekonomi dan politik yang terus-menerus berubah dan memerlukan sikap reflektif dari manusia yaitu kemampuan untuk merenungkan mengenai kehidupannya berdasarkan rasio. Untuk  itu pendidikan  sangat penting  dalam mewujudkan masyarakat masa depan yang berdasarkan ilmu pengetahuan. Peran dari transformasi pendidikan agar dapat menghasilkan manusia yang siap untuk menghadapi  tantangan  global.  Salah satu  cara  menghadapi  globalisasi  dengan  langkah- langkah  transformasi  pendidikan  dan  peningkatan  peran  guru  yang  dapat  menyesuaikan dengan kondisi saat ini. Hal ini agar pendidikan yang ada tidak tertinggal dan dapat terus bertahan untuk menghadapi dampak negatif dari globalisasi. Kata Kunci: Globalisasi,Transformasi Pendidikan
Faktor-Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Kepatuhan Membayar Pajak Bumi dan Bangunan Pedesaan dan Perkotaan
Authors: Setiaji Khasan , Nisak Adibatun
Published: July 2018

Pajak sangat berperan dalam menggerakkan roda perekonomian yang ada di Indonesia. Namun pada saat ini banyak wajib pajak yang melakukan tindakan penghindaran, pengelakan, dan pelalaian pajak yang pada akhirnya akan menyebabkan peneriman pajak negara akan berkurang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh motivasi, SPPT, pelayaan fiskus, dan kesadaran wajib pajak terhadap kepatuhan membayar pajak bumi dan bangunan pedesaan dan perkotaan di Desa Nolokerto baik secara simultan maupun secara parsial. Jenis penelitia ini digolongkan sebagai penelitian kuaintitatif. Populasi dalam peneitian ini adalah seluruh WP PBB P-2 di Desa Nolokerto. Penelitian ini menggunakan teknik pengambilan sampel dengan menggunakan teknik Propotional stratified random sampling. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah regresi berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa motivasi, SPPT, pelayanan fiskus, dan kesadaran wajib pajak berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepatuhan membayar PBB P-2 di Desa Nolokerto baik secara parsial maupun simultan. Saran dalam meningkatkan kepatuhan membayar PBB P-2, maka pemerintah harus meningkatkan motivasi wajib pajak untuk memenuhi kewajiban perpajakannya, meningkatkan keakuratan data pada SPPT dengan melakukan survey secara rutin; meningkatkan pelayanan perpajakan bumi dan bangunan P2 terhadap wajib pajak, dan  meningkatkan kesadaran wajib pajak dengan mengadakan sosialisasi atau penyuluhan dan informasi perpajakan, menciptakan aparatur pemerintah yang bersih dan berwibawa.Kata Kunci: Motivasi, SPPT, Pelayanan Fiskus, Kesadaran Wajib Pajak, Kepatuhan
PENGARUH PENERAPAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING DAN QUANTUM TEACHING TERHADAP MOTIVASI BERPRESTASI DAN HASIL BELAJAR IPS SISWA KELAS VII SMP NEGERI 1 KEDIRI
Authors: Astiti Ni Nyoman Sari , Lasmawan I Wayan , Haris Iyus Akhmad
Published: July 2018

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui perbedaan motivasi berprestasi dan hasil belajar IPS antara siswa yang mengikuti pembelajaran dengan model pembelajaran contextual teaching and learning dan quantum teaching pada siswa kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Kediri secara terpish maupun simultan. Data dalam penelitian dikumpulkan dengan kuesioner dan tes hasil belajar IPS dan dianalisis dengan anava dengan uji F dan manova dengan uji F- Wilks' Lambda. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa: (1) ada perbedaan motivasi berprestasi siswa antara yang mengikuti pembelajaran dengan model pembelajaran Contextual Teaching and Learning dan Quantum Teaching dengan Fhitung = 52,613 (p = 0,000 < 0,05), (2) ada perbedaan hasil belajar IPS siswa antara yang mengikuti pembelajaran dengan model pembelajaran Contextual Teaching and Learning dan Quantum Teaching dengan Fhitung = 30,384 (p = 0,000 < 0,05), dan (3) terdapat perbedaan motivasi berprestasi dan hasil belajar IPS siswa antara yang mengikuti pembelajaran dengan model pembelajaran Contextual Teaching and Learning dan Quantum Teaching dengan F- Wilks' Lambda= 48,307 (p = 0,000 < 0,05). Dengan demikian dapat disimpulkan bahwa model pembelajaran Contextual Teaching and Learning dan Quantum Teaching berpengaruh signifikan terhadap motivasi berprestasi dan hasil belajar siswa kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Kediri.
AKTIVITAS ANTIBAKTERI EKSTRAK POLAR DAN NON POLAR BIJI KELOR (Moringa oleifera) ASAL PULAU TIMOR NTT
Authors: Saudale Fredy , Boelan Early , Boelan Early
Published: July 2018

Tumbuhan kelor (Moringa oleifera) telah digunakan dalam pengobatan tradisional. Namun demikian belum diketahui aktivitas antibakteri ekstrak biji kelor asal pulau Timor NTT pada bakteri E.coli dan S.aureus. Ekstrak non polar didapatkan dengan metode maserasi menggunakan n-heksana yang kemudian diidentifikasi komponen kimianya dengan GC-MS. Ekstrak polar didapatkan dengan merebus biji kelor pada suhu 70oC menggunakan akuades. Dari hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa kandungan terbesar pada ekstrak non-polar adalah asam oktadek-9-enoat (85,79%) yang adalah asam trans oleat dan asam-9-oktadekanoat (12,69%), suatu asam cis-oleat. Ekstrak polar pada konsentrasi optimum 100% memberikan daya hambat yang lebih besar yaitu 5,67 mm terhadap bakteri E. coli dan 7,33 mm terhadapS. aureus dibandingkan ekstrak non-polar yang memberikan daya hambat 4,67 mm terhadapE. coli dan 5,00 mm S. aureus. Disimpulkan bahwa ekstrak polar dan nonpolar biji kelor menunjukkan aktivitas antibakteri E.coli dan S.aureus. Perbedaan daya hambat didugakarena perbedaan pada kandungan senyawa kimianya.
FACE RECOGNITION BASED MOBILE USING FISHERFACE AND DISTANCE CLASSIFIER
Authors: Putra I Nyoman Tri Anindia
Published: July 2018

Dalam era pembangunan yang semakin canggih, sistem pengenalan yang memiliki akurasi tinggi dan proses cepat sangat penting untuk mengidentifikasi pribadi. Demikian pula, perkembangan teknologi mobile seperti smartphone dan tablet memungkinkan setiap orang untuk dengan mudah melakukan berbagai kegiatan. Oleh karena itu sistem berbasis mobile akan ditambahkan sehingga sistem pengenalan wajah dapat dengan mudah diterapkan untuk perangkat mobile.Penelitian ini menggunakan metode fisherface untuk memproses fitur dari gambar wajah dan menggunakan metode ini seperti Euclidian Distance, Squared Euclidean Distance, Canberra Jarak dan Jarak Curtis Bray. Database yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah dasar dari Yale, UB (Universitas Bern), dan ORL (Olivetty Penelitian Laborary) .suatu masukan dari sistem ini adalah pengujian citra wajah dari database. Sebagai output, gambar wajah diakui oleh sistem. Di sini, masukan gambar wajah akan diklasifikasikan berdasarkan pendekatan database yang telah melatih dan disimpan ke dalam database.Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa sistem yang telah diuji dengan menggunakan metode Fisherface untuk mengambil fitur dari gambar wajah dan menggunakan Euclidian Distance memperoleh akurasi rata-rata 91,7%, Squared Euclidean Distance memperoleh akurasi rata-rata 94%, Canberra Jarak memperoleh akurasi 75,9%, dan Bray Curtis Jarak mendapatkan akurasi 81%.
PENGARUH ORIENTASI PELANGGAN, PENJUALAN ADAPTIF, DAN KUALITAS HUBUNGAN TENAGA PENJUAL-PELANGGAN TERHADAP KINERJA TENAGA PENJUAL
Authors: Saputra Hendra , Aqmala Diana
Published: July 2018

Intense competition between companies in the era of a global economy requires companies to always be the leader and best in providing satisfactory service to consumers especially companies engaged in services. Sales force management is often seen as part of marketing management is crucial in supporting the success of the company. The purpose of this study to analyze the impact of customer orientation, adaptive selling, and quality-customer relationship salesperson to salesperson performance. Methods in this study conducted by questionnaire. The population in this study is the salesperson who is in the marketing office of PT. Prudential Life Assurance in JL Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, No. 40 A Semarang, the sample used in this study were 85 respondents and sampling of the population using purposive sampling technique. Testing the hypothesis in this study using multiple regression analysis with SPSS applications 21. The results of the study with multiple linear regression showed that adaptive selling and quality of the salesperson-customer relationship positive and significant effect on salespeople performance, and customer orientation does not affect the salespeople performance.
THE INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY OF THE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES: BETWEEN TOEFL AND TOEIC
Authors: Gaspar Besin , Hartanto Yenny
Published: July 2018

Recently the university students are required by their institutions to have the TOEFL score in the fisrt year or in the last year of their study before graduation. Some other higher institutions require their students to submit TOEIC, not TOEFL, before graduation. Companies, in the recruitment process, require the applicants to submit TOEFL score to show their level of English proficiency. The first question is which one is more appropriate for job applicants in the compay: TOEFL  or TOEIC. Another question for university students before graduation is whether to have TOEFL  in the first year or in the last year before graduation. This article aims at answering the two questions raised. The first part will give an overview of various versions of TOEFL  and  TOEIC  and the second part proposes the appropriate English proficiency test  for the recruitment process for new employees and for the university graduates, that is, TOEIC for the company  and TOEFL  for universities  and  colleges.
Mining Fuzzy Sequential Patterns with Fuzzy Time-Intervals in Quantitative Sequence Databases
Authors: Phuong Truong Duc , Van Thanh Do , Dung Nguyen Duc
Published: July 2018

The main objective of this paper is to introduce fuzzy sequential patterns with fuzzy time-intervals in quantitative sequence databases. In the fuzzy sequential pattern with fuzzy time-intervals, both quantitative attributes and time distances are represented by linguistic terms. A new algorithm based on the Apriori algorithm is proposed to find the patterns. The mined patterns can be applied to market basket analysis, stock market analysis, and so on.
Evaluating the Potential Effect of Seed Priming Techniques in Improving Germination and Root Shoot Length of Maize Seed
Authors: Wajid H.A. , Alderfasi A.A. , Afzal I. , Junaid M.B. , Mahmood A. , Ahmad A. , Arsal M.N. , Tahir M.U.
Published: July 2018

The present research was conducted under laboratory conditions. The purpose of research was to investigate the potential of priming with press mud, peat moss, sand, gunny bags, compost, farm yard manure and moringa leaf extract (MLE) on seedling growth and germination capacity of maize seed. Untreated or non-primed seeds were used as a control treatment. Priming treatments improved germination capacity, stand establishment and seedling vigor, compared with control. Priming with moringa leaf extract enhance germination and seedling vigor of maize seed, compared with the control and other seed primed treatments. In moringa leaf extract primed seeds, root and shoot growth was improved. Overall, moringa leaf extract primed maize seeds performed better than all other treatments and it could be related by seedling vigor enhancement and lowering the mean germination time, due to imbibition of higher quantity of water and earlier enzymatic activity. The results propose that moringa leaf extract priming treatment had the potential to enhance germination, stand establishment and early growth of maize seeds.
Effect on surface deformation resulting from mining activity on value of property valuation. A case study from Jastrzębie- Zdrój region
Authors: Pala Paweł
Published: July 2018

The subject of the research presented in this article is the effect of subsidence resulting from underground mining exploitation on the value of non-developed real estate intended for residential construction (excluding multifamily) in Jastrzębie-Zdrój region. The article describes methodology, which helped in creating a map of average unit prices of non-developed residential properties and a map of subsidence in years 2008-2017, as well as a chart comparing these two issues. The results of the research show a relation between subsidence and nondeveloped residential properties value.
Impacts of Macro Economic Variables on the RMG Export Growth of Bangladesh
Authors: Shimu Afroza Ahammed , Islam Md. Shahidul
Published: July 2018

The ready-made garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh is considered as a key driver for the Bangladeshi Economy. This paper tries to examine the impacts of macroeconomic variables on the RMG export growth of this country. For this purpose, secondary data was collected from various sources. Multiple linear regression model was applied to measure the effects of macroeconomic variables on the RMG export growth. Trade Entropy and the Competitiveness Index were applied to understand the status of RMG sector in the world market. After that, to check the accuracy of the regression model, three types of econometric problems were tested in this study. Firstly, heteroscedasticity problem was tested by graphical presentation. Secondly, auto-correlation problem was tested by Durbin Watson test. Thirdly, multicollinearity problem was tested by correlation matrix and Variance Influence Factor (VIF). The empirical results show that for every unit increase of the growth rate of official exchange rate, inflation rate, real interest rate, and female unemployment rate; the growth rate of RMG export decreases by 1.159, 0.055, 0.034, and 0.068 units, respectively.
Information Transmission Between Cryptocurrencies: Does Bitcoin Rule the Cryptocurrency World?
Authors:   Centre  for  Business  and  Economics  Research  (CeBER),  Grupo  de  Estudos  Monetários  e  Financeiros  (GEMF), Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Bação Pedro , Duarte António Portugal ,   Centre  for  Business  and  EconomicsResearch  (CeBER),  Grupo  de  Estudos  Monetários  e  Financeiros  (GEMF), Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Sebastião Helder ,   Centre  for  Business  and  Economics Research  (CeBER),  Grupo  de  Estudos  Monetários  e  Financeiros  (GEMF), Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Redzepagic Srdjan ,   University  Nice  Sophia  Antipolis,  Université  Côte  d’Azur,  CNRS,  GREDEG,  France
Published: July 2018

This paper investigates the information transmission between the most important cryptocurrencies -Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash. We use a VAR modelling approach, upon which the Geweke’s feedback measures and generalized impulse response functions are computed. This methodology allows us to fully characterize the direction, intensity and persistence of information flows between cryptocurrencies. At the availabledata granularity, most of information transmission is contemporaneous, that is, it occurs within a day. However, it seems that there are some lagged feedback effects, mainly from other cryptocurrencies to Bitcoin. The generalized impulse-response functions confirm that there is a strong contemporaneous correlation and that there is not much evidence of lagged effects. The exception appears to be related to the overreaction of Bitcoin returns to contemporaneous shocks
Study of Thermal Properties of Lightweight Insulation Made of Flax Straw
Authors: Babenko Maryna , Estokova Adriana , Savytskyi Mykola , Unčík Stanislav
Published: July 2018

The article presents the results of a study of the properties of flax straw as a raw material and as a lightweight, environmentally-friendly insulation made of a two-component mixture of flax straw and liquid glass. The flax is considered to be renewable and is a 100% natural waste product of the agriculture industry, which may be widely used as sustainable building insulation after light modifications. The ratio mixes of the two-component eco-insulation of flax straw and liquid glass (Na2O(SiO2)) have been developed in terms of sustainability principles such as environmental friendliness and energy efficiency. We used thermal analysis to compare flax straw as a raw material, and a complex insulation made of flax straw demonstrated a slower decomposition of the composite and shorter peaks, which supports the concept of the transformation of flax straw with liquid glass to increase its fire resistance properties. The peaks of the loss of mass with the exothermal process were defined for both flax samples. The thermal conductivity coefficient of the material is around 0.085 W/m K, which permits its use as an effective insulation material for sustainable buildings.
Economic Growth and Inequality with Tourism in an Integrated Walrasian-General Equilibrium and Neoclassical-Growth Theory
Authors: Zhang Wei-Bin
Published: July 2018

This paper studies dynamic interdependence between economic growth, tourism, and inequalities in income and wealth in a small open economy. We build the dynamic model in an integrated Walrasian-general equilibrium and neoclassical-growth theory for a small open economy with multiple sectors and heterogeneous households in a perfectly competitive economy. The economy consists of one service sector which supplies non-traded services and one industrial sector which produces traded goods. We treat wealth accumulation and land distribution between housing and supply of services as endogenous variables. We show that the motion of the economy with J types of households is given by J nonlinear differential equations. We simulate the motion of the system with three groups of households. We also conduct comparative dynamic analysis with regards to the rate of interest, the price elasticity of tourism, the global economic condition, and the rich class’ human capital, and the rich class’ propensity to consume housing.
NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE AIRFRAME DAMAGE GROWTH FOR THE ADHESIVE REPAIR JOINT CALCULATION
Authors: Fedotov A. A. , Tsipenko A. V. , Lebedev A. I.
Published: July 2018

In the context of the predicted growth in air transportation, the additional attention will be paid to the organization of the competitive maintenance and repair operations for the commercial airplanes. The implementation of new technological processes for airframe repairs and the application of modern information technologies during the development of the repair procedures can be a significant advantage in the expanding market of post-production support of the commercial air fleet. Airframe adhesive repairs allow using lifting abilities of the materials more intensively, but application of the adhesive joints technology requires more complicated strength calculation procedure. It is advisable to utilize the modern finite element software packages to perform the reliable calculation. The capabilities of these software packages allow obtaining adequate computational results for adhesive repair joint parameters subjected to cyclic loads. This paper is concentrated on application of the finite element methods to simulate the crack growth in isotropic material and on methods for accelerated calculation of the mechanical response of cracked structures. Crack growth simulation is performed based on XFEM methods where the created finite element model is complemented with asymptotic imitation function of crack tip and with discontinuous jump function across the crack surfaces. Fatigue properties of the repair joint are modelled in accordance with direct cyclic approach, where a Fourier series approximation with time integration of the nonlinear material behavior is applied. After that, the result of integration at each point of the load history is used for the prediction of the material fatigue properties degradation at the next step of computation; this allows us to evaluate the material damage growth rate. Based on calculation results, a conclusion was made that the received numerical data match the full-scale test results; the time spent for calculation with the usage of accelerated computational methods was evaluated.
APPLICATION OF HYBRID RANDOM SEARCH METHOD TO OPTIMISATION OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS’ PARAMETERS
Authors: Panteleev A. V. , Rodionova D. A.
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a modification of the Luus-Jaakola global optimization method, which belongs to the class of metaheuristic algorithms. A hybrid method is suggested, using a combination of random search methods: Luus-Jaakola method, adaptive random search method and best trial method. The obtained method is applied to the optimization of parameters of different engineering systems. This class of problems appears during the design of aerospace and aeronautical structures; its goal is the cost or weight minimization of the construction. These problems belong to the class of constrained global optimization problems, where the level surface of the objective function has uneven relief and there is a large number of variables. This means that the classical optimization methods prove to be inefficient and these problems should be solved using metaheuristic optimization methods, which provide sufficient accuracy at reasonable operating time. In this paper, the constrained global optimization problem is solved using the penalty method. Thus, the problem of exterior penalty function optimization is considered, where the penalty coefficients are chosen in such a way as to avoid the violation of the constraints. Two applied problems are considered in the paper: the determination of the high-pressure vessel parameters and the anti rattle spring parameters determination. Using the suggested algorithm, a software complex was developed, which allows us to solve engineering optimization problems. The results obtained using the suggested methods were compared with the results obtained using the non-modified Luus-Jaakola method in order to demonstrate the efficiency of the suggested hybrid random search method.
THE DISCRETIZATION OF THE POLARIZED SIGNAL
Authors: Korneev P. E.
Published: July 2018

Often, the monitoring systems solution of remote sensing problems, recognition (classification, discrimination) of radar objects using radio polarimetry methods is required in real time mode with the display of the current information on the radar monitor. Monitoring systems can be either stationary (more often terrestrial) or mobile (based on various transport vehicles). When designing such systems, along with ensuring the required speed and performance of the computer, it is also important to ensure the unification of the units and assemblies, the reduction of weight and size characteristics, simplification of the tuning, increase of the operational reliability. In this case, the use of blocks of digital information processing is required. When digitally processing polarized signals, it is necessary to convert the input analog signal to digital form, i.e. to sampled by time and frequency and perform level quantization. The peculiarities of the discretization of the radar polarized signal over time are considered in the article. Analytical expressions for the input polarized signal are derived with considering the geometric parameters of the polarization ellipse. Formulas are given for the in-phase and quadrature components of the polarized signal, for a complex signal envelope. It is alleged that quadrature processing of the polarized signal leads to a decrease in the requirements for analog-to-digital conversion chips due to a significant reduction in the sampling frequency. After the transformations presented in the article, electronic components, which are already in production by Russian companies in the radio electronic industry, can be used in monitoring systems. The transformations of a polarized signal in the time domain described in the article lead to certain transformations in the frequency domain. We are talking about converting the two-side signal spectrum into a one-side spectrum with its transfer to the video frequency region. Such a conversion helps to reduce the sampling rate from gigahertz to megahertz. Analytic expressions in the time domain are accompanied in the article by a graphic interpretation of the signal spectra in the frequency domain. A scheme for demodulating the in-phase and quadrature components of the polarized signal is given. Functional features of filtering units in the scheme are described, the attention of the designers of the digital signal processing systems to the requirements of the Kotel'nikov's sampling theorem is emphasized.
THE IMPROVEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING ORGANIZATION OF THE X-RAY SCREENING SYSTEMS OPERATORS BY USING THE EYE MOVEMENTS REGISTRATION SYSTEM AND METHODS OF CLUSTER AND DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS
Authors: Volkov A. K. , Ionov V. V.
Published: July 2018

The X-ray screening systems operators’ professional training is based on the CBT (computer-based training) principle, which has algorithms of adaptive training. These algorithms in existing computer simulators include feedback mechanisms on the basis of trainability exponents – such as the frequency of detecting dangerous objects, the frequency of false alarms and detection time. Further enhancement of the operators’ simulator training effectiveness is associated with the integration of psychophysiological mechanisms providing monitoring of their functional state. Based on the analysis of the particularities of x-ray screening systems operators’ professional training associated with the formation of competences in dangerous objects visual search, the most perspective method is the Eye tracking technology. Domestic and foreign studies of the eye movements characteristics while solving professional tasks in training process are actively developed in various areas. There are no studies of visual search peculiarities in domestic practice in contrast to exterior studies. This research is aimed at considering the usage of Eye tracking technology in the training of x-ray screening systems operators. As the result of the experimental research with the use of mobile eye-tracker Sensomotoric Instruments Eye Tracking Glasses 2.0 the statistical data of eye movement parameters of two groups of subjects with different levels of training have been received. The application of cluster and discriminant analyses methods allowed to identify General classes of these parameters, as well as to obtain the discriminants functions for each group under examination. The theoretical significance of the peculiarities of the operators’ eye movement studies is to identify the patterns of prohibited items visual search. The practical importance of implementation of Eye tracking technology and statistical analysis methods is to increase the reliability of assessment the level of formed competence of x-ray screening systems’ operators in visual search, as well as to develop the potential system of operators’ state monitoring and assessing their visual fatigue.
ASSESSMENT OF AVIATION SECURITY SCREENERS PROFFICIENCY BY MEANS OF APPLYING THE A. BIRNBAUM TWO-PARAMETER MODEL
Authors: Zubkov B. V. , Volkov A. K.
Published: July 2018

The necessity to improve assessment of aviation security screeners’ competence has been analyzed. Computer based training systems have been widely used in the process of screeners’ training and evaluating the results of training. The main advantage of similar systems application is the possibility of adaptation to the individual screeners’ requirements by changing the level of training task complexity. The efficiency of applying these systems is proved by foreign researches. To assess the results of screeners’ activity the dangerous image projection data is also used. The analysis of modern approaches to assess the screeners’ activity efficiency showed that they do not completely take into account x-ray image complexity factors affecting the results of screeners’ activity monitoring. There have been presented and tested A. Birnbaum two-parameter model, which is used to assess the screeners’ proficiency competence by means of testing. According to International Civil Aviation Organization recommendations the x-ray image data base has been formed; it includes four blocks of prohibited items. Within the suggested model the probability of detecting prohibited items by aviation security screeners is considered as functions of such parameters as the difference between level of qualification and level of x-ray images complexity, and also between the aviation security screeners’ structure of their professional knowledge. The solution of the task to search A. Birnbaum model parameters values by using maximum likelihood method have been offered. Within the model the qualification level characteristic functions, which describe multi-complexity level of x-ray image interpretation competency of the aviation security screener, were generated and explored. Complex criterion to assess the level of the aviation security screener qualification is offered and tested. The suggested criterion allows to evaluate aviation security screeners’ competency taking into account not only the average level of qualification, but its possible variance. The suggested criterion may be used while selecting and certificating the screeners when the requirement to detect at least 95% prohibited items is applied.
AIR TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPORT DISCRIMINATION OF POPULATION IN CONSTITUENTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Authors: Egoshin S. F. , Smirnov A. V.
Published: July 2018

The article deals with the introduction of numerical indicators for the notions "the air transport accessibility" and "the transport discrimination of the population" as applied to the local (suburban) traffic. Due to significant financial cost of air service, the local airlines are essential only in those regions of the Russian Federation, where the low-cost ground traffic is impossible. Thereby, the air transport accessibility should be considered as paired accessibility "the regional center - the capital of the constituent of the Russian Federation". This fact imposes restrictions on those indicators that can be applied to the relevant numerical estimates. A technique has been developed for numerical estimation of transport accessibility and transport discrimination of the population using the notions "transport accessibility levels" and "minimum social transport standard". The results of calculations with a software package based on geoinformation system are presented. It is shown that when using only the ground transport, the capital transport accessibility level of the constituent of the Russian Federation exceeds four hours for residents including more than 450 municipal and urban districts in 50 constituents of the Russian Federation. The most of these territorial entities belong to the hard-to-reach territories of Northwestern, Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts of Russia. The total population of these entities is about 15 million people, which is more than 10% of the total population of Russia. The existing local airlines can solve the transportation problems in local traffic for about 5 million people. To ensure four-hour level of transport accessibility for the rest of the population, it is necessary to organize at least 300 local airlines in the constituents of the Russian Federation.
OPTION FOR THE ADVISABILITY OF APPROPRIATE AIRCRAFT USE DURING THE PROLONGED SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS
Authors: Sobolev A. V. , Popov V. A. , Seleznev A. V.
Published: July 2018

Carrying out search and rescue operations (SAR) in a unified system of aerospace search and rescue (ASR) is not only related to the use of on-duty search and rescue (OSR) aircraft, but also with the need to attract additional forces and assets, including non-regular aircraft. At the same time, the cost of carrying out the SAR is significantly increased during prolonged searches. The article presents a problem solution for reducing the cost of conducting prolonged SAR by the method of expedient use of aircraft in compliance with the necessary system requirements. Studies of last years in this field have hardly considered the specifics of conducting searches in this context. For this purpose, an analysis of the current conditions for the implementation of the SAR is carried out and key options for the use of aircraft are considered. It has been revealed that the amount of the search work is much greater than the amount of evacuation work. Therefore, the main charge of financial resources for the use of aviation in the SAR falls to the search phase. A rationale for the use of light aircraft in the search phase is suggested, for example, to replace some regular (on duty) Мi-8 helicopters instead of the Мi-2, the search capabilities of which are almost identical. The peculiarity of the application is the possibility of carrying out flights by the guidance method. As an example, an SAR with a prolonged phase was considered, in which it was theoretically possible to reduce costs by 8.3%. The proposed method provides a basis for a rethinking of the aircraft modern equipment for the SAR of the regional search and rescue bases in favor of small and less heavy lifting when carrying out prolonged SAR. At the same time, the economy of financial resources is ensured, taking into account the observance of the necessary requirements of the ASR system regarding its effective functioning as a whole.
Unpublished Post-War Writing and Emergent Gay Cultures
Authors: Brickell Chris
Published: July 2018

The 1950s and ’60s were pivotal decades in the emergence of modern gay life. New Zealand’s cities expanded rapidly after the end of the war, and the size of homosexual networks grew quickly. There were profound contradictions too. While many men partied, others were imprisoned for same-sex activity. A homemade queer literature accompanied these changes, and four examples illustrate the tensions of the time. The first, an essay called “De Profundis for Today,” was the work of Dunedin businessman Ernie Webber, who wrote it in Mt Eden Prison in 1957. The second piece, an early 1960s novel titled “The Rock Orchid,” is by Bert Pimley, a fellow inmate of Webber at Mt Eden. The third and fourth pieces, short essays by Auckland man Don Goodsell, are very different in their context and tone. The evocatively titled “Did You Ever See a Dream Limping?” and “The Night is Young and We’re So Beautiful” tell not of imprisonment but of the social opportunities of New Zealand’s cities during the 1960s
The Gay Novel and the Gay World
Authors: Davidson Guy
Published: July 2018

In a recent review essay, J. Daniel Elam charts the emergence of “gay world literary fiction,” a subgenre of the category “world literature,” which over the last twenty years or so has become both a marketing strategy for publishers and a “disciplinary rallying point of literary criticism and the academic humanities.”[i] While Elam’s essay is implicitly underpinned by the usual disciplinary understanding of world literature (fiction from potentially anywhere in the globe, translated into English, and studied comparatively), its focus is narrowed to the “gay world” within the planetary world—a putatively homogenous, transnational gay subculture enabled by digital connectivity and the flows of global capital. This new gay world is, according to Elam, characterized by atomization: “From Sofia to Shanghai, authors of gay fiction describe a collection of scattered and isolated individuals, needy but incurious.” The situation has emerged from the “curious paradox” that “visibility and acceptance” have “made life better” for many gay men “at the cost of community and identity.” “Gay visibility, with its attendant politics of respectability” has occurred at the expense of older subcultural institutions like “the gay bar, the bathhouse, the piano bar, and cruising areas,” rendering the gay community “a banally knowable object rather than the product of a passionately forged experience of self-making. In place of the urgent longings of 20th-century queer literature, one encounters a peculiar form of worldly, muted yearning. So-called gay world literature emerges from a global community that isn’t a community at all.”

 

[i] J. Daniel Elam, “The World of Gay Lit,” Public Books (16 October 2017). Web. Accessed 1 March, 2018. “Disciplinary rallying point”: Emily Apter, Against World Literature: On the Politics of Untranslatability (London: Verso, 2013), 1. For a discussion of the interrelations between “world literature” as the marketization of cultural differences and as a field of scholarly enquiry, see Simon During, Exit Capitalism: Literary Culture, Theory and Post-Secular Modernity (New York: Routledge, 2009), 57–58.