bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions in India: A Status Paper
Authors: Dwivedi Dr. Ritesh , Poddar Krishna Mohan
Published: May 2016

Good governance is considered as the control idea of Development. A system of structured governance empowers the government to deliver services to the citizen and to mobilize resource and revenue for the societal development. And it can only be achieved by participation of different stakeholders of the development process. Because of its size and its relatively ambitious efforts to decentralize government, India provides an important context for understanding the ways in which decentralization can improve the performance and accountability of local government. Indeed, there is lot to be done towards improving village infrastructure and it should be done in a fairly participatory manner so that people’s aspirations can also get their space. In this study, different structural and functional aspects related to panchayats at grass root levels have been analyzed. Development of villages depends heavily on Panchayati Raj Institutions and their effective functioning, that is why five states (considered better in terms of PRI functioning) have been selected and a comparative analysis based on different parameters has been done. Findings show that panchayats are running inefficiently and there is lack of people’s participation. There is urgent need of removing the legislative and procedural problems that constrain the Gram Sabha; greater devolution of funds, functions and functionaries; putting in place mechanisms of audit and accountability and strengthening the participation of women for improving governance and functioning of panchayats. Indeed, measures are needed whereby the poor can participate more effectively through PRIs and local informal groups and people’s movements.
Financial Performance of ECIL, Hyderabad – An Analysis
Authors: Jyothi N. , Chary Dr. T. Satyanarayana
Published: May 2016

Financial performance of individual organizations differ very significantly, however, the performance is distinguishable between public sector companies and private sector companies as their nature and size of investment and business environment is different . The ECIL is a very vast growing company which requires additional funds on a regular basis, whether internal or external. Particularly, the company needs both long term and short-term finances in view of its present position and enormous scope for improvement in the services provided. The present paper is a modest attempt to discuss the financial performance analysis of ECIL, Hyderabad in terms operating profits, capital employed ratios and turnover in a comprehensive manner over a period of 10 years.
Management Education in India: Issues & Challenges
Authors: Malviya Pankaj Kumar
Published: May 2016

Management education attracts young men and women, who are usually motivated by the positive consequences. There are more than 3,500 management schools in India, but all of them are not capable of providing quality education. In the last decade a number of B- Schools opened up, because people involved in this industry consider it as the easiest way to make money. But in the last 3 to 4 years, a large number of Business-schools find it difficult to fill complete intake capacity of their MBA or PGDM programs (except top B-schools). The major reason of this downfall was the effect of recession (worse conditions of job market). Prior to that, management education had very positive effect among youths, but now the scenario has changed and the young graduates are going for other courses instead of MBA. About two thousand B-schools have empty MBA or PGDM seats. Interest of applicants is missing, even after heavy expenses on advertisements, seminars, education fairs etc. Recession, in reality, has lot more things for the management institutions to learn and act for the future. It is necessary for Indian B- Schools to make management education context specific. This paper tries to explore the present situation of management education in India. This paper also studies the trends prevailing in management education in India, and also tries to find out the implications of it on the industry and on the individuals. Further, it tries to study emerging issues of management education, and to find implementation of possible direction and policy towards improvement of management education in India.
Estimation of Persistence and Predictability of Volatility in The Indian Banking Sector
Authors: Dangi Dr. Vandana
Published: May 2016

The impulsiveness in investment’s price is volatility and its meticulous estimation and forecasting is valuable to investors in the risk management of their portfolio. Earlier volatility of an asset was assumed to be constant. However, the pioneering studies of Mandelbrot, Engle and Bollerslev on the property of stock market returns did not support this assumption. The family of autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity models were developed to capture time-varying characteristics of volatility. The present treatise attempts to study the presence of autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity in four Indian banking sector indices viz. BSE Bankex, BSE PSU, CNX bank and CNX PSU. The daily banking sector indices for the period of January 2004 to December 2013 were taken from the online database maintained by the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange. The data of four indices was studied for stationarity, serial correlation in the returns and serial correlation in the squares of returns with the help of Augmented Dickey–Fuller test, Box-Jenkins methodology and autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity models respectively. The results of ACF, PACF and Ljung–Box Q test indicates that there is a tendency of the periods of high and low volatility to cluster in the Indian banking sector. All the four banking sector indices display the presence of ARCH effect indicating the presence of volatility clustering. Engle's ARCH test (i.e Lagrange multiplier test) and Breush-Godfrey-Pagan test and ARCH model confirmed the high persistence and predictability of volatility in the Indian banking sector.
A parametric study of alum recovery from water treatment sludge
Authors: Ayoub Mohamed , Abdelfattah Abdallah
Published: May 2016

Alum recovery from water treatment sludge is a promising technique applied to decrease usage of fresh coagulants in the water treatment industry. In addition, alum recovery reduces sludge volume for easy handling. The undertaken work investigated the parametric conditions for alum recovery procedure by acidification. The results show that alum recovery reaches up to 69.03%, and the reduction of sludge volume reaches its highest level at 90%. Moreover, results of the parametric investigation reveal that the mixing time of 60 minutes and mixing intensity of 150 rpm are the optimum conditions of mixing for alum recovery from water treatment sludge. The optimum pH level is 1.50 for alum recovery as indicated by maximum aluminum releasing, maximum reduction of sludge volume, and reasonable dosages of added sulfuric acid.
REN C-5312T, but not C-5434T, correlates to increase serum angiotensin I level in angiotensin II receptor blockers-treated hypertensive patients
Authors: Rohman Mohammad Saifur , Fahrany Frastiqa , Maslahah Imama , Widodo - , Lukitasari Mifetika , Kurniawan Aditya , Endharti Agustina Tri
Published: May 2016

Renin distal enhancer plays a crucial role in regulating renin gene (REN) expression. REN C-5312T enhancer polymorphism increased enhancer activity. REN C-5434T was also identified which supposed to part of enhancer region. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate contribution of both C-5312T and C-5434T to serum angiotensin I in response to angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB). C-5312T was identified in 46 hypertensive patients by using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), while C-5434T by using PCR-restiction fragment length of polymorphism (RFLP). Angiotensin I was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A significant difference of baseline angiotensin I was observed between -5312CC and -5312CT/TT (p=0.038) as well as the angiotensin I after 5 months of ARB treatment (p=0.008) in -5434CT/TT population, but not REN C-5434T. In conclusion, C-5312T resulted in increased mRNA renin level as consequence of higher enhancer activity not only at the baseline but also after 5 months ARB treatment.
Differential Expression Profiles of Long Noncoding RNA and mRNA of Osteogenically Differentiated Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Xie Zhongyu , Li Jinteng , Wang Peng , Li Yuxi , Wu Xiaohua , Wang Shan , Su Hongjun , Deng Wen , Liu Zhenhua , Cen Shuizhong , Ouyang Yi , Wu Yanfeng , Shen Huiyong
Published: May 2016

Objective.

We previously demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS; ASMSC) have a greater osteogenic differentiation capacity than MSC from healthy donors (HDMSC) and that this difference underlies the pathogenesis of pathological osteogenesis in AS. Here we compared expression levels of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and mRNA between osteogenically differentiated ASMSC and HDMSC and explored the precise mechanism underlying abnormal osteogenic differentiation in ASMSC.

Methods.

HDMSC and ASMSC were induced with osteogenic differentiation medium for 10 days. Microarray analyses were then performed to identify lncRNA and mRNA differentially expressed between HDMSC and ASMSC, which were then subjected to bioinformatics analysis and confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. In addition, coding-non-coding gene co-expression (CNC) networks were constructed to examine the relationships between the lncRNA and mRNA expression patterns.

Results.

A total of 520 lncRNA and 665 mRNA were differentially expressed in osteogenically differentiated ASMSC compared with HDMSC. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 64 signaling pathways with significant differences, including transforming growth factor-β signaling. qRT-PCR assays confirmed the reliability of the microarray data. The CNC network indicated that 4 differentially expressed lncRNA, including lnc-ZNF354A-1, lnc-LIN54-1, lnc-FRG2C-3, and lnc-USP50-2 may be involved in the abnormal osteogenic differentiation of ASMSC.

Conclusion.

Our study characterized the differential lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles of osteogenically differentiated ASMSC and identified 4 lncRNA that may participate in the abnormal osteogenic differentiation of ASMSC. These results provide insight into the pathogenesis of pathological osteogenesis in AS.
Comparison of Anterior Segment Parameters Obtained by Dual-Scheimpflug Analyzer Before and After Cycloplegia in Children
Authors: Niyaz Leyla , Can Ertugrul , Seymen Zeynep , Eraydin Bilge
Published: May 2016

Purpose:

To assess the changes of anterior segment parameters with cycloplegia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study of healthy pediatric patients was performed. Anterior segment parameters were obtained by the Galilei Dual-Scheimpflug analyzer (Ziemer Group, Port, Switzerland) before and 40 minutes after the instillation of cyclopentolate. The effect of gender was evaluated.

Results:

There were 43 boys and 50 girls with a mean age of 7.76 ± 2.7 years. There was a significant increase in anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, and pupil diameter after the cycloplegia (
P
< .05). The anterior chamber angle increased after cycloplegia in the nasal, temporal, and inferior quadrants (
P
< .05), but not in the superior quadrant (
P
> .05). The mean values of anterior segment parameters were similar in both genders.

Conclusions:

The values of anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, anterior chamber angle, and pupil diameter measured with the Galilei Dual-Scheimpflug analyzer increased significantly after cycloplegia. Gender did not have an effect on anterior segment parameters.

[
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus
. 2016;53(4):234–237.]
“Verstummt der süssen Stimme Schall”: the Destiny of Four Croatian Singers in the “Long 19th Century”
Authors: Katalinić Vjera
Published: May 2016

The fate of Ilma de Murska, Irma Terputec-Terée, Emma Wiziak de Nicolesco and Milka Ternina, who were launched out from Croatia into the most prominent world stages, reflects the image of musical culture in this part of the Habsburg monarchy, presents the specific and individual characteristics of their life paths, and indicate some specificities of their time and milieu, ranging from general political and cultural issues, social and financial status, attitudes towards their private lives and personal relations up to entirely musical inclinations.
Introduction of Petri Nets
Authors: Yamaguchi Shingo , Ahmadon Mohd Anuaruddin Bin , Ge Qi-Wei
Published: May 2016

This chapter gives an introduction of Petri nets, its applications and security challenges. Petri nets are a graphical and mathematical modeling tool available to many systems. Once a system is modeled as a Petri net, the behavior of the system can be simulated by using tokens on the Petri net. Petri nets' abundant techniques can be used to solve many problems associated with the modeled system. This chapter gives formal definitions, properties and analysis methods of Petri nets, and gives several examples to illustrate some basic concepts and successful application areas of Petri nets. Then this chapter presents Petri nets based challenges to security such as Intrusion Detection System, security policy design and analysis, and cryptography tool.
O lado obscuro. A polaridade "sagrado / profano" e suas manifestações
Authors: Ferreira Manuela Lowenthal
Published: May 2016

Neste livro, o autor Fernando Giobellina Brumana busca explorar e compreender o desenrolar do debate acerca do sagrado, assim como desconstruí-lo, explorando o percurso e as divergências sucessivas das gerações do pensamento social francês das quatro primeiras décadas do século XX. São expostas no livro as linhas que relacionam etnologia com psicanálise, filosofia, literatura, surrealismo e política, em suas manifestações como o socialismo, o fascismo, o capitalismo e a democracia burguesa, sempre com o olhar central na relação que essas esferas mantêm com o sagrado.
Apresentação
Authors: Rodrigues Cândido Moreira , Peixoto Renato Amado , Caldeira Rodrigo Coppe
Published: May 2016

Este dossiê é fruto dos esforços reunidos na Rede de Pesquisa História e Catolicismo no Mundo Contemporâneo (RHC), criada por Renato Amado Peixoto, Gizele Zanotto, Cândido Rodrigues e Rodrigo Coppe Caldeira em meados de 2015. Procuramos juntar aqui vários historiadores ligados à RHC que apresentam o resultado de suas pesquisas, levadas a cabo em instituições de diferentes regiões do Brasil, do Chile, da Argentina e da França.Esta amostra revela não apenas uma riqueza de objetos de estudo, mas também de diferentes aproximações históricas no fazer teórico-metodológico dos artigos. Noutras palavras, pensamos que o presente dossiê traz contribuições interessantes ao campo de estudos do catolicismo no século XX ao mesmo tempo em que se constitui em mais um passo importante rumo à consolidação da RHC, na medida em que se integra ao esforço de produção das coletâneas “Catolicismos e sociabilidade intelectual no Brasil e na Argentina”, lançado em 2014 e “Manifestações do pensamento católico na América do Sul”, de 2015...
Le Mouvement républicain populaire (MRP) : l’expérience singulière d’un parti d’inspiration démocrate chrétienne en République française (1944-1965)
Authors: Clavel Isabelle
Published: May 2016

En 1944, le Mouvement républicain populaire (MRP) est créé par un groupe d’hommes et de femmes, apparenté à la famille démocrate-chrétienne. Dans le contexte de libération du territoire français, il s’agit pour ceux qui ont pris part aux mouvements de Résistance contre l’occupation nazie et le régime collaborateur de Vichy, de contribuer à la reconstruction du pays après le second conflit mondial. L’émergence de ce parti « d’inspiration chrétienne » constitue une nouveauté dans le paysage politique français. Jusqu’alors, aucun parti confessionnel n’était parvenu à peser électoralement au point de devenir l’un des principaux acteurs des gouvernements. Malgré une existence relativement brève de 1944 à 1965, cette trajectoire singulière permet d’étudier comment les catholiques, qui se reconnaissent dans la famille démocrate-chrétienne, ont achevé un processus d’acculturation au régime républicain, dont l’un des principes fondamentaux est la laïcité.
Composite C-C Columns by Utilizing of UHPFRC
Authors: Hudoba Igor
Published: May 2016

Main advantage of composite concrete columns, in comparison with traditional reinforced concrete columns, is its increased load-bearing capacity by using of solid steel reinforcing core. Ordinary type of such a steel-concrete (S-C) composite column consists of normal concrete and different type of solid steel core. In last decades high quality concrete is more and more used for load-bearing structural members exposed compression like columns. Present knowledge level in the area of ultra-high quality of concrete open a new chance for utilization of this progressive structural material in concrete building industry. This paper presents some new information and laboratory test results of concrete-concrete (C-C) composite columns by utilizing of UHPFRC.
Minimisation of Water Content in Concrete
Authors: Juríček Ivan , Fillo Ľudovít
Published: May 2016

In the production of structures made of concrete it is sometimes required to make a completed structure contain a minimum amount of free water. From the point of view of effectiveness of the production process it is also preferred to dry the concrete in a short time and at a reasonable cost. Required for free water content can be limited by various factors (e.g. construction covered by flooring sensitive to humidity, frost resistance, etc.).The moisture characteristic of concrete is verified in civil engineering provided that the concrete is located in the environment with normal atmospheric pressure. By solving the project “Development of methods for structure of thermal vacuum insulated containers” we have met a requirement to produce concrete with extremely low moisture content. It was found out that information about moisture content of concrete obtained by currently used method was unsatisfactory for concrete in the environment with extremely low atmospheric pressure. The research has indicated that usual methods of concrete drying are not sufficient for concrete subjected to vacuum because they don´t eliminate physically bound water.
Bond of GFRP Reinforcement with Concrete
Authors: Holly Ivan , Bilčík Juraj , Keseli Ondrej , Gažovičová Natalia
Published: May 2016

Corrosion of steel reinforcement is the major cause of deterioration of existing RC structures. Combined effects of moisture, temperature, and chlorides reduce the alkalinity of concrete and exacerbate the corrosion of steel reinforcement, especially for concrete structures subjected to aggressive environments, such as marine structures and bridges and parking garages exposed to de-icing salts. Glass fiber reinforcement polymer (GFRP) bars are suitable alternatives to steel bars in reinforced concrete applications if durability, electromagnetic transparency, or ease of demolition in temporary constructions is sought, that have to be demolished partially by tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The bond of GFRP reinforcement is different from steel reinforcing bars. This paper presents factors affecting the bond strength between GFRP reinforcement and concrete.
Repeated Diagnostics of Maintained Prestressed Bridge Structure, Interpretation of Changes in Relation to Durability
Authors: Kolisko Jiří , Vacek Vítězslav , Řeháček Stanislav
Published: May 2016

General refurbishment of prestressed reinforced concrete bridge of Pavel Wonka in Pardubice was done in 2006. Within the preparation of refurbishment a full diagnostics of the structure was performed with the assistance of Klokner Institute, including diagnostics of longitudinal prestressed loose cables located in bridge boxes and the real condition of the corrosion was found. New inspection, including water-insulation system and condition of repaired concrete structures was held in 2015. Some of the findings and comparison of the condition before refurbishment and condition after about 10 years of operation are introduced in this article.
Local Stress of Reinforced Concrete Elements
Authors: Abrahoim Iyad
Published: May 2016

The subject of the article is to apply the European standard when appraising the element’s bearing capacity in concentrated pressure under the anchoring slabs of pre-stressed reinforcement units. Method of concentrated pressure analysis. Method of performing expertise of the effects of lateral tensile forces. Local compressive load distribution model under the surface of the reinforced concrete element. Lateral tension in the local compressive load’s distribution area. Reinforcement against tearing of the surface of elements. Application in the expertise of the class of concrete in foundations.
Fire Walls Made from Concrete and Masonry - Barriers against a Fire Spreading
Authors: Bellová Maria
Published: May 2016

Fire exposure of a construction represents an accidental load (temporary with a high intensity) and it´s appearance during service life of the construction is improbable. All structural eurocodes, which deal with the normal temperature (20°C) design of structures made from loadbearing materials (steel, steel and concrete composite, concrete, masonry and timber), include always Part 1-2: Structural fire design.
Concrete, similar to the masonry, has (in comparison with other construction materials such as steel and timber), an excellent resistance against fire exposure. This is why both of these materials are used for construction of fire walls, which create barriers against the fire spreading.
Fire walls separate two spaces and they are designed for fire resistance and structural stability, including resistance to mechanical impact. In the case of fire and failure of the structure on one side of the fire wall, fire spread beyond the wall is avoided.
Properties of concrete and masonry walls, subject to fire exposure, are however negatively influenced.
Concrete compressive strength is reduced depending on the aggregate choice. The strength of reinforcing bars is also reduced at elevated temperature, by an amount which strongly depends on the axis distance of the reinforcing bars from an edge of a cross section, too.
The behaviour of a masonry wall depends on a masonry unit type and material, type of the mortar, the density of units, type of the wall construction, and applied surface finishes.
In the present article we discuss basic principles of the design and assessment of various concrete and masonry fire walls and compare their effect - fire resistance period – depending on their thickness.
Long-Term Deformations of Strengthened Reinforced Concrete Linear Elements
Authors: Krizma Martin , Bolha Lubomir
Published: May 2016

The issue of strengthening the damaged linear reinforced concrete elements have been engaged since 2008. We focused on the analysis of resistance and the characteristics of limit states of serviceability in the damaged and subsequently strengthened elements at a short-term loading. In the introduction phase, the strengthening of the elements was carried out with the following procedures – installation of an overlayer on the coupling board or a combination of the board and use of glass – fiber fabric (GFRP). The strengthening was also affected by the type of contact (reinforced/non-reinforced) – the deformed element/coupling board and its effect on resistance, type of deformation and serviceability. In the non-reinforced contact, we applied some of the types of adjustments to the surface of the strengthened element. At the moment, we are dealing with the effects of time and repeated load on the strengthened elements. The results correspond to the reinforced contact. The values are compared with the short-term results of the strengthened beams and with the long-term results of the beams prepared for strengthening.
Application of TiO2 Nanoparticle in Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants
Authors: Singh Tripti , Srivastava Neha , Mishra P.K. , Bhatiya A.K. , Singh Nand Lal
Published: May 2016

Heavy industrialization, specifically in the developing countries, has generated several unwanted environmental pollution. A variety of toxic organic compounds is produced in chemical and petroleum industries, which have resulted in collectively hazardous effects on the environment that needs immediate attention for remediation. Degradation of these pollutants has been tried through the various mechanism, out of which photocatalytic degradation seems to be one of the most promising approaches to reduce environmental pollution specifically in waste water treatment. Photocatalytic degradation has potential for the effective decomposition of organic pollutants due to efficiency to convert light energy into chemical energy. Additionally, the photocatalytic oxidation process is an advanced technique as it offers high degradation and effective mineralization at moderate temperature and specific radiation wavelength. Among various known photocatalysts, TiO2 is regarded as the one of the potential photocatalysts because of its hydrophilic property, high reactivity, reduced toxicity, chemical stability and lower costs. Therefore, the present chapter focuses on the role of TiO2 as the photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants. The general mechanism of degradation of organic pollutants along with properties of TiO2 as the photocatalyst, existing mechanism of degradation via TiO2 was explained. The possible approaches to enhance degradation via TiO2 nanoparticle along with existing bottlenecks have been also discussed.
Modelling of the Electric Field Applied to the Ensembles of Microparticles
Authors: Iatcheva Ilona Ilieva , Bojilov Gancho , Saykova Ilonka
Published: May 2016

The paper deals with modelling of the time varying electric field, applied to composites structures of inorganic materials (containing metal and metal oxide). The structural changes at the initials stages of sintering, characterised by the number of contact per particle and an increase of the areas of interparticle contact have been modelled and examined. The aim of study was estimation of the electric field strength, current density, power losses and forces, acting along the contact area between particles. The field models have been obtained using finite element method and QuickField 5.6 software package.
Magnetic Barkhausen Measurements for Determining Residual Stress Distribution in Welded Electrical Steels
Authors: Vourna Polykseni , Ktena Aphrodite , Mamalis Athanasios G. , Hristoforou Evangelos , Chen Peng Wan , Zhou Qiang
Published: May 2016

In the present research work the determination of residual stress distribution in welded non-oriented electrical steel samples is discussed. Tungsten Inert Gas and Electron Beam Welding were used as the welding methods. The residual stresses induced by welding estimated by the magnetic, non-destructive method of Barkhausen noise and were compared with the values resulting from the semi-destructive method of X-ray diffraction Bragg-Brentano (XRD-BB). In order to evaluate accuracy and reliability of the magnetic methods applied, the steel samples were subjected in both compressive and tensile stress and the magnetic noise values were correlated to residual stress values through an appropriate calibration curve. Furthermore, the fluctuations of the residual stresses in the welding zones of the welded samples were discussed on the basis of the experimental evidence and the microstructural changes occurring during welding. It was found that the residual stress determined by MBN method was in good agreement with the XRD-BB results. However, the residual stress determined by magnetic permeability method was not in good agreement with the XRD-BB results. In contrast to the XRD-BB method, the magnetic techniques required a precise calibration procedure in all zones with noticeably different microstructure.
Design of the Maximum Transmission Torque for Cylindrical Magnetic Gears
Authors: Uchibori Kenji , Ando Yoshinori , Murakami Iwanori , Chigra Koji
Published: May 2016

A magnetic gear can transmit a torque and a motion without the contact by the magnetic force. The torque just before the gear idling defines the maximum transmission torque of the magnetic gear. The maximum transmission torque of the magnetic gear is defined by the strength of the magnet and the gap between gears at the stage of design. In this paper, we focus on the adjusting method of the maximum transmission torque at the time of use. The adjusting method is to change the facing length of the magnetic gears by shifting the one of gears in the axial direction. Thus, we reveal the relationship between the torque and the facing length and the relationship between the torque and the gear gap. The limit torque can be assigned on the basis of the obtained relationship.
Off-Grid Inverter Faults: Diagnosis, Symptoms and Cause of Failure
Authors: Batzelis Efstratios , Samaras Konstantinos , Vokas Georgios , Papathanassiou Stavros A.
Published: May 2016

In this paper, statistical data regarding off-grid inverter faults are presented, derived from the maintenance records of a major service center in Greece. Several commercial types of inverters for autonomous photovoltaic (PV) systems have been examined, presenting different types of faults and malfunctions. The service procedures recorded encompass fault diagnosis, specific failed parts, symptoms indicating malfunction and estimated cause of failure for each case. The statistical analysis undertaken leads to useful conclusions about the robustness and weak points for off-grid equipment, as well as the common failure causes and malfunction indications.
Shockwave Response of Polymer and Polymer Nanocomposites
Authors: Njoroge Jean , Chakrabarty Arnab , Çağın Tahir
Published: May 2016

We present non-equilibrium molecular dynamic simulations of the shock compression of polyurethane and its graphene-based nanocomposite systems. Using the projectile/wall approach, planar shock waves with piston velocity range from 0.1 to 2.5 km/s is applied for both systems. In this study, direct molecular-level simulations of shock-wave generation and propagation are utilized in order to construct the appropriate shock-Hugoniot relations. Through this study, we determined that inclusion of graphene into the polyurethane system has a significant effect on the shock propagation behavior when incorporated in the polymer matrix
Direct TLR-2 Costimulation Unmasks the Proinflammatory Potential of Neonatal CD4+ T Cells
Authors: Sinnott Brian D. , Park Byung , Boer Mardi C. , Lewinsohn Deborah A. , Lancioni Christina L.
Published: May 2016

Neonatal CD4+ T cells have traditionally been viewed as deficient in their capacity to produce Th1 cytokines in response to polyclonal or Ag-specific stimuli. Thus, defining unique aspects of CD4+ T cell activation and development into Th1 effector cells in neonates is essential to the successful development of novel vaccines and immunotherapies to protect infants from intracellular pathogens. Using highly purified naive CD4+ T cells derived from cord and adult peripheral blood, we compared the impact of anti-CD3 stimulation plus costimulation through TLR-2 performed in the absence of APC on CD4+ T cell cytokine production, proliferation, and expression of activation markers. In both age groups, TLR-2 costimulation elicited activation of naive CD4+ T cells, characterized by robust production of IL-2 as well as key Th1-type cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α. TLR-2 costimulation also dramatically reduced naive T cell production of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10. We observed that neonatal naive CD4+ T cells are uniquely sensitive to TLR-2–mediated costimulation, which enabled them to produce equivalent amounts of IFN-γ and more IL-2 when compared with adult responses. Thus, neonatal CD4+ T cells have a distinctive propensity to use TLR-2–mediated costimulation for development into proinflammatory Th1 effectors, and interventions that target CD4+ T cell TLR-2–mediated responses may be exploited to enhance neonatal adaptive immunity.
HNRNPR Regulates the Expression of Classical and Nonclassical MHC Class I Proteins
Authors: Reches Adi , Nachmani Daphna , Berhani Orit , Duev-Cohen Alexandra , Shreibman Dorin , Ophir Yael , Seliger Barbara , Mandelboim Ofer
Published: May 2016

MHC class I molecules, in addition to their role in specific activation of the CTL of adaptive immune system, function also as the main ligands for NK cell inhibitory receptors, which prevent NK cells from killing normal, healthy cells. MHC class I proteins are divided into classical and nonclassical proteins. The former group consists of hundreds of HLA-A, B, and C alleles, which are universally expressed, whereas several alleles of the latter group, such as HLA-G, manifest a restricted expression pattern. Despite the important role played by these molecules in innate and adaptive immune responses, their complex expression regulation is not fully known. In our study, we investigated the regulation processes controlling the expression of MHC class I molecules, with a particular focus on their 3′ untranslated regions. We identified heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein R (HNRNPR) as an important positive regulator of classical and nonclassical MHC class I molecules. HNRNPR is a RNA-binding protein belonging to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein family, which has a known role in processing of precursor mRNA. We demonstrated that HNRNPR binds MHC class I mRNAs in their 3′ untranslated regions and enhances their stability and consequently their expression. Furthermore, regulation by HNRNPR modulates the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. In conclusion, we show that HNRNPR acts as a general positive regulator of MHC class I expression.
Effect of Picture Archiving and Communication System Image Manipulation on the Agreement of Chest Radiograph Interpretation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Castro Denise A. , Naqvi Asad Ahmed , Vandenkerkhof Elizabeth , Flavin Michael P. , Manson David , Soboleski Donald
Published: May 2016

Objective:

Variability in image interpretation has been attributed to differences in the interpreters’ knowledge base, experience level, and access to the clinical scenario. Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) has allowed the user to manipulate the images while developing their impression of the radiograph. The aim of this study was to determine the agreement of chest radiograph (CXR) impressions among radiologists and neonatologists and help determine the effect of image manipulation with PACS on report impression.

Materials and Methods:

Prospective cohort study included 60 patients from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit undergoing CXRs. Three radiologists and three neonatologists reviewed two consecutive frontal CXRs of each patient. Each physician was allowed manipulation of images as needed to provide a decision of “improved,” “unchanged,” or “disease progression” lung disease for each patient. Each physician repeated the process once more; this time, they were not allowed to individually manipulate the images, but an independent radiologist presets the image brightness and contrast to best optimize the CXR appearance. Percent agreement and opposing reporting views were calculated between all six physicians for each of the two methods (allowing and not allowing image manipulation).

Results:

One hundred percent agreement in image impression between all six observers was only seen in 5% of cases when allowing image manipulation; 100% agreement was seen in 13% of the cases when there was no manipulation of the images.

Conclusion:

Agreement in CXR interpretation is poor; the ability to manipulate the images on PACS results in a decrease in agreement in the interpretation of these studies. New methods to standardize image appearance and allow improved comparison with previous studies should be sought to improve clinician agreement in interpretation consistency and advance patient care.
Monodeuterated methane: an isotopic probe to measure biological methane metabolism rates and track catabolic exchange reactions
Authors: Marlow Jeffrey J. , Steele Joshua A. , Ziebis Wiebke , Scheller Silvan , Case David , Orphan Victoria J.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Biological methane oxidation is a globally relevant process that mediates the flux of an important greenhouse gas through both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways. However, measuring the rates of these metabolisms presents many obstacles, from logistical barriers to regulatory hurdles and poor precision. Here we present a new approach for measuring rates of microbial methane metabolism that is non-toxic, rapid, and relatively high throughput, alleviating some of the current methodological challenges. Specifically, we tested the potential for using monodeuterated methane (CH3D) as a metabolic substrate for measuring the rate of methane activation by quantifying the change in the aqueous D / H ratio over time using a water isotope analyzer. This method represents a non-toxic, comparatively rapid and straightforward approach that is complementary to existing radio (14C)- and stable (13C) carbon isotopic methods; by probing hydrogen atom dynamics, it offers an additional dimension through which to examine the rates and pathways of methane metabolism. We provide direct comparisons between the CH3D procedure and the well-established 14CH4 radiotracer approach for several methanotrophic systems, including type I and type II aerobic methanotroph cultures, and methane seep sediment and carbonate rocks under anoxic and oxic incubation conditions. We also employ this method to investigate the role of pressure on methane oxidation rates in anoxic seep sediment, revealing an 80 % increase at the equivalent of ~ 900 m water depth (40 MPa). The monodeuterated methane approach offers a procedurally straightforward, reliable method that advances three specific aims: 1) the direct comparison of methane oxidation rates between different experimental treatments of the same inoculum; 2) the determination of an absolute scaling factor using paired CH3D and 14C-radiocarbon procedures for new systems of interest; and 3) a continued evaluation of C- and H-atom tracking through methanotrophic metabolisms, with specific foci on enzyme reversibility and anabolic/catabolic branch points. The procedural advantages, consistency, and novel research questions enabled by the monodeuterated methane method should prove useful in a wide range of culture-based and environmental microbial systems to further elucidate methane metabolism dynamics.
Image-based surface reconstruction in geomorphometry – merits, limits and developments
Authors: Eltner Anette , Kaiser Andreas , Castillo Carlos , Rock Gilles , Neugirg Fabian , Abellán Antonio
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Photogrammetry and geosciences have been closely linked since the late 19th century due to the acquisition of high-quality 3-D data sets of the environment, but it has so far been restricted to a limited range of remote sensing specialists because of the considerable cost of metric systems for the acquisition and treatment of airborne imagery. Today, a wide range of commercial and open-source software tools enable the generation of 3-D and 4-D models of complex geomorphological features by geoscientists and other non-experts users. In addition, very recent rapid developments in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology allow for the flexible generation of high-quality aerial surveying and ortho-photography at a relatively low cost.The increasing computing capabilities during the last decade, together with the development of high-performance digital sensors and the important software innovations developed by computer-based vision and visual perception research fields, have extended the rigorous processing of stereoscopic image data to a 3-D point cloud generation from a series of non-calibrated images. Structure-from-motion (SfM) workflows are based upon algorithms for efficient and automatic orientation of large image sets without further data acquisition information, examples including robust feature detectors like the scale-invariant feature transform for 2-D imagery. Nevertheless, the importance of carrying out well-established fieldwork strategies, using proper camera settings, ground control points and ground truth for understanding the different sources of errors, still needs to be adapted in the common scientific practice.This review intends not only to summarise the current state of the art on using SfM workflows in geomorphometry but also to give an overview of terms and fields of application. Furthermore, this article aims to quantify already achieved accuracies and used scales, using different strategies in order to evaluate possible stagnations of current developments and to identify key future challenges. It is our belief that some lessons learned from former articles, scientific reports and book chapters concerning the identification of common errors or "bad practices" and some other valuable information may help in guiding the future use of SfM photogrammetry in geosciences.
Easy Volcanic Aerosol (EVA v1.0): An idealized forcing generator for climate simulations
Authors: Toohey Matthew , Stevens Bjorn , Schmidt Hauke , Timmreck Claudia
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The Easy Volcanic Aerosol (EVA) forcing generator produces stratospheric aerosol optical properties as a function of time, latitude, height and wavelength for a given input list of volcanic eruption attributes. EVA is based on a parameterized three-box model of stratospheric transport, and simple scaling relationships used to derive mid-visible (550 nm) aerosol optical depth and aerosol effective radius from stratospheric sulfate mass. Pre-calculated look up tables computed from Mie theory are used to produce wavelength dependent aerosol extinction, single scattering albedo and scattering asymmetry factor values. The structural form of EVA, and the tuning of its parameters, are chosen to produce best agreement with the satellite-based reconstruction of stratospheric aerosol properties following the 1991 Pinatubo eruption, and with prior millennial-time scale forcing reconstructions including the 1815 eruption of Tambora. EVA can be used to produce volcanic forcing for climate models which is based on recent observations and physical understanding, but internally self-consistent over any time-scale of choice. In addition, EVA is constructed so as to allow for easy modification of different aspects of aerosol properties, in order to be used in model experiments to help advance understanding of what aspects of the volcanic aerosol are important for the climate system.
Synchrotron microtomographic quantification of geometrical soil pore characteristics affected by compaction
Authors: Udawatta Ranjith P. , Gantzer Clark J. , Anderson Stephen H. , Assouline Shmuel
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Soil compaction degrades soil structure and affects water, heat, and gas exchange as well as root penetration and crop production. The objective of this study was to use X-ray computed microtomography (CMT) techniques to compare differences in geometrical soil pore parameters as influenced by compaction of two different aggregate size classes. Sieved (diameter  <  2 mm and  <  0.5 mm) and repacked (1.51 and 1.72 Mg m−3) Hamra soil cores of 5 by 5 mm (average porosities were 0.44 and 0.35) were imaged at 9.6 μm resolution at the Argonne Advanced Photon Source (synchrotron facility) using X-ray CMT. Images of 58.9 mm3 volume were analyzed using 3-Dimensional Medial Axis (3-DMA) software. Geometrical characteristics of the spatial distributions of pore structures (pore radii, volume, connectivity, path length, and tortuosity) were numerically investigated. Results show that the coordination number (CN) distribution and path length (PL) measured from the medial axis were reasonably fit by exponential relationships P(CN)  =  10−CN∕Co and P(PL)  =  10−PL∕PLo, respectively, where Co and PLo are the corresponding characteristic constants. Compaction reduced porosity, average pore size, number of pores, and characteristic constants. The average pore radii (63.7 and 61 µm; p  <  0.04), largest pore volume (1.58 and 0.58 mm3; p  =  0.06), number of pores (55 and 50; p  =  0.09), and characteristic coordination number (3.74 and 3.94; p  =  0.02) were significantly different between the low-density than the high-density treatment. Aggregate size also influenced measured geometrical pore parameters. This analytical technique provides a tool for assessing changes in soil pores that affect hydraulic properties and thereby provides information to assist in assessment of soil management systems.
O leviatã e as guerras religiosas do século XVII: uma analise do estado absolutista a partir de Thomas Hobbes
Authors: Lima Danilo Pereira
Published: May 2016

Reconhecido atualmente como um dos principais teóricos da filosofia política do século XVII, Hobbes teve seu pensamento envolvido nas principais guerras religiosas e políticas, que, naquele período, ameaçavam dissolver a incipiente organização estatal inglesa. Desse modo, o presente trabalho pretende analisar os principais acontecimentos políticos, sociais e filosóficos, que, de alguma maneira, acabaram influenciando o pensamento hobbesiano acerca da formação do Estado absolutista, pois, para ele, onde não havia poder comum não poderia prevalecer à lei e a ordem, mas apenas a morte, o caos e a destruição.
Alterações climáticas e o direito internacional dos refugiados: a busca pela dignidade humana e pela cidadania dos refugiados ambientais
Authors: Macedo Maria Fernanda Soares
Published: May 2016

Apresenta a importância do reconhecimento da condição jurídica de refugiados ambientais para as pessoas que são obrigadas a saírem de seus lares e se deslocarem para outros países em decorrência de catástrofes naturais ou condições climáticas desfavoráveis. Tendo em vista que milhares de pessoas tiveram e tem que deixar os seus países, para poderem sobreviver, são fundamentais políticas públicas e legislações específicas para que elas sejam acolhidas em seus novos destinos, que tenham suporte médico, assistencial, psicológico, jurídico e educacional, e que a elas sejam garantidas a dignidade humana e a cidadania, e os direitos destas decorrentes. O tema é complexo e não se pretende esgotá-lo. Envolve diversas ramificações do Direito, com ênfase para os Direitos Humanos, o Direito Ambiental, o Direito Constitucional e o Direito Internacional.
Cortes constitucionais e instrumentalização da legitimidade
Authors: Rangel Henrique , Bolonha Carlos , Sepulveda Antonio
Published: May 2016

As instituições democráticas atendem ao seu papel constitucional no interior da atividade política do Estado. As Cortes Constitucionais representam as instituições que melhor promovem esta função. O presente artigo busca investigar, em particular, a Corte Constitucional brasileira em seus comportamentos deliberativos, dialógicos e sistêmicos, focando no que se chama de instrumentalização da legitimidade. Acreditase que estes mecanismos se apresentam, pelo menos, em duas formas: (i) por mecanismos de inclusão-participativa; e (ii) por mecanismos dialógicos institucionais. Ambos os canais permitem as Cortes alcançarem uma posição de destaque na definição de parâmetros deliberativos que, sustenta-se, são pressupostos para um compromisso institucional cooperativo. O objetivo deste artigo é verificar as capacidades institucionais da Corte brasileira no atendimento deste papel ao aplicar mecanismos de instrumentalização da legitimidade, e analisar a contribuição destes para a construção de parâmetros deliberativos.