bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legal account auditing in the corporate system of Chinese listed companies relevance and implications
Authors: Provasi Roberta , Riva Patrizia Lucia Maria
Published: February 2017

In recent years, the People’s Republic of China has enjoyed strong growth that has attracted the attention of the whole world. In particular, the event that marked a significant development of the Chinese economy has been the entry into the WTO in 2001. This has triggered the opening of China to foreign investment and the gradual liberalization of foreign companies in the Chinese domestic market. The presence of foreign investors and foreign companies in China has increased the demand for higher quality in the standard of auditing and an acceleration of the process of international convergence. To this end, China over the years has continued its project of alignment with the international rules and in 2008 published the new CSA (Chinese Standards on Auditing) and in 2010 in accordance with the principle of global and continues convergence the CASB (China auditing Standards Board) has completed its review of the CSA achieving full convergence with the Clarified ISAs. The aim of this research is to investigate the current scenario of the system of statutory audit in the People’s Republic of China, the degree of development of auditing system highlighting the differences and peculiarities of the audit through an empirical analysis that involved the companies composing the index CSI 300 the 300 most highly capitalized companies, 95 of which are listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and 205 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The analysis showed that there is a strong presence of local auditing firms, almost half of the companies listed on the CSI 300 are audited by domestic firms. With regard to the presence of foreign companies, it was found that foreign companies not belonging to the big four are the most representative. In fact only 76 companies are audited by the Big Four.
Examining bank mergers and acquisitions in Greece before the outbreak of the sovereign debt crisis
Authors: Pazarskis Michail , Charalampidou Despoina , Pantelidi Panagiotis , Paschaloudis Dimitrios
Published: February 2017

In this study Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) and business performance of banks in Greece are examined through an accounting approach. Using accounting data (financial ratios), the post-merger performance of a sample of Greek banks, listed on the Athens Stock Exchange that executed at least one merger or acquisition in the four-year-period from 2004 to 2007, is investigated. For the purpose of the study, a set of nineteen ratios is employed, in order to measure banks’ operating performance and to compare pre- and post-merger performance for three, two and one year before and after the M&A. The results revealed that M&As had a positive impact on the post-merger performance of merger-involved firms, except of dividend policy, which had to be moderate and conservative, because of the global financial crisis. The results showed that the effect of M&As on sample’s business performance, is not direct, but it becomes obvious during the next two years. Last, the number of ratios, which are statistically and significantly changed, is bigger as the control interval widens and the common ratios have an identical variation.
Review of corporate governance bundle
Authors: Al-Baidhani Ahmed Mohsen
Published: February 2017

Due to the importance of corporate governance in our business world today, especially after the frequent non-stop financial crises, and since one corporate governance mechanism may not fulfill the purpose, researchers recently came up with a bundle of corporate governance mechanisms which may complement each other or substitute one another. This paper reviews the literature as regards the evolution, development, current application, and potential future use of this bundle, together with relevant critiques
The effect of the financial crisis on the disclosed level of risk: A comparative study of U.S. and Canadian corporations
Authors: Maingot Michael , Quon Tony , Zéghal Daniel
Published: February 2017

The effect of the financial crisis on the level of enterprise risk management (ERM) disclosures was examined through a content analysis of the 2007 and 2008 annual reports of S&P 500 and S&P-TSX Composite Index companies in the consumer discretionary, energy, industrials, and materials sectors. We found that the 2008 financial crisis had a negligible impact on the level of risk disclosures by major non-financial U.S. and Canadian corporations. Comparing the average levels of risks disclosed between the two countries, any differences in the level of risk exposure, risk consequences, or risk management could not be considered to be statistically significant.
Perceptions of the impact of job rotation on employees, productivity, the organization and on job security
Authors: Dhanraj Dayanath , Parumasur Sanjana Brijball
Published: February 2017

This study assesses employee perceptions of the impact of job rotation on employees, production, the organization and on job security. Biographical influences (gender, age, marital status, division, organizational level, tenure) regarding these impacts were also assessed. The study was undertaken in an operations environment of a textile company in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The population includes 77 full time shift employees in the organization and due to the small population size consensus sampling was used. Data was collected using a self-developed, pre-coded, self-administered questionnaire whose reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reflect that employees perceive that job rotation has a high degree of positive impact on employees, productivity, job security and on the organization respectively. Recommendations have been presented that have the potential to enhance and sustain the positive impact of job rotation in the workplace
Value-added approach of internal audit in the Hellenic police
Authors: Drogalas George , Alampourtsidis Savvas , Koutoupis Andreas
Published: February 2017

Within extremely fluid Greek economic environment phenomena of corruption and squandering of public money are growing significantly. Internal audit, through its integrated amalgam of modern and scientifically documented procedures seems to be the most effective mean for the protection of public property. Using survey data collected from 30 of the 34 Hellenic Police Services, the purpose of the present paper is to record the current situation regarding the extent of internal audit’s implementation in Hellenic Police Department. The results of the paper showed that the active role of the Supervisor of Financial Services perform successfully. However, a minority of functions did not comply with best-practice guidelines for achieving internal auditing’s theoretical role. The study provides avenues for further research to confirm the findings with other stakeholders
Shareholder types, their concentration and its effects on demutualized exchanges’ operating and financial results - An empirical study
Authors: Iskandar Samer
Published: February 2017

Scholars are divided over whether listing the shares of stock exchanges improves their financial performance. Applying simple OLS regressions, I test the hypothesis that exchanges’ post-IPO owners are value maximizers. However, recently demutualized exchanges have a high proportion of shareholders with conflicts of interest. Therefore, I also test whether different types of shareholders have different effects on performance. I find that investment managers behave like true value maximizers. The results also show that a higher fragmentation of share ownership is associated with lower performance. The proportion of brokers, who are the most conflicted shareholders in exchanges (since they are large customers as well as owners), is too small to have a measurable effect on performance. Most interestingly I find, by way of an inductive approach to shareholding structure, that strategic shareholders, a wide array of investors with various agendas, are on balance detrimental to shareholder value. This chapter is the first in a trilogy of articles that make up my Ph.D. dissertation. It is followed by an in-depth study of the shareholding structure of individual stock exchanges, notably in order to understand more clearly who these strategic investors are and what effects they have on exchanges.
Potential impact of traffic densification on rail freight transport cost in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: de Bod Anneke , Havenga Jan Hendrik , Pienaar W.J.
Published: February 2017

This article highlights the significant cost-reduction opportunities possible through the densification of rail freight traffic, especially over longer distances, and the concomitant implications for increased profitability for railway organisations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Densification opportunities should also focus on the development of transport corridors throughout the region. SSA countries themselves can play a critical role in unlocking this potential by, inter alia, simplifying regional economic agreements. As with most other initiatives in SSA, unlocking this potential will require efficient cross-country collaboration.
Corporate governance and firm performance: New evidence from Brazil
Authors: Vieira Mariana , Carvalhal da Silva Andre , Figueiredo Otavio
Published: February 2017

The relationship between governance and firm performance has been vastly studied in the academic literature. Although most studies indicate a positive relation between governance and performance, this result is not clear and conclusive to many experts. This paper uses a new methodology to analyze the relation between governance and performance. We compute the change in the quality of governance and classify the firms into three groups (positive, neutral and negative variation). Then we calculate the current and future performance for each group and check if there is a relation between changes in governance and firm performance. Analyzing Brazilian data from 2002 to 2008, our results indicate that positive (negative) changes on corporate governance are associated with positive (negative) changes on firm performance
Assessment of public management modernization’s impacts on Brazilian states’ performance
Authors: Batista de Sá Mychelle Celeste , Fávero Luiz Paulo Lopes
Published: February 2017

This study analyzes the relation between the public sector’s strategic management resources and Brazilian states’ performance. The Resource-Based View (RBV) serves as the theoretical foundation for the research. The study was carried out in a sample of 20 Brazilian States, obtained through the application of a structured survey questionnaire to State Secretaries of Administration, Planning, Treasury, IRS, Education Health and Safety. Variables related to strategic management resources were obtained from the questionnaire and from government agencies. Through correspondence and homogeneity analyses, it was verified that the best budget, economic-financial and social development indicators are associated with those states that display good assessment of organizational management culture, citizen-oriented view, human capital and information systems management.
Institutional ownership, equity return and price momentum anomaly
Authors: Chen Jiun-Lin , Yang Hsiao-Fen
Published: February 2017

This paper examines whether momentum profit and institutional holdings are related. The empirical result shows that after controlled for the size effect, momentum profits are positively related to institutional holdings, especially for small-capitalization firms. Our finding confirms that institution investors tend to have positive-feedback trading in smaller firms. Furthermore, we find that the equity return is positively related to the institutional trading, which supports the hypothesis that institutional investors are better informed than individual investors.
Does ownership structure affect firm performance? Evidence from Nigerian listed companies
Authors: Tsegba Ioraver N. , Achua Joseph K.
Published: February 2017

This paper examines the relationship between ownership structure and firm performance from the perspective of listed Nigerian companies. The sample comprises 73 companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for which relevant financial data is available for the period 2001 to 2007. The empirical results obtained through ordinary least squares (OLS) analysis provide evidence which suggests that dominant shareholding, ownership concentration, and foreign ownership structures have no significant effect on firm performance. However, insider ownership is inversely related to firm performance. Two major policy implications emerge from the results of this study. First, since ownership structures such as, dominant shareholding, concentrated ownership, and foreign ownership have no significant effect on firm performance, government emphasis on them is misplaced. Second, insider ownership of Nigerian firms is to be monitored closely by shareholders due to the adverse effect of this ownership structure on firm performance.
Corporate governance and corporate investment: an exploratory research in the Brazilian publicly traded companies listed in Bovespa
Authors: Sousa Nádia , Dalmácio Flávia Zóboli
Published: February 2017

This paper aims to study the influence of Corporate Governance practices in the institutional decision to invest. It was developed a Governance Index (iGov), a descending rank was prepared and a test was applied to check if the companies in the first 25% of this rank have the highest number of institutional investors among their biggest investors than the companies of the last 25%. For the validation of IGov it was tested if the companies with the best marks present highest Returns, lowest Capital Cost, highest Market Value, and highest Competiveness within the sector, lowest Beta, highest EVA® and lowest Share concentration. It has been proved that the best Corporate Governance practices do not have any statistical relation with the presence of more Institutional Investor.
Structural, Thermal and Electrical Properties of Doped Poly(3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene)
Authors:   Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Civil Lines, Nagpur – 440 001, India, Kelkar Deepali , Chourasia Ashish ,   Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Civil Lines, Nagpur – 440 001, India,   Electronic Science Department, H.P.T.Arts &R.Y.K.Science College, Nasik, India
Published: February 2017

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was chemically synthesized, undoped and then re-doped using FeCl3 as well as camphorsulfonic acid (CSA). FT-IR results confirm the nature of the synthesized and doped samples. XRD analysis indicates crystal structure modification after doping and was also used to calculate crystallinity of samples. Crystallinity increases after FeCl3 doping, whereas it reduces due to CSA doping. TGA-DTA results show reduction in Tg value for FeCl3 doped sample while it increases for CSA doped samples compared to that of undoped PEDOT. Reduction in Tg indicates plasticizing effect of FeCl3 whereas increase in Tg show anti-plasticizing effect of CSA in PEDOT. Conductivity value () increases by two orders of magnitude after doping. Log vs. 1/T graph show metallic nature of undoped PEDOT above 308 K, however both doped samples show semiconducting nature from 301 to 383 K.
Niobium Oxide as Catalyst for the Pyrolysis of Polypropylene and Polyethylene Plastic Waste
Authors:   Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Macromoleculas Eloisa Mano, IMA-UFRJ. Cidade Universitária. Av. Horácio Macedo, 2.030. Centro de Tecnologia. Bloco J. Rio de Janeiro. RJ. Brasil, Almeida Debora , Marques Maria de Fatima ,   Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Macromoleculas Eloisa Mano, IMA-UFRJ. Cidade Universitária. Av. Horácio Macedo, 2.030. Centro de Tecnologia. Bloco J. Rio de Janeiro. RJ. Brasil
Published: February 2017

In the present work, the pyrolysis of polypropylene and polyethylene was evaluated with and without the addition of niobium oxide as catalyst by means of thermogravimetric analysis and experiments in a glass reactor. The results revealed that niobium oxide performed well in the pyrolysis of both polypropylene and polyethylene separately. For the mixture of polypropylene with polyethylene, the catalyst reduced the pyrolysis time.
Physical-Chemical Properties of Jet Fuel Blends with Components Derived from Rape Oil
Authors:   National Aviation University 1, Komarova Ave., office 1.402, 03058 Kyiv, Ukraine, Iakovlieva Anna , Vovk Oksana ,   National Aviation University 1, Komarova Ave., office 1.402, 03058 Kyiv, Ukraine, Boichenko Sergii ,   Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-95,9 Povstancov Warshavy Ave., 8 Rzeszow, Poland, Lejda Kazimierz ,   Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-95,9 Povstancov Warshavy Ave., 8 Rzeszow, Poland, Kuszewski Hubert ,   Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-95,9 Povstancov Warshavy Ave., 8 Rzeszow, Poland
Published: February 2017

The work is devoted to the development of alternative jet fuel blended with rapeseed oil-derived biocomponents and study of their physical-chemical properties. The modification of conventional jet fuel by rapeseed oil esters was chosen for this work among the variety of technologies for alternative jet fuels development. The main characteristics of conventional jet fuel and three kinds of biocomponents were determined and compared to the standards requirements to jet fuel of Jet A-1 grade. The most important or identifying physical-chemical properties of jet fuels were determined for the scope of this study. Among them are: density, viscosity, fractional composition, freezing point and net heat of combustion. The influence of rapeseed oil-derived biocomponents on the mentioned above characteristics of blended jet fuels was studied and explained.
Investigations of Cavitation Processes in Different Types of Emitters Using Sonochemical Analysis
Authors:   Lviv Polytechnic National University 12, S. Bandera St., 79013 Lviv, Ukraine, Yavorskiy Victor , Suchatskiy Yuriy ,   Lviv Polytechnic National University 12, S. Bandera St., 79013 Lviv, Ukraine, Znak Zenoviy ,   Lviv Polytechnic National University 12, S. Bandera St., 79013 Lviv, Ukraine, Mnykh Roman ,   Lviv Polytechnic National University 12, S. Bandera St., 79013 Lviv, Ukraine
Published: February 2017

The application limits of optical and sonochemical methods to determine the sizes of cavitation bubbles and their derivatives have been analyzed. The effect of cavitation fields generated using an ultrasonic magnetostrictive oscillator and jet hydrodynamic emitter on the parameters of their acoustic signals has been examined. The bubbles size depending on emitter type and parameters has been determined using sonochemical analysis. The character of the dependence was estimated according to Minnaert formula. The bubbles dispersity in the flotation zone may be controlled by varying conditions of cavitation excitation.
Formation of intermetallic compounds and their effect on mechanical properties of aluminum–titanium alloy films
Authors: Shang Hailong , Ma Bingyang , Li Rongbin , Li Geyang
Published: February 2017

Al–Ti alloy films with various Ti contents were prepared through magnetron co-sputtering with Al and Ti targets and treated with vacuum annealing at 400 °C. Energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nanoindentation were used to determine the composition, microstructure and hardness of the films to reveal the existence of intermetallic compounds and their effects on the microstructure and mechanical properties. The results showed that Al–Ti films with lower Ti contents formed nanocrystalline structures of highly supersaturated solid solution. With the increase of Ti content, various types of Al–Ti intermetallic compound bonds formed. The existence and increasing concentration of these compound bonds gradually transformed the films into amorphous structures and supported the continual increase of the film hardness, reaching a high value of 8.8 GPa at 36.3 at.% Ti.
Effect of Fare Policies on Dwell Time
Authors: Egge Mark , (Sean) Qian Zhen , Silbermann Amy
Published: February 2017

Bus fares may be collected when passengers board or immediately before they alight. Little work has been done to quantify the impacts of entry fare and exit fare policies on passenger stop delay, namely the dwell time. The Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAAC), Pennsylvania, is one of few mass transit systems to currently employ both entry fare and exit fare policies. PAAC’s alternating fare policy offers an ideal natural experiment for investigating the effect of fare collection policy on dwell time. PAAC automated passenger counter and automatic vehicle location data were analyzed to estimate dwell time under no fare collection and entry fare and exit fare policies. The study found that the choice of fare policy can significantly affect the dwell time associated with fare payment but also that the effect of fare policy varies with route characteristics. The findings suggest that a transit system that seeks to minimize the contribution of fare payment to total trip dwell time may be most effective by operating an entry fare policy on local routes with frequent stops and evenly distributed ridership and an exit fare policy on express and bus rapid transit routes with fewer stops and substantial passenger movements at major stops.
Extent of Insecticide Residue Load in Vegetables Grown under Conventional Farming in Bangladesh
Authors: Ahmed M S , Begum Afroza , Rahman M A , Akon M W , Chowdhury M A Z
Published: February 2017

The study was carried out to detect and quantify the left over residues of eight commonly used insecticides (fenvalerate, diazinon, quinalphos, fenitrothion, acephate, chlorpyriphos, cypermethrin and malathion) in brinjal, yard long bean, bitter gourd, snake gourd, pointed gourd, okra, tomato, hyacinth bean and cabbage samples collected from local market of eight different regions like Jessore, Comilla, Narsingdi, Tangail, Rangpur, Jamalpur, Gazipur and Dhaka during 2011-2012 seasons. Among the170 analyzed samples, 21.78% were contaminated with four insecticides (chlorpyriphos, quinalphos, acephate and cypermethrin) either single or multiple product residue, in which 18.26% samples had residue above MRL. The vegetables of Norsingdi, Jessore and Comilla had more insecticide residue in comparison to other locations. Most of the samples contain chlorpyriphos (13.53%) and quinalphos (8.4%) residue. Acephate, chlorpyriphos and quinaphos were also found as multiple product residues expressing 2.35% of the total samples which were above MRL and 19.41% sample contained single product residue with chlorpyriphos, quinaphos and cypermethrin where 15.88% were of above MRL. Cypermethrin residue was detected only in two samples (brinjal and yard long bean) which were below MRL.The Agriculturists 2016; 14(2) 38-47
Performance of Wheat as Affected by Different Irrigation Levels and Sowing Dates
Authors: Sohel Mahmud Md , Jafar Ullah Md , Abdullahil Baque Md , Naher Lutfun , Mohammad Mohsin Sayed
Published: February 2017

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of irrigations and sowing dates on growth and yield performance of wheat in the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period of November 18, 2012 to March 30, 2013. The experiment was comprised of two factors, viz. factor A: two irrigations namely irrigation (I) and no irrigation i.e. control (I0), and factor B: three sowing dates such as S1: 1st sowing on 18 November, S2: 2nd sowing on 03 December and S3: 3rd sowing on 18 December. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications. Irrigation was assigned in the main plot, while sowing time was in the sub-plots. Data on grain yield and different yield contributing characters were taken after harvest. Results indicated that the highest grain yield was obtained with I (2.915 t ha-1) and S1 (2.983 t ha-1). The interaction of irrigation (I) and sowing on 18 November (S1) showed the maximum yield (3.387t ha-1), spike length (17.08 cm), 1000 grain weight (43.4 g), spikelets spike-1 (20.03) and grain spike-1 (65.58) of wheat.The Agriculturists 2016; 14(2) 77-85
The Role of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Adolescents and Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Sheikh Naveen , Banerjee Sajal Krishna , Rahman Fazlur , Hossen Zahid , Ahmed CM , Haque Harisul , Habib SMA , Noornabi Md , Muqueet MA , Khondaker - , Hossain Nizamul , Hasan ATM Iqbal , Arzu Jahanara , Haque Md Mustashirul
Published: February 2017

There is frequent dropout of atrial septal echoesin the region of the fossa ovalis in the standard precordial echocardiographic imaging planes, that can be minimized by use of the subcostal imaging approach. The diagnostic sensitivity of this approach was reviewed in 154 patients (mean age 31 years, range 18years to 45 yrs) with documented atrial septal defect in whom a satisfactory image of the atrial septum could be obtained.Subcostal two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiography successfully visualized 93 (89%) of the 105 ostium secundum atrial septal defects, all 32 (100%) ostium Primum defects and 7 (44%) of the 16 sinus vinosus defects. A defect was not visualized (false negative response) in 12 patients (11 %) with an ostium secundum defect and in 9 patients (56%) with a sinus venosus defect. In three of the former and five of the latter, a two-dimensional echocardiographic contrast examination and transesophageal echocardiography established the presence of the inter-atrial shunt. Forty eight patients (32 %) with clinical findings of uncomplicated atrial septal defect confirmed by two-dimensional,color Doppler and Transesophageal echocardiography underwent surgical repair of the defect without preoperative cardiac catheterization. There were no perioperative complications.University Heart Journal Vol. 11, No. 2, July 2015; 63-67
‘Them that furiously burn all truth’
Authors: Pardue Bradley C.
Published: February 2017

This paper argues that William Tyndale’s vernacular translations of scripture were initially conceived primarily as an Erasmian humanist project. In the summer of 1523, Tyndale traveled to London to seek the patronage of Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall for an English bible. Only three years later, it would be Tunstall who presided over the burning of Tyndale’s New Testament at Paul’s Cross in October 1526. Through a careful analysis of Tyndale’s subsequent reflections on these events, this paper explores how a potential patron becomes the destroyer of vernacular bibles and suggests that it was Tyndale’s experience of “them that furiously burn all truth” that drove him firmly into the Protestant camp.
Thomas More and the East: Ethiopia, India and The Land of Prester John
Authors: Lakowski Romuald Ian
Published: February 2017

More makes many references to the “Orient” in his writings. A consistent view of More’s “Orientalism”, which reveals a strong interest in the existence of Eastern Christians, can be obtained from examining the evidence of scattered references to “the East” in More’s Collected Works (mostly written after Utopia), particularly to “Ethiopia”, the “Men of Inde” and the “Land of Prester John”. These references indicate that even almost twenty years after Utopia was published, More was still referring to the Orient in essentially medieval terms: that far from being an exception, More’s geographical world view was essentially similar to that of his more educated contemporaries, and that the discovery of the America had only a very “blunted impact” on More’s geographical understanding. Further evidence of the More Circle’s interest in Eastern Christians is provided by John More’s 1533 Preface to his translation of Damião de Góis’s Legacy of Prester John.
Shakespeare’s Indebtedness to More
Authors: Milward Peter
Published: February 2017

Obviously, the indebtedness of William Shakespeare as dramatist to the writings of Sir Thomas More, as being “the two greatest minds of the Tudor age”, is indisputable, even if we only consider his hand in the MS Book of Sir Thomas More, his use of More’s Life of Richard III as the unique source for his play of Richard III, and his explicit mention of More in the final history play of Henry VIII. All this, however, is what we may read on the lines of the material that has come down to us concerning Shakespeare, whereas for a true understanding of the dramatist we need to read between the lines, according to the true meaning of “intelligence”. What Lucio says of the “duke of dark corners” in Measure for Measure, we have to apply to the dramatic author, “His givings out were of an infinite distance from his true-meant design.” Even in his own day More had to veil his words under a mask of Socratic irony or Chaucerian humour, and then (after his imprisonment in the Tower) of silence – as it were foreshadowing Hamlet’s lament, “But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue!” How much more, then, must it have been incumbent on Shakespeare to be careful of his words, living and writing as he did in what his recusant friend Ben Jonson called “a dangerous age”, hemmed in as they both were by suborned informers like the hack playwright Anthony Munday.
Voltage-Sensorless Control Scheme for a Grid Connected Inverter Using Disturbance Observer
Authors: Kim Hyun-Sou , Kim Kyeong-Hwa
Published: February 2017

A grid connected inverter usually requires voltage and current measurements to control the active and reactive powers as well as the inverter output currents. While voltage sensors are essential to obtain reliable information on the phase angle, these additional components certainly increase the production costs and complexity. In this paper, a voltage-sensorless control scheme for a grid connected inverter using a disturbance observer (DOB) is presented. The grid voltages are estimated by DOB in the stationary reference frame using the current measurements and reference signals. Even though the DOB estimates the grid voltages with reasonable accuracy in the presence of the uncertainty such as the unbalanced condition and harmonic distortion, the resultant waveform shows a phase lag depending on the estimation bandwidth. To overcome this limitation, a phase lead compensation is introduced. By using these techniques, the phase angle of grid voltages can be completely restored even if the phase angle of grid is initially unknown. The proposed scheme is simple and straightforward. In addition, it does not require any additional hardware. The feasibility of the proposed voltage-sensorless control scheme is demonstrated through simulations and experiments using 2 kVA prototype inverter.
Lessons from the Onset of a Common Envelope Episode: the Remarkable M31 2015 Luminous Red Nova Outburst
Authors: MacLeod Morgan , Macias Phillip , Ramirez-Ruiz Enrico , Grindlay Jonathan , Batta Aldo , Montes Gabriela
Published: February 2017

This paper investigates the recent stellar-merger transient M31LRN 2015 in the Andromeda galaxy. We analyze published optical photometry and spectroscopy along with a Hubble Space Telescope detection of the color and magnitude of the pre-outburst source. The transient outburst is consistent with dynamically driven ejecta at the onset of a common envelope episode, which eventually leads to the complete merger of a binary system. The light curve appears to contain two components: first

of fast ejecta driven by shocks at the onset of common envelope, and later, ∼0.3 M
⊙ of further ejecta as the secondary becomes more deeply engulfed within the primary. Just prior to merger, we find that the primary star is a 3–5.5 M
⊙ subgiant-branch primary star with a radius of 30–40 R
⊙. Its position in the color–magnitude diagram shows that it is growing in radius, consistent with a picture where it engulfs its companion. By matching the properties of the primary star to the transient outburst, we show that the optical transient lasts less than 10 orbits of the original binary, which had a pre-merger period of ∼10 days. We consider the possible orbital dynamics leading up to the merger, and argue that if the system merged due to the Darwin tidal instability it implies a lower mass main-sequence companion of 0.1–0.6 M
⊙. This analysis represents a promising step toward a more detailed understanding of flows in common envelope episodes through direct observational constraints.
Computation of the Transmitted and Polarized Scattered Fluxes by the Exoplanet HD 189733b in X-Rays
Authors: Marin Frédéric , Grosso Nicolas
Published: February 2017

Thousands of exoplanets have been detected, but only one exoplanetary transit was potentially observed in X-rays from HD 189733A. What makes the detection of exoplanets so difficult in this band? To answer this question, we run Monte-Carlo radiative transfer simulations to estimate the amount of X-ray flux reprocessed by HD 189733b. Despite its extended evaporating atmosphere, we find that the X-ray absorption radius of HD 189733b at 0.7 keV, which is the mean energy of the photons detected in the 0.25–2 keV energy band by XMM-Newton, is ∼1.01 times the planetary radius for an atmosphere of atomic hydrogen and helium (including ions), and produces a maximum depth of ∼2.1% at ∼±46 minutes from the center of the planetary transit on the geometrically thick and optically thin corona. We compute numerically in the 0.25–2 keV energy band that this maximum depth is only of ∼1.6% at ∼±47 minutes from the transit center, and not very sensitive to the metal abundance, assuming that adding metals in the atmosphere would not dramatically change the density–temperature profile. Regarding a direct detection of HD 189733b in X-rays, we find that the amount of flux reprocessed by the exoplanetary atmosphere varies with the orbital phase, spanning between three and five orders of magnitude fainter than the flux of the primary star. Additionally, the degree of linear polarization emerging from HD 189733b is <0.003%, with maximums detected near planetary greatest elongations. This implies that both the modulation of the X-ray flux with the orbital phase and the scatter-induced continuum polarization cannot be observed with current X-ray facilities.
Non-LTE Stellar Population Synthesis of Globular Clusters Using Synthetic Integrated Light Spectra. I. Constructing the IL Spectra
Authors: Young Mitchell. E. , Short C. Ian
Published: February 2017

We present an investigation of the globular cluster population synthesis method of McWilliam & Bernstein, focusing on the impact of non-LTE (NLTE) modeling effects and color–magnitude diagram (CMD) discretization. Johnson–Cousins–Bessel U – B,

,

, and

colors are produced for 96 synthetic integrated light (IL) spectra with two different discretization prescriptions and three degrees of NLTE treatment. These color values are used to compare NLTE- and LTE-derived population ages. Relative contributions of different spectral types to the IL spectra for different wavebands are measured. IL NLTE spectra are shown to be more luminous in the UV and optical than LTE spectra, but show stronger absorption features in the IR. The main features showing discrepancies between NLTE and LTE IL spectra may be attributed to light metals, primarily Fe i, Ca i, and Ti i, as well as TiO molecular bands. Main-sequence stars are shown to have negligible NLTE effects at IR wavelengths compared to more evolved stars. Photometric color values are shown to vary at the millimagnitude level as a function of CMD discretization. Finer CMD sampling for the upper main sequence and turnoff, base of the red giant branch, and the horizontal branch minimizes this variation. Differences in ages derived from LTE and NLTE IL spectra are found to range from 0.55 to 2.54 Gyr, comparable to the uncertainty in GC ages derived from color indices with observational uncertainties of 0.01 mag, the limiting precision of the Harris catalog.
The OMERACT Ultrasound Group: A Report from the OMERACT 2016 Meeting and Perspectives
Authors: Terslev Lene , Iagnocco Annamaria , Bruyn George A.W. , Naredo Esperanza , Vojinovic Jelena , Collado Paz , Damjanov Nemanja , Filer Andrew , Filippou Georgios , Finzel Stephanie , Gandjbakhch Frederique , Ikeda Kei , Keen Helen I. , Kortekaas Marion C. , Magni-Manzoni Silvia , Ohrndorf Sarah , Pineda Carlos , Ravagnani Viviana , Richards Bethan , Sahbudin Ilfita , Schmidt Wolfgang A. , Siddle Heidi J. , Stoenoiu Maria S. , Szkudlarek Marcin , Tzaribachev Nikolay , D’Agostino Maria-Antonietta ,   on behalf of the OMERACT Ultrasound Group
Published: February 2017

Objective.

To provide an update from the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Ultrasound Working Group on the progress for defining ultrasound (US) minimal disease activity threshold at joint level in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and for standardization of US application in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods.

For minimal disease activity, healthy controls (HC) and patients with early arthritis (EA) who were naive to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs were recruited from 2 centers. US was performed of the hands and feet, and scored semiquantitatively (0–3) for synovial hypertrophy (SH) and power Doppler (PD). Synovial effusion (SE) was scored a binary variable. For JIA, a Delphi approach and subsequent validation in static images and patient-based exercises were used to developed preliminary definitions for synovitis and a scoring system.

Results.

For minimal disease activity, 7% HC had at least 1 joint abnormality versus 30% in the EA group. In HC, the findings of SH and PD were predominantly grade 1 whereas all grades were seen in the EA cohort, but SE was rare. In JIA, synovitis can be diagnosed based on B-mode findings alone because of the presence of physiological vascularization. A semiquantitative scoring system (0–3) for synovitis for both B-mode and Doppler were developed in which the cutoff between Doppler grade 2 and grade 3 was 30%.

Conclusion.

The first step has been taken to define the threshold for minimal disease activity in RA by US and to define and develop a scoring system for synovitis in JIA. Further steps are planned for the continuous validation of US in these areas.
La maison, un lieu de vie et de bien-être
Authors: Eiguer Alberto
Published: February 2017

La maison, un lieu de vie et de bien-être ? Si nous cherchons un lieu où l’on attend qu’il nous procure du bien-être, celui-ci est la maison, notre foyer, notre nid. Tout y est fait pour nous retrouver, nous sentir à l’aise et en sécurité. C’est aussi un lieu d’émotions fortes et de liens stables que l’on désire durables. Si de tels affects et vécus sont rendus possibles, c’est que la maison est représentée dans notre inconscient et que notre inconscient l’ordonne et lui donne vie.
Hospitalisation pédiatrique à domicile : renforcement des compétences familiales et soutien médico-soignant
Authors: Peuvrier Stéphanie , Lévêque Mélanie , Perifano Alessia , Gatbois Edith
Published: February 2017

Le développement récent de l’offre de soin « Hospitalisation à domicile pédiatrique » permet d’envisager le retour à domicile d’enfants malades en maintenant une qualité des soins équivalente à l’hôpital et une coordination des différents professionnels autour d’un projet partagé. La continuité des soins assortie de l’astreinte médicale had permet d’autonomiser les familles et les sécuriser dans leurs compétences de parents à prendre soin de leur enfant. Dans le bouleversement des repères auquel les parents sont confrontés, dans le séisme qu’ils vivent en assistant à la maladie de leur enfant, l’équipe d’ had valorise les compétences parentales, tout en permettant d’identifier les limites, les appréhensions de chacun. L’asymétrie des relations habituellement observée entre malade et professionnel est réduite. Chaque professionnel doit travailler une position d’écoute, de bienveillance et d’humilité, en apportant son expertise professionnelle tout en valorisant la compétence des parents auprès de leur enfant.
La maison de l’enfant, les Maisons d’Enfants
Authors: De Togni Caroline , Gonçalves Philippe
Published: February 2017

Que signifient réellement habiter une maison et être accueilli en Maison d’Enfants ? Ces termes familiers sont revisités afin d’encourager le professionnel de la protection de l’enfance à dessiner les contours de ses propres représentations à l’aune de celles de l’enfant. L’institution comme la famille constituent des groupes dont les emboitements multiplient le jeu des possibles et des identifications croisées. Placement et accueil en Maison d’Enfants sont des mesures éducatives de protection qui entraînent une séparation douloureuse, mais qui œuvrent aussi à penser le manque, à reformuler l’inentendable et à retisser les liens. L’intersubjectivité autorise une nouvelle rencontre, celle où, enfin, l’on puisse se sentir chez Soi.
Autisme et parentalité, ou la nécessité d’un soutien à domicile
Authors: Bagla Célia
Published: February 2017

Dans cet article, nous amenons la question du travail à domicile en guise de soutien à la difficile parentalité d’enfants atteints de troubles du spectre autistique. Nous abordons les questions de l’intime, de l’idée de contenance que joue le domicile et de l’intérêt de ce mode de prise en charge, tant du point de vue du travail qui peut y être fait auprès de la fratrie, de l’aide à l’adaptation du domicile mais aussi des difficultés à composer avec ou sans ce qui s’y trouve.
Quand les adolescents s’ennuient devant leurs écrans
Authors: Menrath Joëlle
Published: February 2017

Une enquête ethnographique menée auprès d’adolescents a montré que, contre toute attente, l’ennui n’épargnait pas les moments passés devant les écrans. Ceux-ci semblent ouvrir une troisième possibilité, entre distanciation passive et engagement : celle de témoigner de son ennui, sans s’en détourner pour autant. Avec les outils numériques, c’est la gamme d’expressions de l’ennui qui s’est élargie, en offrant de nouvelles ressources a minima, au degré zéro de la symbolisation, ainsi que de nouveaux modes de lecture, signes d’une prédominance du « vécu » sur le « penser » propre à la psyché adolescente.
PRELP Enhances Host Innate Immunity against the Respiratory Tract Pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis
Authors: Liu Guanghui , Ermert David , Johansson Martin E. , Singh Birendra , Su Yu-Ching , Paulsson Magnus , Riesbeck Kristian , Blom Anna M.
Published: February 2017

Respiratory tract infections are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide urging better understanding of interactions between pathogens causing these infections and the host. Here we report that an extracellular matrix component proline/arginine-rich end leucine-rich repeat protein (PRELP) is a novel antibacterial component of innate immunity. We detected the presence of PRELP in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and showed that PRELP can be found in alveolar fluid, resident macrophages/monocytes, myofibroblasts, and the adventitia of blood vessels in lung tissue. PRELP specifically binds respiratory tract pathogens Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, but not other bacterial pathogens tested. We focused our study on M. catarrhalis and found that PRELP binds the majority of clinical isolates of M. catarrhalis (n = 49) through interaction with the ubiquitous surface protein A2/A2H. M. catarrhalis usually resists complement-mediated serum killing by recruiting to its surface a complement inhibitor C4b-binding protein, which is also a ligand for PRELP. We found that PRELP competitively inhibits binding of C4b-binding protein to bacteria, which enhances membrane attack complex formation on M. catarrhalis and thus leads to increased serum sensitivity. Furthermore, PRELP enhances phagocytic killing of serum-opsonized M. catarrhalis by human neutrophils in vitro. Moreover, PRELP reduces Moraxella adherence to and invasion of human lung epithelial A549 cells. Taken together, PRELP enhances host innate immunity against M. catarrhalis through increasing complement-mediated attack, improving phagocytic killing activity of neutrophils, and preventing bacterial adherence to lung epithelial cells.
Extensão e fragmentação no contexto da jurisdição penal internacional
Authors: De Oliveira Marcus Vinícius Xavier
Published: February 2017

Neste trabalho são abordados os problemas inerentes à jurisdição penal internacional no contexto do Direito Internacional contemporâneo, duplamente caracterizado pela extensão e pela fragmentação. No primeiro tópico é discutido o tema relativo à ambiguidade do conceito de jurisdição, para logo após enfrentar-se os principais temas conceitual, institucional e histórico do desenvolvimento da jurisdição penal internacional. Por fim, são abordados os problemas da extensão e da fragmentação em referido contexto. A título de conclusão provisória, assenta-se a resposta a ditos problemas na necessidade de se implementar e aperfeiçoar a cooperação penal internacional entre os Estados.
Transporte aéreo e Direito Transnacional: da convergência à uniformidade
Authors: Viglino Mickael
Published: February 2017

Esse trabalho tentará demonstrar que desde a Segunda Guerra Mundial, sob vários aspectos, o direito do transporte aéreo tem se emancipado do direito nacional, desenvolvendo-se normas e padrões transnacionais, de aplicação uniforme sem consideração aos territórios. Analisaremos três exemplos sucessivamente, em um crescendo no que concerne o grau de independência da norma em relação ao Estado.

A primeira parte será dedicada à Organização da Aviação Civil Internacional e ao seu papel central e ativo na regulação do transporte aéreo internacional. Veremos que os padrões e diretrizes produzidos desde então pela Organização têm se distanciado dos Estados para formar um conjunto técnico autônomo. Em seguida, analisaremos a Convenção da Cidade do Cabo de 2001 sobre garantias internacionais sobre equipamentos móveis, que criou um arsenal internacional para proteção dos credores titulares de garantias, no intuito de afastar o assunto da interferência dos Estados na constituição e execução de garantias internacionais. A terceira e última parte versará sobre o papel da International Air Transport Association – IATA na regulação e organização do tráfego aéreo internacional. Associação privada que representa as companhias aéreas internacionais, a IATA elabora e emite normas e padrões seguidos pelo setor inteiro.
Awakening the "Walking Dead": Zombie Pedagogy for Millennials
Authors: Wadsworth Nancy Dawn
Published: February 2017

This article lays out the pedagogical benefits of using popular zombie productions, particularly AMC's The Walking Dead, to teach a critical introduction to modern political theory. Based on my undergraduate course: "Political Theory, Climate Change, and the Zombie Apocalypse," the article outlines how The Walking Dead can be used to critique the mythic assumptions built into modern social contract theory; to introduce other political ideologies, including conservatism, anarchism, fascism, and communism; and to consider the political challenges raised by a global problem such as climate change in an increasingly neoliberal environment. Zombie productions are offered as a particularly salient pedagogical tool that can help awaken critical political analysis for the Millennial Generation.
Why Toilets Are About Class and Gender Wars with Introduction
Authors: Abdulali Sohaila
Published: February 2017

Reprint of “Why Toilets are About Class and Gender Wars” by Sohaila Abdulali with introduction by Radical Teacher editor Michael Bennett.Sohaila Abdulali’s article, “Why Toilets are About Class and Gender Wars” has been reprinted with permission from the publisher, HT Media Ltd and can be found in it’s original format at http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/38Jqn3MImrOPK04C1Uw5hN/How-toilets-are-a-flashpoint-for-gender-wars.html. The reprinted article on pages 55-56 is copyrighted to HT Media Ltd and they reserve all rights. The introduction to this article by Michael Bennett is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.Reprinted with permission by HT Media Ltd, all rights reserved.
News for Educational Workers
Authors: Vogt Leonard
Published: February 2017

News for Educational Workers: Winter 2017