bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergistic Hypoglycemic Effects of Pumpkin Polysaccharides and Puerarin on Type II Diabetes Mellitus Mice
Authors: Chen Xue , Qian Lei , Wang Bujiang , Zhang Zhijun , Liu Han , Zhang Yeni , Liu Jinfu
Published: March 2019

To investigate the hypoglycemic effect and potential mechanism of pumpkin polysaccharides and puerarin on type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice, mice were fed a high-fat diet and injected intraperitoneally with streptozotacin to induce T2DM. After eight weeks of drug administration, blood samples were withdrawn from tail veins of mice that had been fasted overnight. The results showed that both pumpkin polysaccharides and puerarin, as well as a pumpkin polysaccharides and puerarin combination, could ameliorate T2DM. The pumpkin polysaccharides and puerarin combination had a synergetic hypoglycemic effect on T2DM mice that was greater than the pumpkin polysaccharides’ or the puerarin’s hypoglycemic effect. Both the pumpkin polysaccharides and the puerarin were found to ameliorate the blood glucose tolerance and insulin resistance of T2DM mice. They showed lipid-lowering activity by reducing the total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein levels, and improving the high-density lipoprotein level. They had beneficial effects on the oxidative stress by decreasing the reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels, and increasing the glutathione level and the superoxide dismutase activity. Furthermore, the nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1, and phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) levels were upregulated, and the Nrf2 and PI3K signalling pathways might be involved in the hypoglycemic mechanism. The combined administration of pumpkin polysaccharides and puerarin could synergistically ameliorate T2DM.
The Modulation Effect of MoS2 Monolayers on the Nucleation and Growth of Pd Clusters: First-Principles Study
Authors: Wu Ping , Huang Min , Yin Naiqiang , Li Peng
Published: March 2019

The geometries, electronic structures, adsorption, diffusion, and nucleation behaviors of Pdn (n = 1–5) clusters on MoS2 monolayers (MLs) were investigated using first principles calculations to elucidate the initial growth of metal on MoS2. The results demonstrate that Pd clusters can chemically adsorb on MoS2 MLs forming strong Pd–S covalent bonds with significant ionic character. We investigated the initial growth mode of Pd clusters on MoS2 monolayers and found that Pdn clusters tend to adopt pyramid-like structures for n = 4–5 and planar structures lying on MoS2 substrates for n = 1–3. It can be explained by the competition between adsorbate–substrate and the intra-clusters’ interactions with the increasing coverage. Compared with pristine MoS2 MLs, the work function was reduced from 5.01 eV upon adsorption of Pd monomer to 4.38 eV for the case of the Pd5 clusters due to the charge transfer from Pd clusters to MoS2 MLs. In addition, our calculations of the nucleation and diffusion behaviors of Pd clusters on MoS2 MLs predicted that Pd is likely to agglomerate to metal nanotemplates on MoS2 MLs during the epitaxial stacking process. These findings may provide useful guidance to extend the potential technological applications of MoS2, including catalysts and production of metal thin films, and the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices.
Mode Suppression in Injection Locked Multi-Mode and Single-Mode Lasers for Optical Demultiplexing
Authors: Shortiss Kevin , Shayesteh Maryam , Cotter William , Perrott Alison H. , Dernaika Mohamad , Peters Frank H.
Published: March 2019

Optical injection locking has been demonstrated as an effective filter for optical communications. These optical filters have advantages over conventional passive filters, as they can be used on active material, allowing them to be monolithically integrated onto an optical circuit. We present an experimental and theoretical study of the optical suppression in injection locked Fabry–Pérot and slotted Fabry–Pérot lasers. We consider both single frequency and optical comb injection. Our model is then used to demonstrate that improving the Q factor of devices increases the suppression obtained when injecting optical combs. We show that increasing the Q factor while fixing the device pump rate relative to threshold causes the locking range of these demultiplexers to asymptotically approach a constant value.
Simple Alternatives to PID-Type Control for Processes with Variable Time-Delay
Authors: Copot Dana , Ghita Mihaela , Ionescu Clara M.
Published: March 2019

Process industries include chemicals, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, steel, minerals, food, and power generation industries. Although diverse, all of these share common dynamics in terms of continuous variables and rely on the same measurements, e.g., level, flow, temperature, and pressure. They also have common actuators, such as valves and pumps. Additionally, they have variable time delays from process dynamics, such as mixing effects, measurement lines, or wireless data communication protocols. Processes with variable time delay can often lead to poor performance and instability. This paper proposes a fractional-order (FO) control design with adaptive laws for dealing with such processes, and a comparison is analysed against other controllers established in the literature for delayed dynamics. Two examples are presented to illustrate the advantages of the proposed approach. A real time-embedded control setup and interface to industrial standard devices is tested to illustrate the implementation aspects of the proposed fractional-order control. Comparison with other established controllers is given.
Corporate Competitiveness Index of Climate Change: A Balanced Scorecard Approach
Authors: Myung Jae Kyu , An Hyoung-Tae , Lee Su-Yol
Published: March 2019

Climate change is one of the most critical issues in the business sector. This conceptual study proposes a corporate competitiveness evaluation model of climate change by adopting the Balanced Scorecard approach. This study provides a series of specific performance and competitiveness indicators of climate change in the four dimensions of learning and growth, internal process, external stakeholders, and finance and carbon performance. The indicators, which use both quantitative and qualitative methods, can be immediately applied in the field. This study presents practical guidelines to successfully adopt and implement the competitiveness evaluation model in an organization by considering prevalent innovation tools of business process management, process visualization, and knowledge socialization. Finally, it provides some implications for managers and policy-makers who wish to proactively address climate change in the business sector.
Proteomic Analysis of Novel Components of Nemopilema nomurai Jellyfish Venom: Deciphering the Mode of Action
Authors: Choudhary Indu , Hwang Du Hyeon , Lee Hyunkyoung , Yoon Won Duk , Chae Jinho , Han Chang Hoon , Yum Seungshic , Kang Changkeun , Kim Euikyung
Published: March 2019

Nowadays, proliferation of jellyfish has become a severe matter in many coastal areas around the world. Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai is one of the most perilous organisms and leads to significant deleterious outcomes such as harm to the fishery, damage the coastal equipment, and moreover, its envenomation can be hazardous to the victims. Till now, the components of Nemopilema nomurai venom (NnV) are unknown owing to scant transcriptomics and genomic data. In the current research, we have explored a proteomic approach to identify NnV components and their interrelation with pathological effects caused by the jellyfish sting. Altogether, 150 proteins were identified, comprising toxins and other distinct proteins that are substantial in nematocyst genesis and nematocyte growth by employing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI/TOF/MS). The identified toxins are phospholipase A2, phospholipase D Li Sic Tox beta IDI, a serine protease, putative Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, disintegrin and metalloproteinase, hemolysin, leukotoxin, three finger toxin MALT0044C, allergens, venom prothrombin activator trocarin D, tripeptide Gsp 9.1, and along with other toxin proteins. These toxins are relatively well characterized in the venoms of other poisonous species to induce pathogenesis, hemolysis, inflammation, proteolysis, blood coagulation, cytolysis, hemorrhagic activity, and type 1 hypersensitivity, suggesting that these toxins in NnV can also cause similar deleterious consequences. Our proteomic works indicate that NnV protein profile represents valuable source which leads to better understanding the clinical features of the jellyfish stings. As one of the largest jellyfish in the world, Nemopilema nomurai sting is considered to be harmful to humans due to its potent toxicity. The identification and functional characterization of its venom components have been poorly described and are beyond our knowledge. Here is the first report demonstrating the methodical overview of NnV proteomics research, providing significant information to understand the mechanism of NnV envenomation. Our proteomics findings can provide a platform for novel protein discovery and development of practical ways to deal with jellyfish stings on human beings.
ASPHALT CONCRETE PAVEMENT STRENGTHENING AND MODELLING OF ITS EFFECT ON ROAD EVENNESS/ASFALTBETONIO DANGŲ STIPRINIMAS IR JO ĮTAKOS KELIO LYGUMUI MODELIAVIMAS
Authors: Puodžiukas Virgaudas , Kamaitis Zenonas
Published: March 2019

Lithuania has a sufficiently well-developed road network, the quality of which still falls very much behind the standards used in the EU. The process of pavement distress is gradually accelerated by the following factors: a considerable increase in the amount of heavy vehicles, acceptance of 11.5 t permissible axle load within the EU member-states (10.0 t in the former Soviet Union), overloading of heavy vehicles. Under the influence of the mentioned factors the need for pavement strengthening is very urgent.

When preparing this article, several methods for the evaluation and strengthening of asphalt concrete pavement condition were studied: “Deflection method” by Asphalt Institute of USA [1], AASHTO Guide [2], “The method for asphalt concrete pavement condition evaluation” by Vilnius Technical University, OECD recommendations on pavement strengthening [9], EU recommendations COST 324 [3] and COST 325 [4], HDM-III [5] and HDM-4 [6] recommended by the World Bank and a number of scientific articles.

On this basis, methodology for Lithuanian conditions was worked out taking into consideration the current technologies for road construction and maintenance.

This article describes the evaluation of pavement strength and the need for pavement strengthening, gives the analysis of the effect of pavement strengthening on road evenness.

It is suggested that the pavement strength should be evaluated by estimating the Structural Number SN of the existing pavement according to the results of pavement deflections measured by FWD (the authors used “Dynatest 8000 FWD”). The following relationship is suggested for determining thickness of the overlay (see Eq (5)).

D ol = 2,54SN ol /α ol = 2,54(SN f —SN e )/α ol ,

where D ol is thickness of the overlay, cm; SN ol is structural number of the overlay; α ol is structural coefficient of the overlay; SN f is structural number of prospective pavement; SN e is structural number of the existing pavement.

The article studies the effect of overlay and pavement regeneration on road evenness. The effect of pavement strengthening on road evenness is to be estimated by the following relationship (see Eq (6))

IRI′ = a 0 + a 1(IRI—a 0)max(a 2—HNEW),

where IRI is the measured pavement evenness before the repairs, m/km; HNEW is thickness of the overlay, mm.

Experimental investigations of 64 test road sections were carried out and the value of coefficients a 0, a 1 and a2 was determined under the Lithuanian conditions.

New coefficients provide the opportunity for a more accurate evaluation of the effect of pavement strengthening on road vehicles and for a more realistic estimation of savings road user's costs due to improved pavement condition. Only on the motorway Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda, when estimating VOC savings according to the suggested method, the difference of 37 m Lt was obtained, if compared to the theoretical methods.
STOCHASTIC ANALYSIS OF DEGRADING VIBRATORY SYSTEMS/PAŽEISTŲ VIBRACINIŲ SISTEMŲ STOCHASTINĖ ANALIZĖ
Authors: Sobczyk Kazimierz , Trębicki Jerzy
Published: March 2019

Laikini įtempių bei aplinkos sąlygų kitimai gali lemti negrįžtamus konstrukcinių/mechaninių sistemų savybių pokyčius. Sie pokyčiai, vadinami pažeidimais, paprastai nera įvertinami vibratinų sistemų skaičiavimais. Atliekant tokius skaičiavimus laikoma, kad sistemų, paveiktų įvairių poveikių, savybės yra nekintamos.

Šiame straipsnyje šalia tradicinio sistemų dinaminių efektų modeliavimo yra vertinami pažeidimai (pavyzdžiui, mikroplyšio didėjimas). Tokia analizė leidžia įvertinti ne tik sistemos standumo mažejimą vibracinio proceso metu, bet ir leidžia nustatyti įtempius. Skaitiniai pavyzdžiai pateikia kiekybinę ir grafinę informaciją. apie vibratinų sistemų būklę bei pazěidimų procesus.
BARRIERS IN FINANCING MICROENTERPRISES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CZECH AND SLOVAK MICROENTREPRENEURS
Authors: Civelek Mehmet , Ključnikov Aleksandr , Krištofík Peter , Rozsa Zoltán
Published: March 2019

This paper compares how Czech and Slovak microentrepreneurs perceive the volume and ease of access to finance that they face. Having an adequate number of sources of finance and easier access to them can help improve both enterprise and country performance. Chi-square and Z score tests for population proportions were used to test hypotheses. 740 microenterprises from Czech Republic and 287 microenterprises from Slovakia were included for the analyses that were performed by this study. The results show that Czech microentrepreneurs feel they have more sources of finance and have easier access to them than their Slovak counterparts. These differences may in part be linked to other factors such as the experience and age of microentrepreneurs and micro-firms, amount of business loans and microfinancing organizations, credit interest rates and credit rejection rates, the relative degree of economic freedom, the volume of government guarantees, relative GDP levels, the quality of business environment and ease of doing business. Additionally, The Moran’s I spatial autocorrelation index was performed to evaluate influence of location on the perception of Czech and Slovak microenterprises that were located in different regions of both countries. The paper also discusses the results’ policy implications for governments and financial institutions.
A CREDIBILISTIC MEAN-SEMIVARIANCE-PER PORTFOLIO SELECTION MODEL FOR LATIN AMERICA
Authors: García Fernando , González-Bueno Jairo , Oliver Javier , Tamošiūnienė Rima
Published: March 2019

Many real-world problems in the financial sector have to consider different objectives which are conflicting, for example portfolio selection. Markowitz proposed an approach to determine the optimal composition of a portfolio analysing the trade-off between return and risk. Nevertheless, this approach has been criticized for unrealistic assumptions and several changes have been proposed to incorporate investors’ constraints and more realistic risk measures. In this line of research, our proposal extends the mean-semivariance portfolio selection model to a multiobjective credibilistic model that besides risk and return, also considers the price-to-earnings ratio to measure portfolio performance. Uncertain future returns and PER ratio of each asset are approximated using L-R power fuzzy numbers. Furthermore, we consider budget, bound and cardinality constraints. To solve the constrained portfolio optimization problem, we use the algorithm NSGA-II. We assess the proposed approach generating a portfolio with shares included in the Latin American Integrated Market. Results show that this new approach is a good alternative to solve the portfolio selection problem when multiple objectives are considered.
The Umbral-penumbral Boundary in Sunspots in the Context of Magnetoconvection
Authors: Mullan D. J. , MacDonald J.
Published: March 2019

Jurcak et al. have reported that, in a sample of more than 100 umbral cores in sunspots, the umbral-penumbral boundary (UPB) is characterized by a remarkably narrowly defined numerical value (1867 G) of the vertical component of the magnetic field. Gough & Tayler, in their study of magnetoconvection, showed that the onset of convection in the presence of a magnetic field is controlled by a parameter δ, which also depends on the vertical component of the field. Combining the Jurcak et al. result with various empirical models of sunspots leads us to propose the following hypothesis: the UPB occurs where the vertical field is strong enough to increase the effective adiabatic temperature gradient by ≥100% over its non-magnetic value.
Evidence of an X-Ray–Ultraviolet Spectral Correlation in Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources
Authors: Sonbas E. , Dhuga K. S. , Göğüş E.
Published: March 2019

By comparing the ratio of flux densities in the X-ray and ultraviolet (UV) wavebands by way of the spectral optical–X-ray index, α
ox, we explore the relation between the emissions in the respective wavebands for a number of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) with known optical counterparts. We present a significant (anti)correlation between α
ox and the L(2500 Å)–UV luminosity. In comparison with low-z active galactic nuclei (AGNs) for which a similar correlation is observed, the ULX α
ox indices follow a steeper slope albeit with a large uncertainty. The results are also compared with a small sample of dwarf-galaxy data consisting of a mixture of broadline candidate AGNs and “composites.” A number of these sources follow the steeper slope of the ULX data, potentially hinting at an intrinsic similarity of these sources to ULXs. We are able to reproduce the general trend of the ULX correlation with the use of a multicolor accretion disk coupled to a hot corona of Comptonizing electrons.
Updated data on the current seismicity of the White Sea and the Karelian region during the period 2005–2016
Authors: Konechnaya Yana , Morozov Alexey , Vaganova Natalya , Zueva Irina
Published: March 2019

This article is the result of previous studies to clarify the seismicity of the White sea, supplemented by similar studies on the continental part of the Republic of Karelia. The relocated catalog of earthquakes was created for the period from 2005 to 2016 for White Sea and the Karelian region. With the help of proven methods, the parameters of the epicenters of identified earthquakes were relocated and a map of current seismicity was obtained. The parameters of the epicenters were specified using BARENTS travel-time model, a single methodological approach (using Generalized beamforming) and all currently available source data and bulletins of Russian and foreign seismic stations. The obtained seismic catalog allowed us to identify the main patterns of the distribution of current seismicity in the White Sea region. Seismicity of the White sea and the Karelian region is characterized as low-magnitude (generally of low magnitude with ML<2.0). Most earthquakes in the White Sea are characterized by a focal depths up to 20 km. Analysis of catalog shows that the majority of earthquakes are concentrated in the north-western part of the defined area, in the continental part of Karelia and Kandalaksha graben. Some earthquakes were recorded in the eastern and central part of the White sea.
First Mexican species of the genus Cosberella (Collembola, Hypogastruridae)
Authors: Palacios-Vargas José G. , Castaño-Meneses Gabriela
Published: March 2019

A new species of Cosberella is described and illustrated from a temperate forest of Citlaltépetl formation, Veracruz State. It is characterized by the following combination of characters: Th I with 2 + 2 dorsal setae; 2 + 2 axial setae on Th II–III; two capitate tenent hairs on each leg; unguiculus half the length of unguis; unguis with tooth; six dental setae and Abd VI without anal spines. A key for the species of the genus is included.
A new unique leafhopper genus of Erythroneurini from Thailand, with the description of one new species (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae)
Authors: Song Yuehua , Li Can
Published: March 2019

A new genus of the leafhopper tribe Erythroneurini (Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) from Thailand, Undulivenagen. n., and a new species Undulivenathaiensissp. n., are described and illustrated. The new genus exhibits a unique feature of the forewing venation with CuA vein strongly sinuate.
A review of Timandra Duponchel, 1829 from China, with description of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Geometridae)
Authors: Cui Le , Xue Dayong , Jiang Nan
Published: March 2019

The Chinese species of the genusTimandraDuponchel, 1829 are reviewed: 12 known species are reported. Seven new species are described from China, increasing the total number ofTimandraspecies to 28:T.distortasp. n.,T.aduncasp. n.,T.quadratasp. n.,T.accumulatasp. n.,T.vimineasp. n.,T.robustasp. n.andT.stueningisp. n.Diagnoses for all 19 Chinese species are provided, with illustrations of external features and genitalia.
Lithobius (Ezembius) ternidentatus sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), a new species from China
Authors: Pei Sujian , Liu Haipeng , Lu Yanmin , Hou Xiaojie , Ma Huiqin
Published: March 2019

Lithobius (Ezembius) ternidentatussp. n.(Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Wuyuezhai Mountain, Lingshou County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, China, is described. Morphologically it resembles L. (E.) multispinipes Pei, Lu, Liu, Hou, Ma & Zapparoli, 2016, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by having a different sized Tömösváry’s organ, different numbers of ocelli, obvious differences in ventral plectrotaxy of legs 14, and tarsal articulation ill-defined on legs 1–13, well-defined on legs 14–15. The main morphological characters of the known Chinese species of the subgenus Ezembius Chamberlin, 1919 based on adult specimens is presented.
Corrigendum: Revision of the ant genus Melophorus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 700: 1–420 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.700.11784
Authors: Heterick Brian E. , Castalanelli Mark , Shattuck Steve O.
Published: March 2019

Nil (Corrigendum)
Maturity model for the information-driven SME
Authors: Parra Xileidys , Tort-Martorell Xavier , Ruiz-Viñals Carmen , Álvarez Gómez Fernando
Published: March 2019

Purpose: This article presents a maturity model for the evaluation of the information-driven decision-making process (DMP) in small and medium enterprises. This model is called “Simplified Holistic Approach to DMP Evaluation (SHADE)”. The SHADE model is based in the “Circumplex Hierarchical Representation of the Organization Maturity Assessment” (CHROMA) framework for characterizing the information-driven DMP in organizationsDesign/methodology/approach: The CHROMA-SHADE provides a competency evaluation methodology regarding the SME’s use of data for making better-informed decisions. This model groups the main factors influencing the information-driven DMP and classifies them into five dimensions: data availability, data quality, data analysis and insights, information use and decision-making. It addresses these dimensions systematically, delivering a framework for positioning the organization from an uninitiated to a completely embedded stage. The assessment consists of interviews based on a standardized open-ended questionnaire performed to key company personnel followed by an analysis of the answers and their scoring performed by an expert evaluator.Findings: The results of its application indicate this model is well adapted to the SMEs resulting useful for identifying strengths and weaknesses, thereby providing insights for prioritizing improvement actions.Originality/value: The CHROMA-SHADE model follows a novel, holistic approach that embraces the complexities inherent in a multiplicity of factors that, at the technological and management level, converge to enable more objective and better-supported decisions to be made through the intelligent use of information
L’image comme épitaphe
Authors: Casimiro Dominique
Published: March 2019

¿Cómo representar lo irrepresentable? ¿Cómo lograr representar a esos invisibles y ausentes que son los desaparecidos de la dictadura militar argentina de 1976-1983? La mañana del 22 de septiembre de 1983, el centro de Buenos Aires se despierta lleno de siluetas anónimas, “imágenes vacías cargadas de muertes” (Julio Flores, Guillermo Kexel et Rodolfo Aguerreberry, artistas al origen de esta performance) formadas a partir de la silueta de los vivos para representar a los desaparecidos. Este artículo tiene como objetivo recordar el primer siluetazo argentino y demostrar cómo, a partir de esas imágenes llenas aparentemente de vacío, se pretendió iconizar, recordar y darles vida a las 30.000 víctimas del terrorismo de Estado. En este caso, la imagen cuaja la pérdida, la ausencia, lo invisible para hacerlos presentes.
Linking spatial characteristics to residential lifestyles
Authors: Lufkin Sophie , Thomas Marie-Paule , Kaufmann Vincent , Rey Emmanuel
Published: March 2019

Today, in many European countries, increasing opposition tends to thwart urban densification projects. To enhance public acceptability of such projects, which are likely to promote sustainable urban development, it is essential to better anticipate urban programming based on target groups of inhabitants with different lifestyles. The purpose of this innovative, upstream interdisciplinary research is to forecast and analyse the needs of these populations in accordance with their lifestyles and subsequently propose an urban and architectural vision adapted to the lifestyles considered desirable for the site. By doing so, it addresses the often-neglected social aspects of sustainable urban development projects.This article presents an application of this approach to the strategic Waldstadt area (Bern, Switzerland). Six urban visions are compared and assessed, each offering promising leads and recommendations for the site's development. Lifestyle urban planning gives architects and planners a powerful decision-making tool for integrating social considerations into the design of sustainable neighbourhoods. It is also a concrete solution to acceptance issues and their resulting tensions.
The Public Life of Images: Towards a Social Ecology of the Urban Gaze. The example of Bologna’s Sacrario dei Partigiani
Authors: Gaudin Olivier
Published: March 2019

To investigate the active presence of images in urban public places, this article argues for the possibility of a social ecological perspective, revisiting the tradition of human ecology introduced by Chicago sociologists and social psychologists a century ago. Confronting this intellectual heritage to contributions of visual, cultural and memory studies, I propose to consider the ecological framing of urban experience as a method for investigating the public life of images. This approach consists in studying the perceptual environments, material devices and social activities that maintain a living relationship with public images in cities. To illustrate the proposal, the article examines a concrete example, the photographic portraits of the Sacrario dei Partigiani in Bologna (Italy), through personal observation and photographs. A third section of the text expands the scope of inquiry, in order to experiment with the social ecological approach: it addresses the contemporary flooding of advertising and mobile images in contemporary urban situations.
The Discursive Spaces of the Border: Putting Death and Arbitrariness during the Journey to Europe into Words
Authors: Pian Anaïk
Published: March 2019

Drawing on a variety of fieldworks conducted with migrants who attempted to cross into Europe illegally, this paper examines the making of discourses on death and on violence at the borders and by the borders. The first section identifies different registers of discourses on death, which refer to physical death in the literal sense and social death in the figurative sense. The discourses that touch on death or the threat of death in these journeys to Europe are however characterized by significant nuances, depending on whether they aim at legitimating, justifying or even rationalizing emigration, at conveying extreme experiences of dealing with natural barriers, or at describing the forms of institutional violence experienced during the journey. The second section looks at how the experience of the opaque management of migrations – particularly in detention centres – fuels certain rumours, which may be seen partly as a means to resist uncertainty. These narrativizations tell us about the ways in which institutional order (or dis-order) is perceived and experienced, which condition relationships to State agents. Studying narratives may then yield insights into how borders are also shaped in and through discourse.
Semantic Modelling of 3D Multi-Utility Networks for Urban Analyses and Simulations
Authors: Kutzner Tatjana , Hijazi Ihab , Kolbe Thomas H.
Published: March 2019

Current data models for representing, exchanging, and storing utility networks often meet the needs of specific domains only, i.e. they do not consider the integration of different network systems, mutual relations between networks and the embedding into 3D urban space. These important prerequisites for urban analyses and simulations are met by the CityGML extension Utility Network ADE. Originally developed for disaster management, this article presents the further development of the ADE by new and revised concepts that result from an extensive analysis of relevant use cases. A catalogue of requirements is presented, current data models are evaluated against these requirements, and the recent developments and refinements of the ADE are explained in detail. This includes the concepts of inter-feature links and network links, the linking of network components with city objects, the modelling of functional characteristics, a refined network components module, and a new electricity network package. In addition, an overview of projects that successfully have applied the ADE is provided.
Breast Tumor Detection Via Fuzzy Morphological Operations
Authors: Kamil Mohammed Y. , Salih Ali Mohammed
Published: March 2019

Breast cancer is one of most dangerous diseases and more common in women. The early detection of cancer is one of the most key factors for possible cure. There are numerous methods of diagnosis amongst which: clinical examination, sonar and mammography, which is the best and more effective in detecting breast cancer. Detection of breast tumors is difficult because of the weak illumination in the image and the overlap between regions. Segmentation is one the crucial steps in locating the tumors, which is an important method of diagnosis of the computer. In this study, segmentation techniques are proposed based on; classic morphology and fuzzy morphology, and a comparison between them. The proposed methods were tested using the database of mini -MIAS, which contains 322 images. After the comparison the statistical results, it shows, the detection of tumor boundary with fuzzy morphology give the higher accuracy than the results in classic morphology. The accuracy is 60.69%, 58.61% respectively due to the high flexibility of foggy logic in dealing with the low lighting in the medical images.
Cyberpeacekeeping
Authors: Dorn A. Walter , Webb Stewart
Published: March 2019

Cybersecurity is coming to the forefront of the concerns of nations, organizations and individuals. Government agencies, banking systems and businesses have been crippled by criminal and malicious cyberattacks. There are many examples of cyberattacks in regions of tensions and armed conflict. There are no impartial international means to investigate the claims and counter-claims about cyberattacks. The international community more broadly lacks a way to deal with cyberattacks in a concerted manner. A new approach and capability should be considered for certain circumstances: cyberpeacekeeping. Peacekeeping has proven effective in physical space, and many of the same principles and methods could also be applied in cyberspace, with some adjustments. It could help prevent global attacks, and if an attack were to be successful, it could assist with recovery and conduct impartial investigations to uncover the perpetrators. The possibilities of a cyberpeacekeeping team at the United Nations to make cyberspace more secure are well worth exploring.
The Diffusion and Adoption of Electronic Payment Systems in Bangkok
Authors: Chaiyasoonthorn Wornchanok , Suksa-ngiam Watanyoo
Published: March 2019

This article aims to study the diffusion and adoption of electronic payment systems in Bangkok, Thailand. This study is a cross-sectional survey of 394 respondents who lived in Bangkok. This research employs Pearson's correlation and structural equation modeling (SEM) to answer two research questions: 1) How do the socio-economic classes of people show differences in the use of e-payment systems? and 2) What are significant factors driving customers to use e-payment systems? The findings show that user behavior has a positive correlation with personal income. Higher-income people tend to use electronic payment systems more than lower-income people. There is no relationship between areas and use behavior. Moreover, the research shows that adoption readiness, income, and internet banking positively influence use behavior significantly, while electronic money shows a significant negative relationship with use behavior. Education and age indirectly influence use behavior via personal income. The authors also addressed both theoretical and practical implications.
Website Tenders Evaluation Using Fuzzy Logic
Authors: Halabi Dana , Shaout Adnan
Published: March 2019

Developing a new website for a government institution is one of common tenders issued by various ministries and government institutions in the world. The country of Jordan usually has at least 22 different ministries and government institutions at a given time. Each one of these entities has its official website which is revamped every three years because of the rapid changes in information and technology. In most cases the ministries and institutions issue a tender to the public, then after collecting tender offers from different companies, only one offer would be selected. The selection process would choose the most appropriate contractor to deliver the project with respect to quality, time and cost. This article presents a new fuzzy logic system for tender evaluation which is based on both the technical qualification of the bidder company and its experience. The proposed system has shown better performance evaluation when compared to the traditional evaluation method currently used by the government.
Transforming Public Procurement Contracts Into Smart Contracts
Authors: Debono Pauline
Published: March 2019

The terms governing the provision of supplies, services, or works by an economic operator to a governmental entity are set into a public contract that is signed, following a procurement process. This article explores whether the public administration can utilise smart contracts to incorporate the terms governing the provision of supplies, services, or works. The fundamental elements of a contract are assessed, in order to determine whether a smart contract can be considered as fulfilling these requirements. Following this assessment, the main hurdles to the use of smart contracting are examined and a possible solution proposed. The case for utilising smart contracting within the realm of public procurement is finally advocated.
Applying Knowledge Management in Public Health Intervention
Authors: Haque Iffat Tasnim , Kohda Youji
Published: March 2019

Street food safety (SFS) has become an emerging public health concern in most developing countries like Bangladesh. Interventions are trying to improve the sector; however, a lack of coordination and value co-creation between macro and micro-level stakeholders strongly impedes the achievement of long-term benefits. Therefore, community participation is needed to achieve a multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP) and community-based knowledge management (KM) for a successful intervention. The purpose of this study is to identify secondary school students as KM tools to facilitate knowledge management activities. The action research was conducted using community people in two major cities in Bangladesh. Based on the findings, students can act as KM tools who can facilitate coordination and value co-creation process. A conceptual framework has been proposed to understand the MSP and KM concepts where the integrated strategy of those two concepts not only develops a sustainable solution for the SFS system but also can be applied to many other public health issues in developing countries.
Global Artificial Bee Colony Search Algorithm for Data Clustering
Authors: Danish Zeeshan , Shah Habib , Tairan Nasser , Gazali Rozaida , Badshah Akhtar
Published: March 2019

Data clustering is a widespread data compression, vector quantization, data analysis, and data mining technique. In this work, a modified form of ABC, i.e. global artificial bee colony search algorithm (GABCS) is applied to data clustering. In GABCS the modification is due to the fact that experienced bees can use past information of quantity of food and position to adjust their movements in a search space. Due to this fact, solution search equations of the canonical ABC are modified in GABCS and applied to three famous real datasets in this work i.e. iris, thyroid, wine, accessed from the UCI database for the purpose of data clustering and results were compared with few other stated algorithms such as K-NM-PSO, TS, ACO, GA, SA and ABC. The results show that while calculating intra-clustering distances and computation time on all three real datasets, the proposed GABCS algorithm gives far better performance than other algorithms whereas calculating computation numbers it performs adequately as compared to typical ABC.
Designing High Accuracy Statistical Machine Translation for Sign Language Using Parallel Corpus
Authors: Othman Achraf , Jemni Mohamed
Published: March 2019

In this article, the authors deal with the machine translation of written English text to sign language. They study the existing systems and issues in order to propose an implantation of a statistical machine translation from written English text to American Sign Language (English/ASL) taking care of several features of sign language. The work proposes a novel approach to build artificial corpus using grammatical dependencies rules owing to the lack of resources for sign language. The parallel corpus was the input of the statistical machine translation, which was used for creating statistical memory translation based on IBM alignment algorithms. These algorithms were enhanced and optimized by integrating the Jaro–Winkler distances in order to decrease training process. Subsequently, based on the constructed translation memory, a decoder was implemented for translating English text to the ASL using a novel proposed transcription system based on gloss annotation. The results were evaluated using the BLEU evaluation metric.
Mining Associations Between Collaborative Skills and Group Roles in Collaborative E-Learning Environments
Authors: Costaguta Rosanna , Santana-Mansilla Pablo , Lescano Germán , Missio Daniela
Published: March 2019

Nowadays it is quite common for universities to use computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) systems to favor group learning and teaching processes. CSCL systems provide communication, coordination and collaboration tools that ease group dynamic regardless space-time location of group members. However, forming a group and having the technology to support group tasks is not enough to guarantee students collaboration. Effective collaboration supposes the manifestation of specific roles by group members. Considering that group roles are conditioned (among other factors) by collaborative skills that students manifest, this article explores relations between collaborative skills and group roles by means of the application of association rules over a dataset of university students' interactions during CSCL sessions. The discovered knowledge might be used for automatic recognition of student roles based on collaborative skills that students manifest in their groups. Furthermore, the discovered association rules could be used for forming groups with a balanced combination of roles.
Productive Engagement among Community-dwelling elders of Sri Lanka
Authors: Ranabahu R.A.S.P.
Published: March 2019

Productive engagement is the involvement of older adults in society through employment, volunteering, and caregiving (Morrow-Howell and Mui, 2012). Although the unprecedented growth of elderly population in the Sri Lanka’s age structure remains a long-term challenge for the country, the positive ageing discourse puts forward the perspective that capacity of independent, healthy and active older people must be promoted and utilized to make them contribute to the society through various productive activities. The current paper attempted to examine the nature of engagement and their effects on elders, using a sample of 350 community-dwelling elders in three geographical settings representing urban, rural and estate sectors of Sri Lanka. The study was guided by the pragmatic paradigm and used mixed-methods design with a deductive theoretical drive. The results highlight the current state of engagement in each of the three productive activities explaining across personal attributes of elders. The perceived benefits of engagement are summarized and opportunities and barriers are noted to assist future transformations pertaining to productive ageing policies and programmes in Sri Lanka.
Tea Cultivation in Sri Lanka as a Legacy of the British Colonization: Impacts and Trends
Authors: Sandika A.L.
Published: March 2019

The structure of Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector had changed under colonization especially during the British era with the introduction of plantation crops. Coffee, Tea, and Rubber were recognized as prominent plantation crops introduced by the British. Tea as a plantation crop at present plays a significant role not only in the economy but also as a socio-cultural and political legacy. This paper, therefore, attempts to examine the tea sub-sector development with the time and to evaluate its performance as a lifestyle determiner, using secondary data under qualitative and quantitative methods that are applied to illustrate the results. With regard to the first objective, the year 1824 British brought a tea plant (Camellia sinensis)) from China and planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya. Experimental tea plants from Assam and Calcutta (India) were brought the year 1839. Regarding performance of tea sector, the contribution of tea for GNP has been increased significantly from Rs million 10,332 (1996) to Rs million 74,065 (2012) respectively. Area cultivation has also increased by 17% from 1996 (189,354 ha) to 2012 (222,000 ha) while production has increased by 25.5% from 1996 (258.4 million kg) to 2012 (328.4 Million Kgs). After 2007, Sri Lanka became the fourth largest tea producer. Further, export income has also been increased significantly from Rs million 32,537 to Rs million 180,429 by 454.5% in the respective time period. A number of Tea Small Holders in the year 2012 was recorded as 390,346. In this context, tea as a crop contributes to providing more than 1.5 million job opportunities directly and indirectly. Therefore, tea has been the identical and most famous export; for generations, it has been contributing to the Sri Lankan economy and plays a major part, even today, in the country’s fortunes.
Method of body conservation; Is it time to review?
Authors: Dissanayake Sithara
Published: March 2019

No abstract available.
Pigmented border of the toe as a consistent landmark to the digital nerve
Authors: Maddumaarachchi H.S.T.M. , Mathangasinghe Y. , Samaranayake U.M.J.E , Malalasekera A.P. , Anthony D.J.
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this study was to identify surface landmarks of digital nerves corresponding to the pigmented border of the toes.
Prevalence of Renal Cysts in a Group of Adult Sri Lankan Cadavers
Authors: Kodikara I. , Nilmini K.W.G.P. , Hasan R. , Nanayakkara B.G. , Ilayperuma I.
Published: March 2019

Cysts are the most common space-occupying lesion of the kidney. With the advances in imaging technology and population-based studies on the prevalence of renal cysts, their clinical importance has grown. It is known that the prevalence of renal cysts correlates with advancing age.
Relation of Palmaris Longus agenesis with laterality of hand
Authors: Nazeefa H.M.F.J. , Thayabaran M. , Rajavarman R.
Published: March 2019

Palmaris longus is a small vestigial muscle present in the flexor compartment of forearm and shows greater variability. Palmaris longus tendon graft has a growing interest in constructive surgeries. However, Palmaris longus agenesis is seen among different ethnic groups in different countries and the prevalence of absence varies from 4% to 63.9%. It shows variation with laterality of the hand as well.
Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Gene in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Edirisinghe E.A.S.T. , Weerasekera M.M. , Yasawardene S.G.
Published: March 2019

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the second most common cancer in Sri Lanka. Tumor growth and metastasis depend on angiogenesis and lymph angiogenesis triggered by chemical signals from tumor cells in a phase of rapid growth. Different factors are known to induce the angiogenesis process. The most important angiogenic factor is Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
The usefulness of detection of sex chromatin in babies with uncertain sex in resource limited settings
Authors: Amaratunga H.A. , Dissanayake J.K. , Wijeratne A.G.G.
Published: March 2019

No abstract available.
Neuroregeneration, neurodegeneration and brain recovery following ischaemic stroke: a comparative review of animal models and humans
Authors: Mathangasinghe Y.
Published: March 2019

Stroke is a leading cause of healthcare burden in the aging population with a rapidly rising prevalence worldwide. Ischaemic strokes account for 85% of the strokes. The key to recovery of brain functions following an ischaemic stroke depends on two arms: 1) restoration of lost or damaged neurones and, 2) survival of neurones that were not killed by the injury. Hence, the recovery could be hastened by promoting neuroregeneration and preventing neurodegeneration. During the last five decades, animal models showed promising results in the field of neuroregeneration, which was long believed to be impossible. Furthermore, animal studies with stroke lead to the discovery of the novel concepts of epigenetic inhibition in nerve growth, upregulation of apoptotic genes, neuroinflammation and metabolic dysregulation which contributed to neurodegeneration. However, it is debatable if these findings can be replicated in human brains, in order to develop potential therapeutic strategies.
Massive Reactionary Haemorrhage Due to Superior Mesenteric Artery Blowout Following Laparoscopic Biopsy of Retroperitoneal Mass - A Case Report
Authors: Ratjmaweera W.S. , Galketiya K.B.
Published: March 2019

Thermal injury on vascular walls can result in delayed rupture of vessels. This can be a cause of life threatening reactionary haemorrhage. Increasing use of energy devices in laparoscopic surgeries can rarely result in such events which may have devastating consequences. Careful usage of these heat generating energy sources can prevent such incidences and prompt resuscitation and haemorrhage control are lifesaving. We present a case report of a severe haemorrhage from blow out of superior mesenteric artery following laparoscopic para-aortic lymph node biopsy.