bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Decoupling Control Methodologies and H∞ Multivariable Robust Control for Variable-Speed, Variable-Pitch Wind Turbines: Application to a Lab-Scale Wind Turbine
Authors: Fragoso Sergio , Garrido Juan , Vázquez Francisco , Morilla Fernando
Published: May 2017

This work is focused on the improvement of variable-speed variable-pitch wind turbine performance by means of its control structure. This kind of systems can be considered as multivariable nonlinear processes subjected to undesired interactions between variables and presenting different dynamics at different operational zones. This interaction level and the dynamics uncertainties complicate the control system design. The aim of this work is developing multivariable controllers that cope with such problems. The study shows the applicability of different decoupling methodologies and provides a comparison with a H∞ controller, which is an appropriate strategy to cope with uncertainties. The methodologies have been tested in simulation and verified experimentally in a lab-scale wind turbine. It is demonstrated that the wind turbine presents more interaction at the transition zone. Then, this operational point is used as the nominal one for the controller designs. At this point, decoupling controllers obtain perfect decoupling while the H∞ control presents important interaction in the generated power loop. On the other hand, they are slightly surpassed by the robust design at other points, where perfect decoupling is not achieved. However, decoupling controllers are easier to design and implement, and specifically dynamic simplified decoupling achieve the best global response. Then, it is concluded that the proposed methodologies can be considered for implantation in industrial wind turbines to improve their performance.
Climate Vulnerability and Human Migration in Global Perspective
Authors: Grecequet Martina , DeWaard Jack , Hellmann Jessica J. , Abel Guy J.
Published: May 2017

The relationship between climate change and human migration is not homogenous and depends critically on the differential vulnerability of population and places. If places and populations are not vulnerable, or susceptible, to climate change, then the climate–migration relationship may not materialize. The key to understanding and, from a policy perspective, planning for whether and how climate change will impact future migration patterns is therefore knowledge of the link between climate vulnerability and migration. However, beyond specific case studies, little is known about this association in global perspective. We therefore provide a descriptive, country-level portrait of this relationship. We show that the negative association between climate vulnerability and international migration holds only for countries least vulnerable to climate change, which suggests the potential for trapped populations in more vulnerable countries. However, when analyzed separately by life supporting sector (food, water, health, ecosystem services, human habitat, and infrastructure) and vulnerability dimension (exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity), we detect evidence of a relationship among more, but not the most, vulnerable countries. The bilateral (i.e., country-to-country) migration show that, on average, people move from countries of higher vulnerability to lower vulnerability, reducing global risk by 15%. This finding is consistent with the idea that migration is a climate adaptation strategy. Still, ~6% of bilateral migration is maladaptive with respect to climate change, with some movement toward countries with greater climate change vulnerability.
Research on Sustainability Financial Performance of Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Wei Feng , Lu Jiawei , Kong Yu
Published: May 2017

Studying the sustainability of the financial performance of Chinese listed companies is an assessment of their future development capability and a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the companies over the past period of time. Based on the financial data of manufacturing industry of Chinese listed companies from 2008 to 2015, this paper uses the AHP (Analytic hierarchy process) method to determine the weight of each secondary indictor, calculate the sustainable development capability of financial performance, and analyze and compare the sustainable financial performance of manufacturing sub-industries. The long-term trend and the periodical trend of the sustainable development of the manufacturing industry in Chinese listed companies are analyzed through the HP (High-Pass) filter method. The results show that the long-term sustainable financial performance of the manufacturing industry of Chinese listed companies is basically maintained. Through the comparison of regions and ownership, it has been found that the sustainable financial performance of Chinese listed companies in the eastern and central regions is rising, while that of the western region is declining; the long-term sustainable financial performance of non-state-owned enterprises is rising, while that of state-owned enterprises is declining.
Impact of Window Films on the Overall Energy Consumption of Existing UK Hotel Buildings
Authors: Bahadori-Jahromi Ali , Rotimi Abdulazeez , Mylona Anastasia , Godfrey Paulina , Cook Darren
Published: May 2017

Recently, considerable attention has justifiably been directed towards energy savings in buildings as they account for up to 20–40% of total energy consumption in developed countries. In the United Kingdom, studies have revealed that buildings’ CO2 emissions for account for at least 43% of total emissions. Window panels are a major component of the building fabric with considerable influence on the façade energy performance and are accountable for up to 60% of a building’s overall energy loss. Therefore, the thermal performance of glazing materials is an important issue within the built environment. This work evaluates the impact of solar window films on the overall energy consumption of an existing commercial building via the use of a case study U.K. hotel and TAS dynamic simulation software. The study results demonstrated that the impact of window films on the overall energy consumption of the case study hotel is approximately 2%. However, an evaluation of various overall energy consumption components showed that the window films reduce the annual total cooling energy consumption by up to 35% along with a marginal 2% increase in the annual total heating energy consumption. They can also provide overall cost and CO2 emissions savings of up to 3%.
Unraveling Platform Strategies: A Review from an Organizational Ambidexterity Perspective
Authors: Wan Xing , Cenamor Javier , Parker Geoffrey , Van Alstyne Marshall
Published: May 2017

Platform strategies, which highlight the interdependence in and evolution of business ecosystems, are increasingly relevant for sustainable business models in the digital era. So far, platform research has existed as a fragmented body of insights from different fields, but an integrated theoretical perspective can lead to a more coherent understanding of the research overall. Organizational ambidexterity emphasizes the balance between exploration and exploitation, which is particularly conducive to understanding the sustainability of a firm. Using an organizational ambidexterity perspective, the authors analyze five platform strategies: pricing, openness, integration, differentiation, and envelopment. This paper provides a systematic review of the theoretical and empirical studies in leading management, economics, and information systems journals from 2000 to 2016. The findings show that platform strategies can help platform owners achieve ambidexterity by domain, temporal, and organizational separation. Finally, this paper proposes an agenda for future research.
Development of an Immunochromatographic Strip Test for the Rapid Detection of Alternariol Monomethyl Ether in Fruit
Authors: Man Yan , Liang Gang , Jia Fuchao , Li An , Fu Hailong , Wang Meng , Pan Ligang
Published: May 2017

A rapid, portable, and semi-quantitative immunochromatographic strip was developed for rapid and visual detection of alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). For this purpose, the anti-AME monoclonal antibody (mAb) was prepared and identified. AME coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) via methyl 4-bromobutanoate was prepared as immunogen. The recoveries of AME in spiked cherry and orange fruits determined by competitive ELISA were 86.1% and 80.7%, respectively. A colloidal gold nanoparticle (CGN) and CGNs-mAb conjugate were synthesized, and on this basis, a competitive colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip was developed and applied to the detection of AME toxin in fruit samples. The intensity of red density of the test line (T line) is inversely proportional to AME concentration in the range 0.1–10 ng/mL. The visual limit of detection (LOD) of AME was found to be about 10 ng/mL. The semi-quantitative detection can be completed in 10 min. Moreover, the immunochromatographic strip has lower cross-reactivity with AME analogues, and it has a good stability performance (following 3 months of storage). Hence, the colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip could be used as a semi-quantitative tool for the on-site, rapid, and visual detection of AME in fruit.
Distinct Expression of Immunoglobulin-Binding Proteins in Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Implicates High Protein Stability and a Characteristic Phenotype
Authors: Rubin Dennis , Zhang Wenlan , Karch Helge , Kuczius Thorsten
Published: May 2017

Several immunoglobulin-binding proteins of Escherichia coli (Eib) have been isolated from both non-pathogenic and pathogenic E. coli strains. Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing E. coli (STEC) contain eibG either as a single gene or in combination with eibC, while other E. coli strains harbour single or multiple eib genes. The Eib proteins bind human immunoglobulins in a non-immune manner and contribute to bacterial chain-like adherence to human epithelial cells. In this study, the EibG expression in several STEC strains was analysed under different environmental conditions. STEC produced high levels of EibG in complex media and lower levels in low-grade and minimal media under static growth conditions. This characteristic was independent on the Eib subtypes. Microscopically, EibG-expressing STEC exhibited chain formation and aggregation in all employed media, while aggregates were only visible after growth in complex medium. Once expressed, EibG proteins demonstrate high stability during prolonged incubation. Our findings indicate that the regulation of the expression of Eib proteins is highly complex, although the protein levels vary among STEC strains. However, positive upregulation conditions generally result in distinct phenotypes of the isolates.
Immune Tolerant Chronic Hepatitis B: The Unrecognized Risks
Authors: Kennedy Patrick , Litwin Samuel , Dolman Grace , Bertoletti Antonio , Mason William
Published: May 2017

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) progresses through multiple phases, including immune tolerant, immune active, immune control, and, in a subset of patients who achieve immune control, reactivation. The first, the immune tolerant phase, is considered to be prolonged in duration but essentially benign in nature, lacking long-term consequences, and thus not recommended for antiviral therapy. This review challenges the notion that the immune tolerant phase is truly benign and considers the possibility that events during this phase may contribute significantly to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the premature death of 25% of HBV carriers worldwide. Thus, earlier treatment than recommended by current guidelines should be considered. Low therapeutic coverage exacerbated by restrictive treatment guidelines may facilitate disease progression in many patients but also increase the risk of neonatal and horizontal transmission from untreated mothers to their children. While a prophylactic vaccine exists, there are many areas worldwide where the treatment of adults and the delivery of an effective vaccination course to newborns present difficult challenges.
Virus-Like Particle (VLP) Plus Microcrystalline Tyrosine (MCT) Adjuvants Enhance Vaccine Efficacy Improving T and B Cell Immunogenicity and Protection against Plasmodium berghei/vivax
Authors: Cabral-Miranda Gustavo , Heath Matthew , Mohsen Mona , Gomes Ariane , Engeroff Paul , Flaxman Amy , Leoratti Fabiana , El-Turabi Aadil , Reyes-Sandoval Arturo , Skinner Murray , Kramer Matthias , Bachmann Martin
Published: May 2017

Vaccination is the most effective prophylactic tool against infectious diseases. Despite continued efforts to control malaria, the disease still generally represents a significant unmet medical need. Microcrystalline tyrosine (MCT) is a well described depot used in licensed allergy immunotherapy products and in clinical development. However, its proof of concept in prophylactic vaccines has only recently been explored. MCT has never been used in combination with virus-like particles (VLPs), which are considered to be one of the most potent inducers of cellular and humoral immune responses in mice and humans. In the current study we assessed the potential of MCT to serve as an adjuvant in the development of a vaccine against malaria either alone or combined with VLP using Plasmodium vivax thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) as a target antigen. We chemically coupled PvTRAP to VLPs derived from the cucumber mosaic virus fused to a universal T-cell epitope of the tetanus toxin (CMVtt), formulated with MCT and compared the induced immune responses to PvTRAP formulated in PBS or Alum. The protective capacity of the various formulations was assessed using Plasmodium berghei expressing PvTRAP. All vaccine formulations using adjuvants and/or VLP increased humoral immunogenicity for PvTRAP compared to the antigen alone. The most proficient responder was the group of mice immunized with the vaccine formulated with PvTRAP-VLP + MCT. The VLP-based vaccine formulated in MCT also induced the strongest T cell response and conferred best protection against challenge with recombinant Plasmodium berghei. Thus, the combination of VLP with MCT may take advantage of the properties of each component and appears to be an alternative biodegradable depot adjuvant for development of novel prophylactic vaccines.
Decreased Streamflow in the Yellow River Basin, China: Climate Change or Human‐Induced?
Authors: Li Bin , Li Changyou , Liu Jianyu , Zhang Qiang , Duan Limin
Published: May 2017

Decreased streamflow of the Yellow River basin has become the subject of considerable concern in recent years due to the critical importance of the water resources of the Yellow River basin for northern China. This study investigates the changing properties and underlying causes for the decreased streamflow by applying streamflow data for the period 1960 to 2014 to both the Budyko framework and the hydrological modelling techniques. The results indicate that (1) streamflow decreased 21% during the period 1980–2000, and decreased 19% during the period 2000–2014 when compared to 1960–1979; (2) higher precipitation and relative humidity boost streamflow, while maximum/minimum air temperature, solar radiation, wind speed, and the underlying parameter, n, all have the potential to adversely affect them; (3) decreased streamflow is also linked to increased cropland, grass, reservoir, urban land, and water areas and other human activities associated with GDP and population; (4) human activity is the main reason for the decrease of streamflow in the Yellow River basin, with the mean fractional contribution of 73.4% during 1980–2000 and 82.5% during 2001–2014. It is clear that the continuing growth of humaninduced impacts on streamflow likely to add considerable uncertainty to the management of increasingly scarce water resources. Overall, these results provide strong evidence to suggest that human activity is the key factor behind the decreased streamflow in the Yellow River basin.
Comparative Study on the Selection Criteria for Fitting Flood Frequency Distribution Models with Emphasis on Upper-Tail Behavior
Authors: Chen Xiaohong , Shao Quanxi , Xu Chong-Yu , Zhang Jiaming , Zhang Lijuan , Ye Changqing
Published: May 2017

The upper tail of a flood frequency distribution is always specifically concerned with flood control. However, different model selection criteria often give different optimal distributions when the focus is on the upper tail of distribution. With emphasis on the upper-tail behavior, five distribution selection criteria including two hypothesis tests and three information-based criteria are evaluated in selecting the best fitted distribution from eight widely used distributions by using datasets from Thames River, Wabash River, Beijiang River and Huai River. The performance of the five selection criteria is verified by using a composite criterion with focus on upper tail events. This paper demonstrated an approach for optimally selecting suitable flood frequency distributions. Results illustrate that (1) there are different selections of frequency distributions in the four rivers by using hypothesis tests and information-based criteria approaches. Hypothesis tests are more likely to choose complex, parametric models, and information-based criteria prefer to choose simple, effective models. Different selection criteria have no particular tendency toward the tail of the distribution; (2) The information-based criteria perform better than hypothesis tests in most cases when the focus is on the goodness of predictions of the extreme upper tail events. The distributions selected by information-based criteria are more likely to be close to true values than the distributions selected by hypothesis test methods in the upper tail of the frequency curve; (3) The proposed composite criterion not only can select the optimal distribution, but also can evaluate the error of estimated value, which often plays an important role in the risk assessment and engineering design. In order to decide on a particular distribution to fit the high flow, it would be better to use the composite criterion.
Scaling law to determine peak forces in tapping-mode AFM experiments on finite elastic soft matter systems
Authors: Guzman Horacio V
Published: May 2017

Analytical equations to estimate the peak force will facilitate the interpretation and the planning of amplitude-modulation force microscopy (tapping mode) experiments. A closed-form analytical equation to estimate the tip–sample peak forces while imaging soft materials in liquid environment and within an elastic deformation regime has been deduced. We have combined a multivariate regression method with input from the virial–dissipation equations and Tatara’s bidimensional deformation contact mechanics model. The equation enables to estimate the peak force based on the tapping mode observables, probe characteristics and the material properties of the sample. The accuracy of the equation has been verified by comparing it to numerical simulations for the archetypical operating conditions to image soft matter with high spatial resolution in tapping-mode AFM.
EFFICIENT INVOLVEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN INNOVATIONS THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Authors: Stachova Katarína , Stacho Zdenko , Vicen Vlastimil
Published: May 2017

Systematic creation and use of human potential enables building and development of strengths of organisations. If organisations can fully use the potential of their employees it will affect their ability to succeed in competitive environment. Our paper focuses on open and broad communication, as it has a significant impact on both formal and informal labour relations, which, along with information share and knowledge continuity, essentially affect team creation. The questionnaire survey focused on finding out whether and to what extent organisations operating in Slovakia focus on communication. The paper also provides a simple method of evaluating the level of communication and engagement of employees in problem solving in companies. This method is a simple instrument enabling the conduction of analysis in a short time interval, while analysing employees are able to identify a current level of their company on the grounds of results, as well as they are able to identify bottlenecks preventing them in innovation potential increase.
WORKPLACE SPIRITUALITY IN INDIAN ORGANISATIONS: CONSTRUCTION OF RELIABLE AND VALID MEASUREMENT SCALE
Authors: Pradhan Rabindra Kumar , Jenar Lalatendu Kesari , Soto Cesar Merino
Published: May 2017

The purpose of the paper was to develop and validate a comprehensive tool for measuring workplace spirituality. On the basis of literature, feedback from academic and industry professionals, a heuristic framework along with a scale on workplace spirituality was proposed and a questionnaire was developed. The instrument obtained empirical views from experts on its dimensions and statements. Content validity ratio (CVR) of the instrument was carried out and the retained items were taken for field survey. Three hundred and sixty one executive respondents employed in manufacturing and service organisations in Indian subcontinent responded to the 44 items scale assessing different facets of spirituality at workplace. This helped to validate the factors of workplace spirituality and optimize the contents of the proposed instrument with the help of structural equation modelling. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four distinct factors that constitute the new instrument of workplace spirituality: spiritual orientation, compassion, meaningful work, and alignment of values. Reliability analysis reported high level of internal consistency of the total scale (α = .78) and the five subscales (α’s ranging from .75 to .87). Finally, 30 items were retained with four important factors of Workplace Spirituality Scale.
On the Optical-to-silicate Extinction Ratio as a Probe of the Dust Size in Active Galactic Nuclei
Authors: Shao Zhenzhen , Jiang B. W. , Li Aigen
Published: May 2017

Dust plays a central role in the unification theory of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Whether the dust that forms the torus around an AGN is micron-sized, like interstellar grains, or much larger, has a profound impact on correcting for the obscuration of the dust torus to recover the intrinsic spectrum and luminosity of the AGN. Here we show that the ratio of the optical extinction in the visual band (

) to the optical depth of the 9.7 μm silicate absorption feature (

) could potentially be an effective probe of the dust size. The anomalously lower ratio of

/

 ≈ 5.5 of AGNs compared to that of the Galactic diffuse interstellar medium of

/

 ≈ 18 reveals that the dust in AGN tori could be substantially larger than the interstellar grains of the Milky Way and those of the Small Magellanic Cloud, and therefore, one could expect a flat extinction curve for AGNs.
Polarized Kink Waves in Magnetic Elements: Evidence for Chromospheric Helical Waves
Authors: Stangalini M. , Giannattasio F. , Erdélyi R. , Jafarzadeh S. , Consolini G. , Criscuoli S. , Ermolli I. , Guglielmino S. L. , Zuccarello F.
Published: May 2017

In recent years, new high spatial resolution observations of the Sun's atmosphere have revealed the presence of a plethora of small-scale magnetic elements down to the resolution limit of  the current cohort of solar telescopes (∼100–120 km on the solar photosphere). These small magnetic field concentrations, due to the granular buffeting, can support and guide several magnetohydrodynamic wave modes that would eventually contribute to the energy budget of the upper layers of the atmosphere. In this work, exploiting the high spatial and temporal resolution chromospheric data acquired with the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope, and applying the empirical mode decomposition technique to the tracking of the solar magnetic features, we analyze the perturbations of the horizontal velocity vector of a set of chromospheric magnetic elements. We find observational evidence that suggests a phase relation between the two components of the velocity vector itself, resulting in its helical motion.
Formation of Heliospheric Arcs of Slow Solar Wind
Authors: Higginson A. K. , Antiochos S. K. , DeVore C. R. , Wyper P. F. , Zurbuchen T. H.
Published: May 2017

A major challenge in solar and heliospheric physics is understanding the origin and nature of the so-called slow solar wind. The Sun’s atmosphere is divided into magnetically open regions, known as coronal holes, where the plasma streams out freely and fills the solar system, and closed regions, where the plasma is confined to coronal loops. The boundary between these regions extends outward as the heliospheric current sheet (HCS). Measurements of plasma composition strongly imply that much of the slow wind consists of plasma from the closed corona that escapes onto open field lines, presumably by field-line opening or by interchange reconnection. Both of these processes are expected to release closed-field plasma into the solar wind within and immediately adjacent to the HCS. Mysteriously, however, slow wind with closed-field plasma composition is often observed in situ far from the HCS. We use high-resolution, three-dimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations to calculate the dynamics of a coronal hole with a geometry that includes a narrow corridor flanked by closed field and is driven by supergranule-like flows at the coronal-hole boundary. These dynamics produce giant arcs of closed-field plasma that originate at the open-closed boundary in the corona, but extend far from the HCS and span tens of degrees in latitude and longitude at Earth. We conclude that such structures can account for the long-puzzling slow-wind observations.
Utility of Power Doppler Ultrasound–detected Synovitis for the Prediction of Short-term Flare in Psoriatic Patients with Arthritis in Clinical Remission
Authors: Ruta Santiago , Marin Josefina , Acosta Felquer Maria Laura , Ferreyra-Garrot Leandro , Rosa Javier , García-Monaco Ricardo , Soriano Enrique R.
Published: May 2017

Objective.

Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) has been shown to detect subclinical synovitis in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but its value is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate PDUS features at joint level in patients with PsA in clinical remission and to investigate its value for predicting short-term flares.

Methods.

Consecutive patients with PsA in clinical remission according to the attending rheumatologist and who fulfill minimal disease activity criteria and/or 28-joint Disease Activity Score in remission criteria underwent PDUS examination of 18 joints. All patients were followed up for 6 months. Disease flare was defined as any increase of disease activity generating the need of any of the following changes in therapy with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) by the attending rheumatologist: dose increase, switch or addition of a different DMARD, and/or switch or addition of biological therapies.

Results.

Among 54 patients with PsA in clinical remission, 15 (27.8%) experienced a flare within the next 6 months. Twenty patients had at least 1 joint with PDUS synovitis at baseline, and 13 (65%) of these had a disease flare during the followup period compared with only 2 of the 34 patients (5.9%) without baseline PDUS synovitis (relative risk = 11, 95% CI 2.8–44, p < 0.001). On logistic regression analysis, the only variables associated with short-term flares were baseline PDUS synovitis and the use of nonbiologic DMARD.

Conclusion.

Among patients with PsA in clinical remission, PDUS-detected synovitis was a strong predictor of short-term flare of the disease.
Healthcare Use and Direct Cost of Giant Cell Arteritis: A Population-based Study
Authors: Koster Matthew J. , Achenbach Sara J. , Crowson Cynthia S. , Maradit-Kremers Hilal , Matteson Eric L. , Warrington Kenneth J.
Published: May 2017

Objective.

To determine the healthcare use and direct medical cost of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in a population-based cohort.

Methods.

A well-defined, retrospective population-based cohort of Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, residents diagnosed with GCA from 1982–2009 was compared to a matched referent cohort from the same population. Standardized cost data (inflation-adjusted to 2014 US dollars) for 1987–2014 and outpatient use data for 1995–2014 were obtained. Use and costs were compared between cohorts through signed-rank paired tests, McNemar’s tests, and quantile regression models.

Results.

Significant annual differences in outpatient costs were observed for patients with GCA in each of the first 4 years (median differences: $2085, $437, $382, $388, respectively). In adjusted analyses, median incremental cost attributed to GCA over a 5-year period was $4662. Compared with matched referent subjects, patients with GCA had higher use of laboratory visit-days annually for each of the first 3 years following incidence/index date, and increased outpatient physician visits for years 0–1, 1–2, and 3–4. Patients with GCA had significantly more radiology visit-days in years 0–1, 3–4, and 4–5, and more ophthalmologic procedures/surgery in years 0–1, 1–2, 2–3, and 4–5 compared to non-GCA. Emergency medicine visits, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular procedures/surgery were similar between GCA and non-GCA groups throughout the study period.

Conclusion.

Direct medical outpatient costs were increased in the month preceding and in the first 4 years following GCA diagnosis. Higher use of outpatient physician, laboratory, and radiology visits, and ophthalmologic procedures among these patients accounts for the increased cost of care.
Application of a methodology based on the Theory of Constraints in the sector of tourism services
Authors: Pérez Campdesuñer Reyner , Pérez Pravia Milagros , Sánchez Rodríguez Alexander , García Vidal Gelmar , Martínez Vivar Rodobaldo
Published: May 2017

Purpose: The objective of the research was aimed at achieving the implementation of the theory of constraints on the operating conditions of a hotel, which differs by its characteristics of traditional processes that have applied this method, from the great heterogeneity of resources needed to meet the demand of customers.Design/methodology/approach: To achieve this purpose, a method of generating conversion equations that allowed to express all the resources of the organization under study depending on the number of customers to serve facilitating comparison between different resources and estimated demand through techniques developed traditional forecasting, these features were integrated into the classical methodology of theory of constraints.Findings: The application of tools designed for hospitality organizations allowed to demonstrate the applicability of the theory of constraints on entities under conditions different from the usual, develop a set of conversion equations of different resources facilitating comparison with demand and consequently achieve improve levels of efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.Originality/value: The originality of the research is summarized in the application of the theory of constraints in a very different from the usual conditions, covering 100% of the processes and resources in hospitality organizations.
A vision of the future for JIEM: News and new editor-in-chief
Authors: Marin-Garcia Juan A. , Trullas Irene
Published: May 2017

The editorial of the third issue of 2016 (Fernandez, 2016) reviewed nine years of work by the editorial team, from the date the journal was founded, until the present day. In this regard, it announced the need for changes in the journal and introduced me as the new Editor-in-Chief of the journal. As the new editor and this being the first editorial written by the new team, first of all, we would like to express our appreciation for the offer and the responsibility placed in us by the founders (i.e., Fernandez et al., 2008) and the OmniaScience publishing company. In this manner, we would like to introduce the journal, the new team and the new developments in its management to the scientific community.
Scope of Automation in Semantics-Driven Multimedia Information Retrieval From Web
Authors: Singh Aarti , Dey Nilanjan , Ashour Amira S.
Published: May 2017

Present digital information driven society is a part of Semantic Web, where focus is on returning relevant information to the users, in response of their searches. Research community had been doing great efforts to associate semantics with textual information since early 2000. However, there had been tremendous growth in capturing, sharing, storing and retrieving photographs and multimedia contents on the web in last one decade. This has drawn attention of research community for embedding semantics with multimedia contents while storing, so as to lead efficient retrieval of these contents later on. This chapter focuses on presenting need of associating semantics with images, initially various techniques of image retrieval are elaborated. Existing techniques of embedding semantics in images are analyzed, further scope of automation in associating semantics with images is explored considering software agent technology as instrument.
Technique for Transformation of Data From RDB to XML Then to RDF
Authors: Malik Kaleem Razzaq , Ahmad Tauqir
Published: May 2017

This chapter will clearly show the need for better mapping techniques for Relational Database (RDB) all the way to Resource Description Framework (RDF). This includes coverage of each data model limitations and benefits for getting better results. Here, each form of data being transform has its own importance in the field of data science. As RDB is well known back end storage for information used to many kinds of applications; especially the web, desktop, remote, embedded, and network-based applications. Whereas, EXtensible Markup Language (XML) in the well-known standard for data for transferring among all computer related resources regardless of their type, shape, place, capability and capacity due to its form is in application understandable form. Finally, semantically enriched and simple of available in Semantic Web is RDF. This comes handy when with the use of linked data to get intelligent inference better and efficient. Multiple Algorithms are built to support this system experiments and proving its true nature of the study.
Conversion of Higher into Lower Language Using Machine Translation
Authors: Kumar Raghvendra , Pattnaik Prasant Kumar , Pandey Priyanka
Published: May 2017

This chapter addresses an exclusive approach to expand a machine translation system beginning higher language to lower language. Since we all know that population of India is 1.27 billion moreover there are more than 30 language and 2000 dialects used for communication of Indian people. India has 18 official recognized languages similar to Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Hindi is taken as regional language and is used for all types of official work in central government offices. Commencing such a vast number of people 80% of people know Hindi. Though Hindi is also regional language of Jabalpur, MP, India, still a lot of people of Jabalpur are unable to speak in Hindi. So for production those people unswerving to know Hindi language we expand a machine translation system. For growth of such a machine translation system, used apertium platform as it is free/open source. Using apertium platform a lot of language pairs more specifically Indian language pairs have already been developed. In this chapter, develop a machine translation system for strongly related language pair i.e Hindi to Jabalpuriya language (Jabalpur, MP, India).
Knowledge Discovery From Massive Data Streams
Authors: Narang Sushil Kumar , Kumar Sushil , Verma Vishal
Published: May 2017

T.S. Eliot once wrote some beautiful poetic lines including one “Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”. Can't say that T.S. Eliot could have anticipated today's scenario which is emerging from his poetic lines. Data in present scenario is a profuse resource in many circumstances and is piling-up and many technical leaders are finding themselves drowning in data. Through this big stream of data there is a vast flood of information coming out and seemingly crossing manageable boundaries. As Information is a necessary channel for educing and constructing knowledge, one can assume the importance of generating new and comprehensive knowledge discovery tools and techniques for digging this overflowing sea of information to create explicit knowledge. This chapter describes traditional as well as modern research techniques towards knowledge discovery from massive data streams. These techniques have been effectively applied not exclusively to completely structured but also to semi-structured and unstructured data. At the same time Semantic Web technologies in today's perspective require many of them to deal with all sorts of raw data.
Knowledge Discovery and Big Data Analytics
Authors: Jambulingam Vinoth Kumar , Santhi V.
Published: May 2017

The era of big data has come with the ability to process massive datasets from heterogeneous sources in real-time. But the conventional analytics can't be able to manage such a large amount of varied data. The main issue that is being asked is how to design a high-performance computing platform to effectively carry out analytics on big data and how to develop a right mining scheme to get useful insights from voluminous big data. Hence this chapter elaborates these challenges with a brief introduction on traditional data analytics followed by mining algorithms that are suitable for emerging big data analytics. Subsequently, other issues and future scope are also presented to enhance capabilities of big data.
Role of Social Networking Sites in Enhancing Teaching Environment
Authors: Vijayakumar Singanamalla , Thakare Vaishali Ravindra , J Amudha , Bhushan S. Bharath , Santhi V.
Published: May 2017

In recent days, most of the academic institutions across the world understand the usefulness of social networks for teaching and learning. In general, information is being transferred across the world for multiple purposes in different aspects through social media networks. In academic environment to enhance the teaching and learning processes social media networks are used to greater extent. Researchers and academicians are making use of social media tools, specifically Facebook, Blogs, Google groups, SkyDrive and Twitter for teaching and research. Further, the academic performance of students has been tested statistically by teachers using Social Networking Sites (SNS). The study has been carried out to understand the role of SNS in teaching environment which reveals that students are accessing various social media tools for information sharing and personal interaction. Finally, it has been observed from the analysis that there is increasing demand for the role of SNS in future education perspective. In this chapter the role of SNS in teaching environment is carried out elaborated and presented.
Type 1 Immune Mechanisms Driven by the Response to Infection with Attenuated Rabies Virus Result in Changes in the Immune Bias of the Tumor Microenvironment and Necrosis of Mouse GL261 Brain Tumors
Authors: Bongiorno Emily K. , Garcia Samantha A. , Sauma Sami , Hooper D. Craig
Published: May 2017

Immunotherapeutic strategies for malignant glioma have to overcome the immunomodulatory activities of M2 monocytes that appear in the circulation and as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). M2 cell products contribute to the growth-promoting attributes of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and bias immunity toward type 2, away from the type 1 mechanisms with antitumor properties. To drive type 1 immunity in CNS tissues, we infected GL261 tumor–bearing mice with attenuated rabies virus (RABV). These neurotropic viruses spread to CNS tissues trans-axonally, where they induce a strong type 1 immune response that involves Th1, CD8, and B cell entry across the blood–brain barrier and virus clearance in the absence of overt sequelae. Intranasal infection with attenuated RABV prolonged the survival of mice bearing established GL261 brain tumors. Despite the failure of virus spread to the tumor, infection resulted in significantly enhanced tumor necrosis, extensive CD4 T cell accumulation, and high levels of the proinflammatory factors IFN-γ, TNF-α, and inducible NO synthase in the TME merely 4 d postinfection, before significant virus spread or the appearance of RABV-specific immune mechanisms in CNS tissues. Although the majority of infiltrating CD4 cells appeared functionally inactive, the proinflammatory changes in the TME later resulted in the loss of accumulating M2 and increased M1 TAMs. Mice deficient in the Th1 transcription factor T-bet did not gain any survival advantage from RABV infection, exhibiting only limited tumor necrosis and no change in TME cytokines or TAM phenotype and highlighting the importance of type 1 mechanisms in this process.
(Mis)managing labour markets? The decline of the contemporary global labour market for British seafarers.
Authors: Ruggunan S.
Published: May 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to investigate the ways in which states are still significant actors in creating and shaping the nature and characteristics of global labour markets. My argument is demonstrated through an empirical case study of the global labour market for British seafarers. Problem Investigated: The last 30 years has witnessed a decimation of the number of employed British seafarers, particularly at lower rank levels, such as ratings. I contend that despite Britain's long and rich maritime history, the British state has not acted meaningfully to reverse the decline of British seafarers. The lack of meaningful action I contend is an attempt to crew British owned ships with cheaper seafaring labour from Asia, particularly south east Asia. In so doing the British state has contributed to the decline of a once thriving labour market. There has simultaneously been an upsurge in the employment of seafarers of other nationalities, and thus the creation of new labour markets in countries such as the Philippines. This paper is an attempt to understand some of the factors responsible for the decline of the British labour market for seafarers. Methodology and Approach: This paper is the outcome of a larger qualitative study undertaken for my doctoral thesis in industrial sociology which examined the transformation of the global labour market for South African, Filipino and British seafarers. The methodology consists of in depth interviews with maritime officials and trade union leaders. These were conducted in person in London, United Kingdom between 2005 and 2008. These interviews are supported by extensive literature and documentary research, to validate, support and test claims made by my interviewees. Implications and Value of the Research: The theoretical contribution of this paper is to reinsert the state more critically into the literature on labour markets. Empirically, seafaring labour markets are largely ignored by the disciplines of both sociology and commerce. The paper attempts to fill this gap by investigating a much neglected occupational sector. Very little empirical work is being done by South African researchers on global labour markets outside South Africa. This paper is therefore primarily addressed to a South African audience. Conclusion: The paper demonstrates that the state has to be a willing and active partner in ensuring employment security of its worker-citizens in global labour markets. The private sector and organised labour by themselves are unable or unwilling to prevent massive job losses without state intervention. As increasing numbers of workers join global labour markets, states need to become more involved rather than less involved in ensuring the stability of employment for their citizens.
Barriers to e-marketing adoption among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Vaal Triangle
Authors: Dlodlo N. , Dhurup M.
Published: May 2017

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to complement existing literature by examining the relevant barriers contributing to the non-adoption of electronic marketing practices by SMEs in the Vaal Triangle. Methodology: Primary data was collected using a quantitative research technique with the use of a structured questionnaire as the survey instrument. A total of 168 businesses were selected randomly and visited within the various municipal areas in the Vaal Triangle. These businesses were visited between August and November 2008. Thirty-two small, medium and medium enterprises SMEs refused to participate resulting in 123 usable questionnaires for the purposes of the analysis. Factor analysis was used to examine the robustness of the factor structure using principal component analysis. Findings: A five-dimensional structure was established comprising a 16 item-scale. The major impediments towards the non-adoption of e-marketing include technology incompatibility with target markets, lack of knowledge, stakeholder unreadiness, technology disorientation and technology perception. The reliability analysis, reflected coefficient values ranging from 0.70 to 0.88 indicating satisfactory internal consistency amongst variables within each dimension. Implications: By analysing the barriers that inhibit the adoption of e-marketing strategies among SMEs, marketers are presented with recommended strategies and implications on how to approach the challenges presented by Internet technological advancements. Internet capacities of SMEs may be strengthened through nurturing e-marketing awareness and providing adequate information tools through diverse Internet Marketing training programmes. Originality/Value: SMEs can prove to be a major source of economic growth for many African countries if sufficient guidance and support on how best to overcome the challenges of adopting advanced marketing practices is available.
Identifying enabling management practices for employee engagement
Authors: Joubert Marius , Roodt Gert
Published: May 2017

Orientation: A currently emerging viewpoint is that today's management practices no longer add value to organisations. The focus of this article is to conduct a systematic review of the scholarly literature on management practices that could be related to employee engagement. Research purpose: This study searched for evidence in support of the notion of a management value chain, and enabling management practices within each value chain component that could relate to employee engagement. Motivation for the study: An alternative management value chain model could contribute towards a better understanding of which management practices may potentially impact employee engagement. Research design, approach, and method: This is a non-empirical (theoretical) study, based on a systematic, in-depth literature review to identify the key management components and enabling practices within this proposed management value chain. Scholarly research databases were sourced for relevant peer reviewed research conducted since 1990, not excluding important contributions prior to 1990. The literature was systematically searched, selected, studied, and contextualized within this study. Main findings: Support was found for the notion of a management value chain, for enabling management practices within each proposed management value chain component, and it was also established these management practices indeed have an impact on employee engagement. Practical/managerial/implications: The possibility that management work can be presented as a generic management value chain allows managers to approach engaging management practices more systematically. Contribution/value-add: This study highlights the importance of some management practices that have never been seen as part of management work.