bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of the Media in the Propagation of the Terrorist Agenda
Authors: Goodman Mark , Warren Shane , Jolly Robyn , Norton Maggie
Published: May 2016

The thesis of this paper is that jihadists are using terror as a propaganda weapon to create a high level of fear among the public around the world, a level above the actual threat. We believe the media and national leaders enhance the effectiveness of the jihadists' propaganda in the ways they present terror attacks. Previous research indicates that horrific events, whether created by humans or the result of nature, leave a lasting psychological impact on the victims. We show a psychological link by victims of the Mumbai attack seven years ago and the Paris attacks in November of 2015. We argue that the psychological impact may be caused when the cultural signifiers of terror result in a meaning abyss because most people do not have signifieds that readily link to brutal terrorists' signifiers. What Derrida described as the abyss occurs when acts of brutality create panic and chaos because most people do not know assign signifieds-- i.e., meanings-- to the brutality. Kenneth Burke critiqued Mein Kampf by explaining how Adolph Hitler had used god terms and evil terms to create ideological agreement with Hitler's concept that the Aryan race was being undermined by a Jewish conspiracy. We examine how the news media coverage of nine terrorist attacks invoked god terms and evil terms in their description of the terror created by the jihadists. Further, we looked for chaos terms, which are terms that describe such inhumane acts of terror that people do not have existing signifieds to translate those acts into meaning. Not only did we find that chaos terms in the news coverage, as well as the god terms and evil terms, but we also found chaos terms used by world leaders. We draw the conclusion that both the media and world leaders contribute to the propaganda impact of jihadists attacks by using chaos terms.
Leisure Participation, Job Stress, and Life Satisfaction: Moderation Analysis of Two Models
Authors: Chen Wei-Chih
Published: May 2016

I explored the relationships among leisure participation, job stress, and life satisfaction of Taiwanese high school teachers and college professors (N = 488) and investigated the moderating effects of taking on an extra administrative duty and type of school (college vs. high
school). Results revealed that leisure participation negatively predicted job stress, and job stress negatively explained life satisfaction. Additionally, both taking on an extra administrative duty and type of school moderated the relationship between job stress and life satisfaction. Research
implications are discussed.
Two-sided crossed products of groups
Authors: Cetinalp Esra , Karpuz Eylem , Ates Firat , Cevik Sinan
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we first define a new version of the crossed product of groups
under the name of two-sided crossed product. Then we present a generating and
relator sets for this new product over cyclic groups. In a separate section,
by using the monoid presentation of the two-sided crossed product of cyclic
groups, we obtain the complete rewriting system and normal forms of elements
of this new group construction.
Fully degenerate poly-Bernoulli polynomials with a q parameter
Authors: Kim Dae , Kim Tae , Mansour Toufik , Seo Jong-Jin
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we consider the fully degenerate poly-Bernoulli polynomials
with a q parameter. We present several properties, explicit formulas and
recurrence relations for these polynomials by using the technique of umbral
calculus.
On periodic solutions to nonlinear differential equations in Banach spaces
Authors: Çavuş Abdullah , Khadjiev Djavvat , Öztürk Seda
Published: May 2016

Let A denote the generator of a strongly continuous periodic one-parameter
group of bounded linear operators in a complex Banach space H. In this work,
an analog of the resolvent operator which is called quasi-resolvent operator
and denoted by R? is defined for points of the spectrum, some equivalent
conditions for compactness of the quasi-resolvent operators R? are given.
Then using these, some theorems on existence of periodic solutions to the
non-linear equations ?(A)x = f (x) are given, where ?(A) is a polynomial of A
with complex coefficients and f is a continuous mapping of H into itself.
On the unified family of generalized Apostol-type polynomials of higher order and multiple power sums
Authors: Kurt Veli
Published: May 2016

In last last decade, many mathematicians studied the unification of the
Bernoulli and Euler polynomials. Firstly Karande B. K. and Thakare N. K. in
[6] introduced and generalized the multiplication formula. Ozden et. al. in
[14] defined the unified Apostol-Bernoulli, Euler and Genocchi polynomials
and proved some relations. M. A. Ozarslan in [13] proved the explicit
relations, symmetry identities and multiplication formula. El-Desouky et. al.
in ([3], [4]) defined a new unified family of the generalized Apostol-Euler,
Apostol-Bernoulli and Apostol-Genocchi polynomials and gave some relations
for the unification of multiparameter Apostol-type polynomials and numbers.
In this study, we give some symmetry identities and recurrence relations for
the unified Apostol-type polynomials related to multiple alternating sums.
A matrix approach to solving hyperbolic partial differential equations using Bernoulli polynomials
Authors: Erdem Bicer , Yalcinbas Salih
Published: May 2016

The present study considers the solutions of hyperbolic partial differential
equations. For this, an approximate method based on Bernoulli polynomials is
developed. This method transforms the equation into the matrix equation and
the unknown of this equation is a Bernoulli coefficients matrix. To
demostrate the validity and applicability of the method, an error analysis
developed based on residual function. Also examples are presented to
illustrate the accuracy of the method.
Evaluation of posttreatment stability after orthodontic treatment in the mixed and permanent dentitions
Authors: Oh Heesoo , Ma Ning , Feng Ping ping , Kieu Katherine , Boero Roger , Dugoni Steven , Aubert Maryse , Chambers Dave
Published: May 2016

Objective:

To investigate posttreatment changes in the maxillary and mandibular arches in patients who underwent orthodontic treatment during the mixed and permanent dentitions.

Materials and Methods:

The sample was collected retrospectively from three private practices and consisted of 42 patients who were at least 10 years out of orthodontic treatment. The longitudinal records of study casts and cephalometric radiographs were analyzed to quantify posttreatment changes.

Results:

Minimal changes in maxillary and mandibular irregularity occurred after an average of 16.98 years from completion of treatment. More than 10 years posttreatment, approximately 81% of the maxillary anterior teeth and 88% of the mandibular anterior teeth showed clinically acceptable incisor alignment (<3.5 mm). Mandibular fixed retainers greatly aided in maintaining the stability of the mandibular incisor alignment. However, posttreatment changes in maxillary incisor irregularity did not appear to be influenced by the presence of a mandibular fixed retainer. When compared with longitudinal changes observed in untreated subjects, the increase in incisor irregularity resembled a pattern similar to the regression line of untreated subjects and seems to be entirely age related. Arch width and arch depth was consistently decreased after treatment, but the magnitude of change was minimal at about 1 mm. No associations were found between any of the cephalometric measurements and changes in incisor irregularities.

Conclusions:

Orthodontic treatment stability can be achieved and mandibular fixed retention appears to be a valuable contributor, especially in patients with further growth expected.
Impacts of Tipaimukh Dam on the Down-stream Region in Bangladesh: A Study on Probable EIA
Authors: Asaduzzaman M. , Rahman Md. Moshiur
Published: May 2016

Amidst mounting protests both at home and in lower riparian Bangladesh, India is going ahead with the plan to construct its largest and most controversial 1500 mw hydroelectric dam project on the river Barak at Tipaimukh in the Indian state Manipur. In the process, however, little regard is being paid to the short and long-term consequences on the ecosystem, biodiversity or the local people in the rivers watershed and drainage of both upper and low reparian countries. This 390 m length and 162.8 m. high earthen-rock filled dam also has the potential to be one of the most destructive. In India too, people will have to suffer a lot for this mega project. The total area required for construction including submergence area is 30860 ha of which 20797 ha is forest land, 1195 ha is village land, 6160 ha is horticultural land, and 2525 ha is agricultural land. Cconstruction of the massive dam and regulate water flow of the river Barak will have long adverse effects on the river system of Surma and Kushiyara in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh which will obviously have negative impacts on ecology, environment, agriculture, bio-diversity, fisheries, socio-economy of Bangladesh. To assess the loss of Tipaimukh dam on downstream Bangladesh, an Eivironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been conducted based on probable affect parametes. Present study intends to depict Tipaimukh dam construction post scenerio in Bangladesh thru assessing probable loss and damage of the Tipaimukh dam construction. The most effective Batelle method of EIA has been applied in this study. It is found -5 scale severity impact will be imposed if the proposed dam is being construct after assessing values of each parameter. Journal of Science Foundation 2015;13(1):3-10DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jsf.v13i1.27827
A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH FOR THE SPECTRA WITH FEATURES OF CRYSTALLINE SILICATES IN THE SPITZER IRS ENHANCED PRODUCTS
Authors: Chen Rui , Luo Ali , Liu Jiaming , Jiang Biwei
Published: May 2016

The crystalline silicate features are mainly reflected in infrared bands. The Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) collected numerous spectra of various objects and provided a big database to investigate crystalline silicates in a wide range of astronomical environments. We apply the manifold ranking algorithm to perform a systematic search for the spectra with crystalline silicate features in the Spitzer IRS Enhanced Products available. In total, 868 spectra of 790 sources are found to show the features of crystalline silicates. These objects are cross-matched with the SIMBAD database as well as with the Large Sky Area Multi-object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST)/DR2. The average spectrum of young stellar objects shows a variety of features dominated either by forsterite or enstatite or neither, while the average spectrum of evolved objects consistently present dominant features of forsterite in AGB, OH/IR, post-AGB, and planetary nebulae. They are identified optically as early-type stars, evolved stars, galaxies and so on. In addition, the strength of spectral features in typical silicate complexes is calculated. The results are available through CDS for the astronomical community to further study crystalline silicates.
THE IONIZATION STRUCTURE OF SHARPLESS 2-264: MULTIWAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF THE λ Ori H II REGION
Authors: Sahan M. , Haffner L. M.
Published: May 2016

We present velocity-resolved maps taken with the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper (WHAM) in Hα, [S ii]

λ
6716

, and [N ii]

λ
6583

around the well-known O8 III star λ Ori A (HD 36861) (

ℓ
=
185
°

to

205
°
,
b
=
−
24
°

to

−
1
°

). The integrated intensity (

v

LSR

=
−
80

to +80 km s−1),

I

H
α

, within WHAM’s one-degree beams varies from ∼190 R near the center to ∼10 R on the periphery of the nebula where it becomes comparable to foreground and/or background emission in this complex region. Intensity ratios for [N ii]/Hα and [S ii]/Hα average 0.28 and 0.35, respectively. In both ratios, higher values are found preferentially at larger radii from

λ

 Ori, although the behavior of [N ii]/Hα is complicated near the edges of the nebula. The [S ii]/[N ii] intensity ratio ranges from ∼0.5 to ∼1.0, with the value increasing toward larger radii (and lower Hα intensities). Variations of the [S ii]/Hα, [N ii]/Hα, and [S ii]/[N ii] line ratios in this diffuse region show some similar trends to those seen in the warm ionized medium (WIM) but with generally lower metal-line ratios. As with the WIM, the trends are driven by changes in the underlying physical parameters, most notably the ionization states and gas temperature. To investigate which cause might be dominant in this region, we use these extremely high signal-to-noise observations to construct a map of temperature and non-thermal velocity throughout the nebula. Using the line widths of Hα and [S ii], we separate thermal and non-thermal components and find spatial trends of these parameters within the nebula. Ion temperatures range between 4000 and 8000 K throughout the nebula. The non-thermal velocity map reveals a decrease in velocity from about 10 to 5 km s−1 from the center to the edge of the lower half of the H ii region. In addition to using the widths as a measure of temperature, we also use the variation in [N ii]/Hα to estimate electron temperature. The results obtained from this diffuse H ii region around

λ

 Ori can be compared to studies of the WIM to provide important insight into the nature of the diffuse ionized gas throughout the disk and halo of the Galaxy.
PHOTO-REVERBERATION MAPPING OF A PROTOPLANETARY ACCRETION DISK AROUND A T TAURI STAR
Authors: Meng Huan Y. A. , Plavchan Peter , Rieke George H. , Cody Ann Marie , Güth Tina , Stauffer John , Covey Kevin , Carey Sean , Ciardi David , Duran-Rojas Maria C. , Gutermuth Robert A. , Morales-Calderón María , Rebull Luisa M. , Watson Alan M.
Published: May 2016

Theoretical models and spectroscopic observations of newborn stars suggest that protoplantary disks have an inner “wall” at a distance set by the disk interaction with the star. Around T Tauri stars, the size of this disk hole is expected to be on a 0.1 au scale that is unresolved by current adaptive optics imaging, though some model-dependent constraints have been obtained by near-infrared interferometry. Here we report the first measurement of the inner disk wall around a solar-mass young stellar object, YLW 16B in the ρ Ophiuchi star-forming region, by detecting the light-travel time of the variable radiation from the stellar surface to the disk. Consistent time lags were detected on two nights, when the time series in H (1.6 μm) and K (2.2 μm) bands were synchronized while the 4.5 μm emission lagged by 74.5 ± 3.2 s. Considering the nearly edge-on geometry of the disk, the inner rim should be 0.084 au from the protostar on average, with an error of order 0.01 au. This size is likely larger than the range of magnetospheric truncations and consistent with an optically and geometrically thick disk front at the dust sublimation radius at ∼1500 K. The widths of the cross-correlation functions between the data in different wavebands place possible new constraints on the geometry of the disk.
THE SPITZER MICROLENSING PROGRAM AS A PROBE FOR GLOBULAR CLUSTER PLANETS: ANALYSIS OF OGLE-2015-BLG-0448
Authors: Poleski Radosław , Zhu Wei , Christie Grant W. , Udalski Andrzej , Gould Andrew , Bachelet Etienne , Skottfelt Jesper , Novati Sebastiano Calchi , Szymański M. K. , Soszyński I. , Pietrzyński G. , Wyrzykowski Ł. , Ulaczyk K. , Pietrukowicz P. , Kozłowski Szymon , Skowron J. , Mróz P. , Pawlak M. ,   (OGLE group), Beichman C. , Bryden G. , Carey S. , Fausnaugh M. , Gaudi B. S. , Henderson C. B. , Pogge R. W. , Shvartzvald Y. , Wibking B. , Yee J. C. ,   (Spitzer team), Beatty T. G. , Eastman J. D. , Drummond J. , Friedmann M. , Henderson M. , Johnson J. A. , Kaspi S. , Maoz D. , McCormick J. , McCrady N. , Natusch T. , Ngan H. , Porritt I. , Relles H. M. , Sliski D. H. , Tan T.-G. , Wittenmyer R. A. , Wright J. T. ,   (μFUN group), Street R. A. , Tsapras Y. , Bramich D. M. , Horne K. , Snodgrass C. , Steele I. A. , Menzies J. , Jaimes R. Figuera , Wambsganss J. , Schmidt R. , Cassan A. , Ranc C. , Mao S. ,   (RoboNet project), Bozza V. , Dominik M. , Hundertmark M. P. G. , Jørgensen U. G. , Andersen M. I. , Burgdorf M. J. , Ciceri S. , D’Ago G. , Evans D. F. , Gu S.-H. , Hinse T. C. , Kains N. , Kerins E. , Korhonen H. , Kuffmeier M. , Mancini L. , Popovas A. , Rabus M. , Rahvar S. , Rasmussen R. T. , Scarpetta G. , Southworth J. , Surdej J. , Unda-Sanzana E. , Verma P. , Essen C. von , Wang Y.-B. , Wertz O. ,   (MiNDSTEp group)
Published: May 2016

The microlensing event OGLE-2015-BLG-0448 was observed by Spitzer and lay within the tidal radius of the globular cluster NGC 6558. The event had moderate magnification and was intensively observed, hence it had the potential to probe the distribution of planets in globular clusters. We measure the proper motion of NGC 6558 (

μ

cl

(
N
,
E
)
=
(
+
0.36
±
0.10
,
+
1.42
±
0.10
)

mas

yr

−
1

) as well as the source and show that the lens is not a cluster member. Even though this particular event does not probe the distribution of planets in globular clusters, other potential cluster lens events can be verified using our methodology. Additionally, we find that microlens parallax measured using Optical Gravitational Lens Experiment (OGLE) photometry is consistent with the value found based on the light curve displacement between the Earth and Spitzer.
DIRECT DETECTION OF LYMAN CONTINUUM ESCAPE FROM LOCAL STARBURST GALAXIES WITH THE COSMIC ORIGINS SPECTROGRAPH
Authors: Leitherer Claus , Hernandez Svea , Lee Janice C. , Oey M. S.
Published: May 2016

We report on the detection of Lyman continuum radiation in two nearby starburst galaxies. Tol 0440-381, Tol 1247-232, and Mrk 54 were observed with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The three galaxies have radial velocities of ∼13,000 km s−1, permitting a ∼35 Å window on the restframe Lyman continuum shortward of the Milky Way Lyman edge at 912 Å. The chosen instrument configuration using the G140L grating covers the spectral range from 912 to 2000 Å. We developed a dedicated background subtraction method to account for the temporal and spatial background variations of the detector, which is crucial at the low flux levels around 912 Å. This modified pipeline allowed us to significantly improve the statistical and systematic detector noise and will be made available to the community. We detect Lyman continuum in all three galaxies. However, we conservatively interpret the emission in Tol 0440-381 as an upper limit due to possible contamination by geocoronal Lyman series lines. We determined the current star formation properties from the far-ultraviolet continuum and spectral lines and used synthesis models to predict the Lyman continuum radiation emitted by the current population of hot stars. We discuss various model uncertainties such as, among others, atmospheres and evolution models. Lyman continuum escape fractions were derived from a comparison between the observed and predicted Lyman continuum fluxes. Tol 1247-232, Mrk 54, and Tol 0440-381 have absolute escape fractions of (4.5 ± 1.2)%, (2.5 ± 0.72)%, and <(7.1 ± 1.1)%, respectively.
GAS DYNAMICS AND OUTFLOW IN THE BARRED STARBURST GALAXY NGC 1808 REVEALED WITH ALMA
Authors: Salak Dragan , Nakai Naomasa , Hatakeyama Takuya , Miyamoto Yusuke
Published: May 2016

NGC 1808 is a nearby barred starburst galaxy with an outflow from the nuclear region. To study the inflow and outflow processes related to star formation and dynamical evolution of the galaxy, we have carried out 12CO (

) mapping observations of the central r ∼ 4 kpc of NGC 1808 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. Four distinct components of molecular gas are revealed at high spatial resolution of 2″ (∼100 pc): (1) a compact (r < 200 pc) circumnuclear disk (CND), (2) r ∼ 500 pc ring, (3) gas-rich galactic bar, and (4) spiral arms. Basic geometric and kinematic parameters are derived for the central 1 kpc region using tilted-ring modeling. The derived rotation curve reveals multiple mass components that include (1) a stellar bulge, (2) a nuclear bar and molecular CND, and (3) an unresolved massive (∼107
M
⊙) core. Two systemic velocities, 998 km s−1 for the CND and 964 km s−1 for the 500 pc ring, are revealed, indicating a kinematic offset. The pattern speed of the primary bar, derived by using a cloud-orbit model, is 56 ± 11 km s−1 kpc−1. Noncircular motions are detected associated with a nuclear spiral pattern and outflow in the central 1 kpc region. The ratio of the mass outflow rate to the star formation rate is

in the case of optically thin CO (1–0) emission in the outflow, suggesting low efficiency of star formation quenching.
THE SECOND KONUS-WIND CATALOG OF SHORT GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
Authors: Svinkin D. S. , Frederiks D. D. , Aptekar R. L. , Golenetskii S. V. , Pal'shin V. D. , Oleynik Ph. P. , Tsvetkova A. E. , Ulanov M. V. , Cline T. L. , Hurley K.
Published: May 2016

In this catalog, we present the results of a systematic study of 295 short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by Konus-Wind (KW) from 1994 to 2010. From the temporal and spectral analyses of the sample, we provide the burst durations, the spectral lags, the results of spectral fits with three model functions, the total energy fluences, and the peak energy fluxes of the bursts. We discuss evidence found for an additional power-law spectral component and the presence of extended emission in a fraction of the KW short GRBs. Finally, we consider the results obtained in the context of the Type I (merger-origin)/Type II (collapsar-origin) classifications.
LIGO GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTION, PRIMORDIAL BLACK HOLES, AND THE NEAR-IR COSMIC INFRARED BACKGROUND ANISOTROPIES
Authors: Kashlinsky A.
Published: May 2016

LIGO's discovery of a gravitational wave from two merging black holes (BHs) of similar masses rekindled suggestions that primordial BHs (PBHs) make up the dark matter (DM). If so, PBHs would add a Poissonian isocurvature density fluctuation component to the inflation-produced adiabatic density fluctuations. For LIGO's BH parameters, this extra component would dominate the small-scale power responsible for collapse of early DM halos at z ≳ 10, where first luminous sources formed. We quantify the resultant increase in high-z abundances of collapsed halos that are suitable for producing the first generation of stars and luminous sources. The significantly increased abundance of the early halos would naturally explain the observed source-subtracted near-IR cosmic infrared background (CIB) fluctuations, which cannot be accounted for by known galaxy populations. For LIGO's BH parameters, this increase is such that the observed CIB fluctuation levels at 2–5 μm can be produced if only a tiny fraction of baryons in the collapsed DM halos forms luminous sources. Gas accretion onto these PBHs in collapsed halos, where first stars should also form, would straightforwardly account for the observed high coherence between the CIB and unresolved cosmic X-ray background in soft X-rays. We discuss modifications possibly required in the processes of first star formation if LIGO-type BHs indeed make up the bulk or all of DM. The arguments are valid only if the PBHs make up all, or at least most, of DM, but at the same time the mechanism appears inevitable if DM is made of PBHs.
EVN OBSERVATIONS OF HESS J1943+213: EVIDENCE FOR AN EXTREME TeV BL Lac OBJECT
Authors: Akiyama Kazunori , Stawarz Łukasz , Tanaka Yasuyuki T. , Nagai Hiroshi , Giroletti Marcello , Honma Mareki
Published: May 2016

We report on the 1.6 GHz (18 cm) very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the unresolved, steady TeV source HESS J1943+213 located in the Galactic plane, performed with the European VLBI Network (EVN) in 2014. Our new observations with a nearly full EVN array provide the deepest image of HESS J1943+213 at the highest resolution ever achieved, enabling us to resolve the long-standing issues of the source identification. The milliarcsecond-scale structure of HESS J1943+213 has a clear asymmetric morphology consisting of a compact core and a diffuse jet-like tail. This is broadly consistent with the previous e-EVN observations of the source performed in 2011 and re-analyzed in this work. The core component is characterized by the brightness temperature of

≳
1.8
×

10

9

K, which is typical for low-luminosity blazars in general. Overall, the radio properties of HESS J1943+213 are consistent with the source classification as an “extreme high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object.” Remarkably, we note that because HESS J1943+213 does not reveal any optical or infrared signatures of the active galactic nucleus activity, it would never be recognized and identified as a BL Lac object if not for its location close to the Galactic plane where the High Energy Stereoscopic System surveyed for and the follow-up dedicated X-ray and radio studies triggered by the source detection in the TeV range. Our results suggest, therefore, a presence of an unrecognized, possibly very numerous population of particularly extreme HBLs and simultaneously demonstrate that the low-frequency VLBI observations with high angular resolution are indispensable for a proper identification of such objects.
Laryngeal Manifestation of Forestier's Disease
Authors: Stojanovic Jasmina , Zivanovic Sandra , Sreckovic Suncica , Jovanovic Svetlana , Belic Branislav , Simovic Sladjana
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND: Forestier's disease is a rare disorder involving bony growths that can occur in various parts of the spinal column, mostly asymptomatic, but these osteophytes, very rarely have been associated with serious complications. AIM: We report a 69-year-old man who was admitted at foniatric departement for evaluation of presenting hoarseness, dysphagia and laborious breathing.CASE PRESENTATION: Noninvasive endolaryngeal imaging and radiological examination revealed distortion of left side of the larynx pushing to the right due to bony mass of the anterior part of cervical spine which was prominent at the left side. Ð¢hÐµ symptoms of the patient presented were caused by Forestier's disease as found by the imiging. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice it is advisable to take into consideration Forestier's disease as a possible cause of hoarseness and dysphagia in rare cases.
The Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in COPD Patients with Severe and Very Severe Stage of the Disease
Authors: Stojkovikj Jagoda , Zafirova-Ivanovska Beti , Kaeva Biserka , Anastasova Sasha , Angelovska Irena , Stojkovikj Dragana
Published: May 2016

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in privies diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with severe and very severe disease, which ware stable.METHODS: We investigated 100 subjects, all of them smokers, with smoking status >10 years. They were stratified in two groups. It was clinical, randomized, cross sectional study. Besides demographic parameters, functional parameters, BMI, cholesterol, LDL and HDL, and the level of blood sugar was measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in our survey in total number of COPD patients with severe and very severe stage was 21%. In the very severe group were recorded significantly higher average values of glycaemia compared with severe group (7.67 Â± 3.7 vs. 5.62 Â± 0.9, p = 0.018). In the group with severe COPD, it was not confirmed any factor with significant predictive effect on the values of glycaemia. As independent significant factors that affect blood glucose in a group of very severe COPD were confirmed cholesterol (p <0.0001) and HDL (p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the presence of the COPD in patients itself is a factor that results in the clinical presentation of diabetes mellitus Type 2.
A Comparison of Four Survey Methods for Detecting Fox Squirrels in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Greene Daniel U. , McCleery Robert A. , Wagner Lindsay M. , Garrison Elina P.
Published: May 2016

Fox squirrel Sciurus niger populations in the southeastern United States appear to have declined, and 3 (S. n. cinereus, S. n. shermani, and S. n. avicennia) of the 10 subspecies are currently listed with a conservation status of protection. Efforts to conserve and manage fox squirrels in the southeastern United States are constrained by difficulties in studying their populations because of low densities and low detectability. There is a need for an effective survey method to fill knowledge gaps on southeastern fox squirrel ecology. To address this need and to identify a cost-effective and reliable technique to survey and monitor southeastern fox squirrel populations, we compared four survey methods across seasons: live-trapping; camera-trapping; point counts; and line-transect surveys, in regard to whether a detection occurred at a survey point, the total number of detections at a survey point, and the total cost for each method. We assessed the effectiveness of capture and detection methods and the influence of seasonality using generalized linear mixed models. We found camera-trapping to be the most effective survey method for assessing the presence and distribution of southeastern fox squirrels. In total, camera-traps produced significantly more detections (n = 223) of fox squirrels than all other methods combined (n = 84), with most detections occurring in spring (n = 97) and the fewest in the autumn (n = 60). Furthermore, we detected fox squirrels at more survey points with camera-traps (73%) than all other methods (63%), and we identified 16% more individuals from camera-trap photographs than live-trapped. We recommend future monitoring of southeastern fox squirrels to be conducted using camera-trapping during the spring unless handling of animals is needed for other research purposes.
Secure Speaker Recognition using BGN Cryptosystem with Prime Order Bilinear Group
Authors: Nidhyananthan S. Selva , Prasad M.  , Shantha Selva Kumari R.
Published: May 2016

Speech being a unique characteristic of an individual is widely used in speaker verification and speaker identification tasks in applications such as authentication and surveillance respectively. In this paper, framework for secure speaker recognition system using BGN Cryptosystem, where the system is able to perform the necessary operations without being able to observe the speech input provided by the user during speaker recognition process. Secure speaker recognition makes use of Secure Multiparty Computation (SMC) based on the homomorphic properties of cryptosystem. Among the cryptosytem with homomorphic properties BGN is preferable, because it is partially doubly homomorphic, which can perform arbitrary number of addition and only one multiplication. But the main disadvantage of using BGN cryptosystem is its execution time. In proposed system, the execution time is reduced by a factor of 12 by replacing conventional composite order group by prime order group. This leads to an efficient secure speaker recognition.
An Emergent Model of End-users' Acceptance of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
Authors: Nah Fiona Fui-Hoon , Tan Xin
Published: May 2016

The success of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation depends, to a large extent, on end-users' acceptance of ERP systems, which in turn affects the intensity and nature of system use. To understand the phenomenon underlying end-users' acceptance of ERP systems, the authors conducted a grounded theory research in a large institution that implemented an ERP system. Through systematic coding and content analysis, the authors inductively derived a theoretical model to explain end-users' acceptance of ERP systems. Three categories – beliefs about the system, changes in job scope, and social influence – emerged from the data as direct antecedents of user acceptance. The data also suggest that “beliefs about the system” mediates the influence of “training and support” and “personal characteristics” on user acceptance, whereas “personal characteristics” moderate the influence of “changes in job scope” on user acceptance. The theoretical model that emerged from this qualitative study extends existing models of user acceptance by providing a more complete understanding of end-users' acceptance of ERP systems.
Synthesis and Characterization of Rice Husk Ash Derived - Silica Aerogel Beads Prepared by Ambient Pressure Drying
Authors: Abdul Halim Zulhelmi Alif , Mat Yajid Muhamad Azizi , Hamdan Halimaton
Published: May 2016

Low density silica aerogel beads were synthesized from rice husk ash via sodium silicate route. The gel beads were prepared by the ball dropping method and dried at ambient pressure after surface modification (silylation) with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) solution. The characteristics of porous structure of silica aerogel beads were measured by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) nitrogen adsorption and desorption method. The silica aerogel beads showed a specific surface area as high as 773 m2/g. They also displayed water-repellant effect (hydrophobic) due to silylation as revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
Ba- and La- Strontium Cobalt Ferrite Carbonate Composite as Cathode Materials for Low Temperature SOFC
Authors: Rahman Hamimah Abdul , Agun Linda , Ahmad Shah Mohamed Hakim
Published: May 2016

Barium strontium cobalt ferrite (BSCF) and lanthanum strontium carbonate ferrite (LSCF)–samarium-doped ceria carbonate (SDCc) composite cathodes were developed based on various molar ratio of binary carbonate. The percentage of molar ratio for (Li/Na)2 binary carbonate in the composite cathodes were 67:33, 62:38, and 53:47. Influence of (Li/Na)2 binary carbonate addition on BSCF-SDCc and LSCF-SDCc were studied in terms of chemical, thermal, and physical properties. The composite-cathode powders were prepared using high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and followed by calcination at 750 °C for 2h. Characterizations of the composite cathode were performed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and dilatometry. The FTIR result verified the existence of carbonates in all the composite cathodes. The increment in the Na2CO3 molar ratio has contributed to the growth of the BSCF-SDCc particles as observed from the FESEM micrographs and particle size. The LSCF-SDCc composite cathodes revealed a lower (1.38-6.69%) thermal coefficient difference with SDCc electrolyte. The BSCF-SDCc and LSCF-SDCc composites with 53:47 mol.% of (Li/Na)2 binary carbonate exhibit the applicable properties as SOFC cathode material.
Influence of HCl Content and Ageing Time on TiO2 Coating Formation in Acidic Sol-Gel Solutions
Authors: Musa Muharniza Azinita , Mohd Juoi Jariah , Zulkifli M.R. , Masrom Norashidah
Published: May 2016

Acidic TiO2 solutions were prepared via sol-gel using hydrochloric acid (HCl) as catalyst for TiO2 coating deposition. The correlation between the HCl content and ageing time with the stability of the solutions was determined by controlling the content of HCl used (0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.7 ml). The stability was evaluated by observing the pH and physical changes that occurred during 30 days of ageing time. The influence of HCl content on the morphology of TiO2 thin film is further studied by depositing the films on commercialized unglazed ceramic tiles via dip-coating technique. Results of the ageing experiment showed that the PH of the solutions was stable throughout the ageing period. However, significant physical changes occurred only during the first seven days of the ageing period. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis disclosed that the TiO2 coatings were distributed unevenly on the substrate surface creating multilayers of coating. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs suggest that the TiO2 solution prepared using 0.5ml of HCl (pH 1.0 – 1.5) produces better TiO2 coating performance due to less amount of cracks and more homogeneous coating than other HCl content solutions.
The Effect of Argon Controlled Pre-Oxidation on TGO Formation of NiCoCrAlYTa/YSZ
Authors: Mohd Zulkifli I.S. , Mat Yajid Muhamad Azizi , Idris Mohd Hasbullah , Daroonparvar M.
Published: May 2016

Thermally grown oxide (TGO) plays important roles in thermal barrier coating system (TBC) for high temperature application such as in aircraft gas turbine engine blades (GTE). The TGO formed between the bond coat and topcoat interface can increase oxidation resistance to creep of GTE blades by minimizing oxygen diffusion into the metal substrate. In this research a NiCoCrAlYTa metallic bond coat was deposited on Inconel 625 substrate using two methods of deposition namely; high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) and atmospheric plasma spray (APS). After coating process, both types of samples underwent pre-oxidation in argon furnace for 12-24 hours at 1000 °C. Results showed that the TGO formation for samples in which the bond coat deposited via HVOF method produced much thinner and continuous TGO formation compared to APS deposition. This TGO characteristic is very useful to lengthen the lifetime of the metals substrate.
Effect of Additives on the Characteristic of Ag-TiO2 Coating Deposited on Specially Made Unglazed Ceramic Tile
Authors: Nurhamizah A.R. , Zulkifli M.R. , Mohd Juoi Jariah
Published: May 2016

In this research, the effect of PEG 2000 and Degussa P25 as additives on the characteristic of Ag-TiO2 coating was reported. The TiO2 coatings were produced via sol gel method using titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTiP) as a precursor from solutions that contains additive and without additive. Seven layers of TiO2 coating were deposited on specially made unglazed ceramic tiles produced from waste glass. All coatings were deposited using dip coating technique and were sintered at 500 °C. The TiO2 coating was then immersed in an Ag nanoparticles solution before dried at 90 °C in an oven to form Ag-TiO2 coating. The coating phases and coating morphologies were analyzed using GAXRD and SEM analysis, respectively. Results show that Ag-TiO2 coating added with Degussa P25 additive exhibits a presence of more anatase and more homogenous microstructure which gives advantages for antimicrobial application as compared to others
Corrosion Mechanism of Tungsten Carbide-Based Coatings in Different Aqueous Media
Authors: Kamdi Zakiah , Voisey K.T.
Published: May 2016

In cermet coatings with both ceramic and metal present, these can have very different corrosion potentials. Therefore, determination of the corrosion behaviour performance and its mechanism is crucial, especially in very acidic and alkaline environment. A conventional high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) tungsten carbide (WC)-Co coatings and a weld overlay tungsten carbide-nickel alloy cermet with carbide size of ~0.3-5 mm and ~50-140 mm respectively are used. Potentiodynamic tests are carried out in acidic and alkaline electrolytes: 0.5 M sulphuric acid, pH 0.45 and bentonite drilling fluid, pH 10.45. The behaviour of both coating types tested were pH dependent. The HVOF coating showed preferential dissolution of the binder in both electrolytes, with material loss being approximately twice as severe in the 0.5 M sulphuric acid compared to the alkaline drilling fluid. For the weld overlay coatings, with the larger carbide particles, the Ni3B phase in the binder was preferentially removed in the acidic electrolyte whereas the Ni rich dendritic phase underwent preferential dissolution in the alkaline environment.
Microscopic Study on the Corrosion of Underground Pipeline
Authors: Masri Mohamad Najmi , Samsudin Mohamad Fikri , Sulaiman Muhammad Azwadi , Mohamed Mazlan , Mohd Amin Mohamad Faiz , Mohamad Amini Mohd Hazim , Razab Mohammad Khairul Azhar Abdul , Abdullah Nor Hakimin , Abu Bakar Mohamad Bashree , Ahmad Muhammad Iqbal , Nik Yusuf Nik Alnur Auli
Published: May 2016

Corrosion on the water pipelines can potentially cause substantial human and economic losses. This paper concentrates on corrosion observation on the underground pipeline material as a part of our continuous study regarding this work. The samples which is mild steel taken from actually used pipeline at the site. Mild steels have been investigated intensively as a promising pipe material for underground pipeline due to their advantages such as high availability, low cost, environmental friendliness and high resistance to corrosion. However, their practical application exposes them to the attack of corrosion related to the soil condition. In this study, microscopic observations were performed on the surface of pipeline material using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) technique in order to study the morphology and basic composition of the corrosion, respectively. Based on the observation and visual analyses, it was determined that the surface of the mild steel was affected by continuous exposure to moist soil, which leads to pitting type of corrosion.
The Effect of Spent Bleach Earth on the Properties of Sintered Green Glass Ceramic Composite
Authors: Shamsudin Zurina , Salleh Nursyahidah , Mohd Juoi Jariah , Mustafa Zaleha , Zulkifli M.R.
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of spent bleach earth (SBE) loading on the properties of green glass ceramic (GGC) composite. GGC was prepared using SBE and recycled soda lime silicate (SLS) glass. SLS glass was crushed then sieved to approximately 45µm. These GGC composites were formed with different weight fraction of SBE loading (40, 45 and 55 wt.%) by uniaxial dry pressing and sintered at different sintering temperature (700 °C, 750 °C and 850 °C). The sintering temperatures were selected based on Tg of the glass which is around 416 °C. The GGC specimens were analyzed in terms of its physical properties (density, water absorption and porosity), phase presence (X-Ray diffraction) and sintered microstructure (scanning electron microscopy). X-Ray diffraction pattern indicated that cristobalite, quartz and wallastonite phases were formed during sintering. It was found that the GGC with 45 wt.% of SBE loading sintered at 850 °C produced minimum water absorption which was 4.01% accompanied by density of 2.12 g/cm3 and a porosity of 8.49%. This shows that GGC composite produced with considerable higher amount of waste loading able to obtain acceptable physical durability.
Preliminary Study on the Mechanical Properties of Continuous Long Pineapple Leaf Fibre Reinforced PLA Biocomposites
Authors: Md Fadzullah Siti Hajar Sheikh , Mustafa Zaleha , Ramli Siti Nur Rabiatutadawiah , Yaacob Qurratu'Aini , Mohamed Yusoff Ain Fatihah
Published: May 2016

This research work investigates the effect of using alkaline-treated continuous long pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) as reinforcement in bio-based poly lactic acid (PLA) polymer biocomposite. Alkaline treatment using NaOH solution was employed to improve the fiber-matrix adhesion, with the aim to enhance the mechanical properties of the biocomposites, in terms of its tensile and impact properties. In this study, both the plain PLA polymer and the PALF reinforced PLA biocomposites were prepared using compression moulding process. Thin films with nominal thickness of approximately 1 mm each were stacked in between continuous long PALF fibers prior to compression moulding via hot press machine to form biocomposites plate. Two types of mechanical testing were performed, i.e., tensile test (ASTM D3039) and impact test (ASTM D6110). Significant enhancements are observed when the plain PLA were reinforced with the PALF long fiber, with the biocomposites showing two times better the tensile strength and modulus, with the values of approximately 73.26 MPa in comparison to only about 34.85 MPa for the plain PLA and tensile modulus of approximately 2735.36 MPa in comparison to 1641.12 MPa for the plain PLA. The energy absorption of the biocomposites also showed promising results with a value of approximately 0.92 J/cm2 in comparison to only about 0.35 J/cm2 for the plain PLA. In addition, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to scrutinize morphology of the PALF reinforced PLA biocomposites.
The Performance of Lime Sludge Added Bioactive Glass in the Formation of HA Layer
Authors: Mohd Zain Nurul Shazwani , Mohamad Hasmaliza , Abdullah Tuti Katrina , Mohd Noor Siti Noorfazliah , Mokhtar Ahmad Kamil Fakhruddin
Published: May 2016

Lime sludge (LS) is a solid waste from lime making industry and normally disposed in landfill or recycled. LS has been studied as one of the raw materials in various ceramic productions such as bricks, ceramic tiles and glass-ceramics. In this study, LS was utilized in the preparation of bioactive glass using the 45S5 bioactive glass. The 45S5 bioactive glass contains SiO2 (45 wt.%), Na2O (24.5 wt.%), CaO (24.5 wt.%) and P2O5 (6 wt.%). It has the ability to bond with soft tissue and promote bone growth. The LS was combined with bioactive glass as a potential replacement of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The ratio between LS:CaO was varied (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0) to study the effect of LS weight percentage on the bioctive glass. The preparations of bioactive glasses involved batching, mixing, melting at 1400 °C, water quench and milling. LS was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the fabricated glasses were characterized using particle size analyzer, XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD results proved that the phase and chemical composition of bioactive glass were not affected by the addition of LS. The XRD and SEM results indicated that the addition of lime sludge in bioactive glass was effective to promote the formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) layer.
The Development and Characterisation of Porous Clay - Precipitated Calcium Carbonate
Authors: Yasmin Y. , Mohd Noor Mazlee , Norzilah A.H. , Shamsul J.B. , Azmi Rahmat , Chan W.H. , Jahidi Hazrin
Published: May 2016

Ceramic foams, a porous material with a gyroid structures, are becoming highly demanded for various applications such as heat insulation, bone implantation and filtration, because of their unique properties such as high specific surface area, high porosity and low heat transfer rate. In this study, the development of ceramic foam utilised white clay with a combination of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC). The ceramic foam was successfully developed using this combination after the sample was sintered at 1250 °C for 2 hours holding time. The various compositions of PCC (10.0, 12.5, 15.0, 17.5, 20.0, 22.5 and 25.0 wt.%) affected the chemical composition and compressive strength of the ceramic foam. The chemical composition of ceramic foam was analysed by using X -ray fluorescence (XRF) and the result indicated that the PCC was successfully transformed into calcium oxide (CaO) after the sintering process. The mineralogical composition of the ceramic foam was evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and has shown the presence of mullite (3Al2O3.2SiO2), gehlenite (Ca2Al2SiO7) and anorthite (2CaAl2Si2O8) after the sintering process. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that the presence of porosity on the strut of the ceramic foam. Meanwhile, the compressive strength of the ceramic foam increased from 0.03 to 1.31 MPa, which is directly proportional to the increased amount of PCC.