bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Google Scholar Retrieves Twice as Many Relevant Citations as PubMed and Provides Greater Full-Text Access for Quick, Clinical Nephrology Searches
Authors: Wakimoto Diana K.
Published: February 2016

Objective – To compare recall and precision of results retrieved by searches in PubMed and Google Scholar for clinical nephrology literature.

Design – Survey questionnaire, comparative.

Setting – Canada.

Subjects – Practicing nephrologists with average age of 48 years and who have practiced nephrology for an average of 15 years.

Methods – The researchers identified 100 systematic reviews in renal therapy published between 2001 and 2009. The primary studies cited in the systematic reviews served as the reference standard for relevant articles; 1,574 unique citations were identified and used to measure recall and precision. The researchers created a unique clinical question from each of the objective statements of systematic reviews and sent one question to a random sample of practicing nephrologists to determine the search strings they would use to search for clinical literature; the researchers collected 100 usable responses. Using the search string in both Google Scholar and PubMed, the researchers analyzed the first 40 retrieved results in each for recall of relevant literature and precision. The researchers also analyzed the availability of full-text articles in each database. A pilot study to test the methodology preceded the main study.

Results – Google Scholar’s recall for the first 40 records was 21.9% and PubMed was 10.9%. Each database contained 78% of the relevant literature/reference standard set from the systematic reviews. However, 15% of the articles were in neither database. Precision results were similar (7.6% for Google Scholar and 5.6% for PubMed). Google Scholar had more full-text available at 15% of articles versus 5% for PubMed. Google Scholar and PubMed had similar numbers of relevant articles when all retrieved records were analyzed, but Google Scholar still provided more access to free full-text articles.

Conclusion – Google Scholar provides better recall and provides more access to full-text than PubMed; however, search strings provided by nephrologists used in both databases failed to retrieve 80% of relevant articles. Therefore improving nephrologists’ ability to effectively search could enhance their ability to implement research in practice helping patients. The researchers suggest future studies should be conducted to determine the generalizability of the findings on recall and precision in other medical disciplines.
Clustering the Consumers According to Their Environmental Concern: A Study In the Turkish Market
Authors: Ergen Ahu , Bozkurt Filiz , Giray Caner
Published: February 2016

The consumption of natural resources and environmental pollution is still one of our planets most serious problems. Accordingly, the number of consumers who are worried about diminishing natural resources is increasing rapidly. Knowing more about these consumers will give companies the opportunity to define their strategies appropriately. The objective of this study is to profile consumers regarding environmental concern and green buying behavior. Three distinct clusters are identified and they are labelled as highly environmentally-concerned seniors, least environmentally-concerned youngsters, and moderately environmentally-concerned middle aged. The study is significant because it offers insights for marketers and academicians who are interested in green marketing.
Stock Returns And Monetary Aggregates
Authors: Wong K. Matthew
Published: February 2016

This paper examines the relationship between stock returns and money growth using the regression framework of Sims and Akaikes final prediction error criterion. Stock returns are found to lead unexpected money growth. Investors seem to base their decisions on anticipated short run monetary policy. Empirical results suggest that the market is efficient, although returns for large firms seem to adjust to new information faster than their smaller counterparts.
Performance And Satisfaction Deteriorate: Effects Of The Removal Of A Pay Incentive
Authors: Greene Charles N.
Published: February 2016

This 14-month field study involving over 900 operative employees in two plants of the same company utilized a before-and-after design to investigate the effects of removal of a pay incentive. The only difference between the two plants was that tone was in the process of abandoning a pay incentive system (experimental condition) that was identical to the system that remained in the other (control group). Findings from both multivariate and univariate analytical procedures revealed significant declines in performance and comparable although sometimes counterbalancing effects on measures of employee satisfaction, turnover, and grievances after removal of the incentive plan. The findings suggest that management needs to reconsider continuation of the trend away from performance-contingent pay systems that is now so widespread at the operative level.
MIS Applications Of The Statistical Analysis System
Authors: Bonett Douglas G.
Published: February 2016

The Statistical Analysis System (SAS) is a powerful and flexible computer software package for management information system applications. The database management, data manipulation, data presentation, and report generation capabilities of SAS are described.
Privatization In Theory And Practice: The Issues To Be Considered
Authors: Mengistu Berhanu , Hail-Mariam Yacob
Published: February 2016

The concept of privatization is fairly recent. This paper examines the different perspectives of the privatization literature, analyzes and assesses the proposed advantages and disadvantages of privatization as a strategy for providing public goods. The paper concludes by installing a conceptual framework that should be considered before undertaking a privatization policy.
Developments In Resale Price Maintenance Cases: A trend Toward Overturning The Per Se Rule
Authors: Urich Andrew L.
Published: February 2016

Recent court decisions have radically department from a seventy year old line of cases that defined the per se rules application to resale price maintenance. This paper reviews the background of the per se rule, and looks at the present trend of the Supreme Court which appears to be headed toward overturning the per se rule. In addition, the Congressional responses to the emerging trend is also examined.
Business Ethics: Who Are The Good Guys?
Authors: Foutz Kent L. , Wilson Timothy L.
Published: February 2016

The media often includes much concern about profits in business. The term is misunderstood by many lay people and some business people. When the real meaning of the word, and its place in business and society are understood, the question is not whether profits are too high. The question is whether they are high enough, or even exist. Evidence and examples taken from selected common shares show that profit is often too low. In 1980 there was much ado about high corporate profits; especially in the oil business, which was the current scapegoat of the media. A monograph was written that examined corporate profits over a ten year period. The new scapegoats of the late 1980s are corporate raiders. It seems worthwhile to update the 1980 work and look at corporate profits from the popular ethics point of view.
Solving Transportation Models With Spreadsheet Software
Authors: Ross Steven C. , Schwaller Richard L.
Published: February 2016

This paper describes the solution of transportation models on personal computers (PCs) using spreadsheet and other readily-available software. We choose PCs because of their commonness in university colleges of business and in organizations of all size. The models discussed include a simple transportation model and more complex models involving quantity discounts and multiple brands. The techniques are applicable to other linear programming situations. To facilitate their use, detailed descriptions of both model formulation and the use of the optimizing software are provided.
Influence Of Job Familiarity On Job Evaluation Ratings
Authors: Kaupins Gundars
Published: February 2016

The effect of job familiarity on job evaluation ratings was investigated. Data came from a survey of 222 personnel specialists and middle to upper level managers. The results failed to show significant associations between various measures of job familiarity and job evaluation ratings of 7 jobs.
The Proposed Virginia Coal Slurry Pipeline And Its Employment Effects On The Railroad Industry
Authors: Ahmed Ehsan , White, Jr. Paul F.
Published: February 2016

This study uses estimated price elasticity of coal to compute the potential employment effects of a coal slurry pipeline. Our conclusion is that a $5 per ton decrease in coal price due to a slurry pipeline will cause an approximately 6.74 million tons of reduction of shipment from railroads. This will cost the railroad industry approximately 440 jobs. The feasibility study of coal slurry is desirable because it produces new jobs and reduces prices for consumers.
Stock Price Behavior In An Underdeveloped Capital Market: Nigeria In Contrast To The U.S.
Authors: Bello Zakri
Published: February 2016

Most of the studies of stock price behavior agree that temporal changes in prices follow the random walk model. With few exceptions these studies were based on American stock price data. The purpose of the present research is to study the behavior of Nigerian stock prices to find out if the observed behavior of American stock prices can be generalized to a small and thinly traded capital market. The findings reveal that Nigerian stock prices do not conform to the random walk model when traditional statistical analysis applied.
Technology Transfer And The University
Authors: Brust Melvin F.
Published: February 2016

This article contains a review of current thoughts on technology transfer and the role of the university in this process. Factors which affect the rate at which technology transfer takes place are briefly reviewed. Opportunities for universities to facilitate the process of technology transfer are discussed. The increasingly aggressive role being played by universities and the risks associated therewith are noted. The conclusion is reached that, with appropriate safeguards, benefits far outweigh the attendant risks.
Amortizing Initial Direct Costs Of Capital Leases: Match Or Mismatch?
Authors: Bazaz Mohammad S. , Dillon Gadis J.
Published: February 2016

In this paper, we discuss the treatment of initial direct costs associated with direct financing capital leases, as specified by SFAS No. 91 and SFAS No. 98. In particular, we show that this treatment results in a rather unusual (and, in our opinion, inappropriate) amortization pattern for initial direct costs over the lease term. We then discuss alternative amortization methods that conceptually may better satisfy the matching principle.
Railroad Regulatory Accounting In An Era Of Rail Deregulation
Authors: Cullinan Charles P.
Published: February 2016

The environment in which railroads operate has changed significantly over the past century. As the regulation of railroads changed in response to the environment, the requirements of rail regulatory accounting changed as well. This paper discusses these various changes and indicates how rail regulatory accounting has moved in the direction of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for financial reporting purposes. In addition, significant changes which have taken place in the cost accounting area are addressed. These changes have been made in both the data used and the systems used to process the data.
Regression Analysis As Analytical Procedures: A Simulation Study Of The Effect Of Error Term Nonnormality On Auditor Decisions
Authors: Wilson Arlette C.
Published: February 2016

Regression analysis has been shown through research to be a useful audit tool. One underlying assumption of regression theory is error-term normality. Decision rules were applied to models developed using simulated data with normal and nonnormal error terms. Material errors were seeded into the audit period data, and incorrect rejections and acceptances were tabulated for both types of models. The results of this study suggest that nonnormality of error terms may not significantly affect auditor decisions.
Transnational Production Sharing: A Comparative Study Of The United States And Taiwan
Authors: Vora Jay A. , Skalbeck Bruce A.
Published: February 2016

Transnational production sharing (TPS) involves the sharing of a companys production between two or more countries. A behavioral framework of TPS is presented to gain an understanding of TPS experiences of individual firms. Ten surveyed firms from Minnesota and nine from Taiwan provide the empirical foundation for transforming the behavioral framework of TPS into a contextual framework for TPS.
Additions To The NASDAQ National Market System: An Analysis Of Stock Returns and Trading Volume
Authors: Klein Daniel P. , Wolfe Glenn , Bowyer Linda E.
Published: February 2016

In this study, empirical tests are conducted to determine the effect on stock returns and volume of addition to the NASDAQ National Market System (NMS). By analyzing stock returns and trading volume, the results support a positive effect for stocks added to the NMS. However, the addition appears to be a more positive event for low market value stocks relative to high market value stocks.
American And British Political Business Cycles: A Time Series Approach
Authors: Koot Ronald S. , Ord J. Keith , Young Peg
Published: February 2016

Intervention analysis was employed to determine the existence of political business cycles in the United States and the United Kingdom; the two economic variables tested were unemployment and disposable personal income. The political intervention variables were the party in power, the timing of the elections, the incumbent running for re-election, and the existence of a state of war. The technique proved successful at showing significant interventions.
Correlates To Export Involvement Of Manufacturing Firms In A Less Industrialized Country
Authors: Bourantas Dimitris , Halikias John , Malliaris Peter
Published: February 2016

Over the past twenty years, considerable attention has been paid to the export behavior and performance of firms. A large share of the literature dealing with this matter consists of empirical studies whose purpose has been to identify the profile of exporting firms, in order to estimate the export potential. Although the environment is the same for all firms within a certain country, some distinguish themselves as exporting firms while others, do not. Thus a fundamental question arises: in what ways do exporting firms differ from non-exporting ones? This paper concludes that the distinction between exporting and on-exporting firms as a clear cut dichotomy is insufficient, and that a firms export activity is, to a large extent, related to its international competitiveness. This is especially true for countries such as Greece, where domestic markets are rather limited.
Cohort Analysis: Analyzing Data On Product Use
Authors: Bonnici Joseph L. , Fredenberger William B.
Published: February 2016

Palmores cohort analysis technique is a practitioner-oriented method to unravel age, period, and cohort effects in the data on product use. The technique is fully explained, and towards the end of the article, it is applied to grocery data for illustration purposes.
IPO Pricing Phenomena: Empirical Evidence Of Behavioral Biases
Authors: Adams Michael , Thornton Barry , Hall George
Published: February 2016

Does IPO stand for Instant Profit Opportunity or It’s Probably Over-priced?  The conundrum is that both answers are generally correct.  The answer appears to depend on the investor’s investment horizon.  This realization provides an enigma for the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) proponents. It is widely known that initial public offering (IPO) stocks in the past have typically been underpriced, thereby allowing the fortunate purchaser to buy the shares in the primary market and systematically beat the stock market averages. This phenomenon is evidenced by the average one-day returns on IPOs of 15% and presents a puzzle to efficient market advocates. Behavioral finance posits that the same underpriced IPO stocks will under-perform the market and deliver substandard performance during the ensuing one to three years. At a minimum, the “new-issues puzzle” presents a challenge to the EMH and has given rise to many class-action stockholder lawsuits alleging illegal price manipulation.   Why under-pricing systematically happens and why issuing firms/major shareholders choose to leave copious amounts of money on the table is not well explained by traditional financial theory.  Behavioral finance melds together investor psychology and normative financial theory in an attempt to explain this market enigma.
The Marketing Of Body Image: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Gender Effects In The U.S. And China
Authors: Parker R. Stephen , Haytko Diana L. , Hermans Charles M.
Published: February 2016

Recently, there has been increasing controversy about the use of extremely thin female models and extremely muscular male models in advertising and fashion campaigns.  While this practice has been studied extensively over time, it is again in the forefront as models with low body mass indexes are being kept off runways around the world.  While most consumers understand that these images are nearly unattainable, they do tend to compare themselves with these idealized images resulting in lower satisfaction with their own bodies and lower self-esteem.  While past research most often examines these feelings with respect to women, there is little research on the effect on men and their self-image.  Also, while this has primarily been a “western” problem, it is becoming a problem in “eastern” cultures as western images and advertising campaigns proliferate.  This study examines both U.S. and Chinese men and women’s perceptions of body image.  The findings show cultural differences between the U.S. and Chinese males and females.  The U.S. women were the most affected, while there was no difference by gender between the Chinese men and women.  However, as the Chinese culture becomes more influenced by western ideals, this trend in body image dissatisfaction should increase.
Controversies In Accounting For Post-Retirement Benefits
Authors: Bachan Sharon A. , Briscoe Margaret , Conrecode Jackie , Fleming Ella , Volkan Ara G.
Published: February 2016

SFAS 158 addresses certain reporting and disclosure problems identified in prior standards concerning postretirement benefits. We present several controversies that the FASB left unanswered and plans to address in the future. Accountants, financial analysts, and investor groups have a huge stake in these answers.
Evidential Effort And Risk Assessment In Auditing
Authors: Blay Allen , Kizirian Tim , Sneathen, Jr, L. Dwight
Published: February 2016

This study responds to prior literature highlighting the need for academic research to study the linkage of risks to audit procedures purported in the Audit Risk Model.  We use audit workpaper data from a Big 4 firm to examine two significant relationships implicit in authoritative audit guidance: (1) the application of the audit risk model in practice, and the relationship between preliminary risk assessments and audit procedures, and (2) the potential loss of risk information upon risk aggregation suggested in the Audit Risk Model.  Our findings indicate that preliminary risk assessments significantly affect planned audit procedures, and the potential for loss of information upon risk aggregation is not to be ignored.  These results provide important evidence useful in developing audit policy for linking risk assessments and audit procedures.
The Commerce Clause From Expansion To Extortion
Authors: Reville Patrick J. , Bottiglieri William A.
Published: February 2016

The Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution gave the federal government power over foreign trade, trade with the Indian tribes and trade “among several states.”  By lack of further enumeration and the passage of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, it would be reasonable to conclude that commerce that is truly intrastate would, therefore, be within the regulatory province of the states.  In fact, that was the interpretation initially reached and subsequently followed by the United States Supreme Court.  But in 1942, that changed and, over the course of the following 60+ years, to date the Court has concluded, by an expansive interpretation of that federal power granted, that Congress and the federal government have virtually unbridled power to regulate not only those areas that would traditionally be considered “commerce” or “interstate commerce”, but, moreover, in areas that seemingly have nothing to do with commerce, interstate, or otherwise.  This paper will trace the journey that the justices have taken down this judicial interstate highway and the methods that the federal government has employed to achieve its objectives.  Hence, the subtitle of this paper:  From Expansion to Extortion.
Resistance To Brand Switching: The Elderly Consumer
Authors: Karani Komal Gyani , Fraccastoro Katherine A.
Published: February 2016

In this study, the authors examine one more aspect of the elderly consumer’s brand loyalty: resistance to brand switching. This study claims that elderly consumers are not only more likely to repurchase but also actively resist switching brands once they have established a favorite brand. This study looks at the unique cognitive psychology of elderly consumers likely to cause this behavior. A better understanding of such behavior can guide efforts of firms either trying to retain their existing consumers or attempting to convert customers of rival brands to their own brands.
In Vitro Regeneration of Hemidesmus indicus L. R. Br an important Endangered medicinal plant
Authors: Prasanna Purohit  , Ritu Thakur Bais  , Pratibha Sing  , Shagufta Khan
Published: February 2016

Hemidesmus indicus belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae, and it is exceptionally demanded by traditional healers for the ailment of various diseases. The over exploitation of Hemidesmus indicus placed it under the endangered medicinal plant, and it required to develop in vitro culture for conservation and maintain the sustainable demand of plant. In the present study, we planned to develop rapid and efficient protocol for large-scale propagation of Hemidesmus indicus through in vitro culture. Cotyledons from in vitro germinated seeds  were used as initial explants, inoculated in MS medium supplemented with various cytokinins, BAP(0.5-2.0 mg/l)  and kn (0.5-1.0 mg/l)) in combination with auxin, NAA (0.5-1.0 mg/l) and IAA(0.1-0.5 mg/l). The optimal response of shoot initiation (80%) with average number of shoots 6.8 ± 0.10 ( mean length 6.4 ± 0.13) was observed in the medium (I-9) containing 2.0 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA within 4 week. The maximum shoot multiplication (84%) with average number of shoots 24.9 ± 0.15, was observed on MS medium M5 containing BAP (1.0 mg/l) in combination with Kn (0.5 mg/l). regenerated shoots were excised aseptically and implanted on MS half and full strength medium fortified with various concentrations of IBA, IAA and NAA for root formation. Full strength MS medium (R9) having 0.5 mg/l IAA was found better with 60% root formation after 16-18 days. The rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized in pots containing sterilized soil and sand mixture (3:1) with 95% survival rate in the field conditions.
Bureaucratic Corruption, Democracy and Judicial Independence
Authors: Wang Gang
Published: February 2016

The theoretical literature in economics and political science has made numerous efforts in understanding the determinants of corruption and stressed the importance of political institutions in shaping the patterns of government corruption. Nevertheless, very few researches focus on the role of judicial system. Employing a formal model with empirical analyses, I incorporate economic factors with political constraints to investigate the different roles of democracy and judicial independence in determining the level of bureaucrats’ corruption across countries. Empirically, the instrumental variable (IV) approach is applied to resolve the endogeneity problems. The evidence indicates that different levels of corruption across countries are significantly influenced by the degrees of judicial independence. To fight corruption successfully, I contend that the judiciary, as a hard institutional constraint to resist bureaucratic corruption, has to be independent from the government. 
Penegakan Hukum Lingkungan di Sektor Kehutanan (Studi Kawasan Hutan Lindung di Kabupaten Sinjai, Sulawesi Selatan)
Authors: Wahid A. M. Yunus , Bohari Naswar , Achmad Achmad
Published: February 2016

Penelitian ini bertujan untuk mengetahui sejauhmana pelaksanaan penegakan hukum dalam perlindungan hukum terhadp hutan lindung di kabupaten Sinjai, serta kendala-kendala yang dihadapi dalam pelaksanaannya. Penelitian dilaksanakan dengan metode yuridis normatif, disertai penelitian lapangan sebagai data pembanding. Tingginya angka deforestasi di Indonesia adalah inti dari permasalahan yang dibahas dalam penlitian ini. Okupasi lahan hutan oleh warga masyarakat menjadi area perkebunan atau pertanian, penebangan liar, serta pengalihan fungsi hutan lindung sangat berdampak pada pemanfaatan kawasan hutan. Sinergi antar instansi yang terlibat dalam perlindungan dan pengawasan kawasan hutan lindung mutlak diperlukan dalam upaya pelestarian hutan.
Sistem Hukum dan Teori Hukum Chaos
Authors: Syarifudin Amir , Febriani Indah
Published: February 2016

Keteraturan alam semesta dan objek lainnya dapat dideskripsikan baik oleh kosmologi maupun fisika. Namun dari keteraturan objek itu terdapat segi atau aspek ketidakteraturan atau fraktal (patah) yang sulit dideskripsikan oleh matematika model Auklides dan Kalkulus. Benoit Medelbrot mencoba menjelaskan objek kacau tersebut dengan teori Fraktal yang pada dasarnya merupakan cabang dari matematika. Teori Fraktal tersebut mempengaruhi pandangan terhadap hukum yang mengilhami Charles Sampford yang kemudian mencetuskan teori hukum chaos. Inti teori hukum chaos ialah (1) hubungan sosial, termasuk hubungan hukum dibentuk berdasarkan hubungan kekuatan (power relation), (2) pihak-pihak yang membuat hubungan itu tidak memiliki memiliki kekuatan yang sama atau seimbang, dan (3) pada waktu pelaksanaan hubungan itu masing-masing mendasarkan pada pendapat mereka secara subjektif. Ketiga hal itulah yang menimbulkan chaos. Akan tetapi suasana chaos itu pada akhirnya akan kembali pada keteraturan karena adanya kekuatan penarik (strange attractror) yang dalam dunia hukum adalah hukum dan kekuasaan negara. Kekacauan (chaos) pada dasarnya terdapat pada hubungan yang berbasis kebebasan yang melewati batas-batas ketertiban. Bila kekuatan penarik berhasil memulihkan kekacauan itu sehingga tercipta keserasian antara ketertiban dan kebebasan maka tercapai kedamaian yang merupakan tujuan hukum.
Urgensi Informed Consent terhadap Perlindungan Hak-hak Pasien
Authors: Syafruddin Syafruddin , Anand Ghansham
Published: February 2016

Hak untuk mendapat pelayanan kesehatan bagi setiap warga negara Indonesia merupakan hak yang dijamin konstitusi, sebagaimana tercantum dalam Pasal 28H ayat (1) UUD NRI 1945 yang mengamanatkan negara untuk menjamin hak warga negara hidup sejahtera yang antara lain melalui pemberian pelayanan kesehatan yang lebih baik. Rumah sakit merupakan salah satu lembaga yang memberikan fasilitas pelayanan kesehatan kepada setiap warga negara melalui upaya-upaya yang memungkinkan menurut standar kesehatan yang memadai. Salah satu bentuk pelayanan kesehatan, adalah penyediaan tenaga dokter yang profesional dan bekerja sesuai etika profesi kedokteran. Salah satu bentuk profesionalitas dokter dalam kerangka perlindungan hakhak pasien adalah keberadaan informed consent sebagai hak pasien untuk mendapatkan informasi medis dari pihak rumah sakit sebelum mendapatkan tindakan-tindakan medis tertentu yang berdampak pada hilangnya nyawa pasien. Sehubungan dengan itulah, tulisan ini bertujuan menjelaskan secara filosofis dogmatik tentang urgensi informed consent sebagai jaminan perlindungan hak-hak pasien di rumah sakit. Tulisan ini, secara metodologis menggunakan analisis normatif dengan pendekatan konseptual, sehingga tentu saja, bahan-bahan hukum yang digunakan sebagai sumber analisis, lebih terkonsentrasi pada bahan-bahan hukum primer. Kesimpulannya, keberadaan informed consent memegang peranan sangat penting dalam kerangka memberikan perlindungan hak-hak pasien untuk mendapatkan pelayanan kesehatan di rumah sakit, sesuai amanah konstitusi, apalagi mengingat fakta mala praktek kedokteran yang tampak pada beberapa kasus di rumah sakit di Indonesia, merupakan dampak dari pengabaian penerapan informed consent yang belum berjalan sesuai harapan.
Implikasi Hukum Terhadap Praktik Pinjam Pakai Kawasan Hutan untuk Kegiatan Pertambangan Batubara
Authors: Muhdar Muhamad , Nasir Mohamad , Rosdiana Rosdiana
Published: February 2016

Penelitian ini disampaikan untuk menjawab dua pertanyaan: Pertama, bagaimana kerangka hukum mengenai izin pinjam pakai kawasan hutan untuk kegiatan pertambangan batubara dan apa masalah-masalah hukum yang terdapat di dalamnya; Kedua, bagaimana implementasi peraturan perundang-undangan mengenai Izin Pinjam Pakai Kawasan Hutan untuk pertambangan batubara. Penelitian ini menggunakan penggunakan pendekatan socio-legal dengan menggunakan sejumlah narasumber dan area terpilih. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa praktik pinjam pakai kawasan hutan untuk kegiatan pertambangan batubara adalah tindakan menghilangkan hutan yang dilegalisasi oleh negara. Terdapat ketidakjelasan status hukum pertanggungjawaban peminjam yang tidak melakukan pengembalian kawasan hutan, kecuali hanya melakukan pembayaran kepada negara berupa Pendapatan Negara Bukan Pajak (PNBP) tanpa reklamasi. Praktik ini juga memunculkan ketidakjelasan makna hubungan hukum pinjam-meminjam. Implementasi Izin Pinjam Pakai Kawasan Hutan untuk kegiatan pertambangan batubara tidak memberikan fungsi perlindungan hutan di Kalimantan Timur.
Experts Assess Status and Outlook for Thermal, Chemical, and CO2 Miscible Flooding Processes
Authors: Meldau Robert F. , Doscher Todd M. , Ali S. M. Farouq , Chu Chieh , Holm L. Wally , Orr F. M. , Gogarty W. Barney , Hause Wayne R. , Reed Ronald L. , Mayer E. H.
Published: February 2016

Increased use of enhanced oil-recovery (EOR) technology depends on how competitive EOR oil is with other sources of liquid fuels. Today, with world oil prices at $29/bbl, companies can buy oil reserves in the ground for $5 to $8/bbl. EOR methods cost significantly more-up to about $20/bbl in the case of large chemical floods. Even though the petroleum industry has gained experience and confidence with EOR methods, it is evident that economic conditions are not favorable for any but the least expensive EOR applications.

Commercial applications of different EOR processes are evolving at various rates. Steam Flooding is proved commercially; current oil production from these methods exceeds 550,000 B/D (87 400 m3/d), accounting for some 80% of total EOR production. This technology is particularly important in California; recent increases in the state's onshore oil production are attributed mainly to increased steam injection in heavy-oil reservoirs.

Michael Prats, Maraven S.A., writes in SPE Monograph Vol. 7, Thermal Recovery: "The potential of thermal recovery processes is much greater than the current production would suggest." One reason is that these processes eventually may unlock the world's huge accumulations of very heavy crudes. Another reason is that thermal methods can be used to displace and recover light crudes; here the limitations are economic - other methods yield a higher rate of return on investment. "There are few known technical reasons for not considering thermal processes for the recovery of any kind of crude," Prats says. They also may be applied to recover shale oil and coal products in situ.

Experts Discuss EOR Issues

The following comments by members closely involved with EOR processes address the technical status and economic outlook for various methods. Some general observations arise from these specific discussions of Thermal EOR, CO2 flooding, and chemical flooding.
Vulgarity of the Mass Man As a Predictor Of Defection
Authors: Hatori Tsuyoshi , Fujii Satoshi , Komatsu Yoshihiro
Published: February 2016

To measure the defective aspect of personality that Ortega (The Revolt of the Masses, 1932) terms vulgarity, in association with those whom he called the masses, we developed the Vulgarity Scale in the context of social dilemmas. A 40-item survey was constructed based on Ortega's descriptions
of the characteristics of the masses and we administered this in 2 studies, among 200 university students (Study 1) and with 1,000 adults (Study 2). In both studies, factor analysis of the measurements produced subscales on self-closed and arrogant attitudes, which yielded high internal consistency
as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, results in Study 2 illustrated that the Vulgarity Scale predicted defection in response to social dilemmas.
Gender-based Relationship Between Eating Behavior and Sense of Coherence in Japanese Young Adults
Authors: Horiguchi Masami , Tanaka Gohichi , Ogasawara Haruko , Maruyama Ryoko
Published: February 2016

Eating behavior is affected by stress and sense of coherence (SOC), the latter of which is reflective of one's stress coping ability. Our objective in this study was to establish the gender-based relationship between the Eating Behavior Scale (EBS) and SOC. Participants were 334 Japanese
undergraduate students. Overall scores on the 13-item SOC Scale (SOC-13) were higher for women than for men. There were significant negative correlations between EBS and SOC-13 scores for men, and a nonsignificant correlation between EBS and SOC-13 scores for women. Results of the correlation
analyses indicated that there are gender-based differences in the relationship between eating behavior and SOC. Unhealthy eating behavior in men was associated with low stress coping ability; however, there was no such association in women.
Superior Mesenteric Artery Aneurysm Presenting with Chronic Abdominal Pain: A Case Report
Authors: Hakim Mohammad Enamul , Manzo MIS Al , Cader F Aaysha , Chandra Naresh , Hossain Fidah
Published: February 2016

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) aneurysm is a rare vascular entity and may present with a wide range of symptoms. They are often symptomatic, presenting with thromboembolic intestinal angina. They have a high risk of rupture and may present with gastro-intestinal bleeding, associated with high morbidity and mortality. We report the case of a 14year-old boy who presented with chronic abdominal pain and weight loss, in which SMA aneurysm was diagnosed after radiological evaluation. He underwent successful excision of aneurysmal sac along with aorto-mesenteric bypass using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft, and had an uneventful recovery.Cardiovasc. j. 2016; 8(2): 161-164
Prediction of the Hot Compressive Deformation Behavior for Superalloy Nimonic 80A by BP-ANN Model
Authors: Quan Guo-zheng , Pan Jia , Wang Xuan
Published: February 2016

In order to predict hot deformation behavior of superalloy nimonic 80A, a back-propagational artificial neural network (BP-ANN) and strain-dependent Arrhenius-type model were established based on the experimental data from isothermal compression tests on a Gleeble-3500 thermo-mechanical simulator at temperatures ranging of 1050–1250 °C, strain rates ranging of 0.01–10.0 s−1. A comparison on a BP-ANN model and modified Arrhenius-type constitutive equation has been implemented in terms of statistical parameters, involving mean value of relative (μ), standard deviation (w), correlation coefficient (R) and average absolute relative error (AARE). The μ -value and w -value of the improved Arrhenius-type model are 3.0012% and 2.0533%, respectively, while their values of the BP-ANN model are 0.0714% and 0.2564%, respectively. Meanwhile, the R-value and ARRE-value for the improved Arrhenius-type model are 0.9899 and 3.06%, while their values for the BP-ANN model are 0.9998 and 1.20%. The results indicate that the BP-ANN model can accurately track the experimental data and show a good generalization capability to predict complex flow behavior. Then, a 3D continuous interaction space for temperature, strain rate, strain and stress was constructed based on the expanded data predicted by a well-trained BP-ANN model. The developed 3D continuous space for hot working parameters articulates the intrinsic relationships of superalloy nimonic 80A.
Switchable Adhesion Surfaces with Enhanced Performance Against Rough Counterfaces
Authors: Prieto-López Lizbeth , Williams John
Published: February 2016

In a recent study, we demonstrated that the pressurization of micro-fluidic features introduced in the subsurface of a soft polymer can be used to actively modify the magnitude of the adhesion to a harder counterface by changing its waviness or long wavelength undulations. In that case, both contacting surfaces had very smooth finishes with root-mean-square roughnesses of less than 20 nm. These values are far from those of many engineering surfaces, which usually have a naturally occurring roughness of between ten and a hundred times this value. In this work, we demonstrate that appropriate surface features, specifically relatively slender “fibrils”, can enhance the ability of a such a soft surface to adhere to a hard, but macroscopically rough, counterface, while still maintaining the possibility of switching the adhesion force from one level to another. Conversely, stiffer more conical surface features can suppress adhesion even against a smooth counterface. Examples of each form of topography can be found in the natural world.
Aberrant Promoter Methylation of the Tumour Suppressor RASSF10 and Its Growth Inhibitory Function in Breast Cancer
Authors: Richter Antje , Walesch Sara , Dammann Reinhard
Published: February 2016

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with 1.7 million new cases each year. As early diagnosis and prognosis are crucial factors in cancer treatment, we investigated potential DNA methylation biomarkers of the tumour suppressor family Ras-association domain family (RASSF). Promoter hypermethylation of tumour suppressors leads to their inactivation and thereby promotes cancer development and progression. In this study we analysed the tumour suppressors RASSF1A and RASSF10. Our study shows that RASSF10 is expressed in normal breast but inactivated by methylation in breast cancer. We observed a significant inactivating promoter methylation of RASSF10 in primary breast tumours. RASSF10 is inactivated in 63% of primary breast cancer samples but only 4% of normal control breast tissue is methylated (p < 0.005). RASSF1A also shows high promoter methylation levels in breast cancer of 56% vs. 8% of normal tissue (p < 0.005). Interestingly more than 80% of breast cancer samples harboured a hypermethylation of RASSF10 and/or RASSF1A promoter. Matching samples exhibited a strong tumour specific promoter methylation of RASSF10 in comparison to the normal control breast tissue. Demethylation treatment of breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D reversed RASSF10 promoter hypermethylation and re-established RASSF10 expression. In addition, we could show the growth inhibitory potential of RASSF10 in breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D upon exogenous expression of RASSF10 by colony formation. We could further show, that RASSF10 induced apoptotic changes in MCF7 and T47D cells, which was verified by a significant increase in the apoptotic sub G1 fraction by 50% using flow cytometry for MCF7 cells. In summary, our study shows the breast tumour specific inactivation of RASSF10 and RASSF1A due to DNA methylation of their CpG island promoters. Furthermore RASSF10 was characterised by the ability to block growth of breast cancer cell lines by apoptosis induction.
Alternative Approach for Potency Assessment: In Vitro Methods
Authors: Corsini Emanuela , Roggen Erwin , Galbiati Valentina , Gibbs Sue
Published: February 2016

Over the last decade, incredible progress has been made in the development of non-animal tests to assess contact hypersensitivity. Four methods have been successfully validated and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines are available or soon will be. Currently validated methods are useful for hazard identification, classification and labeling. However, to achieve a complete replacement of animals in skin sensitization assessment, dose-response information and evaluation of relative skin sensitizing potency to support effective risk assessment are necessary. In this context, potency is based on the concentration of chemicals needed to induce a positive response. This will require a better understanding of the mechanisms determining potency, including pathway analysis and marker signature identification (selection of an appropriate immune-mediated response to serve as the basis), together with quantitative and qualitative correlations between marker signatures and potency of chemicals in relation with T cell responses. This review aims to discuss the state-of-the-art in the field of in vitro assessment of the no induction sensitization level of contact sensitizers.
Project-Based Curriculum for Teaching Analytical Design to Freshman Engineering Students via Reconfigurable Trebuchets
Authors: Herber Daniel , Deshmukh Anand , Mitchell Marlon , Allison James
Published: February 2016

This paper presents an effort to revitalize a large introductory engineering course for incoming freshman students that teaches them analytical design through a project-based curriculum. This course was completely transformed from a seminar-based to a project-based course that integrates hands-on experimentation with analytical work. The project is centered on a reconfigurable trebuchet kit that student groups assemble and work to identify design decisions that will maximize projectile launch distance. Challenges include streamlining the project experience for the large enrollment (up to 148 students) with limited contact hours, and helping students fuse hands-on experiences with quantitative engineering analysis. A mixed-methods approach supported the claim that the curriculum improved the students’ engineering judgment and demonstrated to students the value of engineering analysis and mathematical models in practical engineering design. A rigorous statistical analysis of student trebuchet launch performance at different course stages is included. A qualitative assessment of student learning is derived through students’ reflection of their course experience. Comprehensive results comparing students’ design iterations versus algorithmic design optimization iterations provide important insights into student design intuition, paving the way for hybrid design education models that teach students how to combine human design intuition with quantitative design tools to design superior systems.
Electrolytic Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistors for Application in Biosensors—A Review
Authors: Wang Denjung , Noël Vincent , Piro Benoît
Published: February 2016

Electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors have emerged in the field of biosensors over the last five years, due to their attractive simplicity and high sensitivity to interfacial changes, both on the gate/electrolyte and semiconductor/electrolyte interfaces, where a target-specific bioreceptor can be immobilized. This article reviews the recent literature concerning biosensing with such transistors, gives clues to understanding the basic principles under which electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors work, and details the transduction mechanisms that were investigated to convert a receptor/target association into a change in drain current.
An Efficient Parallel Algorithm for Multi-Scale Analysis of Connected Components in Gigapixel Images
Authors: Wilkinson Michael , Pesaresi Martino , Ouzounis Georgios
Published: February 2016

Differential Morphological Profiles (DMPs) and their generalized Differential Attribute Profiles (DAPs) are spatial signatures used in the classification of earth observation data. The Characteristic-Salience-Leveling (CSL) is a model allowing the compression and storage of the multi-scale information contained in the DMPs and DAPs into raster data layers, used for further analytic purposes. Computing DMPs or DAPs is often constrained by the size of the input data and scene complexity. Addressing very high resolution remote sensing gigascale images, this paper presents a new concurrent algorithm based on the Max-Tree structure that allows the efficient computation of CSL. The algorithm extends the “one-pass” method for computation of DAPs, and delivers an attribute zone segmentation of the underlying trees. The DAP vector field and the set of multi-scale characteristics are computed separately and in a similar fashion to concurrent attribute filters. Experiments on test images of 3.48 to 3.96 Gpixel showed an average computational speed of 59.85 Mpixel per second, or 3.59 Gpixel per minute on a single 2U rack server with 64 opteron cores. The new algorithms could be extended to morphological keypoint detectors capable of handling gigascale images.
Preliminary Analysis of the Expression of Selected Proangiogenic and Antioxidant Genes and MicroRNAs in Patients with Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Kozakowska Magdalena , Dobrowolska-Glazar Barbara , Okoń Krzysztof , Józkowicz Alicja , Dobrowolski Zygmunt , Dulak Józef
Published: February 2016

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an enzyme contributing to the development and progression of different cancer types. HO-1 plays a role in pathological angiogenesis in bladder cancer and contributes to the resistance of this cancer to therapy. It also regulates the expression of microRNAs in rhabdomyosarcoma and non-small cell lung cancer. The expression of HO-1 may be regulated by hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) and Nrf2 transcription factor. The expression of HO-1 has not so far been examined in relation to Nrf2, HIF-1α, and potential mediators of angiogenesis in human bladder cancer. We measured the concentration of proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines and the expression of cytoprotective and proangiogenic mRNAs and miRNAs in healthy subjects and patients with bladder cancer. HO-1 expression was upregulated together with HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and Nrf2 in bladder cancer in comparison to healthy tissue. VEGF was elevated both at mRNA and protein level in the tumor and in sera, respectively. Additionally, IL-6 and IL-8 were increased in sera of patients affected with urothelial bladder cancer. Moreover, miR-155 was downregulated whereas miR-200c was elevated in cancer biopsies in comparison to healthy tissue. The results indicate that the increased expression of HO-1 in bladder cancer is paralleled by changes in the expression of other potentially interacting genes, like Nrf2, HIF-1α, HIF-2α, IL-6, IL-8, and VEGF. Further studies are necessary to also elucidate the potential links with miR-155 and miR-200c.