bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Degree of Deformation and Aging Time on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Aluminium Alloy with Zinc / Wpływ Stopnia Odkształcenia I Czasu Starzenia Na Właściwośi Mechaniczne I Mikrostrukturę Stopu Aluminium Z Cynkiem
Authors: Jarzębska A. , Bogucki R. , Bieda M.
Published: January 2016

In order to investigate the influence of the deformation degree and aging time on the mechanical properties and microstructure of AA7050 alloy static tensile test, microhardness measurements, calorimetric analysis and observations of the microstructure in the transmission and scanning electron microscope were carried out. For study a series of cylindrical specimens with an initial diameter of about 3 mm were used. The samples were saturated at a temperature of 470° C for 1 hour and quenched in water. The samples were then subjected to deformation up to the three levels: 0%, 5% and 10%. Deformed samples was artificially aged at 120°C for 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours and 72 hours. The results showed that the increase in the degree of deformation caused an increase in yield strength and a decrease in ductility. The longer aging time influenced on an increase in tensile strength, yield stress and microhardness and a decrease in ductility. An analysis of the precipitates present in the material was conducted. The highest value of yield strength equal 538 MPa with elongation 9.2% were obtained for sample pre-strained to 10% and aged for 24 hours. The obtained results showed that prolongation in aging time and use of pre-strain were beneficial for precipitation processes courses, consequently, for optimal mechanical properties of alloy 7050.
Effect of Milling Time on Microstructure and Properties of AA6061/MWCNTS Composite Powders / Wpływ Czasu Mielenia Na Strukturę I Własności Proszk Ów Kompozytowyc H AA6061/MWCNTS
Authors: Tomiczek B. , Dobrzański L.A. , Macek M.
Published: January 2016

The main purpose of this work is to determine the effect of milling time on microstructure as well as technological properties of aluminium matrix nanocomposites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using powder metallurgy techniques, including mechanical alloying. The main problem of the study is the agglomeration and uneven distribution of carbon nanotubes in the matrix material and interface reactivity also. In order to reach uniform dispersion of carbon nanotubes in aluminium alloy matrix, 5÷20 h of mechanical milling in the planetary mill was used. It was found that the mechanical milling process has a strong influence on the characteristics of powders, by changing the globular morphology of as-received powder during mechanical milling process to flattened one, due to particle plastic deformation followed by cold welding and fracturing of deformed and hardened enough particles, which allows to obtain equiaxial particles again. The obtained composites are characterised by the structure of evenly distributed, disperse reinforcing particles in fine grain matrix of AA6061, facilitate the obtainment of higher values of mechanical properties, compared to the initial alloy. On the basis of micro-hardness, analysis has found that a small addition of carbon nanotubes increases nanocomposite hardness.
Analysis of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties Changes in AA1050 Aluminum Subjected to ECAP and KoBo Processes / Analiza Zmian Mikrostruktury I Własności Mechanicznych Aluminium AA1050 Po Procesie ECAP I KoBo
Authors: Bogucki R. , Sulikowska K. , Bieda M. , Ostachowski P. , Sztwiertnia K.
Published: January 2016

Analysis of the results of the microstructure and the mechanical properties change in AA1050 aluminum alloy of technical purity processed using ECAP (Equal Channel Angular Pressing) and KoBo deformation methods are presented in the paper.. ECAP process was performed according to Bc scheme in the range from 1 up to 10 passes. Changes of microstructure were analyzed using scanning electrone microscope equipped with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) system. Microstructure and fraction of high-angle grain boundaries in KoBo processed samples were similar to those observed in ECAP processed samples after four passes. The most significant microstructure refinement was observed in ECAP processed sample submitted to 10 passes. In ECAP method the systematic increase of mechanical properties was observed along with increase of deformation degree.
Internal Friction and Dynamic Modulus in Ultra-High Temperature Ru-Nb Functional Intermetallics / Tarcie Wewnętrzne I Moduł Dynamiczny W Bardzo Wysoko Temperaturowych Funkcjonalnych Związkach Międzymetalicznych Z Układu Ru-Nb
Authors: Nó M.L. , Dirand L. , Denquin A. , San Juan J.
Published: January 2016

In the present work we have studied the high-temperature shape memory alloys based on the Ru-Nb system by using two mechanical spectrometers working in temperature ranges from 200 to 1450ºC and -150 to 900ºC. We have studied internal friction peaks linked to the martensitic transformations in the range from 300 to 1200ºC. In addition, we have evidenced another internal friction peak at lower temperature than the transformations peaks, which apparently exhibits the behaviour of a thermally activated relaxation peak, but in fact is a strongly time-dependent peak. We have carefully studied this peak and discussed its microscopic origin, concluding that it is related to the interaction of some structural defects with martensite interfaces. Finally, we perform a complete analysis of the whole internal friction spectrum, taking into account the possible relationship between the time-dependent peak and the martensitic transformation behaviour.
Giant Young’S Modulus Variations in Ultrafine-Grained Copper Caused by Texture Changes at Post-Spd Heat Treatment / Gigantyczne Zmiany Modułu Younga W Ultra Drobnoziarnistej Miedzi Spowodowane Przez Zmiany Tekstury W Trakcie Obróbki Cieplnej Po SPD
Authors: Pal-Val P. , Pal-Val L. , Natsik V. , Davydenko A. , Rybalko A.
Published: January 2016

The effect of annealing on dynamic Young’s modulus, E, of ultrafine-grained (UFG) copper obtained by combined severe plastic deformation (SPD) is investigated. It is established that Young’s modulus in the SPD-prepared samples exceeds that in the coarse-grained fully annealed (CGFA) samples by 10 to 20 %. Isothermal annealing at elevated temperatures between 90 and 630°С leads to a sharp decrease of Young’s modulus for annealing temperatures above 210°С. After annealing at 410°С, the value of E reaches its minimal value that is 35 % lower than E in CGFA samples (total change in E is about 47 % of the initial value). Further annealing at higher temperatures leads to an increase in Young’s modulus. It is shown, that the unusual behavior of Young’s modulus is caused by formation of the <111> axial texture in the SPD-treated samples which then is replaced by the <001> texture during the post-SPD heat treatment.
Accounting for the Inhomogeneity of Deformation in Identification of Microstructure Evolution Model / Niejednorodność Odkształcenia W I Dentyfikacji Modelu Rozwoju Mikrostruktury
Authors: Szeliga D. , Kuziak R. , Kopp R. , Smyk G. , Pietrzyk M.
Published: January 2016

The paper deals with the problem of identification of microstructure evolution model on the basis of two-step compression test. Classical interpretation of this test assumes uniform fields of strains, stresses and temperatures in the deformation zone and calculates the coefficients in the model on the basis of force measurements in the second step. In the present paper the inverse approach was applied. Finite element (FE) simulations of the compression test were performed and local values of microstructural parameters were determined accounting for the inhomogeneity of deformation. Objective function was formulated as the Euclid norm for the error between measured and calculated forces for various interpass times. Coefficients in the microstructure evolution model were determined by searching for the minimum of the objective function. Optimized model was validated in simulations of plane strain compression tests.
New record of the pantropical seagrass Halophila decipiens Ostenfeld (Hydrocharitaceae) from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: Immanuel Titus , Goutham-Bharathi M.P. , Sawhney Sneha , Ragavan P. , Sankar R. Kiruba
Published: January 2016

The pantropical seagrass Halophila decipiens (Hydrocharitaceae), representing a new record for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was reported from two locations: Scissostris Bay of Port Blair at 6–7 m deep and Nursery of Neil Island at 10–12 m deep. Observations on the reproductive and vegetative characters indicate that the flowering plant is monoecious, has a pair of petiolated leaves with a hairy surface and serrated leaf blade margins with 5–9 cross leaf veins. Leaf morphometric characters varied significantly between the two sites. The leaves of the Scissostris Bay specimens were smaller (1.11×0.4 cm) than the leaves of the specimens from Neil Island (1.73×0.59 cm), which might be due to the deeper depth ranges at Neil Island or other environmental factors. The present record is the 11th seagrass species from the Islands and this species could have been overlooked due to its habitat in deeper water.
A Case Study: Technology Education Internationalization
Authors: Soon Lisa , Kashkan Galina V. , Marukhina Olga V. , Aksenov Sergey V.
Published: January 2016

This paper investigates the internationalization of education, specifically technology education in National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU). Through a conducted case study of a course in a Master of Information Technology (MIT) program development, it investigated the challenges that TPU faced and how they could overcome the challenges in internationalizing their programs and curricula. The research adopted a qualitative case study research method. It used survey, observation and documentations as the data collection techniques, as they are best suited for this research. Ten students were involved in a delivery of a course in a developed internationalized MIT program. The research team observed how the students learnt, whether there were challenges and difficulties in the delivery of course learning and how they were overcome. The results showed that the students were highly satisfied with the course developed and they believed they greatly benefited from the developed course.
Enhancing Engineering Education via Physical Experiments: The Case of Learning Energy Storage with a Flywheel System
Authors: Huang Chung-Neng , Cheng Chen-Min , Kuo Jenn-Kun
Published: January 2016

Design thinking is complex that is hard to learn and harder to teach. The purpose of engineering education is to graduate engineers who can design (Dym CL, 2005). How to enhance students’ reasoning and cognizing about data has gained an increasingly visible role in the K-12 curriculum (Doerr H. M. and Lyn D., 2003). In order to enhance teaching and learning engineering mathematics, a modeling approach by shifting the focus on finding solutions to a particular problem to create a system is proposed in this study. Besides, a training process for the college students who are intending to be the instructors of guiding physical experiments is included. Nonlinear systems, signifying any system is not linear, cannot satisfy the superposition principle. In this paper, a new modeling method for nonlinear systems based on an Adaptive Network-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) for operation and practice was used (Jang, J.S.R., 1993). Through this method, students were able to learn how the transfer functions work for identifying an unknown system. This method had well helped the participated students how the nature of nonlinear system is and how to find out the optimal solutions in controls.
Case Study Regarding Teaching Design for Quality at Graduate Level
Authors: Dragomir Mihai , Dragomir Diana , Popescu Sorin , Bodi Ştefan
Published: January 2016

This paper presents a case study regarding the methods used in teaching Design for quality at graduate studies level, in order to help practitioners derive enhancement ideas for their own demarches in related fields. The methodology consists in surveying existing experiences in the Quality engineering and management master program at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca in a comparative study and defining a set of criteria for analyzing them. The two options of delivering the targeted competences, which have equivalent content, rely on different teaching approaches: classical for one group and computer aided for the second group. With the help of a focus group, the investigation criteria are defined and ranked using AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process), while Pugh’s method is further used to detail the proposed comparison. A discussion on the results of the two scenarios is included, showcasing advantages and disadvantages, together with implementation suggestions.
Preparing Smart Students Through Performing Problem Based Learning Activities Within University-Industry Collaborative Knowledge Sharing Platform
Authors: Baral Lal Mohan , Lobonţ Lucian , Chiliban Bogdan , Dorin Vlad
Published: January 2016

During last few decades, different teaching and learning approaches have been proposed around the world aiming to enhance the student’s knowledge acquiring ability. The purpose of this paper is to explore a modified problem based and project based learning (PBL) approach, which helps to develop smart students through acquiring knowledge using various sources from University and Industry. In this research, a collaborative knowledge sharing platform has been developed within PBL activities through engaging the facilitators both from University and Industry. After practical application of proposed approach within textile engineering domain, the student’s knowledge acquiring ability has been assessed through conducting a survey. The Survey results revealed that the students have upgraded their knowledge level significantly through acquiring knowledge both from University environment with the help of faculty members and Industry environment with the help of technical experts. This article has pointed out the necessity of collaborative PBL activities within University and Industry for developing the knowledgeable and smart students in order for better performance in their future carrier.
Quality Management Principles in the University-Industry Partnership
Authors: Burdusel Eva-Nicoleta , Balan Liviu , Oprean Anca
Published: January 2016

Purpose of the work

In the context of an intensified and successful cooperation between Continental Automotive Systems SRL and Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, the most recent initiative is to undertake a research investigation meant to examine the collaboration between higher education and business and identify new means to increase the efficiency of their partnership taking into account the present challenges addressing both academia and industry, as well as facilitating the transition from the former to the latter in the context of the labour market demands.

Methodology

The study will provide an analysis of the public-private partnership based on a recent case study endorsed by a thorough theoretical framework. In this respect, an anonymous questionnaire was addressed to two target groups: employees and team/department leaders at Continental Automotive Systems SRL Sibiu.

Important findings

The results of the case study will provide relevant feedback about the ability of new employees to integrate on the labour market and make full use of the abilities and competencies developed and trained throughout their academic education. Since the present study is a follow up of previous research projects, the case study will now focus on “non-technical talents”, therefore the target group of the questionnaire is represented by employees and team leaders from the following departments: translation services, human resources, purchasing, logistics, finance and controlling.

Conclusions that identify implications for future practice and/or policy and key “Take Home Messages”

The present paper highlights the relevance of each component of the knowledge triangle – education, research, innovation – as a means to prevent and overcome crisis evinced as: unemployment in addition to graduates’ inability to integrate or adapt to the requirements of business community, labour market mobility and financial instability, economic competitiveness.
Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk: Designing an Online Admissions Process in an Elearning Training Project
Authors: Ogrezeanu Andrei , Scarlat Cezar , Ogrezeanu Andreea
Published: January 2016

This paper presents a case study of the design and implementation of the admissions process in a large teachers elearning training project that took place in Romania. From a theoretical viewpoint we aim at contributing to a rather understudied area at the intersection between project and process management literature. We show that project management could borrow some process management tools and techniques in designing highly repetitive activities. From a practical viewpoint, the case presented could serve as a good practice for other training projects and support them in simplifying admissions procedures by systematic process design and the use of accessible Web technologies.
The Sustainability in a Quality Improvement Model
Authors: Nguyen Thanh-Dat , Kifor Claudiu Vasile
Published: January 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to promote the integration of sustainable development concepts and conceptual models in engineering research, and therefore, to enhance sustainability of research models. Particularly, the concepts are integrated with an integrated theoretical model of knowledge management and DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analysis-Improve-Control) process.

Methodology: Based on literature, the key concepts of sustainable development, knowledge management, Ontology and DMAIC methodology have been reviewed. A theoretical combination of knowledge management, ontology engineering, and DMAIC methodology is to aim at accumulating and reusing a potential economic resource, knowledge resource. An analysis of sustainable aspects of a proposed model is presented.

Important findings: As literature expressed that knowledge created by every step of a DMAIC process can be accumulated and reused by using Ontology in a conceptual model. Furthermore, sustainable aspects of the model such as economy, environment and society are identified.

Conclusion: DMAIC knowledge is a potential economic resource that should be shared and reused using Ontology engineering in order to archive sustainable development of DMAIC process. Theoretical integration of seven sustainable measures with activities of knowledge management is possible and realizable.
Discrimination of Various Vulnerable Groups - Perception Among the Students of the Faculty of Engineering (“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu)
Authors: Corman Sorina , Sassu Raluca , Bucuţă Mihaela , Morar Silviu , Ungureanu Alina
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this article is to highlight students’ perception of the Faculty of Engineering concerning discrimination, particularly discrimination against certain vulnerable groups. This issue is part of a broader research that aims to assess the attitude of students towards discrimination.

The method used in the study is questionnaire-based survey. The questionnaire includes scales and subscales for measuring the attitudes of subjects, their emotions, cognitions and behaviors in relation to discrimination in general, and specifically in relation to certain vulnerable groups such as the Roma population, people with HIV/AIDS, people with a different sexual orientation or people with disabilities and mental illness.

The main results of our research have demonstrated that the students from engineering believe that there is discrimination within society, including at the level of educational institutions; the most discriminated category is Roma population.

These results reflect the importance of training engineering students in the field of ethics and non-discrimination. We conclude that there is a need of such courses in the context of promoting inclusive societies and of the rebirth of business ethics education at an international level.
Innovative Methods for Business Education using Isotope Linking on Anonymous Readers’ Comments
Authors: Gîfu Daniela , Cioca Marius
Published: January 2016

The paper presents the importance of analysis isotopes on anonymous readers’ comments as an important part of deep interpretation of texts. Furthermore, we describe a classification methodology of the anonymous readers’ comments on online articles, through the overlapping of isotopes, which completed the traditional analytical methods. Automatic recognition of isotopes is an important topic in Natural Language Processing (NLP), especially in the semantic disambiguation. The aim of this article is the automatic comparative analysis of the identified isotopes in articles and comments, which reveals an important part of online behavior. Moreover, we present a new tool that classifies the online commentators based on existing resources, open-source or freely available for research purposes. This study is intend to help direct beneficiaries (journalists, business, education, managers, PR specialists), but also specialists and researchers in the field of natural language processing, linguists, psychologists, etc.
A Transdisciplinary Approach on the Advanced Sustainable Knowledge Integration
Authors: Pop Ioan G. , Talpos Mihai-Florin , Prisac Igor
Published: January 2016

The paper presents a new, transdisciplinary approach on the DIKW (Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom) hierarchy, offering arguments that the hierarchy is unsound and even methodologically undesirable. The purpose of the paper is to identify a new and more complete perspective on knowledge integration. This model is based on another scale, in a synergistic-generative transdisciplinary manner, in order to transfer and implement knowledge in the knowledge based society/economy context. The new knowledge pattern, named DIMLAK (Data, Information, Messages, Learning, and Advanced Knowledge) is reconfigured to explain the way the advanced knowledge is achieved as a top level of the transdisciplinary integrated and integrative knowledge system. The proposed model is working complementarily as breadth through depth approach, opening a new vision in the knowledge achieving process.
The Place and the Role of the Intellectual Property Assets in the Knowledge Based Organization Context
Authors: Ţîţu Mihail Aurel , Oprean Constantin , Ţîţu Ştefan , Răulea Andreea Simina , Stan Sebastian
Published: January 2016

In the nowadays society, when the access to data and information is made easier to accomplish grace to the development of the information and telecommunication technologies, the issue to discuss is the use of knowledge with the purpose of creating the competitive advantage by producing knowledge. For the accomplishment of this purpose the actual situation has been analyzed to the level of European Union in what concerns the manner of valuing the intellectual property assets. The analysis revealed a model realized in the framework of a European research project. The conclusions of this scientific measure are pointed towards the optimism of the fact that, in time, each organization, no matter the size, the field of activity or the structure will be conscious of the assets that it owns and the way that they can be valued.
The Role of Technology Entrepreneurship Education in Encouraging to Launch New Ventures
Authors: Militaru Gheorghe , Pollifroni Massimo , Niculescu Cristian
Published: January 2016

Technology entrepreneurship refers to processes by which entrepreneurs use resources, and technical systems through collaborative exploration and experimentation to pursue opportunities. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of technology entrepreneurship to increase the intention and motivation of engineering students to establish and manage sustainable new ventures and commercialization of technologies developed in university laboratories. Quantitative data were collected via a questionnaire-based by investigating whether engineering students have sufficient entrepreneurial skills to evaluate opportunity, developing new products, and recognizing potential market applications. Engineering students need to be able to exploit opportunities that rely on scientific and technical knowledge to create and capture value by launch new venture. Our important findings have a series of important practical implications for managers, engineering students, engineers, and scientists interested in encouraging economic growth. For example, technology entrepreneurship education increases the intention to start a business and stimulates the activities in a group setting and a network context because of increasing global competition based on agility, creativity and innovation. The findings of the study also provide practical implications suggest that increasing engineering students understanding and awareness of entrepreneurship lead to greater levels of interest in entrepreneurship careers.
Traffic Noise Pollution in a Historical City Center - Case Study Project within Environmental Engineering Field of Study
Authors: Petrescu Valentin , Ciudin Rodica , Isarie Claudiu , Cioca Lucian Ionel , Nederita Victor
Published: January 2016

Noise reduction for urban areas, especially noise generated by traffic is one of the major problems in today’s European cities. This paper is focused on more aspects that are addressing to traffic noise, like pavement, driver’s behavior, frequency of stops, pick hours, traffic agglomerations, etc. Research leading to this paper was conducted within the project “Adaptation to the Climate Change” developed in partnership with Environmental protection Agency Sibiu, focusing for this case study on traffic related pollution in a historical city center of Sibiu. Were considered three types of pavements (cobblestones, streets covered with dense asphalt, and graded asphalt road surfaces), three types of vehicles (small passenger car, family car and SUV), and testing’s were done using 3M Quest SoundPro Sonometer. Higher noise levels were registered for cobblestone and dense asphalt surfaces. Acoustic measurements and maps emphasizing studied are presented, and the identified parameters considered to be related to the traffic noise are given.
New Skills in Education for Biodiversity Conservation in Romania
Authors: Antofie Maria-Mihaela , Sand Sava Camelia
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this article is to analyse political and regulatory frameworks for connecting education and environment authorities in order to reveal opportunities for introducing new activities based on living organisms into the biology curriculum. The article is also proposing a conceptual framework for capacity building based on the analysis of relevant results at the international level, regarding the experiential learning process. Based on the results of this analysis Romania has the capacity to implement new activities under the public curricula for biology in order to support the development of new skills for ensuring biodiversity conservation as a whole. Moreover, at least three native species, domesticated or wild, may become subjects for next activities development under the existing curricula.
Predicting Overall Vaccine Efficacy in a New Setting by Re-calibrating Baseline Covariate and Intermediate Response Endpoint Effect Modifiers of Type-Specific Vaccine Efficacy
Authors: Gilbert Peter B. , Huang Ying
Published: January 2016

We develop a transport formula for predicting overall cumulative vaccine efficacy through time t (

V
E
(
t
)

$$VE(t)$$

) to prevent clinically significant infection with a genetically diverse pathogen (e. g., HIV infection) in a new setting for which a Phase III preventive vaccine efficacy trial that would directly estimate

V
E
(
t
)

$$VE(t)$$

has not yet been conducted. The formula integrates data from (1) a previous Phase III trial, (2) a Phase I/II immune response biomarker endpoint trial in the new setting where a follow-up Phase III trial is planned, (3) epidemiological data on background HIV infection incidence in the new setting; and (4) genomic epidemiological data on HIV sequence distributions in the previous and new settings. For (1), the randomized vaccine versus placebo Phase III trial yields estimates of vaccine efficacy to prevent particular genotypes of HIV in participant subgroups defined by baseline covariates X and immune responses to vaccination

S
(
1
)

$$S(1)$$

measured at a fixed time point

τ

$$\tau $$

(potential outcomes if assigned vaccine); often one or more immune responses to vaccination are available that modify genotype-specific vaccine efficacy. The formula focuses on subgroups defined by X and

S
(
1
)

$$S(1)$$

and being at-risk for HIV infection at

τ

$$\tau $$

under both the vaccine and placebo treatment assignments. For (2), the Phase I/II trial tests the same vaccine in a new setting, or a refined new vaccine in the same or new setting, and measures the same baseline covariates and immune responses as the original Phase III trial. For (3), epidemiological data in the new setting are used to project overall background HIV infection rates in the baseline covariate subgroups in the planned Phase III trial, hence re-calibrating for HIV incidence differences in the two settings; whereas for (4), data bases of HIV sequences measured from HIV infected individuals are used to re-calibrate for differences in the distributions of the circulating HIV genotypes in the two settings. The transport formula incorporates a user-specified bridging assumption function that measures differences in HIV genotype-specific conditional biological-susceptibility vaccine efficacies in the two settings, facilitating a sensitivity analysis. We illustrate the transport formula with application to HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) research. One application of the transport formula is to use predicted

V
E
(
t
)

$$VE(t)$$

as a rational criterion for ranking a set of candidate vaccines being studied in Phase I/II trials for their priority for down-selection into the follow-up Phase III trial.
Design, synthesis, and anticancer activity of novel aryl/heteroaryl chalcone derivatives
Authors: Arasavelli Ananda Mohan , Raghava Sharma Ganapavarapu Veera , Vidavalur Siddaiah
Published: January 2016

A new series of chalcones 5a–l were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro antiproliferative activity against human colon cancer cell lines. The synthesis of the key intermediate compounds 3a–d was achieved by tetrakis(triphenylphosphine) palladium(II) mediated Suzuki cross coupling reaction. Chalcone 5a shows superior anticancer activity with IC50 value of 21.0 μg/mL compared to the IC50 value of the reference drug doxorubicin at 21.65 μg/mL.
Out-of-hospital births in the United States 2009–2014
Authors: Grunebaum Amos , Chervenak Frank A.
Published: January 2016

Objective:

To evaluate recent trends of out-of-hospital births in the US from 2009 to 2014.

Methods:

We accessed data for all live births occurring in the US from the National Vital Statistics System, Natality Data Files for 2009–2014 through the interactive data tool, VitalStats.

Results:

Out-of-hospital (OOH) births in the US increased from 2009 to 2014 by 80.2% from 32,596 to 58,743 (0.79%–1.47% of all live births). Home births (HB) increased by 77.3% and births in freestanding birthing centers (FBC) increased by 79.6%. In 2014, 63.8% of OOH births were HB, 30.7% were in FBC, and 5.5% were in other places, physicians offices, or clinics. The majority of women who had an OOH birth in 2014 were non-Hispanic White (82.3%). About in one in 47 non-Hispanic White women had an OOH in 2014, up from 1 in 87 in 2009. Women with a HB were older compared to hospital births (age ≥35: 21.5% vs. 15.4%), had a higher live birth order(≥5: 18.9% vs. 4.9%), 3.48% had infants <2500 g and 4.66% delivered <37 weeks’ gestation. 4.34% of HB were patients with prior cesarean deliveries, 1.6% were breech, and 0.81% were twins.

Conclusions:

Since 2004 the number of women delivered out of the hospital, at home and in freestanding birthing centers has significantly increased in the US making it the country with the most out of hospital births among all developed countries. The root cause of the increase in planned OOH births should be identified and addressed by the medical community.
Crystal structure of (E)-2-(((1,10-phenanthrolin-5-yl)imino)methyl)-5-methylphenol monohydrate, C20H15N3O·H2O
Authors: Tsosane Mampotso S. , Visser Hendrik G. , Brink Alice
Published: January 2016

C20H15N3O·H2O, triclinic, P1̅ (No. 2), a = 7.066(3) Å, b = 9.996(4) Å, c = 12.873(5) Å, α = 86.007(14)°, β = 74.861(14)°, γ = 69.596(13)°, V = 822.4(6) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt
(F) = 0.0424, wR
ref
(F
2
) = 0.1241, T = 100 K.
Crystal structure of bis(1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium) tetrabromidocadmate(II), [C6H11N2]2[CdBr4]
Authors: Gou Lei , Liu Dan , Zhao Kun , Yi-Yang Mao
Published: January 2016

(C6H11N2)2[CdBr4], monoclinic, P21/c, a = 13.8943(17) Å, b = 10.2820(13) Å, c = 14.7986(18) Å, β = 94.241(3)°, V = 2108.4(5) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt
(F) = 0.0477, wR
ref
(F
2
) = 0.1332, T = 273 K.
Identifying the meanings hidden in legal texts: The three conditions of relevance theory and their sufficiency
Authors: Azuelos-Atias Sol
Published: January 2016

I present a tool of interpretation that can be applied to legal texts. The tool is intended for people who wish to make sure that they thoroughly understand a certain text – including the meanings hidden between its lines in general, and in particular for legal laypersons who wish to make sure that they thoroughly understand a legal text.

I have developed this tool of interpretation from the relevance-theoretic communicative principle of relevance; I will show that the tool supplies a general method of demonstrating that certain meanings (including meta-forms, implications, and socio-semiotic meanings) are hidden in a communicated text. According to relevance theory, the interpretation accepted by the addressees of a spoken utterance reconstructs the speaker’s meaning; the tool of interpretation enables other recipients of the utterance’s text to identify the addressee’s interpretation. This tool consists of three conditions that function as a criterion of correctness of interpretations in the following sense: if an interpretation meets the three conditions then it is the addressee’s interpretation – the interpretation that reconstructs the meanings the text’s producer intended to convey, whether these meanings were presented explicitly or not.
Exemption and exegesis: Judicial interpretation of exemption clauses in England, Australia, and India
Authors: Blackshield Tony , Huisman Rosemary
Published: January 2016

A feature of the modern consumer economy is the so-called “standard form contract,” printed in advance to establish the terms on which a corporate supplier deals with its customers. Typically these terms include an “exemption clause,” seeking to limit the supplier’s liability for loss or damage, and often to exclude legal liability altogether. Sometimes such clauses are given effect according to their apparent intention, but in other cases judges may endeavor to avoid that result – either by denying the clause any legal effect whatsoever, or by reading it so as not to apply to the precise kind of liability that has in fact arisen. We illustrate these varied responses by reference to judicial decisions in England, Australia, and India. The analysis suggests different expectations within these different judicial discourse communities: in England, from 1980 onwards, the renewed ideological emphasis on freedom of contract led judges to retreat from the creative solutions of earlier decades, returning to an emphasis on the actual words of such clauses; in Australia, in contrast, judges declined to take part in such a retreat; in India, a prevailing insistence on the need to interpret contracts strictly according to their literal terms has failed to prevent occasional attempts at ingenious interpretive solutions.
Rights, responsibilities, and resistance: Legal discourse and intervention legislation in the Northern Territory in Australia
Authors: Gale Peter
Published: January 2016

In the shadow of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted and endorsed by 143 nations on 17th September 2007, the then Howard Government suspended the Racial Discrimination Act in Australia to implement the Northern Territory Emergency Response Bill, commonly referred to as the Northern Territory intervention. This legislation included the compulsory acquisition of townships; the suspension of the permit system to access Aboriginal communities; the removal of customary law or cultural practices in any legal considerations in sentencing; the abolition of the Community Development Employment Projects; and the quarantining of a proportion of welfare benefits for all recipients in designated communities. While Australia was one of only four nations who did not endorse the Declaration in 2007, the UN Declaration was subsequently adopted and endorsed in April 2009 by the then Rudd Labor Government. The ratification of the UN Declaration may appear to reflect a change of policy, yet amidst significant Indigenous opposition and criticism of the United Nations, the Gillard Labor Government continued the central tenants of the NT Intervention for a further ten years in the form of the Stronger Futures legislation in 2012. This essay explores some of the tensions and contradictions inherent within legal and political discourse in the recognition of rights between the rights of the child on the one hand, and Indigenous rights and citizenship rights within the Northern Territory Intervention legislation and policy of Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory.
De roman als wapen tegen Frankrijk: Sara Burgerhart van Wolff en Deken en de strijd tegen de ‘gallofilie’ / The Novel as a Weapon against France: Wolff’s and Deken’s Sara Burgerhart and the Struggle Against the ‘Francophilia’
Authors: Urbaniak Jan
Published: January 2016

The so-called ‘moral reorientation’ (Dutch: ‘morele heroriëntatie’) was a large-scale Dutch project, aimed at an improvement of ethical standards of society in the 18th century. It was also a reaction to the decay of the Dutch Republic reflected in the literature at the end of the 18th century. Using magazines, drama’s and novels, authors provided example of a right behaviour and criticized all those phenomena, which led to a moral malaise in society. One of these phenomena was a boundless love for France, its culture, fashion, literature and philosophy. In literature it was presented as a grave danger for Dutch identity. The term ‘francophilia’ was invented.

Also two Dutch female writers, Betje Wolff and Aagje Deken reacted on the dangerous symptoms of the ‘francophilia’ and warned against it in their novel Sara Burgerhart (1782). In my article I discuss some rhetorical devices, used by the authors to warn against the ‘francophilia.’ I analyse how they defined and further criticized this phenomenon.
Emblems from the Heart: The Reception of the Cor Iesu Amanti Sacrum Engravings Series in Polish and Netherlandish 17th-Century Manuscripts
Authors: Grześkowiak Radosław , Hulsenboom Paul
Published: January 2016

The Cor Iesu amanti sacrum, a series of engravings made by Anton II Wierix around the year 1600, became one of the most important series of religious emblems from the 17th and 18th centuries. The engravings’ printed reception is well known: there are numerous graphical copies, as well as books written on the basis of the emblems, starting with the work by the French Jesuit Étienne Luzvic, entitled Le cœur devot throsne royal de Iesus pacifique Salomon, from 1626. The article discusses the handwritten reception of the series, which until now has remained virtually uninvestigated. The authors analyze five works of literature, preserved in Polish and Netherlandish 17th-century manuscripts and inspired by the engravings from the Cor Iesu amanti sacrum: Het herte Jesu by an anonymous Netherlandish protestant (a manuscript from Tilburg), Opofferingh van het herte aan den Bruijdegom Iesus Christus by the Netherlandish scientist and doctor Jan Swammerdam (a manuscript from Ghent), and three untitled Polish versions: a poetical collection by the Jesuit Mikołaj Mieleszko, dedicated to the Duchess Katarzyna Radziwiłł in 1657 (a manuscript from Saint-Petersburg) and two different works preserved in monastic libraries (manuscripts from Imbramowice and Stary Sącz).
Induced lipid peroxidation in ram sperm: semen profile, DNA fragmentation and antioxidant status
Authors: Hamilton Thais Rose dos Santos , Castro Letícia Signori de , Delgado Juliana de Carvalho , de Assis Patrícia Monken , Siqueira Adriano Felipe Perez , Mendes Camilla Mota , Goissis Marcelo Demarchi , Muiño-Blanco Teresa , Cebrián-Pérez José Álvaro , Nichi Marcílio , Visintin José Antonio , D'Ávila Assumpção Mayra Elena Ortiz
Published: January 2016

Action of reactive oxygen species, protamination failures and apoptosis are considered the most important etiologies of sperm DNA fragmentation. This study evaluated the effects of induced lipid peroxidation susceptibility on native semen profile and identified the mechanisms involved in sperm DNA fragmentation and testicular antioxidant defense on Santa Ines ram sperm samples. Semen was collected from 12 adult rams (Ovis aries) performed weekly over a 9-week period. Sperm analysis (motility, mass motility, abnormalities, membrane and acrosome status, mitochondrial potential, DNA fragmentation, lipid peroxidation and intracellular free radicals production); protamine deficiency; PRM1,TNP1andTNP2gene expression; and determination of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase activity and immunodetection in seminal plasma were performed. Samples were distributed into four groups according to the sperm susceptibility to lipid peroxidation after induction with ascorbate and ferrous sulfate (low, medium, high and very high). The results were analyzed by GLM test andpost hocleast significant difference. We observed an increase in native GPx activity and CAT immunodetection in groups with high susceptibility to induced lipid peroxidation. We also found an increase in total sperm defects, acrosome and membrane damages in the group with the highest susceptibility to induced lipid peroxidation. Additionally, the low mitochondrial membrane potential, susceptible to chromatin fragmentation and thePRM1mRNA were increased in the group showing higher susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. Ram sperm susceptibility to lipid peroxidation may compromise sperm quality and interfere with the oxidative homeostasis by oxidative stress, which may be the main cause of chromatin damage in ram sperm.
Nevyriausybinių neįgaliųjų organizacijų veiklos plėtotė socialinės integracijos kontekste
Authors: BENEŠEVIČIŪTĖ Irmina
Published: January 2016

Straipsnyje nagrinėjama neįgaliųjų nevyriausybinių organizacijų (NVO) veiklos plėtotė socialinės integracijos kontekste. Aptariama NVO neįgaliųjų socialinė integracija, pateikiant mokslininkų teoretikų ir praktikų įvairias socialinės integracijos sampratas. Pristatomas empirinis tyrimas, kuriuo siekta atskleisti tiriamųjų požiūrį į NVO veiklos plėtotę ir patirtį. Straipsnio autorės atlikto kokybinio tyrimo rezultatai atskleidė, kad neįgaliųjų socioedukaciniai poreikiai NVO tenkinami ir atstovaujama NVO veiklos forma yra grupinė. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad NVO administracija patiria iššūkių, tai valdžios institucijų atstovų biurokratizmas NVO atžvilgiu ir žinojimo apie neįgaliuosius stoką. Atskleidžiami socialinės integracijos veiksniai, lemiantys NVO veiklos plėtotės pokyčius. Remiantis kokybinio tyrimo rezultatais paaiškėjo, kad sėkminga neįgaliųjų socialinė integracija yra interesų atstovavimas, orientuotas į neįgaliųjų aktyvumą, NVO patiems darant įtaką valdžios sprendimams ir pačių neįgaliųjų gebėjimas kooperuotis NVO veikloje.
Stacionarios globos pertvarka Lietuvoje institucionalizmo teorijos požiūriu
Authors: GENIENĖ Rasa , ŠUMSKIENĖ Eglė
Published: January 2016

Lietuvoje dabar vykstanti pertvarka yra didelis iššūkis sovietmečiu sukurtai ir iki šiol veikiančiai stacionarios globos sistemai. Nepaisant kritikos dėl žmogaus teisių pažeidimų ir neracionalaus išteklių naudojimo, stacionarios globos paslaugos dažniausiai yra vienintelė alternatyva ilgalaikės globos reikalingiems psichosocialinę negalią ar intelekto sutrikimą turintiems asmenims. Pasitelkus institucionalizmo teoriją, straipsnyje nagrinėjamas sistemos pasipriešinimas pokyčiams ir daromos išvados, kad globos įstaigos siekia išlaikyti turimą galią ir šiam tikslui pasitelkia finansinius, žmogiškuosius ir techninius išteklius, konjunktūrinius ryšius. Taip pat matomas ydingas globos įstaigų funkcionavimo ratas: būtinybė izoliuoti negalią turinčius asmenis argumentuojama jų nesavarankiškumu ir tolerancijos stoka visuomenėje, kartu pačių įstaigų veikla atskiria globos reikalingus asmenis ir slopina jų savarankiškumą.
Organizacijos kultūra, tikslai ir vertybės: socialines paslaugas senyvo amžiaus žmonėms teikiančių įstaigų personalo perspektyva
Authors: NAUJANIENĖ Rasa , MOTIEČIENĖ Roberta , MAŽEIKIENĖ Natalija , VARŽINSKIENĖ Laura , RUŠKUS Jonas
Published: January 2016

Straipsnyje pristatomas veiklos tyrimas dalyvaujant (angl. participatory action research), kuris buvo atliktas socialinių paslaugų senyvo amžiaus žmonėms įstaigose. Straipsnyje aptariama organizacijų kultūros apibrėžties problematika, organizacijų kultūros tipologijos ir dimensijos bei remiantis empirinio tyrimo rezultatais diskutuojama, kaip organizacijos vadovų ir darbuotojų pasakojimuose apie organizacijos misiją ir tikslus atsiskleidžia tam tikri organizacijos kultūros aspektai bei vertybės. Tyrimo rezultatų analizė leidžia įvardyti moteriškosios ir vyriškosios bei neužtikrintumo vengimo organizacijos kultūrų tipų raišką biudžetinių ir privačių socialines paslaugas senyvo amžiaus žmonėms teikiančių organizacijų vadovų ir darbuotojų pasakojimuose.
More Informative Abstracts Revisited
Authors: Haynes R. Brian , Mulrow Cynthia D. , Huth Edward J. , Altman Douglas G. , Gardner Martin J.
Published: January 2016

Following proposals in 1987 and 1988, several medical journals have provided more informative abstracts (“structured abstracts”) for articles of clinical interest. Structured abstracts for original studies require authors to systematically disclose the objective, basic research design, clinical setting, participants, interventions (if any), main outcome measurements, results, and conclusions; and for literature reviews the objective, data sources, methods of study selection, data extraction and synthesis, and conclusions. More informative abstracts of this kind can facilitate peer review before publication, assist clinical readers to find articles that are both scientifically sound and applicable to their practices, and allow more precise computerized literature searches. We review the feasibility, acceptability, and dissemination of structured abstracts, reassess the underlying strategy, and describe modifications of the approach. This innovation can aid communication from scientists to clinicians, and other clinical journals are invited to join this effort.