bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges for sustainable development strategies in oil and gas industries
Authors: Mojarad Ali Asghar Sadeghi , Atashbari Vahid , Tantau Adrian
Published: June 2018

The oil and gas industries remain an important drive for the world economy. On one hand, global demand for fossil fuels is still rising, and on the other hand, companies face complex investment challenges due to the harsh operational environment of exploration and production activities. Workforce regulations aim to provide a safe and secured working environment. However, exploration and production activities still cause local and global environmental risks such as groundwater contamination, or climate change in broader scale. Analyzing and reporting mechanisms are key performance indicators of sustainable development at the level of oil and gas companies. Obtaining and analyzing required data, nevertheless, seem to be a persistent challenge as to what degree these findings can affect the routine and strategic decisions of the oil and gas companies. In order to enable oil and gas companies to measure and control risks and manage incidents, artificial intelligent technologies in extended monitoring and supervising E&P operations is known to be an efficient prevention strategy. Such tools not only aid in profitability of the oil and gas companies, but also increase awareness of environment and climate change to act more responsibly. In this study, the significances of environmental policies were investigated through interviews with executives and stakeholders, revealing that the implementation of environmental protection policies is affected by the financial stability of the companies, and under severe economic situations, companies seem less enthusiastic in strictly implementing those policies. This paper provides a comprehensive review of emerging technologies in addressing existing and foreseen challenges in sustainable development in oil and gas industries, with the aim of suggesting prime solutions for strategic planning attempts.
Tourism development factor of communities
Authors: Mureșan Manuela Liliana , Nistoreanu Puiu
Published: June 2018

Tourism has undoubtedly become a factor of economic and social development for everyone in contemporary society. What seems clear is that tourism growth, with the ultimate goal of increasing the socioeconomic level, is a chronological process that requires a certain amount of time before the desired results begin to be observed. Tourism in Romania is an activity linked to the cultural world and natural heritage, as well as the traditions and customs specific to each historical regions of the country. This research makes an analysis of the flow of visitors in Romania, but also an analysis of statistical data provided by the National Statistics Institute of Romania (in the range of 2013 - 2016) with regards to the departures of the Romanian population abroad. We were interested to see what who visits us and what geographical areas they are interested in, and what this means, but especially if this tourist flow analyzed for a period of four years has an impact on the development of the community. The data show that the largest number of arrivals in our country comes from our neighbors, so a tourism promotion strategy aimed at the neighboring markets would be an important factor for the development of tourism communities, all the more so with as are the countries whose main industry generating economic profit is tourism. A long-term national policy of investment and promotion of the destination Romania at international level is necessary, especially since the data obtained clearly tells us that the interest in the Romanian tourism is increasing and this fact leads to the development of the community where it is being developed.
The perception of a university’s brand within the recruitment pool for future students (Case survey for the economic higher education)
Authors: Pop Nicolae Alexandru , Todea Steluța
Published: June 2018

The brand of a university is the result of the interaction between the vectors it uses to position itself in relation to its stakeholders. Among these, high school students who aspire to become students play a key role. The way in which the university is perceived by its main recruitment base (the high school environment) is crucial for the capacity of the university to recruit the best qualified candidates. Considering there is a lack of a coherent project by either the higher education system or the secondary education system that looks into the high school students’ choice of an educational trajectory, there is a need for in-depth research about the motivational mechanism that drives future students to opt for a certain university. In order to fill this gap, the present study aims to research the vectors that drive the high school students’ choice of a university programme. It is a quantitative, sample research conducted on high school students in the last year of their programme, in representative high schools in one of the districts of Bucharest. The method used is the survey, the technique is that of face-to-face interviews, and the instrument used was the semi-structured questionnaire. The second research is an exploratory qualitative study conducted on the class tutors of the high school students; its purpose is to describe, with the help of some hypotheses, their preoccupations throughout the pedagogical process of career orientation. By changing the perception of the academic environment, this can help promote social cohesion and a synergy between the processes of accumulating knowledge and those of stimulating creativity and innovation in the university environment. The present study aims to contribute to this project and is based on the literature that reflects the experience of some of the most important schools in the international context, as far as the recruitment of future students is concerned.
The Influence of European Cup Performances on Domestic Stadium Attendances in Romanian Football
Authors: Roșca Vlad I.
Published: June 2018

Widespread belief posits that a relationship exists between results obtained in European football competitions and live attendances at domestic league games. As part of the Europeanization process, international tournaments increasingly attract fans’ attention, often at the expense of national competitions, yet research up to date has focused on a wide array of explanatory variables for game attendance (spectator demand), but less on variables concerning how domestic teams perform in Europe. This article aims to fill the research gap by asking whether match attendances in national leagues can be predicted based on the results obtained by the domestic club teams in international competitions. UEFA team coefficients and domestic attendance figures for 74 European cup participations of Romanian teams spread over seventeen years from the 2000/2001 to the 2016/2017 season serve as input data for a regression model with an F-test and a p-value test. The Null Hypothesis instinctually claims no relationship exists between the variables, yet research results invalidate it for the good of the Alternative Hypothesis. The Discussions section presents what effects winning or losing in European cups can have on fans’ motivation to come and watch matches in the national league.
Business developments in electronic commerce in Romania, a prerequisite for sustainable growth
Authors: Rotaru Elena Cristina , Rotaru Florica Georgeta , Frâncu Gabriel Laurențiu , Tița Raluca
Published: June 2018

In recent years, at the European level, electronic sales have gained major importance in the whole commodity trading process. After 1994, for the first time, commercial websites appeared, which brought about the expansion of electronic commerce. Therefore today, the notion of the market has become a global network as a result of improved payment systems, cost reduction, after-sales service development, and significant direct marketing influence.Therefore, a concerted effort is needed at national level to increase information and knowledge resources, including by allocating additional funds to the IT infrastructure, as well as by educating and training the population in the field of informatics. In this paper, we focused on the description of electronic commerce trends in Romania, based on the secondary data provided by the National Institute of Statistics. Thus, the main purpose of this paper is to make a comparative study of the different statistical techniques: the graph method, the structural modification method, as well as the regression and correlation methods (ANOVA), used to describe the new trends of the Romanian commercial technologies. The main conclusion of the paper was that there is a significant correlation between the macroeconomic indicators that characterize the electronic commerce in Romania. Thus, the evolution of the average number of employees in the ICT sector as the resultant variable is influenced at the level of Romania by the macroeconomic indicators that characterize the electronic commerce as the component of the IT market.
The energy union – a new step towards sustainability by promoting clean energy
Authors: Şanta Ana-Maria Iulia
Published: June 2018

The Energy Union is an important issue on the agenda of the European Commission, which is addressed in the package “Clean Energy for All Europeans”, adopted by the European Commission in November 2016. The present paper deals with the role of the Energy Union in ensuring an optimal framework for a common energy market at the level of the European Union, aimed for the benefit of the consumers in the European Union and of a modern and functional business environment. Which perspectives opens this possible win-win situation is a topic to be analyzed in the present article. The Energy Union is a stronger form of integration within the European Union, related to the internal market of the European Union, which brings more than harmonization of standards and mutual recognition: it brings a common policy and shared values. The goal of this project is to ensure consumer protection through common rules and harmonization, which is a trend at the level of the European Union occurring in various fields of activity and business sectors, such as the Energy Union, the Banking Union, data protection and the competition framework. The main focus on the consumer is new, compared to former attempts of harmonization in specific fields. The challenge rising from this project is to achieve a union in a strategic sector, such as energy. Possible aspects that could hamper the building of the union will be analyzed, for example the fact that some member states of the European Union still rely on fossil fuels, such as the coal industry. The switch to renewable energy sources is related to high costs, as well as to social turbulences on the labour market, that have to be taken into consideration. When drafting measures for the Energy Union, the effects on climate change as well as socio-economic parameters have to be weighed, in order to find the proper balance. It is therefore important to draft appropriate measures ensuring a smooth transition from fossil fuels to Clean Energy. The present paper focuses on these measures proposed by the European Commission. The key elements of the Energy Union will be analyzed in the measures drafted by the European Commission in the package “Clean Energy for All Europeans”. Case studies will illustrate the debated aspects and will provide best practice guidelines as a result. An interdisciplinary approach will be used in the present paper, combining economic and legal issues in a comparative manner.
Financial sustainability of social enterprise in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Staicu Daniela
Published: June 2018

Recent years have seen a burgeoning interest in social enterprise across Europe. In Central and Eastern European countries, the transition to a market economy stimulated civil society initiatives, and opened new pathways for entrepreneurial initiatives, including the pioneering establishment of the first social enterprises. Eight of the Central and Eastern European countries studied acknowledge the functioning of approximately 24000 social enterprises ‘hidden’ among a variety of existing legal forms, out of which 15172 associations and foundations undertaking some economic activity. Relatively little consideration has been given to the longer-term growth and performance of these hybrid organizational forms. To succeed, these ventures must adhere to both social goals and financial constraints. It implies that common forces from multiple actors - government and other public bodies, banks, corporations, investment funds as well as individuals join efforts. Business failure among social enterprises has been attributed to various difficulties related to size, a lack of resources, and finance and funding issues. It is essential to understand which revenue streams ensure financial sustainability in the case of the social enterprise. This paper analyzes the entrepreneurial dimension of social enterprise activity in eight Central and East European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, addressing the question of social enterprise revenue streams. Most social enterprises examined are aware of the need to insure financial stability to their social mission and are actively securing and combining a blend of income streams, in order to avoid overdependence on one source of income and insure sustainability. None of the countries are solely depending on market sources. Research limitations were encountered when analyzing the variety of revenue streams due to the fact that some country reports presented also the dimension of a specific revenue, whereas others do not comprise specific numbers.
IT in the workspace – The need for digital transformation
Authors: Telegescu Tiberiu
Published: June 2018

We live today in a world irreversibly and comprehensively impacted by the digital economy, either by its ability to transform traditional markets into digital ones or by creating new ones altogether. In such a digitized environment, agility, speed, adaptability and innovation through disruption are key attributes for organizations to maximize, in order to enable their workforce to be effective and efficient and achieve the organizational goals. The paper aims to outline that organizations have, as part of their digital transformation journey, opportunities to embrace the benefits that the new tools of the digital economy, such as cloud, mobility and big data analytics bring. The most immediate advantage of such a change is the ability to reduce the total IT spend, making the organization more frugal and allowing resources to be diverted into other ( potentially revenue generating ) parts of the business. As a method of proving that, we’ve taken several case study examples of enterprises both achieving savings by implementing new tools into their business. However, businesses often do not settle just for that but instead use part of the newly freed up resources to enhance their digital environments. Digital tools enable teams to work easily together and allow the workforce to access any and all of the organization’s resources from anywhere and at any time they wish. This “consumerized” demand model, where IT service is customized every step of the way is what lead enterprises to change their internal IT work frame and thus migrate from the legacy “one size fits all “ model, to the new, flexible, scalable and customizable model, through the usage of new capabilities like Cloud, Big Data, Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Mobility.
Business excellence models: a comparison
Authors: Toma Sorin-George , Marinescu Paul
Published: June 2018

A new approach, called “business excellence”, has emerged in the business world and scientific literature in the past decades. Facing an increasingly turbulent and chaotic environment, more and more companies have implemented business excellence strategies and made quality a key element of their business philosophy. Modern measurement frameworks were created and developed by national or international bodies such as the excellence business models. These models provide guidelines and criteria for evaluation and are used by companies across the world as groundwork for continuous improvement. The paper aims to present and compare three well-known business excellence models in the world: Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the Australian Business Excellence Framework and the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model. In this respect, the authors have displayed the key elements of each business excellence model, followed by their comparison. In order to achieve the previous goals, the paper uses two methods: analysis and comparison. The information were obtained from multiple secondary sources of data- books and academic journal articles from the domains of total quality management and production economics found in libraries and electronic databases- through a desk research based on a significant literature review. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the business excellence models and may help managers to design and implement business excellence strategies. The paper shows that business excellence models provide a holistic approach to continuous improvement for any type of organization. These models are based on sound values, concepts and principles and have proved their viability during the time. Consequently, they gave birth to frameworks that allow organizations to benchmark their performances and demonstrate best practices in their field of activity. Also, the research findings indicate that the American model constituted a landmark for other business excellence models around the world.
New trends in training nuclear power plant employees: probabilistic safety analysis
Authors: Tudoran Cristian
Published: June 2018

In the last four decades, as the nuclear industry grew and got mature, the importance of adequate risk evaluating tools became decisive. Therefore, the Probabilistic Risk Assessment (also known as Probabilistic Safety Analysis) became a cornerstone of the decisions in such high energy and high-risk industry. PSA has an internationally recognised standard, and it is supported by a group of highly trained experts, (no more than a few hundred worldwide).This work can be used as a guide for the improving the required individual and teamwork skills needed in a Probabilistic Safety Analysis - PSA Team. The necessity of such a moment in a PSA Training was imagined by Dan Serbanescu, doctor in science, nuclear energy expert, risk and safety analyst, in May 2017. After few discussions and according to recognised international standards (Probabilistic Risk Assessment procedures guide, 1983), a first time delivery was possible in the PSA Training delivered in Centrala Nuclearoelectrica Cernavoda / Nuclear Power Plant Cernavoda (2017).This article presents a systematic approach for team improvement skills, consisting of the observation, presentation of the skills required, the skills practised in the proposed exercises, the techniques used during this module (coaching included), and results. The Purpose of the newly proposed combination of training and coaching methods with the specific traditional one oriented mainly to the technical and procedural skills is to raise participants’ awareness about how soft-skills can be used in the PSA Teamwork. As Nuclear Power Plant can be easily compared with a complex organisation, soft skills are vital to be developed within the teams. PSA is becoming more required not only in nuclear but also in the aerospace industry (it was adopted by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration for all future space program and by some hazardous chemical industries, as also stated in international documents (of the European Commission for instance).
Генезис інституціоналізму в працях українських учених ХХ–ХХІ ст.
Authors: Haliant Sergii
Published: June 2018

У статті розглянуто вплив інституціоналізму на господарський розвиток суспільства, розглянуто еволюцію поглядів вітчизняних та іноземних дослідників на поняття «інституту» й «інституціоналізму», узагальнено аспекти української економічної школи інституціоналізму, структуровано етапи розвитку інституціоналізму в працях українських учених ХХ–ХХІ ст.
Особливості використання геоінформаційних систем у міжнародному туризмі
Authors: Lіutak Olena
Published: June 2018

У статті розглянуто особливості використання інформації та геоінформаційних систем у туризмі. Визначено переваги від упровадження інформаційних ресурсів у сферу міжнародного туризму. Здійснено аналіз можливостей, що виникають при використанні інформаційних технологій у туристичній галузі.
Concrete Targets with Heterogeneities under Impact Loading
Authors: Hušek M. , Král P. , Kala J. , Hradil P. , Maňas P.
Published: June 2018

The main aim of the paper is to present an elegant procedure for introducing heterogeneity to simplified computational models. A computational model is considered here to be theoretically any numerical model that includes material with structural strength. Heterogeneity then means the randomness in material parameters, which allows a simplified model to behave like the comprehensively described structure of a material. The whole procedure is explained using the example of a material model of concrete in the form of a concrete block (target) which is exposed to high-speed impact loading. Even though the described procedure for the introduction of heterogeneity to computational models can be applied during the use of practically all numerical methods, the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method will be used due to the type of loading involved. The creation of the presented procedure was prompted by the constantly increasing number of input parameters used with material models. Elementary material models with a minimum of inputs can be used when applying the procedure. The end of the paper deals with the improvement in use that enables heterogeneity (i.e. randomness of material structure) to be created in such a way that a simplified model reflects as much as possible the real material structure, not only the variations of mathematical functions.
The Correlation between Islamic Lifestyle and Pregnancy-Specific Stress: A Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study
Authors: Pakzad Mona , Dolatian Mahrokh , Jahangiri Yahia , Nasiri Malihe , Alidoust Dargah Farzaneh
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is associated with great psychological, emotional and physical stress. In addition to undergoing hormonal changes, pregnant women experience a change in their attitude toward life and learn to re-assess their skills and lifestyle. Lifestyle, in general, and Islamic lifestyle, in particular, is concerned with the different psychological, social and physical aspects of the individual’s life.AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between Islamic lifestyle and pregnancy-specific stress in pregnant women.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted on 300 pregnant women presenting to prenatal care clinics. Data were collected using a demographic, the Islamic lifestyle and the pregnancy-related stress questionnaires.RESULTS: The results showed a statistically significant negative correlation (r = -0.284) between Islamic lifestyle and pregnancy-specific stress (P < 0.01). The stepwise regression showed that the mean score obtained in the pregnancy-related stress questionnaire decreased by 0.75 per year of marriage and by 0.14 per point in the Islamic lifestyle questionnaire.CONCLUSION: There was a significant negative correlation between Islamic lifestyle and pregnancy-specific stress. Training mothers, raising their awareness and encouraging them to adopt an Islamic lifestyle may play a significant role in controlling pregnancy-specific stress.
Effect of Exposure to Cement Dust among the Workers: An Evaluation of Health Related Complications
Authors: Rahmani Arshad H. , Almatroudi Ahmad , Babiker Ali Yousif , Khan Amjad A. , Alsahly Mohammed A.
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Cement contains various types of chemicals in addition to lime and silica, and such chemicals cause different health complications and pathogenesis in addition to respiratory disorders. The most important occupational hazards for cement workers are allergy and complication related to respiratory system.AIM: The current study was performed by analysing the questionnaire distributed among the workers and also by the sputum collected from them to study the general health conditions and other life activities.METHODS: Sputum samples were assayed for cytological analysis by Hematoxylin and Eosin staining.RESULTS: In this study, it was observed that majority of these workers suffered from different types of respiratory complications, such as a cough, asthma and lung infections. In addition to this, few subjects showed allergy and other complication like hypertension, diabetes and backache. Moreover, cytological analysis of the sputum was made, and it was observed that majority of the subjects showed severe inflammation.CONCLUSION: Based on these finding, we concluded that long-term cement dust exposure and inhalation causes respiratory complications due to epithelial tissue damage and that can lead to secondary complications as well.
Neurowetenschappelijke kennis en de jeugdstrafrechtsketen
Authors: Cornet Liza , de Kogel Katy
Published: June 2018

Neuroscience and the juvenile criminal justice system

In 2017, the Research and Documentation Centre of the Ministry of Justice & Security (WODC) published the report ‘Neuroscientific application in the juvenile criminal justice system’. This report concerns an inventory of possible neuroscientific applications in the juvenile criminal justice system. The release of the report attracted attention from well-recognized national media. The positive media attention was striking for several reasons. It indicated that –in contrast to a few decades ago – it has become more accepted to study neurobiological correlates of antisocial behavior. On the other hand, the overwhelming news value indicated that the idea that antisocial behavior is also associated with neurobiological deficts has not become common knowledge yet. Based on the WODC report, in the current article the authors summarize how neuroscientific knowledge and methods could be applied in the juvenile criminal justice system.
FILM-FORMING POLYFUNCTIONAL OLIGOBUTADIENES AND LOCAL DYNAMICS OF CROSS-LINKED STRUCTURES ON ITS BASE
Authors: Bazhenov I.A. , Abramova T.E. , Mineeva N.S. , Solovyov M.E. , Danilova A.N. , Rodionova A.G.
Published: June 2018

The process of film-forming of polyfunctional oligobutadienes of cationic type of different microstructure from organic-film-forming systems in the presence of acid-type hardeners was studied. The method of computer modeling indicates on the impact of cross-linking agents on the type of cross-linking and the flexibility of the polymer chains determining the physical and performance properties of the materials. A scientific approach to the creation of special purpose compositions with an improved combination of properties was proposed.
A Brief Overview of Key Issues in Second Language Writing Teaching and Research
Authors: Javadi-Safa Azim
Published: June 2018

This paper briefly reviews the literature on writing skill in second language. It commences with a discussion on the importance of writing and its special characteristics. Then, it gives a brief account of the reasons for the weakness of students’ writing skill as well as addressing some of the most important topics in L2 writing studies ranging from disciplinary to interdisciplinary to metadisciplinary field of inquiry. In addition, it presents a historical sketch of L2 writing studies, consisting of approaches to teaching writing including behavioristic and contrastive rhetoric as well as discussing approaches to the study of writing including product-oriented, process-oriented, and post-process ones. It also introduces different types of feedback in writing consisting of peer feedback, conferences as feedback, teachers’ comments as feedback, and self-monitoring. Finally, it deals with holistic vs. analytic dichotomy in administration of writing assessment.
Improving Students’ Writing Skill through the School Online Newspaper at a Public University in Vietnam
Authors: Thu Trang Lê Thị , Khánh Linh Lê Thị
Published: June 2018

Writing is a crucial skill for students, particularly for those at tertiary level, yet it is a fact that many find writing challenging to master. A number of methods and strategies, therefore, have been employed in an attempt to develop students’ writing skill, and a student-run school newspaper is one of them. This paper aims at reporting whether the school newspaper The SFLook results in its members’ improved writing and how the students self-evaluate the impact of the project. First, the students’ (n = 20) pre-test and post-test before and after a twelve-week action were examined to assess their writing performance. Besides, a questionnaire was delivered to investigate their attitudes towards different aspects during the time working for the newspaper. The findings indicate that the school newspaper has reinforced its members’ writing skill and their motivations for writing are bound to external factors. The research results would suggest further applications of student – run newspapers in various educational contexts.
Improving Teacher Pedagogic Competences in Remote Areas through Lesson Study Activity
Authors: Asari Slamet , Fauziyah Nur , Uchtiawati Sri
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a community service activity on improving teachers’ pedagogic competence in Bawean Island of Gresik Regency, Indonesia. The treatment method was based on a model of special education profession in a remote island by implementing lesson study activity introduced and developed previously on different period of community services. The samples of this activity were teachers from a Junior High School and a Senior High School in Tambak, sub-district of Bawean Island. Ten teachers from those two schools were chosen using snowball sampling technique. The data collection methods used were observation and interview. The lesson study activity implemented three cycles with stages such as Plan, Do and See. The results of this community service program indicate that there is an improvement in pedagogic trait of teacher competence as shown in teacher skills in developing teaching and learning plans, implementing learning and evaluating learning.
Reading and Writing Experiences of Middle School Students in the Digital Age: Wattpad Sample
Authors: Bal Mazhar
Published: June 2018

This study aimed to determine the in-school and out-of-school reading and writing experiences of middle school students. This study used phenomenology from qualitative research methods. All 12 participants (8 female, 4 male) were middle school grade 6 students. Various data collection techniques were employed: a survey and a semi-structured interview about the use of Wattpad, a semi-structured interview about the Turkish language subject, a semi-structured interview about the relationship between in-school and out-of-school reading and writing experiences, a diary of the students’ Wattpad reading list, a diary of the students’ Wattpad writing list, and the texts written by the students on Wattpad. Data collection lasted 16 weeks. The data collected from the survey questionnaire were analyzed descriptively. The data from the semi-structured interviews and diaries were analyzed using content analysis. The results indicated that most of the participants had a negative perception of in-school reading. Similar conclusions were drawn from the results in-school writing because most of the participants felt restricted and under pressure during the in-school writing process. Wattpad was considered a venue where participants can express themselves comfortably. The participants shared positive experiences characterized by willingness, diversity, meaningfulness, and entertainment. By contrast, in-school reading evoked negative experiences, such as feeling obliged, bored, and restricted, and perceiving the activity as meaningless. Out-of-school writing experiences were determined to promote internal motivation, to develop self-expression of one’s anxiety and enjoyment alike, and to develop digital writing skills in out-of-school writing experiences. Overall, no relationship was found between in-school and out-of-school reading and writing experiences.
Performance of Reverse Water Gas Shift on Coprecipitated and C‐Templated BaFe‐Hexaaluminate: The Effect of Fe Loading, Texture, and Promotion with K
Authors: Utsis Natalie , Landau Miron V. , Erenburg Alexander , Nehemya Roxana Vidruk , Herskowitz Moti
Published: June 2018

The effects of chemical composition, texture, and promotion with potassium of coprecipitated and carbon‐templated BaFe‐hexaaluminate catalysts on their performance in reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction were studied in a fixed‐bed catalytic reactor at T=350 °C, p=20 bar, H2: CO2 of 3. The methane selectivity at these conditions did not exceed 0.1 %. It was established that the rate of RWGS is strongly affected by the catalysts iron content gradually increasing up to 45 % Fe. Decreasing the catalyst nanocrystals platelets size (diameter/thickness) from 500–800/50–80 nm to 150–250/30–50 nm (SEM) by implementing the CT increased the surface area and the rates of reaction. Modeling of the redox cycle of RWGS by CO2‐TPD, TP reaction and TP reduction indicated that H2 reduction is needed for regeneration of active sites Fe2+ ions associated with oxygen vacancies. Potassium displayed a strong promotion effect on the activity of Ba−Fe‐hexaaluminates. At optimal K content of 6 wt %, the RWGS rates increased by a factor of 12–15 without changing the TOF number. This was attributed to increasing concentration of active sites due to the reduction of Fe3+ ions (XPS).
Pregnancy as a valuable period for preventing hypoxia‐ischemia brain damage
Authors: Netto C.A. , Sanches E.F. , Odorcyk F. , Duran‐Carabali L.E. , Sizonenko S.V.
Published: June 2018

Neonatal brain Hypoxia–Ischemia (HI) is one of the major causes of infant mortality and lifelong neurological disabilities. The knowledge about the physiopathological mechanisms involved in HI lesion have increased in recent years, however these findings have not been translated into clinical practice. Current therapeutic approaches remain limited; hypothermia, used only in term or near‐term infants, is the golden standard. Epidemiological evidence shows a link between adverse prenatal conditions and increased risk for diseases, health problems, and psychological outcomes later in life, what makes pregnancy a relevant period for preventing future brain injury. Here, we review experimental literature regarding preventive interventions used during pregnancy, i.e., previous to the HI injury, encompassing pharmacological, nutritional and/or behavioral strategies. Literature review used PubMed database. A total of forty one studies reported protective properties of maternal treatments preventing perinatal hypoxia‐ischemia injury in rodents. Pharmacological agents and dietary supplementation showed mainly anti‐excitotoxicity, anti‐oxidant or anti‐apoptotic properties. Interestingly, maternal preconditioning, physical exercise and environmental enrichment seem to engage the same referred mechanisms in order to protect neonatal brain against injury. This construct must be challenged by further studies to clearly define the main mechanisms responsible for neuroprotection to be explored in experimental context, as well as to test their potential in clinical settings.
Researching Irish art in its educational context
Authors: Turpin John
Published: June 2018

Documentary sources for Irish art are widely scattered and vulnerable. The art library of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts was destroyed by bombardment during the Rising of 1916 against British rule. The absence of degree courses in art history delayed the development of art libraries until the 1960s when art history degrees were established at University College Dublin, and Trinity College Dublin. In the 1970s the state founded the Regional Technical Colleges all over Ireland with their art and design courses. Modern approaches to art education had transformed the education of artists and designers with a new emphasis on concept rather than skill acquisition. This led to theoretical teaching and the growth of art sections in the college libraries. Well qualified graduates and staff led the way in the universities and colleges to a greater emphasis on research. Archive centres of documentation on Irish art opened at the National Gallery of Ireland, Trinity College and the Irish Architectural Archive. At NCAD the National Irish Visual Arts Archive (NIVAL) became the main depository for documentation on 20th century Irish art and design. Many other libraries exist with holdings of relevance to the history of Irish art, notably the National Library of Ireland, the Royal Irish Academy, the Royal Dublin Society, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and the National Archives.
Individual responses of rodents in modelling of affective disorders and in their treatment: prospective review
Authors: Einat Haim , Ezer Itamar , Kara Nirit Z , Belzung Catherine
Published: June 2018

Introduction

Lack of good animal models for affective disorders, including major depression and bipolar disorder, is noted as a major bottleneck in attempts to study these disorders and develop better treatments. We suggest that an important approach that can help in the development and use of better models is attention to variability between model animals.

Results

Differences between mice strains were studied for some decades now, and sex differences get more attention than in the past. It is suggested that one factor that is mostly neglected, individual variability within groups, should get much more attention. The importance of individual differences in behavioral biology and ecology was repeatedly mentioned but its application to models of affective illness or to the study of drug response was not heavily studied. The standard approach is to overcome variability by standardization and by increasing the number of animals per group.

Conclusions

Possibly, the individuality of specific animals and their unique responses to a variety of stimuli and drugs, can be helpful in deciphering the underlying biology of affective behaviors as well as offer better prediction of drug responses in patients.
Solar Coronal Loop Dynamics Near the Null Point Above Active Region NOAA 2666
Authors: Filippov B.
Published: June 2018

We analyse observations of a saddle-like structure in the corona above the western limb of the Sun on 2017 July 18. The structure was clearly outlined by coronal loops with typical coronal temperature no more than 1 MK. The dynamics of loops showed convergence towards the centre of the saddle in the vertical direction and divergence in the horizontal direction. The event is a clear example of smooth coronal magnetic field reconnection. No heating manifestations in the reconnection region or magnetically connected areas were observed. Potential magnetic field calculations, which use as the boundary condition the SDO/HMI magnetogram taken on July 14, showed the presence of a null point at the height of 122 arcsec above the photosphere just at the centre of the saddle structure. The shape of field lines fits the fan-spine magnetic configuration above NOAA 2666.
Could Captain Scott have been saved? Cecil Meares and the ‘second journey’ that failed: a response to Bill Alp
Authors: May Karen
Published: June 2018

Alp makes some factual corrections regarding the ‘second obfuscation’ and ‘third obfuscation’ identified in the article. Regarding the ‘second obfuscation’, Alp is correct that the man-haulers (of the 3 X.S. supplies) had not yet returned from base on 17 January 1912, and would not return until 23 January. However, Alp's objection does not exonerate Meares. On 31 January 1912, expedition member Apsley Cherry-Garrard recorded that Meares supposedly had considered departing on the ‘second journey’, but had been assured by the man-haulers that there was already ‘plenty for all parties’ with ‘what they had left at 1 Ton’. The key date was 17 January 1912, when Meares still had time to either leave (for the ‘second journey’, a projected two-week depot run) or remain at base. Meares’ inaction on that date therefore cannot be excused by reassurance from the man-haulers on what they ‘had left’ at One Ton, as on 17 January the man-haulers had not yet returned to base to deliver such reassurance.
An outbreak of listeriosis linked to turkey meat products in the Czech Republic, 2012–2016
Authors: Gelbíčová T. , Zobaníková M. , Tomáštíková Z. , Van Walle I. , Ruppitsch W. , Karpíšková R.
Published: June 2018

Since 2012–2016 an increased number of listeriosis cases, especially from one region of the Czech Republic, were observed. Most of them were caused by strains of serotype 1/2a, clonal complex 8, indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Twenty-six human cases were reported, including two neonatal cases in twins. Three cases were fatal. The typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food enabled to confirm a turkey meat delicatessen as the vehicle of infection for this local outbreak in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The food strains belonging to identical pulsotype were isolated from ready-to-eat turkey meat products packaged by the same producer between 2012 and 2016. This fact confirms that the described L. monocytogenes outbreak strain probably persisted in the environment of the aforementioned food-processing plant over several years. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed a very close relationship (zero to seven different alleles) between isolates from humans, foods and swabs from the environment of the food-processing plant under investigation.
An Examination of the Composition and Microstructure of Coarse Intermetallic Particles in AA2099-T8, Including Li Detection
Authors: MacRae Colin M. , Hughes Anthony E. , Laird James S. , Glenn A. M. , Wilson Nicholas C. , Torpy Aaron , Gibson Mark A. , Zhou Xiaorong , Birbilis Nick , Thompson George E.
Published: June 2018

Electron and proton microprobes, along with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis were used to study the microstructure of the contemporary Al–Cu–Li alloy AA2099-T8. In electron probe microanalysis, wavelength and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry were used in parallel with soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (SXES) to characterize the microstructure of AA2099-T8. The electron microprobe was able to identify five unique compositions for constituent intermetallic (IM) particles containing combinations of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. A sixth IM type was found to be rich in Ti and B (suggesting TiB2), and a seventh IM type contained Si. EBSD patterns for the five constituent IM particles containing Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn indicated that they were isomorphous with four phases in the 2xxx series aluminium alloys including Al6(Fe, Mn), Al13(Fe, Mn)4 (two slightly different compositions), Al37Cu2Fe12 and Al7Cu2Fe. SXES revealed that Li was present in some constituent IM particles. Al SXES mapping revealed an Al-enriched (i.e., Cu, Li-depleted) zone in the grain boundary network. From the EBSD analysis, the kernel average misorientation map showed higher levels of localized misorientation in this region, suggesting greater deformation or stored energy. Proton-induced X-ray emission revealed banding of the TiB2 IM particles and Cu inter-band enrichment.
RIESZ TRANSFORMS AND LITTLEWOOD–PALEY SQUARE FUNCTION ASSOCIATED TO SCHRÖDINGER OPERATORS ON NEW WEIGHTED SPACES
Authors: TRONG NGUYEN NGOC , TRUONG LE XUAN
Published: June 2018

Let ${\mathcal{L}}=-\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E5}+{\mathcal{V}}$ be a Schrödinger operator on $\mathbb{R}^{n},n\geq 3$, where ${\mathcal{V}}$ is a potential satisfying an appropriate reverse Hölder inequality. In this paper, we prove the boundedness of the Riesz transforms and the Littlewood–Paley square function associated with Schrödinger operators ${\mathcal{L}}$ in some new function spaces, such as new weighted Bounded Mean Oscillation (BMO) and weighted Lipschitz spaces, associated with ${\mathcal{L}}$. Our results extend certain well-known results.
Biopsychosocial distress and clinical outcome in metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Bergerot Cristiane Decat , Clark Karen Lynn , Ashing Kimlin Tam , Bergerot Paulo Gustavo , Obenchain Richard , Dizman Nazli , Hsu JoAnn , Philip Errol , Loscalzo Matthew , Pal Sumanta Kumar
Published: June 2018

Objective

Limited research exists examining the biopsychosocial experience of patients diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), a disease commonly associated with a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to describe rates and types of distress in mRCC patients and explore the relationship between distress and overall survival.

Method

A cohort of 102 patients with mRCC treated at a single institution was assessed by a touch screen–based instrument comprising 22 core items spanning physical, practical, functional, and emotional domains. Association between biopsychosocial distress and clinicopathologic criteria was interrogated. Overall survival was compared between patients with low distress versus high distress.

Result

High rates of distress (20.7%) were found among patients newly diagnosed with mRCC. Among those domains contributing to distress, pain, fatigue, and financial comorbidity were the most commonly reported by patients with mRCC. A trend toward poorer overall survival in those patients with high distress versus low distress was observed among mRCC patients.

Significance of results

Based on data from a relatively large sample of patients, this study provides the first specific insights into the potential impact of biopsychosocial distress and outcomes among patients with mRCC.
Electrochemical strategies for C–H functionalization and C–N bond formation
Authors: Kärkäs Markus D.
Published: June 2018

This review provides an overview of the use of electrochemistry as an appealing platform for expediting carbon–hydrogen functionalization and carbon–nitrogen bond formation.
Enabling multi-electron reaction of ε-VOPO4 to reach theoretical capacity for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Siu Carrie , Seymour Ieuan D. , Britto Sylvia , Zhang Hanlei , Rana Jatinkumar , Feng Jun , Omenya Fredrick O. , Zhou Hui , Chernova Natasha A. , Zhou Guangwen , Grey Clare P. , Piper Louis F. J. , Whittingham M. Stanley
Published: June 2018

Synthesizing highly crystalline nano-sized ε-VOPO4 particles is the key to achieve theoretical capacity of 2 Li+ intercalation in lithium-ion batteries.
Surfactant-free synthesis of Cu2O yolk–shell cubes decorated with Pt nanoparticles for enhanced H2O2 detection
Authors: Lv Jian , Kong Chuncai , Liu Ke , Yin Lu , Ma Bo , Zhang Xiaojing , Yang Sen , Yang Zhimao
Published: June 2018

Novel Cu2O yolk–shell cubes decorated with Pt nanoparticles show excellent performance for the nonenzymatic detection of H2O2.
Atomic layer deposition of TiO2 shells on MoO3 nanobelts allowing enhanced lithium storage performance
Authors: Xie Sanmu , Cao Daxian , She Yiyi , Wang Hongkang , Shi Jian-Wen , Leung Micheal K H , Niu Chunming
Published: June 2018

Atomic layer deposition of TiO2 shells on MoO3 nanobelts greatly improved the lithium storage performance.
MRI and luminescence detection of Zn2+ with a lanthanide complex–zinc finger peptide conjugate
Authors: Isaac Manon , Pallier Agnès , Szeremeta Frédéric , Bayle Pierre-Alain , Barantin Laurent , Bonnet Célia S. , Sénèque Olivier
Published: June 2018

A zinc finger peptide provides an excellent scaffold for the design of lanthanide-based luminescent and MRI Zn2+-responsive probes
Surface energies and nanocrystal stability in the orthorhombic and π-phases of tin and germanium monochalcogenides
Authors: Segev Elad , Abutbul Ran E. , Argaman Uri , Golan Yuval , Makov Guy
Published: June 2018

Structures and energies of preferred surfaces of Sn and Ge monochalcogenides characterized and modelled.