bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TRPA1 Channel is Involved in SLIGRL-Evoked Thermal and Mechanical Hyperalgesia in Mice
Authors: Tsagareli Merab G. , Nozadze Ivliane , Tsiklauri Nana , Gurtskaia Gulnaz
Published: April 2019

Persistent itch (pruritus) accompanying dermatologic and systemic diseases can significantly impair the quality of life. It is well known that itch is broadly categorized as histaminergic (sensitive to antihistamine medications) or non-histaminergic. Sensory neurons expressing Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptors (Mrgprs) mediate histamine-independent itch. These receptors have been shown to bind selective pruritogens in the periphery and mediate non-histaminergic itch. For example, mouse MrgprA3 responds to chloroquine (an anti-malarial drug), and are responsible for relaying chloroquine-induced scratching in mice. Mouse MrgprC11 responds to a different subset of pruritogens including bovine adrenal medulla peptide (BAM8–22) and the peptide Ser-Leu-Ile-Gly-Arg-Leu (SLIGRL). On the other hand, the possibility that itch mediators also influence pain is supported by recent findings that most non-histaminergic itch mediators require the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channel. We have recently found a significant increase of thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia induced by non-histaminergic pruritogens chloroquine and BAM8–22, injected into mice hindpaw, for the first 30–45 min. Pretreatment with TRPA1 channel antagonist HC-030031 did significantly reduce the magnitude of this hyperalgesia, as well as significantly shortened the time-course of hyperalgesia induced by chloroquine and BAM8–22. Here, we report that MrgprC11-mediated itch by their agonist SLIGRL is accompanied by heat and mechanical hyperalgesia via the TRPA1 channel. We measured nociceptive thermal paw withdrawal latencies and mechanical thresholds bilaterally in mice at various time points following intra-plantar injection of SLIGRL producing hyperalgesia. When pretreated with the TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031, we found a significant reduction of thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia.
Comparison of Clinical Symptoms and Cardiac Lesions in Children with Typical and Atypical Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Behmadi Maryam , Alizadeh Behzad , Malek Abdolreza
Published: April 2019

The present study was performed to evaluate the clinical symptoms and cardiovascular complications in patients with typical and atypical Kawasaki disease (KD). This retrospective study was conducted on the medical records of 176 patients with KD for three years. The study population was divided into two groups of typical and atypical based on the KD clinical criteria. The two groups were compared in terms of demographic data, clinical symptoms, cardiac lesions, and laboratory markers. Based on the diagnostic criteria, 105 (60%) and 71 (40%) patients were diagnosed with typical and atypical KD, respectively. The mean age of the typical patients (38.16 months) was higher than that of the atypical group (24.03 months) at the time of diagnosis (p < 0.05). The results revealed no significant difference between the two groups regarding the seasonal distribution of KD onset (p = 0.422). However, the most common season for the diagnosis of the disease was spring, followed by winter. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of fever duration (p = 0.39). Furthermore, vomiting was more common in the atypical patients than in the typical group (p = 0.017). In terms of the cardiac lesions, ectasia (p = 0.005) and lack of tapering of the distal coronary vessels (p = 0.015) were more frequently detected in the atypical group than in the typical group. Considering the laboratory findings, thrombocytosis (p = 0.010) and anemia (p = 0.048) were more common in the atypical group, compared to those in the typical group. On the other hand, the typical group had a higher serum alanine aminotransferase level (adjusted for age) (p = 0.012) and Hyponatremia (serum sodium concentration ≤130 mmol/L) (p = 0.034). Based on the findings of the current study, the fever duration from onset to diagnosis was slightly more in atypical KD patients than in the typical group, but not statistically significant, possibly due to more timely diagnosis of atypical KD. There was no difference in coronary aneurysm between the two groups at the time of diagnosis. The atypical group had a higher frequency of coronary ectasia and lack of tapering, indicating cardiac involvement. Consequently, these conditions should be given more attention in the atypical patients. Furthermore, the higher frequency of anemia and thrombocytosis in the atypical patients can be useful for diagnosis of this kind of KD.
Continuous Phase Plate Structuring by Multi-Aperture Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Processing
Authors: Li Duo , Li Na , Su Xing , Liu Kan , Ji Peng , Wang Bo
Published: April 2019

A multi-aperture atmospheric pressure plasma processing (APPP) method was proposed to structure the continuous phase plate (CPP). The APPP system was presented and removal investigation showed the removal function of APPP was of a high repeatability and robustness to the small disturbance of gas flows. A mathematical model for the multi-aperture structuring process was established and the simulation analysis indicated the advantages of the proposed method in terms of balancing the efficiency and accuracy of the process. The experimental results showed that multi-aperture APPP has the ability to structure a 30 mm × 30 mm CPP with the accuracy of 163.4 nm peak to valley (PV) and 31.7 nm root mean square (RMS).
Synthesis of Chromen-4-One-Oxadiazole Substituted Analogs as Potent β-Glucuronidase Inhibitors
Authors: Taha Muhammad , Rahim Fazal , Ali Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Naseem , Alqahtani Mohammed A. , Bamarouf Yasser A. , Gollapalli Mohammed , Farooq Rai Khalid , Shah Syed Adnan Ali , Ahmed Qamar Uddin , Zakaria Zainul Amiruddin
Published: April 2019

Chromen-4-one substituted oxadiazole analogs 1–19 have been synthesized, characterized and evaluated for β-glucuronidase inhibition. All analogs exhibited a variable degree of β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging in between 0.8 ± 0.1–42.3 ± 0.8 μM when compared with the standard d-saccharic acid 1,4 lactone (IC50 = 48.1 ± 1.2 μM). Structure activity relationship has been established for all compounds. Molecular docking studies were performed to predict the binding interaction of the compounds with the active site of enzyme.
Determination of the [15N]-Nitrate/[14N]-Nitrate Ratio in Plant Feeding Studies by GC–MS
Authors: Schramm Sebastian , Boco Maria Fe Angela Comia , Manzer Sarah , König Oliver , Zhang Tong , Mony Fatima Tuz Zohora , Adedeji-Badmus Adebimpe Nafisat , Poppenberger Brigitte , Rozhon Wilfried
Published: April 2019

Feeding experiments with stable isotopes are helpful tools for investigation of metabolic fluxes and biochemical pathways. For assessing nitrogen metabolism, the heavier nitrogen isotope, [15N], has been frequently used. In plants, it is usually applied in form of [15N]-nitrate, which is assimilated mainly in leaves. Thus, methods for quantification of the [15N]-nitrate/[14N]-nitrate ratio in leaves are useful for the planning and evaluation of feeding and pulse–chase experiments. Here we describe a simple and sensitive method for determining the [15N]-nitrate to [14N]-nitrate ratio in leaves. Leaf discs (8 mm diameter, approximately 10 mg fresh weight) were sufficient for analysis, allowing a single leaf to be sampled multiple times. Nitrate was extracted with hot water and derivatized with mesitylene in the presence of sulfuric acid to nitromesitylene. The derivatization product was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with electron ionization. Separation of the derivatized samples required only 6 min. The method shows excellent repeatability with intraday and interday standard deviations of less than 0.9 mol%. Using the method, we show that [15N]-nitrate declines in leaves of hydroponically grown Crassocephalum crepidioides, an African orphan crop, with a biological half-life of 4.5 days after transfer to medium containing [14N]-nitrate as the sole nitrogen source.
Trastuzumab-Modified Gold Nanoparticles Labeled with 211At as a Prospective Tool for Local Treatment of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Dziawer Łucja , Majkowska-Pilip Agnieszka , Gaweł Damian , Godlewska Marlena , Pruszyński Marek , Jastrzębski Jerzy , Wąs Bogdan , Bilewicz Aleksander
Published: April 2019

Highly localized radiotherapy with radionuclides is a commonly used treatment modality for patients with unresectable solid tumors. Herein, we propose a novel α-nanobrachytherapy approach for selective therapy of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. This uses local intratumoral injection of 5-nm-diameter gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) labeled with an α-emitter (211At), modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains and attached to HER2-specific monoclonal antibody (trastuzumab). The size, shape, morphology, and zeta potential of the 5 nm synthesized AuNPs were characterized by TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) techniques. The gold nanoparticle surface was modified by PEG and subsequently used for antibody immobilization. Utilizing the high affinity of gold for heavy halogens, the bioconjugate was labelled with 211At obtained by α irradiation of the bismuth target. The labeling yield of 211At was greater than 99%. 211At bioconjugates were stable in human serum. Additionally, in vitro biological studies indicated that 211At-AuNP-PEG-trastuzumab exhibited higher affinity and cytotoxicity towards the HER2-overexpressing human ovarian SKOV-3 cell line than unmodified nanoparticles. Confocal and dark field microscopy studies revealed that 211At-AuNP-PEG-trastuzumab was effectively internalized and deposited near the nucleus. These findings show promising potential for the 211At-AuNP-PEG-trastuzumab radiobioconjugate as a perspective therapeutic agent in the treatment of unresectable solid cancers expressing HER2 receptors.
Nanoscale Characterization of V-Defect in InGaN/GaN QWs LEDs Using Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy
Authors: Li Yufeng , Tang Weihan , Zhang Ye , Guo Maofeng , Li Qiang , Su Xilin , Li Aixing , Yun Feng
Published: April 2019

The size of the V-defects in the GaN/InGaN-based quantum wells blue light-emitting diode (LED) was intentionally modified from 50 nm to 300 nm. High resolution photoluminescence and electroluminescence of a single large V-defect were investigated by near-field scanning optical microscopy. The current distribution along the {10-11} facets of the large defect was measured by conductive atomic force microscopy. Nearly 20 times the current injection and dominant emission from bottom quantum wells were found in the V-defect compared to its vicinity. Such enhanced current injection into the bottom part of quantum wells through V-defect results in higher light output power. Reduced external quantum efficiency droops were achieved due to more uniform carrier distribution. The un-encapsulated fabricated chip shows light output power of 172.5 mW and 201.7 mW at 400 mA, and external quantum efficiency drop of 22.3% and 15.4% for the sample without and with large V-defects, respectively. Modified V-defects provide a simple and effective approach to suppress the efficiency droop problem that occurs at high current injection, while improving overall quantum efficiency.
Preparation and Physicochemical Stability of Liquid Oral Dosage Forms Free of Potentially Harmful Excipient Designed for Pediatric Patients
Authors: Binson Guillaume , Beuzit Karine , Migeot Virginie , Marco Léa , Troussier Barbara , Venisse Nicolas , Dupuis Antoine
Published: April 2019

Dexamethasone, hydrochlorothiazide, spironolactone, and phenytoin are commonly used in neonates, but no age-appropriate formulation containing these active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is commercially available. Thus, pharmaceutical compounding of the liquid oral dosage form is required to enable newborn administration. A problem common to the compounded preparations described in the literature is that they include potentially harmful excipients (PHEs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of compounding oral liquid dosage forms free of PHE, containing dexamethasone, hydrochlorothiazide, phenytoin, or spironolactone and to assess their physicochemical stability. Due to the poor water solubility of the targeted APIs, oral suspensions were compounded using Syrspend® SF-PH4 Dry, a suspending vehicle free of PHE. Four HPLC coupled to UV spectrometry (HPLC-UV) stability-indicating methods were developed and validated according to international guidelines to assay the strength of the targeted APIs. Whatever storage condition was used (5 ± 3 °C or 22 ± 4 °C), no significant degradation of API occurred in compounded oral suspensions. Overall, the results attest to the physical and chemical stability of the four oral liquid dosage forms over 60 days under regular storage temperatures. Finally, the use of the proposed oral suspensions provides a reliable solution to reduce the exposure of children to potentially harmful excipients.
Anisotropic Cellulose Nanofibers/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Graphene Aerogels Fabricated by Directional Freeze-drying as Effective Oil Adsorbents
Authors: Zhou Lijie , Zhai Shengcheng , Chen Yiming , Xu Zhaoyang
Published: April 2019

Under the current situation of frequent oil spills, the development of green and recyclable high-efficiency oil-absorbing aerogel materials has attracted wide attention from researchers. In this study, we report a high-strength, three-dimensional hydrophobic cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/graphene oxide (GO) composite aerogel with an anisotropic porous structure, which was fabricated by directional freeze-drying technology using anisotropically grown ice crystals as a template, followed by hydrophobic treatment with a simple dip coating process. The prepared composite aerogel presented anisotropic multi-level pore microstructures, low density (17.95 mg/cm3) and high porosity (98.8%), good hydrophobicity (water contact angle of 142°) and great adsorption capacity (oil absorption reaching 96 times its own weight). More importantly, the oriented aerogel had high strength, whose compressive stress at 80% strain reached 0.22 MPa and could bear more than 22,123 times its own weight without deformation. Therefore, the CNF/PVA/GO composite aerogel prepared by a simple and easy-to-operate directional freeze-drying method is a promising absorbent for oil-water separation.
Filter Variable Selection Algorithm Using Risk Ratios for Dimensionality Reduction of Healthcare Data for Classification
Authors: Bodur Ersin Kuset , Atsa’am Donald Douglas
Published: April 2019

This research developed and tested a filter algorithm that serves to reduce the feature space in healthcare datasets. The algorithm binarizes the dataset, and then separately evaluates the risk ratio of each predictor with the response, and outputs ratios that represent the association between a predictor and the class attribute. The value of the association translates to the importance rank of the corresponding predictor in determining the outcome. Using Random Forest and Logistic regression classification, the performance of the developed algorithm was compared against the regsubsets and varImp functions, which are unsupervised methods of variable selection. Equally, the proposed algorithm was compared with the supervised Fisher score and Pearson’s correlation feature selection methods. Different datasets were used for the experiment, and, in the majority of the cases, the predictors selected by the new algorithm outperformed those selected by the existing algorithms. The proposed filter algorithm is therefore a reliable alternative for variable ranking in data mining classification tasks with a dichotomous response.
GIS and Remote Sensing Aided Information for Soil Moisture Estimation: A Comparative Study of Interpolation Techniques
Authors: Srivastava Prashant K. , Pandey Prem C. , Petropoulos George P. , Kourgialas Nektarios N. , Pandey Varsha , Singh Ujjwal
Published: April 2019

Soil moisture represents a vital component of the ecosystem, sustaining life-supporting activities at micro and mega scales. It is a highly required parameter that may vary significantly both spatially and temporally. Due to this fact, its estimation is challenging and often hard to obtain especially over large, heterogeneous surfaces. This study aimed at comparing the performance of four widely used interpolation methods in estimating soil moisture using GPS-aided information and remote sensing. The Distance Weighting (IDW), Spline, Ordinary Kriging models and Kriging with External Drift (KED) interpolation techniques were employed to estimate soil moisture using 82 soil moisture field-measured values. Of those measurements, data from 54 soil moisture locations were used for calibration and the remaining data for validation purposes. The study area selected was Varanasi City, India covering an area of 1535 km2. The soil moisture distribution results demonstrate the lowest RMSE (root mean square error, 8.69%) for KED, in comparison to the other approaches. For KED, the soil organic carbon information was incorporated as a secondary variable. The study results contribute towards efforts to overcome the issue of scarcity of soil moisture information at local and regional scales. It also provides an understandable method to generate and produce reliable spatial continuous datasets of this parameter, demonstrating the added value of geospatial analysis techniques for this purpose.
Evidence of Instability in Previously-Mapped Landslides as Measured Using GPS, Optical, and SAR Data between 2007 and 2017: A Case Study in the Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex, California
Authors: Bouali El Hachemi , Oommen Thomas , Escobar-Wolf Rüdiger
Published: April 2019

Velocity dictates the destructive potential of a landslide. A combination of synthetic aperture radar (SAR), optical, and GPS data were used to maximize spatial and temporal coverage to monitor continuously-moving portions of the Portuguese Bend landslide complex on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California. Forty SAR images from the COSMO-SkyMed satellite, acquired between 19 July 2012 and 27 September 2014, were processed using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI). Eight optical images from the WorldView-2 satellite, acquired between 20 February 2011 and 16 February 2016, were processed using the Co-registration of Optically Sensed Images and Correlation (COSI-Corr) technique. Displacement measurements were taken at GPS monuments between September 2007 and May 2017. Incremental and average deformations across the landslide complex were measured using all three techniques. Velocity measured within the landslide complex ranges from slow (> 1.6 m/year) to extremely slow (< 16 mm/year). COSI-Corr and GPS provide detailed coverage of m/year-scale deformation while PSI can measure extremely slow deformation rates (mm/year-scale), which COSI-Corr and GPS cannot do reliably. This case study demonstrates the applicability of SAR, optical, and GPS data synthesis as a complimentary approach to repeat field monitoring and mapping to changes in landslide activity through time.
A New Approach for Multifunctional Zoning of Territorial Space: The Panxi Area of the Upper Yangtze River in China Case Study
Authors: Zhang Jifei , Liu Chunyan , Chang Fei
Published: April 2019

Multifunctional zoning is the primary basis for developing differentiated spatial planning systems and management policies of territorial spaces. The purpose of the paper is to generate an integrated multifunctional zoning scheme of the territorial space in Panxi by employing the functional significance assessment funded on the niche theory and its measurement models, in order to benefit the high efficiency land utilization and other socioeconomic development initiatives, such as the industrial poverty alleviation and mountainous urbanization in the regional scale. In this paper, the six main functions of territorial space were selected and the corresponding index systems were established for the Panxi Area. First, the significances of six territorial functions were evaluated using two niche models. Second, the K-means clustering method was employed to cluster the functional significance grades, acquiring the integrated multifunctional zoning scheme after qualitative adjustment. The results showed that the spatial distribution characteristics of the functional significance for territorial spaces were different. Prominent regions with higher functional significance of agricultural production were concentrated in the vicinity of the Anning River Basin. The distributions of higher significance for industrial development and mineral resources supply functions were correlated with the overall economic development in the Panxi Area. The regions with higher functional significance for tourism & leisure showed advantages on tourist attractions’ quality. The regions with higher significance for habitat service and ecosystem services functions presented advantages on good livability and ecological conditions. The integrated multifunctional zoning scheme for territorial space was highly in consistence with the Major Function Oriented Zoning of Sichuan Province and the “Thirteen Five” Development Plan for Panxi Economic Zone. Generally, the results indicated the rationality and feasibility of the research method, which provides a theoretical basis for coordinating and shaping the structure and pattern of territorial spaces, especially in the mountainous environment with distinct geographical as well as functional differences.
Managing Multiple Logics: The Role of Performance Measurement Systems in Social Enterprises
Authors: Nielsen Janni Grouleff , Lueg Rainer , Liempd Dennis van
Published: April 2019

This systematic literature review explores the role of performance measurement systems (PMSs) in managing multiple logics in social enterprises. Social enterprises are hybrid organizations that simultaneously pursue a social mission (social logic) and financial sustainability (commercial logic). Satisfying multiple logics often leads to tensions, which are addressed and managed through PMSs. For this, we conduct a systematic literature review to derive our conclusions. PMSs in social enterprises may assume the roles of mediator, disrupter and symbolizer. The PMS works as a mediator in combination with sincere stakeholder involvement when both logics are represented in the PMS. If a PMS represents only one logic, it increases tensions and the PMS becomes a disrupter. When the PMS is used to enhance legitimacy, the PMS assumes the role of a symbolizer. In particular, we find that PMSs are most useful for monitoring performance and enhancing legitimacy. The role of PMSs in decision-making is limited due to difficulties of integrating social and commercial logics into a single PMS. Several factors—such as decision-makers’ influence—further shape the role of PMSs.
Archaeometric Approaches to Defining Sustainable Governance: Wari Brewing Traditions and the Building of Political Relationships in Ancient Peru
Authors: Williams Patrick Ryan , J. Nash Donna , Henkin Joshua M. , Armitage Ruth Ann
Published: April 2019

Utilizing archaeometric methods, we evaluate the nature of production of feasting events in the ancient Wari state (600–1000 CE). Specifically, we focus on the fabrication of ceramic serving and brewing wares for the alcoholic beverage chicha de molle. We examine the source materials used in the creation of these vessels with elemental analysis techniques (INAA and LA-ICP-MS). We then assess the chemical traces of the residues present in the ceramic pores of the vessels to detect compounds indicative of the plants used in chicha production (DART-MS).While previous research has identified circumstantial evidence for the use of Schinus molle in the production process, this research presents direct evidence of its existence in the pores of the ceramic vessels. We also assess what this material evidence suggests about the sustainability of the feasting events as a mode of political interaction in the Wari sphere. Our evaluation indicates that regional resource use in the production of the ceramic vessels promoted locally sustainable raw material procurement for the making of the festivities. Likewise, drought resistant crops became the key ingredients in the beverages produced and provided a resilient harvest for chicha production that was adopted by successor groups.
Research on Farmers’ Willingness of Land Transfer Behavior Based on Food Security
Authors: Wang Haizi , Li Chaowei , Liu Juan , Zhang Shibin
Published: April 2019

In China, the current household contract responsibility system has been unable to adapt to the commercialization and marketization of rural cultivated land. Rural land transfer is allowed by the government as a supplement to the household contract responsibility system. However, in 2016, the rural land circulating in China accounted for only 35% of the total national rural land area and there were many problems with the process of land circulation. Therefore, the rural revitalization strategy in China must focus on how to promote rural land circulation with high efficiency to ensure food security in China and high quality to realize the sustainable development of rural land resources. In this study, based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), two structural equation models (SEM) for rural land inflow and rural land outflow were used to compare and examine the key factors affecting farmers’ intention to engage in rural land circulation in Shandong Province. Data analysed from a survey of 549 farmers showed that behavioural attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptual behavioural control have a significant impact on farmers’ intention to engage in rural land circulation, and only subjective norms had a negative impact on the land inflow intention model. Behavioural attitudes had the greatest impact in the two models, but the impact paths of the two models were different. In the rural land inflow intention model, the intrinsic value of cultivated land is important to farmers, whereas in the rural land outflow model, the economic rationality of transferring land was mainly considered. The importance of perceptual behavioural control in the rural land outflow model was greater than it was in the rural land inflow model. The results of this research can provide a reference for formulating government policies, achieving the sustainable development of land resources, and guaranteeing food supply.
Basketball Action Data Processing Method Based on Mode Symmetric Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Fei , Jiang Yi
Published: April 2019

In the course of basketball training, a large number of basketball action data are generated according to the athletes’ body movements. Due to the low precision of the basketball action data processed by the traditional method in basketball technical training, basketball action processing is not in place. The basketball motion data processing method, based on the mode symmetric algorithm was studied. The basketball motion detection algorithm based on symmetric difference and background reduction was used to remove the background influence of basketball movement and obtain the binary basketball action target image containing the data. On this basis, the pole symmetric mode decomposition (ESMD) method was used to modally decompose the binary basketball action target image containing the data, and the least squares method was used to optimize the elliptic (AGM) curve to realize the screening of basketball action modal data. Through the cleaning and integration of basketball action modal data, integration and data reduction basketball action modal data, the data was processed efficiently. The experimental results showed that the proposed method was a high precision and high efficiency basketball action data processing method.
Boosting Memory-Based Collaborative Filtering Using Content-Metadata
Authors: Kim Kyung Soo , Chang Doo Soo , Choi Yong Suk
Published: April 2019

Recommendation systems are widely used in conjunction with many popular personalized services, which enables people to find not only content items they are currently interested in, but also those in which they might become interested. Many recommendation systems employ the memory-based collaborative filtering (CF) method, which has been generally accepted as one of consensus approaches. Despite the usefulness of the CF method for successful recommendation, several limitations remain, such as sparsity and cold-start problems that degrade the performance of CF systems in practice. To overcome these limitations, we propose a content-metadata-based approach that uses content-metadata in an effective way. By complementarily combining content-metadata with conventional user-content ratings and trust network information, our proposed approach remarkably increases the amount of suggested content and accurately recommends a large number of additional content items. Experimental results show a significant enhancement of performance, especially under a sparse rating environment.
Calculating Hausdorff Dimension in Higher Dimensional Spaces
Authors: Fernández-Martínez Manuel , García Guirao Juan Luis , Sánchez-Granero Miguel Ángel
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we prove the identity dim H ( F ) = d · dim H ( α − 1 ( F ) ) , where dim H denotes Hausdorff dimension, F ⊆ R d , and α : [ 0 , 1 ] → [ 0 , 1 ] d is a function whose constructive definition is addressed from the viewpoint of the powerful concept of a fractal structure. Such a result stands particularly from some other results stated in a more general setting. Thus, Hausdorff dimension of higher dimensional subsets can be calculated from Hausdorff dimension of 1-dimensional subsets of [ 0 , 1 ] . As a consequence, Hausdorff dimension becomes available to deal with the effective calculation of the fractal dimension in applications by applying a procedure contributed by the authors in previous works. It is also worth pointing out that our results generalize both Skubalska-Rafajłowicz and García-Mora-Redtwitz theorems.
A New DEA Model for Evaluation of Supply Chains: A Case of Selection and Evaluation of Environmental Efficiency of Suppliers
Authors: Krmac Evelin , Djordjević Boban
Published: April 2019

Supply Chain Management (SCM) represents an example of a complex multi-stage system. The SCM involves and connects different activities, from customer’s orders to received services, all with the aim of satisfying customers. The evaluation of a particular SCM is a complex problem because of the internally linked hierarchical activities and multiple entities. In this paper, the introduction of a non-radial DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model for the evaluation of different components of SCM, primarily in terms of sustainability, is the main contribution. However, in order to confirm the novelty and benefits of this new model in the field of SCM, a literature review of past applications of DEA-based models and methods are also presented. The non-radial DEA model was applied for the selection and evaluation of the environmental efficiency of suppliers considering undesirable inputs and outputs resulting in a better ranking of suppliers. Via perturbation of the data used, behavior, as well as the benefits and weaknesses of the introduced model are presented through sensitivity analysis.
The Study of Hydrogeochemical Environments and Microbial Communities along a Groundwater Salinity Gradient in the Pearl River Delta, China
Authors: Sang Shilei , Dai Heng , Hu Bill X. , Hao Yanru , Zhou Tong , Zhang Jin
Published: April 2019

The salinization of groundwater is an issue in coastal areas because it causes the deterioration of freshwater resources, significantly impacting human livelihoods and ecosystems. This study integrated isotopic geochemical measurements with high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons to evaluate the source of groundwater salinity and the influence of hydrogeochemical variations on microbial communities under different salinity gradients in the Pearl River Delta of China. Results showed that the groundwater salinity in this area varied from fresh water in the inland area to brackish water, and then to saline water close to the southeast shoreline. The major ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, and HCO3−) and isotope analyses (2H, 3H, 18O, and 14C) indicated that the groundwater in the confined aquifer was recharged by local precipitation and seawater. A further 14C analysis showed that the salinity of the groundwater was likely attributed to the Holocene transgression. Analysis of the microbial community showed that γ-proteobacteria were frequently observed in all the groundwater samples, while the other main microbial community at class level varied greatly, from β-proteobacteria in the freshwater wells to ε-proteobacteria in the brackish wells and to Bacilli in the saline wells. Exiguobacterium and Acinetobacter were dominant in saline water and the brackish water sample of Q144, while Sulfuricurvum dominated in the brackish water sample of Q143. Aeromonas, no rank Gallionellaceae, no rank Methylophilaceae, Acidovorax, and Comamonas unevenly thrived in the freshwater samples collected from different locations. Therefore, the distribution of microbial communities reflected the salinity and hydrogeochemical characteristics of a groundwater aquifer, and can be regarded as a potential environmental indicator in the groundwater.
Whose Rules? A Water Justice Critique of the OECD’s 12 Principles on Water Governance
Authors: Taylor Katherine Selena , Longboat Sheri , Grafton Rupert Quentin
Published: April 2019

The article constructively critiques the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) 12 Principles on Water Governance (the OECD Principles). The human rights standard, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), provided the foundation for conceptualizing Indigenous water rights. The analysis used a modification of Zwarteveen and Boelens’ 2014 framework of the four echelons of water contestation. The analysis indicates that the OECD Principles assume state authority over water governance, make invisible Indigenous peoples’ own water governance systems and perpetuate the discourses of water colonialism. Drawing on Indigenous peoples’ water declarations, the Anishinaabe ‘Seven Grandfathers’ as water governance principles and Haudenosaunee examples, we demonstrate that the OECD Principles privilege certain understandings of water over others, reinforcing the dominant discourses of water as a resource and water governance based on extractive relationships with water. Reconciling the OECD Principles with UNDRIP’s human rights standard promotes Indigenous water justice. One option is to develop a reinterpretation of the OECD Principles. A second, potentially more substantive option is to review and reform the OECD Principles. A reform might consider adding a new dimension, ‘water justice,’ to the OECD Principles. Before reinterpretation or reform can occur, broader input is needed, and inclusion of Indigenous peoples into that process.
A New Uncertainty Measure for Assessing the Uncertainty Existing in Hydrological Simulation
Authors: Shi Pengfei , Yang Tao , Yong Bin , Li Zhenya , Xu Chong-Yu , Shao Quanxi , Wang Xiaoyan , Zhou Xudong , Qin Youwei
Published: April 2019

The absence of aggregated uncertainty measures restricts the assessment of uncertainty in hydrological simulation. In this work, a new composite uncertainty measure is developed to evaluate the complex behaviors of uncertainty existing in hydrological simulation. The composite uncertainty measure is constructed based on a framework, which includes three steps: (1) identification of behavioral measures by analyzing the pairwise correlations among different measures and removing high correlations; (2) weight assignment by means of a new hierarchical weight assembly (HWA) approach incorporating the intra-class and inter-class weights; (3) construction of a composite uncertainty measure through incorporating multiple properties of the measure matrix. The framework and the composite uncertainty measure are demonstrated by case studies in uncertainty assessment for hydrological simulation. Results indicate that the framework is efficient to generate a composite uncertainty index (denoted as CUI) and the new measure CUI is competent for uncertainty evaluation. Besides, the HWA approach performs well in weighting, which can characterize subjective and objective properties of the information matrix. The achievement of this work provides promising insights into the performance comparison of uncertainty analysis approaches, the selection of proper cut-off threshold in the GLUE method, and the guidance of reasonable uncertainty assessment in a range of environmental modelling.
Methods of measurement of leadership in business (supplementary materials for lectures and tutorials)
Authors: Ustyuzhanin V.L.
Published: April 2019

The article, addressed to a wide range of readers interested in the problems of modern corporate management, but above all — University teachers, graduate students and students, identifies and comments on existing approaches to the definition of corporate leadership. The result of the study is the author's classification of the world's leading companies in the automotive, pharmaceutical and oil and gas industries.
Turist Rehberlerinin Tur Cazibesini Artırmada Yararlanabilecekleri Bir Araç Olarak Efsaneler: Afyonkarahisar Efsaneleri Örneği
Authors: PEKYAMAN Asuman
Published: April 2019

Amaç
ve Önem: Bu
çalışmanın amacı, turist rehberlerinin tur cazibesini artırmada
yararlanabilecekleri araçlardan biri olan efsane anlatımının önemini ortaya
koyarak, geçmişten günümüze kadar gelen Afyonkarahisar ili efsanelerinden
örnekler derleyip sunmaktır. Çalışma; tur cazibesini artırmada efsane
kullanımının öneminin ortaya konulması ve Afyonkarahisar efsanelerinin turist
rehberleri tarafından kullanımı amacıyla bir kaynak oluşturması açısından
önemlidir.    Yöntem:
Bu
çalışmada literatür taraması yöntemi kullanılmış ve konuyla ilgili
gerçekleştirilmiş çalışmalardan elde edilen bilgiler derlenerek, ilgili
çalışmalarda ortaya çıkan sonuçlar doğrultusunda ilgili taraflara öneriler
getirilmiştir.Bulgular: Yapılan
incelemede Afyonkarahisar ili ile ilgili yaklaşık 136 adet efsane olduğu
bilgisine ulaşılmıştır. Bu efsaneler; türbeler, cami ve mescitler, kabirler,
dergâhlar, kaleler, tabiat ve kırlar, taşlar ve kayalar, pınarlar, çeşmeler,
kaplıcalar, dağlar ve tepeler, bağlar ve koruluklar, evler ve insanların
yaşadığı yerler ile ilgilidir. Sınırlılıklar:
Söz
konusu literatür taramasında turist rehberlerine kaynak oluşturabilecek
“Karahisar Kalesi”, “Şifalı Sular”, “Anıtkaya” ve “Şahitler Kayası”
efsanelerine yer verilmiş ve çalışmada açıklamalı metin olarak sunulmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Turist rehberleri,
efsaneler, Afyonkarahisar
PENGARUH IKLIM ORGANISASI TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN POLITEKNIK LP3I JAKARTA KAMPUS CIKARANG
Authors: Purnama Hadi
Published: April 2019

Penelitian ini berjudul “Pengaruh Iklim Organisasi Terhadap Kinerja Karyawan Politeknik LP3I Jakarta Kampus Cikarang”. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui besarnya pengaruh iklim organisasi terhadap kinerja karyawan dan mengetahui indikator iklim organisasi yang berpengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan Politeknik LP3I Jakarta Kampus Cikarang. Metode yang dilakukan dalam penelitian ini yaitu metode penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif. Populasi penelitian ini yaitu seluruh karyawan Politeknik LP3I Jakarta Kampus Cikarang  yang berjumlah 60 karyawan  dan teknik sampling  yang digunakan  yaitu dengan simple random sampling  yang menghasilkan sample sebanyak 30  karyawan. Instrument yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kuisioner dan analisis data yang digunakan yaitu regresi sederhana. Hasil penelitian ini yaitu terdapat pengaruh positif iklim organisasi terhadap kinerja sebesar 3,1%. Terdapat korelasi positif antara iklim organisasi terhadap kinerja karyawan yang ditunjukkan oleh koefisien korelasi (R) sebesar 0,177 (sangat rendah). Indikator iklim organisasi  memiliki pengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan walaupun tidak terlalu besar dalam persentasenya.

 

Kata kunci : iklim organisasi,  kinerja karyawan
KESESUAIAN DOKUMENTASI DI LP3I COLLEGE JAKARTA DENGAN STANDARD SISTEM MANAJEMEN MUTU ISO 9001:2008
Authors: Nurdin Nurdin , Prihatmadji Wiwiet
Published: April 2019

The main steps in order to obtain international certification of ISO 9001 Quality Management System is to prepare the mentality and habits of employees, that is to prepare quality culture as a culture of employees. The next step is the technical preparation, preparing of documents and records, preparations for work process control systems, preparing the performance monitoring and evaluation system, which is summarized in the documentation system of LP3I College. Challenges to the process of implementation of ISO 9001 is overcome by socialization the culture of quality as a work culture in every meeting of the BOD till to the technical meeting daily in the employees or  operators, using the authority of the President Director for any activity in the socialization, training, and implementation of the Quality Management System, making each Head of Department in charge of ISO 9001, arrange the efffectiveness of  internal audit process and making corrective action of any findings of non-conformance and prepared oppotunity for improvement for any observasion findings. The entire process of implementation of ISO 9001 in LP3I College was documented, and controlled accordance to ISO 9001 requirements.

 

Keyword : Quality Management System, ISO 9001:2008
HUBUNGAN ANTARA PERSEPSI HARGA DENGAN KINERJA MANAJERIAL DAN CITRA KONSUMEN SEBAGAI VARIABEL MODERASI
Authors: Yoeliastuti Yoeliastuti
Published: April 2019

Banyak faktor yang biasa dipertimbangkan oleh calon mahasiswa untuk memilih lembaga pendidikan. Selain bidang studi dan lokasi tempat kampus berada, faktor harga atau biaya pendidikan merupakan aspek penting yang sering menjadi pertimbangan calon mahasiswa. Murah tidaknya harga pendidikan yang ditawarkan oleh sebuah pendidikan menjadi relatif setelah mempertimbangkan dengan mutu dan layanan yang diberikan oleh lembaga yang bersangkutan. Dengan mengambil sampel berukuran 100 penelitian ini bermaksud melihat pengaruh variabel persepsi harga dan  citra konsumen sebagai variabel moderator terhadap kinerja manajerial lembaga pendidikan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan Hubungan persepsi harga dengan kinerja manajerial cukup signifikan dengan koefisien korelasi sebesar 0,563. Hubungan antara image customer dengan kinerja manajerial cukup kuat dengan koefisien korelasi sebesar 0,626. Pengaruh citra konsumen terhadap hubungan antara persepsi harga dengan kinerja manajerial berpengaruh secara signifikan dimana persepsi harga menjadi berubah manakala citra konsumen menjadi pertimbangan konsumen.

 
Kata Kunci: Persepsi Harga, Citra Konsumen, Kinerja Manajerial
HUBUNGAN ANTARA MOTIVASI DENGAN PRESTASI KERJA KARYAWAN FINISHING FOLDING PT. KYUNGSEUNG TRADING INDONESIA JAKARTA UTARA
Authors: Syamsurizal Syamsurizal
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT

 

Human resources are incredibly crucial for companies, playing a role as a driven tigger of all company activities. By having qualified human resources, the company can easily integrate both its vision ang goals to the employees so that the company's goals can be achieved. This research was conducted in PT. Kyungseung trading indonesia jakarta by using work motivation as the independent variable and performance as the dependent variable. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of work motivation, consisting of need for achievement, need for affiliation and need for power on the performance of the employees of Witel Bekasi. This research is descriptive and causal. Data were analyzed by using descriptive analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, simultaneous hypothesis test (F test), the partial hypothesis testing (t-test), and the coefficient of determination. Sampling technique used is Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling. Based on the results of the questionnaire with 52 respondents, the assessment of employees' work motivation and performance are in the category of very high. In the hypothesis testing results,

 

Keywords: Motivation, Performance, Human Resources
EVALUASI KEBIJAKAN KEPUASAN PELANGGAN PT GOLDEN DOLBE JAKARTA ( Studi Kasus MM Juice Jakarta )
Authors: Yusuf Kamaluddin
Published: April 2019

ABSTRAK

 PT Golden Dolbe  berupaya untuk terus merebut hati pelanggannya  melalui penerapan strategi bisnis yang sangat fokus terhadap pelanggan   dengan memberikan pelayanan terbaik yang berperan sebagai ujung tombak sistem marketing yang berpengaruh citra perusahaan., untuk itu perlu adanya evaluasi dan kebijakan yang yang menyeluruh Hasil evaluasi pelanggan menyatakan dalam menunggu pesanan rata-rata 5-10 menit dengan artian pelanggan merasa puas atas ketepatan waktu yang di berikan, dari segi pelayanan menunjukan bahwa pelayanan yang di berikan oleh waiter baik  Sebagian besar responden menanggapi terhadap kualitas makanan yang ada  cukup baik .Rata-rata responden mengatakan harga produk adalah standar dan ada pula yang mengatakan mahal. Sebanyak 10% responden mengatakan untuk kebersihan baik dan pengunjung melakukan kunjungan sampai dengan 5 kali dalam waktu 3 bulan bahkan ada pula yang berkunjung lebih dari 10 kali dalam 3 bulan dan terakhir .Mayoritas pelanggan menggetahui lokasi perusahaan darii jalan-jalan dengan artian letak outlets yang sangat setrategis sehingga pelanggan mudah menemukan lokasi Store dan terletak di tempat-tempat keramaian

 

Kata Kunci : Evaluasi Palayanan dan Kebijakan
KAJIAN ANALISIS KINERJA USAHA MIKRO KECIL MENENGAH (UMKM) DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE BALANCE SCORECARD
Authors: Wibowo Edi Wahyu
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT

 

Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as an organization is required to have a good performance. Performance is becoming a world issue today. This happens as a consequence of the public demand for the need for excellent service or high quality service. Quality is inseparable from the standard, because performance is measured by standards. Through performance, it is expected to demonstrate its professional contribution significantly in improving the quality of service affecting general service to the organization in which it works, and the ultimate impact is on the quality of life and welfare of the community. In order for the performance of MSMEs is good then the measuring tool is needed to know how far the success rate performance of MSMEs itself. One tool to measure performance is to use a balance scorecard. Balance scorecard is a measure of company performance strategy integrated in 4 perspectives that is financial perspective, customer, internal process and learning and growth. Balance scorecard is a management system mechanism capable of translating organizational vision and strategy into real action in the field. Balance Scorecard is one of the management tools that has been proven to help many companies in implementing its business strategy. Balance Scorecard is expected to generate strategic decisions to improve the performance of MSMEs. Balance scorecard will measure in 4 perspectives, namely the financial perspective that is about Increased revenue and cost efficiency. In the customer perspective will be measured on increasing the number of customers and reduce the number of customer complaints. In an internal perspective the process will be analyzed on improving service process time and after-sales service efficiency. In the learning and growth perspective will be analyzed on improving employee skills and retaining employee retention.

 

Keywords : Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Balance Scorecard, Performance