bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The incomplete Srivastava’s triple hypergeometric functions γHB and ΓHB
Authors: Choi Junesang , Parmar Rakesh , Chopra Purnima
Published: December 2016

Recently Srivastava et al. [26] introduced the incomplete Pochhammer symbols
by means of the incomplete gamma functions ?(s,x) and ?(s,x), and defined
incomplete hypergeometric functions whose a number of interesting and
fundamental properties and characteristics have been investigated. Further,
?etinkaya [6] introduced the incomplete second Appell hypergeometric
functions and studied many interesting and fundamental properties and
characteristics. In this paper, motivated by the abovementioned works, we
introduce two incomplete Srivastava?s triple hypergeometric functions ?HB and
?HB by using the incomplete Pochhammer symbols and investigate certain
properties, for example, their various integral representations, derivative
formula, reduction formula and recurrence relation. Various (known or new)
special cases and consequences of the results presented here are also
considered.
The families of L-series associated with decomposition of the generating functions
Authors: Alkan Mustafa , Simsek Yilmaz
Published: December 2016

By using periodic functions from the nonnegative integers to the complex
numbers, we generalize the generating function of the q-Apostol type
Eulerian polynomials and numbers attached the character defined in [1]. Then
using this generating function, we a construct new L-type series. By using
periodic functions, we derive decomposition of the generating functions for
the q-Euler numbers and polynomials. Applying the Mellin transformation to
the decomposition of the generating functions, we introduce and investigate
the various properties of a certain new family of the Dirichlet type
L-series and the Dirichlet L-function. Finally, we derive many potentially
useful results involving these functions polynomials and numbers.
Modified homotopy perturbation method for solving linear second-order Fredholm integro-differential equations
Authors: Elbeleze Ali , Kılıçman Adem , Taib Bachok
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we propose a modification to homotopy perturbation method and
improve to accelerate the rate of convergence in solving linear second-order
Fredholm integro-differential equations. Some examples are given to show that
this method is easy to apply and the results is obtained very fast.
Fixed point results for modified various contractions in fuzzy metric spaces via α-admissible
Authors: Phiangsungnoen Supak , Cho Yeol , Kumam Poom
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we prove the existence of a fixed point for some new classes
of ?-admissible contraction mappings in fuzzy metric spaces. Our results
generalize and extend some well-known results on the topic in the
literature. Moreover, we present some examples to illustrate the usability
of the obtained results.
A new identity via partial fraction decomposition
Authors: Ge Ji-Ke , Liu Tao-Tao , Luo Qiu-Ming
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we obtain a new identity using the partial fraction
decomposition. As applications, some interesting binomial identities are
also derived.
Zagreb polynomials of three graph operators
Authors: Bindusree A.R. , Cangul Naci , Lokesha V. , Cevik Sinan
Published: December 2016

In general, the relations among Zagreb polynomials on three graph operators
are discussed in this paper. Specifically, relations between Zagreb
polynomials of a graph G and a graph obtained by applying the operators S(G),
R(G) and Q(G) are investigated. In a separate section, the relation between
Zagreb polynomial of a graph G and its corona is also described.
Comparing Approaches to Elicit Brand Attributes both Face-to-face and Online
Authors: Hogan Samantha , Romaniuk Jenni , Faulkner Margaret
Published: December 2016

Brand attributes play an important role in tracking customer-based brand equity. Therefore researchers need an effective approach for eliciting attributes. This paper has two aims: to determine which of four different techniques elicit(s) better results; and to test if online data collection is a viable alternative to face-to-face collection. The techniques compared are: Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), Free Elicitation (FE), Repertory Grid (RG) and Projective Elicitation (PE). These approaches are compared on the number and variety of attributes generated, as well as respondent evaluation. FE is the best-performing technique in a face-to-face context, generating the most attributes, evaluated positively by respondents and providing a typical distribution of attribute types. We also provide evidence that online is a viable data collection method for attribute elicitation studies, except ZMET due to respondent drop-out. Online we recommend a combination of FE and PE to obtain a range and variety of responses.
Why Chinese Elites buy what they buy
Authors: Jin Xiaotong , Wang Hefeng , Wang Tianxin , Li Yang , Deng Shengliang
Published: December 2016

In 1899, Thorstein Veblen introduced socially contingent consumption into the economic literature. However, it was not until recent years that empirical studies of his theory begin to appear in mainstream economic literature with diversified conclusions. This article complements the scarce empirical literature by testing his conjecture on consumers in China's transitional economic context. Three sets of hypotheses were tested with a sample of 1,021 Chinese consumers. The findings of the study support Veblen's contention, especially the argument advanced by Leibenstein (1950) that the primary motivation for conspicuous consumption rests on social status seeking and position enhancement. With a rising per capita income in China and the birth of an elite social class, conspicuous consumption has to some extent replaced the traditional Chinese values of modesty and frugality in search of social recognition and self-realisation.
Using Greimas' Semiotics in Ethnic Consumer Research
Authors: Silhouette-Dercourt Virginie , de Lassus Christel
Published: December 2016

With a rapidly growing number of consumers experiencing migration around the world, the need for new research methodologies to understand ethnic consumption becomes more pressing for managers operating in global markets. The objective of this contribution is to show that Greimasian semiotics is a very relevant interpretive framework to capture the symbolic and dynamic dimensions of ethnicity. In the context of a three-cities research programme (Paris, Berlin, Kuala Lumpur), we use the spatial identity semiotic square to interpret consumers' discourses in the context of dominated and non-dominated acculturation experiences. We show that informants' discourses are structured around four identity anchors and that dual culture consumers use products, brands, ingredients and retail environments to construct their identities. Managing two spatial reference points within a coherent self can be, at times, challenging for consumers coming from ‘third’ or ‘first’ world countries. The issue is even more pressing for ethnic consumers who experience discrimination, since they are constantly reminded of their difference. This research confirms the relevance of semiotics, in terms of market research methodology, for grasping the deeper symbolic dimensions of ethnic consumers' discourse.
Measuring the Efficiency of Community Engagement
Authors: May John
Published: December 2016

Evaluation of community engagement has historically avoided or ignored the question of the efficiency of the processes used. This paper suggests a way of measuring efficiency that is robust, quantifiable, straightforward to calculate and intelligible. Curiosity about a striking feature of two case studies led to the realisation that there are significant parallels between community engagement and theoretical ecology. Some of these parallels are briefly explored before the ecology analogy is used to construct a numerical measure of the efficiency of community engagement. Possible applications of the new measure are then discussed. An illustration of the method by which the new efficiency measure is computed is given in an appendix.
Forecasting Financial Products Acquisition via Dynamic Segmentation: An Application to the Italian Market
Authors: Bassi Francesca
Published: December 2016

The topic of market segmentation is still one of the most pervasive in marketing. Among clustering techniques, finite mixture models have gained recognition as a method of segmentation with several advantages over traditional methods; one variant of finite mixture models – the latent class (LC) model – is probably the most popular. The LC approach is innovative and flexible, and can provide suitable solutions to several problems regarding the definition and development of marketing strategies, because it takes into account specific features of the collected data, such as their scale of measure (often ordinal or categorical, rather than continuous), their hierarchical structure and their longitudinal component. Dynamic segmentation is of key importance in many markets where it is unrealistic to assume stationary segments due to the dynamics in consumers' needs and product choices. In this paper, a mixture latent class Markov model is proposed to dynamically segment Italian households with reference to financial products ownership. The mixture approach is compared with the standard one in terms of its ability to forecast customers' behaviour in the reference market.
Stakeholder Preference and Stated vs Derived Importance Satisfaction Research
Authors: Greenland Steven J. , Combe Ian A. , Farrell Andrew M.
Published: December 2016

This paper presents a case study that reveals how stakeholders in the research process, by recommending specific data collection and analytical techniques, exert significant ‘hidden’ influence on the decisions made on the basis of market research findings. While disagreements among stakeholders regarding research design are likely, the possibility that strategies adopted by companies are dependent upon stakeholder research preferences has not been adequately addressed in the literature. Two widely used quantitative customer satisfaction evaluation approaches, involving stated and derived importance, are compared within a real-life market research setting at an international bank. The comparative analysis informs an ongoing debate surrounding the applicability of explicit and implicit importance measures, and demonstrates how recommendations are dependent upon the methodological and analytical techniques selected. The findings, therefore, have significant implications for importance-based satisfaction market research planning, and highlight the need to consider the impact of stakeholder preferences on research outcomes.
Deal of the Day
Authors: Boon Edward , Ofek Nir
Published: December 2016

Deal of the day is a form of e-commerce in which an intermediary allows merchants access to a subscriber list, to promote their offerings at a discount. This study performs a cluster analysis on the purchase history of a deal intermediary, to identify customer segments based on their purchase frequency, price sensitivity and the types of deal they buy. Five segments were identified, including a large group of customers who made one purchase and then stopped buying, a small group of extremely deal-prone subscribers, and a segment that limits their purchases to very few types of product (e.g. restaurant meals or spa treatments). The findings further show that targeting deals to specific customers may be desirable in the future to prevent information overload and ensure loyalty.
Experiential Motivations of Socially Responsible Consumption
Authors: Shobeiri Saeed , Rajaobelina Lova , Durif Fabien , Boivin Caroline
Published: December 2016

This paper uses the experiential marketing concept to explain some of the motivations for socially responsible consumption. It is argued that practising responsible behaviour helps consumers to perceive five different types of experiential value: emotional, cognitive, sensory, relational and behavioural. A web-based survey on a panel of more than 1,000 North American respondents confirmed the presence of an average level of each experiential value type in responsible decisions. We also found evidence for gender and age differences in the perception of those experiential benefits. This study provides guidelines to better promote socially responsible consumption through enriching consumers' experiential motivations. The findings of this study also provide ideas for demographic-based targeting of responsible goods/services.
Cultural Influence on the Adoption of Social Networking Sites
Authors: Alarcón-del-Amo Maía-del-Carmen , Lorenzo-Romero Carlota , Gómez-Borja Miguel-ángel
Published: December 2016

The main objective of this paper is to understand user interaction behaviour on social networking sites (SNS), and to investigate cultural influence on acceptance and use behaviour. SNS are growing in importance, and the many advantages they offer to companies are on the increase. The model described in this paper has been defined on the basis of a technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine the adoption and use of SNS, by adding trust and perceived risk constructs. To analyse the culture as a moderating effect of the causal relationships proposed, we focus on two European countries, using a multi-group structural equation model (SEM). This study shows that extended TAM (ETAM) is appropriate for use in predicting the acceptance of voluntary-use technologies, and it focuses on social relationships. The cultural effects may moderate some theoretical relationships in the adoption process.
Gender and the Media
Authors: Bunker David , Bryson James
Published: December 2016

In this paper the authors explain how they investigated the issue of gender and the media in the UK, looking at how the audience feels about both the amount of coverage of men and women and their views on the quality and character of portrayal on TV, radio and online. As well as exploring the methodological challenges in researching the subject, they also discuss how they used the Bem Sex Role Inventory to explore whether where the audience sits on a spectrum of masculinity/femininity helps to explain their consumption and appreciation of the television they consume.
The Declining use of the Term Market Research
Authors: Nunan Daniel
Published: December 2016

This paper analyses the use of the term ‘market research’ in a contemporary context. Although the term is well established as an industry definition, its use and meaning have become increasingly contested. This study brings together empirical data from a range of sources that reflect key stakeholders within the market research sector. Findings suggest that the term ‘market research’ has become increasingly marginalised amongst these key stakeholders. Few of the leading research firms use this term to describe their core activity, and data suggest that wider use of the term has declined over the past decade. Where ‘market research’ is used, the term is typically demoted to describing a set of skills rather than a strategic concept around adding value. A number of explanations for this are explored, including isomorphism among research firms, the role of research in generating value, and the broader economic context in which research takes place. Finally, the paper considers whether continuing use of the term is beneficial to the future success of the research sector.
Device use in Web Surveys
Authors: Mavletova Aigul , Couper Mick P.
Published: December 2016

This paper hypothesises that conditional differential incentives can increase overall participation rates and the proportion of respondents who use a particular device in web surveys. Previous studies have not found effective ways of encouraging participants to use smartphones to complete web surveys. We conducted an experiment using a volunteer online access panel in Russia with 5,474 invitations sent to regular mobile internet users. We varied the invitation mode (SMS vs email) and encouragement to use a particular device for completing the survey: mobile phone or personal computer (PC). SMS increased the proportion of mobile web respondents, while email increased the proportion of PC web respondents. As expected, differential incentives increased the overall participation rates by 8–10 percentage points if higher incentives were offered for completing the survey on a mobile phone. Contrary to expectations, offering higher incentives to PC web respondents did not produce higher participation rates compared to the control condition. Both encouraging the use of a mobile phone and offering higher incentives were effective at increasing the proportion of respondents using mobile devices. In terms of both participation rates and the proportion of respondents using mobile devices, offering incentives 50% higher was as efficient as offering incentives 100% higher for mobile web respondents. Offering higher incentives to mobile web respondents also had an effect on sample composition. Significantly higher participation rates were found among females and those with higher education.
Insight Intelligence Market Research Summit 2016, 9–10 May, London
Authors: Bramley Ian , Bramwell Emma
Published: December 2016

We have two Conference Notes from the 2016 MR Summit. The first, by Ian Bramley (Populus) and Emma Bramwell (Transport Focus), describes a method for exploring the level of emotion experienced during journeys on public transport. The second, by Dr Jillian Ney, discusses social media intelligence and analysis methods used in this field of research.
“A Terrible Necessity”: The Economist on India
Authors: Handy Jim , Kirkpatrick Michael D.
Published: December 2016

This article analyzes the writings on India of The Economist newspaper from 1843 to the 1860s. It argues that despite the adherence of the paper to the ideas of laissez-faire nineteenth-century liberal ideas of political economy, its writing on India — and the political career of its founder and editor, James Wilson — demonstrate a ready embrace of empire, government intervention in the economy, and increased taxation. The article suggests this difference can be explained by the expression of colonial difference and attitudes to race.
Le volet performance de la LOLF
Authors: Benzerafa Alilat Manel , Garcin Laurent , Gibert Patrick
Published: December 2016

Le présent article est une synthèse des résultats d’un programme de recherche lancé en 2009 et porte sur les caractéristiques essentielles du genre créé par la mise en œuvre de la Loi organique relative aux lois de finances en ce qui concerne les projets annuels de performance. Ceux-ci améliorent la lisibilité de l’autorisation budgétaire mais ne révèlent qu’une faible finalisation de l’action publique par suite d’une altération très modérée de la logique politique. L’analyse des PAP donne l’impression d’une vision positiviste de la performance publique et d’intemporalité de nombreux programmes. Le genre construit par la pratique « lolfienne » représente davantage une innovation en matière de légitimation budgétaire et de communication financière qu’en matière d’innovation managériale.
La sélection de modèles lors de transitions vers des rôles émergents
Authors: Burellier Franck
Published: December 2016

Cet article s’intéresse à la question de l’arrivée d’individus dans un nouveau rôle. En particulier, les auteurs s’intéressent aux modèles que les individus mobilisent lorsque ce rôle est émergent, peu stabilisé institutionnellement. Par une étude qualitative menée auprès de 19 commentateurs de jeux vidéo, rôle encore émergent en France, ils mettent en avant une typologie comprenant quatre modèles de rôle : les archétypes, les pairs, les analogues, et les homologues. Une discussion permet de souligner la spécificité des modèles lors de transitions vers des rôles émergents, ainsi que les modalités d’accompagnement qui faciliteraient ces transitions.
D’utopismes en organisations
Authors: Picard Hélène , Martí Lanuza Ignasi
Published: December 2016

En réaction aux multiples crises qui affectent les sociétés et les organisations contemporaines, de nombreux acteurs expérimentent des modes alternatifs de management, d’entrepreneuriat ou de leadership. Dans cet article, les auteurs avancent que ces démarches s’inscrivent dans la filiation des utopies sociales. Ils présentent une revue historique des dimensions organisationnelles de l’utopie, puis introduisent la notion post-structuraliste d’hétérotopies pour éclairer l’émergence de démarches localisées créatrices d’alternatives dans les contextes contemporains.
Les responsabilités sociétales obligatoires et volontaires des entreprises
Authors: Lado Hervé
Published: December 2016

La responsabilité a un double sens volontaire et obligatoire qui entretient une ambiguïté dans la définition et la mise en œuvre de la responsabilité sociétale des entreprises (RSE) et de leur contribution au développement durable. Les auteurs démontrent à l’aide du concept de crypto-moralité que le traitement des coûts sociaux générés par les activités des entreprises qui est au cœur du projet RSE n’est crédible et durable que dans un environnement institutionnel qui favorise la détectabilité et une forte pénalisation des comportements de prédation. Ils élaborent une cartographie des responsabilités des entreprises qui précise les champs respectifs des responsabilités volontaires et obligatoires.
Critique des évaluations de la performance au travail
Authors: Jaujard François
Published: December 2016

La performance au travail fait l’objet de diverses pratiques d’évaluation en entreprise, souvent renouvelées du fait de l’insatisfaction des managers et du personnel. Face à ce constat, une critique radicale de ces systèmes tend à démontrer que la dimension implicite du travail empêche son évaluation. En s’appuyant sur une étude de cas longitudinale, l’article infirme cette analyse et montre que des dispositifs de gestion intégrant une perspective organisationnelle peuvent être mobilisés par les acteurs de l’entreprise pour une gestion de la performance au travail pertinente.
Heritage (Erfgoed) in the Dutch Press
Authors: Ronnes Hanneke , van Kessel Tamara
Published: December 2016

Since the 1990s, the Dutch equivalent for “heritage,” erfgoed, has become a
buzzword in the Netherlands. Often presented as a neologism, little attention
is paid to the term’s longer history. Th is article traces the history through
a survey of digitized newspapers from 1700 to 1975, revealing elements of
erfgoed’s current meaning well before the twentieth-century heritage mania.
In the eighteenth century a synonym of “freedom,” in the latter nineteenth
century frequently carrying the prefix nationaal, and in the 1930s associated
with genetics and folk culture, erfgoed can be regarded as a speculum vitae,
taking on different meanings depending on the era. As elsewhere in Europe,
the second half of the nineteenth century was the most decisive moment in
the evolution of the term.
The Perception of Time and the Meaning of History among Spanish Intellectuals of the Nineteenth Century
Authors: González Manso Ana Isabel
Published: December 2016

This article investigates how the perception of living in novel times influenced
Spanish intellectuals from the late eighteenth century to the mid-nineteenth
century when they wrote or thought about history. The perception of
time would influence the way in which history was written, and in turn this
would reflect the model of society that Spanish intellectuals aspired to when
they turned to the past for the political and social features they wanted for
their present and future. At that time, different time perceptions coexisted
and combined in a very complex fashion; the present article, however, is focused
on the perception of time mainly as an opportunity, with its advances
and retreats, doubts and problems. The article will show how those intellectuals
thought about history and the various solutions they put forward for
society’s problems.
Reviews
Authors: Boddice Rob , Emden Christian J. , Vogt Peter
Published: December 2016

Erin Sullivan, Beyond Melancholy: Sadness and Selfhood in Renaissance England
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016), xiv, 227 pp.

Sebastian Gießmann, Die Verbundenheit der Dinge: Eine Kulturgeschichte der
Netze und Netzwerke [The connectedness of things: A cultural history of
webs and networks] (Berlin: Kulturverlag Kadmos, 2014), 500 pp.

Alexander Friedrich, Metaphorologie der Vernetzung: Zur Theorie kultureller
Leitmetaphern [A metaphorology of networks: Toward a theory of cultural
tropes] (Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink, 2015), 426 pp.

Franziska Rehlinghaus, Die Semantik des Schicksals: Zur Relevanz des Unverfügbaren
zwischen Aufklärung und Erstem Weltkriek [The semantics of fate:
On the relevance of what is beyond human control between the Enlightenment
and World War I] (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2016),
479 pp.
What Is Public Agency Strategic Analysis (PASA) and How Does It Differ from Public Policy Analysis and Firm Strategy Analysis?
Authors: Vining Aidan
Published: December 2016

Public agency strategic analysis (PASA) is different from public policy analysis because public agency executives face numerous constraints that those performing “unconstrained” policy analysis do not. It is also different from private sector strategic analysis. But because of similar constraints and realities, some generic and private sector strategic analysis techniques can be useful to those carrying out PASA, if appropriately modified. Analysis of the external agency environment (external forces) and internal value creation processes (“value chains”, “modular assembly” processes or “multi-sided intermediation platforms”) are the most important components of PASA. Also, agency executives must focus on feasible alternatives. In sum, PASA must be practical. But public executives need to take seriously public value, and specifically social efficiency, when engaging in PASA. Unless they do so, their strategic analyses will not have normative legitimacy because enhancing public value is not the same as in some versions of public value or in agency “profit maximization”. Although similarly constrained, normatively appropriate public agency strategic analysis is not “giving clients what they want” or “making the public sector business case”. PASA must be both practical and principled.
A Gaussian Process Data Modelling and Maximum Likelihood Data Fusion Method for Multi-Sensor CMM Measurement of Freeform Surfaces
Authors: Liu Mingyu , Cheung Chi , Cheng Ching-Hsiang , Lee Wing
Published: December 2016

Nowadays, the use of freeform surfaces in various functional applications has become more widespread. Multi-sensor coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) are becoming popular and are produced by many CMM manufacturers since their measurement ability can be significantly improved with the help of different kinds of sensors. Moreover, the measurement accuracy after data fusion for multiple sensors can be improved. However, the improvement is affected by many issues in practice, especially when the measurement results have bias and there exists uncertainty regarding the data modelling method. This paper proposes a generic data modelling and data fusion method for the measurement of freeform surfaces using multi-sensor CMMs and attempts to study the factors which affect the fusion result. Based on the data modelling method for the original measurement datasets and the statistical Bayesian inference data fusion method, this paper presents a Gaussian process data modelling and maximum likelihood data fusion method for supporting multi-sensor CMM measurement of freeform surfaces. The datasets from different sensors are firstly modelled with the Gaussian process to obtain the mean surfaces and covariance surfaces, which represent the underlying surfaces and associated measurement uncertainties. Hence, the mean surfaces and the covariance surfaces are fused together with the maximum likelihood principle so as to obtain the statistically best estimated underlying surface and associated measurement uncertainty. With this fusion method, the overall measurement uncertainty after fusion is smaller than each of the single-sensor measurements. The capability of the proposed method is demonstrated through a series of simulations and real measurements of freeform surfaces on a multi-sensor CMM. The accuracy of the Gaussian process data modelling and the influence of the form error and measurement noise are also discussed and demonstrated in a series of experiments. The limitations and some special cases are also discussed, which should be carefully considered in practice.
Tunable Degradation Rate and Favorable Bioactivity of Porous Calcium Sulfate Scaffolds by Introducing Nano-Hydroxyapatite
Authors: Zhou Jianhua , Yuan Fulai , Peng Shuping , Xie Hui , Wu Ping , Feng Pei , Gao Chengde , Yang Youwen , Guo Wang , Lai Duan , Zhou Zhiyang , Zhu Xueling , Shuai Cijun
Published: December 2016

The bone scaffolds should possess suitable physicochemical properties and osteogenic activities. In this study, porous calcium sulfate (CaSO4) scaffolds were fabricated successfully via selected laser sintering (SLS). Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp), a bioactive material with a low degradation rate, was introduced into CaSO4 scaffolds to overcome the overquick absorption. The results demonstrated that nHAp could not only control the degradation rate of scaffolds by adjusting their content, but also improve the pH environment by alleviating the acidification progress during the degradation of CaSO4 scaffolds. Moreover, the improved scaffolds were covered completely with the apatite spherulites in simulated body fluid (SBF), showing their favorable bioactivity. In addition, the compression strength and fracture toughness were distinctly enhanced, which could be ascribed to large specific area of nHAp and the corresponding stress transfer.
Welcome to the New Interdisciplinary Journal Combining Big Data and Cognitive Computing
Authors: Chen Min
Published: December 2016

Welcome to Big Data and Cognitive Computing (BDCC).
Higher Order Bias Correcting Moment Equation for M-Estimation and Its Higher Order Efficiency
Authors: Kim Kyoo
Published: December 2016

This paper studies an alternative bias correction for the M-estimator, which is obtained by correcting the moment equations in the spirit of Firth (1993). In particular, this paper compares the stochastic expansions of the analytically-bias-corrected estimator and the alternative estimator and finds that the third-order stochastic expansions of these two estimators are identical. This implies that at least in terms of the third-order stochastic expansion, we cannot improve on the simple one-step bias correction by using the bias correction of moment equations. This finding suggests that the comparison between the one-step bias correction and the method of correcting the moment equations or the fully-iterated bias correction should be based on the stochastic expansions higher than the third order.
Predictive Modeling of a Buoyancy-Operated Cooling Tower under Unsaturated Conditions: Adjoint Sensitivity Model and Optimal Best-Estimate Results with Reduced Predicted Uncertainties
Authors: Di Rocco Federico , Cacuci Dan
Published: December 2016

Nuclear and other large-scale energy-producing plants must include systems that guarantee the safe discharge of residual heat from the industrial process into the atmosphere. This function is usually performed by one or several cooling towers. The amount of heat released by a cooling tower into the external environment can be quantified by using a numerical simulation model of the physical processes occurring in the respective tower, augmented by experimentally measured data that accounts for external conditions such as outlet air temperature, outlet water temperature, and outlet air relative humidity. The model’s responses of interest depend on many model parameters including correlations, boundary conditions, and material properties. Changes in these model parameters induce changes in the computed quantities of interest (called “model responses”), which are quantified by the sensitivities (i.e., functional derivatives) of the model responses with respect to the model parameters. These sensitivities are computed in this work by applying the general adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology (ASAM) for nonlinear systems. These sensitivities are subsequently used for: (i) Ranking the parameters in their importance to contributing to response uncertainties; (ii) Propagating the uncertainties (covariances) in these model parameters to quantify the uncertainties (covariances) in the model responses; (iii) Performing model validation and predictive modeling. The comprehensive predictive modeling methodology used in this work, which includes assimilation of experimental measurements and calibration of model parameters, is applied to the cooling tower model under unsaturated conditions. The predicted response uncertainties (standard deviations) thus obtained are smaller than both the computed and the measured standards deviations for the respective responses, even for responses where no experimental data were available.
Experimental and Simulation Studies of Strength and Fracture Behaviors of Wind Turbine Bearing Steel Processed by High Pressure Torsion
Authors: Wang Ning , Peña Luis , Wang Ling , Mellor B. , Huang Yi
Published: December 2016

White structure flaking (WSF) has been found to be one of the failure modes in bearing steels under rolling contacts through the formation of cracks associated with a microstructural change called white etching area (WEA). In the present research, the effects of the high-pressure torsion (HPT) process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an AISI 52100 alloy are studied. An annealed AISI 52100 was subjected to high-pressure torsion at room temperature under a pressure of up to ~6 GPa for up to three turns. Finite-element modeling (FEM) was used to simulate the process under high-pressure torsion and quasi-constrained conditions to reveal the material property changes occurring in HPT. Scanning electron microscopy and microhardness testing after processing were used to investigate the microstructural and mechanical property evolution of the steel. Strain induced microstructural transformations occur and affect the mechanical properties in a similar way to the well-known white etching area (WEA) found beneath the surface of wind turbine bearings. Here, HPT is used to study the feasibility of creating microstructural changes that are similar to WEA. This paper presents the preliminary results of using HPT to produce WEAs.
The Effect of Harvest on Forest Soil Carbon: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: James Jason , Harrison Rob
Published: December 2016

Forest soils represent a substantial portion of the terrestrial carbon (C) pool, and changes to soil C cycling are globally significant not only for C sequestration but also for sustaining forest productivity and ecosystem services. To quantify the effect of harvesting on soil C, we used meta-analysis to examine a database of 945 responses to harvesting collected from 112 publications from around the world. Harvesting reduced soil C, on average, by 11.2% with 95% CI [14.1%, 8.5%]. There was substantial variation between responses in different soil depths, with greatest losses occurring in the O horizon (−30.2%). Much smaller but still significant losses (−3.3%) occurred in top soil C pools (0–15 cm depth). In very deep soil (60–100+ cm), a significant loss of 17.7% of soil C in was observed after harvest. However, only 21 of the 945 total responses examined this depth, indicating a substantial need for more research in this area. The response of soil C to harvesting varies substantially between soil orders, with greater losses in Spodosol and Ultisol orders and less substantial losses in Alfisols and Andisols. Soil C takes several decades to recover following harvest, with Spodosol and Ultisol C recovering only after at least 75 years. The publications in this analysis were highly skewed toward surface sampling, with a maximum sampling depth of 36 cm, on average. Sampling deep soil represents one of the best opportunities to reduce uncertainty in the understanding of the response of soil C to forest harvest.
The Onset of Convection in an Unsteady Thermal Boundary Layer in a Porous Medium
Authors: Bidin Biliana , Rees D.
Published: December 2016

In this study, the linear stability of an unsteady thermal boundary layer in a semi-infinite porous medium is considered. This boundary layer is induced by varying the temperature of the horizontal boundary sinusoidally in time about the ambient temperature of the porous medium; this mimics diurnal heating and cooling from above in subsurface groundwater. Thus if instability occurs, this will happen in those regions where cold fluid lies above hot fluid, and this is not necessarily a region that includes the bounding surface. A linear stability analysis is performed using small-amplitude disturbances of the form of monochromatic cells with wavenumber, k. This yields a parabolic system describing the time-evolution of small-amplitude disturbances which are solved using the Keller box method. The critical Darcy-Rayleigh number as a function of the wavenumber is found by iterating on the Darcy-Rayleigh number so that no mean growth occurs over one forcing period. It is found that the most dangerous disturbance has a period which is twice that of the underlying basic state. Cells that rotate clockwise at first tend to rise upwards from the surface and weaken, but they induce an anticlockwise cell near the surface at the end of one forcing period, which is otherwise identical to the clockwise cell found at the start of that forcing period.
Observational Analysis of Variation Characteristics of GPS-Based TEC Fluctuation over China
Authors: Liu Xifeng , Yuan Yunbin , Tan Bingfeng , Li Min
Published: December 2016

In this study, the characteristics of the total electron content (TEC) fluctuations and their regional differences over China were analyzed by utilizing the rate of the TEC index (ROTI) based on GPS data from 21 reference stations across China during a solar cycle. The results show that there were significant regional differences at different latitudes. Strong ionospheric TEC fluctuations were usually observed at lower latitudes in southern China, where the occurrence of TEC fluctuations demonstrated typical nighttime- and season-dependent (equinox months) features. This phenomenon was consistent with the ionospheric scintillation characteristics of this region. Additionally, compared to low-latitude China, the intensity of TEC fluctuations over mid-latitude China was significantly weaker, and the occurrence of TEC fluctuations was not a nighttime-dependent phenomenon. Moreover, the intensity of TEC fluctuations was much stronger during high solar activity than during low solar activity. Furthermore, the summer-dependent characteristics of TEC fluctuations gradually emerged over lower mid-latitude areas as equinox characteristics weakened. Similar to the equinox characteristics, the summer-dependent characteristics gradually weakened or even disappeared with the increasing latitude. Relevant discussions of this phenomenon are still relatively rare, and it requires further study and analysis.
Transcriptional Response of Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Eggs to O2 or HCl Treatment
Authors: Gong Jing , Tian Sha , Zhou Xia , Yang Huan , Zhu Yong , Hou Yong
Published: December 2016

Diapause is a common biological phenomenon that occurs in many organisms, including fish, insects, and nematodes. In the silkworm (Bombyx mori), diapause generally occurs in the egg stage. Treatment with O2, HCl, or other compounds can prevent egg diapause. Here, we characterized the transcriptomic responses of newly laid eggs treated with O2 or HCl. Digital gene expression analysis showed that 610 genes in O2-treated eggs and 656 in HCl-treated eggs were differentially expressed. Of these, 343 genes were differentially expressed in both treatments. In addition to trehalases, sorbic acid dehydrogenases, and some enzymes involved in the carbohydrate metabolism, we also identified heat shock proteins, cytochrome P450, and GADD45, which are related to stress tolerance. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed differentially expressed genes in O2-treated eggs were involved in oxidoreductase activity as well as in binding, catalytic, and metabolic processes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that the pathways for ribosome biogenesis, spliceosome, and circadian rhythm were significantly enriched in HCl-treated eggs. The reliability of the data was confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis. Our results improved the understanding of the mechanism of diapause blocking in silkworm eggs treated with O2 or HCl and identified novel molecular targets for future studies.
Screening the Expression Changes in MicroRNAs and Their Target Genes in Mature Cementoblasts Stimulated with Cyclic Tensile Stress
Authors: Wang Liao , Hu Haikun , Cheng Ye , Chen Jianwei , Bao Chongyun , Zou Shujuan , Wu Gang
Published: December 2016

Cementum is a thin layer of cementoblast-produced mineralized tissue covering the root surfaces of teeth. Mechanical forces, which are produced during masticatory activity, play a paramount role in stimulating cementoblastogenesis, which thereby facilitates the maintenance, remodeling and integrity of cementum. However, hitherto, the extent to which a post-transcriptional modulation mechanism is involved in this process has rarely been reported. In this study, a mature murine cementoblast cell line OCCM-30 cells (immortalized osteocalcin positive cementoblasts) was cultured and subjected to cyclic tensile stress (0.5 Hz, 2000 µstrain). We showed that the cyclic tensile stress could not only rearrange the cell alignment, but also influence the proliferation in an S-shaped manner. Furthermore, cyclic tensile stress could significantly promote cementoblastogenesis-related genes, proteins and mineralized nodules. From the miRNA array analyses, we found that 60 and 103 miRNAs were significantly altered 6 and 18 h after the stimulation using cyclic tensile stress, respectively. Based on a literature review and bioinformatics analyses, we found that miR-146b-5p and its target gene Smad4 play an important role in this procedure. The upregulation of miR-146b-5p and downregulation of Smad4 induced by the tensile stress were further confirmed by qRT-PCR. The direct binding of miR-146b-5p to the three prime untranslated region (3′ UTR) of Smad4 was established using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Taken together, these results suggest an important involvement of miR-146b-5p and its target gene Smad4 in the cementoblastogenesis of mature cementoblasts.
Mutations in the Mitochondrial ND1 Gene Are Associated with Postoperative Prognosis of Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Kim Hakushi , Komiyama Tomoyoshi , Inomoto Chie , Kamiguchi Hiroshi , Kajiwara Hiroshi , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Nakamura Naoya , Terachi Toshiro
Published: December 2016

We analyzed mutations in the mitochondrial ND1 gene to determine their association with clinicopathological parameters and postoperative recurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in Japanese patients. Among 62 RCC cases for which tumor pathology was confirmed by histopathology, ND1 sequencing revealed the presence of 30 mutation sites in 19 cases. Most mutations were heteroplasmic, with 16 of 19 cases harboring one or more heteroplasmic sites. Additionally, 12 sites had amino acid mutations, which were frequent in 10 of the cases. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was significantly worse in patients with tumors >40 mm in diameter (p = 0.0091), pathological T (pT) stage ≥3 (p = 0.0122), Fuhrman nuclear atypia grade ≥III (p = 0.0070), and ND1 mutations (p = 0.0006). Multivariate analysis using these factors revealed that mutations in ND1 were significantly associated with the 5-year RFS rate (p = 0.0044). These results suggest a strong correlation between the presence of ND1 mutations in cancer tissue and postoperative recurrence of localized RCC in Japanese patients.
The Telomerase-Derived Anticancer Peptide Vaccine GV1001 as an Extracellular Heat Shock Protein-Mediated Cell-Penetrating Peptide
Authors: Kim Hong , Seo Eun-Hye , Lee Seung-Hyun , Kim Bum-Joon
Published: December 2016

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), which can facilitate the transport of molecular cargo across the plasma membrane, have become important tools in promoting the cellular delivery of macromolecules. GV1001, a peptide derived from a reverse-transcriptase subunit of telomerase (hTERT) and developed as a vaccine against various cancers, reportedly has unexpected CPP properties. Unlike typical CPPs, such as the HIV-1 TAT peptide, GV1001 enabled the cytosolic delivery of macromolecules such as proteins, DNA and siRNA via extracellular heat shock protein 90 (eHSP90) and 70 (eHSP70) complexes. The eHSP-GV1001 interaction may have biological effects in addition to its cytosolic delivery function. GV1001 was originally designed as a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-binding cancer epitope, but its CPP properties may contribute to its strong anti-cancer immune response relative to other telomerase peptide-based vaccines. Cell signaling via eHSP-GV1001 binding may lead to unexpected biological effects, such as direct anticancer or antiviral effects. In this review, we focus on the CPP effects of GV1001 bound to eHSP90 and eHSP70.
Roles of Erythroid Differentiation Regulator 1 (Erdr1) on Inflammatory Skin Diseases
Authors: Houh Youn , Kim Kyung , Park Hyun , Cho Daeho
Published: December 2016

Erythroid Differentiation Regulator 1 (Erdr1) is known as a hemoglobin synthesis factor which also regulates cell survival under conditions of stress. In addition, previous studies have revealed the effects of Erdr1 on cancer progression and its negative correlation with interleukin (IL)-18, a pro-inflammatory cytokine. Based on this evidence, the therapeutic effects of Erdr1 have been demonstrated in several inflammatory skin diseases such as malignant skin cancer, psoriasis, and rosacea. This article reviews the roles of Erdr1 in skin inflammation, suggesting that Erdr1 is a potential therapeutic molecule on inflammatory disorders.
Toll Like Receptor 2, 4, and 9 Signaling Promotes Autoregulative Tumor Cell Growth and VEGF/PDGF Expression in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Grimmig Tanja , Moench Romana , Kreckel Jennifer , Haack Stephanie , Rueckert Felix , Rehder Roberta , Tripathi Sudipta , Ribas Carmen , Chandraker Anil , Germer Christoph , Gasser Martin , Waaga-Gasser Ana
Published: December 2016

Toll like receptor (TLR) signaling has been suggested to play an important role in the inflammatory microenvironment of solid tumors and through this inflammation-mediated tumor growth. Here, we studied the role of tumor cells in their process of self-maintaining TLR expression independent of inflammatory cells and cytokine milieu for autoregulative tumor growth signaling in pancreatic cancer. We analyzed the expression of TLR2, -4, and -9 in primary human cancers and their impact on tumor growth via induced activation in several established pancreatic cancers. TLR-stimulated pancreatic cancer cells were specifically investigated for activated signaling pathways of VEGF/PDGF and anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL expression as well as tumor cell growth. The primary pancreatic cancers and cell lines expressed TLR2, -4, and -9. TLR-specific stimulation resulted in activated MAP-kinase signaling, most likely via autoregulative stimulation of demonstrated TLR-induced VEGF and PDGF expression. Moreover, TLR activation prompted the expression of Bcl-xL and has been demonstrated for the first time to induce tumor cell proliferation in pancreatic cancer. These findings strongly suggest that pancreatic cancer cells use specific Toll like receptor signaling to promote tumor cell proliferation and emphasize the particular role of TLR2, -4, and -9 in this autoregulative process of tumor cell activation and proliferation in pancreatic cancer.