bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
تأثير نموذج (Senge) للتعلم التنظيمي في تبني مبادئ ادارة الجودة الشاملة: (دراسة إستطلاعيـة في احـدى المنظمات
Authors: البصري عبد الرضا شفيق , الربيعي مروة مصطاف
Published: November 2018

المستخلص
      هذا البحث يهتم " بالتعلم التنظيمي وتأثيره في ادارة الجودة الشاملة في قطاع التعليم " ، فالتعلم التنظيمي يوصف بـ" العملية التي توفر للقطاع التعليمي القدرة على التكيف والاستجابة السريعة للتطورات والتغيرات بالشكل الافضل " و وفقاً للابعاد الاساسية " النماذج الذهنية، التميز الشخصي، التعلم الجماعي، الرؤية المشتركة، التفكير النظمي " من خلال تبني فلسفة ادارة الجودة الشاملة (TQM) وفقاً لابعاده الاساسية " القيادة، رضا الزبون، مشاركة العاملين، التحسين المستمر، التدريب والتعليم " ، حيث ان الغرض الاساسي للدراسة يتمثل في معرفة " تأثير نموذج "Senge" للتعلم التنظيمي في تبني مبادئ ادارة الجودة الشاملة " ، اذ ان هذا البحث  يهدف الى تحليل واقع ( التعلم التنظيمي ) في الجامعة التقنية الوسطى موقع تطبيق الدراسة والتقييم لمستوى ادارة الجودة الشاملة فيها، بالاضافة الى الاختبار لعلاقات الارتباط وعلاقات التأثير للمتغيرين وابعادهما والتحديد لابعاد التعلم التنظيمي ذات تأثيراً الاعلى في التبني لمبادئ ادارة الجودة الشاملة، لمعرفة مساهمتهم العلمية والتطبيقية لمعالجة القصور الواضح في الجامعات العراقية والجامعة التقنية الوسطى كموقع للتطبيق للاهتمام بالتعلم التنظيمي وادارة الجودة الشاملة ، حيت توصلت الدراسة  لمجموعة من الاستنتاجات تمثل اهمها في ان الابعاد الخاصة بالبحث توافرت بمستوى جيد الى متوسط في الجامعة عينة البحث، ووفقاً لهذه الاستنتاجات تم صياغة عدد من التوصيات لعل اهمها تمثل في ضرورة الاهتمام من قبل الادارات العليا والقيادات في الجامعة برأس المال المعرفي والفكري وجعله من اولى الاهتمامات وقمه الهرم التنظيمي لدوره الكبير والفعال في التطبيق لمبادئ ادارة الجودة الشاملة .
الدور الوسيط لادارة الذات في العلاقة بين ضغوط العمل و الاغتراب التنظيمي" بحث ميداني في بعض كليات جامعة بغداد"
Authors: سعيد هديل كاظم , شعلان عدي حسين
Published: November 2018

المستخلص
        يهدف البحث الى اختبار علاقة ضغوط العمل بابعاده (صراع الدور و غموض الدور وعبء العمل وطبيعة العمل) كمتغير مستقل وتاثيرها في الاغتراب التنظيمي بابعاده(العجز – انعدام القوة و اللامعنى و اللامعيارية والعزلة الاجتماعية و غربة الذات ) كمتغير معتمد, عبر ادارة الذات بابعادها (ضبط النفس و الثقة بالنفس والمبادرة و التكيف والضمير الحي) كمتغير وسيط, في بعض كليات جامعة بغداد العلمية (الطب و الهندسة) والانسانية (التربية و الاداب), وقد تم جمع البيانات المتعلقة بالجانب العملي و الذي طبق على عينه عشوائية طبقية  بلغ عددها (306) فردا من اساتذة و تدريسيي الكليات المذكورة و الذين يمثلون مجتمع البحث البالغ عدده ( 1223) فردا, باعتماد الاستبانه والتي تضمنت (56) فقرة, ضمت متغيرات البحث  الرئيسة و ابعادها الفرعية , و تم تحليل البيانات بالاعتماد على  عدد من الاساليب الاحصائية الملائمة للبحث فضلا عن اجراء المقابلات الشخصية كأداة مساعدة في جمع البيانات, اما ابرز استنتاجات البحث التي تم التوصل اليها من خلال الجانب العملي هي شعور عينة البحث بضغوط العمل والاغتراب التنظيمي على مستوى بعض الابعاد, وان ضغوط العمل تؤثر في الاغتراب التنظيمي بابعاده (بشكل مباشر, وغير مباشر), إلا أن التأثير غير المباشر من خلال توسيط إدارة الذات أعلى من التأثير المباشر, و خرج الباحث بجملة من التوصيات ابرزها (ايلاء الاهمية القصوى لمتغيرات البحث لا سيما ضغوط العمل والاغتراب التنظيمي لما يسببانه من اثار ووضع الاستراتيجيات الملائمة للمواجهة, وادراك اهمية ادارة الذات وابعادها الفرعية على متغيري البحث والعينة المبحوثة و ما تحمله بين طياتها من فوائد نفسية و تنظيمية وسلوكية عميقة).
الطاقة التنظيمية ودورها في إعتمادية جوهر الإستراتيجيات الإدارية (دراسة تطبيقية)
Authors: ابراهيم سمراء عبد الجبار , حافظ شيماء قاسم
Published: November 2018

المستخلص
       يهدف هذا البحث لبيان مدى أهمية الطاقة التنظيمية بالمنظمات الفندقية التي تبحث عن النجاح والتفوق في بيئة الأعمال لغرض التغلغل بالأسواق السياحية قاطبة, ولغرض رسم السياسات والقواعد الثابتة لابد من تأطيرها بإعتماد جوهر الإستراتيجيات الإدارية التي تسهم بالإبداع وتحقيق الأهداف وتقديم رؤية مستقبلية لمكانتها بين المنظمات المنافسة وبالتالي تحقيق الفاعلية. هذا ما تناولته المباحث بالجانب النظري, كما أثيرت مجموعة تساؤلات عامة لتحديد مستوى أهمية البحث وتساؤلات خاصة عبرت عن مشكلة البحث, ولتحديد مستوى متغيرات البحث وإختيار فرضياتها تم إستخدام عدد من الأساليب الإحصائية اللامعلمية بتحليل ومعالجة البيانات والمعلومات وذلك بالإعتماد على البرامج الإحصائية الجاهزة (SPSS ) التي تظهر معامل الإنحدار الخطي البسيط.
استعمال طريقتي المركبات الرئيسية والمربعات الصغرى الجزئية لتقدير معلمات أنموذج الانحدار اللوجستي ثنائي الاستجابة في حالة وجود مشكلة التعدد الخطي
Authors: البياتي محمود مهدي , شاكر هديل حميد
Published: November 2018

المستخلص
يعد أنموذج الانحدار اللوجستي من النماذج اللاخطية الذي يهدف الى الحصول على مقدرات تمتلك كفاءة عالية , كما انه يعطي الباحث فكره عن مقدار تأثير المتغير التوضيحي على متغير الاستجابة الثنائية.
أن العدد الكبير لمتغيرات توضيحية تستعمل عادة لتوضيح الاستجابة ادى الى ظهور مشكلة التعدد الخطي بين المتغيرات التوضيحية التي تجعل تقدير معلمات النموذج ليست دقيقة جدا.
يتم عرض في هذا البحث طريقتين لتقدير معلمات أنموذج الانحدار اللوجستي في حالة وجود مشكلة التعدد الخطي (Multicollinearity) وهما : طريقة المركبات الرئيسية للانحدار اللوجستي (PCLR), وطريقة انحدار المربعات الصغرى الجزئية(PLSR).
اذ تم اجراء المقارنة بين هاتين الطريقتين من خلال اسلوب المحاكاة وبأستعمال معيار المقارنة متوسط مربعات الخطأ(MSE) للوصول الى الطريقة الأفضل في تقدير المعلمات في حالة وجود مشكلة التعدد الخطي, وقد بينت نتائج المحاكاة أن طريقة (PCLR(3pc’s)) هي الافضل في تقدير معلمات أنموذج الانحدار اللوجستي ثنائي الاستجابة في حالة وجود مشكلة التعدد الخطي.
مقارنة طريقتي Turnbull)) و (Generalization Turnbull’s) اللامعلمية في تقدير دالة البقاء الشرطية ( دراسة تطبيقية على مرضى سرطان الثدي)
Authors: الوكيل علي عبد الحسين , رشيد امل هادي
Published: November 2018

المستخلص
يتضمن هذا البحث تطبيق الطرائق اللامعلمية في تقدير دالة البقاء الشرطية والمتمثلة بطريقة Turnbull)) و (Generalization Turnbull’s) باستعمال بيانات البتر (مراقبة) لفترة والمتمثلة ببيانات مرض سرطان الثدي ولنوعين من العلاجين العلاج الكيميائي والعلاج بالإشعاع واعتبار العمر هو المتغير المشترك ويكون متغيرا مستمر, اذ تم تطبيق خوارزمية المقدرين من خلال استعمال برنامج (MATLAB) ومن ثم استعمال معيار متوسط مربعات الخطأ(MSE) للمقارنة بين المقدرين واظهرت النتائج افضلية مقدر (Generalization Turnbull’s) في تقدير دالة البقاء الشرطية ولكل من العلاج الكيميائي والعلاج بالإشعاع اذ نلاحظ بان منحنيات البقاء المقدرة لا تظهر اختلافات كبيرة جدا ولكن منحنيات المرضى الذين يتعاطون العلاج الكيميائي كانت اكثر استقرارا ووقت بقاء اطول اذ ان الانحلال او الاضمحلال السريع اي التناقص في قيمة الاحتمال لمنحنى المرضى يحدث في زمن كل من الفترة التاسعة وزمن الفترة الثانية والعشرون وكذلك زمن الفترة السادسة والعشرون ويصل قيمة الاحتمال لدالة البقاء الى الصفر في زمن الفترة الاخيرة .
دراسة حول حصانة معيار بيز
Authors: بدر دريد حسين
Published: November 2018

المستخلص
في هذا البحث تمت المحاولة للتحري عن حصانة معيار بيز (Bayesian Information Criterion) (BIC) في تقدير درجة انموذج الانحدار الذاتي عند خضوع خطأ هذا الانموذج لتوزيعات معينة ولحالات مختلفة للسلسلة الزمنية واحجام مختلفة من العينات وذلك باستخدام المحاكاة ، حيث تم دراسة هذا المعيار بالاعتماد على عشرة توزيعات هي [التوزيع الطبيعي ،التوزيع اللوغاريتمي الطبيعي،التوزيع المنتظم المستمر، توزيع كاما، التوزيع الاسي، توزيع كامبل،توزيع كوشي، توزيع بواسون، توزيع ذي الحدين،التوزيع المنتظم المتقطع] ومن ثم التوصل الى انه عند خضوع متغير بواقي السلسلة لكل من توزيع بواسون ، ثنائي الحدين ، الأسي ، المنتظم المستمر ، المنتظم المتقطع ، اللوغارتمي الطبيعي فان حصانة معيار بيز لتقدير درجة أنموذج الانحدار الذاتي عالية في حالة كون السلسلة غير مستقرة على أن هذا المعيار حصين كلما قل حجم العينة عند السلسلة الزمنية غير المستقرة ويبدأ بالتناقص كلما قل كبر حجم العينة بتلك التي تخضع لمسار عشوائي ، في حين عند خضوع متغير بواقي السلسلة لكل من توزيع كاما ، كامبل ، كوشي فان معيار بيز حصين كلما قل حجم العينة عند السلسلة الزمنية غير المستقرة ويزداد حصانة كلما كبر حجم العينة بتلك التي تخضع لمسار عشوائي .
New Robust Estimation in Compound Exponential Weibull-Poisson Distribution for both contaminated and non-contaminated Data
Authors: الدوري انتصار عريبي
Published: November 2018

تناول البحث مقارنة طريقتين لتقدير معلمات توزيع بواسون–ويبل الاسي المركب ذو الاربع معلمات هي طريقة الامكان الاعظم الاعتيادية وخوارزمية Downhill Simplex وذلك بالاعتماد على حالتين للبيانات الاولى تفترض حالة البيانات الطبيعية (غير الملوثة) والثانية تفترض حالة تلوث البيانات. ومن خلال تنفيذ تجربة المحاكاة لحجوم عينات مختلفة وقيم اولية للمعلمات وتحت مستويات مختلفة للتلويث تبين ان خوارزمية Downhill Simplexكانت هي الافضل في تقدير المعلمات والدالة الاحتمالية ودالة المعولية للتوزيع المركب في حالتي البيانات الطبيعية والملوثة.
Selective Soldering on Printed Circuit Boards with Endogenous Induction Heat at Appropriate Susceptors
Authors: Seehase Dirk , Kohlen Christian , Neiser Arne , Novikov Andrej , Nowottnick Mathias
Published: November 2018

In this work, methods for the endogenous heating of printed circuit boards (PCBs) by means of inductive losses in built-in susceptors are presented. Two basic types of inductive heating were studied, the heating in the transversal field and the heating in the longitudinal field. Elementary test stands were constructed and characterized for both field geometries. These setups were then used to analyze various susceptor materials like copper and aluminum for the transversal field heating and nickel and iron for the longitudinal field heating. To demonstrate the soldering processes by means of inductive heating, exemplary processes were conducted on both test stands by emulating a standard solder reflow profile. The limitations of using induction heating on printed circuit boards are illustrated by component lead frames, which also heat up in the inductive field and can hence be damaged.In short, this paper presents a selective heating method, based on induction heating, for printed circuit boards. Furthermore possible setups for implementing this heating method are described.
Developing the Marketing Experience to Increase Shopping Time: The Moderating Effect of Visit Frequency
Authors: Cachero-Martínez Silvia , Vázquez-Casielles Rodolfo
Published: November 2018

In the retail sector, the creation of shopping experiences becomes increasingly important to obtain a competitive advantage, and to meet consumers’ needs and desires. Knowing how to design and apply these experiences can stimulate consumer engagement and their intention to spend more time at the retailer. Under this premise, the objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between different shopping experience dimensions, consumers’ engagement, and their willingness to spend more time at the retailer. Using survey methodology on a sample of 527 consumers, the results show that shopping experiences stimulate the consumers’ engagement and their predisposition to spending more time at the store. In addition, a moderating effect of visit frequency to the retailer is observed, such that the higher this is, the more intense the relationship between experience dimensions and consumer engagement will be.
Fides Testi’s Use of the Airbrush in Italian Art Textiles in the 1930s
Authors: Mannini Lucia
Published: November 2018

The Modernist aesthetic, which spread all over Europe and in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, found the airbrush decorating technique to be the ideal instrument for expressing the requirements for an extreme synthesis of form. This was considered an essential element of the style, thanks to the areas of uniform color that shaded lighter tones inside basic, often geometric, shapes. The airbrush was used in that period mainly for graphics and for decorating ceramics, but it was also employed in other fields such as textile design. In Italy, the airbrush technique became popular in various artistic sectors including textiles, both for mass production and in the creation of single artistic pieces and in this latter field, Fides Testi was a leading figure.
Night-Time Oxidation of a Monolayer Model for the Air–Water Interface of Marine Aerosols—A Study by Simultaneous Neutron Reflectometry and in Situ Infra-Red Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS)
Authors: Woden Ben , Skoda Maximilian W. A. , Hagreen Matthew , Pfrang Christian
Published: November 2018

This paper describes experiments on the ageing of a monolayer model for the air–water interface of marine aerosols composed of a typical glycolipid, galactocerebroside (GCB). Lipopolysaccharides have been observed in marine aerosols, and GCB is used as a proxy for these more complex lipopolysaccharides. GCB monolayers are investigated as pure films, as mixed films with palmitic acid, which is abundant in marine aerosols and forms a stable attractively mixed film with GCB, particularly with divalent salts present in the subphase, and as mixed films with palmitoleic acid, an unsaturated analogue of palmitic acid. Such mixed films are more realistic models of atmospheric aerosols than simpler single-component systems. Neutron reflectometry (NR) has been combined in situ with Fourier transform infra-red reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) in a pioneering analysis and reaction setup designed by us specifically to study mixed organic monolayers at the air–water interface. The two techniques in combination allow for more sophisticated observation of multi-component monolayers than has previously been possible. The structure at the air–water interface was also investigated by complementary Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). This study looks specifically at the oxidation of the organic films by nitrate radicals (NO3•), the key atmospheric oxidant present at night. We conclude that NO3• oxidation cannot fully remove a cerebroside monolayer from the surface on atmospherically relevant timescales, leaving its saturated tail at the interface. This is true for pure and salt water subphases, as well as for single- and two-component films. The behaviour of the unsaturated tail section of the molecule is more variable and is affected by interactions with co-deposited species. Most surprisingly, we found that the presence of CaCl2 in the subphase extends the lifetime of the unsaturated tail substantially—a new explanation for longer residence times of materials in the atmosphere compared to lifetimes based on laboratory studies of simplified model systems. It is thus likely that aerosols produced from the sea-surface microlayer at night will remain covered in surfactant molecules on atmospherically relevant timescales with impact on the droplet’s surface tension and on the transport of chemical species across the air–water interface.
Screening BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers for Breast Cancer
Authors: Warner Ellen
Published: November 2018

Women with BRCA mutations, who choose to decline or defer risk-reducing mastectomy, require a highly sensitive breast screening regimen they can begin by age 25 or 30. Meta-analysis of multiple observational studies, in which both mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed annually, demonstrated a combined sensitivity of 94% for MRI plus mammography compared to 39% for mammography alone. There was negligible benefit from adding screening ultrasound or clinical breast examination to the other two modalities. The great majority of cancers detected were non-invasive or stage I. While the addition of MRI to mammography lowered the specificity from 95% to 77%, the specificity improved significantly after the first round of screening. The median follow-up of women with screen-detected breast cancer in the above observational studies now exceeds 10 years, and the long-term breast cancer-free survival in most of these studies is 90% to 95%. However, ongoing follow-up of these study patients, as well of women screened and treated more recently, is necessary. Advances in imaging technology will make highly sensitive screening accessible to a greater number of high-risk women.
Genomic Characteristics of Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinomas of the Lung and Potential Therapeutic Targets of B7-H3
Authors: Nakagomi Takahiro , Goto Taichiro , Hirotsu Yosuke , Shikata Daichi , Yokoyama Yujiro , Higuchi Rumi , Otake Sotaro , Amemiya Kenji , Oyama Toshio , Mochizuki Hitoshi , Omata Masao
Published: November 2018

Pulmonary invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) is considered a variant of lung adenocarcinomas based on the current World Health Organization classification of lung tumors. However, the molecular mechanism driving IMA development and progression is not well understood. Thus, we surveyed the genomic characteristics of IMA in association with immune-checkpoint expression to investigate new potential therapeutic strategies. Tumor cells were collected from surgical specimens of primary IMA, and sequenced to survey 53 genes associated with lung cancer. The mutational profiles thus obtained were compared in silico to conventional adenocarcinomas and other histologic carcinomas, thereby establishing the genomic clustering of lung cancers. Immunostaining was also performed to compare expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and B7-H3 in IMA and conventional adenocarcinomas. Mutations in Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) were detected in 75% of IMAs, but in only 11.6% of conventional adenocarcinomas. On the other hand, the frequency of mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and tumor protein p53 (TP53) genes was 5% and 10%, respectively, in the former, but 48.8% and 34.9%, respectively, in the latter. Clustering of all 78 lung cancers indicated that IMA is distinct from conventional adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Strikingly, expression of PD-L1 in ≥1% of cells was observed in only 6.1% of IMAs, but in 59.7% of conventional adenocarcinomas. Finally, 42.4% and 19.4% of IMAs and conventional adenocarcinomas, respectively, tested positive for B7-H3. Although currently classified as a variant of lung adenocarcinoma, it is also reasonable to consider IMA as fundamentally distinct, based on mutation profiles and genetic clustering as well as immune-checkpoint status. The immunohistochemistry data suggest that B7-H3 may be a new and promising therapeutic target for immune checkpoint therapy.
Helicobacter pylori Infection-Induced Hepatoma-Derived Growth Factor Regulates the Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Myofibroblast-Like Cells
Authors: Liu Chung-Jung , Wang Yao-Kuang , Kuo Fu-Chen , Hsu Wen-Hung , Yu Fang-Jung , Hsieh Shuchen , Tai Ming-Hong , Wu Deng-Chyang , Kuo Chao-Hung
Published: November 2018

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) plays a critical role in tumor cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, VEGF expression, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in human gastric cancer. Gastric cancer, as one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world for the prognosis of gastric cancer is generally poor, especially in patients with advanced stage. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes the chronic inflammation of stomach as well as the development of gastric cancer, with a three to six-fold increased risk of gastric cancer. Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are myofibroblasts in tumor microenvironment, which possess various abilities to promote the progression of cancer by stimulating neoangiogenesis, proliferation, migration, invasion and therapy resistance of tumor cell. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are reported to promote tumor malignance through differentiation of MSCs toward CAFs. In the present study, we demonstrated that H. pylori infection promotes HDGF expression in human gastric cancer cells. HBMMSCs treated with HDGF assume properties of CAF-like myofibroblastic phenotypes, including expression of myofibroblast markers (α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), procollagen α1, tropomyoson I, desmin, fibroblast activation protein (FAP)), and fibroblast markers (prolyl-4-hydroxylase A1 (PHA1) and fibroblast specific protein-1 (FSP-1)/S100A4). HDGF recruits HBMMSCs, and then HBMMSCs further contributes to cell survival and invasive motility in human gastric cancer cells. Treatment of HDGF neutralizing antibody (HDGF-NAb) and serum significantly inhibit HDGF-regulated differentiation and recruitment of HBMMSCs. These findings suggest that HDGF might play a critical role in gastric cancer progress through stimulation of HBMMSCs differentiation to myofibroblast-like cells.
A CeO2/ZrO2-TiO2 Catalyst for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx with NH3
Authors: Shan Wenpo , Geng Yang , Zhang Yan , Lian Zhihua , He Hong
Published: November 2018

In this study, CeZr0.5TiaOx (with a = 0, 1, 2, 5, 10) catalysts were prepared by a stepwise precipitation approach for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3. When Ti was added, all of the Ce-Zr-Ti oxide catalysts showed much better catalytic performances than the CeZr0.5Ox. Particularly, the CeZr0.5Ti2Ox catalyst showed excellent activity for broad temperature range under high space velocity condition. Through the control of pH value and precipitation time during preparation, the function of the CeZr0.5Ti2Ox catalyst could be controlled and the structure with highly dispersed CeO2 (with redox functions) on the surface of ZrO2-TiO2 (with acidic functions) could be obtained. Characterizations revealed that the superior catalytic performance of the catalyst is associated with its outstanding redox properties and adsorption/activation functions for the reactants.
The Role of Impregnated Sodium Ions in Cu/SSZ-13 NH3-SCR Catalysts
Authors: Wang Chen , Wang Jun , Wang Jianqiang , Wang Zhixin , Chen Zexiang , Li Xiaolan , Shen Meiqing , Yan Wenjun , Kang Xue
Published: November 2018

To reveal the role of impregnated sodium (Na) ions in Cu/SSZ-13 catalysts, Cu/SSZ-13 catalysts with four Na-loading contents were prepared using an incipient wetness impregnation method and hydrothermally treated at 600 °C for 16 h. The physicochemical property and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) activity of these catalysts were studied to probe the deactivation mechanism. The impregnated Na exists as Na+ on catalysts and results in the loss of both Brönsted acid sites and Cu2+ ions. Moreover, the high loading of Na ions destroy the framework structure of Cu/SSZ-13 and forms new phases (SiO2/NaSiO3 and amorphous species) when Na loading was higher than 1.0 mmol/g. The decreased Cu2+ ions finally transformed into CuxO, CuO, and CuAlOx species. The inferior SCR activity of Na impregnated catalysts was mainly due to the reduced contents of Cu2+ ions at kinetic temperature region. The reduction in the amount of acid sites and Cu2+ ions, as well as copper oxide species (CuxO and CuO) formation, led to low SCR performance at high temperature. Our study also revealed that the existing problem of the Na ions’ effect should be well-considered, especially at high hydrothermal aging when diesel particulate filter (DPF) is applied in upstream of the SCR applications.
Electric Polarization in Magnetic Topological Nodal Semimetal Thin Films
Authors: Ominato Yuya , Yamakage Ai , Nomura Kentaro
Published: November 2018

We theoretically study the electric polarization in magnetic topological nodal semimetal thin films. In magnetically doped topological insulators, topological nodal semimetal phases emerge once the exchange coupling overcomes the band gap. Changing the magnetization direction, nodal structure is modulated and the system becomes topological nodal point or line semimetals. We find that nodal line semimetals are characterized by non-linear electric polarization, which is not observed in nodal point semimetals. The non-linear response originates from the existence of the surface states. Screening effect is self consistently included within a mean field approximation and the non-linear electric polarization is observed even in the presence of screening effect.
Synthesis of Star-Shaped Boron Carbide Micro-Crystallites under High Pressure and High Temperatures
Authors: Filonenko Vladimir P. , Zinin Pavel V. , Zibrov Igor P. , Anokhin Alexander S. , Kukueva Elena V. , Lyapin Sergey G. , Fominski Vyacheslav Y.
Published: November 2018

We synthesized star-shaped pentagonal microcrystals of boron carbide with an extremely low carbon content (~5%), from m-carborane under high pressure (7 GPa) and high temperature (1370–1670 K). These crystals have five-fold symmetry and grow in the shape of stars. A 5-fold symmetry in large micron-sized crystals is extremely rare making this a striking observation.
Mechanical Properties, Electronic Structures, and Debye Temperature of NixBy Compounds Obtained by the First Principles Calculations
Authors: Wang Kaiming , Du Dong , Chang Baohua , Hong Yuxiang , Ju Jiang , Sun Shuting , Fu Hanguang
Published: November 2018

Mechanical properties, electronic properties, and Debye temperatures of NixBy (Ni3B, Ni2B, Ni4B3 and NiB) compounds were obtained by the first principles calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that the formation enthalpy of the NixBy compounds were stable with negative formation enthalpy. NiB had the largest B, G, and E, and the smallest υ; it also had the highest hardness (10.8 GPa) and Debye temperature (681.8 K). Ni4B3 had the strongest anisotropy. It was found that the valence bonds of the NixBy compounds studied were composed of both metal bond and covalent bond, and the mechanical properties and Debye temperature of the NixBy compounds increased with the increase of the B atomic ratio.
Effect of Cold Rolling on the Phase Transformation Kinetics of an Al0.5CoCrFeNi High-Entropy Alloy
Authors: Wang Jun , Yang Haoxue , Guo Tong , Wang Jiaxiang , Wang William Yi , Li Jinshan
Published: November 2018

The solid state phase transformation kinetics of as-cast and cold rolling deformed Al0.5CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys have been investigated by the thermal expansion method. The phase transformed volume fractions are determined from the thermal expansion curve using the lever rule method, and the deformed sample exhibits a much higher transformation rate. Two kinetic parameters, activation energy (E) and kinetic exponent (n) are determined using Kissinger– Akahira–Sunose (KAS) and Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) method, respectively. Results show that a pre-deformed sample shows a much lower activation energy and higher kinetic exponent compared with the as-cast sample, which are interpreted based on the deformation induced defects that can promote the nucleation and growth process during phase transformation.
Beyond the Split between Formal School Identity and Teachers’ Personal Worldviews: Towards an Inclusive (Christian) School Identity
Authors: Bertram-Troost Gerdien , Versteegt Inge , Van der Kooij Jacomijn , Van Nes Inger , Miedema Siebren
Published: November 2018

Religious diversity within Dutch schools has greatly increased. We carried out an empirical study to offer insights into how secondary school teachers (try to) relate to the formal Protestant Christian identity of their school, the challenges they experience in relation to their own personal worldview, and the recommendations they have to overcome these challenges. In our qualitative study, we interviewed thirty-two teachers from eight different schools. In selecting the schools, we took into account the diversity of Protestant Christian secondary education in the Netherlands. The teachers teach different subjects in a variety of disciplines (languages, creative arts, sciences, et cetera). For many teachers, their personal worldview does not align neatly with the formal religious identity of the school. As a result, teachers experience challenges in relation to, for example, the act of daily worship and (Christian) celebrations. Teachers also experience tensions regarding the extent to which schools could or should be open towards (religious) others. Teachers’ advice, among other recommendations, is to create room for an open exchange of views, opinions, and experiences between teachers and principals. Some teachers recommend that their principal reconsider the formal Christian identity of the school and search for another, more inclusive school identity with which everyone involved can better identify.
Wind Power Interval Forecasting Based on Confidence Interval Optimization
Authors: Yu Xiaodong , Zhang Wen , Zang Hongzhi , Yang Hao
Published: November 2018

Most of the current wind power interval forecast methods are based on the assumption the point forecast error is subject to a known distribution (such as a normal distribution, beta distribution, etc.). The interval forecast of wind power is obtained after solving the confidence interval of the known distribution. However, this assumption does not reflect the truth because the distribution of error is random and does not necessary obey any known distribution. Moreover, the current method for calculating the confidence interval is only good for a known distribution. Therefore, those interval forecast methods cannot be applied generally, and the forecast quality is not good. In this paper, a general method is proposed to determine the optimal interval forecast of wind power. Firstly, the distribution of the point forecast error is found by using the non-parametric Parzen window estimation method which is suitable for the distribution of an arbitrary shape. Secondly, an optimal method is used to find the minimum confidence interval of arbitrary distribution. Finally the optimal forecast interval is obtained. Simulation results indicate that this method is not only generally applicable, but also has a better comprehensive evaluation index.
Unified Algorithm for Demand-Side Appliance Commitment
Authors: Besheer Ahmad , Agamy Momen , Emara Hassan , Bahgat Ahmed
Published: November 2018

Recent energy efficiency and conservation programs have created an unprecedented demand for home energy management systems (HEMS) in the residential sector aimed at reducing electricity consumption and saving on electricity bills. This paper gives a brief review of the basic algorithms found in the literature for HEMS that target optimum scheduling for home appliances participating in demand response (DR) programs. The working principles, as well as the pros and the cons, of these algorithms are explained and analyzed. Then, a unified algorithm to manage the hourly power consumption of home appliances on a daily basis is suggested using two scenarios. The first scenario aims to simultaneously achieve dual utility/customer benefits while avoiding the individual drawbacks of each presented algorithm. The second scenario aims to actively involve DR customers in making the optimum decision regarding their appliances in the face of their dynamic desires. The proposed algorithm is generic in the sense that it has the ability to achieve three different objectives for dual utility/customer benefits. Moreover, the paper takes into consideration a range of constraints, such as load priority, customer preferences, utility request, and electricity dynamic pricing scheme. The essential goal of this algorithm is not only to curtail or control the power consumption of appliances but to also shift it to a better price period based on different tariff rates. The results reflect the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, which extends the previous findings in the literature by considering a wider range of limitations applied on HEMS.
Nonlinear Disturbance Decoupling Control for Hydro-Turbine Governing System with Sloping Ceiling Tailrace Tunnel Based on Differential Geometry Theory
Authors: Guo Wencheng
Published: November 2018

For hydropower stations with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel (SCTT), the regulation quality of hydro-turbine governing system (HTGS) under the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) strategy is poor. In order to improve the regulation quality of HTGS, the nonlinear disturbance decoupling control (NDDC) based on differential geometry theory is firstly applied into the HTGS with SCTT. The rigorous and complete construction method of nominal output function is proposed. Based on the obtained nominal output function, a novel NDDC strategy for HTGS with SCTT is designed. The application and performance of NDDC strategy on HTGS with SCTT are revealed. The results indicate that the regulation quality of the HTGS with SCTT under NDDC strategy is obviously better than that under PID strategy. The NDDC strategy has a favorable applicability on SCTT. The robustness of the HTGS with SCTT under NDDC strategy is excellent. In real engineering cases, the NDDC strategy can be adopted to optimize the design of the governor and improve the power supply quality of hydropower station.
A PLC Channel Model for Home Area Networks
Authors: Fang Xinyu , Wang Ning , Gulliver Thomas Aaron
Published: November 2018

Smart meters (SMs) are key components of the smart grid (SG) which gather electricity usage data from residences and businesses. Home area networks (HANs) are used to support two-way communications between SMs and devices within a building such as appliances. This can be implemented using power line communications (PLCs) via home wiring topologies. In this paper, a bottom-up approach is designed and a HAN-PLC channel model is obtained for a split-phase power system which includes branch circuits, an electric panel with circuit breakers and bars, a secondary transformer and the wiring of neighboring residences. A cell division (CD) method is proposed to construct the channel model. Furthermore, arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) and ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) circuit breaker models are developed. Several HAN-PLC channels are presented and compared with those obtained using existing models.
Fast Control-Oriented Dynamic Linear Model of Wind Farm Flow and Operation
Authors: Kazda Jonas , Cutululis Nicolaos Antonio
Published: November 2018

The aerodynamic interaction between wind turbines grouped in wind farms results in wake-induced power loss and fatigue loads of wind turbines. To mitigate these, wind farm control should be able to account for those interactions, typically using model-based approaches. Such model-based control approaches benefit from computationally fast, linear models and therefore, in this work, we introduce the Dynamic Flow Predictor. It is a fast, control-oriented, dynamic, linear model of wind farm flow and operation that provides predictions of wind speed and turbine power. The model estimates wind turbine aerodynamic interaction using a linearized engineering wake model in combination with a delay process. The Dynamic Flow Predictor was tested on a two-turbine array to illustrate its main characteristics and on a large-scale wind farm, comparable to modern offshore wind farms, to illustrate its scalability and accuracy in a more realistic scale. The simulations were performed in SimWindFarm with wind turbines represented using the NREL 5 MW model. The results showed the suitability, accuracy, and computational speed of the modeling approach. In the study on the large-scale wind farm, rotor effective wind speed was estimated with a root-mean-square error ranging between 0.8% and 4.1%. In the same study, the computation time per iteration of the model was, on average, 2.1 × 10 − 5 s. It is therefore concluded that the presented modeling approach is well suited for use in wind farm control.
Three-Dimensional Inverse Design of Low Specific Speed Turbine for Energy Recovery in Cooling Tower System
Authors: Yang Wei , Lei Xiaoyu , Liu Benqing
Published: November 2018

A three-dimensional inverse design of a low specific speed turbine is studied, and a set of design criteria for low specific speed turbine runner is proposed, including blade loading distributions and blade lean angles. The characteristics of the loading parameters for low specific speed turbine runner are summarized by analyzing the suction performance of different loading positions, loading slopes and blade lean angles based on the orthogonal experiment design and range analysis. It is found that the blade loading distribution at the band plays a more important role than it does at the crown and it should be fore loaded for both band and crown. The blade lean angle at the blade leading edge should be negative. Then, the blade is optimized through the inverse method by fixing blade lean angle, based on the response surface method. After seeking the optimal value of the response surface function, the optimal result of the design parameters is obtained, which is in conformity with the design criteria and verifies the rationality of the established design criteria for low specific speed turbine.
DSP-Based 40 GB/s Lane Rate Next-Generation Access Networks
Authors: Wei Jinlong , Zhou Ji , Giacoumidis Elias , Haigh Paul , Tang Jianming
Published: November 2018

To address the continuous growth in high-speed ubiquitous access required by residential users and enterprises, Telecommunication operators must upgrade their networks to higher data rates. For optical fiber access networks that directly connect end users to metro/regional network, capacity upgrade must be done in a cost- and energy-efficient manner. 40 Gb/s is the possible lane rate for the next generation passive optical networks (NG-PONs). Ideally, existing 10 G PON components could be reused to support 40 Gb/s lane-rate NG-PON transceiver, which requires efficient modulation format and digital signal processing (DSP) to alleviate the bandwidth limitation and fiber dispersion. The major contribution of this work is to offer insight performance comparisons of 40 Gb/s lane rate electrical three level Duobinary, optical Duobinary, and four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) for incorporating low complex DSPs, including linear and nonlinear Volterra equalization, as well as maximum likelihood sequence estimation. Detailed analysis and comparison of the complexity of various DSP algorithms are performed. Transceiver bandwidth optimization is also undertaken. The results show that the choices of proper modulation format and DSP configuration depend on the transmission distances of interest.
Secure and Dynamic Memory Management Architecture for Virtualization Technologies in IoT Devices
Authors: R Jithin , Chandran Priya
Published: November 2018

The introduction of the internet in embedded devices led to a new era of technology—the Internet of Things (IoT) era. The IoT technology-enabled device market is growing faster by the day, due to its complete acceptance in diverse areas such as domicile systems, the automobile industry, and beyond. The introduction of internet connectivity in objects that are frequently used in daily life raises the question of security—how secure is the information and the infrastructure handled by these devices when they are connected to the internet? Security enhancements through standard cryptographic techniques are not suitable due to the power and performance constraints of IoT devices. The introduction of virtualization technology into IoT devices is a recent development, meant for fulfilling security and performance needs. However, virtualization augments the vulnerability present in IoT devices, due to the addition of one more software layer—namely, the hypervisor, which enables the sharing of resources among different users. This article proposes the adaptation of ASMI (Architectural Support for Memory Isolation—a general architecture available in the literature for the improvement of the performance and security of virtualization technology) on the popular MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages) embedded virtualization platform, which could be adopted in embedded virtualization architectures for IoT devices. The article illustrates the performance enhancement achieved by the proposed architecture with the existing architectures.
Winds and Gusts during the Thomas Fire
Authors: Fovell Robert G. , Gallagher Alex
Published: November 2018

We analyze observed and simulated winds and gusts occurring before, during, and immediately after the ignition of the Thomas fire of December 2017. This fire started in Ventura county during a record-long Santa Ana wind event from two closely located but independent ignitions and grew to become (briefly) the largest by area burned in modern California history. Observations placed wind gusts as high as 35 m/s within 40 km of the ignition sites, but stations much closer to them reported much lower speeds. Our analysis of these records indicate these low wind reports (especially from cooperative “CWOP” stations) are neither reliable nor representative of conditions at the fire origin sites. Model simulations verified against available better quality observations indicate downslope wind conditions existed that placed the fastest winds on the lee slope locations where the fires are suspected to have started. A crude gust estimate suggests winds as fast as 32 m/s occurred at the time of the first fire origin, with higher speeds attained later.
Understanding the Role of the BAI Subfamily of Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) in Pathological and Physiological Conditions
Authors: Moon Sun Young , Shin Seong-Ah , Oh Yong-Seok , Park Hyun Ho , Lee Chang Sup
Published: November 2018

Brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitors (BAIs) 1, 2, and 3 are members of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptors, subfamily B, which share a conserved seven-transmembrane structure and an N-terminal extracellular domain. In cell- and animal-based studies, these receptors have been shown to play diverse roles under physiological and pathological conditions. BAI1 is an engulfment receptor and performs major functions in apoptotic-cell clearance and interacts (as a pattern recognition receptor) with pathogen components. BAI1 and -3 also participate in myoblast fusion. Furthermore, BAI1–3 have been linked to tumor progression and neurological diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the functions of BAI1–3 in pathological and physiological conditions and discuss future directions in terms of the importance of BAIs as pharmacological targets in diseases.
The Genome of the North American Brown Bear or Grizzly: Ursus arctos ssp. horribilis
Authors: Taylor Gregory A. , Kirk Heather , Coombe Lauren , Jackman Shaun D. , Chu Justin , Tse Kane , Cheng Dean , Chuah Eric , Pandoh Pawan , Carlsen Rebecca , Zhao Yongjun , Mungall Andrew J. , Moore Richard , Birol Inanc , Franke Maria , Marra Marco A. , Dutton Christopher , Jones Steven J. M.
Published: November 2018

The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos ssp. horribilis) represents the largest population of brown bears in North America. Its genome was sequenced using a microfluidic partitioning library construction technique, and these data were supplemented with sequencing from a nanopore-based long read platform. The final assembly was 2.33 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 36.7 Mb, and the genome is of comparable size to that of its close relative the polar bear (2.30 Gb). An analysis using 4104 highly conserved mammalian genes indicated that 96.1% were found to be complete within the assembly. An automated annotation of the genome identified 19,848 protein coding genes. Our study shows that the combination of the two sequencing modalities that we used is sufficient for the construction of highly contiguous reference quality mammalian genomes. The assembled genome sequence and the supporting raw sequence reads are available from the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) under the bioproject identifier PRJNA493656, and the assembly described in this paper is version QXTK01000000.
Challenges Facing Home-Based Caregivers in the Management of Health Care Risk Waste
Authors: Zikhathile Thobile , Atagana Harrison
Published: November 2018

The quadruple burden of diseases, early discharge from hospital and hospital at home have resulted in home-based care services becoming a requirement in South Africa. These home-based care services generate a significant amount of health care risk waste that is mismanaged. More attention is given to the health care risk waste generated in hospitals and clinics than to health care risk waste generated by home-based caregivers. Therefore, this study investigates the health care risk waste management practices by home-based caregivers. The study adopted a mixed research approach, qualitative and quantitative methods, using a literature review, interviews, and questionnaires as means of data collection. Results show that there are different types of health care risk waste generated as a result of different activities performed by home-based caregivers, but that the waste was found to be managed in an unsafe manner. The majority of households receiving home-based care did not have basic sanitation facilities such as toilets, running water and waste removal services, aggravating the issue of health care risk waste mismanagement. The study recommends a new policy framework that will lead to safe management practices of generated health care risk waste to be adopted by home-based caregivers.
Mode of Commuting to School and Its Association with Physical Activity and Sedentary Habits in Young Ecuadorian Students
Authors: Barranco-Ruiz Yaira , Guevara-Paz Alfredo Xavier , Ramírez-Vélez Robinson , Chillón Palma , Villa-González Emilio
Published: November 2018

Active commuting to and from school (ACS) could help to increase daily physical activity levels in youth; however, this association remains unknown in Ecuadorian youth. Thus, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the patterns of commuting to and from school and (2) to analyze the associations between ACS, physical activity (PA), and sedentary habits in Ecuadorian youth. A total of 732 students (65.3% males), aged 10–18 years (children = 246, young adolescents = 310, older adolescents = 162) from the central region of Ecuador participated in this study. A self-report questionnaire, including the usual mode and frequency of commuting, distance from home to school (PACO-Questionnaire), and PA and sedentary habits (YAP-Questionnaire), was used. Most of the sample lived ≤2 km from school; however, they were mainly passive commuters (96%). The most common mode of commuting was by car (to school = 43.4%, from school = 31.6%; p < 0.001). Children presented significantly higher scores (0–4) in PA outside school and total PA compared with older adolescents (2.20 ± 0.97 vs. 1.97 ± 0.96; p = 0.013 and 2.30 ± 0.76 vs. 2.09 ± 0.74, p = 0.019, respectively), as well as the lowest scores in sedentary habits (1.51 ± 0.65, p < 0.001). PA at school and total PA were positively associated with ACS (OR 3.137; 95% CI, 1.918 to 5.131; p < 0.001, and OR 2.543; 95% CI, 1.428 to 4.527; p = 0.002, respectively). In conclusion, passive modes of transportation were the most frequently used to commute to and from school in young Ecuadorians. PA at school and total PA were positively associated with ACS. Thus, interventions at school setting could be an opportunity to improve PA levels and additionally ACS in youth from the central region of Ecuador.