bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficiency of Large-scale Manufacturing in Pakistan: A Production Frontier Approach
Authors: Tariq Mahmood
Published: August 2018

The large scale manufacturing sector in Pakistan has gained increasing prominence over the years with its share in output rising to about 13 percent in 2005-06 from 5.67 percent in 1959-60.1 The sector has operated amid varying policy environments ranging from outright import substitution in the early years to a more deregulated and liberal environment in the recent years driven largely by concerns to improve the efficiency of the industrial sector which is critical for attaining greater competitiveness. While industrial and trade policy reforms in recent years have exposed domestic enterprises to greater internal and external competition, most of these enterprises continue to seek state patronage and have yet to reposition themselves to compete effectively in the global market place. Furthermore, the trade policy still has an import substitution bias for certain critical sectors whose imports are subject to tariff peaks and this raises concerns on their efficiency. This study aims to assess the efficiency of large scale manufacturing sector in Pakistan using the production frontier approach. Section 2 reviews the literature while Section 3 sets out the methodology and discusses data employed in the study. Section 4 analyses empirical findings, and Section 5 concludes the discussion.
KURULUŞ YILLARINDA ŞEKER SANAYİ VE DEVLETİN AMAÇ FONKSİYONU
Authors: Mert Merter
Published: August 2018

Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkiye’de cumhuriyetin kuruluş yıllarında bir fail olarak devletin davranışını iktisadi açıdan araştırmaktır. Bu amacın temelinde ise 1923-1938 döneminde Türkiye’nin iktisadi kalkınmasının, iktisadi tasarım ile açıklanmasını olanaklı kılacak bir yaklaşım oluşturmak yatmaktadır. İktisadi tasarımda önce amaç daha sonra amaca uygun mekanizma tasarlanır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’de cumhuriyetin kuruluş yıllarındaki iktisadi tasarıma ilişkin yalnızca amaç fonksiyonuna dair tespitler yapılması hedeflenmiştir. Çalışmanın kapsamı yalnızca şeker sanayi ile sınırlandırılmıştır ve devletin şeker sanayindeki davranışının kalkınma sürecindeki genel davranışa aykırı olmadığı kabul edilmiştir. Devletin iktisadi açıdan davranışını açıklayabilmek amacıyla şeker sanayine ilişkin hemen hemen tüm kanun metinleri ve önemli raporlar, arşiv çalışması da yapılarak incelenmiş ve kanun metinlerinin ve raporların hangi amaca yönelik olduğu saptanmaya çalışılmıştır. Ayrıca döneme ilişkin ilgili iktisadi veriler de sunulmuştur. Çalışma ile şeker sanayine ilişkin tespitlere dayanarak hedefler belirlenmiş ve bu hedeflerin ima ettiği amaçlar ortaya çıkarılmıştır. 
DÜŞÜK MALİYETLİ ALTERNATİF SİYASAL KATILIM BİÇİMİ: ‘90 SONRASI GENÇ KUŞAĞIN SİYASAL KAYITSIZLIĞI MİT Mİ GERÇEK Mİ?
Authors: Ünal Serdar
Published: August 2018

Çalışmada yükseköğretim düzeyinde eğitim gören ‘90 sonrası kuşağı temsil eden örneklem üzerinden gençlerin kendilerinden önceki kuşaklara göre siyasal anlamda daha kayıtsız ya da ilgisiz oldukları argümanı sorgulanmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu yönde, çalışmada nicel ve nitel düzeyde elde edilen saha verileri temelinde gençlerin çevrimdışı geleneksel siyasal katılım eğilimleri ve maliyeti daha düşük ya da kolay olan yeni çevrimiçi dijital katılım olanaklarına yönelik eğilimlerini tespit etmek hedeflenmiştir. Ayrıca, çevrimiçi katılımın geleneksel katılım biçimlerini ne ölçüde ikame edebildiği siyasal ilgi, kayıtsızlık, sinizm ve slaktivizm kavramlarıyla ilişkilendirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Araştırmanın verilerine göre, gençlerin siyasal sinik tutumları veya ana akım politik uygulamalardan beklentilerinin düşük olması onları maliyeti yüksek olan geleneksel katılım biçimlerinden uzaklaştırmaktadır. Ancak, bu onların siyasal kayıtsızlıkları anlamına gelmemektedir. Gençler toplumsal sorunlara yönelik kaygılarını muhafaza ettikleri için kolay ve maliyeti düşük olan oy verme etkinliğine katılmakta, kendilerini kolayca ifade edebildikleri ve güçlü hissettikleri yeni katılım biçimi olarak dijital ağ temelli maliyeti düşük katılım etkinliklerine yönelmektedirler.  
VARLIK YÖNETİM ŞİRKETLERİNDE BİRLEŞME ÖRNEĞİ VE MUHASEBE UYGULAMALARI
Authors: Eraslan Süleyman , Önal Servet , Gürsoy Osman
Published: August 2018

Bilindiği üzere globalleşen dünyada sermaye sınır tanımamakta, gerek ulusal gerekse uluslararası işletmeler bir takım avantajlardan faydalanmak amacı ile işletme birleşmeleri gerçekleştirilmektedirler. 2000 yıllarında başlayan ülkemizdeki banka krizlerinden dolayı sorunlu krediler artmış ve birçok banka TMSF tarafından el konulmak zorunda kalınmıştır. Bu sorunlu krediler bankaların imajlarını ve piyasa değerini olumsuz şekilde etkilemiştir. Bankaların piyasa değerini yükseltebilmesi ve bu sorunlu kredilerden kurtulması için 2002 yılında Varlık Yönetim Şirketleri(VYŞ) kurulmuş ve bu şirketler 2005 yılından bu yana BDDK tarafından denetlenmektedir.  Bu şirketlerin amaçları bankaların ve finansal kuruluşların tahsili gecikmiş alacaklarının devir alınması, devir alınan aktiflerin yönetilip geliştirilerek azami değer artışının sağlanması, alacakların teminat oluşturan varlıkların (gayrimenkul, hisse senedi vs.) uzmanları vasıtası ile değerlendirilmesi gibi özel amaçları vardır. İşletme birleşmeleri 6102 Sayılı yeni TTK’nun 155 md.’nin 1. fıkrasının a ve b benlerinde, “devralan sermaye şirketi devrolunan sermaye şirketinin oy hakkı veren bütün paylarına veya bir şirket ya da bir gerçek kişi veya kanun yahut sözleşme dolayısıyla bağlı bulunan kişi grupları, birleşmeye katılan sermaye şirketlerinin oy hakkı veren tüm paylarına, sahiplerse sermaye şirketleri kolaylaştırılmış düzene göre birleşebilirler hâlinde birleşme kolaylaştırılmış usulde gerçekleşebilir” demektedir. Çalışmamızın esas konusu olan VYŞ’lerde birleşme konusu ele alınmış ve Türkiye’deki iki VYŞ’nin birleşme işlemine ve muhasebe uygulamalarına yer verilmiştir.
SEDIKIT GAMBARAN TENTANG ANALISA POLLEN DALAM PENELITIAN ARKEOLOGI INDONESIA
Authors: Yuwantiningsih Sri
Published: August 2018

Perkembangan penelitian arkeologi ternyata tidak pernah lepas dari berbagai disiplin ilmu, yang kesemuanya bertujuan untuk mempercepat pemecahan masalah arkeologi yang ada. Penggunaan ilmu lain termasuk pengembangan teknik modern dalam arkeologi, meliputi juga konsep dari lingkungan ilmu-ilmu eksakta.Analisa pollen merupakan salah satu kegiatan yang berhubungan dengan kegiatan multidisipliner dalam penelitian arkeologi. Kegiatan ini adalah usaha yang menyangkut penerapan ilmu dari lingkungan biologi-geologi kearah arkeologi. Penerapan analisa pollen di negara-negara maju sudah lebih dahulu dikerjakan. Dengan pengembangan analisa pollen dalam penelitian arkeologi di Indonesia, akan membuat penelitian arkeologi setapak lebih maju dan diharapkan sesuai dengan negara maju yang lain.
Alat-alat Batu Pacitan: Mobilitas Budaya Prasejarah
Authors: Widianto Harry
Published: August 2018

Dalam kerangka periode prasejarah di Indonesia, masa berburu dan mengumpulkan makanan tingkat sederhana dengan penonjolan tradisi paleolithik telah menempati posisi yang tertua. Masa ini bermula dengan terciptanya hasil-hasil kebudayaan manusia pertama sekitar 700.000 tahun yang lalu, kemudian berakhir pada awal Kala Holosen, sekitar 10.000 tahun silam. Dari jangka waktu itu, berbagai alat untuk mengeksploitasi lingkungan telah menjadi bukti tentang eksistensi pendukung kebudayaan Kala Plestosen di Indonesia. Betapapun sangat sederhananya, alat-alat ini telah memberikan gambaran tentang perilaku manusia Plestosen di Indonesia, terutama tentang hubungan timbal-balik yang erat antara lingkungan hidup manusia, teknologi dan sistem-sistem sosial. Tiap-tiap gejala ini harus diperhatikan secara seksama, sehingga dapat diketabui hubungan fungsionalnya.
Zeta Potential, Effective Membrane Charge and Donnan Potential for TiO2 NF Ceramic Membrane
Authors: Al-Alawy Ahmed Faiq Hassan , Al-Naemi Amer Naji Ahmed , Hussein Mudhaffar Yacoub
Published: August 2018

Nanofiltration (NF) ceramic membrane have found increasing applications particularly in wastewater and water treatment. In order to estimate and optimize the performance of NF membranes, the membrane should be characterized correctly in terms of their basic parameters such as effective pore radius (rp) and equivalent effective thickness as well as effective surface charge ( ), the effective charge density ( ) and Donnan potential ( ). The impact of electrokinetic (zeta) potential on the membrane surface charge density, effective membrane charge density and Donnan potential at two different concentrations of the reference solutions 0.001, 0.01 M sodium chloride at various pH values from 3 to 9, and effective pore radius (rp) for nominal 0.9 nm  ceramic TiO2 NF membrane were evaluated. Experiments were conducted at cross flow (1.0 m/s) using Microelectrophoresis technique for measuring membrane zeta potential, effective pore radius, and Donnan steric pore model (DSPM). The TiO2 membrane isoelectric point (net membrane charge equals zero) was found at pH of 3.7, 3.5 for 0.001 and 0.01 M NaCl respectively. The results showed that the NF membrane zeta potential changes its sign from positive to negative after the isoelectric point. The evaluated effective pore radius was found to be equal to 0.56 nm by using (DSPM) and the membrane equivalent effective thickness equals to (2×10-6 m).
Body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with prejudice towards a fictive group of immigrants
Authors: Zakrzewska Marta Zuzanna , Olofsson Jonas , Lindholm Torun , Blomkvist Anna , Liuzza Marco Tullio
Published: August 2018

Why are certain individuals persistent in opposing immigration? The behavioral immune system framework implies that a psychological mechanism, which adapted to detect and avoid pathogen threats, is also reflected in contemporary social attitudes. Moreover, prejudice towards outgroups might be partially driven by implicit pathogen concerns related to dissimilarity of these groups’ hygiene and food preparation practices. Disgust, a universal core emotion supposedly evolved to avoid pathogen threats, as well as olfaction, both play a pivotal role in evoking disgust. In an online study (N = 800), we investigated whether individual differences in body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) correlate with negative attitudes towards a fictive refugee group. The data analysis plan and hypotheses were preregistered. Results show that body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with xenophobia: BODS was positively associated with negative attitudes towards the fictive group. This relationship was partially mediated by perceived dissimilarities of the group in terms of hygiene and food preparation. Our finding suggests prejudice might be rooted in sensory mechanisms.
People are intuitive economists under the right conditions
Authors: Jern Alan
Published: August 2018

[Commentary on Boyer & Petersen. (2018). Folk-economic beliefs: An evolutionary cognitive model. Behavioral and Brain Sciences.] Boyer and Petersen argue that a "rudimentary exchange psychology" is responsible for many of people’s folk-economic beliefs that are at odds with the consensus views of economists. However, they focus primarily on macroeconomic beliefs. I argue that the same rudimentary exchange psychology could be expected to produce fairly accurate microeconomic intuitions. Existing evidence supports this prediction.
Distracted by details: Narrative influence following conflicting stories
Authors: Simons Joseph John Pyne , Green Melanie C.
Published: August 2018

Work on narrative influence has demonstrated that stories can have a strong effect on people’s thoughts and attitudes. However, existing research has not addressed how people respond to multiple stories endorsing different conclusions. The current studies examined how reading two conflicting narratives influences people’s decisions about a subsequent situation, with particular emphasis on how resemblances between the narratives and the situation moderate the effects. Across two studies, participants read two testimonials which described the successful use of different treatments for a medical disorder, and then made treatment recommendations for a patient who resembled one of the testimonials in treatment-relevant ways. The key manipulation was whether the patient also resembled the other testimonial in treatment-irrelevant ways. Both studies found that these distracting, irrelevant similarities led to less appropriate treatment recommendations. The effect on decision confidence, however, was less clear, with some suggestion of both an increase (Study 1) and a decrease (Study 2) in confidence.
Compression testing of additively manufactured continuous carbon fiber-reinforced sandwich structures
Authors: Striemann Patrick , Eichenhofer Martin , Schupp Daniel , Niedermeier Michael , Huelsbusch Daniel , Walther Frank
Published: August 2018

The novel, additive manufacturing technique, continuous lattice fabrication, combines the advantages of continuous fiber-reinforcement with those of additive manufacturing. This enables the generation of fiber-reinforcement within a single layer and especially along an out-of-plane load path inside all spatial dimensions. This study is a test-related evaluation of sandwich panels with lattice core structures modifying a compression test. The specimens were manufactured differentially via plug and bond and automatically using continuous lattice fabrication. Additionally, the spatial arrangement of the rods within the lattice core structure varied in terms of base area. The ultra-lightweight sandwich panels have lattice core structures with core densities < 10 mg × cm−3. The material testing was performed by a modified compression test at room temperature. The damage analysis of the single rods shows current deficits and future potentials for optimization of lattice core structures. It could be shown that sandwich panels exhibit a compression strength of up to 0.30 MPa at a core density of 6.57 mg × cm−3. Using a dimensionless lightweight index demonstrates a mechanical performance on a level comparable with that of selected core materials.
Ternary melt blend based on poly (lactic acid)/chitosan and cloisite 30B: A study of microstructural, thermo-mechanical and barrier properties
Authors: Chenni Abdenour , Djidjelli Hocine , Boukerrou Amar , Vega Juan Jorge Martinez , Grohens Yves , Saulnier Benjamin
Published: August 2018

In this study, blends were developed based on poly (lactic acid) (PLA) containing chitosan (CHS) extracted in our laboratory and an organically modified montmorillonite (cloisite 30B) at different amounts from 1 to 4 (in wt.-%). Tensile samples were prepared using twin-screw extrusion followed by injection molding, and films were obtained by press compression. The morphological and mechanical results showed a phase segregation and poor adhesion between the polymers. Indeed, the elongation at break and thermal stability had undergone a major decrease when adding chitosan to the PLA matrix. Glass transition temperature (Tg), melt temperature (Tm) and recrystallization temperature (Tc) decreased with the addition of chitosan, whereby an increase in crystallinity indicated a nucleation effect showing the same results as with the addition of cloisite 30B. An interesting effect of cloisite 30B was found when it was incorporated into the PLA/CHS blend especially with respect to a 4 wt.-% of cloisite 30B amount. The loss of elongation at the break was partially compensated and the thermal stability and crystallinity were improved. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of PLA/chitosan blends were higher than those for the neat PLA. By incorporating the C30B into the PLA/CHS blends, very interesting and good barrier properties were recorded as compared to neat PLA and PLA/CHS composites.
Effect of welding processes on mechanical and microstructural properties of S275 structural steel joints
Authors: Çevik Bekir
Published: August 2018

S275 structural steel is a popular low carbon steel type that can be used in many different general engineering and structural applications. These steels are widely used in steel construction, maintenance, machinery and manufacturing industries. Welded joints of this steel used in the mentioned industrial areas are important. In this study, 10-mm thick S275 structural steel sheets were joined by using gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and flux cored arc welding (FCAW) methods. Tensile, bending, and hardness tests were performed to determine the mechanical properties of the welded samples. In addition, metallographic investigations were carried out to determine the microstructural properties of the weld zones. As a result of the microstructural studies, it was found that different structures such as grain boundary ferrites, polygonal ferrites, Widmanstatten ferrites and acicular ferrites are formed in the weld metal and coarse-grained region. It was determined that the hardness of the weld metal was higher than HAZ and base metal in all welding parameters. The highest tensile and bending strengths were obtained from those samples joined by using the FCAW method. As a result of the tensile test, separation occurred in the transition region between the weld metal coarse-grained regions.
Assessment of soft materials for anthropomorphic soft robotic fingertips
Authors: Yuvaraj S. , Malayalamurthi R. , Raja K. Venkatesh
Published: August 2018

In recent decades, research on soft robot manipulations and their materials attracted a huge momentum among various researchers. Selection of appropriate soft material is a vital role in robotic fingertip design, which enables the object to be held in proper orientation without slip and damage. Development of such an anthropomorphic type of soft hand requires knowledge about material selection, types of finger contact and the mechanism behind grasping. This research work presents a comprehensive comparison of six chosen soft materials with human skin for improved robotic manipulation. Extensive research is required to develop such soft hands for better manipulation becausein the final analysis, the human hand is the best soft manipulator as it conforms to objects easily through good contact with an object. In the past decades, many researchers have tried to replace metal hand of robots with appropriate soft materials to enable better manipulation. In this work, the magnitude of contact area, contact pressure and vertical depression of six soft materials was compared with human skin with respect to precision grasping. The simulation results clearly show that neoprene rubber exhibits a close relationship with the characteristics of human skin.
Analisis Kinerja Keuangan dan Ukuran Perusahaan terhadap Harga Saham Perusahaan dalam Indeks LQ45 Di BEI dengan Regresi Data Panel
Authors: Dewi Aminar Sutra , Zusmawati Zusmawati , Lova Nola Hasrina
Published: August 2018

The stock price of companies listed in the LQ45 Index has decreased almost in all sectors, except the mining and infrastructure sectors are still in the green zone. This study aims to examine the effect of Return on Equity on stock prices and the size of the Company on the company's stock price. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling method, while the data used was secondary data in the form of financial report data. The model is estimated using data panel regression, namely Common Effects Models (CEM), Fixed Effects Models (FEM), and Random Effects Models (REM). The results of this study indicate that financial performance has no significant effect on stock prices, and the size of the company also has no significant effect on stock prices.
Pengaruh Kualitas Pelayanan dan Promosi Terhadap Kepuasan Pelanggan pada PT Stainlessindo Anugrah Karya di Kota Batam
Authors: Realize Realize
Published: August 2018

Business competition in the Batam city nowadays can be said to be very strict because of the growing knowledge, culture and technology so that more competitors are opening a business in the same field. To overcome the tight competition in the marketing of stainless steel and iron work, one of the efforts must be done by the company is to implement the strategy of service quality and promotion to improve customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of service quality and promotion on customer satisfaction at PT Stainlessindo Anugrah Karya in Batam city individually and at the same time. This study method is by using descriptive analysis, data quality test, classical assumption test, multiple linear regression analysis, and hypothesis test. The results of this study indicate that the variable of service quality and promotion individually and simultaneously have a positive value and significance below the alpha level that has been assigned on customer satisfaction variable which the coefficient value of service quality has the most dominant contribution, so it can be concluded that the variable of service quality and promotion have positive and significant influence on customer satisfaction variable individually and simultaneously.
NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF YIELDING SUPPORTS IN DYNAMIC LOADING
Authors: Galyautdinov Z. R. , Galyautdinov D. R. , Gandziy M. V.
Published: August 2018

Dynamic impacts of emergency nature occur in industrial enterprises and protective structures of civil defense. An effective way to reduce the dynamic impact is the use of yielding supports in the form of annular tubes. To assess the effect of deformation of yielding supports on reinforced concrete structures, it is necessary to determine the features of dynamic deformation of the crumpled inserts of the ring section. In theoretical calculations, characteristics obtained as a result of static testing yielding supports are currently used. Data on the dynamic characteristics of yielding supports are not available. This paper presents results of experimental and numerical studies on yielding supports under dynamic loading. Using the ANSYS finite element program, a numerical model is developed for the yielding support consistent with the obtained experimental data.
Die Reproduktion der Gesellschaft und die Praktiken der Freiheit
Authors: Schmidt Christian
Published: August 2018

How is modern society reproducing itself? This question is handed on from Marx via Althusser to Foucault. One important theoretical mean to solve the puzzle is the concept of ideology. But ideology is misconceived if understood as mere appearance of material processes. Marx' own method of grasping the order of appearances is phenomenological, i.e. he is destructive of the immediately given but contradictory order of appearances and tries to reconstruct an order at the same time intelligible and incorporating the diverse phenomena. This successive method entails the promise of a totally ordered whole of the appearances. Foucault understands the dangers of such a promise. Marxism tends to close the theoretical quest for the modes, conditions, and practices of social reproduction. Therefore Foucault propagates the anti-scientific methods of genealogy, which take real practices into account again. His objectives are revolutionary practices of freedom. To write their genealogy Foucault also wonld have been forced to encounter the reproduction of society as a whole.
Obama und die Linke
Authors: Lebuhn Henrik , Yuen Eddie
Published: August 2018

The election of Barack Obama was possible because he was supported by a broad movement including many parts of the US-Left. The article analyzes the heterogeneous composition of this movement Obamas development during the election campaign and the expectations of the US-Left.
Investigation of Operating Regimes of Shut-off Hydrovalve with Electrohydraulic-powered Drive
Authors: Ioffe Anatoliy , Mazur Igor
Published: August 2018

The paper suggests the design of the locking truck hydraulic valve with electro-hydraulic drive and braking, which eliminates the disadvantages of the known designs hydraulic valves. A mathematical model for the study of operating modes of the proposed design of hydraulic valve. As a result of research modes of pressure hydraulic valve is installed, it has a high-speed operation. The proposed design of the shut-off tractor hydraulic valve allows you to quickly make adjustment of the time of its operation during operation using the throttle is part of the hydraulic valve.
Assessing Animal Welfare in Animal-Visitor Interactions in Zoos and Other Facilities. A Pilot Study Involving Giraffes
Authors: Normando Simona , Pollastri Ilaria , Florio Daniela , Ferrante Linda , Macchi Elisabetta , Isaja Valentina , De Mori Barbara
Published: August 2018

In recent years, awareness of the controversial aspects connected with wild animal-visitor interactions (AVIs) in zoos and other facilities has increased due to cultural changes. Therefore, the need to apply transparent procedures to evaluate AVIs programs in zoos and similar facilities has also increased. This study presents results of animal welfare’s assessment of a pilot test of a protocol based on six steps that aim to explore and assess the overall value of AVIs considering the impact both on animals and visitors. In the present paper, we discuss the multifaceted approach to animal welfare assessment during animal-visitor interactions, combining quantitative behavioural observations/analysis and a welfare risk-assessment procedure, which forms the basis of the six-step protocol. Pilot testing of said approach to animal welfare assessment involved giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in an Italian zoo. No change in behaviour, suggestive of an increased welfare risk to the animals, was found. The risk analysis reported overall low risks for welfare, whereas enclosure analysis highlighted that the enclosure was suitable for allowing interactions without jeopardising animal welfare, mainly because it allowed animals to choose whether to interact or withdraw from interactions without decreasing the space available to them.
Fabrication of Oxygen Releasing Scaffold by Embedding H2O2-PLGA Microspheres into Alginate-Based Hydrogel Sponge and Its Application for Wound Healing
Authors: Choi Jeongyeon , Hong Gyeongsik , Kwon Taegyun , Lim Jeong Ok
Published: August 2018

In the regeneration process for new tissues, oxygen promotes re-epithelialization and healing of infected wounds, increases keratinocyte differentiation, proliferation and migration of fibroblast, and induces angiogenesis, collagen synthesis and wound contraction. Therefore, provision of oxygen to cells and tissues at an optimal level is critical for effective tissue regeneration and wound healing. In this study, we developed sustained oxygen-releasing polymeric microspheres and fabricated a sponge type dressing by embedding the microspheres into alginate-based hydrogel that can supply oxygen to wounds. We further investigated the applicability of the microspheres and hydrogel sponge to wound healing in vitro and in vivo. Oxygen-releasing microspheres (ORM) were made by incorporating hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using double emulsion method. H2O2-PLGA microspheres were embedded into alginate-based hydrogel to form a porous oxygen-releasing hydrogel sponge (ORHS). Biocompatibility was performed using cell counting kit-8. The oxygen release kinetic study was performed using a hydrogen peroxide assay kit and oxygen meter. The wound healing potential of ORHS was evaluated using the wound scratch model. In vivo studies were carried out to investigate the safety and efficacy of the ORHS for wound healing. Experimental results confirmed that oxygen released from ORMand ORHS induced neovascularization and promoted cell proliferation thereby facilitating effective wound healing. It is suggested that the ORM can be used for supplying oxygen to where cells and tissues are deprived of necessary oxygen, and ORHS is an intelligent scaffold to effectively heal wound by enhanced angiogenesis by oxygen. Conclusively, oxygen releasing polymeric microspheres and hydrogel scaffolds have potential for a variety of tissue engineering applications, where require oxygen.
Determination of Interface-State Distributions in Polymer-Based Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Capacitors by Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Hatta Hideyuki , Miyagawa Yuhi , Nagase Takashi , Kobayashi Takashi , Hamada Takashi , Murakami Shuichi , Matsukawa Kimihiro , Naito Hiroyoshi
Published: August 2018

Information on localized states at the interfaces of solution-processed organic semiconductors and polymer gate insulators is critical to the development of printable organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with good electrical performance. This paper reports on the use of impedance spectroscopy to determine the energy distribution of the density of interface states in organic metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with three different polymer gate insulators, including polyimide, poly(4-vinylphenol), and poly(methylsilsesquioxane). The findings of the study indicate that the impedance characteristics of the P3HT MIS capacitors are strongly affected by patterning and thermal annealing of the organic semiconductor films. To extract the interface-state distributions from the conductance of the P3HT MIS capacitors, an equivalent circuit model with continuum trap states is used, which also takes the band-bending fluctuations into consideration. In addition, the relationship between the determined interface states and the electrical characteristics of P3HT-based OFETs is investigated.
Size Distribution, Bioaccessibility and Health Risks of Indoor/Outdoor Airborne Toxic Elements Collected from School Office Room
Authors: Tang Zhi-Jie , Hu Xin , Qiao Jun-Qin , Lian Hong-Zhen
Published: August 2018

20 sets of indoor and outdoor size-segregated aerosol (SSA) samples (180 foils) were collected synchronously by using two 8 Stage Non-Viable Cascade Impactor from an office room in the central region of the megacity-Nanjing, China in winter and spring in 2016. The mass size distribution of SSAs was bimodal for outdoor SSAs and unimodal for indoor in both winter and spring. The crustal elements, such as K, Ca, Mg and Fe, were mainly distributed in the coarse fractions of SSAs while toxic elements such as As, Cd, Pb and Sb were enriched more in the fine fractions in both winter and spring. Moreover, indoor/outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios of SSAs and inorganic elements indicated the penetration of outdoor fine fractions of SSAs into indoor air. As, Pb, V and Mn showed higher inhalation bioaccessibility extracted by the artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF); while V, As, Sr and Cd showed higher inhalation bioaccessibility using the simulated lung fluid (SLF), suggesting differences in elemental inhalation bioaccessibility between ALF and SLF extraction. There were similar potential carcinogenic and accumulative non-carcinogenic risks via inhalation exposure to indoor and outdoor particle-bound toxic elements based on their bioaccessible concentrations. Therefore, the potential health risks to human posed by toxic elements in office rooms cannot be neglected via inhalation exposure of the fine airborne particles.
Acoustic Reconstruction for Photothermal Imaging
Authors: Burgholzer Peter , Stockner Gregor , Mayr Guenther
Published: August 2018

Pulsed illumination of a sample, e.g., of a biological tissue, causes a sudden temperature increase of light absorbing structures, such as blood vessels, which results in an outgoing acoustic wave, as well as heat diffusion, of the absorbed energy. Both of the signals, pressure and temperature, can be measured at the sample surface and are used to reconstruct the initial temperature or pressure distribution, called photoacoustic or photothermal reconstruction respectively. We have demonstrated that both signals at the same surface pixel are connected by a temporal transformation. This allows for the calculation of a so-called acoustical virtual wave from the surface temperature evolution as measured by an infrared camera. The virtual wave is the solution of a wave equation and can be used to reconstruct the initial temperature distribution immediately after the excitation pulse. This virtual wave reconstruction method was used for the reconstruction of inclined steel rods in an epoxy sample, which were heated by a short pulse. The reconstructed experimental images show clearly the degradation of the spatial resolution with increasing depth, which is theoretically described by a depth-dependent thermographic point-spread-function.
miRNA-130a Significantly Improves Accuracy of SGA Nutritional Assessment Tool in Prediction of Malnutrition and Cachexia in Radiotherapy-Treated Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Powrózek Tomasz , Mlak Radosław , Brzozowska Anna , Mazurek Marcin , Gołębiowski Paweł , Małecka-Massalska Teresa
Published: August 2018

Background: Investigation of novel cachexia-related markers is one of the major challenges in contemporary oncology. Among studied markers, the miRNA seems to be promising due to its possibility to regulate genes responsible for induction of inflammatory response, muscle atrophy and fat tissue wasting. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of blood-circulating miRNA-130a in prediction of cancer cachexia in 70 head and neck cancer patients (HNC) subjected to radiotherapy. Moreover, diagnostic accuracy of SGA (Subjective Global Assessment) scoring and miRNA-130a level was evaluated in various cachexia models. Results: miRNA-130a level negatively correlated with plasma TNF-α concentration (r = −0.560; p < 0.001). Patients with low miRNA expression had over 3-fold higher risk of body mass index (BMI) decrease below 18.5 after the termination of therapy; over 6-fold higher risk of losing over 5% of body weight and higher risk of >10% weight reduction odds ratio (OR) = 14.18 compared to other cases. ROC analysis performed for miRNA-130a allowed to distinguish cachectic patients (body weight loss >5%) from moderately or mildly malnourished ones with optimal sensitivity of 79.4% and specificity of 80.8% area under the curve (AUC) = 0.865). miRNA significantly improved nutritional assessment conducted using SGA, achieving the following values: sensitivity 88.6%, specificity 94.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) 93.9%, negative predictive value (NPV).89.2%. Conclusion: miRNA-130a demonstrates potential clinical utility in prediction of cachexia prior to the therapy in HNC patients. Simultaneous use of both tools—SGA and miRNA—significantly improved the accuracy in the diagnosis of cachexia.
Valorization of Biomass Derived Terpene Compounds by Catalytic Amination
Authors: L. Simakova Irina , V. Simakov Andrey , Yu. Murzin Dmitry
Published: August 2018

This review fills an apparent gap existing in the literature by providing an overview of the readily available terpenes and existing catalytic protocols for preparation of terpene-derived amines. To address the role of solid catalysts in amination of terpenes the same reactions with homogeneous counterparts are also discussed. Such catalysts can be considered as a benchmark, which solid catalysts should match. Although catalytic systems based on transition metal complexes have been developed for synthesis of amines to a larger extent, there is an apparent need to reduce the production costs. Subsequently, homogenous systems based on cheaper metals operating by nucleophilic substitution (e.g., Ni, Co, Cu, Fe) with a possibility of easy recycling, as well as metal nanoparticles (e.g., Pd, Au) supported on amphoteric oxides should be developed. These catalysts will allow synthesis of amine derivatives of terpenes which have a broad range of applications as specialty chemicals (e.g., pesticides, surfactants, etc.) and pharmaceuticals. The review will be useful in selection and design of appropriate solid materials with tailored properties as efficient catalysts for amination of terpenes.
Inflammation and NF-κB Signaling in Prostate Cancer: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
Authors: Staal Jens , Beyaert Rudi
Published: August 2018

Prostate cancer is a highly prevalent form of cancer that is usually slow-developing and benign. Due to its high prevalence, it is, however, still the second most common cause of death by cancer in men in the West. The higher prevalence of prostate cancer in the West might be due to elevated inflammation from metabolic syndrome or associated comorbidities. NF-κB activation and many other signals associated with inflammation are known to contribute to prostate cancer malignancy. Inflammatory signals have also been associated with the development of castration resistance and resistance against other androgen depletion strategies, which is a major therapeutic challenge. Here, we review the role of inflammation and its link with androgen signaling in prostate cancer. We further describe the role of NF-κB in prostate cancer cell survival and proliferation, major NF-κB signaling pathways in prostate cancer, and the crosstalk between NF-κB and androgen receptor signaling. Several NF-κB-induced risk factors in prostate cancer and their potential for therapeutic targeting in the clinic are described. A better understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms that control the development of prostate cancer and resistance to androgen-deprivation therapy will eventually lead to novel treatment options for patients.
Aquaporin Activity to Improve Crop Drought Tolerance
Authors: Shekoofa Avat , Sinclair Thomas R.
Published: August 2018

In plants, aquaporins (AQP) occur in multiple isoforms in both plasmalemma and tonoplast membranes resulting in regulation of water flow in and out of cells, and ultimately, water transfer through a series of cells in leaves and roots. Consequently, it is not surprising that physiological and molecular studies have identified AQPs as playing key roles in regulating hydraulic conductance in roots and leaves. As a result, the activity of AQPs influences a range of physiological processes including phloem loading, xylem water exit, stomatal aperture and gas exchange. The influence of AQPs on hydraulic conductance in plants is particularly important in regulating plant transpiration rate, particularly under conditions of developing soil water-deficit stress and elevated atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD). In this review, we examine the impact of AQP activity and hydraulic conductance on crop water use and the identification of genotypes that express soil water conservation as a result of these traits. An important outcome of this research has been the identification and commercialization of cultivars of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and soybean (Glycine max (Merr) L.) for dry land production systems.
Weight Loss Medications in Young Adults after Bariatric Surgery for Weight Regain or Inadequate Weight Loss: A Multi-Center Study
Authors: Toth Alexander T. , Gomez Gricelda , Shukla Alpana P. , Pratt Janey S. , Cena Hellas , Biino Ginevra , Aronne Louis J. , Stanford Fatima Cody
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a retrospective cohort study of weight loss medications in young adults aged 21 to 30 following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) between November 2000 and June 2014. Data were collected from patients who used topiramate, phentermine, and/or metformin postoperatively. Percentage of patients achieving ≥5%, ≥10%, or ≥15% weight loss on medications was determined and percent weight change on each medication was compared to percent weight change of the rest of the cohort. Our results showed that 54.1% of study patients lost ≥5% of their postsurgical weight; 34.3% and 22.9% lost ≥10% and ≥15%, respectively. RYGB had higher median percent weight loss (−8.1%) than SG (−3.3%) (p = 0.0515). No difference was found in median percent weight loss with medications started at weight plateau (−6.0%) versus after weight regain (−5.4%) (p = 0.5304). Patients taking medications at weight loss plateau lost 41.2% of total body weight from before surgery versus 27.1% after weight regain (p = 0.076). Median percent weight change on metformin was −2.9% compared to the rest of the cohort at −7.7% (p = 0.0241). No difference from the rest of the cohort was found for phentermine (p = 0.2018) or topiramate (p = 0.3187). Topiramate, phentermine, and metformin are promising weight loss medications for 21 to 30 year olds. RYGB patients achieve more weight loss on medications but both RYGB and SG benefit. Median total body weight loss from pre-surgical weight may be higher in patients that start medication at postsurgical nadir weight. Participants on metformin lost significantly smaller percentages of weight on medications, which could be the result of underlying medical conditions.
Preparation and Properties of Ginger Essential Oil β-Cyclodextrin/Chitosan Inclusion Complexes
Authors: Zhang Yan , Zhang Hui , Wang Fang , Wang Li-Xia
Published: August 2018

The ginger essential oil/β-cyclodextrin (GEO/β-CD) composite, ginger essential oil/β-cyclodextrin/chitosan (GEO/β-CD/CTS) particles and ginger essential oil/β-cyclodextrin/chitosan (GEO/β-CD/CTS) microsphere were prepared with the methods of inclusion, ionic gelation and spray drying. Their properties were studied by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the particle size of GEO/β-CD composite was smaller than that of β-CD and GEO/β-CD/CTS particles were loose and porous, while the microsphere obtained by spray drying had certain cohesiveness and small particle size. Besides, results also indicated that β-CD/CTS could modify properties and improve the thermal stability of GEO, which would improve its application value in food and medical industries.
Microstructure and Cavitation Erosion Resistance of HVOF Deposited WC-Co Coatings with Different Sized WC
Authors: Ding Xiang , Ke Du , Yuan Chengqing , Ding Zhangxiong , Cheng Xudong
Published: August 2018

Conventional, multimodal and nanostructured WC-12Co coatings with different WC sizes and distributions were prepared by high velocity oxy-fuel spray (HVOF). The micrographs and structures of the coatings were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) et al. The porosity, microhardness and fracture toughness of the WC-Co coatings were measured. The coating resistance to cavitation erosion (CE) was investigated by ultrasonic vibration cavitation equipment and the cavitation mechanisms were explored. Results show that there is serious WC decarburization in nanostructured and multimodal WC-Co coatings with the formation of W2C and W phases. The nanostructured WC-Co coating has the densest microstructure with lowest porosity compared to the other two WC-Co coatings, as well as the highest fracture toughness among the three coatings. It was also discovered that the nanostructured WC-Co coating exhibits the best CE resistance and that the CE rate is approximately one-third in comparison with conventional coating.
Determination of Aerosol Size Distribution from Angular Light-Scattering Signals by Using a SPSO-DE Hybrid Algorithm
Authors: He Zhen-Zong , Mao Jun-Kui , Han Xing-Si
Published: August 2018

The comparison of the angular light-scattering method (ALSM) and the spectral extinction method (SEM) in solving the inverse problem of aerosol size distribution (ASD) are studied. The inverse problem is solved by a SPSO-DE hybrid algorithm, which is based on the stochastic particle swarm optimization (SPSO) algorithm and differential evolution (DE) algorithm. To improve the retrieval accuracy, the sensitivity analysis of measurement signals to characteristic parameters in ASDs is studied; and the corresponding optimal measurement angle selection region for ALSM and optimal measurement wavelength selection region for SEM are proposed, respectively. Results show that more satisfactory convergence properties can be obtained by using the SPSO-DE hybrid algorithm. Moreover, short measurement wavelengths and forward measurement angles are beneficial to obtaining more accurate results. Then, common monomodal and bimodal ASDs are estimated under different random measurement errors by using ALSM and SEM, respectively. Numerical tests show that retrieval results by using ALSM show better convergence accuracy and robustness than those by using SEM, which is attributed to the distribution of the objective function value. As a whole, considering the convergence properties and the independence on prior optical information, the ALSM combined with SPSO-DE hybrid algorithm provides a more effective and reliable technique to obtain the ASDs.
GCM Solver (Ver. 3.0): A Mathematica Notebook for Diagonalization of the Geometric Collective Model (Bohr Hamiltonian) with Generalized Gneuss–Greiner Potential
Authors: Ferrari-Ruffino Fabrizio , Fortunato Lorenzo
Published: August 2018

The program diagonalizes the Geometric Collective Model (Bohr Hamiltonian) with generalized Gneuss–Greiner potential with terms up to the sixth power in β . In nuclear physics, the Bohr–Mottelson model with later extensions into the rotovibrational Collective model is an important theoretical tool with predictive power and it represents a fundamental step in the education of a nuclear physicist. Nuclear spectroscopists might find it useful for fitting experimental data, reproducing spectra, EM transitions and moments and trying theoretical predictions, while students might find it useful for learning about connections between the nuclear shape and its quantum origin. Matrix elements for the kinetic energy operator and for scalar invariants as β 2 and β 3 cos ( 3 γ ) have been calculated in a truncated five-dimensional harmonic oscillator basis with a different program, checked with three different methods and stored in a matrix library for the lowest values of angular momentum. These matrices are called by the program that uses them to write generalized Hamiltonians as linear combinations of certain simple operators. Energy levels and eigenfunctions are obtained as outputs of the diagonalization of these Hamiltonian operators.
GaAs Nanowires Grown by Catalyst Epitaxy for High Performance Photovoltaics
Authors: Wang Ying , Zhou Xinyuan , Yang Zaixing , Wang Fengyun , Han Ning , Chen Yunfa , Ho Johnny C.
Published: August 2018

Photovoltaics (PVs) based on nanostructured III/V semiconductors can potentially reduce the material usage and increase the light-to-electricity conversion efficiency, which are anticipated to make a significant impact on the next-generation solar cells. In particular, GaAs nanowire (NW) is one of the most promising III/V nanomaterials for PVs due to its ideal bandgap and excellent light absorption efficiency. In order to achieve large-scale practical PV applications, further controllability in the NW growth and device fabrication is still needed for the efficiency improvement. This article reviews the recent development in GaAs NW-based PVs with an emphasis on cost-effectively synthesis of GaAs NWs, device design and corresponding performance measurement. We first discuss the available manipulated growth methods of GaAs NWs, such as the catalytic vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) and vapor-solid-solid (VSS) epitaxial growth, followed by the catalyst-controlled engineering process, and typical crystal structure and orientation of resulted NWs. The structure-property relationships are also discussed for achieving the optimal PV performance. At the same time, important device issues are as well summarized, including the light absorption, tunnel junctions and contact configuration. Towards the end, we survey the reported performance data and make some remarks on the challenges for current nanostructured PVs. These results not only lay the ground to considerably achieve the higher efficiencies in GaAs NW-based PVs but also open up great opportunities for the future low-cost smart solar energy harvesting devices.