bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of leached metals in recovered aluminum coagulants from water treatment slurry
Authors: Fouad Mahmoud M. , El-Gendy Ahmed S. , Razek Taha M. A.
Published: December 2016

The water treatment industry consumes large quantities of coagulant and produces huge amounts of slurry. The cost of alum used in water treatment, stringent regulations and negative impacts of sludge disposal are the motive to do integrated research studies on the technical feasibility of aluminum coagulant recovery from sludge using acidification. This work studied the leaching of iron, manganese, and chromium as the most extracted metals with aluminum during sludge acidification; furthermore, these metals have a great impact on the recovered coagulants' efficiency and treated water quality. The sludge used was collected from El-Sheikh Zayd water treatment plant in Egypt, then dried and ground; afterward, the effect of acid concentration, sludge mass, temperature, mixing speed and mixing time was studied. In addition, it was noticeable that the efficiency of sulfuric acid in leaching iron, manganese and chromium is higher than that of hydrochloric acid. Also, higher leaching for the three metals was obtained in all the experiments using higher acid concentration, elevated temperature, and rotational speed. Finally, the leached metals in recovered aluminum coagulants will not limit its application to water and wastewater treatment, as their concentrations are still very low if compared with aluminum, even with the highest leaching efficiency.
Biomass aggregation influences NaN3 short-term effects on anammox bacteria activity
Authors: Pedrouso A. , Val del Río A. , Campos J. L. , Méndez R. , Mosquera-Corral A.
Published: December 2016

The main bottleneck to maintain the long-term stability of the partial nitritation-anammox processes, especially those operated at low temperatures and nitrogen concentrations, is the undesirable development of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). When this occurs, the punctual addition of compounds with the capacity to specifically inhibit NOB without affecting the process efficiency might be of interest. Sodium azide (NaN3) is an already known NOB inhibitor which at low concentrations does not significantly affect the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) activity. However, studies about its influence on anammox bacteria are unavailable. For this reason, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of NaN3 on the anammox activity. Three different types of anammox biomass were used: granular biomass comprising AOB and anammox bacteria (G1), anammox enriched granules (G2) and previous anammox granules disaggregated (F1). No inhibitory effect of NaN3 was measured on G1 sludge. However, the anammox activity decreased in the case of G2 and F1. Granular biomass activity was less affected (IC50 90 mg/L, G2) than flocculent one (IC50 5 mg/L, F1). Summing up, not only does the granular structure protect the anammox bacteria from the NaN3 inhibitory effect, but also the AOB act as a barrier decreasing the inhibition.
Seepage Control in a High Concrete Face-Rock Fill Dam Based on the Node Virtual Flow Method
Authors: Chen Shou-Kai , Zhang Xiaoyue
Published: December 2016

The seepage control system of a high Concrete Face Rock-Fill Dam (CFRD) may have anti-seepage deficiencies during both construction and operation. In order to solve these, the three-dimensional Finite Element Method (FEM) model was built based on dam body filling, anti-seepage system, defect location and bedrock distribution. The seepage field simulation and computation were carried out using an improved node virtual flux method and the zero-thickness crack model theory. The water head distribution, seepage lines and dam leakage field were obtained by simulation under different conditions, and the seepage characteristics during construction and operation were analyzed systematically. Taking a high CFRD as an example, the results showed that during the flood-control construction period, the incomplete nature of the dam face slab can lead to seepage damage near the second seepage control line. Moreover, during operation period; the seepage control system was still effective when the dam face slab was incomplete.
Calidad morfológica de frutos y endocarpios del nanche rojo (Malpighia mexicana, Malpighiaceae)
Authors: Maldonado Peralta María de los Ángeles , García de los Santos Gabino , García Nava José Rodolfo , Corona Torres Tarsicio , Cetina Alcalá Víctor Manuel , Ramírez Herrera Carlos
Published: December 2016

Antecedentes y Objetivos: El nanche rojo silvestre se desarrolla en climas templados y tropicales. En México, desde tiempos prehispánicos se ha utilizado como ornamental y medicinal; sin embargo, se conoce poco sobre su morfología. Por ello el objetivo de esta investigación fue caracterizar la calidad morfológica de frutos y endocarpios de nanche rojo, de los Valles Centrales de Oaxaca, México.Métodos: Se ubicaron tres zonas de estudio, pero solo en el municipio de Santiago Matatlán se encontraron frutos, los cuales fueron recolectados y trasladados al Laboratorio de Análisis de Semillas del Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Montecillo. Para la evaluación de la calidad morfológica de frutos y endocarpios, se seleccionaron mediante un Diseño Completamente al Azar (DCA) cuatro repeticiones de 100 frutos. Con los datos obtenidos se realizó un análisis de medidas de tendencia central, utilizando el paquete estadístico SAS.Resultados clave: Los resultados encontrados indicaron que los frutos del nanche rojo son grandes, tienen forma de oblato, el color del epicarpio es guinda a morado, el del mesocarpio rosa a lila, de sabor dulce, con adecuada firmeza y cantidad de ácido ascórbico. El fruto tiene tres endocarpios fibrosos, de forma cono-triangular, y de uno a dos presentan embrión. El embrión es de color crema y no posee endospermo, los cotiledones doblados están en el ápice y en el otro extremo se encuentra la radícula. Está protegido por un tegumento delgado color café.Conclusiones: Se observó variación en las características morfológicas. Los frutos tienen potencial alimenticio y calidad de exportación.
Odontadenia macrantha (Apocynaceae; Apocynoideae): distribución y nuevos registros en México
Authors: Alvarado-Cárdenas Leonardo O.
Published: December 2016

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Las Apocynaceae son uno de los grupos más diversos de México con numerosos aportes para entender su sistemática y distribución. No obstante, algunos taxones son poco conocidos, como es el caso de Odontadenia macrantha. Se presentan una descripción, nuevos registros de distribución y el estado de conservación de O. macrantha en México.Métodos: Con base en la observación detallada de especímenes de diferentes herbarios y la revisión de bibliografía taxonómica, se presenta una descripción del taxon y una clave de especies morfológicamente y geográficamente cercanas. Además, se proporciona una evaluación sobre el estado de conservación de la especie en México, de acuerdo a los criterios de la UICN, y un mapa de distribución.Resultados clave: La presencia de esta especie en Tabasco y Veracruz extiende su distribución a una zona más norteña. Además estos registros ofrecen nuevos tipos de vegetación en los cuales se encuentra la especie, como el bosque tropical perennifolio, bosque tropical con Curatella, bosque tropical caducifolio y bosque de Quercus. Odontadenia macrantha es un taxon de morfología variable, lo cual se corrobora aquí, ya que presenta corolas más pequeñas que los individuos de poblaciones sureñas. Se sugiere ubicar esta especie en la categoría de En Peligro (EN C2ai) por estar restringida a una pequeña zona tropical con alta actividad antropogénica y pocos individuos en las poblaciones observadas.Conclusiones: Estos nuevos registros sugieren que es necesaria la constante revisión de las colecciones biológicas para mantener actualizado el conocimiento de los taxones. Además, debe continuarse el trabajo de recolecta en los remanentes de vegetación de Tabasco y Veracruz.
¿Es Annona lutescens un sinónimo de A. reticulata (Annonaceae)? Uso de datos de morfometría geométrica y de coloración para resolver esta controversia
Authors: Ocampo Gilberto , Castro-Moreno Marisol
Published: December 2016

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Annona lutescens fue descrita en 1914 como una especie nueva conocida únicamente de Guatemala. Estudios posteriores permitieron localizarla también en Chiapas, México. No obstante, algunos autores la consideran como un sinónimo de A. reticulata, una especie de origen americano que actualmente se cultiva en muchas partes del mundo. Los caracteres originales propuestos para separar estas dos especies son la forma de la hoja y el color del fruto. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar si los caracteres anteriores son de utilidad para separar A. lutescens de A. reticulata.Métodos: Se evaluó la forma de la hoja por medio de análisis de morfología geométrica. También se observaron las diferencias en coloración del fruto y del hipocótilo de las plántulas que germinaron en condiciones ambientales controladas.Resultados clave: El análisis de morfometría geométrica indica que la forma de las hojas de estas dos annonas es muy variable y que no hay diferencias significativas entre ellas. El color del fruto y del hipocótilo es específico para cada taxon.Conclusiones: Se sugiere que por el momento, y en espera de más datos que clarifiquen las relaciones entre ellas, se trate a A. lutescens como sinónimo de A. reticulata.
SISTEM INFORMASI GEOGRAFIS PEMETAAN TEMPAT KOST BERBASIS WEB
Authors: Kosasih Sandy
Published: December 2016

Abstrak
Ketersediaan informasi yang sangat terbatas mengenai lokasi tempat kost menyebabkan masyarakat cenderung tidak memiliki informasi yang akurat dan relevan sehingga tidak mengetahui lokasi mana yang memiliki tempat kost dengan biaya terjangkau, dekat tempat kerja, lembaga pendidikan. Tujuan penelitian menghasilkan sistem informasi geografis berbasis web mengenai informasi lokasi tempat (rumah) kost di Kecamatan Pontianak Utara. Informasi dalam bentuk google map sehingga memberikan kemudahan kepada pengguna dalam mencari lokasi tempat kost. Metode pengembangan sistem perangkat lunak menggunakan model Linear Sequential/Waterfall Model. Dalam pembuatan peta menggunakan peta online yang disediakan oleh Google Maps secara gratis. Hasil penelitian selain menampilkan informasi lokasi tempat (rumah) kost, tersedia juga fasilitas untuk melakukan perubahan data pemilik rumah kost. Melalui website ini pengunjung dapat melakukan pencarian informasi seperti perhitungan jarak tempat (rumah) kost, biaya sewa, fasilitas umum, ukuran kamar, jumlah penghuni dan informasi penting lainnya.
KEUNTUNGAN PENGGUNAAN EXTERNAL FUNCTION PADA DATABASE POSTGRESQL
Authors: Hartono Nahrun
Published: December 2016

Database merupakan pusat data bagi sebuah sistem informasi, telah banyak aplikasi sistem database yang beredar baik yang berbayar maupun yang gratis. PostgreSQL merupakan salah satu sistem database yang gratis dan memiliki fitur fitur yang handal, salah satu fitur yang membedakan PostgreSQL dengan sistem basisdata yang lainnya adalah adanya fitur pembuatan Function, dimana pengguna dapat mendefinisikan sendiri Function-nya dengan menggunakan bahasa pemrograman tertentu, yang kemudian dapat dipanggil kembali untuk dieksekusi. Pada peneletian ini penulis mencoba melakukan pengujian penambahan data dengan menggunakan perintah INSERT dan perintah External Function yang dibuat sendiri pada terminal/command prompt dan web browser. Dari hasi uji coba yang dilakukan, dihasilkan rata rata waktu proses penambahan data pada terminal/command prompt dengan menggunakan perintah INSERT adalah 185.293 ms dan rata rata waktu proses external function adalah 129.52 ms, sedangkan rata rata waktu proses penambahan data pada web browser dengan menggunakan perintah INSERT adalah 168,363 ms dan external function adalah 145,64 ms . Kedua perintah tersebut terdapat perbedaan dalam penulisan perintah, namun external function merupakan perintah yang didefinisikan secara mandiri oleh pengguna hal ini memungkinkan pengguna untuk menentukan bentuk perintah sesuai yang diinginkan pengguna.
Sistem Pendukung keputusan Kenaikan Jabatan Karyawan Plaza Asia Dengan Menggunakan Metode Weighted Product
Authors: Sambani Egi Badar , Agustin Yoga Handoko , Marlina Rina
Published: December 2016

Pengambilan keputusan dalam suatu perusahaan sangatlah penting karena keputusan yang diambil oleh manager merupakan hasil pemikiran akhir yang harus dilaksanakan oleh karyawannya. Plaza Asia merupakan mall terbesar sepriangan timur, dimana proses penilaian kenaikan jabatan karyawannya meliputi kehadiran, produktifitas (hasil kerja), integritas (sifat), skill (kemampuan) dan loyalitas (kesetiaan). Menggunakan Metode Weighted Product (WP) dapat membantu dalam pengambilan keputusan untuk menentukan kenaikan jabatan karyawan pada perusahaan, serta proses penilaian karyawan lebih efisien sehingga store manager dapat menentukan kenaikan jabatan karyawan dengan cepat. Dengan menggunkan sistem pendukung keputusan yang memiliki database, data karyawan dapat disimpan didalam database. Sehingga apabila terjadi kesalahan dalam penginputan dapat diperbaiki tanpa harus menginput ulang data tersebut. Dengan adanya Sistem Penunjang Keputusan ini akan mengatasi permasalahan yang terjadi di Plaza Asia, sehingga proses kenaikan jabatan akan lebih cepat.
VISUALISASI DESAIN RUMAH PADA PT. FUJIYAMA
Authors: Sari Rita Novita , Utami Ema , Sunyoto Andi
Published: December 2016

Proses pembangunan rumah tidak lepas dari hambatan dalam perencanaan pembuatan. Ketika seorang pengguna ingin membangun rumah, perencanaan pembuatan yang harus diperhatikan adalah lokasi dan desain rumah. Pengguna hanya dapat melihat desain rumah melalui katalog rumah pada PT. Fujiyama. Informasi yang ditampilkan pada katalog tidak cukup memberikan informasi atau gambaran desain rumah kepada pengguna. Untuk itu penulis menggabungkan teknologi Mobile Augmented reality dengan pendekatan Interactive Multimedia System Design Of Development (IMSDD) untuk dapat memvisualisasikan desain rumah dengan lebih real. Dengan menggunakan metode ini mampu mampu menampilkan objek 3D rumah dengan berbasis augmented reality. Aplikasi ini dapat berjalan pada mobile android, dimana aplikasi ini dapat mendeteksi penanda sehingga akan muncul desain objek 3D rumah pada katalog. Berdasarkan hasil evaluasi yang dari pengujian ditemukan bahwa pada aplikasi ini terdapat kelemahan pada yaitu flexibility and efficiency of use, error prevention dan hasil pengujian lainnya bahwa objek yang ditampilkan berbeda – beda berdasrakan dari jarak antara kamera dengan penanda.
The impact of board structure and ownership structure on firm performance: an evidence from blue chip firms listed in Indonesian stock exchange
Authors: Basyith Abdul , Fauzi Fitriya , Idris Muhammad
Published: December 2016

This study attempts to investigate the impact of board structure and ownership structure on firm performance of blue chip firms listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. Blue chip firms is referred as LQ45 in Indonesian Stock Exchange, and it consists of 45 the most liquid firms among other firm listed in Indonesian Stock Exchange. Using balanced panel of 45 blue chip firms which spans from 2010 to 2014; this study employs a logistic regression. The findings reveal that apart from independent commissioner and audit committee, all variables have a significant impact on firm performance.
Evaluation of social marketing objectives: A case study of the effectiveness of operation gcin’amanzi in soweto, South Africa
Authors: Phiri Maxwell Agabu , Khumalo Degracia
Published: December 2016

This study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of the social marketing goal in the implementation of Operation Gcin’amanzi (OGM) in Mofolo North, Soweto, South Africa. The paper is based on a quantitative in nature, although qualitative data was collected to confirm and clarify issues identified in the survey questionnaire. A process-based research approach was pursued in order to measure the impact of social marketing as a phenomenon that has been explored in changing consumer behaviour for the public good. Due to unsuccessful telephone calls to the Johannesburg Water’s communication centre (JW) there is a lack of information from them on specific studies or surveys conducted specifically on OGM since its inception. It is anticipated that the findings from this study will add value to the knowledge in the public sector by elevating the significant role of social marketing in the delivery of basic services projects. These projects are complex in nature as issues of equity, access and the impact on development have to be considered, unlike in traditional marketing approaches where it is the benefit and satisfaction of an individual consumer that is key.
Ethics and auditing: Setting the bar too low
Authors: Hooper Keith , Wang Jenny
Published: December 2016

Purpose - from a philosophical and empirical perspective this paper seeks to show how the big audit firms have managed to set the bar low so that they offer only opinions on whether financial statements meet accounting standards. It is argued that while the concepts of virtue ethics have now largely disappeared, ethical legitimacy has moved beyond consequential ethics to a form of social Darwinism. It is a Social Darwinism that is legalistic and technical as evidenced by the audit firms’ widespread use of the Bannerman clause attached to their opinions. Design - to illustrate the shift of ethical positions, the paper is informed illustrations of a failure to discharge a duty of care to the public. Findings – the shift in underlying social values contributes to what the Economist Journal describes as a steady decline in professional ethics. This arguable conclusion is supported by various illustrations and cites the shift in combinations of cognitive, moral and pragmatic legitimacy as drivers employed by accounting firms. Research Limitations – the paper uses secondary and documentary data and is informed by conceptual analysis which necessarily in the realm of ethics may be contentious. Originality – the paper seeks to link the changing social values with changes in legitimisation and to show shifts in accounting practices like the recent practice of issuing disclaimers.
Innovation in the application of GRI to visualize strategic goals for sustainable development – the case of tertiary institution, Hong Kong
Authors: Yeung Shirley Mo-Ching
Published: December 2016

This paper explores innovation in how educators use GRI sustainability (CSR) related guidelines to engage different stakeholders and respond to the trend of sustainable development in higher education mentioned by UNESCO. Through the case of a tertiary educational institution in Hong Kong, examples of innovative KPIs are devised to align with the strategic goals of the case institution with implications to the institutional level and the community level. The case institution measures its performance, identifies its risks with priority and reports under three main headings – Responsible Business Management, Responsible Curriculum Design, and Responsible Partnership through stakeholder mapping with action plans for measurement (2015 –2017), the risk level with KPIs of activities with Social Return of Investment (SROI), and benchmarking with self-financed institutions offering business and management related degree programmes and CSR-related activities with impacts created from media reporting. This paper thus lies at the nexus of GRI sustainability (CSR) guidelines, innovative Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Strategic Goals to integrate environmental, social and economic impacts and the encouragement of good governance practices throughout the lifecycles of goods and services produced for sustainability.
Earnings management, institutional shareholding and idiosyncratic volatility: Evidence from India
Authors: Rajpal Hanish , Jain Pawan
Published: December 2016

Existing research provide mixed evidence on the relationship between earnings management and idiosyncratic volatility. However, the effect of institutional shareholding on this relationship has not been investigated. We investigate the relationship between earnings management and idiosyncratic volatility and the effect of institutional shareholding on this relationship. Using 2SLS regression, our results suggest a positive relationship between earnings management and idiosyncratic volatility. The results, however, do not suggest that institutional shareholding has a significant effect on the relationship between earnings management and idiosyncratic volatility. The results are robust to different methods of estimating earnings management and idiosyncratic volatility.
Brand vision as the moderator variable for the company culture and brand perception
Authors: Budiman Santi
Published: December 2016

The first purpose of this research is to test empirically the culture influence on brand perception and the second is to test empirically the moderator impact of brand vision toward brand perception culture. The research method used to test the first purpose was Partial Regression and the second purpose with Moderated Regression Analysis. The used sample was as many as 226 manufacture company registered in Biro Pusat Statistik in 2010. This research purpose shows that the company cultures those are hierarchy culture, group culture, rational culture, and developmental culture influence positively and significantly brand perception. Meanwhile this research result also shows that the variable moderation of brand vision influences strongly the company culture on brand perception.
Do mergers and acquisitions in china create value to acquiring firms?
Authors: Duppati Geeta , Abidin Sazali , Hu Jiani
Published: December 2016

This paper investigates both short-term and long-term stock market reactions to the announcement of domestic and cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) by Chinese acquiring companies. For short-term performance, this study uses market model methods to calculate daily abnormal return and measure how M&A deals announcement impact on stock returns. For the long-term performance, this study uses market model, capital asset pricing model and Fama-French three factor model to calculate monthly abnormal return and measure whether M&A deals create value to shareholders. This paper also examines differences in operating performance between pre-acquisition and post-acquisition, and finally investigates whether cash flow from operations, Tobin’s Q and profit margin are significantly changed by M&A deals
Comparison of risk management regulation from a corporate governance perspective within the German and united states legal areas
Authors: Sassen Remmer
Published: December 2016

Risk management is one of the main corporate governance components or management tasks. This paper details a comparison of risk management regulation from a corporate governance perspective of listed stock corporations in Germany and the United States (U.S.). Obviously, there are differences and commonalities between the national legal norms and the regulatory levels of risk management in both countries. The comparison helps to understand different traditions and practices in terms of how significant corporate governance rules are for risk management. Therefore, this article intends to inspire future research on the regulation of risk management across different regions and explore the relevance of national interests in the regulation of risk management. A principal finding of the comparison is that the U.S. corporate governance system seems to be more strongly regulated than the German system. This results from the powerful and coordinating role of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Thus, the seemingly more liberal system of non-binding standards in the U.S. has a higher impact on the regulation of risk management than in Germany.
Harmonizing intelligence terminologies in business: Literature review
Authors: Mashingaidze Sivave
Published: December 2016

The principal objective of this article is to do a literature review of different intelligence terminology with the aim of establishing the common attributes and differences, and to propose a universal and comprehensive definition of intelligence for common understanding amongst users. The findings showed that Competitive Intelligence has the broadest scope of intelligence activities covering the whole external operating environment of the company and targeting all levels of decision-making for instance; strategic intelligence, tactical intelligence and operative intelligence. Another terminology was found called Cyber IntelligenceTM which encompasses competitor intelligence, strategic intelligence, market intelligence and counterintelligence. In conclusion although CI has the broadest scope of intelligence and umbrella to many intelligence concepts, still Business Intelligence, and Corporate Intelligence are often used interchangeably as CI.
Agrupamentos de empresas em Clusters. Uma análise dos fatores de obtenção de vantagem competitiva
Authors: Serrano Daniel Portillo
Published: December 2016

A Inclusão de empresas em agrupamentos geográficos de organizações de ummesmo segmento, fenômeno chamado, entre outros nomes, de cluster, tem sido cadavez mais estudada por diversos autores como uma forma de obtenção de fatores devantagem competitiva em relação a empresas instaladas isoladamente.Trabalhos anteriores tem sido inconclusivos em relação à comparação dediversas empresas de diferentes segmentos, já que grande parte da literatura disponívelse resume s estudar um único e determinado segmento. Este artigo discorrerá sobre osclusters, as empresas localizadas nestes agrupamentos, as ferramentas que podem serutilizadas para a aferição dos fatores de vantagem, e sugerirá novos estudos a respeitodo assunto.
Ciclo do Marketing Digital: tática e estratégia Blended
Authors: Chibás Ortiz Felipe
Published: December 2016

Este artigo discute sob o prisma relacional e processual a utilização da metodologia do Decálogo Digital, também conhecida como Ciclo do Marketing Digital elaborada pelo autor. No presente trabalho se justifica a necessidade de um sistema metodológico de trabalho prático e eficaz para a realização das campanhas de marketing que utilizam fundamentalmente os veículos disponíveis na Internet. Se fala das origens da pressente proposta fazendo um breve comparativo com os sistemas dos 4 Ps e os 8 Ps, Se apresentam algumas das diferenças das campanhas de marketing utilizando veículos presenciais e as que focam mais a utilização de mídias digitais,  se relacionam estes conteúdos com conceitos essenciais como os de estratégia, comunicação integrada, teoria dos inputs, throughputs e outputs, integração das mídias, marketing digital e responsável e gestão de redes virtuais. A seguir se define o Ciclo ou Decálogo do Marketing Digital e se explicam as etapas de trabalho com o sistema do Decálogo Digital responsável e se faz uma avaliação de suas possibilidades de aplicação na atualidade. Utilizou-se o método qualitativo, a revisão bibliográfica e o analise de documentos impressos e web, assim como as entrevistas em profundidade. O objetivo principal do presente trabalho é apresentar a proposta metodológica do Decálogo do Marketing Digital, também conhecida como Ciclo do Marketing Digital, mostrando as vantagens da utilização deste sistema de trabalho de caráter estratégico-operacional, para o profissional da comunicação.
Inteligência Logística: um estudo sobre a implantação de uma Plataforma Logística no Sul do Estado do Tocantins
Authors: Silva José Luis Gomes da
Published: December 2016

Este trabalho baseia-se na discussão sobre a necessidade de um planejamento integrado em infraestruturas de transporte no Brasil, principalmente na região norte. A interligação entre produtores e consumidores necessita mais que apenas modais de transportes, exige uma inteligência logística, que agregue valor a toda a Cadeia Produtiva. As Plataformas Logísticas surgem como forte alternativa para a solução do problema.
A substituição Tributária e as Empresas de Contabilidade: percepções da implementação do processo
Authors: Silva Sergio Roberto da , Gonçalves Anderson Souza , Henrique Marcelo Rabelo , Silva Marcia Welita da
Published: December 2016

A assessoria Contábil  tem sido de grande importância para desempenho das empresas brasileiras. O objetivo dessa pesquisa é identificar a experiência que o contabilista de assessoria contábil externa obteve na adoção do regime de substituição tributária do ICMS. O trabalho buscou identificar quais foram as principais dúvidas, quais as ações de atualizações da matéria, o impacto do assunto nas empresas contábeis, se tiveram uma sobrecarga de serviço ou não. A pesquisa foi realizada através do estudo de multi casos num total de quatro casos de empresas de Contabilidade. Foram entrevistados quatro gerentes/proprietários de  escritórios contábeis do município de Guarulhos-SP. Foi elaborado um protocolo de pesquisa aplicado aos quatro casos. O resultado da pesquisa foi que os contadores tiveram dificuldade com a sistemática, o cálculo e preenchimento das notas fiscais, onde houvesse incidência de substituição tributária.
Some new models for multiprocessor interconnection networks
Authors: Cvetkovic Dragos , Davidovic Tatjana , Jovanovic Irena
Published: December 2016

A multiprocessor system can be modeled by a graph G. The vertices of G
correspond to processors while edges represent links between processors. To
find suitable models for multiprocessor interconnection networks (briefly
MINs), one can apply tools and techniques of spectral graph theory. In this
paper, we extend some of the existing results and present several graphs
which could serve as models for efficient MINs based on the small values of
the previously introduced graph tightness. These examples of possible MINs
arise as a result of some well-known and widely used graph operations. We
also examine the suitability of strongly regular graphs (briefly SRGs) to
model MINs, and prove the uniqueness of some of them.
Experimental characterization of energy transfer from large-diameter kilowatt continuous-wave laser beams to metal samples
Authors: Osterholz J. , Heunoske D. , Horak J. , Lexow B. , Lueck M. , Schaeffer S. , Wickert M.
Published: December 2016

In this work, the energy transfer from intense continuous-wave laser beams with a wavelength of 1070 nm, a power in the kilowatt range, and with diameters in the millimeter and centimeter range to metal samples is investigated. While the absorptivity of iron and steel samples is almost constant for laser intensities below 3.4 kW/cm2, a decrease in the absorptivity is observed for higher intensities which is attributed to the formation of a vapor plume in the interaction zone. The dynamics of the formation and expansion as well as the emission of light in the visible spectral range from the vapor plume are further characterized with a fixed beam diameter of 2.6 mm at a laser power of 10 kW in detail for iron and aluminum samples. The analysis of high speed video sequences yields expansion velocities of the vapor plume of 5.0 m/s for the iron and 0.29 m/s for the aluminum samples. In the spectra from the aluminum samples, emission lines from atomic aluminum as well as emission bands from molecular aluminum monoxide are identified and allow for the estimation of the basic thermodynamic parameters. A special focus is on the investigation of the effect of vapor and plasma formation on the energy transfer from the laser to the sample and on the analysis of the role of inverse bremsstrahlung in this process. The measurements indicate that the metal vapor is partially ionized and that there is a significant contribution of inverse bremsstrahlung to the absorption of laser energy in the partially ionized vapor plume.
Challenges of Coordination: Automotive Innovation in the Ontario Supply Chain in Comparative Context
Authors: Goracinova Elena , Warrian Peter , Wolfe David A.
Published: December 2016

Policies for the southern Ontario automotive cluster support multiple collaborative research projects designed for the application of enabling technologies. However, these initiatives cater to a small percentage of highly innovative automotive suppliers and exclude much of the traditional manufacturing base. This stands in contrast to automotive clusters in Detroit, MI; the West Midlands, United Kingdom; and Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where applied research collaborations target the entire supply chain. With respect to policy implications, we argue that new forms of industrial coordination emerging in competitor regions may offer critical policy lessons for Ontario on how to stem the erosion of innovation capabilities in its automotive supply base.
Influence of Cu and Mg addition on age-related deterioration in strength and creep behavior of Zn-12Al die casting alloys
Authors: Ueshima Nobufumi , Liu Xuantong , Utsumi Hirokazu , Chiyokubo Takashi , Horio Katsuhiko , Oikawa Katsunari
Published: December 2016

The influence of the chemical composition of Zn-12Al-yCu-xMg (y = 1, 5; x = 0.05–1.4 mass%) die casting alloys on age-related deterioration in mechanical strength and creep behavior was investigated. Tensile tests were performed after aging at room temperature for 1 day and at 100 °C for 1 week. Creep tests were carried out under tensile stresses of 25, 50 and 100 MPa at 100, 130 and 160 °C. Cu addition suppressed age-related deterioration of proof stress by suppressing the coarsening of the eutectic structure during the aging. Creep resistance was improved by the Mg addition, whereas the Cu addition has a deleterious effect on creep resistance. The results show that the age-related deterioration of Zn-12Al alloys can be improved without sacrificing creep resistance by the complex addition of Cu and Mg.
Predictive factors for recurrence and clinical outcomes in patients with chronic subdural hematoma
Authors: Han Myung-Hoon , Ryu Je il , Kim Choong Hyun , Kim Jae Min , Cheong Jin Hwan , Yi Hyeong-Joong
Published: December 2016

OBJECTIVE

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common type of intracranial hemorrhage in elderly patients. Many studies have suggested various factors that may be associated with the recurrence of CSDH. However, the results are inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations among patient factors, recurrence, and clinical outcomes of CSDH after bur hole surgery performed during an 11-year period at twin hospitals.

METHODS

Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors for CSDH recurrence. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios with 95% CIs for CSDH recurrence based on many variables. One-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the differences in the mean modified Rankin Scale score between categories for each risk factor during each admission and at the last follow-up.

RESULTS

This study was a retrospective analysis of 756 consecutive patients with CSDH who underwent bur hole surgery at the Hanyang University Medical Center (Seoul and Guri) between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2014. During the 6-month follow-up, 104 patients (13.8%) with recurrence after surgery for CSDH were identified. Independent risk factors for recurrence were as follows: age > 75 years (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.03–2.88; p = 0.039), obesity (body mass index ≥ 25.0 kg/m2), and a bilateral operation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study determined the risk factors for recurrence of CSDH and their effects on outcomes. Further studies are needed to account for these observations and to determine their underlying mechanisms.
Effect of combined VEGF165/SDF-1 gene therapy on vascular remodeling and blood perfusion in cerebral ischemia
Authors: Hu Guo-jie , Feng Yu-gong , Lu Wen-peng , Li Huan-ting , Xie Hong-wei , Li Shi-fang
Published: December 2016

OBJECTIVE

Therapeutic neovascularization is a promising strategy for treating patients after an ischemic stroke; however, single-factor therapy has limitations. Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins synergistically promote angiogenesis. In this study, the authors assessed the effect of combined gene therapy with VEGF165 and SDF-1 in a rat model of cerebral infarction.

METHODS

An adenoviral vector expressing VEGF165 and SDF-1 connected via an internal ribosome entry site was constructed (Ad-VEGF165-SDF-1). A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established; either Ad-VEGF165-SDF-1 or control adenovirus Ad-LacZ was stereotactically microinjected into the lateral ventricle of 80 rats 24 hours after MCAO. Coexpression and distribution of VEGF165 and SDF-1 were examined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. The neurological severity score of each rat was measured on Days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 after MCAO. Angiogenesis and vascular remodeling were evaluated via bromodeoxyuridine and CD34 immunofluorescence labeling. Relative cerebral infarction volumes were determined by T2-weighted MRI and triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Cerebral blood flow, relative cerebral blood volume, and relative mean transmit time were assessed using perfusion-weighted MRI.

RESULTS

The Ad-VEGF165-SDF-1 vector mediated coexpression of VEGF165 and SDF-1 in multiple sites around the ischemic core, including the cortex, corpus striatum, and hippocampal granular layer. Coexpression of VEGF165 and SDF-1 improved neural function, reduced cerebral infarction volume, increased microvascular density and promoted angiogenesis in the ischemic penumbra, and improved cerebral blood flow and perfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined VEGF165 and SDF-1 gene therapy represents a potential strategy for improving vascular remodeling and recovery of neural function after cerebral infarction.
Plasma nitric oxide level is correlated with microvascular functions in the peripheral arterial disease
Authors: Akkoca Muzaffer , Usanmaz Suzan Emel , Koksoy Cuneyt , Bengisun Ugur , Demirel-Yilmaz Emine
Published: December 2016

At present there is no widely accepted biomarker for monitoring of vascular functions. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the association of some blood biomarkers with vascular reactivity in patients with peripheral arterial diseases (PAD). A prospective evaluation was made of 3 groups comprising a control group of healthy individuals, and patients with PAD caused by either atherosclerosis or Buerger’s disease. Microvascular perfusion was examined using laser Doppler imaging of cutaneous erythrocyte flux after iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The correlation of microvascular reactivity with endothelium-related biomarkers was assessed. ACh-induced and SNP-induced vasodilations were significantly diminished in the PAD groups. The plasma nitric oxide (NO) levels of PAD patients were significantly higher than those of the control group, but asymmetric dimethylarginine, total antioxidant capacity and hydrogen sulphide levels were similar. Plasma NO level was negatively correlated with ACh and SNP-stimulated microvascular flow increase, whereas a positive correlation was detected with blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in all groups. These results indicate that a high plasma level of NO in PAD patients is associated with diminished endothelium-dependent and independent flow increase in the microvascular bed. An excessive amount of NO-induced nitrosative stress in an inflammatory condition that might be a reason for vascular dysfunction should be taken into consideration in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to PAD.
Homopolar Permanent-Magnet-Biased Actuators and Their Application in Rotational Active Magnetic Bearing Systems
Authors: Filatov Alexei , Hawkins Larry , McMullen Patrick
Published: December 2016

Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs) are already widely used in rotating machinery and continue to gain popularity due to the ever-present push to higher rotational speeds and decreasing prices of associated electronic components. They offer several advantages over conventional mechanical bearings including non-contact rotor support (thus eliminating mechanical wear and the need for lubricants), ability to tune bearing parameters through software for optimum machine performance, remote monitoring and health diagnostic, etc. In some applications, such as in a vacuum or in aggressive environments, they are often the only viable solution. An electromagnetic actuator, along with a position sensor and control electronics, is a key component of AMBs. While there is a variety of actuator designs described in the literature, most of the AMBs built commercially use heteropolar radial electrical actuators in combination with a dedicated electrically-biased axial actuators. On the contrary, since its inception in 1998, Calnetix Technologies mainly uses homopolar permanent magnet (PM)-biased radial actuators along with a homopolar PM-biased combination radial/axial actuators. In this paper, we provide an overview of the research we have done over the last 15 years in this area focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of this approach and explaining why we have made certain design choices.
Icing Forecasting of High Voltage Transmission Line Using Weighted Least Square Support Vector Machine with Fireworks Algorithm for Feature Selection
Authors: Ma Tiannan , Niu Dongxiao
Published: December 2016

Accurate forecasting of icing thickness has great significance for ensuring the security and stability of the power grid. In order to improve the forecasting accuracy, this paper proposes an icing forecasting system based on the fireworks algorithm and weighted least square support vector machine (W-LSSVM). The method of the fireworks algorithm is employed to select the proper input features with the purpose of eliminating redundant influence. In addition, the aim of the W-LSSVM model is to train and test the historical data-set with the selected features. The capability of this proposed icing forecasting model and framework is tested through simulation experiments using real-world icing data from the monitoring center of the key laboratory of anti-ice disaster, Hunan, South China. The results show that the proposed W-LSSVM-FA method has a higher prediction accuracy and it may be a promising alternative for icing thickness forecasting.
A High-Thrust Screw-Type Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Motor with Three-Wavelength Exciting Mode
Authors: Li Hengyu , Wang Liang , Cheng Tinghai , He Meng , Zhao Hongwei , Gao Haibo
Published: December 2016

A high-thrust screw-type piezoelectric ultrasonic motor with a three-wavelength exciting mode is proposed in this paper. The motor mainly includes a stator and a screw output shaft, and the stator is composed of twelve rectangular piezoelectric plates and a hollow metal elastomer with an internal thread. The stator can be excited to generate the combined micro ultrasonic vibration mode. With this ultrasonic vibration mode, a three-wavelength traveling wave can be synthesized. The three-wavelength traveling wave is used to drive the screw output shaft by means of the frictional force between the stator and the shaft. Rotary-linear motion can be achieved without any additional conversion mechanism. Large thrust output can be easily obtained using a three-wavelength exciting mode. The exciting mode is analyzed in detail. The prototype is designed, simulated, and fabricated. A series of experiments are carried out and the results indicate that the maximum output thrust is 50.8 N at an excitation frequency and peak-to-peak voltage of 28.9 kHz and 120 Vp-p, respectively. The maximum force density is 247.8 N/kg.
Repair of DNA Double-Strand Breaks in Heterochromatin
Authors: Watts Felicity
Published: December 2016

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are among the most damaging lesions in DNA, since, if not identified and repaired, they can lead to insertions, deletions or chromosomal rearrangements. DSBs can be in the form of simple or complex breaks, and may be repaired by one of a number of processes, the nature of which depends on the complexity of the break or the position of the break within the chromatin. In eukaryotic cells, nuclear DNA is maintained as either euchromatin (EC) which is loosely packed, or in a denser form, much of which is heterochromatin (HC). Due to the less accessible nature of the DNA in HC as compared to that in EC, repair of damage in HC is not as straightforward as repair in EC. Here we review the literature on how cells deal with DSBs in HC.
Early Stage of Sb Ultra-Thin Film Growth: Crystal Structure and Electron Band Structure
Authors: Stróżak Mirosław , Kopciuszyński Marek , Stępniak-Dybala Agnieszka , Krawiec Mariusz , Jałochowski Mieczysław
Published: December 2016

The evolution of the electron band structure upon the reduction of Sb film on a Si(111)-(6 × 6)Au substrate, relevant to topological insulator properties, is experimentally systematically investigated by the reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), in situ surface electron transport and angular resolved photoemission spectroscopy methods. The experiments reveal that a bilayer (BL) of Sb is crystalline but the subsequent three BLs on top of it form amorphous layers. The five-BL-thick film transforms back to the crystalline form. The bilayer as well as 1.2- and 3.8-BL-thick films show the electron band structure with a relatively large energy gap at the Γ point of the Brillouin zone. The theoretically predicted band structure is observed at 4.8 BL coverage.
Entropy-Constrained Scalar Quantization with a Lossy-Compressed Bit
Authors: Pradier Melanie , Olmos Pablo , Perez-Cruz Fernando
Published: December 2016

We consider the compression of a continuous real-valued source X using scalar quantizers and average squared error distortion D. Using lossless compression of the quantizer’s output, Gish and Pierce showed that uniform quantizing yields the smallest output entropy in the limit D → 0 , resulting in a rate penalty of 0.255 bits/sample above the Shannon Lower Bound (SLB). We present a scalar quantization scheme named lossy-bit entropy-constrained scalar quantization (Lb-ECSQ) that is able to reduce the D → 0 gap to SLB to 0.251 bits/sample by combining both lossless and binary lossy compression of the quantizer’s output. We also study the low-resolution regime and show that Lb-ECSQ significantly outperforms ECSQ in the case of 1-bit quantization.
Predicting the Outcome of NBA Playoffs Based on the Maximum Entropy Principle
Authors: Cheng Ge , Zhang Zhenyu , Kyebambe Moses , Kimbugwe Nasser
Published: December 2016

Predicting the outcome of National Basketball Association (NBA) matches poses a challenging problem of interest to the research community as well as the general public. In this article, we formalize the problem of predicting NBA game results as a classification problem and apply the principle of Maximum Entropy to construct an NBA Maximum Entropy (NBAME) model that fits to discrete statistics for NBA games, and then predict the outcomes of NBA playoffs using the model. Our results reveal that the model is able to predict the winning team with 74.4% accuracy, outperforming other classical machine learning algorithms that could only afford a maximum prediction accuracy of 70.6% in the experiments that we performed.