bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Effectiveness: A Study on Moderation Effect of Organisational Support and Organisational Commitment
Authors: Srivalli P. , Kanta Kota Neela Mani
Published: September 2016

Perceived organizational support is an employee belief that organization values their contributions and cares about their welfare. The study assumes faculty can teach effectively in an environment where there is organizational support. In addition organizational commitment is a significant employee attitude towards his job in regard to effective teaching. Consequently the study is sought to analyze the moderation of organizational support on the relationship between organizational commitment and teaching effectiveness. The study is conducted among 410 private engineering college faculties working in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. The study follows descriptive research design, as the study describes the moderation effect of organizational support. The study follows probabilistic, multi-stage sampling method in selection of sample. The study administers structured questionnaire among engineering college faculty for collection of primary data. The study finds statistically insignificant moderation effect of organizational support.
IT Penetration in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Authors: Sukanya M. , K Ravi Prakash.
Published: September 2016

Information technology (IT) has become a vital and integral part of every business plan. From multinational corporations who maintain mainframe systems and databases to small businesses, IT plays an important role. The principal objective of the present research is to know the Information Technology (IT) penetration in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. The study is conducted as field survey of 62 discrete manufacturers of MSMEs around the industrial areas of Hyderabad. Survey is conducted with the help of questionnaire designed to understand the level of IT usage (concentrating on web technology) in their day-to-day operations. Data are analyzed with the help of statistical tools and the results show that the MSME sector is resistant to Information Technology (IT) for their day-to-day operations. There is a wide scope for technological growth in MSMEs which is suitable for the sector. The final part provides some future policy framework for the sustainability of the sector.
Growth & Performance of MSMEs in India: Prospects and Problem
Authors: Dahiya Suman
Published: September 2016

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) have always been considered as growth engine of the Indian economy. MSMES are well known for its lower investment and technology requirement. After agriculture, this sector holds second position in generating employment opportunities in Indian economy. MSMES also enhance industrialization in rural and backward area thereby reduce regional imbalances and assure equitable distribution of national income and wealth. Despite its contribution and significance in the Indian Economy, the MSME sector has been facing various hurdles since long. After the liberalization and globalization in India since 1991, this sector is facing keen competition from domestic organizations as well as from the MNCS because of the improved technology in the market. This present paper deals with growth and development of MSMES in India and also highlight the problem and prospects of MSMES in India.
Modeling Barriers of Green Cold Chain Management in India
Authors: Bag Surajit
Published: September 2016

In this twenty-first century, our country is still incurring significant post-harvest losses. Most of the cold storage facilities are based on conventional energy intensive process with outdated technologies. Improper storage and cold treatment infrastructure reduces the life and deteriorates the quality of perishable products. Supply chain practitioners adopted the green cold chain management practices to overcome numerous challenges associated with developing the cold chain network. Literature review reported that green cold chain management is under-developing phase in India, but these practices have gained huge popularity in the western world. The purpose of the paper is to identify necessary barriers, determine hierarchical and contextual relationships between variables influencing green cold chain practices in India. Here researcher used interpretive structural methodology that uses systematic application of some elementary notions of graph theory approach and Boolean algebra to construct directed graph. Further the dependence and driving power of variables are categorized using MICMAC analysis. The formulation of strategy considers barriers of green cold chain management, i.e.: (1) High capital costs of renewable projects, (2) Outdated technology, (3) Poor cold chain network, (4) Lack of skilled manpower, (5) Poor cold storage Infrastructure, (6) Cold chain sterilization with chemicals, (7) Lack of reverse logistics, (8) Lack of information system infrastructure, (9) Lack of government support, and (10) Non-recyclable packaging. The findings suggest that cold chain infrastructure and government support are key drivers of green cold chain practices.
Na’at le ba’ala’ paalen Na’at le ba’ala’ paalen. Adivina esta cosa ninio. La experiencia de revitalización, mantenimiento y desarrollo lingüístico y cultural en México con énfasis en el maya yucateco
Authors: Flores Farfán José Antonio
Published: September 2016

Se presume que en pocas generaciones la mayoría de las lenguas del mundo serán sólo un recuerdo y que la sustitución de estas lenguas y de las culturas originarias trastornará definitivamente el equilibrio sociocultural, los valores y la coexistencia pacífica de los grupos. Diferentes comunidades indígenas han desarrollado respuestas para resistir tal sustitución, siendo un ejemplo destacado los mayas de la Península de Yucatán, tierra fértil por sus condiciones de resistencia lingüística y cultural, donde el Proyecto de Revitalización, Mantenimiento y Desarrollo Lingüístico y Cultural (prmdlc) ha abonado a favor del desarrollo de medios audiovisuales e impresos en lengua maya yucateca, producidos y difundidos junto con actores clave de la región.
Ontologías en fuga: a propósito de un artículo de Miguel Bartolomé
Authors: Millán Saúl
Published: September 2016

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Simbolismo panmesoamericano en la iconografía cerámica de la tradición Teuchitlán.
Authors: Heredia Espinoza Verenice , Englehardt Joshua
Published: September 2016

Se presenta la investigación de la cerámica de la tradición Teuchitlán del occidente de México por medio del estudio iconográfico y la presencia de símbolos panmesoamericanos, con una visión alterna hacia los procesos de contacto intercultural, proponiendo que la interacción interregional del occidente fue más compleja y sucedió más prematuramente de lo que se considera. Motivos compartidos fueron incorporados a cánones representacionales locales con un simbolismo regional único indicando que los artesanos continuaron una tradición cultural e implementaron agencia artística. La evidencia indica simultáneamente una cosmovisión compartida a través de la incorporación a complejos simbólicos panmesoamericanos y una afirmación material de configuraciones regionales culturales específicas.
Familia y mestizaje en dos cofradías de descendientes de africanos en Nueva España (San Miguel el Grande, siglo XVIII).
Authors: Castañeda García Rafael
Published: September 2016

El presente artículo aborda las formas de agregación de los devotos a dos cofradías de carácter étnico, fundadas por mulatos y negros en San Miguel el Grande, ubicado en la región del Bajío de la Nueva España. Partimos de la idea de que estas corporaciones durante el siglo XVIII se encontraban mezcladas hacia su interior, y que la familia y los vínculos afectivos de distinto tipo fueron una de las motivaciones para que estas comunidades piadosas sumaran nuevos miembros, por lo que la calidad étnica y la devoción no fueron los únicos motivos para atraer cofrades.
San Bartolo y Cuxtepeques: Lengua, tierra y población en la Depresión Central de Chiapas.
Authors: Barrera Óscar
Published: September 2016

En la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII, el pueblo de San Bartolo y sus haciendas anexas reunieron la población más grande en todo el obispado de Chiapas. De manera sorprendente, en la segunda parte del siglo XIX la cantidad de habitantes de esta localidad no volvió a aumentar. Adicionalmente, a inicios del siglo XIX hubo un fuerte proceso de expansión de la propiedad rural que triplicó la decena de haciendas que existía en la región de San Bartolomé y el Valle de Cuxtepeques. Esta propuesta busca entender el estancamiento, ruralización y desindianización de los habitantes de San Bartolomé, atendiendo principalmente a los procesos de migración de indígenas y ladinos entre los campos y el pueblo.
De la filiation à la subversion : Les modalités et enjeux des répétitions dans Aucassin et Nicolette et le Roman de Silence
Authors: Samuelson Charlie
Published: September 2016

Résumé

Longtemps on a eu du mal à situer Aucassin et Nicolette au sein de la littérature courtoise. Ce travail se sert des écrits sur la répétition de J. Hillis Miller pour montrer qu’à l’échelle intratextuelle, le texte mobilise des mécanismes variés de la répétition qui reflètent et risquent même d’expliquer notre difficulté à le situer à l’échelle intertextuelle. Les répétitions dans la chantefable comportent aussi d’importantes implications politiques : le recours au Roman de Silence aidera à la fois à contextualiser les emplois de la répétition par la chantefable dans la poétique romanesque, et à illustrer comment certaines formes de répétition peuvent résister au patriarcat et à la logique normative, à tel point qu’elles peuvent être qualifiées de « queer ».
Barrow Exegesis: Quotation, Chorography, and Felix’s Life of St. Guthlac
Authors: Grossi Joseph
Published: September 2016

Felix’s Vita sancti Guthlaci was commissioned by Ælfwald, King of the East Angles, c.730-740. Notwithstanding its dedication to Ælfwald, the Life paints an especially flattering portrait of the much stronger, neighbouring Mercian ruler Æthelbald. Felix may have used the hagiography of the Mercian hermit Guthlac less as a means of furthering Ælfwald’s appropriation of Mercian cultural property than as a model of pious renunciation that Ælfwald could imitate. His quotations in chapter 34 of the Vita show Felix thinking exegetically, borrowing from Vergil, Evagrius of Antioch, and the Psalms to intimate to his royal patron that powerlessness on earth can be counterbalanced by empowerment in Heaven.
Physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of crude and processed Adenopus breviflorus Benth seed oil
Authors: Alademeyin JO , Arawande JO
Published: September 2016

Crude oil was extracted from Adenopus breviflorusbenthseeds using n-hexane and the extracted oil was degummed, neutralized and bleached. Oil sample at each stage was assessed for physicochemical parameters and fatty acid composition. The oil yield was 54.35± 0.120%. The specific gravity (at 25oC) of the oil was 0.901±0.001 and the refractive index (at 25oC) was 1.472±0.012. Processing of the crude oil resulted in progressive decrease in turbidity, colour, free fatty acid, acid value, peroxide value and saponification value. There was increase in smoke point (202.00±0.10 to 239.00±0.30oC), flash point (305.00±0.78 to 322.00±1.05oC) and fire point (352.00±1.00 to 359.00±1.25oC) as well as iodine value (112.50 to 120.20) and total fatty acid during the processing of the oil. The fatty acids detected in the oil samples were lauric myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. The predominant fatty acid was linoleic acid (57.597 ?59.774%) followed by oleic acid (11.099 ? 12.766%) while the least fatty acid was lauric acid (0.053 ?0.355%).Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.51(3), 159-166, 2016
Impact of live tubificid worms on the growth and survival of Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) reared in tanks
Authors: Hossain MJ , Hossain A , Mandal SC , Rahman MS
Published: September 2016

An experiment was conducted on growth, survival and flesh quality of fingerlings of stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) were evaluated using three types of feeds namely live tubificid worm, tubificid powder and commercial pellet feed. Three feeds were used in three treatments where Treatment-T1with pellet feed (control), Treatment-T2 with tubificid powder and Treatment-T3 having live tubificid worms. Twenty fingerlings (8.04 ± 0.01 g) were released in each 50 L tank for 45 days rearing. The fishes were fed twice a day at 10% of body weight for first 15 days and that of 8% per day for the next 30 days. Sampling was conducted fortnightly. Significant higher mean weight 48.53 ± 1.13 g was observed in stinging catfish at the 45th day fed with live tubificid worms than those of others (P<0.05). The highest survival rate was 83.33±4.41%, average daily gain 0.90 ± 0.03 g day-1, specific growth rate 3.99 ± 0.05%, food conversion ratio 1.65 ± 0.10 and protein content 17.48 ± 0.28% were found at the 45th day of treatment T3 when live tubificid worms were used as feed. Live tubificid worms can be used as a good alternative to commercial feed in rearing of stinging catfish.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 175-182, 2016
Optimization of growth of two microalgal isolates for biofuel feedstock
Authors: Ali NM , Tarin NJ , Mondol MN , Chamon AS , Aziz A , Rahman MM
Published: September 2016

A research involving random isolation and characterization of naturally occurring microalgae in Bangladesh was carried out for assessing their potential for biofuel feedstock and other uses. Among the isolates, one identified as a green alga Chlamydomonas noctigama and another one as blue-green alga Nostoc spongiaeforme were grown in modified Chu-10D medium. The optimization of their growth was performed following incubation of the isolates under different levels of media concentration, temperature, pH, light intensity and aeration. Both the species showed optimum growth in terms of total chlorophyll at a temperature of 25oC. However, significant differences (at 5% level) in growth were observed for the isolates under other conditions. The optimum growth of Chlamydomonas noctigama was observed for the vitamin B1+B6, whereas there was no significant difference on growth of Nostoc spongiaeforme for any vitamin supplement. The optimum pH for the growth of Chlamydomonas noctigama and Nostoc spongiaeforme were 6.5 and 7.5, light intensity 110 µEm-2s-1and 70 µEm-2s-1, and media concentration 2x and 1x of normal concentration, respectively.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.51(3), 183-192, 2016
Biogas from slaughter house waste and optimization of the process
Authors: Rouf MA , Islam MS , Rabeya T , Mondal AK , Khanam M , Samadder PR , Ara Y
Published: September 2016

To assess the potential of biogas generation by anaerobic digestion from slaughter house waste (undigested stomach content) and to determine the optimum conditions for biogas generation from the substrate, different proportions of substrate were used in six batch reactors R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6. The reactors were operated with initial volatile solid concentrations of 34.00, 50.80, 67.20, 51.60, 48.10 and 63.36 g/l and corresponding specific gas production obtained was 0.258, 0.200, 0.160, 0.270, 0.201 and 0.170 l/g respectively. The volatile solids (VS) destruction efficiency was 31.71%, 29.15%, 28.26%, 32.29%, 30.56 and 29.08% as well as chemical oxygen demand (COD)  reduction achieved in the test reactors were 40.31%, 44.44%, 49.40%, 53.24%, 48.55% and 51.26% in R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 respectively. Methane yield in different reactors varied from 72% to 76%. The optimum mix for generation of biogas from the substrate was 75% slaughter waste mixed with 25% cow dung.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 203-214, 2016
Low cost adsorbent for mitigation of water pollution caused by tannery effluents at Hazaribagh
Authors: Mizan A , Zohra FT , Ahmed S , Nurnabi M , Alam MZ
Published: September 2016

Tanneries at Hazaribagh use a large number of chemicals during processing and discharge their effluents to the river Buriganga without appropriate treatment and aggravate its pollution level. This study focuses on a plausible way for the abatement of pollution level of Buriganga river water using low cost adsorbent. Activated carbon prepared from coconut shell was used as a low cost adsorbent. The samples were collected from three different points of the river at three different layers from the surface of water. The collected samples were passed through the activated carbon and a remarkable amount of pollutants were found to be adsorbed. TSS, TDS, BOD5, COD and chromic oxide content of polluted water were reduced significantly.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 215-220, 2016
Optimal design and control for UPFC using the evolutionary algorithms
Authors: Firouzjahi M , Shokri A
Published: September 2016

Among the Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) tools, Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) have ability to control the transmitted power, improve transient and dynamic stability and improve the profile of the voltage and damping of the oscillations in the power system. Using the proportional-integral (PI) and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers is a custom method. Selecting the PI and PID coefficients is through different methods. Also designing a resistant controller which can control the system in different points of work has been continuously considered by researchers. In this regard, in order to improve the performance of UPFC controllers, adjusting its parameters is required optimally which this matter itself would facilitate accessing to control objectives. In this project, UPFC is used for damping the oscillations of the power system. Also, in order to adjust the controller parameters optimally, evolutionary algorithms like Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization (HPSO) and other algorithms are used.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 231-238, 2016
Reid and the State Conceptual/Nonconceptual Apprehension Distinction: A Reply to Wolterstorff
Authors: Sopuck F. Adam
Published: September 2016

There is an interesting controversy in recent literature over the nature of Reid's theory of perception. Interpreters are divided over whether Reid's theory of perception is compatible with an acquaintance model of perception. This article discusses Nicholas Wolterstorff's (2006) objections to the acquaintance interpretation of Reid. I argue that these objections are inadequate insofar as they do not account for the possibility that Reid offers a ‘state conceptual’ – rather than a ‘state nonconceptual’ – acquaintance theory of perception. I provide textual support for thinking that a state conceptual acquaintance interpretation of Reid is a live possibility, and show how such an interpretation is immune to Wolterstorff's criticisms.
Re-evaluating Reid's Response to Skepticism
Authors: McAllister Blake
Published: September 2016

I argue that some of the most prominent interpretations of Reid's response to skepticism marginalize a crucial aspect of his thought: namely, that our common sense beliefs meet whatever normative standards of rationality the skeptic might fairly demand of them. This should be seen as supplementary to reliabilist or proper functionalist interpretations of Reid, which often ignore this half of the story. I also show how Reid defends the rationality of believing first principles by appealing to their naturalness and irresistibility. The resulting interpretation supplies Reid with a more satisfying and formidable response to the skeptic than interpretations currently offer.
Thermal Assessment of Low-Cost Rural Housing—A Case Study in the Ecuadorian Andes
Authors: Miño-Rodríguez Isabel , Naranjo-Mendoza Carlos , Korolija Ivan
Published: September 2016

The aim of this research is to assess the indoor thermal performance of rural dwellings in the Ecuadorian highlands through both experimental and numerical analysis. A three-step methodology was applied to conduct the research: (a) field data collection, (b) building thermal model development and calibration, and (c) comparison analysis and assessment of traditional improvement strategies. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from two representative rural dwellings under typical usage conditions. The first is a traditional construction, medium-exposed thermal mass dwelling (Case A). The second is a local common, uninsulated, lightweight construction (Case B). The thermal model was calibrated by comparing hourly temperature values of the observed and the predicted indoor air temperature. A high correlation level (R2) was achieved between the observed and predicted data; 0.89 in Case A and 0.94 in Case B. The results show that the roof, floor, and the airtightness are the critical building parameters affecting the indoor thermal environment. Likewise, the indoor air temperature is increased up to 4 °C through the implementation of traditional strategies. However, despite the rise in indoor air temperature, acceptable thermal comfort ranges were only reached for 25% of the total hours.
Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of BiOI as a Photocatalyst Driven by Visible Light
Authors: Dai Wen-Wu , Zhao Zong-Yan
Published: September 2016

Bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) is an important photoelectric functional material that has a wide range of applications. In particular, it can be used as a photocatalyst that shows photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. The synthesis procedure and related photocatalytic performance of BiOI have been reported. However, some of its fundamental properties still need to be further investigated. In this article, density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the crystal structure, electronic properties, and optical properties of BiOI. Furthermore, the relationship between the intrinsic properties and the photocatalytic performance of BiOI was investigated. Based on the calculated results of the band structure, density of states, and projected wave function, the molecular-orbital bonding structure of BiOI is proposed. As a semiconductor photocatalyst, BiOI shows slight optical anisotropy in the visible-light region, indicating that it can efficiently absorb visible light if the morphology of BiOI is controlled. After comparing several computational methods, it was found that the generalized-gradient approximation corrected for on-site Coulomb interactions (GGA + U) is a suitable computational method for large sized BiOI models (e.g., impurity doping, the surface, and the interface) because it can significantly reduce the computational time while maintaining calculation accuracy. Thus, this article not only provides an in-depth understanding of the fundamental properties of BiOI as a potential efficient photocatalyst driven by visible light, but it also suggests a suitable computational method to investigate these properties.
Packaging Evaluation Approach to Improve Cosmetic Product Safety
Authors: Briasco Benedetta , Capra Priscilla , Cozzi Arianna , Mannucci Barbara , Perugini Paola
Published: September 2016

In the Regulation 1223/2009, evaluation of packaging has become mandatory to assure cosmetic product safety. In fact, the safety assessment of a cosmetic product can be successfully carried out only if the hazard deriving from the use of the designed packaging for the specific product is correctly evaluated. Despite the law requirement, there is too little information about the chemical-physical characteristics of finished packaging and the possible interactions between formulation and packaging; furthermore, different from food packaging, the cosmetic packaging is not regulated and, to date, appropriate guidelines are still missing. The aim of this work was to propose a practical approach to investigate commercial polymeric containers used in cosmetic field, especially through mechanical properties’ evaluation, from a safety point of view. First of all, it is essential to obtain complete information about raw materials. Subsequently, using an appropriate full factorial experimental design, it is possible to investigate the variables, like polymeric density, treatment, or type of formulation involved in changes to packaging properties or in formulation-packaging interaction. The variation of these properties can greatly affect cosmetic safety. In particular, mechanical properties can be used as an indicator of pack performances and safety. As an example, containers made of two types of polyethylene with different density, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are investigated. Regarding the substances potentially extractable from the packaging, in this work the headspace solid-phase microextraction method (HSSPME) was used because this technique was reported in the literature as suitable to detect extractables from the polymeric material here employed.
Crystallography of Representative MOFs Based on Pillared Cyanonickelate (PICNIC) Architecture
Authors: Wong-Ng Winnie , Culp Jeffrey , Chen Yu-Sheng
Published: September 2016

The pillared layer motif is a commonly used route to porous coordination polymers or metal organic frameworks (MOFs). Materials based on the pillared cyano-bridged architecture, [Ni’(L)Ni(CN)4]n (L = pillar organic ligands), also known as PICNICs, have been shown to be especially diverse where pore size and pore functionality can be varied by the choice of pillar organic ligand. In addition, a number of PICNICs form soft porous structures that show reversible structure transitions during the adsorption and desorption of guests. The structural flexibility in these materials can be affected by relatively minor differences in ligand design, and the physical driving force for variations in host-guest behavior in these materials is still not known. One key to understanding this diversity is a detailed investigation of the crystal structures of both rigid and flexible PICNIC derivatives. This article gives a brief review of flexible MOFs. It also reports the crystal structures of five PICNICS from our laboratories including three 3-D porous frameworks (Ni-Bpene, NI-BpyMe, Ni-BpyNH2), one 2-D layer (Ni-Bpy), and one 1-D chain (Ni-Naph) compound. The sorption data of BpyMe for CO2, CH4 and N2 is described. The important role of NH3 (from the solvent of crystallization) as blocking ligands which prevent the polymerization of the 1-D chains and 2-D layers to become 3D porous frameworks in the Ni-Bpy and Ni-Naph compounds is also addressed.
Using Graph and Vertex Entropy to Compare Empirical Graphs with Theoretical Graph Models
Authors: Kajdanowicz Tomasz , Morzy Mikołaj
Published: September 2016

Over the years, several theoretical graph generation models have been proposed. Among the most prominent are: the Erdős–Renyi random graph model, Watts–Strogatz small world model, Albert–Barabási preferential attachment model, Price citation model, and many more. Often, researchers working with real-world data are interested in understanding the generative phenomena underlying their empirical graphs. They want to know which of the theoretical graph generation models would most probably generate a particular empirical graph. In other words, they expect some similarity assessment between the empirical graph and graphs artificially created from theoretical graph generation models. Usually, in order to assess the similarity of two graphs, centrality measure distributions are compared. For a theoretical graph model this means comparing the empirical graph to a single realization of a theoretical graph model, where the realization is generated from the given model using an arbitrary set of parameters. The similarity between centrality measure distributions can be measured using standard statistical tests, e.g., the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test of distances between cumulative distributions. However, this approach is both error-prone and leads to incorrect conclusions, as we show in our experiments. Therefore, we propose a new method for graph comparison and type classification by comparing the entropies of centrality measure distributions (degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality). We demonstrate that our approach can help assign the empirical graph to the most similar theoretical model using a simple unsupervised learning method.
Entropy Base Estimation of Moisture Content of the Top 10-m Unsaturated Soil for the Badain Jaran Desert in Northwestern China
Authors: Zhou Xiangyang , Lei Wenjuan , Ma Jinzhu
Published: September 2016

Estimation of soil moisture distribution in desert regions is challenged by the deep unsaturated zone and the extreme natural environment. In this study, an entropy-based method, consisting of information entropy, principle of maximum entropy (PME), solutions to PME with constraints, and the determination of parameters, is used to estimate the soil moisture distribution in the 10 m deep vadose zone of a desert region. Firstly, the soil moisture distribution is described as a scaled probability density function (PDF), which is solved by PME with the constraints of normalization, known arithmetic mean and geometric mean, and the solution is the general form of gamma distribution. A constant arithmetic mean is determined by considering the stable average recharge rate at thousand year scale, and an approximate constant geometric mean is determined by the low flow rate (about 1 cm a year). Followed, the parameters of the scaled PDF of gamma distribution are determined by local environmental factors like terrain and vegetation: the multivariate linear equations are established to qualify the relationship between the parameters and the environmental factors on the basis of nineteen random soil moisture profiles about depth through the application of fuzzy mathematics. Finally, the accuracy is tested using correlation coefficient (CC) and relative error. This method performs with CC larger than 0.9 in more than a half profiles and most larger than 0.8, the relative errors are less than 30% in most of soil moisture profiles and can be as low as less than 15% when parameters fitted appropriately. Therefore, this study provides an alternative method to estimate soil moisture distribution in top 0–10 m layers of the Badain Jaran Desert based on local terrain and vegetation factors instead of drilling sand samples, this method would be useful in desert regions with extreme natural conditions since these environmental factors can be obtained by remote sensing data. Meanwhile, we should bear in mind that this method is challenged in humid regions since more intensive and frequent precipitation, and more vegetation cover make the system much more complex.
Generalized Fractional Processes with Long Memory and Time Dependent Volatility Revisited
Authors: Peiris M. , Asai Manabu
Published: September 2016

In recent years, fractionally-differenced processes have received a great deal of attention due to their flexibility in financial applications with long-memory. This paper revisits the class of generalized fractionally-differenced processes generated by Gegenbauer polynomials and the ARMA structure (GARMA) with both the long-memory and time-dependent innovation variance. We establish the existence and uniqueness of second-order solutions. We also extend this family with innovations to follow GARCH and stochastic volatility (SV). Under certain regularity conditions, we give asymptotic results for the approximate maximum likelihood estimator for the GARMA-GARCH model. We discuss a Monte Carlo likelihood method for the GARMA-SV model and investigate finite sample properties via Monte Carlo experiments. Finally, we illustrate the usefulness of this approach using monthly inflation rates for France, Japan and the United States.
Innovative Calibration Method for System Level Simulation Models of Internal Combustion Engines
Authors: Prah Ivo , Trenc Ferdinand , Katrašnik Tomaž
Published: September 2016

The paper outlines a procedure for the computer-controlled calibration of the combined zero-dimensional (0D) and one-dimensional (1D) thermodynamic simulation model of a turbocharged internal combustion engine (ICE). The main purpose of the calibration is to determine input parameters of the simulation model in such a way as to achieve the smallest difference between the results of the measurements and the results of the numerical simulations with minimum consumption of the computing time. An innovative calibration methodology is based on a novel interaction between optimization methods and physically based methods of the selected ICE sub-systems. Therein physically based methods were used for steering the division of the integral ICE to several sub-models and for determining parameters of selected components considering their governing equations. Innovative multistage interaction between optimization methods and physically based methods allows, unlike the use of well-established methods that rely only on the optimization techniques, for successful calibration of a large number of input parameters with low time consumption. Therefore, the proposed method is suitable for efficient calibration of simulation models of advanced ICEs.
A Novel State of Charge Estimation Algorithm for Lithium-Ion Battery Packs of Electric Vehicles
Authors: Chen Zheng , Li Xiaoyu , Shen Jiangwei , Yan Wensheng , Xiao Renxin
Published: September 2016

This paper focuses on state of charge (SOC) estimation for the battery packs of electric vehicles (EVs). By modeling a battery based on the equivalent circuit model (ECM), the adaptive extended Kalman filter (AEKF) method can be applied to estimate the battery cell SOC. By adaptively setting different weighed coefficients, a battery pack SOC estimation algorithm is established based on the single cell estimation. The proposed method can not only precisely estimate the battery pack SOC, but also effectively prevent the battery pack from overcharge and over-discharge, thus providing safe operation. Experiment results verify the feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
Influence of Insulating Materials on Green Building Rating System Results
Authors: Bisegna Fabio , Mattoni Benedetta , Gori Paola , Asdrubali Francesco , Guattari Claudia , Evangelisti Luca , Sambuco Sara , Bianchi Francesco
Published: September 2016

This paper analyzes the impact of a change in the thermal insulating material on both the energy and environmental performance of a building, evaluated through two different green building assessment methods: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Istituto per l’innovazione e Trasparenza degli Appalti e la Compatibilità Ambientale (ITACA). LEED is one of the most qualified rating systems at an international level; it assesses building sustainability thanks to a point-based system where credits are divided into six different categories. One of these is fully related to building materials. The ITACA procedure derives from the international evaluation system Sustainable Building Tool (SBTool), modified according to the Italian context. In the region of Umbria, ITACA certification is composed of 20 technical sheets, which are classified into five macro-areas. The analysis was developed on a residential building located in the central Italy. It was built taking into account the principles of sustainability as far as both structural and technical solutions are concerned. In order to evaluate the influence of thermal insulating material, different configurations of the envelope were considered, replacing the original material (glass wool) with a synthetic one (expanded polystyrene, EPS) and two natural materials (wood fiber and kenaf). The study aims to highlight how the materials characteristics can affect building energy and environmental performance and to point out the different approaches of the analyzed protocols.
The Telomere/Telomerase System in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Cause or Effect?
Authors: Kordinas Vasileios , Ioannidis Anastasios , Chatzipanagiotou Stylianos
Published: September 2016

Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures located at the end of linear chromosomes and telomerase is the enzyme responsible for telomere elongation. Telomerase activity is a key component of many cancer cells responsible for rapid cell division but it has also been found by many laboratories around the world that telomere/telomerase biology is dysfunctional in many other chronic conditions as well. These conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation, a situation mostly overlooked by physicians regarding patient treatment. Among others, these conditions include diabetes, renal failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. Since researchers have in many cases identified the association between telomerase and inflammation but there are still many missing links regarding this correlation, the latest findings about this phenomenon will be discussed by reviewing the literature. Our focus will be describing telomere/telomerase status in chronic diseases under the prism of inflammation, reporting molecular findings where available and proposing possible future approaches.
Associations of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein TaqIB Polymorphism with the Composite Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease Risk and HDL-C Concentrations: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Guo Shu-xia , Yao Ming-hong , Ding Yu-song , Zhang Jing-yu , Yan Yi-zhong , Liu Jia-ming , Zhang Mei , Rui Dong-sheng , Niu Qiang , He Jia , Guo Heng , Ma Ru-lin
Published: September 2016

Background: Previous studies have evaluated the associations between the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) TaqIB polymorphism (rs708272), the risk of developing composite ischemic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), but results remain controversial. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between these factors. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of available studies to clarify the associations of the CETP TaqIB polymorphism with HDL-C concentration and the composite ischemic CVD risk in both Asians and Caucasians. All statistical analyses were done with Stata 12.0. Results: Through utilization of the Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, China Science and Technology Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Google Scholar, and Baidu Library, a total of 45 studies from 44 papers with 20,866 cases and 21,298 controls were combined showing a significant association between the CETP TaqIB variant and composite ischemic CVD risk. Carriers of allele TaqIB-B1 were found to have a higher risk of composite ischemic CVD than non-carriers: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09–1.21, p < 0.001. Meanwhile, 28 studies with 23,959 subjects were included in the association between the CETP TaqIB polymorphism and the concentration of HDL-C. Results suggested that carriers of the B1B1 genotype had lower concentrations of HDL-C than those of the B2B2 genotype: SMD = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.36–0.65, p < 0.001. Conclusions: The synthesis of available evidence demonstrates that the CETP TaqIB polymorphism protects against composite ischemic CVD risk and is associated with a higher HDL-C concentration in both Asians and Caucasians.
Phyllanthus emblica Fruit Extract Activates Spindle Assembly Checkpoint, Prevents Mitotic Aberrations and Genomic Instability in Human Colon Epithelial NCM460 Cells
Authors: Guo Xihan , Wang Xu
Published: September 2016

The fruit of Phyllanthus emblica Linn. (PE) has been widely consumed as a functional food and folk medicine in Southeast Asia due to its remarkable nutritional and pharmacological effects. Previous research showed PE delays mitotic progress and increases genomic instability (GIN) in human colorectal cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the similar effects of PE by the biomarkers related to spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), mitotic aberrations and GIN in human NCM460 normal colon epithelial cells. Cells were treated with PE and harvested differently according to the biomarkers observed. Frequencies of micronuclei (MN), nucleoplasmic bridge (NPB) and nuclear bud (NB) in cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay were used as indicators of GIN. Mitotic aberrations were assessed by the biomarkers of chromosome misalignment, multipolar division, chromosome lagging and chromatin bridge. SAC activity was determined by anaphase-to- metaphase ratio (AMR) and the expression of core SAC gene budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles related 1 (BubR1). Compared with the control, PE-treated cells showed (1) decreased incidences of MN, NPB and NB (p < 0.01); (2) decreased frequencies of all mitotic aberration biomarkers (p < 0.01); and (3) decreased AMR (p < 0.01) and increased BubR1 expression (p < 0.001). The results revealed PE has the potential to protect human normal colon epithelial cells from mitotic and genomic damages partially by enhancing the function of SAC.
T-Tubular Electrical Defects Contribute to Blunted β-Adrenergic Response in Heart Failure
Authors: Crocini Claudia , Coppini Raffaele , Ferrantini Cecilia , Yan Ping , Loew Leslie , Poggesi Corrado , Cerbai Elisabetta , Pavone Francesco , Sacconi Leonardo
Published: September 2016

Alterations of the β-adrenergic signalling, structural remodelling, and electrical failure of T-tubules are hallmarks of heart failure (HF). Here, we assess the effect of β-adrenoceptor activation on local Ca2+ release in electrically coupled and uncoupled T-tubules in ventricular myocytes from HF rats. We employ an ultrafast random access multi-photon (RAMP) microscope to simultaneously record action potentials and Ca2+ transients from multiple T-tubules in ventricular cardiomyocytes from a HF rat model of coronary ligation compared to sham-operated rats as a control. We confirmed that β-adrenergic stimulation increases the frequency of Ca2+ sparks, reduces Ca2+ transient variability, and hastens the decay of Ca2+ transients: all these effects are similarly exerted by β-adrenergic stimulation in control and HF cardiomyocytes. Conversely, β-adrenergic stimulation in HF cells accelerates a Ca2+ rise exclusively in the proximity of T-tubules that regularly conduct the action potential. The delayed Ca2+ rise found at T-tubules that fail to conduct the action potential is instead not affected by β-adrenergic signalling. Taken together, these findings indicate that HF cells globally respond to β-adrenergic stimulation, except at T-tubules that fail to conduct action potentials, where the blunted effect of the β-adrenergic signalling may be directly caused by the lack of electrical activity.
Plant Defensins NaD1 and NaD2 Induce Different Stress Response Pathways in Fungi
Authors: Dracatos Peter , Payne Jennifer , Di Pietro Antonio , Anderson Marilyn , Plummer Kim
Published: September 2016

Nicotiana alata defensins 1 and 2 (NaD1 and NaD2) are plant defensins from the ornamental tobacco that have antifungal activity against a variety of fungal pathogens. Some plant defensins interact with fungal cell wall O-glycosylated proteins. Therefore, we investigated if this was the case for NaD1 and NaD2, by assessing the sensitivity of the three Aspergillus nidulans (An) O-mannosyltransferase (pmt) knockout (KO) mutants (An∆pmtA, An∆pmtB, and An∆pmtC). An∆pmtA was resistant to both defensins, while An∆pmtC was resistant to NaD2 only, suggesting NaD1 and NaD2 are unlikely to have a general interaction with O-linked side chains. Further evidence of this difference in the antifungal mechanism was provided by the dissimilarity of the NaD1 and NaD2 sensitivities of the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) signalling knockout mutants from the cell wall integrity (CWI) and high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. HOG pathway mutants were sensitive to both NaD1 and NaD2, while CWI pathway mutants only displayed sensitivity to NaD2.
Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Mature Pollen in Triploid and Diploid Populus deltoides
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Ling , Zhang Jin , Guo Ying-Hua , Sun Pei , Jia Hui-Xia , Fan Wei , Lu Meng-Zhu , Hu Jian-Jun
Published: September 2016

Ploidy affects plant growth vigor and cell size, but the relative effects of pollen fertility and allergenicity between triploid and diploid have not been systematically examined. Here we performed comparative analyses of fertility, proteome, and abundances of putative allergenic proteins of pollen in triploid poplar ‘ZhongHuai1’ (‘ZH1’, triploid) and ‘ZhongHuai2’ (‘ZH2’, diploid) generated from the same parents. The mature pollen was sterile in triploid poplar ‘ZH1’. By applying two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), a total of 72 differentially expressed protein spots (DEPs) were detected in triploid poplar pollen. Among them, 24 upregulated and 43 downregulated proteins were identified in triploid poplar pollen using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation coupled with time of-flight tandem mass spectrometer analysis (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS/MS). The main functions of these DEPs were related with “S-adenosylmethionine metabolism”, “actin cytoskeleton organization”, or “translational elongation”. The infertility of triploid poplar pollen might be related to its abnormal cytoskeletal system. In addition, the abundances of previously identified 28 putative allergenic proteins were compared among three poplar varieties (‘ZH1’, ‘ZH2’, and ‘2KEN8‘). Most putative allergenic proteins were downregulated in triploid poplar pollen. This work provides an insight into understanding the protein regulation mechanism of pollen infertility and low allergenicity in triploid poplar, and gives a clue to improving poplar polyploidy breeding and decreasing the pollen allergenicity.
Pereskia aculeata Muller (Cactaceae) Leaves: Chemical Composition and Biological Activities
Authors: Souza Lucèia , Caputo Lucia , Inchausti De Barros Ingrid , Fratianni Florinda , Nazzaro Filomena , De Feo Vincenzo
Published: September 2016

The aims of this work were to study the chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Pereskia aculeata and to evaluate some biological activities of three leaf extracts. The phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and in vitro antimicrobial and antifungal activities were determined. The methanol extract showed antioxidant activity (EC50 7.09 mg/mL) and high polyphenols content (15.04 ± 0.31 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g). The petroleum ether extract exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, whereas the chloroform extract showed inhibitory activity against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. The petroleum ether and methanol extracts were more effective in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus versicolor. The possible cytotoxicity of extracts on neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cancer cell line and the influence on adenylate cyclase (ADCY) expression was also studied. P. aculeata chloroform extract showed antiproliferative activity with an IC50 value of 262.83 µg/mL. Treatments of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with 100 µg/mL of methanol extract significantly reduced ADCY1 expression.