bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IN VITRO EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE ON THE ACTIVITY OF LYSOSOMAL CYSTEINE PROTEASES AND THE STATE OF LYSOSOMAL MEMBRANE
Authors: Fomina M A. , Kudlaeva A M. , Ryabkov A N.
Published: June 2017

The influence of L-carnitine in vitro on the lysosomal cysteine proteinase activity and stability of the lysosomal membrane of the liver homogenates of intact sexually Mature female rats of Wistar line weighing 280-330 g were studied. In the experimental groups isolated lysosomes were incubated in vitro in a solution of L-carnitine during 1, 2 and 4 hours, in the control groups in vitro incubation was carried out in a medium of isolating solution. The activity of ca-thepsins B, L and H was investigated by spectrofluorimetric method of Barrett & Kirschke in two fractions - lysosomal and outside of lysosomes. The activity of acid phosphatase was used as the main marker of a membrane labilization. In vitro incubation of lysosomes showed that carnitine at a concentration of 5 mM increases the total activity of cathepsin B in a one-hour incubation at 73,2% (p=0,008), cathepsin L in a two- and four-hour incubation - at 77,7% (p=0,005) and 42,3% (p=0,013) respectively, and reduces the overall activity of the cathepsin H in a one-hour incubation at 200,0% (p=0,008), in a two-hour - by 67,9% (p=0,05), in a four-hour -27,1% (p=0,02). In addition, incubation in 5 mM L-carnitine solution leads to an increase of unsedimentable activity and fall sedimentaries activity for cathepsin L in a two-hour, and for acid phosphatase - in a two - and four-hour exposure. 5 mM L-carnitine in one - and two-hour incubation stabilizes lysosomal membrane (whereas increase in incubation time up to 4 hours leads to its damage) and increases the selective permeability of the lysosomal membrane for the studied cathepsins, to the greatest extent - for cathepsin H.
PARTURITION IN WOMEN WITH VARICOSE DISEASE
Authors: Sadriev O N. , Marizoeva M M. , Kalmykov E L. , Sultanov D D. , Bobdzhonova O B.
Published: June 2017

Aim: impact evaluation of varicose disease on delivering.Materials and methods: analyzed the delivery in 12 women with varicose disease (study group) and 12 patients without pathology of the venous system.Results: an increase in the frequency of premature rupture of in patients of the main group (66,7%) compared with patients in the control group (25,0%). Significant differences perineal rupture degree I-II patients of both groups [58,3% (study group) against 33,3% (control group)].The frequency of abnormal blood loss (ABL) (400 ml) in the study group was observed in 4 (33,3%) patients, while patients in the control group did not have a ABL (p<0,001). There was also a statistically distinguishable (p<0,001), the frequency of premature placental abruption (16,7% in the study group, 0% - in the control) and postpartum endometritis (8,3% in the main group, 0% - in the control).
Exploring Digital Badges in University Courses: Relationships between Quantity, Engagement, and Performance
Authors: Fanfarelli Joseph R , McDaniel Rudy
Published: June 2017

Digital badging research is gaining momentum as instructors and administrators consider new models for assessing learning in nontraditional contexts (e.g., informal science learning programs, flexible online courses, adaptive learning systems). While many studies are examining the effectiveness of digital badges for pedagogical functions, such as motivating students, few attempts have been made to identify relationships between the number of badges earned by a student and badging effectiveness. The exploratory correlational study presented within this article addresses this gap by examining these relationships, relating number of badges earned in a pilot course to performance and engagement-related metrics. The results are further categorized by demographic groups to identify starting points for future research. Several relationships were identified, providing initial evidence of the importance of studying number of badges earned and how that number impacts effectiveness. The evidence suggests value in conducting large sample empirical research on the presented factors.
A National Study of Online Learning Leaders in US Higher Education
Authors: Fredericksen Eric E.
Published: June 2017

Online learning in US higher education continues to grow dramatically. The most recent estimates indicate that about 30% of all students enroll in at least one online course (Allen & Seamen, 2016). As this important type of academic offering has become increasingly important to institutions of higher education, Presidents and Provosts have frequently established leadership positions to coordinate and direct their efforts in this area. But what do we know about the leaders who have been charged with managing this academic transformation? This systematic national study, a first of its kind, sheds light on the leadership that is guiding this new teaching and learning environment.
Student Attitudes toward Technology-Mediated Advising Systems
Authors: Santikian Kalamkarian Hoori , Mechur Karp Melinda
Published: June 2017

The literature on broad-access colleges suggests that low persistence and completion rates may be improved through better advising that employs a teaching-as-advising approach. While resource constraints have traditionally limited the ability of colleges to reform advising practices, technological advances have made it possible to implement technology-based advising tools, some of which can replace face-to-face services. Using focus group interview data from 69 students at six colleges, this study investigates students’ attitudes toward technology-mediated advising. More specifically, we seek to understand how students’ perceptions and experiences vary across different advising functions. We find that students are open to using technology for more formulaic tasks, such as course registration, but prefer in-person support for more complex tasks, such as planning courses for multiple semesters and refining their academic and career goals.
The Time-Varying Effect of Monetary Policy on Asset Prices
Authors:   Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Paul Pascal
Published: June 2017

This paper studies how monetary policy jointly affects asset prices and the real economy in the United States. I develop an estimator that uses high-frequency surprises as a proxy for the structural monetary policy shocks. This is achieved by integrating the surprises into a vector autoregressive model as an exogenous variable. I use current short-term rate surprises because these are least affected by an information effect. When allowing for time-varying model parameters, I find that, compared to the response of output, the reaction of stock and house prices to monetary policy shocks was particularly low before the 2007-09 financial crisis.
Les jeunes et l’informel au Maroc
Authors:   Socio-économiste Chercheur associée au CESEM-HEM, Mejjati Alami Rajaa
Published: June 2017

L’article traite de l’emploi informel et de l’entreprenariat des jeunes au Maroc. Il présente les traits saillants de leur emploi, précise les définitions de l’informel, les facteurs qui poussent les jeunes dans les activités informelles. Sur la base des données de l’Enquête Jeunesse SAHWA (2016), il analyse le caractère informel et fragile de leur emploi, appréhendé à partir des activités exercées, des secteurs où ils se polarisent, de leur statut, des moyens d’accès à l’emploi, des conditions et des relations de travail et les revenus dégagés. Le volet entrepreneuriat fait ressortir les contraintes qui se posent à l’entreprenariat des jeunes qui limitent leurs performances : faibles possibilités d’investissement, difficultés d’accès à l’information et aux services conseils, contraintes de commercialisation et pesanteurs bureaucratiques.
Youth political engagement during the Arab Spring: Egypt and Tunisia compared
Authors:   AUC Forum, Korany Bahgat , El Sayyad Mostafa ,   AUC Forum
Published: June 2017

This Scientific Paper aims at highlighting youth political engagement during the Arab Spring – the peak of explicit, direct and mass “youth involvement in politics”. This exceptionally high involvement did not continue to be institutionalised. In fact, the earlier mass political participation contrasts at present with a certain political marginalisation of former activists/youth leaders. The logical research question is then: what accounts for such two extremes? To analyse this evolution from one extreme to the other, this paper adopts a comparative approach between the two seemingly similar cases of Egypt and Tunisia. These two countries are different in some respects: Egypt has nine times the population of Tunisia, for example, and the two countries’ recent colonial past has been influenced by different sociopolitical traditions: Anglophone and Francophone. However, for the subject of this paper they share the status of being the pioneers of the Arab Spring.
A STUDY OF QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS: MEDIA PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE
Authors: Bensa Cheryl Pricilla
Published: June 2017

Bilateralism between Indonesia and China has kicked off a pivotal pathway to Global Maritime Axis foreign policy that has been relentlessly addressed by President Joko Widodo since his early administration in 2014. However, Indonesia is aware that China’s claim of nine-dashed line (9DL) has overlapped with Indonesia’s sovereignty area, Natuna water. This territory dispute has pushed Indonesian government to take a decisive action by sending a verbal note protest to the Chinese embassy in Indonesia. In the perspective of international communication, this action has scrutinized the interdependence between media systems and political system as a form of a symbiosis, which is connecting and creating perceptions on the issue. Propaganda techniques of mass media may create these certain perceptions. Media propaganda techniques include, inter alia, name-calling, glittering generality, transfer, plain folks, testimonial, selection, bandwagon, and frustration of scapegoat. This study maps the propaganda techniques by Indonesian high-circulated newspaper Kompas and China’s state-run media Xinhua news agency. This study applies quantitative content analysis method in the period of May 30 to July 30, 2016.
TYPOLOGY AND MARKET CONCENTRATION OF MEDIA CONGLOMERATE IN INDONESIA
Authors: Nainggolan Bestian
Published: June 2017

The economic practices of media industry in Indonesia are inseparable from the pattern of oligopolistic market. This trend is seen from further of market media concentration, particularly market of advertising media in a number of media corporate groups. Media corporate groups apply practices of conglomeration in market control with horizontal, vertical, or diagonal integrated strategy. Criticism on these practices is often expressed, but there is no assessment based on the empirical evidence on the business behavior of media conglomeration. This paper explores the characteristics of media conglomerate by reconstructing the typology of media conglomeration introduced by Richard Bounce: Concentric Conglomerates and Diversified Conglomerates, and three models by Graham Murdock: Industrial Conglomerates, Services Conglomerates and Communications Conglomerates. Six typology models of conglomerate are formed, namely (1) Industrial-Concentric; (2) Industrial-Diversified; (3) Services-Concentric; (4) Services-Diversified; (5) Communications-Concentric; (6) Communications-Diversified. The economic performance of each conglomerate group regarding market concentration and market competition in constructing the market structure of media industry is studied based on the typologies. The study finds a new typology model of media conglomerate and manages to prove that national media conglomerate still dominates the media market in Indonesia.
A Framework for ERP Post-Implementation Amendments: A Literature Analysis
Authors: Oseni Taiwo , Foster Susan Valerie , Mahbubur Rahim , Smith Stephen Patrick
Published: June 2017

Post-implementation amendments to ERP systems (ERP-PIA) are of importance for advancing ERP research, but more importantly essential if ERP systems are to be used as a strategic and competitive business tool. For ease of clarity, we have adopted the term “amendments” to encompass the main forms of post implementation activities: maintenance, enhancements and upgrades. The term ‘amendments’ is used to counteract one of the major findings from this research - the inconsistency of terms used by many authors to explain post implementation activities. This paper presents a review of the ERP post-implementation amendment literature in order to provide answers to two specific questions: first, what is the current state of research in the field of ERP-PIA; and second, what are the future research directions that need to be explored in the field of ERP-PIA. From the review, we develop a framework to identify: (a) major themes concerning ERP post-implementation amendments, (b) inherent gaps in the post-implementation amendments literature, and (c) specific areas that require further research attention influencing the uptake of amendments. Suggestions on empirical evaluation of research directions and their relevance in the extension of existing literature is presented.
Registration of ‘Loma’ Hard Red Winter Wheat
Authors: Bruckner P. L. , Berg J. E. , Kephart K. D. , Stougaard R. N. , Pradhan G. P. , Lamb P. F. , Miller J. H. , Briar S. S. , Chen C. , Nash D. L. , Holen D. L. , Cook J. P. , Gale S. , Jin Y. , Kolmer J. A. , Chen X. , Bai G. , Murray T. D.
Published: June 2017

‘Loma’ (Reg. No. CV‐1126, PI 680576) hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed and released by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station in 2016. Loma was derived from the cross ‘Yellowstone’//MTS0112/MTS0125. It was developed using a modified bulk breeding method and selected as an F6:7 head row. Loma was tested under the experimental number MTS1224 in Montana yield trials from 2012 to 2016. Like the predominant cultivar Yellowstone, Loma is a high‐yielding, winter‐hardy wheat cultivar with medium to late maturity, medium to high grain protein concentration, and acceptable milling and baking quality characteristics. Loma was released for its excellent performance in winter wheat production environments of north‐central Montana, reduced plant height, and its semisolid stem, which provides some host plant resistance to wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Nort.).
Frigyes Schulek’s Calvinist Reformed Church in Szeged: A Particular Case of Medieval Design in Historicism
Authors: Fehér Krisztina , Halmos Balázs , Krähling János
Published: June 2017

Analysing the original drawings of Frigyes Schulek’s Calvinist Reformed Church in Szeged from 1882 kept in the Plan Collection and Archives of the BME Department for History of Architecture and of Monuments, its design process of geometric proportioning method can be entirely reconstructed. The result of this analysis shows that the Historicism of Schulek was not merely the replication of stylistic patterns of Gothic art but also the application of Medieval architectural principals and ideas. In the case of the Calvinist Reformed Church in Szeged, the essence of the design ‘in style’ was inspired by the contradictions of the function and the position of the building beside the main theoretic recommendation of Protestant church architecture of the time (Eisenacher Regulativ). The purity of the interior required by the function was compensated by the complexity of the geometry. The analysis presented in the paper sheds light not only on Schulek’s approach to Medieval architecture but also the various leve
Removal of Acetone from Wastewater by POSS Loaded PDMS Membrane
Authors: Ugur Nigiz Filiz , Durmaz Hilmioglu Nilufer
Published: June 2017

The waste-water of the chemical processes includes hundreds of hazardous pollutants with low concentration. Although the emission of trace amounts of these chemicals is allowed by the laws, they are quite harmful to the water ecosystem and the human health. These chemicals including the acetone, toluene, phenol, and esters are defined as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Separation of the VOCs from the large volume of industrial waste-water is required practically complicated and advanced processes. In this approach, more economically and efficient separation methods can be more favorable such as pervaporation. Pervaporation (PV) is an attractive and promising method for separation the small amount of dissolved chemicals from the waste-water. Pervaporative separation does not need any toxic solvent or external heat energy during the separation process. Therefore, it is defined as a cost effective and environmentally friendly process. In this study, acetone was selected as a VOC component and it was selectively separated from the model mixture (acetone-water) by pervaporation where the poly(hedral oligomeric silsesquioxane)(POSS) loaded poly(dimethyl siloxane) hydrophobic membrane was used. The structure of the membrane was characterized by scanning electron and polarized microscopy methods. The surface structure of the membrane was also analyzed by contact angle measurements. Effects of feed temperature and acetone-water concentration on separation performance were evaluated in terms of the total flux and acetone separation factor. Compared to the pristine PDMS membrane, 212% improvement on separation factor was achieved by 10 wt.% POSS incorporated membrane. The highest acetone separation factor was obtained as 237 when the temperature was 30 ºC and the acetone concentration was 1%.
Functional Analysis on a Naturally Occurring Variant of the Staphylococcus Aureus Uracil DNA Glycosylase Inhibitor
Authors: Papp-Kádár Veronika , Balázs Zoltán , Nagy Gergely N. , Juhász Tünde , Liliom Károly , Vértessy Beáta G.
Published: June 2017

Repair of DNA damage relies on various pathways including the base excision repair (BER) which targets erroneous bases in the DNA. Here, Uracil-DNA glycosylases (UDGs) are responsible for recognition and removal of uracil base from the DNA. Here, we characterize the interaction of Staphylococcus aureus UDG (SAUDG) with a naturally occurring variant of S. aureus uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor (SAUGI). This variant contains a histidine instead of a glutamate at the 24th position which affects the SAUDG:SAUGI interaction surface. We assessed the complex formation of SAUDG with these two SAUGI variants by independent biophysical methods. Our data reveal that the residue difference at the 24th position does not have a marked effect on the binding affinity, yet it confers alteration of the thermodynamics of the interaction. We propose that the E24H variant of SAUGI allows efficient complex formation, and consequently, inhibition of SAUDG.
Solidification of the Blends of Fully Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and Non-hydrogenated Coconut Oil
Authors: Dhaygude Vinod , Soós Anita , Somogyi László
Published: June 2017

Coconut oil is one of the generally used edible fats in food industries. To modify its texture, coconut oil is frequently treated by full-hydrogenation. Since full-hydrogenation results in extremely hard fat; therefore, blending with more soft material is a good option to reach the required texture. The aim of the present study was to establish the solidification characters of the blends containing both fully hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated coconut oils. Investigations were carried out by means of pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (pNMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Solidification phenomenon was interpreted by the Avrami model. Based on the results, parameters of the Avrami model were calculated. The results proved that these two fats are completely miscible and the equilibrium SFC value of their blends modified in accordance to the blending ratios and temperature gradient. DSC measurements did not show any significant difference in crystallization curves of the samples. Our results may be utilized in food technology, especially when production of fat containing foods needs cooling, for example in the manufacturing of margarine, shortenings, and confectionary fats.
Inelastic Displacement Ratios for Evaluation of Degrading Peak – Oriented SDOF Systems
Authors: Borekci Muzaffer , Kirçil Murat S. , Ekiz Ibrahim
Published: June 2017

Estimation of the inelastic displacement demand (IDD) is an important part of the performance-based design. Coefficient method is one of the methods for the estimation of IDD and in this method, IDD is determined by multiplying elastic displacement demand with inelastic displacement ratio (CR ). Previous researches showed that structures deteriorate and also exhibit dynamic instability under severe earthquakes and these behaviors should be considered in the estimation of CR to estimate a reliable IDD. In this study, CR of the non-degrading bilinear hysteretic model and the degrading peak-oriented hysteretic model with collapse potential were determined and effects of degradation on IDD were investigated. Nonlinear time history analysis of SDOF systems were performed using considered hysteretic models. Furthermore a new equation is proposed for the mean CR of degrading SDOF systems. Also, effect of local site conditions and post-yield stiffness on the mean CR of degrading SDOF systems were investigated.
Modal Approximation Based Optimal Design of Dynamically Loaded Plastic Structures
Authors: Blachowski Bartlomiej Dominik , Tauzowski Piotr , Logo Janos
Published: June 2017

The purpose of this study is to present an optimal design procedure for elasto-plastic structures subjected to impact loading. The proposed method is based on mode approximation of the displacement field and assumption of constant acceleration of impacted structure during whole time of deformation process until the plastic displacement limit is reached. Derivation of the method begins with the application of the principle of conservation of linear momentum, followed by determination of inertial forces. The final stage of the method utilizes an optimization technique in order to find a minimum weight structure. Eventually, effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed method is demonstrated on the example of a planar truss structure subjected to dynamic loading caused by a mass impacting the structure with a given initial velocity.
New Formulations for Dynamic Behavior of Sand-Waste Tire Mixtures in a Small Range of Strain Amplitudes
Authors: Edincliler Ayse , Cabalar Ali Firat , Cevik Abdulkadir , Isik Haluk
Published: June 2017

This paper describes the results of a series of cyclic triaxial tests on sand - waste tire mixtures, and applications of genetic programming (GP) and stepwise regression (SR) for the prediction of damping ratio and shear modulus of the mixtures tested. In the tests, shear modulus, and damping ratio of the geomaterials were measured for a strain range of 0.0001% up to 0.04%. The input variables in the developed GP and SR models are the waste tire content (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%), waste tire type (tire crumbs or tire buffings), strain, and confining pressures (40 kPa, 100 kPa, and 200 kPa), and outputs are shear modulus and damping ratio. Test results show that the shear modulus and the damping ratio of the mixtures are strongly influenced by the waste tire inclusions. The performance of the proposed GP models (R2 = 0.95 for shear modulus, and R2 = 0.94 for damping ratio) are observed to be more accurate than that of the SR models (R2 = 0.87 for shear modulus, and R2 = 0.91 for damping ratio).
Mechanical Characterizations of Oxidizing Steel Slag Soil and Application
Authors: Cheng Tao , Hu Renjie , Xu Wanhui , Zhang Yi
Published: June 2017

In this paper, the mechanical properties and engineering applicationof electric furnace (EAF) slag mixed soil are investigated.The samples of steel slag are taken from a steel manufacturingcompany in Huangshi, a city of China. The mixed soilwas firstly prepared by mixing the steel slag and clay mixturein different proportions. The optimal moisture content for mixingthe soil is investigated from the experiment through directshear test. Based on three axial compression tests, the optimumsteel slag ratio is determined. Finally, the mechanical propertiesof steel slag mixed soil are tested in a practical engineeringproblem through a numerical simulation. The steel slag mixedsoil is used to replace the original soil of the embankment andcompared with that of the original one. The comparison studyshows that the method proposed in this paper is simple andeffective. Moreover, from the practical problem analysis, theoptimal utilization of electric furnace slag can be achieved.
Structural Damages in Syntactic Metal Foams Caused by Monotone or Cyclic Compression
Authors: Katona Bálint , Orbulov Imre Norbert
Published: June 2017

Closed cell, high strength metallic foams, like ceramic hollow spheres filled metal matrix foams are promising materials to build lightweight but high specific strength structural parts. The aim of this study is to investigate the damage of the foam structure during monotone or cyclic compression. The tested metal matrix syntactic foams were produced by inert gas pressure infiltration. Four different alloys as matrix and two different ceramic hollow spheres as filler material were applied. The cylindrical specimens were investigated in quasi-static and high strain rate compression and in cyclic compression. The higher strain rates were ensured by a Split-Hopkinson pressure bar system, while the fatigue tests were performed on a closed loop universal hydraulic testing machine. The failure modes of the foams have explicit differences showing barreling and shearing in the case of quasi-static and high strain rate compression respectively. In the case of the fatigue loading, there was a significant difference between the damage mechanisms of the unalloyed and the Si alloyed matrix syntactic foams. This can be explained by the difference between the yield strength of the matrix material and the ceramics hollow spheres.
Operation of Looped District Heating Networks
Authors: Garbai László , Jasper Andor
Published: June 2017

The study presents a methodology for the optimal operation of district heating networks with a circular conduit system. The authors discuss this this topic in an absolutely general form. By a special statement and solution of Kirchhoff Laws, node equations and loop equations, the hydraulic end point of the circle is determined, including the supply ratio of the consumer located at the hydraulic end point. Two objective functions are stated by the authors; one of them for the minimum of flow work, and the other for the minimum of power supplied. It is demonstrated that the objective functions yield different results. Theoretically more economical operation is ensured by the flow pattern resulting from the minimization of the power supplied.
Factors Influencing Life Insurance Market Development in Montenegro
Authors: Novovic Buric Milijana , Bacovic Maja , Cerovic Julija , Lipovina Bozovic Milena
Published: June 2017

Montenegrin insurance market is in a low level of development compared to developed countries, with dominant share of non-life insurance. There are many factors influencing the insufficient development of life insurance in Montenegro. This manuscript offers an analysis of significant factors that have important impact on life insurance products purchase. In order to prove the hypotheses established in the manuscript, based on the survey, chi square test of independency and regression analysis were carried out. Testing results showed that age structure and education as demographic factors as well as level of employment as economic factor highly influence demand for life insurance in Montenegro while there is no evidence that different trust in insurance system, gender and region influenced purchase of life insurance.
Motivation Preferences of Hungarian and Slovak Employees are Significantly Different
Authors: Hitka Miloš , Lorincová Silvia , Ližbetinová Lenka , Schmidtová Jarmila
Published: June 2017

The aim of the paper is to compare the level of employee motivation in Hungary and Slovakia. Using sociological survey through questionnaires, a research was conducted in all regions of Hungary and Slovakia in 2016. Total of 30 motivation factors were divided into 5 groups of motivation factors. We analyzed motivation factors relating to mutual relationships, to career aspiration, to finance, to work conditions and to social needs. Significantly different preferences were observed in 4 of 5 groups of motivation factors preferred by Hungarian and Slovak respondents (motivation factors relating to mutual relationships, to career aspiration, to work conditions and to social needs). Surprisingly, motivation factors relating to mutual relationship were highly preferred by Hungarian respondents. Financial motivation factors were the most important for Slovak employees. Motivation factors relating to social needs were the least important for both groups of respondents. For Hungarian and Slovak employers, we recommend focusing on motivation factors relating to mutual relationships when creating motivation programmes. It will improve relations in the workplace. Simultaneously for Hungarian employers, our suggestion is to focus on motivation factors relating to career aspiration.
Energy Export Potential in the Caspian Region and Its Impact on EU Energy Security
Authors: Ibrayeva Aigerim , Tashtemkhanova Raikhan , Ospanova Aigerim , Somzhurek Baubek , Azmukhanova Aiman
Published: June 2017

Energy security has emerged in recent years as one of the cornerstones of the European Union’s (EU’s) foreign policy. The EU is highly dependent on imports of oil and gas, 35 per cent of which comes from Russia. Diversification of energy supplies is thus a key goal for the EU. The Caspian region contains some of the largest undeveloped oil and gas reserves in the world. The intense interest shown by the major international oil and gas companies testifies to its potential. Although the area is unlikely to become “another Middle East”, it could become a major oil supplier at the margin, much as the North Sea is today. As such it could help increase world energy security by diversifying global sources of supply. Development of the region’s resources still faces considerable obstacles. This study focuses on the countries along the southern rim of the former Soviet Union that are endowed with significant oil and gas resources: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia, and Azerbaijan in Transcaucasia. The Southern Energy Corridor (SEC), which aims to link Caspian Basin and potentially Middle East gas supplies to Europe, is one of the EU’s six priority axes of energy infrastructures. Drawing on the external governance literature, this article provides an analysis of the EU’s efforts in the wider Black Sea area to increase its energy security. It concludes that despite difficult domestic and geopolitical obstacles, the EU is pushing forward its objective to establish the SEC.
Needed but Rejected: How to Implement the Financial Stability Objective into Monetary Policy?
Authors: Pál Tamás , Lamanda Gabriella
Published: June 2017

The 2008 crisis forced central bankers and the representatives of academic literature to reassess the prevailing consensus on practice of monetary policy. Among other topics, the spotlight also fell on the question that how financial stability must be treated. Debate renewed on whether the central bank must play an active role in preventing and managing market turmoil, which consists of leaning against the wind of markets. This paper summarises opinions on this issue and offers our own conclusions. We found that currently neither the theoretical background nor empirical experience provide compelling evidence or a reference for central bankers to move away from their existing monetary policy framework and adopt a leaning against the wind policy. We conclude that the direct integration of financial stability considerations into monetary policy decision-making - i.e. as a form of rules - is not expected in the near future. However, we think that the debate remains open for two reasons: firstly, there is some uncertainty regarding the success of macroprudential regulation and its proper cooperation with monetary policy and secondly, the theoretical development of the implementation of financial cycles into monetary decision-making may also yield results.
The Effect of Corporate Governance and Audit Quality on Disclosure Quality: Evidence from Tehran Stock Exchange
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Moradi Mahdi , Paiydarmanesh Navid
Published: June 2017

The current study examines the effect of audit quality and internal and external corporate governance on the quality of disclosure of financial statements. In order to achieving the objectives of the study 7 hypotheses about audit quality and 7 hypotheses about internal and external corporate governance are postulated in the current study during 2009-2014 in Iran. Data analyzed in two regression models via the R software. The results indicate that there is no significant positive relationship between independent audit quality and the quality of disclosure of financial statements information, but there is a significant relationship between corporate governance and the quality of disclosure of financial statements information. So far, the current study is the first paper on the subject which conducted in the developing country such like Iran, the results of the study may give the strength to the auditing literature.
The impacts of computer adaptive testing from a variety of perspectives
Authors: Kimura Tetsuo
Published: June 2017

Computer adaptive testing (CAT) is a kind of tailored testing, in that it is a form of computer-based testing that is adaptive to each test-taker’s ability level. In this review, the impacts of CAT are discussed from different perspectives in order to illustrate crucial points to keep in mind during the development and implementation of CAT. Test developers and psychometricians often emphasize the efficiency and accuracy of CAT in comparison to traditional linear tests. However, many test-takers report feeling discouraged after taking CATs, and this feeling can reduce learning self-efficacy and motivation. A trade-off must be made between the psychological experiences of test-takers and measurement efficiency. From the perspective of educators and subject matter experts, nonstatistical specifications, such as content coverage, content balance, and form length are major concerns. Thus, accreditation bodies may be faced with a discrepancy between the perspectives of psychometricians and those of subject matter experts. In order to improve test-takers’ impressions of CAT, the author proposes increasing the target probability of answering correctly in the item selection algorithm even if doing so consequently decreases measurement efficiency. Two different methods, CAT with a shadow test approach and computerized multistage testing, have been developed in order to ensure the satisfaction of subject matter experts. In the shadow test approach, a full-length test is assembled that meets the constraints and provides maximum information at the current ability estimate, while computerized multistage testing gives subject matter experts an opportunity to review all test forms prior to administration.
Smart device-based testing for medical students in Korea: satisfaction, convenience, and advantages
Authors: Lim Eun Young , Yim Mi Kyoung , Huh Sun
Published: June 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate respondents’ satisfaction with smart device-based testing (SBT), as well as its convenience and advantages, in order to improve its implementation. The survey was conducted among 108 junior medical students at Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Korea, who took a practice licensing examination using SBT in September 2015. The survey contained 28 items scored using a 5-point Likert scale. The items were divided into the following three categories: satisfaction with SBT administration, convenience of SBT features, and advantages of SBT compared to paper-and-pencil testing or computer-based testing. The reliability of the survey was 0.95. Of the three categories, the convenience of the SBT features received the highest mean (M) score (M= 3.75, standard deviation [SD]= 0.69), while the category of satisfaction with SBT received the lowest (M= 3.13, SD= 1.07). No statistically significant differences across these categories with respect to sex, age, or experience were observed. These results indicate that SBT was practical and effective to take and to administer.
Beyond Capitalist Realism – Why We Need Critical Future Studies
Authors: Goode Luke , Godhe Michael
Published: June 2017

This paper introduces the interdisciplinary field of Critical Future Studies (CFS). CFS investigates the scope and constraints within public culture for imagining and debating different potential futures. It interrogates imagined futures founded – often surreptitiously – upon values and assumptions from the past and present, as well as those representing a departure from current social trajectories. CFS draws on perspectives from various disciplines including sociology, political studies, intellectual history, cultural history, media and cultural studies, utopian studies, science and technology studies, and philosophy. CFS also engages with discourses and ideas from the natural sciences (including popular science), computing and economics. And, given our concern with public culture, CFS aims to contribute constructively to vigorous and imaginative public debate about the future – a futural public sphere – and to challenge a prevalent contemporary cynicism about our capacity to imagine alternative futures while trapped in a parlous present. To that extent, we propose CFS as a programme of engaged and open-ended social critique, not as a solely academic endeavour. Our paper begins by describing the relationship between CFS and mainstream Future Studies. Subsequently, we discuss the contemporary context for Critical Future Studies. Here we make the case that CFS is a timely and even urgent project at our current historical juncture, arguing also for the significance of both utopian and dystopian imaginings. We then go on to discuss methodologies within CFS scholarship. Finally, we conclude by reflecting on the values underpinning CFS. Overall, this paper not only describes CFS as a field of research but also serves as an invitation to cultural scholars to consider how their own work might intersect with and contribute to CFS.
ANN Sizing Procedure for the Day-Ahead Output Power Forecast of a PV Plant
Authors: Grimaccia Francesco , Leva Sonia , Mussetta Marco , Ogliari Emanuele
Published: June 2017

Since the beginning of this century, the share of renewables in Europe’s total power capacity has almost doubled, becoming the largest source of its electricity production. In 2015 alone, photovoltaic (PV) energy generation rose with a rate of more than 5%; nowadays, Germany, Italy, and Spain account together for almost 70% of total European PV generation. In this context, the so-called day-ahead electricity market represents a key trading platform, where prices and exchanged hourly quantities of energy are defined 24 h in advance. Thus, PV power forecasting in an open energy market can greatly benefit from machine learning techniques. In this study, the authors propose a general procedure to set up the main parameters of hybrid artificial neural networks (ANNs) in terms of the number of neurons, layout, and multiple trials. Numerical simulations on real PV plant data are performed, to assess the effectiveness of the proposed methodology on the basis of statistical indexes, and to optimize the forecasting network performance.
Scalable and Fully Distributed Localization in Large-Scale Sensor Networks
Authors: Jin Miao , Xia Su , Wu Hongyi , Gu Xianfeng
Published: June 2017

This work proposes a novel connectivity-based localization algorithm, well suitable for large-scale sensor networks with complex shapes and a non-uniform nodal distribution. In contrast to current state-of-the-art connectivity-based localization methods, the proposed algorithm is highly scalable with linear computation and communication costs with respect to the size of the network; and fully distributed where each node only needs the information of its neighbors without cumbersome partitioning and merging process. The algorithm is theoretically guaranteed and numerically stable. Moreover, the algorithm can be readily extended to the localization of networks with a one-hop transmission range distance measurement, and the propagation of the measurement error at one sensor node is limited within a small area of the network around the node. Extensive simulations and comparison with other methods under various representative network settings are carried out, showing the superior performance of the proposed algorithm.
A Review of Microwave-Assisted Reactions for Biodiesel Production
Authors: Nomanbhay Saifuddin , Ong Mei
Published: June 2017

The conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels is an active research area as trends move to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources due to society’s increased concern towards sustainability. In this context, microwave processing has emerged as a tool in organic synthesis and plays an important role in developing a more sustainable world. Integration of processing methods with microwave irradiation has resulted in a great reduction in the time required for many processes, while the reaction efficiencies have been increased markedly. Microwave processing produces a higher yield with a cleaner profile in comparison to other methods. The microwave processing is reported to be a better heating method than the conventional methods due to its unique thermal and non-thermal effects. This paper provides an insight into the theoretical aspects of microwave irradiation practices and highlights the importance of microwave processing. The potential of the microwave technology to accomplish superior outcomes over the conventional methods in biodiesel production is presented. A green process for biodiesel production using a non-catalytic method is still new and very costly because of the supercritical condition requirement. Hence, non-catalytic biodiesel conversion under ambient pressure using microwave technology must be developed, as the energy utilization for microwave-based biodiesel synthesis is reported to be lower and cost-effective.
Comparison of Four SVM Classifiers Used with Depth Sensors to Recognize Arabic Sign Language Words
Authors: Almasre Miada , Al-Nuaim Hana
Published: June 2017

The objective of this research was to recognize the hand gestures of Arabic Sign Language (ArSL) words using two depth sensors. The researchers developed a model to examine 143 signs gestured by 10 users for 5 ArSL words (the dataset). The sensors captured depth images of the upper human body, from which 235 angles (features) were extracted for each joint and between each pair of bones. The dataset was divided into a training set (109 observations) and a testing set (34 observations). The support vector machine (SVM) classifier was set using different parameters on the gestured words’ dataset to produce four SVM models, with linear kernel (SVMLD and SVMLT) and radial kernel (SVMRD and SVMRT) functions. The overall identification accuracy for the corresponding words in the training set for the SVMLD, SVMLT, SVMRD, and SVMRT models was 88.92%, 88.92%, 90.88%, and 90.884%, respectively. The accuracy from the testing set for SVMLD, SVMLT, SVMRD, and SVMRT was 97.059%, 97.059%, 94.118%, and 97.059%, respectively. Therefore, since the two kernels in the models were close in performance, it is far more efficient to use the less complex model (linear kernel) set with a default parameter.
Weak Fault Diagnosis of Wind Turbine Gearboxes Based on MED-LMD
Authors: Wang Zhijian , Wang Junyuan , Kou Yanfei , Zhang Jiping , Ning Shaohui , Zhao Zhifang
Published: June 2017

In view of the problem that the fault signal of the rolling bearing is weak and the fault feature is difficult to extract in the strong noise environment, a method based on minimum entropy deconvolution (MED) and local mean deconvolution (LMD) is proposed to extract the weak fault features of the rolling bearing. Through the analysis of the simulation signal, we find that LMD has many limitations for the feature extraction of weak signals under strong background noise. In order to eliminate the noise interference and extract the characteristics of the weak fault, MED is employed as the pre-filter to remove noise. This method is applied to the weak fault feature extraction of rolling bearings; that is, using MED to reduce the noise of the wind turbine gearbox test bench under strong background noise, and then using the LMD method to decompose the denoised signals into several product functions (PFs), and finally analyzing the PF components that have strong correlation by a cyclic autocorrelation function. The finding is that the failure of the wind power gearbox is generated from the micro-bending of the high-speed shaft and the pitting of the #10 bearing outer race at the output end of the high-speed shaft. This method is compared with LMD, which shows the effectiveness of this method. This paper provides a new method for the extraction of multiple faults and weak features in strong background noise.
Entropy Generation Rates through the Dissipation of Ordered Regions in Helium Boundary-Layer Flows
Authors: Isaacson LaVar
Published: June 2017

The results of the computation of entropy generation rates through the dissipation of ordered regions within selected helium boundary layer flows are presented. Entropy generation rates in helium boundary layer flows for five cases of increasing temperature and pressure are considered. The basic format of a turbulent spot is used as the flow model. Statistical processing of the time-dependent series solutions of the nonlinear, coupled Lorenz-type differential equations for the spectral velocity wave components in the three-dimensional boundary layer configuration yields the local volumetric entropy generation rates. Extension of the computational method to the transition from laminar to fully turbulent flow is discussed.
Approximation of Stochastic Quasi-Periodic Responses of Limit Cycles in Non-Equilibrium Systems under Periodic Excitations and Weak Fluctuations
Authors: Guo Kongming , Jiang Jun , Xu Yalan
Published: June 2017

A semi-analytical method is proposed to calculate stochastic quasi-periodic responses of limit cycles in non-equilibrium dynamical systems excited by periodic forces and weak random fluctuations, approximately. First, a kind of 1/N-stroboscopic map is introduced to discretize the quasi-periodic torus into closed curves, which are then approximated by periodic points. Using a stochastic sensitivity function of discrete time systems, the transverse dispersion of these circles can be quantified. Furthermore, combined with the longitudinal distribution of the circles, the probability density function of these closed curves in stroboscopic sections can be determined. The validity of this approach is shown through a van der Pol oscillator and Brusselator.
The Realized Hierarchical Archimedean Copula in Risk Modelling
Authors: Okhrin Ostap , Tetereva Anastasija
Published: June 2017

This paper introduces the concept of the realized hierarchical Archimedean copula (rHAC). The proposed approach inherits the ability of the copula to capture the dependencies among financial time series, and combines it with additional information contained in high-frequency data. The considered model does not suffer from the curse of dimensionality, and is able to accurately predict high-dimensional distributions. This flexibility is obtained by using a hierarchical structure in the copula. The time variability of the model is provided by daily forecasts of the realized correlation matrix, which is used to estimate the structure and the parameters of the rHAC. Extensive simulation studies show the validity of the estimator based on this realized correlation matrix, and its performance, in comparison to the benchmark models. The application of the estimator to one-day-ahead Value at Risk (VaR) prediction using high-frequency data exhibits good forecasting properties for a multivariate portfolio.