bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal from produced water by electrochemical process optimization
Authors: Yaqub Asim , Isa Mohamed Hasnain , Ajab Huma , Kutty Shamsul Rahman , Ezechi Ezerie H.
Published: October 2017

Produced water is actually the wastewater separated from petroleum crude oil. Electrochemical-oxidation experiments was conducted for degradation of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using DSA type Ti/IrO2 anode. Laboratory scale batch reactor was used for degradation studies. To get the maximum PAHs removal electrochemical process optimized on three independent variable current density, pH and electrolysis time. The response surface modelling (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken design was applied to get appropriate experimental design. X
1, X
2 and X
3 are the coded factors of independent variables such as the current density, pH and electrolysis time, respectively. Maximum removal was 95.29% at optimized conditions such as current density of 9 mA/cm2, pH 3 and electrolysis time 3.7 h. Quadratic model was suggested best fit model. The results of the Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) for PAHs demonstrated that the model was highly significant.
Prevalence of Claw Diseases in Dairy Cows with Different Body Condition
Authors: Mudroň P. , Höskuldsson T. , Mihajlovičová X.
Published: October 2017

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between body condition and claw diseases in dairy cows. The data used in this study were obtained during two sessions of routine orthopaedic treatment and hoof trimming on a dairy farm in Eastern Slovakia. In the spring and autumn terms, 482 dairy cows were examined for claw diseases and their body conditions were recorded. Out of the 482 dairy cows, 56 % were affected by one or more claw diseases in one or more legs. Digital dermatitis and sole ulcers were the most often detected claw diseases found in this study. The dairy cows with a low body condition score (BCS < 3) showed a higher prevalence of claw diseases (P < 0.05) than the cows with a body condition score greater than 3. However, this difference could not be found when infectious diseases of the claws (digital dermatitis, foot rot, and interdigital dermatitis) were analysed. The results of this study allowed us to conclude that the dairy cows with a lower grade of body condition suffered more from non-infectious claw diseases (sole ulcer, white line diseases).
Testing the Potential Clastogenic/Cytotoxic Effects of Pesticide CALYPSO 480 SC
Authors: Ficová I. , Galdíková M.
Published: October 2017

The detection of chromosomal damage serves as a tool for the verification of the genotoxic effects of chemical substances in vitro. We used conventional cytogenetic analysis in order to test for the potential genotoxic action of the insecticide thiacloprid (the active ingredient in commercial preparation CALYPSO 480 SC). The test cultures of bovine lymphocytes obtained from the peripheral blood were incubated with the insecticide in concentrations of: 30, 120, 240 and 480 μg.ml−1 for 24 and 48 hours. After 24 hours of incubation, we observed that the increasing concentrations resulted in a significant (P < 0.05; P < 0.01) increase in the frequency of DNA damage. Our experiments showed the presence of aberrations of a non-stable type (chromatid and chromosome breakage). The conventional chromosome analysis was supplemented with fluorescence in situ hybridization for the detection of numeric and stable structural aberrations. Whole chromosome probes for bovine chromosomes 1, 5 and 7 (BTA 1, BTA 5 and BTA 7) were used in the experiments.
Determination of Antibiotic Residues in Milk by Microbial Inhibitory Tests
Authors: Juščáková D. , Kožárová I.
Published: October 2017

Undesirable substances enter the organism of animals mostly via feed, water or veterinary medicines and their residues pass subsequently into the products of animal origin. In dairy cows, sheep and goats these residues are eliminated particularly in milk. Milk intended for human consumption must comply with safety criteria also with respect to residues of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine the presence or absence of antibiotic residues in the milk using the tests Milchtest and Premi®Test. While the Milchtest was developed for the determination of antibiotic residues in cow, sheep and goat milk, the Premi®Test is intended for the determination of antibiotic residues in meat juice, liver, kidneys, fish, eggs and in the urine of animals treated with antibiotics. As examined matrices, we used 45 samples of raw cow’s milk collected at 3 agricultural farms and 10 samples of milk offered to consumers at grocery stores. When using the Milchtest, 8 samples tested positive and 10 provided dubious results while testing with the Premi®Test showed that only 6 samples were positive for antibiotics. Comparison of the results confirmed a higher detection sensitivity of Milchtest reflected in higher numbers of positive samples and the detection of dubious results in samples of raw cow’s milk. However, it should be noted that even the Premi®Test, although not intended preferably for the determination of antibiotics in milk, can be used, if needed, for the preliminary screening of antibiotic residues in such a matrix.
Andersen’s leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros pomona) is still living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
Authors: Saha Anik , Feeroz Mohammed Mostafa , Hasan Md. Kamrul
Published: October 2017

We report the recent record of Andersen’s leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros pomona (Andersen 1918) from a narrow cave in the south-east corner of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh. The identification was based on morphometric analysis along with dentition structure. This recent finding speaks to the existence of H. pomona in Bangladesh and extends the range of this species over South Asia.
Bearing Estimation Using Double Frequency Reassignment for a Linear Passive Array
Authors: Czarnecki Krzysztof , Leśniak Wojciech
Published: October 2017

The paper demonstrates the use of frequency reassignment for bearing estimation. For this task, signals derived from a linear equispaced passive array are used. The presented method makes use of Fourier transformation based spatial spectrum estimation. It is further developed through the application of two-dimensional reassignment, which leads to obtaining highly concentrated energy distributions in the joint frequency-angle domain and sharp graphical imaging. The introduced method can be used for analysing, a priori, unknown signals of broadband, nonstationary, and/or multicomponent type. For such signals, the direction of arrival is obtained based upon the marginal energy distribution in the angle domain, through searching for arguments of its maxima. In the paper, bearing estimation of three popular types of sonar pulses, including linear and hyperbolic frequency modulated pulses, as well as no frequency modulation at all, is considered. The results of numerical experiments performed in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise are presented and compared to conventional digital sum-delay beamforming performed in the time domain. The root-mean-square error and the peak-to-average power ratio, also known as the crest factor, are introduced in order to estimate, respectively, the accuracy of the methods and the sharpness of the obtained energy distributions in the angle domain.
Influence of Water and Mineral Oil on the Leaks in Satellite Motor Commutation Unit Clearances
Authors: Śliwiński Paweł
Published: October 2017

The article describes the flow rates of mineral oil and water flowing, as working media, through the commutation unit of a hydraulic satellite motor. It is demonstrated that geometrical dimensions of commutation unit clearances change as a function of the machine shaft rotation angle. Methods for measuring the rate of this flow and the pressure in the working chamber are presented. The results of pressure measurements in the working chamber during the transition from the filling cycle to the emptying cycle are included. The pressure in the motor’s working chamber changes linearly as a function of the shaft rotation angle, which has a significant effect on the leakage in the commutation unit clearances. The paper presents new mathematical formulas in the form: Q=f(Δpγ) to calculate the flow rate of water and mineral oil in the commutation unit clearances. The γ factor is described as a function of fluid viscosity and clearance length (the motor shaft rotation angle). The coefficients used in these formulas were determined based on the results of laboratory tests of a motor supplied with water and mineral oil.
Transcatheter Vs. Surgical Closure of Atrial Septal Defects in Adults
Authors: Rudzītis Ainārs , Šablinskis Kristaps , Luriņa Baiba , Cgojeva-Sproģe Irina , Grāve Aļona , Dombrovskis Andis , Stradiņš Pēteris , Ērglis Andrejs
Published: October 2017

Percutaneous transcatheter device closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) has now largely replaced surgical closure in most centres. The aim of this study was to compare results of transcatheter and surgical ASD closure in adults in Latvia during the years 2002–2014 and to analyse long-term outcomes of transcatheter closure. We analysed data from 334 patients with secundum ASD who underwent ASD closure in Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital. Patients were included into device or surgical closure groups. In the device group, three follow-ups were made 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. No follow-up data were available for surgical arm patients beyond their hospitalisation period. The mean age of patients was 45.3 ± 19.9 years for the device group and 40.0 ± 16.9 years for the surgical group (p = 0.023). The mean secundum ASD size in the device and surgical groups was 14.2 ± 5.6 mm and 28.7 ± 10.0 mm, respectively (p < 0.001). No differences were observed regarding procedure success rates: 99.2% in the device group and 100% in the surgical group (p = 0.451). Periprocedural complications generally were more common in the surgical closure group. The study results show a successful introduction of the percutaneous ASD closure method in Latvia with good early and late outcomes and without significant differences in procedure success rate compared to surgical closure.
THz imaging for recycling of black plastics
Authors: Küter Andries , Reible Stefan , Geibig Thomas , Nüßler Dirk , Pohl Nils
Published: October 2017

This paper presents the development of a novel line-camera device in the lower THz-domain which is capable of measuring minute differences in broadband spectral fingerprints of non-conducting materials. The primary focus is sorting black plastics in industrial recycling contexts, where large scale sorting of different types of black plastics remains a challenge. The system operates between 84 GHz and 96 GHz. As the relevant plastics exhibit no specific absorption lines in this frequency range, a broadband approach is necessary to accumulate slight differences in dielectric properties. Using this technique, enough entropy can be gathered that a machine learning algorithm can be trained to differentiate between different materials. This has to work even in the presence of contaminants such as flame retardants, color pigments and dirt. Preliminary results suggest that the THz sensor system is capable of achieving these goals.
Cardiac tamponade in a patient with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2
Authors: Vryonidou Andromachi , Paschou Stavroula A , Dimitropoulou Fotini , Anagnostis Panagiotis , Tzavara Vasiliki , Katsivas Apostolos
Published: October 2017

We describe a case of a 40-year-old woman who was admitted to the intensive care unit with a rapid onset of dyspnea and orthopnea. She presented progressive weakness, weight loss and secondary amenorrhea during last year, while intermittent fever was present for the last two months. Initial biochemical evaluation showed anemia, hyponatremia and increased C-reactive protein levels. Clinical and echocardiographic evaluation revealed cardiac tamponade, which was treated with pericardiocentesis. Pleural fluid samples were negative for malignancy, tuberculosis or bacterial infection. Hormonal and serologic evaluation led to the diagnosis of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) type 2 (including primary adrenal insufficiency and autoimmune thyroiditis), possibly coexisting with systemic lupus erythematosus. After symptomatic rheumatologic treatment followed by replacement therapy with hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone, the patient fully recovered. In patients with the combination of polyserositis, cardiac tamponade and persistent hyponatremia, possible coexistence of rheumatologic and autoimmune endocrine disease, mainly adrenal insufficiency, should be considered. Early diagnosis and non-invasive treatment can be life-saving.

Learning points:

In patients with the combination of polyserositis, cardiac tamponade and persistent hyponatremia, possible coexistence of rheumatologic and autoimmune endocrine disease, mainly adrenal insufficiency, should be considered.

Early diagnosis and non-invasive treatment can be life-saving for these patients.

Primary adrenal insufficiency requires lifelong replacement therapy with oral administration of 15–25 mg hydrocortisone in split doses and 50–200 µg fludrocortisone once daily.
Endocrine side effects of cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Cukier Priscilla , Santini Fernando C , Scaranti Mariana , Hoff Ana O
Published: October 2017

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have recently become a cornerstone for the treatment of different advanced cancers. These drugs, represented mainly by monoclonal antibodies anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and anti-PD-1 ligand molecules (PD-L1 and L2), have the ability to reactivate the immune system against tumor cells, but can also trigger a myriad of autoimmune side effects, termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs). In particular, there are a number of endocrine-related irAEs. Current data from clinical trials show increased incidence of hypophysitis with CTLA4 inhibition and thyroid dysfunction with PD-(L)1 blockade. In addition, a few cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus and primary adrenal insufficiency have been reported. We discuss the incidence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and management of immune-related endocrinopathies in this highly complex context of oncological patients in need of immunotherapies.
Equilíbrio, mobilidade funcional e qualidade de vida em idosos participantes e não participantes de um centro de convivência
Authors: Farias Maiara Lohn , Luza Lisiane Piazza , Sousa Bianca Andrade , Zampirolo Ediane Roberge
Published: October 2017

***Balance, functional mobility and quality of life in eldery participants and non-participants of a community center***AIMS: To evaluate balance, functional mobility and quality of life in elderly participants and non-participants of a senior citizen center.METHODS: Subjects aged 60 or over, participating in a senior citizen center in the city of Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, in Santa Catarina (Participating Group: PG) were evaluated. As a control group for comparison, elderly residents of the same community who did not participate in any senior center (Non-Participating Group: NPG) were included. Subjects with locomotion disabilities, neurological diseases that affected the gait or balance, and inability to understand the general commands indispensable to the tests were excluded. The sample was non-probabilistic intentional. To evaluate the balance, the Berg Balance Scale was applied, and for assess functional mobility we used the Timed Up and Go and the Anterior Functional Scope tests. Quality of life was assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire. The data were treated by descriptive and inferential statistics, considering p≤0.05 as significant.RESULTS: Fifty-six elderly participated, being 28 of PG and 28 of NPG. By means of the Berg Balance Scale, we found a better balance in PG (mean 53.2±2.1 points) compared to NPG (mean 48.8±6.2 points) (p=0.001). In the Timed Up and Go test, PG spent in average less time to perform the test (9.5±1.5 seconds) than NPG (13.1±5.1 seconds) (p=0.001). We observed a better quality of life in all domains of SF-36 in PG when compared to NPG (p<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Elderly people who participated in a senior citizen center presented better balance, functional mobility and quality of life than elderly people from the same community who did not participate in senior centers.
Nuevas tendencias en el género neopolicial mexicano del siglo XXI
Authors: Carpio Manickam María
Published: October 2017

En este artículo se analizan las nuevas formas literarias que están emergiendo en el género neopolicial mexicano del siglo veintiuno. Para identificar esta nueva narrativa que transgrede los parámetros establecidos por su predecesor, el neopolicial, se propone un nuevo término: el post-neopolicial. Se analizan seis características sobresalientes: 1) la fragmentación estructural, 2) la estética del lenguaje, 3) la inclusión de personajes más complejos y altamente psicológicos, 4) la disminución de la importancia del detective, 5) la descentralización de los espacios narrativos y 6) la denuncia sociopolítica implícita que se presenta mediante la construcción de imágenes impactantes y situaciones caóticas. Como novelas prototipos de este nuevo género se estudian La Mara de Rafael Ramírez Heredia, Yodo de Juan Hernández Luna, La muerte me da de Cristina Rivera Garza y Muerte caracol de Ivonne Reyes Chiquete.
Metalenguaje y metaorganización en la lingüística sistémico-funcional
Authors: González de Requena Farré Juan Antonio
Published: October 2017

Este artículo pretende llevar a cabo una revisión teórica de la problemática del metalenguaje en la lingüística sistémico-funcional y propone una reducción funcional de la terminología metalingüística presente en la ciencia del lenguaje contemporánea. Desde una perspectiva sistémico-funcional, el lenguaje aparece como un sistema metaorganizado en virtud de ciertas dimensiones metafuncionales (ideacional, interpersonal y textual) y de una estratificación de planos de realización (semántico-discursiva, léxico-gramatical y fonológica-grafológica) basada en relaciones de metarredundancia. En ese sentido, se exploran las opciones de reducir los rendimientos metalingüísticos, metacomunicactivos y metadiscursivos a la gramática constitutiva del lenguaje natural, sin que sea precisa la escisión recursiva de un metalenguaje formalizado de orden superior o de algún metacódigo acotado.
Autológ haemopoeticus őssejt-transzplantáció szerepe T-sejtes lymphomában. Magyar adatok
Authors: Szomor Árpád , Csalódi Renáta , Kosztolányi Szabolcs , Nagy Ágnes , Pammer Judit , Tóth Orsolya , Losonczy Hajna , Alizadeh Hussain , Miltényi Zsófia , Reményi Péter , Piukovics Klára
Published: October 2017

Abstract:

T-cell lymphoma is a poor prognostic hematological malignancy. The generally used – not sufficiently effective – induction chemotherapy should be improved with consolidative autologous hemopoetic stem cell transplantation. The authors describe the role, place and effectiveness of transplantation in this disorder. One hundred thirty three autologous stem cell transplantations were performed in the last 22 years in Hungary. Detailed results are available from the last 6 years. In this period 43 transplantations were carried out in 4 Hungarian centers. Carmustine-etoposide-cytosine arabinoside-melphalan (BEAM) conditioning regimen was used in 95%. The transplantation was done mainly in complete remission (84%), 1 year after transplantation 65% of patients were still in complete remission. Eleven patients died, 82% of them have progressive disease. Brentuximab vedotin has already proved the effectiveness, several other chemoterapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, kinase inhibitors are under investigation. In certain cases allogeneic stem cell transplantation has real indication among therapeutic options. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(41): 1615–1619.
Thalidomidkezelés relabált, diffúz nagy B-sejtes lymphomában idős betegekben. Három eset bemutatása
Authors: Wohner Nikolett , Varga Gergely , Szloboda Péter , Farkas Péter , Masszi András , Horváth Laura , Szombath Gergely , Várkonyi Judit , Benedek Szabolcs , Masszi Tamás
Published: October 2017

Abstract:

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a high-grade lymphoproliferative disease, is the most common lymphoma in adults, representing 31% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). In elderly patients treatment is problematic because of the high toxicity of standard chemotherapy protocols, especially in relapsed cases, where high-dose chemotherapy and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation would be the best choice. More and more data is becoming available on alternative treatment of refractory/relapsed NHL, including studies on the positive effect of thalidomide and second generation IMiDs in DLBCL, which are already part of the standard treatment protocol in myeloma multiplex and myelodysplasia. The broadening use of IMiDs is due to their anti-angiogenetic, immunmodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, a component of the E3-ubiquitin ligase complex, named cereblon, has been described in 2010 as the molecular effector of the thalidomide signal transduction pathway. We initiated thalidomide treatment in three elderly patients with relapsed DLBCL. In two cases, patients had CNS involvement, in the third case the patient had primary mediastinal disease. Patients received 100 mg thalidomide in combination with corticosteroids. Two patients showed an excellent response reaching complete remission on imaging; these patients are progression-free 12 and 20 months after the beginning of treatment. One patient with CNS involvement progressed and deceased despite therapy. According to the literature, IMiDs have significant activity in relapsed DLBCL. Our case-report presents promising results in an elderly patient population with aggressive relapsed NHL that usually has very poor outcome, as high-toxicity treatment cannot be given to these patients. Consequently, because of its efficiency, low-cost and low-toxicity, it is recommended to consider thalidomide therapy in elderly patients with high-grade DLBCL. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(41): 1642–1648.
Widening participation in medicine: what, why and how?
Authors: Patterson Rosemarie , Price Jim
Published: October 2017

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Widening Participation (WP) is 'the process of encouraging underrepresented socioeconomic groups to apply for Higher Education'. This is particularly relevant to medicine, where representation of lower socioeconomic groups is generally poor. Reducing this divide is necessary as socioeconomic diversity enhances social mobility and is likely to improve patient outcomes. This review aims to explore the background to WP, including relevant political theory and also highlights the key methods currently used by medical schools to promote WP. These include pre-application measures (outreach and access to medicine courses), application interventions (contextual data, multiple-mini interviews and situational judgement tests) and post-application measures (foundation courses and ongoing support during medical school). The review also discusses the main criticisms of WP. Finally, it offers recommendations for medical schools regarding the implementation of WP initiatives.
Relación entre la calidad de sueño con el grado de obesidad y circunferencia de cintura en comerciantes del Gran Mercado Mayorista de Lima, 2016
Authors: Plaza Vera Karem Johanna , Ambulay Briceño, Johnny Percy
Published: October 2017

Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó un análisis transversal en 198 comerciantes de 30 a 59 años: 116 mujeres y 86varones. Se evaluó la calidad de sueño a través del índice de calidad de sueño Pittsburg; asimismo, se midió elpeso, talla y circunferencia de la cintura en la ficha antropométrica para calcular el grado de obesidad y circunferenciade cintura y clasificarlo según la OMS. Resultados: En ambos sexos hay mayor prevalencia de obesidadtipo II y de riesgo aumentado de enfermedades cardiovasculares, así como una mala calidad de sueño. Finalmente,se observó una relación significativa entre la calidad de sueño con el grado de obesidad y circunferencia decintura en las mujeres y no en los varones. Conclusión: Se sugiere que la mala calidad de sueño está relacionadocon el aumento de riesgo a desarrollar obesidad y riesgo cardiometabólico.
¿De qué ciudad educadora estamos hablando hoy? Entrevista a Jaume Trilla Bernet
Authors: Vásquez A. Tomás
Published: October 2017

Jaume Trilla Bernet ha sido un estudioso de la educación no formal e informal. Por ese camino llegó al tema de la ciudad educadora del que es hoy un reconocido exponente el nivel mundial. En los años noventa, y después de algún tiempo de reflexión, las propuestas de ciudad educadora pasan al terreno de lo práctico dando curso a proyectos pedagógicos concretos que buscan aprovechar la dimensión educativa de las ciudades para ponerla al servicio de la formación de sus habitantes, y de este modo hacerla más vivible humanamente.
Financial Inclusion: A Correlational Study of Factors in Rural Uttarakhand
Authors: Tripathi Rajesh , Gupta Swati
Published: October 2017

Inclusive development is the key to general economic growth for any economy. In any place in the world, providing financial services to this overlooked section of society is a testing assignment. The Government in India has concerns about large underprivileged population that is still reluctant to be a part of standard monetary exercises. A slew of innovation in financial services such as technology and a couple of development endeavors are being mooted and implemented. The paper is planned to dissect current status of financial services in rural regions of Uttarakhand and to recognise factors impacting interest of financial services in this area. The study suggests that though access to financial services in rural territorial areas is reasonable, there is still room for improvement in financial infrastructure. The findings confirm the relationship among ancillary, support systems, financial apparatus and intended financial inclusive measures. The exhaustive correlational study also establishes the fact that working on constructive elements and variables would bring positive results in the field of financial inclusion drive in rural and suburban areas of Uttarakhand.
Nexus between Stock Market Returns and Economic Variables: Evidence
Authors: Chawla Vanitha , . Shweta
Published: October 2017

The paper examines the impact of selected macroeconomic variables on the Indian stock market. The macroeconomic variables used in the study are interest rate, exchange rate, index of industrial production (IIP) and gold price. BSE Sensex is used as proxy for Indian stock market. We have used the monthly data for all the variables from January 2001 to December 2016. Regression analysis and Granger Causality test is used to establish the relationship between the stock market and macroeconomic variables. The results show significant impact of only exchange rate on stock returns. All the other variables have shown insignificant impact on the stock market returns. The results of Granger causality test show unidirectional relationship between exchange rate and stock prices and bi-directional relation between IIP and SENSEX.
Shareholders’ Value Creation and Market Price of Share: A Study in Indian Context
Authors: Basak Radhagobinda
Published: October 2017

Shareholders’ value creation has become a matter of concern in the world of financial management in recent times. Shareholders’ value creation refers to the net value addition for the shareholders. In the present corporate scenario, financial managers do not concentrate only on profit generation but also on value creation for their shareholders, to ensure the survival of the business in the long run. It has been observed that shareholders’ value creation is related to market price of share. In this paper, an attempt has been taken to measure shareholders’ value creation by five different approaches selecting few sample companies. The approaches are- Market Value to Book Value Ratio approach, Economic Value Added (EVA) approach, Market Value Added (MVA) approach, Shareholders’ Value Added (SVA) approach and Shareholders’ View Point approach. Further, we quantify the degree of association that exists between shareholders’ value creation and market price of share. The data analysis reveals that shareholders’ value per share and market value per share are positively correlated to a considerable extent.
Mobility as a Service: A Critical Review of Definitions, Assessments of Schemes, and Key Challenges
Authors: Jittrapirom Peraphan , Caiati Valeria , Feneri Anna-Maria , Ebrahimigharehbaghi Shima , González María J. Alonso , Narayan Jishnu
Published: October 2017

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a recent innovative transport concept, anticipated to induce significant changes in the current transport practices. However, there is ambiguity surrounding the concept; it is uncertain what are the core characteristics of MaaS and in which way they can be addressed. Further, there is a lack of an assessment framework to classify their unique characteristics in a systematic manner, even though several MaaS schemes have been implemented around the world. In this study, we define this set of attributes through a literature review, which is then used to describe selected MaaS schemes and existing applications. We also examine the potential implications of the identified core characteristics of the service on the following three areas of transport practices: travel demand modelling, a supply-side analysis, and designing business model. Finally, we propose the necessary enhancements needed to deliver such an innovative service like MaaS, by establishing the state of art in those fields.
Sustainable Cities and Healthy Cities: Are They the Same?
Authors: Portney Kent E. , Sansom Garett Thomas
Published: October 2017

There is robust literature examining the wide array of public policies and programs cities pursue in order to try to become more sustainable. Whether the focus of such programs is explicitly on improving the bio-physical environment, climate protection and adaptation, energy efficiency, land use regulation, or any of a number of other targets, such programs often carry with them an expectation that the programs will contribute to improve the health of populations. While there is significant attention to asserting that such a relationship exists, or ought to exist, there have been no efforts to explicitly and empirically link city policies to health outcomes. This paper tackles this issue head-on, investigating the extent to which cities in the US that have the most aggressive sustainability initiatives exhibit better health outcomes than cities with less aggressive sustainability initiatives. Using data from the largest cities in the US, this paper presents evidence concerning the strength of this relationship, discusses the foundations for the relationship, and provides a discussion of the implications for urban planning, sustainability policies and for improving the health of populations.
Engaging Youth in Climate Resilience Planning with Social Media: Lessons from #OurChangingClimate
Authors: Napawan N. Claire , Simpson Sheryl-Ann , Snyder Brett
Published: October 2017

In light of the socio-ecological complexities associated with climate vulnerability, planning for community resilience will require participatory techniques to engage those most vulnerable. In particular, youth set to inherit the predicted impacts of climate change must be engaged with the processes that determine the future of their built environments. Drawing from existing literature on youth-based participatory planning and climate engagement, this paper presents an alternative process for engaging youth in climate resilience planning by employing digital technology as a tool for youth-based evaluations of existing built environments. Using the pilot project #OurChangingClimate as a case study, the authors propose a new model for engaging youth with an understanding of their communities and their resilience or vulnerability to climate change. The article details the use of social media and digital narratives as tools for participatory resilience planning and presents some of the preliminary content generated in four pilot youth workshops held from 2015–2017. Lastly, implications of youth-generated content on climate resilience planning are discussed.
Текущее состояние и перспективы роста предпринимательского аутсорсинга в секторе информационных технологий
Authors: Стапран Дмитрий Андреевич
Published: October 2017

В статье автор анализирует одно из самых активно развивающихся направлений аутсорсинга предпринимательской деятельности – аутсорсинг информационных технологий. Во многом по причине эффекта «низкой базы», кризисных явлений в экономике, заставляющих предпринимателей оптимизировать затраты, ИТ аутсорсинг растет в России двузначными значениями. Решение о передаче ИТ на аутсорсинг или сохранении внутри предприятия определяется совокупностью 4 факторов, которые составляют основу методологической и теоретической модели автора. Статья будет полезна предпринимательским организациям, менеджерам высшего и среднего звена, исследователям и ученым в области экономики (аутсорсинга) и информационных технологий (ИТ).
Проектная работа студентов: как улучшить результат
Authors: Завьялова Надежда Борисовна , Сагинова Ольга Витальевна
Published: October 2017

В статье рассматриваются вопросы организации проектной работы студентов как современного метода, позволяющего интегрировать теоретические знания и практические навыки, необходимые для работы в современным высокотехнологичном бизнесе. При организации проектной деятельности необходимо учитывать поведенческие особенности студентов, а также ориентироваться на креативные методические материалы, способные вовлечь современную молодежь в творческий процесс.
Академическая мобильность в странах ЕАЭС: современное состояние и перспективы развития
Authors: Чавыкина Мария Александровна
Published: October 2017

В настоящее время международная академическая мобильность по своим масштабам и многообразию форм является одним из наиболее значимых проявлений интернационализации образования. В статье рассматриваются основные направления, масштабы, факторы и механизмы академической мобильности на пространстве ЕАЭС. На основании опроса студентов экономического факультета РУДН и студентов Сетевого университета СНГ выявлены основные и дополнительные факторы, влияющие на выбор страны обучения. В конце статьи приводятся авторские выводы и предлагаются рекомендации по развитию академической мобильности на пространстве ЕАЭС. Предложенные рекомендации могут быть использованы национальными Министерствами образования и науки стран ЕАЭС при разработке приоритетных направлений образовательного сотрудничества, а также вузами при разработке и реализации совместных образовательных программ, в том числе в рамках Евразийского сетевого университета.
Человеческий капитал в общей системе знаний
Authors: Сухарев Михаил Валентинович
Published: October 2017

Статья посвящена анализу взаимодействий «человеческого капитала» как он понимается в современной экономической науке и различных видов человеческих знаний, идентифицируемых в экономике, как различные виды нематериального капитала: неосязаемого (intangible) капитала, культурного капитала, интеллектуального капитала и ряда других, а также исследованию взаимодействий между этими видами капитала (знаний), включая создание знаний.
Методология исследования включает сравнительный обзор литературы, системный, структурный подходы, включая анализ и сопоставление структуры видов нематериального капитала и их взаимодействий в процессе формирования человеческого капитала, теоретический анализ, систематизацию.
Человеческий капитал формируется за счет усвоения индивидом различных видов знаний (нематериального капитала): культурного, социального, организационного и т.д. Результаты исследования выявляют существующую несогласованность в определениях различных видов нематериального капитала. Полученные в рамках работы результаты могут быть использованы для разработки системной теории воспроизводства человеческого капитала в контексте нематериального капитала и его роли в экономическом развитии.
Сумма всех знаний, навыков, компетенций и информации, имеющихся у человечества, образует нематериальный капитал человечества (ноосферу). Постоянно идет процесс движения этого капитала как в виде его интернализации индивидами и организациями, так и в виде создания индивидами новых знаний, информации, организационных форм и художественных ценностей. Исследование структуры воспроизводства нематериального капитала дает основания для классификации его видов, включая человеческий капитал.
Características demográficas y su influencia en la planeación estratégica del proceso de mejora continua
Authors: Brenes-Bastos Melissa , Madrigal-Sánchez Johanna , Quesada-Pineda Henry J.
Published: October 2017

El proceso de crear o modificar un producto y su introducción en el mercado hace referencia al concepto de innovación, dicho proceso es difícil de implementar y mantener en las organizaciones producto de las percepciones de los colaboradores. El proceso de mejora continua ayuda a la innovación, este se ha comprobado que en muchos casos no es sostenible a lo largo del tiempo en las empresas. La presente investigación tiene como meta principal describir características demográficas y su relación con factores del proceso de mejora continua en empresas seleccionadas. Primordialmente para que este estudio sirva de referencia y soporte a otras empresas que usan metodologías de mejora continua; aquellas que desean implementarlo y también para la academia. Los resultados se basaron en un cuestionario autoadministrado a 150 colaboradores dentro de cinco empresas de distintos sectores industriales. Se concluyó que algunas características demográficas influyen directamente en las perspectivas de los colaboradores sobre el proceso de mejora continua en distintas organizaciones. La limitación más importante del estudio se centra en que los resultados no pueden ser generalizados a la población ya que es un caso de estudio, sin embargo estos sirven de referencia para la industria así mismo como para la academia.
Medición del conocimiento adquirido en tecnología de la madera por industriales forestales en Costa Rica
Authors: Camacho-Cornejo Luis Diego , Salas-Garita Cynthia , Vargas-Fonseca Lupita , Valverde-Otárola Juan Carlos
Published: October 2017

La cuantificación del conocimiento adquirido en individuos de edad adulta, permite no solo definir la efectividad de un sistema de aprendizaje, sino que también abre la posibilidad de definir las fortalezas y debilidades del sistema y analizar mejoras para el aumento de la retención de conocimiento; por lo cual el objetivo de este estudio consistió en cuantificar el conocimiento adquirido en tres temáticas de tecnología de la madera dirigidas a industriales forestales de Costa Rica. Se trabajó con cinco grupos focales de distintas zonas del país, a los cuales se les proporcionó conocimiento en tres temáticas: secado, preservado y normas de calidad en madera, impartidas mediante un sistema de aprendizaje significativo-observacional, evaluando el conocimiento en tres etapas: previo e inmediatamente posterior a la impartición del curso y 30 semanas postcurso. Los resultados mostraron que el sistema empleado fue funcional en el tema de secado, el cual expuso retenciones de conocimiento superiores al 70% con la percepción por parte del grupo de estudio de que el tema se impartió de forma muy funcional y simple; respecto al tema preservado se presentó una retención del 62,9 % y una funcionalidad aceptable del sistema, con la observación de que se debe mejorar la técnica de impartición del conocimiento teórico, factor que el grupo denotó como complicado y que incidió en una retención teórica baja. Finalmente, el tema de la norma de calidad, no mostró una funcionalidad óptima bajo el sistema de aprendizaje aplicado, presentando la menor retención del conocimiento (54,7 %) y una opinión muy dividida del grupo en estudio acerca de su funcionalidad y simplicidad, sugiriendo la necesidad de valora un cambio de sistemas de aprendizaje o re evaluación del sistema empleado.
Desarrollo de Aplicaciones Utilizando Geoservicios de una Infraestructura de Datos Espaciales. Casos de éxito: Directorio Comercial SC, AgroMAG, IDEHN Mobile
Authors: Víquez-Acuña Oscar , Víquez-Acuña Leonardo , Treviño-Villalobos Marlen , Cháves-Álvarez Marcela
Published: October 2017

Las Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales (IDE) permiten primordialmente la administración y publicación de información geográfica ya sea de índole nacional, regional o local, logrando con esto el potencial establecimiento de una red de nodos de diversos actores proveedores de datos que permita la interrelación de información. En este contexto, la IDE Huetar Norte de Costa Rica (IDEHN) se creó con el propósito de proveer información regional de diversas fuentes.

Para la consulta de esta información, la IDEHN facilita el uso de geoservicios que permiten el acceso remoto de los datos a través de geoportales, herramientas para Sistemas de Información Geográficos e inclusive a través de aplicaciones de software a la medida para escritorio o dispositivos móviles.

En relación con este espacio de trabajo de desarrollo de aplicaciones a la medida, este artículo presenta tres casos de éxito en el uso de geoservicios proporcionados por la IDEHN para gestionar información geográfica en dispositivos móviles.
Diplomacia e política cultural no Brasil (1964-1975): o caso das obras Ritmata e Momentos I
Authors: Poletto Fabio Guilherme , Moreira Evangelista Eric Henrique
Published: October 2017

Este trabalho aborda duas composições escritas em 1974 para violão solo: Ritmata e Momentos I, dos compositores Edino Krieger (n. 1928) e Marlos Nobre (n. 1939), respectivamente. Essas obras tiveram sua edição e divulgação no exterior aparentemente viabilizadas pelo Ministério das Relações Exteriores do Brasil, em processo intermediado pelo violonista Turíbio Santos (n. 1943). Parte deste trabalho visa mapear historicamente as políticas culturais para a música existentes no Brasil entre 1964 e 1975. Além disso, busca comparar essas políticas com as diretrizes para a difusão de obras musicais no exterior, a partir da compreensão da diplomacia cultural implementada pelo Itamaraty. Como estratégia de pesquisa, aborda documentos oficiais e busca estabelecer diálogos com a bibliografia especializada. Em segundo momento, os registros em partitura das obras são abordados panoramicamente, a partir de análises musicológicas , buscando filtrar e avaliar seus elementos musicais mais evidentes. Finalmente, a pesquisa busca cotejar os objetivos das políticas culturais e da diplomacia cultural relativos à música com as características mais evidentes das obras efetivamente divulgadas. Essas frentes de investigação indicam novas possibilidades para a compreensão das relações entre música e identidade nacional no Brasil da segunda metade do século XX.
The Establishment of the 3rd National Reference Standard for Tachypleus Tridentatus Lysate
Authors: Cai Tong , Zhang Guolai , Pei Yusheng , Gao Hua
Published: October 2017

Objective  To establish the 3rd national reference standard for Tachypleus Tridentatus Lysate Reagent. Method and Results  The candidates of reference standard were studied for the physical and chemical properties, and the stability. To determined its sensitivity by collaboration calibration. Conclusions  The sensitivity of the 3rd national reference standard for TAL is 0.06EU / ml, lot number is 150603-201003.
Characterization of Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Oilfield Polyacrylamides Under Different pH Environments by Use of Asymmetrical-Flow Field-Flow Fractionation and Multiangle-Light-Scattering Detector
Authors: Dalsania Yogesh , Doda Ankit , Trivedi Japan
Published: October 2017

Various types of ultrahigh-molar-mass polyacrylamides (HPAMs) and their copolymers and terpolymers used not only in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) but also in drilling, fracturing, water treatment, and tailing applications require an accurate description of polymer molar mass (Mw) and hydrodynamic size for their optimal design. The range of Mw for various types of available HPAMs is between 4 and 30 million g/mol and is typically determined by use of intrinsic-viscosity measurement.

Molecular-weight distribution (MWD) cannot be determined because neither standard with low polydispersity index (PDI) nor gel-permeation-chromatography (GPC) or size-exclusion-chromatography (SEC) techniques exist today for such ultrahigh-molar-mass polymers. Moreover, the solution environment in underground reservoirs, characterized by high temperatures, pH values, and the presence of monovalent and divalent ions, may often lead to changes in polymer-macromolecular conformation. Current techniques, SEC, ultraviolet-visible measurements, and liquid chromatography, are not capable of accurately investigating these complex macromolecular structures for various reasons. In this paper, the asymmetrical-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) system was used to fractionate four different ultrahigh-molecular-weight HPAM samples, varying in molar mass and commercially used for oilfield applications, in various carrier pH values ranging from 12 to 3 (pH values of 12, 7.4, and 3). The system uses field-flow fractionation (FFF), a family of analytical techniques developed specifically for separating and characterizing macromolecules, colloids, and particles. The theoretical separation range for AF4 is between 103 to 1012 g/mol. Other advantages over conventional GPC/SEC include minimum shear degradation, mild operating conditions, and no sample loss caused by adsorption. The flow system was equipped with a multiangle-light-scattering (MALS) and refractive-index (RI) detectors to measure molar mass and radius of gyration (Rg).

The results show that the observed molecular weight of the polymer aggregate increased substantially as the pH value of the carrier solution decreased from 12 to 3, especially for higher-molar-mass polymers. The sample Rg showed the opposite trend, decreasing as the pH of the carrier solution changed from basic to acidic. For ultrahigh molecular HPAM at high pH, a narrower molar mass and radius distribution was observed with disaggregated molar mass and increased branching or swelling (therefore larger hydrodynamic radius). Use of this direct separation and measurement technique can improve understanding of polymer-macromolecular structure and corresponding changes in the reservoir brines.
In Vitro Cytotoxic Activities of Platinum(II) Complex with 1-Methyl-2-(3'- hydroxypropyl)benzimidazole and 2-(3'-Hydroxypropyl)benzimidazolium Hexa- and Tetrachloroplatinate Salts
Authors: Eren Gokcen , Yilmaz Sukran , Gumus Fatma
Published: October 2017

Background:

Platinum complexes as antitumor agents have received considerable attention
due to the clinically approved and have been marketed worldwide such as cisplatin, carboplatin,
oxaliplatin or marketed locally such as nedaplatin, lobaplatin and heptaplatin for treatment
of various tumor diseases. However, those drugs still had their own defects and they exhibited side
effects including nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, neurotoxicity and bone marrow suppression. Therefore
there is still continuing interest in the development of new platinum drugs avoiding their inherent
resistance and toxicity.

Methods:

Two hexa- and tetrachloroplatinate salts and one platinum(II) complex were synthesized
and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicities against human HeLa, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cell
lines by the MTT assay.

Results:

The growth inhibitory effect values of compounds 1-3, and cisplatin against the cell lines
were expressed as inhibition %.

Conclusion:

Compound 3 showed appreciable activity for all examined cell lines compared to that
of reference compound cisplatin.