bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El estilo de apego en la violencia contra la mujer, en la provincia de Santa Elena, Ecuador.
Authors: Romero Holguer , Placencia Maritza
Published: June 2017

El objetivo es determinar el estilo de apego que influye en la permisión de violencia contra la mujer, evaluando el tipo de violencia,  que prevalece  en la Provincia de Santa Elena, en las mujeres agredidas por sus parejas afectivas. La Unidad de análisis es  Mujer Violentada que acepte ser parte del estudio mediante la firma del consentimiento informado. El método  es un  enfoque mixto: correlacional comparativo, con un diseño cuasi experimental de tipo ex post facto, en base a técnicas mixtas de investigación  basadas en la  observación. La información será de fuente primaria y secundaria, el enfoque es cuantitativo y cualitativo empleando la técnica de entrevista a profundidad y el llenado de los cuestionarios. Se aplicó  la escala de riesgos de violencia, el cuestionario CaMir. Se analiza las características personológicas de cada uno con el análisis de los datos del informe pericial, para establecer una triangulación  con los resultados de los demás instrumentos.  Con la evaluación del tipo de violencia,  verificando el estilo de apego, se determina  los motivos de este apego de la mujer violentada, con la obtención de características afectivas-cognitivas;  se facilitara la evaluación diagnostica pericial, en beneficio del rescate de las víctimas de la violencia.AbstractThe objective is to determine the style of attachment S. What influences the permission of Violence against Women, evaluating the type of violence, which is prevalent in the Province of Santa Elena, in women assaulted by their romantic partners. Analysis Unit is violated That woman accepts Be Part of the Study By signing the Informed Consent. The UN is Metodo JOINT Focus: Comparative correlational, with a quasi-experimental design ex post facto, on the basis of Mixed Media: research based on observation. Information Sera primary and secondary source, the focus is Quantitative and qualitative interview technique employing one profundity and filling the questionnaires. Risk scale Apostolic Violence, CaMir Questionnaire. The personological Features Each with Data Analysis Report of the expert analyzes, para establish A triangulation With The Other Instruments results. With the evaluation of the type of violence, verifying attachment style, Determined The reasons for this addiction abused woman, With obtaining affective-cognitive characteristics; facilitate the evaluation is diagnosed expert, benefiting Rescue of Victims of Violence.
Modelos explicativos del cambio en la cobertura del suelo en el crecimiento del uso urbano de la provincia de Santa Elena - Ecuador
Authors: Salazar Dany , Vera Otto , De la Cruz Mariuxi
Published: June 2017

En el año 2009, el gobierno vigente del Ecuador plantea a los gobiernos autónomos descentralizados, los requerimientos de una planificación y ordenamiento en sus respectivos territorios, para que su uso sea sostenible. Por ende, la demanda de insumos de información estadística y geográfica ha sido una prioridad dentro de este ámbito gubernamental. Así tenemos que, la presente contribución investigativa propone brindar insumos de información que de soporte a la planificación y ordenamiento territorial de la Provincia de Santa Elena, Área de Planificación Nº 5 - Ecuador. Siendo uno de los insumos prioritarios la identificación de factores explicativos que inciden en el crecimiento urbano, tales como el biofísico, socioeconómico y de accesibilidad. Para ello se ha seleccionado como unidad de mínima integración de información al pixel y como técnica estadística Regresión Logística. Entre los principales resultados tenemos la implementación de la estandarización, bajo el criterio lineal decreciente para la homogenización de las variables de accesibilidad potenciando al modelo seleccionado y la utilización de herramientas potentes de las Tecnologías de la Información Geográfica, que ha permitido la implementación de modelos con volumen significativo de datos.
Los 6 principios básicos de persuasión en los líderes organizacionales
Authors: Reza Lilian , Auqui Danny , López Anny , Pinto Janella , Villavicencio Ana
Published: June 2017

En este ensayo se examinan los seis principios básicos de persuasión planteados por Robert Cialdini adaptados a los líderes organizacionales. A través de una encuesta realizada a 15 directivos de diversas empresas, se podrá determinar si realmente son útiles estos principios básicos de persuasión.  Esta investigación la realizan los alumnos del II Ciclo de la Carrera de Psicología Organizacional, de la Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil UCSG.
Análisis de los sistemas de gestión del conocimiento en la empacadora grupo Granmar: división laboratorio de larvas Semacua S.A de la provincia de Santa Elena – Ecuador
Authors: Jaramillo Mónica , Torres Washington
Published: June 2017

La gestión de los activos intangibles que generan valor para la organización son aquellos que tienen que ver con los procesos relacionados con la transmisión del conocimiento,  por este motivo  se diseña un modelo de gestión del conocimiento, con el uso de herramientas TIC, para agilizar el proceso y mejorar el uso de los mecanismos de acceso y búsqueda de información, puesto que los que funcionan actualmente no garantizan una correcta transferencia de información ni el aprendizaje adecuado, la creciente importancia del conocimiento como un nuevo factor de producción hace que el desarrollo de tecnologías, metodologías y estrategias  se convierta en una de las principales prioridades de las organizaciones en la sociedad del conocimiento. Se conoce que el mercado es cada vez más competitivo, lo que demanda mayor innovación en los productos, por ello, el conocimiento debe desarrollarse y ser asimilado cada vez con mayor rapidez, lo que se logra al tener un proceso automatizado que cumpla con políticas de seguridad para el tratamiento de la información.El modelo de gestión está orientado a las personas que aplican  tecnología enfocada al intercambio de conocimientos, debido a que las empresas aprovechan al máximo sus conocimientos, no repiten tareas ni pierden tiempo en realizarlas para compartir el conocimiento en la organización. SUMMARYThe management of intangible assets that generate value for the organization are those that have to do with the processes related to the transmission of knowledge, for this reason a model of knowledge management is designed, with the use of ICT tools to streamline the process and improve the use of the access mechanisms and finding information, since those operating not currently guarantee a correct transfer of information or adequate learning, growing importance as a new production factor has turned development of technologies , methodologies and strategies to become one of the main priorities of organizations in the knowledge society. It is known that the market is increasingly competitive, which demands greater innovation in products, therefore, knowledge must be developed and assimilated more and more quickly, which is achieved by having an automated process that meets policies security for information processing.The management model is aimed at people who apply technology focused knowledge sharing, because the companies take full advantage of their knowledge, repeat not waste time tasks or perform them to share knowledge in the organization.
Tipificación de fincas en el área de influencia del Trasvase Santa Elena. Ecuador
Authors: Candell Jimmy , Alegre Julio , Soplín Hugo , Helfgot Salomón , Veneros Jaris
Published: June 2017

ResumenEsta investigación se realizó con el objetivo de identificar tipos de fincas en el área de influencia del trasvase Santa Elena, dentro de la Provincia de Santa Elena- Ecuador. La metodología desarrollada fue la propuesta por la Red Internacional de Metodologías de Investigación de Sistemas de Producción (RIMISP), utilizando herramientas estadísticas propias del análisis multivariado; con una muestra de n= 85 fincas de un total de 472 fincas existentes.  Los resultados identificaron 5 componentes principales en el que están inmersas 18 variables: 12 cuantitativas y 6 cualitativas. Se determinó la existencia de 2 fincas tipo con marcadas diferencias entre ellas. En los componentes: económico familiar y social se presentaron altas significancias estadísticas para todas las variables. Los componentes: agrícolas y de tecnología y gestión, no presentaron diferencias altamente significativas para las variables, y para el componente tipo de producción, se presentaron altas diferencias significativas en la variable sistema de producción dominante, pero no se presentaron diferencias significativas para la variable factores condicionantes de la producción. Se espera que estos resultados sirvan para que los organismos pertinentes en la provincia de Santa Elena implementen estrategias para cada grupo de fincas con el objetivo de lograr la eficiencia del trasvase.Palabras clave: Tipificación, variables, componentes, fincas, trasvase Santa Elena.AbstractThis research was conducted to identify farms types around the water transfer system facility at Province of Santa Elena, Ecuador. An International Network Systems Research Methodology for Production Systems (or RIMISP in Spanish) was utilized along with multivariate analysis. A sample of 85 farms from a total of 472 was chosen. The results identified 5 main components with 18 embedded variables: 12 quantitative and 6 qualitative. The existence of 2 types of farms was determined with marked differences between them. For components: economic-social and family both presented a high statistical significance on all variables. For components: agricultural and technology and management, it did not show highly significant differences on variables. For production component, highly significant differences were found in the variable of dominant production system, but no significant differences for the variable factors presented for conditions of production. It is expected that these results would be of help for regulating agencies in the province in order to implement strategies for each group of farms with the aim of achieving water transfer efficiency.Key words: typification, farm efficiency, water supply efficiency, water transfer system of Santa Elena
Comportamiento social y de forrajeo en aves de la familia laridae y fregatidae en las playas de Anconcito
Authors: Acosta Campoverde Fabian , Rosales Matos Daniel , Bautista Ortiz María , Terán Abreu Patricia , González Banchón Tanya , Villón Moreno Jimmy
Published: June 2017

Se realizó la observación in situ del comportamiento social y de forrajeo en aves de la familia Laridae y Fregatidae en tres zonas delimitadas en el Puerto Pesquero Artesanal de Anconcito entre mayo y julio de 2016, identificándose como especies abundantes a Fregata magníficens y Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus. El análisis cualitativo de las características morfofisiológicas observadas se contrastó con la bibliografía consultada; puntualizando que el comportamiento innato y adquirido tienen protagonismo en su patrón fijo y/o variable de conducta social. Por otra parte, el análisis cuantitativo de las variaciones de cantidad de aves y parámetros físicos registrados determinó la influencia antropogénica en la técnica de forrajeo oportunista y cleptoparasitistaAbstractThe observation was performed in situ about social conduct and foraging of the following families: Laridae and Fregatidae in three areas defined in The Artisanal Fishing Port Anconcito between May and July 2016. Identifying the species Fregata Magnificens and Chroicocephaluscirrocephalus. The qualitative analysis concerning to observed characteristics morphophysiological contrasted with the references; Stipulating that the innate and acquired conduct have protagonism in their fixed pattern and/or variable social conduct. Otherwise, the quantitative analysis of the variations quantity of birds and registered physical parameters determined anthropogenic influence on the foraging´s technique like "the Kleptoparasitism" and "opportunism".
Potencial del cultivo de aguacate (persea americana mill) en Ecuador como alternativa de comercialización en el mercado local e internacional
Authors: Sotomayor Andrea , Viera Alex , Viera William
Published: June 2017

El Ecuador, por su ubicación geográfica posee las condiciones climáticas adecuadas para el cultivo del aguacate, siendo las principales zonas productoras: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Tungurahua, Azuay y Loja. La variedad demandada a nivel internacional es la ‘Hass’; sin embargo en el mercado local es la aceptación es por la variedad ‘Fuerte’. Entre los principales países importadores y potenciales mercados de este frutal tenemos Estados Unidos, Francia, Holanda, Japón, entre otros. No obstante, las exportaciones de aguacate ecuatoriano han sido principalmente a Colombia (99 %), alcanzando un valor de 2.2 millones de dólares americanos; y en menor escala a las Antillas Holandesas, España y Holanda. El precio en el mercado local varía entre 1.06 y 1.90USD/kg, observándose inestabilidad; sin embargo, en el mercado europeo alcanza un valor de 3.60 USD/kg constituyéndose una alternativa atractiva para su comercialización. En el mercado local no existe una demanda insatisfecha debido a que la producción nacional se la comercializa casi en su totalidad en el país; mientras que existe una demanda insatisfecha a nivel internacional que constituye una oportunidad de mercado. Abstract Ecuador has adequate weather conditions for growing avocado due to its geographic location. The main producing areas are Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Tungurahua, Azuay and Loja. ‘Hass’is the variety demanded in the international market; however the variety ‘Fuerte’ is the most consumed in the local market.Among the major importing countries and potential markets for this fruit are United States of America, France, Holland, Japan, among other.However, the Ecuadorian avocado exportation has been mainly to Colombia (99 %), reaching an amount of 2.2 million of American dollars; and a low scale to the Netherlands Antilles, Spain and Holland.The price in the local market varies between 1.06 and 1.90USD/kg, resulting in instability; on the other hand, in the European market it reaches a value of 3.60 USD/kg, constituting an attractive alternative for its commercialization. In the local market there is no an unsatisfied demands because local production is almost entirely marketed in the country; while there is an unsatisfied demand at the international level that constitutes a market opportunity.
Diseño de un sistema de alerta temprana de tsunamis para el cantón General Villamil Playas, provincia del Guayas
Authors: Muñoz Montesdeoca Leonardo , Pérez Moncayo Josué , Villao Quezada Freddy
Published: June 2017

El presente estudio se refiere al diseño de un sistema de alerta temprana de tsunamis en el cantón General Villamil, Playas, monitorizado y controlado desde el Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada (INOCAR), ubicado en la Base Naval Sur de la ciudad de Guayaquil. En el mismo se detalla el diseño del sistema, la tecnología de transmisión seleccionada con los terminales más idóneos que serán necesarios instalar, la determinación de los lugares en el cantón General Villamil Playas, provincia del Guayas, donde se colocarán las sirenas electrónicas, así como el tipo de red que se usará para activar los dispositivos acústicos. Adicionalmente, se describen las características principales de las sirenas requeridas para el sistema, se detalla el diseño del software que administra remotamente los terminales acústicos así como la comunicación GSM entre sirenas mediante la utilización de arduino, y se calcula la cobertura de cada una de las sirenas del sistema de alerta temprana.AbstractThis study refersto the tsunami early warning system in canton General Villamil Playas, monitored and controlled by the Navy Oceanographic Institute, located in the Southern Naval Base in Guayaquil city. It details the design of the system, the transmission technology selected with the most suitable terminals that will be necessary to install, the determination of the places in the canton General Villamil Playas, Guayas province, where the electronic horns will be located, as well as the type of network that will be used to activate the acoustic devices. Additionally, the main features of the horns required for the system are described, the software design that remotely manages the acoustic terminals as well as the GSM communication between horns through the use of arduino are detailed, and the coverage of each horn of the tsunami early warning system is calculated. Keywords: Arduino, GSM, GPRS, satellites, tsunamis.
Conversión de Carbón a Productos Líquidos mediante Despolimerización Asistida por Solventes: una Revisión de los Fundamentos y Avances en la Región
Authors: Martínez Manuel , Garbán Grony , Gamboa Adriana , Rodríguez Ricardo
Published: June 2017

En la búsqueda de transformar el carbón mineral en materiales más sencillos, se han ensayado varios procedimientos químicos de despolimerización (licuefacción, pirólisis, hidrogenación). El tratamiento con solventes luce como una alternativa que tiene la ventaja de requerir bajas temperaturas. Varios modelos macromoleculares han sido propuestos para explicar la interacción solvente-carbón. Se presenta una exposición de las características y antecedentes de la despolimerización, su aplicación en carbones y la potencialidad de la técnica para diversificar la industria carbonífera en los países de la región.Abstract Looking for the coal conversion into simpler materials, several procedures have been assayed (liquefaction, pyrolysis, and hydrogenation). The solvent treatment of coal looks as an alternative with the advantage of requiring low temperatures. Several macromolecular models have been proposed to explain the solvent-coal interaction. In this study, a comprehensive review of coal depolymerization is exposed, its feasibility and the potential of the technology to diversify the coal-bearing industry in the countries of the region.
Ventajas de la perforación direccional: revisión y aplicación en el Oriente Ecuatoriano
Authors: Cedeño Macías Darío , Fuentes Cuasquer Jenny , Portilla Lazo Carlos , Malavé Carrera Carlos , Villao Borbor Jonny
Published: June 2017

El avance evolutivo que ha tenido la industria hidrocarburífera a nivel mundial, específicamente en las operaciones de extracción y producción, requieren métodos más precisos y rigurosos para llevar a cabo su cometido, considerando principalmente la relación costo beneficio. Para ello es imperativo desarrollar tecnologías y sistemas de manera paralela a dicha evolución. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar una revisión actualizada de los aspectos esenciales de la perforación direccional, con énfasis en sus evidentes ventajas respecto a la perforación vertical o convencional, y sobre todo su impacto en la reducción de costos para la industria petrolera. De manera que el nivel académico trabaje estrechamente con el nivel profesional, teniendo como parte medular el análisis de datos de ingeniería de diseño en los sistemas de perforación direccional rotativos y su impacto en la reducción de costos operativos en el proceso de extracción de hidrocarburos. Se presentan y discuten los resultados del desempeño alcanzado por estas herramientas en el campo.  AbstractThe evolutionary advance of the hydrocarbon industry worldwide, specifically in the extraction and production operations, requires more precise and rigorous methods to carry out its mission, considering mainly the cost benefit relation. To do this, it is imperative to develop technologies and systems in parallel with this evolution. The objective of this work is to present an updated review of the essential aspects of directional drilling, with emphasis on its obvious advantages over vertical or conventional drilling, and especially its impact on reducing costs for the oil industry. So that the academic level works closely with the professional level, having as a core part the analysis of design engineering data in rotary directional drilling systems and its impact on the reduction of operating costs in the hydrocarbon extraction process. The results of the performance achieved by these tools in the Auca field are presented and discussed.
Evolución del sector servicios de alojamiento y restauración y su contribución al desarrollo económico de Ayangue, Provincia de Santa Elena
Authors: Villón Perero Sabina , Vásquez Farfán Brusela , Aguirre Suárez Tannia
Published: June 2017

Las actividades turísticas, en especial los servicios de alojamiento y restauración han mantenido una importante participación en la economía del Ecuador durante los últimos años, a partir de esta premisa se consideró relevante realizar el presente estudio que consiste en el análisis de la evolución del sector en mención y su contribución al desarrollo económico de la comuna Ayangue ubicada en la provincia de Santa Elena. Para ejecutar la investigación de campo se tomó una muestra de establecimientos dedicados a las mencionadas actividades, así como también se realizó un estudio socioeconómico mediante la aplicación de  encuestas y entrevistas las mismas que permitieron  obtener información cualitativa y cuantitativa, cuyos resultados evidenciaron cómo ha  evolucionado este sector y el impacto que ha generado en el desarrollo de la comunidad a través del tiempo, los mismos que reflejaron el incentivo de emprendimientos, la  generación de plazas de trabajo y el mejoramiento del nivel económico y social de los comuneros.  AbstractTourist activities, specially Accommodation and provision of food and beverages services, have had an important participation in the economy of Ecuador in the last years, based on this premise it was considered relevant to carry out the present study, which is an analysis of the sector in question and their contribution to economic development of the Ayangue Commune, in Province of Santa Elena. For perform field investigations, it took a sample of establishments and was performed a socio-economic study, using surveys and interviews, which they allowed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information, whose results showed the evolution of this sector and the impact generated in the community development through time, resulting incentive enterprises, generating jobs and improving the economic and social level of the community members.
Identificación de factores de competitividad para el diseño de un modelo de gestión de destino sostenible. Comuna Olón
Authors: Fortis Suárez Joel , Freire Mercedes , Peralta Paola , Linzán Soraya
Published: June 2017

El principal objetivo de este artículo, determina la necesidad de un modelo de desarrollo turístico equilibrado y sostenible en la comuna Olón, provincia de Santa Elena, para llegar a aquello fue necesario identificar las capacidades, limitaciones e inconvenientes que afectan a este lugar turístico, a partir del análisis de los recursos turísticos, demanda turística y la situación jurídico – administrativa. Se utilizó la metodología investigación – acción y exploratoria. Entre los resultados encontrados se establece que la comunidad de Olón es un lugar turístico con gran potencial para el desarrollo del turismo de naturaleza y ecoturismo, debido a la existencia de diversidad de flora y fauna. AbstractThis article seeks to determine the need for a balanced and sustainable tourism development model in the municipality of Olón, Santa Elena province. To reach this goal, it was necessary to identify the capacities, limitations and drawbacks that affect this tourist site. From the analysis of tourism resources, tourism demand and the legal - administrative situation. The research - action and exploratory methodology was used. Among the results found is that the community of Olón is a tourist place with great potential for the development of nature tourism and ecotourism, due to the existence of diversity of flora and fauna.
Incidencia de la inteligencia competitiva en el desarrollo económico de las empresas de la provincia de Santa Elena.
Authors: Collins Ventura Nathyn , Linzán Rodríguez Soraya
Published: June 2017

El objetivo de este artículo fue analizar la incidencia de la inteligencia competitiva en el desarrollo económico de las empresas. La inteligencia competitiva ayuda a las empresas a definir y conocer la industria, así como a identificar las fortalezas y debilidades de sus rivales, lo que incluye actividades de inteligencia para reunir datos sobre los competidores e interpretarlo; si se hace correctamente, ayuda a la compañía a evitar sorpresas porque se anticipan los movimientos de los competidores y se disminuye el tiempo de respuesta. Se implementó una investigación exploratoria correlacional para poder diagnosticar el desempeño organizacional de las empresas de la provincia de Santa Elena. Los métodos implementados son deductivo e inductivo, mediante técnicas de observación descriptiva, entrevistas a gerentes de las empresas y encuestas a trabajadores de las empresas para conocer la situación real. Se seleccionó 32 empresas de la provincia de Santa Elena en las que se efectuaron entrevistas a gerentes. Los resultados demuestran que, con la potenciación de fortalezas de la empresa, y por ende el aprovechamiento de oportunidades del entorno, se generará un desarrollo económico de la empresa que implemente acciones sólidas y oportunas. AbstractThe objective of this article was to analyze the incidence of competitive intelligence in the economic development of companies. Competitive intelligence helps companies define and know the industry, as well as identify the strengths and weaknesses of their rivals, which includes intelligence activities to gather data about competitors and interpret it; If done correctly, helps the company to avoid surprises because they anticipate the movements of competitors and decreases the response time. An exploratory correlational research was implemented to diagnose the organizational performance of companies in the province of Santa Elena. The methods implemented are deductive and inductive, using descriptive observation techniques, interviews with company managers and surveys of company workers to know the real situation. We selected 32 companies from the province of Santa Elena where interviews were conducted with managers. The results show that by strengthening the company's strengths, and thus taking advantage of opportunities in the environment, will generate economic development of the company that implements sound and timely actions.
Le gibier, la forêt et les chasseurs à la lumière des régimes institutionnels (essai)
Authors: Knoepfel Peter , Nahrath Stéphane
Published: June 2017

Game, hunters and the forest seen in the perspective of the institutional framework (essay)

Game and the forest are both natural resources. They interact through ecosystem services rendered by the forest (service supplier) to wildlife (service beneficiary). This service to the game resource influences other, more direct, forest services (e.g. wood, recreation, non-wood products),which benefit from the regulation of the game by the hunter. The action of hunting, in its turn, hinders the supply of other wildlife linked services, notably economic and symbolic (hunters), scientific (zoologists), artistic (painters) etc. cultural, even linked to identity (nature lovers, members of religious groups). This leads to rivalries between the two resources and to the putting in place of institutional frameworks to solve this conflict. This is the approach we use to discuss the three hunting regimes in place in Switzerland (concessions, licences, prohibition).
Wald und Wildtiere: Wo stehen wir? (Essay)
Authors: Robin Klaus
Published: June 2017

Forest and wildlife: the state of play (essay)

Management of forest and wildlife in Switzerland is now generally evidence-based and on firm foundations, focused on species biology and no longer on hunting plans alone. In fact, improvement of wildlife habitat, protection, revitalisation and structuring of wildlife corridors, and protection of wildlife from disturbance are integral elements. As regards this last point, on the Swiss plateau, and here especially around towns and agglomerations, we must recognise considerable shortcomings, and be more proactive. Now that it has been possible to demonstrate the effect of the lynx on populations of roe deer and chamois, and indirectly on forest regeneration, we should examine or at least estimate the corresponding effect of the wolf or the bear. In the case of a resident wolf pack, this effect would not be negligible.
RETRACTED: The Role of HOTAIR/miR-148b-3p/USF1 on Regulating the Permeability of BTB
Authors: Sa Libo , Li Yan , Zhao Lini , Liu Yunhui , Wang Ping , Liu Libo , Li Zhen , Ma Jun , Cai Heng , Xue Yixue
Published: June 2017

Homeobox transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), as a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), has been considered to play critical roles in the biological properties of various tumors. The purposes of this study were to investigate the role and possible molecular mechanisms of HOTAIR in regulating the permeability of blood tumor barrier (BTB) in vitro. Our present study elucidated that the expressions of HOTAIR and upstream stimulatory factor 1 (USF1) was up-regulated, but miR-148b-3p was down-regulated in glioma microvascular endothelial cells (GECs). Knockdown of HOTAIR could increase the permeability of BTB as well as down-regulated the expressions of tight junction related proteins ZO-1, occludin, claudin-5, but up-regulated miR-148b-3p expressions in GECs. Meanwhile, dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that HOTAIR was a target RNA of miR-148b-3p. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-148b-3p increased the permeability of BTB by down-regulating the expressions of tight junction related proteins and USF1 in GECs, and vice versa. And further result revealed USF1 was a target of miR-148b-3p. Silence of USF1 increased the permeability of BTB duo to their interaction with the promoters of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 in GECs. Taken together, our finding indicated that knockdown of HOTAIR increased BTB permeability via binding to miR-148b-3p, which further reducing tight junction related proteins in GECs by targeting USF1. Thus, HOTAIR will attract more attention since it can serve as a potential target of drug delivery across BTB and may provide novel strategies for glioma treatment.
Complementary Power Control for Doubly Fed Induction Generator-Based Tidal Stream Turbine Generation Plants
Authors: Ghefiri Khaoula , Bouallègue Soufiene , Garrido Izaskun , Garrido Aitor , Haggège Joseph
Published: June 2017

The latest forecasts on the upcoming effects of climate change are leading to a change in the worldwide power production model, with governments promoting clean and renewable energies, as is the case of tidal energy. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to improve the efficiency and lower the costs of the involved processes in order to achieve a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) that allows these devices to be commercially competitive. In this context, this paper presents a novel complementary control strategy aimed to maximize the output power of a Tidal Stream Turbine (TST) composed of a hydrodynamic turbine, a Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) and a back-to-back power converter. In particular, a global control scheme that supervises the switching between the two operation modes is developed and implemented. When the tidal speed is low enough, the plant operates in variable speed mode, where the system is regulated so that the turbo-generator module works in maximum power extraction mode for each given tidal velocity. For this purpose, the proposed back-to-back converter makes use of the field-oriented control in both the rotor side and grid side converters, so that a maximum power point tracking-based rotational speed control is applied in the Rotor Side Converter (RSC) to obtain the maximum power output. Analogously, when the system operates in power limitation mode, a pitch angle control is used to limit the power captured in the case of high tidal speeds. Both control schemes are then coordinated within a novel complementary control strategy. The results show an excellent performance of the system, affording maximum power extraction regardless of the tidal stream input.
Offset Voltage Control Scheme for Modular Multilevel Converter Operated in Nearest Level Control
Authors: Kim Jae-Hyuk , Kim Do-Hyun , Han Byung-Moon
Published: June 2017

This paper proposes an offset voltage control scheme for the modular multilevel converter (MMC) operated in nearest level control (NLC) to improve the total harmonic distortion (THD) of AC phase voltages. The offset (neutral-to-zero-point) voltage is adjusted so that the magnitude of each AC pole voltage maintains constant value with N + 1 level in the range of whole modulation index (MI). The validity of the proposed scheme was confirmed by computer simulations for the MMC with 22.9 kV/25 MVA and experimental works for the scaled MMC with 380 V/10 kVA. It was confirmed that the proposed control scheme can generate linearly variable AC phase voltages with improved THD in the over-modulation region as well as the normal-modulation region.
A Chaotic Improved Artificial Bee Colony for Parameter Estimation of Photovoltaic Cells
Authors: Oliva Diego , Ewees Ahmed A. , Aziz Mohamed Abd El , Hassanien Aboul Ella , Peréz-Cisneros Marco
Published: June 2017

The search for new energy resources is a crucial task nowadays. Research on the use of solar energy is growing every year. The aim is the design of devices that can produce a considerable amount of energy using the Sun’s radiation. The modeling of solar cells (SCs) is based on the estimation of the intrinsic parameters of electrical circuits that simulate their behavior based on the current vs. voltage characteristics. The problem of SC design is defined by highly nonlinear and multimodal objective functions. Most of the algorithms proposed to find the best solutions become trapped into local solutions. This paper introduces the Chaotic Improved Artificial Bee Colony (CIABC) algorithm for the estimation of SC parameters. It combines the use of chaotic maps instead random variables with the search capabilities of the Artificial Bee Colony approach. CIABC has also been modified to avoid the generation of new random solutions, preserving the information of previous iterations. In comparison with similar optimization methods, CIABC is able to find the global solution of complex and multimodal objective functions. Experimental results and comparisons prove that the proposed technique can design SCs, even with the presence of noise.
Genetic Diversity among Age Classes of a Pinus sylvestris (L.) Population from the Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
Authors: Wojnicka-Półtorak Aleksandra , Celiński Konrad , Chudzińska Ewa
Published: June 2017

The Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF) is Europe’s last primeval forest and an irreplaceable area for biodiversity conservation due to its size, protection status, and substantially undisturbed nature. There is no other forest in Europe with such a large surface representing highly-advanced natural succession. This article reports on the first analysis of the genetic variability and demographic structure of a self-renewed Pinus sylvestris population located in BPF, using both chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA markers. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) for chloroplast simple sequence repeats (cpSSRs) revealed a significant genetic differentiation among age classes that accounted for about 2% of the total variance, comparable to those reported among different populations of Scots pine. None of the 117 detected chloroplast haplotypes were common to all age classes. Haplotype diversity ranged from 0.370 to 0.415 for cpSSRs and from 0.320 to 0.455 for mitochondrial markers. The genetic variation of the studied age classes—represented by mitochondrial markers—strongly depicts the maternal genetic structure, indicating limited seed dispersal. Temporal genetic substructuring is maintained within a self-renewed population of Scots pine from the BPF.
Dispersal and Propagule Pressure of Botryosphaeriaceae Species in a Declining Oak Stand is Affected by Insect Vectors
Authors: Panzavolta Tiziana , Panichi Andrea , Bracalini Matteo , Croci Francesco , Ginetti Beatrice , Ragazzi Alessandro , Tiberi Riziero , Moricca Salvatore
Published: June 2017

Many biotic and abiotic factors contribute to the onset of oak decline. Among biotic agents, a variety of fungi and insects cause extensive disease and insect outbreaks in oak forests. To date, research on fungus-insect interactions in Mediterranean forest ecosystems is still scarce and fragmentary. In this study, we investigated the assemblage of endophytic mycobiota and insect pests occurring in a declining oak stand, with the aim to explore if, and to what extent, the insect species were active vectors of fungal propagules. It emerged that some known latent pathogens of the Botryosphaeriaceae family, namely Botryosphaeria dothidea, Diplodia corticola, Diplodia seriata, Dothiorella sarmentorum, and Neofusicoccum parvum were isolated at high frequency from physiologically-impaired trees. In addition, propagules of these fungi were isolated from five insects, two of which (Cerambyx welensii and Coraebus fasciatus) are main oak pests. The life-history strategies of these fungi and those of wood-boring beetles were strikingly interconnected: both the fungi and beetles exploit drought-stressed trees and both occur at high frequency during hot, dry periods. This synchronicity increased their chance of co-occurrence and, consequently, their probability of jointly leading to oak decline. If these interactions would be confirmed by future studies, they could help to better understand the extensive decline/dieback of many Mediterranean forest ecosystems.
Cryptographic Key Management in Delay Tolerant Networks: A Survey
Authors: Menesidou Sofia Anna , Katos Vasilios , Kambourakis Georgios
Published: June 2017

Since their appearance at the dawn of the second millennium, Delay or Disruption Tolerant Networks (DTNs) have gradually evolved, spurring the development of a variety of methods and protocols for making them more secure and resilient. In this context, perhaps, the most challenging problem to deal with is that of cryptographic key management. To the best of our knowledge, the work at hand is the first to survey the relevant literature and classify the various so far proposed key management approaches in such a restricted and harsh environment. Towards this goal, we have grouped the surveyed key management methods into three major categories depending on whether the particular method copes with (a) security initialization, (b) key establishment, and (c) key revocation. We have attempted to provide a concise but fairly complete evaluation of the proposed up-to-date methods in a generalized way with the aim of offering a central reference point for future research.
Preliminary Results on the Daily and Seasonal Rhythms of Cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) Locomotor Activity in Captivity
Authors: Oliveira Catarina , Grano-Maldonado Mayra , Gonçalves Rui , Frias Paulo , Sykes António
Published: June 2017

This research was aimed at characterizing the daily rhythms of locomotor activity of cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758), a promising aquaculture species, in a captive environment. Cuttlefish were distributed within two tanks equipped with infrared photocells, allowing the monitoring of locomotor activity continuously from August to February. Results showed a preference of cuttlefish for being active during the night in summer (24.2 ± 1.3 °C) and in autumn (18.4 ± 3.4 °C), with maximum activity peaks observed, respectively, at 01:09 h and 21:47 h, in close relation with sunset time. In winter (12.7 ± 1.4 °C), this preference changed, with higher levels of activity observed during the afternoon in December (15:20 h) and in January (18:13 h), thus suggesting this species as possessing a dualistic behaviour. Levels of activity progressively decreased during autumn and winter, likely related to low temperatures. The present study offers new insights on the behaviour of Sepia officinalis, presenting a variability of patterns across seasons, regulated by environmental synchronizers; photoperiod determining the activity periods, and temperature modulating the levels of activity. Such information may be a valuable tool for the improvement of cuttlefish culture protocols in aquaculture, and consequently its welfare.
Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances and Health Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature
Authors: Rappazzo Kristen , Coffman Evan , Hines Erin
Published: June 2017

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals used to make products stain and stick resistant, have been linked to health effects in adults and adverse birth outcomes. A growing body of literature also addresses health effects in children exposed to PFAS. This review summarizes the epidemiologic evidence for relationships between prenatal and/or childhood exposure to PFAS and health outcomes in children as well as to provide a risk of bias analysis of the literature. A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed for studies on PFAS and child health outcomes. We identified 64 studies for inclusion and performed risk of bias analysis on those studies. We determined that risk of bias across studies was low to moderate. Six categories of health outcomes emerged. These were: immunity/infection/asthma, cardio-metabolic, neurodevelopmental/attention, thyroid, renal, and puberty onset. While there are a limited number of studies for any one particular health outcome, there is evidence for positive associations between PFAS and dyslipidemia, immunity (including vaccine response and asthma), renal function, and age at menarche. One finding of note is that while PFASs are mixtures of multiple compounds few studies examine them as such, therefore the role of these compounds as complex mixtures remains largely unknown.
An Integrated Approach for the Environmental Characterization of a Wide Potentially Contaminated Area in Southern Italy
Authors: Ducci Daniela , Albanese Stefano , Boccia Lorenzo , Celentano Egidio , Cervelli Elena , Corniello Alfonso , Crispo Anna , De Vivo Benedetto , Iodice Paolo , Langella Carmela , Lima Annamaria , Manno Maurizio , Palladino Mario , Pindozzi Stefania , Rigillo Marina , Romano Nunzio , Sellerino Mariangela , Senatore Adolfo , Speranza Giuseppe , Fiorentino Nunzio , Fagnano Massimo
Published: June 2017

This paper deals with the environmental characterization of a large and densely populated area, with a poor reputation for contamination, considering the contribution of environmental features (air, soil, soil hydraulic and groundwater) and the potential effects on human health. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) has made possible a georeferenced inventory and, by overlaying environmental information, an operational synthesis of comprehensive environmental conditions. The cumulative effects on environmental features were evaluated, taking into account superposition effects, by means of the Spatial MultiCriteria Decision Analysis (S-MCDA). The application of the S-MCDA for converging the combination of heterogeneous factors, related to soil, land and water, deeply studied by heterogeneous groups of experts, constitutes the novelty of the paper. The results confirmed an overall higher potential of exposure to contaminants in the environment and higher mortality rates in the study area for some tumours, but hospital admissions for tumours were generally similar to the regional trend. Besides, mortality data may be strictly dependent on the poor socioeconomic conditions, quality of therapy and a lack of welfare in the area relative to the rest of Italy. Finally, as regards the possible relationship between presence of contaminants in the environment and health conditions of the population no definite conclusions can be drawn, although the present study encourages the use of the new proposed methods, that increase the possibilities for studying the combined effect of more environmental factors.
The Emerging Role of Zfp217 in Adipogenesis
Authors: Xiang Hong , Zhong Zhu-Xia , Peng Yong-Dong , Jiang Si-Wen
Published: June 2017

Zinc finger protein 217 (Zfp217), a member of the krüppel-type zinc finger protein family, plays diverse roles in cell differentiation and development of mammals. Despite extensive research on the functions of Zfp217 in cancer, pluripotency and reprogramming, its physiological roles in adipogenesis remain unknown. Our previous RNA sequencing data suggest the involvement of Zfp217 in adipogenesis. In this study, the potential function of Zfp217 in adipogenesis was investigated through bioinformatics analysis and a series of experiments. The expression of Zfp217 was found to be gradually upregulated during the adipogenic differentiation in C3H10T1/2 cells, which was consistent with that of the adipogenic marker gene Pparg2. Furthermore, there was a positive, significant relationship between Zfp217 expression and adipocyte differentiation. It was also observed that Zfp217 could not only trigger proliferative defect in C3H10T1/2 cells, but also interact with Ezh2 and suppress the downstream target genes of Ezh2. Besides, three microRNAs (miR-503-5p, miR-135a-5p and miR-19a-3p) which target Zfp217 were found to suppress the process of adipogenesis. This is the first report showing that Zfp217 has the capacity to regulate adipogenesis.
Isoprenoids from the Soft Coral Sarcophyton glaucum
Authors: Chao Chih-Hua , Li Wen-Liang , Huang Chiung-Yao , Ahmed Atallah F. , Dai Chang-Feng , Wu Yang-Chang , Lu Mei-Chin , Liaw Chih-Chuang , Sheu Jyh-Horng
Published: June 2017

Five new isoprenoids, 3,4,8,16-tetra-epi-lobocrasol (1), 1,15β-epoxy-deoxysarcophine (2), 3,4-dihydro-4α,7β,8α-trihydroxy-Δ2-sarcophine (3), ent-sarcophyolide E (4), and 16-deacetyl- halicrasterol B (5) and ten known compounds 6‒15, were characterized from the marine soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum, collected off Taitung coastline. Their structures were defined by analyzing spectra data, especially 2D NMR and electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The structure of the known compound lobocrasol (7) was revised. Cytotoxicity potential of the isolated compounds was reported, too.
Thermoelectric and Transport Properties of Delafossite CuCrO2:Mg Thin Films Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Sinnarasa Inthuga , Thimont Yohann , Presmanes Lionel , Barnabé Antoine , Tailhades Philippe
Published: June 2017

P-type Mg doped CuCrO2 thin films have been deposited on fused silica substrates by Radio-Frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The as-deposited CuCrO2:Mg thin films have been annealed at different temperatures (from 450 to 650 °C) under primary vacuum to obtain the delafossite phase. The annealed samples exhibit 3R delafossite structure. Electrical conductivity σ and Seebeck coefficient S of all annealed films have been measured from 40 to 220 °C. The optimized properties have been obtained for CuCrO2:Mg thin film annealed at 550 °C. At a measurement temperature of 40 °C, this sample exhibited the highest electrical conductivity of 0.60 S·cm−1 with a Seebeck coefficient of +329 µV·K−1. The calculated power factor (PF = σS²) was 6 µW·m−1·K−2 at 40 °C and due to the constant Seebeck coefficient and the increasing electrical conductivity with measurement temperature, it reached 38 µW·m−1·K−2 at 220 °C. Moreover, according to measurement of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity in temperature, we confirmed that CuCrO2:Mg exhibits hopping conduction and degenerates semiconductor behavior. Carrier concentration, Fermi level, and hole effective mass have been discussed.