bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Maidan and Beyond: Civil Society and Democratization
Authors: Way Lucan
Published: July 2014

Abstract: The current crisis in Ukraine raises key questions about the relationship between civil society, protest, and democracy in hybrid or competitive authoritarian regimes. How can we know when civil society is strong or weak? What role does it play in mobilizing antiregime protest? When does civil society aid democratic development, and when does it threaten to harm that process? A closer look at the crisis shows both that Ukraine’s civil society is weaker than it may seem and that not all civil society is good for democracy. In particular, as Ukraine faces potential civil war, civil society must find ways to mobilize society without splintering the polity and encouraging greater violence.
Gay Rights: Why Democracy Matters
Authors: Encarnación Omar G.
Published: July 2014

The year 2013 featured unprecedented strides for gay rights in some parts of the world, particularly in Western Europe and the Americas, but also startling setbacks elsewhere, as in Russia and some countries in Africa. Wealth and religion are the most discussed factors behind this so-called global divide on homosexuality. Less studied and therefore less understood, however, is the effect of the political regime, especially whether the country is democratic or not. Although gay rights are not found in all democracies, gay rights are virtually nonexistent in nondemocracies. Among the many factors that make democracy an apparent prerequisite for gay rights are the opportunities that it provides for advocacy—including access to the courts, the party system, and the legislature—as well as a social environment that permits gay people to live their lives openly and honestly, a critical but often overlooked factor in advancing societal acceptance of homosexuality.
The Maidan and Beyond: Who Were the Protesters?
Authors: Onuch Olga
Published: July 2014

Abstract: Employing the Ukrainian Protest Project survey findings, this article answers the following questions: Who joined in the EuroMaidan protests? When? Why? Is the EuroMaidan a continuation of, or a diversion from, the ‘Orange Revolution’? What are the main implications of EuroMaidan protest participation for democratization? The article focuses on the phenomenon of the growing middle class as a political constituency in Ukraine; it explains how the participation of the middle class median protester is significant for Ukrainian democratization; it provides unique insight into the EuroMaidan protest participants; and it draws valuable implications for democratization in Ukraine.
The Maidan and Beyond: Oligarchs, Corruption, and European Integration
Authors: Åslund Anders
Published: July 2014

Abstract: A key to understanding any society is its informal institutions, which influence both its economy and its politics. In Ukraine, the most important such institution is endemic corruption, which— aside from Russia’s campaign against Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty—is the main threat to the nation. Under Viktor Yanukovych, this corruption took three forms: The first had to do with the trade in natural gas; the second involved Yanukovych handing out large infrastructure projects at his personal discretion; and the third was outright stealing from the government. Now that the Ukrainian people have now made a choice for Europe, they will have their best chance to clean up their country’s long-corrupt economy and political realm.
Early-Period T’aengniji Manuscripts
Authors: Yoon Inshil Choe
Published: July 2014

This article aims to identify the “early-period” T’aengniji 擇里誌 manuscripts through a series of processes starting from the selection of potential early hand written copies from ninety-four T’aengniji manuscripts held in libraries in Korea and abroad. I define the “early period” as stretching from the completion of the T’aengniji in 1751 to the early part of the nineteenth century. After this period, the story of Pak Sun 朴淳, an agent to Hamhŭng, was added and the following statement emerged in the “Geomancy” section: “This is not discussed here in detail because there are geomancers’ books on the subject.” The early-period manuscripts are “Tongguk p’aryŏkchi” 東國八域志, “Tongguk chirihae” 東國地理解, “T’aengniji” 擇里誌 (Dongguk University), and “T’aengniji” 擇里誌 (Korea University, Sinam). The sequence of their texts mirrors the Kosŏganhaenghoe and the Kwangmunhoe editions, printed in 1910 and 1912 respectively. The findings illuminate that, from as early as the eighteenth century, the T’aengniji was also regarded internationally as a valuable treatise as it performed a role in cultural communication between the scholars of Chosŏn and the Ching dynasty.
The tension between ethics and ethnicity: Examining journalists’ ethical decision-making at the Nation Media Group in Kenya
Authors: Wasserman Herman , Mwende Maweu Jacinta
Published: July 2014

This article analyses how ethnicity influences the ethical decisions of journalists at the Nation Media Group (NMG) in Kenya. Ethnic identity is regarded as one of the key factors that shape the political beliefs of Kenyans in general, and for journalists and media practitioners in particular ethnic identities also influence their normative positions. The conflicting loyalties between ethnic belonging and journalistic norms of professionalism and independence especially come to the fore during democratic processes such as general elections and national referenda. Based on Shoemaker and Reese’s Hierarchy of Influences Model, the article draws on qualitative interviews of journalists at the Nation Media to argue that the highly ethnicized publics as audience and the media institution at the macro level and individual journalists at the micro level act as key levels of ethnic influence in the news production process at the NMG in Kenya. Shoemaker and Reese in their model argue that the power to shape content is not the media’s alone, but is shared with a variety of other sectors in the society, including the public. The article then proposes the inclusion of ethnicity as a ‘key level of Influence’ in Shoemaker and Reese’s model, especially when applying the model to the African media context. The article will address the following questions: How does ethnicity at the micro level of individual journalists and at the macro level of the media institution influence the ethical decisions of journalists at the NMG in Kenya? How do the highly ethnicized publics in Kenya influence the decisions of journalists at the NMG? How does this ethnic level of influence impact on the Nation Media’s capacity to fulfil its democratic roles in the society?
The Development and Implementation of a National, Standards-based, Multi-method Teacher Performance Assessment System in Chile
Authors: Taut Sandy , Sun Yulan
Published: July 2014

Assessing teaching performance is a contentious issue in current educational policy in many countries. In Chile, a national, standards-based, multi-method, mandatory teacher evaluation system has been in place since 2003 to assess the performance of about 70, 000 public school teachers from pre-school to high school and adult education. The Chilean system combines formative and summative purposes and uses four instruments: a structured portfolio, a peer interview, supervisor questionnaires, and a self-assessment. In this paper we analyze the Chilean system as a case of interest regarding some controversial issues in teacher evaluation today. To this end we describe the system’s political background, implementation process and results. We put a special focus on the development and evolution of its evaluation instruments; we discuss their strengths and limitations and review the research evidence regarding their validity and reliability. Finally, we reflect on the Chilean experience in terms of the insights it can provide into teacher performance assessment for an international audience.
Oxidative degradation and corrosiveness of biodiesel
Authors: Meira Marilena , Santana Paulo Moura B. , Araújo Alexandre S. , Silva Cliciane L. , Filho Josafat R.L. Leal , Ferreira Hugo T.
Published: July 2014

Biodiesel fuels are attracting increasing attention worldwide as an environmentally friendly fuel. Despite the numerous advantages of biodiesel compared with diesel, some studies indicate that biodiesel is more susceptible to oxidation and therefore more corrosive to metals. The research indicates that stainless steel, cast iron, galvanized steel, carbon steel, and aluminum materials are relatively compatible with pure biodiesel, whereas copper, bronze, brass, lead, tin, zinc, and iron are incompatible, decreasing the stability of biodiesel and increasing its corrosiveness. The use of synthetic antioxidant additives for biodiesel is a necessity to minimize its susceptibility to oxidation. The efficiency of a given antioxidant depends on the feedstock used for biodiesel production. In general, the effectiveness of order of antioxidants was pyrogallol>propyl gallate>Ethanox4760E>N,N′-di-sec-butyl-p-phenylenediamine>2,2′-methylene-bis-(4-methyl-6-ter-butylphenol)>2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole>2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,4-benzenediol [tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)]∼2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methylphenol>2,5-di-tert-butyl-hydroquinone>α-tocopherol. There are few studies showing the effect of inhibitors on the corrosion of metals in biodiesel. Antioxidant compounds may also act as a corrosion inhibitor, but the mechanism of action of these corrosion inhibitors is the formation of a persistent adsorbed monolayer film at the metal/solution interface. For example, the antioxidant TBHQ used in biodiesel retarded the corrosion process in copper, carbon steel, and galvanized steel, acting as a corrosion inhibitor through the formation of a protective film layer.
Analysis of variability in estimates of cell proliferation parameters for cyton-based models using CFSE-based flow cytometry data
Authors: Banks H. Thomas , Kapraun Dustin F. , Link Kathryn G. , Thompson W. Clayton , Peligero Cristina , Argilaguet Jordi , Meyerhans Andreas
Published: July 2014

In this article we assess variability in cell proliferation dynamics observed for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells collected from two healthy donors. We review a recently developed class of models that incorporates the so-called “cyton model” for cell numbers into a conservation-based PDE model for cell population dynamics and describe a statistical model that relates CFSE-based flow cytometry data to such models. A parameter estimation scheme is summarized and then applied to a large body of data to assess experimental variability (variation in parameter estimates as identical experiments are replicated) and biological variability (differences in parameter estimates obtained for different donors and cell types) in the context of these models. Variability in the data obtained from replicated experiments is also discussed. The results of this study indicate that many of the cyton model parameters for describing cell proliferation can be reliably estimated using our approach; however, they also show that substantial changes to our mathematical model and/or experimental procedures may be required to ensure identifiability of the remaining cell proliferation parameters.
Porcine sperm capacitation involves tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of aldose reductase
Authors: Katoh Yuki , Takebayashi Kohsuke , Kikuchi Akihiko , Iki Ayumi , Kikuchi Kazuhiro , Tamba Michiko , Kawashima Akihiro , Matsuda Manabu , Okamura Naomichi
Published: July 2014

Mammalian sperm must be activated in the tubal isthmus through capacitation to induce the acrosome reaction and subsequent fertilization. Although the molecular mechanisms involved in capacitation have yet to be fully elucidated, increased concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the extent of tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins have been suggested to play central roles in the completion of capacitation. In this study, aldose reductase was for the first time identified as one of the tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins involved in the capacitation of porcine cauda epididymal sperm. Both tyrosine phosphorylation and activity of aldose reductase associated with the particulate fraction of sperm cells were significantly enhanced during capacitation. Alrestatin, a membrane-permeable and specific inhibitor of aldose reductase, plays a role in the inhibition of aldose reductase activity, elevation of intracellular levels of ROS, and induction of hyperactivated motility, all at similar dose dependencies. Alrestatin canceled both the increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of aldose reductase and the decrease in the glutathione levels in sperm-induced during capacitation. The hyperactivated motility was induced to a higher extent in the presence of glucose than in the presence of fructose. These results indicate that aldose reductase plays an important role in induction of hyperactivation and capacitation of sperm through the elevation of ROS in sperm cells. Furthermore, aldose reductase was shown to be added to sperm during transit through the epididymis, suggesting that aldose reductase is one of the key proteins that support the functional maturation of sperm.
Prevention of Traumatic Stress in Mothers of Preterms: 6-Month Outcomes
Authors: Shaw Richard J. , St John Nick , Lilo Emily , Jo Booil , Benitz William , Stevenson David K. , Horwitz Sarah M.
Published: July 2014

OBJECTIVE:

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder are a well-recognized phenomenon in mothers of preterm infants, with implications for maternal health and infant outcomes. This randomized controlled trial evaluated 6-month outcomes from a skills-based intervention developed to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.

METHODS:

One hundred five mothers of preterm infants were randomly assigned to (1) a 6- or 9-session intervention based on principles of trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy with infant redefinition or (2) a 1-session active comparison intervention based on education about the NICU and parenting of the premature infant. Outcome measures included the Davidson Trauma Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory II, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Participants were assessed at baseline, 4 to 5 weeks after birth, and 6 months after the birth of the infant.

RESULTS:

At the 6-month assessment, the differences between the intervention and comparison condition were all significant and sizable and became more pronounced when compared with the 4- to 5-week outcomes: Davidson Trauma Scale (Cohen's d = −0.74, P < .001), Beck Anxiety Inventory (Cohen's d = −0.627, P = .001), Beck Depression Inventory II (Cohen's d = −0.638, P = .002). However, there were no differences in the effect sizes between the 6- and 9-session interventions.

CONCLUSIONS:

A brief 6-session intervention based on principles of trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy was effective at reducing symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and depression in mothers of preterm infants. Mothers showed increased benefits at the 6-month follow-up, suggesting that they continue to make use of techniques acquired during the intervention phase.
Non-primate hepacivirus infection with apparent hepatitis in a horse — Short communication
Authors: Reuter Gábor , Maza Norbert , Pankovics Péter , Boros Ákos
Published: July 2014

Non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV) is a recently identified hepacivirus (family Flaviviridae) in dog and horse; however, the disease associations remain unknown. This study reports the detection of natural NPHV infection in a horse with apparent hepatitis, liver damage and high-level viraemia. NPHV could be hepatotropic and associated with hepatitis in horses.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin alters steroid secretion but does not affect cell viability and the incidence of apoptosis in porcine luteinised granulosa cells
Authors: Jablonska Olga , Piasecka-Srader Joanna , Nynca Anna , Kołomycka Agnieszka , Robak Anna , Wąsowska Barbara , Ciereszko Renata
Published: July 2014

The compound 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a by-product of human industrial activity, was found to affect ovarian steroidogenesis in animals, but the mechanism of its action is still unclear. The aims of the study were to examine the effect of TCDD on (1) progesterone (P4) and oestradiol (E2) production by granulosa cells isolated from medium (3–6 mm) and preovulatory (≥ 8 mm) porcine follicles, (2) the viability of the cells, and (3) the incidence of apoptosis. Porcine granulosa cells were cultured (48 h) with or without TCDD (100 pM, 100 nM). Steroid hormone concentrations in the medium were determined by radioimmunoassay. The viability of granulosa cells was tested spectrophotometrically (alamarBlue™ assay). Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry using Annexin V and by TUNEL assay. The higher dose of TCDD (100 nM) significantly inhibited P4 and stimulated E2 production by luteinised granulosa cells isolated from medium follicles. The lower dose of TCDD (100 pM) significantly stimulated P4 and inhibited E2 secretion by the cells isolated from preovulatory follicles. None of the two TCDD doses affected cell viability or induced apoptosis in granulosa cells. In conclusion, TCDD directly affected steroid production by granulosa cells obtained from mature pigs, but the effect of TCDD was not due to its cytotoxicity.
concise review of the applications of NiTi shape-memory alloys in composite materials
Authors: Sanusi Kazeem O. , Ayodele Olukayode L. , Khan Mohamed T.E.
Published: July 2014

Composite materials have increasingly been used in construction and in the aerospace and automotive industries because they are lightweight, strong and corrosion resistant, and because their anisotropic properties can be controlled; maintenance costs are also low. However, there is a growing demand for improved composite materials which have ‘smart’ capabilities, that is, they are able to sense, actuate and respond to the surrounding environment. Shape-memory alloys (SMAs) possess sensing and actuating functions. Embedding SMAs into composite materials can create smart or intelligent composites. Amongst the commercially available SMAs, NiTi alloys – in the form of wires, ribbons or particles – are the most widely used because of their excellent mechanical properties and shape-memory performance. These materials have found application in broad fields of engineering and science as a result of their superior thermomechanical properties. Here we review the use of NiTi SMAs in applications such as vibration control, shape control, position control and adaptive stiffening.
Inverse Modeling Approach for Evaluation of Kinetic Parameters of a Biofilm Reactor Using Tabu Search
Authors: Kumar B. Shiva , Venkateswarlu Ch.
Published: July 2014

The complex nature of biological reactions in biofilm reactors often poses difficulties in analyzing such reactors experimentally. Mathematical models could be very useful for their design and analysis. However, application of biofilm reactor models to practical problems proves somewhat ineffective due to the lack of knowledge of accurate kinetic models and uncertainty in model parameters. In this work, we propose an inverse modeling approach based on tabu search (TS) to estimate the parameters of kinetic and film thickness models. TS is used to estimate these parameters as a consequence of the validation of the mathematical models of the process with the aid of measured data obtained from an experimental fixed‐bed anaerobic biofilm reactor involving the treatment of pharmaceutical industry wastewater. The results evaluated for different modeling configurations of varying degrees of complexity illustrate the effectiveness of TS for accurate estimation of kinetic and film thickness model parameters of the biofilm process. The results show that the two‐dimensional mathematical model with Edward kinetics (with its optimum parameters as μmaxρs/Y = 24.57, Ks = 1.352 and KI = 102.36) and three‐parameter film thickness expression (with its estimated parameters as a = 0.289×10−5, b = 1.55×10−4 and c = 15.2×10−6) better describes the biofilm reactor treating the industry wastewater.
Facing the Consequences: Examining a Workaround Outcomes-Based Model
Authors: Drum Dawna M. , Standifer Rhetta , Bourne Kristina
Published: July 2014

Increasingly, organizations are adopting Enterprise Systems (ES) in an effort to increase productivity and reduce costs. Unfortunately, system-wide implementations such as these often fail to produce the outcomes desired by those that champion them. One noted reason for unsuccessful ES utilization rests in “workarounds”—the deviation or circumvention of the ES by users (employees) of the system. Our research question asks, “How do the outcomes of a workaround impact the downstream user and the system overall?” We assert that the motivation or why workarounds are employed is not as important as the outcomes these workarounds create. Using qualitative data from a longitudinal field study of a large organization in the U.S. Midwest, we categorize workarounds based on the outcomes they generate and consider the resultant effects these workaround outcomes have for the downstream user. In particular, we explore how workaround outcomes impact the effectiveness of accounting functions.
The Rate of Increase of Mean Values of Functions in Weighted Hardy-Orlicz Spaces
Authors: Sharma Ajay K. , Bhat Ambika
Published: July 2014

Let 0 ≤ q < ∞. For each f in the weighted Hardy-Orlicz space HΦ,q we show that grows at most like o(1/1 − r) as r → 1.
Bone Mineral Density in Children From Anthropological and Clinical Sciences: A Review
Authors: Manifold Bernadette M.
Published: July 2014

Bone mineral density (BMD) is a frequent topic of discussion in the clinical literature in relation to the bone health of both adults and children. However, in archaeological and/ or anthropological studies the role of BMD is often cited as a possible factor in the poor skeletal preservation which can lead to an under-representation of juvenile skeletal remains. During skeletal development and growth throughout childhood and adolescence changes take place in both the size and shape of bones and these changes also result in the increasing of mineral content. BMD can be affected by many factors, which include, age, genetics, sexual maturation, amount of physical activity and dietary calcium. This paper aims to review the clinical and anthropological literature on BMD and discuss the numerous methods of measurement and how the availability of certain methods such as Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) can influence the study of bone density in archaeological skeletal collections and also the future potential for forensic anthropological studies.
Life Table Analysis of a Small Sample of Santal Population Living in a Rural Locality of West Bengal, India
Authors: Mozumdar Arupendra , Das Bhubon Mohan , Roy Subrata K.
Published: July 2014

Life table calculation of small populations, especially of marginal populations, is difficult due to a small number of death records and lack of a systematic birth and death registry. The present study aimed to calculate a life table of a small sample of Santal population from Beliatore area of the Bankura district, West Bengal, India, using the recall method. The data on birth and death events were collected using house-to-house interviewing and cross-checking the data with reference to the significant events of the area and the family. The life table was calculated from age specific death rate of a closed population retrospectively estimated for 10 years. The calculated life expectancy at birth of the study population was 63.9 years with a standard error of 3.15 years. The finding agrees with the life expectancy of the other larger populations of the region, although calculated using conventional methods. The method needs to be evaluated to get the optimum number of death events required for calculating the life table with an acceptable error level. The study will be helpful for comparisons of overall health status of small populations with respect to time and space.
Concentrations of Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides From a 25 kW Boiler Supplied Periodically and Continuously with Wood Pellets
Authors: Juszczak Marek
Published: July 2014

The impact of the fuel feeding mode (continuous or periodic with different stand-by/operation time ratios) on carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO, NOx) concentration values in the flue gas was analysed for coniferous wood pellet firing. Experiments were performed in a 25 kW water boiler equipped with an over-fed wood pellet furnace located in a full scale heat station simulating real-life conditions. Influence of oxygen concentration and temperature in the combustion chamber on carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide concentrations was presented in diagrams. Dust and hydrocarbon concentrations were also monitored. It was concluded that the commonly used periodic fuel supply does not necessarily cause a significant increase of carbon monoxide concentration, as compared to the continuous fuel feeding mode. Continuous fuel supply can even induce higher carbon monoxide concentrations when fuel mass stream is not chosen properly. Each time new fuel type is used in a specific furnace, one should perform experiments to determine the adequate settings (stand-by/operation time ratio, fuel mass streams, air stream) to obtain the optimal, lowest possible emission for a certain boiler heat output
Influence of the Selected Parameters on the Effectiveness of IGCC System Integrated With CCS Installation
Authors: Skorek-Osikowska Anna , Bartela Łukasz , Kotowicz Janusz
Published: July 2014

The paper presents the basic input data and modelling results of IGCC system with membrane CO2 capture installation and without capture. The models were built using commercial software (Aspen and GateCycle) and with the use of authors’ own computational codes. The main parameters of the systems were calculated, such as gross and net power, auxiliary power of individual installations and efficiencies. The models were used for the economic and ecological analysis of the systems. The Break Even Point method of analysis was used. The calculations took into account the EU emissions trading scheme. Sensitivity analysis on the influence of selected quantities on break-even price of electricity was performed
Pyrogenesis of Aromatic Hydrocarbons Present in Cigarette Smoke II: Pyrolytic Products of some Representative Constituents of the Hexane Soluble Fraction of Tobacco
Authors: Schlotzhauer W. S. , Schmeltz I.
Published: July 2014

In continued studies to reevaluate the contribution of the hexane-soluble fraction of flue-cured tobacco to the formation of aromatic compounds, especially polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, present in cigarette smoke, some compounds representative of that fraction have been pyrolyzed (860°C, N2). The straight chain saturated compounds, n-hexane, stearic acid, and dotriacontane, produced pyrolysates distinguished by relatively low yields of total neutrals and the absence of any significant quantities of aromatic products with alkyl side chains. Compounds containing double bonds, such as the unsaturated fatty acid, linolenic acid and its methyl ester, and the polyene squalene, which like phytol is also characterized by methyl groups on the chain, produced relatively higher yields of neutral products, including alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons. Phytol, of course, also exhibited this tendency. Pyrolysis of the plant sterol, b-sitosterol, produced the greatest amounts of phenanthrene and BaP. Estimates of BaP levels in pyrolysates indicate that phytol, in addition to the above mentioned sterol, is a relatively effective high temperature precursor of this important carcinogen. The hexane solubles of flue-cured tobacco were shown to produce BaP in levels intermediate to the least effective (stearic acid) and most effective (b-sitosterol) precursor examined.
The Use of Some Organic Salts as Humectants/Einige organische Salze als Feuchthaltemittel in Cigaretten
Authors: Aksu S.
Published: July 2014

Sorbitol and diethylenglycol were compared with the respective effects of potassiumacetate, potassiumlactate, magnesiumacetate and potassiummalate as humectants for a Turkish tobacco blend. Potassiumlactate and magnesiumacetate resulted in a slight improvement of taste while Sorbitol was a little unfavourable in this respect. In the cigarettes with Sorbitol and diethyleneglycol the yield of condensate per cigarette was slightly increased. The salts of potassium caused an increase in burning rate. Potassiumacetate, potassiumlactate, magnesiumacetate, potassiummalate and Sorbitol increased the filling power. There was no evidence that the organic salts, which were investigated should not be used as humectants in the industrial production of tobacco goods.
The Influence of Burning Additives of the Cigarette Paper on the Smoke Yields of Cigarettes/Über den Einfluss der Glimmsalze des Cigarettenpapiers auf die Abrauchergebnisse von Cigaretten
Authors: Jodl R.
Published: July 2014

The burning rate of a defined cigarette blend - same kind and composition of the cut tobacco assumed - depends upon the porosity of the paper as well as upon the type and quantity of the burning additives of the paper. If the same burning agent is added in comparable amounts the burning rate varies according to the porosity of the paper. In the smoke total condensate and nicotine decrease with an increasing burning rate.
Irrigation Experiments on Oriental Tobacco
Authors: Sficas A.G.
Published: July 2014

Irrigation experiments were conducted at the Tobacco Institute of Drama and the Tobacco Research Station of Xanthi on aromatic and on neutral (Kaba-Koulak) tobacco. Both tobacco types benefited highly from a moderate water supply from 40-80 m
Development and Characterisation of Irap Markers From Expressed Retrotransposon-like sequences in Pinus sylvestris L.
Authors: Voronova Angelika , Ruņģis Dainis
Published: July 2014

Conifer genomes are large and stably diploid, in contrast to angiosperms, which are more variable both in genome size and ploidy. Conifer genomes are characterised by multiple gene families and pseudogenes, contain large inter-gene regions and a considerable proportion of repetitive sequences. All members of plant retrotransposon orders have been identified in gymnosperm genomes, however active elements have not been described. Investigation of transposable elements in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) could offer insights into transposon-mediated reorganisation under stress conditions in complex and ancient plant genomes. Nine Pinus sylvestris specific markers were developed to hypothetical long terminal repeats (LTRs) from differentially expressed retrotransposon-like fragments after heat stress and insect damage. Genetic diversity of 150 trees from a naturally regenerated pine stand was investigated using the IRAP method. The developed markers revealed high levels of genetic diversity and were able to distinguish subpopulations growing in long-term differential environmental conditions. Somaclonal variation was also investigated using these markers and polymorphic fragments were identified between ramets of Scots pine clones growing in two different plantations, possibly indicating evidence of recent transposition events. Sequencing of the polymorphic fragments identified two groups of sequences containing LTR sequences of an unknown retrotransposon with homology to the LTRs of the Copia-17-PAb-I element.
Surface Activity of Humic Acids Depending on Their Origin and Humification Degree
Authors: Klaviņš Māris , Purmalis Oskars
Published: July 2014

Humic substances are able to reduce the surface tension of their solutions and thus can act as surface-active substances in the natural environment, which may have industrial application. The ability to influence the surface tension of humic acid solutions depends on the origin of the humic acids. The objective of this study was comparison of the ability of humic acids of different origin (soil, water, peat, lignite etc.) to influence the surface tension of their solutions, and identification of the structural characteristics of peat humic acids that determine their surfactant properties. Industrially produced humic materials demonstrated no or insignificant impact on the surface tension of their solutions. However, humic acids isolated from peat had significant impact of the surface tension of their solutions, acting as weak surfactants. The surface tension of humic acid solutions decreased with increasing concentration, and depended on solution pH. Using a well-characterised bog profile, the ability to influence the surface tension of peat humic acids was shown to depend on age and humification degree. With increase of the humification degree and age, molecular complexity of humic acids and their ability to influence surface tension decreased; but nevertheless, the impact of the biological precursor (peat-forming bryophytes and plants) could be identified.
Ensemble of ground subsidence hazard maps using fuzzy logic
Authors: Park Inhye , Lee Jiyeong , Saro Lee
Published: July 2014

Hazard maps of ground subsidence around abandoned underground coal mines (AUCMs) in Samcheok, Korea, were constructed using fuzzy ensemble techniques and a geographical information system (GIS). To evaluate the factors related to ground subsidence, a spatial database was constructed from topographic, geologic, mine tunnel, land use, groundwater, and ground subsidence maps. Spatial data, topography, geology, and various ground-engineering data for the subsidence area were collected and compiled in a database for mapping ground-subsidence hazard (GSH). The subsidence area was randomly split 70/30 for training and validation of the models. The relationships between the detected ground-subsidence area and the factors were identified and quantified by frequency ratio (FR), logistic regression (LR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models. The relationships were used as factor ratings in the overlay analysis to create ground-subsidence hazard indexes and maps. The three GSH maps were then used as new input factors and integrated using fuzzy-ensemble methods to make better hazard maps. All of the hazard maps were validated by comparison with known subsidence areas that were not used directly in the analysis. As the result, the ensemble model was found to be more effective in terms of prediction accuracy than the individual model.
Species Composition and Structure of the Communities of Plant-Parasitic and Free-Living Soil Nematodes in the Greenhouses of Botanical Gardens of Ukraine
Authors: Gubin A.I. , Sigareva D.D.
Published: July 2014

Species Composition and Structure of the Communities of Plant-Parasitic and Free-Living Soil Nematodes in the Greenhouses of Botanical Gardens of Ukraine. Gubin, A. I., Sigareva, D. D. — In greenhouses of botanical gardens of Ukraine 81 species of nematodes were found. The richest by the number of species was Tylenchida order that was presented by 25 species (31 % of species composition). The dominant group of nematodes was plant-parasitic (most frequent was Rotylenchus robustus (de Man, 1876) Filipjev, 1936 and Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid et White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949). The group of saprobiotic nematodes, which was presented by 52 species (64 %), appeared to be the richest by the number of species. It is shown, that formation of nematode communities in greenhouses of botanical gardens was caused by the interaction of many related factors, crucial of which is the composition of plant collections. The structure of communities is quite constant and almost independent of the quantity of nematodes species. Plant-parasitic species dominate by the number and frequency of detection, and represent a kind of a core of nematode communities.
Study of Biology, Morphology And Taxonomy of The Nematode Stephanofilaria Assamensis (Filariina, Stephanofilariidae)
Authors: Saparov K.A. , Akramova F.D. , Azimov D.A. , Golovanov V.I.
Published: July 2014

Study of Biology, Morphology and Taxonomy of the Nematode Stephanofilaria assamensis (Filariina, Stephanofilariidae). Saparov K. A., Akramova F. D., Azimov D. A., Golovanov V. I. — Biological characters of Stephanofilaria assamensis Pande, 1936, a parasite of cattle, were studied under environmental conditions of Uzbekistan with the emphasis on morphology of all developmental stages. Bloodsucking flies Haematobia atripalpis Bezzi, 1895, Lyperosia titillans Bezzi, 1907 and L.irritans Linnaeus, 1758 were established as intermediate hosts. Prevalence of the nematode larvae in the flies constituted 2.1, 1.5, and 1.2 %, respectively. Characters for the species identification were revised. On that basis S. zaheeri Singh, 1958 is regarded as a synonym of S. assamensis. The place of Stephanofilaria genus in the system of Stephanofilariidae is discussed.
Load Data Calculation in Electric Axle Drives and Fatigue Assessment for the Electric Motor Subsystem
Authors: Knetsch Dustin , Funk Matthias , Kennerknecht Tobias , Eberl Christoph
Published: July 2014

In the present work, a fatigue assessment of the electric motor within the electric axle drive (electric axle) was developed using virtual load data. Now that the electric axle with torque vectoring function has been integrated into multiple vehicle classes, it is possible to create simulation models which allow the drive train to be mapped in various driving scenarios. Validation is performed by means of optical measurement methods (object tracking) which allow to determine load data for subsystems and components under variable torque and speed scenarios (e. g., handling course). In this paper, a load spectrum was created and used for fatigue analysis of the subsystem, namely the traction motor (EM) and torque vectoring motor. Based on the local stress, a finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out on the rotor, and investigations of strength and fatigue were performed on thin sheets of electrical steel. These S-N diagrams consider various factors such as material, temperature, and influence of specimen dimensions and are the basis for fatigue assessment based on the load spectrum from simulation.
Absicherungskonzept für die Betriebsfestigkeit von HV-Speicherbatterien
Authors: Dörnhöfer Andreas , Bathe Matthias , Heuler Paul , Kraus Markus
Published: July 2014

Kurzfassung

Zur Betriebsfestigkeitsabsicherung modular aufgebauter Hochvolt-Speicherbatterien kommt bei der Audi AG ein Multilevel-Ansatz zur Anwendung. Ausgehend von Auslegungsforderungen werden die betriebsfestigkeitsrelevanten Belastungen und die daraus resultierenden, mechanischen Beanspruchungen für Batteriesysteme bestimmt. Aus einem Vergleich der Eignung verschiedener Prüfstände folgt die beschriebene Vorgehensweise als Kombination fahrzeugnaher und -ferner Prüfverfahren. Die Rauschprofilableitung aus Fahrzeugmessungen sowie Herausforderungen und Grenzen des Prüfverfahrens werden am Beispiel einer einaxialen Shaker-Prüfung aufgezeigt. Neben der experimentellen Prüfung ist für ein Absicherungskonzept auch eine virtuelle Begleitung durch FEM-Struktursimulationen unerlässlich.
Probabilistic Analysis of Freeway Deceleration Speed-Change Lanes
Authors: Abdelnaby Ahmed , Hassan Yasser
Published: July 2014

The design of a freeway speed-change lane (SCL) depends mainly on the manner of deceleration, initial speed, and the speed to be approached at the SCL. The design SCL length should provide drivers with sufficient distance to diverge at a reasonable speed and to decelerate comfortably. In the design guides, recommended SCL lengths are based on a deterministic approach in which a single value is assumed for each design parameter. An alternative approach is presented: a probabilistic methodology is used to analyze SCL length. This reliability-based analysis allows for the calculation of the probability of noncompliance for any specific SCL length, which corresponds to the percentage of drivers who may not be able to decelerate comfortably. Models are developed with different analysis methodologies and are applied to estimate the probability of noncompliance at seven SCL sites on the basis of speed and deceleration field data collected at these sites.
Targeting MET Amplification as a New Oncogenic Driver
Authors: Kawakami Hisato , Okamoto Isamu , Okamoto Wataru , Tanizaki Junko , Nakagawa Kazuhiko , Nishio Kazuto
Published: July 2014

Certain genetically defined cancers are dependent on a single overactive oncogene for their proliferation and survival, a phenomenon known as “oncogene addiction”. A new generation of drugs that selectively target such “driver oncogenes” manifests a clinical efficacy greater than that of conventional chemotherapy in appropriate genetically defined patients. MET is a proto-oncogene that encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, and aberrant activation of MET signaling occurs in a subset of advanced cancers as result of various genetic alterations including gene amplification, polysomy, and gene mutation. Our preclinical studies have shown that inhibition of MET signaling either with the small-molecule MET inhibitor crizotinib or by RNA interference targeted to MET mRNA resulted in marked antitumor effects in cancer cell lines with MET amplification both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, patients with non-small cell lung cancer or gastric cancer positive for MET amplification have shown a pronounced clinical response to crizotinib. Accumulating preclinical and clinical evidence thus suggests that MET amplification is an “oncogenic driver” and therefore a valid target for treatment. However, the prevalence of MET amplification has not been fully determined, possibly in part because of the difficulty in evaluating gene amplification. In this review, we provide a rationale for targeting this genetic alteration in cancer therapy.
Electrical Performance and Carbon Deposition Differences between the Bi-Layer Interconnector and Conventional Straight Interconnector Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
Authors: Yan Min , Fu Pei , Chen Qiuyang , Wang Qiuwang , Zeng Min , Pandit Jaideep
Published: July 2014

Carbon deposition considered in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) model may be influenced by the operating voltage, inlet water/methane ratio, working temperature and pressure, inlet molar fraction of fuel and so on. The effects of these parameters in a planar SOFC implementing a novel bi-layer interconnector are not well understood. This paper is focused on the numerical study of carbon deposition and electrical performance of a bi-layer interconnector planar SOFC. The results illustrate that the electrical performance of the bi-layer interconnector SOFC is 11% higher than that of the conventional straight interconnector SOFC with initial state. After 120 days of operation, the electrical performance of the bi-layer interconnector SOFC has a slight decrease and more carbon deposit because of the increased electrochemical reaction rate. However, these differences minimize if higher operating voltages are involved.
SDP Policy Iteration-Based Energy Management Strategy Using Traffic Information for Commuter Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Authors: Jiao Xiaohong , Shen Tielong
Published: July 2014

This paper demonstrates an energy management method using traffic information for commuter hybrid electric vehicles. A control strategy based on stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) is developed, which minimizes on average the equivalent fuel consumption, while satisfying the battery charge-sustaining constraints and the overall vehicle power demand for drivability. First, according to the sample information of the traffic speed profiles, the regular route is divided into several segments and the statistic characteristics in the different segments are constructed from gathered data on the averaged vehicle speeds. And then, the energy management problem is formulated as a stochastic nonlinear and constrained optimal control problem and a modified policy iteration algorithm is utilized to generate a time-invariant state-dependent power split strategy. Finally, simulation results over some driving cycles are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed energy management strategy.
From Genotype to Functional Phenotype: Unraveling the Metabolomic Features of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Bathe Oliver , Farshidfar Farshad
Published: July 2014

Much effort in recent years has been expended in defining the genomic and epigenetic alterations that characterize colorectal adenocarcinoma and its subtypes. However, little is known about the functional ramifications related to various subtypes. Metabolomics, the study of small molecule intermediates in disease, provides a snapshot of the functional phenotype of colorectal cancer. Data, thus far, have characterized some of the metabolic perturbations that accompany colorectal cancer. However, further studies will be required to identify biologically meaningful metabolic subsets, including those corresponding to specific genetic aberrations. Moreover, further studies are necessary to distinguish changes due to tumor and the host response to tumor.
Functional Gene-Set Analysis Does Not Support a Major Role for Synaptic Function in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Authors: Hammerschlag Anke , Polderman Tinca , De Leeuw Christiaan , Tiemeier Henning , White Tonya , Smit August , Verhage Matthijs , Posthuma Danielle
Published: July 2014

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite high heritability estimates, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have failed to find significant genetic associations, likely due to the polygenic character of ADHD. Nevertheless, genetic studies suggested the involvement of several processes important for synaptic function. Therefore, we applied a functional gene-set analysis to formally test whether synaptic functions are associated with ADHD. Gene-set analysis tests the joint effect of multiple genetic variants in groups of functionally related genes. This method provides increased statistical power compared to conventional GWAS. We used data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium including 896 ADHD cases and 2455 controls, and 2064 parent-affected offspring trios, providing sufficient statistical power to detect gene sets representing a genotype relative risk of at least 1.17. Although all synaptic genes together showed a significant association with ADHD, this association was not stronger than that of randomly generated gene sets matched for same number of genes. Further analyses showed no association of specific synaptic function categories with ADHD after correction for multiple testing. Given current sample size and gene sets based on current knowledge of genes related to synaptic function, our results do not support a major role for common genetic variants in synaptic genes in the etiology of ADHD.