bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving Janitorial Contract Performance with Facility Management Performance Scorecards
Authors: Gajjar Dhaval , Smithwick Jake , Sullivan Kenneth 
Published: October 2018

ABSTRACT
Facility Manager (FM) role requires expertise in various aspects of facility maintenance. Due to the diverse job functions as an FM, outsourcing and hiring external vendors is a common practice in the industry to gain additional expertise. Since a facility manager oversees the external vendor's contract and the performance of the external vendor directly affects the quality of a facility, the FM's performance is ultimately related to the performance of the outsourcing company. Hence, it is critical to measure performance and the quality of the services provided by the outsourcing company. One of the FM's at a corporation (XYZ Corporation) was faced with a challenge of low performance and poor quality on their outsourced janitorial contract. The literature review revealed that there has been very little research done with regard to outsourcing of the janitorial contract. In order to address the challenge of XYZ Corporation a performance measurement model was implemented using performance Scorecards at XYZ Corporation for janitorial contracts. The Scorecard was developed based on the previous experience of the FM group, the researchers and the specific areas targeted by XYZ Corporation that were part of janitorial vendors responsibility. This paper presents the impact of the performance measurement model on the quality and performance of the janitorial vendor and its expansion to other outsourcing contractors based on the lessons learned from the janitorial contracts. The study revealed that the implementation of a performance measurement model resulted in an overall improvement of the performance of janitorial vendor and the contractors.
THE DETECTION OF THE TIME OF CONVERSION FROM VEGETATIVE TO REPRODUCTIVE GROWTH IN Swainsona formosa (FABACEAE)
Authors: Zulkarnain Zulkarnain 
Published: October 2018

The induction of chromosome doubling using antimitotic chemical will only be effective when the substance is applied at vegetative growth phase, as it works only during mitotic division within cells of actively growing tissues. Therefore, this investigation was carried out to determine the precise conversion time from vegetative into reproductive growth stage, that in turn can be used as a reliable reference for the application of antimitotic chemicals in doubling the chromosome number in Swainsona formosa. The conversion from vegetative to reproductive growth in Swainsona formosa was successfully determined with particular emphasis on the effect of different photoperiods. Although photoperiod affected the time required for first flower initiation, the number of nodes before the plant entering the reproductive stage was not affected by photoperiod and presumed to be set genetically. It was found that under artificial photoperiods of 16, 12 and 8 hours the 12th and 11th nodes were the critical nodes for the main and side stems, respectively. Meanwhile the 10th and 8th nodes were found to be critical for main and side stems of plants grown under natural photoperiods ranging from 12 to 16 hours during their life cycle. Histological examination indicated that when the plants were grown under 12 – 16 hours photoperiods the first floral bud formation was initiated within 56 – 60 days after germination, thus this period was considered as the critical time for the conversion from vegetative to reproductive growth in S. formosa.

Keywords: Sturt’s desert pea, legume, ornamental plant, plant breeding.
RESPONS PERTUMBUHAN BIBIT KARET (Hevea brasiliensis Muell.Arg) SATU PAYUNG KLON PB 260 TERHADAP PEMBERIAN DECANTER SOLID PADA MEDIA TANAH BEKAS TAMBANG BATU BARA DI POLYBAG
Authors: Harahap Akhir Sabri , Sarman Sarman , Rinaldi Rinaldi 
Published: October 2018

The management of the umbrella rubber plant of a clone PB 260 in the former mine is considered to be one of the main alternative solutions to overcome the unproductive lands with the provision of a solid decanter. This research was conducted at Teaching and Research Farm Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jambi from June to September 2017 with the aim to know the best decanter dose of rubber seed growth on the former land of coal mine in polybag. This research used a Completely Randomized Design (RAL) with 6 levels of treatment (a0) Without the solid decanter, (a1) 400 g/polybag, (a2) 500 g/polybag, (a3) 600 g/polybag, (a4) 700 g/polybag, (a5) 800 g/polybag. Each treatment consisted of 4 replications, and each replication consisted of 4 plants and 2 plants used as samples.Based on the result of this research, it can be concluded that the provision of solid decanter to the growth of rubber seedlings (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg) one umbrella with soil media used for coal mining area gives better growth to diameter, number of leaf, dry weight of crown, and root dry weight than seed rubber without a solid decanter and generally a solid decanter treatment with a dose of 500 g / polybag showed improved rubber seed growth better than other treatments.

Keyword: rubber seedlings the first umbrella,coal mine, solid decanter.
Engenharia Didática de Formação (EDF): sobre o ensino dos Números (Generalizados) de Catalan (NGC)<br>Didactical Engineering: about the teaching of generalized Catalan numbers
Authors: Alves Francisco Regis Vieira 
Published: October 2018

Registramos uma considerável atenção dedicada por parte dos autores de livros de História da Matemática (HM) concernentemente aos clássicos fundamentos do Cálculo Diferencial e Integral. Por outro lado, se mostra imprescindível ao entendimento do professor de Matemática uma compreensão sobre um irrefreável processo matemático e epistemológico evolutivo dos objetos matemáticos, desde seu estádio de nascedouro até o momento atual. Assim, o presente trabalho relata uma Engenharia Didática de Formação (EDF) desenvolvida com a participação de cinco professores em formação inicial, no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia – IFCE, no ano de 2017. O tema abordado envolveu a noção de Números Generalizados de Catalan (NGC) que representa uma contribuição de vários matemáticos e a pesquisa atual sobre inúmeros problemas derivados confirmam seu processo de generalização ininterrupto. O estudo envolveu cinco tarefas e duas situações estruturadas de ensino, com o aporte da Teoria das Situações Didáticas (TSD). Os dados coligidos evidenciam várias propriedades e, sobretudo, teoremas e definições matemáticas descobertas e formuladas pelos sujeitos participantes da investigação o que concorreu para o incremento de suas habilidades profissionais e um conhecimento histórico, epistêmico e pragmático sobre a noção. We have recorded considerable attention on the part of the authors of Mathematical History (MH) books concerning the classical fundamentals of Differential and Integral Calculus. On the other hand, it is essential to the understanding of the Mathematics teacher an understanding about an unstoppable mathematical and evolutionary epistemological process of the mathematical objects, from its nascent stage to the present moment. Thus, the present work reports a Training Didactic Engineering (EDF) developed with the participation of five teachers in initial formation, in the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology - IFCE, in the year 2017. The topic covered involved the notion of Numbers Generalized Catalan (NGC) that represents a contribution of several mathematicians and the current research on numerous derived problems confirm its process of uninterrupted generalization. The study involved five tasks and two structured teaching situations, with the contribution of the Theory of Educational Situations (TSD). The collected data show several properties and, above all, the theorems and mathematical definitions discovered and formulated by the subjects participating in the research, which contributed to the increase of their professional skills and a historical, epistemic and pragmatic knowledge about the notion.
Glucose Deprivation Enhances the Antiproliferative Effects of Oral Hypoglycemic Biguanides in Different Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer: an in Vitro Study
Authors: Bardaweel Sanaa K. , Alsalamat Husam A. , Aleidi Shereen M. , Bashatwah Rasha M. 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Extensive in vitro studies have been conducted to evaluate the anticancer activity of oral hypoglycemic agents. Many of these studies experienced detrimental limitations, since they were conducted on cancer cells commonly grown in culture media consisting of extremely high concentrations of growth factors and glucose. The present study was aimed at exploring the antiproliferative effects of the commonly studied metformin and the less frequently reported phenformin oral hypoglycemic agents on different molecular subtypes of breast cancer under rich glucose and glucose deprived conditions. Our results indicate that under glucose deprived conditions, which better reflect the factual glucose-starved solid tumors in vivo, biguanides exert more antiproliferative activities against the three molecular subtypes of breast cancer cell lines examined in this study. In addition, the observed antiproliferative activities of biguanides appear to be mediated by apoptosis induction in breast cancer cells. This induction is significantly augmented under glucose deprived conditions.
The Transcription Factor Creb is Involved in Sorafenib-Inhibited Renal Cancer Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion
Authors: Huang Shuaishuai , Cui Pinger , Lin Shuangxia , Yao Xuping , Wang Xue , Ren Yu , Weng Guobin 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Our previous reports showed that the cyclic-AMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) served as a proto-oncogene in the process of tumorigenesis and mediated the growth and metastatic activity of renal cancer cells. Our study, therefore, explored the role of CREB in sorafenib- -inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Renal cancer cells were cultured in medium containing sorafenib for 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. The MTT assay was used to study the cytotoxic effects of sorafenib. Cell invasion and migration were assayed in wound healing and transwell experiments, respectively. Protein expression levels were evaluated by western blotting. The results show that sorafenib treatment decreased cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Sorafenib inhibited cell migration and invasion and decreased the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Moreover, addition of the recombinant plasmid pCI-neo/ CREB (PN) reversed the sorafenib-induced inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion. These results show that CREB is associated with the sorafenib-induced inhibition of proliferation, migration and invasion.
Morphological Characteristics and Expression of Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors in the Canine Endometrium During the Estrus Cycle, Cystic Endometrial Hyperplasia and Pyometra
Authors: Marinković Darko , Aničić Milan , Vakanjac Slobodanka , Nedić Svetlana , Magaš Vladimir 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
The estrus cycle of bitches is divided into four phases: proestrus, estrus, diestrus and anestrus, during which different morphological changes, and also cyclic changes of estrogen and progesterone receptors are present. Several pathological changes can be differentiated on the endometrium, but one of these is the most important - cystic endometrial hyperplasia, which frequently develops into pyometra. The aim of the present study was to describe morphological characteristics, and expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors on the endometrium of mixedbreed bitches during the different phases of the estrus cycle, cystic endometrial hyperplasia and pyometra. The uterus and ovaries of 36 mixed breed bitches in different phases of the estrus cycle and also with cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) and chronic purulent endometritis - pyometra were examined macroscopically, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically for estrogen receptors (ΕR) and progesterone receptors (PR). During proestrus uterine cells showed a weak reaction for both estrogen and progesterone receptors, but during estrus a large number of uterine cells showed a strong reaction on estrogen receptors and moderate reaction on progesterone receptors. On the contrary, during diestrus the scores for the estrogen receptors decreased, while the progesterone receptors level increased - uterine cells expressed strong reaction for progesterone receptors, and moderate reaction for estrogen receptors. Uterine cells in cystic endometrial hyperplasia expressed a strong reaction for estrogen receptors, and moderate reaction for progesterone receptors, but on the other hand the uterine cells in the uterus with pyometra expressed a moderate to strong reaction for progesterone receptors, and a weak reaction for estrogen receptors. In further investigations it would be interesting to perform quantitative analysis for both estrogen and progesterone receptors during different phases of the estrus cycle and also in the uterus with cystic endometrial hyperplasia and pyometra.
Quantitative Morphology as a Prognostic Factor in Feline Spontaneous Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Radostina Simeonov 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
In a study on cytological specimens from 30 cats with histologically confi rmed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the morphometric variables mean nuclear area (MNA, μm2), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP, μm), mean nuclear diameter (D mean, μm), minimum nuclear diameter (D min, μm) and maximum nuclear diameter (D max, μm) were studied and compared to metastases in regional lymph nodes. The mean values of these parameters were signifi cantly greater in cats with lymph node metastases compared to parameters of tumour cells from cats which were lymph node-negative. A signifi cant positive correlation was observed between all studied morphometric parameters and metastases in the regional lymph nodes. In conclusion, computer -assisted nuclear morphometry could be used as a prognostic method in the diagnosis of spontaneous feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.
In Vivo Investigation of Soft Tissue Response of Novel Silver/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/ Graphene and Silver/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Chitosan/Graphene Hydrogels Aimed for Medical Applications – The First Experience
Authors: Lužajić Božinovski Tijana , Marković Danica , Todorović Vera , Prokić Bolka Bogomir , Milošević Ivan , Drndarević Neda , Nešović Katarina , Kyong Yop Rhee , Mišković-Stanković Vesna 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
In this paper, we have shown for the fi rst time the soft tissue response of novel silver/ poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene (Ag/PVA/Gr) and silver/poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/ graphene (Ag/PVA/CHI/Gr) nanocomposite hydrogels aimed for medical applications. These novel hydrogels were produced by in situ electrochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles in the polymer matrices as described in our previously published works. Both Ag/PVA/Gr and Ag/PVA/CHI/Gr, as well as controls Ag/PVA, Ag/PVA/CHI and commercial Suprasorb©hydrogel discs, were implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Implants with the surrounding tissue were dissected after post-implantation on days 7, 15, 30 and 60, and then processed for histological examination. The tissue irritation index (TIrI) score, according to ISO 10993-6, 2007, as well as the number of leukocytes in the peri-implant zone and connective tissue capsule thickness were examined. The results show that each TIrI score, the leukocyte number around the implanted materials and capsule thickness gradually decreased during the observation period. At the endpoint of follow-up, the Ag/PVA/CHI/Gr implant was surrounded with a thinner capsule, while both the TIrI score and the number of leukocytes of the peri-implant zone were greater compared to the Ag/PVA/Gr implant. Despite the observed differences, we can conclude that our in vivo experiment suggested that both novel hydrogels were biocompatible and suitable for medical use.
Thermal Vision Examination of Vasoconstriction and Vasodilatation of Blood Vessels under the Influence of Local Anesthetic Solutions
Authors: Đukić Igor , Selaković Srećko , Bubalo Marija , Selaković Jovana , Tatić Zoran 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
A quality local anesthesia is one of the imperatives of performing dental interventions, and especially oral-surgical interventions, where the success of the oral-surgical intervention is seen through the success of local anesthesia. There is a high number of different local anesthetic solutions (LAS) on the market, holding different levels of vasoconstrictors which are attributed with causing numerous complications during the local anesthesia. The aim of this research is to point out the temperature changes caused by different LAS, depending on the strength and the concentration of LAS, using thermal vision camera. Testing was performed on 70 experimental Wistar rats, aged 4.5 months, with an average weight of 250 grams, male, and divided into seven groups of 10 animals each, depending on the applied anesthetic. After injecting the anesthetic solution into the haunch area, a stopwatch was turned on and control measurements were conducted for a period of two hours. All footage from the thermal camera was later transferred to a computer unit. Occurrence of multiple temperatures in the rats’ examined regions, compared to the control region, was noticed only when applying 2% pure lidocaine (without vasoconstrictors). The highest temperature drop, compared to the control region, was noticed with 2% mepivacaine with adrenaline (1 : 100 000), and 2% mepivacaine with noradrenaline (1 : 100 000), fi ve minutes after applying the local anesthetic. In conclusion: vasoconstricting effects are most expressed in the fi fth minute after applying LAS, and there are minimal differences between the effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline, in the examined combinations together with LAS.
Skull Bone Anatomy of the Young Common Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus Amphibius)
Authors: Zorić Zoran , Lozanče Olivera , Marinković Darko , Blagojević Miloš , Nešić Ivana , Demus Natalija , Đorđević Milena 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Hippopotamidae family is nowadays represented by two species within two different genera: pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) and common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). The common hippopotamus has a very unique anatomy, and the shape of the body, especially the head is adapted for a semi-aquatic life style. The morphological examination and description of the gross anatomical features of the hippopotamus skull is described in this paper. The shape of the skull is adapted for the amphibian way of life. Their eyes, ears and nostrils are placed high on the roof of the skull which allows these organs to remain above the surface of the water while the animal is being submerged underwater. The skull is massive, but the brain case (neurocranium) is extremely small compared with the splanchnocranium and complete head. The dental formula of the common hippopotamus is: incisors (I) 2/2, canines (C) 1/1, premolars (P) 3-4/3-4 and molars (M) 3/3. Incisors and canine teeth are formed in the shape of tusks and are used for threat or “demonstration of power” among animals when vigorously fi ghting. Incisor teeth grow continuously and are twice bigger in males than in females.
Lesch-Nyhan disease: A rare disorder with many unresolved aspects
Authors: Micheli V. , Bertelli M. , Jacomelli G. , Santucci A. , Bernardini G. 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Lesch-Nyhan Disease (LND) is a rare X-linked recessive metabolic and neurological syndrome due to the deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). Besides its well known “housekeeping” function this purine salvage enzyme has revealed an unexpected role in neurodevelopment, unveiled by the peculiar neurological symptoms flanking hyperuricemia in LND: dystonia, choreoathetosis, compulsive self-injurious behaviour. Several lines of research have tried to find the molecular basis for the neurological phenotype after the disease was first described in 1964. Dopaminergic deficit was then found to underlie the neurologic symptoms but the aetiology for such alteration seemed inexplicable. A number of detailed studies in the last 50 years addressed the genetic, metabolic, cognitive, behavioral and anatomical features of this disease. Initial investigations seeked for accumulation of toxic metabolites or depletion of essential molecules to disclose potential connections between purine recycling and neuronal dysfunction. In the last two decades sophisticated biotechnological methods were used for a deeper insight in the genetic and molecular aspects, unveiling a network of combined gene dysregulations in neuronal development and differentiation producing neurotransmission defects. These studies, conducted with several different approaches, allowed consistent steps forward, demonstrating transcriptional aberrations affecting different metabolic pathways in HPRT deficiency, yet leaving many questions still unsolved.
Analysis and settlement evaluation of an end-bearing granular pile with non-linear deformation modulus
Authors: Sharma Jitendra Kumar , Gupta Pooja 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Ground improvement with granular piles increases the load-carrying capacity, reduces the settlement of foundations built on the reinforced ground and is also a good alternative to concrete pile. Granular piles or stone columns are composed of granular material, such as crushed stone or coarse dense sand. An analytical approach based on the continuum approach is presented for the non-linear behaviour of the granular pile. The formulation for pile element displacement is done considering the non-homogeneity of the granular pile as it reflects the true behaviour and also accounts for the changes in the state of the granular pile due to installation, stiffening and improvement effects. The present study shows that the settlement influence factor for an end-bearing granular pile decreases with increase in the relative stiffness of the bearing stratum. The settlement influence factor decreases with increase in linear and non-linear non-homogeneity parameters for all values of relative length. For a shorter pile, the rate of decrease of the settlement influence factor is greater in comparison to that for a longer pile. Shear stress at the soil–granular pile interface reduces in the upper compressible portion of the granular pile and increases in the lower stiffer portion of the granular pile due to the non-homogeneity of an end-bearing granular pile.