bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on World Trade
Authors: Čerović Slobodan Č , Pepić Marina , Petrović Pero , Čerović Stanislav Č 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
Modern economic and financial crisis has caused a significant reduction in trade flows, for the first time since the Second World War, so it is often referred to as the trade crisis. Despite many benefits and disadvantages of liberalization as key features of modern age, the current crisis has led to a reassessment of these positions affecting the introduction of protectionist measures and the strengthening of regional ties and alliances. The question that arises is how the future trade flows will look like and whether regional integration will prevail over multilateral and liberalized trading system. The financial crisis quickly became the economic crisis that hit all sectors. The first visible effects of the crisis were reflected in a sharp fall in trade flows, and conditioned drop in demand, which led to a fall in production and employment. The first reactions of numerous countries were protectionist measures in order to protect national interests. This again aroused debate between proponents of liberalism and protectionism, where the effects and the origins of the crisis favored the latter. Economic decision makers, faced with the pressing economic problems, tried to mitigate them (at least in the short-term) turning more to regional partners, and less to the world market.
Risk Factor Management: a Mechanism of Supporting Supply Chain Resilience
Authors: Anđelković Aleksandra , Barac Nada , Milovanović Goran 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
Supply chain assumes a unique business process without inter-company boundaries. Each supply chain partner is important for achievement of customer requirements. On the one hand, supply chain is an inexhaustible source of competitive advantage, created by the companies, which constitute it. However, on the other hand, due to its complexness, supply chain is an easy target of numerous factors, which jeopardize its competitiveness. Some of those factors are: turbulence, deliberate threats, external pressures, resource limits, sensitivity, and supplier/customer disruptions. Successful dealing with those factors assumes establishment of mechanisms for increasing supply chain resilience. Many researches indicate that some factors have greater influence on supply chain disruption and discontinuance. If those factors can be isolated, it will be easier to manage them or to avoid their influence. Therefore, the objective of the research presented in this paper is identification of the most frequent causes of supply chain disturbances, as a first step for developing supply chain resilience. According to the research results, the authors suggest what should be a primary focus of supply chain management, dealing with issues of resilience. Also, the authors indicate which characteristics (capability factors) supply chains have to have in order to be considered resistant.
Concentration of the Audit Market: Evidence from Serbia
Authors: Mijić Kristina , Jakšić Dejan , Vuković Bojana 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
This paper presents a research on market concentration of audit services in the Republic of Serbia during the 2008-2011 period. Market concentration was measured by Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) and concentration ratio CR4, based on four independent variables: operating revenue, net earnings, number of employees and number of audit clients. The research of market concentration based on operating revenue as the most referential variable indicated that the market for audit services in the Republic of Serbia has a moderate concentration and that it has the characteristics of an oligopoly of four largest audit firms known as “Big Four”. However, research of market concentration, when other variables are taken in consideration, does not reveal dominance of “Big Four” in terms of net earnings, number of employees and number of clients. The differences in conclusions when different variables are concerned can be explained by relatively high audit fees of “Big Four” and a lack of correlation between operating revenue and net earnings.
On the Study of Cognitive Bidirectional Relaying with Asymmetric Traffic Demands
Authors: Ji Xiaodong 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn this paper, we consider a cognitive radio network scenario, where two primary users want to exchange information with each other and meanwhile, one secondary node wishes to send messages to a cognitive base station. To meet the target quality of service (QoS) of the primary users and raise the communication opportunity of the secondary nodes, a cognitive bidirectional relaying (BDR) scheme is examined. First, system outage probabilities of conventional direct transmission and BDR schemes are presented. Next, a new system parameter called operating region is defined and calculated, which indicates in which position a secondary node can be a cognitive relay to assist the primary users. Then, a cognitive BDR scheme is proposed, giving a transmission protocol along with a time-slot splitting algorithm between the primary and secondary transmissions. Information-theoretic metric of ergodic capacity is studied for the cognitive BDR scheme to evaluate its performance. Simulation results show that with the proposed scheme, the target QoS of the primary users can be guaranteed, while increasing the communication opportunity for the secondary nodes.
Photonic Generation of Dual-Band Power-Efficient Millimeter-Wave UWB Signals
Authors: Xiang Peng , Guo Hao , Chen Dalei , Zhou Hua 
Published: March 2015

AbstractUltra-wideband (UWB) technology has attracted great interest because it can provide a promising solution of future radar and short-range broadband wireless communications. The generation of millimeter-wave UWB signals using photonic approaches can reduce the high cost of the millimeter-wave electrical circuits. Moreover, it is well compatible with fiber transmission, which can effectively extend its signal coverage. In this paper, a novel approach to the photonic generation of millimeter-wave UWB signals with dual-band operation consideration is proposed. The proposed scheme can simultaneously generate millimeter-wave UWB signals in both 24 GHz and 60 GHz millimeter band, and can efficiently exploit the spectrum limit allowed by the FCC mask by using the linear combination pulse design concept. A model describing the proposed system is developed and the generation of 24/60 GHz millimeter-wave UWB signals is demonstrated via computer simulations.
Effect of hydroxide and sulfite ion concentration in alkaline sulfite anthraquinone (ASA) pulping – a comparative study
Authors: Paananen Markus , Rovio Stella , Liitiä Tiina , Sixta Herbert 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
Pulp and black liquor produced by alkaline sulfite anthraquinone (ASA) process were comprehensively characterized to evaluate the effects of ion concentration on the delignification and polysaccharide preservation. Scots pine wood meal was pulped at 160°C with a sulfite-to-hydroxide ion ratio of 0.75 and liquor-to-wood ratio of 200:1. Two concentration levels were studied in presence and absence of anthraquinone (AQ). Contrary to the expectations, already the lower concentration level (L-ASA) revealed rapid delignification in presence of AQ, while only moderate acceleration was obtained at the high concentration level (H-ASA). However, H-ASA liquor resulted in a slightly higher pulp yield of 1–2% (based on wood) but only in case of pulps with kappa numbers (KN) above 60. With progressing delignification, the yield advantage was gradually lost. The higher pulp yield at H-ASA conditions was mainly due to improved galactoglucomannan retention, which was around 2% on KN60 pulp and around 0.5% after prolonged delignification. The xylan content, on the other hand, was found to be 1% (based on wood) lower under H-ASA conditions compared to L-ASA conditions, which may be attributed to an increased solubility of short-chain polysaccharides at high alkali concentration.
Atheromic and lymphoplasmacytic effects ofMangifera indicamethanolic leaf extract on the heart of chinchilla rabbits
Authors: Ngokere Anthony Ajuluchukwu , Ezeofor Peace Chinelo , Okoye Jude Ogechukwu , Chukwuanukwu Rebecca Chinyelu 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackground:The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of methanol extract ofMangifera indicaon serum concentration of creatine kinase, total white blood cell (WBC) count and lymphocyte counts and the micro-anatomical architecture of the heart in chinchilla rabbits in order to find its safe and toxic levels. A total of 24 Chinchilla rabbits aged 10–14 weeks, divided into four experimental groups were orally administered the doses of none, 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg body weight of the methanol extract ofM. indica, respectively, for 28 days.Methods:The modified International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) method was used to estimate the serum concentration of creatine kinase (CK (-MB)) while the haematology auto-analyser was used to estimate the total WBC count and lymphocyte count. The estimated values were subjected to analysis of variance using the SPSS software application (version 16) and expressed as mean±standard deviation. Tissue sections were stained by phosphotungstic acid haematoxylin and haematoxylin and eosin staining techniques.Results:The result showed significant increases in serum concentrations of CK (-MB) (12.05±3.11–21.55±9.93 U/L) and total WBC count (5.33±0.66–6.51±0.38 103/μL) when the control group was compared with the treated groups (p<0.05). A significant dose-dependent decrease in the weight of the heart (0.053±0.00–0.041±0.003 kg) was also observed (p<0.05). An insignificant increase was observed in the lymphocyte count (4.47±0.94–5.18±0.76 103/μL) in the blood when compared with the control group (p>0.05). Significant differences were also observed in the body weight of the treated groups (p<0.05). The histopathological findings include atheroma, attenuated vasculature, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, necrotic and fibrotic vascular walls.Conclusions:Thus,M.indicais indicated to have some health benefits at 500 mg/kg and shows toxicity on the micro-architecture of the heart at a concentration of ≥1000 mg/kg.
Effect ofWithania somnifera(Ashwagandha) root extract on amelioration of oxidative stress and autoantibodies production in collagen-induced arthritic rats
Authors: Khan Mahmood Ahmad , Subramaneyaan Mythily , Arora Vinod Kumar , Banerjee Basu Dev , Ahmed Rafat Sultana 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackground: Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder.Withania somniferaDunal (Solanaceae) (WS), is a common medicinal plant used in traditional systems of medicine for the treatment of arthritis, and is an ingredient of anti-arthritic polyherbal formulations such asHabb-e-Asgand®and Arthritin™. In the present study, we evaluated the antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity of aqueous extract of WS root (WSAq) in collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) rats.Methods: CIA rats were treated by using three doses of WSAq (100, 200, 300 mg/kg b. wt., orally) and methotrexate (MTX, 0.25 mg/kg b. wt. i.p.) as a standard reference drug for 20 days. The anti-arthritic effect was assayed by measuring the arthritic index, autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (a-CCP), anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-collagen type II antibody (a-CII) and inflammatory marker like C-reactive protein (CRP). The oxidative stress parameters were also measured.Results: Treatment with WSAq resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in arthritic index, autoantibodies and CRP (p<0.05) with maximum effect at dose of 300 mg/kg b. wt. and the results were comparable to that of MTX-treated rats. Similarly, oxidative stress in CIA rats was ameliorated by treatment with different doses of WSAq, as evidenced by a decrease in lipid peroxidation and glutathione-S-transferase activity and an increase in the glutathione content and ferric-reducing ability of plasma (p<0.05).Conclusions: The results showed that WSAq exhibited antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity and reduced inflammation in CIA rats and suggests the potential use of this plant in the treatment of arthritis.
Particle Markov Chain Monte Carlo Techniques of Unobserved Component Time Series Models Using Ox
Authors: Nonejad Nima 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThis paper details particle Markov chain Monte Carlo (PMCMC) techniques for analysis of unobserved component time series models using several economic data sets. The objective of this paper is to explain the basics of the methodology and provide computational applications that justify applying PMCMC in practice. For instance, we use PMCMC to estimate a stochastic volatility model with a leverage effect, Student-t distributed errors or serial dependence. We also model time series characteristics of monthly US inflation rate by considering a heteroskedastic ARFIMA model where heteroskedasticity is specified by means of a Gaussian stochastic volatility process.
Il processo Areopagitico di Oreste: Le Eumenidi di Eschilo e la tradizione Attica
Authors: Carrara Laura 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
The importance of determining the exact origin of the trial of Orestes before the Areopagus at the end of Aeschylus's Eumenides has not been fully acknowledged by modern scholars. Through a close scrutiny of the surviving evidences concerning the genealogical book of Pherecydes, the aition of the Choes-festival and the roll of the Twelve Gods in the sphere of mythic history, this article suggests that there is no reason to accept the widespread belief that Aeschylus was (only) the heir of some pre-existent attic tradition. The trial of Orestes before the Athenian court turns out to be Aeschylus' own innovation, used by the poet to convey his new vision of justice.
The 'Vehicle of Soul' and the Debate over the Origin of this Concept
Authors: Bos Abraham P. 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
The modern debate over the hellenistic doctrine of the fine-material soul-vehicle, including contributions by R. C. Kissling (1922), E. R. Dodds (1933), and J. Halfwassen (1995), has seen an increasingly earlier date of origin being attributed to this doctrine. But the author who introduced the theory remains an unknown quantity. In this article I will argue that the author of this doctrine can be no other than Aristotle.
Space-Time Curvature Of General Relativity And Energy Density Of A Three-Dimensional Quantum Vacuu
Authors: Fiscaletti Davide , Sorli Amrit 
Published: March 2015

AbstractA three-dimensional quantum vacuum condensate is introduced as a fundamental medium from which gravity emerges in a geometro-hydrodynamic limit. In this approach, the curvature of space-time characteristic of general relativity is obtained as a mathematical value of a more fundamental actual variable energy density of quantum vacuum which has a concrete physical meaning. The fluctuations of the quantum vacuum energy density suggest an interesting solution for the dark energy problem.
A Cycle Of Enzymatic Reactions With Some Properties Of Neuronal Circuits
Authors: Sielewiesiuk Jan 
Published: March 2015

AbstractA cycle of four methylation and four demethylation reactions with repression or allosteric inhibition of enzymes is considered. The corresponding dynamical system is characterised by two parameters: the sum of reagent concentrations (C) and the ratio of rate constants of forward and backward reactions (k). In a symmetrical case (k=1) the system has a unique equilibrium. At C>4 the equilibrium is unstable and the system has oscillatory solutions. At k essentially different from 1, the system becomes excitable or behaves as a bistable trigger.
Isotope Geochronology: Models Versus Reality
Authors: Burchart Jan 
Published: March 2015

AbstractMajority of the papers on isotopic dating of minerals and rocks have been devoted to some new geochronological data important for geology or to developments of apparatus and improvements of laboratory techniques and procedures. However, there are some basic problems concerning credibility of the data published (including the “error brackets”), and their geological meaning, which rarely are touched on. The issues to be raised may be grouped into two categories: (1) distortion in the course of preparatory operations and final measurements, and (2) some doubts concerning geological interpretation of the data and the models used. First of all it should be realized that what we really analyse in a spectrometer is not an existing rock or mineral but a powder produced by many steps of consecutive procedures, each of them capable of irreversibly distorting the original composition.
Agency Problems and the Choice of Auditors: Evidence from the MENA Region
Authors: Farooq Omar , Tabine Sonia 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWhat determines the choice of auditors in the MENA region? This paper uses the data from Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain and shows that the extent of agency problems in a firm dictates what sort of auditors are chosen by a firm. Our results show that high dividend payout ratios are negatively related to the appointment of one of the big-four auditors. High payout ratios are synonymous to low agency problems and thus firms feel lesser need for having one of the big-four auditors. We also show that high ownership concentration – a proxy for high agency problem – is positively related to firm’s decision of having one of the big-four auditors. High ownership concentration exacerbates agency problems between insiders and outsiders and thus induces firms to appoint one of the big-four auditors to mitigate agency problems. We also document that increased operational complexity and transactional complexity leads to hiring of one of the big-four auditors by a firm. We argue that complexity hinders investor’s ability to understand firm’s information and thus introduces agency problems. Being aware of agency problems, firms hire one of the big-four auditors to alleviate some of these problems.
Parametrix construction for certain Lévy-type processes
Authors: Knopova Victoria , Kulik Alexei 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
In this paper, we show that a non-local operator of certain type extends to the generator of a strong Markov process, admitting the transition probability density. For this transition probability density we construct the intrinsic upper and lower bounds, and prove some smoothness properties.
Some examples are provided.
Genetic Architecture and Functional Characterization of Genes Underlying the Rapid Diversification of Male External Genitalia Between Drosophila simulans and Drosophila mauritiana
Authors: Tanaka Kentaro M , Hopfen Corinna , Herbert Matthew R , Schlötterer Christian , Stern David L , Masly John P , McGregor Alistair P , Nunes Maria D S 
Published: March 2015

Abstract
Male sexual characters are often among the first traits to diverge between closely related species and identifying the genetic basis of such changes can contribute to our understanding of their evolutionary history. However, little is known about the genetic architecture or the specific genes underlying the evolution of male genitalia. The morphology of the claspers, posterior lobes, and anal plates exhibit striking differences between Drosophila mauritiana and D. simulans. Using QTL and introgression-based high-resolution mapping, we identified several small regions on chromosome arms 3L and 3R that contribute to differences in these traits. However, we found that the loci underlying the evolution of clasper differences between these two species are independent from those that contribute to posterior lobe and anal plate divergence. Furthermore, while most of the loci affect each trait in the same direction and act additively, we also found evidence for epistasis between loci for clasper bristle number. In addition, we conducted an RNAi screen in D. melanogaster to investigate if positional and expression candidate genes located on chromosome 3L, are also involved in genital development. We found that six of these genes, including components of Wnt signaling and male-specific lethal 3 (msl3), regulate the development of genital traits consistent with the effects of the introgressed regions where they are located and that thus represent promising candidate genes for the evolution these traits.
Dominance Genetic Variance for Traits Under Directional Selection inDrosophila serrata
Authors: Sztepanacz Jacqueline L , Blows Mark W 
Published: March 2015

AbstractIn contrast to our growing understanding of patterns of additive genetic variance in single- and multi-trait combinations, the relative contribution of nonadditive genetic variance, particularly dominance variance, to multivariate phenotypes is largely unknown. While mechanisms for the evolution of dominance genetic variance have been, and to some degree remain, subject to debate, the pervasiveness of dominance is widely recognized and may play a key role in several evolutionary processes. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that the contribution of dominance variance to phenotypic variance may increase with the correlation between a trait and fitness; however, direct tests of this hypothesis are few. Using a multigenerational breeding design in an unmanipulated population of Drosophila serrata, we estimated additive and dominance genetic covariance matrices for multivariate wing-shape phenotypes, together with a comprehensive measure of fitness, to determine whether there is an association between directional selection and dominance variance. Fitness, a trait unequivocally under directional selection, had no detectable additive genetic variance, but significant dominance genetic variance contributing 32% of the phenotypic variance. For single and multivariate morphological traits, however, no relationship was observed between trait–fitness correlations and dominance variance. A similar proportion of additive and dominance variance was found to contribute to phenotypic variance for single traits, and double the amount of additive compared to dominance variance was found for the multivariate trait combination under directional selection. These data suggest that for many fitness components a positive association between directional selection and dominance genetic variance may not be expected.
Impedance spectroscopy of silicone rubber and vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes composites under tensile strain
Authors: Gonzatto Neto Alfredo , Antunes Erica F. , Antonelli E. , Trava-Airoldi V. J. , Corat Evaldo J. 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTComposites of silicone rubber and vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes were produced by capillary infiltration of PDMS. The electrical properties of silicone membranes and carbon nanotubes were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. Gauge factor was evaluated by different ways from Nyquist plots, and reached values up 8.
SnS Nanocrystals Sensitized ZnO Nanowire Arrays for Extremely Thin Absorber Vertical Junction Solar Cells
Authors: Alam Firoz , Misra Ambuj , Pandya Dinesh K. , Dutta Viresh 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTSurfactant-free SnS nanoparticles were synthesized using continuous spray pyrolysis (CoSP) technique and used as sensitizers on electro-deposited ZnO nanowire arrays for fabrication of extremely thin absorbing (ETA) layers. The high-surface-area nanowire layer on ITO substrate was directly over-coated by SnS nanoparticles. The morphology of the ZnO/SnS nanostructures showed the coverage of orthorhombic SnS nanocrystals on hexagonal ZnO prismatic nanowires. The crystalline phase of the ZnO/SnS nanostructures was studied using X-ray diffraction. Conducting AFM showed a nonlinear characteristics confirming the junction formation.