cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Alpha-tocopherol inhibits pore formation in the oxidized bilayers
Creators: name: Boonnoy, Phansiri
name: Karttunen, Mikko
name: Wong-ekkabut, Jirasak
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Biological Physics (physics.bio-ph)
subject: Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft)
subject: Chemical Physics (physics.chem-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In biological membranes, alpha-tocopherols (α-toc; vitamin E) protect polyunsaturated lipids from free radicals. Although the interactions of α-toc with non-oxidized lipid bilayers have been studied, their on oxidized bilayers remain unknown. In this study, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of oxidized lipid bilayers were performed with varying concentrations of α-toc. Bilayers with 1-palmitoyl-2-lauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PLPC) lipids and its aldehyde derivatives at 1:1 ratio were studied. Our simulations show that oxidized lipids self-assemble into aggregates with a water pore rapidly developing across the lipid bilayer. The free energy of transporting an α-toc molecule in a lipid bilayer suggests that α-tocs can passively adsorb into the bilayer. When α-toc molecules were present at low concentrations in bilayers containing oxidized lipids, the formation of water pores was slowed down. At high α-toc concentra-tions, no pores were observed. Based on the simulations, we propose that the mechanism of how α-toc inhibits pore formation in bilayers with oxidized lipids is the follow-ing: α-tocs trap the polar groups of the oxidized lipids at the membrane-water interface resulting in a decreased probability for the oxidized lipids to reach contact with the two leaflets and initiate pore formation. This demon-strates that α-toc molecules not only protect the bilayer from oxidation but also help to stabilize the bilayer after lipid peroxidation occurs. These results will help in de-signing more efficient molecules to protect membranes from oxidative stress.
Lu Xun’s Fiction in English Translation: the early years
Creators: name: Baorong Wang
Publisher: name: IATIS and the Centre for Translation and Textual Studies (CTTS) at Dublin City University
Year: 2012
Subjects: descriptive translation studies
explanatory
Lu Xun’s fiction
Lu Xun’s English reception
polysystems
rewriting

description: New Voices in Translation Studies, 8, 1, -
Customer Relationship Management and Its Relationship to Marketing Performance of the Selected Banks in Addis Ababa
Creators: name: Mekonnin, Robson
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2012

description: In this study attempt has been made to investigate customer relationship management and its relationship to marketing performance of the selected banks in Addis Ababa. The relationship of customer relationship management dimensions that relate to the necessity of focusing on key customers, organizational efficiency, customer knowledge management and technology based customer relationship management were assessed using primary data through distributing close ended questionnaire in the form of likert five scale and dichotomies questionnaires to 100 customer officers and 22 managers working in the selected banks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The spearman correlation and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the research question derived from the literature on Customer relationship management and marketing performance. The findings indicate that there are positive relationship between customer relationship management and marketing performance. The findings also suggest some measures which can be taken into consideration in order to enhance customer relationship management and marketing performance of the banks in Addis Ababa. The study contributes to Customer relationship management and marketing performance literature by indicating a mediating role of customer relationship management for marketing performance of the banks in Addis Ababa. Moreover, it also contributes to close the gap of empirical research in the field, which exists particularly due to the diverse attitude of customers in developing countries, like Ethiopia, to bring changes in building customer relationship in the selected banks. Keywords: Customer Relationship Management, Marketing Performance, Relationship Marketing, Customer Orientation.
Feedback Quality of Thai Emergency Workplace-based Assessments After implementing mobile application
Creators: name: Narajeenron, Khuansiri
Publisher: name: University of Illinois at Chicago
Year: 2023

description: Purpose Feedback is essential to learning. However, there are barriers to giving and receiving high-quality feedback in the clinical workplace. This national study explores changes to feedback quality and its associated factors in workplace-based assessments, following the implementation of innovative mobile applications. Method This is a multi-center, prospective cohort study (n = 492 participants: 135 faculty and 357 residents). Data were collected during July 2019 - March 2020. A mobile application was developed that included notification, guide for feedback for faculty, guide for self-reflection for residents, and Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) dashboard features. Feedback quality was measured across five domains: 1. Timeliness; 2. Respect and communication; 3. Specific; 4. Action Plan; and 5. Feedback culture at baseline, 3,6, and 9 months after implementing those features in order step by step. Domain-level scores were calculated as the percentage of maximum achievable score (POMS). Linear mixed models were used to estimate longitudinal changes in feedback quality. Results Quality of faculty feedback improved significantly in all five dimensions (timeliness, communication, specificity, action plan, culture) over 6 to 9 months. The overall adjusted mean changes at 9-month period increased to 2.88 units from baseline (95% CI: 0.83 - 4.93; standardized β = .20), P-value = 0.006. Factors associated with improved quality included frequency of mobile-application use, review of dashboard prior to feedback, and prior feedback strategy at the institutional level. Conclusions Implementing technology-enhanced mobile application nationwide, which includes real-time notification, guide for feedback quality, and dashboard features can improve faculty feedback quality in the workplace within nine months. Using an application every week, reviewing learner dashboard, and developing institutional strategies can further improve feedback quality using workplace-based assessments.
Harmonized landform regions in the glaciated Central Lowlands, USA
Creators: name: McDanel, Joshua J.
name: Meghani, Nooreen A.
name: Miller, Bradley A.
name: Moore, Peter L.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Evolutionary Biology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: 80699 Information Systems not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: Computational Biology

description: Many distinct glacial episodes in the past ~1 million years in the Central Lowlands of North America left behind a patchwork of glaciated landscapes of different ages and formed through different glacial, paraglacial, and proglacial processes. Herein, we synthesize and reconcile diverse data sources across nine states in the Central Lowlands to create a generalized landform regions map, incorporating information from surficial geology, age-constrained glacial boundaries, soil properties and parent material, and topography. The resulting map presents regions of till plains, moraines, outwash plains, and glacial lakes with ages ranging from 10.2 cal ka BP to greater than 500 cal ka BP. This new map improves on regional perspectives of the glaciated Central Lowlands by modifying and reconciling boundaries to agree with a variety of spatial data sources with finer detail. This refined map enables a more accurate spatial analysis of the landform regions by reducing noise from imprecise boundaries.
The Effects of Intellectual Capital on Innovations in the Ethiopian Commercial Banks: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Management
Creators: name: Embiale, Mulugeta
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: The study has been conducted with the aim of investigating the direct and indirect effects of intellectual capital on product, process, and organizational innovations. This study adopts a deduction approach and a quantitative method as the research methodology. Accordingly, a questionnaire was distributed to 274 managers of which 229 were collected with a response rate of 84%. The study employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using principal component analysis while confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling. The measurement fulfills construct validity (both convergent and discriminant validity) and reliability. Empirical findings of the study showed that human, social and customer capital have a positive and direct effect on knowledge management. Knowledge management has a positive and direct effect on product, process and organizational innovations. Social capital has a positive and direct effect on organizational innovation but doesn't have effect on product and process innovations. Customer capital has direct effect on product and process innovations but not on organizational innovation. Counter to a prior expectations, human capital has a negative and direct effect on product innovation. Moreover, the finding indicated knowledge management mediates the relationship between intellectual capital components and product, process, and organizational innovations. Key words: human capital, social capital, customer capital, knowledge management, product innovation, process innovation, organizational innovation.
Kelvin probe characterization of buried graphitic microchannels in single-crystal diamond
Creators: name: Bernardi, E.
name: Battiato, A.
name: Olivero, P.
name: Picollo, F.
name: Vittone, E.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this work, we present an investigation by Kelvin Probe Microscopy (KPM) of buried graphitic microchannels fabricated in single-crystal diamond by direct MeV ion microbeam writing. Metal deposition of variable-thickness masks was adopted to implant channels with emerging endpoints and high temperature annealing was performed in order to induce the graphitization of the highly-damaged buried region. When an electrical current was flowing through the biased buried channel, the structure was clearly evidenced by KPM maps of the electrical potential of the surface region overlying the channel at increasing distances from the grounded electrode. The KPM profiling shows regions of opposite contrast located at different distances from the endpoints of the channel. This effect is attributed to the different electrical conduction properties of the surface and of the buried graphitic layer. The model adopted to interpret these KPM maps and profiles proved to be suitable for the electronic characterization of buried conductive channels, providing a non-invasive method to measure the local resistivity with a micrometer resolution. The results demonstrate the potential of the technique as a powerful diagnostic tool to monitor the functionality of all-carbon graphite/diamond devices to be fabricated by MeV ion beam lithography.
description: 21 pages, 5 figures
Cross-layer design for downlink multi-hop cloud radio access networks with network coding
Creators: name: Liu, Liang
name: Yu, Wei
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Information Theory (cs.IT)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: There are two fundamentally different fronthaul techniques in the downlink communication of cloud radio access network (C-RAN): the data-sharing strategy and the compression-based strategy. Under the former strategy, each user's message is multicast from the central processor (CP) to all the serving remote radio heads (RRHs) over the fronthaul network, which then cooperatively serve the users through joint beamforming; while under the latter strategy, the user messages are first beamformed then quantized at the CP, and the compressed signal is unicast to the corresponding RRH, which then decompresses its received signal for wireless transmission. Previous works show that in general the compression-based strategy outperforms the data-sharing strategy. This paper, on the other hand, point s out that in a C-RAN model where the RRHs are connected to the CP via multi-hop routers, data-sharing can be superior to compression if the network coding technique is adopted for multicasting user messages to the cooperating RRHs, and the RRH's beamforming vectors, the user-RRH association, and the network coding design over the fronthaul network are jointly optimized based on the techniques of sparse optimization an d successive convex approximation. This is in comparison to the compression-based strategy, where information is unicast over the fronthaul network by simple routing, and the RRH's compression noise covariance and beamforming vectors, as well as the routing strategy over the fronthaul network are jointly optimized based on the successive convex approximation technique. The observed gain in overall network throughput is due to that information multicast is more efficient than information unicast over the multi-hop fronthaul of a C-RAN.
description: submitted for possible publication
Determinants of Default in Project Finance (The Case of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia)
Creators: name: Gashaw, Fikirte
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: This study intends to assess determinants of default in project finance in the case of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. In the study both qualitative and quantitative approach were adopted. Using structured questionnaires a survey was conducted on Banks' credit performers who directly involve in project financing process from beginning to end. In order to obtain more insight on the cases, the study used document review on the Bank record and conducts an in-depth interview on senior credit officials in CBE. The findings of the study indicates; poor due diligence assessment made by the bank to know the customer, weak credit negotiation, weak credit assessment on the feasibility of the project, in adequate skill of the credit performers, under-finance, poor monitoring and follow-up, shortage of foreign currency supply, unwillingness of the borrower to disclose truthful information, unplanned and ambitious business expansion, lack of commitment by the project promoter, lack of understanding the project by the project promoter, management capacity problem, poor working capital management, willful default, data or information constraint to appraise project loan, inflation, foreign currency fluctuation, and poor credit culture in the industry, as a significant cause of default.
Modelling the cross-spectral variability of the black hole binary MAXI J1659-152 with propagating accretion rate fluctuations
Creators: name: Rapisarda, S.
name: Ingram, A.
name: Kalamkar, M.
name: van der Klis, M.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The power spectrum of the X-ray fluctuations of accreting black holes often consists of two broad humps. We quantitatively investigate the hypothesis that the lower frequency hump orig- inates from variability in a truncated thin accretion disc, propagating into a large scale-height inner hot flow which, in turn, itself is the origin of the higher frequency hump. We extend the propagating mass accretion rate fluctuations model PROPFLUC to accommodate double hump power spectra in this way. Furthermore, we extend the model to predict the cross-spectrum between two energy bands in addition to their power spectra, allowing us to constrain the model using the observed time lags, which in the model result from both propagation of fluc- tuations from the disc to the hot flow, and inside the hot flow. We jointly fit soft and hard power spectrum, and the cross-spectrum between the two bands using this model for 5 Swift X-ray Telescope observations of MAXI J1659-152. The new double hump model provides a better fit to the data than the old single hump model for most of our observations. The data show only a small phase lag associated with the low frequency hump. We demonstrate quan- titatively that this is consistent with the model. We compare the truncation radius measured from our fits with that measured purely by spectral fitting and find agreement within a factor of two. This analysis encompasses the first joint fits of stellar-mass black hole cross-spectra and power spectra with a single self-consistent physical model.
description: 18 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS
Fractional order statistic approximation for nonparametric conditional quantile inference
Creators: name: Goldman, Matt
name: Kaplan, David M.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Statistics Theory (math.ST)
subject: Econometrics (econ.EM)
subject: Applications (stat.AP)
subject: Methodology (stat.ME)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Economics and business
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Using and extending fractional order statistic theory, we characterize the $O(n^{-1})$ coverage probability error of the previously proposed confidence intervals for population quantiles using $L$-statistics as endpoints in Hutson (1999). We derive an analytic expression for the $n^{-1}$ term, which may be used to calibrate the nominal coverage level to get $O\bigl(n^{-3/2}[\log(n)]^3\bigr)$ coverage error. Asymptotic power is shown to be optimal. Using kernel smoothing, we propose a related method for nonparametric inference on conditional quantiles. This new method compares favorably with asymptotic normality and bootstrap methods in theory and in simulations. Code is available from the second author's website for both unconditional and conditional methods, simulations, and empirical examples.
description: Authors' accepted manuscript (Journal of Econometrics); DOI TBD
A primordial origin for molecular oxygen in comets: A chemical kinetics study of the formation and survival of O$_2$ ice from clouds to disks
Creators: name: Taquet, Vianney
name: Furuya, Kenji
name: Walsh, Catherine
name: van Dishoeck, Ewine F.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Molecular oxygen has been confirmed as the fourth most abundant molecule in cometary material O$_2$/H$_2$O $\sim 4$ %) and is thought to have a primordial nature, i.e., coming from the interstellar cloud from which our solar system was formed. However, interstellar O$_2$ gas is notoriously difficult to detect and has only been observed in one potential precursor of a solar-like system. Here, the chemical and physical origin of O$_2$ in comets is investigated using sophisticated astrochemical models. Three origins are considered: i) in dark clouds, ii) during forming protostellar disks, and iii) during luminosity outbursts in disks. The dark cloud models show that reproduction of the observed abundance of O$_2$ and related species in comet 67P/C-G requires a low H/O ratio facilitated by a high total density ($\geq 10^5$ cm$^{-3}$), and a moderate cosmic ray ionisation rate ($\leq 10^{-16}$ s$^{-1}$) while a temperature of 20 K, slightly higher than the typical temperatures found in dark clouds, also enhances the production of O$_2$. Disk models show that O$_2$ can only be formed in the gas phase in intermediate disk layers, and cannot explain the strong correlation between O$_2$ and H$_2$O in comet 67P/C-G together with the weak correlation between other volatiles and H$_2$O. However, primordial O$_2$ ice can survive transport into the comet-forming regions of disks. Taken together, these models favour a dark cloud (or "primordial") origin for O$_2$ in comets, albeit for dark clouds which are warmer and denser than those usually considered as solar system progenitors.
description: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 20 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables
Continuous Welded Rail Track Buckling Safety Evaluation
Creators: name: Gezu, Mengistu
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: Continuous welded rails (CWR) are rails that are welded together to become long continuous members. With the introduction of CWR several problems caused by traditional tracks have been solved, but the stability of the track is highly affected by change of temperatures and vehicle load. Since expansion of the rails is hardly possible in CWR-track, a temperature increase and vehcle load will result in high compressive stresses and track buckling may occur. Therefore the Volpe Center, Foster-Miller, Inc. (FMI), research over the past 20 year develops versatile computer analysis software called CWR-SAFE for solving track buckling. The program incorporates both the deterministic and probabilistic analysis modules of CWR-BUCKLE, CWR-INDY, and CWR-RISK into one Windows based buckling safety evaluation package. This paper presents results of the application of CWR-BUCKLE software model for evaluation of CWR track buckling safety. Buckling can be explosive or progressive. Explosive buckling is characterized by equilibrium jumps between the two critical temperatures (identified as Tbmax and Tbmin) on the buckling response curve. In progressive buckling no distinct critical temperatures maximum and minimum exist, this usually occurs for weak track conditions. The deterministic approach will decide whether the CWR track with given parameters will buckle out or not. If it does not buckle, the "safety assurance" in terms of a buckling margin of safety can also be evaluated. A sensitivity study has been performed showing the significance of the different parameters in buckling safety of the CWR track with respect to the detail effect of each parameter. Notably, the model accounts for all the important parameters influencing track buckling researched up to date by railway companies. Buckling safety graph is prepared by choosing lateral resistance as a primary variable in the determination of the safe allowable temperature increase with the other (secondary) parameters set at their average or nominal values. As a conclusion of the investigations, several parameters have a significant impact on the buckling temperatures, Tbmax and Tbmin. The most important parameters are the temperature values and the lateral track resistance. When maximum rail temperature rise and Peak Lateral Resistance reduced, buckling will occur. It is important to note that the results presented represent trends and sensitivity influences for a set of fixed parameters. For a specific track type or condition, actual representative parameters should be used for buckling safety evaluation.
Theoretical modelling of the AGN iron-line vs continuum time-lags in the lamp-post geometry
Creators: name: Epitropakis, A.
name: Papadakis, I. E.
name: Dovčiak, M.
name: Pecháček, T.
name: Emmanoulopoulos, D.
name: Karas, V.
name: McHardy, I. M.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Context: Theoretical modelling of time-lags between variations in the Fe K$α$ emission and the X-ray continuum might shed light on the physics and geometry of the X-ray emitting region in active galaxies (AGN) and X-ray binaries. We here present the results from a systematic analysis of time-lags between variations in two energy bands ($5-7$ vs $2-4\,\mathrm{keV}$) for seven X-ray bright and variable AGN. Aims: We estimate time-lags as accurately as possible and fit them with theoretical models in the context of the lamp-post geometry. We also constrain the geometry of the X-ray emitting region in AGN. Methods: We used all available archival \textit{XMM-Newton} data for the sources in our sample and extracted light curves in the $5-7$ and $2-4\,\mathrm{keV}$ energy bands. We used these light curves and applied a thoroughly tested (through extensive numerical simulations) recipe to estimate time-lags that have minimal bias, approximately follow a Gaussian distribution, and have known errors. Using traditional $χ^2$ minimisation techniques, we then fitted the observed time-lags with two different models: a phenomenological model where the time-lags have a power-law dependence on frequency, and a physical model, using the reverberation time-lags expected in the lamp-post geometry. The latter were computed assuming a point-like primary X-ray source above a black hole surrounded by a neutral and prograde accretion disc with solar iron abundance. We took all relativistic effects into account for various X-ray source heights, inclination angles, and black hole spin values.
description: Accepted for publication in A&A
Syntheses and Reactions of Divinylhydroxylamine Intermediates And Copper-Catalyzed Vinylation of Oximes
Creators: name: Zhang, Guanqun
Publisher: name: University of Illinois at Chicago
Year: 2023

description: Heterocyclic compounds are essential components of bioactive molecules and versatile building blocks in natural product synthesis. Specifically, the functionalized 5-membered nitrogen-containing heterocycles are ubiquitous in naturally occurring as well synthetic drug molecules. In the Anderson group, the modular syntheses of densely functionalized pyrrolines and pyrrolidines are leveraged by the weak N–O bond in hydroxylamine derivatives. These complex molecules are envisioned through rearrangement of transient intermediate N,O- divinylhydroxylamine, which is accessed by two different modular approaches: (1) by O- vinylation of N-vinylnitrones enabled by [3+2] cycloaddition reaction and (2) by N-vinylation of the 4-isoxazolines, an O-vinylhydroxylamine species, via nucleophilic addition. The pyrrolines prepared from the strain-promoted as well as the thermal [3+2]–[3,3’] cascade reactions not only open new chemical spaces by offering functional group compatibilities that are complimentary to literature methods, but also demonstrate potent abilities in derivatization, which is beneficial for drug discovery chemistry. The addition-rearrangement cascade reactions that produce 2- aminopyrrolines and 2-alkylidenepyrrolidines offer new and facile retrosynthetic disconnects, improving existing linear approaches. Meanwhile, the cycloaddition-rearrangement cascade reaction is one of the manifestations of the profound synthetic utility of electron-deficient N- vinylnitrones that are prepared by a copper-catalyzed amination of oximes in the Anderson group. To improve the reaction, the mechanism of the copper catalysis was investigated. The mechanistic investigation found intriguing characteristics that enable the unique N-vinylation reaction. Based on these characteristics, two alternative vinylation conditions were established.
Evaluación Experimental de Algunos Parámetros que Influyen en el Proceso de Secado de Granos por Contacto en un Medio Particulado Caliente
Creators: name: Gamero, Rafael
Publisher: name: Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (UNI)
Year: 1993

description: En el presente trabajo se evalúa experimentalmente la influencia que ejercen algunos parámetros en el proceso de secado de un material granular inmerso en un medio de partículas calientes utilizando un secador del tipo batch. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica que aborda los modelos matemáticos de los coeficientes de transferencia de calor y examina los elementos que contribuyen en cada uno de los modelos y están relacionados con los parámetros estudiados. También se hizo una revisión bibliográfica acerca de la cinética de secado con la finalidad de construir las curvas de velocidad de secado y para concluir con una expresión de balance de materiales que es la herramienta fundamental en una técnica no tradicional de obtención de la variación del contenido de humedad del material granular. Previo a la experimentación definitiva se realizaron una serie de pruebas con la finalidad de modificar el equipo de acuerdo al funcionamiento requerido para la evaluación. Se escogieron como modelos físicos para el medio inerte, arena y esferas de vidrio de 2 tamaños, evaluándose así, tanto la forma como el tamaño de las partículas; el grano utilizado como material a secar es sorgo, por tener mejor forma y tamaño entre los granos básicos más importantes. Los parámetros que se han evaluado son: La velocidad de agitación, la relación de mezcla inerte-grano y el tipo de material inerte. Con los experimentos seleccionados para el análisis se construyeron las curvas de velocidad de secado y se compararon cualitativamente los resultados. Los resultados obtenidos indican que en todos los casos hay una mayor velocidad de secado con las esferas de vidrio frente a la arena y con las esferas pequeñas frente a las grandes; con alta velocidad de agitación utilizando esferas de vidrio, pero con agitación moderada utilizando arena; con mayor proporción de material inerte utilizando esferas de vidrio, pero con menor proporción utilizando arena. A tales resultados se ha dado una justificación de acuerdo a la teoría de los modelos de transferencia de calor. A la luz de los resultados se recomienda realizar pruebas con otros tipos de granos, controlar los contenidos de humedad iniciales, escoger el tipo de arena, continuar con la técnica utilizada para registrar la variación del contenido de humedad y realizar pruebas con condiciones más aproximadas a la escala piloto. La técnica empleada para la obtención de la variación del contenido de humedad se comparó con la técnica tradicional utilizada en experiencias encontradas en la revisión bibliográfica.
Determination of heavy metals in corn (Zea Mays L.) using silver nanoparticles/graphene/nafion modified glassy carbon electrode
Creators: name: Palisoc, S.
name: Gallardo, A.J.
name: Laurito, C.B.
name: Natividad, M.
Publisher: name: Agronomy Research
Year: 2020
Subjects: anodic stripping voltammetry
heavy metals
silver nanoparticles
graphene
Nafion
article

description: Silver nanoparticles (AgNP)/graphene/Nafion modified glassy carbon electrodes were fabricated for the determination of trace amounts of cadmium (Cd2+) and lead (Pb2+) via anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The electrode modifiers and the ASV parameters were optimized. The fabricated electrode was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. A linear relationship between anodic peak current and heavy metal concentration was obtained in the range of 25 parts per billion (ppb) to 250 ppb. The limit of detection of the modified electrode is 25 ppb for both Cd2+ and Pb2+, while the limits of quantitation are 155.7 ppb for Cd2+ and 159.5 ppb for Pb2+. Real sample analysis using corn plant and soil samples was performed to show the utility of the fabricated electrode in sensing applications. Trace amounts of Cd2+ and Pb2+ were found in the said samples.
A free volume and molecular mobility study of miscible polycarbonate/polyester blends
Creators: name: Zipper., Marcus Darren
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2021

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
CSAR 62 as negative-tone resist for high-contrast e-beam lithography at temperatures between 4 K and room temperature
Creators: name: Kaganskiy, Arsenty
name: Heuser, Tobias
name: Schmidt, Ronny
name: Rodt, Sven
name: Reitzenstein, Stephan
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The temperature dependence of the electron-beam sensitive resist CSAR 62 is investigated in its negative-tone regime. The writing temperatures span a wide range from 4 K to room temperature with the focus on the liquid helium temperature regime. The importance of low temperature studies is motivated by the application of CSAR 62 for deterministic nanophotonic device processing by means of in-situ electron-beam lithography. At low temperature, CSAR 62 exhibits a high contrast of 10.5 and a resolution of 49 nm. The etch stability is almost temperature independent and it is found that CSAR 62 does not suffer from peeling which limits the low temperature application of the standard electron-beam resist PMMA. As such, CSAR 62 is a very promising negative-tone resist for in-situ electron-beam lithography of high quality nanostructures at low temperature.
Fatigue Life Optimization of Simple Turnout in Ballasted Track
Creators: name: Wondwosen, Kenea
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2016

description: Turnouts are very important components in railway infrastructure for facilitating changes in direction and shift in track that trains are moving. Therefore, various discontinuities are introduced at turnouts which affect the dynamic interactions and increase the damage severity on the turnout and on the trains using the turnout. The annual investment of funds to construct and maintain a viable track system is enormous. Then optimum use of these funds is a challenge which demands the best technology available. Therefore, research on fatigue life optimization of simple turnout in ballasted tracks, which are the very critical elements in railway infrastructure, worth researching a lot. In this research, multiple cases of virtual experiments, based on design of experiment approach have been done to come up with an optimal parameter combination which gives maximum fatigue life or minimum cumulative damage. Numerical mechanical dynamic simulation in an MBS environment SIMPACK on a computer run and then a finite element simulation finally done on ABAQUS based on the optimum parameter combination obtained in the MBS simulations to determine fatigue life. And lastly results have been compared between the MBS and FE dynamic simulation then interpretations made after that. The results show that an optimum fatigue life will be obtained if the rail-pad vertical stiffness is 300MPa and effective sub-structure stiffness is 110MPa. And the optimum fatigue life is calculated to be 1.1years as per the MBS result and 1.2years from the FE result. Possible reasons for the discrepancy in life prediction have been forwarded with ways in maximizing the accuracy and precision.
Single-photon emitters based on NIR colour centres in diamond coupled with solid immersion lenses
Creators: name: Monticone, D. Gatto
name: Forneris, J.
name: Levi, M.
name: Battiato, A.
name: Picollo, F.
name: Olivero, P.
name: Traina, P.
name: Moreva, E.
name: Enrico, E.
name: Brida, G.
name: Degiovanni, I. P.
name: Genovese, M.
name: Amato, G.
name: Boarino, L.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Single-photon sources represent a key enabling technology in quantum optics, and single colour centres in diamond are a promising platform to serve this purpose, due to their high quantum efficiency and photostability at room temperature. The widely studied nitrogen vacancy centres are characterized by several limitations, thus other defects have recently been considered, with a specific focus of centres emitting in the Near Infra-Red. In the present work, we report on the coupling of native near-infrared-emitting centres in high-quality single crystal diamond with Solid Immersion Lens structures fabricated by Focused Ion Beam lithography. The reported improvements in terms of light collection efficiency make the proposed system an ideal platform for the development of single-photon emitters with appealing photophysical and spectral properties.
description: 17 pages, 5 figures
Improving Gaussian process classification : spectral analysis and applications
Creators: name: Zhou., Hang
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2021

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
Implementation of QMS ISO 9001/2000 Case Study of Selected Ethiopian Leather Exporting & Processing Organizations
Creators: name: Atnafe, Benyam
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2009

description: The LLPI Leather and Leather Products Industry of Ethiopia generates the second major export income of the country with between 10 and 20 % of total foreign earnings. International market is sensitive to regulations and standards like, environment, safety and quality; where ISO: 9001 certification for quality management system is currently a popular requirement for the industry. It is claimed that installing quality management system not only boosts market competitiveness but enhance efficiency, productivity and profitability. This study addresses the importance, challenges, assistance and gap analysis in implementation of ISO 9001:2000 in selected organizations in the LLPI. The industry is stratified under tannery, foot wear, and leather products. 25 organizations were selected that represent 73% of the tanneries, 38% of the footwear manufacturers and 29% of the leather product manufacturers of the country. Cluster samples of Addis Ababa, D/Zeit, Nazreth and Modjo were used due to concentration on these areas. The study is descriptive and explanatory in nature where both primary and secondary data are in use. Despite the grueling requirements of the international market only two organizations has been certified. The advantages to be gained due to ISO certification includes new market entry, better price, and maintenance of customers that lead to profitability and growth of the organization. Also, productivity could be boosted with increased efficiency and effectiveness in internal management processes. The challenges faced include the cost of certification, time and effort needed to develop required documentation and infrastructure to satisfy the requirements. The lack of commitment by owners of the organizations is also a major set back observed. Even there are various support organizations working around the leather industry only few focused on the certification of ISO 9001:2000. In the gap analysis unsatisfied requirements by most of the organizations include; lack of proper QMS documentation, procedure and records, poor product realization tools, missing infrastructure, poor quality objective setting, and lack of continuous improvement tools. Hence, a lot remains by support organizations in creating awareness and devising means to eliminate the challenges faced in the certification processes. With the accreditation of the Quality and Standard Authority of Ethiopia QSAE for ISO 9001 certification; major part of the industry could be certified with reasonable cost and effort, by restructuring their existing documents, management system and infrastructure if the commitment of the owners of the organizations is gained.
Hyperglycemia Promotes Mitophagy and Thereby Mitigates Hyperglycemia-Induced Damage
Creators: name: Serikbaeva, Anara
Publisher: name: University of Illinois at Chicago
Year: 2023

description: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). The majority of patients with DM eventually develop some degree of DR. The observation that DR typically takes decades to develop suggests the existence of an endogenous system that protects from diabetes-induced damage. We posit that failure of this system is a prerequisite for DR, and its persistence underlies the extended delay (>50 years) of DR in medalists, which is unrelated to glycemic control. To investigate if such a system exists in primary human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs), we cultured them in either normal (5 mM, NG), or high (30 mM, HG) glucose. We observed that prolonged exposure to HG was beneficial instead of detrimental. While TNFα -induced expression of VCAM1 and ICAM1 was unaffected after 1 day of HG, it waned as the exposure to HG was extended. Similarly, oxidative stress-induced death decreased as exposure to HG was prolonged. Furthermore, mitochondrial functionality, which was compromised by 1 day of HG, was improved by 10 days of HG, and this change required increased clearance of damaged mitochondria (mitophagy). Finally, antagonizing mitochondrial dynamics compromised the cells’ ability to endure HG: susceptibility to cell death increased, basal barrier function and responsiveness to VEGF deteriorated. These observations indicate the existence of an endogenous system that protects HRECs from the deleterious effects of HG. Hyperglycemia-induced mitochondrial adaptation (HIMA) is a plausible contributor to the mechanism responsible for the delayed onset of DR; loss of HIMA may set the stage for the development of DR. Recent studies with Medalists, patients with DM who are resistant to complications for 50 years or more, investigated endogenous protective systems. Resistance to diabetic nephropathy (DN) in these patients was associated with increased glycolysis. Like the retina, the functionality of the kidney is jeopardized by the development of diabetes, and DN develops only after many years of diabetes. We found that a metabolic switch was associated with the acquisition of HIMA. HG elevated glycolysis, and metabolite analysis revealed elevated amounts of PPP metabolites - G6P/F6P/G1P and D-ribose-1/5-phosphate/D-ribulose 5-phosphate. Reducing both glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in HG cells (to the NG level) with 2-DG initially eliminated a key feature of HIMA - enhanced mitochondrial redox capacity. Further treatment resulted in increased mitochondrial oxidative stress and basal cell death in response to HG. However, the effect of 2-DG on mitophagy was inconclusive. These observations indicate that elevated glycolysis and PPP are partially required for HIMA and, therefore, potentially protect the retinal vasculature from the development of DR.
Applications of Jarzynski's relation in lattice gauge theories
Creators: name: Nada, Alessandro
name: Caselle, Michele
name: Costagliola, Gianluca
name: Panero, Marco
name: Toniato, Arianna
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Lattice (hep-lat)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Jarzynski's equality is a well-known result in statistical mechanics, relating free-energy differences between equilibrium ensembles with fluctuations in the work performed during non-equilibrium transformations from one ensemble to the other. In this work, an extension of this relation to lattice gauge theory will be presented, along with numerical results for the $\mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge model in three dimensions and for the equation of state in $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions. Then, further applications will be discussed, in particular for the Schrödinger functional and for the study of QCD in strong magnetic fields.
description: 7 pages, 2 figures, presented at the 34th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2016), 24-30 July 2016, Southampton, UK
TASI lectures on quantum matter (with a view toward holographic duality)
Creators: name: McGreevy, John
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: These are notes from my lectures at TASI 2015. The goal is to provide context for the study of strongly-correlated quantum many-body systems using quantum field theory, and possibly string theory.
description: 88 pages, many pictures
Assessment of The Determinant Factors for The Selection of Ballasted Track Versus Slab Track (a case of Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit)
Creators: name: Getachew, Kidane
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2016

description: The track is a fundamental part of the railway infrastructure and it is a structure consisting of parallel lines of rails with their sleepers, fittings and fastenings, ballast, etc, to provide a road for the movement of locomotives. The two types of track systems are ballasted track and slab track. Ballasted track consists of track superstructure of rails and sleepers supported on a layer of granular material (stones) and slab track consists of a continuous slab of concrete where rails are supported on the upper surface of the slab. Different scholars had studied the advantages and disadvantages of these track types in relation with different factors. The purpose of this study is to assess and evaluate those determinant factors to select the better affordable track type for the construction of railway line for future expansion of AA-LRT project. The study mainly focuses on the ground/at-grade section of the track. The data for the study were taken from document analysis that has seen under literature review and some supportive data from observation and a few from working documents from AA-LRT project. The data were then analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. During this study the construction cost, maintenance cost, ease of adjustment and maintainability in relation with construction and maintenance time with the need of accuracy and precision, track environmental impact in relation with noise and dust emission, weather conditions together with flood and dust problem, and lateral resistance were accessed from document analysis and site observation. The results revealed that slab track is more costly than the construction cost of ballasted track and less maintainability although it has better stability and durability. In addition to this from the transportation demand of the city population and addressing its facility, the study recommended that ballasted track is more affordable than slab track at ground/atgrade section. Furthermore this study also recommended that undertaking different researches regarding these two track types in relation with the county context for both the LRT case and the national railway as well is important.
Design of Simple to Assemble Steel Truss Bridge for Pedestrian Crossing in Addis Ababa LRT
Creators: name: Melaku, Desalegn
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: Road traffic accident is becoming the major problem globally. Our country is also facing the problem currently with increasing trend of the magnitude of the problem from time to time. Addis Ababa, the capital of the nation is the major area where traffic accident is occurring in the country. One of the main reasons for road traffic accident is thought to be due to the absence of separate way for pedestrian crossing and imbalance between the number of pedestrians, vehicle number and size of the road. Considering the new railway line of Addis Ababa if it continuous this way the traffic accident will increase. To minimize this and facilitate the movement of rail vehicle its vital to provide a separate way for the pedestrians from the railway track. And this thesis facilitate and smoothies the flow of rail vehicles by designing pedestrian crossing truss bridge in the roads congested with pedestrians, vehicles and railway track by the methods of Finite Element analysis, modeling and simulating software's such as CATIA, SOLIDWORK and ANSYS. This Design permits rail vehicles to have smooth and safe way by avoiding pedestrian's interference since it allows them a separate crossing way.