Abstract: This study adopts a qualitative approach, which
engages in the dialectical discussion on two levels of dyad opposite
views. The first level of the dyad opposite views is the Western
strategic perspective and the Eastern Tai-Chi thinking. The second
level of the dyad opposite views is resource-based view and resource
dependence theory. This study concludes the resource-oriented actions
for competitive advantage as the metaphor of Tai-Chi consisted of yin
and yang. This study argues that the focal firm should adopt bridging
strategy during the core competence development period because its
core competence development is likely to meet its competitor’s needs
of exploring strategy during the competitor’s external resource
development stage. In addition, the focal firm should adopt buffering
strategy during the external resource development period to prevent its
competitor’s the exploiting strategy from attack during the
competitor’s core competence development stage. Consequently, this
study takes a significant first step toward a novel contextualize
understanding of resource development based on strategic perspective
and Tai-Chi thinking providing more fully sustainable strategy for
competitive advantage.
Abstract: This paper addresses integration issues in supply
chain, and tries to investigate how different aspects of integration are
linked with some product features. Integration in this study is
interpreted as "internal", "upstream" (supply), and "downstream"
(demand). Two features of product innovative and quality are
considered. To examine the relationships between supply chain
integrations – as mentioned above, and product features, this research
follows the survey method in automotive industry.The results imply
that supply chain upstream integration has a higher impact on product
quality, comparing to internal and supply chain downstream
integrations. It is also found that the influence of supply chain
downstream integration on product innovation is greater than other
variables. In brief, this study mainly tackles the importance of
specific level of supply chain integrations and its effects on two
product features.
Abstract: This study assessed the effects of climate change on
Thai soybeans under simulation situations. Our study is focused on
temperature variability and effects on growth, yield, and genetic
changes in 2 generations of Chiang Mai 60 cultivars. In the
experiment, soybeans were exposed to 3 levels of air temperature for
8 h day-1 in an open top chamber for 2 cropping periods. Air
temperature levels in each treatment were controlled at 30-33°C (±
2.3) for LT-treatment, 33-36°C ( ± 2.4) for AT-treatment, and 36-40
°C ( ± 3.2) for HT-treatment, respectively. Positive effects of high
temperature became obvious at the maturing stage when yield
significantly increased in both cropping periods. Results in growth
indicated that shoot length at the pre-maturing stage
(V3-R3) was more positively affected by high temperature than at the
maturing stage. However, the positive effect on growth under high
temperature was not found in the 2nd cropping period. Finally, genetic
changes were examined in phenotype characteristics by the AFLPs
technique. The results showed that the high temperature factor clearly
caused genetic change in the soybeans and showed more alteration in
the 2nd cropping period.
Abstract: Monoculture and mixed cultures of microalgae and
the oleaginous yeast for microbial oil productions were investigated
using sugarcane juice as carbon substrate. The monoculture of yeast
Torulaspora maleeae Y30, Torulaspora globosa YU5/2 grew faster
than that of microalgae Chlorella sp. KKU-S2. In monoculture of T.
maleeae Y30, a biomass of 8.267g/L with lipid yield of 0.920g/L
were obtained, while 8.333g/L of biomass with lipid yield of
1.141g/L were obtained for monoculture of T. globosa YU5/2. A
biomass of 1.933g/L with lipid yield of 0.052g/L was found for
monoculture of Chlorella sp. KKU-S2. The biomass concentration in
the mixed culture of the oleaginous yeast with microalgae increased
faster and was higher compared with that in the monocultures. A
biomass of 8.733g/L with lipid yield of 1.564g/L was obtained for a
mixed culture of T. maleeae Y30 with Chlorella sp. KKU-S2, while
8.010g/L of biomass with lipid yield of 2.424g/L was found for
mixed culture of T. globosa YU5/2 with Chlorella sp. KKU-S2.
Maximum cell yield coefficient (YX/S, g/L) was found of 0.323 in
monoculture of Chlorella sp. KKU-S2 but low level of both specific
yield of lipid (YP/X, g lipid/g cells) of 0.027 and volumetric lipid
production rate (QP, g/L/d) of 0.003 were observed. While, maximum
YP/X (0.303), QP (0.105) and maximum process product yield (YP/S,
0.061) were obtained in mixed culture of T. globosa YU5/2 with
Chlorella sp. KKU-S2. The results obtained from the study shows
that mixed culture of yeast with microalgae is a desirable cultivation
process for microbial oil production.
Abstract: Thousands of masters athletes participate
quadrennially in the World Masters Games (WMG), yet this cohort
of athletes remains proportionately under-investigated. Due to a
growing global obesity pandemic in context of benefits of physical
activity across the lifespan, the BMI trends for this unique population
was of particular interest. The nexus between health, physical
activity and aging is complex and has raised much interest in recent
times due to the realization that a multifaceted approach is necessary
in order to counteract the obesity pandemic. By investigating age
based trends within a population adhering to competitive sport at
older ages, further insight might be gleaned to assist in understanding
one of many factors influencing this relationship.BMI was derived
using data gathered on a total of 6,071 masters athletes (51.9% male,
48.1% female) aged 25 to 91 years ( =51.5, s =±9.7), competing at
the Sydney World Masters Games (2009). Using linear and loess
regression it was demonstrated that the usual tendency for prevalence
of higher BMI increasing with age was reversed in the sample. This
trend in reversal was repeated for both male and female only sub-sets
of the sample participants, indicating the possibility of improved
prevalence of BMI with increasing age for both the sample as a
whole and these individual sub-groups.This evidence of improved
classification in one index of health (reduced BMI) for masters
athletes (when compared to the general population) implies there are
either improved levels of this index of health with aging due to
adherence to sport or possibly the reduced BMI is advantageous and
contributes to this cohort adhering (or being attracted) to masters
sport at older ages.
Abstract: The paper shows the necessity to increase the security
level for paper management in the cadastral field by using specific
graphical watermarks. Using the graphical watermarking will
increase the security in the cadastral content management;
furthermore any altered document will be validated afterwards of its
originality by checking the graphic watermark. If, by any reasons the
document is changed for counterfeiting, it is invalidated and found
that is an illegal copy due to the graphic check of the watermarking,
check made at pixel level
Abstract: Life is beautiful. But, it is decided by genes, environment and the individual and shattered by the natural and / or the invited problems. Most of the global rural helpless masses are struggling for their survival since; they are neglected in all aspects of life including health. Amidst a countless number of miserable diseases in man, diabetes is becoming a dreaded killer and ramifying the entire globe in a jet speed. Diabetes control continues as a Herculean task to the scientific community and the modern society in the 21st century also. T2DM is not pertaining to any age and it can develop even during the childhood. This multifactorial disease abruptly changes the activities of certain vital biomarkers in the present rural T2DM cases. A remarkable variation in the levels of biomarkers like AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, LDH, HbA1C, C- peptide, fasting sugar, post-prandial sugar, sodium, potassium, BUN, creatinine and insulin show the rampant nature of T2DM in this physically active rural agrarian community.
Abstract: This paper presents data annotation models at five levels of granularity (database, relation, column, tuple, and cell) of relational data to address the problem of unsuitability of most relational databases to express annotations. These models do not require any structural and schematic changes to the underlying database. These models are also flexible, extensible, customizable, database-neutral, and platform-independent. This paper also presents an SQL-like query language, named Annotation Query Language (AnQL), to query annotation documents. AnQL is simple to understand and exploits the already-existent wide knowledge and skill set of SQL.
Abstract: Business and IT alignment has continued as a
top concern for business and IT executives for almost three
decades. Many researchers have conducted empirical studies on
the relationship between business-IT alignment and performance.
Yet, these approaches, lacking a social perspective, have had little
impact on sustaining performance and competitive advantage. In
addition to the limited alignment literature that explores
organisational learning that is represented in shared understanding,
communication, cognitive maps and experiences.
Hence, this paper proposes an integrated process that enables
social and intellectual dimensions through the concept of
organisational learning. In particular, the feedback and feedforward
process which provide a value creation across dynamic
multilevel of learning. This mechanism enables on-going
effectiveness through development of individuals, groups and
organisations, which improves the quality of business and IT
strategies and drives to performance.
Abstract: M. Kemal Ataturk was a great leader who was fond of art and he had displayed his being fond of art many times. In his speeches and writings you can see that he had showed his approval to art and the importance of artists and art for the society. During the foundation of republic, he also wanted renovation in art as in other fields and ordered many novelties both in art and society. One of the greatest steps in realizing this was to prepare a national Turkish opera. In this study, it was studied how a Turkish opera, Özsoy was prepared in the context of social and political conditions of that time and what kind of processes it passed. As a result, it is seen that there was two main aims for Ataturk with this opera. First, Ataturk wanted to abolish the sectarian conflict between Iran and Turkey going on for centuries. The second and maybe the most important is that he wanted to make a revolution in the field of art and aimed to reach the level of civilized countries.
Abstract: Multi-level voltage source inverters offer several
advantages such as; derivation of a refined output voltage with
reduced total harmonic distortion (THD), reduction of voltage ratings
of the power semiconductor switching devices and also the reduced
electro-magnetic-interference problems etc. In this paper, new
carrier-overlapped phase-disposition or sub-harmonic sinusoidal
pulse width modulation (CO-PD-SPWM) and also the carrieroverlapped
phase-disposition space vector modulation (CO-PDSVPWM)
schemes for a six-level diode-clamped inverter topology
are proposed. The principle of the proposed PWM schemes is similar
to the conventional PD-PWM with a little deviation from it in the
sense that the triangular carriers are all overlapped. The overlapping
of the triangular carriers on one hand results in an increased number
of switchings, on the other hand this facilitates an improved spectral
performance of the output voltage. It is demonstrated through
simulation studies that the six-level diode-clamped inverter with the
use of CO-PD-SPWM and CO-PD-SVPWM proposed in this paper is
capable of generating multiple levels in its output voltage. The
advantages of the proposed PWM schemes can be derived to benefit,
especially at lower modulation indices of the inverter and hence this
aspect of the proposed PWM schemes can be well exploited in high
power applications requiring low speeds of operation of the drive.
Abstract: This research aims at development of the Multiple
Intelligences Measurement of Elementary Students. The structural
accuracy test and normality establishment are based on the Multiple
Intelligences Theory of Gardner. This theory consists of eight aspects
namely linguistics, logic and mathematics, visual-spatial relations,
body and movement, music, human relations, self-realization/selfunderstanding
and nature. The sample used in this research consists
of elementary school students (aged between 5-11 years). The size of
the sample group was determined by Yamane Table. The group has
2,504 students. Multistage Sampling was used. Basic statistical
analysis and construct validity testing were done using confirmatory
factor analysis. The research can be summarized as follows; 1.
Multiple Intelligences Measurement consisting of 120 items is
content-accurate. Internal consistent reliability according to the
method of Kuder-Richardson of the whole Multiple Intelligences
Measurement equals .91. The difficulty of the measurement test is
between .39-.83. Discrimination is between .21-.85. 2). The Multiple
Intelligences Measurement has construct validity in a good range,
that is 8 components and all 120 test items have statistical
significance level at .01. Chi-square value equals 4357.7; p=.00 at the
degree of freedom of 244 and Goodness of Fit Index equals 1.00.
Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index equals .92. Comparative Fit Index
(CFI) equals .68. Root Mean Squared Residual (RMR) equals 0.064
and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation equals 0.82. 3). The
normality of the Multiple Intelligences Measurement is categorized
into 3 levels. Those with high intelligence are those with percentiles
of more than 78. Those with moderate/medium intelligence are those
with percentiles between 24 and 77.9. Those with low intelligence
are those with percentiles from 23.9 downwards.
Abstract: The main objectif of this paper is to present a tool that
we have developed subject to characterize and modelling indoor radio
channel propagation at millimetric wave. The tool is based on the
ray tracing technique (RTT). As, in realistic environment we cannot
neglect the significant impact of Human Body Shadowing and other
objects in motion on indoor 60 GHz propagation channel. Hence,
our proposed model allows a simulation of propagation in a dynamic
indoor environment. First, we describe a model of human body.
Second, RTT with this model is used to simulate the propagation
of millimeter waves in the presence of persons in motion. Results
of the simulation show that this tool gives results in agreement with
those reported in the literature. Specially, the effects of people motion
on temporal channel properties.
Abstract: The development of One Tambon One Product
(OTOP) became the policy of the government in 1997 after the
former Prime Minister had been in power. The strategy of sections is
currently set for the policy. OTOP has become the part of the way of
community lives around the country. OTOP may be developed under
changing into ASEAN economic community in 2015 because of the
flow of capitals, productions, and many workers in the region. All
sectors are improved for the change. The purposes of study were to
study the strength and weakness of the OTOP-creating process via its
policy and to lead to the strategy to be able to apply before changing.
The methodology is qualitative to study its policy including
document and to interview experienced persons. The findings showed
that the effort of improvement of all sectors obviously involves with
OTOP development. Particularly, the strategic administration of
OTOP is in every level of the state, central sector, region, and
community.
Abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus infection and
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a global pandemic with
cases reporting from virtually every country and continues to be a
common infection in developing country like India.
Microalbuminuria is a manifestation of human immunodeficiency
virus associated nephropathy. Therefore, microalbuminuria may be
an early marker of human immunodeficiency virus associated
nephropathy, and screening for its presence may be beneficial. A
strikingly high prevalence of microalbuminuria among human
immunodeficiency virus infected patients has been described in
various studies. Risk factors for clinically significant proteinuria
include African - American race, higher human immunodeficiency
virus ribonucleic acid level and lower CD4 lymphocyte count. The
cardiovascular risk factors of increased systolic blood pressure and
increase fasting blood sugar level are strongly associated with
microalbuminuria in human immunodeficiency virus patient. These
results suggest that microalbuminuria may be a sign of current
endothelial dysfunction and micro-vascular disease and there is
substantial risk of future cardiovascular disease events. Positive
contributing factors include early kidney disease such as human
immunodeficiency virus associated nephropathy, a marker of end
organ damage related to co morbidities of diabetes or hypertension,
or more diffuse endothelial cells dysfunction. Nevertheless after
adjustment for non human immunodeficiency virus factors, human
immunodeficiency virus itself is a major risk factor. The presence of
human immunodeficiency virus infection is independent risk to
develop microalbuminuria in human immunodeficiency virus patient.
Cardiovascular risk factors appeared to be stronger predictors of
microalbuminuria than markers of human immunodeficiency virus
severity person with human immunodeficiency virus infection and
microalbuminuria therefore appear to potentially bear the burden of
two separate damage related to known vascular end organ damage
related to know vascular risk factors, and human immunodeficiency
virus specific processes such as the direct viral infection of kidney
cells.The higher prevalence of microalbuminuria among the human
immunodeficiency virus infected could be harbinger of future
increased risks of both kidney and cardiovascular disease. Further
study defining the prognostic significance of microalbuminuria
among human immunodeficiency virus infected persons will be
essential. Microalbuminuria seems to be a predictor of cardiovascular
disease in diabetic and non diabetic subjects, hence it can also be
used for early detection of micro vascular disease in human
immunodeficiency virus positive patients, thus can help to diagnose
the disease at the earliest.
Abstract: The Influence Diagrams (IDs) is a kind of Probabilistic Belief Networks for graphic modeling. The usage of IDs can improve the communication among field experts, modelers, and decision makers, by showing the issue frame discussed from a high-level point of view. This paper enhances the Time-Sliced Influence Diagrams (TSIDs, or called Dynamic IDs) based formalism from a Discrete Event Systems Modeling and Simulation (DES M&S) perspective, for Exploring Analysis (EA) modeling. The enhancements enable a modeler to specify times occurred of endogenous events dynamically with stochastic sampling as model running and to describe the inter- influences among them with variable nodes in a dynamic situation that the existing TSIDs fails to capture. The new class of model is named Dynamic-Stochastic Influence Diagrams (DSIDs). The paper includes a description of the modeling formalism and the hiberarchy simulators implementing its simulation algorithm, and shows a case study to illustrate its enhancements.
Abstract: The dynamic spectrum allocation solutions such as
cognitive radio networks have been proposed as a key technology to
exploit the frequency segments that are spectrally underutilized.
Cognitive radio users work as secondary users who need to
constantly and rapidly sense the presence of primary users or
licensees to utilize their frequency bands if they are inactive. Short
sensing cycles should be run by the secondary users to achieve
higher throughput rates as well as to provide low level of interference
to the primary users by immediately vacating their channels once
they have been detected. In this paper, the throughput-sensing time
relationship in local and cooperative spectrum sensing has been
investigated under two distinct scenarios, namely, constant primary
user protection (CPUP) and constant secondary user spectrum
usability (CSUSU) scenarios. The simulation results show that the
design of sensing slot duration is very critical and depends on the
number of cooperating users under CPUP scenario whereas under
CSUSU, cooperating more users has no effect if the sensing time
used exceeds 5% of the total frame duration.
Abstract: Xanthan gum is one of the major commercial
biopolymers. Due to its excellent rheological properties xanthan gum
is used in many applications, mainly in food industry. Commercial
production of xanthan gum uses glucose as the carbon substrate;
consequently the price of xanthan production is high. One of the
ways to decrease xanthan price, is using cheaper substrate like
agricultural wastes. Iran is one of the biggest date producer countries.
However approximately 50% of date production is wasted annually.
The goal of this study is to produce xanthan gum from waste date
using Xanthomonas campestris PTCC1473 by submerged
fermentation. In this study the effect of three variables including
phosphor and nitrogen amount and agitation rate in three levels using
response surface methodology (RSM) has been studied. Results
achieved from statistical analysis Design Expert 7.0.0 software
showed that xanthan increased with increasing level of phosphor.
Low level of nitrogen leaded to higher xanthan production. Xanthan
amount, increasing agitation had positive influence. The statistical
model identified the optimum conditions nitrogen amount=3.15g/l,
phosphor amount=5.03 g/l and agitation=394.8 rpm for xanthan. To
model validation, experiments in optimum conditions for xanthan
gum were carried out. The mean of result for xanthan was 6.72±0.26.
The result was closed to the predicted value by using RSM.
Abstract: Structural Integrity Management (SIM) is
important for the protection of offshore crew, environment, business assets and company and industry reputation. API RP 2A contained guidelines for assessment of existing platforms mostly for the Gulf
of Mexico (GOM). ISO 19902 SIM framework also does not
specifically cater for Malaysia. There are about 200 platforms in
Malaysia with 90 exceeding their design life. The Petronas Carigali
Sdn Bhd (PCSB) uses the Asset Integrity Management System and
the very subjective Risk based Inspection Program for these
platforms. Petronas currently doesn-t have a standalone Petronas
Technical Standard PTS-SIM. This study proposes a recommended
practice for the SIM process for offshore structures in Malaysia,
including studies by API and ISO and local elements such as the
number of platforms, types of facilities, age and risk ranking. Case
study on SMG-A platform in Sabah shows missing or scattered
platform data and a gap in inspection history. It is to undergo a level
3 underwater inspection in year 2015.
Abstract: The objectives of this research paper were to study the
influencing factors that contributed to the success of electronic
commerce (e-commerce) and to study the approach to enhance the
standard of e-commerce for small and medium enterprises (SME).
The research paper focused the study on only sole proprietorship
SMEs in Bangkok, Thailand. The factors contributed to the success
of SME included business management, learning in the organization,
business collaboration, and the quality of website. A quantitative and
qualitative mixed research methodology was used. In terms of
quantitative method, a questionnaire was used to collect data from
251 sole proprietorships. The System Equation Model (SEM) was
utilized as the tool for data analysis. In terms of qualitative method,
an in-depth interview, a dialogue with experts in the field of ecommerce
for SMEs, and content analysis were used.
By using the adjusted causal relationship structure model, it was
revealed that the factors affecting the success of e-commerce for
SMEs were found to be congruent with the empirical data. The
hypothesis testing indicated that business management influenced the
learning in the organization, the learning in the organization
influenced business collaboration and the quality of the website, and
these factors, in turn, influenced the success of SMEs. Moreover, the
approach to enhance the standard of SMEs revealed that the majority
of respondents wanted to enhance the standard of SMEs to a high
level in the category of safety of e-commerce system, basic structure
of e-commerce, development of staff potentials, assistance of budget
and tax reduction, and law improvement regarding the e-commerce
respectively.