The relation between student behaviours in group presentations and their teamwork modalities using Belbin and MBTI analysis

This research paper aims to investigate the relationship between learners’ profiles as analysed according to MBTI and Belbin and their behaviour during group presentations while not being the active presenter. This paper is part of a research study in the field of video tagging as a mechanism for analysing individual behaviour in learning activities. As part of this study, the authors analysed videos of student group presentation and associated behavioural patterns to individual student profiles as produced by the Belbin and MBTI analysis models. The aim of the study was to identify how social and teamwork characteristics of individual learners can relate to certain behaviours. Such relations would help to better assess video content of learning activities including meetings and presentations. A primary aim of the study is to identify associations between human behaviour and individual’s teamwork characteristics. Such associations could facilitate the judgment of learners’ ability to work in a team. The study included quantitative research methods for analysing videos in combination with personality profiling analysis, with emphasis on social and teamwork activities. The Belbin and Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) models were used for the purpose of this study. Furthermore, the behavioural patterns monitored during the video analysis included ‘eye contact with presenter’ and ‘eye focus out’ as the most prominent observable behaviours. The paper’s conclusion is that based on the analysis results, learners classified as Coordinators (Belbin) or Virtuosos (MBTI) are less likely to lose focus while they are not presenting, and students classified as Monitor Evaluators (Belbin) or Logisticians (MBTI) are more likely to look and take care of their team members while presenting

Accelerating the Configuration Tuning of Big Data Analytics with Similarity-aware Multitask Bayesian Optimization

One of the key challenges for data analytics deployment is configuration tuning. The existing approaches for configuration tuning are expensive and overlook the dynamic characteristics of the analytics environment (i.e. frequent changes in workload due to receiving evolving input sizes or change in the underlying cluster environment). Such workload/environment changes can cause significant performance degradation, with retuning the configuration to accommodate those changes can yield up to 85\% potential execution time saving. We propose SimTune, an approach that accommodates such changes through efficient configuration tuning. SimTune combines workload characterization and Multitask Bayesian optimization to identify similarity across workloads and accelerate finding near-optimal configurations. Our experimental results show that SimTune reduces the search time for finding close-to-optimal configurations by 56-73\% (at the median) when compared to existing state-of-the-art techniques. This means that the amortization of the tuning cost happens significantly faster, enabling practical tuning in the rapidly changing environment of distributed analytics.Google Cloud, Amazon AW

To Tune or Not to Tune?: In Search of Optimal Configurations for Data Analytics

This experimental study presents several overlooked issues that pose a challenge for data analytics configuration tuning and deployment. These issues include: 1) the assumption of static workload/environment ignoring the dynamic characteristics of the analytics environment (e.g. the frequent need for workload retuning). 2) the speed of tuning cost amortization and how this influences the tuning decision. 3) the need for a comprehensive incremental tuning for a diverse set of workloads. To prove our point, we present Tuneful, an efficient configuration tuning framework for data analytics. We show how it is designed to overcome the above issues and illustrate its applicability by experimenting with it on two cloud service providers

Validated analytical modelling of supercharging centrifugal compressors with vaneless diffusers for H2-biodiesel dual-fuel engines with cooled EGR

The supercharging centrifugal compressor with a vaneless diffuser is a key element in diesel powertrains that has not been comprehensively modelled using explainable mathematical trends. This study thus develops an analytical model for this type of compressors for hybrid H2-Biodiesel dual-fuel engines with cooled EGR. Specifically, for this proposed type of compression ignition system, the study develops an analytical model of the velocities at the exit of impeller of the supercharging compressor. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is conducted on the developed models of the total power required to drive the compressor and its mechanical efficiency. The developed models have been validated using case studies that are based on field data gathered experimentally. Furthermore, a modified model of the Stanitz's slip factor is presented for radial blades accounting for the Coriolis circulation, boundary layer effect, and blade thickness. The modified Stanitz's slip factor provides better accuracy of matching the experimental results with relative error of 1%. The relative error with respect to the parameters of the velocities at the impeller and the analytical model of the power required to drive the rotor of the compressor is 7%. In addition, the relative error with respect to the model of the mechanical efficiency of the compressor is 10%. These relative errors are of an order of magnitude of deviation that is comparable with that of widely recognized models in the field of vehicle powertrain modelling such as the CMEM and GT-Power. These developed models follow from the principles of physics so that they are widely valid models. Having addressed and corrected flaws in corresponding models presented in key references in this research area, these developed models can help more effectively evaluate the power input to this type of compressors and thus the fuel consumption reducing the environmental foot-print thereof

Serum Leptin and Bone Mineral Density in Hemodialysis Patients with or without Liver Diseases

Introduction: Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes that plays an important role in regulating appetite and energy expenditure. Our aim was to evaluate serum leptin level in hemodialysis (HD) patients with or without chronic liver disease (CLD) and study the relationship between serum leptin level and bone mineral density in these groups of patients. Methods: we recruited 20 healthy volunteers as controls (group I), 20 patients on regular HD with normal liver function (group II), 20 CLD patients with normal kidney function (group III) and 20 patients on regular HD with CLD (group IV). We measured serum calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), total alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum leptin, 24-hours urinary hydroxyproline and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumber spine and femoral neck by DEXA scan. Results: Serum leptin level was significantly higher (P <0.001) in HD patients and CLD patients compared to controls. Its level was also significantly elevated in HD patients without liver disease (group II) compared to patients with CLD who had no renal failure (group III). Urinary hydroxyproline level was increased in both HD patients and CLD patients. We detected a positive correlation between serum leptin level and urinary hydroxyproline in all patient groups. There was a significant decrease in BMD in HD and CLD patients. BMD was significantly lower in HD patients without CLD compared to HD patients with CLD. There was a significant negative correlation between serum leptin level and BMD in CLD patients without renal disease but not in other groups (r = - 0.6, P = 0.01). Conclusion: Serum leptin is elevated in HD patients with or without liver disease and in CLD patients. Serum leptin level is inversely correlated with BMD in CLD patients without renal disease.Keywords: Bone Mineral Density; Cirrhosis; Chronic Liver Disease; Hemodialysis; Lepti

Ceramide Synthase 6 Is a Novel Target of Methotrexate Mediating Its Antiproliferative Effect in a p53-Dependent Manner

We previously reported that ceramide synthase 6 (CerS6) is elevated in response to folate stress in cancer cells, leading to enhanced production of C16-ceramide and apoptosis. Antifolate methotrexate (MTX), a drug commonly used in chemotherapy of several types of cancer, is a strong inhibitor of folate metabolism. Here we investigated whether this drug targets CerS6. We observed that CerS6 protein was markedly elevated in several cancer cell lines treated with MTX. In agreement with the enzyme elevation, its product C16-ceramide was also strongly elevated, so as several other ceramide species. The increase in C16-ceramide, however, was eliminated in MTX-treated cells lacking CerS6 through siRNA silencing, while the increase in other ceramides sustained. Furthermore, the siRNA silencing of CerS6 robustly protected A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells from MTX toxicity, while the silencing of another ceramide synthase, CerS4, which was also responsive to folate stress in our previous study, did not interfere with the MTX effect. The rescue effect of CerS6 silencing upon MTX treatment was further confirmed in HCT116 and HepG2 cell lines. Interestingly, CerS6 itself, but not CerS4, induced strong antiproliferative effect in several cancer cell lines if elevated by transient transfection. The effect of MTX on CerS6 elevation was likely p53 dependent, which is in agreement with the hypothesis that the protein is a transcriptional target of p53. In line with this notion, lometrexol, the antifolate inducing cytotoxicity through the p53-independent mechanism, did not affect CerS6 levels. We have also found that MTX induces the formation of ER aggregates, enriched with CerS6 protein. We further demonstrated that such aggregation requires CerS6 and suggests that it is an indication of ER stress. Overall, our study identified CerS6 and ceramide pathways as a novel MTX target

The influence of green modification of lignin on the electrochemical properties of biocomposites for industrial applications

It’s a report on a novel approach; preparation and electrochemical properties of modified lignin. Wax and starch were used as natural, green adhesives for enhancing the electrical resistivity of lignin in acidic medium, forming eco-friendly high insulator biocomposite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the fabricated biocomposite. The modified lignin was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), while the electrochemical behavior was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The innovative approach described in this work provides a promising eco- friendly method for lignin modification with highly electrical resistivity and stability with time.Â

Influence of chip serration frequency on chatter formation during end milling of Ti6Al4V

This paper includes the findings of an experimental study on instabilities of the chip formation process during end milling of Ti6Al4V alloy and the influence of these instabilities on chatter formation. It has been identified that the chip formation process has a discrete nature, associated with the periodic shearing process during machining. The chip formed during machining of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V is found to be mainly with primary serrated teeth appearing in the main body of the chip. Secondary serrated teeth resulting from the coagulation of a certain number of primary serrated teeth also happen to appear at the free or constrained edge of the chip, especially when the system enters into chatter. In order to identify the interaction of these chip instabilities with the prominent natural vibration of the machine tools system components, the different mode frequencies of the vibrating components of the system have been identified using experimental and finite element modal analyses, and vibration responses during actual cutting have also been recorded using an online vibration monitoring system. The vibration signals in frequency domain (fast Fourier transform) have been analyzed to identify the chatter frequencies and the peak amplitude values. Chatter was found to occur at two dominant mode frequencies of the spindle. These mode frequencies at which chatter occurred have been compared with the chip serration frequencies in a wide cutting speed range for different conditions of cutting. It has been concluded from these findings that chatter occurs during end milling due to the resonance of the machine tools system component when the frequency of primary serrated teeth formation is approximately equal to the "prominent natural frequency" modes of the system components, which are the two mode frequencies of the VMC machine spindle in this particular case

CerS6 Is a Novel Transcriptional Target of p53 Protein Activated by Non-genotoxic Stress

Our previous study suggested that ceramide synthase 6 (CerS6), an enzyme in sphingolipid biosynthesis, is regulated by p53: CerS6 was elevated in several cell lines in response to transient expression of p53 or in response to folate stress, which is known to activate p53. It was not clear, however, whether CerS6 gene is a direct transcriptional target of p53 or whether this was an indirect effect through additional regulatory factors. In the present study, we have shown that the CerS6 promoter is activated by p53 in luciferase assays, whereas transcriptionally inactive R175H p53 mutant failed to induce the luciferase expression from this promoter. In vitro immunoprecipitation assays and gel shift analyses have further demonstrated that purified p53 binds within the CerS6 promoter sequence spanning 91 bp upstream and 60 bp downstream of the transcription start site. The Promo 3.0.2 online tool for the prediction of transcription factor binding sites indicated the presence of numerous putative non-canonical p53 binding motifs in the CerS6 promoter. Luciferase assays and gel shift analysis have identified a single motif upstream of the transcription start as a key p53 response element. Treatment of cells with Nutlin-3 or low concentrations of actinomycin D resulted in a strong elevation of CerS6 mRNA and protein, thus demonstrating that CerS6 is a component of the non-genotoxic p53-dependent cellular stress response. This study has shown that by direct transcriptional activation of CerS6, p53 can regulate specific ceramide biosynthesis, which contributes to the pro-apoptotic cellular response

The effect of cloud computing adoption on the sustainability of e-government services: A review

The environment in which public organizations exist changed.Trends such as demographic change, environmental pressures and technological innovation have created significant challenges to how public organizations do their business. Accordingly, public organizations need to have innovative strategies to tackle today’s business environment by adopting sustainable business practices. Sustainability governance needs scalable and interoperable technology platform to support analyzing, integration, sharing and monitoring different types of data and sustainability measurements. Cloud computing is the potential candidate platform to support sustainability governance. It gives agility to business and provides a platform for sustainable business with improved services, better environment and resource management. This research revisits the related concepts, and provides an analysis of the previous researches to identify the gap of incorporating cloud computing as a platform of developing sustainable e-services. Results show that research on the role of cloud computing in ensuring provision of sustainable e-government services still scarce.There is a lack of research addresses the challenges in government projects and developing more sustainable e-government services by selecting and applying the appropriate cloud model