Based on the cognitive dissonance theory, the empirical results on Vietnamese consumers in purchasing green vegetables indicate that greenwash is positively associated with green perceived risk while negatively related to both green perceived quality and green purchase intentions. Moreover, as consumers have a higher degree of information and knowledge about green product, the positive nexus between greenwash and green perceived risk will be weakened meanwhile the negative relationship between greenwash and green perceived quality will be strengthened. A noteworthy point is that green perceived risk and green perceived quality partially mediate the impacts of greenwash on green purchase intentions. The results offer new insights on how to make green marketing strategies to enhance green purchase intentions and avoid the potential consequences of greenwashing.

Thalassemias, group of hereditary blood disorders with less synthesis of one or both globin chain of hemoglobin. Beta thalassemia major is linked with no formation of β-globin chain of hemoglobin and prevalent in the whole world, more affecting developing countries. The current research work was designed to investigate variations in hematological parameters due to iron overload in β-thalassemia patients. Hundred β-thalassemic male and female patients (Fifty each) were considered for this study. Blank blood sample was drawn from each patient. The t- and p-value of studied hematological parameters: red blood cells (0.781, p<0.436), platelet count (8.65, p<0.001), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 1.27, p<0.204, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) 0.00, p<1, neutrophils (5.97, p<0.001), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) 1.44, p<0.150, hemoglobin (Hb) 15.76, p<0.001, monocytes (3.92, p<0.002), lymphocytes (11.46, p<0.001), Hematocrit (Hct) 13.49, p<0.001, total leukocyte count (TLC) 2.14, p<0.034, eiosinophils (19.95, p<0.001) red blood cell distribution width (RDW) 17.43p<0.001 and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) 12.93, p<0.001. The level of hemoglobin, Hct, RDW, lymphocytes, neutrophils, platelets, eiosinoplis, monocytes, ESR in β-thalassemic male were compared with β-thalassemic female and statistically highly significant (p<0.001) results were obtained. While non significant results were obtained when t-test was applied on RBCs, TLC, MCV, MCHC and MCH values of beta thalassemic males and females. Results of hematological parameters were significantly altered from standard values.

In an iris recognition system, one of the main problems is the use of images with low quality, which affects the performance and effectiveness of the system. Errors in the identification process of these systems as the false acceptance and false rejection are the result of images without adequate quality. Progress in this area of research have increased, mainly supported by standards such as the ISO and NIST, which recommend the evaluation of some characteristics of iris images with the objective to assign a quality value, however, these standards are deficient by failing to establish clear criteria for assessing the quality of the images, so in this paper we propose an algorithm based on ISO / IEC 19794-6 which evaluates each requirement that the standard recommends using specifics methods, achieving classify iris images to use only those that have appropriate levels of quality, making to the iris recognition systems more efficient.

This paper presents design and implementation of a boost converter with passive soft-switching feature to improve efficiency is presented. At first, operational principle of a Boost converter is introduced and then, a variety of soft-switching-cell topologies are discussed. In the passive soft-switching cells, an appropriate one is adopted to reduce switching loss of the DC-DC converter. For verification, a 1200 W boost converter with the soft-switching cell is studied and implemented. In addition, considerations in layout, parallel connection of MOSFETs, and resonant-component selection are also presented in detail. From hardware measurements, the boost converter can achieve high efficiency up to 95%, which also demonstrates that the soft-switching cell reduces switching loss significantly.

Purpose Geographical variation in lupus nephritis epidemiology may indicate important environmental factors contributions to the etiology of lupus nephritis. This paper first describes the epidemiology of biopsy-proven lupus nephritis in China by performing a systematic literature review and the possible social-environmental influential factors. Methods The keywords “lupus nephritis”, “renal biopsy” and “systemic lupus erythematous” were searched in the three largest Chinese electronic databases and Medline/PubMed. The data of the patients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis were extracted. The possible environmental influential factors including the population density, ethnic group populations, the ratio of females to males, the average sunshine per year, annual average temperature and annual relative humidity, in different regions of China were analyzed. Results Forty-one study centers with 34574 renal disease patients, and 3699 lupus nephritis patients met the inclusion criteria. Lupus nephritis accounts for 2.37% to 25% of all renal disease and 27.2% to 80.65% of renal disease associated with secondary glomerular diseases. The male-to-female ratio is approximately 1:5 in lupus nephritis patients. The included period is predominantly from 1995 to 2010. The proportion ratio of biopsy-proven lupus nephritis in all renal disease or in secondary glomerular disease significantly increased with decreasing latitude from the north to the south part of China. The population is predominantly Han Chinese. The annual average temperature and annual relative humidity or the interaction with other environmental factors maybe influential factors on the epidemiology of biopsy-proven lupus nephritis in China. Conclusions The epidemiology of biopsy-proven lupus nephritis in China is associated with geographical location.

Lack of energy sources, increase of energy demand and costs, competitive conditions in the market and environmental considerations require the efficient usage of energy.\nIn this study, In this study, a continuous rapid heating type, roller hearth type, top and bottom fired and bloom charging industrial furnace charging/discharging door was replaced with an air shutter system. Therefore, furnace pressure shift was controlled, service life increased, gas leakages from openness were prevented, and efficiency of the furnace was increased. In this scope, measurements had been taken, measured data were evaluated and according to the evaluations, the mass and energy balance was established. Moreover, possible energy efficiency enhancement rate by the appliance of air shutter system was determined; payback period, size of investment and saving potential were estimated and current reheating furnace efficiency was determined as 61.83%. By the application of the air shutter system to the furnace, possible saving energy cost is $3900, payback period is about 7.5 months, and system efficiency was evaluated as 61.9%. Possible charging and/or discharging door failures due to the high temperature and corrosive effect of furnace gas was thwarted and as a result, possible occupational accident risks were avoided and a safe working environment was provided.

Th1/Th2 imbalance plays a crucial role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. It is well known that basophils can affect Th1/Th2 balance by enhancing Th2 response and impairing Th1 response then be involved in the development of many diseases. But little is known the role of basophils in rheumatoid arthritis. Decreased circulating basophils and Th1 response dominated in adult rheumatoid arthritis patients have been reported, while children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis have been found mainly increased circulating basophils and Th2 response dominated. Also, circulating basophils in both of them are activated and associated with disease activity. In addition, longitudinal study found Th2 response dominated in the early stage of rheumatoid arthritis, while Th1 response dominated in long-term chronic rheumatoid arthritis. These finding suggested that basophils maybe involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis by affect Th1/Th2 balance, but the role of basophils in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis maybe differences from adult rheumatoid arthritis, especially in different stages of the disease.

In this article, simulation results of light in a modified add-drop optical filter are presented. The proposed systems are made up of InGaAsP/InP and consisted of linear optical add-drop filter incorporating two nonlinear nanoring on both sides of the micro ring. This particular configuration is known as a “PANDA” ring resonator, proposed by authors. Light pulse, for instance, Gaussian, bright or dark solitons are fed into the system through different ports such as drop port and through port. By using practical device parameters, the simulation results are obtained using the Optiwave and MATLAB programs. Simultaneous behaviors of light, for instance, fast, slow, stopping and storing light can be manipulated in the various time and different rings, in which the resonant center wavelength is 1.55 micrometer. From results obtained by both analytical and numerical methods, it is found that the four states of light: fast, slow, stopping and storing light can be simultaneously formed within the same system.

Whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of light can be easily generated within a PANDA ring circuit, which is a nonlinear modified optical add-drop filter (ring resonator). When a monochromatic light such as laser, fibre laser, soliton or Gaussian soliton pulse is propagated into the device, the various nonlinear behaviours can be formed and obtained, which can be used for many aspects of applications. To form the sustainable power source, the solar cell device can be fabricated and embedded incorporating the PANDA ring circuits, which is supplied by the solar cells, where in this case the high performance thin film solar cells can be constructed within the PANDA ring circuit system and operated to be the required power source, in which the increasing in output power of 5 times is obtained. The large area WGMs can also be obtained by using PANDA ring array, which they are useful for large unit of applications. These are the simulation results, where all PANDA ring parameters are chosen based on the practical device parameters of the device materials, i.e. InGaAsP/InP, in which the used software programs are MATLAB and Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) Opti-wave. From the simulation results obtained have shown that there are many useful functions can be realized by using the PANDA ring circuits, which they are discussed in details. Firstly, the conjugate mirror for 3D imaging and sensor can be formed by the thin film wall papers. Secondly, the smart tiles for heat sources and Sun light filtering can be constructed, and thirdly, the non-lamp light distribution can be configured by using the visible wavelength region.

Many models in physical, chemical, biological fields can be described carefully by coupled complex equations. Using a computerized symbolic computation technique, we obtained several solutions of three well-known models, namely complex coupled Higgs field, complex coupled Maccari and generalized complex coupled Schr¨odinger-Boussinesq equations. These solutions contain solitons and triangular solutions.

In the context of an evolving and developing educational system based on a social reality, the diversification of the curriculum in higher education, and not only, required the introduction of new modern teaching and learning methods and techniques without renouncing at the most valuable classical ones.\n“The method” is defined as the path or working modality used by teachers and students in teaching interaction to achieve the proposed educational goal. Methods serve cognitive and formative goals of education.\nWe will analyze with priority the methodology for teaching in the socio- humanistic disciplines.\nOne classification of the methods used in the educational process was made by Dale and is known in the literature as “Dale’s Cone of Experience”. We can also find another similar classification under the form of an instrument named \"The Learning Pyramid\".\nIn the winter of 2013 we conducted a research using the opinion survey, based on a questionnaire. We used a representative sample of students from 3 specializations from University of Craiova: International Relations and European Studies, History and Sociology.\nThrough this research we aimed to identify how students from the three specified specializations would classify of the audio-visual methods found in “Dale’s Cone of Experience” and “Learning Pyramid”, depending on the manner in which this methods influence their learning process.