bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Reincarnation of Waste: A Case Study of Spiritual Ecology Activism for Household Solid Waste Management: The Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative of Rural Bhutan
Authors: Allison Elizabeth
Published: September 2019

As rural and subsistence households in the Global South take on the consumption habits of industrialized countries, shifting consumption patterns have contributed to cascades of nonbiodegradable solid waste overwhelming the ability of households, municipal authorities, and governments to manage. As global capitalism expands around the world, spiritual ecology approaches to waste and pollution can provide deeper insight into the attitudes and practices that create a “throw away” society. In rural southern Bhutan, the revered Buddhist teacher, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, initiated a waste reduction project based on Bhutan’s guiding development philosophy of Gross National Happiness. Through engaging cultural and spiritual values, and drawing on the inspirational qualities of social and spiritual leaders, the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative’s Zero Waste project is an example of spiritual ecology activism for household waste management and waste reduction.
Developing a New Machine-Learning Algorithm for Estimating Chlorophyll-a Concentration in Optically Complex Waters: A Case Study for High Northern Latitude Waters by Using Sentinel 3 OLCI
Authors: Blix Katalin , Li Juan , Massicotte Philippe , Matsuoka Atsushi
Published: September 2019

The monitoring of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration in high northern latitude waters has been receiving increased focus due to the rapid environmental changes in the sub-Arctic, Arctic. Spaceborne optical instruments allow the continuous monitoring of the occurrence, distribution, and amount of Chl-a. In recent years, the Ocean and Land Color Instruments (OLCI) onboard the Sentinel 3 (S3) A and B satellites were launched, which provide data about various aquatic environments on advantageous spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions with high SNR. Although S3 OLCI could be favorable to monitor high northern latitude waters, there have been several challenges related to Chl-a concentration retrieval in these waters due to their unique optical properties coupled with challenging environments including high sun zenith angle, presence of sea ice, and frequent cloud covers. In this work, we aim to overcome these difficulties by developing a machine-learning (ML) approach designed to estimate Chl-a concentration from S3 OLCI data in high northern latitude optically complex waters. The ML model is optimized and requires only three S3 OLCI bands, reflecting the physical characteristic of Chl-a as input in the regression process to estimate Chl-a concentration with improved accuracy in terms of the bias (five times improvements.) The ML model was optimized on data from Arctic, coastal, and open waters, and showed promising performance. Finally, we present the performance of the optimized ML approach by computing Chl-a maps and corresponding certainty maps in highly complex sub-Arctic and Arctic waters. We show how these certainty maps can be used as a support to understand possible radiometric calibration issues in the retrieval of Level 2 reflectance over these waters. This can be a useful tool in identifying erroneous Level 2 Remote sensing reflectance due to possible failure of the atmospheric correction algorithm.
Automatic Identification of Tool Wear Based on Convolutional Neural Network in Face Milling Process
Authors: Wu Xuefeng , Liu Yahui , Zhou Xianliang , Mou Aolei
Published: September 2019

Monitoring of tool wear in machining process has found its importance to predict tool life, reduce equipment downtime, and tool costs. Traditional visual methods require expert experience and human resources to obtain accurate tool wear information. With the development of charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor and the deep learning algorithms, it has become possible to use the convolutional neural network (CNN) model to automatically identify the wear types of high-temperature alloy tools in the face milling process. In this paper, the CNN model is developed based on our image dataset. The convolutional automatic encoder (CAE) is used to pre-train the network model, and the model parameters are fine-tuned by back propagation (BP) algorithm combined with stochastic gradient descent (SGD) algorithm. The established ToolWearnet network model has the function of identifying the tool wear types. The experimental results show that the average recognition precision rate of the model can reach 96.20%. At the same time, the automatic detection algorithm of tool wear value is improved by combining the identified tool wear types. In order to verify the feasibility of the method, an experimental system is built on the machine tool. By matching the frame rate of the industrial camera and the machine tool spindle speed, the wear image information of all the inserts can be obtained in the machining gap. The automatic detection method of tool wear value is compared with the result of manual detection by high precision digital optical microscope, the mean absolute percentage error is 4.76%, which effectively verifies the effectiveness and practicality of the method.
Critical Issues of Double-Metal Layer Coating on FBG for Applications at High Temperatures
Authors: Lupi Carla , Felli Ferdinando , Dell’Era Alessandro , Ciro Erwin , Caponero Michele , Kalinowski Hypolito , Vendittozzi Cristian
Published: September 2019

Use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) to monitor high temperature (HT) applications is of great interest to the research community. Standard commercial FBGs can operate up to 600 ∘ C. For applications beyond that value, specific processing of the FBGs must be adopted to allow the grating not to deteriorate. The most common technique used to process FBGs for HT applications is the regeneration procedure (RP), which typically extends their use up to 1000 ∘ C. RP involves a long-term annealing of the FBGs, to be done at a temperature ranging from 550 to 950 ∘ C. As at that temperature, the original coating of the FBGs would burn out, they shall stay uncoated, and their brittleness is a serious concern to deal with. Depositing a metal coating on the FBGs prior to process them for RP offers an effective solution to provide them with the necessary mechanical strengthening. In this paper, a procedure to provide the FBG with a bimetallic coating made by copper and nickel electrodeposition (ED) is proposed, discussing issues related to the coating morphology, adherence to the fiber, and effects on the grating spectral response. To define the processing parameters of the proposed procedure, production tests were performed on dummy samples which were used for destructive SEM–EDS analysis. As a critical step, the proposed procedure was shown to necessitate a heat treatment after the nickel ED, to remove the absorbed hydrogen. The spectral response of the FBG samples was monitored along the various steps of the proposed procedure and, as a final proof test for adherence stability of the bimetallic coating, along a heating/cooling cycle from room temperature to 1010 ∘ C. The results suggest that, given the emergence of Kirkendall voids at the copper–nickel interface, occurring at the highest temperatures (700–1010 ∘ C), the bimetallic layer could be employed as FBG coating up to 700 ∘ C.
Distributed Joint Cooperative Self-Localization and Target Tracking Algorithm for Mobile Networks
Authors: Zhang Junjie , Cui Jianhua , Wang Zhongyong , Ding Yingqiang , Xia Yujie
Published: September 2019

Location information is a key issue for applications of the Internet of Things. In this paper, we focus on mobile wireless networks with moving agents and targets. The positioning process is divided into two phases based on the factor graph, i.e., a prediction phase and a joint self-location and tracking phase. In the prediction phase, we develop an adaptive prediction model by exploiting the correlation of trajectories within a short period to formulate the prediction message. In the joint positioning phase, agents calculate the cooperative messages according to variational message passing and locate themselves. Simultaneously, the average consensus algorithm is employed to realize distributed target tracking. The simulation results show that the proposed prediction model is adaptive to the random movement of nodes. The performance of the proposed joint self-location and tracking algorithm is better than the separate cooperative self-localization and tracking algorithms.
Online Workload Allocation via Fog-Fog-Cloud Cooperation to Reduce IoT Task Service Delay
Authors: Li Lei , Guo Mian , Ma Lihong , Mao Huiyun , Guan Quansheng
Published: September 2019

Fog computing has recently emerged as an extension of cloud computing in providing high-performance computing services for delay-sensitive Internet of Things (IoT) applications. By offloading tasks to a geographically proximal fog computing server instead of a remote cloud, the delay performance can be greatly improved. However, some IoT applications may still experience considerable delays, including queuing and computation delays, when huge amounts of tasks instantaneously feed into a resource-limited fog node. Accordingly, the cooperation among geographically close fog nodes and the cloud center is desired in fog computing with the ever-increasing computational demands from IoT applications. This paper investigates a workload allocation scheme in an IoT–fog–cloud cooperation system for reducing task service delay, aiming at satisfying as many as possible delay-sensitive IoT applications’ quality of service (QoS) requirements. To this end, we first formulate the workload allocation problem in an IoT-edge-cloud cooperation system, which suggests optimal workload allocation among local fog node, neighboring fog node, and the cloud center to minimize task service delay. Then, the stability of the IoT-fog-cloud queueing system is theoretically analyzed with Lyapunov drift plus penalty theory. Based on the analytical results, we propose a delay-aware online workload allocation and scheduling (DAOWA) algorithm to achieve the goal of reducing long-term average task serve delay. Theoretical analysis and simulations have been conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposal in task serve delay reduction and IoT-fog-cloud queueing system stability.
A Design Thinking-Based Study of the Prospect of the Sustainable Development of Traditional Handicrafts
Authors: Li Wen-Tao , Ho Ming-Chyuan , Yang Chun
Published: September 2019

Traditional handicrafts have a time-honored history and tremendous cultural value in China. However, even with the strong impact of globalization and consumerism in recent years, design-oriented scientific thinking and sustainable development models are not yet available. Based on Stanford Design Thinking, this study explores the prospect of the sustainable development of traditional handicrafts. First, a literature review and analysis were conducted to show that design science, as a bridge between natural science and humanities, aims to improve the important methods and research tools for the sustainable development of traditional handicrafts. Then, we studied ceramic product design via workshops. Methods such as action research, expert questionnaires, and factor analysis were adopted to establish 24 “indicators of the sustainable value of handicraft design” and four value dimensions, namely, “material and innovative value”, “handicraft and cultural value”, “empirical and local value”, and “sharing and interactive value”. Next, an experimental method was employed to make design product prototypes according to the design-thinking procedure. These prototypes were measured and evaluated with the indicators to form an evaluation report. In addition, the exploration of the sustainable development of traditional handicraft design also contributes to the establishment of a sustainable development model of design thinking. It was demonstrated that scientific design is the current trend and future of the sustainable development of traditional handicrafts. Finally, this study put forward five dynamic thinking methods and design strategies, providing the most direct methods and theoretical evidence for the sustainable development of traditional handicraft design. Finally, taking design thinking as the sustainable design framework, five dynamic thinking approaches were proposed: Thinking with the body, thinking with the mind, thinking with the heart, thinking with the hands, and thinking with the soul. Five design strategies were also proposed: Enquiry learning, values education, future problem solving, experiential design, and appropriate assessment. These approaches and strategies provide the most direct method and theoretical basis for the future of sustainable design regarding traditional Chinese handicraft products.
Impacts of Consumers and Real Estate Enterprises on the Implementation of Prefabrication in Residential Buildings: The Moderating Role of Incentive Policies
Authors: Zhou Jingyang , Qin Yanjun , Fang Shaoze
Published: September 2019

Based on the theory of Planned Behavior, this study firstly explored the relationship between the behavioral intention and the actual behavior of consumers and real estate enterprises when choosing prefabricated residential buildings. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted, being supported by the questionnaire data from 310 respondents of 14 prefabricated building demonstration cities in China, to achieve the purpose. The results show that there is a gap between the behavioral intention and the actual behavior of consumers and real estate enterprises. The moderating effect of reputational incentive policies and financial incentive policies was examined to bridge the gap. It shows that reputational incentive policies and financial incentive policies are an effective way in promoting the behavioral intention and actual behavior of real estate enterprises when adopting prefabricated residential buildings, but they all do not work for consumers. The findings can help government understand the preference of consumers and real estate enterprises, so as to use governance incentive policies more wisely and rationally under various circumstances.
How to Make E-Commerce More Successful by Use of Kano’s Model to Assess Customer Satisfaction in Terms of Sustainable Development
Authors: Ingaldi Manuela , Ulewicz Robert
Published: September 2019

Personalization, mobility, deliveries on the same day, and perhaps artificial intelligence—all of these elements will shape e-commerce in the near future. It is necessary to consider what features and standards online shops will have to meet in order to achieve success and to adapt to the changing preferences and requirements of the customer and their awareness of the perception of the environment through the prism of, for example, sustainable development. This means there is a need to specify a set of attributes that will influence the decision to use the services of a given e-shop. Despite all efforts, many online shops fail because they do not meet the expectations of customers. At the same time, meeting customer expectations is a big challenge for newly emerging e-shops. There are many studies on sustainable development in e-commerce, but there is no specific methodology for e-shop design, especially in the aspect of sustainable development. The authors propose a methodology based on Kano’s model and customer satisfaction to explore customers’ stated needs and unstated desires and to divided them into different groups with different impacts on customer satisfaction. In this paper, a case study on the attributes of customer satisfaction for a newly opened e-shop with organic products, which is to operate in the countries of Central Europe and takes into account selected assumptions of sustainable development, was presented. The research took the form of an original (authorial), universal survey that can be used in other similar research. A total of 1069 correctly completed surveys were taken into account for the analysis. Respondents indicated 16 must-have features for the e-shop in order to make customers benefit from its services and 11 one-dimensional features that will determine the level of customer satisfaction. Among the must-have features, there were those related to sustainable development, which indicates the environmental awareness of potential customers. The obtained results were given to the management of the research e-shop and were included during the design of its operation. After one to two years of e-shop operation, the results will be verified.
A Tax Coming from the IPCC Carbon Prices Cannot Change Consumption: Evidence from an Experiment
Authors: Yokessa Maïmouna , Marette Stéphan
Published: September 2019

This article compares a socially-optimal tax coming from a model integrating consumers’ preferences for various milks, with a tax directly computed from carbon emissions of milks with carbon prices given by the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). Regarding consumers’ preferences, we conducted an experiment in France for finding consumers’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for different bottles coming from either cow’s milk or soy milk, under a regular or an organic process of production. This experiment shows higher WTPs for organic bottles than for regular bottles, and higher WTPs for soy milk than for cow’s milk. These WTPs were introduced into a model estimating the effects of regulatory instruments. From this model using WTPs, it was shown that, for milk coming from cows and soy, a tax on regular bottles and a subsidy on organic bottles maximized the consumers’ welfare. This tax on regular bottles was stronger than the tax that was alternatively estimated with the emissions and IPCC carbon prices. Indeed, a tax based on the IPCC carbon prices seemed too weak for efficiently changing the consumption towards sustainable products.
Analysis of Risk Factors Affecting Firms’ Financial Performance—Support for Managerial Decision-Making
Authors: Bărbuță-Mișu Nicoleta , Madaleno Mara , Ilie Vasile
Published: September 2019

This paper aims to investigate how financial variables and exogenous crises influence firms’ financial performance, and how these factors may help managers in decision-making to increase their firm’s wealth. The dynamic interactions among variables were studied by applying a panel vector autoregressive model using annual data for a sample of non-financial firms from European countries. Results indicate that liquidity, leverage and productivity positively affect firm performance, while solvency and asset turnover are positive and statistically significant only in the case of return on equity. Labour productivity induces that firms tend to display larger efforts to keep financial performance in face of a crisis, considering that the crisis reveals a negative statistical impact over return on assets.
Visual Lateralization in the Cephalopod Mollusk Octopus vulgaris
Authors: Frasnelli Elisa , Ponte Giovanna , Vallortigara Giorgio , Fiorito Graziano
Published: September 2019

Behavioral asymmetries exhibited by the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris, a cephalopod mollusk, during predatory and exploratory responses were investigated. Animals were tested for eye preferences while attacking a natural (live crab) or an artificial (plastic ball) stimulus, and for side preferences while exploring a T-maze in the absence of any specific intra- or extra-maze cues. We found individual-level asymmetry in some animals when faced with either natural or artificial stimuli, but not when exploring the maze. Our findings suggest that visual lateralization in O. vulgaris is context-dependent.
Research on Moving Target Tracking Based on FDRIG Optical Flow
Authors: Gong Lixiong , Wang Canlin
Published: September 2019

Aiming at the problem of moving target recognition, a moving target tracking model based on FDRIG optical flow is proposed. First, the optical flow equation was analyzed from the theory of optical flow. Then, with the energy functional minimization, the FDRIG optical flow technique was proposed. Taking a road section of a university campus as an experimental section, 30 vehicle motion sequence images were considered as objects to form a vehicle motion sequence image with a complex background. The proposed FDRIG optical flow was used to calculate the vehicle motion optical flow field by the Halcon software. Comparable with the classic Horn and Schunck (HS) and Lucas and Kande (LK) optical flow algorithm, the monitoring results proved that the FDRIG optical flow was highly precise and fast when tracking a moving target. The Ettlinger Tor traffic scene was then taken as the second experimental object; FDRIG optical flow was used to analyze vehicle motion. The superior performance of the FDRIG optical flow was further verified. The whole research work shows that FDRIG optical flow has good performance and speed in tracking moving targets and can be used to monitor complex target motion information in real-time.
Could Mycolactone Inspire New Potent Analgesics? Perspectives and Pitfalls
Authors: Reynaert Marie-Line , Dupoiron Denis , Yeramian Edouard , Marsollier Laurent , Brodin Priscille
Published: September 2019

Pain currently represents the most common symptom for which medical attention is sought by patients. The available treatments have limited effectiveness and significant side-effects. In addition, most often, the duration of analgesia is short. Today, the handling of pain remains a major challenge. One promising alternative for the discovery of novel potent analgesics is to take inspiration from Mother Nature; in this context, the detailed investigation of the intriguing analgesia implemented in Buruli ulcer, an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans and characterized by painless ulcerative lesions, seems particularly promising. More precisely, in this disease, the painless skin ulcers are caused by mycolactone, a polyketide lactone exotoxin. In fact, mycolactone exerts a wide range of effects on the host, besides being responsible for analgesia, as it has been shown notably to modulate the immune response or to provoke apoptosis. Several cellular mechanisms and different targets have been proposed to account for the analgesic effect of the toxin, such as nerve degeneration, the inhibition of inflammatory mediators and the activation of angiotensin II receptor 2. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge in the field, highlighting possible controversies. We first discuss the different pain-mimicking experimental models that were used to study the effect of mycolactone. We then detail the different variants of mycolactone that were used in such models. Overall, based on the results and the discussions, we conclude that the development of mycolactone-derived molecules can represent very promising perspectives for new analgesic drugs, which could be effective for specific pain indications.
Identification of an Immunosuppressive Cell Population during Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection and Its Role in Viral Persistence in the Host
Authors: Bohorquez Jose Alejandro , Muñoz-González Sara , Pérez-Simó Marta , Revilla Concepción , Domínguez Javier , Ganges Llilianne
Published: September 2019

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) remains a highly important pathogen, causing major losses in the swine industry. Persistent infection is highly relevant for CSFV maintenance in the field; however, this form of infection is not fully understood. An increase in the granulocyte population has been detected in CSFV persistently infected animals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possible immunosuppressive role of these cells in CSFV persistent infection. The phenotype of peripheral blood and bone marrow cells from persistently infected and naïve animals was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the capacity of specific cell subsets to reduce the interferon gamma (IFN-γ) response against unspecific and specific antigen was determined using co-culture assays. The frequency of granulocytic cells was increased in cells from CSFV persistently infected pigs and they showed a phenotype similar to immunosuppressive cell populations found in persistent infection in humans. These cells from persistently infected animals were able to reduce the IFN-γ response against unspecific and specific antigen. Our results suggest that immature immunosuppressive cell populations play a role in CSFV persistent infection in swine. The information obtained by studying the role of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) during CSFV persistent infection may extrapolate to other viral persistent infections in mammals.
Immunomodulatory Potential of Tinospora cordifolia and CpG ODN (TLR21 Agonist) against the Very Virulent, Infectious Bursal Disease Virus in SPF Chicks
Authors: Sachan Swati , Dhama Kuldeep , Latheef Shyma K. , Abdul Samad Hari , Mariappan Asok Kumar , Munuswamy Palanivelu , Singh Rajendra , Singh Karam Pal , Malik Yashpal Singh , Singh Raj Kumar
Published: September 2019

Infectious bursal disease (IBD), caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), is characterized by severe immunosuppression in young chicks of 3 to 6 week age group. Although vaccines are available to prevent IBD, outbreaks of disease are still noticed in the field among vaccinated flocks. Further, the birds surviving IBD become susceptible to secondary infections caused by various viral and bacterial agents. This study assessed the immunoprophylactic potential of Cytosine-guanosinedeoxynucleotide (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) and Tinospora cordifolia stem aqueous extract in the specific pathogen free (SPF) chicks, experimentally infected with very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV). Both of these agents (CpG ODN and herbal extract) showed significant increase in the IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-1 levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (p < 0.05) of chickens in the treatment groups following IBD infection. Further we found significant reduction in mortality rate in vvIBDV infected chicks treated with either, or in combination, compared with the birds of control group. Additionally, the adjuvant or immune enhancing potential of these two immunomodulatory agents with the commercially available IBDV vaccine was determined in chicks. The augmentation of vaccine response in terms of an enhanced antibody titer after vaccination, along with either or a combination of the two agents was noticed. The findings provide a way forward to counter the menace of IBDV in the poultry sector through use of these herbal or synthetic immunomodulatory supplements.
A Comparative Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Oral and Subcutaneous Meloxicam Administered to Postpartum Dairy Cows
Authors: Shock Daniel , Roche Steven , Olson Merle
Published: September 2019

The dairy industry needs evidence-based solutions to mitigate painful procedures and conditions in dairy cattle. The objective of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetic properties of orally versus subcutaneously administered meloxicam in early-lactation dairy cattle. The study was conducted at a commercial dairy herd in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Twelve postpartum cows were enrolled in the study, receiving either subcutaneous meloxicam (MET) at 0.5 mg/kg body weight (n = 6) or oral meloxicam (MOS) at a higher dose of 1.0 mg/kg body weight (n = 6) immediately following parturition. The predicted half-life (12.5 ± 2.0 vs. 28.5 ± 2.0 h), Cmax (1.59 ± 0.15 vs. 1.95 ± 0.16 μg/mL), Tmax (5.33 vs. 11.7 h), and AUC0→∞ (39.6 ± 7.4 vs. 115.6 ± 19 h * µg/mL) differed significantly between MET and MOS cows, respectively. After controlling for the treatment group, first lactation cows had a significantly higher half-life (4.1 ± 2.1 h), Cmax (0.56 ± 0.2 µg/mL), and AUC0→∞ (21.6 ± h * µg/mL) relative to second lactation or greater cows, respectively. Administration of meloxicam through the subcutaneous or oral route results in appreciable, dose-dependent systemic levels.
Multi-Objective Optimal Scheduling Model of Dynamic Control of Flood Limit Water Level for Cascade Reservoirs
Authors: Liu Guanjun , Qin Hui , Shen Qin , Tian Rui , Liu Yongqi
Published: September 2019

Reservoirs play a significant role in water resources management and water resource allocation. Traditional flood limited water level (FLWL) of reservoirs is set as a fixed value which over-considers the reservoir flood control and limits the benefits of reservoirs to a certain extent. However, the dynamic control of the reservoir FLWL is an effective solution. It is a method to temporarily increase the water level of the reservoir during the flood season by using forecast information and discharge capacity, and it can both consider flood control and power generation during the flood season. Therefore, this paper focuses on multi-objective optimal scheduling of dynamic control of FLWL for cascade reservoirs based on multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to get the trade-off between flood control and power generation. A multi-objective optimal scheduling model of dynamic control of FLWL for cascade reservoirs which contains a new dynamic control method is developed, and the proposed model consists of an initialization module, a dynamic control programming module and an optimal scheduling module. In order to verify the effectiveness of the model, a cascade reservoir consisting of seven reservoirs in the Hanjiang Basin of China were selected as a case study. Twenty-four-hour runoff data series for three typical hydrological years were used in this model. At the same time, two extreme schemes were chosen for comparison from optimized scheduling schemes. The comparison result showed that the power generation can be increased by 9.17 × 108 kW·h (6.39%) at most, compared to the original design scheduling scheme, while the extreme risk rate also increased from 0.1% to 0.268%. In summary, experimental results show that the multi-objective optimal scheduling model established in this study can provide decision makers with a set of alternative feasible optimized scheduling schemes by considering the two objectives of maximizing power generation and minimizing extreme risk rate.
Water-Energy Nexus for an Italian Storage Hydropower Plant under Multiple Drivers
Authors: Bonato Mattia , Ranzani Alessandro , Patro Epari Ritesh , Gaudard Ludovic , De Michele Carlo
Published: September 2019

Climate change has repercussions on the management of water resources. Particularly, changes in precipitation and temperature impact hydropower generation and revenue by affecting seasonal electricity prices and streamflow. This issue exemplifies the impact of climate change on the water-energy-nexus, which has raised serious concern. This paper investigates the impact of climate change on hydropower with a multidisciplinary approach. A holistic perspective should be favored as the issue is complex, consequently, we chose to investigate a specific case study in Italy. It allows grasping the details, which matters in mountainous area. We integrated a hydrological model, hydropower management model, nine climate scenarios, and five electricity scenarios for a specific storage hydropower plant. Independently from the scenarios, the results show a glacier volume shrinkage upward of 40% by 2031 and minimum of 50% by 2046. The reservoir mitigates losses of revenue that reach 8% in the worst case, however, are lower compared with run-of-the-river configuration. Changes in price seasonality amplitude also determine modifications in revenues, while temporal shifts appear to be ineffective. For run-of-the-river, any variation in hydrological cycle immediately translates into revenue. Comparing the results of all future scenarios with the base scenario, it can be concluded that an increase in temperature will slightly improve the performances of hydropower.
Comparative Analysis of Building Representations in TELEMAC-2D for Flood Inundation in Idealized Urban Districts
Authors: Li Zejin , Liu Jiahong , Mei Chao , Shao Weiwei , Wang Hao , Yan Dianyi
Published: September 2019

This study aims to better understand the impact of different building representations and mesh resolutions on urban flood simulations using the TELEMAC-2D model in idealized urban districts. A series of numerical models based on previous laboratory experiments was established to simulate urban flooding around buildings, wherein different building layouts (aligned and staggered) were modeled for different building representations: building–hole (BH), building–block (BB), and building–resistance (BR) methods. A sensitivity analysis of the Manning coefficient for building grids indicated that the unit-width discharge and water depth in building grids reduce as the Manning coefficient is less than 104 m − 1 / 3 · s . The simulated depths via the BH, BB, and BR methods were compared with the measured data in terms of three accuracy indicators: root mean square error, Pearson product–moment correlation coefficient, and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency. Observing apparent discrepancies based on the hydrographs was difficult; however, some slight distinctions were observed based on the aforementioned three indicators. The sensitivity of 1, 2, and 5 cm mesh resolutions was also analyzed: results obtained using 1 cm resolution were better than those obtained using other resolutions. The complex flow regime around buildings was also investigated based on mesh resolution, velocity, and Froude number according to our results. This study provides key data regarding urban flood model benchmarks, focusing on the effect of different building representations and mesh resolutions.
Application of Stable Isotopes of Water to Study Coupled Submarine Groundwater Discharge and Nutrient Delivery
Authors: Duque Carlos , Jessen Søren , Tirado-Conde Joel , Karan Sachin , Engesgaard Peter
Published: September 2019

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)—including terrestrial freshwater, density-driven flow at the saltwater–freshwater interface, and benthic exchange—can deliver nutrients to coastal areas, generating a negative effect in the quality of marine water bodies. It is recognized that water stable isotopes (18O and 2H) can be helpful tracers to identify different flow paths and origins of water. Here, we show that they can be also applied when assessing sources of nutrients to coastal areas. A field site near a lagoon (Ringkøbing Fjord, Denmark) has been monitored at a metric scale to test if stable isotopes of water can be used to achieve a better understanding of the hydrochemical processes taking place in coastal aquifers, where there is a transition from freshwater to saltwater. Results show that 18O and 2H differentiate the coastal aquifer into three zones: Freshwater, shallow, and deep saline zones, which corresponded well with zones having distinct concentrations of inorganic phosphorous. The explanation is associated with three mechanisms: (1) Differences in sediment composition, (2) chemical reactions triggered by mixing of different type of fluxes, and (3) biochemical and diffusive processes in the lagoon bed. The different behaviors of nutrients in Ringkøbing Fjord need to be considered in water quality management. PO4 underneath the lagoon exceeds the groundwater concentration inland, thus demonstrating an intra-lagoon origin, while NO3, higher inland due to anthropogenic activity, is denitrified in the study area before reaching the lagoon.
Modeling Spatiotemporal Rainfall Variability in Paraíba, Brazil
Authors: Medeiros Elias Silva de , Lima Renato Ribeiro de , Olinda Ricardo Alves de , Santos Carlos Antonio Costa dos
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed framework to use the spatiotemporal kriging to model the space-time variability of precipitation data in Paraíba, which is located in the northeastern region of Brazil (NEB). The NEB is characterized by an irregular, highly variable distribution of rainfall in space and time. In this region, it is common to find high rates of rainfall at locations adjacent to those with no record of rain. Paraíba experiences localized periods of drought within rainy seasons and distinct precipitation patterns among the state’s mesoregions. The mean precipitation values observed at several irregularly spaced rain gauge stations from 1994 to 2014 showed remarkable variations among the mesoregions in Paraíba throughout the year. As a consequence of this behavior, there is a need to model the rainfall distribution jointly with space and time. A spatiotemporal geostatistical methodology was applied to monthly total rainfall data from the state of Paraíba. The rainfall data indicate intense spatial and temporal variabilities that directly affect the water resources of the entire region. The results provide a detailed spatial analysis of sectors experiencing precipitation conditions ranging from a scarcity to an excess of rainfall. The present study should help drive future research into spatiotemporal rainfall patterns across all of NEB.
Dans mon corps se fait jour de manière non loquace que quelque chose se prépare… Approche en première personne d’un moment de vigilance vécu en introspection sensorielle
Authors: Berger Eve
Published: September 2019

Ancré dans un projet de phénoménologie pratique, cet article propose une description en première personne d’un moment vécu en introspection sensorielle, moment caractérisé par une grande qualité de présence et par l’émergence d’un saut attentionnel qualitatif remarquable. L’introspection sensorielle est une pratique méditative tournée vers les manifestations du vivant se déroulant en temps réel dans l’intériorité du corps, qui crée des conditions pour percevoir un ensemble de phénomènes internes habituellement cachés à la conscience. Ces phénomènes étant prioritairement corporels, leur description met en lumière des facettes de la dynamique attentionnelle non spontanément décrites si l’on pense cette dernière prioritairement comme un processus cognitif. Outre les aspects significatifs de cette expérience en termes de dynamique de présence et d’attention, l’article souligne la rigueur épistémologique et méthodologique qu’impose une recherche en première personne.
Vigilance: Embodied Nowness? On the Relation of Mental Presence to Time and Energy
Authors: Franck Georg
Published: September 2019

Subjectively, vigilance measures the intensity of mental presence ; objectively, it refers to activation patterns and, in particular, to the energy level of the physical brain. In order to account for this dualism beyond the trodden paths, a distinction in the modes of existence is introduced. The mode in which consciousness exists is presence, the mode in which the brain exists is realness. In contrast to theories such as neutral monism or panpsychism, this modal dualism is not ad hoc, accounting for the mind-matter distinction only. Presence includes both mental presence and the temporal present. Presence, moreover, is an intrinsically dynamic mode of existing. The dualism of presence and realness corresponds to the dualism of temporal change and real change. Temporal change means that world states having been future become present and then past ; real change means that world states differing in date also differ in structure or function. Temporal change, concerning the distribution of presence among world states only, is spontaneous and disregarded by physics. Real change, in contrast, is causal and energetic, thus physically objective. Vigilance represents the remarkable case of a synthesis of temporal change and real change. It is synchronized with the temporal present as well as energized by the physical brain. The hypothesis put forward is that mental presence has emerged in evolution in virtue of the inventiveness of nature to embody presence by branching off individual streams of consciousness from the overall flow of time.
Heightened States of Attention: From Mental Performance to Altered States of Consciousness and Contemplative Practices
Authors: Landry Mathieu , Raz Amir
Published: September 2019

Alerte mentale : de la performance aux états modifiés de conscience et pratiques contemplatives. Pour certains chercheurs en science cognitive, la notion de vigilance renvoie au concept d’alerte mentale, c’est-à-dire, la capacité d’atteindre et de maintenir un niveau élevé d’attention pour compléter une tâche. Dans cet essai, nous explorons l’influence qu’exerce la vigilance sur la performance, et démontrons comment ces états mentaux d’attention élevée influencent plusieurs processus cérébraux perceptifs, cognitifs et idéomoteurs. Nous montrons également comment certaines conceptions actuelles sur la notion d’alerte mentale instruisent les domaines de recherche portant sur les états altérés de conscience et les pratiques contemplatives. Notre approche repose principalement sur un modèle théorique qui conçoit l’alerte mentale comme un élément central de l’attention. Nous expliquons comment ce cadre de référence fait la distinction entre les habilités mentales permettant d’atteindre un niveau élevé d’attention, et celles permettant de le maintenir. Alors que les premières correspondent principalement à une augmentation transitoire de l’activation nerveuse et de préparation à répondre, nommé l’alerte phasique ; les secondes représentent un profil tonique de l’alerte mentale notamment impliqué dans la régulation et la réactivation endogène des schémas mentaux. Nous détaillons également certaines des caractéristiques comportementales et neurobiologiques associées à ces deux profils, et mettons l’accent sur les recoupements entre le système d’alerte mentale, les processus de l’hypnose et la pratique méditative. Cette synthèse générale de la vigilance humaine ouvre la porte vers de nouvelles pistes de recherche dans ces domaines.
Attention collective et vigilance médiatique
Authors: Citton Yves
Published: September 2019

Collective Attention and Media Watch. This article surveys various recent theorizations of the collective constitution of our attention in the age of ubiquitous computation. It develops a critical analysis of the current dynamics driven by the mass media inherited from the 20 th century, as they are colonized by nefarious attractors like “populism” and “terrorism”. It attempts to understand how 21 st century digital media, based on the ambivalent powers of deep learning, can transform the nature of and workings of our collective attention. It invites us to reconsider the very notion of attention, in order to differentiate various gestures (both mental and social) that tend to be confused under this reference.
Complex assessment of inland water fish stocks
Authors: Stündl László
Published: September 2019

In the domestic fish production, natural waters have yielded for several years about 7-8 thousand tons. This, from the point of view of outputs, considering the almost 130 thousand hectares of natural water, is rather low, it means approximately 55-60 kg/ha mixed fish.Although the various natural waters can differ significantly on the basis of yields, yet on the majority of the territories, the results were low. In the case of our extensive still waters and rivers, the reason can undoubtedly be found in the combined effect of the lack of the possibility of reproduction of the fish stock and the over-fishing. Fishery built on planning supposes the best possible knowledge in the given circum stances of the parameters of the water area and its fishstock. Lacking this knowledge, it is not possible to establish the optimal use fulness of the resources, what is more, the management can make faulty decisions – as a result of a lack of information -, which can risk the success of later activities.It is known that many factors have an impact on the success of the fishery, as well as some information in connection with the water area and the fish stock are necessary, the knowledge of which make it possible to manage the fishery in a planned way. One part of the information is available, while the other part is incomplete or not deep enough. The necessary data are dissimilar depending on their nature, can be obtained from different places, by different methods.As the first step for executing the field surveys and processing data, I developed a complex model, which contains in a unified system the steps of estimating the fishstock. I made the sampling on the basis of this. Part of the model is a fish faunistic survey, as well as a morphological survey of the water area. The information gained from these are important for making more accurate the system of devices of the samplings for stock estimation (duration, number of net-rows) and for assigning its place (places representing the best way the physical characteristics of the given water area). The major stages of stock-survey: A) faunistic survey, B) physical survey of the bed, and C) sampling with the help of gill-nets. This is followed by the evaluation by the computer module.The results of the research create a methodological and technical background for the fish faunistic and population biologic surveys still performed in different ways in our country, and by applying these methods together, all basic information about natural waters which help decision-making concerning fisheries can be obtaine deffectively.
İNSAN, DİL VE KUR’AN
Authors: TAŞTEKİN Ali
Published: September 2019

Kur’an-ı Kerim’deki altmış beş yerde “insân”, on sekiz yerde “ins”,
bir yerde de “insî” geçmektedir. Ayrıca bir ayette “enâsî”, beş ayette “ünâs”,
iki yüz kırk ayette de “nâs” şeklinde çoğul olarak yer almaktadır. Beş ayette görmek
manasında “ânese” şeklinde, bir ayette de izin alma anlamında “teste’nisû”
şeklinde kullanılmıştır. Bir ayette ise konuşma, ülfet, ünsiyet etme anlamında
“müste’nisîn” şeklinde özne kalıbında kullanılmıştır. Ayrıca vurulduğu zaman
ses çıkaran kuru balçık anlamına gelen “salsâ”l tabiri, insanı öteki canlı
türlerinden ayıran konuşma ve dil üretme yeteneğine, hem de insan varlığının
kolay kırılabilir ve zayıf yaratılışına işaret ettiği söylenmektedir.

Bu çalışmada; dil ve iletişimle ilgili olduğunu değerlendirdiğimiz
74 farklı ibarenin 924 suredeki 2077 ayette toplam 2162 kez geçtiği tespit
edilmiştir. Bütün ibarelerin sure, ayet ve geçiş frekansları verilerek, Diyanet
meali üzerinden Kur’an ve insan iletişiminde dilin önemi araştırılmıştır.

İnsan, dünya ve Kur’an çeşitli yönleriyle birbirine benzetilir.
“Peygamber yürüyen Kur’an, dürülen dünya insandır” madem, değişim ve dönüşüm
sürer her dem. Dil; her üçü için de gereklidir ve üç benzemezi birbirine
döndüren harikulade bir araç; ezelden ebede varlığını sürdüren kökü arzda,
dalları semada ve her mevsim meyve veren bir İlahî ağaçtır. İnsanca yaşamak,
doğru yolda buluşmak ve güzellikte yarışmak için dil, yani doğru iletişim
şarttır. Kur’an, dünya ve insan için hem doğru kılavuz hem de sağlam kaynaktır.
Onunla sürekli iletişim içinde bulunmak, ebedî hayat için mutlak bir hak ve
muhakkak olan ezelî varlığa ulaşmak bediî bir ihtiyaçtır.0