bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tocotrienol-Rich Vitamin E from Palm Oil (Tocovid) and Its Effects in Diabetes and Diabetic Nephropathy: A Pilot Phase II Clinical Trial
Authors: Tan Suzanne , Chiew Yilynn , Ahmad Badariah , Kadir Khalid
Published: September 2018

Tocotrienol-rich vitamin E from palm oil (Tocovid) has been shown to ameliorate diabetes through its superior antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, and anti-inflammatory properties in diabetic rats. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Tocovid on diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Baseline parameters of potential subjects such as HbA1c, blood pressure, Advanced Glycation Endproduct (AGE), soluble receptor for AGE (sRAGE), Nε-Carboxymethyllysine (Nε-CML), and Cystatin C were assessed for possible correlation with diabetic nephropathy. Only subjects with diabetic nephropathy or urine microalbuminuria-positive defined as Urine Albumin to Creatinine Ratio (UACR) >10 mg/mmol were recruited into a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. The intervention group (n = 22) received Tocovid 200 mg twice a day while the control group (n = 23) received placebo twice a day for 8 weeks. Changes in Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, serum biomarkers and renal parameters such as UACR, serum creatinine, and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) were compared between the two groups. It was found that serum Nε-CML significantly correlated to the severity of microalbuminuria. For every 1 ng/mL increase in serum Nε-CML, the odds of diabetic nephropathy increased by 1.476 times. Tocovid, compared to placebo, significantly reduced serum creatinine but not eGFR, UACR, HbA1c, blood pressure, and serum biomarkers. In conclusion, serum Nε-CML is a potential biomarker for diabetic nephropathy. Treatment with Tocovid significantly reduced serum creatinine; therefore Tocovid may be a useful addition to the current treatment for diabetic nephropathy.
Permeability Behavior of Nanocrystalline Solid Dispersion of Dipyridamole Generated Using NanoCrySP Technology
Authors: Girdhar Ashish , Thakur Poonam Singh , Sheokand Sneha , Bansal Arvind K.
Published: September 2018

Nanocrystals research has been an area of significant interest lately, providing oral bioavailability benefits to solubility- and/or dissolution rate-limited drugs. Drug nanocrystals are generated using top-down or bottom-up technologies. Combination technologies (Nanoedge, Nanopure XP and SmartCrystal) have been recently developed to generate nanocrystals of improved properties. Our lab has also contributed in this field by providing a ‘novel’ platform technology, NanoCrySP, for the generation of nanocrystals. NanoCrySP-generated nanocrystals have improved the oral bioavailability of various molecules. In this study, we aim to assess the permeability behavior of nanocrystals generated by NanoCrySP. Three samples of Dipyridamole (DPM) drug were used in this study: (1) DPM (micron-sized powder), (2) nanocrystals of DPM (NS), generated by media milling (as control) and, (3) nanocrystalline solid dispersion containing DPM (NSD) in the matrix of mannitol (MAN), generated using NanoCrySP technology. In vitro (Caco-2 cell lines) and ex vivo (everted gut sac) studies were conducted in this work. Cellular permeability (Papp) from apical-to-basolateral side in Caco-2 cell monolayer was found to be in the order NS > NSD > DPM, which was the same as their apparent solubility values. Higher Papp from a basolateral-to-apical side suggested a significant contribution of the P-gp efflux transport for DPM, while NS exhibited much higher inhibition of the efflux mechanism than NSD. Both NS and NSD showed higher permeation from the jejunum region in the ex vivo everted gut sac study. Interestingly, Papp of NSD was similar to NS in ex vivo everted gut sac model, however, NSD showed higher mucoadhesion than NS and DPM in this study.
Effects of Formulation and Process Variables on Gastroretentive Floating Tablets with A High-Dose Soluble Drug and Experimental Design Approach
Authors: Thapa Prakash , Jeong Seong Hoon
Published: September 2018

To develop sustained release gastro-retentive effervescent floating tablets (EFT), a quality-based experimental design approach was utilized during the composing of a hydrophilic matrix loaded with a high amount of a highly water-soluble model drug, metformin HCl. Effects of the amount of polyethylene oxide WSR 303 (PEO), sodium bicarbonate, and tablet compression force were used as independent variables. Various times required to release the drug, tablet tensile strength, floating lag time, tablet ejection force, and tablet porosity, were selected as the responses. Polymer screening showed that PEO had the highest gel strength among the various tested polymers. Sodium bicarbonate had the most significant effect on the release rate and floating lag time by retarding the rate from the hydrophilic matrices, whilst tablet compression force and PEO exerted the greatest influence on tablet properties (p < 0.0001). The design space was built in accordance with the drug release profiles, tensile strength, and floating lag time, following failure probability analysis using Monte Carlo simulations. The kinetic modeling revealed that the release mechanism was best described by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Overall, the current study provided a perspective on the systematic approach of gastro-retentive EFT, loaded with highly water-soluble drugs by applying quality by design concepts.
Dyeing Property and Adsorption Kinetics of Reactive Dyes for Cotton Textiles in Salt-Free Non-Aqueous Dyeing Systems
Authors: Wang Jiping , Gao Yuanyuan , Zhu Lei , Gu Xiaomin , Dou Huashu , Pei Liujun
Published: September 2018

In recent years, new concepts in textile dyeing technology have been investigated which aim to decrease the use of chemicals and the emission of water. In this work, dyeing of cotton textiles with reactive dyes has been investigated in a silicone non-aqueous dyeing system. Compared with conventional aqueous dyeing, almost 100% of reactive dyes can be adsorbed on cotton textiles without using any salts in non-aqueous dyeing systems, and the fixation of dye is also higher (80%~90% for non-aqueous dyeing vs. 40%~50% for traditional dyeing). The pseudo-second-order kinetic model can best describe the adsorption and equilibrium of reactive dyes in the non-aqueous dyeing systems as well as in the traditional water dyeing system. In the non-aqueous dyeing systems, the adsorption equilibrium of reactive dyes can be reached quickly. Particularly in the siloxane non-aqueous dyeing system, the adsorption equilibrium time of reactive dye is only 5–10 min at 25 °C, whereas more time is needed at 60 °C in the water dyeing system. The surface tension of non-aqueous media influences the adsorption rate of dye. The lower the surface tension, the faster the adsorption rate of reactive dye, and the higher the final uptake of dye. As a result, non-aqueous dyeing technology provides an innovative approach to increase dye uptake under a low dyeing temperature, in addition to making large water savings.
Towards an Aspect-Oriented Design and Modelling Framework for Synthetic Biology
Authors: Boeing Philipp , Leon Miriam , Nesbeth Darren N. , Finkelstein Anthony , Barnes Chris P.
Published: September 2018

Work on synthetic biology has largely used a component-based metaphor for system construction. While this paradigm has been successful for the construction of numerous systems, the incorporation of contextual design issues—either compositional, host or environmental—will be key to realising more complex applications. Here, we present a design framework that radically steps away from a purely parts-based paradigm by using aspect-oriented software engineering concepts. We believe that the notion of concerns is a powerful and biologically credible way of thinking about system synthesis. By adopting this approach, we can separate core concerns, which represent modular aims of the design, from cross-cutting concerns, which represent system-wide attributes. The explicit handling of cross-cutting concerns allows for contextual information to enter the design process in a modular way. As a proof-of-principle, we implemented the aspect-oriented approach in the Python tool, SynBioWeaver, which enables the combination, or weaving, of core and cross-cutting concerns. The power and flexibility of this framework is demonstrated through a number of examples covering the inclusion of part context, combining circuit designs in a context dependent manner, and the generation of rule, logic and reaction models from synthetic circuit designs.
Time-Based Trend of Carbon Emissions in the Composting Process of Swine Manure in the Context of Agriculture 4.0
Authors: Huh Jun-Ho , Kim Ki-Youn
Published: September 2018

The widespread raising of swine in farms becomes a serious problem in terms of the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). This study aims to measure concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, which account for the largest percentage of carbon emissions, to temporally estimate the carbon emitted during the pig-manure composting process. The research subject was a farmhouse raising 3000 growing pigs and 100 mother pigs. The capacity of the composting facility for pig manure treatment was 330 m2, and the daily treatment was about 6 tons. After the pig manure discharged from the pig farm was delivered to the composting facility, for the 8 days including 6 before mixing and 2 after mixing, the concentrations of CO2 and CH4 were measured. The result shows that the CO2 and CH4 concentrations in the composting facility were 1208 ± 385 ppm and 95 ± 10 ppm, respectively. In the comparison of concentrations before and after mixing at the composting facility, the values of both CO2 and CH4 increased, and the temperature increased as well. The concentration of CO2 and CH4 increased to 499 ± 103 ppm and 3 ± 11 ppm, respectively, and the temperature rose by 3.7 ± 1.0 °C and 1.6 ± 2.4 °C, respectively. In the correlation analysis (r = 0, p < 0.05), the carbon dioxide emission in the composting process was 15.564 ± 3.671 tons C/year, whereas carbon emission was 1.379 ± 0.147 tons C/year. The concentrations of CO2 and methane, which are the current major atmospheric pollution sources, were respectively analyzed during the pig-manure composting process in this study to understand their effects. Thus, this paper attempts to elucidate the carbon cycle by measuring and analyzing the carbon data obtained from livestock excretions to secure a supply chain based on the intelligent use of the data.
Dynamic Modeling and Control of an Integrated Reformer-Membrane-Fuel Cell System
Authors: P. S. Pravin , Gudi Ravindra D. , Bhartiya Sharad
Published: September 2018

Owing to the pollution free nature, higher efficiency and noise free operation, fuel cells have been identified as ideal energy sources for the future. To avoid direct storage of hydrogen due to safety considerations, storing hydrocarbon fuel such as methane and suitably reforming in situ for hydrogen production offers merit for further investigation. Separating the resulting hydrogen in the reformate using membrane separation can directly feed pure gas to the anode side of fuel cell for power generation. Despite the numerous works reported in literature on the dynamic and steady state modeling and analysis of reformers, membrane separation units and fuel cell systems, there has been limited work on an analysis of the integrated system consisting of all the three components. This study focuses on the mathematical modeling and analysis of the integrated reformer, membrane, fuel cell system from first principles in a dynamic framework. A multi loop control strategy is developed and implemented on the mathematical model of the integrated system in which appropriate controllers based on the system dynamics are designed to examine and study the overall closed loop performance to achieve rapidly fluctuating target power demand and rejection of reformer feed and fuel cell coolant temperature disturbances.
Influence of Organic Ligands on the Colloidal Stability and Removal of ZnO Nanoparticles from Synthetic Waters by Coagulation
Authors: Khan Rizwan , Inam Muhammad Ali , Park Du Ri , Zam Zam Saba , Shin Sookyo , Khan Sarfaraz , Akram Muhammad , Yeom Ick Tae
Published: September 2018

The large-scale production and usage of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) may lead to their post-release into the aquatic environment. In this study, the effect of hydrophobic/hydrophilic organic ligands on sorption and sedimentation of ZnO NPs has been systematically investigated. In addition, the coagulation efficiency of ZnO NPs, Zn2+, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254 with varying ferric chloride (FC) dosages in synthetic waters were also evaluated. The results showed that the higher concentration of organic ligands, i.e., humic acid (HA), salicylic acid (SA), and L-cysteine (L-cys) reduced the ζ-potential and hydrodynamic diameter (HDD) of particles, which enhanced the NPs stability. The adsorption of organic ligands onto ZnO NPs was fitted with the Langmuir model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 143, 40.47, and 66.05 mg/g for HA, SA and L-cys respectively. Removal of up to 95% of ZnO NPs and Zn2+ was achieved in studied waters at the effective coagulation zone (ECR), above which excess charge induced by coagulant restabilized the NPs in suspension. Moreover, the removal rate of DOC and UV254 were found to be higher in hydrophobic waters than hydrophilic waters. The width of ECR strongly depends on the characteristics of source water. The waters with hydrophobic ligand and higher UV254 values require more coagulant than hydrophilic waters to achieve the similar ZnO NPs and Zn2+ removal. The results of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis of ZnO NPs composite contaminant flocs indicated that the combined effect of enmeshment and charge neutralization might be a possible removal mechanism. These findings may facilitate the prediction of fate, transport, and removal of ZnO NPs in the natural waters, and might contribute to risk assessment, as well as decision making about engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in aquatic systems.
“A Fourfold Vision: Nature Religion and the Wages of Scientism in Ursula K. Le Guin’s ‘Newton’s Sleep’”
Authors: Newell Catherine L.
Published: September 2018

Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1991 short story ‘Newton’s Sleep’ begins in a utopic society that escaped the environmental and social calamity of a near-future Earth and created an enlightened culture on a space station. The group, led by a scientific elite, pride themselves on eradicating the irrational prejudices and unempirical mentality that hamstringed Earth; but chaos blossoms as the society struggles with the reappearance of religious intolerance, and becomes confused by an outbreak of mass hallucinations of the Earth they left behind. This narrative trope of the necessity of nature for the survival of humanity—physically, mentally, and spiritually—represents a new and relatively common allegory in contemporary science fiction in an era distinguished by separation from the natural world.
Global Lithium Sources—Industrial Use and Future in the Electric Vehicle Industry: A Review
Authors: Kavanagh Laurence , Keohane Jerome , Garcia Cabellos Guiomar , Lloyd Andrew , Cleary John
Published: September 2018

Lithium is a key component in green energy storage technologies and is rapidly becoming a metal of crucial importance to the European Union. The different industrial uses of lithium are discussed in this review along with a compilation of the locations of the main geological sources of lithium. An emphasis is placed on lithium’s use in lithium ion batteries and their use in the electric vehicle industry. The electric vehicle market is driving new demand for lithium resources. The expected scale-up in this sector will put pressure on current lithium supplies. The European Union has a burgeoning demand for lithium and is the second largest consumer of lithium resources. Currently, only 1–2% of worldwide lithium is produced in the European Union (Portugal). There are several lithium mineralisations scattered across Europe, the majority of which are currently undergoing mining feasibility studies. The increasing cost of lithium is driving a new global mining boom and should see many of Europe’s mineralisation’s becoming economic. The information given in this paper is a source of contextual information that can be used to support the European Union’s drive towards a low carbon economy and to develop the field of research.
Ecological Footprint Accounting for Countries: Updates and Results of the National Footprint Accounts, 2012–2018
Authors: Lin David , Hanscom Laurel , Murthy Adeline , Galli Alessandro , Evans Mikel , Neill Evan , Mancini Maria Serena , Martindill Jon , Medouar Fatime-Zahra , Huang Shiyu , Wackernagel Mathis
Published: September 2018

Ecological Footprint accounting quantifies the supply and demand of Earth’s biocapacity. The National Footprint Accounts (NFA) are the most widely used Ecological Footprint (EF) dataset, and provide results for most countries and the world from 1961 to 2014, based primarily on publicly available UN datasets. Here, we review the evolution of the NFA, describe and quantify the effects of improvements that have been implemented into the accounts since the 2012 edition, and review the latest global trends. Comparing results over six editions of NFAs, we find that time-series trends in world results remain stable, and that the world Ecological Footprint for the latest common year (2008) has increased six percent after four major accounting improvements and more than thirty minor improvements. The latest results from the NFA 2018 Edition for the year 2014 indicate that humanity’s Ecological Footprint is 1.7 Earths, and that global ecological overshoot continues to grow. While improved management practices and increased agricultural yields have assisted in a steady increase of Earth’s biocapacity since 1961, humanity’s Ecological Footprint continues to increase at a faster pace than global biocapacity, particularly in Asia, where the total and per capita Ecological Footprint are increasing faster than all other regions.
Performance-Based Design of the CRS-RRC Schoenflies-Motion Generator
Authors: Di Gregorio Raffaele , Cattai Mattia , Simas Henrique
Published: September 2018

Rigid-body displacements obtained by combining spatial translations and rotations around axes whose direction is fixed in the space are named Shoenflies’ motions. They constitute a 4-dimensional (4-D) subgroup, named Shoenflies’ subgroup, of the 6-D displacement group. Since the set of rotation-axis’ directions is a bi-dimensional space, the set of Shoenflies’ subgroups is a bi-dimensional space, too. Many industrial manipulations (e.g., pick-and-place on a conveyor belt) require displacements that belong to only one Schoenflies’ subgroup and can be accomplished by particular 4-degrees-of-freedom (4-DOF) manipulators (Shoenflies-motion generators (SMGs)). The first author has recently proposed a novel parallel SMG of type CRS-RRC1. Such SMG features a single-loop architecture with actuators on the base and a simple decoupled kinematics. Here, firstly, an organic review of the previous results on this SMG is presented; then, its design is addressed by considering its kinetostatic performances. The adopted design procedure optimizes two objective functions, one (global conditioning index (GCI)) that measures the global performance and the other (CImin) that evaluates the worst local performance in the useful workspace. The results of this optimization procedure are the geometric parameters’ values that make the studied SMG have performances comparable with those of commercial SMGs. In addition, a realistic 3D model that solves all the manufacturing doubts with simple and cheap solutions is presented.
Improving Data Quality for the Australian High Frequency Ocean Radar Network through Real-Time and Delayed-Mode Quality-Control Procedures
Authors: Cosoli Simone , Grcic Badema , De Vos Stuart , Hetzel Yasha
Published: September 2018

Quality-control procedures and their impact on data quality are described for the High-Frequency Ocean Radar (HFR) network in Australia, in particular for the commercial phased-array (WERA) HFR type. Threshold-based quality-control procedures were used to obtain radial velocity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), however, values were set through quantitative analyses with independent measurements available within the HFR coverage, when available, or from long-term data statistics. An artifact removal procedure was also applied to the spatial distribution of SNR for the first-order Bragg peaks, under the assumption the SNR is a valid proxy for radial velocity quality and that SNR decays with range from the receiver. The proposed iterative procedure was specially designed to remove anomalous observations associated with strong SNR peaks caused by the 50 Hz sources. The procedure iteratively fits a polynomial along the radial beam (1-D case) or a surface (2-D case) to the SNR associated with the radial velocity. Observations that exceed a detection threshold were then identified and flagged. After removing suspect data, new iterations were run with updated detection thresholds until no additional spikes were found or a maximum number of iterations was reached.
High-Resolution Forest Mapping from TanDEM-X Interferometric Data Exploiting Nonlocal Filtering
Authors: Martone Michele , Sica Francescopaolo , González Carolina , Bueso-Bello José-Luis , Valdo Paolo , Rizzoli Paola
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we discuss the potential and limitations of high-resolution single-pass interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data for forest mapping. In particular, we present forest/non-forest classification mosaics of the State of Pennsylvania, USA, generated using TanDEM-X data at ground resolutions down to 6 m. The investigated data set was acquired between 2011 in bistatic stripmap single polarization (HH) mode. Among the different factors affecting the quality of InSAR data, the so-called volume correlation factor quantifies the coherence loss due to volume scattering, which typically occurs in the presence of vegetation, and is a very sensitive indicator for the discrimination of forested from non-forested areas. For this reason, it has been chosen as input observable for performing the classification. In this framework, both standard boxcar and nonlocal filtering methods have been considered for the estimation of the volume correlation factor. The resulting forest/non-forest mosaics have been validated using an accurate vegetation map of the region derived from Lidar-Optic data as external independent reference. Thanks to their outstanding performance in terms of noise reduction, together with spatial features preservation, nonlocal filters show a level of agreement of about 80.5% and we observed a systematic improvement in terms of accuracy with respect to the boxcar filtering at the same resolution of about 4.5 percent points. This approach is therefore of primary importance to achieve a reliable classification at such fine resolution. Finally, the high-resolution forest/non-forest classification product of the State of Pennsylvania presented in this paper demonstrates once again the outstanding capabilities of the TanDEM-X system for a wide spectrum of commercial services and scientific applications in the field of the biosphere.
Evaluation of SMAP Freeze/Thaw Retrieval Accuracy at Core Validation Sites in the Contiguous United States
Authors: Kraatz Simon , Jacobs Jennifer M. , Schröder Ronny , Cho Eunsang , Cosh Michael , Seyfried Mark , Prueger John , Livingston Stan
Published: September 2018

Seasonal freeze-thaw (FT) impacts much of the northern hemisphere and is an important control on its water, energy, and carbon cycle. Although FT in natural environments extends south of 45°N, FT studies using the L-band have so far been restricted to boreal or greater latitudes. This study addresses this gap by applying a seasonal threshold algorithm to Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) data (L3_SM_P) to obtain a FT product south of 45°N (‘SMAP FT’), which is then evaluated at SMAP core validation sites (CVS) located in the contiguous United States (CONUS). SMAP landscape FT retrievals are usually in good agreement with 0–5 cm soil temperature at SMAP grids containing CVS stations (>70%). The accuracy could be further improved by taking into account specific overpass time (PM), the grid-specific seasonal scaling factor, the data aggregation method, and the sampling error. Annual SMAP FT extent maps compared to modeled soil temperatures derived from the Goddard Earth Observing System Model Version 5 (GEOS-5) show that seasonal FT in CONUS extends to latitudes of about 35–40°N, and that FT varies substantially in space and by year. In general, spatial and temporal trends between SMAP and modeled FT were similar.
A Channel Phase Error Correction Method Based on Joint Quality Function of GF-3 SAR Dual-Channel Images
Authors: Sun Guangcai , Xiang Jixiang , Xing Mengdao , Yang Jun , Guo Liang
Published: September 2018

Multichannel SAR is an effective approach to solving the contradiction between high azimuth resolution and wide swath. The goal of this paper is to obtain a new and effective method for estimating and compensating the interchannel phase error of the Chinese GF-3 Synthetic aperture radar (SAR). A channel phase error correction method based on the optimal value of the image domain quality function is proposed. In this method, the phase error is initially compensated using the correlation function method. In the fine correction of dual-channel phase error, a heuristic search algorithm is used to estimate the residual phase by searching the extremum of the quality function. After phase compensation in the image domain, the azimuth ambiguities caused by the remaining phase are eliminated. The proposed image domain processing method provides a new idea for channel phase error correction. The measured data of high-resolution GF-3 dual-channel ultrafine imaging mode verifies the validity of this method.
Perceptions of Stress and Enrichment in Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Implications for Community Support
Authors: Lin Hung-Chu , Bourque Janna , Zeanah Paula , McFatter Robert
Published: September 2018

Compared to negative experiences associated with parenting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), research has paid much less attention to positive aspects of experiences. This study examined both experiences of stress and enrichment in parenting a child with ASD to provide insights for practical community support services. Eighty-seven caregivers responded to the Effects of the Situation Questionnaire, a modified version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (2nd Ed.), and the Parental Sense of Competence Scale. Stress and enrichment were examined in their relations to child symptom severity, number of child-focused services, and parenting self-efficacy. Parenting self-efficacy and perceived level of stress, but not child symptom severity or number of child-focused services, were correlated with parental experiences of enrichment. The link between parenting self-efficacy and enrichment was mitigated by reported levels of stress. The findings revealed the paradoxical existence of enrichment experiences despite challenges in parenting a child with ASD. Notably, a higher number of community supports was associated with higher levels of stress, suggesting quality of support may be more important than involvement in numerous services. Moreover, enrichment occurs disregarding child’s symptoms and entails properly managing stress and a sense of parenting efficacy.
Exploring the Experiences of Heterosexual and Asexual Transgender People
Authors: Sumerau J. E. , Barbee Harry , Mathers Lain A. B. , Eaton Victoria
Published: September 2018

This article explores two cases at the intersection of emerging studies of transgender experience: heterosexualities and asexualities. Drawing on data from a mixed-methodological survey, we analyze the ways 57 asexual transgender people and 42 heterosexual transgender people occupying varied gender, race, class, age, and religious identities (1) make sense of gender and (2) experience coming out as transgender. Our analyses reveal some ways cisnormativity impacts transgender people across sexual identities, and the theoretical potential of incorporating transgender people into studies focused on asexualities and heterosexualities. In conclusion, we outline implications for understanding (1) transgender experiences with cisnormativity across sexual and other social locations and (2) possibilities for expanding studies of heterosexualities and asexualities beyond cisgender experiences.
Loading Range for the Development of Peak Power in the Close-Grip Bench Press versus the Traditional Bench Press
Authors: Lockie Robert G. , Callaghan Samuel J. , Orjalo Ashley J. , Moreno Matthew R.
Published: September 2018

The close-grip bench press (CGBP) is a variation of the traditional bench press (TBP) that uses a narrower grip (~95% biacromial distance) and has application for athletes performing explosive arm actions where the hands are positioned close to the torso. Limited research has investigated CGBP peak power. Twenty-six strength-trained individuals completed a one-repetition maximum TBP and CGBP. During two other sessions, subjects completed two repetitions as explosively as possible with loads from 20% to 90% for each exercise, with peak power measured by a linear position transducer. A factorial ANOVA calculated between- and within-exercise differences in peak power. Partial correlations controlling for sex determined relationships between absolute and relative strength and peak power load. Peak power for the TBP occurred at 50% 1RM, and 30% 1RM for the CGBP. There were no significant (p = 0.680) differences between peak power at each load when comparing the TBP and CGBP. For the within-exercise analysis, there were generally no significant differences in TBP and CGBP peak power for the 20–50% 1RM loads. There were no significant relationships between strength and peak power load (p = 0.100–0.587). A peak power loading range of 20–50% 1RM for the TBP and CGBP is suggested for strength-trained individuals.
Agroecology in Canada: Towards an Integration of Agroecological Practice, Movement, and Science
Authors: Isaac Marney E. , Isakson S. Ryan , Dale Bryan , Levkoe Charles Z. , Hargreaves Sarah K. , Méndez V. Ernesto , Wittman Hannah , Hammelman Colleen , Langill Jennifer C. , Martin Adam R. , Nelson Erin , Ekers Michael , Borden Kira A. , Gagliardi Stephanie , Buchanan Serra , Archibald Sarah , Gálvez Ciani Astrid
Published: September 2018

This article surveys the current state of agroecology in Canada, giving particular attention to agroecological practices, the related social movements, and the achievements of agroecological science. In each of these realms, we find that agroecology emerges as a response to the various social and ecological problems associated with the prevailing industrial model of agricultural production that has long been promoted in the country under settler colonialism. Although the prevalence and prominence of agroecology is growing in Canada, its presence is still small and the support for its development is limited. We provide recommendations to achieve a more meaningful integration of agroecology in Canadian food policy and practice.
Landscape Sustainability in the Loess Hilly Gully Region of the Loess Plateau: A Case Study of Mizhi County in Shanxi Province, China
Authors: Liang Xiaoying , Jia Hui , Chen Hai , Liu Di , Zhang Hang
Published: September 2018

In general, specific indicators of landscape sustainability are missing. To spatially evaluate landscape sustainability and its change in a rural landscape, the authors combined ecological and social components to develop an indicator system and a model based on information entropy. Four types of information entropy, namely, landscape service capability, landscape service demand, landscape vulnerability and landscape adaptation, were calculated using year-based information entropy to analyze the spatial-temporal differentiation of a rural ecosystem. Combined with the landscape composition and configuration indicators, the spatial and temporal differentiation of landscape sustainability was analyzed, and the effect of landscape structure on landscape sustainability was explored. Based on survey data from Mizhi County, Shaanxi Province, China from 2009 to 2014, the following results were obtained: (1) An analysis of entropy change could be used to evaluate landscape sustainability. (2) The carrying capacity of the complex ecosystem in the study area increased during the study period. (3) If the effect of landscape structure is not considered, then the landscape sustainability of the study area might be overestimated. Additionally, it was pointed out that the analysis of landscape sustainability through Boltzmann entropy also provides a new way to test and verify the research results in the future.
An Example of Uneven-Aged Forest Management for Sustainable Timber Harvesting
Authors: Banaś Jan , Zięba Stanisław , Bujoczek Leszek
Published: September 2018

This paper presents a system of uneven-aged forest management consistent with the principles of close-to-nature silviculture with treatments adopted to the requirements of individual tree stands, depending on their development phase, growing stock volume, DBH distribution and regeneration status. The study involves an experimental forest (property of the University of Agriculture in Cracow, Poland) with an area of 455.86 ha, located in the Western Carpathians. Data about stand characteristics and development processes, including regeneration, survival and removal, were obtained by measurements conducted at 10-year intervals on 413 permanent sample plots in the years 1976–2016, resulting in a total of four measurement periods. In the first period (1976–1986), harvesting intensity was low at 2.16 m3/ha/year but subsequently increased with the development of growing stock, higher volume increments and improved age and species structure, to finally reach 10.34 m3/ha/year in 2006–2016. The mean volume of timber harvested over the entire study period was 6.12 m3/ha/year, corresponding to 65.2% of the volume increment and 2.8% of the total growing stock. Management by the close-to-nature silviculture method had a positive impact on the forest characteristics. The improved species and age structure and the increased volume increment and growing stock translated into greater stand productivity without detriment to the implementation of non-timber forest functions.
Are Touristic Attractions Well-Connected in an Olympic Host City? A Network Analysis Measurement of Visitor Movement Patterns in Gangneung, South Korea
Authors: Kim Eujin-Julia , Jo Yongjun , Kang Youngeun
Published: September 2018

One of the most serious concerns about mega event-related changes to small cities is how to effectively utilize newly developed public attractions after the Olympic Games. Making connections with existing local amenities and forming attraction networks can be effective strategies for continuing a city’s revitalization. However, despite the expected benefits, attraction network research shows that these benefits often fail to materialize. With the case of Gangneung, a 2018 Winter Olympic hosting city, this study investigated visitation patterns to 19 selected attractions using network analysis. The results indicate that the most influential nodes are located on the northern coast, the eastern coast, and in the south downtown area, those nodes being the central locations where the strongest of connections are made. New attractions such as the Olympic Park and Walwha Linear Park were rather isolated. While seasonal and periodic variations, visitors’ residences, and destination choice attitudes had a significant effect on visitation patterns, the attraction networks, modes of transportation, proximity to region, and type similarity were not significant factors in the forming of visitation patterns. The results make a methodological contribution to tourist behavior and network research. In addition, beyond individual attraction development, the results provide practical implications in regard to networking and cooperation between multiple attractions using temporal and spatial strategies such as management/investment prioritizing, travel route development, and program scheduling.
Psychometric Properties of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y) among Malaysian University Students
Authors: Bee Seok Chua , Abd Hamid Harris Shah , Mutang Jasmine Adela , Ismail Rosnah
Published: September 2018

Health Ministry statistics showed mental health problems among Malaysian students increased from one in ten individuals in year 2011 to one in five in 2016. Anxiety and depression were cited as the main causes of mental health problems among students in Malaysia. However, an anxiety measure that has been validated for use with Malaysian students is still lacking. Thus, the main objective of the current study is to examine the psychometric proprieties of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y) (STAI), and to assess the suitability of the factorial model in the context of Malaysia. The STAI contains separate scales for measuring state and trait anxiety. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to test and to compare the two-factor model (State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety) and the four-factor model (State Anxiety Present, State Anxiety Absent, Trait Anxiety Present, and Trait Anxiety Absent) of STAI. In addition, the reliability and validity of the model were also tested. The sample consisted of 341 university students from one of the universities in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The results supported a better fit to the data for the four-factor model of STAI. To improve composite reliability and the average variance extracted (AVE) of the constructs, one item was removed from each of the State Anxiety Present factor, Trait Anxiety present factor, and Trait Anxiety Absent factor. Convergent validity for the four-factor model was also improved by the removal of the three items. The findings also suggested that the STAI may have some discriminant validity issues. In the framework of psychology of sustainability and sustainable development, research and intervention regarding this topic should also be enhanced from a primary prevention perspective to improve the quality of life of every human being, fostering wellbeing at all different levels, from individuals to organizations.
Tourism Review Sentiment Classification Using a Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network with an Attention Mechanism and Topic-Enriched Word Vectors
Authors: Li Qin , Li Shaobo , Hu Jie , Zhang Sen , Hu Jianjun
Published: September 2018

Sentiment analysis of online tourist reviews is playing an increasingly important role in tourism. Accurately capturing the attitudes of tourists regarding different aspects of the scenic sites or the overall polarity of their online reviews is key to tourism analysis and application. However, the performances of current document sentiment analysis methods are not satisfactory as they either neglect the topics of the document or do not consider that not all words contribute equally to the meaning of the text. In this work, we propose a bidirectional gated recurrent unit neural network model (BiGRULA) for sentiment analysis by combining a topic model (lda2vec) and an attention mechanism. Lda2vec is used to discover all the main topics of review corpus, which are then used to enrich the word vector representation of words with context. The attention mechanism is used to learn to attribute different weights of the words to the overall meaning of the text. Experiments over 20 NewsGroup and IMDB datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our model. Furthermore, we applied our model to hotel review data analysis, which allows us to get more coherent topics from these reviews and achieve good performance in sentiment classification.
Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development in a Resource-Abundant Country: Challenges of Wind Power Generation in Kazakhstan
Authors: Jianzhong XU , Assenova Albina , Erokhin Vasilii
Published: September 2018

In recent years, the environmental effects of energy production have increasingly entered into the foreground of the sustainable development agenda. Hydrocarbon-abundant countries are blamed to become the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, trace metals, and other pollutants due to extensive use of oil, gas, and coal in energy production. Combustion of fossil fuels for heat and power generation is reported to be among the major reasons for progressing climate change globally. The United Nations and other international actors have called on national governments to substantially increase the share of renewable energy, but the main point is how to incentivize the resource-rich countries to shift to greener technologies. For the example of Kazakhstan, whose energy sector is centered on coal, this paper discusses the challenges and prospects of wind power as both an environmentally friendly and efficient option to support a transition of a resource-rich country to a green economy and a sustainable energy future. Forty-two locations across the country have been assessed on the parameters of average annual wind speed, wind availability, and four types of potential for wind power production: gross, technical, economic, and emissions reduction. Some of the key findings are that at the height below 50 m above ground level, wind power production is economically viable in electricity-deficientt southern territories, particularly, in Djungar, Saryzhas, Zhuzimdyk, and Taraz. In western, central, and northern parts of Kazakhstan, at a height above 50 m, the most promising areas for wind power production are Caspian, Northwestern, Central, and Tarbagatay corridors. The paper identifies the areas with the highest emission reduction potential and elaborates the policies to encourage the selection of wind farm locations based on their “economic potential-environmental effect” ratio. The approach allows assessing the opportunities, which decentralized wind energy systems offer to transition away from a dependence on fossil fuels and to enable sustainable economic growth.
Mode Choice of Commuter Students in a College Town: An Exploratory Study from the United States
Authors: Zhou Jiangping , Wang Yin , Wu Jiangyue
Published: September 2018

Research of travel behaviors of university students is of theoretical and empirical importance. The literature, however, has paid little attention to mode choice of students at college towns. This study aims to specifically explore influence factors of the mode choice of college town students. After conducting a survey of commuter students at Iowa State University, a college-town university in the United States, the study uses both simple statistics and advanced statistical models (e.g., multinomial logit and nested logit models) to analyze the data and produces findings to confirm and test existing knowledge and to gain new insights. Firstly, students at a college town are more likely to adopt greener (non-driving-alone) modes, especially walking, to commute compared to their counterparts at urban universities; this is as revealed in the literature. Secondly, students may use “bundled services” to fulfill their travel needs. The students who prioritized rent affordability in housing choice tend to live in proximity to bus stops and are more likely to ride buses. Lastly, commuter students who do not drive alone to school tend to prefer a residence with transit proximity. Moreover, students who reside in proximity to transit and who reported “peer effects” would use non-driving modes more if commute time was shortened.
The Effectiveness of Service Innovation Practices to Reduce Energy Consumption Based on Adaptive Theory
Authors: Yang Yang , Li Zhongqiu , Su Yingying
Published: September 2018

Research on service innovation appears in several research disciplines, with important contributions in marketing, management, and operations research. The purpose of manufacturing enterprise service is to reduce energy consumption. We offer a new account based on an adaptive theory perspective. This paper investigates the relationship among three types of service innovation practices and service innovation performance in manufacturing enterprise. The study further examines environmental uncertainty as a moderator between service innovation practices and service innovation performance. Data collected from 59 manufacturing enterprises in China, and is analyzed and used to validate the article’s theoretical and empirical contributions. The findings reveal that three types of service innovation practices have positive effects on service innovation performance. In addition, the results show that the effect of guide-based service innovation practices on service innovation performance is weakened in manufacturing enterprise when there are higher levels of environmental uncertainty. The effect of project-based service innovation practices on service innovation performance is weakened in manufacturing enterprise when there are higher levels of environmental uncertainty. Based on the results, this study provides implications for service innovation and support roles in fostering and sustaining innovation, which generate sustainable competitive advantage.
Evaluation of Regionalization of Soil and Water Conservation in China
Authors: Wang Danyang , Li Zhongwu , Zeng Guangming , Nie Xiaodong , Liu Chun
Published: September 2018

This paper evaluates the regionalization of soil and water conservation in China, decades after its widespread implementation across the country. The authors mainly address two questions. First, to what extent could achievements in soil erosion and water management be attributed to regionalization? Statistics and cases show that enhancement of research on soil erosion and ecology, popularization of technologies and mathematical methods and more complete databases are the main improvements to theoretical research; the distribution of region-specific measures and monitoring sites and the development of a responsibility system are the main impacts on practice. Second, is there any weakness to regionalization? Econometric and management methods are currently not well integrated into the process of regionalization; indicators used for division lack standardization, thus weakening the accuracy of regionalization; also, there are limits to its implementation. Using scenario analysis, the authors discuss the possibility of involving economics and management science in the process of regionalization and the approach to combine qualitative analysis with quantitative analysis, while also arguing the importance of establishing an effective cooperation mechanism between different government departments and between government and actors. For government, the evaluation could be helpful to recognize the success, strengths and weaknesses of regionalization of soil and water in China and hence to take further steps to formulate region-specific policies dealing with complex environmental and economic problems in different regions.