bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and Its Metabolites from Environmental Water Samples Using Ionic Liquid Modified Magnetic Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 as Sorbent
Authors: Huang Xiaodong , Liu Yanan , Liu Huifang , Liu Guangyang , Xu Xiaomin , Li Lingyun , Lv Jun , Liu Zhongxiao , Zhou Wenfeng , Xu Donghui
Published: July 2019

As persistent organic pollutants, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and their metabolites pose considerable risks to human health and the environment. Therefore, monitoring DDTs in the environment is essential. Here, we developed a green, simple, and effective magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method coupled with gas chromatography tandem triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry to determine the DDT content of environmental water samples. A magnetic ionic liquid (IL) adsorbent was developed based on a modified magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotube/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (MM/ZIF-8/IL), synthesized by immobilizing the IL on the surface of MM/ZIF-8. We confirmed successful synthesis of MM/ZIF-8/IL by material characterization, and our results suggested that the MM/ZIF-8/IL had a high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area (159.9 m2 g−1), good thermostability (<800 °C), and a high degree of superparamagnetism (52.9 emu g−1). Several experimental conditions affecting the MSPE efficiency were optimized. Under the best conditions, good detection linearity was achieved (0.5–500 µg L−1) with determination coefficients ranging from 0.9927 to 0.9971. The lower limits of detection (0.0016–0.0072 µg L−1) also had good precision, having an intraday relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 6.5% and an interday RSD ≤ 8.9%. Finally, we used the as-developed method to determine DDT levels in environmental water samples.
Novel Ruthenium-Silver PTA-Based Polymers and Their Behavior in Water
Authors: Sierra-Martin Benjamin , Serrano-Ruiz Manuel , Scalambra Franco , Fernandez-Barbero Antonio , Romerosa Antonio
Published: July 2019

New coordination polymers based on two metal-containing moieties Ru–Ag are synthesized: Na[RuCpX(PTA)-μ-(PTA)-1κP:2κ2N-AgX2]∞ (X = Cl (1), Br (2), I (3)). Characterization is performed by NMR, UV-visible and FT-IR spectroscopy, optical-electron microscopy, and elemental analyses (C, H, N, S). Light scattering is employed to characterize the colloidal particles growth by polymer self-assembling. These structures are stable over a broad range of pH and exhibit thermally-driven swelling, thus resembling a typical thermosensitive hydrogel.
Use of Polyphenol Tannic Acid to Functionalize Titanium with Strontium for Enhancement of Osteoblast Differentiation and Reduction of Osteoclast Activity
Authors: Steffi Chris , Shi Zhilong , Kong Chee Hoe , Chong Sue Wee , Wang Dong , Wang Wilson
Published: July 2019

Implant anchorage remains a challenge, especially in porous osteoporotic bone with high osteoclast activity. The implant surface is modified with osteogenic molecules to stimulate osseointegration. Strontium (Sr) is known for its osteogenic and anti-osteoclastogenic effects. In this study, Sr was immobilized on a titanium (Ti) surface using bioinspired polyphenol tannic acid (pTAN) coating as an ad-layer (Ti-pTAN). Two separate coating techniques were employed for comparative analysis. In the first technique, Ti was coated with a tannic acid solution containing Sr (Ti-pTAN-1Stp). In the second method, Ti was first coated with pTAN, before being immersed in a SrCl2 solution to immobilize Sr on Ti-pTAN (Ti-pTAN-2Stp). Ti-pTAN-1Stp and Ti-pTAN-2Stp augmented the alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen secretion, osteocalcin production and calcium deposition of MC3T3-E1 cells as compared to those of Ti and Ti-pTAN. However, osteoclast differentiation of RAW 264.7, as studied by TRAP activity, total DNA, and multinucleated cell formation, were decreased on Ti-pTAN, Ti-pTAN-1Stp and Ti-pTAN-2Stp as compared to Ti. Of all the substrates, osteoclast activity on Ti-pTAN-2Stp was the lowest. Hence, an economical and simple coating technique using pTAN as an adlayer preserved the dual biological effects of Sr. These results indicate a promising new approach to tailoring the cellular responses of implant surfaces.
Lear, Luke 17, and Looking for the Kingdom Within
Authors: Stelzer Emily E.
Published: July 2019

The ending to Shakespeare’s Tragedy of King Lear has generated much debate. Performance history and critical interpretations of the conclusion of the Folio version of Lear have been pronouncedly divided into readings intimating the tragic hero’s redemption and readings averring his ultimately bleak condition, whether of delusion or despair. Recent attempts to describe Shakespeare’s use of scripture in this play have offered more nuance, acknowledging the play’s blending of pagan and Christian elements. While King Lear has extensively been compared to the book of Job and to apocalyptic passages in Revelation and Daniel, allusions to the gospel narratives and to Luke in particular raise the thorny question of Cordelia’s role as a Christ-figure. This essay argues that the ambiguous and suggestive nature of Lear’s final words (“Look there, look there!”) is both preserved and illuminated when read as an allusion to Jesus’ words in Luke 17:21. This previously unexplored allusion not only offers guidance for responding to Lear’s exhortation to “Look there” but also resonates within Shakespeare’s play through shared themes of apocalypse, kingdom, sight/insight, and the importance of the heart.
Accuracy of the TanDEM-X Digital Elevation Model for Coastal Geomorphological Studies in Patagonia (South Argentina)
Authors: Pasquetti Francesca , Bini Monica , Ciampalini Andrea
Published: July 2019

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of TanDEM-X DEM (digital elevation model) for remote geomorphological analysis in Argentinian Patagonia. The use of a DEM with appropriate resolution and coverage might be very helpful and advantageous in vast and hardly accessible areas. TanDEM-X DEM could represent an unprecedented opportunity to identify geomorphological features because of its global coverage, ~12 m spatial resolution and low cost. In this regard, we assessed the vertical accuracy of TanDEM-X DEM through comparison with Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) datasets collected in two areas of the Patagonia Region during a field survey; we then investigated different types of landforms by creating the elevation profiles. The comparison indicates a high agreement between TanDEM-X DEM and reference values, with a mean absolute vertical error (MAE) of 0.53 m, and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.73 m. The results of landform analysis show an appropriate spatial resolution to detect different features such as beach ridges, which are impossible to delineate with other lower resolution DEMs. For these reasons, TanDEM-X DEM constitutes a useful tool for detailed geomorphological analyses in Argentinian Patagonia.
Dust Storm Remote Sensing Monitoring Supported by MODIS Land Surface Reflectance Database
Authors: Sun Ke , Su Qinghua , Ming Yanfang
Published: July 2019

MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) land product subsets can provide high-quality prior knowledge for the quantitative inversion of land and atmospheric parameters. Using the LSR (Land Surface Reflectance) dataset, dust storm remote sensing monitoring in this study was carried out via quality control and data synthesis. A dynamic threshold supported dust storm monitoring method was proposed based on a monthly synthesized LSR database, which is produced using MOD09A1 data. The apparent reflectance of clear-pixels with different atmospheric conditions was simulated by the radiative transfer model. A pixel can be identified as a dust pixel if the apparent reflectance is larger than that of the simulated data. The proposed method was applied to the monitoring of four dust storms, the results of which were evaluated and analyzed via visual interpretation, MICAPS (Meteorological Information Comprehensive Analysis and Process System), and the OMI AI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument Aerosol Index) with the following conclusions: the dust storm monitoring results showed that most of the dust areas could be accurately detected when compared with the true color composite images, and the dust monitoring results agreed well with the MICAPS observation station data and the OMI AI dust products.
Automatic Semi-Global Artificial Shoreline Subpixel Localization Algorithm for Landsat Imagery
Authors: Song Yan , Liu Fan , Ling Feng , Yue Linwei
Published: July 2019

Shoreline mapping using satellite remote sensing images has the advantages of large-scale surveys and high efficiency. However, low spatial resolution, various geometric morphologies and complex offshore environments prevent accurate positioning of the shoreline. This article proposes a semi-global subpixel shoreline localization method that considers utilizing morphological control points to divide the initial artificial shoreline into segments of relatively simple morphology and analyzing the local intensity homogeneity to calculate the intensity integral error. Combined with the segmentation-merge-fitting method, the algorithm determines the subpixel location accurately. In experiments, we select five artificial shorelines with various geometric morphologies from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) data. The five subpixel artificial shoreline RMSE results lie in the range of 3.02 m to 4.77 m, with line matching results varying from 2.51 m to 3.72 m. Thus, it can be concluded that the proposed subpixel localization algorithm is effective and applicable to artificial shoreline in various geometric morphologies and is robust to complex offshore environments, to some extent.
Smart Industrial IoT Monitoring and Control System Based on UAV and Cloud Computing Applied to a Concrete Plant
Authors: Salhaoui Marouane , Guerrero-González Antonio , Arioua Mounir , Ortiz Francisco , El Oualkadi Ahmed , Torregrosa Carlos
Published: July 2019

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now considered one of the best remote sensing techniques for gathering data over large areas. They are now being used in the industry sector as sensing tools for proactively solving or preventing many issues, besides quantifying production and helping to make decisions. UAVs are a highly consistent technological platform for efficient and cost-effective data collection and event monitoring. The industrial Internet of things (IIoT) sends data from systems that monitor and control the physical world to data processing systems that cloud computing has shown to be important tools for meeting processing requirements. In fog computing, the IoT gateway links different objects to the internet. It can operate as a joint interface for different networks and support different communication protocols. A great deal of effort has been put into developing UAVs and multi-UAV systems. This paper introduces a smart IIoT monitoring and control system based on an unmanned aerial vehicle that uses cloud computing services and exploits fog computing as the bridge between IIoT layers. Its novelty lies in the fact that the UAV is automatically integrated into an industrial control system through an IoT gateway platform, while UAV photos are systematically and instantly computed and analyzed in the cloud. Visual supervision of the plant by drones and cloud services is integrated in real-time into the control loop of the industrial control system. As a proof of concept, the platform was used in a case study in an industrial concrete plant. The results obtained clearly illustrate the feasibility of the proposed platform in providing a reliable and efficient system for UAV remote control to improve product quality and reduce waste. For this, we studied the communication latency between the different IIoT layers in different IoT gateways.
Implementation of a Potential Field-Based Decision-Making Algorithm on Autonomous Vehicles for Driving in Complex Environments
Authors: Martínez Carlos , Jiménez Felipe
Published: July 2019

Autonomous driving is undergoing huge developments nowadays. It is expected that its implementation will bring many benefits. Autonomous cars must deal with tasks at different levels. Although some of them are currently solved, and perception systems provide quite an accurate and complete description of the environment, high-level decisions are hard to obtain in challenging scenarios. Moreover, they must comply with safety, reliability and predictability requirements, road user acceptance, and comfort specifications. This paper presents a path planning algorithm based on potential fields. Potential models are adjusted so that their behavior is appropriate to the environment and the dynamics of the vehicle and they can face almost any unexpected scenarios. The response of the system considers the road characteristics (e.g., maximum speed, lane line curvature, etc.) and the presence of obstacles and other users. The algorithm has been tested on an automated vehicle equipped with a GPS receiver, an inertial measurement unit and a computer vision system in real environments with satisfactory results.
Enabling the Internet of Mobile Crowdsourcing Health Things: A Mobile Fog Computing, Blockchain and IoT Based Continuous Glucose Monitoring System for Diabetes Mellitus Research and Care
Authors: Fernández-Caramés Tiago M. , Froiz-Míguez Iván , Blanco-Novoa Oscar , Fraga-Lamas Paula
Published: July 2019

Diabetes patients suffer from abnormal blood glucose levels, which can cause diverse health disorders that affect their kidneys, heart and vision. Due to these conditions, diabetes patients have traditionally checked blood glucose levels through Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG) techniques, like pricking their fingers multiple times per day. Such techniques involve a number of drawbacks that can be solved by using a device called Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which can measure blood glucose levels continuously throughout the day without having to prick the patient when carrying out every measurement. This article details the design and implementation of a system that enhances commercial CGMs by adding Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to them that allow for monitoring patients remotely and, thus, warning them about potentially dangerous situations. The proposed system makes use of smartphones to collect blood glucose values from CGMs and then sends them either to a remote cloud or to distributed fog computing nodes. Moreover, in order to exchange reliable, trustworthy and cybersecure data with medical scientists, doctors and caretakers, the system includes the deployment of a decentralized storage system that receives, processes and stores the collected data. Furthermore, in order to motivate users to add new data to the system, an incentive system based on a digital cryptocurrency named GlucoCoin was devised. Such a system makes use of a blockchain that is able to execute smart contracts in order to automate CGM sensor purchases or to reward the users that contribute to the system by providing their own data. Thanks to all the previously mentioned technologies, the proposed system enables patient data crowdsourcing and the development of novel mobile health (mHealth) applications for diagnosing, monitoring, studying and taking public health actions that can help to advance in the control of the disease and raise global awareness on the increasing prevalence of diabetes.
A Quantum Ant Colony Multi-Objective Routing Algorithm in WSN and Its Application in a Manufacturing Environment
Authors: Li Fei , Liu Min , Xu Gaowei
Published: July 2019

In many complex manufacturing environments, the running equipment must be monitored by Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which not only requires WSNs to have long service lifetimes, but also to achieve rapid and high-quality transmission of equipment monitoring data to monitoring centers. Traditional routing algorithms in WSNs, such as Basic Ant-Based Routing (BABR) only require the single shortest path, and the BABR algorithm converges slowly, easily falling into a local optimum and leading to premature stagnation of the algorithm. A new WSN routing algorithm, named the Quantum Ant Colony Multi-Objective Routing (QACMOR) can be used for monitoring in such manufacturing environments by introducing quantum computation and a multi-objective fitness function into the routing research algorithm. Concretely, quantum bits are used to represent the node pheromone, and quantum gates are rotated to update the pheromone of the search path. The factors of energy consumption, transmission delay, and network load-balancing degree of the nodes in the search path act as fitness functions to determine the optimal path. Here, a simulation analysis and actual manufacturing environment verify the QACMOR’s improvement in performance.
The Formation Mechanism and Influence Factors of Highway Waterfall Ice: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Zhou Zhijun , Lei Jiangtao , Zhu Shanshan , Qiao Susu , Zhang Hao
Published: July 2019

Highway waterfall ice hazards usually happen in cold regions. However, minimal research has addressed this so far due to its multidisciplinary nature. In this study, ground water monitoring tests were conducted for 2.5 years to study the relationship between ground water level changes and waterfall ice hazards. To explore the internal factors that lead to highway waterfall ice, gradation tests, penetration tests, and freezing tests were conducted which revealed that coarse-grained particles can enhance the permeability of aquifers. Further, volume expansion of free water freezing in a closed system is the main reason for pore pressure increasing aquifers in research areas. Furthermore, to understand the formation mechanism of highway waterfall ice further, a mathematical model of saturated coarse-grained soil at the state of phase transition equilibrium was obtained. This indicates that the essence of the aquifers’ freezing (coarse-grained soil) in the waterfall ice area is the freezing of closed water. Finally, based on the abovementioned findings, the formation process of waterfall ice is defined as three stages: The drainage obstruction stage, the soil deformation stage, and the groundwater gushing stage, respectively. This definition can provide significant guidance on further research that focuses on prevention of highway waterfall hazards.
Network Analysis of Actors and Policy Keywords for Sustainable Environmental Governance: Focusing on Chinese Environmental Policy
Authors: Zhang Dan , Fan Fan , Park Sang Do
Published: July 2019

Environmental issues are viewed as a serious problem with a complex network structure involving various stakeholders. Environmental governance is considered the most reasonable way to promote environmental policy, and it is an important mechanism contributing to the sustainable development of society. Through the network analysis of actor and policy keywords, this study demonstrated whether environmental governance policies are being pursued through the cooperation of various participants in China, the epicenter of global environmental issues. We collected text big data from 2001 to 2018 under the theme of “environmental policy” on the main online portal web in China. Through text mining, key actors and policy keywords were selected according to the timing of environmental policy promotion, and network analysis and core-periphery analysis were conducted based on this actor/keywords data set. The results of this study are as follows. First, China’s environmental policy is a rudimentary governance cooperation structure, and the central and local governments are still the main policy-promoting actors. Second, the fundamental solution of the environmental problem through readjustment of the environment-related system and industrial restructuring has become the keyword for China’s implementation of environmental policy at present. Third, there were certain words, such as social, public, enterprise, and institution, in the aspects of environmental governance, while these words failed to be at the center of multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis for the actors. This result shows that environmental governance and network are still at an early stage and that the Chinese government’s strong power lies in its environmental policy. Based on these results, policy recommendations are presented.
Improvement Actions for a More Social and Sustainable Public Procurement: A Delphi Analysis
Authors: Bernal Ramon , San-Jose Leire , Retolaza Jose Luis
Published: July 2019

Public procurement accounts for almost 20% of Spain’s gross domestic product (GDP). The current legislation allows for the inclusion of social considerations in contracting processes, hence the interest of this study, which defines the procedures and improvement actions for socially efficient public procurement. The Delphi technique has been used, based on online surveys completed by 71 Spanish experts. The universe includes the set of nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTs), as well as a number of agents with the potential to intervene in the analysis process, namely, academia, the business sector, and public administrations. There is an increasing call for the inclusion of social considerations in tender procedures. However, to date, few studies have provided detailed insight into the inclusion of these social aspects. This study contributes to the scientific literature by identifying six possible strategies for including social considerations into public tenders, namely: objectivizing procedures, generating monitoring tools, developing information and training actions for decision-makers, incorporating awareness-raising initiatives, creating transparency systems, and including information and communication technologies (ICTs). The following four key action areas were also detected: social clauses, reserved markets, social impact assessment, and innovation in public procurement. A consensus was reached on four frames for incorporating the strategies and action areas, namely: socio-economic, procedural, competence, and conceptual. This allows for the efficient inclusion of social considerations into public tenders, thereby generating a twofold impact—one via the goods or services acquired, and the second via the impact on the process of producing said goods or services.
Transformational Leadership, Systems, and Intrinsic Motivation Impacts on Innovation in Higher Education Institutes: Faculty Perspectives in Engineering Colleges
Authors: Al-Mansoori Reem S. , Koç Muammer
Published: July 2019

Learning institutes are unique places for innovation, technical transformations, and social changes, which are the main pillars for sustainable development. The purpose of this study was to examine the innovation capacity building through the impact of transformational leadership on followers’ satisfaction and output in two engineering colleges: one in a public university in the United States and the other in an International Branch Campus in Qatar. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to assess leadership style, and three output indicators were chosen to represent innovative outputs. Innovation-driven systems and Intrinsic motivation were other innovation drivers assessed through the designed survey. The Statistical Package of Social Science was used to identify the correlated constructs of leadership styles and outcomes. The explanatory sequential mixed method helped explain the underlying reasons for the quantitative results through interviews with faculty. The study showed that leaders (deans) exhibited different ranges of transformational leadership styles, yet were lower than the norm. Moreover, transformational leadership traits, in addition to contingent rewards from transactional leadership, were highly correlated with followers’ satisfaction with the leader and the system. As this was a cross-cultural study, context affected the participation rate and response results, as hesitation to evaluate the dean was common in a high power–distance context.
Organizational Tolerance for Workplace Harassment: Development and Validation of the POT Scale
Authors: Perez-Larrazabal Jose , Lopezdelallave Andrés , Topa Gabiela
Published: July 2019

The current investigation defines the organizational tolerance (OT) construct and statistically assesses its measurement instrument, the perceived organizational tolerance for psychological workplace harassment (POT) scale, carried out to evaluate the level of tolerance, negligence, or even connivance that can be shown by an organization when it deals with an inappropriate act occurring within its scope. Tolerance of such acts has been identified as a hindrance when trying to establish an effective and sustainable strategy for the well-being of workers. A survey that measures the construct was distributed, and 195 employed workers answered. In the first stage of analysis, a scale reduction process was applied to the obtained data using a factor extraction method, and afterward, confirmatory factor analysis was performed using structural equation models. The results validated the scale as a model of five factors: Promotion, feedback, ethics, coherence, and training. These findings indicate that this scale is acceptable as a quantifier of a key issue, namely, the diligence of the organization when dealing with psychosocial risks at work. This new construct is anticipated to be incredibly useful for measuring as much research as possible on the behavior of organizations when they deal with negative acts, with the aim of promoting sustainable healthy working environments.
Effect of Different Fertilization Practices on Soil Microbial Community in a Wheat–Maize Rotation System
Authors: Zhang Yunlong , Li Tengteng , Wu Honghui , Bei Shuikuan , Zhang Junling , Li Xiaolin
Published: July 2019

Little information is known about the effects of different fertilization practices on soil microbiome in intensively managed crop rotations. The objective of this research was to investigate the response of microbial community composition (phospholipid fatty acid, PLFA) and extracellular enzyme activity to fertilization treatments through a three-year experiment. Treatments were: Control (without fertilizer, CK), chemical fertilizer (NPK), NPK + pig manure (NPKM), NPK + straw (NPKS), and NPK + both manure and straw (NPKMS). We found that fertilization had no effect on the microbial abundance except arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) PLFA. Soil microbial community composition was significantly affected by crop species and to a lesser extent by fertilization, with a greater influence on the wheat harvest. In addition, soil enzyme activities were enhanced by fertilization, especially in wheat season. Over three years, compared with NPK treatment, addition of organic manure or straw (NPKS and NPKMS) significantly increased the activities of the enzymes except invertase and urease, and the effect was greater at wheat harvest than the maize harvest. Our results indicate that the response of soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities to fertilization takes precedence than microbial biomass in the short term. The temporal variation in soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities in the crop rotation indicate that crop species may be carefully considered for sustainable agricultural intensification management.
Regional Marketization, OFDI, and Sustainable Employment: Empirical Analysis in China
Authors: Ruan Zhihua , Liu Wenhua , Na Sanggyun , Tan Xianhua , Xue Tianqiao
Published: July 2019

To maintain sustainable development, the government’s macro control is very important, but the system construction of the market itself can’t be ignored. From the perspective of aggregate supply, OFDI (outward foreign direct investment) in developing countries can sustainably promote domestic employment through different kind of channels such as human capital, a reverse spillover of the international technology, and marketization processes. Based on 30 provincial panel data from 2005 to 2017, stating from the C–D production function, this article empirically estimates the total effect and regional differences in the effect of OFDI on domestic employment in China by using the main approach of Sys-GMM. The results show that the promotion effect of OFDI on domestic employment has an obvious lag; the faster the marketization process, the more significant the current period’s substitution effect and the lagged period’s promotion effect of OFDI on domestic employment. This means that it is a lagged-period process for OFDI to enhance total factor productivity and realize the effective allocation of labor resources through various channels. Furthermore, whether the domestic promotion effect of OFDI can be effectively exerted is closely related to the process of domestic marketization. A good market system environment can effectively improve the efficiency of labor resources allocation, thus promoting the sustainable development of domestic employment. China’s market-oriented transformation has not yet been completed. The sustainable growth of China’s employment depends on further promoting a market-oriented economy. Therefore, it is suggested to accelerate the improvement of market mechanisms and related system construction, strengthen the role of the government in public service, and promote the coordinated development of OFDI and IFDI (inward foreign direct investment) in various regions to promote the sustainable development of employment.
Reconciling High Glacier Surface Melting in Summer with Air Temperature in the Semi-Arid Zone of Western Himalaya
Authors: Pratap Bhanu , Sharma Parmanand , Patel Lavkush , Singh Ajit T. , Gaddam Vinay Kumar , Oulkar Sunil , Thamban Meloth
Published: July 2019

In Himalaya, the temperature plays a key role in the process of snow and ice melting and, importantly, the precipitation phase changes (i.e., snow or rain). Consequently, in longer period, the melting and temperature gradient determine the state of the Himalayan glaciers. This necessitates the continuous monitoring of glacier surface melting and a well-established meteorological network in the Himalaya. An attempt has been made to study the seasonal and annual (October 2015 to September 2017) characteristics of air temperature, near-surface temperature lapse rate (tlr), in-situ glacier surface melting, and surface melt simulation by temperature-index (T-index) models for Sutri Dhaka Glacier catchment, Lahaul-Spiti region in Western Himalaya. The tlr of the catchment ranges from 0.3 to 6.5 °C km−1, varying on a monthly and seasonal timescale, which suggests the need for avoiding the use of standard environmental lapse rate (SELR ~6.5 °C km−1). The measured and extrapolated average air temperature (tavg) was found to be positive on glacier surface (4500 to 5500 m asl) between June and September (summer). Ablation data calculated for the balance years 2015–16 and 2016–17 shows an average melting of −4.20 ± 0.84 and −3.09 ± 0.62 m w.e., respectively. In compliance with positive air temperature in summer, ablation was also found to be maximum ~88% of total yearly ice melt. When comparing the observed and modelled ablation data with air temperature, we show that the high summer glacier melt was caused by warmer summer air temperature and minimum spells of summer precipitation in the catchment.
Convective Bubbly Flow of Water in an Annular Pipe: Role of Total Dissolved Solids on Heat Transfer Characteristics and Bubble Formation
Authors: Sarafraz M. M. , Shadloo M. S. , Tian Zhe , Tlili Iskander , Alkanhal Tawfeeq Abdullah , Safaei Mohammad Reza , Goodarzi Marjan , Arjomandi M.
Published: July 2019

Formation of bubbles in water inside an annulus pipe in a flow boiling regime was experimentally investigated. The effect of various variables, such as total dissolved solid materials (TDS) in terms of mass fraction, flow rate of water, and applied heat flux (HF) on the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and bubble behavior of water, was experimentally investigated. A regression formula was fitted to estimate the average bubble diameter at various TDS values, with accuracy of <4.1% up to heat flux of 90 kW/m2. Results show that the presence of TDS materials can increase the contact angle of bubble and bubble diameter, and also promotes the HTC value of the system. However, flow rate of water suppressed bubble generation, and increased the heat transfer coefficient due to the renewal of the thermal boundary layer around the boiling surface. Likewise, it was identified that forced convective and nucleate boiling heat transfer mechanisms contribute to the flow of boiling water, and heat flux is a key parameter in determining the mechanism of heat transfer. In the present study, heat flux of 15 kW/m2 at 50 °C was the heat flux in which onset of nucleate boiling was identified inside the annulus pipe. The contact angle of water at TDS values of 300 mg/L and 1200 mg/L was 74° and 124°, respectively, showing the improvement in heat transfer characteristics of water due to the presence of TDS materials.
Flood Forecasting and Warning System Structures: Procedure and Application to a Small Urban Stream in South Korea
Authors: Song Yangho , Park Yoonkyung , Lee Jungho , Park Moojong , Song Youngseok
Published: July 2019

The runoff from heavy rainfall reaches urban streams quickly, causing them to rise rapidly. It is therefore of great importance to provide sufficient lead time for evacuation planning and decision making. An efficient flood forecasting and warning method is crucial for ensuring adequate lead time. With this objective, this paper proposes an analysis method for a flood forecasting and warning system, and establishes the criteria for issuing urban-stream flash flood warnings based on the amount of rainfall to allow sufficient lead time. The proposed methodology is a nonstructural approach to flood prediction and risk reduction. It considers water level fluctuations during a rainfall event and estimates the upstream (alert point) and downstream (confluence) water levels for water level analysis based on the rainfall intensity and duration. We also investigate the rainfall/runoff and flow rate/water level relationships using the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) and the HEC’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) models, respectively, and estimate the rainfall threshold for issuing flash flood warnings depending on the backwater state based on actual watershed conditions. We present a methodology for issuing flash flood warnings at a critical point by considering the effects of fluctuations in various backwater conditions in real time, which will provide practical support for decision making by disaster protection workers. The results are compared with real-time water level observations of the Dorim Stream. Finally, we verify the validity of the flash flood warning criteria by comparing the predicted values with the observed values and performing validity analysis.
Urbanism as Politics in Ninth-Century Italy
Authors: Goodson Caroline
Published: July 2019

Early medieval Italy was the most densely urbanised part of Western Eurasia until the 11th century. This article seeks to examine how urbanism and the social and policial implication of living in cities shaped the ways of life and patterns of governance in Latin- and Greek-speaking areas of the Italian peninsula. Special consideration is paid to how the Carolingian conquest and Frankish control of parts of Italy might have challenged the roles played by cities in economic and political life in those areas.
Progress in the Use of Molecular Hydrogen for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Du Dong Yue , Peng Yun Hua , Liu Jian Kang , Long Jian Gang
Published: July 2019

Molecular hydrogen is an effective antioxidant. Numerous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of hydrogen in the treatment of various human diseases. The possibility of using hydrogen in the treatment of cancer was first discovered in 1975, and in recent studies, researchers have reported numerous positive effects of hydrogen in cancer therapy, including: 1) the alleviation of complications caused by chemotherapy; 2) a reduction of complications caused by radiotherapy; 3) delays in the progression of cancer; and 4) enhanced efficacy of conventional therapy when used in combination with hydrogen. This article reviews the research progress in the use of hydrogen in the treatment of cancer, and proposes future directions for research in this field.
Distress Assessment and Response Systems in Patients With Cancer Pain
Authors: Li Hong Wei , Yang Guang , Ma Xiao Hui , Xu Dong Sheng , Zhao Ling Ling , Cui Jiu Wei , Wang Nan Ya
Published: July 2019

Objective

This study used the Distress Assessment and Response Tool (DART) to screen, evaluate, and explore physical symptoms, psychological problems, and social support in patients with cancer pain, with an aim to provide data for the comprehensive care of these patients to improve their quality of life.

Methods

The DART was used to survey 497 patients with cancer pain who were admitted to the Cancer Center of the First Hospital of Jilin University from June 2014 to March 2017. All patients were diagnosed with malignant tumors by clinical, radiological and/or cytological examinations, and were experiencing tumor-related pain. This study recorded the patient’s somatic symptoms, psychological problems and social support in detail. After the data were collected, the SPSS 21.0 software was used to perform the statistical analysis, with the significance level set at P < 0.05.

Results

In total, 82.7% of patients were experiencing mild pain (NRS ≤ 3); of these, 29.7% and 15.8% reported depression and anxiety, respectively. In addition, 17.3% of patients were experiencing moderate or severe pain (NRS ≥ 4); of these, 53.5% and 40.7% reported depression and anxiety, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of anxiety and depression between the two groups.

Conclusion

Patients with cancer pain, particularly those with moderate-to-severe pain, showed a high incidence of distress. In addition, they were likely to report physical symptoms, were conscious of poor health conditions, and were prone to have anxiety and depression. In terms of social support, patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain should receive substantial support, as they experience work-related and economic concerns and report difficulties in family life and social activities.
Factors Affecting the Quality of Life in Esophageal Cancer Patients
Authors: Wang Dan Dan , Wei Yu Jia , Du Hong Zhen , Xie Ying , Luo Bin , Hu Huan Yu , Xu Hong Xia , Song Chun Hua , Shi Han Ping , Li Zeng Ning
Published: July 2019

Objective

The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients with esophageal cancer, and to explore the main socioeconomic factors that affect the QoL.

Method

A multicenter cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected using scales including the interviewer-administered general situation questionnaire designed by the authors, the Quality of Life Questionnaire-core 30 Version 3 in Chinese (QLQ-C30), and the Patientgenerated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) from a nationwide survey conducted previously in China. The role of each covariate in the full model was assessed using the QoL as the primary outcome in a multilevel ordinal logistic regression analysis.

Results

In total, 1223 patients were included, among whom 1009 (82.5%) were males, and 504 (41.2%) were older than 65 years old. The findings indicate that patients with esophageal cancer in China face a poor quality of life with a mean global quality of life scored of 58.33 (66.67). The most significant factors influencing quality of life were the nutritional support, PG-SGA scores and level of education. Compared with patients who had a PG-SGA score ≥ 9, patients with scores between 0-1 had significantly better scores in five scales: the PF (physical functioning), RF (role functioning), CF (cognitive functioning), EF (emotional functioning) and SF (social functioning) (OR: 4.75, 4.84, 2.12, 2.81, and 3.00).

Conclusion

Nutritional support and PG-SGA scores significantly influenced the quality of life of patients with esophageal cancer. It appears that most patients with esophageal cancer are in urgent need of symptom alleviation and/or concurrent intervention.
Evaluation of the Heavy Metals in Tonic Creams using the Wet Acid and Dry Ashing Methods
Authors: Abata Emmanuel Orimisan , Ogunkalu Oluwasanmi Damilola , Adeoba Adewale Abdulahi , Oluwasina Olugbenga Oludayo
Published: July 2019

It has recently been discovered that long term exposure to heavy metals such as mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni) causes some health which are carcinogenic, behavioral abnormalities and sterility. This study is aimed at determining the concentration of Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu and Ni in skin cosmetics, particularly in toning creams. Samples were purchased from Oja-Oba market in Akure City of Ondo state, Nigeria. All the heavy metals under study were quantified using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) after wet digestion and dry ashing methods. The following metals were found through wet digestion, Cu (3.90-12.05), Zn (3.50-7.10), Mn (9.90-12.50), Cd (0.00-0.35), Ni (1.05-2.25), Pb (0.10-1.80) and Cr (0.6-4.1) while dry ashing recorded, Cu (7.15-10.70), Zn (6.40-13.85), Mn (10.60-14.90), Cd (0.35-0.55), Ni (3.40-4.70), Pb (0.30-0.55) and Cr (0.85-1.00) mg/kg. It was observed that the concentrations of those metals in the creams investigated were below the maximum permissible limits set by WHO. Significant differences (p < 0.05) of the levels of heavy metals were found between some of the creams posing risks of a combination of creams as well as continual usage. It is, therefore, necessary to indicate the levels of heavy metals on the labels of these cosmetics so the users can be aware.
La investigación en didáctica de la lengua en la encrucijada de muchos caminos
Authors: Camps Anna
Published: July 2019

El artículo plantea algunos retos actuales de la investigación en didáctica de la lengua a partir de la definición de su objeto: el sistema didáctico. Lejos de ser la aplicación de conocimientos elaborados en otros campos científicos, la didáctica de la lengua elabora el conocimiento a partir del análisis de las interacciones en dicho sistema, que es dinámico y está constituido por diversos sistemas de actividad confluyentes y que, a menudo, están en contraste o incluso en contradicción. Esta característica condiciona el tipo de investigación que debe dar cuenta de la práctica para elaborar teorías que permitan actuar sobre ella.
Lo narrativo y visual de Voces en el parque: una propuesta didáctica interdisciplinar en el aula de secundaria
Authors: Arenas Delgado Christian Alejandro
Published: July 2019

La siguiente propuesta estudia las relaciones entre texto e imagen como complementos recíprocos para la interpretación del mensaje literario en el libro álbum ilustrado. Si bien el lector modelo de los libros álbum son los niños pequeños, aquí se propone su utilidad para el trabajo interdisciplinario entre literatura y artes visuales en el aula de secundaria, visualizando en el libro Voces en el parque, de Anthony Browne, una posible lectura transgeneracional; es decir, dada la complejidad de los códigos ocultos tras alusiones intertextuales, es posible su aplicación didáctica para el desarrollo de la competencia literaria y visual a través de la comprensión y la labor creativa ficcional con jóvenes. Este enlace se planifica según criterios que justifican la ampliación de la enseñanza de la literatura hacia el trabajo interdisciplinar: los estudiantes como productores de cultura visual y de relatos narrativos para la construcción de una quinta voz en la obra mencionada.
Universidades en transición. Hacia una transformación institucional orientada al logro de la sostenibilidad
Authors: Murga-Menoyo Mª Ángeles
Published: July 2019

En los ámbitos científicos existe un amplio acuerdo sobre la gran transición hoy en marcha hacia una sociedad planetaria, cuyo desenlace dependerá significativamente de cómo la humanidad logre resolver los graves conflictos sociales y del medio ambiente, de gravedad y magnitud anteriormente desconocidas. Actores del cambio en la dirección correcta son, entre otros, las universidades que cabe denominar en transición, cuyos pasos son cada vez más firmes en dirección a la sostenibilidad. En ellas, los factores que facilitan los procesos de cambio son numerosos y diversos, entre ellos, el compromiso institucional, una significativa clave del cambio institucional por la sostenibilidad. Este artículo aborda la cuestión situando el foco de atención en la Global Higher Education for Sustainability Partnership (GHESP) y sus cuatro integrantes: Association of University Leaders for Sustainable Future (USLF), Copernicus-Campus University Network for Sustainability, International Association of Universities y la United Nations University. Objetivo del estudio es constatar si sus Manifiestos y Declaraciones institucionales expresan explícitamente ese compromiso y, en su caso, los paralelismos que pudieran darse entre ellas en tres principales aspectos: la visión (imagen institucional), la misión que las universidades se atribuyen y las líneas estratégicas que recomiendan seguir a sus universidades miembros para cumplirla con eficacia. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la estrecha afinidad entre los respectivos planteamientos así como el firme compromiso institucional con los principios y valores de la sostenibilidad. Un botón de muestra es la Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas, miembro de una de las redes estudiadas
Educar para la sostenibilidad desde las Ciencias Económicas. La práctica docente en el punto de mira
Authors: García-González Esther , Jiménez-Fontana Rocío , Navarrete Antonio
Published: July 2019

La inclusión de la sostenibilidad en el ámbito universitario se ha convertido en una de las vías para afrontar la profunda crisis socio-ambiental. Se trata de formar profesionales capaces de proponer soluciones fundamentadas en principios de sostenibilidad a los problemas que encontrarán en su desempeño profesional.Esta investigación pone el foco de atención sobre el análisis de la presencia de la sostenibilidad en las propuestas metodológicas de un profesor que imparte clases en el Grado de Contabilidad y Finanzas. Para lo cual se emplea un estudio de caso. Los resultados muestran un escenario donde la sostenibilidad está poco presente, lo cual se refleja en la presencia de metodologías que no están en sintonía con la Educación para la sostenibilidad
Sostenibilidad, ingeniería y enseñanza de las ciencias básicas. Marco teórico conceptual
Authors: Machín Armas Francisco O. , Céspedes Montano Santiago G. , Riverón Mena Aleida N. , Fernández Santiesteban Eduardo
Published: July 2019

Desde una perspectiva sistémica se presenta en el artículo una amplia revisión bibliográfica sobre la educación para la sostenibilidad en las ingenierías a partir de la enseñanza de las ciencias básicas (Física, Matemática y Química). En el trabajo se analiza cómo al evolucionar el estudio de la interacción sociedad naturaleza desde concepciones ambientales hasta las de desarrollo sostenible y ciencia de la sostenibilidad, paralelamente la educación ambiental evoluciona hacia la educación para la sostenibilidad y educación en ciencia de la sostenibilidad. Además, se argumenta como preparar a los estudiantes de ingeniería desde la enseñanza de estas ciencias para favorecer la futura actuación profesional de estos en función del desarrollo sostenible, al precisar en el contenido curricular las potencialidades educativas de las dimensiones ambiental, tecnológica, ético - educativa, social y económica de la sostenibilidad en este tipo de profesiones. También son expuestos ejemplos de cómo potenciar el desarrollo de determinados indicadores del proceso formativo profesional en estas carreras, orientados hacia una actuación favorable hacia los problemas de la energética, el empleo de materiales, el medio ambiente y el desarrollo social