bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
QUALIDADE DE VIDA NO TRABALHO: uma análise bibliométrica em periódicos brasileiro entre 2005 à 2015
Authors: Picolli Icaro Roberto Azevedo , Casagrande Jacir Leonir
Published: December 2017

O presente estudo tem por objetivo investigar e mapear a produção cientifica brasileira sobre o tema Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho em periódicos científicos de cunho nacional das bases de dados Spell, Sciello, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Siences e Ebesco, de 2005 à 2015. Trata-se de um estudo bibliométrico, de natureza descritiva, com abordagem quantitativa, e coleta de dados secundários. Foram 59 artigos que compuseram a amostra final analisada, a qual propiciou destacar o estado da arte diante do tema Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho. Recomenda-se para pesquisas futuras, a fim de enriquecer as informações identificadas por este estudo, o levantamento bibliométrico sobre Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho em artigos em revistas internacionais. The present study aims to investigate and map the Brazilian scientific production on Quality of Life at Work in national scientific journals of the Spell, Sciello, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Siences and Ebesco databases from 2005 to 2015 . This is a bibliometric study, of a descriptive nature, with a quantitative approach, and secondary data collection. There were 59 articles that composed the analyzed final sample, which allowed to highlight the state of the art before the theme Quality of Life at Work. It is recommended for future research, in order to enrich the information identified by this study, the bibliometric survey on Quality of Life at Work in articles in international journals.
Moving Beyond the Buzzword: A Framework for Teaching Culturally Responsive Approaches to Evaluation
Authors: Boyce Ayesha S. , Chouinard Jill Anne
Published: December 2017

The terms cultural responsiveness and cultural competence have become ubiquitous in many fields of social inquiry, including in evaluation. The discourse surrounding these issues in evaluation has also increased markedly in recent years, and the terms can now be found in many RFPs and government-based evaluation descriptions. We have found that novice evaluators are able to engage culturally re-sponsive approaches to evaluation at the conceptual level, but are unable to translate theoretical constructs into practice. In this article we share a framework for teaching culturally responsive approaches to evaluation. The framework includes two do-mains: conceptual and methodological, each with two interconnected dimensions. The dimensions of the conceptual domain include locating self and social inquiry as a cultural product. The dimensions of the methodological domain include formal and informal applications in evaluation practice. Each of the dimensions are linked to multiple domains within the Competencies for Canadian Evaluation practice. We discuss each and provide suggestions for activities that align with each of the dimensions.Les termes sensibilité culturelle et compétence culturelle sont mainten-ant omniprésents dans de nombreux domaines d’enquête sociale, notamment en évaluation. Le discours entourant ces questions en évaluation s’est aussi intensifié de façon marquée au cours des dernières années et ces termes sont maintenant présents dans de nombreuses demandes de proposition et descriptions d’évaluation émanant d’organismes gouvernementaux. Nous avons trouvé que les évaluateurs débutants sont en mesure de concevoir des approches d’évaluation culturellement adaptées, mais sont incapables de transférer ces notions théoriques à la pratique. Dans le présent article, nous décrivons un cadre pour l’enseignement d’approches évaluatives qui soient culturellement sensibles. Le cadre inclut deux sphères – conceptuelle et méthodologique – chacune ayant deux dimensions interconnectées. Les dimensions de la sphère conceptuelle implique de positionner l’évaluateur et le processus de recherche comme un produit culturel. Les dimensions de la sphère mé-thodologique comprennent des applications formelles et informelles pour la  pratique
The Impact of Practice on Pedagogy: Reflections of Novice Evaluation Teachers
Authors: Chouinard Jill Anne , Boyce Ayesha S.
Published: December 2017

Abstract: In this practice note two novice evaluation teachers share their findings from research conducted with students who were enrolled in a theory and practicum course in evaluation. The study focused on understanding how and in what ways students navigate between the world of theory and the world of practice. The findings from this study subsequently led to a re-envisioning of the course offerings to provide a more nuanced transition between two dichotomized conceptualizations of evaluation (theory and practice), revised syllabi, and the addition of a third course. The implications of this research (and subsequent pedagogical revisions) raise important issues for evaluation teachers and practitioners, as we continue to debate the relationship between theory and practice in evaluation.
Théories du changement : comment élaborer des modèles utiles
Authors: Mayne John
Published: December 2017

Abstract: Although theories of change are frequently discussed in the evaluation literature and there is general agreement on what a theory of change is conceptually, there is actually little agreement beyond the big picture of just what a theory of change comprises, what it shows, how it can be represented, and how it can be used. This article outlines models for theories of change and their development that have proven quite useful for both straightforward and more complex interventions. The models are intuitive, flexible, and well-defined in terms of their components, and they link directly to rigorous models of causality. The models provide a structured framework for developing useful theories of change and analyzing the intervention they represent.
Evolution in the Brain, Evolution in the Mind: The Hierarchical Brain and the Interface between Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience
Authors: Nascimento Leonardo Niro
Published: December 2017

This article first aims to demonstrate the different ways the work of the English neurologist John Hughlings Jackson influenced Freud. It argues that these can be summarized in six points. It is further argued that the framework proposed by Jackson continued to be pursued by twentieth-century neuroscientists such as Papez, MacLean and Panksepp in terms of tripartite hierarchical evolutionary models. Finally, the account presented here aims to shed light on the analogies encountered by psychodynamically oriented neuroscientists, between contemporary accounts of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system on the one hand, and Freudian models of the mind on the other. These parallels, I will suggest, are not coincidental. They have a historical underpinning, as both accounts most likely originate from a common source: John Hughlings Jackson's tripartite evolutionary hierarchical view of the brain.
Sadism and Masochism on the Procrustean Bed of Hysteria: FromPsychopathia SexualistoThree Essays on the Theory of Sexuality
Authors: De Vleminck Jens
Published: December 2017

This contribution presents a reconstruction of the way the concepts of sadism and masochism were introduced and anchored in psychoanalytic metapsychology. It focuses on the first two editions of Freud's Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. Freud's singular indebtedness to Krafft-Ebing's Psychopathia Sexualis is emphasized. Subsequently, it is argued that Freud's selective reading of Krafft-Ebing is determined by the former's model of hysteria. Hysteria functions as the Procrustean bed onto which both sadism and masochism are forced by Freud at that time. It is argued that Freud in fact fails to give an adequate account of sadism and masochism in his Three Essays. Moreover, even in his later work, sadism and masochism remain conceptually problematic passe-partout concepts, which are used in order to get to grips with human aggression.
Safety Improvements on Wood Chippers Currently in Use: A Study on Feasibility in the Italian Context
Authors: Bagagiolo Giorgia , Laurendi Vincenzo , Cavallo Eugenio
Published: December 2017

Following formal opposition by France, the harmonized safety standards regarding manually-loaded wood chippers (EN 13525:2005+A2:2009) which presumed compliance with the Essential Health and Safety Requirements (EHSR) required by the Machine Directive (Directive 2006/42/EC), have recently been withdrawn, and a new draft of the standard is currently under revision. In order to assess the potential impact of the expected future harmonized standards within the Italian context, this study has examined the main issues in implementing EHSRs on wood chippers already being used. Safety issues regarding wood chippers already in use were identified in an analysis of the draft standard, through the observation of a number of case studies, and qualitative analysis of the essential technical interventions. A number of agricultural and forestry operators and companies participated in the study, pointing out the technical and economic obstacle facing the safety features requested by the pending new standard. It emerged that the main safety issues concerned the implementation of the reverse function, the stop bar, and the protective devices, the infeed chute dimension, the emergency stop function, and the designated feeding area. The possibility of adopting such solutions mainly depends on technical feasibility and costs, but an important role is also played by the attitude towards safety and a lack of adequate information regarding safety obligations and procedures among users.
Analysis of the Almond Harvesting and Hulling Mechanization Process: A Case Study
Authors: Pascuzzi Simone , Santoro Francesco
Published: December 2017

The aim of this paper is the analysis of the almond harvesting system with a very high level of mechanization frequently used in Apulia for the almond harvesting and hulling process. Several tests were carried out to assess the technical aspects related to the machinery and to the mechanized harvesting system used itself, highlighting their usefulness, limits, and compatibility within the almond cultivation sector. Almonds were very easily separated from the tree, and this circumstance considerably improved the mechanical harvesting operation efficiency even if the total time was mainly affected by the time required to manoeuvre the machine and by the following manual tree beating. The mechanical pick-up from the ground was not effective, with only 30% of the dropped almond collected, which mainly was caused by both the pick-up reel of the machine being unable to approach the almonds dropped near the base of the trunk and the surface condition of the soil being unsuitably arranged for a mechanized pick-up operation. The work times concerning the hulling and screening processes, carried out at the farm, were heavily affected by several manual operations before, during, and after the executed process; nevertheless, the plant work capability varied from 170 to 200 kg/h with two operators.
Free Vibration Analysis of Functionally Graded Porous Doubly-Curved Shells Based on the First-Order Shear Deformation Theory
Authors: Zare Jouneghani Farajollah , Dimitri Rossana , Bacciocchi Michele , Tornabene Francesco
Published: December 2017

Due to some technical issues that can appear during the manufacturing process of Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs), it can be extremely difficult to produce perfect materials. Indeed, one of the biggest problems is the presence of porosities. For this purpose, the vibrational behavior of doubly-curved shells made of FGM including porosities is investigated in this paper. With respect to previous research, the porosity has been added to the mechanical model that characterizes the through-the-thickness distribution of the graded constituents and applied to doubly-curved shell structures. Few papers have been published on this topic. In fact, it is easier to find works related to one-dimensional structures and beam models that take account the effect of porosities. The First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT) is considered as the theoretical framework. In addition, the mechanical properties of the constituents vary along the thickness direction. For this purpose, two power-law distributions are employed to characterize their volume fraction. Strain components are established in an orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system and the governing equations are derived according to the Hamilton’s principle. Finally, Navier’s solution method is used and the numerical results concerning three different types of shell structures are presented.
The Effects of Thermoplastic Polyurethane on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Modified Polypropylene Blends
Authors: Lin Ting , Lou Ching-Wen , Lin Jia-Horng
Published: December 2017

In this study, a melt-compounding process was used to produce ordinary polypropylene (PP)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends and modified impact-resistant polypropylene (MPP)/TPU blends. The influences of TPU on the blending morphology, melting behavior, crystallization behavior, and mechanical properties of these blends were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry results show that using TPU influences the crystalline and melting behavior of PP/TPU blends, but not of MPP/TPU blends. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the presence of TPU neither influences the crystalline structure of PP nor creates new crystalline peaks. The mechanical property test results revealed that PP/TPU blends demonstrate better tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and flexural strength, whereas MPP/TPU blends exhibit higher energy absorption and impact strength. This study is expected to produce optimal products with the preferred continuous and dispersive phases for end users, designing multiple and compatible functionalities of blends.
Closed Form Solutions for Thermal Buckling of Functionally Graded Rectangular Thin Plates
Authors: Xing Yufeng , Wang Zekun
Published: December 2017

This work concerns the critical buckling temperature of functionally graded rectangular thin plates; the properties of functionally graded material vary continuously in accordance with the power law of thickness z. Closed form solutions for the critical thermal parameter are obtained for the plate with the following boundary condition combinations: simply supported, clamped and guided edges, under uniform, linear and nonlinear temperature fields via the separation-of-variable method. Furthermore, a new method is proposed to determine the critical buckling temperature from the critical thermal parameter. The present results coincide well with those in the literature, verifying the correctness of the present method. The influences of the length–thickness ratio, length–width ratio, power law index and initial temperature on critical buckling temperature are investigated.
Synthesis and Properties of Shape Memory Poly(γ-Benzyl-l-Glutamate)-b-Poly(Propylene Glycol)-b-Poly(γ-Benzyl-l-Glutamate)
Authors: Gu Lin , Jiang Yuanzhang , Hu Jinlian
Published: December 2017

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have attracted much attention as an important class of stimuli-responsive materials for biomedical applications. For SMP-based biomaterials, in addition to suitable shape recovery performances, their mechanical properties, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and sterilizability needs to be considered. Polypeptides can satisfy the requirements outlined above. However, there are few reports on shape memory polypeptides. In this paper, shape memory poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG-PPG-PBLG) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-l-glutamate-N-carboxyanhydrides (BLG-NCA) with poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether) as the macroinitiator. 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the obtained PBLG-PPG-PBLG. The FTIR analysis showed that PBLG-PPG-PBLG has α-helical and β-sheet structures. PBLG-PPG-PBLG has good shape memory properties, its shape recovery time is less than 120 s, and its shape recovery rate is 100%. In this study, we reported a simple synthetic method to obtain intelligent polypeptide materials, which will be used in many biomedical applications.
Analysis of the Long-Term Variability of Poor Visibility Events in the UAE and the Link with Climate Dynamics
Authors: Aldababseh Amal , Temimi Marouane
Published: December 2017

The goal of this study is to investigate the variability of poor visibility events occurring hourly in the UAE and their relationship to climate dynamics. Hourly visibility observation data spanning more than three decades from ten stations across the country were used. Four intervals of low visibility, between 0.10 km and 5.0 km, were considered. Poor visibility records were analyzed under wet and dry weather conditions. The Mann–Kendall test was used to assess the inferred trends of low visibility records. The relationships between poor visibility measurements and associated meteorological variables and climate oscillations were also investigated. Results show that Fujairah city has the highest average visibility values under wet weather conditions, while Abu Dhabi city has the lowest average visibility values under both wet and dry conditions. Wet weather conditions had a greater impact than dry weather conditions on visibility deterioration in seven out of the ten stations. Results confirm that fog and dust contribute significantly to the deterioration of visibility in the UAE and that Abu Dhabi has been more impacted by those events than Dubai. Furthermore, the numbers of fog and dust events show steep increasing trends for both cities. A change point in poor visibility records triggered by fog and dust events was detected around the year 1999 at Abu Dhabi and Dubai stations after the application of the cumulative sum method. Increasing shifts in the means and the variances were noticed in the total annual fog events when Student’s t-test and Levene’s test were applied. In Abu Dhabi, the mean annual number of dust events was approximately 112.5 before 1999, increasing to 337 dust events after 1999. In Dubai, the number of dust events increased from around 85.5 to 315.6 events. The inferred fog and dust trends were compared to four climate indices. Results showed a significant correlation (positive and negative) between four climate indices and the occurrence of fog and dust events in the UAE.
A Human-Centered Approach to Enhance Urban Resilience, Implications and Application to Improve Outdoor Comfort in Dense Urban Spaces
Authors: Chokhachian Ata , Santucci Daniele , Auer Thomas
Published: December 2017

The concept of resilience in urban design and decision-making is principally focused on change instead of resistance over an adaptive process. For cities, this concept in a broader scale means how to withstand unforeseen events that will fundamentally amend the city’s wellbeing, rather than being stabilized and protected. The same concept is applicable for outdoor comfort as an adaptive approach to compensate extreme heat waves and health risk conditions. This chapter presents methods, tools, and applications to enhance urban resilience at a micro scale looking for correlations between environmental factors and human behavior in terms of outdoor comfort.
Cross-Linked CoMoO4/rGO Nanosheets as Oxygen Reduction Catalyst
Authors: Fu Jiaqi , Meng Jiang-Li , Wei Mei-Jie , Zang Hong-Ying , Tan Hua-Qiao , Wang Yong-Hui , Miras Haralampos , Li Yang-Guang
Published: December 2017

Development of inexpensive and robust electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for the cost-affordable manufacturing of metal-air batteries and fuel cells. Here we show that cross-linked CoMoO4 nanosheets and reduced graphene oxide (CoMoO4/rGO) can be integrated in a hybrid material under one-pot hydrothermal conditions, yielding a composite material with promising catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) were used to investigate the efficiency of the fabricated CoMoO4/rGO catalyst towards ORR in alkaline conditions. The CoMoO4/rGO composite revealed the main reduction peak and onset potential centered at 0.78 and 0.89 V (vs. RHE), respectively. This study shows that the CoMoO4/rGO composite is a highly promising catalyst for the ORR under alkaline conditions, and potential noble metal replacement cathode in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.
Comparison of Satellite Rainfall Estimates and Rain Gauge Measurements in Italy, and Impact on Landslide Modeling
Authors: Rossi Mauro , Kirschbaum Dalia , Valigi Daniela , Mondini Alessandro , Guzzetti Fausto
Published: December 2017

Landslides can be triggered by intense or prolonged rainfall. Rain gauge measurements are commonly used to predict landslides even if satellite rainfall estimates are available. Recent research focuses on the comparison of satellite estimates and gauge measurements. The rain gauge data from the Italian network (collected in the system database “Verifica Rischio Frana”, VRF) are compared with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) products. For the purpose, we couple point gauge and satellite rainfall estimates at individual grid cells, evaluating the correlation between gauge and satellite data in different morpho-climatological conditions. We then analyze the statistical distributions of both rainfall data types and the rainfall events derived from them. Results show that satellite data underestimates ground data, with the largest differences in mountainous areas. Power-law models, are more appropriate to correlate gauge and satellite data. The gauge and satellite-based products exhibit different statistical distributions and the rainfall events derived from them differ. In conclusion, satellite rainfall cannot be directly compared with ground data, requiring local investigation to account for specific morpho-climatological settings. Results suggest that satellite data can be used for forecasting landslides, only performing a local scaling between satellite and ground data.
Surfaces Bearing Fluorinated Nucleoperfluorolipids for Potential Anti-Graffiti Surface Properties
Authors: Godeau Guilhem , Guittard Frédéric , Darmanin Thierry
Published: December 2017

Graffiti can sometimes be a problem when put in an inappropriate place. We looked at a means to prevent such inconvenience. In this work, we explore the possibility of developing surfaces with controlled wettability. If the paint does not spread, the graffiti does not stay. Here, the synthesis and electrodeposition of original 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) with perfluorinated nucleolipids (ante approach) is reported. The elaboration of similar surfaces using post functionalization is also described. All the prepared surfaces were then investigated for their roughness, wettability, and morphology. Highly hydrophobic features are reported (θ = 137°) and oleophobic properties are also reported (θ = 110°) showing real potential for the control of surface wettability and for potential anti-graffiti applications, consequently. The surfaces obtained with the ante approach are rougher and more hydrophobic.
Multilayer Adsorption of Heptane Vapor at Water Drop Surfaces
Authors: Kovalchuk Volodymyr , Aksenenko Eugene , Fainerman Valentin , Javadi Aliyar , Miller Reinhard
Published: December 2017

The measured dynamic surface tension of a water drop in air saturated by heptane vapor shows a sharp decrease from about 60 mN m−1 to 40 mN m−1, and less after a certain adsorption time. The observed adsorption kinetics is analyzed by a theoretical model based on multilayer adsorption of alkanes from the vapor phase at the water surface. The model assumes a dependence of the kinetic coefficients of adsorption and desorption on the surface coverage and in equilibrium it reduces to the classical Brunauer–Emmett–Teller adsorption isotherm. The calculated time dependencies of adsorption and surface tension agree well with experimental data and predict a five-layer adsorption of heptane.
A Different View of Solvent Effects in Crystallization
Authors: Wang Han , Lin Qiang , Dou Xiangyu , Yang Tao , Han Yongsheng
Published: December 2017

Solvents are widely used in crystallization, but their effects on the shape development of crystals are under debate. Here, we report a view on how solvents play their role by considering the viscosity of solvents. We synthesize silver particles in a mixture of alcohol and water. The viscosity of the solvent is changed by varying the volume ratio of alcohol in water. With the variation of viscosity, diverse morphologies of silver particles are synthesized. Small cubic crystals are formed at low viscosity, while hierarchical flower-like particles are formed at high viscosity. Two alcohols are employed, namely ethanol and propanol. No matter which alcohol is employed, the results are similar. Due to the limitation of mass transfer at high viscosity, the particles synthesized in such solvent are smaller and stabilized by the solvent. When the solution containing these particles are dropped onto metal substrates, these tiny particles firstly aggregate, which is followed by classic crystallization, forming flower-like hierarchical structures. These findings show the importance of the viscosity of solvents in shaping particles, which is underestimated previously.
Persistence of Smectic-A Oily Streaks into the Nematic Phase by UV Irradiation of Reactive Mesogens
Authors: Gharbi Ines , Missaoui Amine , Demaille Dominique , Lacaze Emmanuelle , Rosenblatt Charles
Published: December 2017

Thin smectic liquid crystal films with competing boundary conditions (planar and homeotropic at opposing surfaces) form well-known striated structures known as “oily streaks”, which are a series of hemicylindrical caps that run perpendicular to the easy axis of the planar substrate. The streaks vanish on heating into the nematic phase, where the film becomes uniform and exhibits hybrid alignment. On adding sufficient reactive mesogen and polymerizing, the oily streak texture is maintained on heating through the entire nematic phase until reaching the bulk isotropic phase, above which the texture vanishes. Depending on the liquid crystal thickness, the oily streak structure may be retrieved after cooling, which demonstrates the strong impact of the polymer backbone on the liquid crystal texture. Polarizing optical, atomic force, and scanning electron microscopy data are presented.
Label-Driven Learning Framework: Towards More Accurate Bayesian Network Classifiers through Discrimination of High-Confidence Labels
Authors: Sun Yi , Wang Limin , Sun Minghui
Published: December 2017

Bayesian network classifiers (BNCs) have demonstrated competitive classification accuracy in a variety of real-world applications. However, it is error-prone for BNCs to discriminate among high-confidence labels. To address this issue, we propose the label-driven learning framework, which incorporates instance-based learning and ensemble learning. For each testing instance, high-confidence labels are first selected by a generalist classifier, e.g., the tree-augmented naive Bayes (TAN) classifier. Then, by focusing on these labels, conditional mutual information is redefined to more precisely measure mutual dependence between attributes, thus leading to a refined generalist with a more reasonable network structure. To enable finer discrimination, an expert classifier is tailored for each high-confidence label. Finally, the predictions of the refined generalist and the experts are aggregated. We extend TAN to LTAN (Label-driven TAN) by applying the proposed framework. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that LTAN delivers superior classification accuracy to not only several state-of-the-art single-structure BNCs but also some established ensemble BNCs at the expense of reasonable computation overhead.
An Improved Chaotic Optimization Algorithm Applied to a DC Electrical Motor Modeling
Authors: Fiori Simone , Di Filippo Ruben
Published: December 2017

The chaos-based optimization algorithm (COA) is a method to optimize possibly nonlinear complex functions of several variables by chaos search. The main innovation behind the chaos-based optimization algorithm is to generate chaotic trajectories by means of nonlinear, discrete-time dynamical systems to explore the search space while looking for the global minimum of a complex criterion function. The aim of the present research is to investigate the numerical properties of the COA, both on complex optimization test-functions from the literature and on a real-world problem, to contribute to the understanding of its global-search features. In addition, the present research suggests a refinement of the original COA algorithm to improve its optimization performances. In particular, the real-world optimization problem tackled within the paper is the estimation of six electro-mechanical parameters of a model of a direct-current (DC) electrical motor. A large number of test results prove that the algorithm achieves an excellent numerical precision at a little expense in the computational complexity, which appears as extremely limited, compared to the complexity of other benchmark optimization algorithms, namely, the genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm.
Professor Doctor Jan Szargut—Obituary
Authors: Sciubba Enrico
Published: December 2017

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Two-Sided Tacit Collusion: Another Step towards the Role of Demand-Side
Authors: Jabbari Zideh Mehdi , Mohtavipour Seyed Saeid
Published: December 2017

In the context of agent-based simulation framework of collusion, this paper seeks for two-sided tacit collusion among supply-side and demand-side participants in a constrained network and impacts of this collusion on the market outcomes. Tacit collusion frequently occurs in electricity markets due to strategic behavior of market participants arose from daily repetition of energy auctions. To attain detailed analysis of tacit collusion, state-action-reward-state-action (SARSA) learning algorithm and the standard Boltzmann exploration strategy based on the Q-value are used to model market participants’ behavior. A model is presented that integrates exploration and exploitation into a single framework, with the purpose of tuning exploration in the algorithm. In order to appraise the feasibility of collusion, a theoretical study on a three-node power system with three scenarios is depicted considering three Gencos and two Discos which proves the formation of two-sided tacit collusion between Genco and Disco. Simulation results show different collusive strategies of participants and how parameters of the algorithm impact on simulation outcomes. It is also shown that congestion on transmission line has a significant influence on behavior of market participants.
Norway as a Battery for the Future European Power System—Impacts on the Hydropower System
Authors: Graabak Ingeborg , Jaehnert Stefan , Korpås Magnus , Mo Birger
Published: December 2017

Future power production in Europe is expected to include large shares of variable wind and solar power production. Norway, with approximately half of the hydropower reservoir capacity in Europe, can contribute to balance the variability. The aim of this paper is to assess how such a role may impact the Norwegian hydropower system in terms of production pattern of the plants, changes in reservoir level and water values. The study uses a stochastic optimization and simulation model and analyses an eHighway2050 scenario combined with increases in the hydropower production capacities in Norway. The capacity increases from ca. 31 GW in the present system to 42 and 50 GW respectively. The study uses 75 years with stochastic wind, solar radiation, temperature and inflow data. The results show that the hydropower system is able to partly balance the variable production and significantly reduce the power prices for the analyzed case. The paper shows that some of the power plants utilize their increased capacity, while other plants do not due to hydrological constraints and model limitations. The paper discusses how the modelling can be further improved in order to quantify more of the potential impacts on the future power system.
Forest Planning Heuristics—Current Recommendations and Research Opportunities for s-Metaheuristics
Authors: Bettinger Pete , Boston Kevin
Published: December 2017

Adaptive forest management requires planning and implementation of activities designed to maintain or improve forest conditions, and in support of these endeavors knowledge of silviculture, economics, operations research, and other allied fields are necessary. With regard to forest planning, traditional (exact) mathematical techniques along with heuristics have been demonstrated as useful in developing alternative courses of action for forest managers to consider. In this discussion paper, we present six areas of future work with regard to investigations into the development of heuristics, along with several recommendations that are based on our experiences. These areas include process improvements, reversion strategies, destruction and reconstruction strategies, intelligent or dynamic parameterization approaches, intelligent termination or transitioning approaches, and seeding strategies. We chose the six areas based on our experiences in developing forest planning heuristics. These areas reflect our opinion of where future research might concentrate. All of these areas of work have the potential to enhance the capabilities and effectiveness of heuristic approaches when applied to adaptive forest management problems.
A Linkage among Tree Diameter, Height, Crown Base Height, and Crown Width 4-Variate Distribution and Their Growth Models: A 4-Variate Diffusion Process Approach
Authors: Rupšys Petras , Petrauskas Edmundas
Published: December 2017

The evolution of the 4-variate probability distribution of the diameter at the breast height, total height, crown base height, and crown width against the age in a forest stand is of great interest to forest management and the evaluation of forest resources. This paper focuses on the Vasicek type 4-variate fixed effect stochastic differential equation (SDE) to quantify the dynamic of tree size components distribution against the age. The new derived 4-variate probability density function and its marginal univariate, bivariate, trivariate, and conditional univariate distributions are applied for the modeling of stand attributes such as the mean diameter, height, crown base height, crown width, volume, and slenderness. All parameters were estimated by the maximum likelihood procedure using a dataset of 1630 Scots pine trees (12 stands). The results were validated using a dataset of 699 Scots pine trees (five stands). A newly developed 4-variate simultaneous system of SDEs incorporated covariance structure driving changes in tree size components and improved predictions in one tree size component given the other tree size components in the system.
Delivery Mode and the Transition of Pioneering Gut-Microbiota Structure, Composition and Predicted Metabolic Function
Authors: Mueller Noel , Shin Hakdong , Pizoni Aline , Werlang Isabel , Matte Ursula , Goldani Marcelo , Goldani Helena , Dominguez-Bello Maria
Published: December 2017

Cesarean (C-section) delivery, recently shown to cause excess weight gain in mice, perturbs human neonatal gut microbiota development due to the lack of natural mother-to-newborn transfer of microbes. Neonates excrete first the in-utero intestinal content (referred to as meconium) hours after birth, followed by intestinal contents reflective of extra-uterine exposure (referred to as transition stool) 2 to 3 days after birth. It is not clear when the effect of C-section on the neonatal gut microbiota emerges. We examined bacterial DNA in carefully-collected meconium, and the subsequent transitional stool, from 59 neonates [13 born by scheduled C-section and 46 born by vaginal delivery] in a private hospital in Brazil. Bacterial DNA was extracted, and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq (San Diego, CA, USA) platform. We found evidence of bacterial DNA in the majority of meconium samples in our study. The bacterial DNA structure (i.e., beta diversity) of meconium differed significantly from that of the transitional stool microbiota. There was a significant reduction in bacterial alpha diversity (e.g., number of observed bacterial species) and change in bacterial composition (e.g., reduced Proteobacteria) in the transition from meconium to stool. However, changes in predicted microbiota metabolic function from meconium to transitional stool were only observed in vaginally-delivered neonates. Within sample comparisons showed that delivery mode was significantly associated with bacterial structure, composition and predicted microbiota metabolic function in transitional-stool samples, but not in meconium samples. Specifically, compared to vaginally delivered neonates, the transitional stool of C-section delivered neonates had lower proportions of the genera Bacteroides, Parabacteroides and Clostridium. These differences led to C-section neonates having lower predicted abundance of microbial genes related to metabolism of amino and nucleotide sugars, and higher abundance of genes related to fatty-acid metabolism, amino-acid degradation and xenobiotics biodegradation. In summary, microbiota diversity was reduced in the transition from meconium to stool, and the association of delivery mode with microbiota structure, composition and predicted metabolic function was not observed until the passing of the transitional stool after meconium.
Cross-National Differences in Psychosocial Factors of Perinatal Depression: A Systematic Review of India and Japan
Authors: Takegata Mizuki , Ohashi Yukiko , Lazarus Anisha , Kitamura Toshinori
Published: December 2017

Perinatal depression is prevalent worldwide. However, there are few available studies that discuss the different cultural factors affecting perinatal depression within Asian countries. This study aims to compare the literature regarding related factors relating to perinatal depression in India and Japan, and to synthesize the evidence common to both countries in addition to the country-specific evidence. We conducted a systematic review using several databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Pubmed, Ovid, SCOPUS, IndMED, and ICHUSI). Keywords were “antenatal depression” or “postpartum depression”, and “India” or “Japan”. Both Japanese and English language papers were reviewed. The identified evidence was compared between the two countries, as well as with non-Asian countries based on previous reports. In total, 15 articles on India and 35 on Japan were reviewed. Although several factors were shared between the two countries as well as with other non-Asian countries (vulnerable personality, being abused, age, marital conflict, and lower socio-demographic status), some differing factors were identified between India and Japan and non-Asian countries; India: poor socioeconomic status, living only with the husband, pregnancy not welcomed by the husband, a female baby, and poor relationship with in-laws; Japan: infertility treatment, conflict with work–life balance, poor relationships with biological mother or in-laws, and concerns about social relations with the other mother’s friends. To conclude, involving the family and community may be important for implementing both global standardized and culture-specific interventions. In India, treatment involving the in-laws may be effective because large family structure is a significant predictor of perinatal depression. In Japan, a family/community approach involving not only the mother’s family of origin but also the working environment is essential.
Analysis of the Contribution Rate of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Activity to Runoff Variation in Nenjiang Basin, China
Authors: Dong Liqin , Zhang Guangxin , Cheng Xiping , Wang Yanfang
Published: December 2017

The Pettitt abrupt change test method based on ArcGIS was used to undertake change-point analysis on climatic (precipitation and potential evapotranspiration; 39 meteorological stations) and runoff data (27 hydrological stations) from 1954–2015 in the Nenjiang basin. The hydrological sensitivity analysis method was also used to calculate the influential component of climate change upstream, mid-stream, and downstream of the Nenjiang basin, as well as the effect of anthropogenic activities on runoff. Our results show that the upstream area has the highest contribution rate of climate change, followed by the mid-stream area; the downstream area has the lowest contribution rate. Studying climate change contribution rates in various sites in the Nenjiang basin, in addition to anthropogenic activities affecting runoff, can provide the foundation for the protection and utilization of basin water resources, as well as the conservation and restoration of wetlands.
“I Am Ready and Willing to Provide the Service … Though My Religion Frowns on Abortion”—Ghanaian Midwives’ Mixed Attitudes to Abortion Services: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Oppong-Darko Prince , Amponsa-Achiano Kwame , Darj Elisabeth
Published: December 2017

Background: Unsafe abortion is a major preventable public health problem and contributes to high mortality among women. Ghana has ratified international conventions to prevent unwanted pregnancies and provide safe abortion services, legally authorizing midwives to provide induced abortion services in certain circumstances. Objective: The aim of the study was to understand midwives’ readiness to be involved in legal induced abortions, should the law become less restricted in Ghana. Methods: A qualitative study design, with a topic guide for individual in-depth interviews of selected midwives, was adopted. The interviews were tape-recorded and analyzed using content analysis. Results: Participants emphasized their willingness to reduce maternal mortalities, their experiences of maternal deaths, and their passion for the health of pregnant women. Knowledge of Ghana’s abortion law was generally low. Different views were expressed regarding readiness to engage in abortion services. Some expressed it as being sinful and against their religion to assist in abortion care, whilst others felt it was good to save the lives of women. Conclusion: The midwives made it clear that unsafe abortions are common, stigmatizing and contributing to maternal mortality, issues that must be addressed. They made various suggestions to reduce this preventable tragedy.
The Effects of Industrial Protective Gloves and Hand Skin Temperatures on Hand Grip Strength and Discomfort Rating
Authors: Ramadan Mohamed Z.
Published: December 2017

Daily working activities and functions require a high contribution of hand and forearm muscles in executing grip force. To study the effects of wearing different gloves on grip strength, under a variety of hand skin temperatures, an assessment of the maximum grip strength was performed with 32 healthy male workers with a mean age (standard deviation) of 30.44 (5.35) years wearing five industrial gloves at three hand skin temperatures. Their ages and anthropometric characteristics including body mass index (BMI), hand length, hand width, hand depth, hand palm, and wrist circumference were measured. The hand was exposed to different bath temperatures (5 °C, 25 °C, and 45 °C) and hand grip strength was measured using a Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer with and without wearing the gloves (chemical protection glove, rubber insulating glove, anti-vibration impact glove, cotton yarn knitted glove, and RY-WG002 working glove). The data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, Pearson correlation coefficient, Tukey test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the within-subject design analysis. The results showed that wearing gloves significantly affected the maximum grip strength. Wearing the RY-WG002 working glove produced a greater reduction on the maximum grip when compared with the bare hand, while low temperatures (5 °C) had a significant influence on grip when compared to medium (25 °C) and high (45 °C) hand skin temperatures. In addition, participants felt more discomfort in both environmental extreme conditions. Furthermore, they reported more discomfort while wearing neoprene, rubber, and RY-WG002 working gloves.
Goodness-of-Fit versus Significance: A CAPM Selection with Dynamic Betas Applied to the Brazilian Stock Market
Authors: Ronzani André , Candido Osvaldo , Maldonado Wilfredo
Published: December 2017

In this work, a Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) with time-varying betas is considered. These betas evolve over time, conditional on financial and non-financial variables. Indeed, the model proposed by Adrian and Franzoni (2009) is adapted to assess the behavior of some selected Brazilian equities. For each equity, several models are fitted, and the best model is chosen based on goodness-of-fit tests and parameters significance. Finally, using the selected dynamic models, VaR (Value-at-Risk) measures are calculated. We can conclude that CAPM with time-varying betas provide less conservative VaR measures than those based on CAPM with static betas or historical VaR.
Trends and Opportunities of BIM-GIS Integration in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry: A Review from a Spatio-Temporal Statistical Perspective
Authors: Song Yongze , Wang Xiangyu , Tan Yi , Wu Peng , Sutrisna Monty , Cheng Jack C. P. , Hampson Keith
Published: December 2017

The integration of building information modelling (BIM) and geographic information system (GIS) in construction management is a new and fast developing trend in recent years, from research to industrial practice. BIM has advantages on rich geometric and semantic information through the building life cycle, while GIS is a broad field covering geovisualization-based decision making and geospatial modelling. However, most current studies of BIM-GIS integration focus on the integration techniques but lack theories and methods for further data analysis and mathematic modelling. This paper reviews the applications and discusses future trends of BIM-GIS integration in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry based on the studies of 96 high-quality research articles from a spatio-temporal statistical perspective. The analysis of these applications helps reveal the evolution progress of BIM-GIS integration. Results show that the utilization of BIM-GIS integration in the AEC industry requires systematic theories beyond integration technologies and deep applications of mathematical modeling methods, including spatio-temporal statistical modeling in GIS and 4D/nD BIM simulation and management. Opportunities of BIM-GIS integration are outlined as three hypotheses in the AEC industry for future research on the in-depth integration of BIM and GIS. BIM-GIS integration hypotheses enable more comprehensive applications through the life cycle of AEC projects.