bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Artificial Promoter rMdAG2I Confers Flower-specific Activity in Malus
Authors: Dong Haiqiang , Liu Lanxin , Fan Xingqiang , Asghar Sumeera , Li Yi , Wang Yi , Xu Xuefeng , Wu Ting , Zhang Xinzhong , Qiu Changpeng , Han Zhenhai , Li Wei
Published: September 2019

Genetic modifications of floral organs are important in the breeding of Malus species. Flower-specific promoters can be used to improve floral organs specifically, without affecting vegetative organs, and therefore developing such promoters is highly desirable. Here, we characterized two paralogs of the Arabidopsis thaliana gene AGAMOUS (AG) from Malus domestica (apple): MdAG1 and MdAG2. We then isolated the second-intron sequences for both genes, and created four artificial promoters by fusing each intron sequence to a minimal 35S promoter sequence in both the forward and reverse directions. When transferred into tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated stable transformation, one promoter, rMdAG2I, exhibited activity specifically in flowers, whereas the other three also showed detectable activity in vegetative organs. A test of the four promoters’ activities in the ornamental species Malus micromalus by Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation showed that, as in tobacco, only rMdAG2I exhibited a flower-specific expression pattern. Through particle bombardment transformation, we demonstrated that rMdAG2I also had flower-specific activity in the apple cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’. The flower-specific promoter rMdAG2I, derived from M. domestica, thus has great potential for use in improving the floral characteristics of ornamental plants, especially the Malus species.
Estimation of the Potential Infestation Area of Newly-invaded Fall Armyworm Spodoptera Frugiperda in the Yangtze River Valley of China
Authors: Wu Qiu-Lin , He Li-Mei , Shen Xiu-Jing , Jiang Yu-Ying , Liu Jie , Hu Gao , Wu Kong-Ming
Published: September 2019

The fall armyworm (FAW), native to the Americas, has rapidly invaded the whole of Southern China since January 2019. In addition, it can survive and breed in the key maize- and rice- growing area of the Yangtze River Valley. Furthermore, this pest is also likely to continue infiltrating other cropping regions in China, where food security is facing a severe threat. To understand the potential infestation area of newly-invaded FAW from the Yangtze River Valley, we simulated and predicted the possible flight pathways and range of the populations using a numerical trajectory modelling method combining meteorological data and self-powered flight behavior parameters of FAW. Our results indicate that the emigration of the first and second generations of newly-invaded FAW initiating from the Yangtze River Valley started on 20 May 2019 and ended on 30 July 2019. The spread of migratory FAW benefitted from transport on the southerly summer monsoon so that FAW emigrants from the Yangtze River Valley can reach northern China. The maize-cropping areas of Northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan are at a high risk. This study provides a basis for early warning and a broad picture of FAW migration from the Yangtze River Valley.
The Anti-Obesity Effect of Polysaccharide-Rich Red Algae (Gelidium amansii) Hot-Water Extracts in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Hamsters
Authors: Yang Tsung-Han , Chiu Chen-Yuan , Lu Ting-Jang , Liu Shing-Hwa , Chiang Meng-Tsan
Published: September 2019

This study investigated the anti-obesity effect of a polysaccharide-rich red algae Gelidium amansii hot-water extract (GHE) in high-fat (HF) diet-induced obese hamsters. GHE contained 68.54% water-soluble indigestible carbohydrate polymers. Hamsters were fed with a HF diet for 5 weeks to induce obesity, and then randomly divided into: HF group, HF with 3% guar gum diet group, HF with 3% GHE diet group, and HF with orlistat (200 mg/kg diet) group for 9 weeks. The increased weights of body, liver, and adipose in the HF group were significantly reversed by GHE supplementation. Lower plasma leptin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 levels were observed in the GHE+HF group compared to the HF group. GHE also increased the lipolysis rate and decreased the lipoprotein lipase activity in adipose tissues. GHE induced an increase in the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the protein expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and uncoupling protein (UCP)-2 in the livers. The decreased triglyceride and total cholesterol in the plasma and liver were also observed in obese hamsters fed a diet with GHE. These results suggest that GHE exerts a down-regulation effect on hepatic lipid metabolism through AMPK phosphorylation and up-regulation of PPARα and UCP-2 in HF-induced obese hamsters.
Geochronology and Geochemistry of Uraninite and Coffinite: Insights into Ore-Forming Process in the Pegmatite-Hosted Uraniferous Province, North Qinling, Central China
Authors: Yuan Feng , Jiang Shao-Yong , Liu Jiajun , Zhang Shuai , Xiao Zhibin , Liu Gang , Hu Xiaojia
Published: September 2019

The biotite pegmatites in the Shangdan domain of the North Qinling orogenic belt contain economic concentrations of U, constituting a low-grade, large-tonnage pegmatite-hosted uraniferous province. Uraninite is predominant and ubiquitous ore mineral and coffinite is common alteration mineral after initial deposit formation. A comprehensive survey of the uraninite and coffinite assemblage of the Chenjiazhuang, Xiaohuacha, and Guangshigou biotite pegmatites in this uraniferous province reveal the primary magmatic U mineralization and its response during subsequent hydrothermal events. Integrating the ID-TIMS (Isotope Dilution Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry) 206Pb/238U ages and U-Th-Pb chemical ages for the uraninites with those reported from previous studies suggests that the timing of U mineralization in the uraniferous province was constrained at 407–415 Ma, confirming an Early Devonian magmatic ore-forming event. Based on microtextural relationships and compositional variation, three generations of uranium minerals can be identified: uaninite-A (high Th-low U-variable Y group), uranite-B (low Th-high U, Y group), and coffinite (high Si, Ca-low U, Pb group). Petrographic and microanalytical observations support a three-stage evolution model of uranium minerals from primary to subsequent generations as follows: (1) during the Early Devonian (stage 1), U derived from the hydrous silicate melt was mainly concentrated in primary magmatic uaninite-A by high-T (450–607 °C) precipitation; (2) during the Late Devonian (stage 2), U was mobilized and dissolved from pre-existing uraninite-A by U-bearing fluids and in situ reprecipitated as uraninite-B under reduced conditions. The in situ transformation of primary uraninite-A to second uraninite-B represent a local medium-T (250–450 °C) hydrothermal U-event; and (3) during the later low-T (100–140 °C) hydrothermal alteration (stage 3), U was remobilized and derived from the dissolution of pre-existing uraninite by CO2- and SiO2-rich fluids and interacted with reducing agent (e.g., pyrite) leading to reprecipitation of coffinite. This process represents a regional and extensive low-T hydrothermal U-event. In view of this, U minerals evolved from magmatic uraninite-A though fluid-induced recrystallized uraninite-B to coffinite, revealing three episodes of U circulation in the magmatic-hydrothermal system.
Urinary Taurine Excretion and Risk of Late Graft Failure in Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Post Adrian , Said M. Yusof , Gomes-Neto Antonio W. , van der Krogt Jennifer , de Blaauw Pim , Berger Stefan P. , Geleijnse Johanna M. , Borgonjen Karin , van den Berg Else , van Goor Harry , Rimbach Gerald , Kema Ido P. , Tsikas Dimitrios , Heiner-Fokkema M. Rebecca , Bakker Stephan J. L.
Published: September 2019

Taurine is a sulfur containing nutrient that has been shown to protect against oxidative stress, which has been implicated in the pathophysiology leading to late graft failure after renal transplantation. We prospectively investigated whether high urinary taurine excretion, reflecting high taurine intake, is associated with low risk for development of late graft failure in renal transplant recipients (RTR). Urinary taurine excretion was measured in a longitudinal cohort of 678 stable RTR. Prospective associations were assessed using Cox regression analyses. Graft failure was defined as the start of dialysis or re-transplantation. In RTR (58% male, 53 ± 13 years old, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 45 ± 19 mL/min/1.73 m2), urinary taurine excretion (533 (210–946) µmol/24 h) was significantly associated with serum free sulfhydryl groups (β = 0.126; P = 0.001). During median follow-up for 5.3 (4.5–6.0) years, 83 (12%) patients developed graft failure. In Cox regression analyses, urinary taurine excretion was inversely associated with graft failure (hazard ratio: 0.74 (0.67–0.82); P < 0.001). This association remained significant independent of potential confounders. High urinary taurine excretion is associated with low risk of late graft failure in RTR. Therefore, increasing taurine intake may potentially support graft survival in RTR. Further studies are warranted to determine the underlying mechanisms and the potential of taurine supplementation.
Nutraceutical Supplements in the Thyroid Setting: Health Benefits beyond Basic Nutrition
Authors: Benvenga Salvatore , Feldt-Rasmussen Ulla , Bonofiglio Daniela , Asamoah Ernest
Published: September 2019

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in nutraceuticals, which may be considered as an efficient, preventive, and therapeutic tool in facing different pathological conditions, including thyroid diseases. Although iodine remains the major nutrient required for the functioning of the thyroid gland, other dietary components play important roles in clinical thyroidology—these include selenium, l-carnitine, myo-inositol, melatonin, and resveratrol—some of which have antioxidant properties. The main concern regarding the appropriate and effective use of nutraceuticals in prevention and treatment is due to the lack of clinical data supporting their efficacy. Another limitation is the discrepancy between the concentration claimed by the label and the real concentration. This paper provides a detailed critical review on the health benefits, beyond basic nutrition, of some popular nutraceutical supplements, with a special focus on their effects on thyroid pathophysiology and aims to distinguish between the truths and myths surrounding the clinical use of such nutraceuticals.
Meson Condensation
Authors: Mannarelli Massimo
Published: September 2019

We give a pedagogical review of the properties of the various meson condensation phases triggered by a large isospin or strangeness imbalance. We argue that these phases are extremely interesting and powerful playground for exploring the properties of hadronic matter. The reason is that they are realized in a regime in which various theoretical methods overlap with increasingly precise numerical lattice QCD simulations, providing insight on the properties of color confinement and of chiral symmetry breaking.
Evaluation of Nanoplasmonic Optical Fiber Sensors Based on D-Type and Suspended Core Fibers with Metallic Nanowires
Authors: Santos Diego , Guerreiro Ariel , Baptista José Manuel
Published: September 2019

The introduction of metallic nanostructures in optical fibers has revolutionized the field of plasmonic sensors since they produce sharper and fine-tuned resonances resulting in higher sensitivities and resolutions. This article evaluates the performance of three different plasmonic optical fiber sensors based on D-type and suspended core fibers with metallic nanowires. It addresses how their different materials, geometry of the components, and their relative position can influence the coupling between the localized plasmonic modes and the guided optical mode. It also evaluates how that affects the spatial distributions of optical power of the different modes and consequently their overlap and coupling, which ultimately impacts the sensor performance. In this work, we use numerical simulations based on finite element methods to validate the importance of tailoring the features of the guided optical mode to promote an enhanced coupling with the localized modes. The results in terms of sensitivity and resolution demonstrate the advantages of using suspended core fibers with metallic nanowires.
Religiosity, Religious Practice, and Antisemitism in Present-Day Hungary
Authors: Barna Ildikó , Kovács András
Published: September 2019

Since 1995, Surveys on antisemitism using national representative samples have been regularly carried out in Hungary. In this article, we used data from the 2011 and 2017 surveys to explore the relationship between three types of antisemitism, namely religious, secular, and emotional. Moreover, we scrutinized how different religiosity indicators can be used as explanatory variables for the different types of antisemitism. We found a slight increase in religious and secular antisemitism between 2011 and 2017, while emotional antisemitism remained almost the same. Religious anti-Judaism significantly correlated with both secular and emotional antisemitism, however, its relationship was much stronger with the former. When analyzing the relationship between different types of antisemitism and religiosity indicators, we found that while in 2011, all the indicators were connected to religious, and most of them to secular and emotional antisemitism, in 2017, only the variables measuring subjective self-classification remained significant. The results show that the relationship between religion and antisemitism underwent some substantial changes between 2011 and 2017. While in 2011, personal religiosity was a significant predictor of the strength of antisemitism, in 2017, religion serving as a cultural identity marker took over this function. The hypothetical explanatory factor for the change is the rebirth of the “Christian-national” idea appearing as the foundational element of the new Hungarian constitution, according to which Christian culture is the ultimate unifying force of the nation, giving the inner essence and meaning of the state. In this discourse, being Christian is equated with being Hungarian. Self-declared and self-defined Christian religiosity plays the role of a symbolic marker for accepting the national-conservative identity discourse and belonging to the “Christian-national” cultural-political camp where antisemitic prejudices occur more frequently than in other segments of the society.
Payback, Forgiveness, Accountability: Exercising Responsible Agency in the Midst of Structured Racial Harm
Authors: Jaycox Michael P.
Published: September 2019

In a context of political conflict, the practice of vengeance, the paying back of harm in exchange for harm suffered, is obviously an ethical problem. The practice of forgiveness is equally though differently problematic when applied to political conflict despite the fact that it is a moral ideal. A third approach, the practice of moral accountability, is more ethically justifiable, yet it remains unclear what it is conceptually and what it would involve practically in a particular context. In this essay, the author develops a conceptual framework for moral accountability, grounded in a broader understanding of justice as responsibility to conflictual and unchosen relationships. Drawing on contemporary sources in Christian ethics, as well as insights from anti-racism community organizing, the author argues that practices of moral accountability restructure the pattern of these relationships, such that perpetrators and guilty bystanders are more likely to assume, rather than avoid, responsibility for causing structured racial harm.
Spectral and Radiometric Calibration of the Next Generation Airborne Visible Infrared Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG)
Authors: Chapman John W. , Thompson David R. , Helmlinger Mark C. , Bue Brian D. , Green Robert O. , Eastwood Michael L. , Geier Sven , Olson-Duvall Winston , Lundeen Sarah R.
Published: September 2019

We describe advanced spectral and radiometric calibration techniques developed for NASA’s Next Generation Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG). By employing both statistically rigorous analysis and utilizing in situ data to inform calibration procedures and parameter estimation, we can dramatically reduce undesirable artifacts and minimize uncertainties of calibration parameters notoriously difficult to characterize in the laboratory. We describe a novel approach for destriping imaging spectrometer data through minimizing a Markov Random Field model. We then detail statistical methodology for bad pixel correction of the instrument, followed by the laboratory and field protocols involved in the corrections and evaluate their effectiveness on historical data. Finally, we review the geometric processing procedure used in production of the radiometrically calibrated image data.
Intercomparison of Integrated Water Vapor Measurements at High Latitudes from Co-Located and Near-Located Instruments
Authors: Fionda Ermanno , Cadeddu Maria , Mattioli Vinia , Pacione Rosa
Published: September 2019

Data from global positioning system (GPS) ground-based receivers, ground-based microwave radiometers (MWRs), and radiosondes (RS) at two high-latitude sites were compared. At one site, the North Slope of Alaska (NSA), Barrow, Alaska (USA), the instruments were co-located, while at the other site, the second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2), Hyytiälä, Finland, the GPS receiver was located about 20 km away from the MWRs and RS. Differences between the GPS-derived integrated water vapor (IWV) and the other three instruments were analyzed in terms of mean differences and standard deviation. A comparison of co-located and near-located independently calibrated instruments allowed us to isolate issues that may be specific to a single system and, to some extent, to isolate the effects of the distance between the GPS receiver and the remaining instruments. The results showed that at these two high-latitude sites, when the IWV was less than 15 kg/m2, the GPS agreed with other instruments within 0.5–0.7 kg/m2. When the variability of water vapor was higher, mostly in the summer months, the GPS agreed with other instruments within 0.8–1 kg/m2. The total random uncertainty between the GPS and the other systems was of the order of 0.6–1 kg/m2 and was the dominant effect when the IWV was higher than 15 kg/m2.
Microelectromechanical System-Based Electrochemical Seismometers with Two Pairs of Electrodes Integrated on One Chip
Authors: Zheng Xichen , Chen Deyong , Wang Junbo , Chen Jian , Xu Chao , Qi Wenjie , Liu Bowen
Published: September 2019

This paper presents microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based electrochemical seismometers with two pairs of electrodes integrated on one chip. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulations were conducted to reveal the working principle of the proposed electrochemical seismometers, finding that flow holes distributed on cathodes rather than anodes can produce significantly higher sensitivities. The proposed electrochemical seismometers were fabricated based on conventional micromachined processes with high fabrication repeatability. Sensitivity measurements of the proposed seismometers and their commercial counterpart of CME6011 were conducted, indicating the sensitivities of the proposed seismometer with flow holes on cathodes were two orders higher than the counterpart with flow holes on anodes and one order higher than CME6011 at dominant frequencies. Measurements of random ground motions based on the proposed seismometer with flow holes on cathodes and CME6011 were conducted, producing comparable noise levels without observable ground motions and high correlations in response to random events of ground motions. These results validated the functionality of the proposed electrochemical seismometers, which may contribute to seismic monitoring in the near future.
Development of a Single Leg Knee Exoskeleton and Sensing Knee Center of Rotation Change for Intention Detection
Authors: Moon Dae-Hoon , Kim Donghan , Hong Young-Dae
Published: September 2019

In this study, we developed a single leg knee joint assistance robot. Commonly used exoskeletons have a left-right pair, but when only one leg of the wearer is uncomfortable, it is effective to wear the exoskeleton on only the uncomfortable leg. The designed exoskeleton uses a lightweight material and uses a wire-driven actuator, which reduces the weight of the driving section that is attached on the knee directly. Therefore, proposed exoskeleton reduces the force of inertia that the wearer experiences. In addition, the lower frame length of the exoskeleton can be changed to align with the complex movement of the knee. Furthermore, the length between the knee center of rotation and the ankle (LBKA) is measured by using this structure, and the LBKA values are used as the data for intention detection. These value helps to detect the intention because it changes faster than a motor encoder value. A neural network was trained using the motor encoder values, and LBKA values. Neural network detects the intention of three motions (stair ascending, stair descending, and walking), Training results showed that intention detection was good in various environments.
Corrosion Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring of Oil and Natural Gas Infrastructure: A Review
Authors: Wright Ruishu F. , Lu Ping , Devkota Jagannath , Lu Fei , Ziomek-Moroz Margaret , Ohodnicki Paul R.
Published: September 2019

Corrosion has been a great concern in the oil and natural gas industry costing billions of dollars annually in the U.S. The ability to monitor corrosion online before structural integrity is compromised can have a significant impact on preventing catastrophic events resulting from corrosion. This article critically reviews conventional corrosion sensors and emerging sensor technologies in terms of sensing principles, sensor designs, advantages, and limitations. Conventional corrosion sensors encompass corrosion coupons, electrical resistance probes, electrochemical sensors, ultrasonic testing sensors, magnetic flux leakage sensors, electromagnetic sensors, and in-line inspection tools. Emerging sensor technologies highlight optical fiber sensors (point, quasi-distributed, distributed) and passive wireless sensors such as passive radio-frequency identification sensors and surface acoustic wave sensors. Emerging sensors show great potential in continuous real-time in-situ monitoring of oil and natural gas infrastructure. Distributed chemical sensing is emphasized based on recent studies as a promising method to detect early corrosion onset and monitor corrosive environments for corrosion mitigation management. Additionally, challenges are discussed including durability and stability in extreme and harsh conditions such as high temperature high pressure in subsurface wellbores.
Organic Molecules: Is It Possible to Distinguish Aromatics from Aliphatics Collected by Space Missions in High Speed Impacts?
Authors: Burchell Mark , Harriss Kathryn
Published: September 2019

A prime site of astrobiological interest within the Solar System is the interior ocean of Enceladus. This ocean has already been shown to contain organic molecules and is thought to have the conditions necessary for more complex organic biomolecules to emerge and potentially even life itself. This sub-surface ocean has been accessed by Cassini, an unmanned spacecraft that interacted with the water plumes ejected naturally from Enceladus. The encounter speed with these plumes and their contents was 5 km s−1 and above. Encounters at such speeds allow analysis of vaporised material from submicron-sized particles within the plume, but sampling micron-sized particles remains an open question. The latter particles can impact metal targets exposed on the exterior of future spacecraft, producing impact craters lined with impactor residue, which can then be analysed. Although there is considerable literature on how mineral grains behave in such high-speed impacts, and also on the relationship between the crater residue and the original grain composition, far less is known regarding the behaviour of organic particles. Here we consider a deceptively simple yet fundamental scientific question: for impacts at speeds of around 5–6 kms−1 would the impactor residue alone be sufficient to enable us to recognise the signature conferred by organic particles? Furthermore, would it be possible to identify the organic molecules involved, or at least distinguish between aromatic and aliphatic chemical structures? For polystyrene (aromatic-rich) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (solely aliphatic) latex particles impinging at around 5 km s−1 onto metal targets, we found that sufficient residue is retained at the impact site to permit identification of a carbon-rich projectile, but not of the particular molecules involved, nor is it currently possible to discriminate between aromatic-rich and solely aliphatic particles. This suggests that an alternative analytical method to simple impacts on metal targets is required to enable successful collection of organic samples in a fly-by Enceladus mission.
Social Exclusion and Labor Market Integration of People with Disabilities. A Case Study for Romania
Authors: Birau Felicia Ramona , Dănăcică Daniela-Emanuela , Spulbar Cristi Marcel
Published: September 2019

This empirical study contributes towards identifying the effect of social exclusion on labor market integration of people with disabilities in Romania. Certain categories of individuals with disabilities have longer unemployment duration than others and this empirical study is focused on identifying which variables have a significant influence on exit to job hazard on Romanian labor market. The significant gap between employees without disabilities and employees with disabilities in the Romanian labor market can be explain based on certain influential factors such as: Lower productivity levels, higher training costs, differentiated work schedules, special demands, higher risk of work injuries and work-related accidents, etc. The findings reveal the lack of statistical significance for the differences between median survival time and hazard rates of disabled individuals, a function of their disability. Moreover, our results show that only an age and unemployment allowance has had a significant effect on unemployment duration and exit to a job hazard of educated individuals with disabilities.
Optimizing Nitrogen and Residue Management to Reduce GHG Emissions while Maintaining Crop Yield: A Case Study in a Mono-Cropping System of Northeast China
Authors: Li Jianzheng , Luo Zhongkui , Wang Yingchun , Li Hu , Xing Hongtao , Wang Ligang , Wang Enli , Xu Hui , Gao Chunyu , Ren Tianzhi
Published: September 2019

Reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizers and returning straw to field are being promoted in northeast China (NEC). In this paper, the agricultural production system model (APSIM) was applied to assess the long-term variations of crop yield and soil GHG emissions in a maize mono-cropping system of NEC, and the simulation results were combined with lifecycle assessment to estimate annual GHG emissions (GHGL) and GHG emission intensity (GHGI, GHG emissions per unit yield) of different agricultural practices. Under current farmers’ practice, emissions due to machinery input (including production, transportation, repair, and maintenance) and soil organic carbon (SOC) decline accounted for 15% of GHGL, while emissions from nitrogen fertilizer input (production and transportation) and direct N2O emissions from soil accounted for the majority (~60% of GHGL). Current farmers’ practice in terms of N application and residue management are nearly optimal for crop production but not for climate change mitigation. Reducing N input by 13% and increasing straw retention by 20% can maintain crop yield and SOC, and also reduce GHGL and GHGI by 13% and 11%, respectively. However, it is not feasible to incorporate the straw used as household fuel into soil, which could incur substantial fossil CO2 emissions of 3.98 Mg CO2-eq ha−1 resulting from the substitution of coal for straw. APSIM was successful in simulating crop yield, N2O emissions, and SOC change in NEC, and our results highlight opportunities to further optimize management strategies (especially for the nitrogen and straw management) to reduce GHG emissions while maintaining crop yield.
Exploring Patterns of Sustainability Stimuli of Project Managers
Authors: Marnewick Carl , Silvius Gilbert , Schipper Ron
Published: September 2019

Sustainable project management is becoming important and the sustainability concepts of people, the planet and profit needs to be incorporated into any type of project. This article focuses on the behavior of the project manager per se and the stimuli patterns that motivate them to adhere to sustainable project management. Three stimuli patterns are used i.e., intrinsically motivated, pragmatic and task driven. To determine which of these patterns influence a project manager, a quantitative pair-wise comparison was used. Twelve statements were used in a pair-wise comparison resulting in a combination of 66 questions. A sample of 101 project managers was analyzed to determine the stimuli patterns. The results indicate that the most prevalent stimulus pattern is the intrinsically motivated pattern with the other two patterns equally important. The results are consistent across gender, age and types of projects as well as industries. It can be concluded that for this study, project managers incorporate sustainability because they feel that it is something they should do. The motivation to consider sustainability is dominated by their behavioral beliefs and the characteristics of the project, or the opinion of others, do not play a large role. This research contributes to the larger body of knowledge with regards to sustainable project management and specifically to the human behavior of project managers. This research addresses the gap that currently exists in current literature where the focus is on the product’s sustainability and sustainable processes.
Experimental Investigation of a Lithium Battery Cooling System
Authors: Zhao Lijun , Wang Jianfeng , Li Ying , Liu Qinghe , Li Weihua
Published: September 2019

To improve the heat dissipation performance of power batteries in electric racing cars in the Formula Student Electric China (FSEC), a battery cooling system was researched. A battery thermal model and a temperature experimental platform were established. The thermal model was verified by comparing the results of the ANSYS/Workbench simulations with the experimental results, and the maximum error was 7.2%. Based on the FSEC dynamic conditions, the cooling demand was analyzed according to the heat transfer theory. Then, an orthogonal method was used to optimize the position of the cooling fan and the arrangement of the cells, and a parameterized battery simulation model based on ANSYS/Icepak was established. The simulation results show that the maximum temperature difference was optimized by 38.35%. The results of the simulation were in good agreement with the experimental results, and the maximum error was less than 2 °C. This indicates that this design can ensure a car battery system that has a good heat dissipation performance in the FSEC; thus, the intended goal was achieved.
Study on the Relationship between Worker States and Unsafe Behaviours in Coal Mine Accidents Based on a Bayesian Networks Model
Authors: Chen Zhaobo , Qiao Gangzhu , Zeng Jianchao
Published: September 2019

Unsafe behaviours, such as violations of rules and procedures, are commonly identified as important causal factors in coal mine accidents. Meanwhile, a recurring conclusion of accident investigations is that worker states, such as mental fatigue, illness, physiological fatigue, etc., are important contributory factors to unsafe behaviour. In this article, we seek to provide a quantitative analysis on the relationship between the worker state and unsafe behaviours in coal mine accidents, based on a case study drawn from Chinese practice. Using Bayesian networks (BN), a graphical structure of the network was designed with the help of three experts from a coal mine safety bureau. In particular, we propose a verbal versus numerical fuzzy probability assessment method to elicit the conditional probability of the Bayesian network. The junction tree algorithm is further employed to accomplish this analysis. According to the BN established by expert knowledge, the results show that when the worker is in a poor state, the most vulnerable unsafe behaviour is violation, followed by decision-making error. Furthermore, insufficient experience may be the most significant contributory factor to unsafe behaviour, and poor fitness for duty may be the principal state that causes unsafe behaviours.
The Impacts of Groundwater Chemistry on Wetland Vegetation Distribution in the Northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Zhou Junju , Xiang Juan , Wang Lanying , Zhong Guoshuang , Zhu Guofeng , Liu Chunfang , Huang Meihua , Feng Wei , Li Qiaoqiao , Xue Dongxiang , Zhao Yaru , Lei Li
Published: September 2019

Groundwater chemistry has an important impact on the vegetation distribution in inland areas. An in-depth understanding of the impact of groundwater chemistry on vegetation can help in developing an effective management strategy to protect the inland ecosystem. The aim of this study was to identify the influence of groundwater chemicals on species diversity and the distribution characteristics of wetland plants at multiple scales based on the groundwater chemical data from 15 sampling points and the distribution data of 13 plants in the Sugan Lake Wetland in 2016. The results show that the groundwater of the Sugan Lake Wetland is weakly alkaline, with high salinity and hardness; the water chemical type is Na-SO4-Cl; the concentration of the major water chemical parameters is significantly different and is the highest in the northwest, followed by the southwest, and is the lowest in the east; with an increase in the groundwater depth, the concentration of major water chemical parameters first showed an increasing trend followed by a decreasing trend; Artemisia frigida Willd, Poa annua L. and Triglochin maritimum L. were adapted to the environment with a higher ion concentration of the groundwater, and their salt resistance was the strongest; Blysmus sinocompressus and Polygonum are more adapted to the environment with lower salinity and hardness of groundwater; Thermopsis lanceolata has stronger adaptability to the ion concentration, salinity, and hardness of groundwater; other plants are adapted to environments where the ion concentration, salinity, and hardness of the groundwater are moderate.
Designing a New Shuttle Service to Meet Large-Scale Instantaneous Peak Demands for Passenger Transportation in a Metropolitan Context: A Green, Low-Cost Mass Transport Option
Authors: Zheng Han , Chen Junhua , Zhang Xingchen , Yang Zixian
Published: September 2019

Currently, the green, sustainable development of metropolises is hindered by problems caused by Large-scale Instantaneous Peak-demands for Passenger-transportation (LIPP), such as traffic congestion and air pollution. To mitigate these problems, we propose a new type of demand-responsive service as an alternative to inefficient “door-to-door” service. The proposed service is based on service units designed to aggregate passengers for shuttle service. To guarantee service quality and efficiency, a maximum passenger walking time constraint, a request rejection mechanism and a scheme for ensuring solution feasibility are considered. Through numerical experiments, we prove the following: (i) the proposed transport option exhibits better performance (by 40.37% for passengers and by 35.79% for operators) than the door-to-door transport option for solving real cases. (ii) By testing different datasets, we prove that the proposed service is more suitable for the request distributions that are spatiotemporally concentrated. (iii) Regarding the individual components of the proposed clustering-first, routing-second solution framework, the proposed soft clustering algorithm exhibits better performance than the classical hard clustering method (by 8%), and the proposed routing algorithm is 1.5 times more efficient than the commercial solution software GAMS.
Dendritic Cells (DCs) as “Fire Accelerants” of Hantaviral Pathogenesis
Authors: Schönrich Günther , Raftery Martin J.
Published: September 2019

Hantaviruses are widespread zoonotic pathogens found around the globe. Depending on their geographical location, hantaviruses can cause two human syndromes, haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS and HFRS have many commonalities amongst which excessive activation of immune cells is a prominent feature. Hantaviruses replicate in endothelial cells (ECs), the major battlefield of hantavirus-induced pathogenesis, without causing cytopathic effects. This indicates that a misdirected response of human immune cells to hantaviruses is causing damage. As dendritic cells (DCs) orchestrate antiviral immune responses, they are in the focus of research analysing hantavirus-induced immunopathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the interplay between hantaviruses and DCs and the immunological consequences thereof.
Wall Stresses in Cylinder of Stationary Piped Carriage Using COMSOL Multiphysics
Authors: Yang Xiaoni , Ma Juanjuan , Li Yongye , Sun Xihuan , Jia Xiaomeng , Li Yonggang
Published: September 2019

Hydraulic transportation of the piped carriage is a new energy-saving and environmentally-friendly transportation mode. There are two main states in the conveying process, stationary and moving. In the process of hydraulic transportation of the piped carriage, the study of the stress of the water flow act on the cylinder wall of the piped carriage can help to improve the design of the piped carriage structure and even the selection of piped carriage materials. The distribution of flow velocity around the stationary piped carriage and the stress distribution on the cylinder wall of the stationary piped carriage were investigated by combining numerical simulations with model experiment verification. The commercial finite element software, Comsol Multiphysics, was utilized to solve this problem using the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method. The results showed that the simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental results. It also showed that the ALE method can well be applied for fluid-structure problems in the process of hydraulic transportation of the piped carriage. The simulation results showed that the low velocity region near the inner wall of the pipe was smaller than that near the outer wall of the piped carriage, and both regions decreased with the increase of the discharge. The maximum stress on the cylinder wall of the piped carriage appeared between the two support feet in the middle and rear sections of the cylinder. The influence of the unit discharge on wall stress increased with the increase of the discharge, that is, k1 < k2 < k3. Moreover, the increase of the discharge had the greatest influence on the circumferential component of the principal stress of the cylinder, followed by the axis component, and the smallest influence on the wall shear stress of the cylinder, i.e., k ¯ σ c > k ¯ σ a > k ¯ σ r > k ¯ τ c .
Les mariages entre catholiques et protestants en Irlande
Authors: Gaudin Elisabeth
Published: September 2019

En Irlande où les communautés catholiques et protestantes s'affrontent depuis des siècles, la question des mariages mixtes -entre catholiques et protestants -revêt une dimension politique importante. Au nord, à cause du conflit, les mariages mixtes sont relativement rares ; au sud, ils mettent en péril l'existence même de la petite communauté protestante. Mais avec l'ouverture de l'Irlande vers l'extérieur, et la perte d'influence des églises sur les jeunes (qu'indiquent certains sondages récents) on peut s'attendre à une augmentation du nombre de ces mariages.
Les 4 R : Reading, Righting, Writing, ' Rithmetic
Authors: Colombat-Castier Jacqueline
Published: September 2019

1. Officially literary history claims that children’s literature was born because of the existence of original sin.

To eradicate sin, it was necessary to teach children to read. Hence the development of children's books aimed at both teaching them basic skills (The 3 R’s : Reading, Writing, ’Rithmetic) and at bettering them (the 4th R : Righting).

Children's Literature shows an overriding didactic tradition.

Under the pressure of various factors (including market forces), this literature gradually opened up to imagination and fantasy.

From the 19th. Century on repression and liberation battled one another for the domination of the genre.

2. My convention is that repression is an essential component of children's literature because it is the basis of Society itself. I shall attempt to show this through 3 examples :

-One from a sample of didactic literature proper

-One from Little Women, a masterpiece and best-seller of domestic literature

-One from a highlight of 'liberated' fun : Winnie The Pooh

3. In the face of repression, what are the options ? Submission, Transgression with its attending guilt, revolt, derision and humour or absenteeism...

In the 20th Century, Children's Literature is still batling it out...
Stagiaires et apprentis face à l'autorité
Authors: Poirier François
Published: September 2019

Des entretiens non directifs avec plus d'une centaine de stagiaires du Youth Training Scheme et quelques dizaines d'apprentis, à Liverpool et à Londres (Hounslow et Lambeth) de 1983 à 1987 permettent de dégager un certain nombre de constantes dans l'attitude des jeunes interrogés et de déceler des caractéristiques de comportement pour les différentes catégories entre lesquelles on peut les répartir. On étudiera en particulier ce que sont les sentiments à l'égard de divers groupes en position d'autorité (parents, enseignants, formateurs, employeurs, forces de l'ordre et pouvoirs publics) et ce qu'ils révèlent du rapport de ces jeunes à la règle et au pouvoir, de leurs aspirations à l'autonomie ou à la liberté individuelles.
Entre le monde et les mots : le sens linguistique
Authors: Rivière Claude
Published: September 2019

Linguistic meaning : words and the world

The properties of languages can be defined in terms of the constraints imposed on them by their physical nature (vocal sound) and their function (symbolization and communication). The normal operation of languages is then seen as a necessary illusion, and the aim of linguistics is to see through the illusion. Linguistic meaning is a construct which is dependent on the material shape of language and which must not be confused with reality. Linguists must steer a middle course between the traps set by reality and those set by the linear organisation of languages. Examples of each kind of trap are analysed.
Quelques notes sur la phénoménologie de la signification poétique : le problème des merles
Authors: Picciotto Robert
Published: September 2019

Some notes on the phenomenology of poetic meaning : the problem of blackbirds

Is there a specific manner in which the lyric poem means that involves imaginative reactions quite different from those required by prose discourse ? This paper attempts to establish the grounds for a possible answer to this question by paying attention to how a reasonably sensitive reader might respond to Wallace Stevens’ “Thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird”. By being somewhat rigorous in the definition of the word “imagination”, the author tries to establish a link between poet and reader that involves the limits and possibilities of the physical self in its relation to the world, and tries to demonstrate that it is indeed this link, rather than the capacity to entertain abstract ideas, that makes possible poetic communication.
Le double sens
Authors: Vallet Odon
Published: September 2019

Double meaning

In germanic as in romanic languages, the various notions of sense (meaning, direction) are rendered by the same word which may just as much express perception as direction (german sinn, latin sentio). On the one hand we have our five senses, capable of apprehending the world in its pleasant or painful nature and informing our brain through decoding instances open to the whole gamut of sensations, on the other we have a meaning that is unique, “oriented”, bound to a major reference and which prohibits our understanding and our emotions to lose their way or go astray a prey to temptations. To give one's opinion amounts to shutting many directions and sometimes to refusing a consensus. Our existence sways between these two meanings. Now we abandon ourselves to a panoramic sensuality and yield to the charms of polymorphous pleasures, noxwwe feel compelled to follow a single direction and submit to paternal exigencies. Between the two meanings, always we hesitate.
What do you mean ? : attention, une question peut en cacher une autre
Authors: Huart Ruth
Published: September 2019

Les questions en wh prononcées avec un accent sur l'auxiliaire et une chute intonative ailleurs dans le prédicat révèlent une attitude d'incrédulité, de colère, de frustration, de désespoir... Ces "effets de sens" découlent directement de la nature des opérations linguistiques que marquent la question en wh, d'une part, et l'accentuation de l'auxiliaire, de l'autre. Alors qu'une question "normale" commençant par un mot interrogatif dérive d'une assertion, l'accentuation de l'auxiliaire reflète un va-et-vient entre les deux pôles de la relation prédicative : associer ces deux marqueurs paraît paradoxal. En étudiant successivement les diverses composantes du type de question illustré par le titre, le présent article cherche à expliquer son caractère spécifique, démontrant ainsi une nouvelle fois le lien indissociable entre prosodie et syntaxe.
Les mots en ‹-ean, -eal, -eum› : étude d’une zone de conflits en morphophonologie de l’anglais
Authors: Deschamps Alain
Published: September 2019

Words ending in <-ean, eal, eum> ; rules in conflict.

The stress rule linked with words ending in <-ion>, later extended to items including other vowel clusters (<-ion> stress rule) governs the stress pattern of more than four thousand English words, with a very high output. Nevertheless, words ending in <-eal>, <-ean> and <-eum>, which are usually found in the list of exceptions to that rule, seem to trigger particular stress rules. Detailed observation of these items based on Jones’s and Wells’s pronunciation dictionaries shows that particular subrules are needed at least for words in <-eum> and <-ean>.
Even though, even if ; as though, as if
Authors: Culioli Antoine
Published: September 2019

- Even though, even if ; as though, as if

Within the framework of his own metalinguistic system, using the concept of notional domain, the author analyses the basic similarity between the markers even if and even though, showing that they are the traces of the same linguistic operation.
Contemporary Chicano Narrative and Public Religious Display : Recuperating the Sacred in the Barrio Street and the Literary Text
Authors: McCracken Ellen
Published: September 2019

Many Chicano literary texts employ elements of public religious display that are often linked literally and metaphorically to the street. Rituals such as pilgrimages, processions, passion plays, petitions to santos, the repaying of mandas, the offering of milagritos and retablos, and other forms of bodily religious display constitute a rich series of narrative intertexts that writers such as Mary Helen Ponce and Sandra Cisneros evoke not merely as totemic markers of ethnicity, but as complex cultural practices essential to their narrative projects. In their autobiographical and fictive texts, Ponce and Cisneros portray the sometimes troubled border crossing of literal and figurative streets in the public religious practices of U.S. Chicanos. Readers unfamiliar with these intertexts of popular Latino religion need to remedy this shortcoming in order to decode these literary works competently.