bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Dependence of Sea SAR Image Distribution Parameters on Surface Wave Characteristics
Authors: Sun Jian , Wang Xin , Yuan Xinzhe , Zhang Qingjun , Guan Changlong , Babanin Alexander V.
Published: November 2018

Modeling the statistical distribution of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is essential for sea target detection, which is an important aspect of marine SAR applications. The main goal of this study is to determine the effects of sea states and surface wave texture characteristics on the statistical distributions of sea SAR images. A statistical analysis of the Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) wave mode images (imagettes), covering a variety of sea states and wave conditions, was carried out to investigate the suitability of the statistical distributions often used in the literature for sea states parameters. The results revealed the variation in the distribution parameters in terms of their azimuthal cutoff wavelength (ACW) and the peak-to-background ratio (PBR) of the SAR image intensity spectra. The shape parameters of Gamma and Weibull distribution are sensitive and monotonously decreasing with respect to PBR, while the scale parameter is sensitive to ACW. The K distribution was shown to perform well, with both high and stable accuracy. The results of this paper provide a parameterized scheme for sea state classifications and can potentially be used for choosing the most suitable distribution model according to sea state when performing sea target detection.
Estimating Tree Position, Diameter at Breast Height, and Tree Height in Real-Time Using a Mobile Phone with RGB-D SLAM
Authors: Fan Yongxiang , Feng Zhongke , Mannan Abdul , Khan Tauheed Ullah , Shen Chaoyong , Saeed Sajjad
Published: November 2018

Accurate estimation of tree position, diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree height measurements is an important task in forest inventory. Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) is an important solution. However, the poor global navigation satellite system (GNSS) coverage under the canopy makes the MLS system unable to provide globally-consistent point cloud data, and thus, it cannot accurately estimate the forest attributes. SLAM could be an alternative for solutions dependent on GNSS. In this paper, a mobile phone with RGB-D SLAM was used to estimate tree position, DBH, and tree height in real-time. The main aims of this paper include (1) designing an algorithm to estimate the DBH and position of the tree using the point cloud from the time-of-flight (TOF) camera and camera pose; (2) designing an algorithm to measure tree height using the perspective projection principle of a camera and the camera pose; and (3) showing the measurement results to the observer using augmented reality (AR) technology to allow the observer to intuitively judge the accuracy of the measurement results and re-estimate the measurement results if needed. The device was tested in nine square plots with 12 m sides. The tree position estimations were unbiased and had a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.12 m in both the x-axis and y-axis directions; the DBH estimations had a 0.33 cm (1.78%) BIAS and a 1.26 cm (6.39%) root mean square error (RMSE); the tree height estimations had a 0.15 m (1.08%) BIAS and a 1.11 m (7.43%) RMSE. The results showed that the mobile phone with RGB-D SLAM is a potential tool for obtaining accurate measurements of tree position, DBH, and tree height.
Radiometric Microwave Indices for Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces
Authors: Paloscia Simonetta , Pampaloni Paolo , Santi Emanuele
Published: November 2018

This work presents an overview of the potential of microwave indices obtained from multi-frequency/polarization radiometry in detecting the characteristics of land surfaces, in particular soil covered by vegetation or snow and agricultural bare soils. Experimental results obtained with ground-based radiometers on different types of natural surfaces by the Microwave Remote Sensing Group of IFAC-CNR starting from ‘80s, are summarized and interpreted by means of theoretical models. It has been pointed out that, with respect to single frequency/polarization observations, microwave indices revealed a higher sensitivity to some significant parameters, which characterize the hydrological cycle, namely: soil moisture, vegetation biomass and snow depth or snow water equivalent. Electromagnetic models have then been used for simulating brightness temperature and microwave indices from land surfaces. As per vegetation covered soils, the well-known tau-omega (τ-ω) model based on the radiative transfer theory has been used, whereas terrestrial snow cover has been simulated using a multi-layer dense-medium radiative transfer model (DMRT). On the basis of these results, operational inversion algorithms for the retrieval of those hydrological quantities have been successfully implemented using multi-channel data from the microwave radiometric sensors operating from satellite.
Technical Methodology for ASTER Global Water Body Data Base
Authors: Fujisada Hiroyuki , Urai Minoru , Iwasaki Akira
Published: November 2018

A waterbody detection technique is an essential part of a digital elevation model (DEM) generation to delineate land–water boundaries and set flattened elevations. This paper describes the technical methodology for improving the initial tile-based waterbody data that are created during production of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER) GDEM, because without improvement such tile-based waterbodies data are not suitable for incorporating into the new ASTER GDEM Version 3. Waterbodies are classified into three categories: sea, lake, and river. For sea-waterbodies, the effect of sea ice is removed to better delineate sea shorelines in high latitude areas: sea ice prevents accurate delineation of sea shorelines. For lake-waterbodies, the major part of the processing is to set the unique elevation value for each lake using a mosaic image that covers the entire lake area. Rivers present a unique challenge, because their elevations gradually step down from upstream to downstream. Initially, visual inspection is required to separate rivers from lakes. A stepwise elevation assignment, with a step of one meter, is carried out by manual or automated methods, depending on the situation. The ASTER global water database (GWBD) product consists of a global set of 1° latitude-by-1° longitude tiles containing water body attribute and elevation data files in geographic latitude and longitude coordinates and with one arc second posting. Each tile contains 3601-by-3601 data points. All improved waterbody elevation data are incorporated into the ASTER GDEM to reflect the improved results.
An Improved Boosting Learning Saliency Method for Built-Up Areas Extraction in Sentinel-2 Images
Authors: Sun Zhenhui , Meng Qingyan , Zhai Weifeng
Published: November 2018

Built-up areas extraction from satellite images is an important aspect of urban planning and land use; however, this remains a challenging task when using optical satellite images. Existing methods may be limited because of the complex background. In this paper, an improved boosting learning saliency method for built-up area extraction from Sentinel-2 images is proposed. First, the optimal band combination for extracting such areas from Sentinel-2 data is determined; then, a coarse saliency map is generated, based on multiple cues and the geodesic weighted Bayesian (GWB) model, that provides training samples for a strong model; a refined saliency map is subsequently obtained using the strong model. Furthermore, cuboid cellular automata (CCA) is used to integrate multiscale saliency maps for improving the refined saliency map. Then, coarse and refined saliency maps are synthesized to create a final saliency map. Finally, the fractional-order Darwinian particle swarm optimization algorithm (FODPSO) is employed to extract the built-up areas from the final saliency result. Cities in five different types of ecosystems in China (desert, coastal, riverside, valley, and plain) are used to evaluate the proposed method. Analyses of results and comparative analyses with other methods suggest that the proposed method is robust, with good accuracy.
A Novel Dual-Band Six-Phase Voltage-Control Oscillator
Authors: Wang San-Fu , Chang Yu-Wei , Tang Chun-Yen
Published: November 2018

The paper presents a novel dual-band six-phase voltage-control oscillator. The voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a single-ended delay cell architecture has a lower power consumption, a smaller chip area, and a larger output swing than one with a differential delay cell architecture. However, the conventional even-phase outputs ring-type VCO cannot be implemented using single-ended delay cells. In other words, the VCO with single-ended delay cells meets most of the requirements of a sensor circuit system, except even-phase outputs function. This work presents a dual-band six-phase ring type VCO, which is implemented using the proposed single-ended delay cell. The proposed VCO both exhibits the advantages of single-ended delay cells and differential delay cells. The proposed delay cell has a band-switching function, which improves the jitter performance of a VCO in which it is used. The proposed VCO can be operated at 890–1080 MHz. The peak-to-peak jitter and the root mean square jitter are the 35.5 ps and 2.8 ps (at 1 GHz), respectively. The maximal power consumption is approximately 6.4 mW at a supply voltage of 1.8 V in a United Microelectronics Corporation 0.18 μm RF CMOS process. The area of the chip is 0.195 × 0.208 mm2.
Significant Sensitivity Improvement for Camera-Based Lateral Flow Immunoassay Readers
Authors: Saisin Lalita , Amarit Ratthasart , Somboonkaew Armote , Gajanandana Oraprapai , Himananto Orawan , Sutapun Boonsong
Published: November 2018

Recent developments in smartphone-based strip readers have further improved the performances of lateral flow test kits. Most smartphone cameras encode an unaltered and nonlinear power-law transfer function that maps the light intensity to a pixel value; this poses some limitations for camera-based strip readers. For faint-color test lines which are almost as white such as with nitrocellulose pads, the slope of the transfer function is low. Therefore, it is difficult to differentiate between the faint test lines and the white background. We show that by manually setting the camera exposure time—instead of using the automatic settings—to the high-slope region of the transfer function, the reader’s sensitivity can be improved. We found that the sensitivity and the limit of detection of the Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac) test kit were enhanced up to 3-fold and 5-fold, respectively, when using the readers at the optimal camera settings, compared to the automatic mode settings. This simple technique can be readily applied to any existing camera-based colorimetric strip reader to significantly improve its performance.
Designing a Robust Kelvin Probe Setup Optimized for Long-Term Surface Photovoltage Acquisition
Authors: Beyreuther Elke , Grafström Stefan , Eng Lukas M.
Published: November 2018

We introduce a robust low-budget Kelvin probe design that is optimized for the long-term acquisition of surface photovoltage (SPV) data, especially developed for highly resistive systems, which exhibit—in contrast to conventional semiconductors—very slow photoinduced charge relaxation processes in the range of hours and days. The device provides convenient optical access to the sample, as well as high mechanical and electrical stability due to off-resonance operation, showing a noise band as narrow as 1 mV. Furthermore, the acquisition of temperature-dependent SPV transients necessary for SPV-based deep-level transient spectroscopy becomes easily possible. The performance of the instrument is demonstrated by recording long-term SPV transients of the ultra-slowly relaxing model oxide strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ) over 20 h.
Improving the Error of Time Differences of Arrival on Partial Discharges Measurement in Gas-Insulated Switchgear
Authors: Jiang Jun , Wang Kai , Zhang Chaohai , Chen Min , Zheng Hong , Albarracín Ricardo
Published: November 2018

Partial Discharge (PD) detection based on Ultra-High-Frequency (UHF) measurements in Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) is often used for fault location based on extraction of Time Differences of Arrival (TDoA), and the core technique is to obtain the precise time difference of each UHF signal. Usually, TDoA extraction algorithms can be categorized as cross-correlation function method (CCF), minimum energy method (ME), and threshold value method (TV) are not qualified to analyze the time difference with high accuracy and efficiency, especially the complicated UHF PD signals in the field. In this paper, multiple tests were carried out based on the real GIS UHF signals. Three typical algorithms (CCF, ME, and TV) were used to extract and calculate the TDoA of UHF signals. Afterwards, depending on the disassembly of equipment, the accuracy and effective range of the algorithms are analyzed by means of error and variance. To minimize the error and the variance, an average method with the combination (CA) and portfolio of traditional algorithms is proposed and verified in different situations. The results demonstrate that the improved algorithm could increase the accuracy of time difference extraction, less than 4.0%.
Individualism and the Decision to Withdraw Life Support
Authors: Chartrand Louise
Published: November 2018

The 1996 Health Care Consent Act of Ontario (Canada) is a law that regulates medical decision making. Therefore, it also gives indications on how end of life decisions should be made. The goal of the law was to ensure and protect patient’s autonomy and avoid medical paternalism, especially at the end of life. Throughout this article, I would like to argue that one of the consequences of the 1996 Health Care Consent Act of Ontario is to promote individualism. Therefore, this law makes it improbable to attain a shared decision model. More specifically, the way the 1996 Health Care Consent Act is currently written, a proxy is assigned as a decision-maker for someone who is deemed incompetent. However, it also ensures that the proxy will be the only one with the burden of that decision. This argument will be supported by providing a qualitative description of three cases that I have encountered during my six-month fieldwork in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital located in Ontario. This paper offers a reflection upon the consequences of using an alternative decision maker (proxy) to withdraw life support.
Effect of Accommodating Elastic Bands on Mechanical Power Output during Back Squats
Authors: Kubo Takafumi , Hirayama Kuniaki , Nakamura Nobuhiro , Higuchi Mitsuru
Published: November 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate whether accommodating elastic bands with barbell back squats (BSQ) increase muscular force during the deceleration subphase. Ten healthy men (mean ± standard deviation: Age: 23 ± 2 years; height: 170.5 ± 3.7 cm; mass: 66.7 ± 5.4 kg; and BSQ one repetition maximum (RM): 105 ± 23.1 kg; BSQ 1RM/body mass: 1.6 ± 0.3) were recruited for this study. The subjects performed band-resisted parallel BSQ (accommodating elastic bands each sides of barbell) with five band conditions in random order. The duration of the deceleration subphase, mean mechanical power, and the force and velocity during the acceleration and deceleration subphases were calculated. BSQ with elastic bands elicited greater mechanical power output, velocity, and force during the deceleration subphase, in contrast to that elicited with traditional free weight (p < 0.05). BSQ with elastic bands also elicited greater mechanical power output and velocity during the acceleration subphase. However, the force output during the acceleration subphase using an elastic band was lesser than that using a traditional free weight (p < 0.05). This study suggests that BSQ with elastic band elicit greater power output during the acceleration and deceleration subphases.
Public Value of Marine Biodiesel Technology Development in South Korea
Authors: Kim Joseph , Kim Hyo-Jin , Yoo Seung-Hoon
Published: November 2018

Biodiesel (BD) is often regarded as a carbon-neutral fuel. Many countries are investing resources in biodiesel technology development to respond to the need to improve energy sustainability and the threat of climate change. Since 2009, the South Korean Government has invested a considerable amount of money in developing marine BD (MBD) technology that converts carbon dioxide into diesel using marine microalgae cultivated in large quantities with the help of waste heat from nuclear power plants and/or coal-fired power plants. If the development is successful, 4800 tons of MBD a year, approximately 1820 cars fully fueled annually, will be produced from 2019. Furthermore, the South Korean Government is expected to continue to invest in MBD to improve the market share after 2019. Quantitative information about the public value of MBD technology development is widely demanded by the Government. This study aims to investigate the public value of MBD technology, the attributes of which it considers to be the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the mitigation of air pollutant emissions, new job creation, and the improvement of energy security. A choice experiment (CE) survey of 600 people was conducted during July 2016. The trade-offs among the attributes and the price were evaluated in the survey. The CE data were examined through a multinomial logit model. The marginal values for a 1%p reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, 1%p mitigation of air pollutant emissions, the creation of 100 new jobs, and an improvement of energy security caused by MBD technology development are computed to be KRW 1082.7 (USD 0.9), 918.1 (0.8), and 258.3 (0.2) per household per month, respectively.
Research on the Dynamic Interrelationship among R&D Investment, Technological Innovation, and Economic Growth in China
Authors: Liu Chao , Xia Guanjun
Published: November 2018

Technological innovation is an important driving force for a country’s sustainable economic development and social progress, and can be achieved through R&D investment, which would lead to sustainable economic growth. This process is one of the important steps for China to realize the transformation of the economic growth mode and the development from extensive to intensive type. Since R&D investment, technological innovation, and economic growth are mutually influential and inseparable, it is particularly important to understand the interrelationship between the three. By collating data from China from 1995 to 2016, this paper established an indicator system of R&D investment, technological innovation, and economic growth as research variables. Vector autoregression model, impulse response function, and variance decomposition function were adopted. A long-term stable dynamic interrelationship among the three was revealed. The empirical analysis showed that in recent years, the growth of R&D investment, technological innovation, and economic growth stagnated or even slowly declined, which indicated that the economic development had insufficient stamina. The conversion efficiency of R&D investment was not high, and R&D investment for short-term profit was ubiquitous. The innovation ability of scientific and technological achievements was not strong, the conversion rate of scientific and technological achievements was not high, and the market integration process was relatively slow. Overall, a good circular mechanism has not been established among R&D investment, technological innovation, and economic growth. Based on this, China should improve the mutual influence and interrelationship among R&D investment, technological innovation, and economic growth. The transmission mechanism among the three should be optimized and stable economic growth promoted, for example, by increasing R&D investment, enhancing the efficiency of R&D funds, improving the incentive system for scientific and technological innovation, and promting the effective use and marketization integration of innovation achievements.
Assessing Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security of the EU Food System—An Integrated Approach
Authors: Zurek Monika , Hebinck Aniek , Leip Adrian , Vervoort Joost , Kuiper Marijke , Garrone Maria , Havlík Petr , Heckelei Thomas , Hornborg Sara , Ingram John , Kuijsten Anneleen , Shutes Lindsay , Geleijnse Johanna , Terluin Ida , Van ’t Veer Pieter , Wijnands Jo , Zimmermann Andrea , Achterbosch Thom
Published: November 2018

Steering the EU food system towards a sustainability transformation requires a vast and actionable knowledge base available to a range of public and private actors. Few have captured this complexity by assessing food systems from a multi-dimensional and multi-level perspective, which would include (1) nutrition and diet, environmental and economic outcomes together with social equity dimensions and (2) system interactions across country, EU and global scales. This paper addresses this gap in food systems research and science communication by providing an integrated analytical approach and new ways to communicate this complexity outside science. Based on a transdisciplinary science approach with continuous stakeholder input, the EU Horizon2020 project ‘Metrics, Models and Foresight for European SUStainable Food And Nutrition Security’ (SUSFANS) developed a five-step process: Creating a participatory space; designing a conceptual framework of the EU food system; developing food system performance metrics; designing a modelling toolbox and developing a visualization tool. The Sustainable Food and Nutrition-Visualizer, designed to communicate complex policy change-impacts and trade-off questions, enables an informed debate about trade-offs associated with options for change among food system actors as well as in the policy making arena. The discussion highlights points for further research related to indicator development, reach of assessment models, participatory processes and obstacles in science communication.
An Approach to a New Supplementary Cementing Material: Arundo donax Straw Ash
Authors: Payá Jordi , Roselló Josefa , Monzó José María , Escalera Alejandro , Santamarina María Pilar , Borrachero María Victoria , Soriano Lourdes
Published: November 2018

Arundo donax is a plant native to Asia and is considered an invader species in the Mediterranean region and many tropical zones in the world. These invader plants can be collected to produce a biomass, which can be converted to ash by combustion. The scope of the study is to assess the use of these ashes (Arundo donax straw ash [ADSA]) as supplementary cementing material due to their relatively high silica content. Electron microscopy studies on dried and calcined samples of different plant parts (cane, sheath leaf and leaf) were carried out. Some different cellular structures were identified in the spodogram (remaining skeleton after calcination). Major silica content was found in leaves and sheath leaves. The main element in all the ashes studied, together with oxygen, was potassium (22 to 46% depending on the part of the plant). Chloride content was also high (5–13%), which limits their use to non-steel reinforced concrete. The pozzolanic reactivity of ADSA was assessed in pastes by thermogravimetric analysis and in mortars with ordinary Portland cement based on compressive strength development. Excellent results were found in terms of reactivity.
Strategic Thinking for Sustainability: A Review of 10 Strategies for Sustainable Mobility by Bus for Cities
Authors: Fernandez-Sanchez Gonzalo , Fernandez-Heredia Alvaro
Published: November 2018

The sustainable mobility of the future comes about through sustainable ways of transport, such as walking, cycling, or collective transport. This includes the bus, the underground, and trains in big cities. This article reviews bus-related policies and initiatives worldwide. It also analyses ten cities looking at medium and long-term strategies for the urban bus service. The main ideas are: the forecasts for the use of the urban bus system indicate a significant increase in demand, therefore, there is a need for expanding the offered services; efforts to change the fleets towards Compressed Natural Gas and Electric vehicles; support of technological innovation for communication and accessibility; improving commercial speed and frequencies by infrastructure improvements, operation optimisation and technology; and, the link between these strategies and the air quality of cities. The transition towards a sustainable transport will happen based on the belief that the bus service is no longer the transport of the past or the present, but of the future.
Simulation-Optimization Approach for the Logistics Network Design of Biomass Co-Firing with Coal at Power Plants
Authors: Aranguren Maria F. , Castillo-Villar Krystel K. , Aboytes-Ojeda Mario , Giacomoni Marcio H.
Published: November 2018

This work proposes a hybrid scheme that combines a simulation model and a mathematical programming model for designing logistic networks for co-firing biomass, specifically switchgrass, in conventional coal-fired power plants. The advantages of co-firing biomass include: (1) the creation of green jobs; (2) the efficient use of current power plant infrastructure; (3) fostering the penetration of renewable energy into power networks; and, (4) the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The novelty of this work lies in the inclusion of (1) the inherent variability of biomass supply at the parcel level, and (2) the effects of climate change on future biomass supply when designing a feedstock logistic network. The design optimization is conducted at the farm/parcel level (most, if not all, previous works have used county level average data) and integrates the crop growth predictions employing United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Land Management with Numerical Assessment Criteria (ALMANAC) simulation model; the output of the simulations is input into the mixed integer linear programming (MILP) hub-and-spoke model to minimize the overall cost of the logistic network. Specifically, the MILP-based model selects the parcels and depot locations as well as biomass transportation flows by taking into consideration different types of soil, land cover characteristics, and predicted yields, which account for both historical and forecasted weather data. The hybrid methodology was tested by solving realistic situations, which considered varying weather conditions. The gross results indicate that the optimized logistic network enabled meeting a 20% biomass co-firing rate demand, which reduced 1,158,867 Mg per year in GHG emissions by co-firing with biomass.
Assessing the Vulnerability of Marine Fisheries in China: Towards an Inter-Provincial Perspective
Authors: Chen Qi , Shen Weiteng , Yu Bing
Published: November 2018

China’s marine fisheries are undergoing large-scale environmental changes associated with climate change, marine pollution, and overfishing. The assessment of marine fisheries vulnerability has become extremely necessary for fisheries management and sustainable development. However, studies on China’s marine fisheries vulnerability remains sparse. This study aimed to provide an analysis of the inter-provincial level vulnerability of China’s marine fisheries under multiple disturbances. The vulnerability measure was composed of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity indicators specific to marine fisheries based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) definitions. Results showed that Liaoning, Hebei, Fujian, and Hainan provinces appeared to be the most vulnerable; Shanghai appeared to be less vulnerable among China’s 11 coastal provinces; and the key sources of vulnerability differed considerably among coastal regions. The high vulnerability regions could be divided into two different patterns according to the combination of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, but they all had one thing in common: relatively low adaptive capacity. While some existing coercive measures to reduce dependence on fisheries were found to be helpful in China, the reality showed that appropriate adaptation measures such as improving fishermen’s education level and increasing vocational training may be helpful in enhancing the existing policy effectiveness.
Effects of Multiple Supplementary Cementitious Materials on Workability and Segregation Resistance of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete
Authors: Solak Afonso Miguel , Tenza-Abril Antonio José , Saval José Miguel , García-Vera Victoria Eugenia
Published: November 2018

In view of the global sustainable development, it is imperative that supplementary cementing materials (SCM) be used for replacing cement in the concrete industry and several researchers have shown that mineral admixtures can enhance the workability of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) mixture and its strength. In view of the beneficial effects of using SCM in LWAC, this article aims to verify the possible influence of the use of different types of SCM in the segregation phenomenon of LWAC. Three different SCM were studied: Silica Fume (SF), Fly Ash (FA) and Posidonia oceanica Ash (PA). For each SCM, three mixtures were prepared, considering three different percentage substitutions of cement. An image analysis technique was applied to estimate the segregation in each sample. The results show that a substitution of cement by other materials with different grain size, considering a constant water binder ratio, may also result in a variation of the consistency of concrete and the viscosity of the mortar matrix, which may contribute to increase or reduce segregation.
Contractor Cooperation Mechanism and Evolution of the Green Supply Chain in Mega Projects
Authors: Zhu Jianbo , Fang Miao , Shi Qianqian , Wang Peng , Li Qian
Published: November 2018

The large scale of construction in mega projects leads to significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts; thus, the projects should also exhibit greater social responsibility. Adopting green supply chain management in the construction process is an important way to realize the goal of sustainable development of mega projects. Because the green supply chain behavior during construction is mainly demonstrated by contractors, it is especially important to study the evolutionary trend of their behavior. Thus, to explore the cooperative relationship among contractors, this paper considers a lengthy construction period, multi-agent participation dynamics, and opportunistic behavior—all are key features of mega projects—and establishes an evolutionary game model. Specifically, a replicator dynamic equation is used to describe the long-term effects of the contractor’s decisions. Equilibrium determinants are then analyzed and simulated. The results show that the initial probabilities of the two types of contractors (main contractor and subcontractor) demonstrating opportunistic behaviors have a significant effect on the direction of evolution of the mega project. The main contractor, who dominates the subsidy allocation by the government and project owner, should pay attention to maintaining a balance in the income distribution between him or her and the subcontractor. Additionally, there is an optimal distribution coefficient for the subsidy that minimizes the overall probability of opportunistic behavior. This paper provides a point of reference for the decisions of the main contractor and the subcontractor in the green supply chain of mega projects.
Structure réelle de la muscovite. Répartition des substitutions isomorphes
Authors: Gatineau Lucien
Published: November 2018

Les substitutions tétraédriques de l'aluminium au silicium produisent une diffusion des rayons X en dehors des domaines de Bragg. Ces diffusions sont concentrées sur des plans réciproques perpendiculaires au plan du feuillet, passant par des lignes réciproques h k. Ce mode de diffusion indique que les substitutions forment des chaînes linéaires parallèles à certaines directions principales du réseau bidimensionnel a˗b.

Le cristal se trouve divisé en domaines, caractérisés chacun par la direction suivant laquelle se développent ces chaînes. Les principaux domaines existants sont ceux où les substitutions sont alignées suivant les directions [10], [-11] et [11].

L'étude de ces domaines montre que les chaînes de substitutions se groupent en séquences de 2, 4, 6 ou 8 unités et que la neutralisation des charges des ions potassium se fait par l'alternance de séquences pleines ou vides sur les deux couches adjacentes de feuillets voisins.
Contribution à l'étude des éléments ferromagnétiques des coulées de 693 avant Jésus-Christ et de 1381 après Jésus-Christ des laves de l'Etna (Sicile)
Authors: Zeller Claude , Bolfa Joseph
Published: November 2018

Nous avons déterminé la nature minéralogique exacte des éléments ferromagnétiques des coulées de 693 avant Jésus-Christ et de 1381 après Jésus-Christ du massif de l'Etna. Pour atteindre ce but nous avons dû faire appel à plusieurs méthodes : mesures magnétiques (analyse thermomagnétique et aimantation à saturation) , étude optique en sections polies et analyse volumique au compteur de points. Il résulte de notre étude que pour les échantillons des deux coulées donnant une courbe thermomagnétique à point de Curie assez net, le chimisme des éléments ferromagnétiques est le même. La concentration en éléments magnétiques est également la même dans les deux coulées.
Generation of 1,2-oxathiolium ions from (arysulfonyl)- and (arylsulfinyl)allenes in Brønsted acids. NMR and DFT study of these cations and their reactions
Authors: Lozovskiy Stanislav V , Ivanov Alexander Yu , Khoroshilova Olesya V , Vasilyev Aleksander V
Published: November 2018

In strong Brønsted acids (CF3SO3H, FSO3H, D2SO4), (arysulfonyl)allenes (ArSO2–CR1=C=CR2R3) and (arylsulfinyl)allenes (ArSO–CR1=C=CR2R3) undergo cyclization into the corresponding stable 1,2-oxathiolium ions, which were studied by means of NMR and DFT calculations. Quenching of solutions of these cations with low nucleophilic media, aqueous HCl, leads to their deprotonation with a stereoselective formation of (arysulfonyl)butadienes (for instance, ArSO2–CR1=C–C(Me)=CH2, for R2 = R3 = Me, yields of 87–98%). Reactions of (arysulfonyl)allenes in the system TfOH (0.1 equiv)–HFIP (hexafluoropropan-2-ol) followed by hydrolysis give rise to allyl alcohols (ArSO2–CR1=CH–C(OH)R2R3, yields of 78–99%). Reflux of solutions of (arysulfonyl)allenes in the presence of TfOH (1 equiv) in 1,2-dichlorobenzene leads to the cyclization into thiochromene 1,1-dioxides in high yields. Under the action of TfOH or AlX3 (X = Cl, Br) followed by hydrolysis of reaction mixtures, (arylsulfinyl)allenes give allyl alcohols (ArSO2–CR1=CH–C(OH)R2R3). Plausible reaction mechanisms have been proposed for all studied reactions.
Synthesis of indole–cycloalkyl[b]pyridine hybrids via a four-component six-step tandem process
Authors: Muthu Muthumani , Vishnu Priya Rakkappan , Almansour Abdulrahman I , Suresh Kumar Raju , Kumar Raju Ranjith
Published: November 2018

The one-pot four-component reaction of 3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-3-oxopropanenitriles, aromatic aldehydes, cycloalkanones and ammonium acetate occurred via a six-step tandem Knoevenagel condensation–nucleophilic addition to carbonyl–Michael addition–N-cyclization–elimination–air oxidation sequence to afford structurally intriguing indole–cycloalkyl[b]pyridine-3-carbonitrile hybrid heterocycles in excellent yields.
COMPUTATIONAL TRUST MANAGEMENT IN ECONOMICS PHENOMENA RESEARCH
Authors: Trček Denis
Published: November 2018

Economics phenomena are notably governed by dynamic, non-linear, bottom-up processes emerging from agents’ interactions. Therefore traditional top-down approaches provide a rather limited insight into these phenomena. Further, research in economics has been mostly focused on addressing tangible factors, while human agents in economic settings often do not adhere to rational reasoning, and trust is one such kind of reasoning. Thanks to recent technological advancements new approaches are enabled, and this paper proposes a novel and anticipatory research methodology for studying economics phenomena that enables inclusion of trust. The methodology, called auxiliary composite simulations, builds upon recent advancements in computational trust management. By doing so it enables bottom-up simulations of trust driven economic phenomena. The paper provides also epistemic evaluation of the methodology and ends up with an example application of the proposed apparatus.
PRIORITIZING AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO OPTIMIZE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY
Authors: Berawi Mohammed Ali , Susantono Bambang , Miraj Perdana , Nurmadinah Fitri
Published: November 2018

Air transportation plays a significant role not only in connecting remote and isolated areas but also in enhancing national economic development. Indonesia, a country consisting of more than 17,000 islands, has 162 airports administered by its government through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of the Ministry of Transportation. In response to budget constraints to expand these airports for services, the government has initiated collaboration with the private sector to develop airports. This paper aims to assist decision makers in deciding which of the 162 airports should be prioritized for partnership based on project feasibility. The study used qualitative and quantitative approaches, employing an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, multi-criteria weighting, and financial feasibility to analyze the findings. As a result, the prioritized airports recommended for partnership with the private sector are expressed in a quadrant priority of scale.
BORN GLOBAL COMPANIES. IS THIS A FUTURE FOR ECONOMY OF LATVIA? A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Authors: Vaivode Irena
Published: November 2018

A small number of export-capable sectors is a factor that renders the Latvian economy sensitive to any changes in the external environment, at the same time it is an incentive to look for growth patterns. Internationalisation is a factor that brings growth. International operations can have various advantages for enterprises, particularly for high-growing companies. The born global companies will experience stronger performance in markets that are more attractive and more internationalised. For this research purposes term ‘born global’ author understands as a ‘truly global’ company as well as domestically based company with overseas operations. The novelty of the research manifests as seeking of novel information and novel solutions based on the experience of different countries. Born global companies are the research object of an investigation. The aim of the article is an analysis of external environment perspective that is necessary to predict long-term survival for every company in conjunction with economic dimensions of globalization. The research methodology is based on the overview of literature sources that attempts to describe the key drivers for early internationalization, statistics of high-growth enterprises and survival rates of newly born enterprises, success factors of high-growth enterprises. As the result framework for the future research is created.
INTERNAL R&D AND EXTERNAL INFORMATION IN KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE BUSINESS SERVICE INNOVATION: COMPLEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES OR INDEPENDENT?
Authors: Doloreux David , Shearmur Richard , Rodriguez Mercedes
Published: November 2018

This paper analyses the effect of internal R&D and of external sources of information on the innovation performance of Knowledge intensive business services (KIBS). The analysis is based on an establishment-level survey covering the period of 2011–2014 in Canada (Quebec). In order to determine the influence of different external information sources on innovation and the extent to which internal R&D and the use of external information sources are related to innovation, a series of logistic regressions are performed on four different measures of innovation. The results show that KIBS innovation is positively connected to market-related information sources (but not to research and academic sources), that KIBS innovation is positively associated with the performance of R&D, and that there are no synergies associated with the combined performance of R&D and external information gathering: their effects are independent and additive. These results share some similarities, but also some important differences, with those that have been obtained from the study of R&D and external information sourcing in manufacturing establishments.
Redescription and reassignment of Ondina semicingulata to the Pyramidellidae, with review of the occurrence of genus Evalea in the Western Atlantic (Gastropoda)
Authors: Pimenta Alexandre D. , Santos Franklin N. , Cunha Carlo M.
Published: November 2018

ActeonsemicingulatusDall, 1927, previously known only by its original description is reassigned to the Pyramidellidae, inOndina, based on the collecting of several new specimens along the coast of Brazil, in the same bathymetry as the type locality. Its shell shape variation is discussed and Odostomia (Evalea) ryclea Dall, 1927 is considered a synonymy. Other Western Atlantic species, previously allocated to other genera are transferred toOndina:AclisstriataVerrill, 1880, Odostomia (Iolaea) hendersoni Bartsch, 1909,EvaleastockiDe Jong & Coomans, 1988 and Odostomia (Evalea) emeryi Bartsch, 1955 based on conchlogical comparison to the revison by Høisæter (2014), from Northeastern Atlantic. The genusEvaleais considered to be absent in the Atlantic Ocean.
Neotenorchestia Wildish, 2014 is a junior synonym of Orchestia Leach, 1814
Authors: Wildish David J.
Published: November 2018

Neotenorchestia Wildish, 2014 and N.kenwildishi Wildish, 2014 (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Talitridae) are junior synonyms of Orchestia Leach, 1814 and Orchestiamediterranea A. Costa, 1853 respectively, based on revised genetic evidence.
Localization of CGRP and VEGF mRNAs in the mouse superior cervical ganglion during pre- and postnatal development
Authors: Mitsuoka Kazuyuki , Miwa Yoko , Kikutani Takeshi , Sato Iwao
Published: November 2018

The neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) mediates inflammation and head pain by influencing the functional vascular blood supply. CGRP is a well-characterized mediator of receptor-regulated neurotransmitter release. However, knowledge regarding the role of CGRP during the development of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) is limited. In the present study, we observed the localization of CGRP and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) mRNAs during prenatal development at embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5), E17.5 and postnatal day 1 (P1) using in situ hybridization. The antisense probe for CGRP was detected by in situ hybridization at E14.5, E17.5, and P1, and the highest levels were detected at E17.5. In contrast, the antisense probe for VEGF-A was detected by in situ hybridization in gradually increasing intensity from E14.5 to P1. The differences in the expression of these two markers revealed specific characteristics related to CGRP concentration and release compared to those of VEGF-A during development. The correlation between CGRP and VEGF-A may influence functional stress and the vascular blood supply during prenatal and postnatal development.
Evaluación del diseño de las “guías FORCOM de autoevaluación de competencias docentes‟ para el Espacio europeo de Educación superior (EEES)
Authors: Álvarez Rojo Víctor
Published: November 2018

Este artículo presenta la validación empírica del diseño de un instrumento concebido para ayudar al profesorado universitario a evaluar sus propias competencias docentes dentro del marco de la convergencia europea: las Guías FORCOM de Autoevaluación de Competencias Docentes. Se confecciona a partir de los datos de una evaluación de necesidades sobre competencias docentes. Se seleccionan 16 profesores/as universitarios con amplia experiencia docente, de 5 universidades y de las diferentes áreas de conocimiento. Tras la auto-aplicación de las guías se recoge información mediante una entrevista en profundidad sobre: a) su manejo (evaluación del formato) y b) su utilidad y adecuación (evaluación del contenido). Tras el análisis de las valoraciones realizadas por los profesores participantes se concluye que: 1) es un instrumento valioso y útil, especialmente para el profesorado que ya tiene alguna experiencia en la implantación del EEES; 2) es una herramienta que permite la autoevaluación del profesorado y, además, propicia la adquisición de algunos conocimientos especializados sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de competencias en el ámbito universitario; y 3) no obstante, el diseño actual debe ser revisado, tanto en su formato (reorganización, extensión Guías, normas de auto-aplicación, etc.) como en su contenido (cantidad de información, terminología didáctica, fundamentación de los resultados...).

 
La Formación del Profesorado en el marco de la innovación docente universitaria. El caso de la Universidad Pablo de Olavide.
Authors: Monreal Gimeno María del Carmen , Ruiz Ballesteros Esteban
Published: November 2018

El programa de formación del profesorado de la Universidad Pablo de Olvide (UPO) no sólo supone un plan específico de formación para una universidad concreta, sino que ejemplifica una forma de superación y renovación metodológica. En el marco del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, los docentes universitarios requieren nuevas formas de afrontar la tarea de la docencia en consonancia con el cambio social del siglo XXI y la necesidad de acercar la Universidad   al entorno social en el que se encuentra. En este contexto, su profesorado, como parte del colectivo universitario español, necesita experimentar nuevas formas de docencia, de las que no ha recibido formación, si quiere que ésta sea efectiva y satisfactoria. Con ese objetivo, la UPO afrontó la formación docente en el convencimiento de que una formación de calidad requiere del empeño del profesorado en la mejora y reflexión sobre su acción docente. Se creo así el plan de formación del profesorado de la UPO y posteriormente, para conseguir el  reconocimiento del esfuerzo del profesorado implicado se estableció un título propio: “Innovación docente en el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior”.

 
Una aproximación didáctica a la contratación bursátil a través de un juego de rol en Google-docs
Authors: Almenar Llongo Vicent , Maldonado Devis Mónica , Hernández Sancho Francesc
Published: November 2018

En este artículo se recoge una experiencia que se está diseñando para la asignatura de Sistema Financiero que consistente en diseñar un juego de rol (un juego de simulación) como recurso formativo y gestionarlo a través de Google-Docs, con el objetivo de que el alumno sea capaz de comprender el funcionamiento básico de la negociación en un mercado bursátil.

El juego de rol consiste en: diseñar un sistema de juego que establezca las reglas de negociación y determinar los factores aleatorios que pueden afectar positiva o negativamente al valor de las acciones; formar un grupo de alumnos que asuma el papel de Sociedad Rectora y varios grupos que asuman el papel de dealers con el objetivo de maximizar el valor de sus carteras; y realizar la negociación en los tiempos establecidos.

Planteamos el juego de rol como un MUD desarrollado a través de Google-Doc. Se  ha elegido Google-Doc porque permite, a través de un document, acceder al sistema de juego y que cualquier participante en el juego pueda cooperar ampliando el listado de conceptos y afinando las definiciones del listado (al estilo wiki); y a través de una spreadsheet se puede diseñar un sencillo sistema de contratación electrónica.

 