bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polymer Optical Fiber Goniometer: A New Portable, Low Cost and Reliable Sensor for Joint Analysis
Authors: Rezende Andressa , Alves Camille , Marques Isabela , Silva Marco Aurélio , Naves Eduardo
Published: December 2018

The quantitative measurement of an articular motion is an important indicator of its functional state and for clinical and pathology diagnoses. Joint angle evaluation techniques can be applied to improve sports performance and provide feedback information for prostheses control. Polymer optical fiber (POF) sensors are presented as a novel method to evaluate joint angles, because they are compact, lightweight, flexible and immune to electromagnetic interference. This study aimed to characterize and implement a new portable and wearable system to measure angles based on a POF curvature sensor. This study also aimed to present the system performance in bench tests and in the measurement of the elbow joint in ten participants, comparing the results with a consolidated resistive goniometer. Results showed high repeatability of sensors between cycles and high similarity of behavior with the potentiometer, with the advantage of being more ergonomic. The proposed sensor presented errors comparable to the literature and showed some advantages over other goniometers, such as the inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor and over other types of POF sensors. This demonstrates its applicability for joint angle evaluation.
Single Infrared Image-Based Stripe Nonuniformity Correction via a Two-Stage Filtering Method
Authors: Zeng Qingjie , Qin Hanlin , Yan Xiang , Yang Shuowen , Yang Tingwu
Published: December 2018

The presence of stripe nonuniformity severely degrades the image quality and affects the performance in many infrared (IR) sensing applications. Prior works correct the nonuniformity by using similar spatial representations, which inevitably damage some detailed structures of the image. In this paper, we instead take advantage of spectral prior of stripe noise to solve its correction problem in single IR image. We first analyse the significant spectral difference between stripes and image structures and utilize this knowledge to characterize stripe nonuniformity. Then a two-stage filtering strategy is adopted combining spectral and spatial filtering. The proposed method enables stripe nonuniformity to be eliminated from coarse to fine, thus preserving image details well. Extensive experiments on simulated images and raw IR images demonstrate that the proposed method achieves superior correction performance over the recent state-of-the-art methods.
Full-Duplex Multi-Hop Wireless Networks Optimization with Successive Interference Cancellation
Authors: Shi Lei , Li Zhehao , Bi Xiang , Liao Lulu , Xu Juan
Published: December 2018

In wireless network communication, in-band full-duplex technique is a useful and important technique that can enlarge the whole throughput of the wireless networks. However, its use needs harsh environment. The successive interference cancellation can make several transmitters’ data be received simultaneously by the receiver, and can make the in-band full-duplex technique be used easily in reality. In this paper, we try to propose an optimal algorithm for increasing the throughput of full-duplex multi-hop wireless networks with successive interference cancellation, which we call the full-duplex successive interference cancellation (FD-SIC) wireless networks. We first describe the mathematical model for the FD-SIC wireless networks and show it is NP-hard in general. Then, we propose a heuristic algorithm, namely the use-up-link-capacity iterative (UULC-iterative) algorithm, for each node’s routing and transmitting scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm for FD-SIC wireless networks can achieve better throughput compared with SIC-only networks and the interference avoidance networks.
Highly Sensitive Detection of 4-Methylimidazole Using a Terahertz Metamaterial
Authors: Shin Hee Jun , Jang Hae Won , Ok Gyeongsik
Published: December 2018

In this study, we demonstrated a highly sensitive detection method of 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI), a carcinogenic material, by using a terahertz (THz) metamaterial at a THz region. The THz metamaterials were fabricated with a metal array, using an electric-field-coupled inductor-capacitor (ELC) resonator structure, and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation showed good agreement with the experimental results. We measured the THz spectra of the metamaterials to detect the 4-MeI concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/L. The resonance frequency of the metamaterial was shifted by, approximately, 8 GHz and transmittance at the resonance frequency increased to 2 × 10−3, as the concentration was increased, up to 20 mg/L. Our study provides new insight into the application of metamaterials in detecting carcinogens, using a THz technique.
Advances in the Structural Health Monitoring of Bridges Using Piezoelectric Transducers
Authors: Chen Yunzhu , Xue Xingwei
Published: December 2018

With the rapid development of the world’s transportation infrastructure, many long-span bridges were constructed in recent years, especially in China. However, these bridges are easily subjected to various damages due to dynamic loads (such as wind-, earthquake-, and vehicle-induced vibration) or environmental factors (such as corrosion). Therefore, structural health monitoring (SHM) is vital to guarantee the safety of bridges in their service lives. With its wide frequency response range, fast response, simple preparation process, ease of processing, low cost, and other advantages, the piezoelectric transducer is commonly employed for the SHM of bridges. This paper summarizes the application of piezoelectric materials for the SHM of bridges, including the monitoring of the concrete strength, bolt looseness, steel corrosion, and grouting density. For each problem, the application of piezoelectric materials in different research methods is described. The related data processing methods for four types of bridge detection are briefly summarized, and the principles of each method in practical application are listed. Finally, issues to be studied when using piezoelectric materials for monitoring are discussed, and future application prospects and development directions are presented.
Can Agriculture Balance Its Energy Consumption and Continue to Produce Food? A Framework for Assessing Energy Neutrality Applied to French Agriculture
Authors: Harchaoui Souhil , Chatzimpiros Petros
Published: December 2018

In the context of energy transition, agriculture is facing a double challenge, which is to reduce its fossil fuel dependency and provide—in addition to food—bioenergy to society for substitution to fossil fuels. The feasibility of this challenge depends on whether agriculture can achieve energy neutrality, meaning to balance its consumption of external energy by energy recovery from internal sources. Livestock feed is a major determinant in this balance. We use France as a demonstration case of the changing role of feed in the long-term agricultural energy metabolism and the challenge of reaching energy neutrality. Results show that current agriculture is structurally energy deficient to such an extent that its functional energy requirements almost equal its final produce. The energy recovery potential from crop residues and manure could at best cover the primary biomass equivalent of the external energy inputs to agriculture. Only a suppression of feed from cropland combined with very high energy recovery from agricultural residues could allow achieving energy neutrality and making agriculture a net energy source to society.
Assessing Carbon Footprint and Inter-Regional Carbon Transfer in China Based on a Multi-Regional Input-Output Model
Authors: Huang Min , Chen Yimin , Zhang Yuanying
Published: December 2018

China has been the largest carbon emitter in the world since 2007 and is thus confronted with huge emission reduction pressures. The regional differences in socio-economic development lead to complex inter-provincial carbon transfer in China, which hinders the determination of the emission reduction responsibilities for the various provinces. Based on the latest multi-regional input-output data, this study analyzes the carbon footprint, inter-provincial carbon transfer, and the corresponding variations of 30 provinces in China from 2007 to 2010. The results show that the domestic carbon footprint increased from 4578 Mt in 2007 to 6252 Mt in 2010. Provinces with high carbon footprints were mainly found in central China, such as Shandong, Jiangsu, and Henan. Carbon footprints of the developed coastal provinces were greater than those of less developed provinces in Northwestern China. Per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was positively correlated to the per capita carbon footprint, indicating a positive relationship between the economic development level and corresponding carbon emissions. Provincial carbon inflows were found to have increased steadily (ranging between 32% and 41%) from 2007 to 2010. The increases in direct carbon emissions varied largely among different provinces, ranging from below 30% in the developed provinces to more than 60% in the moderately developed provinces (e.g., Sichuan and Chongqing). The embodied carbon transferred from moderately developed or remote provinces to those developed ones. In other words, the carbon emission pressures of the developed provinces were shifted to the less developed provinces. The major paths of carbon flow include the transfers from Hebei to Jiangsu (32.07 Mt), Hebei to Beijing (26.78 Mt), Hebei to Zhejiang (25.60 Mt), and Liaoning to Jilin (27.60 Mt).
Is Southern Xinjiang Really Unsafe?
Authors: Xu Feng , Lin Xuejiao , Li Shuaishuai , Niu Wenxia
Published: December 2018

Destination image and safety not only affect tourist decision-making but also the sustainable development of tourist destinations. Some tourist destinations are too vulnerable to defend against emergency tourist crises, and tourists’ perceived safety can be severely biased, which is then deepened by media panic caused by the publication of excessive negative reports. This paper discusses the mechanism of perceived safety and perceived image on tourist behavioral intention, as well as the inter-group difference. Our study is based on a survey in Southern Xinjiang in which the respondents were divided into four groups. Four structural equation models were established with “perceived safety” and “perceived image” as independent variables, “destination trust” and “perceived value” as mediating variables, and “behavioral intention” as the dependent variable. The final results show that a paradox of safety perception exists in tourists’ perception of Southern Xinjiang. The perceived safety differs sharply between the tourists who have traveled to Southern Xinjiang and those who have not. The mechanism of perceived safety on tourist behavioral intention differs from that of the perceived image on tourist behavioral intention. Destination image still plays a key role in tourist traveling decision-making. The findings are of great significance for the restoration of cognitive bias, management, and marketing activities, and the sustainable development in Southern Xinjiang and similar destinations.
Sustainable Performance of Low-Carbon Energy Infrastructure Investment on Regional Development: Evidence from China
Authors: Lin Tzu-Yu , Chiu Sheng-Hsiung
Published: December 2018

In the 13th Five-Year Plan, the Chinese government declared that one of the sustainable policy priorities is improving the energy supply composition in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In accordance with the Plan, the Guangdong government subsequently planned to invest in low-carbon energy infrastructure from 2016 to 2020. Using data from Guangdong province and other regions in China for 2007–2016, we propose a two-stage network data envelopment analysis (Network DEA) model to examine the sustainable performance of the Chinese regional/provincial economic system. We postulated that the less sustainable performance of Chinese regional economic systems may be attributed to lower energy productivity performance. However, we found that increased governmental and industrial spending on electricity mix improvement by building new low-carbon power plants created momentum in Guangdong’s economic growth, which experienced an annual rise of roughly 1.16%. Finally, the results from the two-stage Network DEA model showed that Guangdong fared better than other provinces with respect to sustainable performance. Investment in low-carbon energy infrastructure is not only a measure to combat CO2 emission, but could act as the driving force of regional economic systems.
The Use of Bolted Side Plates for Shear Strengthening of RC Beams: A Review
Authors: Liu Xin , Lu Zhou-Dao , Li Ling-Zhi
Published: December 2018

Reinforced concrete (RC) beams may need to be strengthened because of material deterioration, structure aging, change of building function, defective design, and the decrease of structural reliability caused by accidental disasters such as earthquake and fire. Thus, the retrofitting of RC beams has become a crucial problem, especially for the old buildings constructed before 1980 in mainland China. A variety of studies have proven that the bolted side-plating (BSP) method is feasible and effective for rehabilitating RC beams in existing buildings and infrastructures. The aim of this paper is mainly to review the previous studies conducted by the authors on the shear performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams retrofitted using the BSP technique, including experimental, theoretical, and numerical studies.
Image Feature Matching Based on Semantic Fusion Description and Spatial Consistency
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhang Guoying
Published: December 2018

Image feature description and matching is widely used in computer vision, such as camera pose estimation. Traditional feature descriptions lack the semantic and spatial information, and give rise to a large number of feature mismatches. In order to improve the accuracy of image feature matching, a feature description and matching method, based on local semantic information fusion and feature spatial consistency, is proposed in this paper. Once object detection is used on images, feature points are then extracted, and image patches with various sizes surrounding these points are clipped. These patches are sent into the Siamese convolution network to get their semantic vectors. Then, semantic fusion description of feature points is obtained by weighted sum of the semantic vectors, and their weights optimized by particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. When matching these feature points using their descriptions, feature spatial consistency is calculated based on the spatial consistency of matched objects, and the orientation and distance constraint of adjacent points within matched objects. With the description and matching method, the feature points are matched accurately and effectively. Our experiment results showed the efficiency of our methods.
Women, Courtly Display and Gifts in the Rolandslied and the Chanson de Roland
Authors: Jasperse Jitske
Published: December 2018

Thus far it has gone unnoticed that the twelfth-century Middle High German Rolandslied has more to say about women than its famous French counterpart, the Chanson de Roland. In the former the female protagonists are not merely wives and widows, but also advisors, mediators, regents,
and rulers. Moreover, these women are expressly connected to the display of wealth and to practices of gift-giving: as givers, receivers, and gifts. While acknowledging that this chanson de geste is a story about honor, lordship, and the triumph of Christianity, the analysis of women through
the lens of gift-giving is a plea to open up the Rolandslied to different interpretations. This can contribute to our understanding of social practices and ideas about women, courtly display, and gifts in twelfth-century German society.
EVALUATION OF ECOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL STATES OF STUDENTS BY GAS-DISCHARGE VIZUALISATION METHOD
Authors: BURYAN Roman , CHEMERYS Ingrida , CHEMERYS Valeriia
Published: December 2018

Nowadays, there is a need for a systematic ecobiological approach to the human body understood as a selfregulating adaptive system. Considering the multi-level structure of living organisms, a promising method is gas-discharge visualization (GDV), which allows to visualize the distribution of energy flow in biological objects and is considered the most recent approach to understanding the functioning of living organisms and identifying the state of their functional systems under the influence of various environmental factors. The article describes the mechanisms of bioelectric research, analyzes the possibilities of using the gas-discharge visualization method in environmental research. The initial data of the students studied was based on the estimation of the state of the physiological systems of their bodies depending on age and gender. In addition, the influence of socioecological factors on the physiological state of students, in particular the influence of listening to music and smoking, was estimated. It can be concluded that the GDV-visualisation method is promising in environmental studies, in particular in the human ecology, when the influence of a number of factors on the state of the organism is studied.
ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGI GROWING ON FIBRE HEMP SHIVE BASED THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS
Authors: VASILIAUSKIENĖ Dovilė , BALČIŪNAS Giedrius , URBONAVIČIUS Jaunius
Published: December 2018

Green thermal insulation materials are ecological materials with hemp, linen, jute, wood waste, maize starch, and other types of waste added to polymer-based composites. Such kind of materials are susceptible to the microbial action which can lead to changes of physico-chemical properties of materials, their destruction and also health problems in humans. Here, we isolated and identified several fungal strains that grow on fibre hemp shive based materials. Three isolates were identified as belonging to Trichoderma (Hypocrea) genus. Our further experiments will be concentrated on the monitoring of growth of newly isolated fungi on and/or inside the materials of interest, isolation and characterisation of the hydrolytic enzymes as well as following the mode of material destruction caused by the fungal growth.
STUDY OF MINIMAL EFFECTIVE REEFING RATIO BASED ON AN EMPIRICAL FORMULA AND FLUID-STRUCTURE-INTERACTION METHOD
Authors: Zhao Xiaoshun , Yang Xue , Yu Li , Liu Xin , Wang Jingjing
Published: December 2018

The reefing ratio for the first stage of a parachute limits the reefing ratio for the subsequent stages, so its minimal effective value is very important. In this paper, an empirical formula is derived to calculate the minimal effective reefing ratio. The empirical parameters are obtained by the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian/fluid–structure interaction (ALE/FSI) method. By using the FSI method, the typical flow and structure fields of effective and ineffective reefed parachutes are revealed. The numerical results including drag characteristics and final shape are very consistent with wind tunnel tests. The curves of the empirical parameters with reefing ratios are obtained. The minimal effective reefing ratio obtained by the empirical formula is consistent with that of the numerical results, which shows that the empirical formula has high accuracy.
AN ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT COLLECTIVE DECISION MAKING ON URBAN FREIGHT TRANSPORT
Authors: Golini Ruggero , Guerlain Cindy , Lagorio Alexandra , Pinto Roberto
Published: December 2018

This paper proposes a framework that supports the collection and classification of information about the features of a city relevant to Urban Freight Transport (UFT). The information is organized in a framework of 28 different layers that are then stored in a Geographic Information System (GIS) tool to enable efficient data retrieval and effective information graphical display. The resulting GIS tool thus represents a decision support system for UFT problems, providing decision makers and stakeholders with a wide range of easy to understand information aimed to support the identification and preliminary evaluation of UFT solutions. Moreover, by providing a standardized set of features and sources of information, the framework enables the comparison of different cities. To illustrate the benefits, prototypical real-scale tests based on the framework have been realized in two mid-sized European cities: Bergamo (North of Italy) and Luxembourg. For both cities, data were mainly collected from publicly available sources and organized according to the framework. The data and information collected have been used in collaboration with the stakeholders in order to identify the priorities of intervention and evaluate alternative UFT solutions. The real-scale applications confirmed the usability and effectiveness of the framework in engaging stakeholders and support the process of envisioning shared UFT solutions.
SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT APPRAISALS USING STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT AND MCDA
Authors: Barfod Michael Bruhn
Published: December 2018

Appraisal processes for transport initiatives are often characterised by their complexity involving a wide range of impacts that need to be addressed and many stakeholders that attempt to influence the decisions to be made. The increasing interest for the environment and sustainable development in general has stressed the need for taking a broad perspective into account when addressing transport initiatives. This means that economic, social and environmental dimensions need to be considered simultaneously in the appraisal process. The focus on incorporating such sustainability considerations has set new demands for the appraisal process and has revealed an increasing need for involving stakeholders in the decision support process to capture all aspects of the often complex decision problems. Conventional appraisals within the transport area are often only based on cost-benefit analysis, which captures the impacts that can be assigned with a monetary value. Thus there is a need for a decision support system that is able to assess the effect of other types of impacts as well and include this in the appraisal. This paper seeks to fill this gap in research by proposing a methodology making use of planning workshops and multi-criteria decision analysis in combination to improve the decision support. In order to serve the purpose of promoting a more sustainable transport planning approach a proposal is made for how the methodology can be integrated in the current practice for appraisal of infrastructure projects in Denmark (and countries with similar approaches). The paper concludes that the approach allowing for active stakeholder participation in the appraisal process can serve as a helpful and effective decision support system in the quest for more sustainable solutions to transport problems.
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION IN URBAN TRANSPORT: STATE-OF-THE-ART AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Authors: Gonzalez-Feliu Jesus , Pronello Cristina , Grau Josep Maria Salanova
Published: December 2018

Transport systems are undergoing a change of paradigm that focuses on resource-sharing and collaboration of multiple and diverse stakeholders. This paper aims to present a state-of-the-art on the main research issues of multi-stakeholder collaboration in urban transport and address the main contributions of the Special Issue on Collaboration and Urban Transport to the field. To that end, it seems necessary to identify and address the complexity of the relations of the stakeholders in the field, beyond the traditional classification of private and public stakeholders. A functional classification of urban stakeholders related to the different land uses is proposed a refer to space users and space organizers, each with several sub-categories. Furthermore, the collaboration among those stakeholders can take different forms and can be developed at different levels: transactional, informational and decisional. Thus, the main research topics regarding multi-stakeholders’ collaboration are defined as: partnerships, resource sharing, resource pooling and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) systems. A set of papers in this special issue focus on Urban Consolidation Centres (UCCs), partnerships in transport under a general perspective, multi-stakeholder cooperation and its barriers, collaborative decision-making, traffic prediction and urban congestion. In the papers, which deal with the field of multi-stakeholder collaboration in urban transport, there is a predominance on the use of surveys, but also a focus on data-driven techniques. As a result, this special issue contributes not only to the theoretical aspects, but adds value to technical and methodological issues.
Musculoskeletal Screening to Identify Female Collegiate Rowers at Risk for Low Back Pain
Authors: Gonzalez Sophia L. , Diaz Aimee M. , Plummer Hillary A. , Michener Lori A.
Published: December 2018

Context

Rowers are at risk for overuse injuries, including low back pain (LBP). Defining the utility of screening tests for identifying those at risk for LBP can aid in the development of guidelines for injury prevention.

Objective

To determine if the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and impairments can identify rowers at risk for developing LBP.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Athletic training room.

Patients or Other Participants

A total of 31 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, female, open-weight rowers (age = 19.9 ± 1.4 years, height = 163.6 ± 30.8 cm, mass = 84.1 ± 37.63 kg); coxswains were excluded.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

We assessed the FMS and 5 impairment measures of the Star Excursion Balance Test, closed kinetic chain dorsiflexion range of motion, and the plank, Sorensen, and sit-and-reach tests before the fall season. Low back pain injuries were tracked by the sports medicine staff. Impairment measures were compared between the injured and uninjured athletes. The FMS cutoff score that discriminated injured from uninjured rowers was determined using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Impairments were compared between those at a higher versus lower risk of LBP.

Results

Eighteen rowers sustained an LBP injury. No differences in FMS or impairments between groups were demonstrated. The FMS receiver operating characteristic curve analysis cutoff score was 16 points (area under the curve = 0.60, specificity = 0.67, risk ratio = 1.4 [95% confidence interval = 0.91, 2.11]). Rowers with an FMS score ≤16 had a shorter plank-test time (109.5 ± 60.2 seconds) than those with less risk (175.3 ± 98.6 seconds, mean difference = 65.9 seconds, 95% confidence interval = −129.4, −2.3; P = .043).

Conclusions

Those with an FMS score ≤16 had a shorter plank-test hold time, indicating that a lack of core endurance may contribute to the increased risk of LBP in female rowers. An FMS score ≤16 indicated a small increased risk (1.4) of developing LBP compared with rowers who had scores >16; however, the FMS is not recommended for widespread screening of female rowers because the risk ratio was relatively small and had a wide 95% confidence interval.
Information security management practices: study of the influencing factors in a Brazilian Air Force institution
Authors: Ferreira Rogério dos Santos , Frogeri Rodrigo Franklin , Coelho Alessandra Brum , Piurcosky Fabrício Pelloso
Published: December 2018

This article aims at analyzing the factors which influence the staff of the Air Force In-formation Technology Board – DTI in relation to the understanding of the application of the Information Security Management practices. This attempt was based on the hypothetical-deductive method and, as to its objective, it was descriptive in nature. As to the approach of the research problem, it was quantitative in nature. In order to achieve the proposed objective, an adaptation of the Theoretical Technology Acceptance Model – TAM, which allowed the analysis of the relation between sociodemographic profile, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude and behavior of the users, and the level of understanding of the Information Security practices. The survey was conducted with 59 military servants and civilians which are part of the Brazilian Air Force Information Technology Board, to whom a questionnaire was applied, submitted and approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research (CAAE: 62636016.7.0000.5111), which was based on the precepts of ISO/IEC 27001 (2013) and 27002, which deal, respectively, with the Information Security Management system and with the code of practice for Information Security controls. Once the data were gathered, they were tabu-lated and statistically analyzed, which enabled the demonstration of the influence of sociodemographic and behavioral factors and of the precepts of the TAM in the perception of the Information Security practices by the DTI staff.
Towards classifying sociocultural aspects in global software development
Authors: Massago Yoji , Lapasini Leal Gislaine Camila , Balancieri Renato , Cardoza Galdamez Edwin Vladimir
Published: December 2018

The geographical, temporal distances and socio-cultural differences are the biggest challenges for Global Software Development (GSD). In GSD, it is necessary to deal with behaviors, values and skills of the team members, conflicts, rework, delays, etc. can influence a software production process. The objective of this paper is to identify the sociocultural aspects and propose a classification structure under different analytical perspectives in order to offer adequate support to the management of GSD teams. A systematic mapping and proposal an approach that classifies aspects in three perspectives: collaboration, people and external. The analysis allows the project manager to make decisions about the performance of human resources and mitigate problems arising from communication, cooperation and coordination, generating better results in indicators of productivity, quality and efficiency of GSD teams.
EXPRESSÃO VIA INTERVENÇÕES VISUAIS URBANAS, PROCESSOS SÓCIOCULTURAIS E MORFOLOGIA URBANA
Authors: Leal Alvim Juliana , Rodrigues Furtado Laura , Betina Diesel Ursula
Published: December 2018

A arte de rua ou intervenções visuais urbanas são registros visuais que propiciamreatividade e ocorrem no espaço público. Poderiam então determinar um modo decomunicação? Fizemos deste estudo nosso objetivo e a partir dessa percepçãopartirmos da hipótese de intervenções visuais urbanas serem estruturantes nocontexto de cidade e senso de pertencimento de seus cidadãos, inseridas comovivência urbana. Pois permitem a (re)construção, ocupação e identificação com olugar. Para isso analisamos três grandes capitais brasileiras: Brasília – capitalnacional, Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, nossas maiores metrópoles e as cidades maispopulosas do Brasil segundo o IBGE. Consideramos suas diferentes funções,população, história, morfologia e intervenções. O estudo bibliográfico, a vivênciapelo espaço e o registro fotográfico se fizeram essenciais para a compreensão dotema e configuraram nossa metodologia. No entanto, também quisemos entregar umproduto final para aquilo e aqueles que foram nossos objetos de estudo. Produzimosentão mais de 100 azulejos de 10x10cm, pintados com diferentes desenhos, massempre com a “#aruafala”. Junto a alunos, em sua maioria de Comunicação Socialde ensino superior, realizamos 2 oficinas de confecção de azulejos. Criamos oInstagram “@a.rua.fala” para divulgação de fotos e vídeos, interação com os alunose demais cidadãos, e para fomentar o debate sobre questões urbanas. Depois,colamos tais azulejos em espaços públicos das três cidades mencionadas, em maisde 5 bairros com distintas morfologias em cada uma delas. Observamos acoexistência de pessoas nas ruas, a forma como se apropriavam do ambienteurbano, os modais existentes, a presença ou ausência de mobiliário urbano, dentreoutros parâmetros. Fotografamos tais espaços e sua utilização pelo pedestre, bemcomo os azulejos colados e seu contexto. Editamos as imagens e as relacionamoscom as bibliografias analisadas. E concluímos que a arquitetura proporcionainteração direta com o usuário (e vice-versa), num processo de construção mútua,principalmente quando se trata do espaço urbano e coletivo. A arquitetura não é umfim em si mesma, vem para prestar um serviço à sociedade, independente deestereótipos e de quem seja. Mais ainda, ela articula a pessoa ao espaço - àestrutura física e à imaterial. É ponte, pois estabelece conexão e age comofacilitadora de relações. Ora, seria ela então uma forma de arte? Também! Assim, aarte de rua e a cidade se fundem. E enquanto a norma padrão é cada um cuida doseu espaço, as intervenções vêm com esse caráter transgressor, são disruptivas edão às pessoas espaço de fala. Cria-se então uma ambientação para o palco davida urbana acontecer com potencial de transformar e ressignificar a cidade
The quasi-equilibrium framework re-visited: analyzing long-term CO2
enrichment responses in plant-soil models
Authors: Jiang Mingkai , Zaehle Sönke , De Kauwe Martin G. , Walker Anthony P. , Caldararu Silvia , Ellsworth David S. , Medlyn Belinda E.
Published: December 2018

Abstract. Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) can increase plant growth, but the magnitude of this CO2 fertilization effect is modified by soil nutrient availability. Predicting how nutrient availability affects plant responses to elevated CO2 is a key consideration for ecosystem models, and many modelling groups have moved to, or are moving towards, incorporating nutrient limitation in their models. The choice of assumptions to represent nutrient cycling processes has a major impact on model predictions, but it can be difficult to attribute outcomes to specific assumptions in complex ecosystem simulation models. Here we revisit the quasi-equilibrium (QE) analytical framework introduced by Comins & McMurtrie (1993) and explore the consequences of specific model assumptions for ecosystem net primary productivity. We review the literature applying this framework to plant-soil models, and then examine the effect of several new assumptions on predicted plant responses to elevated CO2. Examination of alternative assumptions for plant nitrogen uptake showed that a linear function of the mineral nitrogen pool or a saturating function of root biomass yield similar CO2 responses over time. In contrast, a saturating function of the mineral nitrogen pool yields no soil nutrient feedback at the very long-term, near-equilibrium timescale, meaning that a full CO2 fertilization effect on production is realized. We show that incorporating a priming effect on slow soil organic matter decomposition attenuates the nutrient feedback effect on production, leading to a strong medium-term CO2 response. Finally, we demonstrate that using a “potential NPP” approach to represent nutrient limitation of growth yields a relatively small CO2 fertilization effect across all timescales. Our results highlight that the QE analytical framework is effective for evaluating both the consequence and the mechanism through which different model assumptions affect predictions. To help constrain predictions of the future terrestrial carbon sink, we recommend use of this framework to analyze likely outcomes of new model assumptions before introducing them to complex model structures.
Sensitivity of the current Antarctic surface mass balance to sea surface conditions using MAR
Authors: Kittel Christoph , Amory Charles , Agosta Cécile , Delhasse Alison , Doutreloup Sébastien , Huot Pierre-Vincent , Wyard Coraline , Fichefet Thierry , Fettweis Xavier
Published: December 2018

Abstract. Estimates for the recent period and projections of the Antarctic surface mass
balance (SMB) often rely on high-resolution polar-oriented regional climate
models (RCMs). However, RCMs require large-scale boundary forcing fields
prescribed by reanalyses or general circulation models (GCMs). Since the
recent variability of sea surface conditions (SSCs, namely sea ice
concentration, SIC, and sea surface temperature, SST) over the Southern Ocean
is not reproduced by most GCMs from the 5th phase of the Coupled Model
Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), RCMs are then subject to potential biases.
We investigate here the direct sensitivity of the Antarctic SMB to SSC
perturbations around the Antarctic. With the RCM “Modèle Atmosphérique
Régional” (MAR), different sensitivity experiments are performed over
1979–2015 by modifying the ERA-Interim SSCs with (i) homogeneous
perturbations and (ii) mean anomalies estimated from all CMIP5 models and two
extreme ones, while atmospheric lateral boundary conditions remained
unchanged. Results show increased (decreased) precipitation due to
perturbations inducing warmer, i.e. higher SST and lower SIC (colder,
i.e. lower SST and higher SIC), SSCs than ERA-Interim, significantly
affecting the SMB of coastal areas, as precipitation is mainly related to
cyclones that do not penetrate far into the continent. At the continental
scale, significant SMB anomalies (i.e greater than the interannual
variability) are found for the largest combined SST/SIC perturbations. This
is notably due to moisture anomalies above the ocean, reaching sufficiently
high atmospheric levels to influence accumulation rates further inland.
Sensitivity experiments with warmer SSCs based on the CMIP5 biases reveal
integrated SMB anomalies (+5 % to +13 %) over the present climate
(1979–2015) in the lower range of the SMB increase projected for the end of
the 21st century.
Unveiling the Pathos of Life: The Phenomenology of Michel Henry and the Theology of John the Evangelist
Authors: Behr John
Published: December 2018

From the early centuries, the Evangelist John has been referred to as “the theologian.” And rightly so, for Christian theology, as we have come to know it, is inconceivable without his Gospel and especially its Prologue. Its words have provided the vocabulary for theological reflection thereafter, and it seems certain that, until the middle to the end of the second century, the annual celebration of Christ’s Passion, Pascha, was only celebrated by those who recalled how John had worn the distinctive headdress of the high priest in Jerusalem: the only disciple to remain at the foot of the cross, John was, for them, the high priest of the paschal mystery. It is thus perhaps not surprising that it was especially in John, and his words about the revelation of Christ, the Word and Life, that Michel Henry found a vision of Christianity that resonated with the phenomenology that he had been investigating from his initial magnum opus, The Essence of Manifestation, through to his final Christian trilogy: first, I Am the Truth: Towards a Philosophy of Christianity, then several years later, during which time he read Tertullian and most importantly Irenaeus, Incarnation: A Philosophy of Flesh, and finally, appearing in print posthumously, Words of Christ.
Post-Graduate Training and Professional Development: Exploring the Nexus Between Self Compassion and Compassion Fatigue Among Mental Health Clinicians Working With Trauma Survivors
Authors: Arkadie Nicole L. , Lipscomb Allen E.
Published: December 2018

Mental health clinicians who work with clients who have experienced severe trauma are at greater risk of developing compassion fatigue. Limited prior research investigated the relationship between self-compassion and compassion fatigue. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess the relationships of self-compassion and duration of professional service to compassion fatigue among licensed mental health clinicians who worked with clients that have experienced trauma in southern California. Two research questions asked whether self-compassion and duration of professional service were significantly related to compassion fatigue. The researcher collected primary data for the variables of interest via an online survey using two validated instruments, SCS-SF and ProQOL-Version 5. The study was conducted with a convenience sample of (n = 67) licensed mental health clinicians who resided in southern California. The results of non-parametric Kendall’s tau-b correlations revealed a significant inverse correlation between self-compassion and compassion fatigue, τb = -0.273, p = .002. The correlation between duration of professional service and compassion fatigue was nonsignificant, τb = -0.104, p = .299. These results are vital and relevant to the field as they justify further research, training and professional development in this area, leading to the development of clinical interventions that are needed to mitigate compassion fatigue symptoms among this population.
Mission Alignment and Operationalization: The Case of the United World Colleges
Authors: Perez Angel B
Published: December 2018

This research study explored how a large, complex global educational organization operationalizes its mission and socializes its constituents to support its mission and values. The study’s unit of analysis was the United World Colleges (UWC), a group of complex international schools whose multi-campus and multinational structure shares a values-driven and activist-oriented mission. With an interest in exploring causation, the researcher employed case study methods to understand how this large organization brings its mission to life on a daily basis.Extensive interviews, observations and document analysis at five units of the organization led to eight themes consistent across all data collected. The research study revealed that the following factors play a significant role in mission operationalization and alignment: (1) The entrance and exit strategy for members of the organization; (2) selection of the organization’s members; (3) curricular choice and teaching methods; (4) use and structure of the physical space; (5) programming; (6) residential life; (7) reflection; and (8) simplicity and tangibility of the mission statement.The study has implications for international schools and organizations keen to create strategic alignment between their mission and daily operations. The findings in the study are generalizable and could inform international organizations in their attempt to implement best practices and make resource allocation decisions to maintain mission fidelity.
Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to Investigate the Relationship between Organizational Commitment, Happiness and Work Engagement in Service Industry
Authors: A. Abou-Moghli Azzam
Published: December 2018

The economic competition is increasing day by day on both local and international level; therefore, it becomes the duty of organization to balance these processes along with job security. The study aimed to use the social determination theory (SDT) to evaluate the relationship between work engagement, happiness and organizational commitment. A quantitative research design was used to conduct the study, selecting 317 individuals working in three telecommunications companies (Orange, Zain, and Umniah). Regression analysis and Chi square analysis were carried out on the data collected through the questionnaire survey. The results showed a significant relationship between organizational commitment, work engagement and happiness. The Social Determination Theory (SDT) was also found to be relevant in evaluating the factors that are responsible for affecting the behavior of employees towards the organization. The study provides significant knowledge to practitioners in evaluating factors that increase job dissatisfaction or job insecurity among employees that leads to a reduction in the level of work commitment and engagement.
Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections for Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis: What the Orthopaedic Provider Needs to Know
Authors: Martin Cody L. , Browne James A.
Published: December 2018

Intra-articular corticosteroid injections have been used for decades in the management of symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee and remain a common practice. The pain relief from a steroid injection is thought to work by reducing inflammation within the arthritic knee. Substantial variability remains among providers with regard to the technique used to perform the procedure, including the site of the injection, the medications injected, and the level of sterility. The success of steroid injections in relieving arthritic knee pain most often occurs in the short term. However, the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections varies within the published literature. The latest American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons clinical practice guideline does not support conclusive recommendations about the use of intra-articular corticosteroid injections for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Providers should be aware of the adverse effects and potential complications of these injections when using them in clinical practice.
Textual Analogies and Their Ramifications for a Diachronic Analysis of 1 Samuel 13:1–14:46 and Judges 6:1–8:35
Authors: Shalom-Guy Hava
Published: December 2018

Compelling topical, conceptual, and linguistic analogies between Saul's first military campaign against the Philistines at Michmash (1 Sam 13:1–14:46) and Gideon's war against the Midianites (Judg 6–8) indicate direct dependence by the Michmash narrative on the Gideon story. These building blocks from the Gideon narrative serve as a foil for the actors in the Michmash narrative. These findings illuminate the early stages in the formation of the Gideon cycle as well as the growth of the Michmash narrative.
“Not in the Spaces We Know”: An Exploration of Science Fiction and the Bible
Authors: Uhlenbruch Frauke , Landy Francis , Wilson Ian D. , Verdeler Harold Torger , Higgins Ryan , McGrath James F.
Published: December 2018

The present issue is a collection of essays which were originally presented as conference papers at the “Science Fiction and the Bible” unit of the European Association of Biblical Studies in Leipzig (2013) and Vienna (2014). It includes an introduction by the editor, Frauke Uhlenbruch, as well as a response by James F. McGrath.
Identity Coherence in the Chronicler's Narrative: King Josiah as a Second David and a Second Saul
Authors: Youngberg Brendan G.
Published: December 2018

Among the variants in Chronicles and Samuel-Kings is the inclusion of Samuel in Josiah's narrative (2 Chr 35:18) compared to “the judges who led Israel” (2 Kgs 23:22). Samuel's appearance occurs at a major transition in the Chronicler's narrative, which links Josiah to not only David, but Saul. While there is yet to be a consensus among scholars as to why a negative death scene follows Josiah's laudable Passover, the social memory associated with Samuel adds rhetorical weight to the Chronicler's narrative.
Effect of Boron Supplement on Yield of Wheat Grown in Calcareous Soils of Different Textural Classes under Arid Conditions
Authors: Al-Ameri Baydaa H. A. , Al-Saedi Suad A. , Razaq Ibrahim B.
Published: December 2018

Boron sufficiency supply to plant in calcareous soils of arid regions is severely reduced under arid climatic conditions. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of Boron (B) fertilization on yield of Wheat grown in calcareous soils of arid regions. Boron was added at two rates namely 0 and 0.5 mg B kg-1 soil to three most common textured class’s soils. Straw and grain yield was determined on oven dried basis. B content of plants was determined as well. Straw and grain yield of wheat was significantly increased by (67.0 and 87.1%), (24.5 and 82%) and (64.5 and 48%) under the addition of 0.5 mg B Kg-1 soil over that of no B addition to clay, loam and sandy loam soil, respectively. Results also showed that wheat grown on the coarse-textured soil had the least B uptake per pot compared to loam and clay textured soils. B content in straw and grain was increased by (77.4 and 121%), (81.2 and 157%) and (184 and 96.9%) under B addition compared to those of zero B addition to clay soil, loam soil and sandy loamy soil, respectively. Response to B addition, significantly, increased in all soils due to increase of available B content in soils which may suggest the importance of adding adequate rate of B application under cropping system of arid regions.