bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Networked Responsibility Approach for Responsible Innovation: Perspective of the Firm
Authors: Ceicyte Jolita , Petraite Monika
Published: May 2018

Responsible innovations in the industry gains important attention, however, a better understanding of the interaction of different components with regard to responsible innovation (RI) in the industry is still needed. Moreover, a firm acting in an open innovation regime has to approach the responsibility criteria from various stakeholders’ perspectives, include internal and external stakeholders, and execute innovation in a mutually responsible way. This paper builds on the existing and emerging literature on RI in commercial contexts by providing a networked nature of RI and a set of factors that drive RI in a firm that acts in the open innovation regime. The conceptual framework proposes the analysis of a firm’s inner environment (motives for implementing RI, RI practices, and internal stakeholders), outer environment (norms and external stakeholders), and the networked nature of the firm’s internal and outer environment components. Such a distinction enables us to gain a better understanding of which factors play a role inside the firm and what induces the firm to implement RI activities from its outer environment. Also, it helps to better understand the networked nature of the firm and its stakeholders.
Transition without Conflict? Renewable Energy Initiatives in the Dutch Energy Transition
Authors: Proka Antonia , Hisschemöller Matthijs , Loorbach Derk
Published: May 2018

In the context of the slowly progressing energy transition, a number of renewable energy initiatives have been emerging in the Netherlands. These initiatives represent alternatives to the dominant functioning of the energy system, and as such, may come into conflict with it. Transitions involve system destabilisation and conflict between the incumbent regime and the initiatives originating in niches. In order to assess the transformative potential of such initiatives, this paper addresses the question: what kind of conflicts and tensions arise from renewable energy initiatives, and what strategies do they develop to overcome or avoid them? Combined with a business model perspective, transition thinking enabled a better understanding of how the initiatives organise themselves, and where the points of friction with their institutional context emerge. We suggest that the instances of conflict may function as an indication for the state of the energy transition and the transformative potential impact of such initiatives. The instances discussed in this contribution relate to existing support schemes, technology choices, and the overall organisational networks of the emerging sector.
Opportunism Motivation of Environmental Protection Activism and Corporate Governance: An Empirical Study from China
Authors: Li Shengnan , Niu Jianbo , Tsai Sang-Bing
Published: May 2018

In the study of environmental protection issues for more than forty years, research on the impact of financial performance on environmental protection has been one of the important branches. In the framework of principal-agent theory, this paper explores the opportunism motives in a company’s environmental protection activism and the moderating role of corporate governance using the data of Chinese listed companies from 2005 to 2016. The study finds that: (1) the company’s environmental protection activism is driven by the opportunist motives of policymakers who want to mask their inability; and (2) environmental protection activism does not enhance the company’s future performance and value creation capability. Further studies find that corporate governance mechanisms play different moderating roles. Fund Shareholders play a positive governance role and reduce the correlation between financial performance and environmental protection activism. However, independence of the board of directors intensifies the opportunist motives. This paper provides new theoretical explanations for environmental protection decision-making, provides novel enlightenment for the protection of environmental protection policies in developing countries and regions.
Should We Play Games Where Energy Is Concerned? Perceptions of Serious Gaming as a Technology to Motivate Energy Behaviour Change among Social Housing Residents
Authors: Boomsma Christine , Hafner Rebecca , Pahl Sabine , Jones Rory V. , Fuertes Alba
Published: May 2018

The invisibility and intangibility of energy are key challenges faced by communicators looking to reduce household energy demand. ‘Serious games’—defined as formalized, goal-oriented games designed to educate, or promote health and well-being—are one potential strategy that may help to alleviate these challenges. This paper discusses the suitability of serious gaming as an educational and behavioural change tool within the context of social housing—a faction often overlooked when it comes to household energy research. The paper takes a two-part approach. First, we review current literature on serious energy games, and second, we discuss perceptions of serious energy games amongst social housing residents using data from two surveys (Survey A, n = 536; Survey B, n = 78). Perceptions of serious energy games were found to be mixed. Some residents liked the idea of a game for energy, particularly if clear, actionable solutions for reducing energy bills were provided. However, others were disinterested, due to existing time pressures, negative perceptions of gaming, and limited confidence using computers or tablets. As such, uptake may be met with challenges. The findings highlight the need for interdisciplinary collaborations and user-led approaches for the design of successful and engaging serious energy games.
Sustainable Adaptation to Multiple Water Risks in Agriculture: Evidence from Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Moinul , Managi Shunsuke
Published: May 2018

Water is the most important input for agricultural production. Smallholder agriculture in Bangladesh is highly dependent on the natural water supply and is prone to water risks. Farmers in Bangladesh are facing major challenges from flooding, arsenic contamination, and other water stress. This research aims to understand how smallholder agriculture in Bangladesh adapts to the multiple water risks by crop selection. By using the panel data model, we identify that crop selection is a sustainable tool to adapt to the water risks in Bangladesh. Flood risk guides farmers to cultivate flood-tolerant monsoon season rice, wheat, and sugarcane in the high-risk areas. Natural arsenic contamination stops them from producing rice in the arsenic contaminated land to avoid the grain toxicity effect on human health. Extreme rainfall and temperature events also influence the crop selection decision. These crop choice techniques reduce the crop damages in smallholder agriculture in Bangladesh.
Predicting the Helpfulness of Online Customer Reviews across Different Product Types
Authors: Park Yoon-Joo
Published: May 2018

Online customer reviews are a sustainable form of word of mouth (WOM) which play an increasingly important role in e-commerce. However, low quality reviews can often cause inconvenience to review readers. The purpose of this paper is to automatically predict the helpfulness of reviews. This paper analyzes the characteristics embedded in product reviews across five different product types and explores their effects on review helpfulness. Furthermore, four data mining methods were examined to determine the one that best predicts review helpfulness for each product type using five real-life review datasets obtained from Amazon.com. The results show that reviews for different product types have different psychological and linguistic characteristics and the factors affecting the review helpfulness of them are also different. Our findings also indicate that the support vector regression method predicts review helpfulness most accurately among the four methods for all five datasets. This study contributes to improving efficient utilization of online reviews.
Exploring the Interactive Development between Population Urbanization and Land Urbanization: Evidence from Chongqing, China (1998–2016)
Authors: Lin Yingchao , Li Yongle , Ma Zhili
Published: May 2018

To promote regional sustainable urbanization strategies, this paper selected the population and land resources in the urbanization system, and used the time series-based econometric analysis method and the coordinated development degree model to empirically study the interactive relationship between population urbanization (PU) and land urbanization (LU) in Chongqing, China, from 1998 to 2016. The research results showed that: (1) The development of urbanization in Chongqing was relatively rapid, but the level of development was relatively insufficient. The phenomenon of population outflow during urban development was more serious, and the structure of land use irrational; (2) There was a long-term cointegration relationship between PU and LU; PU is the Granger cause of LU. A PU increase of 1% in the short-term will promote LU by 3.29%, and in the long-term will promote 2.28%; the contribution of population agglomeration to urbanization is more than 80%, while land expansion is only about 20%, and the urban development model, which relies on urban land expansion is not applicable; (3) LU was faster than PU, but the improvement of PU development’s quality level was greater than that of LU. The development quality of both systems increased year by year, and gradually developed into a coordinated state. It is recommended that the government strengthen land planning, delineate urban growth boundaries, and increase the level of land intensive use; furthermore, through the reformation of the land finance and the household registration systems, a system for linking population, finance, and construction land should be established to promote the coordinated development of the two systems.
Sustainability and Variability of Korean Wooden Architectural Heritage: The Relocation and Alteration
Authors: An Dai Whan
Published: May 2018

‘Relocation’ is the most distinctive feature of Korean wooden architecture, since every wooden material can be in most cases completely dismantled and moved to another place. This paper analyzes Cheongju Mangseollu that possesses these unique relocation characteristics excellently, because it was relocated twice in 1923 and 1999 and the building’s function was therefore altered during the process. Mangseollu, which was once a pavilion, was relocated and altered into a school in 1923 and subsequently relocated into a pavilion again in 1999. Accordingly, there were inevitable changes in terms of function, surface, and structure every time it was relocated. As a result, the surface was utilized as one large space without walls, when it was altered into a classroom and the wall was built around each room. Despite all these changes, Mangseollu is recognized as a building of late Joseon period. Therefore, this paper claims that Korean wooden buildings are maintained with unique variability through the relocation process.
Design for Circular Behaviour: Considering Users in a Circular Economy
Authors: Wastling Thomas , Charnley Fiona , Moreno Mariale
Published: May 2018

In a linear economy, a product is manufactured and sold to a customer. Then, little concern is given to what the user actually does with it when they have it. However, in a circular economy where the aim is to circulate products at their highest level of value, the customer’s behaviour can become an important part of the system. Circular design strategies have tended to focus on the physical aspects of a product (e.g., disassembly, material selection), but the design of products and services can also have an influence on user behaviour and, to date, this aspect of circular design has not been fully explored. This project aims to define what key user behaviours are required for circular business models to work and to outline how design can enable these ‘circular behaviours’. This research project consists of a literature review, case study analysis and expert interviews with practitioners. A theoretical framework for designing products and services to encourage circular behaviour is developed. This work provides an initial step towards a better understanding of the user’s role in the transition to a circular economy as well as a preliminary model for how design for behaviour change strategies could be implemented in this context.
Diffusion Paths and Guiding Policy for Urban Residents’ Carbon Identification Capability: Simulation Analysis from the Perspective of Relation Strength and Personal Carbon Trading
Authors: Wei Jia , Chen Hong , Long Ruyin
Published: May 2018

On the consumption side, the key to carbon emission reduction is urban residents’ carbon capability. As it is the main bottleneck hindering carbon capability enhancement, the promotion of carbon identification capability is very important. This study establishes diffusion models of carbon identification capability from the perspectives of relation strength and personal carbon trading through weighted small-world theory, and it takes Chinese urban residents as the research object to make a simulation analysis. The results show that, at the initial stage, using a knowledge priority strategy to determine the sender of capability can bring about a higher capability growth rate for individuals, and the capability diffusion equilibrium of the network is also the highest. However, in the entire diffusion process, the strength priority model is the best to make the network reach the equilibrium quickly. After the introduction of personal carbon trading, the growth rate of the carbon identification capability increases significantly, and the network equilibrium becomes higher synchronously. More egoistic nodes and fewer altruistic nodes in the network are more favorable for the capability diffusion in the network, but they may bring about the risk that the network equilibrium becomes lower. Finally, the study puts forward suggestions to help with the improvement of residents’ carbon identification capability.
Sustainability Analysis and Market Demand Estimation in the Retail Industry through a Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Wang Luyao , Fan Hong , Wang Yankun
Published: May 2018

The Chinese retail industry is expected to grow dramatically over the next few years, owing to the rapid increase in purchasing power of Chinese consumers. Retail managers should analyze the market demands and avoid dull sales to promote the sustainable development of the retail industry. Economic sustainability in the retail industry, which refers to a suitable return of investment, requires the implementation of precise product allocation strategies in different regions. This study proposed a hybrid model to evaluate economic sustainability in the preparation of goods of retail shops on the basis of market demand evaluation. Through a grid-based convolutional neural network, a regression model was first established to model the relationship between consumer distribution and the potential market demand. Then, another model was proposed to evaluate the sustainability among regions based on their supply-demand analysis. An experiment was conducted based on the actual sales data of retail shops in Guiyang, China. Results showed an immense diversity of sustainability in the entire city and three classes of regions were distinguished, namely, high, moderate, and limited. Our model was proven to be effective in the sustainability evaluation of supply and demand in the retail industry after validation showed that its accuracy reached 92.8%.
Spatial-Temporal Evolution of Sustainable Urbanization Development: A Perspective of the Coupling Coordination Development Based on Population, Industry, and Built-Up Land Spatial Agglomeration
Authors: Zhang Yanjing , Su Zhengguo , Li Guan , Zhuo Yuefei , Xu Zhongguo
Published: May 2018

A series of negative effects of urban development have emerged owing to the imbalance of population, industry, and built-up land spatial agglomeration. This study proposes an integrated coupling coordination index system in sustainable urbanization evaluation based on population, industry, and built-up land, to evaluate the spatial-temporal evolution of coupling and coordination degree in Guangxi from 2005 to 2015. In addition, we adopted the exploratory spatial data analysis method to reveal the spatial pattern of coupling and coordination degree and its impact on sustainable urbanization. Finally, local indicator of spatial association (LISA) analysis was employed to identify the spatial heterogeneity of the coupling and coordination index values. The results, on the one hand, show that the coupling coordination degree of all counties increased yearly, but extremely slowly. The 88 counties in Guangxi are still in a low level of urbanization. On the other hand, a spatial agglomeration effect of urbanization levels is observed in this study. We found that the urbanization development is not independent. In other words, the urbanization level of each county will more or less be affected by its surrounding counties. In conclusion, in China, sustainable urbanization is closely related to the rational allocation of population, industry, and land resources. To promote the sustainable development of urbanization, it is necessary to strength the role of land use control and to rationally allocate these three elements in general.
Fragile States Metric System: An Assessment Model Considering Climate Change
Authors: Liu Yijian , Zhou Chaoqun , Li Lin , Su Liang , Zhang Yuanbiao
Published: May 2018

As a measure of the sustainability of a country, a state’s fragility is attributed to numerous elements. Meanwhile, climate change is a potential global threat in the 21st century, which may further aggravate the fragility of countries. Concerning this issue, we propose an index system, the Fragile States Metric System (FSMS) to measure state fragility, which includes five dimensions: climate change, cohesion, economy, politics and society. Our FSMS consists of the Climate Change Metric System (CCMS) and Modified Conflict Assessment System (M-CAS). While establishing the model, we introduce a new hybrid evaluation method, Gray Relational Analysis (GRA)-Entropy method and variable weight function model, to calculate the weights. As the result, from 2007 to 2017, European countries, in particular Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark, remained the top 5 most stable countries. Robustness analysis proves that FSMS is a relatively stable model. In addition, in the application of FSMS, we introduce the economic theory, Pareto Optimum, to measure intervention costs while mitigating state fragility.
Process and Energy Analysis of Pelleting Agricultural and Woody Biomass Blends
Authors: Yub Harun Noorfidza , Parvez Ashak Mahmud , Afzal Muhammad T.
Published: May 2018

Unprocessed biomass has low energy density and high transportation cost. The energy generated through biomass can be enhanced by the pelletizing technique. In order to evaluate the energy requirement for the pelletizing of agricultural biomass, three different particle sizes (150–300, 300–425, and 425–600 µm) of reed canary grass (RCG), timothy hay (TH), and switchgrass (SW) were selected in the present work. Furthermore, two woody biomasses (spruce and pine) were also considered under similar experimental conditions for comparison purposes. An Instron machine attached to an in-house built pelletizer unit was employed to produce a single pellet. The energy demand for compacting ground biomass (spruce) with a particle size of 150 µm was lower (2.07 kJ) than those required for particle sizes of 300 µm (2.24 kJ) and 425 µm (2.43 kJ). The energy required for compacting ground reed canary grass, timothy hay, and switchgrass was lower (1.61, 1.97, and 1.68 kJ, respectively) than that required for spruce (2.36 kJ) and pine (2.35 kJ), evaluated at a 159-MPa load and at temperature of about 80 °C. The energy demand for blended biomass was around 2 kJ with the pellet quality approaching that of the pellets made from woody biomass. Overall, blending helped to improve the quality of pellets and lower the compaction energy requirements.
Incubation under Climate Warming Affects Behavioral Lateralisation in Port Jackson Sharks
Authors: Vila Pouca Catarina , Gervais Connor , Reed Joshua , Brown Culum
Published: May 2018

Climate change is warming the world’s oceans at an unprecedented rate. Under predicted end-of-century temperatures, many teleosts show impaired development and altered critical behaviors, including behavioral lateralisation. Since laterality is an expression of brain functional asymmetries, changes in the strength and direction of lateralisation suggest that rapid climate warming might impact brain development and function. However, despite the implications for cognitive functions, the potential effects of elevated temperature in lateralisation of elasmobranch fishes are unknown. We incubated and reared Port Jackson sharks at current and projected end-of-century temperatures and measured preferential detour responses to left or right. Sharks incubated at elevated temperature showed stronger absolute laterality and were significantly biased towards the right relative to sharks reared at current temperature. We propose that animals reared under elevated temperatures might have more strongly lateralized brains to cope with deleterious effects of climate change on brain development and growth. However, far more research in elasmobranch lateralisation is needed before the significance of these results can be fully comprehended. This study provides further evidence that elasmobranchs are susceptible to the effects of future ocean warming, though behavioral mechanisms might allow animals to compensate for some of the challenges imposed by climate change.
The Unique Life Cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis and Implications for Public Health Action
Authors: Page Wendy , Judd Jenni , Bradbury Richard
Published: May 2018

Strongyloides stercoralis has one of the most complex life cycles of the human-infecting nematodes. A common misconception in medical and public health professions is that S. stercoralis in its biology is akin to other intestinal nematodes, such as the hookworms. Despite original evidence provided by medical and veterinary research about this unique helminth, many assumptions have entered the scientific literature. This helminth is set apart from others that commonly affect humans by (a) the internal autoinfective cycle with autoinfective larvae randomly migrating through tissue, parthenogenesis, and the potential for lifelong infection in the host, the profound pathology occurring in hyperinfection and systemic manifestations of strongyloidiasis, and (b) a limited external cycle with a single generation of free-living adults. This paper aims to review and discuss original research on the unique life cycle of S. stercoralis that distinguishes it from other helminths and highlight areas where increased understanding of the parasite’s biology might lead to improved public health prevention and control strategies.
Near-Horizon Geodesics for Astrophysical and Idealised Black Holes: Coordinate Velocity and Coordinate Acceleration
Authors: Boonserm Petarpa , Ngampitipan Tritos , Visser Matt
Published: May 2018

Geodesics (by definition) have an intrinsic 4-acceleration zero. However, when expressed in terms of coordinates, the coordinate acceleration d 2 x i / d t 2 can very easily be non-zero, and the coordinate velocity d x i / d t can behave unexpectedly. The situation becomes extremely delicate in the near-horizon limit—for both astrophysical and idealised black holes—where an inappropriate choice of coordinates can quite easily lead to significant confusion. We shall carefully explore the relative merits of horizon-penetrating versus horizon-non-penetrating coordinates, arguing that in the near-horizon limit the coordinate acceleration d 2 x i / d t 2 is best interpreted in terms of horizon-penetrating coordinates.
The Auxiliary Role of the Amidase Domain in Cell Wall Binding and Exolytic Activity of Staphylococcal Phage Endolysins
Authors: Son Bokyung , Kong Minsuk , Ryu Sangryeol
Published: May 2018

In response to increasing concern over antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the development of novel antimicrobials has been called for, with bacteriophage endolysins having received considerable attention as alternatives to antibiotics. Most staphylococcal phage endolysins have a modular structure consisting of an N-terminal cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolases/peptidase domain (CHAP), a central amidase domain, and a C-terminal cell wall binding domain (CBD). Despite extensive studies using truncated staphylococcal endolysins, the precise function of the amidase domain has not been determined. Here, a functional analysis of each domain of two S. aureus phage endolysins (LysSA12 and LysSA97) revealed that the CHAP domain conferred the main catalytic activity, while the central amidase domain showed no enzymatic activity in degrading the intact S. aureus cell wall. However, the amidase-lacking endolysins had reduced hydrolytic activity compared to the full-length endolysins. Comparison of the binding affinities of fusion proteins consisting of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) with CBD and GFP with the amidase domain and CBD revealed that the major function of the amidase domain was to enhance the binding affinity of CBD, resulting in higher lytic activity of endolysin. These results suggest an auxiliary binding role of the amidase domain of staphylococcal endolysins, which can be useful information for designing effective antimicrobial and diagnostic agents against S. aureus.
Obtaining Key Parameters and Working Conditions of Wastewater Biological Nutrient Removal by Means of Artificial Intelligence Tools
Authors: Martín de la Vega Pedro T. , Jaramillo-Morán Miguel A.
Published: May 2018

The oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and the dissolved oxygen (DO) have been monitored in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Three thousand two hundred aeration–non-aeration cycles were recorded. They were analyzed by defining 16 parameters to characterize each one of them. The vectors so obtained were treated with the box-plot tool to reject those with outliers (abnormally high or low values). The remaining data were processed by a neural network (self-organizing map: SOM) in order to classify them into classes and to obtain relations between parameters to identify those more representative of the system dynamics. They were: the oxygen uptake rate (OUR), the oxygen rise average slope (ORAS), and the oxidation-reduction potential “arrow” (ORParrow, the maximum distance between the ORP curve and its linearization). Finally, the classes obtained from SOM were grouped into four macro-classes by means of the K-means algorithm in order to define four operation states related to seasonal and load characteristics, which may be taken into account, along with the key parameters, in the WWTP management with the aim of improving the nutrient removal performance by adapting their controllers to seasonal and load variations.
Parameter Uncertainty Analysis of the SWAT Model in a Mountain-Loess Transitional Watershed on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Zhao Fubo , Wu Yiping , Qiu Linjing , Sun Yuzhu , Sun Liqun , Li Qinglan , Niu Jun , Wang Guoqing
Published: May 2018

Hydrological models play an important role in water resource management, but they always suffer from various sources of uncertainties. Therefore, it is necessary to implement uncertainty analysis to gain more confidence in numerical modeling. The study employed three methods (i.e., Parameter Solution (ParaSol), Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI2), and Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE)) to quantify the parameter sensitivity and uncertainty of the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model in a mountain-loess transitional watershed—Jingchuan River Basin (JCRB) on the Loess Plateau, China. The model was calibrated and validated using monthly observed streamflow at the Jingchuan gaging station and the modeling results showed that SWAT performed well in the study period in the JCRB. The parameter sensitivity results demonstrated that any of the three methods were capable for the parameter sensitivity analysis in this area. Among the parameters, CN2, SOL_K, and ALPHA_BF were more sensitive to the simulation of peak flow, average flow, and low flow, respectively, compared to others (e.g., ESCO, CH_K2, and SOL_AWC) in this basin. Although the ParaSol method was more efficient in capturing the most optimal parameter set, it showed limited ability in uncertainty analysis due to the narrower 95CI and poor P-factor and R-factor in this area. In contrast, the 95CIs in SUFI2 and GLUE were wider than ParaSol, indicating that these two methods can be promising in analyzing the model parameter uncertainty. However, for the model prediction uncertainty within the same parameter range, SUFI2 was proven to be slightly more superior to GLUE. Overall, through the comparisons of the proposed evaluation criteria for uncertainty analysis (e.g., P-factor, R-factor, NSE, and R2) and the computational efficiencies, SUFI2 can be a potentially efficient tool for the parameter optimization and uncertainty analysis. This study provides an insight into selecting uncertainty analysis method in the modeling field, especially for the hydrological modeling community.
The Influences of Riparian Vegetation on Bank Failures of a Small Meadow-Type Meandering River
Authors: Zhu Haili , Hu Xiasong , Li Zhiwei , Song Lu , Li Ke , Li Xilai , Li Guorong
Published: May 2018

The outer banks of meadow-type meandering river bends in the source zone of the Yellow River are especially vulnerable to bank failure. This study aims to understand how vegetation affects bank stability and the mechanism of bank failure, especially via a prediction of the width of a collapsed block of small rivers through a proposed bank stability equilibrium as well as field sampling. Soil and vegetation properties were surveyed at four sites near the riverbank in 2013–2016. It was found that the failed blocks had, on average, a dimension of 0.865 m (width) by 0.817 m (thickness) by 2.228 m (length). The variability in the size of all the failed blocks was attributed predominantly to the roots of plants. Block thickness could be logarithmically predicted by root length at R2 ≥ 0.76. The block width predicted from the proposed equilibrium equation deviated from in situ measurements by approximately 22.1%, a discrepancy highly subject to the overestimation of root reinforcement using Wu’s model. By reducing the coefficient of Wu’s model from 1.2 to 0.85, the proposed equilibrium equation was reliable to predict the width of bank collapse. However, its applicability to other study areas needs to be verified in further studies.
Variability in the Wettability and Water Storage Capacity of Common Oak Leaves (Quercus robur L.)
Authors: Klamerus-Iwan Anna , Witek Wojciech
Published: May 2018

The canopy water storage capacity and wettability of the plant material are significantly dependent on the condition of the leaf surface. The aim of the present research was an analysis of the influence of infection with oak powdery mildew, seasonal changes occurring on leaves and factors related to location on the surface of leaves and their hydrological properties. This study performed a series of experiments connecting the direct spraying of tree branches with simulated rainfall under laboratory conditions; an analysis of the content of aromatic hydrocarbons in leaves with the use of the chromatograph; and measurements of the angles of adherence of raindrops to the leaf surface. Degree of wettability was determined and, additionally, photographs were taken with a scanning electron microscope. The experiments were performed on common oak (Quercus robur L.) both in the city and in the forest, on two dates: in May and September. All series of measurements were done on healthy leaves and on leaves covered with oak powdery mildew (Microsphaera alphitoides Griff. et Maubl.) to various degrees. Oak powdery mildew has the largest influence on the canopy water storage capacity and on hydrophobicity. In September, the leaves retained an average of 7.2 g/g more water than in May; and, in the leaves from the city, the canopy water storage capacity was 3.1 g/g higher. A decreasing angle of inclination of raindrops to leaves testified to growing wettability and increased the amount of water retained in tree crowns. An additional analysis of SEM photographs points to a dependency of the canopy water storage capacity on the condition of the surface of leaves.
Using a Helicopter to Measure River Discharge under Extreme Environmental Conditions: A Methodological Approach on the Sagavanirktok River, Alaska
Authors: Keech John , Terwilliger Mike , Bailey Joel , Toniolo Horacio
Published: May 2018

River discharge is a critical variable in many aspects of hydrology, particularly river mechanics. Due to the importance of river discharge, the standards for performing measurements are already established. In the extreme environmental conditions of breakup in Arctic regions, field crews face significant challenges in carrying out measurements, including risks to personnel, equipment safety, and river access difficulties. The use of a helicopter in performing river discharge measurements with these challenges provides an alternative to using a boat. We present the details of measuring river discharge with the help of a helicopter along the braided Sagavanirktok River on the Alaska North Slope.
Effects of Water Depth and Ice Thickness on Ice Cover Blasting for Ice Jam Flood Prevention: A Case Study on the Heilong River, China
Authors: Wang Tao , Guo Xinlei , Fu Hui , Guo Yongxin , Peng Xuming , Wu Yunan , Li Jiazhen , Xia Yinyin
Published: May 2018

Ice blasting with explosives is an important method for mitigating or preventing ice jam floods during the spring breakup of frozen rivers. Successful blasting relies on properly determining the relationships between parameters including blasting crater radius, explosive weight, ice cover thickness, and water depth, though variations in the final three factors have significant effects on the blasting crater radius. We conducted field experiments in an upper reach of the Heilong (Amur) River, which forms the border between China and Russia, in order to develop an empirical formula correlating these factors. The blasting crater radius determined by the proposed equation resulted in average errors of less than 8.5% when compared with the measured values. This formula was used for ice blasting along the upper Heilong River in spring 2016 and 2017, successfully preventing ice jam formation during river breakup and thus providing a scientific basis for the prevention of ice-related flooding in northern regions.
A Unified Model for Tidal Disruption Events
Authors: Dai Lixin , McKinney Jonathan C. , Roth Nathaniel , Ramirez-Ruiz Enrico , Miller M. Coleman
Published: May 2018

In the past few years wide-field optical and UV transient surveys and X-ray telescopes have allowed us to identify a few dozen candidate tidal disruption events (TDEs). While in theory the physical processes in TDEs are ubiquitous, a few distinct classes of TDEs have been observed. Some TDEs radiate mainly in NUV/optical, while others produce prominent X-rays. Moreover, relativistic jets have been observed in only a handful of TDEs. This diversity might be related to the details of the super-Eddington accretion and emission physics relevant to TDE disks. In this Letter, we utilize novel three-dimensional general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations to study the super-Eddington compact disk phase expected in TDEs. Consistent with previous studies, geometrically thick disks, wide-angle optically thick fast outflows, and relativistic jets are produced. The outflow density and velocity depend sensitively on the inclination angle, and hence so does the reprocessing of emission produced from the inner disk. We then use Monte Carlo radiative transfer to calculate the reprocessed spectra and find that that the observed ratio of optical to X-ray fluxes increases with increasing inclination angle. This naturally leads to a unified model for different classes of TDEs in which the spectral properties of the TDE depend mainly on the viewing angle of the observer with respect to the orientation of the disk.
The genus Phyllomyza Fallén from China, with descriptions of three new species (Diptera, Milichiidae)
Authors: Xi Yu-Qiang , Yang Ding , Yin Xin-Ming
Published: May 2018

The following three species of the genus Phyllomyza Fallén from China are described as new to science: P.guangxiensis sp. n., P.luteigenis sp. n., and P.quadratpalpus sp. n. A key to the known species of Phyllomyza from China is presented.
A new species of Melita from Japan (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Melitidae)
Authors: Tomikawa Ko , Hirashima Kentaro , Hirai Atsushi , Uchiyama Ryu
Published: May 2018

A new brackish-water species of melitid amphipod,Melitachoshigawaensis, from the Choshigawa River, Mie Prefecture, Japan, is named and described.Melitachoshigawaensissp. n.is distinguished from the most similarM.shimizui(Uéno, 1940) by having an elongate and weakly arched male uropod 3, and a deep and strongly hooked anterior lobe of the coxa on the female’s pereopod 6. Nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunit I (COI) ofM.choshigawaensisandM.shimizuisupport divergence at the species level. A key to the Japanese species ofMelitais provided.
The freshwater crabs of Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah, East Malaysia, with a description of a new species of Thelphusula Bott, 1969 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Gecarcinucidae, Potamidae, Sesarmidae)
Authors: Ng Peter K. L. , Ng Paul Y. C.
Published: May 2018

Seven species of freshwater crabs from three families are recorded from and around the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo:Thelphusulacapillodigitussp. n.,ThelphusuladicerophilusNg & Stuebing, 1990,ArachnothelphusaterrapesNg, 1991,TerrathelphusaseculaNg & Tan, 2015,ParathelphusavalidaNg & Goh, 1987 (new record) (Gecarcinucidae);IsolapotamoningeriNg & Tan, 1998 (Potamidae); andGeosesarmadanumenseNg, 2002 (Sesarmidae). The new species ofThelphusulaBott, 1979, can be distinguished from all congeners by a unique combination of morphological features, most notably the presence of dense patches of short setae on the fingers of the adult male chelipeds, as well as the structure of the male first gonopod.Arachnothelphusaterrapesis confirmed to be a phytotelm species. A key to all species in the conservation area is provided.
Translating Niphargus barcodes from Switzerland into taxonomy with a description of two new species (Amphipoda, Niphargidae)
Authors: Fišer Cene , Alther Roman , Zakšek Valerija , Borko Špela , Fuchs Andreas , Altermatt Florian
Published: May 2018

The amphipod genusNiphargus(Amphipoda: Niphargidae Bousfield, 1977) is the most species-rich genus of freshwater amphipods in the World. Species of this genus, which live almost exclusively in subterranean water, offer an interesting model system for basic and applied biodiversity science. Their use, however, is often limited due to the hitherto unresolved taxonomy within the whole genus. As a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the currently >425Niphargusspecies is too demanding, it has been suggested that the taxonomy of the genus could be advanced in smaller steps, by reviewing regional faunas, that would eventually integrate into a global revision. In this study, we provide such a revision ofNiphargusin Switzerland. First, we molecularly delimited, morphologically diagnosed, and formally described two new species, namelyNiphargusluchoffmannisp. n.andNiphargustonywhittenisp. n.Second, we updated and revised a checklist ofNiphargusin Switzerland with new findings, and prepared a list of reference sequences for routine molecular identification, available at BOLD and GenBank. All available specimens of 22 known species from the area were morphologically examined, and their morphological variation was compiled in a data file of DEscription Language for TAxonomy, which can be used for automated generation of dichotomous or interactive keys. The data file is freely available at the World Amphipoda Database. Together, the checklist, the library of reference sequences, the DELTA file, but also a list of hitherto unresolved aspects are an important step towards a complete revision of the genus within a well-defined and biogeographically interesting area in Central Europe.
Jesuitas y franciscanos en la frontera sur del imperio español. La administración económica del Colegio de Naturales en Chillán
Authors: Leal Pino Cristián Eduardo , Moreno Jeria Rodrigo
Published: May 2018

El artículo analiza la administración económica del Colegio de Naturales de Chillán por parte de los jesuitas y franciscanos hacia fines de la colonia. Primero presenta la valoración que ha hecho la historiografía sobre dicho colegio. Luego estudia la dinámica económica del establecimiento bajo la tuición de los jesuitas y franciscanos. Finalmente, el artículo evidencia la participación de las órdenes religiosas en la política de occidentalizar al indígena.
Sobre la creación de fronteras. El caso de La Española y las guerras del reinado de Carlos II, 1673-1697
Authors: Espino López Antonio
Published: May 2018

El propósito central de este artículo es analizar los acontecimientos, sobre todo de tipo militar, vividos en La Española en el transcurso de los principales conflictos del reinado de Carlos II, entre 1673 y 1697. A diferencia de otras fronteras de la Monarquía Hispánica, tanto en Europa como en las Indias, donde esta mostró una clara debilidad militar, en La Española, sobre todo entre 1690 y 1695, se produjo una cierta reacción bélica positiva, aunque de reducido alcance. Tanto es así, que en la paz de Ryswick de 1697 se terminó por ceder oficialmente la soberanía a Francia de la porción occidental de la isla.
Student Video Viewing Habits in an Online Mechanics of Materials Engineering Course
Authors: Hildebrand Jordan Dale , Ahn Benjamin
Published: May 2018

This paper investigated the video viewing habits of students in a sophomore-level, online Mechanics of Materials (MoM) course offered in Spring 2017 and how those habits affected student course grades. Data on student engagement and viewership were collected from a MoM course through a learning management system. This data was compared with length of videos, video content, and video types. With viewership being the focus of the study, it was determined that student engagement decreased over the semester, the content of a video affected its viewership, and viewing rates fluctuated depending on the exam. The other finding was that an increase in viewership tended to indicate an improvement in students’ grades. While the videos are an effective means of improving students’ course grade, changes could be made to improve the videos and increase engagement.
Multivariate Analysis of Students Perception on Teaching with Client Based and Non-Client Based Team Projects
Authors: Appiah-Kubi Philip
Published: May 2018

The classroom experience has evolved from traditional lecture, PowerPoint and whiteboards to a more active environment where students and instructors work together more on hands-on activities to achieve the course objectives. Various names have been given to this pedagogy; experiential learning, project-based learning, active learning, problem-based learning are a handful of names used to describe this evolving pedagogy. The main challenge faced by educators in educating undergraduate students to be independent thinkers and problem solvers, has been the driving force fueling the shift in pedagogy. The skill sets needed to be successful in the workforce has also evolved over the years. Today’s employees are not only expected to demonstrate proficiency in green skills in their field of study, but must also possess soft skills required to be competitive in the industry. Gone are the days where engineers worked in silos applying their green skills to create for the common good. To be productive, employers expect today’s engineer to demonstrate the ability to work in teams, communicate effectively, while applying the technical and analytical know-how needed to achieve a desired goal. To ensure that undergraduate students have these desired skills, most engineering educators have shifted away from the traditional all lecture classes and are applying active learning pedagogies. This research looks into student’s perception on project-based learning with client based and non-client based projects in terms of: the project as a learning device, contribution to research knowledge, motivation to learn, contribution to skills and personal benefits, and their effects on student evaluation of teaching and motivation to learn.
Project-Based Approach in a First-Year Engineering Course to Promote Project Management and Sustainability
Authors: Taheri Pooya
Published: May 2018

To safeguard the environment and satisfy the energy needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same, sustainable energy development is urgently needed. This complex task is riddled with social, political, scientific, technical, and environmental challenges. Education is essential if we are to meet the energy demands of the world in the most sustainable manner available to us.

Langara College offers a first-year engineering course that is meant to introduce students to engineering design and case studies, in addition to providing a brief glance on the history, ethics, and the different disciplines of engineering (APSC 1010). Using a project-based learning approach that promotes teamwork and research, this course uses a variety of instructional methods including lectures, class discussions, and guest appearances by experts in their fields. Introductions to technical concepts, such as soldering, 3D printing, and microcontroller, are also addressed in this course.

This paper demonstrates how this, or similar courses, are optimized to raise awareness of the sustainability issues this planet is facing. Learning outcomes are evaluated using an anonymous student survey which demonstrates how the students’ project-management and presentation skills have improved.
Students Acceptance of Google Classroom: An Exploratory Study using PLS-SEM Approach
Authors: Al-Maroof Rana A. Saeed , Al-Emran Mostafa
Published: May 2018

Google classroom can work in unidirectional process as it can serve the teachers’ strategies and styles on one hand and students’ perception, understanding, and effective participation in different classroom skills on the other hand. The ac-ceptance of Google classroom is affected by different factors. Some of them are still not clearly specified and discussed in previous research; therefore, they need further investigation. Based on the previous assumption, this study is an attempt to examine the factors that affect the students’ acceptance of Google classroom at Al Buraimi University College (BUC) in Oman. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was adopted to formulate the hypotheses of the current study. The data was collected through an online questionnaire with 337 respondents. The Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) approach was used to assess both the measurement and structural models. The results of the study prove that both the perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) positively influence the behavioral intention, which in turn influence the actual usage of Google classrooms. This study helps the decision makers of the higher educational institutions to have a better understanding of the effectiveness of us-ing Google classroom by their students. It is assumed that it helps in measuring the level of students’ acceptance to the previously mentioned technology.