bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Excessive Product Packaging on Green Brand Attachment: The Mediation Roles of Green Brand Attitude and Green Brand Image
Authors: Chen Yu-Shan , Hung Shu-Tzu , Wang Ting-Yu , Huang A-Fen , Liao Yen-Wen
Published: April 2017

This study develops an original framework to explore the influence of excessive product packaging on green brand attachment and to discuss the mediation roles of green brand attitude and green brand image. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is applied to verify the research framework. The results from a dataset of 238 valid questionnaires show that excessive product packaging has no direct effect on green brand attachment. However, green brand attitude and green brand image fully mediate the negative relationship between excessive product packaging and green brand attachment. Managerially, this study helps firms understand that excessive product packaging may bring damage to green brand attitude and green brand image, which positively relate to green brand attachment. Thus, committing to promoting the functional benefit of green products, firms must not neglect the negative effects of excessive product packaging.
Eco-Efficiency Evaluation Considering Environmental Stringency
Authors: Lee Pyoungsoo , Park You-Jin
Published: April 2017

This paper proposes an extended data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for deriving eco-efficiency. In order to derive eco-efficiency, the proposed model utilizes the concepts of operational efficiency and environmental efficiency. Since DEA can separately measure operational efficiency and environmental efficiency, the treatment for constructing the unified indicator is required to ultimately evaluate eco-efficiency through balancing operational and environmental concerns. To achieve this goal, we define the environmental stringency as the business condition reflecting the degree of enforcing environmental regulations across the firms or particular industries in different countries. The proposed model provides flexibility, as required by the pollution-intensity of industry, in that it allows the decision maker to evaluate DMU’s (decision-making unit) eco-efficiency appropriately depending on the business environment. We present a case of agricultural production systems to help readers understand what eco-efficiency becomes when we vary the stringency conditions. Through the illustrative example, this paper presents the potential application by which different environmental stringencies can successively be incorporated in DEA.
Emergy Evaluation of Dwelling Operation in Five Housing Units of Montreal Island, Canada
Authors: Vega-Azamar Ricardo , Romero-López Rabindranarth , Oropeza-García Norma , Glaus Mathias , Hausler Robert , Silva-Poot Herlinda
Published: April 2017

Sustainability of cities and the environmental implications of high resource utilization by the domestic sector are growing concerns related to urban regions. Well-informed urban planning decision-making is an essential tool to help in the task and, for that, an important point to consider is the influence of parameters like residential density and housing typology on the intensity of resource utilization. Emergy synthesis, a life-cycle energy analysis methodological approach that considers the interaction of natural and human-made flows, was used to evaluate the environmental support for dwelling operational stage in five typical present-day housing units on the island of Montreal. As expected, resource utilization, measured as total emergy used, was positively correlated to housing unit size both with respect to number of occupants and dwelling size. Results suggest that variables affecting notably the intensity of resource utilization are per household income and per dweller habitable space and, while a higher income increased per capita emergy in all cases, increasing space availability per resident did not result in a decrease of empower density after 50 m2/person. Future work should consider lower and higher densities and analyses at the scale of blocks, neighborhoods and urban planning zones.
A Fast K-prototypes Algorithm Using Partial Distance Computation
Authors: Kim Byoungwook
Published: April 2017

The k-means is one of the most popular and widely used clustering algorithm; however, it is limited to numerical data only. The k-prototypes algorithm is an algorithm famous for dealing with both numerical and categorical data. However, there have been no studies to accelerate it. In this paper, we propose a new, fast k-prototypes algorithm that provides the same answers as those of the original k-prototypes algorithm. The proposed algorithm avoids distance computations using partial distance computation. Our k-prototypes algorithm finds minimum distance without distance computations of all attributes between an object and a cluster center, which allows it to reduce time complexity. A partial distance computation uses a fact that a value of the maximum difference between two categorical attributes is 1 during distance computations. If data objects have m categorical attributes, the maximum difference of categorical attributes between an object and a cluster center is m. Our algorithm first computes distance with numerical attributes only. If a difference of the minimum distance and the second smallest with numerical attributes is higher than m, we can find the minimum distance between an object and a cluster center without distance computations of categorical attributes. The experimental results show that the computational performance of the proposed k-prototypes algorithm is superior to the original k-prototypes algorithm in our dataset.
Initial Spore Density Has an Influence on Ochratoxin A Content in Aspergillus ochraceus CGMCC 3.4412 in PDB and Its Interaction with Seeds
Authors: Li Caiyan , Song Yanmin , Xiong Lu , Huang Kunlun , Liang Zhihong
Published: April 2017

The morphology and secondary metabolism of Aspergillus spp. are associated with initial spore density (ISD). Fatty acids (FA) are involved in the biosynthesis of aflatoxins (AF) through Aspergillus quorum sensing (QS). Here, we studied how ochratoxin A (OTA) was regulated by spore density in Aspergillus ochraceus CGMCC 3.4412. The results contribute to understanding the role of spore density in morphogenesis, OTA biosynthesis, and host–pathogen interactions. When A. ochraceus was grown in Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) media at different spore densities (from 101 to 106 spores/mL), more OTA was produced when ISD were increased, but a higher level of ISD inhibited OTA biosynthesis. Seed infection studies showed that peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and soybeans (Glycine max) with high FA content were more susceptible to OTA production when infected by A. ochraceus and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced OTA biosynthesis. These results suggested that FA was vital for OTA biosynthesis, and that oxidative stress was closely related to OTA biosynthesis in A. ochraceus.
Deciphering the Multifactorial Susceptibility of Mucosal Junction Cells to HPV Infection and Related Carcinogenesis
Authors: Herfs Michael , Soong Thing , Delvenne Philippe , Crum Christopher
Published: April 2017

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced neoplasms have long been considered to originate from viral infection of the basal cell layer of the squamous mucosa. However, this paradigm has been recently undermined by accumulating data supporting the critical role of a discrete population of squamo-columnar (SC) junction cells in the pathogenesis of cervical (pre)cancers. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on junctional cells, discusses their high vulnerability to HPV infection, and stresses the potential clinical/translational value of the novel dualistic model of HPV-related carcinogenesis.
Possibilities of Using Low Quality Digital Elevation Models of Floodplains in Hydraulic Numerical Models
Authors: Laks Ireneusz , Sojka Mariusz , Walczak Zbigniew , Wróżyński Rafał
Published: April 2017

The paper presents a method for the correction of low quality DEMs, based on aerial photographs, for use in 2D flood modeling. The proposed method was developed and tested on the example of the floodplain of the Warta River, which is the third biggest river in Poland. The correction of DEM is based on a series of a small number of measurements using GPS-RTK, which enable calculations of the global statistics like mean error (ME), root mean square error (RMSE) and standard deviation (SD). The impact of DEM accuracy was estimated by using a 2D numerical model. The calculated values of flow velocities, inundation area and volume of floodplain for each tested DEM were compared. The analyses indicate that, after the correction procedure, the predictions of corrected DEM based on poor quality data is in good quantitative and qualitative agreement with the referenced LIDAR DEM. The proposed method may be applied in the areas for which high resolution DEMs based on LIDAR data are not available.
Hydropower Royalties: A Comparative Analysis of Major Producing Countries (China, Brazil, Canada and the United States)
Authors: Pineau Pierre-Olivier , Tranchecoste Lucile , Vega-Cárdenas Yenny
Published: April 2017

Hydropower is the leading renewable source of electricity generation and a low emission energy source. In order to be developed sustainably, it is important that its costs and benefits are adequately set and distributed. Different mechanisms, such as royalties, can be used for this purpose. Governments have usually kept hydropower royalty rates low, without internalizing negative externalities. This strategy is inefficient because it leads to larger electricity production and consumption, and hence exacerbates environmental impacts. This paper reviews the criteria proposed and used to set hydropower royalties. It also compares practices of the four main hydropower producers in the world: China, Brazil, Canada and the United States. Results show that royalty rates and distribution policies are determined in an arbitrary and unsystematic manner, but also that water use is usually undervalued. In order to encourage the development of this key renewable resource, in a sustainable and responsible way, national and international efforts should be made to rationalize and harmonize hydropower royalty rates.
Modeling Coupled Water and Heat Transport in the Root Zone of Winter Wheat under Non-Isothermal Conditions
Authors: Ren Rong , Ma Juanjuan , Cheng Qiyun , Zheng Lijian , Guo Xianghong , Sun Xihuan
Published: April 2017

Temperature is an integral part of soil quality in terms of moisture content; coupling between water and heat can render a soil fertile, and plays a role in water conservation. Although it is widely recognized that both water and heat transport are fundamental factors in the quantification of soil mass and energy balance, their computation is still limited in most models or practical applications in the root zone under non-isothermal conditions. This research was conducted to: (a) implement a fully coupled mathematical model that contains the full coupled process of soil water and heat transport with plants focused on the influence of temperature gradient on soil water redistribution and on the influence of change in soil water movement on soil heat flux transport; (b) verify the mathematical model with detailed field monitoring data; and (c) analyze the accuracy of the model. Results show the high accuracy of the model in predicting the actual changes in soil water content and temperature as a function of time and soil depth. Moreover, the model can accurately reflect changes in soil moisture and heat transfer in different periods. With only a few empirical parameters, the proposed model will serve as guide in the field of surface irrigation.
The evolution of aluminum accumulation in ferns and lycophytes
Authors: Schmitt Marco , Mehltreter Klaus , Sundue Michael , Testo Weston , Watanabe Toshihiro , Jansen Steven
Published: April 2017

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

This paper investigates the occurrence and evolution of aluminum (Al) accumulation within ferns and lycophytes, which is characterized by Al concentrations above 1000 mg·kg−1 in aboveground plant tissues. We hypothesize that this feature is more common in ferns than in angiosperms, and potentially correlated with growth form and other chemical elements.

METHODS:

Aluminum concentrations were obtained from novel analyses and literature for a total of 354 specimens and 307 species. Moreover, a semiquantitative aluminon test was applied for a subset of 105 species and validated against exact Al measurements.

KEY RESULTS:

Molecular phylogenetic analyses showed that the major Al‐accumulating groups were primarily found in the Gleicheniales and Cyatheales, and largely absent in the Polypodiales. At the species and generic level, Al accumulation was typically either absent or present, and mixed results within a single species and genus were limited to less than 30% of the species and genera tested. Epiphytic ferns had significantly lower Al levels than terrestrial ferns, although this finding was not significant after phylogenetic correction. In addition, a significant, positive correlation was found between Al and iron, while Al was negatively correlated with phosphorus and potassium concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS:

Aluminum accumulation is most common outside of the Polypodiales and occurs in 38% of the species studied, indicating that this trait is indeed common within subtropical and tropical ferns, a finding that could be in line with their role as pioneer species on landslides and soils with high levels of soluble Al.
Simplified formulations for the determination of rotational spring constants in rigid spread footings resting on tensionless soil
Authors: GİRGİN Konuralp
Published: April 2017

In spread footings, the rotational spring constants, which represent the soil-structure interaction, play an important role in the structural analysis and design. To assign the behaviour of soil, which is generally represented via Winkler-type tensionless springs, necessitates time consuming iterative computing procedures in practice. In this study, a straightfor­ward approach is proposed for the soil-structure interaction of rigid spread footings especially subjected to excessive eccentric loading. By considering the uplift of footing, the rotational spring constants of those type footings under axial load and biaxial bending are easily attained through the proposed simplified formulations. Since these formulations enable manual calculation, iterative computer efforts are not required. The formulations under consideration can be applicable to sym­metric and non-symmetric rigid spread footings. The numerical results of this study are verified with SAP2000.
Prediction of temperature of standard fire exposure
Authors: JEFIMOVAS Andrejus , MAČIULAITIS Romualdas , SIKARSKAS Donatas
Published: April 2017

This article describes equations derived to predict the duration of local pyrolytic charring under standard fire conditions. The equations consist of five variables: electrical capacity, electrical conductivity, calorific value, depth and rate of char. The equations are split up into two groups: one for the formation of non-impregnated carbonaceous residue, and one for impregnated carbonaceous residue during pyrolysis. This means that before predicting the local duration of charring, it is necessary to determine whether the wood has been impregnated with a fire retardant solution before the fire. Electrical conductivity and electrical capacity measurement methods were used for this purpose. The temperature of standard fire local exposure is calculated by predicting the duration of local pyrolytic charring according to the standard temperature and the time dependence of fire.
BRAND IDENTITY MANAGEMENT AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: AN ANALYSIS FROM EMPLOYEES’ PERSPECTIVE IN THE BANKING SECTOR
Authors: BRAVO Rafael , BUIL Isabel , CHERNATONY Leslie de , MARTÍNEZ Eva
Published: April 2017

Brand identity management and corporate social responsibility have increased importance in both managerial practice and academic research. However, only a small number of studies have examined how these strategic tools influence employees’ attitudes and behaviours. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to analyse how employees’ perceptions of brand identity management and corporate social responsibility affect their attitudes and behaviours. An empirical study was undertaken among a sample of 297 front line employees working in the UK banking sector. Hypotheses were tested using partial least square regression. The results show that employees’ perceptions of brand identity management and corporate social responsibility determine their commitment towards their organisations, both directly and indirectly through perceived external prestige. Organisational commitment explains employees’ brand performance and brand citizenship behaviour. Age differences indicate higher impact of brand identity management on older employees, and higher effects of perceived corporate social responsibility in younger employees. The results extend existing knowledge and are informative for bank managers.
PROPOSING AN AGILE STRATEGY FOR A STEEL INDUSTRY SUPPLY CHAIN THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF BALANCE SCORECARD AND INTERPRETIVE STRUCTURAL MODELING
Authors: TIZROO Ali , ESMAEILI Ahmad , KHAKSAR Ehsan , ŠAPARAUSKAS Jonas , MOZAFFARI Mohammad Mahdi
Published: April 2017

The internal and external environment of all organizations challenges them adapt to the best practices and reconsider their relationship throughout the supply chain. In this paper, the authors have tried to propose an agile strategy for the supply chain of a steel company, which ranks 3rd in Iran in Gross Sale with 16,000 employees, in order to respond quickly to ever-changing needs. To do this, through the literature review the framework of balanced scorecard was utilized to structure agility factors in the supply chain of the steel industry. Then the experts were interviewed to reconcile on the factors identified. Utilizing 24 questionnaires by the use of Interpretive Structural Modeling framework, the relationship and sequence of factors were obtained from experts. The final model developed in the paper presents the agility factors for the steel industry supply chain. Also, these factors are grouped within the four perspectives of the BSC to better enhance the results and pursue action. The ISM method identifies the priority of each factor which provides a better understanding of the underlying relationship of the factors for the managers to implement the strategies more reliably. The proposed model for strategy formulation can be utilized in strategy formulation problems over various types of supply chain.
ASSESSMENT OF MARKET REACTION ON THE SHARE PERFORMANCE ON THE BASIS OF ITS VISUALIZATION IN 2D SPACE
Authors: VAICIULYTE Ingrida , KALSYTE Zivile , SAKALAUSKAS Leonidas , PLIKYNAS Darius
Published: April 2017

This paper provides a new methodology for company assessment besides other traditional assessment measures such as share price or forecasts of the analysts. It is suggested to assess the market reaction on change in share price via using graphical approaches. Investors buy shares with the expectation that its price will rise in the future. But sometimes expectations don’t coincide with reality and then shares are sold. This work has been taken into account in the asymmetry between expectations of investors and results. In order to identify the position of a company in 2D space, the paper uses classification algorithm of random forests with data on change in share price during the period of the year in the inputs, and the forecasts of analysts, i.e., whether a price will increase or decrease, for the same year in the outputs. Thus, two clusters of companies are seeking to represent: one of the companies whose changes in share price coincide with investors’ expectations, and another one – on the contrary. This method can be useful to investors, for whom it is important to identify the market reaction about companies from the whole industry or its branches and analyze its trend.
The Kepler-19 System: A Thick-envelope Super-Earth with Two Neptune-mass Companions Characterized Using Radial Velocities and Transit Timing Variations
Authors: Malavolta Luca , Borsato Luca , Granata Valentina , Piotto Giampaolo , Lopez Eric , Vanderburg Andrew , Figueira Pedro , Mortier Annelies , Nascimbeni Valerio , Affer Laura , Bonomo Aldo S. , Bouchy Francois , Buchhave Lars A. , Charbonneau David , Cameron Andrew Collier , Cosentino Rosario , Dressing Courtney D. , Dumusque Xavier , Fiorenzano Aldo F. M. , Harutyunyan Avet , Haywood Raphaëlle D. , Johnson John Asher , Latham David W. , Lopez-Morales Mercedes , Lovis Christophe , Mayor Michel , Micela Giusi , Molinari Emilio , Motalebi Fatemeh , Pepe Francesco , Phillips David F. , Pollacco Don , Queloz Didier , Rice Ken , Sasselov Dimitar , Ségransan Damien , Sozzetti Alessandro , Udry Stéphane , Watson Chris
Published: April 2017

We report a detailed characterization of the Kepler-19 system. This star was previously known to host a transiting planet with a period of 9.29 days, a radius of 2.2 R
⊕, and an upper limit on the mass of 20 M
⊕. The presence of a second, non-transiting planet was inferred from the transit time variations (TTVs) of Kepler-19b over eight quarters of Kepler photometry, although neither the mass nor period could be determined. By combining new TTVs measurements from all the Kepler quarters and 91 high-precision radial velocities obtained with the HARPS-N spectrograph, using dynamical simulations we obtained a mass of 8.4 ± 1.6 M
⊕ for Kepler-19b. From the same data, assuming system coplanarity, we determined an orbital period of 28.7 days and a mass of 13.1 ± 2.7 M
⊕ for Kepler-19c and discovered a Neptune-like planet with a mass of 20.3 ± 3.4 M
⊕ on a 63-day orbit. By comparing dynamical simulations with non-interacting Keplerian orbits, we concluded that neglecting interactions between planets may lead to systematic errors that can hamper the precision in the orbital parameters when the data set spans several years. With a density of 4.32 ± 0.87 g cm−3 (0.78 ± 0.16 ρ
⊕) Kepler-19b belongs to the group of planets with a rocky core and a significant fraction of volatiles, in opposition to low-density planets characterized only by transit time variations and an increasing number of rocky planets with Earth-like density. Kepler-19 joins the small number of systems that reconcile transit timing variation and radial velocity measurements.
Saving Super-Earths: Interplay between Pebble Accretion and Type I Migration
Authors: Brasser R. , Bitsch B. , Matsumura S.
Published: April 2017

Overcoming type I migration and preventing low-mass planets from spiralling into the central star is a long-studied topic. It is well known that outward migration is possible in viscously heated disks relatively close to the central star because the entropy gradient can be sufficiently steep for the positive corotation torque to overcome the negative Lindblad torque. Yet efficiently trapping planets in this region remains elusive. Here we study disk conditions that yield outward migration for low-mass planets under specific planet migration prescriptions. In a steady-state disk model with a constant α-viscosity, outward migration is only possible when the negative temperature gradient exceeds ∼0.87. We derive an implicit relation for the highest mass at which outward migration is possible as a function of viscosity and disk scale height. We apply these criteria, using a simple power-law disk model, to planets that have reached their pebble isolation mass after an episode of rapid accretion. It is possible to trap planets with the pebble isolation mass farther than the inner edge of the disk provided that α
crit ≳ 0.004 for disks older than 1 Myr. In very young disks, the high temperature causes the planets to grow to masses exceeding the maximum for outward migration. As the disk evolves, these more massive planets often reach the central star, generally only toward the end of the disk lifetime. Saving super-Earths is therefore a delicate interplay between disk viscosity, the opacity profile, and the temperature gradient in the viscously heated inner disk.
A Hubble Space Telescope Survey for Novae in M87. II. Snuffing out the Maximum Magnitude–Rate of Decline Relation for Novae as a Non-standard Candle, and a Prediction of the Existence of Ultrafast Novae*
Authors: Shara Michael M. , Doyle Trisha , Lauer Tod R. , Zurek David , Baltz Edward A. , Kovetz Attay , Madrid Juan P. , Mikołajewska Joanna , Neill J. D. , Prialnik Dina , Welch D. L. , Yaron Ofer
Published: April 2017

The extensive grid of numerical simulations of nova eruptions from the work of Yaron et al. first predicted that some classical novae might significantly deviate from the Maximum Magnitude–Rate of Decline (MMRD) relation, which purports to characterize novae as standard candles. Kasliwal et al. have announced the observational detection of a new class of faint, fast classical novae in the Andromeda galaxy. These objects deviate strongly from the MMRD relationship, as predicted by Yaron et al. Recently, Shara et al. reported the first detections of faint, fast novae in M87. These previously overlooked objects are as common in the giant elliptical galaxy M87 as they are in the giant spiral M31; they comprise about 40% of all classical nova eruptions and greatly increase the observational scatter in the MMRD relation. We use the extensive grid of the nova simulations of Yaron et al. to identify the underlying causes of the existence of faint, fast novae. These are systems that have accreted, and can thus eject, only very low-mass envelopes, of the order of 10−7–10−8
M
⊙, on massive white dwarfs. Such binaries include, but are not limited to, the recurrent novae. These same models predict the existence of ultrafast novae that display decline times, t
2, to be as short as five hours. We outline a strategy for their future detection.
Living on a Flare: Relativistic Reflection in V404 Cyg Observed by NuSTAR during Its Summer 2015 Outburst
Authors: Walton D. J. , Mooley K. , King A. L. , Tomsick J. A. , Miller J. M. , Dauser T. , García J. A. , Bachetti M. , Brightman M. , Fabian A. C. , Forster K. , Fürst F. , Gandhi P. , Grefenstette B. W. , Harrison F. A. , Madsen K. K. , Meier D. L. , Middleton M. J. , Natalucci L. , Rahoui F. , Rana V. , Stern D.
Published: April 2017

We present first results from a series of NuSTAR observations of the black hole X-ray binary V404 Cyg obtained during its summer 2015 outburst, primarily focusing on observations during the height of this outburst activity. The NuSTAR data show extreme variability in both the flux and spectral properties of the source. This is partly driven by strong and variable line-of-sight absorption, similar to previous outbursts. The latter stages of this observation are dominated by strong flares, reaching luminosities close to Eddington. During these flares, the central source appears to be relatively unobscured and the data show clear evidence for a strong contribution from relativistic reflection, providing a means to probe the geometry of the innermost accretion flow. Based on the flare properties, analogies with other Galactic black hole binaries, and also the simultaneous onset of radio activity, we argue that this intense X-ray flaring is related to transient jet activity during which the ejected plasma is the primary source of illumination for the accretion disk. If this is the case, then our reflection modeling implies that these jets are launched in close proximity to the black hole (as close as a few gravitational radii), consistent with expectations for jet launching models that tap either the spin of the central black hole, or the very innermost accretion disk. Our analysis also allows us to place the first constraints on the black hole spin for this source, which we find to be

(99% statistical uncertainty, based on an idealized lamp-post geometry).
Characterizing the Transition from Diffuse Atomic to Dense Molecular Clouds in the Magellanic Clouds with [C ii], [C i], and CO
Authors: Pineda Jorge L. , Langer William D. , Goldsmith Paul F. , Horiuchi Shinji , Kuiper Thomas B. H. , Muller Erik , Hughes Annie , Ott Jürgen , Requena-Torres Miguel A. , Velusamy Thangasamy , Wong Tony
Published: April 2017

We present and analyze deep Herschel/HIFI observations of the [C ii] 158 μm, [C i] 609 μm, and [C i] 370 μm lines toward 54 lines of sight in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). These observations are used to determine the physical conditions of the line-emitting gas, which we use to study the transition from atomic to molecular gas and from C+ to C0 to CO in their low-metallicity environments. We trace gas with molecular fractions in the range

, between those in the diffuse H2 gas detected by UV absorption (

) and well-shielded regions in which hydrogen is essentially completely molecular. The C0 and CO column densities are only measurable in regions with molecular fractions

in both the LMC and the SMC. Ionized carbon is the dominant gas-phase form of this element that is associated with molecular gas, with C0 and CO representing a small fraction, implying that most (89% in the LMC and 77% in the SMC) of the molecular gas in our sample is CO-dark H2. The mean

conversion factors in our LMC and SMC sample are larger than the value typically found in the Milky Way. When applying a correction based on the filling factor of the CO emission, we find that the values of

in the LMC and SMC are closer to that in the Milky Way. The observed [C ii] intensity in our sample represents about 1% of the total far-infrared intensity from the lines of sight observed in both Magellanic clouds.
Extreme Variability in a Broad Absorption Line Quasar
Authors: Stern Daniel , Graham Matthew J. , Arav Nahum , Djorgovski S. G. , Chamberlain Carter , Barth Aaron J. , Donalek Ciro , Drake Andrew J. , Glikman Eilat , Jun Hyunsung D. , Mahabal Ashish A. , Steidel Charles. C.
Published: April 2017

CRTS J084133.15+200525.8 is an optically bright quasar at z = 2.345 that has shown extreme spectral variability over the past decade. Photometrically, the source had a visual magnitude of V ∼ 17.3 between 2002 and 2008. Then, over the following five years, the source slowly brightened by approximately one magnitude, to V ∼ 16.2. Only ∼1 in 10,000 quasars show such extreme variability, as quantified by the extreme parameters derived for this quasar assuming a damped random walk model. A combination of archival and newly acquired spectra reveal the source to be an iron low-ionization broad absorption line quasar with extreme changes in its absorption spectrum. Some absorption features completely disappear over the 9 years of optical spectra, while other features remain essentially unchanged. We report the first definitive redshift for this source, based on the detection of broad Hα in a Keck/MOSFIRE spectrum. Absorption systems separated by several 1000 km s−1 in velocity show coordinated weakening in the depths of their troughs as the continuum flux increases. We interpret the broad absorption line variability to be due to changes in photoionization, rather than due to motion of material along our line of sight. This source highlights one sort of rare transition object that astronomy will now be finding through dedicated time-domain surveys.
Vertical Structure of Radiation-pressure-dominated Thin Disks: Link between Vertical Advection and Convective Stability
Authors: Gong Hong-Yu , Gu Wei-Min
Published: April 2017

In the classic picture of standard thin accretion disks, viscous heating is balanced by radiative cooling through the diffusion process, and the radiation-pressure-dominated inner disk suffers convective instability. However, recent simulations have shown that, owing to the magnetic buoyancy, the vertical advection process can significantly contribute to energy transport. In addition, in comparing the simulation results with the local convective stability criterion, no convective instability has been found. In this work, following on from simulations, we revisit the vertical structure of radiation-pressure-dominated thin disks and include the vertical advection process. Our study indicates a link between the additional energy transport and the convectively stable property. Thus, the vertical advection not only significantly contributes to the energy transport, but it also plays an important role in making the disk convectively stable. Our analyses may help to explain the discrepancy between classic theory and simulations on standard thin disks.
AGN Outflow Shocks on Bonnor–Ebert Spheres
Authors: Dugan Zachary , Gaibler Volker , Bieri Rebekka , Silk Joseph , Rahman Mubdi
Published: April 2017

Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and subsequent jet cocoons and outflow bubbles can have a significant impact on star formation in the host galaxy. To investigate feedback physics on small scales, we perform hydrodynamic simulations of realistically fast AGN winds striking Bonnor–Ebert spheres and examine gravitational collapse and ablation. We test AGN wind velocities ranging from 300 to 3000 km s−1 and wind densities ranging from 0.5 to 10 m
p cm−3. We include heating and cooling of low- and high-temperature gas, self-gravity, and spatially correlated perturbations in the shock, with a maximum resolution of 0.01 pc. We find that the ram pressure is the most important factor that determines the fate of the cloud. High ram pressure winds increase fragmentation and decrease the star formation rate, but they also cause star formation to occur on a much shorter timescale and with increased velocities of the newly formed stars. We find a threshold ram pressure of ∼2 × 10−8 dyn cm−2 above which stars are not formed because the resulting clumps have internal velocities large enough to prevent collapse. Our results indicate that simultaneous positive and negative feedback will be possible in a single galaxy, as AGN wind parameters will vary with location within a galaxy.
Three-dimensional Boltzmann-Hydro Code for Core-collapse in Massive Stars. II. The Implementation of Moving-mesh for Neutron Star Kicks
Authors: Nagakura Hiroki , Iwakami Wakana , Furusawa Shun , Sumiyoshi Kohsuke , Yamada Shoichi , Matsufuru Hideo , Imakura Akira
Published: April 2017

We present a newly developed moving-mesh technique for the multi-dimensional Boltzmann-Hydro code for the simulation of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). What makes this technique different from others is the fact that it treats not only hydrodynamics but also neutrino transfer in the language of the 3 + 1 formalism of general relativity (GR), making use of the shift vector to specify the time evolution of the coordinate system. This means that the transport part of our code is essentially general relativistic, although in this paper it is applied only to the moving curvilinear coordinates in the flat Minknowski spacetime, since the gravity part is still Newtonian. The numerical aspect of the implementation is also described in detail. Employing the axisymmetric two-dimensional version of the code, we conduct two test computations: oscillations and runaways of proto-neutron star (PNS). We show that our new method works fine, tracking the motions of PNS correctly. We believe that this is a major advancement toward the realistic simulation of CCSNe.
De la spoliation à l’accumulation : violence, pacification et conflits fonciers en Colombie
Authors: Grajales Jacobo
Published: April 2017

Le conflit armé colombien de ces dernières décennies a été marqué par l’importance des affrontements d’ordre foncier. Déterminants dans l’apparition des acteurs armés, ces affrontements ont été exacerbés par des stratégies de spoliation et d’accaparement des terres, qui ont provoqué des déplacements forcés de populations ainsi que la reconfiguration des territoires. La démobilisation des milices paramilitaires, principaux auteurs de cette spoliation, et la relative stabilisation de la situation sécuritaire depuis le milieu des années 2000 n’ont pas conduit à une remise en cause profonde des formes d’accumulation issues de la guerre. Au contraire, les transformations en cours aujourd’hui se caractérisent soit par un usage plus discret de la violence, soit par l’émergence de nouveaux acteurs économiques, en phase avec le discours et les exigences normatives d’une situation qualifiée de « sortie de guerre ». Sur la base de ce constat, cette contribution propose une discussion critique non seulement de l’économie politique du foncier rural en situation de post-conflit mais aussi, plus généralement, de la caractérisation de ces contextes en termes de rupture et de transformation.
Les réseaux politico-économiques dans la Russie de Poutine
Authors: Volkov Roman
Published: April 2017

Après la chute de l’URSS, la Russie a connu une double transformation : politique, avec la transition vers une démocratie pluraliste ; économique, avec l’adoption de l’économie de marché. Cette situation inédite a été propice à l’émergence d’une oligarchie dont les intérêts privés prévalaient sur ceux de l’État. L’arrivée au pouvoir de Vladimir Poutine a totalement inversé la donne : une élite au service des intérêts de l’État s’est constituée, qui a progressivement concurrencé la position dominante des oligarques. Aujourd’hui, cette élite s’apparente plus à une classe dirigeante tant son autorité politique et son influence économique annihilent toute concurrence. Structurée idéologiquement autour de la rhétorique de l’« État fort » et personnellement liée à V. Poutine, cette classe dirigeante agit grâce à un « capital administratif », constitué par le cumul de positions clés dans les champs politique et économique et qui lui permet de contrôler l’économie, de coordonner les décisions stratégiques et de redistribuer les rentes économiques par lesquelles prend forme sa domination.
La Catalogne, du nationalisme à l’indépendantisme ? Les enjeux d’une radicalisation
Authors: Petithomme Mathieu
Published: April 2017

À partir d’une synthèse de l’histoire du nationalisme catalan depuis le XIX e siècle et d’une analyse de sa trajectoire récente, cette réflexion sur les causes de la radicalisation indépendantiste montre que les principales caractéristiques du nationalisme catalan n’ont pas changé depuis la Renaixença  : accent mis sur la « normalisation » linguistique et l’autonomie fiscale, vocation intégratrice du nationalisme dans le contexte d’une société divisée, tropisme conservateur de la bourgeoisie, phases de radicalisation dans les périodes où le modèle institutionnel de l’État est en crise. Certes, la radicalisation s’inscrit dans un contexte conflictuel dû au rejet des principales dispositions du statut d’autonomie de 2005 relatives à la reconnaissance de la « nation catalane » et de sa langue. Cependant, l’indépendantisme s’est également nourri de la crise de 2008. Tout en se diffusant grâce à l’activisme du mouvement social, il a été récupéré électoralement par la coalition Convergència i Uniò, et ce même si la Catalogne demeure malgré tout une « nation divisée ».
Les techniques de libéralisation de la prestation de services sous le TTIP
Authors: Hatzopoulos Vassilis
Published: April 2017

La négociation du TTIP est en grande partie motivée par le désir des parties de libéraliser davantage la prestation de services, tâche qui n’a pas pu être complétée au sein de l’AGCS. À cette fin, le TTIP, tant dans sa partie concernant spécifiquement la prestation de services que dans son ensemble, met en œuvre différentes techniques libéralisatrices. Ce faisant, il s’inspire tantôt de l’AGCS qu’il dépasse, tantôt d’autres accords préférentiels conclus par les parties qu’il adapte, tantôt, enfin, du droit de l’Union européenne qu’il imite. L’objet de la présente contribution est justement d’identifier les différentes techniques de libéralisation mises en place par le TTIP et d’essayer d’évaluer l’impact qu’elles pourraient avoir une fois mises en œuvre.
Dis, papa, comment on éduque des jumeaux ?
Authors: Lamarque Marie
Published: April 2017

Cet article a pour principale visée de rendre compte, à travers un échange fictif entre un père et son enfant, des premiers résultats qualitatifs issus d’un travail de thèse sur les pratiques éducatives des mères et des pères d’enfants jumeaux âgés de 3 à 5 ans. Pour cela, les éléments relatifs aux entretiens, menés auprès de cinq mères et de cinq pères rencontrés à trois reprises au cours d’une année, seront présentés.
The Stoplight Method: A Qualitative Approach for Health Literacy Research
Authors: Hadden Kristie
Published: April 2017

The Stoplight Feedback Toolkit was developed to engage patients with low health literacy in qualitative research, to overcome known barriers to participation, and to field test written health materials. Three focus groups of patients with low health literacy were conducted using the Stoplight methods. Participants with inadequate health literacy were identified using data from electronic health records at an academic medical center, using a validated screening question. Participants were recruited by phone using a script that was written in plain language. Three focus groups were conducted with a total of 10 unique patients. In each focus group, a facilitator read the health materials aloud to the participants and then walked them through a guided process of stoplight coding of the materials, consensus discussion, and user feedback. Color-coded materials, verbal comments and feedback, and behavioral observations were collected as qualitative data. Data were analyzed, sorted into themes, and mapped onto health literacy and plain language best practices. The Stoplight methods were successful in engaging patients with low health literacy to overcome barriers to participation, as well as in soliciting qualitative results that guided recommendations for improvement of the materials.

[
Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2017;1(2):e18–e22.]
Validating Health Literacy and Numeracy Measures in Minority Groups
Authors: Chakkalakal Rosette J. , Venkatraman Sneha , O.White Richard , Kripalani Sunil , Rothman Russell , Wallston Kenneth
Published: April 2017

Background:

Validation studies of existing health literacy or numeracy tools among racial/ethnic minorities are limited.

Objective:

This study assessed the validity of the Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS), the Diabetes Numeracy Test (DNT-5), the Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS), and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) by trait (health literacy or numeracy) and by method (subjective or objective) among non-Hispanic white (NHW), non-Hispanic black (NHB), and Hispanic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods:

We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from the Partnering to Improve Diabetes Education (PRIDE) study, a clustered randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a health communication intervention on T2DM outcomes at state Department of Health clinics in middle Tennessee. PRIDE participants with race/ethnicity data available (
n
= 398) were included in this study. Most patients identified as NHW (59%), 18% identified as NHB, and 23% identified as Hispanic. Pearson correlations among the 4 measures were compared for each racial/ethnic group by trait and method. The convergent validity of each measure with education was also assessed using Pearson correlation analyses.

Key Results:

Significant correlations were observed across all 3 subgroups for the numeracy measures (SNS and DNT-5) and the objective measures (DNT-5 and S-TOFHLA). Nonsignificant correlations were observed among Hispanic participants for the health literacy measures (BHLS and S-TOFHLA, correlation coefficient = 0.13) and among NHB and Hispanic participants for the subjective measures (SNS and BHLS, correlations coefficients = 0.15 and 0.09, respectively). A significant positive correlation was noted between education and each measure across all 3 subgroups.

Conclusions:

Subjective and health literacy measures demonstrate weaker correlations than objective and numeracy measures, respectively, among minority patients in this study. Our findings highlight the need to further evaluate the appropriateness of these tools for use with minority populations, particularly the BHLS for Hispanic patients.

[
Health Literacy Research and Practice
. 2017;1(2):e23–e30.]

Plain Language Summary:

Few studies have tested the validity of health literacy and numeracy measures in minority groups. This study highlights racial/ethnic differences in the results of validity testing of the Subjective Numeracy Scale, the Diabetes Numeracy Test, the Brief Health Literacy Screen, and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults among adults with type 2 diabetes.
Two-scale theory of edge state
Authors: Matulis Algirdas
Published: April 2017

The edge state is considered in the spectrum region where its branch splits from the bottom of a continuous conduction band. It is shown that in this region the electron wave function demonstrates two different scale behaviours: slow and fast, that enabled us to construct some simplified procedure for the analysis of the edge state. The slow wave function part obeys a simple Schrödinger equation the parameters of which are insensitive to the peculiarities of the electron dynamics, while the fast part that describes the details of electron behaviour in the primitive cell reveals itself only at the edge. The equation for this fast part was transformed into the boundary condition for the slow part equation. The proposed method is illustrated considering the simplest continuous model for a topological insulator and a tight binding model for graphene.
Majorana spinor from the point of view of geometric algebra
Authors: Dargys Adolfas
Published: April 2017

Majorana spinors are constructed in terms of the multivectors of relativistic Cl1,3 algebra. Such spinors are found to be multiplied by primitive idempotents which drastically change spinor properties. Running electronic waves are used to solve the real Dirac–Majorana equation transformed to Cl1,3 algebra. From the analysis of the solution it is concluded that free Majorana particles do not exist, because relativistic Cl1,3 algebra requires the massive Majorana particle to move with light velocity.
Numerical Studies on Heat Transfer over a Flat Plate with Triangular Rib-Groove Geometry at Laminar Flow Conditions
Authors: Ravikumar T.S. , Seralathan Sivamani , Hariram Venkatesan , Guntamadugu Hemanth Kumar
Published: April 2017

In this present study, periodically positioned triangular shaped ribs having a round top corner at the bottom with groove positioned on the top side of the plate is analyzed at laminar flow conditions. The numerical results obtained for the heated plate with rib-groove geometry are compared with that of the flat plate kept under similar conditions. At lower air flow velocity, the Nusselt number of the flat plate improved from 400 to 1407 with the provision of triangular ribs-groove arrangement in it. Similarly, it improved from 850 to 6420 at higher air flow velocity with triangular ribs-groove arrangement. Higher Nusselt number values leads to a higher heat transfer coefficient values. Therefore, the triangular ribs-groove geometry gives an enhanced rate of heat transfer with minimum pressure drop. The study shows that irrespective of geometry, the rate of heat transfer is relying on fluid (air in this present case) flow velocity over heated plate, fluid flow contact with the heated plate and surface area of the heated plate.