bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome Mining and Comparative Pathogenomic Analysis of An Endemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Clone, ST612-CC8-t1257-SCCmec_IVd(2B), Isolated in South Africa
Authors: Amoako Daniel Gyamfi , Somboro Anou M. , Abia Akebe Luther King , Allam Mushal , Ismail Arshad , Bester Linda A. , Essack Sabiha Y.
Published: September 2019

This study undertook genome mining and comparative genomics to gain genetic insights into the dominance of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) endemic clone ST612-CC8-t1257-SCCmec_IVd(2B), obtained from the poultry food chain in South Africa. Functional annotation of the genome revealed a vast array of similar central metabolic, cellular and biochemical networks within the endemic clone crucial for its survival in the microbial community. In-silico analysis of the clone revealed the possession of uniform defense systems, restriction-modification system (type I and IV), accessory gene regulator (type I), arginine catabolic mobile element (type II), and type 1 clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)Cas array (N = 7 ± 1), which offer protection against exogenous attacks. The estimated pathogenic potential predicted a higher probability (average Pscore ≈ 0.927) of the clone being pathogenic to its host. The clone carried a battery of putative virulence determinants whose expression are critical for establishing infection. However, there was a slight difference in their possession of adherence factors (biofilm operon system) and toxins (hemolysins and enterotoxins). Further analysis revealed a conserved environmental tolerance and persistence mechanisms related to stress (oxidative and osmotic), heat shock, sporulation, bacteriocins, and detoxification, which enable it to withstand lethal threats and contribute to its success in diverse ecological niches. Phylogenomic analysis with close sister lineages revealed that the clone was closely related to the MRSA isolate SHV713 from Australia. The results of this bioinformatic analysis provide valuable insights into the biology of this endemic clone.
Swedish Pharmacy Students’ Expectations and Perceptions of Their Education and Future Pharmacy Profession
Authors: Gustafsson Maria , Mattsson Sofia
Published: September 2019

Distance education is becoming more and more common, and today distance education is well established within academic settings. The aim was to investigate first-year pharmacy students’ expectations and perceptions of web-based pharmacy programs and of their future profession. Furthermore, student characteristics were compared over time. A questionnaire was distributed to all first-year students admitted to the pharmacy programs at Umeå University in 2017. The students were asked questions about their background, motives for choosing pharmacy education, and their expectations and perceptions of their education and profession. Factors of most importance when choosing the education were: the education is interesting, leads to an interesting job, and is web-based. The students’ expectations of the education were high, and they want to learn as much as possible and be well prepared for their future profession. Regarding the students’ perception of their future profession, three themes were identified: to help other people, professional development, and employment related issues. Student characteristics have changed over the years, suggesting that the web-based pharmacy education and the flexibility it entails attracts other groups of students today compared with when the programs started.
Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of an Alternant Poly(fluorene–oxadiazole). Synthesis, Properties, and White Light-Emitting Devices
Authors: Popovici Dumitru , Diaconu Andrei , Rotaru Aurelian , Marin Luminita
Published: September 2019

An alternant poly(dihexyl fluorene-co diphenyl oxadiazole) has been synthetized by microwave-assisted oxidative polymerization. The structure has been confirmed by 1H-NMR and FTIR spectroscopies. Gel permeation chromatography indicated high molecular weight and low polydispersity index. DFT calculations suggested a complete separation of HOMO and LUMO orbitals, which were located on fluorene and oxadiazole moiety, respectively. X-ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy, and atomic force microscopy indicated the polymer tendency to stack into a layered morphology with a more compact structure for the films prepared by spin coating. Furthermore, UV-vis and photoluminescence spectroscopies indicated the formation of H-aggregates which played a key role in photoluminescence quenching in solid state. Nevertheless, the good charge mobility gained due to the orbital overlapping in H-aggregates led to excellent electroluminescence, which enabled the development of white OLED devices with outstanding stability.
Bi-Level Model Predictive Control for Optimal Coordination of Multi-Area Automatic Generation Control Units under Wind Power Integration
Authors: Xia Chuan , Liu Huijia
Published: September 2019

With the high degree of wind power penetration integrated into multi-area AC/DC interconnected power grids, the frequency regulation capacity of automatic generation control (AGC) units is not sufficient in the wind power-penetrated area, making it difficult to effectively suppress the frequency stability caused by the fluctuation of wind power. Therefore, a coordinated control strategy for AGC units across areas based on bi-level model predictive control is proposed in this paper to achieve resource sharing. The control scheme uses economic model predictive control to realize steady power optimal allocation of the AGC units across areas in the upper layer and distributed model predictive control to realize dynamic frequency optimization control of the multi-area AGC units in the lower layer. Taking a three-area AC/DC interconnected power grid with a wind farm as an example, the simulation results show that, compared with model predictive control using tie-line frequency bias control (TBC) mode, the proposed control strategy can not only effectively maintain tie-line safety and frequency stability, but can also reduce the regulation cost of multi-area AGC units.
Superposition Principle and Born’s Rule in the Probability Representation of Quantum States
Authors: Doskoch Igor Ya. , Man’ko Margarita A.
Published: September 2019

The basic notion of physical system states is different in classical statistical mechanics and in quantum mechanics. In classical mechanics, the particle system state is determined by its position and momentum; in the case of fluctuations, due to the motion in environment, it is determined by the probability density in the particle phase space. In quantum mechanics, the particle state is determined either by the wave function (state vector in the Hilbert space) or by the density operator. Recently, the tomographic-probability representation of quantum states was proposed, where the quantum system states were identified with fair probability distributions (tomograms). In view of the probability-distribution formalism of quantum mechanics, we formulate the superposition principle of wave functions as interference of qubit states expressed in terms of the nonlinear addition rule for the probabilities identified with the states. Additionally, we formulate the probability given by Born’s rule in terms of symplectic tomographic probability distribution determining the photon states.
Mitigation of Unmodeled Error to Improve the Accuracy of Multi-GNSS PPP for Crustal Deformation Monitoring
Authors: Zheng Kai , Zhang Xiaohong , Li Xingxing , Li Pan , Chang Xiao , Sang Jizhang , Ge Maorong , Schuh Harald
Published: September 2019

High-rate multi-constellation global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precise point positioning (PPP) has been recognized as an efficient and reliable technique for large earthquake monitoring. However, the displacements derived from PPP are often overwhelmed by the centimeter-level noise, therefore they are usually unable to detect slight deformations which could provide new findings for geophysics. In this paper, Global Positioning System (GPS), GLObalnaya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS), and BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) data collected during the 2017 Mw 6.5 Jiuzhaigou earthquake were used to further exploit the capability of BDS-only and multi-GNSS PPP in deformation monitoring by applying sidereal filtering (SF) in the observation domain. The equation that unifies the residuals for the uncombined and undifferenced (UCUD) PPP solution on different frequencies was derived, which could greatly reduce the complexity of data processing. An unanticipated long-term periodic error term of up to ± 3 cm was found in the phase residuals associated with BDS satellites in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), which is not due to multipath originated from the ground but is in fact satellite dependent. The period of this error is mainly longer than 2000 s and cannot be alleviated by using multi-GNSS. Compared with solutions without sidereal filtering, the application of the SF approach dramatically improves the positioning precision with respect to the weekly averaged positioning solution, by 75.2%, 42.8%, and 56.7% to 2.00, 2.23, and 5.58 cm in the case of BDS-only PPP in the east, north, and up components, respectively, and 71.2%, 27.7%, and 37.9% to 1.25, 0.81, and 3.79 cm in the case of GPS/GLONASS/BDS combined PPP, respectively. The GPS/GLONASS/BDS combined solutions augmented by the SF successfully suppress the GNSS noise, which contributes to the detection of the true seismic signal and is beneficial to the pre- and post-seismic signal analysis.
Airborne Hyperspectral Imaging for Submerged Archaeological Mapping in Shallow Water Environments
Authors: Guyot Alexandre , Lennon Marc , Thomas Nicolas , Gueguen Simon , Petit Tristan , Lorho Thierry , Cassen Serge , Hubert-Moy Laurence
Published: September 2019

Nearshore areas around the world contain a wide variety of archeological structures, including prehistoric remains submerged by sea level rise during the Holocene glacial retreat. While natural processes, such as erosion, rising sea level, and exceptional climatic events have always threatened the integrity of this submerged cultural heritage, the importance of protecting them is becoming increasingly critical with the expanding effects of global climate change and human activities. Aerial archaeology, as a non-invasive technique, contributes greatly to documentation of archaeological remains. In an underwater context, the difficulty of crossing the water column to reach the bottom and its potential archaeological information usually requires active remote-sensing technologies such as airborne LiDAR bathymetry or ship-borne acoustic soundings. More recently, airborne hyperspectral passive sensors have shown potential for accessing water-bottom information in shallow water environments. While hyperspectral imagery has been assessed in terrestrial continental archaeological contexts, this study brings new perspectives for documenting submerged archaeological structures using airborne hyperspectral remote sensing. Airborne hyperspectral data were recorded in the Visible Near Infra-Red (VNIR) spectral range (400–1000 nm) over the submerged megalithic site of Er Lannic (Morbihan, France). The method used to process these data included (i) visualization of submerged anomalous features using a minimum noise fraction transform, (ii) automatic detection of these features using Isolation Forest and the Reed–Xiaoli detector and (iii) morphological and spectral analysis of archaeological structures from water-depth and water-bottom reflectance derived from the inversion of a radiative transfer model of the water column. The results, compared to archaeological reference data collected from in-situ archaeological surveys, showed for the first time the potential of airborne hyperspectral imagery for archaeological mapping in complex shallow water environments.
A Regulated Temperature-Insensitive High-Voltage Charge Pump in Standard CMOS Process for Micromachined Gyroscopes
Authors: Li Xiang , Li Rui , Ju Chunge , Hou Bo , Wei Qi , Zhou Bin , Chen Zhiyong , Zhang Rong
Published: September 2019

Micromachined gyroscopes require high voltage (HV) for actuation and detection to improve its precision, but the deviation of the HV caused by temperature fluctuations will degrade the sensor’s performance. In this paper, a high-voltage temperature-insensitive charge pump is proposed. Without adopting BCD (bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) technology, the output voltage can be boosted over the breakdown voltage of n-well/substrate diode using triple-well NMOS (n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor) transistors. By controlling the pumping clock’s amplitude continuously, closed-loop regulation is realized to reduce the output voltage’s sensitivity to temperature changes. Besides, the output level is programmable linearly in a large range by changing the reference voltage. The whole circuit has been fabricated in a 0.18- μ m standard CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) process with a total area of 2.53 mm 2 . Measurements indicate that its output voltage has a linear adjustable range from around 13 V to 16.95 V, and temperature tests show that the maximum variations of the output voltage at − 40 ∼ 80 ∘ C are less than 1.1%.
Radial Basis Functions Intended to Determine the Upper Bound of Absolute Dynamic Error at the Output of Voltage-Mode Accelerometers
Authors: Tomczyk Krzysztof , Piekarczyk Marcin , Sokal Grzegorz
Published: September 2019

In this paper, we propose using the radial basis functions (RBF) to determine the upper bound of absolute dynamic error (UAE) at the output of a voltage-mode accelerometer. Such functions can be obtained as a result of approximating the error values determined for the assumed-in-advance parameter variability associated with the mathematical model of an accelerometer. This approximation was carried out using the radial basis function neural network (RBF-NN) procedure for a given number of the radial neurons. The Monte Carlo (MC) method was also applied to determine the related error when considering the uncertainties associated with the parameters of an accelerometer mathematical model. The upper bound of absolute dynamic error can be a quality ratio for comparing the errors produced by different types of voltage-mode accelerometers that have the same operational frequency bandwidth. Determination of the RBFs was performed by applying the Python-related scientific packages, while the calculations related both to the UAE and the MC method were carried out using the MathCad program. Application of the RBFs represent a new approach for determining the UAE. These functions allow for the easy and quick determination of the value of such errors.
Control of Soil Extracellular Enzyme Activities by Clay Minerals—Perspectives on Microbial Responses
Authors: Olagoke Folasade K. , Kalbitz Karsten , Vogel Cordula
Published: September 2019

Knowledge of how interactions of clay minerals and extracellular enzymes (EEs) influence organic matter turnover in soils are still under discussion. We studied the effect of different montmorillonite contents on EE activities, using two experiments—(1) an adsorption experiment with a commercially available enzyme (α-glucosidase) and (2) an incubation experiment (10 days) where microorganisms were stimulated to produce enzymes through organic carbon (OC) addition (starch and cellulose). Soil mixtures with different montmorillonite contents were created in four levels to a sandy soil: +0% (control), +0.1%, +1%, and +10%. The potential enzyme activity (pEA) of four enzymes, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, and aminopeptidase, involved in the soil carbon and nitrogen cycle were analysed. The adsorption experiment revealed a reduction in the catalytic activity of α-glucosidase by up to 76% with increasing montmorillonite contents. However, the incubation experiment showed an inhibitory effect on pEA only directly after the stimulation of in-situ EE production by OC addition. At later incubation stages, higher pEA was found in soils with higher montmorillonite contents. This mismatch between both experiments, with a transient reduction in catalytic activity for the incubation experiments, points to the continuous production of enzymes by soil microorganisms. It is conceivable that microbial adaptation is characterized by higher investment in EEs production induced by increasing clay contents and a stabilisation of the EEs by clay minerals. Our results point to the need to better understand EE-clay mineral-OC interactions regarding potential microbial adaptations and EE stabilisation with potentially prolonged activities.
The Spatial Prediction of Soil Texture Fractions in Arid Regions of Iran
Authors: Mehrabi-Gohari Elham , Matinfar Hamid Reza , Jafari Azam , Taghizadeh-Mehrjardi Ruhollah , Triantafilis John
Published: September 2019

To predict the soil texture fractions, 115 profiles were identified based on the Latin hypercube sampling technique, the horizons were sampled, and the clay, sand, and silt contents (in percentages) of soil samples were measured. Then equal-area quadratic spline depth functions were used to derive clay, sand, and silt contents at five standard soil depths (0–5, 5–15, 15–30, 30–60, and 60–100 cm). Auxiliary variables used in this study include the terrain attributes (derived from a digital elevation model), Landsat 8 image data (acquired in 2015), geomorphological map, and spectrometric data (laboratory data). Artificial neural network (ANN), regression tree (RT), and neuro-fuzzy (ANFIS) models were used to make a correlation between soil data (clay, sand, and silt) and auxiliary variables. The results of this study showed that the ANFIS model was more accurate in the prediction of the three parameters of clay, silt, and sand than ANN and RT. Moreover, the ability of ANFIS model to estimate the soil texture fractions in the surface layers was higher than the lower layers. The mean coefficient of determination (R2) values calculated by 10-fold cross validation suggested the higher prediction performance in the upper depth intervals and higher prediction error in the lower depth intervals (e.g., R2 = 0.91, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.90, RMSE = 4.00 g kg−1 for sand of 0–5 cm depth, and R2 = 0.68, CCC = 0.60, RMSE = 8.03 g kg−1 for 60–100 cm depth). The results also showed that the most important auxiliary variables are spectrometric data, multi-resolution, valley-bottom flatness index and wetness index. Overall, it is recommended to use ANFIS models for the digital mapping of soil texture fractions in other arid regions of Iran.
Truck Scheduling at Cross-Docking Terminals: A Follow-Up State-Of-The-Art Review
Authors: Theophilus Oluwatosin , Dulebenets Maxim A. , Pasha Junayed , Abioye Olumide F. , Kavoosi Masoud
Published: September 2019

Recent trends in the management of supply chains have witnessed an increasing implementation of the cross-docking strategy. The cross-docking strategy, being the one that can potentially improve supply chain operations, has received a lot of attention from researchers in recent years, especially over the last decade. Cross-docking involves the reception of inbound products, deconsolidation, sorting, consolidation, and shipping of the consolidated products to the end customers. The number of research efforts, aiming to study and improve the cross-docking operations, increases every year. While some studies discuss cross-docking as an integral part of a supply chain, other studies focus on the ways of making cross-docking terminals more efficient and propose different operations research techniques for various decision problems at cross-docking terminals. In order to identify the recent cross-docking trends, this study performs a state-of-the-art review with a particular focus on the truck scheduling problem at cross-docking terminals. A comprehensive evaluation of the reviewed studies is conducted, focusing on the major attributes of the cross-docking operations. These attributes include terminal shape considered, doors considered, door service mode considered, preemption, internal transportation mode used, temporary storage capacity, resource capacity, objectives considered, and solution methods adopted. Based on findings from the review of studies, some common issues are outlined and future research directions are proposed.
The Effect of Innovation Capability on Business Performance: A Focus on IT and Business Service Companies
Authors: Jin Seung Hoo , Choi Sang Ok
Published: September 2019

With the introduction of a wide variety of new technologies during the fourth industrial revolution, companies in Korea have attempted to enhance their innovation activities, which include investment in new technology adoption, technical and non-technical innovation factors, and Research & Development (R&D) activity, to ensure the development and growth of their business performance and sustainability. In particular, IT and business services, two important industries in Korea, have been impacted by the development of new technology and have sought to adopt new technologies as soon as possible to survive in a rapidly changing business environment. The aim of our study is to empirically explore the effect of innovation activities on the performance of Korean IT and business service companies. To achieve this aim, we examine the innovation activities and business performance of 160 companies (80 large companies and 80 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)) in the IT and business service industries in Korea from 2009 to 2017. This study empirically analyzes panel data using fixed effect and random effect models with Hausman tests. According to our results, an improvement in product innovation has a positive impact on business performance (i.e., revenue and labor productivity) in both large companies and SMEs, as does R&D investment, research resources, and company age. However, an improvement in process innovation only has a positive impact on the business performance of large companies, and R&D cooperation only has a positive impact on the business performance of SMEs. As a result, both large companies and SMEs should concentrate on technological innovations to improve their sustainability and thus ensure their success in the long term.
Transport Corridors for Wider Socio–Economic Development
Authors: Quium A
Published: September 2019

There can be two broad objectives of transport corridor development: to improve efficiency in the transport and logistics processes in the corridor, and to generate economic development in the corridor region, capitalizing on improved connectivity and transport networks. This paper focuses on the second objective of corridor development. A transport corridor can become a tool for spatially balanced and more sustainable economic development and human well-being in the corridor region. Considering the promise of this approach, this paper undertakes a critical review of transport infrastructure development studies undertaken in Sub-Saharan and South Asian countries to find evidence of infrastructure development impacts. Evidence gathered from the review suggests that transport infrastructure development can have significant positive impacts on economic growth, income, poverty, employment, equity, and inclusion. However, there can be important trade-offs between economy and welfare and environmental quality, and the distribution of impacts can be uneven. The paper also considers how some of the transport corridor development issues are addressed and complementary interventions that may be required, and, finally, discusses lessons learned from the review and their policy implications which can be useful for future corridor designs, and provides suggestions of research studies to fill the current knowledge gaps.
Back Pain and Knowledge of Back Care Related to Physical Activity in 12 to 17 Year Old Adolescents from the Region of Murcia (Spain): ISQUIOS Programme
Authors: Aparicio-Sarmiento Alba , Rodríguez-Ferrán Olga , Martínez-Romero María Teresa , Cejudo Antonio , Santonja Fernando , Sainz de Baranda Pilar
Published: September 2019

Knowledge on back care is important to prevent back problems. The purpose of this study was to a) describe back pain and knowledge on back care related to physical activity in adolescents and b) determine the association between these two factors. This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 276 students (aged from 12 to 17 years old), from three Spanish public secondary schools, had to complete a survey about back pain and another one about their knowledge on back care related to physical activity. The results showed a mean score of 2.54 ± 1.85 (out of 10), and 90.58% of students failed the knowledge test. Those who suffered from back pain in the week before scored higher (2.91 ± 1.66) than non-sufferers (2.42 ± 1.90), with statistically significant differences (Z = −2.109; p = 0.035; r = 0.127), although with no academically relevant differences. Finally, despite the relationship between a higher mean score in the knowledge test and back pain within the previous week, it has been found that there was not a significant association because most of the students got very low scores in the knowledge test. It also shows an important lack of knowledge about physical activity for back care in adolescents.
The Contribution of Chicken Products’ Export to Economic Growth: Evidence from China, the United States, and Brazil
Authors: Wen Xiaowei , Li Lin , Sun Sangluo , He Qinying , Tsai Fu-Sheng
Published: September 2019

As a core industry of the national economy, there is no doubt that the agricultural sector has to adapt to the new economic development. In the literature, many researchers have agreed that agricultural export is an important factor affecting economic growth. This paper explores the contribution of chicken products’ export to economic growth and the causal relationship between them. Based on the data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Bank between 1980 and 2016, this paper describes and compares the characteristics of chicken products’ export trade of China, the United States, and Brazil. By applying the co-integration analysis, we find that there is no significant long-term equilibrium relationship between chicken products’ export and economic growth rate in China, the United States, or Brazil. However, the growth rate of chicken products’ export significantly promotes the economic growth rate for the United States. Besides, for both China and the United States, the direct pull degree (an estimator quantifying the degree of agricultural products’ exports in stimulating economic growth) of chicken products’ export is relatively small and less volatile. Yet, the direct pull degree of China is 14 times that of the United States, and the contribution to the economic growth rate of the United States is 8 times that of China. Both the direct pull degree and economic growth contribution of chicken products’ export of Brazil fluctuates more often, and its direct pull degree is 0.25 times that of China, and the economic contributions to the growth rate is 1.65 times that of China.
Research on Food Behavior in Romania from the Perspective of Supporting Healthy Eating Habits
Authors: Voinea Lelia , Vrânceanu Diana Maria , Filip Alina , Popescu Dorin Vicențiu , Negrea Teodor Mihai , Dina Răzvan
Published: September 2019

Today’s human society provides to food consumers many options that involve difficult decisions. Disoriented and stressed by contradictory messages of mass media and by the warnings of being as slim as possible, a modern consumer gets confused and shows a tendency towards losing his traditional habits. Still, most experts suggest that the adoption of a healthy food behavior, based on minimally processed natural products, may contribute to the development of a sustainable food system. The study aims to design the food profile of Romanian consumers by presenting the underlying factors of a balanced diet. The conducted marketing study was of quantitative nature, in which, a face-to-face survey was used. The questionnaire was applied to individuals aged over 18 years old, and the tool used for collecting data was the structured questionnaire applied to a sample of 1185 Romanian respondents. In this study, the following methods of analysis were used: factor analysis, cluster analysis, and structural equation modeling. The research results present the main aspects underlying the food products classification, the clustering of Romanian consumers by their interest in healthy diet, and the relationships between specific variables influencing the healthy food habits. These results have shown the need for supporting educational campaigns targeted at Romanian consumers aimed to develop healthy food habits that could create conditions needed to reshape food supply, and implicitly, to contribute to the development of environmental sustainability.
The Effects of Descriptive Imagery and Appeals on Emotions and Intentions Related to Pro-Environmental Behavior
Authors: Poškus Mykolas Simas , Pilkauskaitė Valickienė Rasa , Kuzinas Arvydas
Published: September 2019

The aim of the present study is to assess whether reinforcing imagery affects the emotional valence and effectiveness of pro-environmental public service announcements (PSAs). Two experiments that utilized PSAs constructed from a combination of text-based appeal and an image were carried out. The first experiment used the following appeals; (1) highlighting injunction, (2) highlighting injunction together with a negative descriptive norm, and (3) highlighting injunction together with a positive descriptive norm. These appeals were written on a photograph that either depicted nature scenery or the same scenery with digitally added litter. The results of the first experiment demonstrated that a congruent combination of text appeals highlighting injunction together with a positive descriptive norm and positive descriptive imagery elicits the most positive emotions when compared to other appeal and image combinations. The second experiment demonstrated that appeals with positive descriptive norms and an injunctive message coupled with a congruent descriptive image affect behavioral intention more than appeals with an injunctive only message coupled with a congruent descriptive image, thus demonstrating the additive effect of descriptive imagery and appeals presented together.
Status of Farmland Abandonment and Its Determinants in the Transboundary Gandaki River Basin
Authors: Rai Raju , Zhang Yili , Paudel Basanta , Khanal Narendra
Published: September 2019

Farmland abandonment is a common phenomenon worldwide, including in the Gandaki River Basin (GRB) in the central Himalayas. This study examined the status of farmland abandonment, along with its trends and determinants, based primarily on interviews with 639 households in different physiographic regions: Mountain, Hill, Tarai and Gangetic Plain (GP). Binary logistic regression was used to examine the contributions of various factors of farmland abandonment. The results indicate that nearly 48%, 15%, 4%, and 16% of total farmland (khet and bari) in the Mountain, Hill, Tarai and GP regions, respectively, has been abandoned. Such differences in the proportion of farmland abandonment among the regions are mainly due to variations in biophysical conditions, agricultural productivity, access to infrastructure facilities, off-farm employment opportunities, and the occurrence of natural hazards. The major determinants for farmland abandonment were also found to vary within the region. Distance from market centers to residence, reduction in the labor force as a result of migration, and household head age were found to be significant factors in farmland abandonment in the Mountain region. Similarly, in the Hill region, eight significant factors were identified: distance from market centers to residence, distance from residence to farmland, lack of irrigation facilities (p = 0.004), reduction in labor force (p = 0.000), household head occupation, lack of training for household head and size of bari land. Household head occupation and household head age were found to play significant roles for farmland abandonment in the Tarai region. In the GP region, distance to market centers and lack of irrigation facilities had positive relationships with farmland abandonment. It is suggested that specific policies addressing the differences in physiographic region, such as horticulture and agroforestry for the Mountain and Hill regions and crop diversification and the adaptation of drought tolerant species with improvement in irrigation systems for the GP region, need to be formulated and implemented in order to utilize the abandoned farmland and have environmental, economic, and sustainable benefits.
Costs of Conservation Offset Activities: The State of Publicly Available Information in Australia
Authors: Iftekhar Md Sayed , Pannell David , Hawkins Jacob
Published: September 2019

In various countries, offset policies allow economic developments to proceed on condition that proponents undertake agreed actions that offset the resulting losses of environmental values. Although ecological and environmental benefits are the main concern of a conservation agency when assessing an offset proposal, it is also important to be aware of the full cost of implementing the offset. However, there is currently a lack of understanding of the costs of implementing offsets, including which costs are relevant and what their magnitudes are. To address this knowledge gap, we developed a typology of costs that are relevant to offset schemes. We searched the publicly available information on costs of offset activities for thirty-four threatened species and communities in Australia to apply our cost framework. The results indicate that cost information is lacking in many cases. Information about some of the cost categories is not available for any of the species (e.g., induced costs to other areas or sectors). It is not clear whether the unreported cost categories are not considered during negotiation or whether it is just a case of lack of reporting.
Seasonal and Diurnal Surface Temperatures of Urban Landscape Elements
Authors: Loveday Jane , Loveday Grant , Byrne Joshua J. , Ong Boon-lay , Morrison Gregory M.
Published: September 2019

In the context of the Urban Heat Island effect, landscape professionals need practical guidance to design for managing surface urban heat. The apparent surface temperatures of samples of 19 hard and soft landscape elements (LEs) found in Perth (Australia) were measured. Thermal images of LE samples on an oval were taken at a 1 m height. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 LE surface temperatures relative to ambient (ΔT) were measured over one day in all four seasons. LEs were ranked by average ΔT, and maintained a similar order across seasons, with summer LEs the hottest. Some LEs were 30–44 °C above ambient in spring and autumn, so these seasons are also significant. Phase 2 repeated the summer test, but used only 14 larger LEs, which were well-coupled to the ground, i.e. more representative of in situ LEs. ΔT values were averaged over daytime and evening periods. Larger LEs were generally hotter than corresponding smaller LEs, with the effect more evident for heavier, denser LEs in the evenings. Future tests should be performed as per phase 2. Averaged measured values of grey pavers were the hottest, whilst ground-cover plants were the coolest. In the evening, grey pavers were also the hottest, whilst decking, soil and turf grass were the coolest. This data will help landscape professionals to assess and compare the thermal performance of different landscape designs, particularly when considering the time of use.
Spatio-Temporal Distributions of the Land Use Efficiency Coupling Coordination Degree in Mining Cities of Western China
Authors: Yuan Junfang , Bian Zhengfu , Yan Qingwu , Pan Yuanqing
Published: September 2019

A high coupling coordination degree of urban land use efficiency promotes sustainable regional economic development. In this study, land use efficiency coupling coordination degrees were calculated for 36 mining cities of western China, with a focus on economic, social, and ecological benefits for land use efficiency. Four years (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015) of data were selected. A land use efficiency index system was generated and the improved entropy method was used to calculate the index weights of land use efficiency for each year. The spatial distributions of the coupling coordination degree were assessed by the ArcGIS spatial analysis tool. Spatial correlation analysis was conducted for the coupling coordination degree. The following conclusions could be drawn: (1) According to the composite index results, urban land use efficiency could be divided into three stages and showed several different time patterns in mining cities of western China; (2) analysis of the spatial and temporal distributions of the land use efficiency coupling coordination degree identified a low level of coupling coordination and reluctant coupling coordination. An obvious core-periphery and gradual trickle-down trend was observed; (3) the land use efficiency of western mining cities presents negative and positive spatial autocorrelation characteristics. Shizuishan city, Ordos city, Jinchang city, and Wuhai city have significant aggregation types. Therefore, the western mining cities were subjected to different complex time and space characteristics.
Sustainability Assessment of Provincial-Level Regions in China Using Composite Sustainable Indicator
Authors: Yi Pingtao , Wang Lu , Zhang Danning , Li Weiwei
Published: September 2019

Sustainability development is a core issue and policy-priority in China to meet the long-term ecological civilization and economic growth. In this paper, the sustainability of the 31 Chinese provincial-level administrative regions (provinces for short) was investigated using a composite sustainability indicator (CSI). The CSI was constructed by aggregating thirty sustainability indicators involving economic, social, and environmental dimensions hierarchically. Moreover, a piecewise mean range normalization method was developed for weakening the impact of outlier(s). The results indicate that further improvement of the provinces’ sustainability is needed, since only three provinces (accounting for 9.68%) showed better performance and development momentum, simultaneously. However, over half of the provinces showed comparatively optimistic sustainability prospect, indicating a possibility of further sustainability improvement in China under a positive and effective guidance. In terms of the individual provinces, the decline of the sustainability of Liaoning and Tianjin was significant whereas Anhui, Hunan, and Hubei showed more optimistic development prospects. For the four regions, Middle China was on the rise, the decline of Northeastern China was serious, and East China and West China showed better development, but they should also keep vigilance on the possible decline because of the decline of competitive advantages.
A Study of the Effect of Medium Viscosity on Breakage Parameters for Wet Grinding
Authors: Osorio Adriana M. , Bustamante Moisés O. , Restrepo Gloria M. , M. López Manuel M. , Menéndez-Aguado Juan M.
Published: September 2019

The rheological behavior of mineral slurries shows the level of interaction or aggregation among particles, being a process control variable in processes such as slurry transportation, dehydration, and wet grinding systems. With the aim to analyze the effect of medium viscosity in wet grinding, a series of monosize grinding ball mill tests were performed to determine breakage parameters, according to the generally accepted kinetic approach of grinding processes. A rheological modifier (polyacrylamide, PAM) was used to modify solutions viscosity. A model was proposed by means of dimensional analysis (Buckingham’s Pi theorem) in order to determine the behavior of the specific breakage rate (Sj) for a ball grinding process in terms of the rheology of the system. In addition to this, a linear adjustment was established for the relationship between specific breakage rates with and without PAM addition, based on the reduced viscosity, μr. Furthermore, within a certain interval of viscosity, it was proved that an increment of viscosity can increase the specific breakage rate, and consequently the grinding degree.
Сучасні тенденції розвитку державно-управлінської еліти в епоху постмодерну
Authors: Туча В. В.
Published: September 2019

Здійснено аналіз сутності та тенденцій розвитку державно-управлінської еліти в добу постмодерну, конкретизовано її зміст як сукупності осіб, наділених відповідними функціональними обов’язками щодо забезпечення життєдіяльності суспільства. Розкрито форми взаємодії з політичною елітою в контексті реалізації відповідних інституційних проектів, враховуючи специфіку різних національних традицій публічного управління, виявлено інституційно-функціональну й технологічну відмінність та тотожність між політичною та адміністративною елітою. Доведено, що в добу постмодерну простежується тенденція зростання ролі середньої ланки державно-управлінської еліти у формуванні та реалізації державної політики. Ідентифіковано певні закономірності функціонування державно-управлінської еліти в добу постмодерну.
Проблема консолідації суспільства в контексті євроінтеграційних прагнень України: основні виклики
Authors: Мороз О. Ю.
Published: September 2019

Розглянуто низку аспектів проблеми консолідації українського суспільства у контексті курсу держави на європейську інтеграцію та в умовах боротьби із гібридною агресією Російської Федерації (далі – РФ). Запропоновано авторське бачення змісту поняття консолідації суспільства. Показано, що першою перешкодою просуванню консолідаційних процесів є культурно-ціннісні відмінності між різними регіонами країни, які набули політичних вимірів. Зазначено, що інші важливі аспекти проблеми консолідації формують криза довіри громадян до влади, недоліки механізмів зворотного зв’язку між владою та громадами, а також укорінені у вітчизняному політичному просторі популістські елементи політичної поведінки.
Дослідження проявів цькування на державній службі
Authors: Алюшина Н. О.
Published: September 2019

Розглянуто поняття цькування на державній службі та запропоновано класифікацію його видів. Висвітлено результати дослідження явища цькування на державній службі. Досліджено прояви цькування на державній службі та визначено категорії осіб, які його застосовують.
Quelques aspects régionaux de l'évolution économique en 1957
Authors: Delcros L.
Published: September 2019

Examen de la variation comparée entre les départements de quelques éléments importants de l'activité économique : population, emploi, travailleurs étrangers, construction de logements, immatriculation de voitures, énergie électrique.
L'actualité de la théorie quantitative de la monnaie
Authors: Ponsard Claude
Published: September 2019

Après avoir longtemps connu une défaveur notoire, la théorie quantitative de la monnaie reprend actuellement une place de premier rang dans les travaux de théorie économique. Dans la mesure où la conjoncture des idées n'est pas indifférente à la conjoncture des faits, une mise au point des idées récemment émises dans ce domaine s'imposait. Non seulement il a paru opportun de tenir à jour l'étude des appareils d'interprétation analytique disponibles, mais encore d'examiner d'un point de vue critique certaines des idées monétaires les plus récentes de nature à exercer, directement ou non, une influence importante sur la politique économique concrète.
Structure des échanges de produits agricoles alimentaires en 1956, des six pays membres du marché commun
Authors: Maurel Françoise
Published: September 2019

Montant des échanges : a. De la Communauté avec les Pays tiers : respectivement 2.670 et 1.300 millions de dollars pour les importations et les exportations, soit un déficit de la balance commerciale de près de 1.400 millions de dollars ; b. A l'intérieur de la communauté : 750 millions de dollars. Dans les deux cas, la première place est détenue par l'Allemagne en tant que principal Pays importateur et par les Pays-Bas comme principal Pays exportateur. La France, exportatrice dans le cadre du Marché commun, a été par ses achats aux Pays tiers largement importatrice avec un déficit final de plus de 400 millions de dollars.
Une enquête sur le comportement et les intentions d'achats des consommateurs
Authors: Largeteau Hugues
Published: September 2019

Dans le cadre de ses études de conjoncture, l'I.N.S.E.E. a effectué, en mai 1958, une enquête par sondage sur le comportement et les intentions d'achats des consommateurs. Après l'exposé de la méthode utilisée, on en trouvera ci-dessous quelques résultats, avec les réserves qu'il y a lieu de faire dans leur interprétation, L'expérience montre, en effet, que les conclusions que l'on peut tirer de ce genre de test ne prennent toute leur signification que dans une analyse dynamique, qui exige la répétition de l'enquête, au moins une fois par an (ce qui n'a pu être fait jusqu'ici, puisqu'il s'agit d'un premier essai).
Une comparaison internationale des coûts de production
Authors: Devaux Andrée
Published: September 2019

Une comparaison des prix de revient de 158 produits identiques effectuée par un organisme officiel américain montre que 69 d'entre eux sont fabriqués plus avantageusement hors des États- Unis, tandis que 60 sont au contraire produits à meilleur compte en Amérique. L'Europe occidentale bénéficie de coûts de production plus favorables que l'Amérique latine et le Canada.
Les échanges des pays d'outre-mer de la zone franc en 1955 par groupes de produits de la classification des Nations Unies
Authors: Guglielmi J.-L.
Published: September 2019

On s'est proposé dans cette étude de présenter une image des échanges, effectués par les pays d'outremer, qui satisfasse à la fois à deux désirs : le premier est celui de connaître la nature économique des produits échangés, c'est-à-dire leur degré d'élaboration ou leur caractère de biens d'investissement ou de consommation ; le second est de pouvoir effectuer des comparaisons internationales. Ces exigences recommandaient l'emploi, fait ici pour la première fois, en ce qui concerne l'ensemble du commerce de ces pays, des sections de la classification type pour le commerce international. Les pages qui suivent sont le début d'une étude — dont la suite sera publiée ultérieurement — où sont présentées les premières constatations auxquelles a conduit l'adoption de cette méthode.
Actualités tunisiennes
Authors: Pellier J.
Published: September 2019

Examen des principaux aspects de l'économie de la Tunisie : population, emploi, niveau de vie. Les objectifs immédiats : dépenses d'équipement depuis l'indépendance, problèmes pour l'agriculture et l'industrialisation. Les problèmes financiers.
Évolution et influence des encaisses thésaurisées
Authors: Berger Pierre
Published: September 2019

Après une distinction entre les encaisses nécessaires d'une part et les encaisses inactives soit d'« indolence » ou de fonds de roulement soit thésaurisées d'autre part, étude des liens entre la répartition des encaisses et les données économiques ou financières. Essai d'évaluation des encaisses thésaurisées par prise en considération de l'évolution du Produit National Brut : celles-ci supposées nulles en 1952 auraient augmenté jusqu'en 1956, puis diminué légèrement en 1957 et plus nettement en 1958.