bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multilevel Effects of Student and School Factors on Senior High School Students’ Ocean Literacy
Authors: Tsai Liang-Ting
Published: October 2019

This study explored the variance in ocean literacy accounted for by student and school levels and examined the influence of these two predictors on senior high school students’ ocean literacy using a hierarchical linear model. Data were collected from 1944 students from 99 schools and used to construct the two-level hierarchical linear model. The results indicated that the variance in ocean literacy accounted for by students was larger than that accounted for by schools; approximately a quarter of the total variance in ocean literacy was accounted for by schools. At the student level, attitude toward the ocean and frequency of reading ocean-themed books or magazines were predictors of ocean literacy, whereas at the school level, school region and location were significant influential factors. This study’s results have significance for policy-making regarding ocean literacy improvement.
Effects of Technological Innovation Network Embeddedness on the Sustainable Development Capability of New Energy Enterprises
Authors: Su Yi , Yu Yueqi
Published: October 2019

The rapid development of China’s economy has led to increasing problems with energy security and environmental pollution. Sustainable economic and environmental development in China can be effectively ensured through the sustainable development of new energy enterprises. Moreover, network theory holds that enterprises form multiple complex and diverse social networks through their interconnection, which further boosts the sustainable development of enterprises. This study used the social network analysis method and the accelerating genetic algorithm projection pursuit model, embedded new energy enterprises in technological innovation networks, and established a conceptual model that included network embeddedness, external resource acquisition, corporate social responsibility, and the sustainable development capability of enterprises. Then, hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the conceptual model. The results of this study provide a new theoretical basis and relevant policy suggestions for the sustainable development of China’s new energy enterprises. The results are also important for China’s environmental governance and for creating a green and harmonious future ecological environment.
The Challenge of Feeding the World
Authors: Fróna Dániel , Szenderák János , Harangi-Rákos Mónika
Published: October 2019

The aim of the present research is to provide a comprehensive review about the current challenges related to food security and hidden hunger. Issues are presented according to major factors, such as growing population, changing dietary habits, water efficiency, climate change and volatile food prices. These factors were compiled from reports of major international organizations and from relevant scientific articles on the subject. Collecting the results and presenting them in an accessible manner may provide new insight for interested parties. Accessibility of data is extremely important, since food security and its drivers form a closely interconnected but extremely complex network, which requires coordinated problem solving to resolve issues. According to the results, the demand for growing agricultural products has been partly met by increasing cultivated land in recent decades. At the same time, there is serious competition for existing agricultural areas, which further limits the extension of agricultural land in addition to the natural constraints of land availability. Agricultural production needs to expand faster than population growth without further damage to the environment. The driving force behind development is sustainable intensive farming, which means the more effective utilization of agricultural land and water resources. Current global trends in food consumption are unsustainable, analyzed in terms of either public health, environmental impacts or socio-economic costs. The growing population should strive for sustainable food consumption, as social, environmental and health impacts are very important in this respect as well. To this end, the benefits of consuming foods that are less harmful to the environment during production are also to be emphasized in the scope of consumption policy and education related to nutrition as opposed to other food types, the production of which causes a major demand for raw materials.
Exploring the Spatial Characteristics of Inbound Tourist Flows in China Using Geotagged Photos
Authors: Qin Jing , Song Ci , Tang Mingdi , Zhang Youyin , Wang Jinwei
Published: October 2019

As important modern tourist destinations, cities play a critical role in developing agglomerated tourism elements and promoting urban life quality. An in-depth exploration of tourist flow patterns between destination cities can reflect the dynamic trends of the inbound tourist market. This is significant for the development of tourism markets and innovation in tourism products. To this end, photos with geographical and corresponding metadata covering the entire country from 2011 to 2017 are used to explore the spatial characteristics of China’s inbound tourist flow, the spatial patterns of tourist movement, and the tourist destination cities group based on data mining techniques, including the Markov chain, a frequent-pattern-mining algorithm, and a community detection algorithm. Our findings show that: (1) the strongest flow of inbound tourists is between Beijing and Shanghai. These two cities, along with Xi’an and Guiling, form a “double-triangle” framework, (2) the travel between emerging destination cities in Central and Western China have gradually become frequently selected itineraries, and, (3) based on the flow intensity, inbound tourist destination cities can be divided into nine groups. This study provides a valuable reference for the development of China’s inbound tourism market.
Optimal Power Control of Inverter-Based Distributed Generations in Grid-Connected Microgrid
Authors: Hassan Mohamed A. , Worku Muhammed Y. , Abido Mohamed A.
Published: October 2019

Distributed generation (DG) units are utilized to feed their closed loads in the autonomous microgrid. While in the grid-connected microgrid, they are integrated to support the utility by their required real and reactive powers. To achieve this goal, these integrated DGs must be controlled well. In this paper, an optimal PQ control scheme is proposed to control and share a predefined injected real and reactive powers of the inverter based DGs. The control problem is optimally designed and investigated to search for the optimal controller parameters by minimizing the error between the reference and calculated powers using particle swarm optimization (PSO). Microgrid containing inverter-based DG, PLL, coupling inductance, LC filter, power and current controllers is implemented on MATLAB. Two microgrid cases with different structure are studied and discussed. In both cases, the microgrid performance is investigated under different disturbances such as three-phase fault and step changes. The simulation results show that the proposed optimal control improves the microgrid dynamic stability. Additionally, the considered microgrids are implemented on real time digital simulator (RTDS). The experimental results verify the effectiveness and tracking capability of the proposed controllers and show close agreement with the simulation results. Finally, the comparison with the literature confirms the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Intra-Urban Spatial Disparities in User Satisfaction with Public Transport Services
Authors: Cordera Rubén , Nogués Soledad , González-González Esther , dell’Olio Luigi
Published: October 2019

Knowing public transport service’s user satisfaction is essential to maintaining and increasing its quality and demand. Several studies have analysed the factors influencing users’ satisfaction, considering their perceptions of specific attributes of the service. However, other aspects, such as the spatial distribution of users, i.e., their origin neighbourhoods, could significantly affect their satisfaction with the service, showing social inequity patterns. This paper proposes a new methodology to evaluate whether these spatial differences in satisfaction exist. Using the city of Santander (Spain) as an example, ordered probit models have been estimated, linking the bus users’ overall satisfaction with variables that include their perceptions of the service and socio-demographic characteristics, and with dummy variables which classify each trip according to its neighbourhood origin. Our results confirm the existence of variations in satisfaction depending on the area of the city under study. In addition, user characterization variables, such as age, which were not significant when considering the city as a whole, proved to be influential in some areas. The estimated model, considering spatial differences, had a higher goodness of fit than that of models not taking zoning into account, and reproduced the overall satisfaction pattern presented in the study area with less error. The consideration of spatial differences in the modelling process enabled the detection of priority areas in which to implement measures to improve service quality and equity, thus increasing the use of public transport and supporting the promotion of a more sustainable mobility.
Sustainable Construction Safety Knowledge Sharing: A Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling and A Feedforward Neural Network Approach
Authors: Li Rita Yi Man , Tang Beiqi , Chau Kwong Wing
Published: October 2019

Most studies focused on the introduction of new technologies have not investigated the psychological factors affecting the willingness to use them or conducted empirical studies to explore whether willingness and actual construction safety knowledge-sharing behavior are associated with fewer construction incidents. We conducted face-to-face and LinkedIn open-ended interviews as well as a global survey to study the willingness and actual behavior to share construction knowledge via social software Web 2.0, Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile apps. Then, the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) for willingness and actual knowledge-sharing behavior, as well as the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) Neural Network were used to illustrate the effect of various factors on predicting the willingness to share knowledge via Web 2.0, mobile apps and IoT. Results of the interviews found that practitioners use IoT for knowledge sharing, mainly because they do not want to fall behind the curve. PLS-SEM and MLP revealed that practitioners share construction safety knowledge are not driven by safety-related reasons such as safety awareness enhancement but perceived organization support from their companies. Employees who agree that their organization cared about their employees’ well-being was the strongest predictor in influencing people’s decision to use tools for knowledge sharing. Moreover, many respondents claimed that factors such as monetary rewards have little impact on motivating people to use tools for knowledge sharing.
Urban Sprawl and Sustainable Urban Policies. A Review of the Cases of Lima, Mexico City and Santiago de Chile
Authors: Coq-Huelva Daniel , Asián-Chaves Rosario
Published: October 2019

In recent decades, urban processes have experienced deep transformations. One of them has been the growing importance of urban sprawl. This article reviews its main features and the policies related to the paradigm of sustainability in three Latin American Megalopolises: Mexico City, Lima, and Santiago de Chile. For this purpose, we have carried out an extensive compilation of the existing academic literature. Urban sprawl in those cities cannot be understood without considering the rising housing needs of popular classes, usually addressed through the sequence settlement-parceling-building-urbanization. Simultaneously high-income groups tend to create separated and gated commodities and there is increasing spatial mobility of the middle classes. Those processes tend to generate highly segregated and increasingly patched metropolitan areas. Sustainability is framed on models of urban governance based on ecological modernization. In this context, three main sustainable policies are analyzed: water supply, green areas provision, and transport. Conclusions stress: (1) Deep changes experienced and the path-dependent element observed in the social construction of sustainability (2) Consolidation of a model of socially segregated and ecologically differentiated urban polycentrism (3) Relevance of the different megalopolises as niches of experimentation and innovation in the construction of specific forms of sustainable transition.
Spatio-Temporal Pattern in the Changes in Availability and Sustainability of Water Resources in Afghanistan
Authors: Sediqi Mohammad Naser , Shiru Mohammed Sanusi , Nashwan Mohamed Salem , Ali Rawshan , Abubaker Shadan , Wang Xiaojun , Ahmed Kamal , Shahid Shamsuddin , Asaduzzaman Md. , Manawi Sayed Mir Agha
Published: October 2019

Water is gradually becoming scarce in Afghanistan like in many other regions of the globe. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial changes in the availability and sustainability of water resources in Afghanistan. The Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) data of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite obtained from three different institutes, having 1° × 1° spatial resolution for the period 2002–2016 was used for this purpose. Sen’s slope method was used to assess the rate of change, and the Modified Mann–Kendall test was used for the evaluation of the significance of trends in TWS. After, the concept of reliability–resiliency–vulnerability (RRV) was used for assessing the spatial distribution of sustainability in water resources. The results revealed a significant decrease in water availability in the country over the last 15 years. The decrease was found to be highest in the central region where most of the population of the country resides. The reliability in water resources was found high in the northeast Himalayan region and low in the southwest desert; resilience was found low in the central region, while vulnerability was found high in the south and the southeast. Overall, the water resources of the country were found most sustainable in the northeast and southwest and least in the south and the central parts. The maps of water resource sustainability and the changes in water availability produced in the present study can be used for long-term planning of water resources for adaptation to global changes. Besides, those can be used for the management of water resources in a sustainable and judicious manner.
Effectiveness of Irrigation Access on Sticky Rice Productivity: Evidence from Lao PDR
Authors: Sengsourivong Bouasone , Ichihashi Masaru
Published: October 2019

This study estimates the impact of irrigation on household sticky rice productivity in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) by applying propensity score matching (PSM) and the difference-in-differences (DID) method. This paper utilizes panel data from the Lao Expenditure and Consumption Survey (LECS) from 2003 to 2013. The results show that the average sales value and total production of sticky rice for irrigated households is greater than those for non-irrigated households by around 36 to 38% per season. Moreover, irrigated households experience improved sticky rice productivity of approximately 2.44 tons per hectare, per season, compared to non-irrigated households. In particular, compared to households with access to irrigation in one period of the surveys, households with access to irrigation in two periods of the surveys have nearly double the sticky rice productivity. Therefore, long-term access to irrigation is more effective for sticky rice productivity. However, we cannot find any evidence to support the impact of irrigation on household consumption. Some policy implications that can be derived from this research are that farmers should be intensively promoted to make the most use of irrigation, development of irrigation system is highly needed, and to ensure effectiveness of irrigation utilization local farmer involvement in monitoring procedure of irrigation is necessary.
Superfruit in the Niche—Underutilized Sea Buckthorn in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Authors: Nawaz Muhammad Arslan , Khan Asif Ali , Khalid Usman , Buerkert Andreas , Wiehle Martin
Published: October 2019

Sea buckthorn is a medicinal plant occurring throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Considered as a “superfood” given the nutritional properties of its berries, the latter have a large international market potential, particularly in China and Europe. Although sea buckthorn grows widespread in northern Pakistan, it is a neglected species there. Fruit marketing is severely hampered by low raw product quality, varying prices, and low local demand. During 2017–2018 a total of 111 collectors and 17 commission agents were interviewed from Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan using semi-structured questionnaires. The results provide comprehensive information about the current situation from collection to post-harvest management of sea buckthorn fruits including the analysis of vitamin C under different sun and shade drying conditions. The findings are complemented by an analysis of the underlying supply chain. Fruit sale prices were low for the collectors (1.82 US$ kg−1) since mostly poor households are involved in the harvest and sale. Traditional sun drying and storage conditions were inappropriate resulting in a decrease of chemical fruit quality and thus negatively affecting the sales price of produce. Supply chain analyses showed that the non-coordination among actors and lack of infrastructure affect the efficiency of the targeted sea buckthorn production at large. The study also shows the urgent need to set appropriate food quality standards, to increase communication among stakeholders, and to intensify training offers especially for collectors of sea buckthorn fruits.
Importance of the Stakeholders’ Interaction: Comparative, Longitudinal Study of Two City Logistics Initiatives
Authors: Katsela Konstantina , Browne Michael
Published: October 2019

The main purpose of the paper is to explore the importance of stakeholders’ interaction in the different stages of the implementation process of city logistics initiatives and to assess the extent to which interaction may vary between two apparently similar initiatives. A comparative, longitudinal study, with data from two Swedish city logistics initiatives is conducted. The findings highlight the multiple stakeholders’ interaction and suggest that various degrees of such interaction can be beneficial for sustainable city logistics initiatives. The study demonstrates that although the interactions can be considered broadly similar, there are differences that have an impact on the implementation and development of such initiatives over time. It also highlights the relevance of integrating initiatives with existing networks to provide longer-term viability in the implementation process.
A Hybrid Data Hiding Method for Strict AMBTC Format Images with High-Fidelity
Authors: Chang Chin-Chen , Wang Xu , Horng Ji-Hwei
Published: October 2019

With the rapid development of smartphones, cloud storage, and wireless communications, protecting the security of compressed images through data transmission on the Internet has become a critical contemporary issue. A series of data hiding methods for AMBTC compressed images has been proposed to solve this problem. However, most of these methods either change the file size of the final compressed code or exchange the order of two quantization values in some blocks. To reverse this situation, this paper proposes a data hiding method for strict AMBTC format images using a hybrid strategy: replacement, matrix encoding, and symmetric quantization value embedding for three block types i.e., smooth blocks, less complex blocks and highly complex blocks. According to the hybrid strategy, an efficient data hiding order is designed to achieve higher-fidelity. Experimental results show that our proposed method provides an excellent balance between image quality and hiding capacity and has no error blocks in the final stego-compressed code.
Security-Oriented Architecture for Managing IoT Deployments
Authors: Zúquete André , Gomes Hélder , Amaral João , Oliveira Carlos
Published: October 2019

Assuring security and privacy is one of the key issues affecting the Internet of Things (IoT), mostly due to its distributed nature. Therefore, for the IoT to thrive, this problem needs to be tackled and solved. This paper describes a security-oriented architecture for managing IoT deployments. Our main goal was to deal with a fine-grained control in the access to IoT data and devices, to prevent devices from being manipulated by attackers and to avoid information leaking from IoT devices to unauthorized recipients. The access control is split: the management of authentication and access control policies is centered on special components (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Controllers), which can be distributed or centralized, and the actual enforcement of access control decisions happens on the entities that stay in the path to the IoT devices (Gateways and Device Drivers). The authentication in the entire system uses asymmetric cryptography and pre-distributed unique identifiers derived from public keys; no Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is used. A Kerberos-like ticket-based approach is used to establish secure sessions.
Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery with 3D Printing: Improvements and Cost Reduction
Authors: Frizziero Leonardo , Santi Gian Maria , Liverani Alfredo , Giuseppetti Valentina , Trisolino Giovanni , Maredi Elena , Stilli Stefano
Published: October 2019

This paper presents a a novel alghorithm of diagnosis and treatment of rigid flatfoot due to tarsal coalition. It introduces a workflow based on 3D printed models, that ensures more efficiency, not only by reducing costs and time, but also by improving procedures in the preoperative clinical phase. Since this paper concerns the development of a new methodology that integrates both engineering and medical fields, it highlights symmetry. An economic comparison is made between the traditional method and the innovative one; the results demonstrate a reduction in costs with the latter. The current, traditional method faces critical issues in diagnosing the pathologies of a limb (such as the foot) and taking decisions for further treatment of the same limb. The proposed alternative methodology thus uses new technologies that are part of the traditional workflow, only replacing the most obsolete ones. In fact, it is increasingly becoming necessary to introduce new technologies in orthopedics, as in other areas of medicine, to offer improved healthcare services for patients. Similar clinical treatments can be performed using the aforementioned technologies, offering greater effectiveness, more simplicity of approach, shorter times, and lower costs. An important technology that fits into this proposed methodology is 3D printing.
Modifications to Plane Gravitational Waves from Minimal Lorentz Violation
Authors: Xu Rui
Published: October 2019

General Relativity predicts two modes for plane gravitational waves. When a tiny violation of Lorentz invariance occurs, the two gravitational wave modes are modified. We use perturbation theory to study the detailed form of the modifications to the two gravitational wave modes from the minimal Lorentz-violation coupling. The perturbation solution for the metric fluctuation up to the first order in Lorentz violation is discussed. Then, we investigate the motions of test particles under the influence of the plane gravitational waves with Lorentz violation. First-order deviations from the usual motions are found.
Effect of Voids Behind Lining on the Failure Behavior of Symmetrical Double-Arch Tunnels
Authors: Zhang Xu , Ye Zijian , Min Bo , Xu Youjun
Published: October 2019

The presence of voids behind lining seriously affects the safety of the symmetrical double-arch tunnels during service life. It is essential to find out the impact of voids on tunnel safety due to the increasing demand for the construction and maintenance of symmetrical double-arch tunnels. Model tests and numerical analyses were conducted in this research. The results attained were explored including earth pressure, internal force, and lining failure. Results reveal that the presence of voids has a large influence on the internal force in the lining of symmetrical double-arch tunnels, generally in the form of asymmetrical failure patterns of the lining. The failure patterns of the lining are greatly influenced by the size and location of voids with respect to the symmetrical double-arch tunnel circumference. Significant changes in the lining internal forces were found at the areas in the close vicinity of the void whereas a few changes were found at the bottom of the sidewall, the invert, and the central wall far away from the void. The propagation laws of lining cracks of asymmetrical double-arch tunnels are more complicated than symmetrical tunnels with a void behind the central wall. The location of the initial cracking of symmetrical and asymmetrical double-arch tunnels is the same, while the lining failure of the large-section tunnel is the most complicated.
Towards Safer Primers: A Review
Authors: Lundgaard Stefan , Ng Soon , Cahill Damien , Dahlberg Johan , Ruan Dong , Cole Nerida , Stoddart Paul , Juodkazis Saulius
Published: October 2019

Primers are used to reliably initiate a secondary explosive in a wide range of industrial and defence applications. However, established primer technologies pose both direct and indirect risks to health and safety. This review analyses a new generation of primer materials and ignition control mechanisms that have been developed to address these risks in firearms. Electrically or optically initiated metal, oxide and semiconductor-based devices show promise as alternatives for heavy metal percussive primers. The prospects for wider use of low-cost, safe, reliable and non-toxic primers are discussed in view of these developments.
Persistent Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Call to Study How Variability in Both Virus and Host may Impact Disease
Authors: Mangold Colleen A. , Szpara Moriah L.
Published: October 2019

Increasing attention has focused on the contributions of persistent microbial infections with the manifestation of disease later in life, including neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Current data has shown the presence of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) in regions of the brain that are impacted by AD in elderly individuals. Additionally, neuronal infection with HSV-1 triggers the accumulation of amyloid beta deposits and hyperphosphorylated tau, and results in oxidative stress and synaptic dysfunction. All of these factors are implicated in the development of AD. These data highlight the fact that persistent viral infection is likely a contributing factor, rather than a sole cause of disease. Details of the correlations between HSV-1 infection and AD development are still just beginning to emerge. Future research should investigate the relative impacts of virus strain- and host-specific factors on the induction of neurodegenerative processes over time, using models such as infected neurons in vitro, and animal models in vivo, to begin to understand their relationship with cognitive dysfunction.
Gut DNA Virome Diversity and Its Association with Host Bacteria Regulate Inflammatory Phenotype and Neuronal Immunotoxicity in Experimental Gulf War Illness
Authors: Seth Ratanesh K. , Maqsood Rabia , Mondal Ayan , Bose Dipro , Kimono Diana , Holland LaRinda A. , Janulewicz Lloyd Patricia , Klimas Nancy , Horner Ronnie D. , Sullivan Kimberly , Lim Efrem S. , Chatterjee Saurabh
Published: October 2019

Gulf War illness (GWI) is characterized by the persistence of inflammatory bowel disease, chronic fatigue, neuroinflammation, headache, cognitive impairment, and other medically unexplained conditions. Results using a murine model show that enteric viral populations especially bacteriophages were altered in GWI. The increased viral richness and alpha diversity correlated positively with gut bacterial dysbiosis and proinflammatory cytokines. Altered virome signature in GWI mice also had a concomitant weakening of intestinal epithelial tight junctions with a significant increase in Claudin-2 protein expression and decrease in ZO1 and Occludin mRNA expression. The altered virome signature in GWI, decreased tight junction protein level was followed by the presence an activation of innate immune responses such as increased Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways. The altered virome diversity had a positive correlation with serum IL-6, IL-1β, and IFN-γ, intestinal inflammation (IFN-γ), and decreased Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a neurogenesis marker. The co-exposure of Gulf War chemical and antibiotic (for gut sterility) or Gulf War chemical and Ribavirin, an antiviral compound to suppress virus alteration in the gut showed significant improvement in epithelial tight junction protein, decreased intestinal-, systemic-, and neuroinflammation. These results showed that the observed enteric viral dysbiosis could activate enteric viral particle-induced innate immune response in GWI and could be a novel therapeutic target in GWI.
The Impact of the Antigenic Composition of Chimeric Proteins on Their Immunoprotective Activity against Chronic Toxoplasmosis in Mice
Authors: Gatkowska Justyna , Dzitko Katarzyna , Ferra Bartłomiej , Holec-Gąsior Lucyna , Kawka Malwina , Dziadek Bożena
Published: October 2019

Toxoplasmosis may pose a serious threat for individuals with weakened or undeveloped immune systems. However, to date, there is no specific immunoprophylaxis for humans. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of three trivalent—SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (SGR), SAG1L-MIC1-MAG1 (SMM), and GRA1-GRA2-GRA6 (GGG)—and two tetravalent—SAG2-GRA1-ROP1-GRA2 (SGRG) and SAG1-MIC1-MAG1-GRA2 (SMMG)—chimeric T. gondii proteins, as well as their protective potential against chronic toxoplasmosis in laboratory mice. All three trivalent recombinant proteins possessed immunogenic properties, as defined by specific humoral and cellular responses in vaccinated mice characterized by the synthesis of specific IgG (IgG1/IgG2a) antibodies in vivo and the release of Th1/Th2 cytokines by stimulated splenocytes in vitro. Immunization with all three recombinant proteins provided partial protection against toxoplasmosis, although the protective capacity strongly depended on the individual antigenic composition of each preparation. The antigens providing the highest (86%) and lowest (45%) protection, SGR and SMM, respectively, were supplemented with GRA2 antigen fragment, to form the tetravalent chimeric proteins SGRG and SMMG. Further study revealed that the tetravalent preparations exhibited high immunogenic potential; however, the addition of another antigen to the recombinant protein structure had distinct effects on the protection generated, compared to that of the trivalent counterparts, depending on the antigen tested.
Genetically Related Mycobacterium bovis Strains Displayed Differential Intracellular Growth in Bovine Macrophages
Authors: Benítez-Guzmán Alejandro , Esquivel-Solís Hugo , Romero-Torres Cecilia , Arriaga-Díaz Camila , Gutiérrez-Pabello José A.
Published: October 2019

Molecular typing of bacterial isolates provides a powerful approach for distinguishing Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) genotypes. It is known that M. bovis strain virulence plays a role in prevalence and spread of the disease, suggesting that strain virulence and prevailing genotypes are associated. However, it is not well understood whether strain virulence correlates with particular genotypes. In this study, we assessed the in vitro intracellular growth of 18 M. bovis isolates in bovine macrophages as an indicator of bacterial virulence and sought a relationship with the genotype identified by spoligotyping. We found 14 different spoligotypes—11 were already known and three spoligotypes had never been reported before. We identified 2 clusters that were phylogenetically related, containing 10 and 6 strains, respectively, and 2 orphan strains. Intracellular growth and phagocytic rates of 18 M. bovis strains were heterogeneous. Our results suggest that M. bovis intracellular growth and phagocytosis are independent of the bacterial lineage identified by spoligotyping.
Variations of Drought Tendency, Frequency, and Characteristics and Their Responses to Climate Change under CMIP5 RCP Scenarios in Huai River Basin, China
Authors: Wang Jingcai , Lin Hui , Huang Jinbai , Jiang Chenjuan , Xie Yangyang , Zhou Mingyao
Published: October 2019

Huai River Basin (HRB) is an important food and industrial production area and a frequently drought-affected basin in eastern China. It is necessary to consider the future drought development for reducing the impact of drought disasters. Three global circulation models (GCMs) from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5), such as CNRM-CM5 (CNR), HadGEM2-ES (Had) and MIROC5 (MIR), were used to assessment the future drought conditions under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) scenarios, namely, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), statistical method, Mann-Kendall test, and run theory were carried out to study the variations of drought tendency, frequency, and characteristics and their responses to climate change. The research showed that the three CMIP5 models differ in describing the future seasonal and annual variations of precipitation and temperature in the basin and thus lead to the differences in describing drought trends, frequency, and drought characteristics, such as drought severity, drought duration, and drought intensity. However, the drought trend, frequency, and characteristics in the future are more serious than the history. The drought frequency and characteristics tend to be strengthened under the scenario of high concentration of RCP8.5, and the drought trend is larger than that of low concentration of RCP4.5. The lower precipitation and the higher temperature are the main factors affecting the occurrence of drought. All three CMIP5 models show that precipitation would increase in the future, but it could not offset the evapotranspiration loss caused by significant temperature rise. The serious risk of drought in the future is still higher. Considering the uncertainty of climate models for simulation and prediction, attention should be paid to distinguish the effects of different models in the future drought assessment.
Using Water Stable Isotopes for Identifying Groundwater Recharge Sources of the Unconfined Alluvial Zagreb Aquifer (Croatia)
Authors: Parlov Jelena , Kovač Zoran , Nakić Zoran , Barešić Jadranka
Published: October 2019

The main purpose of this study was to understand the interactions between precipitation, surface water, and groundwater in the Zagreb aquifer system using water stable isotopes. The Zagreb aquifer is of the unconfined type and strongly hydraulically connected to the Sava River. As the groundwater is the main source of drinking water for one million inhabitants, it is essential to investigate each detail of the recharge processes of the aquifer to ensure adequate protection of the groundwater. Measuring the content of water stable isotopes in surface waters and groundwater enabled the creation of two- and three-component mixing models based on the isotopic mass balance for the purpose of the quantification of each recharge component. The mixing models gave ambiguous results. Observation wells equally distant from the Sava River did not have the same recharge component ratio. This indicated that there were more factors (in addition to the distance from the river) that were affecting groundwater recharge, and the properties of the unsaturated zone and surface cover data were therefore also taken into consideration. The thickness of the unsaturated zone and the characteristics of different soil types were identified as important factors in the recharge of the Zagreb aquifer. The areas with high thickness of the unsaturated zone and well-permeable soil had a very similar recharge component ratio to the areas with small thickness of the unsaturated zone but low-permeable soil.
Hypolimnetic Hypoxia Increases the Biomass Variability and Compositional Variability of Crustacean Zooplankton Communities
Authors: Doubek Jonathan P. , Campbell Kylie L. , Lofton Mary E. , McClure Ryan P. , Carey Cayelan C.
Published: October 2019

In freshwater lakes and reservoirs, climate change and eutrophication are increasing the occurrence of low-dissolved oxygen concentrations (hypoxia), which has the potential to alter the variability of zooplankton seasonal dynamics. We sampled zooplankton and physical, chemical and biological variables (e.g., temperature, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll a) in four reservoirs during the summer stratified period for three consecutive years. The hypolimnion (bottom waters) of two reservoirs remained oxic throughout the entire stratified period, whereas the hypolimnion of the other two reservoirs became hypoxic during the stratified period. Biomass variability (measured as the coefficient of the variation of zooplankton biomass) and compositional variability (measured as the community composition of zooplankton) of crustacean zooplankton communities were similar throughout the summer in the oxic reservoirs; however, biomass variability and compositional variability significantly increased after the onset of hypoxia in the two seasonally-hypoxic reservoirs. The increase in biomass variability in the seasonally-hypoxic reservoirs was driven largely by an increase in the variability of copepod biomass, while the increase in compositional variability was driven by increased variability in the dominance (proportion of total crustacean zooplankton biomass) of copepod taxa. Our results suggest that hypoxia may increase the seasonal variability of crustacean zooplankton communities.
Development of Nomogram for Debris Flow Forecasting Based on Critical Accumulated Rainfall in South Korea
Authors: Nam Dong-Ho , Lee Suk-Ho , Kim Byung-Sik
Published: October 2019

Climate change causes extreme weather events worldwide such as increasing temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. With South Korea facing growing damage from the increased frequency of localized heavy rains. In particular, its steep slope lands, including mountainous areas, are vulnerable to damage from landslides and debris flows. In addition, localized short-term heavy rains that occur in urban areas with extremely high intensity tend to lead a sharp increase in damage from soil-related disasters and cause huge losses of life and property. Currently, South Korea forecasts landslides and debris flows using the standards for forecasting landslides and heavy rains. However, as the forecasting is conducted separately for rainfall intensity and accumulated rainfall, this lacks a technique that reflects both amount and intensity of rainfall in an episode of localized heavy rainfall. In this study, aims to develop such a technique by collecting past cases of debris flow occurrences and rainfall events that accompanied debris flows to calculate the rainfall triggering index (RTI) reflecting accumulated rainfall and rainfall intensity. In addition, the RTI is converted into the critical accumulated rainfall ( R c ) to use rainfall information and provide real-time forecasting. The study classifies the standards for flow debris forecasting into three levels: ALERT (10–50%), WARNING (50–70%), and EMERGENCY (70% or higher), to provide a nomogram for 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. As a result of applying this classification into the actual cases of Seoul, Chuncheon, and Cheongju, it is found that about 2–4 h of response time is secured from the point of the Emergency level to the occurrence of debris flows.
Predictive Water Virology: Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling for Estimating Virus Inactivation Curve
Authors: Kadoya Syun-suke , Nishimura Osamu , Kato Hiroyuki , Sano Daisuke
Published: October 2019

Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) are a series of actions to be taken to ensure product consumption safety. In food poisoning risk management, researchers in the field of predictive microbiology calculate the values that provide minimum stress (e.g., temperature and contact time in heating) for sufficient microbe inactivation based on mathematical models. HACCP has also been employed for health risk management in sanitation safety planning (SSP), but the application of predictive microbiology to water-related pathogens is difficult because the variety of pathogen types and the complex composition of the wastewater matrix does not allow us to make a simple mathematical model to predict inactivation efficiency. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to construct predictive inactivation curves using free chlorine for enteric viruses based on a hierarchical Bayesian model using parameters such as water quality. Our model considered uncertainty among virus disinfection tests and difference in genotype-dependent sensitivity of a virus to disinfectant. The proposed model makes it possible to identify critical disinfection stress capable of reducing virus concentration that is below the tolerable concentration to ensure human health.
Migrantes, uma minoria transacional em busca de cidadania universal
Authors: ElHajji Mohammed
Published: October 2019

O objetivo da presente comunicação é conjugar a questão migratória à categoria sociopolítica de minoria; no afã de desvelar, de um lado, os dispositivos de opressão e alienação operados pelo regime político e econômico atual e, por outro lado, os mecanismos e estratégias de resistência acionados pelas minorias sociais excluídas em geral e os migrantes transnacionais em particular. O nosso intuito é que, entre assujeitamento e subjetivação, a própria presença massiva dos migrantes na cena mundial contemporânea e o uso adequado de instrumentos de comunicação comunitária acabam subvertendo os tradicionais conceitos de direitos políticos e revigorando o antigo ideal cosmopolítico de cidadania universal.
Women's human rights in the Arab-Islamic world
Authors: Strzelecka Ewa K.
Published: October 2019

This article critically examines the tension and possible reconciliation of competing views of culture relativism and the universality of women's human rights in the Arab-Islamic world. A comparative analysis of international human rights instruments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and regional human rights protection mechanisms, such as the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam and the Arab Charter on Human Rights, allow us to get insight into the complexity of the cultural and legal definition and practice of women’s rights within twenty-two States of the Arab Ligue. Particular attention is paid to the national law amendments with regard to transmission of nationality from women to their children and foreign spouses. This is in accordance with the adaptation of the national legislation of the Arab-Islamic countries to the demands of international treaties which guarantee gender equality across the world.
Recursos educativos abiertos para la enseñanza de las ciencias en ambientes de educación básica enriquecidos con tecnología educativa
Authors: Macías Mendoza Angélica , López Ibarra Alejandro , Ramírez Montoya María Soledad
Published: October 2019

Resumen

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar los procesos de enseñanza en cuatro grupos de educación básica con similares características, que estuvieron apoyados con recursos tecnológicos. La pregunta de investigación fue: ¿Cuáles son las diferencias que surgen en los procesos de enseñanza al usar recursos educativos abiertos (REA) para la enseñanza de las ciencias en ambientes de aprendizaje? Los constructos fueron tres: procesos de enseñanza, enseñanza de las ciencias y recursos educativos abiertos. La metodología utilizada fue la de estudios de casos a profundidad, analizando cuatro casos de profesores; los instrumentos que se emplearon fueron: entrevistas, bitácora del investigador, observación de los procesos de enseñanza y análisis de documentos significativos. Los hallazgos obtenidos indican que surgen diferencias al usar REA en el proceso educativo, enriqueciéndolo con información actualizada, llamativa y motivante para los alumnos, complementando estilos de enseñanza, volviendo la clase más dinámica y desarrollando aprendizajes significativos. Los REA abren una puerta a la educación inclusiva y de calidad, pero sin una adecuada infraestructura en las instituciones de educación básica e información y capacitación a los docentes, el rol del profesor tardará en transformarse.
Análisis documental sobre el estudiante adulto en la Educación Superior: un perfil emergente de alumnado
Authors: Learreta Begoña , Águeda Benito Ana Cruz
Published: October 2019

Una sociedad como en la que vivimos actualmente reconoce que la formación debe darse a lo largo de toda la vida, y que la universidad, en buena medida, debe ser considerada como uno de los contextos más idóneos para llevarla a cabo. Es por ello por lo que se hace necesario fomentar políticas de adaptación, por parte de las entidades universitarias al perfil del discente adulto, que es claramente diferente al del estudiante tradicional, y, por lo tanto, demanda una atención diferenciada. Entendiendo que la universidad debe afrontar de forma planificada y efectiva la formación de adultos, el presente trabajo refleja un análisis documental transversal de algunas experiencias e investigaciones relevantes sobre la formación de adultos en la educación superior, con el objetivo de elaborar propuestas de mejora.
Avaliação da integração de plataformas e-learning no ensino secundário
Authors: Tejedor Tejedor Francisco Javier , García-Valcárcel Muñoz-Repiso García-Val Ana , Ferreira da Costa Eusébio a
Published: October 2019

O artigo � o resultado de uma investiga�ão sobre a integra�ão do LMS - Learning Management System - nas escolas secund�rias do norte de Portugal.

Apresentam-se os resultados obtidos em rela�ão as plataformas de e-learning que estao a ser utilizadas nas escolas secund�rias, a import�ncia que os docentes atribuem ao e-learning, a forma�ão dos docentes em TIC/e-learning, a rela�ão que existe entre a forma�ão dos docentes em TIC/e-learning e a utiliza�ão destas ferramentas, a rela�ão que existe entre a forma�ão dos docentes em TIC/e-learning e a import�ncia que se lhe atribui, as vantagens, dificuldades e recursos mais utilizados no LMS.