bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modélisation de l’impact du Contrôle de gestion sur la performance des organisations en Afrique : illustration par le cas des PME marocaines
Authors: Frij Rafia , Chraibi Abdeslam , Benrrezzouq Rhizlane , Aliouat Boualem
Published: July 2020

Longtemps négligé, le processus de contrôle de gestion des PME est aujourd’hui au cœur des réflexions à propos de la performance de ces dernières. De nombreux auteurs soutiennent l’extrême nécessité d’une introduction de pratiques de contrôle de gestion pour les PME mais constatent simultanément un manque d’analyse de l’impact qu’aurait un tel contrôle sur leur performance, notamment en ce qui concerne leurs résultats en termes d’efficacité commerciale ou organisationnelle sur les processus et les procédures. Notre analyse empirique, à partir de l’étude d’un échantillon représentatif de 75 PME marocaines tente de répondre à cette carence. Nos résultats relèvent un lien significatif entre les attributs du contrôle de gestion et les performances de la PME dans ses variables susmentionnées. Ce qui apporte une démonstration avérée aux intuitions de recherche des travaux existants, largement transposées des cas de grandes entreprises à celui des PME.
Facteurs d’influence de la qualité de l’audit interne dans les organisations publiques
Authors: Togodo Azon Aimé
Published: July 2020

L’objectif principal du présent article est d’identifier les facteurs qui influencent la qualité de l’audit interne des institutions publiques. Dans une démarche hypothético-déductive, l’article a mis à l’étude quatre facteurs. Les données sont collectées auprès de cent treize auditeurs internes de vingt-huit organes publics béninois d’audit interne. Les différents tests statistiques effectués ont montré que les paramètres techniques et professionnels de l’audit influencent positivement la qualité de l’audit interne public tandis que les auditeurs se montrent indépendants des facteurs exogènes.
De Vauban à Taylor : une approche historique sur la méthode de calcul des coûts du travail
Authors: Gerber François , Assens Christophe
Published: July 2020

Cet article présente une chronologie des travaux historiques dans l’évaluation du coût du travail. Dans ce domaine, le document fondateur date de 1688 et correspond à un règlement d’atelier. Il est l’œuvre d’un entrepreneur anonyme chargé de diriger un chantier de terrassement pour le roi. Cet entrepreneur utilise la main d’œuvre des soldats qu’il rémunère en tenant compte de la pénibilité du travail. Au XVII e  siècle, le marquis de Vauban s’inspirera de ce travail fondateur, pour décomposer les tâches en opération élémentaire afin d’évaluer équitablement le coût, à la fois du côté de l’offre et de la demande de travail. Dans le prolongement historique du travail de Vauban, l’ingénieur Taylor introduira les premiers calculs de productivité au travail, en indexant la rémunération sur des objectifs de résultat découlant des effets d’apprentissage. Ce travail de recherche à caractère historique est très actuel, dans la mesure où les méthodes de calcul de coût sont toujours employées dans les structures hiérarchiques, y compris dans les activités de service et pour l’organisation des tâches intellectuelles.
QR Code based Indoor Navigation system for Attender Robot
Authors: Sneha A. , Sai Lakshmi Teja V. , Kanti Mishra Tusar , N. Satya Chitra Kuppili
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we elicit a cost-effective design of a robot that is used to perform the tasks of the attender, a wheeled mobile robot. The two main challenging aspects of mobile robotics are to achieve localization and navigation. Localization determines the location of the robot with respect to its environment. Navigation is the movement of the robot from one location to the other. Here, the unique design and representation of the QR code helped us to localize and navigate the robot. A raspberry pi mounted with a camera is used to interface with the robot. The triangulation method is used to localize the robot. Dijkstra’s algorithm is used to compute the shortest path from source to destination. The system is monitored tested based on the feedback system established by the Hologram cellular USB modem. Experimental results show that this approach has good feasibility and effectiveness. The robot navigates through the shortest path, performs specified tasks, and returns to its source.
Supporting the speaking development of students in a Swahili-as-a-foreign-language (SFL) classroom
Authors: Bimpong William
Published: July 2020

Till date, the development of students’ language skills in a Swahili-as-a-foreign-language (SFL) context has not been thoroughly investigated. Rather, a majority of work has focused on grammar. This paper examines the activities that are used in an elementary SFL classroom at an American University to support the speaking development of students. Observation and in-depth interviews reveal that there are four main speaking activities used to support students’ speaking development. The findings highlight the importance of purposefully selecting speaking activities to support the speaking development of students in a SFL classroom.
Ideological discursive formations in an emerging democracy
Authors: Ayaawan Alimsiwen Elijah , Opoku Gabriel
Published: July 2020

The inaugural address has received a fair bit of scholarly attention due to the strength in the argument that it occupies an important position amongst discourses that can be termed political; and of course, the recognition that it performs an important political function within the state. The primary interest in the inaugural address has mainly been from the field of rhetoric and composition. This study approaches the inaugural from a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) perspective that allows for an examination of the discourse of governance as it is ideologically expressed in the inaugural address. Four (4) inaugural addresses of four (4) presidents within Ghana’s Fourth Republican tradition were purposefully selected to create a mini corpus for the study. Using the dialectical relational approach and drawing specifically on the concepts of subject positioning, agency in discourse and intertextuality, the analysis examines the ideological discursive formations of governance expressed in the inaugurals as discourse types as well as looks at the issues of subject positioning and agency and their ideological implications in the inaugural addresses. The analysis reveals that though there is an extent to which the ideological discursive formation of collectivism has been naturalised in the addresses, there exist differences in terms of how the subject is characterised within this collectivism. It also reveals that there are differences in how the principals of the two political traditions express agency within the addresses. We argue that these differences do construct and are constrained by the different ideological discursive formations of the two political traditions that have dominated Ghana’s political space.
Suitability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Cadastral Surveys
Authors: Mantey S.
Published: July 2020

Cadastral surveys in Ghana often employ well known surveying equipment such as Total Station andGNSSreceivers or a combination of both. These survey techniques are well-established and widely accepted. However, there are limitations in certain areas. In situations where difficult terrain and inaccessible areas and dense vegetation are encountered or when surveyor’s life may be at risk, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) could be used to overcome the limitations of these well-established survey instruments. This research used high resolution images from UAV (DJI Phantom 4) to survey plots within the University of Mines and Technology land area. Coordinates of the boundary points were extracted using Agisoft Photoscan.GNSSreceivers were also used to survey the land and the same boundary point coordinates obtained and compared. This enabled the establishment of accurate ground control points for georeferencing. The coordinates obtained from both UAV andGNSSSurveys were used to prepare cadastral plans and compared. The difference in Northings and Eastings from UAV andGNSSsurveys were +0.380 cmand +0.351 cmrespectively. These differences are well within tolerance of +/-0.9114 m(+/-3 ft) set by the Survey and Mapping Division (SMD) of the Lands Commission for cadastral plans production. This research therefore concludes that high resolution images from UAVs are suitable for cadastral surveying. Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Drones, Global Navigation Satellite Systems, Cadastral Surveys
Can Capital Injection Make Challenged Gold Projects in Ghana Economically Viable? – A Case Study
Authors: Mireku-Gyimah D. , Gyebuni R.
Published: July 2020

Damang Gold Mine (DGM) in Ghana uses open pit mining technology to mine its gold deposit. It has an estimated mineable gold reserve of about 32 Mt exploitable for 8 years. As the gold price kept falling from 2013 and operating cost kept rising, the mine down sized its operations. But the operations became challenging due to poor performance of ageing mining equipment and processing plant, and the need for a new tailings dam. As the gold price stabilises, it could be gainful to invest capital to resolve the challenges and increase production. This study aims at investigating whether DGM would be economically viable if the intended investment is made assuming the gold price falls to US$ 32.15/g. The study estimates the required capital and annual operating cost to be US$89.49 M and US$100.84 M respectively.  A cash flow analysis is carried out assuming no price escalation, discount rate of 20%, and applying the following investment laws of Ghana: royalty of 5% of gross revenue; straight line depreciation of capital expenditure over five years (20% per year); investment allowance of 5% in the first year only; loss carry forward; and corporate tax of 35%. The results give Net Present Value of US$82 723 720.28 and Internal Rate of Return of 41.13%, indicating profitability. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the project will continue to be profitable until the revenue falls below 24%, assuming all other economic parameters remain constant. The project will also continue to be profitable until the operating cost increases beyond 30%, assuming all other economic parameters remain constant. Risk analysis on the project indicates the project has 70% chances of success. DGM could invest the capital to mine its gold reserves because the mine will make profit provided cost is controlled and production level maintained to generate needed revenue. Keywords: Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Sensitivity Analysis, Risk Analysis
Geometallurgical Studies on Gold Ore for Enhanced Comminution and Leaching
Authors: Ofori-Sarpong G. , Okwaisie T. , Amankwah R. K.
Published: July 2020

Many gold processing plants are experiencing challenges as mining pits are becoming deeper, rocks are getting harder and more complex polymetallic and refractory ores are being encountered. The variations in the characteristics of ores lead to deviations from the established parameters, and these affect gold extraction efficiency. This paper presents a study where geological characteristics of the ore types from some mining pits were used to ascertain the influence of ore blends on improving the performances of comminution and leaching circuits. To achieve this, mineralogical, comminution, gravity recoverable gold and leaching investigations were conducted on fresh and weathered ore samples and their blends. Mineralogical study showed that the main rock types associated with the mine pits were dolerite, phyllites, conglomerates and sandstone. The dominant minerals were quartz, plagioclase, with traces of pyrites. The Crushability Work Indices of the rocks were between 30 and 37 KWh/t, which are generally higher than the maximum design value of 31.9 kWh/t, and this situation will pose throughput challenges in that section. The Bond Ball Mill Work Indices of the blends tested were between 16.4 kWh/t and 9.6 kWh/t and a blend ratio of 85% fresh and 15% weathered was found to have a Bond Ball Work Index almost equal to the design value of 14 kWh/t. With gold assays of 2.5 g/t for dolerite, 2.1 g/t for phyllite, 3.7 g/t for sandstone and 3.4 g/t for conglomerate, the gravity recoverable gold was in the order of sandstone 36% > phyllite (31.5%) > dolerite (29.5%) > conglomerate (18%). The overall gold recoveries were in the sequence of conglomerate (95%), sandstone (94%), phyllite (92%) and dolerite (87%). This information could be utilised in developing a proactive plant operations strategies for an operating plant in order to ultimately manage the plant and enhance achievement of set targets. Keywords: Geometallurgy; Ore Blends; Characterisation; Communition Circuit Performance; Gold Recovery
Optimisation of Operational Parameters of a Spiral Classifier Using Design of Experiment (DOE)
Authors: Ackah K. , Owusu C. , Amoah F.
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Classifying Mn Ore to improve upon the grade and the properties has become a crucial activity for the Mn industry since it increases the market value of the ore. Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) has renovated their oxide washing plant by integrating it with a spiral classifier to make a batch system operating process. Particle size of <3.35mm (Mn grade of 43-47%) obtained from the primary section of the plant served as feed to the classifier and with the plant condition (i.e. at 60 min washing time, 30 rev/min speed of spirals and feed tonnage of 6 t), Mn grade of 49% was achieved. This paper focused on the optimisation of some selected operational parameters of the classifier to obtain a Mn grade >50% using Design of Experiment (DOE). Series of test works were designed using the DOE for the classifier using the constraints of washing time (30-90 min), speed of spirals (20-40 rev/min) and feed tonnage (6-9 t). The outcome of the test work after simulation showed that all the selected parameters had a great influence on Mn grade. The spiral speed and feed tonnage correlated negatively to the Mn grade with washing time correlating positively. Operating the spiral classifier at a feed rate, spiral speed and washing time of 6 t, 25 rev/min, and 30 min, respectively, yielded Mn grade of 53%. A Confirmatory test using the established conditions gave a Mn grade of 53%, which is a 4% increment in the previous Mn grade which was 47%. The outcome of the studies is the new established operational conditions which is adhered to by the plant, producing a manganese concentrate grade ranging between 52-54%.

 

Keywords: Design of Experiment (DOE), Spiral Classifier, Grade, Manganese
Editorial
Authors: Bampabwire John Bosco , Ssentongo Jimmy Spire
Published: July 2020

Education in Uganda and indeed in most of the developing world is regarded as theoretical and irrelevant to the realities of practical life. It is true that due to the increase in the number of higher education institutions, the number of graduates has also soared. Much as there are limited formal employment opportunities for thesefresh job seekers, the challenge is that many of them even lack the skills to perform the duties required of the few vacancies that exist in the job market – let alone the innovativeness to create their own.
Land cover and land use change analysis: Its impacts on rangeland ecosystems in Kakooge County, Nakasongola district, Uganda
Authors: Mbaziira James
Published: July 2020

The paper presents and reviews the land cover and land use changes within a rangeland ecosystem and their impacts for a period of 18 years (1987–2005) in Nakasongola district, specifically, Kakooge County. The study used ArcGIS 10.2 data, field observations and community perceptions. Results showed a typical change in built areas, bush lands and subsistence farmlands expanded by 822.2% in 1987 and 61.7% in 2015, while commercial farmland, forest plantations, wetlands and woodland declined by 1.5%, 67.5%, 37.6% and 6.5% respectively. The changes in land cover and land uses originated from poverty, charcoal production, occurrence of drought, and introduction of pine plantations by 41%, 37%, 55% and 50%. Similarly, this resulted into frequent droughts, reduced soil productivity, food insecurity, and wood fuel crisis by 98%, 67%, 33%, and 36%, respectively. There was also general decline of land holding per household from 1.6ha to 1.5ha. Thus, such cumulative effectscontribute to rangeland degradation calling for appropriate management measures like strengthening environmental monitoring and ecosystem conservation strategies, extending poverty alleviation programmes and integrating of tree planting into the farming system in a more collaborative way to halt  the outpacing impacts.
Integrating Remote Sensing and GIS to Model Forest Fire Rik in Virunga Massif, Central - Eastern Africa
Authors: Kayijamahe C.B , Rwanyiziri G , Mugabowindekwe M , Tuyishimire J
Published: July 2020

This study aimed at developing a forest fire risk model using a combination of GIS and Remote sensing techniques, which helped to identify the level of forest fire vulnerability in Virunga Massif, located at the edge of central and eastern Africa. The Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) approach was employed to rank and weigh the key variables and combine them into different fire risk input factors which were later integrated into the main forest fire risk model. The main input datasets, which were linked with a potential source of a forest fire, include the land cover (specifically vegetation type data generated through the Landsat 8 image classification); topographic variables such as slope, elevation and aspect retrieved from the existing Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Rwanda; the concentration of illegal activities and proximity to beehives sites; as well as visibility from the road and human settlements. Input factor maps were generated, assigned weights and combined in a GIS environment to produce a Virunga massif fire risk model map, which was validated using the existing burnt areas map, and ground truth points recorded using GPS. The study found that the ignition factors are the most forest fire triggering factors in Virunga massif, followed by topographic factors which play a major role in the fire spreading across the ecosystem. The high forest fire risk areas were found in steep slope location around the peaks of the volcanoes, whereas areas with the lowest risk of forest fire were found inside the forest at gentle slopes. The model was validated at 75% accuracy using ground truth data. The study proposes measure to halt the ignition factors through prevention of illegal activities in the Virunga massif for the successful prevention of the forest fire risk in the ecosystem, with much effort invested during the dry season, along with the relocation of beehives to a farther distance from the ecosystem’s edge.

Keywords: Forest Fire Risk Modelling, Biodiversity, Illegal Activities, Ignition Factors, Topographic Factors, Analytic Hierarchy Process
Innovative Geospatial Solutions for Land Tenure Mapping
Authors: Koeva M. , Stöcker C , Crommelinck S , Chipofya M , Kundert K , Schwering A , Sahib J , Zein T , Timm C , Humayun M.I , Crompvoets J , Tan E , Casiano C , Nkerabigwi P
Published: July 2020

There are millions of unrecorded land rights in sub-Saharan Africa, which are still not mapped. Therefore, there is a clear demand for innovative solutions for land tenure recording, as also written in the target 1.4 of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to this need, the consortia of “its4land” European Commission Horizon 2020 project developed the “its4land toolbox” based on the continuum of land rights and fit-for-purpose approach. The advanced technological solutions of the toolbox include smart sketch maps, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), interactive boundary delineator, as well as sharing and publishing land information via geocloud services. The solutions are based on specific needs, market opportunities, and readiness of end-users. Moreover, aiming in scaling up broader governance implications are examined. During the project lifetime, the main technical tasks included tool development, prototyping, and demonstration of the tools to local, regional, national, and international users and stakeholders. Furthermore, equal emphasis was placed on needs assessment, governance, capacity, and business modeling. The current paper presents the unique its4land land administration toolbox in which the key exploitable results of the project are integrated in a joint used case in Rwanda.

Keywords: Fit-for-Purpose; Land Tenure; UAV; Boundary Delineation; Land
An unrealistic account of moral reasons
Authors: Cadilha Susana
Published: July 2020

In this paper I will analyze John McDowell’s broad account of practical rationality and moral reasons, which he mainly puts forward in his articles “Are moral requirements hypothetical imperatives?” (1978) and “Might there be external reasons?” (1995). My main aim is to argue that from a philosophical perspective, no less than from an empirical one, McDowell’s account of practical rationality is not a realistic one. From a philosophical point of view, I will argue that his intellectualist account is not convincing; and if we consider his virtue-ethical ideal of practical rationality in light of the model of human cognition, we also realize that moral behavior is not immune to cognitive biases and does not always flow from robust traits of character like virtues. At the same time, this puts at stake his strong thesis of moral autonomy – the idea that with the ‘onset of reason’ moral beings are no longer determined by ‘first nature’ features.
Effects of Rater Training on the Assessment of L2 English Oral Proficiency
Authors: Sundqvist Pia , Sandlund Erica , Skar Gustaf B. , Tengberg Michael
Published: July 2020

The main objective of this study was to examine whether a Rater Identity Development (RID) program would increase interrater reliability and improve calibration of scores against benchmarks in the assessment of second/foreign language English oral proficiency. Eleven primary school teachers-as-raters participated. A pretest–intervention/RID–posttest design was employed and data included 220 assessments of student performances. Two types of rater-reliability analyses were conducted: first, estimates of the intraclass correlation coefficient two-way random effects model, in order to indicate the extent to which raters were consistent in their rankings, and second, a many-facet Rasch measurement analysis, extended through FACETS®, to explore variation regarding systematic differences of rater severity/leniency. Results showed improvement in terms of consistency, presumably as a result of training; simultaneously, the differences in severity became greater. Results suggest that future rater training may draw on central components of RID, such as core concepts in language assessment, individual feedback, and social moderation work.
De Atenas a Jerusalén. La creación del mundo en Filón de Alejandría
Authors: García-Lomas Gago, OSB Fr. Luis Javier
Published: July 2020

El objetivo del presente artículo es trazar un recorrido por las principales líneas de la cosmología de Filón de Alejandría tal y como ésta se manifiesta en su obra De Opificio Mundi. Dicha obra es exponente de la síntesis que lleva a cabo el autor entre judaísmo alejandrino y algunas corrientes filosóficas del helenismo tardío. Por eso, estudiar la concepción que de la creación del mundo tiene Filón es estudiar sus influencias filosóficas y religiosas, pero es asimismo estudiar las innovaciones que el alejandrino propone en sus escritos y que suponen un importante paso hacia delante en el camino hacia la formulación de la doctrina de la creatio ex nihilo.
Estudio de la pintura inédita de “La Virgen del Espejo”
Authors: Cimorra Pena Francisco Javier
Published: July 2020

Estudio de la original pintura “La Virgen del Espejo”. Se trata de una pintura inédita para el público en general pues no ha sido nunca expuesta. Tras su adquisición, permaneció siempre en una familia española desde el siglo XVI. Solamente fue expuesta en subasta en Madrid en el año 2007 donde fue adquirida por su actual propietario.
Fog and Atmospheric Turbulence in FSO:
Models to mitigate
Authors: Gupta Ritu , Aggarwal Ankita
Published: July 2020

Free space optics (FSO) is an attractive technique and provides reliability in comparison to radio frequency (RF). The
FSO provides high data rate capability and has high bandwidth efficiency. The FSO provides various advantages to radio
frequency and it is operable at rain also. But as other techniques FSO also has some issues like absorption, scintillation and
scattering, which degrades the quality of the signal. There are various models which estimates the losses due to fog and absorption.
In this paper we have analysed the kim, kruse and gamma gamma - gamma turbulence modelin terms of atmospheric attenuation
or visibility
Predictions of the glass transition temperature and viscosity of organic aerosols from volatility distributions
Authors: Li Ying , Day Douglas A. , Stark Harald , Jimenez Jose L. , Shiraiwa Manabu
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Volatility and viscosity are important properties of organic aerosols (OA),
affecting aerosol processes such as formation, evolution, and partitioning of
OA. Volatility distributions of ambient OA particles have often been
measured, while viscosity measurements are scarce. We have previously
developed a method to estimate the glass transition temperature (Tg) of
an organic compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Based on
analysis of over 2400 organic compounds including oxygenated organic
compounds, as well as nitrogen- and sulfur-containing organic compounds, we
extend this method to include nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds
based on elemental composition. In addition, parameterizations are developed
to predict Tg as a function of volatility and the atomic
oxygen-to-carbon ratio based on a negative correlation between Tg and
volatility. This prediction method of Tg is applied to ambient
observations of volatility distributions at 11 field sites. The
predicted Tg values of OA under dry conditions vary mainly from 290 to 339 K
and the predicted viscosities are consistent with the results of ambient
particle-phase-state measurements in the southeastern US and the Amazonian
rain forest. Reducing the uncertainties in measured volatility distributions
would improve predictions of viscosity, especially at low relative humidity.
We also predict the Tg of OA components identified via positive matrix
factorization of aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) data. The predicted viscosity of
oxidized OA is consistent with previously reported viscosity of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) derived
from α-pinene, toluene, isoprene epoxydiol (IEPOX), and diesel fuel.
Comparison of the predicted viscosity based on the observed volatility
distributions with the viscosity simulated by a chemical transport model
implies that missing low volatility compounds in a global model can lead to
underestimation of OA viscosity at some sites. The relation between
volatility and viscosity can be applied in the molecular corridor or
volatility basis set approaches to improve OA simulations in chemical
transport models by consideration of effects of particle viscosity in OA
formation and evolution.
The positive radiative forcing by the substantial SO2 emission
reductions is counteracted by decreased BC concentrations in China
over the recent decade
Authors: Liu Mingxu , Matsui Hitoshi
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Anthropogenic emissions in China play an important role in altering global radiation budget. Over the recent decade, the clean-air options in China result in substantial reductions in anthropogenic emissions, especially sulfur dioxide (SO2), and improved air quality. However, the associated changes in aerosol climate effects are poorly understood. In this study, we use an advanced global climate model integrated with latest anthropogenic emission inventory to estimate the changes in the aerosol radiative forcings by the emission variation in China between 2008 and 2016. First, our simulations exhibit decreases of 46 % and 25 % for the annual mean surface-level sulfate and black carbon (BC) mass concentrations in East China, respectively, which is the key region subject to stringent emission control options. The decreasing tendency of aerosol optical depth and aerosol absorption optical depth retrieved by satellites is also captured by the model for the period. We find that the resultant net radiative forcing by the changes in the BC and SO2 emissions is −0.04 W m−2 in East China. The substantial reductions in SO2 emissions diminish the scattering effects of sulfate and lead to an overall change of +0.17 W m−2 for the annual mean all-sky shortwave aerosol direct radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere and +0.13 W m−2 for aerosol-induced cloud radiative forcing. In the meantime, the reduction in BC emissions induces a negative BC radiative forcing of −0.34 W m−2. By accounting for the joint effect of BC and SO2 emissions, our results demonstrate that the positive radiative forcing by the SO2 emission reductions is counteracted by the decrease of BC in China over the recent decade. While the local radiative forcing is small due to the counteracted effects of SO2 and BC emissions, it is relatively larger (+0.16 W m−2) over the north Pacific remote regions for this period, primarily contributed by the reductions in sulfate particles and their effects on cloud properties. With a comprehensive future emission scenario for 2030 and 2050 developed by the recent study, we predict that the strictest environmental policies will induce the change of aerosol radiative forcings of +0.55 and +1.23 W m−2 over East China between 2016–2030 and 2016–2050, respectively. Targeted emission control policies are desirable to improve air quality and mitigate climate change in the future.
High-resolution global atmospheric moisture connections from evaporation to precipitation
Authors: Tuinenburg Obbe A. , Theeuwen Jolanda J. E. , Staal Arie
Published: July 2020

Abstract. A key Earth system process is the circulation of evaporated moisture through the atmosphere. Spatial connections between evaporation and precipitation affect the global and regional climates by redistributing water and latent heat. Through this atmospheric moisture recycling, land-cover changes influence regional precipitation patterns, with potentially far-reaching effects on human livelihoods and biome distributions across the globe. However, a globally complete dataset of atmospheric moisture flows from evaporation to precipitation has been lacking so far. Here we present a dataset of global atmospheric moisture recycling on both 0.5° and 1.0° spatial resolution. We simulated the moisture flows between each pair of cells across all land and oceans for 2008–2017 and present their monthly climatological means. We applied the Lagrangian moisture tracking model UTrack, which is forced with ERA5 reanalysis data on 25 atmospheric layers and hourly wind speeds and directions. Due to the global coverage of the simulations, a complete picture of both the upwind source areas of precipitation and downwind target areas of evaporation can be obtained. We show a number of statistics of global atmospheric moisture flows: land recycling, basin recycling, mean latitudinal and longitudinal flows, absolute latitudinal and longitudinal flows, and basin recycling for the 26 largest river basins. We find that, on average, 70 % of global land evaporation rains down over land, varying between 62 % and 74 % across the year; 51 % of global land precipitation has evaporated from land, varying between 36 % and 57 % across the year. Highest basin recycling occurs in the Amazon and Congo basins, with evaporation and precipitation recycling of 63 % and 36 % for the Amazon basin and 60 % and 47 % for the Congo basin. These statistics are examples of the potential usage of the dataset, which allows users to identify and quantify the moisture flows from and to any area on Earth, from local to global scales. The dataset is available at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.912710 (Tuinenburg et al., 2020).
Ein blinder Fleck der Diversitätsdebatte? Zur Neuguineaisierung der Stadt
Authors: Dirksmeier Peter
Published: July 2020

Abstract. The contemporary metropolis is characterised by an
increasing diversity of its population, which is called “super-diversity” or “hyperdiversity” in the urban discourse.
This epistemological realignment breaks new ground away from the classic
Chicago School. Associated with this “diversification of diversity”
(Vertovec, 2007:1025) is a fragmentation of the different social and ethnic
groups in the city. However, the concept of super-diversity camouflages a
separateness of these groups that is called newguineaisation in this paper. With that said,
this new urban reality claims for empirical investigations of the societal
implication of this phenomenon especially with regard to social cohesion in
contemporary cities.
HydrothermalFoam v1.0: a 3-D hydro-thermo-transport model for natural submarine hydrothermal systems
Authors: Guo Zhikui , Rüpke Lars , Tao Chunhui
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Herein, we introduce HydrothermalFoam, a three dimensional hydro-thermo-transport model designed to resolve fluid flow within submarine hydrothermal circulation systems. HydrothermalFoam has been developed on the OpenFOAM platform, which is a Finite Volume based C++ toolbox for fluid-dynamic simulations and for developing customized numerical models that provides access to state-of-the-art parallelized solvers and to a wide range of pre- and post-processing tools. We have implemented a porous media Darcy-flow model with associated boundary conditions designed to facilitate numerical simulations of submarine hydrothermal systems. The current implementation is valid for single-phase fluid states and uses a pure water equation-of-state (IAPWS-97). We here present the model formulation, OpenFOAM implementation details, and a sequence of 1-D, 2-D and 3-D benchmark tests. The source code repository further includes a number of tutorials that can be used as starting points for building specialized hydrothermal flow models. The model is published under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
Thermal regime, energy budget and lake evaporation at Paiku Co, a deep alpine lake in the central Himalayas
Authors: Lei Yanbin , Yao Tandong , Yang Kun ,   Lazhu, Ma Yaoming , Bird Broxton W.
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Endorheic lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) experienced dramatic changes in area and volume during the past decades. However, the hydrological processes associated with lake dynamics are still less understood. In this study, lake evaporation and its impact on seasonal lake level changes at Paiku Co, central Himalayas, were investigated based on three years of in-situ observations of lake thermal structure and hydrometeorology (2015–2018). The results show that Paiku Co is a dimictic lake with thermal stratification at the water depth of 15–30 m between July and October. As a deep alpine lake, the large heat storage significantly influenced the seasonal pattern of heat flux over lake surface. Between April and July, when the lake gradually warmed, about 66.5% of the net radiation was consumed to heat lake water. Between October and January, when the lake cooled, heat released from lake water was about 3 times larger than the net radiation. There was ~5 month lag between the maximum lake evaporation and maximum net radiation at Paiku Co. Lake evaporation was estimated to be 975±82 mm between May and December, with low values in spring and early summer, and high values in autumn and early winter. The seasonal pattern of lake evaporation at Paiku Co significantly affected lake level seasonality, that is, a significant lake level decrease of 3.8 mm/day during the post-monsoon season while a slight decrease of 1.3 mm/day during the pre-monsoon season. This study may have implications for the different amplitudes of seasonal lake level variations between deep and shallow lakes.
Surprising absence of strong homonuclear coupling at low magnetic field explored by two-field NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Zhukov Ivan V. , Kiryutin Alexey S. , Wang Ziqing , Zachrdla Milan , Yurkovskaya Alexandra V. , Ivanov Konstantin L. , Ferrage Fabien
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Strong coupling of nuclear spins, which is achieved when their scalar coupling 2πJ is greater than or comparable to the difference δω in their Larmor precession frequencies in an external magnetic field, gives rise to efficient coherent longitudinal polarization transfer. The strong-coupling regime can be achieved when the external magnetic field is sufficiently low, as δω is reduced proportional to the field strength. In the present work, however, we demonstrate that in heteronuclear spin systems these simple arguments may not hold, since heteronuclear spin-spin interactions alter the δω value. The experimental method that we use is two-field NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), exploiting sample shuttling between a high field, at which NMR spectra are acquired, and low field, where strong couplings are expected, at which NMR pulses can be applied to affect the spin dynamics. By using this technique, we generate zero-quantum spin coherences by means of non-adiabatic passage through a level anti-crossing and study their evolution at low field. Such zero-quantum coherences mediate the polarization transfer under strong coupling conditions. Experiments performed with an 13C labelled amino acid clearly show that the coherent polarization transfer at low field is pronounced in the 13C-spin subsystem under proton decoupling. However, in the absence of proton decoupling, polarization transfer by coherent processes is dramatically reduced, demonstrating that heteronuclear spin-spin interactions suppress the strong coupling regime even when the external field is low. A theoretical model is presented, which can model the reported experimental results.
High-resolution simulations of interactions between surface ocean dynamics and frazil ice
Authors: Herman Agnieszka , Dojczman Maciej , Świszcz Kamila
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Frazil and grease ice forms in the ocean mixed layer (OML) during highly turbulent conditions (strong wind, large waves) accompanied by intense heat loss to the atmosphere. Three main velocity scales that shape the complex, three-dimensional OML dynamics under those conditions are: the friction velocity u* at the ocean--atmosphere interface, the vertical velocity w* associated with convective motion, and the vertical velocity w*,L associated with Langmuir turbulence. The fate of buoyant particles, e.g. frazil crystals, in that dynamic environment depends primarily on their floatability, i.e., the ratio of their rising velocity wt to the characteristic vertical velocity, dependent on w* and w*,L. In this work, dynamics of frazil ice is investigated numerically with a high-resolution, non-hydrostatic hydrodynamic model CROCO (Coastal and Regional Ocean COmmunity Model), extended to account for frazil transport and its interactions with surrounding water. An idealized model setup is used (a square computational domain with periodic lateral boundaries; spatially uniform atmospheric and wave forcing). The model reproduces the main features of buoyancy- and wave-forced OML circulation, including the preferential concentration of frazil particles in elongated patches at the sea surface. Two spatial patterns are identified in the distribution of frazil volume fraction at the surface, one related to individual surface convergence zones, very narrow and oriented approximately parallel to the wind/wave direction, and one in the form of wide streaks with separation distance of a few hundreds meters, oriented obliquely to the direction of the forcing. Several series of simulations are performed, differing in terms of the level of coupling between the frazil and hydrodynamic processes: from a situation when frazil has no influence on hydrodynamics (as in most models of material transport in the OML) to a situation when frazil modifies the net density, effective viscosity, transfer coefficients at the ocean--atmosphere interface and exerts a net drag force on the surrounding water. The role of each of those effects in shaping the bulk OML characteristics and frazil transport is assessed, and the density of the ice–water mixture is found to have the strongest influence on those characteristics.
Robust predictors for seasonal Atlantic hurricane activity identified with causal effect networks
Authors: Pfleiderer Peter , Schleussner Carl-Friedrich , Geiger Tobias , Kretschmer Marlene
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Atlantic hurricane activity varies substantially from year to year
and so does the associated damage. Longer-term forecasting of hurricane risks
is a key element to reduce damage and societal vulnerabilities by enabling
targeted disaster preparedness and risk reduction measures. While the
immediate synoptic drivers of tropical cyclone formation and intensification
are increasingly well understood, precursors of hurricane activity on longer
time horizons are still not well established. Here we use a causal-network-based algorithm to identify physically interpretable late-spring
precursors of seasonal Atlantic hurricane activity. Based on these
precursors we construct statistical seasonal forecast models with
competitive skill compared to operational forecasts. In particular, we
present a skilful prediction model to forecast July to October tropical
cyclone activity at the beginning of April. Our approach highlights the
potential of applying causal effect network analysis to identify sources of
predictability on seasonal timescales.
A Mobile Phone-based Multimedia Application Could Improve Maternal Health in Rural Southwestern Uganda: Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Musiimenta Angella , Tumuhimbise Wilson , Mugyenyi Godfrey , Katusiime Jane , Atukunda Esther , Pinkwart Niels
Published: July 2020

Background: Reducing maternal and infant mortality rates remains challenging. Illiteracy, lack of reliable information, long distances to health centers continue to limit access to quality maternal healthcare in Uganda. Mobile health technologies could be promising affordable strategies for enhancing access to maternal health services. However, there is lack of studies assessing the experiences of illiterate rural pregnant women regarding these technologies.

Objective: To explore how illiterate pregnant women perceive a maternal health mobile application composed of tailored video and audio messages, appointment reminders and calling function.

Methods: We purposively sampled illiterate pregnant women initiating antenatal care at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. We carried out three focus group discussions with 14 women to elicit information on perceptions of the proposed mobile phone based multimedia application. We used STATA 13 to describe study participants and their preferences.

Results: Pregnant women anticipated that intervention would enhance maternal health by reminding them to attend antenatal appointments, enabling transport cost and time saving, providing tailored information that is easy to understand, and recall. However, financial constraints and phone sharing would limit the functionality.Conclusion: Mhealth application may provide acceptable and affordable alternative approaches to providing maternal health services, especially in settings where face-to-face approaches are challenging.
Integrating Business CSR With Local Government Development Program: Business Perception
Authors: Nadjib Abdul , Zainal Rabin Ibnu
Published: July 2020

The mandate of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Indonesia through various laws and regulations, provide an alternative source of funding for local government for the development and the provision of basic services in their area. However, the process of integrating business CSR with local development program must consider the perception of all relevant stakeholders, namely local government officials and staff or managers managing CSR programs in the company. Business CSR are often placed as an instrument for companies to achieve its interest, such as to obtain a social license, reputation and security of business. This study is aimed at understanding business perceptions in integrating business CSR with local development program. The study took place in Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra province, which is known as a regent where many mining and plantation companies operating in the region. The method used is a descriptive qualitative research method by conducting unstructured interviews with managers and staff of 10 business companies in this region. The study found that there were differences in perceptions of managers and staff towards the integration of CSR with local development programs. The differences of perception is occurred as the local government is still not adopted the business interests. This can be used as a guideline for all parties as a first step to integrate CSR programs with regional development planning.
Evaluación del desempeño profesoral en Educación Superior Tecnológica
Authors: Falcón Mary Susana Mantilla
Published: July 2020

El desempeño laboral de los profesores constituye un medio poderoso para mejorar la calidad educativa; en tal sentido, la evaluación del mismo es un proceso que sirve para juzgar la excelencia y las cualidades de una persona y, sobre todo, su contribución al logro de los objetivos de la organización. En esta investigación se analizó la evaluación del desempeño de 49 profesores de la carrera de Administración de Empresa del Instituto Superior Tecnológico Edupraxis en Ecuador. Para el caso de estudio, los criterios predominantes fueron los didácticos. De ahí que se sugiere una propuesta de criterios de evaluación profesoral, que consideren como elemento fundamental un plan de mejoramiento profesional.
Effect of applying blended clinical teaching strategies on nursing student’s achievement of abdominal examination in pregnancy
Authors: Marzouk Tyseer , Ella Nadia Abd
Published: July 2020

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of applying blended clinical teaching strategies on nursing student’s achievement of abdominal examination in pregnancy.Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was implemented on a purposive sample of 105 students registered in the maternity nursing course, Mansoura University, Egpyt. The participants were assigned to the comparison group; who were subjected to the conventional clinical demonstration, the video demonstration group who watched a video clip about the procedure of abdominal examination in pregnancy, or to the blended teaching group, who received both teaching methods. Four tools were used in data collection. Assessment sheet for demographics, student’s knowledge and performance were evaluated by Multiple Choice Questions test and performance checklist respectively, while a self-rating scale was used for confidence in clinical performance and satisfaction with the teaching method.Results: Immediately post-intervention, the blended teaching group had the highest knowledge score compared to the clinical demonstration and video demonstration groups (33.8 ± 1.8 vs. 30.3 ± 1.9 and 24.5 ± 2.8 respectively, p < .001), and 38.0 ± 3.1 vs. 33.0 ± 1.2 and 28.0 ± 2.4 at 2 weeks evaluation and had the highest performance scores (7.8 ± 0.9 and 9.1 ± 0.8, p < .001) immediately and at 2 weeks post-intervention respectively. Similarly, the blended teaching group had the highest confidence in clinical performance and satisfaction with the teaching strategies scores in comparison to the other two groups post-intervention (8.9 ± 0.9 and 9.4 ± 0.5 respectively; p < .001).Conclusions: The study hypotheses were accepted, where blending the video demonstration with the conventional demonstration was an effective strategy for improving the knowledge and clinical performance scores, as well as increasing the confidence in clinical performance and satisfaction with the teaching strategy.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 12, No. 8
Authors: Grey Erica
Published: July 2020

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 12, No. 8, 2020.