bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adjunct Cultures in Cheese Technology
Authors: Gürsoy Ayşe , Türkmen Nazlı
Published: March 2018

Cheese ripening involves highly complex biochemical events. Coagulant enzymes as well as the utilized starters play an important role in these events. Two types of starters are used: primary and secondary. The main role of the primary culture, which consists of lactic acid bacteria, is to carry out lactic production during fermentation. They contribute to proteolysis and limited flavor formation with the enzymes they possess. Secondary or adjunct cultures are used to develop the texture and to accelerate the ripening. During the selection of this type of culture, enzyme profiles (i.e., proteolytic and lipolytic activities and their autolyse levels) in cheese are the primary factors to be taken into consideration. Apart from these, the other factors are their positive effects on health, availability, and economy. Adjunct cultures include yeast, molds, and bacteria. Some of the heterofermentative lactobacilli species, in particular weakened strains, are used as adjunct cultures in order to accelerate the ripening and shorten the ripening time in fat-reduced and low-fat cheeses. This chapter explores adjunct cultures in cheese technology.
Potential Probiotic Microorganisms in Kefir
Authors: Akal H. Ceren , Öztürkoğlu Budak Şebnem , Yetisemiyen Atila
Published: March 2018

Probiotic microorganisms are defined as living microorganisms that provide health benefits on the host when administered in adequate amounts. The benefits include improvement of microbial balance immune system and oral health, provision of cholesterol-lowering effect, and antimicrobial activity against a wide variety of bacteria and some fungi. Kefir microbiota contains active living microorganisms. Many researches were carried out that potential probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus kefir, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, or yeasts like microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces lactis, and Kluyveromyces marxianus were isolated from kefir grains. This chapter presents the data both on the probiotic bacteria isolated from kefir grains or kefir and the probiotic properties of kefir produced with these microorganisms.
Dynamic Performance and Stability Research of VMI-APIOBPCS in Apparel Industry Based on Control Theory
Authors: Zhan Xueli , Zhang Qin , Xie Wenfeng
Published: March 2018

In this article, the authors mainly investigate the dynamic performance of VMI-APIOBPCS (Vendor Manage Inventory-Automatic Pipeline Inventory and Order Based Production Control System) in the apparel industry. With the increasing importance of supply chain system integration, VMI-APIOBPCS can integrate various kinds of elements in the real operation, which is proved to be very effective in solving complex problems. Apparel supply chains have relatively more complicated dynamic behaviors because of the factors like volatile demand, the strong seasonality of sales and the large number of items with short life cycle or lacking historical data. In order to clear these behaviors, and come up with new ideas to solve present difficulties, the authors apply classic control theory to build up the model of VMI-APIOBPCS in apparel supply chain. They then analyze the dynamic performance of apparel supply chain and use Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion to analyze the stability on the expectation that the outcomes of our research can be useful in the practical occasions.
Identification of Critical Factors in Large Crisis Decision Making Processes Using Computational Tools
Authors: Domdouzis Konstantinos , Akhgar Babak , Andrews Simon , Day Tony
Published: March 2018

This article aims to present a social media-based system that coordinates the responses of the authorities in a large crisis. The article performs extensive review of literature in order to identify decision making approaches in crisis situations and the different factors that affect these approaches. It also presents the ATHENA Crisis Management system which is based on a platform that makes combined use of data mining algorithms for the purpose of analysing large amounts of data received through the Social Media during and after a large crisis. A number of conclusions are drawn on the identification of different types of factors that impact large crisis decision making.
ICT-based Methodology for Fostering ADHD Students Inclusion in Classrooms
Authors: Valtolina Stefano , Di Gaetano Serena
Published: March 2018

ADHD is a disorder of child and adolescent neuropsychological development which principal characteristics area inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. These symptoms can be due to difficulties in self-control and in planning capacity but in general, they are not associated with an intelligence deficit. The present article aims at defining a teaching methodology able to promote teaching strategies based on the use of digital technologies. The idea is to offer teachers an ecosystem of tools through which they can create teaching modules designed to make students with ADHD more involved. The result is to provide students with ICT-based didactic modules able to offer more cooperative and inclusive educational activities. The idea is to demonstrate how solutions thought for including students with ADHD can improve all students in terms of acquired competences and in integration among classmates.
Discovering Attribute-Specific Features From Online Reviews
Authors: Jing Xiaonan , Wang Penghao , Rayz Julia M.
Published: March 2018

This article describes how online reviews play an important role in data driven decision making. Many efforts have been invested in determining the overall sentiment carried by the reviews. However, oftentimes, the overall ratings of the reviews do not represent opinions toward specific attributes of a product. An ideal opinion mining tool should aim at finding both the product attributes and their corresponding opinions. The authors propose an approach for extracting the attribute specific features from online reviews using a Word2Vec model combined with clustering. Two experiments are described in this paper: the first focuses on testing the performance of the Word2Vec model on extracting product aspect words, the second addresses how well the extracted features obtained are recognizable by human cognition. A new metric called the “split value” that is based on cluster similarity and diversity is introduced to examine the consistency of clustering algorithm. The authors' experiments suggest that meaningful clusters, which provide insights to the product attributes and sentiments, could be extracted from the reviews.
Investigations on the Brain Connectivity Parameters for Co-Morbidities of Autism Using EEG
Authors: Vishnu Priya K.  , Kavitha A.
Published: March 2018

This article describes how the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a collection of heterogeneous disorders with prevalent cognitive and behavioral abnormalities. ASD is generally considered a life-long disability occurring as a stand-alone disorder but it occurs with possible co-morbid conditions. Electroencephalography (EEG) studies have been identified as one of the most widely used tool for assessing the cognitive functions with strong evidences of stable pattern of EEG associated with ASD. With the understanding of the co-morbidities and the pathophysiology, it needs an appropriate signal processing routine. Hence, this article focuses on the electrophysiological biomarker identification from the acquired EEG signals of low-functioning autistic children to distinguish between the various co-morbidities of autism. Results show that the power, coherence and brain connectivity estimators determined from EEG can be potential biomarkers. The identified biomarkers can thus act as supportive tools for the physician in clinically assessments of Autistic children with difference co-morbidities who differ widely.
The Effect of Augmented and Virtual Reality Interfaces in the Creative Design Process
Authors: Chandrasekera Tilanka , Yoon So-Yeon
Published: March 2018

The aim of the article is to investigate how virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) interfaces affect the creative design process in design education. The article focuses on how technology traits affect the creative design process. 10 subjects were selected and their design process was analyzed using protocol analysis. The results of the study indicate that epistemic action reduces cognitive load, thereby reducing fixation in the design process and enhancing the creative design process.
Fast and Effective Classification using Parallel and Multi-start PSO
Authors: Balasaraswathi M  , Kalpana B
Published: March 2018

PSO being a swarm based algorithm, can efficiently lend itself to operate on huge data. This article presents a technique that performs classification using PSO. An initial discussion is carried out describing PSO as a classifier. Three variants of PSO are proposed here; the first variant hybridizes PSO using Simulated Annealing and the next two variants parallelizes PSO. The two parallel variants of PSO are; Parallel PSO and Multistart PSO. Parallel PSO operates by parallelizing the operation of each of the particles and Multistart PSO runs several normal versions of PSO embedded with Simulated Annealing in parallel. The multi-start version is implemented to eliminate the problem of local optima. Experiments were conducted to identify the scalability and efficiency of PSO and its variants on huge and imbalanced data.
An Exhaustive Requirement Analysis Approach to Estimate Risk Using Requirement Defect and Execution Flow Dependency for Software Development
Authors: Chandani Priyanka , Gupta Chetna
Published: March 2018

Requirement defects are one of the major sources of failure in any software development process as they prevent smooth operation and is taxing both in terms of tracking and validation. The objective of this article is to make requirement analysis phase exhaustive by estimating risk at requirement level using requirement defect information and execution flow dependency as early as possible to inhibit them from being incorporated in design and implementation. The proposed approach works as a two-fold process which computes risk involved with each requirement twice. The whole process is divided into a three-layered framework to finalize requirements with clear vision and scope of a project. The entire process has been supported by a software case study. The results of the proposed work are promising and will help software engineers in ensuring that all business requirements are captured correctly with clear vision and scope. It will also help in decreasing the chances of failure, risk, and conflicts between stakeholder and developer and other challenges involved to develop the project.
Web Page Recommender System using hybrid of Genetic Algorithm and Trust for Personalized Web Search
Authors: Chawla Suruchi
Published: March 2018

The main challenge to effective information retrieval is to optimize the page ranking in order to retrieve relevant documents for user queries. In this article, a method is proposed which uses hybrid of genetic algorithms (GA) and trust for generating the optimal ranking of trusted clicked URLs for web page recommendations. The trusted web pages are selected based on clustered query sessions for GA based optimal ranking in order to retrieve more relevant documents up in ranking and improves the precision of search results. Thus, the optimal ranking of trusted clicked URLs recommends relevant documents to web users for their search goal and satisfy the information need of the user effectively. The experiment was conducted on a data set captured in three domains, academics, entertainment and sports, to evaluate the performance of GA based optimal ranking (with/without trust) and search results confirms the improvement of precision of search results.
Multidimensional Text Warehousing for Automated Text Classification
Authors: Kim Jiyun , Kim Han-joon
Published: March 2018

This article describes how, in the era of big data, a data warehouse is an integrated multidimensional database that provides the basis for the decision making required to establish crucial business strategies. Efficient, effective analysis requires a data organization system that integrates and manages data of various dimensions. However, conventional data warehousing techniques do not consider the various data manipulation operations required for data-mining activities. With the current explosion of text data, much research has examined text (or document) repositories to support text mining and document retrieval. Therefore, this article presents a method of developing a text warehouse that provides a machine-learning-based text classification service. The document is represented as a term-by-concept matrix using a 3rd-order tensor-based textual representation model, which emphasizes the meaning of words occurring in the document. As a result, the proposed text warehouse makes it possible to develop a semantic Naïve Bayes text classifier only by executing appropriate SQL statements.
Maps on Quantum States in -algebras Preserving von Neumann Entropy or Schatten -norm of Convex Combinations
Authors: Gaál Marcell
Published: March 2018

Very recently, Karder and Petek completely described maps on density matrices (positive semidefinite matrices with unit trace) preserving certain entropy-like convex functionals of any convex combination. As a result, maps could be characterized that preserve von Neumann entropy or Schatten $p$-norm of any convex combination of quantum states (whose mathematical representatives are the density matrices). In this note we consider these latter two problems on the set of invertible density operators, in a much more general setting, on the set of positive invertible elements with unit trace in a $C^{\ast }$-algebra.
The domino problem on groups of polynomial growth
Authors: Ballier Alexis , Stein Maya
Published: March 2018

We conjecture that a finitely generated group has a decidable domino problem if and only if it is virtually free. We show this is true for all virtually nilpotent finitely generated groups (or, equivalently, groups of polynomial growth), and for all finitely generated groups whose center has a non-trivial, finitely generated and torsion-free subgroup.

Our proof uses a reduction of the undecidability of the domino problem on any such group

G

to the undecidability of the domino problem on

\mathbb Z^2

, under the assumption that

G

is not virtually free. This is achieved by first finding a thick end in

G

, and then relating the thick end to the existence of a certain structure, resembling a half-grid, by an extension of a result of Halin.
Algorithmic aspects of branched coverings I/V. Van Kampen’s theorem for bisets
Authors: Bartholdi Laurent , Dudko Dzmitry
Published: March 2018

We develop a general theory of
bisets
: sets with two commuting group actions. They naturally encode topological correspondences.

Just as van Kampen’s theorem decomposes into a graph of groups the fundamental group of a space given with a cover, we prove analogously that the biset of a correspondence decomposes into a
graph of bisets
: a graph with bisets at its vertices, given with some natural maps. The
fundamental biset
of the graph of bisets recovers the original biset.

We apply these results to decompose the biset of a Thurston map (a branched selfcovering of the sphere whose critical points have finite orbits) into a graph of bisets. This graph closely parallels the theory of Hubbard trees.

This is the first part of a series of five articles, whose main goal is to prove algorithmic decidability of combinatorial equivalence of Thurston maps.
July/August 2012
Authors: DeVito, Jr. Richard A.
Published: March 2018

Volume 10, Number 4
January/February 2012
Authors: DeVito, Jr. Richard A.
Published: March 2018

Volume 10, Number 1
Using standard clinical assessments for home care to identify vulnerable populations before, during, and after disasters
Authors: Van Solm, PhD Alexandra I.T. , Hirdes, PhD, FCAHS John P. , Eckel, PhD(c), RSW Leslie A. , Heckman, MD, FRCPC George A. , Bigelow, PhD Philip L.
Published: March 2018

Objectives: Several studies have shown the increased vulnerability of and disproportionate mortality rate among frail community-dwelling older adults as a result of emergencies and disasters. This article will discuss the applicability of the Vulnerable Persons at Risk (VPR) and VPR Plus decision support algorithms designed based on the Resident Assessment Instrument- Home Care (RAI-HC) to identify the most vulnerable community-dwelling (older) adults.Design: A sample was taken from the Ontario RAI-HC database by selecting unique home care clients with assessments closest to December 31, 2014 (N = 275,797). Statistical methods used include cross tabulation, bivariate logistic regression as well as Kaplan-Meier survival plotting and Cox proportional hazards ratios calculations.Results: The VPR and VPR Plus algorithms, were highly predictive of mortality, long-term care admission and hospitalization in ordinary circumstances. This provides a good indication of the strength of the algorithms in identifying vulnerable persons at times of emergencies.Conclusions: Access to real-time person-level information of persons with functional care needs is a vital enabler for emergency responders in prioritizing and allocating resources during a disaster, and has great utility for emergency planning and recovery efforts. The development of valid and reliable algorithms supports the rapid identification and response to vulnerable community-dwelling persons for all phases of emergency management.
Disaster-related communication preferences of homeless and nonhomeless VA patients
Authors: Gable, MPH Alicia R. , Der-Martirosian, PhD Claudia , Pinnock, MSPH, PMP Laura N. , Dobalian, PhD, JD, MPH Aram
Published: March 2018

Objective: To identify the communication preferences of homeless (H) and nonhomeless (NH) Veterans Affairs (VA) patients for receiving information about the impact of natural disasters on VA healthcare services. Design: Probability-based sampling design stratified on age categories, urban/rural, coastal/noncoastal, and homelessness. Setting: Northeast United States.Participants: Eligible NH and H participants included those who lived in and had at least one healthcare visit to a VA medical center/clinic in the region in the previous 24 months. Homeless participants included those receiving VA homeless services or having ICD9-CM V60.0 (Lack of Housing). 2,264/6,088 NH and 383/2,000 H completed the survey.Intervention: Cross-sectional, mixed-mode survey administered August-November 2015.Main Outcome Measures: Helpfulness of ten communication modes for receiving information about the impact of natural disasters on VA healthcare services.Results: Despite sociodemographic and health status differences, the top five communication modes rated extremely/very helpful were the same for both groups: telephone (76 percent H; 81 percent NH), TV (63 percent H; 60 percent NH), text (62 percent H; 50 percent NH), e-mail (56 percent H; 58 percent NH), radio (54 percent H; 47 percent NH). Newspaper and online modes (VA/other Web sites, Twitter, Facebook, MyHealtheVet) were rated substantially lower. Conclusions: H and NH patients prefer similar communication modes for receiving updates about the impact of natural disasters on VA healthcare services. Findings suggest that a multimodal communication strategy that incorporates phone, TV, text, e-mail, and radio will help Veterans Affairs (VA) reach its diverse patient population during natural disasters. Dissemination of messages via online modes, while rated less helpful, may augment the number of patients reached.
Simultaneous 6300 Å airglow and radar observations of ionospheric irregularities and dynamics at the geomagnetic equator
Authors: Hickey Dustin A. , Martinis Carlos R. , Mendillo Michael , Baumgardner Jeffrey , Wroten Joei , Milla Marco
Published: March 2018

Abstract. In March 2014 an all-sky imager (ASI) was installed at the Jicamarca Radio
Observatory (11.95∘ S, 76.87∘ W; 0.3∘ S MLAT). We
present results of equatorial spread F (ESF) characteristics observed at
Jicamarca and at low latitudes. Optical 6300 and 7774 Å airglow
observations from the Jicamarca ASI are compared with other collocated
instruments and with ASIs at El Leoncito, Argentina (31.8∘ S,
69.3∘ W; 19.8∘ S MLAT), and Villa de Leyva, Colombia
(5.6∘ N, 73.52∘ W; 16.4∘ N MLAT). We use Jicamarca
radar data, in incoherent and coherent modes, to obtain plasma parameters and
detect echoes from irregularities. We find that ESF depletions tend to appear
in groups with a group-to-group separation around 400–500 km and
within-group separation around 50–100 km. We combine data from the three
ASIs to investigate the conditions at Jicamarca that could lead to the
development of high-altitude, or topside, plumes. We compare zonal winds,
obtained from a Fabry–Pérot interferometer, with plasma drifts inferred
from the zonal motion of plasma depletions. In addition to the ESF studies we
also investigate the midnight temperature maximum and its effects at higher
latitudes, visible as a brightness wave at El Leoncito. The ASI at Jicamarca
along with collocated and low-latitude instruments provide a clear
two-dimensional view of spatial and temporal evolution of ionospheric
phenomena at equatorial and low latitudes that helps to explain the dynamics
and evolution of equatorial ionospheric/thermospheric processes. Keywords. Ionosphere (equatorial ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities; plasma temperature and density)
Seasonal variations of thermospheric mass density at dawn/dusk from GOCE observations
Authors: Weng Libin , Lei Jiuhou , Doornbos Eelco , Fang Hanxian , Dou Xiankang
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Thermospheric mass densities from the GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) satellite for Sun-synchronous orbits between 83.5∘ S and 83.5∘ N, normalized to 270 km during 2009–2013, have been used to develop an empirical mass density model at dawn/dusk local solar time (LST) sectors based on the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) method. The main results of this study are that (1) the dawn densities peak in the polar regions, but the dusk densities maximize in the equatorial regions; (2) the relative seasonal variations to the annual mean have similar patterns across all latitudes regardless of solar activity conditions; (3) the seasonal density variations show obvious hemispheric asymmetry, with large amplitudes in the Southern Hemisphere; (4) both amplitude and phase of the seasonal variations have strong latitudinal and solar activity dependences, with high amplitude for the annual variation at higher latitudes and semiannual variation at lower latitudes; (5) the annual asymmetry and effect of the Sun–Earth distance vary with latitude and solar activity. Keywords. Atmospheric composition and structure (pressure, density, and temperature)
An update on the RTTOV fast radiative transfer model (currently at version 12)
Authors: Saunders Roger , Hocking James , Turner Emma , Rayer Peter , Rundle David , Brunel Pascal , Vidot Jerome , Rocquet Pascale , Matricardi Marco , Geer Alan , Bormann Niels , Lupu Cristina
Published: March 2018

Abstract. This paper gives an update of the RTTOV (Radiative Transfer for TOVS) fast radiative transfer model which is widely used in the satellite retrieval and data assimilation communities. RTTOV is a fast radiative transfer model for simulating top of atmosphere radiances from passive visible, infrared and microwave downward-viewing satellite radiometers. In addition to the forward model, it also optionally computes the tangent linear, adjoint and Jacobian matrix providing changes in radiances for profile variable perturbations assuming a linear relationship about a given atmospheric state. This makes it a useful tool for developing physical retrievals from satellite radiances, for direct radiance assimilation in NWP models, for simulating future instruments and for training or teaching with a graphical user interface. An overview of the RTTOV model is given highlighting the updates and increased capability of the latest versions and gives some examples of its current performance when compared with more accurate line by line radiative transfer models and a few selected observations. The improvement over the original version of the model released in 1999 is demonstrated.
Spatial variability of snow precipitation and accumulation in
COSMO–WRF simulations and radar estimations over complex
terrain
Authors: Gerber Franziska , Besic Nikola , Sharma Varun , Mott Rebecca , Daniels Megan , Gabella Marco , Berne Alexis , Germann Urs , Lehning Michael
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Snow distribution in complex alpine terrain and its evolution in the future climate is important in a variety of applications including hydro-power, avalanche forecasting and fresh water resources. However, the relative importance of processes such as cloud-dynamics and pure particle-flow interactions is still barely known and models are essential to investigate these processes. Here, we present very high resolution Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations, which are initialized by 2.2 km resolution Consortium for Small-scale Modeling (COSMO) reanalysis (COSMO–WRF). To assess the ability of COSMO–WRF to represent spatial snow precipitation patterns, they are validated against operational weather radar measurements. Estimated WRF precipitation is generally higher than estimated radar precipitation, most likely due to an overestimation of orographic precipitation in the model. The high precipitation also leads to a higher spatial variability in the model at the scale of 10 km. Overall, an autocorrelation and scale analysis of radar and WRF precipitation patterns show that WRF captures the variability relative to the domain wide variability of precipitation patterns down to the scale of few kilometers, but misses quite substantial variability on the smallest scales of a few 100 meters. However, differences of precipitation between 2830 m above sea level and the ground indicate that near-surface processes are active in the model.
A constraint upon the basal water distribution and basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet from radar bed-echoes
Authors: Jordan Thomas M. , Williams Christopher N. , Schroeder Dustin M. , Martos Yasmina M. , Cooper Michael A. , Siegert Martin J. , Paden John D. , Huybrechts Phillipe , Bamber Jonathan L.
Published: March 2018

Abstract. There is widespread, but often indirect, evidence that a significant fraction of the bed beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet is thawed (at or above the pressure melting point for ice). This includes the beds of major outlet glaciers and their tributaries and a large area around the NorthGRIP borehole in the ice-sheet interior. The ice-sheet scale distribution of basal water is, however, poorly constrained by existing observations. In principle, airborne radio-echo sounding (RES) enables the detection of basal water from bed-echo reflectivity, but unambiguous mapping is limited by uncertainty in signal attenuation. Here we introduce a new RES diagnostic for basal water that is associated with wet to dry transitions in bed material: bed-echo reflectivity variability. Importantly, this diagnostic is demonstrated to be attenuation-insensitive and the technique enables combined analysis of over a decade of Operation IceBridge survey data. The basal water predictions are compared with existing analyses for the basal thermal state (frozen and thawed beds) and geothermal heat flux. In addition to the outlet glaciers, we demonstrate widespread water storage in the northern and eastern interior. Notably, we observe a quasi-linear ‘corridor’ of basal water extending from NorthGRIP to Petermann glacier that spatially correlates with elevated heat flux predicted by a recent magnetic model. Finally, with a general aim to stimulate regional and process specific investigations, the basal water predictions are compared with bed topography, subglacial flow paths, and ice-sheet motion. The basal water distribution, and its relationship with the basal thermal state, provides a new constraint for numerical models.
Geoeconomic Uses of Global Warming: The “Green” Technological Revolution and the Role of the Semi-Periphery
Authors: Hurtado Diego , Souza Pablo
Published: March 2018

While some semi-peripheral countries have seen renewable energies as an opportunity to build their industrial and technological capacities, core countries and global governance organizations have been promoting “green growth.” Since the 2008 global financial crisis, global warming has been used as a catalyst for big business. As the global economy may be entering the first stage of a “green” technology revolution, neo-Schumpeterian economists have regained visibility. We intend to show how, as a consequence of the lack of a world-systemic perspective, crucial inconsistencies arise in neo-Schumpeterian contributions that weaken their conceptualization of the role of non-core economies in technological change. We examine the case of the tortuous trajectory of wind energy in Argentina to show the specific organizational, institutional, and macroeconomic constraints faced by a semi-peripheral economy as it attempts to develop its own technological and industrial capacities. The neo-Schumpeterian view of the “green industrial revolution” must be understood as valid only for the core-economy subsystem, which seems to require as well polarization of the world-system through what we call “semi-peripheral neoliberalism,” a peripheralizing force upon the semi-periphery necessary in order to rejuvenate core economies.
Review of Cool Cities: Urban Sovereignty and the Fix for Global Warming
Authors: Cohen Daniel Aldana
Published: March 2018

n/a
Review of World City Network: A Global Urban Analysis, second edition
Authors: Timberlake Michael
Published: March 2018

n/a
Review of When Good Jobs Go Bad: Globalization, De-unionization, and Declining Job Quality in the North American Auto Industry
Authors: Robinson Ian
Published: March 2018

n/a
Dataset Review—Seshat: Global History Databank
Authors: Izmirlioglu Ahmet
Published: March 2018

n/a
The Effect of a Training Program Based on The Cooperative Learning Strategy the Development of Social Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities in Southern Mazar- Jordan
Authors: Yousef Mohammad A
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cooperative learning based training program on developing social skills among students with learning difficulties in Southern Mazar educational directorate.This study aimed at the effect of using the cooperative learning strategy in developing the social skills of the students enrolled in the source rooms in the Directorate of Education of the Southern Mazar educational directorate. The sample consisted of (82) students (59) male and (23) female students distributed in (9) schools where the sample was randomly divided into experimental group studied through cooperative learning and another studied through the traditional method. The researcher has developed a scale to measure social skills which has been verified through the implications of validity and reliability.The study found that there were statistically significant differences at the level of (α ≤ 0.05) between the average teachers' estimates on the performance of the sample members in favor of the experimental group in the development of social skills and the absence of significant differences at the level of significance (α ≤ 0.05) Due to the gender variable and grade level among students with learning difficulties on the social skills index that was developed for the purposes of this study after the application of the training program.
The Relationship between Graduates’ Perceived Employability Attributes and Employability Gap in Egypt: The Moderating Roles of Core Self-Evaluation and University Branding
Authors: El-Fekey Sherine Fathy , Mohamad Mohamad Saad
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between university students’ perceived employability attributes and perceived employability gap in Egypt; and to investigate the moderating effect of students’ core self-evaluation and university branding on such a relation. A quota sample of 558 senior graduating business students was drawn from 6 public and private universities in Cairo. The students responded to three questionnaires that assess employability attributes, employability gap, CSE and university branding. The results indicated that there is a significant negative relation between perceived employability attributes and perceived employability gap. Moreover, core self-evaluation seems to be a moderating variable in such a relationship; while university branding is not. The study contributed to the literature by introducing a new conceptual model of employability and some important policy making recommendations and implications for higher education to bridge the employability gap on the local as well as the international level.
Error Analysis in EFL Writing Classroom
Authors: Karim Abdul , Mohamed Abdul R. , Ismail Shaik A. M. M. , Shahed Faheem H. , Rahman Mohammad Mosiur , Haque Md. Hamidul
Published: March 2018

Identifying the EFL learners’ errors in writing has no longer been important but essential. As such, drawing the pertinent questions that what are the most common types of error committed by EFL learners in Bangladesh and what are the perceptions possessed by them concerning error correction, the article addressed the commonest errors committed by the learners and the perceptions of them toward error correction. Additionally, adopting the error analysis suggested by Ellis, the categorical presentation of the errors was also accomplished. This study comprised a corpus of EFL learners in the secondary level to enquire the commonest errors. Along with this, a student survey was carried out to reveal the perceptions of the students regarding error correction. The common errors identified were subjected to, grammar, misinformation, misordering and overgeneralization. Additionally, the study uncovered strong preference of the EFL learners to get their errors to be corrected by the teachers.
The Role of Learning Resource Centers at the Northern Border University in Increasing the Academic Achievement in English Language Courses
Authors: Al Sawy Yaser Mohammad
Published: March 2018

The study aims at understanding the relationship between the use of IT applications in the Learning Resources Centers (henceforth, LRCs) at the university and increasing the academic achievement of the English language students at the Faculty of Education and Literature at the Northern Border University? The researcher relied on the research methodology of the field study, which allowed him to collect the views of a random sample of the English language learners at the university to measure and analyze the effectiveness of the use of IT within the LRCs. The study showed that the IT within the LRCs is one of the most important strategic resources at the level of educational institutions and the main factor in the development of its sectors. There is an interest from the Northern Border University on upgrading and supporting the IT infrastructure, especially in education for it is the basis for community development. A high proportion of English Language students at the university are keen on using and applying many of the technological learning media within the LRCs as a constitutive factor in understanding mental processes such as visualization, thinking, learning and creativity which is the first step towards knowledge and innovation.
Conventional Power Plants in Liberalized Electricity Marketswith Renewable Entry
Authors: Llobet Gerard , Padilla Jorge
Published: March 2018

This paper examines the optimal capacity choices of conventional power generators after the introduction of renewable production. We start with a basic and generally accepted model of the liberalized wholesale electricity market in which firms have insufficient incentives to invest and we illustrate how the entry of renewable generation tends to aggravate that problem. We show that the incentives to invest in firm capacity (e.g. conventional thermal plants) may be restored by means of a capacity auction mechanism. That mechanism is vulnerable and, hence, may prove ineffective unless governments can credibly commit not to sponsor the entry of new capacity outside the auction mechanism. We explain that such commitment may be particularly difficult in the current political context where energy policy is conditioned by environmental and industrial-policy goals. We finally propose a way to enhance the credibility of capacity auctions by committing to optimally retire idle (conventional) power plants in response to entry outside the auction.
A Spatial Stochastic Frontier Model with Omitted Variables: Electricity Distribution in Norway
Authors: Orea Luis , Alvarez Inmaculada C. , Jamasb Tooraj
Published: March 2018

An important methodological issue in efficiency analysis for incentive regulation of utilities is how to account for the effect of unobserved cost drivers such as environmental factors. We combine a spatial econometric approach with stochastic frontier analysis to control for unobserved environmental conditions when measuring efficiency of electricity distribution utilities. Our empirical strategy relies on the geographic location of firms as a source of information that has previously not been explored in the literature. The underlying idea is to utilise data from neighbouring firms that can be spatially correlated as proxies for unobserved cost drivers. We illustrate this approach using a dataset of Norwegian distribution utilities for the 2004-2011 period. We show that the lack of information on weather and geographic conditions can be compensated with data from surrounding firms. The methodology can be used in efficiency analysis and regulation of other utilities sectors where unobservable cost drivers are important, e.g. gas, water, agriculture, fishing.
Market Integration and Wind Generation: An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Wind Generation on Cross-border Power Prices
Authors: Annan-Phan Sebastien , Roques Fabien A.
Published: March 2018

European power markets have become more integrated and renewables have a significant effect on power prices and cross-border exchanges. This paper investigates empirically how the effects of renewables are affected by market expansion across two adjacent countries (France and Germany), based on market data and proprietary data on book orders. We find that wind production lowers power prices on average and increases volatility, not only domestically but also across borders. Using multiple counterfactuals, we examine how our results depend on the level of interconnection and find that further interconnection capacity would decrease price volatility in both countries since the benefits of a larger market would outweigh the contagion effects of volatility. Our findings have important policy implications as they demonstrate the need to coordinate support policies for renewables and policies to support transmission capacity expansion in order to mitigate the impact of volatility on power prices in neighboring power markets.
A Top-Down Economic Efficiency Analysis of U.S. HouseholdEnergy Consumption
Authors: Burnett J. Wesley , Madariaga Jessica
Published: March 2018

This study analyzes the efficiency of household-level energy consumption using a rich microdata set of homes within the United States. We measure efficiency by extending a cost-minimization model that treats the total amount of energy services produced as latent or unobserved due to technological differences in household consumption. The empirical strategy consists of applying latent class modeling to cost frontier analysis, which helps to identify heterogeneous subsets of units that require the fewest energy resources. Our estimates of efficient units form an empirical cost frontier of best practices within each subset. In order to understand the determinants of household-level energy efficiency, we condition the cost frontier analysis on numerous physical, climate-related, and socio-economic characteristics of the household. We find that state-level energy building code regulations, on average, induce a one-to-four percent marginal increase in household energy consumption.
Le caractère collectif de la (re)construction du savoir-évaluer d’enseignants migrants qui s’intègrent dans les écoles québécoises
Authors: Morrissette Joëlle , Diédhiou Serigne Ben Moustapha
Published: March 2018

Le Québec accueille un grand nombre d’immigrants, et plusieurs d’entre eux s’intègrent comme enseignants dans les écoles, principalement à Montréal. Dans leur pays d’origine, ils ont été formés selon des conceptions et manières de faire souvent inspirées du modèle français valorisant la fonction de sanction et de sélection sociale de l’évaluation des apprentissages. Dans le cadre d’une recherche collaborative financée par le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada en 2015-2017, nous avons accompagné un groupe d’enseignants migrants du secondaire formés à l’étranger dans une réflexion critique au sujet de leur récente intégration dans les écoles montréalaises. Des rencontres individuelles et de groupe auprès d’eux, mais aussi de leurs partenaires professionnels, ont permis de comprendre le processus interactif de (re)construction de leur savoir-évaluer dans ce nouveau contexte. S’ils se sont tous alignés sur les manières de faire locales, leur degré d’adhésion aux valorisations liées à l’évaluation a été modulé selon les réactions des autres membres de leur écologie professionnelle.
Evaluating structure and functions of benthic coastal habitats in Churchill, Manitoba
Authors: Cypihot Valérie , Archambault Philippe , Howland Kimberly L
Published: March 2018

Coastal habitats provide unique conditions allowing a specific diversity of species to establish. However, in the Canadian Arctic, it may experience a growing number of impacts such as oil spills and aquatic invasive species. Effective, low-cost sampling methods are then required to obtain baseline data on Arctic species. In this context, the eSPACE project developed a classification of habitats by videography using substrate and geomorphology. To verify the relationships between this habitat classification and the biological and functional composition, coastal benthic communities and associated habitats were characterized in Churchill, Manitoba. Differences between biological composition and functional traits of each habitat were found which allow for direct information on the relative biological importance of sampled habitats and help validate the classification of habitats.
Differential effects of exotic Eurasian wild pigs and native peccaries on physical integrity of streams in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: Rosa Clarissa , Passamani Marcelo , Pompeu Paulo
Published: March 2018

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) native to Eurasia and Africa, are one of the world’s most widely distributed invasive species. Their impacts on terrestrial environments have been well documented, however little is known about effects on aquatic environments. We used standardized physical habitat surveys to compare the use of streams by invasive wild pig and native white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) and their effects on the physical structure of four first-order streams in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Two of the streams were used solely by wild pigs and two by peccaries. Each stream was subdivided by cross-sectional transects into continuous sections, each 10 m in length, where we measured the intensity of use of species and different variables related to the stream physical habitat. Although both species used the streams, wild pigs altered physical and environmental parameters more, and with greater intensity, than the native peccaries. Wild pigs decreased the stream bank angle and the riparian ground cover, leading to local erosion, increase of fine sediments and wet width, and a decrease in stream depth. We recommend studies to evaluate the biological consequences of the alterations caused by introduced wild pigs that should be conducted with population control plans in environments where the pig is invasive.
Human LINE-1 retrotransposition requires a metastable coiled coil and a positively charged N-terminus in L1ORF1p
Authors: Khazina Elena , Weichenrieder Oliver
Published: March 2018

LINE-1 (L1) is an autonomous retrotransposon, which acted throughout mammalian evolution and keeps contributing to human genotypic diversity, genetic disease and cancer. L1 encodes two essential proteins: L1ORF1p, a unique RNA-binding protein, and L1ORF2p, an endonuclease and reverse transcriptase. L1ORF1p contains an essential, but rapidly evolving N-terminal portion, homo-trimerizes via a coiled coil and packages L1RNA into large assemblies. Here, we determined crystal structures of the entire coiled coil domain of human L1ORF1p. We show that retrotransposition requires a non-ideal and metastable coiled coil structure, and a strongly basic L1ORF1p amino terminus. Human L1ORF1p therefore emerges as a highly calibrated molecular machine, sensitive to mutation but functional in different hosts. Our analysis rationalizes the locally rapid L1ORF1p sequence evolution and reveals striking mechanistic parallels to coiled coil-containing membrane fusion proteins. It also suggests how trimeric L1ORF1p could form larger meshworks and indicates critical novel steps in L1 retrotransposition.
A gene-specific T2A-GAL4 library for Drosophila
Authors: Lee Pei-Tseng , Zirin Jonathan , Kanca Oguz , Lin Wen-Wen , Schulze Karen L , Li-Kroeger David , Tao Rong , Devereaux Colby , Hu Yanhui , Chung Verena , Fang Ying , He Yuchun , Pan Hongling , Ge Ming , Zuo Zhongyuan , Housden Benjamin E , Mohr Stephanie E , Yamamoto Shinya , Levis Robert W , Spradling Allan C , Perrimon Norbert , Bellen Hugo J
Published: March 2018

We generated a library of ~1000 Drosophila stocks in which we inserted a construct in the intron of genes allowing expression of GAL4 under control of endogenous promoters while arresting transcription with a polyadenylation signal 3’ of the GAL4. This allows numerous applications. First, ~90% of insertions in essential genes cause a severe loss-of-function phenotype, an effective way to mutagenize genes. Interestingly, 12/14 chromosomes engineered through CRISPR do not carry second-site lethal mutations. Second, 26/36 (70%) of lethal insertions tested are rescued with a single UAS-cDNA construct. Third, loss-of-function phenotypes associated with many GAL4 insertions can be reverted by excision with UAS-flippase. Fourth, GAL4 driven UAS-GFP/RFP reports tissue and cell-type specificity of gene expression with high sensitivity. We report the expression of hundreds of genes not previously reported. Finally, inserted cassettes can be replaced with GFP or any DNA. These stocks comprise a powerful resource for assessing gene function.
Semi‐Global Output Feedback Tracking to Reference System with Input for a Benchmark Nonlinear System
Authors: He Shaomin , Ji Haibo , Yang Kaihong
Published: March 2018

In this paper, we solve the output feedback semi‐global tracking problem of the nonlinear benchmark RTAC system, in which the reference signals are output trajectories of a simple control systems subject to some input. The introduction of the input enlarges the class of the reference signals that can be tracked. And the proposed solution covers the previous results of output feedback global tracking, namely the solution is still global when the input is zero. Finally, a simulation illustrates the effectiveness of our approach.