bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-variable evaluation of land surface processes in forced and coupled modes reveals new error sources to the simulated water cycle in the IPSL climate model
Authors: Mizuochi Hiroki , Ducharne Agnes , Cheruy Frédérique , Ghattas Josefine , Al-Yaari Amen , Wigneron Jean-Pierre , Peylin Philippe , Maignan Fabienne , Vuichard Nicolas
Published: October 2020

Abstract. Evaluating land surface models (LSMs) using available observations is important to understand the potential and limitations of current Earth system models in simulating water- and carbon-related variables. To reveal the error sources of a land surface model (LSM), four essential climate variables have been evaluated in this paper (i.e., surface soil moisture, evapotranspiration, leaf area index, and surface albedo) via simulations with IPSL LSM ORCHIDEE (Organizing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems), particularly focusing on the difference between (i) forced simulations with atmospheric forcing data (WATCH-Forcing-DATA-ERA-Interim: WFDEI) and (ii) coupled simulations with the IPSL atmospheric general circulation model. Results from statistical evaluation using satellite- and ground-based reference data show that ORCHIDEE is well equipped to represent spatiotemporal patterns of all variables in general. However, further analysis against various landscape/meteorological factors (e.g., plant functional type, slope, precipitation, and irrigation) suggests potential uncertainty relating to freezing/snowmelt, temperate plant phenology, irrigation, as well as contrasted responses between forced and coupled mode simulations. The biases in the simulated variables are amplified in coupled mode via surface–atmosphere interactions, indicating a strong link between irrigation–precipitation and a relatively complex link between precipitation–evapotranspiration that reflects the hydrometeorological regime of the region (energy-limited or water-limited) and snow-albedo feedback in mountainous and boreal regions. The different results between forced and coupled modes imply the importance of model evaluation under both modes to isolate potential sources of uncertainty in the model.
The role of dew and radiation fog inputs in the local water cycling of a temperate grassland in Central Europe
Authors: Li Yafei , Aemisegger Franziska , Riedl Andreas , Buchmann Nina , Eugster Werner
Published: October 2020

Abstract. In a warmer climate, non-rainfall water (hereafter NRW) formed from dew and fog potentially plays an increasingly important role in temperate grassland ecosystems under the scarcity of precipitation over prolonged periods. Dew and radiation fog occur in combination during clear and calm nights, and both use ambient water vapor as a source. Research on the combined mechanisms involved in NRW inputs to ecosystems are rare, and the condensation of soil-diffusing vapor, as one of the NRW input pathways for dew formation, has hardly been studied at all. The aim of this paper is thus to investigate the different NRW input pathways into a temperate Swiss grassland at Chamau during prolonged dry periods in summer 2018. We measured the isotopic compositions (δ18O, δ2H, and d = δ2H − 8 · δ18O) of both ambient water vapor and the NRW droplets on leaf surfaces combined with eddy covariance and meteorological measurements during one dew-only and two combined dew and radiation fog events. We employed a simple two end-member mixing model using δ18O and δ2H to split the dew input pathways from different sources. Our results showed a decrease of 0.8–5.5 mmol mol−1 in volumetric water vapor mixing ratio and a decrease of 4.8–16.7 ‰ in ambient water vapor δ2H due to dew formation and radiation fog droplet deposition. A nighttime maximum in ambient water vapor δ18O (−15.5 ‰ to −14.3 ‰) and a 3.4–3.7 ‰ decrease in ambient water vapor d were observed for dew formation in unsaturated conditions. In conditions of slight super-saturation, a stronger decrease of ambient water vapor δ18O (0.3–1.5 ‰) and a minimum of ambient water vapor d (−6.0 ‰ to −4.7 ‰) were observed. The combined foliage NRW and ambient water vapor δ18O and δ2H suggested two different input pathways: (1) condensation of ambient water vapor and (2) of soil-diffusing vapor. The latter contributed 9–42 % to the total foliage NRW. The dew and radiation fog potentially produced 0.06–0.39 mm night−1 NRW gain on foliage, which was comparable with 2.8 mm day−1 daytime evapotranspiration. The ambient water vapor d was correlated and anti-correlated with ambient temperature and ambient relative humidity respectively, suggesting an only minor influence of large-scale air advection and highlighted the dominant role of local moisture as a source for ambient water vapor. Our results thus highlight the importance of NRW inputs to temperate grasslands during prolonged dry periods and reveal the complexity of the local water cycle in such conditions including different pathways of water deposition.
Which rainfall score is more informative about the performance in river discharge simulation? A comprehensive assessment on 1318 basins over Europe
Authors: Camici Stefania , Massari Christian , Ciabatta Luca , Marchesini Ivan , Brocca Luca
Published: October 2020

Abstract. The global availability of satellite rainfall products (SRPs) at an
increasingly high temporal and spatial resolution has made their exploitation in hydrological applications possible, especially in data-scarce regions. In this context, understanding how uncertainties transfer from SRPs to river discharge simulations, through the hydrological model, is a main research question. SRPs' accuracy is normally characterized by comparing them with ground
observations via the calculation of categorical (e.g. threat score, false
alarm ratio and probability of detection) and/or continuous (e.g. bias, root mean square error, Nash–Sutcliffe index, Kling–Gupta efficiency index and correlation coefficient) performance scores. However, whether these scores are informative about the associated performance in river discharge simulations (when the SRP is used as input to a hydrological model) is an under-discussed research topic. This study aims to relate the accuracy of different SRPs both in terms of
rainfall and in terms of river discharge simulation. That is, the following research questions are addressed: is there any performance score that can be used to select the best performing rainfall product for river discharge simulation? Are multiple scores needed? And, which are these scores? To
answer these questions, three SRPs, namely the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRRM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), the Climate Prediction Center MORPHing (CMORPH) algorithm and the SM2RAIN algorithm applied to the Advanced SCATterometer (ASCAT) soil moisture product (SM2RAIN–ASCAT) have been used as input into a lumped hydrologic model, “Modello Idrologico Semi-Distribuito in continuo” (MISDc), for 1318 basins over Europe with different physiographic characteristics. Results suggest that, among the continuous scores, the correlation coefficient and Kling–Gupta efficiency index are not reliable indices to select the best performing rainfall product for hydrological modelling, whereas bias and root mean square error seem more appropriate. In particular, by constraining the relative bias to absolute values lower than 0.2 and the relative root mean square error to values lower than 2, good hydrological performances (Kling–Gupta efficiency index on river discharge greater than 0.5) are ensured for almost 75 % of the basins fulfilling these criteria. Conversely, the categorical scores have not provided suitable information for addressing the SRP selection for hydrological modelling.
Long-wavelength late-Miocene thrusting in the north Alpine foreland: implications for late orogenic processes
Authors: Mock Samuel , von Hagke Christoph , Schlunegger Fritz , Dunkl István , Herwegh Marco
Published: October 2020

Abstract. In this paper, we present new exhumation ages for the imbricated proximal
molasse, i.e. Subalpine Molasse, of the northern Central Alps. Based on
apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronometry, we constrain thrust-driven
exhumation in the Subalpine Molasse between 12 and 4 Ma. This occurs
synchronously to the main deformation in the adjacent Jura fold-and-thrust
belt farther north and to the late stage of thrust-related exhumation of the
basement massifs (i.e. external crystalline massifs) in the hinterland. Our
results agree with other findings along the north Alpine foreland. While
site-specific variations in the mechanical stratigraphy of the molasse
deposits influence the pattern of thrusting at the local scale, we observe
that late-Miocene thrusting is a long-wavelength feature occurring along the north Alpine foreland roughly between Lake Geneva and Salzburg. The extent
of this thrusting signal as well as the timing suggests that late-Miocene
thrusting in the north Alpine foreland coincides with the geometries and
dynamics of the attached Central Alpine slab at depth. Interestingly, this
implies that the slab geometry at depth does not coincide with the boundary
between the Eastern and Central Alps as observed in the surface geology. Using
this observation, we propose that thrusting in the Subalpine Molasse and
consequently also the late stage of thrust-related exhumation of the
external crystalline massifs, as well as the main deformation in the Jura
fold-and-thrust belt are at least partly linked to changes in slab dynamics.
Editorial
Authors: Stalder Felix , Wark McKenzie
Published: October 2020

Since the re-branding of Free Software into Open Source in 1998, ‘open’ has become the buzzword for all things progressive on and off the Internet. In every domain, we find initiatives with an ‘open’ in their name: Open Law, Open Hardware, Open Culture, Open Publishing, Open Access or Open Archives are just some of the many concepts which are being retooled to serve the more or less defined public good in the Information Society. Yet despite this new-found openness to the ‘open’ there is very little critical discussion on the expansion of openness as a concept to many different contexts, ranging from the board rooms of global corporations such as IBM to the temporary media centers of the anti-globalization activists.
On the level of political theory, the most important formulation of openness remains that of Karl Popper, published over half a century ago, in 1946. Popper had a very clear idea what makes a society ‘open’ – an institutional mechanism to detect, discuss, and rectify its own inevitable errors. The billionaire financier George Soros popularized Popper’s notion of the ‘open society’ in the late 20th century. A more common source of conceptual heft for validating open is the work of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, who juxtaposed the concept of a rhizomatic openness to the closure of branching and hierarchical structures. They were careful, however, to remind their readers that this was not a simple aesthetic or ethical choice.
Yet, today the meaning of open’ is usually taken to be self-explanatory. In the same seemingly obvious way, ‘open’ always assumed to be a positive modifier, used indiscriminately and uncritically.
With this issue of Media/Culture, we want to challenge the assumptions underlying the contemporary use of ‘open’ in technical, social and political discourse. Many of the seven essays in this issue take the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement as their point of reference but address questions of far more general nature. What is the impulse behind this sudden explosion of ‘openness’? What makes a community ‘open’? Is open really always better or does openness imply its own set of dangers and its own particular forms of exploitation? What are the aesthetics of openness?
Together with the authors of the essays, we hope that this issue open m/c will start a more critical discussion of the concept of ‘openness’, so that we can assess its real potential without being sucked into yet another cycle of hype and disappointment.

Citation reference for this article
MLA Style

Stalder, Felix & Wark, McKenzie. "Editorial: Open" M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture
.

APA Style

Stalder, F. & Wark, M. (2004, Jul1). Editorial: Open. M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture, 7,
SIMULAÇÃO NUMÉRICA E MÉTODO DESIGN CONSTRUTAL APLICADOS À ANÁLISE GEOMÉTRICA DE PLACAS DE AÇO COM ENRIJECEDORES RETANGULARES OU TRAPEZOIDAIS
Authors: Pinto Vinícius Torres , Cunha Marcelo Langhinrichs , Martins Kauê Louro , Rocha Luiz Alberto Oliveira , Dos Santos Elizaldo Domingues , Isoldi Liércio André
Published: October 2020

Este estudo aplicou o método Design Construtal associado à modelagem computacional para analisar o comportamento de placas de aço com enrijecedores retangulares ou trapezoidais submetidas a carregamento transversal uniforme. Para isso, uma placa retangular sem enrijecedores foi tomada como referência e uma parcela do seu volume foi convertida em enrijecedores através do parâmetro ϕ que é a razão entre os volumes de material dos enriquecedores e da placa de referência. Assumindo ϕ = 0,3, foram configurados cinco arranjos de placas com enrijecedores retangulares e cinco com enrijecedores trapezoidais. Os resultados mostraram que placas com enrijecedores trapezoidais podem reduzir a deflexão máxima em até 35,9% quando comparadas com placas com enrijecedores retangulares. Além disso, os resultados apontaram que as placas com enrijecedores trapezoidais possuem melhor desempenho em relação à minimização da deflexão máxima quando o comprimento da base menor do enrijecedor trapezoidal é 30% do comprimento de sua base maior.
Perfil Clínico-Epidemiológico, pacientes pediátricos con Enuresis Nocturna. Centros escolares, San Pedro Sula.
Authors: Arita Santos Diego , Bennett Gabriela , Casco Elizabeth
Published: October 2020

Antecedentes: La Enuresis nocturna, es una enfermedad prevalente aproximadamente en 18% de los pacientes pediátricos, se ha asociado a diferentes patologías, como el transtorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad (TDAH), la constipación y trastornos del sueño, el diagnóstico oportuno es importante. Objetivo: Describir el perfil clínico, epidemiológico y sociocultural de los niños que presentan enuresis nocturna, evaluados en centros educativos Fidelina Cerros en Barrio Chamelecón y Miguel Paz Barahona en Cofradía Departamento de Cortés. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio no experimental, Cuantitativo, Descriptivo, de agosto 2018 a mayo 2019, con una muestra de 200 niños, Resultados: La prevalencia encontrada fue de 16.7% y la edad promedio de 7.72 años, 61% hombres, 100% residentes del casco urbano. El 80% presento buena adaptación escolar, 33% no tenían fácil acceso a servicios de salud y solo el 47.5% llevaba controles periódicos de salud, 67% presento enuresis diurna y 45% pesadillas. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con enuresis nocturna de escuelas metropolitanas de san pedro sula se caracterizan así: edad 7 u 8 años, sexo masculino, viven en casas con servicios básicos sin patio, pero con adecuado material de construcción, que comparten habitación e inclusive viven en hacinamiento, con pocos controles de salud periódicos y con acceso a centros de atención de salud del área metropolitana.
Factors Affecting Ethnic Harmony between Sinhalese and Muslim Communities in Post-war Sri Lanka: A Study Based on South Eastern University of Sri Lanka
Authors: Razick Ahamed Sarjoon , Fowsar Mohamed Anifa Mohamed , Mihilar Abdul Kalik
Published: October 2020

Sri Lanka is home to multi-cultural communities. It is the responsibility of the people across various religions, and communities to develop and maintain harmony with each other. Historically, the Sri Lankan Muslims and Sinhala Buddhists had an excellent relationship. Recently, the ethnic harmony between these two communities has been strained reflecting the fault lines running in a current social structure which lead to ethnic tensions, social animosities, restlessness, and disharmony among communities, amidst diverging political ideologies. Hence, this study focuses on identifying the root causes that wreck the harmony and social stability of the country. Hundred and fifty students from the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka were randomly selected to respond for a structured questionnaire, and fifteen formal interviews with students were also conducted to validate the questionnaire data. The secondary data were collected from various sources of information. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and basic statistical analytic techniques, and findings of the study were presented in the form of table and text. This study underlines the array of reasons, and root causes that prevent the harmony among Sinhala Buddhists and Muslim communities, such as ethnic differences, spreading hatred via social media, extremism that uses religion to forward their extremist ideologies. This study concludes with the argument that the government and people who strive for social harmony should act with commitment and dedication in the efforts to build harmony among religious communities in post-war Sri Lanka.
Social– Political Integrity in the 21st Century: Threats and Risks of the Digitalization
Authors: Yurievich Mamychev Alexey , Alexander Kim , Igorevich Dremliuga Roman , Mariia Surzhik , Fuxue Zheng
Published: October 2020

Socio-political problems are discussed in this article connected with the provision of socio-cultural integrity of the society in modern time of mass digitalization and introduction of the automatic and algorithmic systems. In the content of this article digitalization is considered as a global socio-political project, oriented for substitution traditional bases of identification and organization communities. This project is considered from critical position and is based, that its necessary state – oriented policy, directed for conservation and reproduction the historical memory, socio-cultural dominant of the development the society and also metapolitical and meta-legal foundation for sustainability of the political – legal organization in the 21st century.

The authors speak about the thesis about further convergence of the digital and cultural trends of transformations of socio-political system, when processes of digitalization will acquire more and more socio-cultural particularity of the development.
Political Trust and Political Leadership Legitimacy: Implications on Voters’ Behaviour
Authors: Mohamad Khairul Azmi , Othman Nooraini
Published: October 2020

This paper intends to reflect on the importance of political trust to voters’ behaviour. Political trust has a strong link to the political leadership legitimacy. Voters voted political leaders because of their trust to them or to their party. In the context of this paper, political trust refers to the performance of political leaders. In essence, political leadership performance of their duties will have a substantive effect to the voters’ decision on who to vote in an election. Political trust characterised the image of the political leaders as well as their party. Political trust is not easy to regain once broken. Voters will remember them. Adversaries will play the issue to gain support towards their party. Trustworthiness and reliability would normally result from good policy and programmes that the leader or party who lead the government initiate or implement. These programmes benefited the people and the country. Trust deficit in the realm of politics is in need of a serious repair. This work will speak of political trust and contextually relate it to political leadership. The performance of political leaders and government will be viewed from the economics, education, health, safety and religious points of views. These are some of the most important factors becoming the supporting pillars of political trust especially in the context of Malaysia. Their upright performance will gather voters’ support and consequently, the opposite will direct to political decline.
Saudi Arabian Students’ Knowledge of the Provisions Governing Interactions between Muslims and Non-Muslims
Authors: Albhlal Tareq S.
Published: October 2020

Introduction: This study investigates the level of university students' knowledge about Islamic provisions concerning relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims. The context for this study is that of the Saudi Arabian government’s drive to combat the extremism of young male Saudis through inculcating the true message of Islam. To achieve this objective, specialist Intellectual Awareness Units (IAUs) have been set up in all Saudi Arabian universities. The rationale for the existence of these units is that such students, zealous in their faith, are more vulnerable to recruitment by extremists and terrorist organizations if they have only a superficial and distorted understanding of the humane and religiously-ordained provisions in the Quran regarding relations with non-Muslims. However, this study does not examine the workings of the Intellectual Awareness Units but rather the understanding of their clients.

Methodology: A random sample of 100 male students attending Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia, during the 2019-20 academic year, was asked to participate in a descriptive survey. A questionnaire was devised to collect information about student understanding of appropriate relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims, as specified in the Holy Quran. Six key themes were addressed in the questionnaire: general principles concerning the relationship between Muslims and others; provisions concerning imitation (of non-Muslim religious practices), contact, alliances and enmity; provisions concerning temples and churches; provisions concerning marriage and food; provisions concerning feasts and religious occasions and general provisions concerning alliances and wars.

Results: The results of the study revealed that students’ knowledge about the provisions for dealing with non-Muslims ranged from weak to medium. That is to say, knowledge about the appropriate way for Muslims to engage with non-Muslims was far from universal. Knowledge on marriage and food provisions scored most highly with an average of 60.3%, of students answering questions on this topic correctly whilst knowledge on provisions pertaining to Temples and Churches ranked lowest with a rate of 36.5%. The overall average for all issues was 48.9%.

Conclusion: If it is considered that extremism is based upon a superficial and distorted understanding of the Quran and that the level of knowledge displayed by the study sample is typical of young men in Saudi Arabia then the IAUs still have much work to do. The results of this research will be invaluable to the IAUs because it will enable them to supply more nuanced information and activities to their target audience.
Nationale constitutie versus internationale jurisdictie?
Authors: Kuiper-Slendebroek Anneloes
Published: October 2020

Nationale constitutie versus internationale jurisdictie?

Voor het evenwicht tussen de staatsmachten, maar ook voor de ontwikkeling van internationaal recht, is de wijze waarop de nationale rechter zijn rol vervult van belang: gedraagt hij zich als rechtsvormer of als een rechtshandhaver? Zowel de legitimatie en vorming van het internationale recht als de handhaving van de internationale verplichtingen van de Staat op nationaal niveau zijn hiervan afhankelijk. Deze belangen worden bezien vanuit internationaal perspectief en uiteengezet aan de hand van recente jurisprudentie.
Mass Customer Metering: The Challenges of Accurately Measuring and Billing Potable Water Use
Authors: Camilleri Christian , Pace Luke , Riolo Stefan
Published: October 2020

Mass customer metering and billing is a daily task but also an ongoing quandary within the Water Services Corporation. Meter selection is dependent upon several factors. This has been perhaps made more complex by the introduction of smart metering several years ago. Meter ageing, together with the contribution of water quality, water pressure, and the effect of consumer’s flow profile on meter performance will also be discussed. This will all be done while keeping in mind the use of Automated Meter Reading in Malta to obtain consumers’ readings remotely and by ensuring that billing is done in a timely and accurate manner for the WSC.
Electric Transportation Impacts on Vehicle Design
Authors: Ellul Elaine Marie , Azzopardi Brian
Published: October 2020

Transport electrification is a promising prospect for small states where the average daily travelling distances are less than 50 km. A developed SIMULINK® electric vehicle (EV) model is presented. The potential of EVs is discussed through a sensitivity analysis where the design, type, and parameters of the EV are assessed. A critical evaluation of energy recovery on the type of vehicle is also performed. The paper summarizes the most influential parameters on the EV depth of discharge (DoD). Further research is suggested to investigate the trade-off between design parameters for future EVs.
The Application of the Life-Cycle Assessment in the Building Sector: An Italian Case Study
Authors: Cellura Maurizio , Guarino Francesco , Longo Sonia
Published: October 2020

The building sector is one of the most relevant in terms of generation of wealth and occupation, but it is also responsible for significant consumption of natural resources and the generation of environmental impacts, mainly greenhouse gas emissions. In order to improve the eco profile of buildings during their life-cycle, the reduction of the use of resources and the minimization of environmental impacts have become, in the last years, some of the main objectives to achieve in the design of sustainable buildings.
The application of the life-cycle thinking approach, looking at the whole life cycle of buildings, is of paramount importance for a real decarbonization and reduction of the environmental impacts of the building sector.
This paper presents an application of the life-cycle assessment methodology for assessing the energy and environmental life-cycle impacts of a single-family house located in the Mediterranean area in order to identify the building components and life-cycle steps that are responsible of the higher burdens.
The assessment showed that the largest impacts are located in the use stage; energy for heating is significant but not dominant, while the contribution of electricity utilized for households and other equipment resulted very relevant. High environmental impacts are also due to manufacture and transport of building materials and components.
How Effective is Apprenticeship to Learning? A Student Perspective
Authors: Vella Martina C.
Published: October 2020

This qualitative study applies grounded theory methodology to investigate student perception on the effectiveness of the apprenticeship scheme on their learning. In-depth interviews were carried out with three second-year students reading for a MCAST Level 4 Advanced Diploma in Financial Services to gather insight on their experiences and their perception of the current apprenticeship scheme and how it contributes towards their learning. Through the analysis of grounded data, interrelationships between concepts have been examined based on contextual conditions, actions and reactions, and consequences and outcomes. The study proposes a model of factors affecting learning which will aid stakeholders to improve the current apprenticeship scheme.
An Evaluation of the Implications of Thermography within the Healthcare Setting
Authors: Sturgeon Delia Cassandra
Published: October 2020

Thermography has developed rapidly over the past fifty years; it has been refined into a sophisticated tool to measure temperature that may be used anywhere owing to the reduction in size of the apparatus used. This technique has also been used industrially to ensure product quality. However, for over fifty years this technology has been employed in medical research studies as it is a non-invasive tool that can be used to study human skin temperature (Ring 2010). The body’s physiological mechanisms yield heat and temperature variations may indicate the presence of disease (Gatt et al. 2015). Thermography is not a tool that requires a skilled technician, nor is it a test that needs to be applied physically to the desired area. It is a simple test can be performed by a simple click of a button and the subject’s temperature readings can be uploading on the manufacturer’s software (Jones 1998). Repeatability of this test has been applied with successful results (Balbinot et al. 2013).
Over the past year, MCAST students in several faculties have observed first-hand the application of thermography as an indication of disease, making using the thermographic camera available on campus. Students from various disciplines could see how the heat-detecting camera being used for disease detection in addition to its applications in engineering, construction, and food technology. Using this research science and technology were linked to enhance the students’ learning experience and make them aware of a fresh approach on how humans can benefit from modern engineering in relation to health. The applications of thermography for disease detection and the understanding of its use is of the utmost importance for students following health-related courses, since thermography is a tool that may soon be available locally as research brings forth new beneficial practices in medicine. This paper appraises the importance of this tool within the health-care setting.
Labour Migration into Malta and the Effect on the Maltese Economy
Authors: Tabone Daniel , Vella Luke
Published: October 2020

Labour migration is a significant and yet still uncharted phenomenon in the context of the Maltese islands. This paper will examine the extent of the existence of the relationship between foreign workers and a set of macro-economic variables. Based on secondary data, time series data covering a 12-year period from 2006 to 2017 are used to establish and quantify the impact of inward labour migration onto the macroeconomic variables that make up the Maltese economy. These are tourism, minimum wage, gross domestic product, government expenditure, government revenue, the number of yearly crimes, total population, air pollution, unemployment rate, inflation, property prices, and inward foreign direct investment. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient is utilized to determine the association between the independent and the dependent variables and Simple Linear Regression to statistically estimate and quantify the correlation between the dependent and each independent variable. Results show that 11 out of the 12 macroeconomic variables have a statistically significant correlation with the increase of foreign workers as operationalized through the population of foreign workers. While the most statistically significant relationship was observed between foreign workers and the population, the least statistically significant relationship was observed between foreign workers and government revenue.
Students’ Perception of Global Warming on the Maltese Islands
Authors: Agius Jesmond
Published: October 2020

In Malta, global warming (GW) can be perceived negatively or positively: negatively due to the effects caused by the rise in temperature, desertification effects, rise in illnesses, and others and positively due to the fact that people might invest in GW mitigation solutions, such as the selling of solar water panels and solar water heaters, developing new ways to mitigate GW, devising plans how to live comfortably even under a rise in temperatures, such as reaching a net carbon zero emission from households, and others. This paper focuses on how the students at MCAST perceive GW in three different concepts, namely, meanings and related concepts, causes and effect of GW, and actions that can be taken to mitigate GW. The research aims to verify by means of enquiring data, through a closed questionnaire with a set of Likert-scale variables (dependent and independent) using a quantitative approach, to find out if there is a correlation between knowledge gathered through the course of study and the contribution that the students can input in mitigating GW effects.
The analysis showed that it is possible to represent all variables by five factors and, by using regression analysis, it was possible to test the hypothesis. Results show that there is a strong correlation between knowledge gathered through the course of study and contributing to mitigate GW. The knowledge contribution was mainly characterized by a strong belief that actions towards mitigating GW exists, and can be studied and implemented. Government initiatives and decisions taken towards mitigating GW contribute slightly to this correlation. The relationship is 100% there since the chance that this answer happened by chance is practically zero. All of this indicates that the studies being carried at MCAST are reflecting in the students’ attitude towards greener initiatives.
A Study of the Effects of Facility and Service Provision on Physical Activity among Students and Staff at MCAST
Authors: Cumbo Renzo Kerr , Muscat Inglott Matthew , Caruana Bonnici Dorianne
Published: October 2020

Physical Inactivity is considered a key global risk factor for non-communicable diseases and premature mortality. In its 2017 global action plan, the World Health Organization (WHO) committed to reducing inactivity by 10% by 2025, representing a call-to-action for researchers worldwide to further explore physical activity (PA) trends in applied real world contexts. While research in Malta has revealed some valuable insights about PA among children and youths in compulsory education settings, less is known about the early adulthood years and the effect of higher education settings on PA habits. A cross-sectional survey design, and mixed methods approach to analysis was therefore developed to investigate PA trends among students and staff at MCAST, in light of various international trends and existing organizational structures at the college, namely, the effects of the provision and organization of facilities and activities on campus. The results show that 44% of students and staff at MCAST achieve WHO recommendations, while controlling for the effects of sports students’ PA levels the rate fell to 31% among the remaining student population, and 36% among staff. The achievement of PA recommendations was generally reflective of international trends in college and university settings, while the data on facility-use and activity-participation among various stratifications of students and staff are presented in the findings as a detailed model for assisting prospective development of more relevant, engaging, and effective PA-related initiatives and policies at MCAST.
A Preliminary Conceptual Model of the Assessment Design Process utilized by MCAST Science-Subject Lecturers
Authors: Zahra Richard
Published: October 2020

The main purpose of this research study was the construction of a preliminary theoretical model that explores the interrelation of the knowledge, skills and beliefs that shape MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology) lecturers’ approaches to assessment design. Educational research across many countries has demonstrated that assessment has a greater bearing on what students learn than teaching itself. Despite the large body of literature focusing on educational assessment, studies that attempt to explain the assessment design process through theoretical modelling are scanty. This research was intended to address that gap. A constructivist-driven grounded theory methodology was applied using multiple sources of data. Data was generated through recorded, semi-structured interviews with four MCAST science lecturers, selected purposefully from different academic backgrounds and with varying degrees of teaching experience. In addition, further data was collected from field observations and in-depth document analysis of assessment briefs. Through a process of concurrent data generation and analysis, a comprehensive analytical framework, grounded in the data, emerged. The assessment design process model resulted from the ‘actions/interactions and emotions’ domain of the analytical framework. It was subject to the ‘contextual conditions’ domain, which included the knowledge (assessment literacy), skills and beliefs of the participants. The latter directly influenced the ‘consequences/outcomes’ domain, the constructs of which were mostly derived from the analysis of assessment briefs which represented the end-product of the assessment design process itself. The findings of this study revealed that most of the participants’ approaches to assessment were rooted in the outmoded 20th-century dominant paradigm. These results concur with the findings of many other assessment-related research studies across the world that state that this paradigm still dominates the discourse in higher education assessment, despite the body of evidence pointing to more effective practices rooted in the espoused constructivist educational theories. These findings could thus be useful to formulate assessment improvement strategies which address the contextual conditions over which the organization has a degree of influence, and which in turn will have a cascade effect on the individuals’ assessment practices. The ideal outcome of such strategies would be the promotion of constructively aligned assessment practices and the prevalent adoption of ‘connected’ mental models amongst academic staff.
Pour Homme: Men’s Grooming Attitudes and Motivations. What is driving the Male Grooming Consumption Habits in Malta?
Authors: Tabone Roderick
Published: October 2020

Grooming, a process in which one gets clean, tidy and good-looking. As in any other area, postmodernism has brought a radical dynamic change in the grooming products market. Traditionally, the grooming industry has always been associated with the female gender but it is no longer recognised as exclusive to women. Men have become more concerned about their image. Indeed, recent figures show that the male grooming products market is developing so fast that it is representing a potential goldmine for the industry (iMARC Group, 2018). Such a boom led several researchers to study the male grooming products, but finding information about the local male grooming market was challenging. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the male consumer behaviour regarding grooming products while focussing on men’s drives and attitudes generating their local consumption. To address this gap, an online questionnaire was developed with the purpose of evaluating the current situation in Malta, using the present literature. The sample for the administered research tool consists of 58 male participants residing in Malta, randomly selected; irrespective of their nationality. Meanwhile, an exploratory factor analysis approach was applied on the data collected, whereby the results obtained provided a fundamental structure among the independent variables being analysed; revealing the main factors which are currently influencing the male consumer behaviour towards grooming products in Malta.
Compression strength and other mechanical properties of particleboards induced by density
Authors: Jeżo Aleksandra , Kowaluk Grzegorz
Published: October 2020

Compression strength and other mechanical properties of particleboards induced by density. The aim of the paper was to investigate the contractual compression strength and modulus of elasticity under compression of six types of commercially available particleboards of various thickness, density and surface finish. The basic mechanical and physical characteristics of the tested panels (modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture during bending, density and density profile) were also performed. The studies showed that the compression strength raises linearly with panels’ density raise, and the modulus of elasticity under compression is linearly opposite, depending on the panels’ density.
Cost-effectiveness of a multi-professional case management experiment in Finnish labor market services
Authors: Klavus Jan , Ylistö Sami , Forma Leena , Partanen Jussi , Rissanen Pekka , Mäntysaari Mikko
Published: October 2020

The study undertook an economic evaluation of a multi-professional case man-agement intervention targeted at long-term unemployed Finns. The cost-effectiveness outcome of the intervention was analyzed in a matched case-control study framework involving a six-month follow-up. Effectiveness was measured by standardized quality of life indicators, and an indicator measuring personal capabilities. Individual level costs were derived from health and social services utilization data. Cost-effectiveness of the intervention was examined in relation to services as usual. The studied labor market intervention was associated with a positive change in the selected quality of life indicators; physical and psychological quality of life improved in the intervention group. Cost-effectiveness in physical quality of life was attained at a willingness to pay of EUR 500 – 700 per effectiveness unit, while cost-effectiveness in psychological quality of life required incremental costs exceeding EUR 1,600. The intervention had no discernible effect on personal capabilities. The study demonstrated that favorable improvements in quality of life could be attained by a rather ‘light’ and moderate-cost service concept. Such well-being improvements may enhance the preparedness for re-employment of individuals with a prolonged unemployment history. However, a longer follow-up of the labor market intervention would be needed to examine the long-term effects on quality of life and employment.

Published: Online October 2020.
Postpartum prostaglandin F2α administration affects colostrum yield, immunoglobulin G, and piglet performance
Authors: Maneetong Photcharaphan , Srisang Chutikan , Sunanta Naritsara , Muchalintamolee Praeploy , Pearodwong Pachara , Suwimonteerabutr Junpen , De Rensis Fabio , Tummaruk Padet
Published: October 2020

Objective: Current study was conducted to determine the effect of postpartum prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) administration on colostrum and milk yield, colostrum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and piglet growth performance.Methods: In total, 36 sows were included in the experiment. The sows were classified into two groups: i) control (n = 11) and ii) PGF2α (n = 25). Sows in the PGF2α group received 10 mg of PGF2α within an hour after farrowing. The body weight of piglets was measured at 0 and 24 h after birth to estimate colostrum consumption. Colostrum was collected at 1 and 24 h after farrowing to determine IgG concentrations. For milk yield study, the remaining sows in the PGF2α group (n = 23) were divided into two subgroups: i) single PGF2α (n = 12) and ii) multiple PGF2α (n = 11). In the multiple PGF2α, the sows received repeated doses of PGF2α at seven and 14 days postpartum. The piglets’ body weight was measured at 0, 1, 5, and 20 days of age. The milk yield of the sows was calculated.Results: Colostrum yield of sows averaged 5.62±2.25 kg. Sows treated with PGF2α postpartum had a higher colostrum yield than control (7.01 and 5.12 kg, p<0.05). The concentration of IgG in colostrum at 24 h in the PGF2α group was higher than the control (31.6 and 17.4 g/L, p<0.05). For primiparous sows, milk yield was highest in the sows treated with multiple doses of PGF2α during lactation and lowest in control sows (10.25 and 7.61 kg, p<0.05). Colostrum intake was higher in the treatment than the control groups (+56.7 g, p<0.05). Primiparous sows treated with multiple doses of PGF2α had a higher litter weight than controls (p<0.01).Conclusion: Postpartum treatment with PGF2α improved colostrum yield and IgG in multiparous sows and increased colostrum intake of piglets. Multiple administration of PGF2α improved the milk yield and increased litter weight of piglets in primiparous sows.
Genome-wide identification and analysis of long noncoding RNAs in longissimus muscle tissue from Kazakh cattle and Xinjiang brown cattle
Authors: Yan Xiang-Min , Zhang Zhe , Liu Jian-Bo , Li Na , Yang Guang-Wei , Luo Dan , Zhang Yang , Yuan Bao , Jiang Hao , Zhang Jia-Bao
Published: October 2020

Objective: In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified in many species, and some of them have been shown to play important roles in muscle development and myogenesis. However, the differences in lncRNAs between Kazakh cattle and Xinjiang brown cattle remain undefined; therefore, we aimed to confirm whether lncRNAs are differentially expressed in the longissimus dorsi between these two types of cattle and whether differentially expressed lncRNAs regulate muscle differentiation.Methods: We used RNA-seq technology to identify lncRNAs in longissimus muscles from these cattle. The expression of lncRNAs were analyzed using StringTie (1.3.1) in terms of the fragments per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads values of the encoding genes. The differential expression of the transcripts in the two samples were analyzed using the DESeq R software package. The resulting false discovery rate was controlled by the Benjamini and Hochberg’s approach. KOBAS software was utilized to measure the expression of different genes in Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways. We randomly selected eight lncRNA genes and validated them by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).Results: We found that 182 lncRNA transcripts, including 102 upregulated and 80 downregulated transcripts, were differentially expressed between Kazakh cattle and Xinjiang brown cattle. The results of RT-qPCR were consistent with the sequencing results. Enrichment analysis and functional annotation of the target genes revealed that the differentially expressed lncRNAs were associated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase, Ras, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3k)/Akt signaling pathways. We also constructed a lncRNA/mRNA coexpression network for the PI3k/Akt signaling pathway.Conclusion: Our study provides insights into cattle muscle-associated lncRNAs and will contribute to a more thorough understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying muscle growth and development in cattle.
Integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveals different metabolic patterns in the livers of Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs
Authors: Duan Mengqi , Wang Zhenmei , Guo Xinying , Wang Kejun , Liu Siyuan , Zhang Bo , Shang Peng
Published: October 2020

Objective: Tibetan pigs, predominantly originating from the Tibetan Plateau, have been subjected to long-term natural selection in an extreme environment. To characterize the metabolic adaptations to hypoxic conditions, transcriptomic and proteomic expression patterns in the livers of Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs were compared.Methods: RNA and protein were extracted from liver tissue of Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs (n = 3, each). Differentially expressed genes and proteins were subjected to gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes functional enrichment analyses.Results: In the RNA-Seq and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation analyses, a total of 18,791 genes and 3,390 proteins were detected and compared. Of these, 273 and 257 differentially expressed genes and proteins were identified. Evidence from functional enrichment analysis showed that many genes were involved in metabolic processes. The combined transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that small molecular biosynthesis, metabolic processes, and organic hydroxyl compound metabolic processes were the major processes operating differently in the two breeds. The important genes include retinol dehydrogenase 16, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase, prenylcysteine oxidase 1, sorbin and SH3 domain containing 2, ENSSSCG00000036224, perilipin 2, ladinin 1, kynurenine aminotransferase 1, and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1.Conclusion: The findings of this study provide novel insight into the high-altitude metabolic adaptation of Tibetan pigs.