bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mr A preliminary comparative perspective on the role of multinational enterprises in influencing labour relations of their host nation
Authors: OLABIYI OLANIYI JOSHUA OLABIYI
Published: January 2020

This paper examines the operations of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in so far as they are able to influence the public and labour relations policy and law of their host nation with a special attention on African nations. It is to be expected that MNEs would already be comfortable with the mechanisms in place for the resolution of labour-related or commercial disputes in their country of origin. The question then that arises is: If confronted with an employment relations situation in their host nation, would the MNE attempt to circumvent or adapt the process to suit what they are already familiar with? This could pose a challenge for the practice of international labour law. Literature (Briscoe, Schuler & Tarique, 2012; Eweje, 2009; Iyanda & Bello, 1979; Onimode, 1978) already alludes to the fact that MNEs tend to take the ‘line of least resistance’ if confronted with ‘higher’ labour standards.

A comparative exploratory analysis was undertaken. The paper identified MNEs in selected African countries – Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia – that have been reported to have had a challenge in dealing with labour-related or commercial standards of their host nation. The selected MNEs had been reported in the news media for having had a ‘run in’ with their host nation on, at least, a labour - or commercial law-related matter.

The principal legislation governing labour relations in these countries are, in some cases, briefly highlighted to underscore the extent of their breach or disregard by the examined MNEs. Furthermore, a qualitative, thematic analysis of selected reported cases involving these MNEs were undertaken to highlight evidences (or instances) of attempts, if any, by the MNEs to circumvent the commercial, fiscal or labour standards of the host nation. Finally, it is hoped that the result of the above analyses would inform the possibility of proposing a framework for MNEs compliance with the labour standards of their host nation.
The Effect of Geo political risk on China’s OFDI: A Research Based on Countries along the line of The Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Ying Liu
Published: January 2020

China's overall investment in ASEAN, Western Asia and Central Asia has been relatively large since the "one belt and one way" initiative, while the countries in Central and Eastern Europe and South Asia are less. Geopolitical economic risk is an important factor. In this paper, we use the inventory data of China's direct investment in the "one belt and one road" country for 2005-2013 years, the geopolitical risk index calculated by each sub index score of geopolitical risk released in ICRG, and the data of the system's scoring system of the world bank's development index database issued annually. Component analysis and fixed effect stepwise regression model are used to explore the impact of geopolitical risk on China's OFDI along the "one belt and one road" area. The results show that geopolitical risk has a direct negative effect on outward FDI, that is, China tends to invest in countries (regions) with higher geopolitical risk, which may be caused by foreign policy and resource endowment; further analysis found that factors of exchange rate index, per capita GDP, resource endowment, infrastructure, economic and legal freedom positively promote OFDI, while R&D expenditure has a negative impact on OFDI, which may be due to R&D delay. Therefore, we need to stabilize the political and economic relations among the countries along the belt and road, increase the transparency of investment information of the host country, and strengthen the enterprise's self-awareness.
Women Participation in Livestock Raising and Household Managemnt In Rural Communities of Nafada, Semi-Arid Region Of Northeastern Nigeria
Authors: Dan Yakubu , Kim Idoma
Published: January 2020

This study was carried out to examine women’s participation in livestock raising in rural communities of Nafada, semi-arid region of Northeastern Nigeria. Thirteen villages were purposively sampled, and 10 women respondents were randomly selected from each village. Standardized interview schedule was adopted in the collection of information from the sampled respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The results disclosed that approximately half (45%) of the respondents raised goats and sheep and 100% were involved regularly in cleaning of animal sheds, watering and grazing of animals. In addition, washing of clothes, food preparation, cleaning of the house, looking after all family members, child/family health care, preparing beverages and cleaning up after meals ranked highest among household activities undertaken by women. Major challenges of livestock raising, and household management were low innovation (ranked 1), rustling (ranked 2), ranching (ranked 2) and health of animals (ranked 2). Others included child/family care (ranked 1), food (ranked 1), fuel wood collection (ranked 3) and absence of funding from government agents. The correlation results revealed that family size and education of respondents were significant factors influencing the extent of women’s participation in livestock raising in the study area. Therefore, carefully targeted women-focused programmes on livestock farming, intensive adult education and improved agricultural extension/ veterinary services among others are crucial to improving women’s participation in livestock production in Nafada LGA.
The Impact of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance on Corporate Performance: An Empirical Evidence from the Data of Chinese Listed Financial Enterprises
Authors: Sun Zhe
Published: January 2020

Based on data of the listed banks and insurance companies from 2011-2016, this paper studies the factors affecting directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, the relationship between directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and corporate performance. Empirical research shows that there is a significant positive correlation between the company’s asset-liability ratio, corporate performance and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance. Directors’ and officers’ liability insurance has a significant positive effect on corporate performance of listed banks and insurance companies. The empirical findings of this paper will help to strengthen the understanding of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in bank and insurance companies and promote the widespread use of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in the future.
Examination Anxiety as Correlate of Junior High School Pupils Academic Performance in the Effutu Municipality of Ghana
Authors: Bentil Joseph Bentil
Published: January 2020

This study investigated the relationship between examination anxiety and pupils’ academic performance in Junior High Schools in Effutu Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. Grounded in Smith and Ellsworth (1987) transactional model of test-related emotions, this study adopted the cross-sectional descriptive survey design with quantitative approach where seven-hundred and forty one (741) Junior High School pupils were sampled through the multi-stage sampling technique. Closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect quantifiable data. After satisfying validity and reliability requirements, the instrument was self-administered to the participants and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics such as t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings of the study revealed that generally there was high examination anxiety among the Junior High School pupils. Besides, the results showed that there was a strong and statistically significant inverse relationship between examination anxiety and pupils overall academic performance. The study further disclosed that the level of pupils and age of the pupils did not significantly affect examination anxiety. Furthermore, it was revealed that sex and type of school attended significantly influenced examination anxiety. Therefore, it is recommended among others that, the Effutu Municipal Education Directorate should as a matter of urgency design and implement programmes to reduce the high anxiety levels among pupils so as to enhance academic performance. In this direction, attention should be directed to sex and type of school attended since these two variables significantly predicted examination anxiety.
The Bald Ibis From Eagle Understanding A Historical City From The Traditional Craftmanship Language
Authors: Kasapoglu Aytul
Published: January 2020

The name and purpose of this work was inspired by the fact C.Wright Mills (1959) described sociology as an “Intellectual Craftsmanship” . The main aim is to examine traditional craft figurations (Elias, 1939; 2000) in a historical city (Mugla), which I find appropriate to explain with  workshop  metaphor.  Paul Thompson (1978), when he says  to hear the voice of the past,  underlines the importance of the bottom up historical approach,  ordinary people and everyday events in the construction of a more democratic and egalitarian future. In this study, it was paid attention to the changes in both time and space to be treated in a process and holistic manner by rejecting “essentialism ” and  “dualities”. In this study, it has been tried to make appropriate analyses by using the biographical narratives formed by the oral history technique. The originality of this research, based on the theoretical approach of Relational Sociology, is also here.
Appraisal of Perspectives to Morality in Business: Towards Developing Effective Operational Mindsets for Business Practitioners
Authors: Adewole Adeyeye , Ginah Ginah . O.
Published: January 2020

The study critically examines available perspectives to morality in business. It observes that each of the perspectives to morality in business may seem plausible; the reality of business clearly indicates that morality is intrinsic in the purposes and existence of business. The study further observes that the functional activities of business are pre-supposedly subjects of moral value judgment. The study posits that efforts should rather focus on discussions and concerns on moral benchmarks for sustainable business practices in view of emerging socio-cultural and global dynamics. It concludes that appropriate synthesis of perspectives is the way to go in order to enhance business education among students and practitioners in Nigeria.
Eyeing Innocent Souls: The trajectory of Domestic violence and children's education in Botswana
Authors: Mhlauli Mavis Bashingie
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the effects of domestic violence among children in Botswana.  Domestic violence is a global problem as it affects people from both poor and stable economies. Research has shown that there is a link between domestic violence and child abuse. This link has been shown in and confirmed by various studies conducted in a number of countries including China, South Africa, Colombia, India, Egypt, Philippines and Mexico (Unicef, 2005). Botswana like many countries of the world has a challenge of protecting children from being victims of domestic violence. Most violence in Botswana is reported to occur within intimate relationships which takes the form of emotional, physical and psychological abuse and mostly occurs among women. It has also been observed that domestic violence is common mostly in male dominated cultures which are either patriarchal or patrilineal and often justified by their customs and traditions, and condoned by law (Kanchipuntu and Mwale, 2016). This violence is said to affect children’s   lives as it may result in emotional trauma, physical and psychological barriers in schooling and educational experience in general (Lloyd, 2018). Paradoxically, children find themselves entangled in domestic violence with very little knowledge of what steps to take to end the form of abuse they experience. Governments, education systems and schools in particular have a role to play to mitigate the situation that children find themselves in hence the suggested strategies. More research needs to be undertaken to develop ways of dealing with domestic violence in schools which are culturally sensitive..
The Eternal Return: The Heaviest of the Burdens
Authors: Pakdamanshahri Fatemeh (Sara)
Published: January 2020

“Putting it negatively, the myth of eternal return states that a life which disappears once and for all, which does not return, is like a shadow, without weight, dead in advance, and whether it was horrible, beautiful, or sublime, its horror, sublimity, and beauty mean nothing.”1 As Kundera, himself, puts it, the idea of living once and never returning to it suggests the utmost lightness under which one’s existence hinders rather than strengthen.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being calls on us in the hope of a rediscovery of the experience of homecoming, not only in a geographical sense as we see in Oedipus the King, but more importantly in the psychological, spiritual, and epistemological sense of the term. The struggle between fate and freedom of choice, feeling of guilt and the resolution to its confrontation are among the mutual themes in these two literary masterpieces. Although there are a number of one to one connections between certain characters in the two literary works mentioned, the noteworthy is the individual journey they take to return home (in its metaphorical sense), which at the same time speaks of a collective journey of the homecoming of the human being.
Employee Choice and the Demand for Health Insurance Coverage: Evidence from Random Coefficients Models
Authors: Kattih Nour , Mixon Franklin G.
Published: January 2020

This study examines the effects of deductibles, employee premium contributions, and the availability of tax-sheltered health savings accounts on employee selection into health insurance plans after passage of the Affordable Care Act, and particularly after implementation of the individual mandate. In doing so, a utility-based structural demand model is applied to market-level macro data from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research Educational Trust. Results from random coefficients models indicate that for an average consumer, price sensitivity for employer-sponsored health insurance plans varies by age, wage, health condition and gender. Employees who are older, obese, or female are less sensitive to deductibles and premiums than younger and healthier employees, or male employees. These findings suggest that high deductible health plans that combine a tax-sheltered account with higher deductibles will negatively impact the utility of older employees and females as compared to younger employees and males.
Direct comparison study between droplet digital PCR and a combination of allele-specific PCR, asymmetric rapid PCR and melting curve analysis for the detection of BRAF V600E mutation in plasma from melanoma patients
Authors: Tzanikou Eleni , Haselmann Verena , Markou Athina , Duda Angelika , Utikal Jochen , Neumaier Michael , Lianidou Evi S.
Published: January 2020

Background

In metastatic melanoma, 40%–50% of patients harbor a BRAF V600E mutation and are thereby eligible to receive a combined BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy. Compared to standard-of-care tissue-based genetic testing, analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from blood enables a comprehensive assessment of tumor mutational status in real-time and can be used for monitoring response to therapy. The aim of our study was to directly compare the performance of two highly sensitive methodologies, droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and a combination of ARMS/asymmetric-rapid PCR/melting curve analysis, for the detection of BRAF V600E in plasma from melanoma patients.

Methods

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was isolated from 120 plasma samples of stage I to IV melanoma patients. Identical plasma-cfDNA samples were subjected to BRAF V600E mutational analysis using in parallel, ddPCR and the combination of ARMS/asymmetric-rapid PCR/melting curve analysis.

Results

BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 9/117 (7.7%) ctDNA samples by ddPCR and in 22/117 (18.8%) ctDNA samples by the combination of ARMS/asymmetric- rapid PCR/melting curve analysis. The concordance between these two methodologies was 85.5% (100/117). The comparison of plasma-ctDNA analysis using ddPCR and tissue testing revealed an overall agreement of 79.4% (27/34), while the corresponding agreement using the combination of ARMS/asymmetric-rapid PCR/melting curve analysis was 73.5% (25/34). Moreover, comparing the detection of BRAF-mutant ctDNA with the clinics, overall agreement of 87.2% (48/55) for ddPCR and 79.2% (42/53) was demonstrated. Remarkably, the duration of sample storage was negatively correlated with correctness of genotyping results highlighting the importance of pre-analytical factors.

Conclusions

Our direct comparison study has shown a high level of concordance between ddPCR and the combination of ARMS/asymmetric-rapid PCR/melting curve analysis for the detection of BRAF V600E mutations in plasma.
Greener synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from carbon dioxide and methanol using a tunable ionic liquid catalyst
Authors: Pawar Atul A. , Chaugule Avinash A. , Kim Hern
Published: January 2020

Several types of ionic liquids (ILs) performance towards dimethyl carbonate (DMC) synthesis using cheap reactant (methanol) and waste CO2 which is abundantly available in the environment are discussed. We synthesized ILs with cheap raw materials such as ethylene glycol. The main aim of this study is to synthesize efficient catalysts for the production of profitable fuel additives. ILs show high thermal stability, less viscosity, and low vapor pressure. In addition, some ILs have high CO2 absorption capacity due to moderate acid-base properties. These ILs reversibly capture more CO2 which is more efficient towards mass transport of methanol at optimum reaction conditions which enhance the DMC yield. This catalytic system is easily reusable for several reactions without decreased performance under the same reaction conditions. These reaction conditions had an effect on the synthesis of DMC. Temperature, pressure, IL loading, and IL/DMAP ratio were fine tuned. We propose a mechanism which the reaction may follow. The synthesized ILs required moderate reaction conditions and reduce waste gases (CO2) from the environments as they have high CO2 absorption capacity compared to the metal oxide catalyst. Therefore, this catalytic system helps and gives new direction to synthesize new catalyst for other application.
Implicit and explicit attitudes toward Germany as news-choice predictors among Muslims with migration backgrounds living in Germany
Authors: Arendt Florian , Karadas Narin
Published: January 2020

The present study investigated whether implicit and explicit attitudes predict news choice among Muslims with migration backgrounds living in Germany. We used both attitude constructs to predict a selection bias for news about the same event stemming from the host country (Germany) vs. from other countries. Using a survey (N = 1,107), we found that favorable implicit and explicit attitudes toward Germany increased a participant’s tendency to select German news. Each attitudinal construct predicted a unique variance in news choice. Using a subsample of Turkish citizens living in Germany who participated in the Turkish constitutional referendum 2017 (N = 241), we found that the attitude-based selection bias predicted their voting. We discuss implications for selective-exposure research and processes of integration.
Microwave-induced heating behavior of Y-TZP ceramics under multiphysics system
Authors: Cui Kaihui , Liao Tianqi , Qiu Chen , Chen Hua , Zhou Junwen
Published: January 2020

This paper aims to investigate the heating behaviors of Y-TZP arrays under microwave irradiation. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model of the microwave heating system was developed by COMSOL Multiphysics software. The numerical model was verified by microwave heating experiment, and the average root means square errors (RMSE) between the simulation and experimental data also confirmed the reliability of the model. The varying position and arrays of materials were applied to predict and visualize the three-dimensional distribution of the electromagnetic field and temperature during the microwave heating process. The results show that the temperature field distribution in microwave cavity was highly sensitive to the dielectric materials, the arrangement of the Y-TZP array interfered with the distribution of standing waves. The results can serve as references for the study to design and optimize the ceramic’s application in terms of microwave heating.
Prevalence of hypertension among school going adolescent boys in Najafgarh, Delhi, India
Authors: Singh Sunil Kumar , Verma Anita
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Hypertension is a global epidemic. Hypertension has become an increasingly important medical problem in children and adolescents. Evidence shows that hypertension begins in childhood and its associated risk factors like obesity, unhealthy eating habits also emerge in children of school going age.

Objectives

To study the prevalence of hypertension among school going adolescent boys in Najafgarh, Delhi and to find out the factors associated with hypertension among them.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional study was planned in which a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from the study participants. A total of 600 adolescent boys of 9th to 12th classes from four different schools in Delhi, were included in the study over a period of 12 months. Blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference were measured for all children. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 21.0 and for qualitative data analysis a chi-square (χ2) test was used.

Results

The mean age of study subjects was 15.1 years. The majority of the study subjects, 372 (62%), were in the age group of 14–16 years. Among the study subjects, 44 (7.3%) had pre-hypertension and 26 (4.3%) had hypertension. Hypertension was significantly higher in those with a family history of hypertension and who were overweight/obese.

Conclusion

The prevalence of hypertension was significantly high among adolescents of Delhi. Obesity and family history of hypertension were identified as important risk factors prevalent in the study population.
Adherence behavior assessment of oral antidiabetic medication use: a study of patient decisions in long-term disease management in primary health care centers in Surabaya
Authors: Aditama Lisa , Athiyah Umi , Utami Wahyu , Rahem Abdul
Published: January 2020

Background

Adherence to medication has an important role in the long-term management of diabetes. The Indonesian Endocrinologist Association found that of the 50% of the entire population who have been diagnosed with diabetes, two-thirds are undergoing therapy and only one-third have been achieving the intended outcomes of the drug therapy. This study aimed to identify patients’ adherence behavior and the root causes of non-adherence.

Methods

This study used a non-experimental mixed-methods approach. A total of 40 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who were part of the referral program of the National Health Care Security System (BPJS Kesehatan) were recruited by purposive sampling from 17 primary health care centers in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Results

The adherence behavior assessment revealed non-adherence among 80% of the patients. The highest instances of non-adherence based on the percentage scores involved the following: patients forgot to take the medications (38.23%), patients preferred not to take the medications (20.59%) and the drug products were not available for the patient (14.71%). The factors influencing non-adherence included the complex instructions for taking medication, the absence of a reminder, the unwanted side effects of the drug, the feeling of repetition, the feeling that drugs were ineffective and the concern for the drug’s effects on the kidney.

Conclusions

The high rates of non-adherence identified in this study encourage pharmacists to implement better medication therapy management for chronic diseases. The patients’ understanding of drug therapy indications and regimens is very important in increasing the expectations of achieving effective treatment, awareness and concern for medication safety and treatment compliance.
The (De)legitimising power of narrative reports: A case study of covert sayers
Authors: Wieczorek Anna Ewa
Published: January 2020

One of two primary aims of this article is to advance a pragma-cognitive approach to the analysis of narrative reports used as parts of short narratives which draws on two salient theories: the Cognitive Approach proposed by Chilton (2004, 2005, 2010, 2014) and Cap's (2006, 2010, 2013, 2017) Proximisation Theory. The other equally important objective is to propose a taxonomy of covert sayers, i.e. actors whose words are reported by the current speaker (cf. Vandelanotte 2006, 2008, 2009), whose identity is concealed and may be retrieved via inferences drawn on the basis of shared values and common ground. This paper essentially concentrates on sayer's utterances rendered via reported speech frames and explains their role in maintaining the aura of belonging and inclusion, as well as of dissociation and exclusion. My research assumes that reported speech frames are selected strategically as rhetorical devices to foster (de)legitimisation and image construction. The research data comprises a corpus of texts of presidential public addresses written to be delivered rather than transcripts of spoken discourse, as its purpose is to investigate the process of speech construction.
Different ways to express personal attitudes in Spanish and English engineering papers: An analysis of metadiscourse devices, affective evaluation and sentiment analysis
Authors: Carrió-Pastor Maria Luisa
Published: January 2020

The hypothesis of this paper is that writers with similar academic backgrounds express personal attitudes in English and in Spanish differently in research papers. Thus, the main objectives are, first, to study the differences in the use of attitude devices in Spanish and English academic discourse; second, to compare the results in the different sections of articles; and finally to study the positive or negative semantic implications of the lexical items by carrying out a sentiment analysis. To this end, fifteen Spanish industrial engineering papers were compared with fifteen English industrial engineering papers. The results showed that there are in fact differences in the way academic writers communicate attitude, but the sentiment analysis revealed that neutral lexical items were the most commonly used in engineering research papers. Even though engineering researchers share the knowledge of the specialist content and the academic style of expressing their thoughts, personal attitudes were expressed in different ways in Spanish and in English.
Defeating Fake News: On Journalism, Knowledge, and Democracy
Authors: Ball Brian
Published: January 2020

The central thesis of this paper is that fake news and related phenomena serve as defeaters for knowledge transmission via journalistic channels. This explains how they pose a threat to democracy; and it points the way to determining how to address this threat. Democracy is both intrinsically and instrumentally good provided the electorate has knowledge (however partial and distributed) of the common good and the means of achieving it. Since journalism provides such knowledge, those who value democracy have a reason to protect it. Hostile agents, however, can undermine both the effectiveness of democratic decision-making and faith in democracy itself, by deliberately promulgating fake news and hyper-partisan views; moreover, these effects can come about unintentionally on social media. I conclude that we may need to change, not just the way we process information online, but also the informational environment in which we operate.
Critical Information Literacy as a Path to Resist “Fake News”: Understanding Disinformation as the Root Problem
Authors: Brisola Anna Cristina , Doyle Andréa
Published: January 2020

This paper proposes to discuss the problem of Fake News, its root problem disinformation and the path to resist it, critical information literacy. It initially distinguishes the concepts of fake news and disinformation through the views of authors as Allcott & Gentzkow (2017), Chomsky (2014), Serrano (2010) and Volkoff (1999). Our perspective considers that none of these phenomena are new or recent, and we do not consider the “combat” of fake news to be a simple task, considering that it involves issues related to the limits of freedom of speech and media censorship. Fake News are understood as intentionally and verifiably false articles created to manipulate people and disinformation as a bigger ensemble of techniques to manipulate public opinion for political gain with perverted (but not only false) information. One way to deal with these matters goes through a more complex process: the development of critical information literacy in the society as a whole. This concept is studied from the work of Downey (2016), Elmborg (2012), Freire (1967;1970) and others. Freire’s critical pedagogy helps the self-construction of subjects aware of their position and their social role, and it is a basic key for the formation of autonomous, critical and responsible individuals. Based on that, critical information literacy is a state of vigilance towards information that enables people to understand that information is socially constructed and to use it to produce new information in a creative and contextualized way. It concludes that critical information literacy is a consistent tool of resistance to Fake News as it allows people not only survive the informational flood but mainly to build a more ethical society in the use of information.
Objects, Relations, Potential and Change
Authors: Nooteboom Bart
Published: January 2020

This article attempts to develop further the conception of dynamics in Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO): its model of how objects develop and change. Objects are affected by relations between them, and have the potential both to produce and undergo effects, as realised in interaction with other objects. To elaborate on the change of objects in OOO, an idea is adopted from transcendental ontology. A key Hegelian question in this article is how the realisation of existing potential can produce new potential (Schelling: potentialisation, going from the actual to the possible). Stated differently: how can objects change to the point of breaking their identity and generating a new object? One needs to consider that objects are nested at different levels, and that the degree of how radical change may be depends on the perspective of any given level. To address this issue, the article employs the notion of ascript: a structure of nodes, each with its own subscripts. The analysis is applied and developed further through a comparative analysis of change in evolution, economics, a theory of discovery, and linguistics. The dual intention of this is to see if OOO can help us understand those phenomena, and to see in turn if those phenomena can inform the further development of OOO.
Modeling and optimization of urban rail transit scheduling with adaptive fruit fly optimization algorithm
Authors: Li Jin , Xu Guangyin , Wang Zhengfeng , Wang Zhanwu
Published: January 2020

Despite the rapid development of urban rail transit in China, there are still some problems in train operation, such as low efficiency and poor punctuality. To realize a proper allocation of passenger flows and increase train frequency, this paper has proposed an improved urban rail transit scheduling model and solved the model with an adaptive fruit fly optimization algorithm (AFOA). For the benefits of both passengers and operators, the shortest average waiting time of passengers and the least train frequency are chosen as the optimization objective, and train headway is taken as the decision variable in the proposed model. To obtain higher computational efficiency and accuracy, an adaptive dynamic step size is built in the conventional FOA. Moreover, the data of urban rail transit in Zhengzhou was simulated for case study. The comparison results reveal that the proposed AFOA exhibits faster convergence speed and preferable accuracy than the conventional FOA, particle swarm optimization, and bacterial foraging optimization algorithms. Due to these superiorities, the proposed AFOA is feasible and effective for optimizing the scheduling of urban rail transit.
Orientation of Trans-Saharan Passerine Migrants in Southwestern Spain – Revisited
Authors: Busse Przemysław
Published: January 2020

At the end of the 1980s, a relatively large data set was collected from orientation cage tests of nocturnal migrants caught in one locality in south-western Spain. It was published in The Auk in 1989. At the time of publication, the use of orientation cages was a major advance in detailed studies on passerine migration patterns. The basic evaluation procedure was to calculate the average vector of all numbers representing bird activity in a number of sectors of the full wind-rose and to use the Rayleigh test to determine the statistical significance of the distribution. However, due to hidden assumptions in the procedure used at that time, the resulting heading patterns could be called into question in light of further methodological development. The paper revisits the original set of orientation data collected in the last century in the reported study. The new results from the multimodal distribution accepting procedure are compared with the older pictures and are found to be much better at explaining the migration pattern there. In particular, the Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler, which were claimed to be ‘disoriented’, now show acceptable directionality patterns which do not differ in shape from those of other species.
An optimal control of a risk-sensitive problem for backward doubly stochastic differential equations with applications
Authors: Hafayed Dahbia , Chala Adel
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we are concerned with an optimal control problem where the
system is driven by a backward doubly stochastic differential equation with risk-sensitive performance functional. We generalized the result of Chala [A. Chala,
Pontryagin’s risk-sensitive stochastic maximum principle for backward stochastic differential equations with application,
Bull. Braz. Math. Soc. (N. S.) 48 2017, 3, 399–411] to a backward doubly stochastic differential equation by using the same contribution of Djehiche, Tembine and Tempone in [B. Djehiche, H. Tembine and R. Tempone,
A stochastic maximum principle for risk-sensitive mean-field type control,
IEEE Trans. Automat. Control 60 2015, 10, 2640–2649]. We use the risk-neutral model for which an optimal solution exists as a preliminary step. This is an extension of an initial control system in this type of problem, where an admissible controls set is convex. We establish necessary as well as
sufficient optimality conditions for the risk-sensitive performance functional control problem. We illustrate the paper by giving two different examples for a linear quadratic system, and a numerical application as second example.
Utilizing drone technology in the civil engineering
Authors: Tkáč Matúš , Mésároš Peter
Published: January 2020

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs), also known as drone technology, is used for different types of application in the civil engineering. Drones as a tools that increase communication between construction participants, improves site safety, uses topographic measurements of large areas, with using principles of aerial photogrammetry is possible to create buildings aerial surveying, bridges, roads, highways, saves project time and costs, etc. The use of UAVs in the civil engineering can brings many benefits; creating real-time aerial images from the building objects, overviews reveal assets and challenges, as well as the broad lay of the land, operators can share the imaging with personnel on site, in headquarters and with sub-contractors, planners can meet virtually to discuss project timing, equipment needs and challenges presented by the terrain. The aim of this contribution is to create a general overview of the use of UAVs in the civil engineering. The contribution also contains types of UAVs used for construction purposes, their advantages and also disadvantages.
The effect of CO2 on cement composites produced with an admixture of waste sludge water from a concrete plant
Authors: Klus Lukas , Svoboda Jakub , Václavik Vojtech , Dvorský Tomas , Botula Jiri
Published: January 2020

This article presents the results of a research dealing with the effect of CO2 on cement composites prepared on the basis of waste sludge water from the concrete plant. The designed formulas R1 and R3 use waste sludge water from the concrete plant as a partial or complete replacement of mixing water in the production of cement composites. The mixing water was replaced by waste sludge water in the amounts of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Laboratory tests that are defined in ČSN EN 1008 standard were performed in order to determine the effect of partial or complete replacement of mixing water. The test specimens were further subjected to the effect of CO2 in the Lamart laboratory chamber, where the effect of CO2 was simulated for the period 50 years. Subsequently, the cement composites were tested for their strength characteristics (tensile flexural strength, compressive strength) and subjected to a mineralogical analysis. The results show that the effect of CO2 will reduce the strength characteristics of the composite compared to the comparative samples.
Selected problems of thermal insulation of historical buildings
Authors: Katunská Jana , Katunský Dušan , Labovská Veronika
Published: January 2020

There are problems with historical buildings when changing the thermal insulation properties of buildings. The Energy Efficiency Act exempted historic buildings from certification. Not all old, historic buildings have monument protection. It is necessary to take into account the above mentioned facts in case of renovation and reconstruction of an old building. Otherwise, a normal building is approached and a building of historical value is treated differently. Methods hidden insulation, which preserves the authenticity of cultural monuments and real estate in the heritage areas, is a current challenge of heritage practice. The sustainability of the operation of historic buildings ultimately means the preservation and appropriate use of the heritage fund. Fortunately, the list of such interventions that do not jeopardize the monumental values or the use of the building is gradually increasing. This is mainly due to modern, increasingly sophisticated materials and technologies. In this paper we offer a basic overview of the most frequently used and practice-tested interventions in historical buildings, but we focus on details.
Environmental impact analysis of five family houses in Eastern Slovakia through a life cycle assessment
Authors: Moňoková Andrea , Vilčeková Silvia
Published: January 2020

This study performs a life cycle assessment (LCA) of five new family houses in Eastern Slovakia to compare them in terms of the materials and technologies used. The main goal of the analysis is to investigate and highlight the expectable reduction rate of environmental impact resulting from using green materials and technologies. Their environmental impact is determined by using eToolLCD software. The life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) categories of global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, eutrophication and photochemical ozone creation potential are determined within the cradle-to-grave boundary. The examined family houses are built of conventional materials such as aerated concrete blocks, expanded polystyrene (EPS) for thermal insulation and roofing mineral wool, as well as natural materials such as clay, straw, wood, cellulose and vegetation for the roofs. Family houses built of natural materials are characterized by negative emissions of CO2eq in the product phase. Results show that especially the product phase contributes greatly to all environmental impact categories for houses built of conventional materials, such as aerated concrete blocks, mineral wool for thermal insulation, reinforcement concrete and ceramic or concrete tiles.
Inlet device with double exponential profile distributor for indoor air dispensation
Authors: Domnita Florin , Kapalo Peter
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a device for introducing air inside a room with the novelty of double-exponential profile of the distributor. This allows entering the rooms of large quantities of blow-in air with low velocities, with the result of possible use in locations with a high required air exchange. In the Laboratory of Ventilation and Air Conditioning of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, it was designed and built an experimental stand in order to investigate the velocity field of a double-equal strength (double exponential profile) inlet device for spatial air-distribution. There are presented the measurements that were performed in the laboratory in order to establish the velocity field and the spatial distribution of air. The proposed solution can be used in many applications to provide high rates of air through the ventilation systems.
Fibril formation through self-assembly of a simple glycine derivative and X-ray diffraction study
Authors: Dutta Arpita , Das Suven , Das Purak , Maity Suvendu , Ghosh Prasanta
Published: January 2020

N-(N-benzoyl glycinyl)-N,N′-dicyclohexylurea was synthesised by conjugating N-benzoyl glycine and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) using triethylamine as base catalyst. A single crystal X-ray diffraction study reveals that the compound self-assembles into a supramolecular sheet structure by intermolecular N–H · · · O, C–H · · · O hydrogen bonding and non-bonding van der Waals interactions. A high resolution transmission electronic microscopic (HR-TEM) image of the compound exhibits formation of fibrils in the solid state.
The Relationship between Pesticide Exposure and Umbilical Serum IGF-1 Levels and Low-birth Weight: A Case-control Study in Brebes, Indonesia
Authors: Widyawati Sigit Ambar , Suhartono Suhartono , Mexitalia Maria , Soejoenoes Ariawan
Published: January 2020

Background: Birth weight is very important for long-term physical, mental, health, and brain development. Pesticide exposure is thought to interfere with fetal growth, among others, through disruption of the function of the insulin-like growth hormone-1 (IGF-1) hormone. Objective: To analyze the relationship between exposure to pesticides during pregnancy and low-birth weight (LBW) through the disruption of the IGF-1 hormone. Methods: In a case-control study, babies born with LBW (birth weight <2500 g) and those born later with normal birth weight (≥2500 g) at 2 hospitals in Brebes were chosen as cases and controls, respectively. Maternal pesticide exposure was measured by interview using a questionnaire. Umbilical serum IGF-I level was tested using the ELISA method. Results: There was a significant relationship between pesticide exposure during pregnancy and LBW (OR 6.8; 95% CI 2.0 to 22.9) and low umbilical serum IGF-1 levels (OR 3.6; 95% CI 1.2 to 11.1). There was a significant relationship between low umbilical serum IGF-1 levels and LBW (OR 8.9; 95% CI 2.4 to 32.1). Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between pesticide exposure during pregnancy and LBW through the umbilical serum IGF-1 reduction pathway.
Sled-Push Load-Velocity Profiling and Implications for Sprint Training Prescription in Young Athletes
Authors: Cahill Micheál J. , Oliver Jon L. , Cronin John B. , Clark Kenneth P. , Cross Matt R. , Lloyd Rhodri S.
Published: January 2020

Cahill, MJ, Oliver, JL, Cronin, JB, Clark, KP, Cross, MR, and Lloyd, RS. Sled-push load-velocity profiling and implications for sprint training prescription in young athletes. J Strength Cond Res 35(11): 3084–3089, 2021—Resisted sled pushing is a popular method of sprint-specific training; however, little evidence exists to support the prescription of resistive loads in young athletes. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and linearity of the force-velocity relationship during sled pushing, as well as the amount of between-athlete variation in the load required to cause a decrement in maximal velocity (Vdec) of 25, 50, and 75%. Ninety (n = 90) high school, male athletes (age 16.9 ± 0.9 years) were recruited for the study. All subjects performed 1 unresisted and 3 sled-push sprints with increasing resistance. Maximal velocity was measured with a radar gun during each sprint and the load-velocity (LV) relationship established for each subject. A subset of 16 subjects examined the reliability of sled pushing on 3 separate occasions. For all individual subjects, the LV relationship was highly linear (r > 0.96). The slope of the LV relationship was found to be reliable (coefficient of variation [CV] = 3.1%), with the loads that cause a decrement in velocity of 25, 50, and 75% also found to be reliable (CVs = <5%). However, there was large between-subject variation (95% confidence interval) in the load that caused a given Vdec, with loads of 23–42% body mass (%BM) causing a Vdec of 25%, 45–85 %BM causing a Vdec of 50%, and 69–131 %BM causing a Vdec of 75%. The Vdec method can be reliably used to prescribe sled-push loads in young athletes, but practitioners should be aware that the load required to cause a given Vdec is highly individualized.
The Countermovement Jump Mechanics of Mixed Martial Arts Competitors
Authors: James Lachlan P. , Connick Mark , Haff G. Gregory , Kelly Vincent G. , Beckman Emma M.
Published: January 2020

James, LP, Connick, M, Haff, GG, Kelly, VG, and Beckman, EM. The countermovement jump mechanics of mixed martial arts competitors. J Strength Cond Res 34(4): 982–987, 2020—Gross countermovement jump (CMJ) performance measures are greater in higher-level mixed martial arts (MMA) competitors than lower-level (LL) competitors. Differences in CMJ kinetics and kinematics throughout the action may explain those CMJ performance differences, but this remains to be investigated. After warm-up and familiarization, 27 MMA competitors (divided into 2 groups based on competitive standard; higher level [HL]: n = 14 and LL: n = 13) completed 3 maximal effort CMJs. Power, force, velocity, displacement-time waveforms and eccentric phase displacement, eccentric time, eccentric impulse, and the modified reactive strength index (RSImod) were compared between groups using statistical parametric mapping procedures and independent t-tests. Power (between 65 and 71% of the power-time curve) was greater in the HL than that of the LL group (p = 0.01) despite no differences in eccentric displacement (p = 0.50) or movement time (p = 0.17) between groups. The HL group demonstrated a greater RSImod (p = 0.05) alongside a reduced eccentric time (p = 0.02) and eccentric impulse (p = 0.02). These findings suggest that timing and control of lower-body force production contributed to between-group differences in CMJ performance among MMA competitors.