Non-structural Factors Research Articles

Experimental investigation of parameters affecting the stability of articulated concrete block mattress under wave attack

Revetment is a protective structure for a shoreline with stony material, usually natural stone or concrete, with a thickness of only one layer of elements and of which the elements are placed in a pattern. Various conditions of designing and implementing coastal protection structures such as implementation speed and construction cost; cause the use of Articulated Concrete Block Mattress (ACB Mat). ACB mattresses have an appropriate flexibility that can be installed on different conditions of slope revetments. ACB mat system includes a filter layer that allows infiltration and exfiltration to occur while providing particle retention of the soil subgrade. To determine the extent of the effect of hydrodynamic, structural and non-structural factors as well as presenting dimensionless relations and design charts of ACB Mats, experimental data are needed which can be achieved by an appropriate laboratory scale model (λ=1:10). In the present study, the effect of various parameters was investigated to improve existing formula by adding effects of mattress length, construction slope, filter layer, ACB mat thickness and friction coefficient. Accordingly, new modified equation was obtained by adding parameters; stability shifting factor, stability course factor and stability shape factor which can be presented as “1.8<a<5.4”, “7<b<12” and “c≈1” respectively. At the end, six design charts will be presented which can be helpful to determine minimum length of mattress for different wave’s characteristics and construction’s slope on two type of filter layer.

Coordinated Activities of Multiple Myc-dependent and Myc-independent Biosynthetic Pathways in Hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is associated with aberrant activation of the β-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling pathways. Overexpression of mutant β-catenin and YAP in mice induces HBs that express high levels of c-Myc (Myc). In light of recent observations that Myc is unnecessary for long-term hepatocyte proliferation, we have now examined its role in HB pathogenesis using the above model. Although Myc was found to be dispensable for in vivo HB initiation, it was necessary to sustain rapid tumor growth. Gene expression profiling identified key molecular differences between myc+/+ (WT) and myc-/- (KO) hepatocytes and HBs that explain these behaviors. In HBs, these included both Myc-dependent and Myc-independent increases in families of transcripts encoding ribosomal proteins, non-structural factors affecting ribosome assembly and function, and enzymes catalyzing glycolysis and lipid bio-synthesis. In contrast, transcripts encoding enzymes involved in fatty acid β-oxidation were mostly down-regulated. Myc-independent metabolic changes associated with HBs included dramatic reductions in mitochondrial mass and oxidative function, increases in ATP content and pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, and marked inhibition of fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). Myc-dependent metabolic changes included higher levels of neutral lipid and acetyl-CoA in WT tumors. The latter correlated with higher histone H3 acetylation. Collectively, our results indicate that the role of Myc in HB pathogenesis is to impose mutually dependent changes in gene expression and metabolic reprogramming that are unattainable in non-transformed cells and that cooperate to maximize tumor growth.

Preparedness of Iranian Hospitals Against Disasters

Context: Over the past decade the number of accidents and disasters has been growing around the world. In addition to damaging communities and infrastructures, unexpected disasters also affect service providers. This study aimed to evaluate the readiness of hospitals when confronted with unexpected disasters. Evidence Acquisition: The present study was a simple review article, which was conducted via searching different sites, such as:Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct and PubMed, using different key words such as: Disasters, Crisis, Hospital and preparedness.The relationship between the articles found in relation to our subject was investigated through the title and abstract of articles. The relationship between the articles, which were found in relation to our subject, was investigated through the title and abstract of the articles. Our search included papers published during the period between 2007 and 2015 and we only considered studies that measured the preparedness of hospitals in critical conditions. Among the 30 articles, which were found, 17 were excluded from the study due to lack of relevant data. Hence, 15 papers, which were of proper design and robust data analysis, were included in the current study. Results: Hospital preparedness in disaster was evaluated in three dimensions: structural, non-structural factors and vulnerability management performance. A total of readiness of hospitals in three dimensions was mediocre. Conclusions: Overall, the results derived from these studies indicated that hospital safety levels in most of the surveyed hospitals were moderate. Although the situation in hospitals is not critical, there is a need to plan and take appropriate measures to improve the safety level of the hospitals. Keywords: Disasters, Risk Assessment, Hospital Preparedness, Iranian Hospitals

The Inconvenient Truth About MRI in Psychiatric Research

The Inconvenient Truth About MRI in Psychiatric Research

L2 Learners’ English Prepositional-Phrase Processing with Consideration of L2 Proficiency and Word Familiarity: A mixed-effect Analysis

L2 Learners’ English Prepositional-Phrase Processing with Consideration of L2 Proficiency and Word Familiarity: A mixed-effect Analysis Hiroki FUJITA Abstract A considerable number of studies have hitherto examined how native speakers and second language (hereafter L1 and L2, respectively) learners of English process English prepositional phrases. It is usually thought that both L1 and L2 speakers have a preference for verb phrase modification (e.g., The boy broke the old window with a ball of snow.) over noun phrase modification (e.g., The boy broke the old window with a view of snow.). However, little research has attempted to reveal how non-structural factors interact with L2 learners’ prepositional phrase processing. In this study, I examined whether L2 learners’ syntactic processing preference for prepositional-phrase attachment was affected by their L2 proficiency and word familiarity with reading time data obtained from the word-by-word self-paced reading task. In addition, the possibility that L2 syntactic priming is influenced by such non-syntactic factors was also investigated. The research results showed that L2 learners’ prepositional-phrase processing and syntactic priming were not subject to those factors, indicating that in prepositional phrases, there was no interaction between L2 learners’ syntactic processing and those non-syntactic elements. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v5n1a10

Networked infrastructures and the ‘local': Flows and connectivity in a postsocialist city

Through an analysis of ethnographic data gathered from two communities using Bucharest's urban infrastructures, we argue that studies that privilege the large-scale analyses may be enriched by paying closer attention to small-scale, non-structural factors that create local citizenship claims and local forms of belonging to the city. The template of neoliberal transformations of urban networks acquires unexpected forms at the infra-city scale, which may be fruitfully approached ethnographically. We begin with a historical overview of networked infrastructures during socialism and postsocialism in Bucharest. We then describe and contrast two of the many forms of belonging and exclusion from the city—grounded in infrastructural connections and disconnections—that we call ‘maintenance and repair citizenship' and ‘incomplete citizenship'.

Non-structural factors associated with existing and new foot pain: Data from the Tasmanian older adult cohort study

Non-structural factors associated with existing and new foot pain: Data from the Tasmanian older adult cohort study

基于GIS的沿海地区生态安全时空测度与演变研究——以大连市瓦房店为例

In this study,taking the Landsat TM remote sensing images( track No. 120 /32,120 /33) of Wafangdian County-level City in 2000,2005 and 2010 as the data sources,the coastal ecological security evaluation system was established on the basis of landscape pattern analysis and pressure-state-response( P-S-R) framework. Grid database of coastal eco-security assessment was created by quantitative multi-source data with GIS grid technology. Eco-security status was estimated by the use of the weighted-fuzzy membership degree method. Temporal and spatial evolution of eco-security pattern was analyzed through spatial statistical methods in order to reveal evolution features of coastal region ecological safety as well. The results showed as follows: 1) The ecological safety index of Wafangdian County-level City from 2000 to 2010 was 0. 4636,0. 3878 and 0. 4636,respectively,which demonstrated eco-security situation had a slight improvement after deterioration,but we should pay more attention to prefect the ecological status in western coastal district. 2) Moran's I from2000 to 2010 was 0. 9015,0. 8738 and 0. 8703,respectively,which indicated there was a significant correlation of spatial evolution in the space. The characteristic of ecological safety pattern was that areas with high value was inclined to be close to the regions of better ecological eco-security status,while the low degree of eco-security status presented adverse tendency,which performed extremely obvious from 2000 to 2005. 3) The nuggets of eco-security index in Wafangdian County-level City was 0. 0030,0. 0007 and 0. 000903,respectively,which showed the non-structural factors played an everincreasing role in spatial distribution of ecological safety in the study area,which was consistent with the actual conditions of urban construction land expansion and frequent human activities in the past decade. The change about value of C0/( C0+C) decreased as the speed increased initially and decreased afterwards,which reflected the impact of non-structural factors on the space differentiation of ecological security had experienced a consistent change trend. With the implementation of the land policy and management of Dalian City,the influence from non-structural factors such as urban construction and human activities on eco-security evolution has been cut down since 2005.

OPTIMIZATION OF THE RESERVE-TYPE DISTRIBUTOR FOR R410A AIR CONDITIONER

Mal-distribution of refrigerant in a cross-flow type evaporator with parallel paths is very important, which can lead to a loss of heat exchanger capacity to 25%. Distributors are used to balance the two-phase refrigerant distributions in each path. Apart from the structural factors, there are other factors influencing the performance of distributor greatly. In this paper, influences of several nonstructural factors on reservoir distributor are investigated experimentally under varied working conditions. The inlet tube configuration, installation orientation and capillary tube length are also studied. One experiment apparatus is developed to measure the refrigerant mass flow rate and the quality based on R410A air conditioner. It is found that influence caused by inlet tube before the distributor is small. The average STD is only 2.76%. Influence caused by orientation is broad. The average STD is less than 9% on the orientation of 15°. On the orientation of 90°, STDs of different conditions are all more than 40%. For orientation, mass flow rate sensitivity is larger than quality sensitivity. Capillary tubes with different length can be used to adjust distribution. Average STD with sizable capillary length difference is 9.47%. It means that only small mal-distribution can be adjusted by using different-length capillary tubes. Capillary tube length sensitivity increases with the increase of difference between outlet tubes or the decrease of average length of outlet tubes.

Roles for university researchers in urban sustainability initiatives: the UK Newcastle Low Carbon Neighbourhoods project

There is considerable debate regarding the contribution to be made by higher education institutions and the researchers they employ in realising environmentally sustainable urban spaces, and the relationship between academic research and lay knowledge. Drawing on previous work, the paper identifies roles that may be played by academic researchers in building sustainable urban locations. Adopting a focus on sub-city scale phenomena the paper illustrates how the roles played are affected by structural and non-structural factors which also shape the nature of collaboration among university researchers and other participants in urban sustainability projects. The paper does this on the basis of analysis and reflection upon research and related activities taking place over the period 2007–2011 in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England, focussing on a project called Newcastle Low Carbon Neighbourhoods. The paper finds that academic researchers play multiple, sometimes conflicting roles in such initiatives, and that national structural and locally contingent factors affect the manner of collaboration with non-specialists and the durability of urban sustainability projects. It concludes that more conventional project arrangements may avoid some difficulties associated with such complex projects but potentially denude them of their richness and originality.

Saving-Investment Gap and Economic Growth in Developing Countries: Simulated Evidence from Selected Countries in Africa

It is a challenge for most developing countries, especially in Africa, to mobilize domestically enough capital to meet their extensive investment needs because of two main reasons: the undeveloped nature of their financial system and the low rate of access of households to basic financial products. This study analyzes the impacts of persistent savings (S)-investment (I) gaps on economic growth using a sample of 5 developing countries in Africa - Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. The methodology of this study is based on a Ramsey model within a general equilibrium framework where consumption and savings are the determinant factors in a typical household’s utility function. Calibrations and simulations indicate significant gaps between optimal and actual levels of savings and investment. Furthermore, the findings point out that these gaps are associated with relatively lower growth rates of actual output compared to simulated output, with the notable, but limited, exception of Nigeria until 2019. It accordingly becomes appropriate to suggest policies addressing both the structural and non-structural factors that limit the ability of these developing countries to effectively bolster households’ deposits.

下辽河平原景观格局脆弱性评价及空间关联格局分析

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 下辽河平原景观格局脆弱性及空间关联格局 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201303200465 作者: 作者单位: 辽宁师范大学城市与环境学院,辽宁师范大学城市与环境学院,辽宁师范大学城市与环境学院 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 高等学校博士学科点专项科研基金资助项目（20122136110003）；国家自然科学基金资助项目（40501013） Evaluation of the landscape patterns vulnerability and analysis of spatial correlation patterns in the lower reaches of Liaohe River Plain Author: Affiliation: College of Urban and Environment,Liaoning Normal University,College of Urban and Environment,Liaoning Normal University, Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:以东北三省开发强度最大的辽河中下游地区——下辽河平原为研究对象，根据景观格局脆弱性的概念及内涵，通过景观敏感度指数和景观适应度指数构建景观格局脆弱度指数，并借助地统计学和空间自相关模型分析的理论方法，对下辽河平原景观格局脆弱度的空间分布特征、变异规律以及空间关联格局进行探讨，结果表明：①1989-2010年下辽河平原景观格局脆弱度总体上呈递减趋势；②1989-2010年研究区景观格局脆弱度Moran’s I表现为一定程度的正相关，且相关程度略微呈下降趋势；③1989-2010年研究区景观格局脆弱度局部空间自相关和显著性水平均发生了明显的变化；④研究区各时期景观格局脆弱度的空间相关性是受结构性因素和非结构性因素共同影响，C0所占的比例在3a期间有逐步上升趋势，表明非结构性因素对景观格局脆弱度演变的影响程度不断加深，但是结构性因素（地形地貌、水文、土壤植被类型等）仍然对本区景观格局脆弱度的空间分布起决定性作用。 Abstract:Landscape patterns embody both landscape heterogeneity and the accumulation of all kinds of ecological process in different scales. Landscape patterns determine the distribution of resources and the environment, which has a profound impact on anti-interference ability, recoverability, system stability and biodiversity. However, since the 21st century, soil desertification, biodiversity decrease and other issues have appeared in many countries and regions in the world, economic losses has been increased gradually.Located in the middle and lower reaches of Liaohe River Basin-the lower reaches of Liaohe River Plain, it is one of the strongest areas of human development in northeastern part of China. It has an enormous population and a long history of land development, and the region is one of the important commodity grain bases in Liaoning province and northeast. In recent years, with the rapid development of regional social economy, the landscape patterns have been dramatically changed in the lower reaches of Liaohe River Plain, even the unreasonable development has leaded to accelerate soil erosion. Therefore, for reasonable development and landscape patterns optimization management, the research of landscape patterns vulnerability becomes important and urgent in the lower reaches of Liaohe River Plain.In this study, on the basis of understanding the concept and connotation of landscape patterns vulnerability, our study first attempts to construct landscape vulnerability index through landscape sensitivity index and landscape adaptability index. And at last our study explores the influential factors of the variation of the landscape vulnerability by using geo-statistical method combined with Moran's I index. The results of our study show that: (1) The landscape vulnerability degree gradually declined in the study tine, the area ratio and space structure in the classification areas changed significantly. (2) Moran' s I shows positive spatial autocorrelation, and the correlation drops slightly. (3)The spatial autocorrelation analysis we have done reveals that the landscape vulnerability has a high degree spatial correlation, and both the local spatial autocorrelation and significance level obviously changed during the period of 3 years. (4) Through the analysis of theoretical model, the percentage of nugget gradually increased in 1989, 2001 and 2010, and then it indicates that the non-structural factors deeply impact on the evolution of the vulnerability, however, structural factors (the landform, hydrology, soil, vegetation type, etc.) in this area still play a decisive role. Range indicates that landscape vulnerability of the study area has a high degree spatial correlation in 2.5 km sampling spacing. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Experimental Analysis of Effects of Non-Structural Factors on Performance of Liquid-Gas Ejector Driven by Aqueous LiBr Solution

Miniaturization and high-efficiency plays an important role in the further development of absorption refrigeration. In order to improve the mass transfer efficiency, liquid-gas ejector is intended to be used in refrigeration system. Experimental analysis of effects of non-structural factors on Liquid-Gas Ejector driven by aqueous LiBr solution is presented. Solution concentration, solution temperature, evaporator temperature and back pressure are varied to analyze the ejector performance. The results show that the large difference between refrigerant vapor pressure and partial pressure of solution enhances absorption of water into aqueous lithium bromide solution. The optimal solution concentration range is 56.61wt%~57.61wt% when the throat diameter of convergent-divergent nozzle is 1.5mm. Cooling capacity increases with the decreasing of back pressure.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Land Use Change in the Poyang Lake Eco-economic Zone, China

Land use/land cover change has been attracting increasing attention in the field of global environmental change research because of its role in the social and ecological environment. To explore the ecological risk characteristics of land use change in the Poyang Lake Eco-economic Zone of China, an eco-risk index was established in this study by the combination of a landscape disturbance index with a landscape fragmentation index. Spatial distribution and gradient difference of land use eco-risk are analyzed by using the methods of spatial autocorrelation and semivariance. Results show that ecological risk in the study area has a positive correlation, and there is a decreasing trend with the increase of grain size both in 1995 and 2005. Because the area of high eco-risk value increased from 1995 to 2005, eco-environment quality declined slightly in the study area. There are distinct spatial changes in the concentrated areas with high land use eco-risk values from 1995 to 2005. The step length of spatial separation of land use eco-risk is comparatively long—58 km in 1995 and 11 km in 2005—respectively. There are still nonstructural factors affecting the quality of the regional ecological environment at some small-scales. Our research results can provide some useful information for land eco-management, eco-environmental harnessing and restoration. In the future, some measures should be put forward in the regions with high eco-risk value, which include strengthening land use management, avoiding unreasonable types of land use and reducing the degree of fragmentation and separation.

A note on sluicing with implicit indefinite correlates

This squib aims to show that the acceptability status of sluicing examples with an implicit antecedent in islands varies and discusses what is responsible for this variability. After investigating two representative structural approaches to sluicing that posit unpronounced structure in ellipsis sites, namely, Chung et al.’s (Nat Lang Semant 3:239–282, 1995; in Mikkelsen et al. (eds) Representing language: Essays in honor of Judith Aissen, 2010) LF-recovery analysis and Merchant’s (The syntax of silence: Sluicing, islands, and identity in ellipsis. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2001) PF-deletion analysis, we demonstrate that the acceptability data presented are challenging for both of them. Acceptable sluicing examples with implicit correlates in islands cast doubt on Chung, Ladusaw, and McCloskey’s strict locality requirement, while unacceptable or degraded sluicing examples necessitate additional constraints for Merchant, who employs E-type anaphora as an escape hatch for island violations in sluicing. The gradient nature of the acceptability status of the examples under discussion calls for a non-structural factor that controls their acceptability. We speculate that it is discourse activation of implicit correlates that plays this crucial role.

Individual magnetic resonance imaging and radiographic features of knee osteoarthritis in subjects with unilateral knee pain: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

Strong associations between radiographic features of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and pain have been demonstrated in persons with unilateral knee symptoms. This study was undertaken to compare radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of knee OA and assess their ability to discriminate between painful and nonpainful knees in persons with unilateral symptoms. The study population included 283 individuals ages 70-79 years with unilateral knee pain who were enrolled in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study, a study of weight-related diseases and mobility. Radiographs of both knees were read for Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) grade and individual radiographic features, and 1.5T MRIs were assessed using the Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score. The association between structural features and pain was assessed using a within-person case-control design and conditional logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was then used to test the discriminatory performance of structural features. In conditional logistic analyses, knee pain was significantly associated with both radiographic features (any joint space narrowing grade ≥ 1) (odds ratio 3.20 [95% confidence interval 1.79-5.71]) and MRI features (any cartilage defect scored ≥ 2) (odds ratio 3.67 [95% confidence interval 1.49-9.04]). However, in most subjects, MRI revealed osteophytes and cartilage and bone marrow lesions in both knees, and using ROC analysis, no individual structural feature discriminated well between painful and nonpainful knees. The best-performing MRI feature (synovitis/effusion) was not significantly more informative than K/L grade ≥ 2 (P = 0.42). In persons with unilateral knee pain, MRI and radiographic features were associated with knee pain, confirming that structural abnormalities in the knee have an important role in the etiology of pain. However, no single MRI or radiographic finding performed well in discriminating between painful and nonpainful knees. Further work is needed to examine how structural and nonstructural factors influence knee pain.

Putting the ‘Classical’ in Neoclassical Realism: Neoclassical Realist Theories and US Expansion in the Post-Cold War

This paper tests the explanatory power of the main strands of neoclassical realism in accounting for US foreign policy after the Cold War. According to the emphasis they place on the relevance of structural versus non-structural variables in foreign policy making, three schools can be identified. The first school restricts the role of non-structural factors to accounting for anomalous behavior; the second school argues that non-structural variables should also be included in order to understand the policy’s timing and style, and, in times of security plenty, its content; while the third school contends that it is international structural factors, i.e. a state’s strategic interactions with other polities, that shape most foreign policy. Following the test of their forecasts versus the historical record, the third school emerges as providing the most accurate account and as the most promising avenue of research for neoclassical realism.

Causes of financial distress of Portuguese municipalities: empirical evidence

This paper analyses the factors behind the financial distress of local government in Portugal. A Probit model is used to estimate the probability of a municipality entering into a financial recovery contract, regulated by the Portuguese Local Finance Law. Empirical results indicate that both structural and non-structural factors influence local financial distress. In addition to financial management practices, financial distress is also conditioned by political variables and socio-economic factors. Municipalities ruled by mayors that belong to a right-wing party are more prone to financial distress, and some municipalities are more financially vulnerable than others because of structural circumstances.

Cognitive constraints and island effects

Competence-based theories of island effects play a central role in generative grammar, yet the graded nature of many syntactic islands has never been properly accounted for. Categorical syntactic accounts of island effects have persisted in spite of a wealth of data suggesting that island effects are not categorical in nature and that non-structural manipulations that leave island structures intact can radically alter judgments of island violations. We argue here, building on work by Deane, Kluender, and others, that processing factors have the potential to account for this otherwise unexplained variation in acceptability judgments.We report the results of self-paced reading experiments and controlled acceptability studies which explore the relationship between processing costs and judgments of acceptability. In each of the three self-paced reading studies, the data indicate that the processing cost of different types of island violations can be significantly reduced to a degree comparable to that of non-island filler-gap constructions by manipulating a single non-structural factor. Moreover, this reduction in processing cost is accompanied by significant improvements in acceptability. This evidence favors the hypothesis that island-violating constructions involve numerous processing pressures that aggregate to drive processing difficulty above a threshold so that a perception of unacceptability ensues. We examine the implications of these findings for the grammar of filler-gap dependencies.

Bridge Structural Health–Monitoring System Using Statistical Control Chart Analysis

Technological advancements in sensing, computing, and networking have facilitated the application of long-term structural health-monitoring (SHM) and made it a more widely accepted tool to improve bridge management. A fiber-optic strain-based SHM system developed in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Transportation is described; the system continuously monitors bridge performance under ambient traffic loads to detect damage. Although this SHM system has broad potential application to numerous types of structural deterioration or damage, the system is presented here by using a case study associated with fatigue cracking in the web gap region. The described SHM system autonomously collects, reduces, and analyzes strain data and determines the damage occurrence in a near-real-time fashion. In this system, statistical control chart analysis is applied over the strategically defined damage indicator to determine the damage mathematically. Data preprocessing strategies were also studied to limit the impact of major non-structural factors causing strain variations. The effectiveness of the system was demonstrated with field-collected predamage data and synthetic postdamage data. Experimental research is being conducted to validate the system at the field-testing level.