Search results for: FLCAS in China

Authors: Bismina Akbar, Smitha M. V.

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Flooding is a global phenomenon that causes widespread devastation, economic damage, and loss of human lives. In the past twenty years, the number of reported flood events has increased significantly. Millions of people around the globe are at risk of flooding from coastal, dam breaks, groundwater, and urban surface water and wastewater sources. Climate change is one of the important causes for them since it affects, directly and indirectly, the river network. Although the contribution of climate change is undeniable, human contributions are there to increase the frequency of floods. There are different types of floods, such as Flash floods, Coastal floods, Urban floods, River (or fluvial) floods, and Ponding (or pluvial flooding). This study focuses on formulating mitigation strategies for urban flood risk reduction through analysis of different best practice case studies, including China, Japan, Indonesia, and Brazil. The mitigation measures suggest that apart from the structural and non-structural measures, environmental considerations like blue-green solutions are beneficial for flood risk reduction. And also, Risk-Informed Master plans are essential nowadays to take risk-based decision processes that enable more sustainability and resilience.

Keywords: hazard, mitigation, risk reduction, urban flood

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Authors: K. Ali, M. F. Qamar, M. A. Zaman, M. Younus, I. Khan, S. Ehtisham-ul-Haque, R. Tamkeen, M. I. Rashid, Q. Ali

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This study centers on molecular identification of Haemonchus contortus and isolation of Benz-imidazoles (BZ) resistant strains. Different abattoirs’ of two geographic regions of Punjab (Pakistan) were frequently visited for the collection of worms. Out of 1500 (n=1500) samples that were morphologically confirmed as H. contortus, 30 worms were subjected to molecular procedures for isolation of resistant strains. Resistant worms (n=8) were further subjected to DNA gene sequencing. Bio edit sequence alignment editor software was used to detect the possible mutation, deletion, replacement of nucleotides. Genetic diversity was noticed and genetic variation existing in β-tubulin isotype 1 of the H. contortus population of small ruminants of different regions considered in this study. H. contortus showed three different type of genetic sequences. 75%, 37.5%, 25% and 12.5% of the studied samples showed 100% query cover and identity with isolates and clones of China, UK, Australia and other countries, respectively. Interestingly the neighbor countries such as India and Iran haven’t many similarities with the Pakistani isolates. Thus, it suggests that population density of same genetic makeup H. contortus is scattered worldwide rather than clustering in a single region.

Keywords: Haemonchus contortus, Benzimidazole resistant, β-tubulin-1 gene, abattoirs

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Authors: Cassandra Springate, Alexandra Furber, Jack E. Hines

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Objectives: To create an evidence map of the cost-utility studies available with non-small cell lung cancer patients, and identify the geographical settings and interventions used. Methods: Using the Disease, Study Type, and Model Type filters in heoro.com we identified all cost-utility studies published between 1960 and 2017 with patients with non-small cell lung cancer. These papers were then indexed according to pre-specified categories. Results: Heoro.com identified 89 independent publications, published between 1995 and 2017. Of the 89 papers, 74 were published since 2010, 28 were from the USA, and 35 were from Europe, 16 of which were from the UK. Other publications were from China and Japan (13), Canada (9), Australia and New Zealand (4), and other countries (8). Fifty-nine studies included a chemotherapy intervention, of which 23 included erlotinib or gefitinib, 21 included pemetrexed or docetaxel, others included nivolumab (3), pembrolizumab (2), crizotinib (2), denosumab (2), necitumumab (1), and bevacizumab (1). Also, 19 studies modeled screening, staging, or surveillance strategies. Conclusions: The cost-utility studies found for NSCLC most commonly looked at the effectiveness of different chemotherapy treatments, with some also evaluating the addition of screening strategies. Most were also conducted with patient data from the USA and Europe.

Keywords: cancer, cost-utility, economic model, non-small cell lung cancer

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Authors: Ke Yang, QiHan, Bauke de Veirs

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This study addresses the need for coordinated management of natural resources in urban agglomeration. Using ecosystem services theory, The study explore the relationship between land use in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (B-T-H) region and the Food-Water-Energy (F-W-E) nexus from 2000 to 2030. We assess ecosystem services using the InVEST: Habitat Quality (HQ), Water Yield (WY), Carbon Sequestration (CS), Soil Retention (SDR), and Food Production (FP). The study find an annual expansion of construction land alongside a significant decline in cultivated land. Additionally, HQ, CS, and per capita FP decline annually until 2020 and are expected to persist through 2030. In contrast, WY and SDR grow annually but may decline by 2030. Spearman coefficient analysis reveals synergies between HQ and CS, SDR and CS, and SDR and HQ, with trade-offs between CS and WY and HQ and WY. Utilizing the K-means clustering analysis method, we introduce county-based spatial planning for the F-W-E system, offering valuable insights and recommendations for sustainable resource management.

Keywords: food-water-energy (F-W-E), ecosystem services, trade-offs and synergies, ecosystem service bundle, county-based

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Authors: Kevin Chan, Kevin K. H. Chung, Patcy P. S. Yeung, H. L. Ip, Bill T. C. Chung, Karen M. K. Chung

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Purpose: Recent evidence shows that reading self-efficacy and students perceived difficulty in reading are significantly associated with word reading and reading fluency. However, little is known about these relationships among students learning to read English as a second language, particularly in Chinese students. This study examined the contributions of reading self-efficacy, perception of difficulty in reading, and cognitive-linguistic skills to performance on English word reading and reading fluency in Chinese students. Method: A sample of 122 second-and third-grade students in Hong Kong, China, participated in this study. Students completed the measures of reading self-efficacy and perception of difficulty in reading. They were assessed on their English cognitive-linguistic and reading skills: rapid automatized naming, nonword reading, phonological awareness, word reading, and one-minute word reading. Results: Results of path analysis indicated that when students’ grades were controlled, reading self-efficacy was a significant correlate of word reading and reading fluency, whereas perception of difficulty in reading negatively predicted word reading. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of taking students’ reading self-efficacy and perception of difficulty in reading and their cognitive-linguistic skills into consideration when designing reading intervention and instructions for students learning English as a second language.

Keywords: self-efficacy, perception of difficulty in reading, english as a second language, word reading

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Authors: Danuvasin Charoen

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This research investigates cluster development in the area called the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), which consists of Thailand, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Myanmar, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Cambodia, and Vietnam. The study utilized Porter’s competitiveness theory and the cluster mapping approach to analyze the competitiveness of the region. The data collection consists of interviews, focus groups, and the analysis of secondary data. The findings identify some evidence of cluster development in the GMS; however, there is no clear indication of collaboration among the components in the clusters. GMS clusters tend to be stand-alone. The clusters in Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Cambodia tend to be labor intensive, whereas the clusters in Thailand and the PRC (Yunnan) have the potential to successfully develop into innovative clusters. The collaboration and integration among the clusters in the GMS area are promising, though it could take a long time. The most likely relationship between the GMS countries could be, for example, suppliers of the low-end, labor-intensive products will be located in the low income countries such as Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Cambodia, and these countries will be providing input materials for innovative clusters in the middle income countries such as Thailand and the PRC.

Keywords: cluster, GMS, competitiveness, development

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Authors: Yan Yue

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Huang Di Nei Jing (HDNJ) is one of the significant traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) classics which lays the foundation of TCM theory and practice. It is an important work for the world to study the ancient civilizations and medical history of China. Language in HDNJ is highly concise and vague, and notably challenging to translate. This paper investigates the translatability of one particular vagueness in HDNJ: the conceptual vagueness which carries the Chinese philosophical and cultural connotations. The corpora tool Sketch Engine is used to provide potential online contexts and word behaviors. Selected two English translations of HDNJ by TCM practitioner and non-practitioner are used to examine frequency and distribution of linguistic features of the translation. It was found the hypothesis about the universals of translated language (explicitation, normalisation) is true in one translation, but it is on the sacrifice of some original contextual connotations. Transliteration is purposefully used in the second translation to retain the original flavor, which is argued as a violation of the principle of relevance in communication because it yields little contextual effects and demands more processing effort of the reader. The translatability of conceptual vagueness in HDNJ is constrained by source language context and the reader’s cognitive environment.

Keywords: corpus-based translation, translatability, TCM classics, vague language

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Authors: Endale Fantahun Tadesse, Sabika Khalid

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The global call for increased male representation in early childhood education (ECE) has garnered significant attention. Emerging studies have indicated that involving men in ECE can yield positive outcomes for children's physical and psychological development. Challenging the prevailing misconception and stereotype that women dominate the ECE sector is crucial. In light of this, the present study undertakes a systematic review of nine studies on males working in ECE, revealing a dearth of male presence in the field in China as well. To address this issue, substantial structural changes must be implemented to enhance the inadequate pay and working conditions that dissuade both men and women from pursuing a sustainable career in ECE. It is recommended that school leadership raise awareness among female teachers and parents, encouraging them to support and uphold virtuous values for male teachers. Additionally, governing bodies should provide explicit guidelines during training programs to address concerns regarding potential abuse and gender biases. The findings of this review underscore the need for future studies to examine the self-identities of male teachers from various stakeholders' perspectives and explore the consequences of being in the profession through rigorous and robust methodologies that can inform policymakers.

Keywords: male teachers, Early Childhood Education (ECE), self-identity, perception of stakeholders

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Authors: A. Yongsheng Guo, B. Obedat. Abdulazeez, C. Xiaoxian Zhu

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This study aimed to identify the barriers to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China and build a theoretical framework to evaluate the support provided by the authorities and institutions. A grounded theory approach was adopted to collect and analyze data. 32 interviews were conducted with SME managers, and open, axial and selective coding was utilized to develop themes. Based on institutional theory, grounded theory models were used to present findings. The findings showed that the main barriers in the business environment were defaulting on contracts, bureaucracy in procedures, lack of financial and legal support, limited intermediaries and channels, and poor quality of products and services. This study found that many programs were provided to support SMEs. A theoretical framework was developed to evaluate the performance of the programs from the managers’ perspective. The concepts of economy, efficiency and effectiveness were used to evaluate the perceived value of the programs. This study suggests that specialized programs are needed to suit sector-specific requirements, and creative packages are helpful in supporting SMEs' growth.

Keywords: business support, public economics, public programme, SME

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Authors: Abdulwahab Kammon, Tan Sheau Wei, Abdul Rahman Omar, Abdunaser Dayhum, Ibrahim Eldghayes, Monier Sharif

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Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a very dynamic and evolving virus which causing major economic losses to the global poultry industry. Recently, the Libyan poultry industry faced severe outbreak of respiratory distress associated with high mortality and dramatic drop in egg production. Tracheal and cloacal swabs were analyzed for several poultry viruses. IBV was detected using SYBR Green I real-time PCR detection based on the nucleocapsid (N) gene. Sequence analysis of the partial N gene indicated high similarity (~ 94%) to IBV strain 3382/06 that was isolated from Taiwan. Even though the IBV strain 3382/06 is more similar to that of the Mass type H120, the isolate has been implicated associated with intertypic recombinant of 3 putative parental IBV strains namely H120, Taiwan strain 1171/92 and China strain CK/CH/LDL/97I. Complete sequencing and antigenicity studies of the Libya IBV strains are currently underway to determine the evolution of the virus and its importance in vaccine induced immunity. In this paper, we documented for the first time the presence of possibly variant IBV strain from Libya which required a dramatic change in the vaccination program.

Keywords: Libya, infectious bronchitis, molecular characterization, viruses, vaccine

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Authors: Adam Kok Wey Leong

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Special operations were supposedly a new way of irregular warfare that was officially formed during World War 2. For example, the famous British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Americans’ Office for Strategic Services (OSS) – the forerunners of modern day CIA were born in World War 2. These special operations units were tasked with the conduct of sabotage and subversion activities behind enemy lines, placing great importance in forming Fifth Column activities and supporting resistance movements. This pointed to a paradoxical argument that modern day special operations is a product of Western modern military innovation but utilizing Eastern ways of ‘ungentlemanly’ warfare. This thesis is superfluous as special operations had been well practised by both ancient Western empires such as the Greeks and Romans, and around the same time in the East, such as in China, and Japan. This paper will describe the practice of special operations, first from the Western military history of the Greeks during the Peloponnesian war. It will then highlight the similar practice of special operations by the Near Eastern Assassins and Eastern militaries by using examples from the Chinese and the Japanese. This paper propounds that special operations, or ways of warfare as a whole, has no cultural and geographical divide, but rather very similarly practiced by men from all over the world. Ideas of fighting, killing and ultimately winning a war have similar undertones – attempts to find ways to win economically and at the least time.

Keywords: special operations, strategic culture, ways of warfare, Sun Tzu, Frontinus

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Authors: Chu Liu

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With the development of society and the changes of the times, the requirements for the cultivation of learners are different. In the 21st century, STEM education has become a boom in the development of education in various countries, aiming to improve the comprehensive ability of learners in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The rise of robot education provides an effective way for STEM education to cultivate computational thinking ability, interdisciplinary ability, problem-solving ability, and teamwork ability. Although robot education has been developed in China for several years, it still lacks a standard curriculum system. This article uses programming software as a platform, through the research and analysis of 'Basic Education Information Technology Curriculum Standards (2012 Edition)', combines with the actual learning situation of learners, tries to conduct teaching project design research, and aims at providing references for the teaching ideas and method of robot education courses. In contemporary society, technological advances increasingly require creativity. Innovative comprehensive talents urgently need a radical and effective education reform to keep up with social changes. So in this context, robot teaching design can be used for students. The tendency of creativity to influence is worth to be verified.

Keywords: STEM education, robot teaching, primary and secondary school students, tendency of creativity

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Authors: Fatemeh Aghamohammadzadeh, Mahdi Asghari Ozma

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SARS-CoV-2 was transmitted from animals to humans in China and through air transport to almost all world countries, including Iran, creating the first pandemic of the 21st century. The virus was spread through droplets from sneezing, coughing, loud talking, and exhalation of sick and asymptomatic people, even during incubation. It was transmitted from human to human directly by inhalation of viruses in droplets or indirectly through contact with infected surfaces, resulting in the death of a significant number of patients, especially the elderly and those with underlying diseases. The virus is more likely to be transmitted in places with high population densities. The chain of transmission of infection can be broken by observing the following: risk perception, reduced travel, complete quarantine in a particular area, home quarantine, social distancing, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), prevention of gatherings, cleaning and disinfection of public utilities and busy places, identifying, isolating and treating infected people, tracking calls, continuing health education, following health principles by people, especially in poor areas, and washing their hands frequently with soap and water or disinfecting them with 70% ethanol.

Keywords: COVID-19, transmission, population density, home quarantine, social distancing

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Authors: Weiwen Li, Hao Huang, Chengmao You, Jianji Liao, Lei Wang, Lina An

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Zooplankton are a central issue in the ecology which makes a great contribution to maintaining the balance of an ecosystem. It is critical in promoting the material cycle and energy flow within the ecosystems. A generalized additive model (GAM) was applied to analyze the relationships between the density (individuals per m³) of zooplankton and other variables in West Daya Bay. All data used in this analysis (the survey month, survey station (longitude and latitude), the depth of the water column, the superficial concentration of chlorophyll a, the benthonic concentration of chlorophyll a, the number of zooplankton species and the number of zooplankton species) were collected through monthly scientific surveys during January to December 2016. GLM model (generalized linear model) was used to choose the significant variables’ impact on the density of zooplankton, and the GAM was employed to analyze the relationship between the density of zooplankton and the significant variables. The results showed that the density of zooplankton increased with an increase of the benthonic concentration of chlorophyll a, but decreased with a decrease in the depth of the water column. Both high numbers of zooplankton species and the overall total number of zooplankton individuals led to a higher density of zooplankton.

Keywords: density, generalized linear model, generalized additive model, the West Daya Bay, zooplankton

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Authors: Triza Edwar Fawzi Deif

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In the process of urbanization in China, new rural construction is on the ascendant, which is becoming more and more popular. Under the driving effect of rural urbanization, the house pattern and tectonic methods of traditional vernacular houses have shown great differences from the family structure and values of contemporary peasant families. Therefore, it is particularly important to find a prototype, form and strategy to make a balance between the traditional memory and modern functional requirements. In order for research to combine the regional culture with modern life, under the situation of the current batch production of new rural residences, Badie village, in Zhejiang province, is taken as the case. This paper aims to put forward a prototype which can not only meet the demand of modern life but also ensure the continuation of traditional culture and historical context for the new rural dwellings design. This research not only helps to extend the local context in the construction of the new site but also contributes to the fusion of old and new rural dwellings in the old site construction. Through the study and research of this case, the research methodology and results can be drawn as reference for the new rural construction in other areas.

Keywords: steel slag, co-product, primary coating, steel aggregate capital, rural areas, rural planning, rural governance village, design strategy, new rural dwellings, regional context, regional expression

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Authors: Sheena K. J., Jyoti Badge, Sayed Mohammed Zeeshan

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A Comparative Study of Exponential and Logistic Population Growth Models in India India is the second most populous city in the world, just behind China, and is going to be in the first place by next year. The Indian population has remarkably at higher rate than the other countries from the past 20 years. There were many scientists and demographers who has formulated various models of population growth in order to study and predict the future population. Some of the models are Fibonacci population growth model, Exponential growth model, Logistic growth model, Lotka-Volterra model, etc. These models have been effective in the past to an extent in predicting the population. However, it is essential to have a detailed comparative study between the population models to come out with a more accurate one. Having said that, this research study helps to analyze and compare the two population models under consideration - exponential and logistic growth models, thereby identifying the most effective one. Using the census data of 2011, the approximate population for 2016 to 2031 are calculated for 20 Indian states using both the models, compared and recorded the data with the actual population. On comparing the results of both models, it is found that logistic population model is more accurate than the exponential model, and using this model, we can predict the future population in a more effective way. This will give an insight to the researchers about the effective models of population and how effective these population models are in predicting the future population.

Keywords: population growth, population models, exponential model, logistic model, fibonacci model, lotka-volterra model, future population prediction, demographers

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Authors: Wu Hong, Pan Cuilian, Wu Panzifan

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The student’s attention during the class is one of the most important indicators for the learning evaluation; the level of attention is directly related to the results of primary education. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted across China on improving primary school students’ attention during class. During the specific teaching activities in primary school, students have the characteristics of short concentration periods, high probability of distraction, and difficulty in long-term immersive learning. In physical education teaching, where there are mostly outdoor activities, this characteristic is particularly prominent due to the large changes in the environment and the strong sense of freshness among students. It is imperative to overcome this characteristic in a targeted manner, improve the student’s experience in the course, and raise the degree of systematization. There are many ways to improve the systematization of teaching and learning, but most of them lack quantitative indicators, which makes it difficult to evaluate the improvements before and after changing the teaching methods. Based on the situation above, we use the case analysis method, combined with a literature review, to study the negative impact of low systematization levels in primary school physical education teaching, put forward targeted improvement suggestions, and make a quantitative evaluation of the method change.

Keywords: attention, adolescent, evaluation, systematism, training-method

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Authors: Chih-Hung Liang, Jung-Jung Chen, Shen-Shih Chiang

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Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health, which are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Cordyceps militaris (CM) is a well-known traditional medicine in Asian countries and a rich source of biologically active components. Black rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a special cultivar of rice that contains rich anthocyanins and regarded as a health-promoting food in China and other Eastern. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Cordyceps militaris fermented black rice (CB) on HFD-induced BALB/c mice model. The results indicated that administration of low and high dosage of CB powder significantly reduced the body weights (7.38% and 7.78%), body fat ratio (2.37% and 2.78%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels compared to the HF group (p<0.05). Histopathological analysis showed that the score of fatty liver in HF group (5.0) was significantly higher than CB groups (2.1 and 3.6) (p<0.05). In conclusion, Cordyceps militaris fermented black rice can reduce the body weight via inhibition of the fat accumulation in liver and body and possess the anti-obesity potency.

Keywords: Cordyceps militaris, black rice, obesity, HFD-induced mice

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Authors: Xuguo Zhang, Jimmy Fung, Kenneth Leung, Alexis Lau

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Fine particulate matter concentrations have been decreasing in the past few years while the ozone concentrations are posing an increasing trend in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) of China. A series of control policies have been released to mitigate the country-wide air pollution, however, how to effectively evaluate the exercised control measures and efficiently reveal potential projected mitigation pathways are still limited. By refining an enhanced air-quality-modeling system, this study provides an account of the air quality assessments from 2019 to 2025 to appraise the air quality results and improvement under designed scenarios for assessing the optimum scope for tightening the Air Quality Objectives (AQOs). The results show that it is doable to tighten the 24-hour AQO for SO2 from the World Health Objective air quality guidelines Interim Targets Level-1 (IT-1) (125μg/m3) to IT-2 level (50μg/m3) with the current number of exceedance allowed (three) remains unchanged. It is also possible to tighten the annual AQO for PM2.5 from IT-1 (35 μg/m3) to IT 2 (25 μg/m3), and its 24-hr AQO from IT-1 (75 μg/m3) to IT 2 (50 μg/m3) with the number of exceedances allowed increased from current nine to 35. Regional cooperation under the development of the GBA cooperation are still needed to be focused and strengthen due to the cross-boundary transport characteristics of the air pollution.

Keywords: air quality attainment, Hong Kong, mitigation policy, chemical transport modeling, sensitivity analysis

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Authors: Zijiao Chai, Wangming Li

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Under the background of increasing aging population, the situation of city endowment resources shortage gradually revealed. And many villages in the metropolitan area with the good natural ecological environment and leisure tourism base, have become one of the main destinations of urban old people for the off-site pension. This paper is based on a survey of more than ten villages which are characterized by leisure and endowment in Hangzhou metropolitan area, China. The satisfaction degree of the two main groups in the villages, dwellers, and aged visitors, is researched using the method of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. The statistics are obtained from 535 questionnaires and qualitative interview. According to the satisfaction scores, it could be determined whether the dwellers and aged visitors have reached the equilibrium state. The equilibrium state is the development target of the villages, and it`s defined by environmentally friendly, proper for employment and pension, facilities sharing and harmonious life for each other. Furthermore, this paper comes up with some planning countermeasures in order to avoid "imbalance between dwellers and aged visitors" and obtain sustainable development while maintaining the economic benefit.

Keywords: aged visitors, balance between dwellers and aged visitors, dwellers, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, Hangzhou metropolitan area, leisure and endowment characteristic villages

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Authors: Jiying Han

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Teaching is widely known to be an emotional endeavor, and teachers’ ability to regulate their emotions is important for their well-being and the effectiveness of their classroom management. Considering that teachers’ emotion regulation is an underexplored issue in the field of educational research, some studies have attempted to explore the role of emotion regulation in teachers’ work and to explore the links between teachers’ emotion regulation, job characteristics, and well-being, based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. However, those studies targeted primary or secondary teachers. So far, very little is known about the relationships between university teachers’ emotion regulation and its antecedents and effects on teacher well-being. Based on the job demands-resources model and emotion regulation theory, this study examined the relationships between job characteristics of university teaching (i.e., emotional job demands and teaching support), emotion regulation strategies (i.e., reappraisal and suppression), and university teachers’ well-being. Data collected from a questionnaire survey of 643 university teachers in China were analysed. The results indicated that (1) both emotional job demands and teaching support had desirable effects on university teachers’ well-being; (2) both emotional job demands and teaching support facilitated university teachers’ use of reappraisal strategies; and (3) reappraisal was beneficial to university teachers’ well-being, whereas suppression was harmful. These findings support the applicability of the job demands-resources model to the contexts of higher education and highlight the mediating role of emotion regulation.

Keywords: emotional job demands, teaching support, emotion regulation strategies, the job demands-resources model

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Authors: Vanaja T., Sravya P. K.

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Cooking and eating qualities have major roles in determining the quality characteristics of rice. Traditional rice varieties are highly diversified with each other with respect to unique nutrient, cooking, and eating characteristics, which can be used as parents for the development of high-quality varieties. In order to gather vital information for upcoming rice breeding programs, a study was conducted to assess the diversity of the cooking attributes and sensory evaluation of 28 traditional rice genotypes of Kerala, India, conserved at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pilicode of Kerala Agricultural University. The cultivars ‘Kochuvithu’, ‘Jeerakachamba’, and ‘Rajameni’ exhibited the highest volume expansion ratio. The highest Kernel elongation ratio was recorded for ‘Gandhakasala’, ‘Rajameni’, and ‘Avadi’. A shorter cooking time based on Alkali spread value was shown by the cultivars ‘Kozhivalan’, ‘Kunhikayama’, ‘Rasagadham’, ‘Jadathi’, ‘Japanviolet’, ‘Nooravella’, ‘Punchavella’, ‘Avadi’, ‘Vadakan vellarikayama’, ‘Punchaparuthi’, ‘Shyamala’, ‘China Silk’, ‘Marathondi’, and ‘Gandhakasala’. Sensory evaluation revealed that the cultivars ‘Japanviolet’, ‘Kunhukunhu’, and ‘Kalladiyaran’ can be categorized under moderate to very much.

Keywords: rice, traditional rice varieties, cooking qualities, sensory evaluation, consumer acceptance

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Authors: Muriel Canas-Walker

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Polygamy is a sensitive issue yet a surprisingly popular topic on television. In China, among other palace intrigues dramas, "The Legend of Zhen Huan" stands out in its harsh portrayal of sequestered concubines in the Forbidden City. In the United States the critically acclaimed "Big Love", set in the Mormon community, generated much discussion and controversy, both accademically and on social media. More recently "The Handmaid’s Tale", adapted from the famous novel by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, also contributed to the topic. All three dramas feature the plight of women caught in a polygamy system and are particularly popular with female audiences. Using Foucault’s theory of power, visual anthropology, and feminist perspective this paper aims at analyzing the treatment of this sensitive topic in the media and its reception. From the seemingly happy sister wives in "Big Love", to the fiercely competitive concubines in "The Legend of Zhen Huan" and the tragically coerced handmaids in "The Handmaid’s Tale", the lives of women in a polygamy system are inspiring to modern audiences. This paper’s objective is to understand how the treatment of polygamy is relevant to these audiences.

Keywords: polygamy, michel foucault, feminism, visual anthropology

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Authors: Carolijn Van Noort

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The aim of this research is to understand how the emerging power bloc BRICS employs infrastructure development narratives to construct a new world order. BRICS is an international body consisting of five emerging countries that collaborate on economic and political issues: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This study explores the projection of infrastructure development narratives through an analysis of BRICS’ attention to infrastructure investment and financing, its support of the New Partnership on African Development and the establishment of the New Development Bank in Shanghai. The theory of Strategic Narratives is used to explore BRICS’ commitment to infrastructure development and to distinguish three layers: system narratives (BRICS as a global actor to propose development reform), identity narratives (BRICS as a collective identity joining efforts to act upon development aspirations) and issue narratives (BRICS committed to a range of issues of which infrastructure development is prominent). The methodology that is employed is a narrative analysis of BRICS’ official documents, media statements, and website imagery. A comparison of these narratives illuminates tensions at the three layers and among the five member states. Identifying tensions among development infrastructure narratives provides an indication of how policymaking for infrastructure development could be improved. Subsequently, it advances BRICS’ ability to act as a global actor to construct a new world order.

Keywords: BRICS, emerging powers, infrastructure development, strategic narratives

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Authors: Mandeep Kataria, Ankita Thakur

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Glycyrrhiza glabra grows in the sub- tropical and warm temperate regions of the world, in Mediterranean countries and China, America, Europe, Asia and Australia. It grows in areas with sunny, dry and hot climates. It has numerous medicinal properties like it is used to cure Peptic Ulcers, Canker sores, Eczema, Indigestion and Upper Respiratory Infections. Biosynthetic methods such as plant extract have emerged as a simple and viable alternative to more complex chemical synthetic procedures to obtain nanomaterials. Extract from plant may act both as reducing and capping agents in silver nanoparticles synthesis. In the present work, Green Silver nanoparticles were successfully formulated from bioreduction of silver nitrate solutions using Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract. These Green Silver nanoparticles have been appropriately characterized using Visible spectroscopy, colour change. The Antimicrobial activity was done by Agar disc diffusion assay. AgNPs were developed by using aqueous root extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra, which acts as a reducing as well as stabilizing agent. The green synthetic method is a fast, low cost and eco-friendly process in the field of nanotechnology. The study revealed that the green-synthesized silver nanoparticle provides a promising approach for antimicrobial activity.

Keywords: Glycyrrhiza glabra, nanoparticles, antimicrobial activity, aqueous extract

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Authors: Panpan Fan, Bo Ming, Niels P. R. Anten, Jochem B. Evers, Yaoyao Li, Shaokun Li, Ruizhi Xie

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The reallocation of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) from vegetative tissues to the grain sinks are critical for grain yield. The objective of this study was to quantify the DM and N accumulation, partition, and reallocation at the single-leaf, different-organ, and individual-plant scales and clarify the responses to different levels of N availabilities. A two-year field experiment was conducted in Jinlin province, Northeast China, with three N fertilizer rates to create the different N availability levels: N0 (N deficiency), N1(low supply), and N2 (high supply). The results showed that grain N depends more on reallocations of vegetative organs compared with grain DM. Besides, vegetative organs reallocated more DM and N to grain under lower N availability, whereas more grain DM and grain N were derived from post-silking leaf photosynthesis and post-silking N uptake from the soil under high N availability. Furthermore, the reallocation amount and reallocation efficiency of leaf DM and leaf N content differed among leaf ranks and were regulated by N availability; specifically, the DM reallocation occurs mainly on senesced leaves, whereas the leaf N reallocation was in live leaves. These results provide a theoretical basis for deriving parameters in crop models for the simulation of the demand, uptake, partition, and reallocation processes of DM and N.

Keywords: dry matter, leaf N content, leaf rank, N availability, reallocation efficiency

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Authors: Wenting Zhang, Shishi Liu, Peihong Fu

Abstract:

As an indicator of air quality and directly related to concentration of ground PM2.5, the spatial-temporal variation and impact factor analysis of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) have been a hot spot in air pollution. This paper concerns the non-stationarity and the autocorrelation (with Moran’s I index of 0.75) of the AOD in Wuhan agglomeration (WHA), in central China, uses the geographically weighted regression (GRW) to identify the spatial relationship of AOD and its impact factors. The 3 km AOD product of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) is used in this study. Beyond the economic-social factor, land use density factors, vegetable cover, and elevation, the landscape metric is also considered as one factor. The results suggest that the GWR model is capable of dealing with spatial varying relationship, with R square, corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) and standard residual better than that of ordinary least square (OLS) model. The results of GWR suggest that the urban developing, forest, landscape metric, and elevation are the major driving factors of AOD. Generally, the higher AOD trends to located in the place with higher urban developing, less forest, and flat area.

Keywords: aerosol optical depth, geographically weighted regression, land use change, Wuhan agglomeration

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Authors: Sipu Guo, Silin Huang

Abstract:

Background: Most studies investigate the link between executive function and allostatic load (AL) among adults aged 18 years and older. Studies differed regarding the specific biological indicators studied and executive functions accounted for. Specific executive functions may be differentially related to allostatic load. We investigated the comorbidities of executive functions and allostatic load via network analysis. Methods: We included 603 adolescents (49.84% girls; Mean age = 12.38, SD age = 1.79) from junior high school in rural China. Eight biological markers at T1 and four executive function tasks at T2 were used to evaluate networks. Network analysis was used to determine the network structure, core symptoms, and bridge symptoms in the AL-executive function network among rural adolescents. Results: The executive functions were related to 6 AL biological markers, not to cortisol and epinephrine. The most influential symptoms were inhibition control, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and systolic blood pressure (SBP). SBP, dehydroepiandrosterone, and processing speed were the bridges through which AL was related to executive functions. dehydroepiandrosterone strongly predicted processing speed. The SBP was the biggest influencer in the entire network. Conclusions: We found evidence for differential relations between markers and executive functions. SBP was a driver in the network; dehydroepiandrosterone showed strong relations with executive function.

Keywords: allostatic load, executive function, network analysis, rural adolescent

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Authors: Daidai Shen, Jean Claude Thill, Wenjia Zhang

Abstract:

This study explores the dynamics of synergy and complementarity within city networks, specifically focusing on the headquarters-subsidiary relations of firms. We begin by defining these two types of networks and establishing their pivotal roles in shaping city network structures. Utilizing the mesoscale analytic approach of weighted stochastic block modeling, we discern relational patterns between city pairs and determine connection strengths through statistical inference. Furthermore, we introduce a community detection approach to uncover the underlying structure of these networks using advanced statistical methods. Our analysis, based on comprehensive network data up to 2017, reveals the coexistence of both complementarity and synergy networks within China’s technology-intensive manufacturing cities. Notably, firms in technology hardware and office & computing machinery predominantly contribute to the complementarity city networks. In contrast, a distinct synergy city network, underpinned by the cities of Suzhou and Dongguan, emerges amidst the expansive complementarity structures in technology hardware and equipment. These findings provide new insights into the relational dynamics and structural configurations of city networks in the context of technology-intensive manufacturing, highlighting the nuanced interplay between synergy and complementarity.

Keywords: city system, complementarity, synergy network, higher-order network

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Authors: Nahian Salsabeel, Faria Leera

Abstract:

—“Whoever controls the Indian Ocean, dominates Asia. This ocean is the key to the seven seas. In the 21st century, the destiny of the world will be decided on its waters” -Alfred Mahan South Asia is increasingly becoming a hub for international politics. Numerous ventures are taking place in the strategic region. Of them, the most prominent is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Originating from the concept of ancient Silk Route, the Chinese Xi Jin Ping regime looks to reestablish the vast connectivity project to connect the world through infrastructure and trade. On the other hand, the US, teamed up with India, Australia and Japan, thereby forming the Quad, have launched their own foreign policy, the Indo-Pacific Strategy. The ambitious 21st century initiative for the development of maritime trade, security and governance focuses critical importance to the Indo-Pacific region, especially to South Asia. Against the backdrop of contemporary political scenario, both the Quad and China airs to establish their own footprint across the region through respective mega projects, the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the BRI. This research employs a comparative case study research method, using a secondary research design. The paper looks at the variety of opportunities and challenges posed by the BRI and the Indo Pacific, and gives the comparative study on both ends.

Keywords: BRI, Foreign Policy, Indo-Pacific, South Asia

Procedia PDF Downloads 155