Making a Difference to the Environment: Understanding Undergraduates Environmental Behaviour

Understanding undergraduates’ environmental behaviour is important as they will be the leaders of the country in the near future. They play an important role in protecting and conserving the environment. This paper investigates the undergraduates’ behaviours towards the environment after completing the Environment Economics course. Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) together with some other factors such as academic performance, government regulations and perceived importance of nature are employed. Multiple regression analysis shows undergraduates’ behaviours is positively affected by attitude and perceived importance of nature, and negatively influenced by government regulations. Although academic performance is very important to provide an understanding of basic principles of environmental sustainability, it however does not significantly influence their environmental behaviour. The finding hopes to assist the policy makers to plan future strategies so that the undergraduates behaviours can make a difference to nature and the environment

Prevalence of internet addiction disorder in Chinese university students: A comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies

Background and aims: Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is common in university students. A number of studies have examined the prevalence of IAD in Chinese university students, but the results have been inconsistent. This is a meta-analysis of the prevalence of IAD and its associated factors in Chinese university students. Methods: Both English (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase) and Chinese (Wan Fang Database and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) databases were systematically and independently searched from their inception until January 16, 2017. Results: Altogether 70 studies covering 122,454 university students were included in the meta-analysis. Using the random-effects model, the pooled overall prevalence of IAD was 11.3% (95% CI: 10.1%–12.5%). When using the 8-item Young Diagnostic Questionnaire, the 10-item modified Young Diagnostic Questionnaire, the 20-item Internet Addiction Test, and the 26-item Chen Internet Addiction Scale, the pooled prevalence of IAD was 8.4% (95% CI: 6.7%–10.4%), 9.3% (95% CI: 7.6%–11.4%), 11.2% (95% CI: 8.8%–14.3%), and 14.0% (95% CI: 10.6%–18.4%), respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed that the pooled prevalence of IAD was significantly associated with the measurement instrument (Q = 9.41, p = .024). Male gender, higher grade, and urban abode were also significantly associated with IAD. The prevalence of IAD was also higher in eastern and central of China than in its northern and western regions (10.7% vs. 8.1%, Q = 4.90, p = .027). Conclusions: IAD is common among Chinese university students. Appropriate strategies for the prevention and treatment of IAD in this population need greater attention

Analysis of Damage in Laminated Automotive Glazing Subjected to Simulated Head Impact

During vehicle accidents, occupant\u27s head impacting on windshield or side window is commonly observed. Any attempt to design glazing that minimizes injury to and death of occupants during a vehicle accident requires a thorough understanding of the mechanical behavior of automotive glazing subjected to head impact loads. A continuum damage mechanics (CDM) based constitutive model is developed and implemented into an axisymmetric finite element model to study the failure and impact resistance of laminated automotive glazing subjected to simulated head impact. An anisotropic elastic damage tensor with a linear damage evolution law is chosen to model the failure of the laminated glass by cracking. The damage patterns and zone size are predicted. Various geometric parameters are investigated to determine their effects on the impact resistance of laminated glass

Solving Linear Coupled Fractional Differential Equations by Direct Operational Method and Some Applications

A new direct operational inversion method is introduced for solving coupled linear systems of ordinary fractional differential equations. The solutions so-obtained can be expressed explicitly in terms of multivariate Mittag-Leffler functions. In the case where the multiorders are multiples of a common real positive number, the solutions can be reduced to linear combinations of Mittag-Leffler functions of a single variable. The solutions can be shown to be asymptotically oscillatory under certain conditions. This technique is illustrated in detail by two concrete examples, namely, the coupled harmonic oscillator and the fractional Wien bridge circuit. Stability conditions and simulations of the corresponding solutions are given

Barriers to timely treatment-seeking in patients with acute myocardial infarction in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Background: Persisting delay in seeking treatment among Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients was reported in Malaysia despite intensified efforts in educating the public on symptoms of AMI and the importance of seeking prompt treatment. Studies outside Malaysia have shown that patients’ personal thoughts during symptom onset could contribute to the delay. The purpose of this study is to explore the barriers of AMI patients prior to the decision of seeking treatment in Malaysia. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research approach was chosen. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted among 18 patients with AMI. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Recordings were transcribed and coded, codes were subsequently organized into categories. The stages of coding and identifying categories were repeated before themes were identified. Results: Three meaningful themes with nine sub-themes that may have influenced the delayed decision to seek treatment were identified. Some themes identified were culturally bound. Conclusions: The findings of this study give insights on barriers prior to the decision of seeking treatment when patients were experiencing AMI. Findings indicates that interventions targeted at increasing knowledge about AMI symptoms and correct actions using an informative approach at the current practice may not be adequate to reduce patient delay. The findings of this study could provide basis for the development of interventions that are culturally relevant to the Malaysians setting to promote behavioural change in the population and reduce pre-hospital delay

Proteinlike behavior of a spin system near the transition between ferromagnet and spin glass

A simple spin system is studied as an analog for proteins. We investigate how the introduction of randomness and frustration into the system effects the designability and stability of ground state configurations. We observe that the spin system exhibits protein-like behavior in the vicinity of the transition between ferromagnet and spin glass. Our results illuminate some guiding principles in protein evolution.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Conjugate Heat Transfer in Stratified Two-Fluid Flows with a Growing Deposit Layer

The article presents a numerical model for moving boundary conjugate heat transfer in stratified two-fluid flows with a growing deposit layer. The model is applicable to other general moving boundary conjugate heat transfer problem in a two-fluid flow environment with deposition occurring simultaneously. The level-set method is adopted to capture the fluid-fluid interface and fluid-deposit interface. The governing equations are solved using a finite volume method. Upon verification of the model, the effects of inlet velocity ratio, Damköhler number and thermal conductivity ratio on the flow, deposition as well as heat transfer are investigated. Generally, Nusselt number on the lower wall (with a growing deposit layer), Nulx and upper wall, Nuux show distinct features with the change of these parameters. Nuux increases with the increase of lower fluid layer (fluid 1) inlet velocity and the thermal conductivity of deposit layer while it decreases with the increase of Damkholer number. Nulx varies differently in the upstream and the downstream of the channel. A higher lower fluid layer (fluid 1) velocity and a higher thermal conductivity of deposit layer result in a higher Nulx upstream but a lower Nulx downstream. However, a higher Damkholer number results in a lower Nulx upstream and a higher Nulx downstream

A Cylindrical GEM Inner Tracker for the BESIII experiment at IHEP

The Beijing Electron Spectrometer III (BESIII) is a multipurpose detector that collects data provided by the collision in the Beijing Electron Positron Collider II (BEPCII), hosted at the Institute of High Energy Physics of Beijing. Since the beginning of its operation, BESIII has collected the world largest sample of J/{\psi} and {\psi}(2s). Due to the increase of the luminosity up to its nominal value of 10^33 cm-2 s-1 and aging effect, the MDC decreases its efficiency in the first layers up to 35% with respect to the value in 2014. Since BESIII has to take data up to 2022 with the chance to continue up to 2027, the Italian collaboration proposed to replace the inner part of the MDC with three independent layers of Cylindrical triple-GEM (CGEM). The CGEM-IT project will deploy several new features and innovation with respect the other current GEM based detector: the {\mu}TPC and analog readout, with time and charge measurements will allow to reach the 130 {\mu}m spatial resolution in 1 T magnetic field requested by the BESIII collaboration. In this proceeding, an update of the status of the project will be presented, with a particular focus on the results with planar and cylindrical prototypes with test beams data. These results are beyond the state of the art for GEM technology in magnetic field

Vision-related Quality of Life and Emotional Impact in Children with Strabismus: a Prospective Study

The potential impact of the surgical correction of strabismus on vision-related quality of life (VRQOL) and the symptoms of anxiety and depression in children with strabismus remain unclear. The present study included 60 children with strabismus: 30 with heterophoria and 30 with heterotropia. A healthy age- and gender-matched control group (n = 60) was also recruited. The psychological instruments that were used were the short-form 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The results demonstrated that eight of the 12 NEI-VFQ-25 subscales were significantly impaired in children with strabismus compared with matched controls. Compared with pre-operative values, significant improvements were noted after surgery in the NEI-VFQ-25 summary score, and the anxiety and depression scores. This study demonstrated that the NEI-VFQ-25 instrument can be used in strabismus children and that surgical interventions can improve VRQOL, anxiety and depression in strabismus patients