An experimental test of female choice relative to male structural coloration in eastern bluebirds

Several experimental studies have shown that female birds use ornamental melanin and carotenoid plumage coloration as criteria in mate choice. Whether females choose mates based on natural variation in structural coloration, however, has not been well established. Male eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) display brilliant ultraviolet (UV)-blue plumage coloration on their head, back, wings, and tail, which is positively correlated with condition, reproductive effort, and reproductive success. We experimentally tested the hypothesis that female eastern bluebirds prefer as mates males that display brighter structural coloration by presenting breeding-condition females with males of variable coloration. We conducted two types of mate-choice experiments. First, females chose between males whose coloration was manipulated within the natural range of variation in the population; feathers were either brightened with violet marker or dulled with black marker. Second, females chose between males with naturally dull or bright plumage coloration. In both manipulated and unmanipulated coloration trials, female choice did not differ significantly from random with respect to structural coloration. We found no support for the hypothesis that the UV–blue coloration of male eastern bluebirds functions as a criterion in female mate choice.     

A reliability evaluation method based on the weakest failure modes for side-by-side offloading mooring system of FPSO

Offshore structures are complex systems, and numerous failure modes must be taken into consideration when reliability analysis in different loads and environment conditions are conducted on them. It is difficult to obtain structural system reliability with respect to complicated systems with numerous failure modes and dependency consideration among them. This paper applies the combination of the weakest failure modes theory with structural reliability theory to conduct reliability analysis on of side-by-side offloading mooring system of FPSO. Firstly, the numerical simulation of the system in different conditions is addressed to acquire the statistical data of time-history stress of components including hawsers, fenders and yoke, based on which, the reliability indexes of all the failure modes and correlation coefficient matrix are derived. Then the weakest failure modes, i.e. the representative failure modes that have significant impact on the system, are located through Probability Network Evaluation Technique. The probability of structural system is estimated through the weakest failure modes by considering the system as series. The analysis results indicate that two environment conditions (0°&0°&0° and 0°&30°&45° in combinations of wave, wind and current) are relative dangerous, which is in good correspondence with the practical expertise. The method is verified to be an effective and convenient evaluation approach for structural reliability analysis in terms of complex systems. It is beneficial for the identification of structure indicators from the weakest failure mode group and conduct optimum of structural system configurations in the design stage.     

强震作用下地埋结构的数值模型

应用时域边界元法研究了结构 介质动力相互作用问题。假设摩擦遵守库仑定理 ,当入射波足够强时界面会出现局部滑移、分离。由于边界上的区域 (滑移、分离和粘着 )是未知的 ,所以 ,笔者研究的实际上是个复杂的边界非线性问题。该模型对评估和预测地埋结构在动荷载下的安全具有重要的理论价值     

Driver distraction by digital billboards? Structural equation modeling based on naturalistic driving study data: A case study of Iran

Introduction: Digital billboards (DBs) are a competing factor for attracting drivers’ attention; evidence shows that DBs may cause crashes and vehicle conflicts because they catch drivers’ attention. Because of the complexity of a system that includes road conditions, driver features, and environmental factors, it is simply not possible to identify relationships between these factors. Thus, the present study was conducted to provide a well-organized procedure to analyze the effects of DBs on drivers’ behavior and measure factors responsible for drivers’ distraction in Babol, Iran, as a case study. Method: Corresponding data were collected through a Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) of 78 participants when facing DBs (1,326 samples). These data were analyzed by applying structural equation modeling (SEM) to concurrently recognize relationships between endogenous and exogenous variables. Human, environmental, and road factors were determined as exogenous latent variables in a model to evaluate their influences on drivers’ distraction as an endogenous variable. Results: The results showed that road, environmental, and human factors reciprocally interact with drivers’ distraction, although the estimated coefficient of human factors was more of a factor than that of the other groups. Furthermore, younger drivers, beginner drivers, and male drivers (as human factors); night and unclear weather like a rainy day (as environmental factors); and installing DBs at complicated traffic positions like near-intersections (as road factors) were determined to be the main factors that increase the possibility of drivers’ distraction. Finally, model assessment was suggested using the goodness-of-fit indices.     

基于STAMP模型的建筑事故致因因素定量分析方法研究

为揭示建筑安全事故致因因素间的相互关系从而对其进行有效预防和控制，探讨1种STAMP模型的定量分析方法，用于深入剖析事故致因因素间的逻辑关系和属性特征。基于STAMP系统事故理论模型，从建筑工程安全控制结构入手逐层定性分析事故的致因因素；引入灰色DEMATEL与ISM相结合的方法对系统事故间的复杂逻辑关系进行层级划分；运用MICMAC分析计算各致因因素的驱动力和依赖度数值并判断其属性类别。结果表明:提出的定量分析方法运用到江西丰城冷却塔坍塌事故中的分析结果与事故调查报告相契合，能较全面地说明各层次结构间的相互作用。     

Structural Diversity: A Multi-dimensional Approach to Assess Recreational Services in Urban Parks

Urban green spaces provide important recreational services for urban residents. In general, when park visitors enjoy “the green,” they are in actuality appreciating a mix of biotic, abiotic, and man-made park infrastructure elements and qualities. We argue that these three dimensions of structural diversity have an influence on how people use and value urban parks. We present a straightforward approach for assessing urban parks that combines multi-dimensional landscape mapping and questionnaire surveys. We discuss the method as well the results from its application to differently sized parks in Berlin and Salzburg.     

Impact of psychological capital on construction worker safety behavior: Communication competence as a mediator

IntroductionConstruction workers face a work environment of high risk and mental stress. Psychological capital (PsyCap) could influence employee's mental health and work performance. It would be helpful to determine whether PsyCap affects worker safety behavior. However, few studies empirically examined the impacts of the sub-dimensions of PsyCap on the safety behavior in construction settings, reducing the potential practicability of PsyCap to improve workplace safety performance. Thus, this study tested the relationship between sub-dimensions of PsyCap (self-efficacy, hope, resilience, optimism) and safety behaviors (safety compliance, safety participation), while the mediating role of communication competence was also explored. Method: Data were collected from 655 construction workers in China using a psychological capital questionnaire (PCQ). The theoretical model were tested with confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. Results: Results show that: (a) the self-efficacy dimension of PsyCap positively affected safety compliance and safety participation, while the resilience dimension positively impacted safety participation; (b) the hope dimension was not directly related to safety behaviors, while the optimism dimension negatively associated with safety participation; and (c) communication competence mediated the relationships between the hope and optimism dimensions of PsyCap and safety participation. Conclusions: A multidimensional perspective on PsyCap should be taken while examining its effects on safety behavior and the individual communication competence helps to enhance construction safety. Findings of this study shed lights on safety behavior promotion practices based on the multidimensional model. Initiating flexible psychological capital training and intervention, and strengthening communication skills of construction employees are suggested to improve safety performance in the construction industry.     

下扬子地区中生界古地磁及其构造解析

对在东经115°30′～119°15′、北纬29°30′～34°范围内的下扬子地区中生界,笔者分设10个采点采集定向标本58块。岩样经系统退磁和各种常规检验,并同步进行了磁组构解析、筛选出原生剩磁,从而较系统地获得了该区内T_3-K_2各层系有代表性的古地磁资料。经与华北、华南中生代以来古地磁资料对比后发现:下扬子层体从三叠纪开始于赤道附近与华南地块分离,在晚侏罗—早白垩世快速向北运动,至中纬度带与华北地块拼贴而包容于白垩纪以来的华北块体,晚白垩世随华北块体转变为指向北西西方位的运动,到早第三纪晚期开始又转变为指向南南东方位朝低纬度快速运动,直至晚第三纪晚期才与中生代以来一直在中低纬度带上徘徊的华南地块拼合,从而构成了统一的中国东部大陆块体。     

有机污染物分子连接指数与角质层同水分配系数的相关性

本文对价分子连接指数(~m~vX)的计算方法作了简要介绍,着重讨论了有机污染物三阶价分子连接指数(~3~vX)与其角质层同水分配系数(Kcw)的关系。结果表明:~3~vX与logKcw存在良好的线性关系、Kcw主要受其分子的结构特征如氯取代基、烃链和芳香环的影响。本文介绍的分子连接指数模型为一准确预测有机污染物的Kcw值的有效工具。