bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Sovereign Democracy” Discourse in the Russian Foreign Policy
Authors: Musaoğlu Neziha
Published: April 2018

Many important changes occurred in the Russian Federation's foreign policy since 2000s with Putin's coming to power. Although the foreign policy is defined as pragmatic during this period, it is in fact ideologically constructed on the basis of the concept of “sovereign democracy.” The concept constitutes in the same time the source of loyalty of the Russian reelpolitik towards the West, especially the USA and of the Russian anti-globalist policies. The aim of this chapter is to analyze the intellectual, normative, and conceptual dimensions of the “sovereign democracy” concept that could serve to conceive the foreign policy practice of the Russian Federation, on the one hand, and on the other hand its dialectical relationships with the West in the era of globalization.
Knowledge Management of Work Stress in Mexican Manufacturing Environments
Authors: Armenta-Hernández Oziely Daniela , Maldonado-Macías Aide Aracely , García-Alcaraz Jorge Luis , Serrano-Rosa Miguel Angel , Avelar-Sosa Liliana
Published: April 2018

This chapter presents a knowledge management perspective to propose a pair of structural models to determine the relationship between burnout syndrome (BS) and body mass index (BMI) among high and middle managers of Mexican maquiladoras. In developing countries like Mexico there are opportunities to expand burnout study on diversity of contexts and occupations. The Maslach burnout general inventory questionnaire (MB-GI) was used, and sociodemographic data were collected as well as the weight and size of respondents. Instrument shows an acceptable reliability index. Structural equation models are used to determine relationship among variables. From a sample of 361 people, using segmentations of BMI, two segments are distinguished: normal weight and overweight. Model using normal weight participants shows more explanatory qualities about the relationship among burnout dimensions than the one using overweight participants. One can conclude that more factors and variables are needed to explain overweight Mexican managers.
Advanced Issues of Knowledge Management, Knowledge Discovery, and Organizational Communication
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: April 2018

This chapter presents the advanced issues of knowledge management (KM), the advanced issues of knowledge discovery, and the advanced issues of organizational communication. KM with the support of knowledge discovery can improve the ability of organizations to effectively solve problems, adapt, and evolve to meet the changing business requirements. Knowledge discovery enlists the power of computers to assist in the recognizing patterns in data, a task that exceeds human ability as the size of data warehouses significantly increase. The revolution in organizational communication allows people to directly talk to each other without the use of managers. Effective organizational communication allows organizations to be more efficient by bringing needed expertise and knowledge on demand. The chapter argues that encouraging KM, knowledge discovery, and organizational communication has the potential to enhance organizational performance and reach strategic goals in the digital age.
Healthcare Professionals' Decision Making in Emergency Units
Authors: Silva Ana Carolina Pereira de Vasconcelos , Spiegel Thais , Assad Daniel Bouzon Nagem
Published: April 2018

Cognitive theories on decision making show that individuals often do not decide in a full and rational way; they instead use cognitive strategies that allow them to overcome the limitations imposed by their limited rationality and the difficulties derived from uncertainty. In this context, this chapter aims to analyze the impact on operations caused by decisions taken by healthcare professionals in an emergency department when influenced by heuristics. Therefore, a systematic review of the literature for extracting the heuristics of healthcare professionals and a non-systematic review for constructing the theoretical framework about operations management, health operations management, hospital organizations, and heuristics were performed. Thus, having also described the object of study, the analytical model could be built. Then, three approaches were proposed for the synthesis, and deployment proposals were exposed for each.
Information Science and Its Relation to Other Areas of Knowledge
Authors: Rascão José Poças
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this chapter is to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between information science and other areas of knowledge based on the aggregation of existing literature. It is a descriptive study, with the goal of identifying and characterizing the relationship among different areas of expertise. The structure of the chapter summarizes the existing academic work, seeking to generate new knowledge. The results can be used to integrate the relationship of the different areas of knowledge. The chapter seeks to first identify apparent relationships and then focuses in more detail on some of them. It concludes with the implications for future research.
Quality Information Concepts, Evolution, and Applications
Authors: Rascão José Poças
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this chapter is to contribute to a better understanding of the concept of quality of information in the field of information sciences, as well as in other areas of knowledge, based on the aggregation of existing literature. Is a descriptive research, with the aim of identifying and characterizing the attributes of quality of information as universal among the different areas of knowledge. The structure of the chapter synthesizes the existing academic work, seeking to generate new knowledge. The results can be used for practical application in different areas of knowledge. The chapter seeks to firstly identify the apparent attributes and then focuses in greater detail on some of these attributes.
Efficient Clustering Algorithms in Educational Data Mining
Authors: Chadha Anupama
Published: April 2018

Higher education institutions are competing for excellence, and in this process, they are utilizing information technologies to gather relevant information for achieving academic excellence. The institutes are putting greater emphasis on meeting students' academic needs, enhancing the quality of service provided to students, providing better placements, course excellence, etc. The use of modern information technologies helps in storing huge data but requires the use of data mining technologies to extract useful information and knowledge from this data. Some of the knowledge achievable for higher education institutes through implementing several data mining techniques (classification, association learning, clustering, etc.) is the correlation between specialization and the chosen employment path, determining the subjects, courses, labs with high degree of difficulty, interesting subjects, courses, labs, facilities that might attract new students, etc. This chapter explores efficient clustering algorithms in educational data mining.
Development of Assessment Criteria for Various Open Sources GIS Software Packages
Authors: Shams Shahriar
Published: April 2018

There has been a significant development in the area of free and open source geospatial software. Research has flourished over the decades from vendor-dependent software to open source software where researchers are paying increasing attention to maximize the value of their data. It is often a difficult task to choose particular open source GIS (OGIS) software among a number of emerging OGIS software. It is important to characterise the projects according to some unified criteria. Each software has certain advantages and disadvantages and it is always time consuming to identify exactly which software to select for a specific purpose. This chapter focuses on the assessment criteria enabling developers, researchers, and GIS users to select suitable OGIS software to meet their requirements for analysis and design of geospatial application in multidisciplinary fields. This chapter highlights the importance of assessment criteria, followed by an explanation of each criteria and their significance with examples from existing OGIS software.
A Demand Model for Mobile Data Traffic in the 5G Era
Authors: Katsigiannis Michail
Published: April 2018

This chapter examines how to estimate and forecast the market demand of mobile data traffic in the 5G era. The research objective is to develop a demand model for forecasting the market price and quantity of traffic in the Finnish mobile data communications market for the period between 2016 and 2020. The market price of traffic unit (GB/month), quantity, revenue, and profits are empirically estimated and forecast. The results show that the improvements of network performance, reflected by the user experienced data rate, cause a drop in the price from 0.8 to 0.27 € per GB/month between 2016 and 2020 (tenfold traffic growth). Also, a more than threefold increase is shown in mobile data revenues, whereas the profitability remains at a high level for the minimum marginal cost of 0.08 €.
A Cost-Effective Cloud Strategy for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Saha Debashis
Published: April 2018

In cloud service provisioning, spot instances are an attractive option for IT managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that usually have sporadic requirements for cloud resources. Though priced dynamically, spot instances are usually cheaper. Cloud service providers (CSPs) employ the spot instance approach to sell their “idle” resources because spot instances are spare slots requiring no pre-booking, unlike reserved or on-demand instances that require prior booking. However, IT managers have to win spot instances via auctions conducted by CSPs. An SME continues to consume spot instances as long as its bid exceeds the current spot price. But, if it loses at any point in time, the unfinished task is to be put on hold by checkpoint mechanism. Optimizing both bid price and checkpoint overhead calls for strategic thinking on the part of the SME. This chapter dwells on this issue to help the IT managers of SMEs transform their business with cloud.
Wireless Mesh Communication Technologies and Protocols for a Full-View Camera Sensor Network Used in Maritime Surveillance
Authors: Manoufali Mohamed , Kong Peng-Yong , Jimaa Shihab , Alshaer Hamada
Published: April 2018

Maritime oil exploration and transportation has increased more steeply due to the expansion of the world crude oil and natural gas production. The probability of oilrig pollution, burning, and explosion continues to rise. All these factors stimulate a greater danger for vessels, oil operation safety, and maritime environment. The continuous surveillance of the offshore oil fields and container vessels is essential to secure the production flow, avoid trespassing, and prevent vandalism from intruders and pirates. However, developing a large-scale camera sensor network (CSN) for a maritime surveillance is a challenging problem due to the environment complexity and network connectivity. Maritime wireless mesh networks (MWMNs) are envisaged to provide network connectivity in maritime environment and enable users to access the terrestrial communication networks. The high cost and low data-rate of satellite and other legacy maritime communication technologies and systems deployed in MWMNs pose a major limitation to establishing reliable and affordable maritime communications.
Effective Routing in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks With Power and End-to-End Delay Optimization
Authors: Rath Mamata
Published: April 2018

Mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) has always been a challenging and pioneering wireless network providing magnificent technology support starting from everyday life to disaster and critical environment. In industrial applications and most of the real-world solicitations, the MANET technology greatly suffers due to practical challenges faced by the network, power deficiency, and dynamic topology change being the prominent factors. Many cross-layer platforms supporting real-time applications have been developed by many researchers with the basic intention being maximum utilization of resources in the resource constrained environment of MANET, minimum power consumption using limited residual battery power of the highly transferable mobile nodes. This chapter presents the design of an optimized network layer protocol with delay management and power efficiency.
Health Information Technology Spending on the Rise
Authors: Lee Jinhyung , Choi Hansil
Published: April 2018

In this chapter, the authors track health information technology by examining the factors affecting health information technology (IT) expenditure. The authors employed hospital- and patient-level data of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) from 2000 to 2006. The generalized linear model (GLM) was employed with log link and normal distribution and controlled for clustering error. The authors found that not-for-profit and government hospitals, teaching hospitals, competition, and health IT expenditure of neighborhood hospitals were positively associated with health IT expenditure. However, rural hospitals were negatively associated with health IT expenditure. Moreover, the authors found that mean annual health IT expenditure was approximately $7.4 million from 2000-2006. However, it jumped 204% to $15.1 million from 2008-2014.
Conceptual Modeling in Health Information Technology
Authors: Al-Fedaghi Sabah S.
Published: April 2018

Electronic health record (EHR) systems are the cornerstone of any modern health service. Studies have consistently shown, however, that introducing EHR systems is a complex task, with difficulties stemming from technical designs that fit poorly with the details of clinical work practices. Given the evolving role of EHRs, a unified framework for a holistic modeling approach is needed in health IT. Current conceptual modeling techniques use object-oriented diagrams as their main tools; the nature of this methodology requires breaking the system's behavior into several pieces and then further decomposing those pieces into other diagrams. This chapter introduces a conceptual-modeling methodology that is based on flows; it also presents different conceptualizations of such notions as processes, things (objects), and events. Without a loss of generality, this chapter focuses on documenting patterns of clinician-information use cases and tools for evaluating EHR implementation.
Aligning the Perioperative Process to Hospital Strategy
Authors: Ryan Jim , Doster Barbara , Daily Sandra , Lewis Carmen C.
Published: April 2018

This chapter identifies how dynamic technological activities of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis, applied to internal and external organizational data, can highlight complex relationships within integrated hospital processes to target opportunity for improvement and ultimately yield improved capabilities aligned to hospital strategy. This case study examines process management practices of balanced scorecards and dashboards to monitor, improve, and align the perioperative process to overall hospital goals at strategic, tactical, and operational levels. Based on a 168-month longitudinal study of a 1,157 registered-bed academic medical center, this case study investigates the impact of integrated hospital information systems and business analytics to improve perioperative workflow efficiency, patient care perspective, stakeholder satisfaction, clinical operations, and financial cost effectiveness. The conclusion includes discussion of study implications and limitations.
A New Perspective on the Swiss Cheese Model Applied to Understanding the Anatomy of Healthcare Data Breaches
Authors: Kamoun Faouzi , Nicho Mathew
Published: April 2018

The healthcare industry has been lagging behind other industries in protecting its vital data. Over the past few years, researchers and practitioners have been trying to gain a better understanding of the anatomy of healthcare data breaches. In this chapter, the authors show how Reason's swiss cheese model (SCM) provides a powerful analytic model to explain the human, technical, and organizational factors of healthcare data breaches. They also show how the SCM brings forwards the latent conditions of healthcare data breach incidents that have often been overlooked in previous studies. Based on an extensive literature review and an analysis of reported breaches from credible sources, the authors provide an explanation of the cheese layers and the associated holes. Since the SCM endorses the “defenses in depth” approach, it can assist healthcare organizations and business associates in developing a comprehensive and systematic approach to prevent and mitigate data breach incidents.
A Contextual Model to Integrate Healthcare Workflows and Access Control Policies
Authors: Lakkaraju Sandeep Kumar , Xu Dianxiang , Wang Yong
Published: April 2018

In a complex healthcare world, health information technology integrated workflows play a crucial role in improving healthcare workflow efficiency. Healthcare organizations often allow various stakeholders to access sensitive data across organizational boundaries. This increases the need to secure and restrict access to this sensitive data. In a complex environment like healthcare, the need for access to data highly depends on context, and many of the traditional access control mechanisms cannot accommodate “context.” In this process, there is need for healthcare organizations to look for more efficient access control mechanisms which work in accordance with workflows and accommodates “context” as a critical element. As a solution to this problem, this chapter presents a model to integrate workflows and access control policies and thereby identifying workflow activities that are not being protected by access control policies and improving the workflow activities and/or existing access control policies using SARE (subject, action, resource, and environment) elements.
An Analysis on Supply-Chain-Related Adverse Events
Authors: Buyurgan Nebil , Farrokhvar Paiman
Published: April 2018

This chapter presents an investigation on supply-chain-related adverse events and patient safety in healthcare. Based on site visits and phone interviews with six healthcare providers, material handling and administrative processes are determined in a typical healthcare supply chain. Then a simulation model is developed to determine correct product validation practices and procedures for maximum patient safety. Benefits of standard product identifying technologies and automated validation systems are also explored to minimize workflow interruptions. Different scenarios are compared for patient safety, care delay, and system efficiency. The results show that validation points during PAR picking or bedside product administration, and warehouse picking operations provide optimal overall system performance. The results also indicate that standard product-identifying technologies and automated validation systems significantly impact the efficiency of supply chain.
Decision Support System for Diabetes Classification Using Data Mining Techniques
Authors: Al-Khasawneh Ahmad M.
Published: April 2018

The use of data mining algorithms in health information systems has played a significant role in developing applications that help to diagnose different diseases. The type of the disease determines the selection of the algorithm, parameters to be used, and dataset pre-processing steps, etc. In this chapter, diagnosing diabetes mellitus is the target since it has gained significant attention in the last few decades due to the increased severity of the disease. Four predictive data mining approaches are being used in diagnosing diabetes. Four models were implemented to diagnose diabetes from PIMA dataset: k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, multilayer perceptron neural network, and naive Bayesian network. Giving the highest classification accuracy, support vector machine technique outperformed the others with a value of 78.83%.
A Software Modeling Perspective of UMLS Semantic Network
Authors: Saripalle Rishi Kanth
Published: April 2018

The UMLS is a standard medical vocabulary developed by aggregating standard terminologies and sources from diverse healthcare domains, which encapsulates a broad spectrum of medical knowledge. The two primary knowledge sources of the UMLS are semantic network (SN) and metathesaurus (META). In the present state, the impact of the semantic knowledge captured by UMLS-SN on healthcare application is minimal or has no impact, as UMLS confines the UMLS-SN knowledge. Further, healthcare application design and development is achieved primarily by using sound software modeling principles and established object-oriented (OO) frameworks and languages. The goal of this chapter is to translate UMLS-SN knowledge into an OO modeling framework to utilize SN's knowledge in designing healthcare application. The result is the design and development of UMLS-SN, a custom metamodel by leveraging UML profile and metamodel. This specialized metamodel allows developers to design healthcare applications that are coherent with object-oriented modeling and software engineering approaches.
A Serious Games Framework for Health Rehabilitation
Authors: Rego Paula Alexandra , Moreira Pedro Miguel , Reis Luís Paulo
Published: April 2018

Serious games is a field of research that has evolved substantially with valuable contributions to many application domains and areas. Patients often consider traditional rehabilitation approaches to be repetitive and boring, making it difficult for them to maintain their ongoing interest and to assure the completion of the treatment program. This chapter reviews serious games and the natural and multimodal user interfaces for the health rehabilitation domain. Specifically, it details a framework for the development of serious games that integrates a rich set of features that can be used to improve the designed games with direct benefits to the rehabilitation process. Highlighted features include natural and multimodal interaction, social skills (collaboration and competitiveness), and progress monitoring. Due to the rich set of features supported by the framework, the games' rehabilitation efficacy can be enhanced primarily from an increase in the patient's motivation when exercising the rehabilitation tasks. A preliminary test of the framework with elderly users is described.
A Socio-Technical Analysis of Barriers to Implementing a Clinical Information System in a Nursing Home
Authors: Or Calvin Kalun , Liu Kaifeng , Wang Hailiang
Published: April 2018

In this chapter, the authors aim to identify key barriers affecting the implementation of a clinical information system (CIS) in a nursing home from a socio-technical perspective. The data collected through field observations and semi-structured individual interviews were analyzed using the immersion/crystallization approach based on the Sittig-Singh healthcare socio-technical framework (HSTF). Three categories of implementation factors encompassing the eight HSTF dimensions were identified: infrastructure-based factors, process-based factors, and outcome-based factors. The authors extended the HSTF by proposing two additional dimensions: advocacy, promoting the articulation and influence of changes in the system and subsequent outcomes by CIS stakeholders, and adaptability, ensuring the ability of the system to adjust to emerging needs. This chapter expanded prior research and identified barriers related to why the nursing home CIS was abandoned. A knowledge base and recommendations are offered herein as a guide for future implementation strategies and policies in CIS initiatives.
Determinant Factors of Physicians' Acceptance of E-Health an Empirical Study
Authors: Hoque Md Rakibul , Al Bar Adnan Mustafa , Alam Md. Jahangir
Published: April 2018

This chapter aimed to determine the factors of e-health accepting behavior among the physicians of developing countries. A cross-sectional survey questionnaire method was used for collecting data of this study. To analyze the data the study used structural equation modeling (SEM) with the partial least square (PLS) approach. The findings suggested that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and personal innovativeness had a significant impact on the behavioral intention to use e-health and also the behavioral intention had a significant impact on the actual use behavior of e-health of the physicians. Facilitating conditions had neither a significant impact on behavioral intention nor the actual use behavior of e-health of the physicians. The findings of this study would facilitate the degree of more acceptance of e-health technologies by the physicians for their own betterment and a new chapter of knowledge in the research area.
The Six Dimensions of Adoption of a CRM Strategy
Authors: Santos José Duarte , Castelo José Pita
Published: April 2018

This chapter covers aspects to be taken into account in the adoption of customer relationship management (CRM) in terms of a strategic perspective. It is based on an analysis of 32 models developed between 1999 and 2015. This analysis allowed the authors to detect elements internal to the organization that are arranged in six dimensions: CRM strategy formulation, relational marketing philosophy, the application of best practices, organizational and human resources, CRM processes, and CRM technology. It also presents a definition of CRM that encompasses these dimensions and takes into account the three functional areas of operation of CRM: marketing, sales, and service. Bearing in mind the definition and a perspective of connection dimensions developed along the characterization of each of the dimensions, the authors presented the conceptual model for the adoption of CRM.
The Fundamentals of Customer Relationship Management
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: April 2018

This chapter presents the overview of customer relationship management (CRM), CRM and customer retention, CRM and customer engagement, CRM and technological utilization, and the importance of CRM in modern business. With the support of advanced technologies, CRM is the advanced approach that can enhance companies to achieve the positive relationships with customers, and can increase both customer retention and customer engagement in their products and services. The application of CRM can promote the capability of interacting with customers conformed to their customer requirements, and can help increase both sales and business growth in the competitive business environments. The chapter argues that utilizing CRM has the potential to enhance business performance and gain sustainable competitive advantage in the digital age.
In Prosperity Prepare for Adversity
Authors: Okada Aya , Ishida Yu , Yamauchi Naoto
Published: April 2018

When a disaster strikes, nonprofit organizations face the need to mobilize resources as quickly as possible in a limited time frame. Given its characteristics to instantly spread information to masses of people, social media is considered one of the most effective ways for nonprofits to publicize opportunities to take voluntary actions. Despite the envisioned use, little has been examined about the effectiveness of social media in encouraging people to give. This chapter takes the case of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear threat that struck Japan in 2011 to examine whether the use of social media was effective in nonprofit fundraising. Analyzing data collected in an original online survey, the authors find that the use of social media both before and after the disaster has a positive impact on the amount of donations that nonprofits raise. Use of social media during non-disaster times is the key for successful fundraising in times of disaster.
E-Government of Occupational Safety and Health
Authors: Nathai-Balkissoon Marcia , Pun K. F.
Published: April 2018

Electronic government (e-gov) has not been implemented as extensively in many developing countries as in developed countries, especially in certain fields, such as occupational safety and health (OSH). This chapter considers e-gov that is effected through the websites of leading OSH bodies in a developing country, Trinidad and Tobago, and two developed nations, the USA and UK. Using a content analysis and comparison exercise, OSH e-gov shortcomings and opportunities in T&T are noted. Improvement recommendations include development of a strategy and strategy execution plan to boost stakeholder recognition of the value of the OSH agency and OSH e-gov in T&T; partnership-building to make resources available for OSH e-gov enhancement; enhanced accessibility and utility via a wider range of media formats to users; better stakeholder responsiveness via engagement with social media and better online support; and increased data collection and analysis in order to drive continual improvement.
States' Budget Investments in Technology and Improving Criminal Justice Outcomes
Authors: Mohammed-Spigner Deborah , Porter Brian E. , Warner Lois M.
Published: April 2018

Investments in criminal justice have been expanding over the decades especially as specific outcomes have been sought to address the issues surrounding crime and public safety. Reducing crime and the rate of imprisonment can both significantly impact public safety and cost savings, as well as address outcomes for the justice-involved population in reducing the rate of return to imprisonment, or recidivism. Lessening sentences for non-violent crimes and expanding drug courts as an alternative to incarceration, along with other major criminal justice reform, have led some states to experience a reduction in crime and prison population. New Jersey, Hawaii, and California have made significant strides to reduce its crime and prison populations and are leaders in achieving major criminal justice reform. This chapter seeks to examine corrections spending for these three leading states that have implemented evidence-based policies and adapted information technology to improve criminal justice outcomes. It will also outline states spending on corrections over the past five years.
The Impact of Digital Health on Traditional Healthcare Systems and Doctor-Patient Relationships
Authors: Luk Ching Yuen
Published: April 2018

This chapter uses a historical perspective to examine the development trajectory of digital health in Singapore since 1980 and the impact of digital health on the current health care system and doctor-patient relationship. It shows that digital health is able to transform a fragmented and provider-centric health care system into a more integrated and patient-centric health care system. Besides, it improves the operational efficiency of health care providers, reduces administrative costs and turnaround time, and empowers patients to contribute in treatment decisions. It shows that the development of digital health requires the government to have strong political will and long-term commitment to support and promote the use of digital health to its full potential and engage stakeholders in the policy making process so that such policy can suit the special needs of stakeholders.
Mobile Governance for Affordability and Profitability/Feasibility
Authors: Sharma Vinay , Sengar Anita
Published: April 2018

The chapter expresses the extent of the application of “e” and mobile mode for governance along with the extent to which, this application can be uplifted through building up the case around the healthcare system and changing market scenario in rural areas because of the researches which the authors/proponents of this chapter have been conducting. The premise that emerges in the chapter has evolved through the primary interaction with the concerned population. The findings suggest that the rural people of India opine and desire for better healthcare services and market scenario through alternative means, they are willing to pay for the services, they have opined positively and they wish to be involved in the market development scenario wherein E-governance and m-governance has emerged to be an important mode.
Reaching Community Consensus on Reforms for More Sustainable Urban Water Management Systems
Authors: Moore Robyn M. , Mabin Victoria J.
Published: April 2018

Reaching community consensus on water reforms was the motive—and the challenge—for this operational research. While water is comparatively abundant in New Zealand, a pattern of decline in the quality of water resources has persisted. Living up to its “clean, green” image is a significant goal for New Zealand, with high economic value derived from the effects of its globally recognized environmental credentials on key exports like tourism and agriculture. A 2009 government task force suggested that a “business as usual” approach is untenable, and water reform should be a priority. This systems study examines the challenges—and opportunities—facing Kāpiti, a rapidly growing coastal community, with water scarcity and quality constraints that had long prevented them from meeting their sustainable development objectives. The authors used a stakeholder typology to identify system stakeholders, Theory of Constraints (TOC) to examine their perspectives, causal loop diagrams to highlight potential negative outcomes, and TOC to design appropriate interventions.
Revising Sub-Systems Models to Analyze Economic Policy and the Question of Systemic Persistence
Authors: Schopf James C.
Published: April 2018

While Easton's systems theory contributed to political science by demonstrating how the political system meets societal demands with policy outputs, he ignored the state's role in providing security in a hostile international environment. Hence, this chapter builds a sub-systemic governance model, arguing that large input generating groups require sufficient public goods to maintain the domestic political system and the state. Application to the South Korean case demonstrates that public good allocations increased along with the size of the input generating group. A functioning transmission belt, in the form of civic groups and elected local government, facilitated articulation of these demands to political leaders. Disruption of this subsystem in cases with unmet demands from large input generating groups can destabilize the state and its domestic political system. This new sub-systemic model seeks to advance understanding of the operation of the system and open up new areas of research into the persistence of the domestic political system.
Expanding the Discourse on Organizational Inquiry, Power and the Metaphor Commodity
Authors: Stowell Frank
Published: April 2018

Models of organization are unsatisfactory as they assume a certain level of predictability, but research shows that each organization is unique and cannot be encapsulated by a single ontological model. Organizations exist in a turbulent environment and must change to survive, but change creates tensions that threaten its stability. Those who make up the organization cooperate only when it is in their interest to do so; in other words, it is far from being predictable. Individuals and groups use their power in an attempt to shape outcomes into one that they can accept. The way that power is used can have a significant effect upon the decisions made about the way the organization maintains its relationship with its environment. To enhance our understanding of the way organizational power is used, the notion of “commodity” as a metaphor for power is introduced as a means of surfacing the way in which individual power is used.
Radicalization and Recruitment
Authors: Masys Anthony J.
Published: April 2018

As described in the GTI, ISIL's transnational tactics in combination with lone actor attacks inspired by the group drove an increase in terrorism to its highest levels ever across Europe and many OECD countries (upwards of a 650 percent increase in deaths since 2014). The attacks by ISIL in Paris, Brussels, and in Turkey's capital Ankara, were amongst the most devastating in the history of these countries and reflect a disturbing return of the transnational group-based terrorism. Actor network theory (ANT) was applied as a systems lens to open the “blackbox” of terrorism. The systems view facilitated by ANT highlighted how dynamic networked actors shape radicalization through the actor network process of translation. This chapter applies functional resonance accident model (FRAM) methodology. The FRAM method was used to analyze how radicalization activities (as described through ANT) take place and where and how intervention strategies can be designed to interfere with the radicalization process.
Application of Reduced Graphene Oxide and Graphene Quantum Dots in PTB7:PC71BM Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Chen Xiao , Yan Lu Ting
Published: April 2018

Graphene has many advantages such as high optical transmittance, low resistance, adjustable work function and stable physical and chemical properties. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have unique optical properties and excellent electronic conductivity. GQDs can effectively prolong the lifetime of carriers and increase the quantum yield. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) solution was prepared by ultrasonic method, and GQDs were prepared by one-step hydrothermal reaction which used graphene oxide slurry as raw material. The particle size of GQDs is 8~10 nm. Incorporation of RGO and GQDs into the active layer or the electron transport layer (ETL) resulted in good efficiency enhancement of the performance of ZnO-based inverted PTB7:PC71BM polymer solar cells (PSCs). The photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PSCs is up to 3.89% when the doping amount of RGO is 10 wt. %. Addition of GQDs to active layer resulted in 8% efficiency enhancement from 3.20% to 3.46%. Addition of GQDs to ZnO ETL led to a more remarkable 25% efficiency enhancement, and PCE reached 4.02%. The Au NPs and GQDs co-doping in ZnO ETL caused a synergistic effect in improving the photovoltaic performance, producing a PCE of 4.23%, which is a 32.19% enhancement with respect to a pure ZnO ETL based device.
Effect of NaN3 Addition Content on NaCl-NaF Medium Nitridation Synthesis β-Sialon Powders
Authors: Liu Zheng Long , Ding Jun , Yu Chao , Zhu Hong Xi , Deng Cheng Ji , Liu Jian Peng , Fan Guo Dong , Leng Guang Hui
Published: April 2018

β-Sialon powders were synthesized via salt-assisted nitridation synthesis from Al, Si, SiO2 powders and molten salt medium (NaCl and NaF) with the addition of different content of NaN3 at different temperature for 3 h. NaN3 were employed as auxiliary nitrogen source which effectively provide sufficient nitrogen. The results indicated that the growth of β-Sialon powders had better effect when the NaN3 was added. And the β-Sialon powders grew more completely and the morphology of β-Sialon powders showed the rod-like crystal with hexagonal smooth tips instead of conical tips. In addition, the products displayed different sizes when the content of NaN3 was changed. These results of this work suggested that β-Sialon could be synthesized with specific morphology by adding different content of NaN3.
Preparation of γ-Ce2S3@ZrO2 Red Pigment by Hydrolysis Combined Hydrothermal Two Steps Method
Authors: Gao Yi Qun , Li Yue Ming , Wang Zhu Mei , Shen Zong Yang , Xie Zhi Xiang
Published: April 2018

The core-shell red pigment γ-Ce2S3@ZrO2 was prepared by a two step method. γ-Ce2S3 was pre-coated at 30°C with hydrolysis, followed by hydrothermal reaction at 180 °C for further coating and crystallization. The effect of preparation method, hydrolysis dropping speed and the number of hydrothermal process on the microstructure of the ZrO2 layer was observed. The influence of coating layer to chromaticity, heat resistance and acid stability was also investigated. The results show that a complete layer at nearly 90 nm coated on the surface of the γ-Ce2S3 particles. The as-prepared pigment exhibited pure red color (L* = 44.38, a* = 31.94, b* = 23.14). Moreover, this coating layer can provide protection to pigment particles. The core-shell pigment can remain red color (L* = 42.71, a* = 26.23, b* =18.38) after calcined in air at 380 °C, while uncoated pigment turned to grey dark at 360 oC.
Periodically Structured Silicon Carbide Nanowires Obtained by Annealing the Mechanically-Alloyed Amorphous 2SiB3CN Powder
Authors: Zhang Peng Fei , Yang Bin , Lu Zhi , Wang Guang Xin
Published: April 2018

The mechanically-alloyed amorphous 2SiB3CN powder was used as the precursor for the preparation of SiC nanowires in the current work. Annealed at 1700 °C in argon for 2 hrs, the composite powder was covered by a large amount of grey-green SiC nanowires. SEM, TEM and XRD results reveal that the nanowires are 200 to 1000 nanometers in diameter and hundreds of micrometers in length. Bamboo-shaped and nodular-like β-SiC nanowire accounts for the major part of the products. The bamboo-shaped nanowires have perfect periodicity and periodically distributed stacking faults. Further research indicates that traces of iron in raw powders acts as catalyst, promoting the V-L-S process of the nanowire growth. Current route provides a new method for the large-scale preparation of the periodically structured SiC nanowires, which may find applications in nano sensors, optoelectronic devices, etc.
Effects of Dispersant on Microstructure and Properties of GPLs/Al2O3 Composite Ceramics via Microwave Sintering
Authors: Liu Ying , He Wen , Ai Yun Long , Zhang Qiu Yu , Chen Wei Hua
Published: April 2018

Three dispersants cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTMAB), N-N dimethyl formamide (DMF) and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) were added to disperse graphene (GPLs) and a type of graphene/alumina composite ceramics was fabricated by microwave sintering. The GPLs dispersion was characterized by Zeta potential, XRD and SEM. The experimental results show that anionic dispersant NMP has the best dispersion effect with no impurities when pH value is 5. Using dispersant NMP, 0.4vol.%GPLs/Al2O3 composites with high dispersion obtains a relative density of 98.76% at 1500°C for 30 min by microwave sintering. The microhardness, fracture toughness and flexural strength of this composites are 19.58GPa, 6.19MPa·m1/2 and 365.10MPa, respectively. Its fracture toughness respectively increases by 47% and 15% than that of composites using dispersants DMF and CTMAB.
Effects of Salt Spray Corrosion on Durability of Laminated Photovoltaic Glass
Authors: Wang Xiu Fang , Bao Yi Wang , Liu Xiao Gen , Qiu Yan
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this paper is to study the durability and performance of photovoltaic glass components in salt spray environments. So it can be founed that a reasonable solution to increase the life of PV glass and to ensure the continuity of its performance. The PVB film was used for the comparison and performance analysis of the salt spray treatment of salt water at one week and two weeks. The PVB film was tested for the light transmission performance and other mechanical properties changes of PVB film. It was shown that the strength of the PV module sample after one week of salt spray treatment is 26.48508MPa, and the strength of the sample after two weeks of salt spray treatment of the PV module is 13.35496MPa. The direct sunlight transmittance ratio of A groups (300 ~ 2500nm) is 94.50. Direct sunlight transmission ratio of B groups (300 ~ 2500nm) is 92.30. The results show that the light transmission performance of the PV module after salt spray cycle is reduced by 2.3%, and the strength is obviously decreased by 49.57%.
Preparation of Y2O3 Doped SrZrO3 Refractory and Study on its Interface Reaction with Molten TiNi Alloys
Authors: Meng De Zhen , Chen Guang Yao , Zhang Ru Lin , Li Chong He
Published: April 2018

Y2O3doped SrZrO3(SZY) powders were prepared according to a solid-state reaction method, which the raw materials contains SrCO3, ZrO2and doped with 5 mol% Y2O3. And then the powders were used to make a green crucible shape by cold isostatic pressing. After that, the crucible was used to melt with TiNi alloy in the vacuum induction furnace with biscuit firing temperature of 900°C, and sintering temperature of 1750°C. The x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analysis the characterization of the Y2O3doped SrZrO3power; microstructure of the crucible at different holding time under the 1750°C and the interfacial reaction between the crucible and the TiNi alloy. The results showed that the powders of Y2O3doped SrZrO3were synthesized at 1200°C, and there was no obvious reaction layer and elements diffusion between the crucible and TiNi alloy. The ingot is easy to separate from the crucible after smelting.
Preparation of High Density BaZr0.97Y0.03O3-δ Ceramic and its Interaction with Titanium Melt
Authors: Kang Ju Yun , Chen Guang Yao , Li Bao Tong , Qin Zi Wei , Lu Xiong Gang , Li Chong He
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the BaZrO3(BZ) and BaZr0.97Y0.03O3-δ(BZY3) powders were prepared by using the industrial grade BaCO3, ZrO2and Y2O3powders combining the conventional solid state reaction. The BaZrO3(BZ) and BaZr0.97Y0.03O3-δ(BZY3) ceramics were fabricated at 1750°C. The effect of ball milling time and sintering aid (TiO2) on the sinterability of BaZr0.97Y0.03O3-δ(BZY3) ceramics were investigated, and the improved stability of BaZrO3refractory with Y2O3additive were studied according to the refractory-metal interaction. The results revealed that the particle size of BZY3 powders decreased first and then increased with the increasing of ball milling time from 6h to 12h, and the minimum particle size was only 2.252μm at 8h. When 2wt.%TiO2was added, the sintered pellet of BZY3 was the most densest and the relative density was above 95%. After melting the Ti2Ni alloy on the BZY and BZ ceramics, the thickness erosion layer of BaZrO3and BZY3refractories and Ti2Ni alloy is approximately 50μm and 20μm respectively, showing that BZY3 was more stable than BaZrO3refractory.
Resistance of Chlorides-Induced Corrosion of Steel Bar Embedded in CNTs-OH Modified Concrete
Authors: Wang Zhong Kun , Fan Jie , Li Geng Ying
Published: April 2018

Aim of this paper is to evaluate the influence of hydroxyl carbon nanotubes (CNTs-OH) content (by 0.1-0.5% of cement weight) on the resistance of chlorides-induced corrosion of steel bar embedded in concrete. The corrosion process of concrete was monitored by using half-cell potential method (Ecorr, mv CSE). Test results show that the addition of CNTs-OH considerably increased the resistance of rebar chlorides induced corrosion of concrete, and the optimum content of CNTs was about 0.3% by mass of cement. Simultaneously, results also indicate that the measuring position impacted the corrosion potential value, in which the point on the water/air interface had the highest corrosion probability. In addition, the water absorption and SEM of concrete containing CNTs-OH were also investigated, and the pore-filling effect of CNTs-OH was observed to improve the properties of concrete.
Bending Tests of Full-Scale Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Segments of Shield Tunnel
Authors: Chen Bo , Guo Li Ping , Sun Wei , Ding Cong
Published: April 2018

To evaluate the bending performance of a steel fiber-reinforced concrete shield segment, bending testing was conducted on prism specimens and full-scale segments with 30 kg/m3and 40 kg/m3steel fiber. The results show that, with increasing fiber content, the ultimate and equivalent flexural strengths increase, while the flexural toughness of the prism concrete specimen increases by approximately 15%. With increasing fiber content, the flexural capacity of the shield tunnel segment increases, the peak load increases by 24%, the crack number increases, and the average crack width decreases. During bending tests, the steel fiber-reinforced concrete segment shows remarkable characteristics of strain hardening and multiple cracking. The embedded parts reduce the cross-sectional area and cause stress concentration in the mid-span; therefore, the main crack form in this region.