bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excitonic light emission decay time measurements in moderatelyδ-doped GaAs/AlAs multiple quantum wells
Authors: Kundrotas Jurgis , Čerškus Aurimas , Valušis Gintaras , Linfield Edmund Harold , Johannessen Eric , Johannessen Agne
Published: January 2016

The radiative recombination rate of moderately dopedn-type andp-type GaAs/AlAs multiple quantum wells using a timecorrelated single photon counting system is presented. The experimental study has been obtained within a wide temperature range from liquid helium to room temperature and the work has focused on identifying photoluminescence decay rates based on freeexciton recombinations. It was found that the free exciton decay time was reduced in doped multiple GaAs/AlAs quantum wells, and that the reduction rate depends on both the concentration and doping type.
Plasmonics in semiconductors and in Ag submicron wires and graphene
Authors: Hartnagel Hans , Al-Daffaie Shihab , Yilmazoglu Oktay
Published: January 2016

Some 50 years ago discussions of plasmonics in semiconductors lead to many new concepts such as travelling domain structures with applications leading even to logic systems. Now plasmonics of submicron wires of Ag and graphene bring new device concepts for the fabrication of compact THz sources and optical focusing of the beat signal into the active area. Here as an experimental example such new opportunities are involved with compact THz sources based on optical laser mixing. They include resonant plasmonic structures at THz and optical frequencies to locally enhance the electromagnetic fields at THz as well as optical frequencies by the combination of semiconductor-graphene plasmons respectively by the semiconductor-metal-nanostructure plasmons.
Of particular interest is the usage of graphene, which is optically transmitting and which is either a semimetal or can be transformed into a semiconductor by reducing the width of its strips to about 30 nm, opening a band gap in the meV to tens of the meV range.
A successful experimental structure for continuous-wave THz photomixing is fabricated using 1D and 2D nanocontacts either on low-temperature-grown (LTG) GaAs or on nitrogen ion-implanted (N+i) GaAs and graphene sheets. The overlaying 1D and 2D nanocontacts were formed by silver nanowires with a diameter of 60 or 120 nm. They can handle currents of >10 and >30 mA, respectively, without electromigration enabling reliably high photocurrents and field enhancement at THz frequencies by plasmonic effects.
The nanomaterial structurization in connection with present-day plasmonic applications is now to be discussed in a similar manner as past opportunities with semiconductor plasmonics.
Hot-phonon-assisted additional correlation in Al0.23Ga0.77N/GaN
Authors: Matulionis Arvydas , Aninkevičius Vytautas , Ramonas Mindaugas
Published: January 2016

The hot-phonon effect is considered for an Al0.23Ga0.77N/GaN structure with a two-dimensional electron gas subjected to an electric field applied in the plane of electron confinement. The hot-phonon accumulation is taken into account in the hot-phonon lifetime approximation for the quantum well model designed through a self-consistent solution of Schrödinger and Poisson equations. The field-dependent electron temperature and non-ohmic transport are obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation for a 3-subband model. The longitudinal tensor component of an additional correlation of electron velocities is estimated in the hotelectron temperature approximation and an essential dependence on the hot-phonon lifetime is demonstrated. The results are in a reasonable agreement with the experimental data for a similar structure with a two-dimensional electron gas.
New perspectives for photoelectric phenomena
Authors: Lashkevych Igor , Titov Oleg Yu. , Gurevich Yuri G.
Published: January 2016

The functioning of the solar cells (and photoelectric phenomena in general) relies on the photo-generation of carriers in p–n junctions and their subsequent recombination in the quasi-neutral regions. A number of basic issues concerning the physics of the operation of solar cells still remain obscure. This paper reports on some unsolved basic problems, namely: a model of the recombination processes that does not contradict Maxwell’s equations; boundary conditions; the role played by space charges in the transport phenomena, and the formation of quasi-neutral regions under the presence of nonequilibrium photo-generated carriers. In this work, a new formulation of the theory that explains the underlying physical phenomena involved in the generation of a photo-e.m.f. is presented.
Los hundidos y los salvados. Reflexiones sobre movilidad y frontera en tiempo de crisis
Authors: Vacchiano Francesco
Published: January 2016

La «Agenda Europea para la Migración», cuyo objetivo es unificar las diferentes medidas que va a adoptar la Unión Europea para desarrollar un enfoque coherente e integrado frente a la migración y la política de fronteras, es emblemática de cómo la Comisión imagina el Mediterráneo como un espacio de tránsito migratorio. Dicha agenda nace con tres características destacables: utilidad, planificación y estratificación, y apunta a un nuevo gobierno europeo de la movilidad. En este texto se analizan las implicaciones y consecuencias de esta agenda, incluyendo el estudio crítico de las llamadas «medidas rápidas» y las «medidas de reubicación» y «reasentamiento». En este contexto, confirmando la tendencia de los últimos años, la cooperación, la policía, las tecnologías avanzadas de control e identificación de los recién llegados y las «burocracias extendidas de la frontera» se convierten en los principales instrumentos de la estrategia europea de construcción y gestión de la frontera, una frontera cuyos puestos avanzados son progresivamente militarizados y extendidos hacia el sur. En el texto se argumenta el racismo utilitarista subyacente a estas políticas europeas. Así, la gobernabilidad del Mediterráneo se articula en un conjunto de aparatos que generan nuevas formas de violencia simbólica y directa. En este panorama se introducen las lógicas del «deseo de la movilidad» de los jóvenes del sur global, quienes a pesar del entramado securitario quieren e intentan formar parte de un imaginario cosmopolita transnacional.
Study of Water Jet Collision of High Pressure Flat Jet Nozzles for Hydraulic Descaling
Authors: Votavová Helena , Pohanka Michal
Published: January 2016

One of the most effective methods for descaling hot-rolled steel products is performed using highpressure flat jet nozzles. These descaling nozzles are arranged in rows in hot rolling mills and areset in such a way that each adjoining pair of nozzles creates an overlapping area of water jet streams.Good homogeneity of the pressure distribution over the width of the hot-rolled plate is often used as anindicator of quality of the homogeneity of descaling. The presented laboratory measurements examineone pair of adjoining nozzles with a particular focus on the pressure distribution in the overlappingarea. This paper deals with one particular setting of a pair of descaling nozzles with zero offset anglesfor the jet streams. A measured pressure distribution and an outcome of an erosion test on an aluminumplate are presented and discussed. The erosion test shows that spots with higher pressures do notnecessarily result in a higher amount of removed material during an erosion test. The erosion test differs from the expected outcome in such a way that a detailed discussion of this phenomenon is outlined with possible explanations.
Modelling of Rotating Twisted Blades as 1D Continuum
Authors: Brůha Jan , Rychecký Drahomír
Published: January 2016

Presented paper deals with modelling of a twisted blade with rhombic shroud as one-dimensional continuum by means of Rayleigh beam finite elements with varying cross-sectional parameters along the finite elements. The blade is clamped into a rotating rigid disk and the shroud is considered to be a rigid body. Since the finite element models based on the Rayleigh beam theory tend to slightly overestimate natural frequencies and underestimate deflections in comparison with finite element models including shear deformation effects, parameter tuning of the blade is performed.
Simulation of Nonlinear Characteristic of Aileron Attachment on Aeroelastic Demonstrator Using Active Electromagnetic Spring Concept
Authors: Čečrdle Jiří , Maleček Jaromír , Hlavatý Václav , Malínek Petr
Published: January 2016

The paper is focused on the design and development of the system simulating nonlinear attachment of the aileron actuation on the aeroelastic demonstrator. The system is based on the concept of the digitally controlled additional stiffness, activated by the real time control law system, controlling the required ratio of the force and deformation. The solution is based on the electromagnetic exciter. The nonlinear force is simulated by means of the system of the exciter and the deformation sensor. The active control system is independent of the excitation system. It adds the force ensuring the required characteristics and it allows to simulate the additional stiffness, damping or mass. Doing this, it is possible to adjust the selected vibration mode by controlling the force and obtain the required nonlinear characteristics. In the second order, there is also a constant influence of the exciter mass, stiffness and damping. The simulation of the linear, quadratic and cubic additional stiffness were verified.
Prediction of the Nuclear Fuel Rod Abrasion in the Probability Sense
Authors: Zeman Vladimír , Hlaváč Zdeněk
Published: January 2016

The paper deals with the upper and lower limits estimation of the friction work and fretting wear in the contact of nuclear fuel rods with fuel assembly (FA) spacer grid cells. The friction work is deciding factor for the prediction of the fuel rod cladding abrasion caused by FA vibration. Design and operational parameters of the FA components are understood as random variables defined by mean values and standard deviations. The gradient and three sigma criterion approach is applied to the calculation of the upper and lower limits of the friction work and fretting wear in particular contact surfaces between the fuel rod cladding and some of spacer grid cells. The fuel assembly vibration is excited by pressure pulsations of the cooling liquid generated by main circulation pumps in the coolant loops of the NPP primary circuit. The method is applied for hexagonal type nuclear fuel assembly in the VVER type reactors.
Different Approaches to Parallelization of Vector Assembly
Authors: Bošanský Michal , Patzák Bořek
Published: January 2016

Recent developments in computer hardware bring in new opportunities in numerical mod-elling. Traditional simulation codes run sequentially on computers with a single processing unit,where only one instruction can be processed at any moment in time. The performance of single pro-cessing units is reaching the physical limits, given by transmission delays and heat build-up on thesilicon chips. The current trend in technology is parallel processing, relying on the simultaneous useof multiple processing units to solve given problem. The efficient utilization of parallel computingresources requires development of new algorithms and techniques allowing to decompose the giventask into pieces of work that can be processed simultaneously.This contribution focuses on parallelization of vector assembly operation, which is one of thecritical operations in any finite element software. The aim of presented work is to propose differentapproaches to parallelization of this operation and to evaluate their efficiency. In this contribution,we focus on shared memory programming model, where individual processes/tasks share a commonaddress space, which they read and write to asynchronously. Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP) andPortable Operating System Interface (POSIX) Threads programming models are used to implementdifferent variants of parallel assembly operations. The efficiency of implemented approaches is eval-uated on a selected benchmark problem, comparing computation times and obtained speed-ups.
Simulation of Damage in Hybrid Composite Cell Structure
Authors: Had Jiří , Růžička Milan
Published: January 2016

A novel type of hybrid cell composite structure has been developed and used for many practical applications. Typical macroscopic sub-cells in the cross section structure are formed by the stamping process of partially cured and axially-oriented high modulus carbon fibre bundles. Each bundle is wrapped around by a thin layer of high strength fibres. Main goal of this paper is the simulation of damage of this new composite structure. Modified hierarchy homogenization method (Non-uniform Transformation Field Analysis) was proposed for simulation of damage progress. Modification is based on introducing damage modes. The method is based on assumption that field of in-elastic strain describing damage in each constituents can be decomposed on finite set of fields, called damage modes. Modified NTFA method was incorporated into FEM code and verified in several four-point bending tests.
Modelling of Fabric in Plain Weave
Authors: Žák Josef
Published: January 2016

In our work we tried to find a simple and reliable method to determine mechanical properties of a woven fabric with the main respect to the processing of these fabrics on a weaving machine. Some interesting results emerged by that way concerning for example the design of fabrics. We were using primarily the means of classical mechanics and we tried to avoid the use of computer resource demanding tools as much as possible. Also we were concerned by the applicability of results as large as possible since our weaving machines are processing a wide spectrum of fabrics.\parIn this paper, the principles of our approach are presented with some numerical examples. Few practical experiments were carried out at this moment, so only limited comparison with the reality could be done.
Fracture Toughness Testing for Improving the Safety of Gas Pipelines
Authors: Gajdoš Ľubomír , Šperl Martin
Published: January 2016

For standard fracture mechanical tests flat specimens (principally CT or SENB) are required. When investigating fracture mechanical properties of thin – walled pipes this brings about a problem because it is necessary to straighten pipe bands. However, this operation causes internal stresses to be induced not only in the semi-product subjected to straightening but also in finished specimens. A question therefore arises to what extent are then the magnitudes of the fracture toughness determined representative for the actual cylindrical wall. To solve this problem fracture mechanics tests were caried out on flat (straightened) CT specimens as well as on curved CT specimens with the natural curvature. The R – curves as well as the resulting parameters of the fracture toughness, obtained for both types of CT specimens, were compared and it was concluded that the fracture toughness of the pipe material determined on straightened CT specimens was practically the same as that obtained on curved CT specimens.
Nonlinear Behaviour of Concrete Foundation Slab
Authors: Fiedler Josef , Koudelka Tomáš
Published: January 2016

A layered model is used for nonlinear analysis of a foundation concrete slab. Calculation is performed using interaction with elastic Winkler-Pasternak subsoil model and considering plastic yielding of slab layers. Two Drucker-Prager yield criterions define a nonlinear material model for concrete. Computation is done by the SIFEL solver using the Finite Element Method.
Experiment E7/0,3 – Time Behaviour of Active Pressure of Non-Cohesive Sand after Wall Translative Motion
Authors: Koudelka Petr
Published: January 2016

A new experiment denominated as E7/0,3 with active pressure of non-cohesive quartz sand on a rigid moved wall was performed at the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in the last year. The wall was translative moved towards active direction (out of the mass) at a position of supposed acting of active pressure value, then the wall motion was stopped and time pressure stability was monitored. After more than three months the wall was moved at the last position of 100 mm from original position before the experiment. The experiment ran four and a half months.
The “Miracle” of Post-Buckled Behaviour in Thin-Walled Steel Construction and its Breathing-Induced Limitation
Authors: Škaloud Miroslav , Zörnerová Marie , Urushadze Shota
Published: January 2016

Thin-walled construction represents a powerful tool for saving steel and thereby for increasing the competitiveness of steel structures. However, on the other hand, as the limit state of thin-walled structures is substantially affected by stability phenomena, the above concept can be implemented just on the condition of post-buckled behaviour being taken into account in the solution to these stability phenomena. The paper first briefly studies the factors on which the intensity of the very favourable post-buckling reserve of strength depends and then in detail turns attention to the most important among them, viz. the effect of the cumulative-damage process that becomes manifest in the case of bridges and other systems subjected to many times repeated loading.
Simplified Model for Calculating the Value of the Failure Load in the Internal Span Zone of Slab-Column Structures
Authors: Wieczorek Mirosław
Published: January 2016

In a properly designed slab-column structure the failure of the floor should be signalled by cracks and significant and visible deflections of the floor in the spans. The paper presents two proposed ways of calculating a uniform loading causing the destruction of the central field of a typical slab-column structure. The values obtained in the limit state were compared with the value of the load obtained during the experimental research.
Prediction of Optimal Load and Performance of Thermal Batteries
Authors: Kušnerová Milena , Valíček Jan , Harničárová Marta , Tozan Hakan
Published: January 2016

Nowadays, the possibility of applying alternative energy sources is increasingly discussed. In terms of application, a Seebeck thermoelectric generator seems promising for the direct conversion of heat (preferably waste heat) into electricity. In order to increase the performance and thereby the effectiveness of different thermoelectric modules, especially advantageous thermoelectric properties of materials and also innovative design of thermoelectric devices are now solved. However, the achievement of maximum possible performance and operating efficiency is not determined solely by material efficiency and geometric dimensions of thermocouples connected in a thermal battery. It is also necessary to predict an optimum load of the specific source of energy in order to use material design improvements optimally and ensure longer life of thermal batteries. Their manufacturers, except the power input as a “heat consumption” and the maximum power output of a thermal battery (at a certain temperature difference between cold and heated walls), should also declare such load by an appliance, which is optimal for the given type of thermogenerator. The present paper, therefore, proposes a method for determining the optimum load of a thermal battery.
Load Carrying Capacity of Steel Arch Reinforcement Taking into Account the Geometrical and Physical Nonlinearity
Authors: Janas Petr , Koubova Lenka , Krejsa Martin
Published: January 2016

The paper deals with the calculation of the load carrying capacity of the steel arch reinforcements of underground and mine works with respect to the resulting large displacement and physical nonlinearities. Solution is based on the application of the so-called effective bending stiffness, which is defined as a function of the axial force and bending moment. The numerical model was verified using the values of the load carrying capacity, which have been experimentally obtained using strain-stress test, and implemented into the software that allows very effectively calculate load carrying capacity of steel arch reinforcements.
Feeding considerations in infants born with cleft lip and palate
Authors: Shetty M. Subramanya , Khan Mohammadi Begum
Published: January 2016

Infants born with the congenital deformity of cleft lip and or palate suffer from varieties of complications since the day 1 of their life. The most important of which is the feeding difficulty which leads to insufficient food intake and thereby causing deleterious effects on their overall development leading to malnutrition and death in some cases. However, research into the anatomical variations of these infants in the region of lip and palate has led to the development of several types of feeders and their modifications which would help them thrive well in the initial days and also for later. Hence, it is worth important to know about them in detail and help these infants and their families psychologically so that the infants do not suffer from feeding difficulties anymore.
Artinianness of Composed Graded Local Cohomology Modules
Authors: Dehghani-Zadeh Fatemeh
Published: January 2016

Let be a graded Noetherian ring with local base ring (R0 ,m0) and let . Let M and N be finitely generated graded R-modules and let a = a0 + R+ an ideal of R. We show that and are Artinian for some i s and j s with a specified property, where bo is an ideal of R0 such that a0 + b0 is an m0-primary ideal.
Hilbert’s 5th Problem
Authors: van den Dries Lou , Goldbring Isaac
Published: January 2016

Assuming a modest amount of background we give full proofs of the results by Gleason, Montgomery–Zippin, and Yamabe that characterize Lie groups and generalized Lie groups among topological groups. Our treatment involves nonstandard reasoning, and we expose this method in an appendix.
The index of isolated umbilics on surfaces of non-positive curvature
Authors: Fontenele Francisco , Xavier Frederico
Published: January 2016

It is shown that if a

C^2

surface

M \subset \mathbb R^3

has negative curvature on the complement of a point

q \in M

, then the

\mathbb Z/2

-valued Poincaré-Hopf index at

q

of either distribution of principal directions on

M-\{q\}

is non-positive. Conversely, any non-positive half-integer arises in this fashion. The proof of the index estimate is based on geometric-topological arguments, an index theorem for symmetric tensors on Riemannian surfaces, and some aspects of the classical Poincaré-Bendixson theory.
Economic Resilience and Crowdsourcing Platforms
Authors: Smith Kendra L. , Ramos Isabel , Desouza Kevin C.
Published: January 2016

The increased interdependence and complexity of modern societies have increased the need to involve all members of a community into solving problems. In times of great uncertainty, when communities face threats of different kinds and magnitudes, the traditional top-down approach where government provides solely for community wellbeing is no longer plausible. Crowdsourcing has emerged as an effective means of empowering communities with the potential to engage individuals in innovation, self-organization activities, informal learning, mutual support, and political action that can all lead to resilience. However, there remains limited resource on the topic. In this paper, we outline the various forms of crowdsourcing, economic and community resilience, crowdsourcing and economic resilience, and a case study of the Nepal earthquake. his article presents an exploratory perspective on the link can be found between crowdsourcing and economic resilience. It introduces and describes a framework that can be used to study the impact of crowdsourcing initiatives for economic resilience by future research. An initial a set of indicators to be used to measure the change in the level of resilience is presented.
Uma visão do capital social no Twitter: O caso dos candidatos à Prefeitura de São Paulo
Authors: Da Rocha Rogério Rodrigues , Christopoulos Tania Pereira
Published: January 2016

O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar como são estruturadas as relações entre indivíduos em uma rede virtual, Twitter, tendo como base as teorias do Capital Social. Para tanto, foram analisadas as contas de Twitter dos candidatos à prefeitura de São Paulo na campanha do ano de 2012, utilizando-se o programa NodeXL. As análises foram realizadas utilizando-se validação quantitativa por meio do Coeficiente de Clusterização de Clauset, Newman & Moore (2004). Como resultados, identificou-se, através do mapeamento topológico/quantitativo, pontos de intersecção entre o capital social e as relações entre indivíduos nos grupos virtuais existentes no Twitter, explicitados por relações de reciprocidade de cada rede.
Perceptions of Agriculture Teachers Regarding Education about Biomass Production in Iowa
Authors: Han Guang , Martin Robert A.
Published: January 2016

With the growth of biorenewable energy, biomass production has become an important segment in the agriculture industry (Iowa Energy Center, 2013). A great workforce will be needed for this burgeoning biomass energy industry (Iowa Workforce Development, n. d.). Instructional topics in agricultural education should take the form of problems and questions faced by the agriculture industry itself (Phipps, Osborne, Dyer, & Ball, 2008). This study sought to determine the perceptions of agriculture teachers regarding biomass production education in Iowa. Results of this study indicated that teachers held strongly to moderately positive perceptions toward biomass production and teaching about biomass production. In addition, participations in workshops related to bioenergy were found to have a positive impact on teachers’ perceptions regarding teaching about biomass production. Teachers indicated a need for in-service training on teaching about biomass production education. It is recommended that institutes, extension organizations and corresponding professional organizations hold more workshops and training programs related to biomass production education for teachers.
Innovative Classroom Strategies that Prepare College Graduates for Workplace Success
Authors: Rateau Richard J. , Kaufman Eric K. , Cletzer D. Adam
Published: January 2016

In our increasingly competitive and rapidly changing world, it is critical that college graduates enter the workforce with the requisite skills for lasting success. However, recent studies suggest employers increasingly identify a workforce readiness gap in core applied skills, which must be bridged by company investment. Teaching strategies that develop applied skills will better prepare graduates for the workforce. The purpose of this study was to describe the classroom strategies of faculty instructors at Virginia Tech who received recognition for teaching excellence. Each participant took part in a semi-structured interview. After analysis, several themes emerged: (a) demonstration of enthusiasm for student learning; (b) willingness to experiment actively with new ideas for practice; (c) approaching teaching with a guiding mentality rather than directing; (d) fostering student ownership of learning; (e) keeping abreast of new developments and practices; and (f) investing the time and resources to overcome barriers to change. These themes signal an underlying trend: Instructors should focus on helping students become life-long learners by teaching how to prioritize and assess information, work in groups, solve problems, and understand divergent perspectives.
Peer Review in Agricultural Education: Interrater Reliability of Manuscript Reviews for the 2014 National Agricultural Education Research Conference
Authors: Shoulders Catherine W. , Johnson Donald M. , Flowers Jim
Published: January 2016

This study analyzed 336 peer reviews of 112 manuscripts submitted for possible presentation at the 2014 National Agricultural Education Research Conference (NAERC). There were scoring errors on 6.8% of the reviews; the most frequent errors were failure to record a score or assigning a score above the range of points possible for one or more of the review criteria. The coefficient of variation (CV) for same-paper ratings of manuscript quality ranged from 3.94% to 96.43% with a mean of 19.65% (SD = 15.22%). The interrater reliability for same-paper evaluations of manuscript quality was .15. The CVs for reviewer same-paper reject-accept recommendations ranged from 0.00% to 98.97% with a mean of 38.80% (SD = 22.72%). The interrater reliability for same-paper reject-accept recommendations was .09. On 82 (73.21%) manuscripts all three reviewers agreed on the manuscript’s relevance to agricultural education. Mean manuscript quality scores explained 68.3% of the variance in mean reject-accept recommendations leaving 31.7% of the variance unexplained. There were no significant (p > .05) differences by academic rank in ratings of manuscript quality, reject-accept recommendations, or assessments of relevance to agricultural education. The authors offered recommendations for improvement of the NAERC manuscript review process.
Advising an Urban FFA Chapter: A Narrative of Two Urban FFA Advisors
Authors: Martin Michael J. , Kitchel Tracy
Published: January 2016

Advising an urban FFA chapter can be a challenge for urban agriculture teachers. The contextual differences between the rural-oriented FFA and urban FFA members can make bridging the gap difficult. This narrative study sought to explore how the urban context shapes the work of an FFA chapter from the perspectives of two FFA advisors at the same school. Both advisors had the same viewpoint about what experiences their FFA members should have, which included competitions and events beyond the local chapter level. Yet, they struggled to meet this goal. Their FFA members who attended the National FFA Convention discussed the need to feed local, food insecure people as an opportunity for their FFA chapter. This revelation did not make the advisors feel more confident; rather, they were still frustrated that their members could not find success beyond the chapter level in FFA activities such as career development events (CDEs) and supervised agricultural experience programs (SAEs). This meant that the definition of success for the FFA Chapter fell to the FFA advisors and not their members. Implications from this research include the role of advisors’ past experiences in shaping how they conceptualize their FFA chapter activities and success.
Determining the Effects of Reflection Type and Cognitive Style on Students' Content Knowledge
Authors: Blackburn J. Joey , Robinson J. Shane , Kacal Amanda
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this exploratory, experimental study was to determine the effects that the type of reflection-in-action and students’ cognitive style had on content knowledge of preservice agriculture teachers (N = 57) at Oklahoma State University. Students’ cognitive style was assessed using Kirton’s Adaptation-Innovation Inventory (KAI). Students were classified as either more adaptive or more innovative. Students were assigned randomly to either a verbal or written reflection-in-action group in the completely randomized 2x2 design. A Lab Aids® classroom kit, based on the principles of biofuels, served as the content for the treatment. The findings of this study indicated that cognitive style and type of reflection-in-action did not affect students’ knowledge scores in an agriscience laboratory positively or negatively. As such, teachers can utilize either type of reflection-in-action without detriment to student learning. As this study was exploratory in nature, it is recommended that it be replicated with a larger sample size to increase generalizability. Additional research should focus on pairing students of similar and opposite cognitive styles to determine how their problem-solving ability and performance on tests is affected.
Achieving Next Generation Science Standards Through Agricultural Contexts: A Delphi Study of Outdoor Education Experts
Authors: Meals Anthony , Washburn Shannon
Published: January 2016

A Delphi survey was conducted with 30 outdoor education experts in Kansas. Participant responses helped frame a Kansas definition of outdoor education and identified essential educational goals and outcomes, critical components for effective outdoor education programming, and barriers facing outdoor education in Kansas. The study highlights contributions outdoor education could have for implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) curriculum framework in Kansas through agricultural education.
Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs: An Examination of Committed Teachers and Student-Centered Programs
Authors: Rubenstein Eric D. , Thoron Andrew C.
Published: January 2016

SAE programs were designed as an integral component in SBAE. However, participation has continued to decline. This qualitative study examined exemplary SAE programs in rural SBAE to discover factors that were working in SAE development and implementation. Through focus groups, individual and informal interviews, and observations, two themes that include 11 factors emerged from the data. This study found the agriculture teacher was the most important program partner in the development of an SAE program. Further, student learning must occur to ensure students continue to engage in an SAE program. The researchers recommended agriculture teachers utilize instructional time for the establishment, maintenance, and showcase of student SAE programs.
An Analysis of Adolescents' Science Interest and Competence in Programs with and without a Competitive Component
Authors: Fox Janet , Cater Melissa
Published: January 2016

The exploratory study examined science interest and perceived science competency in middle and high school youth (N=116) who took part in science-related contests (n=49) and non-competitive special interest science programs (n=67). Study participants were dispersed between females (48.3%) and males (51.7%). Three-fourths (75.1%) of the participants belonged to the racial category, white. The majority of youth attracted to science-related professions selected medicine and science and engineering as the top choices. Both science interest and science competence were high among youth in the study. Analysis of science competency indicated a statistically significant difference between girls and boys, with girls scoring higher than boys. The difference in scores between youth participating in competitive programs and non-competitive programs was also statistically significant. As a result of this study, it is recommended that high-quality, cutting edge, hands-on programs are offered to youth in both middle school and high school that emphasize science and provide opportunities for self-challenge as well as challenge against others.
Factors Impacting Members Decisions to Continue FFA Beyond High School
Authors: Sanok Danielle E. , Stripling Christopher T. , Stephens Carrie A. , Griffith Andrew P.
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors influencing FFA members to continue their FFA experience beyond high school. Two focus groups were conducted, one for collegiate FFA members and one for past/current state officers. Participants provided several areas of improvement for collegiate and alumni FFA membership. Participants noted a lack of advertising from the FFA during high school regarding opportunities for involvement after high school, stated their advisor played an influential role in deciding to continue with FFA, and expressed FFA needed to put forth greater efforts into career building opportunities for collegiate members. Also, participants noted factors such as the desire to give back, safe environment, opportunities to learn about agriculture, and the “FFA Family” as reasons for continuing involvement. State officer participants gave additional insights to why they continued with FFA, including helping members overcome barriers and wanting to serve others. To increase membership beyond high school, we recommend professional development to help advisors promote FFA, evaluation on advertising efforts and increasing advertisements, develop program guidelines outlining how collegiate chapters can accomplish their mission and host events aimed at personal development, and publish best practices on leading a successful alumni chapter.
“We Are Watching”: The effectiveness of implementing novel anti-smoking signage on hospital property
Authors: Sampson Lorna , Rai Navjot , Vair Audra , Yaminifar Anoush , Abrahamson John
Published: January 2016

Objective: Poor adherence to smoke-free policies on hospital property is an ongoing challenge. This study introduced novel anti-smoking signage onto hospital property with the aim of evaluating its effectiveness on reducing the incidence of smoking in designated areas.Methods: This prospective ecological study used cigarette butt count as a proxy to measure smoking prevalence at a single hospital’s three exit sites between October–December 2013. A pre-analysis of cigarette butt count at each site was conducted and the site with the highest count was selected for intervention; the two remaining sites were controls. The intervention signs featured a pair of stern male eyes with a forward gaze with “Don’t Smoke” written in black font and “We Are Watching” in red font below. Pre- and post-intervention cigarette butt counts were collected over 18 days and 14 days respectively. Climate was included in the analysis.Results: The number of cigarette butts decreased at the intervention site across 11 of the 14 post- intervention monitored days (29.8% decrease). Cigarette butt counts increased across both control sites (32.9% and 58.8%). One-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction (p = .000) between location and pre-/post-intervention periods. A two-way ANOVA evaluating location, intervention period, and climate temperature change (± 10 degrees Celsius) revealed statistical significance (p < .05). Interaction between location and climate was not significant.Conclusions: This study demonstrated a decrease in cigarette butts at the hospital exit where the “watching eyes” signs were implemented. Simple, low-cost anti-smoking interventions such as this may assist in creating healthier, smoke-free environments on hospital properties.
Self-assembly of Palm Kernel Oil Wax Esters in Aqueous Media: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Karjiban Roghayeh Abedi , Huan Qiu-Yi , Abdul Rahman Mohd Basyaruddin , Basri Mahiran , Tejo Bimo Ario
Published: January 2016

Experimentally determined phase diagram of palm kernel oil-based wax esters (PKOEs) nano-emulsion was selected to explore an atomic insight into the self-assembly of PKOEs nano-emulsion using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique. A model system including PKOEs molecules and nonionic Tween80 surfactant in aqueous solution was prepared. We used MD to explore a detail atomic insight into the self-assembly process of and the shape of the micelle formed. MD simulation was performed for 20 ns. MD results involving the radius of gyration, the solvent accessible surface areas, the number of clusters formed, and the moment of inertia analysis revealed that the model prepared showed a stable prolate ellipsoid shape. 

 
Determining the Directionally-Dependent Effective Hydrogen Diffusivity of High Strength Steel Strand
Authors: Fernandez Joseph R.
Published: January 2016

An important factor in the Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE) of cold-worked carbon steel strand is the effective hydrogen diffusivity of the strand material. The speed at which HE can occur is determined by the transport of the hydrogen to locations of stress concentrations. A Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) was used to measure the flattened surface of strand wires before and after being charged with hydrogen to determine a relationship between the delta work function measured (and indirectly the potential of the specimen) and the presence of hydrogen near the surface of that area of the specimen. Numerous scans were performed to determine a change in delta work function between the probe and the specimen. This change in delta work function was related to the presence of hydrogen at the specimen surface over time, giving a rate of hydrogen movement within a specific area of the specimen (both in the radial and drawn directions). The change in delta work function over time was then related to the diffusion of hydrogen over time in a given area resulting in a directional effective diffusivity of hydrogen through the strand which includes the effects of hydrogen trapping and method of hydrogen transport.

The results indicate that the effective or apparent hydrogen diffusivity in the drawn direction in pearlitic, cold worked, carbon steel strand is 5.24E-08 cm2/sec. The effective hydrogen diffusivity in the radial direction was faster (3.56E-07 cm2/sec) as compared to the wire drawn direction.
Relación entre propensión, sensibilidad al asco y selección de rama profesional
Authors: Pineda David , Villaescusa Victoria , Sandín Bonifacio
Published: January 2016

ResumenLos modelos tradicionales han sugerido que el asco es una emoción básica con componentes cognitivos, fisiológicos y conductuales distintivos,  que actúa para prevenir la contaminación y la enfermedad. Del mismo modo que ocurre con el miedo, el asco podría desempeñar una función claramente adaptativa.  En el presente trabajo queremos examinar si la sensibilidad al asco puede tener relación con la orientación laboral en jóvenes. La muestra estuvo compuesta por estudiantes  de un centro de formación profesional, con una media de 21.25 años (DT = 5.40), de forma colectiva se aplicó el  siguiente instrumento de autoinforme: Disgust Propensity and Sesitivity Scale-Revised-12 (DPSS-R-12). La DPSS-R-12 permite obtener puntuaciones para dos dimensiones del asco, propensión y sensibilidad. Basándonos  en ANOVAs, constatamos asociaciones significativas entre la propensión al asco y la orientación laboral. Se discuten los resultados y el papel de la emoción del asco como posible factor condicionante en la elección de la rama profesional.AbstractTraditional models suggest that disgust is a basic emotion with distinctive cognitive, physiological and behavioural components, which acts to prevent the possibility of contamination and disease. As occurs with fear, disgust can play a clearly adaptive function.  In this paper we examine if sensitivity to disgust can be related with employment orientation in young people. The sample was composed by students from a vocational school, with an average age of 21.25 years (SD = 5.40). A self-report inventory named "Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-Revised (DPSS-R-12)" was collectively applied. The DPSS-R-12 allows to get scores for two dimensions of disgust: propensity and sensitivity. On the basis of the ANOVAs obtained, we found significant associations between the propensity to disgust and employment orientation. The results are discussed as well as the role of disgust as a possible determinant factor in the choice of the professional branch.
The Influence of Parenting Practices on Feeding Problems in Preschoolers
Authors: De la Osa Nuria , Barraza Rocio , Ezpeleta Lourdes
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe aim of the study is to estimate the prevalence of feeding problems during the preschool period and to explore the associations of feeding related behaviors with parenting practices. Participants were a large community sample of N=622 children longitudinally assessed yearly at ages 3, 4 and 5 years-old through diagnostic interview and questionnaires reported by parents. The prevalence of children who met DSM-IV criteria for feeding disorder during the follow-up was 1.6%, the amount of children who presented feeding disorder symptoms was 33.3%, those with clinical impairment due to these symptoms were 25.7% and 11.6% reported seek for professional help related to feeding problems. Logistic regressions adjusted to children’s sex and other DSM-IV diagnoses different to feeding disorder showed that the dimensions of parenting more strongly related to feeding related behaviors and impairment due to feeding problems were poor monitoring, inconsistence practices, corporal punishment, low norms and low autonomy. Although the prevalence of preschool children who met DSM-IV criteria for feeding disorder was relatively low, the presence of feeding related behaviors (symptoms, impairment and consultation) was common during this developmental period. Parenting practices are associated to the presence of these behaviors, and so they must be considered into the prevention and intervention programs.
La Tarea de Auto-consuelo Compasivo en Terapia Focalizada en la Emoción
Authors: Caro Ciro , Hornillos Teresa
Published: January 2016

ResumenEl objetivo de este artículo es poner a disposición de los terapeutas y de los equipos de investigación clínica en psicoterapia, el conocimiento actualizado sobre la Tarea de Auto-consuelo Compasivo de la Terapia Focalizada en la Emoción (TFE). Para los terapeutas humanistas o integradores que guían su intervención mediante marcadores, y que trabajan en el nivel experiencial, este texto pretende ser una guía formativa inspiradora a la vez que detallada. Paralelamente, para los investigadores comprometidos con el desarrollo de la TFE, el texto es propuesto como un modelo, que puede ser utilizado para homogeneizar e incrementar la validez de las intervenciones de facilitación del auto-consuelo, en estudios clínicos en los que este proceso sea una variable relevante. Primero se encuadra la Tarea de Auto-consuelo Compasivo en el marco conceptual de la TFE, se fundamenta racionalmente el trabajo terapéutico con la auto-compasión, y se informa acerca de la evidencia empírica disponible en este campo. Después se explica la tarea en términos del modelo de proceso resultado de la investigación y de la observación clínica: (1) descripción del marcador, (2) especificación de las operaciones del cliente y del terapeuta y (3) propuesta de un estado final relacionado con un micro-resultado terapéutico típico dentro de la sesión. Además se presenta la correspondiente escala de resolución del proceso que conduce a ese estado final. Y por último, se hace una serie de sugerencias acerca del modo óptimo de utilizar este material y se ofrecen algunos recursos didácticos y de entrenamiento complementarios. AbstractThe aim of this paper is to make available to the therapists and to the psychotherapy clinical research teams an update, on the Compassionate Self-soothing Task in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). For the humnanistic or integrative therapists that use marker-guided interventions and for those who work at an experiential level, this writing is aimed to be an inspiring and detailed training guide. On the other hand, for those researches committed to the EFT development, the text is proposed as a model that may be used to homogenize and to increase the validity of the self-soothing facilitation interventions, in those studies in which such process is a relevant variable. In the first place, we present the Compassionate Self-Soothing Task within the EFT's conceptual framework; then we give a rationale for the therapeutic work with self-compassion, and finally we present the available empirical evidence in the field. The task is also explained in terms of the process model resulting from clinical research and observation: (1) marker description, (2) client's and therapist's operations specification, (3) proposal of an end state related to a typical in-session therapeutic micro-outcome. In addition the resolution scale of the process that leads to the end state is also presented. Finally, we make a series of suggestions on how to use this material, and provide some supplementary didactic and training resources.