bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wireless sEMG System with a Microneedle-Based High-Density Electrode Array on a Flexible Substrate
Authors: Kim Minjae , Gu Gangyong , Cha Kyoung , Kim Dong , Chung Wan
Published: January 2018

Surface electromyography (sEMG) signals reflect muscle contraction and hence, can provide information regarding a user’s movement intention. High-density sEMG systems have been proposed to measure muscle activity in small areas and to estimate complex motion using spatial patterns. However, conventional systems based on wet electrodes have several limitations. For example, the electrolyte enclosed in wet electrodes restricts spatial resolution, and these conventional bulky systems limit natural movements. In this paper, a microneedle-based high-density electrode array on a circuit integrated flexible substrate for sEMG is proposed. Microneedles allow for high spatial resolution without requiring conductive substances, and flexible substrates guarantee stable skin–electrode contact. Moreover, a compact signal processing system is integrated with the electrode array. Therefore, sEMG measurements are comfortable to the user and do not interfere with the movement. The system performance was demonstrated by testing its operation and estimating motion using a Gaussian mixture model-based, simplified 2D spatial pattern.
A Tensor-Based Structural Damage Identification and Severity Assessment
Authors: Anaissi Ali , Makki Alamdari Mehrisadat , Rakotoarivelo Thierry , Khoa Nguyen
Published: January 2018

Early damage detection is critical for a large set of global ageing infrastructure. Structural Health Monitoring systems provide a sensor-based quantitative and objective approach to continuously monitor these structures, as opposed to traditional engineering visual inspection. Analysing these sensed data is one of the major Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) challenges. This paper presents a novel algorithm to detect and assess damage in structures such as bridges. This method applies tensor analysis for data fusion and feature extraction, and further uses one-class support vector machine on this feature to detect anomalies, i.e., structural damage. To evaluate this approach, we collected acceleration data from a sensor-based SHM system, which we deployed on a real bridge and on a laboratory specimen. The results show that our tensor method outperforms a state-of-the-art approach using the wavelet energy spectrum of the measured data. In the specimen case, our approach succeeded in detecting 92.5% of induced damage cases, as opposed to 61.1% for the wavelet-based approach. While our method was applied to bridges, its algorithm and computation can be used on other structures or sensor-data analysis problems, which involve large series of correlated data from multiple sensors.
Extraction by Subcritical and Supercritical Water, Methanol, Ethanol and Their Mixtures
Authors: Marcus Yizhak
Published: January 2018

Hot, subcritical and supercritical water, methanol, ethanol and their binary mixtures have been employed to treat fuels (desulfurize coal and recover liquid fuels from coal and oil shales) and to extract valuable solutes from biomass. The properties of these solvents that are relevant to their extraction abilities are presented. Various extraction methods: accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE, but excluding supercritical carbon dioxide) with these solvents, including microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extraction, are dealt with. The extraction systems are extensively illustrated and discussed.
Framing Engineering: The Role of College Website Descriptions
Authors: Da Costa Romina , Stromquist Nelly
Published: January 2018

This study contributes to the literature on women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by examining the framing of engineering on college websites, a major recruitment tool. We take websites to be key sources of textual data that can provide insights into the discourses surrounding the field of engineering. We ask whether women-only institutions (WOIs) frame engineering in ways that appeal more broadly to women. Our sample comprises the full range of WOIs offering engineering degrees in the US (14) and a comparison sample of 14 coeducational universities also offering engineering degrees. We employ established methods for discourse analysis, and both deductive and inductive coding processes in analyzing the textual data. Our main findings indicate that WOIs’ framing of engineering places a greater emphasis on collaboration, supports for students, interdisciplinarity, and the potential for engineering to contribute to improvements for society. In contrast, co-ed institutions tend to place a greater emphasis on the financial returns and job security that result from majoring in engineering. We conclude that co-ed engineering programs should consider a broadening of the descriptions surrounding the engineering field, since the inclusion of a wider set of values could be appealing to women students.
Universal Hyperbolic Geometry, Sydpoints and Finite Fields: A Projective and Algebraic Alternative
Authors: Wildberger Norman J.
Published: January 2018

Universal hyperbolic geometry gives a purely algebraic approach to the subject that connects naturally with Einstein’s special theory of relativity. In this paper, we give an overview of some aspects of this theory relating to triangle geometry and in particular the remarkable new analogues of midpoints called sydpoints. We also discuss how the generality allows us to consider hyperbolic geometry over general fields, in particular over finite fields.
On Exact Solutions and Perturbative Schemes in Higher Spin Theory
Authors: Iazeolla Carlo , Sezgin Ergin , Sundell Per
Published: January 2018

We review various methods for finding exact solutions of higher spin theory in four dimensions, and survey the known exact solutions of (non)minimal Vasiliev’s equations. These include instanton-like and black hole-like solutions in (A)dS and Kleinian spacetimes. A perturbative construction of solutions with the symmetries of a domain wall is also described. Furthermore, we review two proposed perturbative schemes: one based on perturbative treatment of the twistor space field equations followed by inverting Fronsdal kinetic terms using standard Green’s functions; and an alternative scheme based on solving the twistor space field equations exactly followed by introducing the spacetime dependence using perturbatively defined gauge functions. Motivated by the need to provide a higher spin invariant characterization of the exact solutions, aspects of a proposal for a geometric description of Vasiliev’s equation involving an infinite dimensional generalization of anti de Sitter space are revisited and improved.
Downregulation of MicroRNA-135 Promotes Sensitivity of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer to Gefitinib by Targeting TRIM16
Authors: Wang Ning , Zhang Tingting
Published: January 2018

Personalized treatment targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) may be a promising new treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gefitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the first drug for NSCLC, which unfortunately easily leads to drug resistance. Our study aimed to explore the functional role of microRNA (miR)-135 in the sensitivity to gefitinib of NSCLC cells. Expression of miR-135 in normal cells and NSCLC cells was assessed, followed by the effects of abnormally expressed miR-135 on cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, sensitivity to gefitinib, and the expression levels of adhesion molecules and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in H1650 and H1975 cells. Next, the possible target gene of miR-135 was screened and verified. Finally, the potential involvement of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway was investigated. Expression of miR-135 was upregulated in NSCLC cells, and miR-135 silencing repressed cell viability, migration, and invasion, but increased cell apoptosis and sensitivity to gefitinib. E-cadherin and β-catenin were significantly upregulated, but PD-L1 was downregulated by the silencing of miR-135. Subsequently, tripartite-motif (TRIM) 16 was screened and verified to be a target gene of miR-135, and miR-135 suppression was shown to function through upregulation of TRIM16 expression. Phosphorylated levels of the key kinases in the JAK/STAT pathway were reduced by silencing miR-135 by targeting TRIM16. In conclusion, miR-135 acted as a tumor promoter, and its suppression could improve sensitivity to gefitinib by targeting TRIM16 and inhibition of the JAK/STAT pathway.
miR-136 Inhibits Malignant Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Targeting Cyclooxygenase 2
Authors: Jia Haiyan , Wang Hong , Yao Yanfen , Wang Chunlei , Li Pibao
Published: January 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in regulating tumor progression. Dysregulated miR-136 expression was linked to the development of various human cancers. In the present study, we investigated the expression and relationship of miR-136 and COX2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using
relevant experiments, involving CCK-8, Transwell assay, and luciferase reporter assay. We demonstrated that miR-136 expression is obviously decreased in HCC tissues and cells, and negatively correlated with the expression of COX2 mRNA. In vitro assay revealed that overexpression of miR-136
significantly changed the expression of proliferation- and metastasis-related proteins and inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 and Hep3B cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay validated that the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of COX2 is a direct target
of miR-136. Furthermore, COX2 siRNA partially enhanced the miR-136 overexpression-induced inhibitory effects. In conclusion, miR-136 was vital in the regulation of HCC cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting COX2. Thus, our findings provided novel evidence that miR-136 might be recommended as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC patients.
Recent applications of click chemistry for the functionalization of gold nanoparticles and their conversion to glyco-gold nanoparticles
Authors: Poonthiyil Vivek , Lindhorst Thisbe K , Golovko Vladimir B , Fairbanks Antony J
Published: January 2018

Glycoscience, despite its myriad of challenges, promises to unravel the causes of, potential new detection methods for, and novel therapeutic strategies against, many disease states. In the last two decades, glyco-gold nanoparticles have emerged as one of several potential new tools for glycoscientists. Glyco-gold nanoparticles consist of the unique structural combination of a gold nanoparticle core and an outer-shell comprising multivalent presentation of carbohydrates. The combination of the distinctive physicochemical properties of the gold core and the biological function/activity of the carbohydrates makes glyco-gold nanoparticles a valuable tool in glycoscience. In this review we present recent advances made in the use of one type of click chemistry, namely the azide–alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition, for the functionalization of gold nanoparticles and their conversion to glyco-gold nanoparticles.
Les difficultés d’exécution pour le juge administratif
Authors: Denizot Arthur
Published: January 2018

En prenant appui sur les exemples tirés de pratique, la présente intervention a pour objet de recenser et de catégoriser les différentes difficultés concrètes et juridiques que peut rencontrer le juge administratif pour l’exécution de ses propres décisions. Bien souvent, au tribunal administratif de Nancy, les demandes d’exécution des jugements révèlent des problèmes de compréhension de la part des justiciables. Il appartient alors au juge administratif de développer des méthodes pour anticiper et prévenir au mieux ce type de demandes.
L’injonction au principal : une simplification de l’exécution ?
Authors: Lafaix Jean-François
Published: January 2018

Si le principe interdisant au juge administratif d’adresser des injonctions à l’administration reste actuel, les hypothèses dans lesquelles le juge peut être saisi d’une telle demande se multiplient (ex : référé précontractuel, action en reprise des relations contractuelles, contentieux du droit au logement opposable, procédures d’urgence, actions de groupe). L’admission plus générale d’une telle possibilité aurait pour mérite de lever quelques difficultés contentieuses liées à l’usage malencontreux de l’économie de moyen ou au décalage entre l’office du juge de l’excès de pouvoir et l’office du juge de l’exécution. L’injonction au principal permettrait de centrer le litige sur ce qui en constitue la finalité réelle pour le requérant : la délivrance d’une décision positive. Il y aurait donc un réel intérêt à reconnaître un tel pouvoir au juge administratif. Mais l’exécution des décisions de justice n’en serait pas complètement simplifiée dans la mesure où l’injonction au principal n’équivaut pas à la délivrance d’un acte administratif positif. Il existera donc encore des difficultés liées l’exécution de ces injonctions. En outre, des obstacles constitutionnels subsistent qui empêchent de généraliser un tel pouvoir au profit du juge administratif.
Isaïe en Romains. Une fresque du salut
Authors: Wargnies Philippe
Published: January 2018

À près de vingt reprises, Romains cite ou évoque Isaïe, notamment le Livre de la Consolation, dont le 4 e  chant du Serviteur. Ce dernier est déjà bien sous-jacent à la jonction entre la première partie de la lettre (Rm 1-4) et la seconde (5-8). À partir de Rm 9, les références à Isaïe s’explicitent et se multiplient, et le quatrième chant du Serviteur y émerge. L’Apôtre des nations, pour dire le dessein de Dieu accompli dans le Christ en faveur de tout homme, dessine des perspectives et use de formulations qu’un examen attentif révèle fort nourries du grand prophète.
La célébration de la Cène du Seigneur : de la charité à l’eucharistie
Authors: Vidalin Antoine
Published: January 2018

Dans la suite de l’exhortation Sacramentum caritatis , cet article veut réfléchir le lien entre l’eucharistie et la charité à partir de la liturgie du Jeudi saint qui célèbre l’institution de l’eucharistie et du sacerdoce, en donnant à voir l’amour de Jésus aimant les siens jusqu’au bout. À partir de l’acte du Christ lavant les pieds de ses disciples, y sont réfléchis la traditio du Christ et son prolongement dans l’agir des disciples : « faites ceci en mon mémorial ».
La formation des salariés et la performance organisationnelle : Le cas de quelques entreprises en Tunisie
Authors: Chouchane Achouak , Louati Hanène , Boudabouss Sami
Published: January 2018

De nos jours, les entreprises considèrent la formation des salariés comme la pierre angulaire de leurs politiques et de leurs stratégies de gestion, pouvant maintenir les employés à un niveau de connaissances, d’intelligence et de compétences assez conséquentes. Sur la base de ce constat, nous avons cherché à mesurer l’impact de la formation des salariés sur la performance organisationnelle, à travers une recherche effectué sur un échantillon de 270 entreprises tunisiennes. Pour réaliser ce travail, les méthodes d’équations structurelles ont été utilisées pour tester notre modèle conceptuel, non sans avoir envisagé des analyses factorielles exploratoires suivies d’analyses factorielles confirmatoires.
Italian graduates’ employability in times of economic crisis : overview, problems and possible solutions
Authors: Rostan Michele , Stan Adriana
Published: January 2018

Relying on various sources of data, the article aims to prove an overview on Italian graduates’ employment and labour market participation in times of economic crisis. It provides a short des­cription of Italy’s higher education, economy and labour market, and an analysis of graduate em­ployment, especially focusing on fresh graduates. Three possible views on the Italian case are also suggested, and some recent policy initiatives fostering graduate employability both at the national and the local levels are illustrated. In order to offer a better understanding of the topic, the Italian situation is occasionally compared to the situation of Germany, the leading economy in Europe.
Ethical Issues in Qualitative Data Collection
Authors: McLain Chinami , Kim Jeonghyun
Published: January 2018

Ethical considerations are an important part of qualitative research as a multitude of ethical questions can arise during data collection, fieldwork, data analysis, and reporting. The primary goal of this chapter is to illustrate the various ethical issues and dilemmas qualitative researchers may face, particularly during data collection. First, ethical issues that have to be considered when undertaking qualitative research will be discussed. Then ethical issues involved in conducting various qualitative data collection methods, such as observation, interview, and focus group, will be discussed. Common issues discussed are followed by solutions and recommendations directed to researchers conducting qualitative research. Finally, the chapter concludes with the limitations of the discussion and suggestions to expand research into a new direction.
Young Learners
Authors: Petrides Joanna Rodiki
Published: January 2018

This chapter refers to a very complex factor that is of primary importance in language learning theories: motivation. It aims—through a brief analysis of existing theories and research findings on motivation, its impact on foreign language learning, and second language acquisition—to provide a definition of this complicated term, to explain how motivation can affect foreign language learners, and how young foreign language learners can be motivated to learn a foreign or additional language effectively and become competent users of it. To manage to provide a clear description of how motivation affects young language learners, it is necessary to refer to the theories that analyze foreign language learning or language acquisition and then relate them to the theories on motivation. Different types of motivation are described, including intrinsic, extrinsic, integrative, and instrumental, as well as motivation in the language classroom.
Elementary English Language Learners
Authors: Bui Khanh Nguyen , Balsamo Isabel L.
Published: January 2018

During the last decade, the United States has witnessed an influx of multicultural and multilingual students, especially the dramatically increasing number of students at elementary level, which accounts for 85% of native born (). However, most of teachers still lack professional developments in teaching those increasing population. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to synthesize different studies to address the most common misconceptions on how elementary English language learners learn English as a second language and teachers' pedagogical practices. This chapter ends with some recommendations, solutions, and future directions for researchers to advance teachers' pedagogical practices, so they can best serve this increasing population in the U.S. school system.
Reaching Rigor for English Learners Through Responsive Interactions of Care
Authors: Holmes Melissa A. , Kavimandan Shabina K. , Herrera Socorro G.
Published: January 2018

This chapter explores what happens when teacher-student and student-student interactions reflect a higher level of responsiveness to the human beings involved. It describes biography-driven instruction (BDI), a research-based method of instruction that supports all learners to reach high academic standards, while at the same time ensuring that English learners have the scaffolds and tools needed to engage fully in the curriculum. Teachers who implement BDI develop a holistic understanding of students' sociocultural, linguistic, cognitive, and academic dimensions. They use students' background knowledge as a springboard to new learning. To determine the impact of BDI on the education of English learners in elementary classrooms, this chapter explores the perspectives of 16 teachers (Grades 1-6) who received professional development on BDI and then implemented the method with their own communities of learners. Interview data was collected in Spring 2016, transcribed, and qualitatively analyzed. Findings in the form of themes in participant voice are discussed throughout the chapter.
Strategies for Working With Image-Text Relations in Picturebooks
Authors: de Oliveira Luciana C. , Smith Sharon L. , Jones Loren , Rossato de Almeida Carolina
Published: January 2018

This chapter presents a multimodal analysis of the picture book I Hate English (Levine, 1989) and highlights key aspects of image-text relations to help teachers understand how to focus on multimodality in their teaching. This picture book describes how Mei Mei, an immigrant child from Hong Kong, changes over time after she immigrates to New York City and learns to love English as much as she loves Chinese. Following Unsworth (2006) and Painter, Martin, and Unsworth (2013), the authors present an analysis focusing on representational/ideational, interactive/interpersonal, and compositional/textual meanings at the intersection of language and image to explore its subject matter, the relation it invites with readers, and the semiotic character of its composition.
Teaching Reading to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Elementary Students
Authors: Guler Nilufer , Donnell Wendy Johnson
Published: January 2018

The number of English language learners is increasing rapidly in U.S schools. The academic success of these students is a national concern since ELLs lag behind their peers in reading and math, and they have high drop-out rate. Reading is one of the hardest topics for ELL students. This chapter analyzes some common reasons why ELLs lag behind their peers in reading classes, provides some solutions to overcome these challenges, and provides some implications to teach ELLs better for elementary teachers.
Lost in Comprehension
Authors: Paul Casey Medlock , Vehabovic Nermin
Published: January 2018

The reading education of English language learners (ELLs) has been established as a critical issue in education policy and practice. Due to rapid growth of immigration to the United States, significantly increasing numbers of students in U.S. schools come from homes in which English is not the primary language. These students often face challenges in learning to read in school, and data has shown a significant achievement gap between ELLs and non-ELLs. This chapter discusses these difficulties, along with specific research-based strategies that mainstream teachers can utilize to assist ELLs in learning to read. Lastly, the authors explore multimodal learning as a potential support for ELLs learning in the classroom.
Mycotechnology for Lignocellulosic Bioethanol Production
Authors: Pandey Raj Kumar , Tewari Lakshmi
Published: January 2018

One of the major challenges for society in 21st century is to find a sustainable eco-friendly renewable liquid fuel for replacing petroleum based fossil fuels. Bioethanol is one ofthe most consumable biofuel in the world. Lignocellulosic plant biomass can be an untapped source of fermentable sugars for significant production of bioethanol. But, the polyphenolic lignin of the biomass hinders the digestibility of cellulose, thus the goal of any pre-treatment technology is to remove this structural component to improve the cellulose accessibility for enzymatic saccharification. A wide range of pretreatment methods and their combinations have been reported for delignification, but recently, the environment friendly approach of microbial pre-treatment has received much attention for enzymatic delignification and saccharificaton of biomass. The extracellular lignin degrading enzymes and cellulase enzyme complex from fungi are now considered for biological delignification and saccharification, respectively.
Microbial Mineral Dissolution and Environmental Disasters
Authors: Chikkanna Arpitha , Ghosh Devanita
Published: January 2018

Microorganisms play very important role in elemental and mineral chemistry on earth surface. Along with the major biogeochemical cycles such as Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulphur and Phosphorus, which are crucially involved in thermodynamic balances in earth system, microbes are also involved in trace metal cycling. The organic carbon sustaining the indigenous microbial communities critically controls these microbial processes. A large number of the microbial communities are able to form a wide variety minerals, of which many have only biogenic origin and cannot be formed inorganically. Microbes also play a critical role in dissolution of minerals; a process which not only helps in soil formation and the transport of nutrients to higher trophic levels, but can also have many important industrial roles. Thus, in these metabolic activities, microorganisms contribute to the geological phenomenon of the transformation of metals and minerals. This chapter focuses on the role of various microbial metabolic processes that are involved in mineralization and mineral dissolution and the consequences involved with it.
Impact of Hazardous Waste Material on Environment and Their Management Strategies
Authors: Samant Mukesh , Pandey Satish Chandra , Pandey Anupam
Published: January 2018

Hazardous waste has emerged as an issue of major concern that has negative impact both on human health as well as on the environment. Hazardous and infectious agents are handled in daily routine in biomedical laboratories. Their effects are increasing continuously in the environment. Hazardous waste includes solid, liquid, sharp and pathological waste. Workers in hospitals and health care, agricultural and fishing occupations are at particular risk of exposure to hazardous biological agents. Recently, more systematic and strict steps have taken by the Indian government regarding the public concern to prevent the proliferation of hazardous waste and its improper disposal. However, management of waste are still not well promoted. So, to intercept the build-up of biohazards into the environment, waste from biohazardous operations must be disposed or treated appropriately in a special way and it also intends to create awareness amongst the personnel involved in these sectors to develop and implement hazardous waste management and mitigation strategies.
Application of Nanocompounds for Sustainable Agriculture System
Authors: Khati Priyanka , Gangola Saurabh , Bhatt Pankaj , Kumar Rajeev , Sharma Anita
Published: January 2018

Agriculture is one of the major determining forces for the economy of India. The burgeoning population also puts more pressure of the agriculture system. To meet the requirement for future population with little arable land and limited agricultural production, doubling of crop yields is required. Development of such production systems which depend on renewable resources is an urgent requirement for sustainable agriculture. New technologies are also required to be tested and tried for the improvement of the crop production system. Nanotechnology in agriculture system is the recent hope to make sustainable agriculture a success. A high proportion of the atoms in a nanoparticle are present on the surface of a nanoparticle which accounts for higher reactivity compared with particles of macrosize. On the other side, toxicity is also a considerable concern, but using nontoxic nanoparticles like nanozeolite, nanochitosan, and nanoclay is safe. These nanocompounds show advantages in crop production without harming the soil system.
Archival Access and Public Programming
Authors: Mnjama Nathan
Published: January 2018

This chapter discusses archival access, archival programming, and archival advocacy and the manner in which these programmes are conducted within archival institutions, particularly in Africa. The chapter begins by defining the terms access, archival programming, archival advocacy, and outreach programmes and provides the parameters within which such programms and activities are executed. The chapter reveals that in many archival institutions, public programming is either lacking or does not receive adequate attention from senior management resulting in low utilization of archival materials. The chapter suggests various ways through which African archival institutions may publicize their holdings in order to reach out to potential users and manuscript donors.
White British Diasporas in East and Central Africa
Authors: Tough Alistair G.
Published: January 2018

This chapter offers a reflection on the experience of writing a biographical study of one White British family resident in East and Central Africa over the greater part of the twentieth century. It offers also some tentative generalisations on the subject of White British diasporas in East and Central Africa and heritage provision for them. Questions of class and classification in the colonial services and in the commercial sphere are discussed. The difficulties that arise in studying people who served in the lower echelons of the colonial services—which the author characterises as the ‘warrant officer' class—are considered and potentially useful source materials are identified. This discussion is illustrated with particular reference to the Carr family. The role of memory institutions in Africa is discussed in relation to White British diasporas and it is argued that provision for this group is currently neglected. The potential for ancestral tourism is briefly explored.
Managing Audio-Visual Resources in Selected Developed and Developing Countries
Authors: Abankwah Ruth Mpatawuwa
Published: January 2018

This chapter emphasises that audio-visual (AV) resources are very fragile and need to be stored in ideal conditions to preserve them for posterity. It describes different types of AV materials and the conditions under which they should be kept. It is based on a study that was conducted in the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA) region. Data were gathered using quantitative and qualitative methods. The results revealed lack of equipment to monitor environmental conditions, absence of policies to govern the acquisition, appraisal, access, preservation, retention, digitisation and disposal of AV materials, and failure to apply the records life cycle (or any model) to AV records. The results point to a need for national archives to develop guidelines that apply to AV materials particularly in Africa. Particular attention should be given to training AV archivists in the region using an integrated curriculum.
Revitalising the South African Museum Sector
Authors: Vollgraaff Helene
Published: January 2018

The chapter discusses the South African museum sector in terms of changing museum functions as well as museum management. The research findings confirm the perception of a sector in crisis. Museum professional associations do not have the capacity to promote a professional museum service. Though there are museum professionals that keep up to date with museological trends and technology, a picture is painted of museums not supported by government departments, debilitating bureaucratic structures that hamper creativity and responsiveness to public demands, institutional performance structures that direct museums away from museum functions, problematic recruitment practices, and problematic models assessing the value of museums. Research is based on literature study, a review of the South African Museums Association Bulletin (SAMAB), a peer-reviewed journal dealing with museum matters, an analysis of policy recommendations of museum professional associations and interviews with the museum association leadership.
Development of Liquid Composite Moulded Thermoset Composite Automotive Parts Using Process Simulations
Authors: Kuppusamy Raghu Raja Pandiyan
Published: January 2018

Hand layup method is normally used for manufacturing composite parts with large and complex geometry where as Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) process is a better substitute, but is sparingly used due to lack of proper manufacturing technology. Developments of RTM manufacturing process always requires a proper mould design. In addition, difficulty in the tooling design and mould fabrication cost increases with increase in size and complexity of the component. The scale down strategy of full scale product avoids bigger size mould requirements, prototype bulk production for product testing and quality check at the starting phase of product development. Moreover, the mould scale down strategy can be used to validate the process and the product with less capital input. In this work, a methodology to develop a RTM technology for manufacturing a complex and large composite structure utilizing the process simulation were demonstrated using high speed cab front as selected component.
Designing of a Twin Tube Shock Absorber
Authors: Bhuyan Dheeman
Published: January 2018

Reverse engineering has become the one of the most relevant concepts in modern design doctrines. Advances in technology demand shorter lead time in the overall product development stage, especially in the automobile sector. Hence as a study in reverse engineering, the author has reverse engineered a twin tube shock absorber. The process involved the obtaining of subassemblies of the damper mechanism to generate a 3D CAD model of the damper in PTC CREO 2.0. The model was used to conduct static structural and CFD analysis of the same using ANSYS 15.0 Workbench. The data obtained was used as the datum for the design modifications and performance enhancement of the part. It was seen that the design of the piston valve was optimum hence modifications to the base valve were done. Following the generation of the datum, similar analyses were conducted on the modified assemblies. The results were compared to the datum for the selection of the most appropriate design. Four designs are analyzed and compared with the datum and the set with four orifices in the valve disk was found to be optimum.
Lower Body Orthotic Calipers With Composite Braces
Authors: Kumari Nisha , Kumar Kaushik
Published: January 2018

Composite based materials are finding application in a large number of research and engineering spectrum due to its better mechanical properties (strength and stiffness), inherent surface finish, easiness in fabrication and installation and corrosion resistant. They are very strong and firm, yet very light in weight due to which lower weight-to-volume ratio can be achieved and stiffness to weight is 1.5 times greater than the non-ferrous materials like Aluminum. The work is undertaken in two parts. First and foremost being modeling and virtual estimation of mechanical properties using CREO and ANSYS for currently used aluminum based calipers and fabrication of the composites and testing of the same. A comparison is performed between the virtual and experimental results and also the effectiveness of composite based calipers over Aluminum ones is studied. Here two polymeric based composites are proposed for fabrication which are thermoplast and thermoset based composites respectively. The braces are modeled using a solid modeling Software, CREO and the same is tested using ANSYS.
Development of Natural Bio-Filler-Based Epoxy Composite for Wind Turbine Blade Application
Authors: Kumar Rahul , Bhowmik Sumit
Published: January 2018

Nowadays, the research and engineering attention stimulated towards development of environmentally gentle materials to satisfy the energy needs of the society through renewable resources. The growing cognizance in the production and consumption of renewable energy for civilization necessities has directed towards the growth in the wind energy utilization. The wind energy is a leading renewable and sustainable energy resource and key answer to the global energy problem. The rotor blades of wind turbines are its integral parts and traditional materials used for blade manufacturing are carbon or glass fibre reinforced polymer composites owing to their low density and high strength to stiffness ratio. But the non renewability and adverse environmental effect during their processing and disposal forced the researchers to look out for some biodegradable and light weight natural plant fibres for reinforcement in polymeric resin to produce required polymer composites. In the present work, application of bio filler based epoxy composite is proposed to be used as wind turbine rotor blades.
Functionally Graded Varying Geometry Annular Fins
Authors: Gaba Vivek Kumar , Tiwari Anil Kumar , Bhanu Tarakant , Bhowmick Shubhankar
Published: January 2018

The research work aims at investigating the performance of functionally graded annular fin. The work involves computation of efficiency and effectiveness of such fins and compares the fin performances for different geometry and grading parameters. It is also assumed that the temperature gradient only exists in one direction i.e. along the radius. A general second order governing differential equation has been derived for all the profiles and grading. The thickness of fin is considered to be a power function of radial co-ordinate. The functional grading of thermal conductivity is assumed to be a power function of radial co-ordinate and also consists of parameters, namely grading parameters, varying which different grading combinations can be carried out. The efficiency and effectiveness of the annular fin of different geometry and grading combinations have been calculated and plotted. The performance analysis reveals the dependence of thermal behaviour of annular fins on geometry and grading parameter.
Optimizing Material Removal Rate Using Artificial Neural Network for Micro-EDM
Authors: Upadhyay Ananya , Prakash Ved , Sharma Vinay
Published: January 2018

Machining can be classified into conventional and unconventional processes. Unconventional Machining Process attracts researchers as it has many processes whose physics is still not that clear and they are highly in market-demand. To predict and understand the physics behind these processes soft computing is being used. Soft computing is an approach of computing which is based on the way a human brain learns and get trained to deal with different situations. Scope of this chapter is limited to one of the soft computing optimizing techniques that is artificial neural network (ANN) and to one of the unconventional machining processes, electrical discharge machining process. This chapter discusses about micromachining on Electric Discharge Machining, its working principle and problems associated with it. Solution to those problems is suggested with the addition of powder in dielectric fluid. The optimization of Material Removal Rate (MRR) is done with the help of ANN toolbox in MATLAB.
Technology Acceptance Theories
Authors: Momani Alaa M. , Jamous Mamoun M. , Hilles Shadi M S
Published: January 2018

Studying the acceptance and usage of technologies has become one of the most significant fields in software engineering domain. In order to explain the individuals' usage behavior towards technologies, many theories and models have been proposed over the years. This research paper focuses on reviewing a group of ten technology acceptance theories and models by studying their structure, evolution stages, and their strengths and weaknesses points. These theories were analyzed and classified into two main types depending on their development method and scientific field which they were developed in. This study reveals that these theories are almost similar in their structure, but different in explaining the behavioral intentions of technology. It considers that the best theory should be comprehensive and less complexity according to the number of the constructs and moderators which represent their structure. This will make the theory more understandable and applicable especially for studying the acceptance behavior for any new technology.
The Unified Model for Acceptance and Use of Health Information on Online Social Networks
Authors: Boontarig Waransanang , Papasratorn Borworn , Chutimaskul Wichian
Published: January 2018

Online social networks provide a novel opportunity to improve public health through effective health information dissemination. Developing a dissemination strategy, however, requires an understanding of individuals' beliefs and attitudes about using both the technology and information. Previous research has focused primarily on either technology adoption or information adoption behaviors. This study aims to bridge the gap by developing a unified model of acceptance and use of information technology for predicting intention to use health information through online social networks. Empirical results show that Performance Expectancy, Facilitating Conditions, Perceived Emotional Value, Trust, Relevance, Accuracy, Understandability, and Source Credibility influence the adoption behavior. Also, individuals tend to accept health information regardless of their attitudes toward the communication channel.
Supply Chain Social Sustainability and Manufacturing
Authors: V Mani , Agrawal Rajat , Sharma Vinay , T.N. Kavitha
Published: January 2018

This chapter gives the overview of social sustainability in the supply chain of manufacturing industry. The author through literature survey identifies various definitions to social sustainability and suggest the approach to social sustainability problem in the supply chain. The readers are exposed with different social sustainability problems and what are the enablers and barriers to address such problem. In addition, the author identifies various social dimensions related to manufacturing supply chain and suggest as to how it can be addressed by various practices. Finally, the author identifies the research gaps in developing countries such as India, and suggests directions for future research. This is a vital contribution to the development of theory related to social sustainability in manufacturing Industries.
Technology Facility and News Affinity
Authors: Li Xigen
Published: January 2018

Based on a theoretical framework drawn from the diffusion of innovation theory, the expectancy-value model, and the technology-acceptance model, this chapter presents an empirical study of technological and informational factors as predictors of the use of second-generation mobile phones as a news device. The study differentiates the initial adoption of a mobile phone as a technology innovation from second-level adoption, which refers to the acceptance of a distinctive new function of a technology device serving a communication purpose different from that for which the device was originally designed. The study found that technology facility and innovativeness were significant predictors of mobile phone use as a news device; further, it partially confirmed the model of predictors of mobile phone use for news access. However, the two informational factors—perceived value of information and news affinity—were found to have no direct effect on mobile phone use as a news device. The study departs from the traditional approach of adoption research and offers a novel perspective on examining the adoption of new media with multiple evolving functions.
Exploratory Study of Internet Banking Technology Adoption
Authors: Safeena Rahmath , Kammani Abdullah , Date Hema
Published: January 2018

Internet has brought significant impact on the way people conduct life in the present-day scenario. In this premise the Indian economy has experienced rapid growth over the last decade, developing Internet Banking Technology (IBT) for transforming the traditional lines of banking. This shift has brought profound challenges and opportunities to both bank and its customers. Customers have found in IBT a new ease to do the financial transaction. Review of these literatures indicates that there are not many studies on IBT Adoption in Indian scenario. The review shows that existing study on IBT adoption in Indian context has shown little evidence of an integrated model for IBT Adoption. This indicates that a comprehensive research in the area of IBT adoption under Indian context is very much limited. This research attempts to analyse existing technology adoption theories for formulating an integrated framework to investigate the factors of IBT adoption in India.
Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) Implementation in a Developing World Context
Authors: Olefhile Mosweu , Athulang Mutshewa , Bwalya Kelvin Joseph
Published: January 2018

This chapter presents a case study of back-end information system implementation geared towards encouraging e-Government development in Botswana. The case is an in depth analysis of the implementation of the Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The focus of this chapter is two-fold: 1) it highlights the factors that influence the adoption and usage of EDRMS by Action Officers and Records Officers at MTI and correspondingly outline EDRMS' facilitatation of information access in the realm of e-Government; and 2) aims to understand the initiatives that have been implemented to facilitate robust e-Government development in the public sector of Botswana. This chapter culminates from a pilot that was done prior to an on-going study hinged on unison objectives. The indicative list of factors explaining the adoption of EDRMS might explain the global perception of ICTs in the public sector in Botswana. The limitation of the study is that its sample space may not be representative of the actual situation in Botswana's public sector given the heterogeneity in different line ministries and departments. Therefore, the results from this study might not guarantee statistical generalizations. The chapter is hinged on extensive literature reviews compounded by anecdotal evidence. This focus is novel because it aims to understand adoption and usage of ICT platforms by employees. Other research endeavours have probed citizens' and businesses' adoption of ICTs before considering institutional and employees' readiness hence investigating macro factors influencing technology adoption.
Factors Affecting E-Government Technology Adoption Behaviour in a Voluntary Environment
Authors: Hossan Chowdhury Golam , Ryan James C.
Published: January 2018

The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical examination of the factors affecting voluntary eService adoption in a public sector work environment. The model examined was constructed following a thorough review of relevant literature on technology adoption through the framework of Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour. Structural equation modelling was used to examine a model assessed through participant responses to survey data for a sample of 515 respondents working in Australian City Councils. The results indicate that an individual's attitudes and beliefs have a significant influence on eService utilisation. Results also suggest that organisational conditions such as training, leadership support and organisational preparedness act to enhance eService utilisation indirectly through their effect on an individual's attitudes and beliefs. The current study provides a model of examining and explaining voluntary technology adoption behaviour in the workplace.