bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mother’S Plight – Fear and Hope in Kamala Markandaya’S Nectar in a Sieve
Authors: Rogobete Daniela
Published: May 2015

This paper dwells upon Kamala Markandaya’s construction of motherhood in postindependence rural India as depicted in her 1955 novel, “Nectar in a Sieve”. Caught between changing times, between colonial and postcolonial paradigms, perennial traditions and shifting values, different world views and cultural systems, Markandaya’s main character finds solace and strength in her philosophy of hope and endurance
"You Can't Get by Without the Dream": Belief in Julian Barnes's A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters
Authors: Tory Eszter
Published: May 2015

This paper presents a less examined dimension of Barnes’s writings, which is the dominant role that belief plays in the development of his characters in A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters. The main argument of my essay is whether love can be considered as the most significant proposition of the novel. A content-based analysis of the novel’s “The Survivor” chapter demonstrates Barnes’ sceptic attitude towards postmodern rationalism, while the examination of "Parenthesis" and "Dream" chapter shows that hope, which becomes synonymous with belief in the novel, is actually the most permeating phenomenon in the novel.
Why Do Students Plagiarize? Efl Undergraduates’ Views on the Reasons Behind Plagiarism
Authors: Doró Katalin
Published: May 2015

Cheating and plagiarism spread like pandemics in many educational contexts and are difficulty to detect, fight and also to understand. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate what first-year students of English at a large Hungarian university believe to be the main reasons for plagiarism. Twenty-five students were asked to express their views in a free opinion essay. Perceived reasons were categorized into twelve main groups based on the literature and the reasons for plagiarism provided by faculty members at the same university. The most often mentioned reasons included saving time and effort and unintentional plagiarism.
Integrated Drought Management Programme in Central and Eastern Europe (IDMP CEE)
Authors: Kindler Janusz , Okruszko Tomasz
Published: May 2015

Integrated Drought Management Programme in Central and Eastern Europe (IDMP CEE). The Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is one of the European regions seriously vulnerable to drought events and there is an urgent need in the region to develop better drought management systems. In February 2013 the Global Water Partnership for Central and Eastern Europe region launched the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP CEE) involving more than 40 organizations from 10 CEE countries. The Programme is structured to provide both policy advice and practical solutions in drought management. The specific objectives of the IDMP CEE are to develop understanding, knowledge and planning for integrated drought management, map and assess the impact of droughts. Moreover, several case studies (demonstration projects) in pilot basins involving local communities are initiated. The national governments are supported to incorporate drought management in their national programs, develop monitoring framework and raise drought awareness through efficient dissemination mechanisms. All countries of the CEE region need to improve both their short-term and long-term responses across sectors to meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts. In spite of the fact that several basins in the region are of transboundary character, regional integration of drought monitoring and early warning is not at the level desired. Whilst the lack of water is the primary cause of drought, there are still a large number of factors which exacerbate and intensify its effects. If these factors - many of which have little to do with water per se - are adequately managed, the consequences of the lack of water can be greatly reduced. For example, there are several specific problems and challenges related to the current process of economic transition in the region, including macroeconomic and financial problems
Weekly urban water demand forecasting using a hybrid wavelet–bootstrap–artificial neural network approach
Authors: Adamowski Kaz , Adamowski Jan F. , Seidou Ousmane , Ozga-Zieliński Bogdan
Published: May 2015

Weekly urban water demand forecasting using a hybrid wavelet-bootstrap-artificial neural network approach. This study developed a hybrid wavelet-bootstrap-artificial neural network (WBANN) model for weekly (one week) urban water demand forecasting in situations with limited data availability. The proposed WBANN method is aimed at improving the accuracy and reliability of water demand forecasting. Daily maximum temperature, total precipitation and water demand data for almost three years were used in this study. It was concluded that the hybrid WBANN model was more accurate compared to the ANN, BANN and WANN methods, and can be applied successfully for operational water demand forecasting. The WBANN model simulated peak water demand very effectively. The better performance of the WBANN model indicated that wavelet analysis significantly improved the model’s performance, whereas the bootstrap technique improved the reliability of forecasts by producing ensemble forecasts. The WBANN model was also found to be effective in assessing the uncertainty associated with water demand forecasts in terms of confidence bands; this can be helpful in operational water demand forecasting.
Predicted small catchment responses to heavy rainfalls with SEGMO and two sets of model parameters
Authors: Krajewski Adam , Lee Hyosang , Hejduk Leszek , Banasik Kazimierz
Published: May 2015

Predicted small catchment responses to heavy rainfalls with SEGMO and two sets of model parameters. The study tests the ability of hydrological part of SEGMO (SedimentGraph Model), i.e. lumped parametric rainfall-runoff procedure of SEGMO to simulate design storm runoff in a Korean catchment. The aim of the investigation is to predict responses of small catchment of the Jeungpyeong river, located in central part of South Korea, with the area of 133.6 km2, to 100-year rainfall events, applying SEGMO and using two parallel approaches for model parameter estimation. The fi rst approach is based on catchment characteristics and USDA-SCS procedures, which is suitable for ungauged basins, and the other one is based on rainfall-runoff measurements. The way of estimation of model parameters has been demonstrated. Finally, the model outputs are compared. The difference in largest peak discharges obtained from SEGMO with the two sets of model parameters, i.e. when estimated on the base of catchment characteristics and USDA-SCS procedures, and on the base of rainfall-runoff measurements were relatively small, approaching 37%. This investigation can be seen as checking the uncertainties in model parameter estimation and their infl uence on fl ood fl ows.
A FACTOR ANALYSIS OF ATTITUDE OF EDUCATION FRATERNITY TOWARDS THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EFFECTIVE LEARNING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION
Authors: Kapoor Toran , Sharma Manisha
Published: May 2015

Use of Technology is empowering teachers and students, and enhancing teaching and students’ achievement which has been highlighted in several studies. Well planned lessons integrating technology are often more engaging, memorable and inspiring to students (Tornabene, 1998). Attitudes refer to one’s positive or negative judgment about a concrete subject. Attitude is a major predictor of future use of technology. Student teachers have positive attitude and are highly enthusiastic about interactive whiteboards as an important feature of teaching and learning, and this motivated them to practice using the technology (Kennewell, & Morgan, 2003). The purpose is to create new opportunities in teaching and learning by integrating computer, multimedia, and network technologies. However, it is not clear whether use of this new technology will automatically result in effective learning or make students dependent on technology to learn. Will Students use Technology appropriately? The same doubts prevailed with the invention of the printing press, radio, and television. All of them have positively contributed in access to information that can be transformed into knowledge and wisdom thereafter. Proper use of technology can become an effective tool to enhance learning. This research is an attempt in understanding the attitude of teachers as well as students towards the role of technology in higher education. The study is based on primary data collected through a sample size of 130 units consisting of 100 students and 30 teachers from universities located in NCR, India. Factor analysis has been conducted to measure the attitude of the teachers and the students. The study was been conducted in NCR, India and leaves the scope of further research in Higher Education across the globe.
DIGITAL MUSICIANSHIP IN THE LATE MODERN CULTURE OF MEDIATION: THEORIZING A NEW PRAXIS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION FROM A PRAGMATIST VIEWPOINT
Authors: Väkevä Lauri
Published: May 2015

In this article, author examines how digital mediation may change the way musicianship is conceived in the late modernity. Author will discuss the theoretical implications of confronting this change in music education, suggesting that recognizing its creative potential may offer a renewed theoretical perspective in music education. Author will also argue that Deweyan pragmatism can offer a fruitful way to frame the central role of mediation in music education in the late modernity. The aim of this study is to discuss some ideas related to digital mediation and digital musicianship from the perspective of late modernity, as well as argue for a pragmatist theoretical approach for these issues. The article is philosophical; its main materials are literature of digital culture, mediation and music education.
European Identity and its Relationship to National and Ethnic Identities among Younger and Older Members of Ethnic Minority Groups
Authors: Waechter Natalia
Published: May 2015

European Identity and its Relationship to National and Ethnic Identities among Younger and Older Members of Ethnic Minority Groups. European identity is neither a new phenomenon nor a new concept. Yet, after almost three decades of research, this area is characterized by a wide variety of concepts and little empirical evidence. Existing studies in the area propose homogeneous concepts of societies and often disregard European identity among ethnic minorities and non-citizens. This paper addresses the gap in the literature and analyses European identity among 12 minority groups living in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that have already become or might become EU members. The purpose of this study is to examine the choice of European identity and attitudes towards Europe in relation to other identities among respondents with an ethnic minority background. The paper addresses this question within the life-course perspective and examines differences in identity levels between the young and older cohorts of minority groups. For our analysis we have used a sample of 6800 members of ethnic minorities living in CEE (ENRIValues and Identities Survey). Our results indicate a stronger level of European orientation among minority young people in comparison to adults. Moreover, the study shows that while young minority cohorts manifest stronger levels of European identity than adults, their levels of national and ethnic identity are significantly lower. While adults consider their national identity to be more salient than European identity, young people give the two equal degrees of importance. At the same time, for both young people and adults, the results illustrate that European identity is compatible with both national and ethnic identities
The tourism function of the castles of the Knights of the Teutonic Order in Poland
Authors: Musiaka Łukasz
Published: May 2015

The author’s main objective is to define the level of development of the tourism function of the Teutonic Order castles found in the area of contemporary Poland. The author has taken into account both well-preserved and renovated castles, as well as those in a state of ruin. In order to achieve his goal, he analysed forms of castle development and numbers of tourists, which is the main measure of the tourism function. The final stage of the research was to define the tourism rank of the castles studied.
Space in tourism, tourism in space: on the need for definition, delimitation and classification
Authors: Włodarczyk Bogdan
Published: May 2015

Tourism space has been considered by most researchers to be the central object of tourism geography studies. The author defines tourism space, indicating the features which distinguish it within geographical space, as well as those which describe its character. He also presents a discussion on the need (or necessity) to make internal divisions and classifications, as well as on selected criteria and ways of classifying tourism space.
An Application of Computer Vision Systems to Solve the Problem of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Control
Authors: Aksenov Alexey Y. , Kuleshov Sergey V. , Zaytseva Alexandra A.
Published: May 2015

The paper considers an approach for application of computer vision systems to solve the problem of unmanned aerial vehicle control. The processing of images obtained through onboard camera is required for absolute positioning of aerial platform (automatic landing and take-off, hovering etc.) used image processing on-board camera. The proposed method combines the advantages of existing systems and gives the ability to perform hovering over a given point, the exact take-off and landing. The limitations of implemented methods are determined and the algorithm is proposed to combine them in order to improve the efficiency.
Congenital dermoid inclusion cyst over the anterior fontanelle: report of two cases
Authors: Karim AKMB , Joarder A , Kamal T , Akhter N , Reza M , Hasan K , Hossain Z , Shankar K , Chandy MJ
Published: May 2015

Congenital dermoid inclusion cyst over the anterior fontanelle (CDIC) is an uncommon cystic lesion. It is a benign and curative lesion. In these two cases a soft, cystic mass located over the anterior fontanelle. The cyst had no intracranial extension and was easily excised intact. The clinical and image findings of the cysts were described and compared with the usual dermoids. Many different types of lesions over the children's skull exist and some are commonly diagnosed in daily practice. Congenital dermoid inclusion cyst over the anterior fontanelle (CDIC) is a rare and benign lesion.Pulse Vol.7 January-December 2014 p.42-45
Watt Is Not a Well-Wrought Pot
Authors: Byron Mark , Ackerley Chris
Published: May 2015

Beckett's 1953 novel Watt is justifiably known as the ‘white whale’ of Beckett Studies. Its wartime composition history in conditions of compound displacement, from the first tentative notes in 1941 to the first attempts at publication in 1945, traces out a process of manuscript revision, recirculation, fragmentation and recombination: a process in which art and life echoed each other's estrangements. The complicated journey into print bore its own pitfalls, where textual error combined with evidence of partial narrative excisions, serial non sequiturs, and a post-narrative midden of fragments both insinuated within and separated from the story of Watt and his master. This essay engages in a close examination of a selected range of variant types between published editions and between published text and manuscript (and partial typescript). There is no golden key, but a pattern emerges whereby an ambivalent alternation between presence and absence of textual material indicates the novel and its documents to be a kind of work-genesis. Watt's perplexing struggle with knowing and being reflects and informs the state of the novel's constituent materials. His tussle with the faculties of perception, as well as the improbable utterance of his strange quest, enjoins the reader to rethink the narrative and textual categories upon which a hermeneutics might be assayed. The material conditions of the novel's composition, transmission and post-publication career are well known. But the signal correspondence between the text's material vicissitudes, its thematic burden, and its hermeneutic challenges are positively striking. They imply a textual assemblage demanding a most supple editorial technique: the presence and absence, the ones and zeros structuring the digital scholarly edition.
Semi-Automatic Image Labelling Using Depth Information
Authors: Pordel Mostafa , Hellström Thomas
Published: May 2015

Image labeling tools help to extract objects within images to be used as ground truth for learning and testing in object detection processes. The inputs for such tools are usually RGB images. However with new widely available low-cost sensors like Microsoft Kinect it is possible to use depth images in addition to RGB images. Despite many existing powerful tools for image labeling, there is a need for RGB-depth adapted tools. We present a new interactive labeling tool that partially automates image labeling, with two major contributions. First, the method extends the concept of image segmentation from RGB to RGB-depth using Fuzzy C-Means clustering, connected component labeling and superpixels, and generates bounding pixels to extract the desired objects. Second, it minimizes the interaction time needed for object extraction by doing an efficient segmentation in RGB-depth space. Very few clicks are needed for the entire procedure compared to existing, tools. When the desired object is the closest object to the camera, which is often the case in robotics applications, no clicks at all are required to accurately extract the object.
Cell Adhesion and in Vivo Osseointegration of Sandblasted/Acid Etched/Anodized Dental Implants
Authors: Kim Mu-Hyon , Park Kyeongsoon , Choi Kyung-Hee , Kim Soo-Hong , Kim Se , Jeong Chang-Mo , Huh Jung-Bo
Published: May 2015

The authors describe a new type of titanium (Ti) implant as a Modi-anodized (ANO) Ti implant, the surface of which was treated by sandblasting, acid etching (SLA), and anodized techniques. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the adhesion of MG-63 cells to Modi-ANO surface treated Ti in vitro and to investigate its osseointegration characteristics in vivo. Four different types of Ti implants were examined, that is, machined Ti (control), SLA, anodized, and Modi-ANO Ti. In the cell adhesion study, Modi-ANO Ti showed higher initial MG-63 cell adhesion and induced greater filopodia growth than other groups. In vivo study in a beagle model revealed the bone-to-implant contact (BIC) of Modi-ANO Ti (74.20% ± 10.89%) was much greater than those of machined (33.58% ± 8.63%), SLA (58.47% ± 12.89), or ANO Ti (59.62% ± 18.30%). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Modi-ANO Ti implants produced by sandblasting, acid etching, and anodizing improve cell adhesion and bone ongrowth as compared with machined, SLA, or ANO Ti implants. These findings suggest that the application of Modi-ANO surface treatment could improve the osseointegration of dental implant.
Ethyl 2-hydroxy-2-phenyl-2-(thiazol-2-yl)acetate
Authors: Mallia Carl , Englert Lukas , Walter Gary , Baxendale Ian
Published: May 2015

This short note describes the synthesis of the title compound through spontaneous aerobic oxidation of ethyl 2-phenyl-2-(thiazol-2-yl)acetate. Due to the prevalence of such functional motifs in biologically active substances, we believe the oxidation encountered highlights an important degradation pathway worthy of note.
Natural Marine and Synthetic Xenobiotics Get on Nematode’s Nerves: Neuro-Stimulating and Neurotoxic Findings in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Lieke Thora , Steinberg Christian , Ju Jingjuan , Saul Nadine
Published: May 2015

Marine algae release a plethora of organic halogenated compounds, many of them with unknown ecological impact if environmentally realistic concentrations are applied. One major compound is dibromoacetic acid (DBAA) which was tested for neurotoxicity in the invertebrate model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This natural compound was compared with the widespread synthetic xenobiotic tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A) found in marine sediments and mussels. We found a neuro-stimulating effect for DBAA; this is contradictory to existing toxicological reports of mammals that applied comparatively high dosages. For TBBP-A, we found a hormetic concentration-effect relationship. As chemicals rarely occur isolated in the environment, a combination of both organobromines was also examined. Surprisingly, the presence of DBAA increased the toxicity of TBBP-A. Our results demonstrated that organohalogens have the potential to affect single organisms especially by altering the neurological processes, even with promoting effects on exposed organisms.
The Effect of Dissolved Polyunsaturated Aldehydes on Microzooplankton Growth Rates in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Coastal Waters
Authors: Lavrentyev Peter , Franzè Gayantonia , Pierson James , Stoecker Diane
Published: May 2015

Allelopathy is wide spread among marine phytoplankton, including diatoms, which can produce cytotoxic secondary metabolites such as polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUA). Most studies on diatom-produced PUA have been dedicated to their inhibitory effects on reproduction and development of marine invertebrates. However, little information exists on their impact on key herbivores in the ocean, microzooplankton. This study examined the effects of dissolved 2E,4E-octadienal and 2E,4E-heptadienal on the growth rates of natural ciliate and dinoflagellate populations in the Chesapeake Bay and the coastal Atlantic waters. The overall effect of PUA on microzooplankton growth was negative, especially at the higher concentrations, but there were pronounced differences in response among common planktonic species. For example, the growth of Codonella sp., Leegaardiella sol, Prorodon sp., and Gyrodinium spirale was impaired at 2 nM, whereas Strombidium conicum, Cyclotrichium gigas, and Gymnodinium sp. were not affected even at 20 nM. These results indicate that PUA can induce changes in microzooplankton dynamics and species composition.
Asymmetric Lipid Membranes: Towards More Realistic Model Systems
Authors: Marquardt Drew , Geier Barbara , Pabst Georg
Published: May 2015

Despite the ubiquity of transbilayer asymmetry in natural cell membranes, the vast majority of existing research has utilized chemically well-defined symmetric liposomes, where the inner and outer bilayer leaflets have the same composition. Here, we review various aspects of asymmetry in nature and in model systems in anticipation for the next phase of model membrane studies.
Variety and Harvesting Season Effects on Antioxidant Activity and Vitamins Content of Citrus sinensis Macfad.
Authors: Cardeñosa Vanessa , Barreira João , Barros Lillian , Arenas-Arenas Francisco , Moreno-Rojas José , Ferreira Isabel
Published: May 2015

Five sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) varieties cultivated in Huelva (Spain) and picked at two seasons during two consecutive years, were characterized for their antioxidant activity (free radicals scavenging activity, reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibition) and vitamin content (vitamin E and vitamin C). The effects induced by sweet orange variety and stage of maturity were comprehensively compared by applying 2-way ANOVA and linear discriminant analysis. The results indicated higher differences in antioxidant activity and vitamin contents in response to the effect of the harvesting season, when compared to the effect of sweet orange variety. Nevertheless, the results observed in 2012 showed less marked differences among the assayed sweet orange varieties. Either way, it might be concluded that oranges sampled in January show the highest antioxidant activity and vitamin contents. Furthermore, concerning the properties evaluated in this work, all sweet orange varieties represent good alternatives, except for Rhode Summer, which would not be the preferable choice as a target to enhance sweet orange overall characteristics.
Correction: Chigrinova, M., et al. Kinugasa Reactions in Water: From Green Chemistry to Bioorthogonal Labelling. Molecules 2015, 20, 6959-6969
Authors: Chigrinova Mariya , MacKenzie Douglas , Sherratt Allison , Cheung Lawrence , Pezacki John
Published: May 2015

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [1]: The author name “Paul Pezacki” should be “John Paul Pezacki”. [...]
FDTD for Hydrodynamic Electron Fluid Maxwell Equations
Authors: Zhao Yingxue , Liu Jinjie
Published: May 2015

In this work, we develop a numerical method for solving the three dimensional hydrodynamic electron fluid Maxwell equations that describe the electron gas dynamics driven by an external electromagnetic wave excitation. Our numerical approach is based on the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method for solving the Maxwell’s equations and an explicit central finite difference method for solving the hydrodynamic electron fluid equations containing both electron density and current equations. Numerical results show good agreement with the experiment of studying the second-harmonic generation (SHG) from metallic split-ring resonator (SRR).
A Combined Feed-Forward/Feed-Back Control System for a QbD-Based Continuous Tablet Manufacturing Process
Authors: Singh Ravendra , Muzzio Fernando , Ierapetritou Marianthi , Ramachandran Rohit
Published: May 2015

Continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing together with PAT (Process Analytical Technology) provides a suitable platform for automatic control of the end product quality as desired by QbD (quality by design)-based efficient manufacturing. The precise control of the quality of the pharmaceutical product requires corrective actions in the process/raw material variability before product quality can be influenced. In this manuscript, a combined feed-forward/feed-back control system has been developed for a direct compaction continuous tablet manufacturing process. The feed-forward controller takes into account the effect of process disturbances proactively while the feed-back control system ensures the end product quality consistently. The coupled feed-forward/feed-back control system ensures the minimum variability in the final product quality irrespective of process and raw material variations. The performance of the combined control strategy has been evaluated through process simulation and is found to be more effective in comparison with a feed-back only control strategy and, therefore, demonstrates potential to further improve pharmaceutical tablet manufacturing operations.
Scanning reflection ion microscopy in a helium ion microscope
Authors: Petrov Yuri V , Vyvenko Oleg F
Published: May 2015

Reflection ion microscopy (RIM) is a technique that uses a low angle of incidence and scattered ions to form an image of the specimen surface. This paper reports on the development of the instrumentation and the analysis of the capabilities and limitations of the scanning RIM in a helium ion microscope (HIM). The reflected ions were detected by their “conversion” to secondary electrons on a platinum surface. An angle of incidence in the range 5–10° was used in the experimental setup. It was shown that the RIM image contrast was determined mostly by surface morphology but not by the atomic composition. A simple geometrical analysis of the reflection process was performed together with a Monte Carlo simulation of the angular dependence of the reflected ion yield. An interpretation of the RIM image formation and a quantification of the height of the surface steps were performed. The minimum detectable step height was found to be approximately 5 nm. RIM imaging of an insulator surface without the need for charge compensation was successfully demonstrated.
Synthesis of carbohydrate-scaffolded thymine glycoconjugates to organize multivalency
Authors: Ciuk Anna K , Lindhorst Thisbe K
Published: May 2015

Multivalency effects are essential in carbohydrate recognition processes as occurring on the cell surface. Thus many synthetic multivalent glycoconjugates have been developed as important tools for glycobiological research. We are expanding this collection of molecules by the introduction of carbohydrate-scaffolded divalent glycothymine derivatives that can be intramolecularily dimerized by [2 + 2] photocycloaddition. Thus, thymine functions as a control element that allows to restrict the conformational flexibility of the scaffolded sugar ligands and thus to “organize” multivalency. With this work we add a parameter to multivalency studies additional to valency.
A PROBABILISTIC EVALUATION OF PIER-SCOUR POTENTIAL IN THE GAOPING RIVER BASIN OF TAIWAN
Authors: Liao Kuo-Wei , Lu Hu-Jhong , Wang Chung-Yue
Published: May 2015

A probabilistic approach is used to create a preliminary inspection evaluation form (PIEF) for scour potential at bridge sites. In Taiwan, the risk of pier scour is often evaluated using a two-step procedure. First, a bridge is visually inspected based on a PIEF. An advanced scour risk analysis is conducted for a bridge with a high PIEF score. Because a PIEF can quickly evaluate scour potential, it can be used to build a maintenance sequence for a group of bridges. However, a PIEF is often created based on only engineers’ experience; the accuracy and reliability of PIEFs have not been examined systematically. Thus, a probabilistic-based PIEF is constructed by establishing a close correlation between the PIEF score and scour potential via Taguchi method. The scour potential is evaluated by Bayesian network (BN) that incorporates experts’ judgments and results of reliability analyses. For example, the conditional probabilities (CP) in the proposed BN are calculated based on an existing PIEF and results of a stability-based reliability analysis. Thus, the proposed PIEF implicitly considers the probabilistic characteristics in the scour potential, which will provide an efficient and accurate evaluation of scour potential and assist in establishing maintenance priorities of existing bridges in Taiwan.
BEARING CAPACITY OF STRIP FOOTING ON REINFORCED LAYERED GRANULAR SOILS
Authors: Cicek Elif , Guler Erol
Published: May 2015

In this study a limit equilibrium method is proposed to determine the bearing capacity of strip foundations on geosynthetic reinforced sand soils. A two-layered granular soil was foreseen to represent the loose in situ soil and the compacted fill above the reinforcement. First the modified bearing capacity factors Nq and Nγ were derived for the two layered granular reinforced soil. The bearing capacities were also calculated for different reinforcement geometries and soil properties using Finite Element analyses. The bearing capacities obtained from Finite Element and Limit Equilibrium analyses were compared, it was seen a good agreement. Therefore, it was concluded that the new limit equilibrium method proposed in this paper for reinforced two-layered soils can be successfully used in calculating the bearing capacities of geosynthetic reinforced soils.
FUNCTION-SPACE ASSIGNMENT AND MOVEMENT SIMULATION MODEL FOR BUILDING RENOVATION
Authors: Dzeng Ren-Jye , Wang Wei-Chih , Hsiao Fan-Yi
Published: May 2015

Building renovation is an effective way to revive the use of a building, the use efficiency of which is primarily determined by its layout. However, in architectural practice, architects and building owners renovate buildings based on their personal subjective perceptions of how occupants use the building instead of systematically analyzing their use behaviors. This study proposes a model, called the Function-space Assignment and MOvement Simulation (FAMOS) model, which integrates radio frequency identification (RFID), fast messy genetic algorithms (fmGA), and movement simulation techniques to solve the function-space assignment problem. The RFID equipment is specifically used to track the occupants’ movement data in a building, the fmGA is employed to identify the optimal result of function assignment, and the movement simulation technique is adopted to verify the result and support the decision-making of function-space assignment. This study presents a real case study to demonstrate the use of FAMOS and compare its assignments with those generated by a renovation architect. The objective function showed that FAMOS’s version had a 14.80% higher objective value than the architect’s version. The experiment also showed that FAMOS helped the architect find the best assignment or improve their assignment based on desired objectives such as preferred space size, minimized movement distance, or removal of corridor congestion.
DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS IN BEAM-LIKE STRUCTURES BY ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS
Authors: Aydin Kamil , Kisi Ozgur
Published: May 2015

Applicability of artificial neural networks is examined in determining the natural frequencies of intact beams and crack parameters of damaged beams. Multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis neural networks (RBNN) are utilized for training and validation of input data. In the first part of the study, the first four frequencies of free vibration are predicted based on beam properties by the networks. Showing the effectiveness of the neural networks in predicting the vibrational frequencies, the second part of the study is carried out. At this stage of the inverse problem, the frequencies and mode shape rotation deviations in addition to beam properties are used as input to the networks to determine the crack parameters. Different hidden nodes, epochs and spread values are tried to find the optimal neural networks that give the lowest error estimates. In both parts of the study, the RBNN model performs better. The robustness of the network models in the presence of noise is also shown. It is shown that the optimal MLP network predicts the crack parameters slightly better in the presence of noise. As a conclusion, the trained RBNN model can be used in health monitoring of beam-like structures as a crack identification algorithm.
STATISTICAL SURVEY ON INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF WALL RENDERINGS
Authors: Sá Gonçalo , Sá João , De Brito Jorge , Amaro Bárbara
Published: May 2015

This paper describes a statistical survey on the pathology, diagnosis and rehabilitation of wall renderings. The survey was based on an inspection and diagnosis support system that comprises the classification of anomalies in renderings, their most probable causes, diagnosis methods and repair and maintenance techniques. The on-site work that led to this statistics collection involved standard inspections of 55 buildings, located in Lisbon, and a total of 150 wall renderings (100 external and 50 interior). The results of this survey provide indications on the intervention actions at the design, execution and use/maintenance stages in order to decrease the magnitude of or eradicate anomalies in wall renderings. The implementation of a system of this kind could directly improve the quality of constructions.
Transferts au Panthéon : actualité d’un rituel daté
Authors: Garcia Patrick
Published: May 2015

La « panthéonisation » nous apparaît à la fois comme un rituel immémorial et suranné. Pourtant, son sens a beaucoup changé, depuis la Révolution jusqu’aux sacralisations républicaines, et sous la V e République même, tous les présidents n’y ont pas eu recours. Que signifie aujourd’hui une telle cérémonie, et n’est-ce qu’une tentative de plus pour maintenir la stature présidentielle ?
Lucidité, obstination, amitiés : les vies politiques de Germaine Tillion
Authors: Mongin Olivier
Published: May 2015

De l’Algérie à Ravensbrück, de l’ethnologie à la Résistance et à la guerre d’Algérie, Germaine Tillion est demeurée fidèle à ses idées et à une certaine conception du savoir et de l’engagement : privilégier l’action à plusieurs, refuser l’aveuglement idéologique, ne rien attendre des pouvoirs en place.
L’impact des politiques de surveillance post-11 septembre sur les communautés musulmanes : l’exemple du NYPD
Authors: Bechrouri Ibrahim
Published: May 2015

Après le 11 septembre 2001, le NYPD a mis en place un vaste programme de surveillance des populations musulmanes. Une fois ce programme révélé au grand jour, les communautés musulmanes l’ont largement condamné car elles le considèrent comme discriminatoire et liberticide. La méfiance née de cette affaire a durablement affecté les relations du NYPD avec les communautés musulmanes ce qui pourrait s’avérer problématique à l’avenir.
Mortalité différentielle et pauvreté par âge
Authors: Lefèbvre Mathieu , Pestieau Pierre , Ponthière Grégory
Published: May 2015

En présence d’une mortalité différentielle selon le revenu, les mesures habituelles de la pauvreté ne capturent pas uniquement la vraie pauvreté, mais reflètent également le processus de sélection induit par la mortalité différentielle. Face à ce type de biais de sélection, une solution consiste à étendre, à l’aide d’un revenu fictif, les profils de revenu des personnes décédées prématurément, afin de les prendre en compte dans la mesure de la pauvreté. La présente étude propose d’analyser l’effet de l’âge sur la taille du biais de sélection. A cette fin, nous exploitons des données sur la pauvreté par âge en Belgique, et comparons les mesures de pauvreté classiques aux mesures de pauvreté ajustées obtenues par l’extension des profils de revenus des personnes décédées prématurément. Nous montrons que, bien que l’écart entre mesures ajustées et non ajustées soit plus grand aux âges élevés de la vie, il n’en demeure pas moins qu’un biais de sélection est présent à tous les âges.
Development of Functionally Graded Coating by Thermal Spray Deposition
Authors: Majumdar Jyotsna Dutta , Manna Indranil
Published: May 2015

Functionally Gradient Coatings (FGCs) are emerging materials with an improved service life and have a promising future for the production of (a) tailored components for applications subjected to large thermal gradients, (b) smart coating with improved corrosion and wear resistance, (c) improved fatigue wear, and (d) improved material structures for energy applications like batteries, fuel cells, etc. FGCs may be developed by physical/chemical vapor deposition, electro/electroless deposition, thermal spray deposition technique, etc. Thermal spraying refers to the technique or a group of techniques whereby molten or semi-molten droplets of materials are sprayed onto a solid substrate to develop the coating. In this chapter, detailed overviews of the development of functionally graded coating by thermal spray deposition techniques are presented. In addition, a few research results on the development of functionally graded coating for tribological and thermal barrier applications are presented.
Tribology of Thermally Sprayed Coatings in the Al2O3-Cr2O3-TiO2 System
Authors: Berger Lutz-Michael
Published: May 2015

With the exception of ZrO2, the individual oxides and binary compositions in the system Al2O3-Cr2O3-TiO2 are the most important oxide materials for thermally sprayed coating solutions. Traditionally, these coatings are prepared by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying (APS), but processes such as Detonation Gun Spraying (DGS) and High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) spraying can produce coatings with lower porosity and higher wear resistance. Traditionally, feedstock powders have been used for coating preparation. Recent developments have seen the emergence of suspensions as a new feedstock, but tribological properties of coatings prepared using suspensions have not yet been studied in detail. This chapter summarizes some important issues regarding wear protection applications of coatings in the Al2O3-Cr2O3-TiO2 system, the advantage of alloying the individual oxides, and the influence of different feedstocks and spray processes.
Decision Support System for Wind Farm Installation Using Bipolar Analysis
Authors: Bouzarour-Amokrane Yasmina , Tchangani Ayeley P. , Pérès François
Published: May 2015

The necessity to control and reduce the negative impact of human activities on environment and life quality along with technology progress in renewable energy in general and wind energy in particular render it possible today to consider wind energy projects on a large scale. Developing wind energy on a large scale however raises other problems such as choosing an adequate site to settle a wind farm where many other issues such technical feasibility and performance levels, visual pollution, economic and social concerns, etc. must be addressed. Such decisions usually involve many parameters and necessitate the collaboration of many stakeholders. In this context, this chapter proposes an approach based on the concept of bipolar analysis through Benefit Opportunity Cost and Risk (BOCR) analysis, which permits one to address correctly a Group Decision-Making Problem (GDMP) to build a decision support system in order to assist the wind farm installation process.
A Reliability Test Installation for Water Heating Solar Systems
Authors: González-Prida Vicente , Raman Anthony
Published: May 2015

This chapter analyzes the requirements that a test installation design must comply with in order to carry out the test procedures of prefabricated systems mentioned in a previous chapter and based on the norm EN 12976. In other words, the authors consider for the test installation design, firstly, the requirements that the hydraulic circuit of such an installation must meet, followed by the specifications required by the custom-built systems; all of this has the aim of certifying that the characteristics of the prefabricated system are the applicable ones. Subsequently, the chapter then directly proceeds to design a test installation, which is to be later compared to a real installation.
A System Safety Analysis of Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Naylor Warren
Published: May 2015

This chapter is focused solely on whether renewable energies can be implemented safely and if they are safer than the technologies they are replacing or supplanting albeit in small quantities at the current pace of implementation. Renewable or sustainable energy sources are necessary due to the ultimate erosion of traditional energy sources and the harmful effects they introduce into the environment and negatively affect our health. Regardless of how you personally feel concerning renewable energy sources, they are here and here to stay. With that simple understanding, we should ensure these systems are safe. This chapter evaluates the hazards associated with renewable energies and compares and contrasts them to those hazards posed by the traditional or legacy fossil fuel energies. The advantages of renewable energies are palpable and discussed in great detail in the other chapters of this book. This chapter focuses specifically on the safety of the renewable energy systems.
Educational Technology Assessment
Authors: Osler II James Edward , Mansaray Mahmud A.
Published: May 2015

In this chapter a digital assessment and an associated novel mathematical statistical model are provided as online psychometrics designed to evaluate College and University courses. The psychometric evaluation tool is a Student Ratings of Instruction [SRI] instrument used at a Historically Black College and University [HBCU] for course evaluation purposes. The research methodology is an a posteriori post hoc investigation that examines the reliability and validity of the items used in the SRI instrument. The sample under analysis consisted of the responses to 56,451 total items extracted from 7,919 distributed Student Ratings Instruments delivered online during the 2012 academic year. The post hoc application of the novel Tri–Squared Test analysis methodology is used to intricately analyze the results of an earlier study on SRIs that yielded strong construct validity from Cronbach's Alpha Reliability Model, Goodman & Kruskal's Lambda, and Principal Component Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation.
Towards a Theory of Formative Assessment in Online Higher Education
Authors: Gikandi Joyce W.
Published: May 2015

The affordances of online learning have coincided with increasing demand for higher education across disciplines. The need to provide appropriate learning support while fostering self-regulation in online higher education calls for formative assessment to facilitate meaningful learning. This chapter attempts to conceptually generalize the findings of a recent collective case study and develop a relevant theoretical framework for online formative assessment. The theoretical framework is intended to inform successful implementation of formative assessment in online learning contexts. The collective case study purposefully conceptualized formative assessment from a holistic pedagogical approach. Investigating application of formative assessment in the recent study explored multifaceted elements including provision of a variety of embedded authentic assessment activities. The theoretical framework advanced through this chapter is therefore an attempt to coherently unify the diverse elements and techniques from the collective case study, and explicate how this creates an effective pedagogical design to promote meaningful learning.
Cultural Effects on Trust Building in International Projects' Stakeholders
Authors: Ajmal Mian M.
Published: May 2015

The increasing global nature of projects has highlighted the importance of multiculturalism and the new challenges it brings to project execution. The rationale of this study is to look at how culture affects on trust building process in international projects and its stakeholders. This research employs intensive literature review to develop a model of cultural similarities and dissimilarities for trust building in international projects stakeholders. Culture is a significant factor in building trust among global projects stakeholders for the reason that trust is vital for developing a well-functioning long term business relationship. The study highlighted that cultural differences among project teams can cause conflict, misunderstanding and poor project performance. However, this study is currently explanatory study because no empirical evidence is provided. Future empirical research should investigate various scenarios, types of projects, cultures and countries. Cultural issues are pretty sensitive that have immediate association with trust building process among international projects stakeholders. Petite methodical research has been done on the cultural effects for trust building in international project context. In meticulous, the query of how culture effects trust building efforts in project stakeholders remains unrequited. This study aims to generate interest in the research community for undertaking a detailed and comprehensive research on this topic. It also aims to serve as a foundation for future studies.
Preparation and Electrical Properties of Graphene/PEK-c Films
Authors: Shi Feng Hui , Li Jia , Zhang Bao Yan , Qiu Xue Shi , Gu Liang Yong
Published: May 2015

This article shows us a way to disperse graphene with PEK-c and a method to make graphene/PEK-c films with great surface conductivity. The characterization of grapheme was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well as chloroform without dispersant was identified to be the suitable system to disperse graphene. Graphene/PEK-c films are fabricated in a large scale using coating method. The conductivity of the films were tested by surface resistance tester as well as the surface resistance of graphene/PEK-c film with 50%wt graphene is about 50Ω/sq. Micro cracks were observed by SEM images that were the main reasons to explain the performance differences between real and theoretical conductivity.