Search results for: content and language integrated instruction

Authors: Ehsan Mehryaar, Reza Bushehri

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One of the principal parameters defining the clay soil dynamic response is the strain-shear modulus relation. Predicting the strain and, subsequently, shear modulus reduction of the soil is essential for performance analysis of structures exposed to earthquake and dynamic loadings. Many soil properties affect soil’s dynamic behavior. In order to capture those effects, in this study, a database containing 1193 data points consists of maximum shear modulus, strain, moisture content, initial void ratio, plastic limit, liquid limit, initial confining pressure resulting from dynamic laboratory testing of 21 clays is collected for predicting the shear modulus vs. strain curve of soil. A model based on an extreme gradient boosting technique is proposed. A tree-structured parzan estimator hyper-parameter tuning algorithm is utilized simultaneously to find the best hyper-parameters for the model. The performance of the model is compared to the existing empirical equations using the coefficient of correlation and root mean square error.

Keywords: XGBoost, hyper-parameter tuning, soil shear modulus, dynamic response

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Authors: Tao Youjun, Zhao Younan

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The separation effect of fine coal can be improved by the process of pre-desliming. It was significantly enhanced when the fine coal was processed using Falcon concentrator with the removal of -45um coal slime. Ultrafine classification tests using Krebs classification cyclone with annular rinse water showed that increasing feeding pressure can effectively avoid the phenomena of heavy particles passing into overflow and light particles slipping into underflow. The increase of rinse water pressure could reduce the content of fine-grained particles while increasing the classification size. The increase in feeding concentration had a negative effect on the efficiency of classification, meanwhile increased the classification size due to the enhanced hindered settling caused by high underflow concentration. As a result of optimization experiments with response indicator of classification efficiency which based on orthogonal design using Design-Expert software indicated that the optimal classification efficiency reached 91.32% with the feeding pressure of 0.03MPa, the rinse water pressure of 0.02MPa and the feeding concentration of 12.5%. Meanwhile, the classification size was 49.99 μm which had a good agreement with the predicted value.

Keywords: hydrocyclone, ultrafine classification, slime, classification efficiency, classification size

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Authors: Nisreen Naji Al-Khawaldeh, Lara Ahmad Mansour El-Awar

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The present study investigated the strategies MA translation students used for translating technical terms, the most common obstacles they encountered in translating such terms, and the motives behind using such terms as they are in their original form despite their translatability into Arabic. To achieve these objectives, a translation test was administered to 100 MA students specialising in translation at both Hashemite University and The University of Jordan. It consisted of two parts: (a) 50 English technical terms to be translated (b) two questions to be answered concerning the challenges or problems encountered while translating the previous technical terms and the motives that drive them to use most of the English technical terms as they are despite their translatability into Arabic. The analysis of the results revealed that MA translation students faced problems in translating technical terms, namely the inability to find the equivalent form for the given technical terms, the use of literal translation, and the wider use of loan-words type. Besides, the students used different strategies to translate the technical terms, namely borrowing (i.e., loan- words), paraphrasing, synonymy, naturalization, equivalence, and literal translation. Moreover, it was also revealed that most technical terms were used as they are in the source language despite their translatability into Arabic because these technical terms are easier to use in English rather than in Arabic. Also, when these terms were introduced to the Arab world, they were introduced in English, not in Arabic. So, the brain links these objects to their English terms.

Keywords: arabic, english, technical terms, translation strategies, translation problems

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Authors: P. V. Krupakara

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This paper deals with the high corrosion resistance developed by the hybrid metal matrix composites when compared with that of matrix alloy. Matrix selected is Al6061. Reinforcements selected are graphite and red mud particulates. The composites are prepared using liquid melt metallurgy technique using vortex method. Metal matrix composites containing 2 percent graphite and 2 percent red mud, 2 percent graphite and 4 percent red mud, 2 percent graphite and 6 percent of red mud are prepared. Bar castings are cut into cylindrical discs of 20mm diameter and 20mm thickness. Corrosion tests were conducted at room temperature (230 °C) using conventional weight loss method according to ASTM G69-80. The corrodents used for the test were hydrochloric acid solution of different concentrations. Specimens were tested for every 24 hours interval up to 96 hours. Four specimens for each condition and time were immersed in corrodent. In each case the corrosion rate decreases with increase in exposure time for matrix and metal matrix composites whatever may be the concentration of hydrochloric acid. This may be due to aluminium, which may induce passivation due to development of non-porous layer. As red mud content increases the composites become corrosion resistant due to insulating nature of ceramic material red mud and less exposure of matrix alloy in those metal matrix composites.

Keywords: Al6061, graphite, passivation, red mud, vortex

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Authors: Muhammed Muvaffak Alhasan, Ali Alriyami, Ali Almanei

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Despite the extreme importance of etymological studies in documenting the linguistic heritage, and showing its roots and connections in the classical language; However, etymological dictionaries are still rare in the Arab library in general. Etymology is the science of etymology that investigates how vocabulary is reproduced and reproduced, by exploring the origin of words and the phonetic and semantic changes that occurred in them over time, trying to reconfigure an identity card for the word showing its origin and the path it took through time until it reached its current state. This research seeks to make an etymological study on the terminology used in the traditional dagger making in the Sultanate of Oman through the following steps: 1. Collecting the terms relating to traditional dagger making and recording them in order to document and preserve them. 2. Arranging them alphabetically in order to facilitate searching and dealing with them. 3. Setting up a historical identification card for each word by applying an etymological study that shows its source from which they descended its links with standard and the phonological and semantic changes it underwent until it reached its current form.

Keywords: cultural heritage, etymology, Omani dagger, Oman

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Authors: Malani Herath, Sohan Wijesekera, Jagath Munasingha

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The impact of recent floods become significant, and the extraordinary flood events cause considerable damage to lives, properties, environment and negatively affect the whole development of Colombo urban region. Even though the Colombo urban region experiences recurrent flood impacts, several spatial planning interventions have been taken from time to time since early 20th century. All past plans have adopted a traditional approach to flood management, using infrastructural measures to reduce the chance of flooding together with rigid planning regulations. The existing flood risk management practices do not operate to be acceptable by the local community particular the urban poor. Researchers have constantly reported the differences in estimations of flood risk, priorities, concerns of experts and the local community. Risk-based decision making in flood management is not only a matter of technical facts; it has a significant bearing on how flood risk is viewed by local community and individuals. Moreover, sustainable flood management is an integrated approach, which highlights joint actions of experts and community. This indicates the necessity of further societal discussion on the acceptable level of flood risk indicators to prioritize and identify the appropriate flood management measures in Colombo. The understanding and evaluation of flood risk by local people are important to integrate in the decision-making process. This research questioned about the gap between the acceptable level of flood risk to spatial planners and to the local communities in Colombo. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to prepare a framework to analyze the public perception in Colombo. This research work identifies the factors that affect the variation of flood risk and acceptable levels to both local community and planning authorities.

Keywords: Colombo basin, public perception, urban flood risk, multi-criteria analysis

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Authors: Tsafi Timor

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The research focuses on the exploration of the unique journey that novice teachers experience in their first year of teaching, among graduates of re-training programs into teaching. The study explores the experiences of success and failure and the factors that underpin positive experiences, as well as the journey (process) of this year with reference to the comparison between novice teachers and new immigrants. The content analysis that was adopted in the study was conducted on texts that were written by the teachers and detailed their first year of teaching. The findings indicate that experiences of success are featured by personal satisfaction, constant need of feedback, high motivation in challenging situations, and emotions. Failure experiences are featured by frustration, helplessness, sense of humiliation, feeling of rejection, and lack of efficacy. Factors that promote and inhibit positive experiences relate to personal, personality, professional and organizational levels. Most teachers reported feeling like new immigrants, and demonstrated different models of the process of the first year of teaching. Further research is recommended on the factors that promote and inhibit positive experiences, and on 'The Missing Link' of the relationship between Teacher Education Programs and the practices in schools.

Keywords: first-year teaching, novice teachers, school practice, teacher education programs

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Authors: Ling Qi, Matloob Khushi, Josiah Poon

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This paper introduces a pre-trained Masked Candlestick Model (MCM) for trading time-series data. The pre-trained model is based on three core designs. First, we convert trading price data at each data point as a set of normalized elements and produce embeddings of each element. Second, we generate a masked sequence of such embedded elements as inputs for self-supervised learning. Third, we use the encoder mechanism from the transformer to train the inputs. The masked model learns the contextual relations among the sequence of embedded elements, which can aid downstream classification tasks. To evaluate the performance of the pre-trained model, we fine-tune MCM for three different downstream classification tasks to predict future price trends. The fine-tuned models achieved better accuracy rates for all three tasks than the baseline models. To better analyze the effectiveness of MCM, we test the same architecture for three currency pairs, namely EUR/GBP, AUD/USD, and EUR/JPY. The experimentation results demonstrate MCM’s effectiveness on all three currency pairs and indicate the MCM’s capability for signal extraction from trading data.

Keywords: masked language model, transformer, time series prediction, trading prediction, embedding, transfer learning, self-supervised learning

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Authors: Raghad Dwaik

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It is well known in language acquisition literature that a mere understanding of a reading text is not enough to help students build proficiency in comprehension. Students should rather follow understanding by attempting to express what has been understood by pushing their competence to the limit. Learners' attempt to push their competence was given the term "comprehensible output" by Swain (1985). Teachers in large classes, however, find it sometimes difficult to give all students a chance to communicate their views or to share their ideas during the short class time. In most cases, students who are outgoing dominate class discussion and get more opportunities for practice which leads to ignoring the shy students totally while helping the good ones become better. This paper presents the idea of using Google Classroom features of posting and commenting to allow students who hesitate to participate in class discussions about a reading text to write their views on the wall of a Google Classroom and share them later after they have received feedback and comments from classmates. Such attempts lead to developing their proficiency through additional practice in comprehensible output and to enhancing their confidence in themselves and their views. It was found that virtual classroom interaction would help students maintain vocabulary, use more complex structures and focus on meaning besides form.

Keywords: learning groups, reading TESOL, Google Classroom, comprehensible output

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Authors: Ying-Ming Su, Mei-Shu Huang

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To mitigate the urban heat island effect has become a global issue facing the challenge of climate change. Through literature reviews, plant photosynthesis can reduce the carbon dioxide and mitigate the urban heat island effect relatively. Because there are not enough open space and park, green roof has become an important policy in Taiwan. We selected elementary school buildings in northern New Taipei City as research subjects since elementary school is asked priority to build green roof and important educational place to promote green roof concept. Testo 175-H1 recording device was used to record the temperature and humidity difference between roof surface and interior space below roof with and without green roof for the long-term. We also use questionnaire to investigate the awareness of comfort level of green roof and sensation of teachers and students of the elementary school. The results indicated the temperature of roof without greening was higher than that with greening about 2°C. But sometimes during noontime, the temperature of green roof was higher than that of non-green roof related to the character of the accumulation and dissipation of heat of greening probably. The temperature of interior space below green roof was normally lower than that without green roof about 1°C showed that green roof could lower the temperature. The humidity of the green roof was higher than the one without greening also indicated that green roof retained water better. Teachers liked to combine green roof concept in the curriculum, students wished all classes can take turns to maintain the green roof. Teachers and students that school had integrated green roof concept in the curriculum were more willing to participate in the maintenance work of green roof. Teachers and students who may access and touch the green roof can be more aware of the green roof benefit. We suggest architect to increase the accessibility and visibility of green roof, such as a part of the activity space. This idea can be a reference of the green roof curriculum design.

Keywords: comfort level, elementary school, green roof, heat island effect

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Authors: Chin-Yuan Hsieh, Wei-Chun Lu, Yu-Hong Zeng

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The situation of a group of fish die is frequently found due to the fish disease caused by the deterioration of aquaculture water quality. The toxic ammonia is produced by animals as a byproduct of protein. The system is designed by the smart sensor technology and developed by the mathematical model to monitor the water parameters 24 hours a day and predict the relationship among twelve water quality parameters for monitoring the water quality in aquaculture. All data measured are stored in cloud server. In productive ponds, the daytime pH may be high enough to be lethal to the fish. The sudden change of the aquaculture conditions often results in the increase of PH value of water, lack of oxygen dissolving content, water quality deterioration and yield reduction. From the real measurement, the system can send the message to user’s smartphone successfully on the bad conditions of water quality. From the data comparisons between measurement and model simulation in fish aquaculture site, the difference of parameters is less than 2% and the correlation coefficient is at least 98.34%. The solubility rate of oxygen decreases exponentially with the elevation of water temperature. The correlation coefficient is 98.98%.

Keywords: aquaculture, sensor, ammonia, dissolved oxygen

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Authors: Vincent Kheswa

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X-rays are ionizing electromagnetic radiation that is used in various industries such as computed tomography scans, dental X-rays, and screening freight trains. However, they pose health risks to humans if they are not shielded properly. In recent years, many researchers around the globe have been searching for nontoxic best possible glass materials for shielding X-rays. In this work, the x-ray shielding properties of 45Na₂O + 10 Bi₂O₃ + (5 - x)TiO₂+ (x) Nb₂O₅ + 40 P₂O₅, were x = 0, 1, 3, 5 mol%, glass materials were studied. The results revealed that the glass sample with the highest TiO2 content has the highest mass and linear attenuation coefficients and lowest half-value thickness, tenth-value thickness and mean-free path in the 20 to 80 keV energy region. The sample with 3 mol% of Nb₂O₅ has the highest mass and linear attenuation coefficients and the lowest half-value thickness, tenth-value thickness, and mean-free path at 15 keV and photon energies between 80 to 300 keV. It was, therefore, concluded that 45Na₂O + 10 Bi₂O₃ + 5 TiO₂ + 40 P₂O₅ glass is best for shielding x-rays of energies between 20 and 80 keV, while 45Na₂O + 10 Bi₂O₃ + 2 TiO₂ + 3 Nb₂O₅ + 40 P₂O₅ is best for shielding 15 keV x-rays and x-rays of energies between 80 keV and 300 keV.

Keywords: bismuth-titanium-phosphate glass, x-ray shielding, LAC, MAC, radiation shielding

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Authors: Chieh-Nan Chen, Ji-Yu Lin, I-Ming Chu

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Polypeptide thermosensitive hydrogel is an excellent candidate as a smart device to deliver drugs and cells due to its remarkable biocompatibility, low gelation concentration, and respond to temperature stimuli, it can be easily injected as a polymer solution into the patient’s body where it undergoes gelation due to an elevation in temperature. Poly (ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether-poly (ethyl-l-glutamate) (mPEG-PELG) contains a hydrophobic side chain –C2H5 which is useful in encapsulating and stabilizing hydrophobic drugs. In this study, we plan to focus on the hydrophobic anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory drug curcumin, which due its insolubility in water, requires a proper carrier for delivery into the body. Our main concept is to use mPEG-PELG to stabilize curcumin, inject the curcumin-loaded hydrogel into the tumor site, and allow the enzymatically-sensitive hydrogel to be degraded by bodily fluids and release the drug. The polymers of interest have been successfully synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR, FT-IR, SEM, and CMC. Curcumin loading content and drug release were assayed using HPLC. Preliminary results show that these materials have potential as a delivery vehicle for poorly soluble drugs.

Keywords: curcumin, drug release, hydrogel, polypeptide material

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Authors: Lim Chen Kim, Tan Kian Lam, Chan Yi Chee

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This research presents a multi-modal simulation in the reconstruction of the past and the construction of present in digital cultural heritage on mobile platform. In bringing the present life, the virtual environment is generated through a presented scheme for rapid and efficient construction of 360° panoramic view. Then, acoustical heritage model and crowd model are presented and improvised into the 360° panoramic view. For the reconstruction of past life, the crowd is simulated and rendered in an old trading port. However, the keystone of this research is in a virtual walkthrough that shows the virtual present life in 2D and virtual past life in 3D, both in an environment of virtual heritage sites in George Town through mobile device. Firstly, the 2D crowd is modelled and simulated using OpenGL ES 1.1 on mobile platform. The 2D crowd is used to portray the present life in 360° panoramic view of a virtual heritage environment based on the extension of Newtonian Laws. Secondly, the 2D crowd is animated and rendered into 3D with improved variety and incorporated into the virtual past life using Unity3D Game Engine. The behaviours of the 3D models are then simulated based on the enhancement of the classical model of Boid algorithm. Finally, a demonstration system is developed and integrated with the models, techniques and algorithms of this research. The virtual walkthrough is demonstrated to a group of respondents and is evaluated through the user-centred evaluation by navigating around the demonstration system. The results of the evaluation based on the questionnaires have shown that the presented virtual walkthrough has been successfully deployed through a multi-modal simulation and such a virtual walkthrough would be particularly useful in a virtual tour and virtual museum applications.

Keywords: Boid Algorithm, Crowd Simulation, Mobile Platform, Newtonian Laws, Virtual Heritage

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Authors: Krisna Damayanti

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Negative issue about the relationship between auditors and clients often heard. It arises in view of the rise of a variety of phenomena resulting from the audit practice of greed and do not appreciate the independence of the audit profession and professional code of ethics. It is a logical consequence of the practice of capitalism in accounting. The purpose of this paper would like to uncover the existing auditing practices in Indonesia, especially Java, which is associated with a strong influence of Javanese culture with reluctant/"shy", politely, "legowo", "ngemong" friendly, "not mentholo", "tepo seliro", "ngajeni", "acquiescent". The method used by interpretive approach that emphasizes the role of language, interpret and understand and see social reality as something other than a label, name or concept. Auditing practices in each country has a culture that will affect the standard set by those regulatory standards although there has been an adaptation of IAS. In Indonesia the majority of parties dominated by Javanesse racial regulators, so Java culture is embedded in every audit practices thus conditions in Java requires auditors to behave like that, sometimes interfere with standard Java code of conduct that must be executed by an auditor. Auditors who live in Java have the characters of Javanese culture that is hard to avoid in the audit practice. However, in practice, the auditor still are relevant in their profession.

Keywords: auditors, java, character, profession, code of ethics, client

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Authors: Dean Raiyasmi, Elvi Citraresmana, Sutiono Mahdi

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Language shapes the human mind and its concept toward things. Using image schemas, in nowadays technology, even AI (artificial intelligence) can concept things in response to their creator negativity or positivity. This is reflected inside one of the most selling game around the world in 2012 called Dragon Age Origins. The AI in form of NPC (Non-Playable Character) inside the game reflects on the creator of the game on negativity or positivity toward the lexical concept of mage. Through image schemas, shaping the lexical concept of mage deemed possible and proved the negativity or positivity creator of the game toward mage. This research analyses the cognitive-semantic process of image schema and shaping the concept of ‘mage’ by describing kinds of image schemas exist in the Dragon Age Origin Game. This research is also aimed to analyse kinds of image schemas and describing the image schemas which shaping the concept of ‘mage’ itself. The methodology used in this research is qualitative where participative observation is employed with five stages and documentation. The results shows that there are four image schemas exist in the game and those image schemas shaping the lexical concept of ‘mage’.

Keywords: cognitive semantic, image-schema, conceptual metaphor, video game

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Authors: Ebru Thwaites Diken

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This article analyzes the works of certain directors in Danish cinema, namely Susanne Bier and Lone Sherfig, in the context of transnationalisation of Danish cinema. It looks at how the films' narratives negotiate and reconstruct the local / national / regional and the global. Scholars such as Nestingen & Elkington (2005), Hjort (2010), Higbee and Lim (2010), Bondebjerg and Redvall (2011) address transnationalism of Danish cinema in terms of production and distribution processes and how film making trascends national boundaries. This paper employs a particular understanding of transnationalism - in terms of how ideas and characters travel - to analyze how the storytelling and style has evolved to connect the national, the regional and the global on the basis of the works of these two directors. Strategies such as Hollywoodization - i.e. focus on stardom and classical narration, adhering to conventional European genre formulas, producing Danish films in English language have been identifiable strategies in Danish cinema in the period after the 2000s. Susanne Bier and Lone Scherfig are significant for employing some of these strategies simultaneously. For this reason, this article will look at how these two directors have employed these strategies and negotiated the cultural boundaries and exchanges.

Keywords: danish cinema, transnational cinema, susanne bier, lone scherfig, national cinema

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Authors: Noor-ul-Ain, Muhammad Tahir Khan, Kashif Khan, Adeela Ajmal, Hamid Mustafa

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the preservative and upgrading potential of urea (70g/kg DM) added to high moisture oat silage at laboratory scale trial and urea was hydrolysed 95%. Microbial activity measured by pH and volatile fatty acids (VFA) and lactate production was reduced (p<0.001) by the urea addition. The pH of oat silage (without treated) was measured 5.7 and increased up to 8.00 on average while; volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was decreased. Relative proportions of fermentation acids changed after urea addition, increasing the acetate and butyrate and decreasing the propionate and lactate proportions. The addition of urea to oat silages increased (P<0.001) water soluble and ammonium nitrogen of the forage. These nitrogen fractions represented more than 40% of total nitrogen. After urea addition, total nitrogen content of oat silages increased from 21.0 g/kg DM to 28 g/kg DM. Application of urea at a rate of 70 g/kg DM significantly increased (P<0.001) the in situ degradation of neutral-detergent fibre after 48h of rumen incubation (NDF-situ). The NDF-situ was 200 g/kg NDF higher on oat forages ensiled with urea than on oat forages ensiled without urea. Oat silages can be effectively preserved and upgraded by ensiling with 70 g urea/kg dry matter. Further studies are required to evaluate voluntary intake of this forage.

Keywords: oat, silage, urea, pH, forage

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Authors: Sheikh, R. Author, Bhardwaj S. Author, Jr.

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The emphasis of this paper is to investigate the identity shifts experienced within the Indian community and among Muslim refugee women in Sydney. Using Goffman’s paradigm of everyday interactions, attention is paid to how migrants navigate and perform their multiple identities in their daily life. By focusing on narratives of the migrant- migration is understood as processual instead of a one time decision of re-location. The paper aims to highlight how individuals choose and re-adapt their cultural and social practices within the context of Australia. Migrant narratives are rooted in specific socio-cultural settings of one’s own community as well as the nature of migration to a specific country. Differences and similarities will be observed within the Indian community, and among Muslim refugee women in terms of how identity is negotiated, social networks are re-established in Australia. Some attention will also be paid to difficulties that are being faced by migrants-especially in terms of Muslim identity for Refugee women, particularly in terms of assimilation, building on Ghassan Hage’s use of appraisal theory and how a diversity of language and religion is accommodated within the Indian community. By using two diverse groups, it would be able to identify and contrast migrant experiences.

Keywords: identity, migrant, refugee, women, assimilation, narratives

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Authors: Elvin Çomo, Edlira Tako, Albana Hasimi, Rrapo Ormeni, Olger Gjuzi, Mirela Ndrita

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In Albania, only low enthalpy geothermal springs and wells are known, the temperatures of some of them are almost at the upper limits of low enthalpy, reaching over 60°C. These resources can be used to improve the country's energy balance, as well as for profitable economic purposes. The region of Elbasan has the greatest geothermal energy potential in Albania. This bass is one of the most popular and used in our country. This area is a surface with a number of sources, located in the form of a chain, in the sector between Llixha and Hidraj and constitutes a thermo-mineral basin with stable discharge and high temperature. The sources of Elbasan Springs, with the current average flow of thermo mineral water of 12-18 l/s and its temperature 55-65oC, have specific reserves of 39.6 GJ/m2 and potential power to install 2760 kW. For the assessment of physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals, water samples were taken at 5 monitoring stations throughout the year 2022. The levels of basic parameters were analyzed using ISO, EU and APHA 21-th edition standard methods. This study presents the current state of the physico-chemical parameters of this thermal basin, the evaluation of these parameters for curative activities and for industrial processes, as well as the integrated utilization of geothermal energy. Possibilities for using thermomineral waters for heating homes in the area around them or even further, depending on the flow from the source or geothermal well. Sensitization of Albanian investors, medical research and the community for the high economic and curative effectiveness, for the integral use of geothermal energy in this area and the development of the tourist sector. An analysis of the negative environmental impact from the use of thermal water is also provided.

Keywords: geothermal energy, Llixha, physic-chemical parameters, thermal water

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Authors: Jennifer Stephens, Nichole Parker, Kristin Petrovic

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To gain a better understanding of how students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program are educated, faculty members in the BN program at Athabasca University (AU) in Alberta, Canada, developed a 3-phase comprehensive curriculum review project. Phase one of this review centered around hiring an external curriculum expert to examine and analyze the current curriculum and to propose recommendations focused on identifying gaps as well as building on strengths towards meeting changing health care trends. Phase two incorporated extensive institutional document analysis as well as qualitative and quantitative data collection in reciprocated critical reflection and has yielded insights into valuable processes, challenges, and solutions inherent to the complexities of undertaking curriculum review and analysis. Results of our phase one and two analysis generated a quality improvement (QI) template that could benefit other nursing education programs engaged in curriculum review and analysis. The key processes, lessons, and insights, as well as future project phase three plans, will be presented for iterative discussion and role modelling for other institutions undergoing, or planning, content-based curriculum review and evaluation.

Keywords: curriculum, education, nursing, nursing faculty practice, quality improvement

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Authors: Rob Schindler

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Industry-standard methods of mitigating erosion of seabed sediments rely on ‘hard engineering’ approaches which have numerous environmental shortcomings: (1) direct loss of habitat by smothering of benthic species, (2) disruption of sediment transport processes, damaging geomorphic and ecosystem functionality (3) generation of secondary erosion problems, (4) introduction of material that may propagate non-local species, and (5) provision of pathways for the spread of invasive species. Recent studies have also revealed the importance of biological cohesion, the result of naturally occurring extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS), in stabilizing natural sediments. Mimicking the strong bonding kinetics through the deliberate addition of EPS to sediments – henceforth termed ‘biostabilisation’ - offers a means in which to mitigate against erosion induced by structures or episodic increases in hydrodynamic forcing (e.g. storms and floods) whilst avoiding, or reducing, hard engineering. Here we present unique experiments that systematically examine how biostabilisation reduces scour around a monopile in a current, a first step to realizing the potential of this new method of scouring reduction for a wide range of engineering purposes in aquatic substrates. Experiments were performed in Plymouth University’s recirculating sediment flume which includes a recessed scour pit. The model monopile was 0.048 m in diameter, D. Assuming a prototype monopile diameter of 2.0 m yields a geometric ratio of 41.67. When applied to a 10 m prototype water depth this yields a model depth, d, of 0.24 m. The sediment pit containing the monopile was filled with different biostabilised substrata prepared using a mixture of fine sand (D50 = 230 μm) and EPS (Xanthan gum). Nine sand-EPS mixtures were examined spanning EPS contents of 0.0% < b0 < 0.50%. Scour development was measured using a laser point gauge along a 530 mm centreline at 10 mm increments at regular periods over 5 h. Maximum scour depth and excavated area were determined at different time steps and plotted against time to yield equilibrium values. After 5 hours the current was stopped and a detailed scan of the final scour morphology was taken. Results show that increasing EPS content causes a progressive reduction in the equilibrium depth and lateral extent of scour, and hence excavated material. Very small amounts equating to natural communities (< 0.1% by mass) reduce scour rate, depth and extent of scour around monopiles. Furthermore, the strong linear relationships between EPS content, equilibrium scour depth, excavation area and timescales of scouring offer a simple index on which to modify existing scour prediction methods. We conclude that the biostabilisation of sediments with EPS may offer a simple, cost-effective and ecologically sensitive means of reducing scour in a range of contexts including OWFs, bridge piers, pipeline installation, and void filling in rock armour. Biostabilisation may also reduce economic costs through (1) Use of existing site sediments, or waste dredged sediments (2) Reduced fabrication of materials, (3) Lower transport costs, (4) Less dependence on specialist vessels and precise sub-sea assembly. Further, its potential environmental credentials may allow sensitive use of the seabed in marine protection zones across the globe.

Keywords: biostabilisation, EPS, marine, scour

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Authors: A. Ghasemipanah, R. Ziaie Moayed, H. Niroumand

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Improving the geotechnical properties of soil has always been one of the issues in geotechnical engineering. Traditional materials have been used to improve and stabilize soils to date, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Although the soil stabilization by adding materials such as cement, lime, bitumen, etc. is one of the effective methods to improve the geotechnical properties of soil, but nanoparticles are one of the newest additives which can improve the loose soils. This research is intended to study the effect of adding nanobentonite on soil engineering properties, especially the unconfined compression strength and maximum dry unit weight, using clayey soil with low liquid limit (CL) from Kerman (Iran). Nanobentonite was mixed with soil in three different percentages (i.e. 3, 5, 7% by weight of the parent soil) with different curing time (1, 7 and 28 days). The unconfined compression strength, liquid and plastic limits and plasticity index of treated specimens were measured by unconfined compression and Atterberg limits test. It was found that increase in nanobentonite content resulted in increase in the unconfined compression strength, liquid and plastic limits of the clayey soil and reduce in plasticity index.

Keywords: nanobentonite particles, clayey soil, unconfined compression stress, soil improvement.

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Authors: Suzanne El Takach

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The research study explored pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards 6 courses taught in 3rd till 6th semesters at the Faculty of Education, Lebanese University, during the academic year 2015-2016. They assessed science teaching courses that are essential for teacher preparation for Science at the primary and elementary level. These courses were: Action Research I and II in Teaching Science, New trends in Teaching Science, Teaching Science I and II for the elementary level and Teaching Science for Early Childhood Education. Qualitative and Quantitative Data were gathered from a) a survey questionnaire consisting of 23 closed-ended items; some were of Likert scale type, that aimed at collecting students’ opinions on courses, in terms of teaching, assessment and class interaction (N=102 respondents) and b) a second questionnaire of 10 questions was disseminated on a sample of 39 students in their last semester in science and Mathematics, in order to know more about students’ skills gained, suggestions for new courses and improvement. Students were satisfied with science teaching courses and they have admitted that they gained a good pedagogical content knowledge, such as, lesson planning, students’ misconceptions, and use of various teaching and assessment strategies.

Keywords: assessment in higher education, LMD program, pre-service teachers’ attitudes, pre-PCK skills

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Authors: Xu Tao, Yilun Xu, Dingwei Xiang, Yaofei Sun

Abstract:

Urban community is constitute the entire city and its management ‘cell’, let ‘cells’ with growth and self-regeneration capacity and persistence, to allow the city with infinite vigor and vitality of the source; with toughness community mankind's adaptation to the basic unit of social risk, toughness of the city from the community to create a point of building is urban toughness of top-down construction mode of supplement, is of positive significance on the toughness of the urban construction. Based on the basic concept of resilience, this paper reviews the research on the four main areas of the study of urban resilience (i.e., the engineering toughness, ecological resilience, economic resilience, and social resilience, etc.). Studies and comments and summarizes the basic characteristic and main content of the four kind of toughness. Based on, from the city - community level and community level for building community resilience, including the level of urban community and create a Unicom, inclusiveness and openness of the community; community-level lifted from the four angles of the engineering community toughness, ecological toughness, resilience, social resilience, mainly including enhanced the toughness of the infrastructure, green infrastructure of toughness, resilience, social network and social relations, building with a sense of belonging, inclusive, multicultural community. Finally, summarize and prospect the resilience of the community.

Keywords: resilience, community resilience, urban resilience, construction strategies

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Authors: Martin Lisý, Marek Baláš, Michal Špiláček, Zdeněk Skála

Abstract:

This paper deals with the issue of biomass and sorted municipal waste gasification and cogeneration using hot air turbo set. It brings description of designed pilot plant with electrical output 80 kWe. The generated gas is burned in secondary combustion chamber located beyond the gas generator. Flue gas flows through the heat exchanger where the compressed air is heated and consequently brought to a micro turbine. Except description, this paper brings our basic experiences from operating of pilot plant (operating parameters, contributions, problems during operating, etc.). The principal advantage of the given cycle is the fact that there is no contact between the generated gas and the turbine. So there is no need for costly and complicated gas cleaning which is the main source of operating problems in direct use in combustion engines because the content of impurities in the gas causes operation problems to the units due to clogging and tarring of working surfaces of engines and turbines, which may lead as far as serious damage to the equipment under operation. Another merit is the compact container package making installation of the facility easier or making it relatively more mobile. We imagine, this solution of cogeneration from biomass or waste can be suitable for small industrial or communal applications, for low output cogeneration.

Keywords: biomass, combustion, gasification, microcogeneration

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Authors: Martin Lisý, Marek Baláš, Michal Špiláček, Zdeněk Skála

Abstract:

This paper deals with the issue of biomass and sorted municipal waste gasification and cogeneration using hot-air turbo-set. It brings description of designed pilot plant with electrical output 80 kWe. The generated gas is burned in secondary combustion chamber located beyond the gas generator. Flue gas flows through the heat exchanger where the compressed air is heated and consequently brought to a micro turbine. Except description, this paper brings our basic experiences from operating of pilot plant (operating parameters, contributions, problems during operating, etc.). The principal advantage of the given cycle is the fact that there is no contact between the generated gas and the turbine. So there is no need for costly and complicated gas cleaning which is the main source of operating problems in direct use in combustion engines because the content of impurities in the gas causes operation problems to the units due to clogging and tarring of working surfaces of engines and turbines, which may lead as far as serious damage to the equipment under operation. Another merit is the compact container package making installation of the facility easier or making it relatively more mobile. We imagine, this solution of cogeneration from biomass or waste can be suitable for small industrial or communal applications, for low output cogeneration.

Keywords: biomass, combustion, gasification, microcogeneration

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Authors: Azad Khalid, Ime Akanyeti

Abstract:

About 68% of the urban solid waste generated in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus TRNC is household solid waste, at present, its disposal in landfills. In other hand more than 3000 ton per year of sewage sludge produces in Nicosia waste water treatment plant, the produced sludge piled up without any processing. Co-composting of organic fraction of municipal solid waste and sewage sludge is diverting of municipal solid waste from landfills and best disposal of wastewater sewage sludge. Three 10 L insulated bioreactor R1, R2 and R3 obtained with aeration rate 0.05 m3/h.kg for R2 and R3, R1 was without aeration. The mixture was destined with ratio of sewage sludge: food waste: sawdust; 1:5:0.8 (w/w). The effective of aeration monitored during 42 days of process through investigation in key parameter moisture, C/N ratio, temperature and pH. Results show that the high moisture content cause problem and around 60% recommend, C/N ratio decreased about 17% in aerated reactors and 10% in without aeration and mixture volume reduced in volume 40% in final compost with size of 1.00 to 20.0 mm. temperature in reactors with aeration reached thermophilic phase above 50 °C and <40 °C in without aeration. The final pH is 6.1 in R1, 8.23 in R2 and 8.1 in R3.

Keywords: aeration, sewage sludge, food waste, sawdust, composting

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Authors: Imen Elleuch, Wael Ouarda, Gargouri Bilel

Abstract:

We proposes in this paper a Deep Learning based approach to classify text in order to enrich an Arabic ontology based on the objects classes of Gaston Gross. Those object classes are defined by taking into account the syntactic and semantic features of the treated language. Thus, our proposed approach is a hybrid one. In fact, it is based on the one hand on the object classes that represents a knowledge based-approach on classification of text and in the other hand it uses the deep learning approach that use the word embedding-based-approach to classify text. We have applied our proposed approach on a corpus constructed from an Arabic dictionary. The obtained semantic classification of text will enrich the Arabic objects classes ontology. In fact, new classes can be added to the ontology or an expansion of the features that characterizes each object class can be updated. The obtained results are compared to a similar work that treats the same object with a classical linguistic approach for the semantic classification of text. This comparison highlight our hybrid proposed approach that can be ameliorated by broaden the dataset used in the deep learning process.

Keywords: deep-learning approach, object-classes, semantic classification, Arabic

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Authors: Setareh Yousife

Abstract:

Introduction: Studies suggest that Extramarital Infidelity (EMI) variants, such as sexual and emotional infidelities are increasing in marriage relationships. To our knowledge, less is known about what therapies and mental-hygiene factors can prevent more effective this behavior and address it. Spiritual and cognitive-behavioural health have proven to reduce marital conflict, Increase marital satisfaction and commitment. Objective: This study aims to discuss the effectiveness of spiritual counseling combined with Cognitive-behavioural techniques in addressing Extramarital Infidelity. Method: Descriptive, analytical, and intervention articles indexed in SID, Noormags, Scopus, Iranmedex, Web of Science and PubMed databases, and Google Scholar were searched. We focused on Studies in which Women with extramarital relationships, including heterosexual married couples-only studies and spirituality/religion and CBT as coping techniques used as EMI therapy. Finally, the full text of all eligible articles was prepared and discussed in this review. Results: 25 publications were identified, and their textual analysis facilitated through four thematic approaches: The nature of EMI in Women, the meaning of spirituality in the context of mental health and human behavior as well as psychotherapy; Spirituality integrated into Cognitive-Behavioral approach, The role of Spirituality as a deterrent to EMI. Conclusions: The integration of the findings discussed herein suggests that the application of cognitive and behavioral skills in addressing these kinds of destructive family-based relationships is inevitable. As treatments based on religion/spirituality or cognition/behavior do not seem adequately effective in dealing with EMI, the combination of these approaches may lead to higher efficacy in fewer sessions and a shorter time.

Keywords: spirituality, religion, cognitive behavioral therapy, extramarital relation, infidelity

Procedia PDF Downloads 230