MEASUREMENT OF TURBULENCE IN TERRAIN-DISRUPTED AIRFLOW AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT USING A DOPPLER LIDAR

The Doppler LIDAR of the Hong Kong Observatory was used to measure eddy dissipation rate (EDR) directly for the first time at the Hong Kong International Airport in an experiment in 2004. EDR is a measure of turbulence intensity adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The laser beam of the LIDAR stared in a direction parallel to the runways and radial velocity data were obtained at a range resolution of 60 m. The velocity structure function was computed based on two different estimates of the velocity fluctuation (viz. temporal and spatial methods) and EDR was then calculated by fitting the structure function with the von Kármán model. The two estimates of velocity fluctuation were found to give comparable EDR values. The LIDAR-derived EDR also turned out to have good correlation with EDR obtained from runway anemometers and a boundary-layer wind profiler. In a case of terrain-disrupted airflow during the experiment, the LIDAR-derived EDR showed that turbulence was present near the centre of a micro-scale vortex to the west of the airport

MEASUREMENT OF TURBULENCE IN TERRAIN-DISRUPTED AIRFLOW AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT USING A DOPPLER LIDAR

The Doppler LIDAR of the Hong Kong Observatory was used to measure eddy dissipation rate (EDR) directly for the first time at the Hong Kong International Airport in an experiment in 2004. EDR is a measure of turbulence intensity adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The laser beam of the LIDAR stared in a direction parallel to the runways and radial velocity data were obtained at a range resolution of 60 m. The velocity structure function was computed based on two different estimates of the velocity fluctuation (viz. temporal and spatial methods) and EDR was then calculated by fitting the structure function with the von Kármán model. The two estimates of velocity fluctuation were found to give comparable EDR values. The LIDAR-derived EDR also turned out to have good correlation with EDR obtained from runway anemometers and a boundary-layer wind profiler. In a case of terrain-disrupted airflow during the experiment, the LIDAR-derived EDR showed that turbulence was present near the centre of a micro-scale vortex to the west of the airport

Branding in China: Alternative Brand StrategiesBranding in China: Global Product Strategy Alternatives

This article reviews and discusses issues in translation of international brand names to Chinese, and provides a framework for international brand managers who want to expand into China. Linguistic differences between Chinese and English are wide and deep, making translation of brand names difficult. Cultural context, pronunciation, written vs. oral language, and meaning of characters are just a few examples of such difficulties. We discuss four global-product-naming strategic alternatives available to country/brand managers, along with their usage, and give examples of brands utilizing the different approaches. The four approaches we discuss include (1) dual extension, (2) brand meaning extension, (3) brand feeling extension, and (4) dual adaptation

Whole-genome analysis of quorum-sensing Burkholderia sp. strain A9

YesBurkholderia spp. rely on N-acyl homoserine lactone as quorum-sensing signal molecules which coordinate their phenotype at the population level. In this work, we present the whole genome of Burkholderia sp. strain A9, which enables the discovery of its N-acyl homoserine lactone synthase gene.UM High Impact Research Grants (UM-MOHE HIR grant UM C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/01, H-50001-A000001 and UMMOHE HIR Grant UM C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/14/1, H-50001- A000027

How Are Brand Names of Chinese Companies Perceived by Americans?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to conduct an experimental design of Americans’ preferences for the English version of Chinese brand names by drawing from prior research in psychology, linguistics and marketing. The impact of string length and semantic relevance to English on meaningfulness, memorability and likeability of brand names from Chinese companies was assessed. Design/methodology/approach – A 2 × 2 experimental design was used, whereby brand names are categorized by string length (short vs long) and semantic relevance to English (with vs without). Respondents’ perception of the Chinese language in terms of pronounceability, language familiarity and language attitude is used as covariate. Findings – Results reveal shorter brand names, and those with semantic relevance to English are perceived as more memorable. It was also found that pronounceability of the brand name does influence brand name preference in terms of their meaningfulness, memorability and likeability. Research limitations/implications – This exploratory paper is limited to Americans’ perceptions of the English version of Chinese automobile brand names. Practical implications – Chinese companies should therefore carefully consider the brand name characteristics in terms of string length and semantic relevance, as well as their ease of pronunciation when choosing and introducing their brand name in the USA. Originality/value – This is the first paper which assesses Western consumers’ perception of brand names from Chinese automobile companies in terms of their brand meaningfulness, brand memorability and brand likeability

Can Collaborative Knowledge Building Promote Both Scientific Processes and Science Achievement?

This study investigated the role of collective knowledge building in promoting scientific inquiry and achievements among Hong Kong high-school chemistry students. The participants included 34 Grade 10 (15-16 years old) students who engaged in collective inquiry and progressive discourse, using Knowledge Forum@, a computer-supported learning environment. A comparison class of 35 students also participated in the study. The instructional design, premised on knowledge-building principles including epistemic agency, improvable ideas and community knowledge, consisted of several components: developing a collaborative classroom culture, engaging in problem-centered inquiry, deepening the knowledge-building discourse, and aligning assessment with collective learning. Quantitative findings show that the students in the knowledge-building classroom outperformed the comparison students in scientific understanding with sustained effects in public examination. Analyses of knowledge-building dynamics indicate that the students showed deeper engagement and inquiry over time. Students’ collaboration and inquiry on Knowledge Forum significantly predicted their scientific understanding, over and above the effects of their prior science achievement. Qualitative analyses suggest how student’s knowledge-creation discourse, involving explanatory inquiry, constructive use of information and theory revision,can scaffold scientific understanding

Genetic-Based Motion Planning for Articulated Robotic Manipulators

This paper is concerned with introducing a genetic-based algorithm for the minimum-time trajectory planning of articulated robotic manipulators. The planning procedure is performed in the configuration space and respects all physical constraints imposed on the manipulator design, including the limits on the torque values applied to the motor of each joint of the arm; consequently, the complete non-linear dynamic robot model is incorporated in the formulation

Pandoraea sp. strain E26: discovery of its quorum-sensing properties via whole-genome sequence analysis

YesWe report the draft genome sequence of Pandoraea sp. strain E26 isolated from a former landfill site, sequenced by the Illumina MiSeq platform. This genome sequence will be useful to further understand the quorum-sensing system of this isolate.University of Malaya High-Impact Research (HIR) grants (UM C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/01, grant A-000001- 50001 and UM-MOHE HIR UM C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/CHAN/14/1, grant H-50001-A000027