The sustainability of land use and problems of the soil environment as a result of rice cultivation in the Red River Delta. Abstract only

Land useSustainabilityRiceSoil propertiesSoil degradationIndustrializationVillages

Non-destructive testing techniques for the observation of healing effects in cementitious materials: an introduction

To develop an appropriate method of self-healing for cementitious materials including the right composition and amount of suitable healing agents it is required to investigate the healing efficiency for certain material mixtures. While some researchers evaluate the regain in compressive strength by means of destructive load tests, this method is obviously second best in particular for field applications. In a large EU project the best candidates among the non-destructive testing methods are investigated to be applied in small and large laboratory experiments as well as at real structures in-situ. The paper is giving an introduction to these techniques and addresses also issues of structural health monitoring used for example to monitor the healing effects on a long term basis and to assess the condition of the structure, where self-healing techniques are applied

Automatic Generation of School Bus Routes in Los Angeles

The goal of our project is to automatically generate school bus routes for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). We examined four algorithms, including two from the existing literature and two new ones that we developed. A major focus of our work was the construction of “mixed-load routes,” which transport students from multiple schools. Based on our measurements (whose imperfections we discuss), three of the four algorithms perform at least as well as the existing route plan, and one of those three performs better than the existing route plan. We also delivered a user-friendly routing program to LAUSD that uses one of these algorithms, and we have made our software publicly available. Our insights and results are also applicable to other school districts that permit mixed-load routing

Applying the problem-based learning approach in teaching digital integrated circuit design

The Conference proceedings' website is located at http://www.cetl.hku.hk/conference2010/conf_proc.htmConference Theme: Enhancing Learning Experiences in Higher EducationThe problem-based learning (PBL) method has been applied to curriculum development in some areas of electrical engineering. The overall result has been a positive learning experience for students. However, PBL has not, as yet, been used in the area of digital integrated circuit (IC) design. IC design is in a revolutionary phase at present. It could even be said that IC design is at the beginning of a new epoch. Design is moving toward nano-size. Thus, design techniques are advancing so rapidly that existing design knowledge quickly becomes obsolete. The IC design industry needs engineers with an integrated design perspective, real hands-on experience and well developed skills in problem solving, communications and continuous self-learn…postprin

A Systematic Review of Studies Using the Brief COPE: Religious Coping in Factor Analyses

Religion is generally recognized as a major resource for dealing with stressful events, but its relationship with secular coping strategies continues to be debated. The present article provides a systematic review of the way in which analyses of the sub-scale turning to religion of the widely used Brief COPE [1] instrument are presented in peer-reviewed research articles, in order to investigate how the wealth of data published using this instrument can inform how religious coping relates to other coping strategies. Of the 212 identified articles that included turning to religion in their analyses, 80 combined sub-scale scores to form higher-order coping factors, 38 of which based on exploratory factor analyses of their own datasets. When factor analyses had used individual items as indicators, religious coping was more likely to load together with maladaptive coping strategies, and more likely with adaptive coping strategies when analyses were conducted at sub-scale level. To a large extent, the variation in the results from exploratory factor analyses appears to be due to the diverse and often inappropriate factor analytic techniques used to determine the factor structure of the Brief COPE instrument. Reports from factor analyses of the Brief COPE therefore have very little value when trying to make general conclusions about the role of religious coping in relation to secular coping methods

Computer Programme for the Dynamic Analysis of Tall Regular Frames

The traditional method of dynamic analysis of tall rigid frames assumes the shear frame model. Models that allow joint rotations with/without the inclusion of the column axial loads give improved results but pose much more computational difficulty. In this work a computer program Natfrequency that determines the dynamic stiffness matrix of tall frames and solves the eigenvalue problem when modeled as a shear frame and when joint rotations with/without the inclusion of the column axial loads was developed.Results obtained using Natfrequency were in total agreement with those obtained manually and were obtained in seconds. It is recommended that with tall buildings becoming less stiff and more susceptible to dynamic disturbances, that models, which allow joint rotations with/without the inclusion of the columns' axial loads, be used for their analysis

Topicalization and passivisation in the English language

The English language like any other language has rules of syntax. Many languages including English have a transformation that move constituents which according to Arts are “strings of one or more words that syntactically and semantically behave as a unit” (193). This in essence means that some sequence of words in a particular sentence can occur in a different position in the same sentence for different stylistic effects. Premised on the foregoing, this study attempts to explore topicalization and passivisation in the English language using basic Chomskyean movement transformation rule model. It is believed that this study will further highlight some of the basic stylistic effects of movement transformations inherent in topicalization and passivisation

Does Absolute Synonymy exist in Owere-Igbo?

Among Igbo linguistic researchers, determining whether absolute synonymy exists in Owere–Igbo, a dialect of the Igbo language predominantly spoken by the people of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, has become a thorny issue. While some linguistic scholars strive to establish that absolute synonymy exists in the lexical structure of natural language, others invest much vigorous effort to debunk the claim. This researcher, therefore, conducted an empirical research to provide a factual clue to the question of whether absolute synonymy exists in the lexical structure of Owere–Igbo or otherwise. With 200 copies of questionnaire administered and retrieved from 200 Research Collaborators, who are also fluent native speakers, the research was conducted. The researcher also interviewed native speakers of the dialect. The study found out that in each pair of synonyms investigated slight, but detectable differences were always invariably present. This conclusion was drawn based on the observation that synonyms in Owere-Igbo cannot substitute for each other in all contexts, i.e. set of lexemes can substitute for each other in one context, but in another context they cannot substitute without a change in meaning.. This researcher employed various tests such as substitution or interchangeability method, contrastive method and statistical method to test for absolute synonymy in Owere-Igbo. An examination of all illustrative samples of possible candidates for absolute synonymy given by Owere-Igbo speakers revealed that none of the pairs of synonymous lexeme investigated satisfied the criteria used.Key words: absolute synonymy, partial synonymy, lexemes, lexical structure, languag

Sex Variations in the use of taboo Expressions in Igbo Community: A Manifestation of Gender Inequality

This study examined sex variations in taboo expressions in Igbo culture area and argued that sex variations in taboo expressions in Igboland is an indication that gender inequality still operates in Igbo community despite all efforts aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex. To carry out this study, the researcher adopted a descriptive survey method. The methods of data collection used were interview, personal observation and the researcher’s intuition as a member of Igbo speech community. Secondary data was collected through library research. A total of 48 fluent speakers of Igbo who inhabit the Igbo speaking areas were purposively selected for this study. The data collected were descriptively analyzed. The result of the study proved that sex is a strong linguistic variable that affects speech in Igbo community and that women in Igboland are forbidden from using certain taboo expressions, especially in gatherings comprising men and women. This paper, therefore, concluded that the differences observed in the speech of men and women in Igboland serve as an evidence of inequality between men and women in Igboland despite various attempts aimed at putting an end to all sorts of discrimination on the basis of sex.Key Words: community, culture, inequality, expression, language, sex, variation, tabo