Partial loading of XMI models

XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) is an OMG-standardised model exchange format, which is natively supported by the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) and the majority of the modelling and model management languages and tools. Whilst XMI is widely supported, the XMI parser provided by EMF is inefficient in some cases where models are readonly (such as input models for model query, model-to-model transformation, etc) as it always requires loading the entire model into memory. In this paper we present a novel algorithm, and a prototype implementation (SmartSAX), which is capable of partially loading models persisted in XMI. SmartSAX oérs improved performance, in terms of loading time and memory footprint, over the default EMF XMI parser. We describe the algorithm in detail, and present benchmarking results that demonstrate the substantial improvements of the prototype implementation over the XMI parser provided by EMF

Determinants of contractor satisfaction

Performance in the construction industry is increasingly scrutinized as a result of the delays, cost overruns and poor quality of the industry’s products and services. Increasingly, disputes, conflicts and mismatches of objectives among participants are contributory factors. Performance measurement approaches have been developed to overcome these problems. However, these approaches focus primarily on objective measures to the exclusion of subjective measures, particularly those concerning contractor satisfaction (Co-S). The contractor satisfaction model (CoSMo) developed here is intended to rectify the situation. Data derived from a questionnaire survey of 75 large contractors in Malaysia in respect of a key project are analysed to identify participant factors and their strength of relationship with Co-S dimensions. The results are presented in the form of eight regression equations. The outcome is a tool for use by project participants to provide a better understanding of how they, and the project, affect contractor satisfaction. The developed model sheds some light on a hitherto unknown aspect of construction management in providing an increased awareness of the importance of major Malaysian construction contractors’ needs in the execution of successful projects

Thetis coastal ocean model: discontinuous Galerkin discretization for the three-dimensional hydrostatic equations

Unstructured grid ocean models are advantageous for simulating the coastal ocean and river–estuary–plume systems. However, unstructured grid models tend to be diffusive and/or computationally expensive, which limits their applicability to real-life problems. In this paper, we describe a novel discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element discretization for the hydrostatic equations. The formulation is fully conservative and second-order accurate in space and time. Monotonicity of the advection scheme is ensured by using a strong stability-preserving time integration method and slope limiters. Compared to previous DG models, advantages include a more accurate mode splitting method, revised viscosity formulation, and new second-order time integration scheme. We demonstrate that the model is capable of simulating baroclinic flows in the eddying regime with a suite of test cases. Numerical dissipation is well-controlled, being comparable or lower than in existing state-of-the-art structured grid models.</p

21. Environmental disclosure in Japanese wood-related companies for 2005 and 2010

Environmental and sustainability reports by private sectors are primarily aimed at information disclosure for individual entities. Comparison of such reports in two different years, provide us with unique opportunity to explore underpinning changes. This article compares Japanese wood-related sectors in 2005 and in 2010. During this half-decade, the economy was sluggish, with a number of dramatic meltdowns symbolized by the “Lehman shock” in 2008. The period also experience upheaval of environmental movements with a major UN COP on biodiversity taking place in Nagoya in 2010, making comparison of these two years more interesting. Environmental disclosure from 51 companies mainly from 7 wood related sectors was reviewed. The trends in disclosed information was reviewed based on the following criteria: publishing of environmental reports, reference to illegal logging, definition of sustainable forest management, and membership to the Global Compact. The results indicated an increase in many of the indicators for large size companies, particularly for trading companies, while the majority of small and mid-size companies did not conduct basic activities such as publishing reports.[Book Chapter]: 21. Environmental disclosure in Japanese wood-related companies for 2005 and 2010, Part V. Ecosystem Service and Socioeconomic Aspects with Special Reference to Biodiversity, Integrative Observations and Assessments (Ecological Research Monographs / Asia-Pacific Biodiversity Observation Network), edited by Shin-ichi Nakano(中野 伸一), Tetsukazu Yahara(矢原 徹一), Tohru Nakashizuka(浅野 透), DOI:10.1007/978-4-431-54783-

Особенности развития малого предпринимательства в Украине

В этой работе рассмотрена эволюция предпринимательства Украины на всех этапах ее общественной жизни, в том числе в период экономического кризиса в годы становления независимости. Отражены основные параметры отнесения предприятий к субъектам малого предпринимательства и их роль в развитии экономики государств.У цій роботі розглянута еволюція підприємництва України на всіх етапах її суспільного життя, зокрема в період економічної кризи в роки становлення незалежності. Відображені основні параметри віднесення підприємств до суб'єктів малого підприємництва і їх роль в розвитку економіки держав

Plume spreading test case for coastal ocean models

We present a test case of river plume spreading to evaluate numerical methods used in coastal ocean modeling. It includes an estuary–shelf system whose dynamics combine nonlinear flow regimes with sharp frontal boundaries and linear regimes with cross-shore geostrophic balance. This system is highly sensitive to physical or numerical dissipation and mixing. The main characteristics of the plume dynamics are predicted analytically but are difficult to reproduce numerically because of numerical mixing present in the models. Our test case reveals the level of numerical mixing as well as the ability of models to reproduce nonlinear processes and frontal zone dynamics. We document numerical solutions for the Thetis and FESOM-C models on an unstructured triangular mesh, as well as ones for the GETM and FESOM-C models on a quadrilateral mesh. We propose an analysis of simulated plume spreading which may be useful in more general studies of plume dynamics. The major result of our comparative study is that accuracy in reproducing the analytical solution depends less on the type of model discretization or computational grid than it does on the type of advection scheme.</p

Assessing the greenness of environmental advertising claims made by multinational industrial firms

Growing skepticism about green advertisements calls for a thorough investigation of the environmental claims made by firms. This is particularly important in the context of industrial and international markets, where research on the subject is virtually non-existent. By employing legitimacy theory, this article develops several research hypotheses linking various dimensions of environmental claims made in green advertisements (i.e., focal points, evaluation areas, leverage aspects, driving forces) with advertising greenness (i.e., shallow, moderate, deep). It then tests these hypotheses with data obtained from a content analysis of 383 green magazine advertisements by multinational firms producing industrial goods. In accord with legitimacy theory, the results indicate that, the stronger the greenness of an advertisement: (a) the greater the use of focal points relating to a product, processes, image, and facts; (b) the more specific, strong, substantive, and acceptable are the issues raised; (c) the higher the employment of rational, emotional, and moral points to leverage environmental matters; and (d) the sharper the driving forces relating to the planet and its flora, fauna, and human entities. Several important conclusions, managerial implications, and directions for future research are derived from these findings

The KiVa antibullying program in primary schools in Chile, with and without the digital game component: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Bullying is a major problem worldwide and Chile is no exception. Bullying is defined as a systematic aggressive behavior against a victim who cannot defend him or herself. Victims suffer social isolation and psychological maladjustment, while bullies have a higher risk for conduct problems and substance use disorders. These problems appear to last over time. The KiVa antibullying program has been evaluated in Finland and other European countries, showing preventive effects on victimization and self-reported bullying. The aims of this study are (1) to develop a culturally appropriate version of the KiVa material and (2) to test the effectiveness of the KiVa program, with and without the online game, on reducing experiences of victimization and bullying behavior among vulnerable primary schools in Santiago (Chile), using a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with three arms: (1) full KiVa program group, (2) partial KiVa (without online game) program group and (3) control group. METHODS AND DESIGN: This is a three-arm, single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a target enrolment of 1495 4th and 5th graders attending 13 vulnerable schools per arm. Students in the full and partial KiVa groups will receive universal actions: ten 2-h lessons delivered by trained teachers during 1 year; they will be exposed to posters encouraging them to support victims and behave constructively when witnessing bullying; and a person designated by the school authorities will be present in all school breaks and lunchtimes using a visible KiVa vest to remind everybody that they are in a KiVa school. KiVa schools also will have indicated actions, which consist of a set of discussion groups with the victims and with the bullies, with proper follow-up. Only full KiVa schools will also receive an online game which has the aim to raise awareness of the role of the group in bullying, increase empathy and promote strategies to support victimized peers. Self-reported victimization, bullying others and peer-reported bullying actions, psychological and academic functioning, and sense of school membership will be measured at baseline and 12 months after randomization. DISCUSSION: This is the first cluster RCT of the KiVa antibullying program in Latin America. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02898324 . Registered on 8 September 2016