Spaces of Activism – Physical and Social Thrombogenesis

Some recent urban transformation projects as a consequence of social activism show that society has the power to specify the problems generate solutions for them and heal its environment for a sustainable future. They also propose different type of public experience in terms of participation, activity and production. These transformation projects come forward as a subject of research for raised consciousness, triggering activism and transformative public sphere they foster. Furthermore, social activism, resulting in transformation projects, changes the city structure and contributes to physical conditions. Many left-over plots and buildings are turned into lively portions of public scene. These potentials are mainly brought forward by the activist initiatives. Spatial needs, responsibility and sensitivity for the city propose spatial transformation and lead to urban developments. Last but not least, this type of public space contributes to productivity, identity and improvement of neglected part of the society. It does not only allow participation and bring different groups together, but also encourages self-exploration and personal transformation. Overall, concept of social activism proposes possible organizational formations and spatial ideas for transformative public spheres

A Review of Empirical Research on Distributed Leadership at Schools

Recently distributed leadership is on the agenda of educational researchers. Considering the remarkable leap in the number of studies conducted for the past ten years, this review focused on the empirical studies in educational institutions carried out between 2005 and 2015, with a cross-cultural perspective. Keeping the conceptual models offered in the literature in mind, the reviewers attempted to shed lights on the reflections of distributed leadership on the ground. Throughout this narrative review, 43 empirical studies conducted in schools from 18 countries were scrutinized through content analysis. Answers were sought for some critical questions on practicing of distributed leadership by presenting the emerging themes and concepts. Furthermore, this article presented practices of distributed leadership at schools on various countries in the lights of the empirical findings of the studies the literature. Additionally, in the final section of the current review, the conceptualization of distributed leadership with empirical outline was discussed, and some recommendations were offered towards sharing school objectives, values in a frame of collective vision for contributing to learning at schools

A Study on the Hydrodynamics of a Bench-Scale Top-Fed Bubbling Fluidized Bed Gasifier using Biomass and Coal as Feedstocks

The production of synthetic gas (syngas) from renewable or carbon-neutral sources can significantly reduce greenhouse and other emissions associated with conventional fuels. One of the most promising technologies to efficiently convert carbonaceous feedstocks such as biomass, coal, or municipal waste into syngas for transportation, power, heat, electricity generation, and or production of added-value chemicals is the bubbling fluidized-bed gasifier (BFBG). However, the gasification process inside a BFBG is a very complex high-temperature multiphase flow phenomena still not well understood, particularly when binary mixtures are investigated. As a result, despite the numerous correlations in the literature developed to predict the hydrodynamics inside a BFBG, the results are inconsistent, particularly for the minimum fluidization velocity, Umf. As predicting the fluidization hydrodynamics is paramount for optimum gasification, this investigation observed the effect of some of the most important fluidization parameters such as the particle size and shape, fluidizing gas properties, moisture content, bed aspect ratio etc. This study designed and built two separate experimental platforms: a bench-scale BFBG with automated feeding and a cold flow model with the same geometry and dimensions as the BFBG. The experiments used well-characterized (i.e., known size and shape distribution, density, moisture content, initial mixing condition) inert material (sand, glass beads) and feedstock (biomass (sawdust) and coal). The cold flow investigation results showed that the initial mixing conditions for binary mixtures with biomass had a significant effect on the measured Umf. For example, the relative error in predicting Umf using the available correlation in the literature increased for segregated mixtures. Moreover, lower relative errors in Umf suggested that the fluidization quality was better if the mixture was initially well-mixed (premixed). In addition, a larger biomass moisture content decreased Umfof premixed binary mixtures but increased the relative error between the predicted and the experimental Reynolds number, Re. After reaching the minimum fluidization condition, the fluidization behavior and mixing at various flow rates were also recorded with a high-speed camera. The processed images were used to determine the interval for the fluidizing-gas superficial velocity that produced the best mixing for a particular mixture composition and initial conditions. The images showed that while segregated biomass mixtures did not mix if the bed aspect ratio was larger than five, coal mixtures did mix homogeneously along the reactor bed. Finally, experiments performed at temperatures up to 800 °C showed a large increase in the bed pressure drop at minimum fluidization velocity with the bed temperature due to the large effect on the fluidizing gas density and viscosity. On the contrary, Umf decreased when the process temperature increased. Finally, preliminary biomass and coal gasification experiments in the BFBG setup produced acceptable syngas composition, suggesting that the BFBG developed in this study can be successfully used to further investigate biomass and coal gasification

Investigating the relationship between job insecurity and health in Europe: a focus on cardiovascular disease

Background: The economic crisis, which commenced in 2008, had several negative consequences for both nations and individuals. The overall economic situation of nations affected growth, development and employment opportunities. Consequently, unemployment levels and job insecurity for those employed both increased. This thesis aims to explore the impact of job insecurity on a specific group of employees: those affected by cardiovascular disease. Specifically, the thesis aims to explore the interactions between job insecurity and other work-related factors and add knowledge on how employees who had a heart attack and returned to work experience employment protection and social support at work. The thesis also aims to explore the role of work-related factors and employment protection in these employees’ recovery and transition back to work while managing their cardiovascular disease. Methods: The current thesis is based on the biopsychosocial model of health by Engel (1977) that includes biological, psychological and social elements. Additionally, the thesis incorporates the job demands-control-support (JDCS) model, which aims to explain how job insecurity is affected by other work-related factors that, consequently, directly and indirectly, affect health-related outcomes. The current thesis uses a mixed-methods approach, with qualitative findings complementing quantitative findings through an integrative process. The proposed model of job insecurity and health, which is developed based on the literature, is quantitatively tested on a sample (N= 1,584) retrieved from the European Working Conditions Survey (2010). The quantitative study employed exploratory factor analysis, hierarchical multiple regression (HMR), moderation and mediation analyses (Hayes, 2013), confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM). The qualitative study was based on semi-structured interviews with 30 employees (15 English and 15 Greek) who had a heart attack between 2008 and 2016 and returned to work. It adds cognizance of employees’ experience of employment protection, support and job insecurity. The qualitative study also highlights similarities and differences between the samples in these two countries that were differently affected by the 2008 financial crisis. Results: In the quantitative part of this thesis, the proposed model was partially confirmed with key structures working as expected, and some sub-hypotheses not being confirmed. Separate HMRs indicated significant results for most hypothesised relationships. However, the results were slightly different when all interactions were tested at the same time with MSEM. Focusing on the MSEM results, JDCS had the expected function in the model, and was associated with job insecurity, financial security/confidence, health, wellbeing and work-related stress. Job insecurity was negatively associated with health and work-related stress as expected, but not wellbeing, presenteeism and work-life balance. Presenteeism and work-life balance were associated with work-related stress, and wellbeing was positively associated with financial security/confidence. The qualitative part of this thesis yielded five key themes: employment rights and security after a heart attack, economic situation, health after a heart attack, self at work after a heart attack, and resources and support after a heart attack. Findings from the interviews showed that employment protection provisions are not always clear to employees, and perceptions of job insecurity are affected by organisational culture, work experience and expertise, business relationships and networks, and job role flexibility. Conclusion: The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings indicates that workplace social support and job insecurity had an important impact on employees’ health, recovery and transition back to work after a heart attack. EPL and policies affect how employees experience job insecurity, demands and control at work upon their return after sick leave. However, it seems that employment protection and support are not always clear and officially communicated by employers. Lack of adequate inspection of employers’ and managers’ practices is causing inconsistent support provision to employees, consequently affecting levels of job control and security. Further action and research are necessary to encourage the comprehensive implementation of both employment protection and health and safety legislation and policies, requiring employers to implement effective risk assessments for employees’ return to work after a heart attack

Çok Amaçlı Doğrusal Kesirli Programlama Probleminin Taylor Serisiyle Çözümü

DergiPark: 245889trakyafbdBu makalede, Çok Amaçlı Doğrusal Kesirli Programlama Probleminin uygun bölgesindeki, her doğrusal kesirli amaç fonksiyonunu optimal yapan noktalarda, kesirli lineer amaç fonksiyonları Taylor serisine açılarak, Çok Amaçlı Doğrusal Kesirli Programlama Problemi, Çok Amaçlı Doğrusal Programlama Problemine dönüştürül-müştür. Daha sonra da, doğrusal amaç fonksiyonlarının ağırlıkları dikkate alınarak, ağırlıklı toplamı bulunmuştur. Ardından, tek amaçlı doğrusal programlama problemi elde edilmiştir. Bu doğrusal programlama probleminin optimal çözümü, çok amaçlı doğrusal kesirli programlama probleminin etkin, hatta, kuvvetli etkin çözümlerini belirlemektedir. Önerilen çözümün etkinliğini göstermek için, örnek uygulamalar yapılmış olup, örneklerin çözümünde WinQSB bilgisayar paket programı kullanılmıştır.In this paper, we have proposed a solution to Multi Objective Linear Fractional Programming Problem (MOLFPP) by expanding the order 1st Taylor polynomial series these objective functions at optimal points of each linear fractional objective functions in feasible region. MOLFPP reduces to an equivalent Multi Objective Linear Programming Problem (MOLPP). The resulting MOLPP is solved assuming that weights of these linear objective functions are equal and considering the sum of the these linear objective functions. The proposed solution to MOLFPP always yields efficient solution, even a strong-efficient solution. Therefore, the complexity in solving MOLFPP has reduced easy computational. To show the ability the proposed solution, three different numerical examples have been presented. The given examples are solved using optimization software WINQSB (Chang, 2001)

Bug-Damage Protease and Wheat Quality

Established and supported under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centre Progra

(R1964) Solving Multi-Objective Linear Fractional Programming Problems via Zero-Sum Game

This study presents a hybrid algorithm consisting of game theory and the first order Taylor series approach to find compromise solutions to multi-objective linear fractional programming (MOLFP) problems. The proposed algorithm consists of three phases including different techniques: in the first phase, the optimal solution to each LFP problem is found using the simplex method; in the second phase, a zero-sum game is solved to determine the weights of the objective functions via the ratio matrix obtained from a payoff matrix; in the last phase, fractional objective functions of the MOLFP problem are linearized using the 1st order Taylor series. A compromise solution is found by solving the single-objective LP problem constructed in the third phase by using the weights. This algorithm can provide compromise solutions to the problem by constructing different ratio matrices in the second phase. The novelty of this study is that the decision-makers can choose the most suitable solution for their strategy among the compromise solutions. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the efficiency of the algorithm

A Solution Algorithm for Interval Transportation Problems via Time-Cost Tradeoff

In this paper, an algorithm for solving interval time-cost tradeoff transportation problemsis presented. In this problem, all the demands are defined as intervalto determine more realistic duration and cost. Mathematical methods can be used to convert the time-cost tradeoff problems to linear programming, integer programming, dynamic programming, goal programming or multi-objective linear programming problems for determining the optimum duration and cost. Using this approach, the algorithm is developed converting interval time-cost tradeoff transportation problem to the linear programming problem by taking into consideration of decision maker (DM)

Estimation of Compressive Strength of Waste Andesite Powder-Added Concrete Using an Artifical Neural Network

In this study, the effects of using andesite powder wastes-produced from natural stone factories as mineral additives in concrete manufacturing-on the compressive strength of concrete were modeled using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). To achieve this, cement mixtures were produced by using waste andesite powder (WAP) mixture at ratios of 0% (control), 10%, 15% and 20%. The effects of curing time were investigated by preparing specimens at 28 and 90 days. The training set was formed by using cement and the specified WAP mixtures and curing time parameters. It was observed that the results obtained from the training ANNs were consistent with the experimental data

A New Successive Linearization Approach for Solving Nonlinear Programming Problems

In this paper, we focused on general nonlinear programming (NLP) problems having m nonlinear (or linear) algebraic inequality (or equality or mixed) constraints with a nonlinear (or linear) algebraic objective function in n variables. We proposed a new two-phase-successive linearization approach for solving NLP problems. Aim of this proposed approach is to find a solution of the NLP problem, based on optimal solution of linear programming (LP) problems, satisfying the nonlinear constraints oversensitively. This approach leads to novel methods. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the approach