177 research outputs found
Key factors affecting transnational knowledge transfer in the context of the Euroaid Asia programme
A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Science by research of the University of BedfordshireThe thesis aims to identify and verify the key factors affecting transnational knowledge transfer (TKT) in the context of the EuroAid Asia Programme. This study extends the existing research on knowledge transfer (KT) by investigating the neglected area of TKT, an area which needs better understanding, given the rapid development of TKT. Compared to the KT at the individual, group, or organizational level, TKT is both more complicated to comprehend, and has received less attention.
This study begins with a literature review of the definition of knowledge and KT, analysis of KT at different levels, and summary of a comprehensive set of factors that may influence KT. Then, in order to empirically explore the key factors affecting TKT in the EuroAid Asia Programme and to evaluate the relative importance between factors, an international Delphi survey is employed. Through the two rounds, experts mentioned twenty-four factors and provided explanations for their views. Based on these survey results, a factorial model is developed.
The verified factors and the proposed model could help project participants better understand the process of TKT, remind them what key factors really influence the process of TKT and urge them to make an active effort to properly assess each factor before prioritizing the factors for management attention
Abscisic Acid and Gibberellin Control Seed Germination Through Negative Feedback Regulation By MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1
Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH
FireRisk: A Remote Sensing Dataset for Fire Risk Assessment with Benchmarks Using Supervised and Self-supervised Learning
In recent decades, wildfires, as widespread and extremely destructive natural
disasters, have caused tremendous property losses and fatalities, as well as
extensive damage to forest ecosystems. Many fire risk assessment projects have
been proposed to prevent wildfires, but GIS-based methods are inherently
challenging to scale to different geographic areas due to variations in data
collection and local conditions. Inspired by the abundance of publicly
available remote sensing projects and the burgeoning development of deep
learning in computer vision, our research focuses on assessing fire risk using
remote sensing imagery.
In this work, we propose a novel remote sensing dataset, FireRisk, consisting
of 7 fire risk classes with a total of 91872 labelled images for fire risk
assessment. This remote sensing dataset is labelled with the fire risk classes
supplied by the Wildfire Hazard Potential (WHP) raster dataset, and remote
sensing images are collected using the National Agriculture Imagery Program
(NAIP), a high-resolution remote sensing imagery program. On FireRisk, we
present benchmark performance for supervised and self-supervised
representations, with Masked Autoencoders (MAE) pre-trained on ImageNet1k
achieving the highest classification accuracy, 65.29%.
This remote sensing dataset, FireRisk, provides a new direction for fire risk
assessment, and we make it publicly available on
https://github.com/CharmonyShen/FireRisk.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, 1 equatio
EFFECTS OF SHOD AND BAREFOOT CONDITIONS ON MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL ARCH ANGLE DURING RUNNING
The structure of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) affects the spring-like function of the foot and is crucial to running performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the MLA angle between barefoot and shod conditions by using a high-speed dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). Computed tomography was taken of each participant’s right foot for the construction of 3D models and local coordinate systems. Fifteen participants ran with or without running shoes at 3 m/s±5% speed. We recorded foot kinematics using DFIS. After the process of 3D-2D registration, MLA angles were calculated. Compared to barefoot, wearing shoes 1) decreased the initial landing MLA angle, maximum MLA angle and range of motion of the MLA angle (p \u3c 0.05); 2) decreased the MLA angles during 0%-70% of the stance phase (p \u3c 0.05). It suggests that shoes limit the MLA compression and recoil and its spring-like function
EFFECTS OF SHOD AND BAREFOOT RUNNING ON THE IN VIVO KINEMATICS OF THE FIRST METATARSOPHALANGEAL JOINT
The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences of the first metatarsophalangeal joint’s 6 degree-of-freedom (6DOF) kinematics during shod and barefoot conditions by using a high-speed dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). Fifteen healthy male runners were recruited. Computed tomography (CT) scans were taken of each participant’s right foot for the construction of 3D models and local coordinate system. The fluoroscopic images of the right foot during the stance period were acquired under shod and barefoot condition with rearfoot strike pattern Radiographic images were acquired at 100 Hz while the participants ran at a speed of 3±5% m/s in a track and 6DOF kinematics were calculated by 2D-3D registration. Paired sample t-test was used to compare the kinematic characteristics of the first MTPJ 6DOF kinematics between shod and barefoot. Compared with barefoot, wearing shoes 1) decreased the peak medial, posterior, and superior translation of the first MTPJ during stance (P < 0.05); 2) decreased maximum extension angle, minimum extension angle, and flexion/extension range of motion of the first MTPJ during stance (P < 0.05); 3) increased minimum adduction angle of the first MTPJ during stance (P < 0.05). It suggests that shoes may affect the function of the first MTPJ and increase the risk of hallux valgus. Our study makes up for the deficiency of traditional motion measurement methods that only focus on the sagittal flexion and extension movement of the first MTPJ and provides a more comprehensive understanding of the potential relationship between joint motion and injurie
Vision-aided nonlinear control framework for shake table tests
The structural response under the earthquake excitations can be simulated by
scaled-down model shake table tests or full-scale model shake table tests. In
this paper, adaptive control theory is used as a nonlinear shake table control
algorithm which considers the inherent nonlinearity of the shake table system
and the Control-Structural Interaction (CSI) effect that the linear controller
cannot consider, such as the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller.
The mass of the specimen can be assumed as an unknown variation and the unknown
parameter will be replaced by an estimated value in the proposed control
framework. The signal generated by the control law of the adaptive control
method will be implemented by a loop-shaping controller. To verify the
stability and feasibility of the proposed control framework, a simulation of a
bare shake table and experiments with a bare shake table with a two-story frame
were carried out. This study randomly selects Earthquake recordings from the
Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) database. The simulation
and experimental results show that the proposed control framework can be
effectively used in shake table control.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted in the Canadian Conference - Pacific
Conference on Earthquake Engineering 2023, Vancouver, British Columbi
Mechanism and influence factor of hydrocarbon gas diffusion in porous media with shale oil
Due to the compactness of shale reservoir matrix and the high conductivity of fractures, the hydrocarbon gas injection huff and puff method or displacement is the most realistic technology to improve shale oil recovery. The diffusion mechanism plays an important role in shale oil development; therefore, it is crucial to figure out the factors influencing diffusion, which could enhance shale oil recovery. In this paper, a physical simulation experiment is designed to evaluate the diffusion ability of hydrocarbon gas. Diffusion experiments are conducted to simulate diffusion in the bulk fluid and in the porous media, to learn about how the pressure, permeability and fracture affect the diffusion behavior. The diffusion coefficients between the bulk diffusion and core sample diffusion are compared. The experimental results show that the diffusion coefficient and mass transfer capacity are positively correlated with permeability and pressure: increasing these parameters can promote the diffusion process. The diffusion coefficient of hydrocarbon gas in a saturated oil core is significantly less than that in crude oil, which indicates that the porous media seriously affects the process of gas diffusion in crude oil. Fractures have little impact on the diffusion behavior. Combined with numerical simulation, the influencing factor of diffusion on the development effect of hydrocarbon gas injection is clarified. The recovery enhances and then decreases with the increasing diffusion coefficient.Cited as: Wanyan, Z., Liu, Y., Li, Z., Zhang, C., Liu, Y., Xue, T. Mechanism and influence factor of hydrocarbon gas diffusion in porous media with shale oil. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2023, 7(1): 39-48. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2023.01.0
Threshold of photoelectron emission from CNx films deposited at room temperature and at 500 °C
The threshold of photoelectron emission was measured for amorphous CNx films deposited at room temperature (RT) and at 500 °C. The x values of the films deposited at RT and at 500 °C by magnetron sputtering of a graphite target in a mixed N2/Ar gas were 0.6 and 0.3, respectively. Ratios of the sp2- to sp3-hybridized components of both C and N for the film deposited at 500 °C were larger by 4 times than those for the film deposited at RT. The onsets of the electron emission by photon irradiation were 5.0 and 4.7 eV for the films deposited at RT and at 500 °C, respectively
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