Some aspects of the effect of atmospheric pollution on the Lichen Flora to the West of Consett Co. Durham

Not availabl

Ultraviolet Curing of Highly Loaded Ceramic Suspensions for Stereolithography of Ceramics

Ceramic green bodies can be created using stereolithography methods where a ceramic slip consisting of 45-55 vlo ceramic powder is dispersed within an ultraviolet-curable aqueous acrylamide solution. Two ceramic materials were investigated: silica [Si02] for investment casting purposes, and alumina [AI203] for structural parts. After mixing the powders in the curable solution, the ceramic slip is tape cast onto a substrate for cure under a high intensity ultraviolet lamp (220-450 nm) at different exposure times. The materials systems were evaluated at different solids loadings (10-50 v/o) for cure thickness and viscosity control. Silica had a cure depth of 330 f.lm at a solids loading of 55 vlo, and at 50 vlo, alumina had a cure depth of 300 f.lm. Preliminary work utilizing scattering theory revealed the cure depth is controlled by the particle size and the refractive index difference between the ceramic and ultraviolet solution. The refractive index difference is the dominating factor. Two particle size distributions of alumina were used to more accurately determine the effect of particle size.Mechanical Engineerin

A Tale of Two Airlines: A Comparative Case Study of High-Road Versus Low-Road Strategies in Customer Service and Reputation Management

Customer surveys from Ryanair and Southwest Airline passengers were examined to determine their perceptions on customer service for the period of 2012-2013. Southwest Airlines (n=149) was rated significantly higher than Ryanair (n=165) in overall rating (p=.0228), seat comfort (p\u3c.0001), cabin/staff service (p\u3c.0001), and value (p=.0004). Additionally, passengers would recommend Southwest Airlines at a higher rate than Ryanair (p=.0006). Open area comments emphasized that customer service and policies had a large impact on the ratings. Specifically, 53% of Ryanair customers complained about inefficient or unwelcome processes and discourteous or unfriendly service compared to 29% for Southwest Airlines. Ryanair customers complained about check-in procedures, open seating policy, and fees ranging from oversized carry-on bags to fees for printing out boarding passes. The largest area of complaint for Southwest customers concerned how customers were treated for flight delays

Scattering of ultraviolet radiation in turbid suspensions

A Beer’s law expression for the penetration depth of ultraviolet radiation in a concentrated suspension of scattering particles is used to model the depth of cure for a suspension of ceramic particles in a medium of photocurable monomers. The cure depth is predominantly controlled by the square of the refractive index difference between the ceramic particles and the medium, Δn2 = (np−n0)2Δn2=(np−n0)2. A secondary effect on the cure depth is the ratio of the interparticle spacing to the ultraviolet wavelength. Theoretical results agree with experimental data for 0.40–0.50 volume fraction ceramic-filled suspensions. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71270/2/JAPIAU-81-6-2538-1.pd

Customer service 2.0: The Effect of Ryanair\u27s Policy Change

Customer perceptions of Ryanair and Southwest were evaluated to compare two data periods; 2012-13 and 2016-17 to determine differences in passenger perceptions between and within airlines. Quantitative data and open area comments were analyzed. A replication of a previous study for 2016-17 data indicated that customer perceptions of Ryanair improved since the implementation of a customer service program. Survey results indicated Ryanair and Southwest did not have statistically significant differences in overall ratings; a change from 2012-13 data where Southwest was rated significantly higher. Additionally, 2016-17 Ryanair customers indicated they would recommend the airline at a significantly higher rate than Southwest customers. A comparison within each airline’s data between the 2012-13 and 2016-17 collection periods indicated a significant perceived improvement of Ryanair’s customer service in the areas of seat comfort and whether they would recommend the airline to others. Southwest’s customer perceptions between 2012-13 and 2016-17 showed significant declines in overall ranking, seat comfort, value and whether they would recommend the airline. Recommendations for further research include a replication of this study comparing 2016-17 data with 2021-22 data to determine how well each airline has adapted to the Coronavirus

Virtualness and knowledge in teams: Managing the love triangle of organizations, individuals, and information technology

Information technology can facilitate the dissemination of knowledge across the organization- even to the point of making virtual teams a viable alternative to face-to-face work. However, unless managed, the combination of information technology and virtual work may serve to change the distribution of different types of knowledge across individuals, teams, and the organization. Implications include the possibility that information technology plays the role of a jealous mistress when it comes to the development and ownership of valuable knowledge in organizations; that is. information technology may destabilize the relationship between organizations and their employees when it comes to the transfer of knowledge. The paper advances theory and informs practice by illustrating the dynamics of knowledge development and transfer in more and less virtual teams

A Meta-Analysis of Crew Resource Management/Incident Command Systems Implementation Studies in the Fire and Emergency Services

The presentation will summarize a meta-analysis of studies on Crew Resource Management/Incident Command System implementation in the fire and emergency services. The need for using participative leadership tools such as CRM evolved from an NTSB recommendation that followed United Airlines Flight 173 crash in 1978. NASA, civilian and military aviation communities implemented Crew Resource Management (CRM) training to improve decisionmaking during flight operations. Maintenance Resource Management (MRM) was a variant of CRM and first appeared in a Federal Aviation Administration circular in 2000. CRM was adopted by the medical community in the 1990s, specifically in the surgical and nursing areas, to prevent untoward outcomes (including infections). Since the mid-1990s, fire and emergency services organizations began using CRM and Incident Command Systems training to reduce human error in firefighting and prehospital care. This research focuses on fire and emergency services studies to determine if CRM/Incident Command Systems training impact attitude and performance in a meaningful way. Meta-analysis statistical procedures will identify differences and levels of heterogeneity between these studies, where possible, to support findings and recommendations for future research. Keywords: crew resource management, incident command systems, fire, emergency services, maintenance resource management, participative leadershi

The Relationship Between Learning Mode and Student Performance in an Undergraduate Elementary Statistics Course in the United States

Faculty have conducted many studies on the relationship between learning mode and student performance but few researchers have evaluated final grades, grade distribution, and pass rates in a sophomore introductory statistics course with a non-traditional student population who self-selected the learning mode from among different course sections. Accordingly, we examined 307 end-of-course grades from four different modes of instruction: (a) online, (b) videosynchronous learning classroom, (c) videosynchronous learning home, and (d) traditional classroom in an introductory statistics course. All data on grades, which included pass rate and grade distribution, were collected from the nine-week January 2019 term. All learning modes used the same text, syllabus, assignments, quizzes, and tests. In this study, learning mode was not significantly related to end-of-course score, final grade distribution, or pass rate. Future researchers should explore the impacts of gender, instructor quality, different term lengths, and the standardized use of textbooks and syllabi on student performance when exploring the impact of learning mode on grades, grade distribution, and pass rates

Bullying at the Fire Station? Perceptions Based on Gender, Race and Sexual Orientation

Discrimination and strained co-worker relationships based on gender, race or sexual orientation are forms of bullying in the workplace. This research examined firefighter perceptions with regard to bullying. The web based survey was distributed through the National Fire Academy Training, Resources and Data Exchange Network, (TRADENET). Findings from 113 surveys indicated that most firefighters did not perceive bullying issues were pervasive in the fire service. However, there were large differences in perception between female and male firefighters. Significantly more female firefighters indicated they were treated differently due to gender, felt their supervisors did not address complaints concerning gender or sexual orientation, had ill-fitting uniforms or equipment, and believed promotions were not decided upon fairly. Recommendations included continuing to assess female and minority perceptions with regard to perceived discrimination. Additionally, fire service leadership should identify best practices in leadership and firefighter training to effectively address fair treatment for all firefighters