Abstract: This study analyzed the creativity of student teams
participating in an exploratory information system development
project (ISDP) and examined antecedents of their creativity. By using
partial least squares (PLS) to analyze a sample of thirty-six teams
enrolled in an information system department project training course
that required three semesters of project-based lessons, the results
found social capitals (structural, relational and cognitive social capital)
positively influence knowledge integration. However, relational social
capital does not significantly influence knowledge integration.
Knowledge integration positively affects team creativity. This study
also demonstrated that social capitals significantly influence team
creativity through knowledge integration. The implications of our
findings for future research are discussed.
Abstract: Soil microbial activity is adversely affected by pollutants such as heavy metals, antibiotics and pesticides. Organic amendments including sewage sludge, municipal compost and vermicompost are recently used to improve soil structure and fertility. But, these materials contain heavy metals including Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni and Cu that are toxic to soil microorganisms and may lead to occurrence of more tolerant microbes. Among these, Pb is the most abundant and has more negative effect on soil microbial ecology. In this study, Pb levels of 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg Pb [as Pb(NO3)2] per kg soil were added to the pots containing 2 kg of a loamy soil and incubated for 6 months at 25°C with soil moisture of - 0.3 MPa. Dehydrogenase activity of soil as a measure of microbial activity was determined on 15, 30, 90 and 180 days after incubation. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) was used as an electron acceptor in this assay. PICTs (IC50 values) were calculated for each Pb level and incubation time. Soil microbial activity was decreased by increasing Pb level during 30 days of incubation but the induced tolerance appeared on day 90 and thereafter. During 90 to 180 days of incubation, the PICT was gradually developed by increasing Pb level up to 200 mg kg-1, but the rate of enhancement was steeper at higher concentrations.
Abstract: In this work, Experimental tie-line results and
solubility (binodal) curves were obtained for the ternary systems
(water + acetic acid + methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)), (water +
lactic acid+ methyl isobutyl ketone) at T = 294.15K and atmospheric
pressure. The consistency of the values of the experimental tie-lines
was determined through the Othmer-Tobias and Hands correlations.
For the extraction effectiveness of solvents, the distribution and
selectivity curves were plotted. In addition, these experimental tieline
data were also correlated with NRTL model. The interaction
parameters for the NRTL model were retrieved from the obtained
experimental results by means of a combination of the homotopy
method and the genetic algorithms.
Abstract: In order to evaluate the relationship between the sulphur (S), glucose (G), nitrogen (N) and plant residues (st), sulphur immobilization and microbial transformation were monitored in five soil samples from 0-30 cm of Bastam farmers fields of Shahrood area following 11 treatments with different levels of Sulphur (S), glucose (G), N and plant residues (wheat straw) in a randomized block design with three replications and incubated over 20, 45 and 60 days, the immobilization of SO4 -2-S presented as a percentage of that added, was inversely related to its addition rate. Additions of glucose and plant residues increased with the C-to-S ratio of the added amendments, irrespective of their origins (glucose and plant residues). In the presence of C sources (glucose or plant residues). N significantly increased the immobilization of SO4 -2-S, whilst the effect of N was insignificant in the absence of a C amendment. In first few days the amounts of added SO4 -2-S immobilized were linearly correlated with the amounts of added S recovered in the soil microbial biomass. With further incubation the proportions of immobilized SO4 -2-S remaining as biomass-S decreased. Decrease in biomass-S was thought to be due to the conversion of biomass-S into soil organic-S. Glucose addition increased the immobilization (microbial utilization and incorporation into the soil organic matter) of native soil SO4 -2-S. However, N addition enhance the mineralization of soil organic-S, increasing the concentration of SO4 - 2-S in soil.
Abstract: The study examines the determinants of corporate cash holding of non-financial quoted firms in Nigeria using a sample of fifty four non-financial quoted firms listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange for the period 1995-2009. Data were sourced from the Annual reports of the sampled firms and analyzed using Generalized Method of Moments(GMM). The study finds evidence supportive of a target adjustment model and that firms can not instantaneously adjust towards the target cash level owing to the fact that adjustment cost being costly,. Also, the result shows significant negative relationship between cash holdings and firm size, net working capital, return on asset and bank relationship and positive relationship with growth opportunities, leverage, inventories, account receivables and financial distress. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between cash holdings and cash flow. In Nigerian setting, most of the variables that are relevant for explaining cash holdings in the Developed countries are found by this study to be relevant also in Nigeria.
Abstract: This study was set to determine the antimicrobial
activities of brine salting, chlorinated solution, and oil frying
treatments on enteric bacteria and fungi in Rastrineobola argentea
fish from fish landing beaches within L. Victoria basin of western
Kenya. Statistical differences in effectiveness of the different
treatment methods was determined by single factor ANOVA, and
paired two-tail t-Test was performed to compare the differences in
moisture contents before and after storage. Oil fried fish recorded the
lowest microbial loads, sodium chloride at 10% concentration was
the second most effective and chlorinated solution even at 150ppm
was the least effective against the bacteria and fungi in fish. Moisture
contents of the control and treated fish were significantly lower after
storage. These results show that oil frying of fish should be adopted
for processing and preserving Rastrineobola argentea which is the
most abundant and affordable fish species from Lake Victoria.
Abstract: The limit load carrying capacity of functionally
graded materials (FGM) circular plates subjected to an arbitrary
rotationally symmetric loading has been computed. It is provided that
the plate material behaves rigid perfectly plastic and obeys either the
Square or the Tresca yield criterion. To this end the upper and lower
bound principles of limit analysis are employed to determine the
exact value for the limiting load. The correctness of the result are
verified and finally limiting loads for two examples namely; through
radius and through thickness FGM circular plates with simply
supported edges are calculated, respectively and moreover, the values
of critical loading factor are determined.
Abstract: The paper discusses a 3D numerical solution of the inverse boundary problem for a continuous casting process of alloy. The main goal of the analysis presented within the paper was to estimate heat fluxes along the external surface of the ingot. The verified information on these fluxes was crucial for a good design of a mould, effective cooling system and generally the whole caster. In the study an enthalpy-porosity technique implemented in Fluent package was used for modeling the solidification process. In this method, the phase change interface was determined on the basis of the liquid fraction approach. In inverse procedure the sensitivity analysis was applied for retrieving boundary conditions. A comparison of the measured and retrieved values showed a high accuracy of the computations. Additionally, the influence of the accuracy of measurements on the estimated heat fluxes was also investigated.
Abstract: Thermo-chemical treatment (TCT) such as pyrolysis
is getting recognized as a valid route for (i) materials and valuable
products and petrochemicals recovery; (ii) waste recycling; and (iii)
elemental characterization. Pyrolysis is also receiving renewed
attention for its operational, economical and environmental
advantages. In this study, samples of polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) and polystyrene (PS) were pyrolysed in a microthermobalance
reactor (using a thermogravimetric-TGA setup). Both
polymers were prepared and conditioned prior to experimentation.
The main objective was to determine the kinetic parameters of the
depolymerization reactions that occur within the thermal degradation
process. Overall kinetic rate constants (ko) and activation energies
(Eo) were determined using the general kinetics theory (GKT)
method previously used by a number of authors. Fitted correlations
were found and validated using the GKT, errors were within ± 5%.
This study represents a fundamental step to pave the way towards the
development of scaling relationship for the investigation of larger
scale reactors relevant to industry.
Abstract: The phase diagrams and compositions of coexisting
phases have been determined for aqueous two-phase systems
containing poly(propylene glycol) with average molecular weight of
425 and sodium citrate at various pH of 3.93, 4.44, 4.6, 4.97, 5.1,
8.22. The effect of pH on the salting-out effect of poly (propylene
glycol) by sodium citrate has been studied. It was found that, an
increasing in pH caused the expansion of two-phase region.
Increasing pH also increases the concentration of PPG in the PPGrich
phase, while the salt-rich phase will be somewhat mole diluted.
Abstract: A fuzzy classifier using multiple ellipsoids approximating decision regions for classification is to be designed in this paper. An algorithm called Gustafson-Kessel algorithm (GKA) with an adaptive distance norm based on covariance matrices of prototype data points is adopted to learn the ellipsoids. GKA is able toadapt the distance norm to the underlying distribution of the prototypedata points except that the sizes of ellipsoids need to be determined a priori. To overcome GKA's inability to determine appropriate size ofellipsoid, the genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to learn the size ofellipsoid. With GA combined with GKA, it will be shown in this paper that the proposed method outperforms the benchmark algorithms as well as algorithms in the field.
Abstract: The elimination of ranitidine (a pharmaceutical
compound) has been carried out in the presence of UV-C radiation.
After some preliminary experiments, it has been experienced the no
influence of the gas nature (air or oxygen) bubbled in photolytic
experiments. From simple photolysis experiments the quantum yield
of this compound has been determined. Two photolytic
approximation has been used, the linear source emission in parallel
planes and the point source emission in spherical planes. The
quantum yield obtained was in the proximity of 0.05 mol Einstein-1
regardless of the method used. Addition of free radical promoters
(hydrogen peroxide) increases the ranitidine removal rate while the
use of photocatalysts (TiO2) negatively affects the process.
Abstract: This article investigates a contribution of synthesized visual speech. Synthesis of visual speech expressed by a computer consists in an animation in particular movements of lips. Visual speech is also necessary part of the non-manual component of a sign language. Appropriate methodology is proposed to determine the quality and the accuracy of synthesized visual speech. Proposed methodology is inspected on Czech speech. Hence, this article presents a procedure of recording of speech data in order to set a synthesis system as well as to evaluate synthesized speech. Furthermore, one option of the evaluation process is elaborated in the form of a perceptual test. This test procedure is verified on the measured data with two settings of the synthesis system. The results of the perceptual test are presented as a statistically significant increase of intelligibility evoked by real and synthesized visual speech. Now, the aim is to show one part of evaluation process which leads to more comprehensive evaluation of the sign speech synthesis system.
Abstract: Since large power transformers are the most
expensive and strategically important components of any power
generator and transmission system, their reliability is crucially
important for the energy system operation. Also, Circuit breakers are
very important elements in the power transmission line so monitoring
the events gives a knowledgebase to determine time to the next
maintenance. This paper deals with the introduction of the
comparative method of the state estimation of transformers and
Circuit breakers using continuous monitoring of voltage, current.
This paper gives details a new method based on wavelet to apparatus
insulation monitoring. In this paper to insulation monitoring of
transformer, a new method based on wavelet transformation and
neutral point analysis is proposed. Using the EMTP tools, fault in
transformer winding and the detailed transformer winding model
were simulated. The current of neutral point of winding was analyzed
by wavelet transformation. It is shown that the neutral current of the
transformer winding has useful information about fault in insulation
of the transformer.
Abstract: Accounts of language acquisition differ significantly in their treatment of the role of prediction in language learning. In particular, nativist accounts posit that probabilistic learning about words and word sequences has little to do with how children come to use language. The accuracy of this claim was examined by testing whether distributional probabilities and frequency contributed to how well 3-4 year olds repeat simple word chunks. Corresponding chunks were the same length, expressed similar content, and were all grammatically acceptable, yet the results of the study showed marked differences in performance when overall distributional frequency varied. It was found that a distributional model of language predicted the empirical findings better than a number of other models, replicating earlier findings and showing that children attend to distributional probabilities in an adult corpus. This suggested that language is more prediction-and-error based, rather than on abstract rules which nativist camps suggest.
Abstract: The article examines an opportunity of corruption
restriction exercised by international business community in Russia.
Integration of Russian economy into the international business does
not reduce corruption inside the country. Foreign actors investing in
Russia under the condition of obtaining their required rates of returns
will be reluctant to harm their investments by involving into anticorruption
activities. Furthermore, many Russian firms- competitive
advantage could be directly related to their corruption connections. In
this case, foreign investments would only accentuate corrupt
companies- success by supporting them financially
Abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate fire
behaviors, experimentally and numerically, in a scaled version of an
underground station. The effect of ventilation velocity on the fire is
examined. Fire experiments are simulated by burning 10 ml
isopropyl alcohol fuel in a fire pool with dimensions 5cm x 10cm x 4
mm at the center of 1/100 scaled underground station model. A
commercial CFD program FLUENT was used in numerical
simulations. For air flow simulations, k-ω SST turbulence model and
for combustion simulation, non-premixed combustion model are
used. This study showed that, the ventilation velocity is increased
from 1 m/s to 3 m/s the maximum temperature in the station is found
to be less for ventilation velocity of 1 m/s. The reason for these
experimental result lies on the relative dominance of oxygen supply
effect on cooling effect. Without piston effect, maximum temperature
occurs above the fuel pool. However, when the ventilation velocity
increased the flame was tilted in the direction of ventilation and the
location of maximum temperature moves along the flow direction.
The velocities measured experimentally in the station at different
locations are well matched by the CFD simulation results. The
prediction of general flow pattern is satisfactory with the smoke
visualization tests. The backlayering in velocity is well predicted by
CFD simulation. However, all over the station, the CFD simulations
predicted higher temperatures compared to experimental
measurements.
Abstract: In China, with the rapid urbanization and
industrialization, and highly accelerated economic development have
resulted in degradation of water resource. The water quality
deterioration usual result from eutrophication in most cases, so how to
dispose this type pollution water higher efficiently is an urgent task.
Hower, different with traditional technology, constructed wetlands are
effective treatment systems that can be very useful because they are
simple technology and low operational cost. A pilot-scale treatment
including constructed wetlands was constructed at XingYun Lake,
Yuxi, China, and operated as primary treatment measure before
eutrophic-lake water draining to riverine landscape. Water quality
indices were determined during the experiment, the results indicated
that treatment removal efficiencies were high for Nitrate nitrogen,
Chlorophyll–a and Algae, the final removal efficiency reached to
95.20%, 93.33% and 99.87% respectively, but the removal efficiency
of Total phosphorous and Total nitrogen only reach to 68.83% and
50.00% respectively.
Abstract: Geometry optimizations of metal complexes of Salen(bis(Salicylidene)1,2-ethylenediamine) were carried out at HF and DFT methods employing Lanl2DZ basis set. In this work structural, energies, bond lengths and other physical properties between Mn2+,Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions coordinated by salen–type ligands are examined. All calculations were performed using Gaussian 98W program series. To investigate local aromaticities, NICS were calculated at all centers of rings. The higher the band gap indicating a higher global aromaticity. The possible binding energies have been evaluated. We have evaluated Frequencies and Zero-point energy with freq calculation. The NICS(Nucleous Independent Chemical Shift) Results show Ni(II) complexes are antiaromatic and aromaticites of Mn(II) complexes are larger than Cu(II) complexes. The energy Results show Cu(II) complexes are stability than Mn(II) and Ni(II) complexes.
Abstract: In the present Jordan hotels scenario, service quality is
a vital competitive policy to keep customer support and build great
base. Hotels are trying to win customer loyalty by providing enhanced
quality services. This paper attempts to examine the impact of tourism
service quality dimension in the Jordanian five star hotels. A total of
322 surveys were administrated to tourists who were staying at three
branches Marriott hotel in Jordan. The results show that dimensions of
service quality such as empathy, reliability, responsiveness and
tangibility significantly predict customer loyalty. Specifically, among
the dimension of tourism service quality, the most significant predictor
of customer loyalty is tangibility. This paper implies that five star
hotels in Jordan should also come forward and try their best to present
better tourism service quality to win back their customers- loyalty.