Search results

This paper describes a dialogue modelling approach to information access. We apply this approach to the design of software used by management professionals for whom technology should be seen and not learnt. From dialogue data we identify context and mutual coverage as key dialogue features for this class of interface. We compare the handling of these features by existing systems, describe a novel query mechanism called Query By Format and conclude with the results of an evaluation study noting its strengths and weaknesses.

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study about how academic librarians can contribute to the interdisciplinary research endeavors of professors and students, especially doctoral candidates, through an intellectualized approach to collection development.

In the wake of protest movements such as the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, colleges and universities have begun to develop courses about these events, and it is anticipated that there will be much research conducted about their respective histories. Academic librarians can participate in those research efforts by developing interdisciplinary collections about protest movements and by referring researchers to those collections.

Through a case‐study approach, this paper provides a narrative bibliography about Southern Agrarianism that can help professors and students interested in the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street movements to see their research endeavors from a new interdisciplinary perspective.

The value of this paper lies in presenting a concrete example of the way in which academic librarians can become active research partners through the work of building collections and recommending sources in areas that professors and students may not have previously considered.

A non‐contact infrared temperature sensor was used to monitor the temperature–time relation of a point on the powder bed during laser sintering. The results were translated into a temperature–distance relation of the monitored spot with respect to its distance from the laser beam. The effect of particle size of polycarbonate (PC) powder on the temperature–distance relation was studied. The maximum temperature attained at the monitored spot was found to increase with decreasing size of the PC particles. The phenomenon was probably caused by the higher packing density of the smaller particles, and more laser energy was absorbed near the powder bed surface. The temperature–distance relations of some common additives such as graphite, quartz, silica and talc were also studied, and graphite was found to give the highest temperature distribution. PC/graphite composite powders were blended and sintered under similar conditions. The surface temperature of the powder bed increased greatly with the addition of a small amount (up to 2 per cent) of graphite powder. The result was attributed to the higher absorptance of CO₂ laser energy by the graphite powder.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long-term reliability of an anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACA) attached polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flex-on-board (FOB) assembly for industrial application used in harsh environments. In addition, the possibility of reducing reliability testing time was studied.

A−40/+125°C thermal cycling test with 5- and 14-minute soak times was used to study the reliability. To study the functionality of the FOB assembly during testing, a real-time resistance measurement was used together with a 90° peel strength test. Failure analysis was performed on samples using scanning electron microscopy and cross sectioning.

No failures or noticeable increase in the measured resistance values were seen during testing. The peel strength, however, decreased significantly with both soak times used. The highest drop in the mechanical strength occurred at the start of the temperature cycling tests. The time spent at the high temperature extreme seemed to have a greater impact on the peel strength than the number of temperature cycles. The failure mode of peel tested samples changed due to temperature cycling from interfacial delamination to cohesive failure. The temperature cycling was also observed to induce voiding inside the adhesive.

The paper illustrates the applicability of ACA attached PET flex in high reliability industrial applications. Additionally, testing methods for high reliability adhesive interconnections are discussed. Especially, the effect of temperature cycling soak time on peel test results and reliability testing time is studied.

State and national standards compel teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, emphasizing the use of informational texts. Trade books allow teachers to meet these standards while also meeting the needs of diverse students. Primary sources serve as an additional curricular resource filling the gaps in information not covered by textbooks and trade books and allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of historical figures and events. Standards leave the selection and implementation of appropriate trade books, primary sources, and other curricular resources to the classroom teacher. In this research, I qualify and quantify how President Andrew Jackson, a very controversial historical figure, is portrayed in trade books. Misrepresentations within trade books concerning Jackson are reported and analyzed. Suggestions and a rationale for trade book and primary source selection and implementation in elementary, middle, and secondary school are addressed.

Scotland's day of reputation in publishing came with the Foulises, who set a standard not only for Scotland but also for Europe. Robert Foulis, who was inspired by Dr. Francis Hutcheson to become bookseller and printer, opened his shop in Glasgow about 1741. He and his brother Andrew had visited the Continent on occasions, devoting themselves to studying the printing houses there. In a letter written by Thomas Innes of the Scots College of Paris, a well‐known Jacobite, to James Edgar, Secretary to the Chevalier de St. George at Rome, he tells about the departure of the brothers from Paris, and says that they returned home by London bringing with them six or seven hogsheads of books they had bought up in France. On their return to Glasgow, Robert opened out as a bookseller, his printers being Urie & Co., a firm some of whose issues are of higher quality than had to that date been achieved in Scotland. There was an obvious leaning to the classical side in the early Foulis publishing, and this inclination increased as the connexion with the University became cemented.

This study aims to update the information on the current status of micronutrient fortification for iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin A in mandatory fortified food vehicles such as cooking oil, wheat and maize flours in Tanzania.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in five regions to analyze the adequacy of micronutrient fortification in mandatory fortified food vehicles. Samples of fortified edible oil (n = 19), wheat flour (n = 12) and maize flour (n = 5) were sampled conveniently from local markets and supermarkets. Samples were analyzed for vitamins (vitamin A and folic acid) and mineral (iron and zinc) content using high-performance liquid chromatography and microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometer, respectively. Compliance acceptable ranges between the minimum and maximum levels for each nutrient were used as a basis for compliance.

The results showed that 83.3% and 80% of wheat and maize flour samples, respectively, complied with iron fortification standards (p = 0.05). Only 25% of wheat flour samples and 40% of maize flour samples were within the acceptable ranges for zinc fortification (p = 0.05). Nearly 17% and 20% of wheat and maize flour samples, respectively, were within the acceptable ranges for folic acid fortification (p = 0.05). Moreover, about 10.5% of the analyzed cooking oils were adequately fortified with vitamin A (p = 0.05). Except for iron in wheat and maize flours, the levels of other micronutrients in mandatorily fortified foods were out of acceptable ranges.

Mandatory fortification is still far from the established standards, and this calls for a review of the current fortification strategies regarding standards, training, monitoring and enforcement in Tanzania.

The purpose of this study is to quantify the impact of electricity power outages on the local housing market in South Africa.

This study uses the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) and quantile autoregressive distributive lag (QARDL) models on annual time series data, for the period 1971–2014. The interest rate, real income and inflation were used as control variables to enable a multivariate framework.

The results from the ARDL model show that real income is the only factor influencing housing price over the long run, whereas other variables only have short-run effects. The estimates from the QARDL further reveal hidden cointegration relationship over the long run with higher quantile levels of distribution and transmission losses raising the residential price growth.

Overall, the findings of this study imply that the South African housing market is more vulnerable to property devaluation caused by power outages over the short run and yet remains resilient to loadshedding over the long run. Other macro-economic factors, such as real income and inflation, are more influential factors towards long-run developments in the residential market.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the empirical relationship between power outages and housing price growth.

Develops an understanding of the energy delivery system and determines how the scanning speed and part strength are affected by particular scanning parameters. Describes a high speed process workstation incorporating a variable beam spot size. Presents a more accurate sintering model which can be used to speed up the scanning process.

Small and medium‐sized firms (SMFs) can make valuable economic and social contributions through their distinctive capabilities for innovation. However, SMFs rarely possess adequate R&D resources and are therefore dependent upon external technological information. We believe that collaboration between higher education institutions (HEIs) and SMFs has considerable potential for strengthening innovatory activity in the UK. However, very little detailed information is available about the process of technology transfer from the perspectives of HEIs and SMFs. This paper examines ways in which HEIs establish links with SMFs as a means of commercializing their scientific and technological research. A questionnaire was used to obtain data from 37 HEIs on technological alliances with SMFs. In addition, a number of interviews were carried out with individuals responsible for marketing HEI science and technology.