Search results

The purpose of this paper is to study numerically and experimentally incompressible Newtonian flow in a three‐dimensional cylindrical branching channel.

The flow configuration studied in the present investigation is such that a fully developed laminar flow enters an abruptly expanded cylinder and the flow leaves this cylinder by two identical cylindrical outlet branch pipes. A numerical analysis was performed by developing a three‐dimensional numerical code using the highly simplified marker and cell method. Representative velocities in the flow field are recorded by Laser Doppler Velocimeter measurements and volume flow rate from each outlet branch pipe is measured. Flow visualization in representative symmetrical planes is also carried out. Comparisons of numerical predictions and experimental data are presented and the reasonable agreement between the numerical and experimental results is encouraging.

The flow field in the three‐dimensional cylindrical branching channel is clarified within the range of laminar flow. The characteristics of the branch flow rate are obtained and show that there exist two distinct domains of strong asymmetric flow distribution from the outlet branch pipes, depending on the Reynolds numbers. It is further observed that the flow became time periodic as the Reynolds number is increased. It becomes apparent that the swirl flow component plays a key role in the flow phenomena.

The present investigation sheds light on the three‐dimensionality in the prevailing flow field for various inlet Reynolds numbers in the laminar flow range. Flow rate deflection characteristics in a three‐dimensional cylindrical branching channel are also obtained.

For several decades, calligraphy has been popular among people in Japan, China, and even in the world. Traditionally, a teacher teaches how to write letters on a paper with a brush, and a student will imitate them by referring to the model letters. However, if a teacher is not available, this method will not be applicable either. This study aims to propose a calligraphy learning assistant system (CLAS) using projection mapping, which allows a student to learn calligraphy by him/herself.

By following the letter writing video of a teacher that is directly projected on the paper, a student is able to learn the stroke order and writing speed in addition to the letter shape. Moreover, the letter portion practice function is incorporated in CLAS to allow a learner to repeat practicing hard portions of each letter.

For evaluations, the authors implemented CLAS using Raspberry Pi and open-source software and asked students to use it. The results confirmed that CLAS is effective in improving calligraphy skills of novice students.

With CLAS, a student can practice calligraphy using a conventional brush, ink and paper at a desk while looking at the model letter writing of a teacher projected on the paper using projection mapping.

With rapid increase of Android devices and application systems, there is a strong demand for Android application programmers. A lot of schools are offering Android programming courses to meet this demand. However, Android programming can be different from the conventional one because it needs interactive functions through interfaces with users, which makes the study more difficult. This paper aims to propose an Android Programming Learning Assistance System, namely, APLAS, to assist the Java-based Android programming study and education.

By adopting the test-driven development method, APLAS is designed to achieve independent learning without the presence of teachers. Using JUnit and Robolectric, the answers from the students are automatically marked in APLAS. To cover extensive materials in Android programming, APLAS offers four stages where each stage involves several topics.

To evaluate the effectiveness of APLAS, we implemented the Unit Converter assignment that covers the first two topics, namely, Basic user interface in the first stage and basic activity in the second stage. Through solving the assignment, it is expected to learn basic application development. Forty novice students of an IT department in Indonesia were asked to solve both topics separately.

The results show that APLAS is useful and helpful for the self-study of Android programming, as they could complete codes with good execution performances.

Even though 95% of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), live in low- and middle-income countries, there is a dearth of studies from these countries, including the Republic of Georgia. Several ASD screening tools are available, but few are validated for use in Georgian or other smaller countries. This study aims to adapt and validate the autism spectrum screening questionnaire (ASSQ) for use in Georgia.

The ASSQ was administered for all third-grade students in 402 schools in the five main Georgian cities, n = 27,336. Prior to use, the 27-item ASSQ was translated, back-translated and adapted for use in Georgia. A total of 16,556 students (approximately 61%) were assessed by a parent and/or teacher. Optimal cutoff scores were estimated. Randomly chosen children who screened positive (n = 173) and negative (n = 127) were offered comprehensive assessment using standardized diagnostic procedures.

Data from 15,510 parents- and 13,517 teachers-administered ASSQ revealed statistically significant differences in median and cutoff scores between parents and teachers: 7 versus 4 and 9 versus 6, respectively. Cutoff score = 14, on either parent or teacher ASSQ, had sensitivity of 0.94, indicating that it can be used in school settings.

The Georgian adaptation of the ASSQ creates opportunity for further ASD research, while also providing a valid screening tool for clinicians. Data from Georgia will add to the growing understanding of the broader ASD phenotype.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the content of food advergames and the nutritional quality of foods promoted in those advergames with the presence of child visitors.

This study integrates three different sources of data, first, characteristics of the audience from internet audience measurement metrics; second, an analysis of food advergame content; and third, an analysis of the dietary quality of the foods in advergames.

The results show that 83.2 percent of the total 143 advergames are sponsored by CFBAI participating companies and 79.5 percent of the total 44 advergames reaching children are sponsored by those companies. About 87 percent of the advergames reaching children do not include age limit specification. By contrast, about 71 percent of the advergames reaching children include ad breaks and about half of the advergames reaching children include healthy lifestyle information. Compared to the total, advergames reaching children seem to have a higher level of brand integration. Moreover, most foods that the advergames promote are classified as unhealthy. Finally, the results show that ad breaks and number of brand identifiers are the two significant predictors of food advergames with child unique visitors.

Despite the increased attention to and scrutiny of innovative and interactive food marketing targeting children, little is known about the extent to which such techniques actually reach children, nor about the content and nutritional quality of foods they promote. This study attempts to fill in the gap by focussing on food advergames.

To advance Java programming educations, the authors have developed a Java Programming Learning Assistant System (JPLAS) as a web application system. JPLAS provides fill-in-blank problems for novices to study the grammar and basic programming skills through code reading.

To select the blank elements with grammatically correct and unique answers from a given Java code, the authors have proposed the graph-based blank element selection algorithm. Then, the code for this problem should be highly readable to encourage novice students to study it. Because code readability can be improved by proper names for identifiers, the authors have also proposed the naming rule testing algorithm to identify codes with correct names.

In this paper, the authors present a fill-in-blank problem workbook by collecting suitable Java codes from textbooks and Web sites and applying these algorithms with several extensions. The workbook consists of 16 categories with a considerable number of problems that follow the conventional learning order of Java programming.

The proper set of ready-made fill-in-blank problems is effective in enhancing the usability of JPLAS both for teachers and students. For the preliminary evaluation, the authors assign a few problems to students. In coming semesters, the authors will use this workbook in the course to verify the adequacy of the proposal for novices.

The present study aims to evaluate the effect of climate change on the flood hazard potential in the Kelantan River Basin using current and future scenarios.

The intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) was used to estimate the current 50- and 100-year return period 24-h design rainfall, and the climate change factor (CCF) was used to compute the future design rainfall. The CCF was calculated from the rainfall projections of two global climate models, CGCM1 and CCSM3, with different pre-processing steps applied to each. The IDF data were used in the rainfall-runoff-inundation model to simulate current and future flood inundation scenarios.

The estimated CCF values demonstrate a contrast, whereby each station had a CCF value greater than one for CGCM1, while some stations had a CCF value of less than one for CCSM3. Therefore, CGCM1 projected an aggravation and CCSM3 a reduction of flood hazard for future scenarios. The study reveals that topography plays an essential role in calculating the CCF.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine flood projections in the Kelantan River Basin. It is, therefore, hoped that these results could benefit local managers and authorities by enabling them to make informed decisions regarding flood risk mitigation in a climate change scenario.

To advance Java programming educations, the authors have developed a Web-based Java programming learning assistant system (JPLAS). It offers the element fill-in-blank problem (EFP) for novice students to study Java grammar and basic programming skills by filling in the missing elements in a source code. An EFP instance can be generated by selecting an appropriate code, and applying the blank element selection algorithm. As it is expected to cover broad grammar topics, a number of EFP instances have been generated. This paper aims to propose a recommendation function to guide a student solving the proper EFP instances among them.

This function considers the difficulty level of the EFP instance and the grammar topics that have been correctly answered by the student, and is implemented at the offline answering function of JPLAS using JavaScript so that students can use it even without the Internet connections.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposal, 85 EFP instances are prepared to cover various grammar topics, and are assigned to a total of 92 students in two universities in Myanmar and Indonesia to solve them using the recommendation function. Their solution results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposal.

The concept of the difficulty level for an EFP instance is newly defined for the proper recommendation, and the accuracy in terms of the average numbers of answer submission times among the students is verified.

One in six people globally are affected by infertility, and many turn to fertility treatment in a bid to have a child(ren). While many countries offer work-related legislative protections and provisions for those who are successful in conceiving a child, in the form of maternity and paternity-related supports and protection again discrimination – the same cannot be said for those struggling to conceive. There are similar inequalities when it comes to workplace policy and support. Drawing on data from our two-year research study on “complex fertility journeys” and employment, this chapter sets out the work-life challenges that arise when individuals find themselves navigating the considerable “reproductive work” of fertility treatment alongside the demands of paid employment, and how affected employees respond. It also touches on the challenges experienced by line managers tasked with offering support. The chapter concludes with implications for practice in terms of making organizations more “fertility friendly,” which should extend beyond support for attending fertility treatment appointments to include awareness raising, manager training, and support for the varied outcomes of treatment cycles, including involuntary childlessness.

Purpose: In the early 2010s, Japanese society recognized and experienced a panic about increasing infertility and people’s lack of knowledge about human reproduction. This chapter focuses on several graphs that misrepresented or distorted scientific findings that were used in the campaign related to this panic and explores (1) how the graphs were made, used, and authorized, and (2) how they contributed to changes in discourses and policies.

Methodology/approach: Literature survey.

Findings: (1) The graphs were made in the field of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive medicine by questionable methods, including falsifying, trimming, and misunderstanding of data. (2) Researchers in the field of fertility study relied on secondary and tertiary sources thus ignoring and compounding errors. (3) Such inauthentic research was approved and politically mobilized by professional organizations, rather than being penalized or criticized. (4) Discourse based on such unscientific knowledge may have encouraged a pronatalist policy of promoting early marriage and education about human fertility and life planning, targeted at teenage girls.

Research limitations/implications: Any society suffering from a low birthrate can experience similar phenomena. This study focuses on Japan, but it has wider implications about how low integrity and quality of the presentation of medical research can cause these issues elsewhere in the world.

Social implications: This chapter includes a warning against biological explanations that contain unscientific connotations about gender.

Originality/value of study: This study confirms how gender-related policy in 2010s Japan was influenced by science that lacked research integrity and was of sub-standard quality.