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1 – 10 of 108Provides a glossary of some (around 150) English‐French andFrench‐English building and surveying terms. References the Technicalhelp to Exporters service, and three specialist…
Abstract
Provides a glossary of some (around 150) English‐French and French‐English building and surveying terms. References the Technical help to Exporters service, and three specialist dictionaries dealing with architectural, real estate and building terms. Illustrates possible pitfalls of poor translation – ′hydraulic rams′ being translated in one firm′s technical literature as ′watery sheep.′
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Opens with a discussion as to whether the ′real thing′ isnecessarily better than the ′cheaper alternatives′, and traces thehistoric rise of alternatives to ′real′ building…
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Opens with a discussion as to whether the ′real thing′ is necessarily better than the ′cheaper alternatives′, and traces the historic rise of alternatives to ′real′ building products. Reviews available substitutes for both slating (i.e. not slate) and tiling (defined as not a tile made from clay). Discusses life expectancy and planning restrictions on substitute products.
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Niyom Junnual, Chulaporn Sota and Anun Chaikoolvatana
The smoking rate of male high school students continues to increase. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program on…
Abstract
Purpose
The smoking rate of male high school students continues to increase. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program on self-esteem, attitude, perception and practice regarding smoking behavioral control among male high school students in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
The effectiveness of the smoking cessation program was tested by a quasi-experimental pre-posttest and follow-up with a 24-week design. Multistage sampling was used to recruit 70 male high school students, including 35 male students in the intervention group and 35 male students in the control group. The intervention group received a 12-week smoking cessation program based on information-motivation-behavioral skills and stages of change models and follow-up at 12 weeks, whereas the control group did not. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the improvement of subjects’ self-esteem, attitude toward smoking, perceived control over smoking, number of cigarettes per day and urine cotinine test. The descriptive statistics, generalized estimating equation and proportion test were used for data analysis.
Findings
After the program, there were statistically significant differences in mean scores between the group and control groups; the difference of self-esteem was 4.15 (95% CI: 1.95, 6.36), attitude toward smoking was 3.30 (95% CI: 1.89, 5.52) and perceived control over smoking was 6.99 (95% CI: 4.04, 9.94). Thus, all differences in the intervention group were significantly higher than in the control group. The proportion of non-smokers, measured by the urine cotinine test at follow-up, was 25 percent (95% CI: 0.03, 0.48) significantly higher (p-value = 0.015), in the intervention group. Therefore, the smoking cessation program in this study was effective at changing the behavior of male high school student smokers.
Originality/value
This smoking cessation program increased self-esteem, attitude toward smoking, perceived control over smoking and decreased smoking per day among male high school students. Therefore, schools and parents should focus on developing these factors to encourage students to quit smoking.
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Building energy management systems use important information from indoor room temperature (IRT) forecasting to predict daily loads within smart buildings. IRT forecasting is a…
Abstract
Purpose
Building energy management systems use important information from indoor room temperature (IRT) forecasting to predict daily loads within smart buildings. IRT forecasting is a complex and challenging task, especially when energy demands are exponentially rising. The purpose of this paper is to review the relevant literature on indoor temperature forecasting in the past two decades and draw inferences on important methodologies with influencing variables and offer future directions.
Design/methodology/approach
The motivation for this work is based on the research work done in the field of intelligent buildings and energy related sector. The focus of this study is based on past literature on forecasting models and methodologies related to IRT forecasting for building energy management, with an emphasis on data-driven models (statistical and machine learning models). The methodology adopted here includes review of several journals, conference papers, reference books and PhD theses. Selected forecasting methodologies have been reviewed for indoor temperature forecasting contributing to building energy consumption. The models reviewed here have been earmarked for their benefits, limitations, location of study, accuracy along with the identification of influencing variables.
Findings
The findings are based on 62 studies where certain accuracy metrics and influencing explanatory variables have been reviewed. Linear models have been found to show explanatory relationships between the variables. Nonlinear models are found to have better accuracy than linear models. Moreover, IRT profiles can be modeled with enhanced accuracy and generalizability through hybrid models. Although deep learning models are found to have better performance for this study.
Research limitations/implications
This is accuracy-based study of data-driven models. Their run-time performance and cost implications review and review of physical, thermal and simulation models is future scope.
Originality/value
Despite the earlier work conducted in this field, there is a lack of organized and comprehensive evaluation of peer reviewed forecasting methodologies. Indoor temperature depends on various influencing explanatory variables which poses a research challenge for researchers to develop suitable predictive model. This paper presents a critical review of selected forecasting methodologies and provides a list of important methodologies along with influencing variables, which can help future researchers in the field of building energy management sector. The forecasting methods presented here can help to determine appropriate heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems for buildings.
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Alexandra E. MacDougall, Zhanna Bagdasarov, James F. Johnson and Michael D. Mumford
Business ethics provide a potent source of competitive advantage, placing increasing pressure on organizations to create and maintain an ethical workforce. Nonetheless, ethical…
Abstract
Business ethics provide a potent source of competitive advantage, placing increasing pressure on organizations to create and maintain an ethical workforce. Nonetheless, ethical breaches continue to permeate corporate life, suggesting that there is something missing from how we conceptualize and institutionalize organizational ethics. The current effort seeks to fill this void in two ways. First, we introduce an extended ethical framework premised on sensemaking in organizations. Within this framework, we suggest that multiple individual, organizational, and societal factors may differentially influence the ethical sensemaking process. Second, we contend that human resource management plays a central role in sustaining workplace ethics and explore the strategies through which human resource personnel can work to foster an ethical culture and spearhead ethics initiatives. Future research directions applicable to scholars in both the ethics and human resources domains are provided.
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Caroline Hands and Maria Limniou
Prior learning and prior knowledge are among the most dependable and consistent factors in predicting students’ success (Richardson et al., 2012). Although for UK Higher…
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Prior learning and prior knowledge are among the most dependable and consistent factors in predicting students’ success (Richardson et al., 2012). Although for UK Higher Education, the traditional A-level (advanced level qualification) remains the principal qualification students use to gain entry to University, there has been a small but significant rise in alternative qualifications, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) and vocational qualifications such as that from the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC). The multidisciplinary nature of Psychology means students enter the degree program with a range of qualifications in differing topic areas. The current case study aimed to assess if science qualifications aided student success in the University of Liverpool’s Psychology course. Ordinal regression and correlations were used to examine the impact of prior qualifications on three first-year cohort module scores (Psychobiology, Social psychology, and Research Methods) and the overall degree mark across three cohorts of Psychology students (n = 1,072). University entry grades showed a significant overall and subject specific effect of scientific prior knowledge. However, the effects of previous qualifications were not cumulative and did not persist beyond the first year of study. These findings were strongest for Chemistry in the Psychobiology module suggesting that scientific literacy – the understanding of scientific concepts, phenomena, and processes, as well as an individual’s ability to apply such knowledge to new or non-scientific situations (Schleicher, 2019) – rather than domain-specific knowledge is driving such increase in grades. A negative relationship was seen for those holding BTEC qualifications, suggesting that vocational qualifications, specifically for this Psychology program, were of less use than academic ones, even if topic areas were similar – a finding which may also apply to other academic based courses, and warrants further study. Although the advantage of prior qualifications diminishes across the course of study, this small but distinct advantage suggests that making a science qualification a requirement for a place on a Psychology degree course would be a beneficial step for admissions tutors to consider.
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The selection and evaluation of CD‐ROM disks are important steps in the planning of a CD‐ROM facility. The choice of databases depends upon, among other factors, the objectives of…
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The selection and evaluation of CD‐ROM disks are important steps in the planning of a CD‐ROM facility. The choice of databases depends upon, among other factors, the objectives of the library, the projected use of each disk, and financial considerations. In this article we review the literature that deals with these matters. We begin with what is available on disk selection, via both printed directories and in the journals. We next discuss reported methods of disk evaluation. Finally, we cover existing reviews of various CD‐ROM products.
Sadia Samar Ali, Rajbir Kaur and Jose Antonio Marmolejo Saucedo
Franziska Leutner, Reece Akhtar and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
We believe that at last we stand at the beginning of a new era. On 28th November, in his capacity as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education, Mr. Herbert Lewis…
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We believe that at last we stand at the beginning of a new era. On 28th November, in his capacity as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education, Mr. Herbert Lewis introduced into the House of Commons a “Bill to Amend the Public Libraries' Acts, 1892 to 1901, and to repeal so much of the Museums and Gymnasiums Act 1891, as authorises the provision of museums in England and Wales.” This, then, is the Government Bill that wo have looked for for many years; some of us for nearly half‐a—century. It means so much for libraries that it is difficult to realise that such a Bill is in being and has the weight of the Government behind it, and that it will quite probably pass quickly —a private Bill would have had no chance whatever.