The impact of the ICT4D project on sustainable rural development using a capability approach: Evidence from Bangladesh

Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) projects have shown a great promises in recent years. However, simply materializing of ICT4D projects is not enough for minimizing the prevalent digital divide in rural areas in developing countries. For the success of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) intervention, it is important to consider the capabilities of users, who are responsible for converting ICT resources into outcome. While most of the ICT-related studies are focused on the adoption of actual technologies and influences of different internal and external factors on intervention outcomes, very few studies are focused on evaluating intervention outcomes and redesigning intervention strategies. In this study, I opted for using a conceptual framework following the Capability Approach that simultaneously identifies the influence factors for intervention outcome as well as evaluates the outcome based on Noble Laureate Amartya Sen’s five freedoms concept. A qualitative technique has been chosen to conduct the study. As part of the impact evaluation of an ICT4D intervention, a project known as Union Digital Centres (UDCs) in Bangladesh was selected. A total of ten themes are identified indicating that the outcome of the intervention is contributing to socio-economic and human development. However, the study has revealed that lack of capabilities of users (e.g. prior knowledge and financial inability) bar the UDC programs to fulfill their goals at highest level. This study would practically help the UDC policy makers to adjust the UDC intervention design by addressing the shortcomings of the users to yield higher UDC program outcome. Additionally, this study theoretically contributes in ICT adoption literature by showing that there is a mutual influence between users’ capabilities and ICT-related project outcomes. Finally, using specific case study (ICT4D project in Bangladesh), this study contextualizes Amartya Sen’s five freedoms concept in the ICT-specific context.     

Pragmatism or idealism? An urban perspective onto the politics of interurban cooperation for sustainability in the EU

European cities have been committed to achieve urban sustainability, participating in interurban networks dealing with socio-ecological issues. By examining the incentives derived by the involvement in these networks and the municipal political milieu where the decision about network participation is taken, this article seeks to understand the motivations for European cities to take part in sustainability networks. To do so, a small-N qualitative analysis was undertaken. The results show that cities’ participation in socio-ecological urban networks (SEUNs) is motivated by the economic, political and formative incentives that membership provides, and is influenced by institutionalised values, political agency and previous cooperative experience.     

2018年欧盟食品中农药残留情况分析及启示

欧盟向来十分重视食品安全, 在农药残留监管方面, 建立了健全的农药残留监管体系。 本文从欧盟农药残留法规标准、监管部门及分工和欧盟农药残留控制计划3方面介绍了欧盟农药残留监管体系, 从欧盟协调控制计划和国家控制计划两部分分析了2018年欧盟食品中农药残留情况, 涉及样品来源、产品、农药、食品中草甘膦、进口食品、婴幼儿食品、有机食品和动物源性食品等。本文也指出了农药残留产生的原因和风险评估结果, 提出风险管理建议, 并借鉴其监管思路, 提出对我国农药残留监管的几点建议, 为食品安全监管决策提供参考。     

Tape casting of polysiloxane-derived ceramic with controlled porosity and surface properties

Tape casting has been applied to produce porous hybrid and SiOC ceramic tapes using ceramic precursors and commercially available polysiloxanes as polymeric binders. SiC particles of two different mean sizes (4.5 or 6.5?μm) were used as inert fillers to prevent shrinkage and increase mechanical stability. Macroporosity was adjusted by varying the azodicarbonamide (ADA) content from 0 to 30?wt.%. Decomposition of the polysiloxanes at 600?°C resulted in the generation of micropores with high specific surface area (187–267 m²?g^?1) and a predominant hydrophobic behavior. At 1000?°C mainly meso/macroporosity were observed (SSA: 32–162 m²?g^?1) accompanied by increased hydrophilicity. The influence of ADA content, SiC size, and pyrolysis temperature on open porosity (2.5–37%), average pore size (<0.01–1.76?μm), surface characteristics, and flexural strength (10.5–121?MPa) were investigated. The porous tapes with different surface characteristics and controlled structure are highly promising for applications involving membrane processes, particularly microfiltration systems (0.1–10?μm).     

Effects of pore former type on mechanical and electrochemical performance of anode support microtubes in solid oxide fuel cells

The effects of pore formers added into the extrusion slurry of anode support microtubes on the mechanical and electrochemical performance of the microtubes are investigated in this study. For this purpose, several microtubular anode supports are fabricated by using various pore formers with different particle sizes. The effect of pore former content is also taken into consideration for a certain pore former type. The flexural strengths of the anode support microtubes are measured via three point bending tests and reliability analysis is performed. The porosities of the anode supports are also determined along with microstructural investigations. The results reveal that the flexural strength decreases with increasing the particle size of the pore former employed for a fixed pore former content and with increasing the pore former content for a certain pore former material considered. In addition, a number microtubular cells are fabricated based on the various microtubular anode supports and their electrochemical performances are evaluated via performance and impedance tests. The impedance results indicate that the cell performance is mainly restricted by the diffusion polarization. Among the pore former materials considered in this study, the highest cell performance for a certain pore former content of 20 vol% is measured from the cell prepared with graphite (325 mesh) pore former at all temperatures and hydrogen flowrates studied. The optimization studies display that the cell performance can be further improved by increasing the pore former content to 22.5 vol% for this pore former material.     

刘伯承故居红色旅游环境规划设计

刘伯承故居为核心的红色旅游环境规划以突出爱国主义教育主题,结合地域旅游资源特色和产业发展战略为原则,以创造尺度宜人,舒适亲切的景观环境为目标,以景点布局互为依托、建筑设计地域传统、实际功能丰富多样、园林景观自然生态、细部设计以人为本为理念.在布局上强调轴线概念,采取主轴和次轴相结合的空间构架,形成独具特色的规划设计方案.     

阻燃凝胶形成剂和凝胶的制法及其应用

讨论了通过热凝胶化制造含有水、磷酸铝、硼和一种胺的凝胶形成剂和凝胶的方法及其应用范围     

陈慈黉故居的建筑石雕装饰艺术

陈慈黉故居是中国近代中西合璧型的大型华侨住宅,其建筑石雕继承潮汕建筑艺术的精髓,同时运用西洋的材料及装饰图纹,大胆创新,形成了自己独特的建筑石雕装饰符号。     

赖特有机建筑与"天人合一"思想

世界著名建筑大师赖特的有机建筑始终坚持"与自然和谐共生"的设计理念,创造了无数经典之作,在世界范围内引起了很大反响,至今仍为人们所迷恋.赖特的有机建筑分成草原式住宅和美国风住宅两个阶段,这两种风格的住宅创作均体现出中国哲学的"天人合一"思想.因此,挖掘中国传统哲学的内在精神,以此来诠释赖特的有机建筑,可以更加深入地体会建筑的内在涵义,并从中吸取一些对当代建筑创作有益的精髓.