Cell phone usage and broad feature preferences: A study among Finnish undergraduate students

The purpose of this study is to investigate the cell phone use and broad cell phone feature preferences among high school and undergraduate in Finland. Of particular interest is the issue of gender differences regarding the use of the cell phones and the broad phone feature preferences, and their conceptualization. In this research the female respondents seem to use the calendar, Internet, music, and E-mail significantly more than the male respondents. As far as the feature preferences are concerned the female respondents seem to appreciate more price, aesthetics, design, standard processes and parts used, local language capability, safety in terms of radiation, and ringing tones. Male respondents on the other hand appreciate significantly more the use of business services. Also the broad feature preferences were compared to the actual usage areas of the cell phone. With many of these (parts, process, water, solidity, safety, ease of use, and ringing tones) there were no significant relationship with the actual usage. Interestingly the game feature had a significant correlation with the usage of the games, but the correlation was quite low. Finally the conceptualization of the cell phone by different genders was analyzed, and differences in the conceptualization were discovered.     

Trophodynamics of mercury and other trace elements in a pelagic food chain from the Baltic Sea

Mercury (Hg) and 13 other trace elements (Al, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) were measured in phytoplankton, zooplankton, mysis and herring in order to examine the trophodynamics in a well-studied pelagic food chain in the Baltic Sea. The fractionation of nitrogen isotopes (δ¹⁵N) was used to evaluate food web structure and to estimate the extent of trophic biomagnification of the various trace elements. Trophic magnification factors (TMFs) for each trace element were determined from the slope of the regression between trace element concentrations and δ¹⁵N. Calculated TMFs showed fundamental differences in the trophodynamics of the trace elements in the pelagic food chain studied. Concentrations of Al, Fe, Ni, Zn, Pb and Cd showed statistically significant decreases (TMF < 1) with increasing trophic levels and thus these trace elements tropically dilute or biodilute in this Baltic food chain. Cu, As, Cr, Mn, V, Ti and Co showed no significant relationships with trophic levels. Hg was unique among the trace elements studied in demonstrating a statistically significant increase (TMF > 1) in concentration with trophic level i.e. Hg biomagnifies in this Baltic food chain. The estimated TMF for Hg in this food chain was comparable to TMFs observed elsewhere for diverse food chains and locations.     

A Review of “Children & Their Urban Environment: Changing Worlds”

Problem: Information is often suppressed when public infrastructure is planned by design-build-finance-operate (DFBO) public/private partnerships, an increasingly popular strategy for procuring transportation facilities, hospitals, and schools.

Purpose: I aim to identify strategies to increase transparency and accountability in large infrastructure projects delivered through public/private partnerships.

Methods: I studied the case of an award winning public/private partnership to plan a rapid rail line in Vancouver by comparing confidential documents released after project approval to the information available while planning was underway.

Results and conclusions: I find that although this project followed many best practices for achieving accountable and transparent public/private partnerships, in some instances it kept unfavorable study results from public view, limiting the potential for meaningful public involvement in the planning process. Takeaway for practice: I identify the following strategies to increase transparency and accountability in large infrastructure projects, including those delivered through private-public partnerships: (1) using a clear and narrow standard for what information should be kept confidential; (2) ensuring that public officials with responsibility for project decisions and their staffs have full access to all project information, including that not made public; (3) appointing a watchdog to see that these standards are upheld; and (4) implementing a decision process that allows public input and places the burden for proving that information should remain confidential on the entity making the request.     

Embrittlement Analysis of $$\sum {{{{5}\left[ {{21}0} \right]} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{{5}\left[ {{21}0} \right]} {\left( {\overline{1}\overline{2}0} \right)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\left( {-{1}-{2}0} \right)}}}$$ FeAl Grain Boundary in Presence of Defects: An Ab Initio Study

Iron aluminide (FeAl) inter-metallic compounds are potential candidates for structural applications at high temperatures owing to their superior corrosion resistance, high temperature oxidation, low density and inexpensive material cost. However, the presence of defects can lead to reduction in the strength and ductility of FeAl-based materials. Here we present a density functional theory (DFT) study of the effect of the presence of defects including Fe and Al vacancies as well as H dopants at the substitutional and interstitial sites at a \(\sum {{{{5}\left[ {{21}0} \right]} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{{5}\left[ {{21}0} \right]} {\left( {\overline{1}\overline{2}0} \right)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\left( {\overline{1}\overline{2}0} \right)}}}\) FeAl grain boundary focusing on the energetics. The plane wave pseudopotential code Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) in the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is used to carry out the computations. The formation energy calculations showed that intrinsic defects such as Fe and Al vacancies probably form at the GB, indicated by their negative formation energies. These vacancies can further form defect complexes with H impurities, indicated by lowered formation energies, compact bonds and charge gain of H atoms. Electronic structure analysis showed stronger hybridization of 1s orbitals of H with Fe and Al atoms, which leads to the stabilization of these defects resulting in degradation of material strength.

     

Multiscale eigenfrequency optimization of multimaterial lattice structures based on the asymptotic homogenization method

Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization - Ultralight lattice structures exhibit excellent mechanical performance and have been used widely. In structural design, the fundamental frequency is...     

Effects of modification of highly dispersed cobalt catalysts with alkali cations on the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide

In the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide, alkali cations were found to be effective as modifiers for highly dispersed cobalt catalyst to improve the selectivities of C₂-oxygenated compounds, especially acetic acid and acetaldehyde, and to increase the olefin/paraffin ratio of hydrocarbons. These effects are ascribed to depression of the hydrogenating ability of the catalyst by modification with alkali cations.