Web-based systems design: a study of contemporary practices and an explanatory framework based on “method-in-action”

This paper reports the findings of a detailed study of Web-based systems design (WBSD) practices in Ireland based on data collected over a 3-year period (2002–2005), the objectives of which were to (1) contribute towards a richer understanding of the current “real-world” context of WBSD by characterising the profile of a typical project (team size, timeframe, nature of requirements, etc.) and identifying the key challenges, constraints, and imperatives (i.e. “mediating factors”) faced by Web-based system designers, and (2) understand how those contextual parameters and mediating factors influence the activity of WBSD as regards the selection and enactment of whatever design practices are therefore engaged (i.e. the use of methods, procedures, etc.). Data was gathered through a survey which yielded 165 usable responses, and later through a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews. Using grounded theory, an explanatory conceptual framework is derived, based on an extension of the “method-in-action” model, the application of which to WBSD has not been previously investigated in depth. It is proposed that this framework of WBSD issues is valuable in a number of ways to educators, researchers, practitioners, and method engineers.     

Renal R2 chemoreceptor activity is attenuated after back heating in the rat

The aim of the present study was to determine the afferent connections of the nucleus accumbens in snakes, in particular its catecholaminergic input. For that purpose, in vitro and in vivo applications of retrograde tracers in the nucleus accumbens of Elaphe guttata were combined with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry. Both techniques revealed telencephalic inputs to the nucleus accumbens originating from the diagonal band of Broca, ventral pallidum, amygdaloid complex, and dorsal cortex. Major diencephalic inputs arise from the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus and the hypothalamus. In the brainstem, a few retrogradely labeled cells were observed in the raphe nucleus and the locus coeruleus. Considerably more cells were found in the midbrain tegmentum. Within the confines of the locus coeruleus and, in particular, the midbrain tegmentum, retrogradely labeled cells stained also for TH suggesting that those areas constitute the major catecholaminergic input to the nucleus accumbens of snakes. The experimental approach used in the present study, in particular the in vitro technique, seems to be very suited for studying the development of basal ganglia organization of reptiles in the near future.     

Synthesis, characteristics and oxygen-sensitive properties of SrMgxTi 1 − xO3 nanocrystals

SrMg_xTi_{1 - x}O₃ nanocrystals (x = 0.1–0.6) were synthesized by the stearic acid gel method. Powder samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron (XP) spectroscopy. The results showed that the lattice parameter a and the O 1s XP spectrum changed not only with the Mg content x but also with the grain size d of the samples. The conductivity of a thick film specimen fabricated on an aluminium oxide wafer was investigated in a nitrogen—oxygen atmosphere.     

MEASUREMENT OF THE SPECIFIC SURFACE AREA OF POWDERS BY THIN LAYER WICKING

The specific surface areas (A) of different clay mineral powders were measured by both the BET method and by thin layer wicking. The values of A for the BET and the wicking experiments coincided within a few percent. Thus, the simple and inexpensive thin layer wicking approach may well suffice to obtain reliable specific surface area values for most powders. From the wicking data it is also possible to obtain a rough estimate of the average particle size.     

Evidence of late palaeozoic thermalwater metallization in South Yongmei Depression

This paper discusses the seafloor thermalwater spout sedimentary activity in South Yongmei Depression according to the following evidences: the Yongmei region was in an extended tectonic environment of metaplateform and locally developed intracontinental rift aulacogen in company with the activity of rich alkali, high potassium volcanics of double-peak type. Several kinds of hydrothermal sedimentary rocks and the ore-bearing sedimentary formations of copper-polymetals, iron and manganese exist in this region with a zoning feature of the seafloor thermalwater spout sedimentation. Project supported by the Science Foundation of NECC for Returns Synopsis of the first author Wu Chengjian, associated professor, born in 1957, majoring in ore deposit and mineralgraphy.     

“镍”催化酰氯和有机锡试剂交叉偶联反应的研究

镍络合物催化酰氯与有机锡试剂交叉偶联合成有机酮的反应,其反应选择性强,反应彻底,转化率高,工艺简单。在有机锡过量的情况下,对不同催化剂的催化活性和包括投料比,反应温度,反应时间,反应溶剂等反应条件进行了考察。     

管外上升R－113流体的沸腾换热试验

详细介绍了Ｒ－１１３流体管外上升流动的沸腾换热试验，包括试验台架、流量计和温度测量的修正，以及试验数据。拟合的换热关系式为ｑ＝５２８（Ｔｗ─Ｔｓ）１．３３。     

An efficient numerical approach, for determining the dispersioncharacteristics of dual-mode elliptical-core optical fibers

Based on vectorial formulations which combine the surface integral equation method and the finite-element method, a novel numerical approach is proposed for calculating the dispersion coefficients of dual-mode elliptical-core fibers with arbitrary refractive index profiles. By differentiating the original formulations involving the propagation constant β and the guided mode fields H_x and H_y once and twice with respect to the normalized frequency V, the new formulations for {dβ/dV, dH_x/dV, dH_y/dV} and for {d²β/dV², d² H_x/dV², d²H_y/dV² } are obtained respectively. Once {β, H_x, H_y } is solved through the eigenvalue procedure which dominates the computing time, only a few matrix manipulations are required to obtain {dβ/dV, dH_x/dV, dH_y/dV} and {d²β/dV², d²H_x/dV² , d²H_y/dV²}. Some numerical examples are examined to see the influence of different refractive index distributions with dips on the dispersions of the four nondegenerate LP ₁₁ modes for elliptical-core fibers