The contextualization of divergent outlooks in a Greenfield master-planned community: a pathway towards reflexivity

Comprehensive design schemes and specifications have progressively shaped Master-Planned Communities (MPCs). The market largely predetermines these outcomes, with background input from communities. Therefore, this paper endeavours to define the fundamental structures that generate differences between market actors and residents within the North Lakes MPC. This study employs ‘habitus theory’, which is a sociological phenomenon describing the divergence of personal outlooks and expertise. The application of this theory is thus illustrative of the evolution of distinct observations within MPCs. Contemporary studies have under-researched these inherent gaps between communities, authorities, and critics, and these frictions could be exacerbated within restrictive developmental contexts. Epistemic and objectified content analyses collated over many years and sources will uncover the underlying differences between the relevant groups. These analyses will enable the progression of a framework for understanding power relation biases and how reflexivity can enhance current consultative methods.     

Energy storage and control optimization for an electric vehicle

Two big issues involving electric vehicles are energy supply and power management control. To deal with the energy supply problem, this paper proposes the application of a hybrid energy source system, composed of battery pack and ultracapacitor bank. The power management control between the energy supplies was defined by a fuzzy logic with inference rules optimized through genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm optimizes lower and upper limits of membership functions aiming to reduce the hybrid energy source system total mass while maximizing the electric vehicle drive range and performance. Through the Pareto frontier, we found the best trade‐off solution.     

Identifying organizational requirements for the implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT)

AMT selection and adoption processes have been extensively studied. Topics that include financial and human factors, productivity, and coordination of the AMT implementation establish a substantial content of the present research agenda. The purpose of this paper is to study the organizational factors that influence the AMT implementation, considering a manufacturing strategy context and an analysis based on an organizational design framework. The research strategy is based on ‘empirical iterations’ using survey secondary data, experts’ interviews information and multiple case studies. The results show that there is a set of recommendations, which strongly influence the AMT implementation. Companies require a structured and integrative approach for the AMT implementation in order to take advantage of all their individual and systemic benefits. The set of proposed AMT recommendations for integrating these technologies to the organizational design are framed by structural, process and contextual aspects.     

Quality analysis of scalable video coding on unstable transmissions

This paper presents a study of quality on scalable video sequences coded using the scalable extension of the H.264 standard (SVC). A group of experiments was performed to measure, primarily, the effects that transmission instability has in the quality of the videos and the relationship among three scalability methods (spatial, temporal and quality) in terms of quality. A set of experiments was performed to measure the subjective quality using the ACR-HRR methodology and recommendations from ITU-R Rec. BT.500 and ITU-T Rec. P.910. The results show that the amount of instability is not as important as just the presence of instability, that video quality can be deteriorated due to instability and that temporal scalability usually produces videos with worse quality than spatial and quality scalabilities.     

Generating model-based test cases from natural language requirements for space application software

Natural Language (NL) deliverables suffer from ambiguity, poor understandability, incompleteness, and inconsistency. Howewer, NL is straightforward and stakeholders are familiar with it to produce their software requirements documents. This paper presents a methodology, SOLIMVA, which aims at model-based test case generation considering NL requirements deliverables. The methodology is supported by a tool that makes it possible to automatically translate NL requirements into Statechart models. Once the Statecharts are derived, another tool, GTSC, is used to generate the test cases. SOLIMVA uses combinatorial designs to identify scenarios for system and acceptance testing, and it requires that a test designer defines the application domain by means of a dictionary. Within the dictionary there is a Semantic Translation Model in which, among other features, a word sense disambiguation method helps in the translation process. Using as a case study a space application software product, we compared SOLIMVA with a previous manual approach developed by an expert under two aspects: test objectives coverage and characteristics of the Executable Test Cases. In the first aspect, the SOLIMVA methodology not only covered the test objectives associated to the expert’s scenarios but also proposed a better strategy with test objectives clearly separated according to the directives of combinatorial designs. The Executable Test Cases derived in accordance with the SOLIMVA methodology not only possessed similar characteristics with the expert’s Executable Test Cases but also predicted behaviors that did not exist in the expert’s strategy. The key benefits from applying the SOLIMVA methodology/tool within a Verification and Validation process are the ease of use and, at the same time, the support of a formal method consequently leading to a potential acceptance of the methodology in complex software projects.     

Application of polysaccharide hydrogels in adsorption and controlled‐extended release of fertilizers processes

This article studied the applicability of poly(acrylamide) and methylcellulose (PAAm‐MC) hydrogels as potential delivery vehicle for the controlled‐extended release of ammonium sulfate (NH₄)₂SO₄ and potassium phosphate (KH₂PO₄) fertilizers. PAAm‐MC hydrogels with different acrylamide (AAm) and MC concentrations were prepared by a free radical polymerization method. The adsorption and desorption kinetics of fertilizers were determined using conductivity measurements based on previously built analytical curve. The addition of MC in the PAAm chains increased the quantities of (NH₄)₂SO₄ and KH₂PO₄ loaded and extended the time and quantities of fertilizers released. Coherently, both loading and releasing processes were strongly influenced by hydrophilic properties of hydrogels (AAm/MC mass proportion). The best sorption (124.0 mg KH₂PO₄/g hydrogel and 58.0 mg (NH₄)₂SO₄/g hydrogel) and desorption (54.9 mg KH₂PO₄/g hydrogel and 49.5 mg (NH₄)₂SO₄/g hydrogel) properties were observed for 6.0% AAm–1.0% MC hydrogels (AAm/MC mass proportion equal 6), indicating that these hydrogels are potentially viable to be used in controlled‐extended release of fertilizers systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Turkish validation of the Game Transfer Phenomena Scale (GTPS): Measuring altered perceptions,automatic mental processes and actions and behaviours associated with playing video games

Studies on Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP) have demonstrated that experiencing altered sensorial perceptions, automatic thoughts and behaviours after playing video games are relatively common phenomena. The aim of this paper is twofold: (i) to validate the Turkish version of the GTP scale (GTPS), and (ii) to examine the prevalence and the relation between the various dimensions of GTP (e.g., visual perceptions, thoughts, behaviours) and video game players’ individual characteristics (e.g., demographics, gaming habits). A total of 954 frequent players were recruited online. Independently of the different samples used in the original validation of the GTPS and the current study, the findings obtained via confirmatory factor analysis showed that the GTPS-Turkish is reliable and valid and proved to be adequate for measuring GTP. A total of 99% of the players in the sample had experienced some type of GTP. Moreover, the correlational, univariate and multivariate analyses showed associations between various video game player characteristics and GTP. The most remarkable finding was that the prevalence of GTP was higher among minors than adults.