Factors influencing school connectedness: Chinese adolescents’ perspectives

This study explored the concept of school connectedness and the factors that may influence its development with a sample of Chinese adolescents. Six focus groups involving 52 high school students were conducted using a set of predetermined discussion topics. Results indicated that the students fully understood the notion of school connectedness and could identify a number of key influences affecting its development. These factors could be grouped under several domains including teacher care, peer relations, broader school relationships, school disciplinary policies and practices, activities within the school’s guidance and counseling program, and opportunities for talent development. The students were also able to suggest practical strategies that schools might introduce to enhance and strengthen students’ acquisition of connectedness to school. The implications from the findings are discussed with particular reference to implementing comprehensive school guidance and counseling program in Hong Kong.     

The relationship of organizational corruption with organizational culture, attitude towards work and work ethics: a search on Turkish high school teachers

The aim of this study is to analyse organizational corruption and to determine its level of relation to attitude towards work, work ethics and organizational culture. The data in study have been collected from 441 public high school teachers employed in the central districts of Ankara in the school year of 2008–2009. Data have been collected through ‘Scale for Organizational Corruption’, ‘Scale for Attitude towards Work’, ‘Scale for Work Ethics’ and ‘Scale for Organizational Culture’, all of which were developed by the researchers in this study. Correlation and regression analysis techniques have been used in analysing the data. It is concluded from the study that there is a significant, though at an average level, relation between organizational corruption, organizational culture and work ethics and that there is a negative significant relation, though at a low level, between organizational corruption and attitude towards work. It is also concluded that the variables for attitude towards work, work ethics and organizational culture explain 38% of the variation in organizational corruption.     

Load-carrying capacity and practical calculation method for hollow cylinder joints connected with H-shaped beams

A type of hollow cylinder joints connected with H-shaped beams is proposed for spatial structures. Based on von Mises yield criterion and perfect elasto-plasticity model, a series of finite element models of the joints is established, in which the effect of geometric nonlinearity is taken into account. Then mechanical behavior and load-carrying capacity of the joints were investigated, which were subjected to axial load, in- and out-plane bending moments, and their combinations. The results show that the ultimate loads of the joints are determined by the maximum displacement. Furthermore, the case of one joint connected with multiple beams was discussed. Experiments on a set of typical full-scale joints were conducted to understand the structural behavior and the failure mechanism of joint, and also to validate the finite element models. Finally, the practical calculation method was established through finite elements analysis (FEA) results and numerical fitting. The results show that the joints are more ductile and materially economical than welded hollow spherical joints, and the practical calculation method can provide a reference for direct design and the revision of relevant design codes.     

Stress intensity factors under combined bending and torsion moments

This paper discusses stress intensity factor (SIF) calculations for surface cracks in round bars subjected to combined torsion and bending loadings. Different crack aspect ratios, a/b, ranging from 0.0 to 1.2 and relative crack depths, a/D, ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 were considered. Since the loading was non-symmetrical for torsion loadings, a whole finite element model was constructed. Then, the individual and combined bending and torsion loadings were remotely applied to the model. The equivalent SIF method, F*_EQ, was then used explicitly to combine the individual SIFs from the bending and torsion loadings. A comparison was then carried out with the combined SIF, F*_FE, obtained using the finite element analysis (FEA) under similar loadings. It was found that the equivalent SIF method successfully predicted the combined SIF for Mode I. However, discrepancies between the results determined from the different approaches occurred when F _III was involved. It was also noted that the predicted F*_FE using FEA was higher than the F*_EQ predicted through the equivalent SIF method due to the difference in crack face interactions.     

Cycle performance studies on a new HFC-161/125/143a mixture as an alternative refrigerant to R404A

In this paper, a new ternary non-azeotropic mixture of HFC-161/125/143a (0.15/0.45/0.40 in mass fraction), as a promising mixed refrigerant to R404A, is presented. The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of the new refrigerant is zero and its basic thermodynamic properties are similar to those of R404A, but its global warming potential (GWP) is much smaller than those of R507A and R404A. Meanwhile, theoretical calculations show that, under the working condition I (the average evaporation temperature: −23 °C, the average condensing temperature: 43 °C, the superheat temperature: 28 °C, the subcooling temperature: 5 °C), the volumetric refrigerating effect and specific refrigerating effect of the new mixture are 2.33% and 15.48% higher, respectively, than those of R404A. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the new mixture is 5.19% higher than that of R404A and the pressure ratio of the new mixture is 0.82% lower than that of R404A. Equally, under the working condition II (the average evaporation temperature: −40 °C, the average condensing temperature: 35 °C, the superheating temperature: 30 °C, the subcooling temperature: 5 °C), the volumetric refrigerating effect and specific refrigerating effect of the new mixture are 2.24% and 20.58% higher, respectively, than those of R404A. The COP of the new mixture is 4.60% higher than that of R404A and the pressure ratio of the new mixture is similar to that of R404A. The performances of the new mixture and R404A are compared in a vapor compressor refrigeration apparatus originally designed for R404A under several working conditions (condensing temperatures: 35–45 °C, evaporation temperatures: −40–−20 °C). Experimental results show that the new mixture can obtain a higher COP, by 6.3% to 12.1%, and a lower pressure ratio, by 1.8% to 6.6%, compared to R404A; although the discharge temperature of the new mixture is slightly higher than that of R404A. The advantages of the new mixture will be further verified in the actual system.     

Mobiles for literacy in developing countries: An effectiveness framework

In recent years, the advent of low-cost digital and mobile devices has led to a strong expansion of social interventions, including those that try to improve student learning and literacy outcomes. Many of these are focused on improving reading in low-income countries, and particularly among the most disadvantaged. Some of these early efforts have been called successful, but little credible evidence exists for those claims. Drawing on a robust sample of projects in the domain of mobiles for literacy, this article introduces a design solution framework that combines intervention purposes with devices, end users, and local contexts. In combination with a suggested set of purpose-driven methods for monitoring and evaluation, this new framework provides useful parameters for measuring effectiveness in the domain of mobiles for literacy.     

Convergence and divergence in reports of maternal support following childhood sexual abuse: Prevalence and associations with youth psychosocial adjustment

This study examined the convergence and divergence in mothers’ and children's reports of maternal support following disclosures of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). One hundred and twenty mothers and their children (ages 7–17 years) reported on two aspects of support following CSA disclosures: mothers’ belief in the child's disclosure and parent–child discussion of the abuse incident. Whereas 62% of mothers’ and children's reports on mothers’ belief of the disclosure positively converged (i.e., both reported that mothers “completely believed” the child's disclosure), 37% of mothers’ and children's reports diverged, and the remaining 1% negatively converged (i.e., both reported that the mother only believed the child “somewhat”). Positively convergent responses were associated with youths’ lower risk for tobacco and illicit drug use. Forty-four percent of mothers’ and children's reports on whether details of the CSA were discussed positively converged (i.e., both reported that details were discussed), 33% diverged, and 23% negatively converged (i.e., both reported that details were not discussed). Relative to other patterns of reporting, negatively convergent responses were associated with higher levels of trauma symptoms. Findings have implications for identifying high-risk mother–child dyads based on patterns of informant reporting following CSA.