The dynamics of the impact and coalescence of droplets on a solid surface

A simple experimental setup to study the impact and coalescence of deposited droplets is described. Droplet impact and coalescence have been investigated by high-speed particle image velocimetry. Velocity fields near the liquid-substrate interface have been observed for the impact and coalescence of 2.4 mm diameter droplets of glycerol∕water striking a flat transparent substrate in air. The experimental arrangement images the internal flow in the droplets from below the substrate with a high-speed camera and continuous laser illumination. Experimental results are in the form of digital images that are processed by particle image velocimetry and image processing algorithms to obtain velocity fields, droplet geometries, and contact line positions. Experimental results are compared with numerical simulations by the lattice Boltzmann method.     

Managing research and innovation networks: Evidence from a government sponsored cross-industry program

Important innovations are increasingly produced based on research engagement and fertilization across industries. However, we know little about the challenges associated with managing innovation networks in specific contexts that involves researchers in cross-industry collaboration. Against this backdrop, we draw on theory on design and orchestration of innovation networks to analyze a large-scale government sponsored program, “ProcessIT Innovations” that was designed to increase competitiveness and accelerate economic growth in Northern Sweden. The program was initiated and led by firms from the traditionally strong local process industry and engaged local researchers and firms from the emerging IT industry. Based on our analyses, we offer two contributions. First, we provide a detailed analysis of the challenges related to configuration of the network, orchestration of partnerships between participants, and facilitation of innovation in dedicated development projects. Second, we propose a model of managing research and innovation networks through fertilization across industries and between firms and research institutions.     

Green intellectual capital and environmental product innovation: the mediating role of green social capital

Although the importance of intellectual capital has already been highlighted in the management literature, few articles have focused on the importance of its green counterpart, green intellectual capital. Nowadays, when environmental concerns cannot be ignored by firms, it is therefore time to explore the role of green intellectual capital in environmental improvement. For that reason, our research aims to explore the relationships between green intellectual capital components and the environmental performance of the firms. In particular, we try to show the importance of green organizational and social capital in the development of environmental product innovations, which are vital to the development and implementation of environmental strategies since, as scholars have pointed out, they generate some of the greatest environmental impacts. The empirical results show that green organizational capital has an indirect impact on environmental product innovation through green social capital, meaning that the latter is a significant mediator of that relationship, and at the same time emphasizing that informal relationships play a key role in the improvement of the environmental performance of the firm and, more specifically, in the development of environmental product innovations.     

Improving the learning of Boolean queries by means of a multiobjective IQBE evolutionary algorithm

The Inductive Query By Example (IQBE) paradigm allows a system to automatically derive queries for a specific Information Retrieval System (IRS). Classic IRSs based on this paradigm [Smith, M., & Smith, M. (1997). The use of genetic programming to build Boolean queries for text retrieval through relevance feedback. Journal of Information Science, 23(6), 423–431] generate a single solution (Boolean query) in each run, that with the best fitness value, which is usually based on a weighted combination of the basic performance criteria, precision and recall.     

Effects of a two-phase reading intervention on three orthographic-phonological code connections

According to the Multiple Connections Model, children bring to the task of learning to read varying degrees of skill in three orthographic coding procedures for written words (whole words, single letters, and letter clusters) and in three phonological coding procedures for spoken words (phonetic or name codes, phonemes, and syllables) and thus in ability to form connections between corresponding orthographic and phonological codes: whole word-phonetic/semantic code, letter-phoneme, and letter cluster-syllable/subsyllable. In Phase I of this intervention study only orthographic and phonological coding were remediated. In Phase II explicit teaching in reading was provided that emphasized the multiple orthographic-phonological connections above. Overall the group improved from about one standard deviation below the mean to approximately the mean standard score for grade in reading real words (whole word and subword connections) and in reading nonwords (subword connections only) after an average of 28.7 sessions of about 40 minutes each. Overall 70% of the individuals showed significant gains in reading real words and 90% of the individuals showed significant gains in reading nonwords. The intervention was most effective in creating whole word-phonetic/semantic connections and least effective in creating letter-phoneme connections. These results demonstrate that theory-driven intervention during a critical developmental period in reading acquisition may prevent more serious reading disabilities.     

Analysis of performance in orienteering with treadmill tests and physiological field tests using a differential global positioning system

The aim of this study was to determine the physiological responses to orienteering by examining the interrelationships between the information provided by a differential global positioning system (dGPS) about an orienteer's route, speed and orienteering mistakes, portable metabolic gas analyser data during orienteering and data from incremental treadmill tests. Ten male orienteers completed a treadmill threshold test and a field test; the latter was performed on a 4.3 km course on mixed terrain with nine checkpoints. The anaerobic threshold, threshold of decompensated metabolic acidosis, respiratory exchange ratio, onset of blood lactate accumulation and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were determined from the treadmill test. Time to complete the course, total distance covered, mean speed, distance and timing of orienteering mistakes, mean oxygen uptake, mean relative heart rate, mean respiratory exchange ratio and mean running economy were computed from the dGPS data and metabolic gas analyser data. Correlation analyses showed a relationship between a high anaerobic threshold and few orienteering mistakes (r = - 0.64, P < 0.05). A high threshold of decompensated metabolic acidosis and VO2peak were related to a fast overall time (r = -0.70 to -0.72, P < 0.05) and high running speed (r = 0.64 to 0.79, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), and were thus the best predictors of performance.     

Role of exteroceptive background context in taste-aversion conditioning and extinction

In two experiments, saccharin (CS) and lithium chloride (US) were paired in a context consisting of specific visual, auditory, tactual, and olfactory cues. The saccharin aversion was then extinguished in a context free from conditioning-context cues. Later, saccharin preference tests were given in the presence and absence of these cues. The results indicated that the background cues of the conditioning trial controlled the amount of saccharin drunk on extinction trials, and, furthermore, that extinction of the taste aversion was context specific; i.e., groups given extinction trials in a different (from conditioning) context retained their saccharin aversion in the conditioning context only. The results indicate an important role played by the exteroceptive context in taste-aversion conditioning.     

The View from Above: Map Reading Skills Project

In South Africa the education system for black children is fraught with problems. These problems are the direct result of apartheid and have been compounded by poverty and illiteracy. In this article the problem of poorly qualified or unqualified teachers is discussed especially with regard to the teaching of map skills to children in their fifth school year. The project team needed to develop affordable materials which could be used in large classes by teachers after a very short period of training. Books and other materials which are available commercially were examined, but for various reasons were found to be unsuitable for local conditions. After determining the extent of the problem, the project team followed a grassroots process of developing a flip chart which teachers learnt to use with confidence and which enabled pupils to master the concepts and skills necessary for understanding a map.     

Developing a Human Nutrition Learning Progression

This paper describes the application of the methodology developed in research on learning progressions to a health-related topic. More specifically, we present a human nutrition learning progression as a hypothesis that now requires empirical validation. The study involved three phases. In the first phase, we analysed the existing literature in the domain of human nutrition. Based on this analysis, phase 2 then involved drawing up a learning progression for this domain and identifying the learning targets and progress variables, as well as the upper and lower anchors. The analysis led us to identify five progress variables, associated with the development of the concepts of food, nutrient, energy and diet, as well as with the ability to classify foods according to their nutrients. Finally, in phase 3, we identified and described the pathways that students may follow in relation to each progress variable. Given its focus on a topic closely linked to personal health, the learning progression may be useful not only as a component of teaching modules that aim to improve scientific literacy but also as a platform for future health education campaigns that seek to promote healthy eating habits among different sectors of the population.     

A Conceptual Change Teaching Strategy to Facilitate High School Students' Understanding of Electrochemistry

Recent research in chemistry education has shown an increasing interest in the facilitation of conceptual change in student understanding of chemical concepts. Most of the studies have tried to show the difference in student performance on algorithmic and conceptual problems. The objective of this study is to go beyond and design a teaching strategy based on two teaching experiments that could facilitate students' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry. The study is based on two sections (control, n = 29; experimental, n = 28) of 10th grade high school students at a public school in Venezuela. Experimental group participated in two teaching experiments designed to generate situations/experiences in which students are forced to grapple with alternative responses leading to cognitive conflicts/contradictions. Results obtained show that learning electrochemistry involves both algorithmic and conceptual problems. On Posttest 1, 93% of the experimental group students responded correctly, in contrast to 39% of the control group. On Posttest 2, 39% of the experimental group responded correctly, in contrast to 0% of the Control group. The difference in performance on both posttests is statistically significant (p < 0.001). It is concluded that the teaching experiments facilitated students' understanding (progressive transitions) of electrochemistry.