Additional Entrance Research Articles

Дослідження безпечності перехрестя з круговим рухом

Roads ensure continuous, safe and convenient movement of vehicles. Intersections play a critical role in the road network in terms of capacity, service level and safety. They are designed in different sizes for different purposes and conditions and have their own defining characteristics that can affect their safety and ease of use.
 Particular attention is paid to roundabouts - where traffic slows down and becomes a one-way flow around a central island. Additional entrance and roundabout lanes improve transportation efficiency, but they also have an impact on safety. The safety disadvantage can be due to inappropriate driver behavior when approaching, circling, and exiting the intersection, as well as weaving maneuvers within the roundabout.
 The concept of turbo-roundabouts has emerged as a possible alternative to conventional multi-lane intersections, but the analysis of studies does not allow us to draw definitive conclusions about their effectiveness and safety, so it is recommended that such studies be conducted for specific road conditions.
 The paper proposes a design of a turbo-roundabouts to improve safety without reducing its efficiency at the intersection of international highways (European route E40 «Kyiv–Chop» and E85 «Domanove-Kovel-Chernivtsi-Terebleche») near the city of Dubno, where traffic accidents regularly occur.
 Among the different types of turbo-roundabouts, the basic turbo-roundabouts with a maximum capacity of up to 2,500 vehicles per hour and the largest traffic flow is taken as a basis.
 All geometric parameters correspond to the average size of a turbo intersection, take into account the overall dimensions of the truck, the speed of traffic and are built in accordance with the recommendations of regulatory documents of European countries specializing in their design.
 The designed turbo intersection with circular traffic has the best comparative option and will reduce the overall accident rate by 36 % and the number of injured people by 34 %.

Online Self-Assessment in Mathematics at the University of Bern

In the Swiss education system the cantons oversee educational matters, practically meaning there are 26 different school systems. This is also reflected in the graduation exam, which is organized locally in every high school. Based on this assessment and their preference, students are admitted to university without any additional entrance exam. This motivated us to create an online self-assessment. Its two mathematical parts serve a different purpose: one evaluates basic mathematical skills, and the other one deals with abstract reasoning that gives students a flavor of university mathematics. Additionally, the online self-assessment contains a set of metacognition questions regarding motivation, expectations and attitude towards mathematics. Our goal is that students to identify their strengths and help them make a more informed study choice.
 The technical tool used for the implementation is STACK, an open-source online assessment system in mathematics. Concerning this use case of STACK, we are currently collecting students’ feedback. We will present our first conclusions on this matter, which serve as a basis for further adjustments of the material.

IMPACT OF COLLIMATION ON RADIATION EXPOSURE IN ADULT AND PAEDIATRIC DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING.

This study aimed to evaluate the collimation practices and quantify the overexposure due to extensive X-ray field area. The study was carried out in four digital X-ray units (including one paediatric X-ray unit). A total of 749 X-ray projections (555 adult and 194 paediatric) were evaluated. In adult X-ray units, the radiation field size was two times larger than the electronically collimated field. In the paediatric unit, the radiation field was 3.7 times larger than the electronic collimated field. The average additional entrance surface dose due to the excess radiation field used in a paediatric X-ray unit varied between 9.3 (2.5%) and 201.4 $\mu $Gy (10.9%). Therefore, proper pre-patient collimation should be applied whenever feasible, which reduces the patient radiation dose considerably.

Local visitors’ willingness to pay of entrance fee at Taman Negeri Gunung Stong, Kelantan

The forest ecosystem offers plenty of benefits and provisions for the environment and human wellbeing. One of the forest ecosystem’s potential advantages is that it serves as a recreational forest area for tourists. However, most tourist destination faces minimal or raising public support for natural attraction maintenance and management. Hence, managing the recreational forest lacks financial resources to provide and restore adequate recreation facilities. This study aims to determine local visitors’ willingness to pay an entrance fee in Taman Negeri Gunung Strong, Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 150 respondents who had visited Taman Negeri Gunung Stong has participated in this study. The sampling techniques employed in this study is a probability stratified sampling approach. A contingent valuation method dichotomous choice was performed in this study to elicit the mean value of willingness to pay. The study found that the mean willingness to pay for an additional entrance fee to enter Taman Negeri Gunong Stong is estimated at RM 5.03 per visit. The variable of socioeconomic which is the only income influences the mean value on acceptance of suggested price. The study is proposed that the entrance fee collections can provide support as supplementary funds for the allocations made of management and maintenance costs in Taman Negeri Gunung Stong.

Nest Entrances, Spatial Fidelity, and Foraging Patterns in the Red Ant Myrmica rubra: A Field and Theoretical Study.

The nest architecture of social insects deeply impacts the spatial distribution of nestmates their interactions, information exchanges and collective responses. In particular, the number of nest entrances can influence the interactions taking place beyond the nest boundaries and the emergence of collective structures like foraging trails. Here, we investigated in the field how the number of nest entrances impacted the foraging dynamics of Myrmica rubra ant colonies. We located the nest entrances where recruitment occurred towards sugar feeders placed in their surroundings. The nests showed one or multiple entrance(s) aggregated in clusters spaced by at least 15 cm. Foragers from colonies with two clusters of entrances were distributed more homogeneously among the feeders than those of colonies with one cluster. In addition, foragers always returned to the first discovered feeder and demonstrated a high fidelity to their original entrance. Finally, a multi-agent model highlighted that additional entrances and clusters of entrances delayed the mobilisation of workers but favoured the simultaneous exploitation of several sources, which was further enhanced by the spatial fidelity of foragers. Multiple nest entrances seem to be a way for medium-sized colonies to benefit from advantages conferred by polydomy while avoiding associated costs to maintain social cohesion.

Знание основ информационных технологий как необходимое условие поступления в строительный вуз

The study aims to justify reasonability and necessity of introducing an additional entrance exam in Informatics at civil engineering universities taking into account the increased requirements to the level of future civil engineers’ information and communication competence. The authors describe an electronic informational environment and information and communication educational technologies in M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University. The paper emphasizes the growing role of information and communication technologies aimed at the formation of a future civil engineer’s information culture. Scientific originality of the study lies in the fact that the authors justify the necessity to develop future applicants’ information competence taking into account impetuous penetration of modern information and communication technologies into engineering education. Analysing statistical data on the results of the Unified State Informatics Exam and the Basic State Informatics Exam in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the authors conclude on reasonability of introducing an additional entrance exam in Informatics for training direction 08.03.01 “Construction”.

Multiple nest entrances alter foraging and information transfer in ants.

The ecological success of ants relies on their ability to discover and collectively exploit available resources. In this process, the nest entrances are key locations at which foragers transfer food and information about the surrounding environment. We assume that the number of nest entrances regulates social exchanges between foragers and inner-nest workers, and hence influences the foraging efficiency of the whole colony. Here, we compared the foraging responses of Myrmica rubra colonies settled in either one-entrance or two-entrance nests. The total outflows of workers exploiting a sucrose food source were similar regardless of the number of nest entrances. However, in the two-entrance nests, the launching of recruitment was delayed, a pheromone trail was less likely to emerge between the nest and the food source, and recruits were less likely to reach the food target. As a result, an additional entrance through which information could transit decreased the efficiency of social foraging and ultimately led to a lower amount of retrieved food. Our study confirms the key-role of nest entrances in the transfer of information from foragers to potential recruits. The influence of the number of entrances on the emergence of a collective trail also highlights the spatially extended impact of the nest architecture that can shape foraging patterns outside the nest.

What’s going on at the entrance? A characterisation of the social interface in ant nests

Nest entrances are key locations where information about environmental opportunities and constraints are shared between foragers and inner-nest workers. However, despite its functional value, we still lack a detailed characterisation of the interface between the nest and the environment. Here, we identified the social interface in the ant Myrmica rubra as being the population of ants that faced the nest entrance and that received significantly more contacts from returning foragers than other nearby ants. We also spatially delineated the entrance area that hosted the social interface, a 2-centimetre radius area from the nest openings, which influences the position, orientation, and behaviour of ants. Then, we studied the impact of additional entrances on this social interface as well as on the flow of foragers. The size of the social interface increased according to the number of open entrances through the progressive reorientation of the ants toward new openings. We also observed a significant, although less than proportional, increase in the flows of ants that were progressively distributed homogeneously between all open entrances. Thus, our work highlights the flexibility of both the social interface and the flow of foragers to changes in the numbers of passageways between the nest and the environment.

О решении уравнений в целых числах при подготовке к сдаче профильного уровня ЕГЭ по математике

In the course of mathematics of secondary school it is not provided the consideration of a separate topic “Theory of Diophantine equations”, but such equations are increasingly appearing in the texts of additional entrance tests for technical, physical, mathematical and economic specialties of prestigious universities and in the last task of tests of the profi le level of the exam in mathematics. This material is very scattered in various publications, so for its systematization the authors developed an elective course “The solution of Diophantine equations”. Within the framework of this course, the classification of the main methods of solving equations in integers by elementary means and their adaptation for eleventh grades was carried out. Each of the considered methods of solution is provided with a detailed illustration of the features of its application on examples and a selection of tasks for solution without help of teacher.

Spatial Distribution of Fine Particulate Matter in Underground Passageways.

The unfavorable locations of underground infrastructures and poor ventilation facilities can result in the deterioration of enclosed air quality. Some researchers have studied air quality and ventilation measures in different types of underground buildings. However, few studies have investigated the pollution in pedestrian passageways connecting underground structures. Hence, in this paper, we attempted to investigate the spatial distribution of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in underground passageways. First, measurements were designed and conducted in a pedestrian passageway beneath the Shanghai South Railway Station, Shanghai, China. Second, numerical simulations were performed based on computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technology. Finally, the numerical simulations were extended to examine impacts of the ventilation measures on PM2.5 concentration with different inlet positions and air velocity in underground passageways. The simulation results showed good agreement with the experimental data, and the numerical model was validated to be an effective method to investigate the spatial distribution of PM2.5 in underground passageways. Results suggest that building additional entrances is an advisable method for improving air quality in the underground passageways of the Shanghai South Railway Station, while jet fans are not recommended. Findings of this study offer suggestions for mitigating PM2.5 pollution in underground passageways.

Simulation of water surge processes and analysis of water surge bearing capacity in Boao Bay, Hainan Island, China

This study analyzed the characteristics and the bearing capacity of water surge disasters in Boao Bay, a typical estuarine lagoon. The Danish Hydraulic Institute's (DHI's) MIKE 21 modeling suite was used to numerically simulate the water surges from flood, storm, and combined flood and storm processes. The results show that, in Boao Bay, the peak water surge level caused by the combination of flooding and storm surges is very similar to the level caused by flooding or storm surges alone. Additionally, the storm surge bearing capacity is much greater than the flood bearing capacity. When there is only one entrance, the bay's flood bearing capacity increases with the entrance width, but when the entrance width exceeds 550m, the flood bearing capacity stabilizes rapidly. However, opening an additional entrance to the south can further increase the flood bearing capacity. Based on hydrometeorological forecasts, this study suggests that the risk of water surge disasters can be reduced by proactively modifying the shape of the entrance.

The Investigation of the Ardales Cave, Spain – 3D Documentation, Topographic Analyses, and Lighting Simulations based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning

AbstractThis contribution shows the application of terrestrial laser scanning in an integrative approach for the documentation and analyses of the Ardales Cave, southern Spain, which is in many respects an important geoarchaeological site. For the survey of the cave, a combination of the Riegl LMS Z420i laser scanner with a real‐time kinematic global positioning system (RTK‐GPS) from Topcon and further tachymetric measurements were used. The achieved three‐dimensional (3D) model of the cave and the surrounding hill documents the current topography and dimensions of the cave. Additional geoarchaeological data were successfully integrated in a 3D geographical information system (GIS) database and high‐resolution records of a structured‐light scanner were combined with the 3D model of the cave. The 3D model is further used for the estimation of the ceiling thickness that reveals areas for additional entrances. Lighting simulations based on path tracing were conducted for the determination of areas that are reached by natural direct or indirect light. In this case, the weight and size of the instrument was a logistic constraint to reach certain areas and to achieve a complete model of the cave. Overall, the method is feasible for the documentation of this cave and the investigations based on the derived 3D models. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Emotional intelligence: enhancing values‐based practice and compassionate care in nursing

This article reports on a study which examined the predictive relationship between emotional intelligence and the following programme outcomes for student nurses: clinical practice performance; academic performance and retention. In the context of concerns about a lack of compassionate care and amid calls for values-based selection procedures, emotional intelligence is emerging as a potential factor which might help the nursing profession to address some of these concerns. The study employed a longitudinal survey. Student nurse applicants (n=307) were asked to complete self-report scales to establish a total score and four subscores for emotional intelligence and these scores were matched to individual student's performance on the undergraduate programme. The scales were completed between June-September 2007 and performance data were collected up until January 2009. A significant predictive relationship was found between emotional intelligence and all three programme outcomes: practice performance; academic performance and retention, after controlling for prior academic achievement, age and gender. There was a zero Pearson correlation between prior academic attainment and overall emotional intelligence, indicating that both predict different outcomes. Recruitment and selection procedures should consider emotional intelligence as a legitimate additional entrance criterion for student nurses and further research is required to examine the potential relationship between emotional intelligence and compassionate care.

PROTECTING THE DOMESTIC MARKET: INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND STRATEGIC FIRM BEHAVIOR

Asian firms frequently have to undercut domestic prices and subsidize switching costs in order to obtain a positive market share when entering European and the US markets. Such practices constitute dumping under Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. We demonstrate that the mere existence of an administratively set minimum price, which is frequently used in assessing dumping allegations, protects domestic firms and has the effect of an additional entrance barrier for Asian firms. Consequently, competition policy should reassess GATT's antidumping regulation in order to keep markets open and domestic competition healthy.

Osteoporosis among Fallers without Concomitant Fracture Identified in an Emergency Department: Frequencies and Risk Factors.

We aimed to determine whether the Emergency Department (ED) is a suitable entrance point for osteoporosis screening among fallers without concomitant fracture compared to referral from general practice. Furthermore, to identify factors associated with osteoporosis among fallers. Methods. Patients aged 50–80 years sustaining a low-energy fall without fracture were identified from an ED (n = 199). Patients answered a questionnaire on risk factors and underwent osteodensitometry. Data was compared to a group of patients routinely referred to osteodensitometry from general practice (n = 201). Results. Among the 199 included fallers, 41 (21%) had osteoporosis. Among these, 35 (85%) reported either previous fracture or reduced body height (>3 cm). These two risk factors were more frequent among fallers with osteoporosis compared to fallers with normal bone mineral density or osteopenia (previous fracture P = .044, height reduction P = .0016). The osteoporosis frequency among fallers from ED did not differ from a similarly aged patient-group referred from general practice (P = .34). Conclusion. Osteodensitometry should be considered among fallers without fracture presenting in the ED, especially if the patient has a prior fracture or declined body height. Since fallers generally have higher fracture risk, the ED might serve as an additional entrance to osteodensitometry compared to referral from primary care.

Improvements in CVD/CVI processes for optimizing nanocrystalline diamond growth into porous silicon

This paper reports a novel procedure to infiltrate nanocrystalline diamond films (NCD) on porous silicon (PS) substrate. The NCD/PS films resulted in a composite material, with great potential for electrochemical application, mainly due to its high active surface area. The Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition reactor was changed to Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Infiltration reactor in order to grow NCD films infiltrated into deep holes of PS substrate. This procedure allowed the infiltration of the reacting gases into the porous structure where the nucleation takes place, followed by the coalescence and film formation at pore bottoms and walls. In this configuration an additional entrance of CH 4 was located next to the PS substrate using two distinct positions called “underneath” and “above”, with the use of the additional flow accurately underneath or above of the samples. In general, the combination of these two configurations with additional carbon sources provided NCD film infiltration in PS substrate with success with only 60 min of growing time. Particularly, the films obtained from the positions called “above” presented the best morphology, with high quality and crystallinity, confirmed from its scanning electron microscopy, Raman scattering spectroscopy and high resolution X-ray diffraction spectra, respectively.

Richness of epiphytic lichens in differently agedPicea abiesplantations situated in the oceanic region of Central Norway

AbstractThis study aims to investigate patterns of species richness and abundance in relation to stand age in 71Picea abiesplantations, aged between 9 and 85 years, situated in the oceanic region of Central Norway. The study has shown that plantations within the oceanic spruce forests can support a relatively high number of epiphytic lichen species. Some of the oldest plantations hosted several old-forest associated species, e.g.Hypogymnia vittata, Lobaria pulmonaria, Pseudocyphellaria crocataandRamalina thrausta. The number of species was influenced significantly by stand age and increased rapidly in stands <20 years old. Stands >30 years old showed no clear increase in species number, except for a high number of species in the two oldest stands. The colonization pattern could be characterized as an additional entrance of species, rather than by a replacement sequence. The probability of occurrence increased steeply at young stand ages (<20 years) forBryoriaspp.,Cavernularia hultenii, Platismatia glauca, Parmelia sulcataandUsneaspp. A lower rate of colonization was characteristic forAlectoria sarmentosa, Parmelia saxatilisandPlatismatia norvegica. The cover of foliose lichens on the branches showed an almost unimodal response to stand age. The cover of lichens was highest on branches in middle-aged plantations. The reason for the lower lichen cover in late successional stages, compared to middle-aged stands, could be due to reduced light in the lower canopy of mature plantations. Increased rotation cycle, creation of gaps and short distance to sources of propagules are factors suggested to promote species richness and abundance in forest plantations.

SU-GG-J-24: Additional Skin Entrance Dose Delivered with Radiographic Image Guidance System in Cyber Knife Robotic Treatment Delivery

Purpose: To independently report the additional radiationdose from the image guidance and tracking part of the treatment delivery of Cyber Knife system. Method and Materials: The entrance dose on the skin and dose at 1cm depth in a specially designed phantom using calibrated diagnostic dosemeasurement equipment was measured. Using a Barracuda MPD probe placed perpendicularly to the beam measureddose from one exposure from one of the X‐ray source and was converted to pair of images to account for both X‐ray sources. The doses were measured for varying potential (kV) and beam current (mA) representing common clinical situations. Dose estimation from exposures was determined on the basis of the average number of treatment nodes and the number of exposures per treatment in setup, treatment and realignment for non‐lung and lung targets. A rough estimate of the number of exposures for a course of 5 treatments for a non lung target is 150–280 while for a lung target or a moving target is 515–925. Results: Using a fixed imaging technique of 250mA, exposure time of 100 ms and kV varying from 100–125, we obtained a range of 0.51–0.68 mGy for an image pair on skin and 0.38–0.51 mGy at 1cm depth. Using the estimated number of image pairs, this translates to an additional therapy skindose of approximately 11–15cGy for non lung targets and 37–49 cGy for lung target, where as corresponding dose at 1 cm depth is 8–11 cGy for non lung and 27–37cGy for lung targets respectively. The doses were computed for varying beam currents and exposure times. Conclusion: It is recommended that the dose from imaging devices in CyberKnife radiation treatments should be closely monitored and be accounted in the total delivered dose such that a unified approach is maintained for clinical trial outcome analysis.

Interventional cardiology and general cardiology: divided by a common speciality?

For a couple of years now, the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) consists of two separate meetings: the conventional ACC meeting and the SCAI-ACCi2 (Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions) meeting. The SCAI-ACCi2 meeting is specifically intended for interventional cardiologists and in order to attend the meeting one has to pay either a special entrance fee for this meeting or an additional fee to attend both meetings. Even Fellows of the ACC are not allowed into this dedicated interventional meeting (unless they pay the additional entrance fee). At the ACC.08 meeting in Chicago this year, the general cardiologist (ACC.08) could be recognised by a blue badge and the interventional cardiologist by a yellow badge (SCAI.ACCi2).

Broadening recruitment to higher education through the admission system: gender and class perspectives

Alternative entrance routes into higher education have been established in Sweden in order to facilitate the entrance of under‐represented groups of students. The question is whether or not the additional entrance possibilities have served their purpose and, if so, to what extent. This is a longitudinal study using register data on one whole cohort, with the aim to follow these individuals’ educational careers up to university matriculation. The analyses simultaneously consider effects of gender and class. Results show that upper middle‐class men are most successful in utilising every one of the additional entrance possibilities. The additional entrance possibilities have increased class bias in higher education even more, and the Swedish Scholastic Assessment Test, in particular, is an important contributor to this bias.