Tailor-made System Research Articles

A comprehensive calibration of integrated magnetron sputtering and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition for rare-earth doped thin films

A new integrated deposition system taking advantage of magnetron sputtering and electron cyclotron-plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (IMS ECR-PECVD) is presented that mitigates the drawbacks of each fabrication system. This tailor-made system provides users with highly homogeneous and pure thin films with less undesired hydrogen and well-controlled rare-earth concentration compared to existing methods of rare-earth doping, such as metalorganic powders, sputtering, and ion implantation. We established the first comprehensive report on the deposition parameters of argon flow and sputtering power to achieve desired rare-earth concentrations in a wide composition range of terbium (Tb) doped-silicon oxide (Tb:SiOx) matrices including silicon-rich (x < 2), oxygen-rich (x > 2), and stoichiometric silicon oxide (x = 2). The deposition parameters to fabricate crystalline structure (Tb2Si2O7) in oxygen-rich samples are reported where Tb ions are optically active. IMS ECR-PECVD pushes the solubility limit of the rare-earth dopant in silicon films to 17 at.% for the desired future nanophotonic devices.Graphical

Learners' Perceptions on the Use of Oral Corrective Feedback in One-to-One EFL Classroom

Abstract. Learners’ perception plays an important role in evaluating the teaching and learning process and has an impact to the teacher’s performance during the teaching and learning process. Applying descriptive qualitative method with case study design, this study highlighted the learners’ perceptions and their preference of oral corrective feedback utilized by the teachers during the teaching and learning process. By using purposive sampling, this research involved one teacher and two learners as research participants at an English course called Amsterdam Institute located in Makassar. The data, collected through semi-structured interview and observation, resulted that the learners found themselves facilitated in responding the teacher’s utterances since the teacher’s oral corrective feedback were helpful to lead the learners’ accuracy or just to help them acknowledge their errors in terms of grammar, lexis, the use of L1, and particularly in phonology (pronunciation). Furthermore, inconsistencies between the students’ preference and the teacher’s feedback use in terms of the time to provide oral corrective feedback are identified. Students preferred being given time to work out their error, while teacher mostly gave feedback directly. Thus, it can be concluded that giving more time for students to provide self-repair can be a way for students to make sense of error they committed. The results further highlight a significant impact for teachers’ beliefs on their corrective feedback practices, especially for those teaching using a tailor-made system. Finally, the implication of this study is discussed.Keywords: Learners’ Perceptions, Oral Corrective Feedbacks, One-To-One EFL Classroom.

System Dynamics as Ex Ante Impact Assessment Tool in International Development Cooperation: Study Case of Urban Sustainability Policies in Darkhan, Mongolia

In recent years, there has been a trend of increasing criticism towards official development assistance (ODA) and the optimization of ODA policies, in a world of growing inequality between the Global North and Global South. To contribute to efficient ODA planning, this article proposes to innovatively apply system dynamics as an optimal tool for ex ante impact assessment. The study case is located in the slums of Darkhan (Mongolia), whose citizens and environment suffer the consequences of poor urban planning and lack of municipal solid waste management (MSWM). In this context, the present research proposes a policy of education and infrastructure as key factors for the improvement of MSWM in the context of an international cooperation plan, carried out by the Korean agency KOICA. To evaluate its impact and anticipate its effects, a tailor-made system dynamics model of a Darkhan district has been created, with the focus on the education process in order to simulate the different options of the proposed policies. The results show that education policy is particularly relevant for behavioral change, in terms of reducing waste burned and waste on the ground, and increasing composted and recycled waste. However, in this context, the policy is ineffective for improving the district’s water and air pollution situation. This article also offers discussions and recommendations to be applied to the international cooperation plan, which takes place in real life. It is expected that the described process of model construction and its results will contribute to the further use of system dynamics as a planning tool in the international cooperation field.

Three-Dimensional Epidermal Model from Human Hair Follicle-Derived Keratinocytes.

Three-dimensional (3D) epidermal models reconstructed from human skin-derived keratinocytes have been utilized as an alternative to animal testing and models, not only in toxicology, but also in skin biology. Although there are currently several reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) models commercially available, the donors of the keratinocytes are not identified in these models. A tailor-made system is needed to investigate the individual differences in RHE derived from each donor.It is possible to make an individual RHE using each donor's keratinocytes, which are usually obtained by invasive procedures such as skin excision or biopsy. To overcome this drawback, we established an RHE model using keratinocytes derived from plucked hair follicles as a less invasive procedure under conditions without feeder cells, serum, or matrix proteins. In this chapter, we provide a method of isolation and two-dimensional (2D) culture of keratinocytes derived from adult human plucked hair follicles including the outer root sheath (ORS). We also provide a detailed protocol for establishing an RHE model by culturing the keratinocytes under a 3D culture condition. We believe that our less invasive technique will provide a useful tool for investigating individual RHE in both normal and disease settings.

DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING TAILOR MADE MANUFACTURING RESOURCE PLANNING PLATFORM: A CASE STUDY OF MRP IN SMALL AND MEDIUM TEXTILE ENTERPRISES

ABSTRACT The problem with specificity of each entity on global industry milieu, caused the need for bespoke systems. Bespoke manufacturing systems are of great use when they are implemented in the environment typical for developing countries. When certain manufacturing systems are designed for the use in SMEs, which are based in developing countries number specificities need to be adapted. Paper covers process of developing highly customized Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) platform. Tailor-made system was designed and developed in cooperation between the joint team of Exelit (textile company) and Ikresoft (software developing company). The system is consisted of different components, which were composed so that all processes in the production stages could be managed and controlled on more easier and simplified way. The platform is Cloud based, so every manager can access it remotely only by using web browser. Effects of MRP II implementation and the reinforcing of organizational change, resulted with 20% of productivity increase. Keywords MRP II; textile enterprises; tailor made

Provision and Construction of Tailor-made Information System Based on Youth Coenesthesia Index

Provision and Construction of Tailor-made Information System Based on Youth Coenesthesia Index

Provision and Construction of Tailor-made Information System Based on Youth Coenesthesia Index

Provision and Construction of Tailor-made Information System Based on Youth Coenesthesia Index

Potential Gene Therapy Towards Treating Neurodegenerative Disea ses Employing Polymeric Nanosystems.

Recent integrated approaches involving nanotechnology and gene therapy have accelerated development of efficient drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS). Neurodegenerative disorders are closely associated with genetic inheritance and mutation. Nanotechnology has allowed effective engineering of various such polymeric structures. Moreover, availability of a wide array of polymeric materials has enabled fabrication of biocompatible and biodegradable delivery vehicles. Our manuscript focuses on the ideal features and properties of polymeric nanoparticles that have enabled successful gene therapy for neurodegenerative disorders, as well as the challenges that are posing difficulties in their practical application. We have highlighted these aspects through examples of polymeric nanoparticles that have exhibited therapeutic promise in the treatment of neurological disorders and mutations. Complete cure of these diseases is a challenging task and gene therapy appears as a realistic approach for their treatment. Gene therapy allows effective replacement or suppression of faulty genes, thereby increasing chances for neuron survival and repair. However, successful delivery of naked genetic material to CNS faces severe obstacles due to possible degradation and restricted transportation of these biological entities across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Structurally, the BBB is composed of several tight junctions, making the membrane highly selective towards the entry of molecules. In order to target BBB for treating neurodegenerative diseases, it is essential to develop a tailor-made system that may not only cross this barrier, but also effectively modulate the expression of disease-causing genes. Stabilization of therapeutic genes and their effective, targeted delivery may be possible using polymeric nanoparticles as carriers.

Development of Intercultural Competence in the Teaching of Business Russian

The article focuses on development of intercultural awareness in teaching of professional Russian. The formation of intercultural competence represents one of key elements in professional teaching of specialists. The intercultural competence comprises skills which are vital both for verbal and nonverbal communication with foreign language native speakers, requiring the perception and management of various socially and culturally rooted language phenomena and consideration of cultural peculiarities pertaining to the country of the language being studied. The need to develop such competence poses new challenges to teachers by requiring from them to develop a new perception of learning goals. The respective article dwells on didactic aspects of learners’ adaptation to peculiarities of a foreign culture, as well as on teaching of effective communication to achieve professional goals by considering the intercultural factor. Various didactic techniques are therein analysed, namely the linguo-conceptual approach in teaching of a foreign language, formation of discourse frames necessary for professional and everyday communication, exercises with texts containing culturological information. The tailor-made system of exercises is targeted at eliminating possible communication failures inflicted by cultural discrepancies. The purpose is to achieve the level of competence which is sufficient for an adequate and correct implementation of communication goals in analysed situations of everyday and business communication.

Can electricity reform help Mexico achieve carbon emission reductions?

The energy sector is both a significant contributor to the problem of climate change and a critical factor in efforts to tackle it. With the use of a tailor-made system dynamics model, we aim to learn if the liberalisation of the power sector that has been proposed by recent changes to the Constitution in Mexico can lead to lower carbon emissions. This is in line with ecological modernisation's main claim that win–win opportunities may occur with the restructuring of the economy. However, our hypothesis is that it is not the simple liberalisation of the electricity markets which would bring environmental benefits, but some country-specific set of policies. One of our main findings is that a full liberalisation scenario would lead to higher carbon emissions as a consequence of an increase in coal capacity. But when compared to the initial emission rate prior to the reform and other reform scenarios, this policy could bring about decreases in carbon emissions. Combining a climate change instrument, such as a carbon tax, with the liberalisation process is effective at reducing carbon emissions further, but expensive in terms of power price hikes, and unnecessary if proper reform settings are put in place.

Ranking academic impact of world national research institutes--by the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury,UK, CT2 7PE*Corresponding author. Email: w.b.liu@kent.ac.ukIn this work, we report on the aim, approach, design, outcomes, and issues of a major projectranking the academic impact of world national research institutes (NRIs), carried out by theChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The evaluation of national research institutes has alwaysbeen a controversial issue. Although related studies may be found in the World CompetitivenessYearbook (WCY), for example, no evaluation of the academic impact of national research insti-tutes has been carried out before. In this project, we adopted the 3E theory and soft systemmethodology (SSM) to build a tailor-made indicator system with a desirable hierarchical structurefor the academic impact evaluation of NRIs, and we carefully designed the sampling procedure.Furthermore, in this project the overall evaluation is based on separate evaluations of 21academic subjects, which is another important feature of the project.Keywords: national research institute; academic impact evaluation; 3E theory; research instituteranking.

Multi-input/output alarming system for patients with inattention caused by higher cortical function disorder

BackgroundTo apply advanced methods of communication, sensing, and instrumentation technologies to make a system that can help patients suffering from hemispatial neglect caused by higher cortical function disorder.MethodBy using several sensors and actuators, the objective was to construct a tailor-made system for each patient. The input part of the system consists of sensors, an interface and transmitters. The output part consists of a receiver, logical arithmetic, an output interface and actuators. The information from the input part is sent to the output part in a wireless manner allowing the mobility of the input and output parts.ResultsThe system and its functionality were realized. Voice alarming and neck muscle stimuli were applied to two patients. We could verify the applicability of the system to remind the patients to put on their wheelchair’s brake and raise its footrest before attempting to stand for transferring to their beds.ConclusionThe designed and constructed multi-input/output system can be used effectively to alarm the patients.

Floodplain management in temperate regions: is multifunctionality enhancing biodiversity?

Floodplains are among the most diverse, dynamic, productive and populated but also the most threatened ecosystems on Earth. Threats are mainly related to human activities that alter the landscape and disrupt fluvial processes to obtain benefits related to multiple ecosystem services (ESS). Floodplain management therefore requires close coordination among interest groups with competing claims and poses multi-dimensional challenges to policy-makers and project managers. The European Commission proposed in its recent Biodiversity Strategy to maintain and enhance European ecosystems and their services by establishing green infrastructure (GI). GI is assumed to provide multiple ecosystem functions and services including the conservation of biodiversity in the same spatial area. However, evidence for biodiversity benefits of multifunctional floodplain management is scattered and has not been synthesised. This protocol specifies the methods for conducting a systematic review to answer the following policy-relevant questions: a) what is the impact of floodplain management measures on biodiversity; b) how does the impact vary according to the level of multifunctionality of the measures; c) is there a difference in the biodiversity impact of floodplain management across taxa; d) what is the effect of the time since implementation on the impact of the most important measures; and e) are there any other factors that significantly modify the biodiversity impact of floodplain management measures? Within this systematic review we will assess multifunctionality in terms of ESS that are affected by an implemented intervention. Biodiversity indicators included in this systematic review will be related to the diversity, richness and abundance of species, other taxa or functional groups. We will consider if organisms are typical for and native to natural floodplain ecosystems. Specific inclusion criteria have been developed and the wide range of quality of primary literature will be evaluated with a tailor-made system for assessing susceptibility to bias and the reliability of the studies. The review is intended to bridge the science-policy interface and will provide a useful synthesis of knowledge for decision-makers at all governance levels.

Escape-related behavior and coping ability of sea bream due to food supply

Escape of fish is a significant problem for the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. In the Mediterranean Sea, sea bream (Sparus aurata) has been reported to escape from sea cage installations. However, the related factors leading to this behavior still remain unknown. This study focuses on the impact that the food supplied to sea bream has on its interaction with the net and therefore its escape behavior. We test three food ratios (2, 1 and 0 % of the total initial body weight; FC2, FC1 and FC0 populations, respectively) and three different conditions of the net (flawless mesh, mesh with a cut twine and mesh with a tear) that are commonly found in aquaculture. Data acquisition and analysis are carried out with a tailor-made system developed in our laboratory for this purpose. We demonstrate that food supply is associated with fish interactions and the aquaculture net, while net condition is also an important stimulus for sea bream inspection and biting the net. Limited-fed fish (FC1) are more prone to interact with the net, which consequently leads them to either bite net wears or escape through tears.

Establishing a Research Information System as Part of an Integrated Approach to Information Management: Best Practice at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is one of the largest research and higher education organisations in the world focusing on engineering and natural sciences. At present KIT, under the chairmanship of its executive board, is installing an extensive current research information system (CRIS) covering all institutes and facilities of the organisation. The assumption underlying the project is that a consistent overview of research performance has become fundamental for the international competitiveness of research institutions and is increasingly important for strategic decisions at the executive level. Ultimately, it also leads to better data and control in rankings at higher education assessments. The new research information system systematically maps all of KIT’s processes and instruments to obtain, connect, present and utilise the research metadata of active researchers. This reduces the documentation workload for researchers, for the executive level and central units such as the library, and at the same time allows for and facilitates an overall view and the aggregation and visualisation of research metadata. Our vision is to build a federally structured network of systems that gathers information on KIT’s publications, research competence, research projects, patents and technological offers by retrieving data from external and internal sources as well as directly from the researchers. The network facilitates linking and aggregating of data and provides unique identifiers for individual researchers and organizational units. With its consistent data model the research information system also fosters the organisational development of KIT, which was formed in 2009 by the merger of a university and a national research centre. The researchers and their activities are at the core of the research information system. The system substantially reduces their administrative burden in documenting project information and publications. Automatic data import from external online sources and repositories has the big advantage that publication data are acquired and validated only once and can be used subsequently for manifold purposes such as websites, CVs, publication lists and reference management software. Due to the complexity of workflows, internal and external sources and the organisational infrastructure that is required for such an implementation, KIT has chosen a commercial software solution (by AVEDAS AG) as the basic installation, and in cooperation with AVEDAS will expand it and adjust it to a tailor-made system that covers the entire KIT publication and research life cycle. The CRIS at KIT is part of a larger integrated and service-oriented approach to information management (Karlsruhe Integrated Information Management — KIM).

Special Issue on New Trends in Reinforcement Learning

Recently, the tailor-made system that grants an individual request has been recognized as the important approach. Such a system requires the ggoal-directed learningh through interaction between user and system, which is mainly addressed in greinforcement learningh domain. This special issue on gNew Trends in Reinforcement Learningh called for papers on the cuttingedge research exploring the goal-directed learning, which represents reinforcement learning. Many contributions were forthcoming, but we finally selected 12 works for publication. Although greinforcement learningh is included in the title of this special issue, the research works do not necessarily have to be on reinforcement learning itself, so long as the theme coincides with that of this special issue. In making our final selections, we gave special consideration to the kinds of research which can actively lead to new trends in reinforcement learning. Of the 12 papers in this special issue, the first four mainly deal with the expansion of the reinforcement learning method in single agent environments. These cover a broad range of research, from works based on dynamic programming to exploitation-oriented methods. The next two works deal with the Learning Classifier System (LCS), which applies the rule discovery mechanism to reinforcement learning. LCS is a technique with a long history, but for this issue, we were able to publish two theoretical works. We are also grateful to Prof. Toshio Fukuda, Nagoya University, and Prof. Kaoru Hirota, Tokyo Institute of Technology, the editors-in-chief, and the NASTEC 2008 conference staff for inviting us to guest-edit this Journal. The next four papers mainly deal with multi agent environments. We were able to draw from a wide range of research: from measuring interaction, through the expansion of techniques incorporating simultaneous learning, to research leading to application in multi agent environments. The last two contributions mainly deal with application. We publish one paper on exemplar generalization and another detailing the successful application to government bond trading. Each of these researches can be considered to be at the cutting-edge of reinforcement learning. We would like to end by saying that we hope this special issue constitutes a large contribution to the development of the field while holding a wide international appeal.

The New Rating Regime for Structured Finance Investments in Europe

The new European Union Regulation on credit rating agencies introduces a new regime for rating structured finance investments in Europe. A different, tailor-made rating system will substantially change the presentation of the ratings, and the rating process, for structured finance investments. Enhanced disclosure obligations imposed on credit rating agencies as to their rating methodologies, models, and assumptions may help improve market transparency and efficiency. However, prescriptive regulation in other areas may impede market innovation and delay the recovery of the market for structured finance investments, while some market participants have raised concerns as to whether the Regulation can be effectively implemented in practice. <b>TOPICS:</b>Legal and regulatory issues for structured finance, portfolio theory, portfolio construction

Formula 1 Racing and Arbitration: The FIA Tailor-Made System for Fast Track Dispute Resolution

SINCE ITS inception in 1950, Formula 1 has been described as the premier world motor-sport series; and it is now probably the most popular annual sporting event in the world. It is currently broadcast in more than 130 countries, with an audience of about five billion viewers during the 1999 season. Formula 1 is also the most sophisticated motor-racing event in the world. It is highly competitive at many levels: among the drivers, the teams, the constructors and even the advertisers sponsoring the teams. Technologically, Formula 1 is at the leading edge of motor-racing, with constructors and teams investing significant resources in research and development, all of which must be carried out within the strict parameters set by the governing body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (hereinafter the ‘FIA’). At track level, the teams and the drivers nevertheless continue to be the main players. Although it is difficult to tell whether the team or the driver has a greater impact on the final race results, success ultimately depends upon building a winning combination of team and driver. It is therefore essential for a team to secure the services of one of the best drivers and for a driver to find a ‘seat’ with one of the few top teams. This may lead a driver to change teams between racing seasons and occasionally even to sign a contract with another team for the same racing season. In such a highly competitive environment, the importance of each contract between a team and its driver is obvious. All interested parties must be able to establish immediately and with certainty whether such a contract is valid and in force; and in cases of several conflicting contracts, which one should prevail. Until the end of the 1990s, these types of contractual disputes were submitted to …

Endocrine and metabolic manifestations associated with infectious and inflammatory diseases.

There are three important factors in the emergence or re-emergence of infectious diseases: microbial factors, host factors and factors related to the transmission of microbes. This paper will review host natural and adaptive defense mechanisms and discuss experimental evidence regarding the effectors of endocrine and metabolic responses to infection. External defense mechanisms protect against the first step in infection, entry of the pathogen into the host. The skin is a very powerful barrier to most infectious agents, and although mucosal linings of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts are more delicate, they have the advantage of specialized defense mechanisms, such as the secretion of factors like immunoglobulins and mucus, and the sweeping action of cilia. Together these external defenses are of the utmost importance to hosts vulnerable to infection. If a pathogen succeeds in entering the body, the next step in host defense is natural immunity (Table 1). Natural immunity is less sophisticated than adaptive immunity, but it is a very important defense against all types of infection in many animal species. The principal cellular components of natural immunity are phagocytes, such as macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells and mast cells; the principal soluble factors are components of the complement cascade, interferon and acute-phase reactants. Humoral factors are of differing importance in different types of infection, due, in part, to the fact that microbes have evolved a variety of different mechanisms to escape the host's natural defenses. View this table: Table 1 Host defense mechanisms against infectious agents The third line of defense in higher vertebrates is adaptive immunity which is specific to the invading organism. It is a tailor-made defense system. Three types of cells — antigen-presenting cells, such as macrophages, T cells and B cells — are involved in adaptive immunity. The relative importance of cellular immunity, mediated by T cells, or humoral …

A tailor-made seating system

A tailor-made seating system