Critical Evaluation on Retention of Fine Sand Through Soil Nailing for Construction of Rail Underpass by Box Jacking—A Case Study

AbstractUsage-based approaches assume that children’s early utterances are item-based. This has been demonstrated in a number of studies using the traceback method. In this approach, a small amount of “target utterances” from a child language corpus is “traced back” to earlier utterances. Drawing on a case study of German, this paper provides a critical evaluation of the method from a usage-based perspective. In particular, we check how factors inherent to corpus data as well as methodological choices influence the results of traceback studies. To this end, we present four case studies in which we change thresholds and the composition of the main corpus, use a cross-corpus approach tracing one child’s utterances back to another child’s corpus, and reverse and randomize the target utterances. Overall, the results show that the method can provide interesting insights—particularly regarding different pathways of language acquisition—but they also show the limitations of the method.

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Study on the Calculation Method of Soil-Nailing for High Soil Slope Based on the Logarithmic Spiral Slippery Fracture

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.261-263.1709 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 261-263 ◽

pp. 1709-1713

Author(s):

Meng Yang ◽

Xiao Min Liu

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Model ◽

Stability Analysis ◽

Engineering Design ◽

Calculation Method ◽

Logarithmic Spiral ◽

Soil Nailing ◽

Soil Slope ◽

Mode Pattern ◽

Shear Function

This paper introduces a new failure mode pattern of soil slope – the logarithmic spiral slippery fracture. A mathematical model for the logarithmic spiral slippery fracture is established, taking the anti-shear function of the soil-nailing into consideration. The shear of soil-nailing, axial force, and the safety coefficients based on the limiting equilibrium method are derived, leading to an accurate stability analysis of the strengthening of soil slope. A case study shows that the anti-shear function of the soil-nailing can be significant and should not be ignored in engineering design.

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A Pragma-Dialectical Approach to Political Discourse Analysis: A Case Study of the Former United State Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s Remarks on the Poultry Case

Sinología hispánica ◽

10.18002/sin.v3i2.5260 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Shi Wen

Keyword(s):

Discourse Analysis ◽

Political Discourse ◽

Critical Evaluation ◽

Critical Discussion ◽

Background Information ◽

The Political ◽

United State ◽

Dialectical Approach ◽

Political Discourse Analysis

Under the research framework of Pragma-Dialectics, this paper analyses and evaluates theformer United State trade representative RonKirk’s remarks on the trade conflict of poultry.Through this case study, I intend to develop apragma-dialectical approach to the politicaldiscourse. Based on the argumentativereconstruction, strategic maneuvering analysisand critical evaluation of the remarks, thispaper finds that even if Ron Kirk’s remarks lookreasonable apparently, there are still somefallacies hidden in them. In order to make theUS government benefit most from the tradeconflict, after considering comprehensively ofthe potential topics, audience demands, andpresentational devices, Ron Kirk maneuversstrategically by choosing beneficial startingpoints and arranging argumentative schemestechnically. By doing so, he can transmit Anti-China ideology to the international societyimperceptibly. In addition, by taking intoconsideration the background information ofthe poultry case and the Ten Commandments ofa critical discussion, this paper reveals that, theaccepted starting points and the argumentschemes are abused in Ron Kirk’s remarks.Through the case study, this paper tries to studypolitical discourse from Pragma-Dialecticalapproach and provide feasible analyticalmethods and reasonable evaluative standardsfor the political discourse analysis, so that anew perspective will be offered for researcheson political discourse.

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The European Union’s Recovery Plan: A Critical Evaluation

Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies ◽

10.30958/ajms.7-2-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 85-102

Author(s):

Gregory T. Papanikos

Keyword(s):

Critical Evaluation ◽

Economic Convergence ◽

Capita Gross Domestic Product ◽

Member States ◽

Recovery Plan ◽

Economic Divergence ◽

Per Capita ◽

Health Situation ◽

Economic Growth Rates

This article reviews the European Union’s Recovery Plan to cope with COVID-19 by examining two of its main hypotheses. I primarily use Greece as a case study of those who benefit from receiving funds, and in some cases Germany, because it played, and still plays, an instrumental role in promoting this unfounded idea of transferring European taxpayers’ money to the hands of national politicians. First, it was alleged that the health situation is improving. Second, the pandemic increases economic divergence between member states. The stylized facts so far do not seem to support either hypothesis. Since the July Summit of the European Council, the epidemiological situation has worsened as measured by deaths and cases. Data on per capita Gross Domestic Product released by the European Commission on 6 May 2020 show an unprecedented for peace years decline in economic growth rates for all 27 member states in 2020. The data estimations also assume a V-shaped recovery for 2021. However, the alleged hypothesis of economic divergence in 2020 and economic convergence in 2021 is not supported by the data themselves. The main conclusion of this study is that the economic impact cannot be fully ascertained if the pandemic is not permanently over and therefore the titanic EU spending of 750 billion euro cannot be based on the stylized economic and epidemiological facts. Keywords: European Union, pandemic, Covid-19, health, growth, public pending, recovery plan, Germany, Greece.

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Entre la descentralización y la desconcentración de la gestión ambiental: alcances y límites en la actuación de consejos municipales de medio ambiente en el Semiárido Nordestino

Revista Eletrônica em Gestão Educação e Tecnologia Ambiental ◽

10.5902/2236117030452 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Wagner José de Aguiar ◽

Ricardo Augusto Pessoa Braga

Keyword(s):

Environmental Management ◽

Environmental Policy ◽

Critical Evaluation ◽

Institutional Capacity ◽

Federal Constitution ◽

Bibliographical Survey ◽

Administrative Decentralization ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Analytical Reference

The Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988 had an important role in the induction of political-administrative decentralization as in the elevation of municipalities as a federated entity. In environmental policy, these results have been expressed through the dissemination of municipal environmental councils. In the Northeast of Brazil, a region that has the fewest municipalities with established environmental councils and researches focused on their dynamics, new collegiate instances have been created, without a critical evaluation, among other factors, of the institutional capacity of small municipalities. In this sense, this article discusses the reaches and the limits identificated in the perfomance of municipal councils of environment in the Northeastern Semiarid, taking as an analytical reference the logics of the decentralization and the desconcentration. Through a bibliographical survey and a case study carried out in the semi-arid municipalities of Pernambuco, it is possible to identify reaches but, above all, limits that hinder the deliberative autonomy of the councils, even in large and economically dynamic municipalities. New studies are suggested, considering the pioneering and new environmental councils, especially in the northeastern states that exhibit the lowest levels of environmental management instruments implemented.

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A critical evaluation of integrated care: a case study of the supported discharge service

Journal of Integrated Care ◽

10.1108/jica-09-2018-0060 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 141-152 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rachel Louise Ware

Keyword(s):

Patient Satisfaction ◽

Integrated Care ◽

Patient Outcomes ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Critical Evaluation ◽

Small Sample ◽

Small Scale ◽

Discharge Process ◽

Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the Supported Discharge Service as a case study of integrated care. The paper will critically evaluate integrated care with regard to patient outcomes, patient satisfaction and cost and productivity. Design/methodology/approach A retrospective mixed methods case study design was adopted utilising patient satisfaction questionnaires, therapy outcome measure and a performance dashboard to measure improvements in patient satisfaction, patient outcomes and cost and productivity. Findings Measured improvements were observed in the integrated discharge process and analysis of the findings demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in patient outcomes, high levels of patient satisfaction and improved productivity subsequently leading to financial savings. Research limitations/implications Due to convenience sampling, the small sample size and a short time frame when analysing patient outcomes, the generalisability of results is limited. Despite this, with integrated care being polymorphous the findings can be utilised to develop theoretical principles to make assertions about integration (Wikfeldt, 1993). Originality/value This paper draws on the importance of integration as the principal driver of reform within the healthcare system. Even though on a small scale, the case study provides evidence to support the use of integration to improve patient outcomes, patient satisfaction and financial savings.

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