scholarly journals A Study on the External Stone Cladding System in Production and Installation Stages: The Case of Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 8207
Author(s):  
Chun Fai Yiu ◽  
Yoo-Jun Kim ◽  
WoonSeong Jeong ◽  
Hung-Lin Chi ◽  
Min-Koo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Control Mechanism ◽  
Site Quality ◽  
Current Status ◽  
System Quality ◽  
Stone Materials ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Do So

The successful quality management of the external stone cladding system in production and installation stages is of vital importance to ensure the high quality of the completed system. Nevertheless, little research has been conducted in this area. This research aimed to report the current status of the external stone cladding system in the production and installation stages in Hong Kong. To do so, this paper examines its current practices and major issues occurred through case studies, questionnaire surveys, and interviews. The results revealed the insufficiency in control mechanism and quality control in the system in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the factors to ensure the quality of the two stages were determined. Lastly, this research suggested recommendations on the possible measures to improve the system quality: pre-testing of stone materials and anchorage system, quality assurance of suppliers and manufacturers, regular inspections and audits on production, and continuous site quality supervision and checklist. The findings and outcomes of the research could lead to actions to guarantee steady quality for the stone cladding façade.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF SCHOOL FACILITIES ON WORKING BEHAVIOR OF TEACHERS

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-yung Leung ◽  
John K.W. Chan ◽  
Zhaohong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
School Facilities ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
Traditional School ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
New Millennium

From 1998–99 to 2003–04, the Hong Kong government increased investment in education by 20%. A number of primary schools have been rehoused in new millennium school buildings that have innovative facilities as well as a new design quite different from the design of traditional school buildings. However, whether the money was spent appropriately and cost‐effectively as a way of improving education in Hong Kong remains a debatable point. To investigate the facilities management (FM) of new millennium primary schools, a study was conducted of teachers who had worked in old traditional school buildings and then moved to new millennium school buildings. Since staff rooms are the major working areas for teachers, the study focused on the levels of satisfaction with the performance of FM in the staff rooms of primary schools and on the working behavior of primary teachers. Two questionnaire surveys were conducted of 113 teachers who had worked in both types of school buildings. Independent‐sample T‐tests were employed to evaluate the quantitative data that was collected from the teachers at the two stages in order to investigate the enhancement of FM in millennium school staff rooms and its impact on the working behavior of teachers. The results showed that FM in the staff rooms of the new millennium schools in Hong Kong was remarkably different from FM in the old schools. However, the teachers did not consider that their working behavior were significantly better in the millennium schools. The governmental investment is considered a success to a certain extent, but there are still a lot of areas where construction professionals and facilities managers of primary schools should improve millennium primary school projects in order to achieve the requirements of end‐users.

scholarly journals “Why MANtoring is not the solution. A Rebuttal to ‘The association between early career informal mentorship in academic collaborations and junior author performance.’”

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia L. Mabry ◽  
Nilanjana Dasgupta ◽  
Corinne Alison Moss-Racusin ◽  
Lora E Park ◽  
Franco Pestilli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Status Quo ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Similar Reasoning ◽  
Junior Author ◽  
Culture Of Science ◽  
Mentorship Programs ◽  
Culture In Science ◽  
Do So

The findings of AlShebli Makovi & Rahwan1 highlight an endemic problem in science: co-authoring with men is associated with greater numbers of citations for junior scientists than co-authoring with women. The reasons for this likely stem from a long history and culture in science where White, straight, cisgender men are the dominant force. Under the authors’ assumption that authorship is equal to mentorship (a notion we criticize below), the reported citation disparity by coauthor gender for junior scientists may simply reflect that under the current status quo there are more barriers for women to establish strong mentorship programs and secure resources to support their mentees compared to men. In other words, citation disparity is the problem, not the solution as proposed by the authors. We argue that the citation disparity is uncorrelated with mentorship and the quality of the publication. Unfortunately, AlShebli Makovi & Rahwan err in their publication in two ways: they define mentorship as co-authorship (albeit with conditions), and they prescribe the problem as a solution suggesting that junior scientists, especially women, ought to be mentored by men - a proposal we have aptly named “MANtoring”. These faulty interpretations and conclusions reveal a broader problem in scholarship: failure to critically examine structural biases and assumptions when evaluating and interpreting data showing disparity. Much work is needed to improve the culture of science and to provide a more fair and equitable environment for individuals of any background (women in this case, but a similar reasoning would apply to people historically marginalized based on gender, race, sexuality, class, and other dimensions) to thrive2. The AlShebli et al article is a wakeup call to authors in all disciplines to take greater care in interpreting and acting on their disparity data. Failure to do so could have catastrophic effects on science including the irony of exacerbating the very problems researchers are attempting to address.

OS CAMINHOS DAS ÁGUAS NO MUNICÍPIO DE CARIRÉ, CEARÁ, BRASIL

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 564-580
Author(s):  
Eloiza Rocha Queiroz ◽  
José Falcão Sobrinho
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Central Theme ◽  
Northeast Region ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Short Rains ◽  
Two Stages

A região Nordeste do Brasil vem sendo alvo de medidas do Estado a mais de um século, na tentativa de solucionar o problema da falta de água em época de secas. O Estado do Ceará, por sua vez, apresenta boa parte de seu território inserido no semiárido brasileiro, uma região caracterizada pelo clima seco, com poucas chuvas e elevada evapotranspiração. A problemática da água existe há bastante tempo, principalmente o acesso em quantidade e qualidade suficientes para atender a população. O presente trabalho tem como tema central a questão dos recursos hídricos, com enfoque no abastecimento humano do município de Cariré, localizado na região noroeste do Ceará. Nosso objetivo consiste em apresentar um panorama de como atualmente a população carireense tem acesso à água potável. A metodologia adotada constitui-se em duas etapas: na primeira, realizamos levantamento de material bibliográfico e a segunda diz respeito a parte prática realizada em saídas a campo. Segundo a ONU, a água é um bem comum e que deve ser de acesso a todos, é um direito humano. Nesta perspectiva, o gerenciamento adequado dos recursos hídricos é essencial para a manutenção da qualidade de vida. Palavras-chave: Recursos Hídricos; Abastecimento Humano; Cariré-Ce. ABSTRACTThe pnortheast region from Brazil has been subject of measures for more than a century in attempts to solve the problems lack of water in dry season. The state of Ceará has a good part of its territorial inserted in Brazilian semiarid, a region characterized by dry climate, short rains and high evapotranspiration. The water issue has existed for a long time, mainly in a sufficient access of quantity and quality to serve the population. Then, this article has as a central theme the water resources focusing on water supply of the Cariré localized at Northeast region from Ceará. Therefore the purpose of the paper is to present a study about how the Carire’s population has had access to potable water currently. The methodology adopted to this research consists of two stages: Firstly it was carried out a survey of bibliographical material and secondly it concerned the practical part carried out in the field trips. In accordance to United nations, water is a commom good and it has to be available to everyone, it is a human rights. In that sense, the proper management of water resources is essential to keep the quality of life.Key-words: Human supply; Water resources; Cariré – Ce. RÉSUMÉLa région du nord-est du Brésil est la cible de mesures prises par l’État depuis plus d’un siècle pour tenter de résoudre le problème de la pénurie d’eau en saison sèche. L’État du Ceará, en revanche, présente une bonne partie de son territoire inséré dans le semi-aride brésilien, région caractérisée par un climat sec, avec peu de pluies et une forte évapotranspiration. Le problème de l'eau existe depuis longtemps, principalement l'accès en quantité et qualité suffisantes pour satisfaire la population. Le travail actuel a pour thème central la question des ressources en eau, en mettant l'accent sur l'approvisionnement humain de la municipalité de Cariré, située dans la région nord-ouest du Ceará. Notre objectif est de présenter un aperçu de la façon dont la population carioca a actuellement accès à l’eau potable. La méthodologie adoptée comporte deux étapes: dans le premier, nous procédons à une enquête sur le matériel bibliographique et le second à la partie pratique réalisée lors des visites sur le terrain. Selon l'ONU, l'eau est un bien commun et doit être accessible à tous, c'est un droit humain. Dans cette perspective, la gestion adéquate des ressources en eau est essentielle au maintien de la qualité de la vie.Mots-clés: Ressources en eau; Approvisionnement humain; Cariré-Ce.

Treatment and Quality of Sewage Sludge in Germany - Results of a Survey

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Meda ◽  
C. Schaum ◽  
M. Wagner ◽  
P. Cornel ◽  
A. Durth
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Sludge Treatment ◽  
Sewage Sludge Treatment ◽  
Treatment And Disposal ◽  
German Association ◽  
Entire Treatment

TIn 2004, the German Association for Wastewater, Water and Waste (DWA) carried out a survey about the current status of sewage sludge treatment and disposal in Germany. The study covered about one third of the wastewater treatment plants and about two thirds of the entire treatment capacity (expressed in population equivalents) in Germany. This provides an up-to-date and representative database. The paper presents the most important results regarding sludge treatment, process engineering, current disposal paths and sewage sludge quality.

scholarly journals Membrane condenser as emerging technology for water recovery and gas pre-treatment: current status and perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adele Brunetti ◽  
Francesca Macedonio ◽  
Giuseppe Barbieri ◽  
Enrico Drioli
Keyword(s):  
Current Status ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Water Recovery ◽  
Treatment Unit ◽  
Treatment Stage ◽  
Treatment Technologies ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
And Control

Abstract The recent roadmap of SPIRE initiative includes the development of “new separation, extraction and pre-treatment technologies” as one of the “key actions” for boosting sustainability, enhancing the availability and quality of existing resources. Membrane condenser is an innovative technology that was recently investigated for the recovery of water vapor for waste gaseous streams, such as flue gas, biogas, cooling tower plumes, etc. Recently, it has been also proposed as pre-treatment unit for the reduction and control of contaminants in waste gaseous streams (SOx and NOx, VOCs, H2S, NH3, siloxanes, halides, particulates, organic pollutants). This perspective article reports recent progresses in the applications of the membrane condenser in the treatment of various gaseous streams for water recovery and contaminant control. After an overview of the operating principle, the membranes used, and the main results achieved, the work also proposes the role of this technology as pre-treatment stage to other separation technologies. The potentialities of the technology are also discussed aspiring to pave the way towards the development of an innovative technology where membrane condenser can cover a key role in redesigning the whole upgrading process.

scholarly journals Evaluating the success of the tele-pathology system in governmental hospitals in Kuwait: an explanatory sequential mixed methods design

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Jasem Buabbas ◽  
Tareq Mohammad ◽  
Adel K. Ayed ◽  
Hawraa Mallah ◽  
Hamza Al-Shawaf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Support Services ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
System Quality ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Telepathology System

Abstract Background Telepathology is the practice of reviewing and exchanging pathological images through telecommunication systems to obtain diagnoses remotely. Studying the factors that make such a system successful and favourable is important to ensure the merits of its implementation in clinical practice. Objective This study aims to evaluate the success of a telepathology system from the users’ perspectives, using specific evaluation criteria, namely: system quality, information quality, technical service quality, user satisfaction, and benefits. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was adopted in this study, which consists of two phases. Initially, a questionnaire was distributed via WhatsApp to all of the pathologists (total: 45) working at governmental hospitals in Kuwait. Followed by, semi-structured interviews with ten senior pathologists. Results Forty pathologists responded to the questionnaire, giving an 89% response rate. There were 42.5% of the respondents aged between 35–44 years old, and 52.5% were male. The quantitative results reveal that most of the respondents were satisfied with the quality of the telepathology system with a mean of 2.6025 (Standard Deviation (SD) = 0.47176), whereas they were dissatisfied with the quality of the information with a mean of 2.4100 (SD = 1.580) and the technical support services with a mean of 2.2750 (SD = 0.99535). In addition, there was disagreement on the benefits of telepathology in clinical practice among the pathologists with a mean of 2.4667 (SD = 0.77552). The qualitative results indicate that the lack of interest in and little experience with using the system were behind the general dissatisfaction of most of the respondents. All of the interviewees were satisfied with the performance of the telepathology system and considered it successful; however, the quality of the technical support services, including training workshops, was deemed deficient. Conclusion This study concluded that telepathology system in Kuwait is functioning well and has been successful in its implementation; however, pathologists are dissatisfied with it, mainly due to the deficient quality of the technical support services provided. In addition, the successful implementation of such advanced technologies requires careful steps to be taken on multiple levels: technical, organisational, and managerial. Recommendations were suggested.

scholarly journals Women in surgery: a systematic review of 25 years

BMJ Leader ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. leader-2019-000199
Author(s):  
Charleen Singh ◽  
Caitlin Loseth ◽  
Noordeen Shoqirat
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Surgical Residency ◽  
Meta Analyses

The number of women entering medicine significantly increased over the last decades. Currently, over half of the medical students are women but less than half are applying to surgery and even less go on to surgical specialties. Even fewer women are seen in leadership roles throughout the profession of surgery and surgical residency. Our purpose of the literature review is to identify any themes, which would provide insight to the current phenomenon. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method for a systematic review of the literature over a 20-year period (1998–2018). Five broad themes were identified: education and recruitment, career development, impact of/on life around the globe and surgical subspecialties as areas of barriers for women entering or considering surgery. The systematic review suggests there are opportunities to improve and encourage women entering the profession of surgery as well as the quality of life for surgeons. Creating systems for mentorship across programmes, having policies to support work–life balance and recognising surgical training overlaps with childbearing years are key opportunities for improvement. Improving the current status in surgery will require direction from leadership.

scholarly journals Technologies for Water Reuse: Current Status and Future Challenges

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 832
Author(s):  
Mauro Capocelli ◽  
Vincenzo Piemonte
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Current Status ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Future Challenges

Water is fundamental for the quality of both ecosystems and society, and plays a key role for energy and food production, a prerequisite for the sustainable development [...]

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