ITS Training: 'VLE - no distance too far - enhancing the learner journey and business processes'

ITS Training has undergone a revolutionary transformation in the past two years. The company has saved money, generated more business, improved recruitment, retention and achievement and expanded throughout the world because of its virtual learning environment (VLE): the ‘Student Campus'. Under its previous paper-based distance learning programme it was a hard enough task to deliver lectures to students in Liverpool. Now, the company has a classroom of learners in Tokyo, Japan.

People and Business Development (PBD): Learning to deliver learning effectively

In October 2010, PBD introduced its eQual Learning VLE (virtual learning environment) to provide an online knowledge resource for its students. During the project, the company learnt many lessons about how to deliver learning effectively. In the course of a year researching VLE platforms, looking for material, and remapping NVQ courses for new QCF qualifications, the company realised that it was more important to deliver engaging and relevant content, rather than boasting the most innovative technology.

Panel discussion: U.S. EPA using modeling and ecosystem services to enhance coastal decision making

This panel will discuss the research being conducted, and the models being used in three current coastal EPA studies being conducted on ecosystem services in Tampa Bay, the Chesapeake Bay and the Coastal Carolinas. These studies are intended to provide a broader and more comprehensive approach to policy and decision-making affecting coastal ecosystems as well as provide an account of valued services that have heretofore been largely unrecognized. Interim research products, including updated and integrated spatial data, models and model frameworks, and interactive decision support systems will be demonstrated to engage potential users and to elicit feedback. It is anticipated that the near-term impact of the projects will be to increase the awareness by coastal communities and coastal managers of the implications of their actions and to foster partnerships for ecosystem services research and applications. (PDF contains 4 pages)

Coastal resource planning system: Integrating evaluation of ecological integrity and ecosystem services valuation

Efficient and effective coastal management decisions rely on knowledge of the impact of human activities on ecosystem integrity, vulnerable species, and valued ecosystem services—collectively, human impact on environmental quality (EQ). Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an emerging approach to address the dynamics and complexities of coupled social-ecological systems. EBM “is intended to directly address the long-term sustainable delivery of ecosystem services and the resilience of marine ecosystems to perturbations” (Rosenberg and Sandifer, 2009). The lack of a tool that integrates human choices with the ecological connections between contributing watersheds and nearshore areas, and that incorporates valuation of ecosystem services, is a critical missing piece needed for effective and efficient coastal management. To address the need for an integrative tool for evaluation of human impacts on ecosystems and their services, Battelle developed the EcoVal™ Environmental Quality Evaluation System. The EcoVal system is an updated (2009) version of the EQ Evaluation System for Water Resources developed by Battelle for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Dee et al., 1972). The Battelle EQ evaluation system has a thirty-year history of providing a standard approach to evaluate watershed EQ. This paper describes the conceptual approach and methodology of the updated EcoVal system and its potential application to coastal ecosystems. (PDF contains 4 pages)

Long Run Trends in the Price of Energy and Energy Services

4 p.

Solutions for New Terrestrial Broadcasting Systems Offering Simultaneously Stationary and Mobile Services

221 p.

Coincidence point theorems in quasi-metric spaces without assuming the mixed monotone property and consequences in G-metric spaces

In this paper, we present some coincidence point theorems in the setting of quasi-metric spaces that can be applied to operators which not necessarily have the mixed monotone property. As a consequence, we particularize our results to the field of metric spaces, partially ordered metric spaces and G-metric spaces, obtaining some very recent results. Finally, we show how to use our main theorems to obtain coupled, tripled, quadrupled and multidimensional coincidence point results.

Study on the hydrolytic property and thermal stability of LiAlO2 substrate

The hydrolytic property and thermal stability of LiAlO2 (LAO), important factors for its application, were examined by AFM and X-ray rocking curve. We found that H2O may be deleterious for LAO surface polishing when the root mean square (RMS) value is less than 1 nm. However, when the RMS value is more than 1 nm it may be useful for LAO polishing. (100)-plane LAO substrates are annealed in the range of 850-900 degrees C in flux N-2, Slick AlN layer probably is produced on the substrate surface. M-plane GaN layer has grown on the substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method. Theses results show that LiAlO2 crystal is a promising substrate of fabricating high-efficiency LEDs by MOCVD. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High temperature annealing effect on structure, optical property and laser-induced damage threshold of Ta2O5 films

Ta2O5 films were deposited by conventional electron beam evaporation method and then annealed in air at different temperature from 873 to 1273 K. It was found that the film structure changed from amorphous phase to hexagonal phase when annealed at 1073 K, then transformed to orthorhombic phase after annealed at 1273 K. The transmittance was improved after annealed at 873 K, and it decreased as the annealing temperature increased further. The total integrated scattering (TIS) tests and AFM results showed that both scattering and root mean square (RMS) roughness of films increased with the annealing temperature increasing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that the film obtained better stoichiometry and the O/Ta ratio increased to 2.50 after annealing. It was found that the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) increased to the maximum when annealed at 873 K, while it decreased when the annealing temperature increased further. Detailed damaged models dominated by different parameters during annealing were discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

System architecture and deployment scenarios for SESAME: Small cEllS coordinAtion for Multi-tenancy and Edge services

The surge of the Internet traffic with exabytes of data flowing over operators mobile networks has created the need to rethink the paradigms behind the design of the mobile network architecture. The inadequacy of the 4G UMTS Long term Evolution (LTE) and even of its advanced version LTE-A is evident, considering that the traffic will be extremely heterogeneous in the near future and ranging from 4K resolution TV to machine-type communications. To keep up with these changes, academia, industries and EU institutions have now engaged in the quest for new 5G technology. In this paper we present the innovative system design, concepts and visions developed by the 5G PPP H2020 project SESAME (Small cEllS coordinAtion for Multi-tenancy and Edge services). The innovation of SESAME is manifold: i) combine the key 5G small cells with cloud technology, ii) promote and develop the concept of Small Cellsas- a-Service (SCaaS), iii) bring computing and storage power at the mobile network edge through the development of nonx86 ARM technology enabled micro-servers, and iv) address a large number of scenarios and use cases applying mobile edge computing. Topics:

A survey of research and scientific services in East Africa, 1947-56

This "Survey of Research and Scientific Services in East Arica 1947-1956" has been prepared by Dr. E. B. Worthington, who held the post of Scientific Secretary in the Office of the Chief Secretary to the East African Governor's Conference and subsequently in the Administrator's Office of the East Mrica High Commission during the period January, 1947-May, 1951. Dr. Worthington is now Secretary General of the Scientific Council for, Arica South of the Sahara