Thermal and ventilation performance of a multifunctional sports hall within an aquatic centre

There has been an increasing demand for sports facilities in urban areas recently. As a result of this, more attention is drawn towards not only the energy performance of these building typologies, but also creating a healthy indoor environment for the users. This Study investigates the thermal and ventilation performance of a sports hall within an aquatic centre using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. IES Virtual Environment software was used to perform the simulations. A number of scenarios were tested by changing the position of extract fans as well as by incorporating natural ventilation strategies. A high level of discomfort was observed in the space. Better comfort condition was achieved by changing the location of exhaust fans ad openings. The results help to recommend some guidelines to inform the proposed refurbishment plans of the site.

The hidden permutation model and location-based activity recognition

Permutation modeling is challenging because of the combinatorial nature of the problem. However, such modeling is often required in many real-world applications, including activity recognition where subactivities are often permuted and partially ordered. This paper introduces a novel Hidden Permutation Model (HPM) that can learn the partial ordering constraints in permuted state sequences. The HPM is parameterized as an exponential family distribution and is flexible so that it can encode constraints via different feature functions. A chain-flipping Metropolis-Hastings Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is employed for inference to overcome the O(n!) complexity. Gradient-based maximum likelihood parameter learning is presented for two cases when the permutation is known and when it is hidden. The HPM is evaluated using both simulated and real data from a location-based activity recognition domain. Experimental results indicate that the HPM performs far better than other baseline models, including the naive Bayes classifier, the HMM classifier, and Kirshner's multinomial permutation model. Our presented HPM is generic and can potentially be utilized in any problem where the modeling of permuted states from noisy data is needed.

Automated methods for the location of the boundaries of chromatographic peaks

Several simple techniques are presented for the identification of the boundaries of chromatographic peaks. These methods provide a significant reduction in the time needed to perform the rapid, automatic calculation of the central peak moments and to evaluate the quality of a separation while improving the accuracy of the measurements of column efficiencies. It was found that the identification of the peak boundaries as functions of the peak widths and the examination of the slope of the signal to noise versus time plot are viable alternatives to a manual determination.

FDI location at the subnational level: a study of EJVs in China

The location of FDI activities by MNEs is of interest to international business researchers, especially in light of the rapidly changing economic landscapes in many regions of the world. This paper adds to the literature on MNEs' location choices, focusing on how business characteristics are related to location, in a sample of 6430 foreign equity joint ventures (EJVs) in China during 1984–1996. The results show that the duration of the EJV agreement, the origin of the foreign investor, and the type of business activity are related to the location of the EJVs' business activities within China. Significant differences are noted in the locations of ventures in the manufacturing and service sectors, and there is evidence of an increasing preference for MNEs to locate their activities in China's large, metropolitan cities. These findings reflect the dynamic nature of government policies toward FDI in China and their impact on the location choices of MNEs.

A journey through places: politics of spatial location in the stories of South Asian diaspora in Australia

In this paper, I analyse the post-colonial and post-modern experiences in the light of questions and issues concerning the spatial identities or locations that the diasporans carry. By politics of spatial location, I mean a migrant's positions within power hierarchies created through geographic, historical, political, economic and other socially stratifying factors in the new homeland. This paper is mainly concerned with the theoretical ways in which a shift is accelerated in Australia's literary landscape by the South Asian diasporic writers who produce and cover the dynamics of politics of location in different contexts. It also focuses on South Asian diaspora's widely agreed ‘ability to recreate their cultures in diverse locations’. I conclude that these stories are not just of spaces but also of a promising future for the South Asian diaspora in Australia.

Feasibility study to objectively assess activity and location of Hispanic preschoolers: a short communication

Abstract. Both physical and social environmental factors influence young children’s physical activity, yet little is known about where Hispanic children are more likely to be active. We assessed the feasibility of simultaneously measuring, then processing objective measures of location and physical activity among Hispanic preschool children. Preschool-aged Hispanic children (n = 15) simultaneously wore QStarz BT100X global positioning system (GPS) data loggers and Actigraph GT3X accelerometers for a 24- to 36-hour period, during which time their parents completed a location and travel diary. Data were aggregated to the minute and processed using the personal activity location measurement system (PALMS). Children successfully wore the GPS data loggers and accelerometers simultaneously, 12 of which yielded data that met quality standards. The average percent correspondence between GPS- and diary-based estimates of types of location was high and Kappa statistics were moderate to excellent, ranging from 0.49-0.99. The between method (GPS monitor, parent-reported diary) correlations of estimated participant-aggregated minutes spent on vehicle-based trips were strong. The simultaneous use of GPS and accelerometers to assess Hispanic preschool children’s location and physical activity is feasible. This methodology has the potential to provide more precise findings to inform environmental interventions and policy changes to promote physical activity among Hispanic preschool children.