Intercultural Communication on China’s We Media–WeChat Public Platform as an Example.

To explore the deep associations between diversified culture communication modes and the new tendencies of China’s social media, this thesis focuses on the development patterns of intercultural communication on China’s we media. Symbolized by WeChat Public Platform, China’s we media has achieved a tremendous development in recent years. In Chapter 1, the background introduction of we media highlights the essential connotation and the basic methodology of this thesis. And by interpreting the rise of China’s we media in Chapter 2, the unique evolution process of social media in China is revealed logically. Besides, as specific case studies, the two cultural WeChat official accounts: EatPrayLove and Shameless in Chapter 3 comprehensively present a macroscopic cognition as well as the detailed descriptions of intercultural communication on China’s we media. In addition, based on a series of analyses and demonstrations on the developments and prospects of China’s we media in Chapter 4, the further exploration and interpretation on how to promote intercultural communication is concluded concisely and precisely in Chapter 5.

Arquitectura flotante. Propuesta de intervención y mantenimiento de las edificaciones flotantes en madera del Río Babahoyo

Alrededor del mundo se han identificado al menos dos maneras de habitar sobre el agua, las cuales difieren entre si principalmente por el sistema constructivo y tipo de movilidad: i) viviendas sobre pilotes y, ii) viviendas flotantes. Las viviendas flotantes, son también llamadas casas botes o vivienda anfibia, dependiendo del contexto territorial de estudio.En la actualidad la vivienda flotante, tiene plena vigencia tanto en países considerados desarrollados, como en vías de desarrollo. Presenta una variedad de tipologías, sistemas constructivos, materiales, donde la creatividad, manifestaciones culturales, avances tecnológicos y condiciones ambientales han condicionado las formas arquitectónicas resultantes. En Ecuador las viviendas flotantes emplazadas sobre el río Babahoyo han sido construidas de manera irregular (en términos legales), con un sistema artesanal predominante, donde se observan problemáticas sociales y de salubridad entre sus ocupantes.A pesar de ser un caso único en el país, y de interés arquitectónico, paisajístico y cultural, estas edificaciones se han visto afectadas por inadecuadas intervenciones de reparación y/o mantenimiento por parte de sus ocupantes. En este sentido, sepresenta una propuesta de intervención para las viviendas flotantes de Babahoyo, que supera los problemas actuales identificados en relación a la práctica constructiva e integra estrategias para mejorar las condiciones de confort interior. El documento contempla una primera aproximación al origen y evolución de la vivienda flotante en el contexto internacional y local, para luego presentar un análisis de la vivienda flotante en Babahoyo, identificando los factores de deterioro de los componentes constructivos y evaluando el confort interior bajo cuatro parámetros de análisis: radiación, iluminación, temperatura y CO2. Finalmente, se definenestrategias de intervención que mejoran la práctica constructiva y aproximan a las temperaturas óptimas para garantizar el confort interior dentro de estas edificaciones.

Para que servem hoje nossas cozinhas? :uma análise de uso das cozinhas do Plano 100 (Natal-RN)

This work investigates the using of kitchens of the apartments of PLANO 100 in Natal-RN, through one method s set of the functional and behavior evaluation. The theme was selected through of the emergence of the many questions that sought to understand what manners how individuals relates to the constructed space, what was the possible changes caused by these relation, also verifying how this space interferes in a daily life of theirs users. This research to search answers what to improve of the study s object and in futures production s architectonic too. The used approach combined an overview of new kinds of familiar arrangements and the evolution process of the brazilian s kitchens within social context of Brazil, with APO (Post-Occupation Evaluation), techniques through a physical space survey, questionnaires and interviews with users. Beyond to APO s implements were applied behavior setting s techniques too, what presented the most knowledge about to satisfactions levels pointed by the users

Vihara architecture: defining the existential foothold of VIII century Buddhist monastery "Somapura Mahavihara" of ancien Bengal

Lost in history, the ruin of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ was not recognized separated from its birthplace, i.e. nature, for more than 700 years. Yet, within its silent presence, the monument dominated the name of the region: ‘Paharpur’ (land of hillock), according to its appearance surrounds by its flat land topo¬graphy. Discovered in 1919, the single largest Buddhist Vihara (monas¬tery) of ancient Bengal came into light, pronouncing the flou¬rishing minute of Buddhist architecture, once dominant religious force of the subcontinent. The earliest historical monumental architecture of greater Asia, had long been deriving itself from the Buddhist monastic architecture as early as VI century BC. In line of history, the discovery of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ contributed attesting the sensitivities of a highly sophisticated architectonic typology of Vihara Architecture in the land of ancient Bengal. The recovery of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ was not only from its cradle of nature, but also from its remarkable existence imprinted in the reign of Pala dynasty (750 - 1155 AD) announcing the existential foothold of man in his nature. The existential foothold of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ comprises the factors, responsible in shaping the anchorage of the mo¬nument since the birth of Vihara architecture, as early as 530 BC. These factors not only denote the building technology in response to its environment but also the amalgamation of be¬lief, upon which the dwellers transformed the site as a place announcing their existence on earth. This research paper aims at exploring the existential foothold of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’, in terms of its territorial, functional, structural, social, cultural, religious sym¬bolic hierarchies of human achievement while clarifying the architectonic typology that shaped ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ through evolution process of ‘Vihara Architecture’. This understanding intends to combine the archaeological knowledge with comparative architectural analysis of contem¬porary Viharas of ancient Bengal, to define the singularity of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’. In consequence, the glorious past of ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ is intended to portray through iden¬tifying the relation of religious and functional rationalism with the connotation of art, architecture and belief moulded within natural forces, as one complete entity; RESUMO: Vihara Arquitetura: Definindo a posição existencial do século VIII Budista mosteiro “Somapura Mahavihara” de Bengala antiga. Perdidas na História, as ruínas de ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ foram confundidas com uma montanha durante mais de setecentos anos. Contudo, no seu silêncio presente, o monumento marcou a toponímia da região; ‘Paharpur’ significa ‘a terra do outeiro’, evidenciando a singularidade deste monumento numa região dominada por uma extensa planície. Em 1919, foi descoberto o maior mosteiro budista da antiga região de Bengal, demonstrando a prosperidade da arquitectura budista. Tem¬poralmente, a descoberta de ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ contribuiu para atestar a evolução e a sofisticação da tipologia arquitectónica denominada ‘Arquitectura Vihara’, existente na antiga região de Bengal. A noção de pegada existencial de ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ compreende os factores responsáveis por moldar a ancoragem do monumento ao lugar em que se insere desde o início da arquitectura Vihara, que remonta a 530 a.C. Estes factores evidenciam a tecnologia construtiva empregue para responder ao ambiente envolvente mas também a evolução da religião, factores estes que os monges construtores consideraram ao transformar o lugar e anunciar a sua existência na Terra. Esta investigação tem por objectivo explorar a noção de pegada existencial de ‘Somapura Mahavihara’, nas suas dimensões territoriais, funcionais, estruturais, sociais, culturais e nas hierarquias simbólicas das realizações humanas para clarificar a tipologia arquitectónica que deu forma a ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ durante a evolução da arquitectura Vihara. Este entendimento pretende combinar/cruzar o conhecimen¬to arqueológico com estudos arquitectónicos comparativos de Viharas na antiga região de Bengal, com o objectivo de definir a singularidade de ‘Somapura Mahavihara’. Neste estudo estudar-se-á também o confronto entre a dimensão religiosa e a artística (divino vs. humano), integrados na arquitectura de ‘Somapura Mahavihara’ em perfeita harmonia.

Exact temporal evolution for some non-linear diffusion process

Exact solutions to FokkerPlanck equations with nonlinear drift are considered. Applications of these exact solutions for concrete models are studied. We arrive at the conclusion that for certain drifts we obtain divergent moments (and infinite relaxation time) if the diffusion process can be extended without any obstacle to the whole space. But if we introduce a potential barrier that limits the diffusion process, moments converge with a finite relaxation time.

Debris flows as a factor of hillslope evolution controlled by a continuous or a pulse process?

Flood effectiveness observations imply that two families of processes describe the formation of debris flow volume. One is related to the rainfall?erosion relationship, and can be seen as a gradual process, and one is related to additional geological/geotechnical events, those named hereafter extraordinary events. In order to discuss the hypothesis of coexistence of two modes of volume formation, some methodologies are applied. Firstly, classical approaches consisting in relating volume to catchments characteristics are considered. These approaches raise questions about the quality of the data rather than providing answers concerning the controlling processes. Secondly, we consider statistical approaches (cumulative number of events distribution and cluster analysis) and these suggest the possibility of having two distinct families of processes. However the quantitative evaluation of the threshold differs from the one that could be obtained from the first approach, but they all agree in the sense of the coexistence of two families of events. Thirdly, a conceptual model is built exploring how and why debris flow volume in alpine catchments changes with time. Depending on the initial condition (sediment production), the model shows that large debris flows (i.e. with important volume) are observed in the beginning period, before a steady-state is reached. During this second period debris flow volume such as is observed in the beginning period is not observed again. Integrating the results of the three approaches, two case studies are presented showing: (1) the possibility to observe in a catchment large volumes that will never happen again due to a drastic decrease in the sediment availability, supporting its difference from gradual erosion processes; (2) that following a rejuvenation of the sediment storage (by a rock avalanche) the magnitude?frequency relationship of a torrent can be differentiated into two phases, the beginning one with large and frequent debris flow and a later one with debris flow less intense and frequent, supporting the results of the conceptual model. Although the results obtained cannot identify a clear threshold between the two families of processes, they show that some debris flows can be seen as pulse of sediment differing from that expected from gradual erosion.

Mobile Communications within the European Union: The Role of Location in the Evolution and Forecasting of the Diffusion Process

In the European Union, the importance of mobile communications was realized early on. The process of mobile communications becoming ubiquitous has taken time, as the innovation of mobile communications diffused into the society. The aim of this study is to find out how the evolution and spatial patterns of the diffusion of mobile communications within the European Union could be taken into account in forecasting the diffusion process. There is relatively lot of research of innovation diffusion on the individual (micro) andthe country (macro) level, if compared to the territorial level. Territorial orspatial diffusion refers either to the intra-country or inter-country diffusionof an innovation. In both settings, the dif- fusion of a technological innovation has gained scarce attention. This study adds knowledge of the diffusion between countries, focusing especially on the role of location in this process. The main findings of the study are the following: The penetration rates of the European Union member countries have become more even in the period of observation, from the year 1981 to 2000. The common digital GSM system seems to have hastened this process. As to the role of location in the diffusion process, neighboring countries have had similar diffusion processes. They can be grouped into three, the Nordic countries, the central and southern European countries, and the remote southern European countries. The neighborhood effect is also domi- nating in thegravity model which is used for modeling the adoption timing of the countries. The subsequent diffusion within a country, measured by the logistic model in Finland, is af- fected positively by its economic situation, and it seems to level off at some 92 %. Considering the launch of future mobile communications systemsusing a common standard should implicate an equal development between the countries. The launching time should be carefully selected as the diffusion is probably delayed in economic downturns. The location of a country, measured by distance, can be used in forecasting the adoption and diffusion. Fi- nally, the result of penetration rates becoming more even implies that in a relatively homoge- nous set of countries, such as the European Union member countries, the estimated final pene- tration of a single country can be used for approximating the penetration of the others. The estimated eventual penetration of Finland, some 92 %, should thus also be the eventual level for all the European Union countries and for the European Union as a whole.

TU Graz: Course: 707.000 Web Science and Web Technology: Lecture 6: Network Evolution and Process

In this class, we will discuss the nature of network evolution and some selected network processes. We will discuss graph generation algorithms that generate networks with different interesting characteristics. Optional : The Structure and Function of Complex Networks (chapter 8), M.E.J. Newman, SIAM Review 45 167--256 (2003); Optional: Emergence of Scaling in Random Networks, A.L. Barabasi and R. Albert, Science 286, 509 (1999)

Paricipation in Bauru marter plans, Brazil: analysis of the historical evolution of the consultation process

In Brazil, a policy on citizen participation and consultation in urban intervention programs, in particular in the development of master plans, was first introduced into the Federal Constitution in 1988. This article presents an historical reconstitution of Master Plans in Bauru – State of São Paulo – Brazil. The 1968, 1988 and 2005/2006 consultation methods are analyzed using established criteria. The degree of community participation in the processes is estimated by drawing on a typology based on the level of involvement by residents. The effects of participation caused by changes in political regime, technical planning vision, legal support to consultation, recognition of community importance and knowledge acquired during the process are highlighted and discussed.

Evolution of extrafloral nectaries: adaptive process and selective regime changes from forest to savanna

Much effort has been devoted to understanding the function of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) for antplantherbivore interactions. However, the pattern of evolution of such structures throughout the history of plant lineages remains unexplored. In this study, we used empirical knowledge on plant defences mediated by ants as a theoretical framework to test specific hypotheses about the adaptive role of EFNs during plant evolution. Emphasis was given to different processes (neutral or adaptive) and factors (habitat change and trade-offs with new trichomes) that may have affected the evolution of antplant associations. We measured seven EFN quantitative traits in all 105 species included in a well-supported phylogeny of the tribe Bignonieae (Bignoniaceae) and collected field data on antEFN interactions in 32 species. We identified a positive association between ant visitation (a surrogate of ant guarding) and the abundance of EFNs in vegetative plant parts and rejected the hypothesis of phylogenetic conservatism of EFNs, with most traits presenting K-values < 1. Modelling the evolution of EFN traits using maximum likelihood approaches further suggested adaptive evolution, with static-optimum models showing a better fit than purely drift models. In addition, the abundance of EFNs was associated with habitat shifts (with a decrease in the abundance of EFNs from forest to savannas), and a potential trade-off was detected between the abundance of EFNs and estipitate glandular trichomes (i.e. trichomes with sticky secretion). These evolutionary associations suggest divergent selection between species as well as explains K-values < 1. Experimental studies with multiple lineages of forest and savanna taxa may improve our understanding of the role of nectaries in plants. Overall, our results suggest that the evolution of EFNs was likely associated with the adaptive process which probably played an important role in the diversification of this plant group.

The Evolution of the "One China" Concept in the Process of Taiwan's Democratization

This paper investigates how Taiwan's "one China" concept evolved during the democratization process that occurred under the leadership of former President Lee Teng-hui. The author argues that there was a crucial evolution of the "one China" concept and that the transformation of the concept resulted from changes in Taiwan's internal political circumstances. The evolution of the concept creates a real possibility that the "status quo" sought by the ROC in the Taiwan Strait both during and after the Cold War might be destroyed. In addition, any further evolution of the "one China" concept will surely make the "status quo" of Taiwan untenable, in that it would induce Taiwan to seek de jure instead of de facto independence, possibly initiating a conflict between the PRC and the ROC. To prevent such a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the international community must persuade the ROC not to go beyond the "status quo" and to stay within the framework of de facto independence. At the same time, both the PRC and the ROC should be urged to maintain an open conduit of communication for productive talks on the reunification of China.

Traditional education vs modern education. What is the impact of teaching techniques' evolution on students learning process?

The main objective of this article is to focus on the analysis of teaching techniques, ranging from the use of the blackboard and chalk in old traditional classes, using slides and overhead projectors in the eighties and use of presentation software in the nineties, to the video, electronic board and network resources nowadays. Furthermore, all the aforementioned, is viewed under the different mentalities in which the teacher conditions the student using the new teaching technique, improving soft skills but maybe leading either to encouragement or disinterest, and including the lack of educational knowledge consolidation at scientific, technology and specific levels. In the same way, we study the process of adaptation required for teachers, the differences in the processes of information transfer and education towards the student, and even the existence of teachers who are not any longer appealed by their work due which has become much simpler due to new technologies and the greater ease in the development of classes due to the criteria described on the new Grade Programs adopted by the European Higher Education Area. Moreover, it is also intended to understand the evolution of students’ profiles, from the eighties to present time, in order to understand certain attitudes, behaviours, accomplishments and acknowledgements acquired over the semesters within the degree Programs. As an Educational Innovation Group, another key question also arises. What will be the learning techniques in the future?. How these evolving matters will affect both positively and negatively on the mentality, attitude, behaviour, learning, achievement of goals and satisfaction levels of all elements involved in universities’ education? Clearly, this evolution from chalk to the electronic board, the three-dimensional view of our works and their sequence, greatly facilitates the understanding and adaptation later on to the business world, but does not answer to the unknowns regarding the knowledge and the full development of achievement’s indicators in basic skills of a degree. This is the underlying question which steers the roots of the presented research.

Thermal evolution of lower limbs during a rehabilitation process after anterior cruciate ligament surgery

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a safe and non-invasive tool used for examining physiological functions based on skin temperature (Tsk) control. The aim of this paper was to establish the probable thermal difference between the beginning and the end of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rehabilitation process after surgery. For this purpose thermograms from 25 ACL surgically operated patients (2 women, 23 men) were taken on the first and last day of a six-week rehabilitation program. A FLIR infrared camera according to the protocol established by the International Academy of Clinical Thermology (IACT). The results showed significant temperature increases in the posterior thigh area between the first and the last week of the rehabilitation process probably due to a compensatory mechanism. According to this, we can conclude that temperature of the posterior area of the injured and non-injured leg has increased from the first to the last day of the rehabilitation process.

Building intuition of iron evolution during solar cell processing through analysis of different process models

An important aspect of Process Simulators for photovoltaics is prediction of defect evolution during device fabrication. Over the last twenty years, these tools have accelerated process optimization, and several Process Simulators for iron, a ubiquitous and deleterious impurity in silicon, have been developed. The diversity of these tools can make it difficult to build intuition about the physics governing iron behavior during processing. Thus, in one unified software environment and using self-consistent terminology, we combine and describe three of these Simulators. We vary structural defect distribution and iron precipitation equations to create eight distinct Models, which we then use to simulate different stages of processing. We find that the structural defect distribution influences the final interstitial iron concentration ([Fe-i]) more strongly than the iron precipitation equations. We identify two regimes of iron behavior: (1) diffusivity-limited, in which iron evolution is kinetically limited and bulk [Fe-i] predictions can vary by an order of magnitude or more, and (2) solubility-limited, in which iron evolution is near thermodynamic equilibrium and the Models yield similar results. This rigorous analysis provides new intuition that can inform Process Simulation, material, and process development, and it enables scientists and engineers to choose an appropriate level of Model complexity based on wafer type and quality, processing conditions, and available computation time.