136,193 research outputs found
A conceptual model and rapid appraisal tool for integrated coastal floodplain assessments
No full textLow-lying coastal zones are high-risk areas threatened by flooding due to extreme coastal events and rising sea-levels. The coastal floodplain system includes elements such as near-shore waves and water levels, inter-tidal beaches and coastal habitats, natural and artificial sea defences and multiple inland floodplain features. Flood risk studies generally achieve an integrated assessment of these elements using multiple numerical models for different floodplain elements. However fundamental choices of floodplain description and the appropriate data, methods and models can vary widely between different sites and flood risk studies. A comprehensive conceptual model is needed to describe the floodplain system and help inform these choices in each site. However a descriptive conceptual model for coastal floodplain systems does not exist at present. There is a bias in flood risk studies towards the direct use of numerical models with limited use of conceptual models – existing models are implicit and do not describe the coastal floodplain system.This thesis addresses this gap by developing, applying and testing a rapid appraisal tool that conceptually describes the coastal floodplain as a system of interacting elements. The tool is developed in two parts – i) a quasi-2D Source– Pathway – Receptor (SPR) model that provides a comprehensive qualitative description of the floodplain; and ii) a Bayesian network model that uses this description to quantify individual elements as sources, pathways and receptors of flood propagation. The quasi-2D SPR is applied in 8 diverse coastal zones across Europe 4 of which include nested case-studies. It is an effective way of gathering and describing information about the floodplain from stakeholders across multiple disciplines. The Bayesian network model is applied to two contrasting floodplain systems in England – Teignmouth and Portsmouth. The network model is effective in pinpointing critical flood pathways and identifying key knowledge gaps for further analyses. The two models together provide a comprehensive understanding of the coastal floodplain system that can be used to inform and target the use of more detailed numerical models.Hence this thesis provides a conceptual model and tool to improve flood risk assessment. It makes conceptual understanding of the floodplain explicit and stratifies quantitative analysis by application of a rapid assessment tool before the use of detailed numerical models
A Critical Study of the Autobiographical Elements in the Fictional Works of R. K. Narayan
No full textNot availabl
Investigating the source – pathway – receptor – consequence framework for coastal flood system analyses
No full textAre Shocks to Commodity Prices Persistent?
No full textThis paper considers the issue of whether shocks to ten commodity prices (gold, silver, platinum, copper, aluminum, iron ore, lead, nickel, tin, and zinc) are persistent or transitory. We use two recently developed unit root tests, namely the Narayan and Popp (NP, 2010) test and the Liu and Narayan (LN, 2010) test that allow for two structural breaks in the data series. Using the NP test, we are able to reject the unit root null for iron ore and tin, while, using the GARCH-based unit root test of LN, we are able to reject the unit root null for five commodity prices; namely, iron ore, nickel, zinc, lead, and tin. Our findings, thus, suggest that only shocks to gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, and copper are persistent.Commodity Prices; Unit Root Test; GARCH.
Computational Complexity of Graph Partition under Vertex-Compaction to an Irreflexive Hexagon
No full textIn this paper, we solve a long-standing graph partition problem under vertex-compaction that has been of interest since about 1999. The graph partition problem that we consider in this paper is to decide whether or not it is possible to partition the vertices of a graph into six distinct non-empty sets A, B, C, D, E, and F, such that the vertices in each set are independent, i.e., there is no edge within any set, and an edge is possible but not necessary only between the pairs of sets A and B, B and C, C and D, D and E, E and F, and F and A, and there is no edge between any other pair of sets. We study the problem as the vertex-compaction problem for an irreflexive hexagon (6-cycle). Determining the computational complexity of this problem has been a long-standing problem of interest since about 1999, especially after the results of open problems obtained by the author on a related compaction problem appeared in 1999. We show in this paper that the vertex-compaction problem for an irreflexive hexagon is NP-complete. Our proof can be extended for larger even irreflexive cycles, showing that the vertex-compaction problem for an irreflexive even k-cycle is NP-complete, for all even k \geq 6
To what extent are Bangladesh's recent gains in poverty reduction different from the past?
No full textThe poor in Bangladesh are more likely to belong to households with a larger number of dependents and lower education among household members, be engaged in daily wage labor, own little land, and be less likely to receive remittances. This poverty profile for 2005 is similar to the profile in the mid-1980s and hence at first glance it would appear that little has changed over time. A closer look at national household survey data suggests a more nuanced story. This paper uses the latest two rounds of the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey to decompose the micro-determinants of poverty reduction between 2000 and 2005, closely following a similar analysis using five earlier rounds of the Survey. The comparison of results shows that the spatial distribution of poverty seen in earlier decades has changed with time and the drivers of poverty reduction are different in several respects.Rural Poverty Reduction,Regional Economic Development,Access to Finance,Small Area Estimation Poverty Mapping
MeSH term explosion and author rank improve expert recommendations
No full textInformation overload is an often-cited phenomenon that reduces the productivity, efficiency and efficacy of scientists. One challenge for scientists is to find appropriate collaborators in their research. The literature describes various solutions to the problem of expertise location, but most current approaches do not appear to be very suitable for expert recommendations in biomedical research. In this study, we present the development and initial evaluation of a vector space model-based algorithm to calculate researcher similarity using four inputs: 1) MeSH terms of publications; 2) MeSH terms and author rank; 3) exploded MeSH terms; and 4) exploded MeSH terms and author rank. We developed and evaluated the algorithm using a data set of 17,525 authors and their 22,542 papers. On average, our algorithms correctly predicted 2.5 of the top 5/10 coauthors of individual scientists. Exploded MeSH and author rank outperformed all other algorithms in accuracy, followed closely by MeSH and author rank. Our results show that the accuracy of MeSH term-based matching can be enhanced with other metadata such as author rank
Thermodynamic balancing of the humidification dehumidification desalination system by mass extraction and injection
No full textHumidification dehumidification (HDH) is a promising technology for small scale seawater desalination and has received widespread attention in recent years. The biggest roadblock to commercialization of this technology is its relatively high energy consumption. In this paper, we propose thermodynamic balancing of the humidifier or the dehumidifier through mass extraction and injection as a potential means of reducing the energy consumption of these systems. Balancing minimizes the entropy generation caused by imbalance in driving temperature and concentration differences. We outline a procedure to model the system, using on-design component variables, such that continuous or discrete extraction and-or injection of air from the humidifier to the dehumidifier or vice versa can be analyzed. We present an extraction profile (mass flow rate ratio versus non-dimensional position) in the dehumidifier and the humidifier for attaining close to complete thermodynamic reversibility in an HDH system with a 100percent effective humidifier and dehumidifier. Further, we have examined in detail the effect of having finite-sized systems, of balancing the humidifier versus the dehumidifier, and that of the number of extractions. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Bejan A., 1996, ENTROPY GENERATION M; Bourouni K., 2001, DESALINATION, V137; Brendel T., 2003, THESIS RUHR U BOCHUM; Brendel T., 2003, German Patent, Patent No. [#DE10215079 (A1), 10215079]; Grune W., 1961, M AM SOC MECH ENG NE; Hou S., 2008, DESALINATION, V222, P5728; Hyland R.W., 1983, ASHRAE T, V89-IIa, P520; Lemmon E.W., 2007, STANDARD REFERENCE D; McGovern R.K., APPL ENERGY IN PRESS; Miller J.A., 2011, THESIS MIT; Mistry KH, 2011, INT J THERM SCI, V50, P779, DOI 10.1016-j.ijthermalsci.2010.12.013; Muller-Holst H, 2007, NATO SCI PEACE SECUR, P215, DOI 10.1007-978-1-4020-5508-9_16; Muller-Holst H., 2002, THESIS TU BERLIN; Narayan G. P., 2012, THESIS MIT; Narayan G. P., 2011, P ASME JSME 8 THERM; Narayan GP, 2010, DESALIN WATER TREAT, V16, P339, DOI 10.5004-dwt.2010.1078; Narayan G.P., 2010, FRONTIERS HEAT MASS, V1, P1; Narayan GP, 2010, RENEW SUST ENERG REV, V14, P1187, DOI 10.1016-j.rser.2009.11.014; Narayan GP, 2012, ENERGY, V37, P482, DOI 10.1016-j.energy.2011.11.007; Narayan GP, 2010, INT J THERM SCI, V49, P2057, DOI 10.1016-j.ijthermalsci.2010.04.024; Schlickum T., 2007, European Patent, Patent No. [EP 1770068 A2, 1770068]; Shah R.K., 2003, FUNDAMENTALS HEAT EX; Sharqawy MH, 2010, DESALIN WATER TREAT, V16, P354, DOI 10.5004-dwt.2010.1079; Thiel GP, 2012, INT J HEAT MASS TRAN, V55, P5133, DOI 10.1016-j.ijheatmasstransfer.2012.05.014; Wagner W, 2002, J PHYS CHEM REF DATA, V31, P387, DOI 10.1063-1.1461829; Wessel D.J., 2001, ASHRAE FUNDAMENTALS, V2001; YOUNIS MA, 1993, DESALINATION, V94, P11, DOI 10.1016-0011-9164(93)80151-C; Zamen M, 2011, CHEM ENGINEER TRANS, V25, P1091, DOI 10.3303-CET1125182118
Sikap Moral Tokoh dalam Novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan
No full textABSTRAK Naeni, Lailaus. 2014. Sikap Moral Tokoh dalam Novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan. Skripsi, Program Studi Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia, Jurusan Sastra Indonesia. Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Negeri Malang. Pembimbing: (I) Muakibatul Hasanah, Dr. M.Pd (II) Musthofa Kamal, S.Pd, M.Sn Kata Kunci: sikap moral, novel Mahabarata, apresiasi novel Karya sastra diciptakan selain untuk memberikan hiburan, juga menjadi sarana penanaman nilai moral. Moral adalah ukuran baik buruknya suatu tingkah laku yang telah diterima oleh masyarakat. Ajaran moral dalam karya sastra dapat ditampilkan melalui berbagai macam cara, salah satunya melalui sikap moral para tokoh dalam karya sastra tersebut. Penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk mendeskripsikan sikap moral tokoh Pandawa, tokoh Kurawa dan sekutunya, serta penggambaran watak tokoh dalam novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian teks dengan bentuk penelitian kualitatif dengan menggunakan pendekatan moral. Data berupa kutipan teks novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan, yaitu berupa klausa, kalimat, dan fragmen yang di dalamnya terdapat kandungan sikap moral tokoh. Sumber data penelitian ini adalah teks novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan cara peneliti membaca secara kritis dan komprehensif novel Mahabarata kemudian mencatat dan mengkaji data-data berupa dialog tokoh, monolog tokoh, dan narasi pengarang yang dipandang sesuai dengan fokus penelitian. Kegiatan analisis data dalam penelitian ini dimulai dengan (1) membaca teks novel Mahabarata; mendata kutipan cerita yang menunjukkan perilaku, pikiran, dan tindakan tokoh yang mengandung sikap moral; dan menyimpulkan wujud sikap moral berdasarkan kutipan cerita, (2) menyajikan temuan data sikap moral tokoh Pandawa, sikap moral tokoh Kurawa dan sekutunya, serta penggambaran watak tokoh dalam novel Mahabarata yang disajikan ke dalam tabel pengumpul data, dan (3) memaparkan hasil analisis dan pembahasan sikap moral tokoh dalam novel Mahabarata, serta pembahasan cara penggambaran watak tokoh oleh pengarang. Adapun pengecekan keabsahan data dalam penelitian ini yaitu (1) peneliti memeriksa kembali data sikap moral yang telah ditemukan, (2) peneliti membaca kembali bagian teks novel Mahabarata yang di dalamnya terdapat kandungan sikap moral yang tercermin dalam perilaku tokoh, dan (3) mengaitkan temuan data sikap moral dengan indikator sikap moral. Hasil penelitian ini berupa deskripsi sikap moral tokoh dalam novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan, yang meliputi sikap moral tokoh Pandawa dan sikap moral tokoh Kurawa dan sekutunya; serta penggambaran watak dalam novel Mahabarata karya R.K. Narayan. Pertama, sikap moral tokoh Pandawa sebagai berikut: (a) Yudistira menunjukkan sikap moral bertanggung jawab, sabar, selalu berpikir positif, hormat terhadap orang yang lebih tua, bijaksana, rela berkorban, patuh pada aturan dan perintah, dan suka menolong; (b) Bhimasena menunjukkan sikap moral tulus, patuh pada perintah, bijaksana, dan berani; (c) Arjuna menunjukkan sikap moral patuh pada perintah, bijaksana, dan berani; serta (d) Nakula dan Sahadewa menunjukkan sikap moral bijaksana. Kedua, sikap moral tokoh Kurawa dan sekutunya sebagai berikut (a) Bhisma menunjukkan sikap moral menepati janji dan bijaksana; (b) Widura menunjukkan sikap moral bijaksana, suka menolong, jujur dan selalu berbicara benar; (c) Destarastra menunjukkan sikap moral adil dan bijaksana; (d) Wikarna menunjukkan sikap moral bijaksana; (e) Drona menunjukkan sikap moral bijaksana dan tulus; serta (f) Karna menunjukkan sikap moral setia kawan. Ketiga, teknik penggambaran watak tokoh dalam novel Mahabarata karya R.K Narayan yang meliputi: (a) teknik penggambaran watak tokoh secara langsung melalui deskripsi pengarang dan (b) teknik penggambaran watak tokoh secara tidak langsung menggunakan tujuh teknik yang meliputi teknik cakapan, teknik tingkah laku, teknik pikiran perasaan, teknik arus kesadaran, teknik reaksi tokoh, teknik reaksi tokoh lain, dan teknik pelukisan fisik. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ini, kepada peminat sastra, pengajar sastra, serta peneliti selanjutnya disarankan hal-hal berikut. Pertama, kepada peminat sastra, hasil penelitian ini dapat digunakan sebagai referensi untuk menggali nilai kehidupan yang berkaitan dengan sikap moral melalui berbagai bentuk karya sastra yang lain dan menambah pengetahuan baru tentang kisah Mahabarata dan perang Baratayudha. Kedua, kepada pengajar sastra dapat memanfaatkan hasil penelitian ini sebagai referensi pengajaran mengenai apresiasi sastra tentang novel. Ketiga, kepada peneliti selanjutnya, penelitian ini dapat digunakan sebagai bahan refrensi dan rujukan untuk melakukan penelitian lanjutan dengan fokus penelitian yang berbeda.
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