Boundary element analysis of a plate on elastic foundations

The objective of this study is to examine the applicability of the boundary element method to analysing a plate on elastic foundation. The fundamental solution of the problem is presented as a Fourier-Bessel integral. For the computation of the values of the fundamental solution an algorithm was developed in which the Fourier-Bessel integral was decomposed into an alternative convergent sequence. Equations based on the direct and indirect boundary element method were derived for a plate situated on a one- or two-parametric elastic foundation. According to the theory presented, computer programs based on the direct and indirect boundary element method were developed. These programs can be used for examining the behaviour of a smooth-boundary plate on a one- or two-parametric elastic foundation. The computer programs were tested by several examples. The results obtained by using a small number of boundary elements compared favourably to the results obtained by a fine finite element mesh. The study shows that the boundary element method is applicable to the analysis of a plate on elastic foundation.     

Articulating User Needs in Collaborative Design: Towards an Activity-Theoretical Approach

This paper analyses the collaborative design ofa high-technology product, a neuromagnetometerused in the analysis of the activity of thehuman cortex. The producer, Neuromag Company istrying to transform the device from a basicresearch instrument into a means of clinicalpractice. This transition is analyzed as asimultaneous evolution of the product,producer-user network and user activities. Thenetwork is analyzed as a network of activitysystems. Each activity has a historicallyformed object and a motive of its own, as wellas a system of cultural means and expertise. Weuse these to explain and understand theinterests and points of view of the actors inrelation to the product and the contradictionsof the producer-user network. It is suggestedthat the emerging user needs of collectiveactors must be analyzed at three levels. At thefirst level, the use value of the product, itscapacity of solving the vital problems andchallenges of developing user activities, ischaracterized. The second-level analysisconcerns the creation and development of thenecessary complementary tools and services thatmake the implementation and use of the productpossible. This task presupposes collaborationbetween several communities of the innovationnetwork. The third level is the situatedpractical use of the product. In ourexperience, it is advantageous that researcherscontribute with their data to a dialogue inwhich the user needs are articulated.     

The apolipoprotein E phenotype has a strong influence on tracking of serum cholesterol and lipoprotein levels in children: a follow-up study from birth to the age of 11 years

Fatty acid uptake is partly controlled by the FATP gene family, of which at least five members are known in mice. Using the mmFATP1 cDNA as hybridization probe, a 1.6 kb partial cDNA clone was isolated from a human heart cDNA library. With 5' and 3' RACE procedures, the complete cDNA was isolated. Sequence comparisons with its mouse homologues identified this clone as hsFATP4.     

Dietary squalene increases tissue sterols and fecal bile acids in the rat

Feeding 1% squalene increased markedly the concentrations of squalene and methyl sterols in each serum lipoprotein class, intestinal mucosa, liver and also in adipose tissue. It also increased cholesterol concentration of the liver and serum VLDL, and esterified cholesterol in serum LDL as well as fecal bile acids. The results suggest that absorbed dietary squalene contributes to some extent to the squalene content of adipose tissue, effectively increases the overall cholesterol synthesis and enhances cholesterol elimination preferentially as fecal bile acids.     

Model microemulsions containing vegetable oils part 1: Nonionic surfactant systems

Nonionic microemulsions containing triglycerides and fatty acid esters as lipophilic components have been studied. The phase inversion temperature (PIT) of the systems was determined by a conductometric method. Partial phase diagrams were constructed in the phase inversion temperature range. Water solubilization capacity of the nonionic surfactant systems studied was dependent on surfactant and oil types in analogy to ordinary hydrocarbon systems. The PIT:s increased with increased molecular weight for both esters and triglycerides.     

Socially shared regulation of learning in CSCL: understanding and prompting individual- and group-level shared regulatory activities

The field of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is progressing instrumentally and theoretically. Nevertheless, few studies examine the effectiveness and efficiency of CSCL with respect to cognitive, motivational, emotional, and social issues, despite the fact that the role of regulatory processes is critical for the quality of students’ engagement in collaborative learning settings. We review the four earlier lines in developing support in CSCL and show how there has been a lack of work to support individuals in groups to engage in, sustain, and productively regulate their own and the group’s collaborative processes. Our aim is to discuss how our conceptual work in socially shared regulation of learning (SSRL) contributes to effective and efficient CSCL, what tools are presently available, and what the implications of research on these tools are for future tool development.     

From big smartphone data to worldwide research: The Mobile Data Challenge

This paper presents an overview of the Mobile Data Challenge (MDC), a large-scale research initiative aimed at generating innovations around smartphone-based research, as well as community-based evaluation of mobile data analysis methodologies. First, we review the Lausanne Data Collection Campaign (LDCC), an initiative to collect unique longitudinal smartphone dataset for the MDC. Then, we introduce the Open and Dedicated Tracks of the MDC, describe the specific datasets used in each of them, discuss the key design and implementation aspects introduced in order to generate privacy-preserving and scientifically relevant mobile data resources for wider use by the research community, and summarize the main research trends found among the 100+ challenge submissions. We finalize by discussing the main lessons learned from the participation of several hundred researchers worldwide in the MDC Tracks.     

The movement patterns and the experiential components of virtual environments

Human movement in virtual environments (VEs) is a largely unstudied area, and there are no well-established methods of measuring it in VEs. Consequently, it is unclear how movement affects the experiential side of VEs. We introduce a novel method of measuring and modelling human movement. A specific information entropy-based modelling method enabled us to identify different movement patterns and analyse the experiential components related to them. The data was collected by registering the movement patterns of 68 participants who were in a virtual house doing a search task. The experiential side of the VE was measured with the Experimental Virtual Environment Questionnaire (EVEQ). Four movement patterns were identified. In addition, fluent movement in VEs was related to a high sense of presence. Moreover, the participants who moved fluently in the environment assessed their skills high. The results show how movement is related the way in which people experience the VE. The movement analysis method introduced here is applicable to other related research areas as well.     

Correction to: The effect of various simultaneous sources of mechanical error in the estimators of correlation causing deflation in reliability: seeking the best options of correlation for deflation-corrected reliability

Behaviormetrika - The article “The effect of various simultaneous sources of mechanical error in the estimators of correlation causing deflation in reliability: seeking the best options of...