Abstract Non-toxic, cheap, nanostructured ternary transition metal oxide CuFeO 2 was synthesised using a simple sol–gel method at different temperatures. The effects of the processing temperature on the particle size and electrochemical performance of the nanostructured CuFeO 2 were investigated. The electrochemical results show that the sample synthesised at 650 °C shows the best cycling performance, retaining a specific capacity of 475 mAh g −1 beyond 100 cycles, with a capacity fading of less than 0.33% per cycle. The electrode also exhibits good rate capability in the range of 0.5 C –4 C . At the high rate of 4 C , the reversible capacity of CuFeO 2 is around 170 mAh g −1 . It is believed that the ternary transition metal oxide CuFeO 2 is quite acceptable compared with other high performance nanostructured anode materials.

http://ma.ecsdl.org/content/MA2010-03/1/244.full.pdf

High Capacity and High Rate Capability of Nanostructured CuFeO2 Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Surface-initiated Kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensation of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) was performed from organosilica microparticles that resulted in PFO brushes with densely grafted PFO chains with a significantly enhanced propensity to adopt planar and ordered conformations (beta-phase).

Surface-initiated kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensation of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) from organosilica particles

Building on and from the work of Brydges and Imbrie, we give an elementary calculation of the volume of the space of branched polymers of order $n$ in the plane and in 3-space. Our development reveals some more general identities, and allows exact random sampling. In particular we show that a random 3-dimensional branched polymer of order $n$ has diameter of order $\sqrt{n}$.

Branched Polymers

The constant demand for construction in developing countries like Vietnam causes more and more challenges and difficulties to Project Management Units (PMUs) in carrying projects to completion on schedule, with quality assurance and fewer costs. In order to do this, PMUs need to have better and tighter management tools and forms. However, in order to minimize risks during project implementation, the binding terms in contracts are also becoming stricter with more and more new forms of contracts. One of them is the design-build (DB) contract form. This paper presents the critical risk factors for design-build projects in the construction industry. Good identification and management of these risk factors will help projects succeed and will increase the confidence of owners and contractors who seek to use the design-build form.

Risk Management in Engineering and Construction: A Case Study in Design-Build Projects in Vietnam

Yeast surface display (YSD) is a “whole-cell” platform used for the heterologous expression of proteins immobilized on the yeast’s cell surface. YSD combines the advantages eukaryotic systems offer such as post-translational modifications, correct folding and glycosylation of proteins, with ease of cell culturing and genetic manipulation, and allows of protein immobilization and recovery. Additionally, proteins displayed on the surface of yeast cells may show enhanced stability against changes in temperature, pH, organic solvents, and proteases. This platform has been used to study protein-protein interactions, antibody design and protein engineering. Other applications for YSD include library screening, whole-proteome studies, bioremediation, vaccine and antibiotics development, production of biosensors, ethanol production and biocatalysis. YSD is a promising technology that is not yet optimized for biotechnological applications. This mini review is focused on recent strategies to improve the efficiency and selection of displayed proteins. YSD is presented as a cutting-edge technology for the vectorial expression of proteins and peptides. Finally, recent biotechnological applications are summarized. The different approaches described herein could allow for a better strategy cascade for increasing protein/peptide interaction and production.

Yeast Surface Display System: Strategies for Improvement and Biotechnological Applications

A quality management process plays a vital role in the success of engineering and construction projects. The management process needs to be effective and efficient if projects are to be completed on time and within the project’s budget. Many construction projects’ quality management processes are paper-based, which makes them time-consuming and inefficient. The next generation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the BIM-cloud. The BIM-cloud can help to enhance the effectiveness of a quality management process; it can also save an organization time and money. This paper proposes a quality management model based on cloud computing, mobile devices, and the Autodesk BIM 360 Field software. This software functions as a platform for gathering, managing and controlling the quality of the management data. The process is then applied to a real project in Vietnam to verify the benefits and barriers of using the BIM 360 Field for a construction project.

/pdf/construction-project-quality-management-using-building-1as44uj0xc.pdf

Construction project quality management using building information modeling 360 field

The construction industry has played an essential role in the process of modernization and industrialization and it has also been a major factor in determining the development of the infrastructure for other economic sectors. Construction companies consider the measurement of work progress, which often wastes time and has a low resolution, to be one of the most challenging problems faced by project management. Therefore, this research aimed to propose practical solutions by applying recent technological achievements of the 4.0 industrial revolution to improve the efficiency of the quantity management process. By utilizing the advantages and features of a BIM model and 3D laser scanning, this paper proposes that adopting a BIM model and 3D laser scanning has the potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the quantity management process. The case study demonstrated some typical tasks to evaluate accuracy and efficiency as well as to showcase the research proposal.

/pdf/application-of-bim-and-3d-laser-scanning-for-quantity-20dlxjw6nl.pdf

Application of BIM and 3D Laser Scanning for Quantity Management in Construction Projects

A poorly coordinated performance among stakeholders in the finishing phase can impair the performance of a high-rise building project. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze construction failure factors (CFFs) to stakeholder coordinating performance (SCP) in the finishing phase of high-rise building projects and to uncover their underlying relationships. CFFs to SCP in construction projects, especially in the finishing phase of high-rise building projects, have not yet been discovered. The study identified 30 CFFs to the SCP and ranked them according to the perspective of the stakeholders, including owners/consultants and contractors/subcontractors. Additionally, four factors of the CFFs, namely, traditional adversarial relationship, poor project planning and organization, incompetent parties, and delays of parties toward construction works were extracted by the factor analysis method. This study fills the gap in knowledge related to the coordination performance in construction projects. The findings could help stakeholders to enhance their coordinating performance in high-rise building projects.

/pdf/an-analysis-of-construction-failure-factors-to-stakeholder-1r6y92kxws.pdf

An Analysis of Construction Failure Factors to Stakeholder Coordinating Performance in the Finishing Phase of High-Rise Building Projects

A construction project is a designed product made up of labors, materials, and installations in the project positioned on the ground and may include the underground and ground section, and the section in water or on the water surface. It is a civil, industrial, transport, agricultural and rural development, infrastructure, or some other. A key phase in the life cycle of these construction projects is the implementation when building products are made directly with workers, equipment, materials, and managers. If there is a lack of management experience, information, and problem-solving solutions to tackle the risks faced by contractors, especially foreign ones, will fail in controlling the project’s cost. This study was conducted with investigations, discussions, and evaluation of the factors that lead to cost overruns in the construction projects of international contractors in Vietnam. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that those factors that influence cost overruns these construction projects fall into five general groups, including factors related to (i) the owners, (ii) the foreign contractors, (iii) the subcontractors and suppliers, (iv) state management, and (v) the project itself. Besides, the study proposes solutions to limit cost overruns in construction projects and improve the profitability of international contractors in Vietnam.

https://www.koreascience.or.kr:443/article/JAKO202026061031325.pdf

Factors Influencing Cost Overruns in Construction Projects of International Contractors in Vietnam

/pdf/ranking-project-success-criteria-in-power-engineering-3b73h8mlsu.pdf

Thu Anh Nguyen

Papers

Construction project quality management using building information modeling 360 field

Application of BIM and 3D Laser Scanning for Quantity Management in Construction Projects

An Analysis of Construction Failure Factors to Stakeholder Coordinating Performance in the Finishing Phase of High-Rise Building Projects

Factors Influencing Cost Overruns in Construction Projects of International Contractors in Vietnam

Ranking project success criteria in power engineering companies using fuzzy decision-making method