Showing papers by "City University of Hong Kong published in 1995"
TL;DR: The authors in this paper show that some 85% of phosphorus, 80-88% of carbon and 52-95% of nitrogen input into a marine fish culture system as feed may be lost into the environment through feed wastage, fish excretion, faeces production and respiration.
556 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the use of large-scale simulation can transform the ordinary classroom into a learning environment that powerfully promotes learner autonomy, and a concrete example of how this actually happened is discussed in detail, as are the cultural traits that both hinder and encourage autonomy in such a setting.
270 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored international evidence on long memory using the Morgan Stanley Capital International stock index data for eighteen countries and found that the empirical results in general provide little support for long memory in international stock returns.
261 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a 3-year ethnographic study into academic lectures conducted at a university in Hong Kong, where native speakers of English lecture to ethnic Chinese ESL students was conducted, and a framework was developed for the analysis of L2 lectures.
Abstract: This article reports on one aspect of the findings of a 3-year ethnographic study into academic lectures conducted at a university in Hong Kong, where native speakers of English lecture to ethnic Chinese ESL students. Based on ethnographic data, the article develops a framework for the analysis of L2 lectures. The framework has four dimensions: ethnic culture, local culture, academic culture, and disciplinary culture. Each of the dimensions is illustrated by means of data from the ethnographic research. The article suggests that application of the model, because of its potential for developing cultural synergy, is likely to be of interest for those involved in the lecture preparation of lecturers and students in an L2, both in Hong Kong and elsewhere.
255 citations
TL;DR: The results indicated that the efficiency of reducing wastewater-borne nutrients by an algal system was directly related to the physiological activity and growth of the Chlorella cells which in turn were affected by the initial inoculum size.
245 citations
TL;DR: The authors analyzed the interaction during peer response as it occurs in an authentic writing class and identified four categories of reader stances (authoritative, interpretive, probing, and collaborative) and analyzed the language functions and topics discussed during the response sessions.
Abstract: This study analyzes the interaction during peer response as it occurs in an authentic writing class. Transcripts of 27 response groups are analyzed using the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to identify reader stances and determine the characteristics of these stances. We identified four categories of reader stances—authoritative, interpretive, probing, and collaborative. We then analyzed the language functions and topics discussed during the response sessions. This analysis reveals interesting differences across the four stances in five function categories (Summarize Essay, Express Intention, Give Suggestion, Give Opinion, and Give Information) and in three content categories (Writing Process, Ideas, and Audience and Purpose). We conclude that interactive peer response offers benefits to the students. However, in the probing and collaborative stances, the writer is encouraged to articulate the intended meaning of the text, thereby clarifying, expanding, and shaping meaning. These two stances therefore engage students in a fuller understanding of the writing process.
241 citations
TL;DR: Flesch, Fog and Lix readability formulas were used to measure 32 randomly selected chairmen' address and footnote passages from the annual reports of some Hong Kong public companies for the years 1986 and 1991 as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Flesch, Fog and Lix readability formulas were used to measure 32 randomly selected chairmen′s address and footnote passages from the annual reports of some Hong Kong public companies for the years 1986 and 1991. Examines four issues: temporal change in readability levels, influence of industrial grouping on readability, and the relationship between corporate size or profitability on readability levels. Finds that readability is beyond the fluent comprehension levels of 90 per cent of the adult population, overall readability declined over the five‐year period; industrial classification has insignificant impact, and neither company size nor profitability are associated with improved readability levels. These Asian findings are consistent with those from similar studies in the USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand.
220 citations
TL;DR: The authors measured the effect of the presence or absence of discourse markers such as so, right, well, OK, and now on second language lecture comprehension and found that subjects comprehended the lecture better when discourse markers were included than when they were deleted.
Abstract: This paper measures the effect of the presence or absence of discourse markers such as so, right, well, OK, and now on second language lecture comprehension. A control group viewed a video recording of an extract of a naturally occurring lecture, whereas an experimental group viewed the same extract, but with discourse markers deleted. The results clearly indicate that subjects comprehended the lecture better when discourse markers were included than when they were deleted. This finding contrasts with earlier research that suggested discourse markers play no significant role in comprehension. This contrast is interpreted as being due to differences in experimental procedures.
148 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that the group-delay difference between these two modes can be as large as 10 ps/m, which sets a limit on the shortest duration of the optical pulse that can be switched effectively in devices that use long lengths of two-core fibers, such as wavelength-division multiplexers, polarization splitters, and nonlinear directional couplers.
Abstract: The switching characteristics of a two-core optical fiber can be described by the beating of the even and odd modes of the composite two-core structure. It is shown that the group-delay difference between these two modes can be as large as 10 ps/m. This intermodal dispersion sets a limit on the shortest duration of the optical pulse that can be switched effectively in devices that use long lengths of two-core fibers, such as wavelength-division multiplexers, polarization splitters, and nonlinear directional couplers.
131 citations
TL;DR: A hemispherical dielectric resonator (DR) antenna using aperture coupling for excitation is studied both theoretically and experimentally in this article, where the reciprocity method is used to formulate the problem.
Abstract: A hemispherical dielectric resonator (DR) antenna using aperture coupling for excitation is studied both theoretically and experimentally. The reciprocity method is used to formulate the problem. The exact magnetic field Green's function due to the equivalent magnetic current in the slot is derived rigorously, and it is presented in a form which can be evaluated very efficiently. Moment method is used to solve the magnetic current from which the input impedance of the antenna configuration is obtained. The equivalent radius of the slot is used so that simple formulae developed for the cylindrical dipole can be applied directly. The effects of the slot's length, the slot's position, and the slot's width on the broadside TE/sub 111/ mode input impedance are studied, and reasonable agreement between theory and experiment is obtained. >
129 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a teacher change cycle based on an investigation of eight Hong Kong secondary teachers' adoption of innovative practice over a 6-month period in which they received training and ongoing support to carry out three units of process writing lessons in one of their English classes.
Abstract: This article posits a teacher change cycle based on an investigation of eight Hong Kong secondary teachers' adoption of innovative practice over a 6-month period in which they received training and ongoing support to carry out three units of process writing lessons in one of their English classes. The evidence for the proposed model of teacher change comes from teachers' diary records describing and reacting to the instructional units, reports of observations, transcripts of monthly meetings, and information from questionnaire responses written before and after the tryout period. The model proposes that teachers typically move through a change cycle in responding to an innovation in which their focus shifts over time from its procedural aspect, to its interpersonal aspect, and finally to its conceptual aspect. Through this process, they achieve a higher level of expertise, psychological comfort, and understanding of the innovation, thereby personalizing it to bring it into their own practice. The investigation helps to shed some light on not only the adoption of innovations but also teacher change and development.
Abstract: A stacked annular ring dielectric resonator (DR) antenna composed of commercially available dielectric resonators and exited by axi-symmetric coaxial probe is studied computationally using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The numerical results are checked against experimental measurements, and good agreement is observed. It is demonstrated that the introduction of air-gaps between the two DR's and also between the driven DR and the ground plane can improve the impedance bandwidth of the antenna significantly. The effects of the air-gaps thickness on the return loss and the bandwidth are discussed. The far-fields are also calculated by applying the electromagnetic field equivalence principle. The antenna produces an end-fire radiation field similar to that of an electric monopole. >
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the spatial and temporal variations of heavy metal contamination in sediments of a small mangrove stand in Hong Kong by laying two transects perpendicular across the shore.
TL;DR: In this article, a simulation model of the shipping company's operational activities was developed to identify the policies that yield the lowest operating cost in terms of leasing, storage, pick-up, drop-off and other charges.
Abstract: A major shipping company in Hong Kong is faced with several logistical and allocation problems. It needs to find a better way to allocate empty containers that are transported from the Middle East to ports in the Far East, subject to vessel schedules and capacities. It needs to know what to do when the supply of empty containers is less than the demand, and it needs to determine the mix of container types that the company should maintain in the long run. To deal with these challenges, a simulation model of the shipping company's operational activities was developed. Heuristic search was employed to identify the policies that yield the lowest operating cost in terms of leasing, storage, pick-up, drop-off and other charges. What makes the problem difficult is that the forecasts of future export movement as well as the demand for empty containers change continually and the company is faced with the possibility of lost sales if containers are not available when requested by customers. This study provided insights that resulted in substantial savings to the shipping company while increasing customers' satisfaction.
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TL;DR: The results of this comparison reveal that the EMS-based modeling tool allows a greater number of individuals to participate efficiently in model development, and models are developed between 175 percent and 251 percent faster with the new approach than with the traditional approach.
Abstract: During business analysis, business activities are modeled and analyzed. Redefined models become the blueprints for improved business activities. The cost to produce models of the organization is high and model accuracy is important. Involvement from knowledgeable participants and stakeholders is desirable during business modeling and analysis. Traditional modeling approaches limit direct participation to a small handful of participants. This paper will discuss the development and evaluation of an electronic meeting system (EMS)-based activity modeling tool. Modeling efforts supported by this new approach are compared with modeling efforts supported by analysts with a single user tool. The results of this comparison reveal that the EMS-based modeling tool allows a greater number of individuals to participate efficiently in model development. Models are developed between 175% and 251% faster with the new approach than with the traditional approach. Specific features are discussed that help relatively novice modelers work with analysts to develop models of reasonable quality. Measures are set forth that can be used to assess modeling efficiency and quality.
TL;DR: In this paper, the psychometric property of the translated scale may be adversely affected when such problems occur, and the authors propose a method to translate the scale into another language to avoid such problems.
Abstract: Problems in syntax may occur when a scale is translated into another language. The psychometric property of the translated scale may be adversely affected when such problems occur. This article dis...
21 May 1995
TL;DR: In this paper, the formation characteristics of the intermetallic compounds (IMC) formed at the interface between the solder and the copper substrate are found to play a dominant role in determining the thermal fatigue life of surface mount solder joints fabricated from a conventional infrared reflow process.
Abstract: Cu-Sn intermetallic compounds (IMCs), formed at the interface between the solder and the copper substrate are found to play a dominant role in determining the thermal fatigue life of surface mount solder joints fabricated from a conventional infrared reflow process. In order to predict the growth of this IMC layer during the operating life of the solder joint and its effect on the thermal fatigue life, the formation characteristics of the IMC's in 0805 and 1206 LCCC solder joints are systematically studied in this investigation. Only the stable Cu/sub 6/Sn/sub 5/% /spl eta/-phase intermetallic compound was observed in all as-solidified solder joints as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The mean layer thickness was found to increase almost linearly with reflow time up to about 200 s. The thickness of the interfacial IMC layer increased with increasing reflow temperature for 0805-type solder joints up to around 250/spl deg/C and reached a saturated thickness of 2.5 /spl mu/m beyond this temperature. Additional intermetallic formation due to higher reflow temperature or longer reflow time would appear as Cu-Sn whiskers in the bulk solder of the joint. The copper land pad size and quality of component lead metallization were also found to greatly affect the formation of Cu-Sn IMC in surface mount solder joints, and hence its reliability in terms of thermal fatigue life and mechanical properties.
TL;DR: In this article, an exploratory study reported an empirical attempt to establish inter-scorer and parallel-forms reliabilities as well as convergent validity of the Chinese version of the TTCT, measuring the level of fluency, flexibility, and originality in 10-12 year-old Hong Kong children, and compared the scores of the Hong Kong sample with those from other studies.
Abstract: This exploratory study reports an empirical attempt to (1) establish inter-scorer and parallel-forms reliabilities as well as convergent validity of the Chinese version of the TTCT, (2) measure the level of fluency, flexibility, and originality in 10–12 year-old Hong Kong children, and (3) compare the scores of the Hong Kong sample with those from other studies. The Figural and Verbal Forms A and B were administered. The overall results showed high inter-rater reliability of the Chinese version of the Test. The parallel-forms reliability between the Verbal Forms (P< 0.001) of the Test was higher than that between the Figural Forms (P< 0.05). The Hong Kong results on the Figural Test were generally higher than those obtained in Taiwan. Singapore, and USA, but slightly lower than the German results. This trend in the results was reversed on the Verbal Forms. The absence of sex differences on the TTCT was noted.
TL;DR: In this paper, a bispectrum analysis is introduced for three-phase induction machine faults identification and condition monitoring, which can be successfully applied to machine asymmetric faults, machine rotation speed and stator winding fault analysis and identification.
Abstract: Bispectrum analysis is introduced for three-phase induction machine faults identification and condition monitoring. Bispectrum analysis is capable of providing more information than power spectrum analysis. In the present investigation, machine vibration signals operating at different rotating speed and degree of unbalance are thoroughly analyzed. Very promising results were obtained and presented. The results and analysis indicate that bispectrum analysis can be successfully applied to machine asymmetric faults, machine rotation speed and stator winding fault analysis and identification.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the feasibility of utilizing a neural network to extract the complex relationships involved in hot deformation process modelling, and they used a back-propagation neural network for the purpose of training the network, which could in turn be used to predict the flow stress values for any given processing conditions.
TL;DR: A column generation scheme is developed that is able to keep most columns of the LP model implicit and to generate necessary columns by shortest path algorithms and can get an optimal solution in finitely many steps.
Abstract: In this paper we formulate an inverse shortest path problem as a special linear programming problem. A column generation scheme is developed that is able to keep most columns of the LP model implicit and to generate necessary columns by shortest path algorithms. This method can get an optimal solution in finitely many steps. Some numerical results are reported to show that the algorithm has a good performance.
TL;DR: In this paper, the unique role of new product factors in a firm's propensity to export and its performance in exporting new products is investigated, and results from a sample of Australian firms show that...
Abstract: This study investigates the unique role of new product factors in the firm's propensity to export and its performance in exporting new products. Results from a sample of Australian firms show that ...
TL;DR: The authors investigated the moderating effect of past behavior and locus of control in the relationship between attitudes and multiple behavioral intentions among Chinese students to test the theory of reasoned action, with more than 90% accuracy.
Abstract: The moderating effect of past behavior and locus of control in the relationship between attitudes and multiple behavioral intentions were investigated among Chinese students to test the theory of reasoned action. Measures of locus of control, past proenvironmental behavior, attitude, social norm, and personal control toward the act of signing an antipollution petition were compared to the actual act of signing a relevant petition to government in a 5-week follow-up. Past behavior and attitude, but not locus of control, predicted behavioral intentions. A specific attitude-multiple intention model fitted petition signing behavior extremely well, with more than 90% accuracy. The relevance of past behavior and more general measures of intended commitment to proenvironmental behavior are discussed.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the impact of a free trade area on trade, welfare, and economic structure of the Pacific Rim economies and the European Union, and the implications of forming a partial free-trade area, excluding such potential partners as China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies, or the United States.
Abstract: The Pacific Rim members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group have different views about the role each should play in fostering further trade liberalization. But at the November 1994 APEC meetings in Bogor they committed themselves to forming an APEC free trade area. The authors explore: 1) the impact of such a free trade area on trade, welfare, and economic structure of the Pacific Rim economies and the European Union; 2) the implications of forming a partial free trade area, excluding such potential partners as China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies, or the United States; 3) whether an APEC free trade area provides more benefits than full trade liberalization that includes the European Union. They analyze these issues using a multicountry, computable general equilibrium model to simulate alternative liberalized trade scenarios. Their findings are as follows. Under the base-case scenario (in which all tariff and most nontariff barriers are removed among the APEC countries, China, Japan, ASEAN, the Asian newly industrializing economies (NIEs), and the United States): all APEC countries gain in GDP and the excluded European Union loses sligthly. Gains are greatest for the poorer countries, for whom trade externalities are more significant. Trade expands greatly, and although there is some trade diversion away from the European Union and the rest of the world, that is swamped by the creation of trade within the free trade area. The U.S.-Japan trade balance improves only slightly (by $1.4 billion), and the U.S.-China balance are much larger, suggesting that changes in sectoral protection make movements in particular bilateral trade balances nearly impossible to predict. When one economy is excluded: there are gains from making the free trade area as broad as possible. Omitting any one region (China, the United States, or the ASEAN 4) makes that region significantly worse off and lowers the gains for all other members as well. The Asian NIEs have the most to gain from broad membership. Excluding China reduces Asian NIE gains by about half, and excluding the United States yields even greater declines. Excluding the United States has the worst impact on all other potential members, greater than the effect of omitting China or the ASEAN 4. The European Union is largely unaffected by different versions of the APEC free trade area. Global (versus regional) liberalization: global liberalization that includes the European Union is the best outcome in terms of world GDP and welfare. And all countries gain more from global liberalization than they do from joining an APEC free trade area alone. Forming a regional free trade area may be politically easier than continued global liberalization, but there are economic incentives for all parties to expand on the completed GATT round.
TL;DR: It was demonstrated that sediment elutriates obtained from site VS14 were of greatest toxicity, and significant correlations were found between the results of the algal toxicity test and the coliform count and metal content of the sediments.
TL;DR: In this paper, a business process redesign (BPR) initiative in a major Hong Kong bank is examined in detail, while a strategic management framework for large-scale process innovation is proposed.
TL;DR: In this article, three distinct modes of buried oxide microstructure formation are identified and related to the as-implanted oxygen profiles, and a first-order model based on oxygen transport and oxide precipitation explains the formation mechanisms of these three types of SPIMOX layers.
Abstract: Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) is used to fabricate buried oxide layers in silicon. This ‘‘separation by plasma implantation of oxygen’’ (SPIMOX) technique can achieve a nominal oxygen atom dose of 2×1017 cm−2 in implantation time of about 3 min. SPIMOX is thus presented as a practical high‐throughput process for manufacturing silicon‐on‐insulator. In the SPIMOX samples prepared, three distinct modes of buried oxide microstructure formation are identified and related to the as‐implanted oxygen profiles. A first‐order model based on oxygen transport and oxide precipitation explains the formation mechanisms of these three types of SPIMOX layers.
15 Nov 1995-Materials Science and Engineering A-structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing
TL;DR: The transformation kinetics of the γ → α transition in duplex stainless steels (Feroplug materials) within the solution treatment temperature range of 1050-1250 °C and the accompanying ageing behavior have been studied by the use of optical/scanning electron microscopy, an image analyzer and magnetic measurements as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The transformation kinetics of the γ → α transition in duplex stainless steels (Feroplug materials) within the solution treatment temperature range of 1050–1250 °C and the accompanying ageing behaviour have been studied by the use of optical/scanning electron microscopy, an image analyzer and magnetic measurements. Increasing the solution treatment temperature increases the amount of ferrite and reduces the anisotropy in the morphology of the ferrite phase in the matrix. In addition, an increase in the ferrite content leads to less chromium and more nickel within the ferrite phase. Ageing at 600 °C and 700 °C showed that the starting time of ferrite transformation (decomposition) is independent of the solution treatment temperature. The main influence of solution treatment temperature is on the overall time required for completion of transformation and the morphology of the secondary austenite ( γ 2 ) formed during transformation. A higher solution treatment temperature produces a ferrite phase of lower chromium content, this increases the time required for the α → γ 2 + σ transformation and produces needle-shaped intragranular γ 2 .