Nottingham Trent University

About: Nottingham Trent University is a education organization based out in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Addiction. The organization has 4702 authors who have published 12862 publications receiving 307430 citations. The organization is also known as: NTU & Trent Polytechnic.

Trace organic compounds in landfill gas at seven U.K. waste disposal sites

Abstract: The trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in landfill gas were examined at seven U.K. waste disposal facilities. Over 140 compounds were identified, of which more than 90 were common to all seven sites. The groups of compounds and concentrations observed were alkanes, 302−1543 mg m-3; aromatic compounds, 94−1906 mg m-3; cycloalkanes, 80−487 mg m-3; terpenes, 35−652 mg m-3; alcohols and ketones, 2−2069 mg m-3; and halogenated compounds, 327−1239 mg m-3. The observed variations in landfill gas composition were largely attributed to differ ences in the waste composition and the stage reached in the decomposition processes at each of the sites. Three sites were found to have total chlorine concentrations, derived from the organochlorine compounds in the gas, of above 250 mg m-3. Chlorine contents of this level were considered to be potentially damaging to landfill gas fueled engines used for electricity generation. Chloroethene (>0.1−87 mg m-3) was identified as the most abundant toxic component. Chloroethe...

Biosilicification: the role of the organic matrix in structure control.

Abstract: Silicon (although never in the elemental form) is present in all living organisms and is required for the production of structural materials in single-celled organisms through to higher plants and animals. Hydrated amorphous silica is a mineral of infinite functionality and yet it is formed into structures with microscopic and macroscopic form. Research into the mechanisms controlling the process have highlighted proteins and proteoglycans as possible control molecules. Such molecules are suggested to play a critical role in the catalysis of silica polycondensation reactions and in structure direction. This article reviews information on silica form and function, silica condensation chemistry, the role of macromolecules in structure control and in vitro studies of silica formation using biomolecules extracted from biological silicas. An understanding of the mechanisms by which biological organisms regulate mineral formation will assist in our understanding of the essentiality of silicon to life processes and in the generation of new materials with specific form and function for industrial application in the 21st century.

A reassessment of frequency and vocabulary size in L2 vocabulary teaching

Abstract: The high-frequency vocabulary of English has traditionally been thought to consist of the 2,000 most frequent word families, and low-frequency vocabulary as that beyond the 10,000 frequency level. This paper argues that these boundaries should be reassessed on pedagogic grounds. Based on a number of perspectives (including frequency and acquisition studies, the amount of vocabulary necessary for English usage, the range of graded readers, and dictionary defining vocabulary), we argue that high-frequency English vocabulary should include the most frequent 3,000 word families. We also propose that the low-frequency vocabulary boundary should be lowered to the 9,000 level, on the basis that 8–9,000 word families are sufficient to provide the lexical resources necessary to be able to read a wide range of authentic texts (Nation 2006). We label the vocabulary between high-frequency (3,000) and low-frequency (9,000+) as mid-frequency vocabulary. We illustrate the necessity of mid-frequency vocabulary for proficient language use, and make some initial suggestions for research addressing the pedagogical challenge raised by mid-frequency vocabulary.

A three domain model of teacher and school executive career satisfaction

Abstract: This paper presents a model of teacher and school executive satisfaction derived from a study involving 892 respondents in 71 government schools in Western Sydney, Australia. Factor analysis of survey items was utilised to develop an eight factor model of teacher satisfaction. The eight factors were named: school leadership, climate, decision making; merit promotion and local hiring; school infrastructure; school reputation; status and image of teachers; student achievement; workload and the impact of change; and professional self‐growth. Scores on the scales fell into three domains: “core business of teaching” factors (student achievement; professional self‐growth); school level factors (school leadership, climate, decision making; school infrastructure; school reputation); and system level/societal factors (workload and impact of change; status and image of teachers; merit promotion). Respondents were most satisfied with “core business” aspects and least satisfied with system level/societal factors, while school level factors showed the most variation, reflecting the influence of teachers’ specific and varying within‐school experiences. Leadership, communication and decision making styles were found to be important contributing factors to satisfaction with school based aspects of respondents’ roles. It is argued that within the important, school level domain, action to improve teacher satisfaction is most likely to be effective.

On the Structure of Linear and Cyclic Codes over a Finite Chain Ring

Abstract: We generalise structure theorems of Calderbank and Sloane for linear and cyclic codes over ℤ pa to a finite chain ring. Our results are more detailed and do not use non-trivial results from Commutative Algebra.