Showing papers in "Springer US in 2007"

The post-socialist city : urban form and space transformations in Central and Eastern Europe after socialism

Abstract: INTRODUCTION,- Chapter 1: Taking stock of post-socialist urban development: a recapitulation: Kiril Stanilov,- PART 1: REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS: Chapter 2: Political reform, economic development, and regional growth in post-socialist Europe: Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 3: Regional growth dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe in the socio-economic and geographic context of a post-socialist reality: Koloman Ivanicka, Sr. and Koloman Ivanicka, Jr.,- Chapter 4: Urbanization patterns in Russia in the post-soviet era: Irina Molodikova and Alla Makhrova,- PART 2: NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chapter 5: The restructuring of non-residential uses in the post-socialist metropolis: Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 6: Land market, commercial real estate, and the remolding of Moscow's urban fabric: Alla Makhrova and Irina Molodikova,- Chapter 7: Office development and post-communist city formation: the case of Prague: Ludek Sykora,- Chapter 8: The evolution of industrial areas in Budapest after 1989: Eva Kiss,- PART 3: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chapter 9: Housing trends in Central and Eastern European cities during and after the period of transition: Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 10: Social and spatial consequences of the restitution of real estate: Birgit Glock et al ,- Chapter 11: The perils of post-socialist transformation: residential development in Sofia: Sonia Hirt and Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 12: Upscale housing in post-soviet Moscow and its environs: Yuri Medvedkov and Olga Medvedkov,- PART 4: THE EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC SPACE: Chapter 13: Democracy, markets, and public space in the transitional societies of Central and Eastern Europe: Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 14: Public space in the 'blue cities' of Russia: Barbara Engel,- Chapter 15: The peculiar history of (post)communist public places and spaces: Bucharest as a case study: Augustin Ioan,- Chapter 16: Urban transport in the Baltic republics: Sigurd Grava,- PART 5: PUBLIC POLICY ANDURBAN DEVELOPMENT: Chapter 17: Urban development policies in Central and Eastern Europe during the transition period and their impact on urban form: Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 18: Belgrade's post-socialist urban evolution: reflections by the actors in the development process: Sreten Vujovic and Mina Petrovic,- Chapter 19: Urban development, legislation, and planning in post-socialist Zagreb: Branko I. Cavric and Zorica Nedovic-Budic,- PART 6: PLANNING THE POST-SOCIALIST CITY: Chapter 20: Urban planning and the challenges of the post-socialist transformation: Kiril Stanilov,- Chapter 21: The post-socialist urban restructuring of Ljubljana: strengthening identity: Kaliopa Dimitrovska Andrews et al,- Chapter 22: Urban futures: strategic planning in post-socialist Europe: Sasha Tsenkova,- Chapter 23: Urban and regional planning in Central and Eastern European countries - from EU requirements to innovative practices: Karina M. Pallagst and Georges Mercier

Linking restoration and ecological succession

Abstract: Preface Contributors List Glossary Forging a New Alliance Between Succession and Restoration.- Insights Gained from Succession for the Restoration of Landscape Structure and Function.- Aboveground-Belowground Linkages, Ecosystem Development and Ecosystem Restoration.- Retrogressive Succession and Restoration on Old Landscapes.- Succession and Restoration of Drained Fens: Perspectives from Northwestern Europe.- Manipulation of Succession.- Restoration as a Process of Assembly and Succession Mediated by Disturbance.- Integrating Restoration and Succession.- Index.

Stochastic Learning and Optimization - A Sensitivity-Based Approach

Abstract: Performance optimization is vital in the design and operation of modern engineering systems, including communications, manufacturing, robotics, and logistics. Most engineering systems are too complicated to model, or the system parameters cannot be easily identified, so learning techniques have to be applied. This book provides a unified framework based on a sensitivity point of view. It also introduces new approaches and proposes new research topics within this sensitivity-based framework. This new perspective on a popular topic is presented by a well respected expert in the field.

Methodological Foundations in the Study of Argumentation in Science Classrooms

Abstract: Ask anyone who has done work on argumentation in science classrooms what their primary concern has been in this line of research, and they will most likely respond with one word: methodology. Most likely they will then begin to ask you if you have figured out how to distinguish data from warrants. The questions will continue: can theoretical statements be data? If a warrant is not explicitly stated, can it still be assumed that it is part of the argument? Indeed the study of argumentation in the science classroom raises significant methodological questions. What counts as an argument in children’s talk anyhow? What is the unit of analysis of argument and of argumentation in classroom conversations? What criteria drive the selection and application of coding tools? What justifies the choice of one methodological approach over another? What does a particular methodological approach enable us to do and how does it do so? While in one sense, such methodological questions are about the reliability and validity of methodological tools for the analysis of arguments (e.g., Duschl et al., 1999), in another sense they are questions about the very nature and function of methodologies for a line of research that challenges positivist characterizations of scientific knowledge stripped off of the cultural, affective, economical and personal contexts and processes of science. In a review of literature on the use of methodologies in science education, Kelly et al. (1998) observed incongruities between theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches adapted in studies on the Nature of Science. Although the bodies of literature informing the Nature of Science studies used multiple methodological orientations, the majority of the empirical Nature of Science studies used either survey instruments or interviews, without observational data of teachers and students. The state of affairs in the case of argumentation might present an example of an opposite trend where, roughly two decades later since argumentation has taken root in science education, our methodological work remains heavily focused on observational data at the expense of surveys and interviews. It is worthwhile to note that concentrating on quantitative analyses of argumentation does not necessarily imply a contradiction between methodological and theoretical orientations of science education. Quantitative analyses

In the presence of English: Media and European Youth

Abstract: The Presence of English Sociocultural, Acquisitional, and Media Dimensions.- English in Europe.- An Empirical Approach to the Presence of English.- Descriptive Findings on the Presence of English.- Determinants of Contact, Proficiency, and Attitudes.- English, Youth, and Media Environments.- In the Presence of English: A Resume After Step one of an International Study.

Mechanical properties of cement mortars with superabsorbent polymers

Abstract: This paper deals with the mechanical properties of mortars with internal curing, by means of water-entrainment with super absorbent particles (SAP). The use of SAP in high performance concrete is focusing on the mitigation of autogenous deformation, arising from self-desiccation. The effect of SAP in mortars subjected to several curing conditions and different water/cement ratio was analysed. The curing conditions ranged between 30 and 100%RH at 20°C temperature. Water/cement ratio ranged between 0.25 and 0.35 for both reference and internal cured mixtures. Tensile and compressive strength tests were performed at different ages. Results include weight loss measurements with time and its relation to environmental conditions and strength.

Evolution in Creative Sound Design

Abstract: . . . But what if the synthesizer just ‘grew’ programs? If you pressed a ‘randomize’ button which then set any of the thousand ‘black-box’ parameters to various values and gave you sixteen variations. You listen to each of those and then press on one or two of them—your favourite choices. Immediately, the machine generates 16 more variations based on the ‘parents’ you’ve selected. You choose again. And so on. . . . The attraction of this idea is that one could navigate through very large design spaces without necessarily having any idea at all of how any of these things were being made. . . . (Eno 1996)

Image Registration of Structural and Physiological MR Images of Abnormal Anatomy

Abstract: This study applies image registration techniques to combine functional and structural information derived from multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging in patients diagnosed with brain gliomas. The images vary substantially in resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, information content and field of view and therefore pose a challenging registration problem. Specific protocols have been designed for each registration task, with careful selection of critical parameters and appropriate pre-processing. In addition, we have developed a visual assessment protocol to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed methods. Preliminary results suggest that registrations errors are below the functional image resolutions, thus achieving sub-voxel accuracy.

Ubiquitous Computing‐Driven Business Models: A Case of SK Telecom's Financial Services

Abstract: We expect that one of the earliest and most successful applications of ubiquitous computing will evolve around financial services. From the mobile financial services offered by Korea's SK Telecom (SKT), we can catch a glimpse of emerging value networking many telcos may ultimately adopt not only to survive competition but also to sustain their long‐term growth. With the marketplace for mobile communications service approaching saturation, SKT has been looking into associating its infrastructure to content provision, platform/system integration and application service provision to open up new business opportunities. It understood that the fusion between its mobile network and financial services could result in value networks benefiting both service providers and service users. MONETA, as an electronic payment platform, became the cornerstone of SKT's initiative. However, due to its disruptive nature on existing business models, the company had to face significant technical and non‐technical challenges.

The NCI Digital Divide Pilot Projects: Implications for Cancer Education

Abstract: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported four innovative demonstration research projects, “The Digital Divide Pilot Projects,” to test new strategies for disseminating health information via computer to vulnerable consumers. These projects involved active research collaborations between the NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS) and regional cancer control researchers to field test new approaches for enhancing cancer communication in vulnerable communities. The projects were able to use computers to successfully disseminate relevant cancer information to vulnerable populations. These demonstration research projects suggested effective new strategies for using communication technologies to educate underserved populations about cancer prevention, control, and care. J Cancer Educ . 2007; 22(Suppl.):S56–S60.

The Effectiveness of Training for Breast Cancer and Breast Self-Examination in Women Aged 40 and Over*

Abstract: Background. Training on breast health is required to increase awareness of early detection of breast cancer, especially in countries with limited resources. Methods. Of the 784 invited women, 462 participated in the study (58.9%). The training included both theoretical and breast self-examination (BSE) training between preeducation and posteducation tests. Following the theoretical presentation, breast examination training was performed using a breast simulator. The competency of the participants on breast examination was assessed by an evaluation guide. Results. All breast cancer symptoms were stated at significantly higher rates compared to those before education (P < .05). The most commonly stated risk factor in both preeducation and posteducation tests was “no breast-feeding,” with ratios of 15.2% and 56.3%, respectively. Early detection modalities for breast cancer were also stated more often in the posteducation test compared to the preeducation (P < .05). In the preeducation test, only 4.3...

Shifts in Compensation for Environmental Damage

Abstract: From the contents: Introduction (M. Faure, A. Verheij).- Shifts in Governance: Soil Pollution (A. Verheij).- A Shift toward Alternative Compensation Mechanisms for Environmental Damage? (M. Faure).- Shifts in Compensation for Environmental Damage: From Member States to Europe (K. De Smedt).- Shifts in Governance: Oil Pollution (A. Verheij).- Shifts in Governance in the International Regime of Marine Oil Pollution Compensation: A Legal History Perspective (H. Wang).- Maritime Oil Pollution: an Empirical Analysis (R. Hendrickx).- Shifts in Governance in Compensation for Nuclear Damage. 20 Years after Chernobyl (T. Vanden Borre).- Concluding Observations (M. Faure, A. Verheij).- Index.

Addressing Disproportionality with Response to Intervention

Abstract: Fifty years ago, the United States’ educational system began a transformation to accommodate the large increase in background diversity resulting from the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision. Large-scale studies, like the Moynihan (1965) and Coleman (1966) reports, were conducted to better assess and evaluate the health of this transformation both inside and outside school systems, and programs such as Head Start and Upward Bound were created to increase the probability of success for people of color. Efforts were noble, but results were found to be less than ideal because poor students, ethnic minorities, and/or non-native speakers of English were found to be more likely to be placed in special education programs than their white peers (Dunn, 1968). This trend of disproportionate representation of minorities in special education has continued for the next 40 years (Chinn and Hughes, 1987; Heller, Holtzman, and Messick, 1982; Hosp and Reschly, 2004; MacMillan and Reschly, 1998; Skiba, Poloni-Staudinger, Simmons, Feggins-Assiz, and Chung, 2006). Disproportionality in special education is concerning because of the effects of labeling, segregation, and low exit rates from special education services. Consistent with the classic research on the power of labels (Rosenthal and Jacobsen, 1968), students identified as having behavior problems are perceived and addressed in a more negative manner by teachers regardless of whether or not there is a difference in behavior compared with their peers (Mehan, Hertweck, and Miehls, 1986). They may suffer from a diminished self-concept (CampbellWhatley and Comer, 2000), and poor postsecondary outcomes (Malmgren, Edgar, and Neel, 1998). Despite the least restrictive environment provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004, 2006), students of color receiving special education services are more likely to be taught in segregated environments than Caucasian students (Donovan and Cross, 2002; Hosp and Reschly, 2002). These realities have pushed educators to examine the disproportionate representation of minorities in special education more closely. Research examining disproportionality has generally been conducted at the district level, or occasionally the state level (i.e., comparing identification rates among districts or states). Although this is important work to establish the presence or severity of a problem, it has not been fruitful at identifying solutions to the problem (Chinn and Hughes, 1987). One reason for this could be that this research has focused on placement rates rather than reasons for identification for special education services or the outcomes from their provision. Some scholars have examined methods of predicting disproportionality (cf., Finn, 1982; Oswald, Coutinho, Best, and Singh, 1999), but these have not yielded educationally relevant solutions perhaps because most of the identified predictors are inalterable variables (Hosp and Reschly, 2004). While this research is important from a civil rights perspective, it has failed to yield solutions to inequitable education outcomes among different groups of students. In recent years, some have called for studies that extend the literature to the individual level (i.e., looking at what variables specific to individual students might predict disproportionality) so that more sensitive analyses can be conducted regarding the

Accessing Data in Grids Using OGSA-DAI

Abstract: The grid provides a vision in which resources, including storage and data, can be shared across organisational boundaries. The original emphasis of grid computing lay in the sharing of computational resources but technological and scientific advances have led to an ongoing data explosion in many fields. However, data is stored in many different storage systems and data formats, with different schema, access rights, metadata attributes, and ontologies all of which are obstacles to the access, integration and management of this information.

The NCI's Cancer Information Service: Meeting the Public's Cancer Information Needs Via the Internet

Abstract: The Cancer Information Service (CIS) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) added e-mail and instant chat to its telephone service (1-800-4-CANCER, 1-877-44U-QUIT). While most CIS contacts are still via telephone, internet contacts have increased from 9000 in 2001 to over 20,000 in 2006. The NCI leveraged 30 years of CIS telephone experience to understand the needs of Internet information seekers. Online users are more likely to contact CIS on behalf of someone else. Instant chat users are younger and more educated than telephone users. They report high satisfaction levels, increased knowledge, and other positive effects from their interactions. Patients and their families can benefit from awareness of CIS online services and health care providers can be confident in directing them to CIS. J Cancer Educ. 2007; 22(Suppl.):S26–S34.