Jiafeng Zhou, Ernest Lam, Cheuk Hang Au, Patrick Lo and Dickson K.W. Chiu
As current university students may access information for their study anytime, anywhere with ubiquitous mobile technologies, this research re-examines the roles of study space in…
Abstract
Purpose
As current university students may access information for their study anytime, anywhere with ubiquitous mobile technologies, this research re-examines the roles of study space in students' learning and campus life.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted to collect students' opinions and habits regarding the usage of different study spaces. Results in three different academic majors (science and engineering, arts and business) of a comprehensive international university were compared.
Findings
The authors’ findings showed a more diversified space usage among students, with the library café increasingly important in students' learning and life while learning commons remain important. However, there were only minor differences among these three study majors towards the learning and entertaining spaces, as these students generally apply inquiry-based learning.
Originality/value
While some researches have investigated students' usage of university and library learning spaces, few studies have focused on the study space issue in Hong Kong or other metropolises in the East under the current mobile learning environment. This study's insights could help libraries and universities improve the management of their physical spaces to meet student needs.
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Xianzhi Mei, Yaping Chen, Jiafeng Wu and Xiaoyu Zhou
Conventional electric heaters mostly use U-shaped electric heating tubes and the hollow tube electric heaters are new type ones that rely on the heat transfer tubes as heating…
Abstract
Purpose
Conventional electric heaters mostly use U-shaped electric heating tubes and the hollow tube electric heaters are new type ones that rely on the heat transfer tubes as heating elements. However, in the original design, the fluid flows through the annular gaps between the shell wall and the supporting plates, the chambers between supporting plates are generally stagnant zones. The purpose of study is to overcome these deficiencies.
Design/methodology/approach
A modified approach is proposed in which the heating tubes are surrounded by holes on the supporting plates, thus the stagnant flow zone can be eliminated and the heating surfaces of both inside and outside the tube can be fully used. Numerical simulations were carried out on four schemes of hollow tube electric heaters, i.e. plate blocked, countercurrent, parallel and split. The results show that the two schemes of parallel and split can reduce the temperature difference between the two sides of the fixed tube plate, and thus reduce thermal stress and prolong the service life.
Findings
The split scheme of electric heater has the highest comprehensive index, moderate heat transfer coefficient and minimum pressure drop on the shell side. Its average heat transfer coefficient and comprehensive index are, respectively, 15.7% and 52.9% higher and its average pressure drop and tube wall temperature are, respectively, 57.6% and 19 K lower than those of the original plate blocked scheme, thus it can be recommended as the best scheme of the hollow tube electric heaters.
Originality/value
Based on the original design of hollow tube electric heater with plate blocked scheme, three plate perforated schemes were proposed and investigated. The thermal and flow features of the four schemes were compared in terms of heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop and comprehensive index ho·Δpo−1/3. The split scheme can reduce the temperature difference between two sides of the fixed tube plate with reduced thermal stress. It has moderate tube wall temperature and heat transfer coefficient, the smallest shell side pressure drop and the highest comprehensive index ho·Δpo−1/3, and it can be recommended as the optimal scheme.
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Although the use of online technology has generated excitement over its potential to increase access to education, most existing research has focused on comparing online and…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the use of online technology has generated excitement over its potential to increase access to education, most existing research has focused on comparing online and in-person student performance. This study provides empirical evidence that semiprivate space at the family level affects students' access to online education.
Design/methodology/approach
Students from 1,565 low-income households in China were surveyed, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted on the hypothesized factors that affect access to online education at home.
Findings
The results show that the absence of computers, smartphones and broadband networks at home severely hinders children's access to online education, and even leads to their exclusion from it. Children with their fathers or paternal grandfathers as guardians have a lower probability of receiving online education at home. It was also found that the higher the education level of the head of the household, the more likely it is that children will receive online education at home.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to examine online accessibility at the family level. It also demonstrates that the semiprivate space at the family level may limit opportunities for students who would otherwise pursue online education at home.
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The impact on both the environment and operator health is significant. As high-alumina silica glass finds applications in smart devices such as curved mobile phone screens, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The impact on both the environment and operator health is significant. As high-alumina silica glass finds applications in smart devices such as curved mobile phone screens, the grinding of complex curved surfaces necessitates cleaner and more efficient cooling and lubrication methods to enhance processing quality and improve grinding yield rates. This study aims to focus on grinding high-alumina silica glass using micro-lubrication technology and compares its performance with traditional cutting fluid cooling methods.
Design/methodology/approach
In the fabrication of mobile phone cover plates composed of high-alumina silicon glass, the incorporation of micro-lubrication grinding technology was undertaken, with the conventional cutting fluid cooling approach serving as the benchmark control group for comparative analysis.
Findings
The results indicate that increasing the spray pressure of micro-lubrication within a specific range contributes to reducing grinding surface roughness. At a grinding speed ranging from 25 to 35 m/s, using micro-lubrication can effectively replace the traditional cutting fluid cooling method, resulting in glass surfaces with roughness levels between 0.22 and 0.26. However, at grinding speeds exceeding 35 m/s, the insufficient pressure of the micro-lubricant mist hinders most of the oil mist from entering the grinding zone, leading to inferior cooling performance compared to cutting fluid cooling. Notably, at a grinding speed of 35 m/s, micro-lubrication demonstrates better effectiveness in suppressing chipping during glass grinding compared to traditional cutting fluid cooling methods.
Originality/value
Through the application of micro-lubrication grinding technology, a marked improvement in the grinding quality of high-alumina silicon mobile phone cover plate glass can be achieved, leading to a reduction in surface roughness, a decrease in processing defects and ultimately satisfying the demands for high-precision and high-quality fabrication of such cover plates.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2024-0297
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Shenlong Wang, Kaixin Han and Jiafeng Jin
In the past few decades, the content-based image retrieval (CBIR), which focuses on the exploration of image feature extraction methods, has been widely investigated. The term of…
Abstract
Purpose
In the past few decades, the content-based image retrieval (CBIR), which focuses on the exploration of image feature extraction methods, has been widely investigated. The term of feature extraction is used in two cases: application-based feature expression and mathematical approaches for dimensionality reduction. Feature expression is a technique of describing the image color, texture and shape information with feature descriptors; thus, obtaining effective image features expression is the key to extracting high-level semantic information. However, most of the previous studies regarding image feature extraction and expression methods in the CBIR have not performed systematic research. This paper aims to introduce the basic image low-level feature expression techniques for color, texture and shape features that have been developed in recent years.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this review outlines the development process and expounds the principle of various image feature extraction methods, such as color, texture and shape feature expression. Second, some of the most commonly used image low-level expression algorithms are implemented, and the benefits and drawbacks are summarized. Third, the effectiveness of the global and local features in image retrieval, including some classical models and their illustrations provided by part of our experiment, are analyzed. Fourth, the sparse representation and similarity measurement methods are introduced, and the retrieval performance of statistical methods is evaluated and compared.
Findings
The core of this survey is to review the state of the image low-level expression methods and study the pros and cons of each method, their applicable occasions and certain implementation measures. This review notes that image peculiarities of single-feature descriptions may lead to unsatisfactory image retrieval capabilities, which have significant singularity and considerable limitations and challenges in the CBIR.
Originality/value
A comprehensive review of the latest developments in image retrieval using low-level feature expression techniques is provided in this paper. This review not only introduces the major approaches for image low-level feature expression but also supplies a pertinent reference for those engaging in research regarding image feature extraction.