text:
Background: During 2014 over 200 different languages were spoken in Sweden, and by the end of 2017 approximately 20 % of the population was foreign born. 110 000 healthcare injuries, many of them due to failure in communication were reported by the nursing association (2017). The evident language barriers create a lack of trust and confidence between patient and nurse. To overcome the identified language barriers interpreters have become a necessary tool in order to exchange information and create a trusting relationship between patients and nurses.
Aim: To explore the nurses experiences and perceptions of existing language barriers and the use of interpreters within healthcare.
Method: A literature review of fifteen scientific articles. These were identified in the databases PubMed and Cinahl through searches for relevant articles with appropriate keywords.
Results: Nurses consider language barriers to be the biggest obstacle to good communication, which often lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. The identified problem of communication is experienced as time consuming and the nurses perceive more planning to be needed when dealing with patients with a different mother tongue. Furthermore, it presents a severe challenge to maintain good care and establish an understanding of the patient's story. Nurses prefer to use an interpreter on site, however interpreters by phone are more accessible. More than one underlying cause is linked to nurse's skepticism to use interpreters. To mention one many nurses doubt the accuracy of the interpretation. Moreover, nurses acknowledge their need of further training and education in the use of interpreters.
Conclusion: The result identified is based upon nurse's first hand experiences of language barriers and the use of interpreters. The literature review has provided insightful knowledge and increased the understanding of language barriers and the use of interpreters in health care. The research will be an asset in future careers and provide help in overcoming set problem.
In the restaurant industry, there is a growing interest in applying technology as part of the service process. However, the constant development of technological innovations does not always meet the demand and therefore it would be important to empirically study how the technology based dining experiences are perceived by the customer. Accordingly, collecting information on how the service quality is perceived when technology is playing a major role during the restaurant experience is important, since such research has not been conducted before. Hereby, the aim of this research paper is to examine restaurant experiences from the customer point of view, in which the role of service personnel is reduced due to implementation of a mobile application. In order to achieve this aim, the objective is to identify what creates value for the customers in a mobile application generated dining experience. Thus, following research questions were stated: How does the customers perceive the service quality in a mobile application generated dining experience? and What are the advantages and disadvantages for the customer to use mobile application for the service delivery during the dining experience?
The research used explanatory sequential mixed methods. Primarily, the researchers performed collection and analysis of quantitative data. Additionally, to get a profound interpretation of the research topic, qualitative data was gathered and analyzed. Thereafter, the qualitative data was used for explaining the quantitative findings more in detail. For the sake of this, the research questions were divided correspondingly one for each method. Findings from the descriptive quantitative analysis, indicated that the use of mobile application for the service delivery was mostly positively perceived. Additionally, discourse analysis was conducted from 812 Pincho's associated TripAdvisor online reviews. The review findings provided more detailed opinions of the customers' experiences in their own words and brought up possible advantages and disadvantages.
The research findings can provide a small contribution to the knowledge of technology based restaurant experiences. However, as the researchers collected only a small amount of primary data, the validity of the results is limited. Additionally, using online reviews is a highly subjective method and consequently has its shortcomings. Therefore, in order to gain thorough understanding of mobile application generated dining experiences, the phenomenon should be further examined in a larger scale. Together with this, it would be intriguing to conduct a questionnaire based survey in all the Pincho's restaurants and more specifically examine overall satisfaction of the customers.
Le mémoire traite de l'influence des idées françaises des Lumières sur la Russie et son évolution, notamment sociale, politique et culturelle. Cette étude est concentrée sur les deux tsars les plus célèbres et leur règne respectifs, Pierre Ier le Grand et Catherine II la Grande puisqu'ils ont été à l'origine de la plupart des réformes. Une description de la Russie avant l'époque de Pierre Ier et du siècle des Lumières, ses philosophes et ses idées fondamentales, est aussi présentée. Le mémoire se termine par une brève discussion sur les réformes essentielles faites dans la Russie tsariste.
The main objective of this thesis work is to develop communication link between Runrev Revolution (IDE) and JADE (Multi-Agent System) through Socket programming using TCP/IP layer. These two independent platforms are connected using socket programming technique. Socket programming is considered to be newly emerging technology among these two platforms, the work done in this thesis work is considered to be a prototype.
A Graphical simulation model is developed by salixphere (Company in Hedemora) to simulate logistic problems using Runrev Revolution (IDE). The simulation software/program is called "BIOSIM". The logistic problems are complex, and conventional optimization techniques are unlikely very successful. "BIOSIM" can demonstrate the graphical representation of logistic problems depending upon the problem domains. As this simulation model is developed in revolution programming language (Transcript) which is dynamically typed and English-like language, it is quite slow compared to other high level programming languages. The object of this thesis work is to add intelligent behaviour in graphical objects and develop communication link between Runrev revolution (IDE) and JADE (Multi-Agent System) using TCP/IP layers.
The test shows the intelligent behaviour in the graphical objects and successful communication between Runrev Revolution (IDE) and JADE (Multi-Agent System).
The authors' joint commitment conflicts produced the idea to study highly-regarded leaders' perspective on workplace conflicts and their constructive resolution. Basically there was a curiosity about how such leaders resolve conflicts so effectively.
Workplace conflicts are a major part of a leader´s time at work. While probably unavoidable, how conflicts are handled is crucial for the growth and development of an organization and its employees. There has been practical conflict management research from a leadership perspective, but the studies have had a quantitative focus. This study aims to examine the various ways respected managers address and resolve workplace conflicts. The study seeks to answer the following questions: What kinds of workplace conflict exist in an organization? What are the critical factors in conflicts? How are conflicts viewed constructive/destructive? What is a leader's role when managing/resolving workplace conflict? What abilities and qualities have leaders who manage conflict effectively?
The study is based on a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews. The material was thematic and coded. Results were analysed using the theoretical framework. The empirical data was analysed using Rahims (2002) theory of conflict management. Building on the results, the model which has been developed will be presented at the study's conclusion.
The study's analysis reveals that leaders who deal with conflicts constructively mastered the three main areas of concern, depending on the situation. These are people-oriented, task-oriented, and learning- and culture-oriented. The study's results also revealed that evasive and/or dominant leadership in particular creates barrier store solving conflict.
BACKGROUND: Underweight, overweight, and obesity in childhood and adolescence are associated with adverse health consequences throughout the life-course. Our aim was to estimate worldwide trends in mean body-mass index (BMI) and a comprehensive set of BMI categories that cover underweight to obesity in children and adolescents, and to compare trends with those of adults.
METHODS: We pooled 2416 population-based studies with measurements of height and weight on 128·9 million participants aged 5 years and older, including 31·5 million aged 5-19 years. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1975 to 2016 in 200 countries for mean BMI and for prevalence of BMI in the following categories for children and adolescents aged 5-19 years: more than 2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference for children and adolescents (referred to as moderate and severe underweight hereafter), 2 SD to more than 1 SD below the median (mild underweight), 1 SD below the median to 1 SD above the median (healthy weight), more than 1 SD to 2 SD above the median (overweight but not obese), and more than 2 SD above the median (obesity).
FINDINGS: Regional change in age-standardised mean BMI in girls from 1975 to 2016 ranged from virtually no change (-0·01 kg/m2 per decade; 95% credible interval -0·42 to 0·39, posterior probability [PP] of the observed decrease being a true decrease=0·5098) in eastern Europe to an increase of 1·00 kg/m2 per decade (0·69-1·35, PP>0·9999) in central Latin America and an increase of 0·95 kg/m2 per decade (0·64-1·25, PP>0·9999) in Polynesia and Micronesia. The range for boys was from a non-significant increase of 0·09 kg/m2 per decade (-0·33 to 0·49, PP=0·6926) in eastern Europe to an increase of 0·77 kg/m2 per decade (0·50-1·06, PP>0·9999) in Polynesia and Micronesia. Trends in mean BMI have recently flattened in northwestern Europe and the high-income English-speaking and Asia-Pacific regions for both sexes, southwestern Europe for boys, and central and Andean Latin America for girls. By contrast, the rise in BMI has accelerated in east and south Asia for both sexes, and southeast Asia for boys. Global age-standardised prevalence of obesity increased from 0·7% (0·4-1·2) in 1975 to 5·6% (4·8-6·5) in 2016 in girls, and from 0·9% (0·5-1·3) in 1975 to 7·8% (6·7-9·1) in 2016 in boys; the prevalence of moderate and severe underweight decreased from 9·2% (6·0-12·9) in 1975 to 8·4% (6·8-10·1) in 2016 in girls and from 14·8% (10·4-19·5) in 1975 to 12·4% (10·3-14·5) in 2016 in boys. Prevalence of moderate and severe underweight was highest in India, at 22·7% (16·7-29·6) among girls and 30·7% (23·5-38·0) among boys. Prevalence of obesity was more than 30% in girls in Nauru, the Cook Islands, and Palau; and boys in the Cook Islands, Nauru, Palau, Niue, and American Samoa in 2016. Prevalence of obesity was about 20% or more in several countries in Polynesia and Micronesia, the Middle East and north Africa, the Caribbean, and the USA. In 2016, 75 (44-117) million girls and 117 (70-178) million boys worldwide were moderately or severely underweight. In the same year, 50 (24-89) million girls and 74 (39-125) million boys worldwide were obese.
INTERPRETATION: The rising trends in children's and adolescents' BMI have plateaued in many high-income countries, albeit at high levels, but have accelerated in parts of Asia, with trends no longer correlated with those of adults.
FUNDING: Wellcome Trust, AstraZeneca Young Health Programme.
After the introduction of information technology (IT), the government needs to take the initiative to start IT projects for the automation of government process to the citizen. Statistics show that a high number of government IT projects fail and only 15 percent e-government projects are successful. In this study, we will answer this research question, what are the reasons for failure of IT projects in the government sector organization in Pakistan and how to overcome these issues? This research was conducted through a literature review, 20 articles from journals and conferences were selected through keywords for the period of ten years from 2003 to 2013. For suggestions, we have followed the same structured search procedure. We found and select articles with our keywords, after reading abstract and conclusion. Our study has described four factors for the failure of IT projects in government sector organizations in Pakistan. These factors are Technology, Management, Politics and Finance. The technology factor can be reduced by providing latest ICT infrastructure with an expert to run and maintain it. Management issues can be resolved by hiring an experienced, skilled and highly motivated project manager to complete a project successfully. Government should make new laws and regulations to help the implementation of these projects and bureaucracy should eliminate any power struggle during and after the implementation. The budget should be allocated before the start of the project to complete it on time. Our research study has provided guidelines to policy makers for automation of government organizations in Pakistan. By considering these suggestions, successful government projects can be achieved.
Purpose - The concept of Triple Helix relates to collaboration between universities, governments and industry. Such collaboration can take different forms in different countries. This paper examines collaboration between universities and industry in China, specifically in the city of Hefei in Anhui province, one of the most rapidly developing regions in the country. In so doing, it seeks to address the research question: How does industry collaborate with universities in order to acquire commercialized knowledge?
Design/ Methodology/ Approach - The study is qualitative, based on interviews with experts in R & D, and Intellectual Property Rights from high-tech companies based in Hefei. We analyzed our findings using a conceptual framework that focuses on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Diffusion (Liyanage et al, 2012). Our study describes and discusses the entire process, from an initial awareness of new knowledge to its eventual acquisition.
Findings and implications - We conclude that Chinese high-tech companies design comprehensive strategies for the acquisition of knowledge generated from external sources. These strategies are based on local, provincial and state government industrial policies that aim to support collaboration with universities and implement external knowledge in existing systems.
Originality - Commercialized knowledge put into practice by industries for their own innovation and commercial purposes.
Limitation - We interviewed industrial experts from three high-tech companies in the city of Hefei, which is located in an industrial area of Anhui province.
Introduction. This paper focuses on knowledge generation and the way in which it is transferred from universities to industry. Most well reputed universities have several departments and university-run enterprises that engage in research. The purpose of these research units is to help universities provide breakthrough innovation through the generation of new knowledge.
Problem Statement. For this we chose to study China's University Technology Transfer Offices (UTTOs) to gather concrete evidence of university knowledge generation for commercial use in industry. The objective of this study is get indepth information about the role of UTTOs in the transfer of such knowledge.Purpose. The generation of new knowledge contributes to the field of science and technology; in turn, industry can use this knowledge to produce new innovative products or improve existing ones. This study aims to identify the process of knowledge transfer from universities to industry in China.
Materials and Methods. Our study was carried out as a qualitative case study in the Anhui province of China. Data was mainly collected through semi-structured interviews with technology transfer experts working in technology transfer offices. Collected data were analyzed using a knowledge transfer model with six phases: 1) awareness, 2) acquisition, 3) transformation, 4) association, 5) application, and 6) feedback.
Results. In China, universities and their research groups dominate in the generation and commercialization of research results, with UTTOs acting as technology bridges between the two parties, as well as providing legal and business services.
Conclusions. This paper contributes by offering a detailed description of the knowledge transfer process and specifically the role and activities of UTTOs. This research also helps Chinese and international researchers currently carrying out research on the technology transfer process in China.
The concept of Triple Helix relates to collaboration between universities, governments and industry. Such collaboration can take different forms in different countries. This paper describes collaboration between universities and government in China, specifically in the city of Hefei in Anhui province, one of the most rapidly developing regions in the country. The research question is: How can bi-lateral research collaboration be a source of knowledge generation and commercialization for use in industry?
The study is qualitative, involving individual and group interviews with university team leaders and team members from successful projects. Government representatives in China were also interviewed. We used the SECI knowledge creation method to analyze the findings. We also describe the collaboration process from idea and application through to review, funding, realization and commercialization. Our study shows that the government in China plays a dominant role in the process of knowledge creation and commercialization. We conclude that collaboration is a source of new knowledge generation and that the government plays a key role by funding universities and creating a research environment that meets the policy requirements of industry today. In particular, we show that universities and their research groups use resources, such as skilled manpower, laboratories and equipment, to accomplish tasks within a set timeframe.
Hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) collectors are an emerging technology that
combines PV and solar thermal systems in a single solar collector producing heat and
electricity simultaneously. The focus of this thesis work is to evaluate the performance of
unglazed open loop PVT air system integrated on a garage roof in Borlänge. As it is
thought to have a significant potential for preheating ventilation of the building and
improving the PV modules electrical efficiency. The performance evaluation is important
to optimize the cooling strategy of the collector in order to enhance its electrical efficiency
and maximize the production of thermal energy. The evaluation process involves
monitoring the electrical and thermal energies for a certain period of time and investigating
the cooling effect on the performance through controlling the air mass flow provided by a
variable speed fan connected to the collector by an air distribution duct. The distribution
duct transfers the heated outlet air from the collector to inside the building.
The PVT air collector consists of 34 Solibro CIGS type PV modules (115 Wp for each
module) which are roof integrated and have replaced the traditional roof material. The
collector is oriented toward the south-west with a tilt of 29 ᵒ. The collector consists of 17
parallel air ducts formed between the PV modules and the insulated roof surface. Each air
duct has a depth of 0.05 m, length of 2.38 m and width of 2.38 m. The air ducts are
connected to each other through holes. The monitoring system is based on using T-type
thermocouples to measure the relevant temperatures, air sensor to measure the air mass
flow. These parameters are needed to calculate the thermal energy. The monitoring system
contains also voltage dividers to measure the PV modules voltage and shunt resistance to
measure the PV current, and AC energy meters which are needed to calculate the
produced electrical energy. All signals recorded from the thermocouples, voltage dividers
and shunt resistances are connected to data loggers. The strategy of cooling in this work
was based on switching the fan on, only when the difference between the air duct
temperature (under the middle of top of PV column) and the room temperature becomes
higher than 5 °C. This strategy was effective in term of avoiding high electrical
consumption by the fan, and it is recommended for further development. The temperature
difference of 5 °C is the minimum value to compensate the heat losses in the collecting
duct and distribution duct.
The PVT air collector has an area of (Ac=32 m2), and air mass flow of 0.002 kg/s m2.
The nominal output power of the collector is 4 kWppv (34 CIGS modules with 115
Wppvfor each module). The collector produces thermal output energy of 6.88 kWth/day
(0.21 kWth/m2 day) and an electrical output energy of 13.46 kWhel/day (0.42 kWhel/m2
day) with cooling case. The PVT air collector has a daily thermal energy yield of 1.72
kWhth/kWppv, and a daily PV electrical energy yield of 3.36 kWhel /kWppv. The fan energy
requirement in this case was 0.18 kWh/day which is very small compared to the electrical
energy generated by the PV collector. The obtained thermal efficiency was 8 % which is
small compared to the results reported in literature for PVT air collectors. The small
thermal efficiency was due to small operating air mass flow. Therefore, the study suggests
increasing the air mass flow by a factor of 25. The electrical efficiency was fluctuating
around 14 %, which is higher than the theoretical efficiency of the PV modules, and this
discrepancy was due to the poor method of recording the solar irradiance in the location.
Due to shading effect, it was better to use more than one pyranometer.
Photovoltaic Thermal/Hybrid collectors are an emerging technology that combines PV
and solar thermal collectors by producing heat and electricity simultaneously. In this paper,
the electrical performance evaluation of a low concentrating PVT collector was done
through two testing parts: power comparison and performance ratio testing. For the
performance ratio testing, it is required to identify and measure the factors affecting the
performance ratio on a low concentrating PVT collector. Factors such as PV cell
configuration, collector acceptance angle, flow rate, tracking the sun, temperature
dependence and diffuse to irradiance ratio.
Solarus low concentrating PVT collector V12 was tested at Dalarna University in Sweden
using the electrical equipment at the solar laboratory. The PV testing has showed
differences between the two receivers. Back2 was producing 1.8 energy output more than
Back1 throughout the day. Front1 and Front2 were almost the same output performance.
Performance tests showed that the cell configuration for Receiver2 with cells grouping (6-
32-32-6) has proved to have a better performance ratio when to it comes to minimizing
the shading effect leading to more output power throughout the day because of lowering
the mismatch losses. Different factors were measured and presented in this thesis in
chapter 5.
With the current design, it has been obtained a peak power at STC of 107W per receiver.
The solar cells have an electrical efficiency of approximately 19% while the maximum
measured electrical efficiency for the collector was approximately 18 % per active cell area,
in addition to a temperature coefficient of -0.53%/ ˚C. Finally a recommendation was
done to help Solarus AB to know how much the electrical performance is affected during
variable ambient condition and be able to use the results for analyzing and introducing
new modification if needed.
Energy efficiency is in the interest of all industries, as it involves the reduction of both energy and cost. The purpose of this project for a bachelor's degree is to analyse potential energy recovery of waste heat from an ironer.
The work was carried out at Limatvätten AB, which is a large and modern laundry facility. Limatvätten AB is a textile service company that has been in existence for 50 years. The Lima laundry's main customers are from the hotel and restaurant business. Limatvätten AB has its own textiles that are rented to hotels, conferences, etc. The largest customers are in Sälenfjällen and in the Siljan region.
The work is done by identifying moisture, temperature and dynamic pressure in an ironer Based on measurements, the amount of energy that can be recycled is calculated. Heat recovery system proposals are also given in the report. Aquavent is a heat exchanger that uses ventilation heat from the ironers. The water that is heated in the aquavent is led into the washing pipes, which leads to the reduction of steam consumption in washing processes. Temperature change depends on the heat exchanger's efficiency, the higher the temperature change, the more amount of energy recovery is obtained.
After identification of the problem, a timetable was mapped, and appropriate instruments and interesting parameters were chosen. The moisture content, temperature and dynamic pressure have been measured. The equations described in the theory section are used for most of the calculations with the help of Excel.
According to the result, the energy saving will be 184 MWh/year if all excess heat from a mangle is reused. Based on the result, the total savings potential is SEK 57 000 /year. According to the results, it is shown that there is the potential to use excess heat from the Lima wash ironers. In addition to the saving of energy, climate impact is also reduced, as the excess energy is again reused which would otherwise disappear into the atmosphere. If two of the ironers are coupled with a heat recovery system, it results in a doubling on the savings potential.
The environment is an important issue in society today. Emissions contribute to medium temperature rises gradually allowing the consequences on the nature, climate and society. The construction industry accounts for approximately 40 % of all energy use in Sweden. The environment in various ways, namely that different lifestyles and ways of life such as heating residences, waste management, travel to and from work affects the adverse impact on the environment. With the help of the growing awareness of the environment and the impetus given to it by the public authorities to reduces the environmental impact and energy use. LCA is a systematic analysis that is new in the construction industry where construction processes measured by the flow of energy and material usage. LCA can help decision makers by performing the LCA can be developed in analytical evaluations environmentally. Without LCA would investment, costs may be the most important thing for the decision makers than the environmental benefits. The aim of this work is to perform a life cycle assessment in the construction process with total construction and following questions is: • Possibilities to perform LCA in this construction form? • What demands are made from the client? • Possibilities and difficulties with total construction to perform LCA? The aim of this thesis is to illustrate how a life cycle analysis can be performed in a total construction. The study will highlight the role of the client. The focus will be on project Kungsljuset in Borlänge. The method of accounting analysis of the life cycle of the construction project is used and performed in a total construction. Interviews with the project management for this object. The result was unfortunately that there was a lack of data for the implement of LCA in this project. The reason was the knowledge and interest of the lack of both the client and the material supplier. It is required that the client demands on the material supplier and entrepreneur to specify the material and other resources used in this construction project.
Jag har undersökt hur förskollärare beskriver att de stödjer flerspråkiga barn i att utveckla både det svenska språket och deras modersmål. I och med att det befinner sig alltmer flerspråkiga barn i de svenska förskolorna är mitt syfte med studien att ta reda på fem förskollärares uppfattningar om flerspråkiga barns språkutveckling och vilka verktyg de beskriver att de använder i arbetet med att stimulera barns språkutveckling. Metoden för denna studie är kvalitativa intervjuer där jag har intervjuat fem förskollärare som arbetar på två olika förskolor. Studiens resultat diskuteras utifrån forskning om hur förskollärare arbetar med flerspråkiga barns språkutveckling. I resultatdiskussionen har även resonemang förts i relation till den sociokulturella teorin. Resultatet visar att förskollärarna menar att barn behöver kunna sitt modersmål så att de kan lära sig eller utveckla ett andraspråk i förskolan. Därför behövs det modersmålslärare som stödjer barnen i att utveckla modersmålet. Förskollärarna beskriver att de använder sig av vardagliga situationer för att stimulera barnens språk.
Syftet med studien är att studera flerspråkiga barns modersmålsutveckling i förskolan och hur pedagogerna kan hjälpa barnen med sitt modersmål när pedagogerna har svenska som sitt förstaspråk. Studien tar ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande och metoden som använts för att samla in material för studien är kvalitativ intervju med fyra pedagoger från två förskolor. Slutsatsen från studien visade sig att pedagogerna använder olika sätt att stötta och utveckla flerspråkiga barnens modersmål och andraspråkutveckling genom att använda olika uttryckningsformer, till exempel upprepningar, bilder, symboler och kroppsspråk. Pedagogerna lyfter upp också att barnen känner trygghet när pedagogerna använder barnens modersmål, vilket gjorde att pedagogerna lärde sig enkla ord på barnens språk för att underlätta kommunikationen mellan barnen och pedagoger och mellan barn och barn.
OBJECTIVE: To explore maternal near miss and death after emergency cesarean delivery in Somaliland, including the impact of the prerequisite for family consent.
METHODS: A facility-based, mixed-methods study was conducted to assess all maternal near misses and deaths recorded at a referral hospital that provided services to women from all regions of Somaliland. The data sources comprised a quantitative prospective cross-sectional study using the WHO near-miss tool (performed from August 1 to December 31, 2015) and qualitative interviews with 17 healthcare providers working at the referral hospital who were in direct contact with the women in labor (performed from January 15 to March 15, 2015).
RESULTS: Of the 138 maternal near misses and deaths recorded, 50 (36%) were associated with emergency cesarean delivery. The most frequent maternal complication was severe pre-eclampsia (n=17; 34%), and the most frequent underlying causes were hypertensive disorders (n=31; 62%) and obstetric hemorrhage (n=15; 30%). Healthcare providers were often prevented from performing emergency cesarean delivery until the required consent had been received from the woman's extended family.
CONCLUSION: Maternity care in Somaliland must be improved, and the issue of legal authority for consent examined, to ensure both safe and timely provision of emergency cesarean delivery. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
We present the fourth Fermi Large Area Telescope catalog (4FGL) of gamma-ray sources. Based on the first eight years of science data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission in the energy range from 50 MeV to 1 TeV, it is the deepest yet in this energy range. Relative to the 3FGL catalog, the 4FGL catalog has twice as much exposure as well as a number of analysis improvements, including an updated model for the Galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission, and two sets of light curves (one-year and two-month intervals). The 4FGL catalog includes 5064 sources above 4 sigma significance, for which we provide localization and spectral properties. Seventy-five sources are modeled explicitly as spatially extended, and overall, 358 sources are considered as identified based on angular extent, periodicity, or correlated variability observed at other wavelengths. For 1336 sources, we have not found plausible counterparts at other wavelengths. More than 3130 of the identified or associated sources are active galaxies of the blazar class, and 239 are pulsars.
This essay presents a portrayal of Heathcliff, Catherine and Isabella from a psychoanalytical perspective with regard to four defense mechanisms; namely, repression, denial, sublimation and projection in order to see how these defense mechanisms have affected the characters' decisions and behaviour, and led them to their destinations in life. It will include three major sections: repression in characters, denial in characters, and sublimation and projection in characters. These terms will be more clearly defined and explained in the subsequent sections.
Background: Eighteen of Sweden's population suffers from long-term pain. The unmeasured data in the presence is not known. Among the older population, 54% of women and 38% prevalence of men, have long-term pain. The pain affects several factors, everything from inferior well-being and physical fatigue, to the impact on social life and work. The costs for society are estimated to cost SEK 87.5 billion annually in direct and indirect costs. Complementary and alternative medicine is a collective term for treatments that are not part of the traditional medical treatment. Examples of treatments include massage, acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), cognitive behavioral therapy (KBT) and meditation/yoga. Aim: To describe patients' experiences and the positive effect of alternative and complementary medicine of long-term pain. Method: A literature review based on 14 scientific articles with qualitative or quantitative approach. Searches have been conducted in CINAHL and PubMed. Results: Three main themes emerged in the result, which was increased wellbeing, pain relief and increased mobility. The studies indicate that the patients experienced good pain relief and increased quality of life both physically and mentally during treatment with complementary and alternative medicine. Patients who have not achieved pain relief through traditional care, experienced good pain relief with complementary and alternative medicine. Conclusion: Complementary and alternative medicine can be an alternative to traditional treatment and sometimes even a first alternative for several reasons, among other things to avoid side effects from drugs.
When teaching the pronunciation of an additional language, the teacher should know which properties to give high priority and which to give lower priority. The present study aims at ranking the perceptual weight among the three phonemic prosodic contrasts of Swedish, namely word stress, quantity and tonal word accent. In two experiments, native Swedish subjects were presented with several disyllabic sequences; intact words, nonsense words and words that were distorted with respect to the three prosodic contrasts. The distorted words were not members of minimal pairs. In addition to intact words and non-word distractors, subjects heard originally trochaic words pronounced with iambic stress pattern and vice versa, originally /VːC/ words pronounced as /VCː/ and originally accent I words pronounced with accent II and vice versa. Listeners should decide whether the words were real words or not. The result shows that words with changed word accent category were rather easy to identify, words with changed stress pattern harder to identify, and changed quantity category caused most problems.
Abstract. In addition to 9 vowel and 18 consonant phonemes, Swedish has three prosodic phonemic contrasts: word stress, quantity and tonal word accent. There are also examples of distinctive phrase or sentence stress, where a verb can be followed by either an unstressed preposition or a stressed particle. This study focuses on word level and more specifically on word stress and tonal word accent in disyllabic words. When making curriculums for second language learners, teachers are helped by knowing which phonetic or phonological features are more or less crucial for the intelligibility of speech and there are some structural and anecdotal evidence that word stress should play a more important role for intelligibility of Swedish, than the tonal word accent. The Swedish word stress is about prominence contrasts between syllables, mainly signaled by syllable duration, while the tonal word accent is signaled mainly by pitch contour. The word stress contrast, as in armen [´arːmən] 'the arm' - armén [ar´meːn] 'the army', the first word trochaic and the second iambic, is present in all regional varieties of Swedish, and realized with roughly the same acoustic cues, while the tonal word accent, as in anden [´anːdən] 'the duck' - anden [`anːdən] 'the spirit' is absent in some dialects (as well as in singing), and also signaled with a variety of tonal patterns depending on region. The present study aims at comparing the respective perceptual weight of the two mentioned contrasts. Two lexical decision tests were carried out where in total 34 native Swedish listeners should decide whether a stimulus was a real word or a non-word. Real words of all mentioned categories were mixed with nonsense words and words that were mispronounced with opposite stress pattern or opposite tonal word accent category. The results show that distorted word stress caused more non-word judgments and more loss, than distorted word accent. Our conclusion is that intelligibility of Swedish is more sensitive to distorted word stress pattern than to distorted tonal word accent pattern. This is in compliance with the structural arguments presented above, and also with our own intuition.
In an attempt to find out which of the two Swedish prosodic contrasts of 1) wordstress pattern and 2) tonal word accent category has the greatest communicative weight, a lexical decision experiment was conducted: in one part word stress pattern was changed from trochaic to iambic, and in the other part trochaic accentII words were changed to accent I.Native Swedish listeners were asked to decide whether the distorted words werereal words or 'non-words'. A clear tendency is that listeners preferred to give more'non-word' responses when the stress pattern was shifted, compared to when wordaccent category was shifted. This could have implications for priority of phonological features when teaching Swedish as a second language.
We used national surveys to study how older persons' changing household patterns influence the gender balance of caregiving in two countries with distinct household structures and cultures, Spain and Sweden. In both countries, men and women provide care equally often for their partner in couple-only households. This has become the most common household type among older persons in Spain and prevails altogether in Sweden. This challenges the traditional dominance of young or middle-aged women as primary caregivers in Spain. In Sweden, many caregivers are old themselves. We focus attention to partners as caregivers and the consequences of changing household structures for caregiving, which may be on the way to gender equality in both countries, with implications for families and for the public services.
Sedan år 2011 ligger det i skolans uppdrag att ordna med studiehandledning på modersmål, en stödinsats som är tätt sammankopplad med modersmålsundervisning. I skolförordningen, som reglerar Sveriges alla skolformer, kan man läsa att elever som behöver studiehandledning på sitt modersmål ska få det (Skolförordningen, 5. kap, 4 §). Syftet med den här studien är att skapa förståelse om studiehandledning på modersmål utifrån studiehandledarnas egna perspektiv samt utifrån innehållet i styrdokument.
Studien baseras på halvstrukturerade intervjuer med tre informanter som arbetar som studiehandledare på modersmål på en gymnasieskola och på en granskning av styrdokument där studiehandledning på modersmål nämns. Resultatet visar att informanterna känner sig välbehövda och viktiga i sin yrkesroll. De vittnar om att nyanlända elever behöver stöttning i sitt modersmål för att nå de utsatta målen i ett eller flera ämnen. Det framgår dock att samarbetet mellan studiehandlarna och ämneslärarna behöver bli bättre för att lektionerna ska kunna planeras och utföras på ett bra sätt. Även studiehandledarnas status på skolan behöver höjas, som det ser ut nu så arbetar de i det tysta med ansvar för ett stort antal elever.
Background: In 2014 a ban was introduced on the progressive depreciation of housing associations. The same year it became mandatory to apply any of the K-regulatory frameworks, a new project developed by the Accounting Board. Housing associations immediately began speculating in the financial impact of the legislative amendment. It was believed that the ban would be characterized by negative results due to higher depreciation costs as well as to the members' annual fees that would be increased.
Aim: The purpose of the survey was to create an understanding of the financial consequences from the ban on progressive depreciation received for the housing associations, with regard to which of the regulations applied.
Method: I chose to use a qualitative method in the study. By interviewing eight respondents I collected the empirical data which I analyzed with the help of my theoretical framework.
Results & conclusion: My study has shown that those who participated in my research did not feel that the ban on progressive depreciation resulted in negative consequences or that the selection of the regulatory had an impact on what they received for consequences. I have therefore concluded that the selection of the regulations did not affect how the associations was affected by the ban on progressive depreciation. I also came to the conclusion that the economic consequences of the ban resulted in higher depreciation expenses.
Ngugi wa Thiong'o's Devil on the Cross represents both an insightful interpretation and a scathing critique of Kenyan politics and society during the period of neo-colonialism. The present thesis aims to explore, with the help of Marxist ideology and criticism, the relevance of the issues of class struggle, elitism and social collectivism in the novel. At the same time, this study will attempt to define Devil on the Cross as a "national allegory" depicting situations that are common to almost all post-colonial societies, and in particular, how the novel's ideological and political commitment is an important feature as it reflects Ngugi's effort to draw attention to how Kenya and Africa as a whole suffered from imperialism, neo-colonialism, and a corrupt and greedy capitalist society.
The aim of this study is to explore based on internationally recognised frameworks:
1. how internal control structures are applied in Sweden among different sectors;
2. how organizational size and environment affect internal control structures; and
3. the impact of internal control structures on organizational performance.
A quantitative method was used in the data collection and analysis. The sample consisted of 1117 organizations operating in Sweden. A mean analysis was conducted to measure the level of internal control structures among different industries, organizational sizes, and different choices of listing in the stock exchange market. Person's correlation analysis was then used to explore possible correlations between external environmental factors and internal control structures, and internal control structures and organizational performance. Lastly, a structural model was built to measure the impact of internal control structures on organizational performance. The measurements of internal control structures and organizational performance are based on COSO framework's principles and objectives.
This study gives an insight on how internal control structures are applied across industrial sectors in Sweden, with financial institutions and manufacturing organizations having notably higher levels of internal control structures. Additionally, it provides evidence of the impact external environmental factors have on internal control structures. Furthermore, it shows that organizations that are listed in the Swedish stock exchange market have an equivalent level of internal control structures to those registered in the American stock exchange market. In contrast, organisations that are not listed in the stock exchange market have a notably lower level of internal control structures. Lastly, it illustrates the positive impact the presence of internal control structures has on organizational performance. 3 | P a g e
The results highlight a crucial role the supervisory authority Finansinspektionen (FI) has in regulating the Swedish financial market. They also show that the stability of the Swedish business environment has had a positive impact on the level of internal control structures.
Contamination of the heating system is not a well-known problem that can have major economic consequences. Due to minerals and low pH in the system arises limescale and corrosion that can clog the system and can damage components. This will result in increased energy consumption for users and a higher energy input from the district heating company. The purpose of this work is to study different cleaning methods for heating systems and if it is viable with cleaning of heating systems. The cleaning effect on the district heating demand and how it affects greenhouse gas emissions and primary energy use. And examine whether the maintenance of the heating system provides less energy than remodeling the building envelope. Previous studies in this area were examined and relevant data were collected after talks with interesting companies working with cleaning of heating systems. Cleaning the heating system was compared with various packages such as remodeling of the building envelope and heat recovery ventilation. Cleaning the heating systems with an efficiency of 10 % resulting in a reduced heating need at 1,63 GWh per year and a reduction in emissions of 177 tonnes CO2e per year. The reduced heating demand resulted in a reduction in primary energy consumption by 113 750 kWh per year. Installation of the cleaning systems can result in a saving for Tunabyggen of 759 200 SEK per year. The conclusion of this work is that the cleaning prolongs the lifetime of heating systems, but can't replace remodeling of the building envelope in terms of reduced energy consumption.
The aim of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the revised dental beliefs survey (DBS-R) in a group of regular dental patients. The study group consisted of 278 patients (mean age 54 yr), 61% of whom were women. The DBS-R item mean value was 1.6. Principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed. The initial PCA among the 28 DBS-R items showed four factors with eigenvalues of > 1 explaining 67% of the total variance. Five different CFA models were tested. The final model revealed a four-factor solution with one second-order factor (i.e. a hierarchical CFA). Thus, the latent second-order variable, 'dental beliefs', explains the variance from all DBS-R items through the four first-order factors labeled 'ethics', 'belittlement', 'communication and empathy', and 'control and anxiety'. The results suggest a somewhat different factor structure of DBS-R than previously reported for dental-fear patients. Hence, the underlying factor structure of the DBS-R may differ between different patient groups. The results point towards the use of the original 28-item DBS-R and interpreting the scale as measuring an overall construct of 'dental beliefs' and thus patients' attitudes and feelings related to dentists and dentistry.
Denna studie syftar till att undersöka lärares förhållningssätt till begreppet mångfald så som det skrivs fram i ämnesplanen för religionskunskap i LGY11. Fem kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med lärare i religionskunskap på gymnasiet. Dessa intervjuer har tolkats med hjälp av en narrativ analysmetod och relaterats dels till olika filosofiska perspektiv, normkritisk pedagogik samt fältet för kontroversiella frågor i undervisning. Resultatet påvisar att det finns såväl likheter som skillnader mellan lärarnas förhållningssätt. En likhet var att många av dem intog ett elevperspektiv i sin undervisning och berättade om hur de anpassar sin undervisning till olika elevgrupper. En skillnad berör hur man uppfattar själva religionsämnet som sådant; vissa av lärarna talade i termer av att motverka fördomar, andra om att ämnet kan bidra till en ökad förståelse hos eleverna själva.
Snowboarding is today a major winter sport with its own equipment, its own culture and elite riders. For professional athletes or for those who just snowboard for fun, snowboard becomes an extension of their body while in motion.
The layout on the boards has changed over the years but despite of this there is a lack of scientific studies in the field. Therefore, this study aimed to identify how the graphics of 240 snowboards have evolved between 1980-2010, and fill some of these holes in the scientific documentation.
This survey was based on a visual content analysis, which resulted in interesting observations. The results that emerged were that the result can be generalized and that the development of snowboards graphics has changed over the decades. Snowboards from the various decades have specific characteristics that this study provides.
This study try to understand which aspects were fundamental to indoor climate and how to obtain them in order to provide the best possible experience in the thermal comfort of individuals. Thus, arose the studies of Fanger, which was the seed for a new era of discoveries in the area and founded the knowledge our society have today in this globally used standards and norms. Referring to these fundamental aspects of the indoor comfort, data collection was taken in situ to show in details what was happening. This study was executed in order to demonstrate the differences between the data previous and after a process of retrofitting in dwellings built in the 60s and 70s of the century past, in the district of Tjärna Ängar, Borlänge, Sweden. The comparative results using criteria such as Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD), Draft Rate (DR), air velocity, Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT), Relative Humidity (RH) and air temperature, showed an improvement in 6 of the 8 parameters analyzed. Confirming the expectation that through the retrofitting the residents will be more satisfied, obtain better quality of indoor climate comfort and also increase occupied area in these dwellings.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy use are two main priorities leading to industrial sustainability nowadays according to European Steel Technology Platform (ESTP). Modernization efforts can be done by industries to improve energy consumptions of the production lines. These days, steel making industrial applications are energy and emission intensive. It was estimated that over the past years, energy consumption and corresponding CO2 generation has increased steadily reaching approximately 338.15 parts per million in august 2010 [1]. These kinds of facts and statistics have introduced a lot of room for improvement in energy efficiency for industrial applications through modernization and use of renewable energy sources such as solar Photovoltaic Systems (PV).The purpose of this thesis work is to make a preliminary design and simulation of the solar photovoltaic system which would attempt to cover the energy demand of the initial part of the pickling line hydraulic system at the SSAB steel plant. For this purpose, the energy consumptions of this hydraulic system would be studied and evaluated and a general analysis of the hydraulic and control components performance would be done which would yield a proper set of guidelines contributing towards future energy savings. The results of the energy efficiency analysis showed that the initial part of the pickling line hydraulic system worked with a low efficiency of 3.3%. Results of general analysis showed that hydraulic accumulators of 650 liter size should be used by the initial part pickling line system in combination with a one pump delivery of 100 l/min. Based on this, one PV system can deliver energy to an AC motor-pump set covering 17.6% of total energy and another PV system can supply a DC hydraulic pump substituting 26.7% of the demand. The first system used 290 m2 area of the roof and was sized as 40 kWp, the second used 109 m2 and was sized as 15.2 kWp. It was concluded that the reason for the low efficiency was the oversized design of the system. Incremental modernization efforts could help to improve the hydraulic system energy efficiency and make the design of the solar photovoltaic system realistically possible. Two types of PV systems where analyzed in the thesis work. A method was found calculating the load simulation sequence based on the energy efficiency studies to help in the PV system simulations. Hydraulic accumulators integrated into the pickling line worked as energy storage when being charged by the PV system as well.
Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease that is linked to suffering
and lack of quality of life. Self-care is essential to reduce the negative
consequences. Less than half of all patients achieve good self-care. Some of the
reasons are limited knowledge of diabetes and poor self-care compliance. The
introduction of ICT in diabetes care was started to improve clinical outcomes and
quality of life for patients with diabetes type 2. Aim: To describe how information
and communication technology can promote self-care in distance for patients with
diabetes mellitus type 2. Methods: Literature study, in which the articles were
searched in CINAHL, PubMed and Web of Science. Articles included were 15
articles with a quantitative, qualitative and mixed method. Results: The results
showed that information and communication technology such as internet,
computer and mobile phone-based self-care program promoted self-care in patients
with diabetes type 2 by increasing knowledge, awareness, motivation and
improving lifestyle change. Conclusion: Information and communication
technology can facilitate the daily challenges for patients with type 2 diabetes
because it covers the knowledge gap and increases patient awareness and
motivation for self-care.
The aim of this paper is to shed light on euphemism in two different senses: sweet talking and deception. I shall treat euphemism from two different perspectives: the usual use of euphemism, sweet talking, in which it is used to maintain one's face and the orthophemistic sense, deception, where 'torture' is referred to as "enhanced interrogation techniques". I shall analyze examples, taken from religious, cultural, political backgrounds, on each case. Moreover, I shall talk about taboo since it is usually associated with euphemism. I shall talk about the referential (semantic) and expletive (pragmatic) aspects of swearing expressions. In this essay, I shall show that euphemism can be used in two different senses: sweet talking and deception.
Prosodic /template Morphology, that "draws heavily on the theoretical apparatus and formalisms of the generative phonology model known as autosegmental phonology" (Katamba, F. 1993: 154), is the best analysis that can handle Arabic morphology. Verbs in Arabic are represented on three independent tiers: root tier, the skeletal tier and the vocalic melody tier (Katamba, F. 1993). Vowel morphemes, which are represented by diacritics, are inserted within the consonant morphemes, which are represented by primary symbols, to form words. The morpheme tier hypothesis paves the way to understand the nonconcatenative Arabic morphology. This paper analyzes gender in perfect active and passive 3rd person singular verbs on the basis of PM. The focus of the analysis shall be drawn heavily on the most common Arabic verbs; triconsonantal verbs, with brief introduction of the less common verbs; quadriconsonantal perfect active and passive masculine and feminine 3rd person singular verbs. I shall, too, cast the light on some vowel changes that some verbs undergo when voice changes.


text:
A quickie post to show you what I wore on the plane to Turkey. I cut my head off as it was just too horrifically early for me to look half decent in the hair and face departments! I wore my Topshop loose knit jumper (worn here) with a Topshop speckled tee under it (worn here), paired with a River Island Kimono jacket and some American Apparel Leggings. My good ol' American Apparel leggings are way to big for me since my legs slimmed down from the gym so they look super baggy! I get asked alot about the size of these leggings, but Im a size 10 and wear a small at the moment, but when I bought these I was still a size 10 but a medium as I was a bit bulkier in the hips and legs. I think it depends on your shape and your build which size you order! My charcoal American Apparel leggings are a XS and still fit me.
I have to admit this "look" is a bit sloppy, and I'd never wear something like this IRL.The Kimono was a last minute addition as I knew once I got to Turkey I'd be boiling (it really was, 32C today!) But I also wouldn't have sunscreen on and there was a super long transfer time. I decided I need something to make sure I didn't get burnt and just throw on. I wasn't sure if I liked the kimono at first and even posted on Instagram/Twitter but it has grown on me since. I'm going to cut the tassels off the arms as I think they look a bit too long when I get home (or if I can dig out my scissors while I'm here!). I still haven't unpacked my suitcase to find things!
Anyway, this post is SO getting a bit rambly but Im having a lovely time over here! Currently sitting in my Hotel room eating Pringles and watching a Turkish soap. I love watching soaps in languages I don't understand, its hilarious how you can get the general gist of whats going on without knowing a word! I've been taking snaps of things so I'll do a roundup as well as some outfit posts. Mum (MMMYMLRS) and I talked about doing outfit of the night photos for Instagram and we did our first last night, so follow me on there if you wanted to see (@llymlrs)!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama describes his visit to a hut in Kenya: "It was a cramped, pitch-black space with a five-foot-high ceiling. The woman told me her family cooked, slept, and kept newborn calves in it. The smoke was blinding, and after a minute I had to leave..."
Sometimes the needs of people in developing countries are immediate and immense: a tsunami strikes Indonesia, a drought hits East Africa. But in many villages in the developing world the greatest need is for some mundane piece of technology that we would take for granted in the developed world, like a solar-powered well for an African village with neither electricity nor clean drinking water. Sometimes it's just a stove that doesn't pollute the hut.
University of Washington Forest Resources Professor (and civil engineer) Susan Bolton took a team of engineering students to Yanayo, Bolivia, to tackle the stove problem: "After a reconnaissance mission to figure out the engineering problemcreating cheap, locally available stoves and chimney-safe roofsher team returned for four weeks to complete the job and train residents." Bowen's project, described by Mike Lewis in a Seattle Post-Intelligencer story this spring, was a good example of the work done through a remarkable organization called Engineers Without Borders (EWB). Sustainability is the name of the EWB game: "At any given site...engineers must become clever to build something that can be duplicated and maintained locally."


text:
...Less poignant but impressive in its own naïve way is "Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches From Turkey, Syria, and Iraq," by Sarah Glidden.
Glidden is a West Coast cartoonist who teams up with a gang of independent reporters to traverse the war-torn Middle East. Ethics aside — is this war tourism? — there is something heady about Glidden's learning curve.
"It's so weird for me to come to places where you just can't talk about certain things," one of her friends muses. "Because people just spout their mouths off left and right in America about any damned thing they want to."
Her two-month voyage is a Middle East 101, a kind of "Let's Go: Middle East for Millennials." It's a child's vision, a comic book about statistics and data of refugees in Turkey; the Kurdish question; the lingering damage of the Iraq invasion told through the eyes of her fellow traveler, a former Marine called Dan who has obvious but vital observations like: "What would be best for our foreign policy would be if we moved away from all the military stuff and started programs that would help these people."
It's hard not to utter to oneself, "Duh," as Glidden gradually takes on the multilayered complexities of the Middle East. But there is something fresh in her narrative. In the midst of her cultural wanderings — the endless cups of heavily sugared tea and the bewilderment she constantly feels — Glidden pieces together something that newspaper reporters often miss while trying so hard to analyze. By talking to people and living their lives, she unearths very real people and their real stories.


text:
Gray County is a county located in Southwest Kansas in the Central United States. In 1887, Gray County was organized, having been originally a part of Ford County. At that time, Cimarron had a population of approximately 1500. The population of Gray County today is 6,005.
The Santa Fe Trail follows through Cimarron. This was a trade trail and over 780 miles long. Wagons carried trade and supplies each day traveling about 17 miles per day. The most direct route was though the Cimarron Crossing. The actual point of crossing was somewhere between the present towns of Cimarron and Ingalls, depending on the condition of the Arkansas River. The Cimarron Crossing Park has two markers describing the trail throughout this area.


text:
About Tornadoes
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which descends from a thunderstorm to the ground. No other weather phenomenon can match the fury and destructive power of tornadoes. Tornadoes can be strong enough to destroy large buildings, leaving only the bare concrete foundation. In addition, they can lift 20-ton railroad cars from their tracks and they can drive straw and blades of grass into tree and telephone poles.
The truth is that scientists don't fully understand how tornadoes form. Typically, tornadoes develop several thousand feet above the earth's surface inside of a severe rotating thunderstorm. This type of storm is called a supercell thunderstorm. The spinning of these supercell thunderstorms is visible via Doppler radar.
A supercell is an organized thunderstorm that contains a very strong, rotating updraft. This rotation helps to produce severe weather events such as large hail, strong downbursts, and tornadoes. Supercell storms are usually isolated from other thunderstorms because it allows them to have more energy and moisture from miles around. These storms are rare, but always a threat to life and property.
A tornado begins as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud extending from a thunderstorm cloud base. A funnel cloud is made visible by cloud droplets, however, in some cases it can appear to be invisible due to lack of moisture. When the funnel cloud is half-way between the cloud base and the ground, it is called a tornado. The tornado's high-speed winds rotate about a small, relatively calm center, and suck up dust and debris, making the tornado darker and more easily seen.
Tornado paths range from 100 yards to 2.6 miles wide and are rarely more than 15 miles long. They can last from several seconds to more than an hour, however, most don't exceed 10 minutes. Most tornadoes travel from the southwest to northeast with an average speed of 30 mph, but the speed has been observed to range from almost no motion to 70 mph.
Most tornadoes occur in the deep south and in the broad, relatively flat basin between the Rockies and the Appalachians, but no state is immune. Peak months of tornado activity in the U.S. are April, May, and June. However, tornadoes have occurred in every month and at all times of the day or night. A typical time of occurrence is on an unseasonably warm and sultry Spring afternoon between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Tornadoes form under a certain set of weather conditions in which three very different types of air come together in a certain way. Near the ground lies a layer of warm and humid air, along with strong south winds. Colder air and strong west or southwest winds lie in the upper atmosphere. Temperature and moisture differences between the surface and the upper levels create what we call instability. A necessary ingredient for tornado formation. The change in wind speed and direction with height is known as wind shear. This wind shear is linked to the eventual development of rotation from which a tornado may form.
A third layer of hot dry air becomes established between the warm moist air at low levels and the cool dry air aloft. This hot layer acts as a cap and allows the warm air underneath to warm further...making the air even more unstable. Things start to happen when a storm system aloft moves east and begins to lift the various layers. Through this lifting process the cap is removed, thereby setting the stage for explosive thunderstorm development as strong updrafts develop. Complex interactions between the updraft and the surrounding winds may cause the updraft to begin rotating-and a tornado is born.
The Great Plains of the Central United States are uniquely suited to bring all of these ingredients together, and so have become known as "Tornado Alley." The main factors are the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and a terrain that slopes downward from west to east.
During the spring and summer months southerly winds prevail across the plains. At the origin of those south winds lie the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which provide plenty of warm, humid air needed to fuel severe thunderstorm development. Hot dry air forms over the higher elevations to the west, and becomes the cap as it spreads eastward over the moist Gulf air. Where the dry air and the Gulf air meet near the ground, a boundary known as a dry line forms to the west of Oklahoma. A storm system moving out of the southern Rockies may push the dry line eastward, with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes forming along the dry line or in the moist air just ahead of it.
Dr. T. Theodore Fujita, a pioneer in the study of tornadoes and severe thunderstorm phenomena, developed the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale (F-Scale) to provide estimates of tornado strength based on damage surveys. Since it is extremely difficult to make direct measurements of tornado winds, an estimate of the winds based on damage is the best way to classify them. The new Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale) addresses some of the limitations identified by meteorologists and engineers since the introduction of the Fujita Scale in 1971. Variability in the quality of construction and different local building codes made classifying tornadoes in a uniform manner difficult. In many cases, these inconsistencies led to overestimates in the strength of tornadoes. The new scale identifies 28 different free standing structures most affected by tornadoes taking into account construction quality and maintenance. The range of tornado intensities remains as before, zero to five, with 'EF0' being the weakest, associated with very little damage and 'EF5' representing complete destruction, which was the case in Greensburg, Kansas on May 4th, 2007, the first tornado classified as 'EF5'. The EF scale was adopted on February 1, 2007.
The Storm Prediction Center has a brief description of the new Enhanced Fujita Scale. Here's the full report submitted by the Wind Science and Engineering Center at Texas Tech University in PDF format.
A modification of the original Fujita Scale developed by "Dr. Tornado", T. Theodore Fujita of the University of Chicago.
|New EF Scale:
|Old F-Scale:
|Typical Damage:
|EF0 (65-85 mph)
|F0 (65-73 mph)
|Light damage. Peels surface off some roofs; some damage to gutters or siding; branches broken off trees; shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
|EF1 (86-110 mph)
|F1 (73-112 mph)
|Moderate damage. Roofs severely stripped; mobile homes overturned or badly damaged; loss of exterior doors; windows and other glass broken.
|EF2(111-135 mph)
|F2 (113-157 mph)
|Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-constructed houses; foundations of frame homes shifted; mobile homes completely destroyed; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated; cars lifted off ground.
|EF3 (136-165 mph)
|F3 (158-206 mph)
|Severe damage. Entire stories of well-constructed houses destroyed; severe damage to large buildings such as shopping malls; trains overturned; trees debarked; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown; structures with weak foundations blown away some distance.
|EF4 (166-200 mph)
|F4 (207-260 mph)
|Devastating damage. Whole frame houses Well-constructed houses and whole frame houses completely leveled; cars thrown and small missiles generated.
|EF5 (>200 mph)
|F5 (261-318 mph)
|Incredible damage. Strong frame houses leveled off foundations and swept away; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 m (109 yd); high-rise buildings have significant structural deformation; incredible phenomena will occur.
|EF No rating
|F6-F12 (319 mph to speed of sound)
|Inconceivable damage. Should a tornado with the maximum wind speed in excess of F5 occur, the extent and types of damage may not be conceived. A number of missiles such as iceboxes, water heaters, storage tanks, automoblies, etc.will create serious secondary damage on structures.
Continued vigilance and quick response to tornado watches and warnings are critical, since tornadoes can strike virtually anywhere at any time. Most tornadoes are abrupt at onset, short-lived and often obscured by rain or darkness. The best way to deal with them is preparedness. Every individual and business should have a tornado emergency plan for their homes and places of work, and should learn how to protect themselves in cars, open country, and other situations that may arise.
Remember if a tornado warning is issued for your area, a tornado is imminent. Know what to do--have an emergency plan to protect yourself and those for whom you are responsible. Quick response when a tornado approaches can save many lives. There may be only seconds in which to take action.
There are 5 Basic Steps in the National Weather Service warning system. Every part of the system has to work for the greatest number of people to get the warning in time.
The Tornado Watch
Meteorologists using the latest in computers, radar and satellite data are always monitoring the weather elements. When a high probability of severe weather exists, a tornado or severe thunderstorm watch is issued. Watches may be issued hours before any severe storm hits the area. The forecasters at the National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City, Missouri use every tool available including satellite pictures, radar reports, and numerous weather charts to predict the areas where severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are likely to occur.
Severe weather spotters are constantly being trained under the Skywarn training program. Spotting severe weatheris serious business and requires specific training. However, once an observer is trained in severe weather spotting procedures, they are one of the most reliable tools of the National Weather Service meteorologist. Spotters serve as the National Weather Service's eyes in the field.
Civil Defense and the State Police
Any information that the National Weather Service issues is relayed to individual cities and towns through state and local civil defense, and the State Police.
The Media
The vast majority of people are reached through the cooperation of the media. A direct line between the National Weather Service and local media offices insures that severe weather information is relayed quickly and broadcast within the shortest time possible.
The Users
Users include everyone within the severe thunderstorm or tornado warning area. We want to reach the greatest number of people possible and provide a concise, yet persuasive message of necessary action. Even if every other step in the warning system works, it does little good unless the users know what to do, and act.
The deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history occured on March 18, 1925. 747 people were killed and 2,027 were injured in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana when several twisters touched down on this day. The largest of these tornadoes, named the "Tri-State", took 695 lives and was classified as an F5. It moved over 215 miles of land at 60-73 mph.
The longest tornado path was the Tri-State tornado of March 18, 1925, with a path length of 215 miles. It was on the ground for 7 hours and 20 minutes. Because there was no damage report filed, its difficult to know if this tornado actually stayed on the ground for the entire time, or if it was the result of several tornadoes. The shortest reported tornado was 7 feet long.
Mobile Doppler radar reported one twister on May 3, 1999 as having winds as fast as 302 mph, plus or minus 16 mph, at an altitude of 100 feet. Scientists have found that the strongest winds typically occur about 300 feet above the ground. Most tornadoes, however, fail to have wind speeds in excess of 113 mph.
NO! Opening your windows and doors may in fact increase the damage to your house and make you suseptible to being struck by flying glass. Instead, use that time to find a safe spot under heavy furniture and away from windows. Any openings, including garage doors, that allow wind to enter a building increases the chance for damage.
The number of tornadoes that occur each year is not increasing, but the number of spotted and reported tornadoes is. The reason for this is that more people live in or travel through tornado prone areas than used to. This has led to better communication and reportings of severe weather.
In addition to the thousands of National Weather Service trained severe weather spotters, NEXRAD Doppler radars detect severe weather. These radars spot large scale rotation from which many tornadoes form. NEXRAD does not detect every tornado, but it is likely that they will provide advance warning for large twisters.
We can do little to prevent a tornado from occurring, but by knowing the safety rules we can minimize the number of deaths and injuries.
A tornado watch means that tornado development is possible. Keep a watchful eye on the sky for threatening weather and stay tuned to radio and television and listen for weather bulletins.
A tornado warning means that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. Persons in the path of the storm should seek shelter immediately - preferably in a storm cellar, underground excavation, or in a steel-framed or concrete reinforced building.
A severe thunderstorm warning means that either spotters or radar have indicated that severe weather is occuring, and is expected to be heading towards you soon. This warning is issued by the National Weather Service local office, and usually covers a few counties, lasting about an hour or so. A thunderstorm is classified as severe because it can contain hail three-quarter inches or larger, and/or wind gusts of 58 mph or higher, and/or a tornado. When a warning is issued, persons should remain indoors until the storm has passed.
In homes,the basement offers the greatest safety. Seek shelter under sturdy furniture if possible. In homes without basements take cover in the center part of the house, on the lowest floor, in a small room such as a closet or bathroom, or under sturdy furniture. Stay away from windows!
In schools, hospitals, and shopping centers move to pre-designated shelter areas. Interior hallways on lowest floors are best. If the building is not of reinforced construction, go to a nearby one that is, or take cover outside on low, protected ground. Stay out of auditoriums, gymnasiums, and other structures with wide free-span roofs.
In open country, move away from the tornado's path at right angles. If there is not time to escape,lie flat in the nearest ditch or ravine.
In your car, do not try to outrun a tornado. If available take shelter in a sturdy structure. Otherwise, get in the nearest ditch or depression until the tornado passes.
Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to overturning during strong winds and should be evacuated when strong winds or tornadoes are forecast. Damage can be minimized by securing trailers with cables anchored in concrete footing. Trailer parks should have some community storm shelters. If there is no shelter nearby, leave the trailer park and take cover on low-protected ground.


text:
Contribute to ReadWriteThink / RSS / FAQs / Site Demonstrations / Contact Us / About Us
ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you.
Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals.
Teacher Resources by Grade
|1st - 2nd
|3rd - 4th
|5th - 6th
|7th - 8th
|9th - 10th
|11th - 12th
Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Research Building Blocks: Notes, Quotes, and Fact Fragments
|3 – 5
|Lesson Plan Type
|Estimated Time
|60 minutes
|Lesson Author
Urbana, Illinois
Through a teacher-modeled activity, students learn the importance of finding the words in sentences and paragraphs that contain the facts they need. Students then practice finding these fact fragments in small groups using an online activity. Next, they turn fact fragments into complete sentences written in their own words, moving from teacher modeling, to small group work, to independent practice. Finally, they arrange the sentences they have created into complete paragraphs.
Fact Fragment Frenzy: This online activity offers an animated think-aloud demonstrating how to find important fact fragments in a nonfiction passage. Students then practice the skill by dragging fact fragments onto a notepad.
Teaching the process and application of research should be an ongoing part of all school curriculums. It is important that research components are taught all through the year, beginning on the first day of school. Dreher et al. explain that "[S]tudents need to learn creative and multifaceted approaches to research and inquiry. The ability to identify good topics, to gather information, and to evaluate, assemble, and interpret findings from among the many general and specialized information sources now available to them is one of the most vital skills that students can acquire" (39). In "Nonfiction Inquiry: Using Real Reading and Writing to Explore the World," Stephanie Harvey also stresses the importance of nonfiction: "Nonfiction enhances our understanding. It allows us to investigate the real world and inspires us to dig deeper to inquire and better understand." (13)
Further Reading
Dreher, Jean, et al. 2000. Easy Steps to Writing Fantastic Research Reports (Grades 3-6). New York: Scholastic Professional Books.
Harvey, Stephanie. "Nonfiction Inquiry: Using Real Reading and Writing to Explore the World." Language Arts 80.1 (September 2002): 12-22.


text:
And all of you dream of owning the most demanding certification. So that you can get the career you want, and can achieve your dreams. With ccnp2015.com ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training, you can get what you want.ccnp2015.com is website that can help a lot of IT people realize their dreams. If you have a IT dream,then quickly click the click of ccnp2015.com. It has the best ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training, which is ccnp2015.com CCNP Voice 642-427 exam training materials.
ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training are what IT people are very wanted. Because it will make you pass the exam easily, since then rise higher and higher on your career path.ccnp2015.com not only have a high reliability, but also provide a good service. ccnp2015.com also provide you with a free update service for one year.Each IT certification exam candidate know this certification related to the major shift in their lives.
ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training ccnp2015.com provided with ultra-low price and high quality immersive questions and answers dedication to the majority of candidates. Our ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training have a cost-effective, and provide one year free update. Our ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training are all readily available. Our website is a leading supplier of the answers to dump. We have the latest and most accurate ccnp voice 642-427 tvoice training what you need.
ccnp2015.com CCNP Voice 642-427 exam study guide can be a lighthouse in your career. Because it contains all 642-427 exam information. Select ccnp2015.com, it can help you to pass the exam. This is absolutely a wise decision. ccnp2015.com is your helper, you can get double the result, only need to pay half the effort.Having CCNP Voice certification 642-427 exam certificate is equivalent to your life with a new milestone and the work will be greatly improved.
I believe that everyone in the IT area is eager to have it. A lot of people in the discussion said that such a good certificate is difficult to pass and actually the pass rate is quite low. Not having done any efforts of preparation is not easy to pass, after all, CCNP Voice certification 642-427 exam requires excellent expertise. Our ccnp2015.com is a website that can provide you with a shortcut to pass CCNP Voice certification 642-427 exam.


text:
Hi all
Quick question:
Salmon sides out of freezer, salmon sides salted, can I then put salmon sides back into the freezer once they have cured?
I ask this because I, in the next two months, have to smoke a lot of salmon (60) sides and am trying to find a way to get in front of myself as it were.
Cheers Mark


text:
Some details of that horrific day are starting to fade, so before I forget, a brief note for my descendants...
Myles and I had been married 13 years on September 10, 2001. We chose to go into Boston for a romantic dinner and overnight stay in a hotel. I think it was Mrs. Potter who babysat our sons who were 10, 8 and 4. So on the morning of September 11th, we weren't even home. We were enjoying a fine breakfast in bed on the tenth floor of a Back Bay hotel admiring the beauty of a cloudless September view of Boston. You could see all the way to Logan airport and we watched the planes coming and going, wondering how they managed not to collide. We turned on the TV and towards the end of the Today Show, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer (I think!) brought us the news of a plane striking the World Trade Center. Not many days before that, a small plane had crashed into a building in NYC, so no one was particularly alarmed, and certainly no one seriously thought "terrorist attack." They may have mentioned terrorism, but the media is always trying to jack us up emotionally, and we were used to dismissing their excited chatter as the usual hype.
It was when the second plane hit that it sunk in. From that point on, we were riveted to the TV, occasionally switching channels to make sure Katie and Matt weren't hallucinating. Information was coming in from so many sources that no one had time to vett it and certainly couldn't make any sense out of it. They announced that air traffic was being halted all across the country. Glancing out the windows again we found the view of Boston was now eerily still. A city frozen in fear. I started feeling a bit vulnerable up there on the tenth floor, and wanted to leave, but Myles wanted to watch events unfold, and swept aside my anxiety with a dismissive, "Oh, relax!" News of a third hijacked plane came in. Accounts varied as to where it might be headed. the White House, the Pentagon, the Capitol?
It wasn't until the first tower collapsed that we looked at each other and started moving. We got a call from the desk telling us the hotel was being evacuated and we should check out right away. We hustled downstairs but instead of checking us out they just waved us away, barking out, "Just go! Go!" There were lots of people standing on the street, and police everywhere. Later we found out that the hotel was evacuated because they had already traced some terrorist suspects to the 9th floor, just one floor beneath us.
We had come in separate cars and I was really freaked out driving home alone in heavy traffic on the Mass. Turnpike. I called Myles and we stayed on the phone during the ride, silent, listening to radio accounts. All I could think of was that my little quiet town of Shrewsbury would never be a target for this sort of attack. I wanted to be near my children. Even if they were only in school, I needed that proximity so that if I had to I could even walk over to get them. It was listening to the radio in the car that really made me very afraid. They were following the course of the plane over Pennsylvania and trying to predict where it was headed. It just felt at that moment like someone was targeting everything we Americans look to for authority and protection. How many planes had been hijacked? Five, ten, fifty? Which news accounts were true, and which were panic? I already felt the psychological damage this would have on our country.
The stark irony of that gorgeous blue sky portending such danger was impossible to reconcile. We watched TV all day. They recommended that we prepare children, yet keep them away from the broadcasts. We greeted them as they got off the bus and tried to brace them for turmoil. Then for days and days Americans watched as the full horror unfolded. More and more accounts came in. The Pentagon, the plane in PA, all of the people lost in NY, makeshift memorials, relatives and friends pleading for information. And so many tears. We were totally vulnerable and bewildered. The whole nation was depressed, lifted occasionally by stories of great heroism.
September 11th, 2001 marks a vast division in the psyche of the nation. Before that date, most people had heard about terrorist attacks but pretty much ignored them because they did not take place on American soil. Newscasters would report disasters overseas only by relating how many Americans were killed. We were an insular, self-absorbed country, trusting that our own goodness would keep us safe. But when you stop being vigilant about your actions, and not protecting yourself, you are likely to get hurt.
I've lived in several foreign countries. When I lived in Italy in the late 70s and early 80s, I found out what it is like to know that terrorist attacks may strike. You just go on living –– but if a terrorist does strike, it does not have the devastating effect of shock as 9/11 did on Americans. It had never actually occurred to most people that we could become victims. Coming back to live in America, I knew it was just a matter of time. Our borders seemed wide open compared to those of other countries. If you read the newspapers, you were aware that there were many groups who hated or blamed the United States and the Western world in general for just about anything they didn't like. Fundamentalism, poverty and ignorance had combined to create a steaming cauldron of rage. I wasn't shocked, just petrified.
A chasm separates the day of our 13th anniversary, September 10, 2012, from September 11th. Like Adam and Eve gazing down at their own nakedness, we are now cognizant of both our own vulnerability and aware that we have some accountability. We moved forward with ideas on how best to protect ourselves that mark a political split as well. We are now a nation sharply divided, driven to extremes by the intense fear of that day. I just hope that one day our great nation came come together on those values that we share, which are many more than divide us, and work together to keep America safe.


text:
City council president calls for APD chief's resignation
More people are calling for the Albuquerque Police Department chief to step down.
City Council President Dan Lewis said it's time for a change at the top, especially since APD's reputation has been tarnished by controversy, including a federal investigation into officers possibly using excessive force.
APD Chief Ray Schultz said he's proud of the work done by the men and women in uniform and will continue to work hard for city residents. Schultz has been Albuquerque's top cop since 2006.
Mayor Richard Berry's administration defended APD. The mayor's office released a statement emphasizing that crime statistics have reached 20-year lows during the Berry administration.
APD has been under intense scrutiny in recent years for the number of people shot and killed by officers.


text:
Fatal crash came after months-long fight for crossing gates
Safety devices were slated for rail crossing where fatality occurred
REDDING -- In the thick sheaf of correspondence Vito Ninivaggi has amassed during his 2½-year crusade to get signal gates installed at the Long Ridge Road train crossing is an Oct. 7, 2010, letter from Metro-North Railroad President Howard Permut.
In response to Ninivaggi's urging that gates be installed, Permut told him railroad officials "do share your concern about increased safety at the crossing," which is located near the awkward confluence of three roads and a few hundred yards south of a left-hand curve in the tracks where trains traveling up to 50 mph can appear to the surprise of a less-than-attentive motorist.
Even though the flashing lights and warning bells were already in place, coupled with the mandatory practice of an engineer sounding the train whistle starting some 1,500 feet before the crossing, Permut said the protective gates were to be installed as part of signal system upgrade along the Danbury branch, a project he said "is scheduled to be completed in 2012."
But the gates weren't there on the second-to-last day of the year, when a car driven by 19-year-old Jausheema Perkins. of Danbury entered the Y-shaped intersection from Side Cut Road and climbed the short, steep grade to the tracks. It was directly in the path of a southbound locomotive and three-car work train that had left Danbury a few minutes earlier.
Within seconds, the massive engine pushed the gray Subaru Outback 50 yards along the track before the car slid down an embankment and came to rest against a tree.
One of the four occupants, 21-year-old Wayne Balacky, was pronounced dead at Danbury Hospital. Perkins, who was critically injured, died at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Two other passengers, Fakeem Morning, 19, and James Redmond, 21, also of Danbury, were hospitalized.
Did Perkins see the flashing red lights and hear the warning bells and locomotive horn that Metro-North officials said were all "working as intended" before trying to cross the tracks? Did she obey, or ignore, the stop sign at the intersection of Side Cut and Long Ridge Road that might have given the occupants of the car a chance to see or hear the fast-approaching train? Were they oblivious to the warning bells and whistles because of the radio the engineer told investigators was still playing "very loud" when he finally stopped the train and ran to the car? Some of those answers may never be known. Others await completion of an investigation by Metropolitan Transportation Authority police.
But to Ninivaggi, who lives within sight of the crossing, the questions are moot. Had the gates been there, he said, the accident never would have occurred.
"Nobody can say they have not been given notice. Nobody can say that it's a safe crossing," he said.
"The kids in the car had an obstructed view of the track from where they were ... in and of itself that says that's a compelling argument that there should have been gates up," he said. "If there was any accident that was waiting to happen it was here. At this crossing."
Ninivaggi began his campaign for crossing gates in July 2010, following another accident at the crossing. The driver escaped injury in that crash.
Since then, he has barraged local, state and railroad officials with letters and emails, demanding the installation of the gates, which he said would protect pedestrians and motorists and mitigate the need for trains passing through the mixed residential and commercial neighborhood to sound their whistles as they approached the crossing.
But repeatedly, he said, he was told that Metro-North and the state Department of Transportation had projects in the works that would resolve both problems.
"Why wasn't it done? I mean that's the real issue," he said.
A year earlier, the state had received $30 million in federal stimulus money to help pay for installation a new $67 million Centralized Train Control (CTC) signal system for the 24-mile long commuter train branch line running from South Norwalk to Danbury.
The same year, state lawmakers earmarked $1.48 million in bond money to revamp the problematic Long Ridge Road crossing, just north of the West Redding station, where there had also been an non-fatal accident in 1989.
The DOT plans called for the state to realign the Y-shaped intersection just east of the tracks where Side Cut Road and Simpaug Turnpike converge with Long Ridge Road into a "T."
But to Ninivaggi's continuing frustration, the work at the crossing has yet to begin, because of delays in the construction of the signal system by Metro-North and environmental and other concerns that have held up the road realignment project.
Under current plans, a new crossing would be built 25 feet north of the current location, and the new gates and the circuitry to operate them would be located there, Metro-North spokesman Marjorie Anders said.
"The highway realignment and signalization of the Danbury Branch are separate projects, with separate budgets and separate schedules. Anders said. "However, there is much about them that needs to be coordinated," she said.
Among the reasons the signal system was thrown behind schedule was the unexpected amount of rock and ledge the construction crews encountered while burying the cable along the tracks, Anders said, but the project, "has regained momentum and is now on schedule."
It's now projected to be fully operational by Dec. 1, 2013, but Metro-North only recently learned that the state wasn't planning to begin working on the road until the fall of 2014, Anders said.
The reasons for the holdup on the road realignment, which, although a separate project, is a critical part of making safety improvements at the crossing, are more complex.
The construction site, according to DOT transportation Stephen Curley, is in a Federal Emergency Management Administration-designated floodplain area, which means that project officials must fill out applications with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers.
DOT also discovered there was an historical site, an old hotel, in the area, necessitating an archaeological survey, he said.
"In a perfect world, yes, we would have liked to have the highway project go online before the railroad project. You try and coordinate these things, but once again, the railroad project doesn't have the environmental issues," Curley said.
Five days after the Dec. 30 accident, three area legislators, state Sens. Michael MacLachlan and Toni Boucher and state Rep. John Shaban wrote to DOT Commissioner James Redeker and Permut, the Metro-North president, asking for a meeting to discuss making the safety improvements as soon as possible.
"We want to make sure that what happened Dec. 30 does not happen again," they wrote.
Even though Anders had previously said that Metro-North couldn't install a gate at the current crossing before the road work is done because it would be compatible with new project, on Thursday she said it could be done.
"If Connecticut DOT asks Metro-North to install gates at the existing crossing, we will, but it will have an impact on the completion of the (new) signal system," she said.
Ninivaggi said that he plans to continue monitoring the progress of the twin projects.
"From my standpoint, two kids were killed at this crossing and two were seriously injured. What are you going to do -- wait until more are killed?"