A Social Cartographic Mapping of Research Paradigms: Opening up Space for New Directions

Percy Lai Yin Kwok 아시아질적탐구학회 2022 아시아질적탐구 Vol.1 No.1

Since the early 1970s, there have been ongoing debates between realist / postpositivist (quantitative) and interpretivist / naturalist (qualitative) research paradigms in the epistemological and ontological aspects of research methodology. Each camp has its advantages and defects in educational / social research (Howe, 1985; Stallings, 1995). Afterwards, some pragmatic researchers take mixed-methods approach by striking a happy medium between the two paradigms, and others look for emancipatory / transformative research paradigms by paying close attention to indigenous knowledge systems and disadvantaged people. The methodological debate continues onwards due to changing nature and landscape of educational and social phenomena. Notably, this paper endeavors to use Rolland Paulston (1997, 1999) ’s social cartography to map four research paradigms and to open up some new space for further development by ‘decentering’ them. Based on social cartograph, four dimensions are formulated, and some implications are drawn for future methodological development in Asian contexts.

Disturbance Observer based Internal Model Control for Three Phase LCL-type Inverter

Jinmu Lai,Xianggen Yin,Zhen Wang,Langzi Li,Zhenyu Qi,Xin Yin 전력전자학회 2019 ICPE(ISPE)논문집 Vol.2019 No.5

This paper proposes a disturbance observerbased internal model control for the three-phase LCL-type grid-connected inverter. The proposed control scheme is designed in dq-frame, and the compound controller includes an internal model control (IMC) feedback part and a feedforward compensation part for the disturbances by using a disturbance observer (DO). The attractive advantages of this structure are that the lumped disturbances including the strong coupling effects of LCL filter, model mismatched and external disturbances can be suppressed effectively, and the parameters of the two controllers can be designed separately with easy implementation. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has a better lumped disturbance rejection property than that of PI method in controlling three-phase LCL-type inverter.

A Reappraisal of the Border Effect on Relative Price Volatility

Yin-Wong Cheung,Kon S. Lai 한국국제경제학회 2006 International Economic Journal Vol.20 No.4

Crude Dietary Polysaccharide Fraction Isolated from Jackfruit Enhances Immune System Activity in Mice

Yin-Feng Tan,Hai-Long Li,Wei-Yong Lai,Jun-Qing Zhang 한국식품영양과학회 2013 Journal of medicinal food Vol.16 No.7

Crude polysaccharides (PSs) were isolated from the fruit pulp of jackfruit, and their chemical composition determined and evaluated for an immune regulatory activity in mice. The PSs were isolated from water extracts of jackfruit pulp ( JFP) using the ethanol precipitation method. The resulting precipitates were further purified by dialysis and protein depletion by the Sevage method. The phenol–sulfuric method was used to determine the content of the PSs. The composition of PSs was determined by the Sephadex-G200 column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography methods. The thymus index and macrophage phagocytic function methods in mice were used to evaluate the immune regulatory activity of JFP-PSs. The JFP-PSs content in jackfruit was about 21% (w/w) and the yield of crude PSs was 3.91%. The single molecular mass weight PS was the main constituent of JFP-PSs. The major monosaccharide residues were rhamnose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose. The JFP-PSs enhanced the thymus weight index and the phagocytic rate after 30 days of subchronic p.o. administration to mice at 4.5 mg/kg. The JFP contains single molecular PS and JFP-PS has immunestimulating activities in mice. These data suggest that at least some of the traditional uses of JFP can be ascribed to its immunomodulatory effects.

The Removal Efficacy of Heavy Metals and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons from Contaminated Soils by Integrated Bio-phytoremediation

Lai, Wen-Liang,Lee, Fang-Yin,Chen, Colin S.,Hseu, Zeng-Yei,Kuo, Yau-Lun Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment 2014 지하수토양환경 Vol.19 No.5

In this study, the bio-phytoremediation and phytoremediation technologies were applied to the soils contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and heavy metals to evaluate the remediation efficacy from May 2012 to December 2013. Poplar (Populus bonatii Levl.) and Sun Hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) were selected and planted in phytoremediation practice. These plants were also utilized in the bio-phytoremediation practice, with the addition of earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and petroleum-degrading bacteria (Pseudomonos sp. NKNU01). Furthermore, physiological characteristics, such as photosynthesis rate and maximal photochemical yield, of all testing plants were also measured in order to assess their health conditions and tolerance levels in adverse environment. After 20 months of remedial practice, the results showed that bio-phytoremediation practice had a higher rate of TPH removal efficacy at 30-60 cm depth soil than that of phytoremediation. However, inconsistent results were discovered while analyzing the soil at 100 cm depth. The study also showed that the removal efficiency of heavy metals was lower than that of TPH after remediation treatment. The results from test field tissue sample analysis revealed that more Zinc than Chromium was absorbed and accumulated by the tested plants. Plant height measurements of Poplar and Sun Hemp showed that there were insignificant differences of growth between the plants in remediation plots and those in the control plot. Physiological data of Poplar also suggested it has higher tolerance level toward the contaminated soils. These results indicated that the two testing plants were healthy and suitable for this remediation study.

Feasibility study of equal type, experienced and compound robots based on reliability theory

Zhe YIN,Yun-fei GUO,Mao-sheng LAI 제어로봇시스템학회 2011 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2011 No.10

Through the introduction of the concept of reliability, events encountered by the robot are divided into three cases: the first is the one that the robot to can be sure to judge and finish the event, the second is that the robot can certainly not be able to determine if the events should be done. In both cases above the robot will be able to make a positive assessment; however, there is a fuzzy event, namely: the robot can not make sure, that this is the need to issue a request to the controller to get the new instruction, and then give a specific judge.

Imaging Features of Pediatric Pentastomiasis Infection: a Case Report

Can Lai,Xi Qun Wang,Long Lin,De Chun Gao,Hong Xi Zhang,Yi Ying Zhang,Yin Bao Zhou 대한영상의학회 2010 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.11 No.4

We report here a case of pentastomiasis infection in a 3-year-old girl who had high fever, abdominal pain, abdominal tension and anemia. Ultrasound scanning of the abdomen revealed disseminated hyperechoic nodules in the liver and a small amount of ascites. Abdominal MRI showed marked hepatomegaly with disseminated miliary nodules of high signal intensity throughout the hepatic parenchyma on T2-weighted images; retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and disseminated miliary nodules on the peritoneum were also noted. Chest CT showed scattered small hyperdense nodules on both sides of the lungs. The laparoscopy demonstrated diffuse white nodules on the liver surface and the peritoneum. After the small intestinal wall and peritoneal biopsy, histological examination revealed parenchymal tubercles containing several larvae of pentastomids and a large amount of inflammatory cell infiltration around them. The pathological diagnosis was parasitic granuloma from pentastomiasis infection.

Preservation of Confucian Values in Early Childhood Education: A Study of Experts’ and Educators’ Views

Hoi Yin Bonnie Yim,Lai Wan Maria Lee,Marjory Ebbeck 환태평양유아교육연구학회 2013 Asia-Pacific journal of research in early childhoo Vol.7 No.1

Calibration of Laser Inertial Navigator with Dual-axis Rotation

Gu-Yin Rao,Guo-Chen Wang,Song-Lai Han,Wen Zhang 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2015 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.13 No.4

The calibration of inertial measurement units (IMU) is required to determine the coefficients in the input/output models of inertial sensors. High accuracy turntables and information on the north direction and the local level are usually required in traditional calibration methods. But for a laser inertial navigator with dual-axis rotation, in which the IMU is usually compactly designed, it is usually not convenient to remove the IMU from the navigator to high precision turntable for calibration. To improve the affordability, a simple calibration method is proposed using the dual-axis rotation function of the navigator itself. The method relaxes the orthogonality requirement of the rotation axes and eliminates the need of north information. Rough knowledge of the local plumb-line direction is enough to determine the signs of accelerometer calibration parameters. No re-installation of the IMU is required during the calibration and thus it makes automatic calibration easy to implement. Simulations show that the proposed method is feasible. The proposed method is also tested on an experimental laser inertial navigator with dual-axis rotation, and the navigation results show that the calibration accuracy meets the requirements of high performance inertial navigations.

The Removal Efficacy of Heavy Metals and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons from Contaminated Soils by Integrated Bio-phytoremediation

Wen-Liang Lai,Fang-Yin Lee,Colin S. Chen,Zeng-Yei Hseu,Yau-Lun Kuo 한국지하수토양환경학회 2014 지하수토양환경 Vol.19 No.5

In this study, the bio-phytoremediation and phytoremediation technologies were applied to the soils contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and heavy metals to evaluate the remediation efficacy from May 2012 to December 2013. Poplar (Populus bonatii Levl.) and Sun Hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) were selected and planted in phytoremediation practice. These plants were also utilized in the bio-phytoremediation practice, with the addition of earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and petroleum-degrading bacteria (Pseudomonos sp. NKNU01). Furthermore, physiological characteristics, such as photosynthesis rate and maximal photochemical yield, of all testing plants were also measured in order to assess their health conditions and tolerance levels in adverse environment. After 20 months of remedial practice, the results showed that bio-phytoremediation practice had a higher rate of TPH removal efficacy at 30-60 cm depth soil than that of phytoremediation. However, inconsistent results were discovered while analyzing the soil at 100 cm depth. The study also showed that the removal efficiency of heavy metals was lower than that of TPH after remediation treatment. The results from test field tissue sample analysis revealed that more Zinc than Chromium was absorbed and accumulated by the tested plants. Plant height measurements of Poplar and Sun Hemp showed that there were insignificant differences of growth between the plants in remediation plots and those in the control plot. Physiological data of Poplar also suggested it has higher tolerance level toward the contaminated soils. These results indicated that the two testing plants were healthy and suitable for this remediation study.