bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Information Technology and Edutainment
Authors: Corona Felice , Cozzarelli Carla , Palumbo Carmen , Sibilio Maurizio
Published: July 2013

The tight connection which occurs between entertainment and education has originated what is defined edutainment which can be considered as a continuous and innovative brain-training, which stimulates, in an interactive way, the capacity to combine attention and motivation to explore and learn. The role of games in learning is a common topic in research. The various games linked to the edutainment mechanism, in particular, have been analyzed to understand in what way and to which extent they can facilitate study, development of memory, attention, motivation and other cognitive processes as well as spatial abilities. The aim is the definition of “edutainment” as a branch of e-learning which promotes learning process in school, extra-school and didactic field in general, in a playful way, through multimedia applications. The idea of encouraging the integration of game, technology and learning is new and at the same time complex for its educational aims. At international level, United States Department of Education, with the cooperation of educational agents and teachers, recently developed a statistical table of the results reached by an important project for the creation of modules for the learning through Internet. Shown below there are information about the results of this project that were used to be transferred on a national level to start and implement the same project. The interactive technologies, really because they turn the users into actors, they can involve and entertain reducing the gap between the teacher/communicator, standing out as leader of knowledge, and the pupil receiving the information.
Agile Data Fusion and Knowledge Base Architecture for Critical Decision Support
Authors: Zlatev Zlatko , Veres Galina , Sabeur Zoheir
Published: July 2013

This paper describes the architecture and deployment of a software platform for information fusion, knowledge hosting and critical decision support. The work has been carried out under the TRIDEC project (www.tridec-online.eu), focusing on geo-information fusion and collaborative decision making. Four technologies underpin the architecture: 1) A message oriented middleware, for distributed communications; 2) A leveraged hybrid storage solution, for efficient storage of heterogeneous datasets and semantic knowledge; 3) A generic data fusion container, for dynamic algorithms control; and 4) A single conceptual model and schema, as systems’ semantic meta-model. Deployment for industrial drilling operations is described. Agility is manifested with the ability to integrate data sources from a proprietary domain, dynamically discover new datasets and configure and task fusion algorithms to operate on them, aided by efficient information storage. The platform empowers decision support by enabling dynamic discovery of information and control of the fusion process across geo-distributed locations.
A Concurrent Modelling to Generate Alternatives Approach Using the Firefly Algorithm
Authors: Imanirad Raha , Yang Xin-She , Yeomans Julian Scott
Published: July 2013

Real world” decision-making applications generally contain multifaceted performance requirements riddled with incongruent performance specifications. There are invariably unmodelled elements, not apparent during model construction, which can greatly impact the acceptability of the model’s solutions. Consequently, it is preferable to generate numerous alternatives that provide dissimilar approaches to the problem. These alternatives should possess near-optimal objective measures with respect to all known objective(s), but be maximally different from each other in terms of their decision variables. This maximally different solution creation approach is referred to as modelling-to-generate-alternatives (MGA). This study demonstrates how the Firefly Algorithm can concurrently create multiple solution alternatives that both satisfy required system performance criteria and yet are maximally different in their decision spaces. This new approach is computationally efficient, since it permits the concurrent generation of multiple, good solution alternatives in a single computational run rather than the multiple implementations required in previous MGA procedures.
Optimal Event Monitoring through Internet Mashup over Multivariate Time Series
Authors: Ngan Chun-Kit , Brodsky Alexander
Published: July 2013

The authors propose a Web-Mashup Application Service Framework for Multivariate Time Series Analytics (MTSA) that supports the services of model definitions, querying, parameter learning, model evaluations, data monitoring, decision recommendations, and web portals. This framework maintains the advantage of combining the strengths of both the domain-knowledge-based and the formal-learning-based approaches and is designed for a more general class of problems over multivariate time series. More specifically, the authors identify a general-hybrid-based model, MTSA – Parameter Estimation, to solve this class of problems in which the objective function is maximized or minimized from the optimal decision parameters regardless of particular time points. This model also allows domain experts to include multiple types of constraints, e.g., global constraints and monitoring constraints. The authors further extend the MTSA data model and query language to support this class of problems for the services of learning, monitoring, and recommendation. At the end, the authors conduct an experimental case study for a university campus microgrid as a practical example to demonstrate our proposed framework, models, and language.
An Examination of Consumers’ High and Low Trust as Constructs for Predicting Online Shopping Behavior
Authors: Amoroso Donald L. , Mukahi Tsuneki
Published: July 2013

This research examines the constructs of high and low trust on consumers’ behavior with online shopping. The authors developed a research model and instrument to study the trust construct in the acceptance online shopping applications. The authors hypothesized that trust positively influences a person’s intention to purchase from a virtual store and that trust positively affects the consumer’s attitude toward using the e-store. Consumers who trust an online company feel more committed to it. Previous research showed that the causal antecedents of customer confidence in e-tailers included the site’s ease of use, the level of online shopping resources, and existence of a trusted third party seal. The authors developed a survey instrument where in a sample of 940 respondents the constructs yielded respectable reliability and construct validity. The authors conducted analysis for the measurement reliability and validity by Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS 21. The measurement scales for this instrument showed strong psychometric properties. Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was extracted for assessing convergent and discriminant validity showing strong support for the research model. The causal structure of the research models was tested using a Structural Equation Model (SEM). The authors found that intrinsic motivation was more important for attitude toward online purchasing among high truster persons, and under low institution environments, people tended to form positive attitudes mainly based on preserved usefulness without intrinsic motivation. The authors found that attitude toward using acts as a strong predictor of behavioral intention to use and actual usage of online shopping technologies. According to the authors’ results, trust provides the foundation with which intrinsic motivation will work well. In other words, trust may have long-term effects on online shopping behavior.
The Mediating Effect of Brand Trust Between Online Customer Reviews and Willingness to Buy
Authors: Chang Ting-Pong Vincent , Rhodes Jo , Lok Peter
Published: July 2013

This research investigates how online customer reviews affect consumer decision-making (willingness to buy) during their first purchase of services or products. By using brand trust as a mediating variable in the relationship between online customers’ reviews and consumers’ willingness to buy, data was collected through a quasi-experiment approach, and analysed using structural equation modelling. 240 returns were used in this study (a response rate of approximately 70%). The findings demonstrated that the “reliability dimension” of brand trust has a mediating effect on online customer reviews’ valence to willingness to buy, while the “intentionality dimension” had little effect. Furthermore, the findings also suggested that online customer reviews generated by in-group and out-group reviewers have little effect on purchasing decisions when viewing the reviews from an independent source. These results suggest that marketers should focus more on managing negative online customer reviews that have a damaging effect on brand trust.
A Longitudinal Investigation on Greek University Students’ Perceptions Towards Online Shopping
Authors: Saprikis Vaggelis
Published: July 2013

The broad Internet utilization along with the systematic progress of Information and Communication Technologies have dramatically changed the way goods are bought and sold. Nowadays, even more Internet users prefer to shop online than visiting a brick-and-mortal store. Thus, understanding who are the ones consuming and why they choose to use or avoid the Internet as a distribution channel, as well as predicting the e-consumer behavior is a vital aspect in marketing and a necessary requirement for both e-commerce managers and consumer theorists. The scope of this paper is to examine through a longitudinal survey the perceptions of university students’ adopters and non-adopters of e-shopping in terms of demographic profile and perceived advantages and problems related to online purchases. Moreover, the reasons for using or avoiding online shopping as well as the types of preferred products and services are investigated. The research provides interesting insights on the e-consumer behavior to both academia and industry.
Evaluation of Organizational E-Government Readiness in the Public Sector
Authors: Alghamdi Ibrahim A. , Goodwin Robert , Rampersad Giselle
Published: July 2013

The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated framework to evaluate organizational e-government readiness for government organizations. This framework is necessary as current ones ignore challenges that arise due to organizational transformation issues stemming from diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This study adopts an e-government framework to highlight the main internal factors involved in the assessment of e-government organizational readiness and to examine how these factors lead to successful, organizational e-government readiness. The proposed framework integrates seven dimensions for evaluating organizational e-government readiness including e-government strategy, user access, e-government programs, portal architecture, business processes, ICT infrastructure, and human resources. This paper offers valuable insights to ICT managers for effectively assessing the e-government readiness of organizations to facilitate the success of e-government programs in the public sector.
A Practical Approach for Improving B2C e-Commerce Services with a Trust Capability Maturity Model
Authors: Jairak Rath , Praneetpolgrang Prasong
Published: July 2013

Trust is mentioned as a key success factor for e-Commerce services. While many researchers have conducted comprehensive studies to investigate the antecedents and consequences of consumer trust, there has been little work on trust development framework. This paper therefore introduces the Trust Capability Maturity Model (TCMM) that proposes to identify trust and progressive improvement in Business-to-Customer (B2C) e-Commerce websites. Trust metrics in TCMM are mainly inherited from the quality aspects in the Delone and Mclean IS success model. TCMM is composed of three main components as follows: 1) internal structure, 2) maturity levels, and 3) assessment tool. After performing some minor modifications for TCMM, the practical evaluation of modified TCMM is demonstrated by two regional online bookstores. Based on both case studies, the evaluation results can be applied to determine the level of trust in other vendors. Following the TCMM roadmap, online vendors will be able to develop a trust-building strategy for creating value and maintaining trust in their websites.
Spearing High Net Wealth Individuals
Authors: Martin Nigel , Rice John
Published: July 2013

Every day dangerous criminals are targeting high net wealth members of our community as they venture onto the internet. Statements from twenty-nine community organizations and mature age internet users were analyzed using structured coding techniques in order to identify the major criminal risks and threats, and key protective safeguards. The study warns that mature users, particularly those with high net wealth, are critically vulnerable to internet fraud, and personal data and identification theft through spear phishing email and remote access trojan malicious software attacks. The major implication for countries with aging populations, and rising numbers of mature internet users, is the urgent need for ongoing development and resourcing of internet security skills and awareness programs; consumer protection laws and law enforcement assistance; affordable protective internet technologies and complementary support schemes; and the strengthening of online business codes and standards, particularly in dealings with older people.
Contributing Factors of Information Security Investments in South East Asia SMBs
Authors: Nkhoma Mathews Z. , Dang Duy P. T.
Published: July 2013

This research aims to determine the contributing factors of information security investment by developing a theory-based conceptual model using Partial Least Square techniques to analyze the data collected from 500 IT decision-makers in Vietnamese small and medium sized businesses. The findings from the conceptual model, which is based on Technology-Organization-Environment framework, suggests that the drivers of organizational intention to invest in information security include the organization’s internal information, size, perceived IT benefits and manager’s knowledge about information security. By understanding more about the contributing factors of information security investment, practitioners could focus on such factors to make rational investment decision and improve their defense against the emerging cyber-crimes. On the other hand, the authors also hope to fill in the existing gap of information security management research area in which there are few studies investigating the drivers of information security investments.
Adoption of Second Life in Higher Education
Authors: Saeed Nauman , Sinnappan Sukunesan
Published: July 2013

Second Life is a three dimensional multi-user virtual environment within the Web 2.0 suite of applications which has gained wide spread popularity amongst educators in the recent years. However, limited empirical research has been reported on the adoption of Second Life, especially within higher education. The majority of technology adoption studies concentrate on analysing effects of utilitarian variables on adoption of a new technology however one should also focus on the hedonic effects when it comes to the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies which are highly interactive, involving, multi-user and entertaining. In this paper, the authors analyse the effect of utilitarian and hedonic behaviours on adoption of Second Life in a higher education context. To achieve this goal the authors propose an extension to Davis’ Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by including emotional and imaginative responses as hedonic behaviours and usefulness, ease-of-use and computer self-efficacy as utilitarian behaviours. Empirical evaluation of the proposed model suggests that hedonic behaviours, emotional responses in particular, emerged as the strongest predictors of Second Life adoption. The study findings further suggest that traditional technology acceptance approaches may fall short in being able to explain the usage of today’s highly interactive, multi-user and entertainment-oriented technologies.
Collaborative Process Analysis Coding Scheme (CPACS)
Authors: Kennedy-Clark Shannon , Thompson Kate
Published: July 2013

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the value of using discourse analysis to understand users’ interactions in a scenario-based virtual environment. This study investigated six dyads’ synchronous discourses while they worked side-by-side to plan and implement goal-related decisions in a virtual inquiry. The Collaborative Process Analysis Coding Scheme (CPACS) was adopted for the analysis. The cumulative analysis indicates that the participants in the control group spent more time on average defining the problem and developing solutions, and spent less time off task than the participants in the experimental condition. Overall, the pairs that were able to plan goals, reflect on past experiences and use the workbooks were better able to progress through the inquiry.
A Proposed Theory Seeded Methodology for Design Based Research into Effective use of MUVEs in Vocational Education Contexts
Authors: Cochrane Todd , Davis Niki , Morrow Donna
Published: July 2013

A methodology for design based research (DBR) into effective development and use of Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE) in vocational education is proposed. It blends software development with DBR with two theories selected to inform the methodology. Legitimate peripheral participation LPP (Lave & Wenger, 1991) provides a filter when thinking about vocational education because moving towards being work ready increases the student’s legitimate practices within the vocation. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge TPACK (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) provides framework to link content and pedagogy with the MUVE technology. Software development techniques necessary in the development of simulation based MUVEs are shown to have characteristics compatible with development research. A design based methodological process that introduces software development within phases is described. The authors reflect on the methodology after the first phase of research into a MUVE that simulates the hazardous situation of temporary traffic management.
Towards Models for Designing Language Learning in Virtual Worlds
Authors: Deutschmann Mats , Panichi Luisa
Published: July 2013

This paper presents some of the overall frameworks and models for language learning that were used under Avalon (Access to Virtual and Action Learning live ONline), an EU co-funded project aimed at developing language-learning scenarios in virtual worlds. The introduction and background summarize some of the theories that constitute the starting points for the designs and are followed by a discussion of how the affordances of virtual worlds support the communicative language-learning model used in the project. The authors’ main focus then turns to pedagogic design, where the authors present the methods used during the project and some generic aspects of course designs that were developed. The article ends with a more specific look at examples of task design from the courses given under the project framework.
Web 2.0 Technologies
Authors: Lomicky Carol , Hogg Nanette
Published: July 2013

Web 2.0 is everywhere in modern society, and it is drastically changing the ways in which teachers teach and students learn. This study examines Web 2.0 technologies with a focus on the tools students used for interaction and content contributions in their online courses. Frequency analysis and chi-square tests indicate students most used email in their online courses. Significant differences were revealed for gender and class standing for specific Web 2.0 technologies uses including tools used for interaction. An analysis of the qualitative data finds students want more video and increased interaction in their online courses. The study supports previous literature and discusses implications of the findings.
Socially-Competent Computing Implementing Social Sensor Design
Authors: Dimitrova Maya
Published: July 2013

The paper presents a conceptual model for social sensor design in socially-competent computing systems. The model is based on theories of social behavior being driven by the underlying attitudes, rather than on models predicting behavior in response to behavior representing people as physical objects in dynamic interactions. It is proposed to increase the ability of the systems to extract relevant features and to achieve better social competence, similar to the kind that is underlying human interactions by implementing algorithms, capable of predicting behavior in response to attitude. The paper presents an account of the social level of understanding human interactions in the context of three application scenarios – multi-hop communication networks, embedded systems for support of medical interventions and information systems supporting educational activities. Patterns of real data are discussed in terms of the proposed model of social sensor design for enhanced socially-competent computing.
Adaptable Personal E-Assessment
Authors: Nacheva-Skopalik Lilyana , Green Steve
Published: July 2013

This paper presents the concept of an adaptable personal learning environment (APLE) which meets the personal needs and requirements of the individual students. Such a system responds to the need of providing inclusive learning for a wider range of learners, which is an important agenda item for higher education institutions. For the complete design of an APLE it is necessary to integrate an adaptable personal assessment tool which is able to assess students’ performance, regardless of their specific learning needs and preferences, including those with disabilities.
Remote FPGA Lab
Authors: Radoyska Pavlinka , Spasova Nadezhda
Published: July 2013

In this paper the authors discus leading examples of the remote laboratory, based on FPGA. The architecture of Internet-accessible Automatic Test Equipment can be classified in two categories: internet-based ATE and ATE as a web service. The authors’ realization is based on the first architecture. Experiment management problems are discussed and some solutions, realised on user interface are presented.
Supporting Knowledge Management and Collaboration in Research Communities Using Automatically Created Research Portals
Authors: Becker Jörg , Heide Tobias , Knackstedt Ralf , Steinhorst Matthias
Published: July 2013

Research portals have been proposed as a means of managing knowledge and fostering collaboration in research communities. However, implementing and maintaining a research portal is costly and involves a lot of technical knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a research portal generator designed to automatically create such portals. The generator provides a configurable set of knowledge management and collaboration features. The purpose of the generator is to ease the process of setting up and using a research portal. The paper contributes to promoting research portals as a means of sharing knowledge and facilitating collaboration in research communities. Following a design science research process, the authors derive objectives for a research portal generator, iteratively implement these objectives, and evaluate the functionality of the created portals against the current state of the art of 813 research portals. They demonstrate that portals created by the generator exhibit a consistently higher level of maturity than research portals currently present on the Internet.
Web Portal for Matching Loan Requests and Investment Offers in Peer-To-Peer Lending
Authors: Martinho Luís , Reis Luís Paulo
Published: July 2013

Online Peer-To-Peer lending has seen some growing media attention since its recent creation. Nonetheless, the systems which provide deal brokerage in this context have yet to be given significant consideration within the scientific community. This paper is part of a broader effort to setup a Peer-to-Peer lending community in Portugal. This work focuses on solving the infrastructural problem of combining investment offers from potential lenders with loan requests from potential borrowers. The combination process must strive for an optimal result, which pleases lenders and borrowers alike, despite their opposing agendas. Simultaneously the combination result should also benefit the platform’s business model, so as to keep it sustainable and profitable. Several optimization metaheuristics, powered by a constraint programming module, were applied to efficiently explore the problem’s solution space and to find optimal solutions. The results achieved with this approach show how metaheuristic-driven optimization can be successfully applied to Peer-to-Peer lending combination problems.
The Un/Acceptability of Virtual Moral Practices
Authors: Gabriels Katleen
Published: July 2013

This article conjoins a foundation in moral philosophy with an empirical study on the un/acceptability of moral practices in ‘Second Life’ (SL). SL-residents were asked to rank morally charged SL-scenarios in a classification from ‘(most) unacceptable’ to ‘(most) acceptable’ and, while doing so, to reason out loud about their ranking. The analysis presented here focuses on their converging and diverging arguments. Regarding converging arguments, there was consensus on the unacceptability of six scenarios. Research participants believed these scenarios transcend the merely virtual and they subsequently grounded their argumentation in actual principles. They further agreed upon seven scenarios as acceptable; these scenarios were considered as typical features of SL and subsequently were not morally problematized. Regarding other scenarios, no consensus was reached. The author discusses these findings in terms of their ethical implications and in light of current approaches in the field of ‘computer ethics’.
Some chemical features of lead-zinc deposits in carbonate rocks
Authors: Sangster D F
Published: July 2013

The major chemical features of lead-zinc deposits in carbonate rocks can be expressed in terms of two 'systems': Cu-Pb-Zn and Pb-Zn-Ag. In the Cu-Pb-Zn 'system', the ores are markedly bimodal in terms of the ~ n / +~ P bn atomic ratio and are
characteristically copper-poor relative to lead and zinc. In the Pb-Zn-Ag 'system', most ores from carbonate-host lead-zinc deposits are relatively low in silver, except for those few orebodies which produce by-product copper and/or contain polymetallic minerals. Host-rock carbonate from three
selected Canadian deposits were analyzed for trace amounts of Cu, Pb, and Zn. These studies show that, as the size (i. e. tonnage) of the orebody increases, the Cu:Pb:Zn atomic ratio in the host rock approaches that of the ore. Trace element content in sphalerite from four Canadian deposits are
presented as Fe-Mn-Cd, Cu-As-Ag, and Cr-Ni-Co atomic ratios. Sphalerite from one of these deposits, which field relations indicate has more 'hydrothermal features1 than the other three, is distinguished by its relative enrichment in Mn , Ag , and Ni .
Radiogenic age and isotopic studies: report 4
Authors:   Geological Survey of Canada
Published: July 2013

The Connaigre Bay Group is a sequence of subaerial volcanic rocks (basait, rhyolite) and interbedded sediments that outcrops in the southwestern part of the Avalon Zone, in central Newfoundland. Although not previously dated, it has been considered to be latest
Proterozoic in age, based on lithological correlations with the nearby long Harbour Group, which is conformably overlain by fossiliferous Cambrian rocks. A U-Pb zircon age of 682.8 ± 1.6 Ma is reported here for rhyolite in the lower part of the Connaigre Bay Group. Other dated felsic volcanic
rocks in the Avalon Zone of Newfoundland have yielded dates of less than approximately 630 Ma, suggesting that previously held correlations between at least the base of the Connaigre Bay Group and.for example, the long Harbour Group and the Bull Arm Formation need to be re-examined. The age of the
Connaigre Bay Group overlaps within error the age of the protolith to a gneiss in the Grey River area. This may support previous suggestions that gneissic rocks that outcrop in varied places on the south-central and southwestern coasts of Newfoundland are part of an Avalonian composite
terrane.
Current Research, Part B, Interior Plains and Arctic Canada
Authors:   Geological Survey of Canada
Published: July 2013

Mantle-derived ultramafic xenoliths from the Batty Bay kimberlite complex consist predominantly of garnet and garnet + spinel lherzolites. Coarse textures are more prevalent than porphyroclastic textures in these xenoliths. The pressures and temperatures of
equilibration of twenty-one lherzolite xenoliths are consistent with a 44mW!m2 steady-state shield paleogeotherm. The geotherm is not inflected, and no correlation exists between xenolith textural type and pressure and temperature of equilibration. Three of the twenty-one xenoliths equilibrated in
the diamond stability field.
Analytical techniques for the determination of 208Pb/232Th ages of monazite and zircon at the Geochronlogy Laboratory, Geological Survey of Canada
Authors: Davis W J , Parrish R R , McNicoll V , Bellerive D
Published: July 2013

A mixed 230Th-233U-235U-205Pb isotopic spike has been prepared for the analyses of thorium, uranium, and lead isotopes by isotope-dilution methods, and the determination of 208Pb/232Th, 207Pb/235U, and 206Pb/238U mineral ages. The chemical separation procedure
uses Dowex (1X8)TM anion exchange resin to separate Th from Pb and U, and a separate column containing TEVA-SPECTM anion exchange resin to further purify Th. Thorium isotopes are analyzed either in static multicollector mode, or by single, secondary electron multiplier on a Finnigan-Mat 261 mass
spectrometer. Analyses of high-optical-quality, concordant or near concordant (<±0.5%) monazites from 12 Paleoproterozoic and Neoarchean rocks show good agreement between 208Pb/232Th and 206Pb/238U ages (average <0.1% relative difference).
A second report on the U-Pb geochronology of southern Baffin Island, Northwest Territories
Authors: Scott D J , Wodicka N
Published: July 2013

The geology of the Meta Incognita Peninsula, southern Baffin Island, preserves three principal structural levels: the northern continuation of the Archean Superior craton (Level 1), orthogneisses correlated with the Narsajuaq arc of northern Quebec (Level 2), and
orthogneisses and Lake Harbour Group supracrustal rocks intruded by the Cumberland batholith (Level 3). Two Level 2 orthogneisses crystallized at 1830 +5/-3 and 1820 +4/-3 Ma, respectively, and both manifest Archean inheritance. In Level 3, monzogranite orthogneiss is 1950 +6/-4 Ma, and potentially
represents the depositional basement to the Lake Harbour Group. A Lake Harbour Group psammite was deposited after 1937 ± 4 Ma. Two monzogranite samples of the Cumberland batholith crystallized at 1865 +4/-2 and 1848 ± 2 Ma, whereas two other monzogranite samples manifest 2.15-2.03 Ga
inheritance, compatible with assimilation of Lake Harbour Group material. A monzonite that crosscuts a D1 thrust fault was emplaced ~1834 -1830 Ma.
Reconnaissance Nd isotopic study of the Paleoproterozoic rocks of Meta Incognita Peninsula, southern Baffin Island, Northwest Territories
Authors: Thériault R J
Published: July 2013

Samarium-neodymium isotopic data are presented for 25 Paleoproterozoic rocks from southern Baffin Island. At structural level 2, the Narsajuaq arc yields eNd(1.85 Ga) of -12.6 to -19.1, and 147Sm/144Nd of 0.049 to 0.11, suggesting strongly fractionated Archean
crustal sources.
At structural level 3, pelitic rocks of the Lake Harbour Group display eNd(1.85 Ga) from -4.5 to -7.3 and TDM ages from 2.91 to 2.48 Ga. Metasediments of the Blandford Bay assemblage have eNd(1.85 Ga) of -6.0 to -8.5 and TDM ages from 3.13 to 2.83 Ga. The Cumberland batholith yields eNd(1.85 Ga)
of -2.2 to -7.5, whereas orthogneiss of the Ramsay River suite gives eNd(1.85 Ga) of -6.1 to -8.2 and TDM ages of 2.99 to 2.08 Ga. The sharp contrast in Nd isotopic compositions between level 2 and 3 rocks suggests that the two were produced along cratonic margins that were distinct in age and
composition.
Strontium isotopic composition of modern walrus teeth from Hudson Bay and Arctic Islands, Quebec and Northwest Territories
Authors: Davis W J , Outridge P , Stewart R E
A
Published: July 2013

Sr isotopic data are reported for modern walrus teeth collected from various sites in the Canadian Arctic Islands and Hudson Bay. Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the teeth are similar to modern seawater values and show no geographical correlation with local coastal
geology, nor with other chemical signatures in the teeth.
New geochronological results for the Tavani area (55 K), eastern Kaminak greenstone belt, District of Keewatin, Northwest Territories
Authors: Davis W J , Peterson T
Published: July 2013

Two felsic volcanic rocks of the Akliqnaktuk Formation in the Tavani area have yielded zircon ages of 2700 ± 1 Ma and 2695 ± 3 Ma, similar to ages reported for volcanic rocks from the Kaminak Lake area. The Last Lake pluton and associated dykes intrude
foliated volcanic rocks, and the 2686 ± 4 and 2686 ± 2 Ma ages for the pluton and a dyke, provide a minimum age of deformation of the volcanic rocks in that area. Detrital zircons from an interbedded polymictic conglomerate and arkose unit within the Akliqnaktuk Formation have ages from
2700 to 2657 ± 2 Ma, indicating that this unit is significantly younger than the volcanic rocks, and not part of the Akliqnaktuk Formation. The unit may be correlative to similar sedimentary units reported elsewhere in the Kaminak belt, for example, the Spi Lake
conglomerate.
Geochronological investigations of the Woodburn Lake group, western Churchill Province, Northwest Territories: preliminary results
Authors: Davis W J , Zaleski E
Published: July 2013

U-Pb dating of zircon from a felsic volcanic rock in the Woodburn Lake group results in an age of 2710 +3.5/-2.1 Ma, significantly younger than previously dated volcanic rocks ( 2.75-2.80 Ga). The new result suggests that the Woodburn Lake group comprises two
volcanic sequences separated in age by up to 90 million years. Detrital zircons in an orthoquartzite range from 2.81 to 3.0 Ga, with the majority of the grains having ages of ca. 2.96 Ga. The euhedral prismatic morphology of the zircons implies textural immaturity in chemically mature quartzite
and, hence, intense chemical weathering, and deposition in a low- energy environment. The supracrustal rocks were intruded by quartz-feldspar porphyry at 2620 +3/-2 Ma and granite at 2610 +3/-2 Ma. The porphyry has an S1 foliation, whereas the relative timing of the foliation in the granite is
uncertain. This suggests that D1 deformation, at least in part, occurred after 2620 Ma, and that significant deformation of the belt occurred after 2610 Ma.
Detrital zircon geochronology of sequence 'C' grits, Dorsey Terrane (Thirtymile Range, southern Yukon): provenance and stratigraphic correlation
Authors: Ross G M , Harms T A
Published: July 2013

Detrital zircons analyzed from coarse grits within the eastern Dorsey Terrane of the Thirtymile Range, southern Yukon Territory, yield Proterozoic and Archean 207Pb/206Pb ages that range from ca. 1777 Ma to 2600 Ma, similar to the range of crystallization ages of
basement in the Peace River Arch area of northern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. This suggests that the source of these grits was crystalline basement of western Canada, thus confirming a North American affinity for these sedimentary rocks and their correlation with the Cassiar Terrane
of northern British Columbia. The western Canadian provenance documented in the detrital zircons is consistent with models that suggest approximately 450 km of right-lateral displacement along the Tintina-Northern Rocky Mountain Trench fault, rather than recent suggestions of a western Montana
provenance for the Cassiar Terrane that require greater than 2000 km displacement.
New U-Pb ages from the Teslin area, southern Yukon, and their bearing on terrane evolution in the northern Cordillera
Authors: Gordey S P , McNicoll V J , Mortensen J K
Published: July 2013

Highlights from a regional U-Pb, K-Ar, and 40Ar/39Ar dating program in southern Yukon include ages from metaplutonic rocks of Yukon Tanana terrane (350-340 Ma), from peridotite of the Cache Creek terrane (ca. 245 Ma), from conglomerate clasts of the Laberge Group
of Stikine terrane (229-204 Ma), and from detrital zircons (1.76-3.29 Ga) from Cassiar terrane. These, as well as ages from crosscutting plutonic suites of Early Jurassic (195-184 Ma), mid-Jurassic (ca. 176 Ma), Early Cretaceous (ca. 123 Ma), mid-Cretaceous (ca. 109 Ma) and Late Cretaceous (ca. 74
Ma) age place limits on the identification, timing of internal deformation, and age of assembly of various terranes in the northern Cordillera.
Experiential Leadership Training for Pediatric Chief Residents: Impact on Individuals and Organizations
Authors: Doughty Robert A. , Williams Patricia D. , Brigham Timothy P. , Seashore Charles
Published: July 2013

Background

The past decade has seen a proliferation of leadership training programs for physicians that teach skills outside the graduate medical education curriculum.

Objective

To determine the perceived value and impact of an experiential leadership training program for pediatric chief residents on the chief residents and on their programs and institutions.

Methods

The authors conducted a retrospective study. Surveys were sent to chief residents who completed the Chief Resident Training Program (CRTP) between 1988 and 2003 and to their program directors and department chairs asking about the value of the program, its impact on leadership capabilities, as well as the effect of chief resident training on programs and institutions.

Results

Ninety-four percent of the chief residents and 94% of program directors and department chairs reported that the CRTP was “very” or “somewhat” relevant, and 92% of the chief residents indicated CRTP had a positive impact on their year as chief resident; and 75% responded it had a positive impact beyond residency. Areas of greatest positive impact included awareness of personality characteristics, ability to manage conflict, giving and receiving feedback, and relationships with others. Fifty-six percent of chief residents reported having held a formal leadership position since chief residency, yet only 28% reported having received additional leadership training.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates a perceived positive impact on CRTP participants and their programs and institutions in the short and long term.
Organized Continuity Panel Reassignment
Authors: Bennett Kevin , Baxley Elizabeth , Carter Charles , Stanek Michele
Published: July 2013

Background

Structured continuity clinical experience is required in all primary care residency programs. There is a paucity of data on whether continuity patient panels are routinely used, what the ideal panel composition is, how panels are managed within residency programs across the country, and the outcomes related to this training requirement.

Methods

We designed an organized continuity panel reassignment process with the goal of producing balanced resident panels, that is, panels with similar numbers of patients by race/ethnicity, sex, and age group, as well as comparable numbers of patients with diabetes and those with high health care use. This project focused on postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) panels to use balanced panels for redesign and focus of their initial training experiences on practice-based learning and patient care continuity.

Results

Findings suggest improved parity in patient care experiences through more evenly distributed panels. Furthermore, the focus on panel review and case management enhanced the curriculum for PGY-1 residents, whose clinical experiences and diabetes clinical quality indicators compared more favorably to residents in earlier classes.

Conclusions

Balanced continuity panels provide an enhanced substrate for building clinical curricula. Preliminary data suggest that this process helped contribute to improved quality indicators for patients with diabetes.
Use of a Policy Debate to Teach Residents About Health Care Reform
Authors: Nguyen Vu Q. C , Hirsch Mark A
Published: July 2013

Background

Resident education involves didactics and pedagogic strategies using a variety of tools and technologies in order to improve critical thinking skills. Debating is used in educational settings to improve critical thinking skills, but there have been no reports of its use in residency education. The present paper describes the use of debate to teach resident physicians about health care reform.

Objective

We aimed to describe the method of using a debate in graduate medical education.

Methods

Second-year through fourth-year physical medicine and rehabilitation residents participated in a moderated policy debate in which they deliberated whether the United States has one of the “best health care system(s) in the world.” Following the debate, the participants completed an unvalidated open-ended questionnaire about health care reform.

Results

Although residents expressed initial concerns about participating in a public debate on health care reform, all faculty and residents expressed that the debate was robust, animated, and enjoyed by all. Components of holding a successful debate on health care reform were noted to be: (1) getting “buy-in” from the resident physicians; (2) preparing the debate; and (3) follow-up.

Conclusion

The debate facilitated the study of a large, complex topic like health care reform. It created an active learning process. It encouraged learners to keenly attend to an opposing perspective while enthusiastically defending their position. We conclude that the use of debates as a teaching tool in resident education is valuable and should be explored further.
Residents' Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Care for Underserved Patients: A Multi-Institutional Survey
Authors: Wieland Mark L , Beckman Thomas J , Cha Stephen S , Beebe Timothy J , McDonald Furman S ,   for the Underserved Care Curriculum Collaborative
Published: July 2013

Background

Resident physicians often encounter underprivileged patients before other providers, yet little is known about residents' attitudes and behaviors regarding these patients.

Objective

To measure US resident physician attitudes regarding topics relevant to medically underserved patients, their behaviors (volunteerism) with underserved patients, and the association between attitudes and behaviors.

Methods

In 2007 and 2008, 956 surveys on resident attitudes and behaviors about underserved patients were distributed to 18 residency programs in the United States. Survey content was based on existing literature and an expert needs assessment. The attitude assessment had 15 items with 3-point scales (range 0–1). The behavior assessment evaluated volunteering for underserved patients in the past, present, and future.

Results

A total of 498 surveys (response rate  =  52%) were completed. Attitudes regarding underserved patients were generally positive and more favorable for women than men (overall attitude score 0.83 versus 0.74; P  =  < .001). Rates of volunteering for underserved patients were high in medical school (N  =  375, 76%) and anticipated future practice (N  =  409, 84%), yet low during residency (N  =  95, 19%). Respondents who volunteered regularly had more favorable attitudes than those who did not volunteer (overall average attitude score of 0.81 versus 0.73; P  =  <.001). Relationships between hours volunteered per-week and favorable attitudes about topics related to the underserved were significant across all 15 items in medical school and anticipated future practice (P value range of .035 to <.0001).

Conclusions

This survey revealed that US residents' attitudes towards topics regarding medically underserved populations are generally favorable. Rates of volunteerism for underserved patients were higher in medical school than during residency, and resident's anticipated rates of volunteerism in future practice volunteerism were approximately the same as rates of volunteerism in medical school. Resident attitudes are strongly correlated with volunteerism.
Development, Testing, and Implementation of the ACGME Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) Program
Authors: Weiss Kevin B. , Wagner Robin , Nasca Thomas J.
Published: July 2013

Since the release of the Institute of Medicine's report on resident hours and patient safety, there have been calls for enhanced institutional oversight of duty hour limits and of efforts to enhance the quality and safety of care in teaching hospitals. The ACGME has established the Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) program as a key component of the Next Accreditation System with the aim to promote safety and quality of care by focusing on 6 areas important to the safety and quality of care in teaching hospitals and the care residents will provide in a lifetime of practice after completion of training. The 6 areas encompass engagement of residents in patient safety, quality improvement and care transitions, promoting appropriate resident supervision, duty hour oversight and fatigue management, and enhancing professionalism.

Over the coming 18 months the ACGME will develop, test, and fully implement this new program by conducting visits to the nearly 400 clinical sites of sponsoring institutions with two or more specialty or subspecialty programs. These site visits will provide an understanding of how the learning environment for the 116 000 current residents and fellows addresses the 6 areas important to safety and quality of care, and will generate baseline data on the status of these activities in accredited institutions. We expect that over time the CLER program will serve as a new source of formative feedback for teaching institutions, and generate national data that will guide performance improvement for United States graduate medical education.
To Play or Not To Play: Leveraging Video in Medical Education
Authors: Hurtubise Larry , Martin Bryan , Gilliland Anne , Mahan John
Published: July 2013

While video is a powerful teaching and learning tool because it can influence knowledge, skills, and attitude formation effectively and reach learners with various learning and communication styles, there are pedagogical, technical, and copyright considerations. Instructors must know sources of appropriate videos, select effective video segments, apply various strategies for incorporating video triggers into the overall educational process, refine the message, overcome technological obstacles, and comply with copyright laws. One might ask, “Is using video triggers to improve your teaching worth it?” “Yes!” Numerous studies demonstrate that using video in many medical education settings supports and enhances learning and offers a bigger advantage in contrast with traditional methods.