bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bring Character Education into Classroom
Authors: Agboola Alex , Tsai Kaun Chen
Published: March 2016

Character education is a growing discipline with the deliberate attempt to optimize students’ ethical behavior. The outcome of character education has always been encouraging, solidly, and continually preparing the leaders of tomorrow. The promotion of character education should not just a leap service but has an action plan for practice. In order words, education policy should take the lead to actualize moral education. Taken together, parents, teachers, and administrators as stakeholders, should join this camp to encourage students to manifest those good values in their lives. The outline of this paper is that first the definition of character education is provided. Then, the historical perspective of character education is reviewed. Third, the issue of context in character education is disclosed. The challenge and controversy of implementation of character education is also presented. Finally, the implication and further research are discussed.
Including a Service Learning Educational Research Project in a Biology Course-I: Assessing Community Awareness of Childhood Lead Poisoning
Authors: Abu-Shakra Amal , Saliim Eric
Published: March 2016

A university course project was developed and implemented in a biology course, focusing on environmental problems, to assess community awareness of childhood lead poisoning. A set of 385 questionnaires was generated and distributed in an urban community in North Carolina, USA. The study revealed that university education levels among the participants in the study significantly enhanced awareness of the body systems affected by lead poisoning, whereas age significantly enhanced awareness of the treatment of lead poisoning, its prevalence, causes, and the body systems affected. A majority of the participants showed interest in learning about lead poisoning (67%), but perhaps not only through a university seminar (42%). The project showed that involvement of students in innovative communication avenues between universities and communities, aimed at enhancing public awareness of a major environmental health risk, is possible through a biology course project in which students are part of the project’s development, implementation and analysis. Also, such an educational research project can, despite some limitations, offer educational opportunities that can intensify the students’ interest in the course and knowledge of the research topic.
Changes in and the Relationship between Language Learning Motivation and Self-concept in 11-14 year-old Students in Hungary: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Peter-Szarka Szilvia
Published: March 2016

Motivation to learn foreign languages is a significant determinant of successful language acquisition. The subject has been widely researched in the past, and since the early 1990s a great deal of empirical research related to the classroom environment has been proposed to expand theory into everyday classroom practice. I present an empirical, longitudinal (3-year) study to explore the relationship between and changes in foreign language learning motivation, learning motivation and self-concept in the 5th, 6th and 8th forms of elementary school. The same tests (Kozéki-Entwistle’s Learning Motivation Questionnaire, the Tenessee SelfConcept Scale, and Clément, Dörnyei and Noels’ Foreign Language Learning Motivation questionnaire) were administered three times, so I was able to compare the results and draw conclusions about developmental tendencies. A strong correlation was found between motivational and self-esteem scores, and between learning and foreign language learning motivation subscales. It is necessary to highlight the importance of the Moral, Family and Social Self, which draws our attention to the family values and beliefs students are equipped with, when they enter the school. The significant decrease in motivation and self-esteem in the period under investigation focuses our attention on problems of adolescence, and challanges language teachers to establish a highly motivating classroom practice.
Understanding Mathematics: Some Key Factors
Authors: Ali Asma Amanat , Reid Norman
Published: March 2016

Mathematics is well known as a subject area where there can be problems in terms of understanding as well as retaining positive attitudes. In a large study involving 813 school students (ages approximately 10-12) drawn from two different school systems in Pakistan, the effect of limited working memory capacity on performance in mathematics was explored along with a survey of areas of difficulty and student attitudes. This involved looking at student perceptions of their experiences, the nature of the difficulties they have with mathematics and possible reasons for these difficulties. The overall aim is to explore the extent of the effect of working memory and to gain insights so that practical ways forward to enhance mathematics education can be identified. It was found that limited working memory capacity has a very strong influence on performance, confirming other studies. Indeed, if the cognitive load exceeds the capacity of working memory, understanding becomes a casualty, with consequent attitude deterioration. Students need to be able to see that mathematics has a purpose in being able to be applied to real-life situations. However, attempts to develop applications may often generate further working memory overload. Curricula devised by those outside the classroom can sometimes be inappropriate while topics causing the greatest problems at these ages and include areas of geometry, statistics and the applications of mathematics.
How In-Service Teachers Perceive Neuroscience as Connected to Education: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Betini Amauri , Kulevicz Flavio
Published: March 2016

This exploratory study is concerned about the extent to which a sample of 163 pre-school, primary and secondary Brazilian school teachers, expressed their opinion on how neuroscience might help their teaching and pupils´ learning. Evaluation instruments for Brazilian pupils were analysed. Two questionnaires were completed by the teachers. Results of a quantitative analysis indicated that in general teachers believe that neuroscience may contribute to the teaching and learning of their subject matter. An outline for an elective neuroscience and education course is presented. Educational implications are discussed.
Implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in Senior Secondary Schools in Botswana: An İnvestigation of Senior Management Team’s Expected Benefits of the PMS
Authors: Bulawa Philip
Published: March 2016

Different forms of the performance management system have been implemented in many countries for some years. As in other countries, in 1999 the government of Botswana took a decision to implement a performance management system (PMS) across the entire public service including schools. The government explained the purpose for which this reform was being implemented. Using grounded theory, school heads, deputy school heads and heads of houses in twenty-two of the twenty-seven schools were interviewed about senior management team’s perceptions of the implementation process in senior secondary schools in Botswana. These members of the senior management team are responsible for the implementation process of the PMS in schools. This paper looks at participants’ perceptions regarding the expected benefits of the PMS in senior secondary schools.
Classroom Management and Loss of Time at the Lesson Start: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Saloviita Timo
Published: March 2016

Lesson starts are transitional events which may cause management problems for teachers. In this study 131 lesson starts of equally many teachers were observed in primary and secondary schools in Finland. The results indicated that, in general, the problems were minimal. However, for various reasons lesson starts were delayed by an average of about six minutes. Calculated on this basis, the total loss of instructional time in the whole school year was about five weeks of schooling. No statistically significant relationships were observed between disturbances in the classroom and any background variable studied including grade level, classroom type,(special or mainstream), group size, presence of classroom assistant, sex of the teacher, weekday, time of day of the lesson, or subject of the lesson. In order to maximise instructional time more attention should be paid in future to starting lessons promptly.
The Beneficial Effects of Non-received Choice: A Study on Intrinsic Motivation in Biology Education
Authors: Meyer Annika , Meyer-Ahrens Inga , Wilde Matthias
Published: March 2016

Previous research has found conflicting evidence in studies where students participate in the selection of their course topics in educational settings. Katz and Assor, for example, have argued that the increase in student motivation is probably not due to the mere act of choosing, but to the value of the options with respect to personal interest. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of choice on aspects of motivation during biology lessons. Our sample consisted of five classes with 118 children of whom 63% were female. Their average age was 10.4 years (SD=0.6). One group of students was asked to select one topic out of four in a majority vote during a biology class, while a control group was simply assigned the same topic. Results: Students who chose their topic reported a higher level of intrinsic motivation than students who were not given the option. A surprising result was that the students in the voting group who did not receive their preferred choice reported the same level of motivation as those who did.
The Philosophy of Physical Education and Sport from Ancient Times to the Enlightenment
Authors: Demirel Duygu Harmandar , Yıldıran Ibrahim
Published: March 2016

As an academic discipline, the philosophy of sport has been in existence for a relatively short period. Although the philosophy of sport as an academic endeavour is relatively young, the philosophical view of sport itself is not new. Although sport was a major activity according to the Greeks and Romans, it lost its importance during the Middle Ages. After the Renaissance, education came to be seen as a necessity. With its incorporation and utilisation in the educational curriculum, physical education obviously became more common in the curricula of the Renaissance and Reformation than it had been in the Middle Ages. Opinions about the sport of ancient times have influenced those of the modern era. The aim of this study is to examine the evolution of physical training from the renaissance to enlightenment, which is important because this period has laid the foundations of modern physical training and sport perception. In this study, the literature is reviewed from ancient times to the enlightenment, and the revolutions and developments that have occurred are emphasised.
Editorial
Authors: Coelho Thereza Christina Bahia
Published: March 2016

A RSC da UEFS é um periódico de acesso aberto e submissão contínua destinado à publicação de trabalhos originais e relevantes para a área de saúde coletiva.
CONDIÇÕES ESTRUTURAIS DOS CENTROS DE ATENÇÃO PSICOSSOCIAL (CAPS) DE FEIRA DE SANTANA-BA
Authors: Jesus Gisleide Ferreira de , Coelho Thereza Christina Bahia
Published: March 2016

Os Centros de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS) vêm apresentando, nos últimos anos, um expressivo crescimento, mas ainda persistem obstáculos estruturais à implantação desse importante dispositivo da Reforma Psiquiátrica Brasileira (RPB), independentemente de outros problemas relativos à organização do cuidado em saúde mental. Este artigo objetivou caracterizar a estrutura dos cinco CAPS de um município nordestino, implantados a partir de 2002, descrevendo seus recursos físicos, humanos e a organização da assistência. A metodologia, quantitativa, descritiva, transversal e comparativa, analisou dados coletados por meio de questionários aplicados aos coordenadores de dois CAPS II, um CAPS III, um CAPS ad, e um CAPSi. Os resultados revelaram serviços territorializados, responsáveis por pacientes egressos do Hospital Especializado Lopes Rodrigues e das Residências Terapêuticas ou próprias. Observou-se no perfil das coordenações a formação não médica e, nas equipes técnicas, a multiprofissionalidade, com predominância de psiquiatras. Os espaços físicos contemplavam salas diversas e áreas externas, e cinco leitos psiquiátricos no CAPS III. A organização da atenção se articulava à Estratégia Saúde da Família e oferecia atendimento psicoterápico, medicamentoso, educação em saúde, atividades grupais, familiares, visitas domiciliares e oficinas terapêuticas. Os serviços foram considerados adequados às normas ministeriais e coerentes com a RPB, embora estudos de aprofundamento sejam ainda necessários.
DOENÇA FALCIFORME E TRIAGEM NEONATAL: UM DEBATE NECESSÁRIO
Authors: Souza Ionara Magalhães de , Araújo Edna Maria de
Published: March 2016

A elevada prevalência da doença falciforme representa considerável problema de saúde pública. Inúmeras são as manifestações clínicas e fatores associados. A triagem neonatal desenvolvida pelo Programa Nacional de Triagem Neonatal possibilita, além do rastreamento, acessibilidade e assistência em saúde, acompanhamento multiprofissional, aconselhamento genético e tratamento na perspectiva de atender aos princípios preconizados pelo Sistema Único de Saúde. Contudo, constata-se a necessidade de maior visibilidade social, planejamento e efetivação de políticas públicas voltadas para essa população. Este ensaio objetiva discutir os aspectos clínicos e epidemiológicos relacionados à doença falciforme, assim como a fundamentação da triagem neonatal nesse cenário.
Maximum likelihood estimation based on type-i hybrid progressive censored competing risks data
Authors: Ashour Samir , Abu El Azm Wael
Published: March 2016

This paper is concerned with the estimators problems of the generalized Weibull distribution based on Type-I hybrid progressive censoring scheme (Type-I PHCS) in the presence of competing risks when the cause of failure of each item is known. Maximum likelihood estimates and the corresponding Fisher information matrix are obtained. We generalized Kundu and Joarder [7] results in the case of the exponential distribution while, the corresponding results in the case of the generalized exponential and Weibull distributions may be obtained as a special cases. A real data set is used to illustrate the theoretical results.
Gender effect on classroom management skills and competencies of teachers: A meta-analysis study
Authors: Erden Ali , Erden Ali , Aytaç Tufan , Aytaç Tufan , Erden Hale
Published: March 2016

This study aims at determining the effect sizes of perceptions and opinions of teachers regarding classroom management skills and competencies according to their gender. 19 journal articles out of 28 journal articles specializing on teachers’ classroom management skills and competencies in Turkey downloaded from the national thesis archives of Higher Education Institution appropriate to inclusion criteria are included in the study. Also, moderators which could not be included to the assessment of primary researches as publication type, publication year, region where study conducted, educational level, school type, scale type, branches of the teachers and gender of the researcher moderators were analyzed as variables. As a result, according to fixed effects model (d=0,149) and random effects model (d=0,133) in favor of female teachers, effect size was statistically significant. Moderator analysis revealed that publication type (p=0,001), type of scale (either ready or improved) (p=0,049) and validity and reliability studies (p=0,008) were found as moderators. Furthermore, effect sizes of researches showed that gender awareness included a continuing tendency over the years. Moderator analysis showed that school type (p=0,054), educational level (p=0,477), region where research was conducted (p=0,075), teachers’ branches (p=0,257) and gender of the researchers were not considered as moderators. As a result, it is recommended not to use gender as an important independent variable in studies in relation to teachers’ perceptions and opinions on classroom management skills and competencies.
When should the Ask be a Nudge? The Effect of Default Amounts on Charitable Donations
Authors: Goswami Indranil , Urminsky Oleg
Published: March 2016

How does setting a donation option as the default in a charitable appeal affect people's decisions? In eight studies, comprising 11,508 participants making 2,423 donation decisions in both experimental settings and a large-scale natural field experiment, the authors investigate the effect of “choice-option” defaults on the donation rate, average donation amount, and the resulting revenue. They find (1) a “scale-back” effect, in which low defaults reduce average donation amounts; (2) a “lower-bar” effect, in which defaulting a low amount increases donation rate; and (3) a “default-distraction” effect, in which introducing any defaults reduces the effect of other cues, such as positive charity information. Contrary to the view that setting defaults will backfire, defaults increased revenue in the field study. However, the findings suggest that defaults can sometimes be a “self-canceling” intervention, with countervailing effects of default option magnitude on decisions and resulting in no net effect on revenue. The authors discuss the implications of the findings for research on fundraising specifically, for choice architecture and behavioral interventions more generally, and for the use of “nudges” in policy decisions.
Classification of Global and Blow-up Sign-changing Solutions of a Semilinear Heat Equation in the Subcritical Fujita Range : Second-order Diffusion
Authors: Galaktionov Victor A. , Mitidieri Enzo , Pohozaev Stanislav I.
Published: March 2016

It is well known from the seminal paper by Fujita [22] for 1 < p < p0, and Hayakawa [36] for the critical case p = p0, that all the solutions u ≥ 0 of the semilinear heat equation

ut= Δu + |u|p−1u in ℝN× ℝ+, in the range, (0.1)

with arbitrary initial data u0(x) ≥ 0, ≢ 0, blow-up in finite time, while for p > p0there exists a class of sufficiently “small” global in time solutions. This fundamental result from the 1960-70s (see also [39] for related contributions), was a cornerstone of further active blow-up research. Nowadays, similar Fujita-type critical exponents p0, as important characteristics of stability, unstability, and blow-up of solutions, have been calculated for various nonlinear PDEs. The above blow-up conclusion does not include solutions of changing sign, so some of them may remain global even for p ≤ p0. Our goal is a thorough description of blow-up and global in time oscillatory solutions in the subcritical range in (0.1) on the basis of various analytic methods including nonlinear capacity, variational, category, fibering, and invariant manifold techniques. Two countable sets of global solutions of changing sign are shown to exist. Most of them are not radially symmetric in any dimension N ≥ 2 (previously, only radial such solutions in ℝNor in the unit ball B1⊂ℝNwere mostly studied). A countable sequence of critical exponents, at which the whole set of global solutions changes its structure, is detected:, l = 0, 1, 2, ... .. See [47, 48] for earlier interesting contributions on sign changing solutions.
Superposition Operators Between Higher-order Sobolev Spaces and a Multivariate Faà di Bruno Formula: Supercritical Case
Authors: Dinca George , Isaia Florin
Published: March 2016

This paper is a continuation of the work begun in [6] on superposition operators, (Ngu) (x) = g(u(x)), between two arbitrary Sobolev spaces. Sufficient conditions which ensure the well-definedness, the continuity and the validity of the higher-order chain rule for such operators are given in the supercritical case (see Remark 1.1). As a consequence of these properties, it is proved that Ng (Wm,p (Ω) ∩ W0
k,p (Ω)) ⊂ W0
l,q (Ω).
The Topology of a Subspace of the Legendrian Curves on a Closed Contact 3-Manifold
Authors: Maalaoui Ali , Martino Vittorio
Published: March 2016

In this paper we study a subspace of the space of Legendrian loops and we show that the injection of this space into the full loop space is an S1-equivariant homotopy equivalence. This space can be also seen as the space of zero Maslov index Legendrian loops and it shows up as a suitable space of variations in contact form geometry.
Concentrating Bound States for Kirchhoff Type Problems in ℝ3 Involving Critical Sobolev Exponents
Authors: He Yi , Li Gongbao , Peng Shuangjie
Published: March 2016

We study the concentration and multiplicity of weak solutions to the Kirchhoff type equation with critical Sobolev growth,

where ε is a small positive parameter and a, b > 0 are constants, f ∈ C1(ℝ+,ℝ) is subcritical, V : ℝ3 → ℝ is a locally Hölder continuous function. We first prove that for ε0 > 0 sufficiently small, the above problem has a weak solution uε with exponential decay at infinity. Moreover, uε concentrates around a local minimum point of V in Λ as ε → 0. With minimax theorems and Ljusternik-Schnirelmann theory, we also obtain multiple solutions by employing the topological construction of the set where the potential V(z) attains its minimum.
Effect of a Gradient Term on the Solvability of the Heat Equation with a Supercritical Reaction with Respect to the Hardy Potential
Authors: Abdellaoui Boumediene , Attar Ahmed , Merchán Susana , Peral Ireneo
Published: March 2016

In this paper we consider the following nonlinear parabolic problem

where Ω ⊂ ℝN, N > 2, is a bounded domain with 0 ∈ Ω and 1 < p < 3. The main goal of this work is to analyze the influence of the gradient term in order to obtain the existence of a positive solution for the largest class of data ( f, u0) and for all λ > 0.
Fat Handles and Phase Portraits of Non Singular Morse-Smale Flows on S3 with Unknotted Saddle Orbits
Authors: Campos B. , Vindel P.
Published: March 2016

In this paper we build Non-singular Morse-Smale flows on S3 with unknotted and unlinked saddle orbits by identifying fat round handles along their boundaries. This way of building the flows enables to get their phase portraits. We also show that the presence of heteroclinic trajectories imposes an order in the round handle decomposition of these flows; this order is total for NMS flows composed of one repulsive, one attractive and n unknotted saddle orbits, for n ≥ 1.
Liouville Theorem for a Fourth Order Hénon Equation
Authors: Cowan Craig
Published: March 2016

We examine the following fourth order Hénon equation

Δ2u = |x|αup in ℝN,

where 0 < α. Define the Hardy-Sobolev exponent . We show that in dimension N = 5 there are no positive bounded classical solutions provided 1 < p < p4(α).
Approximation Results for a General Class of Kantorovich Type Operators
Authors: Vinti Gianluca , Zampogni Luca
Published: March 2016

We introduce and study a family of integral operators in the Kantorovich sense acting on functions defined on locally compact topological groups. We obtain convergence results for the above operators with respect to the pointwise and uniform convergence and in the setting of Orlicz spaces with respect to the modular convergence. Moreover, we show how our theory applies to several classes of integral and discrete operators, as sampling, convolution and Mellin type operators in the Kantorovich sense, thus obtaining a simultaneous approach for discrete and integral operators. Further, we obtain general convergence results in particular cases of Orlicz spaces, as Lp−spaces, interpolation spaces and exponential spaces. Finally we construct some concrete examples of our operators and we show some graphical representations.
A Jumping Problem for Some Singular Semilinear Elliptic Equations
Authors: Canino Annamaria , Grandinetti Mascia , Sciunzi Berardino
Published: March 2016

We consider a jumping problem for singular semilinear elliptic equations. Existence of two distinct solutions is proved via a truncation argument and exploiting minimax methods to prove the existence of solutions to the truncated problem. In the final step, to pass to the limit, a refined analysis about the behavior of the solutions is required, because of the singular nature of the problem.
Spinorial Yamabe Type Equations on S3 via Conley Index
Authors: Isobe Takeshi
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we consider the existence of solutions to spinorial Yamabe type equations on S3 with a prescribed function H. We give a new condition about H under which at least one non-trivial solution exists. It is proved by a method based on Conley index theory applied to a reduced functional defined on a certain finite dimensional non-compact manifold. Our proof is also applicable to similar equations on Sm for all m ≥ 2.
A Liouville Type Theorem for Poly-harmonic System with Dirichlet Boundary Conditions in a Half Space
Authors: Liu Zhao , Dai Wei
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we consider the following poly-harmonic system with Dirichlet boundary conditions in a half space ℝn
+:

where for i = 1, 2. First, we show that, under some mild growth conditions, (0.1) is equivalent to the IE system

where

is the Green’s function in ℝn
+ with the same Dirichlet boundary conditions. Then, inspired by the work [12] of Y. Fang and W. Chen on the Dirichlet problem for (−Δ)mu = up in ℝn
+, we use method of moving planes in integral forms to prove the nonexistence of nontrivial nonnegative solutions for IE system (0.2), and as a consequence, we derive the nonexistence of nontrivial nonnegative classical solutions for problem (0.1).
Levinson’s Problem on Affine-Periodic Solutions
Authors: Li Yong , Huang Fushan
Published: March 2016

In this paper, Levinson’s problem is introduced to affine-periodic systems. It is proved that every affine-dissipative-repulsive system admits an affine-periodic solution, which extends previous well-known results for dissipative systems.
Maxwell’s Equations in Anisotropic Media and Carnot Groups as Variational Limits
Authors: Baldi Annalisa , Franchi Bruno
Published: March 2016

Let G be a free Carnot group (i.e. a connected simply connected nilpotent stratified free Lie group) of step 2. In this paper, we prove that the variational functional generated by “intrinsic” Maxwell’s equations in G is the Γ-limit of a sequence of classical (i.e. Euclidean) variational functionals associated with strongly anisotropic dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability in the Euclidean space.
Existence of Heteroclinic Solutions for a Pseudo-relativistic Allen-Cahn Type Equation
Authors: Ambrosio Vincenzo
Published: March 2016

We study the existence and uniqueness of heteroclinic solutions to non-linear Allen-Cahn equation

where G is a double-well potential. We investigate such a problem using variational methods after transforming the problem to an elliptic equation with a nonlinear Neumann boundary conditions.
A Linking/S1-equivariant Variational Argument in the Space of Dual Legendrian Curves and the Proof of the Weinstein Conjecture on S3 ”in the Large”
Authors: Bahri Abbas
Published: March 2016

Let α be a contact form on S3, let ξ be its Reeb vector-field and let v be a non-singular vector-field in ker α. Let Cβ be the space of curves x on S3 such ẋ = aξ + bv, ȧ = 0, a ≩ 0. Let L+, respectively L−, be the set of curves in Cβ such that b ≥ 0, respectively b ≤ 0. Let, for x ∈ Cβ, J(x) = ∫0
1 αx(ẋ)dt. The framework of the present paper has been introduced previously in eg [3].

We establish in this paper that some cycles (an infinite number of them, indexed by odd integers, tending to ∞) in the S 1-equivariant homology of Cβ, relative to L+ ∪ L− and to some specially designed ”bottom set”, see section 4, are achieved in the Morse complex of (J,Cβ) by unions of unstable manifolds of critical points (at infinity)which must include periodic orbits of ξ; ie unions of unstable manifolds of critical points at infinity alone cannot achieve these cycles. At the odd indexes (2k−1) = 1+(2k−2), 1 for the linking, (2k−2) for the S1-equivariance, we find that the equivariant contributions of a critical point at infinity to L+ and to L− are fundamentally asymmetric when compared to those of a periodic orbit [5]. The topological argument of existence of a periodic orbit for ξ turns out therefore to be surprisingly close, in spirit, to the linking/equivariant argument of P. Rabinowitz in [12]; e.g. the definition of the ”bottom sets” of section 4 can be related in part to the linking part in the argument of [12]. The objects and the frameworks are strikingly different, but the original proof of [12] can be recognized in our proof, which uses degree theory, the Fadell-Rabinowitz index [8] and the fact that πn+1(Sn) = Z2, n ≥ 3. We need of course to prove, in our framework, that these topological classes cannot be achieved by critical points at infinity only, periodic orbits of ξ excluded, and this is the fundamental difficulty.

The arguments hold under the basic assumption that no periodic orbit of index 1 connects L+ and L−. It therefore follows from the present work that either a periodic orbit of index 1 connects L+ and L− (as is probably the case for all three dimensional over-twisted [8] contact forms, see the work of H. Hofer [10], the periodic orbit found in [10] should be of index 1 in the present framework); or (with a flavor of exclusion in either/or) a linking/ equivariant variational argument a la P. Rabinowitz [12] can be put to work. Existence of (possibly multiple) periodic orbits of ξ, maybe of high Morse index, follows then.

Therefore, to a certain extent, the present result runs, especially in the case of threedimensional over-twisted [8] contact forms, against the existence of non-trivial algebraic invariants defined by the periodic orbits of ξ and independent of what ker α and/or α are.
Solitary Waves for a Class of Quasilinear Schrödinger Equations Involving Vanishing Potentials
Authors: Marcos do Ó João , Gloss Elisandra , Santana Cláudia
Published: March 2016

In this paper we study the existence of weak positive solutions for the following class of quasilinear Schrödinger equations

−Δu + V(x)u − [Δ(u2)]u = h(u) in ℝN,

where h satisfies some “mountain-pass” type assumptions and V is a nonnegative continuous function. We are interested specially in the case where the potential V is neither bounded away from zero, nor bounded from above. We give a special attention to the case when V may eventually vanish at infinity. Our arguments are based on penalization techniques, variational methods and Moser iteration scheme.
Nonlinear Parametric Robin Problems with Combined Nonlinearities
Authors: Papageorgiou Nikolaos S. , Rădulescu Vicenţiu D.
Published: March 2016

We consider a nonlinear parametric Robin problem driven by the p-Laplacian. We assume that the reaction exhibits a concave term near the origin. First we prove a multiplicity theorem producing three solutions with sign information (positive, negative and nodal) without imposing any growth condition near ±∞ on the reaction. Then, for problems with subcritical reaction, we produce two more solutions of constant sign, for a total of five solutions. For the semilinear problem (that is, for p = 2), we generate a sixth solution but without any sign information. Our approach is variational, coupled with truncation, perturbation and comparison techniques and with Morse theory.
Best Constants for Adams’ Inequalities with the Exact Growth Condition in ℝn
Authors: Lu Guozhen , Tang Hanli , Zhu Maochun
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we establish the following sharp Adams inequality with exact growth condition in the entire space ℝn (n ≥ 3): There exists a constant C(n) > 0 such that for all with ,

,

where . This extends the main result in [27] when n = 4 to all dimensions n ≥ 3. A crucial technical lemma we need is Lemma 4.2 for all p > 1 (corresponding to the Adams inequality for all n ≥ 3) whose proof is quite involved. As an application, we obtain the best constant for Ozawa’s inequality of Adams type in the Sobolev space : For any α < βn, there exists a constant C(α, n) > 0 such that for all satisfying , we have . Moreover, if α ≥ βn then the inequality cannot hold with a uniform constant C(α, n).
Discrete Hardy-type Inequalities
Authors: Liao Zhong-Wei
Published: March 2016

This paper studies the Hardy-type inequalities on the discrete intervals. Firstly, two variational formulas for the optimal constants are introduced. Based on these formulas, an approximating procedure and the known basic estimates of the optimal constants are deduced. Thirdly, as the main innovation of this paper, an improved factor for the upper estimates is presented, which is smaller than the known one and is the best possible. Finally, some comparison results are included for comparing the optimal constants on different intervals.
Bifurcating Nodoids in Hyperbolic Space
Authors: Jleli Mohamed , López Rafael
Published: March 2016

Consider in hyperbolic space ℍ3 the one parameter family of immersed (non embedded) constant mean curvature surfaces of revolution Dπ with constant mean curvature H > 1. The parameter π ∈ (−∞, 0) is the analogue of the “necksize” of the Delaunay surfaces in Euclidean space. It is proved that when π → -∞, there exists a branch of surfaces with constant mean curvature H which bifurcate from Dπ. Furthermore, we prove that these new surfaces have only a discrete group of symmetries. The proof consists in a detailed study of the behaviour of the eigenvalues of the Jacobi operator when π tends to − ∞, together the bifurcation theorem of Crandall-Rabinowitz.
Adams Type Inequality and Application for a Class of Polyharmonic Equations with Critical Growth
Authors: Marcos do Ó João , Macedo Abiel Costa
Published: March 2016

In this paper we give a new Adams type inequality for the Sobolev space Wm,2(ℝ2m). By using this inequality in combination with mini-max method we establish the existence of nontrivial solutions to the following class of polyharmonic equations

(−Δ)mu(x) + u(x) = f (|x|, u), in ℝ2m,

where the nonlinearity is “superlinear” and has critical exponential growth at infinite.
A Priori Bounds and Existence of Solutions for Slightly Superlinear Elliptic Problems
Authors: García-Melián J. , Iturriaga L. , Quoirin H. Ramos
Published: March 2016

We consider the semilinear elliptic problem

where a is a continuous function which may change sign and f is superlinear but does not satisfy the standard Ambrosetti-Rabinowitz condition. We show that if f is regularly varying of index one at infinity then the above problem has a positive solution, provided α satisfies some additional assumptions. Our proof uses an abstract theorem due to L. Jeanjean on critical points of functionals with mountain-pass structure, and it relies on the obtention of a priori bounds for positive solutions..
Maslov (P, ω)-Index Theory for Symplectic Paths
Authors: Liu Chungen , Tang Shanshan
Published: March 2016

In this paper, the Maslov (P, ω)-index theory for a symplectic path is developed and the Bott-type iteration formula is proved.
Merely TINCering around: the shifting private authority of technology, information and news corporations
Authors: Campbell-Verduyn Malcolm
Published: March 2016

This article examines the “technology, information, and news corporations” (TINCs), a group of under-studied non-state actors to enhance understanding of the interplay between forms of private authority in times of crisis. Three interrelated arguments regarding the shifting private authority of leading UK- and US-based TINCs are presented. First, contributions to the period of economic instability that began in 2007 have destabilized the long-standing authority of Anglo-American firms including Bloomberg, Dow Jones, and Thomson Reuters. Second, through their involvement in two overtly normative niches of global finance, environmental and Islamic finance, these private actors have responded to contestations of their authority with an enhanced stress on moral authority since 2007. Third, a mere tinkering around with pre-crisis technical knowledge and a persistent reliance on liberal market values is likely to perpetuate rather than resolve the unstable authority of the leading TINCs. Based on an original analysis of primary documents and interviews undertaken with industry participants, this article contributes to existing literature analyzing the changing nature of private authority by revealing limits to shifts and combinations between its moral and technical forms.
Two-Level Spline Approximations for Two-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Equations
Authors: Shao Xinping , Han Danfu , Hu Xianliang
Published: March 2016

TheC1$C^{1}$spline spaces with degreed≥5$d\geq 5$over given triangulations are implemented in the framework of multi-variate spline theory. Based on this approach, two-level methods are proposed by using various order spline spaces for the steady state Navier–Stokes equations in the stream function formulation. The proposed method can be reduced to solving a linear equation in the high-order spline space and the nonlinear equations in the low-order spline space. The convergence analysis is given based on the Newton iteration. Besides, the matrix forms of the two-level scheme are also presented. We finally tabulate the numerical results to validate and show the efficiency of the proposed two-level spline methods.
Application of a multisurface discrete crack model for clear wood taking into account the inherent microstructural characteristics of wood cells
Authors: Lukacevic Markus , Füssl Josef
Published: March 2016

A more accurate prediction of the mechanical behavior of wood is needed to increase its ability to compete with other building materials. Especially, when it comes to estimate failure loads, the lack of appropriate prediction tools becomes obvious. The present work contributes to this goal in two different ways: First, a damage concept for wood is revisited, which allows for transferring information about failure processes through different scales of observation. In this concept, the failure behavior of clear wood is linked to the different characteristic of earlywood and latewood layers in softwoods. This reduces the number of empirically determined strength parameters, while the definition of multisurface failure criteria is still possible. Secondly, it will be demonstrated that the combination of these models with discrete crack modeling based on the extended finite element method provides a numerical simulation tool capable to describe failure mechanisms more realistically than existing approaches. The results obtained by numerical calculations and experiments by means of a micro wedge splitting test show very good agreement, especially, if the load capacity and failure mechanisms are in focus. The presented approach shows a much better performance compared to linear elastic or elastoplastic simulations.
Monolignol glucosides as intermediate compounds in lignin biosynthesis. Revisiting the cell wall lignification and new 13C-tracer experiments with Ginkgo biloba and Magnolia
liliiflora
Authors: Terashima Noritsugu , Ko Chisato , Matsushita Yasuyuki , Westermark Ulla
Published: March 2016

A large amount of monolignol glucosides (MLGs: p-glucocoumaryl alcohol, coniferin, syringin) are found in lignifying soft xylem near cambium and they disappear with the progress of lignification. Recently, it became a matter of debate whether those MLGs are real intermediates in lignin biosynthesis or only a storage form of monolignols outside of the main biosynthetic pathway. The latter is partly based on a misinterpretation of 14C-tracer experiments and partly on the simple generalization of the results of gene manipulation experiments concerning the flexible and complex lignification. In the present paper, it could be confirmed by the most reliable 13C-tracer method that MLGs are real intermediates in the pathway from l-phenylalanine to macromolecular lignin-polysaccharides complexes in the cell walls. This pathway via MLGs is essential for transport and programmed delivery of specific monolignols in a stable form from intracellular space to specific lignifying sites within the cell wall. The pool size of MLGs is large in most gymnosperm trees and some angiosperm species that emerged in an early stage of phylogeny, while the pool size is small in most angiosperms. This difference in pool size is reasonably understandable from the viewpoint of plant evolution, in the course of which the role of MLGs changed to meet variation in type of major cells, reaction wood formation, and postmortem lignification.
Experimental and Kinetic Study of Esterification of Acrylic Acid with Ethanol Using Homogeneous Catalyst
Authors: Jyoti Ghoshna , Keshav Amit , Anandkumar J.
Published: March 2016

Esterification of acrylic acid with ethanol, catalyzed by sulfuric acid has been carried out in stirred batch reactor under atmospheric pressure. Different parameters such as effect of initial molar ratios of the reactants, effect of catalyst concentration, initial water and effect of temperature has been studied in the batch reactor. Different catalyst loading system (1–3 vol%), reaction temperatures (50–70 °C), initial reactants molar ratio (1:1–1:3) and water concentration in feed (0–20 vol%) was used in the reaction system. The temperature dependence is exponential and expressed by Arrhenius type of relationship. Kinetics parameters such as equilibrium constant, rate constants, activation energy and reaction enthalpy and entropy were estimated by experimental data. The rate equation has a remarkable fit to the data and was able to describe the behavior of the system at various reaction temperatures. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) and hydro iodic acid (HI) were also compared with sulphuric acid as catalyst for esterification of acrylic acid with ethanol. Sulphuric acid was found to be more efficient catalyst for esterification as it induces the maximum conversion of acrylic acid.
Preparing Allicin Nanocapsules and Determining the Factors Controlling Their Particle Size through Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Fakoor Yazdan Abad M. , Rajabzadeh Gh. , Taghvaei Ganjali S. , Tavakoli R.
Published: March 2016

Allicin nanocapsules were prepared via ionotropic pre-gelation. The wall materials were alginate-chitosan biopolymers. Nanocapsules were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). We tried to simulate the effects of three different variables on particle size through artificial intelligence approaches. Feedforward neural networks (FFNN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) were employed to model the size of allicin nanocapsules, and the latter was found to be relatively more successful in this regard. Finally, genetic algorithms were employed to determine the optimal values for the variables at which the smallest particles were formed.
Matching as a Stochastic Process
Authors: Bolle Friedel , Otto Philipp E.
Published: March 2016

Results of multi-party bargaining are usually described by concepts from cooperative game theory, in particular by the core. In one-on-one matching, core allocations are stable in the sense that no pair of unmatched or otherwise matched players can improve their incomes by forming a match. Because of incomplete information and bounded rationality, it is difficult to adopt a core allocation immediately. Theoretical investigations cope with the problem of whether core allocations can be adopted in a stochastic process with repeated re-matching. In this paper, we investigate sequences of matching with data from an experimental 2×2 labor market with wage negotiations. This market has seven possible matching structures (states) and is additionally characterized by the negotiated wages and profits. First, we describe the stochastic process of transitions from one state to another including the average transition times. Second, we identify different influences on the process parameters as, for example, the difference of incomes in a match. Third, allocations in the core should be completely durable or at least more durable than comparable out-of-core allocations, but they are not. Final bargaining results (induced by a time limit) appear as snapshots of a stochastic process without absorbing states and with only weak systematic influences.
New Chinglish and the Post-Multilingualism challenge: Translanguaging ELF in China
Authors: Wei Li
Published: March 2016

Building on the extensive ELF research that aims to reconceptualise English as a resource that can be appropriated and exploited without allegiance to its historically native speakers, this article explores the issue of English in China by examining New Chinglish that has been created and shared by a new generation of Chinese speakers of English in China and spread through the new media. This new form of English has distinctive Chinese characteristics and serves a variety of communicative, social and political purposes in response to the Post-Multilingualism challenges in China and beyond. I approach New Chinglish from a Translanguaging perspective, a theoretical perspective that is intended to raise fundamental questions about the validity of conventional views of language and communication and to contribute to the understanding of the Post-Multilingualism challenges that we face in the twenty-first century.
ELF in the making? simplification and hybridity in abstract writing
Authors: Lorés-Sanz Rosa
Published: March 2016

The fact that in the last few decades English has become the international language of scientific communication has brought with it an increasing pressure on non-Anglophone academics to disseminate their research internationally in English. Some disciplinary areas, such as Sociology, which have traditionally been dominated by Anglophone writers, are witness to an increasing number of non-native academics publishing in their most prestigious journals, hosted either in the United States or in Great Britain. This may have implications for the way academic texts are being written. This paper focuses on the evolution of the prestigious journalSocial Science Researchsince it was launched in 1972. My research hypothesis is that the fact that an increasing number of non-Anglophone writers are contributing to the journal may be modifying the rhetorical level of the research article abstracts. The analysis carried out in this study identifies processes of evolution in terms of simplification of the conventional rhetorical structure used for abstracts, and hybridization, which in fact involves a higher degree of textual complexity. The new, hybrid, patterns identified here may be the result of processes of contact and evolution, reshaping old forms into new forms that model English conventional patterns in innovative and creative ways. Further enquiry is needed to test the preliminary results yielded by the present study.
Arg924X homozygous mutation in insulin receptor gene in a Tunisian patient with Donohue syndrome
Authors: Azzabi Ons , Jilani Houweyda , Rejeb Imen , Siala Nadia , Elaribi Yasmina , Hizem Syrine , Selmi Ines , Halioui Sonia , Lascols Olivier , Jemaa Lamia Ben , Maherzi Ahmed
Published: March 2016

Donohue syndrome (DS) is a rare and lethal autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the insulin receptor (
Sharing the Burdens of the Brain Drain
Authors: Ypi Lea
Published: March 2016

This paper engages with Michael Blake and Gillian Brock’s recent book “Debating the Brain Drain” by examining the conditions under which freedom of movement can be justifiably constrained and criticising their analysis on how the asymmetries of migration (exit and entry, domestic and international) ought to be assessed form a normative perspective.