bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empédocle et Freud Réflexions sur la logique et le langage
Authors: Montevecchi Federica
Published: October 2018

Ce texte, présenté pour la première fois le 19 novembre 2016 au Centre Léon Robin ( cnrs -Université Paris-Sorbonne- ens Ulm) dans le cadre du Séminaire « Présocratiques », étudie la relation entre Empédocle et Freud. L’analyse de cette relation s’articule en trois temps : d’abord il s’agit de la comparaison que Freud établit avec Empédocle, ensuite on considère les affinités entre leurs doctrines, enfin on propose quelques observations sur la poésie d’Empédocle. Il s’agit d’une poétique encore liée à la parole, typique de la tradition orale, et à son poids de corporéité et d’émotivité, dans lequel émerge la relation, si importante en psychanalyse, entre logos et alogon , entre ce qui est rationnellement analysable et ce qui est intuitivement révélateur mais insaisissable au domaine du logos.
Remarques sur le corps autobiographique dans la psychose. Le Saut dans les Cahiers de Nijinski
Authors: Raffinot Louis
Published: October 2018

La démarche autobiographique dans la psychose suppose la confrontation avec une histoire paradoxale, précipitant le texte dans un corps à corps charnel toujours au bord de révéler les ruines d’une mémoire éclatée. Le texte vient prendre alors la place d’un corps imaginaire, remodelage s’affirmant de manière parfois délirante dans l’ambition ultime de contenir le risque d’un corps dissocié. En 1919, âgé de 29 ans, le chorégraphe-danseur Vaslav Nijinski écrit une succession de Cahiers dans lesquels il témoigne de la décompensation progressive de sa psychose. Entre deux époques de sa vie, les Cahiers marquent la rupture avec sa carrière artistique pour laisser place à l’internement jusqu’à la catatonie la plus extrême. Ainsi se joue alors la tentative d’exprimer parfois explicitement les raisons d’une douleur psychique lancinante. Les deuils sont nombreux, parfois indicibles. Nous avons voulu souligner l’importance de deux d’entre eux : la mort de son frère en 1918 faisant écho à celle de son père en 1912, ainsi que sa séparation avec Serge de Diaghilev et les Ballets Russes suite à son mariage avec la danseuse Romola de Pulszky. Par-delà les deuils évoqués, se révèle une impression plus radicale. Il s’agissait de concevoir l’importance de l’anti-conflictualité dans la psychose préalable à tout travail de deuil, laissant en suspens la question du statut d’une figure du corps tenant lieu d’incarnation de cette impossibilité. Là se construit l’hypothèse de la place du saut dans la vie de Nijinski, laissant apparaître la dimension radicalement corporelle de l’impression, que la démarche autobiographique tente d’exprimer et parfois de justifier. Dans cette perspective, nous avons voulu souligner la nécessité de concevoir un geste venant reconnaître l’impression inexprimable introduisant à l’hypothèse d’une symbolisation de cette impossibilité, laissant ainsi place, par le désir du thérapeute et dans le cas présent du lecteur, à l’élection d’une figure corporelle opérant comme un symptôme. Ce processus conditionne la mise en place de ce que nous avons appelé une Image du geste , permettant, avec des patients psychotiques, de contenir les agirs éventuels.
Introduction. Pourquoi une journée d’étude sur le numérique dans une association de psychanalyse ?
Authors: Le Corre Vincent
Published: October 2018

Une journée d’étude sur le numérique a été organisée au sein de l’association aleph . Le numérique jouant un rôle de plus en plus important dans de nombreux domaines, et particulièrement chez les adolescents, les psychanalystes sont amenés à s’y intéresser. Pour cette journée, nous avions choisi quatre thématiques : les réseaux sociaux avec le cyberharcèlement, l’usage excessif des jeux vidéo, la pornographie à l’ère d’Internet et enfin l’usage des jeux vidéo et des robots comme objets de médiation. En brossant rapidement le contexte actuel et en invoquant la figure du hacker , j’esquisse la possibilité pour les psychanalystes de s’inspirer du désir de réappropriation du savoir technique que l’on trouve chez les hackers .
Des jeux vidéo et des robots dans le cabinet du psychanalyste
Authors: Tordo Frédéric
Published: October 2018

L’auteur présente l’utilisation des médiations numériques et des médiations robotiques en psychothérapie analytique. C’est d’abord le cadre technique de ces nouvelles médiations thérapeutiques qui est présenté. C’est ensuite le type de régression engagée dans la clinique analytique par le jeu vidéo, ou encore les diverses fonctions remplies par les robots en séance. Ces observations conduisent à approcher ces médiations comme participant à la fois au travail de subjectivation et d’inter-subjectivation.
Quand Zelda devient un support narratif pornographique : rencontre de la pornographie à l’adolescence
Authors: Haza Marion
Published: October 2018

Cet article reprend les constats autour de la pornographie et de ses usages actuels à l’adolescence ; puis montre comment le récit de la pornographie peut être un levier thérapeutique. L’exemple développé ici part de l’usage de la Wii-U et du jeu vidéo The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild, dans lequel l’adolescent se saisit de l’image numérique et détourne le jeu, le recrée pour y déposer ses scénarios pubertaires et sexuels.
Performance of broiler chicks fed on two insect based-diets in South East Nigeria
Authors: Amobi M.I. , Ebenebe C.I.
Published: October 2018

The performance of broiler chicks fed on two common species of edible insects: African palm larva (Rhynchophorus phoenicis) and winged termite (Macrotermes bellicosus) in south east, Nigeria were studied using 135 day old Arbor acre birds. Three dietary treatments (T1, T2 and T3) representing Diet A (control: vital feed based fishmeal), Diet B (African palm larvae meal; APLM), and Diet C (containing winged termite meal; WTM), respectively, were used. T1 comprised of a standard feed of brand name ‘vital feed’ containing fishmeal which served as control while T2 and T3 both had insect meal: APLM and WTM, respectively, in place of fishmeal. Forty five broiler chicks were randomly assigned to each of the three dietary treatments at the rate of fifteen chicks per replicate and three replicates per treatment in a completely randomised design. The experiment lasted for eight weeks. During this period, the birds were subjected to similar husbandry and sanitation practices. Weekly record of feed intake, weight gain and linear body measurements were taken. Data obtained were subjected to ANOVA appropriate for completely randomised design and the differences between means were separated using least significant differences. The result showed that chicks fed with control diet based fishmeal (Diet A) had the highest feed intake compared to those fed Diet B and Diet C. Broiler chicks on Diet B however had the highest records in all performance indices (weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and linear body measurements) investigated followed by Diet C and lastly Diet A. The study therefore recommends the use of insect meal for complete or partial replacement of fishmeal in poultry feed formulation.
The Diabetic Foot
Authors: Wagner F William
Published: October 2018

ABSTRACT: Amputation of the lower extremity is more frequent in diabetic patients than in the general population. Causative factors include foot deformities, neuropathy, dysvascularity, infection, and gangrene. A grading and treatment program is outlined for aid in treating the lesions that develop in these feet.
Follow-up on Assessment of Student Outcomes by Senior-Year Design Project and Continuing to Improve by Performance Indicator Breakdown-Based Assessment
Authors: Dulekgurgen Ebru , Yangin-Gomec Cigdem , Karahan Özgün Özlem , Aydin Basak , Guven Huseyin
Published: October 2018

The study is a follow-up on rubric-based assessment of level of attainment of Student Outcomes (SOs) in Environmental Engineering undergraduate education by the senior-year Graduation Design Project (GDP): the focal points are the process of and results from incorporation of additional assessment tools and implementation of “Performance Indicator (PI)-breakdown” approach to continue improving the SO Assessment and Evaluation (A&E) process. For several consecutive cycles, A&E to define attainment level of total of seven SOs by the GDP gave results below the set thresholds for some of them (SO1,5,8), which indicated a discrepancy and a need for improvement not only in the assessment tools, but also in the A&E processes. Accordingly, two remedial actions were undertaken to meet those needs and the SOs were re-assessed. As the first remedial action, alternative assessment tools were incorporated to the SO A&E process. Assessment results revealed a clear progress in SO attainment, from 2014-15 to 2015-16. However, those lump-sum results still gave a general sense of students’ performance at SO-level. Therefore, some additional assessment tools were added and the “PI-breakdown”-based approach was implemented as the second remedial action. Those implementations enabled obtaining more realistic, detailed, and in-formative results and facilitated further fine tuning of the SO A&E process.
Hors Conrad : Congo Eza
Authors: Sambi Joëlle
Published: October 2018

Artiste polymorphe, tout à la fois romancière, poétesse et performeuse, Joëlle Sambi évoque son rapport complexe au roman de Conrad.
A Partial Least Squares Approach to the Leadership Styles, Organizational Culture, and Employees' Productivity
Authors: Rehman Saeeda , Zahid Muhammad , Rahman Haseeb Ur , Habib Muhammad Nauman
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between various leadership styles and employees' productivity in the banking industry of Pakistan. The study employed partial least squares (PLS) to a set of data collected through questionnaire from the employees of banks operating in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. The findings revealed a significant positive association between transformational leadership and employees' productivity. The authoritarian leadership was found insignificantly negative while a transactional leadership style accounted for an insignificant positive association with employees' productivity. Also, the findings confirmed that organizational culture has a significantly positive role in enhancing employees' productivity in the banking industry of Pakistan. The findings are useful for managers, regulators, policymakers, and employees of the banking industry in Pakistan. Also, the findings enrich the previous limited and incongruent literature in the area.
Are Adolescents Addicted to Smartphones?
Authors: Park Geunyong , Lim Jisun
Published: October 2018

This empirical study shows how people use their smartphones by employing the rational addiction model of Becker and Murphy. The analysis uses micro-level panel data on the monthly usage of smartphone applications (so-called “apps”) derived from 10,337 users in South Korea, from 2012 to 2016. The authors find that smartphone users are “addicted” to mobile phone apps, in the sense that their prior usage has significantly influenced their current use. Nonetheless, people in the sample seem to use their smartphones in a forward-looking manner, adjusting consumption over time to maximize their utility. On the other hand, the study's result rejects the conventional belief that younger individuals behave more myopically than older ones. Furthermore, only the mother's smartphone use was found to generate a positive externality for her children.
A Decision Support System and Visualisation Tools for AHP-GDM
Authors: Turón Alberto , Aguarón Juan , Escobar María Teresa , Moreno-Jiménez José María
Published: October 2018

The Precise Consistency Consensus Matrix (PCCM) is a decisional tool for AHP-Group Decision Making (AHP-GDM). Based on the initial pairwise comparison matrices of the individuals, the PCCM constructs a consensus matrix for the group using the concept of consistency. This paper presents a decision support system (PRIOR-PCCM) that facilitates the construction of the PCCM in the context of AHP-GDM, and the calculus of four indicators that allows comparison of the behaviour of group consensus matrices. PRIOR-PCCM incorporates the possibility of considering different weights for the decision makers and includes a module that permits the extension of the initial PCCM which can achieve the minimum number of non-null entries required for deriving priorities or establishing a complete PCCM matrix. It also includes two cardinal indicators for measuring consistency and compatibility and two ordinal indicators for evaluating the number of violations of consistency and priority. The paper introduces some new visualisation tools that improve comprehension of the process followed for obtaining the PCCM matrix and allow the cognitive exploitation of the results. These original contributions are illustrated with a case study.
A Demand-Response Scheme Using Multi-Agent System for Smart DC Microgrid
Authors: Rwegasira Diana Severine , Ben Dhaou Imed Saad , Kondoro Aron , Anagnostou Anastasia , Kelati Amleset , Naiman Shililiandumi , Taylor Simon J.E. , Mvungi Nerey H. , Tenhunen Hannu
Published: October 2018

This article describes a framework for load shedding techniques using dynamic pricing and multi-agent system. The islanded microgrid uses solar panels and battery energy management system as a source of energy to serve remote communities who have no access to the grid with a randomized type of power in terms of individual load. The generated framework includes modeling of solar panels, battery storage and loads to optimize the energy usage and reduce the electricity bills. In this work, the loads are classified as critical and non-critical. The agents are designed in a decentralized manner, which includes solar agent, storage agent and load agent. The load shedding experiment of the framework is mapped with the manual operation done at Kisiju village, Pwani, Tanzania. Experiment results show that the use of pricing factor as a demand response makes the microgrid sustainable as it manages to control and monitor its supply and demand, hence, the load being capable of shedding its own appliances when the power supplied is not enough.
An Enhanced Two Stage MMSE Equalizer for Coded FBMC/OQAM Systems
Authors: Assaf Mohammad Rizk , Assimi Abdel-Nasser
Published: October 2018

In this article, the authors investigate the enhanced two stage MMSE (TS-MMSE) equalizer in bit-interleaved coded FBMC/OQAM system which gives a tradeoff between complexity and performance, since error correcting codes limits error propagation, so this allows the equalizer to remove not only ICI but also ISI in the second stage. The proposed equalizer has shown less design complexity compared to the other MMSE equalizers. The obtained results show that the probability of error is improved where SNR gain reaches 2 dB measured at BER compared with ICI cancellation for different types of modulation schemes and ITU Vehicular B channel model. Some simulation results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed equalizer.
Adaptive Hierarchical Scheduling Framework for TiRTOS
Authors: Hussien Hesham , Shaaban Eman , Ghoniemy Said
Published: October 2018

The complexity of embedded real-time systems has increased, and most applications have large diversity in execution times of their tasks. Therefore, most traditional scheduling techniques do not satisfy requirements of such applications. This article proposes an adaptive hierarchical scheduling framework for a set of independent concurrent applications composing of soft and hard real time tasks, that run on a single processor. It ensures temporal partitioning between independent applications with budget adaption feature, where CPU time of each application is periodically and dynamically assigned. Implemented in the kernel of TI-RTOS on a resource constrained platform, experiments show that proposed scheme provides good performance for multiple applications with dynamic tasks under overload conditions. Compared with traditional priority scheduler originally implemented in TI-RTOS and EDF scheduler, it achieves low miss ratio with minimal overhead while yielding temporal partitioning.
Center Symmetric Local Descriptors for Image Classification
Authors: Narayanan Vaasudev , Parsi Bhargav
Published: October 2018

Local feature description forms an integral part of texture classification, image recognition, and face recognition. In this paper, the authors propose Center Symmetric Local Ternary Mapped Patterns (CS-LTMP) and eXtended Center Symmetric Local Ternary Mapped Patterns (XCS-LTMP) for local description of images. They combine the strengths of Center Symmetric Local Ternary Pattern (CS-LTP) which uses ternary codes and Center Symmetric Local Mapped Pattern (CS-LMP) which captures the nuances between images to make the CS-LTMP. Similarly, the auhtors combined CS-LTP and eXtended Center Symmetric Local Mapped Pattern (XCS-LMP) to form eXtended Center Symmetric Local Ternary Mapped Pattern (XCS-LTMP). They have conducted their experiments on the CIFAR10 dataset and show that their proposed methods perform significantly better than their direct competitors.
Designing a Connectivist Flipped Classroom Platform Using Unified Modeling Language
Authors: Chien Chih-Feng , Chen Gary Yu-Hsin , Liao Ching-Jung
Published: October 2018

By using unified modeling language (UML), the researchers design a cloud-based video discussion platform, named Flipnote, for students to ask questions at any point in an instructional video. Based on the digital learning theory of connectivism, knowledge is generated by mass discussion and experience sharing via a social network. The purpose of this study is to administer a pilot study to explore students' experience and outcome of using Flipnote. The results demonstrate that the four dimensions (e.g., diversity, openness, interactivity, and autonomy) of the connectivism model play important roles for the first half of the flipped class, which is the preview at home. However, more empirical research and data are needed to validate the parts played by cognitivism and constructivism in the flipped classroom.
Assessment of Professional Development and Research-Based Instructional Strategies for Instructors of Online Undergraduate STEM Courses
Authors: Miner-Romanoff Karen , Sweetland Yuerong , Yang Yi , Fennema Barbara
Published: October 2018

Professional development (PD) programs for faculty are critical for improvement of STEM instruction. Little research exists on the impact of such programs in the online environment. This article reports the pilot study results of an observation protocol (OP) on the development of an online PD program for STEM faculty grounded in research-based instructional strategies (RBIS) and the development plan for the program. The RBIS-based OP in place at Franklin University will be used to identify and assess online STEM instructors' teaching practices before and after the PD program. Pilot study results suggested that the OP yields valid and reliable evidence of STEM faculty's RBIS usage. Approximately 80 STEM course sections will be observed using the OP with data collected pre- and post-PD (3 year period). The mixed-method data will be analyzed by university researchers in conjunction with a community research partner. This project will test the success of an online professional development program with RBIS for higher education STEM faculty, aid determination of which RBIS can contribute most effectively to improving student outcomes and produce the first robust evidence of the impact of an online PD for STEM faculty.
A Systems Approach for Modeling Interactions Among the Sustainable Development Goals Part 2
Authors: Zelinka David , Amadei Bernard
Published: October 2018

This article presents a methodology using system dynamics to model the time-dependent progress of each one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as their mutual interactions. The hard-systems approach presented herein complements a soft-systems, cross-impact analysis approach presented in part 1. To accomplish this, a modified logistic innovation-diffusion model is used to represent the progress of individual SDGs over time. Then, matrix transposition is used to model the SDGs' interactions. Combining these two techniques into one system dynamics model, the authors propose an analytical, quantifiable, and easily learned tool to understand the complex interplay among the SDGs as a system. The new web-based tool can be used to analyze several scenarios of the SDGs over time to understand the impact of a certain policy or economic intervention. This article is the second of a sequence of two papers analyzing the interactions between the SDGs in a systemic manner.
Bootstrapping of Semantic Relation Extraction for a Morphologically Rich Language
Authors: Jagan Balaji , Parthasarathi Ranjani , Geetha T V
Published: October 2018

This article focuses on the use of a bootstrapping approach for the extraction of semantic relations that exist between two different concepts in a Tamil text. The proposed system, bootstrapping approach to semantic UNL relation extraction (BASURE) extracts generic relations that exist between different components of a sentence by exploiting the morphological richness of Tamil. Tamil is essentially a partially free word order language which means that semantic relations that exist between the concepts can occur anywhere in the sentence not necessarily in a fixed order. Here, the authors use Universal Networking Language (UNL), an Interlingua framework, to represent the word-based features and aim to define UNL semantic relations that exist between any two constituents in a sentence. The morphological suffix, lexical category and UNL semantic constraints associated with a word are defined as tuples of the pattern used for bootstrapping. Most systems define the initial set of seed patterns manually. However, this article uses a rule-based approach to obtain word-based features that form tuples of the patterns. A bootstrapping approach is then applied to extract all possible instances from the corpus and to generate new patterns. Here, the authors also introduce the use of UNL ontology to discover the semantic similarity between semantic tuples of the pattern, hence, to learn new patterns from the text corpus in an iterative manner. The use of UNL Ontology makes this approach general and domain independent. The results obtained are evaluated and compared with existing approaches and it has been shown that this approach is generic, can extract all sentence based semantic UNL relations and significantly increases the performance of the generic semantic relation extraction system.
Ballet Education for the Web 2.0 Generation
Authors: Iannone Alejandra Emilia
Published: October 2018

Today's elementary-school-aged ballet students were born in the era of Web 2.0. Their everyday lives are significantly engaged with digital technology. Though scholars have addressed related topics, no one has looked at how ballet can be taught to the Web 2.0 generation using twenty-first-century technologies. The purpose of this article is to help fill that gap in the literature. This author first, calls for a shift in the pedagogical approach to teaching elementary-school-aged students ballet; next, suggests incorporating student-generated time-lapse, tutorial, fan review and commentary, and reaction YouTube videos; then, argues that this cross-pollinated approach could help teachers develop specific skills in students, while also extending existing research on twenty-first-century technology as it relates to cultural identity, pedagogical approaches in arts education, and other pedagogical approaches.
Aristotle, Montaigne, Kant and the Others
Authors: Stern-Gillet Suzanne Marie
Published: October 2018

Concepts of inter-personal relations are most elusive. They conceal assumptions, norms, beliefs and various associated notions, and become even more opaque and potent when they transcend the language in which they are used and come to reflect a culture or a tradition. Escaping the critical gaze of those “in” the tradition, these concepts and their theoretical baggage remain largely alien to those outside it. This gap fosters a sense of alienation, if not of exclusion, on the part of those living outside what they often regard as a charmed circle. No doubt, friendship is unlikely to figure on the danger list of such concepts. Yet, the concept is not innocent. It reflects philosophical and social presuppositions accumulated in the course of its long history and bears the weight of the paradigm shifts it underwent. This essay identifies some of these presuppositions built into it, outlines major steps in its development, and offers reasons why this particulate inter-personal relation came to be conceived the way it is conceived in “the Western tradition”.
The Impact of a 3D Visual Programming Tool on Students' Performance and Attitude in Computer Programming
Authors: Al-Tahat Khalid
Published: October 2018

Learning programming can be challenging, particularly object-oriented programming (OOP). However, using visualization could be useful in enhancing students' learning OOP concepts. In this study, the impact of using a 3D visual programming tool – Alice 2 – on student performance and attitude was explored in an introductory computer programming course using Java. Research participants were undergraduate computing students at Arab Open University – Jordan branch. Quasi-experimental design was adopted in this research, where two groups of students were chosen. The findings of this research showed that using Alice has positively impacted on students' performance and attitude towards computer programming and learning OOP concepts. The study suggests the incorporation of Alice in teaching introductory programming courses.
Nitrogen compounds balance and microbial protein synthesis in supplemented crossbred dairy cows in pasture
Authors: Gutierrez Gabriela Santistevan , Lana Rogério De Paula , Teixeira Cesar Roberto Viana , Rennó Luciana Navajas , Veloso Cristina Mattos
Published: October 2018

The objective this work was to evaluate the supplementation of cows on Brachiaria decumbens pasture during the rainy-dry transition. Eight 1/2 Holstein/Zebu cows (497 ± 50 kg) were distributed in two 4 x 4 Latin squares, with 2 x 2 factorial treatments (100% mineral salt versus nitrogen salt containing 25:25:50% urea: corn: mineral salt, and 1.5 versus 3.0 kg d-1 concentrate per cow). The experiment lasted 56 days, divided into four periods of 14 days, the last seven days for data collection. No interaction effect (p > 0.05) was detected between the supplement and the different levels of concentrate for any of the evaluated variables. No effect (p > 0.05) of supplement or concentrate level was observed on urinary excretions of purine derivatives, microbial nitrogen compounds and microbial efficiency. Nitrogen salt increased (p < 0.05) nitrogen intake and increased urinary nitrogen excretion, leading to a reduced nitrogen balance, while the higher concentrate level increased (p < 0.05) nitrogen intake and the total amount of nitrogen excreted in milk. Therefore, it is recommended, for crossbred cows in the rainy-dry transition period, the supply of 1.5 kg d-1 concentrate during milking, using only mineral salt instead of nitrogen salt at will on pasture.
A formação continuada do professor no desenvolvimento brasileiro e sua relação com as diretrizes cepalinas nas décadas de 1960-1970
Authors: Almeida Janaina Aparecida de Mattos , Martins Fernando José
Published: October 2018

O fundamento do qual partimos é que o fomento e as demandas por políticas de formação continuada dos professores têm base histórica em condições relacionadas ao contexto do desenvolvimento brasileiro atrelado às orientações e diretrizes internacionais, especialmente da Comissão Econômica para a América Latina e Caribe (Cepal) a partir da década de 1960. O objetivo do presente texto é analisar, à luz do materialismo histórico dialético, tal relação, considerando, o relatório das conclusões e as recomendações da Conferência sobre a Educação e o Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social na América Latina, realizada em Santiago do Chile em 1962, em que os temas formação, intensificação, aperfeiçoamento e capacitação docente são explicitados como os suportes humanos da educação e como estratégias fundamentais para alavancar o desenvolvimento econômico brasileiro. O estudo apresentado é uma revisão bibliográfica e documental e tem a pretensão de contribuir com a ampliação do debate e explicitação das necessidades inerentes a esse contexto por políticas de formação continuada dos professores e, como contraponto, evidenciar os movimentos dos educadores contra hegemônicos antagônicos à linearidade da implantação dessas diretrizes.
Gratitude as a Christian lifestyle: An Afro-reformed theological perspective
Authors: Manala Matsobane J.
Published: October 2018

31 October 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of the birth of the Reformation in Germany, West Europe. One of the most important legacies of the Reformation is the teaching concerning God’s gracious salvation, received and appropriated only through faith in Christ Jesus our Saviour. The current article seeks to focus on reflection on gratitude as a Christian lifestyle in response to God’s redemption. The article reflects on gratitude as recognition account, highlighting the importance of gratitude as a Christian virtue, as a socioreligious phenomenon, and its importance in human happiness and well-being. This, as it shaped the life of Christians, is found especially in the African continent, in whose traditional life, gratitude was ubiquitous, known and practised even before conversion to the Protestant religion. The article also briefly highlights the fact that a relaxed attitude regarding the teaching on gratitude could result in Sunday or nominal Christianity and the demise of prophetic Christianity. Some concluding thoughts regarding gratitude are shared.
Cultural beliefs of time orientation and social self-construal: Influences on climate change adaptation
Authors: Terblanche-Greeff Aida C. , Dokken Jon-Vegard , Van Niekerk Dewald , Loubser Ruth A.
Published: October 2018

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges humankind faces and adaptive behaviour is an imperative response to such change. Culture and the resulting worldview are determinants of behaviour and eminent cultural beliefs are that of time orientation (TO) and social self-construal (SSC). To date, no research focuses on these beliefs from an indigenous South African perspective or the manner in which it may subsequently affect a community’s adaptation towards climate change. Q-methodology was used to study perspectives and beliefs in three peri-urban communities in South Africa and to investigate the interrelation between themes such as TO, SSC, climate change awareness and climate change causality. It became apparent that the communities are aware of climate change, yet little to no efforts are currently being made to adapt to climatic change. This absence of motivation to adapt may be attributed to limited risk perception and cultural beliefs of TO and SSC. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of cultural beliefs and its impact on climate change adaptation behaviour in the South African context. It is concluded that TO and SSC from an indigenous South African perspective influence community adaptation to climate change.
Building consensus for the development of child eye care services in South Darfur State of Sudan using the Delphi technique
Authors: Alrasheed Saif H. , Naidoo Kovin S. , Clarke-Farr Peter C. , Binnawi Kamal H.
Published: October 2018

Background: Global estimates suggest there are almost 19 million visually impaired children worldwide, most of whom reside in poor countries, with the major cause being treatable.Aim: To determine the barriers to accessing childhood eye care services and to develop an eye care plan for children in South Darfur State, Sudan.Setting: The study took place in South Darfur State, Sudan.Methods: The classical Delphi technique was used to build consensus on a list of statements, which were generated based on the themes established by the experts, as well as on an extensive literature review.Results: Response rates ranged from 90% in the first round (n = 18), 100% in the second round (n = 18) to 89% in the third and final round (n = 16). The total number of statements recommended by the Delphi panellists for development of the paediatric eye care plan, was 60 based on a consensus level of 80% agreement or more. The expert’s consensus on the following key elements for promotion and improvement of child eye care: The main barriers to accessing child eye care were high poverty rate, unavailability of child eye services and a lack of community awareness. The challenges facing visually impaired children were an absence of paediatric ophthalmologists, low vision and orthoptic services.Conclusion: The main barriers to accessing child eye care services were financial, clinical access and lack of knowledge. There should be greater collaboration between the Ministries of Health, Education and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to work together in addressing these barriers.
Two-level spontaneous pedicle fracture above a degenerative spondylolisthesis and minimally invasive treatment
Authors: Carr Daniel , Cook Richard , Bahoura Matthew , Tong Doris , Soo Teck
Published: October 2018

This is a case report and literature review. The objectives of the study are to describe minimally invasive treatment of pedicle fractures, to show contralateral pedicle changes with pedicle fracture treatment, and to review literature on incidence and mechanism of neural arch fractures. After conservative therapy, there are several options for the treatment of pedicle fractures including pediculoplasty, osteosynthesis, or fusion. As patients' age increases, the incidence of pedicle fracture may rise and minimally invasive pedicle screw treatment represents a good motion-preserving option to stabilize without fusion. We report a patient with spontaneous pedicle fractures above a degenerative spondylolisthesis and evidence of contralateral pedicle changes at L2 and L3. After minimally invasive pedicle screw placement, postoperative imaging demonstrated trabeculation across both L2 and L3 fractures with a resolution of contralateral pedicle sclerotic changes and healing of incompletely fracture contralateral pedicle at L2. Pedicle fractures lead to contralateral pedicle sclerotic changes and potential fracture and may cause significant back pain. Stabilization and healing of the neural arch can be achieved with minimally invasive placement of pedicle screws without need for fusion.
Multimodality techniques in microsurgical clipping as the gold standard treatment in the management of basilar tip aneurysm: A case series
Authors: Seng Liew , Yamada Yasuhiro , Rajagopal Niranjana , Mohammad Ameen , Teranishi Takao , Miyatani Kyosuke , Kawase Tsukasa , Kato Yoko
Published: October 2018

Introduction: Basilar aneurysms represent 5%–7% of all intracranial aneurysms. The main goal of open surgery is to achieve complete obliteration of the aneurysmal sac using minimal invasive technique while emphasizing on avoidance of complication. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of nine cases of unruptured basilar tip aneurysm referred to the Fujita Health University Banbuntane-Hotokukai Hospital, Japan. The objective of the study was to analyze the surgical outcomes of unruptured basilar tip aneurysm. Results: Nine patients with unruptured basilar tip aneurysm were referred to our hospital between 2015 and 2017. The median size of the aneurysm and age were 4.00 mm (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.25–6.75 mm) and 58 years (IQR = 54–70 years), respectively. Five patients (55.6%) were presented with multiple intracranial aneurysms. Surgical adjuncts such as intraoperative neuromonitoring, intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) angiography with dual-image videoangiography (DIVA), and neuroendoscope were used. Two patients developed transient postoperative oculomotor nerve palsy which resolved spontaneously. The median duration of surgery and days of hospitalization were 292 min (IQR = 237.5–350.5 min) and 12 days (IQR = 12–25 days), respectively. There was no mortality recorded in this case series. Conclusion: Microsurgical clipping of basilar tip aneurysm is safe in unruptured basilar tip aneurysm with a low risk of postoperative mortality or morbidity. All complications reported in this case series were transient with no long-term sequalae. The improved safety profile of microsurgical technique is due to the availability of intraoperative neuromonitoring, neuroendoscope, ICG, and DIVA. The application of multimodality technique in neurovascular surgery has also helped to achieve complication avoidance. The obliteration of the aneurysmal sac helps to restore the laminar blood flow in the bifurcation and distal blood vessels and improves the brain perfusion.
The optimal operative timing of traumatic intracranial acute subdural hematoma correlated with outcome
Authors: Karnjanasavitree Worawach , Phuenpathom Nakornchai , Tunthanathip Thara
Published: October 2018

Objective: Acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) has been associated with mortality in traumatic brain injury. The timing of surgical evacuation for ASDH has still been controversial. The object of this study was to determine the temporal and clinical factors associated with outcome following surgery for ASDH. Materials and Methods: The study retrospectively viewed medical records and neuroimaging studies of ASDH patients who underwent surgical evacuation. Surgical outcomes were dichotomized into favorable and unfavorable outcomes, and operative times compared between the groups. Results: The records of 145 ASDH patients who underwent surgery were reviewed. Almost two-thirds of the patients were admitted for surgical evacuation, of whom 71% underwent a decompressive operation. The temporal variables were as follows: mean time from scene of accident to emergency department (ED) was 70 (Standard deviation [SD] 256.0) min, mean time from ED to obtaining CT of the brain was 45.6 (SD 38.9) min, mean time from brain computed tomographic to operating room arrival was 68.6 (SD 50.0) min, and mean time from ED arrival to skin incision was 160.1 (SD 88.1) min. The mean time from ED arrival to skin incision was significantly shorter in the unfavorable outcome group. Because of this reverse association between time from ED to surgery, multivariate analysis was applied to adjust the timing factors with other clinical factors, and the results indicated that temporal factors were not associated with functional outcome, as features such as increased intracranial pressure due to obliterated basal cistern and brain herniation were significantly associated with functional outcome. Conclusions: The optimal times for surgical evacuation of ASDH are challenging to estimate because compressed brainstem signs are more important than time factors. ASDH patients with compressed brainstem should have surgery as soon as possible.
Poisson kernel expansions for Schrödinger operators on trees
Authors: Anantharaman Nalini , Sabri Mostafa
Published: October 2018

We study Schrödinger operators on trees and construct associated Poisson kernels, in analogy to the Laplacian on the unit disc. We show that in the absolutely continuous spectrum, the generalized eigenfunctions of the operator are generated by the Poisson kernel. We use this to define a “Fourier transform”, giving a Fourier inversion formula and a Plancherel formula, where the domain of integration runs over the energy parameter and the geometric boundary of the tree.
Weyl-type bounds for Steklov eigenvalues
Authors: Provenzano Luigi , Stubbe Joachim
Published: October 2018

We present upper and lower bounds for Steklov eigenvalues for domains in

\mathbb R^{N+1}

with

C^2

boundary compatible with the Weyl asymptotics. In particular, we obtain sharp upper bounds on Riesz-means and the trace of corresponding Steklov heat kernel. The key result is a comparison of Steklov eigenvalues and Laplacian eigenvalues on the boundary of the domain by applying Pohozaev-type identities on an appropriate tubular neigborhood of the boundary and the min-max principle. Asymptotically sharp bounds then follow from bounds for Riesz-means of Laplacian eigenvalues.
Prevalence of Caries among Schoolchildren in the Interior of Suriname
Authors: Crombag Puck , Schuller Annemarie A.
Published: October 2018

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of caries among children living in the interior of Suriname and to investigate the influence of the reachability of their habitats and different ethnicities on the prevalence of caries. As part of children’s regular dental check-ups, data on the prevalence of caries were registered for schoolchildren (n = 1,309) living in four different regions. Prevalence of caries was expressed by the number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT index). Consequences of severe caries were recorded by counting the number of teeth with pulp involvement, ulcerations, fistulas, and abscesses. Depending on the habitat, the number of children with caries in their primary dentition varied between 68% and 100%, in the mixed dentition between 79% and 98%, and in their permanent dentition between 54% and 94%. After the World Health Organization criteria, the average scores of dmft were high in children with primary teeth (except for Brokopondo), moderate to high in children with mixed dentition and low to moderate in children with permanent teeth. Children in more remote areas had a greater prevalence of caries than children in less remote regions. Severe consequences of caries were seen in 14–75% of the children. Treatments were rarely performed. Children in the interior of Suriname are in great need of preventive and curative dental treatments.
Why?
Authors: Vernon J. Scott
Published: October 2018

Dr. J. Scott Vernon presented the 2017 AAAE Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education in San Luis Obispo, California in May, 2017. The article is a philosophical work based upon the author’s experiences in the agricultural education profession.
A Capstone Experience: Impacts of a Behavioral Style Learning Unit on Soft Skill Development and Team Dynamics
Authors: Sandlin M’Randa R. , Price Melissa R. , Perez Kauahi
Published: October 2018

The integration of hard and soft skills has become increasingly important to employers. Colleges of agriculture and natural sciences can facilitate the development of these skills in their students. The purpose of this study was to explore impacts of a behavioral style learning unit on soft skill development with 15 students enrolled in a senior-level undergraduate capstone course. The research objectives were to (a) explore students’ preflections and reflections for indications of soft skill development, (b) explore team dynamics, and (c) identify best practices for integrating a behavioral style learning unit into a capstone course. Qualitative content analysis methods and basic quantitative methods were used to examine the preflections and reflections of the students. Students found the behavioral assessment improved understanding of their own behavioral needs, and allowed them to flex their style to meet the needs of team members. Relationship compatibility, based on behavioral styles within teams, correlated with the ability of team members to accurately perceive their contributions to tasks, relative to peer-based perceptions of contributions. Based on these results, it is recommended that a behavioral style learning unit, or a similar psychological type unit, be integrated into courses where soft skills are a desired student learning outcome.
Agriculture Teachers’ Integrated Belief Systems and its Influence on their Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Authors: Rice Amber H. , Kitchel Tracy
Published: October 2018

This grounded theory study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of experienced agriculture teachers in the plant sciences. The central phenomenon that emerged during data collection and analysis was the influence of beliefs on shaping participants’ PCK. This finding guided subsequent collection and analysis that resulted in the following central research question: what shapes experienced agriculture teachers’ PCK in plant sciences? The data presented here focused on the most emergent category shaping PCK, integrated belief systems, which included participants’ beliefs about the purpose of agricultural education, beliefs about plant science education, and beliefs about teaching and learning in agricultural education. A substantive level theory was developed that illustrated the relationships between the three belief components on participants’ PCK. These findings support further investigation into how beliefs are shaping agriculture teachers’ PCK in plant sciences and other agriculture content areas.
Personal Resilience as a Predictor of Professional Development Engagement and Career Satisfaction of Agriscience Teachers
Authors: Easterly III R. G. (Tre) , Myers Brian E.
Published: October 2018

The profession of teaching is inherently stressful. Resilience, or the ability to adapt and develop competence despite exposure to disruptive change, has been shown to be beneficial for teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine if personal resilience is a predictor of professional development engagement and career satisfaction of agriscience teachers. A census of agriscience teachers in four purposefully selected states was taken. Data were collected using the TailoredDesign Method, using multiple points of contact with multiple modes to minimize survey error. The overall response rate was 72.5% (n = 892). The linear combination of independent variables in a stepwise backwards regression model explained 13.7% of the variance of professional development engagement and 21.4% of the variance of career satisfaction. These findings suggested that increasing the resilience of agriscience teachers, specifically in the areas of positive: world and focused, could lead to increased engagement in professional development and career satisfaction, which has been shown to be a factor that increases teacher efficacy. Additional research is needed to explore how to increase the resilience of agriscience teachers and the relationship between teacher resilience and student outcome variables.
Agriscience Education Through Inquiry-Based Learning: Investigating Factors that Influence the Science Competence of Middle School Students
Authors: Skelton Peter , Blackburn J. Joey , Stair Kristin S. , Levy Natalie , Dormody Thomas J.
Published: October 2018

Inquiry-based teaching methods have been found to enhance students’ abilities to understand the process of scientific inquiry. The purpose of this study was to determine if middle school students taught through an inquiry-based teaching approach consisting of scientific skill development, scientific knowledge, and scientific reasoning were more likely to meet their respective science grade level expectation. Participants consisted of predominantly Hispanic sixth and eighth grade students enrolled in school enrichment programs through the MMSAEEC. Inquiry-based instruction was integrated within science classes using lessons in soil pH and water quality. Overall, sixth grade students scored highest on items related to science skill, while the eighth grade students scored highest on the science knowledge portion of the instrument. Regarding the sixth grade students, science reasoning and science skill were found to be significant predictors of grade level expectation, while science skill was significant for the eighth grade data. It is recommended that teachers incorporate inquiry-based learning strategies into their classrooms to encourage students to ask questions and refine their ability to think critically and solve problems. Further research is needed to clarify the role of science comprehension and the associated sub-dimensions with the ability to predict grade level expectation.