bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intrapreneurship at University
Authors: Khan Khalid Muhammad , Hyder Irfan
Published: February 2020

Admission of students in academic degree programs in a university fluctuates over time due to economic and global trends impacting and shifting the job opportunities from one field to another. In the absence of any government funding, revenues of private sector universities are more sensitive to these shifts. Designing and launching of new programs needs to be undertaken much before the intake dries up because there is a time-lapse of several years before the impact on admission numbers becomes visible. This chapter presents a sustainable readiness strategy for implementing intrapreneurship in a university that rewards faculty innovation and creativity in designing and launching new programs before the intake starts declining precipitously. The process of the discovery of this strategy with its implementation challenges and rewards is described through the use of autoethnographic methodology. The results show that the proposed strategy induces many benefits, such as faculty ownership, responsiveness, and motivation.
Women's Self-Perception of Opportunities and Challenges for Entrepreneurship
Authors: Santos Jannielton de Sousa , Lima Júnior Johannes de Oliveira , Mesquita Rafael Fernandes de , Cruz Vera Lúcia
Published: February 2020

The figure of the woman, in the business context, has been gaining strength and space, being perceptible its rise in the entrepreneurship, over the last decades. However, this space is still predominantly male, making it harder for women to join this environment. With this in view, several researches propose to study the entrepreneurship of women, however, with a lack of feminist perspective. In this sense, this chapter aims to analyze the self-perception of female students of the course of business administration on their possibilities and challenges of acting as entrepreneurs. This research uses interviews with young women students of a course of business administration as a data, under a qualitative approach and analytical treatment. As a result, it was found that, from the interviewees' perspective, women still have their entrepreneurial ascendancy restricted mainly by prejudice and male discrimination still in force, although they believe that little by little this reality has changed.
May That Nothing Limit Us, May That Nothing Define Us
Authors: Araújo Maria Kélvia Ferreira de , Silva Raul Luiz Sousa , Mesquita Rafael Fernandes de , Matos Fátima Regina Ney
Published: February 2020

The act of undertaking entrepreneurial activity comprises taking advantage of market opportunities, but this does not occur indiscriminately in relation to the gender of the entrepreneur. This chapter aims to analyze the context of the development of startups from the perspective of the women participation in this scenario. Thus, an overview of the development of startups in an international context and their relationship with the characteristics of entrepreneurship as a theoretical background involving this panorama is presented as results. In addition, specifically in relation to the purpose of the study, the text of the chapter deals with the issue of women in the development of startups, the theoretical discussions about women entrepreneurship, and how the experience of female participation in the development of startups is characterized in the academic literature. The chapter situates Brazilian contextual information but brings it to a broader discussion of entrepreneurship under the gender bias.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Information
Authors: Gavancha Irina Filipa , Paiva Inna Sousa
Published: February 2020

The importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been increasing especially in the last decade, due to the positive pressure exerted by society in general. This chapter analyses the relevance of CSR, associated theories and studies carried out in the last decade related to financial information and consequently accounting quality. The strong link between CSR and financial information that is directed towards knowledge of mitigation of asymmetry information is evident. We aim to contribute to the development of sustainability accounting, presenting assumptions that mitigate the blocks of practice of CRS acts that make the return of positive elements possible, namely the image of entities and their financial economic improvement.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Barbieri da Rosa Luciana Aparecida , Martins-Rodrigues Maria Carolina , Godoy Tais Pentiado , Yamakawa Zavatti Campos Waleska Yone , Gomes Clandia Maffini , Barbieri Larissa Cristina
Published: February 2020

Corporate social responsibility is conceptualized as a voluntary activity of organizations, which evidence the inclusion of environmental and social objectives in the interactions with stakeholders, as well as in their operational activities. Thus, the general objective was to analyze the characteristics of the publications related to the topic corporate social responsibility in the last three decades, in the Web of Science and in Scopus databases. There was an increase in the number of articles published per year with the “boom” in the years 2013 to 2018, in both databases. The authors at the Copenhagen Business School (79; 129) and York University (92; 104) were where the most scientific articles published on the subject on both databases. Regarding the main research areas in publications on corporate social responsibility, there seems to be a convergence in the main research areas of most published articles.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Disclosure of Socioenvironmental Risks by Credit Unions
Authors: Almeida Rodrigo Gaspar de , Neumann Marguit , Sanches Simone Leticia Raimundini , Bressan Valéria Gama Fully
Published: February 2020

This study aimed to investigate which groups of stakeholders Sicredi has included in its assessment of socioenvironmental risks. To that end, the content analysis technique was applied for primary sources, interviews with Sicredi's superintendent and the supervisor of Brazil's Central Bank, and secondary sources e.g. organizational reports. Results evidenced that stakeholders—credit union members, employees, government, community and the media—were included in Sicredi's socioenvironmental risk disclosure. As theoretical contributions, this study provides discussions around corporate social responsibility and socioenvironmental risks at credit unions. The target audience of this study can be those in academia, practitioners, business managers, professionals from the financial industry, and corporate social responsibility researchers.
Integrated Reports and Board Diversity
Authors: Lopes Ana Isabel , Braz Maria João
Published: February 2020

Organizations currently must report to a broader audience, capturing the attention of several categories of stakeholders, who want to know why, where, and how companies create and add value, and how they deal with responsibility and sustainability issues, contributing to the emerging of integrated reporting (IR). IR is as an innovation in promoting a holistic and integrated vision of the business, where the Board of Directors must play an important role. This chapter covers diversity of directors seated on the board of integrated reporters, comparing two groups: those who are IR references and those that are IR regular reporters. The results show that organizations with larger boards, higher proportions of non-executive directors, and a higher proportion of women on the board have an higher probability of preparing IR reference reports, while the duality role of CEO inverts the probability, and no relationship is found with board experience.
The Impact of Firm Performance and Corporate Governance on Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Kammoun Souhaila , Loukil Sahar , Loukil Youssra Ben Romdhane
Published: February 2020

Based on the behavioral aspect of the governance theory, this chapter explores the effect of the firm performance and corporate governance (CG) on corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement by investigating their causal effects. Using annual reports of a large and extensive sample of French firms for the year 2014‐2016, we find that firm performance significantly improves that firm's social responsibility, but it has a significant and negative impact when we consider corporate government as a contingency factor. The results show that the existence of institutional administrator is in favor of CSR while it is the inverse effect when we consider the other independent administrators. However, we fail to find any significant impact of administrator's expertise. Our results suggest that pressures exerted by outsiders and corporate governance mechanisms influence CSR practices. Overall, our study implies that corporate governance attributes play a vital role in ensuring organizational legitimacy through CSR. The study findings should be of interest to regulators and policy makers.
Equipping Educational Developers for Inclusive International Programs in Higher Education
Authors: Sánchez-García Davinia , Dafouz Emma
Published: February 2020

Given the internationalization process of higher education across the globe, continuing professional development (CPD) of academic staff is vital to ensure the quality of teaching and learning. Under such scenario, the European Erasmus+ project “Educational Quality at Universities for Inclusive International Programmes” (EQUiiP) identifies the role of the internationally-oriented educational developer (ED) as crucial to higher education institutions (HEIs) and provides these institutions with the means to support academic staff and hereby enhance the quality of internationalized programs taught in international classrooms. Consequently, this chapter provides the conceptual rationale behind the EQUiiP project, delves into the needs of teacher education programs and the role played by the EDs, and describes the EQUiiP project and its outcomes by providing concrete examples of its inclusive CPD program. Finally, some implications and recommendations for teacher professional development, with specific reference to the Spanish setting, are offered.
Fostering English-Medium Instruction (EMI) Through Flipped Learning
Authors: Andujar Alberto
Published: February 2020

This chapter explores the possibilities of the flipped learning methodology to foster and improve English-medium instruction (EMI) at a higher education level. The design principles of EMI and flipped learning, and the most relevant theoretical frameworks for each of the fields are discussed. Moreover, factors to be considered when implementing the flipped learning model in EMI contexts are presented. Blended learning environments such as the flipped learning model may become a support during EMI, facilitating the development of interaction and collaborative work, and giving rise to a task-based communicative-oriented environment. At the same time, the flipped model may help overcome some of the challenges presented in the EMI literature.
Crow-ENN
Authors: Ullah Rehan , Khan Abdullah , Shah Abid Syed Bakhtawar , Khan Siyab , Shah Said Khalid , Ali Maria
Published: February 2020

DNA sequence classification is one of the main research activities in bioinformatics on which, many researchers have worked and are working on it. In bioinformatics, machine learning can be applied for the analysis of genomic sequences like the classification of DNA sequences, comparison of DNA sequences. This article proposes a new hybrid meta-heuristic model called Crow-ENN for leukemia DNA sequences classification. The proposed algorithm is the combination of the Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) and the Elman Neural Network (ENN). DNA sequences of Leukemia are used to train and test the proposed hybrid model. Five other comparable models i.e. Crow-ANN, Crow-BPNN, ANN, BPNN and ENN are also trained and tested on these DNA sequences. The performance of models is evaluated in terms of accuracy and MSE. The overall simulation results show that the proposed model has outperformed all the other five comparable models by attaining the highest accuracy of over 99%. This model may also be used for other classification problems in different fields because it can achieve promising results.
UBERGP
Authors: Baker Abu , Iqbal Furqan , Rukh Lala
Published: February 2020

For successful life human being needs good health but illness is a part of life. The crowd in the hospitals, long waiting of doctor appointments makes the patients more disturb. Sometimes the patient sees the other serious patients in hospitals which makes him mental sick. Also due to busy life schedules, the peoples have not enough time to visit the doctor's clinics for small health problems which may lead to a serious disease. In this regard, the application UberGP is developed to assist the patients to connect with the doctor on phone to phone consultancy or book appointment to come doctor at home. This application has numerous benefits in case of time saving and quick appointment system at home or office. This study provides the detail documentation and usage of the UberGP Application.
The Effect of List-Liner-Based Interaction Technique in a 3D Interactive Virtual Biological Learning Environment
Authors: Ali Numan , Ullah Sehat , Musa Zuhra
Published: February 2020

Various interaction techniques (such as direct, menu-based, etc.) are provided to allow users to interact with virtual learning environments. These interaction techniques improve their performance and learning but in a complex way. In this chapter, we investigated a simple list-liner based interface for gaining access to different modules within a 3D interactive Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). We have implemented a 3D interactive biological VLE for secondary school level students by using virtual mustard plant (VMP), where students interact by using 3D interactive device with the help of list-liner based interface. The aim of this work is to provide an easy interaction interface to use list-liner interaction technique by using 3D interactive device in an information-rich and complex 3D virtual environment. We compared list-liner interface with direct interface and evaluations reveal that the list-liner interface is very suitable and efficient for student learning enhancement and that the students can easily understand and use the system.
Biopsychology
Authors: Prasad Barre Vijaya
Published: February 2020

The study of biopsychology seeks to describe the physiological mechanisms of the body that mediate our movement and mental activity. Biopsychology focuses on biological basis of behavior (i.e., how brain and other biological processes affect psychological behaviors). Biopsychology is also known as biological psychology or psychobiology. Biopsychology is the application of the principles of biology to the study of mental processes and behavior that is the study of psychology in terms of bodily mechanisms.
Anatomy of the Brain
Authors: Kumar Sumit
Published: February 2020

Neuroanatomy is a specific branch within neuroscience that deals with brain anatomy. Its broad area includes the brain structure, organization, and localization/networks of the nervous system. It also helps in understanding the sensorimotor systems, along with associated function like learning, behavior, vision, attention, language, and so on. In the present chapter, the author comprehensively discussed the brain basic morphology, architecture, and also some functional aspects of the brain. At the end of this chapter, the author included the tool and techniques used in the study of brain anatomy so that student can learn and understand the topic clearly.
Neuropsychological Assessment
Authors: Bajaj Manoj Kumar
Published: February 2020

This chapter will cover the basic concepts of neuropsychological assessment. This chapter will cover the main issues involved while assessing the person with brain damage. The process of neuropsychological assessment, relevant history for the purpose of comprehensive reporting of findings and responding to the referral questions, better understating of the goals of assessment, selection of the assessment approaches, issues involved in administration of the tests, theories involved while interpreting the test findings, and reporting of findings of the assessment will help the reader to understand holistic view of the individual's capacities.
History of the European Neighborhood Policy and Eastern Partnership
Authors: Walter Aaron Thomas
Published: February 2020

The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) was designed in 2004 to create closer ties between the EU and its eastern and southern neighboring countries. In 2009, the Eastern Partnership (EaP), a joint initiative between the 28 EU Member States and 6 Eastern countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine), was launched on the same basis of supporting area of prosperity and good neighborliness. To understand how the EU engages its neighboring countries in the southern Mediterranean and northern borders and fulfills the EaP in its requirements of security and stability, a history of the ENP and EaP is provided. The following chapter shall also explore the ENP and EaP framework and challenges linked to consequentialism and appropriateness between 2005 and 2017, including new approaches in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and 2015 migration crisis.
Future of the Eastern Partnership in the Region
Authors: Walter Aaron Thomas
Published: February 2020

The aim of this chapter is to examine the main objectives and key challenges of the EU's Eastern Partnership (EaP). In this effort, the outlook and aspirations of the EU's policy towards its eastern neighbors (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) are explored, and the key issues of the (eastern dimension) policy are discussed as well offering key forecasts as to the EaP future. The chapter endeavors to show that, while relatively new, the EaP has enhanced the role of the EU at the global level in terms of foreign, security, and defense policy. Despite the war in Donbas and the crisis in Ukraine and unresolved issues in the Eastern Neighborhood on matters of governance, democracy, and economy, progress continues improving the EaP.
Russian Minorities and Intimidation Tactics
Authors: Everett Judas
Published: February 2020

Rather than seeing recent Russian actions as part of a grand strategy or master plan, it is worth taking a moment to consider the opposite – that such actions may be reactive measures from a regime more lacking grand strategies than is generally supposed. Focusing on the issue of Russian minorities in Ukraine, it is clear that while Putin has been most assertive in his utilisation of Russian minorities as a pretext to interfere with Ukraine, the threat to do so is nothing new. Ever since the prospect of an independent Ukraine arose, during the rule of Gorbachev, Russian elites have made implicit and explicit threats which utilised the Russian minority in Ukraine. The fact that Ukrainian compliance had been achieved without having to resort to such measures, which are likely to prove destructive in the long term, should not be taken as part of a grand master plan. Rather, they should be seen as desperate reactive measures of a regime that must have seen less and less available options.
Ukrainian Legitimacy Equation
Authors: Bazhenova Hanna , Surzhynskyi Maksym
Published: February 2020

This chapter is an attempt to frame a new perspective on the potent sources of external and internal challenges that Ukraine faces today. Hence, it aims to contribute to the outlined body of research in three ways. First, the chapter provides insight on the undervalued importance of legitimacy, explains its correlation with political inclusion, good governance, and sustainable economic development. Second, the authors also aim to identify hidden patterns of sociopolitical importance which are essential not just for Ukraine but for other countries as well. Those patterns are illustrative of a new era of geopolitics which involves fusing the latest tech innovations with political science in order to compete over internal political systems. Finally, the chapter is an attempt to determine if there are new potential approaches to improve the resilience of the DNA of Ukrainian democracy to contemporary threats and challenges. The authors try to combine theoretical findings with their practical implications in the form of feasible tools that can be used by interested stakeholders on the ground.
Challenges in Securing Industrial Control Systems Using Future Internet Technologies
Authors: Stojanović Mirjana D. , Boštjančič Rakas Slavica V.
Published: February 2020

This chapter explores challenges in securing industrial control systems (ICS) and Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems using Future Internet technologies. These technologies include cloud computing, fog computing, Industrial internet of things (IIoT), etc. The need to design specific security solutions for ICS/SCADA networks is explained. A brief overview of cyber vulnerabilities and threats in industrial control networks, cloud, and IoT environments is presented. The security of cloud-based SCADA systems is considered, including benefits and risks of SCADA migration to the cloud, challenges in securing such systems, and migration toward fog computing. Challenges in securing IIoT are addressed, including security risks and operational issues, key principles for securing IIoT, the functional security architecture, and the role of fog computing. Authors point out current standardization activities and trends in the area, and emphasize conclusions and future research directions.
Modeling of ICS/SCADA Crypto-Viral Attacks in Cloud-Enabled Environments
Authors: Zimba Aaron , Kunda Douglas
Published: February 2020

The production processes of critical infrastructures (CIs) are managed and monitored by Industrial Control Systems (ICS) such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). The resulting CIs networks are huge and complex, which have inadvertently called for the integration of other technologies such as the internet for efficiency. The integration of such unsecured technologies and the advent of new computing paradigms such as IoT (internet of things) and Cloud computing which are being integrated into current industrial environments, giving rise to Industry 4.0 have further expanded the attack surface. This chapter considers a new breed of security attacks, crypto-viral attacks (crypto mining and crypto ransomware attacks), which target both the production and control networks of CIs. The authors model these attacks and evaluate their impacts. Such modeling is crucial in understanding the extent of the scope and detection capabilities of the first line of defense (intrusion detection and prevention systems), and possible avenues for mitigation strategies are suggested.
A Cyber-Physical System Testbed for Security Experimentation
Authors: Hale John , Habib Abraham , Raval Rujit , Irvin Ryan , Hawrylak Peter J.
Published: February 2020

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) are systems which integrate computational, networking, and physical components within a single functional environment. They play an important role in critical infrastructure, government, and everyday life. CPSs encumber many requirements, such as robustness, safety and security, Quality of Service (QoS), and trust. In addition, CPSs combine a variety of digital and analog technologies. Consequently, their analysis, verification, and control can be challenging. The science of protecting CPSs from blended attacks, those combining cyber and physical attack vectors, is yet to be developed. A much-needed tool on this front is a suitable test environment in which to pursue lines of experimentation and exploration. This chapter describes a testbed that allows researchers to experiment on blended attack and defense scenarios in CPSs through gamification. The testbed features many different systems, both cyber and physical, that are fully instrumented for data analysis and assessment.
Building Industrial Scale Cyber Security Experimentation Testbeds for Critical Infrastructures
Authors: Negi Rohit , Handa Anand , Shukla Sandeep Kumar
Published: February 2020

Power Grid, Water/Sewage control system, and Industrial automation are some examples of critical infrastructures. They are critical because malfunctioning of any of these may lead to severe industrial accidents. It may also have severe implications for the national economy and security. Nation-states are gearing up for potential cyber warfare, signs of which are already visible in various incidents such as Stuxnet, BlackEnergy, and many other recent attacks. As a result, research in cyber defense for such critical systems is an urgent need for all countries. IIT Kanpur has established the National Interdisciplinary Center for Cyber Security and Cyber Defense of Critical Infrastructures (C3i Center) to engage in research in this crucial area. In the past, the authors carried out a lot of cybersecurity experiments on co-Simulator-based platforms. These experiments show that they do not allow us to penetrate at the granularity required to defend real systems and therefore, physical test-beds are to be constructed. In this chapter, the authors describe how to build various test-beds.
A Compressive Compilation of Cyber Security for Internet of Energy (IoE)
Authors: Arroyo-Figueroa Gustavo , Rojas-Gonzalez Isai , Hernández-Aguilar José Alberto
Published: February 2020

Internet of energy (IoE) is the natural evolution of Smart Grid incorporating the paradigm of internet of things (IoT). This complicated environment has a lot of threats and vulnerabilities, so the security challenges are very complex and specialized. This chapter contains a compilation of the main threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks that can occur in the IoE environment and the critical structure of the electrical grid. The objective is to show the best cybersecurity practices that can support maintaining a safe, reliable, and available electrical network complying with the requirements of availability, integrity, and confidentially of the information. The study includes review of countermeasures, standards, and specialized intrusion detection systems, as mechanisms to solve security problems in IoE. Better understanding of security challenges and solutions in the IoE can be the light on future research work for IoE security.
Cyber Security in Health
Authors: Santos Bruno J. , Tabacow Rachel P. , Barboza Marcelo , Leão Tarcisio F. , Bock Eduardo G. P.
Published: February 2020

Cyber security in Healthcare is a growing concern. Since it has been a proliferation of IoT devices, data breaches from the healthcare industry are increasing the concern about how cyber security can protect data from connected medical devices. Recent years have seen numerous hacking and IT security incidents. Many healthcare organizations are facing problems to defend their networks from cybercriminals. In the current digital era, the physical world has a cyber-representation. Both the real and virtual worlds are connected in areas, such as informatics and manufacturing. Health 4.0 (H4.0) refers to a group of initiatives aiming to improve medical care for patients, hospitals, researchers, and medical device suppliers. Increasing collaboration in terms of medical equipment, artificial organs, and biosensors is a way to facilitate H4.0. As a result, cyber security budgets have increased, new technology has been purchased, and healthcare organizations are improving at blocking attacks and keeping their networks secure.
Shifting Toward Consumer-Centricity
Authors: Gourdji Jeff , Davis Scott M.
Published: February 2020

In the face of government reform and competitive disruption, healthcare organizations are in need of consumer-centric transformation: transformation that will help them win when consumers shop for a doctor, plan, or medicine and engage them in their care to form a partnership that will improve outcomes and lower costs. The authors interviewed 70 senior executives at leading provider systems, health plans, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to understand their transformation agenda. Interviews asked such question as What initiatives and changes are underway? Where have they had success? What will come next? Where have they struggled?” And, most importantly, What can others learn from them? Davis and Gourdji uncovered five shifts and share practical advice and examples of what these leaders are doing to set them in motion.
Healthcare Reform
Authors: Kumar Abburi Anil
Published: February 2020

The healthcare system in the U.S. is very fragmented in its structure. It is generally agreed that it needs to be reformed. This chapter addresses this issue from an organizational point of view with specific reference to cancer, a disease termed “The Emperor of All Maladies.” The basic tenet of this chapter is that any healthcare system should be designed so as to maximize the benefit to all the stakeholders involved, while incorporating the newer advances in technologies, but above all, must be patient-centered. Solving a complex adaptive problem requires different approaches compared to solving a simple technical challenge. Especially, when it comes to dealing with cancer—a very intelligent, continually adapting, rule breaking, self-sustaining disease—simple technical solutions are insufficient without an understanding of how to change the system. After discussing the current healthcare system in the U.S., a proposal is made as to how to reform the system.
Interprofessionality
Authors: Obichi Chidiebele Constance , Newton April D. , Oruche Ukamaka Marian
Published: February 2020

Preventable medical errors (PME) is the third leading cause of death in the United States with an incidence range of 210,000 to 400,000 deaths per year and an estimated cost of $19.5 billion to $958 billion per year. Despite advances in patient safety, PME persists across the nation. An unmarked extremity, a soft sponge, medication dose, poor communication, etc. are possible precursors of PME that may lead to death. Preventable medical errors such as wrong-patient or wrong-site surgery, botched transplants, and death from myocardial infarction or septic shock following a discharge from the emergency department are frequently reported. According to the Institute of Medicine, most PME in the healthcare system are caused by poor team collaboration and care coordination, particularly when patient care was provided by independent providers. Therefore, the healthcare workforce must work within interprofessional teams for safe, cost-effective, and quality care delivery significant to sustainable healthcare reform.
Determination of Time Dependent Diffusion Coefficient Aging Factor of HPC Mixtures
Authors: Tran Quang , Ghosh Pratanu , Lehner Petr , Konečný Petr
Published: February 2020

This study investigates computation and distribution of the diffusion coefficient using fundamentals of electrochemistry for various concrete mixtures. The instrument utilized is a bulk conductivity meter which provides the bulk conductivity data for computation of the diffusion coefficient. Thirty three mixtures are investigated, where majority of them are ternary mixtures along with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and binary mixtures. They are categorized in several groups based on the supplementary cementitious material (SCM) as a second component in ternary and binary based concrete mixtures. The variation and distribution of the diffusion coefficient in individual group is investigated from 7 days to 161 days. In addition, a new methodology is proposed to determine the aging factor of the diffusion coefficient of each concrete mixture. Aging of concrete is related to chloride ingress which leads to significant decrease of the diffusion coefficient with time. If this effect is not taken into account, considerable questions can be raised while predicting reliable and accurate service life of reinforced concrete structures. Further, aging factor is validated using a statistical analysis method based on published literature of Fisher Test permutation approach. Results show that diffusion coefficient in each group varies significantly and the addition of SCM and its varying replacement level influences the reduction of the diffusion coefficient remarkably over extended time period. Overall, this study could provide promising options for computation of the diffusion coefficient and its aging factor in light to its ease of measurement and shorter amount of time than conventional RCPT and other long term migration tests.
Experimental Research on the Properties of Secondary Raw Materials Resulting from the Recycling of Tyres
Authors: Jašek Marek , Hrubá Barbora , Khestl Filip , Kurečka Petr , Teslík Jiří
Published: February 2020

The paper deals with the research on the properties of secondary raw materials resulting from the recycling of used tyres and their potential utilization for the production of construction insulations. Evaluation of the possibilities of utilization and a complex analysis has been executed on the basis of the defined basic physical, thermal-insulating and fire properties of the raw textile fibres examined. The results of the research on the material examined indicate possible exploitation of this potential material for the construction of environmentally-friendly objects. Thermal insulating parameters have been determined by the value of thermal conductivity coefficient λ. For measuring of thermal conductivity coefficient of fibres has been used the special laboratory device – the Cooling Box. Physical properties have been determined by microscopic examination and by laboratory measuring of fibres length, diameter, pour bulk and compressed bulk densities. Fire characteristics were determined during several fire tests of textile fibres. On the basis of performed fire test has been determined the combustion heat, flash point (FIT) and ignition temperature (SIT).
Creating a bilingual campus at a polytechnic institute in French West Africa: Interdisciplinary issues, challenges and recommendations
Authors: Sacco Steven J.
Published: February 2020

This paper presents the efforts to help create a bilingual (French-English) campus at the Institut national polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. During a four-month stint on campus, the author conducted a needs assessment that included 1) the current state of the institute; 2) the needs and recommendations of multinational corporations that employ institute graduates; 3) the current levels of English of faculty and students; 4) the discussion of pedagogical strategies; and 5) recommendations for future action. Many significant challenges face the 3,000 students and 500 faculty and staff at INP-HB: an isolated location, a curriculum taught only in French, weak English skills, the presence of few native English-speaking faculty on campus, the prohibitive cost of study abroad in the United States or the United Kingdom, and the outdated methods used to teach English in Ivorian secondary schools and higher education institutions. This project represents a classic challenge to strengthen interdisciplinary connections between English for Special Purposes faculty and faculty representing INP-HB’s professional schools.
Integrated curriculum design: Outcomes of a two-week Spanish intensive course for nursing students
Authors: Pérez María E.
Published: February 2020

This article analyzes the outcomes of an intensive Spanish course for nursing students of various Spanish language abilities. The course objectives were to enable the students to conduct a nursing assessment interview and data gathering in Spanish, as well as providing instructions and recording information for vital signs and a head-to-toe physical exam. Treating these interactions as standard communicative frames, utilizing Goffman’s (1974) schema, guided the course development. Vocabulary and grammar were restricted to the needs of the assigned tasks, and concentrated on speaking and receptive abilities, not on writing or reading. The course was successful in achieving the stated course objectives, and students demonstrated basic communication skills and the ability to perform the assigned tasks in Spanish at the end of the course.
Table of Contents Vol 11, No 1, 2 & 3 (2019)
Authors: Office Editorial
Published: February 2020

No abstract available.
Table of Contents Vol 90 (2019)
Authors: Office Editorial
Published: February 2020

No abstract available.
Table of Contents Vol 61, No1 (2019)
Authors: Office Editorial
Published: February 2020

No abstract available.
Evaluation of the evan's and bicaudate index for rural population in central india using computed tomography
Authors: Dhok Atul , Gupta Prasheelkumar , Shaikh Salman
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Evans index (EI) and Bicaudate index (BCI) are practical markers of ventricular volume and are helpful radiological markers in the diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus. Worldwide, variation exists in normative studies for both these indices. Most of the studies conducted for EI and BCI are based on the Western population data. No study has been performed on the rural population of Central India. The purpose of this study is to develop normative data on EI and BCI that can be extrapolated for future reference. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted from December 2018 to May 2019 in MGIMS Hospital, Sevagram, Maharashtra, India, which is a rural hospital in Central India. All patients with either a head injury or neurological complaints although with normal computed tomography (CT) brain were included in the study. Patients with diagnosed neurological disorder, clinical features suggesting hydrocephalus, or intracranial pathology on CT brain were excluded from the study. Five hundred and eleven patients were selected for this study, and EI and BCI was calculated for them. Results: The mean value of EI and BCI in our study was 0.2707 and 0.1121, respectively. Both indices showed a statistically significant difference between males and females. The value of both indices increased with age. Conclusion: Although our study is in agreement with the cutoff value of EI to diagnose dilated lateral ventricles as 0.3 for age <70 years, cutoff value of EI for the older population should be reconsidered to 0.34.
Idiopathic epidural lipomatosis associated with degenerative discopathy: Grand round presentation of unusual lumbar canal stenosis resolved by weight loss
Authors: Alsofyani Mohammad , Haignere Vincent , Alsalmi Sultan , Gille Olivier , Vital Jean-Marc , Pointillart Vincent , Boissi Louis , Obeid Ibrahim
Published: February 2020

Here, we report a case of idiopathic epidural lipomatosis presented with a clinical picture of lumbar canal stenosis with neurogenic claudication which resolved completely only by weight loss. A 53-year-old obese male with a body mass index of 36 without significant past medical history presented to the outpatient clinic with neurogenic claudication and bilateral sciatic radiculopathy. Initially, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed epidural lipomatosis at the level of L5 vertebral body and L5–S1 intervertebral disc. A conservative treatment was decided with dietary regime program. After 6 months of follow-up, his bilateral sciatic radiculopathy disappeared, and updated MRI showed complete disappearance of epidural lipomatosis. Based on the Grand Round case and relevant literature, we present a case of an unusual epidural lipomatosis with mixed clinical picture of degenerative lumbar disease. This case report set out the importance of Borré classification for differentiating the mixed clinical complaint of degenerative discopathy and epidural lipomatosis.
Initial results of management for acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion by a direct aspiration first pass technique at a Vietnamese hospital
Authors: Phuoc Le , Tuan Nguyen , Khoa Le , Bao Nguyen , Tu Pham , Hoan Duong , Thao Pham , Khoi Nguyen
Published: February 2020

Background: The development of novel revascularization devices has improved procedural and clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). A direct aspiration first pass technique (ADAPT) has been introduced as a rapid simple method for achieving good recanalization and clinical outcomes using large bore aspiration catheters in the treatment of AIS due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of ADAPT in the treatment of AIS due to LVO in the Vietnamese patient population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of a hospital database was conducted on all patients undergoing stroke therapy with the ADAPT technique at the institution from January 2017 to December 2017. Efficacy and safety were evaluated by the variables: revascularization rates (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction [TICI] score), time to revascularization, procedural complications, and clinical outcomes (modified Rankin scale [mRS] score) at the 90-day follow-up visit. Results: From the database review, 37 AIS patients treated with ADAPT were identified. The mean NIHSS score at presentation was 17.3 and improved to 8.9 at discharged. The average time arterial puncture to revascularization was 32.5 min. TICI 2b/3 revascularization was achieved in 30/37 (81.1%) patients, good clinical outcomes were achieved (mRS 0–2) in 21/37 (56.7%) patients, and mortality rate was 6/37 (16.2%) during follow-up. Conclusions: ADAPT utilizing large bore aspiration catheters appears to be a fast, simple, safe, and effective method for the management of AIS in the Vietnamese patient population.
Unique case of atypical central neurocytoma with craniospinal metastases and pituitary adenoma
Authors: Soh Peter , Manning Bailey , Doan Ninh
Published: February 2020

Atypical central neurocytoma with extracranial metastases is a rare variant of benign central neurocytoma (CN). No definitive course of treatment exists for atypical CN. We report a unique case of atypical CN with concomitant pituitary macroadenoma and subsequent metastases to the spine. The patient received craniospinal radiation therapy. Close-follow up post tumor-resection may be advised to monitor for drop metastases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case reported of atypical CN with drop metastases to the spine concomitant with pathological-proven pituitary macroadenoma.
Extend of skipped multifocal noncontiguous spinal tuberculosis beyond imagination: A rare case report and literature review
Authors: Sonawane Dhiraj , Garg Bipul , Jadhav Kishor
Published: February 2020

Skipped multifocal extensive spinal tuberculosis involving the whole spine is very rare, which presents with atypical presentations and imaging features. So far, only five cases have been reported. Most of these patients have only two noncontiguous lesions. We are reporting a case of an 18-year-old boy with noncontiguous multifocal spinal tuberculosis involving cervical, thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbar segments. The patient was treated with antituberculous drug therapy and was operated for thoracolumbar spinal lesion. He made an excellent recovery. The possibility of tuberculosis is considered for any skip lesions involving the spine cautiously. Careful physical examination, trials of antitubercular therapy, and using the whole spine magnetic resonance imaging routinely also play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. In patients with noncontiguous spinal involvement, there is a high percentage of requirement of surgical treatment due to fulminant behavior of the disease in these patients.
Initial clinical experience of using a newly designed preshaped microguidewire in acute endovascular thrombectomy
Authors: Ohshima Tomotaka , Kawaguchi Reo , Maejima Ryuya , Yukiue Naoto , Matsuo Naoki
Published: February 2020

Mechanical thrombectomy has been widely used for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. During this procedure, operators must navigate the microcatheter with a microguidewire (MGW) into vessels that cannot be visualized on fluoroscopy as rapidly as possible. In this study, we developed a modified pigtail-shaped MGW (MPMGW) for security and controllability. Moreover, the efficacy of the MPMGW for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke was assessed. The MPMGW was designed using 0.014 MGW. Because we created four MPMGWs during a clinical evaluation before the launch in the market, these wires were used in four consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke in the single institution. The occluded arteries were the basilar artery (n = 1), middle cerebral arteries (M1 and M2, n = 2), and internal carotid artery (n = 1). All four procedures were conducted without any complications. The procedures included navigating the MGW and passing it through the clot. Complete recanalization was achieved in all cases. The average time between femoral artery puncture and recanalization was 15 min. The use of the preshaped MPMGW in acute thrombectomy was effective in terms of both security of procedure and reduction in recanalization time.
Spinal metastasis from merkel cell carcinoma in an elderly male
Authors: Jockisch Kalah , Abdeen Yazan , Alderink Carlisle , Flippin Tony , Kuru Sugabramya , Shaaban Hamid
Published: February 2020

Merkel cell carcinoma is a cutaneous neuroendocrine malignancy that has an aggressive nature. Classically, it affects the elderly Caucasian population with a predilection for the sun-exposed areas of the body. Pathogenesis has been linked to ultraviolet radiation, immunosuppression, and the Merkel cell polyomavirus. Definitive diagnosis entails histologic evaluation and immunohistochemical staining. With its generalized appearance and tendency for metastasis, a high index of suspicion must be utilized. In this case, we present the unique presentation of Merkel cell carcinoma as a rapidly enlarging lymph node with metastatic disease to the spinal column presenting as new-onset low back and radicular pain.
Primary central nervous system lymphoma involving entire ventricular system
Authors: Kumar Hemant , Sharma Achal , Sharma Vinod , Singhvi Shashi
Published: February 2020

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare tumor that accounts for <1%–4% of primary CNS tumor.[1] PCNSLs are class of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas which are primarily of diffuse large B-cell origin (90%), with remaining being T-cell lymphoma (10%). Author report a rare case of PCNSL presenting as an intracranial mass involving the entire ventricular system, in an immunocompetent 36-year-old male with severe headache, decreased vision, and unsteady gait. The diagnosis was obtained by histopathological and subsequent immunohistochemistry.
The algorithmic hardness threshold for continuous random energy models
Authors: Addario-Berry Louigi , Maillard Pascal
Published: February 2020

We prove an algorithmic hardness result for finding low-energy states in the so-called
continuous random energy model (CREM)
, introduced by Bovier and Kurkova in 2004 as an extension of Derrida’s
generalized random energy model
. The CREM is a model of a randomenergy landscape

(X_v)_{v \in \{0,1\}^N}

on the discrete hypercube with built-in hierarchical structure, and can be regarded as a toy model for strongly correlated random energy landscapes such as the family of

p

-spin models including the Sherrington–Kirkpatrick model. The CREM is parameterized by an increasing function

A \colon [0,1]\to[0,1]

, which encodes the correlations between states.

We exhibit an
algorithmic hardness threshold

x_*

, which is explicit in terms of

A

. More precisely, we obtain two results: First, we show that a renormalization procedure combined with a greedy search yields for any

\varepsilon > 0

a linear-time algorithm which finds states

v \in \{0,1\}^N

with

X_v \ge (x_*-\varepsilon) N

. Second, we show that the value

x_*

is essentially best-possible: for any

\varepsilon > 0

, any algorithm which finds states

v

with

X_v \ge (x_*+\varepsilon)N

requires exponentially many queries in expectation and with high probability. We further discuss what insights this study yields for understanding algorithmic hardness thresholds for random instances of combinatorial optimization problems.