bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whither Palliative Care?
Authors: Watt C. L. , Downar J.
Published: July 2019

Palliative care (pc) has evolved from a field of medicine devoted exclusively to end-of-life care into one that focuses on symptom management and quality of life throughout terminal illness.[...]
Crocodiles and Alligators: Physicians’ Answer to Cancer?
Authors: Khan Naveed Ahmed , Soopramanien Morhanavallee , Siddiqui Ruqaiyyah
Published: July 2019

Despite advances in therapeutic approaches and supportive care, cancer remains a significant burden on human health.[...]
Strong Reasons Make Strong Actions: Medical Cannabis and Cancer—A Call for Collective Action
Authors: Kerba M.
Published: July 2019

Call it cannabis, not marijuana or weed [...]
Age structure and body size of the endangered species Darevskia bendimahiensis (Schmidtler, Eiselt & Darevsky, 1994) from eastern Turkey (Squamata, Sauria, Lacertidae)
Authors: Yıldırım Elif , Kumlutaş Yusuf , Candan Kamil , Ilgaz Çetin
Published: July 2019

The life-history traits of the parthenogenetic lizard Darevskiabendimahiensis were studied by skeletochronology in a population inhabiting highlands in Çaldıran, Van, Turkey. Endosteal resorption was observed in 18 specimens (55%). The mean age was 4.91 ± 0.19 SD years. The mean snout-vent length (SVL) was 51.11 ± 1.15 SD mm. The age at sexual maturity was estimated as 3 years. Longevity was 7 years. Snout-vent length and age were positively correlated (Spearman’s correlation; r = 0.797, P = 0.000). The aim of this study is to contribute to the future conservation activities for this endangered species.
Marseille : bientôt un comptoir chinois ?
Authors: Tran Émilie
Published: July 2019

2018 aura marqué un nouvel épisode dans le déploiement de la politique chinoise des routes Maritimes de la soie, à la conquête des ports de la Méditerranée. En effet, au tout début de l’année, Marseille était appelée à devenir le deuxième plus grand centre sino-européen du textile grâce au projet porté par un grossiste chinois président du Marseille International Fashion Center 68, ou MIF68. À l’automne 2018, le groupe chinois Quechen Silicon Chemical signait un accord avec le port de Marseille-Fos pour y construire une usine de pneus plus écologiques et destinée à être son porte-drapeau sur le marché européen. La toute récente implantation d’intérêts économiques chinois dans la cité phocéenne montre comment la mondialisation, qu’elle vienne d’en haut ou d’en bas, bouleverse le cadre de l’action des États engagés dans la diplomatie économique.
Les nouvelles routes de la soie au prisme des migrations : les visages de la présence chinoise au Maroc
Authors: Taing Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2019

En 2016, le Maroc est devenu le premier pays en Afrique à supprimer le visa d’entrée pour les ressortissants chinois. L’application de cette mesure a été suivie d’une hausse significative des circulations et des mobilités chinoises vers le pays, symbolisée par l’arrivée des touristes dont le nombre n’a cessé de croitre, et d’une diversification des flux dont certaines dynamiques plus discrètes restent moins connues. Cette évolution s’inscrit dans un contexte marqué par l’avènement des nouvelles routes de la soie « chinoises ». Que leurs constructions soient décidées au niveau étatique ou qu’elles émergent du bas, ces routes témoignent de l’influence grandissante de la Chine dans la mondialisation et sur celle des flux migratoires chinois. En nous intéressant à l’évolution du paysage migratoire chinois au Maroc depuis l’abrogation des visas pour les citoyens chinois, notre contribution propose d’aborder un autre aspect de la pénétration chinoise sur la rive sud de la Méditerranée où les nouvelles routes de la soie façonnent les nouveaux espaces de la diaspora chinoise.
Politique étrangère de l’Iran : entre religion, révolution et pragmatisme
Authors: Djalili Mohammad-Reza
Published: July 2019

Depuis 1979 l’Iran est une république islamique dirigée par le clergé chiite qui détient l’essentiel du pouvoir, ce qui est la définition même d’une théocratie. Parallèlement à la nature théocratique du régime, il existe aussi une dimension élective, faisant appel, de manière très sélective et étroitement contrôlée, aux votes des citoyens. Par ailleurs, la République islamique se veut aussi un État révolutionnaire qui conteste l’ordre international. Si pour un tel système politique, la référence à la religion et à la révolution dans l’élaboration de sa politique étrangère est fondamentale, la préservation du régime et le renforcement de sa sécurité sont aussi des objectifs qui nécessitent parfois pragmatisme et entorse aux considérations idéologiques. De fait, la politique étrangère de Téhéran oscille entre idéologie (religion et révolutionnarisme) et Realpolitik.
Israël : la radicalisation s’accélère
Authors: Vidal Dominique
Published: July 2019

Le 9 avril 2019, les Israéliens ont confirmé par leur vote la radicalisation de Benyamin Netanyahou et de ses alliés d’extrême droite depuis cinq ans : loi constitutionnelle d’apartheid, passage de la colonisation à l’annexion de la Cisjordanie, législations liberticides, alliances avec les populistes – même antisémites – en Europe et dans le monde. Le pire est à prévoir.
Recovery of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) from faeces of healthy Singapore adults after intake of fermented milk
Authors: Khine W.W.T. , Ang X.J. , Chan Y.S. , Lee W.Q. , Quek S.Y. , Tan S.H. , Teo H.T.A. , Teo J.K.B. , Lau Q.C. , Lee Y-K.
Published: July 2019

To validate survival of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) during passage through the gastrointestinal tract of healthy Singaporean young adults, 21 participants (18-25 years old) were asked to consume a 100 ml of fermented milk drink containing 1.0×108 cfu/ml of LcS daily for 14 days, and to maintain their dietary habit and life style. During and at the end of the ingestion period, both culture method (identity confirmed by ELISA) and 16s rRNA sequencing results revealed that viable LcS (7.27 and 7.64 log10 cfu/g of faeces at the ingestion period Day 7 and Day 14, respectively) and Lactobacillus could be recovered from the faeces of all the subjects. The viable LcS count from male and female were comparable for each time point. Before consumption (baseline) and 14 days after cessation of consumption of the fermented milk, LcS was not detected in most of the subjects. In this study condition, the composition of the major gut microbiota (>0.1% in relative abundance of genus) and characteristics of defaecation such as stool consistency and frequency of defecation did not change throughout the study before and after ingestion of LcS. LcS was able to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of Singapore adults without sustainable colonisation, but the effect of LcS on microbiota modulation, stool consistency and frequency was not observed under this study condition.
A STUDY ON THE APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES FOR PREDICTING THE HEATING AND COOLING LOADS OF BUILDINGS
Authors: Das Sushmita , Swetapadma Aleena , Panigrahi Chinmoy
Published: July 2019

The prediction of the heating and cooling loads of a building is an essential aspect in studies involving the analysis of energy consumption in buildings. An accurate estimation of heating and cooling load leads to better management of energy related tasks and progressing towards an energy efficient building. With increasing global energy demands and buildings being major energy consuming entities, there is renewed interest in studying the energy performance of buildings. Alternative technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques are being widely used in energy studies involving buildings. This paper presents a review of research in the area of forecasting the heating and cooling load of buildings using AI techniques. The results discussed in this paper demonstrate the use of AI techniques in the estimation of the thermal loads of buildings. An accurate prediction of the heating and cooling loads of buildings is necessary for forecasting the energy expenditure in buildings. It can also help in the design and construction of energy efficient buildings.
Using Sentiment Analysis for Evaluating e-WOM
Authors: Canbolat Zehra Nur , Pinarbasi Fatih
Published: July 2019

Electronic word of mouth is one of the keys elements for marketing decision making. e-WOM has been focus of marketing research as technology and social media become larger part of consumers' lives. This study set out to examine e-wom concept with sentiment analysis methodology in service industry context. The structure of study is twofold including theoretical backgound of related concepts and application section. Theoretical background section contains electronic word of mouth, new consumer and sentiment analysis concepts, and included selected studies for sentiment analysis. The application section which this study has focus on includes a three-stage plan for sentiment analysis practices. Each stage has three different scenarios. One algorithm and one real-life application for each stage are included. Nine scenarios for different service organizations imply that sentiment analysis supported with other methodologies can contribute to understanding of electronic word of mouth.
Communicating Natural Calamity
Authors: Capolupo Nicola , Piscopo Gabriella
Published: July 2019

This chapter aims at understanding the dynamics that led to the exchange and value co-creation/co-production in the interaction between P.A. and citizens during natural calamities. In addition, it proposes a horizontal communication model in which both actors cooperate to respond to crisis, a semantic and semiotic space on the net able to satisfy their information needs. When natural disasters occur, citizens' primary need is to reach as much information as possible about the status of loved ones possibly involved in the accident, road traffic, how to give an effective contribution to the cause without hindering, etc. On the other hand, P.A. and rescuers need to know as much information as possible about the reports, on the site of the disaster so as to intervene promptly to help the population in danger. Therefore, P.A. and citizens are called upon to cooperate to guarantee crisis containment, crisis management, and also future crisis prevention.
Role of Smart Wearable in Healthcare
Authors: Shafi Jana , Waheed Amtul
Published: July 2019

Remote Health monitoring is encouraged to keep an eye on the patient's health status outside the zone of the clinic. These smart wearable gadgets are now integrated with mobile apps to work efficiently as telemedicine and telehealth to incorporate into the Internet of Medical Things. This chapter introduces WIoMT (Wearable Internet of Medical Things) and reviews smart wearable healthcare devices' scientific terms as well as commercial pains. Internet of Medical Things is displayed through a refined background, wearable computing, wearable technology, cloud frameworks, and architecture design. Included are required hardware and software, body sensors, smartphones, the smart medical application, medical location analyzers for data storage, and finally, a diagnosis. Wearable devices are tested under strict observation fitness, vital signs, and smart environment. Wearable devices are now used for a wide scale of monitoring healthcare.
Design and Development of Internet of Things-Based Wireless Health Monitoring System
Authors: Marwah Neetu
Published: July 2019

In this world with exponentially increasing fitness risks, the authors are proposing an Internet of Things (IoT) based device named Wireless Health Monitoring System (WHMS), to put patients' thinking at ease. We are dwelling in a world which is no longer viable for a doctor to keep a watch over a patient's indispensable parameters all the time. This device is helpful for aged people staying alone at home, people dwelling on hills, pregnant females anywhere, and for busy people who cannot often contact a doctor. A health practitioner, some distance away from the patient, needs to understand his heart rate and body temperature of the physique to begin preliminary treatment. Keeping this as a preluding landmark, the authors are proposing an embedded gadget which can measure the rate of heart beat and body temperature, and keep the statistics on the cloud server for the doctor to determine the next course of action.
Smart Roads and Parking
Authors: Jain Rachna , Nagia Kartik
Published: July 2019

The past few years, innovation and technology have reached new heights, much beyond laptops, iPads or smart phones. Innovation and technology is progressing with each passing day. The concepts of smart cities, smart homes, and smart vehicles, are being implemented all over in developed countries. Objects here can get connected to the internet, collect data, and channelize it in order to ease our day-to-day life. The current genre of vehicles is equipped with various kinds of sensors, CPUs, and a software system that has communication capabilities. The increase in population has resulted in more vehicles, congested streets, limited parking spaces, and compromised road safety. Research and industry have proposed many technological advancements, and incorporated a few, in vehicles, but improvements for roads have largely gone unexplored. Smart roads, or Smart highways, are the terms used to define roads having IoT-enabled technologies like smart sensors, wireless connectivity, big data, and cloud computing. They use Solar technology to minimize electricity consumption, making the technology energy efficient. Researchers claim that, in the near future, smart vehicles will not be functional without proper smart roads and smart parking systems. Smart roads and parking contribute to making the drive safe, green, and convenient. They provide real-time information to drivers regarding traffic congestion, weather conditions, natural emergencies, e.g. landslide on the mountains, ice on the roads on high terrain, etc. Smart parking systems help drivers with information regarding available parking spaces as well as warnings about incoming traffic. Smart roads are also conceptualised to be equipped with wireless electric-charging systems and electric-charging stations. Electrical energy generated by the vehicles can be used to light streetlights to provide safe navigation to drivers at night. In this chapter, the concept of Smart Roads and Smart Parking systems is elaborated in a comprehensive manner. Various technologies are highlighted which reduce traffic, limit electricity use, significantly increase safety on the roads, and design a way to use parking spaces more effectively without the need to build new roads/parking spaces. The chapter elaborates various technologies that will lay a strong foundation for smart roads such as transforming legacy roads to smart roads, solar road highways, etc. The chapter also elaborates on transforming traditional parking systems into smart parking systems.
A Neural Network-Based Automatic Crop Monitoring Robot for Agriculture
Authors: Udayakumar E. , Balamurugan S. , Vetrivelan P.
Published: July 2019

The economy, being highly based on agriculture, demands innovative and reliable methods of irrigation. In this paper, an idea of automatic irrigation method is proposed. Automatic irrigation is done using a soil moisture sensor. The manual method of irrigation is done by using automated process. In this proposed method, apart from a moisture sensor, other sensors like PIR sensor, ultrasonic sensor, humidity, temperature sensor, and water level sensors are used. This method has additional features like GSM. In wireless systems, electricity will be provided through solar panels. Whenever the moisture content of the soil reaches its maximum threshold value, the system sends a signal to the motor and it turns ON. The robot can do its work automatically through artificial neural network. Every time the motor starts or stops, the user will get the status of the motor's operation through SMS. The robot will continuously monitor the crop field using wireless camera. This provides security for the agriculture land. The main advantages of this system include minimization of water wastage, & error reduction
Advanced Encryption Standard With Randomized Round Keys for Communication Security in IoT Networks
Authors: Gill Ishpal Singh , Jat Dharm Singh
Published: July 2019

Internet of things (IoT) is a rapidly emerging architecture connecting smart devices all across the world in various fields like smart homes, smart cities, health sector, security, etc. Security is a very important aspect of IoT. As more and more devices are connecting to the Internet, it becomes a lucrative target for hackers. The communication between the various devices, nodes, and between nodes and the cloud, needs to be secured. A combination of public and private key cryptography systems is used to secure the IoT networks. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is used for encrypting the data in transit. However, the AES is known to be prone to brute force attacks, side channel attacks, and other forms of cryptanalysis. This chapter proposes a more secure AES algorithm with randomised round keys, which provides better security with negligible overheads, and is ideal for use in IoT networks.
Mobile Phones for Assessment
Authors: Şahin Füsun , Mentor Dominic
Published: July 2019

This chapter focuses on using mobile assessment (m-assessment) for teaching and learning in formal and informal education settings. M-assessment has been helpful in making traditional classrooms more interactive and support the individual and class cognitive wealth. Unique affordances of m-assessment can also extend its benefits to digital classrooms, informal and formal learning settings, professional development settings, and other places where learning happens. M-assessment has increased accessibility to assessment, making it available anywhere, anytime, and to anyone.
Visualizing the Evolution of Mobile Learning Research
Authors: Özçınar Hüseyin
Published: July 2019

The aim of this chapter is to investigate the scope and change of m-learning literature over a period of thirteen years. The chapter takes an author co-citation approach where patterns are revealed in mlearning publications between the years 2002 and 2015. The author co-citation analysis is a kind of bibliometrics, and Power Flow Network Library (PFNET) analysis method to obtain the intellectual structure of the m-learning field. A PFNET is a psychometric scaling method where a network of associative nodes is generated using specific values. The method is based on graph theory and has been used to explore knowledge connections. The method is referred to as a pathfinder network for representing segments of knowledge in a branched manner. The method can also be used for developing consensus building or recognizing expertise in a specific area. In this study, it was found that the m-learning research focus on design and effectiveness of m-learning environments, developing a pedagogic framework for m-learning, adoption and proliferation of m-learning-assisted language learning, collaborative m-learning, and augmented reality. Assessing the results of factor analysis together with the PFNET graphics, the subfields show the fundamental orientations of the field, and the main themes will be the focus of future research.
Utilizing Mobile Learning for Orphans Aging Out
Authors: Callen Tara
Published: July 2019

How can mobile e-learning be used to support and enhance the goals of working with youth aging out of an orphanage. This chapter describes the use of an ethnographic narrative approach to tell the stories of eight young women who were “aging out” from their orphanage where many of them had spent most of their lives. The chapter examined the way in which a collaborative art community could support the participants as they narrated their lives over a 16-month period through photo-journaling and social media outlets. The focal points of this study were community building via art making and building of personal aesthetic, community engagement, reflection on self-identity, cross-cultural art education, and shared experience via photo-art narratives. The authors also examined the role of collaborative art experiences in helping these young women form social connectedness with their peers. The project was also designed to help sustain the girls digitally and virtually in the present and future. The research project studied the identity development and how these functioned within a collaborative medium that supported the young participants as they moved out of their orphanage.
Mobile Apps, Universal Design, and Accessibility in Schools
Authors: Alehegn Tseday , Keller Richard
Published: July 2019

How can mobile applications may be used to enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities in educational settings as well as to encourage the development of apps that embrace universal design principles? Smartphones and tablets, often by default, provide alternative accessible features addressing the needs of individuals with visual, auditory, and/or physical disabilities. As schools make the leap into the mobile age, it is imperative to explore mobile applications developed with the universal design learning framework in mind and intent to provide equal access in learning environments. Increased use of mobile apps in the classroom goes hand in hand with the growing popularity of these tools in everyday life outside of the school context, and this chapter is a call for greater engagement with mobile applications that have been designed to be accessible for individuals with disabilities, and to promote a more collaborative and equitable learning environment.
Security, Privacy, Forensics Analysis for Smartphones
Authors: Arora Monika , Gigras Yogita
Published: July 2019

The number of mobile phone users has increased exponentially in the past decade. In India itself, it has crossed to over 1.2 billion mobile phone users, with at least 45% being the smartphone users, and this number is growing by the day. Almost 75% of internet traffic is generated by Smartphone users, traffic growth is irrespective of the demography of users. In this chapter, the focus is on two main categories of users (i.e., adolescents and senior citizens), who are not very tech-savvy. It discusses the threat they face even in normal usage of smartphones, and how digital forensics shall provide a secure environment without compromising much on ease of usage. Android apps are prone to attacks by hackers as basic information shared by a user on social media turns out to be very lucrative information for intruders. This chapter discusses some of the methods adopted by digital forensic experts to deal with such cybercrimes, the software/hardware tools present in a smartphone, and what preventive steps shall be taken by users to safeguard themselves against cybercrimes.
Smartphone Security and Forensic Analysis
Authors: Sharma Deepak Kumar , Kwatra Kartik , Manwani Manan
Published: July 2019

Modern day smartphones are capable of performing every single task that a desktop computer can do. Smartphones being a new technology with less than a decade in the communication industry are vulnerable to security attacks and data leakage. In the current scenario, Android devices are the majority are the prime target of hackers and criminal organisation. Thus, smartphone security is of utmost priority for software companies. In this chapter, the authors begin by discussing the need for mobile forensic analysis and discussing basic smartphone vulnerabilities. they then discuss the types of attacks and their effects on smartphones followed by the security mechanisms employed to deal with the attacks and threats. they also list and give a brief description of tools used commercially for forensic analysis of smartphones, and two experiment-based case studies are provided to allow the readers to get a better understanding of the merits of existing works and practical application of investigation process.
Cognitive Radio Network-Based Design and Security Challenges in 5G Communication
Authors: Dhaka Arvind , Nandal Amita , Dixit Rahul
Published: July 2019

This chapter deals with the main development challenges of 5G network. The 5G terminals can be made as reconfigurable multimode and cognitive radio enabled. Such networks will have software defined radio modulation schemes. The 5G mobile networks will focus on the development of the user terminals where the terminals will have access to different wireless technologies at the same time and will combine different flows from different technologies. It is beneficial to deploy cloud-computing platforms running on general-purpose hardware, leading to a cloud-RAN system. This chapter is focused on the challenges and benefits of implementing reconfigurable signal processing algorithms on a cloud-computing platform and address various security issues with cognitive radio networks.
Help Me Invest
Authors: Kumar Manish , Sharma Mukul , Raina Ivy , Kawatra Mehak , Sharma Shubhanshu , Sinha Akash
Published: July 2019

Making an investment is very important. According to a recent study, people used to hold a commodity for about 8 years, but now the time period has reduced to about 4 months. The market is really volatile; with the help of internet, news travels really fast and is reachable to everyone in every part of the world. Buying any commodity cannot be easier, as the number of options available is very large. Different investment options bring different types of profit and risk. One of the major issues involved is the security in using such tools and applications. A good investor always makes an investment decision by calculating and analyzing various factors that could affect his profits. The advancement in artificial intelligence and computation plays an important role while analyzing these factors. Few simple lines of code can analyze the market and help evaluate various investment options. Most of these tools are available online, but they all come with security issues associated with them.
Deep Learning and Computer Vision in Smart Agriculture
Authors: Kumar Shiv , Yadav Agrima , Sharma Deepak Kumar
Published: July 2019

The exponential growth in the world population has led to an ever-increasing demand for food supplies. This has led to the realization that conventional and traditional methods alone might not be able to keep up with this demand. Smart agriculture is being regarded as one of the few realistic ways that, together with the traditional methods, can be used to close the gap between the demand and supply. Smart agriculture integrates the use of different technologies to better monitor, operate, and analyze different activities involved in different phases of the agricultural life cycle. Smart agriculture happens to be one of the many disciplines where deep learning and computer vision are being realized to be of major impact. This chapter gives a detailed explanation of different deep learning methods and tries to provide a basic understanding as to how these techniques are impacting different applications in smart agriculture.
Cognitive-Based Cover Image Selection in Image Steganography
Authors: Sangeetha K. N.  , Ajay Usha B.
Published: July 2019

The chances of data getting lost while it is being transferred between the sender and receiver is very high these days. Since these data are very sensitive whose security cannot be compromised, there is a need for highly secure systems to transfer the data without compromising the content and the quality. Steganography techniques help us to achieve these objectives. In the present time, various organizations and industries are using cover image arbitrarily. In such cases, it does not provide personalized approach to the whole process of data hiding. Thus, as a result of this limitation, there is motivation to build such an application in which the system selects which image is most suitable for hiding data accordingly. The main algorithm being used here is the regression algorithm which consists of other algorithms like linear regression, decision tree regression. This application also extracts the hidden data from the generated stego image.
Trend and Predictive Analytics of Dengue Prevalence in Administrative Region
Authors: Subramanian Kannimuthu , Swathypriyadharsini P.  , Gunavathi C.  , Premalatha K.
Published: July 2019

Dengue is fast emerging pandemic-prone viral disease in many parts of the world. Dengue flourishes in urban areas, suburbs, and the countryside, but also affects more affluent neighborhoods in tropical and subtropical countries. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and sometimes causing a potentially deadly complication called severe dengue. It is a major public health problem in India. Accurate and timely forecasts of dengue incidence in India are still lacking. In this chapter, the state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms are used to develop an accurate predictive model of dengue. Several machine learning algorithms are used as candidate models to predict dengue incidence. Performance and goodness of fit of the models were assessed, and it is found that the optimized SVR gives minimal RMSE 0.25. The classifiers are applied, and experiment results show that the extreme boost and random forest gives 93.65% accuracy.
Contribution of Neural Networks in Different Applications
Authors: Patil Bhushan , Vohra Manisha
Published: July 2019

Neural networks are very useful and are proving to be very beneficial in various fields. Biomedical applications such as breast cancer image classification, differentiating between the malignant and benign type of breast cancer, etc. are now seen to be making use of neural networks rapidly. Neural networks are showing remarkable results of their effectiveness in these biomedical applications and are proving to be immensely profitable. Another field such as agriculture, which is a very crucial field for survival of human life, can be benefitted from neural networks. Likewise, various fields can gain enormous benefits from the usage of neural networks. This chapter shall explain neural networks in detail. Also, the authors shall provide a brief and detailed insight of the contribution of neural networks in different applications, along with its analysis.
Introduction to Machine Learning and Its Implementation Techniques
Authors: Arul Murugan R.  , Sathiyamoorthi V.
Published: July 2019

Machine learning (ML) is one of the exciting sub-fields of artificial intelligence (AI). The term machine learning is generally stated as the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed. In recent years, machine learning has become one of the thrust areas of research across various business verticals. The technical advancements in the field of big data have provided the ability to gain access over large volumes of diversified data at ease. This massive amount of data can be processed at high speeds in a reasonable amount of time with the help of emerging hardware capabilities. Hence the machine learning algorithms have been the most effective at leveraging all of big data to provide near real-time solutions even for the complex business problems. This chapter aims in giving a solid introduction to various widely adopted machine learning techniques and its applications categorized into supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement and will serve a simplified guide for the aspiring data and machine learning enthusiasts.
Muslim Refugee Clients
Authors: Hickey M. Gail
Published: July 2019

More than 160,000 Burmese have come to the United States seeking asylum from war-torn Myanmar. Burmese refugees represent diverse ethnic and religious groups. They may have experienced personal violence and/or years of living in a refugee camp prior to migration and arrive in the US with very different socio-historical experiences than do Asian immigrants. Little is known about the migration experiences of Burmese refugees, and even less is known about the more recently-arrived Muslim Burmese refugee population. The purpose of this chapter is to advance understanding about Muslim perspectives of the U.S. Burmese refugee experience and consider effective strategies for social workers, healthcare workers, and educators who work with Muslim Burmese refugee clients. Muslim Burmese refugees' migration and resettlement experiences are considered through stories of ethnic violence, refugee camp experiences, struggles with language and communication, and adjusting to the mainstream American cultural milieu.
The Role of Mosques in the Transformation From Transnational Spaces to Muslim Cultural and Consumption Spaces
Authors: Hall Elif Eroglu , Sevim Nurdan
Published: July 2019

Migrations lead people with various ethnic origins, religions, and consumption cultures to live together. Religious places are special and of great importance in Islam, as in other religions. Turks experience a process of transformation into Euro-Turks in Western Europe, especially in Germany. Mosques have played a significant role in the process of migration and the transformation of migrants into Euro-Turks. In these countries, mosques have become institutions that provide cultural and social services as well as being sanctuaries. In Germany, mosques have been transnational spaces that provide spiritual and social services since their first appearance. Over time, these transnational spaces have become Muslim cultural and consumption spaces offering a wider variety of services. This study found that the generation of transnational spaces began with the establishment of Barbaros Mosque in 1969, and that the Muslim Cultural and Consumption Spaces became legitimate with the establishment of the DITIB Central Mosque (2018) in Cologne, Germany.
Insider Effects
Authors: Pinckney-Lewis Kim , Baaki John
Published: July 2019

Needs assessment generally refers to the identification of some need or problem to be addressed. The authors aim to demonstrate how empathy, when shaped by authentic affinity or involvement with an organization, can serve the needs assessment experience in a positive way. As part of the chapter, the authors describe their approach and highlight pertinent findings from the needs assessment, which focused on proactive opportunities to enhance outcomes in parent efficacy. The authors also detail accounts of participant experiences within the process, including their interactions with the practitioner and overall experience. Finally, the authors share practitioner reflections on the overall process.
Sales Improvement Initiative Reveals Need for Performance Improvement Interventions
Authors: O'Neil Padmakshi Parkhe
Published: July 2019

This chapter posits the use of Thomas Gilbert's Behavior Engineering Model to improve human performance in the workplace. The author suggests that it is critical to apply a holistic approach when approaching any human performance improvement initiatives. Sales within an organization is a human performance issue and recurring sales performance problems should be addressed by delving to the root of the human performance issues at hand. It is critical to consider not just the repertoire of human behavior, but also examine the supporting environment, to ensure it provides the necessary impetus to improving performance.
Sustainability Reporting
Authors: Constantin Dana Maria (Oprea) , Topor Dan Ioan , Căpușneanu Sorinel , Manole Alexandru Lucian
Published: July 2019

This chapter presents, in a descriptive manner, the interrelation of the sustainability reporting concepts and the sustainability disclosure through internal and external stakeholders. The main objectives of this chapter are approaching the disclosure of environmental information, presenting the views of the stakeholders on the content and format of environmental reporting. The factors underlying the disclosure of the environmental information and the impact of these, including the views stakeholders on the content and presentation format of the environmental reporting, are presented and analyzed. A case study is also presented in order to highlight the disclosure and presentation of the environmental report of an industrial entity and the importance of the accounting information provided. This chapter brings a theoretical contribution to expand the knowledge on the environmental disclosure and reporting approaches. The authors' approaches remain open to the expansion of these issues at both national and international level and both in the academia and business area.
Sustainable Business Practices and Their Influence on Manager Decisions
Authors: Turkeș Mirela-Cătălina , Topor Dan Ioan , Căpușneanu Sorinel , Constantin Dana Maria (Oprea)
Published: July 2019

This chapter highlights the results of a transversal study on the influences of managers' decisions on sustainable business models. The objectives of this chapter are presentation of business models and sustainable business models and a study on the influences of managers' decisions on the use of sustainable business models. Based on the internal and international literature, the authors present the concepts of business models and sustainable business models as well as their typology. The types of sustainable business models are presented. The case study is focused on presenting the influences of managerial decisions on the sustainable business models of SMEs. Thus, through the authors' contribution, a new theoretical and empirical framework is created, which facilitates the identification of new ideas, themes, and debates of other aspects encountered in business and sustainable business models.
The Effect of Accounting Manipulation on the Business Performances
Authors: Oncioiu Ionica , Ștefan Cristina Maria , Radu Valentin , Burlacu Georgiana
Published: July 2019

The dual nature of creative accounting has been intensely debated since its emergence in the Anglo-Saxon economies. The lack of a common accounting language, different accounting systems at international level, applied in different languages, international legislation harmonized more or less correctly, amidst a turbulent economic environment, left room for multiple interpretations and meanings. This chapter presents the advantages of fair value in manipulating business performances by creative accounting, but there are voices that are challenging this concept because of its volatility and tendency to subjectivism, and also manipulating the models used to evaluate balance-sheet structures or profit and loss account. The results show that fair value was introduced by accounting norms in response to the deterioration of confidence in the financial statements and targets a new system for assessing the entity's assets and liabilities.
Perceiving the Value of the Company in Managing Business Risks
Authors: Essen Lavinia
Published: July 2019

Seen as a reflection of the clear vision of some extreme leaders, the overall performance of the entity is achieved today against the backdrop of the innovation process. The value of the company is necessary to become the key element in any entity development strategy. However, it requires a comparative analysis of the entity with other market players or emerging markets. This chapter analyzes the new research directions at the intersection between accounting and management, with the role of potentiating the important valorization of managerial culture and the implementation of an integrated system of performance indicators to accurately determine the value of a company.
Pre-Service Teachers and Computers
Authors: Fokides Emmanuel , Kostas Apostolos
Published: July 2019

The chapter presents the results of a longitudinal study (years 2013-2018) in which pre-service teachers' actual and perceived competence in computers were examined, together with factors that were hypothesized to affect both. Participants were 1070 senior students, studying at the Department of Primary School Education, University of the Aegean, Greece, and an online questionnaire was used for recording their views. Results analysis, using multiple linear regression, indicated that pre-service teachers do not actually know a lot about computers, while at the same time, they view themselves as average users. Moreover, ICT courses' impact on actual knowledge and skills in computers was minimal; more significant was the impact of additional ICT training and ownership of both a PC and a laptop. On the other hand, participants based their perceived competence in computers almost exclusively on how competent they thought they were in basic computer use. On the basis of the results, recommendations are made in order pre-service teachers to be more adequately prepared to meet the challenges of using ICT as in-service teachers.
The Integration of Information and Communication Technology in Pre-University Education in Ghana
Authors: Gyaase Patrick Ohemeng , Gyamfi Samuel Adu , Kuranchie Alfred , Koomson Faustina Scholarstica
Published: July 2019

Educationists throughout the world are attesting to the capabilities of ICT for innovations in teaching and learning. There are evidences that integrating ICT into education enhances the learners' creativity and opens up new ways of knowledge acquisition and sharing. ICT is also credited with the improvement of teaching and learning of new skills needed to fully function in the 21st century knowledge society. This research was undertaken to evaluate the current state of ICT integration into the pre-university education and identify the barriers through principal components analysis and make the necessary recommendations. The research utilized both primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected through questionnaires and interviews while secondary data was obtained from reviews of government policy documents and reports. The study found an already existing ICT literacy education in the pre-university educational system in Ghana. There is also increasing access to and knowledge of ICT hardware and services. However, inadequate infrastructure, inadequate technology skills, lack of technical support, and inappropriate content are the challenges militating against effective integration of ICT in schools' curricula. Restructuring the curriculum of the various subjects, in-service training for teachers, integration of ICT into teacher training, and provision of internet connectivity infrastructure and services are recommended.
Applying Twitter as an Educational Tool for Concept Learning and Engaging Students
Authors: Buzzelli Armand A. , Holdan E. Gregory , Rota Daniel R.
Published: July 2019

The challenge of engaging students beyond a typical class meeting session is a longstanding issue in educational research. This chapter outlines Twitter as a potential tool for enhancing student engagement while also enhancing concept learning. Twitter's efficient microblogging format allows instructors to share information quickly in real-time, while the hashtag feature enables a user to develop a list or repository of targeted tweets. These functions among others make the popular platform an educational tool that instructors should consider implementing carefully while modeling a good electronic footprint for their students.
Teaching Offensive Lab Skills
Authors: Trabelsi Zouheir , McCoey Margaret , Wang Yang
Published: July 2019

This chapter identifies and discusses the learning outcomes to be achieved because of hands-on lab exercises using ethical hacking. It discusses the ethical implications associated with including such labs in the information security curriculum. The discussion is informed by analyses of log data on student malicious activities, and the results of student surveys. The examination of student behavior after acquiring hands-on offensive skills shows that there is potentially a high risk of using these skills in an inappropriate and illegal manner. While acknowledging the risk and the ethical problems associated with teaching ethical hacking, it strongly recommends that information security curricula should opt for a teaching approach that offers students both offensive hands-on lab exercises coupled with ethical practices related to the techniques. The authors propose steps to offer a comprehensive information security program while at the same time minimizing the risk of inappropriate student behavior and reducing institutional liability in that respect and increasing the ethical views and practices related to ethical hacking.
Reflective Teaching and Technology Integration in Management Education
Authors: Baporikar Neeta
Published: July 2019

Reflective practice supports critical thinking and assessment skills through analyzing one's own life experiences, and the role of reflection in learning is well reckoned. Reflective practice, the habit of looking back and analyzing one's own life experiences, is a process that supports learning and develops critical thinking skills. The role of reflection in learning has been recognized for decades and the reflective observation learning style may provide an important means of deepening student understanding and engagement especially with better technology integration. Many management educators recommend reflective practice for managerial and professional development as learning to reflect is a key element in mastering the important management skill of self-awareness and developing management competencies. Adopting a mixed method qualitative approach, the aim of this chapter is to delve on the current scenario of the reflective practices and technology integration in management education.
Visual Programming-Based Visual Learning Media to Learn Programming Technique With Fuzzy Rating
Authors: Buditjahjanto I. G. P. Asto , Riduwan M.
Published: July 2019

Programming techniques is a difficult subject for the majority of students at vocational high schools in Indonesia. One of the problems is that the teaching-learning process still uses textual learning media with no interaction with students. Visual learning media offers some advantages to attract the attention of users, interact with users, involve users, and multimodal for users. Because of this, it is necessary to develop visual learning media to utilize visual programming to make it easier for students to understand programming techniques. The aims of this chapter are to determine the learning media feasibility utilizing visual programming to find the students' responses to utilizing visual learning media and to applying fuzzy rating for the feasibility and students' responses toward media learning based on visual programming. The research results showed that fuzzy preference can be applied to assess the learning media feasibility and students' responses to the use of visual learning media utilizing visual programming.
iPads in the Classroom
Authors: Oigara James N. , Ferguson Janet M.
Published: July 2019

Handheld digital devices, especially iPads, have become increasingly popular in educational institutions surrounded by debates between advocates and skeptics. This chapter examines the perceptions of middle school teachers on the use of iPads in the classroom. A review of the existing literature on the digital devices and on iPads use in the classroom was conducted. The participants, 53 teachers, responded to a Likert scale type online survey asking them questions about how they felt about the 1:1 iPad initiative at their school. Data analysis included open and axial coding for identification of themes and patterns. The findings showed mixed findings, although the majority of teachers believed that the iPads played a significant role in the teaching-learning process to engage students in the classroom. Some participants, however, responded with concerns that iPads caused student distraction and allowed off-task behaviors in the classroom. The findings also suggest that teachers need targeted professional development training on pedagogical and practical use of iPad to be able to successfully integrate the iPad into their practice. Implications for educators, app designers, and for future research are discussed.