bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ingredients of Sustainable CEO Behaviour: Theory and Practice
Authors: Abatecola Gianpaolo , Cristofaro Matteo
Published: April 2019

What CEO attributes can improve corporate sustainability? In this regard, what do superstar CEOs, e.g., Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates, have in common? Also, did the personalities of Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay contribute to the crack in the US Enron Corporation early in this century? Why, as far as presidential elections are concerned, are some countries, more than others, more likely to vote for seemingly narcissistic politicians? In our practice-oriented review article, we aim to contribute to shedding new light on the challenging evidence continuously evolving around CEOs, in general, and around their effect on corporate sustainability, in particular. Two distinctive features represent the main “so-what” value of our work. First, each of the CEO attributes which we sequentially focus on (i.e., power, personality, profiles, and effect) is, at the beginning, not only separately considered but also associated with many recent examples from business life and from the “CEO world” at an international level. Second, from our analysis, we then derive a conceptual framework which, combining all these attributes into a unique body of knowledge, could be used as a potential starting point for future investigations in this challenging research area regarding the CEO/sustainability relationship. In this regard, we believe understanding how all the analysed attributes coevolve will represent a pivotal question to address if we want to enhance the scientific and practical understanding of CEO (sustainable) behaviour.
Multi-Criteria Decision Making for Sustainability and Value Assessment in Early PSS Design
Authors: Bertoni Marco
Published: April 2019

Sustainability is increasingly recognized as a key innovation capability in the organization. However, it is not always evident for manufacturers how sustainability targets shall be “mixed and matched” with more traditional objectives—such as quality, time, cost, and performances—when designing and developing solutions. The emergence of “servitization” and product-service systems (PSS) further emphasizes the need for making thoughtful trade-offs between technical aspects, business strategies, and environmental benefits of a design. The objective of this paper is to investigate how multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) models shall be applied to down-select PSS concepts from a value perspective, by considering sustainability as one of the attributes of a design contributing to the overall value of a solution. Emerging from the findings of a multiple case study in the aerospace and construction sector, the paper presents a five-step iterative process to support decision making for sustainable PSS design, which was further applied to design an electrical load carrier. The findings show that the proposed approach creates a “hub” where argumentations related to “value” and “sustainability” of PSS solution concepts can be systematically captured in a way that supports the discussion on the appropriate quantification strategy.
Adaptability of Cattle-Raising to Multiple Stressors in the Dry Tropics of Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Aguilar-Jiménez José Roberto , Nahed-Toral José , Parra-Vázquez Manuel Roberto , Guevara-Hernández Francisco , Pat-Fernández Lucio Alberto
Published: April 2019

Using the sustainable livelihoods analytical framework, the adaptability of cattle-raising to multiple stressors (e.g., climate change and market conditions) in the dry tropics of Chiapas, Mexico, was evaluated. Three case studies located in the Frailesca region of Chiapas were analyzed: (I) peasant cattle raising in a rural village in the Frailesca Valley; (II) peasant cattle raising in a rural village in a natural protected area in the Frailesca Highlands; and (III) holistic cattle raising by farmers with private land ownership in the Frailesca Valley. Three livelihood strategies were identified: a cattle raising-crop cultivation strategy with high use of purchased inputs (case 1); (II) a diversified strategy including extensive livestock raising (case 2); and (III) a strategy specialized in holistic cattle raising (case III). Adaptability was evaluated using an index on a scale of 1 to 100; average values were: case I = 20.9 ± 1.4; case II = 32.1 ± 1.8; and case III = 63.6 ± 3.5. In order to increase farms’ adaptability and reduce the vulnerability of cattle-raising families, there is a need to modify public policy to take into account the conditions of the most vulnerable farmers (cases I and II). Given the economic, environmental, and social context of Mexico’s dry tropics, establishing ecological or organic cattle raising and silvopastoral systems may reduce farm families’ vulnerability and increase the level of adaptability of their farms to multiple stressors.
Sustainable Mobility at Thirty
Authors: Holden Erling , Gilpin Geoffrey , Banister David
Published: April 2019

It is now almost three decades since the concept of ‘sustainable mobility’ first appeared in the 1992 EU Green Paper on the Impact of Transport on the Environment. This paper reviews the literature and reflects on how societies’ understanding and interpretation of the concept of sustainable mobility has evolved. We track this evolution over six dimensions: research and policy, transport impacts and categories, scientific disciplines, methodological approach, and research questions. From this review we assert that the mainstream understanding and interpretation of sustainable mobility can be grouped into four generations of studies. The first generation of studies (1992–1993) were techno-centric and focused on how to limit transport’s negative environmental impacts by improving then-existing technology. The second, third and fourth generations of studies (1993–2000, 2000–2010 and 2010–2018 respectively) increasingly acknowledge the limitations of preceding efforts to achieve sustainable mobility, and open for a more diverse set of alternatives. These studies have gradually become more interdisciplinary in nature—reflecting the inter-relatedness of mobility with all other aspects of society. We conclude that despite the ensuing elevation of mobility into the holistic picture society, we still have not achieved a sustainable mobility system. Furthermore, what is much needed now, more than ever, is a bold set of new narratives.
Seasonal Net Carbon Exchange in Rotation Crops in the Temperate Climate of Central Lithuania
Authors: Baležentienė Ligita , Mikša Ovidijus , Baležentis Tomas , Streimikiene Dalia
Published: April 2019

Intelligent agricultural solutions require data on the environmental impacts of agriculture. In order for operationalize decision-making for sustainable agriculture, one needs to establish the corresponding datasets and protocols. Increasing anthropogenic CO2 emissions into the atmosphere force the choice of growing crops aimed at mitigating climate change. For this reason, investigations of seasonal carbon exchange were carried out in 2013–2016 at the Training Farm of the Vytautas Magnus University (former Aleksandras Stulginskis University), Lithuania. This paper compares the carbon exchange rate for different crops, viz., maize, ley, winter wheat, spring rapeseed and barley under conventional farming. This study focuses on the carbon exchange rate. We measure the emitted and absorbed CO2 fluxes by applying the closed chamber method. The biomass measurement and leaf area index (LAI) calculations at different plant growth stages are used to evaluate carbon exchange in different agroecosystems. The differences in photosynthetically assimilated CO2 rates were significantly impacted by the leaf area index (p = 0.04) during the plant vegetation period. The significantly (p = 0.02–0.05) strong correlation (r = 0.6–0.7) exists between soil respiration and LAI. Soil respiration composed only 21% of the agroecosystem carbon exchange. Plant respiration ranged between 0.034 and 3.613 µmol m−2 s−1 during the vegetation period composed of a negligible ratio (mean 16%) of carbon exchange. Generally, respiration emissions were obviously recovered by the gross primary production (GPP) of crops. Therefore, the ecosystems were acting as an atmospheric CO2 sink. Barley accumulated the lowest mean GPP 12.77 µmol m−2 s−1. The highest mean GPP was determined for ley (14.28 µmol m−2 s−1) and maize (15.68 µmol m−2 s−1) due to the biggest LAI and particular bio-characteristics. Due to the highest NEP, the ley (12.66 µmol m−2 s−1) and maize (12.76 µmol m−2 s−1) agroecosystems sank the highest C from the atmosphere and, thus, they might be considered the most sustainable items between crops. Consequently, the appropriate choice of crops and their area in crop rotations may reduce CO2 emissions and their impact on the environment and climate change.
Experimental Investigation of the Mechanical Behavior of Layer-Crack Specimens under Cyclic Uniaxial Compression
Authors: Guo Wei-yao , Yu Feng-hai , Qiu Yue , Zhao Tong-bin , Tan Yun-liang
Published: April 2019

It is generally acknowledged that the failure of the layer-crack structure is closely related to rock bursts (a layer-crack structure means a coal or rock rib that is cut by fractures that are parallel or sub-parallel to the surface of the rib). Understanding the mechanical behavior of the layer-crack structure under cyclic loading is beneficial for rock burst mitigation. This study experimentally investigated the influence of the geometry of vertical fissure (i.e., width, length and number) on the mechanical properties of layer-crack rock specimens. The results show that the sensitivity of parameters with respect to the geometry of the fissure from strong to weak is the number, length and width. First, the peak stress under cyclic loading increases by approximately 7.82–17.35%, thereby exerting an obvious strengthening effect. Second, the fissure geometry slightly affects the energy evolution of the layer-crack specimen, i.e., the input energy density, elastic energy density and dissipated energy density all gradually increase with the increase of the number of cycles. However, when approaching a specimen failure, the increasing rates from quick to slow are the dissipated energy, input energy and elastic energy. Third, the damage variable of the layer-crack specimen shows a concave increasing trend with the increase of the number of cycles. When the number of cycles is equal, the damage increases with the increase of the number of fissures, but it decreases with the increase of the fissure length. Fourth, AE events occur shortly before specimen failures, but rapidly increase near the specimen failures. The accumulated AE events that lead to specimen failures decrease with the increase in the number of fissures. These results can provide some basic data for the research of rock bursts related to the failures of layer-crack structures.
Nematic Liquid Crystal Composite Materials for DC and RF Switching
Authors: Munna Mohiuddin , Anwar Farhana , Coutu Ronald A.
Published: April 2019

Liquid Crystals (LCs) are widely used in display devices, electro-optic modulators, and optical switches. A field-induced electrical conductivity modulation in pure liquid crystals is very low which makes it less preferable for direct current (DC) and radio-frequency (RF) switching applications. According to the literature, a conductivity enhancement is possible by nanoparticle doping. Considering this aspect, we reviewed published works focused on an electric field-induced conductivity modulation in carbon nanotube-doped liquid crystal composites (LC-CNT composites). A two to four order of magnitude switching in electrical conductivity is observed by several groups. Both in-plane and out-of-plane device configurations are used. In plane configurations are preferable for micro-device fabrication. In this review article, we discussed published works reporting the elastic and molecular interaction of a carbon nanotube (CNT) with LC molecules, temperature and CNT concentration effects on electrical conductivity, local heating, and phase transition behavior during switching. Reversibility and switching speed are the two most important performance parameters of a switching device. It was found that dual frequency nematic liquid crystals (DFNLC) show a faster switching with a good reversibility, but the switching ratio is only two order of magnitudes. A better way to ensure reversibility with a large switching magnitude is to use two pairs of in-plane electrodes in a cross configuration. For completeness and comparison purposes, we briefly reviewed other nanoparticle- (i.e., Au and Ag) doped LC composite’s conductivity behavior as well. Finally, based on the reported works reviewed in this article on field induced conductivity modulation, we proposed a novel idea of RF switching by LC composite materials. To support the idea, we simulated an LC composite-based RF device considering a simple analytical model. Our RF analysis suggests that a device made with an LC-CNT composite could show an acceptable performance. Several technological challenges needed to be addressed for a physical realization and are also discussed briefly.
A Pipeline for Rapid Post-Crisis Twitter Data Acquisition, Filtering and Visualization
Authors: Kejriwal Mayank , Gu Yao
Published: April 2019

Due to instant availability of data on social media platforms like Twitter, and advances in machine learning and data management technology, real-time crisis informatics has emerged as a prolific research area in the last decade. Although several benchmarks are now available, especially on portals like CrisisLex, an important, practical problem that has not been addressed thus far is the rapid acquisition, benchmarking and visual exploration of data from free, publicly available streams like the Twitter API in the immediate aftermath of a crisis. In this paper, we present such a pipeline for facilitating immediate post-crisis data collection, curation and relevance filtering from the Twitter API. The pipeline is minimally supervised, alleviating the need for feature engineering by including a judicious mix of data preprocessing and fast text embeddings, along with an active learning framework. We illustrate the utility of the pipeline by describing a recent case study wherein it was used to collect and analyze millions of tweets in the immediate aftermath of the Las Vegas shootings in 2017.
The Pressure of Fusarium Disease and Its Relation with Mycotoxins in The Wheat Grain and Malt
Authors: Spanic Valentina , Zdunic Zvonimir , Drezner Georg , Sarkanj Bojan
Published: April 2019

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive wheat fungal diseases, causing yield loss, quality reduction, and accumulation of mycotoxins. The aim of this research was to summarize the occurrence of major Fusarium mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-AcDON), nivalenol (NIV), and zearalenone (ZEN) in two consecutive years to search the relationship between disease incidence and severity with mycotoxins found in control and inoculated grains and corresponding malt. In addition, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G) in one-year research was measured. Tested wheat varieties showed infection scores of 3% (‘U1’ and ‘Sirban Prolifik’) to 79% (‘Golubica’) for Type I resistance evaluation. There were few moderately resistant varieties in view of their areas under the disease progress curve, which can be considered Type III resistance (‘Sirban Prolifik’ and ‘U1’). According to the data quantified by LC–MS/MS, DON decreased in infected malt in comparison to corresponding grain, while ZEN occurred only in infected malt samples. Both 3-AcDON and NIV increased in inoculated malt in comparison to corresponding grain, due to a combination of plant metabolism and de novo synthesis by molds during malting. Based on the results, we can draw a few conclusions: the resistance to Fusarium decreased quantified concentrations of DON; ZEN gets synthetized during malting; unregulated 3-AcDON and NIV increase during malting; more resistant varieties have converted DON to D3G more successfully. Modified mycotoxins should be also included to legislation, since they could be transformed back to the corresponding mycotoxins under food processing conditions or during digestion.
A Novel Modified Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate (HSCAS) Adsorbent Can Effectively Reduce T-2 Toxin-Induced Toxicity in Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Biochemistry, and Small Intestinal Morphology in Chicks
Authors: Wei Jin-Tao , Wu Kun-Tan , Sun Hua , Khalil Mahmoud Mohamed , Dai Jie-Fan , Liu Ying , Liu Qiang , Zhang Ni-Ya , Qi De-Sheng , Sun Lv-Hui
Published: April 2019

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a modified hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) adsorbent to reduce the toxicity of T-2 toxin in broilers. Ninety-six one-day-old male broilers were randomly allocated into four experimental groups with four replicates of six birds each. The four groups, 1–4, received a basal diet (BD), a BD plus 6.0 mg/kg T-2 toxin, a BD plus 6.0 mg/kg T-2 toxin with 0.05% modified HSCAS adsorbent, and a BD plus 0.05% modified HSCAS adsorbent, respectively, for two weeks. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemistry, and small intestinal histopathology were analyzed. Compared to the control group, dietary supplementation of T-2 toxin decreased (p < 0.05) body weight gain, feed intake, and the feed conversion ratio by 11.4–31.8% during the whole experiment. It also decreased (p < 0.05) the apparent metabolic rates of crude protein, calcium, and total phosphorus by 14.9–16.1%. The alterations induced by T-2 toxin were mitigated (p < 0.05) by the supplementation of the modified HSCAS adsorbent. Meanwhile, dietary modified HSCAS adsorbent supplementation prevented (p < 0.05) increased serum aspartate aminotransferase by T-2 toxin at d 14. It also prevented (p < 0.05) T-2 toxin-induced morphological changes and damage in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers. However, dietary supplementation of the modified HSCAS adsorbent alone did not affect (p > 0.05) any of these variables. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the modified HSCAS adsorbent could be used against T-2 toxin-induced toxicity in growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and hepatic and small intestinal injuries in chicks.
A Stillborn Multiple Organs’ Investigation from a Maternal DENV-4 Infection: Histopathological and Inflammatory Mediators Characterization
Authors: Nunes Priscila , Nogueira Rita , Coelho Janice , Rodrigues Francisco , Salomão Natália , José Carollina , de Carvalho Jorge , Rabelo Kíssila , de Azeredo Elzinandes , Basílio-de-Oliveira Rodrigo , Basílio-de-Oliveira Carlos , dos Santos Flávia , Paes Marciano
Published: April 2019

Dengue virus (DENV) is an emerging virus involved in outbreaks in Brazil. The association between the virus and vertical transmission, with disorders in the placenta, has raised a worldwide concern. On the 29th gestational week, a pregnant woman presented severe complications due to a DENV infection leading to maternal and fetus death. Postmortem analysis of fetal organs demonstrated the presence of DENV using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the fetal brain and DENV non-structural protein 3 (NS3) staining in placenta and several peripheral fetal tissues, such as the brain, liver, lungs, and spleen. Histological analysis of the placenta and fetal organs revealed different types of tissue abnormalities, which included inflammation, hemorrhage, edema, and necrosis in placenta and tissue disorganization in the fetus, such as spongiform parenchyma, microglial inflammation, steatosis, hyalinose arteriolar, inflammatory cells in the alveolar septa, and disorganization of the lymphoid follicle. Increased cellularity (macrophage, Hofbauer cells and TCD8+ lymphocytes) and up-regulation of inflammatory mediators such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, RANTES/CCL5, MCP1/CCL2, and VEGF/R2 were detected in the liver, lung, spleen, brain, and placenta, supporting placental and fetus peripheral tissues inflammation. Maternal infection leading to the production of those vascular mediators may alter the vascular permeability, facilitating the virus entry and tissue and barrier dysfunction.
Subclade 2.2.1-Specific Human Monoclonal Antibodies That Recognize an Epitope in Antigenic Site A of Influenza A(H5) Virus HA Detected between 2015 and 2018
Authors: Okuda Moe , Yamayoshi Seiya , Uraki Ryuta , Ito Mutsumi , Hamabata Taiki , Kawaoka Yoshihiro
Published: April 2019

Highly pathogenic avian H5 influenza viruses persist among poultry and wild birds throughout the world. They sometimes cause interspecies transmission between avian and mammalian hosts. H5 viruses possessing the HA of subclade 2.3.4.4, 2.3.2.1, 2.2.1, or 7.2 were detected between 2015 and 2018. To understand the neutralizing epitopes of H5-HA, we characterized 15 human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the HA of H5 viruses, which were obtained from volunteers who received the H5N1 vaccine that contains a subclade 2.2.1 or 2.1.3.2 virus as an antigen. Twelve mAbs were specific for the HA of subclade 2.2.1, two mAbs were specific for the HA of subclade 2.1.3.2, and one mAb was specific for the HA of both. Of the 15 mAbs analyzed, nine, which were specific for the HA of subclade 2.2.1, and shared the VH and VL genes, possessed hemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing activities, whereas the others did not. A single amino acid substitution or insertion at positions 144–147 in antigenic site A conferred resistance against these nine mAbs to the subclade 2.2.1 viruses. The amino acids at positions 144–147 are highly conserved among subclade 2.2.1, but differ from those of other subclades. These results show that the neutralizing epitope including amino acids at positions 144–147 is targeted by human antibodies, and plays a role in the antigenic difference between subclade 2.2.1 and other subclades.
LOS MEDIOS DIDÁCTICOS EN LA ASIGNATURA DE ESTUDIOS SOCIALES EN LA CARRERA DE EDUCACIÓN GENERAL BÁSICA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD TÉCNICA DE MANABÍ, ECUADOR
Authors: Solórzano Gómez Cielo , Farfán Velásquez Ana Narcisa
Published: April 2019

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo principal destacar los principales medios didácticos y de enseñanza, con la cual se pueden trabajar de mejor manera la asignatura de Estudios Sociales. Consta de algunas fundamentaciones científicas de diversos autores que se han permitido escribir sobre el tema y de estudios realizados para darle sustento a las teorías. Contiene conclusiones que son los resultados de las autoras luego de hacer un exhaustivo estudio del caso.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Enseñanza; didáctica; estudios sociales; educación superior.

THE TEACHING MEDIA IN THE SUBJECT OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE CAREER OF BASIC GENERAL EDUCATION OF THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MANABÍ, ECUADOR

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this work is to highlight the main didactic and teaching methods, with which the subject of Social Studies can be improved. It consists of some scientific foundations of various authors who have been allowed to write on the subject and studies to support theories. It contains conclusions that are the results of the authors after an exhaustive study of the case.

KEYWORDS: Teaching; Didactics; social studies; higher education.
PAPEL DE LAS AGENCIAS Y AGENTES SOCIALES EN LA FORMACIÓN DE LA PERSONALIDAD DE LOS ESTUDIANTES DE PREUNIVERSITARIO
Authors: Santiesteban Cecilio Lourdes Teresa , Díaz Cantillo Celia , Feria Ávila Hernán
Published: April 2019

En el trabajo se presenta la temática referida al sistema de influencias educativas de las organizaciones sociales en la formación de la personalidad del adolescente de la enseñanza media superior. La necesidad de abordar los fundamentos necesarios para la integración de las exigencias educativas de la enseñanza media superior, con las aportaciones de las organizaciones sociocomunitarias. El motivo de realizar dicha investigación radica, en la insuficiente incorporación en el proceso educativo de la enseñanza media superior, del sistema de influencias de las organizaciones socio comunitario, que afecta la formación integral de la personalidad de los estudiantes. Se sintetiza en una estrategia pedagógica dirigida a lograr la coherencia en el sistema de influencias educativas de las organizaciones socio comunitarias, en la formación integral de la personalidad que se contextualiza en la educación media superior.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Influencias educativas; formación de la personalidad; adolescentes. 

AGENCIES AND AGENTS SOCIAL IN THE FORMATION OF THE PERSONALITY OF PRE-UNIVERSITY STUDENT'S

ABSTRACT

In the work the thematic one is presented referred to the system of educational influences of the social organizations in the formation of the personality of the adolescent of the superior secondary education. The necessity to approach the necessary foundations for the integration of the educational demands of the superior secondary education, with the contributions of the community organizations partner. The necessity to carry out this investigation resides, in the insufficient incorporation in the educational process of the superior secondary education, of the system of influences of the organizations community partner that affects the integral formation of the personality of the students. It is synthesized in a pedagogic strategy directed to achieve the coherence in the system of educational influences of the community organizations partner, in the integral formation of the personality that you contextualize in the superior half education.

KEYWORDS: Educational influences; formation of the personality; adolescents.
Exploring intergenerational differences in burnout and how they relate to work engagement, norms, and values: a mixed-methods study
Authors: De Maeyer Carolien , Schoenmakers Birgitte
Published: April 2019

Background

Burnout has been on the rise in recent years. Is this increasing prevalence due to changing working circumstances, or also to a changing societal context?

Aim

The aim of the study was to explore intergenerational differences in burnout.

Design & setting

The study used a mixed quantitative and qualitative design, and tested the theory of the job demands–resources model (JD-RM). The target group of this research was the working population in Belgium, aged between 21–65 years. The study was performed in a public setting with people recruited through social media.

Method

A quantitative web survey was distributed among the participants to explore the prevalence of burnout, work ethic, work engagement, and norms and values. The second part of the study used a focus group technique to explore in depth the eight statements that were formulated from the quantitative survey.

Results

A total of 309 people participated in the web survey and 21.5% met the criteria for 'burnout', while 22.6% scored high on the criteria for 'engagement'. It was found that 12.6% of all men and 3.0% of all women could not identify with the portrait of 'equivalence’. The value 'benevolence' was positively rated by 100%. In the youngest generation, 71.3 % identified with the portrait of ‘stimulation', while 70.8% of older men identified with the portrait ‘traditions’. The results also revealed that 43.1% of the younger generation agreed with the statement: 'I often think I would be more successful if I gave up certain pleasures'

Conclusion

Burnout is more common among young people. In the older generation, a good ability to put things into perspective, a good balance between work and leisure, and a strong sense of tradition appear to be resources to aid against burnout. The younger generation often deals with stressors. This younger generation appears to have a higher work ethic and commitment.
Assessing whether medical language is a barrier to receiving healthcare services in Bangladesh: an exploratory study
Authors: Bhuiyan Badrul Alam , Urmi Ishrat Jahan , Chowdhury Mahbub Elahi , Rahman Tajrian , Hasan Abu Syed , Simkhada Padam
Published: April 2019

Background

In many global settings, medical language acts as a barrier to accessing and using health services. However, this issue remained unexplored in Bangladesh, where the non-native English language is commonly used for health care.

Aim

To examine whether medical language is an obstacle for obtaining health services in Bangladesh and to provide policy recommendations.

Design & setting

An exploratory study was undertaken to identify the impact of medical language on general practice. Data were collected online from Bangladeshi people between July–November 2014.

Method

A semi-structured questionnaire was developed through Google Forms for data collection. The snowball technique was applied to obtain data purposively from 50 participants. With prior consent, the questionnaire along with the online link was sent to responders by email. When responders clicked on the 'submit' option of the questionnaire, responses were stored online automatically in the pre-built system. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (version 22). Textual data analyses (especially of suggestions of the responders) were conducted using a thematic approach.

Results

Among study participants, 44% (n= 22) said that English language was the choice for writing prescriptions by health service providers in Bangladesh, and 26% said that a mixture of Bengali and English was used. Around 30% of the study participants could not understand medical language used by doctors (this includes those who were not sure or preferred not to say). Among responders, 78% said that medical language was affecting the treatment process and 48% were of the opinion that it was acting as a barrier in receiving health services.

Conclusion

Medical language is acting as a barrier in the health services of Bangladesh. Tailored interventions must be developed and implemented to overcome medical language barriers in health services in order to strengthen the health system.
PLASMACHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF THERMAL INSULATED BLOCKS WITH DECORATIVE COATING
Authors: Бессмертный Василий , Bessmertnyy Vasiliy , Соколова Оксана , Sokolova Oksana , Бондаренко Надежда , Bondarenko Nadezhda , Бондаренко Диана , Bondarenko Diana , Брагина Людмила , Bragina Lyudmila , Макаров Алексей , Makarov Aleksey , Кочурин Дмитрий , Kochurin Dmitriy
Published: April 2019

The impact of plasma of an arc plasmatron on plasmochemical modification of a two-layer heat-resistant decorative covering on the protecting foam glass blocks is investigated. The optimum technological parameters of plasma processing of such blocks with a preliminary basis of finely divided glass containers and high-quality glass breakage are determined. It is shown that the texture and quality of a two-layer heat-resistant decorative covering are affected by speed characteristics of the plasma torch. It is established experimentally that when the arc-plasma reflow rate is 5 mm /s, a continuous wavy coating is formed on the surface of the foam glass block, and at 10 mm /s – a continuous coating with even spill. Intermediate heat-resistant and basic compositions of decorative two-layer coating for plasma-chemical modification of enclosing blocks of heat-insulating materials have been developed. The intermediate heat-resistant structure includes the following ingredients: heat-resistant aluminous cement, crushed and fractioned high-aluminous refractory material, liquid glass. The basic structure includes mixture of fine ground glass powder of tare and high-quality glasses with the crushed high-aluminous refractory material. The following performance indicators are investigated: adhesion strength of the coating with the matrix, frost resistance, microhardness, acid resistance, water resistance, abrasion resistance, moisture resistance and resistance to neutral salt spray test.
Las Competencias Profesionales del Docente: Su Incidencia en el Proceso de Titulación en el Instituto Superior Tecnológico de Formación Profesional Administrativa Y Comercial De Ecuador
Authors: Lema Cachinell Belinda Marta , Lema Cachinell Alejandro Nicolás , Lema Cachinell Belinda Marta
Published: April 2019

La calidad del trabajo docente, científico e investigativo es reconocida cada vez más como rasgo distintivo del desarrollo de la comunidad docente en la educación superior y está considerado como factor clave para incrementar la competitividad y excelencia de este nivel educativo. Por tanto, el desafío que se les presenta a la universidad del siglo XXI, en particular el Instituto Superior Tecnológico de Formación Profesional Administrativa y Comercial (ITFPAC) en Ecuador es elevado, si se tiene en cuenta que debe enfrentar las nuevas exigencias sociales, profesionales y científicas de la postmodernidad. Un índice de calidad que da cuenta de lo expresado es el rendimiento académico y la eficiencia terminal. En tal sentido, el trabajo de titulación que realiza el Instituto Superior Tecnológico de Formación Profesional Administrativa y Comercial (ITFPAC) es vital para dar respuesta a esta exigencia. En correspondencia con lo expuesto se realizó un análisis de los últimos tres años para valorar el comportamiento del trabajo de titulación que realizan los estudiantes, revelando que las competencias profesionales de los docentes incidieron directamente en la elevación de la eficiencia terminal de la institución, lo cual contribuyó al éxito del proceso de evaluación y acreditación.
QUANTILE-ORIENTED GLOBAL SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF DESIGN RESISTANCE
Authors: Kala Zdeněk
Published: April 2019

The article investigates the application of a new type of global quantile-oriented sensitivity analysis (called QSA in the article) and contrasts it with established Sobol’ sensitivity analysis (SSA). Comparison of QSA of the resistance design value (0.1 percentile) with SSA is performed on an example of the analysis of the resistance of a steel IPN 200 beam, which is subjected to lateral-torsional buckling. The resistance is approximated using higher order polynomial metamodels created from advanced non-linear FE models. The main, higher order and total effects are calculated using the Latin Hypercube Sampling method. Noticeable differences between the two methods are found, with QSA apparently revealing higher sensitivity of the resistance design value to random input second and higher order interactions (compared to SSA). SSA cannot identify certain reliability aspects of structural design as comprehensively as QSA, particularly in relation to higher order interactions effects of input imperfections. In order to better understand the reasons for the differences between QSA and SSA, two simple examples are presented, where QSA (median) and SSA show a general agreement in the calculation of certain sensitivity indices.
Nurse Educators Teaching Through the Lens of Transformative Learning Theory
Authors: Bernard R. Oscar
Published: April 2019

Background:

The study purpose was to explore the experiences of nurse educators when teaching undergraduate nursing students through the lens of transformative learning theory.

Method:

This qualitative case study used interviews of 11 nurse educators who employ teaching strategies developed from the perspective of transformative learning theory. Multiple data sources were added to the study to enhance credibility of the findings: two program administrator interviews, qualitative surveys for 97 nursing students, five classroom observations, and records review.

Results:

Using inductive analysis, the data collection revealed five prominent themes: Stepping Off the Stage, Teaching Outside the Box, Finding the Balance, Who's in Charge?, and Seeing Is Believing.

Conclusion:

The five themes provided insights into a previously unknown phenomenon in nursing education. The use of transformative learning strategies by this group of nurse educators illustrated innovative approaches to enhance teaching effectiveness, optimize student learning outcomes, and achieve the level of transformation nursing graduates need to successfully perform in the complex health care environment.

[
J Nurs Educ
. 2019;58(4):225–228.]
Cumulative Quizzes in a Nursing Research Course for Nursing Doctoral Students
Authors: Torres Elisa R.
Published: April 2019

Background:

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to examine the association between regular cumulative quizzes and knowledge retention in nursing doctorate students.

Method:

Sixteen students in a large midwestern university enrolled in a hybrid nursing research course were assessed with weekly online cumulative quizzes.

Results:

The mean score of the cumulative weekly quizzes was 94% (
SD
= 3%). The mean score on the cumulative final was 97% (
SD
= 3%). Fifteen students who completed an average of 12 of 14 (86%) cumulative weekly quizzes as scheduled passed the course.

Conclusion:

The cumulative final scores were higher than the cumulative weekly quizzes. Completing more of the cumulative weekly quizzes as scheduled was associated with higher cumulative final scores and passing the course, suggesting improved knowledge retention and ability to use that knowledge for other assignments throughout the course.

[
J Nurs Educ.
2019;58(4):243–246.]
Inquiry and Chain Reaction in Germany
Authors: Welzel-Breuer Manuela , Marmé Nicole , Graf Sönke Nils , Glaser Jonathan , Krebs Ann-Katrin
Published: April 2019

Chain Reaction in Germany was implemented as professional development (PD) project. Starting each year by a PD course the Chain Reaction philosophy, aims and model have been introduced, and the teachers were familiarized with six selected Earth and Universe Pupil Research Briefs (EUPRB), which were given as the practical basis of the IBSE approach. The chosen EUPRBs did match the German curricula regarding content and research focus. The teachers have been adapting these ideas to their own scenarios and their specific school conditions. They delivered student-focused lessons using the EUPRBs or complementing it. Using critical thinking and problem-solving skills, students at secondary level have been working within scientific scenarios they have been personally interested in. Their work has been published via posters and oral presentations that have been shared on the school site as well as on national “Express Yourself Conferences.” These annual conferences celebrated science and the work of the students. In this chapter, challenges, opportunities, activities, and results are reported.
OECD Action Plan in Base Erosion and Profit Shifting in Taxation and the Situation of Turkey
Authors: Cenikli Elvan
Published: April 2019

The BEPS Action Plan, which was prepared by OECD upon the call of G20 countries in order to overcome this problem, was announced on 19 July 2013, and it was approved in the G20 Leader's Summit that was held in Saint Petersburg in September 2013. This chapter discusses the mentioned action plan and the probable effects of this plan to Turkey. In this respect, evaluation of the mentioned action plan will be made from the Turkey perspective by focusing on the most important actions of the OECD Action Plan that it put forward for ensuring the international tax equity.
Economic Development Aids as a Financial Instrument of Global Public Goods
Authors: Atik Hayriye , Ünlü Fatma
Published: April 2019

The importance of global public goods (GPGs) is increasing every day. As a result, the concept become an important part of international policymaking. There is a huge literature on the definition and classification of GPGs, as well as the financing problems of them. GPGs are generally financed through the development aids given by international organizations and some developed countries. Literature is generally concentrated on the determination of the amount of aids devoted to different categories of GPGs, such as environment, health, peace-keeping, and knowledge. Differently from the literature, a new and more general classification is also used in this chapter. The main sectors included in the analysis are social infrastructure and services, economic infrastructure and services, production sectors, multi-sector/gross cutting, and humanitarian aid. For the first time in the literature, principal components and cluster analysis methodologies were used to determine the performance of the countries providing official development aids in this study.
Causal Interactions Between Foreign Direct Investments, Trade, and Economic Growth
Authors: Alper Fındık Özlem , Alper Ali Eren
Published: April 2019

The main objective of this chapter is to detect the impacts of FDI and foreign trade on the economic growth of middle income countries. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship among economic growth, foreign direct investments, and trade in 27 middle-income countries according to the United Nations (UN) classification through panel data analysis method. According to the results of the Pedroni cointegration test, the null hypothesis suggesting no cointegration among the series at 1% significance level is rejected in all seven tests. According to pooled mean group estimator estimation results, the coefficients of foreign direct investment and trade which have long-term impacts on economic growth are also identified. Accordingly, the coefficients of both variables are statistically significant. A 1% increase in foreign direct investment and trade increase economic growth by 0.24% and 0.02%, respectively.
Innovative Ideas to Manage Urban Traffic Congestion in Cognitive Cities
Authors: Das Subhankar , Nayyar Anand
Published: April 2019

The cognitive city transport plays a vital role in setting the targets of monetary similarity and aggressiveness, social harmony, and reasonable significant development. As per the principle of urban development and versatility, the urban communities and their formative experts, which are dynamic in their considerations, are supporting neighborhood governments in handling portability issues, which shape basic examples over all subjective and dynamic populated urban areas. Interest for traveler and cargo transport is continually expanding in urban communities and towns, adding to movement clog, contamination, and car crashes. Understanding the movement clog is a typical test for governments and transport experts in all these urban formative specialists. As per them, putting the current versatility inclines on a maintainable cutting-edge way requires an aggregate rejig of urban portability.
Creating Access, Opportunity, and Ownership Through Cross-Cultural Meaning-Making in Academically Diverse Online Courses
Authors: Edge Christi U. , Cameron-Standerford Abby , Bergh Bethney
Published: April 2019

As a group of three teacher educators representing reading, special education, and educational leadership, the authors conducted a self-study of their online teaching practices with the guiding question of “How can we use multimodal literacies to re-see our practices and to empower others to construct and to communicate meaning?” The purpose was to explore the pedagogic potentials of multimodal literacy by acting upon recent findings from their longitudinal, collaborative self-study into how they use and learn through visual literacy. They sought to extend their line of inquiry and to more inclusively empower learners to negotiate and to make meaning through multimodal literacy practices. Findings document how using protocols to critically “read,” discuss, and collaboratively make meaning from their online teaching practices illuminated the relationship of multimodal texts, visuals and literacy practices in fostering access, opportunity, and ownership for learners in online courses.
Critical Humanism and Online Learning
Authors: Rodriguez Arturo , Smith Matthew David , Magill Kevin Russel
Published: April 2019

This chapter is an attempt to personalize online education. Across the writing, the authors use discussion boards, a means of inquiry, to offer students a space where shared experiences might foster deeper connections to subject matter. The concern for learning is how to design instruction to encourage critical learning opportunities in online environments for all students. A departure from traditional online delivery of instruction, they considered how to plan teaching to support student critical thinking in the expression of their ideas. Throughout this chapter, they discuss how critical theory/pedagogy informed practice in promoting self-awareness and critical consciousness among students.
Adult Learner Characteristics Important for Successful Learning in Cross-Cultural Web-Based Learning Environments in Higher Education
Authors: Lutta Joseph George M.
Published: April 2019

For more than 40 years, cognitive psychological perspectives have dominated pedagogical frameworks and models for designing technology-mediated teaching and learning environments. Social learning perspectives are increasingly becoming viable or even desirable frames for research and practice as pertains to teaching and learning, particularly in web-based learning environments (WBLEs). The author considers these social learning perspectives and how they relate to the design and implementation of curricula that are delivered in web-based learning environments in higher education. The author further reviews the foundational theories of adult learning that enhance adult learners' experiences in cross-cultural web-based learning environments. This review and analysis of the research related to social learning perspectives on WBLEs have three implications for future research and practice: (1) examining learners' individual characteristics in WBLEs, (2) identifying strategies for promoting social interaction in WBLEs, and (3) developing effective design principles for WBLEs. The author presents recommendations for future research.
Ethical Dimensions of NBIC-Convergence
Authors: Grebenshchikova Elena
Published: April 2019

One of the key trends in the development of technoscience is associated with the NBIC-convergence projects, which create not only unprecedented means for transformation of society and human but also raise the risks that require integrated approaches to ethical assessment and examination. Today, the foundations of the “NBIC-tetrahedron” have ethical projections in the form of nanoethics, bioethics, ICT-ethics, and neuroethics. However, their ability to discuss and resolve complex problems is limited. Technoethics can be considered a relevant way of combining different approaches to the ethical issues of converging technologies and science to discuss and solve not only actual situations but prospects as well.
Super Soldiers (Part 2)
Authors: Lin Patrick , Mehlman Max , Abney Keith , French Shannon , Vallor Shannon , Galliott Jai , Burnam-Fink Michael , LaCroix Alexander R. , Schuknecht Seth
Published: April 2019

This is the second chapter of two on military human enhancement. In the first chapter, the authors outlined past and present efforts aimed at enhancing the minds and bodies of our warfighters with the broader goal of creating the “super soldiers” of tomorrow, all before exploring a number of distinctions—natural vs. artificial, external vs. internal, enhancement vs. therapy, enhancement vs. disenhancement, and enhancement vs. engineering—that are critical to the definition of military human enhancement and understanding the problems it poses. The chapter then advanced a working definition of enhancement as efforts that aim to “improve performance, appearance, or capability besides what is necessary to achieve, sustain, or restore health.” It then discussed a number of variables that must be taken into consideration when applying this definition in a military context. In this second chapter, drawing on that definition and some of the controversies already mentioned, the authors set out the relevant ethical, legal, and operational challenges posed by military enhancement. They begin by considering some of the implications for international humanitarian law and then shift to US domestic law. Following that, the authors examine military human enhancement from a virtue ethics approach, and finally outline some potential consequences for military operations more generally.