bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic Exponentially Fitted Method for Solving
Multi-dimensional Drift-diffusion Equations
Authors: Swager M. R. , Zhou Y. C.
Published: April 2013

A general approach was proposed in this article to develop high-order exponentially fitted basis functions for finite element approximations of multi-dimensional drift-diffusion equations for modeling biomolecular electrodiffusion processes. Such methods are highly desirable for achieving numerical stability and efficiency. We found that by utilizing the one-to-one correspondence between the continuous piecewise polynomial space of degree k + 1 and the divergencefree vector space of degree k, one can construct high-order two-dimensional exponentially fitted basis functions that are strictly interpolative at a selected node set but are discontinuous on edges in general, spanning nonconforming finite element spaces. First order convergence was proved for the methods constructed from divergence-free Raviart-Thomas space RT
0
0 at two different node sets.
A New Form of Gabor Wigner Transform by Adaptive Thresholding in Gabor Transform and Wigner Distribution and the Power of Signal Synthesis Techniques to Enhance the Strengths of GWT
Authors: Ajab Muhammad , Taj Imtiaz Ahmad , Shafi Imran , Stankovic Srdjan
Published: April 2013

In this paper, a modified form of the Gabor Wigner Transform (GWT) has been proposed. It is based on adaptive thresholding in the Gabor Transform (GT) and Wigner Distribution (WD). The modified GWT combines the advantages of both GT and WD and proves itself as a powerful tool for analyzing multi-component signals. Performance analyses of the proposed distribution are tested on the examples, show high resolution and crossterms suppression. To exploit the strengths of GWT, the signal synthesis technique is used to extract amplitude varying auto-components of a multi-component signal. The proposed technique improves the readability of GWT and proves advantages of combined effects of these signal processing techniques.
Modification of Robust Filtering of Stratified Surface Topography
Authors: Dobrzański Paweł , Pawlus Paweł
Published: April 2013

Various components of surface texture are identified, namely form, waviness and roughness. Separation of these components is done by digital filtering. Several problems exist during analysis of two-process surfaces. Therefore the Gaussian robust profile filtering technique was established and has been studied here. The computer generated 2D profiles and 3D surface topographies having triangular scratches as well as measured stratified surfaces were subjected to filtration. However even robust filter applications cause distortion of profiles having valleys wider than 100 μm. In order to minimize the distortion associated with wide and deep valleys, the robust filter should be modified. A special procedure was elaborated for minimizing distortion of roughness profiles caused by filtration. Application of this method to analyses of several profiles was presented. The difference between 1-D and 2-D filtering of surface topography using the same kind of filter was discussed. As a result we found that modification of a 2-D surface topography filter was not necessary.
Prediction of Fouling in Condenser Based on Fuzzy Stage Identification and Chebyshev Neural Network
Authors: Fan Shaosheng , Zhong Qingchang
Published: April 2013

The prediction of fouling in condenser is heavily influenced by the periodic fouling process and dynamics change of the operational parameters, to deal with this problem, a novel approach based on fuzzy stage identification and Chebyshev neural network is proposed. In the approach, the overall fouling is separated into hard fouling and soft fouling, the variation trends of these two kinds of fouling are approximated by using Chebyshev neural network, respectively, in order to make the prediction model more accurate and robust, a fuzzy stage identification method and adaptive algorithm considering external disturbance are introduced, based on the approach, a prediction model is constructed and experiment on an actual condenser is carried out, the results show the proposed approach is more effective than asymptotic fouling model and adaptive parameter optimization prediction model.
The Relationship between Delay in Announcing Quarterly Forecasts of Annual Earnings and the Type of Earnings News
Authors: Moradi Mahdi , Salehi Mahdi , Ayask Seyyed Saeed Mehrdad
Published: April 2013

The current study aims to examine the relationship between delay in the announcement of quarterly forecasts of annual earnings and the type of earnings news in a unique context. Running a multiple linear regression on data collected from Rahavard Novin software and the companies’ financial statements, is the method of this study to investigate this relationship. Consistent with the pattern of good news early, bad news late, it was found that there is a positive relationship between the bad news type and the amount of delay in announcing quarterly forecast of annual earnings; so that the firms with negative adjustments in earnings forecast (bad news), on average, have 12 more days delay in the announcement. Considering other variables showed that as coverage percentage - a sign of success - increases, the amount of delay in announcing earnings forecast decreases, but companies with losses per share, on average, have an additional delay of about 6 days. The results obtained indicate that at least, in some industries there is certain time for reporting. Finally, it became clear that in the period after the adoption of the new disclosure instruction, despite the increased deadline, the amount of delay in earnings announcement has declined by about 2 days. In this study, for the first time in Iran, one of the company’s financial news (quarterly forecasts of annual earnings), have been classified into good and bad, based on comparison with the market expectation, and the relationship between the news type and the amount of delay in announcing the news, has been examined.
Enhancement of Solubility and Mass Transfer Coefficient of Benzoic Acid Through Hydrotropy
Authors: Prakash D. Gnana , Kumar S. Thenesh , Gandhi N. Nagendra
Published: April 2013

The effect of hydrotropes such as sodium salicylate, sodium benzoate, and nicotinamide on the solubility and mass transfer coefficient of benzoic acid has been investigated. The solubility studies were carried out under a wide range of hydrotrope concentrations (0 to 3.0 mol/L) and different system temperatures (303K to 333K). It has been observed that the solubility and mass transfer coefficient of benzoic acid increases with an increase in hydrotrope concentration and also with system temperature. A Minimum Hydrotrope Concentration (MHC) was found essential to initiate a significant increase in the solubility and the mass transfer coefficient. The maximum enhancement factor (φs), which is the ratio of the solubility value in the presence and absence of a hydrotrope, has been determined for all sets of experimentations. The solubility of benzoic acid has been enhanced to 19.98 times in the presence of 2.5 mol/L concentration of sodium salicylate hydrotrope at 333K.The effectiveness of hydrotropes was measured in terms of Setschenow constant Ks and the highest value has been observed as 0.502 for sodium salicylate.
Service and maintenance of marine steam turbogenerators with the assistance of vibration diagnostics
Authors: Adamkiewicz Andrzej , Drzewieniecki Jan
Published: April 2013

The paper discusses the problem of maintenance of the marine steam turbogenerator sets used in power systems on VLCC type oil tankers. The analysis of operation, monitoring and applied diagnostic methods of a selected turbogenerator working in the AT series waste energy system produced by Mitsubishi is presented. The analysis focuses on the applied maintenance method and its credibility and effectiveness in terms of technical assessment. The results of the performed maintenance actions and applied operational procedures making use of technical diagnostics and supported by a wider range of measurement capabilities of external service are presented and evaluated. The range of the study includes the readiness, reliability and safety of the use of turbogenerators being the result of the maintenance performed in accordance with the applied strategy of operation.
Multi-stage magnetic-fluid seals for operating in water – life test procedure, test stand and research results
Authors: Matuszewski Leszek
Published: April 2013

The edge criteria for magnetic-fluid seals durability research were described in previous article [24] and now the tests results are presented. The tests were made with three magnetic fluids using various magnets quantity in magnetic assemblies. If values obtained in the repeated test deviated by more than 10 % from results of the first test an additional control test was made for final characteristics. The characteristics are: critical pressure, critical motion velocity and working life of the seal. The test stands were prepared for particular seals dimensions and results of tests are presented in the form of tables, cross section draws and diagrams. In conclusion one can see that multi-stage magnetic-fluid seals could be efficiently used in water for rotating shaft seals in a limited range of motion velocity and cycles quantity. Nevertheless a particular applications can be provided by magnetic-fluid seals only.
High-Precision Sentence Alignment by Bootstrapping from Wood Standard Annotations
Authors: Mújdricza-Maydt Éva , Körkel-Qu Huiqin , Riezler Stefan , Padó Sebastian
Published: April 2013

We present a semi-supervised, language- and domain-independent approach to high precision sentence alignment. The key idea is to bootstrap a supervised discriminative learner from wood-standard alignments, i.e. alignments that have been automatically generated by state-of-the-art sentence alignment tools. We deploy 3 different unsupervised sentence aligners (Opus, Hunalign, Gargantua) and 2 different datasets (movie subtitles and novels) and show experimentally that bootstrapping consistently improves precision significantly such that, with one exception, we obtain an overall gain in F-score.
Prediction of 2 years-survival in patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer utilizing 18F-FDG PET/CT SUV quantifica
Authors: Cistaro Angelina , Quartuccio Natale , Mojtahedi Alireza , Fania Piercarlo , Filosso Pier Luigi , Campenni Alfredo , Ficola Umberto , Baldari Sergio
Published: April 2013

Background. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), size of primary lung lesion, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 2 years follow-up.

Patients and methods. Forty-nine patients with stage I-II NSCLC were included in this study. Pre-surgical 2-deoxy- 2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) study was performed for all patients. The relationship between SUVmax, tumour size and clinical outcome was measured. The cut-off value for SUVmax and tumour size with the best prognostic significance, probability of DFS and the correlation between SUVmax and the response to therapy were calculated.

Results. There was a statistically significant correlation between SUVmax and DFS (p = 0.029). The optimal cut-offs were 9.00 for SUVmax (p = 0.0013) and 30mm for tumour size (p = 0.0028). Patients with SUVmax > 9 and primary lesion size > 30 mm had an expected 2years-DFS of 37.5%, while this rose to 90% if the tumour was <30 mm and/or SUVmax was <9.

Conclusions. In stage I-II, SUVmax and tumour size might be helpful to identify the subgroup of patients with high chance for recurrence.
Renal Vascular Lesions in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Nicodim Mirela-Simona , Aşchie Mariana , Catrinoiu Doina , Hangan Laurenţiu-Tony
Published: April 2013

Background and Aims. Patients with diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 diabetes, have often a multifactorial renal impairment. The aim of this study was to correlate renal vascular lesions occurring in patients with diabetes mellitus with clinical and laboratory parameters. Material and method. We performed a retrospective study on a sample of 127 patients with diabetes mellitus, who died in hospital. Data from necropsies were correlated with the clinical and laboratory data collected from the medical records of these patients. Results. Renal vascular lesions were frequently found in patients from the study group. The most common were nephroangiosclerosis lesions, which correlated with age, diabetes duration, systolic blood pressure and mean fasting glucose. Conclusions. Most patients in the study group had multiple cardiovascular risk factors (advanced age, dyslipidemia, hypertension) that explain the high prevalence of renal vascular lesions.
Possible schemes of photoassociation processes in the KLi molecule with newly calculated potential energy curves
Authors: Miądowicz Łukasz , Jasik Patryk , Sienkiewicz Józef
Published: April 2013

We present four promising schemes for photoassociative formation of KLi molecule in its ground electronic state. Analysis is based on newly calculated adiabatic potentials supported by transition dipole moments and Franck-Condon factors.
Fractional sub-equation method for the fractional generalized reaction Duffing model and nonlinear fractional Sharma-Tasso-Olver equation
Authors: Jafari Hossein , Tajadodi Haleh , Baleanu Dumitru , Al-Zahrani Abdulrahim , Alhamed Yahia , Zahid Adnan
Published: April 2013

In this paper the fractional sub-equation method is used to construct exact solutions of the fractional generalized reaction Duffing model and nonlinear fractional Sharma-Tasso-Olver equation.The fractional derivative is described in the Jumarie’s modified Riemann-Liouville sense. Two illustrative examples are given, showing the accuracy and convenience of the method.
Fractional diffusion equation in half-space with Robin boundary condition
Authors: Duan Jun-Sheng , Wang Zhong , Fu Shou-Zhong
Published: April 2013

The initial and boundary value problem for the fractional diffusion equation in half-space with the Robin boundary condition is considered. The solution is comprised of two parts: the contribution of the initial value and the contribution of the boundary value, for which the respective fundamental solutions are given. Finally, the solution formula of the considered problem is obtained.
Vectorial fractional integral inequalities with convexity
Authors: Anastassiou George
Published: April 2013

Here we present vectorial general integral inequalities involving products of multivariate convex and increasing functions applied to vectors of functions. As specific applications we derive a wide range of vectorial fractional inequalities of Hardy type. These involve the left and right: Erdélyi-Kober fractional integrals, mixed Riemann-Liouville fractional multiple integrals. Next we produce multivariate Poincaré type vectorial fractional inequalities involving left fractional radial derivatives of Canavati type, Riemann-Liouville and Caputo types. The exposed inequalities are of L
p type, p ≥ 1, and exponential type.
Robot-Assisted Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders with (Partially) Autonomous Control: Challenges and Outlook
Authors: Thill Serge , Pop Cristina A , Belpaeme Tony , Ziemke Tom , Vanderborght Bram
Published: April 2013

Robot-assisted therapy (RAT) is an emerging field that has already seen some success and is likely to develop in the future. One particular application area is within therapies for autism spectrum disorders, in which the viability of the approach has been demonstrated.

The present paper is a vision paper with the aim of identifying research directions in the near future of RAT. Specifically, we argue that the next step in such therapeutic scenarios is the development of more substantial levels of autonomy which would allow the robot to adapt to the individual needs of children over longer periods of time (while remaining under the ultimate supervision of a therapist). We argue that this requires new advances on the level of robot controllers as well as the ability to infer and classify intentions, goals and emotional states of the robot’s interactants. We show that the state of the art in a number of relevant disciplines is now at the point at which such an endeavour can be approached in earnest.
Pre-analytical errors and patient safety / Preanalitičke greške i bezbednost pacijenata
Authors: Plebani Mario
Published: April 2013

Laboratory medicine, as a specialty that had prioritised quality control, has always been at the forefront of error reduction. In the last decades, a dramatic decrease of analytical errors has been experienced, while a relatively high frequency of errors has been documented in the pre-analytical phase. Most pre-analytical errors, which account for up to 70% of all mistakes made in laboratory diagnostics, arise during patient preparation, and sample collection, transportation, preparation for analysis and storage. However, while it has been reported that the pre-analytical phase is error-prone, only recently has it been demonstrated that most of these errors occur in the »pre-pre-analytical phase«, which comprises the initial procedures of the testing process performed outside the laboratory walls by healthcare personnel outside the direct control of the clinical laboratory. Developments in automation and information technologies have played a major role in decreasing some pre-analytical errors and, in particular, the automation of repetitive, errorprone and bio-hazardous pre-analytical processes performed within the laboratory walls has effectively decreased errors in specimen preparation, centrifugation, aliquot preparation, pipetting and sorting. However, more efforts should be made to improve the appropriateness of test request, patient and sample identification procedures and other pre-analytical steps performed outside the laboratory walls.
The role of vitamin D in multisystem sarcoidosis / Uloga vitamina D u sarkoidozi
Authors: Mihailović-Vučinić Violeta , Ignjatović Svetlana , Dudvarski-Ilić Aleksandra , Stjepanović Mihailo , Vuković Mira , Omčikus Maja , Singh Sandra , Popević Spasoje , Videnović-Ivanov Jelica , Filipović Snežana
Published: April 2013

Recently published data indicate that vitamin D abnormalities are common in sarcoidosis patients. The purpose of this study was to compare serum vitamin 25(OH)D levels among sarcoidosis patients with different clinical cour - ses of the disease. The study also included the first observations on cognitive functions (i.e. depression and fatigue syndrome) in relation to vitamin D deficiency in sarcoidosis patients. At the Biochemical Laboratory of the Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, vitamin D25(OH)D was measured using the Elecsys® Vitamin D total test. A total of 226 patients with biopsy-positive sarcoidosis were analyzed. The average median value of serum vitamin D was 9.47 mg/L, suggesting severe deficiency. Statistically significant correlation was found in patients with chronic disease and low levels of serum vitamin 25(OH)D (Chi-Square=6.044; df=2; p=0.014). The patient group with vitamin D serum levels higher than 20 mg/L showed higher levels of the mean forced vi tal capacity (FVC) by 380 mL, and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) by 220 mL, when compared to the patient group with lower serum vitamin D. A statistically significant role was established for serum vitamin 25(OH)D levels as the predictor of fatigue (R2=0.878; p=0.038 (b=0.216)) and depression in patients with sarcoidosis (R2=0.80; p=0.000 (b=0.391)). The insufficiency of 25(OH)D seems to be an important factor in predicting the course of chronic disease, significant lung function impairments and cognitive failures such as fatigue and depression. The fact that the majo rity of the analyzed sarcoidosis patients had totally deficient serum 25(OH)D levels made this finding even more notable.
Analytical methods and performance of the immunoassay methods for determination of vitamin d in comparison to mass spectrometry / Analitičke metode i izvođenje imunometrijskih određivanja vitamina d u poređenju sa masenom spektrometrijom
Authors: Babić Nikolina
Published: April 2013

Demand for vitamin D testing has been on a constant rise worldwide, partially due to mounting evidence linking vitamin D status to overall health and well-being. Currently available assays measure 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD), a major circulating form of vitamin D. Available methodologies include immunoassays and mass spectrometry based methods (LC-MS/MS). Until recently, the only immunoassays available for diagnostic use in the US have been DiaSorin radioimmunoassay (RIA) and an automated immunoassay on a LIAISON® platform. Within the last year, Siemens and Abbott successfully launched immuno - assays for determination of total vitamin D on their respective automated platforms, Centaur® and ARCHITECT®. Development of robust and precise Vitamin D immunoassays has historically been plagued with difficulty. One of the major challenges is development of specific antibodies against such a small antigen. Vitamin D is also highly hy - drophobic molecule predominantly bound to vitamin D binding protein (DBP). It is likely, therefore, that immuno - assays might be affected to varying extent by the DBP concentration. Adoption of LC-MS/MS into clinical laboratories has enabled development of accurate and almost fully automated methods that could handle increasing volume demands, especially in large volume reference laboratories. Smaller to mid-size hospital laboratories as well as physician offices have neither funds nor technical expertise to implement LC-MS/MS based testing. Our laboratory at the University of Chicago Medical Center has also seen in - crease in vitamin D volume and currently performs close to 20,000 25-OHD assays per year. We have recently deve - loped an LC-MS/MS method for quantitation of 25-OHD2 (obtained from plant sources) and 25-OHD3 (endogenous and animal sources). Prior to acquisition of LC-MS/MS instrument, we performed 25-OHD analysis by RIA. Du - ring the transition period, we encountered several challenges, including the necessity to streamline sample preparation as well as the bias introduced by calibration dif ferences. We chose to match our LC-MS/MS method to the RIA method in order to make this transition transparent to the clinician. Most immunoassays available today are acceptable for clinical use and might be method of choice for smaller laboratories. Larger clinical laboratories and aca demic institutions that possess technical expertise, particularly the ones with large pediatric population where assay sensitivity and specificity may be important, might find LC-MS/MS methodology a more suitable choice.
Effects of High but Non-Toxic Dietary Intake of Selenium and Copper on Indices of the Antioxidant Defence System and on Accumulation of Trace Elements in Chicks
Authors: Apsīte Mirdza , Bērziņa Nadežda , Basova Natālija
Published: April 2013

Lohman Brown chickens with age from the 1stto 35thday received the food with high doses ofselenium (Se1 mg/kg), copper (Cu100 mg/kg), or both elements (Se1 + Cu100). Live weight increaseof all three experimental chicken groups was by 9.3, 12.9 and 8.1%, respectively, in comparisonwith the control. The concentration of selenium in the blood of the Se1 group chickenswas by 45.5, in liver by 63.4 and in kidney by 19.7% higher that in organs of control group chickens.Selenium accumulation in organs of Se1 group chickens was highly correlated with increaseof glutathionperoxidase activity in blood (r = 0.90) and in liver (r = 0.85) and with decrease of glutathioneconcentration in liver. In Cu100 group chickens, copper concentration increased by 11.7in blood, in liver by 23.7, and in kidney by 19.9%. Together with more intensive excretion of glutathionefrom hepatocytes, copper concentration in bile increased by 17.7% compared to that incontrol group chickens. Also wing feathers participated in the regulation of copper homeostaticbalance, as copper concentration in feathers increased by 66.7%. The concentration of malondialdehidein liver of chickens from all groups was similar (43.5-45.2 μmol·g-1wet wt.), indicatingthat overload of selenium and copper did not cause profuse production of oxyradicals in the organism.Increased accumulation of selenium and copper in chickens influenced biochemical regulationof iron, zinc and cadmium deposition in liver, kidney, tibia and feather, changing therelations between Se and Fe, Se and Cd, Cu and Fe, Cu and Zn, and Cu and Cd concentrations.The analysis indicates increased tolerance of chicken to loads of selenium (1 mg/kg) and copper(100 mg/kg) doses
Pre-Breeding Collaboration in the Nordic-Baltic Region
Authors: Nilsson Anders
Published: April 2013

A Nordic Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for Pre-breeding is in place since 2011. Its establishment and scope is presented. Also Baltic plant breeding can participate in the PPP. At a workshop in connection to the 75th anniversary of State Stende Cereal Breeding Institute the first steps were taken in the development of a Concept note for the continued development of the PPP for pre-breeding collaboration in the Nordic-Baltic region. The need for strong prioritisation among efforts to be presented was emphasised in the workshop
The Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus Scirpaceus) Breeding in Egypt – A New Evidence?
Authors: Stêpniewska Katarzyna , Ożarowska Agnieszka
Published: April 2013

Stêpniewska K., O¿arowska A. 2012. The Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
breeding in Egypt - a new evidence? Ring 34: 45-50.

To date, the documented breeding range of the Eurasian Reed Warbler in Egypt is limited to the Nile Delta. In March and September 2001 two females with brood patches were caught in the Wadi El Rayan Protected Area (30°19’E, 29°12’N) in the Western Desert of Egypt. These records, if accepted, might shift the southern border of the breeding range of Reed Warblers in Egypt west of the Nile Delta. The two individuals were the only records of breeding Reed Warblers in Wadi El Rayan, suggesting that the breeding population is small. It is possible that the population has been established recently because artificial lakes were created in Wadi El Rayan in 1973. The studies during the breeding season are essential to determine if such probable breeders demonstrate a new, but permanent breeding population or only ephemeral incidents, as well as to collect the data on the number, breeding biology and biometrical characteristics of such local populations at the southern limit of the world breeding range of the Reed Warbler.
ICT-Enabled Climate Change Education and Children Rights
Authors: Makrakis Vassilios , Gkotzos Dimitrios , Larios Nikolaos
Published: April 2013

This paper deals with a web-based learning environment that introduces primary school learners into the issue of children’s rights and climate change education. The methodological approach used is based on critical pedagogy and hypermedia technology. Through open source learning technologies and authentic learning activities that are enriched by open education resources and learning objects largely elicited from the Web, learners are being informed and construct knowledge related to six key areas of children’s rights affected by climate change.
Teacher Education for Sustainability in Network Society: Combining Digital and Sustainability Literacies
Authors: Huckle John
Published: April 2013

How should teacher education for sustainability (TEfS) respond to new information and communication technologies that can enable new forms of social and environmental relations and new forms of pedagogy? To answer that question, this article will consider the potential of Web 2.0 technologies or social media to enrich the content and pedagogy of education for sustainable development in both university and school classrooms. It will suggest that teachers should be introduced to critical social theory that seeks to explain the role of these new technologies in the recent wave of capitalist development that precipitated economic and ecological crisis, and their potential to bring about more sustainable alternatives. Such alternatives will be based on more radical and deliberative forms of democracy and citizenship enabled by the new technologies, and TEfS should equip teachers to explore these through appropriate forms of citizenship education and model them in their classrooms via new forms of critical pedagogy. Such ideas as those of Erik Olin Wright on real utopias and Manuel Castells on network society provide such TEfS with appropriate theory, while consideration of how YouTube videos might be used to develop critical digital and sustainability literacies in the classroom, illustrates how such theory might be related to practice.
Pedagogy, Places And People
Authors: Wade Ros
Published: April 2013

The paper will explore the potential of new technologies in helping educators to play an active role in creating and promoting the learning that is needed for local and global communities to live sustainably. In particular, it will examine the potential of the virtual world to develop local and global communities for transformative learning for sustainable development. It is organised into three sections: 1) the need for new ways of knowing, learning and understanding; 2) the challenges an opportunities of the virtual world; 3) the role of virtual learning communities in education for sustainable education; 4) regional centres of expertise as a mobilising mechanism. Faced with the major challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, poverty and social inequality, it is clear that learning to live sustainably has never been more urgent. The credit crunch has thrown these into sharp relief and provided an opportunity to take stock of our current ways of organising the world economy which have led us to this unsustainable impasse. We are faced with a critical moment in world history which offers the chance to make the changes needed to set human beings on a path to a more sustainable future. In order to address these immense challenges, new forms of learning are needed, and the paper will argue that all educators, as responsible members of local and global communities, need to play key roles as agents for change. Globalisation and new technologies have changed the way we think about the world and about what constitutes the global and the local. It is clear that both local and global solutions must be found to address the serious dilemmas of the 21st century. This paper will see to examine the opportunities and challenges of the virtual world in enabling and supporting the development of effective ESD communities of practice.
Needles, China Cups, Books, and the Construction of the Victorian Feminine Ideal in Rhoda Broughton’S Not Wisely, but too Well and Elizabeth Gaskell’S North and South
Authors: Setecka Agnieszka
Published: April 2013

Considering Victorian presentation of women as angelic, that is, spiritual, beings, it is rather surprising how much their presence was manifested by material objects. Baskets of needlework, tea equipage and novels lying around in a parlour were an unmistakable sign of the house being occupied by women. Indeed, my contention is, the objects did not clutter Victorian interiors, either real or imagined, merely for practical reasons or to produce the “reality effect.” They are a material representation of the immaterial and function as metaphors for angelic women’s spiritual qualities. Rather than functioning merely as details to enhance the illusion of the real (and thus as elements of style) or simply reflecting the Victorian world (and thus as empty forms), material objects are essential in constructing a middle-class (feminine) identity. My paper concentrates on Rhoda Broughton’s Not wisely, but too well and Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South with an attempt to show how objects help construct a feminine ideal and, simultaneously, reveal the ideal to be just a construction. Broughton’s Kate Chester and Gaskell’s Margaret Hale find themselves in situations where their middle-class status might be compromised. Still, they both manage to reassert their position through effectively manipulating the signs of middle-class respectability. The “flimsy and useless” things they surround themselves with point to their “essentially feminine” qualities. Yet, the very superfluity of the objects reveals their relation to the characters’ economic status. They are, then, the site where the material and immaterial meet, where the borders between the economic world and the domestic world blur.
The Development of Learner Autonomy Through Internet Resources and Its Impact on English Language Attainment
Authors: Pawlak Mirosław , Kruk Mariusz
Published: April 2013

Since the arrival of the Internet and its tools, computer technology has become of considerable significance to both teachers and students, and it is an obvious resource for foreign language teaching and learning. The paper presents the results of a study which aimed to determine the effect of the application of Internet resources on the development of learner autonomy as well as the impact of greater learner independence on attainment in English as a foreign language. The participants were 46 Polish senior high school students divided into the experimental group (N = 28) and the control (N = 18) group. The students in the experimental group were subjected to innovative instruction with the use of the Internet and the learners in the control group were taught in a traditional way with the help of the coursebook. The data were obtained by means questionnaires, interviews, learners’ logs, an Internet forum, observations as well as language tests, and they were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that the experimental students manifested greater independence after the intervention and they also outperformed the controls on language tests.
Iconicizing Kingship in Elizabethan England: Strategic Acting by Queen Elizabeth I
Authors: Kizelbach Urszula
Published: April 2013

Renaissance England is often discussed in the context of theatre and theatrical acting. The fact is that Renaissance monarchs, too, viewed kingship in terms of theatrical display and public performance. Such is the nature of royalty presented by King James I in Basilicon Doron. Queen Elizabeth I was playing all her life. Faced with the problem of her femininity in the world of men, as well as her ambivalent hereditary rights as a member of the Tudor dynasty, she focused on legitimizing her reign through playing different roles - she played the fearful king, the loving queen, she even played Virgin Mary. But Elizabeth emerges as the most stunning actress when she plays herself. On her summer visit to Wanstead in 1578 she took an active part in the pageant “The lady of May”, playing herself, “Good Queen Bess”, which Sir Philip Sidney depicted in his pastoral romance The lady of May. In this way, Elizabeth became her own icon. This paper provides instances of the Queen’s political role play in a historical and socio-cultural context of the time.
“The Undiscovered Country”, “A Kind Behind the Door”, “Neverland”, or “A Small Unfocused Blur”: Uncanny Literary Definitions of Death
Authors: Małecka Katarzyna
Published: April 2013

Known yet unknown, undiscovered yet constantly discovered and re-discovered, death has always been a gold mine providing ideas, work and wages for scientists, sociologists, philosophers, artists, literary critics, and many others who find life’s provisionality in any way “uncanny”. This article looks at select literary definitions of death that present mortality as a concept both familiar and unfamiliar, comforting and discomforting, domestic and strange. Like the Freudian term “uncanny”, the nature of mortality is complex, mysterious and elusive. As Terry Eagleton (2003: 211) points out, “[d]eath is both alien and intimate to us, neither wholly strange nor purely one’s own”. While some of Freud’s ideas from his essay “The ‘Uncanny’” are used as the basis for discussion here, this analysis is not limited to a psychoanalytic perspective and includes psychological, sociological, medical and literary references which help explore different aspects of death in literature.
Weak forms of open mappings and α -topology
Authors: Duszyński Zbigniew
Published: April 2013

The following notations associated with a mapping f : (X, τ) → (Y, σ) have been introduced in [D. S. Janković: A note on mappings of extremely disconnected spaces, Acta Math. Hungar. (1985), 83-92]: where for each x ∊ X. Interrelationships between well-known openness-type properties (a.o.S., w.o., -openness, a.o.W.) for f, f*, fα, fα are studied.
A category analogue of the generalization of Lebesgue density topology
Authors: Wojdowski Wojciech
Published: April 2013

. A notion of AI -topology, a generalization of Wilczy´nski’s I-density topology (see [Wilczy´nski, W.: A generalization of the density topology, Real. Anal. Exchange 8 (1982-1983), 16-20] is introduced. The notion is based on his reformulation of the definition od Lebesgue density point. We consider a category version of the topology, which is a category analogue of the notion of an Ad- -density topology on the real line given in [Wojdowski, W.: A generalization ofdensity topology, Real. Anal. Exchange 32 (2006/2007), 1-10]. We also discuss the properties of continuous functions with respect to the topology.
On strongly countably continuous functions
Authors: Horbaczewska Gražyna
Published: April 2013

A real-valued function f on R is strongly countably continuous provided that there is a sequence of continuous functions (fn)n∈N such that the graph of f is contained in the union of the graphs of fn.

Some examples of interesting strongly countably continuous functions are given: one for which the inverse function is not strongly countably continuous, another which is an additive discontinuous function with a big image and a function which is approximately and I-approximately continuous, but it is not strongly countably continuous.
On the rational recursive sequence
Authors: Andruch-Sobiło Anna , Migda Małgorzata
Published: April 2013

In this paper we consider the difference equation (E) with positive parameters and nonnegative initial conditions. We use the explicit formula for the solutions of equation (E) in investigating their behavior.
Existence of asymptotically periodic solutions of scalar Volterra difference equations
Authors: Diblík Josef , Růžičková Miroslava , Schmeidel Ewa
Published: April 2013

There is used a version of Schauder’s fixed point theorem to prove the existence of asymptotically periodic solutions of a scalar Volterra difference equation. Along with the existence of asymptotically periodic solutions, sufficient conditions for the nonexistence of such solutions are derived. Results are illustrated on examples.
Discrete-time Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with transmission delays and impulses
Authors: Mohamad Sannay , Akça Haydar , Covachev Valéry
Published: April 2013

A discrete-time analogue is formulated for an impulsive Cohen- -Grossberg neural network with transmission delay in a manner in which the global exponential stability characterisitics of a unique equilibrium point of the network are preserved. The formulation is based on extending the existing semidiscretization method that has been implemented for computer simulations of neural networks with linear stabilizing feedback terms. The exponential convergence in the p-norm of the analogue towards the unique equilibrium point is analysed by exploiting an appropriate Lyapunov sequence and properties of an M-matrix. The main result yields a Lyapunov exponent that involves the magnitude and frequency of the impulses. One can use the result for deriving the exponential stability of non-impulsive discrete-time neural networks, and also for simulating the exponential stability of impulsive and non-impulsive continuous-time networks.
Parametrization for some boundary value problems of interpolation type
Authors: Rontó Miklós , Shchobak Natalia
Published: April 2013

We obtain some results concerning the investigation of two-dimensional non-linear boundary value problems of interpolation type. We show that it is useful to reduce the given boundary value problem, using an appropriate substitution, to a parametrized boundary value problem containing some unknown scalar parameter in the boundary conditions. To study the transformed parametrized problem, we use a method which is based upon special types of successive approximations constructed in an analytic form.
A telescoping principle for oscillation of the second order half-linear dynamic equations on time scales
Authors: Vítovec Jiří
Published: April 2013

. We establish the so-called “telescoping principle” for oscillation of the second order half-linear dynamic equation [r(t)Φ(xΔ)]Δ + c(t)Φ(xσ) = 0 on a time scale. This principle provides a method enabling us to construct many new oscillatory equations. Unlike previous works concerning the telescoping principle, we formulate some oscillation results under the weaker assumption r(t) ≠ 0 (instead r(t) > 0).
A Helly theorem for functions with values in metric spaces
Authors: Duchoň Miloslav , Maličký Peter
Published: April 2013

We present a Helly type theorem for sequences of functions with values in metric spaces and apply it to representations of some mappings on the space of continuous functions. A generalization of the Riesz theorem is formulated and proved. More concretely, a representation of certain majored linear operators on the space of continuous functions into a complete metric space.
Mathematical model of physical RNGs based on coherent sampling
Authors: Bernard Florent , Fischer Viktor , Valtchanov Boyan
Published: April 2013

Random number generators represent one of basic cryptographic primitives used in creating cryptographic protocols. Their security evaluation represents very important part in the design, implementation and employment phase of the generator. One of important security requirements is the existence of a mathematical model describing the physical noise source and the statistical properties of the digitized noise derived from it. The aim of this paper is to propose the model of a class of generators using two jittery clocks with rationally related frequencies. The clock signals with related frequencies can be obtained using phase-locked loops, delay-locked loops or ring oscillators with adjusted oscillation periods. The proposed mathematical model is used to provide entropy per bit estimators and expected bias on the generated sequence. The model is validated by hardware experiments.
Cryptanalysis of a hash function based on isotopy of quasigroups
Authors: Slaminková Ivana , Vojvoda Milan
Published: April 2013

This paper deals with cryptanalysis of one hash function based on isotopy of quasigroups [J. Dvorský, E. Ochodková, V. Snášel: Hash functionbased on quasigroups, in: Proc. of Mikulàšska kryptobesídka, Praha, 2001, pp. 27-36. (In Czech)], [J. Dvorský, E. Ochodková, V. Snášel: Hash functionsbased on large quasigroups, in: Proc. of Velikonoční kryptologie, Brno, 2002, pp. 1-8. (In Czech)]. Our work enhances the paper [M. Vojvoda: Cryptanalysisof one hash function based on quasigroup, Tatra Mt. Math. Publ. 29 (2004), 173-181], where the simplified studied hash function, based only on the quasigroup of modular subtraction, was successfully cryptanalysed. In this paper we show how to construct collisions, 2nd preimages, and also preimages for the full hash function based on isotopy of quasigroups.
Results of Ukrainian national public cryptographic competition
Authors: Oliynykov Roman , Gorbenko Ivan , Dolgov Viktor , Ruzhentsev Viktor
Published: April 2013

Five symmetric block ciphers were proposed to Ukrainian national public cryptographic competition. Developers used different methods for achiev- ing security and performance of the algorithms. An overview of proposed sym- metric block ciphers and results of their security analysis is given in this paper.
On chosen target forced prefix preimage resistance
Authors: Rjaško Michal
Published: April 2013

In this paper we analyze the Chosen Target Forced Prefix (CTFP) preimage resistance security notion for hash functions firstly introduced in [Kelsey, J.-Kohno, T.: Herding hash functions and the Nostradamus attack, in: Advances in Cryptology-EUROCRYPT ’06, 25th Annual Internat. Conf. on the Theory and Appl. of Cryptographic Techniques (S. Vaudenay, ed.), St. Peters- burg, Russia, 2006, Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci., Vol. 4004, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2006, pp. 183-200]. We give a formal definition of this property in hash function family settings and work out all the implications and separations be- tween the CTFP preimage resistance and other standard notions of hash function security (preimage resistance, collision resistance, etc.). This paper follows the work of [Rogaway, P.-Shrimpton, T.: Cryptographic hash-function basics: Def- initions, implications, and separations for preimage resistance, second-preimage resistance, and collision resistance, in: Fast Software Encryption, 11th Interna- tional Workshop-FSE ’04 (B. Roy et al., eds.), Delhi, India, 2004, Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci., Vol. 3017, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2004, pp. 371-388], where they define seven basic notions of hash function security and examine all the relationships among these notions. We also define a new property for security of hash function families-always CTFP preimage resistance, which guarantees CTFP security for all the hash functions in the family.
Half-linear Euler differential equations in the critical case
Authors: Došlý Ondřej , Haladová Hana
Published: April 2013

We investigate oscillatory properties of the perturbed half-linear Euler differential equation .

A perturbation is also allowed in the coefficient involving derivative.
Oscillation theorems for second order advanced neutral differential equations
Authors: Džurina Jozef
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to study the oscillation of the second order advanced neutral differential equations . (E)

Obtained results are based on the new comparison theorems that enable us to reduce problem of the oscillation of the second order equation to the the oscillation of the first order equations. Obtained comparison principles essentially simplify the examination of the studied equations.
How to find initial data generating bounded solutions of discrete equations
Authors: Hlavičková Irena
Published: April 2013

This contribution concerns the asymptotic behavior of solutions of a first-order difference equation. We are looking for a solution whose graph stays in a given domain. It is supposed that all the boundary points of this domain are the so called points of strict egress. Under this supposition, it has been already proved that the existence of at least one solution the graph of which stays in the given domain is guaranteed. The main aim of this article is to find the concrete value of the initial condition which generates such a solution. The method we introduce resembles the well-known bisection method for finding roots of equations.
Oscillation results for second-order neutral differential equations of mixed type
Authors: Li Tongxing , Baculíková Blanka , Džurina Jozef
Published: April 2013

Some oscillation theorems are established for the second-order linear neutral differential equations of mixed type

Several examples are also provided to illustrate the main results.
On nonoscillatory solutions tending to zero of third-order nonlinear differential equations
Authors: Mojsej Ivan , Tartal’ová Alena
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to present some results concerning with the asymptotic behavior of solutions of nonlinear differential equations of the third-order with quasiderivatives. In particular, we state the necessary and sufficient conditions ensuring the existence of nonoscillatory solutions tending to zero as t → ∞.