bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using a personal response system as an in-class assessment tool in the teaching of basic college chemistry
Authors: Chen Tzy-Ling , Lan Yu-Li
Published: April 2016

Since the introduction of personal response systems (PRS) (also referred to as "clickers") nearly a decade ago, their use has been extensively adopted on college campuses, and they are particularly popular with lecturers of large classes. Available evidence supports that PRS offers a promising avenue for future developments in pedagogy, although findings on the advantages of its effective use related to improving or enhancing student learning remain inconclusive. This study examines the degree to which students perceive that using PRS in class as an assessment tool effects their understanding of course content, engagement in classroom learning, and test preparation. Multiple, student-performance evaluation data was used to explore correlations between student perceptions of PRS and their actual learning outcomes. This paper presents the learning experiences of 151 undergraduate students taking basic chemistry classes and incorporating PRS as an in-class assessment tool at the National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan. While the research revealed positive student perceived benefits and effectiveness of PRS use, it also indicated the need for further studies to discover what specific contribution PRS can make to certain learning outcomes of a large chemistry class in higher education.
Learning to be a science teacher: Reflections and lessons from video-based instruction
Authors: Tan Aik-Ling , Tan Seng-Chee , Wettasinghe Marissa
Published: April 2016

This paper examines pre-service teachers' reflection on teaching after participating in an online course using videos of micro-skills coupled with self reflection and group blogs. Data sources included 137 online blog entries collected from 26 participants as well as semi-structured interviews with the participants at the end of the course. Larrivee's (2008) four levels of reflection (pre, surface, pedagogical and critical) were used to code the online reflections and content analysis of the participants' views of teaching was carried out with the interview transcripts. Analysis of online reflections showed that 67% of the reflection by pre-service teachers' falls in the pedagogical category and 2% in the critical category. These findings show that these pre-service teachers are capable of engaging in reflection beyond a surface level even with limited classroom experience. The resources that these pre-service teachers used to make sense of teaching are (1) their knowledge of learning theories; (2) their ideas of teachers' roles and responsibilities; and (3) their existing ideas of what makes good teaching. The pre-service teachers' reflection upon their learning showed evidence of willingness to incorporate the learnt ideas of good teaching in their future classrooms teaching. The use of micro-skills videos and reflection allowed them to restructure their pedagogical knowledge through identification, comparison, modification and synthesising.
Data mining techniques for identifying students at risk of failing a computer proficiency test required for graduation
Authors: Tsai Chih-Fong , Tsai Ching-Tzu , Hung Chia-Sheng , Hwang Po-Sen
Published: April 2016

Enabling undergraduate students to develop basic computing skills is an important issue in higher education. As a result, some universities have developed computer proficiency tests, which aim to assess students' computer literacy. Generally, students are required to pass such tests in order to prove that they have a certain level of computer literacy for successful graduation. This paper applies data mining techniques to make predictions about students who are going to take the computer proficiency test and fail. A national university in Taiwan is considered as the case study. Three different clustering techniques are used individually to cluster students into different groups, which are k-means, self-organising maps (SOM), and two-step clustering (i.e. BIRCH). After the best clustering result is found, the decision tree algorithm is used to extract useful rules from each of the identified clusters. These rules can be used to warn or counsel students who have higher probability of failing the test. The results can help the university identify a number of student groups who need to pay much more attention to preparing for the test, which is likely to help conserve resources. Furthermore, this study can be regarded as a guideline for future developments in assessing students' English literacy, as this is also an important graduation requirement in many universities.
Informing one-to-one computing in primary schools: Student use of netbooks
Authors: Larkin Kevin , Finger Glenn
Published: April 2016

Although one-to-one laptop programs are being introduced in many schools, minimal research has been conducted regarding their effectiveness in primary schools. Evidence-based research is needed to inform significant funding, deployment and student use of computers. This article analyses key findings from a study conducted in four Year 7 classrooms in which students were provided with netbook computers as an alternative to more expensive laptop computers. Variable access was provided to students including computer to student ratios of one-to-one and one-to-two. Findings indicated that increased access to the netbook computers resulted in increases in computer usage by these students, compared with their minimal use of computers before the study. However, despite the increased access, actual computer usage remained limited. The article reports that factors contributing to the minimal use of computers included individual teacher agency, a crowded curriculum, and the historical use of computers. Implications for policy and practice are suggested.
 
E-learning in context: An assessment of student inequalities in a university outreach program
Authors: Crawford Nicole , McKenzie Lara
Published: April 2016

E-learning technologies are often seen as a driving force in the democratisation of contemporary education. However, few researchers have focused on inequalities in online learners' access to technologies or their abilities to use them. In 2009, we assessed The University of Western Australia's SmARTS outreach program, investigating the advantages and disadvantages of employing online learning in the local context of Perth, Western Australia. SmARTS uses blended learning techniques, combining both online and face to face methods. However, our discussion here is based primarily on the online component. Our research methods included the collection of 52 student surveys, a group interview with the 2009 tutors, and our own observations and experiences. Our findings suggested that students were not particularly savvy with technology, in contrast to the common assumption. We also found that the location of students' residences and the types of schools they attended had an impact on their self-assessed online participation, the reliability and speed of their Internet connections, and their confidence and ease with using computers and the Internet. Our findings revealed that the social inequalities present in the context of Perth had an impact on whether students were advantaged or disadvantaged by the online component of SmARTS.
Design, sharing and co-construction of learning resources: A case of lifelong learning communities in Shanghai
Authors: Gu Xiaoqing , Zha Chongping , Li Shusu , Laffey James M.
Published: April 2016

A key problem in developing a virtual community for co-constructing learning resources is the need to have people volunteer to share their expertise. In this paper, we introduce the first phase of our research in which we examine strategies for encouraging participants to share in the system. We began by designing an intervention model based on creating and sustaining social capital among the participants for the entire resource development process. Data collected in this pilot for the first phase showed that this design was effective in attracting and maintaining users' interest in contributing to this virtual community, while leaving some designed functions and tools still in need of improvement. These findings will be used to make modifications for a future version of the system, and their implications to the social computing field are addressed also.
Factors influencing perceived usefulness of wikis for group collaborative learning by first year students
Authors: Guo Zixiu , Stevens Kenneth John
Published: April 2016

This study reports the findings of an investigation of the factors influencing the use and usefulness of wikis in an introductory, undergraduate information systems course. Informed by the media choice, technology acceptance model from information systems research, and group collaborative learning research from the education literature, a survey instrument was developed and administered across the entire course. The study found that wiki use was influenced by the student's prior expertise with wikis, with their perceived usefulness of wikis being strongly influenced by their teachers' attitudes towards the technology, and the ease of access to the wikis. The students' overall attitude towards wikis was largely influenced by the extent to which they saw wikis as helping with their assignment work, and their intention to use wikis in the future was driven by their perception of wiki's usefulness. The paper concludes with an outline of the lessons learned from the study and recommendations for instructors who are thinking of using wikis in their teaching.
Instructional design for cross-cultural online collaboration: Grouping strategies and assignment design
Authors: Wang Chun-Min
Published: April 2016

The latest networking technologies have made it easier to provide authentic learning experiences for intercultural collaboration. However, more guidance about how to conduct a successful online, cross-cultural collaboration is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional design for forming a cross-cultural group and designing the assignments for online cross-cultural collaboration projects. By investigating two collaborative classes of college students from the United States and Taiwan, the study analysed two different grouping strategies and various types of assignments to examine the level of students' learning satisfaction. The study adopted the action research approach, and collected data from an online survey and the students' reflection essays. The findings indicate the importance of building a sense of learning community and taking advantage of integrating multimedia for assignment design. The findings also suggest that instructors should have strict requirements for communication between partners, and take advantage of Web 2.0 tools for informal communication. More details about the challenges encountered and suggestions for improvement are discussed in the article.
Digitalising our schools: Clarity and coherence in policy
Authors: Ward Lorrae , Parr Judy M
Published: April 2016

While society has moved through a number of "ages" since the industrial age, many schools have remained firmly entrenched in an education system designed for a world which, largely, no longer exists. Educational policy and literature is replete with discourse related to school reform, 21st century learning and the importance of information and communication technologies (ICT). It is also replete with stories of failed reform initiatives. ICT is no exception. Internationally, there is little evidence of any real shift in the ways students experience learning, or that schools are becoming a digital environment rather than a paper-based one.
In this article, we argue that the lack of apparent success in promoting educational reform through ICT is due, at least in part, to a policy disconnect which exists where strategic discourse (goals, purposes, values) is translated into operational discourse (concerning activities and outcomes), rather than where operational discourse becomes operational practice (implementation in classrooms). The conclusion drawn is that operational discourse needs to make explicit the rationales underpinning ICT policy, and policy makers need to ensure that teachers are provided with the necessary opportunities to explore, challenge and change beliefs and practice.
Using social network metrics to assess the effectiveness of broad based admission practices
Authors: Dawson Shane , Macfadyen Leah , Lockyer Lori , Mazzochi-Jones David
Published: April 2016

Notions of what it is to be knowledgeable and skilled in one's profession have evolved in recent decades. For instance, medical practitioners are expected to think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and to be a professional and community leader. While these attributes have always been well regarded, it is only relatively recently that higher education institutions are actively incorporating these skills and attributes into student admissions criteria. In parallel, methods of instruction and course delivery have also changed over time with respect to these driving social paradigms. Today's medical schools are expected to both select and develop students in terms of these qualities through socially based pedagogical practices. This paper investigates the admissions criteria that best predict student engagement in a social learning environment and thus the related attributes such as communication, creativity, and leadership. The paper frames this investigation in the scholarship related to 21st century skills and achievement orientations.
Key elements of the tutorial support management model
Authors: Lynch Grace , Paasuke Philip
Published: April 2016

In response to an exponential growth in enrolments the Tutorial Support Management (TSM) model has been adopted by Open Universities Australia (OUA) after a two-year project on the provision of online tutor support in first year, online undergraduate units. The essential focus of the TSM model was the development of a systemic approach to the provision of online tutorial support for high enrolment units. Findings from this project indicate that the TSM model has provided benefits in terms of improved student retention, performance, and satisfaction in addition to increased return and reenrolment rates. This paper outlines the key elements of the TSM model and offers comments on various issues that need to be taken into account in adopting this model.
Using Slowmation for animated storytelling to represent non-Aboriginal preservice teachers' awareness of "relatedness to country"
Authors: McKnight Anthony , Hoban Garry , Nielsen Wendy
Published: April 2016

In this study, a group (N=15) of final year non-Aboriginal preservice teachers participated in an elective subject that aimed to raise their awareness about Aboriginal ways of knowing. A vital aspect of the course was developing the preservice teachers' awareness of "relatedness to country" which is a key belief for Aboriginal people. The non-Aboriginal preservice teachers selected their own special place and then experienced Aboriginal ways of knowing throughout the course and visited local Aboriginal sites to hear and listen to stories shared by an Aboriginal Elder. At the end of the subject, the preservice teachers created their own animated story about their special place using an approach called called Slowmation (abbreviated from "Slow animation"), which is a narrated stop-motion animation that is played slowly at 2 photos/second to tell a story. It is a simplified way for preservice teachers to make animations that integrates aspects of claymation, digital storytelling and object animation. To research this approach, the preservice teachers were interviewed at the beginning and end of the course as well as submitting their animation for assessment. Data collected revealed that all the preservice teachers were able to make an animated story explaining their relationship to their "special place" and most developed a deeper understanding of what a relational approach to country means. Getting the preservice teachers to make animated stories helped them to reflect upon their special place and was a creative way to develop their awareness of cultural diversity, especially about Aboriginal ways of knowing.
From socialisation to internalisation: Cultivating technological pedagogical content knowledge through problem-based learning
Authors: Tee Meng Yew , Lee Shuh Shing
Published: April 2016

Recent studies on technology have shifted from the emphasis on technology skills alone to integrating pedagogy and content with technology - what Mishra and Koehler (2005) call technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Deeper understanding on how TPACK can be cultivated is needed. This design-based research explored how an improvised, problem-based learning approach guided by the SECI framework (socialisation, externalisation, combination, internalisation) can help in-service teachers to cultivate TPACK. Data were collected via self-progress surveys, reflections by the in-service teachers, student produced artifacts, records of overall course design, and log entries by the instructor. Based on the survey data, teachers believed that they had developed TPACK. By comparing the qualitative data from two groups, it was discovered that teachers became better positioned to use TPACK more fruitfully after their mental models moved towards Biggs's Level 2 and 3 approaches in teaching. The course created critical but safe opportunities for teachers to better understand that technology in itself is not likely to improve ineffective teaching practices; and, in selecting technology, teachers may have to reevaluate their teaching practices and to rethink the nature of the subject that they teach.
Information skills and critical literacy: Where are our digikids at with online searching and are their teachers helping?
Authors: Ladbrook Judine , Probert Elizabeth
Published: April 2016

International studies and theorists have posited that digital technologies play an important role in students' lives and that students display a broad range of literacy skills when using them. The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) states that students should be literate, critical thinkers who actively seek, use and create knowledge. This paper reports on findings from a New Zealand investigation of the extent to which students exhibited and teachers promoted critical information technology literacy skills. Using survey, diary and focus groups, the investigation explored teachers' beliefs about students' online information literacy and students' self-reported research strategies. Results from the investigation show students possess limited online information and critical evaluation skills and teacher pedagogical practice is not addressing this. The paper makes a case for teachers to develop both familiarity and confidence with online text types, alongside professional learning in online and offline information literacy pedagogical strategies.
Editorial 29(3)
Authors: Bennett Sue , Kennedy Gregor , Dalgarno Barney
Published: April 2016

We are pleased to present Issue 3 of AJET for Volume 29. In this issue you’ll find an article that considers factors that influence students’ adoption of mobile learning tools (Mac Callum & Jeffery), papers that consider the role of Facebook in students’ learning (Ramble; McCarthy) and a paper that reports on factors that lead to successful language learning in 3-D multiuser virtual environments (Tseng, Tsai & Chao). Thomas Cochrane and David Rhodes report on a participatory action research study that considers pedagogical changes in a mobile learning project over a number of years. Dale Holt and his colleagues report on the outcome of an Australian Learning and Teaching Council project which presents a quality management framework drawing on models of distributed leadership, while Boyd and Ellis reflect on tricky issues of knowledge ownership and creation in the open source world of teaching and learning. One paper reports on primary school teachers’ technology adoption (Tondeur, Kershaw, Vanderlinde & van Braak) while a second paper reports on how the performance of primary school students is effected by the timing of scaffold provision (Yu, Tsai & Wu). The final paper in the issue (Sever, Oguz-Unver & Yurumezoglu) reports on an empirical investigation of inquiry based learning environments in science, which employ video-based demonstration methods. The rich tapestry of educational technology research and practice is certainly showcased in this issue.
Research on SNS and education: The state of the art and its challenges
Authors: Rodríguez-Hoyos Carlos , Haya Salmón Ignacio , Fernández-Díaz Elia
Published: April 2016

This paper presents, for further discussion, a review of the scientific literature produced internationally on the use of Social Network Sites (SNS) in different levels of education and settings. A total of 62 articles published in international scientific journals with peer review have been analysed. The main objective of this paper is to discuss the most recurrent lines of research since the emergence of these tools in education. The level of education in which research is carried out is also analysed, as well as the paradigms and methods used for data collection. The analysis leads to the conclusion that most of the studies analysed have been carried out in higher education, from a quantitative paradigm, focusing on the use of SNS as educational tools. This article shows that research into SNS in education is at an early stage of development, and it demonstrates the need to widen lines of research on SNS in media education to include as yet unexplored dimensions.

 
Effect of surface modification of zirconia on cell adhesion, metabolic activity and proliferation of human osteoblasts
Authors: Al Qahtani Waleed M.S. , Schille Christine , Spintzyk Sebastian , Al Qahtani Mohammed S.A. , Engel Eva , Geis-Gerstorfer Juergen , Rupp Frank , Scheideler Lutz
Published: April 2016

Titanium dental implants with sandblasted and/or acid-etched surfaces have shown clinical superiority in comparison to their smooth, machined counterparts, and are now state of the art. Sandblasting of finished, sintered zirconia implants, however, will damage the surface structure and affect the mechanical properties. To improve osseointegration of zirconia dental implants without impairing the original mechanical strength by crack initiation and partial phase transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic, roughening of the zirconia surface by sandblasting before the final sintering step was employed. Impact of the treatments on cellular reactions of SAOS-2 human osteoblast-like cells was investigated. Sandblasting of Yttrium-stabilized zirconia (Y-TZP) with 120 μm and 250 μm Al
An adaptive delineator for photoplethysmography waveforms
Authors: Soundararajan Mohanalakshmi , Arunagiri Sivasubramanian , Alagala Swarnalatha
Published: April 2016

Photoplethysmography (PPG) waveforms are rich in cardiovascular information, and hence, their analysis is significant in the diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The second derivative of photoplethysmography (SDPPG) analysis for the accurate detection of significant points in characterising the PPG waveform is challenging. In this paper, a SDPPG analysis algorithm is proposed based on a resampling technique which normalises the signal and ensures the presence of all significant points of interest in all its recurrences. The proposed delineator detects
Enantiomeric purity control of R-cinacalcet in pharmaceutical product by capillary electrophoresis
Authors: Ginterová Pavlína , Znaleziona Joanna , Knob Radim , Douša Michal , Petr Jan , Ševčík Juraj
Published: April 2016

The capillary zone electrophoresis method was developed for the chiral separation of
UV light-assisted mineralisation and biodetoxification of Ponceau S with hydroxyl and sulfate radicals
Authors: Sahoo Mihir K. , Marbaniang Morten , Sharan Rajeshwar N.
Published: April 2016

The present study reports simultaneous mineralisation and biodetoxification of Ponceau S (3-hydroxy-4-(2-sulfo-4-[4-sulfophenylazo]phenylazo)-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid sodium salt), an azo dye, by UV light assisted oxidation with hydroxyl and sulfate radicals. Metal ion catalysts used in the work were: Fe
Use of 6-O-mono-substituted derivatives of β-cyclodextrin-bearing substituent with two permanent positive charges in capillary electrophoresis
Authors: Havlikova Martina , Bosakova Zuzana , Benkovics Gabor , Jindrich Jindrich , Popr Martin , Coufal Pavel
Published: April 2016

This study details the use of two permanently positively charged mono-substituted
Synthesis of urethane—acrylic multi-block copolymers via electrochemically mediated ATRP
Authors: Chmielarz Pawel , Sobkowiak Andrzej
Published: April 2016

The electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical polymerisation (
Simulation study on the assembly of rod-coil diblock copolymers within coil-selective nanoslits
Authors: Su Ya-Juan , Ma Ze-Xin , Huang Jian-Hua
Published: April 2016

Dissipative particle dynamics simulations are performed to study the self-assembly of rod-coil (RC) diblock copolymers confined in a slit with two coil-selective surfaces. The effect of rod length and slit thickness on the assembly structure is investigated. A morphological phase diagram as a function of slit thickness and rod length is presented. We observe several ordered structures, such as perpendicular cylinders, parallel cylinders, and puck-shaped structure. In the assembly structures, long-range rod-rod orientational order is observed when the rod length exceeds a critical rod length. Our results show that the coil-selective slit influences the assembly structure as well as the rod orientation of RC diblock copolymers.
The simultaneous effect of nucleating and blowing agents on the cellular structure of polypropylene foamed via the extrusion process
Authors: Fasihi Mohammad , Targhi Ali Asgari , Bayat Hossein
Published: April 2016

The current work presents the preparation of polypropylene (PP) foams by the extrusion process, focusing on the influence of the foaming agent and nucleating agent on the microstructure of the foams. Sodium bicarbonate alone and also its mixture with citric acid were used as the chemical blowing agents. Expanded graphite nanoparticle and talc were also used as the nucleating agents. Great differences were found in terms of the foam structure depending on the type of nucleating and blowing agents. Using expanded graphite nucleating agent instead of talc resulted in foams with higher cell densities and more uniform cellular structures. Moreover, the foams including the mixed blowing agents exhibited higher cell densities and upper expansion ratio.
Comparison of two in vitro methods for the detection of ivermectin resistance in Haemonchus contortus in sheep
Authors: Urda Dolinská M. , Königová A. , Babják M. , Várady M.
Published: April 2016

Gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes in sheep cause severe economic losses. Anthelmintics are the most commonly used drugs for prophylaxis and therapy against parasitic helminths. The problem of drug resistance has developed for all commercially available anthelmintics in several genera and classes of helminths. In vitro and in vivo tests are used to detect anthelmintic resistance. Two in vitro methods (larval migration inhibition test and micromotility test) for the detection of ivermectin (IVM) resistance were compared using IVM-resistant and IVM-susceptible isolates of Haemonchus contortus. The degree of resistance for each test was expressed as a resistance factor (RF). The micromotility test was more sensitive for quantitatively measuring the degree of resistance between susceptible and resistant isolates. The RFs for this test for IVM and eprinomectin ranged from 1.00 to 108.05 and from 3.87 to 32.32, respectively.
Detrimental effects of geldanamycin on adults and larvae ofTrichinella spiralis
Authors: Othman A. A. , Shoheib Z. S.
Published: April 2016

Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease affecting mainly the temperate regions. The treatment is a challenge for the physician, and the available therapy is far from ideal. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, geldanamycin, on the adult worms and larvae ofTrichinella spiralis. This research comprised anin vivostudy in whichT. spiralis-infected mice were treated by two different doses of geldanamycin, thereafter larval count and pathological changes were determined in the muscles. Meanwhile, thein vitrostudy investigated the effect of two different concentrations of geldanamycin on adult worms and larvae ofT. spiralisvia transmission electron microscopy. Thein vivostudy showed significant reduction of muscle larval counts under the effect of geldanamycin. Moreover, characteristic changes were noted as regards the parasite and the inflammatory response. Thein vitrostudy revealed degenerative changes in the body wall of larvae and adults ofT. spiralisunder the influence of geldanamycin. In conclusion, heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, geldanamycin, seems to have detrimental effects on the adults and larvae ofT. spiralis. It, or one of its derivatives, could be an adjuvant to anthelmintic therapy of trichinellosis, but more studies are warranted to establish its usefulness.
Philometra dissimilis n. sp. from the ovary of Johnius belangerii (Sciaenidae) and other new records of philometrids (Nematoda: Philometridae) from fishes of the Bay of Bengal, India
Authors: Moravec F. , Manoharan J.
Published: April 2016

Based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies, a new gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845, P. dissimilis n. sp. (Nematoda: Philometridae), is described from the marine fish (Belanger’s croaker) Johnius belangerii (Cuvier) (Sciaenidae, Perciformes) in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India. The species is mainly characterized by the body length of male 2.73 – 3.37 mm and that of gravid female 145 – 171 mm, needle-like, equal spicules 96 – 120 μm long, length of the gubernaculum 75 – 90 μm, distal end of the gubernaculum with lamellar structures forming a simple dorsal protuberance and by the V-shaped male caudal mound. Philometra dissimilis is the seventh known gonad-infecting species of this genus parasitizing sciaenid fishes. Moreover, an additional two species of Philometra (only females) were recorded from fishes in the Bay of Bengal: P. lobotidisMoravec, Walter et Yuniar, 2012 from the abdominal cavity of Lobotis surinamensis (Bloch) (Lobotidae, Perciformes), which is a new geographical record, and Philometra sp. from the ovary of Platycephalus indicus (Linnaeus) (Platycephalidae, Scorpaeniformes), representing probably an undescribed species.
Phylogenetic position of trematode Amurotrema dombrowskajae Achmerow, 1959 (Paramphistomoidea: Cladorchiidae) based on partial 28S rDNA nucleotide sequences
Authors: Sokolov S. G. , Lebedeva D. I. , Kalmykov A. P.
Published: April 2016

The trematode Amurotrema dombrowskajae Achmerow, 1959, is the type and the only species of the paramphistomoid genus Amurotrema Achmerow, 1959. This intestinal parasite of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) was introduced with host to the Volga River Delta. These naturalized trematodes were found by the authors in 2014 – 2015. In the present study the phylogenetic position of Amurotrema dombrowskajae is analysed using partial 28S rDNA nucleotide sequences. Bayesian inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses place this species in a clade with representatives of the family Cladorchiidae - Megalodiscus temperatus (Stafford, 1905) and Indosolenorchis hirudinaceus Crusz, 1951. Thus, molecular data are consistent with the traditional view on the position of A. dombrowskajae in this family.
Meloidogyne luci, a new infecting nematode species on common bean fields at Paraná State, Brazil
Authors: Machado A. C. Z. , Dorigo O. F. , Carneiro R. M. D. G , De AraÚJo Filho J. V.
Published: April 2016

Common bean diseased plants with symptoms of decline and root knots were collected in two growing areas in the municipality of Araucária, Paraná State (Brazil). Morphological (perineal patterns), biochemical (esterase phenotypes) and molecular (ITS1 sequences) studies allowed us to identify the infecting nematode asMeloidogyne luci. To our knowledge, this is the first formal record ofM. luciparasitizing common bean in Paraná State, Brazil.
Exploitation of liquefied wood waste for binding recycled wood particleboards
Authors: Janiszewska Dominika , Frąckowiak Iwona , Mytko Karolina
Published: April 2016

Four types of industrial waste from wood processing, namely a mixed hardwood-softwood powder, pine and beech sawdust, and bark were liquefied and tested as binders for particleboards (PB) made of recycled wood. The liquefaction reaction was carried out at elevated temperature with a mixture of solvents from polyhydroxyl alcohols such as glycerine and propylene glycol, andp-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. Then the liquefied woods (LWs) were characterized in terms of their suitability for PB production as a partial substitute for synthetic urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin. The standard properties of PBs such as tensile strength, bending strength and modulus of elasticity, density, moisture content, swelling after 24 h, water absorption, and formaldehyde content were measured. All tests were performed in comparison to a standard PB bonded by UF resin. It was demonstrated that the substitution of UF resin up to 20% of LW did not have a significant effect on the mechanical properties. PB made of recycled wood produced with LW possessed good mechanical properties that meet the European standard quality demands for PBs.
The “soft” side of the bone: unveiling its endocrine functions
Authors: Cappariello Alfredo , Ponzetti Marco , Rucci Nadia
Published: April 2016

Bone has always been regarded as a merely structural tissue, a “hard” scaffold protecting all of its “soft” fellows, while they did the rest of the work. In the last few decades this concept has totally changed, and new findings are starting to portray bone as a very talkative tissue that is capable not only of being regulated, but also of regulating other organs. In this review we aim to discuss the endocrine regulation that bone has over whole-body homeostasis, with emphasis on energy metabolism, male fertility, cognitive functions and phosphate (Pi) metabolism. These delicate tasks are mainly carried out by two known hormones, osteocalcin (Ocn) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and possibly other hormones that are yet to be found. The extreme plasticity and dynamicity of bone allows a very fine tuning over the actions these hormones exert, portraying this tissue as a full-fledged endocrine organ, in addition to its classical roles. In conclusion, our findings suggest that bone also has a “soft side”, and is daily taking care of our entire organism in ways that were unknown until the last few years.
Myeloid conditional deletion and transgenic models reveal a threshold for the neutrophil survival factor Serpinb1
Authors: Burgener Sabrina S. , Baumann Mathias , Basilico Paola , Remold-O’Donnell Eileen , Touw Ivo P. , Benarafa Charaf
Published: April 2016

Serpinb1 is an inhibitor of neutrophil granule serine proteases cathepsin G, proteinase-3 and elastase. One of its core physiological functions is to protect neutrophils from granule protease-mediated cell death. Mice lacking Serpinb1a (Sb1a
-/-), its mouse ortholog, have reduced bone marrow neutrophil numbers due to cell death mediated by cathepsin G and the mice show increased susceptibility to lung infections. Here, we show that conditional deletion of Serpinb1a using the Lyz2-cre and Cebpa-cre knock-in mice effectively leads to recombination-mediated deletion in neutrophils but protein-null neutrophils were only obtained using the latter recombinase-expressing strain. Absence of Serpinb1a protein in neutrophils caused neutropenia and increased granule permeabilization-induced cell death. We then generated transgenic mice expressing human Serpinb1 in neutrophils under the human MRP8 (S100A8) promoter. Serpinb1a expression levels in founder lines correlated positively with increased neutrophil survival when crossed with Sb1a
-/- mice, which had their defective neutrophil phenotype rescued in the higher expressing transgenic line. Using new conditional and transgenic mouse models, our study demonstrates the presence of a relatively low Serpinb1a protein threshold in neutrophils that is required for sustained survival. These models will also be helpful in delineating recently described functions of Serpinb1 in metabolism and cancer.
Heat Transfer Studies in Ejector-induced Downflow Bubble Column
Authors: Meshram Rohit B. , Kundu Gautam , Mukherjee Dibyendu
Published: April 2016

Temperature control in bubble columns is of great importance, since chemical reactions in many of the chemical, pharmaceutical, fertilizer, etc. industries are usually accompanied by heat supply or heat removal operations. In the present research work, the heat transfer coefficient of a two-phase co-current vertical downflow bubble column (i.d. 0.05 m×1.6 m height) was evaluated. Experimental studies were carried out to calculate the heat transfer coefficient for operating temperature ranges from 60 °C to 90 °C. The effects of the superficial gas velocity (4.25×10–3 to 9.58×10–3 m/s), liquid velocity (8.50×10–2 to 16.98×10–2 m/s), gas holdup, and axial position were investigated. Empirical correlation was developed, based on a multiple regression analysis to calculate a heat transfer coefficient as a function of dimensionless numbers, including the Reynolds number, the Prandtl number, and the Froude number.
Intelligent Energy Management System for PV-Battery-based Microgrids in Future DC Homes
Authors: Chauhan R. K. , Rajpurohit B. S. , Gonzalez-Longatt F. M. , Singh S. N.
Published: April 2016

This paper presents a novel intelligent energy management system (IEMS) for a DC microgrid connected to the public utility (PU), photovoltaic (PV) and multi-battery bank (BB). The control objectives of the proposed IEMS system are: (i) to ensure the load sharing (according to the source capacity) among sources, (ii) to reduce the power loss (high efficient) in the system, and (iii) to enhance the system reliability and power quality. The proposed IEMS is novel because it follows the ideal characteristics of the battery (with some assumptions) for the power sharing and the selection of the closest source to minimize the power losses. The IEMS allows continuous and accurate monitoring with intelligent control of distribution system operations such as battery bank energy storage (BBES) system, PV system and customer utilization of electric power. The proposed IEMS gives the better operational performance for operating conditions in terms of load sharing, loss minimization, and reliability enhancement of the DC microgrid.
Influence of transvaginal ultrasound examination on quantitative vaginal fibronectin measurements: a prospective evaluation study
Authors: Golic Michaela , Siedentopf Jan-Peter , Pauly Franziska , Hinkson Larry , Henrich Wolfgang , Tucher Elisabeth
Published: April 2016

Objective:

The most important parameter in prediction of preterm birth is the cervical length measured by transvaginal ultrasound. In cases with mid-range cervical length (10–30 mm), prediction of preterm birth is difficult. In these cases, testing for cervicovaginal fluid fetal fibronectin (fFN) can improve prediction. However, it is unclear whether transvaginal ultrasound itself influences the fFN result. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this issue independent of gestational age and cervical length.

Methods:

A prospective evaluation study with 96 cases of pregnant women at 20–41 weeks of gestation was conducted in a tertiary perinatal center. A comparison of cervicovaginal fFN samples before and immediately after transvaginal ultrasound was performed. Fetal fibronectin was measured using the Hologic Rapid fFN 10Q system. It was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively with ≥50 ng/mL as threshold for “positive”. Changes in fFN values following transvaginal ultrasound were measured.

Results:

Ninety-six percent (69/72) of women with a fFN concentration of <26 ng/mL before ultrasound had a corresponding fFN value <26 ng/mL after ultrasound. Ninety-three percent (13/14) of women with a fFN concentration of ≥100 ng/mL before ultrasound had a corresponding fFN value ≥100 ng/mL after ultrasound. In 80% (4/5) of women with a positive fFN sample but with a value <100 ng/mL, it turned negative (<50 ng/mL) after ultrasound. For fFN concentrations ≥100 ng/mL, there are high random fluctuations in the measurement results.

Conclusions:

Fetal fibronectin values of <26 ng/mL (for “negative”) and ≥100 ng/mL (for “positive”) from samples taken after ultrasound provide the same qualitative information as when sampled before ultrasound. For the correct interpretation however, quantitative analysis is necessary.
Signal Extraction for Nonstationary Time Series with Diverse Sampling Rules
Authors: Trimbur Thomas , McElroy Tucker
Published: April 2016

This paper presents a flexible framework for signal extraction of time series measured as stock or flow at diverse sampling frequencies. Our approach allows for a coherent treatment of series across diverse sampling rules, a deeper understanding of the main properties of signal estimators and the role of measurement, and a straightforward method for signal estimation and interpolation for discrete observations. We set out the essential theoretical foundations, including a proof of the continuous-time Wiener-Kolmogorov formula generalized to nonstationary signal or noise. Based on these results, we derive a new class of low-pass filters that provide the basis for trend estimation of stock and flow time series. Further, we introduce a simple and accurate method for low-frequency signal estimation and interpolation in discrete samples, and examine its properties for simulated series. Illustrations are given on economic data.
A result forO2-convergence to be topological in posets
Authors: Li Qingguo , Zou Zhiwei
Published: April 2016

In this paper, the α waybelow relation, which is determined byO2-convergence, is characterized by the order on a poset, and a sufficient and necessary condition forO2-convergence to be topological is obtained.
Refinement of the Jensen integral inequality
Authors: Sever Dragomir Silvestru , Adil Khan Muhammad , Abathun Addisalem
Published: April 2016

In this paper we give a refinement of Jensen’s integral inequality and its generalization for linear functionals. We also present some applications in Information Theory.
New iterative codes for 𝓗-tensors and an application
Authors: Wang Feng , Sun Deshu
Published: April 2016

New iterative codes for identifying 𝓗 -tensor are obtained. As an application, some sufficient conditions of the positive definiteness for an even-order real symmetric tensor, i.e., an even-degree homogeneous polynomial form are given. Advantages of results obtained are illustrated by numerical examples.
Bridging the Gap: The Struggle of One Hispanic Father
Authors: Vasquez Sarah
Published: April 2016

Parent involvement has been shown to be one of the keys to student educational success, their ability to perform at a high level and persevere. The latest government statistics reveal that 53 million Hispanics now reside in the United States and 75 % of this population speaks Spanish at home (Cooper, M. (2014). Hispanics in America and in higher education by the numbers. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. 25(2), 6). It is vital to understand the struggle these parents experience when trying to support their children’s educational journey. The purpose of this ethnographic study is to understand one parent’s perspective as they struggle to help their child become a responsible and independent learner while caught between two cultural worlds and languages.
High accuracy computational methods for behavioral modeling of thick-film resistors at cryogenic temperatures
Authors: Balik Franciszek , Dziedzic Andrzej
Published: April 2016

The aim of this work was to elaborate two-dimensional behavioral modeling method of thick-film resistors working in low-temperature conditions. The investigated resistors (made from 5 various resistive inks: 10 resistor coupons, each with 36 resistors with various dimensions), were measured automatically in a cryostat system. The low temperature was achieved in a nitrogen-helium continuous-flow cryostat. For nitrogen used as a freezing liquid the minimal temperature possible to achieve was equal to −195.85 °C (77.3 K). Mathematical model in the form of a multiplication of two polynomials was elaborated based on the above mentioned measurements. The first polynomial approximated temperature behavior of the normalized resistance, while the second one described the dependence of resistance on planar resistors dimensions. Special computational procedures for multidimensional approximation purpose were elaborated. It was shown that proper approximation polynomials and sufficiently exact methods of calculations ensure acceptable modeling errors.
On using block pulse transform to perform equivalent linearization for a nonlinear Van der Pol oscillator under stochastic excitation
Authors: Younespour Amir , Ghaffarzadeh Hosein
Published: April 2016

This paper applied the idea of block pulse (BP) transform in the equivalent linearization of a nonlinear system. The BP transform gives effective tools to approximate complex problems. The main goal of this work is on using BP transform properties in process of linearization. The accuracy of the proposed method compared with the other equivalent linearization including the stochastic equivalent linearization and the regulation linearization methods. Numerical simulations are applied to the nonlinear Van der Pol oscillator system under Gaussian white noise excitation to demonstrate the feasibility of the present method. Different values of nonlinearity are considered to show the effectiveness of the present method. Besides, by comparing the mean-square responses for divers values of nonlinearity and excitation intensity depicted the present method is able to approximate the behavior of nonlinear system and is in agreement with other methods.
Uniform practical stability in terms of two measures with effect of delay at the time of impulses
Authors: Singh Palwinder , Srivastava Sanjay K. , Kaur Kanwalpreet
Published: April 2016

In this paper, some sufficient conditions for uniform practical stability of impulsive functional differential equations in terms of two measures with effect of delay at the time of impulses are obtained by using piecewise continuous Lyapunov functions and Razumikhin techniques. The application of obtained result is illustrated with an example.
Numerical approximation of Newell-Whitehead-Segel equation of fractional order
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Sharma Ram Prakash
Published: April 2016

The aim of the present work is to propose a user friendly approach based on homotopy analysis method combined with Sumudu transform method to drive analytical and numerical solutions of the fractional Newell-Whitehead-Segel amplitude equation which describes the appearance of the stripe patterns in 2-dimensional systems. The coupling of homotopy analysis method with Sumudu transform algorithm makes the calculation very easy. The proposed technique gives an analytic solution in the form of series which converge very fastly. The analytical and numerical results reveal that the coupling of homotopy analysis technique with Sumudu transform algorithm is very easy to apply and highly accuratewhen apply to non-linear differential equation of fractional order.