bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unilateral Posterior Polymorphous Corneal Dystrophy Associated With Ipsilateral Anisometropic Amblyopia
Authors: Al-Amry Mohammed , Khan Arif O.
Published: October 2014

Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy is typically considered asymptomatic unless visual opacity develops. However, some have suggested that asymmetric disease without visual opacity might be associated with asymmetric refractive error, which would have the potential to be the cause of amblyopia in young children. In support of this concept, a case of unilateral posterior polymorphous dystrophy with ipsilateral anisometropic amblyopia is reported.
[J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2013;50:e55–e57.]
Hedonic and Utilitarian Motivations behind Shopping and Research Behaviors: Theory and Evidence
Authors: Franz Wan-Ju Iris
Published: October 2014

Using a simple theoretical model, this paper demonstrates that an individual's behavior is greatly influenced by her hedonic and utilitarian values of a task. While hedonic value is the intrinsic benefit one receives from performing a task (e.g., having fun playing the game), utilitarian value is the tangible reward one obtains from performing the task (e.g., winning the prize). Utilitarian value of a task outlasts its hedonic value. An individual with high utilitarian value but low hedonic value of a task is likely to stop performing that task once she receives a tangible reward. By contrast, an individual who garners high hedonic value of a task will continue performing that task to obtain more hedonic value. The survey reveals that most individuals agree that the utilitarian value of shopping outlasts its hedonic value. Regression results demonstrate that consumers with high hedonic value of shopping are more likely to exhibit traits of shopaholism than those with low hedonic value in shopping. JEL classification codes: D01, D03, J2.
Factors Predisposing Academics towards the Use of Blended Strategies
Authors: Torrisi-Steele Geraldine
Published: October 2014

Universities are investing considerable resources into blended learning as an institutional strategy to respond to pressures of uncertain economies, increasing globalisation, and the changing expectations of cohorts of digitally savvy students. However, the widespread adoption of effective blended teaching practices has generally not been achieved. A greater understanding of academics' blended teaching practices is needed to facilitate the uptake of effective blended practices on a larger scale. By exploring how various factors influence academics' use of technology with face-to-face teaching, the study makes a contribution to the understanding of academics' blended practices. The study described in this paper uses a mixed method, two phase methodology to develop a predictive model of blended strategy use. A major finding of the study is gender differences in factors predisposing academics towards blended strategy. Factors predisposing academics towards the use of blended in strategies in current practice were found to be: perceived usefulness (but only for male academics), higher education teaching experience, and self-efficacy (but only for females). Significant factors influencing academics' intentions for future blended practice were found to be: perceived usefulness, current use of blended strategies and, for female academics, perceived feasibility.
Who Participates in High School Career Academies?
Authors: Cox E. Daniel , Hernández-Gantes Victor , Fletcher Jr. Edward C.
Published: October 2014

In response to increasing high school graduation requirements along with emerging skills in the workforce, the focus of career academies has evolved from one of keeping students enrolled in high school through graduation to a more robust preparation for college and careers for all students. This new focus may have resulted in a demographic shift in the students participating in career academies. To that end, the purpose of this study was to describe the demographics of students who participated in career academies in one Southeastern school district over a six-year period from 2007 – 2012. Findings indicate that a gender gap continues to exist among career academies. Additionally, when compared to the population across the district's high schools, while the career academies are becoming more diverse, participation of minority groups in career academies still lags behind that of their Caucasian counterparts. Implications for administrators and future research opportunities are also articulated.
Switching Toward Cloud ERP
Authors: Mezghani Karim
Published: October 2014

This paper aims to develop a research model to explain managers' intentions to switch toward cloud based ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning). Indeed, as cloud computing is considered as a true revolution in Information Technologies field, ERP market is shaping toward more cloud based solutions. However, since cloud computing is presented as a risky alternative, cloud ERP adoption may faces reticence from managers. On the other hand, thanks to the benefits of such system associated to the known difficulties of On-Premises ERP, some managers would rather be motivated to switch to the cloud solution. Thus, from the proposed research model we attempt to present factors that influence managers' intentions to switch toward cloud ERP. By considering IT switching as a particular form of IT adoption, we based our literature review on Theory of planned behavior (TPB) to identify the determinants of switching. This review also allowed us to integrate the expected switching benefits and risks as antecedents and the personal innovativeness as a moderating factor. To contextualize our research model, we performed semi-structured interviews in four Saudi Small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The use of Nvivo 10 to codify and analyze the interviews content combined to a deep analysis of previous researches helped us to improve the research model by adding two additional factors: “top management support” considered as the main determinant of intentions and “satisfaction with actual system” as an important antecedent linked closely to switching.
Survey of Engineering Students' Use of Internet
Authors: Parikh Radha M.
Published: October 2014

There is a lot of discussion on the effect of computers and Internet on students' academic performance but few in the context of the Indian scenario. Hence a study was conducted, of two groups of private engineering university students (345 respondents from each university). They were surveyed by administering online questionnaires, following a smaller pilot study to fine-tune the survey instrument. The main purpose of the research was to understand student behaviors related to time spent on computers and their relationship to academic performance. The data indicates that there is a correlation between academic performance and excessive use of Internet. The impact of faculty/student interaction and its relationship to academic performance needs further exploration.
Fostering a Safe Online Culture with Cyberbullying Awareness and Prevention
Authors: Seo Kay Kyeong-Ju , Ciani Joseph Alfred
Published: October 2014

The worldwide expansion of blogs, Twitter®, wikis, and virtual worlds is rapidly forming a new online culture where instant communication and virtual interaction are easily accessible at our fingertips. These powerful communication technologies are bringing global communities closer than we have ever imagined possible. While the technical affordances of these tools are holding promise to better support our diverse cultures and individual differences, the very same features can also bring in a major negative – cyberbullying. Internet aggression is more detrimental than traditional face-to-face bullying because it is often done anonymously behind computer screens. This makes human rights and equal participation more easily suppressed or violated in the cyberspace. This article focuses on raising awareness about the serious consequences of cyberbullying and suggesting innovative prevention actions, thus contributing to building a safe online culture.
Extracting Functional Dependencies in Large Datasets Using MapReduce Model
Authors: Amshakala K. , Nedunchezhian R. , Rajalakshmi M.
Published: October 2014

Over the last few years, data are generated in large volume at a faster rate and there has been a remarkable growth in the need for large scale data processing systems. As data grows larger in size, data quality is compromised. Functional dependencies representing semantic constraints in data are important for data quality assessment. Executing functional dependency discovery algorithms on a single computer is hard and laborious with large data sets. MapReduce provides an enabling technology for large scale data processing. The open-source Hadoop implementation of MapReduce has provided researchers a powerful tool for tackling large-data problems in a distributed manner. The objective of this study is to extract functional dependencies between attributes from large datasets using MapReduce programming model. Attribute entropy is used to measure the inter attribute correlations, and exploited to discover functional dependencies hidden in the data.
Studying the Blood Plasma Flow past a Red Blood Cell with the Mathematical Method of Kelvin's Transformation
Authors: Hadjinicolaou Maria , Protopapas Eleftherios
Published: October 2014

A mathematical tool, namely the Kelvin transformation, has been employed in order to derive analytical expressions for important hydrodynamic quantities, aiming to the understanding and to the study of the blood plasma flow past a Red Blood Cell (RBC). These quantities are the fluid velocity, the drag force exerted on a cell and the drag coefficient. They are obtained by employing the stream function ? which describes the Stokes flow past a fixed cell. The RBC, being a biconcave disk, has been modelled as an inverted prolate spheroid. The stream function is given as a series expansion in terms of Gegenbauer functions, which converge fast. Therefore we employ only the first term of the series in order to derive simple and ready to use analytical expressions. These expressions are important in medicine, for studying, for example the transportation of oxygen, or the drug delivery to solid tumors.
Online and Offline Content Piracy Activities
Authors: Strader Troy J. , Fichtner J. Royce , Bartlett Geoffrey D. , Simpson Lou Ann
Published: October 2014

This study identifies several factors that influence an individual's ethical perceptions of other user's content piracy activities. It addresses the relationship between the characteristics of various online and offline content piracy activities and the extent to which individuals perceive these activities to be ethical. It also considers the knowledge and experience individuals have regarding digital technologies to see whether it impacts their ethical perceptions. This paper finds that the more time it takes to copy content, and the higher the value and quality of the copy, the less ethically acceptable these activities are viewed. It also finds that when users have higher levels of digital technology experience and understanding they view all of these activities as relatively more acceptable. Implications and conclusions are discussed for content companies and future research.
The Ethical Implications of Personal Health Monitoring
Authors: Mittelstadt Brent , Fairweather Ben , Shaw Mark , McBride Neil
Published: October 2014

Personal Health Monitoring (PHM) uses electronic devices which monitor and record health-related data outside a hospital, usually within the home. This paper examines the ethical issues raised by PHM. Eight themes describing the ethical implications of PHM are identified through a review of 68 academic articles concerning PHM. The identified themes include privacy, autonomy, obtrusiveness and visibility, stigma and identity, medicalisation, social isolation, delivery of care, and safety and technological need. The issues around each of these are discussed. The system / lifeworld perspective of Habermas is applied to develop an understanding of the role of PHMs as mediators of communication between the institutional and the domestic environment. Furthermore, links are established between the ethical issues to demonstrate that the ethics of PHM involves a complex network of ethical interactions. The paper extends the discussion of the critical effect PHMs have on the patient's identity and concludes that a holistic understanding of the ethical issues surrounding PHMs will help both researchers and practitioners in developing effective PHM implementations.1
Sport Enhancement
Authors: Triviño José Luis Pérez
Published: October 2014

Doping, or in more morally neutral terms, enhancement, has always been present in sport practice and not only at the present time, which is marked by professionalism and competitiveness. The latest development in doping seems linked to biotechnological advances, and one of the techniques that will apparently be particularly important in the near future is neuroscience, notably transcranial stimulators. These devices promise to improve not only physiological aspects in sport performance, but also mental and emotional ones. On the other hand, they can seriously affect sport ethics insofar as they can be economically accessible to professional and amateur athletes.
Explaining Users' Security Behaviors with the Security Belief Model
Authors: Williams Clay K. , Wynn Donald , Madupalli Ramana , Karahanna Elena , Duncan Barbara K.
Published: October 2014

Information security is often viewed as a technological matter. However, security professionals will readily admit that without safe practices by users, no amount or type of technology will be effective at preventing unauthorized intrusions. By paralleling the practices of information security and health prevention, a rationale for employing constructs from existing models of health behavior is established. A comprehensive and parsimonious model (the Security Belief Model) is developed to explain information security behavior intentions. The model is tested empirically based on a sample of 237 Indian professionals. The results of the empirical study indicate general support for the model, particularly including severity, susceptibility, benefits, and a cue to action as antecedents to the intention to perform preventive information security behaviors. The paper also discusses implications of the model and results for practitioners and possibilities for future research are included.
A study on the effects of the hydroalcholic extract of the aerial parts of Alhagi camelorum on prolactin and pituitary-gonadal activity in rats with hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Zarei Ali , Ashtiyani Saeed Changizi , Vaezi Gholam Hassan
Published: October 2014

Background: Although endocrine disorders are not a common cause of infertility, in some cases, testing thyroid function, and hypothalamus - pituitary - gonadal axis can determine the cause of infertility. We aimed to investigate the effect of the aerial parts of Alhagi camelorum extract on prolactin, cortisol and pituitary - gonadal axis activities in rats with hypercholesterolemia. Materials and methods: In this study, 35 male wistar rats in 5 groups (n = 7) were assigned as: control group with normal diet, the sham group with fat diet and three experimental groups of hypercholesterolaemic animals which received Alhagi camelorum extract at a minimum dose of 100 mg/kg, average dose of 200 ml/kg and maximum dose of 300 mg/kg over a period of 21 days. At the end of the period, blood samples were collected from all groups and blood factors were then measured and analyzed. Results: In the sham group compared to the control, cholesterol levels increased and FSH levels decreased, whereas cholesterol levels reduced in the experimental groups. Alhagi camelorum extract also reduced testosterone level and increased prolactin and gonadotropins. Conclusion: Alhagi camelorum extract at low and average doses reduced cortisol, testosterone and cholesterol and increased gonadotropins. So it can cause reproductive disorders in male rats. The extract at maximum dose can increase cortisol and prolactin. As these two hormones work together to produce milk, this plant can help to boost breastfeeding.
Efficacy of pentoxifylline in Peyronie’s disease: Clinical case of a young man
Authors: Dell’Atti Lucio , Ughi Gianni
Published: October 2014

Peyronie’s disease (PD) is a localized connective tissue disorder of the tunica albuginea of the penis and its surrounding tissue which results in a painful erection, penile curvature and erectile dysfunction. The great number and variety of purposed treatments for PD is in proportion to the difficulty of its management.In fact no medical treatment is currently available to cure patients with PD. Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a non specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties that has been used to treat claudication. PTX has also been used to decrease inflammation and fibrosis in kidney transplants, open heart surgery, dermatological conditions and after radiation injury. With respect to penile diseases, clinical studies have suggested that PTX decreases calcification in new-onset PD. These traits make PTX an interesting potential option for PD therapy.
Rural education: Reimagining the role of the church in transforming poverty in South Africa
Authors: Thesnaar Christo
Published: October 2014

The desire to remember the plight of the poor in South Africa has reduced in the last 20 years after the transition from apartheid to freedom. To a large extent, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and the religious society at large have lost their ‘dangerous memory’ which keeps us mindful of those who suffered and whose plight is usually forgotten or suppressed. In this contribution the conditions of poor farm school children in multigrade rural education will be scrutinised by unpacking the contextual factors that cause us to forget their plight. This article will seek to reimagine the role of the church in poverty-stricken South Africa by engaging with the work of Talcott Parsons, the practical theologian Johannes A. Van der Ven, as well as the work of the political theologian Johann Baptist Metz in order to affirm the focus of Practical Theology to transform society and to contribute to the quest for justice and liberation for the poor in rural education. This reimagining discourse has a fundamental responsibility to challenge the social, political and economic realities that shape the lives of human beings within rural education, remembering the plight of the poor, and participating on their journey towards liberation and healing. It is proposed that if the church can activate its ‘dangerous memory’ it will be able to reimagine its role by transforming our poverty-stricken South African society, open new avenues for breaking the cycle of poverty and contribute to rural education.
Effects of different management systems on root distribution of maize
Authors: Wang Zhigang , Ma Bao-Luo , Gao Julin , Sun Jiying
Published: October 2014

Wang, Z., Ma, B.-L., Gao, J. and Sun, J. 2015. Effects of different management systems on root distribution of maize. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 21–28. Characterization of root distribution in maize (Zea mays L.) is important for optimizing agronomic management to match crop requirements, while maximizing grain yield, especially under intensive management. The objectives of this study were to examine the differences in maize root distribution between two management systems and to identify root-related factors that could be adjusted for further yield improvement. A 4-yr field experiment examined maize root distribution under two management systems: farmers’ practices (FP: low plant density, unbalanced fertilization) and high yield strategies (HY: high plant density, sufficient fertilization). Root mass distribution within the soil profile was more restricted horizontally within 10 cm from the stalk base and vertically below 20 cm in HY compared with FP. HY had a greater proportion of fine roots (diameter ≤ 0.5 mm) and more roots per 100 kernels than FP. However, per-plant root weight was not significantly affected by type of management system. Yield was positively correlated with total root number and the ratio of root mass below 20 cm to total root mass. Our data indicate that HY maize overcame the negative effect of crowding stress by producing more roots with smaller root diameters, and maize root systems became narrower and were distributed deeper under intensive management compared with traditional famers’ practices.
The effect of pyraclostrobin on soybean plant health, yield, and profitability in Ontario
Authors: Mahoney K. J. , Vyn R. J. , Gillard C. L.
Published: October 2014

Mahoney, K. J., Vyn, R. J. and Gillard, C. L. 2015. The effect of pyraclostrobin on soybean plant health, yield, and profitability in Ontario. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 285–292. Prophylactic fungicides have been advocated to manage foliar diseases, optimize plant heath, and increase yields. Studies were conducted in 2009, 2010, and 2011 using 20 soybean cultivars to determine if pyraclostrobin, a strobilurin, induced plant health effects to increase yield and profitability under conditions with low levels of foliar disease. Pyraclostrobin applied at the R3 stage significantly reduced leaf defoliation caused by brown spot (Septoria glycines Hemmi) compared with the untreated control with 27 and 45% defoliation, respectively, across all cultivars. Pyraclostrobin delayed maturity, but the response varied among cultivars. For example, cultivars with low levels of leaf defoliation responded with an increase in the number of days to maturity, whereas cultivars with high levels of defoliation generally did not. Pyraclostrobin increased yield by 4.1% compared with the untreated control across all cultivars with 4.49 and 4.31 t ha−1 harvested, respectively. Increased revenue from increased yield was offset by increased fungicide costs, resulting in a negligible effect on profitability; however, effects of pyraclostrobin application on profit margins in individual environments ranged from -$50.02 ha−1 in 2009 to $53.73 ha−1 in 2011. Overall, these results suggest that if environmental conditions are conducive for foliar disease, a pyraclostrobin application could be warranted.
Response of four spring-seeded cover crops to residues of selected herbicides
Authors: Yu Li , Van Eerd Laura L. , O'Halloran Ivan , Sikkema Peter H. , Robinson Darren E.
Published: October 2014

Yu, L., Van Eerd, L. L., O'Halloran, I., Sikkema, P. H. and Robinson, D. E. 2015. Response of four spring-seeded cover crops to residues of selected herbicides. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 303–313. Although herbicide labels provide crop rotation restrictions, information is limited on the influence of herbicide residues on cover crops. Field experiments were conducted in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 in Ontario, Canada, to characterize the effects of soil residues of selected herbicides on establishment and growth of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), sorghum sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench×Sorghum sudanense (P.) Stapf], and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) spring-seeded cover crops planted 1 yr after application. Imazethapyr (100 and 200 g ha−1) was applied pre-emergence (PRE) to processing peas (Pisum sativum L.), while S-metolachlor/atrazine plus mesotrione (2880+140 and 5760+280 g ha−1) and saflufenacil/dimethenamid-P (735 and 1470 g ha−1) were applied PRE to sweet corn (Zea mays L.). Imazethapyr residues from 200 g ha−1 caused 75 and 48% visible injury in buckwheat and sorghum sudangrass, respectively. Plant light attenuation, shoot dry weight, and nitrate-nitrogen content were reduced up to 82, 64 and 67% in buckwheat, and 40, 11 and 24% in sorghum sudangrass, respectively, by residues from imazethapyr. S-metolachlor/atrazine plus mesotrione residues caused up to 53% visible injury to annual ryegrass and reduced plant light attenuation, shoot dry weight, and nitrate-nitrogen content by as much as 59, 48, and 55%, respectively. There were no observable adverse effects of visible injury, light attenuation, shoot dry weight, and nitrate-nitrogen content on spring wheat regardless of herbicide or rate. These results indicate that buckwheat and sorghum sudangrass should not be grown in the year following imazethapyr, and that annual ryegrass should not be grown in the year after application of S-metolachlor/atrazine plus mesotrione. However, no restrictions are needed for growing spring wheat following these herbicides.
Optimizing inputs for winter durum wheat in Ontario
Authors: Tamburic-Ilincic Lily , Brinkman Jonathan M. P. , Sparry Ellen , Hooker David C.
Published: October 2014

Tamburic-Ilincic, L., Brinkman, J. M. P., Sparry, E. and Hooker, D. C. 2015. Optimizing inputs for winter durum wheat in Ontario. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 361–368. Best management practices need to be determined for a new wheat class in Ontario: winter durum. The objectives of this study were to determine optimal nitrogen rates (75, 100, and 125 kg N ha−1), seeding rates (400, 440, and 480 seeds m−2), and fungicide applications on the grain yield, grain protein, and leaf disease control of ‘OAC Amber’ winter wheat durum at five field locations in Ontario. Seeding rates between 400 and 480 seeds m−2 did not impact performance. Overall, fungicide applications at flag leaf and flowering increased grain yield by an average of 0.52 Mg ha−1, increased seed weight and test weight, reduced powdery mildew [Blumeria graminis (DC.) Speer f. sp. tritici emend. É.J. Marchal] and septoria leaf blotch [Mycosphaerella graminicola (Fuckel) J. Schröt.] in the canopy, but decreased grain protein from 128 to 126 g kg−1. Grain yields did not increase with N rates higher than 100 kg N ha−1, and the response to N rate did not depend on the application of fungicides. Grain protein concentrations increased with N rates up to 125 kg N ha−1, which was the highest N rate investigated in this study. An economic analysis is needed to determine the impact of agronomic management strategies specific to winter durum wheat in Ontario.
Un acercamiento en 2014 a la conformación de la estructura audiovisual en España y el caso de Canal Sur TV
Authors: Reig Ramón , Mancinas Chávez Rosalba , Nogales Bocio Antonia Isabel
Published: October 2014

Una selección muy escogida de momentos en el desenvolvimiento audiovisual español y andaluz público, hasta el verano de 2014, nos servirá para demostrar y actualizar la concentración y a la vez diversificación e internacionalización del capital en la estructura mediática española. Metodología. Nuestra metodología se basa en el enfoque estructural, en el que está contenida la Economía Política de la Comunicación, la Información y la Cultura (EPICC). Resultados y conclusiones. Nos confirmamos una vez más en la existencia de una telaraña de intereses que van mucho más allá de lo mediático para formar una articulación entre las empresas mediáticas y no mediáticas que interactúan entre ellas. Nos pronunciamos a favor de la existencia de la televisión pública pero gestionada razonablemente, como servicio público, y creemos que la televisión privada ofrece rasgos no acordes totalmente con los derechos de los ciudadanos.
Outside Practices: Learning within the borderlands
Authors: Cuban Sondra
Published: October 2014

Social practice research can be seen to illuminate the practices of marginalised learners in ‘borderlands’, areas outside of formal educational frameworks. This paper examines the issues and challenges of social practice researchers as they explore borderlands logic set against a critique of the prevailing skills-based educational philosophies that dominate in the knowledge-based economies of the US and England. Social practice research highlights meaning-making through a wide-angled view of the learning contexts of marginalised groups. This paper introduces the themes and sets the scene in a series of papers in this volume from leading social practice researchers.
Scaling Up and Moving In: Connecting social practices views to policies and programs in adult education
Authors: Reder Stephen
Published: October 2014

The social practices framework has had a major impact on adult literacy and numeracy research over the past quarter century in the US, the UK and other countries. To date, the social practices view has had far less influence on the development of policies and programs in adult literacy and numeracy education. To help this happen, new kinds of assessment tools aligned with the social practices framework are needed to support appropriate changes in curriculum design, learner assessment and program evaluation.In this article research is presented that illustrates how measures of adults’ engagement in literacy and numeracy practices can be used in conjunction with well-entrenched proficiency measures to provide a richer quantitative framework for adult literacy and numeracy development. Longitudinal data about learners indicate that adult education programs are more closely aligned with practice engagement measures than with proficiency measures. Program participation leads to increased practice engagement that, over time, leads to the very gains in proficiency currently valued by policy makers.
Researching Adult Learners’ Lives to Understand Engagement and Progression in Learning
Authors: Barton David
Published: October 2014

This paper examines the relationships between adult learners’ lives and the literacy, numeracy and language learning in which they are engaged. The paper brings together the results of a set of detailed studies of adult learners’ lives, summarising common findings from the studies and providing a set of implications for policy and provision. Finally, the paper outlines a model of the aspects of people’s lives that are significant for effective language, literacy and numeracy learning. The four part model covers people’s histories, their current identities, their current life circumstances and imagined futures.
Relinquishing the Practices of a Lifetime: Observations on ageing, caring and literacies
Authors: Hamilton Mary
Published: October 2014

This paper draws on ethnographic and case study data from a variety of sources to explore the changing social practices of literacy across the lifespan. It explores the new literacy demands that people encounter with age when dealing with life events in a range of social domains. These include increased leisure; travel; changing family and peer relationships as a result of death and loss; issues of health and disability and accessing new technologies. It reveals how literacy is implicated in peoples' changing sense of time, place and history; how the older person’s identity as a literate actor may be interrupted by both institutional and informal processes of caring and their disengagement from spheres of activity that were previously central markers of their identity. Ageing thus involves both expansion and retreat from familiar literacy practices.
Academic Culture: A student’s guide
Authors: Simms Maria
Published: October 2014

ACADEMIC CULTURE: A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO STUDYING AT UNIVERSITYBy JEAN BRICK National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research (NCELTR) 2006, Sydney, ISBN 978 74138 135 (pbk) ISBN 1 74138 135 5 (pbk) 263 pagesJean Brick’s book is an excellent guide to academic culture and skills for students and academics alike. Although she describes the book as being about academic culture it is much more than that. I found it to be a comprehensive, useful and very readable guide to English for a variety of academic purposes.
Talk and Texts at Work: Beyond language and literacy skills
Authors: Scheeres Hermine
Published: October 2014

In this paper I discuss changing work practices in post-bureaucratic organisations (Heckscher and Donellon 1994, Iedema 2003) as a move from a focus on how those in control formulate what is to happen at the level of work, towards requiring workers to verbalise how they see themselves as being able to contribute to the organisation. Workers are increasingly asked to talk about their work, and to negotiate their understandings of their work with others in the workplace – they are becoming discourse workers. This discourse work is integral to the increasing textualisation of work. These work practices are imbued with tensions as workers try to make sense of, and learn, new ways of ‘being’ a worker, and an important site of this struggle and learning is working in teams.
LNS 16.1 Editorial
Authors: Yasukawa Keiko
Published: October 2014

The value of  pluralist views of literacy and numeracy afforded by New Literacy Studies (NLS) for researching and understanding literacy and numeracy is now well-established with the wealth of studies published, including articles in previous issues of Literacy and Numeracy Studies. NLS offers an alternative lens through which we can observe literacy and numeracy practices in places and in ways not available through the more ‘official’ and dominant lens of regulatory authorities. In this issue too, four of the authors are writing with an NLS approach and they present studies that alert us to aspects of literacy and numeracy practices that extend possibilities for further conceptual development in NLS.
Revisiting Reading: Exploring an intensive reading pedagogy in adult literacy
Authors: De Silva Joyce Helen , Hood Susan , Rose David
Published: October 2014

Applied linguistic research into genres of written communication hashad a considerable impact in recent decades on the pedagogy of writing inall sectors of education in Australia, from early schooling to post-secondaryand workplace contexts (eg. Christie and Martin 1997). Attending to thesocial purpose of language and modelling and deconstructing texts inpreparation for supported writing has become a common feature of manyprograms, including those in the field of adult English as a SecondLanguage (ESL) and adult literacy. However, effective engagement withmodel texts for writing is dependent on students being able to read thosetexts. While reading continues to be explicitly identified as a component ofmost adult literacy programs, there is evidence to suggest that less attentionmay be given to the deliberate supported development of reading skills(Burns and de Silva Joyce 2000, 2005). This paper reports on a projectfunded by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research(NCVER) in Australia. The study, Investigating the impact of intensive readingpedagogy in adult literacy, was designed to explore the relevance and thepotential of an intensive, explicit reading pedagogy, Reading-to-Learn, in adultand community education (ACE) and TAFE colleges in metropolitanSydney, teaching literacy in ESL and adult basic education (ABE) classes.The study was a partnership between practising teachers andresearcher/teacher educators. It identified positive outcomes for students,with advances in reading abilities for many students well beyond thoseanticipated by teachers and students alike. Teachers also reported verypositive outcomes for their own professional development. Importantly, thestudy also identified a number of system-level features that would need to bein place to support a broader adoption of the pedagogy.
The Grit in the Oyster – does an appreciation of threshold concepts in an adult literacies teaching qualification result in pearls of practice
Authors: Wallace David
Published: October 2014

This paper draws from the experiences of a new adult literacies teaching qualification in Scotland that has been designed for experienced but unqualified adult literacies tutors.  Created to respond to an approach to adult literacies as social practices (Scottish Executive 2001, 2005, Tett et al 2006), the course team employs a sociocultural pedagogy that explicitly rejects transmission and seeks to build critical reflection through learning from experience, collaborative activities and the creation of an on-line community (Ackland and Wallace 2006).  Recognising that ‘moments of conflict and disjuncture may form the spaces in which learning occurs’ (Lewis, Enciso and Moje 2007:5) the paper explores whether ideas about liminality and threshold concepts (Cousin 2006:1, Land, Meyer and Smith 2008) illuminate the learning process.  It concludes that engagement with these concepts may assist adult literacies tutors to develop transformed practice (Cope and Kalantzis 2003:35).
Notes on Contributors
Authors: Journal Literacy and Numeracy Studies
Published: October 2014

Please see attached
The Use of Activity Theory in Literacy Research: Working and developing a vocational portfolio and the interaction of the two activities
Authors: Nikolaidou Zoe
Published: October 2014

In this paper, I show the relevance of using Activity Theory in the study of situated literacy. In order to do that, I draw on ethnographic data collected during a six-month period that focuses on the literacy practices of a warehouse administrator who studies on a work-basis for the completion of a National Vocational Qualification in the UK. The employee’s work context and the process of studying for a qualification are examined here as two distinct activity systems, within which various literacy events are enacted and literacy practices are developed. The result is a detailed study of the interaction of these two activity systems, and it becomes clear that work practices and qualification practices are connected in many ways. One of the most important connecting factors is the vocational portfolio, which acts as a boundary object between the two distinct yet highly recontextualising activity systems.
Phonetics for Phonics
Authors: Forman Ross
Published: October 2014

Review of: PHONETICS FOR PHONICS: UNDERPINNING KNOWLEDGE FOR ADULT LITERACY PRACTITIONERS by MAXINE BURTON
Health Numeracy Confidence among Racial/ Ethnica Minorities in HINTS 2007: Sociodemographic, Attitudinal, and Knowledge Correlates
Authors: Huang Hong , Chan Yiu Ming , Feng Dong
Published: October 2014

Health numeracy skills help people interpret health risks, and make effective medical decisions. Lower health numeracy confidence was observed for blacks and Hispanic groups than whites. Little is known about the important factors that explain racial differences in health numeracy confidence. For this study, we used a nationally representative, cross-sectional data sample of 4,610 U.S. adults from the National Cancer Institute’s 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey. Bivariate (Chi-squares) and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the contribution factors that predict health numeracy confidence.Non-linear Fairlie decompositions were used to quantify the factor contributions to racial differences in health numeracy confidence. The priority rankings of the important factors to explain the health numeracy confidence racial and ethnic disparities are different depending on the particular racial and ethnic group. Diverse, culturally appropriate approaches are needed to improve numeracy confidence for specific racial and ethnic groups.
Notes on Contributors
Authors: Yasukawa Keiko
Published: October 2014

Notes on Contributors.
Optical, microphysical and compositional properties of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash
Authors: Rocha-Lima A. , Martins J. V. , Remer L. A. , Krotkov N. A. , Tabacniks M. H. , Ben-Ami Y. , Artaxo P.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Better characterization of the optical properties of aerosol particles are an essential step to improve atmospheric models and satellite remote sensing, reduce uncertainties in predicting particulate transport, and estimate aerosol forcing and climate change. Even natural aerosols such as mineral dust or particles from volcanic eruptions require better characterization in order to define the background conditions from which anthropogenic perturbations emerge. We present a detailed laboratorial study where the spectral optical properties of the ash from the April–May (2010) Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption were derived over a broad spectral range, from ultra-violet (UV) to near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Samples of the volcanic ash taken on the ground in the vicinity of the volcano were sieved, re-suspended, and collected on filters to separate particle sizes into fine and mixed (coarse and fine) modes. We derived the spectral mass absorption efficiency αabs [m2g−1] for fine and mixed modes particles in the wavelength range from 300 to 2500 nm from measurements of optical reflectance. We retrieved the imaginary part of the complex refractive index Im(m) from αabs, using Mie–Lorenz and T-matrix theories and considering the size distribution of particles obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the grain density of the volcanic ash measured as ρ = 2.16 ± 0.13 g cm−3. Im(m) was found to vary from 0.001 to 0.005 in the measured wavelength range. The dependence of the retrieval on the shape considered for the particles were found to be small and within the uncertainties estimated in our calculation. Fine and mixed modes were also analyzed by X-ray fluorescence, exhibiting distinct elemental composition supporting the optical differences we found between the modes. This is a comprehensive and consistent characterization of spectral absorption and imaginary refractive index, density, size, shape and elemental composition of volcanic ash, which will help constrain assumptions of ash particles in models and remote sensing, thereby narrowing uncertainties in representing these particles both for short-term regional forecasts and long-term climate change.
Do anthropogenic, continental or coastal aerosol sources impact on a marine aerosol signature at Mace Head?
Authors: O'Dowd C. , Ceburnis D. , Ovadnevaite J. , Vaishya A. , Rinaldi M. , Facchini M. C.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Atmospheric aerosols have been sampled and characterised at the Mace Head north-east (NE) Atlantic atmospheric research station since 1958, with many interesting phenomena being discovered. However, with the range of new discoveries and scientific advances, there has been a range of concomitant criticisms challenging the representativeness of aerosol sampled at the station compared to that of aerosol over the pristine open-ocean. Two recurring criticisms relate to the lack of representativeness due to potentially enhanced coastal sources, possibly leading to artificially high values of aerosol concentrations, and to the influence of long-range transport of anthropogenic or continental aerosol and its potential dominance over, or perturbation of, a natural marine aerosol signal. Here, we review the results of previous experimental studies on marine aerosols over the NE Atlantic and at Mace Head with the aim of evaluating their representativeness relative to that of a pristine open-ocean aerosol, i.e. with negligible anthropogenic/continental influence. Particular focus is given to submicron organic matter (OM) aerosol. In summary, no correlation was found between OM and black carbon (BC) in marine air conforming to clean-air sampling criteria, either at BC levels of 0–15 or 15–50 ng m−3, suggesting that OM concentrations, up to observed peak values of 3.8 μg m−3, are predominantly natural in origin. Sophisticated carbon isotope analysis and aerosol mass spectral finger printing techniques corroborate the conclusion that there is a predominant natural source of OM, with 80% biogenic source apportionment being observed for general clean-air conditions, rising to ∼98% during specific primary marine organic plumes when peak OM mass concentrations > 3 μg m−3 are observed. Similarly, a maximum contribution of 20% OM mass coming from non-marine sources was established by dual carbon isotope analysis. Further, analysis of a series of experiments conducted at Mace Head conclude that negligible coastal, surf zone, or tidal effects are discernible in the secondary or primary aerosol mass residing in the submicron size range for sampling heights of 7 m and above. The Mace Head marine-air criteria ensure anthropogenic and coastal effects are sufficiently minimised so as to guarantee a predominant, and sometimes overwhelming, natural marine aerosol contribution to the total aerosol population when the criteria are adhered to.
Identification of the propagation mode of a solar wind wave associated with Pc5 pulsations in the magnetosphere
Authors: Walker A. D. M. , Stephenson J. A. E.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. A case study of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave in the solar wind that is strongly correlated with a magnetospheric field line resonance observed by the SuperDARN (Super Dual Auroral Radar Network) radar at Sanae, Antarctica is presented. The data from the ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) satellite at the solar libration point are analysed. The data time series are bandpass filtered at the pulsation frequency and the analytic signal deduced. From these data the partition of energy between the field components is computed. It is shown that energy is equally partitioned between the kinetic energy and transverse magnetic potential energy densities. The energy flux vector is closely aligned with the background magnetic field. The transverse magnetic and velocity components are in antiphase. This is the first identification of the triggering wave as a transverse Alfvén wave which originates upstream from the space craft and is propagated to the magnetosphere to trigger the pulsation.
A robust method for inverse transport modeling of atmospheric emissions using blind outlier detection
Authors: Martinez-Camara M. , Béjar Haro B. , Stohl A. , Vetterli M.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere are a serious environmental concern. In order to understand and predict their effects, it is necessary to estimate the exact quantity and timing of the emissions from sensor measurements taken at different locations. There are a number of methods for solving this problem. However, these existing methods assume Gaussian additive errors, making them extremely sensitive to outlier measurements. We first show that the errors in real-world measurement data sets come from a heavy-tailed distribution, i.e., include outliers. Hence, we propose robustifying the existing inverse methods by adding a blind outlier-detection algorithm. The improved performance of our method is demonstrated on a real data set and compared to previously proposed methods. For the blind outlier detection, we first use an existing algorithm, RANSAC, and then propose a modification called TRANSAC, which provides a further performance improvement.
Do changes in climate or vegetation regulate evapotranspiration and streamflow trends in water-limited basins?
Authors: Liu Q. , Yang Z. , Liang L. , Nan W.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Interactions between climate change, vegetation, and soil regulate hydrological processes. In this study, it was assumed that vegetation type and extent remained fixed and unchanged throughout the study period, while the effective rooting depth (Ze) changed under climate change scenarios. Budyko's hydrological model was used to explore the impact of climate change and vegetation on evapotranspiration (E) and streamflow (Q) on the static vegetation rooting depth and the dynamic vegetation rooting depth. Results showed that both precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (Ep) exhibited negative trends, which resulted in decreasing trends for dynamic Ze scenarios. Combined with climatic change, decreasing trends in Ze altered the partitioning of P into E and Q. For dynamic scenarios, total E and Q were predicted to be −1.73 and 28.22%, respectively, greater than static scenarios. Although climate change regulated changes in E and Q, the response of Ze to climate change had a greater overall contribution to changes in hydrological processes. Results from this study suggest that with the exception of vegetation type and extent, Ze scenarios were able to alter water balances, which in itself should help to regulate climate change impacts on water resources.