bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presentations associated with porphyrias in intensive care units
Authors: Ruthirago Doungporn , Julayanont Parunyou , Rassameehiran Supannee
Published: January 2017

Porphyrias are a group of uncommon congenital metabolic diseases that are difficult to diagnose as they often present with nonspecific symptoms, mimicking other diseases. A significant number of patients with porphyrias have been admitted to intensive care units with acute abdominal pain, neuro-psychiatric symptoms, or hyponatremia. Due to the nonspecific symptoms, many patients have a delayed diagnosis. Moreover, some patients have received treatments that precipitate acute porphyric attacks, such as antibiotics or antiepileptics, causing worsening of symptoms. This article reviews the various clinical presentations and appropriate treatment of acute porphyrias in the ICU. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are important for preventing long-term disability and achieving good outcomes.
Neurointerventional therapy for large vessel occlusion stroke: the new standard of care
Authors: Laengvejkal Pavis , Ruthirago Doungporn , Julayanont Parunyou , Alderazi Yazan
Published: January 2017

For the past two decades, intravenous tissue plasminogenactivator (IV tPA) has been the gold standardtreatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) for patientspresenting to the hospital in the first 4.5 hours aftersymptom onset. However, in patients with AIS due tointracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO), IV tPA hasvery poor recanalization rates. This group of patientshas significantly worse outcomes than those withoutLVO. Endovascular therapy has evolved significantlysince the first trial in 1998. With the publication of recenttrials using modern stent-retriever devices andselection of patients with LVO, endovascular therapyhas become the standard of care for patients with themost severe ischemic strokes. In this article we outlinethe two decade evolution of this therapy.
Literacy and health literacy - why they matter to health professionals
Authors: Reed Debra B.
Published: January 2017

Low literacy and low health literacy affect people in all demographic strata and interfere with patients’ abilities to understand and act on information provided by health careproviders. Many print health education materials are written at reading levels well above those recommended. Thus, compliance to health messages is compromised, and health costs are increased. As medicine moves into new fields such as precision medicine, effective communication between patients and health care professionals becomes even more challenging and important.
Aeromonas infection from river and playa lake waters in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico
Authors: Kimbrough Robert C. , Winn Richard E. , Jeter Randall M. , Warren William J. , Huddleston Jennifer R. , Zak John C.
Published: January 2017

Trauma occurring in direct contact with freshwater bodies may result in wounds contaminated with a variety of microorganisms. Bacteria belonging to the genus Aeromonas have been recovered from these types of infections. We report two cases of Aeromonas hydrophila infections occurring from freshwater-contaminated wounds. One of these infections was acquired from a river in southeastern New Mexico; the other was from an urban playa lake in West Texas. The latter case prompted an ecological study of the seasonal occurrence of Aeromonas spp. and the incidence of resistance to antimicrobial agents in two of these local lakes. Recent scientific and medical literature data show that Aeromonas should be considered as a possible agent of infection in immunocompetent hosts from water exposure, even if the water is a running river or a seemingly unpolluted (“clean”) freshwater lake.
What is the role of music in the intensive care unit?
Authors: Chariyawong Phumpattra , Copeland Samuel , Mulkey Zachary
Published: January 2017

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The use of MELD scores in critically ill cirrhotic patients
Authors: Rassameehiran Supannee , Woreta Tinsay
Published: January 2017

The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) was originally created to predict survival following transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and was subsequently found to accurately predict mortality in patients with end-stage liver disease. It has been used in the United States for liver allocation since 2002, and implementation of the MELD score resulted in a reduction in total number of deaths on the waitlist and a reduction in waiting time. Critically ill cirrhotic patients have an in-hospital mortality greater than 50%. Although the MELD score was also found to be an accurate predictor of in-ICU mortality and in-hospital mortality after ICU admission in critically ill cirrhotic patients, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score appears to perform better in many studies. The Chronic Liver Failure Consortium Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (CLIF-C ACLF) score was later developed by using specific cut-points for each organ failure score system in CLIF patients to predict mortality in patients with ACLF. Neither the MELD nor SOFA score independently predicts post-liver transplantation mortality in cirrhotic patients with extrahepatic organ failure and should not be use as a delisting criterion for these patients. More data are needed to determine the accuracy of the CLIF-C ACLF score in predicting post-liver transplantation outcomes. Prospective evaluation of critically ill cirrhotic patients is needed to optimize liver organ allocation.
Implementing an electronic patient handover system
Authors: Oakley Ben , Hunter James B
Published: January 2017

Background:

Clear communication among health-care teams is paramount for safe patient care and effective handover. Advances in information technology have led to an increased use of electronic systems within modern health care. This quality improvement project introduced an electronic patient handover system that was intended to improve the accuracy of patient handover lists and be readily available to all members of the health-care team.

Methods:

A quality improvement project was undertaken to assess the effect of introducing an electronic patient handover system on maintenance workload and list accuracy.

Results:

List errors were common before the introduction of the electronic patient handover system, commonly patient location or a patient being incorrectly omitted from the list. These errors decreased significantly after the introduction of the electronic system (P<0.005 and 0.04 respectively). The workload associated with its maintenance also decreased (P<0.005) because many data fields were pre-populated by the software. This resulted in fewer instances of patients being missed on ward rounds (P<0.04).

Conclusions:

Through modifying existing information technology infrastructure, a centrally maintained, widely accessible electronic handover system was introduced. This reduced the workload associated with maintaining handover lists and the rate of errors.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection
Authors: Almaghrabi Reem S , Omrani Ali S
Published: January 2017

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus was first described in 2012. More than 1800 cases have been reported so far, the majority from countries in the Middle East region. This article outlines current understanding of the epidemiological and clinical features of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.
Working with migrants’ memories in Italy: The Lampedusa dump
Authors: Triulzi Alessandro
Published: January 2017

The Archive of Migrant Memories aims at recording and diffusing migrant self-narratives in Italy so as to leave a visible trace of recently arrived migrants and their rising agency in Italian society. Retrieving oral and written records of migrants travelling to and landing on Italian soil intends to contrast, both physically and metaphorically, the hiding or cancellation mechanisms lying behind the collective unease surrounding immigration policies in today’s Italy. The recurrent dumping of migrant lives in the Mediterranean, particularly on its European southernmost gate at Lampedusa, symbolizes the careless disposal of irksome memories of migration within present-day Italian society. Here the remains of rotten boats derived from the repeated landings of irregular migrants on the Island and their human ‘waste’ – old shoes, clothes, cooking utensils, children’s toys, throw-away objects, but also water-stained documents, photos, holy books and individual writings such as letters, memoirs or diaries – lie to decompose as a vivid expression of what is not to be remembered in the nation’s past.
‘This big bum thing has taken over the world’: Considering black women’s changing views on body image and the role of celebrity
Authors: Appleford Katherine
Published: January 2017

Based on a small-scale project that explores racial distinctions in women’s attitudes towards weight loss and dieting, this article considers black women’s changing understandings of beauty and body image, and in particular young black women’s desire for a ‘slim-thick’ look. This is a body shape that brings together aspects of black and white beauty, seen to be embodied by Kim Kardashian, due to her full-figured bottom and thighs, and her very petite waist. The article argues that Kim Kardashian has been an important influence in shaping young women’s notions of attractiveness, by encouraging a common concept of body image and desirability across racial groups. Indeed, operating as an ‘exotic other’, who sits somewhere between black and white beauty, Kim Kardashian and the ‘slim-thick’ ideal perhaps offer an example of cultural assimilation, and yet they also work to exaggerate cultural stereotypes, encouraging a notion of beauty that is unrealistic, and far outside the reach of ordinary women.
Gender in South African newsrooms
Authors: Bosch Tanja
Published: January 2017

Academic research reveals a quantitative and qualitative underrepresentation of women in news production and content. This article presents findings of a qualitative study, exploring the experiences of women journalists in Cape Town, South Africa. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews, the research found that most journalists did not feel that their gender impacted daily newsroom routines, with many seeing their predominant coverage of ‘soft’ news items as a personal preference and not a structural constraint, even though they sometimes felt restricted by the dominance of normative news values. Concerns over personal safety were foregrounded, and some respondents highlighted the use of sexuality by women journalists to gain leverage with editors or sources. While the experiences of women journalists cannot be generalized, particularly since this study provides findings from a limited regional sample, it creates room for further studies in this area at national level and in other developing nations.
Considering Klein Technique™: A core stability alternative for contemporary dance education
Authors: Murphy Sara
Published: January 2017

This article investigates core stability and its influence on contemporary dance technique. After studies found delayed transverse abdominis timing in chronic lower back pain sufferers, physiotherapists created exercises to override what they perceived to be a motor control deficit. They hypothesized that back pain could be alleviated by strengthening the abdominal muscles through isolated contraction. This later became known as the ‘core stability’ approach and was implemented by many dance teachers to improve alignment and prevent injury, yet despite critique from the scientific community, the theory has gone relatively unchallenged. This article will examine its physiological impact on dance technique while considering one alternative approach; Klein Technique™, a movement education system designed to serve as a theoretical and practical underpinning for contemporary dance technique to improve function. Analysis is supported by the author’s decade long study of Klein Technique, teaching the method and an interview with creator Susan Klein.
Slow walking as a passage to dis/appearing
Authors: Heimonen Kirsi
Published: January 2017

In this article I focus on the experience of slow walking in selected outdoor (and indoor) public locations as a part of an ongoing artistic study. A series of slow walks function as corporeal acts towards meaning making by a dancer-researcher in the framework of a phenomenological approach. In the act of slow walking and standing the notion of appearance and disappearance is discussed in relation to the ‘I’, in detachment and passivity, and how this perspective challenges the previous habitual ways of being. The writings of Simone Weil, particularly her concept of the de-creation of the ‘I’, are discussed with these experiences of walking and standing. The walks happen simultaneously with the writing: the walking continues its echoes in the body of the dancer-researcher as she writes. The flux between holding and releasing, uncertainty, and nothingness run through the article, though the respect towards the hidden nature of corporeal knowledge, non-knowledge, exists. The lived experience of the walks form the method, as well as the results; and the method of vulnerability shows the possibilities of communication with people and environments through one’s corporeality so that readers can have the benefit of discovering all that is embedded in artistic studies.
Fascial recognition: An interview with Laurie Booth
Authors: Bolt Amanda
Published: January 2017

An interview that explores Laurie Booth’s background in dance and improvisation and his new work in the field of myofascial movement training that is informed by cutting edge science in the field of fascia and his own experience of cadaver dissection. Booth talks about the connection between the fascia training and his approach to creative dance movement and the importance of keeping moving as we age.
Dear researcher: Rethinking engagement with fan authors
Authors: Nielsen Ej
Published: January 2017

Scholars of online fan studies have engaged with fanfiction since at least the publication of Henry Jenkins’ Textual Poachers in 1992, and our access to it has only increased and improved with the explosion of online fan communities and with the development of massive, easily searchable online archives like fanfiction.net and archiveofourown. org. Much of this academic research and analysis, however, has taken place with no involvement or even knowledge on the part of the fan author. This unfortunate lack of engagement ignores the ways in which fan author practice is different from that of published authors due to the nature of fanworks and fan authorship, as well as intrafandom codes of ethics and the inherent power dynamics of researcher and research subject. Using direct input from fan authors and readers, this article proposes a more multifaceted take on best practices for fan studies researchers.
Let’s make it personal! Ontological ethics in fan studies
Authors: Jensen Thessa
Published: January 2017

This article proposes an ethical framework to fan studies based on Honneth’s model of recognition, the ontological ethics by Løgstrup, the ethnographic conscience and the ethical stances of apathy, sympathy and empathy.
Invitation vs intrusion: Contemplating the ethics of teaching fan methods
Authors: Howell Katherine Anderson
Published: January 2017

The essay frames the ways in which fan artefacts can be ethically used in a university classroom setting. By offering ways to invite students to connect scholarship around fan studies and adaptation with fan materials, we lay the foundation for student understanding of fan spaces and fan works. The remix composition classroom positions fan artefacts in similar ways to academic conversations, and welcomes students to participate in multiple conversations.
Empowerment and the Future of Democracy: The affirmation of citizen´s power at a slow pace
Authors: Oliveira A. Sofia Pinto , Leão Anabela , Quintas Ana Isabel , Freitas Daniel , Almeida Pedro
Published: January 2017

https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-6336_15-1_2
Hubungan antara Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha dengan Demam Berdarah Dengue
Authors: Sutanto Felix Candra , Mantik Max F.J. , Pateda Vivekenanda
Published: January 2017

Latar belakang. Sampai saat ini patogenesis demam berdarah dengue (DBD) belum dipahami secara sempurna. Pada kasus DBD didapatkan adanya peningkatan kadar TNF-α, sitokin yang poten dalam meningkatkan permeabilitas pembuluh darah. Penelitian sebelumnya mendapatkan adanya peningkatan kadar TNF-α yang bermakna pada DBD.Tujuan. Mengetahui hubungan antara kadar TNF-α dengan keparahan DBD.Metode. Penelitian analitik observasional dengan pendekatan potong lintang selama bulan Ju li hingga Desember 2011. Pasien didiagnosis DBD berdasarkan kriteria WHO. Data berupa hemoglobin, hematokrit, jumlah leukosit, jumlah trombosit, dan kadar TNF-α dikumpulkan selama penelitian. Analisis statistik menggunakan korelasi Spearman’s Rho dengan tingkat kemaknaan p<0,05.Hasil. Didapatkan tiga puluh delapan anak, 27 di antaranya didiagnosis DBD tanpa syok dan 11 DBD dengan syok. Rerata usia kelompok DBD tanpa syok adalah 7,56 (SB 3,06) tahun (95% IK 6,35-8,76 tahun) dan rerata usia kelompok DBD dengan syok adalah 6,82 (SB 3,25) tahun (95% IK 4,63-9,00 tahun). Rerata kadar TNF-α kelompok DBD tanpa syok adalah 13,13 (SB 7,57) pg/ml (95% IK 10,14-16,13 pg/ml) dan rerata kadar TNF-α kelompok DBD dengan syok adalah 260,52 (SB 239,08) pg/ml (95% IK 99,90-421,13 pg/ml). Didapatkan hubungan positif yang bermakna antara kadar TNFα plasma dengan tingkat keparahan/derajat DBD (rs 0,885; p<0,001).Kesimpulan. Semakin berat derajat DBD yang terjadi semakin tinggi kadar TNF-α
Perbandingan Efektivitas Pengobatan Lorazepam Bukal Dengan Diazepam Rektal dalam Tata Laksana awal Kejang pada Anak
Authors: Tendean Susiana , Pusponegoro Hardiono D. , Madiyono Bambang
Published: January 2017

Latar belakang. Lorazepam bukal dan diazepam rektal digunakan dalam tata laksanainisial kejang pada anak. Penelitian yang membandingkan efektivitas penggunaan lorazepambukal dan diazepam rektal sejauh ini belum pernah dilakukan pada anak di Indonesia.Tujuan. Untuk mengevaluasi efektivitas pengobatan lorazepam bukal dibandingkandiazepam rektal dalam tata laksana inisial kejang pada anak.Metoda. Penelitian ini adalah uji klinis acak terbuka pada anak kejang berusia 6 bulan–6 tahun, sebelum mendapat obat antikonvulsan untuk menghentikan kejang. Subyekpenelitian menerima lorazepam bukal atau diazepam rektal berdasarkan randomisasi.Parameter keberhasilan terapi adalah kemampuan obat untuk menghentikan kejang tanpaefek samping yang berarti dan kecepatan obat menghentikan kejang. Efek sampingdiobservasi setelah pemberian obat.Hasil. Lorazepam bukal efektif menghentikan kejang pada 18 dari 22 pasien, sedangkandiazepam rektal efektif menghentikan kejang pada 20 dari 22 pasien. Pada penelitian inididapatkan efektivitas lorazepam bukal sama dengan diazepam rektal (p = 0,664; 95%IK 0,71 – 1,14). Diazepam rektal lebih cepat dalam menghentikan kejang (44,7 ± 22,1detik) dibandingkan lorazepam bukal (92,2 ± 53,5 detik), perbedaan ini secara statistikbermakna (p = 0,002). Tidak dijumpai efek samping akibat pemakaian lorazepam bukalmaupun diazepam rektal.Kesimpulan. Lorazepam bukal dan diazepam rektal mempunyai efektivitas yang samadalam mengatasi kejang namun diazepam rektal lebih cepat menghentikan kejangdibandingkan lorazepam bukal.
Modelo hidrogeológico conceitual do sistema aquífero Urucuia centro-ocidental, Brasil
Authors: Barbosa Natanael Da Silva , Leal Luiz Rogério Bastos , Mello José De Castro , Peixinho Marco Antônio Lima , Dos Santos Cristovaldo Bispo , Santos Rafael Lima dos Santos , Barbosa Natali Da Silva
Published: January 2017

O Sistema Aquífero Urucuia (SAU) representa um conjunto de aquíferos inter-relacionados associados às rochas sedimentares do Grupo Urucuia. Cinco perfis geofísicos de poços foram interpretados e subsidiaram a elaboração do modelo hidrogeológico conceitual. Três eletrofácies são identificadas: (i) substrato regional do Grupo Bambuí; (ii) sistema eólico da Formação Posse e; (iii) sistema fluvial entrelaçado da Formação Serra das Araras segmentados por níveis tabulares de arenitos maciços e silicificados. No contexto hidrogeológico, a posição estratigráfica dos níveis de arenitos silicificados em relação àquelas do nível freático regional condiciona a ocorrência de aquíferos não-confinados quando disposto acima, e um sistema aquífero-aquitarde-aquífero quando abaixo. Nesse contexto, o aquífero confinado inferior apresenta cargas hidráulicas maiores do que as verificadas no livre sobrejacente. Os horizontes de arenitos silicificados funcionam como aquitardes e dispõem-se mais profundos e espessos na porção centro-ocidental. Adicionalmente, os valores da porosidade efetiva e coeficiente de armazenamento variam entre 10-2 a 10-1 e 10-4. Já as transmissividades variam entre 10-4 a 10-6 e 10-3 m2/s para os subtipos não-confinado e confinado, respectivamente. No extremo ocidental, o SAU exibe poços cujos níveis estáticos são profundos (acima de 100 m) como consequência de um divisor de água subterrânea na bacia hidrogeológica. Em geral, os rebaixamentos produzidos, após os ensaios de bombeamento dos poços, diminuem progressivamente em direção à porção centro-ocidental do SAU, aliado a um aumento da capacidade específica dos poços, da espessura saturada e da potencialidade hidrogeológica.
Percolação de vinhaça em coluna de solo arenoso da formação Rio Claro
Authors: Basso Juliana Broggio , Soto Miguel A. Alfaro , Chang Hung Kiang
Published: January 2017

A vinhaça é um resíduo amplamente utilizado na agricultura da cana-de-açúcar, entretanto pouco se conhece sobre o comportamento dos íons presentes na vinhaça quando aplicada no solo. Esse estudo tem a finalidade de avaliar a capacidade de retenção e de transporte de espécies iônicas da vinhaça em um solo arenoso, comumente utilizado no cultivo de cana-de-açúcar. Neste trabalho, são apresentados os parâmetros de transporte dos íons K+, Ca2+ e Mg2+ da vinhaça por meio de Breakthrough Curves (BTC), em um solo arenoso proveniente da Formação Rio Claro, presente no interior do Estado de São Paulo. O experimento foi realizado em colunas de solo deformado, em condição saturada e de regime permanente. Durante a percolação, foram monitorados o valor de pH da solução, a condutividade elétrica, a demanda bioquímica e química de oxigênio (DBO e DQO) da vinhaça percolada e a condutividade hidráulica. Os parâmetros de transporte dos íons foram obtidos a partir de um ajuste numérico empregando o software STANMOD. Pelos resultados obtidos, verificou-se que houve interação entre o soluto e o solo, uma vez que o  fator de retardamento (R)  foi superior a 1. Baseado nos resultados de R, a ordem de adsorção foi K+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+. Durante a percolação, houve diminuição gradual da condutividade hidráulica e do valor de pH do percolado, mas não houve redução  dos valores de DBO e DQO do percolado durante o período do experimento.
An Impressionistic Cartographic Solution for Base Map Land Cover with Coarse Pixel Data
Authors: Raposo Paulo , Brewer Cynthia A , Sparks Kevin
Published: January 2017

Several everyday cartography applications do not require sharply precise base maps, and in fact benefit from their generalization or deliberate obscuration, such as tourist or transit maps. Additionally, raster data fine enough for a given map scale are not always available. We present a method of creating an impressionistic land cover base map for topographic mapping in which the above two conditions are true, using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) of the US Geological Survey (USGS). The method is based on reclassification, upsampling, constrained randomization at class boundary edges, and deliberate use of colors with very similar lightness values. The method spans both scientific geospatial data treatment and artistic cartographic design, and both generalizes and enhances the data. The processing, automated in ArcGIS™, is detailed, and examples of the product are provided.
The Correlation Between Personality Dimensions and Young People's Choice of a Medical Career
Authors: Popa Cosmin Octavian , Rus Adrian
Published: January 2017

Objective: The research assumes that there is a correlation between personality dimensions Extraversion and Conscientiousness which mean autonomy, ambition and consistency of purpose, self-efficacy and determination for young people who want to aspire to a medical career.

Methods: In this study’s target group were included 130 students aspiring to a medical career, that participated in the summer school organized by UMF Tirgu-Mures in 2016, of which 25 (19%) male and 106 (81%) female, average overall age group being 17.23.

Results: Within the female group, the Pearson cross-correlation coefficient of Openness and Conscientiousness is r. Pearson (105) = − .20, p <0.05. The Pearson coefficient of cross-correlation between Extraversion and Conscientiousness is = − .20, p <0.05. The Pearson coefficient of cross-correlation between emotional stability and conscientiousness is r. Pearson (105) = .36, p <.001. In the male group, the Pearson cross-correlation coefficient between the Extraversion and Conscientiousness personality dimensions is r. Pearson (N = 25) = −.39 where p <0.05.

Conclusions: The Extraversion dimension of personality is a dynamic factor and motivator only when it is correlated with the Conscientiousness personality dimension. This indicates dynamism and autonomy, persistence in achieving goals, ambition, high motivation, interpersonal social intelligence and emotional stability, resulting a personality profile that matches one of the aspirants to a medical career.
FDI-led tourism growth hypothesis: empirical evidence from Croatian tourism
Authors: Perić Jože , Radić Maja Nikšić
Published: January 2017

The aim of this paper is to explore the causal relationship between the foreign direct investment (FDI) stock in tourism and the number of international tourist arrivals in the Republic of Croatia in the period from 2000 to 2012. The study uses quarterly time series data from 2000(1) to 2012 (4). The augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) test was carried out to test the stationarity of variables. The Johansen co-integration test was used to test a long-term relationship between the variables, and given the absence of the same, the vector autoregression (VAR) model is set up. The Granger and Toda–Yamamoto test was conducted to test a short-run causality between the selected variables. The results indicated a one-way short-run causality relationship running from FDI in tourism to international tourism arrivals at a high significance level of 1%. The research results emphasise the need to establish a favourable macroeconomic environment, as well as a policy of incentive investment measures specifically targeted at the tourism sector. This would enhance the conditions for higher FDI inflow essential for qualitative and quantitative positioning of Croatian tourism compared to competing destinations.
The Analysis of Orders of Perishable Goods in
Relation to the Bullwhip Effect in the Logistic
Supply Chain of the Food Industry: a Case Study
Authors: Chocholáč Jan , Průša Petr
Published: January 2017

The bullwhip effect generally refers to the phenomenon
where order variability increases as the orders
move upstream in the supply chain. It is serious problem
for every member of the supply chain. This effect begins
at customers and passes through the chain to producers,
which are at the end of the logistic chain. Especially food
supply chains are affected by this issue. These chains are
unique for problems of expiration of goods (particularly
perishable goods), variable demand, orders with quantity
discounts and effort to maximize the customer satisfaction.
This paper will present the problem of the bullwhip effect
in the real supply chain in the food industry. This supply
chain consists of approximately 350 stores, four central
warehouses and more than 1000 suppliers, but the case
study will examine 87 stores, one central warehouse and
one supplier in 2015. The aim of this paper is the analysis
of the order variability between the various links in this
chain and confirmation of the bullwhip effect in this chain.
The subject of the analysis will be perishable goods.
Crop and Livestock Insurance as Risk Management Instrments in Polish Agriculture Compared to the EU Regulations
Authors: Lipińska Izabela
Published: January 2017

Risk management in agricultural production is currently one of the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy. In order to secure the income of agricultural producers certain forms of support at both the EU and the national levels have been established, including making subsidized crop and livestock insurance contracts. The paper aims at determining the condition of the mentioned insurance contracts in Poland and answering the question to what extent a certain insurance system implemented by the national legislator serves its purpose as a risk management instrument. The conclusion is that as for compulsory contracts, since their scope is limited compared to the EU regulations, they are still not an effective measure, which partly results from the application ofad hocsupport by the State. The legislative solutions in that regard should, hopefully, bring some positive developments.
Modelling of Efficiency Change as a Source of Economic Growth in Agriculture
Authors: Bezat-Jarzębowska Agnieszka , Rembisz Włodzimierz
Published: January 2017

In the paper, the subject of economic growth in agriculture was raised. One of the determinants of this process, namely an efficiency change was under the assessment. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the changes of efficiency in the Polish agriculture. In the study, a stochastic parametric production function was used.
Beta Stability Over Bull and Bear Market on the Warsaw Stock Exchange
Authors: Dębski Wiesław , Feder-Sempach Ewa , Świderski Bartosz
Published: January 2017

Beta parameter is one of the commonly used measures of the investment risk of individual stock or portfolio. It plays a crucial role in modern portfolio theory particularly in management of financial investment portfolios. In the field of beta parameter, numerous studies have been conducted, especially beta properties stability in the context of the stock market cycle phases, measuring frequency of rate of return, and the length of a sample period. There are much fewer studies concerned beta parameter in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe which have undergone systemic transformation at the end of the previous century. From a scientific point of view, it is interesting to know how the beta parameter behaves in these countries.

The main goal of this article is to examine the beta parameter stability over bull and bear market conditions on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The paper presents an analysis of beta stability for 134 stocks of the largest companies listed at the WSE during years 2005–2013. To verify statistically the hypothesis of beta parameter stability, we used monthly returns in the Sharpe’s single-index model. In the first part of the article, we present a brief review of the literature and methodology of the study, while in the second part, the obtained results and conclusions are shown.
The Model of Demand and Inventory in a Decline Phase of the Product Life Cycle
Authors: Hachuła Piotr , Schmeidel Ewa
Published: January 2017

In the paper, the mathematical model of demand and inventory is studied from the perspective of its applications in real business cases. The model is formulated with three difference equations of first order. Three scenarios focused on the last phase of the product life cycle, a decline, are investigated and commented upon.
Empirical Econometric Model of an Enterprise
Authors: Wiśniewski Jerzy Witold
Published: January 2017

This work will present an empirical econometric model describing an enterprise within the category of medium-sized companies (according to European Union classification). The company, code-named ENERGY, carries out a manufacturing, commercial, and service business activity. The statistical data used was in the form of quarterly time series, containing 24 statistical observations from the years 2008–2013. A hypothetical model of the enterprise is a system of interdependent equations.

The econometric model is composed of seven stochastic equations. The empirical model is missing the equation describing investments in the enterprise. It results from the fact, that during the years 2008–2013 the company suffered meagre investments. Investment output equation, therefore, does not provide any relevant systemic information for the management, since most statistical information in the time series assumes zero values. An empirical model of the company ENERGY is a system of interdependent equations, with statistically significant feedback between labour efficiency (EFEMP) and the average pay per 1 employee (APAY). Additionally, there is recurrence of the relationships between the fixed assets (FIXAS), employment volume (EMP), and the size of the net sales income (SNET).

The empirical equations of the model are characterized by a description accuracy of individual endogenous variables. The model also has good decision-making and forecasting qualities.
A Software Tool of Technical and Financial-Economic Analysis for Acquistion of Broadband Radio PPDR Networks
Authors: Gierszal Henryk , Pawlina Karina , Tyczka Piotr , Romanowski Krzysztof , Urbańska Maria
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we present a software tool that allows preparing econometric analyses aiming at selection of optimal business models for acquisition of broadband mobile networks by PPDR organizations. Such agencies often and often need broadband services to improve operational activities in order to increase the safety, security, and their effectiveness in day-to-day and crisis situations. Upgrade or migration to broadband networks needs careful decisions so as to find a justified trade-off between CAPEX and OPEX. The network evolution can be based on different business models but any approach cannot degrade the reliability, security, and resilience required by PSC.
Cervical Spondylitis and Epidural Abscess Caused by Brucellosis: a Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Reşorlu Hatice , Saçar Suzan , Inceer Beşir Şahin , Akbal Ayla , Gökmen Ferhat , Zateri Coskun , Savaş Yilmaz
Published: January 2017

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease widely seen in endemic regions and that can lead to systemic involvement. The musculoskeletal system is frequently affected, and the disease can exhibit clinical involvements such as arthritis, spondylitis, spondylodiscitis, osteomyelitis, tenosynovitis and bursitis. Spondylitis and spondylodiscitis, common complications of brucellosis, predominantly affect the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae.

Epidural abscess may occur as a rare complication of spondylitis. Spinal brucellosis and development of epidural abscess in the cervical region are rare. Development of epidural abscess affects the duration and success of treatment. Spinal brucellosis should be considered in patients presenting with fever and lower back-neck pain in endemic regions, and treatment must be initiated with early diagnosis in order to prevent potential complications.
Trade Liberalisation and Economic Growth in Macedonia
Authors: Mano-Bakalinov Viktorija
Published: January 2017

The objective of this paper is to explore the effects of trade on Macedonian economic growth. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model is applied on yearly data over the period of 1993-2014. Empirical investigation reveals that an increase of population and openness demonstrate a positive and significant effect on Macedonian economic growth. Given other diverging findings, this suggests that the relationship between trade reforms and growth through the productivity function may vary across transition economies. Nevertheless, the findings of this paper indicate that policies focusing on market liberalisation and opening the economy to trade have a positive effect on Macedonian economic growth, both in the short run and the long run.
Is Social Media Challenging the Authority of the Judiciary? Rethinking the Effectiveness of Anonymised and Super Injunctions in the Age of the Internet
Authors: Manu Thaddeus , Moreno Felipe Romero
Published: January 2017

While freedom of expression has a long and well-established constitutional foundation as a self-governing concept, the right to privacy is a relatively recent norm in the constitutional orientation of the United Kingdom. Until the Human Rights Act 1998, the right to privacy had little standing constitutionally. Following on from this standard-setting, notably, both rights have taken on added importance in our modern technological society. Nevertheless, the formulation of privacy into a legal doctrine of human rights seems to have presented a fundamental tension in relation to freedom of expression. As a matter of legal logic, the courts, through a consideration of the law, examine the substantive legal issues in terms of a balancing process, whereby the interest in privacy is balanced against the interest in freedom of expression. It is a matter of broad principle for the courts to rely on injunctions as ancillary instruments of equity in doing justice in this field. Significantly, while the elementary norm of an injunction is that it commands an act that the court regards as an essential constituent to justice, unfortunately, many contend that judges have gone beyond this point, and this is shifting opinions. In fact, serious concerns have been frequently expressed about the extent to which the rich are easily able to invoke the discretion of the court to grant injunctions in a fashion that remains an antithesis to the principle of open justice and also undermines the exercise of freedom of speech. While this suspicion is not entirely new to matters of procedural law, the recent case, PJS v News Group Newspapers turned on this controversy. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine the complexity of celebrity privacy injunctions in the age of the internet and question its relevance, as we outline the extent to which social media is challenging the authority of the state (judiciary) in this direction.
On Vening Meinesz-Moritz and flexural theories of
isostasy and their comparison over Tibet Plateau
Authors: Eshagh Mehdi
Published: January 2017

Gravity and topographic/bathymetric data are
used for gravimetric modelling of Moho discontinuity by
hydrostatic or flexural theories of the isostasy. Here, two
hydrostatic models, based on the Vening Meinesz-Moritz
(VMM) principle, and two based on the loading theories
and flexural isostasy are compared over Tibet Plateau. It is
shown that theMoho models generated based on theVMM
theory and flexural isostasy have very good agreements if
the mean compensation depth and the mean elastic thickness
are selected properly. However, the model computed
based on the flexural isostasy is smoother. A more rigorous
flexural model, which considers the membrane stress and
curvature of the lithosphere, is used to model the Moho
surface over the study area. It is shown that the difference
between the Moho models, derived by considering
and ignoring these parameters, is not significant. By combination
of the flexural and VMM hydrostatic models new
mathematical formulae for crustal gravity anomalies are
provided and it is shown that the crustal gravity anomalies
produced by them are also equivalent.
Assessing the Infusion of Sustainability Principles into University Curricula
Authors: Biasutti Michele , De Baz Theodora , Alshawa Hala
Published: January 2017

The current paper presents the assessment of the infusion of sustainability principles into university curricula at two Jordanian universities. The peer review process of revising the curricula infusing sustainability principles is also discussed. The research methodology involved quantitative methods to assess the revised courses. The results revealed the following: the most relevant ESD themes in the revised curricula were “human connections to the physical and natural world”, and “ethics/values”. The most relevant ESD topics were: “sustainable production/consumption” and “health promotion”. The most infused ESD pillars (competencies) were: “learning to know” and “learning to do”. The most relevant ESD principles were: “practiced locally” and “responds through applied learning”. The findings offered a rich scenario of the strategies applied by the university professors in revising the curricula, providing evidence of a mental attitude to adopt ESD strategies, as well as a goal-oriented approach in curriculum planning. The paper also discusses the implications of the study results for syllabus revision and development, as well as the refinement of the teaching methods that focus on infusing sustainability into university curricula.
Modelling a Learning Journey towards Teacher Ecological Self
Authors: Raus Rea
Published: January 2017

The article discusses the notion of the ecological self as a key concept for teacher identity construction during teacher education in the context of sustainable development (SD). Substantial amount of literature supports the understanding that the solution to the global sustainability crisis lies in the field of education where teacher identity, teacher self, plays a significant role. The paper gives the argumentation for the concept of ecological self and focuses on the question how to support the development of the ecological self during teacher education (TE). Esbjörn-Hargens & Zimmerman’s model of eco-selves and Saks’ model of intention are presented that could be used for that purpose. Some methods for supporting the development of an ecological self of a future teacher are also shared, for investigation and practical implementation in TE. The limitations of the present approach are obvious first and foremost due to the understanding that we are currently facing transformation in governing paradigms, change in dominating worldviews that penetrate any quest for ‘truth’, also in the field of science.
Product Recall Policies and Their Improvement in Korea
Authors: Huh Kyungok , Choi Chul
Published: January 2017

This article aims to investigate recall policies for product safety in Korea and make suggestions for future improvements. Problematic issues in current recall policies are reviewed and analyzed. Based on survey results and previous studies, this article discusses the consumer perception of a recall. Consumers tend to regard a recall as a signal of poor quality. Furthermore, regulatory differences and weak penalties remain as obstacles to improving the recall system. Suggestions for the betterment of recall policies are derived from consultations with an expert panel and the application of other appropriate methods. At first, despite an increasing number of recall cases in Korea, it turns out that consumers are not highly sensitive to recalls, although their perceptions are mostly negative. Secondly, regulatory inconsistencies and difference problems are primarily attributable to the existence of many separate rules and regulations by product category. Thirdly, the information concerning recalls is limited, which creates an inefficient environment in which manufacturers are reluctant to voluntarily recall a defective product and consumer participation rates are too low. Therefore, the government should induce consumers to have more positive perceptions of recalls whilst concurrently reinforcing the related rules and regulations in accordance with international standards.
A Bayesian Virtual Metrology for Quality Inspection of Mobile Repeater Systems
Authors: Kim Sung Do , Kim Jong So , Mun Byeong Min , Bae Suk Joo
Published: January 2017

The technology of wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) has been applied to band selective interference cancellation system (ICS) repeaters. To inspect the telecommunication quality of the systems, quality engineers must check the shape of the signals at the corresponding frequency band of the repeaters. However, measuring the signal quality is a repetitive manual task which requires much inspection time and high costs. In the case of small-sized samples, such as the example of an ICS repeater system, Bayesian approaches have been employed to improve the estimation accuracy by incorporating prior information on the parameters of the model in consideration. This research proposes a virtual method of quality inspection for products using a correlation structure of measurement data, mainly in a Bayesian regression framework. The Bayesian regression model derives prior information from historical measurement data to predict measurements of other frequency bandwidths by exploiting the correlation structure of each measurement data. Empirical results show the potential for reducing inspection costs and time by predicting the values of adjoining frequency bandwidths through measured data of a frequency bandwidth in the course of quality inspections of ICS repeater systems.
Investigation of Glass Transition Temperature of Asphalt Concrete
Authors: Qadir A.
Published: January 2017

The presented manuscript identifies the mix design parameters important for the glass transition temperature and thermo-volumetric properties of asphalt–concrete mixes. A number of compacted specimens were prepared at different air-void content, by mixing different composition of materials in terms of aggregate origins, asphalt types, and gradations. The compacted mixes were later sized to required dimensions and were subjected to a uniform rate of cooling in a specially designed testing machine. The contraction of the sample during the cooling was measured by linear vertical displacement transducers, and the recorded values obtained were converted into longitudinal strain. All variables investigated in the study were found statistically significant to impact the glass transition temperature of asphalt paving mixes. The methodology adopted in this study provides a new approach to predict glass transition temperatures in asphalt–concrete mixes and identifies the mix parameters that will be helpful in delaying the glass transition temperature of the mix for reliable performance of asphaltic pavements in cold regions.
The Role of Disability Groups in the Development and Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Authors: Levesque Mario , Langford Brynne
Published: January 2017

The neoliberal agenda has seen increased engagement of governments and disability organizations in policy making and implementation processes. Yet governments have been slow to address needed changes in disability policy over the last three decades questioning the role of disability organizations who have increasingly turned to rights-based claims on states. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which reaffirms in article 29 the full political participation of persons with disabilities is one such example. Unclear, however, is the role of disability organizations in the UN Convention’s development, ratification and implementation. Were disability organizations active and central actors in this process?  This article investigates this question in relation to three case studies:  Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The story that emerges underscores the centrality of disability organizations in policy development during times of government disinterest or indifference.
Review of Bérubé, The Secret Life of Stories
Authors: Jones Chelsea
Published: January 2017

Unfolding through this book is a warning against reductive readings of (intellectual) disability alongside an argument for finding fictional modes of intellectual disability as one piece of the larger, urgent projects gripping disability studies that involve negotiating relationships between bodies and minds, and re/imagining humanness.