bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Concepts and Instruments for the Urban-Rural Continuum
Authors: Colic Ratka , Milovanović Rodić Danijela , Maruna Marija
Published: November 2019

The chapter presents and discusses the process and results of collaboration between an academic institution and local government in students' masters' theses and integrated urban development projects for urban-rural continuum of the territory of the City of Pančevo, Serbia. The chapter has four main parts: 1) a brief overview of the theoretical framework for multilevel governance; 2) the background, focusing on the national policy; 3) applied educational model; and 4) 11 students' projects dealing with the urban-rural continuum. Recommendations are made for continuing application of and research into potential teaching methods that promote meaningful interaction and practical and problem-oriented instruction that contribute to an understanding of contemporary problems of balanced urban-rural development. The conclusion discusses process and product outcomes, differentiating benefits for all those involved, as well as the obstacles and challenges encountered.
Urban-Rural Synergy in Shrinking Regions Through Application of e-co Model
Authors: Vujičić Tijana M. , Simonović Dijana
Published: November 2019

Many regions worldwide are faced with the problem of shrinkage, manifested through demographic decline, economic loss, and perforation of the urban tissue. Starting from the assumption that the shrinking phenomenon is present in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the research deals with the diagnosis of the shrinking condition in urban and rural areas of the northwest region of the country. In the light of the shrinkage problems, the chapter defines a new alternative model—e-co—which should enable the recovery from the crisis and restore the vitality of the region. The chance for recovery is recognized in the processes of rural urbanization and urban ruralization, the integration of rural values and urban advantages, the modern globality, and traditional locality.
Development of Class Attendance System Using Face Recognition for Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
Authors: Ong Pauline , Chong Tze Wei , Lee Woon Kiow
Published: November 2019

The traditional approach of student attendance monitoring system in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia is slow and disruptive. As a solution, biometric verification based on face recognition for student attendance monitoring was presented. The face recognition system consisted of five main stages. Firstly, face images under various conditions were acquired. Next, face detection was performed using the Viola Jones algorithm to detect the face in the original image. The original image was minimized and transformed into grayscale for faster computation. Histogram techniques of oriented gradients was applied to extract the features from the grayscale images, followed by the principal component analysis (PCA) in dimension reduction stage. Face recognition, the last stage of the entire system, using support vector machine (SVM) as classifier. The development of a graphical user interface for student attendance monitoring was also involved. The highest face recognition accuracy of 62% was achieved. The obtained results are less promising which warrants further analysis and improvement.
Questioning Prompts to Examine Blended PK-20 Learning Environments
Authors: Shambaugh Neal
Published: November 2019

The decision to deliver a course or an academic program must address issues of learning outcomes and curriculum, what is to be taught along with choices of pedagogy or how the content is taught, as well as face-to-face or online delivery. The question of whether or not online or blended instruction is more effective than face to face teaching is not about the delivery decision but about curriculum and pedagogical issues. A set of questioning prompts, organized by public school and undergraduate/graduate programs, help educators systematically think through issues of learner differences, learning outcomes, teaching options, including the use of technology and instructional delivery approaches. Best practices are organized by public school and undergraduate/graduate programs. Research questions are suggested.
The Gamification of Code
Authors: Carlson Kristin , Valentin Rick
Published: November 2019

Teaching an introductory web design course is already a blended environment. Students meet face-to-face, yet have access to a myriad of online resources, YouTube videos, blogs, and forums to support their learning. However, the challenges of learning to understand code can inhibit students and diminish their motivation to look for resources. The authors have attempted to address this issue by focusing on the use and design of games for learning to code, as well as providing video lecture material in combination with the traditional face-to-face learning environment. By using games and gamification in the course design, the authors have found that students are able not only to bridge their knowledge between modalities more smoothly, but that they understand that there are multiple ways to solve a problem and feel empowered to search for solutions in innovative ways.
Blended Learning for Critical Thinking Skill Training
Authors: Vranesh Richard
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this chapter is to describe an instructional approach that was successfully used for making blended learning decisions for a variety of federal government agencies in order to improve critical thinking skills. The intended audiences comprised adult learners who were operational personnel that required training on new systems to be able to use them to assist in making decisions requiring the application of critical thinking ability. The value of this rationale is its universal applicability because it is not restricted to typical considerations of the logistics of the learning environment, program costs, or training schedule as are most other delivery media determinations. In this regard, it is a collaborative choice based on learner requirements, learning type, and learning environment, rather than institutional need. Additionally, it provides a methodology for matching these considerations to a proper blended learning component mix based on considerations of required level of student comprehension, the nature of the content to be absorbed, and the required proficiency level of the learner.
Innovation in Civic Education
Authors: Driscoll III Tom , McCusker Shawn
Published: November 2019

Educators, advocacy groups, and policymakers are mobilizing to strengthen civic education across the nation. These renewed commitments must be designed and implemented in ways that ensure today's graduates are ready to effectively engage in modern civic life. Since civic education is key to effective participation in our democracy, ensuring a quality civic education is also an equity issue. Students must have foundational knowledge about our nation's values and government, effectively evaluate the validity of claims in digital media, take and defend positions across multiple platforms, and leverage technology to inform and mobilize their community around ideas they care about. This chapter explores proven practices in civic education and technology-enhanced instructional approaches that schools can leverage to modernize their civic education programs.
Emerging Contaminants in Landfill Leachate and Their Treatment Methods
Authors: Singa Pradeep Kumar , Lim Jun-Wei , Isa Mohamed Hasnain , Ho Yeek-Chia
Published: November 2019

This chapter presents an overview of emerging contaminants in landfill leachate and their treatment methods. In addition to introducing the conventional contaminants present in the leachate, the chapter also details emerging contaminants such as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate acid esters (PAEs) and their concentrations in various environmental matrices. PAHs and PAEs are highly carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic substances which is why they have attracted a lot of concern in the studies of water, air, and soil pollution. They affect the endocrinal activities in animals and humans, therefore they are known as endocrine disrupting compounds. Drawing on the treatment methods of leachate, the chapter explains physico-chemical, biological, and advanced oxidation processes. The chapter also advances the discussion on their importance and efficiency in the leachate treatment.
Waste-Activated Sludge Treatment Processes
Authors: Gan Chin Heng , Shuit Siew Hoong
Published: November 2019

Biological processes are the most common methods to treat wastewater but they produce huge amounts of waste-activated sludge (WAS) as a by-product. WAS generated during wastewater treatment must be stabilized sufficiently prior to ultimate disposal. The most common methods of sludge stabilization are biological processes (aerobic or anaerobic digestion) due to simplicity of the operation, and lower operating and maintenance costs for similar wastes. Anaerobic digestion remains the principal process for the stabilization of sludge solids as organic waste is converted into methane-rich biogas and fertilizer in an oxygen-free environment. However, WAS treatment processes are often a challenging problem. Therefore, the characteristics of WAS are discussed to have a better understanding so as to treat it efficiently. Various kinds of treatment processes such as physicochemical treatment, biological treatment, and combined treatment are the focus of this chapter; however, many concepts developed in this chapter apply to anaerobic digestion to stabilize the WAS.
Reverse Osmosis Membrane Desalination Technology and Process
Authors: Lee Man Djun , Lee Pui San
Published: November 2019

This chapter gives an overview about reverse osmosis membrane desalination technology and process. Desalination process can be considered as one of the crucial processes in obtaining fresh water to meet the increasing fresh water demand throughout the world. Desalination process begins with the intake of seawater or brackish water. The intake system usually comprises a pump and piping system. Then, the seawater goes through pre-treatment process. From there, the treated seawater will go through desalination process. The most widely used desalination is membrane desalination utilizing reverse osmosis membrane. After desalination process, the fresh water will go through more filtration and a series of post-treatment. Post-treatment consists of conditioning and stabilizing the water for distribution. This chapter concludes with a case study to illustrate the operation and sustainability of a small-scale desalination plant that utilizes brackish city polluted water as source.
Agricultural Runoff and Treatment Methods
Authors: Ho Yeek-Chia , Lim Boon-Chin , Lim Jun-Wei
Published: November 2019

Increasing global population intensifies the food demand pressure while meeting the increasing environmental legislation. To cater for such demand, agriculture sector shifts for mass food production accompanied with the use of a large amount of agrochemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones. As a result, these agrochemicals' residues pollute the ecosystem and environment through surface runoff. It has been a great challenge in treating agricultural runoff due to its contaminant loadings and wide variability of different compounds in the wastewater to meet the stringent standards in an economically feasible manner. This chapter delineates the current state-of-the-art of wastewater treatment methods for agricultural runoff.
Information Technology and Communication Management in Supply Chain Management
Authors: Pessoa Cláudio Roberto Magalhães , Marques Marco E.
Published: November 2019

Information Management policies must be provided, according to various SCM studies. Companies that need to operate in an integrated form, have in common the necessity that these policies must be communicated, in an efficient way, to everyone involved in strategic decisions to allow effective decision-making. In addition to that, it is of utmost importance to try to understand the customer's values, thought data prospected on the market. Then, Information Management must be done in order to efficiently apply them in the day-by-day of the organizations. This chapter explores information management in SCMs.
A Survey on Access Control Techniques for Social Networks
Authors: Asim Yousra , Malik Ahmad Kamran
Published: November 2019

Online Social Networks (OSN) are getting popular day by day. Users share their information in OSN with others users. Access control is required to prevent unauthorized access to this information. Several studies have been conducted for access control in social networks. This chapter is a survey of available access control models/techniques based on social networks. Available access control models can be categorized as relationship-based, attributes-based, community structure-based and user activity centric model. A number of techniques have been proposed by several authors for access control in social networks. Most of the approaches use Social Network Analysis (SNA) techniques, others use user related information, for example, attributes or activities, the rest use a combination of approaches.
Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Edwards John S.
Published: November 2019

Knowledge sharing is central to knowledge management in organizations. The more tacit the knowledge, the harder it is to share. However, successful knowledge sharing means looking not just at the content of the knowledge, and the people and technology concerned in the sharing, but the context in which that sharing takes place. This chapter discusses relevant theories from knowledge management and other fields. It goes on to present a model covering the time, place and context of the knowledge sharing activity, developed using theories about decision support systems. This forms the final part of a three-stage approach intended to help managers (and others) make decisions about how to support knowledge sharing activities in organizations. Each stage takes the form of a question to be answered, as follows: 1) What are the business processes concerned? 2) What is the knowledge to be shared related to - knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition, knowledge refinement, knowledge storage, or knowledge use? 3) What does this mean for the time, place and context of the knowledge sharing?
Understanding Knowledge Sharing in an Organization
Authors: Twum-Darko Michael , Harker Lee-Anne Lesley
Published: November 2019

This paper set out to propose the actor-network theory (ANT) as a lens through which to understand and interpret the sociotechnical knowledge sharing challenges in organisations. The methodology for this study was developed within the context of ANT by adopting its ideals and principles. The findings demonstrate that using the concept of the Moments of Translation as a lens to study this phenomenon is indeed a novel way of investigating the reason why there is still difficulty with sharing and managing knowledge. This perspective is proposed to transform the way that knowledge sharing factors are perceived. By utilising a normative approach, this research looked at how knowledge sharing as an ideal can be achieved when taking into account the existing constraints within an organisation. A general framework is proposed to guide the formation of a network of aligned interest for knowledge sharing.
The Role of Technology and Social Media in Tacit Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Dalkir Kimiz
Published: November 2019

Technology-mediated knowledge sharing has become almost unavoidable given the globalization of work. Co-workers are not necessarily in close enough proximity to have face-to-face interactions despite the fact that these are the most effective means of sharing knowledge. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) differ in a number of key attributes. While traditional technologies are well suited for sharing explicit knowledge, that has been articulated and documented as text or other media, tacit knowledge is more challenging. Tacit knowledge is typically experiential knowledge that is very difficult to put into words or document in any way. This paper proposes an ICT selection method based primarily on media richness (extent to which multimedia content can be shared) and social presence (extent to which people feel they are connecting with other people and not technology). These characteristics can serve as a preliminary basis to select the most appropriate channel for sharing tacit knowledge.
Leveraging Knowledge Sharing over Social Media Tools
Authors: Obermayer Nora , Gaál Zoltán , Szabó Lajos , Csepregi Anikó
Published: November 2019

Knowledge management and social media have become trendy expressions in the business life. Knowledge is seen as the most important strategic asset and knowledge workers play a central role in value creation. Organizations have an urgent need to pay attention to effective knowledge sharing, thus, it is important to understand what encourages individuals to share their knowledge. Social media tools, like Facebook have become mainstream, modified personal relationships and generated new possibilities to facilitate collaboration. An exploratory survey investigates how social media tools are being used for knowledge sharing and examines the characteristics of the different generations. The results have shown that organizations prefer not to allow the usage of social media; but where the employees are supported to reach these tools, high proportion of them utilize these technologies. This chapter introduces these results and provides recommendations on how to foster employee motivation to use social media for work purposes in knowledge sharing.
Knowledge Sharing Relation to Competence, Emotional Intelligence, and Social Media Regarding Generations
Authors: Obermayer Nora , Csepregi Anikó , Kővári Edit
Published: November 2019

This chapter introduces the possible differences revealed of the applied methods in knowledge sharing based on generational differences. In addition the chapter investigates the relationship of knowledge sharing to competences, emotional intelligence and social media tools and presents research that were carried out between 2006-2015. The aim of this part is to enable companies, especially SMEs to learn from these research outcomes and develop strategies to trigger knowledge sharing among different generations regarding the vital competences, emotional intelligence and social media tools.
Modeling Rumors in Twitter
Authors: Walia Rhythm , Bhatia M.P.S.
Published: November 2019

With the advent of web 2.0 and anonymous free Internet services available to almost everyone, social media has gained immense popularity in disseminating information. It has become an effective channel for advertising and viral marketing. People rely on social networks for news, communication and it has become an integral part of our daily lives. But due to the limited accountability of users, it is often misused for the spread of rumors. Such rumor diffusion hampers the credibility of social media and may spread social panic. Analyzing rumors in social media has gained immense attention from the researchers in the past decade. In this paper the authors provide a survey of work in rumor analysis, which will serve as a stepping-stone for new researchers. They organized the study of rumors into four categories and discussed state of the art papers in each with an in-depth analysis of results of different models used and a comparative analysis between approaches used by different authors.
Review on 5G Millimeter-Wave Antennas
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed Ismail , Elsayed Mohammed Marzouk Hala Mohammed , Shaalan Abdelhamid A.
Published: November 2019

Millimeter-wave antennas are the trend nowadays because of the necessity of higher data rates. Designing a supplementary efficient antenna capable of dealing with dual bands has several challenges. This chapter reports the problematic approaches introduced in the field of a millimeter wave design. Prevailing investigations in millimeter-waves and MIMO antennas have a tendency to emphasize discovering how to increase the data rate without the need of increasing the bandwidth and what type of antenna preferred in the 5G band. However, there is a little indication that researchers have come close to the issue of antenna integration in the mobile handset with the intent of adding multiple antennas with multi-band capability in a small space. Accordingly, the target of this chapter is to offer a summary of how the small-dimensional MIMO antennas with band duality for 5G mobile communications can be intended, designed, sustained and fabricated.
BER Improvement in OFDM Systems Using Wavelet Transform Based on Kalman Filter
Authors: Singh Sajjan
Published: November 2019

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is an efficient method of data transmission for high speed communication systems over multipath fading channels. However, the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) is a major drawback of multicarrier transmission systems such as OFDM is the high sensitivity of frequency offset. The bit error rate analysis (BER) of discrete wavelet transform (DWT)-OFDM system is compared with conventional fast Fourier transform (FFT)-OFDMA system in order to ensure that wavelet transform based OFDMA transmission gives better improvement to combat ICI than FFT-based OFDMA transmission and hence improvement in BER. Wavelet transform is applied together with OFDM technology in order to improve performance enhancement. In the proposed system, a Kalman filter has been used in order to improve BER by minimizing the effect of ICI and noise. The obtained results from the proposed system simulation showed acceptable BER performance at standard SNR.
Importance of Cloud Computing in 5G Radio Access Networks
Authors: Afifi Wael S. , El-Moursy Ali A. , Saad Mohamed , Nassar Salwa M. , El-Hennawy Hadia M.
Published: November 2019

The fifth generation of wireless networks (5G) will kick off with evolved mobile broadband services as promised by several mobile-related associations, researchers, and operators. Compared to 4G, 5G aims to provide greater data rates with lower latency and higher coverage to numerous users who stream ubiquitous multimedia services. 5G benefits the innovation of internet of things (IoT) as well. To this end, several modifications in the network architecture are required. This chapter is discussing the role of cloud computing centers in 5G networks, and how such integration could be implemented as found in the literature. The benefits of cloud/5G integration will be explained as well. In addition, some challenges related to the integration will be demonstrated.
M2M in 5G Communication Networks
Authors: Salem Mohammed A. , El-Kader Sherine M. Abd , Youssef Mohamed I. , Tarrad Ibrahim F.
Published: November 2019

Machine type communication (MTC), additionally called machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, broadly is referring to a number of cooperating machines exchange sensed data or information and make decisions with slight or zero human intervention. M2M technology will let a massive number of devices to be interconnected over the internet leading to a rapid development in recent time, which can be a promising enabling key for many areas, particularly for the internet of things (IoT) and 5th generation (5G) networks. This chapter presents a summary and state of art of M2M communications characteristics, taxonomy, applications, different technologies for deploying of M2M communications, and future challenges.
STEM Education for Girls
Authors: Ralph Rachel , MacDowell Paula , Lee Yu-Ling , Ng David
Published: November 2019

Makerspaces are common learning spaces providing hands-on opportunities for students to make, create, plan, and play. This chapter describes an equity-oriented (girls) makeathon day. Teacher and teacher candidate participants (n=15) acted as mentors for 22 girls creating wearable technologies, augmenting reality using old t-shirts, and creating a mobile app related to an issue that teen girls face today. The results of this case study focus on results from an adapted questionnaire (teacher efficacy and attitudes toward STEM [T-STEM]) and semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data of this case study research was analyzed through open-coding and triangulated with quantitative data and Mann-Whitney U tests. Participants identified the importance of technologies for their growth as educators and to create safe and supportive environments for girls. Participants highlighted the importance of professional development and support and how to create effective makerspaces. Continued research and opportunities need to be created to encourage diverse educational makeathon events.
Using Postmodernism to Effectively Teach in Diverse Settings
Authors: Nordgren Rollin D.
Published: November 2019

The challenges brought to classrooms are often exacerbated by a mismatch between teachers' cultural backgrounds and those of their students. This incongruity can be overcome through the use of culturally responsive teaching practices and the integration of culturally relevant curriculum. This chapter suggest the adoption of a postmodern mindset can also aid teachers in meeting the needs of all their students, particularly those with differing life experiences from their own. The author uses a postmodern framework for education that is adopted from Finland and aligns this with the tenets of culturally responsive teaching and also suggests the framework's alignment to culturally relevant curriculum.
The Role of Formal and Nonformal Leaders in Creating Culturally Proficient Educational Practices
Authors: Soles Brooke , Flores III Peter , Domingues Joe , Solis Francisco
Published: November 2019

This chapter examines the role of formal and nonformal leaders in creating culturally proficient educational practices to create equity and access for all students. Transformative leadership is the foundation of this change process. Through the inside-out cultural proficiency journey, all educational stakeholders can create equity and access at the intersection of race, measurement, and conversations. This chapter introduces a study-in-progress with the following research question: What does it take for educational leaders to create and sustain change processes focused on culturally proficient educational practices so that all students achieve?
Additive Manufacturing Technology
Authors: Bhattacharyya Som Sekhar , Atre Sanket
Published: November 2019

The authors studied strategic aspects pertaining to adoption drivers, challenges and strategic value of Additive Manufacturing Technology (AMT) in the Indian manufacturing landscape. An exploratory qualitative study with semi-structured in-depth personal interviews of experts was completed and the data was content analysed. Indian firms have identified the need for AMT in R&D and prototype generation. AMT implementation helps Indian firms in mass customization and eases the manufacturing of complex geometric shapes. This study insights would help AMT managers in emerging economies to enable adoption drivers, overcome challenges and add strategic value with AMT. This is one of the very first studies on AMT with theoretical perspectives on the Miltenberg framework, adoption drivers, challenges and strategic value in the Indian manufacturing landscape.
Managing Consumer Loyalty
Authors: Saini Shivani , Singh Jagwinder
Published: November 2019

A growing body of academic and practitioner literature has highlighted the role of consumer experience management in maintaining long-term relationships with consumers. However, related studies are still divergent and there is little empirical evidence available to support the positive effect of consumer experience management on attitudinal and behavioural loyalty. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating the direct and indirect impacts of consumer experience efforts on attitudinal and behavioural loyalty. To conduct an empirical study, data was collected from consumers of three service firms: health, retail, and wellness. By means of AMOS17.0, using CFA and SEM techniques, the measurement and comparison of structural models was carried out to test the invariance across three service groups. This article has significant implications for academicians well as marketers of service firms.
Cointegration and Causality Study Among Inward FDI, Economic Growth and Exports
Authors: Sharmiladevi Jekka Chandrasekaran
Published: November 2019

One significant feature of liberalisation for India has been a greater openness to foreign direct investment (FDI) as a means of acquiring technologies, skills and access to international markets, and of entering dynamic trade and production. The study analyses the empirical relationship between inward FDI, economic growth and exports of India from 1970-71 to 2013-2014. The objective of this article is to investigate the relationship between FDI, economic growth and exports empirically. The error correction coefficient value indicates a 15.02% movement back towards equilibrium following a shock to the model, one time period later. OLS indicate significant long-term causality relationship among the variables with high R2 value to the tune of 0.758660. The Wald Test establishes short-run causality from economic growth to inward FDI, and from exports to inward FDI. A one-way causality relationship is running from exports to inward FDI. Economic growth causes inward FDI, but, inward FDI is not causing economic growth. Exports cause inward FDI, and inward FDI does not cause exports.
Customer Satisfaction in Online Shopping in Growing Markets
Authors: Alam Syed Shah , Ali Mohd Helmi , Omar Nor Asiah , Hussain Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study is to examine the factors affecting customer satisfaction in online shopping. The conceptual model for this study was developed based on the previous research in the online shopping context. In this research, ten hypotheses on factors affecting customer satisfaction in online shopping are outlined with empirical data from 337 respondents. Data was collected through a Google form. The regression results show that customer service, information quality, response time, transaction capability, delivery, merchandise attributes, security/privacy, convenient payment method, and price have significant positive influence on customer satisfaction in online shopping. From a managerial viewpoint, this study results provide support for investment decisions for customer satisfaction from online retailers in Malaysia.
E-applications for Managing Trans-Logistics Activities in Sugar Supply Chain in North India
Authors: Kumar Rupesh
Published: November 2019

This study identifies various issues in managing transportation logistics activities on the basis of literature review and expert panel discussions so that the facilitation of e-applications can be used for managing transportation logistics activities. A field survey was conducted for checking the relevance level on a five-point Likert scale. A total of 198 responses were obtained from taken from mill managers, distributors, IT companies and large-size sugar consuming companies (LSSCC) to check the scope of e-applications for the issues in both structured and unstructured ways. With these respondents, the suitability of e-applications was checked for the issues related to transportation management activities. The study results are statistically significant and correlated to each other which help in facilitating e-applications. The study also provides some suggestive e-solutions with respect to different transportation logistics management activities with certain implications.
Ethics of Retailers and Consumer Behavior in E-Commerce
Authors: Yang Zhi , Van Ngo Quang , Nguyen Chung Xuan Thi
Published: November 2019

In the era of the information-communication technology with the development of electronic commerce, consumers can buy almost everything anywhere and at any time. One of the greatest benefits of e-commerce has been the convenience and the vast choices which consumers get online. However, some serious issues exist that impede consumers from transaction online. These issues have attracted the attention of many marketing researchers in recent years. In this research, the authors focus on the impact of consumers' ethics perception of e-retailer on their purchase intention and satisfaction. The authors also try to clarify the roles of trust and commitment in the relationship of ethics on consumers purchase decision and satisfaction because of their importance in e-commerce but also the privation in the research of previous studies. The data collected from a survey of 390 online consumers in Vietnam. Results reveal that there are significant relationships between online retailers' ethics and consumers' purchase intention and satisfaction via the mediation of trust and commitment.
Smartphone Addiction and Sleep Quality Associated with Depression in University Students in Japan
Authors: Ezoe Satoko , Iida Tadayuki , Inoue Ken , Toda Masahiro
Published: November 2019

Smartphones have developed rapidly in recent years, with their use becoming widespread and an established part of daily life. Along with the development of various applications, smartphone addiction or dependence has been routinely reported, and indicated to be associated with such conditions as sleep problems and depression. In order to examine the relationships of smartphone use, sleep quality, chronotype, and physical exercise, with a depressive state, the authors administered a self-reporting questionnaire survey, which included the Japanese version of the Smartphone Dependence Scale (J-SDS), the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), to 119 university students in Japan. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that scores for the J-SDS and PSQI were significantly related to BDI score. These findings suggest that smartphone addiction and poor sleep quality are associated with the depressive state in students in Japan.
The Law of Conservation of Incidents in the Space of Nanoworld
Authors: Zhizhin Gennadiy Vladimirovich
Published: November 2019

This article first establishes the existence of integral equality relatively to the issue of the transmission of information by elements of lower and higher dimensions in the polytopes of the higher dimension that describe natural objects in the nanoworld. This integral equality is called the law of conservation of incidents. There is the incidence interpreted as the transfer of information from one material body to another. The fulfillment of the law of conservation of incidents for the n - simplex of the n - golden - hyper - rhombohedron and the n - cross - polytope is proved in general terms. It is shown that the law of conservation of incidents is valid for both regular bodies and irregular bodies, which can be clusters of chemical compounds. The incident conservation law can serve as a mathematical basis for the recently discovered epigenetic principle of the transmission of hereditary information without changing the sequence of genes in DNA and RNA molecules.
Cognitive Diversity, Managerial Characteristics and Performance Differences across the Cleantech Firms
Authors: Bergman Jukka-Pekka , Luukka Pasi , Jantunen Ari , Tarkiainen Anssi
Published: November 2019

Continuous change in the energy sector towards more sustainable solutions has raised the importance of managers' abilities to interpret changes in their environments and translate those perspectives into strategic choices. This study examines managerial interpretation on changing business environment opening the relationship of cognitive diversity, board composition, and performance differences across the cleantech firms. The authors' empirical study employs both indirect and direct cognitive measures for analysis of cognitive maps collected through surveys from the cleantech firms. The study utilizes the hybrid cognitive mapping technique with distance ratio to investigate cognitive diversity and bridges it with the firms' performance. The study also advances and operationalizes the distance ratio as a measure for the analysis of cognitive maps to utilize more information available in the maps. The results indicate that the managerial characteristics showing firm-level economic expertise creates high-level cognitive diversity and high financial volatility in performance among the cleantech firms.
A Statistical Model to Determine the Behavior Adoption in Different Timestamps on Online Social Network
Authors: Sarkar Dhrubasish , Roy Sohom , Giri Chandan , Kole Dipak K.
Published: November 2019

In this article, a statistical model has been proposed to determine the behavior adoption among the users in different timestamps on online social networks by using vector space models and term frequency – inverse document frequency techniques. The concepts of herd behavior and collective behavior have been used successfully in the proposed model. The result has been generated after analyzing the collected dataset. The result analysis shows the diffusion of information among the participants from an initial timestamp to later timestamps.
Civic Engagement on Voters Turnout in General Election
Authors: Kisusu Robert Wankanya , Tongori Samsosn T.
Published: November 2019

The concern of voter turnout during general election is a serious problem. As such, the study found that civic engagement influences significantly voter turnout during general election in Tanzania. The findings based on primary data and descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model identified how civic engagement influences maximum voters turnout. These include putting names of voters before election day, authority to enforce law protecting voters, communities to know the importance of voting, Further, logistic regression model also deepens the finding that civic engagement influences voters turnout by establishing gender system on voting and emphasis youth's registration before election and .to encourage voters so that they know importance of voting. Conclusion is that voter turnout requires well organised and arranged packages of civic engagement. Recommendation is to emphasis on civic engagement as it explores voters' interest specifically democratic system and transparency.
Assessing the Ideological Foundations and Relevance of the School Feeding Policy in Ghana
Authors: Cobbinah Joseph Ezale
Published: November 2019

This article critically examines the school feeding policy in Ghana. The policy became operational in the year 2005. It was part of the nation's effort to curb a drop in school enrolment that became a global concern which became part of the United Nations (UN) global efforts to reduce poverty in many parts of the world. The drop in school enrolment was attributed to poverty, hunger, and inequality in many deprived communities. So, to address those problems, the UN initiated various forms of interventions in member nations as part of efforts to improve school enrolment, reduce inequality and poverty. Ghana initiated a school feeding that was aimed at providing at least one hot meal a day for every child at the basic school level. Implementation of the policy has faced a lot of challenges and lack of political will. Some critics therefore argue that alternative policy initiatives should be considered to improve or replace the existing school feeding policy because although enrolment seem to go up, there is little evidence the policy is improving academic performance
Towards a New Data Replication Management in Cloud Systems
Authors: Lazeb Abdenour , Mokadem Riad , Belalem Ghalem
Published: November 2019

Applications produce huge volumes of data that are distributed on remote and heterogeneous sites. This generates problems related to access and sharing data. As a result, managing data in large-scale environments is a real challenge. In this context, large-scale data management systems often use data replication, a well-known technique that treats generated problems by storing multiple copies of data, called replicas, across multiple nodes. Most of the replication strategies in these environments are difficult to adapt to cloud environments. They aim to achieve the best performance of the system without meeting the important objectives of the cloud provider. This article proposes a new dynamic replication strategy. The proposed algorithm significantly improves provider gain without neglecting customer satisfaction.
Using Resources Competition and Memory Cell Development to Select the Best GMM for Background Subtraction
Authors: Nebili Wafa , Farou Brahim , Seridi Hamid
Published: November 2019

Background subtraction is an essential step in the process of monitoring videos. Several works have proposed models to differentiate the background pixels from the foreground pixels. Mixtures of Gaussian (GMM) are among the most popular models for a such problem. However, the use of a fixed number of Gaussians influence on their results quality. This article proposes an improvement of the GMM based on the use of the artificial immune recognition system (AIRS) to generate and introduce new Gaussians instead of using a fixed number of Gaussians. The proposed approach exploits the robustness of the mutation function in the generation phase of the new ARBs to create new Gaussians. These Gaussians are then filtered into the resource competition phase in order to keep only ones that best represent the background. The system tested on Wallflower and UCSD datasets has proven its effectiveness against other state-of-art methods.
Assessing the Investors' Acceptance of Electronic Stock Trading in a Developing Country
Authors: Khan Safeer Ullah , Liu Xiangdong , Khan Ikram Ullah , Liu Cheng , Rasheed Muhammad Imran
Published: November 2019

This study explores the factors that reduce the impact of negative factors on investors' Behavioral Intentions (BIs) to use Electronic Stock Trading (EST) in Pakistan. It investigates the impact of awareness-knowledge and perceived trust on EST adoption. Using a questionnaire-based survey, data were collected from 347 experienced investors, and were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results indicate that awareness-knowledge, perceived trust, and risk dimensions (including time, financial, performance, social, privacy, and opportunity cost risks) have a significant impact on BI. Moreover, all the risk dimensions partially mediate the relationship between awareness-knowledge and BI, as well as between perceived trust and BI. The study enriches theory and practice by providing implications for promoting EST in developing countries, especially in Pakistan.
Presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis and actinomyces co-infection as a lung mass: a literature review and unique case report
Authors: Balis Evangelos , Kakavas Sotiris , Kompogiorgas Steven , Kotsifas Konstantinos , Boulbasakos Georgios
Published: November 2019

Parenchymal lung infections occasionally present with clinical symptoms and radiological findings similar to lung malignancy. Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare condition of its own right, let alone in coexistence with tuberculosis. We report a case of a man presenting with hemoptysis alongside a chest computed tomography compatible with lung cancer. The diagnosis, after removal of a large endobronchial mass with flexible bronchoscopy and cryon, was a concomitant infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Actinomyces odontoliticus. In the literature, there are few reported cases with concomitant tuberculosis and actinomycosis. To our knowledge, such radical treatment without surgical intervention has not been reported in the past.
Hyperuricaemia is associated with dyslipidemia but not HbA1c among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Botswana
Authors: Gobusamang Ellen , Nyepetsi Naledi G. , Motswaledi Modisa S. , Kasvosve Ishmael
Published: November 2019

Medical records and residual samples from 334 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending a clinic in Gaborone, Botswana, during the period September–December 2016 were analysed for the effects of hyperuricaemia on biochemical markers of adverse outcomes. The patients were stratified as having hyperuricaemia ( 400 µmol/L) or normal serum uric acid (≤ 400 µmol/L). We compared glycated haemoglobin, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, total cholesterol and serum creatinine between the two serum uric acid categories. Hyperuricaemia was detected in 28% of patients (95% confidence interval 23.1–32.9) and was associated with increased serum triglycerides, triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio and creatinine concentration, but not with glycated haemoglobin.
Ophthalmic manifestations of ionising radiation among interventionalists
Authors: Ngetu Lumko , Marais Wayne , Rose André , Rae William I.D.
Published: November 2019

Background: Ionising radiation (IR) is an occupational hazard for interventionalists. Dry eye syndrome may develop. There may be damage to the corneal epithelium, causing irritation and ulceration. Radiation-induced cataracts commonly develop in the posterior sub-capsular (PSC) region of the lens and are more common in the left eye.Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the ophthalmological findings in South African interventionalists occupationally exposed to IR.Setting: This study was conducted in South Africa.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Interventional radiologists (25), adult cardiologists (42) and paediatric cardiologists (31) were recruited at conferences and included in the study. Convenience sampling was used. Participants completed a survey that collected data on their demographics, their cataract risk factors and co-morbid diseases, their occupational history, their radiation safety practices and their training in occupational history. Participants’ eyes were examined using a slit lamp after dilation of the eyes. Ethics clearance was obtained and each participant gave informed consent. A descriptive analysis was done.Results: The median age of the 98 interventionalists screened was 43.5 years. They worked with radiation for a median of 7.5 years. Cataracts occurred in the left eye of 17 (17.3%) participants and in the right eye of nine (9.2%). There were five (5.1%) PSC cataracts in the left eye and one (1%) in the right eye. The vitreous was abnormal in 19.4% of participants. The tear break-up time was abnormal in 48% of participants.Conclusion: Ionising radiation is an occupational hazard posing a risk to interventionalists’ eyes. They are at increased risk of cataracts and dry eye syndrome, which can affect their occupational performance and quality of life. Education can positively influence the radiation safety practices of interventionalists that could reduce the detrimental effects of IR on their eyes.
El dibujo de Arquitectura Técnica
Authors: Raya Urbano Juan Manuel
Published: November 2019

Los orígenes documentales del título de Aparejador o Arquitecto Técnico se remontan hacia la mitad del siglo XV, siendo una de las profesiones técnicas de más larga historia y fecunda laboriosidad, de singular arraigo en la cultura y arquitectura española.
Geometría Descriptiva. Geometría Constructiva
Authors: Sánchez-Cuenca Luis
Published: November 2019

La Geometría Descriptiva es esencialmente una asignatura de primer curso, es decir, una asignatura de base, formativa, pero no específicamente tecnológica. De acuerdo, pero ¿es posible asociarla un componente tecnológico y convertirla así en una asignatura aplicada?.
La normalización en la Expresión Gráfica aplicada a la edificación
Authors: Valiente López Mercedes , Alonso Bahamonte Carlos
Published: November 2019

El dibujo arquitectónico tiene que ser claro legible preciso y completo para facilitar al receptor su interpretación y evitar que caiga en errores frecuentes. Por ello es indispensable en este tipo de dibujos usar nomas convencionales generalizadas y aceptadas por todo el sector de la construcción.
El futuro de la carrera docente en el marco de la LOU y del espacio europeo de enseñanza superior
Authors: Marín García David
Published: November 2019

El ocasiones alumnos de Escuelas Universitarias de Arquitectura Técnica manifiestan su interés en desarrollar actividades docentes en la universidad.