bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Promoting Exploitation of University Research by SMEs
Authors: Gomes M.P.S.F. , Vaux J.H. , Ezingeard J-N. , Grieve R.J. , Race P. , Woolgar S.W.
Published: July 2017

The authors discuss issues relating to the feasibility of a Web-based database for facilitating communications between university researchers and industry. They have constructed an experimental Web-based Technology Bank that provides examples of university research which might be of interest to manufacturing companies. They are using this database as a focus of discussion on the usefulness of electronic communications for technology dissemination. The portfolio of research products, and the Web site on which it is housed, are currently being presented in a series of workshops for senior executives in small and medium sized manufacturing companies. Views are also being gathered from technology intermediaries. Analysis of the data so far has highlighted potential problems in disseminating information on the Internet and has also enabled the authors to identify and understand users' profiles.
University—Enterprise Cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Burquel Nadine
Published: July 2017

This paper highlights the main findings of a study carried out within the framework of the European Commission's Tempus programme on university–enterprise cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. The study was launched in 1996 by the Commission with the technical assistance of the European Training Foundation and developed with the European Centre for Strategic Management of Universities (ESMU) and the Slovak Tempus Office. The author presents the results of desk research on a sample of Tempus projects, and sets out the conclusions and recommendations to policy makers, to project promoters and to the Tempus programme. She describes the nature of university–enterprise cooperation projects in Central and Eastern European countries, showing the active role of individuals, development agencies, local authorities and various interface structures. However, she points out that university–enterprise cooperation is still confronted by major constraints linked to people (the vision of the university, the place of university–enterprise cooperation in that vision, the lack of initiatives and skills to develop it) and to systems (the internal management structure of universities, the hierarchical positioning of university representatives, the legal framework and degree structure which impact on agreements between universities and enterprises).
Triple Helix Relationships in a National Context
Authors: Marceau Jane
Published: July 2017

This paper uses a study of the factors affecting the location of research in the biomedical industry in Australia to show the complexity of the relationships among the Triple Helix strands – government, industry and universities – in determining research location. Central players, hospitals, are major locations for research but are highly regulated, as is all the medical industry, and depend much on broad public policy determinations about funding which are not directed at research. Changes to the regulatory environment affect research choices players make while technological advance alters the field on which both researchers and firms play.
The Nature and Scope of Industry—Institute Interaction in India
Authors: Natarajan R.
Published: July 2017

One of the most important functions of a modern research university is interaction with industry in order to establish a close link between education, research, and professional practice. This paper examines relevant issues with special reference to the Indian context: Indian industry's perceptions of the curricula offered by the universities; the prerequisites for an institution if it is to develop successful cooperation with industry; the interaction between scientific and industrial research organizations and industry; and basic differences and contentious issues that arise between the higher education and industrial sectors in terms of roles, goals and perceptions. An analysis is also presented of some barriers or inhibitors to cooperation, and strategies to overcome them are suggested. Against this background, the author offers a case study of current initiatives designed to promote interaction with industry at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
Emissions Reduction in The UK: Accommodating Waste Production from Sulphur Abatement Systems
Authors: Crofts Cathy
Published: July 2017

Concern for the atmosphere environment has resulted in EC legislation limiting sulphur dioxide emissions. The emission limits are being met by the installation of flue gas desulphurisation and advanced coal combustion systems, which produce large quantities of waste for utilisation or disposal. There are now environmental, economic and regulatory reasons for industry to provide a comprehensive assessment of waste disposal/utilisation issues during the design stage of a project. This paper considers the management of wastes produced from the limestone/gypsum and spray dry FGD processes, and from advanced coal combustion equipment. The assessment shows that environmentally acceptable methods of disposal and utilisation can be identified for these wastes. It is expected that a substantial proportion of FGD gypsum will be utilised in the manufacture of plasterboard, bag plaster and cement. There may also be opportunities for utilisation of spray dry waste and waste from advanced coal combustion systems in structural and agricultural applications. Landfill would be an appropriate form of disposal for the wastes considered in this paper, but utilisation options offer environmentally superior alternatives to disposal justifying further research.
Internalising Externalities of Energy Use Through Price Mechanism: A Developing Country Perspective
Authors: Bhattacharyya Subhus C.
Published: July 2017

As concern grows about the environmental aspect of energy use, it is increasingly suggested in recent years that energy pricing should take negative externalities of energy use into account. A large body of literature, both theoretical and applied, has grown up over the years proposing a variety of options and methods for internalising environmental costs. However, most of these theories and methods, developed in the industrialised countries, have hitherto neglected two aspects of developing economies: the existence of informal sector in the economy and widespread use of traditional energies. This paper discusses the issues related to internalising environmental costs through price mechanism when these two aspects are included. It also calls for a more careful analysis of energy and environmental policies.
Incorporating an Authentic Learning Strategy into Undergraduate Apparel and Merchandising Curriculum
Authors: Ma Yoon Jin , Lee Hyun-Hwa
Published: July 2017

An authentic learning strategy fostering students' active learning was studied using the scenario of a real-world project. Students from two different classes at two different universities worked as clients or consultants to develop an apparel sourcing strategy. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from 44 undergraduates enrolled in apparel and merchandising classes to assess students' learning experiences from the project. According to the findings, students had a positive learning experience overall, gaining practical competencies and experiences from various perspectives needed to solve the problems. These results were further confirmed by emerging themes in the qualitative data—namely, improved communication skills, enhanced professionalism through real-world experiences, team building, learning through interaction, and improved research skills. The evidence suggests that incorporating an authentic learning strategy in higher education by providing real-world experiences can benefit students' learning and build their professional competence.
Behavioural Assessment of Wilderness Therapy Participants: Exploring the Consistency of Observational Data
Authors: Larivière Michel , Couture Roger , Ritchie Stephen D. , Côté Daniel , Oddson Bruce , Wright Jesse
Published: July 2017

Wilderness therapy (WT) provides an alternative treatment modality for a number of mental health issues. It holds particular appeal for at-risk youth, a population that is often less responsive to traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. Anecdotal accounts on the effectiveness of WT often show positive outcomes. Still, some researchers have questioned the value of WT outcome studies on the basis of dubious methodology. The current study sought to address this issue through its use of well-validated observational scales drawn from the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). While on a canoe expedition, three trained raters assessed the conduct of a group of at-risk youth aged 15 to 18 years. Results showed very little inter-observer agreement (Cronbach's alpha = .12). The findings underline the challenges of measuring WT outcomes. Even when equipped with validated and behaviourally anchored instruments, there appears to be little consistency among observers in terms of the degree to which WT influences participant change. The study demonstrates that when structured observation of WT participants is undertaken, outcomes are less definitive. This supports the criticisms offered by previous researchers who have expressed that in the absence of improvements to WT research methods, outcome findings are likely to be of questionable validity.
Stability of Disodium Sulfobenzylpenicillin in Large Volume Parenteral Solutions
Authors: Fukuchi Hiroshi , Yoshida Minoru , Kumagai Michio , Kitaura Teruaki
Published: July 2017

The stability of disodium sulfobenzylpenicillin (SB-PC) in several large-volume parenteral solutions was studied. A study was also made of the influences of other additive drugs upon the stability of SB-PC in SB-PC IV fluid admixtures. Quantitative determinations were made by iodometry of the residual rate over time of SB-PC.

The residual rate of SB-PC in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU injection)-10 percent glucose admixture was 67 percent after 24 hours at 25 °C, (77 °F) and in aminophylline (aminophylline injection J.P.)-10 percent glucose admixture it was 54 percent after 24 hours. It was found that the decomposition of SB-PC was due to amines which were added to these injections.

In an admixture of amino acid and SB-PC, the residual rate of SB-PC decreased linearly with the increase in amino acid concentration. In the 12 kinds of amino acids used in this study, the greatest decrease was observed in the admixture with lysine, the residual rate being 76.7 percent. For the study of degradation products of SB-PC, thin layer chromatography was employed and a spot of the degradation product was detected at an Rf value of 0.2.
News Notes
Authors: Miller Douglass W.
Published: July 2017

News for inclusion in this section … activities of schools and departments of journalism, staff appointments and changes, curricular developments and the like … should be sent to Professor Miller, School of Journalism, Syracuse University. News for the September issue must reach him by July 15.
Research: Widening the Conduct of Hospitality Inquiry: Toward Appreciating Research Alternatives
Authors: Lundberg Craig C.
Published: July 2017

If it is assumed that the situations of interest to hospitality researchers are phenomenologically complex as well as changeful, then it follows that a multiplicity of meanings can be imposed. Thus, for particular research projects a variety of paths for discovery and understanding may be equally viable. If this is so, an appreciation of alternative modes and means of inquiry is desirable if not requisite. This paper undertakes this task. The conduct of research is described as a generic sequence of activities shown to entail choices (and hence tradeoffs) among alternatives—usually with consequences for subsequent activity choices. The many decisions of what to do and how to do it are paralleled by choices about who might decide and who might do each activity. While the authors are sympathetic to the seemingly endless proliferation of models and theories, methodological strategies, designs and techniques, we argue that it may be unrealistic to think a small number or a one best set will suffice. Rather, if mainstream inquiry is restricting, then multi-stream inquiry may be a necessity. Appreciating the decision alternatives in research activities, thus, begins to widen the conduct of inquiry—allowing the richness of ways to do hospitality research to begin to reflect the richness of what is studied.
Research: Discrete Choice Analysis in Hospitality Management Research
Authors: Verma Rohit , Thompson Gary M.
Published: July 2017

This article focuses on discrete choice analysis (DCA), which offers an effective approach for incorporating customer preferences into operating decisions in hospitality businesses. First the theoretical background of DCA is presented, including a discussion of how DCA compares to conjoint analysis. The authors then present a guide to designing and conducting a DCA study. Conducting a discrete choice study involves identifying the attributes relevant to customers'choices and the appropriate levels of these attributes, designing an experiment, collecting data and estimating parameters using a multinomial logit model. Finally, the strategic implications of DCA in hospitality management research are discussed.
Research: An Analysis of Sun-Spot Destination Resort Market Segments: All-Inclusive Package Versus Independent Travel Arrangements
Authors: Yoon Jihwan , Shafer Elwood L.
Published: July 2017

The sun-spot-destination resort market is one of the most important and growing segments of the contemporary tourism market. The objective of this study was to determine, through a telephone interview survey of 702 American travel parties, if there were significant differences between travel parties who preferred an all-inclusive travel package and those who preferred independent travel arrangements. The variables of interest in these comparisons were: socio-demographic characteristics, travel-related characteristics, determinant attributes and lifestyle characteristics. Results indicate that there are significant differences in terms of age distributions, employment status, preferred destinations, length of stay, several lifestyle characteristics and preferences for physical and psychological aspects (determinant attributes) of the resort.
Taking Issue with Lynn and Mullen's Meta-Analytic Recommendations
Authors: Borchgrevink Carl P.
Published: July 2017

Lynn and Mullen encourage hospitality researchers to avoid the Hunter and Schmidt approach to meta-analysis due to posited anomalous results and nonconformity with statistical convention. They cite Johnson, Mullen, and Salas in making said admonishment. Schmidt and Hunter have established that Johnson et al. make errors in applying the Hunter and Schmidt techniques; errors that produce the anomalous results. As such, Lynn and Mullen's statement warning hospitality researchers not to use the Hunter and Schmidt approach needs to be corrected. Hospitality researchers should not hesitate to use Hunter and Schmidt's approach. In fact, they should be encouraged to use the Hunter and Schmidt approach as it is an approach recommended by the National Research Council.
Cancer nursing services in Scotland: Are we ready to meet the challenge?
Authors: Jodrell Nora
Published: July 2017

The care of patients with cancer, from diagnosis to terminal care, demands the support of a multidisciplinary team in both hospital and community settings. To deliver effective care, all professional groups involved in the care of such patients require a high degree of specialist knowledge. This knowledge can be acquired only through the integration of education and clinical practice. While there have been significant advances in the management of cancer and in the palliation of symptoms this does not appear to have been reflected in the provision of nurse education in cancer care in Scotland. This paper presents results from a national survey of directors of nursing in Scotland. The study aimed to establish the current situation in relation to the availability of appropriately educated nurses providing cancer care to patients in Scotland.
Choosing instrument disinfectants and processors
Authors: JR Babb , CR Bradley
Published: July 2017

The thorough cleaning and high-level disinfection or sterilisation of heat sensitive instruments and equipment, preferably using a validated washer disinfector and an effective, non-damaging disinfectant, will minimise the risk of infection, prolong the life of the device and protect the quality of diagnostic samples.

No disinfectant or washer disinfector meets all the preferred selection criteria at present, but a careful appraisal of the options, using the criteria outlined, will enable you to choose a processor and disinfectant that more nearly meet your requirements.
Occupational exposure in healthcare workers: an Italian study of occupational risk of HIV and other blood-borne viral infections
Authors: Petrosillo Nicola , Puro Vincenzo , Carli Gabriella De , Ippolito Giuseppe
Published: July 2017

From January 1994 to December 1999, 44 hospitals were enrolled in the Studio Italiano Rischio Occupazionale da HIV (SIROH), an Italian hospital network established in 1986 to study, monitor and prevent the risk of occupational transmission of blood-borne pathogens in the healthcare setting. During the study period, 21,118 percutaneous exposure and 6,400 mucocutaneous exposures were reported. Nurses were the most exposed (57%), and had the highest combined (percutaneous and mucocutaneous) exposure rates in all working areas, ranging from 14.1 per 100 full-time equivalent positions in general surgery to 9.5% in medical specialities. Among percutaneous exposures, 66.2% involved a hollow-bore (HB) needle device. Device-specific exposure rates per 100,000 devices used for disposable syringes, winged steel needles, vacuum tube phlebotomy sets, and IV catheters (90% of involved HB devices) were higher for those devices with a more complicated design. Twelve cases of occupational infection were detected; the seroconversion rates following percutaneous and mucocutaneous exposures to HIV, HCV and HBV were all <0.5%. No cases of infection followed non-intact skin exposure. Our study shows that the implementation of a standardised program by a network of acute care hospitals provides us with the ability to address many important questions concerning the safety of HCWs.
A year spent ‘down under’
Authors: Barnett Jane
Published: July 2017

This is a review of infection control practices ‘down under’, carried out while living in Christchurch, New Zealand for a year. The professional and social differences are discussed.
The history of infection control: Joseph Lister
Authors: Newsom SWB
Published: July 2017

This is the fifth in a series of articles outlining the key developments in the history of infection control. The articles first appeared in the ISSM Journal.
Preventing catheter-related UTIs: a series of workshops for infection control nurses
Authors: Pinn Stephen
Published: July 2017

T his is a report from a workshop for infection control nurses sponsored by the ICNA in conjunction with Thames Valley University, and supported by an educational grant from BARD Ltd. It was held in London on 7 October 2002.
Expression of Ciona intestinalis AOX causes male reproductive defects in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Saari Sina , Andjelković Ana , Garcia Geovana S. , Jacobs Howard T. , Oliveira Marcos T.
Published: July 2017

Background

Mitochondrial alternative respiratory-chain enzymes are phylogenetically widespread, and buffer stresses affecting oxidative phosphorylation in species that possess them. However, they have been lost in the evolutionary lineages leading to vertebrates and arthropods, raising the question as to what survival or reproductive disadvantages they confer. Recent interest in using them in therapy lends a biomedical dimension to this question.

Methods

Here, we examined the impact of the expression of Ciona intestinalis alternative oxidase, AOX, on the reproductive success of Drosophila melanogaster males. Sperm-competition assays were performed between flies carrying three copies of a ubiquitously expressed AOX construct, driven by the α-tubulin promoter, and wild-type males of the same genetic background.

Results

In sperm-competition assays, AOX conferred a substantial disadvantage, associated with decreased production of mature sperm. Sperm differentiation appeared to proceed until the last stages, but was spatially deranged, with spermatozoids retained in the testis instead of being released to the seminal vesicle. High AOX expression was detected in the outermost cell-layer of the testis sheath, which we hypothesize may disrupt a signal required for sperm maturation.

Conclusions

AOX expression in Drosophila thus has effects that are deleterious to male reproductive function. Our results imply that AOX therapy must be developed with caution.
Parity and Risk of Thyroid Autoimmunity Based on the NHANES (2001–2002, 2007–2008, 2009–2010, and 2011–2012)
Authors: Yehuda Marelle , Wang Chia-Hao , Pak Youngju , Chiu Ken C , Gianoukakis Andrew G
Published: July 2017

Context

Autoimmune thyroid disease is more common in women than in men. Fetal microchimerism has been implicated as a potential explanation for this disparity.

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between parity and thyroid autoimmunity in the US population.

Design, Setting, Patients

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used to identify females with antithyroperoxidase (TPOAb) and antithyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) measurements and parity data. Subjects (n = 4864) were categorized as never pregnant (n = 909) or previously pregnant (n = 3955). The association of parity with thyroid autoantibodies was examined both qualitatively and quantitatively. Thyroid autoimmunity was defined as TPOAb and/or TgAb titers above the reference limits.

Results

Previous pregnancy carried an odds ratio (OR) of 1.55 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26 to 1.91] for thyroid autoimmunity compared with never pregnant. Number of pregnancies was associated with thyroid autoimmunity: OR = 1.37 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.84); 1.4 (95% CI: 1.08 to 1.81); 1.52 (95% CI: 1.18 to 1.96); and 1.73 (95% CI: 1.38 to 2.18) for 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 pregnancies, respectively. Because ever-pregnant women differed in several variables—age, race, smoking status, history of thyroid disease, and urinary iodine level—from never-pregnant women (P < 0.001), a multivariate regression analysis was performed, which showed no association of pregnancy with thyroid autoimmunity. The association was further examined utilizing an age-matched analysis, which confirmed the absence of an association between thyroid autoimmunity and parity.

Conclusion

Although we initially observed a strong association between parity and thyroid autoimmunity, after controlling for age and other variables, we were unable to identify an association.
“Too Philosophical for a Poet”: A Conversation with Charles Bernstein
Authors: King Andrew David
Published: July 2017

Andrew David King interviews Charles Bernstein on topics that include the composition of All the Whiskey in Heaven, L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E, the situatedness of poetry and poetics, Charles Altieri on the relation of poetry to rhetoric, poetry and identity poetics/politics, the Mandelstam translations in Recalculating, the relation of poetry to philosophy, and elegy.
William Cowper, the Georgic, and the Unwritten Literature of the 1780s
Authors: Thorne Christian
Published: July 2017

Eighteenth-century English poetry, epic in technique and idiom even when not epic in scale, has some unusual ways of telling stories on a multicontinental scale—stories, that is, that are not confined to localities nor even to nations. This is a feat that novels struggle to replicate. The georgic is especially interesting in this regard, since the genre is officially agrarian and provincial—the poetry of a certain crop or USDA growing zone. And yet georgic poems in English almost always take an epic and planetary turn. William Cowper's The Task shows how a poem seemingly rooted in place can nonetheless begin to map much larger systems.
Developing a strategy for computational lab skills training through Software and Data Carpentry: Experiences from the ELIXIR Pilot action
Authors: Pawlik Aleksandra , van Gelder Celia W.G. , Nenadic Aleksandra , Palagi Patricia M. , Korpelainen Eija , Lijnzaad Philip , Marek Diana , Sansone Susanna-Assunta , Hancock John , Goble Carole
Published: July 2017

Quality training in computational skills for life scientists is essential to allow them to deliver robust, reproducible and cutting-edge research. A pan-European bioinformatics programme, ELIXIR, has adopted a well-established and progressive programme of computational lab and data skills training from Software and Data Carpentry, aimed at increasing the number of skilled life scientists and building a sustainable training community in this field. This article describes the Pilot action, which introduced the Carpentry training model to the ELIXIR community.
Residency index – a tool for measuring the population size
Authors: Maasing Ethel , Tiit Ene-Margit , Vähi Mare
Published: July 2017

After the Estonian census 2011 the census team found that there was some under-coverage of the census data. To determine the amount of non-enumerated people the following procedure was used. The set of people belonging to Estonian population register as residents, but not enumerated in census 2011 were regarded as potential residents. All existing administrative registers were used to define the signs of life for these people: activity in a register during 2011 gave to a person a sign of life. The signs of life were used as binary variables to discriminant the residents and non-residents. The following task was to use the methodology for following years and to cover the whole population. Hence we decided to define for each person from the population a residency index between 0 and 1 that will be recalculated yearly using the signs of life.
Optimal Pricing of Correlated Product Options Under the Paired Combinatorial Logit Model
Authors: Li Hongmin , Webster Scott
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we study price optimization with price-demand relationships captured by the paired combinatorial logit (PCL) model, which overcomes restrictions of the well-studied multinomial logit (MNL) and nested logit (NL) models. The PCL model allows for choice-correlation and, like the NL model, includes the MNL model as a special case. Compared to the NL models, the PCL model does not restrict the sequence of the choice structure and allows for different covariances among all pairs of choices. This additional flexibility in structure enables a more accurate representation of some choice settings and broadens its empirical applications. Hence, it is of both theoretical and practical interests to extend the normative studies on the MNL and NL models to the PCL model and examine the pricing problem under this model. Due to cross-nesting of choice alternatives, the pricing problem under the PCL model poses a greater challenge than the MNL and NL models. However, using the concept of P-matrix, we are able to identify conditions for a unique optimal price solution and develop an efficient and theoretically sound approach for finding the optimal prices. We show that the analysis and solution approach are generalizable to other GEV family models with cross-nested alternatives.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2017.1614 .
Reading Makers
Authors: Stoyanova Minka
Published: July 2017

Since its inception, digital and interactive art has been forced to negotiate the tension between the inherently spectacular nature of the technologies it uses and the desire of creators to embed relevant critical stances within the work. With the recent rise of “maker” or DIY culture, this negotiation has become even more pronounced as the production of technologies becomes more accessible and (allegedly) more democratized. In addition, our relationship with technology is becoming increasingly intimate. Whereas machines once could have been read as tools, through which we would enact our individualized wills, they now implicate themselves into our mental processes, our bodies and (one could argue) our very being. Within this cyborgian construction we risk mindless acceptance and integration of the particular logical models technology and its producers bring to the merger. A tension arises between our need to understand or recognize the logic which drives our lives and the technology, which often seeks to obfuscate that logic. This paper, through the application of philosophy of technology to a specific maker subculture - as it has been adopted by a movement in fine art (art and technology) - situates making as a form of artistic practice at the intersection of these ideas. As a mode by which technologically inclined artists can navigate the spectacular and the critical in their work, making allows these artists to enact criticality through revealing underlying technical (and social) logic in the systems (and objects) with which they engage. Thus, this paper will trace the philosophical foundations of this critical approach and finally analyse a series of works that reveal strategies through which “making” as a mode of “revealing” has been refined by artists as a critical approach to embedded technological systems.
Efecto de la persistencia bacteriana sobre la eficacia de la enrofloxacina y ciprofloxacina frente a una cepa de Escherichia coli
Authors: PATRICELLI Paula , RAMIREZ Eliana , PRESA ROSSA Candela , DELL'ELCE Antonella , FORMENTINI Enrique
Published: July 2017

En este trabajo se evaluó el efecto de las bacterias persistentes presentes en un inóculo de alta densidad de una cepa autóctona de Escherichia coli sobre la eficacia de enrofloxacina y ciprofloxacina mediante ensayos in vitro de curvas de muerte bacteriana y de determinación de la concentración preventiva de mutantes. En las curvas de muerte realizadas sobre inóculos de alta densidad, ningún antibiótico presentó actividad bactericida y solo permitieron la sobrevida de bacterias persistentes. En el ensayo para determinar la concentración preventiva de mutantes, sobre la superficie del agar de las placas con elevadas concentraciones de enrofloxacina y ciprofloxacina, las bacterias persistentes permanecieron viables sin desarrollar colonias y adoptando morfología filamentosa como una forma de adaptación y supervivencia. Se discute la utilidad clínica de las concentraciones preventivas de mutantes de enrofloxacina y ciprofloxacina sobre E. coli ya que, estas elevadas concentraciones permitirían la sobrevida de una sub-población de bacterias persistentes originando un reservorio biológico que podría dar origen a infecciones crónicas y a favorecer la emergencia de mutantes resistentes.
The Great Struggle to Escape Capitalism
Authors: D'Mello Bernard
Published: July 2017

Post-revolutionary societies, in their efforts to combat counterrevolution, have always been confronted with their own contradictions, and with the persistent threat that an exploiting class could reemerge. Instead of the intended socialization and democratization, in many places what resulted was instead state ownership and stultifying bureaucratization of both the economy and the polity.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
“Did we learn English or what?”: A study abroad student in the UK carrying and crossing boundaries in out-of-class communication
Authors: Badwan Khawla M.
Published: July 2017

Language educators in many parts of the world are torn between preparing language learners to pass language proficiency tests and trying to let their classrooms reflect the messiness of out-of-class communication. Because testing is “an activity which perhaps more than any other dictates what is taught” (Hall, 2014, p. 379), helping students to pass language proficiency tests seems to be a current top priority. Since globalisation “has destabilised the codes, norms, and conventions that FL [foreign language] educators relied upon to help learners be successful users of the language once they had left their classrooms” (Kramsch, 2014, p.296), the gap between what is taught in classrooms or measured in examination halls and what is used in real life situations has become much bigger. Testimonies from Study abroad students feed into this discussion. This article addresses the gap between being a language learner and a language user and the implications of this on learners’ perceptions of their language abilities, as illustrated by the story of Mahmoud, a study abroad student in the UK. It also features learner’s voice, exploring Mahmoud’s views of his previous formal language education and concludes with pedagogical implications for language educators.
The influence of shear stress on the adhesion capacity of Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Oder Martina , Fink Rok , Bohinc Klemen , Torkar Karmen Godič
Published: July 2017

Bacterial adhesion is a complex process influenced by many factors, including hydrodynamic conditions. They affect the transfer of oxygen, nutrients, and bacterial cells in a water supply and cooling systems. The aim of this study was to identify hydrodynamic effects on bacterial adhesion to and detachment from stainless steel surfaces. For this purpose we observed the behaviour of bacterium L. pneumophila in no-flow and laminar and turbulent flow conditions simulated in a fluid flow chamber. The bacterial growth in no-flow and laminar flow conditions was almost identical in the first 24 h, while at 48 and 72 h of incubation, the laminar flow stimulated bacterial growth. In the second part of this study we found that laminar flow accelerated bacterial adhesion in the first 48 h, but after 72 h the amount of bacterial cells exposed to the flow dropped, probably due to detachment. In the third part we found that the turbulent flow detached more bacterial cells than the laminar, which indicates that the strength of shear forces determines the rate of bacterial removal.
An Automatic Synthesis of Musical Phrases from Multi-Pitch Samples
Authors: Pluta Marek , Spalek Leszek J. , Delekta Rafał J.
Published: July 2017

Sound synthesizers are a natural element of a musician’s toolset. In music arrangement, samplers can often produce satisfactory results, but it requires a combination of manual and automatic methods that may be arduous at times. Concatenative Sound Synthesis reproduces many of natural performance- and expression-related nuances but at a cost of high demand for processing power. Here, another method of musical phrase synthesis aimed at music arrangement is presented that addresses these and other related issues. Contrary to common practice, we propose to record and utilize sound samples containing not one,but short sequences of pitches. In effect, natural pitch transitions are preserved and phrases appear to be much smoother, despite using very limited set of performance rules. The proof-of-concept implementation of the proposed method is discussed in detail along with attempts at optimizing the final sound effects, based on auditory tests. The limitations and future applications of the synthesizer are also discussed.
Measurement of Earmuffs Attenuation at High Audible Frequencies
Authors: Kozłowski Emil , Młyński Rafał
Published: July 2017

Standardised measurements of sound attenuation of hearing protectors are performed in the frequency range from 125 Hz to 8 kHz. However, noise present at many workplaces contains significant components at higher audible frequency. Therefore, the knowledge about noise attenuation with earmuffs in the audible frequency range above 8 kHz is also necessary for proper hearing protection. The aim of this study was to obtain values of the noise attenuation with 27 commonly-used earmuffs models in the 1/3 octave bands of 10, 12.5 and 16 kHz. The measurements were conducted with a real ear at threshold (REAT) method with participation of subjects. The study showed that attenuation of earmuffs ranged from 24.7 to 42.8 dB, depending on model of earmuffs and frequency band. Furthermore, the measurements were performed with the use of acoustic test fixture which is designed especially for testing hearing protectors. Results obtained with the use of acoustic test fixture indicated that this measurement method can lead to values close to attenuation measured with participation of subjects. On the other hand, values obtained with the use of acoustic test fixture may differ average up to 14 dB from REAT method.
An Experimental Study of Acoustic Comfort in Open Space Banks Based on Speech Intelligibility and Noise Annoyance Measures
Authors: Golmohammadi Rostam , Aliabadi Mohsen , Nezami Trifah
Published: July 2017

Tasks requiring intensive concentration are more vulnerable to noise than routine tasks. Due to the high mental workload of bank employees, this study aimed to evaluate acoustic comfort in open-space banks based on speech intelligibility and noise annoyance metrics. Acoustic metrics including preferred noise criterion (PNC), speech transmission index (STI), and signal to noise ratio (SNR) were measured in seventeen banks (located in Hamadan, a western province of Iran). For subjective noise annoyance assessments, 100-point noise annoyance scales were completed by bank employees during activities. Based on STI (0.56±0.09) and SNR (20.5±8.2 dB) values, it was found that speech intelligibilities in the workstations of banks were higher than the satisfactory level. However, PNC values in bank spaces were 48.2±5.5 dB, which is higher than the recommended limit value for public spaces. In this regard, 95% of the employees are annoyed by background noise levels. The results show irrelevant speech is the main source of subjective noise annoyance among employees. Loss of concentration is the main consequence of background noise levels for employees. The results confirmed that acoustic properties of bank spaces provide enough speech intelligibility, while staff’s noise annoyance is not acceptable. It can be concluded that due to proximity of workstations in open-space banks, access to very short distraction distance is necessary. Therefore, increasing speech privacy can be prioritised to speech intelligibility. It is recommended that current desk screens are redesigned in order to reduce irrelevant speech between nearby workstations. Staff’s training about acoustic comfort can also manage irrelevant speech characteristics during work time.
Increasing the quality of health management in Romania through specific consultancy services
Authors: Tucmeanu A. I. , Popescu Delia Mioara , Ionescu Elena Valentina , Oprea Carmen , Mociu A. , Iliescu Mădălina Gabriela
Published: July 2017

Health management consultancy has become an important source of innovation in management, a bridge between the academic environment, companies and opinion-makers in the field. The objective of this work is to identify the success factors of a consultancy mission within the health system, with the proposal of direct investigation of the hypothesis regarding the positive association between the success of consultancy missions and the consultant’s professional integrity. The survey was carried out during January and February 2017, in Bucharest health units, by applying questionnaires to 68 managers both in the public and private system. The analyzed parameters were: the consultant’s professional integrity, the consultant's competency, the relations with the consultant, the correct definition of the mission, available financial resources, term observance, and related costs. The information obtained was statistically processed using the SPSS system. The answer options to the items in the questionnaire allowed statistical correlations, verifying the survey hypothesis regarding the association between success and professional integrity. Any consultancy mission entails negotiation skills from the consultant, as well as an open attitude, listening and communications skills. The environment created by the manager can even further influence the change acceptance.
Phylogenetic community structure of fungal endophytes in seagrass species
Authors: Supaphon Preuttiporn , Phongpaichit Souwalak , Sakayaroj Jariya , Rukachaisirikul Vatcharin , Kobmoo Noppol , Spatafora Joseph W.
Published: July 2017

A total of 81 fungal endophytes were isolated from four seagrass species:
On the critical determinants of certain star bodies
Authors: Nowak Werner Georg
Published: July 2017

In a classic paper [14], W.G. Spohn established the to-date sharpest estimates from below for the simultaneous Diophantine approximation constants for three and more real numbers. As a by-result of his method which used Blichfeldt’s Theorem and the calculus of variations, he derived a bound for the critical determinant of the star body

|x1|(|x1|3 + |x2|3 + |x3|3 ≤ 1.

In this little note, after a brief exposition of the basics of the geometry of numbers and its significance for Diophantine approximation, this latter result is improved and extended to the star body

|x1|(|x1|3 + |x2
2 + x3
2)3/2≤ 1.
Equivariant character correspondences and inductive McKay condition for type A
Authors: Cabanes Marc , Späth Britta
Published: July 2017

As a step to establish the
McKay conjecture on character degrees of finite groups, we verify the inductive McKay condition introduced by Isaacs–Malle–Navarro for simple groups of Lie type

𝖠

n
-
1

{\mathsf{A}_{n-1}}

, split or twisted. Key to the proofs is the study of certain characters of

SL
n

⁢

(
q
)

{{\mathrm{SL}}_{n}(q)}

and

SU
n

⁢

(
q
)

{{\mathrm{SU}}_{n}(q)}

related to generalized Gelfand–Graev representations. As a by-product we can show that a Jordan decomposition for the characters of the latter groups is equivariant under outer
automorphisms. Many ideas seem applicable to other Lie types.
Functional transformation of Albanian and Serbian settlements in the Presheva Valley, Serbia
Authors: Ejupi Arsim
Published: July 2017

The aim of this research was to analyse the functional transformation of settlements in the Presheva Valley and the main factors that have affected on these changes. Among the many factors that determine the trend and the rhythm of functional transformation, we have chosen to analyse the relationship between the functional transformation and the ethnic structure of the region. Presheva Valley is situated in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula, with Morava Valley to the north and Vardar Valley to the south. It has an Albanian population who currently make up around 80 percent of the region’s population. It includes 67 settlements inhabited by an Albanian population and 71 settlements inhabited by a Serbian population. The Valley was, and remains, the most underdeveloped region in Serbia and the Balkans: the Albanian-inhabited areas are more than 7 times less developed than the average of Serbia. The first part of the article analyses the functional transformation of the settlements inhabited by Albanians, while the second part depicts a comparison of functional transformation between Albanian and Serbian settlements. The analysis is based on census data from 1971 and 2002. Comparison of statistical data of the population by activity within the 30 year period and mapping of statistical data of population by activity indicates a very slow functional transformation of the settlements in the Presheva Valley.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates causing LRTI in Najaf, Iraq
Authors: Motaweq Zahraa Y. , Naher Habeeb S.
Published: July 2017

During the period from February 2013 to April 2014, 74 (12.3%) isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated from 600 patients (359 males and 241 females) with clinical symptoms of Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) (pneumonia and COPD) obtained from Najaf/Iraq Hospitals. Patients in the age groups 51-60 years had a high percentage of S. pneumoniae isolates (19.7%) compared with other age groups with a significant variation (P<0.05) between them. Males (54%) showed a higher percentage of S. pneumoniae isolates than females (45.9%) with no significant variation (P>0.05). Smokers have been shown to have increased risk to LRTI than non-smokers (P>0.05), and there was no significant variation between Urban and Rural (56.8:43.2%) patients. S. pneumoniae showed different susceptibilities towards antibiotics used in this study. The highest rate of resistance was against erythromycin (100%), azithromycin (83.8%), clindamycin (83.8%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethaxzol (81.1%) and moderate resistance to ceftriaxone (67.6%), cefotaxime (64.9%), chloramphenicol (64.9%), tetracycline (59.5%) and benzylpenicillin (45.9%) whereas there was a relatively lower resistance towards others. The results of this study showed that S. pneumoniae isolates were found to be remarkable sensitive to Vancomycin (100%) and Imipenem (100%). In this study, sixteen antibiotics were tested for (MIC) against 37 S. pneumoniae isolates by using Vitek-2 antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) cards (41497) AST-GP74. 100% and 83.8% of S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to erythromycin and SXT with MIC ≥1 mg/ml and 4/76 mg/ml of these antibiotic respectively, and moderately resistant to cefotaxime 64.9%, ceftriaxone 64.9% and chloramphenicol 64.9% with MIC 4 mg/ml for CTX and CRO each one, and MIC 8 mg/ml for C only. All isolates showed 100% sensitivity for each of Vancomycin and Erythromycin with MIC mg/ml and ≤1 mg/ml and ≤2 mg/ml, respectively. S. pneumoniae isolates showed a high rate of sensitivity to Ertapenem 97.3% with MIC ≤1 mg/ml, Telithromycin 89.2% with MIC ≤1, Meropenem 86.5% with MIC ≤0.25 mg/ml.
Impact of Fund Managers Changes on Polish Equity Funds Performance
Authors: Asyngier Roman , Miziołek Tomasz
Published: July 2017

Purpose - the aim of the article was an analysis of the returns of universal Polish equity investment funds before and after the change of portfolio managers. The article deals with the following research problem: how the replacement of investment fund managers impacts the results of Polish equity funds. Methodology - the research methodology which used the indexes of relative strength allows determining the abnormal returns of funds in relation to the WIG Index before and after the change of managers. Findings - the analyses showed negative abnormal returns before changing managers and ambiguous tendencies after the change of managers. Originality - this kind of study has not been conducted for the Polish capital market so far.
A Comparison of Global Financial Market Recovery after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis
Authors: Foo Jennifer , Witkowska Dorota
Published: July 2017

The Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 plunged countries into a Great Recession and focused the world’s attention on the global stock markets. The global contagion has a major impact on global stock markets, with the U.S. DJIA falling to 6,547.05 on March 9, 2009 from a high of 14,164.53 on October 9, 2007, with a loss of more than 54%. Other stock markets also had a precipitous drop during the financial crisis. However, some equity markets have recovered while others have not. This paper looks at how global markets compared in their recovery. This paper also investigates the advanced countries’ recovery relative to the emerging and developing countries in the aftermath of the financial crisis and their ability to climb back to the pre-financial crisis levels. Analysis is provided for 31 stock indexes from January 2005 to March 2013. In 2013 the majority of analysed stock markets recovered from the crises regardless of if they belong to the group of developed or emerging markets.
Optimal Distribution of Production Tasks in a Concern
Authors: Grzesiak Stefan
Published: July 2017

The problem of the optimal distribution of production tasks within a large business entity (a concern, a corporation) is discussed in this paper. The fundamental aim is to determine such a distribution of production tasks that minimizes total production costs. For this purpose the author proposes an approach that takes into account Lagrange multipliers. The author formulates the conditions for the application of such an approach and the option of its possible application in practice.