bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Etiology in Pediatric Palliative Care: A Single Center Experience
Authors: Harputluoğlu Nigün , Yılmaz Ünsal , Çelik Tanju
Published: December 2020

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric palliative care is the highest level of care aimed at improving the quality of life of all children and families with life-limiting and threatening diseases. Characteristics of children needing pediatric palliative care in Turkey is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics and needs of children at pediatric palliative care. METHODS: Following the approval of local ethics committe, hospital records of children followed up at Dr. Behçet Uz Children’s Hospital pediatric palliative care between November 2018 and November 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 97 patients were included into the study with a mean age of 5,2 ± 4,6 (0,3-17) years, and 53,6% (n = 48) of them were male. The most common diagnosis was cerebral palsy with 39.2% (n = 38) and congenital metabolic diseases with 20.6% (n = 20). The most common reason for hospitalization was lung infection (61.9%) and the most frequently used drugs were antibiotics (70.1%). In the first 7 days of hospitalization, the need for mechanical ventilator and child intensive care was significantly different (p = 0,020 and p = 0.020, respectively). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Children with a wide range of disorders, including cerebral palsy, metabolic disorders and muscle disorders, need pediatric palliative care. Lung infection is the most common reason for hospitalization, and patients who are hospitalized should be followed up more closely in the early period.
Shaw's High Wire Act
Authors: Dietrich Richard Farr
Published: December 2020

Bernard Shaw had ambitions much beyond the usual playwright and thus left a legacy of unusual size and scope, of nothing less than a “world-betterer,” plausible considering the global reach of the British Empire, which needed a lot of “bettering.” Less plausible because the would-be “betterer” was an unknown Irish immigrant whose unique style of writing and speaking in combinations of workaday prose mixed with hyperbole, paradox, irony, satire, and leg-pulling levity, though eye-catching, confused some who couldn't tell literal from figurative. Fintan O'Toole in his recent book, Judging Shaw, likened the way Shaw conducted his “world-bettering” to a man on a high wire without a net. This article discusses the risky way Shaw conducted himself on this “high wire,” focusing on his promotion of a new science-based religion called “Creative Evolution,” which he adapted from Henri Bergson's version of it to a semireligious approach that presented “Creative Evolution” as an evolution from and “bettering” of Christianity.
A Pen Portrait of SHAW's Creative Evolution
Authors: Weintraub Stanley , Pharand Michel
Published: December 2020

On the occasion of its fortieth birthday, SHAW turned to two of its emeritus general editors for a bit of backstory.
Near-infrared spectroscopy for the distinction of wood and charcoal from Fabaceae species: comparison of ANN, KNN AND SVM models
Authors: Vieira Helena Cristina , Santos Joielan Xipaia dos , Souza Deivison Venicio , Rios Polliana D’ Angelo , Muñiz Graciela Inés Bolzon de , Morrone Simone Ribeiro , Nisgoski Silvana
Published: December 2020

Aim of study: The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of NIR spectroscopy to differentiate Fabaceae species native to Araucaria forest fragments.Area of study; Trees of the evaluated species were collected from an Araucaria forest stand in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, in the region to be flooded by the São Roque hydroelectric project.Material and methods: Discs of three species (Inga vera, Machaerium paraguariense and Muellera campestris) were collected at 1.30 meters from the ground. They were sectioned to cover radial variation of the wood (regions near bark, intermediate and near pith). After wood analysis, the same samples were carbonized. Six spectra were obtained from each specimen of wood and charcoal. The original and second derivative spectra, principal component statistics and classification models (Artificial Neural Network: ANN, Support Vector Machines with kernel radial basis function: SVM and k-Nearest Neighbors: k-NN) were investigated.Main results: Visual analysis of spectra was not efficient for species differentiation, so three NIR classification models for species discrimination were tested. The best results were obtained with the use of k-NN for both wood and charcoal and ANN for wood analysis. In all situations, second derivative NIR spectra produced better results.Research highlights: Correct discrimination of wood and charcoal species for control of illegal logging was achieved. Fabaceae species in an Araucaria forest stand were correctly identified.Keywords: Araucaria forest; identification of species; classification models.Abbreviations used: Near infrared: NIR, Lages Herbarium of Santa Catarina State University: LUSC, Principal component analysis: PCA, artificial neural network: ANN, support vector machines with kernel radial basis function: SVM, k-nearest neighbors: k-NN.
Mathematical Mystery in a Cultural Game
Authors: Gök Mustafa
Published: December 2020

This study described the mathematical depth in a mathematical activity carried out in a village in Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia Region. This activity presented in the context of the game reflects a cultural situation of doing mathematics over time. In this context, it can identify as a study of ethnomathematics. Therefore, the cultural game was introduced first, and then the mathematical depth behind this game was uncovered in all its aspects. Finally, the mathematical relationship behind the game was analysed in terms of mathematics education. The case study, as one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The participants of the study consist of 1 person who knows, transmits, and teaches the cultural game. The game process and semi-structured interview that constituted the research data were recorded with a camera and a voice recording device. Descriptive analysis was used in the analysis of the interview. Findings of the study suggest that the cultural game is played without considering its mathematical depth, but that there is a rich mathematical depth behind it. The results also indicate that such games offer an effective way for adults learning mathematics. On the other hand, the study revealed that there could be different ways of thinking between school mathematics and ethnomathematics. It is thought that synthesizing mathematics with games that include ethnomathematics has the potential to provide students at diverse levels with an excellent mathematical experience.
Shear walls of limited ductility
Authors: Robinson L. M.
Published: December 2020

The design and detailing of earthquake resistant reinforced concrete shear walls of limited ductility designed by a modified strength design method are discussed. Suitable methods for the evaluation of actions and the determination of internal actions are advanced, having regard to energy dissipation and the consequences of heavy damage or of collapse. Discussion is not restricted to uniform walls, but is extended to walls with openings, for which a suggested classification and treatment is presented, thus allowing for suitable design techniques for walls transitional between uniform walls and frames to be determined. Applications  of the proposals are illustrated in an Appendix.
DEMAND FOR SOCIAL CONTACT IN RATS: TOWARD A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT VALUE
Authors: Vanderhooft Lauren , Tan Lavinia , Hackenberg Timothy D.
Published: December 2020

Rats were studied in social-release procedures, in which lever presses by one rat released a second rat from a tube restraint for a period of social interaction. Both the fixed-ratio price and the duration of social contact were varied systematically on a within-subject basis, generating a total of 27 demand functions across six subjects. Overall, the data were well accounted for by the essential value model (96% VAF), supporting a social reinforcement view, according to which social-release behavior is maintained by social contact with another rat. Response rates and parameter fitswere comparable in 25-min and 120-min sessions, showing little evidence of satiation.Overall, the findings suggest that socially-reinforced behavior shares functionalproperties with other reinforcers, and illustrate a promising set of methods for quantifying social reinforcement value.
DOES “MUTUAL REINFORCEMENT” FUNCTION AS REINFORCEMENT?
Authors: Okouchi Hiroto , Takafuji Wataru , Sogawa Yuto
Published: December 2020

A contingency under which a response by an individual yields a reinforcer delivered to another individual, and vice versa, sometimes has been called mutual reinforcement. 　The present experiments examined whether such so-called mutual reinforcement increases and maintains response rates. Following hopper training, two pairs of pigeons were exposed to a schedule of mutual reinforcement: a peck of the key by one pigeon permitted another pigeon to access food, and vice versa (Experiment 1). The results provided no evidence that the mutual reinforcement increased the response rates. In Experiment 2, a fixed-ratio 1 schedule was followed by a schedule of mutual reinforcement for two pairs of pigeons. Although response rates decreased to near zero across the 70 sessions with the mutual reinforcement in effect, the rates were higher than those under a variable-time schedule, suggesting that mutual reinforcement did not maintain a stable rate of responding,but it did postpone extinction of the response.
TRANSITIONS FROM RICH-TO-LEAN SCHEDULES INCREASE ATTACK IN A LABORATORY MODEL OF SOCIAL AGGRESSION IN PIGEONS: II. FIXED-INTERVAL SCHEDULES.
Authors: Pitts Raymond C. , Hughes Christine E. , Williams Dean C.
Published: December 2020

Pigeons key pecked under two-component multiple fixed-interval (FI) schedules. Each component provided a different reinforcer magnitude (small or large), signaled by the color of the key light. Attacks toward a live, protected target pigeon were measured. Large- (rich) and small- (lean) reinforcer components alternated irregularly such that four different interval types (transitions) between the size of the immediately preceding reinforcer and the size of the upcoming reinforcer occurred within each session: lean-to-lean, lean-to-rich, rich-to-lean, and rich-torich transitions. The FI for each component was the same within each phase, but was manipulated across phases. For all pigeons, more attack occurred following the presentations of the larger reinforcer (i.e., during rich-to-lean and rich-to-rich transitions). For 2 of the 3 pigeons, this effect was modulated by the size of the upcoming reinforcer; attack following larger reinforcers was elevated when the upcoming reinforcer was small (i.e., during rich-to-lean transitions). This rich-to-lean effect on attack diminished or disappeared as the length of the FI schedule was increased (i.e., control over attack by the upcoming reinforcer size diminished with increases in the inter-reinforcement interval). For all pigeons and at all FIs, however, postreinforcement pauses were longest during the rich-to-lean transitions. These data (1) are consistent with the notion that postreinforcement periods during intermittent schedules function aversively and, thus, can precipitate aggressive behavior, and (2) suggest that rich-to-lean conditions may be especially aversive. They also indicate, however, that aversive effects of rich-to-lean transitions may differ across fixed-ratio (FR) and FI schedules, and that variables controlling attacking and pausing may not be isomorphic between these different schedule types.
The Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on the Hospitality Industry in Liberia: A Case Study on the Chinese Investment
Authors: Blamoh Loretha Adjuah , Jingyi Yang , Meixue Wen , Weiijie Gao
Published: December 2020

Foreign Direct Investment is said to have a positive impact on the development of the hospitality industry in developing countries. It helps create employment opportunities and positively impact local economies. The present study research published articles, desk reviews, scientific databases among others to report the results. Current findings showed that the success of the hospitality industry in developing countries depends on the levels of Foreign Direct Investment. Although many developing countries have natural features such as beaches, rivers, and other natural resources, local capital to invest in those resources is unavailable. Tourism shows particular promise for developing countries. The tourism industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors in the global economy and a key driver of socio-economic development, as it is labor-intensive and stimulates SME growth and investment. It has been used in other countries as an economic driver for growth which can widely support poverty reduction.Foreign Direct Investment is said to have a positive impact on the development of the hospitality industry in developing countries. It helps create employment opportunities and positively impact local economies. The present study research published articles, desk reviews, scientific databases among others to report the results. Current findings showed that the success of the hospitality industry in developing countries depends on the levels of Foreign Direct Investment. Although many developing countries have natural features such as beaches, rivers, and other natural resources, local capital to invest in those resources is unavailable. Tourism shows particular promise for developing countries. The tourism industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors in the global economy and a key driver of socio-economic development, as it is labor-intensive and stimulates SME growth and investment. It has been used in other countries as an economic driver for growth which can widely support poverty reduction.
The Impact of Trade Agreement on Agricultural Trade Flow in West Africa
Authors: Manu Christiana
Published: December 2020

This paper analysed the impact of trade agreements on agricultural trade flow in West Africa. The study used 25 major trading partners of Ghana for 25 years between 1995 and 2019. Using the Gravity econometric model, this study finds that being a member of the trade agreement (FTA) is positively related to the aggregate flow of trade in agriculture. Trade agreements are found to increase trade flow with trading in agricultural products; especially trading partners in ECOWAS, if members agree on free trade in such products. The result shows that Ghana’s bilateral exports significantly increase with an increase in domestic and partner wages, and with distance, they decrease significantly. FTA was found to be a positive and significant determinant of Ghana’s bilateral trade in the long and the short run as well. Therefore, when there is a free trade agreement between countries, they tend to trade more among themselves than countries without the trade agreement.
Evaluating an International Investment Court for International Investment Disputes Under European Union’s Proposal
Authors: Arafa Ahmed , Guo Dexiang
Published: December 2020

Berserk resentment of the existing framework regulating the international investment protection system and the operating of investment tribunals have direct to a prevalent perception that there is an immediate need for reform. This is especially pronounced having to do with Investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS), where there is an overall perception that it is not anything but an unfair and unbiased arbitration system available to decide disputes between states and foreign investors. Therefore, ISDS has been obtained a reputation for being non-transparent, one-sided, and contradictory in all decisions made by ISDS tribunals. The European Union (EU) has responded to this need, by proposing an international investment court; in this research, an attempt is making to look at this court, according to the European Union’s proposal. Moreover, the research explores the potential in creating this international investment court since a system can be drastically altered. However, some criticism can be addressed by international investment courts. However, specific steps can be taken to improve the international community’s investor-state dispute settlement system by re-valuating all the objectives and goals to solve international investment disputes.
Autour du Mur (dit) d’Hannibal : appréhender un « dispositif militaire » du premier siècle av. J.-C. dans les Alpes poenines (Valais, Suisse et Vallée d’Aoste, Italie)
Authors: Andenmatten Romain
Published: December 2020

Des sites occupés par des militaires romains durant la seconde moitié du premier siècle avant J.-C. ont été mis en évidence entre 2300 et 3100 m d’altitude dans les Alpes poenines. Après une introduction au programme de recherche sur ces positions, un catalogue présente les résultats des investigations sur les sites valaisans. La confrontation de ces découvertes aux sources historiques et plus particulièrement aux événements ayant amené à l’établissement de l’hégémonie romaine sur cette région, ainsi que le rappel des réserves méthodologiques inhérentes à cet exercice font office de conclusion. L’ensemble amène un nouvel éclairage sur la période tardo- républicaine dans cette partie des Alpes et présente un état des lieux de cette recherche toujours en cours.
COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Air Quality of Three Metro Cities in India
Authors: Chhikara Ashu , Kumar Naveen
Published: December 2020

Covid-19 health pandemic resulted in nationwide lockdown in India. With the closure of almost everything from educational institutions to industries less no of vehicles came out on roads. As the vehicular emission is one of the reasons of higher rate of pollution in metro cities so this step of lockdown has shown positive impact on environment with decrease in pollution level. Despite various attempts made by the government over the last few years nothing proved fruitful but this forced decision has shown some great results. We have analysed the changes in the quality of air during lockdown period from 25th March to 30th April, 2020 over pre-lockdown period from 1st March to 24th March, 2020 of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata which are the polluted cities of India. Seven air pollutants PM2.5, PM10, O3, CO, SO2, NH3, and NO2 have been used to calculate Air Quality Index (AQI) to see the changes in quality of air. The results showed that due to lockdown concentration of various pollutants PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 has decreased significantly. There is a heavy reduction of 42.27%, 69.28% and 74.80% in concentration of NO2 in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata respectively. It has been deduced from change in AQI values that there is a significant improvement in quality of air during lockdown in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Subcategories Multiple Uses of Land Recognized by Land Use and Land Cover Classification System Using LISS-III and NRSC Enumerate Data: Case Study at Medchal Mandal, Hyderabad, India
Authors: Kumar D. Naresh , Madhu T.
Published: December 2020

Recognition of compound land possessions in Mandal level often produces complex in precisely classifying land use and land cover (LULC) characteristics. A renovated village, as an Infrastructure development ought to adequate information on several aspects of its performance in direct to compose verdict. LULC is merely a solitary such aspect, to increase significance to conquer problems of declining environmental quality, farmlands, degradation of wetlands, the slaughter of wildlife territory, and water bodies. LISS-III (Linear Integrated self-scanning) images and NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre) catalog improve LULC classification accuracy at the Mandal level. The results of this investigation reveal that five categories are occupied a large area, followed by buildup land, cropland, forest, industries, and water bodies, (13%, 26%, 9%, 10%, and 13%). The highest contribution is cropland and the lowest contribution is forest land. The unobstructedly available a large amount of satellite data conceding for monitoring of existing land features on a large scale. Cluster-I division contains more dominated LULC categorised villages such as Ravalkole, Gundlapochampally, Medchal, and Sreerangavam villages. LULC classification data applied for investigation of environmental sustainability and problems. This research has been recommended and support for implement rainwater harvesting structures for recharge of groundwater or collection of water in this Medchal Mandal and develop mobile education, higher education institutes, and small-scale industries in villages.
Neurootological manifestations of Lyme borreliosis
Authors: Wysocki Jarosław
Published: December 2020

Introduction: The incidence of tick-borne diseases in Poland and Europe is increasing which is considered to be due to climate warming which promotes the growth of tick populations. Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent leptospirosis in the US and Europe. Due to the potential for serious complications and the lack of specific prevention, diagnostic vigilance is essential so as to ensure early diagnosis and implementation of treatment. The main pathogen-transmitting vector is the tick species Ixodex ricinus. The suborder of ticks (Ixodida) belongs to the Acari subclass of arachnids. The natural reservoir of B. burgdorferi consists of small and medium-sized mammals and birds. Around ¾ of patients with Lyme disease report complaints and present disease symptoms within in the head and neck. The symptoms are diverse and may occur at all stages of the disease. These include headaches, neck pain and stiffness, sore throat, dizziness, cervical lymphadenopathy, otalgia, tinnitus, sudden hearing loss, and facial muscle paresis. Despite numerous papers being published on neurological manifestations of Lyme disease, the issues regarding the location of damage within the course of the auditory pathway and the balance system remain unanswered. In some cases hearing disorders may be due to central damage while others may be due to peripheral damage.
Objective: The article provides an overview of reports on the clinical course and manifestation of Lyme borreliosis.
Analyzing embedded pose estimation solutions for human behaviour understanding
Authors: Neto José Gomes da Silva , Teixeira João Marcelo Xavier Natário , Teichrieb Veronica
Published: December 2020

This work represents the first phase of a more complete work that has the goal of using RGB images as information to make analyses of human behavior. In this phase, we developed a prototype of hardware/software, capable of estimating human pose using only RGB information. The equipment chosen was the NVIDIA Jetson Nano, known for having have a better computational performance compared to Raspberry pi and Arduino microcontoller alternatives. In the search for important algorithms for pose estimation, applied to the limited platform as the Jetson Nano, we found important works such as HyperPose, TensorRT Pose Estimation, and the used on the project, tf-poseestimation. The results show a low FPS performance of the Jetson Nano, using the chosen algorithm, compared to related hardware, such as the NVIDIA Jetson TX2 and NVIDIA Jetson Xavier.
Unifesp 25 anos - VR 360°
Authors: Yanaze Leandro Key Higuchi , Silva Edna De Mello , Guimarães Marcelo De Paiva
Published: December 2020

O "Unifesp 25 anos - VR 360º" é um aplicativo de realidade virtual desenvolvido para fins de pesquisa aplicada que fez parte da campanha institucional comemorativa em 2019. O aplicativo buscou apresentar uma narrativa que remete ao passado, presente e futuro da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp) de forma imersiva e interativa através de aplicativo desenvolvido para o dispositivo de Realidade Virtual Oculus Quest.
BioxLab: Laboratório de Informática em Saúde – Bioxthica
Authors: Brandão Alexandre Fonseca
Published: December 2020

Sistemas de Realidade Virtual (RV) têm sido utilizados na ciência como ferramentas de ensino e aprendizagem, formação técnica e entretenimento. No campo da reabilitação neurofuncional, a RV oferece uma oportunidade real para complementar e estimular a terapia convencional em pessoas que convivem com limitações físicas e cognitivas. Pertencente ao BRAINN (um Cepid FAPESP), o BioxLab consiste em um laboratório de design, testes e aprimoramento de soluções de Informática em Saúde para aplicações em recuperação motora e neurofuncional. Estas aplicações são controladas a partir dos movimentos captados por um dispositivo de reconhecimento de gestos (de desenvolvimento próprio) que consiste em um sonar (ultrassom) e Arduino ou pelo Microsoft Kinect (dispositivo comercial) que digitaliza o corpo do usuário e cria coordenadas espaciais de suas articulações, permitindo a interação gestual.
Voxar Labs
Authors: Teichrieb Veronica , Simões Francisco , Figueiredo Lucas , Lima João Paulo , Teixeira João Marcelo , Roberto Rafael , Da Gama Alana , Chaves Thiago , Gomes Arlindo , Euzébio Maria
Published: December 2020

Voxar Labs is a research group focused in augmenting experiences through research, innovation and collaboration with academia and industry. It develops cutting-edge multi-disciplinary research in the large area of Spatial Computing, tackling the inner areas of Extended Reality, Computer Vision and Natural Interaction. The laboratory aims to create impact through R&D&I, technology transfer, scientific publications, patents and human-resources formation. It is one of the most productive Augmented Reality research groups in the Latin America, also being recognized with seven best papers and ten first-place competitions’ prizes over the nine years of its existence. Voxar Labs is part of the Informatics Center of the Federal University of Pernambuco, located in Recife – Pernambuco, Brazil.
A Suspected Metastatic Liposarcoma of the Inferior Alveolar Nerve Canal: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Pourshahidi Sara , Yousefian Marzieh , Manifar Soheila , Mosavat Farzaneh , Esfandbod Mohsen , Jahanbin Behnaz , Salarvand Samaneh
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Liposarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma, but it is relatively scarce in the head and neck. The metastatic liposarcoma is more infrequent than the primary one. Case Presentation: Here is presented a suspected case of metastatic liposarcoma in the inferior alveolar nerve canal in a 40-year-old female patient with a chief complaint of the chin and lower lip numbness and medical history of liposarcoma in the thigh. The present study was a case report for metastatic liposarcoma in the head and neck regions, according to the English language literature found in PubMed and Google Scholar. The search was performed using the keywords "Metastatic Liposarcoma" and "Head" and "Neck". Conclusions: According to the findings, the reported case may be the first case of the metastasis of liposarcoma in the inferior alveolar nerve canal. Ominous signs, such as numbness, should be considered in patients with a history of cancer, due to their warning for metastasis or recurrence of the tumor.
The LPS-Treated Human Gastric Cancer Cells (AGS) Show a Significant Higher Tendency to Proliferation, Inflammation and Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Expression
Authors: Sedighzadeh Sahar Sadat , Galehdari Hamid , Tabandeh Mohammad Reza , Roohbakhsh Ali , Shamsara Mehdi
Published: December 2020

Background: Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) that located throughout the central, peripheral, and enteric nervous system can be found all over the gastrointestinal tract. Cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) play important roles in pathophysiological processes and have been identified as a therapeutic target for developing novel anticancer agents. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the CB1R expression in human gastric cancer, mRNA and protein expression of CB1R under lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammation condition in human gastric cancer cells (AGS), and the effects of inflammation on cell proliferation in LPS-stimulated AGS cells. Methods: CB1R mRNA expression in human gastric cancer samples and AGS cells were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression level of CB1R, after inflammation induction using LPS, was evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blot techniques. Cell proliferation was evaluated using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling assay. Results: CB1R mRNA was significantly higher in human gastric cancer samples compared to adjacent normal tissues. LPS induced CB1R mRNA and protein expression in stimulated cells and promoted the proliferation of AGS cells. Conclusions: Our results show the increased expression of CB1R in gastric cancer samples and reveal that LPS induction increases the expression of CB1R and promotes cell proliferation in AGS cells. Accordingly, CB1R may be suggested as a potential molecular target for diagnostic and therapeutic aims in patients with gastric cancer.
Can Vloggers Characteristics Change Online-Shopping Intentions? The Role of Word of Mouth Effect as a Communication Tool
Authors: BAYAZIT Zeynep , DURMUŞ Beril , YILDIRIM Figen
Published: December 2020

Purpose - Vlogging enables individuals to share experiences, knowledge and diaries with the online community. Recently many studies have shown that vloggers’ main characteristics and blog types have a direct influence on users as an effective medium. As vlogs have become an important tool for interactive communication, the purpose of this paper is to understand the relationship between vloggers’characteristics, trust, word of mouth and intention of online shopping. This study implies that the vblog can be a meaningful learning platform and the vlogging can be a significant medium in having/sharing the informal knowledge for online shopping. Design/Methodology/Approach- Based on various theories, the structural equation modelling approach was proposed in this study. A survey with convenience sampling involving 357 vlog users as participants was analyzed in the empirical study to investigate whether the usefulness of vbloggers’ recommendations and trusting beliefs towards vblogger has influence on consumers’ behavioral intentions towards word of mouth and online shopping. Findings-The results showed that vloggers’ characteristics had significant influential effect on vlog users’ attitude towards and intention to shop online. Moreover, the findings indicated that engagement characteristics of vloggers elicited trust more than authoritative knowledged characteristics of vloggers. As a result of the path analysis it is discovered that the intention to shop online is triggered through trust and word of mouth communication. Engagement knowledge has more power on the relationship between word of mouth communication and the intention to purchase. As much as users trust that the content of the vlog is based on true information and not for advertising strategy, the more likely they want to share the information virally. That would have a direct impact to the increasing intention to buy. Originality/Value- The originality of this paper is to study vlogging, which is a new working field in the scholarly literature, and its correlation to users’ intention to buy. This study especially analyzes the vlog characteristics and their increasingly leading factors to users/readers’ attractiveness intention to buy. The value of this study concentrated on the trust issue and its positive relation to amateur vloggers instead of authorative knowledged based ones.
An Interpretation of Sartre’s Phenomenology of the Image as a Phenomenology of the Sign
Authors: Süner Ahmet ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: December 2020

Sartre’s phenomenology of the image in L’Imaginaire includes analytical distinctions between the mind’s comportments towards perceptual objects, images, and signs, which he refers to as different forms of consciousness. Sartre denies any possible convergence between imaging and sign consciousness, arguing that there are essential differences in the way they relate to the notions of resemblance, positionality, and affect. This essay argues against his phenomenological distinctions by stressing the continuity of imaging with sign consciousness: between images and words. In particular, it argues that his understanding of the sign as affectless is questionable and that there is no reason to believe that images and signs cannot elicit similar affects or perform the same functions. Consequently, it is possible to interpret Sartre’s physical images or “analoga” as pictorial signs: his phenomenological descriptions of physical images may indeed be recast in the language of the sign and reformulated as acts of consciousness that involve pictorial signs.
Intellectual Virtues and Biased Understanding
Authors: Mărăşoiu Andrei Ionuţ ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: December 2020

Biases affect much of our epistemic lives. Do they affect how we understand things? For Linda Zagzebski, we only understand something when we manifest intellectual virtues or skills. Relying on how widespread biases are, J. Adam Carter and Duncan Pritchard raise a skeptical objection to understanding so conceived. It runs as follows: most of us seem to understand many things. We genuinely understand only when we manifest intellectual virtues or skills, and are cognitively responsible for so doing. Yet much of what we seem to understand consists in conceptions whose formation could have easily been due to biases instead, and the work of biases is opaque to reflection. If conceptions constituting how we understand things could have easily been due to biases, then we are not cognitively responsible for them because we cannot reflectively appraise what we understand. So, we are mistaken in thinking we genuinely understand most of the time. I will defend the grounding of understanding in intellectual virtues and skills from Carter and Pritchard’s objection. We are cognitively responsible for understanding when we manifest our expertise. We can do so, I will argue, without being required to reflectively appraise what we understand.
Phoenix Rising from the Ashes
Authors: Jensen Steven J. ,   The National Catholic Bioethics Center
Published: December 2020

New natural law advocates are somewhat notorious for their loose action theory, having a track record of counterintuitive claims. In response to criticisms, advocates have entrenched, further defending their questionable action theory. This paper first rehearses the basic criticism against the new natural law action theory. It then examines four recent attempts to revive this action theory and finds these attempts wanting. Within these attempts, certain patterns arise. Given a certain means A to a goal C, a search is made to determine whether any middle means B is implied by A. The standards of this search vary wildly, however. By some standards, a middle means can be found; by others, every middle means can be easily swept aside. The same author will sometimes use both kinds of standards, depending upon the situation. One great weakness of the action theory, then, is a lack of consistency in applying a universal standard.
Discometra luberonensis sp. nov. (Crinoidea, Himerometridae), a new feather star from the Late Burdigalian
Authors: Eléaume Marc , Roux Michel , Philippe Michel
Published: December 2020

Most fossil feather stars are known only from the centrodorsal often connected to the radial circlet. This is the case for Discometra rhodanica (Fontannes, 1877), the type species of the genus Discometra, collected from the Late Burdigalian of the Miocene Rhône-Provence basin (southeastern France). The quarries operating in this area have exposed layers from the Late Burdigalian on the northern flank of the Lubéron anticline near Ménerbes (basin of Apt, Vaucluse, southeastern France). These layers contain exceptionally well-preserved echinoderms, among which are three specimens of a feather star with cirri and arms still connected to the centrodorsal. They are attributed to a new species: Discometra luberonensis sp. nov. (Himerometridae). The number of arms can reach 60, as in extant species of the genus Himerometra, but the pattern of arm divisions is closer to that of the genus Heterometra, which has no more than 45 arms in extant species. Discometra luberonensis sp. nov. differs from D. rhodanica by the characters of its centrodorsal. Here we redescribe the centrodorsal and radial circlets of D. rhodanica based on previously and newly collected specimens. We designate a neotype for D. rhodanica, because the holotype is considered lost. Affinities between Discometra, Himerometra and Heterometra are discussed.
From concept to implementation: Brussels agreement and everyday in Kosovo and Metohija
Authors: Radovanović Đorđe , Obradović Filip
Published: December 2020

In this paper we are analyzing the idea of the Brusseles agreement as a political idea which was supposed to normalize ethnic relations between Serbia and "Kosovo", with everyday ethnic relations in the Kosovo and Metohija region. According to documents from " Republic od Serbia's report on the progress in the Belgrade - Pristina dialogue", there is visible contradiction for the reader where progress in the dialogue in Brusseles resulted in regression in ethnic relations. On the account of numeros acts of violence by Albanian extremists to Serbian minorty, such as house burning, rapeing, kidnapping women and children and tearing down religious and cultural monuments thruout the Brusseles agreement, with benevolent watch international community and EU, comes the conclusion that the agreement is mildly said an insufficient solution for the Kosovo situation. Besides that, constant outbursts of violence explicitly on Serbian people, with elements of destroying Serbian nationality. Subsequently saying, this problem demands compromised solution with effective participation of the International community in finding a solution.
Integrated border management in EU law and its implementation in the Republic of Serbia
Authors: Božović Milenko , Vasilkov Zorančo
Published: December 2020

The subject of research in this paper is the protection of the European Union's external borders by the establishment and implementation of The European integrated border management system. In addition to the implementation by the Member States, this system i.e., the adoption of the Union's (Schengen) acquis, is a priority for the candidate countries during accession negotiations. The process of negotiation for the accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union and the opening of Chapter 24, entitled Justice, Freedom, and Security, obliges the Republic of Serbia to accept and implement the European legislation into the national legal system within the field of border security and control. The emergence of the European system of integrated management of external borders is connected with the abolition of internal borders within Schengen integration and designed as a system of protection shaped by European Council guidelines, EU Council conclusions and EU secondary law, to become part of primary law after the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty. Its components and application have a significant impact on the permeability of borders for the flow of people and economic goods and the suppression of security threats at the external (EU) borders of member states, the borders of the Western Balkans and the Republic of Serbia.
Effects of structural changes in the economy of the Republic of Serbia: Old problems, new reform challenges
Authors: Jakopin Edvard
Published: December 2020

Structural changes in the economy directly affect macroeconomic and financial stability, income growth, productivity and economic efficiency, social inclusion, and the improved quality of life. The global contraction in 2020, caused by COVID-19, the deepest since the Second World War, will cause a great global economic reset, extreme poverty will increase, and the biggest permanent loss will be in human capital. The biggest consequences for the Serbian economy will be a slowdown in structural reforms. The key performance of the economy in the conjunctural period was positive and affected the growth of the resilience of the economic system, but the research showed that the implemented structural reforms were insufficient and slow, that the old problems are still the causes of low competitiveness. In the context of new reform challenges, the focus of activities needs to be shifted towards creating a stimulating environment for the development of domestic entrepreneurship and the growth of private investment in order to increase trust in the entrepreneurship-institution relationship.
SARS-COV-2 transmission among family members
Authors: Todorović Gordana , Joldžić Aleksandar , Anđelić Slađana , Nedeljković Darko
Published: December 2020

Introduction/Objective Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) is a new respiratory disease -COVID-19. A virus from the Coronaviridae family, highly contagious and virulent took over the world in a very short time causing the 2019/2020 pandemic. We are presenting the case of COVID-19 transmission among family members, patients of various ages, sex, clinical presentation and findings, who have been infected in different ways. Case reports Three patients are described, all with different coronavirus-specific symptomatology. Symptoms ranged from fatigue and loss of appetite with no other, more prominent symptoms in the youngest patient, to fever, high temperature, diarrhoea, muscle ache and chest pain during inspiration in the oldest patient. The third patient's dominant symptoms were dry, non-productive cough, lack of oxygen, shortness of breath and perspiration on exertion, headache and normal temperature, with radiographically confirmed bilateral pneumonia. Laboratory findings (leukopenia, lymphocytopenia with elevated C-reactive protein levels, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and lactate dehydrogenase levels) were consistent with a viral infection, highly suspicious of SARS-COV-2, which was confirmed with a real-time RT-PCR test in all three patients. After being hospitalized in the Clinical Hospital Center "Zemun" Department of Pulmonology and treated with symptomatic, antiviral and antibiotic therapy, the disease regressed and the RT-PCR tests became negative. Conclusion SARS-COV-2 is a very aggressive and potent cause of the coronavirus disease. The presented cases confirm the possibility of quick transmission within a family through direct and indirect contact, as well as the diversity of symptoms, laboratory and clinical findings. Our clinical examples are similar in symptomatology and available results to cases from other parts of the world hit with the pandemic.
Analysis and forecast of the production parameters of major cereal crops in Serbia
Authors: Novković Nebojša , Vukelić Nataša , Janošević Miljko , Nikolić Srboljub , Arsić Slaviša
Published: December 2020

This paper deals with the production parameters of major cereal crops in Serbia (namely the cultivation area, annual production and yields of the cereal crops considered) in the period 2005-2018. The objective of this study was to determine trends in and the volume and stability of the production parameters of the most important cereal crops in Serbia. Furthermore, a forecast of changes in the parameters observed was made for the five-year period 2019-2023. The following cereal crops were under consideration: corn, wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale. The area devoted to corn in Serbia was found to be very stable, indicating a slight downward trend. However, the Serbian corn production lacked stability due to variations in yield, suggesting a very slight downward trend. Wheat was found to be far more stable with slightly growing trends in all the parameters considered. Moreover, positive trends in all the parameters considered were also noticed in the Serbian triticale production.
Media convergence of video games and films: Narrative, aesthetics and industrial synergy
Authors: Maravić Manojlo
Published: December 2020

The starting point for defining the relation between film and video games is the well-known thesis that each new medium assumes some formal and contentual characteristics of its predecessors, although the previous medium reconfigures its own and absorbs the properties of the new medium as well. The aim is to present a broader theoretical framework, which would serve as a basis for further exploration of this relation. A multidisciplinary approach will be used based on the concepts of media studies, game studies, film studies and cultural studies. Video games are often based on cinema's thematic, narrative and genre models, while the recursive narrative logic of games is present in films. The use of film language is noticeable in video games, while in movies, it is modified by the aesthetic properties of games. Hollywood industry and the video games industry are synergistic and offer users many ways of consuming products in different media.
Customer experience in the tourism industry: Determinants influencing complaint behaviour
Authors: Jevtić Jelena , Tomić Slavica , Leković Ksenija
Published: December 2020

The customer service experience with a specific travel agency is a kind of moment of truth. Customer satisfaction is the outcome they have experienced when service performance met expectations. Contrary to satisfaction, consumers may experience dissatisfaction with the provided service. One of the responses to dissatisfaction is a consumer complaint. Apart from feeling satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the provided service, consumers may also be satisfied or unsatisfied with the complaint process. The aim of this paper is to identify differences in the determinants of complaint behavior (tendency to file a complaint, justice of interaction, perception of fairness, satisfaction with the complaint handling process and loyalty) between female and male respondents. Field research was conducted meaning that the primary data were collected through a survey. The paper presents the respondents' assessments of the set statements regarding experiences during the complaint process. To meet the research objectives, the Mann-Whitney U test was applied, which is used to examine the differences between the two independent groups as a nonparametric alternative to the t-test of independent samples.
The importance of intangible elements in the assessment of service quality in hotels in Kolubara District
Authors: Vujić Milan , Sekulić Dejan , Cvijanović Drago
Published: December 2020

One of the hotel companies' key strategies in terms of increasing domestic and international competition is that the hotel service offer reflects a high quality level. Aim of this paper is to measure the guests' satisfaction level by the intangible components of offer in the Kolubara District hotels, i.e. to show the significance of this dimension in the total process of providing hotel services. Satisfied guests show a higher loyalty level, which represents a precondition for visiting the same hotel by the same guests and recommend it to their friends. The research was conducted in four hotels, where 100 respondents, the guests of the hotel, were surveyed. The research results showed that the intangible dimension of hotel offer can predetermine and increase the value of services to a large degree, and guests' satisfaction as the users of services as well.