bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E-Government in Namibia
Authors: Nengomasha Cathrine T. , Uutoni Wilhelm E.
Published: May 2015

This chapter discusses e-government initiatives in Namibia. A literature review shows that worldwide most e-government initiatives at national and local government are associated with the creation of websites with the aim of enhancing access to information. Whilst most governments are at this stage, a few have moved on to the stage of providing personalised e-services. The chapter provides the physical context, e-government readiness status, including the legal framework, and the implementation of e-government in Namibia. It also looks at the public or citizens' awareness of e-government. Using desk research, the chapter presents indicators used in e-government readiness assessments from various studies to show the level of Namibia's e-government adoption. A number of the indicators reflect some of the factors that hinder Namibia's progress in e-government implementation. In Namibia's case, some of these include the low usage of ICTs and affordability. The study concludes that Namibia is still at level one of its four-phase e-government implementation strategy.
E-Government Adoption in the UK
Authors: Mousa Rania
Published: May 2015

Electronic government is one of the strategic innovations which have become a powerful agent of change for developing better government information and services and supporting the modernization of government's operations. This paper investigates a remarkable e-government initiative represented by the adoption process of the Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) at Companies House (CH) in the United Kingdom. Based on the application of Rogers' framework, the research identifies CH's motivation, vision and process to use XBRL to achieve efficiency and produce better quality data to enhance and streamline the electronic filing process. The novelty of this research is based on the usage of a well-established innovation adoption framework to examine XBRL adoption as a process –rather than a product- innovation that remains to be an under-researched area. This research provides valuable implications and conclusions that can help decision makers and IT experts in government agencies to devise meaningful strategic plans to adopt future e-government initiatives and develop existing ones.
Applying Gap Model for Bringing Effectiveness to e-Government Services
Authors: Amritesh  , Misra Subhas C. , Chatterjee Jayanta
Published: May 2015

Taking the means-ends approach to e-governance service quality the authors adopt the Parasuraman's ‘Gap Model' to evaluate the antecedents of service performance in an Indian context of government-to-citizen (G2C) service deployment under the national e-governance plan (NeGP) of India. This e-governance initiative in India has been implemented at multiple tiers of the government that integrates administration and service processes at different levels that includes center, state, district, block, and further to the lowest level of governance unit (Panchayat). The authors acknowledge five levels of potential service discrepancies across the service delivery chain, from designing the service policy to achieving citizen satisfaction. These are service conceptualization, service design, service capacity, service offering, and service consumption. Corresponding to these discrepancies, the authors explain six types of potential gaps in e-governance G2C service context: Assessment Gap, Design Gap, Capacity Gap, External Communication Gap, Delivery Gap, and Service Gap. Preliminary strategies to close these gaps are also proposed.
The Efficiency of India's Cities
Authors: Sridhar Kala Seetharam
Published: May 2015

One reason for unsatisfactory public service delivery in Indian cities is that city finances are in poor condition. Recent research shows that given the fragmented institutional arrangements for land in India's cities, there is a case for transferring revenues from land leasing and sales to cities. In this paper, the author determines whether such transfer of revenues to India's cities from the state governments is justified. The author uses stochastic frontier analysis to determine the efficiency of Indian cities, taking the case of roads. The author has found India's cities to be highly efficient in the provision of roads and there is only one percent inefficiency in the provision of roads by city governments. Hence transfer of finances to cities in a phased manner is recommended. Thus this paper shows a direct link between behavioral economics and concrete, practical applications at the organizational level.
Social Media and e-Participation
Authors: Vogt Sebastian , Förster Bernadette , Kabst Rüdiger
Published: May 2015

e-Participation has advantages over traditional modes of public participation: independent of time and place, information can be provided and updated at reasonable costs. A broad range of citizens can be involved regardless of demographics, family or work situation, thereby broadening the basis for public participation. Thus, public authorities seek to employ social media for the purposes of project management in terms of e-Participation. Nevertheless, social media presents challenges that need to be resolved to be suitable for e-Participation, such as user-friendliness, technical requirements for information preparation, and data protection requirements. Reviewing the literature, it is concluded that although common social media solutions are successful in generating attention for participation projects, they are not necessarily appropriate for conducting the project itself. Therefore, the case of a reference company offering a specialized platform and social network is introduced. It was identified as good practice in recent reports published by the European Commission.
Toward a Theory of E-Government Interorganizational Collaboration
Authors: Luna-Reyes Luis Felipe , Andersen David F.
Published: May 2015

In this chapter, the authors present a series of causal maps that constitute an initial effort in the creation of a generic theory of interorganizational cross-boundary electronic government (e-Government) projects. Such causal structures are the result of a simulation-based study in which they explored the interactions and social processes associated with the development of trust and knowledge sharing in the development of an interorganizational e-Government application in New York State: the Homeless Information Management System (HIMS). The chapter includes the main theoretical and practical implications of the modeling and simulation work, as well as discussion of some paths to continue the exploration of collaboration in this specific context. The causal maps are organized around three themes that emerged during the modeling process. The first theme is related to trust development, and its recursive interactions with knowledge sharing and learning. The second theme is related to the importance of achieving stakeholder engagement by establishing a trusting environment as opposed to the use of authority or coercive mechanisms. The last theme is associated with the understanding of requirement definition as a social process of learning and knowledge transfer. The authors believe that these recursive structures constitute an alternative to the factor approach to understanding success and failure in digital government.
Behavioral Intention towards E-Government in Malaysia
Authors: Taiwo Ayankunle A. , Downe Alan G. , Loke Siew-Phaik
Published: May 2015

This study examines an amplified unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) in the context of eGovernment to get a better understanding of users' behaviour towards eGovernment. Two hundred and six respondents (206) participated in the study and the data was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The study revealed that Performance Expectancy, Risk Taking Propensity, Attitude towards Computer and Web Trust dimensions are essential precursor of behavioural intention of Malaysians towards eGovernment. The study further suggests that policy-makers can increase eGovernment usage by creating applications that meets expected demands and needs of the people with provision of trust facilitating environment and security conditioned systems.
Anti-Corruption Capabilities of Public E-Procurement Technologies
Authors: Neupane Arjun , Soar Jeffrey , Vaidya Kishor
Published: May 2015

Public procurement is an important area warranting further attention in government reform, as electronic systems for procurement have enormous potential to help reduce corruption. Public e-Procurement is the use of an Internet or Web-based system by government institutions for the acquisition of goods and services, which can improve transparency and accountability. This chapter discusses different types of e-Procurement technologies with case examples from different countries that demonstrate how the e-Procurement technologies have great potential as the anti-corruption technologies. The chapter reviews the Principal-Agent Theory and discusses other relevant theories including Transaction Cost Theory, Fraud Triangle Theory, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, and the Technology Acceptance Model. Following a discussion of the potential of e-Procurement systems in mitigating corruption, a theoretical research model is proposed for identifying public e-Procurement anti-corruption capabilities.
E-Government, M-Government, L-Government
Authors: Asquer Alberto
Published: May 2015

The development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) brings about considerable changes in the ways public administration provides information and delivers services to citizens, businesses, and other public administration systems. This chapter reviews the application of ICT in the provision of public administration services. e-Government tools have been introduced in various countries in the world and enabled the strengthening of existing public administration services and the activation of innovative ones. m-Government tools, which are related to the emergence and diffusion of Internet mobile technology and devices, allow both overcoming infrastructure deficits and providing innovative services, which are particularly sensitive to users' context conditions. Finally, l-Government tools—i.e., ubiquitous, seamless, user-centric, and automated application of Internet technology to public administration services—have the potential to further redefine the terms of access of users to public administration services and to enhance the ties among citizens, businesses, and the government.
Consumers in Information Technology Enabled Service Encounters
Authors: Tuunanen Tuure
Published: May 2015

This study examines information technology enabled, multi-channel service context from the end-user's perspective and, more specifically, from the perspective of a consumer, in particular the extent to which the multi-channel interaction experience results in consumer satisfaction and any tradeoffs that consumers make in the evaluation of the context of service. Empirical results from our online survey with mobile consumers indicate that the variables included in the model have a direct impact on consumer satisfaction when considered individually. There are, however, tradeoffs between variables (e.g., problem-handling and record accuracy; scalability and usability of service) when considered simultaneously. This paper contributes to the discussion of development and use of IT enabled services and particularly how users of such should be considered as consumers. Practitioners designing services need to consider not only the technological artifact but also the entire service offering.
Social Networking among Library and Information Science Undergraduate Students
Authors: Alakpodia Onome Norah
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine social networking use among Library and Information Science students of the Delta State University, Abraka. In this study, students completed a questionnaire which assessed their familiarity with social networking sites, the purpose for which they use social networking site and their most preferred sites to use. Furthermore the study tested two hypotheses. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and chi square tests of significance. Results indicated that almost all of the sampled students were familiar with social networking and their most used site is Facebook. Findings also revealed that there is no significant difference in the usage of social networking sites by male and female LIS students and that there is significant relationship between the age of the students and social networking sites that they use.
Multi-Objective Fish School Search
Authors: Bastos-Filho Carmelo J. A. , Guimarães Augusto C. S.
Published: May 2015

The authors propose in this paper a very first version of the Fish School Search (FSS) algorithm for Multi-Objective Optimization. The proposal allows the optimization of problems with two or more conflicting objectives. The authors incorporated the dominance concept within the traditional FSS operators, creating a new approach called Multi-objective Fish School Search, MOFSS. They also adapted the barycenter concept deployed in the original FSS, which was replaced by the set of existing solutions in an external archive created to store the non-dominated solutions found during the search process. From their results in the DTLZ set of benchmark functions, the authors observed that the MOFSS obtained a similar performance when compared to well-known and well-established multi-objective swarm-based optimization algorithms. They detected some convergence problems in functions with a high number of local Pareto fronts. However, adaptive schemes can be used in future work to overcome this weakness.
An Analysis of Patients Transferred to a Tertiary Oncological Intensive Care Unit for Defined Procedures
Authors: Kamat Sunil , Chawla Sanjay , Rajendram Prabalini , Pastores Stephen M. , Kostelecky Natalie , Halpern Neil A.
Published: May 2015

Background

Up to 50 000 intensive care unit interhospital transfers occur annually in the United States.

Objective

To determine the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of cancer patients transferred from an intensive care unit in one hospital to another intensive care unit at an oncological center and to evaluate whether interventions planned before transfer were performed.

Methods

Data on transfers for planned interventions from January 2008 through December 2012 were identified retrospectively. Demographic and clinical variables, receipt of planned interventions, and outcome data were analyzed.

Results

Of 4625 admissions to an intensive care unit at the oncological center, 143 (3%) were transfers from intensive care units of other hospitals. Of these, 47 (33%) were transfers for planned interventions. Patients’ mean age was 57 years, and 68% were men. At the time of intensive care unit transfer, 20 (43%) were receiving mechanical ventilation. Interventions included management of airway (n = 19) or gastrointestinal (n = 2) obstruction, treatment of tumor bleeding (n = 12), chemotherapy (n = 10), and other (n = 4). A total of 37 patients (79%) received the planned interventions within 48 hours of intensive care unit arrival; 10 (21%) did not because their signs and symptoms abated. Median intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay at the oncological center were 4 and 13 days, respectively. Intensive care unit and hospital mortality rates were 11% and 19%, respectively. Deaths occurred only in patients who received interventions.

Conclusions

Interhospital transfers of cancer patients to an intensive care unit at an oncological center are infrequent but are most commonly done for direct interventional care. Most patients received planned interventions soon after transfer.
Geometric morphometrics for the study of hemicoxae sexual dimorphism in a local domestic equine breed
Authors: Parés-Casanova P.
Published: May 2015

Introduction and material and methods. Twenty-height skeletonised hemicoxae from young animals (yearlings, 13 males and 15 females) belonging to the “CavallPirinencCatalà” horse (Catalan Pyrenean Horse) breed were studied by means of geometric morphometric (GM) methods. Morphometric analysis was based on coordinates of 16 landmarks of the ilium and ischiopubic regions that were digitised on 2D photographic images. Sexes did not appear separated either by size or shape, the latter being independent of the former.K-means clustering of shape variables were used in order to classify individuals by sex and an average accuracy of 57.1% was achieved. Results. Males were misclassified more frequently than females. For the iliac landmarks, which contributed to the total variance of shape with the higher degree, the value obtained increased to 60.7% for k-means. The ischiopubic complex contributed less to sex differentiation according to shape. Conclusion. It is concluded that the use of GM and multivariate statistics is not a reliable method to quantify pelvic shape and size differences between the sexes for equine yearlings. This is the irst known study to apply GM to the hip of an equine breed.
Gluteal nerves in Crab-eating fox
Authors: Senos R. , Benedicto H.
Published: May 2015

Introduction: The Crab-eating fox is a medium-sized South American canid. Although there are several studies regarding this species, especially in epidemiology and parasitology studies, only few data regarding the morphology has been reported. The aim of our study was to describe the gluteal nerves of the Crab-eating fox and compare them with the domestic dogs for homology concerns and surgical application. Materials and Methods: We used four pelvic limbs of Crab-eating foxes fixed with 10% formalin and injected with red neoprene latex. Muscles, arteries and nerves were anatomically dissected. Results: The Cranial gluteal nerve supplied the Middle gluteal, Deep gluteal and Tensor Fasciae Latae muscles, while the Caudal gluteal nerve supplied the Middle Gluteal, Superficial Gluteal, Pirirformis, Gemilli and Coccygeus muscles. Conclusions: Our results presented a variable relation between muscles and nerve supplies between the Crab-eating fox and the domestic dogs. The indings also suggested morphological differentiation in lumbosacral plexus during canids species evolution. Finally, for surgical approaches to hip joint and pelvis, the domestic dog can be used as model for the Crab-eating fox.
Lidar profiling of aerosol optical properties from Paris to Lake Baikal (Siberia)
Authors: Dieudonné E. , Chazette P. , Marnas F. , Totems J. , Shang X.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. In June 2013, a ground-based mobile lidar performed the ~10 000 km ride from Paris to Ulan-Ude, near Lake Baikal, profiling for the first time aerosol optical properties all the way from western Europe to central Siberia. The instrument was equipped with N2-Raman and depolarization channels that enabled an optical speciation of aerosols in the low and middle troposphere. The extinction-to-backscatter ratio (also called lidar ratio or LR) and particle depolarization ratio (PDR) at 355 nm have been retrieved. The LR in the lower boundary layer (300–700 m) was found to be 63 ± 17 sr on average during the campaign with a distribution slightly skewed toward higher values that peaks between 50 and 55 sr. Although the difference is small, PDR values observed in Russian cities (>2%, except after rain) are systematically higher than the ones measured in Europe (<1%), which is probably an effect of the lifting of terrigenous aerosols by traffic on roads. Biomass burning layers from grassland or/and forest fires in southern Russia exhibit LR values ranging from 65 to 107 sr and from 3 to 4% for the PDR. During the route, desert dust aerosols originating from the Caspian and Aral seas regions were characterized for the first time, with a LR (PDR) of 43 ± 14 sr (23 ± 2%) for pure dust. The lidar observations also showed that this dust event extended over 2300 km and lasted for ~6 days. Measurements from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) show that our results are comparable in terms of aerosol optical thickness (between 0.05 and 0.40 at 355 nm) with the mean aerosol load encountered throughout our route.
The CarboCount CH sites: characterization of a dense greenhouse gas observation network
Authors: Oney B. , Henne S. , Gruber N. , Leuenberger M. , Bamberger I. , Eugster W. , Brunner D.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. We describe a new rural network of four densely placed (< 100 km apart), continuous atmospheric carbon (CO2, CH4, and CO) measurement sites in north-central Switzerland and analyze their suitability for regional-scale (~ 100 to 500 km) carbon flux studies. We characterize each site by analyzing surrounding land cover, observed local meteorology, and sensitivity to surface fluxes, as simulated with the Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART-COSMO. The Beromünster measurements are made on a tall tower (212 m) located on a gentle hill. At Beromünster, regional CO2 signals (measurement minus background) vary diurnally from −4 to +4 ppmv on average, and are simulated to come from nearly the entire Swiss Plateau, where 50% of surface influence is simulated to be within 130 to 260 km distance. The Früebüel site measurements are made 4 m above ground on the flank of a gently sloping mountain. Nearby (< 50 km) pasture and forest fluxes exert the most simulated surface influence, except during convective summertime days when the site is mainly influenced by the eastern Swiss Plateau, which results in summertime regional CO2 signals varying diurnally from −5 to +12 ppmv and elevated summer daytime CH4 signals (+30 ppbv above other sites). The Gimmiz site measurements are made on a small tower (32 m) in flat terrain. Here, strong summertime regional signals (−5 to +60 ppmv CO2) stem from large, nearby (< 50 km) crop and anthropogenic fluxes of the Seeland region, except during warm or windy days when simulated surface influence is of regional scale (< 250 km). The Lägern-Hochwacht measurements are made on a small tower (32 m) on top of the steep Lägern crest, where simulated surface influence is typically of regional scale (130 to 300 km) causing summertime regional signals to vary from −5 to +8 ppmv CO2. Here, considerable anthropogenic influence from the nearby industrialized region near Zurich cause the average wintertime regional CO2 signals to be 5 ppmv above the regional signals simultaneously measured at Früebüel site. We find that the suitability of the datasets from our current observation network for regional carbon budgeting studies largely depends on the ability of the high-resolution (2 km) atmospheric transport model to correctly capture the temporal dynamics of the stratification of the lower atmosphere at the different sites. The current version of the atmospheric transport model captures these dynamics well, but it clearly reaches its limits at the sites in steep topography, and at the sites that generally remain in the surface layer. Trace gas transport and inverse modeling studies will be necessary to determine the impact of these limitations on our ability to derive reliable regional-scale carbon flux estimates in the complex Swiss landscape.
Next-generation angular distribution models for top-of-atmosphere radiative flux calculation from the CERES instruments: validation
Authors: Su W. , Corbett J. , Eitzen Z. , Liang L.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument are fundamental variables for understanding the Earth's energy balance and how it changes with time. TOA radiative fluxes are derived from the CERES radiance measurements using empirical angular distribution models (ADMs). This paper evaluates the accuracy of CERES TOA fluxes using direct integration and flux consistency tests. Direct integration tests show that the overall bias in regional monthly mean TOA shortwave (SW) flux is less than 0.2 W m−2 and the RMS error is less than 1.1 W m−2. The bias and RMS error are very similar between Terra and Aqua. The bias in regional monthly mean TOA LW fluxes is less than 0.5 W m−2 and the RMS error is less than 0.8 W m−2 for both Terra and Aqua. The accuracy of the TOA instantaneous flux is assessed by performing tests using fluxes inverted from nadir- and oblique-viewing angles using CERES along-track observations and temporally- and spatially-matched MODIS observations, and using fluxes inverted from multi-angle MISR observations. The TOA instantaneous SW flux uncertainties are about 2.3% (1.9 W m−2) over clear ocean, 1.6% (4.5 W m−2) over clear land, and 2.0% (6.0 W m−2) over clear snow/ice; and are about 3.3% (9.0 W m−2), 2.7% (8.4 W m−2), and 3.7% (9.9 W m−2) over ocean, land, and snow/ice under all-sky conditions. The TOA SW flux uncertainties are generally larger for thin broken clouds than for moderate and thick overcast clouds. The TOA instantaneous daytime LW flux uncertainties are 0.5% (1.5 W m−2), 0.8% (2.4 W m−2), and 0.7 % (1.3 W m−2) over clear ocean, land, and snow/ice; and are about 1.5% (3.5 W m−2), 1.0% (2.9 W m−2), and 1.1 % (2.1 W m−2) over ocean, land, and snow/ice under all-sky conditions. The TOA instantaneous nighttime LW flux uncertainties are about 0.5–1% (< 2.0 W m−2) for all surface types. Flux uncertainties caused by errors in scene identification are also assessed by using the collocated CALIPSO, CloudSat, CERES and MODIS data product. Errors in scene identification tend to underestimate TOA SW flux by about 0.6 W m−2 and overestimate TOA daytime (nighttime) LW flux by 0.4 (0.2) W m−2 when all CERES viewing angles are considered.
Incidence and reflection of internal waves and wave-induced currents at a jump in buoyancy frequency
Authors: McHugh J. P.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Weakly nonlinear internal gravity waves are treated in a two-layer fluid with a set of nonlinear Schrodinger equations. The layers have a sharp interface with a jump in buoyancy frequency approximately modeling the tropopause. The waves are periodic in the horizontal but modulated in the vertical and Boussinesq flow is assumed. The equation governing the incident wave packet is directly coupled to the equation for the reflected packet, while the equation governing transmitted waves is only coupled at the interface. Solutions are obtained numerically. The results indicate that the waves create a mean flow that is strong near and underneath the interface, and discontinuous at the interface. Furthermore, the mean flow has an oscillatory component that can contaminate the wave envelope and has a vertical wavelength that decreases as the wave packet interacts with the interface.
Monitoring arthropods in protected grasslands: comparing pitfall trapping, quadrat sampling and video monitoring
Authors: Zaller J. G. , Kerschbaumer G. , Rizzoli R. , Tiefenbacher A. , Gruber E. , Schedl H.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. When monitoring the activity and diversity of arthropods in protected areas it is ethically advisable to use non-destructive methods in order to avoid detrimental effects on natural populations and communities. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of three methods for potential use for arthropod monitoring in a protected grassland: pitfall trapping, quadrat sampling and video monitoring. Pitfall trapping was conducted either during the day or over night (cup diameter 6.5 cm, unfenced, without preservation fluid). Quadrat sampling was conducted within a metal frame (width × length × height: 50 × 50 × 30 cm). Video monitoring was done on a 68 × 37 cm area using a digital high-density video camera mounted on a tripod. The study site was located in a semi-dry grassland northwest of Vienna, Austria (305 m a.s.l., 48°27′ E, 16°34′ N); the three methods were replicated five times. Across the sampling methods a total of 24 arthropod orders were observed with Hymenoptera being the most abundant, followed by Diptera and Coleoptera. The sampling methods differed considerably in number of arthropods recorded: video monitoring (2578 individuals) followed by quadrat sampling (202 individuals), nocturnal (43 individuals) and diurnal pitfall trapping (12 individuals). Diversity of arthropod assemblages varied highly significantly among the tested methods with quadrat sampling yielding the highest diversity 0.70 ± 0.22 (Gini–Simpson index, mean ±SD) followed by video monitoring (0.57 ± 0.15), diurnal pitfall sampling (0.35 ± 0.28) and nocturnal pitfall sampling (0.17 ± 0.24). Video surveillance of the pitfall traps showed that out of a total of 151 individuals crawling in the vicinity of pitfall traps none of them were actually trapped. A tabular comparison listing the advantages and disadvantages of the sampling methods is presented. Taken together, our results suggest that video monitoring has a great potential as a supplementary method for quantitative and qualitative assessments of arthropod activity and diversity in grasslands.
Adjusting ITE’s Trip Generation Handbook for urban context
Authors: Clifton Kelly J. , Currans Kristina M. , Muhs Christopher D.
Published: May 2015

This study examines the ways in which urban context affects vehicle trip generation rates across three land uses. An intercept travel survey was administered at 78 establishments (high-turnover restaurants, convenience markets, and drinking places) in the Portland, Oregon, region during 2011. This approach was developed to adjust the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Handbook vehicle trip rates based on built environment characteristics where the establishments were located.

A number of policy-relevant built environment measures were used to estimate a set of nine models predicting an adjustment to ITE trip rates. Each model was estimated as a single measure: activity density, number of transit corridors, number of high-frequency bus lines, employment density, lot coverage, length of bicycle facilities, presence of rail transit, retail and service employment index, and intersection density. All of these models perform similarly (Adj. R2 0.76-0.77) in estimating trip rate adjustments. Data from 34 additional sites were collected to verify the adjustments. For convenience markets and drinking places, the adjustment models were an improvement to the ITE’s handbook method, while adjustments for restaurants tended to perform similarly to those from ITE’s estimation.

The approach here is useful in guiding plans and policies for a short-term improvement to the ITE’s Trip Generation Handbook. The measures are useful for communities seeking to develop local adjustments to vehicle trip rate estimates, and all could be calculated from spatial data available in most locations. The paper concludes with a discussion on what long-term improvements to the ITE’s Trip Generation Handbook might entail, with further implications in planning and practice.
The influence of land use and mobility policy on travel behavior: A comparative case study of Flanders and the Netherlands
Authors: De Vos Jonas
Published: May 2015

Numerous transportation studies have indicated that the local built environment can have an important effect on travel behavior; people living in suburban neighborhoods travel more by car than people living in urban neighborhoods. In this paper, however, we will analyze whether the regional land use has an important influence on travel behavior by comparing two regions with a varying land-use pattern: Flanders (Belgium) and the Netherlands. The different land-use pattern seems to have influenced travel behavior in both regions. An active spatial planning policy in the Netherlands, clustering activities in urban surroundings, appears to have realized a sustainable travel behavior, as a substantial share of residents frequently walk, cycle or use public transportation. The rather passive spatial planning in Flanders, resulting in urban sprawl, seems to stimulate car use. The applied mobility policy also has an impact on the travel behavior and land use of the Flemings and the Dutch. Infrastructure is concentrated in Dutch urban environments, whereas Flanders has a more widespread network of infrastructure and cheap public transportation, resulting in a further increase of suburbanization.
The influence of Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-37 on selected properties of fermented sausages
Authors: Mati Marcel , Magala Michal , Karovičová Jolana , Staruch Ladislav
Published: May 2015

Fermented sausages rank among non-heat-treated meat products. Their nutritional properties are similar to the raw material, simultaneously their microbial safety and stability is ensured using additives and specific microbial cultures. The use of probiotic cultures can positively affect the processing of fermented sausages, resulting in the new technological properties and beneficial effect on human health. However, commercial application of probiotic microorganisms in fermented sausages is not common yet. Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-37 is a gram-positive, non-spore forming, homofermentative rod, which according to studies may modulate immune responses in human organism and survives the passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The main object of this work was to evaluate technological properties of L. paracasei LPC-37, which have not been fully examined. Two groups of fermented sausages were analysed in this work. The first group of fermented sausages was prepared using lyophilized starter culture (Lyocarni RHM-33). The second group of fermented sausages was prepared by the combination of lyophilized starter culture and potential probiotic culture Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-37. The processing and ripening of sausages were carried out in meat processing plant to simulate real conditions of production. The changes of the products (water activity, pH, concentration of organic acids and microbial growth) were evaluated during ripening (3 weeks), while sensory analysis was carried out in the final stage of the process and during storage (3 weeks). It was found that the environment of raw-fermented sausages is suitable for the growth and survival of Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-37 and the microbiological quality of the final product was very good (absence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes). The counts of lactobacilli reached 107 CFU/g of the product, which meet the requirements for functional foods. The results of the sensory evaluation showed that the overall quality of raw-fermented sausages with Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-37 was satisfactory and differed mainly in two taste descriptors (meaty and sour).
Uniform of gedifferentieerd arbeidsrecht
Authors: Houweling A.R. , van der Voet G.W.
Published: May 2015

Uniform of gedifferentieerd arbeidsrecht

In 1907 heeft de wetgever bewust gekozen voor een uniforme wettelijke regeling inzake de arbeidsovereenkomst. Een gedifferentieerd stelsel van afzonderlijke arbeidsrechtelijke regelingen voor bijzondere beroepsgroepen werd uitdrukkelijk van de hand gewezen. Zo’n stelsel zou namelijk slechts aanleiding geven tot afbakeningsproblemen en rechtsonzekerheid. Inmiddels heeft zich evenwel – niettegenstaande dit uitgangspunt − een ‘waaier’ aan bijzondere arbeidsverhoudingen ontwikkeld. Gezien de parlementaire geschiedenis van de huidige wettelijke regeling in titel 7.10 van het Burgerlijk Wetboek, zou men verwachten dat het creëren (of handhaven) van afwijkende regelingen voor bepaalde arbeidsverhoudingen uitdrukkelijk door de wetgever is/wordt gemotiveerd en dat aan de vormgeving van dergelijke bijzondere arbeidsverhoudingen bewuste keuzes en/of principes ten grondslag liggen. In dit artikel onderzoeken de auteurs welke bijzondere arbeidsverhoudingen er zijn en in hoeverre daarvoor een rechtvaardigingsgrond bestaat. In het tweede deel van dit onderzoek analyseren de auteurs de trends en ontwikkelingen van bijzondere arbeidsverhoudingen in de Europese Unie. De auteurs concluderen dat voor een groot aantal bijzondere arbeidsverhoudingen geen rechtvaardigingsgronden (meer) bestaan. Voorts concluderen de auteurs dat ook in het buitenland geen rechtvaardigingsgronden zijn aangetroffen voor onderscheidingen in arbeidsrechtelijke regelingen. Zij wijzen erop dat bepaalde ontwikkelingen in het buitenland – met name ingegeven vanuit het gelijkheidsbeginsel en EU-recht – laten zien dat eerder een verregaande uniformering in plaats van verdergaande differentiatie valt te verwachten. Het gebruik van open normen – zoals in Nederland het geval is – zal in deze ontwikkeling een belangrijke rol spelen.
To PPS or not to PPS? (Publiek-)private samenwerking rond groen gas
Authors: Sanders Maurits , Heldeweg Michiel
Published: May 2015

To PPC or not to PPC? (Public-)private cooperation on Green Gas

In policy practice sometimes organizational arrangements appear that at first glance manifest itself as cooperative relations between private organizations, but about which on second thoughts the question can be asked if after all there is an active input from the side of the government. This is for instance the case in the construction of biogas infrastructures. In this article the authors discuss if we can talk about PPC after all. In the debate on governance this question is important because in the design of PPC the public interest involved must be sufficiently guaranteed in terms of control and accountability. On the basis of a confrontation between the results of a literature review and an empirical study of the case of a Green Gas pipeline in North-East Friesland (‘Biogasleiding Noordoost Fryslân’) in the Netherlands, the authors conclude that public steering in practice can take a form in disguise. Using ‘intermediate’ civil law legal persons, governmental influence indeed can be and is exercised during the cooperation. Especially law poses specific demands on control and accountability to take care of public interests, like the promotion of the use of renewable energy. Likewise in this kind of projects, especially in comparison with pure private-private cooperation, the public and if possible even the public law regulation must be safeguarded, for instance by transparency of form and content of steering. Of course this has to be done with preservation of the cooperative nature that is typical of PPC.
Sexual Orientation and the ECtHR: what relevance is given to the best interests of the child? An analysis of the European Court of Human Rights' approach to the best interests of the child in LGBT parenting cases
Authors: Alves de Faria Gabriel
Published: May 2015

Sexual Orientation and the ECtHR: what relevance is given to the best interests of the child? An analysis of the European Court of Human Rights' approach to the best interests of the child in LGBT parenting cases

Those who talk can be heard. Those who are allowed to talk may be listened to. This study is an attempt to give legal voice to those who cannot talk or are usually not listened to: children. This study is about the attention given to their interests, the best interests of the child. When these interests are immersed in a minority context, children may be overlooked for different reasons, including discriminatory attitudes or prejudice regarding their families. Law and its interpretation must be changed in order to include the difference. This study discusses the best interests of the child principle with special attention to its legal relevance in cases where lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) are, or want to be, parents. The authoritative source for the interpretation of the principle is the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The analysis focuses on the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and its case law. The study aims to explore the Court’s approach to the best interest of the child and identify whether the principle is being consistently applied in cases involving LGBT families, given the fact that sexual orientation and gender identity are still sensitive issues in Europe. This is done by comparing these cases to cases lodged by applicants who were not identified as an LGBT person. The margin of appreciation doctrine and the lack of European consensus on sexual minorities’ rights are confronted with the urgent paramount consideration that has to be given to children’s best interests. The analysis explores whether there is room for detecting a possible Court’s biased approach towards the concept of the best interests of the child. This study challenges the Court’s decisions in the sense that the focus should not only be at the LGBT parents’ rights to private and family life, but also at the interests of their daughters and sons. This is an attempt to call upon the ECtHR and all states not only to actively fight discrimination against LGBT persons, but, ultimately, to stop interpreting the concept of the best interests of the child in an arguably biased way, and to consider the principle’s legal value in any decision, regardless of their parents’ sexual orientation, gender identity or any other distinction.
Concurreren voor de waarheid: neoliberalisme en wetenschapsfraude
Authors: Verhaeghe Paul , Willemsen Jochem
Published: May 2015

Competing for the truth: Neoliberalism and scientific fraud

The phenomenon of scientific fraud has to be studied within the context of neoliberal meritocracy. In this organisational system, the position of the individual within a group (society, university, etc.) is determined by his or her merits in terms of (economic) productivity. Although this sounds fair, neoliberal meritocracy leads to social inequality, unlimited competition between individuals, egoism, priority of quantity over quality, and the irrelevance of ethics. Within the world of scientific research, neoliberal meritocracy leads to sloppy or even fraudulent science, because it incites researchers to prioritize publication criteria before qualitative research.
Concept of Mongolia's Foreign Policy
Authors: Editor The
Published: May 2015

Mongolian Journal of International Affairs Vol.2 1995: 56-63
Mongolia and the New Central Asia
Authors: Batbayar Ts
Published: May 2015

Mongolian Journal of International Affairs Vol.3 1996: 3-11
Less Evidence, Better Knowledge
Authors: Ehrenberg Kenneth M.
Published: May 2015

In his 1827 work Rationale of Judicial Evidence, Jeremy Bentham famously argued against exclusionary rules such as hearsay, preferring a policy of “universal admissibility” unless the declarant is easily available. Bentham’s claim that all relevant evidence should be considered with appropriate instructions to fact finders has been particularly influential among judges, culminating in the “principled approach” to hearsay in Canada articulated in R. v. Khelawon. Furthermore, many scholars attack Bentham’s argument only for ignoring the realities of juror bias, admitting universal admissibility would be the best policy for an ideal jury. This article uses the theory of epistemic contextualism to justify the exclusion of otherwise relevant evidence, and even reliable hearsay, on the basis of preventing shifts in the epistemic context. Epistemic contextualism holds that the justification standards of knowledge attributions change according to the contexts in which the attributions are made. Hearsay and other kinds of information the assessment of which rely upon fact finders’ more common epistemic capabilities push the epistemic context of the trial toward one of more relaxed epistemic standards. The exclusion of hearsay helps to maintain a relatively high standards context hitched to the standard of proof for the case and to prevent shifts that threaten to try defendants with inconsistent standards.
Hidrolisados proteicos em dietas para larvas de peixes
Authors: Lewandowski Vanessa , Sary Cesar , Schuller Jean Marcel , Dieterich Fabiana , Feiden Aldi , Signor Altevir , Boscolo Wilson Rogério
Published: May 2015

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes hidrolisados proteicos na larvicultura dejundiá (Rhamdia voulezi) e mandi (Pimelodus britskii) sobre o desempenho zootécnico. Foram utilizadas600 larvas, sendo 300 de jundiá e 300 de mandi, que foram distribuídas em 40 aquários, em um delineamentointeiramente casualizado. Foram formuladas cinco dietas experimentais: dieta basal, dieta basalcontendo hidrolisado de fígado suíno com alcalase, dieta basal contendo hidrolisado de fígado suíno compapaína, dieta basal contendo hidrolisado de tilápia com alcalase e dieta basal contendo hidrolisado de tilápiacom papaína. O arraçoamento foi realizado quatro vezes ao dia. Para o processamento dos hidrolisados,as matérias-primas foram trituradas, misturadas e tiveram enzimas adicionadas (alcalase ou papaína). Aotérmino da hidrólise as enzimas foram inativadas termicamente e a seguir receberam a adição de ácido fosfórico para ajustar os produtos em pH 3,0. Após um mês de período experimental, os peixes foram mantidosem jejum por 24 horas e eutanasiados. Foram avaliados o comprimento final, o peso final e sobrevivência.Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância, ao nível de 5% de significância. Os resultados dedesempenho produtivo, para ambas espécies demostraram que os hidrolisados adicionados na dieta com diferentes fontes e enzimas não afetaram os parâmetros avaliados. Dessa forma, a utilização de hidrolisado de fígado suíno ou tilápia, hidrolisados a partir das enzinas alcalase ou papaína, podem ser utilizados em dietas formuladas para larvas de Rhamdia voulezi e Pimelodus britskii sem prejuízo significativo em seu desempenho zootécnico.
Yoga Adherence in Older Women Six Months Post-Osteoarthritis Intervention
Authors: Cheung Corjena , Justice Catherine , Peden-Mcalpine Cynthia
Published: May 2015

Background/Objective:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent condition worldwide. Yoga is potentially a safe and feasible option for managing OA; however, the extent of long-term yoga adherence is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine yoga adherence 6 months after participants completed an OA intervention program.

Methods:

This follow-up study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design using survey, interview, and video recordings to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 31 participants completed and returned the survey, and 10 videotaped their yoga practice for 1 week and participated in a face-to-face interview.

Results:

A majority of participants (n=19, 61%) reported that they were still practicing yoga 6 months after the intervention program. On average, participants reported practicing 21 to 30 minutes of yoga per day (32%) 3 to 4 days per week (47%). “Feeling good or feeling better after yoga practice” (50%) and “set aside a time” (31%) were the most common motivating factors for yoga adherence. Dealing with health problems (42%), having pain (25%), and being too busy (25%) were the major barriers. Qualitative data revealed that participants: (1) used mindful yoga movement, (2) incorporated other forms of exercise and resources during yoga practice, and (3) created personalized yoga programs. Additionally, the participants reported less OA pain, increased physical endurance, and more relaxation.

Conclusion:

Many participants adhered to yoga practice 6 months post-intervention although not at the frequency and sequence as prescribed. Feeling better after practice motivated participants, but other factors remained key barriers.
Epigenetics in the wild
Authors: Bewick Adam J , Schmitz Robert J
Published: May 2015

Studies of wild populations of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have started to reveal how patterns of DNA methylation change in response to the local environment.