bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment of War Trauma Fractures of the Proximal Humerus
Authors: Grubor Predrag , Mitković Milorad , Grubor Milan , Mitković Milan
Published: May 2018

A war wound to the proximal humerus is characterised by profuse bleeding, multifragmentary fracture-dislocations, defects of the muscle tissue, capsule, skin and by primary contamination with polymorphic bacterial flora, and it is rarely isolated.

Out of 27 injured people, subluxation/dislocation of the humeral head occured in the first four patients who suffered a proximal humeral fracture resulting from a warrelated trauma stabilized with an external fixator. Two pins were inserted into the humeral head, and the other two into the diaphysis. In the other wounded people, there was no subluxation/dislocation of the humerus because the pins were placed into the clavicle, into the acromion or spinous process of the scapula.

Out of the 27 patients treated for proximal humeral injuries, the contact was established with 11. Out of these 11 patients, only in one patient we did not use the clavicle, the acromion or spinous process of the scapula to stabilize the fracture. The result of the treatment was poor due to avascular necrosis of the head and ankylosis of the shoulder. In the ten remaining patients we used 'temporary' placement of a pin into the clavicle or into the acromion or spinous process of the scapula. The final outcome of the treatment was satisfactory. The average Constant score was 59 points.

There is little data in professional literature about injuries to the proximal humerus caused by war-related trauma. The most commonly used system of classification of peacetime traumas is the Neer or AO classification system as there are balanced algorythms in the protocol for treating the trauma.

Proximal humeral fractures should be stabilized with an external fixator, inserting one pin into the clavicle or into the acromion or scapular spine. This prevents the subluxation/dislocation of the humeroscapular joint and facilitates early mobilisation, and thus improves the clinical result and reduces complications.
Gnss Signal Processing in Gpu
Authors: Roule Petr , Jakubov Ondřej , Kovář Pavel , Kařmařík Petr , Vejražka František
Published: May 2018

Signal processing of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) is a computationally demanding task due to the wide bandwidth of the signals and their complicated modulation schemes. The classical GNSS receivers therefore utilize tailored digital signal processors (DSP) not being flexible in nature. Fortunately, the up-to-date parallel processors or graphical processing units (GPUs) dispose sufficient computational power for processing of not only relatively narrow band GPS L1 C/A signal but also the modernized GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and COMPASS signals.

The performance improvement of the modern processors is based on the constantly increasing number of cores. This trend is evident not only from the development of the central processing units (CPUs), but also from the development of GPUs that are nowadays equipped with up to several hundreds of cores optimized for video signals. GPUs include special vector instructions that support implementation of massive parallelism. The new GPUs, named as general-purpose computation on graphics processing units (GPGPU), are able to process both graphic and general data, thus making the GNSS signal processing possible.

Application programming interfaces (APIs) supporting GPU parallel processing have been developed and standardized. The most general one, Open Computing Language (Open CL), is now supported by most of the GPU vendors. Next, Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) language was developed for NVidia graphic cards. The CUDA language features optimized signal processing libraries including efficient implementation of the fast Fourier transform (FFT).

In this paper, we study the applicability of the GPU approach in GNSS signal acquisition. Two common parallel DSP methods, parallel code space search (PCSS) and double-block zero padding (DBZP), have been investigated.

Implementations in the C language for CPU and the CUDA language for GPU are discussed and compared with respect to the acquisition time. It is shown that for signals with long ranging codes (with 10230 number of chips - Galileo E5, GPS L5 etc.).

Paper presented at the "European Navigation Conference 2012", held in Gdansk, Poland
Rotor flux oriented control of induction machine based drives with compensation for the variation of all machine parameters
Authors: Extremiana G. , Abad G. , Arza J. , Chivite-Zabalza J. , Torre I.
Published: May 2018

The performance of rotor flux oriented induction motor drives, widely used these days, relies on the accurate knowledge of key machine parameters. In most industrial drives, the rotor resistance, subject to temperature variations, is estimated on-line due to its significant influence on the control behaviour. However, the rest of the model parameters are also subject to slow variations, determined mainly by the operating point of the machine, compromising the dynamic performance and the accuracy of the torque estimation.

This paper presents an improved rotor-resistance on-line estimation algorithm that contemplates the iron losses of the electrical machine, the iron saturation curve and the mechanical losses. In addition, the control also compensates the rest of the key machine parameters such as the leakage and magnetizing inductances and the iron losses. These parameters are measured by an off-line estimation procedure and stored in look up-tables used by the control. The paper begins by presenting the machine model and the proposed rotor flux oriented control strategy. Subsequently, the off-line parameter measurement procedure is described. Finally, the algorithm is extensively evaluated and validated experimentally on a 15 kW test bench
The digital function filters – algorithms and applications
Authors: Siwczyński M. , Drwal A. , Żaba S.
Published: May 2018

The simple digital filters are not sufficient for digital modeling of systems with distributed parameters. It is necessary to apply more complex digital filters. In this work, a set of filters, called the digital function filters, is proposed. It consists of digital filters, which are obtained from causal and stable filters through some function transformation. In this paper, for several basic functions: exponential, logarithm, square root and the real power of input filter, the recursive algorithms of the digital function filters have been determined The digital function filters of exponential type can be obtained from direct recursive formulas. Whereas, the other function filters, such as the logarithm, the square root and the real power, require using the implicit recursive formulas. Some applications of the digital function filters for the analysis and synthesis of systems with lumped and distributed parameters (a long line, phase shifters, infinite ladder circuits) are given as well.
Two theorems about Lorentz method for asymmetrical anisotropic regions
Authors: Spałek D.
Published: May 2018

The paper has dealt with two theoretical problems of calculation of electromagnetic force or torque. The first problem considers the magnetically anisotropic and conductive region. The theorem about equivalence of both Maxwell and Lorentz methods has been presented. The second problem deals with the independence from the integration surface of force or torque calculated by the Maxwell method. The second theorem which presents the sufficient condition for an independence problem in the anisotropic and nonconductive region has been formulated.
Unified summation equations and their applications in tribology wear process
Authors: Wierzcholski K.
Published: May 2018

This paper presents some applications of summation equations with regard to the calculation prognosis of micro-bearing wear parameters. Summation equations are presented in a new form of difference and recurrence equations where the unknown micro-bearing wear function occurs as the argument of the reciprocal unified operator of summation (UOS). In this paper the properties of the UOS and reciprocal UOS as well as the unitary translation operator (UTO) are defined and applied to a micro-bearing wear determination. The approach of both dual and interaction between summation and recurrence equations and micro-bearing wear determination, makes this paper unique.
Mechatronic system for verticalization and aiding the motion of the disabled
Authors: Jasińska-Choromańska D. , Szykiedans K. , Wierciak J. , Kołodziej D. , Zaczyk M. , Bagiński K. , Bojarski M. , Kabziński B.
Published: May 2018

Mechatronics is nowadays a dominating concept in design of various kinds of systems and technical devices. High speeds of data processing by control units of mechatronic systems, as well as high dynamics of their actuators allow the systems to be applied in wider fields. This refers to the medicine as well, especially while making attempts to replace lost human motor abilities by means of robots aiding the man. These devices can be divided into three groups: exoskeletons designed to strengthen the natural force of human muscles, orthotic robots that restore lost or weakened functions of human limbs, and prosthetic robots replacing an amputated limb. The first and the third group are known quite well, whereas the orthotic robots are at an initial phase of their development. The authors have worked on a device for aiding the motion of disabled people suffering from paresis of the lower limbs. The paper presents a concept and a structure of the system that has been created, comparing it with similar devices that have already existed. There are indicated some connections and areas where the subunits merge, as well as the rules of their working with the user.
A self-oscillating h.f. power generator with a Class E resonant amplifier
Authors: Mikołajewski M.
Published: May 2018

Self-oscillating h.f. power generators with a Class E amplifier are used as industrial high-efficiency h.f. power sources. In the paper a modification of the classic Class E generator by applying an additional capacitor in the matching and feedback circuit is presented. The proposed solution increases the degree of freedom in the generator design and can noticeably reduce its cost by eliminating the need for the use of high-value h.f. capacitors in the feedback loop divider. The self-oscillating Class E generator (150 W/6.78 MHz) with the proposed modification has been designed, built and its parameters were measured. Theoretical predictions were in a good agreement with experimental results. Moreover, the burst control method of the output power in the generator has also been presented
Enhancing capabilities of Atomic Force Microscopy by tip motion harmonics analysis
Authors: Babicz S. , Smulko J. , Zieliński A.
Published: May 2018

Motion of a tip used in an atomic force microscope can be described by the Lennard-Jones potential, approximated by the van der Waals force in a long-range interaction. Here we present a general framework of approximation of the tip motion by adding three terms of Taylor series what results in non-zero harmonics in an output signal. We have worked out a measurement system which allows recording of an excitation tip signal and its non-linear response. The first studies of spectrum showed that presence of the second and the third harmonics in cantilever vibrations may be observed and used as a new method of the investigated samples characterization.
In Vitro Replication of Recombinant Marek’S Disease Viruses Constructed from Field Strains Lacking Meq and Vtr Oncogenes
Authors: Woźniakowski Grzegorz , Samorek-Salamonowicz Elżbieta
Published: May 2018

The study describes construction of five recombinant very virulent (vv) and very virulent plus (vv+) strains lacking meq and viral telomerase (vTR). Deletion of both copies of meq and vTR was achieved by Red E/T recombination in GS1783 E. coli cells. The constructed bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones reconstituted in chicken embryo fibroblasts were examined by immunofluorescence assay to compare the features of recombinant strains with wild-type viruses. The results demonstrated that recombinant BAC strains caused slightly reduced cytophatic effect and decreased level of the fluorescence obtained from the monoclonal antibody in comparison to the parental viruses. Generation of recombinant BAC clones may provide more detailed information on the function of Marek's disease virus oncogenes and the potential use of recombinants for the preparation of the new vaccine against Marek’s disease.
Verification of Sera from Cattle and Pigs for Brucellosis with Fluorescence Polarisation Assay
Authors: Weiner Marcin , Iwaniak Wojciech , Szulowski Krzysztof , Szymajda Monika
Published: May 2018

Fluorescence polarisation assay (FPA) was evaluated as a potential tool improving specificity of serological diagnosis of brucellosis in cattle and pigs. The evaluation was performed by comparing the results of FPA with the results of rose Bengal test (RBT), serum agglutination test (SAT), complement fixation test, and indirect ELISA when problematic sera, regarded as false positive, were tested. Four hundred and seventy-five sera, including 201 porcine and 274 bovine samples, reacting positively in at least one classical serological assay were used. Only six bovine sera were FPA positive (two positive in SAT and RBT and four positive in SAT only). Different situation was observed when porcine sera were examined. Out of 201 sera, 109 were also positive in FPA. The studies confirmed that in cattle FPA enables to reduce highly the number of false positive reactions for brucellosis. On the other hand, in pigs, the method is a little more specific in comparison to other methods applied.
Antibiotic Resistance and Plasmid Profile of Vibrio Alginolyticus Strains Isolated from Cultured European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax, L.)
Authors: Korun Jale , Karaca Mehmet
Published: May 2018

In the study, antimicrobial resistance and plasmid profile of Vibrio alginolyticus strains isolated from diseased European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.) collected from a commercial farm located on the Agean Region coast of Turkey, were investigated. The agent was identified by classical biochemical tests and the API 20NE system. Bacterial strains were tested for resistance to different antimicrobials by disc agar diffusion method and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) at two different incubation temperatures (22 ± 2ºC and 28 ± 2ºC for 24 to 28 h), and screened for plasmid DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis. It was found that 15 strains were susceptible to kanamycin but they revealed resistance to ampicillin, bacitracin and streptomycin at 22ºC. The strains were resistant to bacitracin and streptomycin but 14 strains were found to be intermediately resistant. One strain was resistant to ampicillin at 28ºC; two strains showed sensitivity to kanamycin, whereas 12 strains were intermediately resistant, and one strain was resistant to the same antibiotic at 28ºC. The strains demonstrared susceptibility to low concentrations of chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and trimethoprim (MICs of ≤ 8 μg/mL) at 22ºC. The examined strains were found to be susceptible to chloramphenicol (MICs of ≤8 μg/mL) and trimethoprim (MICs of ≤8 μg/ mL) at 28ºC. The strains harboured 2-3 plasmids, with sizes ranging from 68 to 126 kb.
Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues in Milk
Authors: Kiljanek Tomasz , Niewiadowska Alicja , Semeniuk Stanisław
Published: May 2018

A method for simultaneous determination of 13 organophosphorus pesticide residues in milk samples has been developed and validated. The method is based on the extraction of the sample with acetone and petroleum ether, cleanup by gel permeation chromatography, and solid phase extraction, and determination by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. The recovery, investigated by analysing blank milk samples spiked with azinphos, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, diazinon, fenitrothion, methacrifos, methidathion, parathion-methyl, pyrazophos, and triazophos at concentrations of 10, 20, and 30 μg/kg, and with parathion and pirimiphos-methyl at concentrations of 25, 50, and 75 μg/kg, ranged from 73.1% to 106.2%. Performance characteristics, such as repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility expressed as coefficient of variation were less than 20%. Measurement uncertainty was lower than 22% for all validated organophosphorus pesticides. The limits of quantification were 10 μg/kg for all compounds and allowed determination of residues at, or even below, the maximum residue limits set by the European Union. The satisfactory z-score results of international proficiency tests confirm good accuracy, reproducibility, and reliability of the developed method.
Oxidant/Antioxidant Status Assessment of Blood in Selected Equine Diseases
Authors: Krumrych Wiesław , Zbylut Janusz , Gołyński Marcin , Markiewicz Hanna
Published: May 2018

The objective of the study was to assess ratio of oxidation to antioxidation in the blood of horses in selected equine diseases. The study was conducted on 47 Polish half-breed horses (36 mares, six stallions, and five geldings) aged 2 to 16 years. Nineteen mares were diagnosed with endometritis, seven horses with symptoms of colic, and six with upper respiratory tract infection. The remaining clinically healthy horses (n=15) served as control. The following parameters were measured: oxygen metabolism in neutrophils using a chemiluminescence (CL) method, total antioxidant status (TAS) of blood plasma, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase activity in whole blood. The results demonstrate increased CL of neutrophils in mares with endometritis, as well as in horses with symptoms of colic. This finding was associated with decreased values of SOD, GPx, and TAS (chiefly in mares with endometritis), which suggests oxidative stress. These results underscore the importance of a broader use of oxidant/antioxidant status assessment in studies of the pathogenesis and pathomechanisms of equine diseases.
Salivary Cortisol Levels in Horses and their Riders During Three-Day-Events
Authors: Strzelec Katarzyna , Kędzierski Witold , Bereznowski Andrzej , Janczarek Iwona , Bocian Krzysztof , Radosz Maciej
Published: May 2018

The group of 36 warm-blooded half-bred horses (18 stallions and 18 mares) and their riders (20 men and 16 women), who ended three-day-events, were selected for the study. The horses were aged 4 to 6 years, while the riders were 19 to 34-year-old. The saliva samples were collected after each phase of the competitions. The cortisol concentration was determined using an immunoassay method. The following factors were considered: type of competition, horse sex, and rider gender. In horses, the statistically important correlation was found between the results obtained for the dressage and cross-country, for the cross-country and show jumping, and for the dressage and show jumping. An analogous comparison for the riders suggests a statistically significant correlation between the data obtained for the cross-country and show jumping. Comparing the data of horses and their riders, a significant correlation coefficient was found for the cross-country group of woman and the dressage group of men. In conclusion, the salivary cortisol level in individual horses in each phase of three-day-event was found to be repetitive. Therefore, the salivary cortisol test is demonstrated to be a useful method to evaluate the horse response to each type of competition during three-day-events.
Lead II Electrocardiography in Standing and Right Lateral Recumbency in Dogs with Normal Echocardiographic Heart Chamber Values
Authors: Garncarz Magdalena , Parzeniecka-Jaworska Marta , Jank Michał , Łój Magdalena , Szaluś-Jordanow Olga , Kurek Anna
Published: May 2018

The electrocardiographic (ECG) exam has been routinely used in veterinary cardiology with reference values available for the right lateral recumbent position. Many situations require the exam to be performed in the standing position. The study presents that the quality of the ECG recording is comparable for the standing and right lateral recumbent positions, as well as significant differences of the P, S and T waves recorded in two positions.
Foreign Direct Investment In The Banking Sector In New EU Member States: Social Responsibility Of Banks
Authors: Witkowska Janina
Published: May 2018

This paper discusses the performance and strategies of banks with foreign participation in the new EU Member States and their attitudes towards socalled ‘socially responsible finance’. The banking sector in the analyzed countries (Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) is dominated by foreign capital. The global financial crisis caused a decrease in new annual FDI inflows into the financial intermediation and banking sector of these countries. Some disinvestment occurred in Slovakia and Poland. The foreign-owned banks already operating in the analyzed countries undertook some organizational and financial adjustments to the global economic crisis that allowed them to secure their own position in recipient countries. They are involved in socially responsible activities in the field of culture, sport, environmental protection etc. As trust-based financial institutions. they also showed a kind of responsibility in the field of finance when the crisis occurred.
The Research And Development Performance Of Various EU Social Regimes
Authors: Puškárová Paula , Gurníková Jana
Published: May 2018

The paper provides a new approach to the classification of EU countries into innovation-performance groups, taking into account their social regime. In the Introduction, it draws on some empirical evidence of synchronised research and development (R&D) performance within a social regime. In the second and third parts it reviews the literature on measuring R&D performance, and in the fourth part it summarizes social regime classifications. The fifth and longest part of the paper proceeds to a comparative analysis of the empirical data, pointing out disparities, both respects to numbers and members, in the composition of innovation-performance groups. In the final part, the paper summarizes key findings.
Comparative Analysis Of Balances Of Payments Of Ukraine And Poland In The Post-crisis Economic Environment
Authors: Lypko Nazariy
Published: May 2018

The condition of a country’s balance of payments is a crucial factor for effective development in small open economies, such as Poland and Ukraine. Because of their dependence on the climate in international markets, Poland and Ukraine are especially vulnerable to fluctuations in the global situation. Thus it is essential for both national economies to develop effective instruments for adjusting their balance of payments accounts. This necessity in turn requires research into the main mechanisms used for making balance of payments adjustments for developing countries, since not all aspects have been yet explored. A comparative analysis of the balance of payments situations in these countries is conducted in this article, which aims to prove external similarities between both countries and explain why Poland has attained greater success in the process of overcoming the consequences of the global financial crisis. Such conclusions can be used as a roadmap for Ukraine on its way to adjustment of its balance of payments account. The main reason for such exploration is that Ukraine’s balance of payments is still operating in deficit conditions, which negatively affects the overall state of the national economy of the country.
Transition To A Green Economy In The Context Of Selected European And Global Requirements For Sustainable Development
Authors: Wysokińska Zofia
Published: May 2018

The aim of the paper is to present selected aspects of sustainable development related to environmental protection and the creation of a green economy, with special reference to the global and European context for the development of an environmentally friendly goods and services market, taking into account the cases of Central and Eastern European countries. One of the most important elements of the strategy to promote clean economic growth and foster the transition to a more sustainable and greener economy is the energy sector, where the aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sulfur oxides and support the development of renewable energy sources. Some of the achieved results in this area are presented in this paper.
Runoff change scenarios based on regional climate change projections in mountainous basins in Slovakia
Authors: Štefunková Zuzana , Hlavčová Kamila , Lapin Milan
Published: May 2018

In the study the potential impact of climate change on river runoff in the upper Hron River, V´ah River, and Laborec River basin was evaluated using the Hron conceptual spatially-lumped rainfall-runoff model, which was driven by regional circulation models of atmosphere. The rainfall-runoff model was calibrated with data from the 1981-1995 period and validated with data from the 1996-2010 period. Changes in climate variables in the future were expressed by three different regional climate change projections: KNMI, MPI and ALADIN-Climate for the period 1961-2100. Changes in the seasonal runoff distribution were evaluated by a comparison of the simulated long-term mean monthly discharges in the river basin outlets in future decades with the present stage.
International Linear Collider Global and Local Implications
Authors: Romaniuk Ryszard S.
Published: May 2018

ILC machine - International Liner Collider, is one of two accelerators e+e- just under design and advanced consideration to be built with final energy of colliding electron and positron beams over 1 TeV. An alternative project to ILC is CLIC in CERN The ILC machine is an important complementary addition for the research potential of the LHC accelerator complex. The required length of ILC is minimally 30 km, but some versions of the TDR estimates mention nearly 50km. Superconducting RF linacs will be built using well established 1,3 GHz TESLA technology using ultrapure niobium or Nb3Sn resonant microwave cavities of RRR class, of ultimate finesse, working with gradients over 35MV/m, while some versions of the design mention ultimate confinement as high as 50MV/m. Several teams from Poland (Kraków. Warszawa, Wrocław - IFJ-PAN, AGH, UJ, NCBJ, UW, PW, PWr, INT-PAN) participate in the global design effort for this machine - including detectors, cryogenics, and SRF systems. Now it seems that the ILC machine will be built in Japan, during the period of 2016-2026. If true, Japan will turn to a world super-power in accelerator technology no.3 after CERN and USA. The paper summarizes the state-ofthe- art of technical and administration activities around the immense ILC and CLIC machines, with emphasis on potential participation of Polish teams in the global effort of newly established LCC - The Linear Collider Consortium.
Design and Development of a Self-Assessment Tool and Investigating its Effectiveness for E-Learning
Authors: Domun Manisha , Bahadur Goonesh K.
Published: May 2018

One of the most effective tools in e-learning is the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) and research has shown that students need to accurately assess their own performance thus improving their learning. The study involved the design and development of a self-assessment tool based on the Revised Blooms taxonomy Framework. As a second step in investigating the effectiveness of the SAT, 1st year student of the BSC Educational Technology program from the VCILT, University of Mauritius were used as testing sample. At this stage the SAT was provided to only half of the sample who were randomly chosen and placed into a treatment group. The remaining half (Control Group) had the normal conditions on the E-learning platform. A semester exam was devised and administered to the whole sample to find out if there was a difference between the scores of both groups. Lastly a feedback form was given to only the treatment group to find out their views on the SAT. The results indicated a significant difference in scores between the treatment and the control groups when the Student’s Independent T-test was used. Group A percentage of passes were higher compared to Group B. Failures were recorded for both groups with an increased rate of failure for Group B compared to Group A. Moreover, most of the respondents’ feedbacks suggested that SAT was a useful guide with helpful feedbacks. The findings concluded that SAT was viewed more as a revision tool that allowed them to assess their own learning.
B-learning Quality: Dimensions, Criteria and Pedagogical Approach
Authors: Peres Paula , Lima L. , Lima V.
Published: May 2018

Measuring the quality of a b-learning environment is critical to determine the success of a blearning course. Several initiatives have been recently conducted on benchmarking and quality in e-learning. Despite these efforts in defining and examining quality issues concerning online courses, a defining instrument to evaluate quality is one of the key challenges for blended learning, since it incorporates both traditional and online instruction methods. For this paper, six frameworks for quality assessment of technological enhanced learning were examined and compared regarding similarities and differences. These frameworks aim at the same global objective: the quality of e-learning environment/products. They present different perspectives but also many common issues. Some of them are more specific and related to the course and others are more global and related to institutional aspects. In this work we collected and arrange all the quality criteria identified in order to get a more complete framework and determine if it fits our b-learning environment. We also included elements related to our own b-learning research and experience, acquired during more than 10 years of experience. As a result we have create a new quality reference with a set of dimensions and criteria that should be taken into account when you are analyzing, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating a b-learning environment. Besides these perspectives on what to do when you are developing a b-learning environment we have also included pedagogical issues in order to give directions on how to do it to reach the success of the learning. The information, concepts and procedures here presented give support to teachers and instructors, which intend to validate the quality of their blended learning courses.
Cross-Cultural Communication and Collaboration: Case of an International e-Learning Project
Authors: Toprak Elif , Genc-Kumtepe Evrim
Published: May 2018

Communication is an indispensable part of international cooperation and it requires managing different cultures. Being prepared to see and understand different values, trying to understand contrasting views in a consortium, can decrease the potential of misperception which otherwise may act as a real barrier to cooperation. This is why international cooperation necessitates negotiation across cultures. In the case of collaboration, parties come together for a joint work which itself may create common values/understanding, besides the set goals. This is because collaboration requires strong we-feeling and commitment. The purpose of this paper is to focus on cross-cultural communication and collaboration in the area of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), concentrating on the communication processes in project management. Cross-cultural studies point to different communicative behaviours of individuals in multinational work environments e.g. the cultural characteristics affect the preferences towards the use of the media. For the purposes of this paper, the authors make a phenomenological-oriented case study of project management based on interviews with partners of a multilateral Grundtvig (adult learning) project, affiliated with distance education institutions in eight different countries. The authors test their assumptions for constructive and cooperative communication in e-Learning projects; delineating the effects of different cultures as regards the expectations from (1) international projects and (2) communication media.
When Is Enough Enough? Balancing on the Fine Line in Multichannel Marketing Communications
Authors: Godfrey Andrea , Seiders Kathleen , Voss Glenn B.
Published: May 2018

In an effort to build long-term, profitable relationships, many companies systematically engage in multichannel relational communication - personalized messages sent to existing customers through various channels as part of a broader relationship marketing strategy. However, too much of a good thing might actually ultimately have a bad effect.Whether ongoing direct communication with customers is perceived positively depends on its volume, the mix of communication channels, and the alignment of those channels with customers’ preferences. There is an ideal level of communication. If it is exceeded, customers react negatively and this negative response can be exacerbated by the use of multiple channels. The ideal level differs depending on individual channel preferences. Aligning channels with customer preferences is advisable to optimize repurchase rates.
Jetstar Airways: How Modeling Guided the Brand Migration Strategy of a Low-Cost Carrier
Authors: Roberts John , Danaher Peter , Roberts Ken , Simpson Alan
Published: May 2018

This article describes the application of a dynamic choice model of consumer preferences. It supported Jetstar, a subsidiary of Australia’s leading airline, QANTAS, to effectively and profitably compete in the low-cost carrier marketplace. The evolution of the Jetstar strategy is traced from its initial position through to its efforts to attain price competitiveness and service parity. The model helped service design and pricing initiatives to shift the perceived performance of Jetstar relative to its competitors. It further indicated how the airline could move market preferences towards areas in which it had competitive advantage. The Jetstar market share went from 14.0 % to 18.1 % during the first five quarterly waves of the research, while profits went from US $ 79 million 2006 / 07, before the study was commissioned, to US $ 124 million in 2008 / 09. Today, Jetstar remains the only successful low-cost offshoot of a full service airline in terms of shareholder returns
Creating Crystal Experiences MIR talks to Alexander Linder, Director Corporate Consumer and Market Insights (CCMI), Daniel Swarovski Corporation AG
Authors: Kittinger-Rosanelli Christine
Published: May 2018

This issue’s interview leads us into the radiant world of crystals and glamour. For more than a century, Swarovski has been generating radiance through precision cutting technology and the virtuous handling of light. The company’s richness of expression is rooted in the cultural heritage of Central Europe and its flair for forging links between the arts, science, and business. Throughout the world today, the name Swarovski stands for craftsmanship, meticulousness, quality, and creativity. Alexander Linder, Director of Corporate Consumer and Market Insights, shares with us how the Swarovski company “adds sparkle to people’s everyday lives”, a promise Swarovski aims to deliver to its consumers.
MIR talks to Jeffrey S. Cooper, Director of Consumer Insights CPW-Cereal Partners Worldwide
Authors: Jolibert Alain
Published: May 2018

The cereal industry is characterized by heavy competition and a pressure to reinvent itself to meet changing consumer lifestyles and retail environments. Jeff Cooper, Director of Consumer Insights of CPW, one of the world’s biggest players in cereals, offers some interesting information on how to keep this business growing in a difficult market environment
Left Behind Expectations - How to Prevent CRM Implementations from Failing
Authors: Becker Jan U. , Greve Goetz , Albers Sönke
Published: May 2018

This article discusses performance drivers of CRM projects and is particularly relevant for managers seeking to optimize their companies CRM efforts. Despite the billions of dollars that have been spent on the implementation of customer relationship management (CRM) systems, many of the adopting companies are unhappy with the results. This can be due to two reasons: first, either the CRM projects are poorly implemented and thus do not perform accordingly, or, second, companies expect too much from CRM systems. This research examines how technological and organizational implementations as well as internal support affect the objectives of CRM with regard to initiating, maintaining, and retaining customer relationships. The results indicate that internal support is an important factor for the performance of CRM implementation. Further, it helps to have a clear focus for a CRM system to specifically address diverse functions such as the acquisition, maintenance, and retention of customers and to tailor implementation effort to the needs of the major functions
Does Customer Satisfaction lead to an increased firm value?
Authors: Lerzan Aksoy , Cooil Bruce , Groening Christopher , Keiningham Timothy L. , Yalcin Atakan
Published: May 2018

Does customer satisfaction really lead to increased firm value? Traditionally, most financial valuation models do not include customer-related metrics such as customer satisfaction in the process. Studies in marketing, on the other hand, have consistently found that customer satisfaction improves the ability to predict future cash flows, long-term financial measures, stock performance, and shareholder value. This research examines the impact that customer satisfaction has on firm value by employing valuation models borrowed directly from the practice of finance. The data used in the analysis is compiled by merging publicly available customer satisfaction data from the ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Index) with financial data from COMPUSTAT, and Center for Research in Securities Prices between 1996 and 2006. The results indicate that a portfolio of stocks consisting of firms with high levels and positive changes in customer satisfaction will outperform lower satisfaction portfolios along with Standard & Poor’s 500… Customer satisfaction does matter!
Preparing for the Adoption of the New Arrival
Authors: Castaño Raquel , Sujan Mita , Kacker Manish , Sujan Harish
Published: May 2018

The emotional state of many expecting parents shifts from unbridled joy to anxiety as the reality of learning to care for a newborn and forsaking their current lifestyle sinks in. Similarly, consumers have different concerns when they first hear about a new product compared to the time when they consider buying it. If the buying decision is in the distant future, consumers are primarily concerned with the benefits derived from using the product, such as how the product performs and symbolic benefits of owning the new product. As the buying decision draws closer, consumers shift attention to cost-related issues, such as how long will it take to learn how to use the product or how much will it cost to maintain and use it. Executing a two-phased communication strategy by management that is synchronized with this shift in mental processes by first emphasizing new product benefits and features and later focusing on the practical aspects of using the innovation can have a beneficial impact on both organizational performance and consumer welfare
When 2 + 2 Is Not the Same as 1 + 3: Understanding Customer Reactions to Partitioned Prices
Authors: Hamilton Rebecca W. , Srivastava Joydeep
Published: May 2018

Firms often use a pricing strategy in which they partition the total price of a product and/or service into two or more mandatory components, such as parts and shipping. In this research, we examine how dividing the same total price differently across the components affects customers’ reactions. In a series of studies, we show that customers systematically prefer partitions of the same total price in which the price of low benefit components (e.g., shipping) is lower and the price of high benefit components (e.g., parts) is higher. Thus, for effective pricing, markups on components that consumers believe provide a high degree of benefit should be higher than markups on components that consumers believe provide less benefit
Implementing profitability through a customer lifetime value management framework
Authors: Kumar V. , Venkatesan R. , Rajan B.
Published: May 2018

Global CRM software spending was $7.8 billion in 2007 and is projected to reach $8.9 billion in 2008. Further, CRM software sales will touch $13.3 billion by 2012. These software and processes have made it possible for companies to gather and analyze large amounts of data on their existing and prospective customers. This article shows how customer-level data can lead to increased customer profitability through (a) selection of the right customers by using the Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) metric, (b) the nurturing of those right customers and, © re-allocation of resources to the profitable customers. Due to this approach profitable management of individual customers is the basis for growth in firm profitability. A case study will show how IBM used CLV as an indicator of customer profitability and allocated marketing resources based on CLV
How Companies Can Measure the Success of their Relationship Marketing Investments
Authors: Palmatier Robert W. , Gopalakrishna Srinath , Houston Mark
Published: May 2018

Firms invest heavily in different types of business-to-business relationship marketing in the belief that it bolsters their bottom line. How effective is this investment, and how can companies measure its success? This study analyzes the various aspects of business-to-business relationship marketing. Data from a matched set of 313 business customers covered by 143 salespeople employed by 34 selling firms indicates that investments in social relationship marketing pay off handsomely, financial relationship marketing does not, and structural relationship marketing is economically viable for customers serviced frequently.
How Data Envelopment Analysis Reveals Brand Advertising Efficiency
Authors: Büschken Joachim
Published: May 2018

The efficiency of advertising is an age-old question in marketing. Do marketers spend too much on advertising, or too little? Is it really true, as John Wanamaker put it more than eighty years ago, that half of advertising spending is wasted, but we don’t know which half? How do we know without actually measuring the efficiency of advertising? Data envelopment analysis offers a new chance to answer these questions.
On the effect of cross sectional shape on incipient motion and deposition of sediments in fixed bed channels
Authors: Safari Mir-Jafar-Sadegh , Mohammadi Mirali , Gilanizadehdizaj Golezar
Published: May 2018

The condition of incipient motion and deposition are of the essential issues for the study of sediment transport. This phenomenon is of great importance to hydraulic engineers for designing sewers, drainage, as well as other rigid boundary channels. This is a study carried out with the objectives of describing the effect of cross-sectional shape on incipient motion and deposition of particles in rigid boundary channels. In this research work, the experimental data given by Loveless (1992) and Mohammadi (2005) are used. On the basis of the critical velocity approach, a new incipient motion equation for a V-shaped bottom channel and incipient deposition of sediment particles equations for rigid boundary channels having circular, rectangular, and U-shaped cross sections are obtained. New equations were compared to the other incipient motion equations. The result shows that the cross-sectional shape is an important factor for defining the minimum velocity for no-deposit particles. This study also distinguishes incipient motion of particles from incipient deposition for particles. The results may be useful for designing fixed bed channels with a limited deposition condition.
Analysis of the time series of waste water quality at the inflow of the wastewater treatment plant and transfer functions
Authors: Nesmerak Ivan , Blazkova Sarka D.
Published: May 2018

Time series of the daily total precipitation, daily wastewater discharges and daily concentrations and pollution loads of BOD5, COD, SS, N-NH4, Ntot and Ptot were analyzed at the inflow to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for a larger city in 2004-2009 (WWTP is loaded by pollution from 435,000 equivalent inhabitants). The time series of the outflow from a WWTP was also available for 2007. The time series of daily total precipitation, daily wastewater discharges, concentrations and pollution loads at the inflow and outflow from the WWTP were standardized year by year to exclude a long-term trend, and periodic components with a period of 7 days and 365 days (and potentially also 186.5 days) were excluded from the standardized series. However, these two operations eliminated only a small part of the variance; there was a substantial reduction in the variance only for ammonium nitrogen and total nitrogen at the inflow and outflow from a WWTP. The relationship between the inflow into a WWTP and the outflow from a WWTP for the concentrations and pollution loads was described by simple transfer functions (SISO models) and more complicated transfer functions (MISO models). A simple transfer function (SISO model) was employed to describe the relationship between the daily total precipitation and the wastewater discharge.
A Probabilistic Model of an Air Combat Mission / Probabilistyczny Model Bojowej Misji Lotniczej
Authors: Cwojdziński Leszek , Lewitowicz Jerzy , Żyluk Andrzej
Published: May 2018

Combat missions of both a single multi-role aircraft and a group of aircraft. Scenarios of air operations. Probabilistic models of air-to-air and air-to-surface operations (AAO and ASO, respectively). Probability that air combat missions of the AA and AS types prove successful.
Interval Analysis of Navigational Problems / Analiza Przedziałowa Zadań Nawigacyjnych
Authors: Banachowicz Andrzej , Wolski Adam
Published: May 2018

Algorithms of solutions to navigational problems usually comprise elements for numerical calculations. Apart from random errors, numerical errors of varying nature can be found in them. These errors are due to the level of precision of input data, the approximability of computing methods and errors generated by the computing very process itself in a computer. The latter category includes numerical precision (floating point of a numerical notation) and rounding off of numbers. These errors are analyzed as absolute and relative errors, rounding off errors and are regarded as random errors with a triangular distribution. Over the last decade or more the interval analysis of rounding off errors has been dynamically developing. Despite increased computing effort (costs), in some cases such analysis is necessary, particularly when we want to get a result of specific precision. It can be extended as an analysis of random errors with uniform distribution.
Determination of Parameters of a Technical and Control States of the Bus Engine by Using its Discretized Operation Information / Wyznaczenie Parametrów Stanu Technicznego I Stanu Regulacji Silnika Autobusu Z Wykorzystaniem Jego Zdyskretyzowanej Informacji Eksploatacyjnej
Authors: Rafał Grądzki , Paweł Lindstedt
Published: May 2018

The paper presents fundamentals of an innovative diagnostic method using operation information (imported in the form of dimensionless number of points). This process consists in the fact that for any change in the signal (depending on the signal value and the time when the change occurs) appropriate number of points determined by the by experts is assigned. The existing methods of assesing the operability include summing of all the points and then determining the current state and maintance level [10]. The proposed method uses these signals expressed in the form of points to determine the coupled interaction equations [3] defining parameters of the control and technical states, which are the basis for the assessment of the plant’s operability. In addition, the changes in control and technical states can be used to identifiy the parametric and momentary failures, and thus for the continuous monitoring of plants operability [7].