bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Decision-Making Support for Business Process Outsourcing to a Multi-Cloud Environment
Authors: Zarour Karim , Benmerzoug Djamel
Published: October 2018

The business process outsourcing (BPO) remains among the most adopted strategies by organizations to cope with the harsh competition of today's market. This practice has been intensified with the advent of the Cloud computing that has attracted companies by its new way of consuming and paying for resources. Nevertheless, the exposure of business processes (BPs) to Cloud-related threats and non-compliance risks as well as the diversity of Cloud offers in terms of price and quality are ones of the biggest obstacles in BPO to the Cloud. The organizations should therefore examine different factors to determine which BP parts to outsource and to assign them the most suitable Cloud offers. This article proposes a decision-making support called DMS4BPO that helps organizations in outsourcing their BPs to the Cloud by considering security, compliance, cost and performance criteria. DMS4BPO includes on the one hand an AHP-based method for the Cloud offer selection, and on the other hand, a Business Intelligence-based method for the exploitation of the execution history.
A High-Throughput Architecture for the SHA-256/224 Compliant With the DSRC Standard
Authors: Ben Dhaou Imed Saad , Tenhunen Hannu
Published: October 2018

This article presents a word serial retimed architecture for the SHA-256/224 algorithm. The architecture is compliant with the dedicated-short range communication for safety message authentications. We elaborate three-operand adder architectures suitable for field programmable gate array implementation. Several transformation techniques at the data-flow-graph level have been used to derive the architecture. Synthesis results show that the architecture has high throughput/ slice value compared with state-of-the-art SHA-256 implementations. The article also promulgates a comparison between high-level synthesis and RTL design.
Cultivating Critical Thinking Skills in Online Course Environments
Authors: Todd Curtis L , Ravi Kokila , McCray Kenja
Published: October 2018

The development and demonstration of students' critical thinking skills is one hallmark of effective teaching and learning. A promising scholarly literature has emerged in addition to webinars, conferences, and workshops to assist in this endeavor. Further, publishers offer cleverly marketed bundle packages with enhanced supplemental materials and instructors contribute instructional strategies and techniques. Nevertheless, gaps still exist in the scholarship related to effective student engagement. The development of higher order thinking skills in online educational settings is one such area requiring additional inquiry. This article transitions beyond mere theoretical constructs regarding best practices and standards for distance education. In doing so, it provides practical applications through the use of case studies in demonstrating a “how to” student engagement model and framework, which fosters the type of online course environment and useful strategies for developing critical thinking skills.
Expectations, Challenges and Suggestions for Faculty Teaching Online Courses in Higher Education
Authors: Sithole Alec , Mupinga Davison M , Kibirige Joachim S , Manyanga Fidelis , Bucklein Brian K
Published: October 2018

Research on online education has predominantly focused on issues related to student attraction, attrition, retention, and motivation, among others. Little attention has been paid to online instructors and yet, the quality of online education requires educators who understand the expectations of online instruction. Using an online survey, this study examined the expectations and challenges for online instructors and the suggestions for improving online instruction. Based on the data collected from seventeen faculty who teach online courses at four mid-western universities in the US, facilitation, instructor presence, and technical support stood out prominently among the expectations. The major challenges for online instructors were: large class sizes, academic dishonesty, lack of connection with students, too many emails, and lack of student self-discipline. The study recommends viable professional development for online instructors as a pre-requisite to teaching online courses.
Ontology-Based Modeling of Effect-Based Knowledge in Disaster Response
Authors: Santos Leopoldo Santos , Sicilia Miguel-Angel , Garcia-Barriocanal Elena
Published: October 2018

Emergency response and management requires the coordination of agencies and different services in a complex evolving situation. This in turn, requires diverse models representing detailed knowledge about the types of adverse events, their potential impact and the means and resources that are best suited for an effective response. The basic formal infrastructure incident assessment ontology (BFiaO) is oriented towards fulfilling these needs. BFiaO is a meta-model for handling infrastructure-related situations, but it did not provide models for a catalogue of adverse events and the means necessary for an adequate response. In this article, the authors present the key ontological commitments required for developing BFiaO-based extensible typologies of adverse events that are driven by the effects rather than by other aspects such as causes, or facilities affected. The model of a concrete case study is then presented that connects adverse event types to the kind of actions and resources required for mitigation.
Understanding a Revolutionary and Flawed Grand Experiment in Blockchain
Authors: Mehar Muhammad Izhar , Shier Charles Louis , Giambattista Alana , Gong Elgar , Fletcher Gabrielle , Sanayhie Ryan , Kim Henry M. , Laskowski Marek
Published: October 2018

In spring 2016, the Distributed Autonomous Organization (The DAO) was created on Ethereum. As with Bitcoin, Ethereum uses a P2P network, where distributed ledgers are implemented as daisy-chained blocks of data. Ethereum's native cryptocurrency, Ethers are spent to execute pieces of code called smart contracts. Investors paid their Ethers for the DAO to operate and received the opportunity to vote on and become investors in venture projects proposed by Ethereum-based startups. Transactions and settlements between investors and startups are executed autonomously. The DAO experiment failed shortly after inception as an anonymous hacker stole over $50M USD worth of Ethers out of the $168M invested. The Ethereum community voted to return (or fork) the state of the network to one prior to the hack, returning Ethers back to investors and shuttering the DAO. However, this action arguably represented as a bailout—ironically, Bitcoin was conceived as a reaction against the 2008 bailout of US banks—and violated the ledger immutability and “code is law” ethos of the blockchain community.
De projetos da ciência à fabricação em série: educação do corpo, biopolítica e eugenia em Wakolda
Authors: Galak Eduardo Lautaro , Gomes Ivan Marcelo , Zoboli Fabio
Published: October 2018

O filme Wakolda (2013) da cineasta argentina Lucía Puenzo toma emprestado o nome de uma boneca que representa a passagem da singularidade ao corpo projetado, fabricado e montado para ser produzido em série, servindo como metáfora do sonho/pesadelo da ciência moderna em criar corpos perfeitos através do aperfeiçoamento da raça humana. A narrativa fílmica de Puenzo é uma mistura de história com caráter biográfico em meio a contextos fictícios na medida em que trata da passagem do refugiado médico nazista alemão Josef Mengele pela Argentina. Wakolda representa a tensão entre diferença e homogeneização dos corpos ao propor a fabricação, via o emparelhamento genético, de uma melhor raça. O texto tem como objetivo tencionar a biopolítica e a educação dos corpos sob o viés do conhecimento médico eugênico, partindo do pressuposto de que este denota um corpo submetido a uma tecnocracia do saber científico.
Biografia e Cinema na História da Educação: aspectos da profissão docente no filme ‘São João Batista de La Salle: padroeiro dos professores’
Authors: Orlando Evelyn De Almeida
Published: October 2018

Este artigo aborda, a partir do filme São João Batista de La Salle: padroeiro dos professores, os caminhos da profissão docente no século XVII, destacando a presença da Igreja nesse cenário e o método simultâneo utilizado pela congregação dos Irmãos das Escolas Cristãs. Temos como objetivo pensar o filme como fonte e objeto para a História da Educação, considerando suas potencialidades educativas e os usos que foram feitos desse tipo de mídia por diferentes grupos e atores sociais. Como o filme aqui abordado trata-se de uma biografia, este conceito, assim como o de representação, tornaram-se basilares no trabalho para pensar, a partir da vida de um sujeito, questões, processos, articulação, redes, tensões e disputas que estavam em jogo no cenário educacional francês no século XVII. A discussão põe em evidência a relação entre religião, mídia e educação que ganhou acento a partir da Modernidade, com suportes como o livro, revista, jornais, rádio, cinema, tv e, hoje, a internet. A produção da obra é, portanto, indicativa da posição que a Igreja estabeleceu e vem estabelecendo com o cinema, não apenas sendo refratária, mas utilizando-o pedagogicamente pelo seu potencial formativo de largo alcance.
Developing teams for optimal performance in modern workplaces
Authors: Coetzee Melinde
Published: October 2018

No abstract available.
Proposal of treatment strategies for bilateral chronic subdural hematoma based on laterality of treated hematoma
Authors: Takahashi Satoru , Yamauchi Takahiro , Yamamura Toshihiro , Ogishima Takahiro , Arai Toshinari
Published: October 2018

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a disorder that is commonly seen in routine neurosurgery. Although risk factors for recurrence have been studied, the findings are inconsistent. Furthermore, bilateral CSDHs are operated unilaterally or bilaterally depending on symptoms or hematoma volume. Although there are cases in which hematomas on nonoperated side in unilaterally operated bilateral CSDHs requiring for additional operation, little have been studied on the effect of the surgical selection. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors for recurrence in operated hematomas and additional operation in nonoperated hematomas and improve surgical strategy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent surgery in our facility for bilateral CSDHs between January 2011 and December 2016. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relationship between recurrence or requirement for additional operation and clinical and radiological variables. Results: Recurrence was observed significantly more frequent for operated hematomas when hematoma type was separated type as reported previously. In unilaterally operated bilateral CSDHs, there were 22 hematomas on nonoperated side, and five hematomas required an additional operation after the first hospitalization. Increased volume of hematoma on the nonoperated side was the risk factors for additional operation (P = 0.022). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that requirement for additional operation significantly increased when hematoma volume enlarged to approximately 44 cm3 or greater 1 day after operation. Conclusions: In unilaterally operated bilateral CSDHs, when hematoma volume on nonoperated side increased 1 day after the last operation, additional operation in the early stage is considerable to prevent re-hospitalization and deterioration of activities of daily living.
Venous infarct after sacrifice of single cortical vein during deep-brain stimulation surgery
Authors: Zekaj Edvin , Saleh Christian , Ciuffi Andrea , Franzini Andrea , Servello Domenico
Published: October 2018

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most feared and dreadful complication related to deep-brain stimulation (DBS). Bleeding may originate from arterial or venous damage. Commonly, hemorrhage is detected by postoperative imaging performed to assess lead positioning in asymptomatic patients. Rarely, hemorrhage leads to stroke, coma, or even death. We present the case of a patient who suffered a severe ICH of venous origins after bilateral DBS. Deep-brain hemorrhages are the most difficult to be predicted and to be prevented because they are caused by small vessels. As superficial hemorrhages are secondary to venous coagulation or sulcal hemorrhage, neurosurgeons must drive all efforts to minimize their occurrence.
Isolated intraventricular Rosai–Dorfman disease
Authors: Patwardhan Pranav , Goel Naina
Published: October 2018

Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is a benign histioproliferative disorder characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy, weakness, anemia, and rarely extranodal involvement. The disease affects the central nervous system (CNS) very rarely and at a relatively older age. Isolated intracranial involvement is very rare. RDD tends to present as dural masses mimicking meningioma, though very rare case reports describe isolated parenchymal involvement in the CNS. Only one case of intraventricular RDD has been described so far to the best of our knowledge. We present a very rare presentation of this disease as an isolated intraventricular presentation in the region of the atria of the lateral ventricles.
Sub-exponential decay of eigenfunctions for some discrete Schrödinger operators
Authors: Mandich Marc-Adrien
Published: October 2018

Following the method of Froese and Herbst, we show for a class of potentials

V

that an embedded eigenfunction

\psi

with eigenvalue

E

of the multi-dimensional discrete Schrödinger operator

H = \Delta + V

on

\mathbb Z^d

decays sub-exponentially whenever the Mourre estimate holds at

E

. In the one-dimensional case we further show that this eigenfunction decays exponentially with a rate at least of cosh

^{-1}((E-2)/(\theta_E-2))

, where

\theta_E

is the nearest threshold of

H

located between

E

and

2

. A consequence of the latter result is the absence of eigenvalues between 2 and the nearest thresholds above and below this value. The method of Combes–Thomas is also reviewed for the discrete Schrödinger operators.
Unsafe Drinking Water Is Associated with Environmental Enteric Dysfunction and Poor Growth Outcomes in Young Children in Rural Southwestern Uganda
Authors: Lauer Jacqueline M. , Duggan Christopher P. , Ausman Lynne M. , Griffiths Jeffrey K. , Webb Patrick , Bashaasha Bernard , Agaba Edgar , Turyashemererwa Florence M. , Ghosh Shibani
Published: October 2018

Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED), a subclinical disorder of the small intestine, and poor growth are associated with living in poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions, but specific risk factors remain unclear. Nested within a birth cohort study, this study investigates relationships among water quality, EED, and growth in 385 children living in southwestern Uganda. Water quality was assessed using a portable water quality test when children were 6 months, and safe water was defined as lacking Escherichia coli contamination. Environmental enteric dysfunction was assessed using the lactulose:mannitol (L:M) test at 12–16 months. Anthropometry and covariate data were extracted from the cohort study, and associations were assessed using linear and logistic regression models. Less than half of the households (43.8%) had safe water, and safe versus unsafe water did not correlate with improved versus unimproved water source. In adjusted linear regression models, children from households with safe water had significantly lower log-transformed (ln) L:M ratios (β: −0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.44, −0.00) and significantly higher length-for-age (β: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.58) and weight-for-age (β: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.34) Z-scores at 12–16 months. Furthermore, in adjusted linear regression models, ln L:M ratios at 12–16 months significantly decreased with increasing length-for-age Z-scores at birth, 6 months, and 9 months (β: −0.05, 95% CI: −0.10, −0.004; β: −0.06, 95% CI: −0.11, −0.006; and β: −0.05, 95% CI: −0.09, −0.005, respectively). Overall, our data suggest that programs seeking to improve nutrition should address poor WASH conditions simultaneously, particularly related to household drinking water quality.
16S Metagenomic Comparison of Plasmodium falciparum–Infected and Noninfected Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus Microbiota from Senegal
Authors: Bassene Hubert , Niang El Hadji Amadou , Fenollar Florence , Dipankar Bachar , Doucouré Souleymane , Ali Essoham , Michelle Caroline , Raoult Didier , Sokhna Cheikh , Mediannikov Oleg
Published: October 2018

In the context of the pre-elimination of malaria, biological control may provide an alternative or additional tool to current malaria control strategies. During their various stages of development, mosquitoes undergo subsequent changes in their associated microbiota, depending on their environment and nutritional status. Although Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Anopheles funestus are the two major malaria vectors in Senegal, the composition of their microbiota is not yet well known. In this study, we explored the microbiota of mosquitoes naturally infected or not by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) using the 16S ribosomal RNA gene-based bacterial metagenomic approach. In both vector species, the microbiota was more diverse in Pf-infected samples than in the noninfected ones, although the total number of reads appeared to be higher in noninfected mosquitoes. Overall, the microbiota was different between the two vector species. Noteworthy, the bacterial microbiota was significantly different between Pf-positive and Pf-negative groups whatever the species, but was similar between individuals of the same infection status within a species. Overall, the phylum of Proteobacteria was the most predominant in both species, with bacteria of the genus Burkholderia outweighing the others in noninfected vectors. The presence of some specific bacterial species such as Asaia bogorensis, Enterobacter cloacae, Burkholderia fungorum, and Burkholderia cepacia was also observed in Pf-free samples only. These preliminary observations pave the way for further characterization of the mosquito microbiota to select promising bacterial candidates for potential use in an innovative approach to controlling malaria and overcoming the challenges to achieving a malaria-free world.
Molecular Surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum Drug Resistance Markers in Clinical Samples from Botswana
Authors: Tawe Leabaneng , Menegon Michela , Ramatlho Pleasure , Muthoga Charles W. , Mutukwa Naledi , Vurayai Moses , Bothudile Wame , Motshoge Thato , L’Episcopia Mariangela , Mosweunyane Tjantilili , Kasvosve Ishmael , Severini Carlo , Paganotti Giacomo M.
Published: October 2018

Drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum is a major threat to global malaria control and elimination efforts. In Botswana, a southern African country approaching malaria elimination, P. falciparum molecular data are not available. Parasites were assessed through pollymerase chain reaction (PCR) for confirmation of positive rapid diagnostic tests, multiplicity of infection (MOI), and drug resistance markers among isolates from clinical uncomplicated malaria cases collected at health facilities. Of 211 dried blood spot samples selected for the study, 186 (88.2%) were PCR positive for P. falciparum. The mean MOI based on MSP1 genotyping was 2.3 and was not associated with age. A high prevalence of wild-type parasites for pfcrt and pfmdr1 was found, with a haplotype frequency (K76/N86) of 88.8% and 17.7% of the isolates having two copies of the pfmdr1 gene. For pfATPase6, all the parasites carried the wild-type S769 allele. Sequencing showed no evidence of non-synonymous mutations associated with reduced artemisinin derivative sensitivity in the P. falciparum k13 gene. In conclusion, we found that P. falciparum parasites in Botswana were mostly wild type for the drug resistance markers evaluated. Yet, there was a high rate of a molecular marker associated to reduced sensitivity to lumefantrine. Our results indicate the need for systematic drug efficacy surveillance to complement malaria elimination efforts.
Chagas Disease in Southern Coastal Ecuador: Coinfections with Arboviruses and a Comparison of Serological Assays for Chagas Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Mita-Mendoza Neida K. , McMahon Elizabeth , Kenneson Aileen , Barbachano-Guerrero Arturo , Beltran-Ayala Efrain , Cueva Cinthya , King Christine A. , Lupone Christina D. , Castro-Sesquen Yagahira E. , Gilman Robert H. , Endy Timothy P. , Stewart-Ibarra Anna M.
Published: October 2018

Occurrence of Chagas disease and arbovirus coinfections is unknown, despite the vast co-endemic areas throughout the Americas. This study examined the proportion of individuals positive for Trypanosoma cruzi and coinfections with dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in Machala, Ecuador (January 2014–December 2015). Chagas seropositivity was evaluated with five commercially available assays. Dengue infections were identified by nonstructural protein 1 rapid test and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoglobulin M ELISA, and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR); chikungunya and Zika infections were identified by RT-PCR. Of 658 individuals, six were positive for T. cruzi (0.91%), including one T. cruzi/dengue coinfection and one T. cruzi/chikungunya/dengue coinfection. The clinical manifestations of coinfected individuals corresponded to severe dengue and dengue with warning signs, respectively. We observed discrepant results by using the Hemagen Chagas kit and the rapid test Chagas Detect Plus (false positives: 3.9% and 15.4%), highlighting the need to assess diagnostic assays in geographic regions with distinct taxonomic units of T. cruzi.
Laboratory Evaluation of a Rapid IgG4 Antibody Test (BLF Rapid™) for Bancroftian Filariasis
Authors: Noordin Rahmah , Yunus Muhammad Hafiznur , Robinson Keri , Won Kimberly Y. , Babu Subash , Fischer Peter U. , Hisam Shamilah , Mahmud Rohela
Published: October 2018

At the end phase of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, antibody testing may have a role in decision-making for bancroftian filariasis–endemic areas. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of BLF Rapid™, a prototype immunochromatographic IgG4-based test using BmSXP recombinant protein, for detection of bancroftian filariasis. The test was evaluated using 258 serum samples, comprising 96 samples tested at Universiti Sains Malaysia (in-house) and 162 samples tested independently at three international laboratories in the USA and India, and two laboratories in Malaysia. The independent testing involved 99 samples from Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaria or antigen positive individuals and 63 samples from people who were healthy or had other infections. The in-house evaluation showed 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The independent evaluations showed a diagnostic sensitivity of 84–100% and 100% specificity (excluding non-lymphatic filarial infections). BLF Rapid has potential as a surveillance diagnostic tool to make “Transmission Assessment Survey”–stopping decisions and conduct post-elimination surveillance.
Characteristics and Severity of Disease among 100 Cases of Imported Malaria Seen at a U.S. University Hospital, 2000–2017
Authors: Akselrod Hana , Swierzbinski Matthew J. , Zheng Zhaonian , Keiser John , Parenti David M. , Simon Gary L.
Published: October 2018

Malaria acquired in endemic areas poses a substantial risk to travelers arriving in or returning to the United States. Timely diagnosis and recognition of severe illness are crucial; however, many U.S.-based clinicians lack familiarity with this disease. We conducted a retrospective review of 100 cases of malaria in adults seen at a single urban university hospital during 2000–2017. Descriptive and analytical statistics were calculated, including logistic regression modeling case severity. Most of the patients presented with Plasmodium falciparum (76%), most commonly after travel from sub-Saharan Africa (94%). Prior malaria experience was common (50%), but adherence to a prophylactic regimen was exceedingly rare (4%). Twenty-one patients had severe malaria, including 10 with cerebral malaria. Severity was predicted by high parasitemia, bandemia, hypoglycemia, and hypotension at the time of presentation. In 24 patients, the initial treatment regimen was changed, usually because of the appearance of clinical deterioration or drug toxicity. One patient required intravenous artesunate. All patients survived, although one suffered fetal loss. Among 30 patients initially evaluated at other institutions, 43% had been treated for an alternative diagnosis. The most common reasons for transfer of patients to our hospital were inadequate facilities and lack of expertise with malaria. There needs to be increased awareness among U.S.-based travelers and clinicians regarding malaria as a potentially lethal condition, emphasizing the use of appropriate prophylaxis. Our simple model of disease severity could serve frontline physicians when deciding which patients should be admitted to the intensive care unit or transferred for higher level care.
Evaluation of a Novel Quantitative Test for Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency: Bringing Quantitative Testing for Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency Closer to the Patient
Authors: Pal Sampa , Bansil Pooja , Bancone Germana , Hrutkay Sevan , Kahn Maria , Gornsawun Gornpan , Penpitchaporn Pimsupah , Chu Cindy S. , Nosten François , Domingo Gonzalo J.
Published: October 2018

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a common genetic blood condition, can result in kernicterus at birth, and later in life as severe hemolysis on exposure to certain infections, foods, and drugs. The unavailability of point-of-care tests for G6PD deficiency is a barrier to routine curative treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria with 8-aminoquinolines, such as primaquine. Two quantitative reference tests (Trinity Biotech, Bray, Ireland and Pointe Scientific, Canton, MI; Cat No. G7583) and the point-of-care STANDARD™ G6PD test (SD Biosensor, Suwon, South Korea) were evaluated. The STANDARD G6PD test was evaluated at multiple temperatures, in anticoagulated venous and capillary samples, including 79 G6PD-deficient and 66 intermediate samples and across two laboratories, one in the United States and one in Thailand. The STANDARD test performed equivalently to a reference assay for its ability to diagnose G6PD deficiency (< 30% normal) with a sensitivity of 100% (0.95 confidence interval [CI]: 95.7–100) and specificity of 97% (0.95 CI: 94.5–98.5), and could reliably identify females with less than 70% normal G6PD activity with a sensitivity of 95.5% (0.95 CI: 89.7–98.5) and specificity of 97% (0.95 CI: 94.5–98.6). The STANDARD G6PD product represents an opportunity to diagnose G6PD deficiency equally for males and females in basic clinical laboratories in high- and low-resource settings. This quantitative point-of-care diagnostic test for G6PD deficiency can provide equal access to safe radical cure of P. vivax cases in high- and low-resource settings, for males and females and may support malaria elimination, in countries where P. vivax is endemic.
Dynamic pricing for inventories with reference price effects
Authors: Chenavaz Régis , Paraschiv Corina
Published: October 2018

This article presents a dynamic pricing model of a retailer selling an inventory, accounting for consumer behavior. The authors propose an optimal control model, maximizing the intertemporal profit with consumers sensitive to the selling price and to a reference price. The optimal dynamic pricing policy is solved with Pontryagin’s maximum principle with a structural (general) demand function. The authors obtain an original pricing rule, which explicitly accounts for the impact of price and inventory on future profits. The dynamics of price do not have to imitate the dynamics of the reference price. Instead, the dynamics of price are tied to opposing effects linked to this reference price. The authors also discuss managerial implications with regards to behavioral pricing policies.
Examining the Critical Moments in Information Processing of Water Conservation Videos within Young Farmers and Ranchers: A Psychophysiological Analysis
Authors: Fischer Laura M , Cummins R. Glenn , Gilliam Kyle C. , Baker Matt , Burris Scott , Irlbeck Erica
Published: October 2018

Discussions on how to conserve and provide enough water has become one of the most highly debated issues in modern society. Although many Extension efforts have engaged the public in understanding behavior and attitudes toward water conservation, limited research has focused on understanding how agriculturalists respond to water conservation messages. The goal of this study was to employ the use of a psychophysiological measure to determine what message components elicited increased information processing during exposure to two water conservation videos. When the two videos were compared in total, no significant difference in heart rate was observed. However, a more granular analysis of phasic or short-term periods of heart rate deceleration revealed five segments of increased cognitive resource allocation while viewing the scientific video and three segments during the testimonial evidence video. Finally, self-report data approached statistical significance, with the subjects reporting greater elaboration while viewing the testimonial evidence video compared to the scientific video treatment. These findings provide unique evidence suggesting that farmers and ranchers allocate greater cognitive resources to scientific evidence, on screen graphics, and narrated statistics.
Applying Eye-Tracking Research in Education and Communication to Agricultural Education and Communication: A Review of Literature
Authors: Leggette Holli R. , Rice Amber H. , Carraway Candis , Baker Marshall A. , Conner Nathan
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this integrative literature review was to synthesize the eye-tracking literature related to education and communication in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) to formulate a conceptual model and develop a research agenda that guides eye-tracking research in agricultural education and communication. To do so, we reviewed the literature to identify basic elements of eye-tracking research, examined specific variables related to eye-tracking research, and synthesized the findings into a conceptual model. We found and reviewed 77 articles published between 2010 and 2016 within education (56) and communication (21). Research implications for agricultural education included an examination of classroom management practices, a comparison of novice and experienced instructors, and an exploration of educational settings. Research implications for agricultural communication included tracking fixation and frequency of eye movement when viewing advertisements and understanding the relationship between brand placement and buying decisions. Synthesizing the research in education and communication, we identified the audiences, concepts, environments, and variables related to eye tracking that could be investigated within agricultural education and communication. In conclusion, we found a lack of agricultural education and communication studies cited in the SSCI, eye-tracking technology provides variables to support a multivariate approach in agricultural education and communication, and eye-tracking equipment is expensive, which may limit diffusion in some settings.
Alternative Certification: A Solution or an Alternative Problem?
Authors: Bowling Amanda M. , Ball Anna L.
Published: October 2018

Teacher education is facing a number of challenges such as policy changes, funding issues, and teacher recruitment and retention. These challenges, whether on the national, state, district or school level, contribute to continued teacher shortages. Many school districts are faced with the conundrum of hiring under qualified individuals, leaving vacant positions open, or eliminating positions altogether. Thus, within all subject areas of education, a strong philosophical perspective needs to be developed to answer the question: Is alternative certification a solution to these problems or an alternative problem? This philosophical manuscript investigates the research related to alternative certification within education as a whole, career and technical education, and agricultural education. Research in education broadly indicates a lack of consistency within the current alternative certification pathways and a lack of consistent/positive influence on student outcomes within alternatively certified teachers. It is recommended that future research should investigate the impacts of various certification pathways on students. Furthermore, teacher certification pathways should be based upon solid evidence from research regarding what generates the best learning outcomes for students.
Outcome Framework for School Garden Program Development and Evaluation: A Delphi Approach
Authors: Diaz John M. , Warner Laura A. , Webb Susan T.
Published: October 2018

School gardens programs and garden-based education are positioned to become fixtures in educational institutions given recent trends and the national interest in gardens at school sites. Agricultural education professionals have integrated school gardens into core science, social studies, math, and language arts courses as well as agricultural education programs for elementary, middle, and high school curriculum. The literature shows that while there are specific curriculum links being made, school garden programs elicit a multitude of benefits in addition to enhancing student performance. Although the literature outlines an extensive set of impacts that may result from a school garden program, they are grounded in a specific case or intervention. Those who are planning for and evaluating school garden programs are left to make connections based on case study results or intervention trials, which leaves plenty of room for error. We utilized the Delphi approach with a panel of 74 experts to identify consensus on 38 outcomes that should be used to inform program development and evaluation efforts. Agricultural education professionals and other stakeholders connected to school gardens can use the results of this study to provide a solid foundation for an outcome-driven school garden program.
A Practical Solution to Developing County Extension Director’s Leadership Skills: Exploring the Design, Delivery and Evaluation of an Online Leadership Development Program
Authors: Sowcik Matthew , Benge Matt , Niewoehner-Green Jera
Published: October 2018

County Extension Directors (CED) are tasked with a myriad of responsibilities, many of which are directly related to leadership skills. Despite the identification of competencies and skills needed by CEDs in order to maintain successful programs, little research has been conducted on actual Extension leadership programming. Even more uncommon in the literature is the evaluation of CED leadership development programs that utilize online delivery. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the outcomes of a primarily online leadership development program with the goal of developing 21st century soft skills in CEDs. The Leadership Short Course was built upon the leadership development foundations of Moore and Rudd (2005), Owen (2004) and Sanders (2014), while the program evaluation framework utilized the Kirkpatrick (1976) model to evaluate program participant reactions, learning, and behavior changes. Key findings indicate that the design and delivery of the program resulted in high participant satisfaction and significant increases in leadership knowledge and skill level. Positive outcomes in this type of online programming has implications for the design and implementation of future CED leadership programs.
Information Needs and Information-seeking Behaviors of Urban Food Producers: Implications for Urban Extension Programs
Authors: Kopiyawattage Kumudu P. P. , Warner Laura A. , Roberts T. Grady
Published: October 2018

Extension is challenged with meeting the needs of a variety of stakeholders. As the country becomes more urban, Extension may need to adapt programming to reach new clients. Having an understanding about what, when, and how urban food producers gather information is important to address their needs. Information that is relevant, up-to-date, and meets clients’ needs, enables their ability to adopt new ideas and innovative technologies, providing more opportunities for success. A mixed-method research design explored the information needs and information-seeking behavior of urban food producers in Columbus, Ohio. Urban food producers in this study most needed information to increase food production. Respondents preferred to receive information from the Internet and other electronic media over conventional information sources. This group of urban producers trusted information from university and Extension sources, but expressed mixed opinions about their personal experiences with OSU Extension.
Uncertainty of atmospheric microwave absorption model: impact on ground-based radiometer simulations and retrievals
Authors: Cimini Domenico , Rosenkranz Philip W. , Tretyakov Mikhail Y. , Koshelev Maksim A. , Romano Filomena
Published: October 2018

Abstract. This paper presents a general approach to quantify absorption model
uncertainty due to uncertainty in the underlying spectroscopic parameters. The
approach is applied to a widely used microwave absorption model (Rosenkranz,
2017) and radiative transfer calculations in the 20–60 GHz range, which are
commonly exploited for atmospheric sounding by microwave radiometer (MWR).
The approach, however, is not limited to any frequency range, observing
geometry, or particular instrument. In the considered frequency range,
relevant uncertainties come from water vapor and oxygen spectroscopic
parameters. The uncertainty of the following parameters is found to dominate:
(for water vapor) self- and foreign-continuum absorption coefficients, line
broadening by dry air, line intensity, the temperature-dependence exponent for
foreign-continuum absorption, and the line shift-to-broadening ratio; (for
oxygen) line intensity, line broadening by dry air, line mixing,
the temperature-dependence exponent for broadening, zero-frequency line
broadening in air, and the temperature-dependence coefficient for line mixing. The
full uncertainty covariance matrix is then computed for the set of
spectroscopic parameters with significant impact. The impact of the
spectroscopic parameter uncertainty covariance matrix on simulated
downwelling microwave brightness temperatures (TB) in the 20–60 GHz
range is calculated for six atmospheric climatology conditions. The
uncertainty contribution to simulated TB ranges from 0.30 K (subarctic
winter) to 0.92 K (tropical) at 22.2 GHz and from 2.73 K (tropical) to 3.31 K
(subarctic winter) at 52.28 GHz. The uncertainty contribution is nearly
zero at 55–60 GHz frequencies. Finally, the impact of spectroscopic
parameter uncertainty on ground-based MWR retrievals of temperature and
humidity profiles is discussed.
Heterogeneous OH Oxidation of Isoprene Epoxydiol-Derived Organosulfates: Kinetics, Chemistry and Formation of Inorganic Sulfate
Authors: Lam Hoi Ki , Kwong Kai Chung , Poon Hon Yin , Davies James F. , Zhang Zhenfa , Gold Avram , Surratt Jason D. , Chan Man Nin
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Acid-catalyzed multiphase chemistry of epoxydiols formed from isoprene oxidation yields the most abundant organosulfates (i.e., methyltetrol sulfates) detected in atmospheric fine aerosols. This potentially determines the physicochemical properties of fine aerosols in isoprene-rich regions. However, chemical stability of these organosulfates remains unclear. As a result, we investigate the heterogeneous oxidation of aerosols consisting of potassium 3-methyltetrol sulfate ester (C5H11SO7K) by gas-phase hydroxyl (OH) radicals through studying the oxidation kinetics and reaction products at a relative humidity (RH) of 70.8 %. Real-time molecular composition of the aerosols is obtained by using a Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) ionization source coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer. Aerosol mass spectra reveal that 3-methyltetrol sulfate ester can be detected as its anionic form (C5H11SO7−) via direct ionization in the negative ionization mode. Kinetic measurements reveal that the effective heterogeneous OH rate constant is measured to be 4.74 ± 0.2 × 10−13 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 with a chemical lifetime against OH oxidation of 16.2 ± 0.3 days. Comparison of this lifetime with those against other aerosol removal processes, such as dry and wet deposition, suggests that 3-methyltetrol sulfate ester is likely to be chemically stable over atmospheric timescales. Aerosol mass spectra only show an increase in the intensity of bisulfate ion (HSO4−) after oxidation, suggesting the absence of functionalization processes is likely attributable to the steric effect of substituted functional groups (e.g. methyl, alcohol and sulfate groups) on peroxy–peroxy radical reactions. Overall, potassium 3-methyltetrol sulfate ester likely decomposes to form volatile fragmentation products and aerosol-phase sulfate radial anion (SO4•−). SO4•− subsequently undergoes intermolecular hydrogen abstraction to form HSO4−. These processes appear to explain the compositional evolution of 3-methyltetrol sulfate ester during heterogeneous OH oxidation.
The FengYun-3C radio occultation sounder GNOS: a review of the mission and its early results and science applications
Authors: Sun Yueqiang , Bai Weihua , Liu Congliang , Liu Yan , Du Qifei , Wang Xianyi , Yang Guanglin , Liao Mi , Yang Zhongdong , Zhang Xiaoxin , Meng Xiangguang , Zhao Danyang , Xia Junming , Cai Yuerong , Kirchengast Gottfried
Published: October 2018

Abstract. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Occultation Sounder (GNOS) is
one of the new-generation payloads on board the Chinese FengYun 3 (FY-3)
series of operational meteorological satellites for sounding the Earth's
neutral atmosphere and ionosphere. FY-3C GNOS, on board the FY-3 series C
satellite launched in September 2013, was designed to acquire setting and
rising radio occultation (RO) data by using GNSS signals from both the
Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and the US Global
Positioning System (GPS). So far, the GNOS measurements and atmospheric and
ionospheric data products have been validated and evaluated and then been
used for atmosphere- and ionosphere-related scientific applications. This paper reviews the FY-3C GNOS instrument, RO data processing, data
quality evaluation, and preliminary research applications according to the
state-of-the-art status of the FY-3C GNOS mission and related publications.
The reviewed data validation and application results demonstrate that the
FY-3C GNOS mission can provide accurate and precise atmospheric and
ionospheric GNSS (i.e., GPS and BDS) RO profiles for numerical weather
prediction (NWP), global climate monitoring (GCM), and space weather research
(SWR). The performance of the FY-3C GNOS product quality evaluation and
scientific applications establishes confidence that the GNOS data from the
series of FY-3 satellites will provide important contributions to NWP,
GCM, and SWR scientific communities.
Screening for snow/snowmelt in SNPP VIIRS aerosol optical depth algorithm
Authors: Huang Jingfeng , Laszlo Istvan , Remer Lorraine A. , Liu Hongqing , Zhang Hai , Ciren Pubu , Kondragunta Shobha
Published: October 2018

Abstract. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on board the Suomi
National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) spacecraft provides validated
daily global aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals; however, a close
examination of the VIIRS aerosol product identified residual snow and
snowmelt contamination, resulting generally in an overestimation of AOD. The
contamination was particularly evident over Northern Hemisphere high-latitude
regions during the spring thaw. To improve the product performance, we
introduced a new empirical snow and snowmelt screening scheme that combines a
normalized difference snow index (NDSI)- and brightness temperature
(BT)-based snow test, a snow adjacency test and a spatial homogeneity test
(a.k.a. spatial filter). Testing of retrievals for 18 May 2014 indicated
that, compared to the previous, visible reflectance anomaly (VRA)-based snow
test, the new NDSI- and BT-based snow test screened out an additional
3.44 % of VIIRS AOD retrievals, most of which were over high latitudes
experiencing snowmelt. The new snow adjacency test and the homogeneity test
degraded another 5.57 % and 0.26 %, respectively, otherwise
“good”-quality AOD retrievals. For the VIIRS–AERONET (Aerosol Robotic
Network) matchups over Northern Hemisphere high-latitude regions during 3
years of spring (2013–2015), the new scheme also effectively screened out a
significant number of the matchups that had anomalously high positive biases
attributable to snow and snowmelt contamination. The new snow and snowmelt
screening scheme was transferred to the Interface Data Processing Segment
(IDPS) VIIRS aerosol algorithm on 22 June 2015. Subsequently no significant
snow and snowmelt contamination was found during spring 2016. The scheme is
also implemented in the new Enterprise VIIRS aerosol algorithm in the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Enterprise Processing
System (EPS) that became operational in 2017.
A novel post-processing algorithm for Halo Doppler lidars
Authors: Vakkari Ville , Manninen Antti J. , O'Connor Ewan J. , Schween Jan H. , van Zyl Pieter G.
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Commercially available Doppler lidars have now been proven to be efficient tools for studying winds and turbulence in the planetary boundary layer. However, in many cases low signal-to-noise ratio is still a limiting factor for utilising measurements by these devices. Here, we present a novel postprocessing algorithm for Halo Streamline Doppler lidars, which enables an improvement in sensitivity of a factor of five or more. This algorithm is based on improving the accuracy of the instrumental noise floor and it enables using longer integration times or averaging of high temporal resolution data to obtain signals down to −32 dB. While this algorithm does not affect the measured radial velocity, it improves the accuracy of radial velocity uncertainty estimates and consequently the accuracy of retrieved turbulent properties. Field measurements with three different Halo Doppler lidars deployed in Finland, Greece and South Africa demonstrate how the new post-processing algorithm increases data availability for turbulent retrievals in the planetary boundary layer, improves detection of high-altitude cirrus clouds, and enables the observation of elevated aerosol layers.