bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of four functionalization methods of gold nanoparticles for enhancing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
Authors: Ciaurriz Paula , Fernández Fátima , Tellechea Edurne , Moran Jose F , Asensio Aaron C
Published: January 2017

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique is based on the specific recognition ability of the molecular structure of an antigen (epitope) by an antibody and is likely the most important diagnostic technique used today in bioscience. With this methodology, it is possible to diagnose illness, allergies, alimentary fraud, and even to detect small molecules such as toxins, pesticides, heavy metals, etc. For this reason, any procedures that improve the detection limit, sensitivity or reduce the analysis time could have an important impact in several fields. In this respect, many methods have been developed for improving the technique, ranging from fluorescence substrates to methods for increasing the number of enzyme molecules involved in the detection such as the biotin–streptavidin method. In this context, nanotechnology has offered a significant number of proposed solutions, mainly based on the functionalization of nanoparticles from gold to carbon which could be used as antibody carriers as well as reporter enzymes like peroxidase. However, few works have focused on the study of best practices for nanoparticle functionalization for ELISA enhancement. In this work, we use 20 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a vehicle for secondary antibodies and peroxidase (HRP). The design of experiments technique (DOE) and four different methods for biomolecule loading were compared using a rabbit IgG/goat anti-rabbit IgG ELISA model (adsorption, directional, covalent and a combination thereof). As a result, AuNP probes prepared by direct adsorption were the most effective method. AuNPs probes were then used to detect gliadin, one of the main components of wheat gluten, the protein composite that causes celiac disease. With this optimized approach, our data showed a sensitivity increase of at least five times and a lower detection limit with respect to a standard ELISA of at least three times. Additionally, the assay time was remarkably decreased.
TRANSIT TIMING VARIATION MEASUREMENTS OF WASP-12b AND QATAR-1b: NO EVIDENCE OF ADDITIONAL PLANETS
Authors: Collins Karen A. , Kielkopf John F. , Stassun Keivan G.
Published: January 2017

WASP-12b and Qatar-1b are transiting hot Jupiters for which previous works have suggested the presence of transit timing variations (TTVs) indicative of additional bodies in these systems—an Earth-mass planet in WASP-12 and a brown-dwarf mass object in Qatar-1. Here, we present 23 new WASP-12b and 18 new Qatar-1b complete (or nearly complete) transit observations. We perform global system fits to all of our light curves for each system, as well as RV and stellar spectroscopic parameters from the literature. The global fits provide refined system parameters and uncertainties for each system, including precise transit center times for each transit. The transit model residuals of the combined and five minute binned light curves have an rms of 183 and 255 parts per million (ppm) for WASP-12b and Qatar-1b, respectively. Most of the WASP-12b system parameter values from this work are consistent with values from previous studies, but have ∼40%–50% smaller uncertainties. Most of the Qatar-1b system parameter values and uncertainties from this work are consistent with values recently reported in the literature. We find no convincing evidence for sinusoidal TTVs with a semi-amplitude of more than ∼35 and ∼25 s in the WASP-12b and Qatar-1b systems, respectively.
A SEARCH FOR Hα ABSORPTION AROUND KELT-3 b AND GJ 436 b
Authors: Cauley P. Wilson , Redfield Seth , Jensen Adam G.
Published: January 2017

Observations of extended atmospheres around hot planets have generated exciting results concerning the dynamics of escaping planetary material. The configuration of the escaping planetary gas can result in asymmetric transit features, producing both pre- and post-transit absorption in specific atomic transitions. Measuring the velocity and strength of the absorption can provide constraints on the mass loss mechanism, and potentially clues to the interactions between the planet and the host star. Here we present a search for Hα absorption in the circumplanetary environments of the hot planets KELT-3 b and GJ 436 b. We find no evidence for absorption around either planet at any point during the two separate transit epochs for which each system was observed. We provide upper limits on the radial extent and density of the excited hydrogen atmospheres around both planets. The null detection for GJ 436 b contrasts with the strong Lyα absorption measured for the same system, suggesting that the large cloud of neutral hydrogen is almost entirely in the ground state. The only confirmed exoplanetary Hα absorption to date has been made around the active star HD 189733 b. KELT-3 and GJ 436 are less active than HD 189733, hinting that exoplanet atmospheres exposed to EUV photons from active stars are better suited for detection of Hα absorption.
C/O AND O/H RATIOS SUGGEST SOME HOT JUPITERS ORIGINATE BEYOND THE SNOW LINE
Authors: Brewer John M. , Fischer Debra A. , Madhusudhan Nikku
Published: January 2017

The elemental compositions of planet-hosting stars serve as proxies for the primordial compositions of protoplanetary disks within which the planets form. The temperature profile of the disk governs the condensation fronts of various compounds, and although these chemically distinct regions migrate and mix during the disk lifetime, they can still leave an imprint on the compositions of the forming planets. Observable atmospheric compositions of hot Jupiters, when compared against their host stars, could potentially constrain their formation and migration processes. We compared the measured planetary and stellar abundances of carbon and oxygen for 10 systems with hot Jupiters. If the planets formed by core accretion with significant planetesimal accretion and migrated through the disk, the hot Jupiter atmospheres should be substantially super-stellar in O/H and substellar in C/O. On the contrary, however, we find that currently reported abundances of hot Jupiters have generally super-stellar C/O ratios, although present uncertainties on the reported O/H and C/O ratios are too large to reach a firm conclusion. In one case, HD 209458b, however, the elevated C/O and depleted O/H of the planet compared to the host star are significant enough to suggest an origin far beyond the ice line, with predominantly gas accretion and subsequent disk-free migration. Improved measurements from the James Webb Space Telescope will enable more precise measurements for more hot Jupiters, and we predict, based on the current marginal trend, that a sizable fraction of hot Jupiters will show enrichment of C/O over and lower O/H than their hosts, similar to HD 209458b.
CHEMICAL EVOLUTION LIBRARY FOR GALAXY FORMATION SIMULATION
Authors: Saitoh Takayuki R.
Published: January 2017

We have developed a software library for chemical evolution simulations of galaxy formation under the simple stellar population (SSP) approximation. In this library, all of the necessary components concerning chemical evolution, such as initial mass functions, stellar lifetimes, yields from Type II and Type Ia supernovae, asymptotic giant branch stars, and neutron star mergers, are compiled from the literature. Various models are pre-implemented in this library so that users can choose their favorite combination of models. Subroutines of this library return released energy and masses of individual elements depending on a given event type. Since the redistribution manner of these quantities depends on the implementation of users’ simulation codes, this library leaves it up to the simulation code. As demonstrations, we carry out both one-zone, closed-box simulations and 3D simulations of a collapsing gas and dark matter system using this library. In these simulations, we can easily compare the impact of individual models on the chemical evolution of galaxies, just by changing the control flags and parameters of the library. Since this library only deals with the part of chemical evolution under the SSP approximation, any simulation codes that use the SSP approximation—namely, particle-base and mesh codes, as well as semianalytical models—can use it. This library is named “CELib” after the term “Chemical Evolution Library” and is made available to the community.
A New Model of Roche Lobe Overflow for Short-period Gaseous Planets and Binary Stars
Authors: Jackson Brian , Arras Phil , Penev Kaloyan , Peacock Sarah , Marchant Pablo
Published: January 2017

Some close-in gaseous exoplanets are nearly in Roche lobe contact, and previous studies show that tidal decay can drive hot Jupiters into contact during the main sequence of their host stars. Improving on a previous model, we present a revised model for mass transfer in a semidetached binary system that incorporates an extended atmosphere around the donor and allows for an arbitrary mass ratio. We apply this new formalism to hypothetical, confirmed, and candidate planetary systems to estimate mass-loss rates and compare with models of evaporative mass loss. Overflow may be significant for hot Neptunes out to periods of ∼2 days, while for hot Jupiters, it may only be important inward of 0.5 days. We find that CoRoT-24 b may be losing mass at a rate of more than an Earth mass in a gigayear. The hot Jupiter WASP-12 b may lose an Earth mass in a megayear, while the putative planet PTFO8-8695 orbiting a T Tauri star might shed its atmosphere in a few megayears. We point out that the orbital expansion that can accompany mass transfer may be less effective than previously considered because the gas accreted by the host star removes some of the angular momentum from the orbit, but simple scaling arguments suggest that the Roche lobe overflow might remain stable. Consequently, the recently discovered small planets in ultrashort periods (<1 day) may not be the remnants of hot Jupiters/Neptunes. The new model presented here has been incorporated into Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA).
Solar Flare Prediction Model with Three Machine-learning Algorithms using Ultraviolet Brightening and Vector Magnetograms
Authors: Nishizuka N. , Sugiura K. , Kubo Y. , Den M. , Watari S. , Ishii M.
Published: January 2017

We developed a flare prediction model using machine learning, which is optimized to predict the maximum class of flares occurring in the following 24 hr. Machine learning is used to devise algorithms that can learn from and make decisions on a huge amount of data. We used solar observation data during the period 2010–2015, such as vector magnetograms, ultraviolet (UV) emission, and soft X-ray emission taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. We detected active regions (ARs) from the full-disk magnetogram, from which ∼60 features were extracted with their time differentials, including magnetic neutral lines, the current helicity, the UV brightening, and the flare history. After standardizing the feature database, we fully shuffled and randomly separated it into two for training and testing. To investigate which algorithm is best for flare prediction, we compared three machine-learning algorithms: the support vector machine, k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), and extremely randomized trees. The prediction score, the true skill statistic, was higher than 0.9 with a fully shuffled data set, which is higher than that for human forecasts. It was found that k-NN has the highest performance among the three algorithms. The ranking of the feature importance showed that previous flare activity is most effective, followed by the length of magnetic neutral lines, the unsigned magnetic flux, the area of UV brightening, and the time differentials of features over 24 hr, all of which are strongly correlated with the flux emergence dynamics in an AR.
A Cosmic Void Catalog of SDSS DR12 BOSS Galaxies
Authors: Mao Qingqing , Berlind Andreas A. , Scherrer Robert J. , Neyrinck Mark C. , Scoccimarro Román , Tinker Jeremy L. , McBride Cameron K. , Schneider Donald P. , Pan Kaike , Bizyaev Dmitry , Malanushenko Elena , Malanushenko Viktor
Published: January 2017

We present a cosmic void catalog using the large-scale structure galaxy catalog from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). This galaxy catalog is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 12 and is the final catalog of SDSS-III. We take into account the survey boundaries, masks, and angular and radial selection functions, and apply the ZOBOV void finding algorithm to the Galaxy catalog. We identify a total of 10,643 voids. After making quality cuts to ensure that the voids represent real underdense regions, we obtain 1,228 voids with effective radii spanning the range 20–100

and with central densities that are, on average, 30% of the mean sample density. We release versions of the catalogs both with and without quality cuts. We discuss the basic statistics of voids, such as their size and redshift distributions, and measure the radial density profile of the voids via a stacking technique. In addition, we construct mock void catalogs from 1000 mock galaxy catalogs, and find that the properties of BOSS voids are in good agreement with those in the mock catalogs. We compare the stellar mass distribution of galaxies living inside and outside of the voids, and find no large difference. These BOSS and mock void catalogs are useful for a number of cosmological and galaxy environment studies.
Analyse dynamique de l’attractivité et du développement international d’une Petite Economie Mature Ouverte (PEMO) : le cas du Luxembourg
Authors: Lemaire Jean-Paul , Hostert Marc
Published: January 2017

L’activité des Petites Economies Matures Ouvertes (PEMO) se concentre, souvent, sur quelques secteurs, rendant délicate leur adaptation aux changements de leur environnement international. A partir de l’analyse dynamique des pressions externes (politico-réglementaires, économiques et sociales, et technologiques selon le modèle PREST), sont ici identifiés les enjeux à moyen et long termes auxquels une PEMO est confrontée pour déterminer, sur la base de ses atouts, les orientations que ses parties prenantes, publiques et privées, pourraient privilégier. Une analyse Delphi, appliquée au Luxembourg retenu ici comme cas d’application, détermine les « niches de compétence » susceptibles de se substituer aux « niches de souveraineté » de cette PEMO. Ces dernières sont en effet remises en question, comme l’ensemble du modèle économique du Grand-Duché, par les mutations structurelles et conjoncturelles qui les affectent.
Concilier éthique et performance dans l’économie sociale et solidaire : quelle contribution de la vision stratégique et de la qualité ? Le cas de « A.I.D.E.R »
Authors: Phanuel Dominique , Lemaire Isabelle
Published: January 2017

En matière d’action publique, le défi à relever, peut-être plus que la performance elle-même, est celui du couplage de l’éthique et de la performance. L’articulation des fins et des moyens se pose non seulement au nom d’une culture des moyens, du résultat et de la performance mais aussi au nom d’un questionnement sur le sens et sur l’éthique. Les outils de gestion, à visée performative, sont sortis des grandes entreprises, pour se diffuser dans l’économie sociale et solidaire. Cette dernière constitue-t-elle, du fait de sa nature et de ses principes, mais aussi grâce à sa capacité d’appropriation de certains outils de gestion, une réponse originale et pertinente à l’association de l’éthique et de la performance ? Cette recherche exploratoire ambitionne d’identifier les signes de cette articulation au travers la vision stratégique du dirigeant et le système de management par la qualité mis en place. L’association « A.I.D.E.R » constitue le support d’une étude de cas de niveau local basé sur des entretiens et sur une analyse du vocabulaire présent dans son manuel qualité.
Des conditions et enjeux de la politisation de l’administration publique au regard de l’ethos public : une étude comparée (Canada/Suisse) de l’expérience des cadres dirigeants
Authors: Fortier Isabelle , Emery Yves , Roldan Rachel
Published: January 2017

La managérialisation des organisations publiques, sous l’impulsion du nouveau management public (NMP), modifie les relations politico-administratives et remet en question les rôles et identités de ses acteurs. Situés au carrefour des interactions multiples, les cadres dirigeants contribuent à donner sens à l’ethos public et à définir sa spécificité. Par la comparaison (Canada/Suisse), cette recherche aborde la spécificité sous deux angles : la dimension institutionnelle différenciée du fonctionnement étatique et démocratique pour chacun des pays, et la construction des identités des acteurs en lien avec l’ethos public qui s’en dégage. Dans chacun des contextes, nous discutons des conditions et enjeux de la politisation de l’administration à partir des réactions que celles-ci inspirent aux cadres rencontrés et qui expriment ainsi le maintien ou la transformation de l’ethos public.
Le Nouveau Management Public conduit-il à un rapprochement public-privé ? Une analyse à partir des procédures d’évaluation du personnel
Authors: Ientile-Yalenios Jocelyne , Thivant Eric , Roger Alain
Published: January 2017

Les caractéristiques des systèmes d’évaluation du personnel sont-elles spécifiques au secteur public, ou bien répondent-elles à des normes universelles visant à une homogénéisation des pratiques ? Pour répondre à cette question, nous discutons les résultats de l’analyse lexicométrique des documents qui définissent les conditions d’application de ces systèmes dans deux organisations publiques et deux entreprises privées. Alors que dans les entreprises privées les notions de résultat, d’objectif ou de performance fréquemment reprises évoquent une culture de marché centrée sur des objectifs rationnels, les deux organisations du secteur public étudiées présentent plusieurs caractéristiques des cultures bureaucratiques, mais elles s’en éloignent sur certains points traduisant l’évolution générale du secteur public vers un « Nouveau Management Public » et le développement de la responsabilité et de la flexibilité.
Politiques éducatives et évasion fiscale dans les pays en développement
Authors: Arestoff Florence , Jacques Jean-François
Published: January 2017

L’objectif de cet article est de mettre en évidence les conséquences que peut avoir l’évasion fiscale sur la durée de la scolarisation et les dépenses allouées à l’éducation. Nous ne faisons pas d’hypothèse particulière sur l’origine de l’évasion fiscale. Nous supposons simplement une société composée de deux catégories d’agents hétérogènes, les riches et les pauvres. Parmi les riches, certains déclarent l’intégralité de leur revenu alors que d’autres déclarent percevoir le revenu des pauvres. Faute de moyens de contrôle, l’État n’est pas apte à différencier les riches fraudeurs et les pauvres. De plus, nous introduisons des complémentarités dans la fonction d’accumulation de capital humain en termes de financement de l’éducation. Notre modèle est décliné en deux cas correspondant chacun à des politiques éducatives différentes c’est-à-dire des modes différents de financement de l’éducation. Dans un régime public, l’État collecte des impôts pour financer l’éducation et, dans un régime mixte (privé-public), l’État finance l’éducation par l’impôt tandis que les parents les plus riches peuvent compléter ce financement de manière privée. Nous montrons que la taxation dépend positivement de l’ampleur de l’évasion fiscale mais que cette sous-optimalité peut être compensée, dans le régime mixte, par une durée de scolarisation obligatoire plus importante.
Soutenir la parentalité : un nouveau défi économique et politique
Authors: Delawarde Cécile , Saïas Thomas , Pisu Florian , Charest-Belzile Dorothée , Boisson Marine
Published: January 2017

Les recommandations actuelles des pouvoirs publics font état d’une nécessaire remise à plat des dispositifs d’intervention auprès des parents et des enfants. Considérant l’impact des nouvelles formes de famille sur les enfants, et sous couvert d’arguments économiques, elles appellent au développement d’interventions efficaces et efficientes. Cet article examine, à travers une analyse de contenu des documents politiques français et américains de 2007 à 2013, les fondements déclarés de ces nouvelles politiques de soutien à la parentalité, dans une perspective sociologique comparative. Les nouvelles structures familiales, les nouvelles modalités d’intervention et le rapport aux données scientifiques sont identifiés comme les principales catégories discursives de la période étudiée.
« En prendre pour 25 ans »
Authors: Lambert Anne
Published: January 2017

Résumé L'article analyse le rapport des classes populaires au crédit immobilier, dans un contexte où les dispositifs de soutien à la propriété pour les ménages modestes se multiplient. Combinant ethnographie et statistiques, l'article montre que, si les classes populaires expriment en entretien davantage de difficultés à maîtriser leurs prêts que les autres catégories sociales, ce n'est pas seulement en raison de leur moindre acculturation au système bancaire, mais aussi de la complexité structurelle plus grande de leurs plans d'endettement. Leurs prêts sont plus variés, plus nombreux et plus longs. Dans le même temps, la complexité des dispositifs d'aides renforce leur dépendance au guichet des banques et leur sentiment de dépossession.
Influence of a Patient-Centered Care Coordination Clinical Module on Student Learning: A Multimethod Study
Authors: Holland Ann E. , Tiffany Jone , Tilton Kathleen , Kleve McCall
Published: January 2017

Background:

This article reports the results of a study that investigated the influence of an integrated patient centered care coordination (PCCC) clinical curricular module on nursing student learning outcomes. Baccalaureate nursing education must increase its emphasis on the professional nursing role of care coordination to meet changing health care needs, including the ability to practice in community and ambulatory care settings. Little research has been conducted to examine the effect of curricular change for teaching care coordination on student learning outcomes.

Method:

This study used a quasi-experimental mixed-methods design at a university school of nursing, collecting data with a pre–postsurvey, a skills performance instrument, and focus groups.

Results:

The PCCC curricular module significantly and positively affected student learning outcomes, as evidenced by the pre–postsurvey and focus group results.

Conclusion:

Intentional curricular change can make a significant impact on students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to PCCC. [
J Nurs Educ
. 2017;56(1):6–11.]
Mathematics Competency for Beginning Chemistry Students Through Dimensional Analysis
Authors: Pursell David P. , Forlemu Neville Y. , Anagho Leonard E.
Published: January 2017

Background:

Mathematics competency in nursing education and practice may be addressed by an instructional variation of the traditional dimensional analysis technique typically presented in beginning chemistry courses.

Method:

The authors studied 73 beginning chemistry students using the typical dimensional analysis technique and the variation technique. Student quantitative problem-solving performance was evaluated.

Results:

Students using the variation technique scored significantly better (18.3 of 20 points,
p
< .0001) on the final examination quantitative titration problem than those who used the typical technique (10.9 of 20 points). American Chemical Society examination scores and in-house assessment indicate that better performing beginning chemistry students were more likely to use the variation technique rather than the typical technique.

Conclusion:

The variation technique may be useful as an alternative instructional approach to enhance beginning chemistry students' mathematics competency and problem-solving ability in both education and practice. [
J Nurs Educ
. 2017;56(1):22–26.]
Waterborne Disease Case Investigation: Public Health Nursing Simulation
Authors: Alexander Gina K. , Canclini Sharon B. , Fripp Jon , Fripp William
Published: January 2017

Background:

The lack of safe drinking water is a significant public health threat worldwide. Registered nurses assess the physical environment, including the quality of the water supply, and apply environmental health knowledge to reduce environmental exposures. The purpose of this research brief is to describe a waterborne disease simulation for students enrolled in a public health nursing (PHN) course.

Method:

A total of 157 undergraduate students completed the simulation in teams, using the SBAR (
S
ituation-
B
ackground-
A
ssessment-
R
ecommendation) reporting tool. Simulation evaluation consisted of content analysis of the SBAR tools and debriefing notes.

Results:

Student teams completed the simulation and articulated the implications for PHN practice. Student teams discussed assessment findings and primarily recommended four nursing interventions: health teaching focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene; community organizing; collaboration; and advocacy to ensure a safe water supply.

Conclusion:

With advanced planning and collaboration with partners, waterborne disease simulation may enhance PHN education. [
J Nurs Educ.
2017;56(1):39–42.]
Impacts of White-Nose Syndrome Observed During Long-Term Monitoring of a Midwestern Bat Community
Authors: Pettit Joseph L. , O'Keefe Joy M.
Published: January 2017

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging fungal disease suspected to have infected Indiana caves in the winter of 2010–2011. This disease places energetic strains on cave-hibernating bats by forcing them to wake and use energy reserves. It has caused >5.5 million bat deaths across eastern North America, and may be the driving force for extinction of certain bat species. White-nose syndrome infection can be identified in hibernacula, but it may be difficult to determine whether bats in a particular area are affected if no known hibernacula exist. Thus, our aim was to use long-term monitoring data to examine changes in a summer population away from hibernacula that may be attributable to WNS effects during winter. We used capture data from a long-term bat-monitoring project in central Indiana with data from 10 repeatedly netted sites consistent across all reproductive periods. We modeled capture data by WNS exposure probability to assess changes in relative abundance of common species and reproductive classes as WNS exposure probability increases. We base exposure probability on a cokriging spatial model that interpolated WNS infection from hibernaculum survey data. The little brown bat Myotis lucifugus, the Indiana bat M. sodalis, and the tri-colored bat Perimyotis subflavus suffered 12.5–79.6% declines; whereas, the big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus, the eastern red bat Lasiurus borealis, and the evening bat Nycticeius humeralis showed 11.5–50.5% increases. We caught more nonreproductive adult females and postlactating females when WNS exposure probabilities were high, suggesting that WNS is influencing reproductive success of affected species. We conclude that, in Indiana, WNS is causing species-specific declines and may have caused the local extinction of M. lucifugus. Furthermore, WNS-affected species appear to be losing pups or forgoing pregnancy. Ongoing long-term monitoring studies, especially those focusing on reproductive success, are needed to measure the ultimate impacts of WNS.
Exploring Local Interaction Attributes Affecting Leadership Effectiveness on Assignment in Multinational Companies
Authors: Tirado-Cordero Iván , Hargiss Kathleen M.
Published: January 2017

Social cognitive theory is founded on the belief that learning is shared socially. Triadic reciprocal determinism explains the interrelationship and interaction between environmental cues, behavior, and biological determinants to shape and alter the perception of the self and how individuals assume agentic perspectives in social interactions to approach challenges and pursue goals. Knowing how learners perceived their likelihood to achieve success also provides for a better understanding of the constraints and opportunities of a proposed learning solution. The purpose of this study was to explore the self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents as part of the analysis of the learners in the instructional design system (ISD) model in terms of entry behaviors for the design of a peer tutoring learning environment. The General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) was used to interview participants, using the questions as open-ended questions. Observations of the social interactions between participants were collected during focus groups to discuss their responses to the GSE scale. The results of this study suggested that individuals with high self-efficacy not only assume a direct personal agentic perspective when acting alone but that they also assume and motivate others to engage in a collective agentic perspective. Individuals with low self-efficacy assume proxy or surrogate agentic perspectives in social interactions and require prompting to engage and participate. High self-efficacy indicates effective collaboration through the collective agency, which affects success positively in a peer tutoring learning environment. Low self-efficacy affects negatively success in peer tutoring, because individuals with low self-efficacy assume a proxy or surrogate agentic perspective detaching themselves from the interactions. However, individuals with low self-efficacy, through prompting and motivation from peers with high self-efficacy can improve their interactions and as goals are reached, improve self-efficacy.
About Gravitational (Inertial) Motors
Authors: Ciulin Dan
Published: January 2017

A gravitational motor interact with the locally gravitational field in order to produce a linear and/or rotational thrust able to move in space a given vehicle. The big advantages of such a motor are the facts that it can be used for nearly any kind of vehicle, even in free space, and may be placed inside the vehicle as the necessary interactions with the environment are realized through gravitational fields but not by direct mechanical interaction as for actual motors used for vehicles. Generally, in mechanics a physical motor may be considered as a ‘transducer' between some input (equivalent) energy existing on a vehicle and the output (equivalent) obtained movement of this vehicle. For space treks, such a motor must be able to ensure the take-off and/or landing of a space vehicle on any given planet and carry the entire load corresponding to this vehicle including also the necessary energy sources and eventually a human crew. By analogy with the Levitron toy the atomic particles, and the maglev such motor may be built. The paper presents some ideas and mathematical models that may help to build such a gravitational motor. It starts by presenting the energy based differential equations that have as solution analytic complex exponential functions, elliptic and ultra-elliptic functions adding also a physical interpretation of their coefficients. Forces and torques in mechanic and electro mechanic are presented and also methods to obtain such forces using only torques. Based on the modified Euler equations of a gyroscope with an added magnet like for the Levitron toy, an electro-mechanical gravitational motor may be built and a mathematical model for the gravitational waves is also deduced. Maybe, by using this kind of waves, a permanent contact between an interplanetary ship and the earth can be kept. Another kind of inertial motor may be based on the direct transfer of the energy of acoustical and/or ultra-acoustical waves that represents the desired ‘inertia' of a vehicle to this vehicle. This kind of transfer may be realized using convenient acoustical and/or ultra-acoustical 3-D sources. This last method has the advantage that uses no mechanical component in movement and then may lead to a better reliability. Associated with a good and convenient technology that may be developed on the presented bases, all these tools are of most strategic importance. Applications may be found in interplanetary telecommunications and treks but also for a new, more sure and versatile, telecommunications systems and terrestrial vehicles. The presented tools may be used for mathematically modeling the fields and ensure also a more comprehensive understanding.
Social Media and Identity
Authors: Melonashi Erika
Published: January 2017

The present chapter aims to explore the relationship between social media and identity by reviewing theoretical frameworks as well as empirical studies on the topic. Considering the complexity of the concept of identity, a multidisciplinary theoretical approach is provided, including Psychological Theories, Sociological Theories and Communication Theories. These theories are revisited in the context of online identity formation and communication through social media. Different aspects of identity such as gender identity, professional identity, political identity etc., are discussed and illustrated through empirical studies in the field. Moreover, the role of social media as a factor that might either promote or hinder identity development is also discussed (e.g., phenomena such as cyber-bulling and internet addiction). Finally recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided, including the need for multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to the investigation of the relationships between social media and identity.
Information Technology Progress Indicators
Authors: Amer T. S. , Johnson Todd L.
Published: January 2017

Users of information technology often encounter “progress indicators” during their interactions. These graphics (e.g., progress bars) appear on computing screens as users wait for a task to complete to inform them of the progress being made toward completing the task. This study employed theoretical models from psychological research on human waiting to develop specific hypotheses related to the design of progress indicators. Three experiments tested these hypotheses. Experiment 1 revealed that participants preferred a linear progress bar to a cycling progress bar. Experiment 2 revealed that participants preferred a video progress indicator to a cycling progress bar, and they judged process duration to be shorter with the video progress indicator. Experiment 3 revealed that the video progress indicator yielded the best user experience. Systems designers can use these results to develop more effective user interfaces.
The Fashionable Functions Reloaded
Authors: Roth Steffen , Clark Carlton , Berkel Jan
Published: January 2017

Using the updated Google Book corpus dataset generated in July 2012, we analyze the largest available corpus of digitalized books to review social macro trends such as the secularization, politicization, economization, and mediatization of society. These familiar trend statements are tested through a comparative analysis of word frequency time-series plots for the English, French, and German language area produced by means of the enhanced Google Ngram Viewer, the online graphing tool that charts annual word counts as found in the Google Book corpus. The results: a) confirm that the importance of the political system, religion, economy, and mass media features significant change in time and considerable regional differences and b) suggest that visions of economized or capitalist societies are intellectual artifacts rather than appropriate descriptions of society.
Bioinformatics Database Resources
Authors: Khandelwal Icxa , Sharma Aditi , Agrawal Pavan Kumar , Shrivastava Rahul
Published: January 2017

Various biological databases are available online, which are classified based on various criteria for ease of access and use. All such bioinformatics database resources have been discussed in brief in this book chapter. The major focus is on most commonly used biological/bioinformatics databases. The authors provide an overview of the information provided and analysis done by each database, information retrieval system and formats available, along with utility of the database to its users. Most widely used databases have been covered in detail so as to enhance readers' understanding. This chapter will serve as a guide to those who are new to the field of bioinformatics database resources, or wish to have consolidated information on various bioinformatics databases available.
Principles and Analysis of Biological Networks
Authors: Sehgal Manika , Singh TirathaRaj
Published: January 2017

The biological network complexity is growing enormously and in order to reveal confined properties of these intricate networks, detection of crucial network components may assist in gaining effortless perceptive on the underlying biological processes. Analyzing complex biological pathways for their disease association is still a drawn-out process and requires an integrative approach for comprehensive examination of proteins and interactions to identify candidate markers underlying major malignancies and genetic disorders. There is a need for an amalgamated approach to annotate all the sub-components and their associated interactions in a biological system. It is anticipated that analysis of biological pathways would serve as a valuable accompaniment for analyzing biomarkers in disease pathways and will also contribute scientific knowledge towards their better understanding.
Predictive Regulation in Affective and Adaptive Behaviour
Authors: Lowe Robert , Dodig-Crnkovic Gordana , Almer Alexander
Published: January 2017

In this chapter, different notions of allostasis (the process of achieving stability through change) as they apply to adaptive behavior are presented. The authors discuss how notions of allostasis can be usefully applied to Cybernetics-based homeostatic systems. Particular emphasis is placed upon affective states – motivational and emotional – and, above all, the notion of ‘predictive' regulation, as distinct from forms of ‘reactive' regulation, in homeostatic systems. The authors focus here on Ashby's ultrastability concept that entails behavior change for correcting homeostatic errors (deviations from the healthy range of essential, physiological, variables). The authors consider how the ultrastability concept can be broadened to incorporate allostatic mechanisms and how they may enhance adaptive physiological and behavioral activity. Finally, this chapter references different Cybernetics frameworks that incorporate the notion of allostasis. The article then attempts to untangle how the given perspectives fit into the ‘allostatic ultrastable systems' framework postulated.
Amplifying the Significance of Systems Theory
Authors: Mupepi Mambo
Published: January 2017

In system theory organizations are viewed as closed or open systems. An open system interacts with the environment for its sustainability. The closed system does not interact with its setting consequently its behavior depends largely on internal dynamics of its parts. The centricity of an open organizational structure is one created and empowered to learn and change very fast to successfully achieve desired goals. However open systems need to embrace change as follows: transform inputs of energy and information to produce the products demanded by the customers, transact with key stakeholders to access resources, regulate system behavior to achieve stable performance, and adapt to continuously changing high velocity competition to increase productivity.
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Authors: Carvalho Luísa Cagica
Published: January 2017

Regional development is founded on creative and dynamic territories, where several partners collaborate to create ideal conditions to improve life living, business, job creation and regional competitiveness. Smart cities use networks to promote economic and political efficiency and to allow social, cultural and urban development. These regions present high standards respecting some indicators associated with, innovation, creativity, environment, life quality, entrepreneurial activities and support facilities. Entrepreneurial ecosystems are an important dimension for a region or city to become smart. These entrepreneurial ecosystems emerge as a compromise to foster entrepreneurship and economic development in a regional context. This chapter has two folds. Firstly, it aims to the discussion of core concepts, such as, smart city and how to define an entrepreneurial ecosystem. It also aims to its features, to understand if an entrepreneurial ecosystem is born or made and it pretends to show an example of a smart start-up city, which is the case of Lisbon.
Digital Swarms
Authors: Fernandes Carlos M. , Dias de Sousa Ivo
Published: January 2017

By converting a fixed network into a mobile system, personal communications technology radically transformed the way we interact with each other and with the environment. Recently, new generation mobile phones (known as smartphones) increased the capacity of the network nodes and added new properties to mobility, converting a once ordered system into a complex and perhaps adaptive network. In this paper, we argue that contemporary mobile phone networks are large-scale complex adaptive systems—with niches, hierarchy, recirculation of information, coevolutionary interactions, and sophisticated collective behavior—that display remarkable similarities with eusocial insects (ants, bees, wasps and termites). Under this framework, we will discuss the impact of personal communications networks in the urban life, without losing sight of the effects—either positive or negative—of the system's emergent patterns on the network itself and on the individual nodes (personal devices and users).
Creative Industries in the Smart City
Authors: Collignon de Alba Cristobal , Haberleithner Jürgen , López Maricela Mireya Reyes
Published: January 2017

In this overview, the authors consider the political dimension of creativity on the Smart Cities. The subject is approached on a disambiguation between the concepts of creativity and innovation in which the role of the market is crucial. The main arguments depart from Realism and its international perspective, in an effort to explain the reasons why governments would consider fostering potentially disruptive creativity on their societies. The authors take the discussion to power institutions that could be considered as non-democratic or less prone to political and social change, as some countries in East Asia and Latin America seem to be. The final remarks signal that a framework for the development for Smart Cities loaded with western values and appreciation for creativity, are unlikely to take hold on the societies aforementioned. Special frameworks of reference based on different sets of values must be drawn to fit with local institutions of power and social control.
Smart City Governance
Authors: Bernardo Maria do Rosário Matos
Published: January 2017

Smart governance is one of the characteristics of smart cities, having its roots in e-government, in the principles of good governance, and in the assumptions of citizens' participation and involvement in public decision-making. This chapter aims to answer the question: “What smart governance practices are being implemented in smart cities” through an extensive literature review in the areas of e-government, good governance, smart cities and smart governance, and content analysis of the websites of seven smart cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Manchester, Singapore, and Stockholm. The objective was to identify the presence of factors related with e-participation; e-services; and public administration functioning on the cities' websites. The chapter ends with directions for future research and the conclusion that all the smart cities analyzed presented some factors related with smart governance, but with different levels of development and application.
Sustainable Tourism Development in Asia
Authors: Herath Gamini
Published: January 2017

Sustainable Tourism as a concept respects both local people, the traveler, cultural heritage and the environment. It should meet the needs of and opportunity for the future. But operationalizing sustainable tourism is problematic due to analytical weaknesses, conceptual criticisms and the need to redefine better perspectives. Asia faces many challenges in promoting sustainable tourism including political leadership, poor participation by all stakeholders, adverse environmental and social impacts. Another challenge is to ensure social sustainability and creating opportunities to transfer income to the poorer. The empirical study of island tourism in Malaysia shows that Marine Parks regulations are not adequately enforced and Malaysian coral reefs can suffer from increasing degradation. Water pollution, overfishing, beach erosion, coral bleaching and damage, fishing, snorkeling and poor recycling and sewage disposal all are still significant challenges to the Marine Park in in Tioman Island in Malaysia.
The Life Cycles of Destination Life Cycle Models
Authors: Sarkar Sudipta Kiran , George Babu P.
Published: January 2017

Product Life Cycle (PLC) has always been a hot topic in the tourism literature. Butler's Tourism Area Lifecycle model and Plog's destination life cycle model have both been applied and analysed extensively in tourism destination development and lifecycle studies. This study attempts to offer a critical conversation on the similarities and differences as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these two widely referred generic models of destination life cycle. It also identifies some recent socio-political, economic, and technological developments that have changed the nature of tourism destination development in many parts of the world and in particular to Asia and the implications of these developments upon life cycles. Based on more recent research, the present authors suggest that the reality of destination development lies somewhere in between, as a resultant of interaction with the processes laid out by Plog and Butler.
Studying Corporate Social Responsibility Activities in the Agri-Food Sector
Authors: Liapakis Anastasios , Costopoulou Constantina , Tsiligiridis Theodore , Sideridis Alexander
Published: January 2017

Despite the increasing interest in the adoption of corporate social responsibility by businesses in a variety of industries, hardly any attention has been paid to the agri-food sector and especially, to the Greek food sector. The agri-food sector has a strong impact on the economy, the environment and the society of each nation. In this light, the purpose of this article is to investigate the largest ninety-eight Greek food companies in dairy, meat, snack, flour & milling and fishing industries about their corporate social responsibility campaigns. A survey has been conducted based on the content analysis of the companies' website. The analysis' results show that companies in the Greek agri-food sector have started to pay attention in CSR strategies with the most portion of their CSR income to environmental campaigns even though the unfolding Greek financial crisis.