bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Media
Authors: Bailey Liston W.
Published: December 2016

This chapter discusses the impact of social networking on participation in organizations across market sectors to include government, business and non-profit entities. The author relates the experiences of young adults working in various occupations on how smartphone use can influence social networking and interactions and whether that influence improves or hampers their learning and professional development. A review of literature and recent social media development trends are used to gather information in support of a conceptual model of media usage and social networked learning within organizations. Leaders and organizational members may want to refer to this 4 stage model when thinking about ways to improve their use of social media and informal learning opportunities found on the Internet and on smart devices.
Nonprofit Organizations and Social Media Use
Authors: Sillah Aminata
Published: December 2016

The use of social media technologies such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn has enhanced and increased the communication and engagement strategies available to nonprofit organizations. This chapter focuses on and addresses the question of nonprofit use of social media by examining the main objectives for using social media, and whether social media has been effective in meeting these objectives. Existing research on nonprofit social media use tends to focus on finding out which social media tools nonprofit organizations are using and which one of these yields the most impact. To answer these questions, descriptive analysis is conducted on social media technologies and their usage to identify associations between effectiveness of social media in meeting objectives. These questions go beyond asking why nonprofit organizations use social media and analyzes how they meet their objectives using various social media tools.
Models of Participation in Social Networks
Authors: Angiani Giulio , Fornacciari Paolo , Mordonini Monica , Tomaiuolo Michele , Iotti Eleonora
Published: December 2016

The most important technological trend of the last years has been the rise of social networking systems to social phenomena involving hundreds of millions of people, attracting users from several social groups. Social networking systems blur the distinction between the private and working spheres, and users use such systems both at home and in the workplace, both professionally and with recreational goals. Social networking systems can be equally used to organize a work meeting, a dinner with colleagues or a birthday party with friends. For example, the chat systems that are embedded in social networking platforms are often the most practical way to contact a colleague to ask an urgent question, especially in technologically oriented companies. Moreover, several traditional information systems have been modified in order to include social aspects. Currently, social networking platforms are mostly used without corporate blessing, maintaining their status as feral systems.
Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Edwards John S.
Published: December 2016

Knowledge sharing is central to knowledge management in organizations. The more tacit the knowledge, the harder it is to share. However, successful knowledge sharing means looking not just at the content of the knowledge, and the people and technology concerned in the sharing, but the context in which that sharing takes place. This chapter discusses relevant theories from knowledge management and other fields. It goes on to present a model covering the time, place and context of the knowledge sharing activity, developed using theories about decision support systems. This forms the final part of a three-stage approach intended to help managers (and others) make decisions about how to support knowledge sharing activities in organizations. Each stage takes the form of a question to be answered, as follows: 1) What are the business processes concerned? 2) What is the knowledge to be shared related to - knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition, knowledge refinement, knowledge storage, or knowledge use? 3) What does this mean for the time, place and context of the knowledge sharing?
Managing Indigenous Knowledge in Tanzania
Authors: Iwata John Jackson , Hoskins Ruth G. M.
Published: December 2016

This chapter examines the integration of a business perspective in the management of indigenous knowledge (IK). Indigenous knowledge existed among the diverse societies in Tanzania since the beginning of life in such societies. With a business perspective it is considered that IK will be properly managed as the IK owners will be rewarded with some benefits for engaging in such business. Therefore, this chapter is designed to help readers understand: the status quo of managing IK in Tanzania; the applicability of the business perspective to the management of IK; the impacts of the business perspective in the management and development of IK; and the roles of stakeholders (IK owners and the government) in managing IK as a business enterprise. Thus, a business perspective for the management of such knowledge as a major source of development in this era of the knowledge economy is highly recommended for the appreciation revival of such knowledge.
Cultural Festivals of Botswana Ethnic Communities
Authors: Chebanne Andy
Published: December 2016

Botswana is known in the recent years for the variety of its ethnic communities' cultural festivals. Activities that celebrate culture of indigenous communities have hitherto remained in the ethno-cultural domains of manifestation or production. While their initial purpose was to celebrate culture, they are increasingly integrating business strategies for the purposes of supporting their annual celebrations and also attracting people with diverse leisure interests. Cultural festivals are emerging local tourism activities that can effectively contribute to economic development and diversification. Strategies that emerge from annual events have been honed over the years and better logistic approaches have ensured their success in commercialization. Coordinated national strategies are required to make festivals attractive tourist destinations on the national calendar.
Introduction of Environmental Materials
Authors: Kobayashi Takaomi
Published: December 2016

Advances in environmental materials are described especially concerning about utilization of natural source and their waste, for example biomass and their re-uses. They strongly support development to sustainable society. So, these classify and demonstrate environmental technologies, which strongly contribute to overcome pollution environment for the purpose of sustainable society. In view point of green chemistry and the related technologies to representative biomasses and inorganic wastes are applying for advanced functional materials. Since biomass and inorganic wastes are very interesting candidates for regenerated materials, it is very meaningful to understand and attention to environmentally and friendly materials and technologies. This is because that an increasing environmental concerns to sustainability.
Geopolymer Sourced with Fly Ash and Industrial Aluminum Waste for Sustainable Materials
Authors: Onutai Sujitra , Jiemsirilers Sirithan , Kobayashi Takaomi
Published: December 2016

Geopolymer is alumino-silicate material which can apply for many applications due to that geopolymers have several attractive properties of high strength, low permeability, high acid resistance, hazardous materials, and immobilization of toxic materials. This chapter presents synthesis of the dense and the porous structures of geopolymer by using fly ash and industrial waste as the raw materials. Aluminum hydroxide waste (Al-waste) and fly ash (FA) were used to synthesis the dense geopolymers for cement materials. The Al-waste based geopolymer influenced the geopolymer strength, when sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration was changed at different curing temperatures. As preliminary microwave oven was exposed in the lower NaOH paste of geopolymer, the successful synthesis of geopolymer cement was obtained. In addition, porous fly ash geopolymers was achieved using a household microwave oven. The geopolymer paste was cured within 1 min by using a microwave oven at different output power. Porous geopolymers were formed immediately as ued at 850 W power of the microwave oven.
Integrating iPads in Middle School Science Instruction
Authors: Minshew Lana M. , Anderson Janice L.
Published: December 2016

With the appropriate support and experience, iPads and other mobile devices can be used for collaborative scientific inquiry moving beyond individual skill practice and assessment appropriations. The mobility and access the iPad provides opens up the classroom for innovative instructional practices, allowing students to physically explore their world, though the devices themselves are not enough to guarantee student engagement and learning. The Gradual Increase of Responsibility (GIR) model for teacher coaching (Collet, 2008) is used as the instructional coaching model of professional development. Through GIR, coaches model, make recommendations, ask probing questions, and affirm teachers' decisions over the course of several months to increase the teacher's independence in using technology to transform instruction for students. This study aims to examine how middle grades teachers' integration of one-to-one technology moves beyond drill and practice and using apps as extension activities.
Reconceptualizing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as Learning Technology in Non-Formal Education
Authors: Ficarra Laura R. , Chapin Deborah A.
Published: December 2016

Learners can be as diverse as the opportunities through which learning takes place. Educators in non-formal (i.e., museum) settings must embrace the inevitable heterogeneity of learner groups in order to offer meaningful experiences, just as do educators in formal (i.e., classroom) realms. This awareness can and should be the impetus for planning instruction of any kind considering the strengths and areas of focus for learners as unique entities, even if educated in a whole group scenario. This chapter will offer a novel interpretation of learning technology to include models and frameworks of support, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The recognition, strategic, and affective cognitive networks provide a structure for how differentiation can be operationalized and applied so that access to instruction is maximize while barriers are minimized.
Opportunity to Start Strong
Authors: Dragnic-Cindric Dalila , Barrow Elizabeth , Anderson Janice L.
Published: December 2016

This chapter investigates challenges faced by educators in the early elementary grades as well as opportunities to transform science education in these critical, early years of schooling. We studied kindergarten teacher's first attempt to integrate one-to-one technology in an inquiry-based science lesson, drawing on works of Randi Engle to analyze the framing of the students and the activity, as well as on the works of Peggy Ertmer and colleagues to investigate barriers encountered in the implementation process. We employed Mishra and Koehler's (2006) Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework to understand the dynamic triad of teacher's pedagogy, content, and technology knowledge, need for successful technology implementation endeavors. While implementations of technology enhanced inquiry-based science lessons in early elementary grades present educators with some unique dilemmas, they also carry a potential for sparking the scientific curiosity of the youngest elementary school learners' and illuminating the years to come.
Makerspaces
Authors: Koole Marguerite , Dionne Jean-François , McCoy Evan Todd , Epp Jordan
Published: December 2016

The emergence of the makerspace movement offers tremendous potential to transform learning. Learning by making, while ancient in practice, has evolved due to the development and confluence of developments in computing, communications technologies, pedagogy, and library science. In particular, online networking has enabled learners to share and engage with ideas and materials in a uniquely 21st century fashion. The makerspace activity process (MAP) framework illustrates how makerspace activities—curating, relating, and creating—are intertwined through networking practices. Makerspaces are highly contingent and transformative; both the nature of the makerspace and the participants transform each other through interaction. For those educators who find it difficult to integrate within formal curricula and assessment practices, the MAP framework provides a guide for facilitating and assessing learner activity in educational makerspaces. The framework is useful for educators at all levels from kindergarten to post-secondary.
Using Hearing Assistance Technology to Improve School Success for All Children
Authors: Scott Diane M.
Published: December 2016

The acoustical conditions in the classroom play an important role in the learning process of children. Most daily instruction is verbal; therefore, all children in the classroom and other educational settings need access to auditory information. This chapter will provide information to teachers and administrators about hearing assistance technology that can facilitate classroom learning for typically developing children, second language learners, children who are hearing impaired, and children with normal hearing thresholds but significantly poorer auditory performance, such as children who are diagnosed with auditory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and language disorder. Teachers and educational audiologists can collaborate on the use of technology to ensure children have access to auditory information in the classroom.
A Blueprint for Online Licensed Practical Nurse Training
Authors: Salifu Shani
Published: December 2016

Estimated at 25 percent of Americans, the number of low-income single mothers is on the rise (Loprest & Austin, 2011). Described as the disconnected, these women are needy in many areas. Most have less education, and sometimes, more learning disabilities. Some have problems of substance abuse, depression, mental illnesses, and other physical health problems (Wincup, 2014; Jayakody & Stauffer, 2000; Tolman, Himle, Bybee, Abelson, Hoffman, & Van Etten-Lee, 2015). These characteristics have called for action on the plight of these women as their numbers become a strain on welfare systems leading to reduced benefits for some, with others being denied altogether (Silver, Heneghan, Bauman & Stein, 2006). The chapter presents a blueprint to train these mothers into Licensed Practical Nurses to reduce dependence on public finances and to enhance their self-images (Atkins, 2010). The blueprint explores how these women learn, and the services they need to complete the program.
Information Control, Transparency, and Social Media
Authors: Jha Chandan Kumar
Published: December 2016

Although the research linking social media and corruption is still in infancy, it provides important insights. It has been shown that social media can prove to be an important tool in fighting corruption. At the same time, freedom on the net is under threat in many parts of the world with governments using a variety of methods, including designing vague and flexible security laws as well as employing technological means, to censor the content that can be shared and accessed by net users. This chapter discusses the implications that government control over information can have for the effects of social media on corruption. It suggests that freedom on the net and the anonymity of net users must be protected if the effects of social media on corruption are to be fully realized.
Government Website, Social Media, and Citizens' Perceptions of Corruption
Authors: Ma Liang
Published: December 2016

In this chapter, the author aims to empirically examine the effect of social media use and e-government adoption on citizens' perceived corruption. It is hypothesized that the use of social media by citizens is positively related to their perceptions of corruption, while the use of government websites is negatively related to perceived corruption. The author draws on a recent national telephone survey of citizens in 36 major cities in China to empirically test the above hypotheses. The multilevel model estimates suggest that social media use is insignificantly related to corruption perceptions, but government website use is negatively associated with perceived corruptions. The findings of this study help understand the anti-corruption effects of social media and e-government, and also generate helpful implications for other countries and regions in utilizing digital applications for anti-corruption purposes.
Production Planning
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: December 2016

This chapter explains the overview of production planning; the issues of remanufacturing production planning and control; Advanced Production Planning and Scheduling (APPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID); production planning conflict resolution and optimization models; production planning and emission constraints; production planning and quality management; production planning and Cellular Manufacturing System (CMS); production planning in the steel industry; production planning in the energy industry; and production planning in the chemical process industry. The purpose of production planning is to organize the resources in order to efficiently manage the production costs, time, and staffing in the business operations. The individual in charge of production planning adjusts the workforce and process flow to obtain the regular utilization of organizational resources with minimal downtime, minimal bottlenecks, and a level of output consistent with all the resources being put into the manufacturing processes.
Drivers and Barriers to Green Supply Chain Management Practices
Authors: Esen Selin Kucukkancabas , El Barky Sahar Sobhy
Published: December 2016

The main purpose of this chapter is to extend the literature on drivers and barriers to GSCM from a different cultural framework, namely Egypt. The chapter is structured as follows. First, the importance and the components of GSCM are discussed briefly. Next, the benefits of GSCM and the main pressures/drivers that force the business sector to migrate its traditional supply chain activities to be green are highlighted. Next, the key theme of this chapter, the barriers and challenges facing the global business sector for extending green supply chain practices are discussed. Then, the results of multiple interviews that were conducted in multinational Turkish and Egyptian companies operating in Egypt are revealed in order to explore the drivers, benefits and barriers of GSCM and to propose the strategies for overcoming the barriers toward green economy. Finally, the chapter concludes with discussion and recommendations.
A Cloud Intrusion Detection System Using Novel PRFCM Clustering and KNN Based Dempster-Shafer Rule
Authors: Ghosh Partha , Shakti Shivam , Phadikar Santanu
Published: December 2016

Cloud computing has established a new horizon in the field of Information Technology. Due to the large number of users and extensive utilization, the Cloud computing paradigm attracts intruders who exploit its vulnerabilities. To secure the Cloud environment from such intruders an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is required. In this paper the authors have proposed an anomaly based IDS which classifies an incoming connection by taking the deviation of it from the normal behaviors. The proposed method uses a novel Penalty Reward based Fuzzy C-Means (PRFCM) clustering algorithm to generate a rule set and the best rule set is extracted from it using a modified approach for KNN algorithm. This best rule set is used in evidential reasoning of Dempster Shafer Theory for classification. The IDS has been trained and tested with NSL-KDD dataset for performance evaluation. The results prove the proposed IDS to be highly efficient and reliable.
Designing a Framework for Cloud Service Agreement for Cloud Environments
Authors: Bhardwaj Akashdeep , Goundar Sam
Published: December 2016

Cloud Computing has emerged as the prime IT computing model for an on-demand access using a pool of shared resources with least IT support. Cloud computing is starting to replace the legacy office IT infrastructure and helpdesk support system. Corporate and home users alike are turning into cloud service consumers in a huge way and moving their data and work to the cloud. Therefore, the CSA between the cloud service consumers and cloud service providers has critical significance that can guarantee the highest-level service quality and delivery. The current CSA fall short on the service delivery commitments with no common terminology or standard followed industry wide by the cloud service providers. Comparing agreements from multiple cloud service providers continues to be an issue. This paper provides a pragmatic approach for Cloud Service Agreements, comparing the current process with the proposed parameters and the new framework for CSA to determine the role of various elements and terms in the decision-making process for cloud service agreements for SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and STaaS.
Exploring Online Dating in Line with the “Social Compensation” and “Rich-Get-Richer” Hypotheses
Authors: Stinson Samantha , Jeske Debora
Published: December 2016

Computer-mediated communication offers a range of potentially appealing features, including selective self-presentation, social presence control, and simultaneous as well as asynchronous interaction tools. The study examines the influence of personality (introversion and extraversion) and personal variables (social anxiety and public self-consciousness) on online dating preferences from two competing perspectives: the “social compensation” (SC) hypothesis and the “rich-get-richer” (RGR) hypothesis. Survey results (N = 162) revealed that the SC and RGR hypotheses do not hold true within the context of online dating. The findings suggest a stronger role of social influence (e.g., peers) in the decision to online date. The SC and RGR hypotheses may be limited in terms of the extent to which these frameworks adequately explain this online behavior. This may also be due to the increasing popularity of online dating sites, which may make personality and personal traits less informative of whether individuals will opt to use such services.
Investigation Approach for Network Attack Intention Recognition
Authors: Ahmed Abdulghani Ali
Published: December 2016

Sensitive information has critical risks when transmitted through computer networks. Existing protection systems still have limitations with treating network information with sufficient confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The rapid development of network technologies helps increase network attacks and hides their malicious intentions. Attack intention is the ultimate attack goal that the attacker attempts to achieve by executing various intrusion methods or techniques. Recognizing attack intentions helps security administrator develop effective protection systems that can detect network attacks that have similar intentions. This paper analyses attack types and classifies them according to their malicious intent. An investigation approach based on similarity metric is proposed to recognize attacker plans and predict their intentions. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed approach is capable of investigating similarity of attack signatures and recognizing the intentions of Network attack.
Dynamic Semi-Group CIA Pattern Optimizing the Risk on RTS
Authors: Pradhan Padma Lochan
Published: December 2016

The preventive control is one of the best well advance control for recent complex IS Security Application to protect the data and services from the uncertainty, hacker, and unauthorized users. Now, increasing the demand and importance of business, information & communication system & growing the external risks is a very common phenomenon for everywhere. The RTS security put forward to the management focus on IT infrastructure. This work contributes to the development of an optimization pattern that aims to determine the optimal cost to be apply into security mechanisms deciding on the measure components of system security and resources. The author's mechanism should be design in such way, the Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authenticity and Accountability are automatically PDC for all the time. The author has to optimize the system attacks and down time by implementing semi-group structure CIA pattern, mean while improving the throughput of the Business, Resources & Technology. Finally, the author has to maximize the protection of IT resources & Services for all the time and every time. This proposed CIA Pattern is the part of protection, detection, benchmarking, fault analysis and risk assessment of real time operating system and applicable to efficient resource management on web application.
Proposed Round Robin CIA Pattern on RTS for Risk Assessment
Authors: Pradhan Padma Lochan
Published: December 2016

The preventive, detective and corrective control is well advanced automated control in order to attain the maximum objectives of preserving the CIA mechanism on RTS. The risk analysis is the process of identifying the risk on RTS to achieving business objectives and deciding the measure components of RTOS on optimizing the lowest level of risk. This proposed round robin mechanism is going to be implemented on RTOS and mean while providing actionable, accountable & measurable for individuals who are accessing sensitive information on multiple relation functions, operation and services (RFOS) on multiple resources of RTS. We have to develop the RRP for risk assessment on MIMD. This research work going to be applied into security pattern on the measure component of the system security as well as RTOS. Furthermore, this RRP optimize the cost, time & resources is supposed to optimize the system risks and maximize the performance of business, resource & technology all the time & every time.
A Probabilistic Method for Mining Sequential Rules from Sequences of LBS Cloaking Regions
Authors: Zhang Haitao , Chen Zewei , Liu Zhao , Zhu Yunhong , Wu Chenxue
Published: December 2016

Analyzing large-scale spatial-temporal anonymity sets can benefit many LBS applications. However, traditional spatial-temporal data mining algorithms cannot be used for anonymity datasets because the uncertainty of anonymity datasets renders those algorithms ineffective. In this paper, the authors adopt the uncertainty of anonymity datasets and propose a probabilistic method for mining sequence rules (PMSR) from sequences of LBS cloaking regions generated from a series of LBS continuous queries. The main concept of the method is that it designs a probabilistic measurement of a support value of a sequence rule, and the implementation principle of the method is to iteratively achieve sequence rules. Finally, the authors conduct extensive experiments, and the results show that, compared to the non-probabilistic method, their proposed method has a significant matching ratio when the mined sequence rules are used as predictors, while the average accuracy of the sequence rules is comparable and computing performance is only slightly decreased.
An Example of a Successful Inclusion of Teamwork and Web 2.0 Elements in Teaching Practice
Authors: Ivanović Mirjana , Budimac Zoran , Putnik Zoran , Mudrinski Živana Komlenov
Published: December 2016

In this paper, the authors will demonstrate their experiences with the utilization of Web 2.0 elements in teaching computer science courses. The robust, reliable learning management solution the authors have employed for over a decade (Moodle) enabled them to integrate the typical building blocks of current social services and Internet communication in their common educational activities. Moreover, they conducted a number of surveys among both lecturers and students in order to draw inside information about the attitudes, feelings and thoughts of users of the mentioned services. On the general level, opinions are mostly positive within both groups of users, with slight variations regarding different services. Some of the offered possibilities are more appreciated, and used more willingly, while the rest of them are still considered only as a possibility, which suggests that the authors should provide more support and guidance to both their students and colleagues.
Technology-Enhanced Learning in Cyber-Physical Systems Embedding Modeling and Simulation
Authors: Möller Dietmar P. F. , Vakilzadian Hamid
Published: December 2016

Globalization in international research and development is changing the way universities need to educate and train students. As universities prepare their graduates for the needs of the 21st century and the global market economy, they face significant pressure to overhaul their well-established traditional curriculums and adapt the conventional delivery of course materials to new methodologies appropriate for the cooperative environment. Engineering Science is an emerging area with the potential to provide graduates with the skills needed to meet the challenges of complex designs of cyber-physical systems and shorten their time to market window. To ensure that university graduates are prepared to meet the challenges of a global market, the instructional methodology needs to be broadened. Such technology-enhanced learning is required to provide engineering students with the skills, tools, and training needed to verify and validate the details of complex cyber-physical systems designs and to understand the risk involved in development of inaccurate models. The results obtained from the accurate models can be analyzed to ensure the design of a cyber-physical system will be error-free and the system developed will perform according to the design specification and requirements.
International Students' Perceptions of Services and Supports Provided
Authors: Ho Henry Wai Leong
Published: December 2016

In a study of international students' perceptions of services and supports offered by the mid-sized institution in which they are currently enrolled, consisting of 103 international students onshore in the USA, it was found that the majority of the respondents were fully aware of the International Student Orientation (ISO) that is made available to them via the Office of International Education (OIE). However, only close to 70% of the respondents had attended the orientation, even though the university claimed that attending the International Student Orientation is mandatory for all new international students. Respondents also claimed that services such as Immigration Support and Advising; International Student Organization; Cultural Events; Blackboard Communication; and Shuttle Service are all very helpful. However, some respondents wished to see more useful and relevant services that could be offered by the university such as job guidance, as well as assisting international students in their internship application.
Occurrence and Control of Genotoxins in Drinking Water: A Monitoring Proposal
Authors: Ceretti Elisabetta , Moretti Massimo , Zerbini Ilaria , Villarini Milena , Zani Claudia , Monarca Silvano , Feretti Donatella
Published: December 2016

Many studies have shown the presence of numerous organic genotoxins and carcinogens in drinking water. These toxic substances derive not only from pollution, but also from the disinfection treatments, particularly when water is obtained from surface sources and then chlorinated. Most of the chlorinated compounds in drinking water are nonvolatile and are difficult to characterize. Thus, it has been proposed to study such complex mixtures using short-term genotoxicity tests predictive of carcinogenic activity. Mutagenicity of water before and after disinfection has mainly been studied by the Salmonella/microsome (Ames test); in vitro genotoxicity tests have also been performed in yeasts and mammalian cells; in situ monitoring of genotoxins has also been performed using complete organisms such as aquatic animals or plants (in vivo). The combination of bioassay data together with results of chemical analyses would give us a more firm basis for the assessment of human health risks related to the consumption of drinking water. Tests with different genetic end-points complement each other with regard to sensitivity toward environmental genotoxins and are useful in detecting low genotoxicity levels which are expected in drinking water samples.
Oxaliplatin-related neuropathy in Indian patients – no difference between generic and original molecules
Authors: Sirohi Bhawna , Ostwal Vikas , Dawood Shaheenah , Lopes Gilberto , Talole Sanjay , Nashikkar Chaitali , Shrikhande Shailesh
Published: December 2016

Background: Oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy is a dose-limiting toxicity that significantly affects patients' quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare its occurrence between a generic versus the original molecule in Indian patients. Materials and Methods: Between August 2012 and July 2013, 163 patients receiving oxaliplatin were prospectively enrolled. A data recording form was used in the clinic to record detailed information. Results: The median age of patients was 55 years (range, 19–79). Chemotherapy regimens used included: capecitabine, oxaliplatin (59), epirubicin, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine (20), docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine (11), 5-FU, leucovorin, oxaliplatin (9), and gemcitabine-oxaliplatin (64). The median cumulative dose of oxaliplatin was 780 mg/m2. Eighty patients received the original version and 83 the generic one. Overall, 63 patients (38%) developed neuropathy. There was no significant difference in the incidence of neuropathy between the two forms of oxaliplatin used (P = 0.50). Forty-nine percent of female patients had neuropathy as compared to 30% of male patients (P = 0.014). Older patients had a trend toward a higher incidence of neuropathy: 44% of patients above age fifty developed neuropathy compared to 30% of patients younger than 50 (P = 0.06). Conclusion: This is the first study to specifically show that neuropathy rates do not vary with the use of generic versus original oxaliplatin.
Juvenile granulosa cell tumor associated with Ollier disease
Authors: Sampagar Abhilasha Ashok , Jahagirdar Rahul R , Bafna Vibha Sanjay , Bartakke Sandip P
Published: December 2016

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor (JGCT) is a rare neoplasm of childhood. Interestingly, it is known to be associated with Ollier disease, which is a rare bone disease characterized by multiple enchondromatosis. There is paucity of literature about the co-occurence of these two conditions. However, this association is noteworthy because these two conditions share a common pathogenesis. We report a case of JGCT in a 2.5-year-old female child in which multiple enchondromas mimicking bony metastasis were an incidental finding during routine workup for tumor staging, thus leading to a diagnosis of Ollier disease.
Role of Folic Acid Supplementation in Reducing Side Effects of Oral Methotrexate in Patients of Psoriasis
Authors: Rai Tulika , Singh Satyendra Kumar
Published: December 2016

Background:

Methotrexate (MTX) has been used for the treatment of severe psoriasis for more than 50 years. MTX use can be associated with many side effects, and folic acid is supplemented to reduce these side effects. MTX can be given orally or parenterally.

Materials and Methods:

In this study, a total of 81 patients of severe psoriasis were given 15 mg/week of MTX orally, and side effects were noted at each visit.

Results:

A total of 36 patients developed side effects, of which ten patients were discontinued due to the development of serious side effects. Remaining 26 patients developing nonserious side effects were given folic acid 5mg/day on non-MTX days and continued with 15 mg/week of MTX therapy. They were further evaluated for any improvement in side effects. Folic acid supplementation was associated with improvement in gastrointestinal and mucosal side effects in 17 out of 26 patients.

Conclusion:

Therapeutic effects were not compromised in all these patients after initiation of folic acid therapy. We recommend the supplementation of folic acid 5 mg/day in all patients of psoriasis who are receiving 15 mg/week of MTX therapy.
Roteiro para avaliação da qualidade da água de uma bacia hidrográfica por alunos do ensino fundamental
Authors: Baião Cheila Flávia De Praga , Batista Getulio Teixeira
Published: December 2016

In this work we developed a script for the physico-chemical and microbiological analysis of water from a watershed to be used by students of the 6th and 7th grades of elementary school and evaluated the results of the students in learning to understand the degree of preservation of the study area. The methodological procedures involved field work with students, guidance in understanding the elements present in the water, physical and chemical analysis, comparisons with standards set by CONAMA Resolution No. 357, microbiological analysis and discussion of results. The results showed the presence of ammonia and phosphate exceeding legal standards and the presence of fecal coliforms. Of the 60 students involved, 70% completed the proposed activity in an appropriate manner and associated the results with the occurrence of sewage and garbage. A post-activity questionnaire showed that students became able to recognize the physico-chemical and microbiological elements present in the river, as well as human interventions that can damage water quality. The proposed script was adequate for the students to build concepts and to develop experimental procedures and relevant hypotheses about environmental problems.
Avaliação de bacia hidrográfica por alunos do Ensino Fundamental: contribuição ao ensino dos recursos hídricos
Authors: Baião Cheila Flávia De Praga , Batista Getulio Teixeira
Published: December 2016

This work developed and tested a rapid assessment protocol (RAP) in a watershed of the Paraíba do Sul River Basin, to be applied by elementary school students. The study was conducted in a public school of São José dos Campos (SP), with 60 students of the 6th grade (n = 30) and 7th grade (n = 30). The protocol developed includes 12 parameters with text consistent with student levels and with illustrations of the variables of each parameter. The parameters are the type of usage of the stream margins, erosion and siltation, presence of sewage, presence of aquatic plants, water odor, water oiliness, water transparency, type of bottom, rapids and water flow, garbage presence, the presence of animals, and the presence of riparian vegetation. The results showed that 65% of the students understood all parameters and showed great interest in the proposed protocol; the others needed to better understand the parameters of erosion and siltation, presence of aquatic plants, rapids, water flow and presence of riparian vegetation. It was found that the developed RAP was appropriate and can contribute as an educational tool for the study of water quality.
Influências edáfica e topográfica sobre a comunidade de palmeiras da floresta ombrófila densa Montana, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar-SP, Brasil
Authors: Rosa Saraiva Adriana Cristina , Thury Vieira Fisch Simey , Barbosa Toledo Maria Cecilia
Published: December 2016

The work was carried out in tropical montane rain forest, situated at 23°17' - 23°24' S and 45°03' - 45°11' W, in order to access how the micro-environmental variations of soil, topography and litter affect the composition and structure of the palm community. In two permanent plots of one hectare, each divided into three transects (10 x 100 m) and subplots (10 x 10m), all existing palms were registered in order to determine the richness of species and the population structure. Soil samples were collected in sub plots to determine the chemical and physical properties of the soil. The thickness of the litter was determined at five random points, and the microtopography of each one was classified into ridge, slope and valley. The study recorded 3221 individuals/0.6 ha and the occurrence of four palm species: Euterpe edulis, Geonoma gamiova, G. pohliana and G. schottiana. Due to the existing relief conditions at the location, the dominant soils throughout the transects are young soils of the great Cambisol group. These soils are characterized by higher content of sand (55.00%) and silt (20.67%), minor clay (24.33%), low natural fertility evidenced by the excessive acidity (3.7), high aluminum saturation (82.3%), very low base saturation (3.9%) and also very low contents of the macronutrients Ca (2.1), Mg (1.9), K (1.1) (mmolc.dm-³) and P (4.9) (mg.dm-³). The analyses of toposequences showed that the peak position has fetility conditions slightly higher than those of the slope and valley classes. The valley class had higher sand content than the other positions. There was a slight difference in the litter layer thickness with values of 3.0 cm for the ridge, 2.5 cm for the slope and 2.3 cm for the valley position. The micro-environmental heterogeneity caused variation in the distribution and composition of only a few species of palms, especially litter layer thickness and sand concentration, which influenced the occurrence of G. gamiova seedlings and juveniles.
On $\pi\mathfrak{F}$-supplemented subgroups of a finite group
Authors: Zhang Li , Chen Xiaoyu , Guo Wenbin
Published: December 2016

Let

\mathfrak{F}

be a class of groups and

G

a finite group. A chief factor

H/K

of

G

is called

\mathfrak{F}

-central in

G

provided

(H/K)\rtimes (G/C_{G}(H/K))\in\mathfrak{F}

. A normal subgroup

N

of

G

is said to be

\pi\mathfrak{F}

-hypercentral in

G

if every chief factor of

G

below

N

of order divisible by at least one prime in

\pi

is

\mathfrak{F}

-central in

G

. The

\pi\mathfrak{F}

-hypercentre of

G

is the product of all the normal

\pi\mathfrak{F}

-hypercentral subgroups of

G

. In this paper, we study the structure of finite groups by using the notion of

\pi\mathfrak{F}

-hypercentre. New characterizations of some classes of finite groups are obtained.
Irreducible characters of finite simple groups constant at the $p$-singular elements
Authors: Pellegrini Marco A. , Zalesski Alexandre
Published: December 2016

In representation theory of finite groups an important role is played by irreducible characters of

p

-defect 0, for a prime

p

dividing the group order. These are exactly those vanishing at the

p

-singular elements. In this paper we generalize this notion investigating the irreducible characters that are constant at the

p

-singular elements. We determine all such characters of non-zero defect for alternating, symmetric and sporadic simple groups.

We also classify the irreducible characters of quasi-simple groups of Lie type that are constant at the non-identity unipotent elements.In particular, we show that for groups of BN-pair rank greater than 2 the Steinberg and the trivial characters are the only characters in question. Additionally, we determine all irreducible characters whose degrees differ by 1 from the degree of the Steinberg character.
Identification and Characterization of Inter-Organizational Information Flows in the Portuguese National Health Service
Authors: Brito António , Cruz-Correia Ricardo , Pinto Eduardo
Published: December 2016

Objectives To understand and build a collective vision of all existing institutions in the Portuguese National Health Service as well as to perceive how and how far the interaction between those multiple institutions is supported by Information Systems (IS).

MethodsUpon identification of the institutions involved in the healthcare process, a set of interviews with experienced people from those institutions was conducted, which produced about five hours of tape. The research was focused exclusively on processes involving two different organizations and any internal processes were altogether excluded from it.

ResultsThe study allowed the identification of about 50 recurrent interaction processes, which were classified into four different varieties in accordance with the nature of the information flow: administrative, clinical, identificational and statistical. In addition, these processes were divided in accordance with the way how that integration is achieved, from completely automated to email or telephone-based.

ConclusionsFunds/Money related processes are technologically more rigid and standardized, whereas auditing and inspection ones are less supported by automatic systems. There emerged an interesting level of sharing and integration in clinical processes, although the integration is mostly made at the interface level. The authors identified 5 particularly relevant and dominant actors (2 classes of individuals and 3 institutions) with which there is a need for coordination and cooperation. The authors consider that, in future works, an effort should be made to provide the various institutions with guidelines/interfaces and prompt such institutions to elaborate upon these.

Citation: Pinto E, Brito AC, Cruz-Correia RJ. Identification and characterization of inter-organizational information flows in the Portuguese National Health Service.
Knowledge and Power of the Civil Society: an empirical study of Brazilian professionals working in the NGOs
Authors: Guerra Júnia Fátima do Carmo , Teodosio Armindo dos Santos de Sousa , Mswaka Walter
Published: December 2016

This study critically analyses the way Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operate in Brazil and their contribution to the development of the Brazilian civil society. The notion of "power fields" and "habitus", proposed by Bourdieu (1989; 1996), provides the theoretical backdrop to our discussions. This focusses largely on the recursive connection between structure and agency which resonates with the work of Fligstein (2006). This study seeks to critically analyse the learning and social practice developed by professionals in NGOs in their daily activities. This study is based on qualitative research and the results indicated that the knowledge produced by Brazilian NGOs, through the recursive connection between the agents of the fields and the structures underpinning them, contributes to the expansion and transformation of the field in which they operate. This perspective shows that the knowledge generated by this NGOs give them a certain level of power and influence in the Brazilian civil society.