bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forma da dor e dor da forma: significado e função da dor física entre praticantes de bodybuilding em academias de musculação do Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Sabino Cesar , Luz Madel T.
Published: August 2014

Buscamos destacar os sentidos e significados que a dor representa para os praticantes de fisiculturismo nas academias da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Foram investigadas oito academias entre as zonas norte e sul da cidade no período de 12 meses (2008-2009), utilizando observações participantes, etnográficas e entrevistas abertas, além dos dados coletados em pesquisa de período anterior. A construção do corpo neste grupo está relacionada a organização e administração da intensidade e dos tipos de dor percebidos e interpretados pelos atletas ou praticantes assíduos, fato associado aos rituais de instituição que constroem a pessoa do bodybuilder. A dor corpórea é, portanto, não apenas parâmetro para a construção eficaz da forma, mas item fundamental para a demarcação hierárquica de papéis e de identidade daqueles que fazem parte da fração dominante no campo da musculação. É também, para alguns indivíduos, uma estratégia para superar o sofrimento.
Qualidade de vida no trabalho de profissionais do NASF no município de São Paulo
Authors: Leite Denise Fernandes , Nascimento Débora Dupas Gonçalves do , Oliveira Maria Amélia de Campos
Published: August 2014

A apreensão e a análise da Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho (QVT) dos profissionais do Núcleo de Apoio à Saúde da Família (NASF) são de extrema importância, uma vez que a implantação dessa equipe é recente e seu processo de trabalho desenvolve-se numa lógica contra-hegemônica de trabalho em saúde. Este estudo procurou identificar as percepções acerca da QVT dos profissionais das equipes de NASF que atuam no município de São Paulo, bem como os aspectos facilitadores e dificultadores por eles identificados no cotidiano do trabalho. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, de natureza descritiva e exploratória, realizado em Unidades Básicas de Saúde da Família, com uma equipe do NASF de cada uma das cinco Coordenadorias Regionais de Saúde do município de São Paulo: Leste, Centro-Oeste, Norte, Sudeste e Sul. Foram realizadas 40 entrevistas, cuja análise de conteúdo revelou quatro núcleos de sentido relacionados à percepção e à avaliação da qualidade de vida no trabalho dos profissionais: (1) infraestrutura para o trabalho; (2) sobrecarga e qualidade de vida no trabalho; (3) autonomia e identificação com o trabalho; (4) trabalho em equipe e relacionamento interpessoal. O processo de trabalho do NASF vem sendo modificado e reestruturado desde sua implantação, conforme as particularidades e necessidades locais. Envolve diversas questões que afetam diretamente a QVT, podendo até repercutir negativamente na qualidade do serviço prestado. Os profissionais do NASF e seu fazer cotidiano requerem um olhar ampliado da gestão e dos demais atores envolvidos, em prol de uma melhor QTV e, consequentemente, de uma minimização de insatisfação, adoecimentos, afastamentos e estresse ocupacional.
Avaliação de política em saúde mental sob o viés da alteridade radical
Authors: Bleicher Taís , Freire José Célio , Sampaio José Jackson Coelho
Published: August 2014

Realizou-se pesquisa de tese em História Social, sob a vertente da História Oral, com o objetivo de avaliar a política de saúde mental do município de Quixadá, no período de 1993 a 2012. Foram selecionados quatro depoimentos de pessoal diretamente responsável pela construção da política, em sua primeira gestão: o prefeito, o supervisor de serviço, um auxiliar de Enfermagem e um médico. Os depoimentos foram analisados utilizando como referencial teórico a ética da alteridade radical. Consensualmente, os depoimentos apontavam para o entendimento de que, além de o paciente e sua família precisarem de cuidados, intervenções se faziam necessárias no sentido de apresentar a loucura à cidade, como forma de diminuir o preconceito. Sugere-se, a partir dos relatos dessa boa prática, a criação de um novo critério de avaliação dos serviços em saúde mental, qual seja, sua efetividade em gerar, na sociedade, novas formas de lidar com a diferença e com o outro.
Saúde Mental na Atenção Primária à Saúde: avaliação sob a ótica dos usuários
Authors: Frateschi Mara Soares , Cardoso Cármen Lúcia
Published: August 2014

Este estudo objetivou investigar a avaliação que os usuários fazem do cuidado em saúde mental recebido por dois serviços públicos de Atenção Primária à Saúde: uma Unidade de Saúde da Família e uma Unidade Básica de Saúde. A amostra foi composta por 13 usuários de ambos os serviços, identificados pelas equipes como estando em sofrimento mental. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado o grupo focal, sendo realizado um grupo em cada serviço. O material foi submetido à análise seguindo a abordagem qualitativa em pesquisa e utilizou-se como ferramenta a Análise de Conteúdo Temática. Os usuários apontam a necessidade de uma escuta qualificada, que promova acolhimento e vínculo, bem como de uma assistência humanizada, longitudinal e integral. Conclui-se que existe uma lacuna entre ações em saúde mental e Atenção Primária à Saúde, e que a avaliação feita pelos usuários constitui peça fundamental para o preenchimento desta brecha, uma vez que os usuários fornecem informações essenciais para a consolidação de novas formas de agir em saúde.
A face marcada: as múltiplas implicações da vitimização feminina nas relações amorosas
Authors: Dourado Suzana de Magalhães , Noronha Ceci Vilar
Published: August 2014

O artigo analisa narrativas femininas sobre relações conjugais violentas, particularmente, casos nos quais ocorreram danos ao rosto da mulher agredida pelo parceiro. Foram objetivos da pesquisa: apreender os sentidos atribuídos pelas vítimas à violência vivenciada e identificar as implicações decorrentes da experiência vitimizadora. O estudo foi realizado a partir de entrevistas com mulheres usuárias de instituições públicas nas áreas da segurança pública, saúde, assistência psicossocial e educação. Elaborada sob a ótica da sociologia do corpo que reconhece a face como locus privilegiado, a análise evidenciou o caráter invasivo das agressões ao rosto feminino ao produzirem marcas físicas e emocionais que vão repercutir, a curto e longo prazo, na vida das mulheres. À luz da perspectiva feminista relacional, emergiram questões atinentes a ambos os cônjuges na produção do convívio violento, mediadas pelas construções sociais de gênero. Reverberações das agressões sobre o sentimento de identidade e da depreciação da autoimagem foram enfatizadas como geradoras de intenso sofrimento psíquico. Além disso, os resultados apontaram para limites no modelo de atenção biomédico, ainda predominante nos serviços de saúde, para lidar com a complexidade envolvida na vitimização conjugal feminina, bem como para a necessidade de articulação das várias áreas de atuação que tangenciam esse fenômeno.
Género y patrimonio: las ‘pro-mujeres’ de Capilla del Señor
Authors: Pérez Winter Cecilia
Published: August 2014

Vastas publicaciones dan cuenta de la construcción de discursos en los que se coloca a la mujer en el ámbito de lo doméstico, invisibilizando su rol como productora cultural. Estas ideas, en mayor o menor medida, aún se encuentran instaladas en la sociedad y se recrean en los procesos de construcción y prácticas patrimoniales y turísticas. Por ello, este artículo busca reflexionar y discutir ciertas ideas en torno a la escasa representación de la mujer en el proceso de construcción patrimonial. Para analizar estos puntos se presenta un estudio de caso localizado en el municipio de Exaltación de la Cruz, noreste de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. De esta forma se espera generar un aporte a las recientes discusiones sobre género y patrimonio.
"This is Iraq. People are afraid." Resistance and mobilization in the Maré favelas (Rio de Janeiro)
Authors: Raposo Otávio
Published: August 2014

Violence among criminal groups in dispute over domination of drug trafficking in the favelas and intervention by the state security forces in those areas encourage a climate of fear and oppression that intensifies the segregation that historically afflicts their residents. In Maré, an area of Rio de Janeiro made up of sixteen favelas, some of the most powerful drug trafficking factions operate, and armed conflicts and aggressive behavior by the police are commonplace. This is the backdrop against which the residents of Maré and local organizations have mobilized against the constant violations of their human rights, following an upsurge in the number of conflicts. This article intends to debate the issue of violence in Rio de Janeiro, presenting some of the social struggles that the population of Maré has fought in recent times.
Money and morality in the Bolsa Família
Authors: Eger Talita Jabs , Damo Arlei Sander
Published: August 2014

This paper brings some findings from research on the meanings of money from Brazil"s Family Grant Program (Programa Bolsa Família, PBF). The ethnography on which it is based was carried out between 2010 and 2012 in the cities of Alvorada and Porto Alegre. It shows, firstly, that even though it is received in cash, the PBF money is not just an abstract mediator. Rather, access to this kind of money, or to the PBF itself, is accompanied by a series of moral values that go beyond the legal conditionalities that characterize the program. Drawing on ethnographic instances, our discussion highlights some of the key elements of this morality: negotiations around the notion of vulnerability (a central concept for the social workers in charge of enrolling beneficiaries in the PBF), and the different meanings of the PBF money, from the beneficiaries" point of view. This diversity of meanings is presented synthetically in terms of some key domains: money of women and for women; money of children and for children; money interdicted and shameful to men.
Limiting resources in sessile systems: food enhances diversity and growth of suspension feeders despite available space
Authors: Svensson J. Robin , Marshall Dustin J.
Published: August 2014

Much of our understanding of competition comes from observations in sessile systems, such as rainforests and marine invertebrate communities. In terrestrial systems, sessile species often compete for multiple limiting resources (i.e., space, light, and nutrients), but in marine systems, space is viewed as the primary or sole limiting resource. Competition theory, on the other hand, suggests that competition for a single limiting resource is unlikely to maintain high species diversity, but manipulative tests of competition for other resources in marine benthic systems are exceedingly rare. Here, we manipulate the availability of food for a classic system, marine sessile invertebrate communities, and investigate the effects on species diversity, abundance, and composition during early succession as well as on the growth of bryozoan populations in the field. We found the number of species to be greater, available space to be lower, and the community composition to be different in assemblages subjected to increased food availability compared to controls. Similarly, laboratory‐settled bryozoans deployed into the field grew more in the presence of enhanced food. Our results suggest that food can act as a limiting resource, affecting both diversity and abundance, even when bare space is still available in hard‐substratum communities. Consequently, broadening the view of resource limitation beyond solely space may increase our understanding and predictability of marine sessile systems.
Characterization and Functional Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in Bgt‐inoculated Wheat Near‐Isogenic Lines by cDNA‐AFLP and VIGS
Authors: Li Chen , Liu Xiaoying , Fan Baoli , Wang Zhenying , Peng Yongkang , Dang Chen , Xie Chaojie , Liu Zhiyong
Published: August 2014

Differential gene expression after Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) infection was compared in near‐isogenic lines (NILs) differing in powdery mildew resistance. RNA from Bgt‐inoculated and Bgt‐uninoculated (control) NILs was used for cDNA‐AFLP analysis. A total of 6644 highly reproducible fragments in the Bgt‐inoculated NIL and 6255 fragments in the control were generated with 60 primer pairs. Forty‐two differential expression fragments (DEFs) produced reliable sequences. Sequence comparison using the National Center for Biotechnology Information database with the basic local alignment search tool (BLASTn) showed that 31 DEFs shared significant similarities with genes known to be involved in disease/defense, energy metabolism, transcription, secondary metabolism, or signal transduction. DEF38 and DEF3 were selected based on their sequence similarity to genes with known functions, and their transcriptional levels were assayed using semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR for the resistant NIL and the susceptible Jing 411 (control) sampled from the same treatment. The expression levels of DEF38 in the NIL were 1.5‐, 2.8‐, and 3.1‐ fold higher after inoculation at 8, 12, and 24 h, respectively, than those in Jing 411. DEF3 was also induced, and a significant expression change was observed in the NIL after Bgt infection. DEF38 contained a serine threonine protein kinase (STPK) domain, and was highly homologous to a stem rust‐resistant gene (Rpg5) in barley. A virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) system was used to evaluate the function of DEF38. The result indicated that the decreased expression of DEF38 in BSMV:STPK‐DEF38‐treated seedlings compromised NIL resistance to Bgt. Multiple genes were involved in the response to Bgt infection, and disease resistance genes might play a key role in NILs.
Musa spp. Germplasm Management: Microsatellite Fingerprinting of USDA–ARS National Plant Germplasm System Collection
Authors: Irish Brian M. , Cuevas Hugo E. , Simpson Sheron A. , Scheffler Brian E. , Sardos Julie , Ploetz Randy , Goenaga Ricardo
Published: August 2014

The USDA–ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) is responsible for conserving germplasm of a number of important agricultural crop species. Its banana (Musa spp.) collection is comprised of diploid, triploid, and tetraploid accessions of cultivated, ornamental, wild, and synthetic hybrid accessions. To estimate genetic diversity, identify gaps, determine integrity, and generate clonal reference multilocus DNA profiles for a total of 175 accessions in the collection, a set of 22 microsatellite markers developed in the framework of the Generation Challenge Program (www.generationcp.org/, accessed 30 June 2014) by Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement and recommended by the Global Musa Genomics Consortium were screened with an additional 15 reference DNA samples. Twenty‐one of the 22 microsatellite markers amplified well and generated a total of 302 alleles with an average number of 14.4 alleles per locus. In general, profiles were reproducible and consistent for the 21 loci when clonal field and tissue culture plants were compared with reference samples. The average number of alleles and gene diversity estimates demonstrated substantial genetic diversity in the collection. Principal coordinate and cluster analyses grouped accessions in the collection according to their ploidy level and genomic compositions. Markers that were used in the study distinguished accessions to the subgroup level and identified mislabeled accessions, notably in the tissue culture collection where phenotypic differences are difficult to observe. The accessions and fingerprint profiles for the TARS collection are available through the USDA National Plant Germplasm System, Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN‐Global) database www.ars‐grin.gov/ (accessed 30 June 2014).
New Loci Including Pse‐6 Conferring Resistance to Halo Bacterial Blight on Chromosome Pv04 in Common Bean
Authors: Miklas Phillip N. , Fourie Deidré , Trapp Jennifer , Davis Joel , Myers James R.
Published: August 2014

Halo bacterial blight caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (Psp) is a serious seed‐borne disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The disease can be controlled by major resistance (R) genes effective against specific races of the pathogen. Our objective was to characterize the R gene(s) conferring resistance to Psp Races 1, 5, 7, and 9 in the great northern dry bean germplasm release BelNeb‐RR‐1. A recombinant inbred population consisting of 76 F9–derived lines (RILs) from the cross BelNeb‐RR‐1/A55 was inoculated with Races 1, 5, 7, and 9 and genotyped with 5398 single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Resistance to Races 1, 5, 7, and 9 cosegregated with each other and mapped to the proximal end of Pv04 in a known region of R genes that condition resistance to bean anthracnose and bean rust. Location on Pv04, combined with F2 allelism tests, confirmed the presence of a new gene, Pse‐6, for halo blight resistance. We mapped other unnamed R genes to proximal end of Pv04 that were segregating in Minuette/OSU5630 and Raven/I9365‐31 RIL populations and that conditioned resistance to Psp Race 7 and Race 1, respectively. A second R gene, Pse‐4, conditioning resistance solely to Race 5, was detected in BelNeb‐RR‐1 and tentatively positioned on chromosome Pv10. A sequence‐characterized amplified region marker SB10.550 tightly linked (1.4 cM) with Pse‐6 was generated for potential use in marker‐assisted selection for resistance to halo bacterial blight.
Increased Serum Calcium Levels and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Individuals at High Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Becerra-Tomás Nerea , Estruch Ramón , Bulló Mònica , Casas Rosa , Díaz-López Andrés , Basora Josep , Fitó Montserrat , Serra-Majem Lluis , Salas-Salvadó Jordi
Published: August 2014

OBJECTIVE

Insulin resistance and secretion depend on calcium homeostasis. Cross-sectional studies have associated elevated serum calcium levels with markers of impaired glucose metabolism. However, only one prospective cohort study has demonstrated an increased risk of diabetes in individuals with increased serum calcium concentrations. The aim of the current study was to prospectively investigate the association between albumin-adjusted serum calcium concentrations and type 2 diabetes in subjects at high cardiovascular risk.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Prospective assessment of participants from two Spanish PREDIMED study centers where serum calcium levels were measured at baseline and yearly during follow-up. Multivariate-adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to assess associations between baseline and changes during follow-up in serum calcium levels and relative risk of diabetes incidence.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 4.78 years, 77 new cases of type 2 diabetes occurred. An increase in serum calcium levels during follow-up was related to an increased risk of diabetes. In comparison with individuals in the lowest tertile (−0.78 ± 0.29 mg/dL), the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI for diabetes incidence in individuals in the higher tertile of change (0.52 ± 0.13 mg/dL) during follow-up was 3.48 (95% CI 1.48–8.17; P for trend = 0.01). When albumin-adjusted serum calcium was analyzed as a continuous variable, per 1 mg/dL increase, the HR of diabetes incidence was 2.87 (95% CI 1.18–6.96; P value = 0.02). These associations remained significant after individuals taking calcium supplements or having calcium levels out of normal range had been excluded.

CONCLUSIONS

An increase in serum calcium concentrations is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals at high cardiovascular risk.
Long-Term Measurments of Atmospheric Mercury Species (TGM, TPM) and Hg Deposition in the Silesian Region, Poland – Concept of the Mercury Deposition Coefficient
Authors: Nowak Bartosz , Korszun-Kłak Katarzyna , Zielonka Urszula
Published: August 2014

The aim of this work was to identify concentration levels of different chemical forms of mercury (TGM, TPM) in the ambient air in selected areas of the Silesian Region, characterized by low and high mercury emission. Based on the obtained data TGM and TPM concentration levels were determined. The project also focused on determination of dry and wet deposition of mercury compounds. Data concerning TGM and TPM flux rates in the ambient air and data on mercury deposition were used to determine a deposition coefficient. The coefficient was calculated as a share of mercury deposition on the land surface (dry and wet) to the amount of this contaminant transported with loads of air in the form of TGM and TPM in a given measurement station. At both monitoring stations the deposition coefficient did not exceed 0.2 %. The idea of calculating the deposition coefficient based on the analysis of TGM and TPM flux rate is a new solution. The proposed deposition coefficient allows to quantify information on a selected contaminant concentration and its potential impact resulting from deposition. Further studies on the deposition coefficient may contribute to the development of methods for estimating the impact of contaminants contained in the ambient air on other environmental components based on the analyses of the contaminant flux rate.
Co-Combustion of Municipal Sewage Sludge and Hard Coal on Fluidized Bed Boiler WF-6
Authors: Rajczyk Rafał , Bień Jurand , Palka Henryk , Pogodziński Andrzej , Smorąg Hubert
Published: August 2014

According to data of the Central Statistical Ofﬁce, the amount of sludge produced in municipal wastewater treatment plants in 2010 amounted to 526000 Mg d.m. The forecast of municipal sewage sludge amount in 2015 according to KPGO2014 will reach 642400 Mg d.m. and is expected to increase in subsequent years. Signiﬁcant amounts of sludge will create problems due to its utilization. In order to solve this problem the use of thermal methods for sludge utilization is expected. According to the National Waste Management Plan nearly 30% of sewage sludge mass should be thermally utilized by 2022. The article presents the results of co-combustion of coal and municipal sewage sludge in a bubbling ﬂuidized bed boiler made by SEFAKO and located in the Municipal Heating Company in Morag. Four tests of hard coal and sewage sludge co-combustion have been conducted. Boiler performance, emissions and ash quality were investigated.
Curve Number Estimation for a Small Urban Catchment from Recorded Rainfall-Runoff Events
Authors: Banasik Kazimierz , Krajewski Adam , Sikorska Anna , Hejduk Leszek
Published: August 2014

Runoff estimation is a key component in various hydrological considerations. Estimation of storm runoff is especially important for the effective design of hydraulic and road structures, for the ﬂood ﬂow management, as well as for the analysis of land use changes, i.e. urbanization or low impact development of urban areas. The curve number (CN) method, developed by Soil Conservation Service (SCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for predicting the ﬂood runoff depth from ungauged catchments, has been in continuous use for ca. 60 years. This method has not been extensively tested in Poland, especially in small urban catchments, because of lack of data. In this study, 39 rainfall-runoff events, collected during four years (2009–2012) in a small (A=28.7 km2), urban catchment of Służew Creek in southwest part of Warsaw were used, with the aim of determining the CNs and to check its applicability to ungauged urban areas. The parameters CN, estimated empirically, vary from 65.1 to 95.0, decreasing with rainfall size and, when sorted rainfall and runoff separately, reaching the value from 67 to 74 for large rainfall events.
The Impact Of E-Learning In The Rural Business Environment
Authors: Alexe Cătălin George , Alexe Cătălina Monica , Popescu Cristian-Aurelian
Published: August 2014

This paper presents the eLearning as a modern and efficient tool for teaching entrepreneurship. The outcomes of an entrepreneurship education project, developed and carried out in Romania, are shown. The eLearning projects, called “Rural Manager” and “Rural Entrepreneur”, address to the rural communities with an entrepreneurship education curriculum. The education needs were identified through a survey conducted on 954 persons random selected from 23 counties in case of the “Rural Entrepreneur” project. The eLearning platforms developed by the two projects comprise various modules for example: the firm and the economic environment, entrepreneurship and innovation, business management, business marketing, finance and business accounting, communication and negotiation, and IT for businesses. In addition, the platform facilitates the consulting and networking services, as well as an e-business platform promoting the beneficiaries’ products/services. In order to measure scientifically the needs of training and of managerial consultancy at distance, complex researches were used that implied the achievement of focus groups, brainstorming and depth interviews as well as statistical analyses. The number of the beneficiaries of the two projects was over 1000 persons and their occupational statute was variously: owners, employees from the public or private sector, freelancers, farmers, students and unemployed workers.
Corporate Education, As A Social Responsibility Of Universities
Authors: Jucan Cornel Nicolae , Dolf Baier , Mihaela Sabina
Published: August 2014

The paper discusses the importance and relevance of corporate education as a social responsibility of universities. The research findings are intended to provide a starting-point for understanding the nature of the working relationship between universities and corporations in order to successfully develop and deliver corporate education programs in engineering and business. The role of universities has been evolving over the last 20 years, from a focus on teaching and research towards a partnership with industry, government and communities. Nowadays the mission of higher education comprises also the necessity to contribute to the sustainable development and improvement of society as a whole. The ability of the universities to organize the traditional disciplines differently to suit the needs of the society is the key to success of corporate education. Beyond the crisis, the strategic importance of the corporate education is driven by technological changes, the global economic liberalization, the rise of the service economy, the cosmopolitanism, etc.
Innovating For Sustainabile Universities
Authors: Deneş Călin , Grecu Valentin
Published: August 2014

This paper presents an original approach to the changes required for the transformation of universities in sustainable universities. The focus is on the innovative approach of all activities and relationships of the university: teaching, scientific research and other services offered by the university, the relations of the university with the communities where it operates, inter-university relations, relations with business environment, etc. Based on the experience and information gathered by the authors in the strategic project “Improving University Management”, it is proposed a better, more efficient and more effective way of using the resources of universities, thus sharing the resources within the university and with others partners. Shared resources can belong not only to universities but also to their other collaborating organizations interested in the general progress of the society. This can become reality only if the universities will realize that by working together they can achieve higher performance rather than by simply competing with each other, approach which is not excluded but otherwise addressed.
Impact Of Instructional Technology Inclusions In Course Delivery For Engineering And Business Education
Authors: Muhammad Rizwan , Fakharun Nisa , Muhammad Adeel , Muhammad Ramzan , Baral Lal Mohan
Published: August 2014

As new technologies are emerging, new trends are also emerging in teaching and learning. Technology inclusion in teaching provides alternative ways to deliver education in pursuit of promoting learning. One of the innovative methods is Blended Learning (BL). This method incorporates both, the traditional Face-to-Face (F2F) instruction and Web-based distance learning method and it imparts an improved learning experience for the students. In this case study, BL models were adopted involving the teaching of two courses—business management and industrial manufacturing at University of Management and Technology (UMT) Lahore. In the models, students’ performance in terms of their liking threshold, were used as the output. The results revealed that instructional technology inclusion caused greater successes in terms of course acceptability by students. This showed an average improvement of 64% in the student performance. ICT or Information and Communication Technology have gained popularity in education sector. In the recent years the term “e-learning” has emerged as a result of the integration of ICT in the education field, but some pitfalls have been identified and this have led to the “Blended learning” phenomenon. The paper can provide directions for the future blended learning environment that may be opted by all the three main stakeholder student, tutors and institution to make strategic decision about the learning and teaching initiatives. The paper concludes that blended learning offers the most flexible and result oriented learning. This paper provides case studies of two of the BL courses including the mode of offering, content with assessment strategies for students to meet the learning outcomes of the courses in detail.
The Research School In The Field Of Engineering Sciences
Authors: Susan Resiga Magda , Kifor ţtefania , Bucur Amelia
Published: August 2014

The paper proposes the detailing of the concept of “Research School”, which encourage the maximization of the performance, both in the doctoral studies and also in the scientific research. The multi-criteria programming is used for the classification of the Romanian Research Schools in the field of engineering sciences. The application, realized through the method of multi-criteria programming in the field of evaluation and ranking of the research schools, will highlight that an optimum decision may be made through modelling and simulation in this field, with the information provided by Microsoft Excel, regarding the selection of a research school as being the closest to performance or excellence, and also regarding the ranking of the research schools.
Aligning Further Education And Training With The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy: South Africa Case Study
Authors: Dube Partson , Muyengwa Goodwell , Battle Kimberly
Published: August 2014

Academic institutions need to exhibit the appropriate flexibility to meet the demands of industry. This descriptive study seeks to identify the problems both in the private sector and in the education sector with regards to engineer training and to utilise the strengths of both to provide a solution. The study highlights the current growth of the manufacturing sector and the continuing skills gap. It identifies the problems faced by the manufacturing industry and also changes that can be made to the further education training curriculum. Investigations of the impacts of the engineering training and the factors affecting training and that inhibit or facilitate the engineering training were done. Based on experience and many discussions with the private and education sector with regards to the particular problems currently being faced by those wanting to use advanced manufacturing technology it is hoped this document will generate a lively debate between the private and public sector. This paper fulfils an identified training need and offers a practical solution to overcome a national skills shortage.
Distribution of elements among minerals of a single (muscovite-) biotite granite sample – an optimal approach and general implications
Authors: Janoušek Vojtěch , Navrátil Tomáš , Trubač Jakub , Strnad Ladislav , Laufek František , Minařík Luděk
Published: August 2014

The petrography and mineral chemistry of the coarse-grained, weakly porphyritic (muscovite-) biotite Říčany granite (Variscan Central Bohemian Plutonic Complex, Bohemian Massif) were studied in order to assess the distribution of major and trace elements among its minerals, with consequences for granite petrogenesis and availability of geochemical species during supergene processes. It is demonstrated that chemistry-based approaches are the best suited for modal analyses of granites, especially methods taking into account compositions of whole-rock samples as well as their mineral constituents, such as constrained least-squares algorithm. They smooth out any local variations (mineral zoning, presence of phenocrysts, schlieren…) and are robust in respect to the presence of phenocrysts or fabrics. The study confirms the notion that the accessory phases play a key role in incorporation of many elements during crystallization of granitic magmas. Especially the REE seem of little value in petrogenetic modelling, unless the role of accessories is properly assessed and saturation models for apatite, zircon, monazite±rutile carefully considered. At the same time, the presence of several P-, Zr- and LREE-bearing phases may have some important consequences for saturation thermometry of apatite, zircon and monazite.
Tectonic evolution of the Sicilian Maghrebian Chain inferred from stratigraphic and petrographic evidences of Lower Cretaceous and Oligocene flysch
Authors: Puglisi Diego
Published: August 2014

The occurrence of a Lower Cretaceous flysch group, cropping out from the Gibraltar Arc to the Balkans with a very similar structural setting and sedimentary provenance always linked to the dismantling of internal areas, suggests the existence of only one sedimentary basin (Alpine Tethys s.s.), subdivided into many other minor oceanic areas. The Maghrebian Basin, mainly developed on thinned continental crust, was probably located in the westernmost sector of the Alpine Tethys. Cretaceous re-organization of the plates triggered one (or more) tectonic phases, well recorded in almost all the sectors of the Alpine Tethys. However, the Maghrebian Basin seems to have been deformed by Late- or post-Cretaceous tectonics, connected with a “meso-Alpine” phase (pre-Oligocene), already hypothesized since the beginning of the nineties. Field geological evidence and recent biostratigraphic data also support this important meso- Alpine tectonic phase in the Sicilian segment of the Maghrebian Chain, indicated by the deformations of a Lower Cretaceous flysch sealed by Lower Oligocene turbidite deposits. This tectonic development is emphasized here because it was probably connected with the onset of rifting in the southern paleomargin of the European plate, the detaching of the so-called AlKaPeCa block (Auct.; i.e. Alboran + Kabylian + Calabria and Peloritani terranes) and its fragmentation into several microplates. The subsequent early Oligocene drifting of these microplates led to the progressive closure of the Maghrebian Basin and the opening of new back-arc oceanic basins, strongly controlled by extensional processes, in the western Mediterranean (i.e. Gulf of Lion, Valencia Trough, Provençal Basin and Alboran Sea).
Review of Sensor-Based Approach to Reliable High Speed Machining at Boeing – A Tribute to Jan Jeppsson
Authors: Tu Jay F. , Corless Martin
Published: August 2014

Jan Jeppsson was the key architect of a sensor-based system for reliable implementation of High Speed Machining technologies at Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, resulting in substantial increase in productivity in addition to significant cost reduction. Mr. Jeppsson retired from Boeing in 2003 and passed away on December 31, 2012. In memory of his ingenious contributions to high speed end milling technologies in a real production environment, we present this review paper based on his papers and patents. This paper starts with the chatter and control problems encountered in machining commercial airplane structural components, which could be over 100 ft long, using spindles at speeds over 50,000 rpm and end mills over one inch in diameter and axial length exceeding four inches. Mr. Jeppsson developed a software system, Machining Prediction Software (MPS), to identify chatter-free machining windows for different combinations of tools, machine structures, and spindle speeds. The sensor-based milling control system, denoted as the Jeppsson Controller, is used to achieve highest material removal rate with minimal risk of tool breakages and spindle bearings failures. This paper concludes with tributes from Mr. Jeppsson’s co-workers at Boeing, testifying to his character and integrity as a visionary, a mentor, and a leader.
Table Based Algorithm for Inverse-Time Overcurrent Relay
Authors: N. Stojanovic Zoran , B. Djuric Milenko
Published: August 2014

This paper presents a new table based algorithm for overcurrent relay with inverse-time characteristic. The algorithm is based on loading the adequate time vector through which inverse-time characteristic is modeled. It uses samples of the current and calculates rms value. The rms current represents an input value for the index estimation what determines corresponding element from already loaded time vector. Since the calculations used in this algorithm are based on simple mathematical operations, short processing time is achieved. Performances of the algorithm are tested by several computer-generated signals. Furthermore, comparative analyses showed indisputably that suggested procedure possesses significant advantages compared to other solutions: simplicity, high speed of operation and accuracy.
Considering on Lightning Electric Fields in Presence of Ground Reflection at Non-Perfect Ground
Authors: Izadi Mahdi , Ab Kadir M. Z. A. , Hajikhani Maryam
Published: August 2014

In this paper, general electric field expressions are proposed to consider the effect of channel base ground reflections and ground conductivity on the electric field components due to lightning. The proposed method can support different current models and functions directly in the time domain without the need to apply any extra conversions. The proposed method is applied on a sample of measured channel base current from triggered lightning experiment and the results are discussed accordingly. The results show that the ground reflection and ground conductivity can have an effect on the peak values of the electric fields whereby the electric field components have a great effect on the widely used coupling models.
The joint probability distribution of runoff and sediment and its change characteristics with multi-time scales
Authors: Zhang Jinping , Ding Zhihong , You Jinjun
Published: August 2014

River runoff and sediment transport are two related random hydrologic variables. The traditional statistical analysis method usually requires those two variables to be linearly correlated, and also have an identical marginal distribution. Therefore, it is difficult to know exactly the characteristics of the runoff and sediment in reality. For this reason, copulas are applied to construct the joint probability distribution of runoff and sediment in this article. The risk of synchronous-asynchronous encounter probability of annual rich-poor runoff and sediment is also studied. At last, the characteristics of annual runoff and sediment with multi-time scales in its joint probability distribution space are simulated by empirical mode decomposition method. The results show that the copula function can simulate the joint probability distribution of runoff and sediment of Huaxia hydrological station in Weihe River well, and that such joint probability distribution has very complex change characteristics at time scales.
Association Of Serum Pentraxin-3 And High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein With The Extent Of Coronary Stenosis In Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography
Authors: Vuković-Dejanović Vesna , Bogavac-Stanojević Nataša , Spasić Slavica , Spasojević-Kalimanovska Vesna , Kalimanovska-Oštrić Dimitra , Topalović Mirko , Jelić-Ivanović Zorana
Published: August 2014

Background:We compared factors of inflammation – high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and pentraxin-3 (PTX3), and we explored their relationship with coronary artery disease (CAD). Also, we tested the usefulness of hsCRP and PTX3 in the risk assessment of coronary stenosis development and the diagnostic ability of these biomarkers to detect disease severity.

Methods:The study group consisted of 93 CAD patients undergoing coronary angiography. Patients were divided into CAD(0), representing subclinical stenosis, and CAD (1–3), representing significant stenosis in one, two or three vessels.

Results:We determined the concentration of lipid status parameters, hsCRP and PTX3. We found significantly lower PTX3 and hsCRP concentrations in CAD(0) than in CAD(1–3) group. Concentration of PTX3 showed an increasing trend with the increasing number of vessels affected. The area under ROC curve (AUC) for the combinations of hsCRP and PTX3 with lipid parameters had useful accuracy for detecting CAD(1–3) patients (AUC=0.770,p<0.001).

Conclusion:PTX3 is a promising independent diagnostic marker for identifying patients with CAD, and a useful indicator of disease progression. In all the analyses PTX3 showed better performance than hsCRP. A combination of PTX3, hsCRP with the lipid status parameters provides risk stratification of the development of coronary stenosis and better classification than their individual application.
Seismic Soil-Tunnels Interaction Via Bem Part I. Mechanical Model
Authors: Dineva P. , Parvanova S. , Vasilev G. , Wuttke F.
Published: August 2014

Two-dimensional elastodynamic problem for seismic response of unlined and lined tunnels located in a layered half-plane with free surface relief is solved. The computation tool uses the idea of the global matrix propagator method which allows derivation of a relation between the wave field quantities along different interfaces in the layered half- plane. The numerical realization of this idea is performed with the help of the sub-structured boundary element method (BEM) well suited when objects with arbitrary geometry are considered. A relation between dis- placements and tractions along the free surface and arbitrary interface of the soil stratum is derived. It works for arbitrary geometry of the interfaces between soil layers. Finally, in the companion paper, numerical results are presented which show both a validation study of the pro- posed computational methodology and extensive numerical simulations demonstrating the influence of some important factors as type and characteristics of the incident wave, dynamic tunnels interaction, soil-tunnel interaction, free surface relief, type of the tunnel construction and mechanical properties of the layered half-plane on the complex seismic field near and far-away from the underground structures.
Influence of A/D Quantization in an Interpolated DFT Based System of Power Control with A Small Delay
Authors: Borkowski Józef , Kania Dariusz , Mroczka Janusz
Published: August 2014

Fast and accurate grid signal frequency estimation is a very important issue in the control of renewable energy systems. Important factors that influence the estimation accuracy include the A/D converter parameters in the inverter control system. This paper presents the influence of the number of A/D converter bits b, the phase shift of the grid signal relative to the time window, the width of the time window relative to the grid signal period (expressed as a cycle in range (CiR) parameter) and the number of N samples obtained in this window with the A/D converter on the developed estimation method results. An increase in the number b by 8 decreases the estimation error by approximately 256 times. The largest estimation error occurs when the signal module maximum is in the time window center (for small values of CiR) or when the signal value is zero in the time window center (for large values of CiR). In practical applications, the dominant component of the frequency estimation error is the error caused by the quantization noise, and its range is from approximately 8×10-10 to 6×10-4.
Systematic Error of Acoustic Particle Image Velocimetry and Its Correction
Authors: Mickiewicz Witold
Published: August 2014

Particle Image Velocimetry is getting more and more often the method of choice not only for visualization of turbulent mass flows in fluid mechanics, but also in linear and non-linear acoustics for non-intrusive visualization of acoustic particle velocity. Particle Image Velocimetry with low sampling rate (about 15Hz) can be applied to visualize the acoustic field using the acquisition synchronized to the excitation signal. Such phase-locked PIV technique is described and used in experiments presented in the paper. The main goal of research was to propose a model of PIV systematic error due to non-zero time interval between acquisitions of two images of the examined sound field seeded with tracer particles, what affects the measurement of complex acoustic signals. Usefulness of the presented model is confirmed experimentally. The correction procedure, based on the proposed model, applied to measurement data increases the accuracy of acoustic particle velocity field visualization and creates new possibilities in observation of sound fields excited with multi-tonal or band-limited noise signals.
Practical precursor aspects for electron beam induced deposition
Authors: Mulders J.J.L.
Published: August 2014

The purity of a structure made with electron beam induced deposition (EBID) is a the major concern when creating micro and nano-scale functionalities, for example for rapid prototyping. Substantial research focuses on the improvements of the purity using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) based precursors. However, from a practical point of view, many other aspects of a precursor are very relevant in the design of a process and the actual use of a tool for EBID. To a large extent, these precursorrelated characteristics will determine whether or not a precursor can successfully be applied. Some of these characteristics include: vapor pressure range, transition behavior, chemical stability, pyrolitic thresholds, release of corrosive ligands during deposition, toxicity, commercial availability, compatibility with the instrument and operator safety. These characteristic are discussed in more detail here in order to understand what an ideal EBID precursor may be. Although some parameters such as toxicity or flammability seem less important, in practice they can be a road block for application unless the main instrument, such as a regular scanning electron microscope (SEM), is adapted accordingly.
The Influence of European Climate Variability Mechanism on Air Temperatures in Romania
Authors: Ionac Nicoleta , Matei Monica
Published: August 2014

The present paper investigates on the spatial and temporal variability of maximum and minimum air-temperatures in Romania and their connection to the European climate variability. The European climate variability is expressed by large scale parameters, which are roughly represented by the geopotential height at 500 hPa (H500) and air temperature at 850 hPa (T850). The Romanian data are represented by the time series at 22 weather stations, evenly distributed over the entire country’s territory. The period that was taken into account was 1961-2010, for the summer and winter seasons. The method of empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) has been used, in order to analyze the connection between the temperature variability in Romania and the same variability at a larger scale, by taking into consideration the atmosphere circulation. The time series associated to the first two EOF patterns of local temperatures and large-scale anomalies were considered with regard to trends and shifts in their mean values. The non- Mann-Kendall and Pettitt parametric tests were used in this respect. The results showed a strong correlation between T850 parameter and minimum and maximum air temperatures in Romania. Also, the ample variance expressed by the first EOF configurations suggests a connection between local and large scale climate variability.