bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-Oxiflammatory Profile of Date Extracts (Phoenix sylvestris)
Authors: Das Rintu , Paul Pramathadhip , Mukherjee Kaustab , Mitra Shinjini , Singh Umesh Prasad , Banerjee Ena Ray
Published: December 2016

Fruit of date palm (Phoenix sylvestrisL.) is edible and used as an anti-geriatric, anti-oxidant ethnomedicine. In this study, three different types ofdateextracts, methanolic, acidic ethanolic and basic ethanolicwere evaluated for their putative in vitro scavenging effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS), where scavenging of hydroxyl radicals (basic ethanolic>acidic ethanolic>methanolic), superoxide radicals (acidic ethanolic>basic ethanolic>methanolic), DPPH radicals (acidic ethanolic>methanolic>basic ethanolic), nitric oxide (NO) (methanolic>acidic ethanolic>basic ethanolic) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation (basic ethanolic>acidic ethanolic> methanolic) were found to occur in a dose dependent manner. Their flavonoid and phenolic contents proved to be the source of this potent free radical scavenging activity and indicated a direct correlation with their total anti-oxidant capacity. On human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK) and murine RAW macrophages, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation, the date extracts applied therapeutically, inhibit intracellular oxidative stress significantly. This reinstatement of cellular homeostasis presumably occurs via mitochondrial pathways.
Titanium Dioxide in Toothpaste Causing Yellow Nail Syndrome
Authors: Hsu Ting-Yuan , Lin Chun-Chen , Lee Ming-Dar , Chang Brian Pin-Hsuan , Tsai Jeng-Daw
Published: December 2016

Yellow nail syndrome (YNS) is an uncommon disorder, the classic triad of which consists of yellow nails, lymphedema, and respiratory symptoms. Few pediatric cases have been reported. We report a 9-year-old girl with yellowish nail discoloration for 1 year accompanied by respiratory symptoms, including chronic cough, recurrent pneumonia, bronchiectasis, and chronic sinusitis. The patient was diagnosed with YNS. Knowing that a relationship between YNS and titanium has been reported, we collected her nail clippings and detected titanium in them by energy dispersive radiograph fluorescence. This patient’s titanium exposure may have come from her habit of swallowing children’s toothpaste. With meticulous avoidance of swallowing toothpaste, she had amelioration of her yellow nail discoloration as well as diminution of her respiratory symptoms. We reevaluated her nail clippings for titanium 3 years later, and no titanium was detected. This observation suggests that avoiding titanium exposure could alleviate the symptoms of YNS. This is the first report of YNS in a pediatric patient that demonstrates a relationship between YNS and titanium. We review the previous reports of pediatric patients with YNS.
Grexit and Brexit: Rational choice, compatibility, and coercive adaptation
Authors: Rosefielde Steven
Published: December 2016

This article combines a rational choice framework with an analysis of contemporary European Union institutions to elucidate the causes of Grexit and Brexit. It shows that the sustainability of the EU in part or whole in “normal” times depends on member compatibility and coercive adaptation. If members share the same values, including a common vision of transnational governance and a commitment to mutual support (solidarity), the EU should be able to stick together through thick and thin. If, on the contrary, members hold incompatible outlooks on the distribution of transnational powers and solidarity, then the EU will be vulnerable to dismemberment. The EU today is prone to disunion because its members no longer share a common view of mutually acceptable transnational government and policy; powerful members insist upon bending recalcitrant members to their will (coercive adaptation), and participants hold contradictory attitudes towards solidarity on a variety of issues. Winston Churchill and Robert Schuman in the late 1940s hoped that their post-war Europe project would be something more than a “single market”; that it would become the cornerstone of European peace. They appreciated the value of cooperative economy, but considered material benefits icing on the cake. Brexit and Grexit are best seen in this larger perspective underscoring the wisdom of conciliation.
Modern methodic of power cardio training in students’ physical education
Authors: Osipov A.Yu. , Kudryavtsev M.D. , Kramida I.E. , Iermakov S.S. , Kuzmin V.A. , Sidorov L.K.
Published: December 2016

Purpose: significant increase of students’ physical condition and health level at the account of application of modern power cardio training methodic. Material: 120 students (60 boys and 60 girls) participated in the research. The age of the tested was 19 years. The research took one year. We used methodic of power and functional impact on trainees’ organism (HOT IRON). Such methodic is some systems of physical exercises with weights (mini-barbells), to be fulfilled under accompaniment of specially selected music. Results: we showed advantages of power-cardio and fitness trainings in students’ health improvement and in elimination obesity. Control tests showed experimental group students achieved confidently higher physical indicators. Boys demonstrated increase of physical strength and general endurance indicators. Girls had confidently better indicators of physical strength, flexibility and general endurance. Increase of control group students’ body mass can be explained by students’ insufficient physical activity at trainings, conducted as per traditional program. Conclusions: students’ trainings by power-cardio methodic with application HOT IRON exercises facilitate development the following physical qualities: strength and endurance in boys and strength, flexibility and endurance in girls. Besides, it was found that such systems of exercises facilitate normalization of boys’ body mass and correction of girls’ constitution.
ACADEMIC YOUTH’S HEALTH BEHAVIOR
Authors: Radzimińska Agnieszka , Weber-Rajek Magdalena , Lulińska-Kuklik Ewelina , Kaźmierczak Urszula , Moska Waldemar
Published: December 2016

Introduction: A very important role in the protection of human health is their life style, their habits and patterns of conduct. Early adulthood is the best period to achieve long-term benefits from a selection of healthy living. However, the results of studies on health-related behavior of youth in Poland and in the world are not satisfactory. The purpose of the study: The purpose of the research was to assess the health behaviors of students of higher education in Bydgoszcz. Material: The study involved 272 students (124 women and 148 men) Bydgoszcz higher education students in the following fields of study: physiotherapy, nutrition, logistics and national security. The Inventory of Health-Related Behavior by Zygfryd Juczyński has been used in the research. The statistical analysis was performed using the package PQ Stat 1.6.2. Results: Throughout the treatment group an average level of health-related behavior has been shown. The results of the different categories of health-related behavior were lower than the results of the standardization groups. A higher level of health behavior has been shown in a group of medical students compared to non-medical students. The results for women were higher than men's results. Conclusions: The results of personal research and the research findings of other authors demonstrate that there is a need for implementation of programs of health promotion and health education in all fields of study.
ANTHROPOMETRICAL PROFILE AND BIO-MOTOR ABILITIES OF YOUNG ELITE WRESTLERS
Authors: Rahmat Ali Jafari , Arsalan Damirchi , Bahman Mirzaei , Hadi Nobari
Published: December 2016

Aim: This study investigated the association between motor performance and somatic type, anthropometric, body composition, physiologic and physical fitness profile in young wrestlers. Material: 16 young wrestlers aging 16-19 with a 4-year-experience of taking part in national championships were selected for the study. Following the standard methods in the testing center of Alborz province some tests like aerobic power, muscular endurance, flexibility and agility speed tests and 1RM were taken to integrate the participants. Also, it should be noted that the participants’ height, weight, the girth of thigh, elbow, calf and arm and skin thickness were measured. Results: Somatotype, Somatotype Attitudinal Distance (SAD), Height Weight ratio (HWR) were calculated according to Carter and Heath anthropometric method. Body Fat Percentage (%BF), HWR and SAD resulted in 10.90±1.64, 43.27±0.87 and 0.94±0.87 respectively. Somatotype Standard Deviation and mean regarding endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic components were 2.16±0.46, 5.20±0.77 and 2.88±0.64 respectively. Physiologically, wrestlers VO2MAX (kg/min) were 49.31±4.22 and their Resting Heart Rate (bpm) were 68.31±6.64. Conclusion: As the present study illustrates, Somatotype of the Endomorphs, Mesomorphs and Ectomorphs were the same. As a result, coaches can plan wrestlers’ training programs and review of techniques based on anthropometric and physiologic data driven from their sports performances.Besides, wrestlers could be well-informed about their performance. Moreover, aforesaid information could be beneficial to wrestling federations and all other organizations contributing the wrestling federation while holding talent identification programs and recognizing young wrestlers.
Evolution of advanced geopolymeric cementitious material via a novel process
Authors: Gupta Rainy , Bhardwaj Pooja , Mishra Deepti , Mudgal Manish , Chouhan Ramesh K. , Prasad Murari , Amritphale Sudhir S.
Published: December 2016

A novel process for making advanced geopolymeric cementitious materials has been developed and patented in India and the USA. The novel process was conceptualised using the principles of solid-state chemistry. The process involves mechano-chemical reactions between fly ash and sodium hydroxide in the dry state. The dry solid powder thus obtained can then be used for the preparation of advanced geopolymeric material by just the addition of water. The process overcomes some of the drawbacks of the conventional manufacture of geopolymeric materials, and especially obviates the need to handle highly alkaline solution and the requirement of sodium silicate as this is synthesised in situ in the developed process. The advanced geopolymeric material thus produced was characterised using x-ray diffraction analysis, infrared spectral studies and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that even the dry powder material contained all the necessary mineral phases found in conventional geopolymeric materials. The developed advanced geopolymeric material was tested for mechanical strength as per the relevant Indian standard and was found to possess compressive strength 28·5% higher than that of conventional geopolymeric materials.
A centrifuge study of the seismic response of pile–raft systems embedded in soft clay
Authors: Zhang L. , Goh S. H. , Yi J.
Published: December 2016

A series of centrifuge tests were performed on a 4 × 3 pile–raft system embedded in soft kaolin clay to investigate the pile bending moment and raft acceleration response under seismic excitation. Two types of far-field ground motions were employed, these being representative of the short- and long-duration ground motions arising from the Great Sumatran Fault and the Sunda Subduction Trench, respectively. The influences of the peak base acceleration, pile type and raft mass on raft acceleration and pile bending moment responses were studied in the centrifuge tests. Furthermore, based on the present and previous relevant centrifuge test results, correlations were derived to respectively estimate the peak raft acceleration and the maximum bending moment generated near the pile head during the shaking events. Despite some scatter in these correlations, they can be useful in engineering design practice for obtaining quick first-order estimates of the seismic response of pile–raft systems embedded in soft soils.
Displacement rate effects during T-bar cycling in remoulded Gulf of Mexico clay
Authors: Taukoor V. , Rutherford C. J.
Published: December 2016

The influence of the displacement rate of a T-bar on the remoulded shear strength of a soft, natural, lightly overconsolidated marine clay is investigated. A series of T-bar cyclic tests was carried out in 12 box cores collected from the Gulf of Mexico. One general equation relating the displacement rate to the remoulded strength is presented, which provides insight on rate effects for remoulded clays and which can be used to correct for remoulded penetration resistance data for natural soft clays for a T-bar recorded at displacement rates other than the commonly used displacement rate of 0·020 m/s.
Neural network model for seismic response of braced buildings
Authors: Doran Bilge , Shen Jiehua ‘Jay’ , Wen Rou , Akbas Bulent , Bozer Ali
Published: December 2016

Non-ductile, concentrically braced frames are a common lateral force-resisting system used in low-to-moderate seismic regions in the USA. However, their dynamic responses to earthquake ground motions have not been well examined. Structural engineers usually design them conservatively as brittle structures with a small response-modification factor, while building codes restrict their use to low-rise buildings. In this paper, seismic responses of two typical non-ductile concentrically braced frames, one of three storeys and one of nine storeys, were predicted through a neural network model. Twelve input parameters, covering non-linear features from structural components and the uncertain nature of earthquake ground motions, were used in the modelling. Numerical results extracted from thousands of non-linear time-history analyses under one set of moderate ground motions were used to develop the model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the impacts of input parameters on the peak inter-storey drift ratio, designed as an output parameter in the model. The results are shown to be promising considering the uncertainties in both ground motions and the characteristics of structures.
REE Comparison Between Muncung Granite Samples and their Weathering Products, Lingga Regency, Riau Islands
Authors: Irzon Ronaldo , Syafri Ildrem , Hutabarat Johannes , Sendjaja Purnama
Published: December 2016

DOI:10.17014/ijog.3.3.149-161The increasing demand for Rare Earth Elements (REE) is related to the continous development of technology, and these elements are used in modern equipments. REE can occur in igneous and sedimentary rocks in significant amounts as primary deposits, whereas the secondary REE deposit can be produced by intensive lateritic weathering of bedrocks under the tropical or subtropical climate. Lateritic process can increase REE concentration from sub-economic levels in host rocks to be more valuable. Muncung Granite is located in a tropical area of Lingga Regency, Riau Islands Province. REE occurs in the Muncung Granite and in weathered layers (saprolite, laterite, and soil). ICP-MS was applied to measure the REE content in all samples of this study. The average REE content of the Muncung Granite is 265 ppm with Eu anomaly in REE’s spider diagrams. Lateritization process has increased REE content by more than four times compared to that in the Muncung Granite. Ce and Eu anomalies in weathered layers can be associated with weathering process and initial REE contents in the host rock. Ce anomaly in a laterite layer is found to have a negative correlation to REE total enrichment. The REE level in the Muncung Granite is higher than the content in the soil and saprolite layers, but lower than that in the laterite.
Agentenbasierte Steuerung der Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion
Authors: Jungbluth Jan , Gerke Wolfgang , Plapper Peter
Published: December 2016

Die manuelle Demontage schmälert die Wirtschaftlichkeit von Refabrikationsprozessen maßgebend und stellt in der Arbeitsplatzergonomie einen Problemprozess dar. Versuche, die zerstörungsfreie Demontage zu automatisieren, scheiterten an der Varianz der Produktgestalt oder am Produktzustand. Zur Lösung dieses Problems wird im Beitrag der Einsatz eines Softwareagenten beschrieben. Die Software steuert das Verhalten eines Roboters, um dem Menschen bei der Demontage zu assistieren. Zur Information des Agenten dienen generische Informationsmodelle die zur Prozessplanung und -steuerung verwendet werden. Die grobe Prozessplanung erfolgt mit Hilfe gerichteter Graphen und zerlegt den Gesamtprozess in eine Abfolge von Teilprozessen. In der detaillierten Prozessplanung werden die Aktionen und deren zeitliche Abfolge im Teilprozess durch eine Suche ermittelt und dann zur Steuerung des Roboters verwendet. Dies ermöglicht es dem System, in einer komplexen Umgebung zielgerichtet Assistenz zu leisten und die hierfür notwendigen eigenen Handlungen autonom zu bestimmen. Ziel des Assistenzsystems ist es, die Ergonomie der Demontagearbeitsplätze durch die Unterstützung von Handlungen zu verbessern.
«Вот и банки появились, а счастье не наступило», или «Родовые травмы банковской системы»
Authors: Кротов Николай Иванович
Published: December 2016

Статья рассказывает о трудном и противоречивом процессе создания в годы перестройки новой банковской системы и процессе нахождения ею в начале 1990-х годов своего места в экономике борисниколаевской России. Автор считает, что ошибки, допущенные при создании советской, а затем и российской банковской системы отразились в дальнейшем на работе финансово-банковского сектора страны. Автор предлагает варианты выхода из кризиса с использованием финансирования предприятий и компаний минуя коммерческие банки.
Challenging paradigms in the continuous training of teachers from curricular area Mathematics and Science
Authors: Avram Virtop Sorin
Published: December 2016

Continuous training of teachers has proved a cornerstone for changing teaching from a mere activity to a profession. The teaching career is regulated by a special methodology which implies the three stages: definitive, second grade and first grade. These are supported by continuous training of teachers educational policy and activities.  The various levels of change that emerged from the educational reform processes after 1989 did not leave the continuous training of teachers untouched. This paper refers to the continuous training of Mathematics and Science teachers through the project “Continuous training network for teachers to use multimedia, virtual instruments web 2.0 in the curricular area of Mathematics and natural sciences (Proweb)”. This paper discusses the activities and results of the counties (Gorj, Dolj, Olt, Caraş-Severin and Mehedinţi) for which the “Constantin Brâncuşi” University of Târgu Jiu, România had the responsibility for continuous training. ( project POSDRU/157/1.3/S/141587).
From the Editor
Authors: Baskan Gulsun Atanur
Published: December 2016

Message from EditorDear Readers,It is the great honor for us to publish sixth volume, third issue of Contemporary Educational Researches Journal.Contemporary Educational Researches Journal welcomes original empirical investigations and comprehensive literature review articles focusing on educational issues. Contemporary Educational Researches Journal is an international peer-refereed journal that promotes the researches in the field of contemporary teaching and learning approaches and theories.The scope of the journal includes, but is not limited to; the following major topics as they relate to: Active Learning, Administration of Education, Adult Education, Affective Learning, Arts Teaching, Asynchronous Learning, Behaviorist Learning, Blended Learning, Chemistry Education, Classroom Assessment, Classroom Management, Classroom Teacher Education, Collaborative Learning, College and Higher Education, College and Higher Education, Constructivist Learning, Content Development, Distance Learning, E-administration, Future Learning Trends and Globalization, Gaming, Simulation and Virtual Worlds, Guiding and Counseling, Healthy Education, High School Teacher Education, History Education, Instructional Design, Language Learning and Teaching, Language Teacher Education, Learner Centered Strategies, Learners Diversity, Inclusiveness and Inequality, Learning and Teaching Research Methods, Learning Assessment and Evaluation, Learning Assessment and Evaluation, Learning Psychology, Lifelong Learning Strategies, Learning Skills, Vocational Education, Measurement and Evaluation in Education, New Learning Environments, Portfolio Assessment, Professional Development and School Administration.Improving the quality of higher education, teacher training, views of university students on internet addiction, teachersâ€™ views on contemporary society and comparing professional education and general education topics have been included into this issue. The topics of the next issue will be different. You can make sure that we will be trying to serve you with our journal with a rich knowledge in which different kinds of topics are discussed in 2016 Volume.A total number of thirteen (13) manuscripts were submitted for this issue and each paper has been subjected to double-blind peer review process by the reviewers specialized in the related field. At the end of the review process, a total number of five (5) high quality research papers were selected and accepted for publication.We present many thanks to all the contributors who helped us to publish this issue.Best regards,Prof. Dr. Gulsun Atanur BaskanEditor â€“ in Chief
Training indigenous teachers in the Amazon region in Brazil (Acre State)
Authors: Liguori Imbernon Rosely Aparecida , Torres Joana , Vasconcelos Clara
Published: December 2016

The indigenous education in Brazil incorporates important elements of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations. The social and cultural organization of Brazilian indigenous peoples is reflected in rights struggles, and in the indigenous school. In Acre, intercultural curriculum in the training of indigenous teachers precedes public policies for indigenous education in Brazil. The present study relates to an Indigenous Teachers Training Course, which is developed by the Indigenous Education Coordination of the State Education Department and that took place in Acre. The cultural and linguistic complexity that involves the formation of indigenous teachers was an element in the teacher's pedagogic practice applied in the debates in the classroom over the course.
Professional Education vs. General Education: In what sense is the value of knowledge intrinsic?
Authors: Nevo Isaac
Published: December 2016

Various forms of academic elitism exclude "professional" education, including medicine, engineering, and law, from the academic curriculum on grounds of the intrinsic, i.e., non-instrumental value of university education and scholarship.In this paper, I shall explore arguments from J.S. Mill, Cardinal John Newman, and I. Kant to this effect, attempting to clarify what non-instrumental value they find in university education and scholarship, and why it should serve to exclude the professional, and sometimes the scientific and the technological. [1] In Kant’s case, I shall point out more integrative options implicit in his approach. I shall than look at some contemporary resolutions of these issues, namely, the relation of knowledge and university education to economic usefulness, on the one hand, and to a free and democratic society, on the other, in the writings of Philip Kitcher (2011), Jacques Derrida (1983) and Jürgen Habermas (1992).[1]  An earlier version of this paper was presented at a conference entitled: "curricula and Humanistic Scholarship: Between Tacit Knowledge and Public Discourse," sponsored by The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, The Sidney M. Edelstein Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas and The Minerva Humanities Center at Tel-Aviv University, and the Volkswagen Stiftung. The author wishes to thank the organizers of the conference, and particularly Prof. Rivka Feldhai and Prof. Gabi Motzkin.
Latvian primary school teachers’ views: Contemporary learner and future society
Authors: Drelinga Elga , Ilisko Dzintra , ZariÅ†a Sandra
Published: December 2016

The paper presents a study of focus groups conducted in schools of Latvia involving teachers of grades 1 â€“ 6 (n=76). The first stage of research presents the analyses of teachersâ€™ discussion what a contemporary learner is like, while at the second stage of the study focuses on finding of what the future society will be like when the present-day primary school learners have left the school, what teachers must change in their work  in  the process of learning to meet the needs of the future.The data and outcomes of  this study are based on the outcomes of focus group discussions and the analysis of the experience in other papers. According to the acquired outcomes of the study, contemporary learners on the one hand are braver, ready for an active action, they use various opportunities, they are aware of their worth, on the other hand, they accept diversity, spend much time watching TV, using the global network, that does not facilitate social communication. Conclusion: For the process of learning to meet the needs of the future, learners must be given an opportunity to construct such knowledge, skills, and attitudes that make it possible to view processes holistically, grasping the mutual interaction of different aspects.
The Views of University Students Regarding Internet Addiction
Authors: Aslan Sevda
Published: December 2016

In this study, it is aimed to determine the views of university students regarding Internet addiction. The study groupconsisted of 64 fourth year students studying at Kirikkale University Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Philosophyand Kirikkale University Faculty of Health Sciences’ Department of Child Development in Spring 2013–2014 academic year. Inthis study, university students’ views regarding Internet Addiction Form, which consists of nine open-ended questions, weredeveloped by the researcher in order to determine the university students’ views about Internet addiction. According thefindings of this research; not being able to fulfil the requirements of friendship, which are communication, sharing andresponsibility; trying to overcome those via social media; being lonely, they have scarcely any family ties, the adolescentconsiders entering the courses and doing literature review in the library as a waste of time, and therefore, obtainsinsufficient academic information solely from the Internet. Keywords: University students, Internet addiction, student views.
Cоmmunicative registers as means of expressing author’s position in monologue speech
Authors: Kulzhanat Bulatbayeva , Gulnara KÐ°ziyeva , Gulnur Sagimbayeva
Published: December 2016

During monologue speech, one does not take into consideration author’ position. In monologue utterance of learners, as a rule, the author’s position was absent. An academician Zolotova—pointed out five communicative registers of speech: reproductive, informative, generative, voluntive and reactive. They may be taken as means of the teaching of expressing author’s position. In the work is described the functioning of these communicative registers of speech in semantic types of a text, suggested by Passov. In the framework of each type is shown functioning of the most frequently used registers, defining the role of a speaker toward the information of a text: ‘the person who observes’, ‘the person who participates in social events’, ‘the person who gives information’, ‘the person who encourages’, ‘the person who reacts to some events’ and ‘the person who generates information’
Keywords: Communicative register, reproductive register, informative register, generative register, voluntive register, reactive register, author’s position, monologue speech, time schedule, modal-temporal plan of text, deictic line of text
Contemporary English – a challenge for non-native speakers
Authors: Beresova Jana
Published: December 2016

The paper focuses on contemporary American English and its challenge for those who are exposed to it as non-native users. Due to globalisation, the two main varieties of English (British and American) are becoming closer than they used to be as native speakers of both communicate directly and influence their varieties significantly. The traditional differences between British English and American English are less meaningful, however, English nowadays develops rapidly. The focus of research is based on current trends in both grammar and vocabulary, analysing contemporary American literary prose as many new words and new ways of using grammar in British English come from American English due to the influence of American popular culture and media. Contemporary literary prose is a valuable material of natural written and spoken language. In the paper, both speeches (that of the narrator and characters) are analysed, focusing on expressions and grammatical structures which are likely to attract a non-native reader. The selected samples of the language are discussed and systemised with an aim to generalise some trends typical for contemporary English. Keywords: contemporary English; vocabulary; grammar; informal language;
The Media in Cameroon faced with the Boko Haram Conflict
Authors: Tapuka Gerald
Published: December 2016

For the first time in the history of Cameroon, it is facing a conflict that can be compared to no other one. The Boko Haram conflict has not just posed so much difficulty to the population and the government but especially media men and women who are always looking for information to feed the public. It is further complicated because journalists in Cameroon do not have a mastery of Peace Journalism, or conflict sensitive journalism or conflict management and resolution. In this light, they have all dived into the matter with much focus on recounting just the story on the ground, counting the victims and use the war to gain notoriety. They have neither work in favor of pacific resolution of the conflict nor promoting alternatives to the use of force but have been either been embedded in the military’s version of the story while depending so much on the official phase of it and on second hand information. This paper argues that in the communication of the Boko Haram conflict the Cameroonian media have proven to follow the official version in its practice of Straight Journalism, War Journalism and Embedded with very little effort in Peace Journalism.
Robots to the Rescue: A Review of Studies on Differential Medical Diagnosis Employing Ontology-Based Chat Bot Technology
Authors: Edwards Bosede Iyiade , Muniru Idris Oladele , Cheok Adrian David
Published: December 2016

Access to medical care is a global issue. Technology-aided approaches have been applied in addressing this. Interventions have however not focused on medical diagnosis as a fully automated procedure and available applications employ mainly text-based inputs rather than conversation in natural language. We explored the utility of ontology-based chatbot technology for the design of intelligent agents for medical diagnosis through a systematic review of the most recent related literature. English articles published in 2011-2016 returned 233 hits which yielded 11 relevant articles after a 3-stage screening. Findings showed that the creation of expert systems had been the focus of many the studies which utilize the physician-system-patient framework with system training based mostly on expert knowledge for designing web- or mobile phone-based applications that serve assistive purposes. Findings further indicated gaps in the design and evaluation of more effective systems deployable as standalone applications, for example, on an embodied robotic system. The need for technology supporting the physical examination part of diagnosis, connection to data sources on patients’ vitals and medical history are also indicated in addition to the need for more qualitative work on natural language-based interaction. The system should be one that is continuously learning. Future works should also be directed towards the building of more robust knowledge base as well as evaluation of theory-based diagnostic methodological options
An Optimized Energy Management Strategy for Preheating Vehicle-Mounted Li-Ion Batteries at Subzero Temperatures
Authors: Zhu Tao , Min Haitao , Yu Yuanbin , Zhao Zhongmin , Xu Tao , Chen Yang , Li Xinyong
Published: December 2016

This paper presents an optimized energy management strategy for Li-ion power batteries used on electric vehicles (EVs) at low temperatures. Under low-temperature environments, EVs suffer a sharp driving range loss resulted from the energy and power capability reduction of the battery. Simultaneously, because of Li plating, battery degradation becomes an increasing concern as temperature drops. All these factors could greatly increase the total vehicle operation cost. Prior to battery charging and vehicle operating, preheating battery to a battery-friendly temperature is an approach to promote energy utilization and reduce total cost. Based on the proposed LiFePO4 battery model, the total vehicle operation cost under certain driving cycles is quantified in the present paper. Then given a certain ambient temperature, a target temperature of preheating is optimized under the principle of minimizing total cost. As for the preheating method, a liquid heating system is also implemented on an electric bus. Simulation results show that the preheating process becomes increasingly necessary with a decreasing ambient temperature; however, the preheating demand declines as driving range grows. Vehicle tests verify that the preheating management strategy proposed in this paper is able to save total vehicle operation cost.
Application of Taxonomic Modeling to Microbiota Data Mining for Detection of Helminth Infection in Global Populations
Authors: Eshaghzadeh Torbati Mahbaneh , Mitreva Makedonka , Gopalakrishnan Vanathi
Published: December 2016

Human microbiome data from genomic sequencing technologies is fast accumulating, giving us insights into bacterial taxa that contribute to health and disease. Predictive modeling of such microbiota count data for classification of human infection from parasitic worms such as helminths can help in detection and management across global populations. Real-world datasets of microbiome experiments are typically sparse containing hundreds of measurements for bacterial species, of which only a few are detected in the bio-specimens that are analyzed. This feature of microbiome data produces the challenge of needing more observations for accurate predictive modeling and has been dealt with previously using different methods of feature reduction. To our knowledge, integrative methods such as transfer learning has not been explored in the microbiome domain yet, as a way to deal with data sparsity by incorporating knowledge of different but related datasets. One way of incorporating this knowledge is by using a meaningful mapping among features of these datasets. In this paper, we claim that this mapping would exist among members of each individual cluster grouped based on phylogenetic dependency among taxa and their association to the phenotype. We validate our claim by showing that models incorporating associations in such a grouped feature space result in no performance deterioration for the given classification task. In this paper, we test our hypothesis using classification models that detect helminth infection in microbiota of human fecal samples obtained from Indonesia and Liberia countries. In our experiments, we first learn binary classifiers for helminth infection detection by using Naive Bayes, Support Vector Machines, Multilayer Perceptrons, and Random Forest methods. In the next step, we add taxonomic modeling using the SMART-scan module to group the data, and learn classifiers using the same four methods, to test the validity of the achieved groupings. We observed a 6% to 23% and 7% to 26% performance improvement based on the Area Under ROC Curve (AUC) and Balanced Accuracy(Bacc) measures, respectively, over 10 runs of 10-fold cross-validation. These results show that using phylogenetic dependency for grouping our microbiota data actually results in a noticeable improvement in classification performance for helminth infection detection. These promising results from this feasibility study demonstrate that methods such as SMART-scan can be utilized in the future for knowledge transfer from different but related microbiome datasets by phylogenetically-related functional mapping, to enable novel integrative biomarker discovery.
Metabolic risk factors of coronary heart disease in relation to anthropometric measures in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients following dietary intervention
Authors: Kaczorowska Małgorzata , Ryterska Karina , Ossowski Piotr , Maciejewska Dominika , Sabinicz Anna , Jamioł-Milc Dominika , Raszeja-Wyszomirska Joanna , Stachowska Ewa
Published: December 2016

Wstęp:Niealkoholowa stłuszczeniowa choroba wątroby (NAFLD) jest związana z wysokim ryzykiem zaburzeń metabolicznych (zespół metaboliczny, cukrzyca typu 2) oraz choroby wieńcowej.Materiały i metody: Grupę badaną stanowiło 108 osób dorosłych rasy kaukaskiej (39 kobiet i 69 mężczyzn) w wieku 20–77 lat z rozpoznaną NAFLD. Podstawą diagnozy było dokładne badanie USG wątroby oraz analiza parametrów wątrobowych: aminotransferazy alaninowej i aminotransferazy asparaginianowej w surowicy. Wszystkie badania przeprowadzono podczas pierwszej i ostatniej wizyty pacjentów w placówce badawczej (po 6 miesiącach od interwencji dietetycznej). Dokonywano także pomiarów antropometrycznych (wskaźnik masy ciała – BMI, obwód pasa – WC, wskaźnik talia–biodra – WHR, wskaź- nik talia–wzrost – WHtR, wskaźnik stożkowatości – C -Index) w odniesieniu do metabolicznych czynników ryzyka choroby niedokrwiennej serca (podwyższone stężenie w surowicy: triacylogliceroli, cholesterolu lipoprotein niskiej gęstości, cholesterolu całkowitego, glukozy oraz obniżone stężenie cholesterolu lipoprotein wysokiej gęstości).Wyniki: Zarówno w grupie kobiet, jak i mężczyzn wykazano istotną statystycznie redukcję wartości parametrów takich jak: masa ciała, BMI, WC, WHR, WHtR i C -Index (p < 0,05), co miało wpływ na poprawę stężenia triacylogliceroli w surowicy u obu płci (p < 0,05). Wskaźniki identyϐikujące otyłość brzuszną (WC, WHR, WHtR, C -Index) korelowały istotnie z wartością glikemii (p < 0,05) zarówno przed interwencją dietetyczną, jak i po niej oraz ze stężeniem lipidów w surowicy przed interwencją lub po (p < 0,05) u obu płci.Wnioski: Rozpowszechnienie użycia prostych narzędzi antropometrycznych (przede wszystkim C -Index i WHtR) wydaje się być korzystne, zwłaszcza na szczeblu podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej. Narzędzia te mogą służyć zarówno do prewencji, jak i wczesnego wykrywania metabolicznych czynników ryzyka choroby niedokrwiennej serca, a co za tym idzie potencjalnie śmiertelnych konsekwencji incydentów wieńcowych u pacjentów z NAFLD lub z innymi zaburzeniami metabolizmu.
Próba adaptacji kwestionariusza Self-Complete of Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs dla polskiej populacji
Authors: Cnotliwy Miłosław , Jurewicz Alina , Gołąb-Janowska Monika , Kazimierczak Arkadiusz , Głazek Wojciech
Published: December 2016

Wstęp: Kwestionariusz Self-Complete of Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S -LANSS) jest testem przesiewowym służącym rozpoznaniu bólu neuropatycznego. Test ten może wykonać chory bez pomocy lekarza. Celem pracy było przetłumaczenie oryginalnej anglojęzycznej wersji skali S -LANSS na język polski oraz jej walidacja dla polskiej populacji.Materiały i metody: Do badania włączono 101 chorych: 51 z rozpoznanym przewlekłym bólem neuropatycznym w przebiegu różnych schorzeń neurologicznych i 50 z przewlekłym bólem receptorowym w przebiegu choroby zwyrodnieniowej stawów. Wszyscy samodzielnie wypełnili przetłumaczony na język polski kwestionariusz S-LANSS. W analizie statystycznej zwrócono szczególną uwagę na określenie czułości i swoistości polskojęzycznej wersji kwestionariusza.Wyniki: Czułość kwestionariusza S -LANSS przy punkcie odcięcia ≥11 wyniosła 62%, a swoistość 77%. Pole pod krzywą ROC, AUC (95% CI) = 0,729 (0,63–0,809).Wnioski: Opracowana polskojęzyczna wersja S-LANSS może być użyta do wstępnej diagnozy bólu neuropatycznego. Rozpoznanie musi opierać się na badaniu neurologicznym, uzupeł-nionym testami neurofizjologicznymi i niezbędnymi badaniami dodatkowymi.
Poziom wiedzy z zakresu diety u pacjentów z cukrzycą typu 2 oraz u pielęgniarek
Authors: Napierała Małgorzata Urszula , Hermann Dorota , Homa Katarzyna , Bryśkiewicz Marta  Ewa , Majkowska Liliana 
Published: December 2016

Wstęp: W środowisku pacjentów chorych na cukrzycę krąży wiele mitów dotyczących produktów spożywczych, które mają obniżać poziom glukozy we krwi lub przynajmniej go nie podnosić. Celem badania było zbadanie stanu wiedzy na temat wpływu popularnych i często stosowanych produktów spożywczych na poziom glikemii wśród chorych na cukrzycę oraz wśród pielęgniarek zatrudnionych w szpitalach.Materiały i metody: Grupa badana obejmowała 250 chorych na cukrzycę (DM), członków Polskiego Stowarzyszenia Diabetyków, oraz grupę kontrolną 123 zdrowych pielęgniarek (N) z 3 szczecińskich szpitali. Badanych poproszono o wypeł- nienie ankiety weryϐikującej ich wiedzę na temat wpływu na glikemię produktów spożywczych często stosowanych w diecie cukrzycowej (grejpfrut, miód, kawa zbożowa, czekolada dla diabetyków, zupa mleczna z płatkami oraz karkówka).Wyniki: Najwięcej błędnych odpowiedzi, zarówno wśród chorych, jak i personelu, zostało zaznaczonych w przypadku karkówki (DM 71%; N 83%, NS) oraz grejpfruta (DM 51%; N 77%, p < 0,01). Najwięcej prawidłowych odpowiedzi pojawiło się w przypadku miodu (DM 69%; N 80%, p < 0,05) oraz zupy mlecznej (DM 64%; N 67%, NS). Wykazano negatywną korelację między liczbą poprawnych odpowiedzi a wiekiem pacjentów (rs = −0,14, p < 0,01). Czas trwania cukrzycy nie miał wpływu na poziom wiedzy pacjentów z zakresu wpływu wybranych produktów spożywczych na poziom glikemii. Chorzy leczeni insuliną stosowaną mieli wyższy poziom wiedzy niż osoby stosujące leki doustne (44% vs 34, 8%, p < 0,01).Wnioski: 1. Poziom edukacji pacjentów oraz personelu średniego szpitala z zakresu wpływu popularnych produktów na glikemię chorego jest niski. 2. Zarówno chorzy na cukrzycę, jak i pielę- gniarki zatrudnione w szpitalach wymagają edukacji z zakresu diety cukrzycowej.
Gender Representation in Faculty and Leadership at Land Grant and Research Institutions
Authors: Cho Alyssa , Chakraborty Debolina , Rowland Diane
Published: December 2016

Core Ideas

Female faculty in agricultural sciences has increased from 12 to 23% in the last 10 yr.

Higher leadership positions within academia, industry, and government research positions are primarily held by men.

The proportion of women with Ph.D. degrees in agricultural sciences is still higher than those with careers and leadership positions.

Representation of women in agricultural science was 5% in 1979, increasing to 12% by 2005. The near equal numbers of women and men receiving Ph.D. degrees in agricultural science in 2012 (44 to 56%, respectively) would suggest an upward trend of women scientists above 12% should be occurring over time. To monitor possible trends in the representation of women in agricultural science, we quantified the numbers of women at land grant institutions at the faculty and higher administration level and in leadership positions within scientific societies, industry boards, and government research positions. The survey results showed that female faculty in the agricultural sciences increased from 12% in 2005 to 23% in 2014; however, female representation in leadership positions in academia were low, with department chairs (18%), society leadership (18–36% ranging across societies), and deans of colleges of agriculture (9 out of 50) lagging behind men. Similarly, the number of women on the executive boards of agricultural industries (11%) and at the USDA‐ARS (26%) are still lower than the proportion of women with Ph.D.'s in agricultural sciences. These results suggest progress toward gender representation that reflects the number of qualified women at the faculty level, but it seems that representation is limited after the graduate training level, at the faculty level and beyond. We must be diligent in crop and soil sciences in mentoring female students and young faculty to ensure progress of female scientists to all levels of leadership in academia and the private and public sector.
Early Application of Harvest Aid Herbicides Adversely Impacts Lentil
Authors: Zhang Ti , Johnson Eric N. , Mueller Thomas C. , Willenborg Christian J.
Published: December 2016

Core Ideas

Improper application timing of harvest aids may reduce lentil seed yield and quality, and leave unacceptable herbicide residues in seed.

Application of harvest aids before 30% seed moisture content reduced lentil seed yield and thousand seed weight.

These application timings resulted in lentil seed samples exceeding residue levels of 2 and 0.03 mg kg−1 for glyphosate and saflufenacil, respectively.

Applying harvest aid herbicides can dry down lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) crops evenly and quickly, and can help control late‐emerging weeds. However, improper application timing may reduce yield and quality, and leave unacceptable herbicide residues in seed, which can cause commercial issues when marketing lentil. The objective of this research was to determine the response of lentil to various application timings of glyphosate, saflufenacil, and the combination of these two herbicides. A field experiment consisting of a randomized complete block design was run at Saskatoon and Scott, SK, Canada in 2012, 2013, and 2014 to address the objective. Application of harvest aid herbicides before 30% seed moisture content reduced seed yield and thousand seed weight up to 25 and 8%, respectively. Moreover, application timings before 30% seed moisture resulted in lentil seed samples exceeding residue levels of 2.0 and 0.03 mg kg−1 for glyphosate and saflufenacil, respectively. Adding saflufenacil to glyphosate did not reduce glyphosate residue in lentil seed compared to glyphosate applied alone. However, this tank mixture significantly reduced seed residues of saflufenacil and improved crop desiccation compared with either glyphosate or saflufenacil applied alone. Our data lead us to conclude that a tank mix of saflufenacil+glyphosate should be recommended for crop desiccation and pre‐harvest weed control in lentil over using either product alone. In addition, it is critical to ensure applications of glyphosate or saflufenacil are not made prior to 30% seed moisture in lentil crops.