bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Songs about the Lisbon Earthquake, or the Slovenian Response to Stories about Someone Else’s Misfortune
Authors: Klobčar Marija
Published: February 2016

This article focuses on the Slovenian songs about the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake and on the context revealed by these songs. It is based on two songs about this earthquake that were published in the first collection of Slovenian folk songs from the mid-nineteenth century. The songs draw attention to the impact of this event in the media and the reception of these types of songs among the Slovenians. Studying the genesis of both songs, it reveals the role of organists and also the mindset that comes to the fore in the song narrations. The traces lead to a song leaflet that brings Slovenian songs closer to the general European tradition, with certain basic differences: the Slovenian song published on the leaflet contains a prayer for the victims of the Lisbon earthquake, which means that it provides special spiritual assistance. The article also reveals the reasons why the songs about the Lisbon earthquake were excluded from the subsequent standard collections of Slovenian folk songs, although the memory of both the songs and the Lisbon earthquake was still attested at the end of the nineteenth century. The Slovenian songs about the Lisbon earthquake therefore not only show the Slovenian response to the misfortune of the unknown people of Lisbon, but also question the social role of folklore studies.
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Prispevek se osredotoča na slovenske pesmi o uničujočem lizbonskem potresu leta 1755 in na kontekst, ki ga razkrivajo. Izhaja iz objav dveh pesmi o tem potresu v prvi zbirki slovenskih ljudskih pesmi iz sredine 19. stoletja, ki opozarjata na odmevnost tega dogodka in sprejetost pesmi med Slovenci. Išče genezo obeh pesmi, pri čemer razkriva vlogo organistov, hkrati pa predstavlja tudi miselni svet, ki se razkriva skozi pesemske pripovedi. Sledi vodijo do pesemskega letaka, kar slovenske pesmi zbližuje s splošno evropsko tradicijo, ob tem pa se kažejo temeljne razlike: slovenska pesem, objavljena na letaku, namreč z molitvijo za žrtve lizbonskega potresa pomeni posebno duhovno pomoč. Prispevek razkriva tudi razloge, zakaj so bile pesmi o lizbonskem potresu izločene iz nadaljnjih normativnih zbirk slovenskih ljudskih pesmi, čeprav je spomin tako na pesmi kot na lizbonski potres izpričan še ob koncu 19. stoletja. S tem slovenske pesmi o lizbonskem potresu ne kažejo le slovenskega odziva na nesrečo neznanih prebivalcev Lizbone, temveč se sprašujejo tudi o družbeni vlogi folkloristike.
Slovenian Sayings as Cultural Heritage: Corpus Classification and Editing
Authors: Stanonik Marija
Published: February 2016

V prispevku so predstavljena pretekla in tekoča prizadevanja za pripravo znanstvene zbirke slovenskih pregovorov. Osrednja pozornost je namenjena raziskovalnim načrtom, ciljem in dosežkom interdisciplinarnega raziskovalnega projekta Slovenski pregovori kot kulturna dediščina – Klasifikacija in redakcija korpusa (2010–2014), v katerem je bila digitalizirana in klasificirana zbirka z več kot 60.000 enotami in s tem pripravljena za različne rabe. Projekt so spremljali premisleki teoretične (definicija žanra, klasifikacije) in metodološke narave (statistične metode, podatkovno rudarjenje itn.).
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This article presents past and current efforts to prepare a scholarly collection of Slovenian proverbs. The main focus is on the research plans, goals, and achievements of the interdisciplinary research project Slovenian Proverbs as Cultural Heritage: Classification and Corpus Editing (2010–2014), in which a collection of over sixty thousand units was digitized and classified, and thus prepared for various uses. The project is accompanied by theoretical (genre definition, classification) and methodological (statistical methods, data mining, etc.) considerations.
Teachers' Professional Development in the Digitized World
Authors: Ozdemir Emsal Ates , Dikilitaş Kenan
Published: February 2016

Professional development for in-service English language teachers has increasingly become a need in higher education not only in Turkey but across the world. Due to the limited time teachers have and the distance between the source of service and the potential participants, using digitized activities and materials have naturally become a necessity. The purpose of this research is to report the potential impact of the course described below and discuss the role of blended learning experience of professional development on the participating teachers. The theoretical background of the study is experiential learning initiated by Kolb and socio-constructivist learning theory by Vygotsky in that both theories highlight the role of experiencing the change and focus on personal meanings and learning with and from others in real and online environments.
A Professional Development Framework for the Flipped Classroom Model
Authors: Katz Anne , Brown Tricia Muldoon , Kim Jackie Hee Young
Published: February 2016

A major goal of K-12 education is to create a student-centered classroom where educators are teaching to increase critical thinking skills, promote problem-based learning, and differentiate instruction. However, the reality is that many educators are challenged by the difficult task of creating such a learning environment in their classrooms. In this chapter, the authors will introduce a Flipped Classroom Professional Development project, a Title II Part A Higher Education Improving Teacher Quality State Grant initiative. This project centered on two goals. First, the authors sought to teach the flipped classroom model through an integrated literacy and math approach while “mathematizing” read-aloud instruction for primary and elementary grade educators. Secondly, the chapter describes efforts to expand teachers' repertoire of effective instructional, blended technology tools for teaching math and literacy. The authors will conclude with the potential of the Flipped Classroom model in K-5 settings based upon this professional development framework.
Museum Communication
Authors: Siano Alfonso , Siglioccolo Mario , Tuccillo Carmela , Conte Francesca
Published: February 2016

The focus of museum communication has shifted from visitors to a variety of key stakeholders and new emphasis is being placed on museum-audience relationships. The literature on this topic has quite neglected to consider the evolution of museum communication activities up to date, and studies have not proceeded to identify stakeholder groups which may relate to museum in different ways. This chapter aims to fill this gap by providing a museum-specific framework for communication-management. The latter intends to be a practical tool to help in managing relations with stakeholder groups. Key concepts of corporate communication are contextualized to museums, starting with the depiction of museum personality, identity, image, and the process of development of museum reputation is explained. The latter may be considered as a multifaceted process; to understand the evolution of museum reputation and guide its correct development. Focus is given to information and communication technologies, which have changed the way people interact with museums.
Trust Management and Delegation for the Administration of Web Services
Authors: Tomaiuolo Michele
Published: February 2016

The availability and adoption of open protocols allow applications to integrate Web services offered by different providers. Moreover, simple services can be dynamically composed to accomplish more complex tasks. This implies the delegation of both tasks and permissions. In fact, delegation is intertwined with some notion of risk, on the one hand, and trust, on the other hand. Well founded socio-cognitive models of trust may orient managers and system administrators to delegate tasks and goals to the most trusted entities, after conscious evaluation of risks and gains associated with the decision. This chapter presents different mechanisms and models that have been proposed for establishing secure delegations in open environments. They include Role-Based Access Control, Trust Management, and Federated Identity. Complex frameworks and live systems have been realized according to these models. However, their administration remain a challenging task. Ongoing research works in various fields, such as Automated Trust Negotiation, promise to simplify the practical realization and configuration of delegation-based systems.
Trust Management in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks for QoS Enhancing
Authors: Abassi Ryma
Published: February 2016

In a collaborative environment such as MANET, nodes reliability evaluation is vital. Trust Management can be used to ensure such healthy collaboration it offers a formal and unified framework for trust specification and interpretation. Establishing trustworthy relationships is generally done by maintaining a reputation for each node computed based on direct observations or neighbors' observations exchanged using recommendations. Unfortunately, for malicious reason, such method may be faked by cheaters: several nodes collude in order to rate each other with the maximum value and decrease other nodes' reputations by giving negative recommendations. The main contribution of this chapter is then, the proposition of a trust based environment for MANET and securing it against collusion attack in order to enhance the network QoS. This is achieved using three steps: (1) the definition of a formal trust based environment (2) the addition of a process handling collusion attack and (3) the extension of the whole proposition by a delegation process allowing nodes functionalities sharing.
The Language of Video Intimacy
Authors: Strafaccia Heather Lee
Published: February 2016

This case provides ideas about using video communication in communication and values it may have in distance relationships and implications for increasing the sense of connection in long distance teaching contexts. This study examines influences of Web camera use for married couples in long distance relationships. A research survey explored martial satisfaction with Web camera communication. To measure the satisfaction of participants, the Satisfaction with Married Life Scale from the Johnson, Zabriskie, and Hill (2006) study, and the relational maintenance strategies from the Stafford and Canary (1991) study are applied. Participants (N = 74) were married, United States citizens, who experienced a geographical separation for more than seven days. Findings suggest that Web camera communication offers a mode in long distance relationships to increase marital satisfaction. Web camera communication may increase the educational satisfaction as a teaching device and assist in linking cultures to expand educational opportunities regardless of geographical location.
System-Level Analysis of MPSoCs with a Hardware Scheduler
Authors: Zhang Diandian , Castrillon Jeronimo , Schürmans Stefan , Ascheid Gerd , Leupers Rainer , Vanthournout Bart
Published: February 2016

Efficient runtime resource management in heterogeneous Multi-Processor Systems-on-Chip (MPSoCs) for achieving high performance and energy efficiency is one key challenge for system designers. In the past years, several IP blocks have been proposed that implement system-wide runtime task and resource management. As the processor count continues to increase, it is important to analyze the scalability of runtime managers at the system-level for different communication architectures. In this chapter, the authors analyze the scalability of an Application-Specific Instruction-Set Processor (ASIP) for runtime management called OSIP on two platform paradigms: shared and distributed memory. For the former, a generic bus is used as interconnect. For distributed memory, a Network-on-Chip (NoC) is used. The effects of OSIP and the communication architecture are jointly investigated from the system point of view, based on a broad case study with real applications (an H.264 video decoder and a digital receiver for wireless communications) and a synthetic benchmark application.
Using Technology to Examine Cultural Learning of African-Americans
Authors: Whitley Michael L.
Published: February 2016

Police officers frequently work with people of different cultures and those who speak different languages, thus needing to learn cultures (Navarro, 2001). The purpose of this case is to examine the self-perceptions of African-Americans regarding their ability to distinguish deception in interpersonal communication. RQ1: How do African-Americans self-report their ability to detect interpersonal communication deception? RQ2: What behaviors do African-Americans believe are indicators of interpersonal communication deception? The method of study is survey research conducted through SurveyMonkey.com. Participants (n=57) discuss their perceptions of deception in their lives. The results suggest that respondents (80%) believe they are better than others at detecting deception. The literature findings also suggest that African-Americans believe themselves to be more effective at detecting deception within their own ethnic group compared to other ethnic groups. Commensurate with previous deception studies, the current study finds that an array of communication behaviors, believed to be indicative of deceit by other ethnic groups, are also used by African-American respondents.
Using the Flipped Classroom Instructional Approach to Foster a Mathematics-Anxious-Friendly Learning Environment
Authors: Yuen Chris L.
Published: February 2016

This chapter examines the nature and characteristics of mathematics anxiety learning and provides instructional implications for highly mathematics-anxious learners, which are informed by lived experience. The discussion comes from research on the Mathematics Anxiety Learning Phenomenon (MALP), a hermeneutic phenomenological study using Wilber's Integral Model as the underpinning framework. Based on the lived experience data, hermeneutic themes were developed, and it is shown that those themes are capitalized upon in the flipped approach to foster a mathematics-anxious-friendly learning environment. Using the themes from the study, the chapter argues that the flipped approach could be beneficial to students who are highly mathematics-anxious. The system of linear equations with two variables, a common mathematics topic, is used to illustrate how the flipped approach to instructional design could recognize mathematics-anxious adult learners.
Using Reason Racer to Support Argumentation in Middle School Science Instruction
Authors: Ault Marilyn , Craig-Hare Jana , Ellis James D. , Bulgren Janis , Kretschmer Isa , Frey Bruce B.
Published: February 2016

With secondary students reporting that they are not attracted to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines, educators are turning to games as one strategy to engage students. The goal of integrating games into science learning is to create an excitement difficult to achieve with typical instruction. This chapter reviews games in education, particularly in STEM. Recognizing that teachers often lack the time to integrate role-playing games, the use of casual games is suggested. Casual games are easy to learn and simple to play, and incorporate game features designed to compel students to repeated play. The Reason Racer game addresses the difficult skill of scientific argumentation in a casual, competitive game. Evaluated with more than 700 students, those who played the game at least 10 times during science instruction over 6-weeks improved in every aspect of argumentation, and reported an increase in confidence and motivation to engage in science, compared to those who did not play the game. Readers are walked through the game and the resources in the Teacher Portal.
Public Art, Digital Technology, and Building Teacher Capacity
Authors: Lemon Narelle
Published: February 2016

Visual Art teachers of K-6 students are required to look at innovative ways to deliver and explore the elements of arts through creating and responding learning activities. They are also required to consider how digital technology can support these areas. This chapter presents an Australian project that invited 10 primary school visual art teachers to consider how they could integrate digital technology such as an interactive whiteboard and mobile devices while exploring an inquiry topic of public art. Narrative case studies are presented that highlight the teacher voice. Each narrative focuses on the building of capacity to meaningfully engage with digital technology while exploring visual art. The narratives provide insight into gaps in how some primary teachers engage with digital technology in the classroom, that is focusing more on the tuning in and evaluation stages of an inquiry unit.
The Role of Teacher Leadership for Promoting Professional Development Practices
Authors: Dickenson Patricia , Montgomery Judith L.
Published: February 2016

This chapter examines the status of teacher professional development in mathematics and explores the role of teacher leadership to promote innovative professional development strategies that sustain the growth and development of an organization. Survey data was collected from teacher leader participants of one mathematics professional development organization to understand how participants' growth and development as a teacher leader not only shaped their mathematics instructional practices, but influenced their choices in leadership roles. Further the authors share how the learning environment and pedagogical choices of the project director supported a teacher-driven professional development approach. Recommendations as well as a model for developing a teacher-driven professional development organization are provided for replication.
Mind Mapping for Critical Thinking
Authors: O'Connell Roxanne M.
Published: February 2016

Mind mapping is a visual technique that exploits the way we actually think—through synaptic connections and non-linear associations. Because mind mapping gives practitioners, be they professional or student, access to subconscious observations and connections, it is a powerful thinking tool, useful in a variety of situations in business and in education. This chapter focuses on how mind mapping fosters the kind of flexible and organic thinking vital to critical thinking and the creative problem-solving process. It explains what is at work in the brain as we create new knowledge and how mind mapping exploits these processes to gain intuitive and concrete understanding in situations requiring critical thinking. A step-by-step outline of how to mind map in both individual and group settings is followed by examples of mind maps from both business and education.
Widening the Industrial Competence Base
Authors: Lappalainen Pia
Published: February 2016

Amidst the macroeconomic, social, and industrial trends altering the industrial operating environment, calls have been made to shift attention from specialized but narrow technical content of engineering education to a broader competence base that better accommodates societal demands. This chapter focuses on the micro-level ethical conduct that materializes in face-to-face interaction in engineering teams. The chapter serves three aims: first, it defines the key concepts employed in the discussion. Second, it offers an account of the worth and impacts of investments in emotive skills in the engineering world. Finally, it describes a pedagogic experiment in incorporating ethics into engineering degree studies at Aalto University, Finland. The ultimate objective is to propose a teaching practice that would turn the currently marginal attempts to include ethical topics in engineers' syllabi into a mainstream mindset and philosophy that dictates decisions and drives conduct in future engineering communities.
Conflict Resolution and Ethical Decision-Making for Engineering Professionals in Global Organizations
Authors: Feldhaus Charles R. , Little Julie , Sorge Brandon
Published: February 2016

As an introduction to recognizing individual and organizational conflict as well as ethical issues within global firms, the goals of this chapter are to equip Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals, especially those in engineering, with solid decision-making tools, including self-awareness, ethical perspectives and theories, ethical decision-making models, and various conflict resolution approaches. Given the current challenges in business and industry that have often led to unethical practices, and ultimately conflict, it is critical that both organizational leaders and followers possess the necessary tools and perspectives to create an ethical climate that deals appropriately with various types of conflict. This chapter examines new trends in conflict coaching and the delivery of ethics training in an effort to provide the aforementioned tools and perspectives.
Teachers' Portfolios
Authors: Djoub Zineb
Published: February 2016

To achieve professional development and the intended educational goals, teachers' reflection has been considered as a necessary component of the teaching process. Indeed, reflection is process of questioning one's practices, intention and the emerging outcomes. Such reflection is also a source of inspiration, creativity, flexibility and thus, a means to achieve learners' motivation and interest in active and engaged learning. To enhance reflective teaching, teaching portfolios have been widely advocated in language teaching. To that end, this chapter attempts to provide a teaching portfolio model which aims at prompting teachers' reflection over their profession. Additionally, it illustrates the way such tool needs to be used by teachers so that they can reflect effectively and improve their teaching.
Students Support Services
Authors: Raphael Christina
Published: February 2016

This chapter examines challenges the higher learning institutions offering blended learning programmes in Tanzania face in enhancing student support services from administrative standpoint. Using interviews, documentary analysis, and observation as data gathering instruments, the chapter reveals that higher learning institutions face numerous student-support related challenges including poor Internet and narrow bandwidth, erratic electricity and lack of alternative power, computer illiteracy, scarcity of study materials including e-resources and the absence of affirmative institutional policies. The chapter contends that for blended learning programmes to remain viable, effective, and sustainable, students support services need to be carefully tailored and regularly evaluated. Further, thorough decisions need to be undertaken regarding the design and development of effective student support which are contextualised according to respective institutional needs.
Mentorship in Technology-Rich, 21st-Century Classrooms
Authors: Reid Doug , Reid Erin
Published: February 2016

A mentorship program was established to support early career teachers in a technology-rich K-6 school. This program included scaffolding for inexperienced teachers in school cultures, pedagogically appropriate technology use, and classroom management. The program assisted early career teachers to thrive at the beginning of their career and to address perceived weaknesses in teacher education programs. As a result of this research, several early career teachers received mentorship support and successfully began their teaching careers. Additionally, many pre-service teachers were able to make decisions about their school careers through engagement in a practical and realistic teacher-training program. In theory, this research informs the literature regarding the realities of 21st-century classroom experiences and demonstrates the importance of having experienced educators provide training to the next generation of teachers. In practice, this research provides an example of how university teacher education can better prepare pre-service teachers to be successful in their future classrooms.
Culturally Responsive Pathway Pedagogues
Authors: Velliaris Donna M.
Published: February 2016

The Eynesbury Institute of Business and Technology (EIBT) is a pre-university pathway institution to The University of Adelaide or the University of South Australia. This chapter contributes to improving the understanding of effective communication across culturally diverse classrooms. As evidenced in the qualitative data collected from a small number of EIBT educators, in order to become a culturally relevant pedagogue, one must be prepared to engage in a reflective process about what it means to teach students and communicate with those who come from a different cultural background. Pedagogical preferences must be (re)conceptualised in a manner that recognises and respects the intricacies of cultural difference. As a pathway institution, EIBT is a unique educational setting and this work presents ‘authentic' educator-practitioner narratives that contribute to a rather shallow body of knowledge pertaining to this increasingly important sector of Higher Education (HE).
Addressing Culturally Consonant Character Development and Research
Authors: Johnson Chrystal S. , Hinton III Harvey
Published: February 2016

This chapter brings into relief a culturally consonant character education approach that seeks to enhance positive outcomes (e.g. academic self-efficacy, school belonging, and civic engagement) and intercultural communication among youth of color. It highlights key epistemological weaknesses in character education research and offers up an overview of a culturally sensitive research framework to gauge culturally consonant character development programs. We argue that cultural and linguistic differences are an integral part of character development, and that educators who incorporate a culturally consonant character approach further enhance the social fabric of their class communities, strengthen communication between diverse students, and enhance civic engagement, trustworthiness, and reciprocal social relations. We also call into question key epistemological weaknesses common in traditional character education research.
Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism
Authors: Askins Mapy Chavez
Published: February 2016

Alcanzando Peru is a not for profit organization that provides educational services based on the principles of applied behavior analysis to children in the Autism Spectrum, their families, and professionals interested in the field around the Spanish speaking world. This chapter is meant to share the data from their services over the last 7 years. It will discuss the ethical and cultural considerations that should be in place when providing early intervention behavioral services to these populations in various Spanish-speaking countries.
High-Impact Practices
Authors: Faletta Jean-Philippe , Meier Jo A. , Balderas J. Ulyses
Published: February 2016

This chapter explores how combining carefully selected high-impact educational practices in the critical first-year of college can benefit students, particularly traditionally underserved student populations, and promote cultural sensitivity and communication with a wider campus audience than is typically available to the traditional college freshmen. The First Year Experience Study Abroad (FYESA) program combines three high-impact educational experiences; freshman seminar, service-learning, and global learning, in one innovative program targeting freshman students in their second semester. The purpose of the program is to provide students with an extension of the Freshman Seminar through their entire first-year, coupled with strategies for increasing diversity awareness and sensitivity in the classroom and abroad by engaging in experiential learning in the form of service-learning. As part of the program, freshman students will plan a service-learning project in the host country over the spring semester and then deliver the project during the travel abroad portion of the course.
Fostering Development of 21st Century Competencies and Global Citizenship through Constructivist-Based and Learning-Style Responsive Pedagogy
Authors: Lauria Jennifer
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this chapter is to provide practical applications for successful implementation of constructivist-based and learning-style responsive pedagogy that supports the development of 21st century competencies needed for college and career readiness leading toward global citizenship. In alignment with the objectives of this book, the content of this chapter will support the book's mission of helping educators “use what they glean to support children and families toward becoming successful in our global society”.
Palladium in Heterogeneous Oxidation Catalysis
Authors: Martin Andreas , Kalevaru Venkata Narayana , Radnik Jörg
Published: February 2016

Palladium is one of the precious group metals mainly used in automobile catalytic converters. Besides, it has an importance in various catalytic processes. Although it is well known for hydrogenation reactions, various oxidations can also be catalyzed by palladium. This chapter gives an overview on the most common application of palladium catalysts in heterogeneously catalyzed acetoxylation, i.e. the acetoxylation of ethylene to vinyl acetate. Derived from this knowledge, the authors summarize in detail recently accumulated research results in acetoxylation of toluene to benzyl acetate that can be easily converted to benzyl alcohol. The chapter includes a detailed description of catalyst syntheses, gas phase oxidation runs, comprehensive characterizations and a deep understanding in catalyst-feed interaction. This development can turn away the manufacture of important petrochemicals from chlorine chemistry to oxidations using molecular oxygen.
Conflict as a Barrier to Online Political Participation?
Authors: Dalisay Francis , Kushin Matthew J. , Yamamoto Masahiro
Published: February 2016

This study extends understanding of conflict avoidance's (CA) potential of inhibiting online political participation. Specifically, the authors examine whether CA has a direct negative relationship with traditional online political participation and online political expression, and an indirect negative relationship with these two forms of participation as mediated by political interest and internal political efficacy. A survey of young adult college students living in a U.S. Midwestern battleground state was conducted weeks prior to the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Results showed that CA has a direct negative relationship with both traditional online political participation and online political expression. Also, CA is negatively associated with political interest and internal political efficacy, which in turn, are positively associated with traditional online political participation and online political expression. Implications are discussed.
Molecular Spaces Quantum Quantitative Structure-Properties Relations (QQSPR)
Authors: Carbó-Dorca Ramon , González Silvia
Published: February 2016

Quantum QSPR can be described as a set of procedures, which can be obtained from molecular space structure, where quantum (multi)molecular polyhedra (QMP) can be defined. The collective vectors, which can be described characteristic of a given QMP and their condensed scalar values, can be used in turn to construct Hermitian QQSPR operators, which can be further employed to obtain expectation values of complex molecular properties. The linear QQSPR fundamental equation constructed from this quantum mechanical idea is able to fundament, not only an algorithm capable to obtain estimates of unknown molecular properties from the knowledge of quantum mechanical density functions, but also from the empirical, classical numerical description of molecular sets.
A unique case of increased 18f-FDG metabolic activity in the soft tissues of the bilateral upper thighs due to immunizations in a pediatric patient
Authors: Galloway Terrel , Johnston Mickaila , Starsiak Michael , Silverman Eugene
Published: February 2016

A case of a 7-month-old white female who was referred for 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) initial evaluation of a lytic skull lesion with presumed diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis is described. Incidentally, she was found to have hypermetabolic nodules in the soft tissues of her anterior thighs.
No Association between CagA- and VacA-Positive Strains of Helicobacter Pylori and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Noche C. Domngang , Njajou O. , Etoa F. X.
Published: February 2016

Introduction

Glaucoma is a public health issue worldwide, particularly in Africa. In Cameroon, the prevalence rate of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) ranges between 4.5% and 8.2%. Helicobacter pylori (HP) has been implicated in digestive and extra-digestive diseases, including glaucoma. The objective of this work was to evaluate the implication of CagA- and VacA-positive strains of HP in POAG using a case-control design.

Methods

An analytical study was conducted from October 2013 to December 2013. Participants were recruited in eye care centers in Yaoundé. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were carried out in the La Grace Laboratory in Yaoundé.

Results

The total sample consisted of 50 POAG patients and 31 controls with a mean age of 58.5 ± 12.2 years and 45.5 ± 14.6 years, respectively. The prevalence rates of HP in the POAG and control groups were 74% (37/50) and 87% (27/31), respectively ( P = 0.125). The prevalence rates of CagA-positive HP seropositivity in the POAG and control groups were 26% and 22.58%, respectively ( P = 0.47), and the prevalence rates of VacA-positive HP participants were 6% and 0%, respectively ( P = 0.22).

Conclusion

The HP prevalence rates among POAG patients and controls were 74% and 87%, respectively. There was no significant difference between prevalence rates of HP in the POAG and control groups. There was no association between POAG and CagA- or VacA-positive HP infection.
The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services in Thailand: A Prospective Multicenter Study
Authors: Kuptniratsaikul Vilai , Wattanapan Pattra , Wathanadilokul Ubonwon , Sukonthamarn Kwanyupa , Lukkanapichonchut Pranee , Ingkasuthi Kanlaya , Massakulpan Pornpimon , Klaphajone Jakkrit , Suethanapornkul Sumalee , Tunwattanapong Punjama , Laksanakorn Wipawee , Thamronglaohaphan Pitagorn , Leelasamran Wipawan , Wangno Wuttiganok
Published: February 2016

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods

A total of 2,081 patients across 14 hospitals were recruited in this prospective, multicenter cohort study. Data on the diagnoses, types of admission, length of stay (LOS), and functional ability score based on a modified Barthel index (BI) at admission (BIa) and at discharge (BId) were collected. Effectiveness was defined as the difference of BI (ΔBI) and efficiency as ΔBI divided by LOS.

Results

The majority of patients were diagnosed with spinal cord injury and stroke (41.8% and 37.5%, respectively). The mean age was 52.4 ± 18.6 years with a mean LOS of 23.9 ± 19.9 days, BIa of 9.4 ± 6.1, and BId of 12.3 ± 5.7. The overall effectiveness and efficiency were 2.9 ± 3.4 and 0.16 ± 0.30 scores/day, respectively; stroke rehabilitation provided the most effective and efficient BI improvement compared with rehabilitation for other diseases. Most patients (54.5%) received intensive functional rehabilitation, which was the most effective and efficient program (4.4 ± 3.6 and 0.23 ± 0.32 scores/day, respectively); the efficiency of the intensive program was not different among various diseases (P = 0.726).

Conclusion

Stroke rehabilitation had the highest efficiency compared with rehabilitation for other neurological diseases. The most efficient type of admission was intensive rehabilitation, regardless of the disease being treated.
Drawing What Homelessness Looks Like: Using Creative Visual Methods as a Tool of Critical Pedagogy
Authors: Dean Jon
Published: February 2016

This article presents findings from a creative qualitative study, where drawing was used as a methodological tool to investigate university students’ awareness of homelessness. Previous research ( Breeze and Dean 2012 ; 2013) has shown that homelessness charities often utilise stereotypical images in their fundraising campaigns, focusing on the arresting issue of rough sleeping (rooflessness) as opposed to other, more widespread experiences of homelessness. In drawing ‘what homelessness looks like’ the images students produce are often rooted in familiar local scenes - local roofless people they see regularly, or replications of common media images, with a tendency to depoliticise and individualise homelessness as a social issue. These drawings show striking similarities, common themes, and indicate a lack of critical engagement with the complex problems within personal homelessness narratives. The efficacy of the methodological approach is assessed, with the role creative methods such as drawing can play in stimulating critical discussion of issues, such as gender and the media, highlighted. The article also argues that such methods can play a role in critical pedagogy, encouraging deeply reflexive accounts of participants’ behaviour and knowledge. In policy terms however, this article concludes that it would be a risk for homelessness charities to utilise less stereotypical images in their fundraising materials, as the findings suggest such images align with those in the minds of potential donors.
Rural Putsch: Power, Class, Social Relations and Change in the English Rural Village
Authors: Hillyard Sam
Published: February 2016

The paper uses ethnography to discuss a political putsch – a move from Old Guard to newcomer dominance – in an English rural village. Applying the conceptual ideas of Goffman on symbols of class status and Thrift (2012) on space and an expressive infrastructure, it responds to Shucksmith's (2012) call for research into the micro workings and consequences of class power in rural contexts. The analysis stresses the relevance of ‘sticky’ space (the residue of past social relations shaping the present, the dwindling amenities and a contemporary absence of pavements) and a contemporary blurring of rural and the urban identities (Norfolk/ London). Moreover, both Goffman's restrictive devices and class symbols (who garners support and who does not) and the temporal dimension of an expressive infrastructure (informing individual dispositions and orientations – class affect) now construct rural spaces. The paper therefore retains a flavour of sociology's obstinate interest in geographic milieu, but the stage is now one of a global countryside both influencing and influenced by local politics and elites.

A global recession and the rural penalty, whereby rural residents’ experience is more acute, has meant that not all spaces or agents are equal and some are therefore better placed to adapt, accommodate or resist change ( Shucksmith 2012 ). In a climate of various rural crises (fracking in the ‘desolate’ North of England and the contentious culling of badgers), this paper uses ethnography to study the operation of rural micro-politics and by doing so highlight the value of an ethnographic approach for sociology for understanding the local in the global.
Basic Skills, Literacy Practices and the ‘Hidden Injuries of Class’
Authors: Cieslik Mark , Simpson Donald
Published: February 2016

This paper draws on qualitative data from three research projects that examined the impact of poor skills on the life chances of adults living in two disadvantaged areas of England. We employed the theories of Goffman and Bourdieu to document how problems with literacy have a corrosive effect on the identities of interviewees, threatening their wellbeing. Though learning difficulties occur across all social backgrounds, the poor family resources and educational opportunities of our respondents meant they struggled to overcome their literacy problems when young, thus shaping later life course transitions. Thus the origins of the shame that our adults felt about their poor skills lie in part in the distinctive classed experiences they had when young. However, the resourcefulness of our respondents meant that many had secured employment, bought homes and become parents which obscured the ongoing psychic problems that a lifetime of poor skills had bestowed on our sample. The disjuncture between the apparent material standing of our sample and the ‘hidden injuries of class’ raises questions about how we understand the operation of class across the life course and the role of literacy, learning and wellbeing in the shaping of social identities.
Organic peroxides' gas-particle partitioning and rapid heterogeneous decomposition on secondary organic aerosol
Authors: Li Huan , Chen Zhongming , Huang Liubin , Huang Dao
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Organic peroxides, important species in the atmosphere, promote secondary organic aerosol (SOA) aging, affect HOx radicals cycling, and cause adverse health effects. However, the formation, gas-particle partitioning, and evolution of organic peroxides are complicated and still unclear. In this study, we investigated in the laboratory the production and gas-particle partitioning of peroxides from the ozonolysis of α-pinene, which is one of the major biogenic volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere and an important precursor for SOA at a global scale. We have determined the molar yields of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydromethyl hydroperoxide (HMHP), peroxyformic acid (PFA), peroxyacetic acid (PAA), and total peroxides (TPOs, including unknown peroxides) and the fraction of peroxides in α-pinene/O3 SOA. Comparing the gas-phase peroxides with the particle-phase peroxides, we find that gas-particle partitioning coefficients of PFA and PAA are 104 times higher than the values from the theoretical prediction, indicating that organic peroxides play a more important role in SOA formation than previously expected. Here, the partitioning coefficients of TPO were determined to be as high as (2–3)  ×  10−4 m3 µg−1. Even so, more than 80 % of the peroxides formed in the reaction remain in the gas phase. Water changes the distribution of gaseous peroxides, while it does not affect the total amount of peroxides in either the gas or the particle phase. Approx. 18 % of gaseous peroxides undergo rapid heterogeneous decomposition on SOA particles in the presence of water vapor, resulting in the additional production of H2O2. This process can partially explain the unexpectedly high H2O2 yields under wet conditions. Transformation of organic peroxides to H2O2 also preserves OH in the atmosphere, helping to improve the understanding of OH cycling.
AJUSTAMENTO DE POLIGONAIS DE CONTROLE PARA LOCAÇÃO DE OBRAS DE ENGENHARIA (doi:10.5216/reec.V11i1.33819)
Authors: Viegas Segundo Denilson , Augusto Reolon Schmidt Marcio
Published: February 2016

RESUMO: A realização de um levantamento topográfico para fins de locação de grandes obras de engenharia consiste em determinar com precisão adequada as feições chave de projeto para que seja possível a execução conforme requisitos de projeto. Os pilares, eixos de rodovias, alinhamento de represas e qualquer outro ponto de ancoragem da superestrutura precisa estar na posição correta no esforço de manter a execução da obra conforme o projeto de implantação. Entretanto, as condições de campo como variações de umidade, temperatura, pressão, problemas com equipamentos topográficos e de operação dão origem a diversos erros e contribuem para a degradação da qualidade do processo de levantamento e locação topográfica. Por isso, esta pesquisa avalia as metodologias topográficas propostas NBR13.133 para o controle de qualidade das coordenadas dos pontos das poligonais usadas como controle e, a partir das quais, essas grandes obras serão locadas no terreno para sua execução. Os resultados mostram que a avaliação por mínimos quadrados de uma poligonal por caminhamento com diagonais internas ao polígono convexo apresenta maior rigidez na estrutura e minimiza os erros de leituras em campo, ao passo que o uso de leituras angulares apresentou os piores resultados. ABSTRACT: The realization of a topographic survey for location of big engineering building should be run with adequate precision the key features to be able to run according to the project requirements. The pillars, road axes, dams alignment and any other anchor point of the superstructure must be in the correct position in an effort to maintain the execution of the work as the deployment project. However, the field conditions such as humidity variations, temperature, pressure, problems with topographical equipment and operation give rise to many errors and contribute to the degradation of its quality of the topographic location. Therefore, this research evaluates topographical methodologies suggest in NBR13.133 proposals for the quality control of the coordinates of the points of the polygonal used as control, and from which, these building works will be located for its implementation. The evaluation results show that the least-squares method of a traditional polygonal with the internal diagonal of the convex polygon has increased rigidity in structure and minimizes reading errors in the field, while the use of angular readings showed the worst results.
Associative Relevance Based Eye Fixations Enhance Decision Making Processes in Scene Perception
Authors: Ahmad Gufran
Published: February 2016

Recent research studies on eye movements in area of information processing task, such as scene perception have magnificently advanced towards understandings of underlying visual perception mechanism and human cognitive dynamics. Besides, business applications of eye tracking are unceasingly revealing innovative trends based on pragmatic scenarios. In this study, we conducted a number of eye tracking experiments to establish our hypothesis that the eye fixations based on the associative relevance found within the contexts of scenes during scene perception significantly bettered the processes of decision-making. The collected eye movement data from participants who viewed artistic scenes discovered that the tracks of eye fixations traversed along the existing associative relevance among the elements of scenes for decision-making processes. These experimental evidences confirmed our hypothesis that the associative relevance based eye fixations enhanced decision-making processes in scene perception.
Accessible and Navigable Representation of Mathematical Function Graphs to the Vision-Impaired
Authors: Nazemi Azadeh , Fernando Chandrika , Murray Iain , A. McMeekin David
Published: February 2016

Vision-impaired students have several issues accessing mathematical documents, which are associated with representation of mathematical expressions and graphs of mathematical functions. Graphs of mathematical functions are visual presentations of mathematical information and useful to illustrate numerical or qualitative information, which are sometimes difficult or even impossible to describe. A graph is a picture that shows how sets of data are related to each other. Graphs of mathematical functions generally convey the intended message of a mathematical document. Therefore, access to graphs is essential in learning mathematics. Finding a solution to represent graphs of mathematical functions in an accessible format is necessary for the vision-impaired. This paper describes an approach to develop an application to address this issue by detecting, extracting and categorising important information from graphs of mathematical functions using three open source packages, namely, ImageMagick, GNUPLOT and Octave