bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inter-cultural communications and power relations in international tourism commodity chains
Authors: Scherle Nicolai , Coles Tim
Published: January 2016

The internationalisation of tourism has resulted in the mediation of spatially-stretched commodity chains which often transcend international frontiers and which in businesses from different cultures come into contact with one other. This paper examines the social relations in bilateral business co-operations between Moroccan and German enterprises. As a central concept in the social sciences, there are multiple contested theorizations of power and in this paper we adopt a Lukesian starting point. A more precise naming and locating of power is vital to enhancing our understanding of the way in which the tourism product is commodified.
Soziale Evolution und räumliche Wirtschaftsstruktur bei Herbert Spencer, William Hearn und Alfred Marshall
Authors: Scheuplein Christoph
Published: January 2016

Herbert Spencer, William Hearn and Alfred Marshall on social evolution and spatial patterns of the Economy. In contemporary regional economics and economic geography, Alfred Marshall is appreciated as the first economist who described and theorized economic clusters. However, his work has been one-sidedly reduced to his economic rational explorations of the emergence and success of industrial districts. Delving deeper reveals that Marshall was deeply influenced by evolutionary thinking. For him, districts were an organizational pattern arising out of human evolution. Marshall was also influenced by two other earlier scholars: Spencer and Hearn. The founder of socio-evolutionary theory, Herbert Spencer, had already used the spatial allocation of production activities as a important criteria to characterize societal development. William Hearn had integrated the socio-evolutionary terms of organization into economics in order to describe the macro-economy. Alfred Marshall borrowed their concepts and worked them into the wider framework of social science. Due to this, he gained insights into the contingency and the path dependency of spatial processes.
Räumlicher Strukturwandel der (west-)deutschen Werbewirtschaft
Authors: Thiel Joachim
Published: January 2016

The spatial restructuring of the (West)German advertising industry. Labour markets as local anchors of the creative economy? The spatial restructuring of the German advertising industry is examined from the beginning 1980s onwards focusing on the shifting centre of gravity of the national industry from the post-war centres Frankfurt am Main and Düsseldorf to Hamburg. From this particular case this paper attempts to derive general conclusions for the spatial organization of the creative economy. The rise of Hamburg was based, on the one hand, on a general change of the global industry towards a more creative and entertaining advertising style. On the other hand, this process was transferred to the national level by a small group of pioneer agencies based in Hamburg, managing to access artistic segments of the labour markets and integrating them into a business service activity. The final result was the emergence of a dynamic and turbulent local labour market in Hamburg which turned into a pole of attraction and incubation for advertising firms. These findings underpin the general argument that the spatial “fixation” of the creativity and knowledge based economy is mediated primarily through the labour markets of professionals. However this does not imply that the organization of the economy merely follows the desires of highly qualified workers. The mediation rather occurs through the multiple uncertainties inherent to knowledge intensive labour markets which - as the final idea - can be most appropriately processed in a metropolitan context.
Favelas regieren
Authors: Lanz Stephan
Published: January 2016

Ruling favelas - the relationship between state, drug trafficking and favelas in Rio de Janeiro. Through the deployment of Michel Foucault’s concept of governmentality, this paper sets out to discuss the question of how irregular settlements (favelas) in Rio de Janeiro are governed by complex and intertwined relationships of different actors. It reveals that the current oppressive regime is based on techniques of power derived from colonialism, the military regime and a bourgeois conception of the city. Simultaneously, it is based on traditional technologies of the self that emerged out of the historical need of favela residents to govern themselves.
Downgrading by improvement?
Authors: Lessmeister Ralph
Published: January 2016

For many actors in developing countries the integration into a global value chain is the only possibility to gain access to western markets. The Moroccan actors quickly adapted to international standards and made the Atlas Mountains a well known destination for trekkers. This process of organizational learning however did not stick with the actors inside the chain, it spread over to other actors in the region and this at first seemed to be a desirable effect as it provoked regional development. But soon it turned out that it also increased competition and hence weakened the position of the Moroccan actors compared with the European lead firms who where well protected by efficient barriers to their activities. The paper argues that organizational learning does not necessarily lead to a process of upgrading when the market is restricted and no sufficient barriers to protect this knowledge are possible. Knowledge then will become a ubiquitous asset and the achieved enhancement on the regional scale will lead to entrepreneurial losses for the single actor
Sparkassen als Akteure der regionalen Strukturpolitik
Authors: Gärtner Stefan
Published: January 2016

Can German savings banks avoid regional downward spirals? An insufficient number of banks in weak regions can perpetuate a cumulative downward process and increase regional disparities. In case of Germany the regionally-limited savings banks are of special interest for regional development as they are deeply involved in local and regional economy. This paper deals with savings banks from theoretical and empirical point of view and discusses the question whether savings banks in poor regions are economically as successful as in prosperous regions and, whether they can outrun ‘downward spirals’ in less developed regions.
Flexible Finanzierung in Industriedistrikten Spaniens?
Authors: Handke Michael
Published: January 2016

Flexible financing in Spanish industrial districts? The example of Alicante. Flexibility is seen as one of the main characteristics of small and medium sized enterprises (SME). However, concerning financial aspects this characteristic is reversed: compared to larger firms SME are financially inflexible. The paper analyses spatial aspects of financial flexibility under a systemic as well as an organizational perspective. In particular, it focuses on the flexibility in financial relationships between banks and SME in a local production system in Alicante/Spain. Theory suggests that financial relationships which are embedded in a local production system support the financial flexibility of firms. However, empirical evidence of Alicante challenges this view. The Spanish financial system in general is dominated by multiple banking relationships. They depend on transaction-based short-term financial contracts and include collateral securities. These are contracts which seriously narrow the financial flexibility of firms. The case of Alicante shows that the rationality behind this kind of transaction-based relationships is more related to routines in banking organization than to risk perception in a local production system. The paper concludes that spatial concentration does not automatically lead to a local dimension of finance.
Haushaltsökonomie und Sozietät
Authors: Geiselhart Klaus
Published: January 2016

Household economics and ‘Sozietät’. Collaborative strategies and economic organisation levels of rural households in Botswana. This article explains that a commonly supported livelihood strategy is not self-evident in rural households of Botswana. On the basis of a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods the term ‘Sozietät’ is developed. The term describes the level of economic organisation and whether there is a collaborative strategy within a household. Individuals participate to different degrees and sometimes even distance themselves from the household they live in. It is assumed that resources flow alongside of responsibility lines which are more or less imperative through cultural norms. In the wake of social change such norms might not be met any more. In this respect especially the role of agricultural production was found to change in the rural villages assessed.
Evolution of shipping networks
Authors: Wilmsmeier Gordon , Sánchez Ricardo J.
Published: January 2016

Maritime transport is a key facilitator of global trade. Competitiveness in world trade depends, among other factors, on a country’s level of connectivity and its integration in the global container liner service network. Recent investigations show that spatial frictions are considerably influenced by the level of connectivity rather than the pure notion of distance. Technological advances, i.e. increases in ship size, demand growth in trade volumes and concentration in the liner shipping industry, are constant drivers of change in the structure of liner services.What has been the effect of market concentration in the liner shipping industry on emerging markets in terms of service levels and competition? Based on the analyses of the evolution of liner shipping services in the period from 2000 to 2009, this research addresses the expansion of hierarchical liner service network structures and market concentration, focussing on South America as an example of emerging markets. The results identify the effect of economic downturns on liner shipping networks in network peripheral markets and the potentially detrimental effects on the competitiveness of countries and regions beyond the general challenges that come from a less favourable economic climate.
Akkumulationszyklen und Hegemonie
Authors: Parnreiter Christof
Published: January 2016

Cycles of accumulation and hegemony. A critical discussion of Giovanni Arrighi’s arguments on the relocation of centre and periphery of the world economy. Based on data on GDP and on stock market capitalization, the paper takes issue with Giovanni Arrighi’s notion of the “terminal crisis” of the US hegemony and the related relocation of the center of the world economy to China. While some indicators support Arrighi’s argument (e.g. the shift of the accumulation dynamic from the material to the financial sphere), others don’t. My analysis in this paper does not yield unambiguous results. Moreover, I question Arrighi’s primary unit of analysis, national economies, maintaining that such a focus downplays the recent fundamental changes in the organization of the world economy. I propose a less state-centric approach to identify centres of the world economy, which is derived from an integration of the concepts of global commodity chains and global cities.
Selektivität, soziale Bindung und räumliche Mobilität
Authors: Schneider Lutz , Kubis Alexander , Wiest Delia
Published: January 2016

Selectivity, social ties and spatial mobility. An analysis of preferences for return migration to East Germany. In the public debate, brain drain from East Germany is supposed to be the most critical trend regarding the development and catching up of the New Länder. Therefore, potential for in- and re-migration has attracted much attention at least in the political context. Our contribution analyses the remigration potential on basis of data from a DFG research project focussing on the re-migration intentions of people formerly emigrated from Saxony-Anhalt. The analysis concentrates on the following aspects: the effect of job market success after emigration; the impact of social ties to the origin and the host region and on the selectivity of re-migration preferences. The econometric results confirm several expected effects: On the one hand an individual’s job market success reduces the intention to return. Likewise, the re-migration preference increases for people whose expectations were disappointed. On the other hand, the relevance of social ties to the origin region for re-migration dispositions is confirmed by the estimations. Yet, regarding selectivity of re-migration preferences in terms of human capital econometric results are somewhat ambiguous.
Path dependency and path plasticity in emerging industries
Authors: Rehák Štefan , Hudec Oto , Buček Milan
Published: January 2016

The article is focused on the evolution of emerging industries based on the concepts of path dependency, path creation and path plasticity. Based on an analysis of the evolution of the IT sector in two regions of Slovakia - Bratislava and Košice - it explores to what extent was the emergence of new industries influenced by the former industrial mix and the formal and informal institutions established in the preceding periods.
Die angelsächsische Achse
Authors: Scheuplein Christoph
Published: January 2016

The Anglo-Saxon axis. An empirical analysis of buy-outs and location structures of private equity firms in Germany. The current research suggests that equity investment firms in Germany are concentrated in five or six regional centres of equal importance. While the theoretical discussion focuses primarily on venture capital, empirical studies on locations of venture capital and buy-outs usually make no explicit distinction between the two forms of investment. The analysis presented here makes a systematic distinction between venture capital and buy-outs, with a special focus on buy-outs because this form of investment is of greater economic importance. The paper also extends the range of available data by including data on company transactions. An evaluation of all buy-outs in Germany in 2012 indicates that Munich is the only major location of buy-out firms in Germany, apart from Frankfurt am Main. The branch offices of equity investment firms based in the USA and the United Kingdom (UK) are a crucial factor. Moreover, many private equity firms operate directly from outside Germany, particularly from London. Thus, one might speak of an Anglo-Saxon axis of buy-out firms. These firms have a significant competitive advantage due to better fundraising opportunities in the financialised economies of the USA and the UK. Therefore, it is argued that, rather than focusing exclusively on the regional capital supply to explain the infrastructure of equity investment firms, as it was done in the past, the research should also take the organization of sources of funds into consideration.
20 Jahre NAFTA
Authors: Parnreiter Christof
Published: January 2016

20 years of NAFTA: Mexico’s failed upgrading in global commodity chains. The paper analyses Mexico’s performance under NAFTA, showing that despite a strong increase in foreign direct investment and exports the expectations raised 20 years ago could not be fulfilled. Mexico did not get closer to the levels of economic and social development of its NAFTA partners, and it lost as compared to other Latin American countries. As main reason for this failure the paper identifies the unsuccessful upgrading in global commodity chains: Mexico has been transformed into an exportation platform assembling imported inputs. Interested just in the country’s huge reservoir of cheap labor, foreign firms have shown little - if any - propensity to expand backward linkages or to invest in technological or organizational upgrading of local suppliers. Moreover, and different to China, the Mexican state has done little to balance the private sector’s lacking commitment to research and development.
Temporary events and spaces in the Swedish primary art market
Authors: Jansson Johan
Published: January 2016

Traditionally, the art market is associated with specific cities or art districts; typically there are internationally renowned locations like Paris, New York and Berlin. However, taking a closer look at the art markets, it is rather the temporal dimensions that are striking. Art market actors (e. g. artists, critics, gallerists, buyers, collectors, curators) are gathering in temporary locations and at temporary events such as art exhibition openings, art fairs, auctions, performances and vernissages. Within economic geography literature, the role of temporary spaces and events has been increasingly discussed in relation to economic activities and their performance, efficiency and creativity. An important insight gained in this literature is how temporary events, despite their short-lived existence, create microcosms of an industry or sector. Some temporary events even gather enough resources, skills and power to become field-configuring. In this paper, the primary art market will be discussed from the theoretical perspectives of value-making processes, temporary spaces and events, and field-configuring events. More specifically, the study focuses on temporary spaces important to galleries involved in selling and promoting primary art and artists. It focuses on how temporary spaces constitute both a characteristic feature of the art market and important spaces for creating both cultural and economic values. Empirically, this paper is based on a study of the Swedish primary art galleries and in particular it deals with primary art galleries located in Stockholm, and studies how they use temporary spaces and events in creating both cultural and economic values to themselves, the artists and their artworks. Three empirical examples characteristic to primary art galleries are examined; the opening, the art fair and the mobile art district.
Ökonomische und ökologische Wirkungen regionalisierter Produktionsstrukturen innerhalb der automobilen Zulieferkette
Authors: Kühn André
Published: January 2016

Economic and ecologic impact of regionalized production structures within the automotive supply chain. This paper identifies regional production structures within the automotive industry as one important, non-interacting measure to lower the ecological impact of freight transport. After showing important economic impacts beyond the already known transport costs, specific potentials for regionalization within the supply chain are evaluated. Dividing the production of cars into several modules and different supplier stages, a mileage intensity which calculates the ratio between driven vehicle kilometres by duty vehicles and the transport distance helps to assess these potentials on a microscopic level.
Comparación de dos métodos para medir la composición corporal de futbolistas profesionales costarricenses
Authors: Sánchez-Ureña Braulio , Araya-Ramírez Felipe , Blanco-Romero Luis , Crespo-Coco Carmen
Published: February 2016

Las características antropométricas y fisiológicas en el fútbol según posición de juego se han estudiado con el objetivo de medir su relevancia en la competición. Sin embargo, la comparación de métodos de composición corporal es poco conocida en jugadores de fútbol costarricense. Propósito: comparar la composición corporal mediante el uso de la absorciometría dual por rayos X (DEXA) y el método de pliegues cutáneos en futbolistas profesionales costarricenses. Métodos: 106 futbolistas con edad promedio de 24.53 ± 4.77 años participaron en el estudio. Resultados: el porcentaje de grasa fue 13.34 ± 4.1 %, el peso magro 62.1 ± 5.5 kg y el contenido mineral óseo fue de 3.6 ± 0.4 g/cm2 obtenido mediante el DEXA y el porcentaje de grasa obtenido por pliegues cutáneos fue 12.58 ± 3.0 %. Al comparar los porcentajes de grasa obtenidos por ambos métodos se registraron diferencias significativas (p = 0,005). Además se encontró diferencias en el peso magro por extremidades, siendo mayor en la lateralidad derecha tanto en extremidades superiores (p = 0.001) como inferiores (p = 0.037). El análisis por posición de juego mostró diferencias a nivel de brazos (p <0.05). Hubo una alta correlación positiva (r = 0.75; p < 0.001) entre el porcentaje de grasa medido por DEXA y por pliegues cutáneos. Conclusión: Al comparar los porcentajes de grasa mediante ambos métodos se registraron diferencias significativas. La grasa corporal obtenida por ambos métodos mostró una alta asociación, por lo tanto ambas técnicas pueden ser utilizadas en esta población.
La filosofía moral cartesiana y el control hacia el ser humano
Authors: Solano Villareal Diana
Published: January 2016

Este artículo presenta un análisis más profundo de la filosofía moral cartesiana en el Discours de la méthode, Les passions de l’âme y en los Principia philosophae, igualmente en la búsqueda de argumentos que hagan evidente alguna relación de control de unos seres humanos sobre otros, y el mecanismo mediante el cual esta hipotética relación de control entre seres humanos se pudiera manifestar.
Interventions to Improve Safe Sleep Among Hospitalized Infants at Eight Children’s Hospitals
Authors: Kuhlmann Stephanie , Ahlers-Schmidt Carolyn R. , Lukasiewicz Gloria , Truong Therese Macasiray
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Within hospital pediatric units, there is a lack of consistent application or modeling of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for safe infant sleep. The purpose of this study was to improve safe sleep practices for infants in nonneonatal pediatric units with implementation of specific interventions.

METHODS:

This multi-institutional study was conducted by using baseline observations collected for sleep location, position, and environment (collectively, “safe sleep”) of infants admitted to pediatric units. Interventions consisted of: (1) staff education, including a commitment to promote safe sleep; (2) implementing site-generated safe sleep policies; (3) designating supply storage in patient rooms; and/or (4) caregiver education. Postintervention observations of safe sleep were collected. Eight hospitals participated from the Inpatient FOCUS Group of the Children’s Hospital Association. Each site received institutional review board approval/exemption.

RESULTS:

Safe sleep was observed for 4.9% of 264 infants at baseline and 31.2% of 234 infants postintervention (P < .001). Extra blankets, the most common of unsafe items, were present in 77% of cribs at baseline and 44% postintervention. However, the mean number of unsafe items observed in each sleeping environment was reduced by >50% (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Implementation of site-specific interventions seems to improve overall safe sleep in inpatient pediatric units, although continued improvement is needed. Specifically, extra items are persistently left in the sleeping environment. Moving forward, hospitals should evaluate their compliance with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations and embrace initiatives to improve modeling of safe sleep.
Promotion of Early Pregnancy Events in Mice and Humans by Uterine Natural Killer Cells
Authors: Felker Allison M. , Croy B. Anne
Published: February 2016

Mammalian pregnancy is a unique immunologic situation in which the maternal immune system recognizes and accepts an antigenically disparate tissue, the conceptus. Currently, our understanding of human peri-implantation and early gestational events is largely based on animal studies, particularly mice. Although immune cells are present in the uterus before conception or blastocyst implantation, huge increases in immune cell numbers and the differentiation of specialized lymphocyte subsets are induced in species with hemochorial placentation during the process of decidualization.
Toward Practice Advancement in Emergency Care for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Nicholas David B. , Zwaigenbaum Lonnie , Muskat Barbara , Craig William R. , Newton Amanda S. , Cohen-Silver Justine , Sharon Raphael F. , Greenblatt Andrea , Kilmer Christopher
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

There is increasing recognition that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience challenges in busy clinical environments such as the emergency department (ED). ASD may heighten adverse responses to sensory input or transitions, which can impose greater difficulty for a child to cope with situational demands. These problems can be amplified in the ED because of its busy and unpredictable nature, wait times, and bodily care. There is little literature documenting ED-based needs of children with ASD to inform clinical guidelines. The objective was to identify stakeholder perspectives in determining clinical priorities and recommendations to guide ED service delivery for children with ASD.

METHODS:

After qualitative interviews with children, parents, and health care providers conducted in a previous phase of this study, focus groups were convened with parents of children with ASD, ED clinicians, and ED administrators (total n = 60). Qualitative data were analyzed based on an interpretive description approach.

RESULTS:

Participants identified the ED and its delivery of care as insufficient to meet the unique needs of children with ASD. The following clinical priorities were identified: ASD-focused preparedness for ED procedures and processes, wait time management, proactive strategies for sedation and restraint, child-focused support, health care provider capacity building, post-ED follow-up resources, and transition planning to adult care. Heightened child- and family-centered care were strongly recommended.
REGIONALIZATION OF MONTHLY PRECIPITATION VALUES IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ (BRAZIL) BY USING MULTIVARIATE CLUSTERING ALGORITHMS
Authors: Pansera Wagner Alessandro , Gomes Benedito Martins , Vilas Boas Marcio Antonio , Queiroz Manoel Moises Ferreira de , Mello Eloy Lemos de , Sampaio Silvio Cesar
Published: January 2016

REGIONALIZATION OF MONTHLY PRECIPITATION VALUES IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ (BRAZIL) BY USING MULTIVARIATE CLUSTERING ALGORITHMS  WAGNER ALESSANDRO PANSERA1; BENEDITO MARTINS GOMES2; MARCIO ANTONIO VILAS BOAS2; SILVIO CESAR SAMPAIO2; ELOY LEMOS DE MELLO2 E MANOEL MOISES FERREIRA DE QUEIROZ3 1 Departamento de Construção Civil, Universidade Tecnológica federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Pato Branco-PR, e-mail:pansera@utfpr.edu.br2 Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Cascavel-PR. e-mail:benedito.gomes@unioeste.br, marcio.vilasboas@unioeste.br, silvio.sampaio@unioeste.br, eloy.mello@unioeste.br3 Centro de Ciências e Tecnológica Alimentar, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal-PB. e-mail: moises@ccta.ufcg.edu.br.  1 ABSTRACT Rainfall is one of the most important factors in agricultural water management, especially to  land farming of Paraná. Regionalization of rainfall data is useful for optimum design of projects and management of water related activities. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of multivariate clustering methodologies to identify homogenous regions using time series of monthly precipitation as the classification variable;  the quality of the formed regions and estimate  precipitation quantiles.   k-means,   hierarchical and hybrid clustering techniques were used. The rainfall stations in  each group were subjected to  metrics of homogeneity.  The Paraná state could be subdivided into six homogeneous regions of monthly precipitation   using the hybrid methodology between k-means and Ward.  Keywords: regional frequency analysis, L-moments, cluster analysis    PANSERA, W. A.; GOMES, B. M.; VILAS BOAS, M. A.; SAMPAIO, S. C; MELLO, E. L. DE; QUEIROZ, M. M. F. DE.REGIONALIZAÇÃO DE VALORES DE PRECIPITAÇÃO MENSAL NO ESTADO DO PARANÁ (BRASIL) USANDO ALGORITMOS DE AGRUPAMENTOS MULTIVARIADOS  2 RESUMO A chuva é um dos fatores mais importantes na gestão da água na agricultura, especialmente para o estado do Paraná-BR. A regionalização de dados de chuva é útil para otimização de projetos e gestão das atividades relacionadas com a água. Portanto, este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar as metodologias multivariadas de agrupamentos para identificar regiões homogêneas usando as séries históricas de precipitação mensal como variável classificatória, avaliar a qualidade das regiões formadas e estimar quantis de precipitação. As técnicas de agrupamento utilizadas foram: k-médias, hierárquico e híbrido. As estações pluviométricas presentes em cada grupo foram submetidas às métricas de homogeneidade e discordância. Foi possível subdividir o estado Paraná em seis regiões homogêneas de precipitação mensal utilizando a metodologia hibrida entre k-médias e Ward. Palavras-chave: Análise de frequência regional, momentos-L, análise de agrupamentos.
Mining Authoritativeness of Collaborative Innovation Partners
Authors: Engler Joseph , Kusiak Andrew
Published: January 2016

The global marketplace over the past decade has called for innovative products and cost reduction. This perplexing duality has led companies to seek external collaborations to effectively deliver innovative products to market. External collaboration often leads to innovation at reduced research and development expenditure. This is especially true of companies which find the most authoritative entity (usually a company or even a person) to work with. Authoritativeness accelerates development and research-to-product transformation due to the inherent knowledge of the authoritative entity. This paper offers a novel approach to automatically determine the authoritativeness of entities for collaboration. This approach automatically discovers an authoritative entity in a domain of interest. The methodology presented utilizes web mining, text mining, and generation of an authoritativeness metric. The concepts discussed in the paper are illustrated with a case study of mining the authoritativeness of collaboration partners for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).
Evolved Fuzzy Control System for a Steam Generator
Authors: Hossu Daniela , Făgărășan Ioana , Hossu Andrei , Iliescu Sergiu St.
Published: January 2016

Poor control of steam generator water level is the main cause of unexpected shutdowns in nuclear power plants. Particularly at low powers, it is a difficult task due to shrink and swell phenomena and flow measurement errors. In addition, the steam generator is a highly complex, nonlinear and time-varying system and its parameters vary with operating conditions. Therefore, there is a need to systematically investigate the problem of controlling the water level in the steam generator in order to prevent such costly reactor shutdowns. The objective of this paper is to design, evaluate and implement a water level controller for steam generators based on a fuzzy model predictive control approach. An original concept of modular evolved control system, seamless and with gradual integration into the existent control system is proposed as base of implementation of the presented system.
Publishing patterns at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Authors: Chiware Elisha , Skelly Lara
Published: February 2016

We report on the publishing and collaborative patterns of researchers in the applied sciences and engineering disciplines at a technological university in South Africa, Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The study focused on works published over a 10-year period (2005–2014) and was based on citations of peer-reviewed literature from Scopus. The results showed a steady growth in research outputs in science and technology at the university. There has also been a growing trend of international collaboration in certain disciplines. This scoping study serves as a benchmark for similar studies.
Indicative hazard profile for strong winds in South Africa
Authors: Kruger Andries C. , Pillay Dechlan L. , Van Staden Mark
Published: February 2016

While various extreme wind studies have been undertaken for South Africa for the purpose of, amongst others, developing strong wind statistics, disaster models for the built environment and estimations of tornado risk, a general analysis of the strong wind hazard in South Africa according to the requirements of the National Disaster Management Centre is needed. The purpose of the research was to develop a national profile of the wind hazard in the country for eventual input into a national indicative risk and vulnerability profile. An analysis was undertaken with data from the South African Weather Service’s long-term weather stations to quantify the wind hazard on a municipal scale, taking into account that there are more than 220 municipalities in South Africa. South Africa is influenced by various strong wind mechanisms occurring at various spatial and temporal scales. This influence is reflected in the results of the analyses which indicated that the wind hazard across South Africa is highly variable, spatially and seasonally. A general result was that the strong wind hazard is highest from the southwestern Cape towards the central and eastern parts of the Northern Cape Province, and the southeastern parts of the coast as well as the eastern interior of the Eastern Cape Province. On a seasonal basis, the southern parts of the country showed similar magnitudes of relative wind hazard throughout the year. However, further north, a strong seasonal component was evident, with lowest risk of strong winds during autumn and winter, and highest risk in spring and summer when convective activity is strongest.
Physicochemical characteristics of Bambara groundnut dietary fibres extracted using wet milling
Authors: Maphosa Yvonne , Jideani Victoria. A.
Published: February 2016

The objectives of this study were to extract soluble and insoluble dietary fibres from four Bambara groundnut (BGN) varieties (black-eye, brown-eye, brown and red) using the wet milling method and evaluate their physicochemical properties. The swelling capacities of brown-eye (6.5 g/mL) and black-eye (6.2 g/mL) fibres were higher (p≤0.05) than those of red (6.0 g/mL) and brown (5.5 g/mL) fibres while the water holding capacities of black-eye and brown-eye fibres (2.84 g and 2.83 g water/g sample) were higher (p≤0.05) than those of brown and red fibres. The bulk densities of insoluble dietary fibres (IDFs) and soluble dietary fibres (SDFs) ranged between 0.57 g/mL (red) to 0.67 g/mL (brown-eye) and 0.46 g/mL (brown-eye) to 0.57 g/mL (black-eye), respectively. The oil binding capacities (OBCs) of SDFs ranged between 2.78 g oil/g sample (brown) and 4.03 g oil/g sample (brown-eye) while the OBC of all IDFs did not differ (p>0.05), ranging between 1.52 g oil/g sample (brown) and 1.40 g oil/g sample (brown-eye and black-eye). Black-eye and brown-eye dietary fibres had higher phenolic and total sugar content. The findings of this study indicate the potential of BGN fibres in food systems as fat replacers, emulsion stabilisers, water binders, bulking agents, thickeners and nutritional additives.
Radiological and genetic analysis of a Late Iron Age mummy from the Tuli Block, Botswana
Authors: Rühli Frank J. , Steyn Maryna , Mosothwane Morongwa N. , Öhrström Lena , Bodiba Molebogeng K. , Bouwman Abigail
Published: February 2016

Mummified human remains are valuable sources of information on past populations. Here we report on the radiological and molecular findings of a partially mummified individual found in northern Botswana. This desiccated mummy from the Tuli region is the first to have been reported from this region. The remains were those of an older male adult of African origin. He was interred in a tightly flexed position and wrapped in an animal skin. Computerised tomography (CT) scanning revealed that none of the internal organs was preserved. Multiple post-mortem alterations are seen, but apart from some degenerative changes of the lower vertebral column, the axial skeleton has remained intact. The advanced osteophytosis suggests an older age than what was previously estimated. The aDNA analysis confirms Sotho–Tswana and possibly Khoesan genetic relatedness, as could be expected from individuals from that region. These results represent one of the first CT scans of a mummified individual from southern Africa, and also the first successful aDNA extraction from such remains.
Analysis of low level laser therapy in vitro cultures of bacteria and fungi
Authors: Andraus Rodrigo Antonio Carvalho , Maia Luciana Prado , Santos João Paulo Manfré dos , Mesquita Amanda Rezende , Santos Thaynara Gonzaga , Braoios Alexandre , Prado Rodrigo Paschoal
Published: February 2016

Background: Low intensity laser therapy has been used to accelerate the ulcers healing due to its healing, anti-inflammatory, analgesicand anti-edematous effects. Contaminations by bacteria or fungi on these ulcers commonly happen, constituting a major complicationof healing, but there is no consensus about laser therapy bactericidal or fungicidal effect. Aim: To analyze the effects of different times ofappliantion using the 808nm and 660nm lasers on cultures of different bacterial species and fungi in vitro. Method: Photon Lase III - DMCwas used, with the wavelengths of 660 and 808nm and 30mW, 60mW and 100mW of power, with different exposure time to laserirradiation. Fifteen Petri plates were prepared, 12 plates containing Gram-positive (3 Staphylococcus aureus plates, 3 nterococcus plates)and gram negative bacterias (3 Escherichia coli, 3 Klebsiella pneumonia plates) and 3 Petri plates with the fungi Candida albicans. Plateswere randomly divided into 3 groups with 5 plates each group. Plates of Group 1 were irradiated with 660 nm laser at nine differentpoints (A, A1, A2/B, B1, B2/C, C1, C2), and points A/B/C reciebed only one application, points A1,B1,C1 received 2 applications and pointsA2,B2,C2 received 3 applications. Plates from group 2 where irradiated with 660nm also in nine diferente points, following the samecriterea of group 1, while plate of group 3 where used as control, without irradiation. Groups 1 and 2 were irradiated with 144 J/cm² doseat point A (irradiation time of 2 minutes and 15 seconds), point B (irradiation time of 1 minute 7 seconds) and at point C (40 seconds).After the irradiations the plates were incubated for 24 hours. The cultures were visually examined to check the presence or not of theinhibition zone. In all the groups, no zone of inhibition nor growth were observed. Conclusion: Low intensity laser therapy (808nm and660nm) did not produce bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic effects, and even no bio-stimulant effect on the bacteria.
Minimally invasive technologies in the treatment of closed fractures of the intercondylar elevation of the knee: a clinical case
Authors: Voronchikhin Evgueny Vladimirovich , Kozhevnikov Vadim Vitalievich , Grigoricheva Ludmila Grigorievna , Naidanov Vadim Fedorovich
Published: January 2016

Тhis article presents a clinical case of the surgical treatment of a fracture in the intercondylar eminences of the knee joint in a 7-year-old child. Closed fractures of the intercondylar exaltation are mainly a characteristic of childhood. This type of damage occurs by dysfunction of the knee resulting from instability. Because the fracture of the intercondylar eminences of the knee joint in children is similar to the damage of the anterior cruciate ligament in adults, the current course of knee surgery is a minimally invasive technique. These include fixation of the intercondylar exaltation using video stroboscopy as well as the assistance of various implants (e.g., screw, wire, and Dacron). In the children's Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics of the Federal Center of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Endoprosthesis Replacement in Barnaul, various surgeries are performed, including arthroscopy of the right knee joint, intercondylar exaltation reposition, and fixation of the intercondylar exaltation latch Lupine (De PuyMitek).
SOCS3 is epigenetically up-regulated in steroid resistant nephrotic children.
Authors: Zaorska Katarzyna , Zawierucha Piotr , Ostalska-Nowicka Danuta , Nowicki Michał
Published: February 2016

The mechanism of steroid resistance in children with the nephrotic syndrome is yet unknown. About 20% of patients demonstrate steroid unresponsiveness and progress to end stage renal disease. Aberrant SOCS3 and SOCS5 expression in steroid resistant and sensitive patients has previously been demonstrated. Here, we investigate genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of regulation of SOCS3 and SOCS5 transcription in nephrotic children.
76 patients with the nephrotic syndrome (40 steroid resistant and 36 steroid sensitive) and 33 matched controls were included in this study. We performed genotyping of a total of 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms for SOCS3 and SOCS5 promoters and evaluated their methylation status using MS-PCR and QMSP methods.
Steroid resistant patients had a significantly lower methylation of one region of SOCS3 promoter in comparison with steroid sensitive patients and controls (p < 0.0001). However, the relative methylation level in the steroid sensitive patients and controls differed significantly even before the first steroid dose (p = 0.001758). Other SOCS3 and SOCS5 promoter regions displayed no differences in methylation or were fully methylated/unmethylated in all study groups, showing site-specific methylation. The allele and genotype distribution for SOCS3 and SOCS5 markers did not differ statistically between the groups.
We demonstrate an epigenetic mechanism of SOCS3 up-regulation in steroid resistant children with the nephrotic syndrome. The assessment of methylation/unmethylation of SOCS3 promoter might be an early marker for steroid responsiveness in NS patients.
Becoming a Mother and Learning to Breastfeed: An Emergent Autoethnography
Authors: Haugh Brooke
Published: January 2016

A woman’s journey into motherhood and first encounters with breastfeeding are profound learning experiences. During the perinatal period of my first pregnancy, I kept a journal documenting my thoughts and feelings. What emerged from my journals is an autoethnography, revealing my new understandings of myself as a woman within a culture of mothers and a deeper understanding of myself as a learner. Anecdotal stories shared with me by other women became the impetus for my reflection during my journey into motherhood. Although learning to breastfeed for the first time, I became aware of the significance of lived experience on my learning. As I interweave my personal and scholarly voices, I present to you my journals layered with my research.
Kristen’s Birth Story
Authors: Mosier Kristen
Published: January 2016

Kristen shares the story of the birth of her son. She had a rapid labor and was not sure, because she was moving so quickly, that she could have the natural birth she planned. After a wait in triage, Kristen, with the support of her husband and mother, and with the encouragement, support, and protection of her midwife, gave birth to her son.
Exploring A Space For Emergent Learning To Occur: Encouraging creativity And Innovation In The Workplace
Authors: Armson Genevieve
Published: February 2016

This research set out to explore perceptions about the concept of an emergent learning space within private organisations, as the current literature on learning does not adequately differentiate between organised learning and emergent learning. The research objectives explored the existence of, and perceived level of organisational encouragement and support for, emergent learning. Utilising a grounded research approach, the researcher was able to explore how organisations can and do provide a space for emergent learning to occur. In support of social constructionist learning theory, it has shown that this space for emergent learning is strongly influenced by three main factors: the existence of peer discussions, active two-way communications between managers and staff, and a have a go coaching style of management. Constructivist learning theory was supported by the findings that many managers and employees actively seek out opportunities for creativity and innovation, through their own initiative and motivation. Emergent learning is further positively influenced by the existence of and support for organised training programs in the workplace, and the particular company structure and availability of resources. At the edge of chaos, the space for emergent learning was supported by strong two-way communications between managers and staff; the have a go management coaching style; willing peer discussions; ready access to training programs; the company structure and its resources, and the individuals own initiative and motivation. Factors that discouraged the creation of a space for emergent learning to occur were shown to be a resistance to change and insufficient time. The significance of this research lies in two areas. Firstly, the research contributes to the literature on emergent learning in organisations, and provides definition of and support for this type of learning. Secondly, the research assists in the often-cited need for improvement of managerial skills within organisations, by providing managers with ways in which they can ensure their organisations thrive in the 21st century through the active encouragement and support for emergent learning in the workplace.
A Proposed Supplemental Teaching Model For Enhancing Students Understanding Of Sarbanes Oxley
Authors: Specht James , Kagan Albert , Maanum Scott D.
Published: February 2016

The Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 brought about major changes in how accounting firms conduct audits of publicly traded companies. Corporate officials have additional responsibilities in the areas of internal controls and financial reports. In addition there is a new organization responsible for established auditing standards for publicly traded companies, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Accordingly, there are new requirements and responsibilities for auditors of publicly traded companies. In effect, the emergence of separate auditing standards for publicly traded companies and for companies that are not publicly traded is creating two distinct fields of auditing. These changes require a different approach to teaching auditing to accounting students. This article proposes one approach to teaching these significant changes for entry level auditors.
Web-Based Instruction & Online Delivery Of Classes: Where Are We Now?
Authors: Fullerton Sam , Taylor David B. , Watson John
Published: February 2016

The literature on Web-based instruction (WBI) is reviewed, focusing initially on the terminology, history, and commentary (pro and con) related to the topic. The advantages and disadvantages associated with WBI are then discussed and an overview of the empirical work on WBI, paying particular attention to studies on student satisfaction and learning outcomes, is provided.
Staying On The Cutting Edge Of Student Active Learning Through Real World Engagement
Authors: Yates Dan A. , Ward Chris
Published: February 2016

This paper introduces a new approach to teaching and learning that uses a partnership model that pairs small business owners (provided by the Small Business Development Center-SBDC) with teams of college students within a college course. The goal of this partnership model is to provide guidance and recommendations for the business owner through a comprehensive business plan that is completed by an assigned student team. This is an excellent opportunity for the students to engage in active learning by doing. This model provides students with real world experience to better prepare them for work and careers. The active learning concept and the importance of engaging the student will be examined.