bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Dependency on Smartphone and the Impact on Purchase Behaviour
Authors: Swapana M. , Padmavathy C.
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among social needs, social influence, convenience, product features, brand name, dependency on smartphone, and purchase behaviour. A sample of 259 university students is used to test the hypotheses by using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that social needs, social influence, convenience and brand name positively affect dependency on smartphones, and dependency positively affects purchase behaviour. This research implies smartphone manufacturers to employ different marketing strategies and marketing mix to attract young consumers in Indian market. This study contributes to the body of smartphone literature by extending the context of the study to a developing nation where smartphone has penetrated profoundly in recent years.
Pedagogical Potential of Virtual Worlds
Authors: Manzoor Amir
Published: January 2019

Every year, the number of people using virtual worlds is increasing. Virtual worlds and their avatars is a unique 3D experience for users. It is expected that virtual worlds will soon become the primary platform for all online activities. Looking at the increasing usage of virtual worlds, educators have started to use virtual worlds in their classes. Virtual worlds have the potential to provide a plethora of opportunities for meaningful learning. The objective of this chapter was to explore the potential applications of virtual worlds to enhance teaching pedagogies. This chapter explored many strengths and weaknesses of virtual worlds in academic settings. Some important issues were highlighted and specific recommendations were provided to make virtual worlds a more powerful and effective environment for student learning.
Communication 2.0 at School
Authors: Lamonaca Simona
Published: January 2019

Today, among social networks, video games, selfies and video recordings, adolescents' lives are mainly centered on their web devices. This is a constantly and rapidly changing world where grown-ups are often hard put to keep up with teenagers' fashions. Therefore, schools have an absolute duty to help students find their way in this jungle of tools that provide both huge possibilities and serious risks. Teachers must therefore act as guides for their students, proving to them that they know, appreciate, and are not prejudiced against the tools used by them daily. A teacher-student relationship based on these premises is a requirement for any innovative educational approach. Therefore, creating a Communication Lab 2.0 in school is of great help towards several goals: building a good educational relationship, constantly updating teachers about teenagers' web mores, providing information about Web security and hints about possible new and innovative educational paths.
Developing Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in Cyberspace Between Pakistan and India
Authors: Yamin Tughral
Published: January 2019

Cyberspace is at once an area of immense cooperation and a no-holds barred arena for competition. Difficulties in creating a stable environment in cyberspace stem from differing national perceptions regarding the freedom of the Internet, application of international law and problems associated with attribution. Information space has no borders and no recognized rules of engagement or internationally accepted regulatory mechanisms. State parties, freelancers, criminals and terrorists all consider cyber operations beyond the pale of international jurisdiction. Some agreements have emerged concerning cybercrime but cyber warfare remains outside binding legal obligations. In the absence of a consensus on treaty obligations, it is a good idea to begin by constructing credible confidence building measures (CBMs) in information space between rival states. The prospects of an unintentional war as a consequence of a cyber-attack can spell disaster for South Asia. This paper discusses a range of CBMs that can be created between India and Pakistan in cyber space to control malicious cyber behavior and avert an inadvertent war. It advocates cyber cooperation instead of cyber warfare.
Cyberspace as a Complex Adaptive System and the Policy and Operational Implications for Cyberwarfare
Authors: Olagbemiro Albert
Published: January 2019

The overall implication of depicting cyberspace as a complex, adaptive ecosystem rather than its current representation as a bi-dimensional domain provides an avenue for further insight into the complexities associated with operating in cyberspace. This renewed perspective brings to the forefront the critical role of the civilian private sector in cyber warfare, due to the intermixing and heavy reliance of the United States Government (USG) on an infrastructure owned and operated by the civilian private sector. The implications of such a revisionist perspective leads to a theory of action, which suggests that given this heavy reliance of U.S.G entities to include DoD, on a cyber-infrastructure predominantly owned and operated by civilian private sector entities, authorization to wage offensive-styled cyber-attacks, as a defensive measure should not be limited exclusively to the DoD but also expanded to include authorized entities in the civilian private sector.
Cyber-Attacks, Retaliation and Risk
Authors: Brown Cameron S. D.
Published: January 2019

This chapter examines legal and technical issues that arise when considering strategic retaliatory countermeasures to cyber-attacks. Implications connected with endorsing techniques of active defense for nation-states are viewed alongside challenges faced by private entities. Proactive avenues for tackling cyber-security threats are evaluated and shortcomings within the international system of governance are analyzed. Retributive justice as a legal and philosophical concept is viewed through the lens of customary international law pertaining to use of force and self-defense. Difficulties in adapting rules governing kinetic warfare to instances of cyber-conflict are elucidated. The danger of executing counterstrikes for private entities is explained with reference to cross-border dilemmas, conflict of laws, and risks stemming from civil, criminal, and also administrative liability. Protocols for safeguarding anonymity are observed and the problem of attribution is illustrated. Costs and benefits associated with adopting methods of active defense are presented and solutions to avoid accountability failure are recommended.
A Strategic Framework for a Secure Cyberspace in Developing Countries with Special Emphasis on the Risk of Cyber Warfare
Authors: Jaquire Victor , von Solms Basie
Published: January 2019

The objective of this paper is to provide a strategic framework for a secure cyberspace in developing countries, taking cognisance of the realities and constraints within a developing milieu; and to discuss if the risk of cyber warfare and related techniques against developing countries should be addressed within ‘The Framework'. Cybersecurity policies and related strategies are required for developing countries in order to effectively safeguard against cyber related threats (the same as for developed countries). These policies and strategies for developing countries will differ from those of developed countries due to the unique realities within a developing world. Africa in specific is presently seen as a hotbed for cybercrime, and one of the reasons is that many African countries do not have a proper framework, policies and procedures to properly protect cyberspace. Experience has also shown that a pure adoption by developing countries of the cyber frameworks of developed nations will not always be effective, especially due to the unique requirements and realities within developing worlds, such as limited resources, infrastructure, technologies, skills and experience. It is also necessary when talking about a strategic framework to secure cyberspace, to discuss cyber warfare, its general application and its possible utilisation as part of the strategy to protect national critical information infrastructure. This, as part of a developing country's national security strategy in addition to traditional cybersecurity defence measures. The approach taken for the research program, and discussed in this paper, is based on a comprehensive literature study on several existing cybersecurity policies and strategies from both developed and developing countries. From this the drivers / elements for national cybersecurity policies and strategies were identified. These drivers were than adapted to specifically relate to the requirements of developing countries, and then, utilising the identified and adapted drivers, our strategic framework for developing countries to secure their cyberspace was developed. This document will be very useful for those African countries venturing into defining relevant policies and procedures.
Comparing the Socio-Political Ethics of Fighting Terrorism With Extreme Self-Defense in USA
Authors: Korstanje Maximiliano E. , Strang Kenneth David
Published: January 2019

In this study the authors adopted a post-positivist research design philosophy to explore the likelihood that Americans would support extreme self-defense policies like torture, reducing human rights or banning Muslims to fight against global terrorism, especially after 9/11 and in light of the Trump conservative government. The authors grounded their research questions into the literature to form hypotheses in a correlational design strategy which they tested using nonparametric statistics. They collected opinions from 3213 Americans during 2016-2017 about applying extreme self-defense tactics to combat global terrorism and how these opinions contrasted between those holding a conservative versus liberal or other individualistic socio-political ideology. The surprising results were that American citizens did not unanimously endorse banning Muslims (only 30% supported the policy and 6% were undecided) but the majority (51%) of participants sanctioned torture as a self-defense to combat global terrorism.
Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure Protection
Authors: Čaleta Denis
Published: January 2019

The globalisation of the world, and thus indirectly of security, poses serious dilemmas for the modern society about how to continue basing its development on the fundamental requirements related to the free movement of goods, services and people, and, on the other hand, about how to keep threats at an acceptable risk level. The emergence of asymmetric forms of threat to national and international security is based on completely different assumptions and perceptions of the basic concepts of providing security. The changing social conditions and tensions caused by the rapid technological development found particular social environments totally unprepared for confronting the new global security situation and, above all, the newly-emerging complex security threats. The integration of critical infrastructure protection processes into a comprehensive system of national security provision at the national and consequently the international level will be a very demanding project in terms of coordination and awareness of the necessity or regulating that area. In addition, it will represent a very significant shift in the attitude and mentality of all the participants involved. This paper addresses in detail some important dilemmas and factors which have a strong impact on the level of awareness, cooperation and confidence of all partners in the public and private environment that share the need for the protection of critical infrastructure.
The USA Electrical Grid
Authors: de Silva Eugene , de Silva Eugenie
Published: January 2019

This chapter provides a discussion of the United States (U.S.) electrical grid. In particular, the chapter explicates the vulnerabilities of the electrical grid by placing a focus on public perception, cyber-attacks, and the inclement weather. The authors elaborate on the necessity of contingency plans, heightened security through the utilization of smart grids and microgrids, and improved cooperation between the Intelligence Community (IC) and the public. This chapter further expands on the importance of government agencies establishing community outreach programs to raise public awareness and build a strong relationship between U.S. security agencies and the public. Overall, this chapter highlights the key issues pertaining to the electrical grid, and provides solutions and strategies to resolve them.
Access to Information in the Republic of Macedonia
Authors: Slaveski Stojan , Popovska Biljana
Published: January 2019

Certain information and personal data, held by the government, needs to be kept secret because its disclosure to the general public could jeopardize the operation of the state. On the other hand, the state should allow the public to have free access to all other state-held information. To ensure a balance between these two claims of modern democratic societies, there is a need to legally regulate this matter. The state should have a law on access to public information and a law that will regulate the classification, access to and storage of information which should be kept secret. This chapter analyzes the global experiences in regulating this matter, with a particular emphasis on the practice in the Republic of Macedonia.
Fourth Generation Warfare and the Challenges in Military-News Media Relations in India
Authors: Ramani Ramakrishnan
Published: January 2019

Can there be a symbiotic relationship between the armed forces and the private conventional news media in a country with a democratic setup? What are the issues that come between these two entities especially in a complex scenario such as Fourth Generation Warfare? The objective of this chapter is to study these challenges in the relationship between the two institutions in the setting of fourth generation warfare in India. It presents areas of divergence that have been critical in the efficient symbiotic functioning of these two institutions.
Military Expenditure, Economic Growth, and Foreign Policy Implications
Authors: Osie-Hwedie Bertha Z. , Kurantin Napoleon
Published: January 2019

The chapter discusses the nature of the relationship between military expenditure, economic growth, and foreign policy commitments, and the consequences on economic growth of apportioning an increased part of the gross domestic product to the military in developing countries of Ghana and Nigeria within the Economic Community of West Africa during 1986-2016. Military expenditure has generated controversy, especially in developing countries of Africa, as it competes with demands for sustainable growth and development. Applying the Johansen co-integration test and Granger causality, the results show that high growth rates have enabled the two countries to increase military spending, ensure their own domestic security, and fulfill international security commitments in the West African sub-region and internationally, with negative effect in the long-run and positive effect in the short run on economic growth. The lack of defense and military expenditure linkage with the wider economy is the resultant socio-economic cost recorded over the period under study.
Ecological Responsibility and Sustainable Development as Preconditions for Development of the Concept of Circular Economy
Authors: Ivanovic Olja Munitlak
Published: January 2019

Ethical and ecological responsibility represent the root of sustainable development taking into account intergenerational justice. Mass production and consumption have left negative effects on the environment. Disregarding ecological responsibility, production processes were mainly based on uncontrollable use of raw materials and non-renewable energy sources. Taking into account limitation of raw materials, economic and ecological disasters, a concept of resilience has been developed to make all elements of society flexible in terms of unwanted shocks. This chapter describes two conceptual economic models: linear and circular. The linear model is based on the principle “take, produce, consume, and throw,” meaning that usability of waste is reduced and that waste is simply thrown out after consumption. Circular economic model takes into account environmental responsibility, but it also makes companies more competitive. Waste is treated and processed adequately and used as raw material in production, thus increasing competitiveness. Waste that cannot be processed is disposed permanently.
Exploring Client Perceptions and Intentions in Emerging Economies
Authors: Iqbal Mehree , Nisha Nabila , Rifat Afrin , Panda Pradiptarathi
Published: January 2019

This article describes how in response to the global initiative to save the environment, many emerging economies today promote environmental-friendly practices by implementing various forms of green banking services. Beyond its usefulness for the environment, green banking also benefits the clients by offering new channels of financial services delivery. As such, there may be various factors which can shape the behavioral intentions of clients for adopting green banking, including their environmental concerns, perceived financial cost and timeliness factor attached to these services. Using UTAUT model and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this paper thus proposes a model to identify such adoption factors in the context of an emerging economy. The article finds that timeliness, facilitating conditions, environmental concerns, effort expectancy and performance expectancy, plays an important role in capturing clients' overall perceptions of green banking. Results therefore indicate clients may be fairly pragmatic in developing general attitudes towards the use of green banking.
Green IT Adoption
Authors: Hernandez Alexander A. , Ona Sherwin E.
Published: January 2019

Green Information Technology (GIT) refers to using information technology in ways that help to reduce environmental impacts including the use of energy more efficiently and reducing waste. To date, however, few studies attempt to provide a holistic understanding of GIT adoption in developing countries, which GIT plays a significant role in achieving a sustainable environment and economic performance. This paper explores the practices, processes and enablers in GIT adoption within the Philippines Business Process Outsourcing Industry (BPO). The authors used the revelatory multiple-case study as a research approach in understanding GIT adoption in BPO organizations. They found five areas of GIT adoption covering IT procurement, IT applications as low carbon enabler, working environment, data center and IT end of life management. Essentially, strategy and governance, processes, structure, people, technology support, and measurement and improvement enabled GIT adoption in BPO organizations. The authors further found that BPO organizations have the strong long-term commitment to environmental sustainability.
Green Growth Intervention on Employment Generation in India
Authors: Goswami Anandajit , Chaudhury Saswata
Published: January 2019

This article highlights the possible impacts of green growth strategies and interventions on skilled and unskilled employment generation in India. Additionally, it indicates how income generation from selected green growth-related potential interventions can have a ripple effect on selected development indicators, like literacy rates, infant mortality rates, poverty. Job creation might translate to an economic gain for households of different income class across rural and urban India both in the short and long-term. This economic gain can thereafter reduce the level of inter-household and intra-household inter-temporal inequality levels with complementary and effective wealth distribution policies. In the long run, this reduction in the inequality level can create a positive impact on the social sustainability.
Eco-Innovation Enablers and Typology in Green Furniture Manufacturing
Authors: Fernando Yudi , Shaharudin Muhammad Shabir , Xin Wah Wen
Published: January 2019

Fierce competition has forced firms to be more creative and innovative to increase market share. Differentiating between green products or services with conventional products or services is one of the ways for firms to improve their business sustainability. The objective of this chapter is to explore the eco-innovation enablers and design its typology to measure the current green business practices in industry. Although there are many well-documented enablers or practices of eco-innovation that have been researched, this chapter focuses on practices that contribute towards the successful adoption of eco-innovation by one SME in green furniture manufacturing. This chapter uses the case study method as a source of data collection. Eco-innovation typology has been found in this study to define the effort of green company by looking at the target of eco-innovation versus the mechanism of eco-innovation.
Green Marketing Initiatives and Sustainable Issues in Hotel Industry
Authors: Kasliwal Neeti , Agarwal Srishti
Published: January 2019

With the fast degradation of the environment and changing lifestyle of the consumers, the companies have started moving towards the concept of green marketing. Although green marketing has been able to address concerns of green consumers but as anticipated has not shown much expected results from companies as well as from mainstream consumers' acceptance level. This chapter is an attempt to draw attention towards sustainable issues in hotel industry, what are the opportunities' and challenges' the hotels are facing with respect to green initiatives and how successful the present companies are in incorporating the green practices. The authors conclude the chapter giving the focus on future research directions in green marketing and green practices to be followed by hotel industry.
Green Specifications
Authors: Schulze Thomas , Atkinson Colin
Published: January 2019

Green specifications provide a foundation for reducing the environmental impact of computing applications and improving the consumption behavior of users by providing a clear and precise specification of the environmental impact of specific services. They can either be used to specify the actual behavior and environmental impact of existing services or to define the requirements that a to-be-built service must fulfill. Green specifications describe the properties of a service from distinct viewpoints such as a structural viewpoint which describes the data types and external components that the service uses, a functional viewpoint which describes the effects of the service's operations using pre- and post- conditions and a behavioral viewpoint which describes the externally visible states and transitions exhibited by the service. These are augmented with non-functional information describing the environmental properties of, or constraints on, the service. In this chapter we provide an introduction to green specifications and give a concrete example of their use to specify a Video on Demand (VoD) service.
The Drivers, Practices and Outcomes of Green Supply Chain Management
Authors: Savita K.S. , Dominic P.D.D. , Ramayah T.
Published: January 2019

The global shift in ecological movement has significant impacts on business operation of manufacturing firms that are located in developing countries. The intense pressure of being environmentally sustainable has caused Green Supply Chain Management (Green SCM) concept to emerge as an important corporate environmental strategy for manufacturing companies. Information technologies and systems have permeated in most business activities, in which, they extend important opportunities to resolve environmental issues. However, many researchers, including manufacturers and government bodies often disregard the green concept of information technologies and systems in minimizing environmental issues. A comprehensive review on Green SCM, Green IT and Green IS for sustainable environmental performance in manufacturing companies is presented using Input-Process-Output (IPO) Theory and Technological-Organizational-Environmental (TOE) theory. In bridging the research gap, a model is constructed to link the aforementioned constructs. Next, the paper reports on the development of survey questionnaire using cognitive interviewing strategies, followed up with semi-structured interview to investigate and obtain preliminary findings on the influential factors, green activities and performance outcomes from implementing Green SCM. Lastly, the finalized survey questionnaire was distributed to 60 ISO14001 certified manufacturing companies located in the region of Perak and Kulim. Out of 60 manufacturing companies, only 32 responses received as the dataset in analyzing for improvements in reliability, measurement error, and validity of measured items. The findings from this pilot study explain that internal and external factors have stronger influence over the implementation of green initiatives in supply chain with substantial outcome on environmental performance. The information technologies and systems being the physical resource, capability and backbone to run a business seamlessly are significantly recognized. But, the green component of IT and IS were poorly attended and disregarded to an extent in the process of greening the processes, operations or entire business. Therefore, further investigations are required in the main study to validate the findings obtained here and other possible association between the factors, practices and outcomes in realizing ecological improvements in the supply chain and firm itself.
Tourists Becoming Increasingly Aware of Green Tourism
Authors: Ramchurjee Nichola A. , Ramchurjee Esther P.
Published: January 2019

The continual development of the hospitality industry has led to negative impacts on the environment. However, the development of green hotels could be a solution to this problem. As more tourists are becoming gradually concerned about environmentally friendly products and services, it is crucial for the hotel industry to take an interest and participate in the green initiative. A questionnaire method was used to collect data from 209 participants using the intercept approach in several main tourist sites in Bangalore, India. The analysis showed that tourists staying in hotels in Bangalore give substantial influence on their intention to choose green hotels and thus environmentally friendly services and products. Therefore, it is of primary importance for green hotel operators/managers to continuously educate their guests about the importance of being environmentally friendly and the environmental impacts of their behaviors.
Increased Value Through Sharing in Multi-Sided Markets
Authors: Tura Nina , Kuitunen Aino , Lättilä Lauri , Kortelainen Samuli
Published: January 2019

The demand for more sustainable business models is increasing the need for current businesses to develop their business processes and value creation mechanisms. One way to improve sustainability is sharing resources and services in a new sharing economy paradigm. This chapter builds a conceptual model for taxi ridesharing to describe the value potential that is born by increasing the efficiency of taxi businesses. First, a framework for multisided markets is built to understand the different value elements of taxi ridesharing. Then, a conceptual mathematical model is introduced to understand the value symmetries including the cost saving potential and allocation from the perspectives of the customer and the supplier. The model shows that it is possible to have a system that creates value for both the taxi driver and the passenger, while simultaneously leading to significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
Institutional Perspective on the Drivers of Green Innovations in Firms
Authors: Kittilaksanawong Wiboon
Published: January 2019

In recent years, firms have increasingly engaged in green innovations in response to mounting pressures on environmental protection. Regulative and normative institutions are the main drivers of this response, while its strength is contingent upon a firm's deficiency gap and resource profile. The entry into this emergent industry of diversifying incumbents is usually determined by regulative and economic opportunity while the entry of entrepreneurial start-ups is more influenced by the sociocultural environment. Under the industry deregulation, most incumbents tend to become more focused on their core competencies developed during the regulated period unless they have prior experience in green innovations. Corporate governance plays an important role in implementing green innovations because these environmental initiatives go beyond compliance and require substantial long-term resource commitment that has significant strategic implications.
Green Entrepreneurship in Transitional Economies
Authors: Gao Yang , Tsai Sang-Bing , Zhang Shuo , Li Guodong
Published: January 2019

With environmental pollution, climate change and resource scarcity being serious global issues, green entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as an approach to simultaneously address economic performance, environmental impact and social responsibility. As green entrepreneurship needs to consider both venture performance and social responsibility, it will be subject to legitimacy constraints at the institutional level. Especially for transition economies in different countries, institutional uncertainty is a key factor. Better green performance can be easily achieved if green startups have a higher level of legitimacy. However, against the background of transitional economies, the increase in institutional uncertainty will damage the promotion of political legitimacy and make the enterprises subject to political legitimacy constraints lose their green performance. Overall startups in different industries need to develop green actions under the pressure of institutional constraints, and governments also need to improve policies and regulations quickly.
Identification of Contextual Relationship Among Collaboration, Cooperation, Coordination, and Innovative Green Procurement Practices
Authors: Bag Surajit
Published: January 2019

Globally, every organization is focusing on minimizing the usage of scarce resources in production. The authors have used resource dependence theory (RDT) as the theoretical lens to develop the foundation of the chapter. RDT suggests that firms within the supply chain network should coordinate and collaborate to achieve superior performance. Under RDT, the most important assumption is that firms cannot be fully independent with regards to strategically critical resources for survival. The purpose of this chapter is to explain the contextual relationships between collaboration, coordination, cooperation, and innovative green procurement practices. Here, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) technique has been used to develop the SSIM matrix with the assistance from five experts based in the South African steel and engineering sectors. The ISM model depicts the contextual interrelationships that may help supply chain managers in quality decision making. The chapter concludes with managerial implications and directions of future research.
Green Retailing
Authors: Adhikari Arnab , Biswas Indranil , Avittathur Balram
Published: January 2019

Sustainable development with ecological protection has gained global significance across society because of continuing environmental degradation. It causes green supply-chain management to be an area of interest among researchers and practitioners. Existing literature related to green supply chain indicates that most of the scholarly works have been limited to the manufacturing context and retailing has not been paid enough attention. It signifies that integrating green policies into retail sector is a new potential area of research from academicians' and practitioners' point of view. This chapter discusses about the drivers, barriers, different dimensions, issues, existing environmental practices and policies adopted by leading retailers, future research avenues, different green polices adopted by various organizations and government bodies in the area of retailing. Thus it facilitates researchers, industry practitioners, policy makers to find the existing works, new research opportunities as well as to improve practices and policies.
Exploring Technological Knowledge of Office Data Processing Teachers
Authors: Adegbenro Janet Bolaji , Gumbo Mishack T. , Olugbara Oludayo O.
Published: January 2019

This study applied factor analysis for exploring technological knowledge of beginner and veteran Office Data Processing (ODP) teachers at Further Education and Training (FET) or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in South Africa. These ODP teachers use Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the technology-enhanced classrooms. The Mishra & Koehler (2006) Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was extended by replacing Technological Knowledge with Procedural Functional Knowledge (PrFK) to realise the PrFPACK theoretical framework that enabled the researchers to holistically explore the contextual technological knowledge of teachers in the digital classroom environment. We developed an inventory of 65 comprehensive measures based on the PrFPACK framework and validated the inventory on a dataset of responses from 107 ODP teachers. The findings of this study generally revealed that Procedural Functional Content Knowledge is the most important factor in explaining the technological knowledge of ODP teachers.
Applying a Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework in Ethiopian English Language Teacher Education
Authors: Abera Berhanu
Published: January 2019

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) has emerged as a useful frame for instructional technology-enhanced education. This chapter addresses the existing literature on technological pedagogical content knowledge framework and of teacher education in Ethiopia in general and English language teacher education in particular. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, interviews, classroom observations, and documents. The results revealed that the existing literature failed to demonstrate the application of TPACK in English language teacher education in the country. The technological pedagogical content knowledge of classroom English language teachers was also found to be low. Classroom teachers applied their pedagogical content knowledge while teaching English language through televised instruction like the conventional instruction. They were seldom observed applying their technological pedagogical content knowledge. Finally, based on the results and the conceptual framework of TPACK, implications for the Ethiopian secondary school teacher preparation programs are outlined and further studies are suggested.
Design and Implementation Principles for Dynamic Interactive Mathematics Technologies
Authors: Dick Thomas P. , Burrill Gail F.
Published: January 2019

Design and implementation principles are described for choosing and using dynamic interactive mathematics technologies in support of mathematics learning and teaching. The design principles value technologies that enable meaningful and purposeful actions by students resulting in immediately visual consequences. The implementation principles emphasize using these technologies for important mathematics to pose rich tasks and ask good questions that demand sense making and reasoning and engage students in the mathematical practices. Illustrative examples are drawn from a collection of the Building Concepts dynamic interactive documents (available online) designed to support the teaching of mathematics consistent with the Progressions for the Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Content and Practices. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) provides a framework for considering how teachers' knowledge must be transformed to best realize the potential of these technologies, and to shape recommendations for professional development and directions for future research.
Interpretation of electrocardiogram in an ultra-marathon athlete: a case report
Authors: Villa Antonio , Vandoni Pietro , Riva Isabella , Moro Claudio , Chiappa Luisa , Valena Carlo , Macchiarulo Mario
Published: January 2019

The electrocardiogram (ECG) of athletes, especially in those that are endurance-trained, frequently shows some alterations; however, abnormalities of athlete’s ECG may be an expression of an underlying heart disease, which carries a risk of sudden death during sport. It is important that ECG abnormalities are correctly distinguished. We report a case of an ultramarathon athlete who arrived in Emergency Department, after a 100-kilometer race, showing ECG alterations that required further investigations to rule out a cardiac disease. ECG trace showed anterior repolarization abnormalities with ST-segment elevation in V1 to V3 leads. He was admitted to the Cardiology Department and underwent a coronary study that was normal. A cardiac magnetic resonance was also performed. The final diagnosis was athlete’s heart.
Anticoagulation in the early phase of non-valvular atrial fibrillation-related acute ischemic stroke: where do we stand?
Authors: Masotti Luca , Grifoni Elisa , Dei Alessandro , Vannucchi Vieri , Moroni Federico , Panigada Grazia , Spolveri Stefano , Landini Giancarlo
Published: January 2019

The balance between the risk of early stroke recurrence and hemorrhagic transformation represents the cornerstone of practical management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF)-related acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Patients who receive antithrombotic therapy as secondary prevention in the early phase of NVAF-related AIS have a better prognosis compared with patients who do not receive antithrombotic treatment. Recently, the RAF study showed that the best efficacy/safety profile was associated with anticoagulation started between 4 and 14 days from stroke onset. Based on the RAF study, the 2018 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) guidelines suggest starting anticoagulants between 4 and 14 days from stroke onset with a class of recommendation IIa. Strong evidence for the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the early phase of NVAF-related AIS is lacking, because this kind of patients were excluded from phase III randomized clinical trials (RCT) and ad hoc RCTs are ongoing. However, the real life evidence suggests that early starting time of DOACs in patients with NVAF-related AIS is safe and associated with low recurrence risk and all-cause mortality. In the present review the Authors provide an update on anticoagulation in the early phase of NVAF-related AIS with focus on DOACs.
INTERNATIONAL MULTICENTER EXPERIENCE IN THE TREATMENT OF INVASIVE ASPERGILLOSIS IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CANCER PATIENTS
Authors: Hachem R. , Batista Marjorie , Kanj Souha S , El Zein Saaed , Haddad Sara , Jiang Ying , Mori Nobuyoshi , Vanderson Rocha , Chaftari Anne-Marie , Raad Issam I
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. In this study, we compared the efficacy of voriconazole containing regimen vs non-voriconazole containing regimen in patients with IA.

METHODS: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of all immunocompromised cancer patients diagnosed with proven or probable IA between February 2012 and March 2018. This trial included 26 patients from the American University of Beirut,  Lebanon, 20 patients from  Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de  São Paulo, Brazil, and 10 patients from St. Luke's International Hospital Tokyo, Japan.

RESULTS:  A total of 56 patients were analyzed. They were divided into 2 groups voriconazole containing regimen and non-voriconazole containing regimen (90% Amphotericin B  based regimen) . Both groups had similar characteristic, age, gender, and immunocompromised status. The majority of patients had underlying leukemia 53%, lymphoma 18%, myeloma 15% and solid tumor 13%. Antifungal primary therapy with voriconazole-containing regimen was associated with better response to treatment (P = 0.003). Survival analysis showed that primary therapy with a voriconazole containing regimen was significantly associated with improved survival (p =0.006). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, mechanical ventilation was predictor of worse outcome (poor response to therapy and increased mortality at 6 weeks), whereas primary treatment with voriconazole containing regimen was associated with improved outcome (OR=0.14; 95% CI 0.03-0.64, P=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Based on international experience in immunocompromised cancer patients with IA, primary therapy with voriconazole-containing regimen is associated with improved response and survival compared with non-voriconazole amphotericin B based regimen.
Flipped Classroom in an Orthopaedic Assessment Course: Students' Perspective
Authors: Bates Dana K.
Published: January 2019

Context:

The flipped classroom, moving lecture outside class time and homework to the classroom, has been researched widely across many disciplines. Athletic training education has little research investigating this pedagogical approach.

Objective:

To explore students' perceptions of a flipped orthopaedic assessment course.

Design:

Qualitative study using a phenomenological approach.

Setting:

Focus group interviews with undergraduate students enrolled in an orthopaedic assessment course.

Patients or Other Participants:

Students (N = 15) enrolled in either the Physical Exam of the Lower Extremities in Athletic Training or the Physical Exam of the Upper Extremities in Athletic Training course participated in a focus-group interview in January or April 2016.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Focus group interviews were conducted with a structured interview protocol. Interview data were analyzed inductively to uncover dominant themes by first organizing the data, then summarizing it into codes, and finally interpreting. Credibility was secured through member checking, triangulation, and investigator triangulation.

Results:

Themes indicated that participants in a flipped classroom found that this pedagogical practice was helpful, allowed for repetition, initially created more work, and was self-paced.

Conclusions:

Evidence demonstrated that the flipped classroom for this orthopaedic assessment course was favorably received by the participants.
Care Across Campus: Athletic Training, Nursing, and Occupational Therapy Student Experiences in an Interprofessional Simulation
Authors: Morrell Briyana L. M. , Nichols Alison M. , Voll Craig A. , Hetzler Kathleen E. , Toon Jane , Moore Elizabeth S. , Moore Shannon M. , Kemery Stephanie R. , Carmack Jennifer N.
Published: January 2019

Context:

This study explored health care students' experiences after participation in an interprofessional simulation. Interprofessional education incorporates students from several health care professions in a controlled, collaborative learning environment. Athletic training students are not well represented in interprofessional education literature.

Objective:

This study sought to explore the attitudes of athletic training, nursing, and occupational therapy students toward other professions after their participation in an interprofessional simulation.

Design:

This article describes the results of the qualitative portion of a mixed-methods study. Focus group discussions related to elements of the Interprofessional Attitude Scale to explore participants' attitudes toward other professions. Researchers analyzed transcribed focus group discussions for themes.

Setting:

This study occurred in a private midsized Midwestern university.

Patients or Other Participants:

Seventy-nine students, representing athletic training, nursing, and occupational therapy, participated in the simulation; a sample of 13 of these participated in the focus groups.

Intervention(s):

Students in all professions cared for or observed the care of a standardized patient from the time of a spinal cord injury on the football field through an ambulance ride and subsequent emergency and inpatient care. Students collaborated and communicated with one another. Faculty conducted debriefing after the simulation and before the focus groups.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Focus groups included relevant questions from the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale, and themes were identified from participants' responses.

Results:

Researchers identified 4 themes from the focus group discussions: collaboration, respect, knowledge of other professions, and communication. These themes also mirror elements of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative's core competencies of interprofessional collaborative practice.

Conclusions:

After the simulation, students expressed positive attitudes toward other professions. This study suggests that athletic training, nursing, and occupational therapy students have positive attitudes toward each other's professions after an interprofessional simulation activity.
Impact of a Large-Scale Handwashing Intervention on Reported Respiratory Illness: Findings from a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Najnin Nusrat , Leder Karin , Forbes Andrew , Unicomb Leanne , Winch Peter J. , Ram Pavani K. , Nizame Fosiul A. , Arman Shaila , Begum Farzana , Biswas Shwapon , Cravioto Alejandro , Luby Stephen P.
Published: January 2019

We assessed the impact of handwashing promotion on reported respiratory illness as a secondary outcome from among > 60,000 low-income households enrolled in a cluster-randomized trial conducted in Bangladesh. Ninety geographic clusters were randomly allocated into three groups: cholera-vaccine-only; vaccine-plus-behavior-change (handwashing promotion and drinking water chlorination); and control. Data on respiratory illness (fever plus either cough or nasal congestion or breathing difficulty within previous 2 days) and intervention uptake (presence of soap and water at handwashing station) were collected through monthly surveys conducted among a different subset of randomly selected households during the intervention period. We determined respiratory illness prevalence across groups and used log-binomial regression to examine the association between respiratory illness and presence of soap and water in the handwashing station. Results were adjusted for age, gender, wealth, and cluster-randomized design. The vaccine-plus-behavior-change group had more handwashing stations with soap and water present than controls (45% versus 25%; P < 0.001). Reported respiratory illness prevalence was similar across groups (vaccine-plus-behavior-change versus control: 2.8% versus 2.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.008, 0.006; P = 0.6; cholera-vaccine-only versus control: 3.0% versus 2.9%; 95% CI: −0.006, 0.009; P = 0.4). Irrespective of intervention assignment, respiratory illness was lower among people who had soap and water present in the handwashing station than among those who did not (risk ratioadjusted: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69–0.98). With modest uptake of the handwashing intervention, we found no impact of this large-scale intervention on respiratory illness. However, those who actually had a handwashing station with soap and water had less illness. This suggests improving the effectiveness of handwashing promotion in achieving sustained behavior change could result in health benefits.