bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical analysis of aerodynamic noise from pantograph in high-speed trains using lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Noh Hee-Min
Published: July 2019

A pantograph in contact with a catenary for power supply is one of the major aerodynamic noise sources in high-speed trains. To reduce pantograph noise, it is essential to understand the noise generation mechanism of the pantograph. However, it is difficult to determine this mechanism through measurement. Therefore, in this study, the aerodynamic and acoustic performances of a pantograph in a high-speed train were investigated through numerical analysis using the lattice Boltzmann method. First, a real-scaled pantograph was modeled through computer-aided design. Then, the surface and volume meshes of the pantograph model were generated for simulation analysis. Numerical simulation was conducted at a speed of 300 km/h based on the lattice Boltzmann method. Based on the time derivative analysis of flow pressures, it was concluded that the panhead, joint, and base were the dominant noise sources in the pantograph. In particular, various vortexes were generated from the metalized carbon strip of the panhead. The peaks of the sound pressure level propagated from the panhead were 242, 430, and 640 Hz. The noise generation mechanism was analyzed through numerical simulation using noise characteristics.
Facial Identification at a Virtual Reality Airport
Authors: Tummon Hannah M. , Allen John , Bindemann Markus
Published: July 2019

Person identification at airports requires the comparison of a passport photograph with its bearer. In psychology, this process is typically studied with static pairs of face photographs that require identity-match (same person shown) versus mismatch (two different people) decisions, but this approach provides a limited proxy for studying how environment and social interaction factors affect this task. In this study, we explore the feasibility of virtual reality (VR) as a solution to this problem, by examining the identity matching of avatars in a VR airport. We show that facial photographs of real people can be rendered into VR avatars in a manner that preserves image and identity information (Experiments 1 to 3). We then show that identity matching of avatar pairs reflects similar cognitive processes to the matching of face photographs (Experiments 4 and 5). This pattern holds when avatar matching is assessed in a VR airport (Experiments 6 and 7). These findings demonstrate the feasibility of VR as a new method for investigating face matching in complex environments.
Fanology: Hand-fans in the prehistory of mobile devices
Authors: Davies Hugh
Published: July 2019

In the prehistory of mobile devices, the hand-fan plays a crucial role. Extending well beyond use as an air-conditioning tool, the hand-fan has evolved across centuries and cultures to become a portable screen, a game console, an artistic medium, and an elaborate communication device. Drawing on the scholarly, literary, and art history of hand-fans in North Asian and European contexts, this paper excavates a deep history of hand-fans and connects them to contemporary mobile communication devices. This research develops two key aspects of the hand-fan as a communicative apparatus: first, the fan as an optical image surface to store and transmit information, constituting the earliest portable screen, and second, the fan as a haptic and gestural object from which distinct vernaculars arise. This paper maps a radical new trajectory in how we conceptualise the hand-fan in history and the mobile phone in the present.
Beclomethasone dipropionate in microscopic colitis: Results of an exploratory open‐label multicentre study (COLCO)
Authors: De Corte Thomas , Janssens Emilie , D'Hondt Ann , Thorrez Koen , Arts Joris , Dejaegher Katrien , D'Heygere François , Holvoet Annelies , van Besien Bart , Harlet Luc , Peeters Harald , Van Moerkercke Wouter , Baert Filip
Published: July 2019

Background

Budesonide has been proven to be an effective treatment for microscopic colitis (MC). However, the two current commercially available preparations are released in the ileum. Beclomethasone dipropionate (Clipper®) is a synthetic corticosteroid with topical colonic release.

Objective

This study aimed to explore whether an open‐label treatment with beclomethasone dipropionate is an effective treatment for MC.

Methods

Prospectively collected data of 30 patients from six centres were retrospectively analysed. All patients had a confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic MC (lymphocytic and collagenous colitis) and were symptomatic (i.e. ≥ 21 loose stools over a seven‐day period). Treatment consisted of 10 mg beclomethasone daily for four weeks, followed by 5 mg daily for another four weeks. The primary end point was the proportion of patients in remission (i.e. a mean of < 3 stools/day and a mean of <1 watery stool per day) after an eight‐week treatment period. Secondary end points were the proportion of patients responding to therapy at weeks 4 and 8, remission at weeks 4 and 12 and relapse at week 12. Reported adverse events were collected.

Results

Overall, at week 8, remission was achieved in 70%, and 77% of patients were responding to treatment. After four weeks of treatment, 80% were responding, and 67% were in remission. Four weeks after stopping treatment, 60% were still in remission.

Conclusion

This open‐label study suggests that an eight‐week course of beclomethasone could be a promising and relatively safe treatment for MC. A randomised controlled study is warranted.
Survival Comparisons of Home Dialysis Versus In-Center Hemodialysis: A Narrative Review
Authors: Vinson Amanda J. , Perl Jeffrey , Tennankore Karthik K.
Published: July 2019

Purpose of review:

Many observational studies have demonstrated a survival benefit with home dialysis compared with in-center dialysis; however, results have been conflicting. The purpose of this review was to identify pitfalls and limitations in existing literature and examine the challenges of studying home and in-center dialysis populations.

Sources of information:

Original research articles were identified from MEDLINE using search terms “in-center hemodialysis,” “home hemodialysis,” “conventional hemodialysis,” “nocturnal hemodialysis,” and “short daily hemodialysis.”

Methods:

A focused review and critical appraisal of existing home versus in-center hemodialysis survival literature was conducted to identify potential causes for variability in the observed survival outcomes.

Key findings:

The controversy in existing literature stems from the challenges of randomizing patients to home versus in-center hemodialysis modalities, and therefore a reliance on observational comparisons for study. In many cases, these observational analyses have been limited by selection bias (variabilities in populations included, inclusion of both incident and prevalent cohorts, and variabilities in dialysis intensity), as well as residual confounding. Furthermore, the studies that do exist lack generalizability in many cases.

Limitations:

There are few randomized controlled trials examining the survival benefit of home versus in-center hemodialysis and existing observational studies are often limited by bias and reduced generalizability. These limitations comprise the body of this review.

Implications:

This review examines challenges surrounding survival comparisons with home versus in-center hemodialysis and identify important directions for future study.
Why I No Longer Believe Social Media Is Cool . . .
Authors: Hurley Zoe
Published: July 2019

Web 2.0. seemingly offered empowering opportunities for women globally. While #hashtags gained momentum, liberating women to speak-out against sexual oppression, forging networks for the right to learn to drive, to bridge the gender pay gaps, and to close digital divide, the era of the posthuman, postdigital, and postgender seemed to be just around the corner. A key aspect of this apparent empowerment has been the visual scope of social media that allows women to show the world who they are and how they want to be seen. Teaching in a media and communications program at a university in Dubai, I became interested in the emerging trend of Arab women presenting their lives on social media via image-sharing platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat and assumed that these practices challenged gender inequalities.
Currencies Cannot Change
Authors: Nelson Jacob L.
Published: July 2019

Something I no longer believe is that size will always be the currency of the news media environment. Traditionally, the goal of most publications has been to reach as large an audience as possible. I assumed this was a fixed state of affairs, which resulted in other, smaller assumptions implicit within my research. When I first started studying the news industry, for example, I assumed the advent of sophisticated measures of online audience behavior would finally provide news publishers the answer to the question, “How do we reach as many people as possible?” I was similarly sure that the implications of this development would be profound: journalism would become more democratic, since editors would now know with certainty what subjects were of interest to their readers. On the other hand, journalism would become more focused on cat videos and celebrity gossip as audience analytic data made it plain that these types of content were most likely to attract the largest number of readers. Even as journalism stakeholders have begun talking more about “engagement” metrics, I have tended to assume these would complement, rather than replace, measures of audience size. Recently, however, the news industry has moved further away from the traditional, advertising-supported revenue model that privileges measures of audience size toward audience-supported models that privilege traits like loyalty. Though I remain unsure where these developments will ultimately lead, I am increasingly open-minded to the notion that currencies—like everything else in the news media environment—can change.
The Limited Value of Non-Replicable Field Experiments in Contexts With Low Temporal Validity
Authors: Munger Kevin
Published: July 2019

My first publication as a grad student was a field experiment using Twitter “bots” to socially sanction users engaged in racist harassment. The ascendant paradigm in quantitative social science emphasizes the need for research to be “internally valid,” with a preference for randomized control trials like the one I conducted. That research project was well received, both by the political science discipline and the public, but I no longer believe that one-off field experiments are as valuable a tool for studying online behavior as I once did. The problem is that the knowledge they generate decays too rapidly (alternatively, that the realms in which it can be applied are too few) because the object of study changes too rapidly. I have been developing the concept of “temporal validity” as form of “external validity” that is particularly relevant to the study of social media. I suggest two avenues for producing more temporally valid research: (1) faster, more transparent publication (adapting the CS model of conference proceedings); (2) a “hollowing out” of empirical research, replacing medium-scale experimentation like my own work with either purely descriptive work (ethnographic or large-scale) or with massive, collaborative, replicable experimentation.
EFSA’s toxicological assessment of aspartame: was it even-handedly trying to identify possible unreliable positives and unreliable negatives?
Authors: Millstone Erik Paul , Dawson Elisabeth
Published: July 2019

Background

A detailed appraisal is provided of the most recent (December 2013) assessment of the safety and/or toxicity of the artificial sweetener aspartame by the European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food. That appraisal is prefaced with a contextualising chronological account drawn from a documentary archive of the key highlights of the antecedent scientific and policy debates concerning this sweetener from the early 1970s onwards. The appraisal focuses specifically on Section 3.2 of the panel’s review, which is headed ‘Toxicological data of aspartame’.

Methods

The methodology of the appraisal focusses on the extent to which the panel was symmetrically alert to possible false positives and false negatives, which in toxicological terms denote misleading indications of possible toxicity or misleading indications of safety. The methodology involved identifying and tabulating the prima facie indications of each of 154 empirical studies, and then comparing them with the way in which the panel chose to interpret the studies’ findings, by focussing primarily on whether the panel deemed those studies to be reliable or unreliable. If the panel had been even-handed, the criteria for assessing reliability should have been the same for both putative positive and negative studies.

Results

Eighty-one studies were identified that prima facie did not indicate any possible harm, and of those the panel deemed 62 to be reliable and 19 as unreliable. Seventy-three studies were identified that prima facie did indicate possible harm; of those the panel deemed all 73 to be unreliable; none were deemed reliable. A qualitative comparative review of the criteria of appraisal invoked by the panel to judge the reliability of putative negative and positive studies is also provided.

Conclusion

The quantitative result indicate that the panel’s appraisal of the available studies was asymmetrically more alert to putative false positives than to possible false negatives. The qualitative analysis shows that very demanding criteria were used to judge putative positive studies, while far more lax and forgiving criteria were applied to putative negative studies.

Discussion

That quantitative and qualitative patterns are very problematic for a body supposed to prioritise the protection of public health. Given the shortcomings of EFSA’s risk assessment of aspartame, and the shortcomings of all previous official toxicological risk assessments of aspartame, it would be premature to conclude that it is acceptably safe. They also imply that the manner in which EFSA panels operate needs to be scrutinised and reformed.
Does the usual dietary intake of schizophrenia patients require supplementation with vitamins and minerals?
Authors: Stefańska Ewa , Wendołowicz Agnieszka , Lech Magdalena , Konarzewska Beata , Zapolska Joanna , Waszkiewicz Napoleon , Ostrowska Lucyna
Published: July 2019

Cel pracy

Celem pracy była ocena podaży wybranych witamin i składników mineralnych w całodziennych racjach pokarmowych pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii.

Metoda

Badaniami objęto grupę 62 osób (32 kobiety i 30 mężczyzn w wieku 21-64 lata, średni wiek kobiet wynosił 41,3±11,2 lat, a mężczyzn 36,1±9,7 lat) chorujących na schizofrenię. W ocenie ilościowej sposobu żywienia wykorzystano wywiad 24-godzinny zebrany z 3 dni powszednich i jednego dnia weekendowego.

Wyniki

W przeprowadzonych badaniach wykazano, iż pomimo zapewnienia średniej podaży energii wymaganej dla danej grupy wieku i płci, racje pokarmowe pacjentów obu płci cechował niedobór witaminy D, folianów, potasu, wapnia, a także witamin E i C, magnezu u mężczyzn oraz żelaza i jodu u kobiet. Nadmierną zawartość stwierdzono w przypadku witamin B2, B6, sodu, fosforu w racjach pokarmowych pacjentów obu płci oraz witamin A, B1, niacyny w racjach pokarmowych kobiet, a także witaminy B12 w racjach pokarmowych mężczyzn.

Wnioski

Dowolna suplementacja diety pacjentów ze schizofrenią wydaje się niewskazana, ma ona uzasadnienie tylko w indywidualnych przypadkach chorych, u których stwierdzono na podstawie analizy nawyków żywieniowych niedobory w zakresie witamin i składników mineralnych. Niezbędne jest natomiast zapewnienie każdej osobie chorej na schizofrenię odpowiedniej edukacji żywieniowej, która umożliwi im dobór produktów zawierających wszystkie składniki pokarmowe potrzebne do prawidłowego funkcjonowania organizmu, w tym ośrodkowego układu nerwowego.
The assessment of satisfaction of energy demand and of chosen macro – and micro-element content in the daily food rations of women diagnosed with schizophrenia with varied nutritional states
Authors: Stefańska Ewa , Wendołowicz Agnieszka , Konarzewska Beata , Waszkiewicz Napoleon , Ostrowska Lucyna
Published: July 2019

Cel pracy

. Celem pracy była ocena realizacji dobowego zapotrzebowania na energię i wybrane składniki pokarmowe w diecie kobiet z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii w zależności od stopnia odżywienia badanych, ocenianego na podstawie wybranych parametrów antropometrycznych i metabolicznych.

Metoda

Badaniem objęto 102 kobiety (50 z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii i 52 zdrowych ochotniczek). W ocenie ilościowej żywienia wykorzystano 24-godzinny wywiad żywieniowy. W ocenie stanu odżywienia wykorzystano pomiary antropometryczne, biochemiczne i analizę składu ciała.

Wyniki

Racje pokarmowe badanych pacjentek z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii cechowały się istotnie wyższą podażą kwasów tłuszczowych nasyconych oraz niższą witaminy C, B12, folianów i sodu w porównaniu z osobami zdrowymi. Jednocześnie odnotowano, iż racje pokarmowe pacjentek z obu grup dostarczały w zbyt niskiej ilości wielonienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych, witaminy D, folianów, potasu, wapnia, żelaza oraz błonnika pokarmowego. Tłuszczowa masa ciała ogółem kobiet ze schizofrenią korelowała istotnie z podażą nasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych natomiast zawartość tkanki tłuszczowej wisceralnej korelowała znamiennie z podażą węglowodanów, a zawartość tkanki tłuszczowej podskórnej z podażą tłuszczu ogółem i nasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych.

Wnioski

Sposób żywienia kobiet z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii nie odbiegał od żywienia osób zdrowych, aczkolwiek popełniane błędy żywieniowe sugerują aby leczenie żywieniowe pacjentów dobierane było w sposób indywidualny, po przeprowadzeniu szczegółowego wywiadu żywieniowego.
Polish version of the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) – description of the tool
Authors: Mak Monika , Starkowska Anna , Tyburski Ernest , Samochowiec Jerzy
Published: July 2019

Wykrycie choroby na wczesnych jej etapach jest kluczowe, ze względu na możliwość zastosowania interwencji prowadzącej do zwiększenia sukcesu w zakresie podjętego leczenia medycynie wczesne wykrycie choroby bywa kluczowe, ze względu na możliwość zastosowania interwencji jak najwcześniej, co znacznie zwiększa możliwości sukcesu w leczeniu. Profilaktyka jest adresowana do osób z tzw. grup wysokiego ryzyka. Pierwszy epizod psychozy zwykle jest poprzedzany przez rozmaite trudności w funkcjonowaniu codziennym, które ze względu na ze względu na niespecyficzność, intensywność oraz czas trwania trudno uznać za objawy jednoznacznie spełniające kryteria choroby psychicznej wg międzynarodowych klasyfikacji. Zastosowanie wczesnej interwencji np. oddziaływań psychoterapeutycznych zwłaszcza behawioralno – poznawczych (CBT) na tym etapie przypuszczalnie mogłoby zapobiec rozwojowi psychozy, bądź odroczyć jej początek. Identyfikacja potencjalnych odbiorców takiej interwencji jest jednak trudna, zwłaszcza bez odpowiednich narzędzi diagnostycznych. Metodą, która może być pomocna w codziennej praktyce klinicznej jest Ustrukturyzowany Wywiad do Badania Zespołów Ryzyka Psychozy (Structured Interview For Psychosis-Risk Syndromes – SIPS). Jest to częściowo ustrukturyzowany wywiad posiadający wysoką wartość predykcyjną, trafność oraz rzetelność pomiaru. Celem pracy jest prezentacja tłumaczenia narzędzia aktualnie poddawanego procedurze adaptacji do warunków polskiej populacji, która ostatecznie zweryfikuje jego użyteczność w praktyce klinicznej i badawczej.
Psychosis in Borrelia burgdorferi infection – part I: epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of neuroborreliosis
Authors: Brodziński Szymon , Nasierowski Tadeusz
Published: July 2019

Borelioza jest wielonarządową, bakteryjną chorobą odzwierzęcą o zróżnicowanym przebiegu, w toku której mogą występować objawy psychotyczne. Obraz kliniczny choroby jest często niespecyficzny, co utrudnia postawienie trafnej diagnozy. Niecharakterystyczny przebieg boreliozy jest wynikiem rozbudowanych strategii komórkowych, wykorzystywanych przez krętki w celu zainfekowania gospodarza, rozprzestrzeniania się i przetrwania w jego organizmie. Część I artykułu koncentruje się na przedstawieniu aktualnego stanu wiedzy na temat patogenezy boreliozy, w szczególności neuroboreliozy. Ponadto, w zarysie omówiono sytuację epidemiologiczną w Polsce i Europie, a także przedstawiono typowy przebieg i obraz kliniczny boreliozy. Szczególną uwagę poświęcono omówieniu najważniejszych komórkowych mechanizmów patogenetycznych choroby. Przedstawiono proces przedostawania się krętków do organizmu gospodarza oraz rozprzestrzeniania się bakterii w jego obrębie. Omówione zostały najważniejsze strategie unikania odpowiedzi immunologicznej, które, osłabiając reakcję układu odpornościowego, prawdopodobnie stają się przyczyną przewlekłego i niecharakterystycznego przebiegu boreliozy. Ukazano również postulowane molekularne mechanizmy uszkadzania neuronów, które mogą prowadzić do występowania obserwowanych objawów neuroboreliozy. Ponadto pokrótce przedstawiono metody diagnostyczne i terapeutyczne, a także niektóre problemy diagnostyczne, pojawiające się przy rozpoznawaniu neuroboreliozy.
External factors influencing length of stay in forensic services – a European evaluation
Authors: Connell Catriona , Seppänen Allan , Scarpa Franco , Gosek Paweł , Heitzman Janusz , Furtado Vivek
Published: July 2019

Cel pracy

Wyniki badań wskazują, że w wielu krajach europejskich wzrasta liczba pacjentów ośrodków psychiatrii sądowej oraz wydłuża się czas pobytu pacjentów w tych ośrodkach. Psychiatria sądowa funkcjonuje w szczególnych uwarunkowaniach społeczno-kulturowych. Obserwowana tendencja do wydłużania się czasu pobytu pacjentów sądowych nie może być jedynie tłumaczona charakterystyką tej grupy pacjentów. Prezentujemy wyniki pierwszego badania dotyczącego wpływu czynników zewnętrznych na czas pobytu w ośrodkach psychiatrii sądowej.

Metoda

Przedstawiciele 16 krajów europejskich, w ramach projektu COST poświęconego psychiatrii sądowej, używając ustrukturyzowanego narzędzia, dokonali retrospektywnej oceny systemów psychiatrii sądowej. Dane analizowano z zastosowaniem analizy tematycznej.

Wyniki

Zidentyfikowano i opisano cztery grupy czynników wpływających na czas pobytu: rodzaje terapii i opieki, zasoby, rozwiązania prawne i systemowe oraz wymiana doświadczeń.

Wnioski

Wyniki analizy wskazują na potrzebę wielospecjalistycznego podejścia do problemu wydłużania się czasu pobytu pacjentów w ośrodkach sadowych. Konieczne są dalsze badania nad opracowaniem opartych na dowodach naukowych europejskich standardów postępowania, mających na celu poprawę jakości opieki nad pacjentami w grupie ryzyka długoterminowego pobytu (ang. „long-stay”) w ośrodkach psychiatrii sądowej.
Budget Plan to Manage Income and Expenses in College Students: Some Features that Explain It
Authors: Garcia-Santillan Arturo , Zamora-Lobato Teresa , Ramos-Hernandez Jesica J.
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study is to describe the actions taken by college students to face their future retirement. For this, the test designed by the National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Financial Services Users (CONDUSEF) in Mexico was used, which has items related to financial knowledge, specifically topics about savings, emergency funds and life insurance, among others. The instrument was applied to 60 UPAV college students of different levels, during the school cycle of February-August 2018, in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz; it should be noted that the range of age was older than 21 but younger than 23 years old. The descriptive analysis showed results that lead us to believe that students have emergency funds (53%) but these are used to face unexpected situations (59%); also, students do not have life insurance, which could be concerning in their personal and family life if/when they have to face a present or future illness. Regarding car insurance, most of the respondents stated that they do not own one, besides considering it an unnecessary expense. One of the study limitations was the surveyed population; hence the need to widen this research to encompass more students from such geographical area in order to obtain a wider outlook of said behavior.
Evaluation of National Examination (UN) and National-Based School Examination (USBN) in Indonesia
Authors: Rosidin Undang , Herpratiwi Herpratiwi , Suana Wayan , Firdaos Rijal
Published: July 2019

This study was conducted to analyze (a) the suitability of National Examination (UN) and national-based school examination (USBN) implementation, which has been running on the current guidelines and efforts to improve students’ achievements, (b) the final examination system that is relevant in measuring student competency achievement based on graduate competence standard. It employed descriptive quantitative evaluation by using CIPP (context, input, process of implementation and product) evaluation model. Participants included the head of the Education and Culture Department, Ministry of Religion, Principals / Madrasas, teachers, and students. To collect the data, questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and documentaries were undertaken. Additionally, the data analysis technique used quantitative and qualitative descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that (1) implementation of the UN and USBN, which has been ongoing, is in accordance with the standard operating procedure (SOP) that has been established by the board of national education standard (BNSP), (2) implementation of UN and USBN can be used to improve performance (3) the final examination system that is able to measure achievement of graduates' competency on certain subjects nationally by referring to the Graduate Competency Standard is computer-based national examination (UNBK). The concluding remarks are an attempt to contribute to the growth of future research in the field of UN and USBN implementation in Indonesia.
Assessing the Relative Importance of an E-learning system’s Usability Design Characteristics Based on Students' Preferences
Authors: Alshehri Ahmed , Rutter Malcolm , Smith Sally
Published: July 2019

This study considers the interaction between an e-learning system, the Blackboard system, and the students who use it in Saudi Arabia. While previous work exists, there is limited consideration of the assessment of the preferences of e-learning system usability variables based on students’ perspectives, especially in developing countries such as Saudi Arabia. This paper attempts to fill the gap by investigating the relative importance of the design criteria developed for e-learning system usability evaluation from the students’ perspective in Saudi tertiary education. Based on reviewed literature, a set of usability principles was developed that have had an influence in the students’ learning process and use of the e-learning system. The list includes system navigation, system learnability, visual design, information quality, instructional assessment and system interactivity. An exploratory study was carried out to identify the most important usability design characteristics from a student’s perspective and then evaluate the overall usability of the current e-learning system, based on this subset. A quantitative approach was adopted to weigh usability design characteristics, based on 181 learners’ perceptions. The sample consists of undergraduates who are users of a web-based e-learning system in a university in Saudi Arabia. The research instrument was tested for construct validity and reliability. The analysed results have shown that information quality is the most important dimension followed by the navigation of the e-learning system. The study has also revealed that the system learnability and visual design came third and fourth in order of importance of e-learning system usability assessment. Finally, the least important design categories that influenced the e-learning system usability assessment were instructional assessment and system interactivity. The empirical results of this study may help to provide insights for designers and evaluators leading to a more effective approach to improve the usability and uptake of the e-learning system.
Investigating the Academic Motivations and Academic Achievements of Pre-Service Visual Arts Teachers
Authors: Taskesen Selma
Published: July 2019

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the academic motivations and academic achievements of pre-service visual arts teachers in the Division of Art Education in the Department of Fine Arts in the Faculty of Education in terms of some variables. The study group consisted of 127 (79 female/ 48 male) students in the division of art education. As the data collection tool, the “Academic Motivation Scale (AMS)”, developed by Vallerand et al. and then, translated into Turkish for university students by Karaguven, was used to find out the academic motivations of students, and the personal information form was used to get the personal information of students in the study. In the research, in which the relational screening method was used, the descriptive analysis was applied to determine the motivation levels of pre-service visual arts teachers; independent sampling t-test to compare their average scores according to gender; one-way variance analysis to test according to the class variable, and Pearson Correlation test to determine the relationship between their academic motivation and academic achievement. The findings of the study show that the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of pre-service visual arts teachers are at a good level. It was found that the amotivation levels of pre-service visual arts teachers were at a low level. As the average scores according to gender were investigated, the meaningful difference was encountered in favour of female participants for intrinsic motivations. It was found that the intrinsic motivations of females related to the achievement were higher. An increase, from 1st year to 4th years students, was observed in terms of the academic motivation levels of pre-service visual arts teachers according to the class variable. However, no meaningful difference was encountered between the average scores of the students' academic motivations according to the class variable. It was found that the relationship between academic motivation and academic achievement was low.
Gamification as a Tool for Stimulating the Educational Activity of Students of Higher Educational Institutions of Ukraine and the United States
Authors: Zvarych Iryna , Kalaur Svitlana M. , Prymachenko Nataliya M. , Romashchenko Inna V. , Romanyshyna Oksana Ia.
Published: July 2019

This study has experimentally tested how the introduction of simulations, adapting the experience of higher educational institutions of the United States, including the elements of gamification, in the training course Professional Foreign Language stimulates the educational activity of students at higher educational institutions of Ukraine students’ educational activity  through the involvement and creation of activity for constructive competition and cooperation, stimulation of interests and motives, maintaining cognitive attention of students and encouraging feedback. To carry out this research, a script, a methodology for arranging the simulation Coffee Import-Export Procedure was developed. To process the collected statistical information, Covariance-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) software, including two-way ANOVA for Mixed Measures, was used, and the Textalyzer software was used to process the answers of the experimental group’s students to the open-type questions. It was found out, that the simulation model Coffee Import-Export Procedure with elements of gamification develops value-motivational, cognitive and activity-reflective components of educational activity of students, develops self-education skills, which are included in the list of key life and career Skills of the 21st Century, moving the formation of competences of self-education from minor to dominant positions, forms the model of future professional activity of students. The scientific and practical results of this research can be used in the practice of corporate training of company’s personnel, professional training of future specialists in management, international business, organizational psychology, law, etc., as well as for the organization of professional training for people with limited access to higher professional education or for those who needs retraining.
Driving Home Class Status: Women and Car Advertising in the United States
Authors: Parkin Katherine
Published: July 2019

Abstract: American advertisers consistently advanced the aspirational class status of owning cars for women. With imagery ranging from the Cinderella fairy tale to European landmarks, the promise of achieving a high status through the purchase of a car beckoned. A small case study of Cadillac's luxury advertising explores how the company used prestige to attract both women and African Americans and found loyalty. However, their car dealers fundamentally disdained both groups of consumers. This article examines how automotive advertisers encouraged women to strive to boost or maintain their family's class status and shifted their idealized portrayals from women taking drives in the country and playing golf to showcasing women transporting family members to the train station, school, and sporting events. Drawing on research from the Ford archives, popular magazines, and transportation libraries, this article analyzes the tropes advertisers employed to signify the wealth of the car owner.
Masculinities and the Media: An Interview with Activist Jackson Katz
Authors: Katz Jackson , O'Barr William M.
Published: July 2019

Abstract: In this interview, Dr. Jackson Katz reflects on his career and how he has become one of the most prominent activists, speakers, and writers about media's place in defining boyhood, manhood, and masculinities. In addition to telling the story of his career going back to the 1980s and 1990s, Katz provides insights on many important topics: constructions of masculinity; the relationship between media, advertising, and violence; media's role in socializing boys into men; empathy; the need for men to stand up and prevent violence and sexism when they see it; his Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) Program; Gillette's "We Believe" ad campaign; the Super Bowl; recommended readings on masculinities; and advice on how people can make lasting change every day among their spheres of influence. Throughout the interview, Katz calls for more media literacy and a society that expands its narrow understandings of gender and other identity formations. He encourages empathy, equality, and inclusivity for all, which must come from a change in society and culture through better advertising and media representations as well as important conversations that should be had among family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and members of the general public.
Critical Reflexivity: Teaching About Race and Racism in the Advertising Classroom
Authors: Thomas Kevin D. , Jones Naya
Published: July 2019

Abstract: Race is sewn into the very fabric of advertising, yet it remains largely absent from the practice of advertising pedagogy and from scholarship on teaching advertising. Indeed, most students begin their professional career without earnestly considering the significance of race, particularly their own, in relation to how advertising is coordinated, implemented, and received. As consumer markets continue to become more racially diverse, the relationship between race and advertising is sure to evolve—increasing in complexity and nuance. In order for the next generation of advertising practitioners to be adequately prepared for the future that awaits, advertising educators need to deepen their commitment to purposefully exploring race/racism and advertising with students. In this article, we highlight how a focus on critical reflexivity supports meaningful and lasting learning around race, racism, and advertising. Based on co-teaching an advertising and food justice course together since 2012, we outline a critical paradigm and four practices we use to foster critical reflexivity: acknowledging shared inheritance of racism, critical storytelling, deep listening, and kitchen table talk. In closing, we highlight considerations and challenges that often accompany teaching about race and racism, as well as the importance of self-care and debriefing for instructors. Throughout, we offer tools for cultivating a reflexive classroom that engages deeply and directly with issues of race and racism.
Experimental and numerical evaluations of Kirkuk field soil treated with waste shredded tire
Authors: Mohammed Raheem Aram
Published: July 2019

In this study, an experimental and numerical investigation of Kirkuk real field soil treated with waste tire has been examined. Field soil samples from Kirkuk city have been collected and tested experimentally to evaluate the basic soil properties. The field soil has been treated with waste shredded tires and up to 10%. A series of direct shear tests under different normal stresses and unconfined compression tests with two different rates have been performed on both untreated and waste tire treated soils. For the untreated soil, the maximum shear stress measured by the direct shear test increased by 150% when the normal shear stress increased from 50 kPa to 150 kPa. For the 5% and 10% waste tire treated soils, the maximum shear stresses measured by the direct shear test increased by 110% and 105% when the normal stress increased from 50 kPa to 150 kPa respectively. The peak uniaxial stress measured by the unconfined compression test increased by 83% and 98% as the waste tire treatment increased from 0% to 10% for both testing rates of 0.125 mm/min and 0.25 mm/min respectively. Finally, finite element method using three different models represented by elastic, hyperbolic and Mohr-Coulomb elastic-plastic models have been used to model unconfined compression tests for both untreated and 10% waste tire treated soils. For both untreated and waste tire treated soils, the elastic model over predicted the shear stress versus shear strain relationship whereas the elastic-plastic model had a very good agreement with the experimental data. However, the hyperbolic model had a good prediction for the initial part of the shear stress versus shear strain relationship for both untreated and waste tire treated soils with an overestimation for the second part of the experimental data.
A Novel access control model in cloud computing environment (PAR-AC)
Authors: Mahajan Rini , Mahajan Manish , Singh Dheerendra
Published: July 2019

Cloud computing has changed the perspective of information storage worldwide; still it has not fully matured. Security, privacy and access control of the stored data is the biggest concern in the IT industries and these are the major research areas in the field of cloud computing. Although many researchers have proposed variety of access control methods, still there is a scope of improvement. The main objective of this paper is to study the limitations of formerly proposed access control methods and to propose a better new access control method. It is the combination of Attribute based access control (ABAC), Hierarchical Role based access control (HRBAC) and Policy based authentica-tion. As a result we got a fine grained access control method. It also includes the feature of role delegation which is very important in pre-sent scenarios. Comparative analysis shows that proposed method combined many new features with existing access control methods to make the system sound.
Park and ride study at light rapid transit (LRT) stations in Puchong, Malaysia
Authors: GOH Boon Hoe , Han Xiang Phang , Choon Wah Yuen , Byung Gyoo Kang
Published: July 2019

This paper explored the factors influencing commuter’s preferences of using park and ride (PnR), by investigating their travel mode choice behaviour, and assessing the effectiveness of PnR facilities. Binary logistic regression (BLR) was used to develop travel mode choice model which provides insight into commuter’s considerations contributing to the utilisation of PnR facility. Several scenarios were modelled to investigate the effect of policy changes on commuter’s travel mode shift, which could be essential in formulating effective strategy to promote the use of PnR. The results revealed working trip, short travel time (< 15 mins) and medium long travel distance (1–3 km), were the main considerations of commuter using PnR. The significant influencing factors were determined as travel distance from origin to departing station and from arriving distance to destination, trip purpose, frequency of using light rapid transit (LRT), education level and occupation. 3 scenarios were modelled which revealed that provision of parking subsidy, medium travel distance (around 10 km) and medium travel time (around 20 mins) encouraged commuter to use PnR while travelling in group discourage the use of PnR.
Impact of buffer size and TTL on DTN routing protocols in intermittently connected mobile networks
Authors: Sharif Hossen Md. , Masum Billah Md. , Yasmin Suraiya
Published: July 2019

Delay-Tolerant Networks (DTNs) are kinds of networks where there does not exist any complete end-to-end route from source to destination. Such networks can also be referred to as Intermittently Connected Mobile Networks (ICMNs), which are featured by asymmetric data rates, large delay, limited resources and high error rates. In this network, size of buffer and Time-to-Live (TTL) for fixed number of nodes and message generation rates contribute to the network performance because of limited resources and short life span of a packet in the net-work. Therefore, investigating efficient routing for altering TTL and size of buffer is very important for overall network performance. This paper presents a performance analysis based on simulation of the impact of buffer size and TTL for several DTN routing protocols in ICMNs scenario. ONE, i.e., Opportunistic Network Environment is used to simulate the routing protocols considering three performance metrics: delivery ratio, mean latency and overhead ratio. Investigated results mention that Spray-and-Focus (SNF) routing exhibits the best performance for altering TTL and size of buffer than other DTN routing protocols, i.e., Epidemic, PRoPHET, PRoPHETv2, MaxProp, RAPID, and Binary-SNW in the considered performance metrics and simulation scenario.
Interline power flow controller (IPFC) characterization in power systems
Authors: A. Hussein Nabil , A. Eisa Ayamn , M. Mahmoud Hassan , A. Shehata Safy , A. Othman El-Saeed
Published: July 2019

Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) have been proposed in the late 1980s to meet and provide the electrical power system requirements. FACTS are used to control the power flow and to improve the power system stability. Interline power flow controller (IPFC) is a versatile device in the FACTS family of controllers and one of its latest generations which has the ability to simultaneously control the power flow in two or multiple transmission lines. This paper is tackling the IPFC performance in power systems; it aims to discuss the availability to define a known scenario for the IPFC performance in different systems. An introduction supported with brief review on IPFC, IPFC principle of operation and IPFC mathematical model are also introduced. IEEE 14-bus and 30-bus systems have chosen as a test power systems to support the behavior study of power system equipped with IPFC device. Three different locations have chosen to give variety of system configurations to give effective performance analysis.
Power Tracing Monitoring incorporating Optimal Reactive Power Dispatch
Authors: Fikri Ruslan Nabil , Musirin Ismail , Khairuzzaman Mohamad Zamani Mohamad , Murtadha Othman Muhammad , Abdul Hamid Zulkiffli , Abadi Baharuddin Zikri , Azura Md Ghani Nor
Published: July 2019

General power flow studies do not manage to trace the contributors by generators on power losses in the whole power transmission system. Thus, power tracing approach is utilized to address this issue. Power tracing is a termed used to describe the contributors for the power losses dissipated on the transmission line. The traditional technique made use the knowledge of circuit analysis such as cut set theory. However, there was no element of optimization which can help to achieve the optimal solution. This paper presents the power tracing monitoring during voltage stability improvement process, implemented by optimal reactive power dispatch. In this study, the impact of power tracing on voltage stability variation was investigated. Evolutionary Programming (EP) was developed and utilized to incorporate power tracing, along with voltage stability improvement. A pre-developed scalar voltage stability index was incorporated to indicate the voltage stability condition. On the other hand, the voltage stability initiative was conducted via the optimal reactive power dispatch. The power tracing was monitored for both; the pre-optimization and post-optimization scenarios. Small system model was tested to realize the power tracing phenomenon, which is rather rare study in power system community. Results on power tracing obtained during the pre- and post-optimal reactive power dispatch revealed that not all generators will involve in the contribution on the total transmission loss in the system. This can be beneficial to power system operators for allocating the cost without discrimination in the long run.
A Review of Kinect Computing Research in Education and Rehabilitation
Authors: Reisi Dehkordi Sara , Ismail Marina , Mat Diah Norizan
Published: July 2019

Recently Kinect technology device and its benefit in treatment approach are rapidly growing domain of interestingness for researchers and educators. For years, the games and applications, except their entertaining aspect, have discovered an educational and rehabilitation character. In recent years, gesture-based devices have evolved and attracted the attention of researchers, and thus to Microsoft Kinect Xbox. Already, many institutions worldwide use the Kinect to the learning or rehabilitation process. This paper indicates a review of articles to provide a preliminary reconsideration on Microsoft’s Kinect for the Xbox 360. The 16 researches were reviewed in this study are in the filed of education or rehabilitation implemented to users with special needs. The distribution and reviews in the study were research methods, domain of research, learning content, and intended settings of the kinect system. The outcome of this study is the possible uses and limitations of kinect for education and rehabilitation.
Mind mapping Approach in Learning History
Authors: Dhiyauddin Akmal , Ahmad Suzana , Ismail Marina , Mat Diah Norizan
Published: July 2019

Currently, most Malaysian teenagers know very little about Islamic history and its civilizations.  Although Islamic history and civilizations are covered briefly in Malaysian school syllabus, appreciation towards the subject is very little.  This is because of traditional approach of learning Islamic history does not appealing enough for the students to enjoy and understand the subject matter.  The capability of new powerful multimedia tools have enable an improved applications to be developed in order to facilitate a better teaching and learning environment.  Nevertheless, anticipation of mental abilities is also significant to engage a better learning process.  Due to this matter, a ‘Mind Mapping’ approach along with the theoretical foundations of teaching and learning tasks are studied and adapted in the Islamic History courseware development. The developed courseware was tested with (n=10) for its effectiveness and user experience.  The outcome yielded positive results based on the unique and interesting design.