bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gifted and Talented School Activities for Students With Special Educational Needs Through Drama Therapy
Authors: Wu Jiaojiao , Vomočilová Jana
Published: October 2019

This chapter checks the background, brief history, theoretical base of drama therapy in the beginning, followed by introduction of the developmental process and seven stages of drama therapy. An example of evidence-based practice of drama therapy for a group of students with special educational needs in a wide range of settings and ended with a list of gifted and talented school activities was illustrated in the subsection of the main focus of the chapter. This heterogenous group included students with learning disability, intellectual and developmental disability, autistic spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and Down's syndrome. Research findings indicate that gifted and talented school activities through drama therapy has been especially effective with their verbal and non-verbal expression, social skills using, efficient communication, cooperation, self-confidence, and flexibility.
Computer-Driven Technologies for Effective Teaching in K-12 Classrooms in Nigeria
Authors: Olurinola Oluwakemi
Published: October 2019

The world is changing and so is the educational sector. The major driver of this change is technological advancements, so it is imperative that educators investigate ways to prepare students to fit into the 21st century technology-driven workforce by adopting digital alternatives to the pens and books that still dominate present-day classroom resources, especially in developing countries. This chapter discusses the importance of computer-driven technologies in teaching. In doing so, this chapter highlights the present situation of technology integration in schools in Nigeria and the challenges teachers face in their use of classroom technologies. It is the author's opinion that teachers have a responsibility to pursue personal professional development in addition to whatever kind of training provided on the job. This chapter intends to help educators learn how to leverage free digital tools to support and meet the needs of diverse learners in the classroom.
Assistive Technology and Best Practices
Authors: Orr Betsy
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this chapter is to provide knowledge for classroom teachers on the assistive technology tools that are available for students with learning disabilities. A secondary focus is to identify the best practices commonly used by classroom teachers when teaching students with disabilities. Various technology tools and best practices are discussed. A survey was distributed to elementary and secondary classroom teachers seeking input on the assistive technology tools and best practices used in the classroom. Further discussion of the assistive technology tools and best practices provide content for the practicing teacher to enhance his/her teaching skills when teaching students with learning disabilities.
Beyond Retreat and Rebellion
Authors: Loyless Stacey D. , Shaw Erin C.
Published: October 2019

This chapter reviews the literature to build a representation of what needs to occur for educational transformation to occur to meet the student engagement needs of 21st century learners. Effective technology integration is one of the focuses of the chapter as is a need to design professional development to provide a framework to meet technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) to truly affect student learning. It represents a full understanding of how to teach with technology- especially how to teach concepts in a way that enhances student learning experiences. The authors of this chapter introduce the rationale for a need to focus on instructional design of technology integration to enhance student engagement. The premise is to use technology to drive K-12 educator professional development which will build a capacity for instructional experiences to improve student dispositions.
Elementary Students as Digital Makers
Authors: Sun Yan , Okojie Mabel C. P. O. , Yu Wei-Chieh Wayne , Boulder Tinukwa C.
Published: October 2019

The solution to the nation's shortage in STEM workers begins in elementary schools. However, elementary teachers are not well prepared to teach STEM, and they lack the knowledge and competency to inspire students early on in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computational thinking (STEM+C). Consequently, elementary students' wellbeing in STEM+C learning is negatively affected. Preparing elementary teachers for teaching STEM+C with digital making is suggested in this chapter as a means to improve elementary teachers' STEM+C teaching competency and to improve elementary students' wellbeing in STEM+C learning. This chapter also proposes and discusses related approach, framework, and pedagogy to illustrate how elementary teachers can teach STEM+C effectively by engaging elementary students as digital makers. Suggestions for future research are also discussed in this chapter.
Interpretation and Reconstruction of Environment, Aesthetics, and Politics in Japan
Authors: Merviö Mika Markus
Published: October 2019

The tradition of Japanese thinking on environment has developed in close interaction with both Asian and Western influences. However, Japanese society has constantly created new ideas and representations of reality that reflect the actual environment and changes in society. This chapter analyses the continued transformation of Japanese society and ideological constructions especially in the areas of environment and aesthetics. In particular, it is worthwhile to analyse the changing relationship to environment as it is depicted in Japanese art and thought. However, artistic expression is also vulnerable to the ideological construction of past and present, and, as always with expression, ideas and depiction of ideas do not only stem directly from reality, such as physical nature, or experiences of people, but may also be part of a political or ideological agenda to reconstruct the past or present.
Socio-Cultural Barriers of Female Ex-Combatants' Social Re-Integration in Sri Lanka
Authors: Takamatsu Kana
Published: October 2019

This chapter identifies the post-conflict social barriers to the social reintegration of female ex-combatants. This study refers to the case of Sri Lanka concerning the conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that ended in 2009. During the conflict, the LTTE actively recruited female combatants, and women consisted of a significant number of the entire LTTE combatants. However, after the end of the conflict and even today, many of them are rejected by the community. First of all, the LTTE was fighting for Tamil's independence, but Tamil's community has expressed mixed opinions toward the LTTE. Second, female ex-combatants were then and are now a divergence from the gender norms of their society. Third, from their roles in the conflict, female ex-combatants experienced an indelible change in their ideas through the conflict and observed themselves as capable of being independent women. Consequently, they felt a high level of resistance to returning to traditional gender roles.
Tackling the Multi-Objective Vehicle Routing Problem With Uncertain Demands
Authors: Aïder Méziane , Skoudarli Asma
Published: October 2019

In this article, the single capacitated vehicle routing problem with time windows and uncertain demands is studied. Having a set of customers whose actual demand is not known in advance, needs to be serviced. The goal of the problem is to find a set of routes with the lowest total travel distance and tardiness time, subject to vehicle capacity and time window constraints. Two uncertainty types can be distinguished in the literature: random and epistemic uncertainties. Because several studies focalized upon the random aspect of uncertainty, the article proposes to tackle the problem by considering dominance relations to handle epistemic uncertainty in the objective functions. Further, an epistemic multi-objective local search-based approach is proposed for studying the behavior of such a representation of demands on benchmark instances generated following a standard generator available in the literature. Finally, the results achieved by the proposed method using epistemic representation are compared to those reached by a deterministic version. Encouraging results have been obtained.
Application of Hybrid Petri Nets for the Energy Dispatching of an Isolated Micro-Grid
Authors: Fendri Dalia , Chaabene Maher
Published: October 2019

Renewable energy-based autonomous installations sometimes have an energy deficiency or excess caused by the intermittence of renewable sources and the dynamics of the load. Storage systems are unable to cover load supply during long weather instability. In case of neighboring autonomous installations, some have a lack of energy while neighbors have overproduction. Hence, interconnecting installations via a micro-grid (MG) should allow supply installations experiencing an energy lack by sending them energy surplus from others. This article presents a Hybrid Petri Net (HPN) strategy for a micro-grid energy provider in order to make hourly decisions on dispatching energy between the connected installations. An HPN model combines discrete events (house energy state) and continuous events (energy flow) to cover the need of some installations by energy surplus offered by its neighbours. The algorithm has been validated for three connected houses with different load profiles. Results show that installations cover each other in energy without the need to refer to their batteries in case of a lack of energy.
Strategical Use of ICT in Microenterprises
Authors: Sandberg Karl W. , Håkansson Fredrik
Published: October 2019

Studies have shown that microenterprises need to work with strategic use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) if they want to survive and grow. Digitalization and the use of ICTs open new opportunities for microenterprises to improve their businesses. The present article seeks to examine the use of ICTs in 61 microenterprises. A case study was conducted to investigate these microenterprises. The results of the study show that microenterprises need to work more strategically to use more advanced and cheaper ICT solutions and better business models to compete in the local and global markets.
ICT Uses and Innovation Types
Authors: Sedkaoui Soraya , Moualdi Salim
Published: October 2019

ICTs play an essential role in the development of organizations' innovation level both for large organizations and SMEs and improve their competitiveness. However, there is a lack of empirical studies of the impact of ICTs in Algeria and especially their effect on innovation. That is why this empirical studies are of interest of the relationship between innovation and ICT focusing on how the evolution of ICTs empowering different types of innovation. The study validates a conceptual framework extending existing literature to analyze this impact using a quantitative approach, in which data is collected based on the survey strategy to address the different level of the study. Statistical tools were used to analyze the collected data. Correlation and factor analysis research results indicate that ICTs have a significant impact on the different types of innovation. This study also provides some implication, limitations, and suggestions for further research.
Employer Branding Practices Amongst the Most Attractive Employers of IT and Engineering Sector
Authors: Gregorka Lea , Silva Susana , Silva Cândida
Published: October 2019

Employer branding is a marketing strategy that helps employers stay competitive in their markets. Although it is a concept used for over 20 years, its process and consequences have not yet been fully scrutinized. This study characterizes the employer branding implementation and the employers' perspective on it. By conducting ten semi-structured, in-depth interviews, the authors examine not only how employer branding practices have been applied, but also the role of human resources management in the process and used employee attraction and retention practices. The results suggest that although the employer branding process is not clearly structured, some stages can be identified as common. For that reason, the authors outline a stage divided framework and analyse each one of the identified stages. Furthermore, practical insights are provided about the company's departments roles and link them to the current state of the art. Finally, the authors suggest future investigation in particular stages of employer branding.
A Framework for Ranking Hospitals Based on Customer Perception Using Rough Set and Soft Set Techniques
Authors: Mohapatro Arati , Mahendran S.K. , Das T. K.
Published: October 2019

Hospital ranking is a cumbersome task, as it involves dealing with a large volume of underlying data. Rankings are usually accomplished by comparing different dimensions of quality and services. Even the quality care measurement of a hospital is multi-dimensional: It includes the experience of both clinical care and patient care. In this research, however, the authors focus on ratings based only on customer perception. A framework which consists of two stages—Stage I and Stage II—is designed. In the first stage, the model uses a rough set in a fuzzy approximation space (RSFAS) technique to classify the data; whereas in the second stage, a fuzzy soft set (FSS) technique is employed to generate the rating score. The model is employed for comparing USA hospitals by region using annual HCAHPS survey data. This article shows how ranking of the healthcare institutions can be carried out using the RSFAS (rough set in a fuzzy approximation space) and fuzzy soft set techniques.
Factors Affecting the Use of ICT Services in Ethiopia
Authors: Gemiya Addisalem Genta
Published: October 2019

ICT is used to enhance the overall activities of individuals, administrative processes of businesses and various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Despite its advantage in all aspects of development, it has drawn low attention in expanding the services in general and utilizing the technology in particular. Therefore, this study was aimed to explore the main factors that affected the usage of ICT in Illubabor zone, Ethiopia. A descriptive cross-sectional study design with quantitative and qualitative data collection method was carried out. The data was collected from 195 samples by using structured questionnaires and observations by employing simple random and purposive sampling techniques. SPSS version 16 was used for data analysis. The study confirmed that lack of computer skill training for staff and lack of sufficient budget for the provision of ICT are the major bottlenecks in expanding ICT service in the zone. Major emphasis should be given in enhancing the awareness of government employees to make use of ICT services in their daily official work.
Enhancing Innovation Adoption to Boost SMEs Performance
Authors: Baporikar Neeta , Shikokola Sigried
Published: October 2019

SMEs contribute to economic growth, employment and thereby reduce poverty. Hence, they are considered as an engine of growth, especially in the developing countries like Namibia. The other reason is they aid promotion of entrepreneurship, innovative activities enhance competition, productivity and economic growth. Adopting a qualitative approach, this study investigated the influence of innovation on SME performance and how enhancing innovation adoption will boost SMEs performance in the Khomas Region, Namibia. Primary data was collected through open and closed-ended questionnaire, distributed to 20 SME owners by means of purposive sampling method and content analysis done. Findings reflect that innovation is an important element of every organization as it had major influence on performance. Besides, innovative enterprises showed better growth. The recommendations include that the Government of Namibia consider strong financial and mentor-ship support through strategic measures, like business incubators so as to augment and sustain SMEs positive performance.
Conceptual Framework for Collaborative Open Innovation With a Startup Ecosystem
Authors: Peter Lukas M , Back Andrea , Werro Tina
Published: October 2019

Collaboration and the startup ecosystem have become key elements within the discourse pertaining to open innovation processes in big corporations and startups alike. Even though the practice and academic use of such terms to describe these forms of collaboration with startup ecosystems has increased over the last five years, little research has been done to precisely define their meaning and characteristics within the context of open innovation. The purpose of this article is to investigate these terms, as well as to examine how they differ from related and often-interchanged concepts. By means of a systematic literature review, these definitions are derived, and a foundation for theoretical knowledge is provided. These definitions are expected to facilitate a consensus in the understanding and usage of these terms among academics and professionals.
Student Reflections and Self-Assessments in Vocational Training Supported by a Mobile Learning Hub
Authors: Amhag Lisbeth
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study is to contribute knowledge about what characterizes students' capabilities to reflect on and self-assess their professional development during four school based vocational training courses in distance higher education. What abilities and challenges appear in their written reflections and self-assessments with critical incidents about a situation, incident, or issue in their log journals, as well as in their discussions online. face-to-face (F2F), supported by a mobile learning hub (MLH) with both mobile and blended activities? Theoretically, the study is based on five major levels of reflection: reporting, responding, relating, reasoning and reconstructing. The results from a group of students' representative excerpts demonstrates the importance of letting student teachers have agency and mediate their subjective experiences during practical vocational training in progression, supported by mobile and blended tools, to understand and make sense of experience in relation to self, others, and contextual conditions for personal and professional learning.
Using WhatsApp for Teaching a Course on the Education Profession
Authors: Suardika I Ketut , Alberth  , Mursalim  , Siam  , Suhartini Lelly , Pasassung Nikolaus
Published: October 2019

Social media has gained popularity in the realm of education. However, little research has examined empirically the extent to which students interacting using social media experience a different level of social presence, sense of community and perceived learning compared to those interacting face-to-face. As many as 100 students who were taking a course on Education Profession at the Department of Primary School Teacher Education at Halu Oleo University were recruited for this study. The students were randomly divided into two groups: Group one attended conventional face-to-face classroom instruction over the course of seven weeks and Group two used WhatsApp for learning. Questionnaires measuring social presence, sense of community and perceived learning were pre- and post-tested, followed immediately by interviews. The WhatsApp group reported a stronger sense of community, but both groups experienced an equal level of social presence and perceived learning. Reported benefits of WhatsApp far outnumbered its drawbacks.
Teaching Design and Practice of a Project-Based Blended Learning Model
Authors: Tong Yanrong , Kinshuk  , Wei Xuefeng
Published: October 2019

Project-based learning (PBL) and Blended Learning (BL) have been widely used in universities. There are some empirical teaching researches on PBL in the BL environment for some specific courses, but for the combination of PBL and BL, there is as yet no universal teaching model. This article puts forward a new universal teaching mode: Project-Based Blended Learning (PBBL) and describes a teaching experiment in applying PBBL. Firstly, the design idea of PBBL is discussed. Secondly, taking a course on Single Chip Microcomputers (SCM) as an example, the strategies of selecting, designing and controlling the core teaching elements are given, and the complete implementation plan and concrete methods are described. The teaching case shows that the PBBL gives full play to the advantages of BL and PBL, and can effectively improve students' abilities of self-learning, practical application and innovation.
Towards a Conceptual Framework Highlighting Mobile Learning Challenges
Authors: Benali Mourad , Ally Mohamed
Published: October 2019

Over the last decade, there has been much interest in mobile technologies in teaching and learning as emerging and innovative tools. Despite this focus, mobile learning (m-Learning) implementation is facing many challenges. This study presents a tentative conceptual framework that consolidates existing research related to mobile learning implementation barriers. The study adopted a systematic review of the literature on challenges to mobile learning. A total of 125 papers published between 2007 and 2017 were extracted from established peer reviewed journals. A qualitative content analysis was used to define 24 barriers that have been grouped into four conceptual categories: Technological, Learner, Pedagogical and Facilitating Conditions. The proposed framework acts as guide for educators, systems developers, policy makers, researchers and stakeholders interested in implementing mobile learning programs.
QSAR-Models, Validation, and IIC-Paradox for Drug Toxicity
Authors: Toropova Alla P. , Toropov Andrey A. , Benfenati Emilio
Published: October 2019

Three kinds of drug toxicities are examined in this modeling analysis. These are: (i) toxicity of psychotropic drugs; (ii) cardiac toxicity; and (iii) drug carcinogenicity. Predictive models for the toxicity data are built up by the Monte Carlo technique. The simplified molecular input-line entry system (SMILES) is used for the representation of the molecular structure. Quantitative structure – activity relationships (QSAR) developed here are mathematical functions of corresponding SMILES. The index of ideality of correlation was tested as a tool to improve predictive potential of these models.
Automatic Human Emotion Classification in Web Document Using Fuzzy Inference System (FIS)
Authors: Shakeel P Mohamed , Baskar S
Published: October 2019

Textual information mining deals with various information extraction methods that can be evolved from the rapid growth of textual information through human machine interface for analyzing emotions which are taken by a facial expression. The problem of emotions in text is concerned with the fast development of web 2.0 documents that are assigned by users with emotion labels, namely: sadness, surprise, happiness, empathy, anger, warmness, boredom, and amusement. Such emotions can give a new characteristic for document categorization. Textual information mining deals with various information extraction methods that can evolved from the rapid growth of textual information through a human machine interface for analyzing emotions, which are taken by a facial expression. The problem of emotions from text is concerned with the fast development of web 2.0 documents that are assigned by users with emotion labels. Such emotions can give a new characteristic for document categorization.
Comparison of Students Using Electronic Learning Website of the University of South Africa
Authors: Maboe Motlhabane Jacobus
Published: October 2019

It is almost impossible to perform academic activities, such as accessing study material or contacting lecturers and other teaching and learning processes, at an open distance learning institution without the use of computers and the internet. This article investigates and reports on the time taken by students with and without disabilities to complete certain tasks using the University of South Africa's learning management systems (LMS). The findings of the study indicate that the time taken by students with disabilities to finish tasks is much longer compared to the students without disabilities. The study established that well-developed e-learning platforms guarantee efficient and effective use by both students with and without disabilities. The study suggests that it is significant for all LMS stakeholders to be involved in the development of e-learning websites. This is to ensure that accessibility and usability of these websites are adhered to during the development of e-learning websites.
Development of a Computer Package on Organic Chemistry for Colleges of Education Students in Nigeria
Authors: Akpokiere Roseline , Oyelekan Oloyede Solomon , Olorundare Adekunle Solomon
Published: October 2019

The low achievement of chemistry students in Nigerian Colleges of Education has been attributed to a number of factors including a lack of indigenous computer software for enhancing course teaching. This study therefore sought to develop and validate an instructional computer package on organic chemistry for Colleges of Education in Nigeria. The development of the package involved the use of Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Time Line and Frames on HTML platform. CorelDraw and Microsoft Word programs were used for texts and graphics, Macromedia Fireworks was used for some texts, buttons, and graphics, while Macromedia Flash was utilised for animations. In the end, an organic chemistry computer instructional package (OCIP) has been produced and validated. It is recommended among others that lecturers teaching organic chemistry to first year College of Education students should make use of the developed package to improve the understanding of the course by the students.
Motivação de alunos de graduação em Ciências Contábeis ao longo do curso
Authors: Souza Zeila Abdala de Sá e , Miranda Gilberto José
Published: October 2019

O objetivo geral desta pesquisa é verificar se os alunos do curso de Ciências Contábeis de uma universidade pública apresentam mudanças significativas nos níveis de motivação durante o curso à luz da Teoria da Autodeterminação. A amostra foi composta por 91 estudantes que participaram da pesquisa entre os anos de 2014 e 2016 de uma universidade pública brasileira. Inicialmente, por meio da análise fatorial exploratória, foram identificados os fatores relativos aos tipos motivacionais. Posteriormente, foram calculados os escores médios dos estudantes, os quais foram comparados por meio do teste Wilcoxon nos dois momentos. Por fim, foram analisadas diferenças entre as médias dos escores fatoriais por meio do teste Mann-Whitney U para as variáveis demográficas (turno, gênero, vínculo ao mercado de trabalho e participação em atividades acadêmicas). Os resultados demonstraram que os fatores relativos à motivação extrínseca por regulação externa e relativos à desmotivação apresentaram diferenças significativas entre as médias nos dois momentos investigados. Esses resultados são preocupantes, pois o aumento da desmotivação pode ter reflexos no rendimento acadêmico e nas taxas de evasão do curso. Assim, sugere-se que possíveis estratégias de manutenção ou aumento dos níveis motivacionais dos alunos ao longo do curso sejam investigadas.
Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor-δ Acts within Peripheral Myeloid Cells to Limit Th Cell Priming during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Drohomyrecky Paulina C. , Doroshenko Ellinore R. , Akkermann Rainer , Moshkova Marina , Yi Tae Joon , Zhao Fei L. , Ahn Jeeyoon Jennifer , McGaha Tracy L. , Pahan Kalipada , Dunn Shannon E.
Published: October 2019

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-δ is a fatty acid–activated transcription factor that regulates metabolic homeostasis, cell growth, and differentiation. Previously, we reported that mice with a global deficiency of PPAR-δ develop an exacerbated course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), highlighting a role for this nuclear receptor in limiting the development of CNS inflammation. However, the cell-specific contribution of PPAR-δ to the more severe CNS inflammatory response remained unclear. In this study, we studied the specific involvement of PPAR-δ in myeloid cells during EAE using mice that had Cre-mediated excision of floxed Ppard driven by the lysozyme M (LysM) promoter (LysMCre:Ppardfl/fl). We observed that LysMCre:Ppardfl/fl mice were more susceptible to EAE and developed a more severe course of this disease compared with Ppardfl/fl controls. The more severe EAE in LysMCre:Ppardfl/fl mice was associated with an increased accumulation of pathogenic CD4+ T cells in the CNS and enhanced myelin-specific Th1 and Th17 responses in the periphery. Adoptive transfer EAE studies linked this EAE phenotype in LysMCre:Ppardfl/fl mice to heightened Th responses. Furthermore, studies using an in vitro CD11b+ cell:Th cell coculture system revealed that CD11b+CD11c+ dendritic cells (DC) from LysMCre:Ppardfl/fl mice had a heightened capacity to prime myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)–specific Th cells compared with Ppardfl/fl counterparts; the effects of DC on Th1 cytokine production were mediated through production of the IL-12p40 homodimer. These studies revealed a role for PPAR-δ in DC in limiting Th cell priming during EAE.
RelB Deficiency in Dendritic Cells Protects from Autoimmune Inflammation Due to Spontaneous Accumulation of Tissue T Regulatory Cells
Authors: Andreas Nico , Potthast Maria , Geiselhöringer Anna-Lena , Garg Garima , de Jong Renske , Riewaldt Julia , Russkamp Dennis , Riemann Marc , Girard Jean-Philippe , Blank Simon , Kretschmer Karsten , Schmidt-Weber Carsten , Korn Thomas , Weih Falk , Ohnmacht Caspar
Published: October 2019

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells are well-known immune suppressor cells in various settings. In this study, we provide evidence that knockout of the relB gene in dendritic cells (DCs) of C57BL/6 mice results in a spontaneous and systemic accumulation of Foxp3+ T regulatory T cells (Tregs) partially at the expense of microbiota-reactive Tregs. Deletion of nfkb2 does not fully recapitulate this phenotype, indicating that alternative NF-κB activation via the RelB/p52 complex is not solely responsible for Treg accumulation. Deletion of RelB in DCs further results in an impaired oral tolerance induction and a marked type 2 immune bias among accumulated Foxp3+ Tregs reminiscent of a tissue Treg signature. Tissue Tregs were fully functional, expanded independently of IL-33, and led to an almost complete Treg-dependent protection from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Thus, we provide clear evidence that RelB-dependent pathways regulate the capacity of DCs to quantitatively and qualitatively impact on Treg biology and constitute an attractive target for treatment of autoimmune diseases but may come at risk for reduced immune tolerance in the intestinal tract.
γδ T Cell–Secreted XCL1 Mediates Anti-CD3–Induced Oral Tolerance
Authors: Rezende Rafael M. , Nakagaki Brenda N. , Moreira Thais G. , Lopes Juliana R. , Kuhn Chantal , Tatematsu Bruna K. , Boulenouar Selma , Maghzi Amir-Hadi , Rubino Stephen , Menezes Gustavo B. , Chitnis Tanuja , Weiner Howard L.
Published: October 2019

Oral tolerance is defined as the specific suppression of cellular and/or humoral immune responses to an Ag by prior administration of the Ag through the oral route. Although the investigation of oral tolerance has classically involved Ag feeding, we have found that oral administration of anti-CD3 mAb induced tolerance through regulatory T (Treg) cell generation. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect remain unknown. In this study, we show that conventional but not plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) are required for anti-CD3–induced oral tolerance. Moreover, oral anti-CD3 promotes XCL1 secretion by small intestine lamina propria γδ T cells that, in turn, induces tolerogenic XCR1+ DC migration to the mesenteric lymph node, where Treg cells are induced and oral tolerance is established. Consistent with this, TCRδ−/− mice did not develop oral tolerance upon oral administration of anti-CD3. However, XCL1 was not required for oral tolerance induced by fed Ags, indicating that a different mechanism underlies this effect. Accordingly, oral administration of anti-CD3 enhanced oral tolerance induced by fed MOG35–55 peptide, resulting in less severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which was associated with decreased inflammatory immune cell infiltration in the CNS and increased Treg cells in the spleen. Thus, Treg cell induction by oral anti-CD3 is a consequence of the cross-talk between γδ T cells and tolerogenic DCs in the gut. Furthermore, anti-CD3 may serve as an adjuvant to enhance oral tolerance to fed Ags.
The comparative analysis of the three dilatation techniques in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: Which one is safer?
Authors: Sahin Aytac , Uruc Fatih
Published: October 2019

Objectives: Introduction of the “access sheet” is one of the most important steps steps of the percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) intervention. In creating the access tract, various dilatators (balloon, metal) are used and different need-based dilatation tools were developed. In this study, we aimed to compare the mechanical Amplatz dilatation (AD), balloon dilatation (BD) and one-shot dilatation (OSD) methods in a retrospective manner.Methods: A total of 182 patients (127 males and 55 females), who underwent PNL surgery in Urology Department of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Research and Training Hospital between January 2016 and September 2018, were included in this study. Results: The average age was 47.34 ± 12.68 years (age range 15-80) and average BMI was 27.15 ± 5.01 kg/m2 (range between 17.12 and 40.75 kg/m2). There was a prominent difference in terms of operation duration (p = 0.032). Meaningful difference was found among the groups in terms of dilation fluoroscopy time (p = 0.001), with a notable shorter time in OSD group than the others (p < 0.05). Beside this, there was no difference between the AD and BD groups in terms of fluoroscopy times (p > 0.05). Also, there was no difference among the groups by Clavien complication rate (p > 0.05). There was a prominent difference among the groups in terms of hemoglobin decrement (p = 0.012; p < 0.05). The hemoglobin decrease in OSD group was significantly lower than in AD and BD groups (p < 0.05; p < 0.01). On the contrary, there was no meaningful difference between AD and BD groups with this regard (p > 0.05). Conclusions: As a result, we have concluded that the use of OSD modality in PNL interventions could be superior to other methods with respect to its feasibility, cost-effectiveness, shorter radiation exposure / fluoroscopy time and it could be a preferable way of treatment especially in developing countries.
Transurethral endoscopic approach for large bladder diverticula: Evaluation of a large series
Authors: Pacella Mauro , Testino Nicolo' , Mantica Guglielmo , Valcalda Matteo , Malinaric Rafaela , Terrone Carlo
Published: October 2019

Objective: To present the results of the largest series of patients with bladder diverticula > 4 cm managed with an endoscopic approach and give tips about the execution of the procedure. Materials and methods: Data of male patients undergone the endoscopic approach for an acquired bladder diverticula > 4 cm from December 2004 to August 2018 were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. The description of the monopolar and bipolar techniques are provided. The success of the procedure was defined as the reduction of the diverticula for more of the 80% of its initial diameter documented at the 3- months follow-up imaging. Continuous variables with nonparametric distribution were compared using the Mann-Whitney test, while frequencies of categorical variables were compared between groups by Fisher’s exact test with significance level set at 0.05. Results: Thirty-nine patients with a mean (+/- SD) age at surgery of 69.4 ± 8.8 years were enrolled, for an equal number of diverticula managed. The mean diverticular size was 75.1 ± 24.5 millimeters. The mean operative time was 65 ± 21.9 minutes including the prostate surgery. Twelve patients (30.8%) were managed with bipolar energy, the others with monopolar. The success of the procedure was achieved in 30 patients (76.9% - 7 bipolar and 23 monopolar - p = 0.66). Conclusions: The endoscopic approach might be considered as a useful option for patients with a large bladder diverticulum who are at risk for major or laparoscopic procedure.
How much do people know about male sexual problems? A survey in a selected population sample
Authors: Pescatori Edoardo S. , Baldini Anna , Parazzini Fabio , Ghidini Nicola , Briganti Giovanni L.
Published: October 2019

Objectives: Our purpose has been to investigate by an ad hoc questionnaire the knowledge of several aspects of male sexual dysfunction in a significant sample of men and women (largely not physicians) attending an International Health Care Exhibition, held in Italy. Materials and methods: The survey took place during Exposanità, 2018 edition, aimed at medical and non-medical professionals. We devised as investigation tool an ad hoc anonymous questionnaire in two versions, one for each sex. Object of this report are questions addressing subject’s knowledge of prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED), ED causes, ED as early sign of coronary heart disease/myocardial infarction, available ED treatments and attitudes towards penile prosthesis, and reimbursement of ED treatments. Results: As many as 1094 Convention attendees (495 men, 599 women) participated to the survey (about 4% of total attendees). Mean sample age was 40.5 years in men and 39.9 years in women. Forty-three percent of the sample worked in healthrelated professions, 5.9% being physicians. Respondents globally over-estimated the prevalence of ED. Both responding men and women rated psychologic and lifestyle factors as the most frequent ED causes. The majority of responders did not regard ED as a possible predictor of cardiovascular events. Oral pills resulted the most known ED treatment by both men (77.2%) and women (79.1%). Psychotherapy ranked as the second most known treatment approach. Other effective ED treatments (intracavernosal injections, vacuum erection device, penile prostheses) were known by a minority of men (22.2-27.9%) and women (19.2-20.2%). Roughly half of the sample (50.7% of men and 48.4% of women) were willing to choose (men) or to support (women) the penile prosthesis option in cases of severe ED; majority of both sexes (71.3% of men and 76.3% of women) expressed no resistances to the perspective of penile prosthesis use. Vast majority of men (80.3%) and women (80.4%) considered that coverage for ED treatments should be provided by the National Health System.Conclusions: The outcomes of our survey show both an elevated prevalence of misconceptions on the role of organic factors in the etiology of ED, and ignorance of the implications of ED on cardiovascular health. Knowledge of available second level ED treatments resulted scanty. Nonetheless, when confronted with the most aggressive treatment, penile prosthesis, majority of both genders responders would undergo/support this surgery, should it be the only way to solve the erectile problem. In this perspective, population appears ready and overall keen to a treatment option that too often is not addressed by majority of the medical community when counseling men with severe ED not responsive to conservative approach.
Matrix characterization of multidimensional subshifts of finite type
Authors: Sharma Puneet , Kumar Dileep
Published: October 2019

Let X ⊂ AZd be a 2-dimensional subshift of finite type. We prove that any 2-dimensional subshift of finite type can be characterized by a square matrix of infinite dimension. We extend our result to a general d-dimensional case. We prove that the multidimensional shift space is non-empty if and only if the matrix obtained is of positive dimension. In the process, we give an alternative view of the necessary and sufficient conditions obtained for the non-emptiness of the multidimensional shift space. We also give sufficient conditions for the shift space X to exhibit periodic points.
Balleans, hyperballeans and ideals
Authors: Dikranjan Dikran , Protasov Igor , Protasova Ksenia , Zava Nicolò
Published: October 2019

A ballean B (or a coarse structure) on a set X is a family of subsets of X called balls (or entourages of the diagonal in X × X) dened in such a way that B can be considered as the asymptotic counterpart of a uniform topological space. The aim of this paper is to study two concrete balleans dened by the ideals in the Boolean algebra of all subsets of X and their hyperballeans, with particular emphasis on their connectedness structure, more specically the number of their connected components.
A large contribution of anthropogenic organo-nitrates to secondary organic aerosol in the Alberta oil sands
Authors: Lee Alex K. Y. , Adam Max G. , Liggio John , Li Shao-Meng , Li Kun , Willis Megan D. , Abbatt Jonathan P. D. , Tokarek Travis W. , Odame-Ankrah Charles A. , Osthoff Hans D. , Strawbridge Kevin , Brook Jeffery R.
Published: October 2019

Abstract. The oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada, represents a large anthropogenic
source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Atmospheric emissions from oil
sands operations are a complex mixture of gaseous and particulate
pollutants. Their interaction can affect the formation and characteristics
of SOA during plume dispersion, but their chemical evolution remains poorly
understood. Oxidative processing of organic vapours in the presence of
NOx can lead to particulate organo-nitrate (pON) formation, with
important impacts on the SOA budgets, the nitrogen cycle and human health.
We provide the first direct field evidence, from ground- and aircraft-based
real-time aerosol mass spectrometry, that anthropogenic pON contributed up
to half of SOA mass that was freshly produced within the emission plumes of
oil sands facilities. Using a top-down emission-rate retrieval algorithm
constrained by aircraft measurements, we estimate the production rate of pON
in the oil sands region to be ∼15.5 t d−1. We
demonstrate that pON formation occurs via photo-oxidation of
intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) in high-NOx
environments, providing observational constraints to improve current SOA
modelling frameworks. Our ambient observations are supported by laboratory
photo-oxidation experiments of IVOCs from bitumen vapours under high-NOx
conditions, which demonstrate that pON can account for 30 %–55 % of the
observed SOA mass depending on the degree of photochemical ageing. The large
contribution of pON to freshly formed anthropogenic SOA illustrates the
central role of pON in SOA production from the oil and gas industry, with
relevance for other urban and industrial regions with significant
anthropogenic IVOC and NOx emissions.
Isotopic constraints on the atmospheric sources and formation of nitrogenous species in clouds influenced by biomass burning
Authors: Chang Yunhua , Zhang Yan-Lin , Li Jiarong , Tian Chongguo , Song Linlin , Zhai Xiaoyao , Zhang Wenqi , Huang Tong , Lin Yu-Chi , Zhu Chao , Fang Yunting , Lehmann Moritz F. , Chen Jianmin
Published: October 2019

Abstract. Predicting tropospheric cloud formation and subsequent nutrient deposition
relies on understanding the sources and processes affecting aerosol
constituents of the atmosphere that are preserved in cloud water. However,
this challenge is difficult to address quantitatively based on the sole use
of bulk chemical properties. Nitrogenous aerosols, mainly ammonium
(NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-), play a particularly important
role in tropospheric cloud formation. While dry and wet (mainly rainfall)
deposition of NH4+ and NO3- are regularly assessed,
cloud water deposition is often underappreciated. Here we collected
cloud water samples at the summit of Mt. Tai (1545 m above sea level) in
eastern China during a long-lasting biomass burning (BB) event and
simultaneously measured for the first time the isotopic compositions (mean
±1σ) of cloud water nitrogen species (δ15N-NH4+ = −6.53 ‰ ± 4.96 ‰,
δ15N-NO3- = −2.35 ‰ ± 2.00 ‰, δ18O-NO3- = 57.80 ‰ ± 4.23 ‰), allowing insights into their sources and
potential transformation mechanism within the clouds. Large contributions of
BB to the cloud water NH4+ (32.9 % ± 4.6 %) and
NO3- (28.2 % ± 2.7 %) inventories were confirmed through a
Bayesian isotopic mixing model, coupled with our newly developed
computational quantum chemistry module. Despite an overall reduction in
total anthropogenic NOx emission due to effective emission control
actions and stricter emission standards for vehicles, the observed cloud
δ15N-NO3- values suggest that NOx emissions from
transportation may have exceeded emissions from coal combustion. δ18O-NO3- values imply that the reaction of OH with NO2
is the dominant pathway of NO3- formation (57 % ± 11 %), yet
the contribution of heterogeneous hydrolysis of dinitrogen pentoxide was
almost as important (43 % ± 11 %). Although the limited sample set
used here results in a relatively large uncertainty with regards to the
origin of cloud-associated nitrogen deposition, the high concentrations of
inorganic nitrogen imply that clouds represent an important source of
nitrogen, especially for nitrogen-limited ecosystems in remote areas.
Further simultaneous and long-term sampling of aerosol, rainfall, and
cloud water is vital for understanding the anthropogenic influence on
nitrogen deposition in the study region.
Cloud Condensation Nuclei properties of South Asian outflow over the northern Indian Ocean during winter
Authors: Nair Vijayakumar S. , Nair Jayachandran Venugopalan , Kompalli Sobhan Kumar , Gogoi Mukunda M. , Babu S. Suresh
Published: October 2019

Abstract. Extensive measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and condensation nuclei (CN) concentrations in the South Asian outflow to the northern Indian Ocean were carried out on board an instrumented research vessel, as part of the Integrated Campaign for Aerosols, gases and Radiation Budget (ICARB) during winter season (January–February 2018). Measurements include a north-south transect across the South Asian plume over the northern Indian Ocean and east–west transect over the equatorial Indian Ocean (~ 2° S), which is far away from the continental sources. South Asian outflow over the northern Indian Ocean is characterized by the high values of CCN number concentration (~ 5000 cm−3), low CCN activation efficiency (~ 25 %) and steep increase in CCN concentration with an increase in supersaturation. In contrast, low CCN concentration (~ 1000 cm−3) with flat supersaturation spectra was found over the equatorial Indian Ocean. The CCN properties exhibited significant dependence on the geometric mean diameter (GMD) of the aerosol number size distribution and CCN activation efficiency decreased to low values (