bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Historical and Legal Aspects of Implementation of Legal Incentives as the Major Regulator of Social Relations
Authors: Igorevich Provalinsky Dmitry
Published: May 2016

The article reflects the main historical and legal aspects of the development of legal incentives, as a regulator of social relations. The author notes that social management is carried out by means of incentives and constraints expressed in the legal and moral norms. The current stage of development of society characterized by the need for States to actively socially useful behavior of participants in public relations in all spheres of life. Ideas legal incentives in the Russian theory of law related to the peculiarities of national awareness and entrenched legal and legal traditions, which are based both on the domestic and the global experience of the application of legal incentives. Analyzing the historical experience, the author notes that each stage of the development of society and the state has its own system of legal incentives, due to material and socio-cultural conditions of life and concludes that the decisive criterion in this respect is the attitude of the state to the individual, recognition of its individuality, independence of its rights. In principle, a change of power as a rule change and the system stimulants, which used this power in the arsenal of legal interventions. Analyzing the political and legal views of ancient philosophers, European thinkers XVIII - XX centuries, the author concludes that the institution of legal stimulation has evolved from simple forms to more complex ones. Studying the experience of implementation of the legal incentives accumulated throughout different periods of development of the statehood is one of the major stages in studying of the essence and accurate understanding of this many-sided phenomenon.
Pathologies of Recognition: An Introduction
Authors: Laitinen Arto , Särkelä Arvi , Ikäheimo Heikki
Published: May 2016

This paper is an introduction to the special issue on Pathologies of Recognition. The first subsection briefly introduces the notion of recognition and trace its development from Fichte and Hegel to Honneth and his critics, and the second subsection turns to the concept of a social pathology. The third section provides a brief look at the individual papers.
05. Women as instruments in the dialectics of the Nation
Authors: Roman-Lagerspetz Sari
Published: May 2016

This paper adds a new line to Feminist critiques of Hegel. The paper starts with the observation that Feminist critics often emphasize women’s exclusion from the public sphere in Hegel’s account, but that less attention is paid to the way Hegel sees the role of family ethics, the guardians of which are women, as constitutive for the dialectics of the nation. The paper argues that gender hierarchy is necessary for Hegel’s rational state. For this reason, recognition can never become fully universal for Hegel. The paper argues that Hegel’s view of women as not-fully-rational beings, and his uncritical acceptance of the system of nation-states, are interconnected. These aspects of Hegel’s system are for good reason often found less appealing; it is an important observation that they are interrelated. Implicitly, the paper challenges contemporary defenders of universal recognition to do better than Hegel in these respects in trying to combine universal recognition with recognition of such particularities as gender and nationality.
Implementing the Threshold Learning Outcomes for Agriculture at university
Authors: Acuna Tina , Kelder Jo-Anne , McDonald Glenn , Able Amanda
Published: May 2016

The national Learning and Teaching Academics Standards statement for agriculture (AgLTAS) defines the nature and extent of the discipline; and provides threshold learning outcomes (TLOs) that define what a graduate should know, understand and do at graduation. The AgLTAS standards are endorsed by the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture and can be used to communicate to potential and current students the minimum standards of their degree, but can also be used to inform curriculum design. While the AgLTAS document provides explanatory notes to assist educators to further understand the intent of the TLOs there are no exemplars on how the AgLTAS standards can be implemented. This paper presents two case studies of how academics at the University of Tasmania and the University of Adelaide used the AgLTAS to map their respective agriculture curricula. Curriculum mapping was used to evaluate the links between the curriculum and the target learning outcomes, and to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Results include the curriculum maps but also a survey of academic staff and their reactions to the TLOs, plus a reflective commentary on what we believe are the next steps and implications of the AgLTAS for curriculum development, industry engagement and graduate employability in the agriculture discipline.
Numerical Optimization Design of Anchoring End of Prestressed Cable at Some Hydropower Station
Authors: Fan Zhechao , Sun Jun
Published: May 2016

The paper discusses the numerical optimization design of anchoring end of prestressed cable at some hydropower station. There are two types of designing for the anchoring end, namely using square thick steel anchor bearing plate or using the round-tower anchor bearing plate. By the numerical calculation, the anchoring end using the round-tower anchor bearing plate can match the space and mechanical characteristics of the anchoring end, and stress of the anchoring end is more reasonable.
Skin Entrapment in an Un-displaced Proximal Humerus Fracture Treated with Closed Reduction; A Case Report
Authors: Hughes Michael , Frasquet-Garcia Antonio , Ismail Mobeen , Waseem Mohammad
Published: May 2016

Background:

Proximal humerus fractures are a common presentation to Orthopaedic services in the United Kingdom, and the incidence is increasing. Proximal humerus fractures are usually associated with low energy trauma in elderly patients. There is a sub-set of younger patients who suffer low energy fractures due to underlying osteopenia, commonly associated with alcohol excess.

Skin puckering or dimpling has been described as a very rare complication of proximal humerus fracture. Based on the few previously published reports of this complication, skin entrapment in proximal humerus fracture is usually predictive of failure of closed reduction, and need for open surgery.

Methods:

Literature searches were carried out for relevant keywords. Articles were then critically appraised before being included in the literature review.

Results:

The Authors were only able to identify three previous reports of this rare complication.

Conclusion:

The authors describe a rare case of skin interposition in an un-displaced proximal humerus fracture, outline a technique for closed reduction, and review the current literature surrounding this rare complication.
Surgical treatment of intramural hematoma of the ascending aorta
Authors: Susak Stamenko , Redzek Aleksandar , Torbica Vladimir , Rajic Jovan , Todic Mirko
Published: May 2016

Introduction. Intramural hematoma of the aorta presents potentially fatal
condition developing as a result of a vasa vasorum rupture. It is a major
risk factor for developing a frank aortic dissection. Case Outline. A
65-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic for the second time, after her
symptoms of chest pain and vertigo (with no electrocardiographic signs of
myocardial infarction) hadn?t disappeared after several months of medicament
treatment (indicated in the first hospitalization). Computed tomography
arteriography of the aorta showed no sign of acute aortic dissection, but
revealed a contrast depo in the aortic wall of 8 ? 14 mm dimensions, with no
extravasation of contrast. Also, massive pericardial effusion was observed
(10-30 mm in thickness). Transesophageal echocardiography confirmed these
findings completely. The patient underwent surgery, in which plaque
exulceration was detected on the convex side of the ascending aorta, 3 cm
above the aortic valve, 1 cm in diameter, with no signs of intimal tear. A
resection of the ascending aorta was performed, and the aorta was
reconstructed with a 30 mm Dacron tube graft. The patient was discharged on
the 14th postoperative day with satisfactory results. Conclusion. Intramural
hematoma is not a common event, but it is potentially a fatal one. Open
surgery in patients with an intramural hematoma is an effective treatment
strategy, although percutaneous endovascular treatment options are being
described.
Acute renal failure in patients with tumour lysis sindrome
Authors: Poskurica Mileta , Petrovic Dejan , Poskurica Mina
Published: May 2016

Hematologic malignancies (leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, et al.), as
well as solid tumours (renal, liver, lung, ovarian, etc.), can lead to acute
or chronic renal failure. The most common clinical manifestation is acute
renal failure within the tumour lysis syndrome (TLS). It is characterized by
specific laboratory and clinical criteria in order to prove that kidney
disorders result from cytolysis of tumour cells after chemotherapy regimen
given, although on significantly fewer occasions it is likely to occur
spontaneously or after radiotherapy. Essentially, failure is the disorder of
functionally conserved kidney or of kidney with varying degrees of renal
insufficiency, which render the kidney impaired and unable to effectively
eliminate the end products of massive cytolysis and to correct the resulting
disorders: hyperuricemia, hyperkalemia, hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphatemia, and
others. The risk of TLS depends on tumour size, proliferative potential of
malignant cells, renal function and the presence of accompanying diseases and
disorders. Hydration providing adequate diuresis and administration of
urinary suppressants (allopurinol, febuxostat) significantly reduce the risk
of developing TLS. If prevention of renal impairment isn?t possible, the
treatment should be supplemented with hemodynamic monitoring and
pharmacological support, with the possible application of recombinant
urate-oxidase enzyme (rasburicase). Depending on the severity of azotemia and
hydroelectrolytic disorders, application of some of the methods of renal
replacement therapy may be considered.
Treatment by bloodletting in the past and present
Authors: Colovic Natasa , Lekovic Danijela , Gotic Mirjana
Published: May 2016

Introduction. Therapeutic bloodletting has been practiced at least 3000 years
as one of the most frequent methods of treatment in general, whose value was
not questioned until the 19th century, when it was gradually abandoned in
Western medicine, while it is still practiced in Arabic and traditional
Chinese medicine. Content. In modern medicine bloodletting is practiced for
very few indications. Its concept was modeled on the process of menstrual
bleeding, for which it was believed to ?purge women of bad humours.? Thus,
bloodletting was based more on the belief that it helps in the
reestablishment of proper balance of body ?humours? than on the opinion that
it serves to remove excessive amount of blood as well as to remove toxic
?pneumas? that accumulate in human body. It was indicated for almost all
known diseases, even in the presence of severe anemia. Bloodletting was
carried out by scarification with cupping, by phlebotomies (venesections),
rarely by arteriotomies, using specific instruments called lancets, as well
as leeches. In different periods of history bloodletting was practiced by
priests, doctors, barbers, and even by amateurs. In most cases, between one
half of liter and two liters of blood used to be removed. Bloodletting was
harmful to vast majority of patients and in some of them it is believed that
it was either fatal or that it strongly contributed to such outcome. In the
20th century in the ?Western? medicine bloodletting was still practiced in
the treatment of hypertension and in severe cardiac insufficiency and
pulmonary edema, but these indications were later abandoned. Conclusion.
Bloodletting is still indicated for a few indications such as polycythemia,
haemochromatosis, and porphyria cutanea tarda, while leeches are still used
in plastic surgery, replantation and other reconstructive surgery, and very
rarely for other specific indications.
Hypothalamic Vitamin D Improves Glucose Homeostasis and Reduces Weight
Authors: Sisley Stephanie R. , Arble Deanna M. , Chambers Adam P. , Gutierrez-Aguilar Ruth , He Yanlin , Xu Yong , Gardner David , Moore David D. , Seeley Randy J. , Sandoval Darleen A.
Published: May 2016

Despite clear associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity and/or type 2 diabetes, a causal relationship is not established. Vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are found within multiple tissues, including the brain. Given the importance of the brain in controlling both glucose levels and body weight, we hypothesized that activation of central VDR links vitamin D to the regulation of glucose and energy homeostasis. Indeed, we found that small doses of active vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) (calcitriol), into the third ventricle of the brain improved glucose tolerance and markedly increased hepatic insulin sensitivity, an effect that is dependent upon VDR within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. In addition, chronic central administration of 1,25D3 dramatically decreased body weight by lowering food intake in obese rodents. Our data indicate that 1,25D3-mediated changes in food intake occur through action within the arcuate nucleus. We found that VDR colocalized with and activated key appetite-regulating neurons in the arcuate, namely proopiomelanocortin neurons. Together, these findings define a novel pathway for vitamin D regulation of metabolism with unique and divergent roles for central nervous system VDR signaling. Specifically, our data suggest that vitamin D regulates glucose homeostasis via the paraventricular nuclei and energy homeostasis via the arcuate nuclei.
The Nasofrontal Beak: A Consistent Landmark for Superior Septectomy during Draf III Drill Out
Authors: Craig John R. , Petrov Dmitriy , Khalili Sammy , Brooks Steven G. , Lee John Y. K. , Adappa Nithin D. , Palmer James N.
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs in 1-11% of endoscopic Draf III, or endoscopic modified Lothrop, procedures. CSF leak can occur during surgery during a superior nasal septectomy. This study investigated whether the posterior edge of the nasofrontal beak (NFB) at the level of the internal frontal ostium is a safe landmark to use to avoid skull base injury when beginning the superior septectomy.

Methods

Preoperative computed tomography maxillofacial scans were reviewed from 100 patients from the University of Pennsylvania sinus surgery data base. The narrowest anteroposterior distance between the posterior edge of the NFB and the anterior aspect of the olfactory fossa (OF) at the level of the internal frontal ostium was measured in each patient. Measurements were taken in the midline and to the left and right of midline. Six fresh cadaver heads were also dissected to evaluate these relationships.

Results

On computed tomography analysis, the NFB was anterior to the OF on the left and right of the midline in 100% of the patients, with mean distances of 6.04 and 6.41 mm, respectively. The NFB was anterior to the OF in the midline in 98% of patients, with a mean distance of 9.02 mm. In all six cadavers, the posterior edge of the NFB was anterior to the OF in the midline and to the left and right of midline at the level of the internal frontal ostia.

Conclusions

During Draf III, the posterior edge of the NFB was a reliable landmark for avoiding iatrogenic CSF leak during the superior septectomy.
Investigation of Asthma Comorbidity in Children with Different Severities of Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Dogru Mahmut
Published: May 2016

Background

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma comorbidity is widely seen. However, the effects of AR on asthma are more likely to be studied in the literature.

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of asthma in children with AR who are followed-up and to evaluate the effect of asthma on the severity of AR.

Methods

A total of 509 children with AR who were followed-up in the pediatric allergy-immunology department between January 2012 and December 2013 were enrolled in the study. Asthma and AR are diagnosed by using the Global Initiative for Asthma and the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma, respectively. The patients were categorized into two groups according to the presence of asthma. The two groups were compared according to sociodemographic characteristics, clinical features, and laboratory findings. Skin-prick test results, serum immunoglobulin E levels, and the percentage of eosinophils of the patients were evaluated.

Results

A total of 299 of the patients were boys (58.7%) the mean age was 7.2 ± 3.5 years (range, 1.5-18 years). Patients with moderate-severe persistent rhinitis (40.5% of all patients) were the most common rhinitis subgroup. Mild intermittent rhinitis was diagnosed in 17.7%, mild persistent rhinitis in 11.2%, and moderate-severe intermittent rhinitis in 30.6% of the patients. Two hundred seventy-one children with AR (53.2%) also had concomitant asthma. The patients were categorized into two groups: AR-asthma comorbidity group (group I) and AR-only group (group II). There was no significant difference between these two groups when compared with the sex, age, familial atopy, exposure to smoke, and severity of AR (p > 0.05). The duration of illness, immunoglobulin E levels, number of positive sensitivity, sensitivity to house-dust mites, sensitivity to cockroaches, and polysensitization were significantly higher in the AR-asthma comorbidity group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study showed that asthma comorbidity had no effect on the severity of AR. However, it was also shown that the majority of children with AR had asthma comorbidity. For these purposes, the presence of asthma should be investigated in children with AR, independent of severity.
Politics, Pathology, Suicide, and Social Fates: Tony Kushner’sThe Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
Authors: Gullette Margaret Morganroth
Published: May 2016

Many older characters in recent plays become, or think they will become, “demented.” Being old – the oldest person in the dramatis personae – is suddenly glued to cognitive weakness. The cultural message now spreading throughout our frightened world is this: if a person this old has this future as a fate, considering suicide is almost obligatory. This destiny is one of the not-so-subtle messages emanating from a group of such plays, and from the one that this essay focuses on, Tony Kushner’s The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures. How is it possible that a visionary who rallied so courageously on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s fails to find a way of defending a character (and by extension, people) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)? Kushner’s dramatic choices – especially his protagonist Gus’s noble political despair – might have made superfluous the choice of Alzheimer’s to drive his mourning-play. The real illness of this character is neither Alzheimer’s nor a death drive but the impotence of radical activism, individual and collective.
Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarkers in Biliary Tract Cancers
Authors: Letelier Pablo , Riquelme Ismael , Hernández Alfonso , Guzmán Neftalí , Farías Jorge , Roa Juan
Published: May 2016

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of highly aggressive malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. The current diagnosis is based mainly on imaging and intraoperative exploration due to brush cytology havinga low sensitivity and the standard markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate 19-9 (CA19-9), not having enough sensitivity nor specificity to be used in a differential diagnosis and early stage detection. Thus, better non-invasive methods that can distinguish between normal and pathological tissue are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of ~20–22 nucleotides that regulate relevant physiological mechanisms and can also be involved in carcinogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are detectable in multiple body fluids, showing great stability, either free or trapped in circulating microvesicles, such as exosomes. miRNAs are ideal biomarkers that may be used in screening and prognosis in biliary tract cancers, aiding also in the clinical decisions at different stages of cancer treatment. This review highlights the progress in the analysis of circulating miRNAs in serum, plasma and bile as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers of BTCs.
Gibberellic Acid: A Key Phytohormone for Spikelet Fertility in Rice Grain Production
Authors: Kwon Choon-Tak , Paek Nam-Chon
Published: May 2016

The phytohormone gibberellic acid (GA) has essential signaling functions in multiple processes during plant development. In the “Green Revolution”, breeders developed high-yield rice cultivars that exhibited both semi-dwarfism and altered GA responses, thus improving grain production. Most studies of GA have concentrated on germination and cell elongation, but GA also has a pivotal role in floral organ development, particularly in stamen/anther formation. In rice, GA signaling plays an important role in spikelet fertility; however, the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of GA in male fertility remain largely unknown. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the network of GA signaling and its connection with spikelet fertility, which is tightly associated with grain productivity in cereal crops.
A Longitudinal Mode Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) Based on a Permanent Magnet Chain for Pipe Inspection
Authors: Cong Ming , Wu Xinjun , Qian Chunqiao
Published: May 2016

A new electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) design, employing a special structure of the permanent magnet chain, is proposed to generate and receive longitudinal guided waves for pipe inspection based on the magnetostriction mechanism. Firstly, a quantitative analysis of the excitation forces shows the influence of the radial component can be ignored. Furthermore, as the axial component of the static magnetic field is dominant, a method of solenoid testing coils connected in series is adopted to increase the signal amplitude. Then, two EMAT configurations are developed to generate and receive the L(0,2) guided wave mode. The experimental results show the circumferential notch can be identified and located successfully. Finally, a detailed investigation of the performance of the proposed EMATs is given. Compared to the conventional EMAT configuration, the proposed configurations have the advantages of small volume, light weight, easy installation and portability, which is helpful to improve inspection efficiency.
Révolutions et crises politiques au Maghreb et au Machrek
Authors: Hmed Choukri , Jeanpierre Laurent
Published: May 2016

La sociologie des révolutions et des crises de régime est restée polarisée entre des analyses centrées sur le temps long des structures sociales et politiques et celles focalisées sur le temps court des conjonctures événementielles et de leurs mobilisations collectives. Minoritaire face aux approches géopolitiques ou culturalistes, la sociologie des crises politiques des mondes arabes depuis 2011 n’échappe pas à ces divisions. L’article, qui fait aussi office d’introduction du numéro, jette les bases d’une sociologie de ces crises où s’articuleraient mieux temps court et temps long, contingence et structure. Plusieurs hypothèses sont mises à l’épreuve : le rôle déclencheur des aspirations désajustées ; le rôle conducteur des anciens réseaux oppositionnels ; l’importance des variables géographiques ; la distance sociale entre acteurs et bénéficiaires de la révolution ; le rapport ambivalent des révolutionnaires à l’État. L’article souligne aussi l’intérêt potentiel des notions de capital et de champ révolutionnaires et se demande si une greffe de la théorie des champs sur la sociologie des crises politiques permettrait d’éviter les écueils du finalisme et de l’autonomisation excessive des logiques de situation ainsi que du calcul individuel.
« Le peuple veut la chute du régime »
Authors: Hmed Choukri
Published: May 2016

Les occupations de la place de la Kasbah à Tunis, qui se sont déroulées dans la foulée de la fuite du président Ben Ali le 14 janvier 2011, ont débouché sur la démission du gouvernement provisoire et sur des élections pour l’Assemblée constituante. L’article se propose d’étudier l’émergence et les conditions sociales de possibilité de cette situation et de cette issue révolutionnaires, largement sous-analysées par la littérature existante. À partir d’une enquête ethnographique et de l’analyse du répertoire discursif et pratique de la mobilisation, il montre que si l’événement conduit à rompre avec les routines sociales cardinales – temporelles et spatiales – au profit d’innovations protestataires et de transformations durables des champs, il est tout autant le produit de la permanence des rapports sociaux que de leur bouleversement. La perspective adoptée permet dès lors de mieux saisir les processus de synchronisation du temps et d’unification des espaces, caractéristiques de ces moments de redéfinition des règles du jeu politique et de fluidité de la conjoncture.
How Much Improvement in Patient Activity Can Be Expected After TKA?
Authors: Lützner Cornelia , Beyer Franziska , Kirschner Stephan , Lützner Jörg
Published: May 2016

Most patients expect an improvement of physical activity after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study was to evaluate improvement in physical activity after TKA. An accelerometer was used to measure activity in 221 patients before and 1 year after TKA. The measurements included the total number of steps and time spent lying, sitting/standing, or walking. Threshold for achievement of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) guidelines and step-defined lifestyle were applied to the data. Measured steps per day improved from 5371 to 6587. Only 50 patients (22.6%) met the HEPA guidelines, whereas 31% achieved an active lifestyle. Improvement in daily step number was influenced by age (P<.001), body mass index (P<.001) and preoperative activity (P<.001). After TKA, patients improved in physical activity and one-third achieved an active lifestyle. Patient-specific characteristics and preoperative levels of physical activity had a relevant influence on activity after TKA. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):S18–S23.]
Operative Cost Comparison: Plating Versus Intramedullary Fixation for Clavicle Fractures
Authors: Hanselman Andrew E. , Murphy Timothy R. , Bal George K. , McDonough E. Barry
Published: May 2016

Although clavicle fractures often heal well with nonoperative management, current literature has shown improved outcomes with operative intervention for specific fracture patterns in specific patient types. The 2 most common methods of midshaft clavicle fracture fixation are intramedullary and plate devices. Through retrospective analysis, this study performed a direct cost comparison of these 2 types of fixation at a single institution over a 5-year period. Outcome measures included operative costs for initial surgery and any hardware removal surgeries. This study reviewed 154 patients (157 fractures), and of these, 99 had intramedullary fixation and 58 had plate fixation. A total of 80% (79 of 99) of intramedullary devices and 3% (2 of 58) of plates were removed. Average cost for initial intramedullary placement was $2955 (US dollars) less than that for initial plate placement (
P
<.001); average cost for removal was $1874 less than that for plate removal surgery (
P
=.2). Average total cost for all intramedullary surgeries was $1392 less than the average cost for all plating surgeries (
P
<.001). Average cost for all intramedullary surgeries requiring plate placement and removal was $653 less than the average cost for all plating surgeries that involved only placement (
P
=.04). Intramedullary fixation of clavicle fractures resulted in a statistically significant cost reduction compared with plate fixation, despite the incidence of more frequent removal surgeries. [
Orthopedics.
2016; 39(5):e877–e882.]
Impact Assessment of Affective Virtual Characters in a Virtual Environment
Authors: Ficagna Tiago Vinícius , Raabe André
Published: May 2016

The research addresses how affective computing can be applied in virtual training emphasizing the use of technology that can increase the perception of immersion in these environments. The research consisted in creating a virtual daycare and using it for analysis, focusing on the training activities that have the characteristic of being considered affective. Using this simulation environment is intended to clarify how users use affectivity in dealing with the children of these virtual environments. This demand was found in a research group that has as objective, the training and research groups of educators who work in public daycare. The work of these professionals involve a lot of affection, and when the professional activity involves newborn children or even at a young age the issue of affective coexistence should be valued.
The Role of Pedagogical Agents on Learning
Authors: Taub Michelle , Martin Seth A. , Azevedo Roger , Mudrick Nicholas V.
Published: May 2016

Research on the effectiveness of Advanced Learning Technologies (ALTs) on ubiquitous learning has suggested that students are often poor at self-regulating their learning (Azevedo, Taub, & Mudrick, 2015), and as a consequence, researchers have implemented Pedagogical Agents (PAs) to help foster students' use of Cognitive, Affective, Metacognitive, and Motivational (CAMM) Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) processes (e.g., Azevedo et al., 2013; D'Mello & Graesser, 2012). Several analyses have been conducted that investigated the impact and effectiveness of PAs on learning with ALTs (Schroeder & Adesope, 2014; Veletsianos & Russell, 2014). These results indicated that the effectiveness of PAs in ALTs is dependent on many factors, such as the content being studied, the population of students, and the features of the PAs themselves. Thus, it is important to consider all these details when designing and measuring the effectiveness of PAs in ALTs. Therefore, the goal of this chapter is to provide a synthesis of research on PAs, including an overview of these issues that need to be addressed.
Systems Engineering Concepts with Aid of Virtual Worlds and Open Source Software
Authors: Davis Latina , Dawson Maurice , Omar Marwan
Published: May 2016

Technology is changing the landscape of learning and teaching in America. The use of virtual worlds enable engineering and technology programs to implement software programs such as Second Life and Open Simulator to enhance what they may currently already have. Additionally, virtual worlds can add a more dynamic environment in the online classroom for multiple platforms such as the Personal Computer (PC), wearables, and mobile devices. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of these programs to include how to implement these items into an engineering course. Further detailed in this submission is how to incorporate Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) documentation and other engineering guidelines into the projects. Included in this chapter is a detailed layout of a simulated environment as well as various approaches of structuring and organization for classroom activities.
Managing the Chaos and Complexities of Informal Organizations for the Effectiveness of Schools as Formal Organizations
Authors: Bashar Sa'adu Isa , Sambo Zayyanu
Published: May 2016

Informal organizations in education are those groups or unions that are spontaneously formed within the educational institutions by the members of staff, students and tradesmen for the realization of their identified goals. Those groups, in spite of their advantages, are chaotic and complex in nature as they are bound to bringing about frustration to the top or line mangers of the schools, encourage negativism, generate inter-personal and group rivalries, resist changes, cause harassment to certain employees, promote rumor mongering and promote dissatisfaction among employees. All of these deter the smooth operation and management of schools which if care is not properly taken may result to institutional entropy. The chapter puts forward some future trends for managing complexity of informal organizations by contending that, educational managers should employ approaches of cooptation, divide and rule, control of information, control of reward, displacement and control of meeting for the management of those groups.
Evaluating User Centered Design of E-Health for Older Adults
Authors: Mitzner Tracy L. , Dijkstra Katinka
Published: May 2016

Health care related technology, or E-health, has the potential to lessen the impact of the growing aging population on the health care system and support older adults' preference for aging in place. However, for technologies to be adopted by older users, research is needed to understand older adults' unique health care needs, their preferences for support, and their perceptions of technologies designed for health care. Specifically directed toward older users, this article highlights the need for user-centered design and the implications for technology acceptance, and describes studies that employed systematic subjective methods such as focus groups, interviews, and questionnaires to provide a rich, detailed depiction of older users' interactions with E-health. User-centered design evaluations involving older adults can help designers create products and services that are more likely to be adopted by older adult end users.
System Reliability-based Optimization Method to Solve Unavailability of Electrical Energy
Authors: Tamali Mohammed , Boumedienne Bouzidi , Ahmed Allali
Published: May 2016

Industrial systems require reliable components. The interactions among components affect the system reliability. In this study, the electrical power system Robustness is evaluated among its sensitivity to potential changes in the intrinsic parameters. Reliability represents a state indicator. In this work, highlights are made on the importance of Maintenance in Sustaining the QoS of a System. Service, Usage, and Consumers are the three components that can seriously harm the System Reliability and especially in a southern regions conditions where temperatures can simply, reach high values. First, a model is proposed after which a series of tests follow for validation. System's Maintenance is a major factor that affects its Longevity within an acceptable Robustness. Therefore maintenance can be fatal to system operation. Maintenance means expected services with respect to recommended Usage and responding to Consumption Demand. For a given period t in time, the EN represents the indicator of the Electrical System Reliability.
Estimation of the Energy Potential of the Euripus' Gulf Tidal Stream Using Channel Sea-surface Slope
Authors: Ktena Aphrodite , Manasis Christos , Bargiotas Dimitrios , Katsifas Vasilis , Soukissian Takvor , Kontoyiannis Harilaos
Published: May 2016

Potential energy extraction from tidal currents is investigated in this work. Recordings on the streams' velocity and the sea level in the Euripus' strait in Evia, Greece are used to calculate the energy yield. Data on sea level measurements were used to extract information for the current velocity profile through harmonic analysis method. Requirements, limitations and possible new designs that will improve the energy extraction from the low velocity tidal current of the area are discussed. Also, exploitation of tidal energy in cooperation with RES microgrid is proposed for areas where the abundance of sun, wind, island communities and coast areas such as the Mediterranean.
Modeling of the Physical Principle of the Processes that is Occurring in Bioselective Elements
Authors: Petrova Irina , Zaripova Viktoriya , Lezhnina Yuliya , Sokolskiy Vitaliy
Published: May 2016

Design of biosensors refers to the field of interdisciplinary research, therefore, it is necessary to develop a unified systems approach that is invariant to the physical nature of the used phenomena and processes to create an automated system for conceptual design of such elements. It is appropriate to choose the fundamentals of non-equilibrium thermodynamics as the basis for the development of this approach. This article discusses the energy-information model of diffusion phenomena, as the processes of diffusion is the general type of the processes that is occurring in bioselective elements. A number of physical effects are described by this model. In this paper authors continue researches in the field of automation of design of biosensors which was presented at the 6th International Conference on Information, Intelligence, Systems and Applications. The new information technology of functional and structural design of biosensors is described. It is based on the energy-information model of chains, invariant to the physical nature of the processes occurring in technical devices. And it uses the device parametric structural diagrams allowing algorithmization of the search and selection of new technical solutions with estimation of their performance.
Customer Profiling in Complex Analytical Environments Using Swarm Intelligence Algorithms
Authors: Klepac Goran
Published: May 2016

Customer profiling is always an interesting task from perspective of business. It became even bigger challenge in situation of complex analytical environment. Complex analytical environment can be caused by multiple modality of output variable as well as from big data environment, which cause data complexity in way of data quantity. As an illustration of presented concept particle swarm optimization algorithm will be used as a tool, which will find profiles from developed predictive model of neural network. Presented methodology has practical value for decision support in business, where information about customer profiles which prefers to buy some product or group products are valuable information for campaign planning and customer portfolio management.
Eco-Labeling of Suppliers Using Green Production Techniques with Asymmetric Information
Authors: Kumar Manoj
Published: May 2016

Suppliers would like to capitalize on buyers' willingness to pay a premium for goods that use environmentally friendly (green) production techniques, but they face a problem of asymmetric information: buyers cannot determine if a supplier is environmentally friendly. Since the green technique is generally more costly than environmentally unfriendly (brown) techniques, suppliers would be disinclined to choose a green technique, yielding larger pollution flows. One possible remedy is “eco-labeling,” where a third party certifies suppliers' products. This paper models certification as a noisy test, with green suppliers more likely to pass than brown suppliers. Two models are considered, one where suppliers' production techniques are exogenous (a short-run setting), and one where they can choose their technique (a long-run setting). Results show that eco-labeling can either raise or lower the volume of green units, and raise or lower net social surplus; increases in social surplus are more likely in the long-run.
Ethics and Social Networking
Authors: Schaupp Ludwig Christian , Carter Lemuria
Published: May 2016

Thanks to recent technological advancements, social networking has seen unprecedented growth. Services such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have evolved from niche communities to active cyber-societies. In addition to an increase in the diffusion of social media, there has also been an increase in the amount and type of information that participants share in these online environments. In this paper, the authors integrate decision making research from three disciplines -marketing, theology and information systems - to explain information disclosure in online communities. They use these disciplines to provide a comprehensive review of existing literature and present innovative recommendations for research and practice. In particular, the authors recommend Potter's Box as a useful framework for evaluating the ethical implications of online information disclosure.
Inside the Presidential Speechwriting Process
Authors: Collier Ken
Published: May 2016

This paper incorporates content analysis of 495 drafts of 70 presidential speeches gathered from the archives of all ten presidencies from Franklin Roosevelt to George H.W. Bush to measure the changes to drafts of presidential speeches as they move through the White House speech drafting and review process. Studying the fluctuations in rhetorical scores demonstrates the degree to which forces within the presidency present different approaches to the rhetorical strategies of the White House. While the fluctuations revealed by content analysis may not tell us precisely about the motives of those within the process, they reveal significant differences in the approach of various staff members and help scholar better understand the inner workings behind the rhetoric of the bully pulpit.
Abstractive Summarization
Authors: Balaji J. , Geetha T.V. , Parthasarathi Ranjani
Published: May 2016

Customization of information from web documents is an immense job that involves mainly the shortening of original texts. This task is carried out using summarization techniques. In general, an automatically generated summary is of two types – extractive and abstractive. Extractive methods use surface level and statistical features for the selection of important sentences, without considering the meaning conveyed by those sentences. In contrast, abstractive methods need a formal semantic representation, where the selection of important components and the rephrasing of the selected components are carried out using the semantic features associated with the words as well as the context. Furthermore, a deep linguistic analysis is needed for generating summaries. However, the bottleneck behind abstractive summarization is that it requires semantic representation, inference rules and natural language generation. In this paper, The authors propose a semi-supervised bootstrapping approach for the identification of important components for abstractive summarization. The input to the proposed approach is a fully connected semantic graph of a document, where the semantic graphs are constructed for sentences, which are then connected by synonym concepts and co-referring entities to form a complete semantic graph. The direction of the traversal of nodes is determined by a modified spreading activation algorithm, where the importance of the nodes and edges are decided, based on the node and its connected edges under consideration. Summary obtained using the proposed approach is compared with extractive and template based summaries, and also evaluated using ROUGE scores.
Ontology-Driven Interactive Visualization of Film Production Complexity Using a Visual Language
Authors: Christodoulou Yannis , Yannopoulos Angelos , Bountris Effie J. , Varvarigou Theodora
Published: May 2016

Early, effective director-producer communication enables detection of resource-demanding film production requirements so that a workable production plan can be formed. Traditional communication tools are limited to articulating standard production elements as lists. Yet, production complexity can be affected by latent variables with indirect impact which remain unarticulated. An ontology-driven, interactive visualization system is proposed for exposing production complexity. The system is built upon a visual language for recording directorial choices, employed for system input. By exploiting Ontologies, the visual input is analyzed in real-time and semantic metadata are extracted representing production complexity with focus on latent variables. The metadata are transformed back into an aggregate visual form which combines with the visual input, creating useful synergies. In this way, the system creates a collaborative virtual workspace facilitating director-producer communications. A real-world deployment and an evaluation demonstrated the system's advantages over traditional tools.
Influence of Antibiotics Addition in Bone Cements for Hip Arthroplasty on their Mechanical Properties: Clinical Perspective and In Vitro Tests
Authors: Ene Razvan , Panti Zsombor , Nica Mihai , Pleniceanu Marian , Ene Patricia , Cîrstoiu Monica , Trante Octavian , Bita Ana Iulia , Antoniac Aurora , Cirstoiu Catalin
Published: May 2016

Bone cement has been used for over half a century, to successfully anchor artificial joints. From its emergence there have appeared a number of types of bone cement, with the 2 major classes being bone cement with or without active substances. The one with the added antibiotics is used primarily in the treatment and revision surgery of infected total hip arthroplasty (THA), as well as a prophylactic method in primary THA in patients with high risks for this complication. The purpose of this study is to determine the mechanical properties of bone cement with added antibiotics. Over a period of 2 years, a number of 41 cases were chosen for this study: 25 with revision surgery for THA, where bone cement with antibiotics was used, and 16 with primary THA, where regular bone cement was used. A number of studies have been performed on the mechanical properties of the 2 types of cement, which determined that the cement with antibiotics presents a slightly lower compressive strength, tensile strength, elastic modulus and fatigue strength compared with regular cement. These variations, however, become more pronounced as the quantity of the antibiotic goes up. The mechanical properties of the cement with antibiotics are similar with those of the regular cement, when low doses of antibiotics are used and become more evident as the doses go up. In conclusion, the antibiotic bone cement is a trustworthy tool in the surgeon’s arsenal against infection, with minimal detriments from the mechanical view.
Treatment of Chronic Bone Infections Using the Collagen Based Haemostatic - Collatamp G
Authors: Lupescu Olivera , Nagea Mihail , Patru Cristina , Dimitriu Alexandru , Ciurea Nicolae , Lupescu Doriana , Popescu Gheorghe Ion , Marcov Narcis
Published: May 2016

Treating chronic bone infection is challenging, requiring complete excision of the affected areas and antimicrobial therapy. Acquiring active concentrations of antibiotics is difficult, as well as filling up bone defects resulting from sequestrectomy, and very few methods of treatment address both issues simultaneously. The authors describe the clinical results after using Collatamp G, a collagen-based, antibiotic filled sponge with two actions: local delivery of high antibiotic doses without systemic side effects and enhancement of healing due to collagen, thus covering the bone defect without any further osteoplastic surgery. This paper thus identifies Collatamp G as a biomaterial able to solve the above mentioned problems in treating bone infections.Keywords: bone infections, collagen matrix, gentamicine, antibiotic delivery
Hydrogen Evolution Analyzed on Various Magnesium Alloys
Authors: Bita Ana Iulia , Semenescu Augustin , Antoniac Aurora , Antoniac Iulian
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biodegradability of some magnesium alloys, different both from the point of view of chemical composition and different system (Mg-Ca, Mg-Zn-Ag). Microstructural characteristics of experimental magnesium alloys were investigated using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray. The hydrogen evolution was analyzed using the method proposed by Song. The assessment was made through the evaluation of hydrogen released rate in simulated body fluid (SBF) as proposed by Kokubo and his colleagues, maintaining the temperature at 37 °C, for 240 hours. The studied samples showed different degradation rates depending on the chemical composition of magnesium based alloys and function of immersion time.