bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early mobilization in LVAD recipients: An obligatory step towards recovery
Authors: Corrà Ugo , Pistono Massimo
Published: March 2019

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a devastating clinical syndrome. Therapeutic schemes have developed rapidly from conventional medical therapy to biomedical strategies, interventional, mechanical, that incorporates left ventricular assistant device (LVAD), surgical, regenerate, and rehabilitating policies. These therapies have improved the symptoms and life expectancy.
Acute eosinophilic pneumonia triggered by secondhand cigarette smoke exposure in an elderly man
Authors: Diaz-Abad Montserrat , Malone Laura , Ali Liaqat , Pickering Edward M. , Sachdeva Ashutosh
Published: March 2019

The spectrum of eosinophilic lung diseases comprises a diverse group of pulmonary disorders associated with tissue or peripheral eosinophilia. [Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP)] is an uncommon eosinophilic lung disease that can be idiopathic, but identifiable causes include medications, inhalational exposures and infections. Most cases in the literature are associated with first-time cigarette smoking or resuming smoking. Herein, we present a case of AEP in an elderly man triggered by exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, in whom a transbronchial biopsy was diagnostic. The patient recovered fully with glucocorticoid therapy without recurrence after avoiding further secondhand smoke.
Basic movements for postoperative exercise in patients with left ventricular assist devices
Authors: Polastri Massimiliano , Zagnoni Giulia , Loforte Antonio
Published: March 2019

Patients with advanced heart failure refractory to medical therapy can be treated with left ventricular assist devices, implanted to augment or replace left ventricular function. The most common postoperative complications are infection; bleeding; thromboembolic events; device malfunction; depression, and neurological dysfunction (stroke, transient ischemic attacks, encephalopathy). Their onset contributes to the interruption and delay in commencing a physiotherapy program. During the initial postoperative phase, patients with left ventricular assist devices are not generally able to tolerate an intensive rehabilitative programme, but they may be able to do so in a more advanced stage of recovery. Physiotherapy in the early period prepares the patient for a more complex and articulated rehabilitation, usually scheduled after hospital discharge. Supervised exercise should be implemented once the patient has been thoroughly instructed on how the device works and after a checklist to ensure that the patient understands the workings of the device, has been signed off. Although several studies have been published discussing postoperative rehabilitation in LVAD patients, to date it is not available yet an illustrated guide describing basic movements. Here, we describe a series of supervised physical exercises that can be executed daily. We aimed to illustrate a set of basic movements preparatory to a more complex and articulated exercise programme. A range of exercises involving all body parts is described as lying, sitting and standing postures.
Polymorphisms of the ASIP gene and the haplotype are associated with fat deposition traits and fatty acid composition in Chinese Simmental steers
Authors: Liu Yinuo , Fang Xibi , Zhao Zhihui , Li Junya , Albrecht Elke , Schering Lisa , Maak Steffen , Yang Runjun
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Unlike specific expression in the skin of wild mice, the agouti signaling
protein (ASIP) is expressed widely in the tissue of cattle, including
adipose and muscle tissue. Hence, it has been suggested that ASIP plays a role in bovine fat metabolism. An inserted L1-BT element was recently identified upstream of the
ASIP locus which led to an ectopic expression of ASIP mRNA
in cattle. In this study, we detected the indel of the L1-BT element at
g. −14 643 nt and three SNPs in introns of the ASIP gene
(g. −568A > G, g. −554A > T, and g. 4805A > T) in a Chinese
Simmental steer population. The association analysis between variants of
ASIP and economic traits showed that the homozygous genotype of L1-BT
element insertion, AA genotype of g. −568A > G, and AT genotype of
g. 4805A > T were significantly correlated with carcass and fat-related
traits, such as live weight and back fat thickness. Moreover, three
haplotypes (H1: AT; H2: AA; H3: GT) were identified by linkage disequilibrium
analysis and formed six combined genotypes. Results indicated that Chinese
Simmental steers with an H1H2 combined genotype had a higher measured value of
fat-deposition-related traits (p<0.05), including thickness of back fat and
percentage of carcass fat coverage, but a lower content of linoleic acid and
α-linolenic acid (p<0.05). Individuals of an H3H3 combination had a lower
marbling score, perirenal fat weight, and carcass weight (p<0.05). This
suggests that these three SNPs and two combined haplotypes might be molecular
markers for beef cattle breeding selection.
Contrasting effects of CO2 fertilisation, land-use change and
warming on seasonal amplitude of northern hemisphere CO2
exchange
Authors: Bastos Ana , Ciais Philippe , Chevallier Frédéric , Rödenbeck Christian , Ballantyne Ashley P. , Maignan Fabienne , Yin Yi , Fernández-Martínez Marcos , Friedlingstein Pierre , Peñuelas Josep , Piao Shilong L. , Sitch Stephen , K. Smith William , Wang Xuhui , Zhu Zaichun , Haverd Vanessa , Kato Etsushi , Jain Atul K. , Lienert Sebastian , Lombardozzi Danica , Nabel Julia E. M. S. , Peylin Philippe , Poulter Benjamin , Zhu Dan
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Continuous atmospheric CO2 monitoring data indicate an increase in seasonal-cycle amplitude (SCA) of CO2 exchange in northern high latitudes. The major drivers of enhanced SCA remain unclear and intensely debated with land-use change, CO2 fertilization and warming identified as likely contributors. We integrated CO2-flux data from two atmospheric inversions (consistent with atmospheric records) and from and 11 state-of-the-art land-surface models (LSMs) to evaluate the relative importance of individual contributors to trends and drivers of the SCA of CO2-fluxes for 1980−2015. The LSMs generally reproduce the latitudinal increase in SCA trends within the inversions range. Inversions and LSMs attribute SCA increase to boreal Asia and Europe due to enhanced vegetation productivity (in LSMs) and point to contrasting effects of CO2 fertilisation (positive) and warming (negative) on SCA. Our results do not support land-use change as a key contributor to the increase in SCA. The sensitivity of simulated microbial respiration to temperature in LSMs explained biases in SCA trends, which suggests SCA could help to constrain model turnover times.
Development of daily PM10 and PM2.5 prediction system using a deep long short-term memory neural network model
Authors: Kim Hyun S. , Park Inyoung , Song Chul H. , Lee Kyunghwa , Yun Jae W. , Kim Hong K. , Jeon Moongu , Lee Jiwon
Published: March 2019

Abstract. A deep recurrent neural network system based on a long short-term memory (LSTM) model was developed for daily PM10 and PM2.5 predictions in South Korea. The structural and learnable parameters of the newly developed system were optimized from iterative model trainings. Independent variables were obtained from ground-based observations over 2.3 years. The performance of the particulate matter (PM) prediction LSTM was then evaluated by comparisons with ground PM observations and with the PM concentrations predicted from two sets of 3-D chemistry-transport model (CTM) simulations (with and without data assimilation for initial conditions). The comparisons showed, in general, better performance with the LSTM than with the 3-D CTM simulations. For example, in terms of IOAs (index of agreements), the PM prediction IOAs were enhanced from 0.36–0.78 with the 3-D CTM simulations to 0.62–0.79 with the LSTM-based model. The deep LSTM-based PM prediction system developed at observation sites is expected to be further integrated with 3-D CTM-based prediction systems in the future. In addition to this, further possible applications of the deep LSTM-based system are discussed, together with some limitations of the current system.
Investigation of observational error sources in multi-Doppler-radar three-dimensional variational vertical air motion retrievals
Authors: Oue Mariko , Kollias Pavlos , Shapiro Alan , Tatarevic Aleksandra , Matsui Toshihisa
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Multi-Doppler-radar network observations have been used
in different configurations over the last several decades to conduct
three-dimensional wind retrievals in mesoscale convective systems. Here, the
impacts of the selected radar volume coverage pattern (VCP), the sampling
time for the VCP, the number of radars used, and the added value of
advection correction on the retrieval of the vertical air motion in the
upper part of convective clouds are examined using the Weather Research and
Forecasting (WRF) model simulation, the Cloud Resolving Model Radar
SIMulator (CR-SIM), and a three-dimensional variational multi-Doppler-radar
retrieval technique. Comparisons between the model truth (i.e., WRF
kinematic fields) and updraft properties (updraft fraction, updraft
magnitude, and mass flux) retrieved from the CR-SIM-generated multi-Doppler-radar field are used to investigate these impacts. The findings are that (1) the
VCP elevation strategy and sampling time have a significant effect on the
retrieved updraft properties above 6 km in altitude; (2) 2 min or shorter VCPs
have small impacts on the retrievals, and the errors are comparable to
retrievals using a snapshot cloud field; (3) increasing the density of
elevation angles in the VCP appears to be more effective to reduce the
uncertainty than an addition of data from one more radar, if the VCP is
performed in 2 min; and (4) the use of dense elevation angles combined
with an advection correction applied to the 2 min VCPs can effectively
improve the updraft retrievals, but for longer VCP sampling periods (5 min)
the value of advection correction is challenging. This study highlights
several limiting factors in the retrieval of upper-level vertical velocity
from multi-Doppler-radar networks and suggests that the use of rapid-scan
radars can substantially improve the quality of wind retrievals if conducted
in a limited spatial domain.
Automatic detection of calving events from time-lapse imagery at Tunabreen, Svalbard
Authors: Vallot Dorothée , Adinugroho Sigit , Strand Robin , How Penelope , Pettersson Rickard , Benn Douglas I. , Hulton Nicholas R. J.
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Calving is an important process in glacier systems terminating in
the ocean, and more observations are needed to improve our understanding of
the undergoing processes and parameterize calving in larger-scale
models. Time-lapse cameras are good tools for monitoring calving fronts of
glaciers and they have been used widely where conditions are favourable.
However, automatic image analysis to detect and calculate the size of calving
events has not been developed so far. Here, we present a method that fills
this gap using image analysis tools. First, the calving front is segmented.
Second, changes between two images are detected and a mask is produced to
delimit the calving event. Third, we calculate the area given the front and
camera positions as well as camera characteristics. To illustrate our method,
we analyse two image time series from two cameras placed at different
locations in 2014 and 2015 and compare the automatic detection results to a
manual detection. We find a good match when the weather is favourable, but the
method fails with dense fog or high illumination conditions. Furthermore,
results show that calving events are more likely to occur (i) close to where
subglacial meltwater plumes have been observed to rise at the front and (ii)
close to one another.
Factors for Low Uptake of Antiretroviral Therapy Among HIV Pregnant Women in Mbeya City Council, Tanzania
Authors: Mushi Lawrencia Dominick , Mhando Eileen A
Published: March 2019

UNAIDS aimed to reach 90% antiretroviral therapy uptake among people living with HIV by 2015. Despite free provision of antiretroviral therapy to pregnant women living with HIV, the uptake remains low. This study describes views of pregnant women about low uptake of antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women living with HIV in Mbeya City Council.The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and applied mixed research approaches. 44 pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy and 12 health providers were conveniently selected. Four key informants were purposively selected. In-depth interviews with pregnant women and key informants; exit interviews with pregnant women; and observation of health providers were conducted. Audio tape recording from in-depth interviews was transcribed into Swahili to English. Social ecological framework was used in data coding based on individual, social and health service aspects then analysed using Atlas. ti 7. Quantitative data was analyzed in Excel spreadsheet, and presented using tables.The findings from interviews and observations showed that the main individual factors (like treatment-related side effects and religious faith); social factors (like traditional medicine and lack of partner/husband support) and health service factors (like long waiting time and discrepancy in information given to clients during adherence counseling on antiretroviral therapy) were more likely to be associated with low uptake of antiretroviral therapy.This study indicates that various factors at individual, social and health service levels were more likely to cause low uptake of ART. Reasons for discrepant information during counseling by providers remain a question which needs further research.
Did the Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon Influence the Chronicler’s Succession Narrative of Solomon?
Authors: Peterson Brian
Published: March 2019

The radically different perspective of Solomon’s coronation scene as recorded by the Chronicler in 1 Chr 28–29 vis-à-vis the Deuteronomist’s rendering in 1 Kgs 1–2 has often been passed off as merely rhetorical flare or polemic lacking any degree of historical veracity. Yet the question still lingers: did the Chronicler make up Solomon’s coronation scene out of whole cloth or is there some other reason for the variation? This article argues that the Chronicler did not of necessity fabricate a new coronation scene diametrically opposed to the Deuteronomist’s version but rather fashioned and/or included key details of Solomon’s second formal coronation event (cf. 1 Chr 23:1; 29:22) in order to present David and Solomon on par with other great ancient Near Eastern sovereigns. The Chronicler had a readymade exemplar in the succession scene of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal as recorded in the Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon of 672 BC. As a historian, the Chronicler could have had access to this well-documented ANE event through his reading of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah from the period of King Manasseh—a vassal to both Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal—or he may simply have adopted the Gattung, which it represented.
Identification of Incident Uterine Fibroids Using Electronic Medical Record
Data
Authors: Yu Onchee , Reed Susan D. , Schulze-Rath Renate , Grafton Jane , Hansen Kelly , Scholes Delia
Published: March 2019

Introduction: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors of the uterus and
are associated with considerable morbidity. Diagnosis codes have been used to identify
fibroid cases, but their accuracy, especially for incident cases, is uncertain.Methods:
We performed medical record review on a random sample of 617 women who received a
fibroid diagnosis during 2012–2014 to assess diagnostic accuracy for incident fibroids.
We developed 2 algorithms aimed at improving incident case-finding using classification
and regression tree analysis that incorporated additional electronic health care data on
demographics, symptoms, treatment, imaging, health care utilization, comorbidities and
medication. Algorithm performance was assessed using medical record as gold
standard.Results: Medical record review confirmed 482 fibroid cases as incident,
resulting a 78 percent positive predictive value (PPV) for incident cases based on
diagnosis codes alone. Incorporating additional electronic data, the first algorithm
classified 395 women with a pelvic ultrasound on diagnosis date but none before as
incident cases. Of these, 344 were correctly classified, yielding an 87 percent PPV, 71
percent sensitivity, and 62 percent specificity. A second algorithm built on the first
algorithm and further classified women based on a fibroid diagnosis code of 218.9 in 2
years after incident diagnosis and lower body mass index; yielded 93 percent PPV, 53
percent sensitivity, and 85 percent specificity.Conclusions: Compared to diagnosis codes
alone, our algorithms using fibroid diagnosis codes and additional electronic data
improved identification of incident cases with higher PPV, and high sensitivity or
specificity to meet different aims of future studies seeking to identify incident
fibroids from electronic data.
Data Quality Assessment and Multi-Organizational Reporting: Tools to Enhance
Network Knowledge
Authors: Sengupta Sanchita , Bachman Don , Laws Reesa , Saylor Gwyn , Staab Jenny , Vaughn Daniel , Zhou Qing , Bauck Alan
Published: March 2019

Objective: Multi-organizational research requires a multi-organizational data
quality assessment (DQA) process that combines and compares data across participating
organizations. We demonstrate how such a DQA approach complements traditional checks of
internal reliability and validity by allowing for assessments of data consistency and
the evaluation of data patterns in the absence of an external “gold standard.”Methods:
We describe the DQA process employed by the Data Coordinating Center (DCC) for Kaiser
Permanente’s (KP) Center for Effectiveness and Safety Research (CESR). We emphasize the
CESR DQA reporting system that compares data summaries from the eight KP organizations
in a consistent, standardized manner.Results: We provide examples of multi-organization
comparisons from DQA to confirm expectations about different aspects of data quality.
These include: 1) comparison of direct data extraction from the electronic health
records (EHR) and 2) comparison of non-EHR data from disparate sources.Discussion: The
CESR DCC has developed codes and procedures for efficiently implementing and reporting
DQA. The CESR DCC approach is to 1) distribute DQA tools to empower data managers at
each organization to assess their data quality at any time, 2) summarize and disseminate
findings to address data shortfalls or document idiosyncrasies, and 3) engage data
managers and end-users in an exchange of knowledge about the quality and its fitness for
use.Conclusion: The KP CESR DQA model is applicable to networks hoping to improve data
quality. The multi-organizational reporting system promotes transparency of DQA, adds to
network knowledge about data quality, and informs research.
A evolução da produção científica brasileira
Authors: Thomé Antônio
Published: March 2019

Editorial
El valor didáctico de las noticias de prensa en el proceso de aprendizaje de las Ciencias Sociales
Authors: Orozco Alvarado Julio César , Díaz Pérez Adolfo Alejandro
Published: March 2019

La investigación tiene como objetivo determinar el valor didáctico de las noticias de prensa en los procesos de aprendizajes de las Ciencias Sociales en Educación Secundaria. El estudio es de tipo documental, y para ello se recopiló información procedente de diversas fuentes y expertos en temas educativos, lo que permitió construir una concepción objetiva y crítica acerca del potencial didáctico de las noticias de prensa, las cuales son oportunas para realizar intervenciones educativas de carácter innovador en las aulas de clases de Educación Secundaria en las disciplinas sociales. Algunas de las preguntas que en el presente artículo se debaten y se les da respuestas son las siguientes: ¿Podemos comprender la realidad social a través de las noticias de prensa? ¿Las noticias de prensa son propicias para pensar críticamente nuestra realidad? ¿Podemos reflexionar acerca de la coyuntura socioeconómica, política y cultural a través de las noticias de prensa?, esto con la intención de generar en el profesorado del área la inquietud y necesidad de innovar sus prácticas docentes.
ANALYSIS OF FUEL CONSUMPTION SENSITIVITY IN FORESTRY ROAD TRANSPORT
Authors: Guimarães Pompeu Paes , Arce Julio Eduardo , Lopes Eduardo Da Silva , Fiedler Nilton Cesar , Robert Renato César Gonçalves , Seixas Fernando -
Published: March 2019

The objective of this work was to analyze how the variation of traveled distance, operational speed, journey time and net cargo transported influence the fuel consumption of vehicles in forest road transport. The data were collected in this operation, covering the area between the regions of Campo do Tenente (forest unit) and Piên (industrial unit), in the state of Paraná. We analyzed the partial elements, loaded trip and empty trip, as well as the total transport cycle (loading, unloading and travel). Using the same mechanical tractor, two vehicular compositions were studied, an articulated vehicle (truck tractor + semitrailer + trailer) and a conjugated vehicle (truck tractor + semitrailer). The vehicle telemetric system was used to perform the data collection of travel time, traveled distance, speed average and fuel consumption of the both vehicles. The results showed that the higher fuel consumption occurred in the loaded trips for longer distances. The sensitivity of fuel consumption was mostly influenced by was traveled distance, so it is recommended the use of vehicles of less load capacity for shorter distances.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STREAMFLOWS AND PRECIPITATIONS IN ITAPEMIRIM RIVER BASIN
Authors: Mendes Natalia Gomes de Souza , Cecílio Roberto Avelino , Zanetti Sidney Sara , Santos Cleber Assis dos
Published: March 2019

ThThe present paper analyzed the relationship between streamflow and rainfall at the stream of Itapemirim River Watershed (BHRI). The minimum streamflow with duration of seven days (Q7), the average annual streamflow (Qmed) and the annual maximum streamflow (Qmax) of 11 BHRI’s sub-basins were determined. Trends in rainfall and streamflow series were analyzed with Mann-Kandall and Pettitt nonparametric tests. Regression analysis between rainfall and streamflow were established. Results showed no trends on rainfall and Q7 series. Trends in Qmed were found only at one sub-basin and trends in Qmax were found in two sub-basins. The total rainfall was correlated with the streamflow of all the sub-basins. It has been found that annual rainfall amount (Pa) explained considerably variations in Qmed and Q7. Rainfall amounts of the rainiest month (Pmax) showed good correlation to Qmax.
LUMINOUS INTERCEPTION OF EUCALYPTUS CLONES AT DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTEGRATED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Authors: Luz Otávio Dos Santos Limeira , Terra Thiago Gledson Rios , Lima Saulo De Oliveira , Siebeneichler Susana Cristine , Moraes Cristiano Bueno de , Leal Tarcísio Castro Alves de Barros
Published: March 2019

Combinations of species, cultivars, clones and structural arrangements are cited as possibilities that may determine the interactions between these system components and management, needing to be better understood, especially in relation to shading capacity. In this sense, the present study aims to evaluate the light interception of Eucalyptus spp. clones at different structural arrangements for integrated production systems. An experiment was installed in randomized blocks design with five replications, in factorial scheme 4 x 2. Four structural arrangements A1 = Triple row (3,5 x 3,5 x 3,5) + 88 m; A2 = Double row (3,5 x 3,5) + 44 m; A3 = Single row 4 x 22 m; and A4 = Single row 4 x 11 m and two hybrids clones of Eucalyptus urophylla x E. grandis. For the estimation of the luminosity characteristics, the CI-110 imager equipment was used for estimate: the leaf area index, the average leaf angle, the coefficient of transmission, the sunflecks and the photosynthetically active radiation. Data were analyzed by variance analysis and the averages of the values of characteristics were compared by the Tukey test at 5% probability. The single row arrangement A4 promoted to the clones the greater shading capacity, characterized by high values of leaf area index, lower values of photosynthetically active radiation and by the densification of the arrangement of the other rows of alleys.
MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN OF JAUQUARA RIVER IN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE CERRADO AND AMAZON BIOMES IN MATO GROSSO-BRAZIL
Authors: Cassettari Gabriel Americo , De Queiroz Tadeu Miranda
Published: March 2019

This study aimed to perform the Jauquara river watershed morphometric characterization. To watershed delimitation was used SRTM 30 type Digital Elevation Model (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, with spatial resolution of 30 m) provided by USGS Earth Explorer platform. The geographic information system used to watershed delimitation process and maps generation was ArcGIS 10.1 from ESRI®. The morphometric variables calculus was based on classic methodologies of Applied Hydrology. The watershed has an area of 1408,03 km2 and perimeter of 288,43 km with compactness coefficient and circularity index of Kc = 2.15 and Ic = 0.21, respectively, which show an elongated shape. The drainage was classified as 5th order, reinforcing the configuration of the drainage network with a wide hydric distribution. The predominant altitude range is between 368 and 552 m, which corresponds to an area of 478.10 km2. It was observed that there is a predominance of smooth-wavy and undulated reliefs (3-8%, 8-20% slope), which correspond to 38,05% and 23,04% of the total basin area respectively. The morphometric characterization of the basin made it possible to obtain unpublished information that contributes to the decision making regarding the effective water management in the studied area, being this a guiding study for other works
The Transmission of Monetary Shocks in a Multi-Region Economy: The Case of China
Authors: Zhao Yingyi
Published: March 2019

This paper constructs a sticky price Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium model with multi-regions. Producers from different regions would range in price rigidity, production function, the regional structures of intermediate inputs. That is, firms from each area, can get intermediates and investments from all the regions in the country following the empirical Multi-region Input-Output table in China. Different from the previous symmetry model, the model in this paper allows idiosyncratic regional dynamics to the national monetary shocks. This model is calculated by the Bayesian estimation method using the regional and aggregate China empirical data.
Analyzing Toyota City’s Eco-policy Through Strategic Marketing Tools
Authors: Ito Hiroshi
Published: March 2019

Toyota City has long been making efforts to promote its eco-policy based on five eco-themes: transportation, the urban center, industry, forests, and the public welfare and livelihood. A previous study that examined changes in citizens’ awareness regarding the city’s eco-policy between 2012 and 2015 illustrated that while the city has been successful overall to communicate its eco-policy to citizens, it has failed to do so in some eco-themes such as industry or forests. That is, despite some improvement, promoting the city’s eco-policy still remains an issue. This paper analyzes Toyota City’s eco-policy by using strategic marketing tools to help elaborate on effective eco-policy promotion in the framework of social marketing. Given that the ultimate goal of eco-policy is to promote citizens’ pro-environmental behaviors, the concept of social marketing is relevant here, as it includes the promotion of public policies, including eco-policies. Social marketing also may help understand why some cities succeed to promote their eco-policies while others fail to do so and elaborate on an effective policy-making and promotion. In this article, I will first describe a brief overview of Toyota City’s eco-policy. I will next employ different kinds of marketing approaches that may be relevant to promoting eco-policy. I will then employ several strategic tools (i.e., marketing mix, strategic purposes, PEST, strategic groups, and SWOT) to help analyze Toyota City’s eco-policy. This article ends with some discussions about how to promote the city’s eco-policy.
Contributors’ Involvement in Pension Fund Investments Decision Making and Retirees Standard of Living in University of Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Nwawolo Hope , Nwogwugwu Ngozi
Published: March 2019

Management of the pension scheme in Nigeria had been inundated with several and diverse challenges ranging from corruption and mismanagement of funds for some decades. As a result retirees were not able to access their pension benefits leading to some dying without access to their fund. The government then introduced the contributory pension system in a pension Act of 2004 which was amended in 2014, as a measure to minimize the sufferings of retirees as well as allay the fears of workers. However, the problems of pension are yet to abate and retirees are still groaning under unstable welfare. This study examined contributors’ involvement in pension funds investment decision making and retirees’ standard of living. The study adopted convergent parallel research design with population being non-academic staff of University of Lagos. The population of the study was 5098 and sample size was set at 100 respondents using Taro Yamane’s (1967) formula. Response rate of the validated questionnaire was 91%. Descriptive and inferential statistics (linear regression) were employed in analysis of data. The study found that contributors’ decision making on pension fund investment exerted a positive significant effect on retirees standard of living (β=.46, R2=0.49, t=10.57, p
The Functions of University of Leiden’s Malay Language Reading Materials Among Malaysian Children
Authors: Affendi Nik R. N. M. , Pawi Awang A. A. , Rahim Normaliza Abd
Published: March 2019

The discovery of special collection of Malay language children’s stories at University of Leiden, Netherlands proves that the traditional Malay community cares for appropriate reading material for children. Based on Teuku Iskandar's note in the Catalogue of Malay, Minangkabau, and South Sumatran Manuscripts in The Netherlands, there are many stories of children in the archipelago that are stored in University of Leiden’s Library, Netherlands. However, in this study the researchers only examine three stories in the Children's Story 26 May 1862 Collection. The stories in the collection do not have specific titles, only known as Story 1, Story 2 and Story 3 and 2 stories are contained in the collection of Parable stories. This disclosure is made because there is an opinion that the folklore today is hardly recognizable by the younger generation. This universal issue encourages the researchers to look into old Malay manuscripts and their relevance in the context of children today. Hence the objectives of this study are to classify and analyze folklore functions towards children. Hence, the method of the study involves 450 children randomly chosen according to the zones, the north, south, east and west zones of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as the Sabah and Sarawak zones. The findings show that there are still folk tales that have certain functions that can benefit children. The findings also show that children today are less vulnerable to the stories of their ancestral heritage.
Why Has Japanese Educational Reform Come to a De Facto End?
Authors: Takeuchi Mamiko
Published: March 2019

A reform of public education in Japan took place from the 1980s, coming to a de facto end in 2013. The reform, which affected large numbers of Japanese children, focused on creating a more flexible, relaxed form of education by reducing the amount included in the curriculum. However, the effects of this reform have been ambiguous, and we therefore aimed to assess them more accurately. We assessed the effects of the reform by looking at the private educational costs of households during the reform period, using the data from a time series survey conducted by the Japanese government. Our evidence shows that the auxiliary study expenses of children in public junior high schools increased steadily, and the proportion of children from households in the highest income group attending private junior high schools also rose during the reform period. This evidence indicates that the reform had unexpected results. It may have triggered a widening of children’s academic ability gap depending on household wealth. There is also no comprehensive evaluation of how pressure-free education affected the academic results of Japanese children. We drew some lessons from this experience to suggest what is needed for successful educational reform.
Potentialities of the Finnish Higher Educational Framework for the Middle East: Requirements, Challenges, and Perspectives—Case of Oman
Authors: Slimi Zouhaier
Published: March 2019

Studying the possibility of applying the Finnish Higher Education framework in the Middle East; the case of Oman requires an in-depth investigation and a clear focus on the main success factors.

The research method uses the qualitative approach to study the points of views, feeling and assumptions of all the stakeholders in the Omani educational system and how teachers perceive the idea of applying the Finnish example.

The results reveal that all participants are for using the Finnish Higher Education Framework in Oman. However, they see that the application should go through a strategic, constant long-term process along with the professional development of academic staff, the collaboration of all stakeholders and the support of the government are critical requirements.
Investigation of the Effect of Regular Exercise on Some Motoric Features in Children in the 7–12 Age Group
Authors: Hazar Kürşat
Published: March 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of regular exercise on some motoric features in 7–12-year-old boys and girls in 8 weeks period of time. To the study 66 boys with an average age of 8, ± 7963, as 54 of them in research and 12 of them in control groups; 66 girls, 36 of them as research and 30 as control group, a total of 132 individuals who joins summer sports schools within the body of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Directorate of Health, Culture and Sports with no health problems participated in the study. Two tests were applied to the children before and after the exercise program. Height, body weight, balance, flexibility, bounce force, explosive force, sit-up and 20m velocity measurements were performed to the participants. SPSS 21.00 package program was used for statistical evaluation of the obtained data. For paired comparisons, Paired Samples t test was applied to determine the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. In order to determine the difference between the groups, Independent samples t test was applied and the level of significance was set at p <0.05 and 0.01. In the study, statistically significant differences were found in favor of the research group between the first and second measurement results of height, body weight, balance, flexibility, bounce force, explosive force, sit-up and velocity (p <0.05, p <0.01). As a result, in the light of the data obtained from the comparisons between the groups, it was determined that the regularly performed exercises positively affect the body weight, static balance, flexibility, bounce force, explosive force, sit-up and velocity values in 7–12 age group boys and girls.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Mathematics Research, Vol. 11, No. 2
Authors: Wang Sophia
Published: March 2019

Reviewer Acknowledgements

Journal of Mathematics Research wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal is greatly appreciated.

Many authors, regardless of whether Journal of Mathematics Research publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers.

Reviewers for Volume 11, Number 2

 

Ahmed Saad Rashed, Zagazig University, Egypt

Alan Jalal Abdulqader, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Iraq

Amjad Salari, Razi University, Iran

Arman Aghili, University of Guilan, Iran

Denis Khleborodov, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia

Gane Sam Lo, Universite Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis, Senegal

Gener Santiago Subia, NUeva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Philippines

Ivan Drazic, University of Rijeka, Croatia

Maria Alessandra Ragusa, University of Catania, Italy

Maria Cecília Santos Rosa, Instituto Politecnico da Guarda, Portugal

Martin Anokye, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Mohammad A. AlQudah, German Jordanian University, Jordan

N. V. Ramana Murty, Andhra Loyola College, India

Neha Hooda, New Jersey City University, United States

Paul J. Udoh, University of Uyo., Nigeria

Rovshan Bandaliyev, National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan

Sanjib Kumar Datta, University of Kalyani, India

Sergiy Koshkin, University of Houston Downtown, USA

Suzana Blesic, Italy

Vishnu Narayan Mishra, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, India

Zhongming Wang, Florida International University, USA

 

Sophia Wang

On behalf of,

The Editorial Board of Journal of Mathematics Research

Canadian Center of Science and Education

                                                                                                                        
Omgaan met ‘wicked problems’
Authors: Korsten Arno
Published: March 2019

Omgaan met ‘wicked problems’

In Nederland komen tal van wicked problems (WP) voor. Ze worden ook wel aangeduid als weerbarstige problemen. Kenmerkend is het unieke karakter, het feit dat kennis over probleemaspecten beperkt is en verschillende perspectieven op een probleem en meerdere waardenoriëntaties een rol spelen. Naast cognitieve en normatieve complexiteit bestaat er ook nog sociale complexiteit. WPs zoals voetbalvandalisme spelen zich af in een beleidsnetwerk met tal van elkaar afhankelijke actoren. Kennis, preferenties, handelingsvermogen en middelen blijken gespreid en niet in de hand van één actor. Om toch tot een bevredigend resultaat te komen moeten de actoren gezamenlijk optrekken. Daarom is interorganisationeel netwerkmanagement en deliberatie met burgers een wenselijke responsestrategie. Bij WPs zijn actoren dus tot elkaar veroordeeld. Centralistische besluitvorming werkt niet. Een centrale actor kan overigens nog wel een rol vervullen als initiator, facilitator of regisseur van overleg en discussie; als arbiter bij botsende perspectieven; of beslisser na netwerkberaad en inbreng van burgers.
The Role of National Human Rights Institutions in Post-Legislative Scrutiny
Authors: Glušac Luka
Published: March 2019

The Role of National Human Rights Institutions in Post-Legislative Scrutiny

This article explores the role of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in post-legislative scrutiny (PLS), a topic that has been notably neglected in existing literature. The present research demonstrates that (1) legislative review is actually part of NHRIs’ mandate and (2) the applicable international standards (e.g. Belgrade and Paris Principles) provide for their actorness in all stages of legislative process. The main hypothesis is that NHRIs have already been conducting activities most relevant for PLS, even though they have not often been labelled as such by parliaments or scholars. In other words, we argue that their de facto role in PLS has already been well established through their practice, despite the lack of de jure recognition by parliamentary procedures. We support this thesis by providing empirical evidence from national practices to show NHRIs’ relevance for PLS of both primary and secondary legislation. The central part of this article concentrates on the potential of NHRIs to act as (1) triggers for PLS, and (2) stakeholders in PLS that has already been initiated. The article concludes with a summary of the results, lessons learned, their theoretical and practical implications and the avenues for further research.
Post-Legislative Scrutiny in a Decentralized Setting
Authors: Aywa Francis A. , Ndung’u Gabriel K.
Published: March 2019

Post-Legislative Scrutiny in a Decentralized Setting: Opportunities from Alcoholic Drinks Regulation in Kenya

Irresponsible alcohol consumption is a complicated regulatory issue globally. Governments’ regulatory regimes for the alcoholic drinks sector are primarily concerned with issues such as control of the production, sale, and use of alcoholic drinks for purposes of safeguarding the health of the individual in view of the dangers of excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks. This article is intended to offer insights on post-legislative scrutiny by drawing on lessons from alcoholic drinks regulation in Kenya. Post-legislative scrutiny as a methodology largely reviews government action or inaction and consequently proposes measures to be undertaken for purposes of managing the effective implementation of its policies and abiding by legal obligations in relation to regulatory frameworks and actions. The intention is to highlight the failures and insufficiencies of the different approaches on alcohol regulation and the manner in which they have been utilized to regulate and control abuse of alcoholic drinks. By comparing regulatory outcomes with the intended policy outcomes and design of regulatory regimes the authors make the case for the primacy of post-regulatory scrutiny and to provide suggestions on how it can be improved in settings such as Kenya’s.
De pilot van de Rotterdamse Regelrechter
Authors: Wetzels Wim
Published: March 2019

The pilot of the low-threshold court in Rotterdam

Socially effective justice requires innovative legislation that allows the judge to experiment with simple procedures that bring parties together in order to prevent escalation of disputes. For that reason, the Dutch government has enabled experiments with low-threshold local civil courts. This article focuses on the experiences with such a court in Rotterdam. The court provides a simple, fast and cheap procedure with the aim of reaching a solution to the dispute in joint consultation. The article provides insight into the nature and the number of disputes that have been dealt with up to now.
Experimenten in de civiele rechtspraak: een oplossing voor welk probleem?
Authors: van der Kraats Kim
Published: March 2019

Experiments in civil justice: a solution to what problem?

In Dutch courts several pilots are being carried out in order to enhance the quality of civil procedure. The main focus of the pilots is to speed up the procedure and make it more cost-effective, while ensuring the procedure is easily accessible and is overseen by a mediating judge in a nearby court. This focus largely corresponds with aspects of the civil procedure that the courts and the minister of Justice have identified as in need of attention. The courts and the minister have focused on different specific problems and propose different solutions, however, and neither aims to address the quality of civil procedure as a whole. It is doubtful whether the proposals for improvement, put forward by the courts and the minister, can address the concerns they have intended to resolve and whether the overall quality of the civil procedure (for all civil cases instead of the simple ones) will be improved. Solutions to the problems of the civil procedure cannot be devised without first developing a clear picture of the problems people experience with civil procedures and the courts.
Writing and Deleting files on hard drives with NTFS
Authors: Darnowski Fryderyk , Chojnacki Andrzej
Published: March 2019

The goal of this article was to present detailed information about writing and deleting process on the NTFS (New Technology File System) formatted drives. The most important are the algorithms used by computer to write data BFA (Best Fit Algorithm) and FFA (First-Free Algorithm) to update $MFT (Master File Table). The naming convention of the areas of the drive is presented. The proposed rules of writing and deleting algorithm were successfully validated with real NTFS volume.
Method of agents’ state estimation in multiresolution multiagent simulation
Authors: Pierzchała Dariusz , Czuba Przemysław
Published: March 2019

The paper proposes the multiagent techniques for approximation of agent’s state in the multiresolution multiagent simulation. The key methods we have used for state aggregation and disaggregation are: consensus algorithm and formation control. The idea of the coordination of multiple agents has emerged from both observation and simulation of a collective behavior of biological entities. The consensus algorithms are commonly used for the cooperative control problems in the multiagent systems, whilst the formation control is the most popular and fundamental motion coordination problem in the multiagent systems, where agents converge to predefined geometric shapes. The presented approach shows that multiagent methods seem to be very promising in multiresolution simulation. Consensus and formation control algorithms remove necessity to specify the much more complex algorithms for the aggregation and disaggregation needs.
On some specific cases of quantum state in testing its separability
Authors: Ryszawa Paweł
Published: March 2019

This paper shows a simple computational scheme for determining whether a particular quantum state in a specific form is separable across two given sets of qubits. That is, given a set of qubits partitioned into two, it answers the question: does the original state have a separable form as a tensor product of some two other states, which are set up of the two given subsets of qubits?
Artefatos Tangíveis e a Avaliação de Estados Afetivos por Crianças
Authors: Moreira Eliana Alves , Reis Julio Cesar dos , Baranauskas M. Cecília C.
Published: March 2019

Sistemas computacionais contemporâneos e ubíquos demandam cada vez mais avaliações que consideram aspectos para além da ergonomia, usabilidade e acessibilidade, para incluir também meios de entender o estado afetivo dos envolvidos na interação. Contudo, principalmente quando as partes envolvidas são crianças, é necessário promover meios lúdicos e acessíveis para envolver as pessoas nas atividades de avaliação, pois espera-se que a ferramenta utilizada na avaliação permita que os envolvidos se expressem de acordo com sua idade e compreensão. Trabalhos existentes propõem soluções abstratas que dificultam a compreensão e a participação das pessoas na expressão de estados afetivos. Neste artigo, desenvolvemos e avaliamos o ambiente TangiSAM, que engloba conjuntos de bonecos tridimensionais concretos que se utilizam de tecnologias tangíveis que permitem efetuar avaliação de estados afetivos de maneira lúdica. Conduzimos um estudo em um espaço educativo real com crianças e professoras para entender se os artefatos tangíveis do TangiSAM favorecem uma melhor experiência de autoavaliação. Descobrimos que o TangiSAM obteve maior preferência pelos participantes quando comparado com outras propostas de representação de estados afetivos.