bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking Job Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction in the Cruise Industry: Implications for Hospitality and Travel Organizations
Authors: Testa Mark R. , Skaruppa Cindy , Pietrzak Dale
Published: July 2017

Service quality and customer satisfaction are vital concerns in service industries, particularly in the cruise industry. As such, the development of new methods for improving both is essential. A model of attitudes, intentions, and behaviors proposed by Bagozzi and refined by Schmit and Allscheid was tested to determine if employee job satisfaction and customer satisfaction were related constructs in the cruise industry. The hypothesized model did not account for the relationship between the measured and latent variables; however, a direct relationship between employee job satisfaction and customer satisfaction was found to exist (R2 = . 30). Implications for hospitality and travel organizations are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research.
Modeling U.S. Household Expenditure on Food Away from Home (Fafh): Logit Regression Analysis
Authors: Ham Seonok , Hiemstra Stephen J. , Yang Ii-Sun
Published: July 2017

This study determined which households were likely to purchase food away from home (FAFH) based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Data from the 1992 Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX) were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression. After-tax family income, education of reference person, and family type were found to most strongly affect FAFH purchases.
An Empirical Analysis of Service Orientation and its Impact on Employee Job Performance in Upscale Hotels
Authors: Petrillose Michael J. , Shanklin Carol W. , Downey Ronald G.
Published: July 2017

This research investigated the service orientation of employees of upscale hotel properties. Employees (N = 355) and supervisors/managers (N = 41) of three full-service hotels located in a large metropolitan market in the Midwest participated. Significant differences were found in the employee empathy and sensitivity components of the Service Orientation Index (SOI). High customer contact employees, as determined by their own self-rating, had significantly higher scores on the sensitivity component of the SOI than employees who rated themselves as having low contact with guests. Results suggested that position-defined contact could predict employee self-rated job performance, but the interaction of the position-defined contact and SOI scores did not moderate employee self-rated job performance. Findings indicated that supervisor/manager ratings of employee job performance cannot be predicted from SOI scores, and the interaction of position-defined contact did not moderate supervisor/manager ratings of employee job performance in predicting service orientation.
Cash Flow Practices and Procedures in the Lodging Industry
Authors: Defranco Agnes L. , Schmidgall Raymond S.
Published: July 2017

This article explores the changing emphasis on cash flow practices and reporting in the lodging industry over the past 5 years. Major findings, based on 172 responses, include more detailed and more frequent reporting of cash flow information by many lodging firms to both internal and external users. Best practices for enhancing cash flows are also reported.
The Relationship Between Dividend Yields and Common Equity Returns for Hotel and Lodging Firms in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan: Some Empirical Evidence
Authors: Sheel Atul
Published: July 2017

Dividend policies of hotel and lodging firms are often constrained by various restrictive debt covenants. Such restrictions are imposed by institutional lenders as protective measures, especially when the financial and operating leverage trends in a specific industry group are very high. Given such restrictions and constrained dividend payouts, the question of “dividend relevance” has special importance for firms in the hotel and lodging industry. This research is a cross-sectional analysis of the dividend/return relationship for hotel and lodging firms in three major G7 markets, namely, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. Although empirical findings suggest a positive nonlinear dividend/return relationship for hotel and lodging firms in these countries, they also reveal the presence of distinct country-specific effects in the above relationship. As such, the nature of the relationship between dividend yields and common equity returns for hotel and lodging firms is better understood from a global perspective.
Defining evidence-based health care: A health-care learning strategy?
Authors: Deighan Michael , Boyd Kirsty
Published: July 2017

Health-care planners, policy makers, economists, purchasers and providers faced with increasingly limited resources, are attracted by the prospect of reliable evidence on costs and effectiveness1,2. The practice of evidence-based health care could ultimately lead to a redirection of resources towards treatments shown to be more effective than the alternatives. Evidence-based health care should extend the scientific methodologies to aspects of NHS activity other than clinical work. As a result there are wider cultural implications through the participation of staff in the identification of problems that are appropriately tackled by research3.
Issues involved in introducing the 12-hour shift
Authors: Fountain Imogen , Curzio Joan , Hunt Jennifer
Published: July 2017

The requirement to ensure that practice is evidence-based, means that all aspects of the structure, process and outcome of nursing care need to be subjected to critical review. This report attempts to do this in regard to the 12-hour shift pattern. Twelve-hour shifts are being introduced by an increasing number of managements, a practice which has raised concerns since there is some evidence indicating that 12-hour shifts affect the amount of care patients receive, and that there are possible links between length of shift worked, nurses' stress and fatigue levels and the impact these might have on the quality of care. This review discusses the main effects of the change in shifts on nurses and patients alike. The review focuses on studies since 1980 and on studies carried out in the United Kingdom. The search produced a considerable number of references; however, only those which met the inclusion criteria are included in this paper; a complete list is available on request. Much of the published work currently available lacks rigour. Yet, this is an important topic on which sound information is needed to inform decision-making.
Improving integration between research and practice as a means of developing evidence-based health care
Authors: Stevens Janet
Published: July 2017

This paper seeks to highlight some aspects of the debate which surrounds the subject of the participation and effectiveness of nurses, midwives and health visitors in research and development of health care. It aims to widen the debate from the topic of research and its implementation, to consider organizational and inter-professional issues. Assumptions about the engagement of the profession are discussed, together with reflection on the nature of professional involvement. The purpose is to stimulate debate and to generate questions. Members of the profession are invited to respond and become engaged in the dialogue from which to broaden understanding of the subject. The product of debate will be used to inform a project being undertaken for the NHS Executive Nursing Directorate. The outcome of the project will be to determine the nature of a strategic framework to enable nurses to become increasingly proactive in directing the future shape of health-care services.
An exploratory study of the health-care needs of the adolescent with cancer
Authors: Whyte Fiona , Smith Lorraine N.
Published: July 2017

This paper reports on an exploratory study of the perceived health-care needs of hospitalised adolescent cancer patients. Data were collected using a Q sort board game, specifically designed for this study, and by semi-structured interview based on a rigorous search of the literature. Factor analysis was employed to examine the data. The findings from the study are related primarily to the validity of the research tools and support the need for a main study in the field of adolescent cancer patients' health-care needs.
Force Over Form
Authors: Monje David
Published: July 2017

This essay looks at the parallels between Artaud’s (1958) Theatre of Cruelty and Timothy Speed Levitch’s (1998) Cruise through the lens of Derrida’s (1978) understanding of Artaud. The essay also engages Kristeva’s (1984) psychoanalytic framework for understanding the relation between language and subjectivity as an allied effort to address the same kind of ethical commitments and ineffable qualities expressed in Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty. KeywordsArtaud, Derrida, Kristeva, Levitch, Theatre of Cruelty.
With and Beyond Mills
Authors: Wilkinson Iain
Published: July 2017

This article offers a critical appraisal of C. Wright Mills’s The Sociological Imagination with focus brought to how he sets his sociology into practice. It is designed as an invitation to further dialogue and debate over the methodology of this work. It reviews Mills’s attempt to create a “sociologized pragmatism” and analyzes the contribution of The Sociological Imagination to this project. It argues that the critical praxis that informs the development of research and writing on “social suffering” demonstrates an approach to social inquiry that moves both with and beyond Mills, particularly with regard to the task of cultivating social understanding from conflicts met in lived experience.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Rural Older Adults
Authors: Arcury Thomas A. , Quandt Sara A. , Bell Ronny A. , Vitolins Mara Z.
Published: July 2017

Little research has investigated Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use prevalence and its determinants among older adults. We examined ethnic and gender variation in CAM use among rural older adults who reside in two North Carolina counties. Home and folk remedies, and vitamin and mineral supplements, were used by most participants. Men and women did not differ. African and Native American elders used home and folk remedies more than European Americans; European and Native Americans used vitamin and mineral supplements more than African Americans. Health care providers should be aware that their patients use CAM and may need counseling to minimize CAM-drug interactions.
Hand, foot and mouth disease
Authors: Lighton Lorraine
Published: July 2017

Despite the common features in their names, foot and mouth disease has no connection with hand, foot and mouth disease. Hand, foot and mouth disease is a disease of humans, whereas foot and mouth disease almost only affects animals with hooves. Although there is documented evidence of farmers acquiring foot and mouth disease from animals, this is an extremely rare occurrence, even in those countries where foot and mouth disease is endemic.
Surveillance of Clostridium difficile infection in Scotland from 1988 to 2000
Authors: Lee K. , Locking M. , Pavec V.
Published: July 2017

This short report, adapted from a poster presentation at the 2001 ICNA Conference in Blackpool, is a preliminary examination of surveillance reports in Scotland, and highlights the need for further Investigations.
A PEST analysis of the role of clinical governance in hospital infection control
Authors: Robinson Bryan
Published: July 2017

Walter Bagehot, the social scientist and political journalist, wrote in 1867: ‘There is a great difficulty in the way of a writer who attempts to sketch a living constitution. The difficulty is that the object is in constant change.’ So it is with clinical governance some 130 years later.
An outbreak of E. coli O157 within a prison
Authors: Wilson ALT , Salter MW
Published: July 2017

Escherichia coli O157 can cause a life threatening infection. Over a two-week period in September 2000, 32 prisoners in North Dorset became infected with E. coli O157. None of the staff were affected. An outbreak caused by this organism had occurred in the prison four years previously. Investigations revealed that certain conditions in the prison provided an ideal environment for the transmission of gastrointestinal infections.
Hand hygiene in local primary school children — an infection control and health promotion initiative
Authors: Baxter A , Cleary V
Published: July 2017

A small collaborative infection control pilot project to help promote hand hygiene in local primary schools was designed by Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth (MSW) and Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham (LSL) Health Authorities in London.

The pilot consisted of a selection of four primary schools in two London Boroughs being encouraged to use fun frothy liquid soap in dispensers over the 2001 summer term. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were used with a selected number of staff members to ascertain actual/perceived knowledge and behaviour changes in both staff and children.

All schools stated that handwashing increased during the pilot study and children actually looked forward to using the dispensers. Six of the eight schools in the pilot have agreed to expand the use of liquid soap dispensers as a result.

Liquid soap was recognised as being a safe, effective and acceptable handwashing solution in communal settings, particularly when compared with bar soap, which can result in contamination with skin bacteria and Gram-negative bacilli (Reybrouck, 1986).

The challenge for all schools is to ensure the message is continually reinforced for hand washing to be effective and sustainable, helped by the provision of adequate facilities.
The International Federation of Infection Control
Authors: Hambraeus A , Walker M
Published: July 2017

The International Federation of Infection Control (IFIC) is an umbrella organisation of societies and associations of healthcare professionals in infection control and related fields.
Rationalisation of non-sterile latex disposable gloves in clinical settings – a brief study using the purchase of expertise consultancy model
Authors: V Duncanson
Published: July 2017

T his article describes a small study aimed at making a purchasing recommendation to the purchasing manager, providing a cost-benefit analysis of the most commonly used brands of non-sterile latex examination gloves.

One of the nine makes of glove tested remained consistent with the agreed criteria for assessment and, if introduced as the only option available, would result in a saving of $15,150 per annum on Site A of a recently merged secondary care Trust. Also, the importance of the consultancy role of the clinical nurse specialist in improving practice was demonstrated.
Informing the Future – a review of nursing roles and responsibilities in community infection control (part two)
Authors: HP Loveday , PJ Harper , A Mulhall , C Pellowe , J Howard , E MacRae , RJ Pratt
Published: July 2017

T his article is the second summarising the main findings and conclusions of the review of the role(s) and responsibilities of infection prevention and control nurses (IPCN) commissioned by the Department of Health (England) in 2000. It describes the activities that form the core work of IPCN, discusses the strengths and constraints of the current role and makes suggestions for the future development of IPCN roles within the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Primary Care Trusts (PCT).
SARS — a response from a health protection unit
Authors: Lighton L
Published: July 2017

On 17 March 2003 a 64-year-old man was admitted to hospital in Greater Manchester with a diagnosis of probable SARS. The Greater Manchester Health Protection Unit coordinated the public health response. Issues that needed to be addressed included: clarifying the diagnosis, management of contacts, infection control procedures, laboratory services, ongoing surveillance and managing the media response. The principles used for the management of this incident are applicable to many other communicable disease and infection control situations.
A survey of 554 peripheral intravenous catheters: infection, duration of cannulation and documentation issues
Authors: Creamer E , McCarthy G , Tighe I , Smyth E
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this survey was to improve nursing care of patients with peripheral intravenous catheters (PVCs), focusing on duration of cannulation. The survey was conducted in 20 general wards recording data on the duration of cannulation, site-infection, dating of PVC dressing and documentation in nursing notes. Nursing staff were interviewed on duration of the PVC and a documentation form was introduced during the survey.

A total of 554 PVCs in 397 patients were surveyed. Duration of cannulation ranged from one to ten days, with 402 (73%) of PVCs removed by day three. The site-infection rate was 28 (5%) with no cases of blood stream infection. Most site infection (20 of 28 (71%)) occurred within the first three days.

The duration of cannulation, from interview, was known by nurses in 416 (75%) of cases and documented in 208 (40%) of cases. Eighteen months after its introduction, the PVC documentation form was in use in 19 of 20 wards for 60 (76%) PVCs.

While the infection rate was low and nurses were generally aware of the duration of cannulation, inadequate documentation by nursing and medical staff was a cause for concern. Information on PVCs should be included in standard documentation on all wards and in relevant departments to assist nurses and others in the provision of quality care to patients.
Befriending: active placebo or effective psychotherapy?
Authors: Turkington Douglas , Spencer Helen , Lebert Latoyah , Dudley Robert
Published: July 2017

Befriending allows for control of the non-specific factors of the therapist–patient interaction in psychosocial research. Manualised befriending is at the very least an active placebo and potentially an effective intervention. Befriending now merits increased research attention to determine indications for use and to elucidate mechanisms of action.
“Determined and Unmoved”: Wordsworth's Materialism
Authors: Eyers Tom
Published: July 2017

If scholars of Wordsworth have differed considerably in their interpretation of the poet's invocations of nature and subjectivity, there has been broad agreement that it is these and allied themes that determine the poetry's importance. In contrast, this essay identifies a deep seam of materialism in Wordsworth's verse, one that alights upon and magnifies aspects of the natural world that are irrecuperable by the subject or by poetic symbol. In poems from across Wordsworth's varied career, the formal properties of poetry are used to record a simultaneous material persistence and autonomy in language and the external world both. The gap between these materialities—that of the poetic sign and the external world—is held open by Wordsworth, a refusal of reconciliation that, I demonstrate, is particular to poetic rather than narrative form, and that may in turn be recognized as an idiosyncratic mode of poetic reference. Finally, Wordsworth's materialism is shown to induce a peculiarly impassive type of affect, one that troubles the ways in which affect has been mobilized in recent theoretical discussion.
Cerebrospinal fluid markers to distinguish bacterial meningitis from cerebral malaria in children
Authors: Njunge James M. , Oyaro Ian N. , Kibinge Nelson K. , Rono Martin K. , Kariuki Symon M. , Newton Charles R. , Berkley James A. , Gitau Evelyn N.
Published: July 2017

Background. Few hospitals in high malaria endemic countries in Africa have the diagnostic capacity for clinically distinguishing acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) from cerebral malaria (CM). As a result, empirical use of antibiotics is necessary. A biochemical marker of ABM would facilitate precise clinical diagnosis and management of these infections and enable rational use of antibiotics.

Methods. We used label-free protein quantification by mass spectrometry to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers that distinguish ABM (n=37) from CM (n=22) in Kenyan children. Fold change (FC) and false discovery rates (FDR) were used to identify differentially expressed proteins. Subsequently, potential biomarkers were assessed for their ability to discriminate between ABM and CM using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results. The host CSF proteome response to ABM (Haemophilus influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae) is significantly different to CM. Fifty two proteins were differentially expressed (FDR<0.01, Log FC≥2), of which 83% (43/52) were upregulated in ABM compared to CM. Myeloperoxidase and lactotransferrin were present in 37 (100%) and 36 (97%) of ABM cases, respectively, but absent in CM (n=22). Area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were assessed for myeloperoxidase (1, 1, and 1; 95% CI, 1-1) and lactotransferrin (0.98, 0.97, and 1; 95% CI, 0.96-1).

Conclusion. Myeloperoxidase and lactotransferrin have a high potential to distinguish ABM from CM and thereby improve clinical management. Their validation requires a larger cohort of samples that includes other bacterial aetiologies of ABM.
Markov-modulated multivariate linear regression
Authors: Andronov Alexander
Published: July 2017

The article concerns parameter estimation for the Markov-modulated multivariate linear regression model. It is supposed that the parameters of the linear regression are dependent from states of a random environment. The last is described as a continuous-time homogeneous irreducible Markov chain with known parameters. The procedure of estimating the regression parameters is established.
On estimation of insurance risk parameters by combining local regression and distribution fitting ideas
Authors: Käärik Meelis , Kangro Raul , Muru Liina
Published: July 2017

The problem of premium estimation is an essential part of the insurance mathematics. Often the problem is divided into two parts: estimation of claim number (or frequency) and the estimation of individual claim amounts (severities). In this paper, we will focus on the former. More precisely, we are looking for certain semiparametric dynamic regression type model to avoid the "price shock" issue of static classication. We apply locally the regression method, use local maximum likelihood estimation for the parameters of the model and cross-validation techniques to determine the optimal size of a neighborhood. A case study with real vehicle casco insurance dataset is included, the results obtained by proposed method are compared by the ones obtained by global regression and the classification and regression trees (C&RT) approach.
Effect of auxiliary information in data collection and estimation stage
Authors: Lumiste Kaur
Published: July 2017

Responsive design is a newly emerged view focusing on reducing the effects of non-response by monitoring and intervening the data collection process. Informative measures that use auxiliary information are used to guide the data collection process. Aspiration to a well representative set of respondents is currently done through balancing – means of auxiliary variables have to be equal in the sample and the set of respondents. Auxiliary variables are later used in the estimation stage to improve the estimates, but assume that more auxiliary variables are available in the estimation stage. The auxiliary vector is split by variables (a) used in monitoring and estimation, and (b) only used in the estimation stage. Explicit terms of calibration weights and response propensities are developed and useful properties of those terms are proved. Theoretical results and two emerging strategies are tested in simulations.
An Analysis of Software Agents, Environ-ments and Applications School (WESAAC): Retrospective, Relevance, and Trends
Authors: Gonçalves Enyo , Cortés Mariela , De Oliveira Marcos , Veras Nécio , FalcÃo Mário , Castro Jaelson
Published: July 2017

Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) software has been increasing dramatically in last years. In this context, the Software Agents, Environments and Applications School (WESAAC) is a Brazilian event of MAS which is in its tenth edition. When studying a research area, it is important to identify the most active groups, topics, the research trends and so forth. This study aims to investigate how the WESAAC is evolving, by analysing the papers published in its ten editions. We adopted a research strategy that combines scoping study and systematic review good practices. We identify the most participating institutions and authors, the main topics discussed, the types of the contributions, the conferences and journals that have most referenced WESAAC papers, the publications with the greatest impact, and the trends in MAS. We found 128 papers over the 10 WESAAC editions, which were analysed and discussed.
Ulises: A Agent-Based System For Timbre Classification
Authors: Teixeira Eduardo Porto , Goncalves Eder M. N. , Adamatti Diana F.
Published: July 2017

The Sound and Music Computing (SMC) field has grown over the years and every time there are more conferences and specialized researchers in this area. The sub-field of Music Information Retrieval (MIR), one of the main research fields on SMC has focused on getting information from sound data. The most critical issue with regard to the human perception of sound is: what are the qualities of musical instrument sounds to perform recognition of its sound sources. There are four main sound dimensions: pitch, loudness, duration and timbre. The fourth dimension, timbre, is the most vague and complex dimension, a complex and high-level multidimensional property. Recognition of timbres is an area of high interest within MIR, being present in several papers state of the art on SMC. About Multi-Agent Systems (MAS), the term autonomous refers to the fact that the agents have their own existence, regardless of the existence of other agents, and are able to take own decisions without outside interference. Agents technology is particularly suitable for musical applications because of the possibility of associating a computational agent with the role of a singer or instrumentalist as can be seen in works state of art in SMC area. In this context, this paper proposes a agent-based approach to timbre recognition, focusing on the parallelization of the classification model. For this, we assign a method of recognition of timbres to different agents, where each agent is a specialized entity in a particular timbre, characteristic of a specific instrument, seeking a distributed solution for solving the timbre recognition problem.
A Multi-Agent Extension of a Hierarchical Task Network Planning Formalism
Authors: Cardoso Rafael Cauê , Bordini Rafael Heitor
Published: July 2017

Describing planning domains using a common formalism promotes greater reuse of research, allowing a fairer comparison between different planners and approaches. Common planning formalisms for single-agent planning are already well established (e.g., PDDL, STRIPS, and HTN), but currently there is a shortage of multi-agent planning formalisms with clear semantics. In this paper, we propose a multi-agent extension of the Hierarchical Task Network (HTN) planning formalism for multi-agent planning problems. Our formalism, the Multi-Agent Hierarchical Task Network (MA-HTN), can be used to specify and represent multi-agent planning domains and problems. We provide a grammar with semantics for the domain and problem representation, and describe two case studies with the translation from multi-agent systems developed in JaCaMo to our MA-HTN formalism.
One Hundred Years, One Hundred Messages
Authors: Krausz Tamás
Published: July 2017

The fundamental humanist values of the Russian Revolution still capture the imagination. As an experience of history and a methodology for transforming the world into a community, the revolution's legacy has persisted far beyond the failed experiment of state socialism itself.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
As the World Turned Upside Down: Left Intellectuals in Yugoslavia, 1988–90
Authors: Sheehan Helena
Published: July 2017

Throughout Eastern Europe, there was an unleashing of pent-up questions, hopes, and fears brewing for decades. There was a sense that the ground was trembling underneath these experiments in socialism. It was clear to most of us that socialism could only survive through radical democratization.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
Ocenzuruj się sam, czyli o konstrukcji wyrazowej to się wytnie
Authors: Miławska Małgorzata
Published: July 2017

Celem niniejszego artykułu jest opis innowacji frazeologicznej to się wytnie. Analizę tej konstrukcji wyrazowej rozpoczęto od przytoczenia cytatów, które reprezentują jej dosłowne funkcjonowanie w tekstach współczesnych, związanych głównie ze sferą profesjolektów medialnych. W dalszej części szkicu przedstawiono różne wypowiedzi (przede wszystkim internautów) będące poświadczeniem działania mechanizmu zapożyczania wewnętrznego, a także dowodem na rozszerzanie zakresu pierwotnego użycia frazy o znaczenia metaforyczne przy jednoczesnym zachowaniu podstawowego semu ‘coś, co trzeba usunąć, wyciąć’. Potwierdzeniem powszechnej znajomości i dowcipnego charakteru frazeologizmu są również inne sposoby jego aktualizacji, zawarte np. w tytułach wydarzeń kulturalnych lub nazwach sklepów.
Realities of and perspectives for languages in the globalised world: Can language teaching survive the inadequacies of policies implemented today at Leeds Beckett University?
Authors: Gamir Saadia
Published: July 2017

Various newspaper articles report that British ministers, university representatives, exam chiefs and business bodies agree that foreign languages skills in primary, secondary and tertiary UK education are in crisis. Lower funding and policy changes have caused language skills deficiencies felt gravely in the business sectors. Funding and support initiatives pledged by policy makers appear to be election-driven, barely outliving newly elected governments. Others blame secondary school language curriculum for failing to inspire students to take up a language when they reach 13 or 14. Others still argue that severe A-level examinations marking deters students from taking up a foreign language at 6th form level, producing fewer prospective language learners for university departments. Community languages are also undervalued as small-entry languages could soon be axed from GCSE and A-level examinations. In a world increasingly interconnected, it is essential the importance of language learning be reinstated in all our educational institutions. This paper reviews two decades of the conditions of language provision in the UK in general, with an emphasis on Leeds Beckett University. It also attempts to answer two questions emerging form the author’s personal teaching experience and reflections: What are the realities and challenges language teaching faces at Leeds Beckett University? And, how may we support language learners in fulfilling their ambition to acquire the required skills to communicate effectively in this globalised world?
Heat ball formulæ for k-forms on evolving manifolds
Authors: Afuni Ahmad
Published: July 2017

We establish a local monotonicity identity for vector bundle-valued differential k-forms on superlevel sets of appropriate heat kernel-like functions.
As a consequence, we obtain new local monotonicity formulæ for the harmonic map and Yang–Mills heat flows on evolving manifolds.
We also show how these methods yield local monotonicity formulæ for the Yang–Mills–Higgs flow.
Electromagnetic fields at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) trigger the onset of general stress response along with DNA modifications in Eisenia fetida earthworms
Authors: Bourdineaud Jean-Paul , Šrut Maja , Štambuk Anamaria , Tkalec Mirta , Brèthes Daniel , Malarić Krešimir , Klobučar Göran I .V.
Published: July 2017

Eisenia fetida earthworms were exposed to electromagnetic field (EMF) at a mobile phone frequency (900 MHz) and at field levels ranging from 10 to 120 V m-1 for a period of two hours (corresponding to specific absorption rates ranging from 0.13 to 9.33 mW kg-1). Potential effects of longer exposure (four hours), field modulation, and a recovery period of 24 h after two hours of exposure were addressed at the field level of 23 V m-1. All exposure treatments induced significant DNA modifications as assessed by a quantitative random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR. Even after 24 h of recovery following a two hour-exposure, the number of probe hybridisation sites displayed a significant two-fold decrease as compared to untreated control earthworms, implying a loss of hybridisation sites and a persistent genotoxic effect of EMF. Expression of genes involved in the response to general stress (HSP70 encoding the 70 kDa heat shock protein, and MEKK1 involved in signal transduction), oxidative stress (CAT, encoding catalase), and chemical and immune defence (LYS, encoding lysenin, and MYD, encoding a myeloid differentiation factor) were up-regulated after exposure to 10 and modulated 23 V m-1 field levels. Western blots showing an increased quantity of HSP70 and MTCO1 proteins confirmed this stress response. HSP70 and LYS genes were up-regulated after 24 h of recovery following a two hour-exposure, meaning that the effect of EMF exposure lasted for hours.
Consumer knowledge and attitudes toward healthy eating in Croatia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ljubičić Marija , Sarić Marijana Matek , Barić Irena Colić , Rumbak Ivana , Komes Draženka , Šatalić Zvonimir , Guiné Raquel P. F.
Published: July 2017

Unlike fast and restaurant food, diet rich in fibre is known to contribute significantly to health. The aim of our study was to assess eating habits such as consumption of fibre-rich, fast, and restaurant food of the general population in Croatia. For this purpose we used a validated survey designed by the Polytechnic Institute Viseu in Portugal, which includes questions about demographics, good eating habits related to the consumption of the main sources of dietary fibre (fruit, vegetables, and whole grains), and unhealthy eating habits related to the consumption of fast food and restaurant meals. Between October 2014 and March 2015 we received answers from 2,536 respondents aged between 18-70 years, of whom 67.4 % were women and 32.6 % were men. Most respondents reported consuming one serving of vegetables and one piece of fruit a day, and whole grains every other day. Women and urban residents reported consuming larger amounts of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains than men (p<0.001). Men, in turn, reported eating out and eating fast food more often than women (p<0.001). Eating out highly correlated with eating fast food, which translates to lower consumption of dietary fibre (p<0.001). Higher education correlated positively with the consumption of fibre-rich food, but it also correlated positively with the consumption of fast and restaurant food (p<0.001). While eating fast food is not the predominant dietary practice in Croatia, over 50 % of respondents have reported eating fast food at least once a week. Our data also indicate that consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains falls below the national and international dietary recommendations.
The Use of Acoustic Vectors Decomposition of Sound Fields to Vibroacoustic Protection on Ships
Authors: Weyna Stefan
Published: July 2017

In this paper, numerous examples will be illustrated as principles of applying the sound intensity measurements to practical problems at the noise abatement on ships and offshore constructions. The paper presents the results of transmission loss measurements together with flanking transmission for ship bulkheads and partitions with doors and windows. Investigations carried out with sound intensity measurement techniques will be compared against those made by classical methods. Finally for a few examples, the graphic presentation of spatial distribution of sound intensity vectors risen close to vibrating ship cabin partitions and inside the cabin will be shown in 2D and 3D graphical form. As a result, a two-dimensional acoustic wave flow map of time-averaged active intensity vectors propagated along curved streamlines and a vector perpendicular to measured plane are graphically illustrated. The technique of acoustic vectors decomposition of sound fields described, can enrich the knowledge of the mechanism of acoustic energy flux through ship partitions.
Frequency Selection Based Separation of Speech Signals with Reduced Computational Time Using Sparse NMF
Authors: Varshney Yash Vardhan , Abbasi Zia Ahmad , Abidi Musiur Raza , Farooq Omar
Published: July 2017

Application of wavelet decomposition is described to speed up the mixed speech signal separation with the help of non-negative matrix factorisation (NMF). It is assumed that the basis vectors of training data of individual speakers had been recorded. In this paper, the spectrogram magnitude of a mixed signal has been factorised with the help of NMF with consideration of sparseness of speech signals. The high frequency components of signal contain very small amount of signal energy. By rejecting the high frequency components, the size of input signal is reduced, which reduces the computational time of matrix factorisation. The signal of lower energy has been separated by using wavelet decomposition. The present work is done for wideband microphone speech signal and standard audio signal from digital video equipment. This shows an improvement in the separation capability using the proposed model as compared with an existing one in terms of correlation between separated and original signals. Obtained signal to distortion ratio (SDR) and signal to interference ratio (SIR) are also larger as compare of the existing model. The proposed model also shows a reduction in computational time, which results in faster operation.
Normalization of Multifocal Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Images
Authors: González-Salido Nuria , Camacho Jorge
Published: July 2017

Imaging the tissue displacements caused by Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) provides qualitative tissue elasticity maps around the focus. To increase imaging range, multi-focus techniques combine several images obtained with different focal depths. Since the acoustic radiation force depends on focus depth, axial distance and steering angle, a normalization process is required before blending multi-focal ARFI images so that changes in the displayed displacements represent true tissue elasticity variations. This work analyzes the sources of displacement variability in multi-focal-zone ARFI and proposes a procedure to normalize and combine partial images. The proposal is based on the system focal configuration, transducer characteristics and global tissue parameters found by ultrasonic measurements. Performance of the proposed algorithm is experimentally evaluated with tissue mimicking phantoms.
Human-likeness assessment for the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis
Authors: Łupkowski Paweł , Rybka Marek , Dziedzic Dagmara , Włodarczyk Wojciech
Published: July 2017

The Uncanny Valley Hypothesis (UVH, proposed in the 1970s) suggests that looking at or interacting with almost human-like artificial characters would trigger eeriness or discomfort. We studied how well subjects can assess degrees of human likeness for computer-generated characters. We conducted two studies, where subjects were asked to assess human likeness of given computer-generated models (Study 1) and to point the most typical model for a given category (Study 2). The results suggest that evaluation of the way human likeness is assessed should be an internal part of UVH research.
A priori knowledge integration for the detection of cerebral aneurysm
Authors: Rahmany Ines , Khlifa Nawres
Published: July 2017

The detection of intracranial aneurysms is of a paramount effect in the prevention of cerebral subarachnoid hemorrhage. We propose in this paper, a new approach to detect cerebral aneurysm in digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images by fusing several sources of knowledge. After a brief description of a priori knowledge that the expert has provided about cerebral aneurysm, we propose a system architecture including fuzzy modeling and data fusion. The results on the studied cases are very promising.
Difficulty Factors and Preprocessing in Imbalanced Data Sets: An Experimental Study on Artificial Data
Authors: Wojciechowski Szymon , Wilk Szymon
Published: July 2017

In this paper we describe results of an experimental study where we checked the impact of various difficulty factors in imbalanced data sets on the performance of selected classifiers applied alone or combined with several preprocessing methods. In the study we used artificial data sets in order to systematically check factors such as dimensionality, class imbalance ratio or distribution of specific types of examples (safe, borderline, rare and outliers) in the minority class. The results revealed that the latter factor was the most critical one and it exacerbated other factors (in particular class imbalance). The best classification performance was demonstrated by non-symbolic classifiers, particular by k-NN classifiers (with 1 or 3 neighbors - 1NN and 3NN, respectively) and by SVM. Moreover, they benefited from different preprocessing methods - SVM and 1NN worked best with undersampling, while oversampling was more beneficial for 3NN.
The Application of Classical and Neural Regression Models for the Valuation of Residential Real Estate
Authors: Mach Łukasz
Published: July 2017

The research process aimed at building regression models, which helps to valuate residential real estate, is presented in the following article. Two widely used computational tools i.e. the classical multiple regression and regression models of artificial neural networks were used in order to build models. An attempt to define the utilitarian usefulness of the above-mentioned tools and comparative analysis of them is the aim of the conducted research. Data used for conducting analyses refers to the secondary transactional residential real estate market.
The Use of Statistical Process Control Tools for Analysing Financial Statements
Authors: Niezgoda Janusz
Published: July 2017

This article presents the proposed application of one type of the modified Shewhart control charts in the monitoring of changes in the aggregated level of financial ratios. The control chart x̅ has been used as a basis of analysis. The examined variable from the sample in the mentioned chart is the arithmetic mean. The author proposes to substitute it with a synthetic measure that is determined and based on the selected ratios. As the ratios mentioned above, are expressed in different units and characters, the author applies standardisation. The results of selected comparative analyses have been presented for both bankrupts and non-bankrupts. They indicate the possibility of using control charts as an auxiliary tool in financial analyses.
Quality Hybrid Education Evaluation: Academic Staff Performance Assessment (Cases: Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University and the University of Silesia)
Authors: Morze Nataliia , Pavlova Hanna , Smyrnova-Trybulska Eugenia
Published: July 2017

The process of adjusting transformation of education to dynamics of civilization development requires from systems of education to respond to constant corrections from all the stakeholders, agents and processes to upgrade its elements and parameters, which can be facilitated by real-time feedbacks at all levels of systems. Studying quality education in the context of the goals that the mankind has been setting for its sustainable development helps realize the changes in the attributes of educational system and subsystem elements, given quality of education reflects a level of disorder providing objective data on interactions of system elements and their discord with normative goals forecast for certain educational systems. The paper analyzes hybrid education as a form of education which is being determined by transformation of educational systems under applying ICTs for educational processes and by external factors connected with determining sustainable development and with hybridization of environment, which requires new instruments for quality assessment that are currently being under development.
Discourse, interests, and the law: Some pragma-legal reflections
Authors: Mey Jacob L.
Published: July 2017

The present paper discusses the evolution of legal discourse as it is happening in a number of well-publicized American cases. Discussions of the First and Second Amendments to the US Constitution in relation to freedom of the press and the freedom to carry and use arms are followed by a general discussion of what it means to have a legal text considered as binding across the centuries. It is shown that legal discourse is pragmatically oriented, that is to say, its application and evolution are subject to the general evolution of society and its members, the people interacting with, and interpreting that discourse; this evolution is thus a typical pragmatically relevant process. Over the course of the centuries and years, accumulative gradual developments have often ended up totally altering the interpretation of certain laws and statutes – sometimes to the advantage, sometimes to the disadvantage of underprivileged segments of society, such as the Black population and people of different sexual orientations. The paper will discuss some characteristic historic and contemporary cases of this development.
Architecture of a data analytics service in hybrid cloud environments
Authors: Beier Felix , Stolze Knut
Published: July 2017

DB2 for z/OS is the backbone of many transactional systems in the
world. IBM DB2 Analytics Accelerator (IDAA) is IBM's approach to
enhance DB2 for z/OS with very fast processing of OLAP and analytical
SQL workload. While IDAA was originally designed as an appliance to
be connected directly to System z, the trend in the IT industry is
towards cloud environments. That offers a broad range of tools for
analytical data processing tasks.

This article presents the architecture for offering a hybrid IDAA,
which continues the seamless integration with DB2 for z/OS and now
also runs as a specialty engine in cloud environments. Both
approaches have their merit and will remain important for customers in
the next years. The specific challenges for accelerating query
processing for relational data in the cloud are highlighted.
Specialized hardware options are not readily available, and that has
a direct impact on the system architecture, the offered functionality
and its implementation.
First Identification of Nosema Ceranae (Microsporidia) Infecting Apis Mellifera in Venezuela
Authors: Porrini Leonardo P. , Porrini Martin P. , Garrido Paula M. , Principal Judith , Suarez Carlos J. Barrios , Bianchi Brigitte , Iriarte Pedro J. Fernandez , Eguaras Martín J.
Published: July 2017

Nosema ceranae is a pathogen of Apis mellifera, which seems to have jumped from its original host Asiatic honey bee Apis ceranae. Nosemosis which affects the honey bee Apis mellifera is caused by two parasitic fungi described as etiologic agents of the disease. Nosema apis was the only microsporidian infection identified in A. mellifera until N. ceranae in Taiwan and Europe. Nosema spp. positive samples of adult worker bees from the Venezuelean state of Lara were determined through light microscopy of spores. Samples were then tested to determine Nosema species (N.apis/N.ceranae) using previously reported PCR primers for the 16S rRNA gene. A multiplex PCR assay was used to differentiate both N. apis and N. ceranae species. Only N. ceranae was found in the analyzed samples and the percentage of infected foragers fluctuated between 18% and 60%.