bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Online Remote Laboratory in Agriculture Engineering and Electronic Training
Authors: Abouhilal Abdelmoula , Moulay Taj Amine , Taifi Naima , Malaoui Abdessamad
Published: March 2019

Practical manipulations are a core part of engineering training education systems. Remote labs are a new method used for teaching and practicing experimental manipulation using the performance of information and communication technologies. This paper presents a study of two remote labs architecture using low cost embedded systems that could be addressed to the 3rd year bachelor degree students on renewable energy and others on electronics courses. The first manipulation is based on Arduino microcontroller to monitor an irrigation system powered by photovoltaic panels. In addition, the second manipulation uses a powerful PcDuino, to control remotely a logic electronic experience. A simple interface is developed to allow students and instructors to access to these manipulations. This study is aimed to improve the present education systems in the Moroccan universities by managing the practical manipulation for a large number of students, especially in the open-access faculties. Finally, this architecture can be easily extended to other disciplines and courses.
A Comparison of Geovisualizations and Data Tables for Transparency Enablement in the Open Government Data Landscape
Authors: Degbelo Auriol , Wissing Jonas , Kauppinen Tomi
Published: March 2019

Recent years have witnessed progress of public institutions in making their datasets available online, free of charge, for re-use. There have been however limited studies which assess the actual effectiveness of different communication media in making key facts visible to citizens. This article analysed and systematically compared two representations which are relevant in the context of open government data: geovisualizations and data tables. An empirical user study (N=16) revealed that both types of representations have their strengths: geovisualizations make spatial knowledge and the attractiveness of open government data more visible, while data tables are more adequate for the communication of numerical data. The ideas presented are relevant to open data publishers interested in strategies to effectively put the hidden knowledge in current open government datasets into the hands of citizens.
Extreme cold weather causes the collapse of a population of Lambdina fiscellaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in the Laurentian Mountains of Québec, Canada
Authors: Delisle Johanne , Bernier-Cardou Michèle , Labrecque Alain
Published: March 2019

In 2012, an unexpected outbreak of Lambdina fiscellaria (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) occurred in the Laurentian Mountains, Québec, Canada, known for its harsh climate. We wondered whether the eggs were sufficiently cold hardy to survive there and, if so, how long this outbreak would last. Therefore, we assessed the capacity of the eggs to supercool, to tolerate short exposures to low sub-zero temperatures, or to successfully overwinter in the field. The same assays were performed with eggs from the island of Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The mean supercooling point of eggs from the two populations increased from −40.2 °C in mid-February to −33.7 °C in mid-May. These eggs may also die at sub-zero temperatures above their supercooling point, depending on exposure durations. In the fall of 2012 when eggs were put out in the field, < 10% survived in the Laurentian Mountains, whereas > 70% survived further south. In the spring of 2013, no parasitism was detected in the population. However, the two cold waves that swept across the Laurentian Mountains the preceding winter were likely responsible for the collapse of the population. This study demonstrates that L. fiscellaria eggs may succumb to sub-zero temperatures above their supercooling point under field conditions.
A rare complication of inguinal hernia repair: Total testicular ischemia and necrosis
Authors: Ates Erhan , Kazici Hakan Gorkem , Amasyali Akin Soner
Published: March 2019

Testicular ischemia and necrosis are quite rare complications following inguinal hernia repair. There is still no consensus on the mechanism of infarction and necrosis in the literature. We present a case with total testicular ischemia and necrosis in the early period following the inguinal hernia repair with prolene mesh, ending up with orchiectomy.
Blastoid variant of mantle cell lymphoma of the female urethra mimicking a caruncle: A rare but highly aggressive subtype case with literature review
Authors: Palmisano Franco , Lorusso Vito , Spinelli Matteo Giulio , Dell'Orto Paolo Guido , Montanari Emanuele
Published: March 2019

Primary urethral lymphoma is a rare entity without a standardized treatment protocol. We report a case of an elderly woman presenting with a caruncle associated with vaginal spotting and intermittent dysuria. She underwent surgical excision of the lesion. Histological analysis revealed a blastoid variant of mantle cell lymphoma, a previously unreported subtype. The patient received chlorambucil assisting a rapid local disease progression. She died of disseminated disease 6 months after diagnosis. A review of the lymphomas of the urethra is included.
Optimum wool harvest interval of angora rabbits under organised farm conditions in East China
Authors: Bai Liya , Jiang Wenxue , Wang Wenzhi , Gao Shuxia , Sun Haitao , Yang Liping , Hu Hongmei
Published: March 2019

The present study was conducted to evaluate the commercial lifespan and optimum wool harvest interval of Angora rabbits. One hundred shorn Angora rabbits were housed in an organised farm to describe the wool production curve. It showed that the optimum wool harvest interval was 75 d, when fibre length reached 55.0 mm. Wool production was lower from the 3rd to the 6th mo (young stage) than from 7th to 28th mo and rapidly decreased from 28th to 31st mo and was the lowest from 31st to 33rd mo of age. Feed intake-to-wool production ratio was higher from 3rd to 4th and from 7th to 9th mo of age than during the adult stage, and increased from 31st to 33rd mo of age. Daily weight gain was significantly higher from 3rd to 4th mo of age than in any other periods of the adult stage, and was negative from 23rd to 33rd mo of age. Therefore, the study reveals that the commercial lifespan of Angora rabbits was approximately 28 mo. Furthermore, wool production was higher in spring and winter than in autumn, and was the lowest in summer. Concomitantly, feed intake-to-wool production ratio was lower in spring than in autumn and winter, and was the highest in summer. Finally, daily weight gain was higher in spring and autumn than in winter, and was the lowest in summer. This indicates that wool production was depending on the season, and decreased significantly in summer. Moreover, the spring provided the best conditions for Angora rabbits.
Associativismo no Brasil contemporâneo: dimensões institucionais e individuais
Authors: Lüchmann Lígia Helena Hahn , Almeida Carla , Taborda Luana Do Rocio
Published: March 2019

O trabalho analisa permanências e mudanças nos padrões de participação associativa no Brasil a partir de duas unidades de análise: a dimensão referente ao volume e às características do tecido associativo, e a dimensão do engajamento dos indivíduos em associações. A primeira explora a evolução recente do associativismo no país, que é medido pelo número, pelo perfil e pela área de atuação das associações. A segunda considera essa evolução da participação no âmbito do engajamento individual, tomando-se o número de pessoas que alega participar de associações. Para tanto, o trabalho está embasado em dados de pesquisas de opinião pública do projeto World Values Survey e nos estudos sobre Fundações Privadas e Associações Sem Fins Lucrativos no Brasil (FASFIL)/Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) e sobre o Perfil das Organizações da Sociedade civil do Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA). Os dados mostram que, nas últimas décadas, o Brasil testemunhou um importante crescimento na criação de associações – e que se refletiu na maior diversificação interna desse universo – embora o número de indivíduos engajados não tenha acompanhado esse crescimento. Sugerimos que a ampliação do associativismo se refletiu apenas seletivamente no plano do engajamento individual, e que o perfil específico de associações que encontrou terreno favorável ao crescimento no período, de caráter mais profissionalizado, ajuda a compreender a diferença apontada nas duas dimensões.
Transport of the 2017 Canadian wildfire plume to the tropics and global stratosphere via the Asian monsoon circulation
Authors: Kloss Corinna , Berthet Gwenaël , Sellitto Pasquale , Ploeger Felix , Bucci Silvia , Khaykin Sergey , Jégou Fabrice , Taha Ghassan , Thomason Larry W. , Barret Brice , Le Flochmoen Eric , von Hobe Marc , Bossolasco Adriana , Bègue Nelson , Legras Bernard
Published: March 2019

Abstract. We show that a fire plume originating at high northern latitudes during the Canadian wildfire event in July/August 2017 reached the tropics, and subsequently the tropical stratosphere via the ascending branch of the Brewer-Dobson Circulation (BDC). The transport from high to low latitudes in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere was mediated by the anticyclonic flow of the Asian monsoon circulation. The fire plume reached the Asian monsoon area in late August/early September, when the Asian Monsoon Anticyclone (AMA) was still in place. While there is no evidence of mixing into the center of the AMA, we show that a substantial part of the fire plume is entrained into the anticyclonic flow at the AMA edge, and is transported into the tropical Upper-Troposphere–Lower-Stratosphere (UTLS), and possibly the Southern Hemisphere particularly following the north-south flow on the eastern side. In the tropics the fire plume is lifted by ~1.5 km per month. Inside the AMA we find evidence of the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL) in August, doubling background aerosol conditions with a calculated top of the atmosphere shortwave radiative forcing (RF) of −0.05 W/m2. The regional climate impact of the fire signal in the wider Asian monsoon area in September exceeds the impact of the ATAL by a factor of 2–4 and compares to that of a plume coming from an advected moderate volcanic eruption. The stratospheric, trans-continental transport of this plume to the tropics and the related regional climate impact point at the importance of long-range dynamical interconnections of pollution sources.
Introduction to the special issue “Climate of the past 2000 years: regional and trans-regional syntheses”
Authors: Turney Chris S. M. , McGregor Helen V. , Francus Pierre , Abram Nerilie , Evans Michael N. , Goosse Hugues , von Gunten Lucien , Kaufman Darrell , Linderholm Hans , Loutre Marie-France , Neukom Raphael
Published: March 2019

Abstract. This PAGES (Past Global Changes) 2k (climate of the past 2000 years working group)
special issue of Climate of the Past brings together the latest understanding of
regional change and impacts from PAGES 2k groups across a range of proxies and regions.
The special issue has emerged from a need to determine the magnitude and rate of change
of regional and global climate beyond the timescales accessible within the observational
record. This knowledge also plays an important role in attribution studies and is
fundamental to understanding the mechanisms and environmental and societal impacts of
recent climate change. The scientific studies in the special issue reflect the urgent
need to better understand regional differences from a truly global view around the PAGES
themes of “Climate Variability, Modes and Mechanisms”, “Methods and Uncertainties”,
and “Proxy and Model Understanding”.
Application of random forest regression to the calculation of gas-phase chemistry within the GEOS-Chem chemistry model v10
Authors: Keller Christoph A. , Evans Mat J.
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Atmospheric chemistry models are a central tool to study the impact
of chemical constituents on the environment, vegetation and human health.
These models are numerically intense, and previous attempts to reduce the
numerical cost of chemistry solvers have not delivered transformative change. We show here the potential of a machine learning (in this case random forest
regression) replacement for the gas-phase chemistry in atmospheric chemistry
transport models. Our training data consist of 1 month (July 2013) of
output of chemical conditions together with the model physical state,
produced from the GEOS-Chem chemistry model v10. From this data set we train
random forest regression models to predict the concentration of each
transported species after the integrator, based on the physical and chemical
conditions before the integrator. The choice of prediction type has a strong
impact on the skill of the regression model. We find best results from
predicting the change in concentration for long-lived species and the
absolute concentration for short-lived species. We also find improvements
from a simple implementation of chemical families
(NOx = NO + NO2). We then implement the trained random forest predictors back into GEOS-Chem to
replace the numerical integrator. The machine-learning-driven GEOS-Chem model
compares well to the standard simulation. For ozone (O3), errors from using the
random forests (compared to the reference simulation) grow slowly and after
5 days the normalized mean bias (NMB), root mean square error (RMSE) and
R2 are 4.2 %, 35 % and 0.9, respectively; after 30 days the errors
increase to 13 %, 67 % and 0.75, respectively. The biases become largest
in remote areas such as the tropical Pacific where errors in the chemistry
can accumulate with little balancing influence from emissions or deposition.
Over polluted regions the model error is less than 10 % and has significant
fidelity in following the time series of the full model. Modelled
NOx shows similar features, with the most significant errors
occurring in remote locations far from recent emissions. For other species
such as inorganic bromine species and short-lived nitrogen species, errors
become large, with NMB, RMSE and R2 reaching >2100 % >400 % and
<0.1, respectively. This proof-of-concept implementation takes 1.8 times more time than the
direct integration of the differential equations, but optimization and
software engineering should allow substantial increases in speed. We discuss
potential improvements in the implementation, some of its advantages from
both a software and hardware perspective, its limitations, and its
applicability to operational air quality activities.
A Tale of Two Trees: Delinking Death from Sin by Viewing Genesis 2–3 Independently from Paul
Authors: Jenks R. Gregory
Published: March 2019

The link between sin and death is rooted in the first stories of Genesis and developed particularly by Paul in the NT. While Genesis sometimes presents death as sin’s consequence, at other times the immoral are preserved and the righteous die prematurely. The presence of two trees is used to explain a cause-effect link between obedience and death, but the connection is surprisingly uncertain: the couple does not die on the day they eat from the forbidden tree as forewarned. I use both a narrative and theological approach to understand better death within God’s judicial framework and liberate it from anachronistic attempts to impose Paul’s direct link between sin and death on the more nuanced view presented in Gen 2–3. By underscoring the ambiguity in Genesis, we are better able to identify its unique theological purpose that has a bearing on other Genesis themes.
Assessing and Minimizing Re-identification Risk in Research Data Derived from
Health Care Records
Authors: Simon Gregory E. , Shortreed Susan M. , Coley R. Yates , Penfold Robert B. , Rossom Rebecca C. , Waitzfelder Beth E. , Sanchez Katherine , Lynch Frances L.
Published: March 2019

Background: Sharing of research data derived from health system records supports
the rigor and reproducibility of primary research and can accelerate research progress
through secondary use. But public sharing of such data can create risk of re-identifying
individuals, exposing sensitive health information.Method: We describe a framework for
assessing re-identification risk that includes: identifying data elements in a research
dataset that overlap with external data sources, identifying small classes of records
defined by unique combinations of those data elements, and considering the pattern of
population overlap between the research dataset and an external source. We also describe
alternative strategies for mitigating risk when the external data source can or cannot
be directly examined.Results: We illustrate this framework using the example of a large
database used to develop and validate models predicting suicidal behavior after an
outpatient visit. We identify elements in the research dataset that might create risk
and propose a specific risk mitigation strategy: deleting indicators for health system
(a proxy for state of residence) and visit year.Discussion: Researchers holding health
system data must balance the public health value of data sharing against the duty to
protect the privacy of health system members. Specific steps can provide a useful
estimate of re-identification risk and point to effective risk mitigation
strategies.
Análise da confiabilidade de fórmulas para o cálculo de dose de antibacterianos em odontopediatria
Authors: Bispo Adriane Romeiro , Melo Andressa Lissandra Bispo , Lamenha Renata , Pugliesi Daniela Maria Carvalho , Júnior Valdeci Elias dos Santos
Published: March 2019

Objetivo: avaliar a confiabilidade de fórmulas para o cálculo da dose dos principais antibacterianos emcrianças de diferentes idades e pesos, tendo como padrão-ouro as dosagens fornecidas em bulas. Sujeitos emétodo: 45 crianças, com idades de 3, 6 e 9 anos, constituíram três grupos independentes. Os dados antropométricos foram obtidos por meio da análise de prontuários da Clínica de Odontologia Infantil da Faculdade Integrada de Pernambuco. As dosagens foram calculadas através das fórmulas estabelecidas a partir de parâmetros de peso, idade e superfície corporal. Os antibacterianos selecionados para a análise foram: Amoxicilina, Amoxicilina com clavulonato de potássio, Clindamicina, Claritromicina, Eritromicina e Azitromicina.Os dados foram submetidos ao teste paramétrico de análise de variância. Para verificar se houve diferençaentre as dosagens estabelecidas por fórmulas e a dose estabelecida pela bula (padrão-ouro), foi aplicado oteste post-hoc de Tukey. Os testes estatísticos foram realizados com uma margem de erro de 5%. Resultados:nenhuma fórmula foi válida para todos os antibacterianos quando se comparou com a dose padrão estabelecida em bula. Os resultados apresentaram maiores variabilidades no grupo de crianças com menor idade, podendo ser considerado um risco clínico. Conclusão: as dosagens pediátricas dos antibacterianos obtidas por meio de fórmulas não são confiáveis para os grupos etários analisados e, portanto, não devem ser utilizadas para fins de prescrição medicamentosa.
Editorial No. 29
Authors: Castillo Herrera Beverly
Published: March 2019

Revista Científica de FAREM-Estelí. No. 29.
Corrientes epistemológicas para construir conocimiento y su relevancia para el estudio del rendimiento académico
Authors: Martínez Ramos Guiselle Raquel
Published: March 2019

Este artículo de revisión documental, recorre la historia describiendo aspectos relevantes de corrientes filosóficas de la ciencia, hace una conexión con la realidad enfocándose en la influencia de cada corriente en aspectos relacionados con el rendimiento académico. Se concluye que la corriente positivista se basa en métodos cuantitativos para evaluar el aprendizaje del estudiantado, la corriente hermenéutica se rige en el paradigma constructivista para la comprensión de los contenidos abordados, la corriente crítica promueve nuevos conocimientos en el estudiante de una manera más abierta por medio del raciocinio y el paradigma de la complejidad, promueve la aplicación del cooperativismo en el aprendizaje promoviendo la descripción y acción sobre los fenómenos estudiados. Todas las corrientes hicieron aportes significativos para el estudio del rendimiento académico y no se pueden adoptar por separado.
Pueblos Namotivos: una región entre calderas
Authors: Gutiérrez Cruz Ángela María
Published: March 2019

En el presente artículo se describe de forma ordenada, todo el aspecto físico y geográfico de la región considerada como pueblos Namotivos, partiendo de citar la ubicación, composición e historia de los tres colosos volcánicos que refieren al lugar, no sin antes destacar la posición de la autora respecto al concepto de región. Luego se presenta en pequeños listados, la riqueza en biodiversidad existente; además de todos los factores bióticos y abióticos que conforman la región-estudio, se finaliza con una sencilla presentación histórica de todos los pueblos que componen este espacio geográfico e histórico que ha sido intervenido por la presencia humana. Concluye con recalcar la valía de la tierra como medio de subsistencia, y el aporte de los escritos de importante valor como son las fuentes históricas.
SPACE PATTERN OF FOREST SPECIES AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH AGRICULTURAL FACTORS AGROFLORESTAL SYSTEM
Authors: Araújo Emanuel José Gomes de , Lima Dayane Oliveira , Curto Rafaella De Angeli , Silva Eduardo Vinícius , Júnior José Carlos Arthur
Published: March 2019

The objective of this work was to describe the spatial distribution pattern of the arboreal and regenerating forest stratum and its relationship with edaphic factors in a multistratified agroforestry system without management. The data were obtained by means of a census of the arboreal and regenerating plants, in which the variables diameter were measured at 1.30m of the soil and total height, besides the botanical identification. The plants of the arboreal stratum were grouped in diameter and height classes and the regenerating plants in height classes. In both strata, the horizontal structure indicators were estimated and the species of higher Importance Value Index (IVI) were selected to perform the spatial analysis. The K Ripley function was applied in the univariate case to test the hypothesis of complete randomness in the groups and in the arboreal and regenerating species of higher IVI. In the bivariate case, the Ripley K function was applied to test the hypothesis of complete spatial independence between groups or aggregate pattern species, with edaphic attributes. The results indicated random spatial pattern for most of the tested groups, with only the species Gliricidia sepium and Archontophoenix alexandrae with aggregate spatial pattern, up to 30m distance, in the arboreal and regenerating strata, respectively. However, no spatial relationship was observed between the pattern of distribution of the species and the soil factors of agroforestry system (SAF). In general, it is concluded that edaphic factors were fundamental in the development of plants, but not for the formation of aggregates
The Reflection of Social and Political Life of the Twentieth Century: Folklore Archive Materials of the Institute of Linguistics, Literature and History of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Authors: Kuznetsova Valentina , Markovskaja Elena
Published: March 2019

The article is about one of the largest folklore archives in Russia—the Archive of the Institute of Linguistics, Literature and History of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, founded in the early 1930s. The systematic collecting activity among the peoples of Northwest Russia led to the establishment of the Archives, reflecting the whole historical epoch (from the beginning of the twentieth until the beginning of the twenty-first century) and gave a new view to classic folklore genres and the development of ideology-driven forms of folklore. The article reveals the significance of the archival collections for the development of languages and cultures of the minority peoples of the region.
Assessment of Hafr Albatin University female workers' knowledge and health related behaviors regarding osteoporosis
Authors: Hables Reda Mhmoud Mohamed
Published: March 2019

Background and aim: Osteoporosis is a global and preventable public health problem considered as a potentially life threatening condition and having negative effects on both health and economics. The aim of this study was the assessment of Hafr Albatin University female workers' knowledge and health related behaviors regarding osteoporosis.Methods: A descriptive exploratory research design was implemented. Setting: The study was conducted in a college. The sample was of convenience. There were 352 women working at the college at the time of data collection. Tools: self-administrative questionnaire consisted of three parts: Part I: sociodemographic data, Part II: women's osteoporosis health related behaviors. Part III: knowledge related to osteoporosis.Results: About 50.9% of the participants had moderate level of overall knowledge about osteoporosis. Only 13.7% of the participants reported the source of their knowledge was a physician. Regarding osteoporosis related health behaviors, less than one third (29.7%) of the participants were consuming foods rich in calcium, but the majority of them consumed this food only 1-2 time per week and 30.3% of them were exposed to sunlight daily. 58.2% of the participants were drinking soda drinks daily and 83.4% were having coffee frequently.Conclusions: Women had moderate level of overall knowledge about osteoporosis and there was a gap between knowledge and applying the related health behaviors. Where the women had information about the health and risk related behaviors but not follow this information in correct and accurate way. Recommendation: Prevention programmes should be designed to increase awareness of working women about osteoporosis. screening, prevention and treatment.
Refusal Strategy Used by Malay and German Native Speakers to Refuse Requests
Authors: Jalis Farhana Muslim Mohd , Jabar Mohd Azidan Abdul , Halim Hazlina Abdul , Bukhardt Jürgen Martin
Published: March 2019

This study investigates similarities and differences in Malay and German refusal speech acts realised by their respective mother tongue languages, which are the Malay and German languages. This study analysed situations in which refusal could occur and examined the refusal strategies and corresponding linguistic forms used by the two groups when refusing requests made by higher, equal, and lower relationship status interlocutors. A Discourse Completion Test (DCT) was utilised to obtain data on the types and content of refusal strategies. The data gathered from the DCT was analysed and coded according to a combined taxonomy of refusal strategies proposed by Beebe et al. (1990) and Al-Issa (2003). The findings will provide future insights on the cross-cultural complexity of refusal interaction patterns used by both Malay and German speakers in order to understand and also avoid creating stereotypes of foreign culture. In addition, speakers may also adopt socially appropriate strategies for future situations that might be encountered in order to engender successful communication when dealing with refusals. The results are then discussed from the universality and cultural-specificity perspectives.
Impact of Job Clarity on Nurses’ Job Satisfaction: A Moderating Role of Fairness Perception
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Asif , Syed Karim Bux Shah , Brohi Noor Ahmed , Soomro Arjumand Bano , Mushtaque Tania
Published: March 2019

The main objective of this study was to ascertain the impact of job clarity on nurses’ job satisfaction in the public hospitals of Sindh province of Pakistan. The results presented a valid and reliable measurement model so that a structural model could be built upon it for testing research hypotheses. Results indicate that job clarity has an insignificant impact on job satisfaction among nurses in Pakistan. Moreover, the fairness perception does not moderate; rather, it is found to be a strong predictor of nurses’ job satisfaction. In other words, people have a lack of clarity about tasks, roles, and responsibilities, often end up affecting their outcomes. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen the element of fairness in jobs to boost job satisfaction. HR policies and general policy makers in the organization have a greater role in this regards to ensure that the work and task are divided on fair grounds and so the rewards.
A Study on the University Placement System for Gifted Children in Turkey
Authors: Kırkıç Kamil Arif
Published: March 2019

There is no special university entrance exam for gifted students in Turkey. Their only option is to complete the standard university entrance exam at the end of their final year in high school. This system of entrance exams does not benefit gifted students. Other universities around the world support such students in the following two ways: through honor programs and early college entrance systems. This paper examines these two types of programs that support gifted students, and it employs a cross-cultural comparison between Turkey and the United States, China, and Finland. Furthermore, the paper proposes a multi-step model for educating gifted students and for improving the university entrance exam process. The new type of entrance exam that we propose could be employed in Turkey to support gifted students entering university. By implementing the proposed university entrance system, gifted students will become more effective in life for themselves as well as society.
Post-Legislative Scrutiny as a Form of Executive Oversight
Authors: Griglio Elena
Published: March 2019

Post-Legislative Scrutiny as a Form of Executive Oversight: Tools and Practices in Europe

Parliaments’ engagement in post-legislative scrutiny can be considered either as an extension of the legislative function or within the framework of the oversight of the executive. This article makes use of the latter view to assess how parliaments in Europe approach post-legislative scrutiny and to which extent this function can be regarded as a form of executive oversight. Although rules and practices of parliaments in this realm are remarkably heterogeneous, the focus on some selected parliaments (Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, and the European Parliament) reveals three different conceptual categories. In the ‘basic’ approach (passive scrutinizers), parliaments limit their role solely to the assessment of the ex-post scrutiny performed by the government and external agencies. Differently, parliaments willing to engage in a more proactive approach might choose either to act on an informal basis, establishing ad hoc research/evaluation administrative units (informal scrutinizers) or to address post-legislative scrutiny in a formal and highly institutionalized manner (formal scrutinizers). As a matter of fact, the practise of parliaments often combines characters of different categories. While in all of these approaches post-legislative scrutiny shows potential for executive oversight, only the third can potentially lead to a kind of ‘hard’ oversight.
Better Regulation and Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the European Union
Authors: Jancic Davor
Published: March 2019

Better Regulation and Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the European Union

This article analyses the manner in which the EU’s Better Regulation Agenda impacts pre-legislative and post-legislative scrutiny by national parliaments, as two important dimensions of their function of democratic control over EU decision making. To this end, the article critically assesses the institutional arrangements and procedures foreseen under the Commission’s 2015 Better Regulation package and examines the 2017 review of the Better Regulation Agenda, which is a fresh push towards its enhancement. The article is structured as follows. After an overview of the legal grounding and evolution of better regulation in EU law, the analysis surveys the implications for parliaments of the Juncker Commission’s package of reforms, which are laid out in a Communication and implemented through a set of guidelines, a refurbished toolbox for practitioners, a revised Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT), and an Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Lawmaking adopted in 2016. On this basis, the article discusses post-legislative scrutiny of EU legislation on its own merits as well as from the perspective of its relationship with pre-legislative scrutiny. The latter is important since it is the most efficient way for parliaments to influence the contents of EU policies. The article concludes that the Better Regulation Agenda maintains the status quo in domestic parliamentary participation in EU affairs and misses the opportunity to fortify the latter’s European embeddedness.
Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Law against Gender-Based Violence
Authors: Azevedo-Harman Elisabete , Godinho Gomes Ricardo
Published: March 2019

Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Law against Gender-Based Violence: The Successful Story of the Cabo Verde Parliament

In 2011 Cabo Verde’s parliament approved the Law Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). In 2014, 3 years later, the Women’s Caucus (WC) of this parliament agreed to trace the implementation of the law and its impact. This decision was taken without a clear perception of how to conduct post-legislative scrutiny (PLS) and without suspecting the eventual troubling findings. Post-legislative scrutiny has not previously been done in Cabo Verde, partly because of the inexperience of this democratic parliament, partly because PLS is a rather recent and still underdeveloped legislative activity anchored in oversight and legislation functions. In 2014 and 2015, Women’s Caucus conducted PLS of the GBV Law finding that the government had not enacted the necessary implementation rules to enforce this law, which hampered budget allocations and funding. According to the country’s legislative process this should have taken place within 10 months of the law’s approval. This study describes and discusses how the post-legislative scrutiny of the GBV Law was conducted and the lessons learned through this pioneering process in Cabo Verde’s parliament.
Post-Legislative Scrutiny and Its Impact on Legislative Oversight in Uganda Parliament
Authors: Zacharia Gitta
Published: March 2019

Post-Legislative Scrutiny and Its Impact on Legislative Oversight in Uganda Parliament: Experiences from an Emerging Democracy

The Uganda Parliament Department of Research Services has, over the past 4 years, carried out a number of post-legislative scrutiny studies. This article, taking the case of a post-legislative scrutiny done on Uganda’s Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Act 2010, explores the links between pre- and post-legislative scrutiny, and from a practical perspective, argues that although pre-legislative scrutiny can improve the quality of legislation, it is subject to the circumstances and nature of the legislation, and furthermore complexity could increase as legislation is delegated for implementation at local levels. It also argues that both pre- and pro-legislative scrutiny play a complimentary role and should pro-legislative scrutiny alone cannot address the complexity of implementing the law.
An Assessment of Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the Parliament of Sierra Leone
Authors: Mansaray Yirah
Published: March 2019

An Assessment of Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the Parliament of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is among countries in Sub-Saharan Africa which have not institutionalized post-legislative scrutiny (PLS) in their national legislative processes. However, the inspiration to start the process of institutionalizing PLS is derived from the recent interest in ‘better regulation’ and the impetus in PLS of domestic legislation in Sierra Leone. This article tries to scrutinize the structure, procedures and emerging methodologies that are shaping the Parliament of Sierra Leone’s (PoSL) ability to conduct PLS, and its interaction with the Executive. The question that guides this research is whether there has been PLS in Sierra Leone; if so, what are the steps, and if not why? Essentially, PLS remains an indispensable component of the legislative process, especially when parliament engages in legislative scrutiny to determine government action or inaction in implementing public policies. The article concludes that the inclusivity of the Fifth Parliament has created a political space for engaging in PLS. Second, absence of clearly defined procedures for PLS in the parliament, through the 1991 Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House allows MPs to raise matters on public policy and its implementation, and third, the urgency on the need to recalibrate the legislative process will provide a congenial environment for the operationalization of the PLS, especially with the Committee system.
Retrospective Policy Evaluation at the European Parliament
Authors: Rufas Quintana José Luis , Anglmayer Irmgard
Published: March 2019

Retrospective Policy Evaluation at the European Parliament

The European Parliament (EP) has become an active player in the evaluation of EU policy in recent years. In particular, the creation of a dedicated impact assessment capacity (both ex-ante and ex-post) within parliament’s administration, and the adoption of new rules for committees’ preparation of ‘implementation reports’ has led to an institutionalization of parliament’s evaluation activities. This article discusses the rationale for, and practice of, the European Parliament’s policy evaluation system in the context of the EU’s Better Regulation Agenda. It explains how, when and why the European Parliament performs retrospective evaluation. Moreover, it reflects on the complementary role of parliament’s evaluation work with regard to that of the European Commission and, finally, examines the value it adds in terms of accountability and agenda-setting.
De geografische inrichting van de rechtspraak
Authors: Eshuis Roland
Published: March 2019

The geographical arrangement of the Court system

This article relates the geographical allocation of Courts to access to justice. Travel distances within the Dutch system are higher than in surrounding countries, but still not extremely high. The scale of the Dutch Court organizations however, is extreme. On average, a Court location that handles small claims has jurisdiction over a territory with over half a million inhabitants. This large number of inhabitants automatically translates to large numbers of cases, and large bureaucracies, employing 500 to 1,000 people (judges, court staff, support) each. Do travel distances to the Courts actually have an impact on the use of the Court system? Two recent studies find no support for a popular belief that defendants will be less determined to defend themselves when the travel distance to the court is longer. They do show however that the number of cases brought to Court by local plaintiffs drops when ‘their’ local court closes down.
De vrederechter in historisch perspectief
Authors: von Bóné Emese
Published: March 2019

The justice of the peace in historical perspective

This article is about the history of the justice of the peace, a low profile judge where people easily have access to. The history of the justice of the peace goes back to the seventeenth century. The justice of the peace was reintroduced in the Netherlands in the French period, when the country was annexed by the French Empire under the reign of Napoleon. The justice of the peace was also introduced in Belgium and is still in use. The most important task of the justice of the peace is ‘conciliation’. In the conciliation procedure the justice of the peace has a very active role. The judge tries to mediate between the parties in order to come to an agreement.
Predição de Sucesso Acadêmico de Estudantes: Uma Análise sobre a Demanda por uma Abordagem baseada em Transfer Learning
Authors: De Los Reyes Daniel A. Guimarães , Thomas Everton André , Rosa Lilian Landvoigt da , Gavião Neto Wilson P.
Published: March 2019

Interações de estudantes com Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVA) geram logs que permitem reconstruir cada atividade realizada. A análise destes dados tem proporcionando uma melhor compreensão do comportamento de estudantes e dos processos de ensino e aprendizagem. Neste contexto, inúmeros trabalhos têm relatado resultados promissores na tarefa de predição de desempenho de estudantes, permitindo que ações proativas possam ser tomadas no sentido de evitar insucessos acadêmicos. Usualmente, técnicas de mineração de dados empregadas na construção de modelos preditivos utilizam registros históricos (passados) de dados, assumindo-se, desta forma, a premissa de que o preditor construído irá realizar predições em contextos futuros que sejam similares aos contextos (passados) que foram utilizados na sua concepção. Ainda que seja razoável assumir que a diversidade de contextos educacionais existentes se reflita nos dados gerados, poucos são os trabalhos que discutem o impacto de tal premissa na área de Mineração de Dados Educacionais (MDE), o que resulta em modelos que podem apresentar desempenho insatisfatório quando utilizados em condições educacionais não previstas. Este trabalho propõe uma análise empírica no sentido de verificar indícios de diferenças entre dados provenientes de contextos educacionais distintos na tarefa de predição de insucesso acadêmico de estudantes. Emprega-se dados de logs de mais de 3.000 estudantes de ensino superior na modalidade EAD. A metodologia adotada é baseada na própria abordagem de classificação supervisionada, comumente utilizada em tarefas de predição, sendo que busca-se, especificamente, verificar se contextos educacionais distintos são de fato separáveis em termos dos dados que geram. Ainda que o cenário de dados envolva atividades comuns a estudantes de uma mesma disciplina, os experimentos indicam uma acurácia de até 83% na separação de dados provenientes de períodos letivos distintos. Embora empíricos, os resultados indicam uma direção similar àquela apontada por outros trabalhos, contribuindo sobre a necessidade da utilização de técnicas de transfer learning e/ou adaptação de domínio no projeto dos modelos preditivos voltados a prevenção de insucessos acadêmicos.
Minerando Mapa Conceitual a partir de Texto em Português
Authors: Aguiar Camila Zacché de , Cury Davidson , Zouaq Amal
Published: March 2019

Mapas conceituais são ferramentas gráficas para representação e construção do conhecimento. A construção manual de um mapa conceitual requer tempo e esforço cognitivo, sendo este acrescido quando o mapa não representa a estrutura cognitiva do autor, mas sim, as informações expressas em um texto escrito por outro autor. Portanto, propomos uma abordagem computacional para mineração de mapas conceituais a partir de textos em português que objetiva representar a informação do texto de forma sumarizada, ou seja, por meio de conceitos e relações aderentes à informação. Para esse fim, definimos arquiteturas, conceitual e tecnológica, que compreendem os serviços de: (i) formatação do texto, removendo caracteres e design do texto; (ii) identificação do domínio, baseado em técnicas de recuperação de informação para identificar o domínio ao qual o texto se refere; (iii) extrator de elementos, usando técnicas de processamento de linguagem natural sobre o texto visando a extração de proposições do tipo conceito-relação-conceito; (iv) sumarizador de elementos, apoiado em análise de grafo para identificar os conceitos relevantes do mapa; e (v) visualização do mapa, por meio da apresentação das proposições de forma gráfica. A abordagem desenvolvida apresenta bons resultados e contribui excepcionalmente para a sumarização de textos, procurando identificar os conceitos relevantes do texto e mantendo suas diversas e mais importantes características. Ademais, esta pesquisa introduz a especificação de um toolkit a fim de prover recursos computacionais para processamento, manipulação e extração de mapas conceituais.
CALLED TO ACTION: DIALOGUE AROUND PRAXIS FOR RECONCILIATION
Authors: MacDonald Jennifer , Markides Jennifer
Published: March 2019

Education for reconciliation is centered on renewing Indigenous-settler relations. In this article, two graduate students share their experiences as they endeavour to take up a praxis for reconciliation. Positioned by their different cultural identities, they join in a duoethnographic conversation, to reflect on their learning and to share their successes, insights, and tensions as they navigate various complexities. Through their reflective process, they ask: What might collective enactment look like and what forms might it take in education? As they journey together, they discuss the need for spaces that promote vulnerability and openness, and the strength of land-based and grassroots learning opportunities.
RESPONDING TO THE CALLS TO ACTION: REFLECTIONS ON TEACHING MANDATORY INDIGENOUS EDUCATION TO TEACHER CANDIDATES IN ONTARIO
Authors: Watson Kaitlyn , Currie-Paterson Natalie
Published: March 2019

Drawing on reflexive conversations, we describe our experiences teaching a new mandatory course in Indigenous education at Western University in London, Ontario. By discussing the successes, challenges, and mistakes made while teaching this course, we hope to continue to decolonize our practice as settlers, PhD students, and educators with the goal of working towards reconciliation in education and society.
AN ARTS-BASED CURRICULUM ENCOUNTER: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE ON THIS LAND?
Authors: Conrad Diane , Jagger Patricia , Bleeks Victoria , Auger Sarah
Published: March 2019

Our arts-based curriculum encounter occurred in a graduate course on arts-based research methods. For a class project we engaged in an inquiry on the question: “What does it mean to live on this land?” which we explored through various arts-based activities. The question challenged us to think deeply about our relationship with and responsibilities to the land we occupy. The inquiry raised for us and, in various ways, implicated us in issues around geographical settings, historical contexts, colonization and nationhood, relations as/with Indigenous peoples, Indigenous ways of knowing, relations with the natural environment, exploitation of the land, the environmental crisis, and our own family histories and personal journeys. In this paper, we share the reflective writings of four inquiry participants interspersed with some images from our work together.
DESCRIPTION DE LA MISE EN OEUVRE EN CLASSE DE PRATIQUES D’ORTHOGRAPHES APPROCHÉES D’ENSEIGNANTES DE DEUXIÈME ANNÉE DU PRIMAIRE
Authors: Villeneuve-Lapointe Myriam , Charron Annie
Published: March 2019

L’objectif de cet article est de décrire la mise en oeuvre en classe de pratiques d’orthographes approchées d’enseignantes de deuxième année du primaire. Le modèle Essential Supports for Emergent Writers a été adapté afin d’analyser les pratiques d’orthographes approchées de cinq enseignantes qui ont été observées à deux reprises durant l’année scolaire. Les résultats montrent qu’en contexte de pratiques d’orthographes approchées, les élèves sont en mesure de verbaliser leurs connaissances sur la langue et que les enseignants fournissent des explications sur l’orthographe en partant de leurs conceptions. Les orthographes approchées semblent donc offrir des conditions d’efficacité adéquates pour développer la compétence en écriture en contexte d’enseignement au premier cycle du primaire.
CALL IT BY ITS NAME: A PARTIAL GLOSSARY ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT FOR FACULTY MEMBERS
Authors: Hurren Wanda
Published: March 2019

This partial glossary of words and phrases expands awareness regarding sexual harassment occurring among faculty members, to encourage a culture of not keeping secrets about sexual harassment. Media attention has shed light on the levels of sexual harassment faced by students in higher education, yet silence surrounds levels of harassment faced by faculty members, and this is a phenomenon that also affects students and learning. Intersectionality and the influence of power dynamics in higher education are acknowledged as mitigating factors in cases of sexual harassment. Structural aspects of higher education that enable a “secrets code” are outlined, along with possible strategies to both reduce and report incidents of sexual harassment.