bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE BARRIERS AND MOTIVES OF SMES INTERNATIONALIZATION: THE INSIGHTS INTO THE THEORY DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Krikštulytė Renata , Korsakienė Renata
Published: May 2016

SMEs are seen as the one of the main factors, impacting the growth of the national economy, contributing to the new jobs and social stability. The tendencies of political, economic and technological changes, competition in the local market, and demand of customers have encouraged the managers and entrepreneurs to be more proactive and to take greater risks in developing appropriate international strategies. The paper aims to disclose the main motives and barriers, impacting international expansion of SMEs. The research investigated the extensive number of prevailing factors and considered traditional and high-tech industries. The adopted approach let us provide the main insights into the theory development and to suggest the main propositions for the future investigations.
QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION TECHNIQUE OF SME’S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ON THE BASIS OF SAW METHOD
Authors: Joksiene Izolda , Zvirblis Algis
Published: May 2016

The paper deals with a complex quantitative evaluation of SMEs’ competitive advantage on the basis of a multiple criteria evaluation technique. Creation of a system of primary evaluation criteria having different significance is emphasized; the proposed set of criteria encompasses the financial indices of performance effectiveness as well as the composite indicators of efficiency of human and material resource management. The general index reflecting the relative competitive advantage of SME must be determined when applying presented evaluation models on the basis of the SAW method. The suggested technique has been applied to a Lithuanian logistics enterprise. The offered system can be used in developing a complex model for the evaluation of the financial status of small enterprises.
MEMETIC TRANSFER OF ATTRIBUTES OF THE IMAGE AS AN ELEMENT OF CONTENT MANAGEMENT OF TOURIST SNS
Authors: Stepaniuk Krzysztof
Published: May 2016

The article presents an innovative approach to content management, resulting from the synthesis of biological and management sciences. The aim of the article was to develop a theoretical foundation for the assessment of the effectiveness of the spread of content of a memetic nature. To achieve the objectives of the paper the author has applied the method of quantitative and qualitative analysis of content and the method of literature analysis. Based on the proposed evaluation capacity factor of a single attribute of memetic content, an analysis of the content (photographs) published on fb fan pages of selected hotels in Poland has been conducted. Identifying the specific memetic attributes in the population of the analysed photographs, the potential of spreading of particular groups of content within the social network has been examined. It has been shown that the proposed rate may support the process of content management, in the context of, among others, creating an image of a tourist site.
RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION – NEW PARADIGM OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Authors: Nazarko Lukasz
Published: May 2016

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a cross-cutting theme for the European Union Horizon 2020 programme. On one hand it may be seen as a burden for the R&D community but on the other, as a source of innovation and creativity aligned with the values of the society. The paper attempts to explore the possibilities of making Responsible Research and Innovation a framework that strengthens and deepens the relationship of a business with the clients and the rest of its environment. Special attention is paid to the relationship between RRI, Future-Oriented Technology Analysis and Technology Management. RRI principles are studies from the perspective of an enterprise.
PATENT PROTECTION OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – TECHNOLOGY FIELDS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
Authors: Walicka Monika
Published: May 2016

In this paper the industry and top patent applicants was studied from perspective of 4 types of intellectual property (IP) and 3 patent systems. The purpose of this study was to map world patents applications. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) data base was used. Results show that there is a growing trend in three analyzed patent systems and patents applications span a wide range of technologies. Under PCT procedures three leading fields of technologies: Electrical machinery, Computer technologies, and Medical technologies was found. Trademark applications are focused on Research and Technology and Agriculture sector, Industrial design on Textiles and accessories.
Defining the Scholarly Commons - Reimagining Research Communication. Report of Force11 SCWG Workshop, Madrid, Spain, February 25-27, 2016
Authors: Kramer Bianca , Bosman Jeroen , Ignac Marcin , Kral Christina , Kalleinen Tellervo , Koskinen Pekko , Bruno Ian , Buckland Amy , Callaghan Sarah , Champieux Robin , Chapman Chris , Hagstrom Stephanie , Martone MaryAnn , Murphy Fiona , O'Donnell Daniel
Published: May 2016

'Today’s dominant modes and models of scholarly communication stem from 350 years of tradition around scholarly and scientific dissemination through printed materials. As has been often noted, current forms of electronic communications recapitulate these practices and perpetuate the reward systems built around them. Too often, scholars are unaware of the origins of current practices and accept the status quo because "that’s how it's done". But what if we could start over? What if we had computers, an internet, search engines and social media, but no legacy of journals, articles, books, review systems etc.? How would we be acting as scholars to communicate our research and put it to maximum use? What would consumers of this scholarship expect? To what extent is the promise of new modes of communication enabled by 21st century technology fostered or held back by these traditions?

The first workshop of the Force11 Scholarly Commons Working Group, held in Madrid on February 26-27, 2016, aimed to answer these questions. The workshop brought together experts and new voices across disciplines and countries in a lively format to rethink scholarly communication from scratch. Through this exercise, we began defining principles that should govern the production, dissemination and flow of scholarly objects within what we are calling the 'Scholarly Commons'. Here, we report on both the workshop process, with emphasis on the role of facilitation and visualization, the workshop outcomes and the future plans of the Scholarly Commons Working Group.
L’éternité du mouvement chez Ibn Bāǧǧa (Avempace) : de la définition générique à la définition numérique. Le commentaire aux chapitres 1 et 2 du livre VIII de la Physique
Authors: Cherif Zahar Farah
Published: May 2016

Cet article examine l’interprétation que livre Ibn Bāǧǧa (Avempace) des chapitres 1 et 2 du livre VIII de la Physique d’Aristote et ce qu’il entend lorsqu’il présente la preuve d’Aristote comme une démonstration de l’éternité du mouvement « selon le genre ». Sa démarche dans le second appendice diffère de celle du commentaire principal : s’employant à distinguer entre des successions essentielles impossibles et des successions accidentelles possibles, Ibn Bāǧǧa est conduit à ne plus considérer l’éternité de succession – axe horizontal –  comme suffisante et, ainsi, à mettre en œuvre une approche verticale, remontant vers l’éternité numérique du mouvement circulaire continu. Nous montrons la dépendance et l’originalité d’Ibn Bāǧǧa à l’égard du traité perdu de Fārābī Sur les êtres changeants et contribuons aussi à éclairer le rôle de sa lecture dans l’évolution de l’interprétation averroïste du livre VIII.
La philosophie comme pratique : erreur et droit à l’erreur dans la pensée d’Averroès
Authors: Bou Akl Ziad
Published: May 2016

Face aux accusations du théologien ašʿarite al-Ġazālī, Averroès défend dans le Discours Décisif la pratique de la philosophie en mobilisant un certain nombre d’arguments juridiques et scripturaires. Cet article se propose de replacer ces arguments dans le contexte de la discipline de théorie légale à laquelle Averroès a consacré l’un de ses premiers traités, l’ Abrégé du Mustaṣfā. La comparaison de ces deux textes nous permettra d’identifier l’origine de certains arguments du Discours Décisif , notamment pour ce qui est de la taxinomie des erreurs ainsi que de l’organisation sociale du savoir. Plus généralement, elle situe la réflexion d’Averroès dans la continuité de cette longue tradition métajuridique qui lui fournit les éléments nécessaires pour penser la place du philosophe dans la société.
Discussion des notions de victime et de traumatisme en lien aux situations de maltraitance d’enfants
Authors: de Becker Emmanuel
Published: May 2016

Les maltraitances, sous leurs diverses formes, constituent des circonstances socio-familiales susceptibles de provoquer de multiples traumatismes. Les victimes de mauvais traitements pendant l’enfance présentent régulièrement des difficultés d’ordre émotionnel, relationnel, cognitif, somatique, comportemental. Les conséquences de la maltraitance vécue durant l’enfance ont ainsi le potentiel de perdurer tout au long de la vie. La maltraitance constitue une des principales causes de l’état de victime dont les retentissements psychiques traumatiques sont aujourd’hui pris en compte. Par ailleurs, force est de constater que la victime en tant que figure sociale est largement présente sur la scène publique. Ainsi, au-delà d’une situation individuelle, la victime occupe une place non négligeable sur le plan sociologique. Cette importance entraîne inéluctablement des prises de position, parfois radicalement opposées, étant donné les diverses représentations véhiculées chez tout un chacun. Ainsi, les concepts de victime et de traumatisme sont intimement liés dans un lien de causalité non seulement linéaire mais le plus souvent circulaire. Nous développons ces concepts en partant de considérations à propos de l’enfant et de son statut actuel. Se posera, entre autres, la question de l’existence d’un relatif culturel ou, en d’autres termes, d’un « entrechoquement » culturel. La réflexion se poursuivra autour des bénéfices et surtout des risques pour l’enfant, car il est devenu un bien précieux, une denrée rare. Il est un jeune sujet qu’il y a lieu de protéger de tous les dangers et de toute menace. Il est aussi l’enfant du désir, désir de plus en plus planifié et programmé. Quant aux traumatismes, nous en aborderons les aspects pychopathologiques et cliniques, en distinguant le trauma des tableaux de stress. Par la suite, nous regrouperons quatre présentations cliniques en lien avec des aspects intrapsychiques spécifiques pouvant être mises en exergue dans les situations de maltraitance d’enfants. Sera enfin évoqué le concept de « traumatisme psychologique complexe » qui a été avancé pour faire état des multiples impacts de la maltraitance sur l’enfant.
Simulation of the Core Technology of a Greenhouse-Monitoring System Based on a Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Zhou Yuhong , Xie Yunfang , Shao Limin
Published: May 2016

To solve the topology structure of a greenhouse environment-monitoring system and the ductility of joints, this study presents a design of a greenhouse-monitoring system based on the ZigBee wireless sensor network (WSN). The hardware and software designs of the network node are provided, and the process of the ZigBee network coordinator is elucidated. The system uses the microcontroller unit PIC18F4620CC2420 wireless transceiver module to send and receive data. Data from temperature and humidity sensors are collected using an inter-integrated circuit bus through the ZigBee network transmission to the monitoring platform. Test results show that the system has the advantages of having a simple structure, flexible nodes, and low power consumption. It can effectively monitor the temperature and humidity in a wireless environment. WSNs considerably help in greenhouse environment monitoring. The use of advanced technology to control greenhouse temperature and humidity can satisfy the optimum growth environment of greenhouse crops and effectively improve the yield and quality of crops. The application of WSNs in greenhouse monitoring is significant to the development of modern and precision agriculture in China.
DYNAMIC SIMULATION AND FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE MAXILLARY BONE INJURY AROUND DENTAL IMPLANT DURING CHEWING DIFFERENT FOOD
Authors: Razaghi Reza , Mallakzadeh Mohammadreza , Haghpanahi Mohammad
Published: May 2016

Since a long term patency of the dental implant has a direct relationship with their biomechanical performance, it is of vital important to understand the stresses and deformations that happen during chewing around the dental implant and bone. However, this model so far has not been well realized and this is why in this study we aim to establish a Finite Element (FE) model to analyse the stresses and deformations. A trajectory approach has been used to implement the action of muscles into the mode. To do this, a cornflake bio is mounted between the teeth and force applied until the breakage of the food in mouth. Furthermore, an experimental study was performed using the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) method and a set of three markers used to verify the numerical observations. The results revealed that in the maxillary bones, the maximum stresses were located within the cortical bone surrounding the implant and within the neck of implant. In addition, as the elastic modulus of the food is increased the stress in cortical bone increased accordingly. The results also revealed that the highest stress in the system is 74% of the yield stress while this value has been reported as 41% in previous studies.
Vocational Education and Training in India
Authors: Kumar Manoj
Published: May 2016

Failure in the training market may result from credit constraints and the inability to insure against labor income uncertainty, deterring potential trainees, or labor market imperfections that create external benefits for Indian industries. This paper constructs a model of a training market affected by both problems, and examines the rationale for training levy schemes, intended to make Indian industries increase investment in training. It is shown that regulating Indian industries, or equivalently financing a subsidy through taxation of profits, can achieve a Pareto improvement irrespective of the cause of under-investment. However, when the levy is assessed as a proportion of wages the effect is to address capital market imperfections only.
The Potential of Promoting Mindfulness in a University Physical Activity and Wellness Course
Authors: D'Abundo Michelle Lee , Sidman Cara L. , Fiala Kelly A.
Published: May 2016

Due to its well documented benefits, it has been recommended to integrate mindfulness into health promotion programming. The purpose of this study was to determine if mindfulness was impacted by demographic variables and/or the completion of a stress management unit including mindfulness and application activities focused on paying attention and living in the present. Students completed (n=225) the 15-item Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at the beginning and end of a 15-week semester. Student completion of a stress management unit including mindfulness and application activities focused on paying attention and living in the present did not result in improved mindfulness. The extent that instructors covered mindfulness in the lab portion of the course, as well as potentially higher stress levels at the end of the semester, may be factors associated with lower post-course mindfulness. These results, combined with previous research showing mindfulness-based programs to be effective in stress reduction, support the need to directly educate students about mindfulness. It may be advantageous to increase the focus on mindfulness in university lifetime wellness curricula, in addition to improving instructor training and monitoring course fidelity among large multiple-section courses.
Transformative Learning Factors to Enhance Integral Healthy Organizations
Authors: Thavinpipatkul Chanchai , Ratana-Ubol Archanya , Charungkaittikul Suwithida
Published: May 2016

This article focuses on how organizations search for the key factors to develop integral changes and determine broader and higher transcendental learning skills in order to achieve healthy and sustainable organizational growth more effectively and efficiently. This study employed qualitative approaches. The research method used is an in-depth interview of 16 key informants in the field of Non-Formal Education, Transformation, and Healthy Organization Development in Thailand, from both private and government entities. The key query was that in the next 10 years, what will the healthier sustainable organizations look like and what are the main factors to enhance integral healthy organizations? The data was analyzed and interpreted with content-analysis techniques in understanding key factors with insights of how to uplift organizational well-being. Results yielded the eight essential factors for development of a healthy organization integrally – Principle, Physical, Mind, Intellectual, Emotion, Organization, Social, and Environment which are all reciprocally interconnected to accomplish a resilient and sustainable healthy organization. To achieve an integral healthy organization, a balanced organizational structure and climate are required to support change through perspective transformation in order to further develop mutual trust and respect. In addition, public consciousness and systematic ecological worldview development are essential for the realization that organizations are whole and at the same time are parts of the higher whole. It is anticipated that these findings will (1) contribute meaningful information of what are the key factors relating to the development of integral healthy organization, (2) contribute insights as to how those factors interact sequentially and systematically to achieve the greater meaning of balanced and resilient organizations, (3) contribute to learning about conditions impacting organizational direction and alignment to meet with sustainable growth and transcendental competitiveness, and (4) be a resource for further study.
A Blended Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language Short Course
Authors: Zhang Shenglan
Published: May 2016

This study investigated learners' perceived effectiveness of a blended Chinese non-credit bearing short course designed for engineering students with no prior knowledge about Chinese language. Few studies have examined how to design blended Chinese courses for beginning learners. The design of this study was based on the framework of parameters proposed by Neumeier (2005). Bloom's taxonomy of learning objectives in the cognitive domain was adopted in deciding on the time distribution to the two modes (Face-To-Face and online), and on sequencing the two modes. FTF was the lead mode with activities that help learners apply and practice what they learned creatively. Online activities were designed mainly to help learners memorize vocabularies, analyze word order, and comprehend culture. Data were collected through a survey and an informal interview. The findings show that the design is effective but improvements are needed.
Software-Defined Networking for Scalable Cloud-based Services to Improve System Performance of Hadoop-based Big Data Applications
Authors: Hagos Desta Haileselassie
Published: May 2016

The rapid growth of Cloud Computing has brought with it major new challenges in the automated manageability, dynamic network reconfiguration, provisioning, scalability and flexibility of virtual networks. OpenFlow-enabled Software-Defined Networking (SDN) alleviates these key challenges through the abstraction of lower level functionality that removes the complexities of the underlying hardware by separating the data and control planes. SDN has an efficient, dynamic, automated network management, higher availability and application provisioning through programmable interfaces which are very critical for flexible and scalable cloud-based services. In this study, the author explores broadly useful open technologies and methodologies for applying an OpenFlow-enabled SDN to scalable cloud-based services and a variety of diverse applications. The approach in this paper introduces new research challenges in the design and implementation of advanced techniques for bringing an SDN-enabled components and big data applications into a cloud environment in a dynamic setting. Some of these challenges become pressing concerns to cloud providers when managing virtual networks and data centers, while others complicate the development and deployment of cloud-hosted applications from the perspective of developers and end users. However, the growing demand for manageable, scalable and flexible clouds necessitates that effective solutions to these challenges be found. Hence, through real-world research validation use cases, this paper aims at exploring useful mechanisms for the role and potential of an OpenFlow-enabled SDN and its direct benefit for scalable cloud-based services. Finally, it demonstrates the impact of an OpenFlow-enabled SDN that fully embraces the opportunities and challenges of cloud infrastructures to improve the system performance of Hadoop-based big data applications by utilizing the network control capabilities of an OpenFlow to solve network congestion.
An Energy-Efficient Resource Scheduling Algorithm for Cloud Computing based on Resource Equivalence Optimization
Authors: Mao Li , Qi De Yu , Lin Wei Wei , Liu Bo , Da Li Ye
Published: May 2016

With the rapid growth of energy consumption in global data centers and IT systems, energy optimization has become an important issue to be solved in cloud data center. By introducing heterogeneous energy constraints of heterogeneous physical servers in cloud computing, an energy-efficient resource scheduling model for heterogeneous physical servers based on constraint satisfaction problems is presented. The method of model solving based on resource equivalence optimization is proposed, in which the resources in the same class are pruning treatment when allocating resource so as to reduce the solution space of the resource allocation model and speed up the model solution. Experimental results show that, compared with DynamicPower and MinPM, the proposed algorithm (EqPower) not only improves the performance of resource allocation, but also reduces energy consumption of cloud data center.
Game Theoretic Cloud-Assisted Opportunistic Spectrum Access in Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Rawat Danda B. , Shetty Sachin
Published: May 2016

Opportunistic Spectrum Access (OSA) in a Cognitive Radio Network (CRN) is regarded as emerging technology for utilizing the scarce Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum by allowing unlicensed secondary users (SUs) to access licensed spectrum without creating harmful interference to primary users (PUs). The SUs are considerably constrained by their limited power, memory and computational capacity when they have to make decision about spectrum sensing for wide band regime and OSA. The SUs in CRN have the potential to mitigate these constraints by leveraging the vast storage and computational capacity of cloud computing approaches. In this paper, the authors investigate a game theoretic approach for opportunistic spectrum access in cognitive networks. The proposed algorithm leverages the geo-locations of both SUs and spectrum opportunities to facilitate OSA to SUs. The active SUs using game theory adapt their transmit powers in a distributed manner based on the estimated average packet-error rate while satisfying the Quality-of-Service (QoS) in terms of signal-to-interference-noise-ratio (SINR). Furthermore, to control greedy SUs in distributed power control game, the authors introduce a manager/leader through a Stackelberg power adaptation game. The performance of the proposed approaches is investigated using numerical results obtained from simulations.
Task-Technology Fit Assessment of Cloud-Based Collaborative Learning Technologies
Authors: Yadegaridehkordi Elaheh , Iahad Noorminshah A. , Ahmad Norasnita
Published: May 2016

Universities require basic changes in knowledge and communication-based society in order to achieve higher order learning experience and to satisfy expectations of new generation of students. This study aims to understand the likelihood of the cloud-based collaborative learning technology adoption within educational environments. Reviewing cloud computing research, technology characteristic construct was divided into collaboration, mobility, and personalization. Based on the Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model, this study tested a theoretical model encompassing seven variables: collaboration, mobility, personalization, task non-routineness, task interdependence, task-technology fit, user adoption. Purposive sampling was used and data were collected from 86 undergraduate and postgraduate students who had experiences in using cloud-based applications for collaborative activities. The results indicated that task non-routineness, collaboration, mobility, and personalization have positive significant effects on TTF. However, distinct from past studies, task interdependence positively influences TTF. In addition, results indicated that the significant effect of TTF on users' intention to adopt cloud-based collaborative learning technologies was considerable.
Offering Money-Back Guarantees in the Presence of Strategic Consumers
Authors: Qin Zhaoqiong , Mambula Charles , Huang I-Lin
Published: May 2016

This paper studies the benefits of money-back guarantees (MBGs) on the seller under the presence of strategic consumers. The seller initially can offer the MBGs or no-MBGs in the selling season but may sell the leftover inventory at a salvage price without the MBGs at the end of the season. The strategic consumers choose the purchasing timing based on their expected surplus. The authors compare the models of the MBGs offer to no-MBGs in the selling season. By characterizing the rational expectation equilibrium, they find that the seller can charge a higher price in the case of the MBGs offer compared to no-MBGs. Accordingly, the seller's stocking level is higher and thus the seller's profit has the corresponding result. This result explains why MBGs is ubiquitous in the retailing world. The effects of the parameters in the model on the profit benefit are shown in the numerical analysis.
Reliability Measures Analysis of an Industrial System under Standby Modes and Catastrophic Failure
Authors: Ram Mangey , Manglik Monika
Published: May 2016

The objective of this research paper is, to present the reliability measures of a model by representing an industrial system having three subsystems. Two of the subsystems have standby unit while the third one has n units in parallel configuration. The entire system can fail due to a failure in subsystems or due to the catastrophic failure. The system failure and the repair rates are assumed to be constant. Markov and supplementary variable methodologies have been used to achieve the mathematical analysis of this model. Generalized expressions of state probabilities, system availability, reliability, mean time to failure, mean time to repair, cost analysis and sensitivity analysis are developed. Graphs for the resulting expressions have been shown.
[Re]Configuring Websites for National Development
Authors: Broome Pearson A.
Published: May 2016

This paper argues that although there are benefits to be derived from the use of website technologies, despite their public pronouncements, actors from governments and the private sector have been equally guilty of not recognizing their importance. Some development actors seemingly see their global presence on the World Wide Web as simply having a page on Facebook. Perhaps because websites are intangible assets their importance as strategic tools is undervalued and their design treated with lacklustre interest by government agencies and sections of the private sector. This article presents in part an overview using two in-depth case studies of how the public and private sectors in the Commonwealth Caribbean have used, or failed to use websites by illustrating inter alia their sub-optimally designed features. A major finding is that both sectors have gotten no further than the billboard or partial service-delivery status of e-government, e-commerce, and e-democracy, and have made little progress at portal development, online services, interactive websites, or using the technologies to transform commercial activity. A second finding is that these same features deny access to services for the most vulnerable sections of their populations to their detriment. An inquiry into website configuration for national development has both practical and scholarly implications. A practical implication of this study is for researchers, governments, development agencies, investors and citizens to use these standardized website evaluation indicators to pin-point and correct weaknesses if this development strategy is to be effectively applied. With respect to scholarly implications, it will provide much needed insight for theory development — since at this time there is virtually no theory underpinning the phenomenon.
Managing Experiences
Authors: Getto Guiseppe
Published: May 2016

The popularity of agile frameworks for project management within a variety of professions necessitates new approaches to teaching project management. At the same time, the increased pervasiveness of digital technologies means that more and more projects will relate closely to the development of user experiences (UX). To connect these two interests (project management and UX), in the following article the author develops an agile methodology for teaching project management. This methodology utilizes the UX Process and related concepts (e.g., preliminary research, prototyping, usability testing, and maintenance) to argue that traditional components of projects—strategies, teams, clients, deliverables, timelines, and benchmarks—must be refashioned into ultra-flexible heuristics that can be adapted to a variety of contingencies.
Management Development Knowledge Base in the Gulf, Transferability, and Adaptability
Authors: Alhashemi Suhaila E.
Published: May 2016

Management development programmes and management in transition is taking its shape in the Gulf Region. The purpose of this paper is to address the key assumptions and knowledge base on which Gulf management development programs were built with special reference to images of managerial professionalism and its major issues bearing on the transferability of managerial know-how. Interviews conducted with managers in Bahrain and Oman revealed using some Western Theories may prove not to be successful when fully integrated with the national culture, and therefore there is a need to adapt. Change and transformation is taking place within the GCC, this necessitates careful selection of strategies and ways to implement management development and transferability. Some organizations have been successful in adaptability and transferability of knowledge, others are undergoing the process at the moment and it will be some time when the effect takes place.
Critical Success Factors for Establishing Online User Participation in System Design
Authors: Klammer Julia , van den Anker Fred W.G. , Janneck Monique
Published: May 2016

Recent web-based technologies such as social media offer new ways for involving users in system design. However, little is known about the concrete benefits and limitations of online user participation and how to organize such processes in a corporate context. This research reports on an approach that integrated an online-platform with face-to-face activities to design an ICT-based health care service together with health care staff. A qualitative, formative evaluation of the approach over two years revealed critical success factors for applying online participation within a participatory design process. The authors show how task-related, media-related and organizational characteristics, transaction costs of participating and the need for a shared context work as preconditions and drivers for online participation. The evaluation also revealed that the online platform and scenario workshops complement each other well by integrating online user-generated content with detailed context information derived from face-to-face interaction.
Strategies to Overcome Dark Side of Social Media for Organizational Sustainability
Authors: Sharma Jitender
Published: May 2016

Social media has provided the organizations a massive platform to reach masses and is considered as a highly effective tool for organizations to connect and promote their brands and messages all over the world with huge potential to attract clientele with virtually no or very low investment. It has given organizations a collaborative innovation medium also where shared wisdom can help organizations bringing out innovation in their products and services. Social media reach can result in the spread of positive sentiment about the organization's products or services very fast to large number of people. However social media is a double edge sword. If it has potential to help boosting an organization's business, it can also result in propagating negative image and that too at a very fast speed and to very large user segment. A single negative comment on organization's blog or profile, or a complaint by some customer about organization's product or services on social media may cause a negative and long lasting impact on an organization's and/or a brand's reputation. Hence, social media can make or tarnish an organization's sustainability. Organizations need to be on high alert always. Staying away from social media is not a solution as you are not aloof in the virtual world of social media. Anyone can put anything on the media and information spread is so fast that no one can control the same. Though organizations can be benefitted immensely from use of social media, there are chances that either your internal dissatisfied employees or your customers or even your competitors can spoil your image by putting wrong or unwanted information on social media. Either competitors may hire specialized hackers or individual hackers may hack an organization's media campaign and convey totally opposite message to tarnish the organization's brand image and blackmail. Organizations need to keep a hawk eye on such brand assassins and their social activity and take counter measures very fast so as to defeat such wrongdoers. To succeed in the highly technologically advanced environment, organizations need to make use of social media for their own advantages. They need to conquer dark side of social media by remaining vigilant all the times and adopt such strategies that not only counter malicious intentions of wrong-doers but proved to be effective marketing strategies to effectively promote organizations' interests. This paper is an attempt to understand role of social media in making or tarnishing an organization's image and evolve out strategies to help the organizations conquering dark side of social media.
Characterization of the Inflammasome in Human Kupffer Cells in Response to Synthetic Agonists and Pathogens
Authors: Zannetti Claudia , Roblot Guillaume , Charrier Emily , Ainouze Michelle , Tout Issam , Briat François , Isorce Nathalie , Faure-Dupuy Suzanne , Michelet Maud , Marotel Marie , Kati Semra , Schulz Thomas F. , Rivoire Michel , Traverse-Glehen Alexandra , Luangsay Souphalone , Alatiff Omran , Henry Thomas , Walzer Thierry , Durantel David , Hasan Uzma
Published: May 2016

The liver is the largest gland in the human body and functions as an innate immune organ. Liver macrophages called Kupffer cells (KC) constitute the largest group of macrophages in the human body. Innate immune responses involving KC represent the first line of defense against pathogens in the liver. Human monocyte-derived macrophages have been used to characterize inflammasome responses that lead to the release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, but it has not yet been determined whether human KC contain functional inflammasomes. We show, to our knowledge for the first time, that KC express genes and proteins that make up several different inflammasome complexes. Moreover, activation of KC in response to the absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome led to the production of IL-1β and IL-18, which activated IL-8 transcription and hepatic NK cell activity, respectively. Other inflammasome responses were also activated in response to selected bacteria and viruses. However, hepatitis B virus inhibited the AIM2 inflammasome by reducing the mRNA stability of IFN regulatory factor 7, which regulated AIM2 transcription. These data demonstrate the production of IL-1β and IL-18 in KC, suggesting that KC contain functional inflammasomes that could be important players in the innate immune response following certain infections of the liver. We think our findings could potentially aid therapeutic approaches against chronic liver diseases that activate the inflammasome.
‘Doing theology as though nothing had happened’ – reading Karl Barth’s confessional theology in Zimbabwe today?
Authors: Tshaka Rothney
Published: May 2016

Although confessional theology is making its rounds across Reformed communities, this theology remains virtually unknown north of the Limpopo River. The Reformed Church of Zimbabwe (RCZ) is one of the immediate neighbours of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, which produced the Belhar Confession during the apartheid era. The confessional theology of Karl Barth, which informed this confession, has proven to be versatile in diverse contexts. Confessions, it will be argued, do not exist independently from the socioeconomic and political situations from which they arise. This article will attempt to argue that this theology can contribute to the Reformed theology in present day Zimbabwe. It will therefore attempt to introduce the confessional theology of Karl Barth to Zimbabwe; however, it also argues that the RCZ will have to realise that a number of adjustments need to be made on its part to ensure that it appropriates this theology profitably for its situation.Keywords: Zimbabwe, Karl Barth, confessional theology, Reformed Church in Zimbabwe, politics
Evaluation of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations based on mutation specific immunohistochemistry in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Jain Deepali , Iqbal Sobuhi , Walia Ritika , Malik Prabhat , Cyriac Sunu , Mathur Sandeep R. , Sharma Mehar C. , Madan Karan , Mohan Anant , Bhalla Ashu , Pathy Sushmita , Kumar Lalit , Guleria Randeep
Published: May 2016

Background & objectives:

Studies have shown that immunohistochemical (IHC) staining using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation specific antibodies, is an easy and cost-effective, screening method compared with molecular techniques. The purpose of present study was to assess the percentage positivity of IHC using EGFR mutation specific antibodies in lung biopsy samples from patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma (ADC).

Methods:

Two hundred and six biopsies of primary lung ADC were subjected to EGFR mutation specific antibodies against del E746-A750 and L858R. Detection of EGFR mutation done by high resolution melting analysis (HRM) was used as gold standard. A concordance was established between molecular and IHC results. Frequency of IHC positivity was assessed.

Results:

Of the 206 patients, 129 were male and 77 were female patients, with a mean age of 54.1 yr. Fifty five (26.6%) patients (36 men; 19 women) showed positivity for IHC of del E746-A750 (33) and L858R (22). HRM results were available in 14 patients which showed EGFR mutations in correspondence with del E746-750 or L858R in 64.2 per cent cases. Positive cases on HRM were further confirmed by DNA sequencing and fragment analysis. Three patients showed exon20 variation. Two cases were negative for mutation. The genotype of del E746-750 mutation was more common than L858R. A concordance was established between molecular mutation and IHC in 85.7 per cent cases.

Interpretation & conclusions:

In this preliminary study from India mutation specific IHC was used for assessment of mutation status of EGFR. Although the number tested was small, a good concordance was observed between molecular EGFR mutation and IHC expression. IHC methodology is a potentially useful tool to guide clinicians for personalized treatment in lung ADC, especially where facilities for molecular analysis are not readily available and for use in small biopsies where material is scant for molecular tests.
Demographic profile, host, disease & viral predictive factors of response in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection at a tertiary care hospital in north India
Authors: Vasudevan Sreejith , Shalimar  , Kavimandan Amit , Kalra Nancy , Nayak Baibaswata , Thakur Bhaskar , Das Prasenjit , Gupta Siddhartha Datta , Panda Subrat Kumar , Acharya Subrat Kumar
Published: May 2016

Background & objectives:

Standard of care for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in India is peginterferon and ribavirin (RBV). The response to treatment in real life stetting is unclear. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the demographic profile and assess the virological response and predictors of response in CHC patients.

Methods:

Consecutive patients with CHC were included in this study. Detailed clinical history, risk factors, and predictive factors of response were noted. Patients were treated with peginterferon α2b (1.5 µg/kg/wk) and RBV (12 mg/kg/day) for 6 to 18 months based on response.

Results:

A total of 211 patients were included in the analysis, mean age 40.6±12.3 yr, 144 (68%) were males and 71 (34%) had compensated cirrhosis. Commonest risk factor for acquiring CHC was previous transfusion and surgery (51%). Genotype 3 (72%) was most common followed by genotype 1 (23%). Overall sustained virologic response (SVR) was 64 per cent [95% CI 57.1%-70.4%]. The SVR was 66.5 per cent [95% CI 58.34-73.89%] for genotype 3 and 61.2 per cent [95% CI 46.23 to 74.80%] for genotype 1. Non-cirrhotics had better SVR rates compared to cirrhotics (76 vs 41%, P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, BMI ≥23 kg/m2, HOMA-IR ≥2, compliance (≤80%), and fibrosis >2 were predictors of low SVR.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Genotype 3 was the commonest HCV genotype. The commonest source of infection was previous transfusion and surgery. SVR rates for genotypes 3 were better than genotype 1 patients. Predictors of non-response were high BMI, insulin resistance, significant fibrosis and inadequate compliance.
On the Dual König Property of the Order-interval Hypergraph of Two Classes of N-free Posets
Authors: Bouchemakh Isma , Fatma Kaci
Published: May 2016

Let P be a finite N-free poset. We consider the hypergraph H(P) whose vertices are the elements of P and whose edges are the maximal intervals of P. We study the dual König property of H(P) in two subclasses of N-free class.
Optical properties of atmospheric fine particles near Beijing during the HOPE-J3A campaign
Authors: Xu Xuezhe , Zhao Weixiong , Zhang Qilei , Wang Shuo , Fang Bo , Chen Weidong , Venables Dean S. , Wang Xinfeng , Pu Wei , Wang Xin , Gao Xiaoming , Zhang Weijun
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The optical properties and chemical composition of PM1.0 particles in a suburban environment (Huairou) near the megacity of Beijing were measured during the HOPE-J3A (Haze Observation Project Especially for Jing–Jin–Ji Area) field campaign. The campaign covered the period November 2014 to January 2015 during the winter coal heating season. The average values and standard deviations of the extinction, scattering, absorption coefficients, and the aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) at λ  =  470 nm during the measurement period were 201 ± 240, 164 ± 202, 37 ± 43 Mm−1, and 0.80 ± 0.08, respectively. The average values for the real and imaginary components of the effective complex refractive index (CRI) over the campaign were 1.40 ± 0.06 and 0.03 ± 0.02, while the average mass scattering and absorption efficiencies (MSEs and MAEs) of PM1.0 were 3.6 and 0.7 m2 g−1, respectively. Highly time-resolved air pollution episodes clearly show the dramatic evolution of the PM1.0 size distribution, extensive optical properties (extinction, scattering, and absorption coefficients), and intensive optical properties (SSA and CRI) during haze formation, development, and decline. Time periods were classified into three different pollution levels (clear, slightly polluted, and polluted) for further analysis. It was found that (1) the relative contributions of organic and inorganic species to observed aerosol composition changed significantly from clear to polluted days: the organic mass fraction decreased from 50 to 43 % while the proportion of sulfates, nitrates, and ammonium increased strongly from 34 to 44 %. (2) Chemical apportionment of extinction, calculated using the IMPROVE algorithm, tended to underestimate the extinction compared to measurements. Agreement with measurements was improved by modifying the parameters to account for enhanced absorption by elemental carbon (EC). Organic mass was the largest contributor (52 %) to the total extinction of PM1.0, while EC, despite its low mass concentration of  ∼  4 %, contributed about 17 % to extinction. When the air quality deteriorated, the contribution of nitrate aerosol increased significantly (from 15 % on clear days to 22 % on polluted days). (3) Under polluted conditions, the average MAEs of EC were up to 4 times as large as the reference MAE value for freshly generated black carbon (BC). The temporal pattern of MAE values was similar to that of the OC / EC ratio, suggesting that non-BC absorption from secondary organic aerosol also contributes to particle absorption.
Observed microphysical changes in Arctic mixed-phase clouds when transitioning from sea ice to open ocean
Authors: Young G. , Jones H. M. , Choularton T. W. , Crosier J. , Bower K. N. , Gallagher M. W. , Davies R. S. , Renfrew I. A. , Elvidge A. D. , Darbyshire E. , Marenco F. , Brown P. R. A. , Connolly P. J. , Lloyd G. , Williams P. I. , Allan J. D. , Taylor J. W. , Liu D. , Flynn M. J.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. In situ airborne observations of cloud microphysics, aerosol properties and thermodynamic structure over the transition from sea ice to ocean are presented from the Aerosol-Cloud Coupling and Climate Interactions in the Arctic (ACCACIA) campaign. A case study from 23 March 2013 provides a unique view of the cloud microphysical changes over this transition under cold air outbreak conditions. Cloud base and depth both increased over this transition, and mean droplet number concentrations also increased from approximately 80 cm−3 over the sea ice to 90 cm−3 over the ocean. The ice properties of the cloud remained approximately constant. Observed ice crystal concentrations averaged approximately 0.5–1.5 L−1, suggesting only primary ice nucleation was active; however, there was evidence of crystal fragmentation at cloud base over the ocean. The liquid-water content increased almost four-fold over the transition and this, in conjunction with the deeper cloud layer, allowed rimed snowflakes to develop which precipitated out of cloud base. Little variation in aerosol particle number concentrations was observed between the different surface conditions; however, some variability with altitude was observed, with notably greater concentrations measured at higher altitudes (> 800 m) over the sea ice. Near-surface boundary layer temperatures increased by 13 °C from sea ice to ocean, with corresponding increases in surface heat fluxes and turbulent kinetic energy. These significant thermodynamic changes were concluded to be the primary driver of the microphysical evolution of the cloud. This study represents the first investigation, using in situ airborne observations, of cloud microphysical changes with changing sea ice cover and addresses the question of how the microphysics of Arctic stratiform clouds may change as the region warms and sea ice extent reduces.