bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing an Online Dissertation Research Community of Practice
Authors: Snyder Martha M. , Dringus Laurie P. , Terrell Steven R.
Published: October 2017

This design case describes phase one (pilot phase) of an intervention strategy aimed to support students in a limited–residency doctoral program. Specifically, this case documents the process and decisions that were made along the way to design an online research community of practice (CoP) for students who have completed coursework and are working on their dissertations in the field of instructional design and technology. The case includes the designers’ guiding framework, a detailed description of the case including the site, participant and platform selection, and the preliminary state of the design. To date, a design team is in place, a guiding framework for the design of the CoP is established, a needs analysis has been conducted, the participants have been identified, the CoP strategy has been defined, the site has launched, and students are just now beginning to become a part of this online community. It will take time to cultivate the community and determine whether the design is effective in achieving the community’s goals. Data collection and documentation of design decisions continue as the design and development of the online CoP emerges.
Online Staff Development Module for E-learning and Pedagogy: Analysis, Design and Development
Authors: Ruggiero Dana , Boehm Jeffrey David
Published: October 2017

In the following design case, Learning Technologists (LT’s) charged with developing a program for distance and blended learning describe the creation of an online module for staff development that helps lecturers to develop their online teaching skills. Using the Community of Inquiry Framework, the LT’s structured an environment in which staff learned fundamental ideas of online pedagogy and experienced common tools for the learning environment. They then applied those tools and information gained from the coursework to the design of their own online module. The lecturers-as-students are also asked to reflect upon their experiences as classroom lecturers and to incorporate that experiential knowledge into the course design process. This paper describes the development of the module, the elements of the module, and the lessons learned from the pilot run.
SURGE’s Evolution Deeper into Formal Representations: The Siren’s Call of Popular Game-Play Mechanics
Authors: Clark Douglas B. , Virk Satyugjit , Sengupta Pratim , Brady Corey , Martinez-Garza Mario , Krinks Kara , Killingsworth Stephen S. , Kinnebrew John , Biswas Gautam , Barnes Jacqueline , Minstrell James , Nelson Brian , Slack Kent , D'Angelo Cynthia M.
Published: October 2017

We have iteratively designed and researched five digital games focusing on Newtonian dynamics for middle school classrooms during the past seven years. The designs have evolved dramatically in terms of the roles and relationships of the formal representations, phenomenological representations, and control schemes. Phenomenological representations can be thought of as the “world” representations that depict the actual actions and motion of a game as they occur (i.e., the central representations in most recreational games). Formal representations highlight the disciplinary relationships of interest from a pedagogical perspective (such as vector arrows, graphs, and dot traces). Our initial design perspective focused on highlighting the formal physics relationships within popular game-play mechanics. This perspective prioritized a commitment to the phenomenological representations and controls of recreational games, specifically marble-genre games. We designed formal representations around and over the phenomenological representations of that genre. Over the next seven years, we navigated the tensions between the original recreational genre and creating a new genre situated within the formal representations themselves. More specifically, our designs evolved to situate the game-play squarely in the formal representations in terms of the controls as well as in terms of the communication of goals and challenges. We backgrounded phenomenological representations and streamlined visual complexity to focus on key relationships. Our discussion compares our design evolution to the SimCalc design evolution recounted in IJDL’s recent special issue on historic design cases.
Taking Students on a Journey to El Yunque
Authors: McGee Steven , Zimmerman Jess K.
Published: October 2017

As the developers of Journey to El Yunque, we have taken a different approach to the process of designing a science curriculum. Rather than start with a specific set of concepts or skills to target as learning outcomes, we started by identifying a specific community of practice to which we sought to connect students. Researchers in the El Yunque rainforest in Puerto Rico have been studying the impact of hurricanes on ecosystem dynamics and have been modeling what the long-term impact would be if changes to the global climate increase the frequency of severe hurricanes. Therefore, hurricane impact became the focal phenomenon for the unit. We modeled the process of investigating hurricane impact after the long-term ecological research practices of researchers in El Yunque. Students begin by investigating the long-term impact of hurricanes on the producers in El Yunque. Next students investigate the long-term impact of hurricanes on various consumers in the rainforest. Finally, students investigate how hurricanes impact the cycling of resources directly as well as indirectly through changes in organisms’ use of those resources in the rainforest. A central tension in the design process is how to coherently represent the spatial relationships between the components of the ecosystem and the temporal dynamics of the individual components. In this paper, we present the evolution of the program as we sought to balance that design tension and build an environment that connects students to the central phenomenon and practices of the community of researchers in El Yunque.
K-12 Engineering Outreach: Design Decisions, Rationales, and Applications
Authors: Ozogul Gamze , Reisslein Jana , Reisslein Martin
Published: October 2017

Even though engineering outreach to K-12 schools initially seemed to be a simple undertaking, it proved to require complex design solutions related to a variety of issues. The purpose of this design case is to tell the story of our National Science Foundation (NSF) supported engineering outreach project, that took place between the years of 2007-2013. The design problem of this project started with the issue of how to design the engineering instruction, what to provide within the K-12 instruction, how to conduct the outreach, and how to overcome physical limitations of school sites. This design case captures the design process, context, various designs of the computer-mediated learning platform, and the rationales for design iterations. We also describe how the design team, which included experts in instructional design, electrical engineering, and educational psychology, as well as carpenters, teachers, and graphic designers, worked together to accomplish an outreach project that reached over 3,600 K-12 students. In addition to the design processes, we also report the major findings from our evaluation studies of the intructional modules delivered to K-12 students, and how we used these results to iterate and refine our module designs.
MASLO: A Mobile Learning Development System
Authors: Branon Rovy , Wolfenstein Moses , Weiss Cathrin
Published: October 2017

The Mobile Access to Supplementary Learning Objects (MASLO) is an open source software kit developed by the Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Laboratory (AADLC) at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The MASLO kit is designed to provide the components for content authoring and delivery on Apple iOS® and Google Android® smart phones.This project built on work from an earlier AADLC effort to develop a high school test preparation mobile application called Revu4u (Review for You). In that project, AADLC team members successfully created a technical framework for delivering smart phone enabled instructional content. While the technical components functioned as intended, virtually no time was spent in Revu4u on creating usable interfaces. Additionally, the Revu4u project was limited in scope to only deliver multiple-choice questions and feedback. The MASLO project focused on usability rather than technological capability and was designed as a more comprehensive instructional content authoring environment. In this article, the authors will describe MASLO as a design case. The purpose is to clearly describe the kit itself, critical design decisions, and the context and situations relevant to understanding the decisions made. Relevant Revu4u processes and outcomes are briefly described as a precedent for MASLO. MASLO is a living, open source project, and this case describes the development of the kit up to August 2012.
Design and Implementation of a Web-Based System to Support Collective Reflective Practice
Authors: Brailas Alexios , Koskinas Konstantinos , Alexias Giorgos
Published: October 2017

The objective of this paper is to describe the design case of a web-based system that aims to facilitate the collective reflective practice of a learning group in an academic setting. The technical infrastructure of the system is fully implemented using free web services, which requires minimum technical knowledge or expertise. A key technical component of the proposed system is a web mash-up hub node that filters and aggregates the relevant posts coming from the participating members’ blogs. The overall design process, including the theoretical inspiration, the context, and the implementation, is presented in full detail. This design case can be utilized to inform and inspire other educators or reflective practitioners to design similar systems.
The Bubbler as Systemwide Makerspace: A Design Case of How Making Became a Core Service of the Public Libraries
Authors: Halverson Erica , Lakind Alexandra , Willett Rebekah
Published: October 2017

In this article, we introduce the case of a makerspace program that provides a systemwide approach to making rather than a singular face-to-face or online place. This makerspace, called Bubbler, extends across a public library system of a mid-sized Midwestern city (Madison, Wisconsin) and incorporates nine neighborhood libraries and numerous community spaces. Since 2011, Bubbler has come to be known as a physical place, a series of programs, and an approach to working with patrons of all ages. We aim to chronicle the development of Bubbler, describe its core features, provide examples of these features in action, and discuss victories and challenges associated with designing a systemwide makerspace in public libraries. We conclude by asserting that the library now includes making as a core service based on a model of diversity and inclusion that aligns with the basic tenets of public libraries.
What Will Keep the Fish Alive? Exploring Intersections of Designing, Making, and Inquiry Among Middle School Learners
Authors: Wallace Scott , Banks Tarrance , Sedas Mishael , Glazewski Krista , Brush Thomas A. , McKay Christian
Published: October 2017

We can see why educators are drawn to making; maker environments hold tremendous potential for engaging learners in both (a) building and representing their knowledge and (b) fostering opportunities for seeing the world in new ways. This potential reflects what our team of middle school teachers, university professors, and graduate students observed during a year-long project in which students built aquaponic systems while simultaneously asking questions about food, food systems, and sustainability. Their systems took a variety of forms, supporting everything from bluegill to aquatic frogs and growing a variety of flowers and vegetables. However, together we all also experienced struggle and moments of doubt. How much guidance is enough? Too much? How do we build knowledge and not just “do projects”? How do we connect the doing and the building with our community? With the world? And, perhaps most practically, how do we fix what we just messed up?
Reflection of Barbie Culture on the games of children in the context of gender
Barbie kültürünün toplumsal cinsiyet bağlamında çocuk oyunlarına yansımaları
Authors: Ördek İnceoğlu Seval , Aktaş Arnas Yaşare
Published: October 2017

There are many studies conducted about Barbie dolls. However, it has not been investigated how these toys reflected on gender perceptions of children. That is this topic is still an issue of concern. On the other hand, games give crucial clues regarding making sense of children’s worlds. Through this study, it was aimed to analyze the reflections of Barbie culture on children’s dramatic game processes. The design of the study was case study one of qualitative research designs aiming to obtain information in depth. The participants consisted of seven children in 5-year class of a nursery school and prefer to play in dramatic game center during game time. The data of the study was collected by observations. Within data collection, the whole process was recorded as videos in order to minimize data loss. In total, video record of 280 minutes was obtained. The data was analyzed by content analysis method. It was found out that children frequently emphasized physical features playing with Barbies, besides they involved in gendered conversations. Moreover, it was revealed that Barbie culture increased the gendered utterances of children when handled in terms of gender. Our study is parallel to the results of limited number of studies regarding this matter.Extended English abstract is in the end of PDF (TURKISH) file.ÖzetBarbie bebeklere ilişkin olarak yapılmış bir çok araştırma bulunmaktadır. Ancak bu oyuncakların çocukların toplumsal cinsiyet algılarına nasıl yansıdıkları yeterince araştırılmamıştır. Yani bu konu halen merak konusudur. Oyunlar ise çocukların dünyalarının anlaşılmasında önemli ipuçları sunarlar. Bu çalışmada Barbie kültürünün çocukların dramatik oyun süreçlerine yansımalarının incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın yöntemini derinlemesine bilgi edinilmesini amaçlayan nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması oluşturmaktadır.  Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu bir anaokulundaki 5 yaş sınıfına devam eden ve oyun zamanında dramatik oyun merkezinde oynamayı tercih eden yedi çocuk oluşturmuştur. Çalışmada veriler gözlemler yoluyla elde edilmiştir. Veri toplama sürecinde, veri kaybını en aza indirmek için sürecin tamamı kamera kaydına alınmıştır. Toplamda yaklaşık 280 dakikalık kamera kaydı elde edilmiştir. Veriler içerik analizi yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmada çocukların Barbie’lerle oynadıkları sırada sıkça fiziksel özelliklere vurgu yaptıkları, ayrıca cinsiyetçi söylemlerde bulundukları belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca «toplumsal cinsiyet» bakımından ele alındığında Barbie kültürünün çocukların cinsiyetçi söylemlerini beslediği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Araştırmamız konuya ilişkin olarak yapılmış sınırlı sayıdaki çalışmanın sonuçlarıyla örtüşmektedir.
The molecular identification of Calodium hepaticum in the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in Poland
Authors: Buńkowska-Gawlik Katarzyna , Perec-Matysiak Agnieszka , Burzyńska Klaudia , Hildebrand Joanna
Published: October 2017

is a parasitic nematode found primarily in rodents but known to infect numerous other mammal species, and causing in humans the hepatic calodiasis. Herein, we present the first finding of
Expansion of Ashworthius sidemi in red deer and roe deer from the Lower Silesian Wilderness and its impact on infection with other gastrointestinal nematodes
Authors: Demiaszkiewicz Aleksander W. , Merta Dorota , Kobielski Janusz , Filip Katarzyna J. , Pyziel Anna M.
Published: October 2017

Nematodes
Natural occurrence of microsporidia infecting Lepidoptera in Bulgaria
Authors: Pilarska Daniela , Takov Danail , Hyliš Miroslav , Radek Renate , Fiala Ivan , Solter Leellen , Linde Andreas
Published: October 2017

We examined 34 lepidopteran species belonging to 12 families to determine presence and prevalence of microsporidian pathogens. The insects were collected from May 2009 to July 2012 from 44 sites in Bulgaria.
On the number of maximal independent sets in complete q-ary trees
Authors: Taletskiy Dmitriy S. , Malyshev Dmitriy S.
Published: October 2017

The paper is concerned with the asymptotic behaviour of the number mi(T

q,n
) of maximal independent sets in a complete q-ary tree of height n. For some constants α
2 and β
2 the asymptotic formula mi(T
2,n
)∼ α
2⋅ (β
2)2
n

is shown to hold as n → ∞. It is also proved that

mi
⁡
(

T

q
,
3
k

)
∼

α
q

(
1
)

⋅
(

β
q

)

q

3
k

,
mi
⁡
(

T

q
,
3
k
+
1

)
∼

α
q

(
2
)

⋅
(

β
q

)

q

3
k
+
1

,
mi
⁡
(

T

q
,
3
k
+
2

)
∼

α
q

(
3
)

⋅
(

β
q

)

q

3
k
+
2

$\begin{array}{}
\operatorname{mi}(T_{q,3k})\thicksim \alpha^{(1)}_q\cdot(\beta_q)^{q^{3k}},\operatorname{mi}(T_{q,3k+1})\thicksim \alpha^{(2)}_q\cdot(\beta_q)^{q^{3k+1}},\operatorname{mi}(T_{q,3k+2})\thicksim \alpha^{(3)}_q\cdot(\beta_q)^{q^{3k+2}}
\end{array} $

as k→ ∞ for any sufficiently large q, some three pairwise distinct constants

α
q

(
1
)

,

α
q

(
2
)

,

α
q

(
3
)

$\begin{array}{}
\alpha^{(1)}_q,\alpha^{(2)}_q,\alpha^{(3)}_q
\end{array} $

and a constant bq
.
Limit theorems for the logarithm of the order of a randomA-mapping
Authors: Yakymiv Arsen L.
Published: October 2017

Let 𝔖nbe a semigroup of mappings of a setXwithnelements into itself,Abe some fixed subset of the setNof natural numbers, andVn(A) be a set of mappings from 𝔖n, with lengths of cycles belonging toA. The mappings fromVn(A) are calledA-mappings. We suppose that the setAhas an asymptotic densityϱ> 0, and that |k:k≤n,k∈A,m−k∈A|/n→ϱ2asn→ ∞ uniformly overm∈ [n,Cn] for each constantC> 1. A numberM(α) of different elements in a set {α,α2,α3, …} is called an order of mappingα∈ 𝔖n. Consider a random mappingσ=σn(A) having uniform distribution onVn(A). In the present paper it is shown that random variable lnM(σn(A)) is asymptotically normal with meanl(n)=∑k∈A(n)ln⁡(k)/k$l(n)=\sum_{k\in A(\sqrt{n})}\ln(k)/{k}$and varianceϱln3(n)/24, whereA(t) = {k:k∈A,k≤t},t> 0. For the caseA=Nthis result was proved by B. Harris in 1973.
Application of the reduced I-V Blaesser’s characteristics in predicting PV modules and cells conversion efficiency in medium and high insolation conditions
Authors: Rodziewicz Tadeusz , Rajfur Małgorzata , Wacławek Maria
Published: October 2017

The article presents theoretical foundations of application of the reduced I-V Blaesser’s characteristics in predicting a photovoltaic cell/module (PV) efficiency, together with calculation procedures. A detailed analysis of the error of this transformation method of characteristics was carried out. Its practical application in predicting efficiency of operation of various PV cells and modules in medium and high insulation conditions was demonstrated. The practical suitability of the presented method in early detection of ageing phenomena, such as, for example, absorber degradation taking place in PV modules, was demonstrated. The article was prepared on the basis of the results of testing five different PV modules with various constructions, made of different materials and absorbers, such as: c-Si, mc-Si, CIS, a-Si_SJ, a-Si_TJ. The used measurement data were collected during the 16-year period of the experimental PV modules testing system operation in Opole University, equipped with a data acquisition system.
Impact of thermal treatment of mixtures of sewage sludge and plant material on selected chemical properties and Vibrio fischeri response
Authors: Gondek Krzysztof , Baran Agnieszka , Mierzwa-Hersztek Monika , Kopeć Michał
Published: October 2017

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of temperature during the treatment process as well as the effect of adding plant materials to sewage sludge on selected chemical properties and Vibrio fischeri response. The mixtures were placed in a chamber furnace, under airless conditions. Two temperature procedures were applied: 300 and 600ºC; the exposure time in both cases was 15 minutes. Thermal treatment of sewage sludge without a plant component is not well-founded and may cause an increase in concentration of trace elements. Using the temperature of 300ºC caused significantly lower changes in the contents of total forms of trace elements than using the temperature of 600ºC. The metals extracted from the studied mixtures were not toxic for the Vibrio fischeri. In the case of the fractional composition of humic compounds, thermal treatment of mixtures of sewage sludge and plant materials is not beneficial in terms of labile fractions, but it had a beneficial effect on stabilizing the durable bonds between C compounds in those mixtures.
The Effect of Inorganic or Organic Zinc on the Morphology of the Intestine in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Levkut M. , Fukasová M. , Bobíková K. , Levkutová M. , Čobanová K. , Levkut M.
Published: October 2017

This study compared the effect of dietary supplementation with an inorganic or organic zinc source on the gut morphology in the jejunum of broilers. One-day-old chickens were fed a basal diet (Control group: BD — 32 mg Zn.kg−1 DM), or the same BD supplemented with 30 mg or 70 mg of Zn per kg of DM in the form of ZnSO4.H2O (Group 1: 30 mg ZnSO4; Group 2: 70 mg ZnSO4), and 30 mg or 70 mg of Zn per kg of DM in the form of zinc chelate of glycine hydrate (Group 3: 30 mg Zn-Gly; Group 4: 70 mg Zn-Gly) for 40 days. The villus height was increased in the groups which received 30 mg ZnSO4 and 70 mg ZnSO4 and or 70 mg ZnSO4, as compared to the BD and 30 mg Zn-Gly. The villus surface was higher in all groups receiving the Zn supplements in comparison to the BD.
The Incidence of Hepatitis E Virus in Domestic Pigs
Authors: Jackova A. , Mandelik R. , Novotny J. , Salamunova S. , Vilcek S.
Published: October 2017

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of hepatitis E — an emerging zoonotic disease distributed worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HEV in Slovakian domestic pigs, as this has not been studied yet. Clinical samples (n = 269) from fourteen randomly selected domestic pig farms for three different age categories of pigs were analysed and the subsequently detected isolates were genetically characterized. The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that 32 pigs (11.9 %) of all age categories were HEV RNA positive. The highest occurrence was detected in fattening pigs (14.8 %) and the lowest in weaning pigs (12.5 %). The HEV RNA was not observed at all in the youngest category (the suckling piglets). The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all Slovak HEV isolates clustered into two genetic groups of the genotype HEV-3.
Resolution CM/Res(2016)2 and Centralised Intra Venous Additive Services (CIVAS): Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Vrignaud Sandy
Published: October 2017

The aim of the European Council’s Resolution CM/res(2016)2 on good reconstitution practices in health care establishments for medicinal products for parenteral use is to guide the health care establishment’s decision as to where reconstitution should take place: in the pharmacy or the clinical area. Injectable preparation in hospital pharmacy is performed in Centralised Intra Venous Additive Services (CIVAS). Nevertheless, challenges such as ensuring the sterility of the preparation, the physicochemical stability of the product, and process validation for instance should be taken into account. This opinion paper examines the challenges, impacts, and responsibilities for pharmacists, nurses, and hospital management related to implementing the resolution, regarding the experience of countries where CIVAS are already implemented. It also discusses the opportunities of implementing CIVAS with regard to patient care safety and potential financial savings.
Urban Geomorphology in Coastal Environment: Man-Made Morphological Changes in a Seaside Tourist Resort (Rapallo, Eastern Liguria, Italy)
Authors: Brandolini Pierluigi , Faccini Francesco , Paliaga Guido , Piana Pietro
Published: October 2017

This research focuses on the reconstruction of the morphological modifications of the coastal floodplain of Rapallo (Eastern Liguria, NW Italy) due to human intervention since the eighteenth century. By the second half of the nineteenth century Rapallo became a popular tourist destination: as a consequence, the urban development of the floodplain started and became very intense after Second World War, strongly modifying former landforms.

The study was carried out using multi-temporal cartographic and photographic comparison, the analysis of geo-thematic cartography and documentation from the Basin Master Plan and the town plan of Rapallo, the interpretation of cores from regional database and field data from direct urban surveys. Man-made landforms were mapped and classified using the new geomorphological legend which is in progress in the framework of the Working Groups on “Cartography” and “Urban Geomorphology” of the Italian Association of Physical Geography and Geomorphology (AIGEO).

The main significant morphological changes were stream diversions and channeling, excavations and filling, quarry activities, embankments along the shoreline and overurbanization. Human interventions, in addition to local geomorphological and climate features, increased flood hazard and risk, which historically affected the city of Rapallo.
English pronunciation training through the eyes of university graduates
Authors: Krzysik Iga , Lewandowska Halina
Published: October 2017

The aim of the current study is to examine the program of pronunciation training and its implementation from a new perspective, which is that of MA graduates. The data were obtained from 65 graduates of the Faculty of English at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań by means of an online survey. The research questions posed in the study explore the matter of taught models and varieties of English, materials, teaching, and opinions regarding the accent the participants received. By providing a new perspective on the teaching and learning of pronunciation the study might help university teachers to enhance the pronunciation courses in their institutions.
Small Farmers in Four Southeast European Countries. A Qualitative Analysis of Life Strategies in Twenty-Five Agricultural Households
Authors: Krstić Nemanja , Derado Augustin , Naterer Andrej , Kumalić Ismet
Published: October 2017

This paper brings an extended Bourdieusian theoretical framework to the analysis of the life strategies of small farmers in four SEE societies (Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia). Practices and strategies of farming households are situated in two partially overlapping fields, the formal economy and the informal economy. The paper is based on a qualitative analysis of twenty-five interviewed households. It covers the structural conditions of the households’ participation in both fields of ‘play’, an analysis of household capital (economic-agricultural, social and cultural) and an interpretation of practice (i.e. the strategy dimension). The framework is extended to include an exploration of the households’ reflexivity and agency. The findings suggest that various structural limitations impede the households from developing successful practices in the formal field (unless the households have exceptional levels of agency), and that the most common life strategy is food self-provisioning, along with reliance on practices in the informal field enabled by social capital.
Determining Surface Roughness in Erosion Testing Using Digital Photogrammetry
Authors: Tran Tri V. , Tucker-Kulesza Stacey E. , Bernhardt-Barry Michelle L.
Published: October 2017

Surface roughness is an imporant characteristic in numerical and physical geotechnical soil models. The methods for measuring surface roughness are currently operator dependent, time consuming, or require highly specialized equipment. The objective of this study was to develop a method to measure the roughness on soil samples in erosion tests and reduce the operator dependency. A stereophotogrammetry computational program was developed in which three-dimensional (3D) soil surface coordinates were derived from digital stereo pair images of soil samples following erosion tests. The 3D coordinates were then used to calculate a measure of surface roughness for the soil samples. A validation study showed that the stereophotogrammetry system was able to measure the roughness of the sample within 0.09 mm of a high-density scan taken using a structured light scanner. This stereophotogrammetry system is automated and yields more precise, repeatable roughness measurements, and the results are less variable than the traditional caliper method.
Accuracy of Heat-Release Rate Measured in Microscale Combustion Calorimetry
Authors: Guo H. , Lyon R. E. , Safronava N.
Published: October 2017

The ASTM standard method for measuring heats of combustion of plastics in microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) by the oxygen-consumption principle uses only the volumetric flow rate and oxygen volume fraction exiting a premixed combustor in the calculation. The carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by complete combustion replaces some or all of the oxygen consumed from the dry gas stream depending on the atomic composition of the fuel, so it can change the volumetric flow rate and affect the flow-meter response, which is typically calibrated for pure nitrogen. Consequently, the presence of CO2 in the combustion stream causes a systematic error (bias) in the heat-of-combustion measurement that increases monotonically with the initial oxygen concentration. Accounting for volume changes using the combustion stoichiometry is sensitive to the atomic composition of the fuel and is still subject to the CO2 bias in flow-meter response, which can be up to 3 %. Accounting for volume changes using both the initial and final flow rates in the calculation and correcting the flow-meter response for CO2 using an average combustion stoichiometry is more accurate and less sensitive to material composition. Heats of combustion computed by the new method are in quantitative agreement with theoretical values.
An Evaluation of ASTM D6200
Authors: Scott MacKenzie D.
Published: October 2017

The use of cooling curves is increasingly required for the evaluation of oils used for quenching. Auditing agencies such as the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) and the Continuous Quality Improvement standard (CQI-9) are mandating cooling curve analysis at routine intervals. Specifications such as AMS 2759, Heat Treatment of Steel Parrs, General Requirements, are requiring detailed analysis of cooling curve behavior of quenchants to ensure that parts are properly quenched. A detailed analysis has been conducted of ASTM D6200, Standard Test Method for Determination of Cooling Characteristics of Quench Oils by Cooling Curve Analysis, to explore repeatability and precision in terms of laboratory integrity data, production lot data, and customer data. A single quench oil was used for the analysis.
Molecular Mechanisms in Perirhinal Cortex Selectively Necessary for Discrimination of Overlapping Memories, but Independent of Memory Persistence
Authors: Miranda Magdalena , Kent Brianne A. , Morici Juan Facundo , Gallo Francisco , Weisstaub Noelia V. , Saksida Lisa M. , Bussey Timothy J. , Bekinschtein Pedro
Published: October 2017

Successful memory involves not only remembering over time but also keeping memories distinct. The ability to separate similar experiences into distinct memories is a main feature of episodic memory. Discrimination of overlapping representations has been investigated in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG), but little is known about this process in other regions such as the perirhinal cortex (Prh). We found in male rats that perirhinal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is required for separable storage of overlapping, but not distinct, object representations, which is identical to its role in the DG for spatial representations. Also, activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) is required for disambiguation of object memories, as measured by infusion of antisense oligonucleotides. This is the first time Arc has been implicated in the discrimination of objects with overlapping features. Although molecular mechanisms for object memory have been shown previously in Prh, these have been dependent on delay, suggesting a role specifically in memory duration. BDNF and Arc involvement were independent of delay—the same demand for memory persistence was present in all conditions—but only when discrimination of similar objects was required were these mechanisms recruited and necessary. Finally, we show that BDNF and Arc participate in the same pathway during consolidation of overlapping object memories. We provide novel evidence regarding the proteins involved in disambiguation of object memories outside the DG and suggest that, despite the anatomical differences, similar mechanisms underlie this process in the DG and Prh that are engaged depending on the similarity of the stimuli.
Plasticity of Signaling by Spinal Estrogen Receptor α, κ-Opioid Receptor, and Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors over the Rat Reproductive Cycle Regulates Spinal Endomorphin 2 Antinociception: Relevance of Endogenous-Biased Agonism
Authors: Liu Nai-Jiang , Murugaiyan Vijaya , Storman Emiliya M. , Schnell Stephen A. , Kumar Arjun , Wessendorf Martin W. , Gintzler Alan R.
Published: October 2017

We previously showed that intrathecal application of endomorphin 2 [EM2; the highly specific endogenous μ-opioid receptor (MOR) ligand] induces antinociception that varies with stage of the rat estrous cycle: minimal during diestrus and prominent during proestrus. Earlier studies, however, did not identify proestrus-activated signaling strategies that enable spinal EM2 antinociception. We now report that in female rats, increased spinal dynorphin release and κ-opioid receptor (KOR) signaling, as well as the emergence of glutamate-activated metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) signaling, are critical to the transition from an EM2 nonresponsive state (during diestrus) to an analgesically responsive state (during proestrus). Differential signaling by mGluR1, depending on its activation by membrane estrogen receptor α (mERα; during diestrus) versus glutamate (during proestrus), concomitant with the ebb and flow of spinal dynorphin/KOR signaling, functions as a switch, preventing or promoting, respectively, spinal EM2 antinociception. Importantly, EM2 and glutamate-containing varicosities appose spinal neurons that express MOR along with mGluRs and mERα, suggesting that signaling mechanisms regulating analgesic effectiveness of intrathecally applied EM2 also pertain to endogenous EM2. Regulation of spinal EM2 antinociception by both the nature of the endogenous mGluR1activator (i.e., endogenous biased agonism at mGluR1) and changes in spinal dynorphin/KOR signaling represent a novel mechanism for modulating analgesic responsiveness to endogenous EM2 (and perhaps other opioids). This points the way for developing noncanonical pharmacological approaches to pain management by harnessing endogenous opioids for pain relief.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe current prescription opioid abuse epidemic underscores the urgency to develop alternative pharmacotherapies for managing pain. We find that the magnitude of spinal endomorphin 2 (EM2) antinociception not only varies with stage of reproductive cycle, but is also differentially regulated during diestrus and proestrus. This finding highlights the need for sex-specific and cycle-specific approaches to pain management. Additionally, our finding that spinal EM2 antinociception in female rats is regulated by both the ebb and flow of spinal dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor signaling over the estrous cycle, as well as the nature of the endogenous mGluR1activator, could encourage noncanonical pharmacological approaches to pain management, such as harnessing endogenous opioids for pain relief.
An Analysis of Storytelling on Student Content Acquisition
Authors: Cross Chrissy J.
Published: October 2017

Traditionally, science and art are not combined as an instructional method in the undergraduate biology laboratory. This research examined the differences in the construction of biology content knowledge in student work in an inquiry-based lab and in an inquiry- and arts-based lab. The qualitative research findings indicated that the students developed deeper understanding of the content knowledge when an arts-based instructional method (storytelling) was included as part of the inquiry-based instruction.
A Technique for Inspiring Scientific Inquiry Using a Creative Scenario
Authors: Berry Cassandra M.
Published: October 2017

Teaching scientific inquiry in large interdisciplinary classes is a challenge. We describe a creative problem-based learning approach, using a motivational island crisis scenario, to inspire research design. Students were empowered to formulate their individual scientific inquiry and then guided to develop a testable hypothesis, aims, and objectives in designing a research proposal. Personalized data sets matched to the research objectives were provided to individual students for analysis and presentation. This technique helps students to gain critical insights into the global value of interdisciplinary collaboration toward solving complex real-world problems. Students learn the front end of research, how to formulate a line of scientific inquiry and design an innovative research project—both important skills for them as tomorrow's leaders and entrepreneurs.
Autophagy is activated in the ovarian tissue of polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Li Da , You Yue , Bi Fang-Fang , Zhang Tie-Ning , Jiao Jiao , Wang Tian-Ren , Zhou Yi-Ming , Shen Zi-Qi , Wang Xiu-Xia , Yang Qing
Published: October 2017

The importance of autophagy in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related metabolic disorders is increasingly being recognized, but few studies have investigated the role of autophagy in PCOS. Here, transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that autophagy was enhanced in the ovarian tissue from both humans and rats with PCOS. Consistent with this, ovarian granulosa cells from PCOS rats showed increases in the autophagy marker protein light chain 3B (LC3B), whereas levels of the autophagy substrate SQSTM1/p62 were decreased. In addition, the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I was markedly elevated in human PCOS ovarian tissue compared with normal ovarian tissue. Real-time PCR arrays indicated that 7 and 34 autophagy-related genes were down- and up-regulated in human PCOS , Signal-Net, and regression analysis suggested that there are a wide range of interactions among these 41 genes, and a potential network based on EGFR, ERBB2, FOXO1, MAPK1, NFKB1, IGF1, TP53 and MAPK9 may be responsible for autophagy activation in PCOS. Systematic functional analysis of 41 differential autophagy-related genes indicated that these genes are highly involved in specific cellular processes such as response to stress and stimulus, and are linked to four significant pathways, including the insulin, ERBB, mTOR signaling pathways and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum. This study provides evidence for a potential role of autophagy disorders in PCOS in which autophagy may be an important molecular event in the pathogenesis of PCOS.
Beliefs Regarding Development and Early Intervention Among Low-Income African American and Hispanic Mothers
Authors: Magnusson Dawn M. , Minkovitz Cynthia S. , Kuhlthau Karen A. , Caballero Tania M. , Mistry Kamila B.
Published: October 2017

OBJECTIVES:

Understand the role of health beliefs in shaping maternal decisions regarding help-seeking for children with developmental delay (DD) and explore differences between African American and Hispanic mothers.

METHODS:

Open-ended, semistructured interviews were conducted with African American and Hispanic mothers of children aged 0 to 36 months with DD. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by using inductive content analysis.

RESULTS:

Mothers (n = 22) were African American (36%) or Hispanic (64%), 25 to 34 years old (64%), had less than a high school education (59%), and had children receiving public insurance (95%). Five major themes emerged describing the role of maternal health beliefs in shaping key stages of the help-seeking pathway for children with DD: (1) “I can see” (observing other children and making comparisons); (2) “Children are different and develop in their own time” (perceiving that their child might be different, but not necessarily delayed); (3) “It’s not that I don’t trust the doctor” (relying on social networks rather than pediatricians to inform the help-seeking pathway); (4) “I got so much going on” (difficulty prioritizing early intervention [EI] because of competing stressors); and (5) limited and conflicting information (delaying or forgoing EI because of limited or conflicting information). Differences between African American and Hispanic mothers are also described.

CONCLUSIONS:

Understanding maternal health beliefs and expectations regarding DD and EI, acknowledging the influence of social networks on help-seeking, and addressing social and financial stressors are critical to ensuring that children with DD are identified and supported at an early age.
Rafael Estrada y la distinción en el campo literario costarricense de la década de 1920
Authors: Rodríguez Cascante Francisco
Published: October 2017

A partir de los postulados teóricos de Pierre Bourdieu acerca de los campos culturales, se analiza la polémica que en la década de 1920 sostuvo Rafael Estrada Carvajal, el poeta introductor de la literatura vanguardista en Costa Rica, con los agentes poseedores de mayor capital cultural del campo literario costarricense de la época. Se argumenta que en tal lucha por el poder de distinción, la obra del joven autor, por estar conformada por una heterogeneidad que dialogaba tanto con la tradición modernista como con las vanguardias, y consecuente era distante del canon tradicional, fue relegada a una zona periférica del campo literario, desplazamiento que se mantiene hasta la actualidad.
Treatment seeking for problematic pornography use among women
Authors: Lewczuk Karol , Szmyd Joanna , Skorko Maciej , Gola Mateusz
Published: October 2017

Background and aims

Previous studies examined psychological factors related to treatment seeking for problematic pornography use (PU) among males. In this study, we focused on females who seek treatment for problematic PU and compared them with non-problematic pornography users with regard to variables related to problematic PU. Second, we investigated the relationships between critical constructs related to problematic PU with the path analysis method, emphasizing the predictors for treatment seeking among women. We also compared our results with previous studies on males.

Methods

A survey study was conducted on 719 Polish-speaking Caucasian females, 14–63 years old, including 39 treatment seekers for problematic PU.

Results

The positive relationship between the mere amount of PU and treatment seeking loses its significance after introducing two other predictors of treatment-seeking: religiosity and negative symptoms associated with PU. This pattern is different from the results obtained in previous studies on males.

Discussion

Different from previous studies on male samples, our analysis showed that in the case of women, mere amount of PU may be related to treatment-seeking behavior even after accounting for negative symptoms associated with PU. Moreover, religiousness is a significant predictor of treatment seeking among women, which may indicate that in the case of women, treatment seeking for problematic PU is motivated not only by experienced negative symptoms of PU but also by personal beliefs about PU and social norms.

Conclusion

For females, negative symptoms associated with PU, the amount of PU and religiosity is associated with treatment seeking. Those factors should be considered in treatment.
A ramipril versus ramipril/amlodipin fix kombináció egyéves perzisztenciája hypertoniás betegekben
Authors: Simonyi Gábor , Ferenci Tamás
Published: October 2017

Abstract:

Introduction: In the treatment of hypertension avoiding adverse cardiovascular complications to achieve target blood pressure is essential. The appropriate drug selection, and if necessary to change to combination therapy, patients adherence is important which may help fixed dose combination. Aim: The aim of the authors was to investigate the one year adherence of the ramipril and ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination in hypertensive patients. Method: Prescriptions database of the National Health Insurance Fund in Hungary on pharmacy-claims was analysed between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013. The authors identified patients who filled prescriptions for ramipril monotherapy and fixed dose combinations of ramipril/amlodipine prescribed for the first time in hypertensive patients who have not received similar drugs in the previous year. To model the adherence, the apparatus of survival analysis was used, where “survival” was the time to abandon the medication. As it was available to month precision, discrete time survival analysis was applied: a generalized linear model was estimated with complementary log-log link function with the kind of drug being the only explanatory variable. Results: 92,546 patients met the inclusion criteria. During the trial period, ramipril therapy or ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination was started in 82,251 and 10,295 patients, respectively. One year persistence rate in patients with ramipril was 30% and 54% in patients with ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination therapy. Considering only the 360-day study period, the mean duration of persistence was 189.9 days in patients on ramipril and 270.6 days on ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination therapy. The hazard of discontinuation was more than twofold higher during treatment with ramipril compared with the use of the ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination therapy (HR = 2.11 [95% CI: 2.05–2.17], p<0,001). Conclusions: There is a significant difference between the one year persistence of ramipril and ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination therapy in hypertension. The result demonstrated that ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination therapy has a better one year persistence rate. When the next step is necessary to achieve target blood pressure, ramipril/amlodipine fixed dose combination therapy is preferable. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(42): 1668–1673.
Motywowanie różnorodnego zespołu pracowniczego
Authors: Jawor-Joniewicz Anna , Sajkiewicz Barbara
Published: October 2017

Research shows that worker engagement influences their level of innovation and performance. In forming engagement, which employers so highly desire, and which can be accomplished with the use of effective instruments of motivation, an individual approach seems the most efficacious, as it allows for a fuller satisfaction of employee needs. The aim of this article is to analyse methods and tools for motivating different groups of employees, taking into account persons of different age, sex, education, function, work experience at the company and employed under different forms of employment. An attempt is made to determine if people who are similar in terms of the features listed above prefer similar instruments of motivation. The results of qualitative and quantitative research conducted by the Institute of Labor and Social Studies in Warsaw in 104 SME's are used in an effort to make that determination.