Two faces of global open society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cvetićanin Neven

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The Essay considers 'the rule' of the so called post-civil political centre that corresponds to the familiar concept of open society, questioning the good as well as the bad sides of such 'rule'. The research is in the first place about global open society stability and attention is addressed to its present enemies - from terrorism, over organized crime, all the way to the so called local legitimates that are confronting the universal and global legitimates represented by the followers of the open society from the post civil political centre area. The Essay presents the debate with Fukuyama's thesis about the 'end of history' considering that open society, i.e. global post civil political centre has visible enemies who do not allow for dialectics of history to stand still as Fukuyama believed. Instead of Fukuyama's 'end of history' the Essay comes to the conclusion that present global situation is marked by post-modern opposition of liberal-democratic post civil centre and extreme anti civil margins, with reference to the opposition of open society and its enemies, which will put under limits further steps of history towards new socio-historical forms.

Man and electrotechnics today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

Man and electrotechnique today - this topic was discussed by experts of the VDE (Society of German Electrotechnicians) during a podium discussion directed by the TV-journalist Ruediger Proske. The discussion was centred on the popular questions of energy supply, electronics and the technical communication systems. What are the technologies' influences on our society, how can the social results for the places of employment be estimated and what role is played here by the technicians, the industry and by economy. In the debate which was partly very heated the members showed their anxiety of the negative attitude which society has been developing towards technique to cause big problems for the future. (orig.) [de

Japan's shift to a proactive defense architecture: Challenges faced by industry, government, and society

OpenAIRE

Chung, Hoyoon

2017-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited As a result of the changing security environment in the Asia-Pacific, Japan is shifting to a more proactive defense policy, as outlined in the National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG). This thesis investigates the challenges faced by Japan's industry, government, and society in meeting the NDPG objectives. To do this, this thesis probes the following problem areas: difficulties with indigenous production of weapons systems, inability...

Transforming Society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enemark, Stig; Dahl Højgaard, Pia

2017-01-01

, was a result of transforming society from a feudal system to a capitalistic and market based economy. This story is interesting in itself - but it also provides a key to understanding the cadastral system of today. The system has evolved over time and now serves a whole range of functions in society. The paper...

Knowledge Production and Transmission in a Changing Society: Challenges Facing Law Lecturers in a Distance Education Environment in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Susan

2006-01-01

In this article I highlight the challenges facing a law lecturer in a multicultural society in transformation where the student is being prepared to serve society in different occupational fields as a professional person. I indicate that the law itself cannot effect change. For this we need properly trained lawyers. For an effective transformation…

The Role of Media Pedagogy in Post-Crisis Societies within a Globalized World

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tilia Stingl de Vasconcelos Guedes

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Although globalization as a phenomenon is perceived in everyday life as an economic process, it is strongly con-nected with culture, knowledge, communication and mediated information, forcing today's societies to face novel communicative challenges while trying to maintain stability. For post-crisis societies, these challenges repre-sent a new level of complexity to overcome. Many re-gions in the world still face conflicts and crises and will eventually face similar situations regarding their commu-nication, media and culture. This paper uses data from two empiric studies made in post-crisis societies (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo; studies in Santos 2010 and Shahini-Hoxhaj 2014 and analyses them through the perspective of cultural science, social systems theory, and systems thinking to answer the question: What kind of system dynamics can be helpful to generate knowledge, assuming the interactive use of media and global connection, and how can media educa-tion be an active support for the self-organization of a community in a transitional process? The societies in question are not only moving away from dictatorship, but they are also moving towards democra-cy, and the media as means of communication are con-tributing to this process. From the point of view of cultural science, the media are no longer just the producer of content for recipients. Media is the venue, the place where information, values and structures can be ex-changed and discussed. Recipients and producers of in-formation are now one and the same.

Computer Literacy for Life Sciences: Helping the Digital-Era Biology Undergraduates Face Today's Research

Science.gov (United States)

Smolinski, Tomasz G.

2010-01-01

Computer literacy plays a critical role in today's life sciences research. Without the ability to use computers to efficiently manipulate and analyze large amounts of data resulting from biological experiments and simulations, many of the pressing questions in the life sciences could not be answered. Today's undergraduates, despite the ubiquity of…

[The importance of the Czech Medical Society yesterday and today].

Science.gov (United States)

Fejfar, Z

1992-10-23

Fourteen physicians headed by Jan Evangelista Purkynĕ signed the proposed by-laws of the Czech medical society in october 1861. Emperor's approval was received 26th june 1862 and in july Purkynĕ was elected the first president. The same illuminated personalities were the founders of the Casopis lékarů ceských--the Czech medical Journal which has remained the most important Czech periodical until the present time. The aims of the Society were to cultivate medical science and promote Czech language in medicine. Weekly scientific sessions, medical periodical and publication of monographs related to medicine were the means how to achieve the aims. The Czech Medical Society became soon the centre of medical science in Bohemia. Its members were among the foremost fighters for the use of Czech language in Charles university and their relentless effort helped much to the establishment of the Czech Univerzity in 1882 and Czech medical faculty a year later. In subsequent years the Society was also involved in professional problems related to social health insurance, medical fees, ethical problems and other relevant questions such as the establishment of medical chambers. The activity of the Czech medical Society was never interrupted during its 130 years of existence, although there were several difficult periods in its life, mainly during the first and second world war and also in the past 40 years. In spite of the atomization of medicine the Czech medical Society has been continuing its eminent mission to create communication and establish close links between the medical science and practical medicine by systematically bringing new knowledge in medicine and biology to general physicians and by putting together physicians, surgeons and basic scientists. The task for the future is seen in optimal transfer of new knowledge and ideas from scientists to practicians and vice versa; and to take care of the highest possible moral and ethical standard required for humane

War, space, and the evolution of Old World complex societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Turchin, Peter; Currie, Thomas E; Turner, Edward A L; Gavrilets, Sergey

2013-10-08

How did human societies evolve from small groups, integrated by face-to-face cooperation, to huge anonymous societies of today, typically organized as states? Why is there so much variation in the ability of different human populations to construct viable states? Existing theories are usually formulated as verbal models and, as a result, do not yield sharply defined, quantitative predictions that could be unambiguously tested with data. Here we develop a cultural evolutionary model that predicts where and when the largest-scale complex societies arose in human history. The central premise of the model, which we test, is that costly institutions that enabled large human groups to function without splitting up evolved as a result of intense competition between societies-primarily warfare. Warfare intensity, in turn, depended on the spread of historically attested military technologies (e.g., chariots and cavalry) and on geographic factors (e.g., rugged landscape). The model was simulated within a realistic landscape of the Afroeurasian landmass and its predictions were tested against a large dataset documenting the spatiotemporal distribution of historical large-scale societies in Afroeurasia between 1,500 BCE and 1,500 CE. The model-predicted pattern of spread of large-scale societies was very similar to the observed one. Overall, the model explained 65% of variance in the data. An alternative model, omitting the effect of diffusing military technologies, explained only 16% of variance. Our results support theories that emphasize the role of institutions in state-building and suggest a possible explanation why a long history of statehood is positively correlated with political stability, institutional quality, and income per capita.

We, John Dewey's Audience of Today

Science.gov (United States)

da Cunha, Marcus Vinicius

2016-01-01

This article suggests that John Dewey's "Democracy and Education" does not describe education in an existing society, but it conveys a utopia, in the sense coined by Mannheim: utopian thought aims at instigating actions towards the transformation of reality, intending to attain a better world in the future. Today's readers of Dewey (his…

Challenging today's nuclear industry to be competitive in a changing tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plug, B.

1996-01-01

As the millennium approaches, the future of the nuclear power generation appears desolate. Today's nuclear executives are facing challenges resulting from worldwide change and have forced utilities to reevaluate their corporation's future directions. The nuclear industry must be competitive more than ever to address today's rapid changing marketplace and pressures exerted from: regulatory reformation; increased competition; changes in technology; customer evolution; and globalization. These factors have compelled nuclear executives to address questions such as: What impact will these changes have on today's marketplace, and on my corporation? What will characterize tomorrow's successful nuclear facility? How can today's nuclear corporation compete in tomorrow's marketplace? Will my corporation survive? (author)

Pair Interactions and Mode of Communication: Comparing Face-to-Face and Computer Mediated Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Lan Liana; Wigglesworth, Gillian; Storch, Neomy

2010-01-01

In today's second language classrooms, students are often asked to work in pairs or small groups. Such collaboration can take place face-to-face, but now more often via computer mediated communication. This paper reports on a study which investigated the effect of the medium of communication on the nature of pair interaction. The study involved…

Indian family systems, collectivistic society and psychotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chadda, Rakesh K; Deb, Koushik Sinha

2013-01-01

Indian society is collectivistic and promotes social cohesion and interdependence. The traditional Indian joint family, which follows the same principles of collectivism, has proved itself to be an excellent resource for the care of the mentally ill. However, the society is changing with one of the most significant alterations being the disintegration of the joint family and the rise of nuclear and extended family system. Although even in today's changed scenario, the family forms a resource for mental health that the country cannot neglect, yet utilization of family in management of mental disorders is minimal. Family focused psychotherapeutic interventions might be the right tool for greater involvement of families in management of their mentally ill and it may pave the path for a deeper community focused treatment in mental disorders. This paper elaborates the features of Indian family systems in the light of the Asian collectivistic culture that are pertinent in psychotherapy. Authors evaluate the scope and effectiveness of family focused psychotherapy for mental disorders in India, and debate the issues and concerns faced in the practice of family therapy in India.

The challenges facing today's operators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walach, T. [Canadian District Energy Association, Vaughan, ON (Canada)

2004-07-01

A summary of how the Northwind Windsor plant operates was presented along with reasons why it is advantageous to get connected to a district heating system. The plant is a joint venture between Exelon Thermal Technologies and Ontario Power Generation. The plant produces and sells hot water, chilled water, steam and electricity to the Windsor Utilities Commission. Energy is then piped out to buildings in the area, including the Art Gallery of Windsor, the Royal Bank Business Centre, the Windsor Justice Facility, the Windsor Casino, and Northwind Windsor. The energy, which is transferred through heat exchangers, is used for space heating, domestic hot water heating, and air conditioning. The plant offers less management costs, lower energy costs, a lower level of risk management, stable energy rates, better use of building space, reliable service, and a cleaner environment. However, operators face significant challenges in terms of plant operation. They must be knowledgeable in the operation and maintenance of innovative equipment, and must have detailed information regarding operating efficiencies. District Energy requires more complex plants that use various energy saving technologies that deliver a broad range of energy types.

Ecologization Processes in Society Today: the Challenge of Globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelija Samoškienė

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Negative impact on the environment made by human activity is discussed in this article as well as main problems caused by interaction with negative environmental changes. Ecologization conception and its evolution are analyzed chronologically. Key perspectives of scientific research in the ecologization field are determined; the context of today’s society is taken into account.Article in Lithuanian

Familiar face + novel face = familiar face? Representational bias in the perception of morphed faces in chimpanzees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshi-Taka Matsuda

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Highly social animals possess a well-developed ability to distinguish the faces of familiar from novel conspecifics to induce distinct behaviors for maintaining society. However, the behaviors of animals when they encounter ambiguous faces of familiar yet novel conspecifics, e.g., strangers with faces resembling known individuals, have not been well characterised. Using a morphing technique and preferential-looking paradigm, we address this question via the chimpanzee’s facial–recognition abilities. We presented eight subjects with three types of stimuli: (1 familiar faces, (2 novel faces and (3 intermediate morphed faces that were 50% familiar and 50% novel faces of conspecifics. We found that chimpanzees spent more time looking at novel faces and scanned novel faces more extensively than familiar or intermediate faces. Interestingly, chimpanzees looked at intermediate faces in a manner similar to familiar faces with regards to the fixation duration, fixation count, and saccade length for facial scanning, even though the participant was encountering the intermediate faces for the first time. We excluded the possibility that subjects merely detected and avoided traces of morphing in the intermediate faces. These findings suggest a bias for a feeling-of-familiarity that chimpanzees perceive familiarity with an intermediate face by detecting traces of a known individual, as 50% alternation is sufficient to perceive familiarity.

International Nuclear Societies Council vision for the second fifty years of nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatcher, S.R.

1994-01-01

A vision of the future is presented in the context of ongoing social and technological development. The most compelling moral and ethical issue facing the world at the close of the 20th Century is to help the peoples of the poorer countries in their struggle for a reasonable quality of life, while at the same time they face a dramatic increase in their population. The new society will need vastly more energy than the world of today. It will need all supply options that can provide the energy in an economic environmentally sustainable manner. Nuclear energy will be a vital element in this supply pattern, provided that it continues to demonstrate the imperatives of safe operation and economic competitiveness. Other applications of nuclear energy will add their own impact to the improving quality of life. 5 refs., 1 fig

Grave New World? Workplace Skills for Today's College Graduates

Science.gov (United States)

Eisner, Susan

2010-01-01

Today's college graduates face an uncertain and demanding job market in which they are likely to encounter evolving skill needs, reduced hiring, and heightened competition from experienced laid off workers and globally available labor. These realities underscore the importance expressed by educators and practitioners of identifying attributes new…

A shifting mosaic of scholarly publishing, scientific delivery, and future impact changing the face of learned societies

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, David M.

2007-01-01

Nonprofit scientific societies hope that their activities advance their particular mission and impact their profession and, in the broadest sense, humanity in positive ways. The digital age has provided unprecedented mechanisms to enhance the delivery of science to the world. The marketplace of scientific publishing is a rapidly shifting mosaic of challenges and opportunities, and the responses of nonprofit and commercial publishers vary widely, but their outcomes are still uncertain. The response of the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) provides an example of how a relatively small society has altered its scientific delivery to enhance member benefits while attempting to sustain its economic viability. Since 2000, ASM has moved from a self-publishing, break-even, print-only model to a copublishing agreement with a commercial publisher (Alliance Communications Group, a division of Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas), which now offers members various print and electronic options and generates a shared royalty. Although it is too early to gauge the economic impact of these changes, the ASM leadership clearly attempted to signal its desire for members to view their society as a package of opportunities for edification and involvement rather than just a provider of serial subscriptions. Future challenges facing nonprofit scientific societies include open access, fiscal realities, archiving of publications, and scientific and societal impact; future opportunities include a strengthening of member responsibilities and professionalism, development of data registries to enhance scientific progress, and bundling of like societies. The manner in which nonprofit scientific societies respond to these challenges and opportunities will no doubt affect their sustainability and future impact. ?? 2007 American Society of Mammalogists.

Instruments to Explore Blended Learning: Modifying a Method to Analyse Online Communication for the Analysis of Face-to-Face Communication

Science.gov (United States)

de Leng, Bas A.; Dolmans, Diana H. J. M.; Donkers, H. H. L. M.; Muijtjens, Arno M. M.; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.

2010-01-01

In the complex practice of today's blended learning, educators need to be able to evaluate both online and face-to-face communication in order to get the full picture of what is going on in blended learning scenarios. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and feasibility of a practical instrument for analysing face-to-face…

Use of social media to encourage face to face communication

OpenAIRE

Čufer, Matija; Knežević, Anja

2017-01-01

Face-to-face communication is of key importance for successful socialization of a person into a society. Social media makes a good complement to such form of communication. Parents and pedagogical workers must be aware of children not replacing face-to-face communication for communication through the social media in the process of education and growing up. Young people nevertheless frequently communicate through the social media. For this reason, we tried to extract positive features of those...

[100 years with certificates: Danish Society of Insurance Medicine 1902-2002].

Science.gov (United States)

Permin, Henrik

2002-01-01

Danish Society of Insurance Medicine was formed in 1902 as an association between the Danish Society of Accident Insurance and the Danish Society of Life Insurance Medicine, both founded a year before. The purpose of the society is to apply and to further the scientific basis of insurance medicine. The meetings also play a role as a forum for discussions. The members of the society are all working part-time in an insurance company in Denmark (in contrast to many other countries where it is a full-time job). The members are mainly specialists in medicine and surgery. During the first half life of the society nearly all members were high-qualified doctors, i.e. professors and consultants at a university hospital in Copenhagen usually with a doctoral degree. These prominent doctors had a significant influence on insurance medicine in Denmark. The managing directors of the Insurance Companies were invited to the meetings. Many scientific works and textbooks were written on the subject. The society arranges two meetings yearly - one concerning with life insurance and one with accident-insurance medicine. Previously, the question put to the medical adviser was always "Which impairments can still be insured?", but today the question is the opposite "Which impairments are not insurable?" The members have increased to currently 112, still only men, but today the members are younger, comprise fewer professors and fewer with a doctoral degree. During the last 6 years, all interested members in the insurance companies have been invited to the meetings, providing a broader input for the discussions. The topic of the meeting is of current interest: new laws or a new treatment of a disease (medication, surgery) which has been introduced. One to three speakers open the meeting, followed by a discussion. The meetings are always concluded with a light meal and a glass of wine, in earlier days also with cigars and Danish schnaps. 190 meetings have been held during the last 100 years

STRENGTHENING COUNSELORS SPIRITUALITY IN FACING ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhamad Rozikan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available There is an anxiety to face ASEAN Economic Community (AEC. This is natural reaction when we see our readiness to face competition compared with other ASEAN countries. Such manner already exists since the inception of ASEAN in 1967. The anxiety would be a reasonable thing to the enactment of MEA, considering not all the people know what the MEA is. The survey results indicate that the stakeholder both the central government, local government, academia, and society in this country is still relatively have low understanding and knowledge about the ASEAN Economic community (AEC. It is ironic, other ASEAN countries has been intensely preparing steps needed to face AEC, while the majority of the Indonesian people do not know what it is. Modern life along with science, technology and economic progress experienced by Western nations turned out to have caused various situations of life that does not give happiness and a growing sense of inner emptiness. The counselor existence in the counseling today, should be able to develop its human resources, so it is able to answer the problem to encounter global competition of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC. Spiritual counseling and guidance counselors as an alternative solution to deal with the AEC which fully loaded with interest and ability/professionalism in various occupations faced.

The School, The Scholar, And Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, O. Meredith

Traditionally, universities have independently sought and preserved knowledge and prepared students for professional careers, although society has influenced and supported their objectives. Today's universities, challenged by the increasingly complex needs of society, are responding with educational innovations that are usually profitable to both.…

Risk and society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.; Vrousos, C.; Pages, J.P.; Carde, C.

1999-01-01

This book brings together the communications presented at the colloquium 'risk and society' held in Paris (France) on November 1998. During this colloquium, the various aspects of risk and of its management were discussed by medical specialists, historians, industrialists, engineers, philosophers, lawyers, politicians and administration representatives. The first theme concerns the controversies generated by the development of some activities (genetics, bio-technologies, nuclear and radiations use). The second theme concerns the management of risks and the way to conciliate the point of view of authorities and citizens (confidence of the public with respect to experts, scientists, industrialists, government and administrative representatives, role played by the media). The debates that took place during the colloquium have shown that the public opinion concerning the nuclear activities or the new technologies greatly depends on the ideological attitudes and on the public's likes and dislikes with respect to some categories of actors (distrust with respect to public decisions, fears with respect to changes and future, nostalgia of the past). The following aspects are reviewed: Notions of risk and hazard (risk and health, risk in today's society, medicine and society, the point of view of the industrialists and of the scientific and technical specialists); from the psychological aspects of the risk to its social aspects (survey of the risk assessment battlefield, social attenuation and amplification of risk, the feeling of risks in Europe, insecurity and delinquency, controversies around radioactivity and health); the negotiation and communication about risks (risk and public health, negotiation around risks, risks and information dissemination about the public debate, communication and crisis, evolution of risk communication, comparison between American and European approaches, the Seveso directive); the public debate and the evolution of risks management (the

Challenges facing production grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pordes, Ruth; /Fermilab

2007-06-01

Today's global communities of users expect quality of service from distributed Grid systems equivalent to that their local data centers. This must be coupled to ubiquitous access to the ensemble of processing and storage resources across multiple Grid infrastructures. We are still facing significant challenges in meeting these expectations, especially in the underlying security, a sustainable and successful economic model, and smoothing the boundaries between administrative and technical domains. Using the Open Science Grid as an example, I examine the status and challenges of Grids operating in production today.

Filial obligations today : moral practice, perception and ethical theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stuifbergen, M.C.

2011-01-01

This thesis is about the meaning of filial obligations in Dutch society today. The thesis consists of a general introduction, two quantitative sociological studies, two qualitative studies, an ethical analysis and a general discussion. In the introduction, the background for the research questions

Acoustics of ancient Greek and Roman theaters in use today

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gade, Anders Christian; Angelakis, Konstantinos

2006-01-01

In the Mediteranan area a large number of open, ancient Greek and Roman theatres are still today facing a busy schedule of performances including both classical and contemporary works of dance, drama, concerts, and opera. During the EU funded ``Erato'' project and a subsequent master thesis project...

Leisure Today--A Society Growing Older: Its Implications for Leisure.

Science.gov (United States)

Foret, Claire M.; And Others

1993-01-01

Contains 10 articles addressing the aging of U.S. society and its impact on the leisure industry. Some topics are delivering of leisure services, leisure awareness and education, quality of life programs, group travel programs, ethnic group considerations, enhancing leisure participation, and fitness programming. (GLR)

Managers facing the climatic risks; Les elus face aux risques climatiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-07-01

This colloquium aimed to analyze the relations between the climatic changes and extreme meteorological events and on the associated risks. It provides information and knowledge on the state of the art concerning the today scientific knowledge, the prevention measures and the adaptation facing the risks and the difficult estimation of the climatic damages costs. (A.L.B.)

Knowledge production and transmission in a changing society ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Knowledge production and transmission in a changing society: challenges facing law lecturers in a distance education environment in South Africa. S Scott. Abstract. In this article I highlight the challenges facing a law lecturer in a multicultural society in transformation where the student is being prepared to serve society in ...

Materials and society -- Impacts and responsibilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westwood, A.R.C.

1995-11-01

The needs of today`s advanced societies have moved well beyond the requirements for food and shelter, etc., and now are focused on such concerns as international peace and domestic security, affordable health care, the swift and secure transmission of information, the conservation of resources, and a clean environment. Progress in materials science and engineering is impacting each of these concerns. This paper will present some examples of how this is occurring, and then comment on ethical dilemmas that can arise as a consequence of technological advances. The need for engineers to participate more fully in the development of public policies that help resolve such dilemmas, and so promote the benefits of advancing technology to society, will be discussed.

Lost in Translation: Adapting a Face-to-Face Course Into an Online Learning Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenzig, Melissa J

2015-09-01

Online education has grown dramatically over the past decade. Instructors who teach face-to-face courses are being called on to adapt their courses to the online environment. Many instructors do not have sufficient training to be able to effectively move courses to an online format. This commentary discusses the growth of online learning, common challenges faced by instructors adapting courses from face-to-face to online, and best practices for translating face-to-face courses into online learning opportunities. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

5th Physics and Society Forum - EPS

CERN Multimedia

2012-01-01

The Fifth Physics and Society Forum, organized by the European Physical Society, will take place at CERN from 28 to 29 March 2012. 
The purpose of the meeting is to explore the challenges experienced by physicists who leave their field of study to pursue alternative careers in the market place outside of teaching and university-based research. 
     It is widely recognized that a knowledgeable society is a prerequisite for growth. Value is only created if knowledge can be transformed into know-how and "know-how-to-do". Today it is widely recognized that a society is unable to grow and sustain an advanced science system unless equally advanced production is present. Today production is off-shored to emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere where labour costs are more favourable. European physicists therefore have the choice of being smarter, working harder and working cheaper or moving into other fields. 

 Registration is open until 1st March 2012. Please ...

Higher education in the face of social challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrián Cuevas Jiménez

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Higher education refers to the subsequent training to high school education; that is undergraduate and graduate; whose mission is to preserve; develop and disseminate culture. Throughout the history of higher education it has undergone a process of transformation; mainly due to the development of knowledge and the transformation of society. In the process they highlighted two great moments; in the first; which culminated in the mid-twentieth century; it conceived the higher education institution encompassing all knowledge of society; and who graduated was ready to perform professionally throughout life; the second time; after those dates; it is conceivable that knowledge is no longer exclusive to the institution of higher education; and there can be no efficient performance without continuous training and continuous updating of knowledge. The objective of this work is to point out the general goals and some strategies of the students’ formation of superior education; to confront the big challenges that it faces today the society. To define this goals and strategies four challenge levels are considered: a physical; structural and politicalideological challenges; b challenges around the scientifictechnician and of the knowledge advances; c challenges of the internal structure of the formative process and the access to the superior education; and d challenges in the formation of values in the students. 

World Federation of Vascular Societies: presidential address

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sillesen, Henrik Hegaard

2010-01-01

The presidential address describes briefly the history of the World Federation for Vascular Societies (WFVS) and its objectives. Vascular Surgery today includes interventional procedures (open surgical and endovascular) in addition to risk factor reduction and medical treatment. It is equally imp...... throughout the world. In addition, for introduction of new treatments, training issues and dissemination of science a global organisation like the WFVS is needed.......The presidential address describes briefly the history of the World Federation for Vascular Societies (WFVS) and its objectives. Vascular Surgery today includes interventional procedures (open surgical and endovascular) in addition to risk factor reduction and medical treatment. It is equally...

ETHICS AND MARKETING IN THE KNOWLEDGE BASED SOCIETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana HÎNCU

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to highlight the relationship between marketing and ethics. Today we face great challenges given the so-called knowledge society, as through the internet and social networks we can learn anything about anyone, including large corporations and about. The work that we realized is composed of two parts, namely: the ethics part and marketing, and later to stress that ethical marketing concept means and how it can be achieved in our country. Marketing appeared a long time ago, at first in the USA during the first part of the twentieth century. The modern concept of the term marketing refers to the main purpose of the economic activity, which is consumer satisfaction. During the last five decades, along with the development of tourism, marketing interferes with this area and gradually expands to other areas as well. Many authors try to define tourism marketing in certain ways, but eventually tourism marketing is presented as a process of identifying and ensuring the formula by which both consumer satisfaction and the achievement of the entrepreneurial goals become possible. During their daily activity, marketers face various moral issues, but most often the activities they undertake are not clear in terms of ethics.

Mutual friends' social support and self-disclosure in face-to-face and instant messenger communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Trepte, Sabine; Masur, Philipp K; Scharkow, Michael

2018-01-01

In the present study, we investigated long-term effects of self-disclosure on social support in face-to-face and instant messenger (IM) communication between mutual friends. Using a representative sample of 583 German IM users, we explored whether self-disclosure and positive experiences with regard to social support would dynamically interact in the form of a reinforcing spiral across three measurement occasions. If mutual friends self-disclose today, will they receive more social support 6 months later? In turn, will this affect their willingness to self-disclose another 6 months later? We further analyzed spill-over effects from face-to-face to IM communication and vice versa. We found that self-disclosure predicted social support and vice versa in IM communication, but not in face-to-face communication. In light of these results, the impact of IM communication on how individuals maneuver friendships through the interplay between self-disclosure and social support are discussed.

Effects of internal and external environment on health and well-being: from cell to society.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomljenović, Andrea

2014-03-01

Stem cell fate in cell culture depends on the composition of the culturing media. Every single cell in an organism is influenced by its microenvironment and surrounding cells. Biology, psychology, emotions, spirit, energy, lifestyle, culture, economic and political influences, social interactions in family, work, living area and the possibilities to expresses oneself and live full life with a sense of well-being have influence on people appearances. Disease is as much social as biological. It is a reaction of an organism to unbalancing changes in the internal environment caused by the changes in the external environment and/or by the structural and functional failures or unfortunate legacies. Health gradient in the society depends on the every day circumstances in which people live and work. The health of the population is an insight into the society. The problem facing medicine in the complex society of today cannot be resolved without the aid of social sciences, as cultural, social, ecological and mental processes affect physiological responses and health outcomes. Anthropology could be a bridge between biomedicine and social sciences and influence strategies in public health to prevent rather than cure and in education for fulfillment in life and improvement of society.

Ideologies in the Swedish health sector today

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diderichsen, Finn

1982-01-01

Sweden has a long tradition of social democracy and corporate cooperation. Social problems are treated as technological questions that always should be solved through rational and neutral means. Today Sweden faces a crisis of economy as well as a crisis of medicine. In the spirit of consensus, th...... system of primary care and prevention. However, in the context of the current economic crisis, the struggle against health hazards and cuts in public spending has intensified and the gap between the ideology of technological rationalism and reality has widened....

Psychosocial challenges facing physicians of today.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnetz, B B

2001-01-01

Fundamental changes in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care have added new stressors or opportunities to the medical profession. These new potential stressors are in addition to previously recognized external and internal ones. The work environment of physicians poses both psychosocial, ergonomic, and physico-chemical threats. The psychosocial work environment has, if anything, worsened. Demands at work increase at the same time as influence over one's work and intellectual stimulation from work decrease. In addition, violence and the threat of violence is another major occupational health problem physicians increasingly face. Financial constraint, managed care and consumerism in health care are other factors that fundamentally change the role of physicians. The rapid deployment of new information technologies will also change the role of the physician towards being more of an advisor and information provider. Many of the minor health problems will increasingly be managed by patients themselves and by non-physician professionals and practitioners of complementary medicine. Finally, the economic and social status of physicians are challenged which is reflected in a slower salary increase compared to many other professional groups. The picture painted above may be seen as uniformly gloomy. In reality, that is not the case. There is growing interest in and awareness of the importance of the psychosocial work environment for the delivery of high quality care. Physicians under stress are more likely to treat patients poorly, both medically and psychologically. They are also more prone to make errors of judgment. Studies where physicians' work environment in entire hospitals has been assessed, results fed-back, and physicians and management have worked with focused improvement processes, have demonstrated measurable improvements in the ratings of the psychosocial work environment. However, it becomes clear from such studies that quality of the

Effects of Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication and Face-to-Face Interaction on Speaking Skill Development of Iranian EFL Learners

OpenAIRE

Hakimeh Shahrokhi Mehr; Masoud Zoghi; Nader Assadi

2013-01-01

The traditional form of teaching speaking skill has been via face-to-face (FTF) interaction in the classroom setting. Today in the computer age, the on-line forum can provide a virtual environment for differential communication. The pedagogical system benefits from such technology improvement for teaching foreign languages. This quasi-experimental research aimed at comparing the effects of two instructional strategies: synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) and FTF interaction. Fo...

The evolution of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB).

Science.gov (United States)

Kissileff, Harry R; Ladenheim, Ellen

2013-09-10

This review summarizes the formation of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), highlighting the many people whose commitment and perseverance brought together a wide range of disciplines for the common goal of investigating ingestive behavior and providing communication via scientific meetings. The goals and philosophy of the Society today are described along with the challenges it will face in the future. It concludes with the important message that excellence in science, combined with commitment to, and participation from, younger investigators, will ensure its continued success. The SSIB was officially incorporated on March 30, 1987 to serve a unique niche within the biological and behavioral sciences. Its initial vision was to serve as the "leading scientific organization for the study of ingestive behavior". This mission continues to drive the philosophy of the Society which currently boasts over 350 members representing 30 different countries. The SSIB melded scientific disciplines that included physiological and psychological aspects of food and fluid intake, as well as taste and olfaction. Prior to its creation, scientists from each of these disciplines met at several key conferences, most notably The International Conference on the Physiology of Food and Fluid Intake, a now defunct satellite of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, and The Eastern Psychological Association. From these and other smaller conferences came the idea of forming a society that integrated research from the biological, psychological and social aspects of food and fluid intake in both animals and humans. While this emphasis of the Society remains today, changing scientific priorities and interests continue to shape and influence the direction of the Society. Since its first meeting held at Princeton University in NJ in 1992, the annual meeting has become a major means of disseminating cutting-edge information on current research in the field of

CERN & Society launches donation portal

CERN Multimedia

Cian O'Luanaigh

2014-01-01

The CERN & Society programme brings together projects in the areas of education and outreach, innovation and knowledge exchange, and culture and arts, that spread the CERN spirit of scientific curiosity for the inspiration and benefit of society. Today, CERN & Society is launching its "giving" website – a portal to allow donors to contribute to various projects and forge new relationships with CERN.   "The CERN & Society initiative in its embryonic form began almost three years ago, with the feeling that the laboratory could play a bigger role for the benefit of society," says Matteo Castoldi, Head of the CERN Development Office, who, with his team, is seeking supporters and ambassadors for the CERN & Society initiative. "The concept is not completely new – in some sense it is embedded in CERN’s DNA, as the laboratory helps society by creating knowledge and new technologies – but we would like to d...

CHINA’S ROLE AND STATUS IN INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY: SHOULD ITS RISE BE PERCEIVED AS A ‘THREAT’?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dahlia Patricia Sterling

2017-12-01

Full Text Available China has been making strides in numerous areas the entire world is still trying to grapple with and determine in what way China’s economic growth, active engagement and participation in the world system will affect nation states. Without a doubt, this has added increasing pressure and brought complications for China in continuously explaining its economic growth to a number of actors who perceive its growth and active participation in international society as a “threat”. In effect, China is still yet to define completely its new role in international society even today, and is still using its foreign policy principles and approaches in its participatory role in international society. Moreover, despite honoring its commitments to international society, it still plays a comparatively lesser role in the shaping and making of rules and regulations. Thus, rather than developing and creating new comprehensive policies geared towards shaping and making new rules and regulations to guide its action and roles in international society given that numerous changes have occurred in the world, such as more and more civil conflicts, humanitarian crisis and rogue leaders on the rise today, etc.; China needs to make changes to ensure that not only its voice is heard, but its rules and regulations are up-to-date, works and applicable along with its spoken voice. Based on these assumptions and debates, it is therefore reasonable to make an attempt to determine China’s role and status in its involvement in international society and its rise to become a global power, given its participation in international society which plays a significant part in the way the world perceives China’s rise. On this basis, the article intends to attempt to unravel China’s role and status in international society, the limitations and challenges China faces and the perception of its threat in becoming a “rising” global power.

Applying Andragogical Concepts in Creating a Sustainable Lifelong Learning Society

Science.gov (United States)

Charungkaittikul, Suwithida; Henschke, John A.

2017-01-01

Today, the world is changing, re-establishing the role of education to have a developed society. This article aims to explore the practical application of Andragogy as a key element for creating a sustainable lifelong learning society, to propose strategies for developing a lifelong learning society using andragogical concepts, to enhance…

Faces of Cenzorship. Freedom of Opinion and Creativity in Terms of Market Oriented Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vesna Ivezić

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Heresy and orthodoxy are immanent to all regimes, totalitarian and democratic. Denying of critical thinking manifests itself in so far as the regime feels threatened by opponents, and censorship, systematic control of freedom of thought is an integral part of running the state. Control increases in times of crisis. With the development of society, methods become less transparent. In developed democracies, the most effective control is thought control, and big monitoring systems, together with the systems of indoctrination (media, education, religion, are involved in it. Systems of indoctrination teach us what to think and what values to represent. Refusal withdraws sanctions. What is not in accordance, is placed in the domain of the ban. In developed democracies, censorship is prohibited by law, but is carried out in other ways. Self-censorship, the reaction of authors to the repression, and the so-called.”silent censorship”, is ignoring and thus removing undesirable contents, instead of the previous prohibition and criminal prosecution. Today all aspects of human creativity are regulated by the market, the intention is total control. The public space is filled with trivia and entertainment, for research and creative contents a “demand” is absent, and thus the space in the media.

Global Climate Change and Society: Scientific, Policy, and Philosophic Themes

Science.gov (United States)

Frodeman, R.; Bullock, M. A.

2001-12-01

The summer of 2001 saw the inauguration of the Global Climate Change and Society Program (GCCS), an eight week, NSF-funded experiment in undergraduate pedagogy held at the University of Colorado and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Acknowledging from the start that climate change is more than a scientific problem, GCCS began with the simultaneous study of basic atmospheric physics, classical and environmental philosophy, and public policy. In addition to lectures and discussions on these subjects, our twelve undergraduates (majoring in the physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities) also participated in internships with scholars and researchers at NCAR, University of Colorado's Center of the American West, and the Colorado School of Mines, on specific issues in atmospheric science, science policy, and ethics and values. This talk will discuss the outcomes of GCCS: specifically, new insights into interdisciplinary pedagogy and the student creation of an extraordinary "deliverable," a group summary assessment of the global climate change debate. The student assessment called for an integrated discussion of both the science of climate change and the human values related to how we inhabit the world. The problems facing society today cannot be addressed through the single-minded adherence to science and technology; instead, society must develop new means of integrating the humanities and science in a meaningful dialogue about our common future.

Announcing the Sociation Today Urban Sociology and Reprint Collection Series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George H. Conklin

2007-11-01

Full Text Available "Sociation Today" is happy to announce the Urban Sociology Reprint Series. Other reprints will be focused on DuBois and his work available on-line, while the Max Weber video now has its own page. Articles printed in the current and past issues of Sociation Today have been gathered together in one place so they can be viewed conviently. The MENU link to the left will direct you to the proper place, as will the link above (for the urban reprints. The files will enable you to see the articles on a specific topic in one place, and also will enable the professor to assign the articles easily in classes. As an open access journal, Sociation Today's goal remains to provide scholars, the public and students with refereed articles exploring the nature of society and its interactions at no charge, unlike traditional journals and JSTOR.

Managers facing the climatic risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This colloquium aimed to analyze the relations between the climatic changes and extreme meteorological events and on the associated risks. It provides information and knowledge on the state of the art concerning the today scientific knowledge, the prevention measures and the adaptation facing the risks and the difficult estimation of the climatic damages costs. (A.L.B.)

4D Unconstrained Real-time Face Recognition Using a Commodity Depthh Camera

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schimbinschi, Florin; Wiering, Marco; Mohan, R.E.; Sheba, J.K.

2012-01-01

Robust unconstrained real-time face recognition still remains a challenge today. The recent addition to the market of lightweight commodity depth sensors brings new possibilities for human-machine interaction and therefore face recognition. This article accompanies the reader through a succinct

Holding a spotlight to an ageing society.

Science.gov (United States)

Cann, Paul

2008-07-01

In May 2008 Help the Aged published its 3rd annual Spotlight Report. The report highlights the stark realities facing older people in the UK today and gives detailed statistical data on how the lives of some have improved but many are still being left behind.

Privacy and Anonymity in the Information Society – Challenges for the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioannis A. Tsoukalas

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Electronic information is challenging traditional views on property and privacy. The explosion of digital data, driven by novel web applications, social networking, and mobile devices makes data security and the protection of privacy increasingly difficult. Furthermore, biometric data and radiofrequency identification applications enable correlations that are able to trace our cultural, behavioral, and emotional states. The concept of privacy in the digital realm is transformed and emerges as one of the biggest risks facing today's Information Society. In this context, the European Union (EU policy-making procedures strive to adapt to the pace of technological advancement. The EU needs to improve the existing legal frameworks for privacy and data protection. It needs to work towards a “privacy by education” approach for the empowerment of “privacy-literate” European digital citizens.

Synergy and contradictions between wood production and ecosystem services supplied to society - the case of private forests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picard, Olivier

2012-01-01

Today, private foresters earn their income almost exclusively from the sale of wood, with a turnover of 105 Euro/ha. Ecosystem services could generate a value of 970 euros/ha/year, i.e. eight times the forestry income derived from timber. The question therefore arises: can these services supplement forest income or do they interfere with the production of wood? Foresters are faced with choices that are becoming increasingly complex, uncertain, risky and sometimes conflicting. They are of several kinds: legal, economic, environmental, social, technical, climatic, etc. Are they in a position to produce timber using appropriate silvicultural techniques while at the same time providing the services that society is demanding? Faced with these new challenges, what is the guidance that should be given to foresters? To develop messages that make sense to foresters, the 'Forestiers prives de France' (private owners) federation and the CNPF (National Centre for Forest Property) conducted a survey on forest owners called the ReSOFOp. (authors)

Women in engineering conference: capitalizing on today`s challenges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metz, S.S.; Martins, S.M. [eds.

1996-06-01

This document contains the conference proceedings of the Women in Engineering Conference: Capitalizing on Today`s Challenges, held June 1-4, 1996 in Denver, Colorado. Topics included engineering and science education, career paths, workplace issues, and affirmative action.

Risk and society; Risque et societe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tubiana, M. [Academie des Sciences, 75 - Paris (France)]|[Centre Antoine Beclere, Faculte de medecine, 75 - Paris (France); Vrousos, C.; Pages, J.P. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 38 - Grenoble (France); Carde, C.

1999-07-01

This book brings together the communications presented at the colloquium 'risk and society' held in Paris (France) on November 1998. During this colloquium, the various aspects of risk and of its management were discussed by medical specialists, historians, industrialists, engineers, philosophers, lawyers, politicians and administration representatives. The first theme concerns the controversies generated by the development of some activities (genetics, bio-technologies, nuclear and radiations use). The second theme concerns the management of risks and the way to conciliate the point of view of authorities and citizens (confidence of the public with respect to experts, scientists, industrialists, government and administrative representatives, role played by the media). The debates that took place during the colloquium have shown that the public opinion concerning the nuclear activities or the new technologies greatly depends on the ideological attitudes and on the public's likes and dislikes with respect to some categories of actors (distrust with respect to public decisions, fears with respect to changes and future, nostalgia of the past). The following aspects are reviewed: Notions of risk and hazard (risk and health, risk in today's society, medicine and society, the point of view of the industrialists and of the scientific and technical specialists); from the psychological aspects of the risk to its social aspects (survey of the risk assessment battlefield, social attenuation and amplification of risk, the feeling of risks in Europe, insecurity and delinquency, controversies around radioactivity and health); the negotiation and communication about risks (risk and public health, negotiation around risks, risks and information dissemination about the public debate, communication and crisis, evolution of risk communication, comparison between American and European approaches, the Seveso directive); the public debate and the evolution of risks

Risk and society; Risque et societe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tubiana, M [Academie des Sciences, 75 - Paris (France); [Centre Antoine Beclere, Faculte de medecine, 75 - Paris (France); Vrousos, C; Pages, J P [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 38 - Grenoble (France); Carde, C

1999-07-01

This book brings together the communications presented at the colloquium 'risk and society' held in Paris (France) on November 1998. During this colloquium, the various aspects of risk and of its management were discussed by medical specialists, historians, industrialists, engineers, philosophers, lawyers, politicians and administration representatives. The first theme concerns the controversies generated by the development of some activities (genetics, bio-technologies, nuclear and radiations use). The second theme concerns the management of risks and the way to conciliate the point of view of authorities and citizens (confidence of the public with respect to experts, scientists, industrialists, government and administrative representatives, role played by the media). The debates that took place during the colloquium have shown that the public opinion concerning the nuclear activities or the new technologies greatly depends on the ideological attitudes and on the public's likes and dislikes with respect to some categories of actors (distrust with respect to public decisions, fears with respect to changes and future, nostalgia of the past). The following aspects are reviewed: Notions of risk and hazard (risk and health, risk in today's society, medicine and society, the point of view of the industrialists and of the scientific and technical specialists); from the psychological aspects of the risk to its social aspects (survey of the risk assessment battlefield, social attenuation and amplification of risk, the feeling of risks in Europe, insecurity and delinquency, controversies around radioactivity and health); the negotiation and communication about risks (risk and public health, negotiation around risks, risks and information dissemination about the public debate, communication and crisis, evolution of risk communication, comparison between American and European approaches, the Seveso directive); the public debate and the evolution of risks management (the

Maintaining professionalism in today's business environment: ethical challenges for the pain medicine specialist.

Science.gov (United States)

Lebovits, Allen

2012-09-01

There are many external influences in today's market force that impair the relationship between the pain medicine specialist and the patient, and ultimately prevent optimal quality of care. This article explores the ethical challenges facing the pain medicine specialist in today's increasingly "business" environment and will offer solutions for maintaining the professionalism of pain medicine. Four commonly encountered bioethical principles in the practice of pain medicine are reviewed: beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and autonomy. The following ethical challenges of the pain medicine specialist are reviewed: practicing outside ones specialty area, practice characteristics, the consultant role, the economic lure of aggressive intervention, not evaluating for and treating comorbid psychopathology, reimbursement pressures, workers' compensation, and use of unproven methods. Solutions offered include collegial associations, social responsibility, legislative initiatives, pain education, interdisciplinary evaluation and treatment, improved relationships with third-party payers, reduced racial disparities, and ethics education. Ethics is the "roadmap" that enables the pain medicine specialist to navigate the increasingly murky waters of practicing pain management today by maintaining the professionalism necessary to combat today's "business" pressures. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vaccination ecosystem health check: achieving impact today and sustainability for tomorrow.

Science.gov (United States)

Saadatian-Elahi, Mitra; Bloom, David; Plotkin, Stanley; Picot, Valentina; Louis, Jacques; Watson, Michael

2017-01-01

Vaccination is a complex ecosystem with several components that interact with one another and with the environment. Today's vaccine ecosystem is defined by the pursuit of polio eradication, the drive to get as many of the new vaccines to as many people as possible and the research and development against immunologically challenging diseases. Despite these successes, vaccine ecosystem is facing keys issues with regard to supply/distribution and cost/profitability asymmetry that risk slowing its global growth. The conference "Vaccination ecosystem health check: achieving impact today and sustainability for tomorrow" held in Annecy-France (January 19-21, 2015) took stock of the health of today's vaccination ecosystem and its ability to reliably and sustainably supply high-quality vaccines while investing in tomorrow's needed innovation. Small and decreasing numbers of suppliers/manufacturing facilities; paucity of research-driven companies; regulatory pressures; market uncertainties; political prioritization; anti-vaccine movements/complacency; and technological and programmatic issues were acknowledged as the major challenges that could weaken today's vaccination ecosystem. The expert panel discussed also drivers and barriers to a sustainable vaccination ecosystem; the metrics of a vaccination ecosystem; and what should be added, removed, increased, or reduced to maintain the health of the vaccination ecosystem.

Measurement and visualization of face-to-face interaction among community-dwelling older adults using wearable sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Masumoto, Kouhei; Yaguchi, Takaharu; Matsuda, Hiroshi; Tani, Hideaki; Tozuka, Keisuke; Kondo, Narihiko; Okada, Shuichi

2017-10-01

A number of interventions have been undertaken to develop and promote social networks among community-dwelling older adults. However, it has been difficult to examine the effects of these interventions, because of problems in assessing interactions. The present study was designed to quantitatively measure and visualize face-to-face interactions among elderly participants in an exercise program. We also examined relationships among interactional variables, personality and interest in community involvement, including interactions with the local community. Older adults living in the same community were recruited to participate in an exercise program that consisted of four sessions. We collected data on face-to-face interactions of the participants by using a wearable sensor technology device. Network analysis identified the communication networks of participants in the exercise program, as well as changes in these networks. Additionally, there were significant correlations between the number of people involved in face-to-face interactions and changes in both interest in community involvement and interactions with local community residents, as well as personality traits, including agreeableness. Social networks in the community are essential for solving problems caused by the aging society. We showed the possible applications of face-to-face interactional data for identifying core participants having many interactions, and isolated participants having only a few interactions within the community. Such data would be useful for carrying out efficient interventions for increasing participants' involvement with their community. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1752-1758. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Face Detection and Face Recognition in Android Mobile Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Octavian DOSPINESCU

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The quality of the smartphone’s camera enables us to capture high quality pictures at a high resolution, so we can perform different types of recognition on these images. Face detection is one of these types of recognition that is very common in our society. We use it every day on Facebook to tag friends in our pictures. It is also used in video games alongside Kinect concept, or in security to allow the access to private places only to authorized persons. These are just some examples of using facial recognition, because in modern society, detection and facial recognition tend to surround us everywhere. The aim of this article is to create an appli-cation for smartphones that can recognize human faces. The main goal of this application is to grant access to certain areas or rooms only to certain authorized persons. For example, we can speak here of hospitals or educational institutions where there are rooms where only certain employees can enter. Of course, this type of application can cover a wide range of uses, such as helping people suffering from Alzheimer's to recognize the people they loved, to fill gaps persons who can’t remember the names of their relatives or for example to automatically capture the face of our own children when they smile.

FOREIGN EXPERIENCE OF THE FORMATION OF INFORMATION SECURITY CULTURE IN SOCIETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Malyuk

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the context of ever increasing information dependence of all spheres of activity of the company reliability and dependability of information and communication technologies (ICT, quality of information, which is used by members of the information society, saving secrets is of paramount importance. Users must trust all information services they use. Otherwise, the consequences for society and each individual can be simply disastrous. Thus, one of the main problems of the development of the information society is to ensure the information security of the individual, society and state. In order to successfully resist the flow of threats and challenges, each member of the information society must have a certain minimum knowledge, culture and appropriate information to be prepared for an active struggle for the purity of the various types of ICT cyber-hawks, cybercriminals, cyber-terrorists and just cyber-bullies. At the same time, as shown by statistics and sociological research, while rapidly increasing the level of the use of global information and communication networks the level of information literacy of users and their information culture is extremely low. Only about 10 percent of people are more or less aware of the dangers they face while working on the Internet, or they (unwillingly is subjected to its correspondents. Thus, today the key issue of the Information Society becomes the formation of information culture of users and, above all, raising their awareness in this area. Analysis of approaches and expertise to solve this problem (especially overseas is the subject of this article. The conceptual and substantive plans for the material of the article is based on a UN General Assembly resolution that approved in December 2002 the principles of formation of global culture of cybersecurity

The New Paradigm of Social Evolution: Modern Society between Hope and Tragedy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitar Tchurovsky

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Social evolution is a continuation of biological evolution. The difference is the presence of mind, language and thinking. Therefore, society can be viewed as a living and rational system. The engine of social evolution is knowledge. Development of society is determined bilaterally by objective and subjective factors. Objective factors determine the form of society, subjective – the content. Society has three subsystems: social consciousness, economics and governance. The changes which take place in society are quantitative (evolutionary and qualitative (revolutionary. The spiral of social evolution begins with a cultural revolution that consistently changes economic relations and the organization of society, leading to the emergence of civilization. Declining civilization is a prerequisite for the emergence of a new cultural revolution. From this point of view humanity today faces dramatic changes – the emergence of social self-consciousness and transition from a hierarchical social structure to a horizontal organization. The New World Order advocated by power and the financial elite is impossible to implement because it contradicts the principles of social evolution. Throughout human history, social evolution has been a theory of qualitative changes in social structure, aiming to discover the fundamental laws of the origin and development of humanity as a whole. Social evolution complements several basic research fields in human sciences like history, cultural evolution, anthropology, philosophy of history, social and developmental psychology, etc. The process of social evolution is very complicated and controversial. During the last two centuries, a dozen approaches, theories, concepts and paradigms have been trying to describe and explain how society works and evolves. Modern theories provide models clarifying the relationship between social structure, economy, technology, social values, etc. Nevertheless, social evolution remains

Society and Social Power

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janani Harish

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Society is the source of immense power. Over the past few centuries humanity has record­ed phenomenal growth in its collective capacity for accomplishment, as reflected in the 12-fold growth in global per capita income since 1800. The remarkable achievements in living standards, longevity, science, technology, industry, education, democracy, human rights, peace and global governance are the result of the exponential development of the capacity of society to harness human energies and convert them into social power for productive purposes. Today, humanity possesses the power and capabilities needed to fully meet the multi-dimensional challenges confronting global society. The source of this energy is people. Human energy is transformed into social power by the increasing reach, frequency and complexity of human relationships. Society is a complex living network of organized relationships between people. Its power issues from channelizing our collective energies in productive ways by means of organizing principles such as coordination, systems, specialization of function, hierarchy of authority, and integration. This immense social power remains largely underutilized. Social science needs to evolve a comprehensive, trans-disciplinary understanding of the roots of social power and the process by which it is generated, distributed and applied. This knowledge is the essential foundation for formulating effective social policies capable of eradicating forever persistent poverty, unemployment and social inequality. This article is based on a series of lectures delivered by the author in the WAAS-WUC course on “Toward a Trans-disciplinary Science of Society” at Dubrovnik on September 1-3, 2014. It traces the development of social power in different fields to show that human and social capital are inexhaustible in potential. The more we harness them, the more they grow. Unleashing, directing, channeling and converting human potential into social

Introduction to the Social Media + Society Special Issue on Selfies: Me-diated Inter-faces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katie Warfield

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This introduction to the special issue entitled Me-diated Inter-faces begins by bringing into question the concept of positioning: what is it that we are doing when we take a position within the study of social media? Reviewing the work of the inaugural manifestos of the journal Social Media + Society on one hand, and the introduction to the special issue on selfies for the International Journal of Communications on the other, this introduction provides both critical and creative in-roads for thinking and re-thinking digital self-images shared on social media. Given the constantly changing nature of social media, this paper is a call to researchers of social media to not fall prey to the ossification of our current positions since theorizing the “social” in social media means always at once theorizing the body. As such this intro offers numerous and diverse perspectives on the body that might inform emerging thoughts on the socially media body. The introduction then provides an overview of the papers in this special issue and concludes by offering openings and ruptures for further discussion, rather than closure of conclusions.

ICT for society through society: Application of code-sprints as entrepreneurial enabler

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Coetzee, L

2010-08-31

Full Text Available Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) is faced with the challenge of creating sustainable and innovative success stories which speak to the creation of an inclusive digital society. Initial attempts at ICT4D had limited...

The Kent Face Matching Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Fysh, Matthew C; Bindemann, Markus

2018-05-01

This study presents the Kent Face Matching Test (KFMT), which comprises 200 same-identity and 20 different-identity pairs of unfamiliar faces. Each face pair consists of a photograph from a student ID card and a high-quality portrait that was taken at least three months later. The test is designed to complement existing resources for face-matching research, by providing a more ecologically valid stimulus set that captures the natural variability that can arise in a person's appearance over time. Two experiments are presented to demonstrate that the KFMT provides a challenging measure of face matching but correlates with established tests. Experiment 1 compares a short version of this test with the optimized Glasgow Face Matching Test (GFMT). In Experiment 2, a longer version of the KFMT, with infrequent identity mismatches, is correlated with performance on the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT) and the Cambridge Face Perception Test (CFPT). The KFMT is freely available for use in face-matching research. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Societies Once and Today from the Point of View of Community Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nives Ličen

1996-12-01

Full Text Available The history of the four villages we visited together with the students of adult education proves that in the past there existed societies whose explicit aim was - among others - to educate its members. Such societies did not only support culture and language, which, however, was of great importance in Primorska, but aimed also at solving the problems of the village. Some research work has been done in the villages as to the educa­ tional needs of individual places. The results show that each village has it specific needs, therefore inhabitants also should participate in defining the educational programmes. People living in these villages need to acquire knowledge in order to raise the quality of life and to solve certain pro­ blems. Talking to local people we got to know shared interests and needs for raising the level of consciousness as to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage, a better command of communication skills, skills for home management, need for keeping company with other villagers and for establishing closer connections with them. Articulating the needs is a process, taking part within the project of Summer School in Adult Education.

The Collapse of Political Economy and the Advent of Unlearning Society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bouchet, Dominique

2014-01-01

Just like the Christian societies at the dawn of the science of political economy, today’s societies are face to face with the fact that their modes of organi¬sation and representation are inadequate when confronted with the consequences of their own, earlier, decisions. The economy and politics...

Science and society of knowledge (Italian original version

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pietro Greco

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Probably among the first to deal with it, nearly sixty years ago, Norbert Wiener, the founding father of cybernetics (The human use of human beings. Cybernetics and Society, Houghton Mifflin Company, London, 1950, prefigured its opportunities, as well as its limitations. Today, it is a quite common belief. We have entered (are entering a new, great era in the history of human society: the age of information and knowledge.

Experts in science and society

CERN Document Server

Gigerenzer, Gerd

2004-01-01

In today's complex world, we have come to rely increasingly on those who have expertise in specific areas and can bring their knowledge to bear on crucial social, political and scientific questions. Taking the viewpoint that experts are consulted when there is something important at stake for an individual, a group, or society at large, Experts in Science and Society explores expertise as a relational concept. How do experts balance their commitment to science with that to society? How does a society actually determine that a person has expertise? What personal traits are valued in an expert? From where does the expert derive authority? What makes new forms of expertise emerge? These and related questions are addressed from a wide range of areas in order to be inclusive, as well as to demonstrate similarities across areas. Likewise, in order to be culturally comparative, this volume includes examples and discussions of experts in different countries and even in different time periods. The topics include the r...

Preparing Professionals to Face Ethical Challenges in Today's Workplace: Review of the Literature, Implications for PI, and a Proposed Research Agenda

Science.gov (United States)

Frisque, Deloise A.; Lin, Hong; Kolb, Judith A.

2004-01-01

Ethics is very much in the news today and on the minds of those who teach and/or train current and future professionals to work successfully in today's workplaces. While there seems to be agreement that organizations need to address the topic of ethics, there is also a concern about how best to proceed. Ethics and compliance offices, professional…

Is Society Capable of Learning? Beyond a Metaphysical Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Ya-hui

2016-01-01

There is an assumption that any contemporary society should become a learning society to maintain stability in the face of change. Although proponents and policymakers take for granted that a society has the ability to learn, can this idea be defended? There is a problem in determining exactly what is meant by a learning society that learns. One…

Science and society: the impact of computing at CERN on society

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2014-01-01

Lecture in English, with simultaneous interpreting into French CERN is often referred to as the place “where the web was born”. The world-wide-web has fundamentally changed society and launched a wave of new global industries. The world-wide-web happened because there was a specific problem that was seen as an Information Technology (IT) challenge by its inventors. As the scientific programme of CERN has progressed, new IT challenges have been faced such as how to handle the mind-boggling amount of data that is produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Being able to face those challenges has contributed to the success of the LHC and the discovery of the Higgs particle. This public lecture will explore some of those challenges, how they have been tackled and what impact they are having beyond physics and ultimately on society as a whole. ------ Conférence en anglais – traduction simultanée en français On parle souvent du CERN comme le « berceau du web ». Le web a changé notre société en p...

Challenges and opportunities for informational societies from the present to become reliable learning and knowledge societies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo ROMERO SÁNCHEZ

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This article pretend to describe the principal social trends and cultural features that prevail today, too look the philosophical foundation of thinking, feel , living and to give an educative  response and accepted to the axiological reality  and cultural present. In modern western societies great paradoxes and contradictions coexist: economical growth, technological development and greater dimensions of freedom, but also great consumption, cultural deterioration, technological dependence and unique thought. Given this we talk about the great possibilities and at the same time of the terrible threats that exist in that modern information societies. In order to become acquainted with this reality, we have focused the analysis in 3 key aspects: the impact of digital devolution, the condition of culture in contemporary society, and the need of a “new education”.

e-Human Ecology - A New Direction of Cyberspace and Virtual Global Societies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

T.A. Knoch (Tobias)

2009-01-01

textabstractToday advances in information technology are the basis of modern societies and internalised into live as fundamentally as basic commodities. Beyond, the creation of global cyber or virtual societies has led to entire new aspects of what should now be called e-life. The path to a

e-Human Ecology - A New Direction of Cyberspace and Virtual Global Societies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

T.A. Knoch (Tobias)

2008-01-01

textabstractToday advances in information technology are the basis of modern societies and internalised into live as fundamentally as basic commodities. Beyond, the creation of global cyber or virtual societies has led to entire new aspects of what should now be called e-life. The path to a

Changing Landscapes in Documentation Efforts: Civil Society Documentation of Serious Human Rights Violations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brianne McGonigle Leyh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Wittingly or unwittingly, civil society actors have long been faced with the task of documenting serious human rights violations. Thirty years ago, such efforts were largely organised by grassroots movements, often with little support or funding from international actors. Sharing information and best practices was difficult. Today that situation has significantly changed. The purpose of this article is to explore the changing landscape of civil society documentation of serious human rights violations, and what that means for standardising and professionalising documentation efforts. Using the recent Hisséne Habré case as an example, this article begins by looking at how civil society documentation can successfully influence an accountability process. Next, the article touches upon barriers that continue to impede greater documentation efforts. The article examines the changing landscape of documentation, focusing on technological changes and the rise of citizen journalism and unofficial investigations, using Syria as an example, as well as on the increasing support for documentation efforts both in Syria and worldwide. The changing landscape has resulted in the proliferation of international documentation initiatives aimed at providing local civil society actors guidelines and practical assistance on how to recognise, collect, manage, store and use information about serious human rights violations, as well as on how to minimise the risks associated with the documentation of human rights violations. The recent initiatives undertaken by international civil society, including those by the Public International Law & Policy Group, play an important role in helping to standardise and professionalise documentation work and promote the foundational principles of documentation, namely the ‘do no harm’ principle, and the principles of informed consent and confidentiality. Recognising the drawback that greater professionalisation may bring, it

What kind of political education we seek today?

OpenAIRE

Lafaye, Caroline Guibet

2008-01-01

Facing contemporary cultural and religious pluralism associated to the demands of recognition from minorities in multicultural societies, neither classical republicanism nor political liberalism gives satisfactory orientation to shape a political education accomodated to this social context. Education will contribute to social pacification and social compromises only if we elaborate a political education which takes into account and responds properly to the main actual political goal: living ...

Civil society as a means harmonization of relations between the state and citizens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. A. Babarykina

2014-09-01

The modern Ukrainian society now appeared before a choice of civilization and experiencing historic change, the essence of which is to move from one qualitative state to another. Today, Ukrainian society is socio-cultural transformation that is associated with the making of post-industrial society. Effective development of modern Ukrainian society depends on preventing antagonism in the relationship of civil society and the state. Democracy allows the majority to influence policy and freely exercise of public interest.

Literacy: State of the Nation--A Picture of Literacy in the UK Today

Science.gov (United States)

Jama, Deeqa; Dugdale, George

2012-01-01

Literacy is the combination of reading, writing, speaking and listening skills we all need to fulfil our potential. These life skills are essential to the happiness, health and wealth of individuals and society. "Literacy: State of the Nation" provides a coherent picture of literacy in the UK today. It reveals that: (1) One in six people…

Complexité et conceptions : nouveaux défis face à l’apprentissage. Le cas des conceptions des enseignants sur l’écosystème

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LAMJED MESSOUSSI

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Various theories have attempted to explain the mechanisms of learning, for its part, cognitivism have integrated mental structures in these mechanisms. Recent didactic research has revealed the role of conceptions of cultural background can "promote" or "oppose" the acquisition and ownership of new knowledge by the learner. Today and in the multitude of information sources and mode of disciplinary learning and compartmentalized knowledge acquisition has become complex. The teaching learning process is facing a major problem: how a teacher can be taken into account conceptions of learners in teaching practices? How to help learners to "overcome" their conceptions? Within which limits it is itself influenced by his conceptions in educational choices? What teaching strategy can cope with the complexity of learning in our society today? The analysis of the conceptions of teachers about the complexity of the ecosystem and pedagogical choices can bring out the modes of reasoning underlying the notion of complexity.

A Survey of Face Recognition Technique | Omidiora | Journal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A review of face recognition techniques has been carried out. Face recognition has been an attractive field in the society of both biological and computer vision of research. It exhibits the characteristics of being natural and low-intrusive. In this paper, an updated survey of techniques for face recognition is made. Methods of ...

Training versus Education: eLearning, Hybrid, and Face-to-Face Modalities - a Participatory Debate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Risa Blair

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Is training education or is education training? Universities and organizations treat training and education synonymously, but it is worth exploring the differences. Universities are scrambling to standardize a preferred delivery method of education and training. With the blended modalities of eLearning, face-to-face, and hybrid learning, the educational delivery seems to be equalizing. The disruptive shift with technology in education or training is complicated by the expectations of our millennial, Gen Y, and Gen Z students. As an added pressure at the university level, even more importantly, the expectation of the administration and the accrediting bodies keep changing the 'play book' on requirements. Given the ever changing complexities of today's paradigm-shift in education and learning, we explored the complexities of navigating the delivery methods to achieve educational goals in higher education or training goals in corporate America.

e-Human Ecology - A New Direction of Cyberspace and Virtual Global Societies

OpenAIRE

Knoch, Tobias

2008-01-01

textabstractToday advances in information technology are the basis of modern societies and internalised into live as fundamentally as basic commodities. Beyond, the creation of global cyber or virtual societies has led to entire new aspects of what should now be called e-life. The path to a virtualised world is accelerating in an enormous manner and classical society is rapidly shifting into an e-society. This has implications for all aspects of life and its holistic understanding and its per...

Uncovering What Our Students Really Think About Science and Society -- Are We Doomed?

Science.gov (United States)

Teske, Johanna; Prather, E. E.; Wallace, C. S.; Meyers, M.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS)

2012-10-01

We present initial results from our study of how science does or does not influence the worldviews of introductory, general education college astronomy students. Our data were gathered over one course (one semester), and examine students' ideas on provocative topics such as the relationship between science and religion, comparisons between the return on investment from different government programs, the limits of scientific inquiry, and how/if science can help to solve critical problems facing our society today. Since this is the last formal science course many of these general education astronomy students will ever take, the experience they have during this course is crucial for developing an accurate and well-informed worldview that includes the role of science in society. With our research we aim to answer the question, “Can teaching help shape this worldview to incorporate science more positively?” This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Leadership Education Priorities for a Democratic Society

Science.gov (United States)

Jenlink, Patrick M.

2010-01-01

Determining the priorities for leadership education in a democratic society is a complex, challenging responsibility, not a task to be taken lightly. It is complex on one level in that to be a leader in schools "today is to understand a profoundly human as well as a professional responsibility." It is challenging on another level in that preparing…

Technology Assessment and High-Speed Trains: facing the challenge of emergent digital society

OpenAIRE

Moretto, Susana Cristina dos Santos Gomes Martins

2017-01-01

The present PhD dissertation addresses the extension of selective environments of new technologies within the high-speed train technological system from business and regulations to the wider society. And, it argues the recognition of society as an actor in that system. Motivating it is the observed ever increase exposure of high-speed trains to public acceptance, caused by empowered society from fast ICT advancements. They refer to digitalization - the rise of social media and big data, co...

Recognition of face and non-face stimuli in autistic spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Arkush, Leo; Smith-Collins, Adam P R; Fiorentini, Chiara; Skuse, David H

2013-12-01

The ability to remember faces is critical for the development of social competence. From childhood to adulthood, we acquire a high level of expertise in the recognition of facial images, and neural processes become dedicated to sustaining competence. Many people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have poor face recognition memory; changes in hairstyle or other non-facial features in an otherwise familiar person affect their recollection skills. The observation implies that they may not use the configuration of the inner face to achieve memory competence, but bolster performance in other ways. We aimed to test this hypothesis by comparing the performance of a group of high-functioning unmedicated adolescents with ASD and a matched control group on a "surprise" face recognition memory task. We compared their memory for unfamiliar faces with their memory for images of houses. To evaluate the role that is played by peripheral cues in assisting recognition memory, we cropped both sets of pictures, retaining only the most salient central features. ASD adolescents had poorer recognition memory for faces than typical controls, but their recognition memory for houses was unimpaired. Cropping images of faces did not disproportionately influence their recall accuracy, relative to controls. House recognition skills (cropped and uncropped) were similar in both groups. In the ASD group only, performance on both sets of task was closely correlated, implying that memory for faces and other complex pictorial stimuli is achieved by domain-general (non-dedicated) cognitive mechanisms. Adolescents with ASD apparently do not use domain-specialized processing of inner facial cues to support face recognition memory. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The open society and its enemies

CERN Document Server

Popper, Karl Raimund

2003-01-01

Written in political exile during the Second World War and first published in 1945, Karl Popper's The Open Society and Its Enemies is one of the most influential books of the twentieth century. Hailed by Bertrand Russell as a 'vigorous and profound defence of democracy', its now legendary attack on the philosophies of Plato, Hegel and Marx exposed the dangers inherent in centrally planned political systems. Popper's highly accessible style, his erudite and lucid explanations of the thought of great philosophers and the recent resurgence of totalitarian regimes around the world are just three of the reasons for the enduring popularity of The Open Society and Its Enemies, and for why it demands to be read both today and in years to come. This is the second of two volumes of The Open Society and Its Enemies.

The Anatomy of the Aging Face: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotofana, Sebastian; Fratila, Alina A M; Schenck, Thilo L; Redka-Swoboda, Wolfgang; Zilinsky, Isaac; Pavicic, Tatjana

2016-06-01

Rejuvenative procedures of the face are increasing in numbers, and a plethora of different therapeutic options are available today. Every procedure should aim for the patient's safety first and then for natural and long-lasting results. The face is one of the most complex regions in the human body and research continuously reveals new insights into the complex interplay of the different participating structures. Bone, ligaments, muscles, fat, and skin are the key players in the layered arrangement of the face.Aging occurs in all involved facial structures but the onset and the speed of age-related changes differ between each specific structure, between each individual, and between different ethnic groups. Therefore, knowledge of age-related anatomy is crucial for a physician's work when trying to restore a youthful face.This review focuses on the current understanding of the anatomy of the human face and tries to elucidate the morphological changes during aging of bone, ligaments, muscles, and fat, and their role in rejuvenative procedures. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The competence of the pedagogue in the context of a 'learning society'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slijepčević Senka D.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper starts from the analysis of the connection between the development of post informatics society with modern pedagogical theory and practice. On the one hand, modern man is faced with great challenges and problems of today's post informatics society. On the other hand, opportunities and different perspectives that individuals have in creating their own life path are extremely versatile. There are many trends of today's world that influence daily life of every individual and some of those are: the age of instant communication, on-line learning, 'age of leisure', changes in business domain, 'the triumph of individual', etc. All of these trends, and many others, indicate the necessity of providing holistic and systematic support to upcoming generations. Educational institutions, which are the most organized forms of pedagogical work and influence, have to be the base for providing that support. Pedagogue plays crucial role in integrating the work of his educational institution with trends of our modern society. Therefore, emphasis of this paper is put on overview of key competences which pedagogues have to nourish and develop in changing conditions of modern world. In that regard, aim of this paper is directed towards analysis of the key competences important for the profession of pedagogue, which are based on the framework for 21st century teaching and learning (Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Those key competences are: learning and innovation skills, Information, media and technology skills and life and career skills. Learning and innovation skills are the first group of competences that are also referred as 4C since they include: Creativity and innovation, Critical thinking and problem solving, Communication and Collaboration. Second group of competences are centered around new digital media and technology, including practical skills of technology use, as well as ability to critically assess media content. Third group of 21st

Knowledge Management Society to Optimize Teaching Academic Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Mercedes Carrillo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Society is undergoing rapid changes as a result of the waves of change with the passing of the years. Each day brings new challenges to managers of organizations. Hence, this paper aims to "identify the importance of Management and Knowledge Society to Optimize Teaching Academic Performance". Methodologically article is based on an investigation of documentary-descriptive, based on recognized authors reading; bibliographic texts to support the theoretical literature review. In conclusion, there are: The new management faces a change of learning; It reflects information society, knowledge; We are facing a landscape of challenges, such as the creation of knowledge; Education is a crucial factor in this social transformation. Finally, analyzing the results was evident in the treated subject that the texts consulted and contributions of investigated theoretical gave support and scientific relevance article presented.

Improving University Students' Science-Technology-Society-Environment Competencies

Science.gov (United States)

Yalaki, Yalçin

2016-01-01

Science, Technology, Society, Environment (STSE) is an education movement that started and developed from 70s through early 2000s. Although this movement had lost emphasis in recent years, it is one of the most important educational reform attempts in science education history. Today, concepts like Socio Scientific Issues (SSI) or Science,…

Validity, Sensitivity, and Responsiveness of the 11-Face Faces Pain Scale to Postoperative Pain in Adult Orthopedic Surgery Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Giang, Nguyen; Chiu, Hsiao-Yean; Thai, Duong Hong; Kuo, Shu-Yu; Tsai, Pei-Shan

2015-10-01

Pain is common in patients after orthopedic surgery. The 11-face Faces Pain Scale has not been validated for use in adult patients with postoperative pain. To assess the validity of the 11-face Faces Pain Scale and its ability to detect responses to pain medications, and to determine whether the sensitivity of the 11-face Faces Pain Scale for detecting changes in pain intensity over time is associated with gender differences in adult postorthopedic surgery patients. The 11-face Faces Pain Scale was translated into Vietnamese using forward and back translation. Postoperative pain was assessed using an 11-point numerical rating scale and the 11-face Faces Pain Scale on the day of surgery, and before (Time 1) and every 30 minutes after (Times 2-5) the patients had taken pain medications on the first postoperative day. The 11-face Faces Pain Scale highly correlated with the numerical rating scale (r = 0.78, p Scale is appropriate for measuring acute postoperative pain in adults. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facing Violence and Conflict with Communication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tufte, Thomas

2012-01-01

the negative forces such as aggression, desperation, violence and conflicts. Particularly, I explore the power of storytelling as a communicative strategy. I focus on the principles of empathy, dialogue and diversity inherent in the communication model that anchors storytelling methodology. I argue......In this essay the focus is around the material conditions of poverty, anxiety, social instability and insecurity faced by many around the globe. I articulate a communication theory and practical model that can address the aggression and desperation, which are embedded in violent practices...... and conflicts. My assertion is that many communicative disconnects lie in between the constructs of anxiety, insecurity and instability faced by many individuals in the world today and the inadequate way in which governments and other authorities communicate with their publics. My claim...

Contributions to Education from the Psychology of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, in Today's Knowledge Society

Science.gov (United States)

de la Fuente, Jesus; Vera, Manuel Mariano; Cardelle-Elawar, Maria

2012-01-01

The globalized Knowledge Society of the 21st century brings with it important changes in models of work and lifestyle, triggered by the revolution in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). It has led to new ways of understanding knowledge itself, human activity, and consequently, professional and economic activity. In this current…

The Challenges of Catholic Education: Evidence from the Responses to the Instrumentum Laboris "Educating Today and Tomorrow"

Science.gov (United States)

Paletta, Angelo; Fiorin, Italo

2016-01-01

This article is based on the analysis of the responses to the questionnaires submitted for the Instrumentum Laboris 'Educating today and tomorrow. A renewing passion' and sets out to offer a synthesis of the main challenges facing Catholic education around the world, key criticalities as well as more positive aspects and the strategic and…

"Children are from heaven" or how today children respect adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Vogrinec

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The starting point of the text is a returning to the patriarchal, which is not simply the one that we are witnessing today, in the time of so-called postmodern, postpatriarchal society in its (until now last form. It is a matter of returning to rules, of which the basic premise is that adults are subjects (transcendences, freedoms, activities and children are subjects that are objects for adults (imanences, non-freedoms, pasivities, but which notwithstanding differ from the oldfashioned rules from the past. We attempted to explain this returning, following the example of rules offered by the book Children Are From Heaven – a selfhelp book, published at the end of the nineties of the 20th century, which immediately became the world's bestseller. In addition, our aim was to answer the following questions: What has happened with rules of civilization and good manners, regulating the relations between children and adults today? How have they changed and what has happened with children's or adults's relation to these rules or their performings? How has this relation changed? Considering the mentioned basic premise which implies that children respect adults, we also tried to answer the question: What has happened with the respect, or, how do children respect adults today? Disscussion is presented in the framework of lacanian psychoanalysis.

Entrepreneurship and Human Resources as Important Forces Affecting Electronic Readiness in Building the Information Society in Albania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ermelinda Kordha (Tolica

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Today information has become an important element without which society actors cannotachieve their goals. The term “information society” is increasingly used nowadays instead of theterms “production” or “consumption society”, because of the importance and necessity of informationin today's dynamic environment. In these conditions, even Albania is trying to give the properimportance and emphasis to, not just the use of information, but to the use of tools and technologiesthat enable efficiency in the collection, storage, processing, and distribution of data and the useinformation. Thus, information and communication technologies (ICT, are finding today in theAlbanian society, a steadily increasing use. For the Albanian Government has established andimplements the strategy is the national information and communication technologies (ICT.

The earth knowledge base and the global information society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Martynenko

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Today many countries have applied the strategy of developing an information-oriented society and data infrastructure. Although varying it their details and means of realization, all these policies have the same aim - to build a global information society. Here in Russia this crucial role belongs to the Electronic (Digital Earth initiative, which integrates geoinformation technologies in the Earth Knowledge Base (EKB. It i designed to promote the economic, social and scientific progress. An analysis of the problem has been done in the article.

Face recognition performance of individuals with Asperger syndrome on the Cambridge Face Memory Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Hedley, Darren; Brewer, Neil; Young, Robyn

2011-12-01

Although face recognition deficits in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Asperger syndrome (AS), are widely acknowledged, the empirical evidence is mixed. This in part reflects the failure to use standardized and psychometrically sound tests. We contrasted standardized face recognition scores on the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT) for 34 individuals with AS with those for 42, IQ-matched non-ASD individuals, and age-standardized scores from a large Australian cohort. We also examined the influence of IQ, autistic traits, and negative affect on face recognition performance. Overall, participants with AS performed significantly worse on the CFMT than the non-ASD participants and when evaluated against standardized test norms. However, while 24% of participants with AS presented with severe face recognition impairment (>2 SDs below the mean), many individuals performed at or above the typical level for their age: 53% scored within +/- 1 SD of the mean and 9% demonstrated superior performance (>1 SD above the mean). Regression analysis provided no evidence that IQ, autistic traits, or negative affect significantly influenced face recognition: diagnostic group membership was the only significant predictor of face recognition performance. In sum, face recognition performance in ASD is on a continuum, but with average levels significantly below non-ASD levels of performance. Copyright © 2011, International Society for Autism Research, Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Academic librarianship today

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

Intended for use by both librarians and students in LIS programs, Academic Librarianship Today is the most current, comprehensive overview of the field available today. Key features include: Each chapter was commissioned specifically for this new book, and the authors are highly regarded academic librarians or library school faculty— or both Cutting-edge topics such as open access, copyright, digital curation and preservation, emerging technologies, new roles for academic librarians, cooperative collection development and resource sharing, and patron-driven acquisitions are explored in depth Each chapter ends with thought-provoking questions for discussion and carefully constructed assignments that faculty can assign or adapt for their courses The book begins with Gilman’s introduction, an overview that briefly synthesizes the contents of the contributors’ chapters by highlighting major themes. The main part of the book is organized into three parts: The Academic Library Landscape Today, ...

Trust and Control: Public Administration and Risk Society

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyer, Hans Christian; Wood, Elin Marit

2011-01-01

Today we live in a society with many choices and possibilities which were absent just a few decades ago. Knowledge is seen as temporary, and many paradoxes are experienced in the flow of information surrounding us. A basic insecurity can be seen as a consequence of this development. This paper re-thinks the consequences at the administrational and…

An Introduction to Face Recognition Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shang-Hung Lin

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Recently face recognition is attracting much attention in the society of network multimedia information access.  Areas such as network security, content indexing and retrieval, and video compression benefits from face recognition technology because "people" are the center of attention in a lot of video.  Network access control via face recognition not only makes hackers virtually impossible to steal one's "password", but also increases the user-friendliness in human-computer interaction.  Indexing and/or retrieving video data based on the appearances of particular persons will be useful for users such as news reporters, political scientists, and moviegoers.  For the applications of videophone and teleconferencing, the assistance of face recognition also provides a more efficient coding scheme.  In this paper, we give an introductory course of this new information processing technology.  The paper shows the readers the generic framework for the face recognition system, and the variants that are frequently encountered by the face recognizer.  Several famous face recognition algorithms, such as eigenfaces and neural networks, will also be explained.

Helping CERN give back to society

CERN Multimedia

2014-01-01

The CERN & Society mission: ‘To spread the CERN spirit of scientific curiosity for the inspiration and benefit of society.’   Digital library schools in Africa, Arts@CERN, a beam line for schools competition and perhaps soon a dedicated biomedical research facility: CERN infrastructure and expertise have a great influence on society, and we have the potential to do much more. For that, however, we need help, and that’s why we have launched the CERN & Society initiative, which this week sees the publication of a new website for those who want to understand more about how our research touches everyday life, as well as for those who wish to help CERN in this new endeavour. Fundamental research fulfils a very human need. The quest to understand the universe we live in is as old as humanity itself, and CERN is in the vanguard of that effort today. For our scientists and engineers, pushing technology to the limit is part of their day job, and in doing so they ...

Face antispoofing based on frame difference and multilevel representation

Science.gov (United States)

Benlamoudi, Azeddine; Aiadi, Kamal Eddine; Ouafi, Abdelkrim; Samai, Djamel; Oussalah, Mourad

2017-07-01

Due to advances in technology, today's biometric systems become vulnerable to spoof attacks made by fake faces. These attacks occur when an intruder attempts to fool an established face-based recognition system by presenting a fake face (e.g., print photo or replay attacks) in front of the camera instead of the intruder's genuine face. For this purpose, face antispoofing has become a hot topic in face analysis literature, where several applications with antispoofing task have emerged recently. We propose a solution for distinguishing between real faces and fake ones. Our approach is based on extracting features from the difference between successive frames instead of individual frames. We also used a multilevel representation that divides the frame difference into multiple multiblocks. Different texture descriptors (local binary patterns, local phase quantization, and binarized statistical image features) have then been applied to each block. After the feature extraction step, a Fisher score is applied to sort the features in ascending order according to the associated weights. Finally, a support vector machine is used to differentiate between real and fake faces. We tested our approach on three publicly available databases: CASIA Face Antispoofing database, Replay-Attack database, and MSU Mobile Face Spoofing database. The proposed approach outperforms the other state-of-the-art methods in different media and quality metrics.

Nature–society linkages in the Aral Sea region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristopher D. White

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Central Asia's Aral Sea crisis represents a disaster of monumental proportions, a tragedy for both the region's ecology and its human inhabitants. While the human and natural environments had operated in a sustainable co-joined system for millennia, Tsarist Russian expansion into Central Asia, followed by Soviet expansion of both the cotton industry and unsustainable irrigation practices to anchor it spelled doom for the Aral Sea. Today, many of the political and economic stimuli for such misguided practices continue, as do the continued retreat of the Sea and the proliferation of poor human health. The Aral Sea crisis has received ample scholarly attention, though somewhat surprising is a relative dearth of research explicitly investigating the nature, variety, and directionality of nature–society linkages today within the region. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the contemporary nature–society linkages operating within the Aral Sea region of Central Asia. Historical nexuses will provide necessary background, and the linkages operating currently within the spheres of regional economy, human health, and political considerations will be detailed. Couching the current crisis within the framework of coupled human–environment system contexts reveals a region in which these linkages are largely inextricable. This paper concludes with a call for a reconsideration of the nature-society linkages and a greater emphasis placed on the local region's ecological and social sustainability.

Appearance is a function of the face.

Science.gov (United States)

Borah, Gregory L; Rankin, Marlene K

2010-03-01

Increasingly, third-party insurers deny coverage to patients with posttraumatic and congenital facial deformities because these are not seen as "functional." Recent facial transplants have demonstrated that severely deformed patients are willing to undergo potentially life-threatening surgery in search of a normal physiognomy. Scant quantitative research exists that objectively documents appearance as a primary "function" of the face. This study was designed to establish a population-based definition of the functions of the human face, rank importance of the face among various anatomical areas, and determine the risk value the average person places on a normal appearance. Voluntary adult subjects (n = 210) in three states aged 18 to 75 years were recruited using a quota sampling technique. Subjects completed study questionnaires of demography and bias using the Gamble Chance of Death Questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The face ranked as the most important anatomical area for functional reconstruction. Appearance was the fifth most important function of the face, after breathing, sight, speech, and eating. Normal facial appearance was rated as very important for one to be a functioning member of American society (p = 0.01) by 49 percent. One in seven subjects (13 percent) would accept a 30 to 45 percent risk of death to obtain a "normal" face. Normal appearance is a primary function of the face, based on a large, culturally diverse population sample across the lifespan. Normal appearance ranks above smell and expression as a function. Restoration of facial appearance is ranked the most important anatomical area for repair. Normal facial appearance is very important for one to be a functional member of American society.

Reacting to Face Loss in Chinese Business Culture: An Interview Report

Science.gov (United States)

Cardon, Peter W.

2006-01-01

In Chinese culture, the concept of face refers to personal dignity, prestige, and status and serves to maintain harmony in social relationships and hierarchies. The fear of the loss of face permeates Chinese society. In business, face loss may disrupt deals and harm goodwill. However, limited empirical research has addressed the emotional…

Te Kotahitanga: Addressing Educational Disparities Facing Maori Students in New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Russell; Berryman, Mere; Cavanagh, Tom; Teddy, Lani

2009-01-01

The major challenges facing education in New Zealand today are the continuing social, economic and political disparities within our nation, primarily between the descendants of the European colonisers and the Indigenous Maori people. These disparities are also reflected in educational outcomes. In this paper, an Indigenous Maori Peoples' solution…

House of tomorrow today

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lichtenberg, J.J.N.; Ham, M.; Hensen, J.L.M.

2011-01-01

The House of Tomorrow Today is a project focussing on a healthy, energy producing dwelling to be realized with today¿s proven technology. The project aims at an energy plus level based on the principles as formulated in SmartBuilding (Slimbouwen) [1] ActiveHouse [2] and HoTT [3] It can be seen as

A comparison of problem identification interviews conducted face-to-face and via videoconferencing using the consultation analysis record.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Aaron J; Collier-Meek, Melissa A; Bloomfield, Bradley; Erchul, William P; Gresham, Frank M

2017-08-01

School psychologists who experience challenges delivering face-to-face consultation may utilize videoconferencing to facilitate their consultation activities. Videoconferencing has been found to be an effective method of service delivery in related fields and emerging research suggests that it may be effective for providing teacher training and support in school settings. In this exploratory investigation, we used the Consultation Analysis Record (Bergan & Tombari, 1975) and its four indices to assess the effectiveness of conducting problem identification interviews via videoconferencing versus face-to-face. Overall, findings indicated significant differences across these two conditions, with videoconference interviews coded as having higher indices of content relevance, process effectiveness, and message control, but lower content focus, compared to face-to-face interviews. As these indices have been positively associated with favorable consultation outcomes, the results provide initial support for the effectiveness of consultation delivered via videoconferencing. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endocrinology Telehealth Consultation Improved Glycemic Control Similar to Face-to-Face Visits in Veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Winnie; Saxon, David R; McNair, Bryan; Sanagorski, Rebecca; Rasouli, Neda

2016-09-01

Rates of diabetes for veterans who receive health care through the Veterans Health Administration are higher than rates in the general population. Furthermore, many veterans live in rural locations, far from Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, thus limiting their ability to readily seek face-to-face endocrinology care for diabetes. Telehealth (TH) technologies present an opportunity to improve access to specialty diabetes care for such patients; however, there is a lack of evidence regarding the ability of TH to improve glycemic control in comparison to traditional face-to-face consultations. This was a retrospective cohort study of all new endocrinology diabetes consultations at the Denver VA Medical Center over a 1-year period. A total of 189 patients were included in the analysis. In all, 85 patients had received face-to-face (FTF) endocrinology consultation for diabetes and 104 patients had received TH consultation. Subjects were mostly males (94.7%) and the mean age was 62.8 ± 10.1 years old. HbA1c improved from 9.76% (9.40% to 10.11%) to 8.55% (8.20% to 8.91%) (P Endocrinology TH consultations improved short-term glycemic control as effectively as traditional FTF visits in a veteran population with diabetes. © 2016 Diabetes Technology Society.

The Changing Face of Librarianship in Papua New Guinea: Libraries for Life in the Papua New Guinea Information Society?

Science.gov (United States)

Obi, Margaret J.

"Libraries for life" in Papua New Guinea today is not an impossible goal to strive for to achieve with today's new and old information and communication technologies. However, in order for this to happen, a number of questions will need to be asked. There are three that need immediate attention: (1) What is an "information…

Einstein today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aspect, A.; Grangier, Ph.; Bouchet, F.R.; Brunet, E.; Derrida, B.; Cohen-Tannoudji, C.; Dalibard, J.; Laloe, F.; Damour, Th.; Darrigol, O.; Pocholle, J.P.

2005-01-01

The most important contributions of Einstein involve 5 fields of physics : the existence of quanta (light quanta, stimulated radiation emission and Bose-Einstein condensation), relativity, fluctuations (Brownian motion and thermodynamical fluctuations), the basis of quantum physics and cosmology (cosmological constant and the expansion of the universe). Diverse and renowned physicists have appreciated the development of modern physics from Einstein's ideas to the knowledge of today. This book is a collective book that gathers their work under 7 chapters: 1) 1905, a new beginning; 2) from the Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen's article to quantum information (cryptography and quantum computers); 3) the Bose-Einstein condensation in gases; 4) from stimulated emission to the today's lasers; 5) Brownian motion and the fluctuation-dissipation theory; 6) general relativity; and 7) cosmology. (A.C.)

Information services today an introduction

CERN Document Server

Hirsh, Sandra

2015-01-01

This essential overview of what it means to be a library and information professional today provides a broad overview of the transformation of libraries as information organizations, why these organizations are more important today than ever before, the technological influence on how we provide information resources and services in today's digital and global environment, and the various career opportunities available for information professionals. The book begins with a historical overview of libraries and their transformation as information and technology

Online Scientific Dissemination of Knowledge Blended with Face-to-Face Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tveden-Nyborg, Svend

2013-01-01

is experienced differently throughout a society due to fast and slow adopters. Blending online learning with face-to-face experience will strengthen the learning curve among the targeted users and ensure a faster dissemination of knowledge and thus learning to the entire community....... between the seed scientists, seed consultants, and the seed growers, and the requirements for a knowledge website for learning new seed science. This paper describes the specification requirements set for the required website including taxonomized hierarchical meta-tagging, RSS, legal matters, together...... with limitations and potentials. However, selecting online communication media as a dissemination tool for a community comes with a challenge – among other things it risks creating a learning divide between fast and slow learners. According to the theoretical framework “Diffusion of Innovation”[1] innovation...

Difficulties facing physician mothers in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Yuka; Kozono, Yuki; Mori, Ryo; Marui, Eiji

2011-11-01

Despite recent increases in the number of female physicians graduating in Japan, their premature resignations after childbirth are contributing to the acute shortage of physicians. Previous Japanese studies have explored supportive measures in the workplace, but have rarely focused on the specific problems or concerns of physician-mothers. Therefore, this study explored the challenges facing Japanese physician-mothers in efforts to identify solutions for their retention. Open-ended questionnaires were mailed to 646 alumnae of Juntendo University School of Medicine. We asked subjects to describe their opinions about 'The challenges related to female physicians' resignations'. Comments gathered from alumnae who graduated between 6 and 30 years ago and have children were analyzed qualitatively. Overall, 249 physicians returned the questionnaire (response rate 38.5%), and 73 alumnae with children who graduated in the stated time period provided comments. The challenges facing physician-mothers mainly consisted of factors associated with Japanese society, family responsibilities, and work environment. Japanese society epitomized by traditional gender roles heightened stress related to family responsibilities and promoted gender discrimination at work environment. Additionally, changing Japanese society positively influenced working atmosphere and husband's support. Moreover, the introduction of educational curriculums that alleviated traditional gender role was proposed for pre- and post- medical students. Traditional gender roles encourage discrimination by male physicians or work-family conflicts. The problems facing female physicians involve more than just family responsibilities: diminishing the notion of gender role is key to helping retain them in the workforce. © 2011 Tohoku University Medical Press

The construction of corporate social responsibility in network societies: A communication view

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schultz, F.; Castello, I.; Morsing, M.

2013-01-01

The paper introduces the communication view on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which regards CSR as communicatively constructed in dynamic interaction processes in today's networked societies. Building on the idea that communication constitutes organizations we discuss the potentially

Discovery of innovative therapeutics: today's realities and tomorrow's vision. 1. Criticisms faced by the pharmaceutical industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Abou-Gharbia, Magid; Childers, Wayne E

2013-07-25

The pharmaceutical industry is facing enormous challenges, including reduced efficiency, declining innovation, key patent expirations, fierce price competition from generics, high regulatory hurdles, and a tarnished image. There is a clear need for change in the paradigms designed to address these challenges. Pharma has responded by embarking on a range of initiatives. However, along the way the industry has accrued critics whose accusations have tainted its reputation. The first part of this two-part series will discuss the criticisms that have been leveled at the pharmaceutical industry and summarize the supporting data for and against these criticisms. The second installment will focus on the current challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry and Pharma's responses to address these challenges. It will describe the industry's changing perspective and new business models for coping with the recent loss of talent and declining clinical pipelines as well as present some examples of recent drug discovery successes.

Guided Online or Face-to-Face Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia: A Randomized Wait-List Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lancee, Jaap; van Straten, Annemieke; Morina, Nexhmedin; Kaldo, Viktor; Kamphuis, Jan H

2016-01-01

To compare the efficacy of guided online and individual face-to-face cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia (CBT-I) to a wait-list condition. A randomized controlled trial comparing three conditions: guided online; face-to-face; wait-list. Posttest measurements were administered to all conditions, along with 3- and 6-mo follow-up assessments to the online and face-to-face conditions. Ninety media-recruited participants meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for insomnia were randomly allocated to either guided online CBT-I (n = 30), individual face-to-face CBT-I (n = 30), or wait-list (n = 30). At post-assessment, the online (Cohen d = 1.2) and face-to-face (Cohen d = 2.3) intervention groups showed significantly larger treatment effects than the wait-list group on insomnia severity (insomnia severity index). Large treatment effects were also found for the sleep diary estimates (except for total sleep time), and anxiety and depression measures (for depression only in the face-to-face condition). Face-to-face treatment yielded a statistically larger treatment effect (Cohen d = 0.9) on insomnia severity than the online condition at all time points. In addition, a moderate differential effect size favoring face-to-face treatment emerged at the 3- and 6-mo follow-up on all sleep diary estimates. Face-to-face treatment further outperformed online treatment on depression and anxiety outcomes. These data show superior performance of face-to-face treatment relative to online treatment. Yet, our results also suggest that online treatment may offer a potentially cost-effective alternative to and complement face-to-face treatment. Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01955850. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 13. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Society in Manfaluti Innovative Literature (Arabic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farman Ullah Khan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This article describes the social problems face by the Egyptian people in the late nineteenth and beginning of twentieth century which are tackled by the writer Mustafā Lutfī Manfalūtī in his articles and parables. In the mentioned period the Egyptian society was prone to immoralities carved by the English regime. Bad governance, deprivation of the Egyptian society from their basic rights, and negligence towards Islam were the major shortcomings on the part of the ruling elite. While poverty, problems of women, immorality, offence and other social evils were the main troubles on the part of Egyptian society. This article deals with the way the writer tackled those problems in his writings

City - society - environment - traffic and transport. Pt. 1. FOVUS - university research into traffic and transport; Stadt - Gesellschaft - Umwelt - Verkehr. T. 1. FOVUS - die Universitaet stellt sich der Zukunftsaufgabe Verkehr

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bargende, M. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Verbrennungsmotoren und Kraftfahrwesen; Baumbach, G. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Verfahrenstechnik und Dampfkesselwesen; Dobeschinsky, H. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Forschungsschwerpunkt Verkehr; Englmann, F.C. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Abt. Volkswirtschaftslehre; Heimerl, G.; Treuner, P.; Umbach, U.; Vogt, W.; Wacker, M. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Eisenbahn- und Verkehrswesen; Jessen, J.; Pesch, F.; Ribbeck, E. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Staedtebauliches Inst.; Kaule, G. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Landschaftsplanung und Oekologie; Kuehne, R. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Strassen- und Verkehrswesen; Lenz, B. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Geographisches Inst.

1999-09-01

Taking environmental harm out of mobility is one of the great challenges in society today. The following issues are examples of the problems and conflicts we are facing as individuals and as society: continuing motorisation for mobility, greater difficulty to reach central facilities, workplaces and shopping facilities all of which negatively affect people and economy, increasing awareness of environmental problems, increased environmental awareness, high quality expectations in traffic and transport.(orig.) [German] Die umweltvertraegliche Gestaltung der Mobilitaet ist eine der grossen Herausforderungen unserer Gesellschaft: Weiter steigende motorisierte Mobilitaet, verminderte Erreichbarkeit von zentralen Einrichtungen, von Arbeitsplaetzen und Einkaufsstaetten verbunden mit der Gefahr negativer struktureller Wirkungen fuer Bewohner und Wirtschaft, Verlust an Lebensqualitaet in den Staedten als Folge des Verkehrs, wachsende Erkenntnisse ueber Umweltprobleme und gestiegenes Umweltbewusstsein, hoher Anspruch an Qualitaetsstandards im Verkehr als Grundlage wirtschaftlichen und individuellen Handelns - diese Stichworte kennzeichnen beispielhaft die vielfaeltigen Zielkonflikte und Probleme. (orig.)

Recognition of Novel Faces after Single Exposure is Enhanced during Pregnancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marla V. Anderson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Protective mechanisms in pregnancy include Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP (Fessler, 2002; Flaxman and Sherman, 2000, increased sensitivity to health cues (Jones et al., 2005, and increased vigilance to out-group members (Navarette, Fessler, and Eng, 2007. While common perception suggests that pregnancy results in decreased cognitive function, an adaptationist perspective might predict that some aspects of cognition would be enhanced during pregnancy if they help to protect the reproductive investment. We propose that a reallocation of cognitive resources from nonessential to critical areas engenders the cognitive decline observed in some studies. Here, we used a recognition task disguised as a health rating to determine whether pregnancy facilitates face recognition. We found that pregnant women were significantly better at recognizing faces and that this effect was particularly pronounced for own-race male faces. In human evolutionary history, and today, males present a significant threat to females. Thus, enhanced recognition of faces, and especially male faces, during pregnancy may serve a protective function.

Knowledge Society and the Communication Economy in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Almasan

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Today we attend to complex changes both in economic and social field. The transition through an information society to knowledge based society, where intangible resources are more important, affects all areas of life: business, education, culture etc. In these circumstances, the information becomes a very important element, because who controls the information owns the power, especially when competition intensifies. The appearance of modern ways of communications facilitates the access to information and, in the same time, eliminates the distances. The telecommunications sector is a very dynamic one and its development is very fast. That determines us to make a short analysis of this field in Romania.

NAHDLATUL ULAMA (NU SEBAGAI CIVIL SOCIETY DI INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esty Ekawati

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Civil Society is non-government organization or an autonomous group which is faced with state and has a function for check and balance for the government policy. Civil society also has a function to social control. Lary Diamond said that civil society establish on cultural organization such as religion or ethnic or organization which keep the truth and believe. Nahdhatul Ulama is a religion organization in Indonesia which has function to social control for the government. Beside that, the activities of NU in education, democracy development and other social activities made NU still exist in social and political society in Indonesia.

E-business Environment in the Global Information Society

OpenAIRE

Vymětal, Dominik; Suchánek, Petr

2009-01-01

In today´s digital 21st century, almost all businesses face intense competition from competitors all around the globe. There are no borders and business area for the all companies is almost unlimited. As the main supports of mentioned fact are globalization and ICT´s development. Influences such as globalization, increased popularity of outsourcing and offshoring have recently combined to produce an environment where ICT graduates need to have up-to-date and industry-relevant knowledge and sk...

Civil-Society Organizations’ Capacity Building in the Local Governmental Sector: Is It Working? A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Máthé Réka Zsuzsánna

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The role that a strong civil society plays in socio-economic development is a subject of major scholarly attention today. Many benefits from having a strong civil society are reported in the literature. There is, however, no generally accepted view regarding how capacity-building efforts can help to develop a strong civil society, especially in the Central and Eastern European countries.

Personality Value Orientations in Terms of Kyrgyzstan Society Anomie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruslan M. Asanaliyev

2012-10-01

Full Text Available All well-known definitions of an anomy extremely precisely approach to a current state Kyrgyz society. The chosen ways under of subjective and objective circumstances lead to society destabilization. During such periods of social development the developed values and valuable orientations can’t be equal to the existing realities, and new weren't created yet up to the end, exactly in such conditions the anomy and deviant behavior most extend. Today to the country deviant behavior of considerable part of the population embodies the destructive tendencies most dangerous. These tendencies must be studied and analyzed.

Burden of mortality in Greenland--today and tomorrow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lasse Christian; Hansen, Kristian Schultz; Nielsen, Ulla Ringgren

2004-01-01

: Concerted multi-sectoral approaches and broad holistic health strategies related to health promotion and prevention today will strategically improve the capability of the Greenlandic society to manage the future disease burden from ageing via its health care sector and the institutional sector for care......OBJECTIVES: Investigation of the relative impact of three factors expected to influence the future mortality burden in Greenland: demographic change, epidemiological transition and behavioural patterns. STUDY DESIGN: To identify general trends in public health status, evaluating the effect...... of public health campaigns and providing the basis for making predictions of future trends in the mortality burden data from the Greenlandic Death Causes Register to estimate Years of Life Lost (YLL) in the period 1976-1998 has been used. METHODS: YLL were estimated according to the Burden of Disease Method...

THE FORMATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL NURSE AND THE LABOR MARKET TODAY.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Milton Barros Neto

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The professional nursing practice has been constantly targeted for discussion, especially regarding the conditions of their work . The aim of this study was to understand the formation of this professional and the job market today, considering the changes in the curriculum of nursing, trends in the labor market , the demand and supply of labor this professional. It is a study of the literature review, based on a historical - critical perspective , using the databases SCIELO , VHL , BIREME , plus titles available in the library of the Centro Universitário de Maceió - CESMAC.O study was guiding question : how has initally vocational nurses face the determinations of the job market today ? It was felt that the training of nurses throughout their history, had fundamental influence of the labor market , whereas the changes in curricular courses were predetermined in the market trends that pointed according to each season . In recent decades , there has been a considerable increase in jobs , but disproportionate to the number of institutions of higher education in nursing in the country . Consequently , highlighted the growth of the informal labor relations , resulting in precarious jobs and the stagnation in labor income.

The red face: art, history and medical representations.

Science.gov (United States)

Cribier, B

2011-11-01

For millennia, a red face has been a handicap in social relations, mainly because of the associated bias against alcoholics. The color red is also the color of emotion, betrayal of the person who blushes. Since the color red is one of the main characteristics of rosacea, it contributes to the bad reputation this disorder has, which is therefore the subject of a pressing therapeutic demand, principally in women. Nineteenth-century French novelists such as Balzac and later Proust, admirably described blotchy, red, or sanguine faces, which always announced a difficult, violent temperament, or was simply the mark of the laboring class. The color red remains ambivalent today, on the one hand denoting blood and life and on the other suffering, shame, and death. The history of dermatology shows that the semiology of rosacea was very well described in the earliest reports, notably those written in the Middle Ages. The term "acne rosacea" appeared in Bateman's writings, who made it a clinical form of acne. This confusion lasted throughout the nineteenth century. It was not until Hebra in Austria and Darier in France that the differential diagnosis was clearly made between acne and rosacea. A "couperosis" previously referred to the entire range of the disease, particularly the papules and pustules, and it was not until the twentieth century that the current meaning of rosacea progressively gained ground: this term today designates facial telangiectasia, whether or not it is associated with a characteristic redness. Rosacea is a conspicuous disease, since the lesions involve the central portion of the face.Among the many manifestations of rosacea, redness is the most characteristic [1]. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Handling Multiple Ecologies in Architectural Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lotz, Katrine; Sattrup, Peter Andreas

2014-01-01

In light of the many challenges of resource scarcity, climate change, rapid urbanization and changing social patterns facing societies today, main stream architecture remains remarkably 'resilient' to conceptual innovation regarding its nature and role in society. If the idea of open architecture...

Communication & Society: A Critical Political Economy Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Horst Holzer

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the English translations of one of Horst Holzer’s works on communication and society. Holzer elaborates foundations of a critical sociology of communication(s that studies the relationship of communication and society based on the approach of critical political economy. He shows that such an approach relates communication and production, communication and capitalism; communication, ideology and fetishism; and situates communication in the context of social struggles for alternatives to capitalist social forms. The paper is followed by a postface in which Christian Fuchs contemplates why Holzer’s approach has been largely “forgotten” in the German social sciences and media and communication studies, in turn stressing the continued relevance of Holzer’s theory today.

Genomics and Global Justice: toward global agri-genomics critizenship, Genomics, Policy and Society

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korthals, M.J.J.A.A.

2010-01-01

Searching for the specific contribution of the life sciences to global justice in agriculture and food, one is faced with six global problems that haunt the world today. These are: population growth (9.2 billion by 2050); the gap between poor and rich peoples; hunger and obesity; increasing

Religious Renaissance in China Today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Madsen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Since the beginning of the Reform Era in 1979, there has been a rapid growth and development of religious belief and practice in China. A substantial new scholarly literature has been generated in the attempt to document and understand this. This essay identifies the most important contributions to that literature and discusses areas of agreement and controversy across the literature. Along with new data, new paradigms have developed to frame research on Chinese religions. The paradigm derived from C. K. Yang’s classic work in the 1960s came from structural functionalism, which served to unite research in the humanities and social sciences. However, structural functionalism has been abandoned by the new generation of scholars. In the humanities, the most popular paradigm derives from Michel Foucault, but there are also scholars who use neo-Durkheimian and neo-Weberian paradigms. In the social sciences, the dominant paradigms tend to focus on state-society relations. None of these paradigms fully captures the complexity of the transformations happening in China. We recommend greater dialogue between the humanities and social sciences in search of more adequate theoretical frameworks for understanding Chinese religions today.

Fermilab Today

Science.gov (United States)

registration due today Women's Initiative: "Guiltless: Work/Life Balance" - Aug. 13 Nominations for ; -Leah Hesla In Brief Women's Initiative presents 'Guiltless: Work-Life Balance' - Thursday in One West Cowperthwaite-O'Hagan present "Guiltless: Work-Life Balance" on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 3 p.m. in One

Evolutionary Biology: Its Value to Society

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, Hampton L.

1972-01-01

Cites examples of the contribution of basic research in evolutionary biology to the solution of problems facing society (1) by dispelling myths about human origins, the nature of the individual, and the nature of race (2) by providing basic data concerning the effects of overpopulation, the production of improved sources of food, resistance of…

Career development tips for today's nursing academic: bibliometrics, altmetrics and social media.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Derek R; Watson, Roger

2016-11-01

A discussion of bibliometrics, altmetrics and social media for the contemporary nursing scholar and academic researcher. Today's nursing academic faces myriad challenges in balancing their daily life and, in recent years, academic survival has been increasingly challenged by the various research assessment exercises that evaluate the performance of knowledge institutions. As such, it is essential that today's nursing academic keep up to date with the core competencies needed for survival in a modern research career, particularly the intersecting triad of bibliometrics, altmetrics and social media. Discussion paper. Published literature and relevant websites. The rise of social media and altmetrics has important implications for contemporary nursing scholars who publish their research. Some fundamental questions when choosing a journal might be 'does it have a Twitter and/or Facebook site, or a blog (or all three)'; and 'does it have any other presence on social media, such as LinkedIn, Wikipedia, YouTube, ResearchGate and so on?' Another consequence of embracing social media is that individual academics should also develop their own strategies for promoting and disseminating their work as widely as possible. The rising importance of social media and altmetrics can no longer be ignored, and today's nursing academic now has another facet to consider in their scholarly activities. Despite the changing nature of research dissemination, however, it is still important to recognize the undoubted value of established knowledge dissemination routes (that being the peer-reviewed publication). © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ignatius of Loyola on medical education. Or: Should today's Jesuits continue to run health sciences schools?

Science.gov (United States)

Welie, Jos V M

2003-01-01

There are present 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, which together offer more than 50 health sciences degree programs. But as the Society's membership is shrinking and the financial risks involved in sponsoring health sciences education are rising, the question arises whether the Society should continue to sponsor health sciences degree programs. In fact, at least eight Jesuit health sciences schools have already closed their doors. This paper attempts to contribute to the resolution of this urgent question by reexamining Ignatius own views on health sciences education and, more specifically, his prohibition of the Society's sponsoring medical education. It concludes on the basis of an historical analysis of Ignatius' views that there is insufficient support for today's Jesuits to maintain their engagement in medical and health care education.

[Childhood in flux--Part II: Modern times until today].

Science.gov (United States)

Hardt, Jochen; Hoffmann, Sven Olaf

2006-01-01

At the end of the 19th century, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was founded in New York, after a barbarous case of neglect and abuse of a girl became public. From then on, children received more and more protection. Only in the 1950s were doctors in the USA bound by law to report cases of putative physical abuse to officials. In Sweden, physical punishment of children has been forbidden since 1989, and in Germany since 2001. The existence of sexual abuse of children had been a taboo subject for centuries, even though individual attempts to break that taboo were made--e. g., by S. Freud in the theory of seduction (Verführungstheorie). Only with the birth of the women's liberation movement in the early 1970s has public awareness arisen. Due to the work of J. Bowlby in the 1950s, it became clear that children of primates need more than air, water and food, namely a relationship between the child and an adult person (attachment). To what degree the basic needs of children are being fulfilled in Western societies today is still a controversial issue.

Today's threat and tomorrow's reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, L.R.

2002-01-01

Full text: The events of September 11 have only confirmed our past nightmares and warnings to industries, agencies, and governments. The threat of even more significant catastrophic attacks, using nuclear materials, was just as real ten years ago, as it is today. In many cases, our vulnerability remains the same as years ago. There is a dire need for all organizations to agree upon threats and vulnerabilities, and to implement appropriate protections, for nuclear materials or other 'means' to achieve an event of mass destruction. All appropriate organizations (industries, agencies, and governments) should be able to define, assess, and recognize international threats and vulnerabilities in the same manner. In complimentary fashion, the organizations should be able to implement safeguards against this consistent generic threat. On an international scale the same threats, and most vulnerabilities, pose high risks to all of these organizations and societies. Indeed, in today's world, the vulnerabilities of one nation may clearly pose great risk to another nation. Once threats and vulnerabilities are consistently recognized, we can begin to approach their mitigation in a more 'universal' fashion by the application of internationally recognized and accepted security measures. The path to recognition of these security measures will require agreement on many diverse issues. However, once there is general agreement, we can then proceed to the acquisition of diverse national and international resources with which to implement the security measures 'universally' to eliminate 'weak-links' in the chain of nuclear materials, on a truly international scale. I would like to discuss: developing a internationally acceptable 'generic' statement of threat, vulnerability assessment process, and security measure; proposing this international statement of threat, vulnerability assessment process, and appropriate security measures to organizations (industries, agencies, and governments

The YES Network: IYPE's Motto 'Earth Sciences for Society

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzales, Leila; Keane, Christopher

2010-05-01

The YES Network is an international association of early-career geoscientists who are primarily under the age of 35 years and are currently engaged in the geosciences in organizations from across the world. The YES Network was formed as a result of the International Year of Planet Earth in 2007. The YES Network aims to establish an interdisciplinary global network of individuals committed to solving these challenges, and furthering the IYPE motto of "Earth Sciences for Society". In 2009, in collaboration with the IYPE and under the patronage of UNESCO, the YES Network organized its first international Congress at the China University of Geosciences in Beijing, China. The Congress focused on climate, environmental and geoscience challenges facing today's society, as well as career and academic pathway challenges faced by early-career geoscientists. More than 300 young geoscientists from across the world attended the conference to present their research and participate in the oral, poster, and roundtable symposia. The roundtable symposia engaged senior and early-career geoscientists via presentations, panel discussions, and working group sessions. These symposia were broadcast as ‘live' webinars to increase international participation. As a result, 41 "virtual" participants from 10 countries and 16 "virtual" speakers from 5 countries were able to participate in these discussions. Since October, the YES Network has continued to expand its membership and develop more projects aligned with the "Earth Sciences for Society" motto. The YES Network is continuing to develop its website and social media networks to increase communication between YES Network members on local, regional and international scales, and it is developing resources to aid early-career geoscientists with opportunities for professional development, international collaboration, and involvement in outreach activities. Members of the YES Network are actively forming connections between the YES Network

Locating Science in Society across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mejlgaard, Niels; Bloch, Carter Walter; Degn, Lise

2012-01-01

-level and individual-level data, we further show a connection between national differences and the public’s satisfaction with their own role as participants in science and technology. In countries where science communication culture is weak, where science plays a minor role in policy-making, and where institutions......In search of differences and similarities in relation to the role and location of science in European societies, we use empirical information from 37 countries as a platform for developing typologies concerning dimensions of science in society. These capture clusters of countries and reveal...... significant heterogeneity across Europe, providing a point of departure for international learning, while also demonstrating the challenges that the European institutions face in their promotion of a European Research Area, shared priorities and a common model of science in society. Combining national...

Developing a reading culture in Nigerian society: Issues and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Developing a reading culture in Nigerian society: Issues and Remedies. ... Development of reading culture is faced with the challenges of language interference, poor funding of education and poor economy. ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Validated assessment scales for the lower face.

Science.gov (United States)

Narins, Rhoda S; Carruthers, Jean; Flynn, Timothy C; Geister, Thorin L; Görtelmeyer, Roman; Hardas, Bhushan; Himmrich, Silvia; Jones, Derek; Kerscher, Martina; de Maio, Maurício; Mohrmann, Cornelia; Pooth, Rainer; Rzany, Berthold; Sattler, Gerhard; Buchner, Larry; Benter, Ursula; Breitscheidel, Lusine; Carruthers, Alastair

2012-02-01

Aging in the lower face leads to lines, wrinkles, depression of the corners of the mouth, and changes in lip volume and lip shape, with increased sagging of the skin of the jawline. Refined, easy-to-use, validated, objective standards assessing the severity of these changes are required in clinical research and practice. To establish the reliability of eight lower face scales assessing nasolabial folds, marionette lines, upper and lower lip fullness, lip wrinkles (at rest and dynamic), the oral commissure and jawline, aesthetic areas, and the lower face unit. Four 5-point rating scales were developed to objectively assess upper and lower lip wrinkles, oral commissures, and the jawline. Twelve experts rated identical lower face photographs of 50 subjects in two separate rating cycles using eight 5-point scales. Inter- and intrarater reliability of responses was assessed. Interrater reliability was substantial or almost perfect for all lower face scales, aesthetic areas, and the lower face unit. Intrarater reliability was high for all scales, areas and the lower face unit. Our rating scales are reliable tools for valid and reproducible assessment of the aging process in lower face areas. © 2012 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hainan - State, Society, and Business in a Chinese Province

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brødsgaard, Kjeld Erik

This book examines the complex relationship between the state, society and business in China, focusing on the experience of the island province of Hainan. This island, for many years a provincial backwater, was given provincial rank in 1988 and became the testing ground for experiments of an econ......This book examines the complex relationship between the state, society and business in China, focusing on the experience of the island province of Hainan. This island, for many years a provincial backwater, was given provincial rank in 1988 and became the testing ground for experiments...... of an economic, political, and social nature that have received great attention from Beijing, in particular the "small government, big society" project. This book provides a full account of this transition, showing how Hainan casts important light on a number of highly topical issues in contemporary China...... studies: central-local relations, institutional reform, state-society relations, and economic development strategies. It provides detailed evidence of how relations between party cadres, state bureaucrats, businesses, foreign investors and civil society play out in practice in China today. It argues...

Mass Media in Society: The Need of Research. Reports and Papers on Mass Communication, Number 59.

Science.gov (United States)

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

More and better research should be undertaken, nationally and internationally, on the effect of mass media upon society. Prior to such research, there needs to be an awareness of the realities of society today and of broadcasting structure. There should also be an understanding of the research that has already been done and of the gaps in that…

Mass Society/Culture/Media: An Eclectic Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Clavner, Jerry B.

Instructors of courses in mass society, culture, and communication start out facing three types of difficulties: the historical orientation of learning, the parochialism of various disciplines, and negative intellectually elitist attitudes toward mass culture/media. Added to these problems is the fact that many instructors have little or no…

Responsibility of research for the future of society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, H.

1977-01-01

Full text of the speech with which the Chancellor addressed the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. In this speech he states, among other things, that in his opinion nuclear power will be indispensable in the long run. However, in a democratic society, projects of this dimension cannot be realized without the consent of the public. Therefore, one should early open one's eyes and ears for problems which harass people today of may harass them tomorrow. (RW) [de

NETWORK CULTURE - INTEGRAL PART OF NEW VALUES OF CIVIL SOCIETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Sukhanov

2014-06-01

Full Text Available New technologies not only improve working conditions or communication, they are also bringing new values to  the society. This article discusses the concept of «network culture», which is now perceived by society as an integral part of values that can only exist in a civil society. We can research ( find   this kind of society in modern time period in Russia. The article analyzes the meaning of communication, how to use it, development processes in network media.  Nowadays network culture and its influence on society are almost in all spheres of state and society, as well as changes in perception of information and content generation process. Development of the Internet and Internet technologies largely set the tone for  the development of popular culture and allows you to store or to influence the national culture. Internet press today is and example which shows us, how this kind of tool can be used to influence on citizens.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2014-3-6

The transition of new technology to solve today`s problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamin, R.A. [Naval Air Warfare Center, Trenton, NJ (United States); Martin, C.J.; Turner, L.M. [Defense Fuel Supply Center, Alexandria, VA (United States)

1995-05-01

Extensive research has been conducted in the development of methods to predict the degradation of F-44 in storage. The Low Pressure Reactor (LPR) has greatly enhanced the stability prediction capabilities necessary to make informed decisions concerning aviation fuel in storage. This technique has in the past been primarily used for research purposes. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Trenton, NJ, has used this technique successfully to assist the Defense Fuel Supply Center, Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA, in stability assessments of F-44. The High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrochemical Detector (HPLC/EC) antioxidant determination technique has also aided in making stability predictions by establishing the amount of inhibitor currently in the product. This paper will address two case studies in which the above new technology was used to insure the rapid detection and diagnosis of today`s field and logistic problems.

Historical Highlights From 75 Years of the Soil Science Society of America

Science.gov (United States)

Brevik, E. C.

2012-04-01

From its official founding on November 18, 1936 to the present day, the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) has developed a rich and diverse history. SSSA began with 190 members grouped into six sections: 1) physics, 2) chemistry, 3) microbiology, 4) fertility, 5) morphology, and 6) technology. Today SSSA has over 6,000 members who can choose from any of 11 divisions, S1 Soil Physics, S2 Soil Chemistry, S3 Soil Biology and Biochemistry, S4 Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, S5 Pedology, S6 Soil and Water Management and Conservation, S7 Forest, Range, and Wildland Soils, S8 Nutrient Management and Soil and Plant Analysis, S9 Soil Mineralogy, S10 Wetland Soils, and S11 Soils and Environmental Quality to represent their primary area(s) of interest. The Society has also gone from being largely agriculturally focused to an eclectic mix of individuals with interests in agriculture, the environment, earth sciences, human interactions, and other diverse areas. At its founding, SSSA sponsored one publication, the Soil Science Society of America Proceedings. Today, SSSA sponsors its descendent, the Soil Science Society of America Journal, as well as Vadose Zone Journal, the Journal of Environmental Quality, Soil Survey Horizons, and the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education. In short, SSSA's history has been one of continued growth over the last 75 years. The future holds many challenges for SSSA and the field of soil science. There are increasing calls to meet with groups other than or in addition to the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America, groups like the Geological Society of America and the Ecological Society of America. Members in SSSA now work in university departments, government agencies, and businesses representing the fields of biology, geology, geography, and archeology, among others, in addition to the traditional agricultural sector. How SSSA handles this diversification of the field and its membership will

Understanding Media and Refugees rough Civil Society: Mülteci-Der Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Media allows us to witness to the moments – to the wars in which humanity remains most embarrassed, most vulnerable and most desperate - today via the latest technologies. It is known that the Gulf War was a turning point in media’s illustration of a war, meaning that its representation of actual war footage as a cinematography to the audience in a way never seen before. The point where we have arrived at today seems that it has gone beyond watching the war in our safe places by feeling as if we were directly involved in it. Media receivers/target audiences are now facing the witnessing and being aware of the incidents that all civilians –especially the most affected ones, children, women and elderly people- experienced. This situation brings along the demands of societies who are willing to take responsibilities and initiatives about the events they witnessed, besides the countries and the governments. In this study, the extent to which Multeci-Der as a non-governmental organization that works for refugee problems can represent itself in the media is analyzed by content analysis and discourse analysis methods. In what extent the association is represented and with what types of news it is represented is considered significant, since it shows Multeci-Der’s contributions for creating an agenda on the subject. With reference to the ongoing war in Syria since 2011, the media news regarding Syrian refugees have been analyzed over Multeci-Der, which was established as a non-governmental organization in order to work for refugees. As a result, it is seen that the national press reserves a limited attention about the association’s activities and statements, and the news of local press seem to be far from creating an agenda and public opinion throughout the country.

Children Can Learn New Facts Equally Well From Interactive Media Versus Face to Face Instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwok, Kristine; Ghrear, Siba; Li, Vivian; Haddock, Taeh; Coleman, Patrick; Birch, Susan A J

2016-01-01

Today's children have more opportunities than ever before to learn from interactive technology, yet experimental research assessing the efficacy of children's learning from interactive media in comparison to traditional learning approaches is still quite scarce. Moreover, little work has examined the efficacy of using touch-screen devices for research purposes. The current study compared children's rate of learning factual information about animals during a face-to-face instruction from an adult female researcher versus an analogous instruction from an interactive device. Eighty-six children ages 4 through 8 years (64% male) completed the learning task in either the Face-to-Face condition ( n = 43) or the Interactive Media condition ( n = 43). In the Learning Phase of the experiment, which was presented as a game, children were taught novel facts about animals without being told that their memory of the facts would be tested. The facts were taught to the children either by an adult female researcher (Face-to-Face condition) or from a pre-recorded female voice represented by a cartoon Llama (Interactive Media condition). In the Testing Phase of the experiment that immediately followed, children's memory for the taught facts was tested using a 4-option forced-choice paradigm. Children's rate of learning was significantly above chance in both conditions and a comparison of the rates of learning across the two conditions revealed no significant differences. Learning significantly improved from age 4 to age 8, however, even the preschool-aged children performed significantly above chance, and their performance did not differ between conditions. These results suggest that, interactive media can be equally as effective as one-on-one instruction, at least under certain conditions. Moreover, these results offer support for the validity of using interactive technology to collect data for research purposes. We discuss the implications of these results for children's learning

Young People Engaging in Volunteering: Questioning a Generational Trend in an Individualized Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Jardim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Today young people experience a world that is being significantly changed by large-scale transformations in education and labour markets. Youth, as a generation, is most affected by those changes, since they are more likely to reshape their ways of living in response to the conditions they face, which inevitably produce inequalities in their lives. Volunteering is one of their responses. This paper aims to discuss the generational motivations and attitudes of a group of 11 European young people to participate in a European Voluntary Service project during a period of one year. The data was collected through an ethnographic methodological approach conducted between 2013 and 2014 in a Youth Centre in northern Portugal. Results clearly indicate that young people have an instrumental relationship with volunteering, which is mainly focused on the individual benefits that they believe they will acquire in their personal and professional life. Volunteering emerges as an opportunity to escape and to overcome the persisting challenges and constraints posed by our society; namely unemployment and precariousness, both of which are on the rise amongst young generations around the world.

Changing societies and four tasks of schooling: Challenges for strongly differentiated educational systems

Science.gov (United States)

van de Werfhorst, Herman G.

2014-05-01

Changing labour markets, increased calls for selection and excellence, and increased diversity and individualisation have repercussions on how educational systems can prepare youth for work, optimise knowledge production, achieve equality of opportunity, and socialise students into active civic engagement. This paper discusses four central tasks of schooling and examines to what extent societal developments challenge education policy to deliver on the tasks at hand. Particular attention is given to the challenges Europe's strongly diversified educational systems are currently facing. Both the Netherlands and Germany, for example, have been offering vocationally-oriented pathways alongside traditional academic higher education for some time. But today's ongoing changes in job descriptions, mainly due to ever-accelerating technological developments, are causing a risk of skills obsolescence which can only be avoided by continuous upskilling and/or reskilling of a sufficiently flexible workforce. Overcoming differences of intelligence as well as differences of diverse socioeconomic, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds by way of education is another challenge, as is fostering "soft" skills and political awareness. This paper investigates the effectiveness of current education systems in preparing citizens for a functioning modern society.

Enhancing the performance of cooperative face detector by NFGS

Science.gov (United States)

Yesugade, Snehal; Dave, Palak; Srivastava, Srinkhala; Das, Apurba

2015-07-01

Computerized human face detection is an important task of deformable pattern recognition in today's world. Especially in cooperative authentication scenarios like ATM fraud detection, attendance recording, video tracking and video surveillance, the accuracy of the face detection engine in terms of accuracy, memory utilization and speed have been active areas of research for the last decade. The Haar based face detection or SIFT and EBGM based face recognition systems are fairly reliable in this regard. But, there the features are extracted in terms of gray textures. When the input is a high resolution online video with a fairly large viewing area, Haar needs to search for face everywhere (say 352×250 pixels) and every time (e.g., 30 FPS capture all the time). In the current paper we have proposed to address both the aforementioned scenarios by a neuro-visually inspired method of figure-ground segregation (NFGS) [5] to result in a two-dimensional binary array from gray face image. The NFGS would identify the reference video frame in a low sampling rate and updates the same with significant change of environment like illumination. The proposed algorithm would trigger the face detector only when appearance of a new entity is encountered into the viewing area. To address the detection accuracy, classical face detector would be enabled only in a narrowed down region of interest (RoI) as fed by the NFGS. The act of updating the RoI would be done in each frame online with respect to the moving entity which in turn would improve both FR (False Rejection) and FA (False Acceptance) of the face detection system.

Equal opportunities for men and women in contemporary society

OpenAIRE

DECARLI, Beata

2011-01-01

The work will focus on the status of women in today's Czech society, their perception of discrimination in employment, problems in finding searching for work and their position upon return after maternity leave. How they consider the entry in marriage and subsequent upbringing of children in contrakt to their self-fulfillment and career building. What gender stereotypes, feminism and the compatibility of career, family and maternal roles are.

Solidary Dimension of Bio-Ethical Challenges in Croatian Society

OpenAIRE

MATULIĆ, Tonči

2006-01-01

This contribution investigates the solidary dimensions of bio-ethical challenges with special reflection on their situation and demands in Croatian society. The research unfolds in several stages. The introduction questions the state of today's cultural situation within which bio-ethical challenges emerge. In continuation, the paper investigates relations between social issues as a world notion and bio-ethical challenges that undoubtedly constitute a vital component of that issue. This is par...

Enhancing Canadian Civil Society Research and Knowledge-Based ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Enhancing Canadian Civil Society Research and Knowledge-Based Practice in a Rapidly Changing Landscape for International Development ... Women in the developing world continue to face obstacles that limit their ability to establish careers and become leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and ...

When Encounters between Religious Worldviews Are a Threat: Applying Triune Ethics Theory in a Religiously Diverse Landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, Daniel; Lovat, Terence

2014-01-01

Democratic societies today face increasing diversity, including religious diversity, and are finding that interfaith engagement possesses potential to bring out the worst and the best of human responses and, correlatively, that such engagement can either assist in or undermine the social cohesion of these societies. This article employs Triune…

Sharing the Knowledge: Government-Private Sector Partnerships to Enhance Information Security

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rinaldi, Steven M

2000-01-01

... U.S. military responds to the cyber threat facing the American military and society today. The U.S. military has become increasingly dependent upon the nation's information and communications infrastructures...

Using eye movements as an index of implicit face recognition in autism spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Hedley, Darren; Young, Robyn; Brewer, Neil

2012-10-01

Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically show impairment on face recognition tasks. Performance has usually been assessed using overt, explicit recognition tasks. Here, a complementary method involving eye tracking was used to examine implicit face recognition in participants with ASD and in an intelligence quotient-matched non-ASD control group. Differences in eye movement indices between target and foil faces were used as an indicator of implicit face recognition. Explicit face recognition was assessed using old-new discrimination and reaction time measures. Stimuli were faces of studied (target) or unfamiliar (foil) persons. Target images at test were either identical to the images presented at study or altered by changing the lighting, pose, or by masking with visual noise. Participants with ASD performed worse than controls on the explicit recognition task. Eye movement-based measures, however, indicated that implicit recognition may not be affected to the same degree as explicit recognition. Autism Res 2012, 5: 363-379. © 2012 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2012 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ignatian leadership and governance in Society of Jesus universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José María Guibert

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Universities are faced with many challenges associated with their mission in the societies in which they are found. In recent decades, the Society of Jesus has renovated and updated its mission with a new reformulation. It owns nearly two hundred institutions of higher education and there has been a reintegration of these institutions in the mission of the Society of Jesus. The concept of Ignatian leadership has emerged in recent years as a means of renewing individuals and institutions. For Jesuit universities this may, also, provide an opportunity to deepen their identity and improve their apostolic service.

A Reformed perspective on the concept of the ‘common good’ and its relevance for social action in South Africa today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakobus M. Vorster

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article investigates the idea of the ‘common good’ from a Classic Reformed perspective and the possibilities raised by a fresh approach to the concept for social action by civil society in South Africa today. The central theoretical argument of this article is that the new interest in the concept of natural law, as became evident in modern-day moral reflection in the Classic Reformed moral teaching, can indeed contribute to a new positive assessment of the concept common good and can provide a valuable framework for the foundation of reformed social action in cooperation with civil society in South Africa today. Firstly, the concept is discussed within the framework of the reformed idea of ‘natural law’ and the argument concludes with the finding that the concept can be accommodated in Reformed Theology. Secondly, a case is made for the cooperation between churches, other religious institutions and the broader civil society to cooperate on the basis of the common good and global ethics to address three areas of serious concern in the South African society. These are the promotion of the idea of human dignity within the social sphere with special reference to racism, xenophobia and sexism as well as the development of family life and family values, and the advancement of the idea of neighbourliness as a core ingredient of social healing and reconciliation.

The Pilgrimage to the Holy Face of Lucca in 1896: Documents and News from the Archive of the Congregation of the Holy Face

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommaso Maria Rossi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available 100 records and many other documentary testimonies regarding the Congregation of the Holy Face of Lucca are stored within the funds of the Historical Diocesan Archive of Lucca. The Chapters of the Society of the Holy Face are present within the same Archive; this document is dated back to 1306-1308 and it is brought up together with the minutes of the meetings in a paper register of 16th-17th century, the only one remained concerning the renewed Society of the Holy Sacrament and the Holy Face. The brotherhood recovered importance during the 19th century mostly thanks to some priests of Lucca, including the Abbot Pietro Pera (the future Archbishop between 1845 and 1846. Specifically, two important moments regarding the renewed interest for the relics of Lucca can be registered after the Napoleonic Era. First, a competition for the construction of a golden lamp for the chapel of the Holy Face was carried out between 1835 and 1836, and Abbot Pera was charged to supervise the enterprise. Related documentaries as well as the various drawings presented for the competition are stored in the Archives of the Congregation of the Holy Face. Moreover, a pilgrimage to the simulacrum of Lucca took place during 1896. This event was very successful: the City and the entire Diocese accurately organized the arrival of about 132,000 pilgrims by controlling pilgrims’ overnighting and daily meals, and developing a visiting route concerning the shrines of the City.

The face and person perception: insights from social cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Kimberly A; Macrae, C Neil

2011-11-01

Social-cognitive investigations of face perception have tended to be motivated by different goals than cognitive and neuropsychological studies-namely, to understand the dynamics of social categorization rather than identity recognition-and the result has been a lack of cross-pollination of insights and ideas between the disciplines. We review the evidence from social cognition, with an eye to discussing how this work aligns with the Bruce and Young (1986) model of face recognition. Acknowledging the invaluable impact the model has exerted on our understanding of face recognition, we suggest that considering the bottom-up constraints of visual processing and the top-down influences of semantic knowledge will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of face perception. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

The own-age face recognition bias is task dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Proietti, Valentina; Macchi Cassia, Viola; Mondloch, Catherine J

2015-08-01

The own-age bias (OAB) in face recognition (more accurate recognition of own-age than other-age faces) is robust among young adults but not older adults. We investigated the OAB under two different task conditions. In Experiment 1 young and older adults (who reported more recent experience with own than other-age faces) completed a match-to-sample task with young and older adult faces; only young adults showed an OAB. In Experiment 2 young and older adults completed an identity detection task in which we manipulated the identity strength of target and distracter identities by morphing each face with an average face in 20% steps. Accuracy increased with identity strength and facial age influenced older adults' (but not younger adults') strategy, but there was no evidence of an OAB. Collectively, these results suggest that the OAB depends on task demands and may be absent when searching for one identity. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Effects of Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication and Face-to-Face Interaction on Speaking Skill Development of Iranian EFL Learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakimeh Shahrokhi Mehr

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The traditional form of teaching speaking skill has been via face-to-face (FTF interaction in the classroom setting. Today in the computer age, the on-line forum can provide a virtual environment for differential communication. The pedagogical system benefits from such technology improvement for teaching foreign languages. This quasi-experimental research aimed at comparing the effects of two instructional strategies: synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC and FTF interaction. For this purpose, 60 EFL learners were selected from a private language institute as the control (n=30 and experimental (n=30 groups. A speaking test, designed by Hughes (2003, was administered as pretest and after a 12-session treatment the same test was administered as the posttest. The result obtained showed that participants taught based on SCMC fared better than those that were taught according to FTF interaction. Based on the findings of the current study, it is recommended that EFL teachers incorporate computer-mediated communication into their pedagogical procedures.

Neutrinos today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pontecorvo, B.; Bilen'kij, S.

1987-01-01

After the famous 1983 discovery of intermediate W, Z 0 bosons it may be stated with certainty that W, Z 0 are entirely responsible for the production of neutrinos and for their interactions. Neutrino physics notions are presented from this point of view in the first four introductory, quite elementary, paragraphs of the paper. The following seven paragraphs are more sophisticated. They are devoted to the neutrino mass and neutrino mixing question, which is the most actual problem in today neutrino physics. Vacuum neutrino oscillations, matter neutrino oscillations and netrinoless double-decay are considered. Solar neutrino physics is discussed in some detail from the point of view of vacuum and matter neutrino oscillations. The role played by neutrinos in the Universe is briefly considered. In the last paragraph there discussed the probable observation by different groups of neutrinos connected with the Supernova 1987 A: the first observation of gravitational star collapse (at least the general rehearsal of such observation) opens up a new era in astronomy of today exerimental physics and astrophysics is presented at the end of the paper in the form of a Table

[Representation of women in health-related scientific societies in Spain in 2014].

Science.gov (United States)

Casado-Mejía, Rosa; Botello-Hermosa, Alicia

2015-01-01

To describe the presence of women in the governance of health-related scientific societies in Spain today. Spanish scientific societies were identified by vising the websites of the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, and Fisterra. The sex of the president, executive officers and the board of directors was identified. Data were analyzed according to the overall percentage of women and by profession and setting. Of 173 scientific societies in July 2014, 41 had a female president (22.53%). Women held 35.45% of executive positions and accounted for 36.32% of the boards of directors. Only 16.07% of medical societies had a female president compared with 76.92% of nursing societies. Primary care societies had more women in executive positions (54.55%) than societies in which the professional activity of members involved both primary and secondary care (35.74%) and societies related to hospital care (27.93%). There is a lack of parity, which is greater in nursing and primary care societies than in medical and hospital-related societies. Parity decreases as the level of responsibility rises. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Some health aspects of high-energy society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, E.

1975-01-01

The intensive use of inanimate energy in industrialized or high-energy society has subsidized research, development, and higher education and has brought about changes in nutrition and life-style that have led to great advances in public health and medicine. The emergence of high-energy society, however, has brought with it a new set of health problems, within which the direct effects of measurable pollution may turn out to be more easily dealt with than some of the indirect and hard-to-calculate consequences of high energy use. High-energy society is critically dependent on energy-intensive transport systems, and these systems in turn are dependent upon a continual supply of petroleum products. In the short-term, the aorta of any industrialized nation is its petroleum-supply network. In the longer run, high-energy society faces the depletion and exhaustion of all the nonrenewable resources on which it has fed. Even if technology provides adequate substitute energy systems, high-energy society may deteriorate socially from inability to cope with affluence

Challenges of executing heavy oil projects in today's market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunka, G.

2001-01-01

Alberta's industrial project scene from 1981 to 2000 was presented in this power point presentation with particular focus on proposed bitumen recovery projects and heavy oil project challenges. A graph depicting GTG world orders by region (Americas, Asia and Europe) showed that U.S. market continues to drive global growth. Major industrial projects in Alberta were highlighted and employment requirements by sector were outlined. In addition, mitigation measures that are needed to successfully deal with the unique challenges of today's market were described. It was noted that in recent years lower capital expenditure by the industry in general has resulted in corporate downsizing or mergers which in turn have resulted in lower technical and operational knowledge. Some of the current challenges facing the industry are new demands for water treatment expertise and an aging workforce. It was concluded that effective mitigation will require a disciplined approach within a flexible framework.1 tab., 7 figs

Connected minds technology and today's learners

CERN Document Server

Pedrò, Francesc

2012-01-01

In all OECD countries, digital media and connectedness are integral to the lives of todays learners. It is often claimed that these learners are ""new millennium learners"", or ""digital natives"", who have different expectations about education. This book contributes to the debate about the effects of technology attachment and connectedness on todays learners, and their expectations about teaching. The book sets out to answer the following questions: Can the claim that todays students are ""new millenium learners"" or ""digital natives be sustained empirically? Is there consistent research evidence demonstrating the effects of technology on cognitive development, social values, and learning expectations? What are the implications for educational policy and practice?

Society position statement : Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society/Canadian Heart Rhythm Society joint position statement on the perioperative management of patients with implanted pacemakers, defibrillators, and neurostimulating devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Healey, Jeff S; Merchant, Richard; Simpson, Chris; Tang, Timothy; Beardsall, Marianne; Tung, Stanley; Fraser, Jennifer A; Long, Laurene; van Vlymen, Janet M; Manninen, Pirjo; Ralley, Fiona; Venkatraghavan, Lashmi; Yee, Raymond; Prasloski, Bruce; Sanatani, Shubhayan; Philippon, François

2012-04-01

There are more than 200,000 Canadians living with permanent pacemakers or implantable defibrillators, many of whom will require surgery or invasive procedures each year. They face potential hazards when undergoing surgery; however, with appropriate planning and education of operating room personnel, adverse device-related outcomes should be rare. This joint position statement from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) and the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS) has been developed as an accessible reference for physicians and surgeons, providing an overview of the key issues for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of these patients. The document summarizes the limited published literature in this field, but for most issues, relies heavily on the experience of the cardiologists and anesthesiologists who contributed to this work. This position statement outlines how to obtain information about an individual's type of pacemaker or implantable defibrillator and its programming. It also stresses the importance of determining if a patient is highly pacemaker-dependent and proposes a simple approach for nonelective evaluation of dependency. Although the document provides a comprehensive list of the intraoperative issues facing these patients, there is a focus on electromagnetic interference resulting from electrocautery and practical guidance is given regarding the characteristics of surgery, electrocautery, pacemakers, and defibrillators which are most likely to lead to interference. The document stresses the importance of preoperative consultation and planning to minimize complications. It reviews the relative merits of intraoperative magnet use vs reprogramming of devices and gives examples of situations where one or the other approach is preferable.

Financial Management in Children: Today Need, Tomorrow Necessity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tooraj Sadeghi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Nearly 80% of young people today will never be able to retire. Why? Because they lack the personal finance training that leads to long-term planning and future security. Connecting the dots between kids and money management skills prepares them for the financial realities the world will face over the next century. Pocket money is one of the first ways for children to learn the basics of managing money – a skill they’ll definitely need for life – and it makes children feel independent. Whether to give pocket money, and at what age, and how much to give are issues that often concern parents. There are many ways to handle this. To a large extent it depends on family values, practices and finances. The main reason for giving children pocket money is to help children learn to be able to manage money while they are still young and parents can guide them. It also may help children to feel that they are important members of the family, because they are given part of the family's spending money.

Academic Expectations and Well-Being from School to Work during the Economic Downturn

Science.gov (United States)

Salmela-Aro, Katariina

2012-01-01

Educational transitions and the transition from school to working life present substantial challenges for youth in modern societies. In addition to the drastic changes taking place in their personal lives as they navigate the educational ladder and the transition to work life, young adults today face profound changes in society as well. In…

In the Face of an Emergency: What Makes a Responsive and Resilient Society?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Montine L Walters

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This article intends to highlight the ways in which the response required to deal with terrorist threats of the 21st Century differs from that required to respond to threats the UK has faced in the past. In addition it will assess ways in which the UK may strengthen the population’s resilience and the ability of the population to respond to emergency incidents.

Mathematics Teaching Today

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Tami S.; Speer, William R.

2009-01-01

This article describes features, consistent messages, and new components of "Mathematics Teaching Today: Improving Practice, Improving Student Learning" (NCTM 2007), an updated edition of "Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics" (NCTM 1991). The new book describes aspects of high-quality mathematics teaching; offers a model for observing,…

Innovation design : creating value for people, organizations and society

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouden, den P.H.

2012-01-01

Innovation Design presents an approach to designing shared value for businesses, non-profit organizations, end-users and society. The societal and economic challenges we are currently facing - such as the aging population, energy scarcity and environmental issues - are not just threats but are also

Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society/Canadian Heart Rhythm Society joint position statement on the perioperative management of patients with implanted pacemakers, defibrillators, and neurostimulating devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Healey, Jeff S; Merchant, Richard; Simpson, Chris; Tang, Timothy; Beardsall, Marianne; Tung, Stanley; Fraser, Jennifer A; Long, Laurene; van Vlymen, Janet M; Manninen, Pirjo; Ralley, Fiona; Venkatraghavan, Lashmi; Yee, Raymond; Prasloski, Bruce; Sanatani, Shubhayan; Philippon, François

2012-01-01

There are more than 200,000 Canadians living with permanent pacemakers or implantable defibrillators, many of whom will require surgery or invasive procedures each year. They face potential hazards when undergoing surgery; however, with appropriate planning and education of operating room personnel, adverse device-related outcomes should be rare. This joint position statement from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) and the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS) has been developed as an accessible reference for physicians and surgeons, providing an overview of the key issues for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of these patients. The document summarizes the limited published literature in this field, but for most issues, relies heavily on the experience of the cardiologists and anesthesiologists who contributed to this work. This position statement outlines how to obtain information about an individual's type of pacemaker or implantable defibrillator and its programming. It also stresses the importance of determining if a patient is highly pacemaker-dependent and proposes a simple approach for nonelective evaluation of dependency. Although the document provides a comprehensive list of the intraoperative issues facing these patients, there is a focus on electromagnetic interference resulting from electrocautery and practical guidance is given regarding the characteristics of surgery, electrocautery, pacemakers, and defibrillators which are most likely to lead to interference. The document stresses the importance of preoperative consultation and planning to minimize complications. It reviews the relative merits of intraoperative magnet use vs reprogramming of devices and gives examples of situations where one or the other approach is preferable. Copyright © 2012 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The red face: art, history and medical representations].

Science.gov (United States)

Cribier, B

2011-09-01

For millennia, a red face has been a handicap in social relations, mainly because of the associated bias against alcoholics. The color red is also the color of emotion, betrayal of the person who blushes. Since the color red is one of the main characteristics of rosacea, it contributes to the bad reputation this disorder has, which is therefore the subject of a pressing therapeutic demand, principally in women. Nineteenth-century French novelists such as Balzac and later Proust, admirably described blotchy, red, or sanguine faces, which always announced a difficult, violent temperament, or was simply the mark of the laboring class. The color red remains ambivalent today, on the one hand denoting blood and life and on the other suffering, shame, and death. The history of dermatology shows that the semiology of rosacea was very well described in the earliest reports, notably those written in the Middle Ages. The term "acne rosacea" appeared in Bateman's writings, who made it a clinical form of acne. This confusion lasted throughout the nineteenth century. It was not until Hebra in Austria and Darier in France that the differential diagnosis was clearly made between acne and rosacea. A "couperosis" previously referred to the entire range of the disease, particularly the papules and pustules, and it was not until the twentieth century that the current meaning of rosacea progressively gained ground: this term today designates facial telangiectasia, whether or not it is associated with a characteristic redness. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

On the Relationship between Society and Higher Education: What Path Should We Take?

Science.gov (United States)

Márquez-Ramos, Laura; Mourelle, Estefanía

2018-01-01

The current network society, with its primacy of information and communication technologies, is challenging the higher education model. The needs and expectations of today's students differ from those of students in the past, and educational practices should adapt to modern times. But what changes will we see in the relationship between societal…

Preface: Catalysis Today

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Yongdan

2016-01-01

This special issue of Catalysis Today with the theme “Sustain-able Energy” results from a great success of the session “Catalytic Technologies Accelerating the Establishment of Sustainable and Clean Energy”, one of the two sessions of the 1st International Symposium on Catalytic Science and Techn...

Network management paradigm in education as a component of information society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. O. Kolesnic

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Network organization has always existed, but that today information technologies create the material basis for the penetration of this type of structure in all areas. This allows to interpret the formation of a network management paradigm as one of the innovative processes of information society . The effects on the development of the virtual environment in the form of a network society leads to the fact that traditional forms of management education change it its own characteristics and there are conditions for the effective use of new forms of governance, it is connected with the network nature of education as a space object management. In practice, the process of modernization of the existing network of educational institutions and organizations that generally means use of information technology and the significant decline in the share of traditional hierarchical forms of control by increasing the share of collective polyarchical forms. Today, the introduction of a network management paradigm of education is performed primarily as a stochastic process of entering educational institutions in the space of network society. The main methodological shortcomings of network management in education is the lack of understanding of its specificity in the context of providing social impact of educational activities. Promising area of implementation of network management in education is the use of targeted management practices that focus on the development of very specific forms of network co­operation in education.

Educational Entrepreneurship Today

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Frederick M., Ed.; McShane, Michael Q., Ed.

2016-01-01

In "Educational Entrepreneurship Today", Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane assemble a diverse lineup of high-profile contributors to examine the contexts in which new initiatives in education are taking shape. They inquire into the impact of entrepreneurship on the larger field--including the development and deployment of new…

The risky business of educational choice in the meritocratic society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karlson, Kristian Bernt; Holm, Anders

2015-01-01

This chapter examines educational choices and inequalities therein in terms of the changing nature of educational risk caused by educational expansion. We argue that today adolescents face choices within a much more complex educational system than they did in previous decades. However, because...... families differ in the extent by which they have the resources required for navigating the risks associated with making these choices, educational inequality may persist in spite of educational expansion. Analyzing class differences in adolescents’ educational expectations for two Danish cohorts born...

Global public health today: connecting the dots

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Marta Lomazzi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Global public health today faces new challenges and is impacted by a range of actors from within and outside state boundaries. The diversity of the actors involved has created challenges and a complex environment that requires a new context-tailored global approach. The World Federation of Public Health Associations has embarked on a collaborative consultation with the World Health Organization to encourage a debate on how to adapt public health to its future role in global health. Design: A qualitative study was undertaken. High-level stakeholders from leading universities, multilateral organizations, and other institutions worldwide participated in the study. Inductive content analyses were performed. Results: Stakeholders underscored that global public health today should tackle the political, commercial, economic, social, and environmental determinants of health and social inequalities. A multisectoral and holistic approach should be guaranteed, engaging public health in broad dialogues and a concerted decision-making process. The connection between neoliberal ideology and public health reforms should be taken into account. The WHO must show leadership and play a supervising and technical role. More and better data are required across many programmatic areas of public health. Resources should be allocated in a sustainable and accountable way. Public health professionals need new skills that should be provided by a collaborative global education system. A common framework context-tailored to influence governments has been evaluated as useful. Conclusions: The study highlighted some of the main public health challenges currently under debate in the global arena, providing interesting ideas. A more inclusive integrated vision of global health in its complexity, shared and advocated for by all stakeholders involved in decision-making processes, is crucial. This vision represents the first step in innovating public health at the

Global public health today: connecting the dots

Science.gov (United States)

Lomazzi, Marta; Jenkins, Christopher; Borisch, Bettina

2016-01-01

Background Global public health today faces new challenges and is impacted by a range of actors from within and outside state boundaries. The diversity of the actors involved has created challenges and a complex environment that requires a new context-tailored global approach. The World Federation of Public Health Associations has embarked on a collaborative consultation with the World Health Organization to encourage a debate on how to adapt public health to its future role in global health. Design A qualitative study was undertaken. High-level stakeholders from leading universities, multilateral organizations, and other institutions worldwide participated in the study. Inductive content analyses were performed. Results Stakeholders underscored that global public health today should tackle the political, commercial, economic, social, and environmental determinants of health and social inequalities. A multisectoral and holistic approach should be guaranteed, engaging public health in broad dialogues and a concerted decision-making process. The connection between neoliberal ideology and public health reforms should be taken into account. The WHO must show leadership and play a supervising and technical role. More and better data are required across many programmatic areas of public health. Resources should be allocated in a sustainable and accountable way. Public health professionals need new skills that should be provided by a collaborative global education system. A common framework context-tailored to influence governments has been evaluated as useful. Conclusions The study highlighted some of the main public health challenges currently under debate in the global arena, providing interesting ideas. A more inclusive integrated vision of global health in its complexity, shared and advocated for by all stakeholders involved in decision-making processes, is crucial. This vision represents the first step in innovating public health at the global level and should lead

How Knowledge of Ancient Egyptian Women Can Influence Today's Gender Role: Does History Matter in Gender Psychology?

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, Radwa; Moustafa, Ahmed A; Moftah, Marie Z; Karim, Ahmed A

2016-01-01

A gender role is a set of societal norms dictating what types of behaviors are considered desirable or appropriate for a person based on their sex. However, socially constructed gender roles can lead to equal rights between genders but also to severe disadvantages and discrimination with a remarkable variety between different countries. Based on social indicators and gender statistics, "women in the Arab region are on average more disadvantaged economically, politically, and socially than women in other regions." According to Banduras' social learning theory, we argue that profound knowledge of the historical contributions of Ancient Egyptian female pioneers in science, arts, and even in ruling Egypt as Pharaohs can improve today's gender role in Egypt and Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, this article provides an elaborate review of the gender role of women in Ancient Egypt, outlining their prominence, influence, and admiration in ancient societies, and discusses the possible psychological impact of this knowledge on today's gender role. We suggest that future empirical research should investigate how enhancing the knowledge of women from Ancient Egypt can improve today's gender role in Egypt and the Middle East. Bandura's social learning theory is outlined as a possible framework for future research.

The Good Society: Lessons for Integrated Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neesham C.

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper I argue that philosophies of the good society can inform theories of integrated governance in two significant ways. Firstly, they can provide a reasonable foundation for legitimating forms of authority to govern a society across the government, corporate and civil sector. Secondly, they promote value systems that can be constitutive of a normative theory of integrated governance. In developing this argument, I explore conceptions of the good society put forward by Marquis de Condorcet, Adam Smith and Karl Marx, and evaluate the modalities in which the social projects proposed by these authors involve issues of integrated governance. For this purpose, I examine the three theories in relation to three questions: (1 What goals (or objectives should social action be directed to? (2 What should be the scope and limits of social responsibility lying behind the social authority of each sector (government, market or civil society? (3 How is social authority to be exercised beyond legislation? What source(s of legitimacy should one appeal to? Although Condorcet’s idea of the natural social order, Smith’s system of natural liberty and Marx’s political economy of human value have all received their fair share of criticism from empirical theories of society, I suggest that these conceptions are still useful to us today as radical normative experiments. These experiments can have guiding value in formulating models of integrated governance. However, the fundamental differences displayed by these three conceptions reveal the importance of determining whether one can develop models of integrated governance that would accommodate plural, incompatible, or unknown conceptions of the good society.

The inevitability of remembering and bringing Ricoeur from the basis of current society: the eminence of a hermeneutics of historical consciousness in the academy and... Daily

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Viegas

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Paul Ricoeur is passionate for life and society. This is not a matter of discussion, since one knows his trajectory, his fights and achievements which reflect wonderful multicolor prisms in his works. We can say that he is, and not that he was, because his essays of narrating the time that is today, the time of the narrative which is brought to our present perspective each moment while one narrates something, indicate a Ricoeur that is revived at different and new moments in which the reader exposes himself or herself in his presence, by narrating.In Time and Narrative 3, based on his passion, one can find a text that inquires about the manner in which we have faced, as a society, our past and in which we expect to construct our future. In Towards a Hermeneutics of Historical Consciousness, Ricoeur presents a problem that reveals how humans are becoming something different than themselves while they “preterify” the past and leave the present without a tradition; it means that such a thought is equivalent to an absence of expectations and hopes about the future. This is the discussion of the text that follows.

Individual and Social Function of Education in View of the Changing Face of Human Nature and Society

Science.gov (United States)

Arslantas, Halis Adnan

2016-01-01

Humanity passes through a period of time in which economic facts are not only determining factors on almost all activities from the behavior of partner selection to that of voting but also one of the ways to rationalize daily life. This period is a period in which the nature of materialistic world of today in parallel with the spiritual nature of…

The after petroleum. When the wells dried up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefevre-Balleydier, A.

2006-01-01

Facing the petroleum crisis of the years 70 and the today petroleum reserves problems, the author wonders on a society without cheap petroleum. Which energies will take over: gas, coal, nuclear of renewable energies? In seven chapters the following topics are discussed: the petroleum in our life, for how long, the alternative energies, the environmental impacts, the socio-economic impacts, the possible actions today. (A.L.B.)

Canadian Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights and Global ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This project aims to strengthen the capacity of Canadian civil society organizations (CSOs) to inform Canadian policy on human rights and global justice. ... in the developing world continue to face obstacles that limit their ability to establish careers and become leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and ...

Introduction: The Continued Importance of Smallholders Today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline M. Vadjunec

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Smallholders remain an important part of human-environment research, particularly in cultural and political ecology, peasant and development studies, and increasingly in land system and sustainability science. This introduction to the edited volume explores land use and livelihood issues among smallholders, in several disciplinary and subfield traditions. Specifically, we provide a short history of smallholder livelihood research in the human-environment tradition. We reflect on why, in an age of rapid globalization, smallholder land use and livelihoods still matter, both for land system science and as a reflection of concerns with inequality and poverty. Key themes that emerge from the papers in this volume include the importance of smallholder farming and land-use practices to questions of environmental sustainability, the dynamic reality of smallholder livelihoods, the challenges of vulnerability and adaptation in contemporary human-environment systems, and the structural and relative nature of the term “smallholder.” Overall these contributions show that smallholder studies are more pertinent than ever, especially in the face of global environmental change. Additionally, we argue that questions of smallholder identity, social difference, and teleconnections provide fertile areas of future research. We conclude that we need to re-envision who the smallholder is today and how this translates into modern human-environment smallholder studies.

Teenage Mothers Today: What We Know and How It Matters

Science.gov (United States)

Mollborn, Stefanie

2016-01-01

Over the past two decades, births to U.S. teenagers have fallen and no longer follow overall fertility patterns. Yet the unique challenges faced by teenage mothers and their families justify continued research. Across disciplines, newer work has furthered our understanding of teenage motherhood today. In this article, I highlight four areas of progress: processes of selection into teenage motherhood, the broader consequences of teenage childbearing beyond the socioeconomic realm, heterogeneity of effects, and the application of life course principles. Emerging societal trends such as complex family structures, a stalled recovery from the recession for families of low socioeconomic status, and a rapidly evolving political environment for reproductive health care continue to challenge the lives of teenage mothers. Given that the consequences for teenagers of becoming mothers may change, continued research is needed. Shifts in policy to favor supporting teenage mothers and addressing the causes of both teenage pregnancy and social disadvantage may help improve the lives of these mothers and their families. PMID:28533814

Neural synchronization during face-to-face communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jing; Dai, Bohan; Peng, Danling; Zhu, Chaozhe; Liu, Li; Lu, Chunming

2012-11-07

Although the human brain may have evolutionarily adapted to face-to-face communication, other modes of communication, e.g., telephone and e-mail, increasingly dominate our modern daily life. This study examined the neural difference between face-to-face communication and other types of communication by simultaneously measuring two brains using a hyperscanning approach. The results showed a significant increase in the neural synchronization in the left inferior frontal cortex during a face-to-face dialog between partners but none during a back-to-back dialog, a face-to-face monologue, or a back-to-back monologue. Moreover, the neural synchronization between partners during the face-to-face dialog resulted primarily from the direct interactions between the partners, including multimodal sensory information integration and turn-taking behavior. The communicating behavior during the face-to-face dialog could be predicted accurately based on the neural synchronization level. These results suggest that face-to-face communication, particularly dialog, has special neural features that other types of communication do not have and that the neural synchronization between partners may underlie successful face-to-face communication.

Face Age and Eye Gaze Influence Older Adults' Emotion Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Anna; Murray, Janice E; Atkinson, Lianne; Ruffman, Ted

2017-07-01

Eye gaze has been shown to influence emotion recognition. In addition, older adults (over 65 years) are not as influenced by gaze direction cues as young adults (18-30 years). Nevertheless, these differences might stem from the use of young to middle-aged faces in emotion recognition research because older adults have an attention bias toward old-age faces. Therefore, using older face stimuli might allow older adults to process gaze direction cues to influence emotion recognition. To investigate this idea, young and older adults completed an emotion recognition task with young and older face stimuli displaying direct and averted gaze, assessing labeling accuracy for angry, disgusted, fearful, happy, and sad faces. Direct gaze rather than averted gaze improved young adults' recognition of emotions in young and older faces, but for older adults this was true only for older faces. The current study highlights the impact of stimulus face age and gaze direction on emotion recognition in young and older adults. The use of young face stimuli with direct gaze in most research might contribute to age-related emotion recognition differences. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Physical therapy workforce shortage for aging and aged societies in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraiwong, Ratchanok; Vongsirinavarat, Mantana; Soonthorndhada, Kusol

2014-07-01

According to demographic changes, the size of the aging population has rapidly increased. Thailand has been facing the "aging society" since 2005 and the "aged society" has been projected to appear by the year 2025. Increased life expectancy is associated with health problems and risks, specifically chronic diseases and disability. Aging and aged societies and related specific conditions as stroke require the provision of services from health professionals. The shortage of the physical therapy workforce in Thailand has been reported. This study investigated the size of physical therapy workforce required for the approaching aging society of Thailand and estimated the number of needed physical therapists, specifically regarding stroke condition. Evidently, the issue of the physical therapy workforce to serve aging and aged societies in Thailand requires advocating and careful arranging.

Strategies for the next generation green ICT infrastructure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riaz, M. Tahir; Gutierrez Lopez, Jose Manuel; Pedersen, Jens Myrup

2009-01-01

Today, the global society is facing serious challenges in improving environmental performance, particularly with global warming, and resource management. Where the information and communication technology (ICT) industry is contributing to the global economy coupling with innovation and development...

DASEES: A Tripartite Decision Analysis Framework to Achieve Sustainable Environment, Economy & Society Growth and Management Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Many of Societies management and growth decisions are often made without a balanced consideration of pertinent factors from environmental, economic and societal perspectives. All three of these areas are key players in many of the decisions facing societies as they strive to ope...

Method for Face-Emotion Retrieval Using A Cartoon Emotional Expression Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Kostov, Vlaho; Yanagisawa, Hideyoshi; Johansson, Martin; Fukuda, Shuichi

A simple method for extracting emotion from a human face, as a form of non-verbal communication, was developed to cope with and optimize mobile communication in a globalized and diversified society. A cartoon face based model was developed and used to evaluate emotional content of real faces. After a pilot survey, basic rules were defined and student subjects were asked to express emotion using the cartoon face. Their face samples were then analyzed using principal component analysis and the Mahalanobis distance method. Feature parameters considered as having relations with emotions were extracted and new cartoon faces (based on these parameters) were generated. The subjects evaluated emotion of these cartoon faces again and we confirmed these parameters were suitable. To confirm how these parameters could be applied to real faces, we asked subjects to express the same emotions which were then captured electronically. Simple image processing techniques were also developed to extract these features from real faces and we then compared them with the cartoon face parameters. It is demonstrated via the cartoon face that we are able to express the emotions from very small amounts of information. As a result, real and cartoon faces correspond to each other. It is also shown that emotion could be extracted from still and dynamic real face images using these cartoon-based features.

Associations of physical strength with facial shape in an African pastoralist society, the Maasai of Northern Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Butovskaya, Marina L; Windhager, Sonja; Karelin, Dimitri; Mezentseva, Anna; Schaefer, Katrin; Fink, Bernhard

2018-01-01

Previous research has documented associations of physical strength and facial morphology predominantly in men of Western societies. Faces of strong men tend to be more robust, are rounder and have a prominent jawline compared with faces of weak men. Here, we investigate whether the morphometric patterns of strength-face relationships reported for members of industrialized societies can also be found in members of an African pastoralist society, the Maasai of Northern Tanzania. Handgrip strength (HGS) measures and facial photographs were collected from a sample of 185 men and 120 women of the Maasai in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In young-adults (20-29 years; n = 95) and mid-adults (30-50 years; n = 114), we digitized 71 somatometric landmarks and semilandmarks to capture variation in facial morphology and performed shape regressions of landmark coordinates upon HGS. Results were visualized in the form of thin-plate plate spline deformation grids and geometric morphometric morphs. Individuals with higher HGS tended to have wider faces with a lower and broader forehead, a wider distance between the medial canthi of the eyes, a wider nose, fuller lips, and a larger, squarer lower facial outline compared with weaker individuals of the same age-sex group. In mid-adult men, these associations were weaker than in the other age-sex groups. We conclude that the patterns of HGS relationships with face shape in the Maasai are similar to those reported from related investigations in samples of industrialized societies. We discuss differences between the present and related studies with regard to knowledge about the causes for age- and sex-related facial shape variation and physical strength associations.

Associations of physical strength with facial shape in an African pastoralist society, the Maasai of Northern Tanzania.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina L Butovskaya

Full Text Available Previous research has documented associations of physical strength and facial morphology predominantly in men of Western societies. Faces of strong men tend to be more robust, are rounder and have a prominent jawline compared with faces of weak men. Here, we investigate whether the morphometric patterns of strength-face relationships reported for members of industrialized societies can also be found in members of an African pastoralist society, the Maasai of Northern Tanzania.Handgrip strength (HGS measures and facial photographs were collected from a sample of 185 men and 120 women of the Maasai in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In young-adults (20-29 years; n = 95 and mid-adults (30-50 years; n = 114, we digitized 71 somatometric landmarks and semilandmarks to capture variation in facial morphology and performed shape regressions of landmark coordinates upon HGS. Results were visualized in the form of thin-plate plate spline deformation grids and geometric morphometric morphs.Individuals with higher HGS tended to have wider faces with a lower and broader forehead, a wider distance between the medial canthi of the eyes, a wider nose, fuller lips, and a larger, squarer lower facial outline compared with weaker individuals of the same age-sex group. In mid-adult men, these associations were weaker than in the other age-sex groups.We conclude that the patterns of HGS relationships with face shape in the Maasai are similar to those reported from related investigations in samples of industrialized societies. We discuss differences between the present and related studies with regard to knowledge about the causes for age- and sex-related facial shape variation and physical strength associations.

Film Presentation: Projekt Zukunft/Tomorrow Today

CERN Multimedia

Carolyn Lee

2010-01-01

Projekt Zukunft/Tomorrow Today, by Deutsche Welle (2009)   Deutsche Welle TV’s weekly science journal explores the LHC at CERN with host Ingolf Baur. Please note that we will show both the German and English versions of this broadcast. Each episode is about 27 minutes long. Projekt Zukunft/Tomorrow Today will be presented on Friday, 29 October from 13:00 to 14:00 in the Main Auditorium Language: German version followed by the English version      

Decoding of faces and face components in face-sensitive human visual cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David F Nichols

2010-07-01

Full Text Available A great challenge to the field of visual neuroscience is to understand how faces are encoded and represented within the human brain. Here we show evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI for spatially distributed processing of the whole face and its components in face-sensitive human visual cortex. We used multi-class linear pattern classifiers constructed with a leave-one-scan-out verification procedure to discriminate brain activation patterns elicited by whole faces, the internal features alone, and the external head outline alone. Furthermore, our results suggest that whole faces are represented disproportionately in the fusiform cortex (FFA whereas the building blocks of faces are represented disproportionately in occipitotemporal cortex (OFA. Faces and face components may therefore be organized with functional clustering within both the FFA and OFA, but with specialization for face components in the OFA and the whole face in the FFA.

Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta - Argonne Today

Science.gov (United States)

-performance clusters and supercomputers. What is the best part of your job? The best part is working with Argonne Today Argonne Today Mission People Work/Life Connections Focal Point Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Home People Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Apr 1, 2016 | Posted by Argonne

The health is existential society system of ancient and modern

OpenAIRE

Нерубасская, А. А.

2014-01-01

Today a critical necessity has appeared in the reconsideration of modern people lifestyle and society on the whole so as to raise strong and happy generation in a context of life quality increasing, creation of decent living conditions. The given article provides a systematic analysis of the development of the medical methods in the world nations‘ social systems, and a systematic investigation of the ―health‖ existential as a part of the development of the ancient medicine. Nowadays the deman...

Final Evaluation Report of Teacher Training Projects Sponsored by Law in a Changing Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Denton, Jon J.; Kracht, James B.

The report is an assessment of law-focused education projects located in selected cities in Texas during the 1975-76 academic year. The projects were undertaken to positively affect the attitudes and understanding of students toward the role of law in today's society and the influences of law on crime and corruption. Teacher training programs and…

Defining "face" in order to improve Chinese tourists' service satisfaction with respect to visiting Norway

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Yan

2016-01-01

Chinese face is an important cultural concept deeply rooted in Chinese society. Face plays a significant role in Chinese peoples’ social interactions. As the Chinese economy grows, there is much opportunity arising from a related growing Chinese outbound tourism market. Subsequently, there is also opportunity for Norwegian tourism personals to explore the Chinese outbound tourism market. By analyzing Chinese face, this thesis aims to promote Norwegian tourism to Chinese tourists and impr...

The Problem of Weak Governments and Weak Societies in Eastern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marko Grdešić

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper argues that, for Eastern Europe, the simultaneous presence of weak governments and weak societies is a crucial obstacle which must be faced by analysts and reformers. The understanding of other normatively significant processes will be deficient without a consciousness-raising deliberation on this problem and its implications. This paper seeks to articulate the “relational” approach to state and society. In addition, the paper lays out a typology of possible patterns of relationship between state and society, dependent on whether the state is weak or strong and whether society is weak or strong. Comparative data are presented in order to provide an empirical support for the theses. Finally, the paper outlines two reform approaches which could enable breaking the vicious circle emerging in the context of weak governments and weak societies.

Famous face recognition, face matching, and extraversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lander, Karen; Poyarekar, Siddhi

2015-01-01

It has been previously established that extraverts who are skilled at interpersonal interaction perform significantly better than introverts on a face-specific recognition memory task. In our experiment we further investigate the relationship between extraversion and face recognition, focusing on famous face recognition and face matching. Results indicate that more extraverted individuals perform significantly better on an upright famous face recognition task and show significantly larger face inversion effects. However, our results did not find an effect of extraversion on face matching or inverted famous face recognition.

Bridging the Gap Between Surveyors and the Geo-Spatial Society

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, H.

2016-06-01

For many years FIG, the International Association of Surveyors, has been trying to bridge the gap between surveyors and the geospatial society as a whole, with the geospatial industries in particular. Traditionally the surveying profession contributed to the good of society by creating and maintaining highly precise and accurate geospatial data bases, based on an in-depth knowledge of spatial reference frameworks. Furthermore in many countries surveyors may be entitled to make decisions about land divisions and boundaries. By managing information spatially surveyors today develop into the role of geo-data managers, the longer the more. Job assignments in this context include data entry management, data and process quality management, design of formal and informal systems, information management, consultancy, land management, all that in close cooperation with many different stakeholders. Future tasks will include the integration of geospatial information into e-government and e-commerce systems. The list of professional tasks underpins the capabilities of surveyors to contribute to a high quality geospatial data and information management. In that way modern surveyors support the needs of a geo-spatial society. The paper discusses several approaches to define the role of the surveyor within the modern geospatial society.

Implicit conditioning of faces via the social regulation of emotion: ERP evidence of early attentional biases for security conditioned faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckes, Lane; Coan, James A; Morris, James P

2013-08-01

Not much is known about the neural and psychological processes that promote the initial conditions necessary for positive social bonding. This study explores one method of conditioned bonding utilizing dynamics related to the social regulation of emotion and attachment theory. This form of conditioning involves repeated presentations of negative stimuli followed by images of warm, smiling faces. L. Beckes, J. Simpson, and A. Erickson (2010) found that this conditioning procedure results in positive associations with the faces measured via a lexical decision task, suggesting they are perceived as comforting. This study found that the P1 ERP was similarly modified by this conditioning procedure and the P1 amplitude predicted lexical decision times to insecure words primed by the faces. The findings have implications for understanding how the brain detects supportive people, the flexibility and modifiability of early ERP components, and social bonding more broadly. Copyright © 2013 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Lecture programme The reality of science today

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

John Ellis (CERN): Gauguin’s questions in the context of particle physics.John Ellis (CERN) will speak about: Gauguin’s questions in the context of particle physics In a famous painting, Paul Gauguin asked the universal and eternal questions: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? In this lecture, John Ellis will comment on the prospects of particle physics in an attempt to provide elements of answers to these questions. This is the second in the series of lectures organised by the History and Philosophy of Sciences Unit of Geneva University, in collaboration with ASPERA, the European network for astroparticle physics research, which began with a contribution from Dominique Pestre (EHESS and Centre Koyré, Paris). What are the new challenges and realities facing research? What is its place in today’s society? In this series of lectures covering a range of topics, researchers and members of the general public are invited to think about the state of sc...

Society Needs to Organize the Structures and Uses of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Tinbergen, Jan

1972-01-01

Points out that scientific advancements have contributed many gains, but also problems to the present society. Happiness can result in the future if the priority of human survival is kept above others in allocating resources for research. Joint decisions should be made by all nations on vital issues facing them. (PS)

Building Tomorrow's Business Today

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Jim

2010-01-01

Modern automobile maintenance, like most skilled-trades jobs, is more than simple nuts and bolts. Today, skilled-trades jobs might mean hydraulics, computerized monitoring equipment, electronic blueprints, even lasers. As chief executive officer of Grainger, a business-to-business maintenance, repair, and operating supplies company that…

Investigating Morals and Values in Today's Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Garnett, Paul D.

This responsibility education activity book for grades 5-10 offers a set of materials that reflect students' interests and motivation for values education. The book is built around three moral principles: (1) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Confucius, 513 B.C.); (2) "The end does not justify the means" (Immanuel Kant, "The…

Trust Species and Habitat Branch: using the innovative approaches of today to conserve biodiversity for tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Patricia; Walters, Katie D.

2015-01-01

Some of the biggest challenges facing wildlife today are changes to their environment from both natural and anthropogenic causes. Natural resource managers, planners, policy makers, industry and private landowners must make informed decisions and policies regarding management, conservation, and restoration of species, habitats, and ecosystem function in response to these changes. Specific needs include (1) a better understanding of population status and trends; (2) understanding of species’ habitat needs and roles in supporting ecosystem functions; (3) the ability to assess species’ responses to environmental changes and predict future responses; and (4) the development of innovative techniques and tools to better understand, minimize or prevent any unintended consequences of environmental change.

Social inequality as a factor of social tensions in Russian society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Oseev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Based on this study the author concludes that “the latent and open social tensions... in Russian society today is quite high”, “clearly defined trend towards further improving it”, and to the deterioration of the social situation in the country and rising social tensions it “could lead to a sharp (abrupt increase in overt signs of social tensions and the development of its pre-crisis aside, and then the crisis situation”.

Face-to-Face Activities in Blended Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Annemette

While blended learning combines online and face-to-face teaching, research on blended learning has primarily focused on the role of technology and the opportunities it creates for engaging students. Less focus has been put on face-to-face activities in blended learning. This paper argues...... that it is not only the online activities in blended learning that provide new opportunities for rethinking pedagogy in higher education, it is also imperative to reconsider the face-to-face activities when part of the learning is provided online. Based on a review of blended learning in business and management...... education, we identify what forms of teaching and learning are suggested to take place face-to-face when other activities are moved online. We draw from the Community of Inquiry framework to analyze how face-to-face activities contribute to a blended learning pedagogy and discuss the implications...

Kings Today, Rich Tomorrow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fattoum, Asma

2013-01-01

This study investigates the King vs. Rich dilemma that founder-CEOs face at IPO. When undertaking IPO, founders face two options. They can either get rich, but then run the risk of losing the control over their firms; or they can remain kings by introducing defensive mechanisms, but this is likel...

Face recognition system and method using face pattern words and face pattern bytes

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yufeng

2014-12-23

The present invention provides a novel system and method for identifying individuals and for face recognition utilizing facial features for face identification. The system and method of the invention comprise creating facial features or face patterns called face pattern words and face pattern bytes for face identification. The invention also provides for pattern recognitions for identification other than face recognition. The invention further provides a means for identifying individuals based on visible and/or thermal images of those individuals by utilizing computer software implemented by instructions on a computer or computer system and a computer readable medium containing instructions on a computer system for face recognition and identification.

Towards an inclusive and sustainable economy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijl, van Hans; Ruben, Ruerd; Reinhard, Stijn

2017-01-01

One of the major challenges facing global society today is the provision of food, water, energy, healthcare and other resources & services in a world characterised by increasing population, mounting environmental stresses and rising inequality. There is a need for circular and resilient food

Frameworks for user - developer interactions in a software ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The dependence of today's society on Information and Communications technology has necessitated the need for software project managers to strive for continuous process improvement. A major challenge faced by most software project managers especially in developing countries however centers on effective ...

Packaging Printing Today

OpenAIRE

Stanislav Bolanča; Igor Majnarić; Kristijan Golubović

2015-01-01

Printing packaging covers today about 50% of all the printing products. Among the printing products there are printing on labels, printing on flexible packaging, printing on folding boxes, printing on the boxes of corrugated board, printing on glass packaging, synthetic and metal ones. The mentioned packaging are printed in flexo printing technique, offset printing technique, intaglio halftone process, silk – screen printing, ink ball printing, digital printing and hybrid printing process. T...

"UK today" Tallinnas / Tuuli Oder

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Oder, Tuuli, 1958-

2001-01-01

Vabariikliku inglise keele olümpiaadi raames toimus Tallinnas viktoriini "UK today" lõppvoor. Osalesid 22 kooli kaheliikmelised võistkonnad. Viktoriini tulemused koolide lõikes ja küsimused õigete vastustega

On the Road: From Industry 4.0 to Society 4.0

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Vacek

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The contribution builds on the desk research approach based mainly on studies performed by leading world´s consultancies and agencies as the World Economic Forum, the World Bank and others, academic research performed e.g. at MIT and Harvard Business School, and other resources, and follows the one presented at the 2016 IMECS conference (Vacek, 2016. It focuses on the deep impact of Industry 4.0 on socio-economic issues resulting in what can be called Society 4.0. The contribution tries to highlight the challenges presented to society, economics and management by technology advancements and draw attention to building of necessary synergies between technology and socio-economic systems. The prevailing emphasize is today devoted to technology issues. According to author´s opinion the rapidly advancing technology, if not accompanied by profound changes in socio-economic systems, can result in weakened social cohesion. Instead of pure technology transfer we should today discuss much broader category of knowledge transfer. Ample attention should be paid to intellectual capital, its protection, assessment, and reporting. This contribution does not pretend to present results of the primary field research. The opinions and conclusion expressed here are intended to open the discussion in the field the importance of which is until now overshadowed by that given to purely technological aspects.

Men's strategic preferences for femininity in female faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Anthony C; Jones, Benedict C; Feinberg, David R; Perrett, David I

2014-08-01

Several evolutionarily relevant sources of individual differences in face preference have been documented for women. Here, we examine three such sources of individual variation in men's preference for female facial femininity: term of relationship, partnership status and self-perceived attractiveness. We show that men prefer more feminine female faces when rating for a short-term relationship and when they have a partner (Study 1). These variables were found to interact in a follow-up study (Study 2). Men who thought themselves attractive also preferred more feminized female faces for short-term relationships than men who thought themselves less attractive (Study 1 and Study 2). In women, similar findings for masculine preferences in male faces have been interpreted as adaptive. In men, such preferences potentially reflect that attractive males are able to compete for high-quality female partners in short-term contexts. When a man has secured a mate, the potential cost of being discovered may increase his choosiness regarding short-term partners relative to unpartnered men, who can better increase their short-term mating success by relaxing their standards. Such potentially strategic preferences imply that men also face trade-offs when choosing relatively masculine or feminine faced partners. In line with a trade-off, women with feminine faces were seen as more likely to be unfaithful and more likely to pursue short-term relationships (Study 3), suggesting that risk of cuckoldry is one factor that may limit men's preferences for femininity in women and could additionally lead to preferences for femininity in short-term mates. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Virtual & Real Face to Face Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Teneqexhi, Romeo; Kuneshka, Loreta

2016-01-01

In traditional "face to face" lessons, during the time the teacher writes on a black or white board, the students are always behind the teacher. Sometimes, this happens even in the recorded lesson in videos. Most of the time during the lesson, the teacher shows to the students his back not his face. We do not think the term "face to…

The Prospects of Radical Change Today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slavoj Žižek

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this contribution, Slavoj Žižek takes the occasion of Marx’s bicentenary for reflecting on the prospects of radical change today. First, it is shown that under Stalinism, Lenin’s works were quoted out of context in an arbitrary way in order to legitimise arbitrary political measures. Marxism thereby became an ideology that justified brutal subjective interventions. Second, this contribution poses the question of the revolutionary subject and democracy today. It stresses the role of both contingency and strategy in revolutions. In political assemblages taking place on public squares, the inert mass of ordinary people is transubstantiated into a politically engaged united force. The basic political problem today is how to best reconfigure democracy. Third, this contribution analyses the “interesting times” we live in. These are times that feature multiple crises, right-wing populism à la Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen, the lower classes’ opposition to immigration, and the refugee crisis. Questions about human rights and their violation and about radical change need to be asked in this context.

Leisure Today--the Many Faces of Play.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Susan D.; And Others

1995-01-01

This series of papers examines the role of play from various angles, discussing play as an essential human function and universal experience, the role of play in developing cultural values and awareness, a symbolic interactionist view of play, early therapeutic recreation specialists, and the direction of commercialized play. (SM)

Radiochemistry - today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drawe, H.

1980-01-01

After a longer starting period many radiation techniques have prevailed practically. Today radiation processes are usual components of chemistry, biology, medicine, and technologies in the most common sense. This paper deals with the latest state of radiation chemistry, whereas the possible practical applications are in the foreground of discussion as to reach mainly practicians in laboratory and industry. But also physicians, pharmacists and chemical engineers should be informed about the possibilities of application of high energyy radiation. Because radiation chemistry has also enriched works of related subjects, for example physical, organic and inorganic chemistry, this paper will also be of interest for experts of these disciplines. (orig.) [de

Neural processing of high and low spatial frequency information in faces changes across development: qualitative changes in face processing during adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Judith C; Vlamings, Petra; Kemner, Chantal

2013-05-01

Face perception in adults depends on skilled processing of interattribute distances ('configural' processing), which is disrupted for faces presented in inverted orientation (face inversion effect or FIE). Children are not proficient in configural processing, and this might relate to an underlying immaturity to use facial information in low spatial frequency (SF) ranges, which capture the coarse information needed for configural processing. We hypothesized that during adolescence a shift from use of high to low SF information takes place. Therefore, we studied the influence of SF content on neural face processing in groups of children (9-10 years), adolescents (14-15 years) and young adults (21-29 years) by measuring event-related potentials (ERPs) to upright and inverted faces which varied in SF content. Results revealed that children show a neural FIE in early processing stages (i.e. P1; generated in early visual areas), suggesting a superficial, global facial analysis. In contrast, ERPs of adults revealed an FIE at later processing stages (i.e. N170; generated in face-selective, higher visual areas). Interestingly, adolescents showed FIEs in both processing stages, suggesting a hybrid developmental stage. Furthermore, adolescents and adults showed FIEs for stimuli containing low SF information, whereas such effects were driven by both low and high SF information in children. These results indicate that face processing has a protracted maturational course into adolescence, and is dependent on changes in SF processing. During adolescence, sensitivity to configural cues is developed, which aids the fast and holistic processing that is so special for faces. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

"Comentarios en torno a las sociedades cooperativas en México" (Comments on cooperative societies in Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha E. Izquierdo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available One of the current problems that Cooperative sector is facingin Mexico is mainly due the economic model that is in place. The reason is thatthe Mexican capitalism under the neo-liberal model excludes the cooperativemovement; taking away from the national development plans and consideringthis as a synonym of falling back, subversion and failure.Despite this, there is a big number of successful cooperative societies thathave survived to the worst fights against the economic politics that the coun-try is currently living. Therefore these societies are an undeniable proof thatthought this system an alternative economy can be reached, with more justiceand being an inclusive society that can help to overcome the crisis that we areliving today.

Society and identity: Globalization and fragmentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krstić Predrag

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to present and discuss theoretical apprehension that occurred nearly a quarter of a century ago, with the thematization and problematization of social identity. Pointing out that the terms fall into “identity crisis” when emerge from their self-evidences, the author testing how the same fate encountered the very concept of “identity” and presents contemporary social theorists’ interpretations of such a situation, at the same time testifying the landmarks of self-understanding of modernity. After exploring dominant current vision of the history of ideas – that self- and social-identity does not existed in Pre-Modern societies in the sense we understand it today, that Modern is its only homeland, and that with the “postmodern condition” occurs either its dusk or its serious transformation, that even if it is not completely rejected, it is replaced with multi-coded, “ fragmented” or “plural” identities – the conclusion suggests the possibility that maybe it is not about any particular epochal change and privilege or a curse to live in it, but about yet another fundamental transformation of social structures, transformation which is not unknown in the past and transformation that today, as always, produces distinct unease, uncertainty, risk, volatility, in terms of recognition of belonging and self-mission, life investment and role taking, in the world whose supports are no longer taken for granted.

Reading faces and Facing words

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Robotham, Julia Emma; Lindegaard, Martin Weis; Delfi, Tzvetelina Shentova

unilateral lesions, we found no patient with a selective deficit in either reading or face processing. Rather, the patients showing a deficit in processing either words or faces were also impaired with the other category. One patient performed within the normal range on all tasks. In addition, all patients......It has long been argued that perceptual processing of faces and words is largely independent, highly specialised and strongly lateralised. Studies of patients with either pure alexia or prosopagnosia have strongly contributed to this view. The aim of our study was to investigate how visual...... perception of faces and words is affected by unilateral posterior stroke. Two patients with lesions in their dominant hemisphere and two with lesions in their non-dominant hemisphere were tested on sensitive tests of face and word perception during the stable phase of recovery. Despite all patients having...

Tackling the dual challenge of sustainable consumption and economic growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sedlacko, Michal; Antunes, Paula; Asara, Viviana

There is overwhelming evidence that one of the most important challenges facing society today is the growing scale and unequal distribution of consumption of natural resources. Both the socio-economic implications of resource scarcities and the documented decline in provision of and rising threat...

Face Attention Network: An Effective Face Detector for the Occluded Faces

OpenAIRE

Wang, Jianfeng; Yuan, Ye; Yu, Gang

2017-01-01

The performance of face detection has been largely improved with the development of convolutional neural network. However, the occlusion issue due to mask and sunglasses, is still a challenging problem. The improvement on the recall of these occluded cases usually brings the risk of high false positives. In this paper, we present a novel face detector called Face Attention Network (FAN), which can significantly improve the recall of the face detection problem in the occluded case without comp...

Dogs can discriminate human smiling faces from blank expressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagasawa, Miho; Murai, Kensuke; Mogi, Kazutaka; Kikusui, Takefumi

2011-07-01

Dogs have a unique ability to understand visual cues from humans. We investigated whether dogs can discriminate between human facial expressions. Photographs of human faces were used to test nine pet dogs in two-choice discrimination tasks. The training phases involved each dog learning to discriminate between a set of photographs of their owner's smiling and blank face. Of the nine dogs, five fulfilled these criteria and were selected for test sessions. In the test phase, 10 sets of photographs of the owner's smiling and blank face, which had previously not been seen by the dog, were presented. The dogs selected the owner's smiling face significantly more often than expected by chance. In subsequent tests, 10 sets of smiling and blank face photographs of 20 persons unfamiliar to the dogs were presented (10 males and 10 females). There was no statistical difference between the accuracy in the case of the owners and that in the case of unfamiliar persons with the same gender as the owner. However, the accuracy was significantly lower in the case of unfamiliar persons of the opposite gender to that of the owner, than with the owners themselves. These results suggest that dogs can learn to discriminate human smiling faces from blank faces by looking at photographs. Although it remains unclear whether dogs have human-like systems for visual processing of human facial expressions, the ability to learn to discriminate human facial expressions may have helped dogs adapt to human society.

Rikki Don’t Lose That Number: Enumerated Human Rights in a Society of Infinite Connections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clare Tsimpourla

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The international Human Rights regime acknowledges a certain number of rights. That number, albeit increasing since its inception, does not seem able to keep up with the pace of modern technology. Human rights today are not only exercised in the tangible world; they are also exercised on a daily basis in a world of ubiquitous computing–as such they can be easily breached with a mere click of a button. To make matters worse, these rights are controlled largely by multinational corporations that have little regard for their value. In this paper we will attempt to explore the difficulties the global human rights regime faces today, the challenge that is its enforcement, and whether it has come to a standstill in an age where connections grow faster than the rule of law.

Libraries in society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristiansson, Michael; Skouvig, Laura Henriette Christine

2008-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the phenomenon of openness in relation to library development. The term openness is presented and related to library development from historical and theoretical perspectives. The paper elaborates on the differences over time on to how openness has been...... understood in a library setting. Historically, openness in form of the open shelves played a crucial role in developing the modern public library. The paper examines this openness-centred library policy as adopted by Danish public libraries in the beginning of the 20th century by applying the theories...... by Michel Foucault on discourse and power to the introduction of open shelves. Furthermore, the paper discusses current challenges facing the modern public library in coping with openness issues that follow from changes in society and advances in technology. These influences and developments are not least...

Two key concepts of the society-climate change interface: vulnerability and adaptation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnan, Alexandre

2010-06-01

Vulnerability and adaptation are two inseparable concepts, each being dependent on the other. Although they are extremely sensitive to the contextual specificities of particular areas, vulnerability reduction and adaptation strategies can only be developed at the interface between different spatial and temporal scales. This leads us to assert that faced with a common threat - climate change -, different types of vulnerability and adaptation exist. The aim of this text is to provide an overview of two concepts that can no longer be ignored in discussions on climate change: vulnerability and adaptation. These are two pillars for analysing both the potential impact of climate change on societies and regions, and also their ability to live with these consequences. We will begin by describing how the interdependence of these two concepts explains the position(s) of present and future societies in the face of climate change impacts. We will then show that they share certain determinants that may themselves provide an appropriate framework for analysis. Finally, we will insist on the fact that these two concepts nevertheless remain extremely difficult to grasp, as they require a multi-scalar and multi-temporal approach to regions, which also explains why they are a relevant response to the challenges posed by climate change. The conclusion will call for wider discussion, reiterating that since their nature is fundamentally linked to the diversity and specificities of regions and societies, we must accept the idea that faced with the same threat - climate change - there are different types of vulnerability and adaptation. (author)

How Well Do Computer-Generated Faces Tap Face Expertise?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Crookes

Full Text Available The use of computer-generated (CG stimuli in face processing research is proliferating due to the ease with which faces can be generated, standardised and manipulated. However there has been surprisingly little research into whether CG faces are processed in the same way as photographs of real faces. The present study assessed how well CG faces tap face identity expertise by investigating whether two indicators of face expertise are reduced for CG faces when compared to face photographs. These indicators were accuracy for identification of own-race faces and the other-race effect (ORE-the well-established finding that own-race faces are recognised more accurately than other-race faces. In Experiment 1 Caucasian and Asian participants completed a recognition memory task for own- and other-race real and CG faces. Overall accuracy for own-race faces was dramatically reduced for CG compared to real faces and the ORE was significantly and substantially attenuated for CG faces. Experiment 2 investigated perceptual discrimination for own- and other-race real and CG faces with Caucasian and Asian participants. Here again, accuracy for own-race faces was significantly reduced for CG compared to real faces. However the ORE was not affected by format. Together these results signal that CG faces of the type tested here do not fully tap face expertise. Technological advancement may, in the future, produce CG faces that are equivalent to real photographs. Until then caution is advised when interpreting results obtained using CG faces.

Construction Management Meets Today's Realities.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, C. William

1979-01-01

Construction management--the control of cost and time from concept through construction--grew out of a need to meet the realities of today's economy. A checklist of services a construction manager provides is presented. (Author/MLF)

Neural synchronization during face-to-face communication

OpenAIRE

Jiang, J.; Dai, B.; Peng, D.; Zhu, C.; Liu, L.; Lu, C.

2012-01-01

Although the human brain may have evolutionarily adapted to face-to-face communication, other modes of communication, e.g., telephone and e-mail, increasingly dominate our modern daily life. This study examined the neural difference between face-to-face communication and other types of communication by simultaneously measuring two brains using a hyperscanning approach. The results showed a significant increase in the neural synchronization in the left inferior frontal cortex during a face-to-...

The Alchemist of Today

Science.gov (United States)

Serret, Natasha

2010-01-01

Traditionally, alchemy has involved the power of transmuting base metals such as lead into gold or producing the "elixir of life" for those wealthy people who wanted to live forever. But what of today's developments? One hundred years ago, even breaking the four-minute mile would have been deemed "magic," which is what the alchemists of the past…

Collecting Societies, Competition and the Services Directive

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riis, Thomas

2011-01-01

the harms to cultural diversity. In addition to the competition law complications, the Services Directive puts significant restrictions on the member states to adopt or maintain national rules for collecting societies and that creates an urgent need for adopting a framework directive for collecting......The market for collective management of copyrights in the EU is in transition and the collecting societies are facing a number of challenges primarily based on the EU rules on competition and the freedom to provide services. Some of the major right holders are withdrawing their rights from...... the system of reciprocal representation agreements which fragments the repertoire. This is partly due to the market evolution and the emergence of new business models but also promoted by the European Commission initiatives intended to introduce a certain degree of competition in the collective management...

Ancient mitochondrial DNA reveals convergent evolution of giant short-faced bears (Tremarctinae) in North and South America.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Kieren J; Bray, Sarah C; Bover, Pere; Soibelzon, Leopoldo; Schubert, Blaine W; Prevosti, Francisco; Prieto, Alfredo; Martin, Fabiana; Austin, Jeremy J; Cooper, Alan

2016-04-01

The Tremarctinae are a subfamily of bears endemic to the New World, including two of the largest terrestrial mammalian carnivores that have ever lived: the giant, short-faced bears Arctodus simus from North America and Arctotherium angustidens from South America (greater than or equal to 1000 kg). Arctotherium angustidens became extinct during the Early Pleistocene, whereas Arctodus simus went extinct at the very end of the Pleistocene. The only living tremarctine is the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), a largely herbivorous bear that is today only found in South America. The relationships among the spectacled bears (Tremarctos), South American short-faced bears (Arctotherium) and North American short-faced bears (Arctodus) remain uncertain. In this study, we sequenced a mitochondrial genome from an Arctotherium femur preserved in a Chilean cave. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the South American short-faced bears were more closely related to the extant South American spectacled bear than to the North American short-faced bears. This result suggests striking convergent evolution of giant forms in the two groups of short-faced bears (Arctodus and Arctotherium), potentially as an adaptation to dominate competition for megafaunal carcasses. © 2016 The Author(s).

From Fayol's Mechanistic to Today's Organic Functions of Management

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Daniel E.

2009-01-01

This paper reviews Fayol's original five managerial functions, demonstrates that they are still being taught in today's management courses, and offers a new set of organic management functions more applicable to today's turbulent business environment.

A Cultural Look at Moral Purity: Wiping the Face Clean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spike W. S. eLee

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Morality is associated with bodily purity in the custom of many societies. Does that imply moral purity is a universal psychological phenomenon? Empirically, it has never been examined, as all prior experimental data came from Western samples. Theoretically, we suggest the answer is not so straightforward—it depends on the kind of universality under consideration. Combining perspectives from cultural psychology and embodiment, we predict a culture-specific form of moral purification. Specifically, given East Asians’ emphasis on the face as a representation of public self-image, we hypothesize that facial purification should have particularly potent moral effects in a face culture. Data show that face-cleaning (but not hands-cleaning reduces guilt and regret most effectively against a salient East Asian cultural background. It frees East Asians from guilt-driven prosocial behavior. In the wake of their immorality, they find a face-cleaning product especially appealing and spontaneously choose to wipe their face clean. These patterns highlight both culturally variable and universal aspects of moral purification. They further suggest an organizing principle that informs the vigorous debate between embodied and amodal perspectives.

Evolution in changing environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorter, Florien A.

2017-01-01

Directional environmental change in the form of global climate change and human-induced pollution is one of the most pressing problems facing society today. While species can sometimes adapt to such change by means of phenotypic plasticity and range shifts, there is considerable concern that

Co-management: an alternative to enforcement?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoof, van L.J.W.

2010-01-01

The decline in fish stocks worldwide has often been attributed to problems inherent with resources being treated as common property. Government is usually called upon to define and implement solutions, but the issues society face today cannot be dealt with by the classical, state-centred system of

Facing aggression: cues differ for female versus male faces.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shawn N Geniole

Full Text Available The facial width-to-height ratio (face ratio, is a sexually dimorphic metric associated with actual aggression in men and with observers' judgements of aggression in male faces. Here, we sought to determine if observers' judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio in female faces. In three studies, participants rated photographs of female and male faces on aggression, femininity, masculinity, attractiveness, and nurturing. In Studies 1 and 2, for female and male faces, judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio even when other cues in the face related to masculinity were controlled statistically. Nevertheless, correlations between the face ratio and judgements of aggression were smaller for female than for male faces (F(1,36 = 7.43, p = 0.01. In Study 1, there was no significant relationship between judgements of femininity and of aggression in female faces. In Study 2, the association between judgements of masculinity and aggression was weaker in female faces than for male faces in Study 1. The weaker association in female faces may be because aggression and masculinity are stereotypically male traits. Thus, in Study 3, observers rated faces on nurturing (a stereotypically female trait and on femininity. Judgements of nurturing were associated with femininity (positively and masculinity (negatively ratings in both female and male faces. In summary, the perception of aggression differs in female versus male faces. The sex difference was not simply because aggression is a gendered construct; the relationships between masculinity/femininity and nurturing were similar for male and female faces even though nurturing is also a gendered construct. Masculinity and femininity ratings are not associated with aggression ratings nor with the face ratio for female faces. In contrast, all four variables are highly inter-correlated in male faces, likely because these cues in male faces serve as "honest signals".

Facing aggression: cues differ for female versus male faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Geniole, Shawn N; Keyes, Amanda E; Mondloch, Catherine J; Carré, Justin M; McCormick, Cheryl M

2012-01-01

The facial width-to-height ratio (face ratio), is a sexually dimorphic metric associated with actual aggression in men and with observers' judgements of aggression in male faces. Here, we sought to determine if observers' judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio in female faces. In three studies, participants rated photographs of female and male faces on aggression, femininity, masculinity, attractiveness, and nurturing. In Studies 1 and 2, for female and male faces, judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio even when other cues in the face related to masculinity were controlled statistically. Nevertheless, correlations between the face ratio and judgements of aggression were smaller for female than for male faces (F(1,36) = 7.43, p = 0.01). In Study 1, there was no significant relationship between judgements of femininity and of aggression in female faces. In Study 2, the association between judgements of masculinity and aggression was weaker in female faces than for male faces in Study 1. The weaker association in female faces may be because aggression and masculinity are stereotypically male traits. Thus, in Study 3, observers rated faces on nurturing (a stereotypically female trait) and on femininity. Judgements of nurturing were associated with femininity (positively) and masculinity (negatively) ratings in both female and male faces. In summary, the perception of aggression differs in female versus male faces. The sex difference was not simply because aggression is a gendered construct; the relationships between masculinity/femininity and nurturing were similar for male and female faces even though nurturing is also a gendered construct. Masculinity and femininity ratings are not associated with aggression ratings nor with the face ratio for female faces. In contrast, all four variables are highly inter-correlated in male faces, likely because these cues in male faces serve as "honest signals".

Facing Aggression: Cues Differ for Female versus Male Faces

Science.gov (United States)

Geniole, Shawn N.; Keyes, Amanda E.; Mondloch, Catherine J.; Carré, Justin M.; McCormick, Cheryl M.

2012-01-01

The facial width-to-height ratio (face ratio), is a sexually dimorphic metric associated with actual aggression in men and with observers' judgements of aggression in male faces. Here, we sought to determine if observers' judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio in female faces. In three studies, participants rated photographs of female and male faces on aggression, femininity, masculinity, attractiveness, and nurturing. In Studies 1 and 2, for female and male faces, judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio even when other cues in the face related to masculinity were controlled statistically. Nevertheless, correlations between the face ratio and judgements of aggression were smaller for female than for male faces (F1,36 = 7.43, p = 0.01). In Study 1, there was no significant relationship between judgements of femininity and of aggression in female faces. In Study 2, the association between judgements of masculinity and aggression was weaker in female faces than for male faces in Study 1. The weaker association in female faces may be because aggression and masculinity are stereotypically male traits. Thus, in Study 3, observers rated faces on nurturing (a stereotypically female trait) and on femininity. Judgements of nurturing were associated with femininity (positively) and masculinity (negatively) ratings in both female and male faces. In summary, the perception of aggression differs in female versus male faces. The sex difference was not simply because aggression is a gendered construct; the relationships between masculinity/femininity and nurturing were similar for male and female faces even though nurturing is also a gendered construct. Masculinity and femininity ratings are not associated with aggression ratings nor with the face ratio for female faces. In contrast, all four variables are highly inter-correlated in male faces, likely because these cues in male faces serve as “honest signals”. PMID:22276184

The German Physical Society in the Third Reich physicists between autonomy and accommodation

CERN Document Server

Walker, Mark

2012-01-01

This is a history of one of the oldest and most important scientific societies, the German Physical Society, during the Nazi regime and immediate postwar period. When Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany in 1933, the Physical Society included prominent Jewish scientists as members, including Fritz Haber and Albert Einstein. As Jewish scientists lost their jobs and emigrated, the Society gradually lost members. In 1938, under pressure from the Nazi Ministry of Science, Education, and Culture, the Society forced out the last of its Jewish colleagues. This action was just the most prominent example of the tension between accommodation and autonomy that characterized the challenges facing physicists in the society. They strove to retain as much autonomy as possible, but tried to achieve this by accommodating themselves to Nazi policies, which culminated in the campaign by the Society’s president to place physics in the service of the war effort.

The relationship between work stress and work ability among power supply workers in Guangdong, China: a cross-sectional study

OpenAIRE

Li, Hualiang; Liu, Zhiting; Liu, Runzhong; Li, Li; Lin, Aihua

2016-01-01

Background Faced with the challenge of population aging, a prolonged working life is increasingly important in today?s society. Maintaining work ability of employees is one of the effective ways to cope with the challenges to sustainability of the workforce presented by population aging. Researchers have shown ongoing interest in exploring the determinants of restricted work ability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of work stress on work ability among power supply workers in...

[125th anniversary of the Serbian Medical Society].

Science.gov (United States)

Sulović, V; Pavlović, B

2002-01-01

Serbian Medical Society was founded on April 22, 1872. Foundation initiators were physicians of the following nationalities: 5 Serbs, 3 Czechs, 2 Poles, 3 Germans, 1 Slovak and 1 Greek. Josip Pancić was one of its founders as well, and the first president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Dr. Aćim Medović was elected its first President at the Inaugural Assembly, and Dr. Vladan Dordević its Secretary. Later, on October 17, 1874 Constitution of the Serbian Medical Society was passed and its was acknowledged by the Serbian Interior Minister. The first professional meeting was held on August 5, 1872, when they started the first medical journal named "Serbian Archives for All Physicians" ("Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo") that is being published regularly even today. At the proposal of SLD a Law on Medical Protection was passed (1881). This Law was translated into two European languages, German and French, and sent to be reconsidered by 400 towns throughout Europe. This Law included, beside the other things, the following: "...penny intended for health cannot be spent either by King, or by the Government or by any political party because it is intended for the health, tratement of the sick and doctors' salaries..." The first Congress of the Serbian physicians and scientists devoted to natural sciences was held in Belgrade from 5th to 7th of September, 1904, and it gahtered about 433 participants, among which over hundred were from abroad. In 1907 SLD organized in Belgrade "The First Scientific Conference of Yugoslav Doctors for Operating Surgery". Red Cross in Serbia was founded upon the initiative of SLD. The first initiative to establish the School of Medicine in Belgrade was given by SLD as well. Members of SLD proved their loyalty and devotion to their people, democracy and liberty during liberation wars in XIX and XX century by putting themselves in service of the sich and wrecked. Today, SLD realizes its professional activity through the work

The Problems and Prospects of General Education in an Information Society

Science.gov (United States)

Rusetskii, V. F.

2014-01-01

Russian education faces a difficult task in defining what its education system needs to be achieving to maximize its effectiveness in a changing society. Both educational officials and the general public need to be more aware of this challenge and how to deal with it. [This article was translated by Kim Braithwaite.

Civil Society as one of the decisive factors of the Ukrainians’ consolidation in the Postcolonial period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. M. Grabovska

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The actual problem of the modern Ukrainian society has been considered in the article. Civil society’s development is a major factor in the consolidation of the community. The consolidation of the Ukrainian postcolonial community is a crucial condition for its further existence as the state. Hybrid War of Russia against Ukraine is threatening its national integrity. The actuality of the issue is determined also by the tasks of the implementation of the stable democracy in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to prove that civil society today is the most important factor, which is uniting the Ukrainian society. Today there are several concepts of the civil society. Many historical challenges have led to the creation of the civil society in these lands. For example, the establishment of the Magdeburg Law on ethnic Ukrainian lands united the cities’ public societies. Principles of life organisation by the Magdeburg Law were organic for Ukrainians. This was caused by a number of factors. In particular, it was the Ukrainian mentality. The Russian colonization of Ukraine destroyed the democratic principles of life in these lands, crashed civil solidarity and influenced the mentality of people. The phenomenon of the civil society is complex and multifaceted. Civil society is a space of the initiative of free citizens and NGOs, independent from the state and business. They willingly assume the responsibility for their maintenance of the social life outside the state and business. Civil society plays special role in postcolonial communities of the transition type. The Ukrainian society is such community now. The events of the Revolution of Dignity, and then the war in the eastern Ukraine have shown that the civil activity of the population by itself, the ability to act effectively and integrally created the conditions for preservation of the independent Ukrainian state. The consolidation of the Ukrainians in the most dangerous times of

Rethinking cities in the post-carbon society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theys, Jacques; Vidalenc, Eric

2013-09-01

Futures studies often lack territorial approaches when dealing with climate and energy challenges. This article is a contribution to fill this gap by answering two main questions: what is the role of cities in this transition? How could they lead to a post-carbon society? To do so, an interdisciplinary foresight and research program involving academics, experts and local authorities, was conducted, focusing on the French case. Six contrasted transition paths, from today to 2050, were designed. The outcome is twofold. Not only the way the scenarios have been built intends to reflect the complexity of urban metabolism, but their qualitative and quantitative assessments also detail the role urban stakeholders could play in various trajectories. As a result, three issues clearly appear to be crucial in the transition towards a post-carbon society. The first one is that combination of technical and social innovation will be required to address the challenge of sustainability. Secondly, the role of changing behaviors and lifestyles is also important. Thirdly, more consistency shall be given in transition processes between time horizons (short, medium, long terms) on the one hand, and spatial scales (from the individual to global level) on the other hand

CREATING SHARED VALUE IN THE PRESENCE OF CONFLICTS AND TRADEOFFS: A PARADOX PERSPECTIVE ON BUSINESS AND SOCIETY

OpenAIRE

LaPierre, Karen; Wakayama, Naomi; 若山, 俊弘

2016-01-01

While business and society may engage in mutually beneficial, synergistic interactions, they also face the challenge of managing contentious, tradeoff interactions when their objectives are not aligned. In the diverse fields of studies in business and society, these two modes of business-society interactions have been conceptualized rather separately: mutual gains and synergies in concepts such as social innovation and shared value creation on one hand, and tensions and tradeoffs in studies t...

Domestic Violence – a Current Problem of Romanian Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandu Mihaela Luminița

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of domestic violence phenomenon and its severity were recently acknowledged worldwide, most European Union countries faced with significant increase in cases of domestic violence. Due to the inefficient public social services in combating and preventing domestic violence, services like this are taken mostly by civil society. However, help victims of domestic violence, there are several protection services, and a range of social services targeting the aggressors.

The Society Problems in the Modern Islamic Poetry

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Anas H. Saeed

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This research addresses the problems faced by the modern communities in terms of its social milieu. It also tries to shed some light on the most prominent of these problems that are monitored by the modern Muslims poets in their poetries and poems. These societal challenges involve homelessness, poverty and hunger, delusion and confusion, freedom restriction and injustice; cruelty of the society, sadness and worry, depression, drug addiction as well as moral corruption and the exploitation of women. These poets put their hands on those risks and social ills as a prelude to offer solutions to them to provide a decent life for human being and to build new societies towards being more stable and secure; full of happiness; respect; freedom; justice and to live a prosperous carefree life.

Managing boundaries between professional and lay nursing following the influenza pandemic, 1918-1919: insights for professional resilience today?

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Pamela J

2017-03-01

To examine lay-professional nursing boundaries, using challenges to the New Zealand nursing profession following the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic as the example. The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 had an overwhelming international impact on communities and the nursing profession. After the pandemic, the expectation for communities to be able to nurse the sick reflects today's increasing reliance on families to care for people at home. It similarly raised questions about the profession's role and professional boundaries in relation to volunteer or lay nursing. In New Zealand, the postpandemic challenge to build community lay nursing capacity tested these boundaries. Historical research. Analysis of historical primary sources of official reports, newspaper accounts, articles in New Zealand's professional nursing journal Kai Tiaki and the memoir of Hester Maclean, the country's chief nurse. Interpretation of findings in relation to secondary sources examining similar historical tensions between professional and lay nursing, and to the more recent notion of professional resilience. Maclean guarded nursing's professional boundaries by maintaining considerable control over community instruction in nursing and by strenuously resisting the suggestion that this should be done in hospitals where professional nurses trained. This historical example shows how the nursing profession faced the perceived threat to its professional boundaries. It also shows how competing goals of building community lay nursing capacity and protecting professional boundaries can be effectively managed. In the context of a global nursing shortage, limited healthcare budgets and a consequently increasing reliance on households to provide care for family members, this historical research shows nurses today that similar issues have been faced and effectively managed in the past. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Changing Landscapes in Documentation Efforts : Civil Society Documentation of Serious Human Rights Violations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mc Gonigle, B.N.

2017-01-01

Wittingly or unwittingly, civil society actors have long been faced with the task of documenting serious human rights violations. Thirty years ago, such efforts were largely organised by grassroots movements, often with little support or funding from international actors. Sharing information and

Participatory management in today's health care setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnham, B.A.

1987-01-01

As the health care revolution progresses, so must the management styles of today's leaders. The authors must ask ourselves if we are managing tomorrow's work force or the work force of the past. Participatory management may better meet the needs of today's work force. This paper identifies the reasons participatory management is a more effective management style, the methods used to implement a participatory management program, its benefits (such as higher productivity and more efficient, effective implementation and acceptance of change), and the difficulties experienced

Neutrality and Impartiality in Public Education: The French Investment in Philosophy, Teaching about Religions, and Moral and Civic Education

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudin, Philippe

2017-01-01

In France, there is no religious education in state schools. "Convictional education" appeared by drawing its perimeter around three educational subjects: philosophy, teaching about religions, and moral and civic education. Today, the French school is facing new challenges in a highly secularised society on which religion is laying new…

Big brains, small worlds: material culture and the evolution of the mind.

Science.gov (United States)

Coward, Fiona; Gamble, Clive

2008-06-12

New developments in neuroimaging have demonstrated that the basic capacities underpinning human social skills are shared by our closest extant primate relatives. The challenge for archaeologists is to explain how complex human societies evolved from this shared pattern of face-to-face social interaction. We argue that a key process was the gradual incorporation of material culture into social networks over the course of hominin evolution. Here we use three long-term processes in hominin evolution-encephalization, the global human diaspora and sedentism/agriculture-to illustrate how the cultural transmission of material culture allowed the 'scaling up' of face-to-face social interactions to the global societies known today. We conclude that future research by neuroimagers and archaeologists will need to investigate the cognitive mechanisms behind human engagement with material culture as well as other persons.

Doctors Today

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Murphy, JFA

2012-03-01

Doctors’ relationship with patients and their role in society is changing. Until the 1960s doctors concentrated on the welfare of patients with less emphasis placed on patients’ rights1. Over recent decades there has been increasing empowerment of the individual across all facets of society including health care. Doctors continue to be perceived as having expertise and authority over medical science. Patients, however, now hold sway over questions of values or preferences. We all must be aware of this change in the doctor- patient interaction. We need to be more aware of the outcomes that patients view as important. The concept of shared decision-making with the patient is now widely appreciated. The process involves a change in mind set particularly for doctors who trained in an earlier era.

Nuclear technology today and tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lombardi, C.

2007-01-01

Nuclear power has returned today to contain the energy problem. It is useful to make a summary of its characteristics and its evolution over the past 50 years and its prospects. The Italy can rely on their way by revitalizing its potential not fully disappeared [it

A pediatric case of disseminated mutilating lupus vulgaris: A disgrace for society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suresh Kumar Jain

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Lupus vulgaris (LV is a chronic and progressive form of cutaneous tuberculosis. The lesions may sometimes be associated with extensive destruction of tissue resulting in marked disfigurement and morbidity. A high index of suspicion is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment and thereby prevention of cosmetic deformity. Lupus vulgaris presenting as disseminated mutilating lesions in a child is uncommon, especially in today's era. Herein, we report an unusual case of lupus vulgaris with coexistence of multiple ulcerative mutilating lesions over face and classical plaque over distant site (right thigh in a 9 year old girl.

Ancient water supports today's energy needs

Science.gov (United States)

D'Odorico, Paolo; Natyzak, Jennifer L.; Castner, Elizabeth A.; Davis, Kyle F.; Emery, Kyle A.; Gephart, Jessica A.; Leach, Allison M.; Pace, Michael L.; Galloway, James N.

2017-05-01

The water footprint for fossil fuels typically accounts for water utilized in mining and fuel processing, whereas the water footprint of biofuels assesses the agricultural water used by crops through their lifetime. Fossil fuels have an additional water footprint that is not easily accounted for: ancient water that was used by plants millions of years ago, before they were transformed into fossil fuel. How much water is mankind using from the past to sustain current energy needs? We evaluate the link between ancient water virtually embodied in fossil fuels to current global energy demands by determining the water demand required to replace fossil fuels with biomass produced with water from the present. Using equal energy units of wood, bioethanol, and biodiesel to replace coal, natural gas, and crude oil, respectively, the resulting water demand is 7.39 × 1013 m3 y-1, approximately the same as the total annual evaporation from all land masses and transpiration from all terrestrial vegetation. Thus, there are strong hydrologic constraints to a reliance on biofuel energy produced with water from the present because the conversion from fossil fuels to biofuels would have a disproportionate and unsustainable impact on the modern water. By using fossil fuels to meet today's energy needs, we are virtually using water from a geological past. The water cycle is insufficient to sustain the production of the fuel presently consumed by human societies. Thus, non-fuel-based renewable energy sources are needed to decrease mankind's reliance on fossil fuel energy without placing an overwhelming pressure on global freshwater resources.

The Role of Chinese Face in the Perpetration of Dating Partner Violence

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Ko Ling

2012-01-01

This study explored the associations between the perpetration of partner violence and two types of face orientation--protective and acquisitive--in Chinese societies. Data from a convenience sample of 3,388 university students from Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing were analyzed. The participants completed the Protective and Acquisitive Face…

The public library : environment for the formulation of risk indicators in the information society

OpenAIRE

Pérez-López, Ana; López-Gijón, Javier; Gálvez, Carmen

2006-01-01

The beginning of this third millennium faces us to a set of changes that are the culminating point of processes generated from the second half of the 20th century and that they are directly linked to the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The Information Society, through Internet, is favouring the globalization and simultaneously promoting social paradigmatic changes as the sustainable development and the risk society that slow –but of form maintained– go being outlined as an a...

Critical Routes: Women Facing Violence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stela Nazareth Meneghel

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the Critical Routes International Seminar – Women Facing Violence , which took place in Porto Alegre in 2008. The seminar was promoted by the Graduate Program on Collective Health at Unisinos and by the Public Health School/RS and was supported by outstanding researchers working in the fields of collective health, and social and human sciences. Initially, we discuss some conceptual aspects about gender violence, its dimensions and its consequences for the health and the life quality of the affected women. Our understanding is that violence is one of the most effective methods of controlling women in societies scarred with gender hierarchies. The structure of the seminar focused on three main discussion themes: breaking up with the violence, mechanisms for working with gender and hearing the services. These themes were chosen aiming at looking for ways to help the women and to explore efficient mechanisms to combat, reduce and, if possible, eliminate the violence perpetrated against women. At the end of the seminar, we reiterate the political commitment on the accomplishment of the public policies to face violence and the fight against all inequality, discrimination and violence forms based on gender.

Fatherhood, childism, and the creation of society.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, John

2007-01-01

This essay argues for a new religious ethical approach to fatherhood centered on children and their expanding capabilities for participation in society. Under the notion of "childism"—in analogy to feminism, womanism, humanism, and the like—it takes the perspective of the experiences and concerns of childhood as such. In contrast with a soft patriarchal argument for fatherhood that dominates much religious discourse today, it argues for a larger and more hopeful vision of fatherhood as directed toward the human social good. This requires, methodologically, a richer hermeneutical circle between religion and the social sciences. Substantively, it calls for Christian and other religious ethicists to re-imagine fatherhood as an integrated public–private responsibility that aims to cultivate children’s fully human social creativity as images of their Creator.

Labor-force participation, policies & practices in an aging America: adaptation essential for a healthy & resilient population

OpenAIRE

Lisa F. Berkman; Axel Boersch-Supan; Mauricio Avendano

2015-01-01

Population aging in the United States poses challenges to societal institutions while simultaneously creating opportunities to build a more resilient, successful, and cohesive society. Work organization and labor-force participation are central to both the opportunities and challenges posed by our aging society. We argue that expectations about old age have not sufficiently adapted to the reality of aging today. Our institutions need more adaptation in order to successfully face the consequen...

Successful decoding of famous faces in the fusiform face area.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vadim Axelrod

Full Text Available What are the neural mechanisms of face recognition? It is believed that the network of face-selective areas, which spans the occipital, temporal, and frontal cortices, is important in face recognition. A number of previous studies indeed reported that face identity could be discriminated based on patterns of multivoxel activity in the fusiform face area and the anterior temporal lobe. However, given the difficulty in localizing the face-selective area in the anterior temporal lobe, its role in face recognition is still unknown. Furthermore, previous studies limited their analysis to occipito-temporal regions without testing identity decoding in more anterior face-selective regions, such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. In the current high-resolution functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging study, we systematically examined the decoding of the identity of famous faces in the temporo-frontal network of face-selective and adjacent non-face-selective regions. A special focus has been put on the face-area in the anterior temporal lobe, which was reliably localized using an optimized scanning protocol. We found that face-identity could be discriminated above chance level only in the fusiform face area. Our results corroborate the role of the fusiform face area in face recognition. Future studies are needed to further explore the role of the more recently discovered anterior face-selective areas in face recognition.

Housing for the elderly in Denmark, life conditions today and future scenarios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Welling, Helen

2004-01-01

in the population profile will increase the need for housing and facilities for the elderly. At the same time the number of working taxprayers will be relatively less. The life conditions of the elderly have changed through time. The elderly in Denmark are not any longer belonging to the weakest social population......Living and housing conditions for the elderly have become one of society's major problems - socially, culturally and economically. Today there are approximately one million people in Denmark at the age over 60 years. Too many of the older citizens live in out-of-date housing. The changes occurring...... group. The first part of this paper focus on an outline of 20th Century major trends with special reference to building for the elderly. The second part describes new developments in elderly housing and the third part introduces to studies of future housing needs for the elderly. Paper presented...

Real Time Face Quality Assessment for Face Log Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamal, Nasrollahi; Moeslund, Thomas B.

2009-01-01

Summarizing a long surveillance video to just a few best quality face images of each subject, a face-log, is of great importance in surveillance systems. Face quality assessment is the back-bone for face log generation and improving the quality assessment makes the face logs more reliable....... Developing a real time face quality assessment system using the most important facial features and employing it for face logs generation are the concerns of this paper. Extensive tests using four databases are carried out to validate the usability of the system....

Many Faces of Migrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milica Antić Gaber

2013-12-01

We believe that in the present thematic issue we have succeeded in capturing an important part of the modern European research dynamic in the field of migration. In addition to well-known scholars in this field several young authors at the beginning their research careers have been shortlisted for the publication. We are glad of their success as it bodes a vibrancy of this research area in the future. At the same time, we were pleased to receive responses to the invitation from representatives of so many disciplines, and that the number of papers received significantly exceeded the maximum volume of the journal. Recognising and understanding of the many faces of migration are important steps towards the comprehensive knowledge needed to successfully meet the challenges of migration issues today and even more so in the future. It is therefore of utmost importance that researchers find ways of transferring their academic knowledge into practice – to all levels of education, the media, the wider public and, of course, the decision makers in local, national and international institutions. The call also applies to all authors in this issue of the journal.

Age Differences in Face Processing: The Role of Perceptual Degradation and Holistic Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Boutet, Isabelle; Meinhardt-Injac, Bozana

2018-01-24

We simultaneously investigated the role of three hypotheses regarding age-related differences in face processing: perceptual degradation, impaired holistic processing, and an interaction between the two. Young adults (YA) aged 20-33-year olds, middle-age adults (MA) aged 50-64-year olds, and older adults (OA) aged 65-82-year olds were tested on the context congruency paradigm, which allows measurement of face-specific holistic processing across the life span (Meinhardt-Injac, Persike & Meinhardt, 2014. Acta Psychologica, 151, 155-163). Perceptual degradation was examined by measuring performance with faces that were not filtered (FSF), with faces filtered to preserve low spatial frequencies (LSF), and with faces filtered to preserve high spatial frequencies (HSF). We found that reducing perceptual signal strength had a greater impact on MA and OA for HSF faces, but not LSF faces. Context congruency effects were significant and of comparable magnitude across ages for FSF, LSF, and HSF faces. By using watches as control objects, we show that these holistic effects reflect face-specific mechanisms in all age groups. Our results support the perceptual degradation hypothesis for faces containing only HSF and suggest that holistic processing is preserved in aging even under conditions of reduced signal strength. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The relationship between visual search and categorization of own- and other-age faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Belinda M; Lipp, Ottmar V

2018-03-13

Young adult participants are faster to detect young adult faces in crowds of infant and child faces than vice versa. These findings have been interpreted as evidence for more efficient attentional capture by own-age than other-age faces, but could alternatively reflect faster rejection of other-age than own-age distractors, consistent with the previously reported other-age categorization advantage: faster categorization of other-age than own-age faces. Participants searched for own-age faces in other-age backgrounds or vice versa. Extending the finding to different other-age groups, young adult participants were faster to detect young adult faces in both early adolescent (Experiment 1) and older adult backgrounds (Experiment 2). To investigate whether the own-age detection advantage could be explained by faster categorization and rejection of other-age background faces, participants in experiments 3 and 4 also completed an age categorization task. Relatively faster categorization of other-age faces was related to relatively faster search through other-age backgrounds on target absent trials but not target present trials. These results confirm that other-age faces are more quickly categorized and searched through and that categorization and search processes are related; however, this correlational approach could not confirm or reject the contribution of background face processing to the own-age detection advantage. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

The top 100 questions of importance to the future of global agriculture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pretly, J.; Sutherland, W.J.; Ashby, J.; Auburn, J.; Baulcombe, D.; Bell, M.; Bentley, J.; Bickersteth, S.; Brown, K.; Burke, J.; Campbell, H.; Chen, K.; Crowley, E.; Crute, I.; Dobbelaere, D.; Edwards-Jones, G.; Funes-Monzote, F.; Godfray, H.C.J.; Griffon, M.; Gypmantisiri, P.; Haddad, L.; Halavatau, S.; Herren, H.; Holderness, M.; Izac, A.M.; Jones, M.; Koohafkan, P.; Lal, R.; Lang, T.; McNeely, J.; Mueller, A.; Nisbett, N.; Noble, A.; Pingali, P.; Pinto, Y.; Rabbinge, R.; Ravindranath, N.H.; Rola, A.; Röling, N.G.; Sage, C.; Settle, W.; Sha, J.M.; Luo, S.M.; Simons, T.; Smith, P.; Strzepeck, K.; Swaine, H.; Terry, E.; Tomich, T.P.; Toulmin, C.; Trigo, E.; Twomlow, S.; Vis, J.K.; Wilson, J.; Pilgrim, S.

2010-01-01

Despite a significant growth in food production over the past half-century, one of the most important challenges facing society today is how to feed an expected population of some nine billion by the middle of the 20th century. To meet the expected demand for food without significant increases in

Motivators of University and College Leaders in the Integration of Sustainable Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, John J.

2014-01-01

Today, as our society faces economic and environmental crises, educational institutions occupy a strategic position to assist in solving these predicaments, by carrying out research and offering teaching in sustainability literacy. However, only a small portion of the total number of colleges and universities in the United States has fully pledged…

A developmental change of the visual behavior of the face recognition in the early infancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Konishi, Yukihiko; Okubo, Kensuke; Kato, Ikuko; Ijichi, Sonoko; Nishida, Tomoko; Kusaka, Takashi; Isobe, Kenichi; Itoh, Susumu; Kato, Masaharu; Konishi, Yukuo

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine developmental changes in visuocognitive function, particularly face recognition, in early infancy. In this study, we measured eye movement in healthy infants with a preference gaze problem, particularly eye movement between two face stimulations. We used the eye tracker system (Tobii1750, Tobii Technologies, Sweden) to measure eye movement in infants. Subjects were 17 3-month-old infants and 16 4-month-old infants. The subjects looked two types of face stimulation (upright face/scrambled face) at the same time and we measured their visual behavior (preference/looking/eye movement). Our results showed that 4-month-old infants looked at an upright face longer than 3-month infants, and exploratory behavior while comparing two face stimulations significantly increased. In this study, 4-month-old infants showed a preference towards an upright face. The numbers of eye movements between two face stimuli significantly increased in 4-month-old infants. These results suggest that eye movements may be an important index in face cognitive function during early infancy. Copyright © 2012 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-modal face recognition using multi-matcher face scores

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yufeng; Blasch, Erik

2015-05-01

The performance of face recognition can be improved using information fusion of multimodal images and/or multiple algorithms. When multimodal face images are available, cross-modal recognition is meaningful for security and surveillance applications. For example, a probe face is a thermal image (especially at nighttime), while only visible face images are available in the gallery database. Matching a thermal probe face onto the visible gallery faces requires crossmodal matching approaches. A few such studies were implemented in facial feature space with medium recognition performance. In this paper, we propose a cross-modal recognition approach, where multimodal faces are cross-matched in feature space and the recognition performance is enhanced with stereo fusion at image, feature and/or score level. In the proposed scenario, there are two cameras for stereo imaging, two face imagers (visible and thermal images) in each camera, and three recognition algorithms (circular Gaussian filter, face pattern byte, linear discriminant analysis). A score vector is formed with three cross-matched face scores from the aforementioned three algorithms. A classifier (e.g., k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, binomial logical regression [BLR]) is trained then tested with the score vectors by using 10-fold cross validations. The proposed approach was validated with a multispectral stereo face dataset from 105 subjects. Our experiments show very promising results: ACR (accuracy rate) = 97.84%, FAR (false accept rate) = 0.84% when cross-matching the fused thermal faces onto the fused visible faces by using three face scores and the BLR classifier.

Meta-analytic review of the development of face discrimination in infancy: Face race, face gender, infant age, and methodology moderate face discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugden, Nicole A; Marquis, Alexandra R

2017-11-01

Infants show facility for discriminating between individual faces within hours of birth. Over the first year of life, infants' face discrimination shows continued improvement with familiar face types, such as own-race faces, but not with unfamiliar face types, like other-race faces. The goal of this meta-analytic review is to provide an effect size for infants' face discrimination ability overall, with own-race faces, and with other-race faces within the first year of life, how this differs with age, and how it is influenced by task methodology. Inclusion criteria were (a) infant participants aged 0 to 12 months, (b) completing a human own- or other-race face discrimination task, (c) with discrimination being determined by infant looking. Our analysis included 30 works (165 samples, 1,926 participants participated in 2,623 tasks). The effect size for infants' face discrimination was small, 6.53% greater than chance (i.e., equal looking to the novel and familiar). There was a significant difference in discrimination by race, overall (own-race, 8.18%; other-race, 3.18%) and between ages (own-race: 0- to 4.5-month-olds, 7.32%; 5- to 7.5-month-olds, 9.17%; and 8- to 12-month-olds, 7.68%; other-race: 0- to 4.5-month-olds, 6.12%; 5- to 7.5-month-olds, 3.70%; and 8- to 12-month-olds, 2.79%). Multilevel linear (mixed-effects) models were used to predict face discrimination; infants' capacity to discriminate faces is sensitive to face characteristics including race, gender, and emotion as well as the methods used, including task timing, coding method, and visual angle. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

School Counseling in China Today

Science.gov (United States)

Thomason, Timothy C.; Qiong, Xiao

2008-01-01

This article provides a brief overview of the development of psychological thinking in China and social influences on the practice of school counseling today. Common problems of students are described, including anxiety due to pressure to perform well on exams, loneliness and social discomfort, and video game addiction. Counseling approaches used…

Voicing on Virtual and Face to Face Discussion

Science.gov (United States)

Yamat, Hamidah

2013-01-01

This paper presents and discusses findings of a study conducted on pre-service teachers' experiences in virtual and face to face discussions. Technology has brought learning nowadays beyond the classroom context or time zone. The learning context and process no longer rely solely on face to face communications in the presence of a teacher.…

Facing Aggression: Cues Differ for Female versus Male Faces

OpenAIRE

Geniole, Shawn N.; Keyes, Amanda E.; Mondloch, Catherine J.; Carr?, Justin M.; McCormick, Cheryl M.

2012-01-01

The facial width-to-height ratio (face ratio), is a sexually dimorphic metric associated with actual aggression in men and with observers' judgements of aggression in male faces. Here, we sought to determine if observers' judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio in female faces. In three studies, participants rated photographs of female and male faces on aggression, femininity, masculinity, attractiveness, and nurturing. In Studies 1 and 2, for female and male faces, judge...

Buzz: Face-to-Face Contact and the Urban Economy

OpenAIRE

Michael Storper; Anthony J. Venables

2003-01-01

This paper argues that existing models of urban concentrations are incomplete unless grounded in the most fundamental aspect of proximity; face-to-face contact. Face-to-face contact has four main features; it is an efficient communication technology; it can help solve incentive problems; it can facilitate socialization and learning; and it provides psychological motivation. We discuss each of these features in turn, and develop formal economic models of two of them. Face-to-face is particular...

XVth Italian Society of Archaeoastronomy Congress

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This book addresses a variety of topics within the growing discipline of Archaeoastronomy, focusing especially on Archaeoastronomy in Sicily and the Mediterranean and Cultural Astronomy. A further priority is discussion of the astronomical and statistical methods used today to ascertain the degree of reliability of the chronological and cultural definition of sites and artifacts of archaeoastronomical interest. The contributions were all delivered at the XVth Congress of the Italian Society of Archaeoastronomy (SIA), held under the rubric "The Light, the Stones and the Sacred" – a theme inspired by the International Year of Light 2015, organized by UNESCO. The full meaning of many ancient monuments can only be understood by examining their relation to light, given the effects that light radiation produces in “interacting” with lithic structures. Moreover, in addition to manifestations of the sacred through the medium of light (hierophanies), there are many ties between temples, tombs, megalithic structu...

Facts of society and new spatialities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monique Eleb

2017-10-01

Full Text Available New spatial devices appear when society changes. Today families are restructuring, the domestic group is recomposing, practices are evolving and housing should follow. How can it be transformed to adapt to the life conditions and the lifestyle desired by singles of any age, families -either monoparental or blended-, by the elderly? Experiences in many countries are described here, showing the diversity of the devices proposed and their underlying ideals. They range from a simple practical solution to live in a contemporary way, particularly because of the porosity between habitat and work, to the ambition to change life starting with housing. Built in several countries, they also have very different scales. A simple house shared by friends in Japan or Holland, they can also gather very large groups in Sweden or Switzerland. A long survey on cohabitation in France helps to feed the authors’ reflection.

European cinema: face to face with Hollywood

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elsaesser, T.

2005-01-01

In the face of renewed competition from Hollywood since the early 1980s and the challenges posed to Europe's national cinemas by the fall of the Wall in 1989, independent filmmaking in Europe has begun to re-invent itself. European Cinema: Face to Face with Hollywood re-assesses the different

Myth Today: the Traditional Understanding of Myth in Critical Theories of Society and the Usefulness of Vernant's Concept of Ancient Greek Mythology for Contemporary Cultural Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jože Vogrinc

2004-12-01

Full Text Available There is no shortage of speaking about »myths« in contemporary popular culture, and often ancient Greek myths are evoked. »Myth«, however, is usually taken to mean a widely distributed story or belief which is inexact, false and/or fabricated – typically, to manipulate the multitude. In critical theories of society after Marx there are hints of different, theoretically more productive accounts of modern heritage or modern correspondences with Greek mythology. Marx himself has influenced cultural theorists with his account of the relationship between Greek mythology and Greek art as given in his Grundrisse. In his view, mythology serves as the arsenal and foundation of art because in mythology »nature and social forms are already reworked in an unconsciously artistic way by the popular imagination«. This account, together with a hint that there exist (in newspapers modern correspondences with such a relationship, has led to various theoretical elaborations of contemporary popular culture and ideology (e.g. in A. Gramsci, R. Williams, L. Althusser, P. Macherey etc.. None of them, however, retains »myth« as a concept; the word, when used, refers to ideology. Even R. Barthes, who developed a semiological concept of myth, did not refer to its Greek cultural meaning but used it explicitly as a tool for analysing the ideological manipulation of popular culture. C. Lévi-Strauss in social anthropology in general and J.-P. Vernant in the anthropology of ancient worlds have, on the other hand, developed the structural analysis of myths as essential to a culture without reducing it disparagingly to ideology. In our view, it should be possible to transpose Vernant's treatment of myth as a variable and shifting popular account of topics vital to its consumers to the study of today's popular culture and media.

Einstein today; Einstein aujourd'hui

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aspect, A.; Grangier, Ph. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Lab. Charles Fabry de l' Institut d' Optique a Orsay, 91 - Orsay (France); Bouchet, F.R. [Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, CNRS, 75 - Paris (France); Brunet, E.; Derrida, B. [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Ecole Normale Superieure, 75 - Paris (France); Cohen-Tannoudji, C. [Academie des Sciences, 75 - Paris (France); Dalibard, J.; Laloe, F. [Laboratoire Kastler Brossel. UMR 8552 (ENS, UPMC, CNRS), 75 - Paris (France); Damour, Th. [Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques, 91 - Bures sur Yvette (France); Darrigol, O. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Groupe Histoire des Sciences Rehseis, 75 - Paris (France); Pocholle, J.P. [Thales Research et Technology France, 91 - Palaiseau (France)

2005-07-01

The most important contributions of Einstein involve 5 fields of physics : the existence of quanta (light quanta, stimulated radiation emission and Bose-Einstein condensation), relativity, fluctuations (Brownian motion and thermodynamical fluctuations), the basis of quantum physics and cosmology (cosmological constant and the expansion of the universe). Diverse and renowned physicists have appreciated the development of modern physics from Einstein's ideas to the knowledge of today. This book is a collective book that gathers their work under 7 chapters: 1) 1905, a new beginning; 2) from the Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen's article to quantum information (cryptography and quantum computers); 3) the Bose-Einstein condensation in gases; 4) from stimulated emission to the today's lasers; 5) Brownian motion and the fluctuation-dissipation theory; 6) general relativity; and 7) cosmology. (A.C.)

Self-identification with another person's face: the time relevant role of multimodal brain areas in the enfacement illusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Bufalari, Ilaria; Porciello, Giuseppina; Sperduti, Marco; Minio-Paluello, Ilaria

2015-04-01

The illusory subjective experience of looking at one's own face while in fact looking at another person's face can surprisingly be induced by simple synchronized visuotactile stimulation of the two faces. A recent study (Apps MA, Tajadura-Jiménez A, Sereno M, Blanke O, Tsakiris M. Cereb Cortex. First published August 20, 2013; doi:10.1093/cercor/bht199) investigated for the first time the role of visual unimodal and temporoparietal multimodal brain areas in the enfacement illusion and suggested a model in which multisensory mechanisms are crucial to construct and update self-face representation. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Review of Huebert’s Libertarianism Today

OpenAIRE

Walter E. Block

2010-01-01

Libertarianism Today, by Jacob Huebert (Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010), is an excellent introduction to libertarianism. In contrast to many other recent books about libertarianism, a consistent non-compromising libertarianism is defended throughout this book.

The history of the management of sternal osteomyelitis and mediastinitis - from Hippocrates until today.

Science.gov (United States)

Ennker, Ina Carolin; Ennker, Jürgen C

2014-01-01

Even during the time of Hippocrates, Galen and their colleagues recognized mediastinal affections. However, they were not considered with the surgical treatment. First progress in the treatment options of this severe disease, still denoted as 'terra incognita', over to today's gold standard are pictured. The mediastinitis-registry which was founded by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG) in 2011 and the recent establishment of the study group to adopt a guideline 'diagnosis and therapy of postoperative mediastinitis/sternal osteomyelitis following cardiac surgery' are attempts to a standardization of the treatment. Substantial advancement in the treatment of postoperative mediastinitis could be achieved in the past. The mortality dropped as low as less than 10%. With these implementations more benefit for the patients' outcome can be expected.

DisFace: A Database of Human Facial Disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paramjit Kaur

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Face is an integral part of human body by which an individual communicates in the society. Its importance can be highlighted by the fact that a person deprived of face cannot sustain in the living world. In the past few decades, human face has gained attention of several researchers, whether it is related to facial anthropometry, facial disorder, face transplantation or face reconstruction. Several researches have also shown the correlation between neuropsychiatry disorders and human face and also that how face recognition abilities are correlated with these disorders. Currently, several databases exist which contain the facial images of several individuals captured from different sources. The advantage of these databases is that the images in these databases can be used for testing and training purpose. However, in current date no such database exists which would provide not only facial images of individuals; but also the literature concerning the human face, list of several genes controlling human face, list of facial disorders and various tools which work on facial images. Thus, the current research aims at developing a database of human facial disorders using bioinformatics approach. The database will contain information about facial diseases, medications, symptoms, findings, etc. The information will be extracted from several other databases like OMIM, PubChem, Radiopedia, Medline Plus, FDA, etc. and links to them will also be provided. Initially, the diseases specific for human face have been obtained from already created published corpora of literature using text mining approach. Becas tool was used to obtain the specific task.  A dataset will be created and stored in the form of database. It will be a database containing cross-referenced index of human facial diseases, medications, symptoms, signs, etc. Thus, a database on human face with complete existing information about human facial disorders will be developed. The novelty of the

The Caledonian face test: A new test of face discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, Andrew J; Wilkinson, Frances; Wilson, Hugh R; Gordon, Gael E; Loffler, Gunter

2016-02-01

This study aimed to develop a clinical test of face perception which is applicable to a wide range of patients and can capture normal variability. The Caledonian face test utilises synthetic faces which combine simplicity with sufficient realism to permit individual identification. Face discrimination thresholds (i.e. minimum difference between faces required for accurate discrimination) were determined in an "odd-one-out" task. The difference between faces was controlled by an adaptive QUEST procedure. A broad range of face discrimination sensitivity was determined from a group (N=52) of young adults (mean 5.75%; SD 1.18; range 3.33-8.84%). The test is fast (3-4 min), repeatable (test-re-test r(2)=0.795) and demonstrates a significant inversion effect. The potential to identify impairments of face discrimination was evaluated by testing LM who reported a lifelong difficulty with face perception. While LM's impairment for two established face tests was close to the criterion for significance (Z-scores of -2.20 and -2.27) for the Caledonian face test, her Z-score was -7.26, implying a more than threefold higher sensitivity. The new face test provides a quantifiable and repeatable assessment of face discrimination ability. The enhanced sensitivity suggests that the Caledonian face test may be capable of detecting more subtle impairments of face perception than available tests. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Face-Lift Satisfaction Using the FACE-Q.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinno, Sammy; Schwitzer, Jonathan; Anzai, Lavinia; Thorne, Charles H

2015-08-01

Face lifting is one of the most common operative procedures for facial aging and perhaps the procedure most synonymous with plastic surgery in the minds of the lay public, but no verifiable documentation of patient satisfaction exists in the literature. This study is the first to examine face-lift outcomes and patient satisfaction using a validated questionnaire. One hundred five patients undergoing a face lift performed by the senior author (C.H.T.) using a high, extended-superficial musculoaponeurotic system with submental platysma approximation technique were asked to complete anonymously the FACE-Q by e-mail. FACE-Q scores were assessed for each domain (range, 0 to 100), with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction with appearance or superior quality of life. Fifty-three patients completed the FACE-Q (50.5 percent response rate). Patients demonstrated high satisfaction with facial appearance (mean ± SD, 80.7 ± 22.3), and quality of life, including social confidence (90.4 ± 16.6), psychological well-being (92.8 ± 14.3), and early life impact (92.2 ± 16.4). Patients also reported extremely high satisfaction with their decision to undergo face lifting (90.5 ± 15.9). On average, patients felt they appeared 6.9 years younger than their actual age. Patients were most satisfied with the appearance of their nasolabial folds (86.2 ± 18.5), cheeks (86.1 ± 25.4), and lower face/jawline (86.0 ± 20.6), compared with their necks (78.1 ± 25.6) and area under the chin (67.9 ± 32.3). Patients who responded in this study were extremely satisfied with their decision to undergo face lifting and the outcomes and quality of life following the procedure.

A Face Inversion Effect without a Face

Science.gov (United States)

Brandman, Talia; Yovel, Galit

2012-01-01

Numerous studies have attributed the face inversion effect (FIE) to configural processing of internal facial features in upright but not inverted faces. Recent findings suggest that face mechanisms can be activated by faceless stimuli presented in the context of a body. Here we asked whether faceless stimuli with or without body context may induce…

Pedagogical Knowledge and the Changing Nature of the Teaching Profession. Educational Research and Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Guerriero, Sonia, Ed.

2017-01-01

Highly qualified and competent teachers are fundamental for equitable and effective education systems. Teachers today are facing higher and more complex expectations to help students reach their full potential and become valuable members of 21st century society. The nature and variety of these demands imply that teachers, more than ever before,…

Factor Structure and Validity of the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale: Results from the 1972 Psychology Today Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Frederick

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In 1972, the first major national study on body image was conducted under the auspices of Psychology Today. Body image was assessed with the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale, which examined the dissatisfaction people experienced with 24 aspects of their bodies. Despite the continued reliance on this scale and reference to the study, data on the factor structure of this measure in a sample of adults have never been published, and citations of the original scale have relied on an unpublished manuscript (Bohrnstedt, 1977. An exploratory factor analysis conducted on 2,013 adults revealed factors for men (Face, Sex Organ, Height, Lower Body, Mid Torso, Upper Torso, Height and women (Face, Sex Organ, Height, Lower Torso, Mid Torso, Extremities, Breast. The factors were weakly to moderately intercorrelated, suggesting the scale can be analyzed by items, by subscales, or by total score. People who reported more dissatisfaction with their body also tended to report lower self-esteem and less comfort interacting with members of the other sex. The analyses provide a useful comparison point for researchers looking to examine gender differences in dissatisfaction with specific aspects of the body, as well as the factor structures linking these items.

Austrian-Hungarian Astronomical Observatories Run by the Society of Jesus at the Time of the 18th Century Venus Transits

Science.gov (United States)

Posch, Thomas; Aspaas, Per Pippin; Bazso, Akos; Mueller, Isolde

2013-05-01

The Venus transit in June 1761 was the first one to be observed on a truly international scale: almost 250 astronomers followed this rare celestial event (e.g. Wulff 2012, p. 115), and at least 130 published successful observations of it (Aspaas 2012, p. 423). The present paper deals with the astronomical observatories built by the Society of Jesus in its eighteenth century "Provincia Austriae", at which the 1761 transit could be observed. Five Jesuit observatories are being presented in this context: three in today's Austria, namely, two in Vienna and one in Graz; one in Trnava in today's Slovakia and one in Cluj in today's Romania. Thereafter, we briefly examine which of these observatories submitted any Venus transit observations for publication in the appendix to Maximilian Hell's "Ephemerides astronomicae ad meridianum Vindobonensem" for the year 1762.

Series 'Facing Radiation'. 2 Facing radiation is facing residents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanzawa, Takahiro

2013-01-01

The series is to report how general people, who are not at all radiological experts, have faced and understood the problems and tasks of radiation given by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident (Mar. 2011). The section 2 is reported by an officer of Date City, which localizes at 60 km northern west of the Plant, borders on Iitate Village of Fukushima prefecture, and is indicated as the important area of contamination search (IACS), which the reporter has been conducted for as responsible personnel. In July 2011, the ambient dose was as high as 3.0-3.5 mc-Sv/h and the tentative storage place of contaminated materials was decided by own initiative of residents of a small community, from which the real decontamination started in the City. The target dose after decontamination was defined to be 1.0 mc-Sv/h: however, 28/32 IACS municipalities in the prefecture had not defined the target although they had worked for 2 years after the Accident for their areas exceeding the standard 0.23 mc-Sv/h. At the moment of decontamination of the reporter's own house, he noticed that resident's concerns had directed toward its work itself, not toward the target dose, and wondered if these figures had obstructed to correctly face the radiation. At present that about 2.5 years have passed since the Accident, all of Date citizens have personal accumulated glass dosimeters for seeing the effective external dose and it seems that their dose will not exceed 1 mSv/y if the ambient dose estimated is 0.3-5 mc-Sv/h. Media run to popularity not to face radiation, experts tend to hesitate to face media and residents, and radiation dose will be hardly reduced to zero, despite that correct understanding of radiation is a shorter way for residents' own ease: facing radiation is facing residents. (T.T.)

Online Paper Repositories and the Role of Scholarly Societies: An AERA Conference Report

Science.gov (United States)

Educational Researcher, 2010

2010-01-01

This article examines issues faced by scholarly societies that are developing and sustaining online paper repositories. It is based on the AERA Conference on Online Paper Repositories, which focused on fundamental issues of policy and procedure important to the operations of online working paper repositories. The report and recommendations address…

Threatening faces fail to guide attention for adults with autistic-like traits.

Science.gov (United States)

English, Michael C W; Maybery, Murray T; Visser, Troy A W

2017-02-01

Individuals diagnosed with autistic spectrum conditions often show deficits in processing emotional faces relative to neurotypical peers. However, little is known about whether similar deficits exist in neurotypical individuals who show high-levels of autistic-like traits. To address this question, we compared performance on an attentional blink task in a large sample of adults who showed low- or high-levels of autistic-like traits on the Autism Spectrum Quotient. We found that threatening faces inserted as the second target in a rapid serial visual presentation were identified more accurately among individuals with low- compared to high-levels of autistic-like traits. This is the first study to show that attentional blink abnormalities seen in autism extend to the neurotypical population with autistic-like traits, adding to the growing body of research suggesting that autistic-related patterns of behaviors extend into a subset of the neurotypical population. Autism Res 2017, 10: 311-320. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Wind Power Today: Wind Energy Program Highlights 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2002-05-01

Wind Power Today is an annual publication that provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Energy Program accomplishments for the previous year. The purpose of Wind Power Today is to show how DOE's Wind Energy Program supports wind turbine research and deployment in hopes of furthering the advancement of wind technologies that produce clean, low-cost, reliable energy. Content objectives include: educate readers about the advantages and potential for widespread deployment of wind energy; explain the program's objectives and goals; describe the program's accomplishments in research and application; examine the barriers to widespread deployment; describe the benefits of continued research and development; facilitate technology transfer; and attract cooperative wind energy projects with industry. This 2001 edition of Wind Power Today also includes discussions about wind industry growth in 2001, how DOE is taking advantage of low wind speed regions through advancing technology, and distributed applications for small wind turbines.

Electric Power Society in a new Situation - an Outline for an Actor Directed Strategy facing the Nuclear Power Phase Out

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

A proposal is outlined implying the general electricity tax to be progressive in relation to the total power consumption. A level of 100-110 TWh is proposed as basis for the progressiveness. The tax curve will be levelled to yield an unchanged taxation today. The outline also involves a separate tax on condensing power production compensated by a reduction of the general electricity tax

Face time: educating face transplant candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamparello, Brooke M; Bueno, Ericka M; Diaz-Siso, Jesus Rodrigo; Sisk, Geoffroy C; Pomahac, Bohdan

2013-01-01

Face transplantation is the innovative application of microsurgery and immunology to restore appearance and function to those with severe facial disfigurements. Our group aims to establish a multidisciplinary education program that can facilitate informed consent and build a strong knowledge base in patients to enhance adherence to medication regimes, recovery, and quality of life. We analyzed handbooks from our institution's solid organ transplant programs to identify topics applicable to face transplant patients. The team identified unique features of face transplantation that warrant comprehensive patient education. We created a 181-page handbook to provide subjects interested in pursuing transplantation with a written source of information on the process and team members and to address concerns they may have. While the handbook covers a wide range of topics, it is easy to understand and visually appealing. Face transplantation has many unique aspects that must be relayed to the patients pursuing this novel therapy. Since candidates lack third-party support groups and programs, the transplant team must provide an extensive educational component to enhance this complex process. As face transplantation continues to develop, programs must create sound education programs that address patients' needs and concerns to facilitate optimal care.

After the Resistance: The Alamo Today

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2014-09-23

Byron Breedlove reads his essay After the Resistance: The Alamo Today about the Alamo and emerging disease resistance.  Created: 9/23/2014 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 10/20/2014.

Coal technology in a sustainable society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon

2000-01-01

Coal is a major world energy resource. For many countries it is the primary fuel in electricity generation. As world energy demand increases so also will the demand for coal. Steel and aluminium-essential elements in the fabric of modern society -also rely heavily on coal. This article points out that the Australian coal industry is responding to the challenges facing coal by investigating a sustainable development strategy and examining the full life cycle outcomes of coal as fuel and reductant. The challenge is to deliver much more efficient ways of extracting energy from coal. The most effective strategies are seen to be: ash displacement credits, synergies with renewables and integration with other industries

From face processing to face recognition: Comparing three different processing levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Besson, G; Barragan-Jason, G; Thorpe, S J; Fabre-Thorpe, M; Puma, S; Ceccaldi, M; Barbeau, E J

2017-01-01

Verifying that a face is from a target person (e.g. finding someone in the crowd) is a critical ability of the human face processing system. Yet how fast this can be performed is unknown. The 'entry-level shift due to expertise' hypothesis suggests that - since humans are face experts - processing faces should be as fast - or even faster - at the individual than at superordinate levels. In contrast, the 'superordinate advantage' hypothesis suggests that faces are processed from coarse to fine, so that the opposite pattern should be observed. To clarify this debate, three different face processing levels were compared: (1) a superordinate face categorization level (i.e. detecting human faces among animal faces), (2) a face familiarity level (i.e. recognizing famous faces among unfamiliar ones) and (3) verifying that a face is from a target person, our condition of interest. The minimal speed at which faces can be categorized (∼260ms) or recognized as familiar (∼360ms) has largely been documented in previous studies, and thus provides boundaries to compare our condition of interest to. Twenty-seven participants were included. The recent Speed and Accuracy Boosting procedure paradigm (SAB) was used since it constrains participants to use their fastest strategy. Stimuli were presented either upright or inverted. Results revealed that verifying that a face is from a target person (minimal RT at ∼260ms) was remarkably fast but longer than the face categorization level (∼240ms) and was more sensitive to face inversion. In contrast, it was much faster than recognizing a face as familiar (∼380ms), a level severely affected by face inversion. Face recognition corresponding to finding a specific person in a crowd thus appears achievable in only a quarter of a second. In favor of the 'superordinate advantage' hypothesis or coarse-to-fine account of the face visual hierarchy, these results suggest a graded engagement of the face processing system across processing

The Chinese Family in Transition: Implications for Education and Society in Modern Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Douglas C.

This paper investigates the challenges facing the modern Chinese family in Taiwan. An understanding of how culture and family life interact in other cultures may be useful in helping to understand such interactions in one's own society. Confucianism and family stability have been two enduring features of the protracted civilizations of China. In…

Bayesian Face Recognition and Perceptual Narrowing in Face-Space

Science.gov (United States)

Balas, Benjamin

2012-01-01

During the first year of life, infants' face recognition abilities are subject to "perceptual narrowing", the end result of which is that observers lose the ability to distinguish previously discriminable faces (e.g. other-race faces) from one another. Perceptual narrowing has been reported for faces of different species and different races, in…

Faces of Change. Visual Evidence: An Instructional Approach. Instructor's Notes: Film/Essay Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Norman N.

Designed for use with the multidisciplinary film project, "Faces of Change, Five Rural Societies in Transition" for the college social studies curriculum, this manual contains an overview of the material and its underlying philosophy and suggests teaching strategies. The first section discusses the overall approach, the use of films in…

Analysing the Literature on University Social Responsibility: A Review of Selected Higher Education Journals

Science.gov (United States)

Larrán Jorge, Manuel; Andrades Peña, Francisco Javier

2017-01-01

In the last 30 years, different economic, political and social changes have taken place in the university sector and this has led to an extensive reform to meet the new societal challenges that these institutions are facing today. This emphasises the social dimension of universities and their important role in society as educators of future…

Learner Agency within the Design of an EAP Course

Science.gov (United States)

Seppälä, Riina

2015-01-01

To meet the demands of today's society and working life, higher education should support the development of learner agency. How the agency of individual learners emerges in university courses and what kind of agency empowers the learners to face new challenges should be considered. In this article, the focus is on learner agency enabled and…

Honor Code/Code of Conduct in International Institutions of Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Alahmad, Ala'

2013-01-01

In today's society, students are faced with many ethical decisions about which they are uncertain. Unfortunately, many of these problems are rooted not only in their academic lives, but also in the workplace. These problems stem from a lack of knowledge concerning decision-making. This problem presents an actual global dilemma. Codifying ethics in…

Identity Issues and Challenges Faced by Russian Immigrants in New Zealand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Maydell

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Among the processes cosmopolitan societies undergo at the present moment, is the unprecedented increase in mass migration across cultures. What challenges are faced by both immigrants, who have to settle in novel socio-cultural environments, and by the host populations accepting them? The current qualitative study investigates the nature of identity construction among Russian-speaking immigrants in New Zealand, applying thematic analysis for the interpretation of the data collected via 23 in-depth interviews. Among the most common themes articulated by the participants was the feeling of identity loss. A taken-for-granted sense of identity, brought by the participants from their culture of origin, was not validated by their new society of residence, mostly due to the lack of appropriate cultural resources. The participants were faced with a challenge of re-constructing their old identity, or constructing a new one, utilising the available resources in the community around them. At the same time, there was a sub-group for whom this challenge brought the realisation that the nature of their identity is cosmopolitan, rather than located within any particular culture or geographical space.

Attention to internal face features in unfamiliar face matching.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Kingsley I; Butavicius, Marcus A; Lee, Michael D

2008-08-01

Accurate matching of unfamiliar faces is vital in security and forensic applications, yet previous research has suggested that humans often perform poorly when matching unfamiliar faces. Hairstyle and facial hair can strongly influence unfamiliar face matching but are potentially unreliable cues. This study investigated whether increased attention to the more stable internal face features of eyes, nose, and mouth was associated with more accurate face-matching performance. Forty-three first-year psychology students decided whether two simultaneously presented faces were of the same person or not. The faces were displayed for either 2 or 6 seconds, and had either similar or dissimilar hairstyles. The level of attention to internal features was measured by the proportion of fixation time spent on the internal face features and the sensitivity of discrimination to changes in external feature similarity. Increased attention to internal features was associated with increased discrimination in the 2-second display-time condition, but no significant relationship was found in the 6-second condition. Individual differences in eye-movements were highly stable across the experimental conditions.

Face recognition : implementation of face recognition on AMIGO

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geelen, M.J.A.J.; Molengraft, van de M.J.G.; Elfring, J.

2011-01-01

In this (traineeship)report two possible methods of face recognition were presented. The first method describes how to detect and recognize faces by using the SURF algorithm. This algorithm finally was not used for recognizing faces, with the reason that the Eigenface algorithm was an already tested

E-learning. Today and tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gelbke, Silvana

2010-01-01

Today, new technologies revolutionize the way of handling information, exchanging knowledge and learning. The definition of the term ''e-learning'' mostly comprehends teaching and learning using a range of electronic media (Internet, CD-ROMs). However, further differentiation is necessary to describe the entire spectrum of methods included in this term. These different approaches are reflected in their implementation by the companies presented. (orig.)

The complex duration perception of emotional faces: Effects of face direction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Martina Kliegl

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The perceived duration of emotional face stimuli strongly depends on the expressed emotion. But, emotional faces also differ regarding a number of other features like gaze, face direction, or sex. Usually, these features have been controlled by only using pictures of female models with straight gaze and face direction. Doi and Shinohara (2009 reported that an overestimation of angry faces could only be found when the model’s gaze was oriented towards the observer. We aimed at replicating this effect for face direction. Moreover, we explored the effect of face direction on the duration perception sad faces. Controlling for the sex of the face model and the participant, female and male participants rated the duration of neutral, angry and sad face stimuli of both sexes photographed from different perspectives in a bisection task. In line with current findings, we report a significant overestimation of angry compared to neutral face stimuli that was modulated by face direction. Moreover, the perceived duration of sad face stimuli did not differ from that of neutral faces and was not influenced by face direction. Furthermore, we found that faces of the opposite sex appeared to last longer than those of the same sex. This outcome is discussed with regards to stimulus parameters like the induced arousal, social relevance and an evolutionary context.

A causal relationship between face-patch activity and face-detection behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadagopan, Srivatsun; Zarco, Wilbert; Freiwald, Winrich A

2017-04-04

The primate brain contains distinct areas densely populated by face-selective neurons. One of these, face-patch ML, contains neurons selective for contrast relationships between face parts. Such contrast-relationships can serve as powerful heuristics for face detection. However, it is unknown whether neurons with such selectivity actually support face-detection behavior. Here, we devised a naturalistic face-detection task and combined it with fMRI-guided pharmacological inactivation of ML to test whether ML is of critical importance for real-world face detection. We found that inactivation of ML impairs face detection. The effect was anatomically specific, as inactivation of areas outside ML did not affect face detection, and it was categorically specific, as inactivation of ML impaired face detection while sparing body and object detection. These results establish that ML function is crucial for detection of faces in natural scenes, performing a critical first step on which other face processing operations can build.

Human, nature, society: synergetic dimension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Н. А. Вахнин

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The paper gives an overview of the major directions of development in the system ‘human – society – nature’ and their philosophical and scientific contemplation. The fundamental achievements of the society and responsibility of the mankind for its progressive development have been analyzed. The distinctive features of changes in human interactions with nature in the era of globalization and intensive progress in science and technology are presented. It is reported that numerous studies of human intervention in the biosphere processes prove that it can become the most profound anomaly in the development of not only the biosphere but of the entire Earth system, i.e. become a cause of such conditions on the Earth that would be alien to the general biological process in its ontological sense.  The consequence of this is a dissonance in the rate of social evolution (social form of matter and nature evolution (all pre-social forms of matter, which is translated into the disturbed ‘functional optimum’ of intensive development of the ‘human-society-nature’ system, a threat of environmental crisis and disturbances in the very biological nature  of a human. It is asserted that synergetics today still remains appealing due to a need to find adequate answers to global civilization challenges in the world living through a crisis. According to estimations, human synergetic activities come to the fore in the 21st century, it is especially true for small and large self-organizing groups, which shall not only live in harmony with the nature, but also successfully manage all different-level subsystems. It is shown that synergetics is a new dialogue between human and nature, a new synthesis of the human knowl- edge and wisdom. This is a new approach to gaining insight into the evolution crises, instability and chaos, to mastering complicated systems in the state of volatility.

Alternative face models for 3D face registration

Science.gov (United States)

Salah, Albert Ali; Alyüz, Neşe; Akarun, Lale

2007-01-01

3D has become an important modality for face biometrics. The accuracy of a 3D face recognition system depends on a correct registration that aligns the facial surfaces and makes a comparison possible. The best results obtained so far use a one-to-all registration approach, which means each new facial surface is registered to all faces in the gallery, at a great computational cost. We explore the approach of registering the new facial surface to an average face model (AFM), which automatically establishes correspondence to the pre-registered gallery faces. Going one step further, we propose that using a couple of well-selected AFMs can trade-off computation time with accuracy. Drawing on cognitive justifications, we propose to employ category-specific alternative average face models for registration, which is shown to increase the accuracy of the subsequent recognition. We inspect thin-plate spline (TPS) and iterative closest point (ICP) based registration schemes under realistic assumptions on manual or automatic landmark detection prior to registration. We evaluate several approaches for the coarse initialization of ICP. We propose a new algorithm for constructing an AFM, and show that it works better than a recent approach. Finally, we perform simulations with multiple AFMs that correspond to different clusters in the face shape space and compare these with gender and morphology based groupings. We report our results on the FRGC 3D face database.

Withholding response to self-face is faster than to other-face.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Min; Hu, Yinying; Tang, Xiaochen; Luo, Junlong; Gao, Xiangping

2015-01-01

Self-face advantage refers to adults' response to self-face is faster than that to other-face. A stop-signal task was used to explore how self-face advantage interacted with response inhibition. The results showed that reaction times of self-face were faster than that of other-face not in the go task but in the stop response trials. The novelty of the finding was that self-face has shorter stop-signal reaction time compared to other-face in the successful inhibition trials. These results indicated the processing mechanism of self-face may be characterized by a strong response tendency and a corresponding strong inhibition control.

Oxygen: the two-faced elixir of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Biddle, Chuck

2008-02-01

Take a moment and consider our planet without oxygen. Imagine the earth some 2.5 billion years ago when oxygen first appeared as a waste product of early anaerobes. Oxygen, as we know it today, is essential for life. Abundant and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, oxygen has widespread use in industry and healthcare. Anesthesia providers routinely administer oxygen in concentrations exceeding that in ambient air to ensure clinical safety and to offset the predictable sequelae associated with patient, drug-related, and procedural factors. Understanding the history of this unique element is critical in evaluating the often contentious body of contemporary research that has illuminated its efficacy (as elixir) and its attendant complications (its "two-faced" nature). Of particular interest is its role in free radical formation as etiogenic in developing complications. Oxygen is a mainstay in the perioperative management of patients, but its administration should be guided by thoughtful and rational goal-directed outcomes to maximize efficacy and minimize complications associated with its use.

Power and Purity: Nature as Resource in a Troubled Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gremaud, Ann-Sofie

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This article analyses representations of nature as brand and resource in current Icelandic society. This is done through an interdisciplinary approach consisting of concepts from the discipline of cultural geography and the analytical methodologies of visual cultural, imagology, discourse and brand analysis used to highlight key narratives in images and written sources. The article discusses how ideas of purity are used in branding strategies and what they mean in Iceland today e.g. as a part of the emerging regional consciousness of ‘Arctic Iceland.’ The current overlapping crises of the economy, the environment and the collective self-image in Iceland have fostered critical representations of the past, present and future of the relationship between humans and the environment. Thus utilitarian environmental policies and shallow ecology is treated critically in contemporary Icelandic art, as is the question of what constitutes pollution. Such internal conflicts of interest are analysed to show critical perspectives on the dominant narratives about Icelandic nature and society that are communicated to the outside world through nation branding.

115-year-old society knows how to reach young scientists: ASM Young Ambassador Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Karczewska-Golec, Joanna

2015-12-25

With around 40,000 members in more than 150 countries, American Society for Microbiology (ASM) faces the challenge of meeting very diverse needs of its increasingly international members base. The newly launched ASM Young Ambassador Program seeks to aid the Society in this effort. Equipped with ASM conceptual support and financing, Young Ambassadors (YAs) design and pursue country-tailored approaches to strengthen the Society's ties with local microbiological communities. In a trans-national setting, the active presence of YAs at important scientific events, such as 16th European Congress on Biotechnology, forges new interactions between ASM and sister societies. The paper presents an overview of the Young Ambassadors-driven initiatives at both global and country levels, and explores the topic of how early-career scientists can contribute to science diplomacy and international relations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

About-face on face recognition ability and holistic processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Richler, Jennifer J; Floyd, R Jackie; Gauthier, Isabel

2015-01-01

Previous work found a small but significant relationship between holistic processing measured with the composite task and face recognition ability measured by the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT; Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006). Surprisingly, recent work using a different measure of holistic processing (Vanderbilt Holistic Face Processing Test [VHPT-F]; Richler, Floyd, & Gauthier, 2014) and a larger sample found no evidence for such a relationship. In Experiment 1 we replicate this unexpected result, finding no relationship between holistic processing (VHPT-F) and face recognition ability (CFMT). A key difference between the VHPT-F and other holistic processing measures is that unique face parts are used on each trial in the VHPT-F, unlike in other tasks where a small set of face parts repeat across the experiment. In Experiment 2, we test the hypothesis that correlations between the CFMT and holistic processing tasks are driven by stimulus repetition that allows for learning during the composite task. Consistent with our predictions, CFMT performance was correlated with holistic processing in the composite task when a small set of face parts repeated over trials, but not when face parts did not repeat. A meta-analysis confirms that relationships between the CFMT and holistic processing depend on stimulus repetition. These results raise important questions about what is being measured by the CFMT, and challenge current assumptions about why faces are processed holistically.

Spatial But Not Oculomotor Information Biases Perceptual Memory: Evidence From Face Perception and Cognitive Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Wantz, Andrea L; Lobmaier, Janek S; Mast, Fred W; Senn, Walter

2017-08-01

Recent research put forward the hypothesis that eye movements are integrated in memory representations and are reactivated when later recalled. However, "looking back to nothing" during recall might be a consequence of spatial memory retrieval. Here, we aimed at distinguishing between the effect of spatial and oculomotor information on perceptual memory. Participants' task was to judge whether a morph looked rather like the first or second previously presented face. Crucially, faces and morphs were presented in a way that the morph reactivated oculomotor and/or spatial information associated with one of the previously encoded faces. Perceptual face memory was largely influenced by these manipulations. We considered a simple computational model with an excellent match (4.3% error) that expresses these biases as a linear combination of recency, saccade, and location. Surprisingly, saccades did not play a role. The results suggest that spatial and temporal rather than oculomotor information biases perceptual face memory. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Physiotherapy and the shadow of prostitution: the Society of Trained Masseuses and the massage scandals of 1894.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholls, David A; Cheek, Julianne

2006-05-01

In 1894 the Society of Trained Masseuses (STM) formed in response to massage scandals published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The Society's founders acted to legitimise massage, which had become sullied by its association with prostitution. This study analyses the discourses that influenced the founders of the Society and reflects upon the social and political conditions that enabled the STM to emerge and prosper. The founders established a clear practice model for massage which effectively regulated the sensual elements of contact between therapist and patient. Massage practices were regulated through clearly defined curricula, examinations and the surveillance of the Society's members. A biomechanical model of physical rehabilitation was adopted to enable masseuses to view the body as a machine rather than as a sensual being. Medical patronage of the Society was courted enabling the Society to prosper amongst competing organisations. Using Foucault's work on power we explore the contingent nature of these events, seeing the massage scandals in context with broader questions of sexual morality, professionalisation and expertise in the late nineteenth century society. We argue that many of the technologies developed by the founders resonate with physiotherapy practice today and enable us to critically analyse the continued relevance of the profession to contemporary healthcare.

Social Media and the Dialectic of Enlightenment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juel, Henrik

2012-01-01

of control or meaningfulness, and in the face of crisis and systemic contradictions in the now global society we tend to regress and rely on older, more primitive forms of sense-making and coping: magic, mythology and metaphysics - even ritual behaviour. But these philosophical reflections, can they help us...... evaluate the role of today's social media?...

Discovering Greatness

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Muhammad

2012-01-01

People are confronting the most pressing challenge facing every family, school, and community--raising respectful children in a toxic world. In simpler societies, raising children was a shared task of the whole community, as adults and youth worked in harmony and mutual respect. Today, humans are the only species in creation living out of balance.…

The human being and the climate, a dangerous relation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bard, E.

2005-11-01

The author is analyzing the global warming problem, the human being liability facing the society debate, in front of scientific, economic and political challenges. He presents an history of the climatology from the antiquity to today and enhances the mechanisms involved in the climatic changes, and their effects on the environment and the earth. (A.L.B.)

Forest resources and conditions

Science.gov (United States)

William H. McWilliams; Linda S. Heath; Gordon C. Reese; Thomas L. Schmidt

2000-01-01

The forests of the northern United States support a rich mix of floral and faunal communities that provide inestimable benefits to society. Today's forests face a range of biotic and abiotic stressors, not the least of which may be environmental change. This chapter reviews the compositional traits of presettlement forests and traces the major land use patterns...

Symposium: Student Life

Science.gov (United States)

Academic Questions, 2010

2010-01-01

To get an inside view of campus life today, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (whose purpose is to foster in college students an appreciation of the values that sustain a free society) was approached and asked to supply a list of their Collegiate Network editors--students who are active on their campuses, interested in the issues facing higher…

Transdiscipline and research in health: science, society and decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Méndez, Fabián

2015-09-30

Significant advances in science should be given to addressing the needs of society and the historical context of the territories. Although technological developments that began with modernity and the industrial revolution allowed human beings to control the resources of nature to put to your service without limits, it is clear that the crisis of the prevailing development models manifest themselves in many ways but with three common denominators: environmental degradation, social injustice and extreme poverty. Consequently, today should not be possible to think a breakthrough in the development of science without addressing global environmental problems and the deep social injustices that increase at all scales under the gaze, impassively in many occasions, of formal science.

Faces in places: humans and machines make similar face detection errors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernard Marius 't Hart

Full Text Available The human visual system seems to be particularly efficient at detecting faces. This efficiency sometimes comes at the cost of wrongfully seeing faces in arbitrary patterns, including famous examples such as a rock configuration on Mars or a toast's roast patterns. In machine vision, face detection has made considerable progress and has become a standard feature of many digital cameras. The arguably most wide-spread algorithm for such applications ("Viola-Jones" algorithm achieves high detection rates at high computational efficiency. To what extent do the patterns that the algorithm mistakenly classifies as faces also fool humans? We selected three kinds of stimuli from real-life, first-person perspective movies based on the algorithm's output: correct detections ("real faces", false positives ("illusory faces" and correctly rejected locations ("non faces". Observers were shown pairs of these for 20 ms and had to direct their gaze to the location of the face. We found that illusory faces were mistaken for faces more frequently than non faces. In addition, rotation of the real face yielded more errors, while rotation of the illusory face yielded fewer errors. Using colored stimuli increases overall performance, but does not change the pattern of results. When replacing the eye movement by a manual response, however, the preference for illusory faces over non faces disappeared. Taken together, our data show that humans make similar face-detection errors as the Viola-Jones algorithm, when directing their gaze to briefly presented stimuli. In particular, the relative spatial arrangement of oriented filters seems of relevance. This suggests that efficient face detection in humans is likely to be pre-attentive and based on rather simple features as those encoded in the early visual system.

Face-to-face or face-to-screen? Undergraduates' opinions and test performance in classroom vs. online learning

Science.gov (United States)

Kemp, Nenagh; Grieve, Rachel

2014-01-01

As electronic communication becomes increasingly common, and as students juggle study, work, and family life, many universities are offering their students more flexible learning opportunities. Classes once delivered face-to-face are often replaced by online activities and discussions. However, there is little research comparing students' experience and learning in these two modalities. The aim of this study was to compare undergraduates' preference for, and academic performance on, class material and assessment presented online vs. in traditional classrooms. Psychology students (N = 67) at an Australian university completed written exercises, a class discussion, and a written test on two academic topics. The activities for one topic were conducted face-to-face, and the other online, with topics counterbalanced across two groups. The results showed that students preferred to complete activities face-to-face rather than online, but there was no significant difference in their test performance in the two modalities. In their written responses, students expressed a strong preference for class discussions to be conducted face-to-face, reporting that they felt more engaged, and received more immediate feedback, than in online discussion. A follow-up study with a separate group (N = 37) confirmed that although students appreciated the convenience of completing written activities online in their own time, they also strongly preferred to discuss course content with peers in the classroom rather than online. It is concluded that online and face-to-face activities can lead to similar levels of academic performance, but that students would rather do written activities online but engage in discussion in person. Course developers could aim to structure classes so that students can benefit from both the flexibility of online learning, and the greater engagement experienced in face-to-face discussion. PMID:25429276

Face-to-face or face-to-screen? Undergraduates' opinions and test performance in classroom vs. online learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemp, Nenagh; Grieve, Rachel

2014-01-01

As electronic communication becomes increasingly common, and as students juggle study, work, and family life, many universities are offering their students more flexible learning opportunities. Classes once delivered face-to-face are often replaced by online activities and discussions. However, there is little research comparing students' experience and learning in these two modalities. The aim of this study was to compare undergraduates' preference for, and academic performance on, class material and assessment presented online vs. in traditional classrooms. Psychology students (N = 67) at an Australian university completed written exercises, a class discussion, and a written test on two academic topics. The activities for one topic were conducted face-to-face, and the other online, with topics counterbalanced across two groups. The results showed that students preferred to complete activities face-to-face rather than online, but there was no significant difference in their test performance in the two modalities. In their written responses, students expressed a strong preference for class discussions to be conducted face-to-face, reporting that they felt more engaged, and received more immediate feedback, than in online discussion. A follow-up study with a separate group (N = 37) confirmed that although students appreciated the convenience of completing written activities online in their own time, they also strongly preferred to discuss course content with peers in the classroom rather than online. It is concluded that online and face-to-face activities can lead to similar levels of academic performance, but that students would rather do written activities online but engage in discussion in person. Course developers could aim to structure classes so that students can benefit from both the flexibility of online learning, and the greater engagement experienced in face-to-face discussion.

Mechanical vapor compression refrigeration for low temperature industrial applications today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferguson, J.E.

1987-01-01

If the super conductor industry settles out at a temperature of -100 0 F or above, mechanical refrigeration will be vying for the cooling business. Today there very definitely is a break point in the application of equipment at approximately -120 0 F or 189 0 K. Other technologies are generally utilized below this level. However, with market potential comes invention and breakthroughs in refrigeration can also occur. Today standard refrigeration systems are cost effective, reliable and produced in the millions for high temperature applications of +10 0 F to +40 0 F evaporator temperature. Lower temperatures require additional hardware, consume additional power and are produced today in limited quantities for special applications

What Can Students Learn in an Extended Role-Play Simulation on Technology and Society?

Science.gov (United States)

Loui, Michael C.

2009-01-01

In a small course on technology and society, students participated in an extended role-play simulation for two weeks. Each student played a different adult character in a fictional community, which faces technological decisions in three scenarios set in the near future. The three scenarios involved stem cell research, nanotechnology, and privacy.…

Face-name association learning and brain structural substrates in alcoholism.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitel, Anne-Lise; Chanraud, Sandra; Rohlfing, Torsten; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Sullivan, Edith V

2012-07-01

Associative learning is required for face-name association and is impaired in alcoholism, but the cognitive processes and brain structural components underlying this deficit remain unclear. It is also unknown whether prompting alcoholics to implement a deep level of processing during face-name encoding would enhance performance. Abstinent alcoholics and controls performed a levels-of-processing face-name learning task. Participants indicated whether the face was that of an honest person (deep encoding) or that of a man (shallow encoding). Retrieval was examined using an associative (face-name) recognition task and a single-item (face or name only) recognition task. Participants also underwent 3T structural MRI. Compared with controls, alcoholics had poorer associative and single-item learning and performed at similar levels. Level of processing at encoding had little effect on recognition performance but affected reaction time (RT). Correlations with brain volumes were generally modest and based primarily on RT in alcoholics, where the deeper the processing at encoding, the more restricted the correlations with brain volumes. In alcoholics, longer control task RTs correlated modestly with smaller tissue volumes across several anterior to posterior brain regions; shallow encoding correlated with calcarine and striatal volumes; deep encoding correlated with precuneus and parietal volumes; and associative recognition RT correlated with cerebellar volumes. In controls, poorer associative recognition with deep encoding correlated significantly with smaller volumes of frontal and striatal structures. Despite prompting, alcoholics did not take advantage of encoding memoranda at a deep level to enhance face-name recognition accuracy. Nonetheless, conditions of deeper encoding resulted in faster RTs and more specific relations with regional brain volumes than did shallow encoding. The normal relation between associative recognition and corticostriatal volumes was not

Wood biomass gasification in the world today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikolikj, Ognjen; Perishikj, Radovan; Mikulikj, Jurica

1999-01-01

Today gasification technology of different kinds represents a more and more interesting option of the production of energy forms. The article describes a biomass gasification plant (waste wood) Sydkraft, Vernamo from Sweden. (Author)

Socio-hydrogeology and low-income countries: taking science to rural society

Science.gov (United States)

Limaye, Shrikant Daji

2017-11-01

Rural societies in low-income, high-population countries often faces scarcity of water of suitable quality for domestic use and agriculture. Hydrogeologists should therefore orientate their research work towards solving practical problems and impart basic knowledge about the hydrogeology of local watersheds to the village councils and communities so as to ensure their participation in better management of groundwater resources. Such cooperation between the hydrogeologists and villagers is the foundation of socio-hydrogeology, which aims at broader dissemination of information and discussions with hydrogeologists at village meetings regarding watershed management such as recharge augmentation, groundwater quality issues and prudent use of groundwater. Socio-hydrogeology implies improved accessibility of rural society to hydrogeological experts and better communication through the use of more appropriate and understandable language.

Effectiveness of link prediction for face-to-face behavioral networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsugawa, Sho; Ohsaki, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

Research on link prediction for social networks has been actively pursued. In link prediction for a given social network obtained from time-windowed observation, new link formation in the network is predicted from the topology of the obtained network. In contrast, recent advances in sensing technology have made it possible to obtain face-to-face behavioral networks, which are social networks representing face-to-face interactions among people. However, the effectiveness of link prediction techniques for face-to-face behavioral networks has not yet been explored in depth. To clarify this point, here we investigate the accuracy of conventional link prediction techniques for networks obtained from the history of face-to-face interactions among participants at an academic conference. Our findings were (1) that conventional link prediction techniques predict new link formation with a precision of 0.30-0.45 and a recall of 0.10-0.20, (2) that prolonged observation of social networks often degrades the prediction accuracy, (3) that the proposed decaying weight method leads to higher prediction accuracy than can be achieved by observing all records of communication and simply using them unmodified, and (4) that the prediction accuracy for face-to-face behavioral networks is relatively high compared to that for non-social networks, but not as high as for other types of social networks.

Nurse leaders' perceptions of what compromises successful leadership in today's acute inpatient environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Upenieks, Valda

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of nurse leaders' perceptions of both the value of their roles in today's health care setting and their beliefs about how power and gender interface with role worth. Support for the theoretical significance of this research stemmed from Kanter's Structural Theory of Organizational Behavior. Four leaders were recruited at the executive level and 12 at the director/managerial level. The results of the deductive analysis supported Kanter's theory. Eighty-three percent of the nurse leaders validated that access to power, opportunity, information, and resources created an empowered environment, producing a climate that fostered leadership success and enhanced levels of job satisfaction among nurses. This study provided groundwork on the kinds of leadership traits that foster nursing satisfaction and on whether or not gender influences leadership effectiveness. The findings of this study are both timely and relevant for nurse leaders faced with the effects of the current supply-and-demand nursing shortage and with fiscal restraints mandated by managed care and regulatory agencies.

Understanding Class in Contemporary Societies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harrits, Gitte Sommer

2007-01-01

In this paper, I argue that claims about the death of class and the coming of the classless society are premature. Such claims are seldom genuinely empirical, and the theoretical argument often refers to a simple and therefore easily dismissible concept of class. By rejecting the concept of class...... altogether, sociological theory runs the risk of loosing the capacity for analysing stratification and vertical differentiation of power and freedom, which in late modernity seem to be a of continuing importance. Hence, I argue that although class analysis faces a number of serious challenges, it is possible...... to reinvent class analysis. The sociology of Pierre Bourdieu in many ways introduces an appropriate paradigm, and the paper therefore critically discusses Bourdieu's concept of class. Since the "Bourdieuan" class concept is primarily epistemological, i.e. a research strategy more than a theory, empirical...

Dissociation between the neural correlates of conscious face perception and visual attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Navajas, Joaquin; Nitka, Aleksander W; Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo

2017-08-01

Given the higher chance to recognize attended compared to unattended stimuli, the specific neural correlates of these two processes, attention and awareness, tend to be intermingled in experimental designs. In this study, we dissociated the neural correlates of conscious face perception from the effects of visual attention. To do this, we presented faces at the threshold of awareness and manipulated attention through the use of exogenous prestimulus cues. We show that the N170 component, a scalp EEG marker of face perception, was modulated independently by attention and by awareness. An earlier P1 component was not modulated by either of the two effects and a later P3 component was indicative of awareness but not of attention. These claims are supported by converging evidence from (a) modulations observed in the average evoked potentials, (b) correlations between neural and behavioral data at the single-subject level, and (c) single-trial analyses. Overall, our results show a clear dissociation between the neural substrates of attention and awareness. Based on these results, we argue that conscious face perception is triggered by a boost in face-selective cortical ensembles that can be modulated by, but are still independent from, visual attention. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement : Current Challenges Facing Research and Therapeutic Advances in Airway Remodeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prakash, Y S; Halayko, Andrew J; Gosens, Reinoud; Panettieri Jr., Reynold A; Camoretti-Mercado, Blanca; Penn, Raymond B; Burgess, Janette K

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Airway remodeling (AR) is a prominent feature of asthma and other obstructive lung diseases that is minimally affected by current treatments. The goals of this Official American Thoracic Society (ATS) Research Statement are to discuss the scientific, technological, economic, and

Face to Face or E-Learning in Turkish EFL Context

Science.gov (United States)

Solak, Ekrem; Cakir, Recep

2014-01-01

This purpose of this study was to understand e-learners and face to face learners' views towards learning English through e-learning in vocational higher school context and to determine the role of academic achievement and gender in e-learning and face to face learning. This study was conducted at a state-run university in 2012-2013 academic year…

The construction FACE database - Codifying the NIOSH FACE reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Xiuwen Sue; Largay, Julie A; Wang, Xuanwen; Cain, Chris Trahan; Romano, Nancy

2017-09-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published reports detailing the results of investigations on selected work-related fatalities through the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program since 1982. Information from construction-related FACE reports was coded into the Construction FACE Database (CFD). Use of the CFD was illustrated by analyzing major CFD variables. A total of 768 construction fatalities were included in the CFD. Information on decedents, safety training, use of PPE, and FACE recommendations were coded. Analysis shows that one in five decedents in the CFD died within the first two months on the job; 75% and 43% of reports recommended having safety training or installing protection equipment, respectively. Comprehensive research using FACE reports may improve understanding of work-related fatalities and provide much-needed information on injury prevention. The CFD allows researchers to analyze the FACE reports quantitatively and efficiently. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Elektronická komunikace vs. komunikace face to face

OpenAIRE

Pipková, Zuzana

2009-01-01

This thesis deals with new forms of communication particularly electronic ones. The main goal is to distinguish electronic communication from face to face communication in a way that differs from traditional media theories. By using examples of the most important medium in electronic communication, Internet, it is shown that nowadays we have such forms of electronic communication that surpass the traditional classification of oral/written communication, immediate/mediate communication, face t...

The Online and Face-to-Face Counseling Attitudes Scales: A Validation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Rochlen, Aaron B.; Beretvas, S. Natasha; Zack, Jason S.

2004-01-01

This article reports on the development of measures of attitudes toward online and face-to-face counseling. Overall, participants expressed more favorable evaluations of face-to-face counseling than of online counseling. Significant correlations were found between online and face-to-face counseling with traditional help-seeking attitudes, comfort…

Facebook and MySpace: complement or substitute for face-to-face interaction?

Science.gov (United States)

Kujath, Carlyne L

2011-01-01

Previous studies have claimed that social-networking sites are used as a substitute for face-to-face interaction, resulting in deteriorating relationship quality and decreased intimacy among its users. The present study hypothesized that this type of communication is not a substitute for face-to-face interaction; rather, that it is an extension of communication with face-to-face partners. A survey was administered to examine the use of Facebook and MySpace in this regard among 183 college students. The study confirmed that Facebook and MySpace do act as an extension of face-to-face interaction, but that some users do tend to rely on Facebook and MySpace for interpersonal communication more than face-to-face interaction.

Today's markets for superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

The worldwide market for superconductive products may exceed $1 billion in 1987. These products are expanding the frontiers of science, revolutionizing the art of medical diagnosis, and developing the energy technology of the future. In general, today's customers for superconductive equipment want the highest possible performance, almost regardless of cost. The products operate within a few degrees of absolute zero, and virtually all are fabricated from niobium or niobium alloys-so far the high-temperature superconductors discovered in 1986 and 1987 have had no impact on these markets. The industry shows potential and profound societal impact, even without the new materials

Identity and Diversity in Today's World

Science.gov (United States)

Gee, James Paul

2017-01-01

This paper develops a thesis about identity and diversity. I first look at activity-based identities, identities like being a gardener, birder, citizen scientist or fan-fiction writer. These are freely chosen identities and they are proliferating at a great rate today thanks to participatory culture, the Maker Movement and digital and social…

Primary School Leadership Today and Tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

Southworth, Geoff

2008-01-01

The article provides a retrospective and prospective view of primary school leadership. It begins with an analytic description of primary school leadership in the recent past. The second part looks at school leadership today, identifies contemporary issues and examines role continuities and changes. The third part looks at what the future might…

Encouraging Participation in Face-to-Face Lectures: The Index Card Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Daws, Laura Beth

2018-01-01

Courses: This activity will work in any face-to-face communication lecture course. Objectives: By the end of the semester in a face-to-face lecture class, every student will have engaged in verbal discussion.

The evolving DOT enterprise : today toward tomorrow.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

Departments of transportation (DOTs) today are being shaped by a wide range of : factors some of which are directly managed and controlled within the transportation : industry while others are external factors shaping the demand for transportatio...

Early (N170) activation of face-specific cortex by face-like objects

Science.gov (United States)

Hadjikhani, Nouchine; Kveraga, Kestutis; Naik, Paulami; Ahlfors, Seppo P.

2009-01-01

The tendency to perceive faces in random patterns exhibiting configural properties of faces is an example of pareidolia. Perception of ‘real’ faces has been associated with a cortical response signal arising at about 170ms after stimulus onset; but what happens when non-face objects are perceived as faces? Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we found that objects incidentally perceived as faces evoked an early (165ms) activation in the ventral fusiform cortex, at a time and location similar to that evoked by faces, whereas common objects did not evoke such activation. An earlier peak at 130 ms was also seen for images of real faces only. Our findings suggest that face perception evoked by face-like objects is a relatively early process, and not a late re-interpretation cognitive phenomenon. PMID:19218867

Face-to-Face Interference in Typical and Atypical Development

Science.gov (United States)

Riby, Deborah M.; Doherty-Sneddon, Gwyneth; Whittle, Lisa

2012-01-01

Visual communication cues facilitate interpersonal communication. It is important that we look at faces to retrieve and subsequently process such cues. It is also important that we sometimes look away from faces as they increase cognitive load that may interfere with online processing. Indeed, when typically developing individuals hold face gaze…

Annual report 1986 of Society for Reactor Safety (GRS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The overall development of Society for Reactor Safety (GRS) is indicated by its annual volume of achievement. After initially high growth rates that achievement has come to stand at some 62 million marks or so over the last years. GRS today employs some 450 staff, of which 325 are scientific-technical experts representing altogether nearly 4000 man-years of experience in nuclear technology. The report presents essential results from the main points of activity of GRS over 10 years. In accordance with the aim of the institution they primarily cover projects in the sectors safety and radiation protection for nuclear facilities. Since 1985, since the extension of its contract of associates, GRS has also increasingly been concerned with safety questions in non-nuclear technology, concentrating mainly on the transfer of existing methods. (orig./DG) [de

Corrosion issues in nuclear industry today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cattant, F.; Crusset, D.; Feron, D.

2008-01-01

In the context of global warming, nuclear energy is a carbon-free source of power and so is a meaningful option for energy production without CO 2 emissions. Currently, there are more than 440 commercial nuclear reactors, accounting for about 15% of electric power generation in the world, and there has not been a major accident in over 20 years. The world's fleet of nuclear power plants is, on average, more than 20 years old. Even though the design life of a nuclear power plant is typically 30 or 40 years, it is quite feasible that many nuclear power plants will be able to operate for longer than this. The re-emergence of nuclear power today is founded on the present generation of nuclear reactors meeting the demands of extended service life, ensuring the cost competitiveness of nuclear power and matching enhanced safety requirements. Nuclear power plant engineers should be able to demonstrate such integrity and reliability of their system materials and components as to enable nuclear power plants to operate beyond their initial design life. Effective waste management is another challenge for sustainable nuclear energy today; more precisely, a solution is needed for the management of high-level and long-lived intermediate-level radioactive waste over the very long term. Most nuclear countries are currently gathering the data needed to assess the feasibility of a deep geological waste repository, including the prediction of the behaviour of materials over several thousands of years. The extended service life of nuclear power plants and the need for permanent disposal for nuclear waste are today's key issues in the nuclear industry. We focus here on the major role that corrosion plays in these two factors, and on the French approaches to these two issues. (authors)

Kärnproblem : opinionsbildning i kärnavfallsdiskursen i Malå

OpenAIRE

Sjölander, Annika

2004-01-01

At the centre of this study lies one of the critical questions faced by (late-)modern society, namely that of taking care of the long-lived radioactive waste from nuclear power production. The problems of nuclear waste management are pictured as embracing a complex web of essential issues for society today, in terms of both its capacities and its shortcomings – so called core issues. The principal aim of the thesis is to examine the nuclear waste discourse in Malå, Västerbotten, from a critic...

Faces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Kristine Køhler; Brotherton, Chloe

2018-01-01

for the face the be put into action. Based on an ethnographic study of Danish teenagers’ use of SnapChat we demonstrate how the face is used as a central medium for interaction with peers. Through the analysis of visual SnapChat messages we investigate how SnapChat requires the sender to put an ‘ugly’ face...... already secured their popular status on the heterosexual marketplace in the broad context of the school. Thus SnapChat functions both as a challenge to beauty norms of ‘flawless faces’ and as a reinscription of these same norms by further manifesting the exclusive status of the popular girl...

Using Today's Headlines for Teaching Gerontology

Science.gov (United States)

Haber, David

2008-01-01

It is a challenge to attract undergraduate students into the gerontology field. Many do not believe the aging field is exciting and at the cutting edge. Students, however, can be convinced of the timeliness, relevance, and excitement of the field by, literally, bringing up today's headlines in class. The author collected over 250 articles during…

The Geriatric Child in Today's Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamson, Frank E.

This paper develops the premise that there is today a new "child" in our culture developed in response to expectations of daily functioning, family relationships, societal status, economic level, medical illness, emotional needs, and financial management. This new "child" is a person who has usually passed the age of 65, and has found that the…

A specialized face-processing model inspired by the organization of monkey face patches explains several face-specific phenomena observed in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Farzmahdi, Amirhossein; Rajaei, Karim; Ghodrati, Masoud; Ebrahimpour, Reza; Khaligh-Razavi, Seyed-Mahdi

2016-04-26

Converging reports indicate that face images are processed through specialized neural networks in the brain -i.e. face patches in monkeys and the fusiform face area (FFA) in humans. These studies were designed to find out how faces are processed in visual system compared to other objects. Yet, the underlying mechanism of face processing is not completely revealed. Here, we show that a hierarchical computational model, inspired by electrophysiological evidence on face processing in primates, is able to generate representational properties similar to those observed in monkey face patches (posterior, middle and anterior patches). Since the most important goal of sensory neuroscience is linking the neural responses with behavioral outputs, we test whether the proposed model, which is designed to account for neural responses in monkey face patches, is also able to predict well-documented behavioral face phenomena observed in humans. We show that the proposed model satisfies several cognitive face effects such as: composite face effect and the idea of canonical face views. Our model provides insights about the underlying computations that transfer visual information from posterior to anterior face patches.

The Pashtun behavior economy an analysis of decision making in tribal society

OpenAIRE

Holton, Jeremy W.

2011-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Little scholarship exists regarding the ways members of conflict societies think about the economic decisions they face, and what information they value as relevant to those decisions. The literature of the emerging field of behavior economics suggest that in uncertain environments, considerable weight may be given to identity and culture factors to make decisions that will affect personal safety, income prospects and self-fulfillment...

Nuclear Research and Society: Introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meskens, G.

2007-01-01

'cross-cutting issues' such as Ethical choices in radiological protection, Ethics of the expert, Involvement and Justification. Some focussed on actualities such as nuclear terrorism and ICRP proposals on basic safety standards (BSS). Based on the experience gained in the thematic track research, and taking into account the growing need to involve civil society into decision making on complex societal problems, PISA decided in 2006 to concentrate on this theme and on the related aspects of risk governance and democratic decision making. Still today, the science of technology assessment under-estimates the importance of joint problem framing, an exercise that should precede joint problem solving also in the case of energy policy and radioactive waste management. This transdisciplinary problem framing could deliver not only the necessary trust in the negotiation process as such, but also insight into how theories of deliberative democracy can be applied in the 'real world'

Early (M170) activation of face-specific cortex by face-like objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadjikhani, Nouchine; Kveraga, Kestutis; Naik, Paulami; Ahlfors, Seppo P

2009-03-04

The tendency to perceive faces in random patterns exhibiting configural properties of faces is an example of pareidolia. Perception of 'real' faces has been associated with a cortical response signal arising at approximately 170 ms after stimulus onset, but what happens when nonface objects are perceived as faces? Using magnetoencephalography, we found that objects incidentally perceived as faces evoked an early (165 ms) activation in the ventral fusiform cortex, at a time and location similar to that evoked by faces, whereas common objects did not evoke such activation. An earlier peak at 130 ms was also seen for images of real faces only. Our findings suggest that face perception evoked by face-like objects is a relatively early process, and not a late reinterpretation cognitive phenomenon.

Cultural shaping of neural responses: Feedback-related potentials vary with self-construal and face priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Hitokoto, Hidefumi; Glazer, James; Kitayama, Shinobu

2016-01-01

Previous work shows that when an image of a face is presented immediately prior to each trial of a speeded cognitive task (face-priming), the error-related negativity (ERN) is upregulated for Asians, but it is downregulated for Caucasians. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that images of "generalized other" vary cross-culturally such that they evoke anxiety for Asians, whereas they serve as safety cues for Caucasians. Here, we tested whether the cross-cultural variation in the face-priming effect would be observed in a gambling paradigm. Caucasian Americans, Asian Americans, and Asian sojourners were exposed to a brief flash of a schematic face during a gamble. For Asian Americans, face-priming resulted in significant increases of both negative-going deflection of ERP upon negative feedback (feedback-related negativity [FRN]) and positive-going deflection of ERP upon positive feedback (feedback-related positivity [FRP]). For Caucasian Americans, face-priming showed a significant reversal, decreasing both FRN and FRP. The cultural difference in the face-priming effect in FRN and FRP was partially mediated by interdependent self-construal. Curiously, Asian sojourners showed a pattern similar to the one for Caucasian Americans. Our findings suggest that culture shapes neural pathways in both systematic and highly dynamic fashion. © 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Southern forests: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

R. Neil Sampson

2004-01-01

In the 20th century, southern forests changed dramatically. Those changes pale, however, when compared to what happened to the people of the region. In addition to growing over fourfold in numbers, the South's population has urbanized, globalized, and intellectualized in 100 years. Rural and isolated in the 19th century, they are today urban and cosmopolitan. One...

Applying Servant Leadership in Today's Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Culver, Mary K.

2009-01-01

This book illustrates how the ideal of servant leadership can be applied in your school today. With real-life scenarios, discussions, and self assessments, this book gives practical suggestions to help you develop into a caring and effective servant leader. There are 52 scenarios in this book, focusing on situations as varied as: (1) Dealing with…

Collaborative Random Faces-Guided Encoders for Pose-Invariant Face Representation Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Ming; Zhang, Yizhe; Fu, Yun

2018-04-01

Learning discriminant face representation for pose-invariant face recognition has been identified as a critical issue in visual learning systems. The challenge lies in the drastic changes of facial appearances between the test face and the registered face. To that end, we propose a high-level feature learning framework called "collaborative random faces (RFs)-guided encoders" toward this problem. The contributions of this paper are three fold. First, we propose a novel supervised autoencoder that is able to capture the high-level identity feature despite of pose variations. Second, we enrich the identity features by replacing the target values of conventional autoencoders with random signals (RFs in this paper), which are unique for each subject under different poses. Third, we further improve the performance of the framework by incorporating deep convolutional neural network facial descriptors and linking discriminative identity features from different RFs for the augmented identity features. Finally, we conduct face identification experiments on Multi-PIE database, and face verification experiments on labeled faces in the wild and YouTube Face databases, where face recognition rate and verification accuracy with Receiver Operating Characteristic curves are rendered. In addition, discussions of model parameters and connections with the existing methods are provided. These experiments demonstrate that our learning system works fairly well on handling pose variations.

Configuration perception and face memory, and face context effects in developmental prosopagnosia.

Science.gov (United States)

Huis in 't Veld, Elisabeth; Van den Stock, Jan; de Gelder, Beatrice

2012-01-01

This study addresses two central and controversial issues in developmental prosopagnosia (DP), configuration- versus feature-based face processing and the influence of affective information from either facial or bodily expressions on face recognition. A sample of 10 DPs and 10 controls were tested with a previously developed face and object recognition and memory battery (Facial Expressive Action Stimulus Test, FEAST), a task measuring the influence of emotional faces and bodies on face identity matching (Face-Body Compound task), and an emotionally expressive face memory task (Emotional Face Memory task, FaMe-E). We show that DPs were impaired in upright, but not inverted, face matching but they performed at the level of controls on part-to-whole matching. Second, DPs showed impaired memory for both neutral and emotional faces and scored within the normal range on the Face-Body Compound task. Third, configural perception but not feature-based processing was significantly associated with memory performance. Taken together the results indicate that DPs have a deficit in configural processing at the perception stage that may underlie the memory impairment.

The Face-to-Face Light Detection Paradigm: A New Methodology for Investigating Visuospatial Attention Across Different Face Regions in Live Face-to-Face Communication Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Laura A; Malloy, Daniel M; Cone, John M; Hendrickson, David L

2010-01-01

We introduce a novel paradigm for studying the cognitive processes used by listeners within interactive settings. This paradigm places the talker and the listener in the same physical space, creating opportunities for investigations of attention and comprehension processes taking place during interactive discourse situations. An experiment was conducted to compare results from previous research using videotaped stimuli to those obtained within the live face-to-face task paradigm. A headworn apparatus is used to briefly display LEDs on the talker's face in four locations as the talker communicates with the participant. In addition to the primary task of comprehending speeches, participants make a secondary task light detection response. In the present experiment, the talker gave non-emotionally-expressive speeches that were used in past research with videotaped stimuli. Signal detection analysis was employed to determine which areas of the face received the greatest focus of attention. Results replicate previous findings using videotaped methods.

Energy supply today and tomorrow, national and global

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ott, G.

2003-01-01

A status report about 'Energy Supply Today and Tomorrow, National and Global' focuses mainly on global aspects. Today's world energy consumption is dominated by more than 80% of fossil sources of energy followed by so-called non-commercial energies, such as wood and plant and animal wastes, contributing 10%; nuclear power, 7%; and hydroelectric power, 2%. The development of energy consumption until the middle of this century will continue to be driven by the further growth of the world population, and by the need to meet the rising demand for energy in the developing countries. Because of their availability and flexible uses, oil, natural gas, and coal as fossil sources of energy will continue to meet a considerable share of the requirement. The use of nuclear power, a source meeting all criteria, such as safety, waste management, and competitiveness, is both justifiable and desirable. Restrictive decisions about nuclear power taken today must not impair the freedom of choice of future generations. Using renewable energies is just as desirable as increasing energy efficiency; however, the technical and physical potentials available for this purpose should not be overrated. This makes it imperative to protect the supply of energy 'in this difficult interim phase' with all the options available, and to open up prospects for the future, also by conducting the appropriate energy and environmental research. The balance between continuity of supply, environmental compatibility, and competitiveness must be taken into account in this effort. In the second half of the 21 st century, it is possible that energy consumption will stabilize when the world's population ceases to grow. New technologies, some of which may not even be known today or may still be under development, could then pave the way for an energy supply system which, in toto, would be less of a burden on the environment. (orig.)

University of Aarhus - the stepping stones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kent T.

is currently facing major challenges. Changes in the Danish University Act and a strong political wish for closer partnerships between the private business community, the public sector and the country's universities have gradually altered the role of the universities in Denmark today. This paper looks more...... closely at the history of the University of Aarhus, the importance of the University for the Aarhus region, and the opportunities and barriers facing an "old" comprehensive University in its attempts to adapt to the new role of universities in the knowledge society....

The approach towards gay marriage in the Albanian legislation and society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xhensila Kadi

2014-01-01

Our Family Code does not give a clear definition of the concept of future spouses, not having a provision that specifically requires different genders of people wishing to join in marriage, although, through a careful reading of the provisions of the Family Code it is noted that different genders are a requirement for marriage. Regardless of the time we live in, we observe that our society is still conservatory towards this phenomenon. The fear that with accepting homosexual marriages the definition of the traditional family will lose its meaning brings a large part of the society to be skeptical in accepting homosexual marriages. We continue to be faced to the myth that the acceptance of homosexual marriages will lead to an increase in the number of homosexuals in the country.

Innovation Design Creating Value for People, Organizations and Society

CERN Document Server

den Ouden, Elke

2012-01-01

Innovation Design presents an approach to designing shared value for businesses, non-profit organizations, end-users and society. The societal and economic challenges we are currently facing – such as the aging population, energy scarcity and environmental issues – are not just threats but are also great opportunities for organizations. Innovation Design shows how organizations can contribute to the process of generating value for society by finding true solutions to these challenges. And at the same time it describes how they can capture value for themselves in business ecosystems that care for both people and planet. This book covers: ·         Creating meaningful innovations that improve quality of life, engage users and provide value for organizations and other stakeholders; ·         Guiding the creation of shared value throughout the innovation process, with a practical and integrative approach towards value that connects ideas from economics, psychology, sociology and ecology; ·�...

Using online learning in a traditional face-to-face environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlowski, Dawn

2002-01-01

A model for designing online learning was developed and implemented in a Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing course using online and face-to-face methodologies. The combination of online and face-to-face learning modalities may help the student who is a novice Internet explorer or seasoned Web navigator by offering technological support as well as providing constant in-person feedback regarding course requirements. The face-to-face component facilitates a sense of community and peer support that sometimes is lacking in an entirely online course. During the 2 semesters this model was used, students expressed satisfaction with having the course facilitator/professor physically available for consultation and advisement. Evaluation of this online/on-site course is ongoing and uses computer-administered qualitative questionnaires, a facilitator-moderated focus group, and Likert-type course evaluations.

International terrorism, a new challenge to modern Western society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hochleitner, E.

2002-01-01

Full text: The attacks of 9/11 against the WTC and the Pentagon have made western society aware of the threat potential, which international terrorism presents to the open and democratic societies of the West. The new international terrorism is substantially different from the traditional form terrorism, which our societies has experienced in the past. The arms of traditional terrorism were bombs and guns and the victims were mostly clearly defined targets and its political and ideological motives were known. The terrorists assumed responsibility and there was an interest and scope for political negotiation. Terrorist groups had a vertical structure with a hierarchy. The new international terrorism is organized in a horizontal way and its structure is amorphous. Terrorist groups act in an autonomous way and linked by a rather loose network. International terrorism makes full use of modern communication systems and seek to equip themselves with the best armament available including WMDs, provided they can get hold of them. Their target are no longer individuals, but the modern western society. They aim at a maximum number of victims in order to get maximum media attention and to destabilize the targeted society. The motives of terrorist groups are religious or ideological. A terrorist attack represents for those terrorists a religious, nearly sacral act, including self sacrifice. Today, the main challenge for the open, democratic and modern society represents the network of Islamic Fundamentalists. Islamic terrorism has been active mainly in Islamic countries with the aim to overthrow westernized forms of government, mainly in Egypt and Algeria. In the early 1990's, the network of Islamic terror groups has been built up and the al-Qaida was formed. AI-Qaida is a network of Islamic terror groups and a platform for co-operation and support of Islamic cells. It provides training, arms, finances, etc.. AI-Qaida supported the Taliban regime, which provided it with a

Wind power today: 1999 Wind Energy program highlights

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weis-Taylor, Pat

2000-04-06

Wind Power Today is an annual publication that provides an overview for the Department of Energy's Wind Energy Program. The purpose of Wind Power Today is to show how DOE's Wind Energy Program supports wind turbine research and deployment in hopes of furthering the advancement of wind technologies that produce clean, low-cost, reliable energy for the 21st century. Content objectives include: Educate readers about the advantages and potential for widespread deployment of wind energy; explain DOE wind energy program objectives and goals; describe program accomplishments in research and application; examine the barriers to widespread deployment; describe benefits of continued research and development; facilitate technology transfer; attract cooperative wind energy projects with industry.

A Learned Society's Perspective on Publishing.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Kunihiko; Edelson, Alan; Iversen, Leslie L; Hausmann, Laura; Schulz, Jörg B; Turner, Anthony J

2016-10-01

way to its current success and reputation today. This article is part of the 60th Anniversary special issue. © 2016 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's nuclear tests of India and Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duval, M.; Le Guelte, G.

1998-01-01

This paper presents the historical aspects that led India and Pakistan to develop nuclear weapons and to perform nuclear weapon tests: weapons acquisition: today's military capacity, help from foreign countries; motivations: nuclear programs, geo-political aspects; results and potentialities; consequences for the non-proliferation systems and for the cut-off convention and test-ban treaties; and the geo-strategic consequences of todays's military nuclear capacity of India and Pakistan. (J.S.)

Leadership and the Millennials: Transforming Today's Technological Teens into Tomorrow's Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Wisniewski, Mary Ann

2010-01-01

Although older and younger generations unfailingly tend to disagree on values and are inclined to perceive one another with a degree of skepticism and disapproval, it is an unmistakable reality that because of technology today's youth are approaching life differently than previous generations. It is also clear that today's Millennials are…

E-dating, identity and HIV prevention: theorising sexualities, risk and network society.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Mark; Hart, Graham; Bolding, Graham; Sherr, Lorraine; Elford, Jonathan

2006-05-01

This paper addresses how London gay men use the internet to meet sexual partners, or for e-dating. Based on qualitative interviews conducted face-to-face or via the internet, this research develops an account of how information technologies mediate the negotiation of identity and risk in connection with sexual practice. E-dating itself is a bricolage, or heterogeneous DIY practice of internet-based-communication (IBC). A central aspect of IBC is "filtering" in and out prospective e-dates based on the images and texts used to depict sexual identities. Interpretations and depictions of personal HIV risk management approaches in IBC are framed by the meanings of different identities, such as the stigma associated with being HIV positive. This paper argues for a sexualities perspective in a theory of network society. Further, HIV prevention in e-dating can potentially be addressed by considering the interplay of the HIV prevention imperatives associated with different HIV serostatus identities. There is a case for encouraging more explicit IBC about risk in e-dating and incorporating the expertise of e-daters in prevention activity. There is also a need to rethink traditional conceptions of risk management in HIV prevention to make space for the risk management bricolage of network society.

My Brain Reads Pain in Your Face, Before Knowing Your Gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Czekala, Claire; Mauguière, François; Mazza, Stéphanie; Jackson, Philip L; Frot, Maud

2015-12-01

Humans are expert at recognizing facial features whether they are variable (emotions) or unchangeable (gender). Because of its huge communicative value, pain might be detected faster in faces than unchangeable features. Based on this assumption, we aimed to find a presentation time that enables subliminal discrimination of pain facial expression without permitting gender discrimination. For 80 individuals, we compared the time needed (50, 100, 150, or 200 milliseconds) to discriminate masked static pain faces among anger and neutral faces with the time needed to discriminate male from female faces. Whether these discriminations were associated with conscious reportability was tested with confidence measures on 40 other individuals. The results showed that, at 100 milliseconds, 75% of participants discriminated pain above chance level, whereas only 20% of participants discriminated the gender. Moreover, this pain discrimination appeared to be subliminal. This priority of pain over gender might exist because, even if pain faces are complex stimuli encoding both the sensory and the affective component of pain, they signal a danger. This supports the evolution theory relating to the necessity of quickly reading aversive emotions to ensure survival but might also be at the basis of altruistic behavior such as help and compassion. This study shows that pain facial expression can be processed subliminally after brief presentation times, which might be helpful for critical emergency situations in clinical settings. Copyright © 2015 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Looking at My Own Face: Visual Processing Strategies in Self–Other Face Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anya Chakraborty

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We live in an age of ‘selfies.’ Yet, how we look at our own faces has seldom been systematically investigated. In this study we test if the visual processing of the highly familiar self-face is different from other faces, using psychophysics and eye-tracking. This paradigm also enabled us to test the association between the psychophysical properties of self-face representation and visual processing strategies involved in self-face recognition. Thirty-three adults performed a self-face recognition task from a series of self-other face morphs with simultaneous eye-tracking. Participants were found to look longer at the lower part of the face for self-face compared to other-face. Participants with a more distinct self-face representation, as indexed by a steeper slope of the psychometric response curve for self-face recognition, were found to look longer at upper part of the faces identified as ‘self’ vs. those identified as ‘other’. This result indicates that self-face representation can influence where we look when we process our own vs. others’ faces. We also investigated the association of autism-related traits with self-face processing metrics since autism has previously been associated with atypical self-processing. The study did not find any self-face specific association with autistic traits, suggesting that autism-related features may be related to self-processing in a domain specific manner.

Faces in the Mist: Illusory Face and Letter Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cory A. Rieth

2011-06-01

Full Text Available We report three behavioral experiments on the spatial characteristics evoking illusory face and letter detection. False detections made to pure noise images were analyzed using a modified reverse correlation method in which hundreds of observers rated a modest number of noise images (480 during a single session. This method was originally developed for brain imaging research, and has been used in a number of fMRI publications, but this is the first report of the behavioral classification images. In Experiment 1 illusory face detection occurred in response to scattered dark patches throughout the images, with a bias to the left visual field. This occurred despite the use of a fixation cross and expectations that faces would be centered. In contrast, illusory letter detection (Experiment 2 occurred in response to centrally positioned dark patches. Experiment 3 included an oval in all displays to spatially constrain illusory face detection. With the addition of this oval the classification image revealed an eyes/nose/mouth pattern. These results suggest that face detection is triggered by a minimal face-like pattern even when these features are not centered in visual focus.

Strategic planning: today's hot buttons.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohlmann, R C

1998-01-01

The first generation of mergers and managed care hasn't slowed down group practices' need for strategic planning. Even groups that already went through one merger are asking about new mergers or ownership possibilities, the future of managed care, performance standards and physician unhappiness. Strategic planning, including consideration of bench-marking, production of ancillary services and physician involvement, can help. Even if only a short, general look at the future, strategic planning shows the proactive leadership needed in today's environment.

The self in cyberspace. Identity formation in postmodern societies and Jung's Self as an objective psyche.

Science.gov (United States)

Roesler, Christian

2008-06-01

Jung's concept of the Self is compared with current theories of identity formation in post-modern society concerning the question: is the self constituted through experience and cultural influences--as it is argued by current theories in the social sciences--or is it already preformed inside the person, as Jung argues? The impact of communication media on the formation of identity in today's societies is discussed with a focus on internet communication and virtual realities. The resulting types of identities are conceptualized as polycentric which has surprising parallels to Jung's idea of the Self. The epistemology of constructivism and parallels in Jung's thought are demonstrated. Jung's work in this respect often appears contradictory in itself but this can be dealt with by a postmodern approach which accepts a plurality of truths.

Interference among the Processing of Facial Emotion, Face Race, and Face Gender

OpenAIRE

Li, Yongna; Tse, Chi-Shing

2016-01-01

People are able to simultaneously process multiple dimensions of facial properties. Facial processing models are based on the processing of facial properties. This paper examined the processing of facial emotion, face race and face gender using categorization tasks. The same set of Chinese, White and Black faces, each posing a neutral, happy or angry expression, was used in three experiments. Facial emotion interfered with face race in all the tasks. The interaction of face race and face gend...

Early (N170) activation of face-specific cortex by face-like objects

OpenAIRE

Hadjikhani, Nouchine; Kveraga, Kestutis; Naik, Paulami; Ahlfors, Seppo P.

2009-01-01

The tendency to perceive faces in random patterns exhibiting configural properties of faces is an example of pareidolia. Perception of ‘real’ faces has been associated with a cortical response signal arising at about 170ms after stimulus onset; but what happens when non-face objects are perceived as faces? Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we found that objects incidentally perceived as faces evoked an early (165ms) activation in the ventral fusiform cortex, at a time and location similar t...

EDUCATION AS BASIS OF FORMATION OF «NEW PRODUCTIVE FORCES» IN POST-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikhail Grechko

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Search of trajectories of transformation of domestic economy and society, in aspect of transition to a post-industrial stage of development, is actual and significant for today. In the author presented to article it is reasoned that synchronous formation of the «new productive forces» adequate to the formed relations of production in post-industrial society has to become the main imperative of development of domestic economy. Taking into account conceptual results of the political economic, evolutionary and institutional economic theory, the author put forward and proved situation that the new productive forces serving subsequently as basis for formation of relations of production adequate to them in borders of a post-industrial stage of development, have to be formed in sectors of generation of knowledge, thus the special part is assigned to educational sector. In the conclusion the main conclusions on the conducted research are systematized.

DISTANCE EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES: From Correspondence Courses to the Internet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gail D. CARUTH

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Online learning is a descendent of distance education. Online education has a shared history with correspondence learning. In 1873, Anna Eliot Ticknor founded the Society to Encourage Studies at Home. Ticknor's Society established one of America’s first correspondence schools, a distance learning option conducted through the mail. This Society was aimed at the education of women and enrolled more than seven thousand women. Education by mail was a quality approach to provide education for all because it allowed universities to access an infinite number of potential students. Today there are institutions that offer only online courses. At the same time, brick and mortar or traditional institutions offer online courses in addition to their face-to-face courses. A review of the literature suggests that as indicated by enrollment figures, the number of students taking online courses is growing and continued growth can be expected in the future.

The energy of today and tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauquis, E.; Bauquis, P.R.

2007-01-01

The authors present a today state of the art concerning the energy domain in the world, offering perspectives on what could be the tomorrow world in matter of energy. They define fundamental notions, the different sources of energy and their price, the energy policies of the different countries and the problem of the consumption impact on the environment. (A.L.B.)

Understanding the nineteenth century origins of disciplines: lessons for astrobiology today?

Science.gov (United States)

Brazelton, William J.; Sullivan, Woodruff T., III

2009-10-01

Astrobiology's goal of promoting interdisciplinary research is an attempt to reverse a trend that began two centuries ago with the formation of the first specialized scientific disciplines. We have examined this era of discipline formation in order to make a comparison with the situation today in astrobiology. Will astrobiology remain interdisciplinary or is it becoming yet another specialty? As a case study, we have investigated effects on the scientific literature when a specialized community is formed by analyzing the citations within papers published during 1802-1856 in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (Phil. Trans.), the most important ‘generalist’ journal of its day, and Transactions of the Geological Society of London (Trans. Geol. Soc.), the first important disciplinary journal in the sciences. We find that these two journals rarely cited each other, and papers published in Trans. Geol. Soc. cited fewer interdisciplinary sources than did geology papers in Phil. Trans. After geology had become established as a successful specialized discipline, geologists returned to publishing papers in Phil. Trans., but they wrote in the new, highly specialized style developed in Trans. Geol. Soc. They had succeeded in not only creating a new scientific discipline, but also a new way of doing science with its own modes of research and communication. A similar citation analysis was applied to papers published over the period 2001-2008 in the contemporary journals Astrobiology and the International Journal of Astrobiology to test the hypothesis that astrobiologists are in the early stages of creating their own specialized community. Although still too early to reliably detect any but the largest trends, there is no evidence yet that astrobiologists are drifting into their own isolated discipline. Instead, to date they appear to remain interdisciplinary.

The Genetic Code: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 17; Issue 12. The Genetic Code: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Jiqiang Ling Dieter Söll. General Article Volume 17 Issue 12 December 2012 pp 1136-1142. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

Mass Society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borch, Christian

2017-01-01

the negative features usually ascribed by late nineteenth-century crowd psychology to spontaneous crowds, and attributes these to the entire social fabric. However, in contrast to crowd psychology, theorists of mass society often place greater emphasis on how capitalism, technological advances, or demographic......Mass society is a societal diagnosis that emphasizes – usually in a pejorative, modernity critical manner – a series of traits allegedly associated with modern society, such as the leveling of individuality, moral decay, alienation, and isolation. As such, the notion of mass society generalizes...... developments condition such negative features, and some theorists argue that mass society produces a propensity to totalitarianism. Discussions of mass society culminated in the early and mid-twentieth century....

Towards Achieving a Critical Thinking Society in Malaysia: A Challenge to School Libraries and Educational Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaacob, Raja Abdullah; Seman, Norma Abur

One of the challenges facing Malaysia amidst its economic development is the achievement of a critical thinking society. This would enhance and guarantee the success of research and development programs in addition to having other socioeconomic effects. This paper covers the following topics: Vision 2020, Malaysia's goal to reach developed nation…

Assessing Students Perceptions on Intensive Face to Face in Open ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Therefore, this study assessed students‟ perception on Intensive Face to Face sessions. The study specifically aimed at identifying students‟ perception on quality of interaction between tutors and students and between students on the other hand. It also explored the nature of challenges students meet in attending face to ...

Event-related potential responses to beloved and familiar faces in different marriage styles: evidence from Mosuo subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haiyan eWu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Research on familiar face recognition has largely focused on the neural correlates of recognizing a beloved partner or family member. However, no research has explored the effect of marriage style on the recognition of a beloved partner’s face, especially in matriarchal societies. Here, we examined the time course of event-related potentials (ERP in response to the face of a beloved partner, sibling, or unknown person in a sample of individuals from the matriarchal Mosuo tribe. Two groups were assessed: intermarriage and walking marriage groups (i.e., couples in a committed relationship who do not cohabitate during the daytime. In agreement with previous reports, ERP results revealed more positive VPP, N250, and P300 waveforms for beloved faces than sibling faces in both groups. Moreover, P300 was more positive for beloved partner versus sibling faces; however, this difference emerged at fronto-central sites for the walking marriage group and at posterior sites for the intermarriage group. Overall, we observed that marriage style affects the later stage processing of a beloved partner’s face, and this may be associated with greater affective arousal and familiarity.

Wind Power Today: 2000 Wind Energy Program Highlights

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weis-Taylor, W.

2001-05-08

Wind Power Today is an annual publication that provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Energy Program. The purpose of Wind Power Today is to show how DOE's Wind Energy Program supports wind turbine research and deployment in hopes of furthering the advancement of wind technologies that produce clean, low-cost, reliable energy. Content objectives include: educate readers about the advantages and potential for widespread deployment of wind energy; explain the program's objectives and goals; describe the program's accomplishments in research and application; examine the barriers to widespread deployment; describe the benefits of continued research and development; facilitate technology transfer; and attract cooperative wind energy projects with industry.

Gilson, Krapiec and Christian Philosophy Today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pawel Tarasiewicz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The author undertakes an attempt to answer the following question: is Christian philosophy possible today? The question seems to be of great importance due to the fact that what Christians who try to do philosophy usually encounter is bitter criticism which comes to them from two sides at once: that of academy and that of the Church. In short, for academy their philosophy is too Christian, and for the Church it is too academic. Being indebted to the insights of Étienne Gilson and Mieczyslaw A. Krapiec (the original Polish spelling: Mieczysław Albert Krąpiec, pronounced: myechisuaf albert krompyetz, the author comes to the conclusion thatChristian philosophy is possible today only if: 1 it isnot identified with the art of persuasion, as its final end lies in gaining understanding rather than being convincing, 2 itis the work of a Christian, and 3 it has thereal world as its object and metaphysics as its method. ForChristian philosophy—which in essence consists indoing philosophy by Christians in order to get morerational understanding of their religious faith—shouldbe identified with theperfection of the intellect achieved by practicingthe classical philosophy of being.

Developmental Changes in Mother-Infant Face-to-Face Communication: Birth to 3 Months.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavelli, Manuela; Fogel, Alan

2002-01-01

Investigated development of face-to-face communication in infants between 1 and 14 weeks old and their mothers. Found a curvilinear development of early face-to-face communication, with increases occurring between weeks 4 and 9. When placed on a sofa, infants' face-to-face communication was longer than when they were held. Girls spent a longer…

Neonatal face-to-face interactions promote later social behaviour in infant rhesus monkeys

Science.gov (United States)

Dettmer, Amanda M.; Kaburu, Stefano S. K.; Simpson, Elizabeth A.; Paukner, Annika; Sclafani, Valentina; Byers, Kristen L.; Murphy, Ashley M.; Miller, Michelle; Marquez, Neal; Miller, Grace M.; Suomi, Stephen J.; Ferrari, Pier F.

2016-01-01

In primates, including humans, mothers engage in face-to-face interactions with their infants, with frequencies varying both within and across species. However, the impact of this variation in face-to-face interactions on infant social development is unclear. Here we report that infant monkeys (Macaca mulatta) who engaged in more neonatal face-to-face interactions with mothers have increased social interactions at 2 and 5 months. In a controlled experiment, we show that this effect is not due to physical contact alone: monkeys randomly assigned to receive additional neonatal face-to-face interactions (mutual gaze and intermittent lip-smacking) with human caregivers display increased social interest at 2 months, compared with monkeys who received only additional handling. These studies suggest that face-to-face interactions from birth promote young primate social interest and competency. PMID:27300086

State-Funded Activism: Lessons from Civil Society Organizations in Ireland

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Anna Visser

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Civil society organizations (CSOs in Ireland receive significant state funding and institutional support according to the logic that they are important contributors to democratic governance, with the effect that the CSO sector has expanded and become more embedded in formal decision-making processes over the past several decades. At the same time, dependency on government funding exposes CSOs to three important challenges: to stay true to activist mandates in the face of pressure from state funders to focus on service provision; to maintain accountability to constituents while also satisfying the vertically oriented accountability requirements of the state; and to nurture collaboration among CSOs in a context of competition for state funding. University-based activists, who are also reliant on (increasingly scarce government funding, face similar challenges, and therefore should pay more attention to debates regarding state funding in the CSO sphere. By working together to overcome common challenges associated with state funding, activists in both spheres can more effectively contribute to progressive social change.

Karl Marx, Civil Society And Political Community in the Context Of The Jewish Problem

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Yunus ENTERİLİ

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Today, debates and discourses developed over the concepts of civil society and political society are usually made through religious discourses or religious identities, and the individual emerges as a problem of emancipation. In his “Jewish Question”, which Marx wrote during his youthful period with Bauer’s thoughts, it is thought that the religious identities and rhetoric accompanied the present debate about the emergence of the emancipation of individuals in social and political contexts. It is thought that this problem, which emerged as the problem of individual liberation or citizenship, and which is regarded as a Jewish problem and emerged in different forms in different geographies, is the result of the fact that the religious identities can not be torn from the religious part of the world. Another reason for the lack of emancipation of the individual is the understanding of colonialism that is at the core of the capitalist system. In today’s society, it wants to keep up with the existence of religions or to keep up with the capitalist system and wants to influence the capitalist system with state policies by making itself active in the political arena. Judaism and Christianity in this context religion, the effects of the formation of capitalist society, will be discussed from the rhetoric of Marx and Bauer. The issue of the citizenship identity of the individual in this study will be addressed through the relationship between civil society and political society. There will also be mentioned here some other thinkers (Hegel, Feuerbach etc. that affect Marx’s ideas about civil society and political society, besides Marx and Bauer. Civil society, citizenship, liberation of religion, political emancipation, the effects of emancipation of individuals such as the state will be handled through the Jewish example. Prior to this assessment, a better understanding of the subject will be addressed to the civil society and state relationship

Report of the 10(th) Asia-Pacific Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand Congress (Organising Chair and Scientific Chair).

Science.gov (United States)

A, Roohi Sharifah; Abdullah, Shalimar

2016-10-01

A report on the 10(th) Asia-Pacific Federation of Societies for the Surgery of the Hand and 6(th) Asia-Pacific Federation of Societies for Hand Therapists is submitted detailing the numbers of attendees participating, papers presented and support received as well the some of the challenges faced and how best to overcome them from the local conference chair and scientific chair point of view.

What is lacking for the elderly in today's society?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Assunção Nogueira

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Con este estudio se pretende conocer las necesidades de las personas mayores en el contexto de su experiencia, en la opinión de los ciudadanos. Se tenía la intención de identificar los recursos inexistências en la sociedad por su bienestar. El análisis de contenido, podemos ver que las necesidades de los ancianos son múltiples: la accesibilidad a la atención y servicios de salud, la falta de apoyo social, la falta de equipo en la comunidad, la vivienda inadecuada, los escasos recursos económicos, significan que este grupo se discrimina / aislado de la sociedad culmina en sí mismo, con la sensación de soledad.Todas estas necesidades requieren una atención especial y requieren medidas de política no sólo para la compra de equipos y servicios en la comunidad, sino también la educación sanitaria y la ciudadanía, desde una edad temprana, con la participación activa de las personas mayores en la sociedad.

The AFIT of Today is the Air Force of Tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-11

marketing 5/11/2012 9 The AFIT of today is the Air Force of tomorrow. 1 Air University: The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force Aim High...Center of the Air Force Aim High…Fly - Fight - Win The AFIT of Today is the Air Force of Tomorrow. LS Accomplishments • Initiated market -based, fee-for...USAFA Swarming Formation Flying Sponsor: SMC Space Traffic Control Iridium and Globalstar Modems Sponsor: AFRL/RV; SMC/ STP CubeSat Plume Detector

The ASME Code today -- Challenges, threats, opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canonico, D.A.

1995-01-01

Since its modest beginning as a single volume in 1914 the ASME Code, or some of its parts, is recognized today in 48 of the United States and all providence's of Canada. The ASME Code today is composed of 25 books including two Code Case books. These books cover the new construction of boilers and pressure vessels and the new construction and In-Service-Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant components. The ASME accredits all manufacturers of boilers and pressure vessels built to the ASME Code. There are approximately 7650 symbol stamps issued throughout the world. Over 23% of the symbol stamps have been issued outside the USA and Canada. The challenge to the ASME Code is to be accepted as the world standard for pressure boundary components. There are activities underway to achieve that goal. The ASME Code is being revised to make it a more friendly document to entities outside of North America. To achieve that end there are specific tasks underway which are described here

Interference among the Processing of Facial Emotion, Face Race, and Face Gender

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongna; Tse, Chi-Shing

2016-01-01

People can process multiple dimensions of facial properties simultaneously. Facial processing models are based on the processing of facial properties. The current study examined the processing of facial emotion, face race, and face gender using categorization tasks. The same set of Chinese, White and Black faces, each posing a neutral, happy or angry expression, was used in three experiments. Facial emotion interacted with face race in all the tasks. The interaction of face race and face gender was found in the race and gender categorization tasks, whereas the interaction of facial emotion and face gender was significant in the emotion and gender categorization tasks. These results provided evidence for a symmetric interaction between variant facial properties (emotion) and invariant facial properties (race and gender). PMID:27840621

Interference among the Processing of Facial Emotion, Face Race, and Face Gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongna; Tse, Chi-Shing

2016-01-01

People can process multiple dimensions of facial properties simultaneously. Facial processing models are based on the processing of facial properties. The current study examined the processing of facial emotion, face race, and face gender using categorization tasks. The same set of Chinese, White and Black faces, each posing a neutral, happy or angry expression, was used in three experiments. Facial emotion interacted with face race in all the tasks. The interaction of face race and face gender was found in the race and gender categorization tasks, whereas the interaction of facial emotion and face gender was significant in the emotion and gender categorization tasks. These results provided evidence for a symmetric interaction between variant facial properties (emotion) and invariant facial properties (race and gender).

Face and Convergent Validity of Persian Version of Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA Checklist

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afrouz Armal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this work was the translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the Persian version of the Rapid Office Stress Assessment (ROSA checklist. Material & Methods: This methodological study was conducted according of IQOLA method. 100 office worker were selected in order to carry out a psychometric evaluation of the ROSA checklist by performing validity (face and convergent analyses. The convergent validity was evaluated using RULA checklist. Results: Upon major changes made to the ROSA checklist during the translation/cultural adaptation process, face validity of the Persian version was obtained. Spearman correlation coefficient between total score of ROSA check list and RULA checklist was significant (r=0.76, p<0.0001. Conclusion: The results indicated that the translated version of the ROSA checklist is acceptable in terms of face validity, convergent validity in target society, and hence provides a useful instrument for assessing Iranian office workers

Interpersonal similarity between body movements in face-to-face communication in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Higo, Naoki; Ogawa, Ken-ichiro; Minemura, Juichi; Xu, Bujie; Nozawa, Takayuki; Ogata, Taiki; Ara, Koji; Yano, Kazuo; Miyake, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Individuals are embedded in social networks in which they communicate with others in their daily lives. Because smooth face-to-face communication is the key to maintaining these networks, measuring the smoothness of such communication is an important issue. One indicator of smoothness is the similarity of the body movements of the two individuals concerned. A typical example noted in experimental environments is the interpersonal synchronization of body movements such as nods and gestures during smooth face-to-face communication. It should therefore be possible to estimate quantitatively the smoothness of face-to-face communication in social networks through measurement of the synchronization of body movements. However, this is difficult because social networks, which differ from disciplined experimental environments, are open environments for the face-to-face communication between two individuals. In such open environments, their body movements become complicated by various external factors and may follow unstable and nonuniform patterns. Nevertheless, we consider there to be some interaction during face-to-face communication that leads to the interpersonal synchronization of body movements, which can be seen through the interpersonal similarity of body movements. The present study aims to clarify such interaction in terms of body movements during daily face-to-face communication in real organizations of more than 100 people. We analyzed data on the frequency of body movement for each individual during face-to-face communication, as measured by a wearable sensor, and evaluated the degree of interpersonal similarity of body movements between two individuals as their frequency difference. Furthermore, we generated uncorrelated data by resampling the data gathered and compared these two data sets statistically to distinguish the effects of actual face-to-face communication from those of the activities accompanying the communication. Our results confirm an

Interpersonal similarity between body movements in face-to-face communication in daily life.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoki Higo

Full Text Available Individuals are embedded in social networks in which they communicate with others in their daily lives. Because smooth face-to-face communication is the key to maintaining these networks, measuring the smoothness of such communication is an important issue. One indicator of smoothness is the similarity of the body movements of the two individuals concerned. A typical example noted in experimental environments is the interpersonal synchronization of body movements such as nods and gestures during smooth face-to-face communication. It should therefore be possible to estimate quantitatively the smoothness of face-to-face communication in social networks through measurement of the synchronization of body movements. However, this is difficult because social networks, which differ from disciplined experimental environments, are open environments for the face-to-face communication between two individuals. In such open environments, their body movements become complicated by various external factors and may follow unstable and nonuniform patterns. Nevertheless, we consider there to be some interaction during face-to-face communication that leads to the interpersonal synchronization of body movements, which can be seen through the interpersonal similarity of body movements. The present study aims to clarify such interaction in terms of body movements during daily face-to-face communication in real organizations of more than 100 people. We analyzed data on the frequency of body movement for each individual during face-to-face communication, as measured by a wearable sensor, and evaluated the degree of interpersonal similarity of body movements between two individuals as their frequency difference. Furthermore, we generated uncorrelated data by resampling the data gathered and compared these two data sets statistically to distinguish the effects of actual face-to-face communication from those of the activities accompanying the communication. Our results

The effect of emotionally valenced eye region images on visuocortical processing of surprised faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuaixia; Li, Ping; Wang, Wei; Zhu, Xiangru; Luo, Wenbo

2018-05-01

In this study, we presented pictorial representations of happy, neutral, and fearful expressions projected in the eye regions to determine whether the eye region alone is sufficient to produce a context effect. Participants were asked to judge the valence of surprised faces that had been preceded by a picture of an eye region. Behavioral results showed that affective ratings of surprised faces were context dependent. Prime-related ERPs with presentation of happy eyes elicited a larger P1 than those for neutral and fearful eyes, likely due to the recognition advantage provided by a happy expression. Target-related ERPs showed that surprised faces in the context of fearful and happy eyes elicited dramatically larger C1 than those in the neutral context, which reflected the modulation by predictions during the earliest stages of face processing. There were larger N170 with neutral and fearful eye contexts compared to the happy context, suggesting faces were being integrated with contextual threat information. The P3 component exhibited enhanced brain activity in response to faces preceded by happy and fearful eyes compared with neutral eyes, indicating motivated attention processing may be involved at this stage. Altogether, these results indicate for the first time that the influence of isolated eye regions on the perception of surprised faces involves preferential processing at the early stages and elaborate processing at the late stages. Moreover, higher cognitive processes such as predictions and attention can modulate face processing from the earliest stages in a top-down manner. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Informatics and Society: The Challenge of Improving IT Accessibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce Diamond

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Information technology (IT is an important part of society and has assumed an increasing role in education, medicine, commercial, leisure, and sociopolitical applications. However, while progress in developing IT hardware and software has advanced, our understanding of user needs and how these needs can be translated into more accessible and effective system design lags behind. The challenge that we face is rooted in the fact that many individuals across this planet who are differently-abled due to aging, developmental or neurologic conditions or to individual differences in learning, face obstacles in using and accessing IT. The central thesis of this paper is that the effective delivery of IT to the differently-abled is contingent on deriving enough information about user populations to allow for the development and use of personalized interfaces and customized content. To this end, it is proposed that a combination of adaptive hypermedia and cognitive adaptive strategies integrating metadata architecture for representing the results of cognitive and functional assessments be designed and implemented. Keywords: Information technology, accessibility, differently-abled, adaptive hypermedia, informatics

Overview of space nuclear technologies and the American Nuclear Society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singleterry, R.C. Jr.

2000-01-01

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) has seen an aspect of the universe where nuclear technology is the best energy source available for power, transportation, etc. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been exploiting this aspect of the universe by sending machines and humans into it and exploring, colonizing, industrializing, developing, inhabiting, etc. Space is the final frontier, and nuclear technology is the best suited for today's or the next century's space exploration and development. Many aspects of nuclear technology and its uses in space will be needed. ANS encompasses these and many more aspects of nuclear technology, and all have some role to play in the exploration and development of space. It should be ANS's intent to be an advisory body to NASA on the nuclear aspects of space exploration

The Russian Nuclear Society, engineers and researchers to encourage innovation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2015-01-01

The Russian Nuclear Society (NSR) was born in 1989 just after the Chernobyl accident in order to help the public to overcome its fear and worries about nuclear power. Now NSR's purposes are manifold from communication about nuclear issues to the development and sharing of knowledge. The president is elected for 2 years with a rotating presidency for representing in turn nuclear sciences, industry and energy. Hundreds of events like conferences, international meetings, workshops, exhibitions have been organized so far. These events took place at Moscow and in the regional NSR centers. One of today's NSR objectives is to encourage the youth to embrace jobs and careers in nuclear industry. On the 5. may 2016 NSR and French SFEN renewed their cooperation agreement concerning the closure of the fuel cycle among other things. (A.C.)

The ecological sudden awareness and its energy consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damiant, M.; Viguier, L.; Moisan, F.; Tramier, B.; Houot, J.; Orfeuil, J.P.

1999-01-01

The environmental regulations severity increase allowed to limit the pollutants emission these last past years. But the energy sector strikes today against the technology limits. The next years will be govern by the interactions between the energy policy and the environmental policy. The example of Elf Aquitaine society is considered. A special interest is given to the automotive industry development facing the environmental policy. (A.L.B.)

Eyewitness Memory in Face-to-Face and Immersive Avatar-to-Avatar Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna A. Taylor

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Technological advances offer possibilities for innovation in the way eyewitness testimony is elicited. Typically, this occurs face-to-face. We investigated whether a virtual environment, where interviewer and eyewitness communicate as avatars, might confer advantages by attenuating the social and situational demands of a face-to-face interview, releasing more cognitive resources for invoking episodic retrieval mode. In conditions of intentional encoding, eyewitnesses were interviewed 48 h later, either face-to-face or in a virtual environment (N = 38. Participants in the virtual environment significantly outperformed those interviewed face-to-face on all episodic performance measures – improved correct reporting reduced errors, and increased accuracy. Participants reported finding it easier to admit not remembering event information to the avatar, and finding the avatar easier to talk to. These novel findings, and our pattern of retrieval results indicates the potential of avatar-to-avatar communication in virtual environments, and provide impetus for further research investigating eyewitness cognition in contemporary retrieval contexts.

Eyewitness Memory in Face-to-Face and Immersive Avatar-to-Avatar Contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Donna A; Dando, Coral J

2018-01-01

Technological advances offer possibilities for innovation in the way eyewitness testimony is elicited. Typically, this occurs face-to-face. We investigated whether a virtual environment, where interviewer and eyewitness communicate as avatars, might confer advantages by attenuating the social and situational demands of a face-to-face interview, releasing more cognitive resources for invoking episodic retrieval mode. In conditions of intentional encoding, eyewitnesses were interviewed 48 h later, either face-to-face or in a virtual environment ( N = 38). Participants in the virtual environment significantly outperformed those interviewed face-to-face on all episodic performance measures - improved correct reporting reduced errors, and increased accuracy. Participants reported finding it easier to admit not remembering event information to the avatar, and finding the avatar easier to talk to. These novel findings, and our pattern of retrieval results indicates the potential of avatar-to-avatar communication in virtual environments, and provide impetus for further research investigating eyewitness cognition in contemporary retrieval contexts.

Pregnancy outcomes in youth with type 2 diabetes: The TODAY Study experience

Science.gov (United States)

We evaluated pregnancy outcomes, maternal and fetal/neonatal, during the Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study. The TODAY study was a randomized controlled trial comparing three treatment options for youth with type 2 diabetes. Informed consent included the req...

Digital Denmark: From Information Society to Network Society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henten, Anders; Falch, Morten

2000-01-01

for a welfare society. However, globalisation and the spreading use of new information and communication technologies and services challenge this position. This article examines Denmark's performance in implementing its IS 2000 plans, the background to the Digital Denmark report, and its implications......The Danish Government recently issued a new policy report, Digital Denmark, on the "conversion to a network society", as a successor to its Information Society 2000 report (1994). This is part of a new round of information society policy vision statements that are, or will be forthcoming from...... national governments everywhere. Denmark provides an interesting case study because it ranks high in the benchmark indicators of information network society developments. This position has been obtained largely by public sector initiatives and without erosion of the highly reputed Scandinavian model...

Doctors in the decent society: torture, ill-treatment and civic duty.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Michael L

2004-04-01

How should physicians act when faced with corporal punishment, such as amputation, or torture? In most cases, the answer is clear: international law, UN resolutions and universal codes of medical ethics absolutely forbid physicians from countenancing torture and corporal punishment in any form. An acute problem arises, however, in decent societies, but not necessarily liberal states, that are, nonetheless, welcome in the world community. The decent society is often governed, in whole or in part, by religious laws, and while these states abridge various human rights they are peace loving, generally tolerant, and offer their citizens wide avenues for political participation. Under these circumstances the prohibition against corporal punishment and torture weakens, often compelling physicians to participate. This is true in two cases. In Rawls' hypothetical nation of Kazanistan, Islamic law is the order of the day, and amputations and corporal punishment play an integral part in the execution of traditional Islamic justice. In Israel, torture is sometimes used to elicit the information needed to thwart impending terror attacks. In each case, a physician's participation is essential. In light of the near universal condemnation that accompanies torture and corporal punishment, physicians can only appeal to norms anchored in collective well-being and concern for life that override respect for human dignity in these societies. Western societies have consistently rejected this reasoning, but it is part and parcel of life in the decent society.

Characteristics of problem drinkers in e-therapy versus face-to-face treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Postel, Marloes G; de Haan, Hein A; Ter Huurne, Elke D; Becker, Eni S; de Jong, Cor A J

2011-11-01

The availability of online treatment programs offers the potential to reach more problem drinkers. This study compared the client populations of an e-therapy program (asynchronous client-therapist communication via the Internet) and a face-to-face treatment program. To determine whether e-therapy and face-to-face groups differed from each other and changed over time. We compared the baseline characteristics of four naturalistic groups (N = 4593): two e-therapy groups (2005-2006 and 2008-2009) and two consecutive series of ambulant face-to-face clients admitted for treatment as usual. The characteristics we were interested in were gender, age, education level, working situation, and earlier treatment for drinking problems. The results showed that the baseline characteristics of e-therapy and face-to-face clients differed by gender, education level, work situation, prior alcohol treatment, and age. We also found that both e-therapy groups differed over time by gender, work situation, and prior alcohol treatment. The e-therapy program successfully attracted clients who were different from those who were represented in regular face-to-face alcohol treatment services. This indicates that e-therapy decreases the barriers to treatment facilities and enhances the accessibility. However, the e-therapy population changed over time. Although the e-therapy program still reached an important new group of clients in 2008-2009, this group showed more overlap with the traditional face-to-face group of clients probably as a result of improved acceptance of e-therapy in the general population. Although e-therapy seems to be better accepted in the general population, anonymous treatment seems necessary to reach a broader range of problem drinkers.

The Adaptability of The Society in Dealing with The Vulnerability of Earthquake Threats in Bantul

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delfi Delfi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Earthquake in Bantul on May 27, 2006 brought catastrophic impacts for society as the victims. There were the most serious damages and highest number of victims in Bawuran Village. On the other hand, Srigading Village had the lowest damages and there was no victim. Bawuran Village is located on graben which causes its vulnerability towards earthquake threat. Meanwhile, Srigading Village is situated on 3-10 meters above the sea level, which makes it vulnerable to tsunami. The adaptation capacity is very important to minimize the costs of natural disasters. Based on the reviews of those backgrounds, the researcher will examine the societal adaptation capacity in Bawuran and Srigading Village regarding to its vulnerability towards tsunami and earthquake. Societal adaptation capacity can be seen as society’s readiness in facing natural disasters. This research uses qualitative-descriptive method. Data collecting techniques are done by using literature study, field observation through interview and documentation. The researcher also has conducted an in-depth interview with the local government i.e. the officers of Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD in Bantul Regency. The result of this research is to find out the society’s adaptation capacity towards earthquake, drought, landslide, flood, fallen tree, tornado and river flow closing in Bawuran Village. Meanwhile in Srigading Village, the risk of tsunami, flood and puddle have been found. The society’s adaptation capacity in Bawuran and Srigading Village can be assessed by using economic growth, social capital, information and communication, and social competence. Based on those assessments, societies do not have readiness in facing disasters yet. It is caused by poor economic condition, inadequate economic resources with low incomes in Bawuran Village, and the uneven population of Srigading Village. The networks within the community have not been fully developed. The community also cannot

Improving Posthospital Discharge Telephone Reach Rates Through Prehospital Discharge Face-to-Face Meetings.

Science.gov (United States)

Vergara, Franz H; Sheridan, Daniel J; Sullivan, Nancy J; Budhathoki, Chakra

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a face-to-face meeting with patients by a telephonic case manager prehospital discharge would result in increased telephone follow-up (TFU) reach rates posthospital discharge. Acute care adult medicine inpatient units. A quasiexperimental design was utilized. Two adult inpatient medicine units were selected as the intervention and comparison groups. The framework of the study is the transitions theory. A convenience sampling technique was used, whereby 88 eligible patients on the intervention unit received face-to-face meetings prehospital discharge whereas 123 patients on the comparison unit received standard care (no face-to-face meetings). Cross-tabulation and chi-square tests were employed to examine the association of face-to-face meeting intervention and TFU reach rates. Implementing brief (face-to-face meetings by a telephonic case manager prehospital discharge resulted in a TFU reach rate of 87% on the intervention unit, whereas the comparison unit only had a 58% TFU reach rate (p communication with more patients posthospital discharge. A brief prehospital discharge face-to-face meeting with patients assisted them to understand the reasons for a posthospital discharge telephone call, identified the best times to call using accurate telephone numbers, and taught patients how best to prepare for the call. In addition, by meeting patients face-to-face, the telephonic case manager was no longer an unknown person on the telephone asking them questions about their medical condition. These factors combined may have significantly helped to increase TFU reach rates.

Role of, and relation to, science in today's societies, as well as the issue of confidence in researchers/institutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, Martin

2006-01-01

The author addressed the role of, and relation to, science in today's societies, as well the issue of confidence in researchers/institutions. The author underscored that social trust and partnership is developed through dialogue of scientists and technical experts with the full range of stakeholders, including policy makers and implementers. Effective dialogue, based on reciprocal learning and capacity building, will further the understanding of the tensions and different viewpoints and values, and reveal areas of uncertainty. This type of dialogue responds to a social demand to reappraise publicly and reflexively. This important process cannot unfold if research is cloistered and kept separate. It is essential to mobilize knowledge, share it, and allow the process for social evaluation of science. Radioactive waste management is a socially-constructed problem; an acceptable response cannot therefore be separated from the public concerned. Expert evaluations that support regulatory processes are insufficient for strong decision-making where there are issues of high risk and uncertainty. Science must be considered in broader social context. The public is more suspicious of expert processes' of risk assessment that are non-transparent. Stakeholder confidence requires building relationships of different components of society. Building stakeholder confidence is about hopes to be shared, and must consider relationships between the actors. Research must be sensitive to the social relationships of the problem and respond to areas of public interest. Trust in process is key. The foundation for a successful dialogue is agreement of the initial hypothesis is that there is a need to address the issue in question. Real dialogue also demands that participants are respectful of others' views and principles. This requires willingness to work on the future together on common problems. There must be a capacity to listen to others, and assimilate different views. This

Gaze Cueing by Pareidolia Faces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kohske Takahashi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Visual images that are not faces are sometimes perceived as faces (the pareidolia phenomenon. While the pareidolia phenomenon provides people with a strong impression that a face is present, it is unclear how deeply pareidolia faces are processed as faces. In the present study, we examined whether a shift in spatial attention would be produced by gaze cueing of face-like objects. A robust cueing effect was observed when the face-like objects were perceived as faces. The magnitude of the cueing effect was comparable between the face-like objects and a cartoon face. However, the cueing effect was eliminated when the observer did not perceive the objects as faces. These results demonstrated that pareidolia faces do more than give the impression of the presence of faces; indeed, they trigger an additional face-specific attentional process.

Gaze cueing by pareidolia faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Kohske; Watanabe, Katsumi

2013-01-01

Visual images that are not faces are sometimes perceived as faces (the pareidolia phenomenon). While the pareidolia phenomenon provides people with a strong impression that a face is present, it is unclear how deeply pareidolia faces are processed as faces. In the present study, we examined whether a shift in spatial attention would be produced by gaze cueing of face-like objects. A robust cueing effect was observed when the face-like objects were perceived as faces. The magnitude of the cueing effect was comparable between the face-like objects and a cartoon face. However, the cueing effect was eliminated when the observer did not perceive the objects as faces. These results demonstrated that pareidolia faces do more than give the impression of the presence of faces; indeed, they trigger an additional face-specific attentional process.

Potassium iodide as a thyroid blocker--Three Mile Island to today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halperin, J.A.

1989-01-01

The Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear emergency in the U.S. in March 1979 marked the first occasion when use of potassium iodide (KI) was considered for thyroid blocking of the population in the vicinity of a potentially serious release of fission products from a nuclear power reactor. In face of a demand that could not be satisfied by commercial supplies of low-dose KI drug products from the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration directed the manufacture and stockpiling of sufficient quantities of saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) to provide protection for one million people in the event of a large-scale release of radioiodines. Although the drug was not used, the experience of producing, stockpiling, and making ready for use a large quantity of the drug resulted in significant public policy, regulatory, and logistical issues. A number of these issues have been resolved through scientific debate and consensus, development of official guidance regarding the proper role of KI in nuclear emergencies, and the approval of New Drug Applications for KI products specifically intended for thyroid blocking in nuclear emergencies. Other issues regarding broad-scale implementation of the guidelines remain today. This paper traces the history of the development and implementation of the use of KI from pre-TMI to the present

Potassium iodide as a thyroid blocker--Three Mile Island to today.

Science.gov (United States)

Halperin, J A

1989-05-01

The Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear emergency in the U.S. in March 1979 marked the first occasion when use of potassium iodide (KI) was considered for thyroid blocking of the population in the vicinity of a potentially serious release of fission products from a nuclear power reactor. In face of a demand that could not be satisfied by commercial supplies of low-dose KI drug products from the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration directed the manufacture and stockpiling of sufficient quantities of saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) to provide protection for one million people in the event of a large-scale release of radioiodines. Although the drug was not used, the experience of producing, stockpiling, and making ready for use a large quantity of the drug resulted in significant public policy, regulatory, and logistical issues. A number of these issues have been resolved through scientific debate and consensus, development of official guidance regarding the proper role of KI in nuclear emergencies, and the approval of New Drug Applications for KI products specifically intended for thyroid blocking in nuclear emergencies. Other issues regarding broad-scale implementation of the guidelines remain today. This paper traces the history of the development and implementation of the use of KI from pre-TMI to the present.

Alternative motor fuels today and tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bensaid, B.

2004-01-01

Today, petroleum products account for 97% of the energy consumed in road transport. The purpose of replacing these products with alternative energies is to reduce oil dependence as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The high price of oil has promoted the use of 'conventional' alternative motor fuels (biofuels, LPG, NGV) and also renewed interest in syn-fuels (GTL, CTL, BTL) that have already given rise to industrial and pilot projects. (author)

Europa Heute: Filmbegleitheft (Europe Today: Film Manual).

Science.gov (United States)

Freudenstein, Reinhold; And Others

This teacher's guide to the German promotional film "Europe Today", suitable for use in advanced courses, concentrates on linguistic preparation required for full appreciation. The film focuses on the role of European countries as participating members of the Common Market. The manual includes information on the German film industry, a…

What are the key characteristics of a Christian life? A comparison of the ethics of Calvin to that of Augustine and their relevance today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.H. van Wyk

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Augustine and Calvin are two of the greatest (western theologians of all times and it is illuminating and inspiring to investigate what they have to teach as far as Christian life is concerned. Augustine never wrote a work on Christian ethics in the modern sense of the word but from his many writings we can easily deduce what the key characteristics are. He accepted the natural virtues of philosophers (prudence, for- titude, temperance and justice but subordinated them to the “infused virtues” of faith, hope and love. Special attention was also paid to inter alia happiness, humility and truth. Calvin, on the other hand, although following Augustine in many aspects of theology, rejected the virtue ethics of the Greek philosophers and developed a Christological ethics within the broader context of pneumatology. The key characteristics of a Christian life are self-denial, cross-bearing and meditation on the future life – and of course the correct enjoyment of the present life. Although we appreciate much of what the two church fathers have to say, we live in a totally different world context today, facing challenges of far greater proportions, like economical uncertainty, political instability and an immense ecological crisis. Morality is chal- lenged today as never before in world history. Today we have to rethink the relevance of Christian life not only from an individual personal perspective but also in terms of broader social Christian ethics.

Illumination robust face recognition using spatial adaptive shadow compensation based on face intensity prior

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Cheng-Ta; Huang, Kae-Horng; Lee, Chang-Hsing; Han, Chin-Chuan; Fan, Kuo-Chin

2017-12-01

Robust face recognition under illumination variations is an important and challenging task in a face recognition system, particularly for face recognition in the wild. In this paper, a face image preprocessing approach, called spatial adaptive shadow compensation (SASC), is proposed to eliminate shadows in the face image due to different lighting directions. First, spatial adaptive histogram equalization (SAHE), which uses face intensity prior model, is proposed to enhance the contrast of each local face region without generating visible noises in smooth face areas. Adaptive shadow compensation (ASC), which performs shadow compensation in each local image block, is then used to produce a wellcompensated face image appropriate for face feature extraction and recognition. Finally, null-space linear discriminant analysis (NLDA) is employed to extract discriminant features from SASC compensated images. Experiments performed on the Yale B, Yale B extended, and CMU PIE face databases have shown that the proposed SASC always yields the best face recognition accuracy. That is, SASC is more robust to face recognition under illumination variations than other shadow compensation approaches.

Religious Diversity and Freedom of Conscience in the Arabic Countries Facing Globalization and Migration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raoudha Elguédri

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Muslim societies are facing the new challenges of cultural and religious diversity. They are experiencing migratory phenomena, or because they are countries of immigration (such as in the Persian Gulf monarchies and emirates or countries that are becoming a new destination of migrants (such as Morocco and other North African nations. These challenges are increasingly urgent due to the effects of other globalization vectors such as new communication technologies that cross all boundaries and foster unprecedented conversions. The purpose of this contribution is limited to the religious aspect of the new forms of diversification faced by Muslim countries. The goal is to analyze to what extent this process biases traditional ways of managing religious diversity.

Countering violent extremism in Indonesia: priorities, practice and the role of civil society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cameron Sumpter

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Indonesia has experimented with initiatives aimed at countering violent extremism (CVE since the wave of arrests following the first Bali bombing attack in 2002. Initial efforts involved police attempting to develop relationships of trust with terrorists in custody. Today, a broader range of strategies are employed, from promoting peace among youth and thwarting the allure of extremist narratives, to managing prisoners and assisting former terrorists reintegrate with society. The lead government body since 2010 has been the national counterterrorism agency, Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme (BNPT, which is tasked with coordinating stakeholders in Indonesia’s struggle with domestic terrorism. But managing the divergent and sometimes competing interests of Indonesia’s large state institutions has not been straightforward, and effective collaboration between relevant state agencies remains an obstacle to the success of CVE initiatives. Where government has fallen short, civil society organisations (CSOs often fill the gaps, and a number of dedicated practitioners now have invaluable experience, local contacts, and the specific knowledge required for countering extremism in the Indonesian context. CSOs also possess greater levels of trust among the communities they engage than security-centric state agencies could possibly hope to achieve. Yet instead of exploiting these civil society resources, the BNPT has largely preferred an independent (and top-down approach to CVE initiatives, collaborating if and when assistance is required. The Indonesian government should make better use of the unique legitimacy and expertise of civil society organisations.

Face ethnicity and measurement reliability affect face recognition performance in developmental prosopagnosia: evidence from the Cambridge Face Memory Test-Australian.

Science.gov (United States)

McKone, Elinor; Hall, Ashleigh; Pidcock, Madeleine; Palermo, Romina; Wilkinson, Ross B; Rivolta, Davide; Yovel, Galit; Davis, Joshua M; O'Connor, Kirsty B

2011-03-01

The Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT, Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006) provides a validated format for testing novel face learning and has been a crucial instrument in the diagnosis of developmental prosopagnosia. Yet, some individuals who report everyday face recognition symptoms consistent with prosopagnosia, and are impaired on famous face tasks, perform normally on the CFMT. Possible reasons include measurement error, CFMT assessment of memory only at short delays, and a face set whose ethnicity is matched to only some Caucasian groups. We develop the "CFMT-Australian" (CFMT-Aus), which complements the CFMT-original by using ethnicity better matched to a different European subpopulation. Results confirm reliability (.88) and validity (convergent, divergent using cars, inversion effects). We show that face ethnicity within a race has subtle but clear effects on face processing even in normal participants (includes cross-over interaction for face ethnicity by perceiver country of origin in distinctiveness ratings). We show that CFMT-Aus clarifies diagnosis of prosopagnosia in 6 previously ambiguous cases. In 3 cases, this appears due to the better ethnic match to prosopagnosics. We also show that face memory at short (<3-min), 20-min, and 24-hr delays taps overlapping processes in normal participants. There is some suggestion that a form of prosopagnosia may exist that is long delay only and/or reflects failure to benefit from face repetition. © 2011 Psychology Press, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

Neonatal face-to-face interactions promote later social behaviour in infant rhesus monkeys

OpenAIRE

Dettmer, Amanda M.; Kaburu, Stefano S. K.; Simpson, Elizabeth A.; Paukner, Annika; Sclafani, Valentina; Byers, Kristen L.; Murphy, Ashley M.; Miller, Michelle; Marquez, Neal; Miller, Grace M.; Suomi, Stephen J.; Ferrari, Pier F.

2016-01-01

In primates, including humans, mothers engage in face-to-face interactions with their infants, with frequencies varying both within and across species. However, the impact of this variation in face-to-face interactions on infant social development is unclear. Here we report that infant monkeys (Macaca mulatta) who engaged in more neonatal face-to-face interactions with mothers have increased social interactions at 2 and 5 months. In a controlled experiment, we show that this effect is not due...

Quantified Faces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mette-Marie Zacher

2016-01-01

artist Marnix de Nijs' Physiognomic Scrutinizer is an interactive installation whereby the viewer's face is scanned and identified with historical figures. The American artist Zach Blas' project Fag Face Mask consists of three-dimensional portraits that blend biometric facial data from 30 gay men's faces...... and critically examine bias in surveillance technologies, as well as scientific investigations, regarding the stereotyping mode of the human gaze. The American artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg creates three-dimensional portraits of persons she has “identified” from their garbage. Her project from 2013 entitled...

About Face

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Basics PTSD Treatment What is AboutFace? Resources for Professionals Get Help Home Watch Videos by Topic Videos ... Basics PTSD Treatment What is AboutFace? Resources for Professionals Get Help PTSD We've been there. After ...

About Face

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Treatment What is AboutFace? Resources for Professionals Get Help Home Watch Videos by Topic Videos by Type ... Treatment What is AboutFace? Resources for Professionals Get Help PTSD We've been there. After a traumatic ...

Coaching as a reflective space in a society of growing diversity - towards a narrative, postmodern perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)