Firefox OS Overview

Firefox OS is an operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It is developed by Mozilla but it aims to be free from any proprietary technology. It lets users run applications developed entirely using web technologies, like HTML5, JavaScript, CSS. It is not directly competing with iOS. It has some common target markets with Android. For now Firefox OS targets specific type of clients - people that don't have smartphones yet. Available devices are low-end and as a result prices of Firefox OS phones are low. Firefox OS is aimed to be free from a proprietary technology so, as an effect, flexible and open. There should be no more device or vendor fragmentation. All apps are supposed to be built once and run everywhere. It is possible thanks to Web Apps and Web APIs. Mozilla makes a big effort in order to standardize Web APIs, so that the device hardware could be accessed more easily. Mozilla also introduced its sign-in system for the Web. Mozilla Persona allows sign-in by using any of user's existing email addresses. Persona implements a BrowserID protocol that is a universal login system that does not require email providers to support it. Furthermore, the identity provider cannot track user's activity thanks to a certification system. Implementing persona requires very little code so it can be quickly deployed. At this point the biggest issue that Mozilla is facing is the lack of websites using their system. Mozilla also wants to redefine the way payments work for mobile applications. Firefox OS allows two types of paid content: paid applications and in-app payments. There are three important parts in the payment process: Payment Provider, Client App and App Server. They communicate with each other and use a payment token to provide all necessary information concerning the product being purchased. Mozpay,the principal part of the payment flow, was introduced in the first version of Firefox OS. Recently mozpay was proposed to be depreciated, because it made the payment process to rigid for certain payment providers. There are several solutions like PayPal, Google Wallet or Stripe that can be easily added to the web content by injecting JavaScript into web pages. The new solution is to securely expose Payment Provider primitives that websites can use to implement mobile payments. The subject is still under discussion. Firefox OS is still in the early phase. Different features and functionalities keep changing. The existing applications are not all working smoothly yet but the marketplace keeps growing. So far Firefox OS was launched in several countries like Spain and Poland. There are other carriers that will start selling it in other countries sometime soon. The opinions about Firefox OS are divided. So far all sold devices are low-end so they are targeting a certain type of clients, users that are not very emanding. As a result it is difficult to clearly evaluate this system or to compare it to existing technologies. The future of Firefox OS is still unsure. Although thanks to growing interest in Web Apps and Web APIs and cooperating with other companies and mobile carrier the system may become successful

Improving Vocabulary Knowledge in Primary Education: An Analysis of an Intervention Programme for Polish-Speaking Children Aged 7–9

This paper discusses a vocabulary intervention programme for monolingual Polish children. Vocabulary instruction was conducted in a group of children aged 7–9 (N = 77) attending a primary school near Gdansk in Poland. Following a pre-test an intervention group (22 pupils receiving instruction over 10 weeks) and a control group (55 pupils) were selected. The taught vocabulary consisted of 20 Polish words. Additionally, another 20 words were carefully selected to form an untaught vocabulary list (control list). Although the intervention group did not achieve a higher mean post-test result in taught words than the control group, the mean increase was larger in the intervention group, confirmed by a test for two means (p = 0.036). The difference was not confirmed for untaught words (p = 0.236). A linear regression model was used to explain which factors influenced post-test results. For taught words only pre-test results had an impact. For untaught words pre-test results and interaction of pre-test results with groups had an impact. The number of sessions attended also influenced post-test results. The paper includes the results of a survey where teachers and parents provided feedback. Although the intervention programme increased children’s vocabulary, it raised some important questions concerning the size of the gain, word selection and conditions of the instruction.This paper discusses a vocabulary intervention programme for monolingual Polish children. Vocabulary instruction was conducted in a group of children aged 7–9 (N = 77) attending a primary school near Gdansk in Poland. Following a pre-test an intervention group (22 pupils receiving instruction over 10 weeks) and a control group (55 pupils) were selected. The taught vocabulary consisted of 20 Polish words. Additionally, another 20 words were carefully selected to form an untaught vocabulary list (control list). Although the intervention group did not achieve a higher mean post-test result in taught words than the control group, the mean increase was larger in the intervention group, confirmed by a test for two means (p = 0.036). The difference was not confirmed for untaught words (p = 0.236). A linear regression model was used to explain which factors influenced post-test results. For taught words only pre-test results had an impact. For untaught words pre-test results and interaction of pre-test results with groups had an impact. The number of sessions attended also influenced post-test results. The paper includes the results of a survey where teachers and parents provided feedback. Although the intervention programme increased children’s vocabulary, it raised some important questions concerning the size of the gain, word selection and conditions of the instruction

Rotating biological contactors : a review on main factors affecting performance

Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) constitute a very unique and superior alternative for biodegradable matter and nitrogen removal on account of their feasibility, simplicity of design and operation, short start-up, low land area requirement, low energy consumption, low operating and maintenance cost and treatment efficiency. The present review of RBCs focus on parameters that affect performance like rotational speed, organic and hydraulic loading rates, retention time, biofilm support media, staging, temperature, influent wastewater characteristics, biofilm characteristics, dissolved oxygen levels, effluent and solids recirculation, stepfeeding and medium submergence. Some RBCs scale-up and design considerations, operational problems and comparison with other wastewater treatment systems are also reported.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Ewolucja metod poszukiwań podwodnych

W artykule przedstawiono rozwój metod i urządzeń do poszukiwań podwodnych i ich ewolucje wraz z upływem czasu i zastosowywaniem coraz to nowszych zdobyczy techniki. Omówiono szereg urządzeń do poszukiwań, począwszy od trału, przez podwodne wykrywacze metali obsługiwane bezpośrednio przez płetwonurków, wykrywacze indukcyjne wleczone po dnie z operatorem w łodzi, sondy elektronowe, sonary zwykłe czyli powierzchniowe oraz podwodne, magnetometr protonowy, akwaplan czyli szybowiec podwodny, telewizja przewodowa oraz sonar boczny. Opisom poszczególnych technik poszukiwawczych i stosownych urządzeń towarzysza relacje z praktycznego ich użycia oraz efektów uzyskanych przez poszukiwaczy z Klubu Płetwonurków REKIN

Gestion de la qualité de service pour WebRTC : stratégies de couplage lâche

The number of real-time Over-The-Top (OTT) communication services has increased in the recent years. OTT solutions use the best-effort Internet delivery and rely on mechanisms built into the endpoints to adapt to underlying network fluctuations. Nevertheless, it is questionable if this approach is enough to provide acceptable quality of communication regardless the network conditions. Therefore, can network assistance be used to improve the quality of OTT real-time communication services?To address this question, we study OTT solutions with a focus on WebRTC. We identify three loose coupling strategies that leverage network mechanisms for improving OTT communication services quality.We verify the pertinence of these coupling strategies in the context of traffic management. We identify two approaches of traffic management solutions adapted to WebRTC traffic: 1) aiming at assuring lower queuing delays regardless the traffic or 2) isolating the sensitive traffic. We study the impact of identified traffic management solutions on WebRTC for wireline access networks (uplink, ADSL and fiber). The obtained results show that current Internet engineering practices are not well adapted to the WebRTC traffic, but are optimized for TCP traffic. Furthermore, the proposed solutions ensure more fairness between WebRTC and TCP flows and consequently enable avoiding WebRTC traffic starvation and improve the overall quality of the communication.In the final analysis, the evaluated traffic management solutions are positioned in the context of identified coupling strategies. Based on this assessment, we provide recommendations of improving WebRTC quality with the assistance of NSP.Depuis plusieurs années, on observe une multiplication des services de communication en temps réel de type Over-The-Top (OTT). Ces solutions utilisent l¿Internet « best-effort » et s¿adaptent aux fluctuations du réseau. Néanmoins, il est discutable que l¿approche OTT soit suffisante pour fournir une qualité de service de communication acceptable quelles que soient les conditions réseaux. Dès lors, est-il possible d¿utiliser l¿assistance réseau pour améliorer la qualité de service des solutions OTT ?Pour traiter cette question, nous étudions tout d¿abord les solutions OTT, et particulièrement la technologie WebRTC. Nous identifions trois stratégies de couplage lâche qui permettent de tirer parti des mécanismes réseaux pour améliorer la qualité de service des solutions OTT.Nous vérifions la pertinence de ces stratégies dans le contexte de la gestion du trafic. On identifie deux approches de gestion du trafic adaptées à WebRTC : 1) qui assure des délais d¿attente courts quel que soit le trafic ou 2) qui isole le trafic sensible. On évalue ces solutions et leur impact sur WebRTC, pour les réseaux d¿accès filaire (uplink, ADSL et fibre). Les résultats obtenus montrent que les pratiques actuelles de gestion du trafic ne sont pas adaptées au trafic WebRTC. De plus, les solutions proposées assurent plus d¿équité entre le trafic WebRTC et TCP et elles permettent d¿éviter que le trafic WebRTC soit désavantagé et elles améliorent la qualité de communication.Enfin, ces solutions de la gestion du trafic sont positionnées dans le contexte des stratégies de couplage proposées. A partir de là, on fournit des recommandations pour améliorer la qualité WebRTC avec l¿assistance du NSP

Body modification as the search of one's identity in 21st century

Niniejsza praca przedstawia zjawisko modyfikacji ciała jako sposób budowania tożsamości w XXI wieku. Część teoretyczna składa się z trzech rozdziałów. W pierwszym zostają przybliżone zagadnienia związane z kondycją współczesnego społeczeństwa, postępującymi procesami indywidualizmu oraz tożsamością jednostki. W drugim poruszona zostaje problematyka ciała i cielesności w nauce i kulturze. Rozdział trzeci stanowi charakterystykę zjawiska modyfikowania ciała.Część badawcza składa się z rozdziału metodologicznego, dwóch rozdziałów zawierających analizę przeprowadzonych badań oraz rozdziału podsumowującego, prezentującego wnioski z badań. Badania te, przeprowadzane wśród osób zmodyfikowanych oraz osób niezmodyfikowanych, miały na celu sprawdzić, jacy ludzie decydują się na modyfikowanie ciała, w jakim stopniu różnią się oni od osób nie dokonujących modyfikacji, a także jak modyfikowanie ciała wpływa na ich tożsamość indywidualną.The following dissertation describes the phenomenon of body modification as a way of creating an individual identity in 21st century. The first chapter brings up such problems as a mental condition of contemporary society, progressing individualization process and individual human identity. The second chapter deals with issues of the human body as seen from a scientific and cultural point of view. The last chapter characterizes body modification as a phenomenon in itself. The second part contains a methodology chapter and two chapters in which the study is analyse. The third chapter presents conclusions drawn from the study. The research involved two groups of people: those who modify their bodies and those who don`t. The main questions of the study were: what kind of people modify their own bodies? Are there any differences between people who decide to modify their bodies and those who doesn’t? In what way body modification influence the individual identity of modified people

Preclinical medical students' understandings of academic and medical professionalism:Visual analysis of mind maps

IntroductionSeveral studies have begun to explore medical students’ understandings of professionalism generally and medical professionalism specifically. Despite espoused relationships between academic (AP) and medical professionalism (MP), previous research has not yet investigated students’ conceptualisations of AP and MP and the relationships between the two.ObjectivesThe current study, based on innovative visual analysis of mind maps, therefore aims to contribute to the developing literature on how professionalism is understood.MethodsWe performed a multilayered analysis of 98 mind maps from 262 first-year medical students, including analysing textual and graphical elements of AP, MP and the relationships between AP and MP.ResultsThe most common textual attributes of AP were learning, lifestyle and personality, while attributes of MP were knowledge, ethics and patient-doctor relations. Images of books, academic caps and teachers were used most often to represent AP, while images of the stethoscope, doctor and red cross were used to symbolise MP. While AP-MP relations were sometimes indicated through co-occurring text, visual connections and higher-order visual metaphors, many students struggled to articulate the relationships between AP and MP.ConclusionsWhile the mind maps’ textual attributes shared similarities with those found in previous research, suggesting the universality of some professionalism attributes, our study provides new insights into students’ conceptualisations of AP, MP and AP-MP relationships. We encourage medical educators to help students develop their understandings of AP, MP and AP-MP relationships, plus consider the feasibility and value of mind maps as a source of visual data for medical education research.</jats:sec