Negotiating with a logical-linguistic protocol in a dialogical framework

This book is the result of years of reflection. Some time ago, while working in commodities, the author felt how difficult it was to decide the order in which to use arguments during a negotiation process. What would happen if we translated the arguments into cards and played them according to the rules of the Bridge game? The results were impressive. There was potential for improvement in the negotiation process. The investigation went deeper, exploring players, cards, deals and the information concealed in the players´ announcements, in the cards and in the deals. This new angle brought the research to NeuroLinguistic Patterns and cryptic languages, such as Russian Cards. In the following pages, the author shares her discovery of a new application for Logical Dialogues: Negotiations, tackled from basic linguistic structures placed under a dialogue form as a cognitive system which ‘understands’ natural language, with the aim to solve conflicts and even to serve peace

SOCIAL EVILS IN MEDIA: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN 21ST CENTURY

echnology and social media has become a vital part of daily lives of people, especially children. There are advantages of using technology and being active on social media but there are equal disadvantages and risks that come along with excessive use of electronic devices. As per American Academy of Pediatricians children are spending 7 hours a day on media such as computers, phones, I-pads, television and other electronic devises. A child as young as age 2 starts using mobile phone to view rhymes and videos on you tube which brings many risks to their health and wellbeing. This paper reviews the literature and discusses the problems caused by social media, technology such as obesity, aggressive behavior, negative effects on mental health, cyber bullying, texting/sexting and contact to problematic and illegal content etc. in children from age 2 till 18. The paper highlights the ratio of UAE parents, who are aware of social evils and take measures to protect their children. Also, the study attempts to provide solutions and guidelines from pediatricians that would be helpful for parents and individuals, in addressing the difficulties instigated by electronic devices and social media in addition to molding their children as healthier citizens. We hope that this paper will make relevant institutions provide more educational platforms to parents in order to spread awareness about the impact of media on children along with appropriate measures that can be taken to deal with it.&nbsp

Understanding the Influence of Cultural Dimensions on the Interpretative Ability of People to Infer Personality from the Avatars: Evidence from Cultural Dimensions of Greece, Pakistan, Russia, and Singapore

Avatar is a customized cartoon representation of the self and many people develop inferences about individuals’ online representations through their avatar’s facial appearance. Research has shown that avatars can signal information about the personality and social desires of a person [1]. Nonetheless, customizing an avatar enables control of self-representation that could potentially moderate the true personality traits of an individual. The customized facial appearance of the avatar affects people’s ability to draw expressions [2], whereas, several cultural dimensions affect the interpretative ability of the people to construct personality inferences from the facial appearance of avatars. We found a significant relationship between neuroticism to uncertainty avoidance and masculinity, whereas, negative relationships were found between extraversion and masculinity, and agreeableness to uncertainty avoidance. The study uses three-dimensional avatars to capture detailed features and expressions on avatar faces

Social Outcomes of Corporate Governance: Evidence from the Food Industry of Pakistan

Social and environmental problems are becoming strategic concerns for the managers in the current business scenario because it is challenging their sustainability. Here the need arises to respond to this changing phenomenon accordingly. In this regard social impact of corporate governance has not yet been explored where it can play a role of driver of excellence in terms of social performance and it is required to be studied. To check the existing situation, this study has been conducted where the social impact of corporate governance has been explored in the food Industry of Pakistan. Questionnaires have been filled from 176 managers working in six food producing firms listed in Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Structural Equation Modeling based partial least square (PLS) has been used where Smart PLS has been used for model estimation. Results are supporting the stakeholder theory as Nestle Pakistan and Engro Foods are driving social excellence through corporate governance practices, where the corporations are showing strong positive relationships of corporate governance practices with stakeholders management, environmental integrity and protection, social cohesion and equity while insignificant relationship exists between strategic proactivity and corporate governance practices as people are resistant to change and innovation. The relationships can be explored in other industries like Oil and gas, Chemicals and Construction etc

Influence of Creative Accounting on Reliability and Objectivity of Financial Reporting (Factors Responsible For Adoption of Creative Accounting Practices in Pakistan).

Purpose: Intellectual modifications (creative accounting) in financial reports to make them attractive are very emerging and vastly accepted practices around the globe. But these practices are deceiving and unethical. This study aims to explore the factors encourage the adoption of  creative accounting practices like agency problem, corporate governance, company's ethical value, company's future orientation etc. as well as how these practices affect the reliability and objectivity of financial reporting. Methodology: This research is an empirical research and data is collected from accounting and management professionals of manufacturing industry of Punjab via structured questionnaire. Convenient sampling technique used to select sample size and SPSS software used for data analysis. Findings: Results of this research explored the positive association between agency problem and creative accounting while corporate governance, company's ethical value, company's future orientation have negative impact on creative accounting. It is also verified that creative accounting has significant negative impact on reliability as well as objectivity of financial reporting. Implications: Results of this study will assist the company's management how to control adverse influence of these manipulative activities on reliability and objectivity of financial reports as well as provide literacy to investors to be aware of such extensively using speculative activities. Limitations: Limitations of this study are that it is only considering few factors as well as manufacturing industry of Punjab

Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome; appropriate surgical strategies

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patients presenting with Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome to a tertiary care hospital and their surgical management. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at Congenital Cardiac Services, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, and comprised data of Tetralogy of Fallot patients between April 2007 and June 2012. Data was analysed together with follow-up echocardiography. Variables assessed included demographics, imaging, operative technique, complications, post-operative recovery and follow-up echocardiography. SPSS 17 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the 204 patients, 6 (3%) had undergone surgical correction for Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome. All 6(100%) patients underwent complete repair. Median age for surgery was 8.5 years (range: 0.5-29 years). Of the different surgical strategies used, Contegra and Bioprosthetic valve placement had satisfactory outcome with minimal gradient at Right Ventricular Outflow Tract, good ventricular function and mild valvular regurgitation. One (16.6%) patient with Trans Annular Patch developed post-operative Right Ventricle Outflow Tract gradient of 80mmHg with moderate pulmonary regurgitation. One (16.6%) patient with monocusp valve developed free pulmonary regurgitation at 6 months. The other 4(66.6%) patients are currently free from any complications or re-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Early surgery is preferred in symptomatic patients. The repair depends upon achieving integrity of pulmonary circulation which is best achieved by using right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit or inserting a pulmonary valve

Review of key causes and sources for N2O emmisions and NO3-leaching from organic arable crop rotations

Abstract. The emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and leaching of nitrate (NO3) have considerable negative impacts on climate and the environment. Although these environmental burdens are on average less per unit area in organic than in non-organic production, they are not smaller per unit of product. If organic farming is to maintain its goal of being an environmentally friendly production system, these emissions should be mitigated. We discuss the impact of possible triggers within organic arable farming practice for the risk of N2O emissions and NO3 leaching under European climatic conditions, and possible strategies to reduce these. Organic arable crop rotations can be characterised as diverse with frequent use of legumes, intercropping and organic fertilizers. The soil organic matter content and share of active organic matter, microbial and faunal activity are higher, soil structure better and yields lower, than in non-organic, arable crop rotations. Soil mineral nitrogen (SMN), N2O emissions and NO3 leaching are low under growing crops, but there is high potential for SMN accumulation and losses after crop termination or crop harvest. The risk for high N2O fluxes is increased when large amounts of herbage or organic fertilizers with readily available nitrogen (N) and carbon are incorporated into the soil or left on the surface. Freezing/thawing, drying/rewetting, compacted and/or wet soil and mixing with rotary harrow further enhance the risk for high N2O fluxes. These complex soil N dynamics mask the correlation between total N-input and N2O emissions from organic arable crop rotations. Incorporation of N rich plant residues or mechanical weeding followed by bare fallow increases the risk of nitrate leaching. In contrast, strategic use of deep-rooted crops with long growing seasons in the rotation reduces nitrate leaching risk. Reduced tillage can reduce N leaching if yields are maintained. Targeted treatment and use of herbage from green manures, crop residues and catch crops will increase N efficiency and reduce N2O emissions and NO3 leaching. Continued regular use of catch crops has the potential to reduce NO3 leaching but may enhance N2O emissions. A mixture of legumes and non-legumes (for instance grasses or cereals) are as efficient a catch crop as monocultures of non-legume species

Comparative study of harmonic scalpel haemorrhoidectomy versus conventional (milligan and morgan) haemorrhoidectomy

Background: Haemorrhoids are dilated veins occurring in relation to the anus. There are various treatment modalities for haemorrhoids and among them surgical treatment is considered to be most effective one. Harmonic scalpel hemorrhoidectomy was compared with conventional in terms of symptomatic relief and complications.Methods: The aim of our study was to compare harmonic scalpel haemorrhoidectomy with conventional in terms of various intraoperative and postoperative factors for the treatment of grade III and IV haemorrhoids.Results: In our case study of 25 patients average time taken was 17.68 ± 2.84 minutes, while it was 28.44 ±3.69 minutes in control group. The mean blood loss was 8.96 ± 2.15 ml, 31.72 ± 3.28 ml in the case and control group respectively. Postoperative pain with VAS in case group on the first postoperative day was 5.92 ± 0.72, while it was 8.52 ± 0 in the control group. The dose of analgesia was less in case group. The postoperative wound site soakage was less in case study, early ambulation and return to normal work was faster in case study group.Conclusions: Harmonic scalpel haemorrhoidectomy is a simple, bloodless, safe and effective procedure in terms of blood loss, postoperative pain early return to routine work because of less lateral thermal injury

Improved Hypoxia Modeling for Nutrient Control Decisions in the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico Modeling Framework is a suite of coupled models linking the deposition and transport of sediment and nutrients to subsequent bio-geo chemical processes and the resulting effect on concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the coastal waters of Louisiana and Texas. Here, we examine the potential benefits of using multiple NASA remote sensing data products within this Modeling Framework for increasing the accuracy of the models and their utility for nutrient control decisions in the Gulf of Mexico. Our approach is divided into three components: evaluation and improvement of (a) the precipitation input data (b) atmospheric constituent concentrations in EPA's air quality/deposition model and (c) the calculation of algal biomass, organic carbon and suspended solids within the water quality/eutrophication models of the framework