A new roadmap to life: media, culture, and modernity in the United Arab Emirates

Critical to the vision of a new United Arab Emirates is an educated, skilled workforce that fuels the intelligent growth needed in a knowledge-based economy. As the country begins developing its version of that economy, the mediated, transparent environment fundamental to this process will carry with it new visions of (and possibilities for) living life. If peaceful change is to be achieved, a transitional generation faces the conundrum of adapting the best that modernity can offer while retaining the best of tradition. As have others, this study suggests two things: that (1) media literacy, growing in part from education, is correlated with urbanization and a changing infrastructure, and that (2) media in all its forms is inseparable from the outcome of this drive to modernization.<br /

A Cognitive Model of the Control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

We describe a workload model of a single pilot unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control, which can provide the basis for extension to multiple UAV control and supervision. The model predicts multi-task capabilities based upon the multiple-resource model of human time sharing. Elements of the model are described related to task demand, resource conflict, and resource allocation (task priority). We then demonstrate its applicability to predicting pilot performance in the MQ-1 Predator, describing the “workload spikes” during a typical mission, and demonstrating ways in which high workload can be mitigated

Cross-linguistic media usage and attitude in the United Arab Emirates

This study, examining the relationship between different language user groups and media behavior, breaks new ground in the UAE. Emanating from a public-private consortium comprising Zayed University, the International Advertising Association, Dubai, and Dubai-based Pan Arab Research Center (PARC), partner of the Gallup organization, this research considers media usage and attitudes of individuals from different language user groups living in the UAE. The survey differentiated different language user groups in the UAE contextualizing national varieties according to the ‘Three Circles Model’ instituted by Kachru (1982 and ff.). Uncharacteristically, the tables shown in this study first take cognizance of Language User Groups relating to Arabic(s), followed by the Outer, then the Expanding and finally the Inner Circle Users of Englishes. In addition, bearing in mind the existence of different varieties similar to ‘Englishes’ might pertain to more than English language varieties, the terms “Arabics”, “Hindis”, “Urdus” and “Malayalams” are introduced. Analysis shows that media usage patterns and media penetration are tied to language background. People from particular language backgrounds use different media for the same information – ‘Al Jazeera’ is the primary source for breaking news among Users of Arabics, whereas it is ‘BBC World’ for Users of Englishes. Language facility and the perceived value of various languages vary across different linguistic groups. For example, in this Arabic speaking country, 20–32% of the Inner-Circle English Users and Outer-Circle Indian English Users agree with the statement that understanding Arabic was “not important at all”. © 2009 ALC Press, Inc

Managing project success using project risk and green supply chain management

Purpose: The implementation of the risk management in the development of new car models can contribute to the improvement of the project management performance and project success. The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence about whether project risk management (PRM) and green supply chain management (GSCM) are positively related to project management performance and the project success. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 145 project managers in the Malaysian automobile manufacturing industry and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings: The results found that PRM and the GSCM had a positive association with project management performance and the project success

Likert's 4-management system instrument psychometric properties - University management -Malaysia

This current study revitalizes the spirit of research in the field of management, especially an education setting, by using Rasch analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to determine the reliability of Likert's management 4-system to measure organizational leadership style. Likert's instrument was tested on academic staff at five public universities in Malaysia to determine their perceptions of the management style used by administrators at their institutions. The instrument was tested from 2014 to 2016, with 1114 faculty members in various disciplines participating. Results indicated that the item and person reliability were (0.99 & 0.87) and the item and person separation indexes were (12.08 & 2.62). All items for management styles yielded infit MNSQ values that ranged from 0.66 to 1.44, and outfit MNSQ values of 0.68 to 1.47 respectively. CFA was run and checked for four indexes for item goodness of fit through AMOS software. The results show good reliabilities, and the items fit the model. Therefore, it can be said that the instrument in Likert's 4-system scale can be used to measure trust and communication and to describe the characteristics of that organization, while also measuring productivity. The research also sheds new light on Likert's management 4-system instrument for use in an educational setting in nations with evolving knowledge-age economies to examine university leadership effectiveness and characteristics and to develop methods to align the objectives of leaders and managers with those of academic

A common and unstable copy number variant is associated with differences in Glo1 expression and anxiety-like behavior

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) has been implicated in anxiety-like behavior in mice and in multiple psychiatric diseases in humans. We used mouse Affymetrix exon arrays to detect copy number variants (CNV) among inbred mouse strains and thereby identified a approximately 475 kb tandem duplication on chromosome 17 that includes Glo1 (30,174,390-30,651,226 Mb; mouse genome build 36). We developed a PCR-based strategy and used it to detect this duplication in 23 of 71 inbred strains tested, and in various outbred and wild-caught mice. Presence of the duplication is associated with a cis-acting expression QTL for Glo1 (LOD>30) in BXD recombinant inbred strains. However, evidence for an eQTL for Glo1 was not obtained when we analyzed single SNPs or 3-SNP haplotypes in a panel of 27 inbred strains. We conclude that association analysis in the inbred strain panel failed to detect an eQTL because the duplication was present on multiple highly divergent haplotypes. Furthermore, we suggest that non-allelic homologous recombination has led to multiple reversions to the non-duplicated state among inbred strains. We show associations between multiple duplication-containing haplotypes, Glo1 expression and anxiety-like behavior in both inbred strain panels and outbred CD-1 mice. Our findings provide a molecular basis for differential expression of Glo1 and further implicate Glo1 in anxiety-like behavior. More broadly, these results identify problems with commonly employed tests for association in inbred strains when CNVs are present. Finally, these data provide an example of biologically significant phenotypic variability in model organisms that can be attributed to CNVs.These studies were funded by MH070933, MH79103 and MH020065

FORGE: An eLearning Framework for Remote Laboratory Experimentation on FIRE Testbed Infrastructure

The Forging Online Education through FIRE (FORGE) initiative provides educators and learners in higher education with access to world-class FIRE testbed infrastructure. FORGE supports experimentally driven research in an eLearning environment by complementing traditional classroom and online courses with interactive remote laboratory experiments. The project has achieved its objectives by defining and implementing a framework called FORGEBox. This framework offers the methodology, environment, tools and resources to support the creation of HTML-based online educational material capable accessing virtualized and physical FIRE testbed infrastruc- ture easily. FORGEBox also captures valuable quantitative and qualitative learning analytic information using questionnaires and Learning Analytics that can help optimise and support student learning. To date, FORGE has produced courses covering a wide range of networking and communication domains. These are freely available from FORGEBox.eu and have resulted in over 24,000 experiments undertaken by more than 1,800 students across 10 countries worldwide. This work has shown that the use of remote high- performance testbed facilities for hands-on remote experimentation can have a valuable impact on the learning experience for both educators and learners. Additionally, certain challenges in developing FIRE-based courseware have been identified, which has led to a set of recommendations in order to support the use of FIRE facilities for teaching and learning purposes

WMAP C&DH Software

The command-and-data-handling (C&DH) software of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) spacecraft functions as the sole interface between (1) the spacecraft and its instrument subsystem and (2) ground operations equipment. This software includes a command-decoding and -distribution system, a telemetry/data-handling system, and a data-storage-and-playback system. This software performs onboard processing of attitude sensor data and generates commands for attitude-control actuators in a closed-loop fashion. It also processes stored commands and monitors health and safety functions for the spacecraft and its instrument subsystems. The basic functionality of this software is the same of that of the older C&DH software of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) spacecraft, the main difference being the addition of the attitude-control functionality. Previously, the C&DH and attitude-control computations were performed by different processors because a single RXTE processor did not have enough processing power. The WMAP spacecraft includes a more-powerful processor capable of performing both computations

Lifestyle Matters for maintenance of health and wellbeing in people aged 65 years and over: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background Healthy, active ageing is strongly associated with good mental wellbeing which in turn helps to prevent mental illness. However, more investment has been made into research into interventions to prevent mental illness than into those designed to improve mental wellbeing. This applied research programme will provide high quality evidence for an intervention designed to improve and sustain mental wellbeing in older adults. Methods/Design This study was a multi-centre, pragmatic, two-arm, parallel group, individually randomised controlled trial to determine the population benefit of an occupational therapy based intervention for community living people aged 65 years or older. Participants (n = 268) will be identified in one city in the North of England and in North Wales through GP mail-outs, signposting by local authority, primary care staff and voluntary sector organisations and through community engagement. Participants will be randomised to one of two treatment arms: an intervention (Lifestyle Matters programme); or control (routine access to health and social care). All participants will be assessed at baseline, 6 and 24 months post-randomisation. The primary outcome, which is a person reported outcome, is the SF-36 Mental Health dimension at six months post randomisation. Secondary outcome measures have been selected to measure psychosocial, physical and mental health outcomes. They include other dimensions of the SF36, EQ-5D-3L, Brief Resilience Scale, General Perceived Self Efficacy Scale, PHQ-9, de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, Health and Social Care Resource Use and the wellbeing question of the Integrated Household Survey 2011. A cost effectiveness analysis will investigate the incremental cost per Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) of the Lifestyle Matters intervention compared with treatment as usual. Discussion The questions being posed through this research are important given the increasing numbers of older people, pressure on the public purse and the associated need to support good health in the extended lifespan. The proposed trial will determine the clinical and cost effectiveness of the intervention delivered in a UK context. The results will support commissioners and providers with decisions about implementation.</p