AFAR: adaptive fuzzy ant-based routing for communication networks

We propose a novel approach called adaptive fuzzy ant-based routing （AFAR）, where a group of intelligent agents （or ants） builds paths between a pair of nodes, exploring the network concurrently and exchanging obtained information to update the routing tables. Routing decisions can be made by the fuzzy logic technique based on local information about the current network state and the knowledge constructed by a previous set of behaviors of other agents. The fuzzy logic technique allows multiple constraints such as path delay and path utilization to be considered in a simple and intuitive way. Simulation tests show that AFAR outperforms OSPF, AntNet and ASR, three of the currently most important state-of-the-art algorithms, in terms of end-to-end delay, packet delivery, and packet drop ratio. AFAR is a promising alternative for routing of data in next generation networks.     

Promoting Conceptual Understanding with Explicit Epistemic Intervention in Metacognitive Instruction: Interaction Between the Treatment and Epistemic Cognition

Research in Science Education - This study investigated the effect of the metacognitive instruction in which students’ epistemic cognitions were explicitly addressed, on tenth-grade...     

Examining learning approaches of science student teachers according to the class level and gender

There are many factors influence the level of students＇ achievement in education. Studies show that one of these factors is ＂learning approach of a student＂. Research findings generally have identified two approaches of learning： deep and surface. When a student uses the deep approach, he/she has an intrinsic interest in subject matter and is interested in ideas and conclusions to understand the subject matter. When a student employs the surface approach, he/she merely memorizes knowledge to pass any exam in school. The aim of this study is to determine learning approaches of science student teachers and to examine the relationships among the variables, such as level of students＇ class and gender. The sample of this study consists of 108 student teachers from the Science Education Program at Department of Primary Science Education in Karadeniz Technical University. Approaches to learning of science student teachers are assessed using the Revised Two-factor Study Process Questionnaire （R-SPQ-2F）, a scale developed by Biggs, et al （2001） consisting of 20 items on a 5 point Likert Scale. According to findings, science student teachers generally have deep learning approaches. Moreover, learning approaches of science student teachers have not changed related to gender.     

河北医药制造企业联合采购的实施

河北医药制造企业实施联合采购,能有效降低企业采购成本、提升利润空间。就联合采购实施的优势、模式以及需要解决等问题进行探讨。     

Effects of conceptual assignments and conceptual change discussions on students' misconceptions and achievement regarding force and motion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of conceptual assignments and conceptual change discussions on students' achievement and misconceptions about force and motion. The study was conducted with 6 physics teachers and their 18 classes, consisting of 396 high school physics students. The teachers administered the Force Misconception and Force Achievement Tests to their physics classes as a pretest. The results obtained were used to match the 18 classes statistically. Students assigned to the conceptual assignment protocol completed five conceptual assignments about force and motion. Students assigned to the discussion method participated in conceptual change discussions. At the end of the 8‐week treatment period, the same tests were administered to all students as a posttest. The data were analyzed by using multivariate analysis of covariance, followed by protected univariate F test and step‐down analysis. The statistical results showed that the conceptual change discussion was an effective means of reducing the number of misconceptions students held about force and motion. The conceptual change discussion was also found significantly effective in improving students' achievement in force and motion. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 1001–1015, 2002     

Reading social stories in the community: A promising intervention for promoting children's environmental knowledge and behavior in Jordan

Traditionally, education in various forms has been used as a tool to change values and behavior in children regarding the environment. This study reports findings from the We Love Reading Program that utilizes the reading of Social Stories in various communities in Jordan to address the environmental problems of Jordan. Results indicated the effectiveness of this informal educational intervention showing a significant increase in children's knowledge about environmental issues and a positive change in behavior related to electricity and water consumption and littering, as reported by parents. The authors provide several recommendations on how Social Stories and appropriate curriculum can be used in schools and community to create awareness in students regarding environmental issues.     

Methodological concerns: the feeling-of-knowing task affects resolution

In traditional feeling-of-knowing procedures, participants make judgments on unrecalled items only (e.g. Hart 1965). However, many researchers elicit feeling-of-knowing judgments (FOKs) on all items. When FOKs are made on all items, participants may use recall as a basis for judgments, leading to higher magnitude judgments for recalled items, but causing a relative floor effect for judgments for unrecalled items. We suspected that resolution (relative accuracy) would be better when FOKs are made on all items than when they are made on unrecalled items only. We examined the issue by comparing across studies, reanalyzing data from another experiment, and by conducting an original experiment. In the literature review, we included 83 conditions across 52 studies. We found that feeling-of-knowing judgments made on all items showed higher resolution than feeling-of-knowing judgments made on unrecalled items. This was replicated in the reanalysis of existing data of a single study that used both methods. In the original experiment, we collected feeling-of-knowing judgments for general-information questions. The experiment confirmed that resolution for predicting recognition was higher when feeling-of-knowing judgments were made on all items than when they were made only on unrecalled items. We discuss both methodological and theoretical implications of these data.     

Note on the expansion of higher education in Bahrain

This article deals with the development of higher education in Bahrain. The study includes the philosophy of the educational system which co-relates religious morals and cultural traditions with modern economics, technological and scientific developments. Empirical statistics show the growth of higher education in Bahrain since the late sixties. In 1968, the strength of staff and students was 3 and 18 respectively. This has grown to 469 staff members and 5633 students by 1987.     

Single cell kinase signaling assay using pinched flow coupled droplet microfluidics

Droplet-based microfluidics has shown potential in high throughput single cell assays by encapsulating individual cells in water-in-oil emulsions. Ordering cells in a micro-channel is necessary to encapsulate individual cells into droplets further enhancing the assay efficiency. This is typically limited due to the difficulty of preparing high-density cell solutions and maintaining them without cell aggregation in long channels (>5 cm). In this study, we developed a short pinched flow channel (5 mm) to separate cell aggregates and to form a uniform cell distribution in a droplet-generating platform that encapsulated single cells with >55% encapsulation efficiency beating Poisson encapsulation statistics. Using this platform and commercially available Sox substrates (8-hydroxy-5-(N,N-dimethylsulfonamido)-2-methylquinoline), we have demonstrated a high throughput dynamic single cell signaling assay to measure the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in lung cancer cells triggered by cell surface ligand binding. The phosphorylation of the substrates resulted in fluorescent emission, showing a sigmoidal increase over a 12 h period. The result exhibited a heterogeneous signaling rate in individual cells and showed various levels of drug resistance when treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, gefitinib.