With robots becoming more prevalent, it is important to understand human attitudes toward robots not only when humans directly interact with the robots as most research examines, but when robots are performing nonsocial tasks (e.g., cleaning) within sight and hearing of humans. This study examined how presumed robot communication style in such situations of human-robot colocation affects human perceptions of a group of robots. Results suggest that communication style of robots did not affect perceptions of robots, but further studies should use different techniques to manipulate supposed communication style.

Based on the results of an online survey conducted with participants in South Korea (N=73), Turkey (N=46), and the United States (N=99), we show that people’s perceptions and preferences regarding acceptable designs and uses for robots are culturally variable on a number of dimensions, including general attitudes towards robots, preferences for robot form, interactivity, intelligence, and sociality. We also explore correlations between these design and use characteristics and factors cited as having an effect on user perceptions and acceptance of robots, such as religious beliefs and media exposure. Our research suggests that culturally variable attitudes and preferences toward robots are not simply reducible to these factors, rather they relate to more specific social dynamics and norms. In conclusion, we discuss potential design and research implications of culturally variable and universally accepted user preferences regarding robots. Categories and Subject Descriptors H.1.2 [User/Machine Systems]: Human Factors; H.5.2 [UserCentered Design]; I.2.9 [Robotics]: Commercial robots and applications; K.4: Computers and Society General Terms Design, Human Factors

This article aims to revisit an article of my own, published in 1995, about the military dictatorship through music, emphasizing issues such as violence, guerrilla and repressive censorship and the possibility to work with such topics in the classroom. In this article we continue these discussions, seeking to emphasize as the same have been designed in recent years, in particular those related to the teaching of history.

This study was focussed on a comprehensive investigation on the state of pollution of the Danube and Sava Rivers in the region of Belgrade. Different complementary analytical approaches were employed covering both i) organic contaminants in the river water by target analyses of hormones and neonicotinoids as well as non-target screening analyses and ii) heavy metals in the sediments. Finally, some common water quality parameters were analysed. The overall state of pollution is on a moderate level. Bulk parameters did not reveal any unusual observations. Moreover, quantification of preselected organic contaminants did not indicate to elevated pollution. More significant contaminations were registered for chromium, nickel, zinc and partially copper in sediments with values above the target values according to Serbian regulations. Lastly, non-target screening analysis revealed a wider spectrum of organic contaminants comprising pharmaceuticals, technical additives, personal care products and pesticides. The study presented a comprehensive view on the state of pollution of the Sava and Danube Rivers and is the base for setting up further monitoring programs. As a superior outcome, it was illustrated how different chemical analyses can result in different assessments of the river quality. A comparison of target and non-target analyses pointed to potential misinterpretation of the real state of pollution.

This study aims to investigate three characteristic representational typologies in Sarajevo, in regard to Henri Lefebvre's theory of “Production of Space.” Representational typologies are considered as a tool in the hands of power holders capable of influencing, motivating or manipulating wider population. The comparative analysis of the deterministic link between the social system and architecture will be examined in order to highlight the universal qualities of architecture capable of outliving the liminal momentum of transitions from one socio-political system to another.

Francois Gremy (1929 2014) has a Master’s in Physical Sciences, a Master’s in Mathematics (1, 2). He was interned in Paris Hospitals as a Doctor of Medicine, and late he become University Professor at several universities in France. Diploma of Higher Education in Theory of Probabilities he received from the Statistical Institute of Paris (1, 2). Early in his career he worked at the Faculty of Medicine of Tours. This experience led him to the Faculty of Medicine, Pitié-Salpêtrièr, where for 23 years, he was professor of Biophysiques, Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, a hospital biologist and Department Head of Medical Informatics in Paris Hospitals, as well as Director of the U-88’s Research Unit: ‘Public Health and Economical and Social Epidemiology’ at INSERM. In the Faculty of Medicine at Montpellier-Nimes, Professor Grémy was Professor of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, and Department Head of Bioinformatics at the Regional University Hospital Center, Montpellier. Between 1990 and 1996, in the same center, Professor Grémy was Professor of Public Health and Department Head of Medico-Hospital Economy and Preventive Actions. He was President of the Board of Directors of the National School of Public Health of Rennes, member of the National Universities’ Council of the High Committee of Public Health, and of the Scientific Council of PM.S–I. He founded in 1967 the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA). He is also the co-founder of the European Federation for Medical Informatics, and served as a member in the European Commissions’ activities evaluating informatics technologies in medicine. His scientific career, is distinguished because of his significant contribution as a researcher and as a forerunner in the field. His influence has ranged from hard sciences to clinical medicine, and he is recognized as a philosopher among medical informaticians. He acquired specific competence in Cardiology and Neurology, especially in neurophysiology. But he also got degrees in mathematics, biophysics, and more recently philosophy. He created the first laboratory for Medical informatics in the mid-60s at the Pitié-Salpêtrière School of Medicine in Paris. As founder of IFIP TC4 that gave rise to IMIA he is considered to be the IMIA father and a key European figure in the field. During MEDINFO 2004 Conference in San Francisco Francois Gremy received the first IMIA Award of Excellence for his outstanding contributions to IMIA and to health informatics. François was one of the founders of IMIA and his extensive research especially during his time at the University of Montpellier had left a lasting impression on his colleagues, students and friends in Europe and many other parts of the world. Francis Gremy was not only a pioneer in the Medical/Health informatics as new field, he had a holistic view on the large variety of medical informatics applications, with humanistic values to be respected and ethical guidelines to propose to follow. His ability to clarify complex matters and his sense of humor were part of his great teacher talents, associated to his very open mind to perform research in a multidisciplinary approach. His social engagement was also exceptional. He was an emblematic figure who opened new roads leading to patient centered Medical informatics, one of the best examples of the French culture, a Master and a friend (2).” As the first President of IMIA and for his collaboration when he was President of the School of Public Health of Rennes, Université Catholique de Louvain, acknowledged his key-role in the development of Medical informatics by nominating him “Doctor Honoris Causa” (2). François Grémy deals with evaluation of health information systems, where he was involved and describes the evolution of his personal ideas. He proposes the main distinction between systems where the user(s) remain(s) external from the running program, from the ones where the user(s) interacting with the program become(s) the main component of the system (1). Francois Gremy "addresses conventional methods of evaluation used in Medical Technology Assessment, how the whole knowledge in anthropology may contribute strongly to evaluation, and how the subjectivity of the user(s), how he (or they) react(s) with the computing machinery, is a main key to the success or failure of the whole system. He asserts that the temptation of the eradication of subjectivity as a condition for progress is deleterious for our civilization threatened by a comeback of barbarity, and is scientifically wrong (1).” His honors include the Janssen Prize from the Academy of Medicine; Silver Core International Federation for Information Processing; Chevalier Legion of Honor; Prize in Medicine and Public Health from the Institute of Health Sciences; and an Honorary Doctorate from Catholic University in Louvain, Belgium (2).

Background This article provides a summary of the 2011 ERA–EDTA Registry Annual Report (available at www.era-edta-reg.org). Methods Data on renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) from national and regional renal registries in 30 countries in Europe and bordering the Mediterranean Sea were used. From 27 registries, individual patient data were received, whereas 17 registries contributed data in aggregated form. We present the incidence and prevalence of RRT, and renal transplant rates in 2011. In addition, survival probabilities and expected remaining lifetimes were calculated for those registries providing individual patient data. Results The overall unadjusted incidence rate of RRT in 2011 among all registries reporting to the ERA–EDTA Registry was 117 per million population (pmp) (n = 71.631). Incidence rates varied from 24 pmp in Ukraine to 238 pmp in Turkey. The overall unadjusted prevalence of RRT for ESRD on 31 December 2011 was 692 pmp (n = 425 824). The highest prevalence was reported by Portugal (1662 pmp) and the lowest by Ukraine (131 pmp). Among all registries, a total of 22 814 renal transplantations were performed (37 pmp). The highest overall transplant rate was reported from Spain, Cantabria (81 pmp), whereas the highest rate of living donor transplants was reported from Turkey (39 pmp). For patients who started RRT between 2002 and 2006, the unadjusted 5-year patient survival on RRT was 46.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 46.6–47.0], and on dialysis 39.3% (95% CI 39.2–39.4). The unadjusted 5-year patient survival after the first renal transplantation performed between 2002 and 2006 was 86.7% (95% CI 86.2–87.2) for kidneys from deceased donors and 94.3% (95% CI 93.6–95.0) for kidneys from living donors.