University Of Craiova Research Articles

Role of Agent Middleware in Teaching Distributed Systems and Agent Technologies

Computer science and information communication technologies are among the fastest changing areas and it is essential to follow this world-wide trend also in education, constantly innovating and adapting curricula. In this paper, we introduce the structure, methodological aspects and educational experiences of teaching two courses on distributed systems and agent technologies at two different universities and countries. The presentation is focused on the role of agent middleware and multi-agent systems in teaching various theoretical and practical aspects of these courses. At the University of Craiova, the conclusion is that the use of agent middleware in general and of JADE platform in particular for teaching the course Distributed Systems certainly brings many advantages, but also has some limitations. At the University of Novi Sad, within the Agent Technologies course, agent middleware, initially developed as part of the research project, has been successfully used for educational purposes, too. For both courses, we present the structure, the tools, teachers' and students' experiences and joint useful conclusions and lessons learned with regard to courses delivery.

Product Design, Robotics, Advanced Mechanical and Mechatronic Systems and Innovation Conference

PRASIC 2018, 8 – 9 November 2018The 10th edition of the PRASIC Conference was hosted in Brasov on 8-9 November 2018.The PRASIC‘18 Conference is dedicated to scientific research in the field of mechanics, machine elements, industrial robots, advanced mechanics and mechatronic systems, tribology, and also in education, innovation and technology transfer, industrial management, mechanics and machine history.The beginning was in 1982 under the name of PRASIC (Computer Aided Design), at the initiative of Professor Ioan Drăghici. At the beginning only the scientific researches related to Mechanisms and Machine Elements were treated, from 1996 Robotics was added, and then other scientific concerns related to them.In 2006, it was the last edition having as sections mechanisms, Machine Elements and Robotics. In 2016 PRASIC was renamed, being Product Design, Robotics, Advanced Mechanics & Mechatronic Systems, and Innovation Conference, keeping the brand PRASIC, well known in Romania and also outside, having an important history, and also keeping a high quality standard for scientific papers.At the 2018 edition, 48 papers were selected on 9 sections, with the participation of colleagues from university centers such as: Politehnica University of Bucharest, Gh. Asachi Iasi University, Technical University of Cluj Napoca, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, University Constantin Brancusi Tg. Jiu, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Politehnica University of Timisoara, University of Craiova, Petroleum and Gas University of Ploiesti, Technical University of Moldova Chisinau.The scientific opening of the Conference was provided by Professor Alberto Canen of Coppe University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Professor Valeriu Dulgheru of the Technical University of Moldova. Conference papers were submitted for publication at the IOP Publishing Conference Series - Materials Science and Engineering.Organizing Committee,Professor Dan SĂVESCU

Actual Study Regarding Quantitative Determination of Tetracyclines by Electrical Analysis Techniques and Methods Potentiometric sensors for tetracycline

Ion-selective electrodes have gained a wide applicability in pharmaceutical analysis and the literature has some data and their use for the determination of tetracyclines. Ion-selective electrodes for tetracycline were built using different electroactive materials and studied their performance. A working group from the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the University of Bucharest, in collaboration with a group of teaching staff from the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Craiova, has developed and tested a series of ion-selective electrodes for tetracycline, [1], minocycline [2] and doxycycline [3]. These electrodes were tested for the determination of these tetracyclines from commercial tablets.

Exploring the Celestial Sphere with the Telescope and Computational Analysis of the Images

One of the modern methods of teaching astronomy is the Investigation, one of Inquiry Based Learning methods, used as an educational method in the elaboration of extracurricular projects, as an example for the students of the Faculty of Sciences, from University of Craiova, Romania. The paper presents a join approach to research in Astronomy and Computer Science, using Scientific Inquiry methods and Computer programming skills to study the asteroid dynamics in the Solar System. Starting with the image analysis with the software Astrometrica, necessary for the determination of moving objects astrometry in astronomical images, the students developed, under supervision of the author, some software tools oriented to fast identification and classification of the founded asteroids. Theirs tools where tested on real astronomy data, namely raw images, obtained with the INT telescope in La Palma, the Canary Islands. Following this methodological experiment the students arrive to develop within a short time advanced practical skills for research in Computational Astronomy, increasing in the same time theirs knowledge as Web programmers.

The impact of teaching computational astronomy on the development of students' computer skills

Some blended methods of teaching-learning were successfully used in teaching the astronomy and astrometry of asteroids to students in Computer Sciences at the University of Craiova, using real astronomical data about celestial objects from our Solar System, obtained from the Astronomical Observatory Isaac Newton (La Palma, Spain). The students were asked to develop some small scripts in order to facilitate the detection and the analysis of data for new discovered asteroids, a request that improved their capacities to understand and apply various modern concepts of Computer Graphics, Data Base and Web design. This approach to learning brings new challenges for the students, new opportunities for the process of professional training in Computer Sciences and provided good result in very short term, the students acquiring very fast the necessary skills to approach both the professional level of Web programming and the modern research area of Computational Astronomy.

Methods used in the Educational Process: A Theoretical and Empirical Perspective

In the context of an evolving and developing educational system based on a social reality, the diversification of the curriculum in higher education, and not only, required the introduction of new modern teaching and learning methods and techniques without renouncing at the most valuable classical ones. “The method” is defined as the path or working modality used by teachers and students in teaching interaction to achieve the proposed educational goal. Methods serve cognitive and formative goals of education. We will analyze with priority the methodology for teaching in the socio- humanistic disciplines. One classification of the methods used in the educational process was made by Dale and is known in the literature as “Dale’s Cone of Experience”. We can also find another similar classification under the form of an instrument named The Learning Pyramid. We conducted a research using the opinion survey, based on a questionnaire using a representative sample of students from 3 specializations from University of Craiova: International Relations and European Studies, History and Sociology. Through this research we aimed to identify how students from the three specified specializations would classify of the audio-visual methods found in “Dale’s Cone of Experience” and “Learning Pyramid”, depending on the manner in which this methods influence their learning process.

NOVEL COIN FINDS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE MUSEUM OF OLTENIA IN CRAIOVA

This paper follows six Roman coins, discovered at Oltina (Constanţa county) and Oancea (Galați county). They entered the possession of a school teacher who taught in the two places. He attempted to sell them through his son, a student with the University of Craiova. The police, however, rendered such action futile and, although the coins were delivered by the end of the investigation (during the 80’ies) to the Museum of Oltenia.

Neutrosophic circuits of communication. A review

“Communication Neutrosophic Routes” by Florentin Smarandache and Stefan Vladuţescu was published by Education Publishing, Ohio, USA, on May 2014. Florentin Smarandache and Stefan Vladuţescu are two remarcable professors, first at University of New Mexico/ USA, the second at University of Craiova/ Romania, with many researches in neutrosophical, communication, mathematic, literature, journalism, social sciencies. Neutrosophy had been in the emergence phase since 1995.

Imagining Geographies, Mapping Identities

The ambition of this issue of Portal is to reach across the methodological boundaries of history, politics, literature and geography to apply their complementary perspectives to the study of identity and its relation to space and place, an aim that involves attempting to identify the many different ways the notoriously slippery concepts of identity and geography may intersect.For this issue we have selected articles that cast a fresh perspective on two areas where identity and geography intersect: the construction of identity through the imaginative recreation of place in literature: Mapping Literary Spaces; and the study of the shifting relationships of centre and periphery, exclusion and inclusion in urban settings and geopolitical confrontations: Social and Political Peripheries.Gerard Toal has written that geography is not a noun but a verb: it does not describe what space is but studies what we do with space, imaginatively and politically. The articles in this issue illustrate the exercise of the literary and political imagination and the role of materiality and memory in the creation of geographic representation. They show too a new awareness of the centrality of space in the constitution of identities, and the need for a new geocritical reading of its discourse, as the interrelations of place and community are played out on the many scales of social and political life, from the local to the global. The special issue is organised thus:IntroductionMatthew Graves (Aix-Marseille University) & Liz Rechniewski (Sydney University): “Imagining Geographies, Mapping Identities.”I. Mapping Literary Spaces- Isabelle Avila (University of Paris XIII), "Les Cartes de l'Afrique au XIXe siècle et Joseph Conrad : Perceptions d'une Révolution Cartographique."- Daniela Rogobete (University of Craiova), "Global vs Glocal: Dimensions of the post-1981 Indian English Novel."II. Social and Political Peripheries- Elizabeth Rechniewski (Sydney University), “The Perils of Proximity: The Geopolitical Underpinnings of Australian views of New Caledonia in the 19th Century."- Annie Ousset-Krief (Paris III), "Le Yiddishland newyorkais."- Carolyn Stott (Sydney University), "Belleville: Space, Place and Identity."- Esme Cleall (University of Sheffield), "Silencing Deafness: Marginalising Disability in the 19th century."

Information from Theory towards Science

Information from Theory towards Science, the professor Stefan Vlăduţescu’s book from University of Craiova, is a confirmation of high intelligence level and propensity of author’s cognition. From various semiotic materials (words, images, gestures, drawings, etc.), following certain principles, under different procedures (operations, actions, movements, maneuvers, mechanisms, strategies) using means (languages​​, codes, subcodes) and specific tools (knowledge, concepts, categories) adapted aim between earth (with autocorrection by feedback) and firmament (as anticipation by feed-forward) rises an imposing edifice, a cognitive construction: this is information. It has systemic and procedural character and is organized on four coordinates: metric, semantic, structural and pragmatic.

RESEARCH ON THE PRODUCTION OF FORAGE FOR THE AGRO -TOURISTIC FARMS IN ROMANIA BY CULTIVATING PERENNIAL LEGUMINOUS PLANTS

The paper is the result of research conducted for approximately 20 years in the agro tourism field and also rural tourism, as well as in natural and cultivated pastures, at the Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Craiova. Based on these studies it was concluded that the research in this field has been less realistic so far, because it was strictly oriented towards obtaining high forage production, but of questionable quality due to high content of residual chemicals. Currently, in tourism activities and other specific areas of food production, the demand for natural products (bio or eco) has greatly increased to ensure a quality taste and high security and traceability. To assist the forage manufacturers and workers in tourism activity we considered appropriate and necessary to study this particularly valuable forage, to which by applying minimal chemical treatments, high yields with a very low degree of chemical residues will be obtained, with a high nutritional quality and traceability, while a cuisine with higher value taste and food safety can be obtained.

Neutrosophic Circuits of Communication - A Review

“Communication Neutrosophic Routes” by Florentin Smarandache and Ştefan Vlăduţescu was published by Education Publishing, Ohio, USA, on May 2014. Florentin Smarandache and Ştefan Vlăduţescu are two remarcable professors, first at University of New Mexico/ USA, the second at University of Craiova/ Romania, with many researches in neutrosophical, communication, mathematic, literature, journalism, social sciencies. Neutrosophy had been in the emergence phase since 1995. With its certification by the scientific community, Neutrosophy has become a type of incident knowledge, i.e. applicable in different fields. Neutrosophy legitimating was achieved by developing some doctoral research, through learning theory as a way of description, explanation and forecast and implementation of neutrosophic congress and conferences. Neutrosophy handles all neutralities. In the neutrosophic taxonometry, a class of neutralities is represented by the neutralities that, without turning into contradiction, generate qualitative leaps. The emergence is the cognitive phenomenon in which, from two or more connected neutralities, without contradiction, a change of quality or a qualitative leap result. Thinking in Hegelian terms has an axiom the idea that the qualitative change, qualitative emergences may arise from related neutral items. Neutrosophy claims that qualitative emergences may arise from related neutral items.

Florentin Smarandache: Law of included Multiple-Middle. Book Review

Florentin Smarandache is known as scientist and writer. He writes in three languages: Romanian, French, and English. He graduated the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Craiova in 1979 first of his class, earned a Ph. D. in Mathematics from the State University Moldova at Kishinev in 1997, and continued postdoctoral studies at various American Universities such as University of Texas at Austin, University of Phoenix, etc. after emigration.

“Next Flood Level of Communication: Social Networks”- A Review

“Next Flood Level of Communication: Social Networks” (2013) published by Shaker Verlag, by Professor Ştefan Vlăduţescu from University of Craiova and Professor Ella Magdalena Ciuperca from National Academy of Intelligence “Mihai Viteazul” Bucuresti, is a book of intellectual elevation and high expression of ideas. The authors’ hypothesis and the nuclear idea of their book is that by their amplitude, by their performance, and by their self-generating, self-organization and self-improvement capabilities, social networks are the next flood level of communication. “The observational-wave of hypothesis is reinforced by an interrogative wave: what is next after next? If "End of Metaphysics" in Martin Heidegger is perfection of metaphysics, if the "End of History" in Francis Fukuyama is perfection of history, we believe that "next flood level" is neither the last level, nor the perfect level of communication” asserts the authors. Social network is not quite the perfection it is only the configured direction to untouchable perfection. Social network is the path to perfection in constant concern itself, in self-knowledge, and in self-superior capitalization of humanity as a whole, of humanity as a global, integrated and homogeneous and with obvious nuclei of heterogeneity macro-social network. However, next of the next is something, at the same time apparent and hidden, from the actual potential of the current concrete. The future always has its seeds in the past and the present.

“Persuasion Elements Used in Logistical Negotiation” - Book Review

“Persuasion Elements Used in Logistical Negotiation” (2012), published by Saarbrucken, LAP Lambert, Professor Ioan Constantin Dima from University Valachia Targoviste and by Professor Ştefan Vlăduţescu from University of Craiova, is a book of intellectual elevation and high expression of ideas. The study is interdisciplinary and lays on the intersection of persuasive communication with the negotiation of logistic type. The research was supported by two approaches: it valorized discursive and ideationally an extensive bibliography; it pointed out to give a purely and direct scientific feature to the research and to provide a working and training tool for interested and “co-interested” ones, under conditions of efficiently and autonomy reading. The zetetic core is one of the communication theory and logistic negotiation by experimental methods, combined with methods of accepting the approved arguments and with the method of conceptual hermeneutics, on a large space of research. The book is comprehensive, cohesive and consistency.

Florentin Smarandache: Law of Included Multiple-Middle - Book Review

Florentin Smarandache is known as scientist and writer. He writes in three languages: Romanian, French, and English. He graduated the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Craiova in 1979 first of his class, earned a Ph. D. in Mathematics from the State University Moldova at Kishinev in 1997, and continued postdoctoral studies at various American Universities such as University of Texas at Austin, University of Phoenix, etc. after emigration. He did post-doctoral researches at Okayama University of Science (Japan) between 12 December 2013 - 12 January 2014; at Guangdong University of Technology (Guangzhou, China), 19 May - 14 August 2012; at ENSIETA (National Superior School of Engineers and Study of Armament), Brest, France, 15 May - 22 July 2010; and for two months, June-July 2009, at Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, NY, USA (under State University of New York Institute of Technology). In U.S.A. he worked as a software engineer for Honeywell (1990-1995), adjunct professor for Pima Community College (1995-1997), in 1997 Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico, Gallup Campus, promoted to Associate Professor of Mathematics in 2003, and to Full Professor in 2008. Between 2007-2009 he was the Chair of Math & Sciences Department.

Florentin Smarandache & Ştefan Vlăduţescu: Neutrosophic Emergences and Incidences in Communication and Information - Book Review

Neutrosophic emergences and incidences in communication and information, published in Germany/Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing in 2013, is a book that constitutes a new trend, a new approach in the science of logic, philosophy, communication theory, information, an approached and exemplification that it was wanted, it was intuited, it was expected but it has no mathematical foundation, that is neutrosophy. It is a book that presents avant-garde information. It is written by two appreciated researchers and inexhaustible perpetual idea machines: Professors Florentin Smarandache and Ştefan Vlăduţescu. First of them is professor of mathematics at University of New Mexico/ USA, the second is professor of communication theory at University of Craiova/ Romania. Both of them have published a lot of books and papers in domain of philosophy, communication, sociology, psychology, mathematics and literature. Logic started in Ancient with Classical Logic of Aristotle, developed and covered by Three Valued Logic of Lukasiewicz, next ring being Fuzzy Logic of Zadech, finally the comprehensive Neutrosophic Logic of Smarandache.

The Constructivist Teaching and the Optimization of Learning through Cognitive Maps

This study analyzes the optimization of the cognitive map, as knowledge and understanding tool that complies with constructivist paradigm. The experiment carried out on a group of subjects, formed of students – future teachers within the University of Craiova has shown the advantages and disadvantages of the cognitive map in studying some of the subjects enclosed in the curriculum plan of the teaching training module.The results obtained by the students of the experimental group confirmed the research objectives and hypotheses. We succeeded in demonstrating the fact that using this tool in the activities developed with students contributes to the optimization of their school results. As well, it has also been confirmed the connection between the optimization of activities in pairs or small groups, based on collaboration, in a faster understanding of concepts of scientific contents and in solving some misunderstandings that the students had related to these contents. The results obtained lead at the same time to new perspectives in studying this subject related to academic learning.

Physical and Chemical Properties of Some European Plum Cultivars (<i>Prunus domestica</i> L.)

Fruits from twelve plum cultivars (Prunus domestica L.), were analyzed in terms of physical and chemical characteristics. The fruits trees were grown in a trial at University of Craiova - Fruit Growing Research Station (SCDP) Valcea, which is located in Bujoreni, an important Romanian plum production area. Fruits were picked at harvest maturity. Several analyzes were performed, such as fruit linear dimensions, size index, fruit weight, dry matter, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, total anthocyanins, malic, tartaric and citric acids content. The best features in terms of physical and chemical properties proved to be found in ‘Alina’, ‘Alutus’, ‘Tuleu Timpuriu’, ‘Oltenal’ and ‘Renclod Althan’.

Curriculum Preferences Patterns of Education Sciences Students from the University of Craiova

This study focuses on the problem of identifying curriculum preferences patterns of the education sciences students from the University of Craiova, Faculty of Theology, History and Education Sciences, Preschool and Primary Education specialization. The aim of the study is to construct a postmodern model of approaching curriculum optimization by means of studying curriculum preferences and interests.