bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Qualitative views on episiotomy amongst accouchers and pregnant women in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria
Authors: Tex-Jack Dokuba , Eleke Chinemerem
Published: March 2021

Background:

In 2018, the World Health Organization recommended the restrictive use of episiotomy by midwives and obstetricians on pregnant women undergoing vaginal birth. Unfortunately, the use of episiotomy is still fairly common in Africa.

Aim:

We examined the qualitative views on episiotomy amongst accouchers and pregnant women at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in southern Nigeria.

Methods:

A cross-sectional design was employed. Census sampling was used to enrol 19 accouchers (house officer doctors = 7 and nurse-midwives = 12) and 43 third-trimester pregnant women. Narrative data were collected through focused group discussion using an interview guide and a digital audio recorder. Collected data were transcribed and subjected to coding, content and thematic analysis to enable categorisation of themes.

Results:

Respondents were 22–46 years old. The accouchers mentioned several indications for episiotomy which were not consistent with current evidence in literature. In contrast to pregnant women's views, the accouchers reported that episiotomy is a clinician's choice, so pre-informing the pregnant woman about it is optional. Pregnant women were of the view that they should be more involved by being the ones to decide whether they want to receive episiotomy or not. Even when the accouchers viewed episiotomy as having some clinical uses, the pregnant women suggested that episiotomy should be banned.

Conclusion:

The views of the accouchers and pregnant women were not totally aligned with each other. More sensitisation of accouchers and pregnant women is required to ensure re-alignment of views based on available evidence.
A single-centre audit of request forms and the 2011 appropriate use criteria for transthoracic echocardiography
Authors: Umuerri Ejiroghene Martha
Published: March 2021

Background:

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a useful diagnostic tool in cardiology practice. The information provided by the requesting physician is a helpful guide in the interpretation of findings. This study aimed to audit echocardiography request forms (ECFs).

Methods:

A 3-year retrospective audit of echocardiography request forms (ERFs) received at a community-based echocardiography centre in Delta State, Nigeria. Delta State University Teaching Hospital Health Research Ethics Committee granted ethical approval to conduct this study. Data extracted from the ERFs were patients' name, age, sex, address and indication/background clinical information, the name and signature of requesting physician, name of referring hospital and date of the request. Evaluation of the appropriateness of the indications for echocardiography was done using 2011 Revised American College of Cardiology Foundation's appropriate use criteria (AUC). The corresponding echocardiograms were coded as normal or abnormal reports. Data were anonymised and analysed using the SPSS software version 23.

Results:

All the 412 ERFs audited had the names of the patients. The patients' age, sex and address were missing in 22.6%, 11.4% and 92.5% of the ERFs, respectively. A total of 119 (28.9%) ERFs lacked indication/clinical information and thus unclassifiable using the 2011 AUC. Of the remaining ERFs, the AUC was appropriate, inappropriate and uncertain in 259 (88.4%), 26 (8.9%) and 8 (2.7%), respectively. Majority of the ERFs with uncertain indications had normal echocardiograms. The echocardiograms of 78% (93/119) of the patients whose ERFs lacked indication/clinical information were abnormal.

Conclusion:

In this study, ERFs were inadequately filled. However, majority of the stated indications/clinical information for TTE were classified as appropriate.
The impact of chronic periodontitis on serum tumor necrosis factor-α and HbA1c levels in type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Abdalrahman Rehab Abdallah , Gismalla Bakri Gobara
Published: March 2021

Background:

Diabetic patients are subject to chronic periodontitis which could adversely affect glycemic control.

Aim:

This study determined the impact of chronic periodontitis in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM 2).

Materials and Methods:

We compared the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and HbA1c% between DM 2 patients with chronic periodontitis (study group) and DM 2 patients without chronic periodontitis (control group).

Results:

Statistically significant differences in fasting blood glucose (FBS), HbA1c, and gingival index (GI) were observed between the study and control group. No differences were found in TNF-α between the patients of both the groups. However, higher levels of TNF-α and FBS were shown in diabetic patients with mild periodontitis group than in those with moderate or severe periodontitis.

Conclusion:

Chronic periodontitis could affect HbA1c levels in DM 2 patients. In addition, HbA1c was positively correlated with FBS and GI, while negatively correlated with TNF-α, which exhibited a higher level in mild periodontitis compared with severe and moderate periodontitis.
Clinical, serological, and radiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Nazir Imran , Al Shareef Mohammed , Rahman Sayed Shakeel Ur , Imran Iffat , Abdullah Hanan Mohamed , Shaaban Hossam El-din , Khalil Khalid , Al Hazmi Anas Mohammad M. , Mohammed Ahmed Waleed Amasaib , Al Kalkami Amna
Published: March 2021

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading across the globe at an alarming rate. The number of COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia is increasing daily. Saudi Arabia is a hot zone for outbreaks of infectious diseases like COVID-19, especially the Makkah area. Hence, determining the clinical characteristics along with serological, hematological, and radiological abnormalities in COVID-19 patients is important for epidemiological decision-making, such as control and surveillance strategies.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective descriptive study done in a single health-care hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for 4-month period. We include admitted COVID-19 patients (confirmed with qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction test) of any gender with age >14 years. The complete data of COVID-19 patients were extracted from electronic medical records. Data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. Categorical variables were presented as counts and percentages, where means and standard deviations (SDs) were extracted for continuous variables. Fisher's exact test was applied to assess association with mortality.

Results:

Total enrolled cases were 226. The mean age of the patients was 58 years with SD (±0.4458) and 95% confidence interval (2.688–2.810). The common clinical presentations were fever (77.4%), cough (77%), shortness of breath (53.5%), and myalgia (37.2%). Lymphopenia was observed in 54.4%, anemia in 8.4%, leukopenia in 16.4%, and thrombocytopenia in 9.3% of the patients. The fatality rate was 8.4% (n = 19) over this 4-month period.

Conclusion:

Advanced age and comorbidity plays a pivotal role in disease mortality. Elderly people's constant evaluation and management is of fundamental importance to decrease mortality.
Embryological considerations and evaluation of congenital anomalies of craniovertebral junction
Authors: Ravikanth Reddy , Majumdar Pooja
Published: March 2021

Objectives:

Craniovertebral junction (CVJ) abnormalities constitute a group of treatable neurological disorders, especially in the Indian subcontinent. Thus, it is essential that clinicians should be able to make a precise diagnosis of abnormalities and rule out important mimickers on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as this information ultimately helps determine the management, prognosis, and quality of life of patients. CVJ is the most complex part of the cervical region. Congenital malformations of this region can cause serious neurological deficit and require a surgical intervention. The present study was undertaken to know the embryological basis of the CVJ and to identify commonly observed congenital CVJ abnormalities, their frequency, and mode of presentation.

Materials and Methods:

Diagnosed cases of CVJ anomalies on dynamic MDCT head were reviewed at a tertiary care center between January 2014 to December 2019. Type of anomaly, clinical presentation, and associated malformations were recorded. Different types of variations were expressed in terms of percentage.

Results:

Congenital anomalies were seen in 42 cases. Fifteen types of anomalies were detected. Anomalies were either singly or in combination. The CVJ anomalies were more common in young adults (28%), almost equal in both sexes. The most common anomaly was basilar invagination (52.3%), followed by atlanto-occipital assimilation (33.3%), and Arnold–Chiari malformation is the most common soft tissue anomaly. In fourteen cases, additional anomalies of other vertebrae were present. The most common symptoms were weakness of extremities, neck pain, paresthesia, torticollis, and gait disturbances. About 28 patients got improved, 8 patients had residual deficit as that of preoperative status, and 4 patients got deteriorated after surgery, at 1-month follow-up. About 34 patients had improved, 5 remained static, and 3 patients got worsened at the end of 3-month follow-up. About 37 patients had improved, 4 patients remained static, and 2 patients got deteriorated at 6 months of follow-up. The patients with increased atlantodens interval 3–5 mm showed 77% improvement after surgery.

Conclusion:

Congenital CVJ anomalies, though rare, are fatal. CVJ abnormalities constitute an important group of treatable neurological disorders with diagnostic dilemma. The atlantodental interval is the most important preoperative prognostic marker. Dynamic CT imaging can provide additional useful information to the diagnosis of CVJ instability. To prevent long-term neurological problems, early diagnosis and treatment of congenital bony CVJ anomalies is important.
Об условиях канторовости полигонов над полурешеткой
Authors: Kozhukhov Igor' Borisovich , Sotov Alexander Sergeevich
Published: March 2021

Назовем алгебру $A$ канторовой, если для нее верна теорема, аналогичная
теореме Кантора-Бернштейна-Шрeдера, а именно, для любой алгебры $B$
наличие инъективных гомоморфизмов $A\to B$ и $B\to A$ влечет изоморфизм
$A\cong B$. Получены необходимые и достаточные условия канторовости
полигона над конечной коммутативной полугруппой идемпотентов, если все
компоненты связности полигона конечны.
Библиография: 7 названий.
Приближение наипростейшими дробями в неограниченных областях
Authors: Borodin Petr Anatolevich , Shklyaev Konstantin Sergeevich
Published: March 2021

Для неограниченных односвязных областей $D$ комплексной плоскости, ограниченных несколькими простыми кривыми с регулярным асимптотическим поведением на бесконечности, получены условия, необходимые или достаточные для того, чтобы наипростейшие дроби (логарифмические производные многочленов) с полюсами на границе $D$ были плотны в пространстве функций, голоморфных в $D$ (с топологией равномерной сходимости на компактах из $D$). В случае полосы $\Pi$, ограниченной двумя параллельными прямыми, получены оценки скорости сходимости к нулю внутри $\Pi$ наипростейших дробей с полюсами на границе $\Pi$ и с одним фиксированным полюсом.
Библиография: 16 названий.
Inteligencia Artificial: Un Futuro Inteligible
Authors: Vidovic Jorge F.
Published: March 2021

As an editorial, this short essay aimed to reflect on the present and future of artificial intelligence, in the context of the pandemic of the new coronavirus. It is based on the hypothesis that observes in artificial intelligence a factor of the first order that has accelerated the technological s processes, which in turn drive continuous improvements in all fields of human action. However, despite its many benefits, it is concluded, on the one hand, that this form of non-human intelligence will increasingly play an important role in all cultural, labour, military and recreational human relations and; on the other hand, that modern and civilized nations therefore have a moral duty to create l eyes that establish mechanisms of regulation and balance between artificial intelligence and human condition, as a condition of possibility so that its widespread use does not become a distinction in the style of what was planted at the time by some sci-fi narratives, in film and literature.
Derechos Humanos en la República del Ecuador: su protección por la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
Authors: Zambrano Solorzano Wilter
Published: March 2021

This work analyzes the protection of human rights by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the Republic of Ecuador. It is a documentary and descriptive investigation, with the application of the analytical method. Human rights must be established in the north of both national and international actions because they attend to the dignity of human beings, hence the interest that States and specialized bodies have in their protection, including through the effectiveness of sentences. It is concluded that human rights are a broad, unfinished, and progressive set of attributes belonging to human beings without any type of differences, and that the Republic of Ecuador is making efforts to make the application of the judgments of the Inter-American Court of Rights a reality. Human, being a constant commitment to constitutional legal provisions and international treaties.
Juvenile Justitia and the protection of children’s rights in Europe: the practice of the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Bondaruk Mykola , Melenko Serhiy H. , Omelchuk Liubov , Radchenko Liliya , Levenets Anzhela
Published: March 2021

The objective of the research is to analyze the main violations of children's rights within the European Convention on Human Rights to highlight the basic positions of the European Court of Human Rights ECHR on their protection, as well as to determine the advisability of applying the practice of this court by the European states. The methodological basis of the work consists of different methods, such as analysis and synthesis, dialectical, logical-legal and formal-legal. The result of this work allowed identifying the role of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights as a source of European law and its importance for the protection of the rights of the child, interpreting the legal positions established in the pertinent decisions of the said court and comparing them, to justify the need for your careful observation of the practice of the ECHR in the application of the law. It is concluded that the practice of the ECHR is recognized as a source of law in most states. And although the Ukrainian legal tradition does not recognize the status of judicial precedent as a source of law, such precedents are actively used in everyday legal activity.
George W. Bush and the Political and Military Integration of the EU (2004-2008)
Authors: Pokudov Zakhar Vasilievich , Tumanin Viktor Evgenievich , Galiullin Marat Zufarovich , Kamaletdinova Elvira Imbelevna
Published: March 2021

The aim of the article is to study European integration and the expansion of the European union together with the Atlantic alliance during George W. Bush's second term (2004-2008), for which the historical method was used. Despite the tendency that most researchers in the field of modern history and political science tend to focus on current events, and according to this logic it would be more appropriate to analyze Trump's foreign policy, in order to better understand the contemporary tension between the EU and the United States, today it is imperative to take a look at some contemporary historical processes. It is concluded that, to which George W. Bush's rhetoric has much in common with Donald Trump, he also laid the groundwork for change in U.S. foreign policy during Barack Obama's presidential term (2008-2016). The one-sided approach promoted primarily during George W. Bush's first term went from a gradual transformation of coalition building and the full support of the Atlantic alliance allies for the operation in Afghanistan in 2001, to more controversial rhetoric about "rebel states."
The Financial Implications of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review
Authors: Nusratullin Ilmir , Mrochkovskiy Nikolay , Yarullin Raul , Zamyatina Natalia , Solntseva Oksana
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was a real shock to the entire global community. It hit both the health systems of the infected countries and the economies. Border closures, quarantines for citizens and disruption of production caused economic shock to many organizations. First, the tourism and transport industry suffered, followed by agriculture and mining, and then all other industries. However, the economic crisis also caused some problems in the financial sector: increased risks of non-compliance with loans, cash outs of bank deposits, increased pressure on the insurance market, panic in commodity and securities markets. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the financial system of developed countries. As part of this study, a review of scientific research in the field of pandemics and finances was conducted, how the spread of infection affected the economy, banking, financial markets, and government regulation in the financial sector as a whole.
Function of Criminal Analysis in Modern Models of Police Activity
Authors: Korniienko Maksym V. , Horoshko Valentyna V. , Gorbanov Igor M. , Ismailov Karen Yu.
Published: March 2021

The objective of the article is to conduct a study of the role of criminal analysis in modern models of police activity. To achieve this objective, several methods were used, namely: analysis of official documentation, scientific literature, logical analysis, concrete-historical, dialectic, or empirical methods. The article presents the most common classifications of police models today, as well as the interpretation of criminal analysis in them. It is concluded that a relatively new model of intelligence-led surveillance needs to be implemented in the police. Within the police model of social orientation, specific ways of solving various problems are carried out by carefully and detailed analysis of the causes of such problems, actors, and characteristics of the area, as well as the prevention of serious crimes through the approach of police work in places of concentration of minor infringements (model of "broken windows"). It was noted that Comp Stat focuses on street crime and in series with short-term responsibility for addressing new criminal challenges; for its part, the intelligence-led surveillance (ILP) model includes a long-term strategic component that can be applied to transnational organized crime operations.
The substrate of criminal-legal influence
Authors: Kozachenko Oleksandr , Sotula Oleksandr , Biblenko Vasyl , Giulyakov Kostiantyn , Bereznikov Oleksandr
Published: March 2021

The aim of the article is found on the idea of measure as a substrate of criminal-legal influence. The publication proposes to consider the measure as a substrate of external forms of legal influence and criminal-legal measure as a primary element of all external forms of criminal-legal influence (in connection with the commission of a criminal act). The analysis allows us to conclude that the substrate of legal influence is a basic element of socio-legal regulation (which substantively combines a system of techniques and methods of influence used to obtain a positive and socially significant result). It should be understood that a criminal-legal measure is a system of techniques and methods of coercive and rehabilitation-encouraging influence of the state on criminal practices (criminal offenses, objectively illegal acts, abuse of law) and lawful post-criminal behavior, which is carried out by the law, determined by the socio-cultural environment. It is concluded that such ideas of Leonardo Polo as coexistence, the abandonment of mental limit, his thoughts on ethics, knowledge, and law can be applied successfully when the criminal-legal measure is characterized by several features that distinguish it from measures of the legal influence of another industry.
Historia y actualidad del Régimen Legal del Sistema Presupuestario Público Venezolano
Authors: Millano Eduardo J.
Published: March 2021

The state as a political structure of great importance for society, requires planning and control instruments to maintain its essential fines for which it was created, among these instruments is the public budget, which is an administrative as well as an operational tool for decision-making by the government, in order to achieve or obtain fines from the state through the development plans and, finally, to be able to promote the satisfaction of the basic needs of the population. The purpose of this research is to develop the most relevant aspects of the history and current affairs of the legal regime of the Venezuelan budgetary system, where it is emphasized that there is extensive material between documents and books, which have occasionally been selected to limit the most important aspects. relevant. Likewise, it is important to point out that this study is limited to the doctrinal historical evolution, but not to its dissertation in relation to its phases, execution, and evaluation. For the investigation, direct observation of laws, official state portals and Venezuelan doctrine was detected as a data collection instrument.
Investigation of sexual crimes against children
Authors: Chornous Yuliia , Nikitina-Dudikova Hanna , Lepei Olena , Antoniuk Anastasiia , Fridman-Kozachenko Mariia
Published: March 2021

Through a documentary methodology close to legal hermeneutics, the article reveals the main problematic aspects of the detection, investigation, and combat of crimes against sexual freedom and the inviolability of children, as well as highlights the main positions of the European Court of Rights in this regard. Ukraine is currently actively discussing the prospect of a comprehensive and stable juvenile justice system, so protecting the rights of the child from the usurpation of sexual freedom and inviolability is an important part of ensuring its functioning. The work aims to establish the characteristics of detection, investigation, and prevention of crimes against the freedom and sexual inviolability of the child and, suggest ways to solve the main problems. The result of this work is to identify specific features of the detection, investigation, and combat of crimes against the freedom and sexual inviolability of the child, while determining the importance of investigative and preventive actions considering the psychological characteristics of children, proposing ways to improve the existing system of protection of sexual crimes. It is concluded that the prevention of these crimes requires multidimensional legal and political action.
International Legal Problems of Qualification of Armed Conflicts
Authors: Buromenskiy Mykhaylo , Gutnyk Vitalii
Published: March 2021

The article addresses the qualification problems of armed conflicts. The study was conducted through the analysis of international legal doctrine, international treaties, decisions of international organizations. Attention is paid to the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Court. It is noted that International Humanitarian Law has been in place since the beginning of the armed conflict. Therefore, the application of International Humanitarian Law does not require any recognition of the existence of armed conflict (international or non-international); this conflict exists because of armed clashes. It is emphasized that the need to classify the conflict arises in view of domestic and international legal factors (to bring to international criminal justice those who have committed war crimes; state responsibility for internationally wrongful acts, etc.). Attention was paid to the non-existence of a single body, which was empowered to determine the existence of an armed conflict. Different international agencies may have different qualifications for the same armed conflict. It is concluded that it is necessary to establish a Committee of Experts under the UN Secretary-General, to avoid different qualifications from the same armed conflict.
Problems of Efficiency of Legal Regulation of the Business Relation
Authors: Mikhailov Andrei Valerievich , Petrov Dmitrii Anatolievich , Sungatullina Lilia Azatovna , Izmailov Robert Rinatovich , Kovshova Anna Igorevna
Published: March 2021

The article is devoted to the analysis of the general legal problems of the regulation of economic relations in the Russian Federation. Problems that lead to insufficiently effective legal regulation are identified, while identifying directions for resolving them. The objective of this research was to review theoretical and practical problems of the effectiveness of the legal regulation of economic relations in the example of the Russian Federation, which makes it possible to draw some conclusions. To obtain the results, a set of scientific techniques and methods of study of phenomena and processes were applied, such as synthesis methods, comparative jurisprudence, as well as a formal legal method and an economic modelling method. The method of economic modelling made it possible to assess the extent to which and at what costs, the rule of law has produced the expected economic effect. It is concluded that the effectiveness of legal regulation is one of the essential legal categories and that the legislator is obliged to monitor existing legal standards for its effectiveness.
Neurocracia: la Democracia del Tercer Milenio
Authors: Estay Sepúlveda Juan Guillermo , Lagomarsino Montoya Mario , Mansilla Sepúlveda Juan , Mancina-Chávez Rosalba , Véliz Burgos Alex , Monteverde Sánchez Alessandro
Published: March 2021

Democracy is a chimera for many who feel that she will never knock on her doors. But that democracy is already part of a past when it comes to seeing science move forward and the world begins a gap between those who have and those who do not have in every sense of thinking and acting of the human. In these new times of social media-fed cyber millennialism on the one hand and laboratories on the other hand, the new war for those who master thought will be fought at the bit level and Artificial Intelligence. This is where neurocracy begins its journey as -perhaps- the new way of living and living together. The objective of this essay is to make known how this new way of thinking, feeling, and acting of human coexistence is entering into our daily work. The results obtained when thinking about the work, is of having shown that the middle maas and AI have arrived to stay in an increasingly dystopian planetary scenario.
Voltage Differencing Current Conveyor Based Voltage-Mode and Current-Mode Universal Biquad Filters with Electronic Tuning Facility
Authors: Roy Suvajit , Paul Tapas Kumar , Maiti Saikat , Pal Radha Raman
Published: March 2021

The objective of this study is to present four new universal biquad filters, two voltage-mode multi-input-single-output (MISO), and two current-mode single-input-multi-output (SIMO). The filters employ one voltage differencing current conveyor (VDCC) as an active element and two capacitors along with two resistors as passive elements. All the five filter responses, i.e., high-pass, low-pass, band-pass, band-stop, and all-pass responses, are obtained from the same circuit topology. Moreover, the pole frequency and quality factor are independently tunable. Additionally, they do not require any double/inverted input signals for response realization. Furthermore, they enjoy low active and passive sensitivities. Various regular analyses support the design ideas. The functionality of the presented filters are tested by PSPICE simulations using TSMC 0.18 µm technology parameters with ± 0.9 V supply voltage. The circuits are also justified experimentally by creating the VDCC block using commercially available OPA860 ICs. The experimental and simulation results agree well with the theoretically predicted results.
A Robust Formation Control Strategy for Multi-Agent Systems with Uncertainties via Adaptive Gain Robust Controllers
Authors: Ito Shun , Ohara Kaoru , Hoshi Yoshikatsu , Oya Hidetoshi , Nagai Shunya
Published: March 2021

This paper deals with a design problem of an adaptive gain robust controller which achieves consensus for multi-agent system (MAS) with uncertainties. In the proposed controller design approach, the relative position between the leader and followers are considered explicitly, and the proposed adaptive gain robust controller consisting of fixed gains and variable ones tuned by time-varying adjustable parameters can reduce the effect of uncertainties. In this paper, we show that sufficient conditions for the existence of the proposed adaptive gain robust controller are reduced to solvability of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed robust formation control system is verified by simple numerical simulations. A main result of this study is that the proposed adaptive gain robust controller can achieve consensus and formation control giving consideration to relative distance in spite of uncertainties.
Music as Medicine: An Evocative Bi-Autoethnography of Surviving Divorce
Authors: Fung Annabella
Published: March 2021

As a musician-researcher of Chinese musicians’ journeys, I was confronted with stories that led me to interrogate my own worldviews. As my identity shifted in this experiential process, I became an autoethnographer by serendipity. Autoethnography is storytelling that blurs the boundaries between humanities and sciences, expressing lived experience in novel and literary forms, depicting stories and including authors’ critical reflection on their lives and writing process, with the purpose of transforming self and society. This evocative autoethnography explores the phenomenon of divorce, in reference to my personal experience and another musician’s lived experience interpreted through my understanding as a participant-researcher. This project integrates autoethnographical and phenomenological approaches in the analysis of two intertwining narratives. Two overarching themes will be explored: music as medicine, and divine hope in healing. Musicking and our Christian faith had transformed us from heart-brokenness to survival. I draw on multiple intersections to theorize about these two tales from two generations. This is the essence of autoethnographic research where theorizing takes different forms and can be engaged through multiple points of contact and streams of processing. The retelling of our stories captures something alive, and challenges biases associated with divorce and predicted by cultural norms. Our bi- autoethnography is staged-storied-scholarship that is therapeutic and embodied. It incorporates evocative texts, dramatic narratives and musical presentations that combine to communicate our inner-worlds to others who might share a similar experience. This study explores new directions in finding authentic selves through qualitative inquiry with the creative use of multimedia in autoethnographic performances.
Whose Reality? A Meta-Analysis of Qualitative Research in International and Comparative Education
Authors: da Costa Romina , Hall Stephanie , Spear Anne
Published: March 2021

This meta-analysis seeks to critically examine the qualitative research being published in influential journals in the field of international and comparative education in order to determine whether qualitative research has remained true to the constructivist paradigm and its theoretical and philosophical underpinnings. Decades after the heated paradigmatic debates within the field of education in the 1980’s, we seek to examine whether predictions that the constructivist paradigm would be pushed out by the call for post-positivist, quantifiable, data-driven research have come to fruition. Based on a review of all qualitative research published in the past three volumes of five influential journals in the field, we conclude that while qualitative articles are represented in approximately equal numbers as quantitative articles, there are key elements of the constructivist paradigm that are largely absent from these qualitative articles. In particular, our conclusion attempts to address the concern that qualitative researchers are failing to address the issue of researcher positionality in their qualitative work.
Understanding the Employment Barriers and Support Needs of People Living with Psychosis
Authors: Hampson Margaret , Hicks Richard , Watt Bruce
Published: March 2021

This study investigated the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis. A purposive community sample of 137 volunteers drawn from six key stakeholder groups were invited to participate in focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews to elicit their perceptions on the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis. The stakeholder groups included in this study were people with lived experience of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, carers, health professionals, employers, employment service providers, and community members. Data obtained from 14 focus groups and 31 semi-structured individual interviews were transcribed, imported into NVivo 10, and coded for purposes of thematic analysis. The results of this study revealed that the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis were multiple and diverse. The main employment barriers identified were interpersonal in nature, notably stigma and discrimination. Employment assistance, particularly in the area of job seeking, was the most frequently identified employment support need. The findings of this study suggest that a broad-ranging and collaborative approach is needed across multiple sectors to overcome employment barriers and improve employment outcomes for people living with psychosis. This would include increased public awareness, recovery-oriented health services, effective employment services, training across multiple sectors, and removal of disincentives to work.
Sweeping into the Interpretive Turn: Theory and Practice Expansion in Situational Analysis
Authors: Whisker Craig
Published: March 2021

Between Adele Clarke’s 2005 ground-breaking book, Situational Analysis: Grounded Theory after the Postmodern Turn, and its second edition due for release next year under an expanded authorship and title, comes this effective practice-based taster. Here SA is situated within the interpretive turn, rather than the postmodern as previously, in a shift that might subtly be taking back some of the ground formerly given to Foucault at the expense of Strauss. Exemplars of SA studies, each with a reflective postscript by their authors, provide rich details on methods from a community of scholars, who along with the book’s editors, reproduce the spirit of Strauss’ data analysis group to “turn up the volume” on less heard voices and diverse practices in the situation of SA.
Paying Attention to the Fact That the Constructive Solution of the Cultural and Educational Centers Indicated In the Project Idea Depends On the Sketch Design
Authors:   Associate Professor, Tashkent Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Qodirova S. A.
Published: March 2021

The buildings of the cultural and educational center are intended to promote large-scale cultural and educational programs among the general public. At the same time, it plays a dominant role as a main building in rural and urban population centers, as it unites and brings together all segments of the population.
Business Intelligence Applications; sustaining Retail Businesses in Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors:   Department of Office and Information Management Rivers State University, Nigeria, Nwinyokpugi Patrick N
Published: March 2021

The contemporary retail outlets are no more run by manual practices given the electronic nature of company to customers (C-C); customers to customers (C-C) transactions globally. The application of business intelligence has given an edge to retail outlets operation. This study therefore, strives to examine the relationship between business intelligence application and retail business sustainability in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study used descriptive research technique through the adoption of cross- sectional survey design. Nine judgmentally sampled retail outlets especially large scale malls & superstores were studied in Port Harcourt base on their inherent electronic driven operations. Using structured closed ended questionnaire, 45 census senior managers of these sampled retail outlets were studied. Data gathered were analysed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) statistics and presented with the aid of SPSS version 20.0 for easy interpretation. The results of analysed data showed that, the dimensions of business intelligence application which included but not limited to customers’ performance management, data warehouse, data mining and advanced data visualization significantly correlated positively with the measures of retail business sustainability being profitability and customers’ patronage. The finding also showed a high moderating effect of organizational culture on business intelligence application and retail business sustainability in Rivers State, Nigeria. Relying on the empirical findings, the study concluded that business intelligence application has positive significant relationship with retail business sustainability. It is therefore recommended that, the dimensions of business intelligence: customers’ performance management, data warehouse, data mining & advance data visualization identified in this study should be utilized as it enhances retail business operational sustainability.
Play Sculpture Model with Waste Metals, Plastics and Fibres
Authors:   Dept. of Fine Arts and Design, University of Port Harcourt, Antonia Okogwu
Published: March 2021

Play is defined by Advanced English Dictionary as activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules. Play can also be defined as a state where the body and mind is let loose, only engaged in the act in the immediate environment with or without any secondary objectat this junction on would be pondering on what play got to do with sculpture that a study of this nature is striving to interlace The core or thrust of this study is on play and Sculpture and an attempt is made to marry the two major word in this study . It is this marriage that has led the researcher to the dumpsites to source waste metals, plastics and fibres, utilizing welding piecing stringing and construction and assemblage methods in the sculpture studio. This union has given birth to a movable model of play sculpture that can satisfy the yearning of children of about ten years old .As they were thoroughly engaged in the model moving it from one place to another in Campus 1,Delta state University , Abraka, Nigeria. One can see that creativity does not necessarily have to be expensive to be expressed.
Training on Business Planning Strategy for Millenial Enterprises In Hellomotion High School
Authors:   S1 Accounting study program, Pamulang University, Amin Pajar
Published: March 2021

At present, technology support makes entrepreneurs use resources more efficiently, reaching customers more effectively. Seeing the entrepreneurial abilities of millennials today, researchers want to help the millennial generation realize entrepreneurship by conducting training in making entrepreneurial business proposals. The activities carried out are to generate interest in becoming young entrepreneurs, then encourage students to deepen specific knowledge and skills in the field of technology, and provide knowledge in the field of business proposals. Researchers conducted research-based methods in the form of training to train and direct the millennial generation. Where in its implementation it involves Hellomotion High School students in making detailed business proposals, right on target, efficient and easily digested by investors or capital supply centers. With a business proposal, the millennial generation will be encouraged to solidify their interests with business skills and sensitivity. The results of this training were 95% of the participants were able to make business proposals with measuring tools that were right on target, efficient and easily digested by investors or capital supply centers.
Internationalization and Firm Performance –Case of Manufacturing Firms in Argentina
Authors:   College of Economics, Can Tho University, Campus II, Can Tho City, Vietnam, Tu Phan Anh
Published: March 2021

The main objective of the study is to investigate the relationship between the degree of internationalization and the performance of businesses in the manufacturing sector in Argentina. Using a panel data collected by the World Bank over the years 2006, 2010, and 2017 of the manufacturing firms in Argentina, the regression results show empirical evidence of a non-linear relationship (an inverted-U shape) between the degree of internationalization and firm performance of manufacturing firms in Argentina. The implication of this study provides the strategic thinking for managers to understand and come up with the right strategies to reduce risks and enrich business performance in the process of internationalization.
Generalized lymphadenopathy in patient with fever of unknown origin as a differential diagnostic challenge - case report
Authors: Sofija Sekulic Markovic  , Ivana Rakovic  , Sara Petrovic  , Dusica Petrovic Rodic  , Nenad Zornic  , Biljana Popovska Jovicic
Published: March 2021

Published in May - 2021
ICT skills of LIS students: A survey of two library schools of the Punjab
Authors: Fatima Hafiza Zaheer , Shafique Farzana , Firdous Attia
Published: March 2021

The study aims at examining the level of ICT skills of LIS students (final year) at the University of the Punjab, Lahore (PU) and the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB). It also finds out the LIS students' satisfaction with the teaching methodologies and ICT facilities provided by their institutes. The study not only identifies the situation of ICT skills of LIS products, but also highlights demands of LIS market in Pakistan. The research design was the survey method using questionnaire. For in-depth understanding of the phenomenon, semi structured interviews of a purposive sample were also conducted.
Use of University’s Library Websites in Pakistan: An Evaluation
Authors: Mairaj Muhammad Ijaz
Published: March 2021

This study presents findings from a user-based evaluation of the use of Pakistani university's library websites. A questionnaire [printed and electronic] was used to collect the data from 17 universities. A purposive sample of 60 users from each university based on their academic role difference [faculty, researchers, graduates and undergraduates] was drawn. The findings of the study show that use of university library websites in Pakistan was satisfactory. Patrons who frequently used the Internet and library were found as frequent users of the library websites. University websites were found to be vital sources of awareness about the presence of the library websites and computers physically available at the university libraries were the significant places to use the library websites. Regarding users' academic role difference, faculty connected to the library websites from departments/faculties, while researchers and students preferred to use them from university libraries. The library websites were mainly used to find course related materials or search in online public access catalogue (OPAC). However, on the basis of users' academic role difference, faculty used the library websites to search in Higher Education Commission (HEC) Digital Library offering international scholarly literature; researchers accessed them to search in OPAC, while students preferred them to find course-related materials. The study recommends creating dynamic websites in all university libraries of Pakistan with useful content and state-of-the-art services for wider use
Variable Affecting the Information Needs and Seeking Behavior of Educational Administrators: A Review
Authors: Shafique Farzana , Mahmood Khalid
Published: March 2021

The study aims at reviewing the research studies conducted to find out the information needs and seeking behavior of educational administrators, and other stakeholders of education enterprise. The purpose of this review is to identify the important variables affecting the information needs and seeking behavior of educational administrators. An effort is also made to review the status of such research studies in Pakistan. The paper is based on comprehensive review of available literature. For the literature search, valid sources of published and unpublished information were consulted (i.e., books, journal articles, reports, conference/workshop proceedings, theses, etc.). Recommendations and conclusions are also drawn in the light of reviewed literature. The study reveals that many variables are affecting the information needs and seeking behavior of educational administrators: such as their work context, administrative responsibilities and work experience along with source preferences and use of information. It was also found that no comprehensive research study was conducted to find out the information needs and seeking behavior of educational stakeholders working at the administrative positions in Pakistan (i.e., deans, registrars, heads of departments in universities, school and college principals etc.).
VALIDAÇÃO DE MEIOS DE CULTURA PRODUZIDOS EM LABORATÓRIO MICROBIOLÓGICO INDÚSTRIAL
Authors: Alves Suyelen , De Oliveira Gondim Ana Laura
Published: March 2021

Os meios de cultura devem garantir qualidade e eficiência nas análises, por isso é de suma importância ter um sistema de controle de qualidade em laboratório, que garanta a consistência dos resultados do dia a dia e sua conformidade com os critérios definidos. Este trabalho trata de análises realizadas em campo, onde os testes foram conduzidos em um laboratório de microbiologia industrial, visando aumentar a vida útil dos meios de cultura, realizadas no tempo inicial, 1 mês e 2 meses após a produção dos meios, sendo dividida em análises qualitativas e quantitativas. Os resultados dos testes de promoção de crescimento foram de acordo ao esperado, com colônias crescendo em uma média de 107% de recuperação de microrganismos, dando uma visão das boas práticas realizadas tanto na produção quanto na análise do produto, além de trazer um impacto importante para a empresa, pois promete ganhos significativos em diversas abordagens.
O DEBATE DA INTERDISCIPLINARIDADE: UMA INTRODUÇÃO CRÍTICA
Authors: Brandão Tiago
Published: March 2021

O apelo à interdisciplinaridade tornou-se hoje em dia cada vez mais urgente, no que devemos estimular em nossos alunos, professores e pesquisadores um entendimento claro destes complexos (i.e., inter-multi-trans-metadisciplinar), incutindo uma verdadeira vocação reflexiva sobre estes aspectos de organização do conhecimento. Mais até do que um estilo de pesquisa, essa vocação reflexiva transdisciplinar deve expressar-se não apenas em temáticas e abordagens interdisciplinares, mas igualmente atenta a oportunidades de estudo e reflexão multi- e transdisciplinar. Abrindo-se assim à participação na resolução dos desafios societais, na busca do diálogo e colaboração com parceiros sociais, tecendo vínculos extramuros às lógicas mais conservadoras das corporações académica e científica. Pretendemos com este pequeno artigo de análise crítica proporcionar uma introdução ao debate da interdisciplinaridade, situando-o historicamente, estabelecendo uma definição quando aos conceitos consensuais destes complexos e sublinhando os princípios que devem estruturar o estilo de pesquisa interdisciplinar.