bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“It’s Hard to Make Friends on Zoom Calls”: Navigating ‘Culture Shock’ and Academic Identity Development in Higher Education.
Authors: Rose Bryony , Mason Jessica , Peplow David
Published: November 2024

This small-scale project investigated student academic identity development within a university setting. It focused on the challenges encountered by students at university, particularly when beginning higher education, and explored how these had an impact on their self-esteem, confidence, and academic engagement. The project explored the journeys that students undertook and the barriers that they experienced. The project collected data using focus groups and questionnaires, which took place between May and August 2023, and four participants took part. The data was analysed and the findings were reported under three key themes: digital spaces, expectations, and time and workload. In the first theme, participants collectively experienced similar concerns and stresses within the university’s digital spaces. For example, being unaware that a large portion of their course would be held online, which was in part due to COVID. For some, this led to difficulties in forging new relationships within a digital environment. In the second theme, participants held inaccurate or negative expectations about university life before their arrival, such as it being strict and exam-based. In the third theme, students' workloads and time commitments, exacerbated by COVID and the cost-of-living crisis, left little room for socialising and networking. The project also identified good practices and strategies aimed at supporting students to develop a confident academic identity.
Saint-Jean-de-Dieu : une brève histoire de ce haut lieu de la folie, 1873-1973
Authors: Perreault Isabelle
Published: November 2024

Objectifs Cet article a pour objectif premier de dresser un portrait institutionnel de l’Asile Saint-Jean-de-Dieu au cours de ses cent premières années d’existence, soit de 1873 à 1973. Les objectifs secondaires sont les suivants : 1) les politiques de prévention de la fin du 19e siècle ont eu pour effet d’augmenter la population asilaire au lieu de la diminuer ; 2) les politiques d’hygiène mentale chercheront à « traiter le social » à l’extérieur des murs de l’asile ; 3) c’est l’arrivée de la psychopharmacopée qui permettra d’ouvrir les portes de l’asile et d’en faire un hôpital psychiatrique moderne, renommé peu après Louis-Hippolyte-Lafontaine.

Méthode Le passé est plus silencieux que bruyant et trouver des données qui nous permettent de reconstruire une histoire de Saint-Jean-de-Dieu est un défi. Notre collecte de données comprend toutes les sources primaires que nous avons pu récolter (archives de l’IUSMM, rapports annuels du gouvernement sur les asiles et articles de la revue L’Union médicale du Canada) de même que les sources secondaires produites au fil du temps, soit des ouvrages et articles publiés sur l’histoire de Saint-Jean-de-Dieu. L’analyse qualitative de ces données est basée sur l’induction analytique (Pascale, 2012). Après plusieurs lectures des documents, le contenu est associé à des concepts clés suivant la saturation théorique (Laperrière, 1997) et l’analyse des données s’effectue ainsi selon les concepts clés les plus significatifs. Dans le corpus qui est le nôtre, le concept clé de surpopulation asilaire a été central dans l’élaboration de notre interprétation.

Résultats Cet article met en lumière l’impossible mission première de guérison des troubles mentaux à l’Asile Saint-Jean-de-Dieu. En cette fin du 19e siècle, alors que la paupérisation urbaine est de plus en plus marquée, les théories médicales prônent des politiques d’internement hâtif. Malgré plusieurs lois provinciales qui réitèrent que les malades chroniques ne peuvent être admis que s’ils sont dangereux, scandaleux ou monstrueux, la population admise augmente de plus en plus jusqu’à la fin des années 1940. En parallèle, le ratio patient(e)/psychiatre est au mieux de 300 pour 1. La mise sur pied d’un département de psychiatrie francophone et de stages obligatoires au cours de l’entre-deux-guerres fera en sorte que plus de médecins seront formés pour y travailler. Mais c’est la découverte des neuroleptiques qui permettra à une nouvelle génération de psychiatres d’ouvrir les portes de l’Institution dans les années 1960. L’ère des asiles prend ainsi fin dans la forme qu’on lui connaissait depuis un peu plus de 100 ans.

Conclusion L’asile perdra rapidement son sens premier, celui d’un lieu où l’on trouve refuge, pour être associé progressivement à une mise à l’écart de personnes folles augmentant par là même les préjugés et tabous au sujet des troubles mentaux dont nous sommes toujours, en partie, tributaires.
« Affirmons-nous ». La militante soeur Augustine à l’Hôpital Saint-Jean-de-Dieu
Authors: Thifault Marie-Claude
Published: November 2024

L’histoire des hospitalières de Saint-Jean-de-Dieu comme celle des infirmières sont restées dans l’angle mort de l’histoire des femmes. Pourtant, les historiennes des soins infirmiers ont, au cours des 30 dernières années, clairement mis en évidence, à partir d’un travail d’archives et d’approches historiennes renouvelés, les importantes réalisations des hospitalières et des gardes-malades canadiennes-françaises dans l’histoire québécoise, comme les opportunités réelles de réalisation et d’épanouissement qu’ont offertes ces carrières aux femmes. C’est ce que cet article entend rappeler en revenant sur les accomplissements de la militante soeur Augustine.

Objectif Sortir de l’angle mort de l’histoire de l’IUSMM et celle des femmes et de la profession infirmière le parcours militant de soeur Augustine.

Méthode La microhistoire culturelle privilégiée s’élabore autour du « paradigme de l’indice » qui repose sur le repérage et l’interprétation de signes discrets et disséminés tirés des Archives Providences de Montréal.

Résultats Si la Révolution tranquille a marqué les esprits et surtout a été interprétée comme un tournant ayant été un tremplin exceptionnel pour moderniser le Québec, on oublie souvent le prix qu’ont dû payer toutes les femmes fortes du premier demi-siècle qui ont été les ingénieures et les moteurs d’un système de santé global et efficient. Le fait qu’elles aient été religieuses les discrédite de tout savoir scientifique et suffit à oublier que les hospitalières logeaient au sommet de la hiérarchie de leurs institutions et ont démontré leur savoir-faire à titre de premières soignantes au pays.

Conclusion Les réalisations de soeur Augustine et sa détermination à développer des savoirs pour les enseigner à l’intérieur même des murs de Saint-Jean-de-Dieu sont indissociables de l’évolution de l’IUSMM.
L’impact de la consommation du cannabis sur les symptômes psychiatriques : une étude transversale portant sur les troubles mentaux graves
Authors: Ziady Hind , Beaudoin Mélissa , Augustin Elischa , Samson-Daoust Eugénie , Phraxayavong Kingsada , Dumais Alexandre
Published: November 2024

Objectif Le cannabis est la drogue la plus consommée au sein de la population générale, mais sa prévalence d’usage reste plus élevée chez les personnes souffrant de troubles mentaux graves. De plus, les données actuelles démontrent les effets délétères du cannabis sur la symptomatologie de ces maladies. L’étude transversale ci-présente vise donc à évaluer l’impact de la consommation du cannabis sur la symptomatologie psychiatrique des personnes avec un trouble mental grave en contrôlant l’effet des variables confondantes de l’âge, du sexe ainsi que de la consommation concomitante d’alcool ou de stimulants.

Méthode Des analyses secondaires ont été effectuées sur les données de 72 participants provenant d’une étude antérieure. Leurs consommations de cannabis, d’alcool et de stimulants ont respectivement été mesurées à l’aide du Cannabis Use Problems Identification Test (CUPIT), du Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) et de la question sur la fréquence de consommation du Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 – Clinician Version pour les troubles liés à l’usage des stimulants (SCID-5-CV-TLUS). En lien avec la symptomatologie psychiatrique, celle-ci a été mesurée à l’aide du modèle à 5 sous-échelles du Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

Résultats Différents modèles linéaires explicatifs des symptômes du PANSS ont été réalisés à l’aide d’une combinaison de variables indépendantes, soit l’âge, le sexe, le CUPIT, l’AUDIT et la question sur la fréquence de consommation du SCID-5-CV-TLUS. Le modèle explicatif des symptômes d’excitation est statistiquement significatif (F = 4,629, p = 0,001) et il permet de prédire 20,4 % de la variance de ces symptômes (R2ajusté = 0,204). Ici, le CUPIT est la variable qui influence le plus le modèle (ß = 0,381 ; p < 0,001). Le modèle explicatif des symptômes positifs est également statistiquement significatif (F = 3,631, p = 0,006) et il permet de prédire 15,6 % de la variance de ces symptômes (R2ajusté = 0,156). Or, le CUPIT n’influencerait pas de manière statistiquement significative ce modèle (ß = 0,125 ; p = 0,272), mais la question sur la fréquence de consommation du SCID-5-CV-TLUS l’influencerait (ß = 0,399 ; p = 0,001). De plus, la question sur la fréquence de consommation du SCID-5-CV-TLUS influence également le modèle explicatif des symptômes d’excitation (ß = 0,273 ; p = 0,022).

Conclusion Bien que d’autres études, idéalement longitudinales, soient nécessaires pour confirmer l’impact péjoratif du cannabis sur les symptômes d’excitation, l’étude ci-présente réitère l’importance de dépister et de prendre en charge les habitudes de consommation de drogues, particulièrement le cannabis, chez les personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux graves.
Les synchronicités historiques de la Chaire Eli Lilly Canada de recherche en schizophrénie
Authors: Potvin Stéphane , Stip Emmanuel
Published: November 2024

Contexte Créée en 2004, la Chaire Eli Lilly Canada de recherche en schizophrénie a été financée par la compagnie Eli Lilly, l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, l’Hôpital Sacré-Coeur et le Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal. L’objectif du présent article est d’effectuer un survol historique des activités scientifiques de la Chaire depuis sa création.

Méthode Afin de procéder à ce compte-rendu historique, nous avons adopté une approche bibliométrique. Nous avons effectué une fouille dans PubMed de tous les articles publiés par l’un et/ou l’autre des titulaires de la Chaire depuis sa création en 2004. Une fois les articles identifiés, nous avons comptabilisé toutes les fois que ces articles ont été cités dans la littérature. Ce décompte a été effectué à l’aide de Google Scholar. Nous avons également fait le décompte des principaux thèmes abordés dans ces articles. Comme grille d’interprétation des travaux scientifiques, nous avons adopté une perspective externaliste.

Résultats Depuis sa création en 2004, la Chaire a publié un total de 295 articles scientifiques, lesquels ont été cités 12 892 fois. Les principaux thèmes abordés dans ces articles sont la cognition, la neuroimagerie et les antipsychotiques, suivis de la toxicomanie, les interventions psychosociales et la résistance au traitement. Les articles les plus influents ont montré la présence d’un syndrome inflammatoire, des difficultés du sommeil dans la schizophrénie, en plus de corroborer l’hypothèse de la saillance aberrante de la psychose, de réfuter l’hypothèse de la latéralisation du langage dans la schizophrénie, et d’établir des liens entre le traitement antipsychotique et la COVID-19.

Discussion D’une perspective externaliste, l’évolution des travaux de la Chaire a été influencée par d’importants facteurs externes à la logique de la découverte scientifique, soit la commercialisation de plusieurs antipsychotiques au cours des années 1990-2000, la relative démocratisation de la neuroimagerie au cours des années 2000-2010, la légalisation du cannabis à des fins récréatives en 2018 au Canada et l’essor de la santé numérique – notamment la réalité virtuelle – au cours de la dernière décennie. En contrepartie, l’intérêt porté à la neurobiologie des comportements violents et la tendance à publier dans des revues francophones sont des tendances ne cadrant pas avec les tendances sociales en cours. L’article se conclut par une réflexion sur la nature du concept de la psychose.
La scolarisation des élèves en situation de handicap en contexte de pandémie : un révélateur des obstacles systémiques à l’exercice de leur droit à l’éducation
Authors: Ducharme Daniel
Published: November 2024

Les mesures sanitaires qui ont été ordonnées lors de la pandémie de COVID-19 ont entraîné des répercussions considérables pour la population québécoise, qui a dû s’adapter à cette situation exceptionnelle. À bien des égards, les impacts de cette crise ont été amplifiés pour les enfants en situation de handicap qui sont en âge de fréquenter l’école. Les mesures sanitaires édictées par le gouvernement québécois ont profondément modifié les services éducatifs que ces élèves ont reçus pendant plus de deux ans. Cet article rend compte des obstacles vécus par ces enfants pour faire valoir leur droit à l’éducation, sans discrimination. Ceux-ci ont été colligés par la Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec tout au long de la période pandémique. De manière plus profonde, ils témoignent des barrières systémiques persistantes qui entravent toujours l’adaptation des services éducatifs pour les élèves en situation de handicap.
Sobre cambio climático, energías renovables y justicia social
Authors: Creus Amalia
Published: November 2024

El pasado 29 de octubre, la Comunidad Valenciana vivió la trágica llegada de una DANA que dejó centenares de muertos y un rastro de destrucción que quedará por mucho tiempo en nuestra memoria. Una catástrofe sobrecogedora que nos recuerda la urgencia de actuar, de manera decisiva, ante el cambio climático, y que pone en evidencia el peligro al que estamos expuestos ante fenómenos meteorológicos extremos que son y serán cada vez más frecuentes, erráticos e impredecibles.
Eksotisku terpenoīdu sintēze no (–)-β-kariofilēna
Authors:   , Stakanovs Georgijs
Published: November 2024

Promocijas darba pētījums veltīts retu jūras un sauszemes dabasvielu sintēzes izstrādei, par izejvielu izmantojot vienu no visizplatītākajiem seskviterpēniem – β‑kariofilēnu. Pateicoties tā plašai pieejamībai enantiotīrā veidā, β‑kariofilēns un tā oksīds darbā tika izmantoti bioloģiski aktīvo un strukturāli sarežģītu terpenoīdu iegūšanai. Izstrādātās sintētiskās pieejas ļāva iegūt vairākus mērķsavienojumus grama mērogā, kā arī apstiprināt vai izlabot to struktūras un piedāvāt iespējamos biosintēzes ceļus. Galaproduktu struktūras tika viennozīmīgi pierādītas ar monokristālu rentgendifraktometriju.
Fermentation conditions of Streptomyces tuirus isolated from the rhizosphere of Origanum majorana to produce antibacterial metabolites against MRSA
Authors: Tfaily Mona , Borjac Jamilah
Published: November 2024

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the pathogenic bacteria that poses a major risk to public health as it is resistant to many antibiotics. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effect of cultural and nutritional conditions to enhance the production of bioactive compounds against MRSA by Streptomyces tuirus isolated from the rhizosphere of Origanum majorana. Streptomyces tuirus was subjected to submerged fermentation across various culture media and under diverse growth conditions, including variations in temperature, duration, agitation speed, carbon, and nitrogen sources. The mass of crude extract obtained was measured under diverse conditions. The agar well diffusion method was utilized to measure the antibacterial activity of the extract against MRSA. Results showed that using Starch Casein Broth (SCB) with 7 days of incubation at 30°C, and 150 rpm agitation speed yielded the best antibacterial activity against MRSA. Additionally, the supplementation of glucose (1%) as a carbon source and sodium nitrate (1%) as a nitrogen source to SCB resulted in the production of an extract with the highest activity. This study showed that S. tuirus grown in SCB supplemented with glucose and sodium nitrate enhances the production of antimicrobial compounds against MRSA.
Experimental study on pulsation and energy characteristics of bubbles produced by underwater electrical explosion
Authors: Zhou Shao-Tong , Mo Teng-Fu , Ren Xiao-Dong , Xu Qiang , Sun Qi-Zhi , Zhang Si-Qun , Huang Xian-Bin , Zhang Zhao-Hui , Liu Wen-Yan ,   Key Laboratory of Pulsed Power, Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering, Mianyang 621999, China
Published: November 2024

Low-frequency hysteresis flow and pulsating pressure caused by underwater explosion bubbles can cause overall damage to ships. The hydrodynamic and energy conversion of bubbles are very important in studying underwater explosion bubbles. At present the study of bubble dynamics is based on ideal gas hypothesis, which does not involve heat exchange and is only suitable for bubbles of chemical detonating, but not for bubbles at higher temperatures. The evolution of underwater explosion bubbles is studied experimentally by underwater exploding wire. There is obvious heat exchange during the evolution of bubbles, which is different from bubble behavior in chemical detonating underwater. This study focuses on pulsating behavior and energy characteristic of bubbles, and the difference from chemical detonating as well. The experimental facility is mainly composed of two parallel energy storage-discharge modules and a water tank. Each module is composed of two 20 μF capacitors connected and a gas switch connected in series with these two capacitors. A copper wire with a diameter of 0.9 mm and a length of 50 mm is used as a load. The experimental results show that the deposited energy density generated by electric explosion is almost equal to that of TNT. The wire plasma expansion produces an initial bubble with temperature of radially spatial distribution. The total pulsation frequency of bubble will not exceed 4 times. After energy exhaustion, bubbles collapse directly into water because the main component is condensable gas. The comparison of the experimental data with the existing theoretical models shows that the vaporization of water in bubble expansion stage leads to certain energy loss, which makes difference in motion trajectory of bubbles between the simulation and the experiment. This study provides ideas and data support for the dynamical study of high temperature bubbles in underwater explosion.
Factors influencing metabolic syndrome in adult workers: an analysis of data from the 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Cho Mi-Kyoung , Kim Bora , Kong Seung-Yeon
Published: November 2024

Purpose: This study analyzed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and influencing factors among adult workers aged 19 to 64. Methods: Data from the ninth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2022 were utilized. The sample comprised 685 individuals who had measurements of fasting glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference, which are necessary to diagnose metabolic syndrome. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0, and complex sample logistic regression was conducted to identify factors influencing metabolic syndrome. Results: Among the participants, 34.3% were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Significant differences were observed in sex, age, region, marital status, regular worker, and physical activity between participants with and without metabolic syndrome (p < .05). Factors influencing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome included sex, age (with the 19~29 age group showing a significantly lower risk), physical activity, smoking, and perceived stress levels (p < .05). Conclusion: To prevent metabolic syndrome in adult workers, it is essential to promote physical activity, discourage smoking, and encourage effective stress management.
Síndrome de Burnout en Docentes Rurales en la Pandemia del COVID-19
Authors: Egúsquiza Loayza Rafael , Tineo Quispe Luis Enrique , Palomino Cruces Esperanza
Published: November 2024

La llegada de la pandemia del COVID-19 implicó cambios en distintos ámbitos de la vida; entre ellos, la educación. Es así que se pasó de una educación presencial a una educación remota, lo que produjo alteraciones en las condiciones laborales de los docentes en contextos rurales y urbanos. Debido a ello se llevó a cabo un estudio sobre la incidencia del síndrome de burnout (BO) en los docentes de 52 escuelas de educación básica regular de la provincia de Condesuyos, Perú, en el que se analizaron los niveles de presencia de cada dimensión del BO y su asociación con las variables sociodemográficas y laborales. El estudio fue de tipo cuantitativo, transversal, con un diseño descriptivo correlacional no experimental. Se evaluó a 203 docentes, que formaron parte de la muestra. Se utilizaron medidas de las técnicas estadísticas inferencial y descriptiva, y se estableció la asociación entre las dimensiones del BO y las variables sociodemográficas y laborales sexo, edad, estado civil, nivel de estudios, tipo de escuela (urbano-rural) y acceso a recursos tecnológicos. Se destaca que el BO tiene mayor presencia en las docentes mujeres, en los grupos etarios de menor edad, en docentes con estado civil conviviente, en docentes que tienen acceso a un solo recurso tecnológico o en los que tienen cinco o más recursos y en docentes de escuelas urbanas. Se reconoce que las variables sobre el tipo escuela rural o urbano y el acceso a recursos tecnológicos han mostrado su relevancia en el contexto de la pandemia.
Validación de una Escala de Preparación para el Cambio en Instituciones Educativas Chilenas
Authors: De la Vega Rodríguez Luis Felipe , Yáñez Cifuentes María Teresa
Published: November 2024

La preparación para el cambio (PPC) ha sido poco explorada –y menos aún medida– en educación, como vía para apoyar el trabajo de desarrollo de capacidades, liderazgo educativo y fomentar procesos de mejora escolar. Este artículo presenta la validación de una escala de medición de la PPC, a partir de la teoría de la conducta planeada, adaptada al contexto chileno. Se contó con una participación de 181 funcionarios, de ocho establecimientos educacionales de tres regiones de Chile. Se utilizó un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia, considerando únicamente establecimientos educacionales municipales. El análisis consideró la medición de la confiabilidad del instrumento y, posteriormente, la evaluación de la validez de constructo. Este ejercicio resultó exitoso, considerando las diferentes pruebas que se hicieron al constructo y su confiabilidad. La medición de la PPC –que incluye aspectos individuales y colectivos en tres dimensiones: actitud, norma subjetiva y percepción de control– puede ser relevante para identificar el aporte de las prácticas de los líderes y su influencia en la mejora escolar, debido a que es una variable que da cuenta de la actitud de los miembros de su comunidad de participar de las transformaciones que este busca implementar. El artículo recomienda seguir avanzando en el desarrollo de una línea de investigación y debate, considerando aspectos conceptuales y metodológicos.
Desenvolvimento sustentável e responsabilidade social corporativa: uma análise bibliométrica na base Scopus
Authors: Santos Luana de Oliveira , Ribeiro Filipe Simões , Ferreira Marta Lucia Azevedo
Published: November 2024

Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar o panorama da produção científica sobre as relações entre Desenvolvimento Sustentável (DS) e Responsabildade Social Corporativa (RSC) por meio da abordagem bibliométrica. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quantitativa, empírica e descritiva visando a mensuração e o diagnóstico desses temas. A busca realizada na base Scopus resultou em um total de 493 artigos científicos publicados por 1.386 autores em 196 periódicos de 2005 a 2023, o que se mostrou coerente com a literatura ainda recente. A RSC acompanhou a evolução do debate sobre o DS, tornando-se campos mais relevantes e diversificados depois de 2000, com aumento expressivo do número de publicações a partir de 2018. O interesse por parte de pesquisadores do Reino Unido, Espanha, Itália, China e Brasil é crescente, ao mesmo tempo em que um amplo conjunto de instrumentos e ferramentas podem ser utilizados por corporações e governos tendo em vista melhorias sociais e ambientais.
Transparência ativa municipal: um estudo sobre as informações divulgadas por municípios paranaenses
Authors: Ribeiro Roberto Rivelino Martins , Pavão Juliane Andressa , Borges Iasmini Magnes Turci , Mattiello Kerla
Published: November 2024

O estudo tem como objetivo identificar as práticas dos dez melhores municípios ranqueados do estado do Paraná, em grau de transparência nos portais eletrônicos de acordo com o relatório do Indíce de Transparência da Administração Pública (ITP) 2022 e a partir dessa amostra verificar como estes municípios estão em termo de cumprimentos com a Lei de Acesso à Informação (LAI). A amostra da pesquisa foi composta por 10 dos 16 municípios que fazem parte do ranque de acordo com ITP 2022, por meio de uma escolha aleatório, sendo eles: Astorga, Campo Mourão, Cianorte, Francisco Beltrão, Ibiporã, Jandaia do Sul, Londrina, Maringá, Palmas e Rio Azul. Os dados foram coletados por meio do portal eletrônico de cada município, para a análise foram feitos dois quadros, o primeiro com os indicadores de transparência ativa de acordo com os art. 8º e 9º da LAI, e o segundo quadro com o modelo de análise do estudo. Foi analisado os meios para obtenção de resultado, a estrutura organizacional e atendimento ao público, informações financeiras e atualização dos dados e também navegação do portal e acessibilidade. Com os resultados conclui-se que a grande maioria está em cumprimento com a LAI, mas que há municípios que precisam reforçar alguns pontos principalmente quando se trata das informações de programas e ações, quando apenas dois dos dez muncípios analisados apresentaram essa ferramenta e também quanto ao acesso automatizado, onde apenas quatro municípios apresentaram tal item.
Avaliação tecnológica, por meio de modelagem matemática, da viabilidade econômica na comercialização de produtos da agricultura familiar: venda direta versus venda em cooperativas
Authors: Sandmann André , Sandmann Ana Flavia Maldaner Teodoro , Schutz Fabiana Costa Araujo , Airton Jose , Wandermurem Romildo Ferreira , Portolan Marcos Roberto , Lima Vera Lucia Antunes de , Pelegrini Ricardo Luiz , Pelegrini Marcelo Roberto , Cadini Larissa
Published: November 2024

O agronegócio familiar em Sede Alvorada, no Oeste do Paraná, enfrenta a necessidade de tecnologias para mapear a renda e analisar as vantagens e desvantagens relacionadas ao uso da terra e cultivo pelos pequenos produtores. Cada família possui cerca de 1,5 hectare, dividido entre a produção agrícola e a moradia, e obtém renda através da venda de produtos pelo programa de agricultura familiar. A gestão familiar envolve a transformação do leite em derivados visando lucro, passando por etapas de plantio e colheita, com vendas diretas em feiras e licitações para merenda escolar pela prefeitura. Os agricultores buscam transformar a produção em pequenas porções para facilitar uma venda rápida e segura. Na venda indireta, realizada por cooperativas, o controle da quantidade e preço dos produtos é feito pelos solicitantes, gerando questões sobre a viabilidade dessa forma de comercialização. Este trabalho avaliará, por meio do programa matemático Lingo, a viabilidade de investimento e venda, comparando a eficácia da comercialização do leite como matéria-prima nas vendas diretas e por cooperativas.
Evaluation of Postoperative Pain in Periodontal Flap Surgery with and without Photobiomodulation using Diode LASER: A Split-mouth Randomised Controlled Study
Authors: Deshpande Neeraj Chandrahas , Shah Aayushi , Shah Monali Amit
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Flap surgery is used to treat deep periodontal pockets and recent innovations like Low-level LASER Therapy (LLLT), or Photobiomodulation (PBM), help reduce postsurgical pain. LLLT works by emitting red or infrared light at wavelengths between 660 and 940 nm, which penetrates tissues and interacts with cytochrome c oxidase to modulate immune responses, reduce inflammation and ease pain, promoting faster healing. Aim: To evaluate and compare postoperative pain in periodontal flap surgery with and without PBM using a diode laser. Materials and Methods: A split-mouth randomised controlled study was carried out in the Department of Periodontology at KM Shah Dental College and Hospital, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. The study took place from August 2023 to January 2024. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 participants (28 sites) with bilateral pocket probing depths of 5-7 mm diagnosed with generalised periodontitis stage II grade A were treated with open flap debridement. After open flap debridement, the test group (Group A) received PBM using a diode LASER (940 nm in a continuous mode with 0.5 W for 112 seconds) applied with a whitening handpiece at a 3 mm distance to the flap surfaces, whereas the contralateral arch, or control group (Group B), received no LASER treatment. The parameters assessed for postoperative pain following flap surgery included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to track the patients’ pain levels and the amount of analgesics they took throughout the first week following surgery. For inter group comparison of the amount of analgesics taken and assessing the VAS score, the MannWhitney U test was used. Data analysis was done using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics 20.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA), with the level of significance set at p=0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 41.14±2.95 years. Patients in the test group had statistically significant differences in their VAS scores from the day of surgery (day 0) to day 7 compared to the control group. The number of analgesics taken on day 1 postsurgery did not show statistically significant results, as the number of analgesics taken was similar in both the control group as well as LASER group (p-value 0.063). However, patients receiving LASER treatment used fewer analgesics on days 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 than the control group, with a p-value of less than 0.05, indicating statistically significant findings in this regard. Conclusion: Based on the present study’s findings, it can be concluded that the 940 nm diode LASER has the potential to greatly minimise postoperative discomfort and reduce the quantity of analgesics that patients require following flap surgery.
Comparative Effectiveness of Extension and Advisory Service (EAS) Providers in a Pluralistic Extension System of West Bengal, India
Authors: Hossain Sk Mosaraf , Mukhopadhyay S D
Published: November 2024

Agriculture employs a staggering population in India; most are small and marginal. Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) are crucial for uplifting the rural poor. The extension approach has seen several paradigms shift from relying solely on public extension to a more pluralistic approach with increased roles of private, non-governmental, and community-based organizations. For measuring effectiveness from existing literature, seven indicators, namely, Accessibility, Accountability, Relevancy, Responsibility, Timeliness, Cost Effectiveness, and Empathy, and 25 statements were initially selected and sent to 60 judges for relevancy. From the 52 responses received, the relevancy weightage of each statement was calculated, and based on that, 19 statements were finalized. And these statements were used to measure the effectiveness of farmer’s perception regarding the effectiveness of different EAS providers, namely, ATMA and Dept of Agriculture, KVK, Input Dealers, and FPCs in three West Bengal districts, namely, Birbhum, Jalpaiguri, and Nadia. 20 farmers for each extension advisory service provider were considered, totaling 80 in each study district, and 240 respondents from three study districts constituted the sample for the study. Combining the mean perception, the effectiveness was calculated and compared among the EAS providers. It was found that FPC was perceived as the most effective EAS provider, whereas ATMA and DoA, Input Dealer, and KVK ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively.
The Role of Strategic Human Resources Management in Merger and Acquisition in Access Bank Nigeria I
Authors: Chijioke Paul Igwe, , Rebecca Yirenkyiwaa Ntow, , Enonuya Omagbemi Toritsemotse , Ejikeme Peter Igwe,
Published: November 2024

This research study interrogates the roles of strategic human resources management in merger and acquisition in Access bank Nigeria, it highlights the critical elements that makes successful integration possible, bring clarity to the components of SHRM – like cultural integration, employee retention and effective communication – these are instrumental in addressing critical M&As challenges during the process. This research employs quantitative research approach and at the same time, relating findings with literature from qualitative sources.  The research employed Google form to administer Likert-scale questionnaires to 226 respondents, and data gathered was further analyzed by SPSS tool, and interpreted through frequency table, percentage frequence, mean and standard deviation. The results are aligned to the objectives and to answer the research questions. The objectives of this research consist of identifying the key issues, revisiting the process, and proffering recommendations to improve integration, retention and communication strategies for post-M&As. The finds and results demonstrated that 57% of participants agree they received sufficient support and training, while some indicated need for improvement. 76.5% onboarding indicates positive improvement in integration. While 74.8% are satisfied with collaboration. While 28.4% are dissatisfied with the roles there are 74.7% employee retention rate. 33.4% of effective communication is indicative of improvement in communication strategies.  Attention is drawn on SHRM focus in building cohesion, and advance career initiatives throughout the process to align with Access bank strategic objectives. The research concludes with insight into further work to improve M&As outcomes.
Optimization of Concrete Mix Design Using Fractional Factorial Design and Response Surface Methodology
Authors: N.S. Dauran, , R.H. Musa,
Published: November 2024

The study addresses the critical issue of optimizing construction materials to enhance structural integrity, minimize cracks, and prevent building collapses in Nigeria. It utilizes fractional factorial design and response surface methodology (RSM) to systematically determine the optimal parameters for concrete mix design to achieve maximum compressive strength. The key factors studied included standard sand size, curing time, water-cement ratio, type of cement, and stone gravel size. Minitab software was employed for its powerful statistical analysis capabilities, enabling efficient execution of fractional factorial design and response surface methods to analyse the data. The analysis revealed that the type of cement, water-cement ratio, and standard sand size significantly influenced compressive strength. The optimal conditions identified were: standard sand size of 20 mm, water-cement ratio of 0.5, BUA cement type, stone gravel size of 20 mm, and curing time of 28 days, achieving a predicted compressive strength of 44.175 MPa. The model demonstrated high reliability with an R-squared value of 99.50%. The findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the quality of building materials in the construction industry. By applying the optimized parameters, stakeholders can significantly improve structural integrity, reduce building failures, and ensure longer-lasting, safer constructions. This can lead to more durable infrastructure in Nigeria, addressing critical issues related to building safety and material performance.
Role of Medicinal Herbs in Sustaining Begomovirus Populations in Burkina Faso: Therapeutic Implications and Ecological Insights
Authors: OUATTARA Alassane , SEKA Koutoua , ZONGO Aboubié Elisabeth , KORBEOGO Sougrenoma Alice , KERE Dadjata , OUATTARA Ya Sadia Rabiatou , KOÏTA Kadidia , TRAORE Oumar
Published: November 2024

Medicinal herbs occupy an important place in the treatment of diseases in Burkina Faso. However, they live near crops which are strongly impacted by diseases with typical symptoms of begomovirus infection. These medicinal herbs may host these viruses, highlighting the need for further study. The purpose of this study was to inventory the medicinal herbs hosts of begomovirus. For this, a survey carried out among the elderly using semi-structured interviews based on a questionnaire. This allowed to inventory a wide diversity of herbs used in the treatment of diseases with Heliotropium indicum and Euphorbia hirta being the most cited with use values of 0.38 and 0.47, respectively. A complex network of sicknesses-herbs association was observed with some herbs used for the treatment of several sicknesses. A second survey was conducted in several localities in Burkina Faso and symptomatic plants were collected for analysis based on polymerization chain reaction to detect begomoviruses. In addition to the survey findings, our results indicate a significant diversity of medicinal herbs that host begomoviruses including the pepper yellow vein Mali virus, the tomato leaf curl Ghana virus and the cotton leaf curl Gezira virus. These results highlight the role of medicinal herbs in maintaining begomovirus populations in Burkina Faso and more largely in the word. It is therefore necessary to take medicinal plants into account in the epidemiological surveillance of plant infecting virus.
Motivation As A Tool For Increased Employee Productivity Within Humanitarian Sector: A Case Study Of ICRC Nigeria
Authors: Felicia Toba , Femi Olaleye Amos , David Olaleye Tobi
Published: November 2024

This study seek to determine the effect of motivation within humanitarian sector, a case study of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Nigeria. This study further sought to determine the effective motivating factors that must be put in place in order to boost the morale of the employees and enhance higher productivity. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire from 109 ICRC employees in Nigeria. Data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics, Likert Scale Statistics and the Logistic Regression Model. Results revealed that 69.0% of the respondents were male, 86.6% married, 54.8% were between ages 31 and 40 years with a mean age of 32.3 years, 83.3% have between 1 and 5 years of experience. Effective tools used to motivate staff included : prompt payment of salary (66.0%), appropriate allowance (68.0%), pension facility (71.0%) and life insurance (68.0%). The study concluded that prompt promotion, gifts and meal vouchers, expected salary, access to quality health and loan facilities were motivating factors which determine staff productivity. It was recommended that staff should be promoted when due, staff should be provided with loan and quality health facilities, employees should be given appropriate expected salary that will enhance their productivity.
Aging of a Vanadium Precursor Solution: Influencing Material Properties and Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Performance of Solution‐Processed BiVO4 Photoanodes
Authors: Byun Segi , Jung Gihun , Shi Yuanyuan , Lanza Mario , Shin Byungha
Published: January 2019

Metal–organic decomposition is an easy way to fabricate BiVO4 (BVO) photoanodes; however, it often experiences a reproducibility issue. Here, the aging duration of a vanadium precursor solution, vanadyl acetylacetonate in methanol, is identified as a factor that profoundly affects reproducibility. Substantial changes in structural, optical, and electrical properties of BVO films are observed upon varying aging time of vanadium precursor solutions, which subsequently impacts photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation and sulfite oxidation reactions. With the optimum number of aging days (3 d), some deficiency of oxygen is observed, which is accompanied by an increase in carrier concentration and a reduced charge transfer resistance in the PEC device, which produces the highest PEC performance that is comparable to the state‐of‐the‐art undoped BVO photoanodes. The findings point to the importance of understanding solution chemistry and demonstrate that utilization of the understanding of fine adjustment of the composition of BVO films can produce highly reproducible and efficient BiVO4 photoanodes.
Hierarchical Toughening of Nacre‐Like Composites
Authors: Grossman Madeleine , Pivovarov Dmitriy , Bouville Florian , Dransfeld Clemens , Masania Kunal , Studart André R.
Published: January 2019

Reinforced polymer‐based composites are attractive lightweight materials for aircrafts, automobiles, and turbine blades, but still show strength and fracture toughness lower than traditional metals. An interesting approach to address this issue is to fabricate composites with structural features that absorb part of the elastic energy stored in the material during fracture through extrinsic and intrinsic toughening mechanisms behind and ahead of the crack tip, respectively. Inspired by the nacreous layer of mollusk shells, the fracture behavior of multiscale composites that combine intrinsic toughness from a brick‐and‐mortar structure connected through nanoscale mineral bridges and extrinsic toughness arising from a brittle–ductile laminate architecture at the millimeter scale are fabricated and investigated. Such a hierarchical toughening approach increases the dissipated energy by more than 30‐fold during fracture with minimal loss in stiffness and strength. Using simple energy balance arguments and fracture mechanics concepts, guidelines are established for the design of nacre‐like composites with a remarkable combination of stiffness, strength, and toughness. This demonstrates the possibility to controllably introduce toughening mechanisms at different length scales and to thus fabricate hierarchical composites with high fracture resistance in spite of the brittle nature of their main inorganic constituents.
A Hybrid Carrier System Based on Origami Nanostrucutures and Layer‐by‐Layer Microparticles
Authors: Scheffler Florian , Brueckner Mandy , Ye Jingjing , Seidel Ralf , Reibetanz Uta
Published: January 2019

Recent progress in DNA nanotechnology allows the fabrication of 3D structures that can be loaded with a large variety of molecular cargos and even be responsive to external stimuli. This makes the use of DNA nanostructures a promising approach for applications in nanomedicine and drug delivery. However, their low stability in the extra‐ and intracellular environment as well as low cellular uptake rates and release rates from endosomes into the cytoplasm hamper the efficient and targeted use of DNA nanostructures in medical applications. Here, such major obstacles are overcome by integrating DNA origami nanostructures into superordinated layer‐by‐layer based microparticles made from biopolymers. The modular assembly of the polymer layer allows a high‐density incorporation of the DNA structures at different depth. This enables controllable protection of the DNA nanostructures over extended durations in a broad range of extra‐ and intracellular conditions without compromising the cell viability. Furthermore, by producing protein‐complexed DNA nanostructures it is demonstrated that molecular cargo can be conveniently integrated into the developed hybrid system. This work provides the basis for a new multistage carrier system allowing for an efficient and protected transport of active agents inside responsive DNA nanostructures.
3D Printing of Mechanically Stable Calcium‐Free Alginate‐Based Scaffolds with Tunable Surface Charge to Enable Cell Adhesion and Facile Biofunctionalization
Authors: Lin Zifeng , Wu Mingming , He Huimin , Liang Qingfei , Hu Chengshen , Zeng Zhiwen , Cheng Delin , Wang Guocheng , Chen Dafu , Pan Haobo , Ruan Changshun
Published: January 2019

For the 3D printing of bioscaffolds, the importance of a suitable bioink cannot be overemphasized. With excellent printability and biocompatibility, alginate (Alg) is one of the most used bioinks. However, its bioinert nature and insufficient mechanical stability, due to only crosslinking via cation interactions, hinder the practical application of Alg‐based bioinks in the individualized therapy of tissue defects. To overcome these drawbacks, for the first time, an ε‐polylysine (ε‐PL)‐modified Alg‐based bioink (Alg/ε‐PL) is produced. The introduction of ε‐PL improves the printability of the Alg‐based bioink due to increasing electrostatic interactions, which enhances the self‐supporting stability of the as‐printed scaffolds. The presence of the functional crosslinking –COOH and –NH2 groups in Alg and ε‐PL under mild conditions further enhances the mechanical stability of the scaffolds, far exceeding that of Alg/Ca2+ scaffolds. The surface charge of the prepared scaffolds is finely tuned by the feed ratio of Alg to ε‐PL and postimmobilization of different quantities of additional ε‐PL, with a view to enhancing cell adhesion and further biofunctionalization. The results indicate that chondroitin sulfate, an extracellular matrix component, and vascular endothelial growth factor can be successfully applied to biofunctionalize the scaffolds via electrostatic adsorption for enhanced biological activity.
The Pathway to Intelligence: Using Stimuli‐Responsive Materials as Building Blocks for Constructing Smart and Functional Systems
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Chen Linfeng , Lim Kang Hui , Gonuguntla Spandhana , Lim Kang Wen , Pranantyo Dicky , Yong Wai Pong , Yam Wei Jian Tyler , Low Zhida , Teo Wee Joon , Nien Hao Ping , Loh Qiao Wen , Soh Siowling
Published: January 2019

Systems that are intelligent have the ability to sense their surroundings, analyze, and respond accordingly. In nature, many biological systems are considered intelligent (e.g., humans, animals, and cells). For man‐made systems, artificial intelligence is achieved by massively sophisticated electronic machines (e.g., computers and robots operated by advanced algorithms). On the other hand, freestanding materials (i.e., not tethered to a power supply) are usually passive and static. Hence, herein, the question is asked: can materials be fabricated so that they are intelligent? One promising approach is to use stimuli‐responsive materials; these “smart” materials use the energy supplied by a stimulus available from the surrounding for performing a corresponding action. After decades of research, many interesting stimuli‐responsive materials that can sense and perform smart functions have been developed. Classes of functions discussed include practical functions (e.g., targeting and motion), regulatory functions (e.g., self‐regulation and amplification), and analytical processing functions (e.g., memory and computing). The pathway toward creating truly intelligent materials can involve incorporating a combination of these different types of functions into a single integrated system by using stimuli‐responsive materials as the basic building blocks.