bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of Information Technology Governance in Educational Institutions Using COBIT 2019 Framework
Authors: Tulus Breindnaldo Vichario , Tanaamah Andeka Rocky
Published: March 2023

In the contemporary era, the role of information technology in the performance of organizations, institutions, and companies is of utmost importance. The implementation of information technology can effectively enhance decision-making efficiency and effectiveness. Educational institutions have been utilizing information technology to support their academic activities and business processes; however, the governance of this technology has never been audited before. This study aims to conduct an audit and analysis of information technology governance that employs the COBIT 2019 framework. The study's results suggest that educational institutions must improve risk and security management in the use of information technology and evaluate their business processes' implementation in accordance with the established regulations and requirements.
Prioritization Model for IT Project Portfolio Management in Private University: A Literature Review
Authors: Sari Rita , Sulistiyani Endang , Meutia Nur Shabrina
Published: March 2023

The swift progress of technology can be harnessed to address the increasing demand for projects, particularly in various organizations like private universities that must cope with resource limitations and make critical decisions. Information Technology (IT) encompasses any technology, such as equipment or techniques, employed by businesses, institutions, or other organizations to process information, including computing, telecommunications technologies, consumer electronics, and broadcasting, as it increasingly digitizes. Choosing between dozens or hundreds of project alternatives presents complex multi-criteria decision-making problems for an organization's portfolio and priorities, necessitating clear-cut techniques, methods, and factor definitions for prioritizing decision-making. This literature review formulates the problem, specifically identifying the criteria for comparison and prioritization models, and seeks a framework and methodology for prioritizing portfolio management in private organizations, particularly universities. The literature review identifies the characteristics of private organizations and the methodologies and practices employed in researching the application of portfolio management priorities and explores the use of portfolio management techniques from prior studies tested in practice and project priority methodologies in private services. The results contribute to enhancing theories on techniques, methods, and, particularly, portfolio project management priorities for the private sector.
Analysis and Design of Morotai Tourism Village Information System (SIDEWITA) Based on Local Wisdom of Tokuwela and Babari Tradition
Authors: Sutresno Stephen Aprius , Singgalen Yerik Afrianto
Published: March 2023

This study focuses on optimizing the management system of tourism villages in Indonesia through the development of a contextual and relevant information system that caters to users' needs. Specifically, the study targets the Morotai Island Regency, where the tourism village management requires a website-based system capable of providing comprehensive information on attractions, accessibility, accommodation, and ancillary services to a broader market. The study uses the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with a Waterfall approach to design the system, with a focus on the actors involved in the system, including tourists and prospective tourists (users as tourists), administrators and community members (users as a community), and stakeholders such as entrepreneurs and formal organizations supporting tourism (users as stakeholders). The resulting system, SIDEWITA, is expected to optimize the management of tourist villages in Morotai Island Regency. However, the study is limited to the design phase using the Waterfall approach.
A Review of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps Extensions and Learning
Authors: Jiya Eli Adama , Georgina Obunadike N , O. Atomatofa Emmanuel
Published: March 2023

Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM)  is a soft computing technique whose vertices and edges are fuzzy values with an inference mechanism for solving modelling problems; it has been used in modelling complex systems like industrial and process control. The concept was first introduced in 1986, with an initial learning algorithm in 1996; several works have been published on FCM methodology, learnings and applications. Fuzzy cognitive maps continue to evolve both in theory, learning algorithms and application. Many theories like intuitionistic theory, hesitancy theory, grey system theory, wavelet theory, etc., are integrated with the conventional FCM. These extensions have improved Fuzzy cognitive Maps to handle problems of uncertainty, incomplete information, hesitancy, dynamic systems and probabilistic fuzzy events. They also strengthen fuzzy cognitive Maps’ modelling power for application in almost any domain. However, the compilation of the development in methodology and adaptation of FCM are either old or omitted some of the recent advances or focused on specific applications of FCM in some areas. This paper reports extension, learning and applications of FCM from the initial conventional FCM to recent extensions and some of the important features of those extensions and learning.
Klasik Arap Kültüründe Fiziksel Bir Engel Olarak Körlük ve Körler Etrafında Şekillenen Mizah Edebiyatı
Authors: Dinçer Şükrü , Sönmez Mensure
Published: March 2023

Klasik Arap edebiyatında görme kusurlarına ilişkin aktarımlar içerisinde en yoğun malzemeyi âmâ figürü ve körlük teması etrafında kurgulanan rivayetler oluşturur. Bu rivayetlerin muhteva ve yapısına bakıldığında bir kısmının mizahi bir formda kaydedildiği, bazısının üretiminde ise hiciv, teşbih, mesel, ironi, tahkir vb. kullanılarak mizahi bir yaklaşım sergilenmediği görülür. Her dönem ve toplumda olduğu gibi kadim dönem Arap toplumunda da savaş, kavga, bakımsızlık, genetik rahatsızlıklar vb. sebeplerle hiç de azımsanmayacak bir sayıya ulaşan âmâ figürü, hem nazım hem nesir ürünlerinde sık sık edebiyat ve mizaha konu olmuş, yaratıcı şair ve nesir yazarları sayesinde komik hikâyelerin oluşmasına zemin hazırlamıştır. Bu makale çalışmasında, son derece insani bir durumun -körlük engelinin- bilhassa anekdotik yönü üzerinde durulmuştur. Çalışmanın giriş kısmında Arap dilinde “kör” anlamına gelen kavramlar zikredildikten sonra konuyla ilgili literatür tanıtımı yapılmış, ardından klasik kaynaklarda âmâlara dair kayda geçen rivayetler aktarılarak bunların ışığında Müslüman toplumlarda yaşayan körlerin durumlarına ilişkin tespitlere yer verilmiştir.
An Intelligent Approach for Blood Cell Detection Employing Faster RCNN
Authors: Haq Ihtisham ul , Anwar Shahzad , Khan Muhammad Tahir , Sadique Umar
Published: March 2023

A CBC (complete blood count) is an essential component of a thorough medical evaluation. The practice of medicine has had a significant impact on popular methodologies, such as manual counting and automated analyzers. The shape of blood cells and other cellular characteristics are highly sensitive to contamination levels in the human body. Tiny blood cell images are studied to spot disease and deviations from the norm that may indicate internal contamination. Correct cell segmentation enables more precise and powerful disease detection. Examining blood cells under a microscope is an important part of any pathological investigation. It emphasizes the examination of the correct malady after pinpointing its precise location and then ranking its anomalies, which plays a crucial role in determining the nature of a patient's condition, planning treatment, and evaluating the outcome of that treatment. Initially the complete blood count (CBC) test of patient is carried out if the report suggested that there is abnormality in the blood than that blood is poured on strip and blood is stained out through addition of coagulant. Expert hematologists are in short supply, particularly in underdeveloped nations, and are frequently overwhelmed. To help them with their burden, we provide a unique method for the automated assessment of family disease using artificial intelligence on blood smear images in this paper. For object detection to be useful in real life, it needs to be quick and good at finding different things in an image. There have been many improvements made to object detection, such as Convolutional Neural Network and the family of R-CNN. In our research, we employ Faster R-CNN to look for RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets in the Blood Cell Count (CBC) and Detection dataset. The number, shape, and other meta-information, or any abnormalities in the different parts of blood, could help find problems and/or diseases like leukemia, anemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia etc., early on. Our model is accurate enough to find a bounding box on the blood parts. A box is drawn along with their name around the various components of the blood smear slide.
Conceptual Overlaps between Investment Protection Standards: Analysis of a Yet Unexplored Systemic Problem of ISDS
Authors: Petsche Markus
Published: March 2023

N/a
Leading the Way in Pavements: How Central Banks are Using Innovation to Promote Financial Inclusion and Reshape Competition
Authors: Bolzani Juliana
Published: March 2023

Central banks have increasingly embraced their role in advancing financial inclusion besides their more traditional goals of maintaining price and financial stability. To that end, some central banks are using not just rules and regulations but innovation through direct intervention. Pix, the instant payments scheme powered by the Central Bank of Brazil, is a case in point. It illustrates the impact a proactive central bank can have on achieving inclusion and competition in payments while flashing out elements related to the discussion about public and private participation in the payments industry. Pix indicates that central-bank protagonism in payments can be a potent tool to promote inclusion and enhance competition, notably when private actors seem unwilling or incapable of doing so by themselves. However, the legitimacy of central-bank innovative interventions in payments may be questioned if central banks do not have a clear legal authority underpinning and setting the boundaries of their activism. This article thus examines how far central banks can go with their innovative actions without overplaying their hand or displacing private initiative and ingenuity.
Subsequent Remedial Contract Measures: The Case for Applying Rule 407's Bar on Subsequent Remedial Measures in Breach of Contract Claims
Authors: Sheppard Benjamin
Published: March 2023

Imagine you are preparing a new insurance coverage agreement for 2020 effective April 1, 2020. One exclusion provision from the 2019 policy in particular stands out to you. It is the microorganism exclusion, which bars coverage for losses “directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to: mold, mildew, fungus, spores, or other microorganisms of any type, nature, or description, including but not limited to any substance whose presence poses an actual or potential threat to human health.” Reviewing this exclusion provision, you believe in light of the COVID-19 pandemic it should be made crystal-clear that it includes viruses. Therefore, you add an exclusion for “losses attributable to any communicable disease, including viruses,” to the new 2020 policy.

As you weather the COVID-19 pandemic, your business begins to experience litigation over your insurance policy. Your policyholders expect the 2019 agreement to cover losses attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. To support said position, one plaintiff argues your addition of the communicable diseases exclusion in the 2020 policy supports their position that the 2019 policy covers losses attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, you know this added language was only meant to clarify future policies, not show that the 2019 policy covered losses attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether a federal court will admit this evidence depends on the circuit in which it sits.

Federal courts are divided on whether Rule 407, which bars evidence of subsequent remedial measures, applies to modified language in contractual agreements.The majority approach applies Rule 407 to contract cases because such disputes apply under the plain-meaning of Rule 407 and implicate its policy goals. On the other hand, a minority of circuits do not apply Rule 407 to contract cases because Rule 407 is written with tort-based language and the policy goals of Rule 407, such as preventing future injuries, are in their opinion not implicated in contract disputes.

This article argues the majority approach, that Rule 407 applies in breach of contract cases, is the correct application for future courts to apply when tasked with this matter. Following this introductory Part I, this paper proceeds in four parts. Part II introduces the reader to Rule 407 by explaining the Rule’s history, application, and policy goals. Part III explores the split among federal courts regarding Rule 407’s applicability to contract cases. This portion articulates the rationale for both the majority and minority approaches to Rule 407 in breach of contract disputes. Part IV argues for the majority approach. The majority approach applies the plain-meaning approach to Rule 407’s text and fulfills the Rule’s policy objective. Part V displays how the Federal Rules of Evidence could be amended to conclusively adopt the majority approach for all future contract cases in the federal court system.
Book Review
Authors: Behrens Susan
Published: March 2023

The Vixen. By Francine Prose. New York: Harper Perennial. 2022 Pp. 319. $16.99 (Paperback). ISBN 13: 978-0-06-301215-8.
Pengaruh Perilaku Diet Dengan Kacang Merah dalam Penurunan Berat Badan Remaja Putri
Authors: Munawaroh Suci
Published: March 2023

Masalah berat badan dan penampilan diri menyebabkan remaja memiliki minat yang besar untuk mendapatkan berat badan yang diinginkan. Salah satu makanan yang bisa dikonsumsi saat diet adalah kacang merah. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh perilaku diet dengan kacang merah terhadap penurunan berat badan pada remaja putri. Metode penelitian ini adalah penelitian eksperimen semu/quasi eksperimen dengan pendekatan kuantitatif. Populasi penelitian ini adalah seluruh remaja putri yang memiliki minat untuk menurunkan berat badan. Teknik pengambilan sampel adalah purposive sampling. Kriteria inklusi penelitian ini adalah remaja putri berusia 15-18 tahun dengan Body Mass Index (BMI) > 25. Data penelitian dikumpulkan menggunakan kuesioner dengan google form. Peneliti menggunakan 20 responden sebagai sampel. Data yang diperoleh rata-rata berat badan remaja putri sebelum diet adalah 56,85 kg dan rata-rata berat badan remaja putri setelah diet adalah 49,55 kg. Perilaku diet kacang merah menunjukkan 80% perilaku diet sesuai dan 20% berada pada kategori tidak sesuai. Data tersebut menunjukkan bahwa mengkonsumsi kacang merah dapat menurunkan berat badan, namun penurunannya tidak terlalu signifikan
Tìm hiểu ảnh hưởng của môi trường làm việc đến kiệt sức nghề nghiệp ở điều dưỡng bệnh viện chấn thương chỉnh hình Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh: Một tiếp cận định tính
Authors: Nguyện Lê Thị Thanh , Đăng Trần Ngọc , Viên Nguyễn Trường , Đính Châu Văn , Dung Trần Thị Ngọc , Chinh Nguyễn Thị Ngọc , Hà Bùi Thị Thu
Published: March 2023

Kiệt sức nghề nghiệp là một vấn đề được ghi nhận phổ biến ở điều dưỡng. Nghiên cứu này nhằm tìm hiểu ảnh hưởng của môi trường làm việc đến kiệt sức nghề nghiệp ở điều dưỡng bệnh viện Chấn thương Chỉnh hình thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Thiết kế nghiên cứu định tính sử dụng tiếp cận phân tích hiện tượng học được thực hiện vào tháng 12 năm 2021 bao gồm 12 phỏng vấn sâu, 4 thảo luận nhóm điều dưỡng và 4 phỏng vấn sâu lãnh đạo. Các yếu tố môi trường làm việc được khai thác và phân tích gồm khối lượng công việc, kiểm soát, khen thưởng, cộng đồng, công bằng, giá trị. Kết quả ghi nhận các yếu tố khối lượng công việc, khả năng kiểm soát công việc, mối quan hệ công việc, sự ghi nhận, tính công bằng đều có ảnh hưởng đến tình trạng kiệt sức nghề nghiệp. Cần có các biện pháp cải thiện môi trường làm việc phù hợp để phòng ngừa kiệt sức nghề nghiệp và nâng cao chất lượng dịch vụ y tế.
Kết quả bước đầu của can thiệp tâm lý nhóm cho người bệnh trầm cảm tại tỉnh Thái Nguyên năm 2021
Authors: Mai Đỗ Tuyết , Tâm Nguyễn Thanh , Hương Trần Thị Thanh
Published: March 2023

Trầm cảm là rối loạn cảm xúc phổ biến gây nhiều hậu quả tiêu cực cho cá nhân và cộng đồng, tuy nhiên có thể quản lý hiệu quả bằng can thiệp tâm lý nhóm. Nghiên cứu thực hiện lần đầu tại Việt Nam nhằm mục tiêu: Đánh giá kết quả bước đầu của can thiệp tâm lý nhóm cho trầm cảm tại Thái Nguyên năm 2021. Nghiên cứu can thiệp không có nhóm chứng, theo dõi trước và sau can thiệp, tiến hành ở 10 xã/phường tại thành phố Thái Nguyên từ 8/2020 - 12/2021. Can thiệp tâm lý nhóm 8 buổi theo liệu pháp kích hoạt hành vi, được thực hiện trên 359 người tuổi 18-65 có điểm PHQ-9 ≥ 10 và loại trừ rối loạn tâm thần nặng khác. Đánh giá trước và sau can thiệp sử dụng thang PHQ-9 (đánh giá trầm cảm), Q-LES-Q-SF (chất lượng cuộc sống) và BRCS (khả năng thích ứng). Sau 3 tháng, điểm trầm cảm giảm trung bình 8,32 (ES = 2,47), tỷ lệ trầm cảm giảm từ 100% xuống 49,4%, khác biệt có ý nghĩa thống kê (p < 0,05). Các yếu tố ảnh hưởng gồm chất lượng cuộc sống, khả năng thích ứng cũng cải thiện đáng kể.
Subchronic toxicity assessments of silymax complex capsules in wistar rats
Authors: Anh Pham Thi Van , Hang Vu Viet , Nguyet Nguyen Thi Minh , Thu Pham Thi , Thuy Tran Thi , Dung Tran Viet , Hang Dinh Thi Thu
Published: March 2023

It has recently become obvious that the prevalence of adults with diagnosed liver diseases has been rapidly increasing in Vietnam, as well as other countries, over the past two decades. There has been a current trend for researchers to discover new natural ingredients which were safe and still effective in the treatment of liver diseases. Silymax Complex was a herbal-derived product (Carduus marianus, Extractum Herba Phyllanthi urinariae, Extractum Fructus Schisandrae, Extractum Herba Adenosmatis caerulei and Curcuma longa L.) used as an oral medication. So far, the safety of this product has not been reported in Vietnam. Thus, this study was designed to assess the subchronic toxicity of Silymax Complex capsules in Wistar rats. The method used in this study followed the guidance of World Health Organization and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in rats with 2 oral doses of 316.8 mg/kg b.w/day and 950.4 mg/kg b.w/day for 12 consecutive weeks. As a result, Silymax Complex capsules caused no significant changes in general condition, hematological indexes, hepato-renal functions and microscopic images of livers and kidneys. In light of our findings, Silymax Complex capsules did not cause subchronic toxicity in experimental rats. Moreover, this also revealed partly the safety of Silymax Complex capsules in clinical practice.
Diagnostic performance of lung ultrasound in detecting pneumothorax after CT- Guided transthoracic biopsy
Authors: Ngoc Mai Thi , Trang Dam Thuy , Thao Nguyen Thi Thu , Khoi Nguyen Thi , Thuy Nguyen Thanh , Anh Nguyen Phuong , Luu Vu Dang
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to describe the diagnostic performance of lung ultrasound (LUS) in detecting and semi-quantifying pneumothorax (PTX), using computed tomography (CT) as the reference standard. The study included 150 patients who underwent CT-guided transthoracic biopsy (TTB) for lung lesions. Within 30 minutes, two radiologists blinded to the participant’s prior information performed LUS in asymptomatic patients. The results showed that PTX was present on CT in 49/150 (32.3%) cases. LUS was positive in 40/150 (26.7%) patients, with a substantial agreement between the two radiologists (Cohen κ statistics = 0.8). The sensitivity and specificity of LUS were 100% (95%CI 97.6% to 100%) and 91.8% (95%CI 87.4% to 96.2%), respectively. Moreover, the positive and negative predictive values were 87.5% (95%CI 82.2% to 92.8%) and 96.4% (95%CI 92.4% to 98.9%), respectively. In the semi-quantification of PTX by LUS, the location of lung point was described in 36/49 (73.5%) patients. The sensitivity and specificity of this sign were 87.5% (95%CI 82.2% to 92.8%) and 96.4% (95%CI 92.4% to 98.9%), respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 87.5% (95%CI 82.2% to 92.8%) and 96.4% (95%CI 92.4% to 98.9%), respectively. In conclusion, LUS is a susceptible and specific diagnostic method for diagnosing and semi-quantifying PTX.
Creating a diabetic model with skin wounds in rats for application in wound treatment
Authors: Quynh Do Thi , Ha Nguyen Manh , Uyen Than Thi Trang , Thu Vu Thi , Tien Dang Tran , Minh Phan Hong , Dung Ho My
Published: March 2023

Chronic limb ulcer is one of many dangerous complications of diabetes mellitus. Creating a skin lesion model in rats with diabetes and hyperlipidemia opens the door for testing new treatments in clinical practice. Wistar male rats were induced to have diabetes and dyslipidemia using a high-fat diet for six weeks and low-doses Streptozocin (STZ) injections (35 mg/kg). After that, skin wounds were created by cutting the total skin layer; observation of healing process and histopathological assessment were conducted. The results showed that rats fed with a high-fat diet combined with low-dose STZ injection induced hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia that remained above 11 mmol/L during the follow-up period. The diabetic and hyperlipidemic rats had longer wound healing time than the normal rats. Thus, this study successfully created an excisional skin wound model on Wistar rats with diabetes and hyperlipidemia which could serve in future testing phases of new wound healing treatments.
Unfertilized oocytes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and women’s age
Authors: Hoa Nguyen Thanh , Ha Nguyen Manh
Published: March 2023

This study assessed the characteristics of meiotic spindles in unfertilized oocytes following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and their relationship with the women’s age. A total of 263 unfertilized oocytes were collected and were divided into 2 groups based on the age of the women. Meiotic spindles were stained and classified to identify causes of fertilization failure. Identified relationships between the spindle apparatus, causes of failed fertilization and the women’s age. The number of unfertilized oocytes and the rate of unfertilized oocytes per cycle were not significantly different between women aged 35 years and younger and those older than 35 years (3.6 ± 2.4 versus 2.6 ± 2.2 unfertilized oocytes, p=0.083; 22.0 ± 12.1% vs 21.8 ± 12.9% unfertilized oocytes per cycle, p=0.947). The rate of disarranged spindles in oocytes collected from women older than 35 years was significantly higher than that of women 35 years and younger (73.5 vs. 52.5%; OR = 2.50, CI = 1.23 – 5.07, p = 0.011). The main factor associated with the failure of oocytes to fertilize after ICSI was failed oocyte activation, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two age groups. The women’s age had a relationship with abnormal spindles.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for Covid-19 associated severe acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Trang Tran Huyen , Thanh Nguyen Tat , Nguyen Nguyen Minh , Dung Nguyen Anh , Hai Hoang Bui
Published: March 2023

COVID-19  caused significant mortality worldwide, including in Vietnam. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). From January 1, 2022 to March 31, 2022, the COVID-19 hospital admitted 395 critical patients, including 10 patients required veno-venous Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). This descriptive study revealed relatively high survival rate of 60% (6/10 patients) with the median duration of ECMO was 11.5 days. The study group's SOFA and RESP scores were 6 and 4, respectively. Time from symptom onset to mechanical ventilation, duration of NIV and/or HFNC before mechanical ventilation, time from symptom onset to ECMO of the study patients were 9.5, 0 and 11.5 days, respectively. The most common complication in ECMO patients was nosocomial infection (70%), in addition to bleeding, embolism, or both at the same time. This preliminary research showed that ECMO was effective in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with COVID-19.
Operational in-season rice area estimation through Earth observation data in Nepal - working paper
Authors: Qamer Faisal M. , Shrestha Sravan , Shakya Kiran , Bajracharya Birendra , Shah Shib Nandan , Regmi Ram Krishna , Paudel Salik , Shrestha Pragya , Paudel Santosh , Pokhrel Padma , Di Liping , Yu Zhiqi , Cvetojevic Sreten , Guo Liying , Mayer Timothy J. , Kruskopf Meryl , Phalke Aparna
Published: March 2023

In an effort to adopt emerging technologies in food security assessment through a codevelopment approach, the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development’s (ICIMOD) SERVIR-HKH Initiative undertook a pilot study in Chitwan District in 2019 to jointly develop methods for satellite remote sensing and machine learning-based in-season crop assessment. MoALD experts and relevant stakeholders thoroughly reviewed the approach before the honourable minister approved it for formal use in the national-level assessment for 2020 and onwards. For wider adoption of the advanced data science methods established in the pilot study, we customised the technology by developing a digital suite of software, including GeoFairy (a mobile app to facilitate field data collection by field extension professionals at the district level) and RiceMapEngine (a simplified platform for machine learning-based crop classification to facilitate crop area map production by MoALD’s GIS Section). In the current federal governance structure of Nepal, high-quality crop maps and yield estimates will not only bridge information needs among the federal and subnational institutions but also provide a means for consistent cross-country crop status assessments and communication.
Collegiate Black Women and YouTube Poems
Authors: Rambsy II Howard
Published: March 2023

Access to a range of audio and video recordings of poems gives African American students exciting opportunities to engage literary art. Their interest in “YouTube poems” reflects an important combination: a longstanding veneration of dynamic African American speech acts and new developments in the circulation and consumption of poetry. Audio recordings and YouTube facilitate the interplay of technology and enduring Black verbal practices in African American literature classes in ways that are far less possible when professors only assign print-based texts. Just as important, engaging YouTube poems created pathways for Black women students to actively participate in cultural criticism.
Requiem for Naomi Long Madgett
Authors: Boyd Melba Joyce
Published: March 2023

“Requiem for Naomi Long Madgett” opens with Madgett’s funeral, expressed in poetry in poetic prose. “Requiem” captures prominent moments in the last weeks of one of the most productive and influential literary figures in American culture, as it reflects on her legacy as a poet and a publisher. Madgett met Langston Hughes when she was a student at Lincoln University. He was so impressed with her poetry that he read one of her poems during his poetry reading, and he continued to mentor her literary development. The article considers this impact on Madgett’s career and contains a critical discussion of her most prominent poems as well as the release of her ninth book of poetry a few months before she died. Comments from prominent writers, in particular Detroit’s award-winning playwright and poet Bill Harris, capture the profundity of her work as a parting gift. The article also reiterates her creative production as founding editor of Lotus Press during the Black Arts Movement, a time when publishing opportunities were limited for Black writers. In tandem with Dudley Randall’s Broadside Press, Madgett’s Lotus Press made Detroit the most productive site for Black poetry production during the 1960s and ’70s.
“Making Such Spaces . . . Where None Previously Existed”: Interstitial Wit in Fran Ross’s Oreo
Authors: Schwartz Benjamin
Published: March 2023

This article explores how Fran Ross’s 1974 novel Oreo uses humor to challenge static notions of Black, Jewish, and American identity. Through her mock heroic quest, Oreo’s eponymous protagonist develops WIT (“Way of the Interstitial Thrust”), a system of self-defense that draws on her multifaceted identity as a Jewish, African American woman and that she uses to successfully navigate spaces that threaten her with physical violence and symbolic erasure. In its hilarious exploration of the complexity and commodification of identity in the late twentieth century United States, Oreo provides a still-relevant example of how humor can create new spaces for minoritized subjects who exist in the “interstices” of the landscape of American cultural production.
Playing with the (Gendered) Rules of Stand-Up: Alternative Aesthetics of Power in Kristen Schaal: Live at The Fillmore
Authors: Noé Luise Charlotte
Published: March 2023

Why are female stand-up performers more likely to be viewed favorably if they are designated “alternative” rather than “mainstream”? Herein this article explores answers to this question while adding to the scholarship on alternative comedy in the United States, which emerged in the late 1990s and early aughts. Focusing on stand-up comedian Kristen Schaal, this article explains the connection between aesthetics and gender by arguing that the alternative style aims to subvert previous notions of performative power. By decentering masculine codings of power, alternative comedy evades the gender expectations that alienated mainstream audiences from female performers in the past, allowing female performers further avenues to success.
درجة تضمين مهارات المواطنة الرقمية في مقررات التربية الأسرية بالمرحلة المتوسطة في المملكة العربية السعودية
Authors: الشريف ليلى بنت حسين فيصل
Published: March 2023

هدفت الدراسة إلى التعرف على درجة تضمين مهارات المواطنة الرقمية في مقررات التربية الأسرية بالمرحلة المتوسطة في المملكة العربية السعودية، ولتحقيق هذا الهدف اتبعت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي بأسلوبيه التحليلي والمسحي، وتم إعداد قائمة بمهارات المواطنة الرقمية التي يجب تضمينها في هذه المقررات, إذ تم بناء أداة الدراسة وتمثلت في بطاقة تحليل المحتوى التي تم في ضوئها تحليل جميع مقررات التربية الأسرية في صفوفها الثلاثة, بالفصلين الدراسيين: الأول, والثاني, بواقع (3) مقررات, و(6) كتب دراسية. ومن أهم نتائج الدراسة: أظهرت نتائج التحليل أن درجة تضمين هذه المهارات في المقررات كانت (منخفضة)، وقد حازت مهارة السلوك الرقمي على أعلى الرتب من بين المهارات التسع المقاسة من حيث درجة تضمينها، فيما حازت مهارة الأمن الرقمي على الرتبة التاسعة والأخيرة. وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى دلالة (0.05) في درجة تضمين مهارات المواطنة الرقمية تعزى إلى متغير الصف الدراسي، إذ كان مقرر الصف الثالث المتوسط أكثر المقررات تضمينًا لمهارات المواطنة الرقمية، وأبرزها مهارة التجارة الرقمية.
A Retrospective Study on Factors Associated with Severe Childhood Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Shahzad Nadeem , Rashid Zahid , Khan Zarmast , Naeem Noman , Zaman Qamar Uz , Bilal Ahmad
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim: Globally, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common source of mortality among children. Early diagnosis and effective management need the identification of risk factors. The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical symptoms and investigation of various risk factors for severe CAP in children. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 186 children in the Pediatric Department of Niazi Welfare Teaching Hospital, Sargodha from March 2022 to November 2022. Children with pneumonia who had radiological confirmation were included. Community-acquired pneumonia cases were categorized into two groups: Group-I composed of severe CAP cases whereas Group-II non-severe CAP cases. Baseline characteristics such as age, nutritional status, and gender were collected. Vital signs, fever, duration of symptoms, and physical findings such as chest retraction, cyanosis, wheezing, and nasal faring were clinical data recorded. Laboratory findings such as serum electrolyte, full blood count, and inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were recorded. SPSS version 27 was used for data analysis. Results: Of the total 186 children, there were 74 (39.8%) females and 112 (60.2%) male. Age-wise distribution of patients were as follows: 146 (78.5%) in 0-5 years, 26 (14%) in 6-10 years, and 14 (7.5%) in 11-15 years. Out of 186 children, the incidence of severe and non-severe CAP was 58 (31.2%) and 130 (68.8%) respectively. The most common clinical signs in both categories are fever and cough, followed by reduced appetite, vomiting, and shortness of breath. A seizure is present in 14 (24.1%) severe CAP cases. Based on physical examination, Rhonchi is found in 94 (72.3%) non-severe and 46 (79.3%) severe CAP patients. Among patients with severe pneumonia, over half have chest retractions, but only 22% have non-severe pneumonia. Tachypnea was experienced by approximately 33% of severe pneumonia patients against 14% of individuals with non-severe pneumonia. As inflammatory indicators, ESR and CRP are high in all groups. Conclusion: The present study concluded that a fever persisting for >7 days and an elevation in RR are risk factors for severe pneumonia. Severe pneumonia is also prevented by a normal hematocrit level and BMI. There was a higher rate of severe pneumonia in CAP hospitalizations in children who had fevers lasting longer than seven days as well as tachypnea. According to these findings, RR should be utilized to determine both the severity of pneumonia and the identification of pneumonia. Keywords: Sever community-acquired pneumonia, Risk factors, Childhood pneumonia
Prevalence, Etiology, Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Predictors of Urinary Tract Infection among Neonates with Clinical Sepsis
Authors: Syed Unaiza , Rashid Zahid , Khan Zarmast , Riaz Rabia , Bilal Ahmad , Zaman Qamar Uz
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim: The most common pediatric infection is urinary tract infection (UTI). Neonates who suffer from neonatal sepsis remain among the most vulnerable to death and morbidity, especially in developing countries. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence, etiology, and susceptible antimicrobial agents of UTIs among neonates with clinical sepsis. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 128 sepsis diagnosed neonates admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Niazi Welfare Teaching Hospital, Sargodha from September 2021 to May 2022. All neonates aged ≤ 28 days diagnosed of clinical sepsis and consent provided by their parents/guardian were enrolled. An interviewed based questionnaire was used for data collection from neonate’s parents or caregiver. The questionnaire included information on the socio-demographics and clinical presentations of neonates, as well as maternal history and laboratory examinations. The history is taken from prenatal to postnatal, including birth weight analysis and birth conditions. Neonates underwent general and local examinations to determine their state of consciousness, vital signs, and weight. We examined the abdomen (for tenderness and abdominal distention) and the nervous system (to elicit suckling and motor reflexes). A hematological analyzer was used to test the full blood picture (FBP). SPSS version 27 was used for data analysis. Results: Of the total 128 neonates, there were 76 (59.4%) females and 52 (40.6%) male neonates. The overall mean age was 6.4 ± 0.36 days with majority of neonates 112 (87.5%) were < 7 days. The low birth weight and low Apgar score were found in 13 (10.2%) and 16 (12.5%) neonates respectively. Of all neonates, the failure to breastfeed was found in 26 (20.3%) being the most common clinical symptom followed by an increase in breathing rate 21 (16.4%), diarrhea 19 (14.8%), gritting 16 (12.5%), altered mental status 12 (9.4%), and jaundice 11 (8.6%). The incidence of UTI was 20.3% (n=26). The prevalence of separated bacterial agents such as Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter spp. was 61.5% (n=16) and 38.5% (n=10) respectively. Ciprofoxacin and amikacin were both effective against 90% and 60% of the bacterial isolates, respectively. The UTI potential predictors involved prolong labour, positive leucocyte esterase test, Low Apgar score, and positive urine nitrite test. Conclusion: The present study found that the prevalence of UTI was 20.3%. Failure to breastfeed was the most common clinical symptom followed by an increase in breathing rate, diarrhea, gritting, altered mental status, jaundice, convulsion, and cyanosis. Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter spp. were the most prevalent separated bacterial agents. Ciprofoxacin and amikacin were both effective in bacterial isolates. Keywords: UTI, Clinical sepsis, Neonates, Antibiotic sensitivity
Insights from Government Officials on Strategies and Practices for Managing the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Aslam Muhammad Aamer , Murtaza Mehvish , Zakar Rubeena , Rashid Junaid
Published: March 2023

Background: The study focuses on the challenges faced by government officials in implementing public health interventions to control the spread of COVID-19 in the Lahore District, Pakistan. Material and Methods: This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to collect data from 45 government officials involved in implementing COVID-19 control measures in Lahore District. Results: The study identified several themes related to the challenges faced by government officials, including contact tracing and coordination, disease management and vaccination, public perception and engagement, international travellers management, and implementation strategies. Strategies implemented to address the challenges posed by the pandemic included the utilization of technology, provision of training to staff, coordination with other organizations, identification of high transmission areas, and targeting specific communities or populations at higher risk of infection. Conclusion: The effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic requires a coordinated and multi-faceted response that incorporates various strategies and practices aimed at controlling the spread of the disease and mitigating its impact on communities. The authors recommend prioritizing clear and consistent communication, community engagement, and capacity building in pandemic management strategies. Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic, government officials, public health interventions, contact tracing, vaccination, public perception, international travellers management
Evaluating a Constructivist Model for Learning Clinical Skills in Pre-Clinical Years of a Dental Curriculum
Authors: Khattak Osama , Usmani Ambreen , Tariq Junaid
Published: March 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not using a constructivist model for teaching clinical skills had an impact on students' performance in a pre-clinical operative dentistry course. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial Place and Duration: College of Dentistry, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia, two months (March and April 2022). Methods: A total of 50 second year BDS students participated in this trial. The students were divided randomly into two groups. Group I received traditional method and group II received constructivist method. The students' capability of performing rubber dam application skill on the typodont tooth was evaluated through the use of laboratory activities. After the conclusion of the research, the participants were given a questionnaire to complete out and provide feedback on. Examinations that were objective and systematic were performed on both groups clinically (OSCEs). Results: There was a statistically significant difference in learning modes (p 0.001). The students learning method has nothing to do with their age or gender. Group II (constructivist) demonstrated considerably higher development in scores across lab tasks (p<0.05). While students of all backgrounds valued supplemental learning resources, those who got aligned materials reported feeling more grateful for them. Conclusion: The constructivist approach can be used as a complementary teaching strategy in pre-clinical operative dentistry courses to improve students' learning outcomes and prepare them for success in the dental profession. Keywords: preclinical education, predoctoral education, learning styles, operative dentistry, and education.
The Management of Gut Enteric Perforation, Including Clinical Symptoms, in Both Adults and Children a Single Center Study
Authors: Hussain Musarrat , Alam Jamshed , Ullah Muhib , Zahid Muhammad Jawad , Wahid Uzma
Published: March 2023

Objective: This comparative study evaluated enteric gut perforation's clinical symptoms and management in adults and children. Methods: This single-center study was conducted in the department of surgery, hmc Peshawar, a tertiary care hospital, for two years, between September 2019 to October 2021. The analysis of the medical records of adults and children diagnosed with intestinal perforation who were hospitalized in. Age, gender, length of illness, hemodynamic condition, and first admission testing data were examined. Patients who required extended resuscitation and were operated on more than 24 hours after admission were reviewed for the necessity for a tube laparostomy, operational findings, the kind of surgical therapy administered, and the postoperative outcome. The information was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: A total of 194 patients were treated throughout the study period, with 122(62.88%) male and 72(37.12%) female, ranging in age from 3 to 60 (mean 33.5, ± 2.88 years). And the average number of days with symptoms was 5–30 (mean 14.94, ± 8.59 days). All patients (100%) had a high-degree fever and abdominal pain. On abdominal X-rays, pneumoperitoneum was discovered in 145(74.74%) patients. Before surgery, 49(25.25%) patients needed blood transfusions due to anemia. Although 49(25.25%) patients required further resuscitation and tube laparotomies, the first surgical procedures were conducted 24 hours later. 145(74.74%) patients were optimized and operated on within that time. One hundred eight patients (74.48%) had a single perforation, 31 patients (21.37%) had multiple perforations, and six patients (4.13%) had sealed perforations. Primary perforation repair was done in 61(42.06%) patients, while ileostomy was performed in 84 (57.93%) patients. After surgery, intra-abdominal collections were seen in 13 patients (26.53%), a ruptured abdomen in 3 patients (6.12%), and 33 cases (67.34%) of wound infection. Mortality was 7.21% overall. Conclusions: Due to prolonged illness, enteric perforation in adults and children usually presents as hemodynamic instability and sepsis. Thus, surgery is linked to significant morbidity and death rates regardless of the surgical approach. Keywords: Enteric perforation, gut perforation, clinical symptoms, Ileostomy, Tube laparostomy.
Ebeveynlerin Pandemi Sürecinde Dijital Ebeveynliğe Yönelik Deneyimleri
Authors: ŞİMŞEK Zeynep Ceren , CANBELDEK Merve , IŞIKOĞLU Nesrin
Published: March 2023

Bu araştırmada, pandemi sürecinde Türkiye’deki ebeveynlerin dijital ebeveynlik deneyimleri incelenmiştir. Araştırmaya 81 ilden, 3-6 yaş arası çocuğu olan 1346 ebeveyn katılmıştır. Veriler Dijital Ebeveynlik Anketi ve Dijital Oyun Ebeveyn Rehberlik Stratejileri Ölçeği ile toplanmıştır. Veriler yüzde, frekans ve faktöriyel varyans analizi (ANOVA) ile çözümlenmiştir. Bulgulara göre, ebeveynler çocuklarıyla dijital vatandaşlık hakkında konuşmakta ve dijital medyayı kullanmada doğru örnek olmaya dikkat etmektedirler. Çocuğunun ziyaret ettiği web site ve uygulamalarını takip ederek, filtreleme sağlayan ücretli ve ücretsiz yazılımlar kullanarak online risklere önlem almaktadırlar. Bir diğer bulguda, ebeveynlerin en sık kullandıkları bilgi edinme kaynakları, güvenlik bilgilerinin bulunduğu web siteleri, sosyal medya araçları, aile ve arkadaşları, çocuğunun okulu ve bilimsel kaynaklar şeklinde sıralanmıştır. Ebeveynlerin çoğu zaman aktif ebeveynlik stratejisini kullandığı, bazen teknik ebeveynliği, nadiren de dijitale yönlendiren ve serbest ebeveynlik stratejilerini tercih ettiği görülmektedir. Ayrıca çalışmada, 3-6 yaş grubu çocukların günlük toplam ekran kullanım süreleri ortalama 235 dk olduğu belirlenmiştir. Dijital ebeveynlik puanlarının eğitim düzeyi ve yaşanılan yere göre anlamlı olarak farklılaştığı saptanmıştır.
Beden Eğitimi Derslerinde Sosyal Adalet Paradigması
Authors: ŞAKAR Murat , KAĞNICI Dilek Yelda
Published: March 2023

Eğitim tüm çocukların en temel hakkı olsa da özellikle dezavantajlı gruplara mensup çocukların birçok zorluk ile karşı karşıya olduğu bilinen bir olgudur. Tüm bu zorlukların farkında olmak ve bu zorlukların ortadan kaldırılması için çalışmalar yürütmek gerekmektedir. Nitelikli eğitim” ve “ Eşitsizliklerin azaltılması” Birleşmiş Milletler Üyesi ülkeler tarafından 2030 sonuna kadar ulaşılması amaçlanan 17 Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları arasındadır. Eğitimde sosyal adalet, farklılıkların eğitimde yarattığı dezavantajlı durumların öğrencilerin akademik başarıları üzerindeki etkisini ortadan kaldırmayı ya da azaltmayı hedeflemektedir ve bu bağlamda öğretmenlere önemli sorumluluklar düşmektedir. Beden eğitimi sahip olduğu misyon ile çocukların çok boyutlu gelişiminde önemli bir yere sahiptir. Çocukların gelişimlerinin önündeki dezavantajlı konumlarından kaynaklı koşulların ortadan kaldırılması için çaba sarf etmek beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin önemli, güncel rollerinden biridir. Bu çalışmada bu bağlamda ilk olarak sosyal adalet kavramı ele alınmış, ardından beden eğitimde sosyal adalet konusu yurtiçi ve yurt dışı alanyazın ışığında tartışılmıştır. Son olarak beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin sosyal adalet bağlamında rol ve sorumlukları irdelenerek, çeşitli önerileri sunulmuştur.
Evaluación de la competencia pragmática de cuatro adultos españoles con discapacidad auditiva congénita a través del Protocolo Rápido de Evaluación Pragmática - Revisado
Authors: Pérez-Carreño Marina , Moraleda-Sepúlveda Esther
Published: March 2023

Numerosos estudios apuntan a las dificultades del lenguaje oral que pueden presentar las personas con discapacidad auditiva a lo largo de su desarrollo. No obstante, poco es conocido acerca del nivel de competencia pragmática que alcanzan y cómo esta área se desarrolla. En esta investigación se pretenden abordar las características pragmáticas de cuatro adultos españoles con discapacidad auditiva congénita a través del Protocolo Rápido de Evaluación Pragmática Revisado (PREP-R), que evalúa diferentes niveles de pragmática: textual, enunciativa e interactiva y, además, aporta un índice de habilidad pragmática general, específica y de base gramatical. Los participantes fueron evaluados mediante videograbaciones de muestras de lenguaje espontáneo en conversación con un familiar. Los resultados indican que, en general, los cuatro sujetos presentan un buen nivel de competencia pragmática, que se manifiesta a la hora de ajustar los actos de habla. Sin embargo, para regular su lenguaje, tienden a utilizar conductas compensatorias como: estrategias verbales que les permiten ganar tiempo extra para la construcción de sus emisiones, empleo de actos verbales y/o paraverbales compensatorios y el uso de gestos que completan su producción verbal. Estos datos indican que, aunque los participantes de este estudio presentan buenas habilidades pragmáticas, es necesario seguir desarrollando estrategias a nivel de intervención que les permitan comunicarse sin dificultades en diferentes contextos y con distintos interlocutores.