bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Product Positioning and Customer Targeting Practices Adopted by Small-Scale Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Affiah Eno . A. , Mina Elsie L Udom , Nwaguru Peter , John Nsikan , Okon Mercy G, D.
Published: September 2022

The study investigates the role of product positioning and customer targeting practices in small-scale manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. 385 small scale manufacturing firms registered with the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, Rivers State Chapter constituted the target population. The Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table was used to determine a sample size of 191. A structured questionnaire was designed by the researcher and administered to owners/managers of the SME manufacturing firms and responses analysed using means score and standard deviations to determine which practices are most adopted. Findings indicate that characteristics-based positioning was the most adopted product positioning practice while undifferentiated marketing was the most preferred customer targeting practice. It was concluded that product positioning and customer targeting play significant roles in providing a strategic direction for the small scale manufacturing firms.
Relationship between Brand Awareness and Competitive Advantage of Independent Petroleum Dealers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
Authors: Boinett Collins Kibet , Kibet Yusuf , Jemaiyo Beatrice
Published: September 2022

Consumers' value for a brand is known as "brand equity," and it is expressed in characteristics such as brand recognition, brand associations, perceived quality, brand loyalty, and other exclusive brand assets. The study's goal was to ascertain the connection between independent petroleum dealers' brand equity and competitive advantage in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. This paper examines the relationship between brand awareness and competitive advantage of independent petroleum dealers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The brand equity theory grounded the study. The research design was correlational. A stratified and simple random sampling procedure was used to choose 26 independent petroleum dealers from the target population, consisting of 28 independent petroleum dealers, and a sample size of 338 employees. The questionnaire was chosen as the method for gathering data. The collected data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The analysis and presentation of descriptive statistics took the form of frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. With the use of multiple regression analysis, the hypotheses were tested. From the study findings, majority of workers concurred, according to the study's findings, that branding had improved the gas station's visibility and raised its competitive edge. Additionally, majority of workers believed that strong branding had affected customers' buying decisions. Similarly, most of the customers found the petroleum brands easy to memorize. They also agreed that branding petroleum dealers would increase brand recognition of the gas station. The study found a significant and positive correlation between independent petroleum dealers' competitive advantage and brand awareness (p = 0.000). The study recommends that brand endorsement be given more weight in order to strengthen the competitive advantage of independent gasoline dealers in Uasin Gishu County.
Prevalence and clinical correlates of pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Al Miraj A K , Chowdhury Mohammad Rashal , Hossain Muhammad Kamal , Al – Saad Md. , Ullah Mohammad Ata , Kabir Md. Alamgir
Published: September 2022

Development of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) worsens prognosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and can be either isolated precapillary PAH or secondary to interstitial lung disease (ILD). Early diagnosis is of crucial importance. There is scarcity of data on PAH in patients with SSc in Bangladesh. The objective if the study is to determine the Prevalence and clinical correlates of pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis. Clinical and functional characteristics of 100 patients of systemic sclerosis were studied and they were evaluated by echocardiography to detect pulmonary artery hypertension. Our objective was to study the prevalence and the clinical correlation of PAH in SSc. PAH was found in 29% patients on echocardiography. Prevalence tend to increase with age of onset and duration of disease. However, it did not differ significantly between patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc). On binary logistic regression analysis, none of the studied variables had any independent influence on development of PAH. PAH in SSc occurs in a remarkable proportion (29%) of patients without any ominous signs in early stages. Non-invasive screening of patients with SSc for PAH will help in early diagnosis and appropriate timely therapeutic intervention before significant end-organ damage occurs.
Effects of Epigenetic Groups & Chromosomal Proteins on Human Genome Expression by way of its genes and Universal Reactions of Matter
Authors: Eriso⃰ Feleke
Published: September 2022

When chemical compounds are added onto single genes, they attach or bind to a gene/s or chromosomal proteins. The attachment or binding of these chemicals cause modifications or changes in the activities of the genes (with no change in DNA sequence). These functional changes of the genes are referred to as Epigenetic Modifications whereas the study of the epigenetic modification and its causative agents is known as Epigenetics. The epigenetic group (chemical) attached to a gene regulates the function of the gene without any change in the DNA sequence. The key objective of this study is to impart the fact that human Genome is a supersensitive molecular machine based on its responses to epigenetic groups & chromosomal proteins. Cancer is a group of diseases arising in part from: ►1. Chromosomal abnormalities and mutations in tumor-suppressor genes & oncogenes, and ►2. Epigenetic modifications. The main aim of universal reactions of matter is to improve or to make better the living standards and to create the safest conditions possible for humans in each country of the planet (Earth). Based on the main aim of universal reactions of matter, China has become the model country on Earth with surprising & drastic growth in economy, science and technology; and also, being one of the safest countries in the world for its residents & tourists.
Exposure to Electronic Device Screen and Its Health Implications Among Undergraduate Students in Ogun State, Nigeria
Authors: Oladosu Timothy Olatunji , Omokanye Christopher Oluwatosin , Awoseemo Aderonke Bosede , Olabisi Oluwaseyi Isaiah , Adedeji Peter Oluyemi
Published: September 2022

The study examined the effects of electronic device screen exposure on undergraduate students' health. The goal of this study is to determine the level of screen exposure, the consequences on overall health, and the level of screen addiction among undergraduate students of Babcock University. Primary data was gathered, the study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. The Taro Yamane sampling formula was used to calculate a sample size of 379. The study utilized standardized questionnaires (QueST, PSQI, and Multiple Screen Addiction Scale). The study found a high level of screen exposure among Babcock University undergraduate students on weekdays 8.38(SD=2.89) and a higher level of exposure on weekends 11.50 (SD=1.65). The data also demonstrate that screen exposure has a negative impact on sleep, as the PSQI Component/Domain indicated a sleep disturbance of 0.47(SD=0.40). The study also discovered that Babcock University students are addicted to screens, with an average screen time of 10.83 hours (SD=3.61). Health educators should focus on encouraging undergraduate students to prioritize their sleep hours and assisting them in overcoming barriers to adequate sleep, such as excessive screen time. Students should be provided with and encouraged to use anti-glare or anti-blue ray protectors as part of routine eye examinations.
Assessment of Food Safety Standards of Eating Housing in Calabar South Local Government Area
Authors: Elijah Reham , O'Neill Mary Emmanuel , Offiong Grace , Eze Offiong
Published: September 2022

The main aim of the study is to examine Assessment of Food Safety Standards of Eating Housing in Calabar South Local Government Area. To achieve this, two specific objectives were raised from which the research questions and hypothesis were formulated in line with the variable of the study. The study adopted a survey research design. The sample of the study was 110 respondents selected using a simple random sampling technique. The instrument used was questionnaire to gather information for the study. Chi-Square analysis was used for the analysis of the data at 5% level of significance. The result of the findings in hypothesis one revealed there is significant relationship between the structure layout of eating houses and the safety of food. It was also discovered in hypothesis two there is significant relationship between the the type of equipment and the quality of food in eating houses. The study conclusion that food safety can help your restaurant to maintain profits and minimise wastage as it acts as a benchmark for quality control. Much less food will be wasted once your staff are fully trained in food safety and hygiene best practices. Two additional benefits are that your kitchen will become more cost-effective, and your reputation as a provider of high-quality food will improve. The study recommended that laws should be enacted and properly enforced on the proper layout of eating houses in order to minimize the distances raw food materials are to be passed from one unit to another. Secondly, equipments used for preparation and consumption of food should be kept in hygienic condition and at all times.
A Robust System for Detecting and Preventing Payloads Attacks on Web-Applications Using Recurrent Neural Network (RNN)
Authors: Taylor O. E , Ezekiel P. S.
Published: September 2022

Due to the growing rate of Internet usage, web apps have become the most popular Internet application. This has made web applications a significant objective for cyber-criminals; thereby, carrying various attacks on web applications like Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Structured Query Language Injection and Shell attacks. Because of the high rate of web-based assault, this paper presents a robust framework for detecting and preventing multiple payload attacks on web applications. In this paper, an RNN model was trained on a dataset that contains different categories of assaults that are carried out on web applications. These attacks include: XSS, SQLi, and Shell. Random Over Sampling approach was used to resolve the problem of highly imbalanced dataset which prepared the dataset for preprocessing. After solving the imbalanced problem, pre-processing was then carried out on the dataset by performing data cleaning and tokenization. The tokenized data was transformed into an array which was used in feeding our RNN model as input. Our proposed model was trained on two (2) epochs, where each of the epochs shows the accuracy and loss values obtained by the model for both training and testing data. After training, our proposed RNN model gave us an accuracy of 99.96% for testing data and 99.91% for training data. We also deployed our RNN model to the web by making use of a python flask to build a robust system for detecting and preventing different payload attacks on web applications. This paper is limited to web-application attacks.
GIS in the Management and Monitoring of Transport System
Authors: Alhaj Mawahib Kamal , Abdalla Ashraf Gasim Elsid
Published: September 2022

This paper presents the transportation system in Khartoum state in Sudan. Transportation systems in Khartoum state, managed by two separated bodies within the Ministry of Transport & Infrastructure. those are (road bridges authority and transportation department). This led to duplication of planning and overstrain administrative and large financial cost. The data gather from the Transportation Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure and transportation. Then an integration scenario for the management is proposed and a monitoring tool was implemented using Geographical information system. GIS data modeling has been proposed to create by languages php connected by free geo database. The results of the simulation show The administration has been able to solve the problem of transportation crises and traffic jams currently and in the future.
Usage of GIS in system planning and management of infrastructures projects
Authors: Alhaj Mawahib Kamal , Abdalla Ashraf Gasim Elsid
Published: September 2022

These days, governmental and private institutions face many challenges in the fields of service management and emergency and crisis management (transportation, roads, communications, water and electricity, urban planning, transportation, ... etc) . These challenges are represented in providing quick and accurate information that helps managers making decisions for daily matters, managing resources and future planning, as well as managing crises and disasters and dealing with emergencies, which led to thinking seriously about creating programs that have the characteristics of providing information accurately and easily and linking them to services to help the decision maker, Geographic information systems provide that. This paper reviews a group of researches in various areas of services, in which researchers used geographic information systems to address problems and find appropriate solution. As the geographic information systems are distinguished by the ability to create huge data bases and link them to the phenomenon (the field of service) in a spatial manner (the location on the map of the service). The researchers recommend in the future to use the geographic information systems programs in the techniques of managing and distributing services because of its huge potential in presenting problems and shortcomings and providing ideal solutions.
Text genres, readability and readers’ comprehensibility
Authors: Li Wenchao
Published: September 2022

This study applies mathematical linguistics to explore the association between text genres, readability and readers’ comprehensibility. The target readers are students from Korea, Thailand and China, studying in Japanese universities, pursuing 20 different disciplines. Japanese is their third language, and all students have passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Level 1. The textbook’s readability and readers’ comprehensibility are measured at two levels using two metrics. Mean dependency distance (MDD) is employed for measuring syntactic diversity; moving-average morphological richness (MAMR) and moving-average mean size of paradigm (MAMSP) are calculated for measuring lexicon diversity. The findings indicate that in terms of lexical diversity, textbooks of humanities seem simpler than natural science and engineering. In syntactic complexity, the textbook of informatics shows the simplest structure while that of social welfare presents the highest. Text genres relate to a textbook’s readability and eventually influence readers’ comprehensibility. Moreover, lexical diversity is not corelated to syntactic complexity.
Pengaruh Kualitas Produk dan Harga Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Produk Cat Coating PT Ezzer Kemindo Muliatama Bekasi
Authors: Astiani Sylvia , Marpaung Netti Natarida
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of product quality and price on the decision to purchase paint coating products at PT.Ezzer Kemindo Muliatama. Product Quality (X1), price (X2) and purchase decision (Y). The population of this study is the consumer of PT. Ezzer Kemindo Muliatama. Primary data was obtained by distributing questionnaires to all 79 correspondents. Secondary data is obtained from library sources and research journals. The method used is a descriptive method with data collection through questionnaires and observations. Likewise, from the hypothesis on the test t get partially significant hypothesis results. It can be proven by the value of significance evidenced by the value of significance on the test f obtained the value of significance (Sig) for the simultaneous influence of X1 and X2 against Y is 0.000 < 0.05 and the value Fhi numera 25,671 > Ftabel 3.11, so it can be concluded that the H3 hypothesis is simultaneously accepted significantly strongly.

Abstrak

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh kualitas produk dan harga terhadap keputusan pembelian produk cat coating pada PT.Ezzer Kemindo Muliatama. Kualitas Produk (X1), Harga (X2) dan Keputusan Pembelian (Y). Populasi penelitian ini adalah konsumen PT. Ezzer Kemindo Muliatama. Data primer diperoleh dengan menyebarkan kuesioner kepada 79 koresponden. Data sekunder diperoleh dari sumber pustaka dan jurnal penelitian. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode deskriptif dengan pengumpulan data melalui angket dan observasi. Demikian juga dari hipotesis pada uji t diperoleh hasil hipotesis yang signifikan secara parsial. Hal ini dapat dibuktikan dengan nilai signifikansi yang dibuktikan dengan nilai signifikansi pada uji f diperoleh nilai signifikansi (Sig) untuk pengaruh simultan X1 dan X2 terhadap Y adalah 0,000 < 0,05 dan nilai Fhi numera 25,671 > Ftabel 3,11 , sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa hipotesis H3 secara simultan diterima kuat secara signifikan.
Pengaruh Kualitas Produk dan Pelayanan Terhadap Kepuasan Pelanggan Handphone Merek OPPO Studi Giant Mega Mall Kota Bekasi
Authors: Luwarto Sugeng
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of Product and Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction of Oppo Smartphones in Giant Mall Bekasi City. This research is categorized as survey research, with the research instrument in the form of a questionnaire. This research is a population study with 80 respondents. The validity test of the instrument used Confirmatory Factor Analysis while the reliability test used Cronbach Alpha. The analysis technique used is multiple linear regression test. The results of the study found that the Product and Service Quality has a positive effect on Customer Satisfaction of Oppo Smartphone at Giant Mall Bekasi City.

Abstrak

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh Kualitas Produk dan Layanan terhadap Kepuasan Pelanggan Smartphone Oppo di Giant Mall Kota Bekasi. Penelitian ini termasuk penelitian survei, dengan instrumen penelitian berupa angket. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian populasi dengan jumlah responden 80 orang. Uji validitas instrumen menggunakan Confirmatory Factor Analysis sedangkan uji reliabilitas menggunakan Cronbach Alpha. Teknik analisis yang digunakan adalah uji regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian menemukan bahwa Kualitas Produk dan Layanan berpengaruh positif terhadap Kepuasan Pelanggan Smartphone Oppo di Giant Mall Kota Bekasi.
Risk Factors and National Burden of Selected Noncommunicable Diseases in People Living with HIV: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and, Disability-Adjusted Life Years protocol
Authors:   Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol university, Trachunthong Deondara , Chumseng Suchintana , Darasawang Worrayot , Tipayamongkholgul Mathuros
Published: September 2022

Review question / Objective: 1. Are the prevalence/incidence of four major groups of NCDs including MetS, DM, CVD, and CKD different among adults with and without HIV infection? 2. Are there relationships between HIV status, ART (ART use, short and long-term effects of ART), traditional risk factors (BMI), and the development of four major NCDs? 3. Does the trend of NCDs burden attributable to HIV in Thailand increase according to the time? Information sources: 1. Electronic databases: the following databases will be searched: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library Thai journals online (ThaiJO), Thai digital collection (TDC), Thai journal index (TJI), and Thai-journal citation index (TCI). 2. Authors or experts in the field will be contacted through emails for any relevant data, results and information.
First molecularly substantiated records of the pond snail Ampullaceana fontinalis in the Siverskyi Donets River Basin, Ukraine (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae)
Authors: Pisaryev Sergiy M. , Utevsky Serge Y.
Published: September 2022

Ampullaceana fontinalis (Studer, 1820) has not been considered as a separate species for a long time. Here we present new records of A. fontinalis for tributaries of the Siverskyi Donets River in Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine based on sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase gene and morphological characters. The newly generated sequences joined the clade of A. fontinalis and entered different subclades within it. The genetic diversity observed in the study area suggests separate evolutionary histories of geographically proximal populations of A. fontinalis. Our phylogenetic analysis confirmed species-level monophyletic groups of Ampullaceana ampla (Hartmann, 1821), Ampullaceana dipkunensis (Gundrizer & Starobogatov 1979), Ampullaceana balthica (Linnaeus, 1758), Ampullaceana lagotis (Schrank, 1803) and Ampullaceana fontinalis (Studer, 1820). The low statistical support of the latter may be attributed to the single-gene phylogeny and may be enhanced by analyzing more loci and samples.
Biological Activities on Geopolymeric and Ordinary Concretes
Authors: KE Buczkowska , V Ruzek , Louda Petr , M Bousa , B Yalcinkaya
Published: September 2022

The primary purpose of the review is to describe the biological growth and its effects on the goepolymeric and ordinary concrete surfaces. As the concrete ages, the surface alkalinity wears off by carbonation and weathering,thus prepares a suitable environment for biological growth. Micro-organisms such as algae, fungi and various types of bacteria start to accumulate on the surface and subsequently penetrate into the micro-cracks of concrete structures, resulting in bursting stresses that can increase the size of cracks and may lead to spalling. Despite the natural resistance of concrete structures against biological growth in the early periods, anti-bacterial additives increase the resistance later.
Laughter and Humor is a Serious Thing
Authors: Chernik Valerii
Published: September 2022

They say that modern teachers lack a sense of humor, cheerfulness, and optimism. This reduces the efficiency of pedagogical work. The author of the article believes that it is possible to learn to laugh and joke, to develop the ability not to lose heart, to understand and use a joke in one's work. How to do it in work with children and adults? What contributes to this? What is the relationship between student and children's subcultures? How their laughter character is manifested and how is the laughter culture of a person formed? This will be discussed in the article that may be useful to parents, teachers and students of pedagogical specialties-future educators.
Systematic Review of Pattern and Prevalence of Drug use Associated with Domestic Violence
Authors: AK Nkporbu , IK Oti
Published: September 2022

Background: Abuse of substance is now recognized as a significant public health problem worldwide. Domestic violence is as serious a cause of death and incapacity among women aged 15-49 years as cancer. Associations have been established between substance abuse and domestic violence. Abused women have more than double the number of medical visits and 8-fold greater mental healthcare usage. Aim: To examine the pattern and prevalence of drug use and associated domestic violence. Design: A systematic review. Data sources: Systematic search for worldwide published literature from Medline, Embase, Cinahl, ASSIA, ISI, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, databases. Study eligibility criteria: Studies included in this review reported the methods and/or measures for the pattern and prevalence of drug use and associated domestic violence Data extraction: The study results were interpreted with respect to their sample size, level of evidence, risk of bias, and level of heterogeneity/homogeneity. Result: Out of a total of 1,506 publications, which were reduced to 254 after screening the titles and abstracts to assess whether the contents were likely to be within the scope of the review. The researcher also checked and removed studies not meeting the inclusion criteria, accounting for 180 studies removed. A further 64 studies were excluded because they were largely narratives about domestic violence cases, studies of risk factors rather than prevalence or were predominately review articles. 10 studies satisfied all the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Conclusion: Sensitization to the problem of domestic violence with a background of drug abuse should be incorporated not only in medical training, but into governmental, legal, and judicial organizations. Future research should seek to recognize cultural differences in family functioning without necessarily viewing such differences as 'deviant' or 'pathological'.
The Effects of Virtual Gaming on Lower Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Narrative Review
Authors: M Washington , RA Owens , JA Moody
Published: September 2022

Background: Investigations into the use of virtual gaming, focussing on its effect on lower extremity function within therapy of children with cerebral palsy is conspicuous by its absence. Purpose: The aim of this review is to provide an evidence-based account and associated discussion surrounding current research in the area. Data sources: A literature search of ‘PubMed’, ‘Google Scholar’ and ‘MetSearch’ with relevant keywords, with article inclusion requiring publication between 2011 and 2021 was completed. Content: Virtual reality influences multiple lower extremity functions when compared to conventional therapy or no therapy. However, information surrounding optimal prescription and participant characteristics is not evident. Implications: Virtual gaming for use concurrently with other therapies is recommended, with the requirement for further high-quality research to advance the use of virtual gaming further and individual dose response.
Inflammation and Diabetic Kidney Disease: New Perspectives
Authors: Jorge Rico-Fontalvo , Rodrigo Daza-Arnedo , Tomas Rodriguez-Yanez , Maria Cristina Martinez-Avila , Jose Cabrales , Maria Ximena Cardona-Blanco , Amilkar Almanza-Hurtado , Isabella Uparella-Gulfo , Oscar Vergara-Serpa
Published: September 2022

Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) can occur in approximately 30-40% of the population with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus around the world. In the pathogenesis and progression the Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD), three fundamental axes are distinguished: hemodynamic, metabolic and inflammatory. The primary purpose of the review is to describe the role and mechanisms related to inflammation in the course of this disease. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development and progression of DKD include different pathways present long before the clinical diagnosis of the disease. Inflammation is a complex mechanism where innate and acquired immunity play an important role, in addition to other factors such as oxidative stress and end products of glycation that in one way or another would be linked to this process of inflammation. We cannot forget the contribution in this axis of inflammation of the well-known aldosterone escape phenomenon. The blockade of the Mineralocorticoid Receptor (MRA) inactivates the action of aldosterone and prevents the genomic and non-genomic response from interacting with the receptor, thus decreasing the degree of inflammation and remodeling in the heart and kidney. Finally, there are many territories to explore in this fascinating universe of inflammation as a mechanism of kidney damage in diabetic patients. Current management of DKD with innovative interventions point to this multitarget approach.
Environmental Surveillance of Poliovirus in Four Districts within Two Regions of Ghana
Authors: Obese-Djomoah Ernest , Obodai Evangeline , Gbevi Emmanuel , Duker Ewurabena , Attiku Keren , Eshun Miriam , Boahene Bismarck , Nuvor Samuel Victor , Odoom John Kofi
Published: September 2022

The eradication of poliovirus is at its last phase through the efforts and strategies of Global Polio Eradication Initiation (GPEI). There are very few countries that are still endemic with Wild Poliovirus (WPV) and others with circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus (cVDPV). The aim of the study was to detect silent circulation of WPV and VDPV in four districts within the Eastern and Volta region of Ghana. A systematic longitudinal design was used for the study. The convenient sampling technique was used to collect the samples every four weeks from two open and close sewage systems. The open sewage systems were located in New Juabeng and Ho districts while the close sewage systems were located in Asuogyaman and Ketu South districts. A total of 35 sewage samples were collected from September 2018 to May 2019. L20B and RD cell lines were used for the purification of Poliovirus (PV) while real-time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) was use to characterize the serotypes of the PVs. The findings of the study showed that the prevalence of Non-Polio Enterovirus (NPEV) and Sabin were 65.71% and 14.29% respectively. The characterized Sabins were serotype 1 and serotype 3 which were circulating in the two districts within the Eastern Region. The study did not detect any WPV and VDPV but isolated Sabin strains of the poliovirus. This necessitates the need for continuous environmental surveillance for poliovirus nationwide.
Affecting the Pedagogy of Death by COVID-19
Authors: Ramos-Pla Anabel
Published: September 2022

Death is one of the most prevailing social and pedagogical taboos in our western society [1-6]. Taking this context into account, we are committed to the application of a preventive pedagogy on death -understood as the teaching of death prior to the tragic event- as a transversal and radical axis in schools in order to promote its normalisation [7-10], to promote the comprehensive education of students and avoid possible pathological grief [11-14].
A Single Amino Acid Change in Perforin-1: Two Patients with Severe and Recurrent HLH
Authors: V Cunill , A Molina-Fuentes , MR Jimenez , J Iglesias , M Estevez , V Daza-Cajigal , C Gual , C Ballester , MA Duran , N Martinez-Pomar
Published: September 2022

Biallelic mutations in several genes associated with cytotoxic lymphocytes function has been related to Familial HLH (FHLH). The clinical presentation of primary and acquired HLH may be indistinguishable, and both forms are commonly triggered by infections. FHLH is well described in children but in the last decade several late-onset cases have been reported. We report the clinical and immunological characteristics of two adult patients carrying a single variant in Perforin-1. Patient-1, p.A91V carrier, was diagnosed of B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and suffered leishmaniosis with severe progression of HLH disease that leads to death. Patient-2, carrier of p.R4H, suffered two HLH episodes in the context of HIV infection. The severity and the recurrence of the disease may suggest that these single PRF1 variants could predispose to immune-mediated disease. Future studies are needed to understand the role of these variants in the development of the disease.
A New CpG ODN Induces a Fine-Tuning of Innate Response Resulting in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Containment
Authors: Cappelli Giulia , Giovannini Daniela , Basso Annalisa , Serafino Annalucia , Andreola Federica , Colizzi Vittorio , Mariani Francesca
Published: September 2022

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing bacterial CpG motifs trigger an immunomodulatory response that correlates with both the CpG hhhexamers and their flanking regions. In this study, four new phosphodiester backbone CpG ODNs were studied in the contest of the innate immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. Two out of the four CpG ODNs (CpG2 and CpG3) displayed significant and opposite immunomodulatory effects: CpG2 enhanced MTB containment by human Monocyte-Derived-Macrophages (MDM), while CpG3 promoted an increased pathogen growth, higher ROS and Labile Iron Pool (LIP) levels. Accordingly, for iron homeostasis genes transcription, CpG2 and CpG3 induced, respectively, an iron retention and iron release phenotype. Moreover, CpG2 induced NLRC4 and TRAF6 gene expression and repressed IKK alpha and TREM1 while CpG3 induced PPBP and IL-36 RN and repressed TRAF6, IL-1B, IL-1R2 and NF-kB2. After MTB infection, CpG2 increased the release of soluble TREM1 protein among many others as compared with fewer innate response-associated proteins induced by CpG3. We suggest that CpG2 helps the containment of MTB infection, by inducing an early tight balance of MDM activation players, including LIP, chemokines, ROS and TREM1 receptors. Oppositely, CpG3 induces in MDM an excessive and unregulated inflammatory response unable to contain MTB infection.
Studies on the Anti-Pulmonary Fibrotic Effect of FGF-2-Targeting Binding Peptide G8
Authors: Lan Peiji , Wang Yuan , Li Wei , Wang Ju
Published: September 2022

In our previous research, all the data showed that FGF-2 was very possible to be a new target for inhibiting lung fibrosis. Therefore, we plan to find the specific and small peptides to block FGF-2 signaling, hoping to develop a new scheme to treat pulmonary fibrosis better than FGF. Receptor extracellular domain. As a result, we biopanned several peptides through phage display technology, and finally got G8 which is the strongest peptide binding to FGF-2. Studies have found that G8 is almost non-toxic to L929 mouse lung fibroblast cells. In mouse bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model, the lung coefficient of the rats decreased significantly after 30 days of G8 treatment, the ground glass shadow decreases in CT scan, also the collagen deposition was alleviated dramatically (Masson staining), which suggests that the pulmonary fibrosis has been inhibited dramatically. And all above results are better than Pirfenidone (PFD) treatment group. The studies suggests obviously that G8 antagonizes the promoting effect of FGF-2 in the lung fibrotic process, which has a predictable applicating prospect.
Mechanisms and Treatment of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness in Athletes - A Review
Authors: McKeigue Mark E , Liang Michael TC , Ulety Kristen , Allen Thomas Wesley
Published: September 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study is to review mechanisms for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and the pharmacological treatment options with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Method: Our review of published research literature was based on an appropriate number of subjects included in the study with a statistical power of .80 or higher and an effect size of .30 or higher. In the case of review articles, two cited references from each article where significant data were used to establish the conclusion were examined for type II error using the criteria mentioned above. Our review also includes inflammation, tissue damage, and the treatment of DOMS with both selective and non-selective NSAIDs. Results: Frequently cited mechanisms of DOMS are "mechanical strain" and "metabolic overload" within the muscle structure. The inflammation associated with DOMS is caused by eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. NSAIDs inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and/or block cyclooxygenase and there by reduce the pain and swelling associated with inflammation. There are both selective and non-selective NSAIDs, the former being the COX-2 inhibitors (e.g., celecoxib) and the later (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin). Conclusion: For the treatment of DOMS, naproxen taken at anti­inflammation levels for at least 3 days shows the most consistent results for improving the recovery rate of affected muscle.
Functional Foods: A Glimpse into Beneficial Microorganisms in Gastrointestinal Diseases
Authors: Castillo Daniela , Cruz Mario , Rodriguez-Jasso Rosa M , Ruiz Hector , Belmares Ruth
Published: September 2022

Gut microbiota the “virtual organ” plays a contributory role in the maintaining of human health as well as in the development of gastrointestinal diseases due to intervenes in digestion and metabolism. In this context is relevant to clarify the mechanisms of interaction of the intestinal microbiota with macromolecules for potential therapeutic applications and how bacterial growth or inhibition affect human health. This article reviewed the interaction of beneficial gut microbiota bacteria such as the bifidobacterium, eubacterium, roseburia, bacteroides, faecalibacteriummand lactobacillus genera with food macromolecules (carbohydrates, protein, lipids). It also summarized the way in which gastrointestinal diseases and gut microbiota are related in diabetes, obesity and irritable bowel syndrome as well as the perspectives of how functional foods such as prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics can be used as a dietary therapy for the modulation of gut microbiota.
Metrics of the Biometrics: The Steady Growth of an Interdisciplinary Field
Authors: Bernik Delia L
Published: September 2022

The word biometry or its derivative, biometrics, depicts the need for close interdisciplinary research among big data systems, mathematics, and statistical sciences. Reports headed with the word biometrics are constantly increasing. Below, the information provided by databases evidences the expansion and evolution from the original main biological topics to new research areas.
Improving Patient Safety by Utilizing Intelligence Informatics of Nursing Healthcare System
Authors: Chen Mei-Chu , Wu Mei-Wen , Lin Sing-Jyun , Huang Hsiu-Mei , Chang Shu-Chen
Published: September 2022

Based on Changhua Christian Hospital dataset, it shows the completeness of the chart recordings of the nursing end reached 79%; it might greatly affect clinical patient care. In accordance with global shortage of nursing manpower and contemporary technology, it is essential to formulate a health care system that can cater to both nursing peroneal as well as improving first line quality of care.
Workplace Violence on Physicians and Nurses: Causes and Pre-Violence Suggested Solutions
Authors: Beithou Nabil
Published: September 2022

One of the important occupational health problems is violence. Violence is more prevalent among physicians and nurses in psychiatric and emergency departments in Jordan public hospitals. Causes of this phenomenon are associated with different causatives such as hospitals facilities (including beds, medication, oxygen… etc.), hospital staff, ministry of health and patients with their families. In this work violence on physicians and nurses in Jordan hospitals is analyzed based on the causes of violence. Solutions are searched upon the causatives of these actions not only on education, training and toughening punishment. Results of this work showed that 58.3 % of violence is due to hospital facilities and staff, 25% government actions and 17.7 % due to patients and their families. This work suggests investing more in healthcare institutions, provide more skilled staff, introduce a management procedure following incidents, preventive policies and improving health institutional facilities by applying programs for medicine inventory control, human factors and management techniques.
Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisinin Panel Veri Yöntemleri ile Güncel Geçerliliği
Authors: ARSLAN GÜRDAL Halime , GÜRBÜZ Hüseyin
Published: September 2022

Çevresel sorunların küresel ölçekte gündeme gelmesiyle birlikte çevresel sorunların, ekonomik kalkınmadan ve toplumsal faktörlerden bağımsız olarak ele alınamayacağı, bu faktörlerin birbirleriyle ilişkilerinin boyutlarının ve yönünün bir bütün olarak incelenmesi gerekliliği ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu doğrultuda çevre kalitesi ve ekonomik büyüme arasındaki ilişkinin varlığı ve biçimine ilişkin Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi (ÇKE) hipotezi ortaya konulmuştur. Bu hipotez temelde Çevresel bozulma ile ekonomik büyüme arasında bir ilişkinin olduğunu ve ekonomik büyümenin ilk evresinde çevresel bozulmalar gözlemlenirken, ekonomik büyümenin belirli bir noktaya ulaşmasından sonra çevresel bozulmanın giderek azaldığını ileri sürmektedir.

G7 ülkeleri (Almanya, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, İngiltere, İtalya, Fransa, Japonya ve Kanada) için Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi hipotezinin geçerli olup olmadığı doğrusal panel veri yöntemleri ile araştırılması bu çalışmanın amacını oluşturmaktadır. 1981-2018 dönemini kapsayan, kişi başı GSYH, kişi başı CO2 emisyonu ve nüfus artış hızı değişkenleri veri seti olarak ele alınmıştır. İlk olarak, çalışmada kullanılan değişkenlere ait serilerin yatay kesit bağımlılıkları incelenmiş ve durağanlıkları panel birim kök testleri ile analiz edilmiştir. Panelde değişkenler arasında uzun dönemli ilişkinin olup olmadığını test etmek için panel eş bütünleşme testleri uygulanmış ve uzun dönem katsayıların tahmini yapılarak ÇKE geçerliliği sınanmıştır. Yapılan analizler sonucunda G7 ülkelerinde Çevresel Kuznets eğrisinin geçerli olduğu belirlenmiştir. Buna göre kişi başına GSYH, 34453,59$ değerine ulaştığında çevresel bozulmada azalış yönünde eğilimin olacağı saptanmıştır.
Demokrasinin Türküsünü Söylemek: Demokratik Değerler Bağlamında Neşet Ertaş Türkülerinin Söylemsel Analizi
Authors: ÇİFCİ Yusuf
Published: September 2022

Bu çalışmanın konusunu Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söyleminin demokratik değerler ekseninde incelenmesi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada demokratik değerler çerçevesinde Neşet Ertaş’ın türkülerinin söylem analizi yapılmaktadır. İnceleme üç bölümden oluşmaktadır. Birinci bölümde demokrasi ve demokratik değer kavramları işlenmektedir. Ana ve alt demokratik değerler anlatıldıktan sonra çalışmanın ikinci bölümünde müzikal değerlerin demokratik değerlere yaptığı olumlu ya da olumsuz etkilere değinilmektedir. Bu bağlamda bir sanatçının müzikal söyleminde işlediği konulara bağlı olarak müziğin demokratik ya da anti demokratik değerleri beslediği örneklerle açıklanmaktadır. Üçüncü ve son bölümde Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söylemi, insan merkezcilik, hoşgörü, çoğulculuk, ayrımcılık, ötekileştirme ve şiddet gibi demokratik ve anti demokratik değerler ekseninde mercek altına alınmaktadır. Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söyleminde demokratik bir değer olarak insan merkezcilik, hoşgörü ve uzlaşı unsurları hakimdir. Bunun karşıtında Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söyleminde ayrımcılık, ötekileştirme ve şiddet gibi anti demokratik değerlere hiç rastlanılmamaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı, Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söylemindeki demokratik değerlerin tasnif edilmesidir. Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söylemindeki demokratik değerleri soruşturduğu için bu çalışma, literatüre özel bir katkı sunmaktadır. Demokrasi teorisi içinde Neşet Ertaş’ın müzikal söylemini konumlandırma çabasında olması nedeniyle çalışmanın başlı başına bir önem ihtiva ettiği söylenebilir. Çalışmada nitel teori merkezinde söylem analizi tekniği kullanılmıştır. Çalışmanın birinci ve ikinci bölümlerinde nitel teori ekseninde bir inceleme yürütülmüştür. Çalışmanın son bölümünde ise Neşet Ertaş türküleri merkezinde söylem analizi tekniğinden faydalanılmıştır.
E-devlet Performanslarının SD Tabanlı Copras Yöntemi ile Analizi: G20 Ülkeleri Örneği
Authors: ALTINTAŞ Furkan Fahri
Published: September 2022

Özellikle büyük ekonomilere sahip olan ülkelerin e-devlet konusundaki stratejileri ve faaliyetleri küresel anlamda ekonomiyi ve ekonomi ile ilişkili olan diğer boyutları etkileyebilmektedir. Dolayısıyla büyük ekonomilere sahip olan ülkelerin e-devlet performanslarının ölçümü ve analizi büyük önem arz etmektedir. Bu kapsamda araştırmada, G20 grubunda yer alan ülke düzeyindeki 19 büyük ekonominin en son ve güncel olan 2020 yılı için E-Devlet Gelişim Endeksi (EGDI) bileşen değerleri üzerinden söz konusu ülkelerin e-devlet performansları SD (Standart Sapma) temelli COPRAS yöntemi ile ölçülmüştür. Araştırmada ilk olarak SD yöntemi ile ülkeler açısından en önemli EGDI bileşeninin ‘’Telekomünikasyon Altyapı Endeksi’’ olduğu belirlenmiştir. İkinci olarak SD temelli COPRAS yöntemine göre e-devlet performansı en fazla olan ilk üç ülkenin Güney Kore, İngiltere ve Avustralya, en az olan ilk üç ülkenin ise Hindistan, Endonezya ve Güney Afrika olduğu bulgusuna ulaşılmıştır. Araştırmada ayrıca ülkelerin ortalama e-devlet performansları ölçülmüş olup, söz konusu ortalama e-devlet performans değerinden fazla performansa sahip olan ülkelerin ABD, Almanya, Arjantin, Avustralya, Fransa, İngiltere, İtalya, Japonya, Kanada, Rusya ve Suudi Arabistan olduğu gözlenmiştir. Bu bulguya göre, ortalama e-devlet performans değerinin altında kalan ülkelerin küresel ekonomiye katkılarını artırmaları için e-devlet performanslarını artırmaları gerektiği değerlendirilmiştir. Üçüncü olarak yöntem açısından duyarlılık, ayırım ve korelâsyon analizlerine göre EGDI’nın SD temelli COPRAS yöntemi ile açıklanabileceği sonucuna erişilmiştir.
Dış Politika Karar Alma Süreçlerine Etkileri Bağlamında Türk Dış Politikasında Ermeniler
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Yasin
Published: September 2022

Devletlerin dış politika karar alma süreçlerini etkileyen çok sayıda faktör vardır. Bu faktörlerden bir tanesi de iç sosyo-politik yapıdır. Bu yapı içerisinde çok etnisiteli düzen, bu düzen içinde de etnik azınlık grupların etkisi çok büyüktür. Özellikle etnik grupların toplam nüfus içerisindeki oranı, bağımsızlık talebinde bulunup bulunmamaları, vatandaşı oldukları devletin demokratik gelişmişlik düzeyi ve bağımsızlık talebinde bulunan etnik azınlık grupların bağımsızlık yolunda kullandıkları araçlar, çok etnisiteli devletlerin dış politika karar alma süreçlerinde büyük önem arz etmektedir. Etnik azınlıkların karar alma süreçlerine etki yöntemleri kimi zaman demokratik olmayan yöntemleri de kapsar ki bunlardan bir tanesi de etnik temelli terör örgütlerinin varlığıdır. Etnik temelli terör örgütleri iç sosyo-politik yapının dış politika karar alma süreçlerine etkisinin görülmesi aşamasında önemli bir faktördür. Uluslararası sistemin ilgisinin kazanılması için terör örgütlerinin varlığı büyük önem arz etmektedir. Uluslararası aktörlerin de müdahil olması devletlerin iç-dış politikada karar ve karar alma süreçlerine önemli ölçüde tesir etmektedir, bu yüzden de etnik azınlıklar ve etnik temelli terör örgütlerinin varlığı devletlerin iç ve dış politik yönelimleri için etkin bir yönlendirme aracı olabilmektedir. Ermeni meselesi ve Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) örgütü de bu bağlamda Türk dış politikası karar alma süreçlerinde tarihten günümüze önemli etki doğuran aktör ve faktörlerden olmuştur.