bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sacubitril/valsartan: from the PARADIGM-HF trial results to heart failure patients in internal medicine. A narrative review
Authors: Verdiani Valerio
Published: March 2021

Data regarding the treatment of heart failure (HF) patients derived from randomized, controlled clinical trials, which, with rare exceptions, appear to be distant from the real world of internal medicine. Many trials have been conducted in cardiology departments: however, the characteristics of patients admitted to cardiology wards are largely different from those of patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards. Recently, the PARADIGM-HF study established the efficacy of sacubitril-valsartan – the first drug of the angiotensin II receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) class - versus enalapril in increasing survival and reducing hospitalizations in a selected population of HF patients with reduced ventricular function. Although practical guidance on the use of ARNI has been published, it is not specific to HF patients admitted to internal medicine wards. In this review, we examine all available data in order to understand if the characteristics of HF patients followed in internal medicine departments hinder or contraindicate the use of sacubitril-valsartan and what indications appear more appropriate in this setting.
Procalcitonin in clinical practice: from diagnosis of sepsis to antibiotic therapy
Authors: Cioni Gabriele , Canini Jessica , Pieralli Filippo
Published: March 2021

A diagnostic algorithm that allows for the rapid identification of sepsis and possibly guides the appropriate antimicrobial therapy application is the cornerstone to obtaining effective treatment and better results. The use of emerging surrogate markers could significantly improve clinical practice, but the validity and clinical utility have been proved only for very few of them, and their availability in clinical routine is limited. For this purpose, numerous scientific evidence has indicated procalcitonin as a marker linked to sepsis and its evolution. This review aims to retrace the main evidence relating to the use of procalcitonin in sepsis. We analyzed the primary studies in the literature and the existing meta-analysis evaluating the behavior of procalcitonin as a marker of bacterial sepsis, its prognostic power, and its ability to influence antibiotic therapy. Recent evidence has suggested that procalcitonin could be an efficient marker for diagnosing sepsis and its therapeutic management in many types of patients. The choice of the appropriate timing to initiate and suspend antibiotic therapy, with obvious clinical advantages, the favorable effects could also include reducing health costs, both avoiding the administration of inappropriate antibiotic therapies, and reducing the duration of hospitalization. Moreover, limited studies reported high procalcitonin levels in coronavirus disease 2019 patients with a worse prognosis. Despite the considerable evidence in favor of the potential of procalcitonin as an index for managing septic patients, there are conflicting data that deserve specific and detailed studies.
Not-for-profit observational study to evaluate the quality and safety of care in outliers hospitalized with medical diseases - Study Protocol of Safety Issues and SurvIval For Medical Outliers (SISIFO study)
Authors: La Regina Micaela , Vertulli Chiara , Gussoni Gualberto , Fontanella Andrea , Ballardini Giorgio , Brucato Antonio , Orlandini Francesco , Murialdo Giovanni , Campanini Mauro , Manfellotto Dario
Published: March 2021

The progressive cutting of hospital beds in some health systems, together with the increased needs related to the aging population, has led to the phenomenon of patients hospitalized outside the appropriate ward (outliers). This is particularly relevant in the context of Internal Medicine. Despite its relevance in daily clinical practice, available evidence for the potential impact of this phenomenon is limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of this situation on patients’ outcomes and possibly identify organizational and managerial aspects related to the presence of outliers. The multicenter, observational, prospective Study Protocol of Safety Issues and SurvIval For Medical Outliers (SISIFO) was promoted by the Italian Federation of Associations of Hospital Doctors on Internal Medicine (FADOI). The primary study endpoint is the evaluation of in-hospital mortality in outliers versus controls. A sample size of 2400 patients has been estimated by assuming a mortality rate of 12% and 8% in outliers and controls, respectively. By virtue of the multicentric dimension, the expected number of patients, and the controlled design, the FADOI-SISIFO study might provide interesting and useful findings to better manage the phenomenon of outliers.
On operator error estimates for homogenization of hyperbolic systems with periodic coefficients
Authors: Meshkova Yulia M.
Published: March 2021

In

L_2(\mathbb{R}^d;\mathbb{C}^n)

, we consider a selfadjoint matrix strongly elliptic second order differential operator

\mathcal{A}_\varepsilon

,

\varepsilon > 0

. The coefficients of the operator

\mathcal{A}_\varepsilon

are periodic and depend on

\mathbf{x}/\varepsilon

. We study the asymptotic behavior of the operator

\mathcal{A}_\varepsilon ^{-1/2}\sin (\tau \mathcal{A}_\varepsilon ^{1/2})

,

\tau\in\mathbb{R}

, in the small period limit. The principal term of approximation in the

(H^1 \to L_2)

-norm for this operator is found. Approximation in the

(H^2 \to H^1)

-operator norm with the correction term taken into account is also established. The error estimates are of the sharp order

O(\varepsilon)

. The results are applied to homogenization for the solutions of the hyperbolic equation

\partial ^2_\tau \mathbf{u}_\varepsilon =-\mathcal{A}_\varepsilon \mathbf{u}_\varepsilon +\mathbf{F}

. As examples, we consider the acoustics equation, the system of elasticity, and the model equation of electrodynamics.
Arbitrarily large torsion in Khovanov cohomology
Authors: Mukherjee Sujoy , Schütz Dirk
Published: March 2021

For any positive integer

k

and

p\in \{3,5,7\}

we construct a link which has a direct summand

\mathbb Z/p^k\mathbb Z

in its Khovanov cohomology.
Cave radon exposure, dose, dynamics and mitigation
Authors: Waring Chris , Hankin Stuart , Solomon Stephen , Long Stephen , Yule Andrew , Blackley Robert , Werczynski Sylvester , Baker Andrew
Published: March 2021

Many caves around the world have very high concentrations of naturally occurring 222Rn that may vary dramatically with seasonal and diurnal patterns. For most caves with a variable seasonal or diurnal pattern, 222Rn concentration is driven by bi-directional convective ventilation, which responds to external temperature contrast with cave temperature. Cavers and cave workers exposed to high 222Rn have an increased risk of contracting lung cancer. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has re-evaluated its estimates of lung cancer risk from inhalation of radon progeny (ICRP 115) and for cave workers the risk may now (ICRP 137) be 4–6 times higher than previously recognized. Cave Guides working underground in caves with annual average 222Rn activity > 1,000 Bq/m3 and default ICRP assumptions (2,000 workplace hours per year, equilibrium factor F = 0.4, dose conversion factor DCF = 14 µSv/(kBq h m-3) could now receive a dose of > 20 mSv/y. Using multiple gas tracers (d13 C--CO2, Rn and N2O), linked weather, source gas flux chambers, and convective air flow measurements a previous study unequivocally identified the external soil above Chifley Cave as the source of cave 222Rn. If the source of 222Rn is external to the cave, a strategy to lower cave 222Rn by passively decreasing summer pattern convective ventilation, which draws 222Rn into caves, is possible without harming the cave environment. A small net annual average temperature difference (warmer cave air) due to geothermal heat flux produces a large net annual volumetric air flow bias (2–5:1) favoring a winter ventilation pattern that flushes Rn from caves with ambient air. Rapid anthropogenic climate change over decades may heat the average annual external temperature relative to the cave temperature that is stabilized by the thermal inertia of the large rock mass. Relative external temperature increases due to climate change (Jenolan Caves, 2008–2018, 0.17°C) reduces the winter pattern air flow bias and increases Rn concentration in caves.
Microbiome of Grand Canyon Caverns, a dry sulfuric karst cave in Arizona, supports diverse extremo-philic bacterial and archaeal communities
Authors: Keeler Raymond , Lusk Bradley
Published: March 2021

We analyzed the microbial community of multicolored speleosol deposits found in Grand Canyon Caverns, a dry sulfuric karst cave in northwest Arizona, USA. Underground cave and karst systems harbor a great range of microbial diversity; however, the inhabitants of dry sulfuric karst caves, including extremophiles, remain poorly understood. Understanding the microbial communities inhabiting cave and karst systems is essential to provide information on the multidirectional feedback between biology and geology, to elucidate the role of microbial biogeochemical processes on cave formation, and potentially aid in the development of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Based on the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, the microbial community was determined to consist of 2207 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using species-level annotations, representing 55 phyla. The five most abundant Bacteria were Actinobacteria 51.3 ± 35.4 %, Proteobacteria 12.6 ± 9.5 %, Firmicutes 9.8 ± 7.3 %, Bacteroidetes 8.3 ± 5.9 %, and Cyanobacteria 7.1 ± 7.3 %. The relative abundance of Archaea represented 1.1 ± 0.9 % of all samples and 0.2 ± 0.04 % of samples were unassigned. Elemental analysis found that the composition of the rock varied by sample and that calcium (6200 ± 3494 ppm), iron (1141 ± 1066 ppm), magnesium (25 ± 17 ppm), and phosphorous (37 ± 33 ppm) were the most prevalent elements detected across all samples. Furthermore, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen were found to compose 4.7 ± 4.9 %, 0.3 ± 0.4 %, and 0.1 ± 0.1 % of samples, respectively. Finally, Raman spectra compared to the RRUFF Project database using CrystalSleuth found that the mineral composition of the speleosol consisted of calcite, hematite, paraspurrite, quartz, and trattnerite. These data suggest that dry sulfuric karst caves can harbor robust microbial communities under oligotrophic, endolithic, and troglophilic conditions.
Diversity of Poisonous Plants and their Antidotes, Affecting Ruminant Livestock Production on Rangelands in Ghana
Authors: Domozoro C. Y. F. , Wilcock C. C. , Swaine M. D. , Price A. H.
Published: March 2021

The survival of the extensive livestock system, the practice for most farmers in the livestock industry in Ghana depends heavily on the natural pastures as forage resource. To efficiently use the rangelands, knowledge of the species composition, especially that of poisonous plants is essential. Documented knowledge in Ghana is scanty; documentation and dissemination of the knowledge resource would enable a wider access and wider benefit to stakeholders. A study was conducted in Ghana on poisonous plants with the aim to discover the existence and diversity of poisonous plants and associated antidotes affecting livestock for documentation and preservation of knowledge. 70 different items were cited; 22 were poisonous plants for which antidotes were not cited, 28 were poisonous plants with known antidotes and 32 antidotes. There were 575 citations of plants from 194 reported cases of suspected plant poisoning, categorized as poisonous plants for which no antidotes were cited (146), poisonous plants with cited antidotes (147) and antidotes (282). 50 plants species were identified and belonged to 29 plant families. Some plants were known only by local names. There was an extensive knowledge of the diversity of poisonous plants and antidotes within the ecological zones along with possible antidotes.
Protein Enhancement of Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Peels with Single-or Co-Inoculation of Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem and Trichoderma viride Pers Ex Fr. Under Solid-State Fermentation
Authors: Yafetto L. , Odamtten G. T. , Birikorang E. , Adu S.
Published: March 2021

This study assessed the protein enrichment of sterilized and non-sterilised yam peels substrates fermented for 21 days at 25°C with mono- and co-cultures of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viride. Yam substrates were harvested at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days intervals for protein content and other chemical composition analyses. Results showed an overall percentage increase in protein contents of sterilised yam peels by 71.80% for A. niger, 58.03% for T. viride, and 80.60% for co-culture of A. niger and T. viride. Protein contents in non-sterilised yam peels increased by 113.30%, 95.00%, and 96.45% for A. niger, T. viride and co-culture of the test fungi, respectively. The significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher protein contents of the fermented, non-sterilised yam peels suggest possible successional microbial colonization of the substrate, and their combined, cumulative contributions to protein enhancement, unlike the sterilised yam peels. Ash content significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased in both sterilised and non-sterilised yam peels. These findings underscore the fact that, through fungal bioprocessing, protein contents of yam peels can be significantly enriched for value-addition. The practical implications of the findings are discussed
Land Rights and Improvement Investments Among Crop Farmers in Southwest, Nigeria
Authors: Oparinde Lawrence Olusola
Published: March 2021

This study examined the effects of land rights on investment decisions of farmers and determinants of land rights as well as the impact of land rights on farm productivity in Southwest Nigeria. Multistage sampling process was used in the selection of 320 respondents for the study. Two-stage conditional maximum likelihood (2SCML) approach of multivariate probit regression model and Endogenous switching regression (ESR) model were used for the analysis of the collected data. The results of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT) estimates from ESR revealed that land rights increase farm productivity. This study further confirmed the importance of land rights in facilitating investment in soil-improving measures which subsequently leads to higher productivity. One of the policy implications emanating from this study suggests that having use and transfer rights as against use only rights goes a long way in enhancing investment in soil-improving or conservation measures.

Keywords: Crop, Investment, Land, Multivariate Probit Regression Model, Rights, Two-stage Conditional Maximum Likelihood.
Global Impacts and Trends of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Cruise Sector: A Focus On South Africa
Authors: Sucheran Reshma
Published: March 2021

Cruise tourism is one of the major growth areas of international tourism, and the impact of cruise tourists on a national economy is similar to that of other foreign visitors. The cruise industry has, however, continuously faced exposure to various types of health risks, which can develop into health-related crises, to which both passengers and crew members are vulnerable The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19 pandemic has reached a critical situation on a global scale and is severely impacting on the global cruise tourism industry. This papers seeks to examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cruise tourism industry globally and in South Africa specifically. Desktop research was undertaken to gather data and insights on the unfolding global pandemic and its effect on the cruise sector. Secondary data from various national and international organisations was analysed, as well as current news reports and academic literature. The data indicates that the cruise sector is one of the hardest hit sectors of the tourism industry, and the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on this sector is devastating. The data further implies that the future of the cruise industry looks bleak, especially due to the reputational damage the sector is currently faced with.
Impact Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Informal Sector Business Tourism Economy in Zimbabwe
Authors: Makoni Logistic , Tichaawa Tembi
Published: March 2021

This study sought to conduct a socio-economic impact assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal business tourism in Zimbabwe. The specific objective of this study was to identify the extent to which the informal business tourism economy in Zimbabwe has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and to prescribe guidelines and frameworks of workable actions to address the problems. As such, the study adopted a desktop research approach in which a thematic analysis of existing tourism development literature on business tourism in developing economies served as the basis for the arguments presented. Key issues highlighted in the paper include impacts on the supply of basic commodities and household income of the traders and business operations of the related businesses in the formal sector, traders’ survival strategies during the course of the national lockdown, and implications on the way forward. Furthermore, the study offers conclusions and implications drawn from the themes formulated from these key issues. The study also provides insights on the vulnerability of the informal business tourism sector to unforeseen occurrences, and how the affected stakeholder can recover from such a blow.
História da Educação Superior: aspectos da formação de professores/as
Authors: Reis Maria Enos dos
Published: March 2021

Este é resultado de pesquisa bibliográfica para conhecimento da história da educação no Brasil especialmente no que tange a formação de professores. Realizamos uma busca na legislação brasileira no período republicano, para compreender o destaque dado a formação de professores no Brasil. Embora tenhamos discorrido de forma muito breve sobre o surgimento da universidade no mundo e no Brasil foi mesmo a questão da formação de professores que ocupou atenção especial neste trabalho. Isso ocorreu de forma intencional em razão do atual momento que estamos atravessando, momento em que a sociedade tem buscado cada vez mais as instituições de ensino superior em busca de formação nesse nível. A educação superior é um nível educacional cujo uma parcela muito pequena da sociedade tem tido acesso, o IBGE através do censo de 2010 constatou que apenas 11,3% da população adulta tinha formação em nível superior. Neste sentido acreditamos ser de grande relevância buscar a compreensão de como tem ocorrido a formação superior nos últimos anos e como tem ocorrido a formação de professores, buscamos essas respostas nas legislações e bibliografias consultadas. A pouco mais de seis anos a sociedade civil organizada, os poderes constituídos junto da comunidade escolar atuaram na construção do Plano Nacional de Educação, buscamos também entender como foi tratado a formação de professores neste documento.
Arc GIS based Interpretation of Heavy Metals in Soil Samples near Coastal Areas of Badin, Sindh, Pakistan
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Murtaza , Qureshi Mohammad Amin , Qureshi Muhammad Saeed , Shah Afzal
Published: March 2021

This study was aimed to assess the severity of heavy metal contamination in eastern coastal area of Pakistan. Agriculture lands near district Badin coastal area found contaminated due to mega surface canal drain network, carrying untreated industrial and municipal effluents along with pumped saline water. Thirty-two random soil samples were collected from different coastal areas. Arc Geographic Information System was used for spatial mapping. Soil samples from coastal areas of Badin contain average concentrations of heavy metals (mg/kg) as Hg 0.247±0.207, Ni 2.622±1.107,Zn 3.121±0.929, Cu 0.059±0.066, Fe 70.447±1.163, Mn7.062±1.251, Co 0.0167±0.033,Cr0.799±0.718.
Study of Geotechnical Assessments for The Foundation and Construction of Civil Work at Tharparkar District, Sindh, Pakistan
Authors: Brohi Imad Ali , Kalwar Muzafar Ali , Agheem Muhammad Hassan , Junejo Shafique Ahmad , Sahito Ali Ghulam
Published: March 2021

This study evaluates engineering properties of soils for the foundation in Tharparkar district. Three boreholes were investigated in the study area at the depths of 8m, 9m and 9m respectively. The area is mainly divided into three zones, i.e. BH-01, BH-02 and BH-03. Groundwater was not encountered in any borehole. The soil profile of all three boreholes are low dense to medium dense at 2.0m to 6.0m and the 7.0m to 9.0m depths respectively. Overburden depth was very dense (N-values ranges from 8 to 17 and 33 to more than 50 numbers). Laboratory results reveal that moisture content goes 4.8 to 6.4%, Soils are non-plastic in all three boreholes. The granular soils specify the angles of internal friction (ø) varying from 240 – 330in respective boreholes; while in the collected samples granular soils have cohesion of 2.4 to 2.5kPa. According to AASHTO soil classification, the material belongs to the type of granular soil and in the group of A-3. Furthermore, finding of the examinations is robust for the development of structures, transmission line foundations and other civil works to observe the stability and quality of good foundation for the most part in Thar zone, particularly in the studied area.
Structural and Economic Analysis of Meyal Oil Field in the Northern Potwar Deformed Zone, Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan
Authors: Faisal Miraj Muhammad Armaghan , Yaseen Muhammad , Ali Abid , Saleem Rana Faizan , Afgan Sher , Rathore Palwasha Shahzad
Published: March 2021

Potwar sub-basin is famous for its structural style, hydrocarbon exploration and production activities from Cambrian to Pliocene rocks. Foreland basin related subsurface structures, in the presence of source and seal rocks offer a variety of traps to host hydrocarbons. Meyal Oil field, situated in the NW Potwar sub-basin, is a hydrocarbon resource for the country. Subsurface structures of Meyal area were outlined by interpreting two strike and four dip lines in IHS Kingdom suite. Borehole data of MYL-10, MYL-12 and MYL-13 exploratory wells were incorporated to improve the subsurface understanding. A total five prominent reflectors of Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Paleocene and Eocene rocks were marked on the seismic sections. The seismic interpretation shows a post Eocene pop-up structure flanked by a back thrust and a fore thrust. Moreover, the time structure maps for Meyal area display a doubly plunging and faulted anticline as a result of south directed compression. Four isochron maps show thickness variation in Permian to Eocene sediments in the study area. The results of interpretation show favorable structural trap for economic hydrocarbon exploration.
On Multiplicative Multi-Dimensional Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Рахмелевич И.В.
Published: March 2021

Рассмотрен класс мультипликативных дифференциальных
уравнений в частных производных. Левая часть уравнения представлена
в виде произведения линейных дифференциальных выражений
произвольного порядка, а правая часть является функцией независимых
переменных и~искомой функции. Для уравнения с одномерными линейными
дифференциальными операторами и факторизуемой правой частью получены
решения с аддитивным, мультипликативным и комбинированным
разделением переменных. При этом исходное уравнение редуцировано
либо к обыкновенному дифференциальному уравнению, либо к уравнению
в частных производных меньшей размерности. Показано, что если
операторы в левой части уравнения являются однородными, то
уравнение имеет решения в виде обобщенных полиномов. Также для
уравнения с однородными операторами найдены автомодельные решения
и сформулированы достаточные условия их существования. Получены
решения типа бегущей волны для случая операторов с постоянными
коэффициентами и правой части, зависящей от линейной комбинации
независимых переменных. Показано, что если правая часть уравнения
зависит от нескольких линейных комбинаций на подмножествах
независимых переменных, то имеются решения типа многомерных бегущих
волн, зависящие от этих линейных комбинаций. Получено решение в
виде разложения по собственным функциям ядер линейных операторов,
входящих в состав левой части уравнения. Также исследованы
некоторые уравнения с~многомерными линейными операторами. В
частности, получены решения с~разделением переменных для случая
факторизуемых многомерных операторов, а также решения типа
многомерных бегущих волн и решения в виде функций от аргументов
более сложной структуры. Рассмотрены случаи, когда правая часть
уравнения содержит степенные и экспоненциальные нелинейности
по~искомой функции.
Wearing the Label of Mental Illness: Community-Based Participatory Action Research of Mental Illness Stigma
Authors: Theurer Jean , Jean-Paul Nicole , Cheyney Kristi , Koro-Ljungberg Mirka , Stevens Bruce
Published: March 2021

Stigma remains an impediment to seeking and receiving the requisite care for mental illness. To enhance a local National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate’s understanding of community members’ perceptions of mental illness and its associated stigma, a community-based participatory action research study was conducted. The study addressed the following research question: how do community members understand and experience the stigma associated with mental illness? Twenty-two participant-researchers wore mental illness labeled T-shirts around the local community, recorded their observations and reflections of this experience and recruited twenty-two community members for semi-structured interviews about mental illness stigma. Domain analysis of the interviews revealed community members’ understandings of (1) sources of stigma, (2) impacts of stigma, (3) conceptualizations of stigma and (4) pathways to change stigma. Findings were presented to members of the local NAMI affiliate as well as other community members. Practical implications, specific to the community of interest, are discussed.
Engaging with Qualitative Data Analysis: The Metaphor of "Looking at Data like a Landscape to Be Explored"
Authors: Bonnycastle Marleny
Published: March 2021

“Looking at data like a landscape to be explored” is the metaphor used by Susanne Friese in her new book entitled Qualitative Data Analysis with ATLAS.ti (2014). In it, Friese successfully guides new and experienced researchers to use ATLAS.ti as a computer-assisted tool to engage in qualitative data analysis. The book transcends from being a dry reading to become a companion for those who are living the journey of using different sources of data, mapping them and then integrated them into their analysis.
A Review of Anna De Fina and Alexandra Georgakopoulou's Analyzing Narrative: Discourse and Sociolinguistic Perspectives from a Natural Storytelling Environment
Authors: Jordan Robyn
Published: March 2021

It was rather serendipitous, not that I broke my wrist, but that I chose to bring Anna De Fina and Alexandra Georgakopoulou's 2012 book, Analyzing Narrative: Discourse and Sociolinguistic Perspectives, to my physical therapy appointments. Three times a week for several weeks, I read left-handed with my right arm trapped in a device that radiated extreme heat or numbing cold. I encourage anyone with an interest in narrative analysis to read this book, especially, if possible, in the company of people with stories to tell (but minus the temperature variations). There are six chapters and I recommend that it be read in thirds.
Exploring Play of Children with Sensory Impairments in Special Schools at Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Qayyum Arisha , Khan Ayesha , Rais Rizwan
Published: March 2021

Prevalence of disabilities in Pakistan is 2.4 % (3.2 million), with 7 % population suffering from hearing impairments. This study focuses on many aspects of development including physical development, which have never been studied exclusively in developing countries. This pilot study was aimed to explore play pattern of children with hearing & speech impairments in school settings, Karachi, Pakistan. In this article play behaviors of 53 children with sensory impairments aged 8-12 years were explored. Observations were recorded through semi-structured checklist, using norm-based time sampling procedure, recording various types of behavior in a group play context. Three major play categories were observed and recorded under: a) Social Play; proximity and attentiveness b) Cognitive Play; level of child’s involvement and purpose for engaging in the activity c) Non- Play; marked by absence of focus. Frequently observed play behavior was; group play under cognitive play; games with rules and functional play behavior; engagement of child in physical activities for the enjoyment of physical sensation and in non-play behavior active conversation, rough and tumble play, recorded. Study findings reveal the importance of play as an essential component for healthy child development. Dire need of capacity building of school staff and of caregivers regarding child development and importance of play was felt at larger scale.
Learning Autoethnography: A Review of Autoethnography: Understanding Qualitative Research
Authors: Allen Daniel
Published: March 2021

Tony E. Adams, Stacy Jones, and Carolyn Ellis’ publication of Autoethnography explains the scope and process of conducting autoethnographic research and its uses of self-examination and society. As a recent graduate, the author examined his own experiences in graduate school and the debates over quantitative and qualitative research methodologies as he read the text. The book outlined the purposes, procedures, and methods to determine validity in autoethnographic research by proffering personal examples and narratives to elucidate the research paradigm.
Leaning Into Autoethnography: A Review of Heewon Chang’s Autoethnography As Method
Authors: Snyder Martha
Published: March 2021

To lean in means to press forward or to move toward something. Leaning in is a deliberate way to approach something whether it is a strong wind or a new skill. Leaning in describes my stance toward autoethnography. I am making a step forward to understand what autoethnography is and how I might be able to use it in my personal research agenda. In reviewing the various approaches to autoethnography, I have found that Autoethnography as Method by Heewon Chang offers a comfortable entry point. Her methodical approach and practical guidelines for doing autoethnography are appealing and useful in creating a balance of reflection, analysis, and interpretation.
Understanding Hospital-Based Nurses’ Experiences of Structurational Divergence
Authors: Anderson LaKesha
Published: March 2021

This study examined hospital-based nurses’ experiences of structurational divergence. I used a semi-structured narrative approach to interview 10 hospital-based nurses and data was analyzed using phenomenological methods. This resulted in the identification of the following three themes, which capture instances of structurational divergence and resulting interpersonal, intrapersonal, and organizational conflicts: Managing Overload, Identifying and Negotiating Boundaries, and Substituting and Advocating. I also discovered an additional theme, Eating their Young.. Results have implications for future research in health and organizational communication and reflect the importance of research into the communication between and amongst nurses, patients, and physicians and the impact of that communication on patient health outcomes.
Ethics and/or Success in Conducting Organization Studies: A Habermasian Account
Authors: Vizeu Fabio
Published: March 2021

In the world of Organization research, some words are used by scholarswith a specific political purpose: two of these are ethics and emancipation. The second is used to recall the social purpose ofthe academic community, which can be donefromseveral perspectives (for example, that of Critical Management Studies). Regarding ethics, organization researchers often use this word to denounce managerial practices.Their researchcommonly reports the ideological orientation of such management practices as imply unethical behaviour. In this sense, the unethical orientation of managers has been seen as something masked by a manipulative discourse, which has built the false impression that management practices are ethically oriented.But the organization researchers say almost nothing about their own demagogicethical discourse, even though their silence has led to the criticism of academics for “lack of ethics.” This paper deals with the problem of ethics as it relates to the research practicesof organization studiesitself, showing some aspects of the ways in which ethics is handled by researchers in their fieldwork. To this end, it adopts Habermas’ view of discursive ethics, in particular, his conception of strategic action. In this sense, strategic action ignores ethical claims, because it is oriented to performative and utilitarian interests. Thus, when a speaker performs a strategic action, s/he distorts communicative interaction by omitting or manipulating information (distorting truthfulness), being insincere about her/his actual intentions and/or claiming feelings which s/he lacks (distorting sincerity), adopting illegitimate or subverting legitimate moral claims (distortion of legitimacy) and/or being confused or ambiguous about what s/he is saying (distorting comprehensibility). My argument is presented in the form of three different research examples, which reveal how strategic action emerges in critical research enterprises and how ethical claims are disregarded.In the end, I explore my own research experience, telling a confessional story, which illustrates strategic action in the critical organizational research field. The exemplary cases show that, in addition to the absence of ethical consciousness, researchers are pressurized to supply opportunistic reports of research findings and ‘discoveries,’in order to merit further qualifications. To be successful, researchers are prepared to be opportunistic and hence unethical.
Goal Orientation and Reading Strategy Use of Turkish Students of an English Language Teaching Department
Authors: Tercanlioglu Leyla , Demiröz Hakan
Published: March 2021

This study aims to investigate qualitatively the role of goal orientation in reading comprehension both in native (L1) and second or foreign languages (L2), and the reading strategy use in L1 and L2 of the Turkish advanced students of an English Language Teaching (ELT) Department in order to understand the pedagogical aspects of reading. The data of this phenomenological study come from one-on-one, semi-structured interviews carried out with 8 Turkish ELT students; 4 preparatory class students, 4 firstyear students, who take a reading course. The results of the study demonstrated that the participants had a variety of goal orientations which lend support to the multiple goal approach that claims the reasons students have for engaging in the academic endeavours influence the goals they adopt. All the students perceive the reading strategies as helpful. The data of the study evidenced that mastery goal oriented, and high mastery and low performance-approach participants use more strategies than the performanceapproach (except for one) and work-avoidant participants. Mastery goal oriented students seemed to be more persistent when they confront a comprehension problem in English. All of them think that there is a necessity to teach reading strategies to the students both in their L1 and L2.
Using Visual Vignettes: My Learning to Date
Authors: Morrison Tricia
Published: March 2021

Cancer survivors report a gap in work integration advice from healthcare professionals. This occurs despite physicians routinely providing comment upon survivors’ work abilities to insurers and employers. In order to understand the phenomena of survivors’ work integration from physicians’ perspectives, a vignette methodology was used. Vignettes were chosen as a means to explore physicians’ perspectives in a non-confrontational and sensitive manner. Vignettes, composed of photographs and narratives reflective of survivors’ lived experiences of work integration were presented to 10 physicians during individual interviews. In this manuscript, I outline my experience using vignettes, the learning I have achieved, and the modifications I intend to make before again similarly using vignettes with another stakeholder group. In this study, receptive participants expressed enjoyment of the real-life nature of the vignettes through which significant insights into the phenomena were successfully gleaned. In this case, vignettes were an effective means to sensitively explore physicians’ perspectives of cancer survivors’ work integration. Yet, considerations that I will undertake prior to the next stakeholder inquiry include incorporating findings from the physicians and modifying the presentation of survivors’ findings to be more applicable to that next stakeholder, reconsidering the number of vignettes used as well as the terminology and delivery mechanism, and refinement of questioning format.
Contextual Factors Surrounding Extradyadic High-Risk Sexual Decision-Making in Men: A Case-Oriented Perspective
Authors: Hertlein Katherine , Villasante Claudia
Published: March 2021

Many models have been developed to explain the decision-making process of high-risk sexual behavior (HRSB). Juhasz and Sonnenshein-Schneider (1980) proposed a model for sexual decision-making with three distinct factors (socialization influences, factors germane to the situation, and cognitive factors). While this model makes sense from a theoretical standpoint, it has not been empirically validated and they have focused exclusively on adolescent sexual decision-making processes. The purpose of this study was to identify the key points in decision-making toward engagement in extradyadic high-risk sexual behavior. Using qualitative interviews in a case-oriented study, key components surrounding the context, decision-making, and management processes of engagement in high-risk sexual behavior were analyzed. We found that chemical impairment, sensation-seeking and impulsivity, quality of the relationship, and self-esteem were all key contributors to the context of engaging in HRSB. On the other hand, the decision-making process of HRSB contained compartmentalization, rationalization, and experiencing a point of no return. Finally, the management process of engaging in HRSB included dissociation, self-esteem, and control.
A Constructivist Study of Graduate Assistants' Healthcare Experiences in a Research University
Authors: Gaulee Uttam , Lee Brenda , Whitaker Douglas , Ridgewell Natalie , Koro-Ljungberg Mirka , Watson Dayna , Butcher Colleen
Published: March 2021

This constructivist study explores 16 graduate assistants’ (GAs) healthcare experiences and uses grounded theory to create a model of graduate assistants’ experiences with university-provided healthcare in a large research university. The model is composed of four broad components: (a) systems; (b) access, care and coverage; (c) knowledge, quality and cost; and (d) self. Graduate assistants’ needs and expectations constantly negotiate various systems in the model. Expanding upon the limited research regarding graduate student healthcare, this study provides implications for higher education administrators and policy makers. Based on our study findings we argue that it is not sufficient for university administrations to simply provide paid health insurance “options” without robust support systems on campus. Because students are often stressed out, lack time and energy, and find it hard to navigate the complicated systems of profit-driven health care industry, the lack of direct support in graduate students’ day-to-day healthcare needs can cause tremendous loss on their success and productivity. Hence, universities have tremendous opportunities to better understand and address their graduate students’ real needs so as to add value to institutional success and productivity.
Perceived Occupational Stressors and the Health Software Professionals in Bengaluru, India
Authors: Babu Giridhara , N. Sathyanarayana , Ketharam Asha , Kar Snehendu , Detels Roger
Published: March 2021

There is limited research on occupational stress and its relation to health from developing countries such as India. This study was done to evaluate work conditions of professionals in two highly productive sectors: the information technology (IT) sector, also known as software development, and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES), also known as call centers. The study employed thirty-two in-depth interviews. The results indicate the presence of nine stress domains: job control, autonomy, time pressure, length of experience in industry, night shifts, income, appreciation of work, physical environment, work-environment and affective or emotional factors. Global drivers of demand, and local supply of a skilled workforce and the work force regulatory environment in India determine the work culture in Indian IT companies. Apart from affecting health of the professionals, these determinants influence workforce policies, priorities, goals and management practices.
PENGGUNAAN MEDIA YOEM (YES ONE EYE MONSTER) GAME UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKA SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR
Authors: Khusniyawati Ike
Published: March 2021

Matematika dalam kegiatan belajar siswa di kelas awal Sekolah Dasar pada materi operasi hitung penjumlahan terdapat beberapa masalah, antara lain: problem yang pokok yaitu anggapan bahwa pelajaran Matematika merupakan bidang studi yang sulit dipelajari bagi siswa. Matematika juga membutuhkan konsentrasi dan kemampuan berpikir tinggi. Bentuk penelitian termasuk penetlitian tindakan kelas. Siswa-siswa sedikit sekali yang teliti saat menyelesaikan latihan hitungan yang mengakibatkan hasilnya belum benar. Saat siswa melakukan penjumlahan bilangan, ada perbedaaan satu angka pada hasil mereka. Penelitian ini dilakukan sebelum pandemi sehingga penerapannya pada pembelajaran luring. Hasil penelitian didapat  N-gain 77% dapat disimpulkan bahwa pada pembelajaran luring yang dilakukan di sekolah melalui permainan Yes One Eye Monster efektif untuk melatihkan kemampuan siswa untuk berpikir kritis serta pemecahan masalah. Selanjutnya kegiatan bermain Yes One Eye Monster mampu menunjukkan hasil yang signifikan pada hasil belajar siswa di lingkungan sekolah dasar.
Reflections on Identity in Four African Cities
Authors: Bekker Simon , Leilde Anne
Published: March 2021

Identity has become the watchword of our times. In sub-Saharan Africa, this certainly appears to be true and for particular reasons. Africa is urbanising rapidly, cross-border migration streams are swelling and globalising influences sweep across the continent. Africa is also facing up to the challenge of nurturing emergent democracies in which citizens often feel torn between older traditional and newer national loyalties. Accordingly, collective identities are deeply coloured by recent urban as well as international experience and are squarely located within identity politics where reconciliation is required between state nation-building strategies and sub-national affiliations. They are also fundamentally shaped by the growing inequality and the poverty found on this continent. These themes are explored by an international set of scholars in two South African and two Francophone cities. The relative importance to urban residents of race, class and ethnicity but also of work, space and language are compared in these cities. This volume also includes a chapter investigating the emergence of a continental African identity. A recent report of the Office of the South African President claims that a strong national identity is emerging among its citizens, and that race and ethnicity are waning whilst a class identity is in the ascendance. The evidence and analyses within this volume serve to gauge the extent to which such claims ring true, in what everyone knows is a much more complex and shifting terrain of shared meanings than can ever be captured by such generalisations.
Beyond Memory
Authors: Mojapelo Max , Galane Sello
Published: March 2021

South Africa possesses one of the richest popular music traditions in the world - from marabi to mbaqanga, from boeremusiek to bubblegum, from kwela to kwaito. Yet the risk that future generations of South Africans will not know their musical roots is very real. Of all the recordings made here since the 1930s, thousands have been lost for ever, for the powers-that-be never deemed them worthy of preservation. And if one peruses the books that exist on South African popular music, one still finds that their authors have on occasion jumped to conclusions that were not as foregone as they had assumed. Yet the fault lies not with them, rather in the fact that there has been precious little documentation in South Africa of who played what, or who recorded what, with whom, and when. This is true of all music-making in this country, though it is most striking in the musics of the black communities. Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music is an invaluable publication because it offers a first-hand account of the South African music scene of the past decades from the pen of a man, Max Thamagana Mojapelo, who was situated in the very thick of things, thanks to his job as a deejay at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. This book - astonishing for the breadth of its coverage - is based on his diaries, on interviews he conducted and on numerous other sources, and we find in it not only the well-known names of recent South African music but a countless host of others whose contribution must be recorded if we and future generations are to gain an accurate picture of South African music history of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Systemic School Improvement Interventions in South Africa
Authors: Khosa Godwin
Published: March 2021

Looking at two smaller-scale systemic school improvement projects implemented in selected district circuits in the North West and Eastern Cape by partnerships between government, JET Education Services, and private sector organisations, this book captures and reflects on the experiences of the practitioners involved. The Systemic School Improvement Model developed by JET to address an identified range of interconnected challenges at district, school, classroom and household level, is made up of seven components. In reflecting on what worked and what did not in the implementation of these different components, the different chapters set out some of the practical lessons learnt, which could be used to improve the design and implementation of similar education improvement projects. Many of the lessons in this field that remain under-recorded to date relate to the step-by-step processes followed, the relationship dynamics encountered at different levels of the education system, and the local realities confronting schools and districts in South Africa's rural areas. Drawing on field data that is often not available to researchers, the book endeavours to address this gap and record these lessons. It is not intended to provide an academic review of the systemic school improvement projects. It is presented rather to offer other development practitioners working to improve the quality of education in South African schools, an understanding of some of the real practical and logistical challenges that arise and how these may be resolved to take further school improvement projects forward at a wider district, provincial and national scale.