bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Effects of Coffee Shop Brand Experience on Loyalty: The Roles of Brand Love and Brand Trust
Authors: Maduretno Raden Bernard Eka Hutomo Putra , Junaedi M.F. Sheellyana
Published: October 2022

Loyalty is an essential asset for a particular brand to maintain excellent relationships with its customers and secure its continuing long-term business. An understanding customers' emotional and rational dimensions regarding brand performance is required to collect information to develop a great brand management strategy. Therefore, this study examines mediating roles of both brand love and brand trust in relation to the dimensions of brand experience (sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral) and brand loyalty in the coffee shop business context. A total of 225 valid questionnaires were collected from Generation Z (Gen Z) and Y (Gen Y) coffee consumers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was selected as an analytical method to evaluate the research results. The results show that affective, intellectual, and behavioral experiences directly influence brand love and brand trust, while the sensory experience only affects brand love. Furthermore, brand love and brand trust are proven to have a direct influence on brand loyalty. Subsequently, brand love successfully mediates the effect of each dimension of brand experience on brand loyalty. In contrast, brand trust is not successful in mediating the effect of sensory experience on brand loyalty. The results also clearly show that none of the model coefficient paths are significantly moderated by generation due to the small age gap. Finally, the findings suggest what all factors that could enhance brand loyalty to achieve competitive advantages and develop marketing strategies are. Limitations and further research are also discussed.
Efficient Degradation of Methylene Blue Using La-PTC-HIna/Ti3C2Tx MXene: Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation
Authors: Zulys Agustino , Adawiah Adawiah , Nasruddin Nasruddin
Published: October 2022

Isonicotinic acid is a pyridine carboxylic compound that can be used as a linker to construct coordination complexes. Adding isonicotinic acid (HIna) to the metal-organic framework (MOF) enhanced the MOF surface area, pore volume, and pore size and increased its catalytic activity. Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheet with excellent metal conductivity was also employed on MOF to optimize its functionality. This work aims to synthesize MOF modulated isonicotinic acid La-PTC-HIna and design the new materials: La-PTC/Ti3C2Tx MXene and La-PTC-HIna/Ti3C2Tx MXene hybrid, then apply them for methylene blue photodegradation. La-PTC-HIna, La-PTC/Ti3C2Tx MXene, and La-PTC-HIna/Ti3C2Tx MXene were synthesized by the sonochemical method. MOF La-PTC-HIna has the highest methylene blue photocatalytic degradation activity than MOF La-PTC, Ti3C2Tx MXene, La-PTC/Ti3C2Tx MXene, and La-PTC-HIna/Ti3C2Tx MXene with degradation efficiency of 99.48% in 20 ppm methylene blue under visible irradiation for 210 min. This study reveals the La-PTC-HIna and La-PTC-HIna/Ti3C2Tx MXene as a new material that has the potential to remove methylene blue from an aqueous solution.
Inhibition of Carbon Steel Corrosion by Some New Organic 2-Hydroselenoacetamide Derivatives in HCl Medium
Authors: Khalib Alaa Abdel Khaleq , Al-Hazam Hanan Abdul Jaleel , Hassan Attared Fadhel
Published: October 2022

This study aims to prepare 2-hydroselenoacetamide derivatives (5-8) to use some of these compounds as corrosion inhibition for carbon steel in 1 M HCl. The compound C10H10NO2Cl 1 was prepared by reacting between p-aminoacetophenone with chloroacetyl chloride, and then reacted 1 with substituted benzaldehyde to obtain the corresponding derivatives as C17H13N2O4Cl 2, C18H16NO4Cl 3 and C19H18NO4Cl 4. The last step in this study was conducted to obtain the organic hydroselenoacetamide such as C10H11NO2Se 5, C17H14N2O4Se 6, C18H17NO4Se 7, and C19H19NO4Se 8 by reacting chloroaminochalcone and sodium hydrogen selenide. All compounds were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), and elemental analysis (CHN). The corrosion inhibition activity of C17H14N2O4Se 6, C18H17NO4Se 7 and C19H18NO4Cl 4 for carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution was investigated by using weight loss methods and electrochemical study. The activation energy of the corrosion reaction was also calculated. The effect of different concentrations and temperatures on inhibition efficiency was investigated. The results showed that the corrosion rate decreased with the increase of the concentration of inhibitors, while the inhibition efficiency and covered area decreased with an increase in the temperature. Polarization studies demonstrated that the inhibitors were of mixed type. The purpose of this study was to prepare, characterize and evaluate the corrosion inhibition activity of hydroselenide compounds for carbon steel in 1 M HCl.
Microwave-Assisted Chemical Co-reduction of Pd Nanoparticles Anchored on Reduced Graphene Oxide with Different Loading Amounts
Authors: Fatmawati Dyah Ayu , Triyono Triyono , Trisunaryanti Wega , Chasanah Uswatul
Published: October 2022

Microwave-assisted Palladium/Reduced Graphene Oxide (Pd/RGO) synthesis was effectively carried out in this study, which looked at the effects of different Pd loading weights in Graphene Oxide (GO) on its physicochemical qualities. The Tour technique was used to make GO, with a KMnO4:graphite weight ratio of 3.5. Meanwhile, Pd/RGO was synthesized utilizing the in-situ reduction method of one-pot synthesis with ascorbic acid as the green reducing agent, yielding Pd-0.5/RGO, Pd-1.0/RGO, and Pd-2.0/RGO, respectively, with variations in Pd loading weight of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0%. XRD, FTIR, SAA, SEM-EDX, and TEM were used to examine all material characterizations. As a result, Pd-1.0/RGO had the largest surface area of 65.168 m2/g among the Pd-based materials, with a pore volume of 0.111 cc/g, the pore diameter of 3.316 nm, Pd crystallite size of 28.29 nm, RGO nanostructure dimension of 3.37 × 28.53 nm, and reduction level (C/O) of 3.02. This material also contains specific functional groups, including O-H, C-H, CO2, C=C, C=O, and C-O, based on FTIR spectra. Therefore, optimal weight loading of metal on the surface of the supporting material will provide a large material surface area. Increasing the surface area of the material improves its performance as a catalyst.
Enhanced Drug Release of Poly(lactic-co-glycolic Acid) Nanoparticles Modified with Hydrophilic Polymers: Chitosan and Carboxymethyl Chitosan
Authors: Lestari Diah , Nizardo Noverra Mardhatillah , Mulia Kamarza
Published: October 2022

The biodegradable polymer poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a biomaterial with great potential as a drug delivery carrier and a tissue engineering scaffold. Using diclofenac sodium (DS) as a drug model, PLGA/DS nanoparticles were synthesized by modification with two hydrophilic polymers: chitosan and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh). The introduction of chitosan and CMCh enhances the efficiency encapsulation, capacity loading of the nanoparticles, and DS release at pH 6.8 and minimum release at pH 1.2. Synthesis of nanoparticles was carried out using a double emulsion (water/oil/water) solvent evaporation method. Characterization using an Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrophotometer indicates that the interaction between DS and polymer on nanoparticles is non-covalent with a spherical shape based on a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization. From the various formulation studied, nanoparticles with the ratio chitosan-PLGA-DS and CMCh-PLGA-DS of 2:20:4 proved to be the optimum model carrier with the required release profile and could be the alternative for DS delivery systems.
Synthesis, DFT Calculations, DNA Interaction, and Antimicrobial Studies of Some Mixed Ligand Complexes of Oxalic Acid and Schiff Base Trimethoprim with Various Metal Ions
Authors: Abdalrazaq Eid , Jbarah Abdel Aziz Qasem , Al-Noor Taghreed Hashim , Shinain Gassan Thabit , Jawad Mohammed Mahdi
Published: October 2022

Mixed ligand metal complexes are synthesized from oxalic acid with Schiff base, and the Schiff base was obtained from trimethoprim and acetylacetone. The synthesized complexes were of the type [M(L1)(L2)], where the metal, M, is Ni(II), Cu(II), Cr(III), and Zn(II), L1 corresponds to the trimethoprim ((Z)-4-((4-amino-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl)pyrimidine-2-yl)imino)pentane-2-one) as the first ligand and L2 represent the oxalate anion ( ) as a second ligand. Characterization of the prepared compounds was performed by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic measurements, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, FT-IR, and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectral studies. The recorded infrared data is reinforced with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Also, the recorded and calculated IR spectra of the complexes suggested that the coordination of Schiff base is a bidentate ligand with Cu and Ni complexes and a tridentate ligand with Co, Cr, and Zn complexes. The electronic structures of the complexes were investigated by DFT calculations, showing several degrees of HOMO-LUMO energy gaps between complexes. The complexes were studied for their DNA interaction activities. The synthesized ligand and its metal complexes were evaluated for antimicrobial properties against bacterial strains of Bacillus subtilis (G+), Enterobacter cloacae (G-), and Staphylococcus aureus (G+). These complexes considered in this study showed good antimicrobial activity.
Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Nanoparticles via Thermal Decomposition for Zn(II) Schiff Base Complex
Authors: Subhi Hadeer Mohammed , Bader Ali Taleb , Al-Gubury Hazim Yahya
Published: October 2022

Zinc(II) oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were easily produced in this research by thermal decomposition of the Zn(II) Schiff base complex. The ligand was synthesized via condensation of benzylamine with 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The Zn(II) Schiff base complex was prepared by the reaction between zinc salt and Schiff base with the molar ratio of 1:1 (metal:ligand). The binary complex powder was calcined at 700 °C to produce ZnO nanoparticles. Various methods were used to characterize the Schiff base, complexes, and nanoparticles, including 1H and 13C-NMR, FTIR, TGA, DTA thermal analysis, XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, BET, UV-Vis Diffuse Reflectance, atomic absorption, melting point, and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. ZnO nanoparticles had an average crystallite size of 48.2 nm.
Some Beel Wetland Asia Amidst Global Scenario
Authors: Kar Devashish
Published: October 2022

Wetlands play an undebatable role in regulating the global climate, hydrological cycle and ecosystem diversity; and, therefore, must be preserved and conserved. Conversely, global wetland area and water quality has since been declining (c 87% around the globe since 1700 AD), mainly due to human interference accompanied by natural succession process. Under this backdrop, physical, chemical, biological and ichthyologic features and fisher folk (following standard procedures of study) of the Asian wetland Sone Beel has been focused as a typical case study in the global scenario. Threats to the to Ramsar sites along with their categorization has also been discussed on a global scenario.
Learning While Black: A Qualitative Analysis of the Impact of Race in a U.S. High School
Authors: BSN, RN, Khalief Dantzler, , BS, RN, Maria Altamirano, , BA, Toluwayemi Anomo , BS, Esmeralda Carrillo, , BS, Marlisa Hall, , BA Kristin Hildreth, , BS Jessica Nwabuzor, , BA Narkie Opong, , BS Hermona Okbu, , BS Maryver Perez, , BS Jocelyn White, , Halliwell BS Hannah A. , MD MPH Shervin Assari,
Published: October 2022

One of the major contributing factors to the Black-White achievement gap is school context. While many factors can affect academic achievement amongst Black youth, school climate and inter-racial relations are among the root causes which impact Black students’ development. In this qualitative study, we conducted secondary analysis of existing data consisting of interview transcripts and focus group discussions held in 2013 with 21 Black students who attended a public charter high school in Michigan. Open access data were downloaded from the University of Michigan Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) database. We analyzed qualitative data for themes and constructs related to school context and such influences on Black youth development. The following three constructs were identified: racial identity of Black youth, the impact of teachers on Black students’ racial identity and development, and lastly, exploring the dominant culture of the U.S. education system. For researchers, this data highlights a need for more studies on the intersection of race, school environment, and youth development. For administrators and policy makers, the results emphasize the need for investment and engagement in the daily experiences of Black students, reducing racism, and increasing diversity of curriculum. Teachers and school administrators may benefit from specialized training to better address cultural, educational, and developmental needs of Black youth in the context of their role in school.
Psoriasis flare-up phenomenon after covid-19 vaccine
Authors: Coimbra Beatriz Zimermano , Oliveira Leonardo Medeiro , Abreu Marilda Milanez Morgado de
Published: October 2022

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease. There are several intrinsic and extrinsic factors that can initiate the disease in predisposed individuals and its exacerbation, with vaccination against COVID-19 being a relevant factor. The objective of the present study is to review the exacerbation of psoriasis, in patients already diagnosed and in new cases, after vaccination against COVID-19, trying to establish a causal relationship on which vaccines are most related to decompensation of the condition, having based on the cases reported so far in the literature. Furthermore, it is intended to elucidate the main hypotheses for this phenomenon. The search for articles was carried out in the Pubmed/Medline, SciELO, Cochrane Library and LILACS databases, using the following descriptors: Psoriasis; Exacerbation; COVID-19; Vaccination; Psoriasis; Exacerbation; COVID-19; Vaccine. The search was restricted to articles published from 2019 to 2022, and studies relevant to the topic were selected. After analyzing the selected articles, several cases of psoriasis flare were seen after vaccination, in particular the Pfizer and Astrazeneca vaccines. Therefore, physicians and other healthcare professionals should be aware of the possibility of manifestation and exacerbation of psoriasis after the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of type and dose.
The Impacts of Social Distancing on the Incidence of Covid-19 in a Municipality in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Moreira Nayara Fernanda Alves , Medeiros Lauany Silva de , Junior Ailson Almeida Veloso , Borges Renata Campos de Sousa , Caldato Milena Coelho Fernandes , Gouveia Amanda Ouriques de , Silva Natália Karina Nascimento da , Medeiros Tania de Sousa Pinheiro , Farias Kátia Cilene Lisboa , Dias Nathália Menezes , Pamplona Mônica Custódia do Couto Abreu , Alves Marcia Pontes , Vieira Flávia Nunes , Gouveia Aline Ouriques de , Bastos Mírian Letícia Carmo , Moreira Herundino Neto Moura
Published: October 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic culminated in the rupture of the contemporary world's relationship with infectious diseases, as it is an unprecedented event. In this way, social distancing measures were necessary, through confinement and seclusion with the delimitation of some rules. To analyze the effects of implementing social distancing on the incidence of Covid-19 in a municipality in the Brazilian Amazon region. This is a descriptive study with a cross-sectional quantitative approach, about the impacts of social distancing in the pandemic in the municipality of Tucuruí, in the inner city of the Pará state. This work took place through the collection of secondary data in the public domain, therefore, dispensing with the Ethics Committee. It took place in 3 stages, namely data collection, tabulation and data analysis. Results: From January 2020 to December 2021, the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance of Tucuruí carried out 8,499 notifications of cases of Covid-19, with an average of 4,249 cases per year in this period, with 2021 being the highest incidence, with 65.81% (n = 5,594) reported cases. There were 4 lockdowns during this period, with an average decrease of 32% (n = 200) in notifications. In summary, it was noted that the weather caused by Covid-19 devastated the population and especially the health management system of the municipality. However, with the establishment of service management, it was possible to verify the control of new cases, favoring the quality of the conduct of the managing health institutions.
FGF2 overrides key pro-fibrotic features of bone marrow stromal cells isolated from Modic type 1 change patients
Authors:   Balgrist Campus AG, Lengghalde 5, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland, Heggli I , Blache U , Herger N , Mengis T , Jaeger PK , Schuepbach R , Farshad-Amacker N , Brunner F , Snedeker JG , Farshad M , Distler O , Dudli S
Published: October 2022

Extensive extracellular matrix production and increased cell-matrix adhesion by bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are hallmarks of fibrotic alterations in the vertebral bone marrow known as Modic type 1 changes (MC1). MC1 are associated with non-specific chronic low-back pain. To identify treatment targets for MC1, in vitro studies using patient BMSCs are important to reveal pathological mechanisms. For the culture of BMSCs, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is widely used. However, FGF2 has been shown to suppress matrix synthesis in various stromal cell populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether FGF2 affected the in vitro study of the fibrotic pathomechanisms of MC1-derived BMSCs. Transcriptomic changes and changes in cell-matrix adhesion of MC1-derived BMSCs were compared to intra-patient control BMSCs in response to FGF2. RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that pro-fibrotic genes and pathways were not detectable in MC1-derived BMSCs when cultured in the presence of FGF2. In addition, significantly increased cell-matrix adhesion of MC1-derived BMSCs was abolished in the presence of FGF2. In conclusion, the data demonstrated that FGF2 overrides key pro-fibrotic features of MC1 BMSCs in vitro. Usage of FGF2-supplemented media in studies of fibrotic mechanisms should be critically evaluated as it could override normally dominant biological and biophysical cues.
Parkinson’s Disease Detection using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: D Amreen Khanum , G Prof. Kavitha , H S Prof. Mamatha
Published: October 2022

Abstract: The main goal of the study is to inspect the performance of the different Supervised Algorithms for the improving the Parkinson Disease diagnosis by detection. We have used Five machine learning techniques for the detection of Parkinson Disease datasets. KNN,LR,DT,NB and XGBoost were used for the prediction of Parkinson Disease. The Performance of the classifiers is evaluated via, precission, Accuracy, F1-Score, Recall and Support. Where after computing with different classifier we got result as KNN shows the accuracy level 96% for Parkinson Disease. XGBoost achieved the second highest classification accuracy of 91%. Moreover, in the terms of accuracy for analyzing the Parkinson Disease dataset ,NB achieved the lowest accuracy of 76%. In our study has emphasized the current Parkinson Disease research trends and scope in relational to clinical research fields by machine learning technique .That will be effective impact in field of Parkinson Disease.
#Covid-19: A hashtag for examining reactions towards Europe in times of crisis. An analysis of tweets in Italian, Spanish, and French
Authors: La Rocca Gevisa , Greco Francesca
Published: October 2022

Hashtag research has established itself as a relevant research field, with various studies having analysed this polysemic collector in crisis and media events. Hashtags are used in social media, most specifically on Twitter. Further, between 2020 and 2021, hashtag studies linked to the COVID-19 pandemic have emerged. Accordingly, this study aimed to analyse the content of tweets during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 4–11, 2020) that included the hashtag #Covid-19 in three different languages: Italian, Spanish, and French. For these analyses, we used emotional text mining. The goal of this study was to reconstruct the representation of the pandemic, of containment measures, and of Europe in tweets. We discussed the prevailing attitude towards Europe in times of crisis.
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on society in southern Europe: the case of social innovation in the care of early childhood in Barcelona
Authors: Maestripieri Lara , Gallego Raquel
Published: October 2022

A distinctive role of family care defines the southern European welfare models. Several studies have highlighted the functional overload for families with children under three years old, in which unpaid work is mainly provided by women (even when they work full time), in a context in which the public and private childcare provision is insufficient to meet families' needs. In Barcelona, the emergence of socially innovative projects has partially covered the demand for 0-3 childcare. These projects are based on communities of care made up of parents and educators. However, COVID-19 has severely impacted the participants in social innovations such as childminders, free-education nurseries, and community care groups. Educators working in these projects struggled to survive economically when the 2020 spring lockdown forced them to close, while the closures obliged mothers to juggle work with care.
This article presents the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mothers and educators involved in socially innovative 0-3 childcare projects in Barcelona. The paper uses qualitative and quantitative empirical material gathered between May 2020 and June 2021: interviews with representatives of childcare associations, educators and mothers (before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Spain), and a survey with mothers with children under three (after the lockdown). The results of our investigation show that the communities behind the projects constituted a crucial resource. Parents and educators helped each other, sharing care and financial resources to keep the projects going and find new solutions to the work-family balance.
Atributos do discurso de avaliação subjacente ao regulamento geral de avaliação da aprendizagem de Moçambique
Authors: Chicote Rosalino Subtil , Deixa Geraldo Vernijo
Published: October 2022

Desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa com objectivo de caracterizar o discurso de avaliação subjacente ao Regulamento Geral de Avaliação do Ensino Primário, Alfabetização e Educação de Jovens e Adultos e Ensino Secundário Geral de Moçambique. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa documental. Construiu-se e aplicou-se um guião de observação sistemática sobre três Artigos do documento acima mencionado. A partir da Análise de Conteúdo, resultados da pesquisa indicam concentração de indicadores nas concepções de avaliação como distância e como juízo de valor. Portanto, o discurso de avaliação subjacente ao documento é transversal e incompleto. O discurso em si, não desconstrói os ritos das práticas de avaliação escolar. Cabe empreender acções de fiscalização permanente.
Department Store Surveys as a Methodology in the Study of Linguistic Variation
Authors: Zheng Shangxin , Wang Xiaomei
Published: October 2022

This article provides an overall review on the methodology of Department Store Surveys (DSS), which refers to sociolinguistic surveys taking place in department stores in urban speech communities accompanied with unobtrusive observation techniques. DSS originated in Labov’s pioneering study on the social stratification of (r) in New York City department stores, and has been applied to various speech communities thereafter. One of the most recent studies, extending DSS by adding another interviewer with a different identity, is discussed in particular. It is proposed that DSS allows us to study linguistic variation in two equally effective ways. At the micro-level, it offers insights into the structuring of a speech community with reference to linguistic variables; also, it informs our understanding of macro-level language use in public settings in a multilingual society. Finally, the strengths and limitations of DSS are evaluated in terms of data collection in urban speech communities.
The Art of Paper Cutting: Strategies and Challenges in Chinese to English Subtitle Translation of Cultural Items
Authors: Chai William , Ong Hui Yi , Amini Mansour , Ravindran Latha
Published: October 2022

Culture is a way of life and embodiment of civilizations that is expressed through a language. The transfer of culture is a significant aspect of audio-visual translation as translators deal with more than just the written texts on surface level. Translating culture-specific items on paper cutting is an intercultural communication. However, translating cultural items in subtitling could cause challenges and problems for translators during the translation process. In this qualitative study, the translation strategies and challenges were explored in the subtitling of a Chinese cultural documentary on the art of papercutting titled The Life of Paper-cutting (剪紙人生; Jiǎn zhǐ rén shēng) retrieved from YouTube. The original video was subtitled to identify the challenges in subtitling. The strategies and challenges were first identified and then the process was described. It was found that the most appropriate translation strategies were omission, direct transfer, equivalence, and adaptation. The analysis revealed that the challenges were mainly technical, cultural, and linguistic. The findings can be used as a guide to utilise the translation strategies effectively in subtitling translations of similar audio-visual products to tackle the challenges faced in the Chinese to English translation of culture-specific items.
Mario Boza, director y fundador del Departamento de Parques Nacionales de Costa Rica
Authors: Christopher Vaughan
Published: October 2022

Poco después de recibir su M.Sc. en Ciencias Forestales con énfasis en Manejo de Tierras Silvestres en el Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) en 1968, el Ing. Mario Boza fue declarado director del recién creado Departamento de Parques Nacionales de Costa Rica. Fue inmediatamente responsable de cuatro tierras silvestres nacionales creadas alrededor de 1970: el Parque Nacional Volcán Poás, el Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, el Parque Nacional Tortuguero y el Monumento Nacional Cahuita. Aunque se enfrentó a recursos financieros y humanos limitados, trabajando con su colega Álvaro Ugalde, demostró ser dinámico y decidido, buscando donantes, aliados políticos y voluntarios nacionales e internacionales.   Como voluntario del Cuerpo de Paz con Mario, entre 1971-1974, me asignaron para trabajar con Mario y los científicos del Centro de Ciencias Tropicales (Drs. Holdridge, Tosi y Skutch), en un inventario para localizar futuros parques nacionales y reservas biológicas. Para la mayoría de las áreas potenciales, viajé solo o acompañado con biólogos o guías, pero Mario me acompañó en dos viajes. El segundo viaje fue en 1975 al futuro Parque Nacional Corcovado y ocurrió después de que Mario fuera director y yo profesor en la Escuela de Ciencias Ambientales. Había visitado Corcovado varias veces durante el inventario, y quería que Mario lo visitara sobre todo porque aún no había sido declarado parque nacional y estaba bajo una gran presión de ser destruido por la agricultura, los oreros y una empresa transnacional forestal y de desarrollo. Fuimos y Mario terminó de convencerse. Así, usando nuestros informes anteriores y sus contactos políticos, Mario y su colega, Álvaro Ugalde, entonces director del Departamento de Parques Nacionales de Costa Rica, persuadieron al presidente costarricense Daniel Oduber de decretar el Parque Nacional Corcovado en agosto de 1975.
Mario Boza: el visionario que abrió las puertas al turismo basado en la naturaleza en Costa Rica
Authors: Marco Vinicio García León
Published: October 2022

Numerosas personas, dentro y fuera de Costa Rica, se refieren al Dr. Mario Boza, y con gran razón, como “el padre de los parques nacionales”, contexto en el que se le considera como alguien dedicado por completo a la conservación de la naturaleza, todo lo cual está muy bien a no ser por aquellos que piensan que fue uno más de esos “conservacionistas a ultranza” que confunden la conservación con “no tocar”. Nada más lejos de la verdad, pues él estaba plenamente convencido de que, para tener éxito y futuro, la protección de la naturaleza debía demostrar que, en vez de significar una carga para el Estado, la misma derivaría en un uso racional y productivo de los recursos naturales, no solo mediante la oferta constante de los servicios ambientales fundamentales para la vida como el oxígeno, el agua y los miles de productos que obtenemos de las plantas y de los animales, sino también de su uso responsable para el esparcimiento y la recreación, tanto de nacionales como de extranjeros.
Evaluation of surface water quality for human consumption potential in the upper reaches of Sis Icán, Guatemala
Authors: Chán Santisteban Milton Leonel , Peña Cordero Wagner
Published: October 2022

In Guatemala 90 % of urban water has a rural origin and 70% of the sources are superficial. We selected three rivers of the upper basin of Sis Icán (Chita, and Sacobá Ixconá-Sis; Pacific coast) to asses drinking water. The watersheds have agriculture and livestock farms, as well as urban and rural populations. Water quality was assessed in the origin and end of each river, in 2012. The variables measured were: NO3, NO2 =, SO4 =, Fe, Cl, Mn, hardness, total coliforms and fecal coliforms. We applied the water pollution index, which is the average of the ratios between observed parameters and regulated standard values. We found statistically significant inputs for chemical and microbiological contaminants (total and fecal coliforms). The level of chemical contaminants does not compromise the quality of water for human consumption, but the biological contamination does.
Improving the experience of women with gestational diabetes from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: a mixed method study
Authors: Lau Hiu Wing Rachel , Dong Jonathan , Weir Tessa Lee , Chopra Meenakshi , Olivetti Lyn , Fulcher Gregory , Glastras Sarah
Published: October 2022

Objective: To compare the experiences of women with gestational diabetes
mellitus (GDM) from different culturally and linguistically diverse
(CALD) backgrounds. Design: Mixed method study. Setting: Australia.
Sample: 37 Australian-born and 43 women from CALD background diagnosed
with GDM. Methods: Items from the questionnaire were derived from the
Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ), Culturally Based
Communication about Health, Eating, and Food (CHEF), and Medical Social
Self-efficacy (MSSES) scale. Semi-structured interviews were conducted
to investigate participants’ experience with diagnosis and management of
GDM. Main Outcome Measures: Factors affecting the experience of managing
GDM. Results: Compared to Australian-born women, women from CALD
backgrounds perceived healthcare professionals to have poorer knowledge
of their cultural foods (P<0.001) and had less confidence in
seeking medical information (P<0.006). 20 women partook the
semi-structured interviews and 5 themes were identified: (1) Reaction to
diagnosis; (2) Management issues; (3) Roles of friends and family; (4)
Information access; and (5) Experience with healthcare services. The
lack of culturally tailored dietary information, social support and
language barriers were the main factors underpinning the differences in
GDM experiences among women from CALD backgrounds versus
Australian-born. Conclusions: Our study supports 5 dimensions of
patient-centred care: emotional support, continuity and transition,
involvement of friends and family, information and education, and access
to care. Implementing models of care with these areas addressed will
enhance the experience of GDM for women from all ethnic backgrounds.
Funding: This study did not receive any funding. Keywords: Diabetes,
gestational; Pregnancy; Prenatal care; Ethnic groups
The value of Dynamic Movement Orthoses in the management of a complex Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome patient: a case report
Authors: Higo Anna
Published: October 2022

The use of Dynamic Movement Orthoses® is examined in a young woman with
hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) referred for physiotherapy
with hip dysplasia, prior to a right peri-acetabular osteotomy. Dynamic
Movement Orthoses® plus rigorous subjective examination, therapists’
listening skills and patient-centred goals was useful for this hEDS
patient.
Aggregation in carbon dots
Authors: Ru Yi , Waterhouse Geoffrey I. N. , Siyu Lu
Published: October 2022

Carbon dots (CDs) possess outstanding luminescence properties, leading
to their use in a wide range of applications including optical displays,
anti-counterfeiting systems, bioimaging and sensors. Presently, there is
much debate about the classification of CDs, as well as their formation
process, structure and fluorescence mechanisms. Aggregation plays an
important role in both the formation of CDs and their fluorescence (e.g.
aggregation-induced emission), yet is seldom studied in detail. This
review aims fill this knowledge gap, by firstly exploring how
aggregation leads to the formation of different types of CDs (e.g.
graphene quantum dots, carbon quantum dots, and carbonized polymer
dots), followed by a detailed examination of the effect of
aggregation-induced morphology on the luminescence properties and
application of CDs. Finally, opportunities and challenges for the
application of CDs in various applications are discussed, with the need
for better mechanistic understanding of aggregation-induced luminescence
being an imperative.
Perceptions of Small-Scale Farmers on Tobacco Contract Farming: The Case of Marondera Rural District, Zimbabwe
Authors: Ruzhani Freddy , Abbyssinia Mushunje
Published: October 2022

Small-scale farmers’ perceptions of tobacco contract farming schemes in the Marondera rural district of Zimbabwe were critically assessed in this paper. The multi-stage sampling design was used to select five wards with the highest number of tobacco contracted farmers from where 60 contract and 60 non-contract tobacco farmers were randomly selected. A 5-point Likert scale was used to rank farmers’ perceptions. The paper established that small-scale farmers in Marondera rural district strongly believe contract farming makes it possible for the majority of farmers to venture into the production of high-value crops as it provides access to the much-needed markets while reducing the risk of price fluctuations. However, the majority of the respondents believed that contract farming is not profitable and there is a manipulation of farmers in contract farming arrangements. The independent samples t-test indicated a significant difference in perception score between participants and non-participants of tobacco contract farming schemes (p<0.05). The farmers who were not participating in tobacco contract farming schemes had a more positive perception of these schemes while those who participated had a more negative perception. The major implication is that gains associated with tobacco contract arrangements are not always apparent to farmers while the disincentives may be more visible. It is therefore fundamental that contract companies address some of the shortcomings existing in these contractual arrangements as well as change the perception of the farmers to develop mutually beneficial lasting relationships with their major stakeholders.
Sustaining the Township Economy: An Investigation into the Factors Influencing the Shopping Experience of Spaza Shop Customers in South Africa
Authors: Van Eyk Marle , Amoah Felix , Yase Thembelihle
Published: October 2022

The township economy supports many South Africans by creating employment and reducing the socio-economic challenges facing the country. To ensure sustainable growth of the sector, research is required on key businesses within the informal economy. This study empirically investigated the factors influencing the shopping experience of spaza shop customers in South Africa. Spaza shops, an under-researched South African context, continue to expand in various townships and serves as retail outlet where consumers purchase their daily products and services. The study embraced a quantitative research design. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect the data for the study. The target respondents include customers who were older than 18 years and had previously purchased from spaza shops. Respondents were selected using convenience sampling. The questionnaires were distributed to six townships in South Africa. 185 usable questionnaires were included in the data analysis. The empirical results provided evidence that supports the existence of statistically significant positive correlations between five independent experience factors, namely: esthetic, distinctiveness, cognitive, affective and social; with customer experience (dependent variable). Additionally, three of the five experience factors (social, affective and cognitive) are significant predictors of customer experience in the context of this study. Based on the identified factors, several recommendations are made for improving customer experience in a spaza shop context. Recommendations made are expected to enhance the competitiveness of spaza shops thereby enabling them to increase their contribution to employment creation and national Gross Domestic Product.
Indonesia-China Trade Performance in the RCEP Forum
Authors: Abdullah Ragimun , Mutaqin  , R. Nurhidayat  , Yasin Akhmad
Published: October 2022

This study aims to map out Indonesia's export performance, the competitiveness of its commodities, and the position of some of Indonesia's flagship commodities in China. The research method used in this study is the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and the Constant Market Share Analysis (CMSA). The data is from the Indonesia Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and UN Comtrade for 4-digit HS products. The finding from this study indicates that Indonesia's trade balance with China for the last three years (2018-2020) has widened the deficit. Intense negotiations with China are necessary to open up trade access to overcome the trade deficit. The Government is encouraged to launch the development of flagship products with high market values, such as chemicals, machinery, electricity, and textiles. In addition, the national downstream program for mineral and metal products is encouraged to do more robust plans, including considering attracting new industrial investment from China.
Conductivity and electrochemical stability of Li+ substituted high-entropy Lix(mM0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)1-0.5xO ceramics
Authors: Kong Yazhou , Hu Guang , Zhang Kailong , Hu Weiwei
Published: October 2022

In this work, high-entropy Lix(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)1-0.5xO (x = 0, 0.1,
0.2, 0.3, 0.4) ceramics with rocksalt structure were synthesized via simple
sol-gel method and sintered at 1000?C. The crystal structure, crosssection
micromorphology, conductivity, electronic conductivity and electrochemical
stability of the sintered Lix(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)1-0.5xO ceramics
were investigated by X-ray diffraction, SEM, AC-impedance, DC-polarization
and cyclic voltammetry, respectively. The
Lix(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)1-0.5xO ceramics present single rock-salt
structure and no impurities were detected. The
Li0.3(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)0.85O (x = 0.3) sample has the highest
conductivity of 1.46 ? 10?5 S/cm at 30?C, with an activation energy of
0.334 eV. Conductivity of the (Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)O ceramics is
enhanced by about four orders of magnitude with the partial substitution of
(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2) by lithium. The electronic conductivity of the
Li0.3(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)0.85O ceramics is much lower than its ionic
conductivity, which suggests that Li0.3(MgCoNiCuZn)0.85O can be treated as
ionic conductor. The Li0.3(Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)0.85O sample is
electrochemically stable between 1.23 and 4.7 V.
Incorporation of cerium oxide into hydroxyapatite/chitosan composite scaffolds for bone repair
Authors: Mutlu Büşra , Çaylak Sena , Duman Şeyma
Published: October 2022

This study reports on the production of chitosan-based composite scaffolds
reinforced with hydroxyapatite (HA) powders prepared with cerium oxide
(CeO2) with various concentrations (10, 20, 30 wt.%). Besides, the effect of
CeO2 additive on the microstructural,mechanical and bioactivity properties
of the composite scaffolds was investigated. The CeO2 reinforced HA powders
were synthesized having homogenous particle distribution via spray drying
process. The synthesized powders and the produced scaffolds were examined
using different characterization methods. From the results, it can be seen
that the scaffolds were significantly affected by amount of CeO2 additive.
An increase in the compressive strength is observed as the amount of CeO2
additive rises. Furthermore, the composite scaffolds possessed a high
mineralization ability of apatite in simulated body fluid (SBF). These
observations related to the composite scaffolds have considerable potency
for application in bone tissue engineering.
Fabrication of Al2O3-Nb2O5-LiF-ZrO2 FGMs by SPS method: Microstructural evaluation, dynamic and sintering behaviour
Authors: de Jesus , da Silveira , Ribeiro Matheus , da Silva , Arantes Vera , Gomes Alaelson
Published: October 2022

For the first time, alumina functionally graded materials (FGMs) with
additions of niobium oxide, lithium fluoride and zirconia were produced by
spark plasma sintering (SPS) and their sintering behaviour and dynamic
properties were studied aiming to evaluate possibility of their use as
ballistic shielding. Six groups of alumina samples with different layer
compositions were produced by SPS at 1400 ?C/5min. The samples were
characterized by dilatometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and
Hopkinson split bar method. The composition with the zirconia addition
exhibited lower shrinkage rates at higher temperatures than the groups
without zirconia, which promoted small sample shrinkage, resulting in lower
density and higher porosity. The dynamic test showed that the alumina FGMs
with layer containing LiF had the highest strain and strain rate values,
exhibiting that the presence of continuous gradients in the composition
positively affects the ceramic properties. Densification, layer change and
cracks propagating through the material layers were also analysed by SEM
analyses.
The effects of processing parameters on structure of mesoporous γ-alumina granules synthesized by sol-gel/oil-drop method: Modelling via response surface methodology
Authors: Mohammadi Behnam , Shabani Shaghayegh , Mirkazemi Seyed , Vahidshad Yaser , Dorani Akram
Published: October 2022

Sol-gel/oil-drop granulation technique was used to prepare mesoporous ?-Al2O3
granules of 1.5-2mm with high specific surface area and pore volume of
295m2/g and 0.47 cm3/g, respectively. The structure of granules was studied
using powder XRD, DTA, TEM and N2 adsorption/desorption techniques. A
response surface methodology (RSM) holding CCD approach was used for
modelling the influence of process variables on the granule pore structure,
having a quadratic function relating the independent variables (calcination
temperature, acid amount and ammonia concentration) to the responses
(specific surface area, mean pore diameter and pore volume). The interaction
effect of variables on each response was studied and all were in acceptable
accordance with experimental values. Accordingly, the granules synthesized
using 20ml of nitric acid, aged in a 9.25wt.% ammonia solution and calcined
at 450?C showed the best properties. The predicted values for the specific
surface area and pore volume were 315.64m2/g, 7 nm and 0.53 cm3/g,
respectively, which were compatible with experimental values.
Apatite-forming ability of bioglass coated bovine bone scaffolds
Authors: Jakab Miklós , Enisz-Bódogh Margit , Kovács Kristóf
Published: October 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the bone-like apatite forming
ability of bioglass coated bones by immersing them in simulated body fluid
(SBF). Various types of bioactive coatings with an average thickness of 15
?m were deposited on the surface of the cortical bovine bone by vacuum
assisted infiltration.More intense apatite crystallization was observed
using additives such as hydroxyapatite, sintered bone and ?-whitlockite in
the base glass. The dissolution properties of the scaffolds were determined
by ICP-OES and XRF methods. The consequence of the release of Ca and P
during immersion in SBF on the mechanical properties was observed through
measurements of microhardness, bending and compressive strength.
Hepatolithiasis followed by recurrent cholangitis as a consequence of inadequate hepaticojejunostomy for common bile duct injury
Authors: Kresoja-Ignjatovic Milana , Lukic Dejan , Djermanovic Aleksandar , Djuric Mladen , Protic Mladjan
Published: October 2022

Introduction. Hepatolithiasis (HL) is defined as gallstones present in bile ducts above the common bile duct confluence, regardless of the coexistence of gallstones in other parts of the biliary tract. HL is common among patients with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis. Chronic infection can lead to the development of malignancy. Case outline. A 65-year-old woman presented with intermittent fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, and nausea. Eighteen years previously, the patient had an open cholecystectomy due to acute cholecystitis. During the early post-operative days, the patient developed icterus. Intrahepatic biliary ductal dilatation was confirmed by abdominal ultrasound. Due to suspicion of iatrogenic common bile duct injury, the patient underwent a second operation, during which the said injury was confirmed. ?Non-Roux-en-Y? hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) was performed as a problem-resolving procedure. Despite the performed biliary bypass, the patient continued to have episodes of recurrent cholangitis over the 18 years. Given the patient?s recurrent symptoms and results of MRI consistent with HL, surgical treatment was indicated. A left hepatectomy was performed, with Roux-en-Y HJ biliary reconstruction. The post-operative course was uneventful, after which the patient has been symptom-free. Conclusion. The main purpose of treating HL is to eliminate infection which leads to recurrent cholangitis and subsequent hepatic fibrosis. Adequate solution of HL decreases the need for repeated interventions and prevents progression of the disease to cholangiocarcinoma.