bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Report of a case of Cobb syndrome: multimodality imaging
Authors: Ibrahim Dalia , Mashhour Shady
Published: October 2020

Cobb syndrome is a rare vascular disorder characterized by vascular skin lesions distributed in a dermatomal pattern, with corresponding muscular, osseous, paraspinal, and/or spinal vascular lesions occurring at the same body somite (metamere). We present a case of a 25-year-old man who presented with a history of right upper limb paresthesia followed by bilateral progressive upper and lower limb weakness and heaviness. Physical examination showed large cutaneous port wine stains on the right side of the chest, the nape, and along the whole right upper limb in a dermatomal distribution, with no corresponding limb hypertrophy or asymmetry. MRI and CT scan of the cervical spine showed aggressive vertebral hemangiomas involving the right side of C1 down to C4 vertebrae associated with extraosseous epidural lesion causing cervical cord compression, in addition to right paraspinal muscular low flow vascular malformations. Digital subtraction angiography of the neck vessels showed corresponding vascular blush and delayed contrast pooling in the affected regions. Cobb syndrome was diagnosed based on the dermatomal distribution of the cutaneous vascular lesions and the corresponding vertebral, epidural, and paraspinal vascular lesions occurring at the same metamere. The patient underwent a decompressive laminectomy at C2–C6 levels with removal of the epidural lesion, after which his symptoms had improved.
Clinical and practical considerations in the design of appropriate compensation schedules following treatment interruptions
Authors: Jones Bleddyn , Dale RG
Published: October 2020

Compensatory dose calculations to mitigate the deleterious effect of unscheduled treatment interruptions remain important. They may be increasingly required during and after epidemics, as with the present Covid-19 virus. The information presented to those involved in the actual dose estimations is often limited, thereby increasing the likelihood of confusion, further time delays and possibly incorrect decisions. This article sets out what aspects need to be considered by the Clinical Oncologist (or Radiation Oncologist), and the reasons why, in order to provide greater clarity. The key issues are: (a) the biological nature of the tumour (and hence its repopulation potential), (b) patient age and pre-existing medical risk factors that influence radiation tolerance, the use of chemotherapy, surgery etc, (c) the acceptable dose limits of the relevant normal tissues at risk and (d) consideration of the possibility of further field size adjustments, a change in treatment plan or acceptance of a greater role for alternative forms of radiation treatment (e.g. brachytherapy, electron boosts, etc.) or reliance on radical surgery. Only then can a compensatory schedule be more safely estimated.
UK adaptive radiotherapy practices for head and neck cancer patients
Authors: LEE Victor Shing-Cheung , SchettIno Giuseppe , Nisbet Andrew
Published: October 2020

Objective:

To provide evidence on the extent and manner in which adaptive practices have been employed in the UK and identify the main barriers for the clinical implementation of adaptive radiotherapy (ART) in head and neck (HN) cancer cases.

Methods:

In December 2019, a Supplementary Material 1, of 23 questions, was sent to all UK radiotherapy centres (67). This covered general information to current ART practices and perceived barriers to implementation.

Results:

31 centres responded (46%). 56% responding centres employed ART for between 10 and 20 patients/annum. 96% of respondents were using CBCT either alone or with other modalities for assessing “weight loss” and “shell gap,” which were the main reasons for ART. Adaptation usually occurs at week three or four during the radiotherapy treatment. 25 responding centres used an online image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) approach and 20 used an offline ad hoc ART approach, either with or without protocol level. Nearly 70% of respondents required 2 to 3 days to create an adaptive plan and 95% used 3–5 mm adaptive planning target volume margins. All centres performed pre-treatment QA. “Limited staff resources” and “lack of clinical relevance” were identified as the two main barriers for ART implementation.

Conclusion:

There is no consensus in adaptive practice for HN cancer patients across the UK. For those centres not employing ART, similar clinical implementation barriers were identified.

Advances in knowledge:

An insight into contemporary UK practices of ART for HN cancer patients indicating national guidance for ART implementation for HN cancer patients may be required
Students’ Feedback about Feedback; Have our PBL tutors started the shift towards a dialogic ask-tell-ask approach?
Authors: Saeed Majda , Isnani Arthur C. , Khan Samina A. , Khamis Nehal
Published: October 2020

Objective: A paradigm shift towards a PBL bidirectional dialogic feedback can enhance learners’ performance. This study aimed to investigate undergraduate medical students’ perceptions of their PBL feedback.

Methods: We sent e-mail invitations to a web-based survey to year one and two students at College of Medicine, King Saud University. Items included the process, content, and benefits of PBL feedback.

Results: Of 209 respondents, 110 (53%) were first and 99 (47%) were second-year students. About 50% agreed that the feedback was regularly provided at scheduled timing and 72% perceived feedback environment as non-threatening. Agreement rates that the tutors asked students first to assess their performance, tell them what went well, what the areas for improvement are and develop with them an improvement plan were 59%, 61%, 61% and 52%, respectively. 61% agreed that tutors judged performance not personality. More year one students significantly agreed that the PBL feedback helped them to improve their knowledge acquisition and non-technical skills. 

Conclusion: Many of our PBL tutors have started the shift to a dialogic bidirectional feedback. We recommend continuing the faculty development efforts, peer-reviewing, and seeking student’s feedback within the academic quality satisfaction surveys.

Abbreviations: PBL: Problem-based learning,   ATA: Ask-Tell-Ask,   CoM: College of Medicine, KSU: King Saud University.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.1778

How to cite this:Saeed M, Isnani AC, Khan SA, Khamis N. Students’ Feedback about Feedback; Have our PBL tutors started the shift towards a dialogic ask-tell-ask approach? Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1698-1702.   doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.1778

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Validity of STONE Score in Clinical Prediction of Ureteral Stone Disease
Authors: Malik Abdul , Mohkumuddin Syed , Yousaf Shazia , Baig Mirza Ahmad Raza , Afzal Ayesha
Published: October 2020

Objective: To determine the external validity of STONE score for predicting the probability of ureteral stone in patients presenting in emergency department with suspicion of ureteral stones.

Methods: In this prospective validation study, a total of 134 patients aged above 18 years, and first time arrived in the emergency unit for treatment of flank pain and then referred for the CT scan for suspected ureteral stone in Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta, from 10-June-2018 to 15-Oct-2019 were included. STONE score calculation was done before sending the patient to the CT scan, using the same protocol as defined by Moore et al. Based on STONE score patients classified into the low-risk group (0 to 5), moderate-risk group (5 to 9) and the high-risk group (10 to13). The AUC, sensitivity, specificity and test characteristics were calculated for STONE score.

Results: The mean age was 39.2± 11.2 years, there were 86 (64.17%) men and 48 (35.83%) women. there were 26.8% patients having low-risk score, 52.23% moderate-risk and 21.97% high-risk score. On receiver operating curve (ROC) the area under curve (AUC) of the stone score was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.67 to 0.83), the lower band of AUC 0.67 and upper band 0.83. In high risk STONE score the sensitivity of STONE score was 66.7% and specificity was 75.0%.

Conclusion: Based on our study results, CT scan and ultrasonography are standard diagnostic tools for suspected ureterolithiasis but in emergency unit, use of STONE score to categorize the patient as low risk, moderate-risk and high-risk of ureteral stone can help the physician (clinician) to take decision either there is a need of further investigation or not.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.2625

How to cite this:Malik A, Mohkumuddin S, Yousaf S, Baig MAR, Afzal A. Validity of STONE Score in Clinical Prediction of Ureteral Stone Disease. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1693-1697. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.2625

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
PREVENTION OF EMOTIONAL BURNOUT PRESCHOOL TEACHERS: THE WAY TO PROFESSIONAL LONGEVITY
Authors: Maksimenko Elena , Syomina Marina
Published: October 2020

In the logic of the system-activity approach in education, the article substantiates and presents the procedure and results of experimental work on the diagnosis and prevention of emotional burnout syndrome among teachers of preschool educational organizations. A complex of empirical psychological and pedagogical methods is proposed that allow diagnosing the initial state of respondents, as well as identifying the dynamics of indicators of significant personal states during the implementation and after the targeted author's training program.
Between self-stigma and the will of recovery... Difficulties in accepting a psychiatric diagnosis - case study
Authors: Soroka Ewelina , Słotwiński Maciej , Pawęzka Justyna , Urbańska Anna
Published: October 2020

Cel: Konsekwencją wykluczenia społecznego osób chorujących psychicznie jest często pogorszenie przebiegu choroby i rokowania. Istotne znaczenie dla tzw. etykietowania, będącego jednym z etapów procesu stygmatyzacji, ma rozpoznanie psychiatryczne niosące ważne implikacje społeczne. Celem pracy jest przyjrzenie się zagadnieniu diagnozy psychiatrycznej, zwłaszcza diagnozy schizofrenii paranoidalnej i jej konsekwencjom dla funkcjonowania społecznego pacjenta. Metody: Autorzy pracy dokonali przeglądu piśmiennictwa na temat znaczenia diagnozy psychiatrycznej w kontekście autostygmatyzacji chorobą psychiczną i przedstawili, w oparciu o dokumentację medyczną, przypadek kliniczny pacjentki, która przejawiała znaczące trudności z zaakceptowaniem rozpoznania schizofrenii paranoidalnej. Wyniki: Piętno choroby psychicznej jest przyczyną subiektywnie przeżywanego cierpienia dla osób z diagnozą psychiatryczną oraz ich bliskich, ale ma także znaczenie dla zdrowia publicznego. Diagnoza psychiatryczna niesie konsekwencje społeczne i może wzmacniać piętno choroby psychicznej, dlatego tak istotne jest, aby proces diagnozowania nie był czynnością rutynową, wolną od refleksji etycznej. Wnioski: Autostygmatyzacja w przebiegu schizofrenii paranoidalnej to nie w pełni zbadany obszar naukowy, warty zgłębienia i uzupełnienia, celem skuteczniejszego zwalczania piętna choroby psychicznej.
Dens Evaginatus – ‘Addition Beats Subtraction’
Authors: Ayub Khawer , Khan Sadia , Kelleher Martin
Published: October 2020

This case describes the presentation of dens evaginatus on a maxillary central incisor in an 8-year-old Caucasian male, its subsequent monitoring and later management. Dens evaginatus is a dental anomaly most commonly noted as an accessory tubercle on the occlusal surface of premolars and the palatal aspect of incisors as a talon cusp. Complications can result in loss of pulp vitality, sometimes causing periapical periodontitis. Clinicians should be aware of the presentation and the advantages of different approaches to the management of dens evaginatus.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: To raise awareness of dens evaginatus in dental professionals working in primary and secondary care.
Rhinosinusitis update
Authors: Hopkins Claire
Published: October 2020

Rhinosinusitis is a common condition, affecting more than one in ten adults. This article will review current management strategies. While multi-factorial in aetiology, odontogenic rhinosinusitis is an important subgroup that is often misdiagnosed and recalcitrant to management. Patients with rhinosinusitis often report facial pain, but when it is severe, and mismatched in severity to other sinonasal symptoms, facial migraine should be suspected. Finally, the risks of implantation in the setting of maxillary sinus mucosal thickening and the need for ENT referral in such cases will be discussed.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: Sinus issues may present to a dentist as dental pain, and dental disease may itself cause sinusitis. With increasing use of cone beam imaging, sinus pathology will be detected frequently in dental practice and this review will help to advise practitioners on current best practice.
Controversies in endodontic access cavity design: A literature review
Authors: Maqbool Manahil , Noorani Tahir Yusuf , Asif Jawaad Ahmed , Makandar Saleem D , Jamayet Nafij Bin
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this article is to compare and contrast the different types of endodontic access cavity designs based on the current available evidence. Four types of access cavity designs, namely, traditional endodontic access cavity design (TEC), contracted/conservative endodontic access cavity design (CEC), ultra-conservative or ninja endodontic access cavity design (NEC) and truss endodontic access cavity design (TREC) have been suggested, and the latter three are currently in the limelight. Studies in vitro have been performed comparing the TECs, CECs, TRECs and NECs; except for the TECs, the other three types have not undergone clinical trials on patients. The choice of endodontic access cavity design affects fracture strength of the tooth, but remnants of pulpal tissue, due to ineffective instrumentation, can cause root canal treatment failure.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: Root canal treatment with new access cavity designs has been proposed. However, there is lack of evidence to support such practices. It is important to consider the potential deleterious effects of such access cavity designs rather than emphasizing the preservation of tooth structure alone.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Diagnostics: a Primer
Authors: Samaranayake Lakshman , Kinariwala Niraj , Perera RAPM
Published: October 2020

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), seems to have spared no single community. Rapid and accurate identification of COVID-19 patients are the mainstay for breaking the chain of community infection and controlling the pandemic. There are now a bewildering array of diagnostic tests available to detect COVID-19 at various stages of infection. In this, the fourth article in the COVID-19 Commentary series, we describe the basics of current clinical diagnostics, including molecular and serological testing approaches, and summarize their advantages and limitations.
Journal Scan
Authors: Welyczko Nikki
Published: October 2020

Nikki Welyczko, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, provides a brief overview of recently published nursing and health articles
Stomal Bleeding: Assessment, Management and a Case Study of Caput Medusae
Authors: Coleman Lisa
Published: October 2020

How to assess and treat an ostomate presenting with bleeding from their stoma or peristomal skin
Limiting infusion and observation times for infliximab and vedolizumab in the COVID-19 pandemic: a UK multicentre audit of practice and safety
Authors: Avery Pearl , Younge Lisa , Clair-Jones Anya St , Campbell Rachel , Braim Deirdre , George Becky , Johnson Heather , Naughton Tracy , Rees Fiona , Maw Frances
Published: October 2020

Background:

Infusions units in the UK are under increasing pressure, and this has been increased by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are considered vulnerable, requiring enhanced social distancing or shielding, as defined in the UKz government's recommendations for COVID-19. Evidence that post-infusion observation time is unnecessary for infliximab (IFX) and vedolizumab (VDZ) exists in the literature, but the summary of product characteristics for both agents states that anywhere from 0.5 hours to 2 hours of observation post-infusion is required.

Methods:

A call was put out using the Royal College of Nursing's Facebook page, and IBD nurses from eight trusts in the UK took part. Data were gathered on trusts' current practice, infusion times for IFX and VDZ and reported infusion reactions.

Results:

Two (25%) trusts reported already having reduced post-infusion observation periods for people receiving IFX infusions 1–3; this increased to three units (37.5%) for infusions 4–9 and six (75%) for infusions >10. No infusion reactions were seen after the first 20 minutes of infusion time in 3934 IFX and 1265 VDZ infusions.

Conclusions:

The audit results suggested that there is no safety signal reduced post-infusion observation time, supporting evidence already present in the literature, and this can support increased capacity in infusion units. The time burden for people with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) is reduced, which is increasingly important during the pandemic. The reduced length of time that people need to spend at hospital offers trusts an option to help shield those who need to be protected from COVID-19.
Removing the Social Care Sticking Plaster
Authors: Dempster Helen
Published: October 2020

This article explores how investing in technology can provide a solid foundation for transforming the delivery of social care through a more joined up and holistic approach throughout the healthcare system
How to achieve award-winning LGBT inclusivity
Authors: Hancock Dave
Published: October 2020

A host of practices in mid Essex CCG have received Pride in Practice awards from the LGBT Foundation for becoming fully inclusive for LGBT people. How did they do it?
Should I become a Partner as a Practice Manager?
Authors: Cumberlege Justin
Published: October 2020

Justin Cumberlege from specialist healthcare law firm Hempsons flags up some of the issues to be considered before joining the partnership
The Effect of Procrastination on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study
Authors: Akpur Uğur
Published: October 2020

The aim of the present study is to examine the effect level of procrastination on academic achievement. To this end, a meta-analytic approach was applied and the studies published between January 2000 and May 2020 in Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Academic Search Ultimate databases were included in the study. The research was limited to articles examining the correlation between the variables and, accordingly, the correlation coefficient was specified as an index to identify the effect size. After reviewing 22 relevant studies with 8307 participants, the meta-analysis was conducted through Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. The findings revealed that the variables were negatively correlated with each other and the overall effect size of procrastination on academic achievement was found -0.61, which can be interpreted as the medium effect size. The findings of the study endorse the main tenets of theoretical framework regarding the aforementioned link.
Arbitrary polarization control by magnetic field variation
Authors: Stoyanova Elena , Ivanov Svetoslav , Rangelov Andon
Published: October 2020

We propose a universal scheme for the construction of a device for arbitrary-to-arbitrary polarization transformation, which consists of two quarter-wave plates and two Faraday rotators. Using this device, one can continuously change the retardance and the rotation angle simply by changing the magnetic fields in each Faraday rotator.
Laser ultrasonic imaging for defect detection on metal additive manufacturing components with rough surfaces
Authors: Zhang Jun , Wu Jinfeng , Zhao Xin , Yuan Shuxian , Ma Guanbing , Li Jiaqi , Dai Ting , Chen Huaidong , Yang Bing , Ding Hui
Published: October 2020

Defects or discontinuities are inevitable during the melting and consolidation process of metal additive manufacturing. Online inspection of microdefects during the processing of layer-by-layer fusion is urgently needed for quality control. In this study, the laser ultrasonic C-scan imaging system is established to detect the surface defects of selective laser melting (SLM) samples that have a different surface roughness. An autosizing method based on the maximum correlation coefficient and lag time is proposed to accurately measure the defect length. The influences of the surface roughness on the laser ultrasound signal-to-noise ratio distribution and defect sizing accuracy are also studied. The results indicate that the proposed system can detect notches with a depth of 50 µm and holes with a diameter of 50 µm, comparable in size to raw powder particles. The average error for the length measurement can reach 1.5% if the notch is larger than 2 mm. Meanwhile, the sizing error of a 1 mm length notch is about 9%. In addition, there is no need to remove the rough surface of the as-built SLM samples during the detection process. Hence, we propose that the laser ultrasonic imaging system is a potential method for online inspection of metal additive manufacturing.
Dependence of thermal stability in the composition of Ge-As-Te films
Authors: Qin Jingshuang , Chen Jinbo , Chen Yimin , Gu Jierong , Shen Xiang , Wang Rongping
Published: October 2020

Ge5AsxTe95-xamorphous thin films (x=20∼60) have been deposited by thermal evaporation and the change of their optical parameters—like refractive index and optical bandgap as a function of thermal annealing time—have been studied with an aim to screen the composition of the film with stable optical and thermal properties for applications in optical waveguide devices. The film with a composition around x=38.0 was found to be stable, while the optical band gap and refractive index decreases in the films with x<38.0, and opposite changes can be observed in the film with x>38.0. Further structural characterization showed no any observable changes of the Raman spectra in the as-prepared and annealed Ge5.2As38.0Te56.8film, confirming the stability of the optical and thermal properties in this composition.
Generation of a microresonator soliton comb via current modulation of a DFB laser
Authors: Nishimoto Kenji , Minoshima Kaoru , Yasui Takeshi , Kuse Naoya
Published: October 2020

Dissipative Kerr-microresonator soliton combs (hereafter called soliton combs) have been rapidly progressing as compact frequency combs. Comb mode scanning of the soliton combs with a large range and fast speed is of paramount importance for applications such as LiDAR and spectroscopy, requiring large and rapid frequency scanning of a pump continuous-wave (CW) laser as well as resonance frequency of a microresonator. Here, we demonstrate the generation of a soliton comb by a distributed feedback (DFB) laser toward comb mode scanning with a large range and fast speed. Compared with conventional pump CW lasers (i.e. external cavity diode lasers: ECDLs), DFB lasers can be frequency-scanned more largely and rapidly without mode-hopping. In addition, because of the fast scan speed of the DFB laser, a single soliton comb is generated simply by controlling the injection current of the DFB laser, greatly simplifying the system without having any additional optical modulators such as a carrier-suppressed single-sideband modulator (CS-SSB modulator), acousto-optic modulator (AOM), and auxiliary CW laser.
O ensino e o estudo dos media e de jornalismo: tributo a Nelson Traquina
Authors: Da Silva Marisa Torres , Baptista Carla , Cádima Francisco Rui
Published: October 2020

Este número especial da revista Media & Jornalismo é dedicado ao Professor Nelson Traquina que, em 2002, a fundou e dirigiu. Trata-se de um tributo sincero e um registo da nossa imensa gratidão intelectual e humana, procurando fazer jus ao seu enorme, rico e inovador legado.
O legado de Nelson Traquina no estudo dos media e do jornalismo
Authors: Ponte Cristina
Published: October 2020

Este artigo recorda a intervenção de Nelson Traquina enquanto docente e investigador dos Media e do Jornalismo no Departamento de Ciências da Comunicação da NOVA FCSH durante três décadas. Tem presente particularidades do contexto histórico do exercício do jornalismo em Portugal e os tempos de transição em que decorreu essa intervenção. A partir desse contributo, identifica questões para uma agenda de pesquisa no atual contexto digital.
Notícias da diáspora
Authors: Rodríguez Alberto Pena , Lima Maria Érica De Oliveira
Published: October 2020

No início do século XX, especialmente entre 1910 e 1929, a imprensa portuguesa nos Estados Unidos atingiu um período de grande crescimento e expansão, dando origem à consolidação de um interessante discurso informativo em português através da produção de jornais fundados por imigrantes em vários estados americanos. Durante este período, foram publicados 52 novos títulos de jornais em português, embora a maioria foram efímeros. Utilizando técnicas tanto quantitativas como qualitativas, o principal objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a função que desempenhou este tipo de imprensa entre os imigrantes que chegaram em massa aos Estados Unidos nas primeiras décadas do século XX, ajudando-os a compreender o funcionamento da sociedade americana e a integrarem-se no seu tecido social. Este trabalho demonstra que este tipo de jornais, realizados com grandes limitações por jornalistas autodidatas, tiveram um rol relevante como medios de informação e de instrução entre os imigrantes portugueses.
Big Show Cristina Ferreira
Authors: Baptista Carla , Silva Marisa Torres da , Ferreira Allan Herison
Published: October 2020

Este artigo aborda a narrativa televisiva contemporânea popular a partir de uma análise do talk show diário apresentado por Cristina Ferreira na SIC até 17 de julho de 2020. O sucesso do Programa da Cristina é enquadrado de um ponto de vista histórico, estabelecendo continuidades com a obra de Nelson Traquina, Big Show Media (1997). Cristina Ferreira é uma celebridade da televisão popular portuguesa e constrói no seu programa uma performance de género ancorada na lógica parado- xal do pós-feminismo. A sua versatilidade é visível na transversalidade da estratégia de divulgação do programa nas redes sociais, designadamente no Instagram e no Facebook, onde se ampliam os públicos através da mobilização instrumental de ou- tros influenciadores digitais.
Akumulasi Logam Berat Pada Kerang Hijau di Perairan Pesisir Jawa
Authors: Andayani Ariani , Koesharyani Isti , Fayumi Ulfa , Rasidi Rasidi , Sugama Ketut
Published: October 2020

Heavy Metal Accumulation on Green Mussels in the Java Coastal Water.In many countries, green mussel (Pernaviridis) is harvested as food source. It is also commonly used as indicators for toxic contaminant, i.e. heavy metals, in the coastal waters. In Indonesia, green mussels are mostly cultivated in the north coast of Java where most industrial estates are located. Without further treatment, toxic contaminant of industrial waste may give impact to the surrounding environment, not to mention the adjacent coastal waters. This study was aimed to determine the accumulation of heavy metals, namely Hg, Pb and Cd, in green mussels. Green mussel samples were collected in 2017, taken from four culture sites in the north coast of Java: Panimbang, Jakarta Bay, Brebes and Cirebon. Our results showed that the concentration of Hg, Pb and Cd in green mussel tissues of those locations are: Panimbang = Hg: <0.22 mg/kg, Pb: undetectable, and Cd: 0.068 mg/kg; Teluk Jakarta = Hg: 11.7 mg/kg, Pb: 29.4 mg/kg, and Cd: 0.42 mg/kg; Brebes = Hg: 0.01 mg/kg, Pb: 3.52 mg/kg, and Cd: 0.4 mg/kg; and Cirebon = Hg: 0.01 mg/kg, Pb: 2.66 mg/kg, and Cd: 0.73 mg/kg. These results indicate that only green mussels from Panimbang contain heavy metals below the thresholds allowed to be consumed by humans
Balanço hídrico transitório do aquífero Urucuia meridional na Bahia
Authors: Oliveira Leanize Teixeira , Klammler Harald , Leal Luiz Rogério Bastos
Published: October 2020

A mensuração dos componentes do balanço hídrico de uma bacia do ponto de vista temporal e espacial é extremamente relevante na gestão dos recursos hídricos e no entendimento das flutuações de níveis da água subterrânea. O aquífero Urucuia vem sendo monitorado por dataloggers instalados em poços dedicados que mostram um declínio contínuo nos níveis d’água atingindo até 1,1m/ano. Foi realizada a análise isotópica em conjunto com a simulação numérica de fluxo em estado estacionário e transiente na porção meridional do aquífero Urucuia-Bahia (23% da área aflorante total) para descrever a dinâmica dos componentes do balanço hídrico entre 2005 e 2018. A análise isotópica evidencia a interação rio-aquífero e o efeito da evapotranspiração na recarga. Os resultados mostram diminuição progressiva da recarga entre 2012 e 2017, sendo fortemente influenciada pela evapotranspiração e diminuição das chuvas, causando o declínio nos níveis d’água subterrâneos e do fluxo de base dos rios, também influenciado pelo bombeamento dos poços. Adicionalmente o modelo numérico foi desenvolvido para gerar respostas degrau a uma diminuição de recarga em 10% mostrando que cargas hidráulicas e fluxos de base tardam aproximadamente uma década para se reequilibrarem. Os resultados evidenciam a importância de monitoramento hidroclimatológico contínuo e mensuração das retiradas, visando acompanhar a dinâmica entre demandas e disponibilidades hídricas.
Towards an effective partnership policy for improving urban low-income housing provisioin in Nigeria: New institutional economics perspective
Authors:   Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, Gbadegesin Job
Published: October 2020

Recent critique against the past urban housing provision strategies in Nigeria was that the low-income groups are marginalised. It then led to the adoption of public private partnership (PPP) initiative with a view to pursuing the broad goal of housing-for-all in Nigeria. Most recent studies have however criticised the effectiveness of the existing PPP practice in the housing provision structure without providing a pragmatic suggestion towards an effective framework for improvement. It thus raised the question; what are the main causes of ineffectiveness of existing PPP in housing provision and how can an effective PPP policy framework for urban low-income housing be achieved in Nigeria? This study utilised the concepts of new institutional economics (NIE) -a theoretical and methodological underpinning for multi-actors’ policy matters. Using qualitative data from structured interview and credible literature sources, findings indicate that uncertainties in land accessibility, high transaction costs and the developers’ high profit agenda, are the major causes of PPP ineffectiveness for housing provision, which are also attributed to lack of a specific PPP policy that recognises all income groups and their roles on housing provision. End-users suggested that governmentcould have a negotiation with land owners and building materials dealers to address the housing problem. In conclusion, it is established in this study that adoption of all-inclusive conceptual approach described within the context of NIE thought can facilitate an effective planning for urban low-income housing in Nigeria.
Adjusting the Margins: Harnessing the Foundations of American Sign Language for VR
Authors:   Rochester Institute of Technology/ National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Haggerty Luane Davis
Published: October 2020

Del-Sign is a physical approach to acting that uses elements of Francois Delsarte mime techniques with the foundations of American Sign Language. This acting and presentational technique uses cross-cultural physical communication as a way to deepen an actors’ performance, support a presenter’s lecture, or can be used as a format from which to create animations that communicate with or without verbal language. It is a historical fact that Deaf actors using the foundations of Sign Language influenced the movie industry (Higgins). In silent movie infancy Deaf performers were brought in as consultants to ensure that the gestures, relational positions, facial expression, camera angles and body language of the actors could have the strongest impact and the clearest meaning (Albert Ballin). At that time the standard acting technique was a codified movement study begun and refined by Francious Deslarte (1870-1890s Paris, 1880-1915 Steele MacKaye New York). By blending these two structures we find that an outline is gained for creating movement, posture and gesture (MPG) that easily communicates meaning. The applications of this performance technique are many and varied. From the obvious acting for stage application to lawyers, teachers, priests or other presenters. Del-Sign can now bridge into adding technology to the mix allowing for this approach to be used when creating characters and movement for VR, AR or MR.
Color and Object Appearance in Augmented Reality
Authors:   Rochester Institute of Technology, J. Murdoch Michael , Hassani Nargess ,   Rochester Institute of Technology, Leary Sara ,   Rochester Institute of Technology
Published: October 2020

This presentation will summarize recent work on the visual perception of color appearance and object properties in optical see-through (OST) augmented reality (AR) systems. OST systems, such as Microsoft HoloLens, use a see- through display system to superimpose virtual content onto a user’s view of the real world. With careful tracking of both display and world coordinates, synthetic objects can be added to the real world, and real objects can be manipulated via synthetic overlays. Ongoing research studies how the combination of real and virtual stimuli are perceived and how users’ visual adaptation is affected; two specific examples will be explained.
Social Augmented Reality
Authors:   Syracuse University, Stevens Renée
Published: October 2020

My creative research looks at how Augmented Reality (AR) can help overcome Learning Disabilities. This focus has directed me to develop a number of ideas and concepts that seek to understand how the addition of information in an augmented view could help tackle some of the challenges different Learning Disabilities present while, at the same time, appealing to a larger audience. This concept was the foundation for creating the immersive mobile application tagAR™, which adds a digital name tag into your augmented view, replacing the traditional “Hello, my name is” sticker version. It allows you to see the names of people around you hovering above their heads at all times. Currently, the app is reliant on the user holding up a mobile device to use the camera so that the application can add the name tags to the view on your screen. As mainstream technology continues to advance, this app will work for wearable devices, eliminating the need to hold up your phone, which is a bit socially awkward. The target audience of the app is those who have trouble remembering people’s names, those who will benefit from having a visual of the names of people around them and for those who want to network and meet new people at social and educational events such as conferences or workshops. Through the design and development of this app, I have been exploring how the social aspect can be extended beyond just the name display and user search features to include a customizable tags that can be searchable, so users can connect, find people with similar interests, share contact information as well as connect with others on multiple social media platforms. I will discuss the research, design and developmental processes that influenced the concept and functionality of this social app using AR.
Por fin fue la lagartija roja la que habló
Authors: Andrés Corredor Álvaro
Published: October 2020

La resistencia de los pueblos y sistemas de pensamiento que han sido colonizados en lo sensible por la hegemonía del sistema-mundo moderno colonial, genera un escenario de alternativas epistémicas diferenciales frente a los patrones eurocentrados en esta materia, revelando un conjunto de posicionamientos “otros” en lo sensible, que asumen modos autónomos de entender las ideas de conocimiento, sensibilidad, el sentido del conocer y las formas de relación entre quienes se comprometen en tales procesos. El pensamiento uitoto, que en su concepto del “saber enfrentar la vida” asume la existencia humana en armonía con el conjunto de la vida en el tejido-mundo –mediante el equilibrio con las fuerzas vitales, el reconocimiento mutuo entre las gentes (humanas y no humanas) y la relación comunitaria en los ámbitos personales, sociales, políticos y cósmicos–, señala entre los conceptos asociados al conocimiento-sensible: el medir la mano, el fortalecer el manejo de los aires de aliento y el encontrar el propio cuerpo
El ensayo visual: una tipología emergente de artículos investigación-creación
Authors: Gómez Moreno Pedro Pablo
Published: October 2020

La vida de las revistas se puede medir en las dinámicas de sus secciones. Y Calle 14 no ha sido la excepción en este aspecto. A lo largo de 28 números realizados desde el año 2007 hemos visto cómo la sección central se ha convertido en la principal de la revista, abarcando artículos que dan cuenta de la investigación y la creación en estas modalidades: artículo de investigación artística, científica y tecnológica, artículo de reflexión y artículo de revisión. Pero la denominación de artículo de investigación artística es una inserción nuestra, con el propósito editorial de tener una revista “científica” indexable e indexada desde el campo de las artes, que al mismo tiempo no claudique a las lógicas, formatos y jerarquías de las ciencias duras. Tarea ardua y compleja, que al menos, pensamos, nos permite interpelar la realidad desde las mencionadas lógicas y jerarquías que surgen en las ciencias naturales, pasan a las ciencias sociales, las ciencias humanas y terminan inscribiéndose en las artes.
Watermelon ripeness detector using near infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Arboleda Edwin R. , Parazo Kimberly M. , Pareja Christle M.
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to design and develop a watermelon ripeness detector using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). The research problem being solved in this study is developing a prototype wherein the watermelon ripeness can be detected without the need to open it. This detector will save customers from buying unripe watermelon and the farmers from harvesting an unripe watermelon. The researchers attempted to use the NIRS technique in determining the ripeness level of watermelon as it is widely used in the agricultural sector with high-speed analysis. The project was composed of Raspberry Pi Zero W as the microprocessor unit connected to input and output devices, such as the NIR spectral sensor and the OLED display. It was programmed by Python 3 IDLE. The detector scanned a total of 200 watermelon samples. These samples were grouped as 60 % for the training dataset, 20 % for testing, and another 20 % for evaluation. The data sets were collected and are subjected to the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm. Overall, experimental results showed that the detector could correctly classify both unripe and ripe watermelons with 92.5 % accuracy.
Penentuan Daerah Penyangga Kawasan Taman Hutan Raya Bukit Soeharto di Kecamatan Samboja, Kutai Kartanegara
Authors: Ariyani Desy , Syafitri Elin Diyah , Yorika Rahmi
Published: October 2020

Taman Hutan Raya (Tahura) Bukit Soeharto merupakan kawasan konservasi yang ditetapkan berdasarkan Keputusan Menteri Kehutanan 1231 tahun 2017 memiliki luas 64.814,98 Ha, dari total luasan terdapat pemanfatan lahan pertambangan dengan luas 956 Ha, perkebunan seluas 52 Ha, permukiman atau lahan terbangun seluas 173 Ha dan petanian dengan luas 16.915 Ha. Dimana terdapat 21,29%  dari total luas Taman Hutan Raya Bukit Soeharto dan daerah penyangga yang dipergunakan untuk pertambangan, pertanian lahan kering campuran, pertanian lahan kering, tanah kosong /terbuka, pemukiman, tambak/perikanan dan perkebunan. Hal ini dikarenakan masyarakat tidak mengetahui batasan wilayah untuk memanfaatkan sumberdaya hutan sehingga terjadi pemanfataan lahan yang tidak seharusnya. Selain itu, masyarakat juga tidak mengetahui bahwa kawasan konservasi tidak boleh dimanfaatkan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk  menentukan wilayah yang berfungsi sebagai daerah penyangga kawasan Taman Hutan Raya (Tahura) Bukit Soeharto. Penelitian menggunakan metode overlay peta dengan alat analisis Arcgis 10.7 dengan parameter penentuan fungsi kawasan adalah  kemiringan lahan, jenis tanah dan curah hujan. Berdasarkan hasil analisis yang telah dilakukan diperoleh hasil bahwa terdapat wilayah dengan luas sebesar 2.2 Ha yang memiliki fungsi sebagai daerah penyangga. Wilayah tersebut termasuk dalam wilayah administrasi Kelurahan Sungai Merdeka, Wonotirto, dan Karya Jaya
Investor behavior towards IPOs in Kenya: An Empirical Evaluation of the Factors influencing Investor Behavior in Kenya
Authors: Owiye O. P.
Published: October 2020

The period 2000-2013 witnessed a tremendous rise in investor participation in IPOs in Kenya. A number of IPOs have resulted in over-subscription. Outstanding cases include; Kenya-Re (334%), Kengen (236%), Eveready (800%), Safaricom (363%), Mumias Sugar (200%), Access Kenya (300%), Scan Group (520%) and Telkom (300%). The purpose of this study was to empirically investigate factors influencing investor behavior towards IPOs in Kenya. The study had, as its target population people residing in Kenya who have previously participated in any one or more of the following IPOs; Mumias Sugar, Safricom, Kengen, Telkom, Eveready, Kenya- Re, Access Kenya, and Scan Group. Simple Random Sampling was used to select a sample of respondents from the target population. Factor Analysis was used to analyze data collected from the respondents to generate understanding of the main motivation to the hightened interest in IPOs by investors. A number of factors thought to be driving investor’s interests towards initial public offers in Kenya were identified. These factors were conveniently categorized into three in order of significance, general state of the economy, confidant’s opinions, and leading communication from government sources.
The Effects and Implications of Mood on Moral Judgements
Authors: Ian T. Jones  , Christopher C. O'Lansen  , Megan Baker  , Emery Thackerson  , Samantha Horvath  , Katie Maupin  , Hailey McDaniel-Johnson  , James W. Grice
Published: October 2020

Vladimir A. Lefebvre [1, 2] proposed an algebraic model of self-reflection that predicts individuals will judge ambiguous stimuli positively with a proportional frequency of .618. While a number of studies have empirically supported this prediction [3, 4], Anderson and colleagues [5] found only partial support for Lefebvre’s model. They moreover suggested that Schwartz and Garmoni’s States of Mind (SOM; [7]) model could potentially explain the disparate findings as well as the variability of positive judgements seen across individuals. Consequently, this study explored whether ratios of psychological functioning posited by the SOM model correspond with proportions of positive judgements of ambiguous stimuli (viz., pairs of pinto beans). Results revealed that, while Lefebvre’s predicted proportion of positive judgments was again replicated, individuals with relatively high positive affect were not more likely to rate greater proportions of the ambiguous stimuli positively.
Information Security Management in Financial Organisations: From Policy to Education and Training
Authors: Nalova Endeley Margaret , Serkwem Awiye Sharon
Published: October 2020

The study set out to find out the extent to which analysing the cognitive competences of children, specifically executive function and visual perception, leads to the effective teaching of children with learning disability. An exploratory sequential mixed method research design was used and participants were selected purposively. A sample size of 10 pupils with learning disability was used. A diagnostic test and an observation checklist with items corresponding to the needs of the pupils was used to analyse pupils’ cognitive competences while a quasi-experiment was used to find out if teaching based on an analysis of competences was effective. Data were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that an analysis of cognitive competences has a significant influence on the effective teaching of reading and writing to children with learning disabilities. Recommendations were made.
Establishing a Set of Professional Standards for Principals in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Ru-Jer , Huang Yueh-Chun
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this study is to formulate a set of professional standards for principals in Taiwan. The research methodology employed was fuzzy Delphi. An initial set of 52 standards was formulated and then revised by a panel of 20 experts. The main findings of this study are: the standards are divided into four dimensions: professional knowledge (14 standards), value and vision (11 standards), professional attitude (14 standards), and professional behavior and performance (13 standards). The standards established by this study can be a useful tool for the recruitment of future school principals and a useful instrument for the evaluation of current school principals due to the fact that Taiwan currently lacks a standardized set of professional standards for school principals. This study provided a good example of formulating a set of professional standards for school principals suited to a certain country for having taken its specific local context into account and having learned from the sets of standards in use elsewhere as well.
Financial Effect of Labour Related Risks on Completion of PPP Projects
Authors: Oyieyo Pamela Akinyi , Rambo Charles , Ndiritu Anne
Published: October 2020

Efficient management of construction works should focus its attention on utilizing labour, equipment, and raw materials in the right way. Besides, they claim that responsible parties should evaluate labour productivity continuously and that cost control measures should be developed. Low productivity witnessed in construction is linked to internal challenges including disputes, abandonment of projects, excess budget, and time overlaps. The objective of the study was to determine the financial effect of labour related risks on completion of PPP projects. A descriptive survey design was used with simple random sampling targeting 85 members of the management team at the completed Sondu-Miriu Power project. The participants were administered with questionnaire which were sent by mail (in some cases) and selected participants encouraged to respond. Data obtained was analysed through SPSS platform using descriptive statistics and Pearson Moment correlation as inferential statistics. The study found that labour related risks in construction PPP projects included failure by employees and experts to complete assigned tasks, injuries and deaths, changing labour demands during the project as well as cases of go slow. Construction labour related risks affected the financial cost, time and quality of work performed in the construction project. The study concludes that labour related risks have a financial effect on completion of PPP projects such that as the risks increase, the financial cost increases. The study recommends that more focus should be placed on the identification and recruitment of project staff as well task allocation.