bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NEED-ANALYSIS BASED ON DESIGN PROPER ENGLISH COURSE SYLLABUS
Authors: Rahmawan Andi Dian
Published: April 2022

This research attempts to give perspective to the teachers and lecturers of English regarding a proper syllabus which mainly based on students’ problems on designing good quality of the abstracts of their research. 14 students’ product of abstracts of non-English department in the University of PGRI Yogyakarta would be employed as the main sources of data. The technique of doing this study is by observing on the students’ error production based on the diction and the grammatical aspects. This is a Research and Development which the result is a need-analysis-based syllabus. The syllabus mirrors that most of students have difficulties on finding the proper dictions of certain words, such as cardinal and ordinal numbers. From the perspective of grammar, they found that it is an obstacle to apply certain tense and aspect system of English. Based on these, the researcher expects that teacher and lecturer of English are able to design the more suitable and ready-to-use skills that gained during the classroom activities so that students are able to design the more acceptable abstract of their research to increase the readability and the acceptability of academic writing.
THE IMPACTS OF MENTIMETER-BASED ACTIVITIES ON EFL STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN INDONESIA
Authors: Sari Angela Bayu Pertama
Published: April 2022

The effort to enhance students’ engagement in the EFL classroom is still becoming an issue. Fortunately, some studies have shown a positive correlation between technology utilization to elevate the students’ engagement. Based on that potential finding, this study aims at digging out the impact of Mentimeter, as one of the popular tools in this recent time, on EFL students’ engagement. It is a descriptive qualitative study. There are 70 respondents of the non-English students that were selected by using purposive sampling. The results of the study reveal that there are three most prominent students' positive perception towards the implementation of Mentimeter in the EFL classroom, namely practicality, anonymity, and freedom. Those three aspects foster the students to be engaged in the process of English learning. Then, most students perceive that no reason makes them dislike Mentimeter usage in the EFL classroom. The next finding depicts a significant impact of Mentimeter on the students’ engagement in English learning by giving opinions and discussion activities. It was proven with the percentage of students’ participation, reaching 82% and 91%, above the average of Mentimeter participants’ contribution.
THE EFFECTS OF ACCENT FAMILIARITY ON ARAB EFL LEARNERS’ PERCEPTIVE INTELLIGIBILITY
Authors: Nazari Ahmad , Younus Majid Rasim
Published: April 2022

In accord with the current status of English as an International Language, the aim of this article is to develop a methodological framework to investigate the effects, if any, of accent familiarity on perceptive intelligibility in an Arab EFL context. To this end, a perception intelligibility test was developed to measure the intelligibility of Arab EFL learners and to determine the extent to which intelligibility varied in relation to accent familiarity. A listening text in English from the Speech Accent Archives produced by three speakers of different first language backgrounds constituted the material stimulus for the perceptive intelligibility test. In this respect, three accent familiarity levels were determined when measuring the perceptive intelligibility of Arab EFL learners. These accent familiarity levels included matched, mismatched and unfamiliar. The listeners were 60 randomly selected Arab EFL undergraduate students. An analytic five-point rating scale was also developed to measure the extent to which Arab EFL learners understood the English speech produced by speakers from the three different first language backgrounds. The results, in general, showed that Arab EFL learners understood with little effort most of the English utterances produced by the three English language speakers from different language backgrounds. However, the learners faced more effort and misunderstanding regarding the third speaker who represented an unfamiliar accent. The article concludes with a description of the research implications and applications that derive from the findings of the study.
LEST WE FORGET: INHUMANITY THREATS IN TEACHING IN THE NEW ERA
Authors: Dewi Novita
Published: April 2022

Since the prolonged pandemic, teaching language will never be the same even in the New Normal when less strict social distancing measures apply. The sudden shift from offline and/or blended learning to full online learning has brought about diverse pedagogical implications. On the one hand, unlike in traditional teaching and learning, one positive outcome in online learning is the enhancement of social engagement, autonomy, and digital compassion. On the other hand, ignorance, over-indulgence, and cold-heartedness are among the drawbacks of technology-mediated teaching. Drawing from personal experiences and relevant studies, this article highlights the threats of inhumanity when the power of technology takes over life skills that language learners need to acquire. At the core of the recommendation made herein is an open heart in this nearly closed world – a small fraction of Pope Francis’ newest encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti on fraternity and social friendship. The four core values suggested include critical thinking, ethical reasoning, interpersonal connectivity, and compassion.
THE ROLE OF READING ALOUD STRATEGY ON IMPROVING READING AND PRONUNCIATION FOR EFL PUPILS AT PRIVATE BASIC SCHOOLS: TEACHERS PERSPECTIVES
Authors: Badawi Abbas Mukhar Mohamed , Alnour Nagla Taha Bashrie , Alamin Montaser , Sanhori Sami Balla
Published: April 2022

The study aims at investigating the role of reading aloud on English as foreign language for learners in improving reading and pronunciation at basic level schools. The study used the descriptive analytical method. In order to examine the hypotheses, the study used a questionnaire as a tool for collecting needed data. The questionnaire was distributed randomly to fifty English language teachers at private schools in Bahary locality. The data was analyzed by using SPSS program. The study came up with results that reading aloud is beneficial to develop and promote pupils reading, as well as improving their pronunciation. The study mentioned some recommendations and suggested some points of studies which can convene futurity.
THE EFFECTS OF RATING EXPERIENCE AND DISCOURSE MODES ON ASSESSING EFL LEARNERS� WRITING PERFORMANCES
Authors: Zribi Rania , Smaoui Chokri
Published: April 2022

This study aims at investigating the effects of discourse modes on assessing EFL learners written performances. A total of fifty raters judged sixty essays (30 narratives and 30 argumentative writing modes) written by third-year English students from the Faculty of Letters and Humanities. Raters not only scored the compositions but also justified their scores assignments based on written explanations. Raters rating behaviors were diagnosed based on a variety of quantitative and qualitative tools. Essay scores were analyzed based on the statistical model FACETS to measure raters severity and internal consistency, task difficulty, and the scale functioning across writing modes. Qualitative data (gathered from interviews and report forms) were also analyzed in order to examine which aspects of writing were deemed more important than others across task types. The analysis revealed that the discourse mode was substantially an influential factor. The narrative task was more difficult than the argumentative one. Narrative essays were judged harsher than argumentative essays. Less consistent ratings could be detected from the narrative mode, compared to the argumentative one. Qualitative findings showed that the two writing modes were different in their qualitative judgments due to their different genre requirements and norms.
TEACHING EFL WRITING USING GOOGLE DOCS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Authors: Wibowo Annindita Putri
Published: April 2022

An innovative teaching and learning process in a class is essential to provide a meaningful and successful learning experience. Peer feedback evaluating the other students’ writing helps them check, correct errors in writing, and analyze the mistakes to lead to a better understanding and a good improvement. Thus, this study is conducted to observe Google Docs’ use with peers’ feedback for having an innovative teaching and learning process in EFL writing class. 10 EFL students, including male and female from one of the public universities in Central Java, Indonesia studying in the 5th semester are surveyed via non-probability sampling and asked for their participation in this study. The ten students chosen will be interviewed regarding the activities using Google Docs in their article writing class such as commenting and revising after they get the feedback and their reflection of these activities. The results of this study found that Google Docs providing feedback helps students write an article, although they also found some challenges. This study suggests that the lecturers' guidance and perspective are needed in feedback activity during the writing class to have a better and more effective learning process.
RHETORICAL MOVE AND GENRE KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT IN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES’ THESIS AND DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS
Authors: Putri Tara Devina , Kurniawan Eri
Published: April 2022

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the study of research abstracts and its rhetorical structure. While the number of studies in rhetorical moves of RA abstracts are growing, there is still little attention given to thesis and dissertation abstracts especially in relation to the link between genre knowledge and its rhetorical realization. The present study aims to identify the variations of rhetorical move manifestation in abstracts of master’s theses and dissertations written by local and international graduate lecturers and explore the relationship between the manifestations and the author’s genre knowledge development. This study employed a qualitative approach with Hyland’s (2000) five-move analysis model as the main framework of the study. The findings revealed that there were similarities in the rhetorical structure of abstracts by the local and international graduates. The study also found that educational level and supportive academic environment play an important role in author’s genre knowledge trajectories. The findings discovered in the study provide a clearer picture to help in the development of a universal guideline for abstract writing in final papers for higher education.
INFLUENCE OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE ON TEACHERS’ LEVEL OF USE OF CRITICAL THINKING
Authors: Laabidi Youssouf L Y
Published: April 2022

Critical thinking is very important in the area of education, because it is an essential tool for solving problems and making good decisions. Through applying critical thinking in learning, students can become creative in discovering the best method of learning and organizing their work. Therefore, critical thinking is not an educational choice and all learners should be taught to think critically. The primary objective of this paper is to study whether teaching experience played a role in teachers’ level of use of critical thinking. The quantitative method was used. The respondents of the study were Moroccan English high school teachers. A questionnaire was used to collect data from teachers. Both the online version and the paper-based version of the questionnaire were used to gather data from the participants.  A total of 423 questionnaire were collected from the respondents. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 was used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that teaching experience significantly impacts teachers’ level of use of critical thinking. This suggests that there is a connection between teachers’ effectiveness and years of experience.
Application of neural networks in system of recognition of commercial aquatic organisms during increased fluctuation
Authors: Alekseev Pavel P. , Kvyatkovskaya Irina
Published: April 2022

The article focuses on using artificial neural networks for the recognition of commercial hydrobionts in conditions of increased fluctuation. Research has not been conducted in the field of recognition of aquaculture objects for reasons of solving the applied problems and achieving the required indicators. There is described the development of software for recognition of aquaculture objects based on the YOLOv5 model, as well as the proper methodology for the semi-automatic formation of effective visual training samples. There has been analyzed the model operation scheme and substantiated the importance of the training sample and its influence on the quality of pattern recognition by a neural network. Effective identification of aquatic organisms requires the methods for dividing it into zones according to various distinctive features and separating the required objects not only from the background, but also taking into account fluctuations above the water surface. There has been developed a method for eliminating fluctuations in order to increase the efficiency of recognition of aquatic organisms by a neural network. There is described the process of testing software for the detection of commercial hydrobionts trained on a sample by the proposed method.

It has been inferred that the recognition rate directly depends not only on the quality of the training sample and the volume of images, but also on the technical characteristics of the electronic computer
Associations between career choice and educational debt for fourth-year students of US veterinary schools and colleges, 2001–2021
Authors: Bain Bridgette , Lefebvre Sandra L.
Published: April 2022

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether career choice and starting salary of new DVM graduates in the US were associated with their educational debt accrued during veterinary school.

SAMPLE

Up to 48,527 fourth-year students at US veterinary schools who responded to the AVMA Senior Survey in 2001 through 2021 and accepted a full-time position or advanced education opportunity.

PROCEDURES

To determine whether career choice was associated with educational debt, multiple linear regression was performed, controlling for graduation year, gender, age, marital status, having children, tuition level, and school location. The correlation between educational debt and starting salary was also determined.

RESULTS

On average, mean educational debt increased by $6,110 each successive year. A mean of 60.5% of respondents accepted positions in private practice (public practice, 3.3%; advanced education, 36.2%). Respondents choosing public practice had a mean of $24,913 less debt than those choosing advanced education, controlling for other factors. Respondents choosing public practice also had less debt than those choosing private practice, but debt did not differ significantly between private practice and advanced education. The correlation between educational debt and starting salary was significant but low (r = 0.177).

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Findings suggested that the amount of debt incurred during veterinary school was associated with new veterinarians’ career paths. Notably, graduates with higher debt levels appeared to seek higher paying jobs or clinical training that might lead to higher paying jobs, leaving public practice—a field in which critical needs have been identified—underrepresented despite the availability of loan forgiveness programs and other incentives.
Targeted Screening of the C9orf72 Gene in Bulgarian Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Ormandzhiev S. , Todorov T. , Angelov T. , Chamova T. , Mitev V. , Todorova A. , Tournev I.
Published: April 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized by progressive degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness, hypotrophy, swallowing and respiratory failure. The cause of ALS is not yet fully elucidated, but there are 35 associated genes and 2 gene loci with an unidentified gene. The most common are C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP and FUS found in approximately 10% of patients. Variants in the C9orf72 gene are the main cause of fALS – 25-40% of cases (and a small percentage of sALS). The goal of the present study was to evaluate the significance of the C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion in Bulgarian patients with ALS, through the means of in house and triplet repeat-primed PCR assay (TP-PCR). From 171 patients diagnosed with ALS and included in the current study, we have identified the repeat expansion with more than 145 GGGGCC repeats in 7 (4,1%). Short expansions or borderline values (24 to 30 repeats) were not detected. Due to absence of sufficient data, we have established an ALS-focused research for the association of the C9orf72 gene in clinically well-characterized Bulgarian ALS patients. Published data show variable percentage ratios for genetically verified cases (4-40%), which is mainly due to small sample counts and sALS-fALS ratios. Our patients’ group also contains sALS and fALS cases, which explains the low percentage of genetic verification. The obtained results enrich the worldwide database and shed light onto genetically characterized Bulgarian ALS patients. Affected patients and their families can receive adequate medical-genetic consultation and prenatal diagnostic testing.
Imaging in a Patient with Recent Cesarean Section and Acute Right Lower Quadrant Pain Due to Torsion OF Ovarian Teratoma – Diagnostic Challenges
Authors: Arabadzhieva E. , Krupev M. , Yonkov A. , Bulanov D. , Bonev S.
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Ovarian teratomas are common pathology, manifested by various clinical and imaging findings, as well as different complications. The differential diagnosis can be challenging in cases with acute right lower quadrant (ARLQ) pain.

Aim: to present typical imaging findings in this pathology and possible pitfalls in their interpretation, focusing on a case with torsion of ovarian teratoma.

Methods: We describe a case of a 41-yearold female patient with a recent Cesarean section and a history of kidney stones and previous appendectomy, who presented with acute right lower quadrant pain. Her pregnancy was uneventful. The plain abdominal X-ray, ultrasound and computer tomography images revealed air-fluid levels, a fecaloma in the ascending colon and a pelvic mass of unclear origin, misinterpreted as a foreign body or postoperative complication.

Results: The patient underwent a surgical procedure that revealed an ovarian teratoma torsion. A right adnexectomy was performed. The diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination.

Conclusion: An excellent knowledge of the imaging findings in the diseases presented with ARLQ pain is of vital importance, however patient’s co-morbidities and recent surgical procedures may hinder the correct interpretation.
Surgical Treatment of Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Distal Esophageal Portion and Gastroesophageal Junction Performed After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Combined Chemoradiation
Authors: Yankov G. , Alexieva M. , Kovacheva-Slavova M. , Vladimirov B. , Mekov E.
Published: April 2022

Esophageal carcinoma is an extremely aggressive cancer with an early distant spread, high rate of local recurrence, and low overall survival. Herewith we present 3 patients with advanced moderately and low differentiated adenocarcinomas, who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) (two patients) and combined nCT with neoadjuvant radiation therapy (nRT) (one patient), followed by radical surgery. Subtotal esophageal resection, proximal gastric resection, and intrathoracic right gastroesophagoplasty a modo Ivor-Lewis were performed in the first two patients, while total gastrectomy, distal third esophageal resection, splenectomy and left intrathoracic esophagojejunoplasty a modo Roux were performed in the third one. A literature review of the role of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) as part of a trimodality therapy for advanced esophageal carcinoma is presented.
The medicinal plants in Bulgaria: list of species, usable parts, fields of application, toxicity and contraindications
Authors: Zahariev Dimcho
Published: April 2022

The aim of this survey is to present an up-to-date list of medicinal plants on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and to systematize the information on: usable parts, the number of medicinal plants used in various fields of medicine, in cosmetics, the degree of toxicity and availability of information on contraindications for all wild medicinal plants that are found in the Republic of Bulgaria. As a result, we identified a total of 845 species of wild medicinal plants. Most of them are described in a special annex to the Medicinal Plants Act of the Republic of Bulgaria. In the literature on the use of medicinal plants in Bulgaria we found information about another 115 species of wild medicinal plants. In the present survey we did review of the usable parts of medicinal plants. We made a comparative analysis of the use of medicinal plants in the official, popular and veterinary medicine. The method of application of medicinal plants in medicine is discussed: externally and internally. Attention is paid to the use of medicinal plants in aromatherapy, dentistry and cosmetics. Considered are the poisonous plants among the medicinal plants and their degree of toxicity. A review of the available data on contraindications for the use of medicinal plants has been made.
Late spring frost effect on the reproductive traits of late nectarine cultivar-rootstock combinations (Prunus persica var. nucipersica)
Authors: Vasilev Dimitar
Published: April 2022

The study was conducted during the period 2017 – 2018 at the Agricultural Experimental Station – Khan Krum, Shumen region. The experimental orchard was established in the spring of 2011. The following nectarine cultivars were studied: Fantasia, Golden Grand, Morsiani 51, Cassiopeia and Fairlane grafted on a seedling rootstock (Elberta) and clonal GF 677, as well as the frost – resistant dessert-type cultivar Redhaven. In the period 2017 – 2018, negative temperatures were reported, at the end of March and at the beginning of April (-3.6°C and -5.0 °C respectively)which coincided with the full blooming phenological phase; as a result of which the blossoms froze (76 – 100%). A relatively low percentage of frozen blossoms was observed in cultivars grafted on rootstock GF 677. In 2017, the blossom damage was relatively low and yields were obtained, unlike in 2018. Negative spring temperatures had a negative impact on productivity if blossom damage percentage exceeded 80%.
Effects of substrate on the germination and seedling growth of Quercus suber L.
Authors: Kholkhal Djamel , Benmahioul Benamar
Published: April 2022

The seedling quality is one of the most important factors for the success of reforestation programs. In this sense, this work aimed to evaluate the effects of substrate on the germination of cork oak acorns from El Aouana forest, located in the Jijel region of north-eastern Algeria, and on the performance of seedlings, particularly their growth. The experiment was performed in the nursery of the Tlemcen Forest Conservation. For this purpose, five substrates were used: S1 (sand), S2 (topsoil), S3 (potting soil), S4 (1/2 sand + 1/2 topsoil) and S5 (1/3 sand + 1/3 topsoil + 1/3 potting soil). Germination and survival rates, and seedling morphological traits: average height of seedlings, average root collar diameter, stem height/root collar diameter ratio (H/D), average number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width and leaf area, were evaluated. Results obtained after 16 months of monitoring in the nursery showed high germination rates of 91.4%, with an average survival rate of 89.5%, and significant differences were recorded between the substrates tested. In terms of growth, the best results were obtained with the potting soil substrate (S3) for all parameters. The lowest yields were recorded in seedlings grown on sand alone (S1).
The Influence of Urbanization on Mammal Diversity and their Population Patterns: A Case Study of Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Authors: Bykova Elena , Gashev Sergey , Sorokina Natalia , Tursumbekova Galina
Published: April 2022

The article provides a survey of the mammalian fauna and ecology in different habitats across the city of Tashkent that vary in the degree of urbanization. The current mammalian fauna of Tashkent is represented by 32 species; during the city’s development, 9 species have disappeared from the place, either through an anthropogenic impact or having been forced out by alien species. The urban mammalian fauna has increased through arrival of five new invasive species. With the ongoing urbanization, the species diversity of small-sized mammals is decreasing, while their numbers are growing, resulting in simplification of the structure of small mammals’ urban communities and lowering of their biodiversity. The urbanization does not impact the age and sex structure of the house mouse population noticeably. The urban population shows a productivity 1.7 times higher than the wild populations, which is a compensatory response to the relatively high embryonic mortality that is almost totally absent in natural populations. Differences in the morphophysiological indicators of the house mouse synanthropic population and those of populations in the wild are an adaptive response to anthropogenic impact, which appears in the form of more rapid growth, a higher metabolism, exchange of energies, and overall stress load on the rodents in urban biocoenoses. The study showed that the skulls of urban animals grow more rapidly than those of wild mice, while their proportions change following the development pattern of juvenile mice, which suggests that individuals from the Tashkent population can be referred to as rapidly growing animals, with outdoor individuals showing greater relative cranial parameters.
Phenology and Diurnal Behaviour of Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea at Oglat Eddaira (Ain Ben Khlil) Wetland, Southwest of Algeria
Authors: Benaradj Abdelkrim , Charchar Nabil , Boucherit Hafida , Ouakid Mohamed-Laid , Houhamdi Moussa
Published: April 2022

The ecological study (phenology and daytime budget) of ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea (Anatidae) at Lake Oglat Eddaira (Ain Ben Khlil), Southwest of Algeria, was carried out for three consecutive years from August 2017 to July 2020. While ruddy shelduck has the status of a sedentary species, it was found all year round, persisting at low numbers in mid-summer months (July–August). The numbers of ruddy shelduck began to increase from the first decade of September with the arrival of the wintering and breeding populations. High numbers of ruddy shelduck were mainly recorded between late January and early March. During our monitoring, the balance sheet of the rhythms of daytime activities was dominated by feeding in water and on banks (68%), followed by preening (16.77%), swimming (9.85%,), sleeping (4.67%) and flying (1.22%). Therefore, we can conclude that Oglat Eddaira wetland plays the role of a diurnal grazing ground for this Anatidae.
The Ornithological Zoning of the Azov–Black Sea Dry Steppe Enclave of Europe
Authors: Andriushchenko Yuriy , Vorovka Volodymyr
Published: April 2022

The scheme of ornithological zoning of the Azov–Black Sea dry steppe enclave of Europe has been presented in the article based on domination of individual ornithological complexes, depending on the landscape structure of the territory. This enclave is a unique region due to its utmost western location and moderate continental climate. Its typical natural features and factors of their formation have been determined. The anthropogenic transformations of region have been characterized, and peculiarities of landscape changes have been caused by them. It has been found that the agro-landscapes are dominated in the Azov–Black Sea dry steppe enclave by the area. The schemes of physical–geographical zoning have been determined, which are suitable for ornithological zoning of the region; the dependence of composition of ornithological fauna on predominant landscapes has been revealed. On this basis, the scheme of ornithological zoning of the mentioned region has been proposed. The flat interfluve-steppe, stony-steppe, sandy-steppe, floodplain-river, and liman-marine ornithological areas have been singled out and have been characterized. The main differences in the ornithological regions are correlations of predominant and codominant ornithological faunistic complexes, which depend on the area landscapes and natural and anthropogenic transformation of their components; they are relief, soil, water bodies, and vegetation.
An integrated approach for supply chain risk management
Authors: Sukwadi Ronald , Caesar Alexander
Published: April 2022

Currently, every company is competing to improve the performance of their supply chain, and the efforts include loss mitigation, which requires risk management. This study aims to identify risks and develop risk mitigation strategies for Indonesia’s “PT. SPLP” company. First, this study identifies every risk in the Supply Chain Operation Reference to determine the causes. A mitigation strategy is formulated based on the criteria. According to the study results, each division faced specific risks, and the best mitigation strategy was a briefing at the beginning of each shift. The results indicate that different data processing methods used by companies lead to various risks and mitigation strategy results. Risk management is carried out and evaluated at “PT. SPLP” regularly.
Understanding the adoption of autonomous vehicles in Thailand: an extended TAM approach
Authors: Ramjan Sarawut , Sangkaew Purimprach
Published: April 2022

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are receiving attention in many countries, including Thailand. However, implementing an intelligent transport system has many challenges, such as safety and reliability and the lack of policy supporting such technology use, leading to hazards for passengers and pedestrians. Hence, factors affecting the adoption of autonomous vehicles require better understanding. This research proposes and employs an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by integrating ethical standards, legal concerns, and trust to predict the intended use of autonomous vehicles by Thai citizens. A total of 318 questionnaires were collected from online panel respondents. Research hypotheses were tested using a structural equation modelling approach. The study results suggest that ethical standards have a significant positive effect on the intention to use the technology. Meanwhile, the intention was negatively affected by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and legal concerns. On the other hand, the results indicate that perceived ease of use directly affected trust, leading to AV adoption. However, other factors influenced trust insignificantly. This study demonstrates the vital role of trust in AV adoption. The study also suggests ideas for further study and discusses the implications for the government and autonomous vehicle companies. The article aims to forecast a success factor that the Thai government should use to consider the policy for autonomous vehicle adoption in Thailand. This paper relies on the technology acceptance model to assess and forecast autonomous vehicle adoption. The theoretical model also includes ethical issues, legal concerns and trust in technology. The model was analysed using the structure equation modelling technique to confirm the factor affecting Thailand’s successful autonomous vehicle adoption. This research confirmed that ethical standards, legal concerns, and trust in technology are the factors significantly affecting the intention to use an autonomous vehicle in Thailand. On the other hand, the perceived ease of use significantly affects the trust in autonomous vehicle technology. This research found that such social factors as ethical standards, legal concerns, and trust in technology affect technology adoption significantly, especially technology related to AI operation. Therefore, the technology acceptance model could be modified to confirm technology adoption in terms of social factors. The government could use the research results to develop a public policy for the regulation and standard supporting autonomous vehicle adoption in Thailand.
Awareness of the prevention through design (PtD) concept among design engineers in the Philippines
Authors: Labadan Rimmon , Panuwatwanich Kriengsak , Takahashi Sho
Published: April 2022

The “Prevention through Design” (PtD) concept considers construction safety during the design process. Several countries are currently practising PtD, including the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and the USA, which is still not the case in the Philippines. The study presented in this paper aimed to indicate the current level of awareness of the PtD concept among the structural engineers and purposed to generate a basis of initiatives to introduce or improve the understanding and adoption of PtD in the Philippines. A knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire was distributed to survey respondents selected through a snowball sampling method, consisting of structural engineers currently working in the Philippines. Sixty-one (61) structural engineers responded and were analysed in this study. Results indicated that PtD was relatively a new concept for most structural engineers in the Philippines. Similarly, the designers’ knowledge of the concept was still low. However, structural engineers viewed PtD as necessary and its implementation as essential in the construction industry. Despite the known concerns in the PtD implementation, structural engineers favoured the adoption of the concept. The paper also discussed challenges and key drivers for implementing PtD in the Philippines based on the questionnaire results and supporting literature reviews. The findings and methodology presented in this paper could serve as a baseline for a larger sample size covering other design trades, such as architectural, electrical, and mechanical design services leading to the broader adoption of PtD in the Philippines. Furthermore, the framework of this study could also apply to other countries with similar contexts.
Investigation of factors responsible for delays in the execution of adequately funded construction projects
Authors: Ogbeifun Edoghogho , Pretorius Jan-Harm C
Published: April 2022

Many research efforts have identified funding as a critical factor responsible for the delays in the execution of construction projects. These funding challenges affect the client and contractors alike. However, there is limited information on why delays occur in sponsored projects with evidently adequate funding. Therefore, the study focuses on exploring the factors that impact the cash flow during the execution of sponsored construction projects. The multiple-site case-study method of qualitative research was adopted, involving five universities benefiting from the infrastructure funding provided by a government agency in Nigeria. The Delphi technique was used for data collection and analysis, complemented with interviews. The findings identified six factors causing the delays. They were divided into internal and external factors. The internal factors are faulty contractor selection processes resulting in delays by contractors and the failure to complete appropriate phases of a project. The external factors include the delays in the project management system of the funding agency in terms of inspection, monitoring, evaluation and progress certification. The research identified that the combined effect of internal and external factors negatively impacts the project cash flow, which in turn influences project delivery delays. Therefore, this study recommends improvements in the in-house contractor selection processes and the decentralisation of the project inspection, monitoring and evaluation operations of the funding agency. This will facilitate timely inspection, audit, and progress certification, enabling the early release of the second tranche of the project fund. This will ameliorate the negative effects arising due to low cash flow and associated delays in project delivery.
Adaptation of Polish regions to the challenges and opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Wilczewska Martyna , Nazarko Joanicjusz , Wang Hao
Published: April 2022

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an international project focused on creating a network of infrastructure and strengthening trade links, primarily between China and Europe. Transport of goods within the BRI is conducted through one maritime and six rail economic corridors, one of which (New Eurasian Land Bridge) crosses the territory of Poland. This article covers issues related to the impact of the BRI on the regions of the participating countries and aims to determine the position of Podlaskie voivodeship compared to other Polish voivodeships in the BRI. To achieve this aim, a multi-stage study was conducted, including the design of a set of quantitative factors determining the position of voivodeships in the BRI, evaluation of the importance of the factors during the expert study, collection and normalisation of quantitative data, and comparative analysis of the factors. Research results show that, given the adopted methodology, the Podlaskie voivodeship is ranked 11th out of 16 Polish voivodeships in terms of its position in the BRI. This article’s findings contribute to the discussion on development opportunities in the Podlaskie region in the BRI context. They also motivate comprehensive research on the strategy for the widest possible inclusion of Podlaskie in the BRI’s activities and provide an important stimulus for the region’s development.
Application Possibilities of the Off-Grid HVAC System Operation Solution for Temporary Shelters in the Latvian Climate Conditions
Authors: Zajecs D. , Lebedeva K. , Odineca T.
Published: April 2022

Temporary shelters are extensively used by emergency services (rescue, disaster relief, military response) and other end-users requiring temporary mobile power solutions for different purposes (event organization, vacation homes, summer camps, etc.). The Covid-19 pandemics resulted in an increase of motor homes worldwide sales.

When temporary shelter connection to power grid is impossible, the off-grid liquid fossil fuel generator can be used for electricity generation. Since the liquid fuel supply is often limited, the stock of fuel requires storage that may pose an explosion risk. Quickly installable and energy-efficient ventilation / cooling system with heat recovery is essential to ensure adequate air hygiene and occupants’ comfort in temporary structure.

This paper presents a mobile modular electric energy generating unit with photovoltaic (PV) panels for providing temporary shelters (tents) in Latvian climate conditions with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). All calculations were performed using the computer model developed with TRNSYS tool and based on real data from mobile modular energy unit for spring, summer and autumn 2020 and winter 2021. The results show that mobile modular energy unit can be successfully applied for off-grid HVAC system operation of temporary shelters in the Latvian climate conditions.
An Integrated Testing Solution for Piezoelectric Sensors and Energy Harvesting Devices
Authors: Pereira José Dias , Alves Mário
Published: April 2022

With the fast growth of wireless communications between nodes and sensor units and the increase of devices installed in remote places, and the development of IIoT applications, new requirements for power energy supply are needed to assure device functionality and data communication capabilities during extended periods of time. For these applications, energy harvesting takes place as a good solution to increase the autonomy of remote measuring solutions, since the usage of conventional power supply solutions has clear limitations in terms of equipment access and increased maintenance costs. In this context, regenerative energy sources such as thermoelectric, magnetic and piezoelectric based, as well as renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic and wind based, among others, make the development of different powering solutions for remote sensing units possible. The main purpose of this paper is to present a flexible testing platform to characterize piezoelectric devices and to evaluate their performance in terms of harvesting energy. The power harvesting solutions are focused on converting the energy from mechanical vibrations, provided by different types of equipment and mechanical structures, to electrical energy. This study is carried out taking into account the power supply capabilities of piezoelectric devices as a function of the amplitude, frequency and spectral contents of the vibration stimulus. Several experimental results using, as an example, a specific piezoelectric module, are included in the paper.
Prophylactic Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces in Elective Lower Limb Amputations
Authors: Pejkova Sofija , Nikolovska Bisera , Srbov Blagoja , Tusheva Sofija , Jovanoski Tomislav , Jovanovska Katerina , Georgieva Gordana
Published: April 2022

Regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) is a relatively new surgical technique to manage neuromas and phantom pain after limb amputation. This study evaluates prophylactic RPNI efficacy in managing post-amputation pain and neuroma formation in amputees compared with patients in which lower limb amputation was performed without this procedure. We included 28 patients who underwent above the knee amputation (AKA) or below the knee amputation (BKA) for severe soft tissue infection from July 2019 till December 2020. All patients had insulin-dependent diabetes. The patients were divided into two groups, 14 patients with primary RPNI and 14 patients without. We analyzed the demographic data, level of amputation, number of RPNIs, operative time, postoperative complications and functional outcome on the defined follow up period. The mean patient age was 68.6 years (range 49–85), 19 (67.9 %) male and 9 (32.1 %) female patients. In this study 11 (39.3 %) AKA and 17 (60.7 %) BKA were performed. Overall, 37 RPNIs were made. The mean follow-up period was 49 weeks. PROMIS T-score decreased by 15.9 points in favor for the patients with RPNI. The VAS score showed that, in the RPNI group, all 14 patients were without pain compared to the group of patients without RPNI, where the 11 (78.6 %) patients described their pain as severe. Patients with RPNI used prosthesis significantly more (p < 0.005). Data showed significant reduction in pain and high patient satisfaction after amputation with RPNIs. This technique is oriented as to prevent neuroma formation with RPNI surgery, performed at the time of amputation. RPNI surgery did not provoke complications or significant lengthening of operative time and it should be furthermore exploited as a surgical technique.
The Effects of CNI and Mtori-Based Regimens on Bone Mineral Density After Renal Transplantation
Authors: Korucu Berfu , Yeter Hasan , Guz Galip
Published: April 2022

Background: Since glucocorticoids are used in low maintenance doses today, the relationship between calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) and osteoporosis has become clinically significant in osteoporosis after solid organ transplantation. However, there is evidence that the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi) may be beneficial via osteoclast inhibition.

Objective: The bone mineral density (BMD) changes are investigated in renal transplant patients under CNI or mTORi-based maintenance regimens during the first five-year post-transplant course.

Methods: This study consists of thirty-three renal allograft recipients with less than one year of dialysis history. The exclusion criteria were: being older than 50 years old, history of bisphosphonate use, parathyroidectomy, CNI-mTORi switch after the post-transplant third month, diuretic use, and history of malignancy. First and fifth-year BMD scores and simultaneous laboratory parameters were evaluated.

Results: CNI (n=21) and mTORi group (n=12) had similar demographics, dialysis vintages, first and fifth-year serum parathormone, calcium, phosphate, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and 25-OH-vitamin D levels. The femur neck scores of the CNI group decreased from -0.82 (±0.96) to -1.52 (±0.92) (p=0.020). We observed a significant decrease in the CNI group compared to the mTORi group [-0.70 (±0.68) and 0.30 (±0.36), respectively; p<0.01] when the BMD score changes were evaluated among years. The mean femur neck score of the mTORi group increased insignificantly from -1.13 (±0.65) to -0.82 (±0.56) at the fifth-year DXA scan (p=0.230). Similar trends were also observed in L1-4 scores.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that CNI-based treatment is associated with decreased femur neck BMD scores, and mTORi-based treatment tends to be beneficial in the post-transplant five-year follow-up.
Tindak Tutur Ekspresif dalam Tuturan Komentator E-Sports pada Turnamen PMCO Fall Split Global Finals 2019: Kajian Sosiopragmatik
Authors: Hardi Sigian , Pastika I Wayan , Dhanawaty Ni Made
Published: April 2022

The task of a commentator is to provide comments related to the course of the match. In his speech, Indonesian commentators in the 2019 PMCO Fall Split Global Final tournament included natural speeches that contained pragmatic elements, namely expressive speech acts. In addition, in reviewing matches, commentators use a lot of special vocabulary as a characteristic of the E-sports branch to interpret the actions taken by the players during the match. This study aims to describe the form and function  E-sports commentators in the 2019 PMCO Fall Split Global Final tournament and describe the special vocabulary used by E-sports commentators in the 2019 PMCO Fall Split Global Final tournament. This type of research is descriptive-qualitative, using sociopragmatic studies. The data sources of this research are E-sports commentators' utterances which are expressive and contain special forms of vocabulary. Data collection techniques using listening and note-taking techniques. Data analysis using contextual analysis methods. The results of this study are the findings of expressive speech acts in the E-Sports commentator's speech which are divided into ten peech functions, namely: thanking, disgust, justifying, hoping, praising, apologizing, congratulating, complaining, regretting, and insinuating. In addition, there were 58 data orms of special vocabulary classified into 4 forms, namely, singular, affixation, abbreviation/shortening, and compound. The vocabulary data is divided into two categories of meaning, namely the denotative meaning of 32 data and the connotative meaning of (26) data.