bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of trolox added to freezing extenders over goat and ram spermatozoa
Authors: Arruda Lúcia Cristina Pereira , Silva Girliane Regina da , Batista André Mariano , Silva Ellen Cordeiro Bento da , Souza Helder Melo de , Couto Giovanna Isabella de Souza , Silva Tânia Maria Sarmento da , Guerra Maria Madalena Pessoa
Published: April 2021

Semen cryopreservation is responsible for decrease the gamete fertility, due to structural and functional damages. Among the various causes, oxidative stress, resulting from the higher generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), has been attributed to affect semen quality. Thus, it was objectified evaluate the effect of Trolox on ram and goat sperm, subjected to freezing. Semen pools of goat (n=5) and ram (n=6) were diluted in skimmed milk (7% glycerol) or Tris-egg yolk (5% glycerol) extender, respectively, added or not of Trolox (0, 20 or 40 μM/ml) and frozen. After thawing (37 °C/30 s), aliquots of semen were evaluated for lipid peroxidation by high performance liquid chromatography, coupled with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD), and flow cytometry (C11-BODIPY581/591), besides of plasma membrane and acrosome integrity by fluorescence microscopy, and sperm kinetics by computerized sperm analysis (CASA). The antioxidant treatment with Trolox did not determine significant effects (p>0.05) on lipid peroxidation, plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity and on the kinetic parameters evaluated. Thus, it is concluded that Trolox (20 or 40 μM) did not have a protective or deleterious effect on goats and ram sperm, submitted to freezing.
Comparative Investment Analysis of Agricultural Irrigation Systems
Authors: AĞIZAN Süheyla , BAYRAMOĞLU Zeki
Published: April 2021

The return of socio-economic prosperity in the population and developed countries in the world has increased the demand for agricultural products. It increases the need for agricultural water in production and production conditions to meet the increasing demand. Irrigation methods and irrigation systems are needed to meet irrigation water. As a matter of fact, which method or system is chosen for study researches and cost calculations. In this study, comparative economic analysis is aimed for irrigation. For this purpose, plant costs and operating costs of irrigation systems are determined, and investment costs are calculated. In addition, a cost-benefit analysis is performed for irrigation systems and the net present value and internal rate of return are calculated. As a result of the calculation; 1.02 in sprinkler irrigation systems, 1.13 in drip irrigation systems, 1.54 in center-pivot irrigation systems and 1.57 in linear move irrigation systems. According to these values, the cost ratio of linear move irrigation system is higher than other systems. The fact that the cost-benefit ratio is greater than 1 indicates that the investments are profitable. The net present values of irrigation systems are determined as $ 25.90 in sprinkler irrigation, $ 179.56 in drip irrigation, $ 833.00 in center-pivot irrigation and $ 844.46 in linear move irrigation and in terms of net present value, linear move irrigation systems come to the fore. In addition, the internal profitability rates of irrigation systems are calculated, and the rate of sprinkler irrigation was found to be 20.42%, in drip irrigation 29.09%, in center-pivot irrigation 76.16% and in linear move irrigation 76.41%. According to internal profitability rates, the most profitable system is linear move irrigation system. As a result, linear move irrigation systems are more profitable than other systems.
Oral administration of polyphenolic compounds from cognac decreases ADP-induced platelet aggregation and reduces chronotropic effect of isoprenaline in rats
Authors: Carusio N , Wangensteen R , Filippelli A , Andriantsitohaina R
Published: April 2021

This study sought to evaluate whether consumption of
polyphenol extract from Cognac (CPC) modulates platelet
activation and cardiovascular reactivity in rats. Male Wistar rats
were treated daily for 4 weeks by intra-gastric gavage receiving
CPC at 80 mg/kg/day or vehicle (5 % glucose). Platelet adhesion
and aggregation in response to different activators were
assessed. Cardiac and vascular reactivity in response to various
agonists as well as NO measurement by electron paramagnetic
resonance technique were investigated in isolated heart and
thoracic aorta. Oral administration of CPC decreased platelet
aggregation induced by ADP but not by collagen. CPC did not
affect adhesion to collagen. The chronotropic but not the
inotropic response to isoprenaline was reduced without alteration
of NO production in hearts from CPC-treated rats. CPC treatment
did not affect ex vivo relaxation to acetylcholine nor NO content
of rat aorta. CPC did not significantly alter the response to
phenylephrine in aorta despite the participation of endothelial
vasoconstrictor products. In summary, chronic treatment with
CPC has no impact on ex vivo vascular and cardiac reactivity;
however, it reduced heart work and platelet aggregation. These
data suggest the existence of compounds in Cognac that may
decrease the risk of coronary thrombosis and protect against
some cardiac diseases.
Glucose release as a response to glucagon in rat hepatocyte culture: involvement of NO signaling
Authors: Farghali H , Hodis J , Kutinová-Canová N , Potměšil P , Kmoníčková E , Zídek Z
Published: April 2021

Glucagon and α-adrenergic-induced glycogenolysis is realized via
the agonist/adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/protein kinase signaling
pathway or via the activation of phosphorylase kinase by the
mobilized calcium that supports the inhibition of glycogen
synthase, respectively. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in this
process has not been extensively studied. The present work was
directed to the question whether NO is produced during
glucagon-induced glycogenolysis in rat hepatocyte in a similar
way like α-adrenoceptor stimulation. Glycogen-rich hepatocyte
cultures were used. NO production (NO2-) was assessed under
the influence of glucagon, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db-cAMP),
forskolin, the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors Nω-nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and aminoguanidine, and the NO
donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl penicillamine (SNAP). Inducible NOS
(iNOS) mRNA was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase
chain reaction. Glycogenolysis was followed up by estimation of
medium glucose levels. The amount of glucose and NO2
- released by glycogen-rich hepatocytes was increased as a result of
glucagon, db-cAMP, forskolin and SNAP treatments. iNOS gene
expression was upregulated by glucagon. Glycogenolysis that
occurs through glucagon receptor stimulation involves NO
production downstream of transduction pathways through an
isoform of NO synthase. The present and previous studies
document possible involvement of NO signaling in glycogenolytic
response to glucagon and adrenergic agonists in hepatocytes.
Influence of gemfibrozil on sulfate transport in human erythrocytes during the oxygenation-deoxygenation cycle
Authors: Tellone E , Ficarra S , Scatena R , Giardina B , Kotyk A , Russo A , Colucci D , Bellocco E , Lagana G , Galtieri A
Published: April 2021

The effects of gemfibrozil (GFZ), an antihyperlipidemic agent, on
the anionic transport of the human red blood cells (RBC) during
the oxygenation-deoxygenation cycle were examined. Gemfibrozil
clearly plays a role in the modulation of the anionic flux in
erythrocytes; in fact it causes a strong increment of anions
transport when the RBCs are in the high-oxygenation state
(HOS). Such an effect is remarkably reduced in the lowoxygenation state (LOS). With the aim of identifying the dynamics of fibrate action, this effect has been investigated also
in human ghost and chicken erythrocytes. These latter, in fact,
are known to possess a B3 (anion transporter or Band 3)
modified at the cytoplasmic domain (cdb3) which plays a
significant role in the metabolic modulation of red blood cells.
The results were analyzed taking into account the well-known
interactions between fibrates and both conformational states of
hemoglobin i.e. the T state (deoxy-conformation) and the R state
(oxy-conformation). The effect of gemfibrozil on anionic influx
appears to be due to a wide interaction involving a “multimeric”
Hb-GFZ-cdb3 macromolecular complex.
Effects of SERCA and PMCA inhibitors on the survival of rat cochlear hair cells during ischemia in vitro
Authors: Amarjargal N , Mazurek B , Haupt H , Andreeva N , Fuchs J , Gross J
Published: April 2021

An important mechanism underlying cochlear hair cell (HC)
susceptibility to hypoxia/ischemia is the influx of Ca2+. Two main
ATP-dependent mechanisms contribute to maintaining low Ca2+
levels: uptake of Ca2+ into intracellular stores via smooth
endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) and extrusion of
Ca2+ via plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA). The effects
of the SERCA inhibitors thapsigargin (10 nM-10 µM) and
cyclopiazonic acid (CPA; 10-50 µM) and of the PMCA blockers
eosin (1.5-10 µM) and o-vanadate (1-5 mM) on inner and outer
hair cells (IHCs/OHCs) were examined in normoxia and ischemia
using an in vitro model of the newborn rat cochlea. Exposure of
the cultures to ischemia resulted in a significant loss of HCs.
Thapsigargin and CPA had no effect. Eosin decreased the
numbers of IHCs and OHCs by up to 25 % in normoxia and
significantly aggravated the ischemia-induced damage to IHCs at
5 and 10 µM and to OHCs at 10 µM. o-Vanadate had no effect on
IHC and OHC counts in normoxia, but aggravated the ischemiainduced HC loss in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of
eosin and o-vanadate indicate that PMCA has an important role
to play in protecting the HCs from ischemic cell death.
Acute but not chronic tempol treatment increases ischemic and reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias in open-chest rats
Authors: Neckář J , Ošťádal B , Kolář F
Published: April 2021

The effect of the chronic and acute antioxidant tempol
(superoxide dismutase mimetic) treatment on cardiac ischemic
tolerance was investigated in adult male Wistar rats. The first
experimental group was given tempol (1 mM) in drinking water
for three weeks, the second group received tempol (100 mg/kg,
i.v.) 10 min before test ischemia, and control rats received the
same volume of solvent. Anesthetized open-chest animals
(pentobarbitone 60 mg/kg, i.p.) were subjected to 20-min
coronary artery occlusion and 3-h reperfusion for infarct size
determination. Ventricular arrhythmias were monitored during
ischemia and at the beginning (5 min) of reperfusion. Acute
tempol administration shifted the time profile of ischemic
arrhythmias to the later phase and significantly increased the
number of ischemic and reperfusion premature ventricular
complexes, respectively (504±127 and 84±21) as compared with
the chronically treated group (218±36 and 47±7) or controls
(197±26 and 31±7). Acute tempol-treated rats exhibited a
tendency to decrease infarct size (P = 0.087). The mechanism of
proarrhythmic tempol action during ischemia and reperfusion
remains to be elucidated.
Prominent Cutaneous Manifestation of COVID-19: A Case Report
Authors: Galván-Casas Cristina , Ochoa-Bermúdez Juan , Muñoz-Ordoñez Sara , Tovar-Cock Álvaro , Meizoso Telma
Published: April 2021

Extrapulmonary signs of coronavirus disease are becoming an important tool for patient diagnosis; this is particularly true for skin manifestations as they are visible to both the patient and physician. In this case report, the authors describe a case in which cutaneous manifestations were the most noticeable and prominent symptom in a patient with coronavirus disease.
Frequent Errors in Consonant Sound Production of Elementary Education Teachers at Visayas State University
Authors: Domingo Precious C
Published: April 2021

Abstract. Pronunciation is essential in language learning; thus, English learners as a second language should strive for articulateness in sound patterns in English. This study aimed to determine the commonly mispronounced consonant sound of the Bachelor of Elementary Education students of the Visayas State University according to the manner and place of articulation. The instrument used in the study is the Golden-Fristoe Test of Articulation, which is composed of 44 words containing the different consonant sounds in English. The study results revealed that most consonant sounds misarticulated by the respondents were fricatives /z/, the nasal consonant sound /m/, the fricative sound /ð/, the affricate /dz/. With respect to the place of articulation, most consonant sounds misarticulated by the respondents concerning the place of articulation were alveolar /z/, the velar consonant sound /m/, the interdental sound /ð/, the post-alveolar /dz/. With these results, it is expected for the Filipino English language teachers to focus on teaching the alveolar and labiodental fricatives in teaching the consonant sounds because most students failed to articulate these sounds correctly.Keywords: English language, consonant sounds, pronunciationAbstrak.  Pelafalan sangat penting dalam pembelajaran bahasa. Oleh karena itu, pelajar bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa kedua harus berusaha keras untuk mengartikulasikan pola bunyi dalam bahasa Inggris. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bunyi konsonan yang sering salah diucapkan pada mahasiswa S1 Pendidikan Dasar Universitas Negeri Visayas menurut cara dan tempat artikulasi. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Golden-Fristoe Test of Articulation, yang terdiri atas 44 kata yang berisi bunyi konsonan yang berbeda dalam bahasa Inggris. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bunyi konsonan yang paling banyak salah artikulasi oleh responden adalah bunyi konsonan / z /, bunyi konsonan nasal / m /, bunyi frikatif / ð /, afrikat / dz /. Sehubungan dengan tempat artikulasi, sebagian besar bunyi konsonan yang salah diartikulasikan oleh responden mengenai tempat artikulasi adalah alveolar / z /, bunyi konsonan velar / m /, bunyi interdental / ð /, post-alveolar / dz /. Dengan hasil tersebut diharapkan para pengajar bahasa Inggris Filipina dapat fokus dalam mengajarkan frikatif alveolar dan labiodental dalam mengajarkan bunyi konsonan karena sebagian besar siswa gagal mengucapkan bunyi tersebut dengan benar. Kata kunci: bahasa Inggris, bunyi konsonan, pelafalan
AMIR’S ANXIETY AND MOTIVE IN KHALED HOSSEINI’S THE KITE RUNNER
Authors: Tamara Ajeng Pancar , Rifqi Muhammad
Published: April 2021

This paper discusses Amir’s anxiety and motive in Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner". The library research method was applied in this research. In analyzing the data, the structural approach was used to scrutinize the intrinsic elements such as character, conflict, setting, and plot, while the psychological approach was used to examine extrinsic elements such as anxiety and motive of Amir as the main character in “The Kite Runner”. The results show that Amir, as the main character, is a caring, inferior, coward, optimistic, anxious, selfish, careless, sly, and patient person. It also indicates that Amir is a round static character since he has complex traits but his character as a caring person remains the same from the beginning to the end of the story. Besides, as the main character, Amir experienced both internal and external conflicts. The settings of time, social, and place showed the period in Afghanistan between 1975 and 2001 and the social stratum, Pashtun and Hazara in Kabul.  Dealing with the plot, it starts from Amir’s effort to get Baba’s recognition and respect, Amir’s anxiety after betraying Hassan, Amir efforts to take Sohrab out from Kabul, the liberation of Sohrab from Assef, the Sohrab suicide trial, up to Amir’s effort to get back Sohrab trust. Also, Amir’s anxiety deals with realistic, neurotic, and moral anxiety, while the motives are safety and security need, belongingness and love need, and self-esteem needs.
Committing Ghana to International Agreements: A Review of the Roles of Parliament and the President
Authors: Srem-Sai Justice
Published: April 2021

Ghana, a dualist state within the broader common law legal tradition, is confronted with the issue on the roles of parliament and the president in making and implementing treaties. This challenge is affecting the country's relationship with other states and international organisations. The purpose of this article is to assist in clarifying Ghana's constitutional law and practice position on the relationship between the country's treaty obligations and its domestic law. The article will also point out some challenges with the jurisprudence of Ghana's Supreme Court on the issue.
Yerel Siyasette ‘‘Kadın Temsili Sorunsalının’’ 31 Mart 2019 Mahalli İdareler Seçimi Sonuçları Özelinde Analizi: Trabzon İli Örneği
Authors: ŞAHİN Zeynep
Published: April 2021

İnsan haklarının vazgeçilmez değerler şeklinde kabul edildiği ülkelere bakıldığında, kadınların siyasal, ekonomik, kültürel ve sosyal alana katılımını mümkün kılacak tüm haklardan yararlanma konusunda erkeklerle eşit olması gerektiği anlayışı hâkimdir. Bu anlayış, insan hakları belgeleri, uluslararası sözleşme hatta ülkelerin mevzuatında olmasına rağmen, gelişmişlik düzeyleri ne düzeyde olursa olsun pek çoğunda hâlen, yaşamın temel alanlarını teşkil eden çalışma hayatı, sağlık, eğitim ve siyasal yaşamda temsil hususunda toplumsal cinsiyet bağlamında eşitliğin yakalanamadığı görülmektedir. Bu problem siyasal alanda, özellikle yerel siyasette temsil bağlamında kendini çok daha fazla hissettirmektedir. Bu doğrultuda çalışmanın amacı, ülkemizde “kadının yerel siyasette temsilinin yetersizliği” sorunsalının 31 Mart 2019 Mahalli İdareler Seçimleri ölçeğinde Trabzon İli özelindeki durumunun incelenmesidir. Betimsel analiz yönteminin kullanıldığı çalışmada, Trabzon İline ait 31 Mart 2019 Mahalli İdareler Seçimleri aday listeleri/sonuçları, Yüksek Seçim Kurulu (YSK)’nun ilân ettiği verilerden yararlanılmak suretiyle sunulmaktadır. Büyükşehir belediye başkanlığı başta olmak üzere, il sınırlarındaki merkez ile diğer belde belediye başkanı, belediye meclis, il genel meclisi üyeliğine ‘‘aday olma’’ ve ‘‘seçilme’’ ölçütleri bağlamında kadın temsil oranları incelenmektedir. Çalışmanın sonucunda büyükşehir ve belde belediye başkanlığına ‘‘aday olma’’ düzeyinde kadın temsili sırasıyla %22.2 ile %1 oranında gerçekleştiği; fakat ‘‘seçilme’’ bağlamında temsile rastlanmadığı görülmektedir. İlçe belediye meclis ve il genel meclisi üyeliğine ‘‘aday olma’’ %11.72, % 7.05; ‘‘seçilme’’ düzeyinde kadın temsilinin % 7,05, %4.35’lik seviyede olduğu tespit edilmektedir. Türkiye’de kadınların yerel siyasette temsil konusunda “görünmezliği/yokluk durumu” yaşadığı ve ona “sembolik değer” yüklendiği savı, Trabzon İli örneğindeki verilerle doğrulanmaktadır. “Biçimsel ve niteliksel” olarak kadın temsilini değiştirecek mekanizmaların varlığıyla söz konusu sorunsalın aşılacağı önerilmektedir.
Grupsal Polis Sapmasına Karşı Grupsal Polis Bütünlüğü Perspektifinden Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti Polis Örgütü Üzerine Nicel Bir Araştırma
Authors: KAYABAŞI Osman
Published: April 2021

Bu araştırma, Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti (KKTC) Polis Örgütünde görevli polislerin, polis sapmasına karşı polis bütünlüğü düzeylerinin grupsal özelliklerine göre anlamlı bir şekilde farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığını karşılaştırmak ve eğer anlamlı bir fark varsa bu farkın hangi gruplar arasında olduğunu ortaya çıkarmak amacıyla yapılmıştır. KKTC Polis Örgütü, büyük gruplardan küçük gruplara doğru üç seviyede ele alınarak karşılaştırılmıştır. Karşılaştırılan gruplar; (1) merkez örgütü ile taşra örgütü, (2) ilçe polis müdürlükleri ve (3) polis birimleridir. Araştırma tarama türündedir. Veri toplama tekniği olarak anket kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın evrenini KKTC Polis Örgütünde görevli 1926 polis; örneklemini ise 1767 polis oluşturmaktadır. Araştırma sonuçları, grupsal boyutta polis bütünlüğü düzeylerinin her üç katmanda da farklılaştığını; merkez örgütünün taşra örgütünden, Gazimağusa Polis Müdürlüğünün diğer İlçe Polis Müdürlüklerinden ve “siyasi/istihbarat” birimlerinin diğer polis birimlerinden genel olarak daha fazla polis bütünlüğüne sahip olduklarını ortaya çıkarmıştır. Çalışmanın sonuç kısmında KKTC Polis Örgütünün grupsal polis bütünlüğünü artırmak için neler yapılabileceği ile ilgili öneriler sunulmuştur.
Investment Literacy, Risk Tolerance and Mutual Fund Investments: An Exploratory Study of Working Adults in Kuala Lumpur
Authors: Nurul Shahnaz Mahdzan  , Rozaimah Zainudin  , Siew-Chan Yoong
Published: April 2021

Financial literacy empowers consumers to make more informedfinancial decisions,including investing in mutual funds. In thisstudy,thesociodemographic profile of working adultswith low investment literacyvis-à-vis high investment literacyare examined first. Next, the impact of investment literacyand risk toleranceon the likelihood of investing in mutual fundsare explored. Among a sample of 260 working adults comprising mainly of Masters of Business Administration(MBA) studentsfrom a leading public higher institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the study showsthat those withBusiness/Economics education backgroundshave the highest investment literacyand are more likely to invest in mutual funds compared to individuals from the Arts and other miscellaneous backgrounds. Although Muslims are the least literatein investment matters, they are more likely to hold mutual fundinvestments relative to those who profess Christianity and Hinduism. Individuals with relatively high income and occupational levels have relatively higher investment literacy. Risk tolerance does not influence the likelihood of investing in mutual fund investments.Policymakers should focus on females, those with Arts education background, Muslims, and those from the lower income/employment ranks to increase their investment literacythrough financial education workshops. Mutual fund companies may consider embarking an aggressive knowledge sharing videos related to mutual funds via non-mainstream mediasuch as social mediato increase the penetration of mutual fund investments, among the untapped markets.
Home is Where the Heart is: Factors Determining Family Demand and Its Implications for HRM Practices
Authors: Navaneethakrishnan Kengatharan
Published: April 2021

A plethora of studies on family demands that have been investigated in the Western countries are reflective of such cultural contexts limiting its applicability toanother cultural context. The factors determining family demand whereconflict originatesarecountry-culture specific and consequently, anchored in the conservation of resource theory, the present study aims to discoverthe factors making a significant variance in family demand. Strongly based on the ontological and epistemological assumptions, the study adopted a survey strategy with a deductive approach in a cross-sectional time horizon. Data were garnered from 487banking employees with a self–reported questionnaire. The present study reveals that hours spent on household chores, hours spent on childcare, hours spent on dependents, and gender have significantly impacted family demand, nonetheless, formal and informal organisational supportshave alleviated the level of family demand.Remarkably, the study affirms the prevalence dogma of traditional gender role ideology and women’sposition in a collectivist cultural context. Surprisingly, the number of children, number of dependents, marital status and age were not found as predictors of family demand. The findings of the study have proffered many useful practical implications for HRM practices.
Exploring the Prospects for Islamic Home Finance in the UK: Evidence from the Industry Practitioners’ Perspective
Authors: Tanveer Ahmed  , Sarkar Kabir  , Aqsa Aziz
Published: April 2021

The predominant focus of most of the existing literature assessing the potential of Islamic home finance in the UK has been on Muslim customersand also appears to be outdated. This updated study takes a fresh approach, exploring the prospects for Islamic home finance taking into account the UK’s current financial position by involving neglected key stakeholders: independent mortgage consultants. The findings—derived from semi-structured interviews with a sample of ten experienced mortgage brokers—reveal that factors such as affordability (i.e. higher deposits), acceptability (i.e. strict criteria), accessibility (i.e. lack of products and banks),and low levels of product knowledge and recognition have restricted its uptake. The findings also highlight that the Muslim community does not provide a sufficiently large market for Islamic home finance and,as such,it has a limited scope in the UK market.
Socio-Economic Impacts of ECER-Human Capital Development Programmes in Empowering the Rural Women of Malaysia
Authors: Abdul Rahman Abdul Latip  , Norfatiha Othman  , Osman Md Yusoff
Published: April 2021

The contribution and roles of women in the well-being of the family and nation building are fairly visible in Malaysia. However, a study by the World Bank discovered that married women in Malaysia in fact have the lowest participation in the workforce. In addressing this problem, the Malaysian East Coast Economic Region (ECER) policy has come up with various socio-economic programmes to overcome this challenge. This study aims to analyse the impacts of the human capital development initiatives on women in the rural ECER states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, andthe district ofMersingin Johor. This study uses the quantitative method by administering a set of questionnaires to 147 women respondents across the ECER states. It also uses the qualitative approach involving in-depth interviewswith ten key informants and a sessionof Focused-Group Discussion. It also included direct observation, as well as literary research. The outcome of this study finds improvement in the women’s occupational involvement and their income. This study also discovers that rural women are naturally empowered by the programme.
Tourism in Phipun District: From Dark to Dawn
Authors: Chamaiporn Buddharat  , Kanaporn Kaewkamjan  , Viyada Promchitta  , Wichien Phanon  , Kanyarat Sirirat  , Yusop Boonsuk  , Mano Sipaoraya
Published: April 2021

This paper presents two tragic stories which provided great impacts, not only on the villagers’ way of life in Phipun District, Thailand, but also on Thai people and logging business worldwide. The samples were 24 participants including villagers, resort and restaurant owners, and entrepreneurs. Participatory Action Research was used as a paradigm. Interview and participant observation were utilized for data collection and qualitative content analysis was applied for data analysis. The findings revealed that the invasion of communist party to the area was considered as a miserable mass murder during 1968-1980. Furthermore, longitudinal deforestation made by the villagers and concessionaires led to a tragic flood in 1988. The event was marked as one of the worst natural disasters in Thailand that led to atotal logging ban nationwide in 1989. Now, two reservoirs have been built to replace the flooded areas. The spectacular mountain scenery of the two reservoirs and other national resources arenow used for tourism purposes. Using dark tourism to convey the setragic messages as a symbolic reminder of human mistakes to the outside world can contributeas lessons learned to all mankind.
The Effect of Acculturation Attitude on Second-Hand Clothes Purchases
Authors: Halimin Herjanto  , Heris Hendriana
Published: April 2021

Traditionally, second-hand clothes (SHC) are viewed as non-valuable items that exclusively belong to the lower social class. Today, SHC have become a new global fashion trend and a new business phenomenon. This study explores the effect of acculturation attitudes on SHC adoption intention and behavior. The survey outcomes from 300 Indonesian respondents show that proactive and reactive attitudes affect SHC adoption intention and behavior differently. In addition, intention is found to significantly affect SHC buying behavior. In this article, we discuss these findings and implications. The findings of this study are important because the SHC phenomenon is increasing significantly and SHC are predicted to become even more popular in the years to come.
Linking Work-Life Balance and Employee Well-Being: Do Supervisor Support and Family Support Moderate the Relationship?
Authors: Norizan Baba Rahim  , Intan Osman  , Prakash V. Arumugam
Published: April 2021

This study used the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method to investigate the influence of work-life balance (WLB) on individual well-being (career satisfaction and psychological well-being) among an Open Distance Learning (ODL) university’s staff. Furthermore, the moderating effects of supervisor support and family support on the relationship between WLB and both components of individual well-being were also examined. Data were collected via an online survey, in which 94 academic, academic support, and operational staff working in one of Malaysia’s ODL universities took part. The findings confirmed that the WLB of this institution’s employees influenced their career satisfaction and psychological well-being. Besides that, supervisor support and family support were found not to moderate the relationship between WLB and individual well-being. In addition, the findings have contributed to an improved understanding of the WLB of an ODL university’s staff.
Regional Economic Impacts of Natural Resources: The Case of Petroleum, and Forestry and Logging in Sarawak
Authors: Chakrin Utit  , M. Yusof Saari  , Muhammad Daaniyall Abd Rahman  , Muzafar Shah Habibullah  , Umi Zakiah Norazman
Published: April 2021

Extraction of natural resources has created significant contribution to the Malaysian economy as a whole. However, the growth and development of the industry do not necessarily bring considerable economic linkages to the local economy where the industry is located, thus fail to contribute to the welfare of local households. This paper validates this claim by examining the economic impacts of Crude Oil and Natural Gas; Petroleum Refinery; and Forestry and Logging industries on the state of Sarawak. For an empirical analysis, a regional input-output model that developed by using a so-called Simple Location Quotient technique, is used as the main methodology in this study. Results are consistent with our claim that the three industries show significant impacts on growth that measured by value added. However, socio-economic impacts that measured by employment are considerably low. The lower employment impacts can be supported by the two stylized facts. First, the extraction of natural resources is capital-intensive production. The activity requires skilled workers, which might be one of the factors contributing to lower income and job opportunities. Second, the industries are highly dependent on inputs from other states and from abroad, which eventually creates lower economic spill over effects within the state economy.
The Relationship between Knowledge Management, Leadership Style, and Work Motivation: Evidence from an Islamic Boarding School
Authors: Soeprayitno
Published: April 2021

This study empirically examines the relationship between leadership, knowledge management, and teacher motivation by studying a boarding school. Specifically, this research tests whether leadership style has a mediating effect on the relationship between knowledge management and motivation. Based on the literature review, a theoretical framework for this study is established. A survey was employed to gather information from the teachers of a boarding school located in Solo city, Indonesia. This study employs SEM-PLS to estimate the empirical model. Knowledge management is found to have insignificant effect on leadership style. However, knowledge management and leadership are positively associated with teacher motivation. This research extends the literature on knowledge management by linking with teacher motivation and leadership style. The use of Islamic leadership style may also contribute to the existing literature.
Ownership Concentration, Corporate Liquidity, and Dividend Payment Policy: Evidence from Indonesian Financial Industries
Authors: Antonius Siahaan  , Yosman Bustaman  , Indah Larisa Sari
Published: April 2021

The main objective of this research is to analyze the effect of ownership concentration and corporate liquidity on dividend payment policy in the Indonesian financial industry. Dividend payment is measured using dividend pay-out ratio on measuring dividend payment. Corporate ownership concentration is measured using the number of shares held by legal individual investors and large block shareholders. Ownership concentration is divided into three categories, which are inside shareholders, stable shareholders, and market shareholders. Corporate liquidity is measured by corporate profit, defined by retained earnings/total assets and retained earnings/total equity, corporate leverage (total liabilities/total assets), and corporate size (log normal total assets). We apply data panel regression and the robust least square method. Based on the robust least square method of testing data panel regression, we find there is a relationship between insider shareholder, market shareholder, and dividend payment policy. In contrast, there is no relationship between stable shareholder and dividend payment policy. We also found a relationship between corporate profit, which variable is retained earnings/total assets, corporate leverage, and corporate size, and dividend payment policy. These results lead to the conclusion that dividend payments increase when ownership by inside shareholders decreases, and that when ownership by market shareholders increase corporate profit will also increase, and corporate leverageand corporate size decreases.
Willingness to Accept of Adopting Sustainable Terubok Fisheries in Sarawak by Using Contingent Valuation Method
Authors: Nur Syahmina Abdul Ghanie  , Dayang Affizzah Awang Marikan  , Nor Afiza Abu Bakar
Published: April 2021

Sarawak is well known with its Terubok which is scientifically known as Tropical shad Tenualosa. In Sarawak, there are two types of Tenualosa that found namely Tenualosa toli and Tenualosa macura. However, due to the overexploitation and heavy fishing of terubok, the total catch landing has been declining. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the potential of establishing sustainable terubok fisheries in order to sustain the population of terubok and livelihoods of Sarawak fisherman. This study is conducted in the core terubok area which are Batang Lupar, Batang Lassa and Batang Sadong. This study employed Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to estimate the willingness to accept (WTA) of the fisherman to conserve terubok. This study found out that the bidding amount, race which is Malay and Melanau, size of household and the fisherman experience may affect the WTA of the fishers. Besides, RM 301.08 is the average amount of compensation that will be given to the Terubok fisherman in order to conserve the Terubok populations. This study also recommends that the Terubok fisherman should be more educated andeducational training for the fisherman should be provided so that they may realize the importance of conserving Terubok.
How Social Factor Determine Individual Taxpayers’ Tax Compliance Behaviour in Malaysia?
Authors: Nivakan Sritharan  , Sahari Salawati  , Sharon Choy-Sheung Cheuk
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study is to clarify the role of social factors on individual taxpayers’ tax compliance behaviour in Malaysia. Studies with similar topics express the fact that there still exists a gap in thedeveloping countries that impact the decision making on tax compliance. Malaysia is a multi-racial and cultural country with social factors to impact on tax compliance. Some of the factors impacting are cultural impact, political affiliation, and religiosity, which are considered to be playing an important role in individual tax compliance behaviour. The researcher used a survey method of research design. For that the population targeted was the individual taxpayers across Malaysia. A sample of 419 respondents had been taken for this study, using a convenient sampling method. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis had been employed to analyse the data. The outcome of the study reveals that changes in government policies, referral groups, the role of LHDN, and political affiliation are the main important variables that determine individual taxpayers’ tax compliance behaviour. This paper studied social factor variables, which finally fills the gap that existed in the literature and helps tax administration to develop effective compliance risk treatment.
COVID-19 and a Call to Adapt Dental Education
Authors: Alrashdi Murad , Hameed Ahmed , Aljabr Abdullah
Published: April 2021

Introduction: COVID-19 has harmed the economic, academic, and clinical pursuits of dental educational institutions and dental students. As dental associations, health agencies, and regulatory bodies around the globe announced the need for social distancing and stricter safety measures, some dental schools worldwide have been adapting to accommodate for such changes.

Methods: This review attempts to provide a general picture of the early responses of some dental schools worldwide to the COVID-19 crisis and identify some of the regulations that influenced dental schools' initial decisions. An analytical approach was used to assess changes to dental school curriculums in didactic (academic/non-clinical) and clinical education, examinations, administration, and dental school research. The assessment was based on a web-based search of a variety of online global references including research articles, reviews, letters, press releases, and surveys regarding the early effect of covid-19 on dental education at some dental institutions in the U.S, Europe, and Asia from late February to early July of 2020. The review also offered further recommendations to dental school administrators regarding the future of dental education during the early stages of a pandemic.

Conclusions: Innovations in technology and blended educational methodologies will continue to influence how certain dental schools around the world adapt to the changes caused by COVID-19 and better prepare dental education institutions for potential future public health disruptions.

Clinical significance: Dental schools will need to adapt their education system to improve didactic, preclinical, clinical, administrative, and research components of dental education in response to the changes caused by COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Evolution Logic and Comparative Advantage of China’s Power System Reform—A Comparative Study on Transmission Management Between China and the United States
Authors: Wu Wei-ping , Zeng Wei-kang , Lu Li-fan , Chen Zi-gui
Published: April 2021

This paper examines the differences of power systems between China and the United States from the perspective of transmission management, and finally summarizes the institutional advantages of China’s power system reform. The research shows that there are significant operation and supervision differences between China and the United States in transmission management. China has always maintained a unified management in transmission management, while the United States has adopted a decentralized management model in transmission. The implementation of centralized unified management in transmission links cannot only ensure the timely and effective allocation of national power energy, but also be helpful to concentrate all kinds of resources to develop large-scale power projects.
A New Method for Correcting Urbanization-Induced Bias in Surface Air Temperature Observations: Insights From Comparative Site-Relocation Data
Authors: Shi Tao , Huang Yong , Sun Dabing , Lu Gaopeng , Yang Yuanjian
Published: April 2021

The effect of urbanization on surface air temperature (SAT) is one of the most important systematic biases in SAT series of urban stations. Correcting this so-called urbanization bias has the potential to provide accurate basic data for long-term climate change monitoring and research. In the western region of the Yangtze River Delta, 42 meteorological stations with site-relocation history from 2009 to 2018 were selected to analyze the statistical characteristics of the differences in comparative site-relocation daily average SAT. The annual average differences in comparative site-relocation SAT series between the old and the new stations (SATDON) were used to characterize the impact of urbanization bias on the air temperature observation series. Using remote sensing technology, spatial datasets of land-use, landscape, and geometric parameters of the underlying surface in the 5-km buffer zone around the station were established as the observed environmental factors of the site, and the differences in these observed environmental factors (DOEFs) between the old and the new stations were calculated to indicate the change induced by urbanization. Next, multiple linear regression models of SATDON and DOEFs were constructed, showing that the error range of the model for simulated SATDON was 3.66–18.21%, and the average error was 10.09%. Finally, this new correction method (NCM) and conventional correction method (CCM) were applied to the correction of the urbanization bias of SAT series at Hefei station. After comparison, it is found that the NCM could reveal clear contributions of the rapid and slow stages of the urbanization process and resultant environmental changes around the stations to the observed SAT. In summary, the NCM based on remote sensing technology can more reasonably and effectively correct the urbanization bias caused by local human activities, as well as reduce the error caused by the selection of reference stations via the conventional correction method.
Empowering Compartmental Modeling With Mobility and Shelter-in-Place Analysis
Authors: Bakhtiari Ramezani Somayeh , Rahimi Shahram , Amirlatifi Amin , Hudnall Matthew , Pate Jeremy , Parrish Allen , Penmetsa Praveena , Qian Xinwu
Published: April 2021

A model that is capable of handling the non-linear trend of COVID-19 throughout the US and evaluate different effects of interstate/intrastate mobility measures can help decision-makers adjust guidelines and state-wide mandates to contain the pandemic's spread. The abundance of cellular-based data has made it possible to study many aspects of users' mobility, including their travel, contact, and dwell patterns. This study uses a compartmental metapopulation model to present a correlation between the contact and mobility indices and the likelihood of being susceptible to infection. We studied the effect of travel from other states on overall infections in a destination state and observed a strong inverse correlation of 0.98 between the contact index and social awareness compartment, i.e., individuals who are no longer susceptible to infection. The shelter-in-place what-if analysis for travelers from other states on the course of infection in the destination state showed a possible reduction of over 22% in the total number of infections and death if travelers sheltered in place for 5–7 days.
Alternative Splicing Dynamics of the Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Ovary Axis During Pubertal Transition in Gilts
Authors: Pan Xiangchun , Li Qingnan , Chen Danxia , Gong Wentao , Li Nian , Jiang Yao , Zhang Hao , Chen Yaosheng , Yuan Xiaolong
Published: April 2021

The timing of puberty in mammals marks the point at which reproduction becomes possible. Abnormalities in the timing of puberty may exert a series of negative effects on subsequent health outcomes. Alternative splicing (AS) has not only emerged as a significant factor in the transcription of genes but it is also reported to play a role in the timing of puberty. However, to date, the changes and dynamics of AS during the onset of puberty is extremely seldom explored. In the present study, we used gilts as a research model to investigated the dynamics of AS and differentially expressed AS (DEAS) events within the hypothalamus–pituitary–ovary (HPO) axis across pre-, in-, and post-puberty. We detected 3,390, 6,098, and 9,085 DEAS events in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary when compared across pre-, in-, and post-pubertal stages, respectively. Within the entire HPO axis, we also identified 22,889, 22,857, and 21,055 DEAS events in the pre-, in-, and post-pubertal stages, respectively. Further analysis revealed that the differentially spliced genes (DSGs) associated with staged DEAS events were likely to be enriched in the oxytocin signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, GnRH signaling pathway, and oocyte meiosis signaling pathway. The DSGs associated with DEAS events across the entire HPO axis were enriched in endocytosis signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, and the Rap1 signaling pathway. Moreover. the ASs of TAC1, TACR3, CYP19A1, ESR1, ESRRA, and FSHR were likely to regulate the functions of the certain HPO tissues during the onset of puberty. Collectively, the AS dynamics and DEAS events were comprehensively profiled in hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary across the pre-, in-, and post-pubertal stages in pigs. These findings may enhance our knowledge of how puberty is regulated by AS and shed new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the timing of puberty in mammals.
MRPC: An R Package for Inference of Causal Graphs
Authors: Badsha Md. Bahadur , Martin Evan A. , Fu Audrey Qiuyan
Published: April 2021

Understanding the causal relationships between variables is a central goal of many scientific inquiries. Causal relationships may be represented by directed edges in a graph (or equivalently, a network). In biology, for example, gene regulatory networks may be viewed as a type of causal networks, where X→Y represents gene X regulating (i.e., being causal to) gene Y. However, existing general-purpose graph inference methods often result in a high number of false edges, whereas current causal inference methods developed for observational data in genomics can handle only limited types of causal relationships. We present MRPC (a PC algorithm with the principle of Mendelian Randomization), an R package that learns causal graphs with improved accuracy over existing methods. Our algorithm builds on the powerful PC algorithm (named after its developers Peter Spirtes and Clark Glymour), a canonical algorithm in computer science for learning directed acyclic graphs. The improvements in MRPC result in increased accuracy in identifying v-structures (i.e., X→Y←Z), and robustness to how the nodes are arranged in the input data. In the special case of genomic data that contain genotypes and phenotypes (e.g., gene expression) at the individual level, MRPC incorporates the principle of Mendelian randomization as constraints on edge direction to help orient the edges. MRPC allows for inference of causal graphs not only for general purposes, but also for biomedical data where multiple types of data may be input to provide evidence for causality. The R package is available on CRAN and is a free open-source software package under a GPL (≥2) license.