bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facilities Management (FM) in Industrialized Building System (IBS) Projects in Malaysia: Challenges and Strategies for Improvement
Authors: Hobees Malik Ali Salim , Riazi Salman Riazi Mehdi , Ismail Radzi , Yusuf Abdulkadir Ali , Nawi Mohd Nasrun Mohd , Omar Mohd Faizal
Published: January 2021

Facilities management (FM) involves the amalgamation of organizational procedures towards upholding and developing services to better the efficiency of its core activities. FM plays a significant role for success in projects whereby it offers a better working environment, value for money, cost and risk management, etc. which is all important criteria for achieving a successful project. This paper, therefore through literature reviews, explores the elements of FM, its practices in the construction industry including in Malaysia from the perspective of IBS projects. Further to that, interviews were also conducted with five (5) experts of the Malaysian construction industry whereby each of them possesses a minimum of 10 years of working experience towards getting an insight into their understanding as well as to gain information from their vast experiences. They were also asked to highlight the challenges and difficulties that were faced as well as to propose ways forward to improve the scenario. In short, respondents generally had different point of view regarding the FM practices but agreed that the structural design of the building highly influences the building FM practices. The findings also showed that while conventional projects offer more opportunity to save cost; performing FM in IBS project makes maintenance works quicker although it also requires higher quality and lifelong span of services under efficient management. In overall, performing FM in IBS projects have its own advantages and downfalls which need to be well considered beforehand.
Linking Mission Statements Components to Management Effectiveness
Authors: Hieu Vu Minh , Vu Ngo Minh
Published: January 2021

This study examines mission statements and management effectiveness in “first generation” insurance companies in Nigeria. Content analysis method has been applied with the mission statements and data collected from annual reports (2013-2018) of six insurance companies. In terms of the data analysis, Pearson correlation and descriptive statistics have been employed. The results suggest that the mission statements’ components including the product/service, growth orientation, competences, public image and personnel are crucial for management effectiveness proxied by two ratios of return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA). The study, therefore, recommends that businesses must include in their mission statements, product/service, growth orientation, competences, public image and personnel mission statement components. The study drawback is the small sample size. The study has also proposed area for further research and managerial implications.
Peranan Wan Akub di Muntok Bangka Abad ke-18
Authors: Yuliarni Yuliarni
Published: January 2021

The development of Muntok could not be separated from the long historical story of  its original name. This research is presented the background of Wan Akub's arrival in Muntok and his role in the government and economy in the 18th century. This study uses historical methods emphasizes on the biographical approach. Wan Akub is the head of government in Muntok who was sent by the Palembang Sultanate as well as the head of tin mining. Some of his policies were to open an irrigation system or help the tin mining process in Muntok as economic resources for the locals. There were various policies that had been made a considerable influence in Muntok. He imported tin miners from Johor and built clay fortresses to reduce ethnic disputes in Muntok as well introduced tin tiban regulations. He also initiated the distribution of tin products as a form of remuneration. In addition, the migration of Wan Akub's relatives from Siantan left for Bangka acquired by new skills in cloth weaving technique called Cual.
Sandiwara Daerah of Radio Republik Indonesia Yogyakarta and Surakarta, 1950s-1990s
Authors: Puguh Dhanang Respati , Mufidah Rafngi
Published: January 2021

This article discusses Sandiwara Daerah [regional plays] organized by Radio Republik Indonesia Yogyakarta and Surakarta by applying historical method. This article shows that Sandiwara Daerah broadcasts on Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) Yogyakarta and Surakarta had been held since the 1950s. The performance of Sandiwara Daerah broadcast profoundly related to the position of RRI as a government cultural media which exclusively responsible for disseminating regional cultures. Sumardjono and Maria Kadarsih are prominent figures in the production process of Sandiwara Daerah RRI Yogyakarta, as well as Siti Aminah who became a key figure in the production process of Sandiwara Daerah RRI Surakarta. Sandiwara Daerah is an event favored by the Javanese people. Nevertheless, Sandiwara Daerah experienced a decline since the private radios launched Sandiwara Radio in 1990.
Movilidad urbana de la población en la ciudad de Encarnación Paraguay. Desarrollo urbano y gestión ambiental
Authors: Fernández-Fernández Alba-María
Published: January 2021

El trabajo de revisión bibliográfica y estudio de los casos de los barrios San Pedro y San Isidro de la ciudad de Encarnación, localizados en la periferia y dependientes de las oportunidades del casco céntrico, tiene por objetivo estudiar los factores que influyen en los flujos de movimiento vehicular en cuanto a su accesibilidad al casco céntrico como elementos que permitan fomentar el desarrollo en el medio urbano. La metodología descriptiva empleada, con aplicación de cuestionarios y entrevistas a pobladores de más de 18 años que se movilizan, completada con observación, medición y observación participante, muestra como resultado que las necesidades de la población no están resueltas en los barrios requiriéndose mayores desplazamientos para satisfacerlas mostrando la influencia de factores externos como la planificación urbana (CNU, 2008; Krüger, 2010); Concluyéndose que entre los factores que influyen en la movilidad predomina la localización y la dependencia de servicios en otras áreas.
Confort térmico en vivienda social multifamiliar de clima cálido en Colombia
Authors: Giraldo-Castañeda Walter , Czajkowski Jorge Daniel , Gómez Analía Fernanda
Published: January 2021

El consumo energético residencial en Colombia incrementó 30% en los últimos 7 años debido en parte al gasto destinado a climatización activa de Viviendas de Interés Social (VIS). Investigaciones sobre VIS unifamiliares reportaron sensaciones térmicas “muy calurosas” con el modelo PMV-PPD en clima cálido. El objetivo de esta investigación es complementar el estado del arte evaluando el ambiente térmico de una VIS multifamiliar con dos diferentes modelos de confort: el PMV-PPD y el Adaptativo. La metodología tuvo dos fases: Monitoreo a un ambiente VIS y valoración mediante los dos modelos. Los resultados indicaron insatisfacción térmica por exceso de calor con ambos modelos en horas diurnas muy similares a lo reportado en el estado del arte para tipología unifamiliar. Sin embargo, se encontró un ahorro en energía dedicada a climatización del 35% si se valora con el Modelo Adaptativo. Se evidenció la ausencia de protección solar en vanos y los altos valores de temperatura del aire y media radiante indicaron que el aislamiento térmico de la envolvente vertical de estas edificaciones es insuficiente para brindar confort térmico, se proponen mejoras pasivas para mejorar su habitabilidad e inclusión obligatoria en el Reglamento 0549 para reducir el consumo energético y su impacto ambiental.
La vivienda adecuada financiarizada según el ingreso. El discurso de las Naciones Unidas
Authors: Mejía-Escalante Monica Elizabeth
Published: January 2021

El acceso a la vivienda adecuada se instaura según el ingreso familiar y mediante mecanismos de financiación desde la década de 1940. Se examina la evolución de la noción “vivienda adecuada” en textos de las Naciones Unidas entre 1946 y 2020, a partir de los cuales se realiza un análisis de contenido que se pone en relación con las variables habitacionales que veintiún países de América Latina y el Caribe aplican para sus diagnósticos residenciales sobre vivienda adecuada, y con la cualificación dada al derecho a la vivienda en sus constituciones, cuyo componente objetivo son los indicadores habitacionales que las naciones aplican. Nociones equivalentes como vivienda digna, económica, saludable y hábitat son construidas a manera de lema por las Naciones Unidas, desde las cuales se instala la vivienda financierizada, que no se asimila a la vivienda adecuada. Las inadecuaciones en vivienda, entre las que se encuentran los instrumentos de financiación para su acceso, perturban la salud del morador; esta apreciación podría potenciar la comprensión de la vivienda como abrigo en la garantía de los derechos habitacionales y no solo como objeto de riqueza, en particular en momentos de excepción como los que surgen con una pandemia.
АПОЗИТИВНА СИНТАКСЕМА ЯК ВИРАЗНИК ТРОПЕЇЧНИХ ЗНАЧЕНЬ У ХУДОЖНЬОМУ ТЕКСТІ
Authors: Рабчук Ірина
Published: January 2021

The article focuses on the fact that modern Ukrainian linguistic research is mainly devoted to the functioning of appositive epithets and metaphors syntaxemes in the poetical type of the belles-letters style. Therefore, the aim of the paper is an attempt at a comprehensive analysis of the tropical meanings of the appositive syntaxeme proper and semi-predicative appositive syntaxeme in texts of in prose and poetical belles-letters style, as well as a description of their stylistic roles. The article reveals that, in most cases, appositive syntaxemes are epithets, similes, and metaphors. Іt has been found that in belles-letters text, the appositive syntaxeme in detached and non-detached positions can take the form of the following tropes: personification, oxymoron, paronomasia, antithesis, amplification. Moreover, it is capable of expressing irony and sarcasm. The author records the cases of the use of semi-predicative appositive syntaxemes in the roles of synecdoches, periphrases and hyperboles. The author concludes that all appositive syntaxemes with tropical function create bright images of human characters as well as the other creatures, objects and phenomena that surround them. They allow writers to convey their thoughts, attitudes, and the peculiarities of their perception of the world.
Distributed Ledger Technology and the Future of Money and Banking
Authors: Huibers Fred
Published: January 2021

Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system. https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf outlined an alternative to the current monetary system in which banks are replaced by a peer-to-peer system to issue and transfer digital money: the Bitcoin. While Bitcoin has attracted a substantial investment volume, the system has not achieved the status of a viable alternative monetary system. However, the distributed ledger technology (DLT) underlying the payment system is being applied successfully by financial institutions and is likely to have important implications for the future of money and banking. In this paper we therefore focus on the most advanced distributed ledger application in the financial industry: R3 Corda. This paper is structured as follows. In the first section, we relate the debate about systems of money creation to the rise of Bitcoin. Next, the development of R3 Corda is discussed and the lessons learned for monetary reform. We conclude with an assessment of the scope and likelihood of monetary reform as a consequence of DLT applications by central banks.
The Informal Sector, the “implicit” Social Contract, the Willingness to Pay Taxes and Tax Compliance in Zimbabwe
Authors: Sebele-Mpofu Favourate Y
Published: January 2021

The growth of the informal sector in African countries has largely been viewed as an escape from regulation and deliberate intention to avoid paying taxes and these views have been widely popularised, ignoring significant details to the disadvantage of realistic tax policy design. Zimbabwe adopted a presumptive tax system for various informal sector categories to enlarge the tax base and increase tax revenues mobilised. However, presumptive taxes have not generated significant revenue. Tax compliance in the informal sector has often been studied from the tax structure design, the deterrence model perspective and capacity limitations without paying adequate attention to tax morale. Tax morale can be denoted through the peer effect of the compliance behaviour of other taxpayers, the fulfilment of the psychological social contract, transparency and accountability in the use of tax revenues as well as stakeholder communication, built on mutual trust and respect. In light of these tax morale dimensions, it is evident that tax compliance can never be divorced from the intrinsic motivation to pay taxes. The inextricable link, between tax evasion, tax compliance and tax morale, motivates this study. While previous studies on tax morale have applied single method research approaches, this study adopted a sequential exploratory mixed method research design, combining both qualitative and quantitative (through the use of document reviews, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires) in order to bring a balanced view. The study found out that tax morale was a strong driver of tax evasion and non-tax compliance in the informal sector.
MiR-203-3p inhibits the oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and apoptosis of mice podocytes induced by high glucose through regulating Sema3A expression
Authors: Chen Jingfu , Xu Qing , Zhang Wei , Zhen YuLan , Cheng Fei , Hua Guo , Lan Jun , Tu Chang
Published: January 2021

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most serious long-term microvascular complication of diabetes, which mainly causes podocyte injury. Many studies have shown that microRNAs play a vital role in the development of DN. Studies have shown that miR-203-3p is involved in mesangial cell proliferation and apoptosis of DN mice. Therefore, we speculated that miR-203-3p might be related to the development of DN, but our study does not provide any evidence. In animal experiments, diabetic mice (db/db) were transfected with iR-203-3p overexpression lentiviral vectors (LV-miR-203-3p) and their control (LV-miR-con), with normal mice (db/m) being used as the control. High glucose (HG)-induced podocytes were used to construct a DN cell model in vitro. The expression levels of miR-203-3p, Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) and inflammatory cytokines were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Also, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were used to evaluate the degree of renal injury in DN mice. Sema3A and apoptosis-related protein levels were assessed by the western blot analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the different oxidative stress-related indicators and inflammatory cytokines. Flow cytometry and caspase-3 activity detection were used to analyze the degree of podocyte apoptosis. Our results suggested that the expression of miR-203-3p was lower in DN mice and in HG-induced podocytes. Overexpression of miR-203-3p reduced the body weight, blood glucose and renal injury of DN mice in vivo, as well as relieve the oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis of HG-induced podocytes in vitro. Functionally, Sema3A was a target of miR-203-3p, and Sema3A overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-203-3p on HG-induced podocyte injury. Our findings revealed that miR-203-3p alleviated the podocyte injury induced by HG via regulating Sema3A expression, suggesting that miR-203-3p might be a new therapeutic target to improve the progression of DN.
Eichler cohomology and zeros of polynomials associated to derivatives of L-functions
Authors: Diamantis Nikolaos , Rolen Larry
Published: January 2021

In recent years, a number of papers have been devoted to the study of zeros of period polynomials of modular forms. In the present paper, we
study cohomological analogues of the Eichler–Shimura period polynomials corresponding to higher L-derivatives.
We state a general conjecture about the locations of the zeros of the full and odd parts of the polynomials, in analogy with the
existing literature on period polynomials, and we also give numerical evidence that similar results hold for our higher derivative “period polynomials” in the case of cusp forms. The unimodularity of the roots seems to be a very subtle property which is special to our “period polynomials”. This is suggested by numerical experiments on families of perturbed “period polynomials” (Section 5.3) suggested by Zagier.
We prove a special case of our conjecture in the case of Eisenstein series.

Although not much is currently known about derivatives higher than first order ones for general modular forms, celebrated recent work of Yun and Zhang established the analogues of the Gross–Zagier formula for higher L-derivatives in the function field case.
A critical role in their work was played by a notion of “super-positivity”, which, as recently shown by Goldfeld and Huang, holds in infinitely many cases for classical modular forms.
As will be discussed, this is similar to properties which were required by Jin, Ma, Ono, and Soundararajan in their proof of the Riemann Hypothesis for Period Polynomials, thus suggesting a connection between the analytic nature of our conjectures here and the framework of Yun and Zhang.
A novel gene expression test method of minimizing breast cancer risk in reduced cost and time by improving SVM-RFE gene selection method combined with LASSO
Authors: Gupta Madhuri , Gupta Bharat
Published: January 2021

Breast cancer is the leading diseases of death in women. It induces by a genetic mutation in breast cancer cells. Genetic testing has become popular to detect the mutation in genes but test cost is relatively expensive for several patients in developing countries like India. Genetic test takes between 2 and 4 weeks to decide the cancer. The time duration suffers the prognosis of genes because some patients have high rate of cancerous cell growth. In the research work, a cost and time efficient method is proposed to predict the gene expression level on the basis of clinical outcomes of the patient by using machine learning techniques. An improved SVM-RFE_MI gene selection technique is proposed to find the most significant genes related to breast cancer afterward explained variance statistical analysis is applied to extract the genes contain high variance. Least Absolute Shrinkage Selector Operator (LASSO) and Ridge regression techniques are used to predict the gene expression level. The proposed method predicts the expression of significant genes with reduced Root Mean Square Error and acceptable adjusted R-square value. As per the study, analysis of these selected genes is beneficial to diagnose the breast cancer at prior stage in reduced cost and time.
Differentially methylated CpG sites associated with the high-risk group of prostate cancer
Authors: Kobelyatskaya Anastasiya , Pudova Elena , Fedorova Maria , Nyushko Kirill , Alekseev Boris , Kaprin Andrey , Trofimov Dmitry , Sukhikh Gennady , Snezhkina Anastasia , Krasnov George , Razin Sergey , Kudryavtseva Anna
Published: January 2021

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common and socially significant oncological diseases among men. Bioinformatic analysis of omics data allows identifying molecular genetic changes associated with the disease development, as well as markers of prognosis and response to therapy. Alterations in DNA methylation and histone modification profiles widely occur in malignant tumors. In this study, we analyzed changes in DNA methylation in three groups of PC patients based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA, https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov): (1) high- and intermediate-risk of the tumor progression, (2) favorable and unfavorable prognoses within the high-risk group, and (3) TMPRSS2-ERG-positive (tumors with TMPRSS2-ERG fusion transcript) and TMPRSS2-ERG-free cases within the high-risk group. We found eight CpG sites (cg07548607, cg13533340, cg16643088, cg18467168, cg23324953, cg23753247, cg25773620, and cg27148952) hypermethylated in the high-risk group compared with the intermediate-risk group of PC. Seven differentially methylated CpG sites (cg00063748, cg06834698, cg18607127, cg25273707, cg01704198, cg02067712, and cg02157224) were associated with unfavorable prognosis within the high-risk group. Six CpG sites (cg01138171, cg14060519, cg19570244, cg24492886, cg25605277, and cg26228280) were hypomethylated in TMPRSS2-ERG-positive PC compared to TMPRSS2-ERG-negative tumors within the high-risk group. The CpG sites were localized, predominantly, in regulatory genome regions belonging to promoters of the following genes: ARHGEF4, C6orf141, C8orf86, CLASP2, CSRNP1, GDA, GSX1, IQSEC1, MYOF, OR10A3, PLCD1, PLEC1, PRDM16, PTAFR, RP11-844P9.2, SCYL3, VPS13D, WT1, and ZSWIM2. For these genes, analysis of differential expression and its correlation with CpG site methylation (β-value level) was also performed. In addition, STK33 and PLCD1 had similar changes in colorectal cancer. As for the CSRNP1, the ARHGEF4, and the WT1 genes, misregulated expression levels were mentioned in lung, liver, pancreatic and androgen-independent prostate cancer. The potential impact of changed methylation on the mRNA level was determined for the CSRNP1, STK33, PLCD1, ARHGEF4, WT1, SCYL3, and VPS13D genes. The above CpG sites could be considered as potential prognostic markers of the high-risk group of PC.
On the BIC for determining the number of control points in B-spline surface approximation in case of correlated observations
Authors: Kermarrec Gaël , Alkhatib Hamza
Published: January 2021

B-spline curves are a linear combination of control points (CP) and B-spline basis functions. They satisfy the strong convex hull property and have a fine and local shape control as changing one CP affects the curve locally, whereas the total number of CP has a more general effect on the control polygon of the spline. Information criteria (IC), such as Akaike IC (AIC) and Bayesian IC (BIC), provide a way to determine an optimal number of CP so that the B-spline approximation fits optimally in a least-squares (LS) sense with scattered and noisy observations. These criteria are based on the log-likelihood of the models and assume often that the error term is independent and identically distributed. This assumption is strong and accounts neither for heteroscedasticity nor for correlations. Thus, such effects have to be considered to avoid under-or overfitting of the observations in the LS adjustment, i.e. bad approximation or noise approximation, respectively. In this contribution, we introduce generalized versions of the BIC derived using the concept of quasi- likelihood estimator (QLE). Our own extensions of the generalized BIC criteria account (i) explicitly for model misspecifications and complexity (ii) and additionally for the correlations of the residuals. To that aim, the correlation model of the residuals is assumed to correspond to a first order autoregressive process AR(1). We apply our general derivations to the specific case of B-spline approximations of curves and surfaces, and couple the information given by the different IC together. Consecutively, a didactical yet simple procedure to interpret the results given by the IC is provided in order to identify an optimal number of parameters to estimate in case of correlated observations. A concrete case study using observations from a bridge scanned with a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) highlights the proposed procedure.
The Unity of Reason: Kant’s Copernican Presupposition
Authors: Thornton Edward
Published: January 2021

In the controversial Appendix to theTranscendental Dialectic, Kant claims to “complete the critical work of pure reason” [A670/B698] by providing a transcendental deduction of the ideas of pure reason. In order to analyse the role that this Appendix plays in the first Critique, this paper will read the Appendix alongside Kant’s comments in the B-Preface concerning the astronomy of Copernicus. Through an analysis of the nature of Kant and Copernicus’ respective use of presuppositions, and by looking at their respective attempts to unify a science around a single systematic conception of the object of that science, this paper will offer a defence of the fundamental role that Kant’s transcendental deduction of the ideas of pure reason plays in the text.
Three weak solutions for a Neumann elliptic equations involving the p→(x) \vec p\left( x \right) -Laplacian operator
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed , Vall Mohamed Saad Bouh Elemine
Published: January 2021

The aim of this paper is to establish the existence of at least three weak solutions for the following elliptic Neumann problem{-Δp→(x)u+α(x)|u|p0(x)-2u=λf(x,u)inΩ,∑i=1N|∂u∂xi|pi(x)-2∂u∂xiγi=0on∂Ω,\left\{ {\matrix{ { - {\Delta _{\vec p\left( x \right)}}u + \alpha \left( x \right){{\left| u \right|}^{{p_0}\left( x \right) - 2}}u = \lambda f\left( {x,u} \right)} \hfill & {in} \hfill & {\Omega ,} \hfill \cr {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^N {{{\left| {{{\partial u} \over {\partial {x_i}}}} \right|}^{{p_i}\left( x \right) - 2}}{{\partial u} \over {\partial {x_i}}}{\gamma _i} = 0} } \hfill & {on} \hfill & {\partial \Omega ,} \hfill \cr } } \right.in the anisotropic variable exponent Sobolev spacesW1,p→(⋅)(Ω)\vec p\left( \cdot \right)\left( \Omega \right)where λ > 0 andf(x,t) = |t|q(x)−2t− |t|s(x)−2t,x∈ Ω,t∈ 𝕉 andq(·),s(⋅)∈𝒞+(Ω¯)s\left( \cdot \right) \in {\mathcal{C}_ + }\left( {\bar \Omega } \right).
The discourse of the edge: marginal advantage, positioning and linguistic entrepreneurship
Authors: Lo Bianco Joseph
Published: January 2021

This contribution discusses some links between the linguistics and the economics of the spirit of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurialism. Whether it is individuals or various social groupings, or even entire societies, a review of policies promoting self-investment in language ability links to a neoliberal economic and political ethos of competition, advantage, meritocracy, innovation and risk-taking; and thereby instantiates an essentially exchange and profit based understanding of communication. The depth and persistence of policy attaching personal and commodified gain to language merges with moral character judgements. I discuss four Asian studies of linguistic entrepreneurship, extracting common elements and differences, and then discuss the project of Asian engagement and language study in Australia. Applying the lens of linguistic entrepreneurship to Australia’s promotion of Asian languages reveals an entire project of national re-formation to foster integration into Asian regional economic and geopolitical arrangements. Much of this national project has been premised on reformulating core purposes of language study around the advantaging of individuals and the nation within an ethos of market competition. Australia’s ambition of national integration into Asia has achieved national consensus, reversing a long history of repudiation of the nation’s Asian geography, yet there are still persisting ideas of orientalism. This is particularly exposed in relation to how Asian Australians’ language skills are treated. Minority language maintenance of Asian languages has been construed as problematic, while Anglo-Australian learners’ acquisition of key trade languages of Asia is celebrated and admired. One result of this is that a considerable part of Australia’s Asia literacy project is in tension with its avowed aim of multiculturalism, which would value all language skills, those of maintenance as much as those of new learning.
Source of Life or Kiss of Death: Revisiting State-Civil Society Dynamics in India during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Tandon Rajesh , Aravind Ram
Published: January 2021

As COVID-19 spread through India, Civil Society Organizations (CSO)s mobilized resources to support the efforts of the Government by playing the role of an active partner in providing social and economic welfare to the affected population. This paper aims to provide a concise overview of the response of civil society to the pandemic situation at the grassroots and policy level. Further, the authors discuss the paradox in demonstrated efficiency and commitment of civil society, which follows a crackdown on civil society organizations by the state through silencing voices of dissent and regulating the shrinking civic space. The strained relationship between the government and civil society organizations in India is also examined against the backdrop of draconian legislation and policies framed during the time of COVID-19, proscribing debate, review or consultations. In the context of the pandemic and the subsequent phase of recovery, such actions of the Government will have deleterious effects on the relationship of trust between civil society and the state. Through this paper, the authors argue for a more tolerant and co-operative approach to the functions of civil society organizations by the Government, thus effectively reducing mistrust and suspicion in the intentions of the state.
The Syndemics and Structural Violence of the COVID Pandemic: Anthropological Insights on a Crisis
Authors: Singer Merrill , Rylko-Bauer Barbara
Published: January 2021

This paper examines the COVID-19 pandemic in light of two key concepts in medical anthropology: syndemics and structural violence. Following a discussion of the nature of these two concepts, the paper addresses the direct and associated literatures on the syndemic and structural violence features of the COVID pandemic, with a specific focus on: 1) the importance of local socioenvironmental conditions/demographics and disease configurations in creating varying local syndemic expressions; 2) the ways that the pandemic has exposed the grave weaknesses in global health care investment; and 3) how the syndemic nature of the pandemic reveals the rising rate of noncommunicable diseases and their potential for interaction with current and future infectious disease. The paper concludes with a discussion on the role of anthropology in responding to COVID-19 from a syndemics perspective.
“We Speak Pidgin!” – Family Language Policy as the Telling Case for Translanguaging Spaces and Monolingual Ideologies
Authors: Hirsch Tijana , Kayam Orly
Published: January 2021

With the increase in global movement, both temporary (travel and transsettlement) and permanent (e/immigration), traditional conceptions of the linguistic processes rooted largely in the long-term translocation(s) or migrations are revisited through the study of family language policy. The present study of family language policy serves as a telling case (Mitchell, 1984) of (1) translanguaging (Williams, 1994) as a practical theory of language (Li, 2018), describing how the transnational individual experienced the construction of two intergenerational translanguaging spaces (Li, 2011): the family and the community and (2) how the phenomenon of monolingual ideologies infiltrates the translanguaging space of the family to exert its influences toward the standard, in this case the standard Russian dialect. Importance of increased mobility characteristic of contemporary times and the central role of temporality in linguistic processes and their disruptions are discussed in this article.
Kinetics and adsorption equilibrium of some radionuclides on polyaniline/SiO2 composite
Authors: Kasem Abeer E. , Abdel-Galil Ezzat A. , Belacy Nabil , Badawy Nagwa A.
Published: January 2021

The sorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms of zirconium, uranium, and molybdenum ions onto synthetic polyaniline/SiO2 composite (PAn/SiO2) have been studied using batch-sorption techniques. This study was carried out to examine the sorption behavior of the PAn/SiO2 for the removal of Zr(IV), U(VI), and Mo(VI) ions from an aqueous solution. The influence of some parameters on the sorption process was also studied. The maximum sorption for Zr(IV), U(VI), and Mo(VI) ions was achieved at 60 min shaking time. Langmuir isotherm model is the most representative for discussing the sorption process with a maximum sorption capacity of 24.26, 21.82, and 13.01 mg/g for Zr(IV), U(VI), and Mo(VI) ions, respectively. Kinetic modeling revealed that the sorption of all ions follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results demonstrated that both the external and intra-particular diffusion are taken into account in determining the sorption rate. Thermodynamic parameters like ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS° for the sorption process were evaluated. The synthetic composite has been successfully applied for the removal and recovery of U(VI) ions from real solution (monazite leachate) using a chromatographic column packed with PAn/SiO2 composite with a breakthrough capacity equal to 239.70 mg/g.
A Stylistic Analysis of Selected Christian Religion Print Advertisement in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State
Authors: Adetuyi C. A. , Patric C. A.
Published: January 2021

Print advertisements, a denominator of social realities have been approached from varied linguistic orientations. Studies that have dealt with how religious groups and churches utilize print advertisement to elicit patronage are discovered as inadequate. Anchored on the principles of linguistic stylistics, this study therefore investigates some religious advertisements with a view to determining how meaning is stylistically indexed in religious discourse at the graphological level. Qualitative research method with the analysis of corpus of selected texts was adopted at the graphological level of stylistics. Data for the study consisted of a total of thirteen (13) religious advertisements which are purposively sampled from selected church handbills, posters and flyers. The language of religious advertisement indicates how people’s linguistic choices are influenced by their religious persuasions and beliefs. The advertisers employ diverse linguistic features such as pictorial elements, graphological devices of italicization, icons, capitalization, punctuation marks and figures. The choice of the words is very simple, and there are elements of code – mixing. Also, a lot of images common to the Christendom are used such as the sign of the cross and the pictures of dove, clock and cup of wine, as an indication that the adverts are meant for Christians. The study provokes a deep understanding of how language gives expression to religious discourse. The advertisers’ understanding of the people of the religious inclination inform their choice of language and semiotic features.
Different pain variables could independently predict anxiety and depression in subjects with chronic musculoskeletal pain
Authors: Gunnarsson Helena , Safipour Jalal , Elmqvist Carina , Lindqvist Gunilla
Published: January 2021

Objectives

Chronic, clinical pain states are often accompanied by distress such as anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to determine if certain clinical pain variables could predict the level of anxiety and depression in subjects with musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

Two multiple linear regression analyses were conducted on a sample consisting of 189 subjects with clinical pain with the independent pain variables of pain intensity, the influence of pain on daily activities, pain persistence, pain duration, and the number of pain locations. The dependent variables measured anxiety and depression, respectively.

Result

Two statistically significant models were found, where the predicted variables accounted for 37.0% of the variability in the anxiety levels and 43.7% of the variability in the depression levels. The independent variable, the influence of pain on daily activities, significantly predicted the level of anxiety. The variables, the influence of pain on daily activities and the number of pain locations, significantly predicted the levels of anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

This study showed that two different independent variables, the influence of pain on daily activities and the number of pain locations, significantly predicted the levels of depression. The predictor, the influence of pain on daily activities, significantly predicted the levels of anxiety. The knowledge gained about which specific pain variables are more likely to coexist with anxiety and depression in clinical pain states could be important in implementing holistic treatment plans for chronic pain.
Hypothalamic-Extended Amygdala Circuit Regulates Temporal Discounting
Authors: Li Haofang E. , Rossi Mark A. , Watson Glenn D.R. , Moore H. Gregory , Cai Min Tong , Kim Namsoo , Vokt Katrina A. , Lu Dongye , Bartholomew Ryan A. , Hughes Ryan N. , Yin Henry H.
Published: January 2021

Choice behavior is characterized by temporal discounting, i.e., preference for immediate rewards given a choice between immediate and delayed rewards. Agouti-related peptide (AgRP)-expressing neurons located in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) regulate food intake and energy homeostasis, yet whether AgRP neurons influence choice behavior and temporal discounting is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that motivational state potently modulates temporal discounting. Hungry mice (both male and female) strongly preferred immediate food rewards, yet sated mice were largely indifferent to reward delay. More importantly, selective optogenetic activation of AgRP-expressing neurons or their axon terminals within the posterior bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) produced temporal discounting in sated mice. Furthermore, activation of neuropeptide Y (NPY) type 1 receptors (Y1Rs) within the BNST is sufficient to produce temporal discounting. These results demonstrate a profound influence of hypothalamic signaling on temporal discounting for food rewards and reveal a novel circuit that determine choice behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTTemporal discounting is a universal phenomenon found in many species, yet the underlying neurocircuit mechanisms are still poorly understood. Our results revealed a novel neural pathway from agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the hypothalamus to the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) that regulates temporal discounting in decision-making.
The Effect of Innovational Performance on Determining Firm Value: Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Handriani Eka
Published: January 2021

This study explores the most significant determinant of capital structure towards the value of manufacturing companies in Indonesia. Multiple regression models were used as statistical tools to investigate the most significant determinants of the firm value of manufacturing companies in Indonesia for a sample of 300 manufacturing firms listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The results showed that profitability, company size, dividend, investment, and innovational performance were positively related to firm value. Debt was negatively related to firm value and dividend was an insignificant firm value determinant. Meanwhile, the influence of innovational performance variables mediating the effect of investment on firm value showed that the role of mediation innovational performance was able to increase the influence of total investment on firm value. Furthermore, empirical findings will help company managers to make decisions about the attempts to increase the firm value.
Enhancing Employee Performance During the Covid-19 Pandemic: the Role of Readiness for Change Mentality
Authors: Kamar Karnawi , Novitasari Dewiana , Asbari Masduki , Winanti Winanti , Goestjahjanti Francisca Sestri
Published: January 2021

This study aimed to measure the effect of transformational leadership on employee performance of the employee of a shoe industry in Tangerang which are mediated by readiness for change. Data collection was done by simple random sampling technique and the returned and valid questionnaire results were 117 samples. Data processing was used SEM method with SmartPLS 3.0 software. The results of this study concluded that transformational leadership have not significant effect on the employee performance, but transformational leadership have a positive and significant effect on readiness for change. This study conclude also that readiness for change have a positive and significant effect on relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance. Readiness for change as fully mediator. This new research proposed a model for building employee performance among the employee of a shoe industry in Tangerang through enhancing transformational leadership practice with readiness for change as a mediator. This research could pave the way to improve employee readiness in facing the era of industrial revolution 4.0.
The aging endothelium
Authors: Ting Ka Ka , Coleman Paul , Zhao Yang , Vadas Mathew A , Gamble Jennifer R
Published: January 2021

Cellular senescence is now recognized as one of the hallmarks of aging. Herein, we examine current findings on senescence of the vascular endothelium and its impacts on age-related vascular diseases. Endothelial senescence can result in systemic metabolic changes, implicating senescence in chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis. Senolytics, drugs that eliminate senescent cells, afford new therapeutic strategies for control of these chronic diseases.
Heavy metal and chemical uptake patterns of water and plant (Ipomoea Aquatica) obtained from Agodi Reservoir in Ibadan
Authors: Ogungbile Peter
Published: January 2021

The basis and mode of heavy metal pollution of sampled water and plant (Ipomoea aquatica) obtained from Agodi Reservoir, Ibadan were investigated in this study. Of interest was possible gradient effect in the reservoir and variations that could be associated with changing climate. The aims were to determine the water quality and estimate ecological resilience of adjoining flora. Chemical analyses of the water samples were done using standard analytical methods while heavy metals in the water and plant samples were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Heavy metal concentrations in sampled water were Cd 0.12, Co 0.19, Cu 12.40, Fe 43.75, Mn 64.81, Ni 0.17, Pb 0.005 and Zn 23.12 all measured in mg/L. All of these except for Cu and Pb exceeded the WHO standard. The concentration of heavy metals (mg/kg) in Ipomoea aquatic were Cd 0.24, Co 0.19, Cu 0.31, Fe 153.07, Mn 28.26, Ni 0.03, Pb 5.82 and Zn 35.90. The values obtained for Cd, Fe, Mn and Pb were higher while that of Co, Cu, Ni and Zn were lower to the WHO standards. Among the chemical parameters analyzed, only total hardness (TH) was higher, while SO42-, PO43-, NO3-, Cl- and Alk were lower than the WHO allowable limits for drinking water. One-way analysis of variance (T-statistics) showed that the chemical contents and heavy metals recorded in the water and plant samples were insensitive to their location inside the reservoir, exhibiting no gradient effect. Also, there was no seasonal variation (wet or dry season) in the heavy metal concentration and the chemical parameters measured except for TH which is higher in the dry season. Albeit, the higher concentrations of Cd and Pb in Ipomoea aquatic and Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn in the water are concerns for safety when water and plants from the reservoir would, one way or the other, find their way into the food chain.
Thermostable acidic lipase of Bacillus glycinifermentans-MK840989 isolated from contaminated environment; its optimization, purification and exploring potential applications
Authors: Ali Iftikhar , Shamim Saba , Mehboob Shahid , Shabbir Aroosh , Khan Maryam , Ashraf Muhammad , Malik Arif
Published: January 2021

This study is the first report about isolation, purification and optimization of lipase from Bacillus glycinifermentans. In this study, Bacillus glycinifermentansMK-840989 was isolated from a local petrol pump. The bacterium showed lipolytic zones of 0.19cm, 0.044cm, and 0.28cm on peptone yeast agar, olive oil hydrolysis agar and chromogenic plate agar, respectively. B. glycinifermentans also produced an extracellular lipase (55.1µmol/ml). This bacterium preferred acidic environment (pH 5) for growing optimally at 80˚C when the medium was supplemented with 1% olive oil. The olive oil induced its growth up to 9h. The protein content of the purified lipase was estimated about 75mg/ml as compared to its crude form, i.e. 350mg/ml. The purified lipase was found to be thermostable acidic in nature as its optimum activity was observed at 90˚C (0.08U/ml) and pH 5 (0.02U/ml). Other optimization factors included 1% olive oil (0.065U/ml), 0.1mM maltose (0.023U/ml), 0.1mM Ca (0.025U/ml), 1% yeast extract (16.8U/ml), 1% wheat waste (0.019U/ml), 1% commercial detergent (0.016U/ml) and 1% tween-20 (0.015 U/ml). The purified lipase showed a polypeptide of 26.7kDa on SDS-PAGE. These features such as thermostability, acidic nature, ability to show activity in wheat waste and tolerance to detergents render the lipase of B.glycinifermentans MK-840989 as an attractive choice for biotechnologists to employ it at industrial level. The purified lipase of B.glycinifermentans MK-840989 can be a potential candidate for detergent and oil-remediation industry. It can help to replace conventional synthetic detergent as it is cost-effective and eco-friendly.
Influence of Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates and Varieties on Growth, Grain Yield and Yield Components of Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]
Authors: Berhe Hayelom , Zewdu Ashagrie , Assefa Kebebew
Published: January 2021

A field experiment was conducted to assess the influence of N fertilizer rates on growth, grain yield and yield components of Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], in 2017 main cropping season. Three tef varieties (Kora, Boset and Asgori) and five Nitrogen rates (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120kg N ha-1) were used in Randomize Completed Block Design with three replications with the same dose of Triple Super Phosphate. The total and productive tiller number were highly (P<0.01) significantly affected by varieties. The control plot had maximum days to heading and this may be due to nitrogen fixation may exist and its availability may be deficient in the soil. The less response to the N rate may be due to variability of fertility or soil N content, and genetically difference between varieties. From means of varieties, the early flowerings of Boset and Asgori varieties were 101.4 and 103.79 days to maturity, respectively, but Kora (108.9 days) was late matured. Kora had maximum plant height (135.9cm) and panicle length (56.07cm) followed by Boset (115.1cm) and (42.49cm) respectively. The lodging index was affected by N rates and Kernel weight was highly significantly (P<0.01) affected only by varieties. The highest mean of thousand kernel weight (0.3387) was noted from Asgori variety. The grain yield was decreased with N rates and a better grain yield was obtained at 60-90kg N ha-1. Overall N rates indicated that, both Kora (1800) and Boset (1883) had a better grain yield in kg ha-1, but Asgori had lowest grain yield (1560kg ha-1). Based on the economic point of view, it would be more profitable to use 60kg N ha-1 N rates.
Regression analysis of expanded polystyrene properties
Authors: Páleš Dušan , Balková Milada
Published: January 2021

Own measurements examine the tensile strength of expanded polystyrene (EPS) depending on its bulk density. 30 samples were used to calculate the correlation coefficients between these two properties. In addition to the standard Pearson coefficient, we also calculate the rank correlation coefficients, Spearman´s and Kendall´s. By testing the hypotheses, we verify the correlation of the entire population. After finding a relatively close correlation (0.6 - 0.8), we apply different regression models, especially polynomial, but also exponential. We evaluate the properties of parameters in models, their point estimates and confidence intervals. Based on the characteristics of each of the seven regressions, we found the best exponential form of the dependence, before the linear polynomial. The complexity of a mathematical model does not always mean that it is also a more accurate approximation. On the other hand, a simple model makes it possible, in addition to its ease of use, to more closely reflect the examined dependence.