bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fugas y jugas: alianzas sónicas en un baile-música-performance de la gente negra del sur del valle del río Cauca (Colombia)
Authors: Palau Valderrama Paloma
Published: July 2021

En el presente artículo analizo cómo se agencian los significados y las disputas en las fugas o jugas, una expresión que oscila entre un ritual afrocatólico y un baile-música de la gente negra que habita el sur del valle geográfico del río Cauca (Colombia). Sostengo que las fugas/jugas están basadas en una epistemología y una ontología que articulan políticas-saberes-afectos que construyen lo que denomino alianzas sónicas, las cuales invitan a la participación más allá de fronteras étnico-raciales y humanas para la expansión del mundo, en performances donde se traban luchas y negociaciones cosmopolíticas. Parto de mi experiencia etnográfica desde el campo interdisciplinar de las (etno)musicologías, en diálogo con la antropología de la danza, la antropología de la performance y los estudios afrodiaspóricos.
Arqueología (imaginaria) de la memoria: investigación estética y del simbolismo de la diáspora africana en Colombia
Authors: Machado Martha Luz
Published: July 2021

Este es un ensayo sobre metodología y estética y, a la vez, una propuesta sobre la historia cultural —específicamente la religiosa— de dos poblaciones habitantes del Pacífico colombiano: los afrodescendientes y los indígenas emberá y wounaan. La aproximación teórico-metodológica se da a través de lo que he llamado una arqueología (imaginaria) de la memoria, formulación que permite reconstruir la memoria estética de pueblos y naciones, en este caso, de las culturas africanas transportadas por la trata esclavista a Colombia. El terreno que se excavará es el arte escultórico de la gente chocó, vincula-do al sistema religioso indígena del canto de jai y con manifiestas huellas africanas. Desde una perspectiva africanista, esta propuesta analítica incorpora al África en un contexto indígena latinoamericano.
“Esa paz blanca, esa paz de muerte”: tiempos de paz, tiempos de guerra y el cronos negro imposible en el posconflicto colombiano
Authors: Amparo Alves Jaime
Published: July 2021

El 24 de agosto de 2016, el presidente colombiano Juan Manuel Santos anunció el final formal de una guerra de cincuenta años con las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Esta guerrilla acordó deponer las armas y participar en las elecciones generales de 2018. Desde entonces, casi seiscientos activistas han sido asesinados, la violencia homicida contra la juventud urbana no dejó de crecer y el prospecto de paz positiva en los territorios negros e indígenas es esquivo. En este contexto, el artículo examina dos preguntas: ¿cómo entender la transición a la paz cuando los tiempos de guerra y los tiempos de paz son experimentados como evento a‐temporal según la alteridad racial de los sujetos? ¿Pueden los marcos normativos de conflicto/posconflicto explicar la transhistoricidad de la experiencia negra en sociedades de la diáspora africana?
Jugar al Caboco en el Maracatú de Mata Norte en Pernambuco (Brasil)
Authors: Amoras Noshua
Published: July 2021

Este artículo analiza las figuras (personajes) del maracatú, un juego típico de la región de la Zona da Mata (zona forestal) pernambucana en Brasil, que data del periodo colonial y que moviliza planos míticos, poéticos y corporales. Mostraré que jugar al caboco, una de las figuras más emblemáticas del maracatú, implica tanto un cuidadoso procedimiento de ornamentación ritual como un aspecto menos visible, relacionado con las transformaciones corporales que emergen en los festejadores y que les permiten adquirir ciertas fuerzas y poderes. Dado que estos últimos se vinculan con el “tiempo antiguo” del juego —admirado y temido a la vez—, jugar al caboco envuelve un dilema para los festejadores: ¿cómo experimentar transformaciones corporales y vinculaciones con ciertas fuerzas sin dejar que estas los tomen por completo?
No pôr do sol, a cigarra voa reto, 2020.
Authors: Sales de Barros Wilka Sales
Published: July 2021

Este ensaio/experimento surge a partir de inquietações e investigações sobre o meu projeto de pesquisa em Poéticas Visuais (2019) ampliando o campo de experimentações com a performance e seus desdobramentos e de que modo é possível identificar diálogos e cruzamentos entre corpo, memória e lugar nas foto-performances e vídeos-performances, aplicando a intuição como método e destacando a relação com o passado, com a dimensão de experiência, com o corpo e com a imaginação.
Surface Roughness of Tooth Coloured Restorative Materials
Authors: Yahya Noor Azlin , Gonzalez Maria Angela , Ibrahim Mohd Shahminan , Wen Yap Kai
Published: July 2021

This study compared the surface roughness of selected tooth coloured restorative materials that were polished according to manufacturers’ instructions and Sof-Lex. It also assessed the surface roughness of polished materials after thermocycling. Filtek Z350XT, Beautifil-Bulk Restorative and Cention N, were used in this study. A stainless steel mould (10mm diameter x 2mm height) was used to fabricate 75 cylindrical specimens: 15 Filtek Z350XT (FZ), 30 Beautifil-Bulk Restorative (BB) and 30 Cention N (CN). All 15 FZ specimens were polished with Sof-Lex. Fifteen BB and CN specimens were polished according to manufacturers’ instructions. The remaining fifteen BB and CN specimens were polished using Sof-Lex. All the specimens were subjected to thermocycling (1000 cycles). Surface roughness was assessed quantitatively with profilometry after specimen preparation (Mylar stage), polishing and thermocycling. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25.0 at α=0.05. When polished according to manufacturers’ instructions, BB had the lowest mean surface roughness (Ra) values (0.13±0.01μm) followed sequentially by CN (0.14±0.03μm) and FZ (0.15±0.02μm). The differences were not statistically significant. When polished with Sof-Lex, BB exhibited the smoothest surface (0.116±0.03μm) followed sequentially by and FZ (0.150±0.02μm) and CN (0.157±0.02μm). Thermocycling caused an increase in the Ra. The differences were statistically significant. All materials tested had Ra values below the threshold value of 0.2 µm at Mylar stage and after polishing with their recommended polishing system and Sof-Lex. Thermocycling produced rougher surfaces that did not exceed the threshold Ra value. Polishability was material dependent.
Prevalence of erosive wear lesions in Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease patients – A case series
Authors: Sukumaran Prema , Abdul Kamar Siti Nurshakina , M Zalani Nur Azwa Nadia , Nambiar Divya , Vaithilingam Rathna Devi , Goh Khean Lee
Published: July 2021

Extra esophageal manifestation of Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) include erosive wear dental lesions. Early erosive wear lesions in this group of patients can be easily missed as they are accompanied by few clinical signs and hardly any symptoms. This case series aims to report the prevalence and severity of erosive wear lesions amongst a sample of GERD patients in Malaysia. Eleven subjects with well characterized GERD, diagnosed based on modified Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) or via endoscopy, were included in this case series. A standardized intra oral clinical examination was performed to assess presence and severity of erosive wear lesions on tooth surfaces using Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) index. Majority of BEWE score 1 lesions were distributed in maxillary anterior teeth, followed by maxillary posterior and mandibular teeth. BEWE score 2 lesions were most prevalent in maxillary anterior teeth and there were no BEWE score 3 lesions observed. Based on the clinical findings, more erosive wear lesions were found on the buccal surfaces of maxillary and mandibular teeth in GERD patients. This case series further confirms the link between GERD and erosive wear lesions. The authors would like to highlight the need for both medical and dental practitioners to be aware of early clinical presentations of GERD and erosive wear lesions. Early diagnoses allow for intervention and conservative management of these conditions.
The Impact of Value Co-Creation Behaviour within the Social Media Context
Authors: Sleilati Esther Bassil , sfeir Cynthia Jabbour
Published: July 2021

Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: This study investigates the impact of value co-creation behaviour on customer loyalty within the context of social media. It also attempts to determine the role played by customer brand experience and customer satisfaction as mediating variables. Design/Methodology/Approach: Drawing upon the service-dominant logic theory, a research framework is developed and tested using the structural equation modelling. The data comprise the input of 449 respondents from Lebanon. Research findings: The findings provide substantial evidence showing the relationship between customer value co-creation behaviour and customer loyalty. This relationship is partially mediated by customer brand experience. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study expands on existing literature by investigating how customer value co-creation behaviours can lead to customer loyalty within the social media context of Lebanon. Practitioner/Policy implications: The findings can assist managers in understanding how customer loyalty can be promoted through co-creation behaviours within social media. The results suggest that managers should provide the means which can encourage more behavioural, intellectual and affective customer reviews/feedback. Research limitation/Implications: The limitation of this study rests on its findings which cannot be generalised to a wider business community as it focuses only on the context of Lebanon.
Hype or Hope: Digital Technologies in Auditing Process
Authors: Adnan Allbabidi Mohamad Hesham
Published: July 2021

Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: This study aims to examine how technological,organisational and environmental (TOE) factors affect digital technologies’ utilisation and its impact on auditors’ performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: A survey was conducted on 4 large and non-large companies in Jordan, and data were retrieved from 168 external auditors. The partial least squares (PLS-3) structural equations modeling was used to analyse data and to test the proposed model. Research findings: Results show that the TOE factors have a significant and positive effect on digital technologies utilisation. It also appears to enhance auditors’ performance. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study fills a gap in the literature of accounting by empirically assessing how digital technologies utilisation impacts the performance of auditors in Jordan. It also expands on previous literature by determining how the TOE factors affect such technology usage in the auditing process. This study also has a methodological contribution in the form of measuring the client’s complexity of IT system from a different perspective, which is from the external auditor’s perspective. Practitioner/Policy implications: This study is expected to help regulators and audit companies to update their policies and regulations so that auditors are trained in using advanced technologies, and in protecting the security of accounting information. In this regard, efficient auditors will be able to protect investors, thereby creating an attractive environment for investment which can boost economic growth. Research limitation/Implications: This study is based on the Jordanian context. There was no comparison made with developing or developed countries, hence no distinctions can be detected. Future studies should focus on looking at other countries so as to provide new insights into the auditing profession, and specifically, auditors’ performance. Finally, this study is a practical guide for external and internal auditors who have not considered digital technologies, in the context of Jordan. Future studies may thus consider internal auditors and their relationship with external auditors in digital technologies utilisation.
Dividend Payout Policy and Global Financial Crisis: A Study on Malaysian Non-Financial Listed Companies
Authors: Chan Tze-Haw , Boo Hooi-Laing , Ali Ruhani
Published: July 2021

Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: This paper examines the impact of the global financial crisis on Malaysia non-financial index firms’ dividend policies. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper used panel data of 495 firm-year observations of Malaysian non-financial index firms from 2006 to 2016. Research findings: Our findings indicate that firms adjust their dividend policies during the pre-crisis and post-crisis periods; more profitable and larger firms are more likely to distribute their dividend payouts, whereas firms with higher leverage are more likely to omit their dividends. Moreover, dividend policies that will increase firms’ valuation are adopted in Malaysia. This is reflected in the signalling theory with evidence that higher profitability exerts a positive influence on firms’ propensity to increase and/or maintain dividends over different study periods, implying that markets attach a high valuation to firms that can pay, especially during the crisis period. We also find the role of catering theory and smoothing hypothesis lost relevance in both crisis and non-crisis periods. Thus, the catering theory and smoothing hypothesis were not supported in Malaysia. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study investigates the impact of the global financial crisis on Malaysia non-financial index firms’ dividend policies. This paper suggestion can act as a catalyst to more comprehensive and detailed researches and studies on dividend policy in any economic landscapes. Practitioner/Policy implications: This paper may also guide companies on the structure and use of dividend distribution over the precrisis, during the crisis, and post-crisis periods. Research limitation/Implications: One limitation of the study is that the measures used for dividend payout determinants are only based on the theory investigated. These measures may not completely reflect all the payout determinants. Future research could address this limitation by employing other factors in the study of dividend policy such as inflation, economic growth, and corporate governance.
Experimental Novels by Nikolay Nekrasov and Feodor Dostoevsky in the Light of Ethnopoetics
Authors: Fedorova Elena A.
Published: July 2021

The article considers novels The Life and Adventures of Tikhon Trostnikov (1843) by N. A. Nekrasov and Humiliated and Insulted (1861) by F. M. Dostoevsky as experimental works in which the authors sought to combine European and national traditions. The reference to biographical material, the use of the structural method allowed to discover the similarity in genre content of the works and the difference of ideological attitudes of the authors. Both novels were created as autobiographical works, adventurous and satiric, included elements of “natural essay”, but each of the authors sought to use national genre content: Nekrasov's is a folk drama, and Dostoevsky refers to the traditions of Old Russian calendar literature, a literary story that shows the verification of the Holy Scriptures. Nekrasov failed to create a complete work, largely due to the narrative form, in which in some cases the parody begins to appear. But Dostoevsky managed to bring the novel to a new level, especially in his last works The Raw Youth and The Brothers Karamazov. Performing the task of “restoring the lost man”, Dostoevsky turns to the church calendar, Gospel allusions and parable plot.
The Influence of National Cultural Attributes on Locally Produced Designs: Case Study of Malaysian Design
Authors: Siek Hwee Ling , Lee Cheng Ean
Published: July 2021

This paper examines the influence of national cultural attributes on locally produced designs (i.e. comics, animation, commercial advertisements, printed materials and graphics). Drawing from the inconsistent results of past literature on influences of national cultural attributes on design; it is considered an under-researched area of the important role of cultural values on designs, specifically in the Malaysia context, in which cultural differences among different ethnic groups exist. Because of the paucity of research in this area, this study adopted a quantitative research approach with results derived from the content-analysis of 18 Malaysian designs using a visual preference survey by six experts from the design industry in Malaysia. This study incorporates two stages of sample screenings of a visual preference survey with brief interviews; results show that Malaysian designs need to adhere strictly to requirements and specifications set by the Malaysian authorities; incorporation of Islamic values and code of conduct to reflect the racial harmony and national ideology; and some unique characteristics of the respective ethnic groups in Malaysia were not upheld, thus, they gradually disappeared and/or were blended in the designs. The results and discussion from this study extend the literature on Malaysian design and provide practical implications on how local design industries could produce designs which abide by the boundaries of a Malaysian pluralistic society.
Oceanic Records of North American Bats and Implications for Offshore Wind Energy Development in the United States
Authors: Solick Donald , Newman Christian
Published: July 2021

Offshore wind energy is a growing industry in the United States, and
renewable energy from offshore wind is estimated to double the country’s
total electricity generation. There is growing concern that land-based
wind development in North America is negatively impacting bat
populations, primarily long-distance migrating bats, but the impacts to
bats from offshore wind energy is unknown. Bats are associated with the
terrestrial environment, but have been observed over the ocean. In this
review, we synthesize historic and contemporary accounts of bats
observed and acoustically recorded offshore over North American waters
to ascertain the spatial and temporal distribution of bats flying
offshore. We integrate these records with studies of offshore bats in
Europe and of bat behavior at land-based wind energy studies to examine
how offshore wind development could impact North American bat
populations. We find that most offshore bat records are of long-distance
migrating bats and records occur during autumn migration, the period of
highest fatality rates for long-distance migrating bats at land-based
wind facilities in North America. We summarize evidence that bats may be
attracted to offshore turbines for roosting and foraging opportunities,
potentially increasing their risk of collision, but that higher wind
speeds offshore can potentially reduce the amount of time that bats are
exposed to risk. We identify knowledge gaps and hypothesize that a
combination of mitigation strategies may be the most effective approach
for minimizing impacts to bats and maximizing offshore energy
production.
Defining the Bounds of Chemical Coupling Between Covalent and Hydrogen-bonds in Small Water Clusters
Authors: Li Zi , Yang Yong , Nie Xing , Xu Tianlv , Kirk Steven , Jenkins Samantha
Published: July 2021

We seek to determine the two-way transfer of chemical character due to
the coupling occurring between hydrogen-bonds and covalent-bonds known
to account for the unusual strength of hydrogen-bonds in water. We have
provided a vector-based quantification of the chemical character of
uncoupled hydrogen-bonds and covalent-bonds and then determined the
effects of two-way coupling consistent with the total local energy
density H(rb) < 0 for hydrogen-bonds. We have calculated the
precessions Kʹ of the eigenvectors around the bond-path for the
Ehrenfest Force F(r) and compared with the corresponding QTAIM Kʹ. In
doing so we explain why the Ehrenfest Force F(r) provides insights into
the coupling between the hydrogen and covalent bonds whilst QTAIM
cannot. Conditions for favorable transfer of electron momentum from the
hydrogen atom of a sigma bond to the hydrogen-bond are found, with
excellent agreement with the hydrogen-bond BCP and covalent-bond BCP
separations providing the theoretical bounds for coupling.
Population subdivision promoted by a sea-level-change-driven bottleneck: a glimpse from the evolutionary history of the mangrove tree Aegiceras corniculatum
Authors: Zhang Rufan , Guo Zixiao , Fang Lu , Zhong Cairong , Duke Norman , SHI SUHUA
Published: July 2021

Historic climate changes had always driven geographical populations of
coastal plants to contract and recover dynamically, even die out
completely. Species suffering from such bottlenecks usually lose
intraspecific genetic diversity, but how do these events influence
population subdivision patterns of coastal plants? We investigated this
question in the typical coastal plant: mangrove species Aegiceras
corniculatum. Inhabiting the intertidal zone of the tropical and
subtropical coast of the Indo-West Pacific oceans, its populations are
deemed to be greatly shaped by historic sea-level fluctuations. Using
dual methods of Sanger and Illumina Solexa sequencing, we found that the
18 sampled populations were structured into two groups, namely, the
“Indo-Malayan” group, comprising three subgroups (the northern South
China Sea, Gulf of Bengal, and Bali), and the “Pan-Australasia” group,
comprising the subgroups of the southern South China Sea and
Australasia. Based on simulations using the approximate Bayesian
computation method, we inferred that the southern South China Sea
subgroup, which penetrates the interior of the “Indo-Malayan” group,
originated from the Australasia subgroup, accompanied by a severe
bottleneck event, with a spot of gene flow from both the Australasia and
“Indo-Malayan” groups. Geographical barriers such as the Sundaland
underlie the genetic break between Indian and Pacific Oceans, but the
discontinuity between southern and northern South China Sea was
originated from genetic drift in the bottleneck event. Hence, we
revealed a case evidencing that the bottleneck event promoted population
subdivision. This conclusion may be applicable in other taxa beyond
coastal plants.
Phage resistance of conditionally pathogenic intestinal microbiota bacteria in children with microbiocenosis disorders
Authors: Aleksanina N. V. , Tverdokhlebova T. I.
Published: July 2021

Objective: to study the circulation and prevalence of phage-resistant strains among opportunistic enterobacteria, isolated from children with disorders of intestinal microflora, in relation to domestic preparations of bacteriophages.

Materials and methods. A bacteriological study of the fecal microflora of the colon in 970 young children for dysbiosis was carried out. The sensitivity of 720 antibiotic-resistant strains of opportunistic enterobacteriaceae (S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, coagulase-negative staphylococci) isolated from children to domestic mono- and polyvalent drugs was studied (coliprotein, staphylococcal, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, purified Klebsiella pneumonia bacteriophage, “Sextafag”, Intesta bacteriophage). Determination of sensitivity to bacteriophages was carried out by the “sterile spot” method. Antibiotic sensitivity was determined by the disk diffusion method. Statistical processing of the results was carried out using the Microsoft Office Excel 2007 software package.

Results. A large percentage of phage-resistant strains with low sensitivity to bacteriophages was revealed among opportunistic bacteria, amounting to 54,2%, with the highest circulation among coagulase-negative staphylococci, Proteus, Klebsiella (more than 50%). A significant spread of intestinal dysbiosis was established in young children (87,5%), characterized by a low content of bifidobacteria and a high level of allocation of opportunistic enterobacteria, including in associations.

Conclusion. As a result of the studies, a significant prevalence of phage-resistant strains in children with dysbiosis was revealed, which indicates the need for preliminary determination of their sensitivity to bacteriophages in order to resolve the issue of their possible inclusion in the intestinal microflora correction system.
Modeling the epidemic process of HIV infection in populations with different natural population growth
Authors: Neshumaev D. A. , Sukharev E. N. , Stasenko V. L.
Published: July 2021

Aim: to assess the incidence, prevalence of HIV infection and population dynamics in populations with negative, zero and positive natural increase.

Materials and Methods: Computer probabilistic modeling by the Monte Carlo method of the epidemic process of HIV infection in populations with different natural population growths was carried out. The parameters that are minimally necessary for such a description are used – population, birth rate, mortality, HIV prevalence, probability of HIV transmission.

Results and discussion: When modeling the epidemic process, two main scenarios of the spread of HIV infection in a population without diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive effects were established. With a negative or zero population growth and a random distribution of healthy and infected individuals in the simulated space, the population density gradually decreases. At some point, the probability of contact of the infected and healthy person becomes less than the probability of an infected person to live up to this event. Under such conditions, the complete elimination of the virus from the population is theoretically possible. With a positive natural increase, it is possible to form a stable state in which the periods of increase in population size, incidence and prevalence of HIV infection change in a cyclical decline. HIV prevalence in countries such as Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho has been at the level of 25–30% for many years. In this case, the population steadily grows. Based on the conducted simulation studies, it can be assumed that in these territories an evolutionarily stable balance was formed between the share of healthy and HIV-infected people in which the prevalence does not occur above 30%.

Conclusions. The development of the epidemic process of HIV infection is determined by the dynamics of natural population growth. With a negative or zero natural growth and a random distribution of individuals in the simulated space, a complete elimination of the virus from the population is theoretically possible. With a positive natural increase, it is possible to form an evolutionarily stable cyclic balance between the proportion of healthy and HIV-infected people.
Local complications and lymphadenitis after BCG–M vaccination in children – сhoosing the right tactics
Authors: Lozovskaja M. E. , Stepanov G. A. , Yarovaya Yu. A. , Mosina A. V. , Osipova M. A. , Zakharova O. P.
Published: July 2021

Тhe aim: to analyze the cases of complications of BCGvaccination in children, potential risk factors, patient management tactics.

Materials and methods: The statistical data on local complications of BCG-M vaccination in Saint Petersburg (Russia) from 2012 to 2019 was studied. To verify the diagnosis of post-vaccinal complication the Mantoux test, diaskintest or QuantiFERON-TB, X-ray examination, morphological and bacteriological examination were used in cases of indication. Observations of 22 children aged from 1,5 months to 1,5 years with complications after vaccination with BCG-M were analyzed.

Results. Since 2010, the sparing BCG-M vaccine has been used in St. Petersburg for primary immunization. The incidence of local complications over the past 8 years was 0,002% – 0,012% of the number of vaccinated children. A cold abscess was diagnosed in 11 (50,0%), BCG-lymphadenitis in 9 (40,9%), an ulcer in 2 (9,1%) children. In 14 (63,6%) of 22 children complications of vaccination were detected in the phase of abscess formation. Fore children underwent surgery with diagnoses of nonspecific lymphadenitis (3), soft tissue abscess (1). In these cases, diagnoses of BCG-M complications was established only after morphological examination of the surgical material. In children with complications while the results of Mantoux test were positive, results of diaskintest and QuantiFERON-TB were negative. The detection of Mycobacterium bovis BCG was possible in 5 patients by culture and polymerase chain reaction methods. 2 clinical cases are given.

Conclusion: It is necessary to increase the knowledge of pediatricians, pediatric surgeons, nurses of BCG vaccination techniques, diagnosis and treatment of post-vaccination complication, indications for dispensary observation.
High-accuracy quasistatic numerical model for bodies of revolution tailored for RF measurements of dielectric parameters
Authors: Djordjevic Antonije , Olcan Dragan , Petrovic Jovana , Obradovic Nina , Filipovic Suzana
Published: July 2021

We have developed rotationally symmetrical coaxial chambers for measurements
of dielectric parameters of disk-shaped samples, in the frequency range from
1 MHz to several hundred MHz. The reflection coefficient of the chamber is
measured and the dielectric parameters are hence extracted utilizing a
high-accuracy quasistatic numerical model of the chamber and the sample. We
present this model, which is based on the method of-moments solution of a
set of integral equations for composite metallic and dielectric bodies. The
equations are tailored to bodies of revolution. The model is efficient and
accurate so that the major contribution of the measurement uncertainty comes
from the measurement hardware.
Uncertain Policy Decisions During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ongaro Malvina
Published: July 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the world. It has presented us with a series of new challenges, but the policy response may be difficult due to the severe uncertainty of our circumstances. While pressure to take timely action may push towards less inclusive decision procedures, in this paper I argue that precisely our current uncertainty provides reasons to include stakeholders in collective decision-making. Decision-making during the pandemic faces uncertainty that goes beyond the standard, probabilistic one of Bayesian decision theory. Agents may be uncertain not just about factual properties of the world, but also about how to model their decision problems and about the values of the possible consequences of their options. As different stakeholders may have irreconcilable disagreement about how to resolve these uncertainties, decision-making procedures should take everybody’s perspectives into account. Moreover, those communities that are hit harder by the pandemic are also those that are typically excluded from knowledge production. Thus, in the face of Covid-19 uncertainty, both democratic and epistemic considerations highlight the importance of stakeholders’ inclusion in policy decision-making.
The banking sector as the absorber of the COVID-19 crisis? economic consequences: perception of WSE investors
Authors: Bernardelli Michał , Korzeb Zbigniew , Niedziółka Paweł
Published: July 2021

Research background: The paper focuses on the research of investors? decisions with regard to shares of all 12 banks listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange during the first half of 2020. It examines the behavior of a subindex reflecting bank shares? prices against the main WIG index WIG and 14 sector subindices. The authors identify groups of banks with different investors? responses. They also classify banks into separate groups on the basis of changes in the fundamental indicators describing their economic and financial performance. The study concentrates mainly on the verification of the stability of this attribution, explaining reasons for its modifications over time.   

Purpose of the article: To identify the characteristics of bank clusters determining different capital market responses to their listed shares and to explain the reasons for volatility in investors? behavior within the analyzed period.

Methods: The methodology of the research can be described in three areas. The first is the statistical analysis with the emphasis on the use of a quarter range to capture changes in the volatility of share prices. The second area is the clustering k-means method based on the interpolated ? from quarterly to daily ? measures of the bank?s financial condition. This mathematical approach is a novelty in finance and economics. The last, third, area is forecasting with the use of linear regression analysis, which is the key factor in determining the abnormal rates of return. The indicated areas are combined through a generally understood correlation analysis.

Findings & value added: Large retail banks have been less affected compared to medium-sized ones with relatively rich corporate portfolios. The initial market reaction reflected concern about the resistance to the crisis of poorly capitalized banks with mean liquidity buffers. Upon the announcement of government support, investors? approach to the shares of banks of differentiated economic and financial performance conformed accordingly. These findings are valuable in the long term especially from the perspective of supervision authorities? policy during external shocks. The presented study suggests designing flexible and tailor-made regulatory approach aligned with the defined bank clusters. Its value added also consists in proposing a new method of analysis, combining interpolation and automatic clustering, which has proved to be adequate for the study of a bank?s financial condition based on daily frequency data. Furthermore, assuming the same length of the estimation window, a close relationship is shown between the results of clustering and the forecasts based on different measures of rates of return.
Does the life cycle affect earnings management and bankruptcy?
Authors: Durana Pavol , Michalkova Lucia , Privara Andrej , Marousek Josef , Tumpach Milos
Published: July 2021

Research background: Deteriorating economic conditions and a negative outlook increase the pressure on financial management and the need to show high financial performance. According to Positive Accounting Theory, the growing risk of bankruptcy is associated with the phenomenon of earnings management. Bankruptcy risk and the quality of reported profits, along with other aspects of financial performance, vary throughout the company's life cycle. Nevertheless, these factors or their interactions are investigated only to a very small extent.

Purpose of the article: The aim of this study is to clarify the impact of corporate life cycle and bankruptcy on earnings management, in order to describe behaviour of companies at different stages of corporate life cycle.

Methods: A hierarchical mixed model with a random time and industry effect was chosen as appropriate because it allows the investigation of multilevel data that is not independent. The sample covers the financial indicators of more than 33,000 Central European companies from 2015?2019. The non-sequential Dickinson model, company age, and three models of accrual earnings management were used as proxies for the company's life cycle and quality of reported profit.

Findings & value added: Earnings management and bankruptcy risk have a U-shape, indicating that financially distressed firms reduce reported accounting profit at the Introduction, Decline and, to a lesser extent, at the Growth stage. Slovak and Czech companies manipulate profits to a similar extent, Hungarian companies increase accounting profit to a greatest extent than the surveyed countries by controlling bankruptcy ? life cycle effect; however, the variability of accounting manipulations across industries has not been demonstrated. These findings imply that start-ups and declining businesses provide crooked financial statements to obtain more favourable debt covenants, and estimating discretionary accruals using life-cycle subsamples can improve the predictive power of accrual earnings management models.
Application of Information Success Model in Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak (PTAR) UiTM
Authors: Abdullah Noor Azlin , Abdul Rahman Safawi
Published: July 2021

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Internet have changed the way organizations deliver services. Using ICT and Internet technology, organizations can deliver digital services to consumers quickly and effectively. In the context of libraries and digital libraries, service delivery has been greatly improved along with the extensive use of ICT and Internet in the library. This paper discusses the delivery of digital library services at UiTM’s Tun Abdul Razak Library (PTAR) with reference to the Information System Success Model introduced by Delone & Mclane. PTAR digital library initiatives such as MyKnowledge Portal, CHAT WITH LIBRARIAN, E-Class Information Skills (eKKM) are discussed by mapping them with service quality (SQ), Information Quality and System Quality elements in the IS Success Model. As a result, from the context of the use of the system as a service delivery platform, the implementation of PTAR digital initiative is found to be aligned with IS Success Model
Reading Habits Among Students in the Digital Era
Authors: Abang Yusof Dayang Azimah
Published: July 2021

Reading has a significant number of benefits and the effects of reading practice have been proven in most developed countries. The revolution of technology plays a significant role of unpredictable changes and pervasive effect that has transformed the society nowadays. Indeed, it can fundamentally change the reading habits and indirectly boost efforts in maintaining lifelong reading since Malaysia is now moving towards Vision 2020. Thus, the rapid development and demands of the technology has reinforced the challenges of making reading habits consistent and grows intensively. This study sought to identify and measure the reading habits among students which are their trends and behaviours toward reading that reflect on the impact of digital sources made available through the Internet. This study was conducted in Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak, limit to Semester One students, aged between 17-21 years by using a survey method involving 2340 from 10060 diploma students with the questionnaire as the research instrument. The random sampling for the students is involving 14 faculties in UiTM Sarawak branch. Taken together, QR code has been used as an initiative platform in order to conduct and monitor the survey efficiently. Data analyses were collected using Google Sheet and the study found that majority of the students (44%) like reading on websites compared to other choices such as print books, e-books, magazines, comics, novel and newspaper. Fiction is the most preferred type of literature read by 68% the students, followed by non-fiction (32%). The findings also found that majority of the students (49%) preferred reading from their mobile phone, whereas others preferred reading from a print book (44%) and reading from a computer (7%). Findings of the study revealed that the rise of information and technology has extensively changes the trends and behaviors of the student’s reading habits, which slowly moving away from printed books to online source materials.
Media-as-things: The Intensified Materiality of Degenerated Images
Authors:   University of Colorado Boulder, Muliaee Maryam
Published: July 2021

This paper adopts an art-based research model to investigate how media objects, as entangled material agencies, can become co-creators with artists and condition the viewers' memory and imagination. My work Recycled Series among other artists’ work are the subjects of this analysis. All these works involve images that are degenerated with a copy machine. The degenerated images lose coherence and become forms of ruins that the copier builds. Drawing from theories of things (Brown; Harman; Shaviro), I examine these works as the examples of “media-as-things” to show when media is misused, the potential of media is revealed. I place these works in the context of “broken-tech art” (Boym) and “haptic visuality” (Marks). I argue that these images determine a different object-subject relationship for their audience and their “thingness,” which is intensified through degeneration effects, becomes a major factor in their aesthetic reception.
Keeping the Memories of the Malvinas/Falklands War Alive: Exploring Memorial Sites in the UK, Argentina and the Falkland Islands
Authors:   Rovira i Virgili University Tarragona, Bellot Andrea Roxana
Published: July 2021

The remembrance of war and commemoration practices shape the collective memories of society and, as such, war has been one of the most productive topics in memory studies. Commemorating past wars is one of the ways of constructing a commonly shared memory that would enhance group cohesion and shape collective identity. This paper will provide three examples of sites of memory in reference to the Malvinas/Falklands War, one from each side of the dispute— United Kingdom, Argentina and a third example from the actual territory of the Falkland Islands to illustrate how war memorials are an expression of patriotism, built to frame the deaths in terms of a national narrative of glorious sacrifice for cause and nation. Therefore, war commemoration recalls past experiences of suffering, but at the same time, of resistance.
Subject or Object? The Anti-Hero of the Allegory and the Hero of the Anti-Allegory
Authors:   West Univeristy of Timișoara, Percec Dana
Published: July 2021

Referring to the British writers’ prompt reaction to the Brexit crisis, in developing what has already come to be known as BrexLit, Robert Eaglestone remarks the “cultural and emotional landscapes” created by such literary responses, which attempt to “humanize” major political dilemmas. Ali Smith, commenting on the same speed of writing books “pressed against the contemporaneous,” considers this as the result of history repeating itself with us failing to be aware of it, evidence of what we might call a community of unreliable remembers. The paper focuses on Ian McEwan’s 2019 The Cockroach, a novella offering a reversed Kafkaesque metamorphosis, a pretext to satirize Brexit and to meditate on how the antiheroic character caught in this allegorical transformation devolves from subject into object. I argue that this process of objectification (using Martha Nussbaum’s concept, derived from, but not limited to the feminist critique) contributes to the disembodiment and further relativization of memory.
Signifying the Self: Cultural Trauma and Mechanisms of Memorialization in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
Authors:   Babeș-Bolyai University, Țăranu Ana
Published: July 2021

Starting from Hirsch and Smith’s concept of a feminist counterhistory and referencing the theoretical framework of cultural trauma, this paper undertakes a (re)reading of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God as construction of gendered countermemory. Such an interpretation would enable a recognition of the political function of the novel as an identity matrix of African-American womanhood. Expanding upon the classical, post-Lacanian approach to trauma studies and its post-colonial reconfigurations, I use a poststructuralist framing of collective trauma, and the Saussurian concept of signification, to highlight the struggle for self-determination of an oppressed community as it is signified-upon by its oppressors through violently imposed discourse. I further question the complicity between conventional forms of narration and the hegemony of an external signifier, and I trace this patterned mechanism of aggression within the linguistic and diegetic fabric of the novel, in order to expose Hurston’s literary methodology of collective memorialization and the way it challenges canonical representations of trauma.
Carroñeo y dispersión de restos de cerdo doméstico (Sus scrofa) en contextos de humedales: implicancias forenses
Authors: Nasti Atilio
Published: July 2021

Se sabe que los carroñeros pueden alterar significativamente una escena forense consumiendo, desarticulando y dispersando restos sobre la superficie del suelo. En este contexto, una rápida identificación de su presencia, es crucial para comprender las consecuencias sobre el registro forense. El propósito de este trabajo es evaluar el comportamiento de tres carroñeros: carancho (Caracara plancus), perro doméstico (Canis familiaris) y zorro pampeano (Lycalopex gymnocercus) en ambientes de humedales de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Un cadáver de cerdo (Sus scrofa) de 25kg. depositado sobre la superficie del suelo se utilizó como emulación de un cadáver humano. Se registraron y evaluaron a lo largo de 37 días la acción de los carroñeros, observando su comportamiento, la secuencia de acceso a los restos, la desarticulación y la dispersión. Se identifican patrones direccionales de dispersión mayormente generados por el comportamiento de cada una de las diferentes especies. Se infiere una relación entre la secuencia de desarticulación y dispersión con el Intervalo Post Mortem.
Encuentros y desencuentros en torno a la educación sexual integral
Authors: Perelman Ana , Expósito Cristián
Published: July 2021

Este artículo tiene por objeto poner de relieve la Ley Nacional de Educación Sexual Integral Nº 26150 con 15 años de vigencia en Argentina, pero con una reciente aplicación real en las escuelas del país. No obstante, resulta necesario realizar una lectura atenta de sus artículos y de los lineamientos curriculares a fin de ubicar y explicar algunos supuestos (principalmente su vinculación a la «perspectiva de género») en relación con el espíritu de la ley. En este sentido, se analiza de manera interpretativa -desde la razonabilidad de la norma- el contexto histórico que la antecede y la propicia, sus verdaderos alcances y objetivos, como así también los debates y críticas en torno a su vigencia y aplicación. De este modo se aspira a dilucidar malos entendidos y disolver inquietudes en relación a la aplicación de la Ley de Educación Sexual Integral (ESI).
Sense of smell disorders in family physician practice
Authors: Rapiejko Piotr
Published: July 2021

A properly functioning sense of smell recognizes both food and danger and provides sensory input. Sense of smell is lost and/or impaired in diseases accompanied by impaired nasal patency such as chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, respiratory infections including acute rhinosinusitis. In the case of rhinosinusitis in adults, olfactory impairment is one of the four main symptoms of the disease. They can also be caused by damage to the olfactory neuron, e.g. in the course of a viral infection. Loss of smell and/or taste reported by patients with COVID-19 may be a diagnostic hint. Modern intranasal glucocorticosteroids are used to treat olfactory disturbances and loss of smell caused by nasal patency impairment (or accompanying diseases with nasal patency impairment).