bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unsettled Issues Concerning eVTOL for Rapid-response, On-demand Firefighting
Authors:   International Vehicle Research, Doo Johnny
Published: August 2021

Recent advancements of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have generated significant interest within and beyond the traditional aviation industry, and many novel applications have been identified and are in development. One promising application for these innovative systems is in firefighting, with eVTOL aircraft complementing current firefighting capabilities to help save lives and reduce fire-induced damages. With increased global occurrences and scales of wildfires—not to mention the issues firefighters face during urban and rural firefighting operations daily—eVTOL technology could offer timely, on-demand, and potentially cost-effective aerial mobility capabilities to counter these challenges. Early detection and suppression of wildfires could prevent many fires from becoming large-scale disasters. eVTOL aircraft may not have the capacity of larger aerial assets for firefighting, but targeted suppression, potentially in swarm operations, could be valuable. Most importantly, on-demand aerial extraction of firefighters can be a crucial benefit during wildfire control operations. Aerial firefighter dispatch from local fire stations or vertiports can result in more effective operations, and targeted aerial fire suppression and civilian extraction from high-rise buildings could enhance capabilities significantly. There are some challenges that need to be addressed before the identified capabilities and benefits are realized at scale, including the development of firefighting-specific eVTOL vehicles; sense and avoid capabilities in complex, smoke-inhibited environments; autonomous and remote operating capabilities; charging system compatibility and availability; operator and controller training; dynamic airspace management; and vehicle/fleet logistics and support. Acceptance from both the first-responder community and the general public is also critical for the successful implementation of these new capabilities. The purpose of this report is to identify the benefits and challenges of implementation, as well as some of the potential solutions. Based on the rapid development progress of eVTOL aircraft and infrastructures with proactive community engagement, it is envisioned that these challenges can be addressed soon. NOTE: SAE EDGE™ Research Reports are intended to identify and illuminate key issues in emerging, but still unsettled, technologies of interest to the mobility industry. The goal of SAE EDGE™ Research Reports is to stimulate discussion and work in the hope of promoting and speeding resolution of identified issues. These reports are not intended to resolve the challenges they identify or close any topic to further scrutiny.
Regulating loot boxes as gambling? Towards a combined legal and self-regulatory consumer protection approach
Authors: Xiao Leon Y.
Published: August 2021

Loot boxes represent a popular and prevalent contemporary monetization innovation in video games that offers the purchasing player-consumer, who always pays a set amount of money for each attempt, the opportunity to obtain randomized virtual rewards of uncertain in-game and real-world value. Loot boxes have been, and continue to be, scrutinized by regulators and policymakers because their randomized nature is akin to gambling. The regulation of loot boxes is a current and challenging international public policy and consumer protection issue. This article reviews the psychology literature on the potential harms of loot boxes and applies the behavioural economics literature in order to identify the potentially abusive nature and harmful effects of loot boxes, which justify their regulation. This article calls on the industry to publish loot box spending data and cooperate with independent empirical research to avoid overregulation. By examining existing regulation, this article identifies the flaws of the ‘regulate-loot-boxes-as-gambling’ approach and critiques the alternative consumer protection approach of adopting ethical game design, such as disclosing the probabilities of obtaining randomized rewards and setting maximum spending limits. This article recommends a combined legal and self-regulatory approach: the law should set out a minimum acceptable standard of consumer protection and industry self-regulation should strive to achieve an even higher standard.
Should loot boxes be considered gambling or can Self-Regulation and Corporate Social Responsibility solve the loot box issue? A review of current UK law and international legislation
Authors: Harvey Daniel James
Published: August 2021

Loot boxes are an important form of monetization in the Video Game Industry (VGI). Loot boxes became controversial since the release of Star Wars Battlefront II in 2017 causing many jurisdictions to investigate loot boxes as a form of gambling. This article will highlight how loot boxes might be classified as a form of gambling in the UK under the Gambling Act 2005 but will examine alternate jurisdictions for guidance on the stipulation of ‘money's worth’ in section 6(5)(a) of the Gambling Act 2005 and whether money's worth has to be a quantitative amount or a more intrinsic value. This article will also examine soft law approaches in managing the loot box issue such as Self-Regulation and Corporate Social Responsibility. However, from this article one can see that the loot box issue is far from being solved and the larger issue of predatory monetization arises. This indicates even if the loot box issue is solved, users might still be harmed by the VGI using other monetization methods which are predatory and addictive.
Geographical Indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs in the EU: to what extent does the protection level match the scope of the subject matter?
Authors: Van der Borght Kim , Gao Jianmei , Song Xiaoting
Published: August 2021

To recognize an origin-linked production model and the typicity of the products, the European Union (EU) has introduced the Geographical Indication (GI) protection regime. By requiring that relevant production steps must take place in the defined locale, the regime confers exclusive production rights on the local producers. There are two GI categories in the EU. The first is Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), covering products with a qualitative link to both natural and human factors in the designated region. The second is Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), the scope of which overlaps with PDO and covers products that have a qualitative or reputational link with their regional origin. This article examines whether exclusive rights are necessary and appropriate to fulfil their objectives and argues that these rights, when extended to human factors and reputation, cannot always be justified. It is argued that the overlapping scope of the subject matter undermines the ability of these two GI protection categories to provide transparent and trustworthy information for consumers. Finally, this article proposes to redefine the scope of the subject matter and the protection level for PDO and PGI by approaching the product/origin link from a resource utilization, integration and sustainability perspective.

*Corresponding author: Jianmei.Gao@vub.be. The research for this article was partially funded by Vrije Universiteit Brussel/China Scholarship Council Joint Scholarship and the National Social Science Fund of China (Grant No. 16 ZDA236).
Revisiting the working of patent requirements under Indian patent law
Authors: Dixit Pratik Prakash
Published: August 2021

This article aims to analyse the working of patent requirements under Indian patent law. A patent working requirement generally entails that the patentee must work or apply the patented product in the patent granting country. This article evaluates the compatibility of the patent working requirement with the TRIPS Agreement from the perspective of international human rights law. A human rights approach suggests that the rights of the patentee must be reconciled with the interests of the general public. In such pursuance, this article argues that there is a need to recalibrate the patent working requirement under the Indian law to strike a right balance between the rights of the patentee and the public interest. Particularly, this article argues that India must modify the present patent working disclosure requirements to ensure that foreign patentees are able to do business in India without bureaucratic hassles.
Optimal Operation Solution for Public Bicycles Based on Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Zeng Pinhong
Published: August 2021

Aiming at the various problems with the scheduling of urban public bicycles, this paper conducted a research on the shortest path between rental points and employed the Floyd algorithm to find the optimal route. Based on the conditions of limited number of bicycle transportation vehicles and in different time slots the bicycle rental points were required to restore to the original number of bicycles, a constraint scheduling model was established according to the bicycle supply-demand relationships of the rental points, and the Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used to solve the model to find the shortest path. In terms of balancing the bicycles at each rental point, this paper re-distributed the initial bicycles according to the different demands of each rental point in different time slots, and solved the problem using the solution of the first problem to obtain the optimal vehicle route. This research is a useful reference for solving difficulties in public bicycle scheduling.
Research on the Extraction Method of Book Number Region Based on Bayesian Optimization and Deep Learning
Authors: Zhang Qianqian , Sun Jianglei , Zhao Jing , Xia Zilin , Zhang Kai
Published: August 2021

The continuous development of artificial intelligence technology has promoted the construction of smart libraries and their intelligent services. In the process of intelligent access to books, the extraction of the requested book number region has become an important part of the process. The requested book number is generally affixed to the bottom of the spine of the book, which is small in size, and the height of the book is not always the same, so it’s difficult to identify. By the way, due to the images’ resolution, shooting angle and other practical problems, the difficulty of the extraction work will be increased. To improve the identification accuracy, in this paper, Bayesian Optimization (BO) and one kind of deep neural networks ‘Faster R-CNN’ are combined for the extraction work mentioned above. The data preparation, network training, optimization variable selection, establishment of BO objective function, optimization training, and network parameter evaluation have been introduced in detail. The performance of the designed algorithm has been tested with actual images of book spines taken in the academy library and compared with several other conventional recognition algorithms. The experimental results show that the requested book number region extraction method based on Bayesian optimization and deep neural network is effective and reliable, and its recognition rate can reach 91.82%, which has advantages in both recognition rate and extraction time compared with other algorithms.
A Novel Conditioning Circuit for Floating-Gate ISFET Bio-Sensor
Authors: Gaddour Ahmed , Hassen Hafedh Ben , Dghais Wael , Belgacem Hamdi , Ben Ali Mounir
Published: August 2021

Floating-Gate-Ions-Sensitive-Field-Effect-Transistors (FG-ISFETs) are becoming the sensor’s platform for various fields such as biomedical and chemical sensors. Despite many advantages like quick response, small size as well as wide measurement range, the efficiency of the output measurement is widely affected by temperature, This requires more safety in the measured results and the analysis’s tools. This study describes a novel integrated circuit that improves the thermal stability of the output signal of the ion-sensitive field effect transistors (ISFETs). After that, we investigate the temperature dependency of the FG-ISFET using the mentioned macro model and we shows that the temperature coefficient is about of 6 mV/°C. Afterward, a new integrated interface circuit that can perform great temperature compensation was developed. This operation aims to enhance stability of readout circuit for FG-ISFET. The achieved result of the FG-ISFET under different simulations shows that the readout circuit has a good temperature compensation i.e. :2.4 〖10〗^(-9) mV/°C.
La motivación y su relación con el aprendizaje en la asignatura de física de tercero en bachillerato general unificado
Authors: Castro Nevarez Víctor Hugo , Vega Intriago Jisson Oswaldo
Published: August 2021

Preparar a los educandos ante las nuevas exigencias metodológicas teóricas-prácticas, es prioridad para la educación actual. El artículo se inscribe en la modalidad propuesta educativa, cuyo objetivo fue diseñar una estrategia metodológica para motivar el aprendizaje de la Física en los estudiantes de tercer año de Bachillerato General Unificado, mediante un enfoque cuantitativo-cualitativo de los paradigmas positivista e interpretativo. Se realizó un muestreo no probabilístico intencional, de 35 estudiantes, el resultado muestra que para los estudiantes la asignatura es difícil, a pesar de afirmar la motivación docente en clase. La necesidad es implementar la V de Gowin como estrategia metacognitiva. Se concluye que los estudiantes muestran auténtica competencia del aprender física, cuando ejercen capacidades asociadas a los contenidos conceptuales contrastados con los pragmáticos, ellos son relevantes para el aprendizaje motivante en la asignatura porque desarrolla en el estudiante el proceso metacognitivo descargado de creatividad, flexibilidad, visión crítica, valores y emociones.
Breves considerações acerca da inclusão escolar
Authors: Rosa Ângela Dallafavera da , Sparrenberger Carla Simone Hamm , Scheren Luciana Schuster , Roncata Sandra Gabbi Pezzetta
Published: August 2021

A inclusão se constitui em um grande desafio para os professores. Adequar os currículos escolares às necessidades individuais dos alunos com necessidades especiais requer estudo, formação continuada, dedicação. Atender aos objetivos previstos na legislação vigente referentes à garantia de escolarização regular, requer além da formação docente, mudanças na estrutura física das escolas que possibilitem a acessibilidade, a adequação de materiais, rotinas, enfim o atendimento das demandas de pessoal e material que propiciem a real inclusão criando possibilidades de avanço aos alunos incluídos a partir de suas individualidades.
Assessing the Administrative Support Needs (Library and Technical) of Allied Health Students Enrolled in a Distance Education Program
Authors: Carroll-Barefield Amanda
Published: August 2021

As more emphasis is placed on offering education to the distance student and monies are spent to provide these services, institutions must ensure they reap the rewards of the investment. One avenue to ensure success in distance education is the implementation of strong student support services. This is a task that will take the teamwork of educators, administrators, instructional technologists/designers, and support personnel. For institutions transitioning to a distance format, measures must be taken to ensure that the learner, no matter what the method of delivery, has access to equivalent student support services. One approach to measuring this aspect is the determination of student satisfaction with the support services offered to distance students. A study was conducted at a public health sciences research university in the Southeast to determine whether the administrative student support services (library and technical) offered at the institution met the educational needs of allied health students enrolled in a distance education program. Results from student questionnaires were analyzed to determine the satisfaction level of distance students with administrative (library and technical) student support services. Overall responses showed that allied health students enrolled in a distance education program were satisfied with the existing student support services (library and technical) offered by the institution. Narrative responses from the participants reinforced a common theme that although the students were satisfied with the services, more emphasis needed to be placed on library and technical support services that are available to distance education students during the program orientation.
How Does a Child with Sensory Processing Problems Play?
Authors: Benson Jeryl , Nicka Meghana , Stern Perri
Published: August 2021

The occupation of play during one’s childhood years serves as a foundation for the development of future occupations in an individual’s life. By understanding a child’s extant play skills and deficits, one may then provide the necessary interventions needed to promote development and successful growth into new occupations. The purpose of this paper was to understand how a child with sensory processing deficits plays in a naturalistic environment. The findings revealed an interplay between the child’s underlying sensory processing deficits and his play skills and behaviors. Increased understanding of how a child with sensory processing deficits plays will provide information for other occupational therapists and help in the treatment of children with similar deficits.
Approach to Medical Futility in a Community Hospital: Is Use of a Prognostic Scoring System Applicable?
Authors: Terra Sandra
Published: August 2021

All acute care medical facilities and healthcare providers are faced with cases of medical futility. Guidance must ensure the initiation of communication with the patient or family regarding end of life planning. Identification of certain physiological features may provide impetus for such communication. In an effort to identify the physiological variables that may trigger discussion in a futile medical treatment policy, the application of a prognostic scoring system is examined. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Score (APACHE II) system, a widely applied set of acute, chronic and diagnostic variables, is identified through literature review. This paper examines the applicability of the prognostic scoring system APACHE II in a rural, community intensive care unit. Data from internal systems identified a pool from which a sample of medical records were selected and retrospectively reviewed. Records for all patients who expired and a representative number of those discharged to home are selected, comprising 23% of the original pool of 300 patients. Data abstracted from these records was entered into a web enabled APACHE II scoring program. Resultant scores along with length of stay (LOS) and demographic data were analyzed to examine the accuracy of mortality prediction. Although study design proved to be limited and multiple opportunities for improvement can be noted, clearly identifiable parameters of mortality were evident. In spite of study design flaws it was recommended that a prognostic system such as APACHE II be adopted in the ICU as a routine part of each patient admission.
Validation of a Unique Measure of Physical Carer Demand in Parents of Physically Disabled Children – A Pilot Study
Authors: Prior Mathew , Grimmer Karen , Gibson Susan
Published: August 2021

Background: There is scarce epidemiology of low back pain [LBP] in parents of physically disabled children. Whilst it has been suggested that physical stress related to carer-related duties may be a risk factor for LBP in this parent group, and may explain the reported high prevalence of LBP, no known instrument presently measures this. Subjects and Purpose: Following a review of relevant carer literature, a survey instrument measuring aspects of physical carer demand was designed (Parent-Specific Physical Carer Demand Measure [P-S PCDM]), using existing and new instrument items, and targeted response categories. It was tested for validity and sensitivity on a small number of parents of physically disabled children between the ages of 5 and 12 years. Results: The instrument had face, content and construct validity, as parents believed that it encompassed the range of important physical issues that they dealt with regularly, and that the response categories were sufficiently distinct to distinguish between children with different carer needs. Conclusion: The instrument provides a specific mechanism to measure physical carer burden in young disabled children. Future research using the instrument with larger and more heterogeneous samples is required to test the reliability, validity and sensitivity of the instrument.
Recognizing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears in Female Athletes: What Every Primary Care Practitioner Should Know
Authors: Hirst Sarah , Armeau Elin , Parish Thomas
Published: August 2021

Purpose: Women have a much higher rate of anterior cruciate ligament injury than men. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are very expensive as well as physically and emotionally debilitating. Understanding why anterior cruciate ligament injuries are more prevalent in women as compared to men is crucial and addressing these issues to possibly prevent their high occurrence is important. Review of Literature: Hormonal differences, structural differences, musculature differences, and mechanical differences between men and women leave women more susceptible to anterior cruciate ligament injury. While there are many factors contributing to the higher rate of anterior cruciate ligament injury in women versus men, newer research has been devoted to addressing the issues that can be corrected and the discrepancies that can be decreased. Investigators are now taking the results from such research and applying them to women to decrease the occurrence of anterior cruciate ligament injury among this group. Results: Promising outcomes have occurred in neuromuscular and proprioceptive training programs designed to help women strengthen and train the muscles around their knee thus leading to better stabilization and therefore decreasing the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury. Conclusion: Future research should be devoted to finding all of the possible factors of the increased incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury in women and all potential avenues for preventing these injuries should be studied.
ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATIC FACTORS ON COTTON YIELD AND ITS ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Authors: MOHAMED Assem , MAZE Mona , ABDELAZIZ Mohamed , KHALIL Alaa
Published: August 2021

Cotton is one of the strategic crops in Egypt. This article investigates the impacts of climatic factors and their variations on the cotton yield and its economic benefits during the period from 1998 to 2019. We chose the Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, where cotton is one of the major planted crops, was chosen for the analysis. The climatic factors utilized were the maximum, minimum and average temperatures; relative humidity; solar radiation and wind speed. Precipitation was excluded, as Egypt depends mainly on irrigation. The climatic factors utilized influenced yield during different growth stages: wind speed showed an influence only on the germination stage, whereas temperature had a major impact before and at the maturity stages. The latter correlation was positive in July and negative in August and September. Relative humidity and solar radiation impacted on yield at different growth stages, with an almost positive correlation with solar radiation and both a positive and a negative correlation with relative humidity. For the study of the economic indicators of cotton, cotton data were taken for the whole Egyptian Governorate during the period 2005-2019. The study showed a decrease in the net return during the period from 2005 to 2015 that reached a loss (minus value) of 195 Egyptian pounds (LE) in 2015, followed by an increase during the period from 2016 to 2019 due to the increase in farm gate prices.
THE EFFECT OF BLANCHING TEMPERATURE ON THE TEXTURE OF LACTIC FERMENTED CUCUMBERS (Cucumis sativus L.)
Authors: Gocan Tincuța-Marta , Andreica Ileana , Poșta Gheorghe , Măniuțiu Dănuț-Nicolae , Rózsa Sándor , Egyed Emese
Published: August 2021

In the history of mankind, the use of canned vegetables has been a source of ensuring a diverse range of vegetables in winter and has led to the development of cropping systems with technological features specific to industrialization. The effects of blanching temperature on the texture and quality of cucumber fruits under the conditions of lactic fermentation have been important topics of study over time. In comparison, in this paper we studied the complex influence of fermentation time (25 days) and temperature level (22 °C) on qualitative aspects such as pH level, total acidity and salt concentration change. Two different temperatures were also used for blanching with the salt solutions, 96 °C and 67 °C. The results of this study show that iodized sea salt was useful for whole pickles because they showed a better taste and texture. Pickled cucumbers blanched at 96 °C showed a better texture and lower acidity than those at 67 °C.
Environmental impact assessment of the territories in the vicinity of commissioning regional radioactive waste management facility
Authors: Zozul YuN , Kiselev SM , Laschenova TN , Shlygin VV , Akhromeev SV , Gimadova TI , Malakhova AN , Shashkova OB , Oskina KYu
Published: August 2021

The Regional center of conditioning and long-term storage of radioactive waste is being constructed in Primorsky Krai, where radioactive waste (RW) management сoncerns have been especially acute. The project involves intensification of activities related to RW management, as well as to building the new technology block for RW reprocessing, storage facility and boiler house. The study was aimed to perform environmental impact assessment of the territories in the vicinity of the Regional center of conditioning and long-term storage of radioactive waste prior to the facility commissioning. Radiation situation was assessed by radiometric and spectrometric methods; the levels of heavy metals were evaluated by atomic absorption spectrometry. Heavy metal (lead, nickel, copper, etc.) and arsenic levels exceeding or, in certain cases, similar to maximum permissible concentration (MPC) were found in soil and ground. Radiation situation is characterized by background levels of artificial radionuclides 137Cs and 90Sr in environmental media. Quality of water in wells and boreholes was largely compliant with the requirements established for groundwater used in decentralized water supply systems, with the exception of boreholes, in which the arsenic levels exceeding MPC were detected. The average annual public dose was 0.046 mSv excluding natural regional background radiation, which was below the dose limit. Carcinogenic health risks induced by radiation and chemical factors was 4×10–6 and 6×10–6 respectively. The obtained results form the basis for setting reference values of environmental contamination prior to the Regional center of conditioning and long-term storage of radioactive waste commissioning and can be used for regulatory supervision during the facility operation.
Does The GDPR Achieve Its Goal of “Protection of Youth”?
Authors:   Researcher University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, Younas Ammar
Published: August 2021

The increasing ‘datafication of society’1 and ubiquitous computing resulted in high privacy risks such as commercial exploitation of personal data, discrimination, identity theft and profiling (automated processing of personal data). 2 Especially, minor data subjects are more likely to be victims of unfair commercial practices due to their behavioral characteristics (emotional volatility and impulsiveness) and unawareness of consequences of their virtual activities.3 Accordingly, it has been claimed that thousands of mobile apps utilized by children collected their data and used it for tracking their location, processed it for the development of child profiles so as to tailor behavioral advertising targeted at them and shared it with third parties without children’s or parent’s knowledge.4 Following these concerns, recently adopted EU General Data Protection Regulation (679/2016) departed from its Data Protection Directive (DPD) in terms of children’s data protection by explicitly recognizing that minors need more protection than adults5 and providing specific provisions aimed at protecting children’s right to data protection.6 Unlike the GDPR, the DPD was designed to provide “equal” protection for all data subjects irrespective of their age.7 This paper argues that consent principle along with the requirement of parental consent cannot effectively be implemented for the protection of children’s data due to the lack of actual choice, verification issues and complexity of data processing, and also the outcome of the privacy notices in a child-appropriate form is limited. However, there are other mechanisms and restrictions embodied in the GDPR, which provide opportunities for the protection of children’s data by placing burden on data controllers rather than data subjects.
The Influence of the Open Sky on Airlines in Tunisia
Authors:   Laboratory for Econometrics applied to finance, NIDHAM Mr. Ghazouani
Published: August 2021

The importance of this research is to analyze the impact of open sky on transport air transport in Tunisia and determine the equilibrium price, quantities and profit of each airline by adopting Analysis of the effect of concluding an "Open Sky "between Tunisia and the European Union will be carried out according to 3 scenarios - Scenario 1: Air France enters the Paris-Djerba and Tunis-Djerba circuit - Scenario 2: Competition on the Paris-Tunis and Tunis –Djerba market - Scenario 3: Collision between companies
Analysis of the Effect of Self Efficacy and Distributive Justice on Organizational Commitments in Improving Employees Performance at the Department of Youth Education and Sports in Bali Province
Authors:   Mahasaraswati University Denpasar, Yennie Ni Nengah Rai
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of self-efficacy, distributive justice on organizational commitment and employee performance. The population in this study were employees of the Bali Provincial Education Office. The sampling technique used purposive sampling and obtained a sample of 74 respondents. The variables of this study used three variables, namely the dependent variable, the independent variable, and the mediating variable. The dependent variable (Y) of this study is employee performance. Independent variable (X) self efficacy and distributive justice. The mediating variable is organizational commitment (Z). The research method used is a quantitative method. For the data analysis method using Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis using Smart PLS Software. The results of this study indicate that, Self efficacy affects organizational commitment Distributive justice affects organizational commitment Self efficacy affects employee performance Distributive justice affects employee performance based on organizational commitment affects employee performance. Self efficacy has no effect on employee performance through organizational commitment as a mediating variable based on distributive justice affects employee performance through organizational commitment as a mediating variable
Analysis of the Effect of Auditor Independence, and Auditor Ethics on Audit Quality at a Public Accounting Firm in Medan City with Auditor Experience as a Moderating Variable
Authors:   Universitas Prima Indonesia, Damanik Dennys Paulus Parlindungan
Published: August 2021

This study aims to determine the effect of auditor’s independence and auditor’s ethics on audit quality at public accountant office in Medan city with auditor’s experience as moderating variable. The method used in this study is a correlational research that study the relationship of independent variables namely auditor’s independence and auditor’s ethics with dependent variable namely audit quality and moderation variable namely audit quality. The study population was 186 auditors with sample of 45 auditors determine using purposive sampling technique. The technique of collecting data using a questionaire. Data of questionaire was analyzed with SmartPLS. The process is starting with evaluating of the measuring model than continue with the evaluating of the structural model. The result show that the measuring model has been valid and reliable and can be accepted substantially. The evaluating result of structural model show that auditor’s independence and auditor’s ethics have positive effect but not significant on audit quality. The auditor’s experience does not moderate the relationship of auditor’s independence and auditor’s ethics on audit quality.
Automation of the Financial Market: A Drag or a Driver for Bank Disintermediation?
Authors:   Assistant Professor, Higher Institute of Management of Tunis, University of Tunis, Tunisia, Romdhane Syrine Ben
Published: August 2021

This paper discusses and analyzes how Information Technologies destabilize the banking sector and induce irrevocable changes in the sector that lead to new entrants, innovation and, above all, disintermediation. Our objective is to analyze the relationship between the financial market, IT and financial intermediation, in order to detect the impact of the automation of the financial market on the traditional intermediation activity of banks. Based on a descriptive analysis of the Tunisian banking sector, and over the 1998-2018 periods, we have shown that the disintermediation of Tunisian banks is the consequence of the automation of the financial market. The more the financial market invests in IT, the more banks are Disinter mediated. In Tunisia, IT is a driving force behind the disintermediation of banks. In any case, recent developments confirm the fact that rather than asserting that traditional banking is dead, the above analysis advocates a renewal of the banking economy. The role of banks is not about to diminish. The era of direct finance and new technologies has not so much created disintermediation but rather a new sharing of roles in the financial sphere.
Synthesis and Characterization of Benzimidazole Derivatives for Antimicrobial Property
Authors: Kapil Choudhary , Rupali Bhavsar , Prerna Chaturvedi
Published: August 2021

Benzimidazoles are an important class of compounds with a wide spectrum of biological activity ranging from anti-hypertensive, anti-viral, anti-microbial, antitumor and anthelmintic activity. Benzimidazole rings are the most important nitrogen-containing heterocycles, which are widely explored and utilized by the pharmaceutical industry for drug discovery. Due to their special structural features and electron-rich environment, Benzimidazole containing drugs bind to a variety of therapeutic targets, thereby exhibiting a broad spectrum of bioactivities. Numerous benzimidazole based drugs have been extensively used in the clinic to treat various types of diseases with high therapeutic potential. The main objective of present work was to study the anti-microbial activity of the Benzimidazole drivatives. A series of benzimidzole derivatives have been synthesized and identified. The compounds were synthesized by using ethyl acetate and benzene as starting material. The series of 1, 2-disubstituted benzimidazoles containing pyrimidine and other functional groups was prepared which provides advantages such as, easy workup and high yield. All reagents used for synthesis were of synthetic grade. Purification of all compounds was done by thin layer chromatography using silica gel G as absorbent on glass plate using acetate: benzene (6:4 v/v %), Toluene: Acetone (8:2 v/v %) and Ethyl Acetate: n- Hexane (6:4 v/v %) as mobile phase. Compounds were detected by using iodine vapor as detecting agent. All compounds show single spot. All the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR spectral study. The compounds were investigated for their antimicrobial activity against clinical standard drug Ciprofloxacin. The anti-microbial study of the synthesized derivative was done Broad panels of bacterial and fungal strains were used for testing the antimicrobial properties of the synthesized molecules III1-13. The compounds III1 (m-NO2), III2 (p-NO2), III3 (m-Cl), III4 (3-F-4-Cl) and III9 (p-OCH3) showed excellent activity (62.5 μg/ml), even better than ciprofloxacin.
Contested Gender Roles and Relations in Matriarchal Minangkabau
Authors: Hakam Ahmad
Published: August 2021

This study aims to explore the gender roles and relations in the Minangkabau society and how the situation is changing due to some interactions with other influential factors, mainly Islamic teaching and nation-state projection. This article argues that although the Minangkabau matriarchal traditions are influenced by particularly the two driving forces, there have been both continuity and change which prove that the gender roles and relations are a highly contested discourse. This study used library research, and mini- ethnographical approach which involved several field observations and interviews through casual conversation with Minangkabau people. The results show that gender and the conception of women and men are highly contested, especially in the region where more than one influences are competing. Although there is a number of powerful discourse disparities, especially the Islamist movement and the state, the creation and instillation of new definitions and identities of the Minangkabau is reworked within their ideologies of gender and rank, kinship and matriliny.
EXTRUSÃO DENTÁRIA RELACIONADA À LESÃO DE REABSORÇÃO E DOENÇA PERIODONTAL FELINA – RELATO DE CASO
Authors: De Paiva Landim Karina , Sant'Ana da Rocha Eduardo , Sousa Esteves Tatiane Cristina
Published: August 2021

A extrusão dentária é o movimento de um dente para fora de seu plano de oclusão e, geralmente, sua ocorrência está associada tanto à presença de lesão de reabsorção dentária, que provoca perda da substância óssea e dentária, quanto à doença periodontal causada pela formação de placas bacterianas; ambas patologias são ocorrências frequentes em na clínica de pequenos animais. A extrusão dentária é comumente observada em  gatos de meia idade ou idosos. O relato de caso, considerações e análises descritos neste artigo têm como objetivo registrar e documentar detalhes clínicos associados ao caso de um felino, macho, de quatro anos que apresentava extrusão dentária dos caninos direitos, lesões de reabsorção em osso alveolar e raízes, com achados radiográficos e sintomatologia de doença periodontal.
BRASIL NA CONTRAMÃO DO DESENVOLVIMENTO
Authors: De Sousa Paz Diego Armando , Bezerra Oliveira Allison
Published: August 2021

A resenha vem enfatizar de forma crítica as ideias das seguintes obras “Velhos dilemas, antiquadas soluções: o Brasil na contramão do desenvolvimento” com os autores Fernanda Grazielle Cardoso e Cristina Fróes de Borja Reis, “Tendências do desenvolvimento regional recente no Brasil” com Tânia Bacelar de Araújo e “Estado Nacional e Escalas Geográficas: uma abordagem exploratória a partir de Neil Smith” com autor Danilo Jorge Vieira.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD SECURITY AMONG THE ELDERLY. A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Njeri Arianna
Published: August 2021

Purpose: Mobile technologies provide an affordable and easily accessible technology that lecturers can use effectively to assist students with their studies. The general objective of the study was to evaluate socio-economic factors affecting food security among the elderly.

Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.

Findings: From the study findings, it is concluded that the households of the elderly persons are faced with abject poverty due to the household structures they live in, which lack food storage facilities hindering food utilization. The elderly persons are faced with health challenges that hinder them from accessing adequate and appropriate foods. They also are not able to use the available types of food due to the ailments they suffer. Elderly persons are faced by various levels of food insecurity due to the deteriorating strength and vulnerability that comes handy with aging. Farming practices by elderly persons depict that they mainly use manual labour limiting their food production. The elderly persons food utilization that entails enlightenment on food production based on food storage, feeding habits and farming methods have lowered food production thus food insecurity.

Recommendations: The study recommended that there should be established programmes that provide homes for the aged to cater for the elderly persons who live alone, sickly and too aged to undertake their daily domestic duties. In addition feeding programmers in households with elderly persons should be formulated and implemented. Relatives should be encouraged to follow up on the wellbeing of their aging parents and organize to employ care givers to keep up domestic duties that may be making it difficult for the elderly to access food. The ministry of special programmes should consider provision of relief food to households with the elderly persons who suffer severe food insecurity. They should also collaborate with the ministry of education in ensuring children who are under the care of aged people have a school feeding programme to provide at least a meal for them at school.
Impact of Merger on Operational and HR Efficiency: A Case Study of the State Bank of India
Authors: Shenoy Sanjana S. , V. T. Shailashri
Published: August 2021

Purpose: Analysing financial performance is one of the popular methods for measuring operational efficiency of a firm. Ratio analysis is an important tool of financial analysis. The analysis of key performance parameters enables diverse group of stakeholders to obtain information about profitability and growth prospects. Mergers and acquisitions are popular means of inorganic growth. The Indian Banking Industry has used this effective tool to consolidate and grow in size. Through M&A, acquired banks get a new name, structure, products and services. However, the risk of NPAs continues to be a major problem for banks. In order to study the effectiveness of a merger, analysing financial performance prior to and after merger becomes important. The State Bank of India merger has been taken up for the study, since following the merger there is a substantial increase in both the market share as well as asset base of the bank.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper studies the result of mergers on financial indicators, market performance, asset quality, liquidity position and employee productivity of SBI after it merged with its 5 associate banks and BMB through ratio analysis. The ratios indicating the performance parameters have been taken from secondary sources such as moneycontrol.com, stock-financials.valuestocks.in. etc. A comparison of various financial ratios is made to determine the change in the performance parameters of the bank.
Findings/Result: The study highlights reduction in profitability, increase in cost to income ratio, slight improvement in liquidity, decline in asset quality and market performance and a slight decrease in employee productivity after the merger.
Originality/Value: This paper studies the effectiveness of mergers in terms of change in key financial performance parameters.
Paper Type: Research Case Study based on company financial analysis.
Comprehensive Analysis with Enhanced Resolution of HAWT Blade using CFD
Authors: RAVEENDRAN Amjith Lilly , BALA Bavanish
Published: August 2021

Energy is an important aspect for all countries. Due to the overexploitation of resources, nonrenewable resources, such as fossil fuels, are depleting day by day. This calls for alternative power sources, such as wind energy. Wind energy is a clean and inexhaustible source of energy. One of the ways of harvesting this energy is using wind turbines, which transform the kinetic energy of wind into electrical power output. Wind turbines face many problems, such as low wind hours, design issues, and so on.

The main focus of this work is to find the optimum blade angle of turbine blades, in order to produce the maximum power output, even at low wind hours. In this study, CFD analysis is done on a 5 MW wind turbine blade at wind velocities 3, 12.5 and 25 m/s, which are the cut in, rated, and cut out velocities of wind turbines, respectively. The range of angles under consideration varies from 20 to 89 °. A 3D model of the blade is analyzed using ANSYS Fluent 19.0. The optimum blade angle is identified, and the characteristics of the curves of blade angles, with respect to different parameters, are obtained.

HIGHLIGHTS

Optimum Blade angle for better moment

Pressure and velocity Characteristics at various blade angles

5MW HAWT blade moments for wind velocity of 3,12.5 and 25 m/s

The maximum moment is obtained at an angle 82 degree at various wind velocities

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Experimental and Analytical Studies on Strengthened Axially Loaded RC Columns
Authors: PATEL Tejash K , SALLA Sanjay R , VASANWALA Sandip A , MODHERA Chetankumar D , PATEL Darshan , PATEL Purvesh
Published: August 2021

The strengthening and retrofitting of concrete structures are becoming an essential part of the building and its structures. When the building comes of age, there is a need to increase the structural members' strength, life, and resistivity against unfavorable environmental conditions. In the current scenario, ferrocement composites are used for structural strengthening and rehabilitation. Therefore, an experimental investigation is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the strengthening on the square and circular reinforced concrete columns by ferrocement and micro concrete materials. The experimental results showed that the ferrocement and micro concrete techniques enhanced the stress-strain behavior and displacement limit of the square and circular RC column. The strengthening circular RC column by micro concrete gives a better performance in stress-strain behavior and displacement limit. In addition, the ferrocement and micro concrete strengthening technique is a promising and economical alternative compared to the other strengthening techniques. Also, test results were compared with ACI and CNR–DT representative load-carrying models to verify each model's reliability and accuracy. Furthermore, the TOPSIS method was adopted to find out the best solution for square and circular columns, and cost analysis was carried out.

HIGHLIGHTS

RC columns were strengthened using ferro cement and micro concrete

RC Columns under compressive concentric load were tested

Micro concrete strengthening controls deflection and enhances the load capacity of columns

The analytical approach of TOPSIS was used to find the best solution

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Prevalência e severidade de fluorose dentária na cidade de Tete, Moçambique, no período de 2013
Authors: Cossa Ilda Armando , Cardoso Mariane Carvalho
Published: August 2021

A fluorose dentária é uma doença endêmica, prevalente em cerca de 25 países do mundo. O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a prevalência e a severidade de fluorose dentária na Cidade de Tete, Moçambique, no período de 2013. Foi feito um estudo epidemiológico, observacional descritivo de corte transversal, com uma amostra representativa de 369 residentes da Cidade de Tete, de 2-34 anos de idade, no período de 2013. Os participantes assinaram o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido. A avaliação de fluorose dentária foi realizada por dois examinadores treinados e calibrados (inter e intraexaminadores Kappa >0,7) usando Índice de Dean. A prevalência de fluorose dentária foi de 88,1%, com maior frequência no sexo feminino, em 49,1%. Os grupos de idades mais afetados foram de 5-11 anos, em 20,6% e de 12-18 anos, em 18,8%. Houve maior ocorrência de casos leves, nas idades de 5-11 anos em 16,6% e de casos moderados na faixa etária de 12-18 anos, em 14,5%. O estudo sugere uma alta prevalência de fluorose dentária, na Cidade de Tete, com predomínio do grau leve, na faixa etária de 5-11 anos, no sexo feminino.