bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender as a discriminating factor in employee networking and intention to develop employability through career strategies
Authors: Baruel Bencherqui Dominique , Janand Anne , Kefi Mohamed Karim
Published: October 2023

L’objectif de cet article est de comprendre la manière dont les salariés français, hommes et femmes, utilisent leurs liens professionnels pour développer leur employabilité et mettre en œuvre leurs stratégies de carrière. Afin d’étudier l’effet du genre sur la manière dont ils mobilisent leur réseau, ainsi que sur leur intention de développer leur employabilité au travers de stratégies de carrière, une méthodologie quantitative est utilisée et examine cet effet au sein d’un échantillon de 410 salariés français, équitablement répartis entre hommes et femmes. Nos résultats montrent que les hommes préfèrent développer leur employabilité interne en s’appuyant sur des réseaux intra-organisationnels instrumentaux. Les femmes préfèrent développer leur employabilité externe, notamment en construisant leurs propres réseaux inter-organisationnels instrumentaux, dans le but de mettre en œuvre des stratégies de carrière davantage « sans frontière ». Compte tenu de ces résultats, une démarche stratégique pour les entreprises serait de permettre et de favoriser le réseautage sans faire de distinction de genre et d’encourager la construction de « communautés de carrières ». Ceci répondrait aux aspirations individuelles des salariés en termes de stratégies de carrière et contribuerait, pour les entreprises, à rester agiles dans des périodes de plus en plus turbulentes, tout en développant l’employabilité de leurs salariés.
Le secteur informel en Afrique de l’Ouest : enjeux et perspectives
Authors: Thiam Omar
Published: October 2023

Face aux opportunités réelles des économies africaines (croissance économique, augmentation des investissements directs à l’étranger, développement des infrastructures…), les économies subsahariennes restent marquées par un dualisme, d’abord une économie informelle dynamique et complexe, et d’autre part un secteur très formalisé avec ses contraintes. Cette dichotomie est source de limites et d’incidences économiques fortes (baisse de productivités, perte de recette fiscale, déficit publique endémique, frein aux investissements étrangers…) limitant ainsi leur attractivité et compétitivité. À la lumière de travaux réalisés ces dernières années dans quelques pays francophones, plus que jamais, une transformation structurelle mais progressive de l’écosystème serait un atout considérable pour sécuriser la croissance, participer activement aux échanges mondiaux, offrir des emplois de qualité aux populations jeunes et dynamiques des pays subsahariens.
Le marketing devient digital
Authors: Lanseur Akila , Kherbachi Hamid
Published: October 2023

Ce présent article vise à montrer les diverses opportunités et les différents enjeux offerts par la transformation digitale aux entreprises qui doivent faire face à plusieurs défis à travers cette nouvelle sphère économique. Grâce à la technologie de communication notamment celle des smartphones, nous sommes devant un monde connecté. Les sites web, les réseaux sociaux, le mobile et plusieurs autres outils présentent une réelle opportunité pour promouvoir les produits et les services et rester proche des clients en assurant une relation forte et durable avec eux. Cette recherche fournit un panorama conceptuel autour des fondamentaux du marketing à l’heure du digital .
L’intelligence collective en situation de travail collaboratif. Le cas d’une plateforme virtuelle
Authors: Debbah Samir , Piré-Lechalard Pierre , van Hoorebeke Delphine
Published: October 2023

L’Internet offre de nouvelles façons de travailler et ouvre les organisations à de nouvelles parties prenantes. Les contributeurs d’une communauté en ligne en sont les parfaits représentants. Au travers de plateformes dites collaboratives, ils collaborent à la conception de biens communs. Dans cet article, nous explorons l’intelligence collective de ces collectifs de contributeurs qui œuvrent sur des plateformes virtuelles. Il s’agit de bien séparer l’intelligence qui s’y développe de celle qui prend forme dans les foules d’internautes. La recherche est réalisée à partir d’une étude netnographique du développement d’une application intelligente, Pl@ntNet, auquel participent des contributeurs en ligne de Tela Botanica, un site de science participative en botanique. Les résultats présentent l’intelligence collective qui se manifeste dans les groupes projets de ce site. Ils marquent les différences constatées entre ce type de travail collectif et le classique crowdsourcing, et avancent une classification de travails collectifs prenant place dans ce type d’organisation ouverte. L’utilisation du génome du système d’intelligence collective de Malone et al. (2014) et l’extension ainsi obtenue offrent aux managers une grille d’observation exploitable lors de la création d’une structure virtuelle impliquant des contributeurs (voire également des foules) ou de l’analyse de l’existant en vue de l’améliorer.
El retablo mayor de San Antonio de los alemanes en Madrid (1761-1765): Fernández, Bernini y Villanueva (D. Diego)
Authors: Cruz Yábar María Teresa
Published: October 2023

El tercer y último retablo que se hizo para la iglesia de San Antonio de los Alemanes —antes de los Portugueses— en Madrid entre los años 1761 y 1765 bajo la dirección de Miguel Fernández, teniente de Francisco Sabatini, no ha sido estudiado con profundidad, a pesar del interés histórico y artístico que tuvo en su momento. Diego de Villanueva, principal defensor de la continuidad de la tradición hispánica encarnada en El Escorial, lo consideró como paradigma del estilo romano poco respetuoso con los rigores de lo clásico. Relatamos los avatares de su construcción, su inspiración en el modelo berniniano de la capilla Alaleona de la iglesia de Santi Domenico e Sisto, los aspectos biográficos de Fernández que le convirtieron en el primer colaborador y principal del nuevo arquitecto de las obras reales, y las razones de la oposición de Villanueva.
Nuevas formas de duelo queer. El proyecto The Touching Community de Aimar Pérez Galí
Authors: Ramírez Tur Víctor , López del Rincón Daniel
Published: October 2023

El presente artículo presenta el proyecto The Touching Community (2015-2022) del bailarín, coreógrafo y pedagogo Aimar Pérez Galí como un ejemplo paradigmático de la politización del duelo queer que han analizado autoras como Sarah Ahmed y Judith Butler. Se profundiza en las múltiples materializaciones de este proyecto performativo con la intención de estudiar la potencialidad de la danza colectiva para desarrollar nuevas y necesarias formas de duelo y de conmemoración a modo de políticas de duelo queer. El engarce en la investigación de Pérez Galí entre las consecuencias de la crisis del sida en el ámbito de la danza en países hispanoparlantes y la teoría del duelo queer contemporánea, nos servirá para acceder desde unas tecnologías del duelo encarnadas a aquellas demandas de dignificación de vidas abyectas, así como a las potencias políticas de plantear una nueva ontología corporal común basada en la vulnerabilidad.
Secure Cloud Storage and Retrieval of Personal Health Data From Smart Wearable Devices With Privacy-Preserving Techniques
Authors: Mei Zhuolin , Yu Jing , Huang Jinzhou , Wu Bin , Zhao Zhiqiang , Zhang Caicai , Shi Jiaoli , Wang Xiancheng , Wu Zongda
Published: October 2023

With the increasing awareness of personal health, personal health data management has become an important part of people's lives. Smart wearable devices (SWDs) collect people's personal health data, and then store the data on cloud. Authorized entities access the data to provide personalized health services. However, these personal health data contain a large amount of sensitive information, which may pose a significant threat to people's lives and property. To address this, this paper proposes a privacy-preserving solution. SWD data is encrypted, and secure indexes are created using Bloom filter and 0-1 encoding. Encrypted data and indexes are stored in a semi-trusted cloud. Only authorized entities can access the ciphertexts, ensuring secure personalized health management. Extensive experiments validate the scheme's efficiency in index construction, query token generation, and ciphertext search. Security analysis confirms no external entity, including the cloud, gains additional information during retrieval.
Multi-Bolted Connection Pultruded GFRP Strengthening by Glass Fiber Sheets: Influence of Bond Strength
Authors: Tran Quang Duc , Phan Viet Nhut , Matsumoto Yukihiro
Published: October 2023

The multi-bolted method is typically used for pultruded GFRP (PGFRP) connections. As the capacity of PGFRP structures is governed by connection strength, many researchers have sought to improve this performance. In a previous study investigating the effectiveness of glass fiber sheets (GFSs) in strengthening multi-bolted connections, debonding failure was observed as a failure mode in various types of GFSs, including 0°/90° and ±45° with 4 and 5 bolts. The present study tested four types of specimens to characterize failure modes when PGFRP is multi-bolted with GFS strengthening. Different failure modes were observed with two different numbers of bolts. Based on the observed failure sequences and previous material properties tested, a calculation equation was proposed. The estimated strength showed good agreement with experimental results. Furthermore, the study highlights some features of the failure load (such as the type of GFS and tensile strength) as recommendations for designing strengthening of PGFRP bolted connections.
Dielectric and Humidity Sensing Properties in Iron Nanoparticle Substituted Polyaniline Composite
Authors: Patil Devindrappa , Rao Y.B. Shankar , Kumari N. Sivaganga , Revanasiddappa M. , Kumar M. Madesh , Prashantkumar M. , Vinay K. , Ravikiran Y.T. , Devika Devika
Published: October 2023

The existence of graphene-based Polyaniline nanocomposite has been demonstrated to be exceptional host matrices for entrapping nano-sized particles, and its composites are widely used in a variety of applications such as transducers, sensors, electrodes, microwave absorption, and thermoelectric applications. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dielectric properties and humidity sensing response of a Fe doped PANI/Graphene (PAFG) composite synthesized in-situ polymerization using adhathoda vasica plant extract. The FT-IR, XRD, and SEM-EDX techniques were used to characterize the sample. The dielectric measurements were performed at 298K over a wide frequency range 5x101to 5x106Hz. Humidity response studies were performed at room temperature. Iron nanoparticles distributed homogeneously in the PANI matrix were ascertained from IR spectral data. At room temperature, the dielectric properties of the synthesized DS-4 powder outperform those of the synthesized pristine PANI and Fe nanoparticles, with superior dielectric constant and high dielectric loss. When the synthesized iron decorated composite was exposed between 10% and 97% RH, the electrical resistance decreased, which is attributed to the polarization process affecting electrical conductivity within these materials. The PAFG-40% composite exhibited high sensitivity at low humidity levels ranging from 30% to 70% RH.
Influence of PMMA 3D Printing Geometries on the Mechanical Response
Authors: Rufo-Martín Celia , Díaz-Álvarez José , Infante-García Diego
Published: October 2023

This work presents a study regarding the mechanical characterization of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) patterned samples manufactured via material-extruded additive manufacturing. In recent years, literature about mechanical analysis in additive manufacturing has been growing increasingly, especially for material extrusion-based techniques. However, this trend surpasses the speed of information released by standard councils, existing no clear specifications for polymer characterization apart from conventional techniques. This issue has led to premature breakage as well as fracture not located in the constant cross-section region of samples. The main purpose of this present research is focused on the analysis of diverse modifications of the standard injection geometries to tackle the mentioned problems. Several printing methodologies were compared, changing slicing and geometrical parameters such as number of walls, and fillet radius. Then, the manufacturing of PMMA samples with a material extrusion printer took place to characterize both the material and the effective properties of the structures. With the information post-processed from tensile and compression tests, disparities were found between different geometrical designs for both elastic modulus and ultimate stress. Moreover, diverse location of fractures were observed for the studied geometries. The data obtained from the analysis was valuable to establish a proper protocol for further studies. The experiments suggest that for tensile tests the golden standard is selecting rectangular specimens since they do not induce premature breakage nor fracture outside of gauge length.
Exploring the Preparation of Calcium-Doped Zinc Aluminate Ceramic Nanoparticles for Microstrip Patch Antenna Fabrication
Authors: Didde Sekhar , Dubey Raghvendra S. , Panda Sampad Kumar , Babu G. Satheesh
Published: October 2023

Zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) dielectric materials have proven crucial in microwave applications, particularly in antenna miniaturization. This article presents the characteristics of sol-gel-prepared Ca-doped ZnAl2O4 (ZnAl2O4Ca) ceramic nanoparticles for their application in microstrip patch antenna (MPA). We examined the crystallinity, functional groups, morphology, and elemental properties of ZnAl2O4Ca ceramic nanoparticles using different techniques. Later, a prototype antenna was fabricated and evaluated, which demonstrated the return loss of -23.4 dB and -19.2 dB with voltage standing wave (VSWR) ratios of 1.1 and 1.2 at resonant frequency ( ) values 4.5 and 6.4 GHz, respectively. The presented work demonstrates that the prepared ceramic nanoparticles possess better microwave properties, enabling the fabrication of a patch antenna for c-band communication with two resonant peaks having reasonably good return loss.
The Effect of Hydrothermal Temperature and Sample Thickness on the Synthesis of BaFe12O19@MnO2 Core-Shell Composites
Authors: Yustanti Erlina , Noviyanto Alfian , Ikramullah Muhammad , Marsillam Yogie Anes , Randa Maulana
Published: October 2023

Advances in radar technology today are experiencing rapid development based on the latest findings that complement each other. BaFe12O19 is a type M hexagonal ferrite material as the best candidate for absorber material applications. Manganese dioxide (MnO2) is a transition metal that has a high dielectric loss and has the opportunity to increase the absorption of electromagnetic waves. The BaFe12O19@MnO2 core-shell composite produces the combined characteristics of BaFe12O19 and MnO2, which can improve performance as radar-absorbing material. The BaFe12O19@MnO2 core-shell composite is synthesized in two stages: molten salt synthesis in manufacturing BaFe12O19 as a core and hydrothermal synthesisto grow MnO2 nanoflowers as a shell. The research objective was to produce BaFe12O19@MnO2 core-shell composite for radar absorbing applications in the x-band with absorption of ~99%. In molten salt synthesis, using two calcination operations at 1000 °C for two hours to create BaFe12O19 as a template, then combining BaFe12O19 template with Fe2O3 and BaCl2.2H2O for eight hours at 1100 °C prepared for MnO2 pathways on the BaFe12O19 surface. Hydrothermal synthesis occurs by dissolving BaFe12O19 and KMnO4 in deionized water with a mass ratio of BaFe12O19 to KMnO4 is 1:1, followed by hydrothermal synthesisat a holding time of 12 hours with a temperature of 150 °C; 170 °C; 190 °C. Characterization of vector network analysis on a variation of sample thickness (1; 1.5; 2; 2.5; 3) mm were analyzed in the x-band frequency on 8-12 GHz. BaFe12O19@MnO2 core-shell composite was hydrothermally produced at 170 °C with a particle size of 197.1 nm, a thickness of 2.5 mm, and a reflection loss of -20.31 dB at 8.7 GHz. The absorber material from the combined synthesis of molten salt and hydrothermal synthesis to make BaFe12O19@MnO2 core-shell composite successfully produced microwave absorption up to 99.06%.
Foam Glass Fabrication from End-of-Life Blended LCD Screen, Photovoltaic Glass Cullet and Flat Glass
Authors: Patcharawit Tapany , Kansomket Chatisa , Longbutsri Chaiyasit , Mahiwan Napat , Tannukit Teerawut , Khumkoa Sakhob
Published: October 2023

End-of-life LCD screens from various waste steam have been used to formulate foam glass, aiming for use as light weight, high compressive strength, and insulation purposes. Via conventional ball milling, the foam glass powder was mixed with a binder and fabricated through compaction under 5-10 MPa using stainless steel press moulds to give green samples in cubic and plate shapes. Firing the samples at 1000 – 1050 °C for 0.5-4 hours allowed the construction of foam glass structure, giving low densities of 0.15-0.23 g/cm3. Additions of cordierite, calcium carbonate, graphite and borax determined the phases and composition of the final recycling products. Cristobalite appeared as the main phase along with anorthite were found to give high compressive strength of 1.10-4.22 MPa to the foam glass. The foam glass possessed thermal conductivity in a range of 0.1004-0.1183 W/m K, which can be used for insulation purposes. Different foam glass formulation and geometries required different firing temperature and time to acquire suitable foam glass structure for specific purposes of compressive and thermal insulation properties.
Effect of Printing Orientation on Product Quality and Overall Process Efficiency: an Experimental Investigation
Authors: Greco Alessandro , Manco Pasquale , Fera Marcello , Maresca Piera , Gerbino Salvatore
Published: October 2023

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies, also known as 3D printing, are increasingly used to produce usable and appealing end products. Besides allowing greater design freedom, 3D printing can increase material efficiency and drastically reduce production time. However, processes are still lacking in the quality of products. Among dozens of parameters that can influence the printing process, the study analyses the impact of the printing orientation (PO) on the product's geometrical accuracy and the process's overall efficiency. An experimental analysis has been designed and executed. A Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) machine has been used to print the specimens. In particular, the experimental results showed the influence of PO on the geometrical characteristics of the specimens (bending angle, torsion angle, deviations, flatness tolerance and thickness). Moreover, the variability of production time, cost and resource consumption by varying PO has been investigated. As expected, the worst geometrical performance is shown by upright specimens. Furthermore, the ANOVA analysis underlines that only the orientation of the specimen with respect to the Z-axes (flat, on-edge and up-right) is statistically significant for the geometrical accuracy of the specimens. The method ELECTRE I has been used as Multi Criteria Decision-Making Method to rank the build configurations according to the resulting product's geometrical accuracy, the process performance and decision-maker’s priorities.
Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) for Cellular Structures Formed by a Heterogeneous Skeleton
Authors: Barrio Haizea González , Ochoa Amaia Calleja , Escudero Gaizka Gómez , Mishra Sarvesh , de Aguirre Maialen Martinez , Mentxaka Aitzol Lamikiz , de Lacalle Luis Norberto López
Published: October 2023

Cellular structures such as lattice or triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) present interesting applications in different industry sectors due to their high specific strength (the ratio strength/weight), elastic modulus and energy absorption. Some applications focus on new geometries for heat exchangers due to a higher cooling performance. In addition, different sectors demand lighter materials and structures maintaining component mechanical properties but reducing its weight, which is the case of microstructures. Microstructures composed by rigid skeletons are able to maintain the global component stiffness. The main challenge is designing with optimized microelements size, shape, and topology. The internal cavities and complex geometries of these parts are an impossible barrier for most of the manufacturing processes. Thus, one of the most suitable processes for these types of components is Additive Manufacturing, yet these microstructures formed by a heterogeneous skeleton with cavities is still a real challenge. In this work, different case studies for microstructures manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) are presented and both, manufacturing process parameters and components analysis, are performed.
Weighting of Criteria for the Application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in the Selection of FDM Equipment through the Design of an Artefact
Authors: Pérez David Sánchez , Garcia-Dominguez Amabel , Claver Juan
Published: October 2023

Multicriteria decision techniques, among which the AHP represents one of the most widely used, allow the influence of a set of criteria to be considered simultaneously when making a certain decision. And they do so through the design of a hierarchical structure, in which the considered criteria are distributed, and the establishment of judgments that define the relative importance of each of them in the final decision. The results of any manufacturing process are conditioned by a set of parameters. At the same time, the different pieces of equipment that can carry out a certain process present differences in their performance, both in relation to said parameters and to the results that they allow to obtain. From this point of view, multicriteria decision techniques offer opportunities to channel the simultaneous consideration of all these aspects in order to make decisions in productive contexts. This work faces the initial phase of the design of a methodology for the selection of the most suitable FFF-SLA additive manufacturing equipment for different manufacturing scenarios. For this, the authors design an artefact capable of assessing the performance of the equipment considered as alternatives in relation to different relevant parameters for the decision. Then, main results and conclusions are discussed.
Surface Roughness in Ultra-High Precision Diamond Turning of Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses
Authors: Abou-El-Hossein Khaled , Kadirgama Kumaran , Kadernani Munir , Chikamhi Philhelene , Oyekunle F.A
Published: October 2023

The research work presented in this paper highlights the use of the process of ultra-high precision diamond turning when machining advanced contact lens polymers. The study is focused on investigating the effect of diamond cutting conditions on the surface quality of the polymers machined. A silicone hydrogel (Definitive 74) was used in this study. The surface roughness measurements were taken using a surface 3D profilometer. Response surface methodology techniques were employed to create predictive models for surface roughness with respect to the cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut. The predictive surface roughness models were successfully generated for the polymer and the cutting speed and feed rate were identified as the most influential parameters on surface roughness.
Taxation Potency on Human Capital Development: Verdict from Panel Fixed Effect Model
Authors: Adegbite T. A. , Adamu U. , Salihu K.
Published: October 2023

This study examined taxation impact on human capital development in North Central States in Nigeria. The data emanated from the state boards of internal revenue, office of Accountants general, state planning commission of the selected states in North Central Nigeria and the National Bureau of Statistics' document from 2010 to 2020. The selected states are Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states. The study used econometric model to examine how taxes affect growth of human capital development. The numerical estimate of the co-efficient in various equations was obtained using panel data analysis through pooled regression, fixed model, random effect model and Hausman test. The findings showed that personal income tax and value added tax have positive and significant effect on human capital development. Road tax has positive and insignificant effect on human capital development. More so, external loan has positive and significant effect on human capital development in North central states Nigeria. It is concluded that taxation significantly impacted human capital development in north central states, Nigeria. It is recommended that taxation funds should be fully channeled by government into development of human capital properly, and meticulously utilized and managed efficiently to absolutely attain and improve human capital in North central states, Nigeria. Also, government should involve the usage of electronic means for collection of taxes from road users in order to track or drive all the road users into tax net, and to reduce or eradicate road tax evaders so as to enhance revenue drive.
Factors Affecting Share Prices of Finance Companies in Sri Lanka
Authors: Pandigamage N. G. , Ranaweera D. C. P.
Published: October 2023

The price of a share is influenced by a variety of internal and external factors. Internal factors are those dependent on the company, such as return on equity, and earnings per share. The external influences include raw material pricing, economic trends, inflation, investor confidence, interest rate, exchange rate, and other factors that are beyond the firm's control. Both kind of factors may influence the investor’s future expectations and risk-taking ability, and as a result that they take their investment decisions. This study aimed to examine the factors affecting share prices in finance companies in Sri Lanka for the period of five years, from 2017 to 2022. For that purpose, researchers selected the independent variable as the share price, while the dependent variables are earnings per share (EPS), return on equity (ROE), interest rate, inflation, and exchange rate. The researchers collected data from the CSE data library, Company annual reports, and Central Bank Reports. The STATA was used to analyze the data in this study. Descriptive Statistics, Correlation Analysis, Regression Analysis were performed as analytical tools. The findings highlighted that EPS and inflation positively impact raw material pricing, while ROE, interest rate, and exchange rate showed a negative impact. But only EPS shows a significant impact on the raw material pricing. This study suggested to take at least 10 years duration for data collection and consider more internal and external factors.
Assessing clinical governance activities in secondary curative health care institutes in the Kandy District, Sri Lanka
Authors: Wijekoon W. M. C. R. , Wickramasinghe S. C.
Published: October 2023

Background and objective: Clinical governance is a framework through which organisations are held accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services. Therefore, implementing clinical governance is a timely requirement for the Sri Lankan health system. This research assessed the status of clinical governance activities in secondary healthcare institutes in the Kandy District.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study including all the secondary curative health care institutes in the Kandy District; the District General Hospital, Nawalapitiya, the Base Hospital, Gampola and the Base Hospital, Theldeniya, was conducted in 2019. The principal investigator explored activities related to eight key areas of clinical governance, namely, patient and public involvement, clinical audit, risk management, education, training and continuing personal and professional development, clinical effectiveness programme, staffing and staff management, usage of clinical information supporting and quality improvement, by non-participatory observation and by interviewing Institutional Heads, Special Grade Nursing Officers, Medical Officers and Nursing Officers attached to the Planning and Quality Management Unit using a consensually validated and pretested checklist.Results: The studied hospitals had 73.68% of clinical governance activities. The Base Hospital, Theldeneiya showed the highest percentage (76.79%); however, it had the lowest bed capacity (227 beds), received the lowest financial allocation, spent the highest proportion of funds for training and had a qualified medical administrator continuously over the past six years. Gampola and Nawalapitiya Hospitals showed 69.49 percent and 74.76 percent overall clinical governance activities, respectively. Percentages of clinical governance activities did not show a statistically significant difference between hospitals (F_(w.g=21)^(b.g=2) = 0.254, p=0.778). Activities related to clinical audits (57.14%), clinical effectiveness programmes (49.20%), and staffing management (54.55%) were unsatisfactory in all hospitals.Conclusion: The hospital with the highest clinical governance activities had the service of a qualified administrator for more than five years and utilised the highest proportion of funds for training. A similar approach may be helpful for similar organisations. However, clinical audits, clinical effectiveness and staffing management activities are unsatisfactory in the studied hospitals and require prompt attention.
The Effect of Single-Dose Dexmedetomidine on Cough Response During Tracheal Extubation
Authors: Reddy Bhavish , Parate Leena H. , Govindswamy Suresh
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Optimal strategy for smooth, cough less extubation is still not well established. We aimed to study the effect of single dose of dexmedetomidine (0.5ug/kg) given prior to extubation on cough response during extubation.Methods: 220 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia were included in the study. Group D (n=110) received IV dexmedetomidine 0.5ug/kg diluted in 100 ml saline and Group S (n=110) received 100ml saline 15 minutes before extubation. Primary outcome was incidence and severity of cough at the time of extubation. Secondary outcome was haemodynamic parameters and sedation. The severity of cough was graded on a four-point scale. Statistical analysis was performed using chi square test and independent t test.Results: The incidence of coughing was significantly lower in Group D than Group S (49.1% vs.70.9%, p = 0.002). Lower grades of cough was observed more in Group D than Group S (17.2% vs. 30.9% p = 0.018). The mean heart rate and blood pressure were lower in Group D. (p <0.001) Sedation score was similar in both groups. (p=0.07)Conclusion: Use of single bolus dose of dexmedetomidine prior to extubation reduces the incidence and severity of cough grade. In addition, it also attenuated haemodynamic response to tracheal extubation without affecting recovery.
Outcome of short course chemotherapy of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis in a child
Authors: Gowrinath K. , Srinivasulu K. , Avisa Vijayamohan Rao
Published: October 2023

Tuberculosis verrucosa cutis (TBVC) is an exogenous form of cutaneous tuberculosis (TB) due to accidental inoculation of mycobacterium TB from tubercular material like sputum into the exposed areas of skin with the minor traumatic lesion of a previously infected individual with intact cell-mediated immunity. In India, TBVC often occurs in the lower extremities and involvement of the elbow is unusual. Excellent response to anti-TB treatment (ATT) is the characteristic feature of TBVC. A case of TBVC at the left elbow in a 10-year-old boy with partial resolution at the end of ATT is reported. Chronicity and the initial size of skin lesion may be one of the reasons for the incomplete resolution of TBVC even after short-course chemotherapy with daily isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for the first 2 months followed by 4 months of daily isoniazid and rifampicin in some cases. Topical application of a keratolytic drug like 3% salicylic acid may be effective in further thinning of residual lesions of TBVC.
Vulvovaginitis due to methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus among women in reproductive age-group
Authors: Namitha B. N. , Natarajan Arvind
Published: October 2023

Background:

Although Staphylococcus aureus is commensal in 20% of individuals, its pathogenic consequences have not been unidentified. Colonisation of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in the vagina is associated with recurrent vaginal infections, skin and soft tissue infections surrounding the genital and buttock area and infertility.

Methods:

This study aimed at identifying S. aureus in vaginitis and the antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus.

Results:

Of 463 patients’ vaginal swabs, 53 had significant growth, yielding 60 aerobic bacterial isolates. Seven (15%) isolates were S. aureus, 78% were MRSA and 100% were resistant to penicillin. All were sensitive to doxycycline and linezolid. Because the vaginal cavity is a reservoir for S. aureus, genital infections are considered, especially if they are recurring.

Conclusions:

Among patiens with vaginitis, MRSA is a common aetiological cause and should be tested for.
Excessive Use of Mobile Phones and Social Networks Among Colombian University Students
Authors: Lis-Gutiérrez Jenny Paola , Zapata-Patarroto Henry
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION: Social networks facilitate interactions among individuals, organizations, and communities. Their usage, especially among young people, has become increasingly widespread. This surge in usage has been linked to various impacts on individuals' daily lives and well-being, particularly in academic and emotional aspects. OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to examine the extent to which excessive use of social networks (SN) contributes to social isolation among undergraduate students aged 18 to 35, residing in the departments of Cundinamarca, Boyaca, and Meta in Colombia. This phenomenon is primarily due to problematic cell phone use. METHODS: We administered two established instruments: the "Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS-10)" adapted by Foerster et al. (2015), and the "Addiction to Social Networks Questionnaire " developed by Escurra & Salas (2014). Statistical analyses included descriptive techniques, multivariate Henze-Zirkler normality test, univariate Shapiro-Wilk test, as well as non-parametric methods such as Spearman's correlation and the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Key findings of this study include: (i) the identified intervention and mitigation strategies in the literature predominantly focus on prevention programs and family support with an emphasis on bolstering young people's self-esteem; (ii) 15.46% of the sample exhibited problematic cell phone use, with 25.96% indicating high intensity of social network use; (iii) significant differences were observed in relation to age and geographic location, while gender and socio-economic stratum did not exhibit a statistically significant impact; (iv) the statistical analysis demonstrated a positive and significant relationship with the dimensions of the Escurra & Salas (2014) instrument, namely Interest in Social Media (ISM), concern about lack of control (LC), and Excessive use of SN (EU). CONCLUSION: The Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS-10) emerges as a concise and effective tool for identifying problematic cell phone use, and its association with excessive social network usage underscores the interconnectedness of these behaviours. This research sheds light on the prevalence of these issues among Colombian university students and provides valuable insights for targeted intervention and support strategies, emphasizing the importance of bolstering self-esteem in youth.
The Kudla–Millson form via the Mathai–Quillen formalism
Authors: Branchereau Romain
Published: October 2023

A crucial ingredient in the theory of theta liftings of Kudla and Millson is the construction of a
$q$
-form
$\varphi_{KM}$
on an orthogonal symmetric space, using Howe's differential operators. This form can be seen as a Thom form of a real oriented vector bundle. We show that the Kudla-Millson form can be recovered from a canonical construction of Mathai and Quillen. A similar result was obtaind by Garcia for signature
$(2,q)$
in case the symmetric space is hermitian and we extend it to arbitrary signature.
Facteurs associés à la non-observance des personnes vivant avec le VIH à la thérapie antirétrovirale
Authors: Atungale Alphonse Muninga , Atungale Steve Cele , Lunkama Olivier Olivera , Inia Serge Aluna , Ngalafele Emery Otak , Ilaka Jules Nakamukwikila , Kabangu Marcus , Mupoy Faustine Nsakene , Malebe Fréddy Lanker , Kabayidi Giresse Bolasimbo , Eloses Didier Lampi , Mubuto Joseph Bwami , Enzinga Rabby Monama , Tshibangu Joseph wa Kazadi
Published: October 2023

Context and objective: HIV is the deadliest scourge in history, and antiretrovirals remain a panacea. This study seeks to identify factors associated with non-adherence of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods : The cross-sectional analytical study was conducted within the Actions Communautaires SIDA/ Avenir Meilleur pour les Orphelins structure in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It targeted eligible PLWHA. Non-probability sampling of the occasional type was used using the interview technique. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used, as well as logistic regression using SPSS version 16.0 software.

Results : 72 PLWHA were interviewed, with an average age of 44 years and a sex ratio of 2 women to 1 man. Therapeutic adherence was 55.6%. Factors associated with non-adherence were anxiety (51.4%), stress, poor relationship with caregiver (44.4%), forgetfulness (37.5%), sexual demotivation (20.8%), self-consciousness (19.4%) and lack of confiden tiality (13.9%).

Conclusion: Non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy is a problem in the DRC. It is important to emphasize therapeutic education in the success of ART.

Contexte et objectif : Le VIH est un fléau le plus meurtrier de l’histoire et les antirétroviraux demeurent une panacée. Cette étude cherche à identifier les facteurs associés à l’inobservance des personnes vivant avec le VIH (PVVIH) à la thérapie antirétrovirale (TARV).

Méthodes : L’étude transversale analytique a été menée au sein de la structure Actions Communautaires SIDA/ Avenir Meilleur pour les Orphelins. Elle a ciblé les PVVIH éligibles. L’échantillonnage non probabiliste du type occasionnel a été utilisé par la technique d’interview. Les analyses bivariée et multivariée ont été utilisées ainsi que la régression logistique par le logiciel SPSS version 16.0.

Résultats : 72 PVVIH ont été interviewées dont l’âge moyen était de 44 ans, avec un sex ratio de 2 femmes pour 1 homme. L’observance thérapeutique était de 55,6 %. Les facteurs associés à l’inobservance sont l’anxiété (51,4%), le stress, la mauvaise relation avec le soignant (44,4%), l’oubli (37,5%), la démotivation sexuelle (20,8%), la conscience personnelle (19,4%) et le manque de confidentialité (13,9%).

Conclusion : L’inobservance à la thérapie antirétrovirale constitue une problématique dans le contexte de la RDC. Il est important d’insister sur l’éducation thérapeutique dans le succès de la thérapie antirétrovirale.
Assessment of dietary mannaoligosaccharides and β-glucan on the growth, somatic indices and haematological parameters of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
Authors: Adeoye A.A. , Badru K.O. , Fawole F.J.
Published: October 2023

The effects of dietary mannaoligosaccharides (MOS) and β-glucan on the production performance of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, was examined in this study. Three (3) trial diets were produced viz-a-vis., Control (basal diet, BD), MOS (BD + 0.2% MOS) and β-glucan (BD +0.02% β-glucan) and fed to catfish (11.77±0.05 g fish-1) for 63 days. Nine circular tanks were distinctly assigned into 3 dietary groups in triplicate, stocked with 100 fish per tank (85 L), and fed twice daily (8:00 - 9:00h and 17:00 - 18:00h). The results indicated that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the mean final body weight, specific growth rates, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratios, and survivals among the various treatments groups. Similarly, somatic indices (condition factors, hepatosomatic indices, and viscerosomatic indices) measured were not significantly different (p>0.05) across the experimental groups. However, the haematological parameters such as packed cell volume, haemoglobin as well as the erythrocyte and leucocyte counts were significantly (p<0.05) lower in the catfish fed MOS diet. It could be concluded herewith that dietary supplementation of MOS and β-glucan do not have a deleterious effect on African catfish production. Further study is however warranted to establish dose-response effect of MOS and β-glucan on innate immunity of African catfish (C. gariepinus).
Heterosis and combining ability estimates for okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) varieties for yield attributing characters in Sudan savanna of Nigeria
Authors: Yohanna M.
Published: October 2023

Two location trials were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Maiduguri and screen house of the Faculty of Agriculture during 2018/2019 dry season to estimate the combining ability variance, general combining ability (GCA) effects of parents and specific combining ability (SCA) effects of crosses with six okra genotypes. They include: three improved varieties NHAe 47-4, LD-88, Clemson spineless and three locals, Chalawa, Syria and Sola, crossed in a 3 x 3 line x tester mating design to generate nine F1 hybrids. All the F1s along with their parents were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and Completely Randomise Design (CRD), with 3 replications. Positive heterosis were observed for number of fruits per plant in the crosses Chalawa x NHAe47-4, Chalawa x Clemson Spineless, this directly indicated their important contributions toward total fruit yield in okra. The variance of GCA and SCA revealed that both additive and non-additive gene actions were important in the control of most agronomic.The ratio of GCA/ SCA indicates greater preponderance of non-additive gene action for the characters in all the traits except number of leaves per plant and days to 50% flowering which were controlled by additive gene actions. The parent Syria was the overall best general combiner among the lines for all characters in the field and Chalawa was the overall best general combiner for all characters measured among lines in the screen house. LD88 recorded the highest GCA effects for all of the characters among testers in both experiments. Similarly, in the field, the hybrid Sola x NHAe47-4 recorded the maximum SCA effect for all characters except days to 50% flowering; Syria x NHAe47-4 was the best SCA for most characters except plant height and also the cross between Syria x Clemson Spineless was the best SCA for most characters except number of fruits per plant. In the screen house, the cross between Chalawa x NHAe47-4, showed superior SCA for all characters measured. Appreciable level of heterosis was observed for most of the characters studied, the overall maximum positive significant heterosis for total fruit yield (kg/ha) was observed in crosses Syria x LD88 (52.80) and Chalawa x NHAe47-4(123.30) over better parents. The preponderance of non-additive genetic effect and the tremendous level of heterosis observed among the characters in the parents and their crosses studied would be great asset in choosing the okra varieties for intercrossing and development of hybrids varieties for commercial production of okra.
Addressing common deficiencies of mathematics skills among chemistry student teachers
Authors: Iwuanyanwu Paul Nnanyereugo
Published: October 2023

The need for the inclusion of a special mathematics course for students studying chemistry at the tertiary level of education has been justified by several reasons ranging from the mathematical processes involved in understanding chemistry, students’ inability to handle simple mathematical manipulations required in chemistry, and the lack of transfer of mathematical skills learned in mathematics class to chemistry. At a South African university, we faced the challenge of addressing common mathematical skill deficiencies among our chemistry student teachers (N = 82), who appeared unable to cope with basic mathematical skills required in understanding certain chemistry topics. To address this problem, students’ mathematical deficiency skills (DMS) were assessed using tests on various areas of mathematics relevant to some chemistry topics. The data was collected in two stages. DMS were first identified using a Semi-open Diagnostic Test, and then students who had the worst DMS were interviewed. The findings revealed that a lack of skills in these mathematics topics (e.g., algebra, curve sketching, simple differentiation and integration) causes students to struggle in producing the breadth of knowledge required to understand chemistry concepts such as kinetics, rates, and reaction mechanisms, as students lacked: (i) the ability to resolve the relational complexity among major mathematics concepts in chemistry problems, and (ii) the ability to process information and representation skill, number and pattern concept skill, and visual-spatial skill.
Factors Affecting Use of Practical Work in Teaching and Learning Physics: Assessment of Six Secondary Schools in Kigali City, Rwanda
Authors: Niyitanga Theoneste , BIHOYIKI Theogene , Nkundabakura Pheneas
Published: October 2023

Nowadays there is a global change in teaching and learning methods. Methods that support learners’ participation and construction of their own knowledge have been emphasized in all academic activities. Science theories are mastered in practices in teaching and learning activities. Teaching and learning through practical work is among methods that undoubtedly facilitate knowledge transfer and skills acquisition in teaching and learning events. The present study examined the real factors affecting the use of practical work in teaching and learning sciences, particularly physics in secondary schools located in Kigali city/Rwanda. The participants in this study were physics teachers, learners, directors of studies and headmasters from public and government-assisted schools. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and observations. The findings indicated that lack of training and policy governing the use of practical work coupled with inadequate resources and facilities hindered the use of practical work in the teaching and learning of physics in secondary schools. The study recommended that in-service teacher training prioritizing the use of practical work in teaching and learning should be initiated and sustained, assessment of practical skills should be required for qualification and used formatively in all levels, Government Funds for education should be allocated to build, equip, and sustain laboratories in schools, also practical physics should be allocated on the school timetable and regular supervision should be carried out in the classroom to ensure effective implementation of practical work. Conversely, putting into practice practical work in teaching and learning actively engages learners in the creation of their understanding and be familiar with the everyday phenomenon that learners observe and experience around them.