bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NERC CIP Standards
Authors: Francia III Guillermo A. , El-Sheikh Eman
Published: May 2022

The critical infrastructure protection (CIP) set of standards is developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to ensure the protection of assets used to operate North America's bulk electric systems (BES). Any entity that owns or operates any type of BES in the United States and Canada must be compliant with the requirements of the NERC CIP standards. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an ample overview of the NERC CIP standards, to describe its relevance to the protection electric utility entities, to establish its harmonizing relation with the NIST cyber security framework, to provide a glimpse of its compliance requirements, and to investigate the gaps and prospects for workforce development training in this area of critical need. This chapter lays the foundation for opportunities in the design of automated NERC CIP standards compliance processes and toolkit, the feasibility study of adopting the CIP standards in other sectors, and the development of training materials in NERC CIP standards for workforce development.
Service Organization Control (SOC) Reports and Their Usefulness
Authors: Tribunella Thomas , Tribunella Heidi R.
Published: May 2022

Many organizations outsource their business processes to service providers. The service providers must be audited by certified public accountants (CPA) to check the design and operation of their security procedures and internal controls (IC). These reports are called service organization control (SOC) reports. Through these reports, a CPA can express an opinion on the ICs of the services provider. SOC reports come in several different formats depending on the circumstance. As outsourcing becomes more popular and computer crimes increase, SOC reports will be more important. The objective of this chapter is to explain SOC reports, how they are compiled, and how they are used. Accordingly, this chapter gives a technical description of SOC reports so that professionals in the areas of accounting, auditing, and risk management can understand the purpose, application, and value of SOC reports. The authors conclude that as managers put more information on the cloud, SOC reports will fill an important need since they inform managers about risk management issues such as internal controls.
Eco-Friendly, Non-Conventional Approaches for Sustaining Agriculture in an Organic Perspective
Authors: Rathore S. S. , Shekhawat Kapila
Published: May 2022

Increasing use of agro chemicals in crop production for management of different types of biotic stresses has become the serious environmental and health concern. The unmindful use of these chemicals is the reason for increasing greenhouse gas emission, water body pollution, and toxic residue in the food items. There are good agronomic practices that can minimize biotic and also abiotic stresses in crop production, if followed properly. The crop diversification, balanced use of plant nutrition, protecting the friendly bio agents naturally occurring in the crop field are some of the effective non-chemical methods for pest management. Herbicides increasingly provide a suitable shift for the weed control function of tillage, but the overall effective strategy is to adopt good crop husbandry. The refinement of the seeding and crop establishment methods and standardization of conservation agriculture practices will make such systems progressively striking economic alternates for non-chemical pest management.
Role of Protected Cultivation as Green Technology for Sustainable Environment
Authors: Singh Awani Kumar , Sabir Naved
Published: May 2022

In India, the field of protected cultivation is still evolving. Methods of more efficient input application and protection technology are being devised. Low-cost protected technology like plastic low tunnels or walk in tunnels can be used for off-season vegetable cultivation for getting high returns. Similarly, insect-proof net houses can be used on a large scale for safe vegetable cultivation to minimize use of pesticides in vegetable cultivation and virus-free crop production. More eco-friendly plastics are being produced for making the processes more efficient. As a result, protected cultivation could bring prosperity to horticultural crop growers in hilly and plateau regions of India and ensure nutritional security for everyone.
Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming
Authors: Vara Saritha , Dwarapureddi Bhavya Kavitha , Dash Swathi
Published: May 2022

It is perceived that contemporary agricultural practices are impairing natural nutrient cycling, leading to unsustainable soils. The effects include loss of nutrients from the soil and loss due to erosion. Significant public concern has been raised during the last decade over the products from conventional agriculture. Researchers, governments, farmers, and people are constantly in search of healthier methods for producing food. Organic farming has been gaining attention in these lines as it is perceived to be good for the health of humans and the environment along with providing quality produce. Organic farming still has to emerge from the substantial challenges it is facing towards becoming a prime source for food and fiber in the long term. The chapter aims to identify the challenges of organic farming and review the available techniques towards transforming current farming methods to organic farming, making them resilient along with protecting the environment and human health.
Scenario of Climate Change on Potato Instects
Authors: Bhatnagar Anuj , Dua V. K. , Singh B. P.
Published: May 2022

Climate change is not very well understood including how these changes will affect potato crop, insect, disease, natural enemies, and the complex relationship among them. If the climate is warmer, will it increase yield offset losses to pests or will losses to pests outweigh yield advantage from warmer temperatures? It is likely that new insect pests of potato will stabilize in narrower areas and be able attack plants in new regions. It is likely that plants in some regions will be attacked more frequently by certain pests. This chapter explores the effect of climate change on potato insects in India.
Academic Integrity and the Inclusion of East Asian International Students in Canadian Higher Education
Authors: Kang Phoebe Eunkyung
Published: May 2022

This chapter discusses academic integrity issues affecting East Asian international students in Canadian higher education contexts and further highlights the importance of addressing academic integrity issues to improve the inclusion of East Asian international students. The student body has shifted with the increasing number of international students in Canadian higher education contexts and the number of East Asian international students plays a significant role with the shift. East Asian international students bring in their unique cultural backgrounds to the teaching and learning environments in the Canadian higher education landscape. This chapter draws on the autoethnographic approach to discuss the persistence of the academic integrity issues East Asian international students have been facing. The chapter further makes practical and future research recommendations from a transnational educator's perspective.
Keys to Understanding the Writing Development of Emergent Bilingual Students
Authors: Linan-Thompson Sylvia , Meline McKenzie
Published: May 2022

Writing is an increasingly important component of classroom instruction and an essential tool for learning, including language learning, yet little is known about the English writing development of emergent bilingual students with and without disabilities. Research in this area has previously focused on spelling and the role of cross-linguistic transfer. While knowledge in these areas is useful to the field, research that examines higher level writing skills and identifies evidence-based practices is still needed. This chapter uses an additive approach to examine the role of cross-linguistic transfer in the writing development of emergent bilingual students with and without disabilities to provide teachers with needed guidance.
Meeting the Needs of All Learners
Authors: Soto Lorena Isabel , Cáceres Angelina , Rodrigues Miquéias
Published: May 2022

It is important for teachers to have at their disposal teaching methodologies that embrace all the students who become part of a class. Chilean undergraduate students of English pedagogy programs do not necessarily possess these requisites which are mandatory due to the current laws that go in favour of students with special educational needs. From this basis, the English pedagogy program at Universidad Mayor has designed a program to fulfil this need, meet national standards, and ensure access to fair and dignified education with opportunities for each student. This chapter offers a detailed description of the process, from design to implementation, to the assessment of a course meant to provide pre-service teachers with the knowledge and teaching strategies for the inclusion of school children with special educational needs commonly present in Chilean classrooms.
Mass Masstige Index
Authors: Rodrigues Paula , Borges Ana Pinto , Ramos Paulo , Vieira Elvira , Correia Catarina Alexandra
Published: May 2022

This work intends to obtain for the first time one mass masstige index for wine brands and analyze the importance of that index in the restaurants' communications. The authors used quantitative research, and information was obtained through a convenience sample of 196 masstige wine brands. The mass masstige index was obtained for a set of wine brands of several countries. The results show that the masstige wine brand index can benefit gastronomic restaurants by having masstige wine brands recognized as top-of-mind brands by tourists. This research fulfills a gap in the tourism literature applying for the first time the masstige theory in wine brands and obtaining a mass masstige index for a set of wine masstige brands. The provider of masstige wine brands in gastronomic restaurants must continue to bet on communication strategies with masstige wine brands as a way to create strong consumer-brand relationships.
Cross-Border Cooperation of the EU, EEU, and China
Authors: Yevchenko Natalia , Wang Xiaohan
Published: May 2022

The EU-EEU-PRC generate about a third of the world's foreign trade and ensure the functioning of the largest logistics routes in the Eurasian mega-system. The chapter reveals trends in bilateral foreign trade in 2010-2020. China increased the volume of foreign trade to the EU and the EEU in 2015-2020: China increased exports to the EU (+ US$ 100 billion annually), while imports from the EU increased by US$ 60 billion annually; the EU reduced exports to the EEU by US$ 44.4 billion, imports from the EEU by US$ 121.2 billion. Foreign investors are cautious in expanding fixed asset investments to the EEU; however, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are attractive for foreign investors. The chapter lists China's lagers international projects of the Belt and Road Initiative, analyzes the processes of their institutional support, highlighting the infrastructure and technology cooperation projects, identifies key China and EEU Member States cooperation projects.
Human Trafficking and Crimes in the Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh
Authors: Ahmad Mokbul Morshed , Nusrat Robaiya
Published: May 2022

The Rohingya refugee camps in Southern Bangladesh are facing a rapid rise in serious organized crimes across the Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh)/Rakhine (Myanmar) border. The recent uprise and demonstrations following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar are indulging development of greater cooperation between armed groups and state/non-state actors in Myanmar. If it continues, there are wider attendant risks of a deterioration in instability. These largely stem from conditions inside the camps and experiences of host communities around the camps. The humanitarian response has saved many lives, but the situation is still fragile as the Rohingyas remain extremely vulnerable socially, economically, and environmentally. Few primary issues spurring from the camps are due to lack of legitimate forms of employment for Rohingyas, coined with rising levels of violence (including sexual and gender-based violence) where lives of women and girls are monetized to traffickers across borders. Men and boys are also victims of both human and drugs trafficking.
Disproportional Influence and Vulnerability Infringement in Human Trafficking
Authors: Essien Essien D.
Published: May 2022

Human trafficking occurs within the context of widespread objectification and commodification of persons as “products” in economies in which they have little power and sometimes few options for self-determination and self-sufficiency. In both labor and sex trafficking, there is a power imbalance where the trafficker possesses the economic power to treat the trafficked as a commodity and also takes control of all the profits. In the transaction, it is obvious that there is no element of consent, voluntariness, pleasure, or personal desire of the victim. This explains why trafficking in human beings is a ruthless, cynical, and multi-layered form of exploitation where traffickers profits by victimization and make turnover from the adversities, distress, and vulnerability of the trafficked persons. This unscrupulous business practice is such an intricate problem embedded majorly in poverty, marginalization, and ideas of subordination. Human trafficking has legitimized a brand-new element into capitalism which has supplemented slavery, status inequality, and disrespect to human dignity.
Oath-Taking and the Role of African Traditional Religion in Human Trafficking
Authors: Muazu Rahina
Published: May 2022

There is relatively little empirical research into the supernatural enforcement of an agreement between two parties through the swearing of ritual oaths before a deity that belongs to the African traditional religion cosmology. An emerging but vibrant body of qualitative work has explored different aspects of ritual oath-taking as a method of control used by certain traffickers to keep their victims in perpetual bondage. Employing the epistemological sources of tradition, reason, experience, and community's interpenetration and interpretation, this study demonstrates that traffickers are simply utilizing commonly held beliefs and practices within ATR to exploit their victims and encourage human trafficking. Findings reveal that despite the current trends toward civilization, globalism, and modernity, the role of the spiritual realm in human affairs (human trafficking) bound with the high place given to ritual and symbolism remains critical in trafficking enterprise in the African worldview, regardless of the religious affiliation.
Trafficking in Women as a Type of Underground Economy
Authors: Kalaycı İrfan
Published: May 2022

The subject and purpose of this study is to examine the trafficking in women, which is a component of the underground economy as a historical criminal activity, with its general causes, effects, and Turkey dimension. By its very nature, trafficking in women is done secretly from the state, and the state tries to control it. With the global COVID-19 pandemic, trafficking in women has not changed shape, but it continues to exist as a severe socio-economic problem all over the world. Turkey, which is integrated with the contemporary capitalist system, which is intertwined with underground economic activities, is not a country where women's trafficking is intense, but it has been a route in the Afro-Eurasian geography since she became a migration center. Trafficking in women revolves on four wheels (human rights violation, sexual exploitation, glocalization, and the sex sector). Turkey and other states have to implement both the UN's global standard struggle programs and various national economic policies in order to stop these wheels.
Ethical Implications of the Logic of Economic Gain Devoid of Respect for Human Dignity
Authors: Essien Essien D.
Published: May 2022

Global discourse and action on human trafficking clearly depict it as being incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person. This is premised on the fact that conditions that permit human trafficking also condone labour and sexual exploitation, tolerate unregulated and unscrupulous business practices, and maintain status inequalities and marginalization against persons being trafficked. Human trafficking is today characterized by the exploitation of vulnerable people and is a violation of their basic human right to autonomy and freedom. This lends credence to why human trafficking has been referred to as “modern slavery.” The existence of human trafficking in contemporary societies underscores society's ongoing struggle to secure equality and human rights for all its members. Drawing upon an extensive seminal and contemporary research as well as existing literature on human trafficking, this chapter examines the phenomenon vis-a-vis the logic of economic gain devoid of respect for human dignity using Biderman's theory of coercion.
Ethical Issues in Trafficking in Person
Authors: Olusanya Asaolu Samuel
Published: May 2022

The problem of human trafficking, although not a new phenomenon, has attracted the increasing interest of well-meaning individuals from numerous international bodies, non-governmental organizations, media, and academia and has been the subject of reinforced legislation designed to combat the misdemeanor. This study examines the moral issues of this transgression which has assumed an indispensable proportion in the battle against the phenomenon. Human trafficking is indeed a complex, multi-faceted, and shameful crime, affecting the lives of millions of people and robbing them of their dignity with no solution at sight. Employing content analysis and descriptive methodology, this study demonstrates that society's most vulnerable members burdened by disabilities, discrimination, and poverty continued to be preyed upon by traffickers. Findings revealed that the world today operates on deeply drawn lines that separate humans from the subhuman world, and in such a way that human principles are now threatened by inhumane practices.
Adopting the Internet and New Geographies for Trafficking in Persons
Authors: Igwe VicMartins , Ekong Gabriel
Published: May 2022

The emergence of the internet as an international technological communication tool is one of the most significant developments in the 21st-century digital landscape. But behind this achievement is the question of ethics, values, and norms that transcends borders, creating a variety of challenges in today's interconnected society. This explains why internet technology has broadened the geographical scope of human trafficking and traffickers´ operations. Today, the internet helps traffickers to operate across borders and in multiple locations, while physically exploiting the victims. Internet technologies also play a critical role in the exploitation, illusion, and deception, as well as trafficking under false pretenses. Against this backdrop, traffickers have learned to adapt their strategies to effectively target specific victims, by actively ‘hunting' those who are vulnerable to falling victim to trafficking. The study demonstrates that patterns of exploitation have been transformed by digital platforms, such as webcams and livestreams, to create new forms of exploitation.
Fostering Culturally Affirming College and Career Readiness
Authors: Xiong Maiko , Dossetti Allison Jew
Published: May 2022

Career and college readiness interventions have been associated with numerous benefits for students. This chapter presents a case study of a developmental, comprehensive, culturally responsive career and college readiness unit. This chapter aims to demonstrate how one school counselor implemented a college and career readiness intervention through a culturally responsive lens, generating insights that potentially benefit comprehensive school counseling programming. Implications for K–12 school counselors to foster culturally responsive career and college readiness by using data to inform decisions, ensuring students at all grade levels are exposed to career awareness and exploration by using a tiered systems approach and developing a culturally affirming college culture, are discussed.
Counselor Education Pedagogy for Affirmative and Inclusive School Counselors
Authors: Fleitas Karli M. , Staton A. Renee , Shepard Charles F.
Published: May 2022

Statistics concerning the high prevalence of discrimination, suicidal ideation, and feelings of hopelessness among LGBTQIA+ youth are a major concern in schools. This chapter provides counselor educators with foundational information and recommendations for training school counseling graduate students to provide affirmative LGBTQIA+ youth services. By highlighting two main components of intentional educational processes and inclusive educational content, this chapter provides strategies and ideas for each CACREP core area in relation to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Ethical Standards. Recommendations are provided and are intentionally designed to be inclusive and equity-oriented to decenter heteronormative and gender-normative views in counselor training while emphasizing the primacy of social justice and advocacy.
Gamification in Physical Education Through the Popular Games of Don Quijote de la Mancha to Improve Affective Domain and Social Interactions
Authors: Gil-Madrona Pedro , López Pedro José Carrillo , Martín Iván Puebla , Martínez Antonio Morcillo
Published: May 2022

Gamification in the educational context is currently a reality despite the absence of empirical studies that support its application. Therefore, the objective is to analyze the affective domain and the social interactions produced in Physical Education students after a gamified didactic unit of popular and traditional games. A descriptive and quantitative causal-experimental research was designed. The instrument used to assess the affective domain was the PANAS scale (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and the CLASS scale (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) to assess social interactions. From the analysis of the results, it has been shown that gamification promotes the development of positive affections as opposed to negative ones and produces an improvement in the quality of the level of social interactions. Therefore, it is concluded that gamification in Physical Education develops social interactions in a positive learning context.
Teaching and Learning Strategies for Motor Games and Play in Outdoor Environments
Authors: Fjørtoft Ingunn , Larsen Robert
Published: May 2022

Several studies have shown the value of outdoor environments for children's development in different ways: developing motor skills, more harmonious and imaginative play, improving quality of playing and perception of landscapes. This chapter will introduce how different outdoor environments affect children's play activities and motor development. Children interpret landscapes as functions to play and they operationalize the affordances as an awareness of the environments and their functional meaning into action. The methodological approach to outdoor motor play will be based on a Dynamic Systems Approach, the Theory of Affordances, and the Typology of Place. These approaches will introduce the outdoor environment as a context for learning, affording children different challenges to be explored through problem solving and experiential learning. Stimulating fundamental motor skills in early years will be the basic approach using theories that support these perspectives.
Democracy, Affective Atmospheres, and Physical Education
Authors: Garcia-Puchades Wenceslao , Serrano Lombardía Francisco
Published: May 2022

Democratic education in Physical Education classes has traditionally focused on conveying to students the knowledge of how to be a good citizen and has disregarded its affective dimension. Based on the pedagogy of ignorance and the concept of affective atmospheres, the following text describes and evaluates a teaching activity involving juggling balls as a way of enabling students to experience democratic affects. Analysis of the teacher's field diary and of students' self-assessment questionnaires reveals the existence of four affective figures among the students: the committed, the sceptical, the traditional, and the passive. These should be understood as four poles in a topological space, within which various forms of discourse on the orientations of students' actions when carrying out a democratic experience can be positioned. The text recognises the affective force of democracy and addresses the question of how democratic education can be implemented in Physical Education classes through different forms of content without being addressed explicitly.
Engaging in Physical Education
Authors: Giuriato Matteo
Published: May 2022

Physical activity in school is also called Physical Education. PE is different from other school disciplines and differs from school to school. One of the essential parts of this discipline is to maintain a moderate to high intensity and attention. To make it possible, an adequate level of engagement and enjoyment during the lessons is necessary. This chapter aims to understand the mechanics that could influence the engagement during the hours of physical education to improve the engagement (physical and mental) during the academic years.
Reasons to Instruct Teachers on the Use of Motor Games for Learning Purposes
Authors: Serrano-Simarro Vanesa , Sáez-Sánchez María Belén , Gil-García María Isabel , Pérez-Segura José Jaime
Published: May 2022

This chapter addresses the use of play-based learning as a means to boost meaningful learning. This work aims to provide reasons to back up the suitability of motor games as a pedagogical resource in early childhood education. By this means, the authors aspire to help teaching students and actual teachers to become aware of the importance of getting familiar with the pedagogical basis of motor games in order to apply them effectively from the early education stages. A systematic review has been performed to tackle this objective, and it has revealed cognitive, linguistic, physical, and socio-affective benefits of implementing games for instructive purposes. Apart from that, both teachers and university teaching students have completed a survey to measure their opinion on this issue, and the results show that they regard motor games as powerful pedagogical tools.
Museums in a Changing Context
Authors: Tregua Marco , López-Gúzman Tomás , Bifulco Francesco
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this chapter is to track back the recent evolutions in the domain of museum management, as well as the upcoming changes. The factors shaping change will most likely affect the decisions and the activities of the key entities in museums context in the coming years. Technological innovations, changes in society, the growing and different requests from the audience, and the managerialization process—besides still ongoing—of some entities of the museum domain are among the engines of the ongoing evolution. This evolution is commonly recalled by the pivotal international institutions, and the ongoing change can be observed in the dissemination activities of these institutions, in the promotion they made, as well as in the contents of the recently issued reports, and in their indications that stimulate the debate between museum companies themselves and the world of research.
Reviewing Literature on Museum Service Quality
Authors: Melia Monia , Ilario Antonio
Published: May 2022

This chapter addresses an issue that has received scant and scattered attention in the literature so far. It is based on a focused literature review to define the state of service quality research in the museum context. Specifically, it aims to develop a better understand of what we know about museum service quality and to define a comprehensive framework for its design. The literature review reveals that the museum context, collections, and exhibitions, as well as people and peripheral aspects, are all fundamentals to ensuring a high level of service quality. The study supports practitioners in developing an integrative view on service quality based not only on what a museum has, but also on what it does, who does it, how, and how well.
The Museum of Children
Authors: Marone Francesca , Pozzuoli Cesare
Published: May 2022

The Real Casa Santa dell'Annunziata, a monumental complex associated with the historical hospital of the same name, is located in the historic centre of Naples, in the heart of the Forcella district, one of the most degraded and problematic. It is one of the oldest Italian institutions dedicated to childcare, now part of a substantial and little-known cultural heritage. The specific objective of the chapter is to propose museal strategies for the management and recovery of the memory of this extraordinarily fascinating place. Hence, the idea of enhancing the immense cultural, artistic, and archival heritage, promoting its strategic role as a cultural interdisciplinary perspective, promoting its strategic role as an urban hinge, to provide a plural understanding of it and place it in a future planning of the city is presented.
Measuring health-related quality of life measures in children: lessons from a pilot study
Authors: Abraham Sarah , Edginton Elisabeth , Cottrell David , Tubeuf Sandy
Published: May 2022

There is a debate in the health outcomes literature regarding who the most appropriate respondent is when assessing children’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In some cases, parent-proxy may be the only practical option where children are unable to self-complete an HRQoL questionnaire. However, children’s self-reported values may be preferable because HRQoL is subjective and represents the respondent own perception of health. We collected the youth version of the EQ-5D-3L as part of a feasibility study comparing psychoanalytic child psychotherapy with usual care for children aged 5-11 years with treatment resistant conduct disorders. The questionnaires were completed at baseline and 4-month follow-up by the child via face-to-face researcher administration, and by one parent as a proxy respondent. We present percentages of completion at each time-point and investigate the level of agreement between child and proxy-respondent on the child’s health. About two thirds of children (65.5%) were able to complete the EQ-5D-Y at baseline and 34.4% at follow-up. Children and primary carers were mostly concordant regarding overall child’s health. Parents reported more problems in ‘doing usual activities’ and ‘feeling worried, sad or unhappy’ and fewer problems with ‘pain’ and ‘looking after oneself’ than children did. The reports regarding ‘mobility’ were very similar between children and proxy-respondents. The assessment of quality of life by children using selfreport questionnaires is possible with the help of a face-to-face researcher, providing evidence that children should be asked to self-complete HRQoL questionnaires in trial studies.
Best Practice Recommendations for Geriatric Dysphagia Management with 5 Ws and 1H
Authors: Umay Ebru , Eyigor Sibel , Bahat Gulistan , Halil Meltem , Giray Esra , Unsal Pelin , Unlu Zeliha , Tikiz Canan , Vural Meltem , Cincin Asli Tufan , Bengisu Serkan , Gurcay Eda , Keseroglu Kemal , Aydeniz Banu , Karaca Elif Celik , Karaca Burak , Yalcin Ahmet , Ozsurekci Cemile , Seyidoglu Dilek , Yilmaz Ozlem , Alicura Sibel , Tokgoz Serhat , Selcuk Barin , Sen Ekin Ilke , Karahan Ali Yavuz , Yaliman Ayse , Ozkok Serdar , Ilhan Birkan , Oytun Merve Guner , Ozturk Zeynel Abidin , Akin Sibel , Yavuz Betul , Akaltun Mazlum Serdar , Sari Aylin , Inanir Murat , Bilgilisoy Meral , Çaliskan Zuhal , Saylam Guleser , Ozer Tugce , Eren Yasemin , Bicakli Derya Hopanci , Keskin Dilek , Ulger Zekeriya , Demirhan Aylin , Calik Yalkin , Saka Bulent , Yigman Zeynep Aykin , Ozturk Erhan Arif
Published: May 2022

Background: Dysphagia is a geriatric syndrome. Changes in the whole body that occur with aging also affect swallowing functions and cause presbyphagia. This condition may progress to oropharyngeal and/or esophageal dysphagia in the presence of secondary causes that increase in incidence with aging. However, no study has been published that provides recommendations for use in clinical practice that addresses in detail all aspects of the management of dysphagia in geriatric individuals. This study aimed to answer almost all potential questions and problems in the management of geriatric dysphagia in clinical practice. Methods: A multidisciplinary team created this recommendation guide using the seven-step and three-round modified Delphi method via e-mail. The study included 39 experts from 29 centers in 14 cities.Results: Based on the 5W and 1H method, we developed 216 detailed recommendations for older adults from the perspective of different disciplines dealing with older people. Conclusion: This consensus-based recommendation is a useful guide to address practical clinical questions in the diagnosis, rehabilitation, and follow-up for the management of geriatric dysphagia and also contains detailed commentary on these issues.
The History, Present and Future of the Study of Chinese Logic
Authors: Zhai Jincheng , Liu Yongqiang
Published: May 2022

The study of Chinese logic started as the second wave of Western traditional logic spread through China. Following Sun Yirang’s initial work and Liu Shipei’s development of it, this field was preliminarily established by Hu Shi, Zhang Shizhao and Guo Zhanbo. Since the 1980s, it became commonplace to systematize Chinese logic based on the Western system of logic. Since the 1990s, though, the Chinese academic community has begun to reflect on this research method, which has led to the trend of reverting to Chinese culture and its own logic.
In the Beginning Was Observing
Authors: Katz Sophia
Published: May 2022

The article explores the connection between observing, poetic creation, and sagely perception of reality, as expressed in the writings of the Song dynasty scholar, Shao Yong 邵雍 (1012–1077). Shao, most famous for his fourfold classification of all existing things, claimed that observing things according to structure (li 理) was the most direct path to cultivating the sagely state of mind. In addition to being a thinker, Shao was a prolific poet. His poetry collection, titled Striking the Earth at the Yi River (Yichuan jirangji 伊川擊壤集), contains approximately 1,500 poems written in a distinct poetic style. Basing my inquiry on the Inner Chapters on Observing Things (Guanwu neipian 觀物內篇) and on the Striking the Earth at the Yi River, two authentic works written by Shao, I describe the procedure of the “mirrored observing” (fanguan 反觀) which, as Shao claimed, allows the observer’s mind to comprehend the object of observing in its wholeness. I further concentrate on the connection between observing and poetic writing, and claim that Shao perceived these activities as mutually connected: Writing poetry assists the process of observing, while gradual development of the right perspective in observing results in a more effortless poetic creation. Both observing and poetic writing assist and sustain one’s search for sageliness. For Shao Yong, poetry was not just a medium for expressing one’s ideas, but also a sagely language enabling one to communicate with the ultimate reality, described by the term “Heaven” (tian 天).
Demographic and psychosocial risk factors for adolescent pregnancies among sexually active girls in the slums of Kampala, Uganda
Authors: H Swahn Monica , Culbreth Rachel , Adams Sydney , Kasirye Rogers , Shanley Jenelle
Published: May 2022

Background/Introduction: Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health issue and often linked to adverse health outcomesfor both the mother and child. Youth and adolescents living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda face many environmental and psychosocial adversities, and are at a high risk of experiencing adolescent pregnancy. The goal of this study wasto determine the correlates of adolescent pregnancy among sexually active girls living in the slums of Kampala.

Methods: This study is based on a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2014 on youth and adolescents living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda (n=1,134) who were attending Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in centers. IRB approvals were granted.

Results: In this study, 30.4% of girls reported a pregnancy. Girls who reported a pregnancy were more likely to have less than a primary education, to have lived on the streets, live in a house with more than two rooms, to drink alcohol, to have an STI, and have been raped and use condoms inconsistently, than girls who did not report a pregnancy.

Conclusions: These findings may inform pregnancy prevention interventions among adolescent girls living in Kampala. Interventions may benefit from incorporating alcohol use prevention strategies, particularly for alcohol use during sex.

Keywords: Adolescent pregnancies; sexually active girls; Kampala slums; Uganda.
Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking: a health-risk behaviour among secondary school learners in South Africa
Authors: P L Zwane Nonhlanhla , S Mashau Ntsieni , K Moselakgomo Violet
Published: May 2022

Background: Health-risk behaviours such as tobacco smoking and alcohol are now identified among adolescents in most of the secondary schools of South Africa.

Objective: The study investigated the prevalence of smoking and alcohol use as health risk behaviours among secondary school learners in Thembisile Hani municipality of Mpumalanga province in South Africa.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive research design was used for the study. A simple random sampling was employed in the selection of schools and proportional stratified sampling was used to select learners from each school according to grades. Closed-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from learners in their schools. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0.

Results: Out of 385 learners, 64.4% have drank alcohol whilst 64.7% have smoked cigarette in the school premises. The socio-economic status of many learners such as the employment and income of the family was found to be one of the factors exposing them to alcohol and tobacco use.

Conclusions: There was high prevalence of alcohol use and smoking among learners in secondary schools. Excessive use of alcohol and smoking could affect the health of learners in their late life and therefore community collaboration to curb the problem is crucial.

Keywords: Alcohol consumption; Health-risks; Smoking; Secondary School Learners; Tobacco.
Neurological disorders in Northern Tanzania: A 6-year prospective hospital-based case series
Authors: P Howlett William , J Urasa Sarah , P Maro Venance , W Walker Richard , G Kilonzo Kajiru , J Howlett Patrick , CJ Dekker Marieke
Published: May 2022

Background:The burden of neurological disorders is large and altered by the HIV epidemic.

Objectives: We describe the pattern of neurological disorders and their association with HIV infection in adult patients attending a consultant hospital in Northern Tanzania.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, we collected data on adult neurological referrals over a 6-year period between 2007-13. The odds of HIV infection, across neurological categories adjusted for age and sex, was calculated.

Results: Of 2037 participants, 54.8% were male and 45.2% were female. The median age of participants was 43 years. The results for HIV screening were available for 992/2037 (48.7%) patients, of whom 306 (30.8%) were seropositive. The most frequent neurological disorders were cerebrovascular disease (19.9%), paraplegia (13.6%), and peripheral neuropathies (8%). Taken together CNS infection accounted for 278/2037 (13.6%). The adjusted odds (aOR) of HIV infection was highest amongst infections; brain abscesses (aOR 107, 95% CI 35.1-470.4) and meningitis/encephalitis (aOR 40.1, 95% CI 13.6-172.9), but also raised in cerebrovascular disease, paraplegia, peripheral neuropathies, cranial nerve palsies, seizures, cerebllar disorders, movement disorders, motor neuron disease andheadache.

Conclusion: The main pattern of neurological disorders in Northern Tanzania is presented. The odds of HIV infection was highest in CNS infections and in a wide range of non-communicable neurological disorders.

Keywords: Tanzania; neurological; disorder; neurological disease; hospital; HIV
Dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction among a clinical sample of type 2 diabetes patients in Ghana
Authors: K Abu Emmanuel , O Ofori Amanfo , B Boadi-Kusi Samuel , Ocansey Stephen , K Yankah Richard , Kyei Samuel , Y Awuku Asante
Published: May 2022

Objective: To evaluate dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction among type 2 diabetes patients

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Parameters assessed included meibum expressibility and quality, Schirmer test 1, tear breakup time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, blink rates and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores. Dry eye was diagnosed based on a combination of subjective symptoms, tear function and ocular surface staining.

Results: Prevalence of DED and MGD were 72.3% and 55.3% respectively. Symptomatic dry eye (OSDI scores) was significantly associated with duration of diabetes (rs = 0.11, P = 0.028) and the presence of conjunctival disorders (OR = 2.09, P = 0.002). MGD was a risk factor for DED (OR = 1.99, P = 0.008); ocular surface damage, the presence of eye lid lesions, abnormal Schirmer test and reduced TBUT were significantly associated with MGD, the strongest predictor being ocular surface damage (OR = 3.21, P = 0.001). OSDI scores had no association with the presence of corneal lesions possibly due to reduced corneal sensitivity.

Conclusion: DED and MGD were prevalent among the patients and therefore there is the need for dry eye assessment as a routine clinical management protocol for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: Dry eye disease; meibomian gland dysfunction; type 2 diabetes; Ghana.
Contraceptive acceptability and associated factors among young women (15-24) living with HIV/AIDS: a hospital-based study in Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Wani Muzeyi , Nakigudde Janet , Tendo Nansikombi Hildah , Orishaba Philip , Kalibbala Dennis , N Kalyango Joan , M Kiwuwa Steven
Published: May 2022

Introduction: In Uganda, over 43% of all pregnancies among young women (15-24 years) living with HIV are either unwanted or mistimed. Unintended pregnancies account for 21.3% of neonatal HIV infections. The objective was to determine acceptability of contraceptives and associated factors among young women living with HIV attending HIV clinics inKampala.

Methods: Between February and May 2019, 450 young women attending public HIV clinics (Kisenyi HC IV, Kiswa HC III and Komamboga HC III) in Kampala were systematically enrolled in a cross sectional study and interviewed using structured questionnaires. We used modified Poisson regression to determine the factors associated with acceptability of contraceptive.Data were analyzed using STATA 13.0. Statistical significance was determined at a P values < 0.05.

Results: Contraceptive acceptability was 40.7% (95% CI: 27.6%-53.6%). Older age group (20-24 years) (aPR; 2.42, 95%CI; 1.06-5.52, P = 0.035), age at sex debut ≥ 18 years (aPR;1.25,95%CI; 1.13-1.38, P<0.001), having friend on contraceptives (aPR; 1.90, 95%CI; 1.10 - 3.26; P =0.021) and being married (aPR; 1.20, 95%CI; 1.09 - 1.32, P<0.001) were significantly associated with acceptability of contraceptives.

Conclusion: There is a low acceptability for contraceptives. Younger age group who are not yet married need to be targeted.

Keywords: Contraceptive acceptability; young women; HIV/AIDS; Kampala; Uganda.
CCR5-Δ32 gene variant frequency in the Nigerian and Zimbabwean populations living in North Cyprus
Authors: Chukwuebuka Ndikom Basil , Cerkez Ergoren Mahmut , Sayan Murat , Mocan Gamze , Fahrioğlu Umut
Published: May 2022

Background: The cystine-cystine chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is the primary HIV co-receptor involved in the viral entry process into human cells. The 32 bp deletion variant within the CCR5 gene (CCR5-Δ32) plays a very important role in viral recognition and progression of AIDS.

Objective: The current study was aimed at evaluating the CCR5-Δ32 gene variation frequency in Nigerian and Zimbabwean populations residing in Northern Cyprus.

Methods: A total number of 211 subjects (103 Nigerians and 108 Zimbabweans) were analyzed. Nigerian population was further analyzed with respect to the three major ethnicities: Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba. Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to determine the CCR5-Δ32 gene variant status.

Results: All studied subjects from both sampling groups were homozygous for the CCR5 wild type gene (CCR5–wt), meaning neither heterozygous nor homozygous genotypes of CCR5-Δ32 gene variant were observed.Conclusion: This study observed the absence of CCR5-Δ32 deletion gene in the Nigeria and Zimbabwean populations living in Northern Cyprus. These populations lack the genetic advantage over HIV infection and may also show a rapid progression towards AIDS. Additionally, these populations could impact the local gene frequency as these two populations interact more and more.

Keywords: CCR5-Δ32; HIV; Nigerian; Zimbabwean; CCR5; North Cyprus.
Cassia fistula nutrition rich flower tea derived biotic nanoparticles synthesis, characterization and their antioxidant and anti-hyperglycaemic properties
Authors: Veeramani Chinnadurai , S El Newehy Ahmed , A Alsaif Mohammed , S Al-Numair Khalid
Published: May 2022

Background: Cassia fistula (CF) is a nutrient-rich flowering plant and it has been used to cure numerous human health problems including cardiac diseases, bacterial infection, and inflammation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the production and characterisation of biomimetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ICF) derived from CF flower tea as well as evaluate their antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties.

Methodology: CF tea derived ICF synthesis and characterized by established physical-chemical methods. Moreover, this synthesized ICF were checked for their antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties such as alpha-amylase, glucose intake, total antioxidant (TAA), ferrous reducing (FA), and radical scavenging (DPPH) properties.

Results: The synthesized ICF characterization and size were confirmed primarily by described physical and chemical methods. Our findings revealed that ICF have a powerful antihyperglycemic mechanism by involving alpha-amylase inhibition and enhanced glucose absorption. Meanwhile, this ICF exhibited distinguished antioxidant competence by improving TAA and free radical scavenging (TAA, DPPH) properties. Finally, this ICF has proven anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant mechanisms due to their presence of nano-sized biomolecules.

Conclusion: In this study, it might be concluded that the CF is the best source for iron oxide nanoparticles production with clarity, small size and high solidity. Moreover, this nanoparticle has proven in vitro anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant mechanisms.

Keywords: Nanoparticles; drug delivery; iron III chloride; Cassia fistula; glucose mechanism.