bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE LINK BETWEEN STRATEGY ADOPTION AND THE PERFORMANCE OFINSURANCE FIRMS WITHIN MERU COUNTY
Authors: Musoma Elizabeth .W. , Muema Wilson , Moguche Abel
Published: February 2023

The study focused on the link between strategy adoption and performance of insurance firms within Meru County, Kenya.Strategy is the organized and proactive attempt of an organization to set up basic reasons, aims, guidelines and plans. Itentails implementation of complete strategies by putting in to practice guidelines and plans to acquire aims and essentialorganizational function. The study investigated the link between growth strategy, and the performance of insurance firmsin Meru County.The study used correlational study design. A sample of 39 respondents was selected purposively fromthe managers and unit managers of insurance firms in Meru. The study used census study methodology. The study usedprimary data. Descriptive statistics wasused to analyze the data. Logistic regression was used to link the relationshipbetween independent variables and dependent variables to test the hypothesis. Descriptive data was presented infrequency tables, percentages and in figure forms. The study found that growth strategy had a significant relationshipwith the performance of insurance firms. These findings provide help to researchers and students and lays foundation forfurther studies in insurance firms.The study recommends that insurance firms adopt growth strategy and to gaincompetitive advantage.
MARKET INFORMATION FACTORS INFLUENCING MARKET ACCESS BYSMALLHOLDER CEREAL FARMERS IN BUURI SUB-COUNTY
Authors: Ntinyari Salome , Lecturer Clement Nkaabu , Muema Wilson
Published: February 2023

This study aimed at establishing the market information factors that affect market access by smallholder cereal farmersin Buuri Sub-County. A survey of 380 smallholder cereal farmers was carried out in Buuri Sub-County. Access to marketsis a vital requirement for the smallholder farmers to reap the benefits associated with farming. Singh (2012) noted thatany effort on poverty reduction especially in Africa are closely linked to small farms with the livelihood of 2.2 billionpeople still linked to small scale agriculture. Descriptive research was adopted for this study, data was collecting usingwell-structuredand validated questionnaires. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyse thedataset while a logistic regression analysis was conducted.The research established that availability of marketinformation has a significant effect on market access while source and cost of market information did not have an effecton market access. The study recommends that farmers should be sensitized on the use of formal agricultural informationfrom government agricultural officers.
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT MODEL IN WEST JAVA PROVINCE
Authors: Venus Anter , Zein Duddy , Setiaman Agus
Published: February 2023

It is necessary to understand the new understanding of rural communities that should be viewed or understood as capital, power and development potential, thus the implementation of rural development should be directed towards the efforts of development and improvement on the initiative and self-help community. The merge of communicty needs with the interests of the government, it is necessary to have a platform that can accommodate community participation in the implementation of development that has been programmed by the government. The platform of community participation should be able to accommodate and fulfill the aspirations and initiatives of the community, as well as a platform of communication between the community and the government and between the community themselves, so that every effort and community activities can be coordinated as well as possible.  The results show that the optimal role of local community organizations is limited and often constrained on the issue of paternalistic authority, and empowerment through local community organizations is often used politically for the sake of power itself.
AIRPORT CONGESTION AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AT SMALL AIRPORTS IN INDONESIA
Authors: Tamara Dewi , Furinto Asnan , Fahmi Faik , Poerwanti Heny , Safitri Ratih
Published: February 2023

Congestion is a growing trend at major airports in Indonesia, as there is a general sense of what to expect when a hub or home airport begins approaching maximum capacity. Airports increased their capacity, safe and secure operations. Given that airports – which used to be known as local monopolies – now operate in a competitive environment, they now have invested massively in facilities to ensure customer satisfaction. In this research, the researchers aim to study whether airport congestion impacts customer satisfaction at secondary airports in Indonesia. The research will take place at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, known as congested small airports. The utilization rate is exceeding 370% of its planned capacity. The researchers specifically targeted departing international passengers at Terminal A during peak hours (6:00 AM – 8:00 AM) and did secondary research towards those leaving outside the airport’s peak hours (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM). The research approach is a descriptive analysis using questionnaires to 253 respondents (123 peak hour passengers & 130 non-peak hour passengers) to measure their expectations and perceived qualities at the airport. Based on the comprehensive service quality model, SERVQUAL, developed by Parasuraman, Zeithamal, and Berry (1988) and data processing using IBM’s SPSS, the researchers found no significant correlation between departure time and passengers’ perceptions in all five service dimensions. However, the discrepancy (gap) value between expectations and perceptions during non-peak hour departures is higher than that of the airport’s peak hour departures.
EFFECT OF LEVERAGE, INTERNAL FACTORS AND EXTERNAL FACTORS ON FINANCIAL RISK AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE COMPANY
Authors: Tiblola Jordan , Riduwan Budiyanto Akhmad
Published: February 2023

The research objective was to verify and analyze: (1) effect of leverage, internal factors and external factors towards financial risk Local Water Company (LCW) at Papua Province and West Papua Province; (2) effect of leverage, internal factors and external factors towards financial performance Local Water Company (LCW) at Papua Province and West Papua Province; (3) effect of financial risk towards financial performance Local Water Company (LCW) at Papua Province and West Papua Province.

This study took the data of financial statements from Local Water Company (LCW) which in at Papua Province and West Papua Province. In the reporting period December 31, 2011, December 31, 2012, December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2014 (time series). The analysis tool used is SEM (Structural Equation Medelling) using methods PLS (Partial Least Square), the use of this method due to data used for further processing in small quantities that is data for 4 years (2011 – 2014) with the number some Local Water Company (LCW) which in at Papua Province and West Papua Province.

The results of this study can be generalized that leverage and internal factors affect towards financial risk, therefore Hipotesis 1 (H1) and Hipotesis 2 (H2) can be accepted as true. While external factors not affect towards financial risk, therefore Hipotesis 3 (H3) cannot be accepted as true. Leverage, internal factors and external factors affect significant towards financial performance, therefore Hipotesis 4 (H4), Hipotesis 5 (H5) and Hipotesis 6 (H6) can be accepted as true. Financial risk affect significant towards financial performance, therefore Hipotesis 7 (H7) can be accepted as true. Financial risk can act as partial meatation, between leverage and internal factors with financial performance, while financial risk cannot act as partial meatation, between external factors with financial performance.
A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND EMPLOYEE JOB PERFORMANCE AT A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY IN ZAMBIA
Authors: Nakazwe Miya
Published: February 2023

This paper explores to empirically test whether Goleman’s four-domain Emotional Intelligence model would predict job performance at a Multinational company in Zambia. A quantitative correlation research study was conducted determining the degree of relationship between Goleman’s four domain of emotional intelligence and its effect on job performance in employees. The study begun by establishing the extent to which an employee acknowledges Emotional Intelligence skill through the use of a survey instrument. A total 164 subordinates were subjected to complete the questionnaire on Subordinate Emotional Intelligence Evaluation (SEIE). A total of 109 questionnaires among 255 employees (subordinate) were returned. All constructs were measured with existing scales. All items were measured on a seven point Likert-type scale where 1=strongly disagree and 7=strongly agree. Data was submitted to regression, correlation reliability and factor analyses using SPSS 22.0. The participant average age ranged from 30-40 years of age and 44% of participants had work experience of more than five years. Of these 78% were male while 32% were female. Self-awareness, Self-management, Self-motivation and Social skill were the four dimensions of emotional intelligence used to measure emotional intelligence scale and Job performance was used as the dependent variable. From the analysis Self-management, Self-motivation and social skill had‘t’ values of 2.270, 0.175 and 2.283 respectively with the significant p value of 0.025, 0.21, and 0.025 respectively. This evidently indicates that emotional intelligence factors affect an employees’ motivation to perform.
EPISTEMOLOGICAL BENCHMARKS IN THE TEACHER'S ROLE
Authors: Balalis Hila
Published: February 2023

Alongside the importance of OCB and job satisfaction as key organizational behavior components, several demographic variables were found to moderate the relationships between these concepts.
MEASURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LEVEL OF MOBILE BANKING: A STUDY ON INDONESIAN BANK
Authors: Tamara Dewi , Darajat Eddie R. , Ermawati Destri
Published: February 2023

Mobile banking usage in Indonesia increased significantly in the last decade. This research’s objective is to identify factors affecting customer satisfaction level in mobile banking usage and to understand contributing factors in keeping loyalty of mobile banking customers. The sampling is taken from customers of one of Indonesian bank to measure satisfaction based on six dimensions: user-interface design, usefulness, reliability, relative advantage, perception on risk and ease of use. The correlation between overall customer satisfaction and intend to recommend also was reviewed. A survey to collect data from one of Indonesian Banks resulted 297 valid respondents were received. The results support hypotheses on user-interface design, reliability and ease of use, which significantly affect customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction, in turn, have positively related to intend to recommend.
RELATION TO FINANCIAL DISTRESS THROUGH TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATED ENTITIES
Authors: Moghadam Ali Najafi , Farrokhi Mahvash
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between financial distress and transactions with affiliated individuals. In this research financial information of 152 companies accepted in Tehran Stock Exchange during the period of 1391 to 1396 has been investigated. The purpose of this study is applied. In terms of collecting and analyzing data, this research is a descriptive correlation method. From the point of view of information gathering, post-event research is used to analyze the data using descriptive, inferential statistics and multi-variable regression analysis. .

This research has been investigated with two hypotheses by ERW software. In this regard, in the initial implementation of the first model, using the printing statistics and Yasmin, the appropriate regression model model (computational or stationary data with random effects) has been determined and using statistics such as ; The novelty of this and Chou's reliability of variables are investigated. Then, in the second run, the classic regression assumptions model, including the normal distribution of variables, the independence of the distribution of errors, the normal distribution of errors, the heterogeneity of variances and the linear relationship between independent and control variables, have been investigated. Finally, the results of the research show that financial distress through transactions with affiliated persons but the size of the auditor is not relevant to transactions with affiliated persons.
THE HUMAN CAPITAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Abdelli Hanane , Saadaoui Sawssan
Published: February 2023

The human capital constitutes an important factor for the development of the nation’s economy. Recently, Barro, Mankiw and Sala-I-Martin (1995) place the human capital as the vital variable which explains the economic evolution. Hence, the effects of human capital on the economic development became a significant topic in the empirical literature. In this way, the idea of this study is to give a perspective of the theory and the basic approaches of human capital. Then, this paper sets out to review the literature about the relationship between human capital and economic development.
IMPACT OF PACKAGING TO CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ON INCENSE PRODUCT IN INDONESIA
Authors: Tamara Dewi , Kaori Ni Kadek Winie , Muljadi Sewaka Kosasih , Kusumajaya Renaldy
Published: February 2023

This study was done to establish the correlation between packaging and consumer’s buying behavior. The main purpose of this research is to find out the determining factors that affect the success of a brand. This research also indicates and count in the factors between the dependent and independent variables. This is the primary research and data has been collected through questionnaire and for analysis purpose SPSS software has been used. Researchers have collected and analyze 175 data from respondents to test the reliability of the model. The conclusion of the finding in this research is that packaging is one of the determining factors of branding and could be the make-or-break factors for customers to decide whether they would purchase a product. Each element is of utmost importance to be observed; namely colors, packaging materials, and design.
DIGITAL MARKETING AS A KEY STRATEGY TO SUPPORT FOOD INDUSTRY GROWTH: CASE OF PT. DFZ, INDONESIA
Authors: Tamara Dewi , Hikmat F Ajie , Leonard Anthony
Published: February 2023

Digital marketing has an important role to support Food Industry in the digital where internet is one of important things that customer use to looking their needs. This paper has objective to determine the impact of Digital Marketing as one of key strategy to increase the sales for the products of PT. DFZ. The research methodology will be using the method of exploratory (qualitative) research and descriptive (quantitative) research. The information will be conducted through primary and secondary data. The primary data sample will be conducted based on interview and surveys from DFZ Management, related Head of Department, and customers. The secondary data will be collected through data based on the analysis that had been conducted previously. The data that has been collected will be analysed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Multiple Regression Analysis. The Result of the research shows that brand image have positive significant effect with the dependent variable, and purchase intention and customer referral have negative significant effect with the dependent variable.
CURRENT TRENDS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN UKRAINE
Authors: Seleznova Olha , Azhaman Iryna , Yevdokimova Olha
Published: February 2023

Research and systematization of literary sources proves that at a time of an increased turbulence of the economies of the countries, significant influence of information and globalization, there is need to place the spiritual, intangible aspects of human life, valued by the consumer of the construction market, in the center of attention of the construction company. This is manifested in a more creative and innovative way of problem solving, an individual approach to order fulfillment, and a focus on building mutually beneficial relationships with target and other contact audiences. The aim of the study is to substantiate the current provisions for the management of marketing activities of construction enterprises in Ukraine. The modern marketing tendencies in developed countries are: orientation to holistic marketing that combines internal marketing, socially responsible marketing, integrated marketing and relations marketing; expansion of the marketing complex to ten elements (product, place, price, promotion, public opinion, political power, people, process, physical environment, personal emotions). The authors substantiate the use of marketing strategies for Ukrainian construction enterprises in times of uncertainty and fluctuation of the economy, such as: full provision of the target segment of consumers with necessary construction products, works, services; search for opportunities to increase your marketing budget and get rid of inefficient programs. Therefore, the central place in the management of marketing activity of Ukrainian construction enterprises takes a triad of goals, namely: reflection of the values of society, satisfaction of the needs of buyers and ensuring the profitability of the enterprise. Triad of goals forms the practical value of the paper as strategic targets for the management of Ukrainian construction enterprise.
Modernization of the Content of the Lecture Course in Physics for Training Future Agricultural Engineers
Authors: Beloev Ivan , Vasileva Valentina , Shynkaruk Vasyl , Bulgakova Oksana , Bondar Maria , Zbaravska Lesia , Slobodian Sergii
Published: February 2023

The article analyzes the theoretical provisions that form the basis of the concept of teaching physics to students of agricultural and technical educational institutions during lectures. The integrative connections of the fundamental and professional orientation of teaching physics to the students of the agro-technical educational institution during the lectures are established and the tested method of their carrying out is described. The basic methods of realization of professional orientation of teaching physics on lecture forms of employment of students of agrarian-technical educational institutions are opened. The basic ways of increase of professional knowledge of students at studying of a course of physics are defined. It is proved that the use of professionally oriented material contributes to the formation of a system of physical knowledge of students, as well as the acquisition of various practical skills and abilities. The introduction of professional competence in the educational process stimulates cognitive interest in the study of physics as a science, allows better learning of other disciplines of the natural science cycle, develop their cognitive and creative abilities, influence the formation of stable motives for acquiring knowledge in special disciplines.
Work-life balance for aspiring clinical psychologists: Topics from reflective practice sessions
Authors: Demetri Christina , Saidel Simone , Ingall Florence , Hefferman-Clarke Rebecca , Armstrong James , Kramarz Emilia , Jones Eleanor , Fialho Carolina , Caglar Firat Deniz , Gezehagn Eden , Riches Simon
Published: February 2023

Work-life balance is vital in clinical psychology, especially in early career stages. In reflective practice sessions, ten aspiring clinical psychologists raised topics of financial constraints, employment insecurities, time commitment, industry competitiveness, guilt, risk of burnout, and lack of self-care.
Analysis of Disease Parameters in Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever versus Classic Dengue Fever Patients
Authors: Shahzad Fatima , Awan Ayesha , Ali Abid , Mehmood Dar Waqar , Irshad Nimra , -ur-Rehman Farooqi Zia
Published: February 2023

Dengue fever (DF) is mosquito born disease infecting 390 million individuals globally. It may present with several classical DF, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or Dengue shock syndrome. Clinical symptoms included headache, fever, bone pain or some time flue like symptoms. It is commonly diagnosed by serological detection of IgM, NS1 antigen in patients’s serum. The disease progression and management is monitored by a simple complete blood picture test. This hematological test is readily available at all health care facilities. This study was designed to investigate the differentiation of hematological parameters in DF and DHF. This was a retrospective cross sectional study, performed on 158 patients. The data was collected from the Allied Laboratory Lahore, Pakistan between March 2020 to February 2022. Demographic and clinical data was analysed by SPSS V.26. Data suggest that the dengue infection was more common in active age group i.e.15-30 years of age. The data showed significance difference between of the hematological parameters in both groups (P value less than 0.05). The group comparison of hematological parameters showed TLC (DF: Mean=4.25, DHF: Mean=3.21), RBC count (DF:DHF, Mean=5.66:6.68), Platelets count (DF:DHF, Mean=129.31: 84.39) and Hb levels (DF:DHF, Mean=13.08: 14.27) and HCT (DF:DHF, Mean=51.08: 59.27). Results showed that in DHF, malfunction in intrinsic coagulation pathway is observed. DF patients might have no bleeding while DHF can have no shock or shock, resulting in DSS. The study concludes that these laboratory findings help in efficient understanding of clinical picture of dengue fever and in early identification of the disease in narrow resources areas. The development and implementation of sustainable preventive and control strategies that will reverse the trend of emerging dengue hemorrhagic fever is a serious problem for public health experts in Pakistan and the world at large.
Comparative Assessment of Serum Biochemical Markers from Cattle and Buffaloes Vaccinated with Three Different Oil Adjuvant Vaccines of Hemorrhagic Septicemia from Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Afroz Hina , Sattar Sumiyya , Aziz Asma , Zamir Bushra , Umar Zafar Khan Muhammad , Hussain Sajjad , Muhammad Waqar Ahmad Hafiz
Published: February 2023

Haemorrahgic Septiceamia (H.S) is a deadly, sub-acute livestock disease of cattle and buffalo in Southeast Asia including Pakistan. A whopping 98% case fatality rate renders vaccination a mandatory prophylactic control measure to counter HS. Very little information is available on serum biochemical profile of the HS vaccinated animals. This study was conducted to investigate the serum biochemistry of the vaccinated cattle and buffalo calves and adults alike. Three different experimental oil adjuvant vaccines were produced for Pasturella multocida serotype B:2 (locally prevalent). N=80 healthy cattle and buffalo (calves and adults) were divided into four groups. Each group consisted of 20 animals (10 calves and 10 adults). Group A was injected with vaccine prepared with Montanide ISA-50; Group B with vaccine prepared from Montanide ISA-206 while Group C with a vaccine produced from Liquid paraffin and Lanolin. Group D animals served as non-immunized control. Blood samples were collected from each animal at zero-day, after booster at 90 days, and then every quarter for one year. Twelve biochemical parameters were assessed by ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis Test. Post hoc multiple comparisons were done for glucose levels. It was concluded that vaccinating both cattle and buffalo calves and adults with H.S. vaccine formulated with three different adjuvants did not have a statistically significant effect on serum biochemistry of vaccinated animals compared to controls.
The Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism in Historical and Cultural Ancient Cities from The Perspective of Low-carbon Economy
Authors: Yang Qin
Published: February 2023

The integration of culture and tourism has become an important development direction for many historical and cultural ancient cities. At the same time, developing a low-carbon economy has become a global trend. This article discusses the path of cultural and tourism integrated development in historical and cultural ancient cities from the perspective of a low-carbon economy based on four aspects: resource allocation, development model development, integration mode and level of integration. Research methods include a literature review and field survey, and a case study of the ancient city of Shaoxing on history and culture.
Trade Liberalization and Regional Wage Dynamics: Evidence from China’s WTO Accession
Authors: Xiao Qin
Published: February 2023

This paper aims to make an in-depth and systematic study on the relationship between international trade and labor force handholding length. The research purposes mainly include the following aspects: First of all, this paper deeply summarizes and discusses various impact mechanisms of international trade on the labor market, laying a corresponding theoretical foundation for empirical research. Secondly, this paper constructs an econometric model of the impact of trade liberalization on the labor market, and uses China's trade, labor and other relevant data to quantify the impact of different technologies on the labor force in China's industrial industries. This paper focuses on the challenges existing in China's economic development, studies and discusses how the regional labor market is affected by the impact of trade liberalization from a dynamic perspective, as well as the differences in the impact in different regions. Finally, relevant policy suggestions are put forward for China's overall trade strategy choice, China's labor market development policy.
Comparative Study on The Business Models of the Chinese and British Football Super League
Authors: Yin Ziming
Published: February 2023

As one of the top football leagues in the world, the Premier League's business model is established according to the operation and management of modern enterprises. China's professional football league was officially launched in 1993, and its business model is still relatively low. Through a comparative study of the business models of the Chinese and British Premier League, it is found that the maturity of the Premier League's business model is inseparable from its nearly 100-year football professionalization process. The British Premier League has much autonomy in the management of the league. It is a monopoly organization with clear property rights over the league and strong independence in operation and management. At the same time, the league’s profits mainly come from high TV broadcast income and considerable advertising and sponsorship income. The entire business model of the Premier League has a side worthy of our country's learning and reference. The Chinese Football Association should minimize its intervention in the Chinese Super League, especially in commercial operations, and give full play to the market's regulatory role. At the same time, the Chinese Football Association should also imitate the management mechanism of the English Football Association, reduce administrative intervention in the Chinese Super League in terms of functions, and shift the focus of work from the overall management of the Chinese Super League to the construction of Chinese national teams and football echelons at all levels. Gradually fade out of the overall control of the Chinese Super League.
Research on China's Interregional Trade in Value-Added from the Perspective of Value Chain
Authors: Ma Runqing
Published: February 2023

The statistical accounting of international trade is often based on the gross value method of customs data. With the maturity of the global value chain, the international division of labor is becoming more specialized, and the trade of intermediate products is becoming more frequent. The gap between the statistical results of the traditional gross value trade accounting method and the real trade situation is widening. This paper uses the value-added trade statistical model and China's interregional input-output data to calculate the value-added trade volume of China's eight regions in 2002, 2007 and 2010, compares it with traditional statistical methods, and establishes an empirical model with value-added trade as the explanatory variable. The study found that the gross trade statistics method would distort the trade volume and exaggerate the degree of trade imbalance; Trade scale, R&D investment, fixed asset investment, employment scale and other factors will significantly affect the scale of value-added trade.
Astronomy for Educators
Authors: Barth Daniel
Published: February 2023

Astronomy for Educators provides new and accomplished K-12 instructors with concepts and projects for low-cost, high-impact STEM classroom instruction that is built around the National Academies National Research Council's K-12 Framework for Science Education.
Actividad microbiológica como indicador de calidad en suelos arenosos de playas del municipio Puerto Cabello, estado Carabobo
Authors: Albujar Joselin , Armado Arnaldo
Published: February 2023

Los ecosistemas costeros son afectados por procesos de degradación debido a diversas actividades antropogénicas. Se hace necesario evaluar estos procesos degradativos para establecer relaciones causa-efecto que permitan desarrollar métodos de restauración, mantenimiento y mejora de la calidad del suelo en dichos ecosistemas.  La actividad microbiológica es uno de los parámetros más afectados por la actividad antropogénica.  Por esta razón, se planteó como objetivo evaluar la actividad microbiológica y biomasa microbiana, además de parámetros fisicoquímicos en suelos de las playas El Palito, Waikiki y Blanca del municipio Puerto Cabello, estado Carabobo.  La actividad microbiológica se estimó a través de la determinación de la respiración basal (RB) y el carbono de la biomasa (Cbiomasa) por el método de fumigación-incubación. Los parámetros microbiológicos resultaron sensibles a los cambios estacionales y constituyen las dos variables que definen el sistema, con un 99 % de varianza, según el análisis de componentes principales.  Tanto la RB como el Cbiomasa se correlacionaron negativamente con el pH,  mientras que el Cbiomasa se correlacionó positivamente con la materia orgánica y la RB.  Finalmente, se concluye que los indicadores evaluados son sensibles a los cambios en la dinámica de  los suelos arenosos en el área de estudio.
Simulación de falla por contacto rodante de un tambor rotativo en una empresa petroquímica
Authors: Peña Fendix , Romero Jorge
Published: February 2023

El propósito de esta investigación fue la de desarrollar la simulación de falla por contacto rodante entre la llanta y rodillo de un tambor rotativo perteneciente a una planta petroquímica, con la finalidad de determinar la tasa de falla y los factores que influyen en ella. Para ello se estableció una metodología, cuya investigación de campo se efectuó en la planta de granulados NPK del complejo petroquímico Morón, específicamente en el secador rotatorio de dicha planta. En este equipo ocurren fenómenos de fatiga superficial entre la llanta y los rodillos radiales, tales como aparición de grietas, las cuales al cabo de cierto tiempo son necesarias repararlas a fin de garantizar un funcionamiento seguro. El problema de fatiga es común en los tambores rotativos, los cuales están compuestos principalmente por un cilindro que se apoya entre llantas y rodillos que giran entre sí, produciendo un contacto rodante durante su operación, y por ende, un esfuerzo de contacto cíclico. La estimación de la tasa de falla debidas a grietas cuyo origen está ubicado debajo de la superficie de la llanta en un tambor rotativo, fue lograda mediante la simulación por elementos finitos, haciendo uso de ABAQUS, para determinar los esfuerzos de contacto; el uso de la ecuación de Smith Watson and Topper, para estimar la nucleación de grieta; la ecuación de Neuber´s para corrección de esfuerzos y la ecuación general de mecánica de la fractura, en conjunto con la ecuación de N´Pugno, para propagación de grietas. Finalmente se concluye que a mayor esfuerzo de contacto, la tasa de falla por contacto rodante es mayor. Estos esfuerzos de contacto se ven incrementado por el cruce que se hace en los rodillos radiales durante su alineación y por los problemas relacionados con la llanta, tales como bamboleo, desgaste de las paredes laterales, desgaste de la superficie y deformación de la llanta.
The Influence of Faculty Members’ Educational Attainment on the Performance in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) among State Universities and Colleges in the Philippines
Authors: Balanquit Elizabeth P. , Ladia Maria Agnes P. , Nool Nelvin R.
Published: February 2023

This quantitative study employed descriptive-correlational research design to analyze the influence of faculty members’ educational attainment on the performance in the licensure examination for teachers (LET) among 112 state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines. Results showed that almost half of the faculty members are bachelor’s degree holders, about two-fifths of them have master’s degree, and more than one-tenth are doctoral degree holders. The SUCs had an overall passing percentage higher as well as majority of the SUCs performed higher than the national passing rate. There is a significant inverse relationship between the educational attainment of faculty with bachelor’s degree and LET performance, in which higher proportion of faculty members with bachelor’s degree tends to result to a lower passing percentage. In contrast, the educational attainment of faculty with doctoral degree has significant direct relationship to LET performance, in which higher proportion of doctoral degree holders likely results to higher passing rate in the LET. However, the educational attainment of teaching staff with master’s degree does not significantly correlate with LET performance, hence it does not significantly influence LET performance. When the three categories of educational attainment are taken as independent variables, only doctoral degree significantly influences LET performance. Implications of the findings on faculty hiring and training are also discussed to continuously improve LET performance.
Identifying the Subanens among the Lumads: A Case Study on Subaben Culture in the Philippines
Authors: Sebrero Dirb Boy O
Published: February 2023

The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 codified the use of Indigenous Peoples as reference to the ethnic minorities of the Philippines. Government officials and volunteers from the non-governmental organizations [NGOs], and the academic institutions, however, use the term Lumad as a reference to all ethnic minorities in Mindanao that share no common narrative. This paper is a case study exploring the lifestyles, and culture of the Subanens of Guimad, Ozamiz City, and whether they befit the existing Lumad Narratives. The use of term Lumad as reference to the Subanens of Guimad, Ozamiz City and all other ethnic minorities should be evaluated in order to guarantee that the distinct diverse identities, and cultures of these ethnic minorities are not reduced into a common, singular narrative.
MAGNESIUM AS NOVEL TOOL TO DECREASE CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Authors:   , Leenders Nicoline Hendrika Johanna
Published: February 2023

In this thesis, we hypothesize that a relatively low magnesium is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people with CKD and that magnesium ameliorates the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and is a modifiable target in people with CKD. First, we analyze the association of plasma magnesium concentration with clinically relevant (cardiovascular) endpoints in CKD, in a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies in people with CKD. Second, we investigate whether magnesium supplementation can decrease the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease, especially vascular calcification, in the context of CKD, in an animal model of CKD with either a high or normal magnesium diet. Third, we investigate which plasma magnesium concentrations people treated with hemodialysis have and how these are affected by the hemodialysis therapy. Lastly, we set up a trial that investigates how magnesium can be safely increased to optimal levels in people treated with hemodialysis.
The choice of health provider from the patient perspective
Authors:   , Salampessij Benjamin Hendrik
Published: February 2023

In recent years, health care consumers (patients) have increasingly been stimulated to take an active role in the decision-making process for providers (hereafter referred to as patient choice). Patient choice is assumed to increase competition between health care providers due to patients voting with their feet. In patient choice, patients are expected to make tradeoffs between the price and quality of care to selectively choose providers who best fit the patients’ preferences. Patient choice has an instrumental value as it aims at improving the efficiency of health care, at achieving better quality of care and at making health providers more responsive to the needs of patients. Patient choice has also an intrinsic value as it acknowledges the autonomy of patients.

This dissertation aims to contribute to our understanding of current policies regarding patient choice by addressing research questions related to various aspects of patient choice in the context of the Dutch health care system. To answer these questions, we conducted several discrete choice experiments (DCEs) and a mixed methods study, and performed a longitudinal analysis of scores on quality indicators. The research included in this dissertation has been partitioned into the following parts: patient choice in practice (Part I), the price of care (Part II) and the quality of care (Part III).

The conclusions described in this dissertation indicate that, even if patients are in fact willing to become actively involved in patient choice, patients often lack the information on price and quality of care required to make well-informed decisions and effectively exercise choice. Considering the current conditions in practice, we conclude that the underlying assumption of patient choice —i.e. patients select their providers based on information regarding the price and quality of care and in accordance with their preferences— is unlikely to hold true in practice. This overall conclusion indicates the status of “work-in-progress” for current policy regarding patient choice and underlines the need for additional efforts to achieve the goal of patient choice.

This dissertation does not provide a definite answer as to whether encouraging patients to become actively involved in patient choice will be successful in achieving the goal of patient choice. Alternatively, additional efforts may be focused on facilitating referring physicians to choose providers on the patient’s behalf. This alternative approach is likely to be the most successful for several reasons. (1) Few patients actively choose their providers or are motivated to so. (2) In real-life settings, individuals are unlikely to conform with the notion of rational consumers. (3) The choice of provider strongly depends on advice of the referring physician.
New perspectives on the role of PET imaging in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors:   , Eertink Jakoba Johanna
Published: February 2023

This thesis evaluated the potential of quantitative PET biomarkers at baseline before treatment and response during treatment using the interim PET in DLBCL patients. The aim is to facilitate selection of high risk patients to ultimately improve outcome due to early treatment modifications and identification of low risk patients to allow treatment de escalation. The main findings were that radiomics features at baseline were predictive of 2-year survival without progression, regardless of the applied segmentation method to delineate the lesions and the applied radiomics feature and/or lesion selection. Moreover, adding radiomics features significantly improves prediction of outcome in DLBCL patients compared to currently used risk scores such as the IPI score, leading to better upfront selection of high risk and low risk patients. An interim PET after 2-4 cycles of treatment is able to differentiate between good and poor responders, and especially the negative predictive value of an I PET is high. It is cost effective to reduce treatment based on a negative interim PET after 2 cycles using the Deauville score. With respect to the optimal response criterion, the ΔSUVmax criterion seems to be the best trade off between sensitivity and positive predictive value. Concluding, PET biomarkers can play a pivotal role in personalizing treatment and management of DLBCL patients and in future lymphoma research.
Masculinizing Chest Surgery
Authors:   , Timmermans Floyd Wilhelmus Sanidad
Published: February 2023

In the first part of this thesis, we aimed to further define and improve on the current practice of free nipple grafting, specifically for NAC positioning and morphology. Firstly, we addressed the challenges of appropriate NAC localization. In Chapter 2, we proposed a two- step algorithm for the most ideal positioning of the nipple-areolar complex based on a large cohort of cisgender men. This methodological approach had to be further validated in an external cohort. A collaboration with Ghent University Hospital, Belgium was established and the algorithm was validated in a Belgian validation cohort. These outcomes are presented in Chapter 3. Secondly, we addressed NAC morphology. In this study, we aimed to establish the morphology of the free grafted nipples during a year follow-up. The results of this study, including the clinical implications and considerations are discussed in Chapter 4.

In the second part of this thesis, we focused on surgical and scar outcomes following gender- affirming surgery. In Chapter 5, we addressed the reported risk that prior breast reduction surgery has on mastectomy outcomes. In an effort to decrease postoperative complications, we performed a within-patient randomized controlled trial in transmasculine individuals. To establish a better understanding of the long-term effects that incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) has on scarring, a systematic review was performed incorporating all currently known pre-clinical and clinical outcomes. This review is presented in Chapter 6. In Chapter 7, we tested the efficacy of this dressing technique in preventing complications. The secondary outcomes of the within-patient randomized trial were patient-reported outcome measures and scar quality. Patients were followed for up to a year, and the results of these outcomes are presented in Chapter 8. In the last chapter of this thesis, Chapter 9, an overview is presented on techniques using skin substitutes for scar management, as a potential future modality to further improve surgical outcomes.
Rein Willink’s Relief Expedition to Molochna.
Authors:   , van de Staaij Adam Johannes
Published: February 2023

Rein Willink’s Relief Expedition to Molochna. Dutch doopsgezinden, Mennonite 'citizens of Dutch lineage' and Bolsheviks in Ukraine between 1920 and 1938.

The communities of the Ukrainian Mennonites in Molochna had been ravaged during the First World War, the Russian Revolution and the Civil War. At the beginning of 1921, the Dutch doopsgezinden set up the General Committee for Foreign Emergency (ACBN). The ACBN collected more than two hundred thousand guilders to spend on a famine relief expedition, reconstruction aid and support for emigrants.
In 1922, the Winterswijk patrician son Rein Willink led the expedition to Molochna, where he distributed 1600 tons of relief goods, mostly food parcels. As a result, the Mennonites suffered fewer deaths from starvation than their neighbors and their communities were able to get back on their feet relatively quickly.
The Dutch doopsgezinden also supported Mennonites who fled from the Soviet Union since 1923. In 1924 they founded the Hollands Doopsgezind Emigranten Bureau (HDEB), which until 1930 supported about a thousand Mennonite emigrants who were on their way to the New World. When after 1930 emigration from the Soviet Union was no longer possible, the HDEB collected a hundred thousand guilders and sent food parcels to persecuted Mennonites in forced labor camps and victims of the 1932-1934 famine in Ukraine.
From the beginning, Benjamin Unruh was the indispensable link between the doopsgezinden and the Mennonites. Having his residence in Karlsruhe, Germany, he came increasingly under the influence of the ideas of the Nazis. When he refused to distance himself from the Reichspogrom in 1938, the doopsgezinden ceased the cooperation with Unruh and their relations with the Ukrainian Mennonites ended.
The Dutch doopsgezinden intended to contribute to the reconstruction by obtaining Molochna as an agricultural concession. In 1923 Willink managed to organize an investment fund with a capital of 75,000 dollars. Willink operated a small concession in Molochna without much success and returned to the Netherlands in 1927. In 1933 he started a reliefcampaign for the hungry in Ukraine.

In the correspondence with his parents and the board of the ACBN, Willink provides a good picture of the developments in Molochna. He offers a Dutch perspective that complements self-images of Ukrainian Mennonites such as Benjamin Unruh, Benjamin Janz, Anna Baerg and Peter Dyck. From Willink's description of his commercial contacts with the Bolsheviks, the new rulers emerge as reliable contract partners.
A short proof of anti-Ramsey number for cycles
Authors: Yousifi Noorya
Published: February 2023

Ramsey's theorem states that there exists a least positive integer R(r, s) for which every blue-red edge colouring of the complete graph on R(r, s) vertices contains a blue clique on r vertices or a red clique on s vertices. This work contains a simplified proof of Anti-Ramsey theorem for cycles. If there is an edge e between H and H0, incident to, say, some v ∈ H of color from NEWc(v), then we can make H and H0 connected by adding the edge e and deleting some edge incident to v of the same color as e in H, so the resulting graph G˜ has a connected component of order ≥ 2( k+1/2 ), which contradicts that every connected component is of order ≤ k − 1. Since each component is Hamiltonian and of order ≥ k+1/ 2 , to avoid a rainbow Ck, by the same type of argument as in Claim 1, we must have that |c(H, H0 )| = 1.