bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Factors Affecting the Patronage of Health Insurance Schemes: An Evidence of Ghana
Authors: Baozhen Dai , Yaw Minkah Andrews , Bonsu Osei-Assibey Mandella , Prempeh Agyemang Fredua Sylvester
Published: February 2019

The Ghana Health Insurance Scheme was established to ensure enhancement in the quality of rudimentary health care services to all citizens. Notwithstanding the seemingly splendid financing structure, yet, there is empirical evidence of low enrolment. The study investigated the factors that have accounted for the truncated patronage of the health insurance scheme in Ghana. It also seeks to ascertain the factors that motivate individuals to join the scheme and finally examine the challenges of the scheme coverage expansion. The study used both interview, primary, and secondary data. The cross-sectional model was used to investigate the factors effects on NHIS. It was revealed that Income level, family characteristics, risk perception, and health care system delivery has an imperative negative influence on the low enrolment of the NHIS scheme in Ghana. However, questionnaires and interviews were used to find out from respondents and clients on the motivations and challenges associated with the scheme. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents agreed that access to free drugs is the strong arsenal that motivates individuals reluctant joining the scheme. The study further revealed that, majority of the respondents representing 87% have the notion that, negative attitude of the service providers at the health centers was the main barrier of the scheme among subscribers and non- subscribers in Ghana. Our results have practical implication that, intensive education should be enrolled out by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to change the negative perception of people in relation to the challenges among both subscribers and non-subscribers.
CARACTERIZACIÓN DEL CONSUMO DE DROGAS POR ESTUDIANTES UNIVERSITARIOS DE CIENCIAS BÁSICAS DE LA SALUD
Authors: Licona Rivera Tania Soledad , Arita Chávez Jose Raúl , Días Torres Elia Lizeth , Cantillano Oliveros Grecia María , Zacapa Espinoza Yoel Alejandro
Published: February 2019

Droga, es una sustancia de diverso origen que luego de su ingesta, produce modificaciones en el estado de conciencia, ánimo, percepciones, rendimiento físico o mental. Objetivo: Establecer la prevalencia del consumo de drogas en los estudiantes de Ciencias Básicas de la Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Valle de Sula (EUCS-UNAH/VS) en el primer semes- tre del 2015. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal, el universo estuvo formado por 1005 estudiantes que cursaban las asignaturas de ciencias básicas de la salud, se tomó una muestra estratificada de 278 estudiantes que aceptaron participar voluntariamente, a quienes se les aplicó una encuesta que constaba de 21 preguntas, 4 abiertas y 17 cerradas, los resultados fueron analizados en SPSS. Resultados: Se encontró que 80(29%) consumian algún tipo de drogas, entre ellas; alcohol 39 (48.8%), bebidas energizantes 13 (16.3%), marihuana 8 (10%). Además se encontró que 43 estudiantes (53.8%) lo hacían en el hogar. En cuanto a la distribución por carreras, se encontró que de los 143 estudiantes de medicina 49 (34%) consumían drogas, de los 80 de odontología 19 (24%) lo practicaban y de los 55 de enfermería 12 (22%) también consumian algún tipo de estas sustancias. Conclusiones: Un alto porcentaje de los estudiantes de ciencias básicas de la salud consumen algún tipo de drogas principalmente alcohol, siendo esta práctica más común entre los jóvenes de la carrera de medicina y realizandolo con mayor frecuencia en el hogar.

Palabras clave

Ciencias de la salud, consumidores de drogas, estudiantes del área de la salud
ESTILOS DE VIDA QUE PRACTICAN ESTUDIANTES DE LA ESCUELA UNIVERSITARIA DE CIENCIAS DE LA SALUD
Authors: Miranda Baquedano Vilma Mercedes , Ayes Panchamé Daniela María
Published: February 2019

Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud estilos de vida son "una forma general de vida basada en la interacción entre las condiciones de vida y los patrones individuales de conducta determinados por factores socioculturales y características personales. Objetivo Describir los estilos de vida que practican estudiantes de la Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud en la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras en el Valle de Sula (EUCS-UNAHVS), durante el primer semestre del 2015. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio cuantitativo descriptivo transversal. Población 3540, muestra 347 estratificando por carrera: Enfermería 98, Odontología 164 y Medicina 85. Instrumento tipo encuesta, previo consentimiento informado. Resultados El 57% (198) consumían alimentos en cafetería, 33% (114) alimentos de casa y 10% (35) compraban en restau- rantes. El 47% (163) hacía ejercicio. El 28% (97) consumía más de 8 vasos con agua diarios. 51% (177) consumió bebidas alcohólicas. 30% (104) consumió sustancias psicoactivas. 59% (205) algunas veces duermen mínimo 7 horas. Conclusión Los resultados señalan que los estudiantes del área de la salud practican parcialmente los estilos de vida saludables ejerciendo algunas conductas de riesgo para su bienestar biopsicosocial.

Palabras clave

Conductas saludables, Estilo de vida, Estudiantes del área de la salud
HISTORIA DE LOS POSGRADOS DE MEDICINA EN UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTÓNOMA DE HONDURAS – VALLE DE SULA
Authors: Abdú Benjamín , Jovel López Luis Enrique
Published: February 2019

Los Posgrados de Medicina se inician en 1975 con Gineco-obstetricia y Pediatría, en la ciudad de Tegucigalpa. En 1978 se agregan las especialidades de Cirugía y Medicina Interna y en marzo del mismo año se obtiene el reconocimiento de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH) mediante el Acuerdo 10 del acta 320 del Consejo Universitario. Finalmente en 1984, los posgrados de medicina pasaron a ser dirigidos y coordinados por la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, a través de la "Dirección de la División de Estudios de Postgrado", la que coordina otros posgrados del Alma Mater.
PREVALENCIA DE OBESIDAD EN ESCOLARES EN DOS COMUNIDADES RURALES
Authors: Fuentes Carlos Amílcar , Guerra Juan José , Abujieres Cinea Mabeth , Coca Coster José , Alvarenga Danilo Fernando , Rodriguez José Edgardo , Murcia Mario Román
Published: February 2019

El continuo incremento de la obesidad en niños constituye un importante problema de salud que requiere de la identificación precisa de su magnitud y tendencias. Objetivo: Establecer la prevalencia de obesidad en escolares del Centro Básico Ingeniero Luis Bográn (CBILB) y el Centro de Educación Básica Marco Aurelio Pinto (CEB- MAP) en el mes de agosto del año 2015. Pacientes y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal, durante el mes de agosto del año 2015, en escolares de dos Centros Básicos simultáneamente, el Centro Básico Ingeniero Luis Bográn, ubicado en la comunidad de Gualjoco, Santa Bárbara y el Centro de Educación Básica Marco Aurelio Pinto, ubicado en la comunidad de El Coowle, San Manuel, Cortés. Mediante muestreo probabilístico aleatorio estratificado se obtu- vo 154 y 93 escolares respectivamente, los cuales fueron evaluados antropométricamente. Los datos se analizaron mediante PASSW Statistics 18. Resultados: Se encontró que la prevalencia de obesidad en CBILB fue de 12.3%, siendo más frecuente en mujeres (7.14%) y en edades entre 9-11 años (7.79%) y en el CEBMAP fue de (6%), siendo más frecuente en hombres (7%). Conclusiones: La prevalencia de obesidad en escolares es significativa y varía según sexo y edad.

Palabras clave

Desarrollo infantil, Obesidad, Prevalencia
Beardsley’s Contextualism: Philosophical and Educational Significance
Authors: Lin Szu-Yen
Published: February 2019

Monroe C. Beardsley has been interpreted by many theorists as advocating antiexternalism with respect to an artwork’s aesthetic properties, typically its meaning. According to this orthodox interpretation, the meaning of a work is not established by external or contextual factors but by what is internally present in the work. This acontextual account of meaning is challenged by contextualism, which claims that a work’s identity and meaning are in part determined by contextual factors. However, a close look at textual evidence shows that Beardsley actually leans toward contextualism. In particular, his speech act theory of literature compels him to hold an explicit contextualist position with respect to nonfictional works seen as illocutions. Thus, the central task of this paper is to vindicate the contextualist interpretation of Beardsley. Doing so has important implications for aesthetic education understood in its broadest terms. Contextualism, more than antiexternalism, prompts us to appreciate artworks with greater sensibility and sophistication. Reinterpreting Beardsley as a contextualist thereby makes his views more relevant than they otherwise might seem to the goals of aesthetic education.
Aesthetic Properties, the Acquaintance Principle, and the Problem of Nonperceptual Arts
Authors: Focosi Filippo
Published: February 2019

Aesthetic theories of art have always had trouble with nonperceptual artworks. James Shelley’s solution of broadening the notion of perception to cover properties that are directly felt is incomplete, until we specify what kind of response to a given property suffices to qualify it as aesthetic. I argue that all aesthetic properties are inherently evaluative and always prompt a positive response in the perceiver, since they are the outcome of an unpredictable and successful interpenetration of formal and semantic elements. An aesthetic definition can legitimately deny that conceptual works are art to the extent that they are not able to formally support the aesthetic qualities usually attributed to them, as is shown by their lack of compliance with the acquaintance principle, while at the same time the definition does not run the risk of undermining the aesthetic status of literature, on which it sheds new light.
The Aesthetics of Inscape: Teaching Chinese Art with Barthesian Semiotic Theory
Authors: Duan Lian
Published: February 2019

In Chinese art education, inscape (jing) is one of the most important, complex, and difficult traditional aesthetic concepts; it concerns the artistic world created in a work of visual art, literature, music, or dance. How to approach this crucial concept in the teaching practice remains a challenge. In this essay, the Barthian semiotic approach, which is mainly about the extension of the signification process, is viewed as a development from linguistic analysis to cultural studies. Its relevance to inscape is found in the aesthetic totality of the sublime in classical Chinese landscape painting. Applying Barthian theory to the study and teaching of Chinese landscape painting, this essay explores the issue of inscape sublimation in the context of Chinese and Western aesthetics. In particular, this essay explores the material world of inscape at the formal level, the sensuous world at the aesthetic level, and the conceptual world at the ideological level. Supported by analytical readings of selected masterpieces of landscape painting from the Northern Song period, the essay concludes that the extension of the signification process makes the creation and sublimation of the inscape totality possible, which demonstrates the key achievement of, and sets up the standard for, landscape painting in Chinese art, aesthetically and ideologically.
Polish Collections in the Hoover Institution Library & Archives: Interview with Dr. Maciej Siekierski, Senior Curator and Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Authors: Ziółkowska-Boehm Aleksandra
Published: February 2019

An interview with Dr. Maciej Siekierski, senior curator of the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, one of the leading repositories of archival materials relating to Poland. The discussion covers the Polish collections at Hoover, their origins, and contents. These include, to name only a few, collections pertaining to Ignacy Paderewski, the Polish Government-in-Exile based in London, Jan Karski, Radio Free Europe, and numerous personages or subjects prominent in the history of the Polish People’s Republic.
TMT Diversity Outcomes Under Environmental Contexts: A Review of Literature and Research Agenda
Authors: Muithya Victor M. , Kilika James M.
Published: February 2019

The construct of Top Management Team (TMT) has received a significant attention in the strategic management scholarship due to the espoused role that TMT members are expected to play in providing direction to their organizations. In this role, they are expected to make strategic choices that optimize the opportunities availed by the rapidly changing environments. The theoretical underpinning for TMT and the extant empirical work have demonstrated a number of issues that call for further examination of the extant literature. In this paper, the authors explore the conceptual, theoretical and empirical literatures on TMT Diversity to establish the current state that accounts for the identified issues and identify the emerging knowledge gaps that set an agenda for future research. The paper identifies the various forms of TMT Diversity, the intermediate and ultimate outcomes as well as the potential influence of these outcomes by the aspects of industry velocity in which firms operate. Several theories that complement the role of the upper echelons theory are discussed and the constructs they contribute to in explaining TMT Diversity outcomes identified. The paper proposes a theoretical model for explaining the emerging phenomenon from the deployment of TMT Diversity and makes several propositions. The paper calls on future research to consider the proposed framework for adoption in empirical work.
Comparing the capacity of nurses and nursing students in assessing patient problems during clinical internship: A descriptive comparative study
Authors: Dammiano Mariella , Scalorbi Sandra , De Rosa Manuela , Gazineo Domenica , Chiari Paolo
Published: February 2019

Objective: No studies were found in the literature which compared the capacity of nurses and nursing students to assess patient problems using the clinical cases followed during internship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to formulate a method for comparing these skills in cases followed during a practical clinical internship.Methods: The sample studied was made up of students of the degree course in nursing during their internship and by community nurses, both trained in using assessment. Each student identified a patient and carried out an assessment of the problems according to the functional patterns of M. Gordon; the nurses also simultaneously carried out the same activity without comparing their work with that of the students. A method was formulated for evaluating the correctness of the two evaluations.Results: The results relative to the assessment showed a percentage of correctness of 85.77% for the students and 91.28% for the nurses with a statistically significant difference (p = .027).Conclusions: The results obtained demonstrated that the students in the last year of their degree course in nursing had developed a good capacity of assessment during their internship in clinical practice in the community in line with the capacity of the nurses who taught them.
The Vernacular Landscape, Developing and Promoting Tourism in ChiangKhong District, Chiang Rai Province
Authors: Pachankoo Maneerat , Shen Zhongwei
Published: February 2019

This study comes from observing and studying about the area based strategy of change in Chiangkhong to be the city that can be balanced and stable in the midst of tourism and economic development. It focuses mainly on using the vernacular landscape. The objectives of this research are (1) to study surrounding areas and the identity of the vernacular landscape in ChiangKhong, Chiang Rai province, (2) to study about the roles of the vernacular landscape that effects the present promotion and development of tourism in ChiangKhong. The methods used in this study are reviewing literatures and related researches; including observing areas to collect data about landscape according to the meaning of the vernacular landscape and information about all 7 sub-districts about the role of landscape to tourism issues, interviewing people who are related, then analyzing and give descriptive summary. The study has shown that the vernacular landscape in ChiangKhong occurred by natural and cultural factors. All factors are connected; the Mae-Khong river, varieties of ethnic groups and Buddhism are the reasons that people’s way of life, culture, tradition, and belief are influenced. Also, this caused the vernacular landscape to have a “combine” form and show the identity of “place” clearly. Bringing out the vernacular landscape to promote and support recent tourism plans can be divided into 3 categories; which includes using original assets, adapting and improving the original assets and creating new activities in forms and types of the vernacular landscape, both in hardscape and softscape.
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Modern Terrorism: Implications for Global Security
Authors: Okoro O. Ike , Oluka Nduka Lucas
Published: February 2019

The hazard of biological, chemical and nuclear materials, regarded as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), intercalating the arsenal of terrorists is the biggest crime and challenge against humanity. Every such crime and challenge ought to be named appropriately; and state actors experiencing such owe it to their citizens to act speedily and with certainty against terrorists. Even with the on-going war on terrorism, there has been a surge in terrorist activities in some parts of the world. Terrorists in our contemporary age have also embraced startling trends in their operational mode since the 11 September 2001 fanatic attacks in New York and Washington D. C. The devastating effect of these twin attacks has raised global concern about the potential use of WMD by Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State of Iran and Syria (ISIS), and their affiliate groups. One major issue of great concern in recent times, apart from the propensity of the terrorist organizations to acquire WMD, is the involvement of state actors that secretly acquire or claim to have acquired them for the purposes of electricity generation. Notably, too, is the trend in modern scientific and technological improvement which has increased the nature of, and access to, WMD. This research, therefore, attempts to access the implication and impact of WMD as terrorists put them to use. The study also examines the concept of terrorism and WMD. Also examined is the general implication of the use of WMD and the challenges this might pose to the international community, considering the current trends in their acquisition by some states and non-state actors. The investigation suggests appropriate counter-measures to thwart terrorists’ effort to acquire WMD. The study also adopted the qualitative approach of research to analyse the sophistication adopted by new terrorist groups particularly by the ISIS terrorist network; the al-Qaeda group and other splinter groups. Thus, historical research is most appropriate for this study, and secondary source of data was adopted as its methodology.
Inter-caste Marriage and the Impact on the Intra-cultural Communication Pattern of Balinese Hindu in Indonesia: An Ethnography Study
Authors: Limarandani Ni Putu , Sihabudin Ahmad , Ronda Mirza
Published: February 2019

Intra-cultural communication of the Balinese community, acted as a representation of cultural and social identity. This intra-cultural relationship has consciously built relations of power in the life of the Balinese Hindu community including in very personal matters such as marriage. There are two kinds of marriages for Balinese Hindu, memadik (wooing) and ngerorod (eloping). The second married arose when women from high caste married with a man from a lower caste. In the Dutch colonial era, this kind of marriage was outlawed, since this time categorized as unexpected marriage. One of the consequences of eloping married, known as nyerod in Bali is a decline in the caste of the bride as same as the groom. Accordingly, the couple should change their ways of communication when they interact with the bride family. The aims of this paper is to describe the intra-cultural communications among the nyerod couple with their family and the indigenous environmental in Balinese Hinduism. The ethnography approach was taken to describing and analyzing the primary data from interview and observation. The result shows that the intracultural communication pattern among nyerod women and their parent, sibling and extended family, represent by their impression management. The foundation of interactions are the form of their identity which develops in four layers and bound by customary law.
The Discourse Analysis of Social Factors Influencing Interest Contention in Business Dispute Settlement: A Perspective of Discourse Information Theory
Authors: Guo Tingting , Zhao Zhenxia , Han Xinghua
Published: February 2019

Interest contention which reflects the nature of business dispute settlement is one of the vital issues to explore in the studies of business dispute and it structures the whole process of business dispute settlement from mediation, negotiation to arbitration and litigation. Under the influence of various factors, litigants with differing interest orientations and interest demands could make good use of a number of information resources for the purpose of communicating, defending and fighting for the interests of their own. Contexts are a socially based mental model dynamically constructed by participants about “the for-them-relevant properties” of communicative situation (van Dijk, 2008). The social factors in the context influences the distribution of discourse information resources in the interest contention in business dispute settlement. In view of this, the present study focuses on the discourse analysis of social factors influencing the interest contention in business dispute settlement at the stage of litigation from the perspective of Discourse Information Theory (DIT) (Du, 2007, 2013, 2015). It can be found that any conflicting party’s lawyer could take advantage of both different social identities and social relationships to attack the counterparty’s loopholes or shortcomings and gain more interests for his own party in the interest contention in business dispute settlement.
Turkestan Khanate from the Russian Colonial Empire to the Autonomous State
Authors: Zh. Zhunisbekova , S. Aikozov
Published: February 2019

Article is devoted to synthesis of practice of the solution of an ethnic question in Kazakhstan in the twenties. In article the history and a historiography of a problem of interethnic processes in Kazakhstan in the 20th years of the XX century are considered. Giving a retrospective assessment to the published literature on a historiography of the Soviet society, including on a historiography of the international relations, it should be noted negative impact of the party and state documents for the concept of national policy that undoubtedly led to wrong concepts and ideological dogmas. Therefore everything listed led to inadequate reflection of historical reality, tendentiousness of judgments, practice of concealing and distortions in article the main problems of a historiography of establishment of the Soviet power in the region and Sovietization of the Kazakh aul, formation of the Kazakh Autonomous SSR and the Kazakh SSR are also considered.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Environment and Natural Resources Research, Vol. 9, No. 1
Authors: Lin Emily
Published: February 2019

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Environment and Natural Resources Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2019
The Influence of Education-Information-Communication (EIC) Based on Karo Culture for the Early Detection of Cervical Cancer at the Karo Region
Authors: Surbakti Elisabeth , Simaremare Susy Adrianelly
Published: February 2019

Education, Information and Communication (EIC) based on Karo Culture on Knowledge and Attitude of Women of Childbearing Age for the Early Detection of Cervical Cancer at the Village of Cinta Rakyat, Merdeka District, Karo Region. Quasi experiment with non-equivalent pre-test and post-test, using a control group with the intervention of EIC based on Karo culture through counseling in Cinta Rakyat village, Merdeka district and Karo Regency. In order to know the influence of EIC based on Karo culture to knowledge and attitude, this research conducted an independent t-test with normality-test as starting point. This research also employed pair t-test to know two different variables: knowledge and attitude. Purposive sampling was conducted with univariate and bivariate data analysis.There is an influence of EIC based on Karo culture through composed songs and traditional dance called Landek on knowledge and attitude before and after the intervention (p = 0,000). This research found that there is an influence of counseling on knowledge and attitude before and after the intervention (p = 0,000). There is no difference between EIC based on culture through composed songs and dance, and counseling to increase knowledge (p = 0,498). However, EIC based on culture is more effective way than counseling to develop attitude toward cervical cancer prevention (p = 0,027). This research, therefore, argues that health officers/Promkes at the Health Office and at the center of community health/PUSKESMAS are expected to conduct counseling on cervical cancer using composed songs and dance (Landek) for prevention strategy, especially in the area of the center of community health in Karo District.
Saudi Smokers' Behaviors After a 100% Tax Increase
Authors: Alqarni Ahmed Mohammed
Published: February 2019

The aim of this study was to explore smokers' responses to a 100% tax increase on tobacco prices in Saudi Arabia. According to the World Health Organisation, an increase in tax is the single most effective tool to reduce the incidence of smoking. However, using a tax increase in other health areas (especially in reducing alcohol, sugar, or fat consumption) shows that consumers' reactions can differ according to socio-demographic characteristics. 334 participants of different generational cohorts and incomes completed a questionnaire. It was found that only about 10% of the participants actually reduced their consumption to maintain smoking the same brand, 20% changed to cheaper brands, and over 60% made no changes at all to their smoking behaviours. Age and income played very minor roles. Interestingly, a majority claimed that they were considering quitting smoking, the percentages dropping from 75% of the younger respondents to 56% of the older. The research shows that socio-demographic features play a large part in smokers' behaviour changes in response to a large tax increase on cigarettes. It recommends setting up a minimum price for all brands that could discourage young people from starting to smoke.
Post-Truth Politics: The Effect of Reminders of Political Affiliation on Partisan Op-Ed Viewership
Authors: Liu Arron R.
Published: February 2019

Conventional economic theory depicts human-decision making as logical and rational. However, recent research has demonstrated that humans act as an irrational agent more often than not, and will habitually prioritize attitudes, emotions, values, and beliefs over a marginal analysis in their decision-making calculus. As such, individuals will regularly undertake actions in order to avoid conflicts with their beliefs. In particular, information contradicting an individual’s beliefs may be avoided to preserve an individual’s identity (information avoidance). This paper investigates the phenomena of belief-based utility and information avoidance in the political realm, an area in which the literature regarding the aforementioned theories are relatively sparse. Specifically, we explored whether a reminder of political affiliation could influence subjects to avoid reading op-eds possessing headlines indicative of a position commonly held by an opposing political party. The hypothesis was tested through a survey distributed on Amazon Mechanical Turk, where half the participants received a reminder while the other half did not. The results suggest a statistically significant relationship between reminders and media access behavior — a reminder can have a demonstrable effect on media access behavior by causing individuals to avoid op-eds that advocate for the viewpoints of a conflicting political party. This has multiple implications (increasing political polarization, expanding influence of private interest groups, etc.) regarding media viewership habits for the individual undertaking decisions that may deprive them of useful information.
Political Banality in Indonesia Post-New Order
Authors: Sarman Mukhtar
Published: February 2019

Democratization not only needs to be based on changes in a more democratic political structure, but it is also important to be supported by changes in the behavior of elites involved in political contestation. This article discusses the process of political democratization in Indonesia after the authoritarian New Order regime. The democratization process begins with changes in political structure, which are manifested in the form of various pro-democratic laws and regulations. This includes the implementation of direct regional head election, which are political contestations at the local level. The result was a significant change in political dynamics in the form of involving voters in the process of regional head election. At first everyone tends to recognize the success of political reforms that have changed the face of local democracy in Indonesia. However, after one election period took place, the ideals of democratization in Indonesia seemed to be ignored by political actors. Even politicians tend to display banal political behavior, and do not care about political decay traps, solely in order to win a political contestation. Elite, as the main stakeholder actor, has failed to show that they are able to practice democratic principles that uphold moral integrity.
Carvacrol electrochemical reaction characteristics on screen printed electrode modified with La2O3/Co3O4 nanocomposite
Authors: Mohammadi Sayed Zia , Beitollahi Hadi , Rohani Tahereh , Allahabadi Hossein
Published: February 2019

Electrochemical characteristics of carvacrol were investigated on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with La2O3/Co3O4 nanocomposite by using voltammetric techniques, which displayed a well-defined peak for sensitive carvacrol determination in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.0. La2O3/Co3O4 nanoparticles demonstrated suitable catalytic activity for carvacrol determination by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Besides, determination of carvacrol in a real samples was recognized in the light of electrochemical findings and a validated voltammetric technique for quantitative analysis of carvacrol in a real formulation was proposed. The DPV peak currents were found to be linear in the concentration range of 10.0 to 800.0 μM. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 1.0 μM.
Effect of immersion time at the stainless steel 304L/NaCl (0.01 M) interface
Authors: Mastouri Wejdene , Pichon Luc , Martemianov Serguei , Paillat Thierry , Thomas Anthony
Published: February 2019

Stainless steels are broadly used thanks to their specific physical properties such as their high corrosion resistance in poorly aggressive solutions. However, only few studies have been reported in the literature concerning their electrochemical behavior in low concentration electrolytes medium. Accordingly, the present work aims to study the immersion time influence on the solid-liquid interface properties of the austenitic stainless steel AISI 304L, immersed in a low-concentrated (0.01 M) sodium chloride (NaCl) solution. The electroche­mical behavior of the interface was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and open circuit potential (OCP) monitoring. The morphological features and the modification of the surface composition were evaluated by Optic Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, Atomic Force Microscopy, White Light Interferometry and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. It was determined by OCP measurement that the characteristic time of the interface stabilization is very long (several months). After an immersion of 2 months in NaCl solution, a second time constant on impedance phase diagram appears. Surface characterizations reveal a significant modifi­cation of the morphology and chemistry of the AISI 304L surface that can be linked to OCP/EIS observations. It can be noticed that the repeatability deviation of the EIS method was about 1 % while its reproducibility deviation was estimated to 35 %.
Povidone-iodine concentration and in vitro killing time of bacterial corneal ulcer isolates
Authors: Koerner Jagger C. , George Mary J. , George Mary J. , Kissam Elizabeth A. , Rosco Michael G.
Published: February 2019

BackgroundThe concentration and dosing of povidone-iodine (PI) solution used in surgical site prophylaxis are variable. Prior in vitro work has demonstrated that dilute PI solutions (<1%) had greater bactericidal activity than stock solutions (10%). Studies using pathologic clinical isolates from the eye have yielded mixed results. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of different concentrations of PI on pathologic ocular surface isolates. MethodsWe conducted an in vitro microbiology study using clinical isolates from corneal ulcers. Bacteria were recovered from trypticase soy agar with 5% sheep erythrocytes, chocolate agar, and thioglycollate broth media. A standardized concentration of each bacterial sample (1 × 108 cfu/ml) was exposed to various dilutions of PI. Quantitative cultures were performed to determine the number of organisms surviving PI exposure. ResultsNone of the isolates survived exposure to the PI 0.25% solution for 30 seconds. Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus survived both 30-second and 1-minute exposure to PI 5% and 10%. The exposure time required to produce no growth was variable with concentrations of <0.25%. In some isolates, the 10% solution was faster than the more dilute solutions (0.1%, 0.05%). ConclusionsOur results are consistent with prior in vitro studies of PI, from nonocular sources, and suggest that PI has similar bactericidal action on pathologic bacteria from the ocular surface. In vitro exposure to dilute PI (0.25%) resulted in no growth after 30 seconds, whereas 10% and 5% solutions took longer to kill several of the isolates. Future investigations of PI use in ophthalmology as an antimicrobial agent should include the study of low-concentration PI (0.25%).
“Dysrationalia” among university students: The role of cognitive abilities, different aspects of rational thought and self-control in explaining epistemically suspect beliefs
Authors: Erceg Nikola , Galić Zvonimir , Bubić Andreja
Published: February 2019

The aim of the study was to investigate the role that cognitive abilities, rational thinking abilities, cognitive styles and self-control play in explaining the endorsement of epistemically suspect beliefs among university students. A total of 159 students participated in the study. We found that different aspects of rational thought (i.e. rational thinking abilities and cognitive styles) and self-control, but not intelligence, significantly predicted the endorsement of epistemically suspect beliefs. Based on these findings, it may be suggested that intelligence and rational thinking, although related, represent two fundamentally different constructs. Thus, deviations from rational thinking could be well described by the term “dysrationalia”, meaning the inability to think rationally despite having adequate intelligence. We discuss the implications of the results, as well as some drawbacks of the study.
A cue for rational reasoning: Introducing a reference point in cognitive reflection tasks
Authors: Damnjanović Kaja , Novković Vera , Pavlović Irena , Ilić Sandra , Pantelić Slobodan
Published: February 2019

The dual process framework posits that we reason using the quick System 1, and the deliberate System 2, both of which are part of our “adaptive toolbox”. The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) estimates which system was used to solve a reasoning problem. Usually, the CRT tasks are solved incorrectly by using System 1, and correctly through System 2. We have applied the reference point hypothesis to the tasks of the CRT and proposed that this change would facilitate the switch between systems, resulting in better performance on the version of the test with a reference point, compared to the CRT without one. The results confirmed our assumptions, as evidenced by a generally higher score on the CRT with a reference point, albeit with different effects between items.
Seven myths on crowding
Authors: Strasburger Hans
Published: February 2019

Crowding has become a hot topic in vision research and some fundamentals are now widely agreed upon. For the classical crowding task one would likely agree with the following statements. (1) Bouma’s law can be sensibly stated as saying that ‘critical distance for crowding is about half the target’s eccentricity’. (2) Crowding is predominantly a peripheral phenomenon. (3) Crowding increases strongly and steadily with eccentricity (as does the minimal angle of resolution, MAR). (4) Crowding is asymmetric as Bouma (1970) has shown. (5) For the inward-outward asymmetry the more peripheral flanker is the more important one. (6) Critical crowding distance corresponds to a constant cortical distance in primary visual areas like V1. (7) Except for Bouma (1970), crowding research mostly started in the 2000s. I propose the answer is ‘no!’ or ‘not really’ to most all of these questions. So should we care? I think we should, before we write the textbooks for the next generation.
Digital Learning Tools in Music Technology - A letter from the front line
Authors: Aareskjold Jon Marius
Published: February 2019

Presentation given at UiT Digital Humanities Conference 2017
Remote sensing pipeline for tree segmentation and classification in a mixed softwood and hardwood system
Authors: McMahon Conor A.
Published: February 2019

The National Institute of Standards and Technology data science evaluation plant identification challenge is a new periodic competition focused on improving and generalizing remote sensing processing methods for forest landscapes. I created a pipeline to perform three remote sensing tasks. First, a marker-controlled watershed segmentation thresholded by vegetation index and height was performed to identify individual tree crowns within the canopy height model. Second, remote sensing data for segmented crowns was aligned with ground measurements by choosing the set of pairings which minimized error in position and in crown area as predicted by stem height. Third, species classification was performed by reducing the dataset’s dimensionality through principle component analysis and then constructing a set of maximum likelihood classifiers to estimate species likelihoods for each tree. Of the three algorithms, the classification routine exhibited the strongest relative performance, with the segmentation algorithm performing the least well.
A population-based study on prevalence and risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China
Authors: Zhang Haoxiang , Gao Wenwen , Wang Lei , Suzhen  , Gao Yanming , Liu Baoli , Zhou Hao , Fang Dianchun
Published: February 2019

Objective

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, a stratified random sampling method was used for collecting samples in the Tibet Autonomous Region. A total of 10,000 individuals were selected from October 2016 to June 2017. A previously-published, validated questionnaire including six items related to the symptoms of GERD was used for evaluating GERD. In addition, basic demographic data, lifestyle, dietary habits, medical history and family history of GERD were investigated to identify risk factors of GERD.

Results

A total of 5,680 completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The prevalence of GERD in this area was 10.8%. Age (30–40 years vs. under 18 years, odds ratio (OR): 3.025; 40–50 years vs. under 18 years, OR: 4.484), education level (high school vs. primary, OR: 0.698; university vs. primary, OR: 2.804), ethnic group (Han vs. Tibetan, OR: 0.230; others vs. Tibetan, OR: 0.304), altitude of residence (4.0–4.5 km vs. 2.5–3.0 km, OR: 2.469), length of residence (<5 years vs. ≥5 years, OR: 2.218), Tibetan sweet tea (yes vs. no, OR: 2.158), Tibetan barley wine (yes vs. no, OR: 1.271), Tibetan dried meat (yes vs. no, OR: 1.278) and staying up late (yes vs. no, OR: 1.223) were significantly (allP< 0.05) and independently associated with GERD.

Conclusions

The prevalence of GERD is high in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Geographic conditions, ethnic group and lifestyle are risk factors for GERD.
Repeated ethanol exposure increases anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish during withdrawal
Authors: Krook Jeffrey T. , Duperreault Erika , Newton Dustin , Ross Matthew S. , Hamilton Trevor J.
Published: February 2019

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are quickly becoming an important model organism in behavioural neuroscience and drug addiction research. Conditioned place preference studies show that drugs of abuse produce responses in zebrafish that are similar to mammalian animal models. Repeated administration of ethanol in zebrafish results in withdrawal-induced behavioural responses that vary with dose and exposure duration, requiring additional investigation. Here, we examine the effects of ethanol withdrawal on anxiety-like behaviours in adult zebrafish after a 21-day ethanol dosing schedule at either 0.4% or 0.8%. Anxiety-like behaviour was measured with the novel object approach test; this test involves placing a fish in a circular arena with a novel object in the centre and observing the amount of exploration of the object. We found increased anxiety-like behaviour during ethanol withdrawal. This study adds to the growing body of literature that validates the zebrafish as a model organism in the field of behavioural neuroscience and addiction.
Project SMARTER As an Intervention towards Intensifying Action Research Competencies of Basic Education Teachers
Authors: Cuarto Polemer
Published: February 2019

In the era of educational reforms, action research becomes highly relevant especially in basic education as this gives the teachers and the school leaders the opportunity to revisit and improve their educational practice. These explanatory sequential mixed methods study sought to investigate the effectiveness of Project SMARTER in intensifying the action research competencies of basic education teachers. Forty basic education teacher-participants (n=40) were subjected to Project SMARTER's ten-day training intervention. Participants were pretested prior to the intervention to determine their entry knowledge on action research and were administered posttest to determine the knowledge gained through the intervention. Quantitative results revealed that participants performed significantly better from introductory to intermediate level of action research knowledge before and after the Project SMARTER intervention. To further validate the results, a qualitative phase where eight basic education teachers (n=8) were interviewed regarding their views and experiences as participants of the Project SMARTER. The phenomenological inquiry yielded three essential themes: ready to act: becoming action researchers, armed to teach: becoming teachers of research and trained to train: becoming research trainers. These essential themes signified how the project had impacted the participants as teacher-researchers, research teachers and trainers. Implications and recommendations are provided for higher education institutions, concerned government institutions as well as project implementers to consider to make project initiatives like Project SMARTER successful and sustainable.
Efficacy of Innovated Four-Stroke Gasoline Engine Trainer: It's Technical Enhancement to Grade 12 Senior HS Students
Authors: Valdehueza Jefford Vinson
Published: February 2019

Constantly, engine before all ages until today has a piston in it. Reciprocating up and down movement of a piston that converted to rotary motion by crankshaft can never be changed. This study facilitated students in developing their understanding of the operation of four-stroke cycle fundamentals using simulated cut-away parts of an engine. The study used a descriptive research design. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the students' survey responses. Inferential statistics (one-tailed t-test) was used to establish the difference between post-test and pre-test results of the written examination, simulation and practical examination. The study was conducted to the 24 senior high automotive Grade-12 students of Lapasan National High School-Gusa Annex during the second semester of School Year 2017-2018. As a result, the study found a significant difference in the respondents' pre-test and post-test scores. It helps 100% of the respondents' to pass the national certification level-1. Generally, the students can easily perform simple to complicated tasks; they become self-reliant, confident in handling the actual operation of engine servicing given such advantages. A corollary to this, the said innovation considered and re-assessed toward sustained improvement the researcher should use the results of the study for deeper analysis of issues and concerns on four-stroke cylinder gasoline engine trainer and as a benchmark measure to increase students' academic performance.
Development of Chalk from Selected Herbs as Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) Repellents
Authors: Nagal Raphael Kevin
Published: February 2019

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning each year and up to 220,000 deaths primarily in developing countries. Commercial repellents and pesticides, aside from being expensive, also contain chemicals that, when ingested, may pose further threats to the health of humans. The study aims to determine which plant preparation (bay leaf, garlic, peppermint, eucalyptus at 25%, 50% and 75% each) were able to form chalk and can repel the P. americana. Endemic and accessible plants namely, eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), garlic (Allium sativum), peppermint (Mentha piperita), bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) were used in this study as Periplaneta americana repellent in the form of chalk. Using a Completely Randomized Design, results revealed that the type of plant preparation and chalk formation are independent. All plant preparations repelled the P. americana. Based on the means of distances (cm) of repulsions, it was revealed that 75% Peppermint preparation has the highest repulsion mean of 80.67cm based on three trials. Hence, it is highly suggested that 75% and 50% Mentha piperita, as well as 75% Eucalyptus globulus, should be manufactured for commercial production based on the results of this study.