bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative Cuff Pressure Measurements of Endotracheal Tubes in the Operating Theater
Authors: Lee Julie , Reynolds Heather , Zundert André van
Published: August 2021

Background:

Endotracheal tube (ETT) intracuff pressure (PINTRACUFF) monitoring is not a mandatory part of daily anesthetic practice in many countries. Correct PINTRACUFF is required to ensure adequate ventilation, to prevent aspiration, and to avoid complications. The aim of this study was to objectively measure the PINTRACUFF in ETTs among patients from an Australian tertiary hospital to define the range of PINTRACUFF values seen in a setting without the use of routine objective monitoring.

Patients and Methods:

A prospective single-center audit of PINTRACUFF of 268 elective and emergency surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia with an ETT was performed. PINTRACUFF values were measured with a calibrated cuff manometer following the induction of anesthesia. Patient characteristics were compared between three patient groups of measured PINTRACUFF values: 20 cmH2O, 20–30 cmH2O, and >30 cmH2O.

Results:

To estimate the PINTRACUFF, only the auditory method was used among 66.0% of the patients, the tactile method was used in 18.3%, and the remainder used both or other methods. Following induction of anesthesia, the mean PINTRACUFF was 31.0 cmH2O (±standard deviation 16.4). The PINTRACUFF was <20 cmH2O for 54 patients (20.1%), and it exceeded 30 cmH2O for 103 patients (38.4%). Patients with a PINTRACUFF >30 cmH2O had a marginally higher body mass index (BMI) compared to patients with a PINTRACUFF <30 cmH2O (P = 0.002). Patients with higher BMIs and smaller ETTs had higher cuff pressures.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that replacing subjective estimation methods with mandatory cuff pressure measurement can ensure that normal values are achieved during anesthesia.
Departmental Preparedness for Pandemic Readiness in Anesthesia
Authors: Wyssusek Kerstin , Lee Julie , Hames Katherine , Koehler-Vargas Nadia , Hall Kylie , Steyn Michael , van Zundert Andre
Published: August 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has forced clinicians globally to promptly establish the effective response plans in a very short timeframe. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive and universally applicable “Departmental Readiness Checklist,” readily available for anesthesiologists worldwide in response to any global crisis. We have made considerable efforts to ensure the information provided is supported by current knowledge and recommendations. Preparedness for pandemic readiness requires a concerted multidisciplinary effort and clear leadership to identify the potential issues to allow for appropriate planning and to promote education, teamwork, and clear communication at all phases of the pandemic. Departmental implementation requires both clinical and organizational expertise of the respective specialist groups, and there is a paucity of information for pandemic preparedness on a departmental level at this moment. The information provided are exclusively for staff anesthesiologists, directors of anesthesia departments, and hospital managers to guide and help in decision-making processes in the face of a pandemic and can be applied to mass casualty or natural disaster events.
Total Placenta Previa with High-Risk Morbidly Adherent Placenta and Transverse Lie Fetal Position
Authors: Wijaya Teddy
Published: August 2021

Placenta accreta is one of the emergency conditions and has resulted in increased mortality and morbidity of pregnant women due to the massive obstetric hemorrhage. Placenta accreta can lead to secondary complications including coagulopathy, multisystem organ failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, need for repeat surgery, and death. Assessment by anesthesia should be carried out as early as possible before surgery to reduce or even eliminate morbidity and mortality. In this report, we present the case of a patient with total placenta previa and high-risk morbidly adherent placenta score with a transverse lie fetal position. The various anesthetic treatments and transfusion strategies are discussed with a multidisciplinary approach to delivery.
Acute Kidney Injury after a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Authors: Abbas Kun Arifi , Rehatta Nancy Margarita , Sembiring Yan Efrata , Adisurya Ghuraba , Airlangga Prananda Surya , Hamzah Hamzah , Hardiono Hardiono , Semedi Bambang Pujo , Waluejo Christijogo Sumartono
Published: August 2021

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is performed on patients with blocked coronary arteries by creating a shortcut to resolve and improve blood flow to the heart muscle. The CABG procedure can be performed using a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or an off-pump artery bypass graft technique. One complication in heart surgery is acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence. The risk factors in the incidence of AKI include CPB, complications from surgery (e.g., bleeding and blood transfusions), type of surgery, preoperative high-osmolarity state, preoperative serum creatinine level, age >60 years, the presence of comorbid conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia), impaired left ventricular function, hemodynamic disturbances, hypoperfusion, use of vasopressor drugs/inotropes, and preoperative hypoalbuminemia. We report an observation to six of our recent patients underwent CABG aged 36–69 years old. Five patients with coronary arterial diseases (CAD) underwent CABG, and one patient with CAD and mitral regurgitation underwent CABG surgery and mitral valve replacement. All patients had a preoperative albumin level of >3.5 g/dL. Two patients developed AKI <24 h postsurgery and three followed by the next day. Serum creatinine monitoring was carried out daily for 7 days, where two patients showed improvement in serum creatinine, and other two had their creatinine returned to normal. This case series found that AKI incidence after CABG was relatively high despite an excellent clinical outcome. Further research is needed with a larger number of cases to find the risk factors for AKI for perioperative prevention.
Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Intervention Technique in Reducing Stress Levels of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy Residents
Authors: Sugiharto Pradini , Ramlan Andi Ade Wijaya
Published: August 2021

Background:

An anesthesiologist is expected to be able to manage intraoperative crises that can occur at any time. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) technique in reducing stress levels of anesthesiology and intensive therapy residents at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia.

Materials and Methods:

This research was an experimental study with paired one group design. The MBI program lasted 4 weeks, consisted of one formal face-to-face training and 4 weeks of informal training (homework). Thirteen study subjects met the inclusion criteria and did not enter the exclusion criteria. One study subject was excluded because the subject did not complete the informal training. Data collection on the Perceived Stress Scale 10-Item (PSS-10) was conducted before and after training.

Results:

The average age of study subjects was 29.75 years; 75% are women. Four participants were in the 1st year of education (33%), 3 participants were in the 2nd year of education (25%), 2 participants were in the 3rd year of education (16.67%), and 3 participants were in the 4th year of education (25%). PSS-10 score in the study subjects significantly decreased after applying the MBI technique for 4 weeks (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

MBI is effective in reducing stress levels of anesthesiology and intensive therapy residents at the-blinded.
A Review of the Role of Law and Policy in Human-Wildlife Conflict
Authors: Woolaston Katie , Flower Emily , van Velden Julia , White Steven , Burns Georgette Leah , Morrison Clare
Published: August 2021

Interactions between people and wildlife are often mediated by laws, policies, and other governance instruments with profound implications for species conservation. Despite its importance for conservation practice, governance of these human-wildlife relationships is an under-researched area. Our research aim was to understand the link between law/policy and human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and the implications for species conservation using a systematic quantitative review of the literature on the human dimensions of HWC. We identified 133 relevant HWC studies, conducted in 45 countries, involving 114 species. Over 80% of the articles mentioned law, mainly national-level legislation, with little reference to customary or tribal law. However, only 40%, stated whether the laws had influenced the HWC—most reported negative associations with HWC or a mix of positive and negative associations. The perceived ineffectiveness of law was primarily attributed to lack of implementation, support, and enforcement and perceived erroneous laws. The few positive associations included stakeholder involvement, management flexibility, and adequate compensation. Our findings reveal a knowledge deficit on the detailed effects of law on HWC and conservation conflicts in general. Overall, law as an institution seems to exacerbate or prolong most conflicts instead of providing a pathway to coexistence and enhancing species conservation.
Brain Response to Intraperitoneal and Oral Administration of Monosodium Glutamate in Wistar Rats
Authors: Akataobi Uche Stephen , Unanaowo Bassy Ephraim , Michael Ogbodum Courage , Arong Wilson Obio
Published: August 2021

Background:

It has been reported that at high concentration monosodium glutamate (MSG) administration induces neurological toxicity caused by increased concentration of glutamate that promotes the production of free radicals and apoptosis. The blood–brain barrier is used by the brain to protect itself against the effect of glutamate and other neurotoxins but its level of protection varies with age.

Aim and Objective:

In this present study, we examined brain responses to combined intraperitoneal and oral administration of MSG at different doses in Wistar rats.

Material and Method:

4 mg/g MSG was administered intraperitoneally to neonates in postnatal days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10–2 groups and one of the groups was further administered 10 mg/g MSG orally as adult, while the last group received 10 mg/g MSG as adults only for 21 days. At the end of the 21 days, brain tissue was collected and used to determine MSG effect.

Results:

In the brain tissue, MSG administration caused a significant increase (P < 0.05) in glutamate decarboxylase, glutamate synthase, catalase, and glutathione peroxydase activities in a concentration dependent manner higher in group that received MSG both in neonate and adult. Superoxide dismutase also showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the treated groups but higher in group administered as neonates only.

Conclusion:

The result showed that MSG administration increased the level of neurotransmitters in both neonate and adult groups similarly and in response the brain increase the activity of the respective catabolic enzyme to protect itself against its effect
Effect of Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy on the Salivary Ghrelin and Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Levels in Health and Chronic Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Devika G. , Savitha A. N. , Pradeep A. R. , Shirley Alwina J. , Laishram Bitika , Kondody Rony Tomy
Published: August 2021

Context:

Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that is secreted predominantly in the stomach having effects on immunomodulation and bone metabolism. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is synthesized by the osteoblasts and is presumed to be involved in the calcification of the bone matrix.

Objective:

The objective of the study is to compare and correlate the salivary ghrelin and serum ALP levels in health and chronic periodontal disease before and after 2 months of nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT).

Materials and Methods:

A total of 50 systemically healthy subjects were included in the study and divided into healthy, chronic gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis groups. Clinical parameters such as plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, and clinical attachment level were recorded along with the collection of saliva and serum samples at baseline and also after 2 months of NSPT and subjected to ELISA and colorimetric test.

Statistical Analysis:

Student independent t-test, Pearson's correlation, and analysis of variance with post-hoc Games Howell test were used for analysis.

Results:

Results demonstrated that salivary ghrelin and serum ALP were detected in all the groups. There was a statistically significant increase in salivary ghrelin and a reduction in serum ALP levels as wells as the clinical parameters following NSPT in both the treated groups.

Conclusion:

This study concludes that salivary ghrelin and serum ALP levels may represent as a diagnostic biomarker for periodontal disease and also have the potential for therapeutic assessment of responses to NSPT.
Challenges in Managing Amlodipine Toxicity Associated with Pancreatitis
Authors: Aboughanima Mohamed A. , Tantawy Tarek M , Arafat Amr A.
Published: August 2021

Amlodipine toxicity is underrecognized cause of refractory shock. Management of this condition is very challenging. Lipid infusion can be used for the management of this condition as a last resort. Very few cases of drug-induced pancreatitis were reported after Ca-channel blockers overdose. We reported a case of amlodipine toxicity with drug-induced pancreatitis, which was managed with repeated bolus doses of lipid infusion.
An Unusual Case Report of COVID-19 Presenting with Syndrome of Inappropriate ADH Secretion
Authors: Shaikh Wasim Shabbir , Shaikh Ayesha , Sachin K Bhosle , L Rais Zeyad A , El Kholy Hesham
Published: August 2021

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by novel coronavirus continues to produce enormous health effects and deaths since it started in 2019. Research till now has shown that COVID-19 manifests with unusual presentations causing various challenges in its management. Hyponatremia is a common condition found in critical care units and syndrome of inappropriate ADH (SIADH) accounts for one-third of those cases. Several infections associated with COVID-19 have been reported, but there are only few case reports of association with SIADH. We report the case of a 30-year-old male admitted with seizure due to acute symptomatic hyponatremia and SIADH attributed to COVID-19.
The Effect of Advanced Professional Programs on Nurses' Beliefs and Implementation of Evidence based Practice in Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alduraywish Thamer Mohammed , Alenezi Faisal , Alshammari Nawaf
Published: August 2021

Context:

Health-care systems move rapidly toward evidence-based practice (EBP); however, it is still challenging to determine if nurses who have received professional education have adopted EBP into their daily practice.

Aim:

This study aimed to investigate the effect of advanced professional programs in EBP beliefs and EBP implementation in Prince Sultan Military Medical City.

Setting and Design:

A cross-sectional study was conducted including 166 nurses who work at Prince Sultan Military Medical City.

Subjects and Methods:

Data were obtained using an adopted two questionnaires for the EBP-Beliefs and EBP-Implementation Scales.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive analysis was used to determine statistical significance and correlation between variables.

Results:

The mean score for EBP beliefs was 57.5 and the average score of EBP implementation was 45. A significant correlation was found between professional programs and EBP beliefs, and there were mean score differences between diploma and the other two groups (graduate and postgraduate).

Conclusions:

Professional programs showed a relationship with EBP beliefs; however, an increase of EBP beliefs does not always imply an increment on EBP implementation. Despite some obstacle factors such as lack of mentorship and training programs, EBP can benefit from advanced professional nursing programs, as believing of EBP importance increase with higher nurses' education level which can affect positively on patients' outcomes.
Development of a Risk Score for QT Prolongation in the Intensive Care Unit Using Time-Series Electrocardiogram Data and Electronic Medical Records
Authors: Kim Tae Young , Choi Byung Jin , Koo Yeryung , Lee Sukhoon , Yoon Dukyong
Published: August 2021

Objectives: Drug-induced QT prolongation can lead to life-threatening arrhythmia. In the intensive care unit (ICU), various drugs are administered concurrently, which can increase the risk of QT prolongation. However, no well-validated method to evaluate the risk of QT prolongation in real-world clinical practice has been established. We developed a risk scoring model to continuously evaluate the quantitative risk of QT prolongation in real-world clinical practice in the ICU.Methods: Continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) signals measured by patient monitoring devices and Electronic Medical Records data were collected for ICU patients. QT and RR intervals were measured from raw ECG data, and a corrected QT interval (QTc) was calculated by Bazett’s formula. A case-crossover study design was adopted. A case was defined as an occurrence of QT prolongation ≥12 hours after any previous QT prolongation. The patients served as their own controls. Conditional logistic regression was conducted to analyze prescription, surgical history, and laboratory test data. Based on the regression analysis, a QTc prolongation risk scoring model was established.Results: In total, 811 ICU patients who experienced QT prolongation were included in this study. Prescription information for 13 drugs was included in the risk scoring model. In the validation dataset, the high-risk group showed a higher rate of QT prolongation than the low-and low moderate-risk groups.Conclusions: Our proposed model may facilitate risk stratification for QT prolongation during ICU care as well as the selection of appropriate drugs to prevent QT prolongation.
Concerns of Thalassemia Patients, Carriers, and their Caregivers in Malaysia: Text Mining Information Shared on Social Media
Authors: Phang Yuen Chi , Kassim Azleena Mohd , Mangantig Ernest
Published: August 2021

Objectives: The main aim of this study was to use text mining on social media to analyze information and gain insight into the health-related concerns of thalassemia patients, thalassemia carriers, and their caregivers.Methods: Posts from two Facebook groups whose members consisted of thalassemia patients, thalassemia carriers, and caregivers in Malaysia were extracted using the Data Miner tool. In this study, a new framework known as Malay-English social media text pre-processing was proposed for performing the steps of pre-processing the noisy mixed language (Malay-English language) of social media posts. Topic modeling was used to identify hidden topics within posts shared among members. Three different topic models—latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) in GenSim, LDA in MALLET, and latent semantic analysis—were applied to the dataset with and without stemming using Python.Results: LDA in MALLET without stemming was found to be the best topic model for this dataset. Eight topics were identified within the posts shared by members. Of those eight topics, four were newly discovered by this study, and four others corresponded to the findings of previous studies that used an interview approach.Conclusions: Topic 2 (the challenges faced by thalassemia patients) was found to be the topic with the highest attention and engagement. Healthcare practitioners and other concerned parties should make an effort to build a stronger support system related to this issue for those affected by thalassemia.
Automatic Pectoral Muscle Removal and Microcalcification Localization in Digital Mammograms
Authors: Gómez Kevin Alejandro Hernández , Echeverry-Correa Julian D. , Gutiérrez Álvaro Ángel Orozco
Published: August 2021

Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women, and microcalcification (MCC) clusters act as an early indicator. Thus, the detection of MCCs plays an important role in diagnosing breast cancer.Methods: This paper presents a methodology for mammogram preprocessing and MCC detection. The preprocessing method employs automatic artefact deletion and pectoral muscle removal based on region-growing segmentation and polynomial contour fitting. The MCC detection method uses a convolutional neural network for region-of-interest (ROI) classification, along with morphological operations and wavelet reconstruction to reduce false positives (FPs).Results: The methodology was evaluated using the mini-MIAS and UTP datasets in terms of segmentation accuracy in the preprocessing phase, as well as sensitivity and the mean FP rate per image in the MCC detection phase. With the mini-MIAS dataset, the proposed methods achieved accuracy scores of 99% for breast segmentation and 95% for pectoral segmentation, a sensitivity score of 82% for MCC detection, and an FP rate per image of 3.27. With the UTP dataset, the methods achieved accuracy scores of 97% for breast segmentation and 91% for pectoral segmentation, a sensitivity score of 78% for MCC detection, and an FP rate per image of 0.74.Conclusions: The proposed preprocessing method outperformed the state-of-the-art methods for breast segmentation and achieved relatively good results for pectoral muscle removal. Furthermore, the MCC detection module achieved the highest test accuracy in identifying potential ROIs with MCCs compared to other methods.
Ninety-day outcome of patients with severe COVID-19 treated with tocilizumab – a single centre cohort study
Authors: Sava Mihaela , Sommer Gregor , Daikeler Thomas , Woischnig Anne-Kathrin , Martinez Aurélien E. , Leuzinger Karoline , Hirsch Hans H. , Erlanger Tobias E. , Wiencierz Andrea , Bassetti Stefano , Tamm Michael , Tschudin-Sutter Sarah , Stoeckle Marcel , Pargger Hans , Siegemund Martin , Boss Renate , Zimmer Gert , Vu Diem-Lan , Kaiser Laurent , Dell-Kuster Salome , Weisser Maja , Battegay Manuel , Hostettler Katrin E. , Khanna Nina
Published: August 2021

OBJECTIVES
Patients with severe COVID-19 may be at risk of longer term sequelae. Long-term clinical, immunological, pulmonary and radiological outcomes of patients treated with anti-inflammatory drugs are lacking.

METHODS
In this single-centre prospective cohort study, we assessed 90-day clinical, immunological, pulmonary and radiological outcomes of hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 treated with tocilizumab from March 2020 to May 2020. Criteria for tocilizumab administration were oxygen saturation <93%, respiratory rate >30/min, C-reactive protein levels >75 mg/l, extensive area of ground-glass opacities or progression on computed tomography (CT). Descriptive analyses were performed using StataIC 16.

RESULTS
Between March 2020 and May 2020, 50 (27%) of 186 hospitalised patients had severe COVID-19 and were treated with tocilizumab. Of these, 52% were hospitalised on the intensive care unit (ICU) and 12% died. Eleven (22%) patients developed at least one microbiologically confirmed super-infection, of which 91% occurred on ICU. Median duration of hospitalisation was 15 days (interquartile range [IQR] 10–24) with 24 days (IQR 14–32) in ICU patients and 10 days (IQR 7–15) in non-ICU patients. At day 90, 41 of 44 survivors (93%) were outpatients. No long-term adverse events or late-onset infections were identified after acute hospital care. High SARS-CoV-2 antibody titres were found in all but one patient, who was pretreated with rituximab. Pulmonary function tests showed no obstructive patterns, but restrictive patterns in two (5.7%) and impaired diffusion capacities for carbon monoxide in 11 (31%) of 35 patients, which predominated in prior ICU patients. Twenty-one of 35 (60%) CT-scans at day 90 showed residual abnormalities, with similar distributions between prior ICU and non-ICU patients.

CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort of severe COVID-19 patients, no tocilizumab-related long-term adverse events or late-onset infections were identified. Although chest CT abnormalities were highly prevalent at day 90, the majority of patients showed normal lung function.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04351503
Макроекономіка: теорія і практика
Authors: Mamanazarov Abdukhakim , Shaikan Andrii , Kulishov Volodymyr , Hushko Serhii
Published: August 2021

В підручнику викладені основні теоретичні проблеми макроекономічного аналізу. Підручник має системний характер, він укладений за нормативною програмою курсу «Макроекономіка», яка викладається студентам економічних спеціальностей, забезпечує використання повного комплексу основних методів навчання: словесного, наочного та практичного. Розділи підручника містять схеми, таблиці, термінологічний словник, формули, розрахунки, тести, проблемні ситуації, практичні задачі та методику їх вирішення. Це дозволяє студентам краще засвоїти навчальний матеріал чи самостійно оволодіти ним.
Email Client Using Flutter Software Development Kit for Visually Impaired People
Authors: Gupta Neha , Chauhan Nitin , Fardeen Mohd. , Pal Nirbhay , Bhatnagar Mayank
Published: August 2021

Flutter SDK developed by Google Inc. provides fast and easy way to develop application targeting multiple platforms using single code base, without compromising on features and performance. Application developed using this framework are on par with native apps developed for the platform, resulting in great performance and efficient resource utilization. The application proposed here will be able to assist visually impaired people to manage their email-box without any assistance of other people and they can even compose emails, send replies to emails received and listen to received emails using text to voice and voice to text techniques proposed. For an average person it may seem a simple task to manage their own email-box but to a person who is not able to see, this task seems near impossible without assistance from other people. The proposed application helps visually impaired peoples to easily tackle these challenges and ensures private and secure email-box management.
Alkaloid Cytotoxic Test on Ethanol Extract from Itchy Leaves (Laportea decumana (Roxb.) Wedd.)
Authors: Mangiwa Septiani , Mangiwa Septiani , Mangiwa Septiani
Published: August 2021

The Itchy leaf [Laportea decumana (Roxb.) Wedd] is a plant that is widely used as traditional medicine by Papuans as a pain reliever. The purpose of this study was to determine the total level of alkaloids in itchy leaf extract and to test the cytotoxic activity using the BSLT method. The research series began with the extraction stage with the maceration method using 96% ethanol, which tested the alkaloid level. The test was carried out using the gravimetric method and the cytotoxic test using the alkaloid level test results using the BSLT method on shrimp larvae (Artemia salina L). The results showed that itchy leaf extract contained a total alkaloid level of 6.46%. Cytotoxic testing using the BSLT method showed an LC50 of 54.33 ppm and was found to be toxic.
Sustentabilidad y economía política del agua en Morelos. Relaciones de poder, problemas e inconsistencias en la contabilidad hídrica oficial por parte del Estado mexicano
Authors:   Centro Universitario CIFE - México, Luna-Nemecio Josemanuel
Published: August 2021

La subordinación de la política ambiental global a los Objetivos del Desarrollo Sostenible presentes en la Agenda 2030, ha producido diversas transfiguraciones epistemológicas y sesgos teórico-metodológicos que dificulta hacer estudios críticos sobre los recursos hídricos. Ante este problema, este libro busca salirse de la perspectiva edulcorada de la crisis ambiental presente en el discurso dominante del desarrollo sostenible; por lo que se parte de la crítica de la economía política y de una perspectiva contrahegemónica de la sustentabilidad para reconocer que la política hídrica implementada en México durante el neoliberalismo ha provocado una complicación de la economía y política del agua en el estado de Morelos. En este libro se encuentra una reconstrucción del complejo rompecabezas que representa las relaciones de poder entre los actores que participan en el proceso de gestión, administración y manejo de los recursos hídricos en el estado de Morelos. Además, se expone las implicancias que tiene el sesgo en la contabilidad oficial sobre la disponibilidad hídrica llevada a cabo por el Estado mexicano durante el neoliberalismo. Lo cual permite reconocer, en primer lugar, los intereses presentes en la relación de individuos, comunidades, instituciones, grupos sociales que tienen derechos y responsabilidades en torno a la gestión hídrica en Morelos. Y, en segundo lugar, permite reconocer una realidad que es ilustrativa tanto de la totalidad del territorio mexicano, así como de toda América Latina; pues a lo largo y ancho de estos territorios se han vivido despojos y saqueos por parte del desarrollo del capitalismo contemporáneo.
REINFORCING THE TRANSFORMATION OF STEREOTYPICAL PERCEPTIONS OF IMPRISONED DRUG USERS ABOUT THE CAUSES OF CRIME: UTILIZING THE METHOD OF "TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING THROUGH AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE"
Authors: Vierou Anna Maria , Raikou Natassa
Published: August 2021

The commission of criminal acts has always been a social problem, both socially and scientifically engaging. Many theories have been formulated from time to time about what is considered a criminal act, as well as about the factors that contribute to the occurrence of the phenomenon, varying according to the time and the social conditions that prevailed. The study was conducted at the Detention Centre of Patras, with the participation of seven drug users and members of the KETHEA consultation programme. Methodologically, the qualitative approach has been chosen and in particular the action research with the use of group-focused interviews. The research findings are relevant to what one may come across in the bibliography, while at the same time they highlight three basic cause factors of criminal behavior: individual characteristics, family and environmental reasons, with emphasis placed upon the substance abuse, and peer pressure. Moreover, the use of the “Transformative Learning through Aesthetic Experience” method has proven to be extremely functional as far as the alteration of perceptions among groups of users-prisoners is concerned. It can also complement the therapeutic procedure and the social integration of this particular group of people.

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AN ADVANCED STATISTICAL METHOD RESEARCH ON THE EFFECT OF KNOWLEDGE USE LEVELS ON SOME SKILLS
Authors: Doğan Abbas , Sekerci Reyhan , Güven Beyhan , Güven Alper
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of cognitive knowledge levels of senior students studying in higher education on various variables and some performance-based skills. 265 students selected by criterion sampling method participated in the study. The validity and reliability of the data of the study were determined, collected with two separate inventories, and various advanced statistical methods were used in the analysis of the data. According to some variables, it has been determined that knowledge levels have a significant effect on some performance-based skills. The obtained data were interpreted in the light of the literature and various suggestions were made to researchers and practitioners.

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INVESTIGATING CHALLENGES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH THROUGH SONGS
Authors: Muhamad Nurhidayah , Rahmat Noor Hanim
Published: August 2021

Teachers teaching in the 21st century find classroom teaching and learning more challenging than it used to me. Generation Y are known to have problems with communication and generation Z are known to prefer learning tasks that contain the use of technology and activities that include the elements of fun. The use of songs has been successfully used in the teaching of English as a second/foreign language. Songs are known to motivate learners in the classroom. However, some language teachers report facing problems when they use English songs as teaching materials. This pilot study explores the challenges teachers face when they use of English songs in the English classrooms. Respondents were chosen from a public university in Malaysia. The instrument used is a questionnaire. Findings of the study revealed that teachers and learners face challenges such as pronunciation and meaning when English songs are used in the English classrooms.

 

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DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING AN ESSAY OF ENGLISH-MAJORED SOPHOMORES AT TAY DO UNIVERSITY, IN VIETNAM
Authors: Nguyen Nga H. T. , Nguyen Nhung T. M. , Nguyen Thao T. T.
Published: August 2021

Writing is an important skill in English that helps people express thoughts, emotion and viewpoint to readers. However, students face some difficulties when writing. Hence, the survey research presents the process of the study about “Difficulties in writing an essay of English-majored sophomores at Tay Do University, in Viet Nam”. It was conducted to find out some difficulties in learning writing (from 200 to 250 - word essay) of 102 the sophomores from Bachelor of English 10 at Tay Do University. Questionnaire, paper interview and essay samples were the instruments of the study. The results showed that sophomores had many problems in writing such as vocabulary, grammar structures, ideas arrangement, background knowledge, and others. Basing on the results, some solutions would be suggested to help students to get a good writing skill.

Viết là một kỹ năng quan trọng trong tiếng Anh giúp người viết thể hiện suy nghĩ, cảm xúc và quan điểm với người đọc. Tuy nhiên, sinh viên thường gặp một số khó khăn khi viết. Do đó, nghiên cứu “Khó khăn khi viết bài luận của sinh viên năm thứ hai chuyên ngành Ngôn Ngữ Anh tại Trường Đại học Tây Đô, Việt Nam” được thực hiện nhằm tìm ra một số khó khăn khi học môn viết (bài luận từ 200 đến 250 từ) của 102 sinh viên Cử nhân Tiếng Anh năm thứ hai, khóa 10 của Trường Đại học Tây Đô. Công cụ nghiên cứu gồm bảng câu hỏi, phỏng vấn trên giấy và phân tích bài luận. Kết quả cho thấy sinh viên năm thứ hai gặp nhiều vấn đề về viết như từ vựng, cấu trúc ngữ pháp, sắp xếp ý tưởng, kiến thức nền tảng và những vấn đề khác. Dựa trên kết quả đạt được, một số giải pháp sẽ được đề xuất để giúp sinh viên có được kỹ năng viết tốt hơn.

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EFFECTIVENESS OF SERVICE DELIVERY IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS: THE ROLE OF SCHOOL NEEDS IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURE AND TENDERING PROCESS
Authors: Sila Jane Mwikali , Kirwok Emily
Published: August 2021

Despite the Kenyan government allocation of billions of shillings to schools each year and the existing legal frameworks, service delivery has been faced with irregular procurement procedures. Thus, the purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of service delivery in public secondary schools with a school needs identification procedure and tendering process perspective. Guided by the Agency Theory and Cultural Theory, the study adopted descriptive survey method design and carried out in Likoni sub-county, Mombasa. With a sample size of 116 respondents, questionnaires were administered among schools’ principals, deputies, bursars and storekeepers. The instrument was examined for reliability at a correlation coefficient of .73. Data analysis entailed descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS Version 24.0. The study findings showed that the element of needs identification plays a role in the culmination of the requirements which in turn has effect on service delivery in public secondary schools. The study also revealed that the influence of tendering process on service delivery is insignificant at level .05 and concludes that there is no significant relationship between tendering process and service delivery.
 

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UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ FIRST EXPERIENCES FROM ONLINE COURSES IN COVID-19 PERIOD
Authors: Sideri Maria , Chiou Vana
Published: August 2021

Prior to Covid-19 era, undergraduate courses were not allowed to be delivered online in Greece, which implies that University students may have encountered difficulties to get adjusted to the new form of courses implemented at the start of the pandemic. This research aims to investigate University of the Aegean students’ adjustment and satisfaction from online courses during spring semester 2020. The results show that both students’ adjustment and satisfaction, affected by factors recorded in literature, were moderate by the mid of semester which highlights the importance of online readiness. However, three specific factors (cohabitation causing difficulties to students in courses’ attendance, motivation to attend courses being linked more with students’ need to have a way out of the quarantine routine and sense of belonging in the University’s community) indicate that, in cases of implementation of emergency online education, social needs and external factors are of high importance.

 

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LESSONS FROM CRITICAL THINKING: HOW TO PROMOTE THINKING SKILLS IN EFL WRITING CLASSES
Authors: Rashtchi Mojgan , Khoshnevisan Babak
Published: August 2021

Critical thinking as an issue with on-going importance has an immense influence on modern education. However, it is not a natural disposition but is a potential that needs cultivation. Training individuals to become critical thinkers is not an easy task, but by adopting appropriate strategies and classroom practices, it is attainable. The present article aimed to show how English writing classes in EFL settings could facilitate the practice of critical thinking skills. This paper suggests that critical thinking can be implemented as a classroom practice in writing courses by using several tasks that integrate writing and thinking skills. The article starts with an introduction to the definitions of critical thinking. Then, it underlines the classroom procedures, which can be implemented by teachers. Following this, some sample tasks and writing topics are proposed to help teachers employ critical thinking practices in their classes.

 

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TEFL PROFESSORS' E-LEARNING EXPERIENCES DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Shaaban Sumer Salman Abou
Published: August 2021

This study aimed at revealing teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) professors' eLearning experiences during the Covid 19 pandemic in the Gaza Strip higher education institutions. For this end, the researcher designed a (20) open-ended questions questionnaires to be completed by (32) TEFL professors in (8) Palestinian higher education institutions. Results showed that TEFL professors need training to develop their skills in designing, developing and drawing action plan for TEFL e-courses that achieve the objectives of foreign language teaching\ learning. Palestinian TEFL professors spent (4- 7) hours daily preparing, meeting, guiding, helping and facilitating learning by using different eLearning programs and network social media such as Moodle, Google classroom, Zoom, WhatsApp and Facebook. They adopted different teaching methods as well as different types of evaluation and following up in order to measure the objectives achievement; however, they neglected developing thinking and real life skills. The most challenges for both TEFL professors and learners were insufficient knowledge about eLearning and technical problems. TEFL professors action plan was focused on reducing the number of activities and drawing clear procedures with all the needed tools and activities for each objective in the course. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends that higher education institutions should provide training courses in the field of eLearning for both learners and professors, prepare a guide for designing and developing e-courses and provide professional technicians for maintenance of equipment and should regularly fix various technical malfunctions.

 

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RECEPTIVE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN CLIL INSTRUCTION
Authors: Kalay Dilsah
Published: August 2021

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has recently attracted the attention of practitioners in the language teaching field. As the name suggests, CLIL is an approach built upon teaching content-based area through a language as a medium. For such a language learning process, one of the important language aspects is vocabulary. The number of words language learners know - vocabulary size - and how well they know those words - vocabulary depth - (overall, the receptive dimension of word knowledge) are crucial foci to consider in language learning. Therefore, the primary concern of the present study is to examine the effects of the CLIL approach on the receptive vocabulary knowledge of university students in a state university. Accordingly, Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) by Schmitt, Schmitt and Clapham (2001) and Word Association Test (WAT) by Read (2000) are administered to the participants before and after CLIL treatment. The findings indicated that the subjects’ size of vocabulary knowledge has significantly differed with CLIL instruction in time, which means that CLIL instruction has been found to be successful for developing both general and academic vocabulary knowledge. Similarly, an increase in the depth of vocabulary knowledge of participants alongside with the CLIL instruction has been observed, indicating that participants’ quality of vocabulary knowledge evaluated through WAT seems to have improved with CLIL treatment. Further research including less frequent words as well as the productive aspect of word knowledge might shed light on the impacts of CLIL treatment on vocabulary development of language learners, especially university students.

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INTEGRATING EXTENSIVE READING INTO THE LESSONS: ITS EFFECTS ON EFL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ READING PERFORMANCE
Authors: Thanh Nguyen Huynh Kim , Vien Truong
Published: August 2021

This one-group experimental study attempts to investigate the effects of integrating extensive reading, especially the integration of the two main reading skills namely skimming and scanning skills into the reading lessons on EFL high school students’ reading performance. The participants were 62 grade-10 students studying in a high school in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The four main instruments used to collect the data included Reading Tests (consisting of Pre-test and Post-test), a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, and a pre-program survey, respectively. The results of the data analysis indicated a relatively significant impact of extensive reading on students’ reading performance, especially the improvement of two reading skills, namely skimming and scanning. In addition, it confirmed that the participants had a positive attitude towards the integration of extensive reading into the reading lessons. The present study showed the main implication that the incorporation of extensive reading into the reading lessons should get more attention in language teaching programs at secondary education.

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BALANCING PRODUCTIVITY WITH THE MORALE OF THE VIRTUAL EMPLOYEE: A CASE STUDY FOR OPTIMIZING AN INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY PLAN
Authors: Manko Barbara A.
Published: August 2021

Achieving the ideal balance between the optimal, most efficient productivity of a company and the best employee satisfaction ratings one can produce is the paragon of the technology-utilizing, smooth-running, sustainable business model that all chief executives dream of. This is only achievable through a pragmatic, scientific analysis on qualitative and quantitative levels. A thorough assessment of employee-technology relationships can be determined and necessary changes are made, all specifically targeted at survey and interview results recorded by an unbiased external source. A careful strategy to hone a systematic plan focused on furthering the balance of human contentment and technological function is the ultimate goal.

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FAMÍLIA EMPRESÁRIA E SEUS PÚBLICOS / FAMILY BUSINESSES AND ITS AUDIENCES
Authors: Rodrigues Jorge
Published: August 2021

O artigo pretende estabelecer o estado da arte na família empresária e seus públicos, contribuindo para a construção de conhecimento organizado e estruturado, para uma compreensão mais aprofundada dos conceitos que lhe estão subjacentes. A estratégia de investigação prosseguida socorreu-se da “teoria da prática” de Bourdieu, significando que no momento da realização de uma pesquisa, a problemática pode ser alterada, a hipótese modificada e as variáveis reconsideradas, fazendo com que a qualquer instante surja uma visão inovadora do que se passa no campo em análise. Como principais resultados aponta-se para um conjunto de dez questões, as quais poderão ser valorizadas, fornecendo a importância relativa da dimensão família empresária e seus públicos, a incluir num modelo integrador de várias dimensões, suficientemente genérico e abrangente, qual mosaico árabe, para que o mesmo possa ser aplicado a qualquer tipo de família empresária. 

 

The article intends to establish the state of the art in the business family and its publics, contributing to the construction of organized and structured knowledge, for a deeper understanding of the concepts that underlie it. The research strategy pursued relied on Bourdieu's "theory of practice", meaning that at the time of a research, the problem can be modified, the modified hypothesis and the variables reconsidered, causing at any moment a vision to emerge of what is happening in the field under analysis. The main results point to a set of ten questions, which can be valued, providing the relative importance of the business family dimension and its public, to include in an integrating model of several dimensions, sufficiently generic and comprehensive, which Arab mosaic, for that it can be applied to any type of business family.

 

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EFFECT OF COGNITIVE CRAFTING ON GRADUATION RATE OF STUDENTS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES, SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA
Authors: Igwesi Chika George , Ukairo Agwu Kalu , Ijeh Mathew Chiedu
Published: August 2021

The study investigated the effect of cognitive crafting on the graduation rate of students in Federal Universities, South East, Nigeria. The study is anchored on Elgar’s Performance Theory of organizations. The survey research method was adopted for the study, making use of structured questionnaire as instruments for data collection. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Hypotheses were tested using the simple linear regression. The study found that cognitive crafting had significant positive effect on the graduation rate of students in Federal Universities, South East, Nigeria (r 0.803; P < 0.05). It was therefore, concluded that cognitive capabilities which promote students’ graduation rate enhances the overall performance of Universities in South East, Nigeria. The study recommended that Universities should be properly funded to encourage the employment and retention of professionals with cognitive capabilities that would enhance students’ graduation rate and overall performance of the Universities.

JEL: B10; A02; C06

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