bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wynagrodzenie za pracę jako przedmiot egzekucji administracyjnej
Authors: Maciejewska Renata
Published: December 2020

Przedmiot badań: W przypadku dochodzenia długów pieniężnych egzekucja z wynagrodzenia za pracę jest jednym ze sposobów egzekucji należności pieniężnych. W związku z powyższym szczególne znaczenie ma ustalenie składników wynagrodzenia, które mogą stanowić przedmiot potrącenia, jak również zastosowanie właściwej metody potrąceń. Istotnym zatem wydaje się wskazanie właściwej relacji pomiędzy przepisami dotyczącymi egzekucji z wynagrodzenia za pracę a przepisami prawa pracy.

Cel badawczy: Za oś rozważań przyjęto relację pomiędzy przepisami ustawy egzekucyjnej a przepisami prawa pracy. Ponadto w kręgu rozważań znajdzie się wynagrodzenie z tytułu umowy zlecenia, które po zmianach stało się porównywalne do wynagrodzenia za pracę.

Metoda badawcza: Aby zrealizować założony cel badawczy, autor posłużył się metodą dogmatyczną uwzględniającą analizę i wykładnię przepisów prawa polskiego, przy uwzględnieniu poglądów wyrażonych w doktrynie i orzecznictwie.

Wyniki: Uwagi de lege ferenda dotyczą dualizmu pojęcia wynagrodzenia za pracę, co skutkuje różnym definiowaniem pojęcia wynagrodzenia oraz jego składników w przepisach egzekucyjnych oraz przepisach prawa pracy. Wskazane jest ujednolicenie pojęcia wynagrodzenia za pracę. Ponadto zasadne wydaje się rozszerzenie katalogu zawartego w art. 8 u.p.e.a. o te składniki wynagrodzenia, które są formą rekompensaty dla pracownika oraz świadczenia socjalne, a także wprowadzenie do ustawy egzekucyjnej limitów potrąceń z umów zlecenia.
Prawo do rachunku bankowego jako przejaw ochrony konsumenta. Zarys problematyki
Authors: Sagan Marta
Published: December 2020

Przedmiot badań: Przedmiotem artykułu jest problematyka dostępu konsumenta do rachunku bankowego jako instrumentu współcześnie w zasadzie nieodzownego w codziennej egzystencji. Ze względu na sposób uregulowania zagadnień powiązanych z tematyką opracowania przyjmuje ono charakter multidyscyplinarny, bowiem oprócz regulacji przewidzianych przez szeroko rozumiane prawo bankowe należy odnieść się do prawa cywilnego i konstytucyjnego. Tematyka ta nie była szeroko komentowana w piśmiennictwie z zakresu polskiego prawa bankowego.

Cel badawczy: Udowodnienie, że w obowiązujących przepisach brak, w ocenie autorki, uregulo­wań w stopniu dostatecznym gwarantujących prawo konsumenta do rachunku bankowego. Wobec powyższego przyjęto następującą strukturę tekstu: w zagadnieniach wstępnych przedstawiono tło dla dalszej analizy wraz z przytoczeniem stosownych danych statystycznych, kolejno skupio­no się na podstawowych dla opracowania pojęciach – konsumenta, rachunku bankowego oraz umowy rachunku bankowego, a także prawa konsumenta do rachunku bankowego w kontekście bezpieczeństwa i wykluczenia finansowego. W podsumowaniu ujęto wnioski płynące z przepro­wadzonych rozważań.

Metoda badawcza: Badania przeprowadzono przy wykorzystaniu metody formalno-dogmatycznej, natomiast jedynie pobocznie skorzystano z metody pozaprawnej, jaką jest analiza danych staty­stycznych.

Wyniki: Konkluzją przeprowadzonych rozważań jest zasadność wprowadzenia regulacji silniej gwarantujących konsumentowi realizację prawa do rachunku bankowego w przypadku nieuza­sadnionej odmowy jej zawarcia.
Prywatyzacja zadań publicznych w metrologii – na przykładzie zadań administracji miar
Authors: Żywicka Agnieszka
Published: December 2020

Przedmiot badań: Artykuł dotyczy prywatyzacji zadań publicznych, która nastąpiła w sferze metrologii prawnej, poprzez wprowadzenie systemu oceny zgodności przyrządów pomiarowych.

Cel badań: Celem artykułu jest analiza procesu prywatyzacji zadań publicznych w sferze me­trologii z perspektywy kompetencji administracji miar. Autorka dokonuje oceny sposobu, w jaki wprowadzenie oceny zgodności przyrządów pomiarowych wpłynęło na status prawny administracji jako podmiotu zarządzającego oraz na zakres jej zadań.

Metoda badawcza: W artykule została wykorzystana metoda prawno-dogmatyczna, oparta na całościowej i wszechstronnej ocenie materiału normatywnego i jego wykładni oraz metoda teo­retyczno-prawna.

Wyniki: Autorka pozytywnie ocenia koncepcję prywatyzacji zadań publicznych w sferze prawnej kontroli metrologicznej, która nastąpiła w wyniku wprowadzenia oceny zgodności. Prywatyzacja zadań publicznych w sferze metrologii stanowi przejaw dostosowywania form realizacji zadań publicznych do potrzeb obrotu gospodarczego poprzez wprowadzanie elementów prywatnopraw­nych (umów cywilnoprawnych), które zapewniają szybszą i sprawniejszą realizację tych zadań. Wprowadzenie tego instrumentu spowodowało wykształcenie nowego typu podmiotu administru­jącego – jednostek notyfikowanych, którymi są zarówno podmioty publiczne (jednostki admini­stracji miar), jak i podmioty prywatne. Zwiększyła się elastyczność działań administracji miar, która w realizacji usług z zakresu oceny zgodności posługuje się formami działania właściwymi prawu prywatnemu. Wprowadzenie oceny zgodności wywiera pozytywny wpływ na gospodarkę poprzez poszerzenie liczby podmiotów (jednostek notyfikowanych) wykonujących ocenę zgodności przyrządów pomiarowych, a tym samym zwiększenie dostępności dla przedsiębiorców.
Feature selection to increase the random forest method performance on high dimensional data
Authors: Prasetiyowati Maria Irmina , Maulidevi Nur Ulfa , Surendro Kridanto
Published: December 2020

Random Forest is a supervised classification method based on bagging (Bootstrap aggregating) Breiman and random selection of features. The choice of features randomly assigned to the Random Forest makes it possible that the selected feature is not necessarily informative. So it is necessary to select features in the Random Forest. The purpose of choosing this feature is to select an optimal subset of features that contain valuable information in the hope of accelerating the performance of the Random Forest method. Mainly for the execution of high-dimensional datasets such as the Parkinson, CNAE-9, and Urban Land Cover dataset. The feature selection is done using the Correlation-Based Feature Selection method, using the BestFirst method. Tests were carried out 30 times using the K-Cross Fold Validation value of 10 and dividing the dataset into 70% training and 30% testing. The experiments using the Parkinson dataset obtained a time difference of 0.27 and 0.28 seconds faster than using the Random Forest method without feature selection. Likewise, the trials in the Urban Land Cover dataset had 0.04 and 0.03 seconds, while for the CNAE-9 dataset, the difference time was 2.23 and 2.81 faster than using the Random Forest method without feature selection. These experiments showed that the Random Forest processes are faster when using the first feature selection. Likewise, the accuracy value increased in the two previous experiments, while only the CNAE-9 dataset experiment gets a lower accuracy. This research’s benefits is by first performing feature selection steps using the Correlation-Base Feature Selection method can increase the speed of performance and accuracy of the Random Forest method on high-dimensional data.
REGISTROS NA RESOLUÇÃO DE MULTIPLICAÇÕES E DIVISÕES: DESVELANDO A PRODUÇÃO DE ALUNOS DO 4º ANO
Authors: Nita Mariana Aline , Fanizzi Sueli , Tarouco Vanessa Lacerda
Published: December 2020

O presente artigo corresponde às reflexões e constatações provenientes de uma das fases da pesquisa intitulada A interação nas aulas de Matemática: da negociação de significados à construção de conhecimentos, realizada no âmbito da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, nos anos de 2019 e 2020. O estudo dessa fase teve por objetivo analisar o registro de alunos ingressantes no 4º ano do ensino fundamental na resolução das operações de multiplicação e divisão. Os dados foram retirados da avaliação diagnóstica, aplicada pela escola participante da pesquisa, instrumento que orientou o encaminhamento dos alunos com dificuldades em Matemática para a sala de apoio pedagógico. A análise dos registros ocorreu de forma qualitativa, como base no método interpretativo. Conclui-se que existem diversas possibilidades de registro para a expressão do conhecimento acerca da técnica da multiplicação e da divisão que, embora não sejam convencionais, podem revelar significativas relações matemáticas construídas pelos alunos.
Changes in jump and sprint performances during 14 preseasons in a Spanish reserve elite soccer team
Authors: Los Arcos Asier , Martínez-Santos Raúl , Clemente Filipe M. , Castillo Daniel
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was
to assess the changes in jump and sprint performances after the preseason period across 14
seasons depending on the initial performance level and the playing position in
young professional soccer players. In total, 162 soccer players (age = 20.6 ±
1.8 years) belonging to the same reserve team of a Spanish La Liga club participated in this study. Countermovement jump (CMJ)
and 5 and 15 m sprints were assessed in each season at the start of the
preseason (July), Test 1 (T1), and the start of the competitive period
(September), Test 2 (T2), from the 1998 to 2013 seasons. Considering all
seasons, a trivial change was found in the sprint (5 m, Effect Size [ES] =
−0.01; ±0.11, most-likely; and 15 m, ES = 0.05; ±0.09, most-likely) and
countermovement jump (CMJ) performances (ES = −0.03; ±0.07; most-likely) after
the preseason, but this varied across the seasons. While the fastest players in
5 m and 15 m tests and the most powerful worsened their performances in
sprinting capacity (ES = 0.53–0.65, small very-likely) and in jump ability (ES
= −0.54; ±0.25, small very-likely), respectively, the slowest players and the
less powerful improved their performance likely/most-likely (ES = −0.33 and
−0.68, small and moderate) and very-likely (ES = 0.40; ±0.20, small) after the
precompetitive period. The changes in CMJ and sprinting were trivial and
trivial/small for all tactical positions. The changes in neuromuscular
performance after the preseason were not stable across the seasons and varied
depending on the initial performance level. Individualization strategies should
be considered in the design of strength and conditioning programs in order to
optimize the training process.
Views of community pharmacists in Lebanon on the unified prescription: a mixed method study
Authors: Dimassi Hani , Bou Maroun Aline , Saadeh Marguerita , Khabsa Joanne , Abdou Jessica Lynn , Saleh Shadi
Published: December 2020

Background: The unified prescription was introduced in Lebanon in 2011; an aim was to save on medication expenditure. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the views of community pharmacists on the effect and usefulness of the unified prescription. Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey of community pharmacists from all governorates of Lebanon was conducted. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, pharmacists’ views on the effect of the unified prescription on their work, the percentage of prescriptions in which the prescriber had indicated that the medicine should not be substituted with a generic equivalent and the percentage needing clarification from the prescriber. Face-to-face interviews were held with 12 pharmacists to explore their views further. Results: Of 251 pharmacists interviewed, 56.8% did not think the unified prescription was useful, 34.8% thought it complicated their work and 24.0% that it reduced their autonomy. The in-depth interviews showed that autonomy was perceived to be restricted because of the difficulty in convincing patients to accept a substitute generic medicine, which the unified prescription allowed. The unified prescription complicated pharmacists’ work because of increased paperwork and the need for more storage. Pharmacists felt that the large number of prescriptions in which the prescriber had indicated that the medicine should not be substituted undermined the purpose of the unified prescription. Conclusion: The implementation of the unified prescription was not considered a success by community pharmacists in Lebanon. Efforts are needed to improve communication with prescribers and educate the public about pharmacists’ role and generic medicines.
Eating disorders among Jordanian adolescents with and without dysglycaemia: a comparative study
Authors: Al Hourani Huda , Ababneh Rana , Khawaja Nahla , Khader Yousef , Ajlouni Kamel
Published: December 2020

Background: Studies on eating disorders among Jordanian adolescents have reported variable prevalence rates of 12–40%. Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of eating disorders among Jordanian adolescents with and without dysglycaemia and determine the associated factors. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted during the period November 2017–February 2018. The Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale was used to assess the presence of different types of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. A typical anorexia nervosa and purging disorder were considered “other eating disorders” in this study. Results: This study included 497 patients with dysglycaemia and 504 age-matched nondysglycaemic participants. Patients with dysglycaemia had a significantly higher prevalence of binge eating disorders compared with nondysglycaemic participants (11.9% vs 5.8%, P < 0.001). In dysglycaemia group, adolescents who were aged ≥ 14 years were more likely to have bulimia nervosa compared with those < 14 years old. Patients with a sedentary lifestyle were less likely to have bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders. In the nondysglycaemic group, those aged 14–18 years were more likely to have other eating disorders. Those with dysglycaemia were more likely to have binge eating disorders than those in the nondysglycaemic group (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3–3.3; P = 0.002) after adjusting for possible confounders. Conclusions: Adolescents with dysglycaemia had higher prevalence of eating disorders compared with their nondysglycaemic peers. Screening for eating disorders is recommended among adolescents to secure early detection and subsequent intervention.
Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Prioritas Anggaran Belaja Desa dengan Metode ANP-TOPSIS
Authors: Rianto Rianto , Wardana Ari Kusuma
Published: December 2020

Anggaran belanja merupakan masalah yang sangat penting di dalam sebuah instansi, hal ini terkait dengan hasil yang akan diperoleh terhadap penggunaan anggaran tersebut. Selama ini perencanaan untuk pengalokasian anggaran belanja dibuat hanya berdasarkan faktor kebutuhan, tanpa ada mempertimbangan faktor-faktor penentu yang lain. Dengan permasalahan tersebut maka metode ANP-TOPSIS adalah solusi yang tepat untuk mengatasi masalah tersebut. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah membantu pengambil keputusan untuk menentukan prioritas anggaran belanja desa dengan memperhatikan faktor-faktor pendukung yang lain. Sehingga penggunaan dana tersebut dapat memberikan dampak yang jelas bagi masyarakat. Hasil dari peneltian ini diperoleh prioritas anggaran yaitu pada sektor sub bidang pemberdayaan perempuan, perlindungan anak dan keluarga dengan nilai skor 0,9420
The Representation of Batam As a Social Space (a Case Study of the Policies Regarding The Batam Indonesia Free Zone Authority and Batam Municipal Government)
Authors: Darmastono Thomas Ken
Published: December 2020

Batam City, in Riau Islands Province, is an Autonomous District; most of the area is also a free trade and harbour zone established by the Indonesian government. The phenomena of “two captains in a ship”, namely the Batam Indonesia Free Zone Authority and Batam Municipal Government, indicates that the social space has been constructed by parties with vested interests in it. The area’s strategic location along the country’s maritime boundary with Singapore is an ideal model to conduct research based on Henri Lefebvre’s theory of space production. This research has been completed using the methods of literary review, field observation, interviews, and analysis. The results of the research indicate that there are no problems in the policy itself; rather, the ideological differences and sectoral egos of both organizations cause problems. A solution to this dualism leadership is not yet given owing to the limited scope of this research
Pushover Response of Multi Degree of Freedom Steel Frames
Authors: Naqash Tayyab
Published: December 2020

Seismic codes use the behaviour factor to consider the ductility and the structure's non-linearity to improve the system's overall performance. Generally, Steel moment-resisting frames are characterized by a relatively high period showing high deformability and, foreseen that with stringent damageability criteria, the adopted behaviour factor might not optimally be utilized for achieving better performance of the frames. The design is generally governed by stiffness, leaving behind a complex structural system where the capacity design rules are disturbed and therefore necessitates to relax the drift limits for such frames. Given this and with extensive parametric analysis, the current paper aims to examine the behaviour factor of steel Moment Resisting Frames (MRFs). The parametric analysis has been conducted on rigid steel MRFs of 9, 7, and 5 storeys with bay 4 different bay widths of 9.15 m, 7.63 m, 6.54 m, and 5.08 m. Perimeter frame configuration has been designed using 4 different behaviour factors (q = 6.5, 4, 3, and 2) for a total number of 144 cases. Static nonlinear analysis has been conducted, and consequently, the behaviour factors have been examined. It has been observed that compatibility is required while choosing the drift limit for an assumed ductility class of the code. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2020-SP(EMCE)-08 Full Text: PDF
Substantive Model of Teacher Pedagogical Sustainable Profession as An Effort to Improve The Quality of PBI Based on Text and Character in Junior High School and MTs
Authors: Arief Nur Fajar , Tabrani Akhmad
Published: December 2020

Sustainable professional development of pedagogic teachers is a strategic effort to improve the competence and performance of teachers in carrying out their duties and functions as planners, implementers, and evaluation of learning in  the classroom. This research aims to examine the improvement of innovative, creative, adaptive, and productive quality of PBI based on Indonesian text and character through the SKBP model of teachers in junior high schools and MTs. This research was  conducted using qualitative approach with survey type. The research subjects were PBI teachers in 6 junior high schools and MTs selected research target locations by using random patterns of strata. Descriptive data of 5 research objects obtained by researchers as a key instrument with interview techniques, questionnaires, and focused observations. Data analysis was carried out using a flow model during the study.  The development models used are  R2D2 model: Recursive, Reflective Instructional Design and Development  and Oxford training strategy model. The assessment of the effectiveness of the SKBP model was carried out using a qualitative approach with the type of class action research of the Kemmis and Taggart models. The research subjects were PBI teachers and grade VIII students at 6 junior high schools in Malang districts and cities. Further data analysis is done descriptively, including (1) improvement of pbi process based on Indonesian text and character using SKBP model and (2) improvement of PBI results based on Indonesian text and character using SKBP model.
Evaluation of Policy Implementation Admission New Students by Zonation System in Senior High School Bekasi District
Authors: Rachmadhany Fitri , Matin Matin , Sugiarto Sugiarto
Published: December 2020

This study aim is to evaluate: the condition of the strategic environment of the policy implementation, (2) the process of the policy implementation, and (3) the result of the policy implementation admission of a new student using the zonation system in SMA Negeri Kota Bekasi. The research method is a qualitative evaluation based on the countenance model developed by Stake. Based on research, Preparation for the implementation of the PPDB zoning system policy at SMAN Bekasi City is in a good category. The preparations that have been carried out are quite mature so that they can overcome various problems that arise at the beginning and increase the effectiveness of the implementation of the PPDB zoning system policy. The implementation of the PPDB zoning system policy at SMAN Bekasi City is in a good category. This is based on the fulfillment of the four aspects of the transaction stage in the countenance policy evaluation model. The implementation of the zoning system for the New Student Admissions (PPDB) policy at Bekasi City Public High Schools has positive and negative impacts. This positive impact can be in the form of increased cooperation and coordination between the school and the surrounding community, the faster and easier the problem solving is, the reduced risk that students have to face when traveling to school, the more disciplined students are, and the more open the admission process for new students. The negative impact is on the potential for greater negative environmental influence on students and the difficulty for students outside the school zoning to register, there is a tendency to decline in school academic achievement due to unequal abilities of students, and students tend to decrease in the discipline
Learning Management in the Pandemic Era Covid-19 at SMAN 1 Baturetno Wonogiri
Authors: Arini Putri Dwi , Matin Matin , Zulaikha Siti
Published: December 2020

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of learning management in the Covid-19 Era, starting from learning planning, organizing learning, implementing learning, to monitoring learning carried out at SMAN 1 Baturetno. The method used is qualitative research with data collection methods through interviews, observation (observation), and documentation study. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic starting from March 2020 to the present (December 2020), learning has been carried out from home for all levels of education in all schools in Indonesia. The problems that occur are the village of Baturetno, which is known to most of the lower middle class, from the problem of disorderly students, parents being burdened because of wasteful quotas (when there is no government assistance), unsupported facilities in the form of learning media, and rural areas that are not supported internet signal. The findings of the research, namely planning, organizing, implementing, and supervising Learning Management conducted at SMAN 1 Baturetno are in a good category. An emergency curriculum that is devoted to implementing distance learning that occurs during a pandemic. Online teaching schedules are only given 1 hour per week for all subjects, with streamlined Basic Competencies (KD), (2) With changes in online learning schedules and the distribution of school entrance fees for teachers (i.e. 5 (five) days once). By holding pickets to schools, teachers remain productive in the midst of this pandemic, (3). Students and teachers are work together and mutually cooperate to create a conducive atmosphere in the midst of the current pandemic (4) Submission of material via the internet, assignments that are not burdensome for students, timeliness of teachers and students, and the effectiveness of ongoing online learning are assessed in a good predicate too.
A Mockery of Class-Conscious Britain: John Arden’s Live like Pigs
Authors: AĞIN Başak
Published: December 2020

John Arden’s 1961 play Live like Pigs presents a mockery of the clash between British underclass, working class, and middle class. In its playful tone that is enhanced by the juxtaposition of the prosaic language with the poetic use of songs, the seventeen-scene play aims to make fun of class-conscious British society in a bitter way. With several characters representing the underclass way of life, such as Old Croaker, Blackmouth, and Daffodil, as well as the Sailor’s household, the play touches upon several behavioral codes and living patterns in the multiple layers of the class-conscious society of Britain. Those codes and patterns vary from conforming or not conforming to the expectations of the government and society as a whole, economic dependence on welfare support, the use of the gardens as tools of establishing the norms of moral and aesthetic values, as well as expected gender roles. This article seeks to read Arden’s play closely from a cultural studies perspective, which reveals the author’s mockery of the clash between these three classes. Using the theories of hegemony and ideology as a springboard for discussion, it analyzes how these three classes are in a power struggle with one another.
Synthesis, characterization and biosensor applications of CuO-NiO nanocomposite
Authors: Shafath Sadiyah , Krishnasamy Vinotha , Kannan Karthik , Cabibihan John-John , Al-Ali Abdulaziz Khalid , Malik Rayaz A. , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar
Published: December 2020

The effect of CuO-NiO nanocomposite was studied by addition of various concentrations of acetone. High acetone level in human breath is an indication of the diabetes. Studies were performed to determine the structure (XRD, Raman) and morphology (SEM with EDAX). The CV response of modified GCE with and without acetone was studied. It was observed that in the presence of acetone there is a reduction in current. These sensors show excellent flexibility and can used to fabricate the sensors to stick on the body.
Assessment of Urban Heat Islands Based on the Relationship Between Land Surface Temperature and Land Use/Land Cover in Greater Doha
Authors: Siddiqui Simil Amir
Published: December 2020

Urban heat islands (UHI) are areas with elevated temperatures occurring in cities compared to surrounding rural areas. This study realizes the lack of research regarding the trends of UHIs in desert countries and focuses on Doha. The research includes twelve months of two-time periods; 2000-2019. ArcGIS software was used to compute the land surface temperature (LST) of the city using Landsat images. Land use/land cover (LULC) maps were computed to show how the city has evolved in 19 years. 30 field samples were used to verify the accuracy of the LULC. Results showed UHI in Doha did not display similar pattern to that of cities in subtropical and temperate regions. Higher temperatures were prevalent in out-skirts comprising of barren and built-up areas with high population and no vegetation. Comparatively, the main downtown with artificially planted vegetation and shade from skyscrapers created cooler microclimates. The overall LST of greater Doha has increased by 0.7°C from 2000 to 2019. Furthermore %LULC of built up, vegetation, barren land, marsh land and water body were 29%, 4.5%, 58.6%, 2.8% and 5% in 2000 and 56.5 %, 8.2%, 33.2 %, 0% and 2.1% in 2019 respectively. Overall, there was an increase in built-up and vegetation decrease in water and barren areas and complete loss of marshland. Highest temperatures were recorded for marshland area in year 2000 and barren and built in year 2019. Transect profiles showed positive correlation between NDBI and LST and a negative correlation between NDVI and LST.
Testing Air Quality of Primary Health Care Centers in Qatar
Authors: Eltai Nahla Omer , Abu Rub Lubna , Mohamed Hana A. , Al Thani Asma A. , Qotba Hamda , Yassine Hadi M.
Published: December 2020

Background: Poor indoor air quality results in significant adverse effects on human health. In particular, the hospital atmospheric environment requires high air quality to protect patients and health care workers against airborne disease including nosocomial infections. Monitoring and surveillance programs of air pollutants and communicable diseases are essential as they provide information on the effectiveness of occupational hygiene and hazard control, and beneficial in assessing risks to community and environment. Objectives: This study aims to identify, monitor and report the level of air borne bacteria at four PHCC canters in Doha. Methodology: Four primary Health Centers (HC) were selected for testing air quality namely, Qatar University HC (North of Doha), AlRayan HC (West of Doha), Um Ghualina HC (Centre of Doha) and Old airport HC (South of Doha). Three sublocations were tested in each health center including a triage room, lobby and outdoor sample; each centre was visited once a month. Two sampling methods were used in this study: Anderson impactor (viable method) and filtration method (non-viable method). Anderson six stages impactor (TISCH Environmental, USA) was used to collect airborne bacteria on nutrient agar plates. Then the samples were incubated at 37 o C for 24 - 48 hours. The average colony- forming units (CFU) of bacteria was calculated per cubic meter of air (CFU/m3 ). On the other hand, the SKC Button Sampler (SKC Inc. PA, USA) was used to collect the airborne bacteria using cellulose ester filters. The collected isolates will be identified by sequencing 16srRNA (Miseq) later. Preliminary results: According to our preliminary results, the smallest average number of bacteria in the air was detected in QU HC, 3.2 (CFU/m3 ). While the highest average number was 44.7 CFU/m3 detected in Old Airport HC. Al-Rayyan HC and Om Ghuilina HC exhibited 30 and 20 CFU/m3 sequentially. Conclusions: Our preliminary results depicted that the occupancy pattern, size, and age of the building affect the number of bacteria in the air. However, more samples will be collected for better statistical sample size and analysis. .In addition, the captured airborne bacteria will be identified by 16s r RNA sequencing later.
Assessment of Metal Organic Framework as Potential Drug Carriers in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Al-Ansari Dana E. , Mohamed Nura A. , Marei Isra , Yalcin Huseyin , Abou-Saleh Haissam
Published: December 2020

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are considered the major cause of death worldwide. Therapeutic delivery to the cardiovascular system may play an important role in the successful treatment of a variety of CVDs, including atherosclerosis, ischemic-reperfusion injury, and microvascular diseases. Despite their clinical benefits, current therapeutic drugs are hindered by their short half-life and systemic side effects. This limitation could be overcome using controlled drug release with the potential for targeted drug delivery using a nanomedicine approach. In the current study, we have assessed the use of a highly porous nano-sized preparation of iron-based Metal-organic Framework (MOF) commonly referred to as MIL-89 as potential drug carriers in the cardiovascular system. Aims: To assess the effect of MOFs on the viability and cytotoxicity of human vascular cells and the cellular uptake in vitro, and the organ-system toxicity of MOF in vivo using the Zebrafish model. Methods: Human pulmonary endothelial cells (HPAECs) and pulmonary smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) were treated with variable concentrations of MOFs. The viability, cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects were measured using AlamarBlue, LDH assay and ELISA. The cellular uptake of MOFs were assessed using light, confocal, and transmission electron microscopes and EDS analysis. Moreover, Zebrafish embryos were cultured and treated with MOFs-nanoparticles at 0 hours post fertilization (hpf) followed by different organ-specific assays at 24, 48, and 72 hpf. Results: Although MOFs affect the viability at high concentrations, it does not cause any significant cytotoxicity on HPAECs and HPASMCs. Interestingly, MOFs were shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Microscopic images showed an increased (concentration-dependent) cellular uptake of MOFs and transfer to daughter cells in both cell types. Moreover, the in vivo study showed that high concentrations of MOFs delay zebrafish embryos hatching and cause heart deformation, which is currently investigated using cardiotoxicity markers. Conclusion: MOFs is a promising nanoparticle prototypes for drug delivery in the cardiovascular system with high cellular uptake and anti-inflammatory effects. Further investigations of MOFs, including diseased models and drug- loaded formulation is required.
Prevalence and Potential Determinants of Insomnia Disorder in the General Population of Qatar
Authors: Khaled Salma Mawfek , Petcu Catalina Gabriela , Al-Thani Maryam Ali , Al-Hamadi Aisha Mohammed , Woodruff Peter
Published: December 2020

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of Insomnia Disorder in the household population of Qatar and explore potential associations with depressive and anxiety symptoms in addition to sociodemographic variables. Methods: Probability-based sampling was used to select a representative sample (N= 1,611) of Qatar’s household population. Face-to-face household interviews were conducted by trained staff using computer-assisted technology with consenting participants who were 18 years or older living in Qatar by the Social and Economic Research Institute (SESRI) at Qatar University as part of the Annual Omnibus survey in February/ March, 2019. The Sleep Condition Indicator (Epsie, 2014), a brief screening tool for DSM-5 criteria, was used to estimate the prevalence of insomnia in Qatar’s general population. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were ascertained using the PHQ-9 and GAD-2. Sociodemographic and health information including personal and family history of autoimmune disease were also collected. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were conducted. Results: The prevalence of insomnia was 5.5% (95%CI: 4.3-6.7) and was higher in females (6.3%) than males (4.6%), though these differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.216). Insomnia was strongly associated with depressive (OR=5.4, P<0.01) and anxiety symptoms (OR=3.0, P<0.05). Having one or more autoimmune diseases were strongly associated with insomnia (OR=3.9, P<0.001) in Qatar’s general population. Insomnia was positively associated with younger age (P<0.01) and negatively associated with higher (post-secondary) education (OR=0.4, P<0.05). Conclusion: There is a significant association between mental illness and insomnia in Qatar with interesting findings in context of Qatar for role of age, education, and ethnicity. These findings need to be taken into account in provision of mental health services. Future studies should delineate the role of cultural attitudes towards sleep as potential mechanism linking insomnia to mental illness.
Between Immunity, Metabolism, and Development: A story of a Fly Gut!
Authors: Kamareddine Layla , Najjar Hoda , Mohbeddin Abeer , Ahmed Nawar Haj , Watnick Paula
Published: December 2020

In addition to its role in initiating immune response in the body, the innate immune system seems to also play a critical role in maintaining homeostatic balance in the gut epithelium. Our recent studies in the Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly model suggest that different innate immune pathways contribute to this homeostatic balance through activating the transcription of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides. We provide evidence that several metabolic parameters are altered in immune deficient flies. We also highlight a role of the gut flora, particularly through its short chain fatty acid, in contributing to this metabolic balance. Interestingly, our data suggest that impaired immunity and metabolic alteration, in turn, exhibit an effect on host development. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that innate immune pathways not only provide the first line of defense against infection but also contribute to host metabolism and development.
Effectiveness of the Pedestrian Detection Strategies and Pavement Markings: A Driving Simulator study
Authors: Hussain Qinaat , Alhajyaseen Wael K. M. , Pirdavani Ali , Brijs Kris , Shaaban Khaled , Brijs Tom
Published: December 2020

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable group in the traffic and accounts for about 40,000 deaths each year worldwide. One of the main reasons is that drivers usually do not yield to pedestrian, which creates serious conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. The objective of this driving simulator study is to assess the effectiveness of detection based strategies and compare them with the untreated midblock marked crosswalk and pavement markings with pedestrian encircled. The detection based conditions include flashing LED lights placed before the crosswalk and animation based variable message sign VMS. Each condition was designed with a yield/stop controlled marked crosswalk. All the conditions were tested for two situations i.e. pedestrian present and pedestrian absent. Data from 62 drivers having a valid Qatari driving license was considered for analyses. The results showed that drivers yielding rate increased up to 98.3% in the detection-based strategies (i.e. VMS and LED) compared to the pavement marking condition (i.e. 91%) and the untreated control condition (i.e. 88.7%). Regarding the vehiclepedestrian conflicts, results revealed that serious and slight conflicts were significantly reduced in the VMS and LED conditions compared to the other conditions (i.e. Control and pavement markings). Furthermore, the detection-based strategies were helpful in motivating drivers to reduce their traveling speed while approaching the pedestrian crosswalks. Based on the results from this study, the detectionbased strategies (i.e. LED and VMS conditions) are recommended for policy makers as potentially effective treatments to improve safety at midblock yield/stop controlled crosswalks.
NMR Spectroscopy Database and Searching System
Authors: Su Haw-Lih , Teng Huei-Wen Winsom , Lee Jeff Cheng-Lung , Shkoor Mohammed , Ibrahim Mohammad Ibrahim Ahmad , Alsafran Mohammed Hussain S A , Al-meer Saeed H.
Published: December 2020

NMR spectroscopy is the most important analytical technology for organic compounds and plays key role for the chemical characterizations and identifications in chemistry, pharmacy, materials science, environment, biology, and many related fields. In most cases, a NMR spectrum is compared with the known spectra to check if the sample contains a known chemical or is a new product. However, the current comparison process relayed on human beings and waste a lot of time and efforts. A new database and searching system is thus in need.
Improved Road Safety at Work Zones using Advanced Traveler Information Systems
Authors: Almallah Mustafa Suhail , Hussain Qinaat , Alhajyaseen Wael K. M , Brijs Tom
Published: December 2020

Work zones are road sections where road construction or maintenance activities take place. These work zones usually have different alignment and furniture than the original road and thus temporary lower speeds are adopted at these locations. However, drivers usually face difficulty in adopting the new speed limit and maneuvering safely due to the change in alignment. Therefore, work zones are commonly considered as hazardous locations with higher crash rates and severities as reported in the literature. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a variable message signs (VMSs) based system for work zone advance warning area. The proposed system aims at enhancing driver adaptation of the reduced speed limit, encourage early lane changing maneuvers and improve the cooperative driving behavior in the pre-work zone road section. The study was conducted using a driving simulator at the College of Engineering of Qatar University. Seventy volunteers holding a valid Qatari passenger car driving license participated in this study. In the simulator experiment, we have two scenarios (control and treatment). The control scenario was designed based on the Qatar Work Zone Traffic Management Guide (QWZTMG), where the length of the advance warning area is 1000 m. Meanwhile, the treatment scenario contains six newly designed variable message signs where two of them were animation-based. The VMSs were placed at the same locations of the static signs in the control scenario. Both scenarios were tested for two situations. In the first situation, the participants were asked to drive on the left lane while in the second situation, they were instructed to drive on the second lane. The study results showed that the proposed system was effective in motivating drivers to reduce their traveling speed in advance. Compared to the control scenario, drivers’ mean speed was significantly 6.3 and 11.1 kph lower in the VMS scenario in the first and second situations, respectively. Furthermore, the VMS scenario encouraged early lane changing maneuvers. In the VMS scenario, drivers changed their lanes in advance by 150 m compared to the control scenario. In addition, the proposed system was effective in motivating drivers to keep larger headways with the frontal merging vehicle. Taking into account the results from this study, we recommend the proposed VMS based system as a potentially effective treatment to improve traffic safety at work zones.
Drones for Agriculture
Authors: Ellithy Noor Khaled , Balaawi Orob Kifah , Alnakeeb Alaa Khaled
Published: December 2020

Taking measurements for agriculture purposes is a challenge that this project tackles. A UAV and some sensors are being used to monitor a big field. The target of this project is to design a fully autonomous system that covers the area of planted land. The system collects information and sends what is collected directly to the base station. Furthermore, the design is divided into two parts: plane design and ground design. The plane design includes a temperature sensor, a CO2 sensor, a NoIR camera, a regular camera and a 4G dongle. The ground design, however, has one soil moisture sensor, one H2S sensor and a GSM module. The plane takes a trip around the field to record real time data and transmits, while the on-ground black box sends data to the base station. Finally, data is analysed, and reports are sent to the base station and the mobile application created for this cause. The plane has carried tests in the airport in Al-Khor city. The tests were to make sure the UAV flies properly and they were successful.
Cultivating Curiosity by Integrating Art in Science through Photography
Authors: Al-thani Noora , Siby Nitha , Nabhan Fatma , Ali Ruba
Published: December 2020

Arts-integrated science is a tantalizing educational approach that captures the attention of scientific learners through the lighter side of science. This study highlights the findings of a schoolbased applied research study conducted to develop public school students’ curiosity and their aesthetic qualities by exploring scientific knowledge by using photography. This study incorporated photography as a learning aid in STEAM workshops for 386 high school students, including 220 males and 166 females from 19 schools, and tested methods for enhancing the curiosity or interest of students to explore the workshop context more deeply. The analysis of our methods discusses the results using pre- and post-method questionnaires and the evaluations of 816 scientific images captured by the students. The key aim of this research involves cultivating curiosity in students as they analyse captured images, which results in positive outcomes, such as increased engagement in scientific workshops, thereby inspiring them to more thoroughly explore the science behind each image.
E-GOVERNMENT SUCCESS FACTORS FROM A BUSINESSES PERSPECTIVE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A CASE OF JORDAN
Authors: Kanaan AnasGhassan , Hassan Shahizan Bin
Published: December 2020

This paper presents a study which examines several e-government success factors in Jordan. Due to the pace of globalization and rapid global growth of technology and the Internet information, many governments around the world have turned their services from traditional services into e-government services. Were the citizens, business organizations and other stakeholders are served via the internet. Jordan is one of the rare countries in the Middle East with a history of commitment to good governance and ICT-related initiatives. In recent years, Jordan’s efforts to provide e-government services to the public have been recognized. But still Jordan faces the problem of low usage levels of these electronic services, plus several scholars addressed that several studies were conducted from citizen perspective but few for businesses perspective. For a better understanding of e-government and its influence on the society as all and on the business society in particular the researchers carried out this study to identify the success factors which affect e-government adoption in Jordan, also to investigate the factors that determine business organization satisfaction towards e-government in Jordan. In this paper the researcher will discuss four factors that affect the success of e-government services from businesses perspective in Jordan as followed: e-service quality, perceived usefulness, trust, personalization.
INVESTIGATION OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN THE ROADSIDE SOIL AT MORENA DISTRICT IN INDIA
Authors: Sharma Laxmi Kant
Published: December 2020

Pollution of natural environment due to release of heavy metals from various sources is a widespread problem throughout the world. This study explains the effect of heavy metal contaminants in Roadside soil of Morena district. Twelve air dried surface soil samples were collected from 50cm – 1m (point A) and twelve from 30m (point B) away from the roadside along a road with a distance of 50 km. Heavy metals were found in both points with highest concentration at 50cm – 1m (point A). Roadside soil is a definite indicator of vehicular pollution from where the high degree of contamination, is expected. The presence of heavy metals like Cu, Cr, Fe, Pb, Zn and Mn in the roadside soil was also considerable.
PREVALENCE OF BOVINE FACIOLOSIS IN HALABA MUNICIPAL ABATTOR SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
Authors: Abdella Muna , Mhatebu WubitTafese
Published: December 2020

A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2015 to march 2016 on bovine fasciolosis, to assess the abattoir based prevalence, predominant species of bovine fasciolosis and associated risk factors of the disease in cattle slaughtered in Halaba municipal abattoir. A total of 384 cattle were examined using post mortem examination. Infection rates were (3.64%), 2.34%, 2.08%, and 1.82 % F. gigantic, F. hepatica, mixed and immature respectively with the overall prevalence of 9.88 % (38). F. gigantic was found to be the most prevalent species in cattle of the study area. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of fasciola infection was significantly higher in poor body condition animals than in medium and good body condition animals (p < 0.05). However, in terms of age, sex and breed, no statistically significant difference was found between infected animals (p > 0.05).The present study showed that bovine fasciolosis is one of the important pathogens in cattle in the study area and warrants appropriate disease prevention and control measures and further epidemiological investigations to determine the different agro ecological risk factors on the occurrence of the disease.