bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Above knee amputation due to necrotizing fasciitis caused by gas producing strain of Echerichia coli and negative pressure therapy assisted closure of large open wound
Authors: Pesic Slobodan , Tulencic-Egic Snezana , Zwick Mihajlo
Published: August 2022

Introduction. Nonclostridial gas-forming soft tissue infections (NGSTI) are rare, rapid progressive infections characterized by high mortality and high amputation rates. Surgical debridement is crucial in therapy, and it results in complex wounds that need to be closed in order to prevent secondary morbidity. Case report. Herein we present a case of NGSTI in a 68-year-old diabetic patient with acute thrombosis of popliteal artery aneurysm and radiological signs of gas in his right leg and the urinary bladder wall. The infection was caused by a gas-forming strain of Escherichia coli. In the early stage of the disease, the patient was treated with antibiotics and femoral amputation. A vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) treatment was applied to close the amputation wound. Administered VAC therapy resulted in primary wound closure without complications 17 days after surgery. Conclusion. Negative pressure increases the clearance of fluid and infection from the wound but also increases wound contraction and approximation of skin flaps. To avoid extensive reconstructive surgery, VAC therapy can be a good adjunctive treatment for closing large open wounds in patients with NGSTI.
Effect of neurofeedback training on auditory evoked potentials’ late components reaction time: A placebo-control study
Authors: Stankovic Ivana , Ilic Nela , Ilic Tihomir , Jelicic Ljiljana , Sovilj Mirjana , Martic Vesna , Punisic Silvana , Stokic Miodrag
Published: August 2022

Background/Aim. Neurofeedback (NFB) training of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) contributes to improving cognitive performance and increasing attention. SMR power is increased when a person is focused and task-oriented. The shorter reaction time (RT) of the P300 auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) is associated with better attention. Hence, the increase in SMR power after NFB SMR training should decrease the RT in a cognitive task. The aim of the study was to examine the ability of healthy individuals to modulate the SMR of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity between 12 and 15 Hz during 20-day NFB training sessions. In addition, the effect of NFB SMR training on RT was investigated. Methods. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups, with 24 subjects (12 males and 12 females) in each group, aged between 25 and 40 years. Participants in the experimental group were trained with authentic NFB SMR training, while in the control group, false (placebo) training was applied. AEPs were registered on five occasions: before NFB training, after 5, 10, and 20 training sessions, and one month after the last training. Results. The results showed that a series of 20 NFB SMR training sessions increased the amplitudes of the SMR. RT in the experimental group was significantly shortened, while in the control group, it was not observed. Moreover, the increase in the power of the EEG signal o f t he S MR showed a negative correlation with RT, but only in a subgroup of male subjects. Conclusion. The obtained results indicate the effects of NFB training on the improvement of the attention process expressed by RT.
Optimal control of tritrophic reaction–diffusion system with a spatiotemporal model
Authors:   Analysis, Modeling and Simulation Laboratory, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco, Baala Y. , Agmour I. ,   Analysis, Modeling and Simulation Laboratory, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco, Rachik M. ,   Analysis, Modeling and Simulation Laboratory, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose a new model of spatio-temporal dynamics concerning the tritrophic reaction-diffusion system by introducing Phytoplankton and Zooplankton. We recall that the phytoplankton and zooplankton species are the basis of the marine food chain. There is prey in each marine tritrophic system. The main objective of this work is to control this species's biomass to ensure the system's sustainability. To achieve this, we determine an optimal control that minimizes the biomass of super predators. In this paper, we study the existence and stability of the interior equilibrium point. Then, we move to give the characterization of optimal control.
Bioecology of rust on Dendranthema grandiflora in Yogyakarta-Indonesia
Authors: Martini Tri , Sutrisno Bambang Hadi , Suhardi Suhardi , Yudono Prapto , Sudarmaji Sudarmaji
Published: August 2022

Rust leaf disease is the main disease on chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) plantations in the district of Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region. In 2006, the symptoms of leaf rust were initially found in chrysanthemum farms in village of Hargobinangun and surrounding areas. Since then it has been consistently spreading to other areas throughout Yogyakarta-Indonesia. Puccinia horiana is closely associated with rust leaf disease. This research was aimed to investigate the distribution, incidence, and severity of chrysanthemum rust disease in chrysanthemum plantations in Yogyakarta. The survey was conducted based on a randomized stratified approach. The entire district was divided into five observation sites, with each location consisting of three to four chrysanthemum farm sites owned by farmers. The results showed that rust leaf disease was distributed in all sites. The average of disease incidence found in the observation sites was 97.13%, meanwhile the average of disease severity was 55.19%. The highest disease incidence was found in Kaliurang 98.44%, followed by Wonokerso of 98.33%, Gondanglegi of 96.87%, Boyong of 96.25%, and Sidorejo of 95.83%. The highest disease severity was found in Wonokerso 58.75%, followed by Gondanglegi 56.92%, Kaliurang 53.39%, Sidorejo 54.89%, and Boyong 52.01%. The lower plant cultivation site, the lower incidence of rust disease.
Experiencing problems in data collection by undergraduate EFL students as novice researchers
Authors: Mustafa Faisal , Devira Merina , Apriadi Heri , Hajan Bonjovi Hassan
Published: August 2022

Data collection is a research process determining the validity and reliability of a study, and novice researchers have been found to experience many problems in this process. However, little study addressed the problem in data collection among these researchers. Therefore, this study was conducted to uncover problems experienced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) undergraduate students without any previous experience in data collection. Seventeen undergraduate EFL students were assigned to collect data using a two-item questionnaire, which involved communicating with research participants before sending the questionnaire to the participants. After the data collection, they were requested to write a brief report explaining their communication with the participants and the problems they experienced. The reports written by the students were treated as the data for this research and were subjected to qualitative analysis to understand the problems they faced in the data collection. The results show that students experienced some problems in collecting the data, i.e., lack of responses, late responses, a negative response, and uncompleted questionnaires. The results of the study suggest that potential problems in data collection should be introduced to undergraduate EFL students before they conduct their undergraduate research.
A IMPORTÂNCIA DO ESTÍMULO DA LEITURA ACADÊMICA NUM CURSO DE ENGENHARIA: estratégias e percepções dos estudantes
Authors: Malta Hélia Lucila , Cruz Mirelle Oliveira da , Santos Cenilza Pereira dos
Published: August 2022

A leitura é uma das ferramentas principais para aquisição de conhecimento na universidade, embora muitas vezes ela não ocupe um lugar privilegiado nas engenharias. Este artigo é resultado de uma pesquisa que teve como objetivo investigar como são feitas as atividades de leitura no curso de Engenharia de Alimentos de uma Universidade pública no interior da Bahia na percepção dos estudantes. Como fundamentação teórica buscamos apoio em Heinig e Schlichting (2019); Lea, Street (2014); Fischer (2011); Mar Mateos (2009), que discutem a leitura acadêmica. Foi uma pesquisa de abordagem quali-quantitativa, com questões de múltipla escolha e uma questão dissertativa, coletadas através de questionário eletrônico. As respostas fechadas foram quantificadas estatisticamente, as dissertativas foram submetidas à Análise de Conteúdo, inspirada em Bardin (2016). De acordo com os estudantes, os tipos e gêneros textuais, mais frequentemente utilizados pelos professores, foram os artigos científicos, capítulos de livros, slides do professor, normas técnicas e legislação. Os dados apontaram que um índice expressivo de estudantes utiliza estratégias menos aprofundadas de interação com o texto, como grifar e anotar tópicos. Contrapondo essa questão, foi identificada a evidência da função social da leitura como chave para aquisição de conhecimento na percepção dos estudantes. Ainda observamos em algumas respostas um entendimento de leitura apenas como entretenimento, não incluindo a leitura de estudo. Os achados evidenciam o pouco protagonismo dos estudantes nas práticas de leitura, simultâneo ao reduzido empenho de docentes em oportunizar e estimular o uso de métodos e técnicas de leitura para a construção ou acesso ao conhecimento acadêmico.Palavras-chave: Ensino Superior. Multiletramento. Letramento acadêmico.
Preparation of Cryogenik Alcohol
Authors: Samosir Erika Yusnidar
Published: August 2022

Cryonics is an effort to preserve the human body in frozen conditions with the aim of reviving it at some time in the future. Cryogenic techniques have been developed to increase the solubility of a drug by creating amorphous drug particles with a nanoparticle structure and have high porosity under very low temperature conditions. So that a dry powder is formed which can be obtained from a drying process such as freeze drying. Cryogenic freezing is usually carried out using the help of a liquefied gas such as helium. In the medical field, cryogenic freezing is used to preserve vaccines so that they remain stable and can be stored for a long time. After freezing at low temperatures, these various items can be kept frozen by means of special refrigeration units, including mobile freezer units, thus making shipping possible.
Youth Volunteering for Disaster Preparedness in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Arshad Mohd Ramlan , Mohamad Rizal Nur Ain Athirah , Zamzam Nor Faprizalin
Published: August 2022

The increasing number of disaster in Malaysia has resulted in the increasing demand for volunteers. The needs for volunteers is to ensure the disaster management system can operate well during emergency breaks. This study aimed on youth’s volunteerism for disaster preparedness in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The 240 respondents for this research are youths whom live in Port Dickson with the range age between 15-35 years old. Convenience and Purposive Sampling techniques were used with questionnaire as the instrument. To answer the research questions, Correlation and Regression Analysis were conducted. Based on the research findings, the level of disaster preparedness among youths is at moderate point. The other variables tested namely as education, altruism, personal development, social interaction and family volunteering show there is significant relationship in improving the level of volunteerism among youth for disaster preparedness. The result show that education as the most contributors to youth’s volunteerism for disaster preparedness. This summarize that in ensuring high level of youth involvement, all parties must work together to educate the youngsters on the importance of volunteering to prepare for disaster breaks. It will help to strengthen the disaster support system as the youths are well prepared for emergency time. The result from this research will benefited the policy makers, national security and disaster agencies and NGOs and related parties in term of developing volunteerism enthusiastic among youths in Malaysia.
Students’ Acceptance and Motivation on Andragogical Approaches Towards their Academic Performance
Authors: Ibrahim Nur Fairuz Wahida , Darus Norizul Azida , Mohd Radzi Amizura Hanadi
Published: August 2022

Online Distance Learning (ODL) has been practiced widely around the world. The educational delivery of ODL provides learners vast opportunities to deal with the learning process, that includes time, place as well as pace of learning. Assisted by technology, ODL has tremendously improved the educational system in many ways. This erupts the possibility of implementing andragogical approach through ODL. Hence, this study, which is guided by Knowles’s theory of andragogy, is qualitative research investigating the issue of learning process via andragogical approaches of seven adult learners in UiTM Perlis, Malaysia. The study also seeks whether students’ attitudes vary differently among themselves throughout ODL so that their performance during class could be evaluated. The findings of the study support andragogical approaches which they positively affect the students’ learning experiences.
Developing Malaysia's Smart Community-Based Tourism Model
Authors: Azmi Azila , Ahmad Johanna Adlin
Published: August 2022

Smart tourism is a 21st-century technological phenomenon where tourism suppliers and tourists are interconnected. The Malaysia National Tourism Policy’s 2020-2030 concurs that one of the tactical strategies to increase visitor’s economy in the rural areas is through ‘digitalization’. Parallel to this, community-based tourism’s (CBT) homestay programs have long been a government’s endeavor in assisting rural tourism’s economics. In heading towards smart tourism, CBT must be consistent with the progress. However, current investigation on CBT’s readiness to accept smart tourism in Malaysia is still infancy. This is a proposed study with objectives to explore the concept of smart CBT within Malaysian context, to investigate the readiness of CBT in Malaysia to adopt smart tourism, and to identify the strategies for Malaysia National Tourism Policy. The study will employ qualitative approach where semi-structured interview will be conducted with industry experts associated with tourism and homestays from different regions in Malaysia. The expected findings will establish the current setting of smart tourism in the CBT context, which will derive input for Malaysia National Tourism Policy.
Dimensions of Sports and Recreational Service Quality Influencing Fitness Centre’s Member Satisfaction
Authors: Mohamad Sheriff Nooraini , Sahak Siti Zaleha , Mohd Razali Fatin Nur Farisha , Mohd Fadzli Nellisa Nursyafira , Japri Nor Norita
Published: August 2022

Fitness centres in Malaysia remain intensely competitive despite of the industry’s continuous growth. Many depend on recurring revenue streams to secure their market position. This has made, satisfaction of customers a prime importance to ensure their survival in the industry through the delivery of excellent service quality. Basing on this premise, four dimensions of Scale for Service Quality in Recreational Sport (SSQRS) influencing the satisfaction of fitness centre customers was examined. From a total of 113 questionnaires distributed to customers of a gym, all were returned with valid responses for analysis. Findings from the study affirmed that SSQRS dimensions were significantly related to customer satisfaction. Specifically, the outcome dimension demonstrated the greatest impact on satisfaction among customers of a fitness centre followed by physical environment quality and interaction quality. Thus, suggesting there is a need for fitness centres to continuously improve their physical environment quality and outcome quality through personalize workout routines, optimization of space with value-added service, and offer workout streaming to deliver satisfaction, long term revenue and continuous growth.
A Comparative Study on the Impact of Higher Learning Institution on Industrial Development in Perlis
Authors: Md Sabri Sabiroh , Abdul Wahab Nadia , Mohd Fauzi Shukor Sanim , Mohd Zaki Nurul Ain
Published: August 2022

The establishment of a Higher Learning Institution (HLI) has posed some positive impacts on the community and industry within its vicinity. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Perlis has been established for over 40 years. Therefore, with the concern about the effect of UiTM Cawangan Perlis on the local population, there has been some critical questions that have not been addressed. To what degree does the presence of UiTM Cawangan Perlis affect the industry within its vicinity? This study aims to investigate the growth of industrial development in Perlis due to the existence of this HLI. Data was collected using an online survey which was distributed to 198 respondents selected using systematic sampling from the list of active businesses registered with Kangar Municipal Council. Data collected was analysed and compared with the data collected in the same study carried out in 2007. The result of this study has revealed that UiTM Cawangan Perlis existence has contributed to both direct and indirect impact on the industrial growth, particularly in the revenue generation in the form of gross profit and the supply of highly qualified manpower. It is hoped that the result of this study could be used by UiTM to justify the return of the investment made by the government and strategize the plan for UiTM Cawangan Perlis development and sustainability in the future.
PENINGKATAN MOTIVASI DAN HASIL BELAJAR SISWA TENTANG PERKEMBANGAN SISTEM ADMINISTRASI WILAYAH INDONESIA MELALUI PENGGUNAAN MODEL GROUP FINDING PADA SISWA KELAS VI SD N III KRISAK KECAMATAN SELOGIRI KABUPATEN WONOGIRI SEMESTER I TAHUN PELAJARAN 2015 /2016
Authors: Sudarni Sri
Published: August 2022

ABSTRAK Tujuan penelitian tindakan kelas ini adalah untuk meningkatkan motivsi dan hasil belajar tentang  materi perkembangan sistem administrasi wilayah Indonesia melalui penggunaan model Group Finding siswa kelas VI SD N III Krisak Kecamatan Selogiri Kabupaten Wonogiri tahun pelajaran 2015/2016. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian tindakan kelas, dengan subyek penelitiannya adalah siswa kelas VI SD N III Krisak Kecamatan Selogiri Kabupaten Wonogiri tahun pelajaran 2015/2016. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa model pembelajaran Group Finding yang dilaksanakan oleh guru menunjukkan dapat meningkatkan motivasi dan hasil belajar tentang  tentang materi perkembangan sistem administrasi wilayah Indonesia pada siswa kelas VI SD N III Krisak Kecamatan Selogiri Kabupaten Wonogiri tahun pelajaran 2015/2016. Hal ini terbukti dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan dalam 2 siklus, yaitu prosentase ketuntasan siswa mengalami peningkatan dari siklus I ke siklus II yaitu siklus I yang semula hanya terdapat 12 siswa yang tuntas atau 57%, lalu pada siklus II meningkat menjadi siswa 18 yang tuntas atau 87% dari jumlah keseluruhan 21 siswa, sehingga prosentase ketuntasan meningkat sebesar 30%. Kata Kunci : Model Group Finding, Motivasi dan Hasil Belajar
NILAI-NILAI PENDIDIKAN DALAM LIRIK NYANYIAN MAMBUE ANAK SUKU BATAK ANGKOLA DI KABUPATEN TAPANULI SELATAN PROVINSI SUMATERA UTARA
Authors: Pulungan Husniah Ramadhani , Daulay Ismail Rahmad , Hasibuan Ahmad Yamin
Published: August 2022

AbstrakPenelitian yang telah dikemukakan, penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan nilai-nilai pendidikan dalam syair  nyanyian mambue anak pada  suku  Batak Angkola di Kabupaten Tapanuli Selatan. Tujuan penelitian adalah (1) Mendeskripsikan jenis-jenis nyanyian mambue anak pada  suku  BatakAngkola di Kabupaten Tapanuli Selatan Provinsi Sumatera Utara dan (2) Mendeskripsikan  nilai-nilai pendidikan dalam  lirik  nyanyian mambue anak pada suku  Batak Angkola di Kabupaten Tapanuli Selatan Provinsi Sumatera Utara. Data yang terkumpul melalui teknik-teknik yang telah dikemukakan di atas kemudian diolah atau diproses sebagai berikut (1) Mengumpulkan data tentang Kata Majemuk Bahasa Batak Angkola yang diperoleh dari masyarakat. (2) Data yang diperoleh berupa ujaran-ujaran informan, ditranskripsikan ke dalam bentuk tulisan. (3) Mengklasifikasikan data yang diperoleh berdasarkan permasalahan yang diteliti. (3) Data yang telah diperoleh diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Indonesia dan menyusun laporan hasil analisis data. Dan (3) Menarik simpulan. Berdasarkan temuan penelitian mengenai nilai-nilai edukatif dalam lirik Nyanyian Mambue anak pada acara pernikahan Suku Batak Angkola Kabupaten Tapanuli Selatan Provinsi Sumatera Utara dapat disimpulkan (1) Nilai-nilai edukatif religious, (2) Nilai-nilai edukatif ketangguhan, (3) Nilai-nilai edukatif  kepedulian, dan (4) Nilai-nilai Kejujuran. Kata Kunci: Nilai-Nilai Pendidikan, Kearifan Lokal, Nyanyian Mambue Anak, dan Suku Batak Angkola.
MEMPERTAHANKAN IDEALISME MATA PELAJARAN BAHASA INGGRIS DI SEKOLAH DASAR DI PONOROGO
Authors: Indriastuti Niken Reti
Published: August 2022

Banyak sekolah dasar di kabupaten Ponorogo yang masih mempertahankan keberadaan bahasa Inggris sebagai mata pelajaran walaupun bahasa Inggris tidak ada dalam kurikulum nasional sekolah dasar. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeathui idealisme apa yang dimiliki sekolah-sekolah tersebut sehingga masih mempertahankan bahasa Inggris sebagai mata pelajaran dan sejauh mana usaha mereka dalam mempertahankan idealisme tersebut. Seting penelitian ini adalah SD Muhammadiyah Ponorogo dan SD Muhammadiyah Terpadu Ponorogo yang merupakan sekolah swasta cukup favorit di Ponorogo, subyek penelitian adalah mata pelajaran bahasa Inggris. Instrument yang digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data adalah interview dan observasi. Sedangkan teknik analisa data memakai model Miles dan Huberman. Berdasarkan hasil pengolahan data maka diperoleh gambaran bahwa kedua sekolah tersebut memiliki alasan sebagai berikut: (1) mempersiapkan siswa untuk menghadapai pelajaran Bahasa Inggris di SMP dan (2) membekali siswa dalam menghadapi globalisasi dan kemajuan teknologi informasi (ICT). Namun upaya untuk mencapai idealisme tersebut bisa dikatakan kurang idealis yang disebabkan berbagai factor baik berasal dari  pihak otoritas sekolah: kepala sekolah dan guru bahasa Inggris maupun dari siswa dan orang tua.
PROBLEM BASED LEARNING SEBAGAI UPAYA PENINGKATAN PEMAHAMAN KONSEP MAHASISWA
Authors: Suhendar Uki , Ekayanti Arta
Published: August 2022

Pemahaman konsep penting untuk dimiliki mahasiswa, khususnya mahasiswa LPTK, mereka harus memiliki pemahaman konsep yang lebih dari siswa SMA. Pemahaman konsep merupakan kemampuan seseorang dalam memaknai suatu konsep. Pemahaman konsep dapat dipengaruhi atau ditingkatkan dengan membiasakan mahasiswa untuk menemukan, mengembangkan, dan menerapkan konsep yang mereka pelajari. Oleh karenanya, pembelajaran yang melatih mahasiswa untuk mampu menyelesaikan suatu masalah adalah langkah tepat dalam meningkatkan pemahaman konsep mahasiswa. Diantara model pembelajaran yang dapat diterapkan adalah Problem Based Learning. Dengan menerapkan Problem Based Learning maka diharapkan mahasiswa akan memperoleh pemahaman konsep dengan cara memecahkan masalah dalam dunia nyata secara ilmiah. Berdasarkan karakteristik Problem Based Learning, sangat dimungkinkan akan dapat meningkatkan pemahaman konsep mahasiswa. Dikarenakan Problem Based Learning melatih mahasiswa untuk menemukan, mengembangkan, maupun mengaplikasikan konsep yang dimiliki secara aktif dari berbagai sumber pengetahuan dengan memecahkan masalah dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Langkah-langkah Problem Based Learning juga akan dapat meningkatkan pemahaman konsep mahasiswa. Dikarenakan Problem Based Learning membiasakan mahasiswa untuk melalui proses-proses pemecahan/penyelesaian masalah agar dapat memahami konsep yang dipelajari.
ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ MISCONCEPTION THROUGH SIX TIER DIAGNOSTIC TEST ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF WATER CHARACTERISTICS
Authors: Sari Dewi Renita
Published: August 2022

Science is knowledge consisting of a collection of concepts. The wrong concept understanding will lead to misconceptions in students. The main purpose of this research is to analyze primary school students’ misconception through six tier diagnostic tests about the concept of water characteristics. This research used descriptive qualitative approach. Data were collected by using six tier diagnostic test. The subjects of this study are the fifth grade students of primary school. Based on the results of data analysis, researchers found that almost half of the students experience the misconceptions on the concept of water characteristics including water gives pressure, soapy water cleans oily dirt, and water dissolves various substances. The six tier diagnostic test instrument show the primary school students’ misconception on the concept of water characteristics. Some factors that cause misconceptions in students are students' prior knowledge, teacher mistaken, and errors in textbooks.
Selección de candidatos a la Educación Superior en ausencia de un examen de ingreso
Authors: Pedroza Zuñiga Luis Horacio , López García Alma Yadhira , Peniche Cetzal Rubi Surema , Nájera Saucedo Jessica
Published: August 2022

Ante la situación excepcional causada por la pandemia de COVID-19 y la problemática para hacer evaluaciones masivas del alumnado, este artículo analiza alternativas diferentes al examen presencial para seleccionar a los aspirantes que pretenden ingresar a las Instituciones de Educación Superior, con base en información disponible de los alumnos y sus escuelas. A partir de información censal de evaluaciones de ingreso en seis cohortes anuales, se obtiene un modelo predictivo que incorpora el promedio de calificaciones de los aspirantes y el rendimiento histórico de sus escuelas de procedencia, medido a través del EXANI II. Los resultados permiten identificar un modelo que correlaciona en .69 el puntaje estimado con el real; además, se plantean escenarios con niveles de predicción mayores (R = .86). Se discute sobre las implicaciones de utilizar las calificaciones de bachillerato, a la luz del peso que tienen en predecir el desempeño académico durante la educación superior.
Influence of Organic Solvents and β-cyclodextrins on Capillary Zone Electrophoresis Separation of Five Biogenic Amines and Two B Vitamins
Authors: Matuskova M. , Cizmarova I. , Chalova P. , Stefanik O. , Horniakova A. , Mikus P. , Piestansky J.
Published: August 2022

The effects of organic modifiers—alcohols (methanol, isopropanol), acetonitrile, and tetrahydrofuran—and β-cyclodextrins in capillary zone electrophoresis were investigated using a test mixture containing five biogenic amines important from the human health point of view—serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, and tyramine—and two B vitamins—thiamine and pyridoxine. The simultaneous addition of tetrahydrofuran and isopropanol was found to improve the resolution of determined analytes and enable effective separation of analytes with very similar electromigration characteristics migrating as one peak (dopamine and serotonin). The developed and optimised separation method based on capillary zone electrophoresis and ultraviolet detection was capable to achieve detection limits at the concentration level in the range of 0.15 to 1.25 μg/mL−1. The developed method was also characterised by other favourable validation parameters, such as linearity (r
2 > 0.99), accuracy (82.9–117.8% for the intraday measurements, and 87.6–119.2% for the interday measurements), and precision (intraday relative standard deviation in the range of 0.4–15.5%, interday relative standard deviation in the range of 0.9–18.3%). The method was finally applied to investigate the stability of the analytes in model water matrix samples under various storage conditions.
Beyond traditional academic degrees: The labor market returns to occupational credentials in the United States
Authors: Baird Matthew D. , Bozick Robert , Zaber Melanie A.
Published: August 2022

Occupational credentials provide an additional—and, at times, alternative—path other than traditional academic degrees for individuals to increase productivity and demonstrate their abilities and qualifications to employers. In the United States, these credentials typically take the form of licenses and certifications. Although a critical part of the workforce landscape, the literature on the returns to credentials is inadequate, with prior research typically relying on Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions which do not sufficiently control for selection. Using questions that identify credential receipt from the 2015 and 2016 United States’ Current Population Surveys, we construct an instrumental variable of local peer influence using the within-labor market credential rate of individuals sharing the same sociodemographic characteristics, while controlling for the same group's average wages and a suite of demographic and geographic controls. We use this instrument in a marginal treatment effects estimator, which allows for estimation of the average treatment effect and determines the direction of selection, and we estimate the effects of credentials on labor market outcomes. We find large, meaningful returns in the form of increased probability of individual employment, an effect which is concentrated primarily among women. The effect of having a credential on log wages is higher for those in the sub-baccalaureate labor market, suggesting the potential role of occupational credentials as an alternative path to marketable human capital and a signal of skills in the absence of a bachelor's degree.
Formal learning versus empirical learning: which one yields better results?
Authors: Lupulescu Mihnea Grigoraș Gîngioveanu
Published: August 2022

The digital revolution that we are currently experiencing is causing a lot of young people to ask themselves if formal education is still worth it. As the digital environment exponentially evolved in the last couple of years, you can now find almost any curriculum on the internet for a fraction of the price you would pay to study it in a university, or sometimes even free or charge. Furthermore, employers all over the globe are starting to put more emphasis on the experience accumulated by the individual rather than its formal studies, encouraging young people to start working early in their lives. The present paper approached this hypothesis from two different angles: the first part of the paper was focused on individuals in their early “work-life”, more precisely millennials that graduated recently, while the second part of the paper looked at the wealthiest people on the planet, the ones indicated by Forbes Top 30. Insights about how millennials with higher education see work in relation with their formal studies were obtained using a questionnaire, their overall feedback being a positive one, against all previous expectations. Also, interesting patterns emerged from the data about the Forbes Top 30 billionaires after researching their educational backgrounds. As it turns out, financial success is not necessarily correlated with formal studies, but links between high performance / innovative individuals and previous formal studies have been found.
Investigation of the 2019-2021 National Evaluation exam: A case study of high school admissions in Bucharest
Authors: Firescu Alexandra-Maria , Necula Marian , Băsu Cecilia Emanuela , Ardelean Andreea , Roşu Maria-Magdalena , Milea Eduard C. , Păun Mihaela
Published: August 2022

With knowledge being at the center of societal development, global policy forums, such as OECD, promote policies to improve national education systems. According to the most recent PISA evaluation, 40% of Romanian 15-year students are considered functionally illiterate. The Romanian education system’s mission to catch up with international standards was challenged by the policy shocks following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to adapt to the new situation, the Minister of Education implemented a substantial reduction of the curricula covered by the National Evaluation exam held in 2020. In 2021, the exam was restructured so to resemble the PISA tests. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how these changes have impacted the Romanian upper education system. We used the 2019-2021 high school admission data published by the Ministry of Education. Our results indicate apparent progress of high school efficacy due to the inflationary grade effects. We provided an alternative metric based not on grades but high school candidates’ rank. The classification of high schools based on this instrument is revealed as more robust. Most high schools in Bucharest run in the lowest performance category with the upper education system relying on a few top-performing high schools. For administrators and policymakers, this type of instrument is crucial for a proper evaluation of educational institution efficacy and authentic progress. This type of evaluation is the first action in the process to meet OECD requirements to close the gap between the lowest and highest education institutions in the EECA region.
Filling Knowledge Gaps: Communication Characteristics in Traditional Versus Virtual Teams
Authors: Stratone Mădălina Elena , Vătămănescu Elena-Mădălina , Rusu Mihaela
Published: August 2022

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the body of literature about the transition from the traditional teams to the virtual ones was not very well outlined and spread. However, in the present, the efforts to understand virtual teams and their effectiveness are growing faster and faster. Thus, this paper aims at underlining the main differences between the communication among co-workers within traditional and virtual teams, the differences in terms of communication and job satisfaction when it comes to both traditional and virtual teams and whether there is a positive correlation between communication among co-workers and job satisfaction in traditional teams versus virtual teams. A survey with 135 respondents (with different roles and experiences across different industries) was conducted in order to test the hypotheses formulated within the study and to emphasize which of the two types of teams is more effective.
The importance of knowledge transfer management in Romanian companies during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zamfir Francisca-Elena
Published: August 2022

The sharp spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, implicitly in Romania, and the increasingly stringent measures taken by the authorities to prevent harmful effects on citizens and the economy raise many questions about the actions that should be taken by companies to ensure compliance. and especially those responsible for taking such measures. Many companies in Romania have already voluntarily taken a precautionary stance against the threat of COVID-19, whether it is the complete interruption, for an indefinite period of time, of the activity, the change of the way of carrying out the activity (exclusively online) or continue to work with increased precautionary measures to reduce the risks.

In an environment where the legislative framework changes every day, with sometimes vague wording, explainable in terms of the speed with which they are adopted, but in areas extremely important and vulnerable to the business environment, such as social protection, banning activities or continuing in a significantly modified form, the provision of measures with an impact on business partners, the knowledge management is called upon to make quick and high-impact decisions. In all the cases mentioned above, the company behaves according to and based on the decisions taken by the management, an aspect that involves high risks for the latter in terms of liability.
Audiovisual and cinematographic production in an insular context: Constraints and assets, the case of the Caribbean archipelago of Guadeloupe
Authors: Cuirassier Cyrielle
Published: August 2022

In the French outermost regions, the rise of the cultural and creative industries as a lever for economic development has attracted growing interest in recent years. In Guadeloupe, a political will to support the film industry by setting up its own funding mechanism has been implemented, with 6 million euros invested between 2015 and 2020. Recent studies (2019-2021) have shown that the French outermost regions, which are far from the French decision-making center and have a narrow market, face structural challenges aggravated by a deficit of national public support for local independent production. The lack of financial support is accompanied by a lack of statistical data and a lack of visibility of the culture and identity of the French outermost regions in national channels. The latter play a decisive role in financing French audiovisual and cinematographic production by pre-purchasing works. In 2016, all the unions and associations of the audiovisual and cinematographic industry in the French outermost regions made a strong demand to the national level for the application of common law in the French outermost regions. In this chronicle of an announced “audiovisual and cinematographic content war”, what would be the assets of the independent production of French outermost regions? A review of recent studies allows us to present here the functioning of the public aid system for audiovisual and cinematographic in France. We then analyze two obstacles among others that limit access to national financing for local production in the French outermost regions. Finally, we present the case of Guadeloupe which, despite structural and financial constraints, has been able to attract large international productions through a strategy based on the local public authority.
Artificial intelligence in healthcare: Public perception of robotic surgery
Authors: Anagnoste Sorin , Biclesanu Isabelle , Teodoroiu Casiana , Bellini Francesco
Published: August 2022

Breakthrough after breakthrough, artificial intelligence has proven itself to be of support to the healthcare system. Public and private hospitals are improving their services through the adoption of different technologies, such as wearables, 3D printing, virtual reality or surgical robots, among others. This paper investigates the public opinion on one of the healthcare areas affected by the evolution of artificial intelligence, the robotic eye surgery (RES). The assessment is done from the safety, technology and pricing perspectives, considering the demographic distribution of the sample. The results reveal that RES is considered a safer alternative to traditional procedures performed by surgeons alone. The technology’s influence over the medical field is seen as a significant contributor to public trust in RES. The price evolution for such procedures in the following years is seen with slight optimism. The demographic variables used in the paper have a weak or no relationship with public trust in RES, the opinion on its price evolution or the view over technology’s impact on the medical field. Understanding the present view over robotic surgery is valuable for developing support measures, awareness campaigns and adjusting the healthcare providers’ decisions.
Media communication in sport
Authors: Dominteanu Teodora , Smîdu Neluța , Voinea Andreea
Published: August 2022

We live in a world where the media is ubiquitous, through the multiple and diverse ways of expression, a world in which the press has become an “industry”, with a coverage and influence that is difficult to anticipate not too long ago, having the ability to capture the imagination and exert its influence on all walks of life. Conquering and then broadening the area of the public are really the raison of a media. This conquest and expansion are, however, based on three guiding principles: to do the job seriously (credibility), to produce pleasure (the show) and to be empathetic (empathy). Throughout this “industrial platform”, the sports press finds itself as a very important segment, with a major influence in society. Sport can also be regarded as a large global industry, with fans and spectators acting as consumers who demand. The research question is about the influence of media communication in the sports industry.
The circular economy - Romania’s paradigm from the perspective of EU principles and directions for 2050
Authors: Burlacu Sorin , Bran Florina , Rădulescu Carmen Valentina , Bodislav Dumitru Alexandru
Published: August 2022

The European Parliament presents on its official website information on how the European Union intends to reach a circular economy by 2050. The action plans and directions, the key sectors of the circular economy, as well as the ways of waste management and transport are presented. On the other hand, the Department for Sustainable Development within the Romanian government presents its own vision of the circular economy. It should be appreciated that the Romanian perspective is based on studies that are based on the perceptions of citizens. The aim of our research is to highlight the cohesion between the Romanian perspective and the European vision in terms of how they understood to harmonize their principles and directions of action in the field of circular economy. It is known that Romania joined the EU on January 1, 2007 and has 33 members in the European Parliament. Currently about 77% of Romania’s exports are made to the EU (Germany 23%, Italy 11% and France 7%) and Romania’s imports come in proportion of 75% from the other EU member states (Germany 20%, Italy 9% and Hungary 7%). Although Romania has committed to adopt the euro as soon as it meets the necessary conditions and is in the process of joining the Schengen area, these goals are not yet fulfilled in 2022. The findings of our research allow us to conclude that beyond strategies and action plans, action and its consequences are important. Romania’s paradigm in terms of the circular economy can be considered surprising in its similarity and antagonistic in its results. Our conclusions allow the opening of new directions of research regarding the perspectives of the circular economy through economic and social resilience.
Using artificial intelligence for the benefit of the circular economy
Authors: Cîmpeanu Ionuț-Alexandru , Dragomir Denis-Alexandru , Zota Răzvan Daniel
Published: August 2022

Human intelligence has no limits and constantly impresses with innovative solutions that increase in complexity, applicability, and efficiency. With the advancement of technology and the passage of time, there was a need to move from the linear economic model, which involved the implementation of the “takemake- waste” process and which causes negative effects on the environment and society, to the circular model, which promises a much regenerative. Artificial intelligence is beginning to take shape day by day in more and more branches of activity. In this article, we will present how artificial intelligence helps the field of the circular economy. Thus, we will present two chatbot solutions (A.I.R-e and Iio) that are already implemented in the field of circular economy and have the role of helping the human population. A.I.R-e uses both visual object recognition technology, helping to separate waste according to its nature, as well as auditory and language, to provide information about collection centers and answer user questions. It was implemented by TheCircularLab platform and is used in Logroño (Spain). The second chatbot model is called Iio and is used in Yokohama, Japan. It was developed by NTT Docomo and serves to answer users’ questions about sorting waste and where it should be taken for recycling. The chatbot knows how to give instructions on the categories of waste sorting, to guide the user to the nearest landfill, but also to answer and give answers that will impress you if a user types a word that does not have to do with waste recycling.
Analysis of real estate market in United Kingdom
Authors: Lădaru Georgiana Raluca , Gombos Carol Cristina , Spiridon Carmen , Troaca Victor Adrian
Published: August 2022

Most people make very few real estate transactions on life transactions, and these, in addition to the fact that the most important financial transaction in which they are involved, also have a high degree of complexity from a legal and financial point of view. This finding is valid in all countries with market-based economic systems, regardless of their degree of development. The three elements that are common to real estate transactions in these states are: meeting demand with supply, transfer of property rights, and mortgage financing. Over time, each of these elements has been in the attention of the world’s competition authorities in general and the Competition Council in particular. Activity in the UK real estate market has always been at European economic events, and its action is very important, manifesting itself both as an international trigger - a conclusive example would be the “subprime” residential crisis in the United States. and an important transmission mechanism to the real economy, which affects the transactions carried out, influencing mortgages, etc. or the effective application of competition rules. However, these measures require the construction of a consistent argument that address both the causes of these anti - competitive restrictions and their effects on consumers. It is also necessary to quantify the possible effects that they can have reforms in this area, as well as a comparison of the results obtained with empirical evidence from the states in which these reforms were undertaken.
Possibilities of Romania to achieve Objective 11 – “Sustainable cities and communities” under the 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy
Authors: Munteanu Răzvan-Aurelian
Published: August 2022

The paper represents an analysis of Romania’s possibilities of achieving Objective 11 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy, entitled “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. In order to determine the possibilities to achieve the objective, the average evolution rate method was used to predict the evolution of the indicator “share of the population served by the public water supply system” until 2030. Also, given the very large regional gaps between the 8 development regions of Romania, with the help of the rank method, the regions were ranked according to three important indicators that can be the basis for achieving objective 11, respectively: the share of the population served by the public water supply system; gross investments in tangible goods from local units active in the production and supply of electricity and heat, gas, hot water and air conditioning and water distribution and sanitation, waste management, decontamination activities, per capita and gross domestic product per capita.
Ecological agriculture and its role in sustainable development
Authors: Patarlageanu Simona Roxana , Dinu Mihai , Diaconu Amelia , Negescu Mihaela Diana Oancea
Published: August 2022

The role of the organic farming system is to produce cleaner food, more suitable for human metabolism, in full correlation with the conservation and development of the environment. One of the main purposes of organic farming is to produce fresh and authentic agri-food products that respect natural and environmental factors. We can also talk about another alternative in which not only human consciousness develops but also the resilience of all levels of the biosphere. This will create favorable conditions for mankind for its day-to-day work to be fully successful, creating a continuing utility for society, both nationally and globally, as a result of which important social forces are freed from unproductive and controlling activities, and can be used directly in production activities. The present specialized paper was born through the analysis of the organic- natural household system, without chemicals, being in accordance with the second development alternative, presented above. The starting point of the paper is the notion of bio-agriculture. It will be investigated first of all, the right of existence of this way of conception, the special way of life and the methods of organic agriculture in the European space, as well as in the light of the development processes.