bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The situation of persons with disabilities on Poland’s labor market and its determinants
Authors: Bąba Wojciech
Published: June 2020

This article analyses the situation of persons with disabilities on Poland’s labor market and identifies key factors which determine this situation. The analysis considers two aspects: legal (legislation regulating the status of persons with disabilities on Poland’s labor market as of March 31, 2018) and empirical (values of indicators, which could be used to describe the situation of persons with disabilities on Polish labor market in 2007-2017).
The analysis focuses on the population of persons with an employment-related disability certificate, since only such persons are entitled to special treatment on Polish labor market.
Managing the positioning of auditory impaired people within an organization
Authors: Rymaniak Janusz , Lis Katarzyna , Lech Eunika
Published: June 2020

Globalization and the ageing of population result in seeking extended occupational activity of groups inactive in the labour market, e.g., hearing-impaired people. This article discusses the theory as well as survey results, which show the status and forms of positioning of hearing-impaired employees within an organization. It also identifies major flaws in the theory, the different status and opinions in organizational practice, and recommendations in terms of theory and practice.
Inequalities on the labour market: BPO and SSC in Poland
Authors: Dolot Anna , Wiśniewska Sylwia
Published: June 2020

This article analyses inequalities in the context of gender, parenthood and disability in
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Shared Service Centers (SSC)
on Poland’s labour market. It characterizes BPO and SSC and the areas of their main business activity and discusses inequalities on the labour market. This article also discusses the results of research on inequalities in gender, parenthood and disability within BPO and SSC; the literature of the subject and these authors’ own empirical research.
CIOP-PIB test stand for studies on spatial sound perception using ambisonics
Authors: Szczepański Grzegorz , Morzyński Leszek , Pleban Dariusz , Młyński Rafał
Published: June 2020

Acoustic signals can be a source of information affecting workers’ safety in the working environment. Sound perception, directional hearing and spatial orientation of people in the working environment depend on a number of factors, such as acoustic properties of the work room, noise and its parameters, the use of hearing protection, hearing loss or the use of hearing aids. Learning about the impact of these factors on perception, directional hearing and orientation requires using spatial sound and is essential for creating safe working conditions. This article presents basic information about ambisonics, a technique of spatial sound processing, and a test stand developed at the Central Institute for Labor Protection – National Research Institute for research on sound perception, directional hearing and spatial orientation of people using ambisonics.
The role of occupational nurses
Authors: Jędrzejkiewicz Bernadeta , Ślusarska Barbara
Published: June 2020

Work bears special value and therefore, it is under protection from the Polish law. Activities focused on the protection of employee’s health, are to be seen as occupational medicine in its purest form. The personnel who carry out such tasks are properly qualified doctors, nurses and psychologists. Nurses can acquire qualifications necessary to perform the tasks of the occupational medicine by way of postgraduate education, namely, by completing a qualification or specialization training course. Obtaining the necessary competences lets them complete objectives such as occupational health protection against the harmful effects of working environment conditions, occupational prophylaxis and health monitoring.
Working conditions in Poland and in Europe: an overview of the results of European surveys
Authors: Galwas-Grzeszkiewicz Magdalena
Published: June 2020

Constant improvement of working conditions is the key to success when employing a strategy for sustainable development. Eurofound, which acts to improve living and working conditions, conducts regular pan-European surveys, such as the European Company Survey and the European Working Conditions Survey. This article presents selected results of these surveys, on issues such as the physical and social working environment, flexible working hours, availability of training and satisfaction with working conditions both in Poland and in the European Union.
Working conditions in selected hospital rooms: results of a pilot study on noise, illumination and microclimate
Authors: Smagowska Bożena , Pleban Dariusz , Sobolewski Andrzej , Pawlak Andrzej
Published: June 2020

The article presents an assessment of three physical factors of the work environment, i.e. noise, illumination and microclimate in selected rooms of a hospital. The rooms were selected in cooperation with occupational safety and health services. Quantities characterizing noise, illumination and microclimate were measured in the operating room and in the sterilization and pathomorphology rooms. For this purpose, the measurement methods included in the standards were applied. The pilot study showed that noise limits were exceeded in terms of annoyance and that there is a need to improve illumination in the operating room, in the sterilization room and in the histological laboratory. In the operating and in the sterilization rooms, the requirement of thermal comfort was met with the assumption of low physical activity of employees, while in the pathomorphology room, changes are necessary.
Falls from a height at construction sites caused by incorrect use of collective protection measures
Authors: Dąbrowski Andrzej
Published: June 2020

This article presents an analysis of accidents caused by falls from a height examined by the National Labour Inspectorate in 2013-2017. Accidents have been analyzed taking into account irregularities related to the use of collective protection measures. 121 events, which had occurred due to the lack or non-use of collective protection measures, were selected for detailed study. The article discusses 10 typical worksites and selected activities performed when accidents took place. It presents a statistical analysis of accidents caused by various irregularities in the use of collective protection measures and it presents descriptions of selected events. Using collective protection measures against falls from a height in the construction industry is an effective preventive technical solution, which does not physically burden workers and does not cause their discomfort at work. Therefore, legal provisions give them priority over personal protective equipment.
IRENA JAKIMOWICZ: AN IDEAL MUSEOLOGIST
Authors: Żakiewicz Anna
Published: June 2020

Having studied history of art on clandestine
Warsaw University courses run in 1943–1944, Irena
Jakimowicz (1922–1999) graduated in 1951. In 1945–1991,
she worked at the National Museum in Warsaw, initially in
the Educational Department, from 1953 in the Polish Graphic
Arts Department, out of which in 1958 she selected works
executed after 1914, turning them into the Department of
Graphic Arts and Contemporary Drawings which she headed
as curator. Until early 1982, the Department formed part of
the Gallery of Contemporary Art, yet it subsequently gained
autonomy as the Cabinet of Graphic Arts and Contemporary
Drawings curated by Irena Jakimowicz.
Jakimowicz mounted some dozens exhibitions, mainly
monographic ones of Polish contemporary artists, e.g.
Bronisław Wojciech Linke (1963), Zygmunt Waliszewski
(1964), Feliks Topolski (1965), Wacław Wąsowicz (1969),
Tadeusz Kulisiewicz (1971), Konstanty Brandel (1977),
Henryk Gotlib (1980), Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz
(1989/1990). All the exhibitions were accompanied by
reasoned catalgoues. Furthermore, Jakimowicz authored
several cross-sectional, such as ‘Within the Circle of the
Rembrandt Tradition’ (1956), ‘From Young Poland to Today’
(1959), ‘Polish Contemporary Graphic Arts 1900–1960’
(1960), ‘The Formists’ (1985), ‘Five Centuries of Polish
Prints’ (1997).
In 1970, she defended her doctoral dissertation dedicated
to the collector Tomasz Zieliński. Moreover, she authored
many papers, reviews, and books, e.g. Witkacy – Chwistek
– Strzemiński (1976), Witkacy Malarz [Witkacy the Painter]
(1985), Jerzy Mierzejewski (1996).
She was a wonderful Boss: demanding, but strict with
herself, too. Attentive to her employees’ development, she
could appreciate and use their abilities to their own benefit
and to the benefit of their institution. Those who had the
privilege and pleasure of cooperating with her, recall her
with admiration saying what a likeable person she was.
Autophagy: A new insight into pathogenesis and treatment possibilities in age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Kubicka-Trząska Agnieszka , Karska-Basta Izabella , Żuber-Łaskawiec Katarzyna
Published: June 2020

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a significant problem in healthcare, because it is a leading cause of central vision loss in individuals over 50 years old in well-developed countries. Pathogenesis of AMD is multifactorial and still not completely understood. Proven risk factors include the following: natural senescence of retina, oxidative stress, complement activation, chronic subretinal inflammatory reaction, genetic and environmental factors. Data on links between autophagy and AMD development are being raised. Autophagy is a cellular
process involving the degradation of long-lived proteins and damaged fragments and components
of cells; it is responsible for the maintenance of dynamic intracellular homeostasis
and it enables cell survival under stress conditions. Disturbances of autophagy mechanisms,
i.e. its activation or inhibition, may lead to the development of many various pathologies.
Thus, autophagy plays a dual role, as a mechanism responsible for protecting or killing cells.
The paper describes autophagy mechanisms and their role in the natural process of retinal cells
senescence and presents the autophagy impairment as a crucial cause of AMD development.
We also describe the impact of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy on retinal autophagy mechanisms
and potential new therapeutic modalities for AMD based on autophagy modulation.
The Pathogenesis of Congenital Anomalies: Roles of Teratogens and Infections
Authors: Semih Demirtaş Mehmet
Published: June 2020

Congenital anomalies present with significant financial, social, and moral issues and questions to the family and society and are difficult to rehabilitate. In utero exposure to teratogenic agents and infection are the two most important causes of nongenetic acquired anomalies presenting at birth. Teratogens such as drugs, adverse maternal conditions, and toxins are environmental factors that cause permanent structural or functional malformations or death of the embryo or fetus. Teratogens may cause significant congenital anomalies if encountered during the organogenesis period of 3–8 weeks of fetal life, which is the stage of tissues and organs formation, whereas minor morphological and functional disorders may occur with exposure during the fetal period of first 2 weeks. TORCH group infections (toxoplasmosis, others, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes) are the most serious infectious diseases during pregnancy due to the severity of possible embryo-fetal lesions. With expanding scientific knowledge and clinical experience about the association of these toxins and infections with significant, at times crippling congenital anomalies, the avoidance of exposure to pregnant mothers has become the most important part of their prevention and management.
A Review of the Analytical Methods Based on Chromatography for Analyzing Glyphosate in Foods
Authors: Avino Pasquale , Notardonato Ivan , Vincenzo Russo Mario
Published: June 2020

Glyphosate is a pesticide widely used in agriculture, horticulture, and silviculture as well as around homes and gardens. It was introduced by Monsanto in the early 1970s, and it is a broad spectrum, nonselective, post-emergence herbicide that inhibits plants’ shikimic acid pathway. Glyphosate is considered as “difficult herbicide” in terms of trace analysis. It has low molecular weight, low volatility, thermal lability, and good water solubility. These properties cause problems in its extraction, purification, and detection. The determination often requires additional processes that may allow quantification by chromatographic methods. Several analytical procedures have been developed based on solid-phase extraction, ion-exchange chromatography, or matrix solid phase dispersion. Most published methods involve liquid extraction followed by clean-up. This review would like to revise the literature on this issue discussing the relevant chromatographic methods reported in the literature in terms of analytical parameters for analyzing such compound in food chain.
Thermodynamics and Kinetics ofCamellia sinensisExtracts and Constituents: An Untamed Antioxidant Potential
Authors: Vieira Thomaz Douglas
Published: June 2020

Given the relevance of impairing reactive oxygen species (ROS) buildup in tissues, the use of exogenous antioxidants is highly regarded as a valid prophylaxis against oxidative stress and its deleterious effects on organisms. In this regard, Camelia sinensis uses as a remarkable antioxidant source have been reported in various folk and standard medicine systems around the world. In this chapter, the thermodynamics and kinetics of Camelia sinensis constituents is concisely discussed focusing on the implications of its redox profiling toward antioxidant capacity. Notwithstanding, the biological repercussion of ROS reduction as well as its therapeutic potential is also addressed to provide readers a basic background on the relevance of investigating the physicochemical features of medicinal plants.
Bright, Dark, and Kink Solitary Waves in a Cubic-Quintic-Septic-Nonical Medium
Authors: Youssoufa Mati , Dafounansou Ousmanou , Mohamadou Alidou
Published: June 2020

In this chapter, evolution of light beams in a cubic-quintic-septic-nonical medium is investigated. As the model equation, an extended form of the well-known nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation is taken into account. By the use of a special ansatz, exact analytical solutions describing bright/dark and kink solitons are constructed. The existence of the wave solutions is discussed in a parameter regime. Moreover, the stability properties of the obtained solutions are investigated, and by employing Stuart and DiPrima’s stability analysis method, an analytical expression for the modulational stability is found.
Glacial Biodiversity: Lessons from Ground-dwelling and Aquatic Insects
Authors: Gobbi Mauro , Lencioni Valeria
Published: June 2020

At first glance, the ground surrounding the glacier front and the streams originated by melting glaciers seem to be too extreme to host life forms. They are instead ecosystems, colonized by bacteria, fungi, algae, mosses, plants and animals (called the “glacial biodiversity”). The best adapted animals to colonize glacier surface, the recently deglaciated terrains and glacial streams are insects, specifically the ground beetles (carabids) and the non-biting midges (chironomids). This chapter aims to overview the species colonizing these habitats, their adaptation strategies to face natural cold and anthropogenic heat and the extinction threats of glacial retreat and pollution by emerging contaminants. Notes on their role in the glacial-ecosystem functioning and related ecosystem services are also given.
Reliability-Based Marginal Cost Pricing Problem
Authors: Zhong Shaopeng
Published: June 2020

This chapter is concerned with first-best marginal cost pricing (MCP) in a stochastic network with both supply and travel demand uncertainty and perception errors within the travelers’ route choice decision processes. To account for the travelers’ perception error, moment analysis is adopted in this chapter to derive the mean and variance of total perceived travel time of the network. We then developed a Perceived Risk-Based Stochastic Network Marginal Cost Pricing (PRSN-MCP) model. Furthermore, in order to illustrate the effect of incorporating both stochastic supply and demand into the PRSN-MCP model, the calculation of the PRSN-MCP model is divided up into four scenarios under different simplifications of network uncertainties. Numerical examples are also provided to demonstrate the importance and properties of the proposed model. The main finding is that ignoring the effect of stochastic travel demand, capacity degradation, and travelers’ perception error may significantly reduce the performance of the first-best MCP tolls, especially under high traveler’s confidence and network congestion levels.
Traffic Noise
Authors: Grubesa Sanja , Suhanek Mia
Published: June 2020

Currently, noise pollution is a major problem especially in urban areas, and moreover traffic noise is the most significant source of noise in cities. A large number of cars and other road vehicles that have internal combustion engines are making road traffic noise a leading noise pollution source. Electric and hybrid cars, which are nowadays slowly replacing them, give rise to lower noise level in urban areas as their engines are generally silent. However, the mere absence of internal combustion engines cannot be the only measure for lowering noise levels in urban areas. The goal of this chapter is to define and describe traffic noise, the reasons for its occurrence, and all existing ways of reducing traffic noise.
Effects of Information Technologies on Organizational Culture: A Discussion Based on the Key Role of Organizational Structure
Authors: Erdurmazlı Eser
Published: June 2020

This chapter discusses the influences of information technologies on cultural features of organizations with an emphasis on the concept of “organizational structure” because research shows that organizational culture and organizational structure are in a very close relationship. In this regard, it argues that information technologies can have direct and indirect effects on organizational cultures based on the information technologies’ influences on organizational structures and the processes, activities, and human relations within these structures. Underlining different and controversial approaches and findings in the literature, this study makes some deductions by referring to important features of information technologies and organizational culture. Therefore, the approaches and evaluations given here are thought to be useful for the practitioners and students who are interested in the subject and the academic staff who are interested in doing research on this subject.
Redefiniendo el perfil profesional de relaciones públicas
Authors: Carretón-Ballester Carmen , Lorenzo-Sola Francisco
Published: June 2020

After analyzing the generic competences developed by the students in the Degree in Advertising and Public Relations in relation to the professional profiles that companies and institutions demand from the students in the curricular internship offers (Carretón and Lorenzo, 2016), the functions that the tutors of companies entrust to the students are described and they define the competences and professional profiles, making special emphasis in the field of public relations (Carretón and Lorenzo, 2018). In this context, through the analysis of content and the questionnaire, the aim is to describe whether there is a relationship between the tasks demanded by the companies and institutions, the preference of the students with regard to the tasks to be carried out and the profiles defined in the White Paper (2005). Despite the abundance of public relations tasks, the association with current professional profiles shows the great lack of knowledge about functions of a strategic and analytical nature. The results show some inconsistency between the tasks that the labour market demands from the students and the areas in which the students prefer to develop their profession, except for the explicit parallelism in the tasks of community manager and public relations. In addition, there is insufficient training in specific skills to prepare the PR professional, perhaps because of their misplacement at the operational levels (technical and tactical) and its conceptualization not strategic and analytical as international studies dictate. To the gap between the training received and the training requirements of the professionals who have been expressing different authors referenced, we must add some concerns far from the job opportunities. This thesis could explain the conceptual confusion, as well as its immature professionalization in Spain. The relationship reveals a necessary redefinition of professional profiles in public relations and communication, as well as an adaptation of skills in university training in public relations. With the current curriculum, this paper proposes three professional profiles at the Strategic Level: Director of Public Relations and Communication, Advertising Creative Director and 3. Director of Media Planning with the professional roles with mastery of techniques and tactics for their development at the Operational Level.
However, internships define tasks but not define professional profiles and, in any case, it can help to identify the functional areas where to develop the assigned tasks. Based on this premise and, in our opinion, we consider it necessary to restructure the Study Plans where perhaps Public Relations should go it alone and with its own competences that respond to the needs of organizations, companies, society and contribute to their professionalization.
Sofka and Mladen: Two non-authentic existences: Tragedy and sacrifice in the novels Impure Blood and the Boss Mladen of Borisav Stanković
Authors: Lazić Nebojša
Published: June 2020

Borisav Stanković (1876-1927) made with his novels a decisive step in the later stage of Serbian realism in the supremacy of the novel over the short story. Out of three novels he was writing and finished only one (Impure Blood), and the novel the Boss Mladen may be interpreted and analysed as the finished one. In our paper a female literary character of Sofka and Mladen, the main character of the novel the Boss Mladen, were observed simultaneously. We concluded that Sofka had acted instinctively while Mladen rationally, but in the end the result had been similar: both characters had been defeated spiritually.
Abortion withdrawal of sexual violence pregnancy: the role of the sex offender
Authors: Pimentel Renata Macedo Martins , Drezett Jefferson , Macedo Jr Hugo , Andreoni Solange , Silva Rebeca Souza e
Published: June 2020

Introduction: Unwanted pregnancy is a serious consequence for women who experience sexual violence. Although deciding on abortion is frequent in these cases, there is not much information on women who give up abortion in this circumstance.
Objective: To analyse the associated factors in abortion withdrawal of sexual violence pregnancy.
Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study with a convenience sample of adolescents and women with pregnancy due to sexual violence and requesting legal abortion between August 1994 and December 2012, at Hospital Pérola Byington, São Paulo, Brazil. Pregnant women who gave up abortion after receiving the procedure approval were included and, in another group, pregnant women who completed the abortion. The variables were selected from a digitized database and analyzed using SPSS 15.0 software. The outcome was abortion withdrawal. The study variables were age; low education level; gestational age; color/black ethnicity; not being united; declare religion; serious threat from the aggressor; known offender; and residence of the aggressor. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The analysis used Wald's chi-square test (?2W) and logistic regression with variable of interest defined as the known aggressor. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of São Paulo, Opinion No. 6767.
Results: The study included 941 women, 849 (90.2%) who had an abortion and 92 (9.8%) who gave up after being approved. Age ranged from 10-46 years, mean 23.2 ± 7.9 years, gestational age 4-22 weeks, average 11.9 ± 4.5 weeks. Among those who gave up abortion, 12.0% were <14 years old; 50.0% had gestational age ? 13 weeks; 50.0% had low education; 14.2% were black; 90.2% single; 85.9% declared to have religion; 50.0% were threatened; 12.0% of the cases occurred at the perpetrator's residence and 53.3% of the victims were raped by known perpetrators. In logistic regression, the only significant variable was the known perpetrator, increasing the victim's chance of giving up abortion twice.
Conclusion: The known sex offender has influenced the woman or adolescent's decision to give up legal abortion.
Comparison between click and CE-CHIRP® stimuli in neonatal hearing screening
Authors: Lopes Bruna Mauer , Bueno Claudine Devicari , Didoné Dayane Domeneghini , Sleifer Pricila
Published: June 2020

Objective: To compare the application time of the Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (A-ABR) between the click and CE-Chirp® stimuli.
Methods: Forty-six newborns were evaluated without risk indicators for hearing loss and presenting transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE). The A-ABR was performed with Interacoustics® Titan equipment in a hospital, with the click and CE-Chirp® stimuli at the same time. Descriptive statistical analyses and inferential statistics analyses (Student's t-test calculation for mean comparisons among independent samples) were used for the variables age, gender, examination time, laterality and test stimulus used.
Results: Of the 46 neonates in the sample, 23 were male and 23 female. The mean age of the sample was 23.1 days. The mean procedure time using the Click stimulus was 85.9 seconds for the right ear and 86.1 seconds for the left ear, whereas for the use of the CE-Chirp® stimulus the results obtained for the right and left ear were28.4 seconds and 27.9 seconds, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean times obtained through the CE-Chirp® and Click stimuli for both ears (p=0.000). There was no statistically significant difference in the comparison between the right and left ears or between females and males.
Conclusion: It was found that the mean duration of the A-ABR procedure using the CE- Chirp® stimulus is three times lower than with the Click stimulus.
A decentralised neural model explaining optimal integration of navigational strategies in insects
Authors: Sun Xuelong , Yue Shigang , Mangan Michael
Published: June 2020

Insect navigation arises from the coordinated action of concurrent guidance systems but the neural mechanisms through which each functions, and are then coordinated, remains unknown. We propose that insects require distinct strategies to retrace familiar routes (route-following) and directly return from novel to familiar terrain (homing) using different aspects of frequency encoded views that are processed in different neural pathways. We also demonstrate how the Central Complex and Mushroom Bodies regions of the insect brain may work in tandem to coordinate the directional output of different guidance cues through a contextually switched ring-attractor inspired by neural recordings. The resultant unified model of insect navigation reproduces behavioural data from a series of cue conflict experiments in realistic animal environments and offers testable hypotheses of where and how insects process visual cues, utilise the different information that they provide and coordinate their outputs to achieve the adaptive behaviours observed in the wild.
Biodiversity mediates the effects of stressors but not nutrients on litter decomposition
Authors: Beaumelle Léa , De Laender Frederik , Eisenhauer Nico
Published: June 2020

Understanding the consequences of ongoing biodiversity changes for ecosystems is a pressing challenge. Controlled biodiversity-ecosystem function experiments with random biodiversity loss scenarios have demonstrated that more diverse communities usually provide higher levels of ecosystem functioning. However, it is not clear if these results predict the ecosystem consequences of environmental changes that cause non-random alterations in biodiversity and community composition. We synthesized 69 independent studies reporting 660 observations of the impacts of two pervasive drivers of global change (chemical stressors and nutrient enrichment) on animal and microbial decomposer diversity and litter decomposition. Using meta-analysis and structural equation modeling, we show that declines in decomposer diversity and abundance explain reduced litter decomposition in response to stressors but not to nutrients. While chemical stressors generally reduced biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, detrimental effects of nutrients occurred only at high levels of nutrient inputs. Thus, more intense environmental change does not always result in stronger responses, illustrating the complexity of ecosystem consequences of biodiversity change. Overall, these findings provide strong evidence that the consequences of observed biodiversity change for ecosystems depend on the kind of environmental change, and are especially significant when human activities decrease biodiversity.
Tip dating with fossil sites and stratigraphic sequences
Authors: King Benedict , Rücklin Martin
Published: June 2020

Tip dating, a method of phylogenetic analysis in which fossils are included as terminals and assigned an age, is becoming increasingly widely used in evolutionary studies. Current implementations of tip dating allow fossil ages to be assigned as a point estimate, or incorporate uncertainty through the use of uniform tip age priors. However, the use of tip age priors has the unwanted effect of decoupling the ages of fossils from the same fossil site. Here we introduce a new Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) proposal, which allows fossils from the same site to have linked ages, while still incorporating uncertainty in the age of the fossil site itself. We also include an extension, allowing fossil sites to be ordered in a stratigraphic column with age bounds applied only to the top and bottom of the sequence. These MCMC proposals are implemented in a new open-source BEAST2 package, palaeo. We test these new proposals on a dataset of early vertebrate fossils, concentrating on the effects on two sites with multiple acanthodian fossil taxa but wide age uncertainty, the Man On The Hill (MOTH) site from northern Canada, and the Turin Hill site from Scotland, both of Lochkovian (Early Devonian) age. The results show an increased precision of age estimates when fossils have linked tip ages compared to when ages are unlinked, and in this example leads to support for a younger age for the MOTH site compared with the Turin Hill site. There is also a minor effect on the tree topology of acanthodians. These new MCMC proposals should be widely applicable to studies that employ tip dating, particularly when the terminals are coded as individual specimens.
Description of soft tissue artifacts and related consequences on hindlimb kinematics during canine gait
Authors: Lin Cheng-Chung , Wang Shi-Nuan , Lu Ming , Chao Tzu-Yi , Lu Tung-Wu , Wu Ching-Ho
Published: June 2020

Background

Soft tissue artifacts (STAs) are a source of error in marker-based gait analysis in dogs. While some studies have revealed the existence of STAs in the canine hindlimb, STAs and their influence on kinematic gait analysis remain unclear.

Methods

Thirteen healthy Taiwan dogs affixed with twenty skin markers on the thigh and crus were recruited. Soft tissue artifacts and their influence on the determination of segment poses and stifle angles were assessed by simultaneously measuring marker trajectories and kinematics of the underlying bones via a model-based fluoroscopic analysis method.

Results

Markers on the thigh showed higher STAs than those on the crus, with root-mean-square amplitudes up to 15.5 mm. None of the tested marker clusters were able to accurately reproduce the skeletal poses, in which the maximum root-mean-square deviations ranged from 3.4° to 8.1°. The use of markers resulted in overestimated stifle flexion during 40–60% of the gait cycle and underestimated stifle flexion during 80–90% of the gait cycle.

Conclusions

Considerable magnitudes and effects of STAs on the marker-based 3D gait analysis of dogs were demonstrated. The results indicate that the development of error-compensation techniques based on knowledge regarding STAs is warranted for more accurate gait analysis.
Evaluation of Nutritional Composition and Sensory Attributes of Breadfruit-Soybean Flour Blends for Complementary Foods
Authors: Arinola S. O. , Ojo T. P. , Akinmolayan J. O. , Kehinde A. O.
Published: June 2020

The objectives of this study were to produce complementary foods from locally available, underutilized and inexpensive food materials (breadfruit and soybean), to assess their nutrients value and evaluate their sensory acceptability. Breadfruit and soybean flours were mixed in ratios 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40 (w/w) respectively. Proximate and mineral compositions of the blends were determined using standard analytical methods; energy value was estimated using the Atwater factor. The blends were prepared for sensory evaluation by cooking with the addition of vegetable oil and sucrose and then subjected to sensory evaluation using a commercial complementary food as control. The crude protein, crude fat, ash and crude fiber contents increased significantly with increased inclusion of soybean flour from 5.36 to 22.02 g/100 g, 1.03 to 6.03 g/100 g, 1.06 to 2.55 g/100 g and 4.77 to 5.86 g/100 g respectively while carbohydrate content reduced from 81.81 to 55.24 g/100 g. The energy value ranged from 357.97 to 363.31 kcal/100 g. The samples contained 66.74 - 76.50 mg/100 g sodium, 687.43 – 725.65 mg/100 g potassium, 64.00 – 103.04 mg/100 g calcium, 145.76 – 242.51 mg/100 g phosphorus, 4.80 – 9.98 mg/100 g iron and 3.18 – 4.61 mg/100 g zinc. The result of the sensory evaluation showed that 70:30 complementary food was the most preferred and acceptable in terms of all the sensory attributes evaluated and it compared favourably with the control. This sample also showed a promising capacity to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) of protein, carbohydrate, potassium, phosphorus, iron and zinc for infants (7 -12 months). This study has shown that complementary food produced from breadfruit and soybean flour has appreciable nutritional density in terms of proximate and mineral compositions and could be used as a substitute for expensive commercial complementary foods especially among families with low income in Nigeria and other developing countries of the world.
Contribution of Freshwater Aquaculture in Supporting the Economy of Pangandaran Regency
Authors: Sundari Sri , Nurhayati Atikah , Junianto . , Handaka Asep Agus
Published: June 2020

This research aims to determine the superior fish commodities and the contribution of freshwater aquaculture in the last five years in Pangandaran Regency. This research was in form of case study. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling or the selection of respondents deliberately (not randomly) as a sampling method. The result  of the study were analyzed by Location Quotient (LQ) analysis techniques, value weighting analysis and Shift Share (SS) analysis based on income. The result showed that the superior fish commodity in Pangandaran were Barbonymus gonionotus, Osphronemus goramy and Giant freshwater prawn. The most freshwater culture fisheries contribution in Pangandaran over 5 years period analysis (2014-2018) was in 2014 reaching 0.92% to Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).
Electrochemical Impedance of Hydrogenated Phases of ZnO and CuO Nanoparticles for Electrode Applications
Authors: Menegbo L. I. , Konne J. L. , Boisa N.
Published: June 2020

The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements of Sol-gel synthesized ZnO, CuO and their respective hydrogenated phases (ZnO:H and CuO:H) for  a proton-type battery model has been reported for the first time. The XRD patterns confirmed that CuO and ZnO were phase pure with minor impurities. However, that of CuO:H showed mixed phases of CuO and Cu2O with the later  appearing prominent. The estimated particle sizes of ZnO, ZnO:H, CuO and CuO:H obtained using Scherrers’ equation were 17.83, 17.75, 21.63 and 15.42 nm respectively, showing remarkable particle size reductions upon hydrogenation as oxygen vacancies were substituted with smaller hydrogen ions. Nyquist plots from the EIS experimental data recorded over a frequency range of 100 kHz – 5 mHz showed expected flat semicircles at the high frequency region and straight lines at the low frequency regions while resistance estimations from the intercepts of the Bode plots were 12.10, 7.80, 16.00 and 10.80 Ω for ZnO, ZnO:H, CuO and CuO:H respectively. It also indicated high gain margins suggesting impressive electrochemical properties for battery applications.
Effect of Drying Methods and Packaging on the Nutritional Values of Onions (Allium cepa L.) Bulbs
Authors: Afolabi Elizabeth Toyin , Tame Vadlya Tizhe
Published: June 2020

This research work was designed to give an insight on physiochemical properties of Allium cepa. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of three drying methods on the physiochemical properties of onion bulbs and to determine the effective packaging material on the physiochemical properties of onion. Freshly harvested onion bulbs at a fully matured stage and fully ripe was purchased from a commercial farm at Locco farms from Song LGA of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The experiment consists of six treatments which include oven drying plastic container, oven drying polythene bags, sun drying plastic container, sun drying polythene bags, shade drying plastic container and shade drying polythene bags. The experiment was replicated three (3) times and data was collected on parameters such as color, bulk density, fat, carbohydrate and, fiber. The various drying methods used were capable of preserving the nutrients in A. Cepa without total loss of any nutrient. Shade dried and oven dried samples were found to be more nutritive, on the other hand, oven drying and sun drying were faster in drying than the shade drying method. Oven drying was more cost effective and gave the lowest moisture content in this study, suggesting higher capacity to prevent microbial growth and decay in the dried samples, thus confers a greater increase in shelf-life on the dried samples. On the other hand, plastic container packaging was found to be better in terms of maintaining physical and chemical properties of the dried samples followed, by polythene bags. Further study should be carried out on the factors that affect the storability of onion bulbs in both dried and fresh samples.
Alpha Power Transformed Extended Bur II Distribution: Properties and Applications
Authors: Ogunde A. A. , Ajayi B. , Omosigho D. O.
Published: June 2020

This paper presents a new generalization of the extended Bur II distribution. We redefined the Bur II distribution using the Alpha Power Transformation (APT) to obtain a new distribution called the Alpha Power Transformed Extended Bur II distribution. We derived several mathematical properties for the new model which includes moments, moment generating function, order statistics, entropy etc. and used a maximum likelihood estimation method to obtain the parameters of the distribution. Two real-world data sets were used for applications in order to illustrate the usefulness of the new distribution.
Effect of Slope Length on the Soil and Nutrients Loss from the Upland (Hill) of Bangladesh on Jhum Crops
Authors: Zonayet Md. , Paul Alok Kumar
Published: June 2020

The experiments were conducted in the hill district of Bangladesh (CHTs) i.e Bandarban, under the AEZ 29 (Northern and Eastern Hills Tract) during March 2016 to November 2017 to study effect of slope length on the soil and nutrients loss from the upland (hill) of Bangladesh. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments for the experiment were: T1 30m slope length, T2 20m slope length, T310m slope length and T45m slope length. The highest soil loss of 50.0 t/ha/yr was recorded in treatment L1 having the slope length of 30 m and the plot size 150 m2 (30 m × 5 m). The lowest soil erosion was noted (4.75 t/ha/yr) for L4 treatment with the 5m slope length having area coverage area of 25 m2. The amount of soil loss in L2 (20 m length) and L3 treatments (10 m length) were 42.7 and 21.9 t/ha/yr, respectively. Nutrient depletion increased with the increasing lengths of the hilly land along the slope. The highest depletion of OM and plant nutrients were recorded under the maximum slope length of 30 m (L1) being followed by the losses observed in L2 (20 m), L3 (10 m) and L4 (5 m) plots respectively. The maximum losses of OM, total N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S were 2542, 93.1, 0.295, 2.73, 35.2, 20.6, and 1.34 kg/ha/yr, respectively for L1 (30 m) plot. Slope length created a very positive impact on yield of Jhum rice. The maximum yield of Jhum rice was produced under 30m slope length (2.25 t/ha). Slope length had considerable influence on the performance of Jhum crops like sweet gourd, marpha, maize, white gourd and cowpea.
Antimicrobial Activity of Fractioned Components from Dacryodes edulis: Invitro Study
Authors: Hassan-Olajokun R. E. , Deji-Agboola A. M. , Olasunkanmi O. O. , Banjo T. A. , Olaniran O.
Published: June 2020

Introduction: The history of the relationship between man and plants is as old as creation and man has used plants for different purposes including food and medicines. In this dispensation, man has been able to classify plants into food and medicinal plants and has also discovered that solution to his health problem comes from nature.

Objectives: The antibacterial activities of the dichloromethane (DCM) and aqueous (AQU) fractions of acetone extract of Dacryodes edulis leaf were investigated against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial organisms made up of locally isolated and standard strains.

Materials and Methods: About 1 kg of the powdered leaves of D. edulis was extracted at room temperature (25-27oC) using 75% acetone for 3 days. The mixture was then filtered and the filtrate was dried in vacuo using a rotary evaporator (insert the make and model). The crude extract was successfully partitioned using organic solvents in order of their polarity, that is, n-Hexane, DCM, n-Butanol, Ethylacetate. The sensitivity testing of the extracts against the organisms was determined using agar-well diffusion method as described by Irobi et al. [1].

Results: DCM and aqueous (AQU) fractions possessed closely related broad spectrum antibacterial activities and greater activity than the control standard antibiotics (Streptomycin and Ampicillin). The zones of inhibition exhibited by AQU fraction ranged between 20 and 30 mm while that of DCM fraction ranged between 22 and 32 mm. On the other hand, the zones of inhibition observed for the standard antibiotics, streptomycin ranged between 10 and 20 mm and ampicillin between 11 and 27 mm. The MIC and MBC of both fractions had range values between 0.78 and 6.25 mg/mL, evaluation of phytochemical composition of D. edulis revealed alkaloid (30.63 mg/g), terpenoid (19.72 mg/g), saponins (10.54 mg/g), tannin (9.14 mg/g), flavonoid (6.51 mg/g) and glycoside (6.29 mg/g) which are very significant antibacterial agents in medicinal plants.

Conclusion: This work indicates that the two fractions had better antibacterial potentials than the standard antibiotics used.
Effect of Storage on Sensory Acceptability and Oxidative Rancidity of Wheat Biscuits Fortified with Asparagus racemosus Root Powder
Authors: Rani Priyanka , Rani Varsha , Jandu Renuka , Lavanya A. , . Reena , John Josephine
Published: June 2020

Aims: Asparagus racemosus is locally known as shatavari in India and possess a strong antioxidant and galactogogue activities. This study was aimed to reduce the bitterness of Asparagus racemosus root powder (ARRP) and to analyse the effect of storage on acceptability and oxidative rancidity of ARRP fortified biscuits.

Study Design: Biscuits were developed substituting whole wheat flour with 5, 7.5 and 10 per cent of ARRP.

Methodology: ARR were blanched to eliminate the bitterness in developed powder. Developed biscuits were analyzed for sensory characteristics using 9-point hedonic scale by 25 semi-trained panelists. Biscuits were packed in plastic zipper bags and stored in an airtight plastic container at room temperature for 90 days. Effect of storage period on sensory acceptability, fat acidity and peroxide value of biscuits was observed.

Results: Blanching of A. racemosus roots at 80ºC temperature for 3 minutes reduced the bitterness of developed powder considerably. Results showed that biscuits were found to be ‘liked moderately’ on 9-point hedonic scale. During storage period of 90 days, the scores of sensory characteristics were decreased gradually for colour, appearance, aroma, taste, texture and overall acceptability, however biscuits were found acceptable by panellist. The increase in oxidative rancidity with the advancement of storage period was observed in terms of fat acidity (mg of KOH/g) and peroxide value (meq of O2/kg) in control as well as ARRP biscuits however, this increase was witnessed less in A. racemosus fortified biscuits than control.

Conclusion: ARRP upto 10 per cent can be successfully used in the development of products with increased shelf life along with galactogogue activity.
Misconceptions about Insulin and Barriers to Insulin Initiation in Type 2 Diabetes among General Physicians in Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Ugwu Ejiofor , Ojobi Joseph , Ndibuagu Edmund
Published: June 2020

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of general physicians (GPs) regarding insulin and determine the barriers to its initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Study Design: A cross-sectional, quantitative research.

Place and Duration: Enugu metropolis, Southeast Nigeria, between March and November 2018.

Methodology: We used structured self administered questionnaire to evaluate the perceptions of 64 GPs (45 males and 19 females) regarding insulin, and to elicit barriers to insulin initiation in subjects with T2DM.

Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 45.5 (11.7) years and their duration of general practice ranged from 3 – 38 years. Majority were private practitioners predominantly in the rural areas. Only 15 (23.4%) respondents had ever initiated insulin for outpatient with T2DM.

Fear of hypoglycemia, anticipated patients’ refusal of insulin, physician’s lack of confidence, and concerns about needle pains were among the commonly reported barriers to insulin initiation. Others were socio-economic factors including concerns about affordability of insulin and frequent glycemic monitoring, and availability of insulin storage facilities.

There was a general consensus among the GPs on a number of misconceptions including that patients’ adherence to oral glucose lowering drugs eliminates the need for insulin; that insulin should be reserved as a last resort; and that once initiated, insulin therapy is lifelong.

Conclusion: This study revealed that there are several physician-related barriers and misconceptions regarding insulin therapy for T2DM among GPs in Southeast Nigeria. Periodic training to improve GPs’ attitude to insulin and optimize insulin utilization in T2DM is required.