bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Employee Participation and Determination of Minimum Wage among Primary School Teachers in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria
Authors: Egbewole Isiaka Kolawole
Published: October 2020

The study examined the effect of employee participation and determination of minimum wage among selected primary schools in Osogbo, Osun State Nigeria. Descriptive survey research designs were adopted for the study. The population of the study was 145 staff of the selected primary schools while taro yamane formula was used to determine 106 as the sample size. Questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents and single linear regression was used to analyze the collected data with the help of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study revealed that (i) The correlation coefficient (R) equals [r (98)=.43**, p<.01], indicates that the hypothesis two was not statistically supported by the result of the studies. (ii) The result showed further that age (β =.21, t=4.26, P<.01; Educational status (β =.15, t=3.64, P<.01), length of service (β =.19, t=4.03, P<.01) and job status (β =.22, t=4.63, P<.01) showed significantly independent prediction of minimum wage and employee participation among staff of selected primary schools. However, the result revealed that gender (β =.02, t=.04, p<.05) and marital status (β =.03, t=.06, p<.05), did not show significantly independent prediction of minimum wage and employee participation. The study concluded that workers participation has negative effect on employees' job satisfaction, productivity, commitment, which can create comparative advantage for an organization. The study recommends that having established a gap currently existing on employee participation and minimum wage, it helps in motivating employers and employees at different sectors to encourage a proper minimum wage scale.
ANALYSIS OF STRENGTH OF BRITTLE MATERIALS UNDER DIFFERENT STRAIN RATES USING LDEM SIMULATIONS
Authors: Vidal Carla Driely Morsch , Da Silva Guilherme Schumacher , Valsecchi Chiara , Kosteski Luis Eduardo
Published: October 2020

This paper presents a study on the variation of strain rate influence with the scale effect in quasi-brittle materials. Works in the literature report an increase of dynamic resistance with strain rate. To study this relation, a numerical model that combines the Finite Element Method and the Lattice Discrete Element Method is employed. This mixed model was implemented on the commercial software Abaqus/Explicit. The samples are prepared with FEM at the extremity and LDEM for the central part, which has a reduction in the cross-section, so the rupture occurs in the middle. In the simulations, four model specimens with dimensional variations were subjected to direct tensile testing with different strain rates. The results showed that with the increase of applied strain rate, the resistances also increase and the body dimension influences this behavior. The variation of the tensile strength is found without modifications on the elemental constitutive relationship or material parameters. At last, a method that could lead to an independent relationship between the dynamic intensification and the stain rate of scale effect is also proposed.
Seismic behaviour of unreinforced masonry walls
Authors: Priestley M. J. N.
Published: October 2020

The behaviour of unreinforced masonry walls under seismic loading is considered, with particular emphasis being given to face-load response. It is shown that traditional methods of assessing seismic performance based on elastic stress calculations result in excessively conservative results when compared with more realistic methods of assessment. In particular, an assessment procedure based on energy considerations is developed at some length, and is illustrated by a worked sample.
Nurses’ Bullying Experiences: A Case study of a Caribbean Major Island Hospital
Authors: Hepburn Elsie , Daniel Esther , Onuoha Philip
Published: October 2020

PURPOSE: The study was aimed at determining the self-reported experiences of the nurses in the major Island hospital in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas with regard to workplace bullying and their assessment of the support they received following the experience.

METHODS: A descriptive quantitative case study was undertaken using all the registered nurses in the Island Hospital. The study utilized a modified pre-validated instrument from the International Labour Office (ILO), International Council of Nurses (ICN), World Health Organization (WHO), and Public Services International (PSI). Analysis was done using the SPSS version 20. The result was presented as frequencies.

RESULTS: Eighty-one (81) respondents completed and returned their copies of the questionnaire giving a response rate of 97.5%. Also, 85.2% of the respondents reported having moderate bullying experience while 14.8% reported having maximum bullying experience. As it relates to the self-reported support for bullying, 60.5% of the respondents indicated that they received little support following a bullying experience. Further, 39.5% reported that they received some support following a bullying experience. There was no significant relationship between the respondents’ demographics and their self-reported experience of bullying or support following a bullying experience (p≤ 0.05).

RECOMMENDATION/DISCUSSION: Among others, we recommended that a more deliberate policy instrument be developed for dealing with cases of bullying and to monitor the use of this instrument, noting that the mental health of the nurses are also at risk.

CONCLUSION: The study revealed that bullying was reportedly high while measures to support staff were reportedly low, a combination the investigators see as concerning in the Island Hospital.
Current State and Prospects of Legal Support for Public Procurement in Ukraine: Monitoring of Compliance with International Agreements
Authors: Holubieva Viktoriia
Published: October 2020

In the current geopolitical and economic relations between the states, in particular the relations with the participation of Ukraine, the availability of an effective and efficient mechanism for the implementation of government procurement becomes important, which is also guaranteed by international and national legal regulation. The purpose of the study is to characterize the System of national legal regulation of public procurement of Ukraine, to determine the features of the impact of international law on the Ukrainian procurement system, as well as ways to improve it. The results showed that the legal regulation of government procurement on the territory of Ukraine is undergoing significant changes, in connection with the harmonisation of legislation to international (worldwide and regional) standards, this stipulates the adoption of a large number of regulatory acts. The study proved that the majority part of the WTO GPA and Association Agreement provisions in the field of government procurement has already been implemented or is being implemented by Ukraine. Indeed, taking into account the access to the EU market obtained within the GPA framework, Ukraine has already not so many external incentives for the full compliance with the obligations to harmonize the legislation under the Association Agreement than it was expected at its signing. One cannot forget that the enhancement of Ukraine’s positions on the international stage contributes to performing its own international obligations, especially to the countries and international organizations / integrations, partners, donors and creditors.
Internal Factors behind the Decline of the Marinid Kingdom
Authors: Hassan Ashari Mohamad Zulfazdlee Abul , Jamsari Ezad Azraai , Ismail Napisah Karimah , Safian Nursafira Lubis , Rahman Zamri Ab
Published: October 2020

The Marinid Kingdom (1215-1465) was an Islamic government which emerged in the Maghreb during medieval time. Inheriting the rule from the Almohads, the Marinids were regarded as a strong and formidable Islamic government which once ruled the entire Maghreb and parts of al-Andalus at the height of its glory. Not unlike previous Muslim governments, the Marinid Kingdom also faced various problems and went through several conflicts which affected its stability and integrity. In fact the conflicts even caused the demise of the Marinid Kingdom in the year 1465 which saw the emergence of the Wattasids. This article is aimed at determining the internal factors which contributed to the decline of the Marinids which led to its eventual demise. This study employed a method of qualitative approach via historical study and content analysis, in particular using primary and secondary sources which focused on events which led to the demise of the kingdom. Results of this study identified several internal factors which contributed to the weakness and the eventual collapse of the Marinid Kingdom. In the present-day context, it is not impossible that the same factors can cause any Muslim countries, as a sovereign state and nation, to become weak and disintegrate should the government and the people fail to cooperate in matters regarding the stability of the country.
Globalization and Islamophobia: Critical View at Globalization’s Impact on Expansion of Islamophobia
Authors: Bordbar Ahmadreza , Mohammadi Shoayb , Parashi Pooyesh , Butenko Vladyslav
Published: October 2020

The globalization process, with its own special tools, is affecting the surrounding world, and the religion of Islam and its ideological structures, as well as any other stream of globalization process, are affected. The process of globalization affected by the current trend is in the pursuit of dominance over other competing ideologies and, in the meantime, deals with the struggle with competing ideologies with tools such as the spread of democracy, technology, consumerism, and so on. The process of globalization in dealing with Islamic ideology, due to structural, fundamental, ideological and so on contradictions, reveals the ideology of political Islam as weak and weak. The globalization discourse with the central point of modernism opposes other discourses and is now struggling with the discourse of political Islam. Globalization discourse, with its special system of meaning, seeks to change the values ​​of the political Islam discourse. One of the most striking features of globalization discourse is through the political Islam discourse, the concentration and expansion of the idea of Islamophobia. The idea of Islamophobia is one of the socio-political foundations of the domination system, which has emerged through the mechanisms of the globalization process. In this research, the data have been gathered using the documentary methodology, the theoretical framework of the research has shaped theories of the critical school and postmodern thought, and the analysis of the research data has been done using the method of critical discourse analysis.
Governance and the Executive – Legislative Relations since Nigeria’s Fourth Republic (1999 – 2019) and Beyond
Authors: Awotokun Kunle , Okotoni Olu
Published: October 2020

The Year 2019 is very significant in the history of party politics in Nigeria. It marked a two decade of uninterrupted democratic regimes culminating in violent-free transition of political power from the defeated ruling political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition Party-All Progressive Congress (APC). The cut-throat rivalries among the political parties, as represented in the Executive and legislature, have been responsible for the political instability of the previous republics. What has been responsible for the relative calm in the political space of Nigeria? How has political elites responded to the issue of governance since the inception of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic? How can the Nigerian state build and improve on the current political climate? These and other issues are what the paper has addressed.

The work relied contextually on secondary data for appropriate information germane to the work. The findings and analyses will benefit from prognosis that would be of immense value only not to Nigeria, but further implications for other African countries faced with similar political scenario.
Numerical Study of Stress Analysis for the Different Widths of Padding Welds
Authors: Kulawik Adam , Wróbel Joanna
Published: October 2020

In the presented study, the cases of regeneration of the element made of C45 steel, using the MAG (Metal Active Gas) method are analysed. The base material is applied to the regeneration process. The analysis of the influence of the padding weld width (0.006 m, 0.01 m, 0.014 m) and the preheating temperature on the phase transformations and effective stresses of the regenerated layer are performed. A non-standard approach to preheating (before each padding weld after the cooling to ambient temperature) is considered. Due to the possibility of simplifying the model from 3D to 2D (symmetry of calculations for long padding welds), calculations were performed using the finite element method in the transverse to the padding direction. Each new padding weld was included as an additional area in the finite element mesh. The developed numerical model includes a temperature model, phase transformations in the liquid and solid states, and the stress model in the elastic-plastic range. The aim of the regeneration is not only to obtain the original geometry of the element, but it is also important that the filler material used (in the considered case identical to the base material) has appropriate properties. These properties largely depend on the phase composition. The used filler material affects not only the hardness, brittleness, and ductility of the material. Its kinetics and changes in the geometry can cause significant stresses and even cracks. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that increasing the width of the padding welds causes a decrease in the level of residual effective stress; however, it is technologically difficult to accomplish. The most unfavourable stresses occur in the initial area of the pad welding zone. For lower preheating temperatures and smaller welds, areas with possible cracks are identified. In these cases, lower preheating and tempering should be carried out, which leads to similar energy costs as at higher preheating temperatures. Due to the complex phase transformation process for medium carbon steels and the need for the process parameters control, proper regeneration is possible only in automated workstations.
Keywords: computational mechanics, numerical simulation, padding weld, preheating, strain analysis, stress
Moet de strafrechter ook de scheidsrechter zijn van het publieke debat?
Authors: Stam Jip
Published: October 2020

Moet de strafrechter ook de scheidsrechter zijn van het publieke debat? De scheiding der machten in het licht van de vrijheid van meningsuiting voor volksvertegenwoordigers

This article contains a critical review of the provisions in the Dutch penal code regarding group defamation and hate speech. It is argued that not only these provisions themselves but also their application by the Dutch supreme court, constitutes a problem for the legitimacy and functioning of representative democracy. This is due to the tendency of the supreme court to employ special constraints for offensive, hateful or discriminatory speech by politicians. Because such a special constraint is not provided or even implied by the legislator, the jurisprudence of the supreme court is likely to end up in judicial overreach and therefore constitutes a potential – if not actual – breach in the separation of powers. In order to forestall these consequences, the protection of particularly political speech should be improved, primarily by a revision of the articles 137c and 137d of the Dutch penal code or the extension of parliamentary immunity.
Abstracts, abstracts, abstracts
Authors:   Crossref, Stark Jon
Published: October 2020

Ce label assurera de trouver au minimum dans toutes les maisons ces services et une qualité d’accueil identique. En plus des services obligatoires, certains points France Services pourront proposer des services des collectivités territoriales ou d’autres partenaires (SNCF, banques), en fonction des besoins locaux.
Physiological and Therapeutic Outcomes of Intermittent Fasting versus Calorie-Restriction Diet in Patients suffering from Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Micallef Doreen Susanne
Published: October 2020

The main objective of this study was to determine whether an intermittent fasting diet in combination with a CR diet results in better outcomes on risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome (such as lowering of triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and blood pressure decrease in abdominal obesity and an increase in HDL-cholesterol and related weight loss for both male and female patients) than with a conventional CR diet alone. A 12-week retrospective case-control study was carried out and involved 78 females and 22 males who exhibited or were receiving medications for three or more conditions related to metabolic syndrome and who completed the study out of 120 participants at baseline. These were randomly assigned to either a conventional calorie-restriction diet or to an intermittent-fasting diet. Relevant baseline parameters were measured during the first encounter and were then repeated after twelve weeks. Professional contact was maintained on a fortnightly basis for both groups. Subjects randomly assigned to the intermittent fasting diet lost more weight than subjects on a conventional calorie-restriction diet after 12 weeks (mean ± SD, 5.7 ± 3.2 kg vs 11.4 ± 6.4 kg; p < 0.001). There were also statistically significant decreases in waist circumference (10.1 ± 7.2 cm vs 4.5 ± 3.3 cm; p < 0.001), serum triglycerides (0.31 ± 0.29 mmol/l vs 0.16 ± 0.16 mmol/l; p = 0.002), and systolic blood pressure (11.1 ± 8.2 mm Hg vs 5.2 ± 4.8 mm Hg; p < 0.001) and an increase in HDL-cholesterol (0.25 ± 0.16 vs 0.14 ± 0.15 mmol/l; p = 0.001). However, no statistically significant changes in diastolic blood pressure and fasting blood glucose were recorded. The intermittent fasting diet gave better weight loss outcomes (6.67% vs 12.35%) than did the conventional calorie restriction diet when compared to the baseline weight after the conclusion of the 12-week programme. The intermittent fasting diet was also associated with statistically significant improvements in four out of the six parameters measured and associated with metabolic syndrome. Longer-term studies are required to determine whether these outcomes will be maintained over longer periods of time assuming that there is compliance by the participants.
Usable floor space of the attic as the basis for real estate tax
Authors: Tetłak Karolina
Published: October 2020

In terms of real estate tax, the tax base for a building is the usable area measured on all floors,
including the attic. According to the provisions of the Act on Local Taxes and Fees, to include an
attic in the tax base of a building, the attic must be of a usable nature, as this is a condition for
recognizing it as a storey, the area of which is included in the usable area constituting the taxable
amount. The provisions of the Act on Local Taxes and Fees do not contain a legal definition
of the terms “attic” and “storey”. These terms appear in the provisions of regulations in the field
of construction law and fire protection, however, when determining the tax base, one should not
refer to legal acts of a lower rank, especially in the field of other areas of law than tax law. Due to
the lack of legal definitions, the dictionary meaning of the terms is decisive, so whether the attic
of a building should be treated as a storey within the meaning of real estate tax is determined
by its usable nature, and not the actual use or compliance with technical construction
or fire standards.
Malta’s Higher Education Dimension: Analysing the Extent of Complexity in Change
Authors: Borg Colin
Published: October 2020

Change is a constant challenge in the higher education sector. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are expected to respond adequately to developing circumstances. This paper focuses on the extent of complexity in change, a factor that at times is overlooked. It brings into light the reality that managerial changes, that were affected to respond to the changing context, could eventually result as an inhibitor towards achieving the desired performance. The first section of this paper outlines the determining changes shaping the Maltese higher education context through a comparative global perspective. Section 2 assesses how contextual changes are influencing the governing and managerial dynamics of higher education. This section also introduces the notion of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Section 3 discusses the extent of complexity stemming from institutional structures and through the State-institutional relationship. Section 4 reviews the extent of complexity in a continuum of structures and managerial processes by considering programmes of study, staff, stakeholder involvement, collaborative arrangements, and funding.
A Study of the Factors that Lead to Student Drop-Out: The VET Context
Authors: Farrugia Colette
Published: October 2020

This paper aims to investigate different factors which ultimately lead a student in a VET (Vocational, Education, and Training) context to consider dropping out of the course of study. This study was carried out within the Malta College of Art, Science, and Technology (MCAST) as it is Malta’s leading VET institution. In order to address the major problem of school drop-outs, one has to understand why students consider dropping out of college. Identifying the reasons that lead to dropping out is extremely difficult because of the range of factors related to the individual student, the family, the community setting in which the student lives, and the school.
The purpose of this study is to explore reasons leading students to consider dropping out in a VET context. It seeks to analyse any relationship between different factors in the life of a student and whether these factors lead a student to consider dropping out of a course of study.
‘The school drop-out rate is an important indicator in assessing the performance of the education system, by level of education. From another perspective analysis, it signals some aspects of social and economic life which can influence people’s access to education’ (Blandul and Abela 2015). Dropping out of school is the ultimate phase in a dynamic and cumulative process of disengagement (Newmann et al. 1992).
The main objective of this research is to understand the main factors leading a student to consider dropping out of college in a VET context. It will also investigate what measures can be taken and what can be done within the college to minimize the drop-out rate. The independent variables in this study are the factors which previous studies have shown that they influence the drop-out rate. The dependent variable is the drop-out rate of students at MCAST. This analysis will study the existence of a relationship between these independent variables and the dependent variable.
Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of the Accountancy Profession in Malta
Authors: Tabone Saliba Dorianne
Published: October 2020

Various initiatives have been undertaken to promote a global sustainable development agenda, with the most recent one being the United Nations (UN)’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In 2015, the UN General Assembly set 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets to be achieved by its 193 member states (including Malta) by 2030. These SDGs position sustainable development as a global challenge which needs to be tackled by various stakeholders including governments and non-governmental and business organizations. Professional accountancy bodies, such as the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), acknowledge that the profession plays an important role in the achievement of SDGs. Despite these claims, there is limited research that investigates the role that the profession plays in furthering the achievement of SDGs.
In view of this context, this research explores how the accountancy profession in Malta is contributing to furthering the achievement of eight specific SDGs, with a view to making recommendations as to what further initiatives can be implemented by the profession to further contribute to the achievement of these SDGs by Malta. A grounded theory methodology has been adopted, so that theory could be generated from the data collected through the qualitative interviews which were carried out with four professionals. Results show that Maltese accountancy professionals are engaging in several initiatives that contribute towards the achievement of SDGs, even though they face a number of barriers. A theoretical model, grounded in the data generated, has emerged with three approaches which accountancy professionals are adopting when contributing towards the achievement of the UN’s SDGs, namely the conservative, visionary, and adaptive approaches. The study also recommends new initiatives that accountancy professionals could possibly introduce to further contribute to achieving SDGs.
Housing Affordability – A Local Perspective
Authors: Farrugia Galea Joan Ann
Published: October 2020

‘Housing plays a key socio-economic role and represents the main wealth of the poor in most developing countries” (World Bank 2017). Property provides shelter which ranks, high on the priority list of basic human needs, alongside to food and health. Housing has become increasingly important especially following the 2008 financial crisis which resulted in substantial job losses and in turn affected mortgage repayments and so the property markets. Historically property in Malta is considered as a dual commodity, namely, shelter and investment. Recently, the property market has seen drastic rise in prices, raising with it concerns on affordability. This paper examines the relationship between Housing Affordability [HA], and a number of independent variables including inflation, household size, immigration, renting, employment, income, trading on the Malta Stock Exchange, incentives issued by the Housing Authority, government expenditure on housing, and the number of units built. Literature suggests that these variables directly impact HA. The study is primarily based on secondary data, including a time series covering the period between 2006 and 2016. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was utilized to determine the association between HA and independent variables. The study shows that correlation exist in nine out of the 11 independent variables.
The Effects of Scent on Consumer Behaviour in Maltese Mid-Range Restaurants
Authors: Camilleri Rebecca , Mizzi Melvin
Published: October 2020

The business world is run by marketing communications. Marketeers are interested in the consumer’s decision-making process leading to a potential sale. Marketing can target any of the five senses and this research focuses on the sense of smell and ultimately its effects on the behaviour of consumers. Reference to older methodology is made along the study due to its remaining relevance to this day and age. This study seeks to assess the relationship, if any, between scents and consumer behaviour. More specifically, the objective was to assess if lavender and citrus scents impact a customer’s dining experience in terms of money and length of time spent in mid-range restaurants in Malta. The experiment in this study was conducted in three restaurants. The restaurants were chosen according to specific standards highlighted in the methodology using convenience sampling. Three consecutive Fridays and Saturdays, were allocated to test the identified scents where the start time, end time, number of guests, total experience time and sales per table were noted. Once the experiments were carried out for all three restaurants, two statistical tests were conducted to prove whether the results were statistically significant, thereby providing answers to the research question. The findings from this study suggest that scents did not statistically explain the results of time and money spent in restaurants by consumers. Following this result, a number of alternative factors for the statistical insignificance of scent on consumer behaviour, were suggested.
Addressing the Industry’s Expectations from Educators in a Professional Higher Educational Institution
Authors: Gauci Stephen
Published: October 2020

This study aims to address the aviation industry’s expectations from educators in a professional higher educational setting. Ongoing research reveals the need for the educator to minimise the gap regarding employability skills within the stakeholders’ group. Although educators need to embrace a holistic approach in order to cater for all types of students, being an educator in a higher education institution demands getting to know and addressing the industry’s expectations. This study aims to reduce the aforementioned gap by acting as a link between the industry and MCAST. The rigorous process of data acquisition and data analysis ensured that a theoretical model was compiled and discoveries were explained. The findings and the model attempt to put forward the ideal pedagogy and suggestions for educators’ consideration. This pedagogy guides and helps the students to experience the necessary soft skills and transversal skills demanded by the industry and, aids students to understand knowledge and its relevance, offering a more holistic approach in pedagogy for educators to consider. By acting as a role model with the right attitude, the educator can greatly impact the student. Supported by MCAST and the aviation industry itself, the educator can present a well-prepared, valued, and employable student.
Family assistant in meanders of foster care – the perspective of working with the biological family of a child placed in foster care environment
Authors: Zmysłowska Magdalena
Published: October 2020

The article deals with the issues of family assistance from the perspective of working with the biological family of a child placed in foster care. Family support, implemented by assistants, consists of helping to overcome difficulties in order to prevent children being taken away and placed in a foster care environment, and when this happens, focusing on seeking change and creating safe conditions for their return. Studies cited in the text indicate that biological parents face many problems, among which alcohol addiction is the most common. The assistant, working with the family, needs to perform many tasks, the effects of which depend on the involvement of parents, cooperation with other entities responsible for supporting families experiencing difficulties, and continue supporting parents after the child’s return. The article also attempts to outline the factors that increase the child’s chances of returning to the family, considering the most important aspect that is to say maintaining contact between parents and children in foster care, and cooperation between assistants and biological families, foster families, persons running family children’s homes or representatives of care and educational institutions, and all other entities within the assistance system.
Patchy Nanoparticle Synthesis and Self-Assembly
Authors: Kim Ahyoung , Yao Lehan , Kalutantirige Falon , Zhou Shan , Chen Qian
Published: October 2020

Biological building blocks (i.e., proteins) are encoded with the information of target structure into the chemical and morphological patches, guiding their assembly into the levels of functional structures that are crucial for living organisms. Learning from nature, researchers have been attracted to the artificial analogues, “patchy particles,” which have controlled geometries of patches that serve as directional bonding sites. However, unlike the abundant studies of micron-scale patchy particles, which demonstrated complex assembly structures and unique behaviors attributed to the patches, research on patchy nanoparticles (NPs) has remained challenging. In the present chapter, we discuss the recent understandings on patchy NP design and synthesis strategies, and physical principles of their assembly behaviors, which are the main factors to program patchy NP self-assembly into target structures that cannot be achieved by conventional non-patched NPs. We further summarize the self-assembly of patchy NPs under external fields, in simulation, and in kinetically controlled assembly pathways, to show the structural richness patchy NPs bring. The patchy NP assembly is novel by their structures as well as the multicomponent features, and thus exhibits unique optical, chemical, and mechanical properties, potentially aiding applications in catalysts, photonic crystals, and metamaterials as well as fundamental nanoscience.
Effect of LPMO on the Hydrolysis of Crystalline Chitin by Chitinase A and β-N-Acetylglucosaminidase from Paenibacillus sp.
Authors: Ueda Mitsuhiro , Nakadoi Kei , Tsukamoto Kana , Sakurai Shunsuke
Published: October 2020

We performed cloning and expression of chitinase A (Pb-ChiA), β-GlcNAcase (Pb-GlcNAcase), and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (Pb-LPMO) genes from Paenibacillus sp. The analysis of the hydrolysis products indicated Pb-ChiA to be an exo-type chitinase with 10-fold activity toward β-chitin as compared with α-chitin. The sequence of Pb-GlcNAcase was found to be similar to that of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase from P. barengoltzii (99%, WP_016313754.1). Pb-LPMO was expressed in the Brevibacillus expression system. Pb-ChiA was found to have affinity toward crystalline chitin higher than that of Pb-LPMO. Pb-LPMO boosted the activity of Pb-ChiA toward crystalline α-chitin but not toward crystalline β-chitin. When Pb-LPMO (3 μM) was added to the reaction mixture during the hydrolysis of crystalline α-chitin by Pb-ChiA, hydrolysis products at two-fold concentration were obtained. However, the hydrolysis products decreased upon addition of more than 3 μM Pb-LPMO to the reaction mixture.
Control Strategy for Underactuated Multi-Fingered Robot Hand Movement Using Electromyography Signal with Wearable Myo Armband
Authors: Rodríguez Serrezuela Ruthber , Sagaro Zamora Roberto , Marañón Reyes Enrique
Published: October 2020

The main goal of this research is to develop a control strategy for an underactuated robotic hand, based on surface electromyography (sEMG) signal obtained from a wireless Myo gesture armband, to distinguish six, several hand movements. The pattern recognition system is employed to analyze these gestures and consists of three main parts: segmentation, feature extraction, and classification. A series of 150 trials is carried out for each movement and it is established which was most suitable for electromyography signals that can be later used in recognition systems. A backpropagation neural network was used as a classifier. The architecture has a hidden network and six output layers. The number of neurons of the hidden network (20) was determined based on the performance in training progress. The proposed system is tested on datasets extracted from five healthy subjects. A great accuracy (94.94% correct assessment). between the experimentally values and those predicted by the artificial neural network (ANN) was achieved. In addition, kinematic analysis of the proposed underactuated hand has been carried out to verify the motion range of the joints. Simulations and experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed fingers mechanism and the hand prosthesis to generate grasp or postures.
Tribology of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Manufactured by Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Amanov Auezhan
Published: October 2020

In this study, the influence of ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM), which was applied as a post-additive manufacturing (AM), in terms of surface, tensile and tribological properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by selective laser melting (SLM) was investigated. Ti-6Al-4V alloy was subjected to UNSM at room and high temperatures (RT and HT). It was found that the UNSM enhanced the strength and reduced the roughness of the as-SLM sample, where both increased with increasing UNSM temperature. The UNSM bore influence on tribological properties, where the friction coefficient of the as-SLM sample reduced by about 25.8% and 305% and the wear resistance enhanced by about 41% and 246% at RT and HT, respectively. These are essentially attributed to the enhanced strength, smoothed surface and expelled pores from the surface. Based on SEM images, the damage caused by abrasive wear was the most observed in the wear track of the as-SLM sample than was caused by the highest wear rate. The UNSM temperature-dependent wear mechanisms were comprehensively investigated and elaborated based on the obtained experimental data and observed microstructural images. Indeed, a further investigation is required to improve the characteristics of as-SLM Ti-6Al-4V alloy to the wrought level due to the replacement possibility.
Lightweight and Simplified Truth as a Kind of Distortion of Social-Everyday Reality
Authors: Eleonora Shestakova
Published: October 2020

Fake news has become one of the typical features of modern mass media. Researchers usually associate the dissemination of fake news with political, economic problems, with an obvious violation of civil rights and freedoms. But with this approach, several significant points are missed. Firstly, for people and society is significant the news of the “simple” spheres of life. Mass media has long been invaded to these sphere and its life forms, for example, through the genres of reality, largely lifestyle. Secondly, the social-everyday sphere is extremely saturated with various places of formation and existence of common senses, about which J.-L. Nancy. The introduction of fake news in them will inevitably lead to the revolution of everyday life, which A. Heller was thinking about. But it will be a deliberately made, artificial revolution of everyday life, built on the soft and strong manipulation of emotions, moods. Thirdly, fake news cannot be limited to the typological series of deception, misinformation, fake, forgery. Such news in the social-everyday sphere, initially, is based on the lightweight and simplified truth about a particular event, phenomenon, methods and possibilities of achieving the desired result. This determines the following objectives of the article. First of all, substantiate the importance of researching entertainment programs from the point of view of fake news and information. To prove that playing of the various types lightweight and simplified world in reality TV is an effective version of the modern type of propaganda, which leads to irreversible deformations of social-everyday reality and dominant patterns of behavior. Thus, fake news introduces into the world of a person, a social group, a society, it would seem, insignificant distortions, small erroneous ideas about reality. But, this leads to serious socio-cultural, worldview consequences.
Role of Force Fields in Protein Function Prediction
Authors: Hazarika Zaved , Rajkhowa Sanchaita , Nath Jha Anupam
Published: October 2020

The world today, although, has developed an elaborate health system to fortify against known and unknown diseases, it continues to be challenged by new as well as emerging, and re-emerging infectious disease threats with severity and probable fluctuations. These threats also have varying costs for morbidity and mortality, as well as for a complex set of socio-economic outcomes. Some of these diseases are often caused by pathogens which use humans as host. In such cases, it becomes paramount responsibility to dig out the source of pathogen survival to stop their population growth. Sequencing genomes has been finessed so much in the 21st century that complete genomes of any pathogen can be sequenced in a matter of days following which; different potential drug targets are needed to be identified. Structure modeling of the selected sequences is an initial step in structure-based drug design (SBDD). Dynamical study of predicted models provides a stable target structure. Results of these in-silico techniques greatly depend on force field (FF) parameters used. Thus, in this chapter, we intend to discuss the role of FF parameters used in protein structure prediction and molecular dynamics simulation to provide a brief overview on this area.
Noteworthy Threatened Plant Species in the Sahel Region, Nigeria
Authors: Muhammad Salihu Abdallah , Go Rusea
Published: October 2020

The loss of biodiversity in Nigeria is intensifying distressingly, which happened to be more prominent in some states across northwestern as well as north eastern geopolitical regions of Nigeria and was threatened by the confrontational effect of desertification. The Sahel region and some part of the savannah region bordered which faced the menace of drought and desertification which lead to so many factors like soil erosion, distraction of the ecosystem entirely. Moreover, the plants destroyed were mostly aromatic plants which served as medicines in curing many ailments and diseases contributed to the economic status of the communities found in the Sahel. The plants species became threatened to the human practices by noticing their effects for their well-being. Consequently, among the species that were threatened include: Neocarea macrophylla Prance ex F.White (Gawasa), Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) Hochst. (Danya), Detarium microcarpum Harms. (Taura), Prosopis africana, (Kirya), Acacia africana, Acacia nilotica and Azadirachta indica. Hence, the major concern of this chapter is to assess some of the threatened species found in the Sahel region, Nigeria and to highlight the valuable medicinal plants at risk of extinction according to the guidelines of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Publications in Asia in 10 Years: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rhatomy Sholahuddin , Setyawan Riky , Putra Anggaditya , Utomo Dwikora Novembri
Published: October 2020

Background: There have been numerous articles about the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). But there has been no specific article describing ACL in Asian countries. Objectives: This study aims to provide the publications about ACL in Asian countries in the last 10 years. Methods: We searched English full text with keywords “ACL” OR “Anterior Cruciate Ligament” AND “injury” OR “tear” OR “rupture” that were published from January 1st 2010 to December 31st 2019 on PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. We included articles with at least one author affiliation in an Asian country. We analyzed the number of published articles per year, top 10 journals with the highest number of publications, top 5 authors with the highest number of published articles in the first order author, top 10 countries with the highest number of published articles, and the type of study. Results: A total of 821 articles were analyzed, of which 821 were included. Analysis of the number of articles by year revealed that 2019 was the highest number of published articles (n = 150; 18.3%). Study type analysis revealed that clinical research (n = 398; 48.5%) was the most frequent study type. Cohort studies were the most frequent type of clinical research (n = 169; 42.5%). The journal of knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy (KSSTA) had the highest number of publications in general (n = 108; 13.2%). Jung Ho Noh (n = 8) was the top author with the highest number of published articles in the first author order, and Ryosuke Kuroda (n = 24) was the top author with the highest number of published articles. Japan was the top country with the highest number of published articles (n = 203; 24.7%). Most of the studies (n = 395; 48.1%) were published in high index journals with an impact factor > 1.0. Conclusions: There has been an increase in the ACL publications among Asian authors over the past 10 years with the high impact journal publishers. This article demonstrates the increased interest in the ACL topic and could be used as a basis for future studies.
A Discussion on Heidegger’s “Über die Sixtina”
Authors: Haug Steven ,   DePaul University
Published: October 2020

In 1955, Raphael’s Sistine Madonna was returned to Germany following its removal from Dresden in anticipation of the city being bombed. That same year Heidegger wrote a short paper titled “Über die Sixtina,” likely to commemorate the painting’s return. The goal of this article is to bring the largely overlooked “Über die Sixtina” into discussions about Heidegger’s philosophy of art. While brief, Heidegger’s paper makes clear that the Sistine Madonna is an important work to consider when deliberating about his philosophy of art in general. This article elaborates on the topics Heidegger discusses in “Über die Sixtina,” particularly the image-being of the Sistine Madonna, the image as a window painting, and the place of the painting.
Da ação à construção: uma experiência com smartphone e trabalho cooperativo no ensino de funções afins no Ensino Fundamental
Authors: Da Silva Rodrigo Sychocki , Pinto Shéridan dos Reis
Published: October 2020

Este texto objetiva apresentar e analisar os resultados de uma sequência de atividades sobre função afim que foi aplicada com um grupo de estudantes do oitavo ano do ensino básico, as quais fazem parte de um recorte dos dados produzidos para uma dissertação em um curso de mestrado em Ensino de Matemática. Este artigo busca analisar quais as contribuições das ações cooperativas na construção de conceitos matemáticos, a partir de uma perspectiva que proporciona e analisa o trabalho coletivo entre os estudantes. O presente artigo, teoricamente, é fundamentado nas ideias sobre cooperação de Jean Piaget e em estudos que refletem sobre o uso de smartphones na Educação Matemática. Caracteriza-se o presente estudo com um viés metodológico qualitativo o qual permitiu, a partir das análises feitas nos diálogos entre os estudantes participantes do experimento, observar a título de conclusão, que uma ação coletiva durante a exploração das situações apresentadas e que envolveu o assunto funções afins, convergiu para uma construção de conhecimentos matemáticos.
La figura de la mujer en programas de infoentretenimiento en España: el resistente techo de cristal
Authors: Llanos Marta , Ferré-Pavia Carme
Published: October 2020

Purpose: This article aims to analyse the figure of women and the manifestations of their gender role in five successful infotainment programmes in Spain.

Design / Methodology / Approach: Through the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the attributes of each of its interventions, this study tries to empirically demonstrate the existence of these roles. It focuses on the number of appearances of both sexes in five infotainment programs (El Intermedio, El Hormiguero, La Resistencia, Late Motiv and Polònia), as well as their clothing, their personalities or the evident phenomenon of sexualization of the woman’s body.

Results: It can be summarized that the presence of men and women in the analysed programmes is markedly disparate, as well as that there is a pattern in the clothing of men and women, not to mention that the objectification of the female sex is evident in each of the television products.

Limitations / Implications: The large audiences of such programmes can have an impact on the image of women in society. By reviewing only a finite group of episodes from five programmes, it can be said that this is an exploratory study.

Originality / Contribution: This text contributes to gender studies in contemporary Spanish television, in one of the least addressed fields, that of infotainment. It shows that in this macrogenre there is still a glass ceiling, not only because the main hosts of the programmes are men, but also because of the entrenched gender roles.