bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Rare Case of Intestinal Obstruction from Internal Hernia through a Foramen Formed by Appendices Epiploicae â€“ A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Olajide Thomas Olagboyega , Balogun Olanrewaju
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND: Internal hernias are uncommon causes of acute abdomen and intestinal obstruction. Internal herniation due to appendices epiploicae is very rare with only six cases reported in the literature.CASE REPORT: We, herein, present the report of a 64-year-old female who presented with features of intestinal obstruction due to internal herniation of a loop of small intestine through an orifice formed by the fusion of two appendices epiploicae. The band was divided into release the entrapped loop of bowel.CONCLUSION: A high index of suspicion with prompt surgical intervention will improve outcome.
An Assessment of Dentistâ€™s Attitudes to the Shortened Dental Arch Concept
Authors: Suleman Ghazala , Chaturvedi Saurabh , Shareef Rania A. , Elmahdi Asim Elsir , Elagib Mohamed Fadul A.
Published: March 2020

AIM: The rehabilitation of a complete dental arch is a traditional concept to maintain proper functional occlusion, but it is neither compulsory nor always attainable in many patients. Nevertheless, it is always important to provide a minimum number of teeth for efficient function. This study aimed to assess the dentistâ€™s attitude to a shortened dental arch (SDA) concept and to assess their perception and application of it in their clinical practice in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia.
DESIGN OF STUDY: A questionnaire with 17 questions was used to reveal the views of 204 dentists from the area of study about SDA. The questionnaire set basically consists of two parts. The first part included the dentistsâ€™ demographic data, and the second one consisted of the questions regarding the SDA concept.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive analysis and associations with the factors were tested for significance using Chi-square tests, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: Among the respondents, 43.7% were aware of the SDA concept. Thus, the expected awareness about the SDA concept among the dentists was in the range of 36.31â€“51.05 with 95% confidence. A highly significant difference in awareness of SDA was observed between graduates and postgraduates. Among the respondents having more than 10 years of experience, the awareness level of SDA was 66.0%.
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participants alleged that the SDA concept is useful in clinical practice and is a useful treatment modality for older adults with limitations preventing complex restorative care. However, the application of the SDA varied significantly among dentists.
Decreasing incidence and severity of Behçet’s disease: a changing trend in epidemiological spectrum possibly associated with oral health
Authors: MUMCU Gonca , ALİBAZ ÖNER Fatma , ERGUN Tülin , DİRESKENELİ Haner
Published: March 2020

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a systemic and inflammatory disorder that is mainly present along the ancient Silk Road, from the Mediterranean Sea to East Asia. A wide range of prevalence figures (0.1–420/100,000) have been reported for BD, also among Turkish populations of similar genetic background living in different countries. Recently, a decline in the incidence of BD and a change of the disease spectrum to less-severe manifestations have been reported from Japan and Korea, two genetically homogenous, affluent populations with limited immigration. It was hypothesized that a decline in infectious diseases, especially dental/periodontal infections, associated with the improvement in oral health, could be a part of these changes in the disease expression. Further epidemiological studies in other populations might demonstrate whether there is a worldwide similar trend and may provide a better understanding of the triggering factors for the onset and course of BD.
Reporting RSE et valeur de marché de l’entreprise : le rôle modérateur de la représentation des salariés au conseil d’administration
Authors: Boukadhaba Amal , Nekhili Mehdi , Nagati Haithem , Paché Gilles
Published: March 2020

Il est souvent souligné que la présence d’administrateurs salariés améliore l’efficacité du travail du conseil d’administration (CA) et contribue positivement au reporting RSE (responsabilité sociale de l’entreprise). Toute la question est de savoir si cette présence est susceptible d’affecter la valeur boursière qui témoigne de la réaction du marché des capitaux. Fondé sur l’analyse d’un échantillon d’entreprises françaises cotées au SBF 120, l’article indique que si la présence des salariés au CA joue un rôle important en matière d’engagement social de l’entreprise, l’effet sur la relation entre le reporting RSE et la valeur de marché de l’entreprise diffère non seulement selon la dimension retenue de la RSE mais aussi selon que les salariés soient représentés ou non au CA. Les résultats montrent que l’information environnementale et sur le développement durable affecte positivement et significativement la valeur de marché de l’entreprise lorsque des salariés sont représentés au CA, contrairement à l’information portant sur le volet social. Ceci suggère qu’un reporting social fourni peut signaler d’importants avantages aux salariés, aux dépens des actionnaires, de nature à contrebalancer le pouvoir de ces derniers au sein du CA.
Qu’est-ce que veut dire Donald Trump quand il parle (si mal) ?
Authors: Viennot Bérengère , Taïbi Nadia
Published: March 2020

Le président américain a fait éclater les conventions de la parole politique. Quand on écoute Donald Trump on a l’impression de tout comprendre mais comme le rappelle Bérangère Viennot le traducteur ne traduit pas simplement des mots mais une pensée…
L’impossible victoire contre le complotisme
Authors: Belkaïd Akram
Published: March 2020

La théorie du complot revêt partout le même mécanisme : un fait établi, par la majorité des historiens, des journalistes ou des chroniqueurs est remis en cause par une théorie présentant toutes les apparences de véracité et, surtout, se donnant une cohérence rationnelle capable de parer toute critique.
Les voix volées : traduction et appropriation culturelle
Authors: Fournier-Guillemette Rosemarie
Published: March 2020

Montréal – Hochelaga, Ville-Marie, Montreal… –, à la croisée des affluents du grand fleuve Saint-Laurent, est riche des différentes cultures qui s’y sont superposées ? Et qui doivent maintenant apprendre à cohabiter, collaborer. Me voici donc perchée sur les épaules de géants, bien à l’abri dans les immuables couloirs de l’institution universitaire, et pourtant déterminée à remettre en question mes privilèges, car le sol d e l’Amérique sous mes pieds, qu’on appelle aussi l’île de la Tortue, a été dérobé à d’autres il y a quatre cents ans, comme on dérobe sans cesse aux dominés de la terre leur voix, leur force et leur confiance…
Le coût à l’assaut du travail
Authors: Erbs Laurent
Published: March 2020

Le discours du coût du travail est dans l’air du temps. Sa présence ad nauseam ignore son contexte d’origine. Mais, est ce suffisant pour éclairer la portée intégrale du coût du travail ? En faisant confondre le tout avec la partie, on occulte totalement le coût représenté par le travail pour de très nombreux salariés. Le projet idéologique qui se cache derrière la ritournelle du coût du travail, est celui d’un prêt à penser, destiné à dénoncer le bien-fondé de la construction sociale du salaire.
Voisinage de Marcel Marionneau
Authors: Grégoire Vincent
Published: March 2020

Tout le monde à la Roche sur Yon a eu un jour ou l’autre l’œil intrigué par la maison de Marcel Marionneau… Il habitait intensément cette demeure et ses environs vendéens. Marcel est mort le 8 novembre dernier à l’âge de 76 ans.
Playlist
Authors: Dérudet Roland
Published: March 2020

Le rap est aujourd’hui la musique la plus populaire et commercialement viable pratiquement partout dans le monde. C’est le cas aux Etats-Unis, berceau du genre et aussi en France, où le rap a littéralement phagocyté la chanson et où la plupart des jeunes n’écoutent que ça (les quatorze titres les plus vendus en France en 2019 sont rangés dans la catégorie « musiques urbaines », on peut alors considérer que le rap a tout bonnement remplacé la variété).
Démolir, transformer ou conserver ?
Authors: Puel Olivia
Published: March 2020

Les églises constituent aujourd’hui, à toutes les échelles du territoire, un témoignage incontournable du Moyen Âge. Cet article invite à s’interroger sur les conséquences réelles de la Révolution française sur ce patrimoine bâti religieux. Saccages et destructions sont souvent associés à cette période troublée qui visait à instaurer une société nouvelle. Ils ne furent pourtant ni systématiques, ni engendrés par un sentiment anti-religieux mais, plus souvent, par un mouvement anti-féodal. On envisagera ici le cas des lieux de culte implantés dans une entité territoriale restreinte : l’abbaye et la paroisse de Savigny, dans le Rhône. À partir d’archives modernes abondantes, on s’attachera à déterminer quel était la perception par la population et la municipalité de ces trois églises – abbatiale, monastique et paroissiale – qui ne connurent pas le même sort dans la seconde moitié du xviiie siècle. Démolir, transformer ou conserver : les réactions variées, parfois contradictoires, des différents protagonistes s’expliquent par les relations qu’ils entretenaient, depuis le Moyen Âge, avec ces édifices. L’histoire des monuments est indissociable de celle des mentalités.
Quels leviers pour une transition vers une économie plus durable ? Une note de recherche sur les déterminants de l’éco-innovation en Europe
Authors: Rousselière Samira , Barry Ibrahima , Belhaj Marouenne , Coisnon Thomas , Musson Anne , Rousselière Damien
Published: March 2020

Malgré le nombre croissant d’études sur l’éco-innovation, certains déterminants de sa mise en place volontaire par les entreprises ont été relativement peu abordés. Dans cette note de recherche, nous analysons les déterminants internes et externes de l’éco-innovation. Sur une base de données originale portant sur près de 40 000 entreprises européennes, nous estimons un modèle probit bivarié récursif mixte, qui permet de tenir compte d’une part de l’inertie de la transition vers des pratiques durables et d’autre part des effets propres aux pays. Nos résultats confirment l’importance de ces deux éléments, ainsi que le rôle déterminant des marchés visés.Classification JEL : C35, L21, Q57.
Predictors and Effect of Physical Symptom Status on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Heo Seongkum , Doering Lynn V. , Widener Jeanne , Moser Debra K.
Published: March 2020

Background Physical symptoms are common and distressing problems for patients with heart failure and may be the strongest predictor of health-related quality of life. Identification of variables predictive of physical symptom status is needed to develop effective interventions to improve health-related quality of life.

Methods A total of 84 patients discharged after being hospitalized for exacerbation of heart failure were followed up for 3 months. The Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire and the Dyspnea-Fatigue Index were used to assess health-related quality of life and physical symptom status, respectively. Relationships of health-related quality of life and physical symptom status to baseline demographic, behavioral, biophysiological, and psychological variables were examined with bivariate correlations and stepwise multiple regression analyses.

Results Patients with better physical symptom status and those who worked, were older, and were less anxious at baseline reported better health-related quality of life (F=12.4, P<.001); physical symptom status was the strongest predictor. Patients who had less depression, worked, had higher perceived control, and were younger at baseline reported better physical symptom status (F=14.4, P<.001); depression was the strongest predictor.

Conclusions Physical symptom status is the most important predictor of health-related quality of life, and baseline depression and perceived control are the best predictors of physical symptom status. Interventions targeted to improve psychological status may improve physical symptom status and thereby improve health-related quality of life.
Comparison of Sleep and Mood in Patients After On-Pump and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Authors: Hedges Christine , Redeker Nancy S.
Published: March 2020

Background Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgical procedures have been advocated to reduce the adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on the brain.

Objective To examine differences in objective and subjective characteristics of sleep and mood disturbance between patients after on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Methods In a secondary analysis of pooled data from 2 previous studies, sleep characteristics and mood disturbance on postoperative night 2 after transfer to the cardiac surgery step-down unit were compared in patients who had on-pump and off-pump cardiac surgery. The sample included 129 coronary artery bypass patients: 48 on-pump patients from one hospital and 81 off-pump patients from another hospital. Data were obtained with wrist actigraphs. Subjective characteristics of sleep were determined by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a sleep diary; mood disturbance was evaluated by using the short form of the Profile of Mood States.

Results Off-pump surgery was associated with better objective sleep continuity (decreased percentage of wake time after sleep onset and fewer awakenings) but not longer sleep duration after controlling for age and sex. The 2 groups of patients did not differ overall in subjective sleep characteristics, mood disturbance, or preoperative sleep quality.

Conclusion Use of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery may improve sleep continuity during the early postoperative period. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the potential long-term benefits of this procedure during the different phases of recovery.
Famotidine Versus Pantoprazole for Preventing Bleeding in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract of Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Ojiako Kizito , Shingala Hiren , Schorr Christa , Gerber David R.
Published: March 2020

Background Mechanical ventilation increases risk for bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. Proton pump inhibitors, although they are more potent and longer acting inhibitors of gastric acid production than are histamine2 antagonists, also are generally more expensive. Data comparing the 2 types of agents for preventing gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients are limited.

Objectives To compare the effectiveness of famotidine (a histamine2 antagonist) and pantoprazole (a proton pump inhibitor) in preventing stress ulcers in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation.

Methods Data were collected from the Project Impact database. All patients who received mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours from November 2002 to June 2006 and were treated with either drug were included. Patients receiving other drugs or with known bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, thrombocytopenia, or coagulopathy were excluded.

Results A total of 522 patients who received famotidine and 95 who received pantoprazole were included. Bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract was more common in patients receiving pantoprazole than in patients receiving famotidine (0.38% vs 3.2%, P= .03). Although scores on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II were higher in patients who received pantoprazole (P= .01), other outcome measures did not differ significantly between groups. Bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract was more frequent among dialysis patients receiving pantoprazole than among those receiving famotidine.

Conclusions Famotidine and pantoprazole are similarly effective for preventing bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract in patients receiving mechanical ventilation.
Novel Coronavirus Infection – Knowns and Unknowns with Particular Reference to Oncology – Combating against COVID-19 with “COVID”
Authors: Tsang Janice , Bajpai Jyoti
Published: March 2020

We are facing yet another global pandemic with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and anticipate that second and even third wave of the infection may come if we do not practise constant vigilance! An advent of a mysterious outbreak of atypical pneumonia in December 2019, traced from the seafood wholesale market in Wuhan of China, spread the wings over the world in very short span. Like both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (CoV) and MERS-CoV infections, the risk of severe disease increases substantially with age and with the presence of underlying conditions. While cancer is a prevalent disease and a global health challenge, little information is available with regard to the implications of COVID-19 for cancer patients. So far, the data have been limited and fragmented. COVID-19 with different primary cancer types will have different biological behaviours with highly variable disease courses and diverse treatment strategies. Any generalized conclusions for all cancer patients with respect to COVID-19 should be interpreted with caution until we have sufficient prospective data. Enormous work needs to be done to study the specific unmet needs of cancer patients with the challenge of the COVID-19; the prevention still is the best remedy. Infection control measures should be enforced continuously, and public health education and engagement should be highly recommended. We propose to join hands together to combat against COVID-19 with some simple tips for our cancer patients to raise their awareness of this public health challenge – combating against COVID-19 with “COVID:” Continue “social distancing;” Omit unnecessary face-to-face meting or meal gathering or mass event, make use of cyber meeting, and bring one's own lunch box to work; Visage protection, i.e. universal precaution with surgical masks when going out in a large crowd such as public transport or any close contact in high-risk area; Infection control of the hands with hand hygiene at all times and; Diet, lifestyle, and exercise continue to be balanced and healthy.
Is weight regaining significant post laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery? – A 5-year follow-up study on Indian patients
Authors: Ismail Mohamed , Nagaraj Dileep , Rajagopal Mahesh , Ansari Hafiz , Iyyankutty Kingsly , Nair Megha , Hegde Aparna , Rekha P. D.
Published: March 2020

Background:

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has been proven to induce significant weight loss and remission of related co-morbidities in patients with morbid obesity. The long-term follow-up data show weight regain or failure to achieve complete remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in some patients. In this study, we report weight loss patterns and remission of T2DM in patients with morbid obesity during a 5-year follow-up after RYGB.

Objective:

The objective was to evaluate outcomes during the follow-up on excess weight loss (EWL) and remission of T2DM after laparoscopic RYGB among Indian patients.

Setting:

The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital, Kerala, India.

Materials and Methods:

This is a retrospective study in patients who underwent surgery between 2007 and 2010. The patient demographics, pre- and post-operative body mass index (BMI), co-morbidities and EWL were recorded from the medical records. These data were compared between pre-operative and follow-up intervals till 5 years using statistical approaches.

Results:

The study included 157 patients (91 males and 66 females) having a mean pre-operative BMI of 47.91 ± 7.01 kg/m2. A significant reduction in the BMI was observed at each follow-up point (P < 0.01) till 5 years after the surgery. The mean percentage of EWL increased from 34.57% ± 12.62% to 71.50% ± 15.41% from 3 months to 5 years after the surgery. Twelve per cent (n = 19) of patients achieved normal BMI (<25 mg/kg2) by 3rd year after the surgery. However, the remission of T2DM was achieved in >50% of patients within a year of surgery. During the 5th year, weight regain (1–22 kg) was observed in 36.70% (n = 58) patients, and recurrence of T2DM was observed in two patients.

Conclusions:

The long-term durability of RYGB in the study population was satisfactory with significant weight loss and remission of T2DM.
Feasibility of robot-assisted surgery in elderly patients with rectal cancer
Authors: Su Wei-Chih , Huang Ching-Wen , Ma Cheng-Jen , Chen Po-Jung , Tsai Hsiang-Lin , Chang Tsung-Kun , Chen Yen-Cheng , Li Ching-Chun , Yeh Yung-Sung , Wang Jaw-Yuan
Published: March 2020

Background:

Although surgical resection is the main treatment for rectal cancer, the optimal surgical protocol for elderly patients with rectal cancer remains controversial. This study evaluated the feasibility of robot-assisted surgery in elderly patients with rectal cancer.

Patients and Methods:

This retrospective study enrolled 156 patients aged 28–93 years diagnosed with Stage I–III rectal cancer, who underwent robot-assisted surgery between May 2013 and December 2018 at a single institution.

Results:

In total, 156 patients with rectal cancer, including 126 non-elderly (aged < 70 years) and 30 elderly (aged ≥70 years) patients, who underwent robot-assisted surgery were recruited. Between the patient groups, the post-operative length of hospital stay did not differ statistically significantly (P = 0.084). The incidence of overall post-operative complications was statistically significantly lower in the elderly group (P = 0.002). The disease-free and overall survival did not differ statistically significantly between the two groups (P = 0.719 and 0.390, respectively).

Conclusions:

Robot-assisted surgery for rectal cancer was well tolerated by elderly patients, with similar results to the non-elderly patients. Oncological outcomes and survival did not depend on patient age, suggesting that robot-assisted surgery is a feasible surgical modality for treating operable rectal cancer and leads to age-independent post-operative outcomes in elderly patients.
Altruistic Preferences in the Dictator Game: Replication of Andreoni and Miller (2002) in Japan
Authors: Xue Jiayi , Ohtsubo Yohsuke
Published: March 2020

We conducted two replication studies of Andreoni and Miller’s (2002) modified dictator game study, which revealed that participants’ altruistic decisions were consistent with the notion of utility maximization. The two studies (Study 1 with small stake sizes and Study 2 with large stake sizes) included 11 modified dictator games, in which participants allocated a fixed number of tokens between themselves and their recipient. In eight of the 11 games, each token’s value was different for each player. In Study 1 (N = 78), 85% of participants did not violate the generalized axiom of revealed preference (GARP) throughout the 11 games. In Study 2 (N = 58), 81% of participants did not violate GARP. These results suggest that participants’ decisions were largely consistent with utility maximization. Following Andreoni and Miller’s analysis, we classified all participants (except one anomalous case) into the Selfish, Leontief (egalitarian), and Perfect Substitutes (utilitarian) groups. The majority of participants were classified into either the Leontief or Prefect Substitutes groups (i.e., non-selfish groups).
Attitude of Veterinary Students to Cadaveric Dissection in Teaching and Learning Veterinary Anatomy in the Caribbean
Authors: Mohamed Reda
Published: March 2020

Teaching practical veterinary anatomy using animal cadavers poses many challenges. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitude of veterinary students towards animal cadaver dissection as a learning and teaching tool for veterinary anatomy. The study sample comprised of 57 students who passed the veterinary anatomy courses at school of veterinary medicine at The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. A questionnaire with 13 close-ended questions was prepared and distributed to the students. The results were collected and analyzed. The results showed that most of the students agreed about the importance of dissection of animal cadavers in teaching, learning and studying of veterinary anatomy. They preferred to dissect animal cadavers over the use of prosected specimens during practical sessions. As the former one allowed more hands on interaction with real structures and organs as well as the development of practical skills necessary for actual surgery. On the hand, most of the students disagreed with replacing the animal cadavers with plastic models or using computer assisted demonstrations. This study concluded that animal cadaveric dissection is an effective method of teaching in delivering veterinary anatomy knowledge and in developing surgical skills.
Transformations of Iran Sufism in the 12th and 13th Centuries
Authors: Hadi Torabi Seyed Mohammad
Published: March 2020

The 12th and 13th centuries are among the most important periods in the history of Sufism in Iran. During this period, the emergence of many great elders of Sufism and the establishment of the most famous ways and organized dynasty in Sufism by them, the formation of some of the most important treasures of Islamic Sufism, such as the dressing gown and the permission document of the dynasty, the systematic growth and development of the Monasteries as formal institutions and the social status of Sufis and the influence of Sufism in the development of Persian and Arabic prose and poetic, which in this study, briefly, the transformation and effects of Iranian Sufism are examined.
CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE FLUX MEASUREMENTS AT A LARGE UNSANITARY DUMPING SITE IN THE AMAZON REGION
Authors: Pinheiro Layse Teixeira , Cattanio Jose Henrique , Imbiriba Breno , Castellon Saul Edgardo Martinez , Elesbão Silvia Adriane , Ramos Jade Rebeka de Souza
Published: March 2020

Dumps are important anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, mostly CH4. However, few studies on the subject have been carried out in the Amazon region. Several factors affect the production and emission of dumps gas. The objective of this study was to quantify the spatial variation of CO2 and CH4 production in an Amazon dump and try to associate the relative importance of some environmental factors with the fluxes. This study was carried out in an open-air dump in the metropolitan region of Belém, where approximately 11.0 million Mg of waste was deposited in 25 years, of which 6.4 million Mg was organic. The emission rates of CH4 and CO2 from the surface of the dump were determined using the closed dynamic flux chamber technique. The study was conducted in three cells of different ages, sampled in two moments between the Amazon rainy and dry season. The Aura dump has an area of 30 ha and emits a total of 51.49 Mg CO2 ha-1 month-1 and 3.16 Mg CH4 ha-1 month-1 to the atmosphere. This results in an expressive production of 1,359,961.04 Mg CO2-e year-1, being that 58.54% is due to CH4 flux. The spatial variability in CO2 and CH4 flux is very large, especially for CH4, forming hotspots of high concentrations, and perhaps because of this, the flow has not been correlated with micrometeorological variations.
CONTRIBUIÇÃO DE FATORES QUÍMICOS E METEOROLÓGICOS PARA A FORMAÇÃO DE OZÔNIO TROPOSFÉRICO EM SÃO PAULO
Authors: Santolaya Caroline , Oliveira Maria Carla Queiroz Diniz , Rizzo Luciana Varanda , Miraglia Simone Georges El Khouri
Published: March 2020

O ozônio (O3) é um dos poluentes responsáveis pela deterioração da qualidade do ar em áreas urbanas. Trata-se de um poluente secundário, formado na atmosfera a partir de reações fotoquímicas, sendo que sua produção depende tanto de fatores meteorológicos quanto de fatores químicos. Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar a variabilidade interanual das concentrações de O3 na região metropolitana de São Paulo entre 2005 e 2015, isolando a contribuição de fatores químicos, através da aplicação do filtro Kolmogorov–Zurbenko. Os resultados mostram que a variabilidade das condições meteorológicas explicou de 39 a 52% da variância das concentrações de O3 no período de estudo. Picos de concentração de O3 na componente de longo prazo foram atribuídos majoritariamente a fatores químicos, associados a mudanças no padrão de emissão de precursores. Nos anos em que foram observadas altas concentrações de O3 houve um aumento no consumo de gasolina em relação a etanol.
Factors Affecting Business Failure of Small and Very Small Greek Family Enterprises
Authors: Arnis Nikolaos , Karamanis Kostas , Kolias Georgios
Published: March 2020

This article investigates the factors that lead small and very small Greek businesses to financial failure using financial and accounting ratios as well as corporate governance characteristics. Our data set consists of 136 small and very small firms that went bankrupt, which were matched with a sample of 472 non bankrupt enterprises formed by random selection based on year, sector and sub-sector determinants, from 2003 to 2014. The total firm-year observations for bankrupt and non bankrupt companies were 940 and 5,041 respectively. Applying a Logit model for panel data, the results showed a significant impact on the likelihood of small and very small firms failing due to factors such as the type and the amount of bank lending, the level of profitability, cash flows, and liquidity.The data also support a statistically significant correlation of the probability of failure with non-financial factors such as Duality on the Board and CEO gender.The results of this paper will be useful for both banks and managers of small and micro businesses.
Impact of an ESP Course on English Language Proficiency of Undergraduate Engineering Students: A Case Study at Dhofar University
Authors: Irudayasamy Julius , Souidi Nizar Mohammed , Hankins Carmel
Published: March 2020

Over the last several decades, graduate students from engineering courses have faced a challenge of regular rejections in the work market despite their outstanding academic qualifications. In response to this challenge, many universities across the globe have introduced in their curricula the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses tailored to the need of engineering students. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of the ESP course for engineering students introduced at Dhofar University in Oman. The study participants were first- and second-year undergraduates from the Faculty of Engineering. The participants responded to a 26-item survey that addressed the course content and the changes in the students’ English language proficiency. The results demonstrated that taking the ESP course had a positive impact on the course content, participants’ vocabulary and grammar, as well as on their specific English language skills. The limitations of the study include a relatively small sample of participants and the self-reporting bias inherent in the use of a self-report methodology. Therefore, further research using more objective measures to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of ESP courses on English proficiency of engineering students would be needed.
Publishing at Any Cost? The Need for the Improvement of the Quality of Scholarly Publications
Authors: Sá Maria José , Ferreira Carlos Miguel , Santos Ana Isabel , Serpa Sandro
Published: March 2020

At a time of great dynamism among publishers of scientific publications, with the inevitability of Open Access and the ease of publishing online at low cost, it is possible to find publications with different levels of scientific respectability. In this context, the improvement of the quality of scholarly publications emerges as a critical element for publishers, authors and academic institutions, as well as for society in general. This opinion piece discusses Open Access journals with different levels of quality, focusing on the following quality-promoting measures: blacklists, author’s preparation, and institutional prevention. The analysis allows concluding that the open review will be one of the key elements in the process of clarification and promotion of the level of quality and consequent scientific respectability of each of the Journals, of the thousands currently existing, a number that is likely to increase.
Uncovering Saudi English Language Majors' Cognitive Beliefs about Learning English Literature
Authors: Daif-Allah Ayman Sabry , Aljumah Fahad Hamad
Published: March 2020

Evidence shows that learners' performance is largely influenced by their cognitive beliefs about learning. The main purpose of the present study is to identifying the cognitive beliefs of Saudi English Language major students in order to get a deeper insight into their inner thoughts about studying literature and to find out the effect of gender on deciding their preferences. A total of 71 male and female English language major Saudi students of the English Language and Translation Department in the Main Campus at Qassim University participated in the study. Data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively by means of students’ questionnaires and interviews. Findings show that participants hold both motivating and demotivating/unrealistic cognitive beliefs about literature learning. The results provide valid evidence on the participants' informed awareness of the social and academic benefits of learning English literature and uncovered their supportive cognitive beliefs that might enhance willingness to study foreign literature. Likewise, it is revealed that issues related to difficulty of literature learning, classroom practices, curriculum and career opportunities have created the established demotivating cognitive beliefs underlying participants' disinclination to literature study. Results also show that analysis of learners' cognitive beliefs would help modify unrealistic beliefs about literature learning and help create a motivating learning environment suitable for the growth of students’ knowledge. The study concluded that cognitive beliefs are the key word for the success of any educational development endeavors and should always be at the center of any learning process being the inner self human power that drives learners’ major behaviors toward their learning preferences and choice of courses. The study recommends identification of learners' cognitive beliefs so as to provide guidelines to English literature instructors to tailor their teaching methods to learners' realistic cognitive beliefs to avoid mismatches with classroom practices. The study also recommends investigating the global structure of the students’ cognitive beliefs to guide educationists in developing curricula that would help students acquire knowledge in an organized manner, and to improve it.
Challenges Related to Rituals and Law Facing Saudi Students in the UK
Authors: Albhlal Tareq , Alotaibi Hajed A.
Published: March 2020

Saudi students studying abroad encounter some challenges as regards the climate and culture of the UK. These challenges may not only be observed in the language and academic curriculum. Hence, this study aims to test the rooted religious values and jurisdiction practices among Saudi Muslims concerning their experiences, needs and other challenges while studying in the UK. This study included a sample of 100 Saudi students enrolled in a different academic year in the UK institutes. Findings reveal that the majority of the Middle Eastern students experienced difficulties in offering prayers, displaying Islamic rituals such as funerals, and paying Zakat to people. These students also experienced problems in learning about juristic and judicial regulations and identifying the significance of civil and human rights, intellectual/religious tolerance, and women’s rights. Most of the students experienced issues with their wives due to the social environment. Understanding this experience is significant to help ease the students' challenges and make their experience in the UK successful.
Survival Modelling of Tuberculosis Data-A Case Study of Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Nigeria
Authors: Bolarinwa Ismaila A. , Michael Vincent A.
Published: March 2020

The article aimed at fitting Cox-proportional hazards model to Tuberculosis (TB) data. TB data on 259 patients spanning 2010 through 2016 were collected from the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Nigeria. Covariates involved were gender, age, type of TB and occupation. Fifteen different Cox models, representing all possible combinations of covariates in question were fitted. Parameters were estimated by method of maximum partial likelihood and model selection was based on Akaike information criterion (AIC). Model (G+C), with gender and occupation as covariates produced the least AIC of 618.597 and hence, was adjudged the best. That is, gender and occupation constituted the best subset of covariates that explained survival of TB patients. The model suggested that recovery hazard of a male TB patient was 24.1% lower than that of a female patient possessing same occupation. This implies that male patient had higher survival time than the female having same occupational status. It further suggested that recovery hazard for patient on technical occupation was 27.46% higher than for patient on non-technical job and of same gender. Hence, a patient on technical occupation had reduced survival time compared to one of same gender on non-technical occupation. It was concluded that gender and occupation explained best, survival of TB patients based on AIC.
Plas/Valburg na CBB/JPO?
Authors: van Dijck G. , Cleuters J.
Published: March 2020

Plas/Valburg na CBB/JPO? Een netwerkanalyse van rechtspraak over afgebroken onderhandelingen in de precontractuele fase

In de literatuur wordt betoogd dat CBB/JPO het leidende arrest is bij afgebroken onderhandelingen, en niet langer Plas/Valburg. Uit een uitgevoerde netwerkanalyse volgt dat Plas/Valburg minder vaak, maar nog altijd geregeld is aangehaald nadat CBB/JPO is gewezen. Een nadere inspectie laat zien dat er een tweedeling in de lagere rechtspraak bestaat: een groep uitspraken stelt onaanvaardbaar afbreken als voorwaarde voor de mogelijkheid om gemaakte kosten voor vergoeding in aanmerking te laten komen, in een andere groep uitspraken geldt die voorwaarde niet. Plas/Valburg wordt met name in de laatstgenoemde groep uitspraken geciteerd. Geconcludeerd wordt dat drie situaties denkbaar zijn: (1) afbreken staat vrij, geen verplichting tot het vergoeden van schade; (2) afbreken staat vrij, maar niet zonder vergoeding; en (3) afbreken is onaanvaardbaar. Plas/Valburg biedt voor geen van de situaties handvatten. CBB/JPO is leidend voor de laatste categorie, maar niet om te beoordelen of sprake is van welke van de twee andere scenario’s.
Zorgt een kwijtingsbeding inderdaad voor het definitief kwijtraken van vorderingsrechten?
Authors: Schelhaas H.N. , Spanjaard J.H.M.
Published: March 2020

Zorgt een kwijtingsbeding inderdaad voor het definitief kwijtraken van vorderingsrechten?

In deze bijdrage staat het kwijtingsbeding in vaststellingsovereenkomsten centraal. Een ‘boilerplate’, omdat het beding in vrijwel elke vaststellingsovereenkomst voorkomt. Nadat het karakter van een vaststellingsovereenkomst in kaart wordt gebracht, worden de mogelijke rechtsgevolgen en de uitleg van een kwijtingsbeding besproken.
Interactions of Indomethacin with Functionalized Rhombellanes – a Molecular Docking Study
Authors: Pop Raluca , Janežič Dušanka
Published: March 2020

The specific properties of carbon-based nanomaterials like fullerenes and graphenes have attracted a continuous interest for their possible use as drug carriers. The functionalization of these nanomaterials can lead to the variation or improvement of the required properties, in order to lead to the design of the most suitable compounds within a specific field. In this regard, the possible use of a new class of nanostructures -the rhombellanes- as nanocarriers is investigated. The aim of the paper is to study the interactions of indomethacin and four analogues with anti-inflammatory activity on 13 rhombellanes (three of them with a hyper-adamantane motif, Ada-rbl, three cube-rhombellane homeomorphs, C-rbl, and seven cube-rhombellane-ether/amine structures). Five compounds with anti-inflammatory activity have been docked to the surface of the rhombellanes; comparisons with the results obtained for fullerene C60 have been performed. The best binding affinities for the indomethacin and its derivatives have been obtained for two types of rhombellanes, Ada-rbl and C-rbl. The indomethacin analogue I4 shows an increased binding affinity for C-rbl.420, similar to the value obtained for C60. Best results have been obtained for rhombellane derivatives characterized by smaller HOMO-LUMO gaps.
Is Phenalenyl Aromatic?
Authors: Dias Jerry Ray
Published: March 2020

The rings phenalenyl are determined using some quantitative aromatic indices to have around 40 % the aromaticity of benzene. The monocation, monoanion, and monoradical of phenalenyl are found to be equally aromatic.
In Memoriam
Authors: Mallion Roger
Published: March 2020

Edward Cameron Kirby (August 25th 1934–January 19th 2019) was a Scottish scientist, a Fellow of the (British) Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the International Academy of Mathematical Chemistry, who made contributions to a unique combination of areas: problem solving in practical Chemistry, editorial work in Nutrition and Health, Chemical Graph Theory, and the use of small personal computers in Computational Chemistry, of which he was an early pioneer. For a period of some forty years, he was a keen and dependable supporter of Mathematical Chemistry in Croatia, even in the dark days of 1991–1995 and the post-war years 1996–2000.
Characterization and performance of W-ZSM-5 and loaded Cu/ZsM-5 catalysts
Authors: Anggoro Didi Dwi , Amin Nor Aishah Saidina
Published: March 2020

The metal oxides with sufficiently high dehydrogenation and low olefin oxidation activities reduces the acidity of ZSM-5. As a result, the metal containing ZSM-5 can produce higher hydrocarbons in methane oxidation. Many researchers studied the applicability of HZSM-5 and modify ZSM-5 to methane conversion to liquid hydrocarbons but result of their research still lead to low conversion and selectivity. The modified HZS-5 by loading with Tungsten (W) enhanced its heat resistant performance, and the high reaction temperature (800ºC) did not lead to the loss of W component by sublimation. The loading of HZSM-5 with Tungsten and Cooper (Cu) resulted in an increment in the methane conversion, CO2 and C5+ selectivities. In contrast, CO, C2-3, and H2O selectivities were reduced. The process to convert methane to liquid hydrocarbons (C5+) was dependent on the metal surface area and the acidity of zeolite. The high methane conversion and C5+ selectivity, and low H2O selectivity are obtained by using W/3.0Cu/HZSM-5.  Keywords : Characterization W-ZSM-5, Modified HZSM-5, Tungsten, Copper, Methane  Abstrak  Logam oksida dengan kemampuan dehidrogenasi yang tinggi dan aktifasi oksidasi olefin berkurang dengan sifat keasaman dari ZSM-5. Sebagai hasilnya, ZSM-5 yang mengandung logam dapat memproduksi hidrokarbon rantai panjang dari oksidasi gas metana. Telah banyak para peneliti mempelajari kemampuan HZSM-5 dan ZSM-5 yang telah dimodifikasi untuk mengubah gas metana menjadi hidrokarbon cair tetapi hasil konversi dan selektivitasnya masih rendah. Modifikasi HZSM- 5 dengan penambahan logam Tungsten (W) meningkatkan daya tahan panas dan pada reaksi suhu tinggi (800ºC) tidak menyebabkan hilangnya logam W dikarenakan proses sublimasi. Penambahan logam Tungsten dan Copper (Cu) menyebabkan meningkatnya konversi metana, selektifitas CO2 dan C5+ Sebaliknya, selektifitas CO,C2-3, dan H2O menurun. Proses konversi metana menjadi hidrokarbon cair ditentukan oleh luas permukaan logam dan sifat keasaman dari zeolite.  Penggunaan katalis W/3.0Cu/HZSM-5 menghasilkan konversi metana dan selektifitas C5+ tinggi dan selektifitas H2O rendah.  Kata kunci : Karakterisasi W-ZSM-5, Modifikasi HZSM-5, Tungsten, Copper, Metana
Pengaruh penambahan propana dalam bahan bakar terhadap karakteristik sel tunam oksida padat
Authors: Nurdin Isdiriayani , Damayanti Astrilia , R. Ocktavianus Lede M. , Widiatmoko Pramujo
Published: March 2020

AbstractFuel cell is a renewable energy source that does not create any negative effect to the environment. One of the advantage of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is its tolerance to fuel contaminants. This research is aimed to study the effect of propane addition into fuel gas on SOFC'S characters. SOFC tested during this research consists of main components functioned as feed gas distributor, and insulator made of asbestos and C-12 high alumina. SOFC's characters studied in this research including optimum operating conditions, polarization, and expected life time of the cell. The test results show that optimum operating conditions of tested SOFC are 700ºC, 45 mL H/minute and 225 mL air/minute. Cell using 22,2 %-vol propane in the fuel gives a longer lifetime, a smaller maximum current, and a higher voltage efficiency than such using hydrogen only as fuel. Propane concentration in fuel gas up to 22,2 %-vol has not any significant influence to cell voltage. The obtained polarization curve reveals that cell reactions are mass transfer controlled.Keywords: SOFC, Life Time, Polarization, EfficiencyAbstrakSel tunam oksida padat (SOFC) merupakan salah satu sumber energi terbarukan yang tidak menimbulkan dampak negatif terhadap lingkungan dan toleran terhadap kontaminan dalam bahan bakar. Tujuan percobaan ini adalah mempelajari pengaruh penambahan propana dalam bahan bakar terhadap karakteristik SOFC. Pada penelitian ini SOFC yang diuji terdiri dari komponen utama sel tipe ASC1 buatan lnDEC B.V,dilengkapi dengan cangkang terbuat dari stainless steel tipe AISI 304, yang merangkap sebagai distributor gas umpan, dan isolator dari bahan asbes serta semen tahan api tipe C-12 high alumina. Karakter SOFC yang dipelajari pada penelitian ini meliputi kondisi operasi optimum, polarisasi, dan umur set. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa operasi SOFC optimal pada temperatur 700ºC dengan laju alir H2, 45 mL/menit dan udara 225 mL/menit. Konsentrasi propana dalam bahan bakar 22,2 %- v memberikan umur sel yang lebih panjang, arus maksimum yang lebih kecil, dan efisiensi tegangan yang lebih besar daripada dengan bahan bakar gas hidrogen saja. Konsentrasi propana dalam gas bahan bakar sampai dengan 22,2 %-v tidak mempengaruhi tegangan sel. Kurva polarisasi yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa reaksi sel terkendali olehperpindahan  massa.Kata Kunci : SOFC, Umur, Polarisasi, Efisiensi