bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimativa do potencial erosivo das chuvas do município de Atalaia-AL
Authors: Noronha Albiane Borba , Rodrigues Nascimento Mayara , De Vasconcelos Brandão Leonardo José Aparecido , Paulino Sivaldo Soares , Oliveira José Ferreira de , Gomes dos Santos Cícero
Published: April 2023

A intensidade da erosão do solo e a eficiência de medidas que visam mitigar os efeitos da deposição de sedimentos nos ambientes aquáticos sob condições de chuvas extremas são frequentemente estudados. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estimar o potencial erosivo das chuvas no município de Atalaia, localizado na mesorregião Leste do estado de Alagoas, através de análises da distribuição mensal e anual da erosividade hídrica para uma série histórica de chuvas de 35 anos, os dados foram obtidos por meio de estações localizadas no próprio município, foram utilizados seis modelos matemáticos, avaliou-se o potencial erosivo das chuvas. A aplicação dos modelos matemáticos propostos por Bertoni; Lombardi Neto (1992); Leprun (1981) e Rufino et al. (1993) apresentaram linha de tendência ajustada do tipo potência, com coeficiente de correlação de 0,98; 0,97 e 0,96, respectivamente. Enquanto os modelos propostos por Oliveira Junior; Medina, (1990); Morais et al, (1991) e Val et al. (1986) apresentaram linha de tendência ajustada do tipo polinomial com coeficiente de correlação de 0,92; 0,94 e 0,97. O modelo proposto por Morais et al., (2014); apresentou os maiores valores de Erosividade média anual, cerca de 15.561,23 MJ mm ha-1 ano-1, e valor médio anual de 7539,95 MJ mm ha-1 ano-1. Os modelos de estimativa de Erosividade apresentaram altas correlações, com valores de R² superior a 0,90. O modelo proposto por Morais et al., (1991); apresentou os maiores valores de erosividade, em contrapartida, o modelo proposto por Leprun (1981) apresentou os menores valores de Erosividade.
Examining Organizational Trust and Psychological Contracts Between Trade Associations and Their Members
Authors: Felstead William Brent , Cromer Kenneth
Published: April 2023

Management guru Peter Drucker describes trust as an essential commodity of all businesses within all levels of business operations and relationships. Trust must be mutual and reciprocal between shareholder and managers, employees and employers, sellers and buyers, and government and business. The topic of trust has been studied for years within the fore mentioned relationships, and although unknown until recently, has now been examined between trade associations and their respected members. Psychological Contracts, Organizational trust and an availability of alternatives have been determined to be a crucial component in the make-up of trade associations and their success. The practical implications for general management from this study are substantial as Associations, commonly referred to as trade associations, are a force in the American economy as well as in global industry. With approximately 22,000 national trade associations, 115,000 associations with state, regional, or local scope in the United States, and approximately 22,300 multinational, binational, and non-US national associations operate internationally. This study not only contributes to the literature but can be used in application in general management of the trade association model to increase trust in member relations, member attraction and member retention.
Determinants and Constraints of Agro-based SMEs Access to Finance: Evidence from Ghana
Authors: Yeboah Kwame Obiri , Mensah Nicholas Oppong , Tandoh Isaac , Duffour Kwame Assare , Roberts Nana Jesse Telfa
Published: April 2023

This study explored the determinants and constraints of the access to finance of Agro Based SMEs in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. The research utilized primary data using a structured questionnaire. Sixty (60) SMEs in the Metropolis were selected using the simple random sampling technique. To ensure data reliability and validity, a pilot test was conducted for confirmation. Results show that Agro-based SMEs prefer personal savings as the first means of finance. Also, collateral, owner’s gender, sector of business, availability of audited financial statements, firm’s performance and firm size are the determinants of Agro-based SME’s access to financing. The major challenges faced by Agro-based SMEs in financing their businesses result conclude a lack of the expertise to prepare sophisticated financial statements, less repayment period, unclear financial plans to execute business, non-availability of enough MFIs and bureaucracy. It is recommended that Agro-based SMEs should cultivate the habit of savings personally to serve as the basis for their working capital so as to reduce over-reliance on banks and microfinance institutions. Additionally, Government interventions like MASLOC must be enhanced to allow more SME owners in SME businesses to access financing.
Acquirers' and Targets' Stockholders Equally Share M&A Value: Evidence from Pairs of Firms in Australian Deals
Authors: da Graça Tarcisio B.
Published: April 2023

How do the parties’ stockholders share the dollar M&A synergies as perceived by the stock market reactions upon the deals’ announcements? Consistent with a recent and mounting body of the literature, this paper reports robust statistical evidence that M&A dollar synergies are equally shared between acquirers’ and targets’ stockholders in a sample of domestic deals in Australia over the period 2013-2020. Strikingly, however, testing separately the parties' corresponding percent abnormal returns, preliminary results are consistent with the "received wisdom", i.e., the acquirers’ percent abnormal returns are not statistically different from zero while the targets’ percent abnormal returns are statistically positive. The reversal of conclusion emerges from the application of the share methodology that uses a much less demanding approach in terms of technical and data intensity requirements than acclaimed approaches that have recently challenged the received wisdom.
Marketing’s Rediscovery of Empathy: Is Brand Experience the Answer to Eliciting Brand Love Cross-Culturally?
Authors: Ismail Aishath Maarin
Published: April 2023

The world of marketing has always claimed to emphasize the needs of humans; and yet, why does it currently lack a certain humanity? Modern advances have resulted in an industry saturated with advertisements and algorithms that prioritize profit, views, and clicks. While numbers can and have been extremely useful in progressing the field, they can only get us so far. The crux of this technological revolution in marketing is that it has left its landscape devoid of the human touch. The current research posits that as a brand, one should not simply focus on accruing revenue but on deepening the connection with consumers. This bond can be achieved by eliciting brand love through a phenomenon known as brand experiences, categorized into sensory, affective, intellectual, behavioral, and relational. The study collects empirical data and introduces a new component to the brand love scale known as cultural affirmation providing deeper insights within the international context of Maldives and Malaysia. As marketing is centered on understanding the needs of consumers, we as humans are still the only entities capable of the empathetic reasoning required to accomplish this to its deepest extent – a feat that has eluded even the most advanced of today’s technology.
Success Factors of Change Management for the Implementation of a New CRM Software in Sales Department of a Medical Technology Company
Authors: Kießig Liam , Giebe Carsten
Published: April 2023

The article deals with the scientific discussion on the topic of change management in the medical technology sector. Change management describes the process of identifying, planning and implementing changes in an organisation in a controlled and structured way. Thus, Change Management is an important building block to implement changes smoothly and efficiently. The relevance of this problem is that there is currently insufficient scientific research on change management approaches in the context of CRM software implementation in the medical technology industry. The company under investigation has already implemented the CRM software in other locations outside Germany. The aim of this research is to investigate which success factors can be derived in the context of change management for the software implementation of a medical technology company at a location in Germany. The methodology used is a systematic literature review in combination with a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire, which is based on Kotter's change process, has a quantitative and a qualitative part. Participants from the company's locations outside Germany with already migrated software are asked about possible success factors. The identified success factors are the Involvement of stakeholders, the implementation of change agents, a communication through different management levels, a clear communication regarding problems and a clearly defined timetable. The results show an intercultural picture as well as practical implications to make the potential of this contribution recognizable and usable.
Luxury Brands and Art Collaborations as a Leverage on Brand Equity and Art(Ist) Equity
Authors: Scheuerle Franziska , Thomas Ramona , Siegfried Patrick
Published: April 2023

In 2020, a year of turbulence, seismic in scale and rapid in impact, luxury brands strengthen their relationship with art. While the world is still processing the effects of the last decades (digitalization, sustain- ability, diversity), luxury brands and art collaborations are used as a strategic tool in luxury brand management to create value. As the pandemic1 and broader social outrage exposed fault lines in society, even more luxury brands open flagship stores de- signed in collaboration with archistars (famous architects). Luxury brands establish foundations where art is exhibited and promoted. Culture funds become the new patrons of art. Limited art editions of iconic luxury products turn to revenue boosts. This research focuses on a case study of luxury brand and art collaborations. The ten most valuable luxury brands are used to analyze luxury brand and art collaborations as a leverage on brand equity and art(ist) equity. The bleeding of personal luxury good brands as well as contemporary visual arts are focused. The study identifies particularly positive effects de- riving from art in the creation of equity value. The core issue discussed is whether contemporary art may represent a possible strategic tool for competing and differentiating in the global luxury industry up to 2030. The research investigates two main concepts that rep- resents the theoretical framework: art and luxury. Literature research deductively links this case study with appropriate theories on brand equity and art(ist) equity. During this, a time horizon between 2019 and 2021 is chosen to address the latest insights in luxury brands and art collaborations. The topic is investigated explorative and qualitative with expert interviews. To tackle the research topic all-encompassing, the following groups of recognized stakeholders have been inter- viewed: (1) luxury brands, (2) artists, (3) art galleries, (4) trend- and market researchers, (5) luxury customers and (6) city. Finally, managerial insights on the implementation of artistic collaborations are derived and suitable strategies for luxury brands who plan to be involved in such collaboration agreements are suggested. The sticking point in former academic research has always been concrete proof that luxury brands and art collaborations lead to an increase in equity beyond a short-term social media buzz or press coverage. This is the reason why this paper develops an S-O-R equity model to show the causality effects of such collaborations.
Strategic Implications of Content Marketing in the Era of a Health-Crisis: Case of the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: S'hail Maha , Benabdelouahed Redouane
Published: April 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies adopted a multitude of content marketing strategies to communicate with their customers. There are also companies that choose not to communicate at all or stick to their original content marketing strategies for one reason or another. This paper presents a succinct overview of the content marketing strategy businesses followed during the pandemic in order to stay in touch with their audiences. Furthermore, the paper provides crucial insights into which aspects companies should focus on in order to be able to remain relevant and earn the trust of their community, especially during uncertain, chaotic and unprecedented circumstances, according to the literature presented in this paper.
Impact of Motivators and Strategic Orientation on The Adoption of Green Supply Chain Management Practices
Authors: Susitha Emmanuel
Published: April 2023

This study aims to see how the motivational elements of green supply chain management influence company strategy and how green supply chain management (GSCM) practices may be successfully implemented to create sustainable performance in manufacturing enterprises. In a world economy with a rising sense of an organization's environmental imprint, many businesses see the value of GSCM processes. Awareness of environmental issues and environmental protection, on the other hand, vary significantly amongst countries. There is still a lack of academic and practical study on GSCM in Asian region. This study examines the motivators and strategic orientation that manufacturers have to implement GSCM and whether or not this can be viewed as an opportunity for them to add value to their businesses. This research will add to the knowledge about GSCM implementation in manufactures. The findings will provide a framework for future studies in this domain.
The Diplomat Leonardo Benvoglienti
and His ‘Friend’, the Painter Francesco di
Bartolomeo Alfei
Authors: Thomas Anabel
Published: April 2023

Francesco di Bartolomeo Alfei’s expertise as a scribe was raised in a letter
of recommendation sent by Leonardo Benvoglienti to the head of the Cathedral
Works in Siena in 1458. Chapter Two considers how this career diplomat was privy
to such information, and how the two men met (including the possibility that they
crossed paths at San Francesco in Siena during attempts to canonise the Beato
Bernardino Albizzeschi). The question is raised whether the friendship expressed
by the diplomat resulted from the painter being an undercover agent. Leonardo
Benvoglienti’s diplomatic career in Venice, Montalcino, Rome and Naples is outlined
along with a consideration of the language and format of ambassadorial reports
and the roles adopted by couriers in delivering their despatches.
A New Altarpiece
Authors: Thomas Anabel
Published: April 2023

Chapter Two considers the production of the new altarpiece commissioned
from Giovanni di Paolo and Sano di Pietro early in 1444. Attempting to
explain the delay between its completion in April 1446 and its delivery eighteen
months later, it is suggested that the death of Antonio di Francesco di Jacopo di
Lapo some time before December 1445 led to the altarpiece being displayed on a
different site than that originally intended (the company’s upper-floor ‘church’
rather than the old ground-floor hospital chapel). Confraternal decorations and
furnishings recorded in an inventory of the fraternity’s ‘church’ in 1452 offers
support for the hypothesis that changes were made after that sponsor’s death:
as does the altarpiece’s recorded iconography, which included references to the
sponsor and a number of Franciscan lay religious (including the Beato Pietro
Pettinaio).
Fresco Work in the ‘Company Chapel’
Authors: Thomas Anabel
Published: April 2023

Chapter Three considers whether or not Antonio di Francesco di Jacopo
di Lapo steered the commission to Francesco di Bartolomeo Alfei to fresco the
‘company chapel’. The terms ‘old’ and ‘new’ in company registers are analysed in
an attempt to distinguish between different chapel spaces. The chapter shows
how several sites and tituli were established over time and chapels with varying
ease of access assumed different functions. Charting reconstruction work on
the old hospital site against receipts in respect of the commission to Francesco
di Bartolomeo Alfei, a case is developed in support of the hypothesis that the
artist was employed to fresco the old hospital chapel. This stimulates further
speculation that the brief was to reflect contemporary decorations in the hospital
of Santa Maria della Scala.
Martinozzi Patronage
Authors: Thomas Anabel
Published: April 2023

Ten years after his assistance in payment disputes over decorations
by Antonio di Simone in the Trecerchi ‘palazeto’, Francesco di Bartolomeo Alfei
was himself recorded as carrying out similar work for Lodovico Martinozzi, the
legitimised son of Niccolò di Angelo di Giovanni. Like Antonio di Simone, Francesco
di Bartolomeo Alfei became embroiled in a dispute with his employer. This chapter
considers whether the latter artist may have defaulted over completion of the work
whilst involved in other commissions or because engaged in government service
outside Siena. Analysing the significance of Lodovico Martinozzi’s legitimacy and
inheritance as well as the prestigious location of the Martinozzi palace on the
Croce del Travaglio in Siena, consideration is given to a number of threads linking
the artist, the Martinozzi and the Friars Minor of San Francesco.
The Palaces of Noto: Ornament, Order,
and Opportunism
Authors: Nixon Martin
Published: April 2023

The fortified hill town of Noto was rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake
on a new flat site with streets lined with classicising facades whose
understated ornament exudes moderation and harmony. However, this
elegant new town was the result of bitter discord and opportunism as
aristocratic factions secured sites for their palaces. The chapter focuses
first on Noto’s main square, where the leading aristocrats repositioned
themselves with new palaces and tried to marginalise the locations of rivals.
Then it discusses the palace facades as part of an aristocratic family’s urban
presence, in particular the Palazzo Nicolaci, built by a merchant family
whose palace, with its defiant flowering ornament and enigmatic sculpture,
challenges the understated facades of the town’s older aristocracy.
The Palazzo Biscari in Catania:
Lightness, Refinement, and Distinction
Authors: Nixon Martin
Published: April 2023

This chapter discusses the ballroom of the Palazzo Biscari in
Catania in terms of its centrality to noble distinction. The ballroom’s liquid
and reflecting decoration, and its materials of gold, glass, and stucco,
are refined and delicate, like the lightness and delicacy that aristocrats
putatively possessed. Ballrooms, dance, and the training of aristocratic
bodies allowed the nobility to maintain distinction through a similar
lightness and refinement. This relates to Pierre Bourdieu’s work on habitus,
social class, and self-fashioning. Rather than discussing the ballroom as
an empty shell, the chapter attempts to repopulate it by investigating
the entertainments and dances it enabled, and the way dancing and the
ballroom were essential to the realisation of aristocratic habitus and what
could be called ‘the work of aristocracy’.
The Palazzo Beneventano in Scicli:
Trauma and Violence
Authors: Nixon Martin
Published: April 2023

The disconcerting facade sculpture of the Palazzo Beneventano
in Scicli challenges expectations that decoration should beautify.
Canonical classical decoration transforms into imagery of violence and
fear. Monstrous faces snarl from below the balconies, and lower down
there are heads of ‘Turks’ or ‘Moors’ which seem imprisoned within the
building. The chapter does not promote a single reading for the decoration
but relates it to the violent history of rival confraternities and aristocratic
factions within Scicli, and fear of the Other. Scicli is one of Europe’s most
southerly towns, and even into the nineteenth century there was fear of
raids by North African pirates and slavers. The facade can be read in terms
of this confluence of local rivalry and broader fear.
The Palaces of Ragusa: Abundance,
Famine, and the Grotesque
Authors: Nixon Martin
Published: April 2023

Palace facades in the south-eastern Sicilian towns of Scicli,
Modica, and Ragusa employ distinctive sculpture that suggests an iconological
reading whilst continually eluding it. On the Palazzo Cosentini and
the Palazzo La Rocca in Ragusa, musicians, revellers, and grinning, louche
figures watch from below the balconies. The sculpture seems to mock,
puzzle, or delight the passer-by. It can be celebratory and humorous, full
of abundance and pleasure, but there is also ugliness, poverty, and hunger.
Its depiction of the populace as louche and buffoonish has parallels with
the characters of eighteenth-century commedia dell’arte and grotesque
dance, where the supposed sensuousness and lack of sophistication of the
poor is set against the grace and self-control of the aristocracy.
Making Opportunities Inclusive for
First-time Digital Users
Authors: V. Shrinath
Published: April 2023

Worldwide smartphone subscriptions are estimated at around six billion
today, but are forecast to grow by over a billion users over the next
four years. The biggest drivers for growth will be first-time digital users
from the Global South. Building for this segment requires us to rethink
fundamentals of usage, interfaces, and policies to align with their context.
Done right, firms can help unlock opportunities for them, and new revenue
streams for themselves.
Women Resellers in India’s Gig
Economy: From Access to Confidence*
Authors: Sharma Achyutha
Published: April 2023

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, conversations around the gig
economy have explored its impact on how we view labour and the skilled
workforce globally. In India, both the “gig economy” and gig workers have
always existed and been pervasive, especially in the unorganized sectors.
Many women in India, especially homemakers who want to work from
home, have leveraged platforms like Meesho to enter the commercial
realm. The research presented in this chapter shows how women have
“negotiated” social permissions to try reselling, especially in rural and
semi-urban areas, where digital or mobile access is restricted. It also
focuses on what it means for them to use the internet for the Meesho app,
or to try reselling or setting up their online business through the platform.
Whisper Networks and Workarounds :
Negotiating Urban Company’s
Interface
Authors: Komarraju Sai Amulya
Published: April 2023

Most scholarship on the digital platform economy focuses on the
unfair practices of platforms and exploitation of workers. This chapter
foregrounds the difficulties workers face in dealing with middle-class
customers. Drawing on my interviews with beauty gig workers in
Hyderabad, I explore the use of WhatsApp groups by workers and the
subsequent creation of whisper networks to collectivize, resist, and
exercise agency. The term “whisper network” refers to a thriving system
of informal communication amongst women to warn each other about
male sexual predators within their immediate environment. Departing
from the dominant notion that men are the subjects of whisper networks,
this chapter uses an intersectional feminist lens to broaden its scope to
include caste and class.
Not Quite the Death of Distance
in Chennai : Challenging the
Resettlement Utopia of Perumbakkam
Authors: Don Bosco Sunitha , van Eerd Maartje
Published: April 2023

Poor communities facing marginalization can benefit the most from the
opportunities digital communication technologies provide. However, the
digital divide clouds the realization of these opportunities, especially for
women. This chapter sheds light on the issue of resettlement in Chennai
city in the context of housing rights of urban poor women with a focus
on the role of Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) in mitigating
the negative impact of the entire process of resettlement. Our MT4D
experiments in the field with affected women also present the dynamics
of the interactions between gender, technology, and poverty in the
urban resettlement context. The researchers opine that adoption of a
techno-optimism approach using MT4D will not only effectively solve
many issues which arise due to lack of information in resettlement sites,
but can also serve as a tool to help women in resettlement sites to migrate
into digital economies.
Converging Forces : Navigating Climate
Change and the Future of Work in
Developing Countries
Authors: Wyne Jamil
Published: April 2023

Climate change and the Future of Work are inextricably linked, and
their collective force will lead to new challenges and opportunities in
developing countries, which will bear the brunt of the fallout of climate
change. The more pronounced climate change impact is on developing
countries, the more difficult, yet also more critical, it is for them to have
productive labour markets and equitable economic growth, especially for
vulnerable populations. For example, female populations across developing
countries are often faced with fewer economic opportunities than men,
and many who do have jobs work in industries that are highly susceptible
to climate change. The forces of climate change and the Future of Work
must be treated as part and parcel of any national development strategy.
In doing so, developing countries can build environmental as well as socioeconomic
resiliency, as well as navigate climate change’s unprecedented
challenges while ensuring continued growth.
Challenging Capitalist Patriarchy and
Negotiating for Women Worker Rights:
Exploring the “Right to Sit” Movement
in Kerala
Authors: Backer Anila
Published: April 2023

The chapter explores the Right to Sit movement in Kerala, through which
women workers in the garment sector fought for their right to sit with the
support of a women’s labour collective and a trade union. This struggle (right
to sit) continued even after bringing in policy-level changes for its effective
implementation in the commercial establishments. This chapter looks at
how the movement that fought for a fundamental human right stood against
capitalist patriarchy and, in turn, gendered precarity, and negotiated for the
rights of women workers. It also looks at the role of digital technology and social
media in the mobilization, organization, and sustenance of the movement.
Digital Leisure and Aspirational
Work among Venezuelan Refugee and
Migrant Women in Brazil
Authors: Jaramillo-Dent Daniela , Camargo Julia , Arora Payal , Alencar Amanda , Warnes John , Pérez Erika
Published: April 2023

This chapter builds on a UNHCR Innovation Service project in partnership
with Erasmus University Rotterdam, supported by the Government of
Luxembourg, where we examined the opportunities afforded by digital
leisure for Venezuelan refugees and migrants in northern Brazil. The
project aimed to assess the ways in which refugees and migrants use digital
media for entertainment and the possibilities of these uses for improved
livelihoods. In this chapter, we focus on three women who participated in
the project and their perspectives on content creation using digital media.
The field work took place in late 2021 in two shelters in northwestern
Brazil and involved in-depth interviews with fifteen participants, and a
workshop on how to be a digital influencer. The analysis of these three cases
presents different ways in which refugee and migrant women use digital
media and their aspirations for a better life through content creation.
Work and Place: The Non-Boundaries
of Women’s Work
Authors: Raman Usha
Published: April 2023

Issues around women’s unpaid labour and their difficulties in balancing paid
work with domestic duties have received attention in academic and policy
circles, raising questions about women’s invisible contributions to the formal
and informal economy. These questions point to the need to rethink the
fundamental categories of work and workplace, the ways in which women
negotiate the fuzzy boundaries between domestic and paid labour, and
the material realities of where and how this takes place. What notions of
security and safety might operate, what does a workplace look and feel like,
and how does a woman understand and build her creative and economic
identity when this must be shaped within the domestic sphere? This chapter
draws on conversations with women bangle makers in the Indian city of
Hyderabad to unpack their daily negotiations between private and public,
personal and occupational spheres as they carve out space for paid work.
The Future of Dishonourable Work
Authors: Arora Payal
Published: April 2023

What is the “honour culture” and how does this travel to the digital world?
Is there a place for dishonourable work in this contemporary age? This
chapter argues that we need to break free from this historically and often
patriarchally constructed shackle where individual virtue and vice is
dependent on our work. No human being should be valued based on the
nature of their labour, but rather, the level of integrity they bring to it.
Given that human beings can’t help but imbibe meaning from their toil,
we need to move away from a template that devalues us by what we do,
and fuel an alternative paradigm that centres on the dignity of labour. As
long as honour holds a place in the world of labour, it serves as a cancer
that eats into the fabric of human dignity.
The Future of Development Innovation
and Finance is Feminist
Authors: Liberoff Ramona
Published: April 2023

The future of finance is feminist. Development finance is funded by
people, for the ostensible improvement of economic conditions worldwide.
However, it has received little scrutiny and is often unrepresentative in its
leadership and opaque in its practices. Citizens should be more conscious
and active in determining how this money is spent, and the focus should
be on solving systemic issues for the long term.
Conclusion: Defining FemWork for
Labour Futures
Authors: Arora Payal , Raman Usha , König René
Published: April 2023

This essay introduces the notion of “FemWork” as an ongoing, reflexive,
and collective practice around labour to recentre the marginalized with
regards to social and planetary well-being. This demands a realignment
of how work and workers are valued. It makes the case that the pathway
to feminist labouring comes in the form of inclusive design, care-based
networks, collective governance, and empathetic vision.
DIFFERENCE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF PHAGOCYTOSIS OF POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE I AND II WITH PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Authors: Tello Eliphelet Enríquez , Tinoco Cabriales Violeta Cecilia , Cobos Octavio Rangel , Téllez Garza Alejandro , García Bertha Lun
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in the percentage of phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear leukocyte in patients with diabetes type I and type II with periodontal disease, recent COVID-19 pandemic that has affected millions of people in the world, it has been shown that patients with diabetes have a greater susceptibility to seriously developing the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 20 patients from the Periodontology Postgraduate clinic of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, who underwent a sample of 10 ml of heparinized blood was taken and 3 ml of Dextran 3% was added and incubated at 37 ° C for two hours in a serological bath, at the end of this time they were centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 6 minutes, the cells were washed with the GIBCO ™ DMEM culture medium 3 times for further counting and adjusted the population at 2-4 x 10 6 cells / ml. The experimental design consisted in using 200 μl of the cells in GIBCO ™ DMEM culture medium and 300 μl of a pure culture of Staphylococcus aureus was diluted in 0.85% saline solution, both reagents were incubated at 37 ° C for 45 minutes, then the cells were resuspended and it placed 1 drop on a slide, dried, fixed with methanol and stained each smear using the Gram technique to then count 100 cells that phagocytosed and not phagocytosed. Results: Control patients reported an average of 83.20 ± 5.81 phagocytic action, and diabetic patients type I and type II reported an average of 40.70 ± 9.92. Likewise, when analyzing the percentage of non-phagocytosis, the control patients presented an average of 16.80 ± 5.81 and the diabetic patients of 59.30 ± 9.92, which was statistically significant (p = 0.001), by other hand, comparing the percentage of phagocytosis among patients with diabetes type I and type II were not statistically significant, with an average
SLOW DOWN EFFECT OF DEBRIS EXTRUSION ON SINGLE-ROOTED TEETH
Authors: Luna Lara Carlos Alberto , Cobos Octavio Rangel , González Saraí Telléz , Hernández Izaguirre Jose Macario , Turrubiartes Balderas Ives Alberto , Hernandez Morato Oscar Miguel
Published: April 2023

Introduction During the instrumentation phase, despite having a strict control of the working length, one of the main problems that can arise is the extrusion of residues and intracanal irrigants towards the periradicular tissues. Objective The aim of this study is to compare the amount of extruded dentin debris during instrumentation using a new endodontic motor in two different functions. Methods 24 extracted premolars were divided into two groups. The cameral access was performed using a # 4 carbide ball bur, all samples were decoronated to standardize the working length at 17 mm. The samples were instrumented with .06 taper Nickel-Titanium Vortex Blue rotary files (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with an E-Connect S. endodontic motor in two of its functions: Slow down and rotary. For the collection of extruded debris, Eppendorf tubes were used, which were weighed individually. After instrumentation, the samples were stored in an incubator at 70 ° C for 5 days to evaporate the distilled water, product of the irrigation, and later the tubes were weighed again by the same scale to obtain the final weight of the tubes with the extruded debris. Results When comparing the weight in grams of the amount of debris extruded during instrumentation with two different functions of the E connect S endodontic motor, using Ni Ti rotary files, Vortex Blue, it was observed that the slow down function produces a lower amount of debris, however there were no statistically significant differences between both groups. Conclusion Both functions of the E connect S endodontic motor produce dentin debris, however, it was observed that in the slow down function, the amount of apical debris extrusion is slightly lower.
PROPOSING NEW ROUTING PROTOCOL BASED ON CHAOS ALGORITHM
Authors: Majdi Ali
Published: April 2023

In MANET, the multicast routing is considered as a non-deterministic polynomial (NP) complexity, it contains assorted objectives and restrictions. In the multicast issue of MANET, the Quality of services (QoS) based upon cost, delay, jitter, bandwidth, these are constantly deemed as multi-objective for intending multiple cast routing protocols. Conversely, mobile node has finite battery energy and the lifetime of network depending on its mobile node battery energy. If the mobile node has high battery energy consumption, it automatically reduces the network’s life time because of their route breaks. Alternatively, node’s battery energy has to be consumed to ensure higher level quality of services in multicast routing for transmitting the accurate data anywhere and anytime. Therefore, the network lifespan is deemed as multi-objective in the multicast routing (MR) problem. To overcome these issues, QoS and Network Lifetime Aware Reliable Multicast Routing Protocol are proposed by applying Chaos integrated Cuckoo Search Rider Optimization Algorithm for effectual data transmission in MANET (QOS-MRP-CSROA-MANET). The proposed method is the joint execution of both the Cuckoo Search Algorithm with chaos theory (Chaotic-CSA) and Rider Optimization (ROA) algorithm and hence it is called as Chaotic-CSA-ROA, which is utilized to solve the MR problem of MANET. Here, the MR problem of MANET have five objectives, viz cost, delay, jitter, bandwidth, network lifetime are optimized with the help of Chaotic-CSA-ROA. Then the proposed method is simulated in NS2 simulator for validating the performance of the proposed QOS-MRP-CSROA-MANET system. Here, evaluation metrics, via delay, delivery ratio, drop, Network lifespan, overhead and throughput are analyzed with node, rate and speed. The proposed QOS-MRP-CSROA-MANET provide higher throughput in node as 32.9496% and 65.5839%, higher throughput in rate as 16.6049% and 30.4654%, higher through put in speed as 10.1298% and 7.0825%, low packet drop in node as 63.7313% and 52.2255%, low packet drop in rate as 51.5528% and 25.6220%, low packet drop in speed as 18.0857% and 24.5953% compared with existing methods, like QOS aware of multicast routing protocol using particle swarm optimization algorithm in MANET (QOS-MRP-PSOA-MANET) and QOS aware of multicast routing protocol using genetic algorithm in MANET (QOS-MRP-GA-MANET) respectively.
A prospective contralateral eye comparison of the tolerability of two artificial tears with different physical properties in patients with dry eye disease
Authors: Che Arif Fatin Amalina , Hilmi Mohd Radzi , Kamal Khairidzan Mohd
Published: April 2023

Background: Artificial tears (ATs) are widely used in ophthalmic practice with various formulations, mainly as a treatment for dry eye, owing to their rapid ability to alleviate the signs and symptoms of this condition. We aimed to investigate drop comfort and subjective ocular symptoms after instillation of the following ATs with different physical properties: Optive® non-preservative (OUD) and Systane® Hydration non-preservative (SHUD).

Methods: This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized, contralateral eye comparison study. A rheometer and a digital pH meter were used to evaluate the viscosity and pH of both ATs prior to instillation. We recruited 36 patients with dry eye disease. Single standardized AT volumes were set using a micropipette for all patients. Ocular discomfort was assessed using the Ora Calibra™ Ocular Discomfort and 4-Symptom Questionnaire (OOD4SQ; 0 – 5 scale) before and 60 min after instillation. Drop comfort was assessed using the Ora Calibra™ Drop Comfort Scale (0 – 10 scale) immediately after AT instillation. The difference in the drop comfort score (DCS) between the two ATs and ocular discomfort scores using OOD4SQ before and 60 min after instillation of each AT were recorded and compared.

Results: The viscosities and pH of SHUD and OUD were 32.73 centipoise (cP) and 7.74 and 14.42 cP and 7.19, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) DCS was higher in the SHUD group than in the OUD group (1.83 [1.21] versus 1.67 [1.12]); however, the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in all parameters of OOD4SQ including overall discomfort, burning, dryness, grittiness, and stinging 60 min after OUD instillation (all P < 0.05), while a significant difference was only noted in dryness (P < 0.05) in the SHUD group.

Conclusions: OUD, which has a lower viscosity and pH compared to SHUD, provides less subjective sensation and better ocular comfort 60 min after instillation. Further randomized clinical trials including patients with dry eye disease of different severities, larger sample sizes, and longer follow-up periods are required to verify our findings.
Pediatric cycloplegic refraction
Authors: Eltagoury Mahmoud , Ghoneim Ehab
Published: April 2023

Background: Cycloplegic refraction is an essential part of the pediatric ophthalmic assessment and is the cornerstone of strabismus evaluation. This narrative review aimed to ascertain the current scope of practice for cycloplegic refraction in the pediatric population.

Methods: An extensive literature review was conducted using ScienceDirect, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases using the following search terms: cyclopentolate, tropicamide, pediatric cycloplegia, atropine, homatropine, manual retinoscope, handheld autorefractometer, spherical errors, and no spherical errors of refraction in articles published from January 2000 to December 2022. Relevant retrieved references and practical points concerning pediatric cycloplegic refraction were summarized.

Results: Atropine has the most potent cycloplegic effect and is best used in cases of severe accommodative esotropia. Because of the unfavorable side effects and risks associated with atropine, cyclopentolate has been found to provide quite effective cycloplegia, even for moderate to severe hyperopia, and has become the standard agent for traditional pediatric cycloplegic exams. Tropicamide has also been shown to provide adequate cycloplegia while being less toxic and causing fewer side effects. Tropicamide has the fewest side effects and toxicity of all agents, while atropine has the most. Cyclopentolate is an exceptionally safe cycloplegic agent. To detect spherical and non-spherical refractive errors, refraction can be performed using a handheld autorefractometer or a manual retinoscope, as well as under general anesthesia in some cases. The optimal time to wear eyeglasses to maintain binocular vision and avoid amblyopia is also considered.

Conclusions: Accommodative power in children is at its maximum, and this interferes with reliable - assessment of refraction. Therefore, the use of cycloplegic refraction is mandatory during childhood to obtain actual refraction, which is considered the cornerstone for eyeglass prescription. Knowledge of the various cycloplegic agents used in childhood refraction is important for ophthalmologists and optometrists to obtain safe and effective cycloplegia. High refractive errors, as well as the presence of anisometropia or squint, necessitate the use of eyeglasses as early as childhood to maintain binocularity and depth perception.
Revisión de los factores de riesgo y factores protectores para el cáncer de mama
Authors: Astorga-Ramírez Andrea , Sánchez-Portuguez Jennifer , Solís-Barquero Sergio M.
Published: April 2023

Objetivo: Revisar los aspectos clínicos necesarios a tomar en cuenta por el médico tratante al interpretar los reportes de los hallazgos radiológicos en la mamografía y de otras pruebas diagnósticas para un diagnóstico integral del cáncer de mama.
Métodos: Se realizó una revisión sistemática de manuscritos publicados entre el 2010 y el 2020 sobre factores de riesgo y factores protectores que pueden verse involucrados en la incidencia del cáncer de mama. Se revisaron publicaciones de investigaciones realizadas en mujeres con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama de tipo ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, casos y controles, revisiones sistemáticas, metaanálisis y guías internacionales. Se buscó en las bases de datos bibliográficas PubMed, EBSCO y Scopus, publicaciones en inglés o español, utilizando términos provenientes de los Descriptores en Ciencias de la Salud (DeCS).
Resultados: Se identificaron un total de 735 artículos en las búsquedas, de los cuáles se excluyeron 508 por su poca relevancia de acuerdo con el título. De los 227 restantes se excluyeron 22 por estar repetidos en las distintas bases, 12 porque no cumplían con los criterios de inclusión, 83 durante la revisión del resumen, y 28 al revisar el texto completo. En total se incluyeron 82 artículos para elaborar esta revisión. Los factores identificados en la revisión de la literatura se clasificaron en tres áreas: fisiopatológicos, gíneco-obstétricos y ambientales. Los factores de riesgo fisiopatológicos son la historia familiar, hiperplasia epitelial atípica, etnia, mayor edad, diabetes tipo II, síndrome metabólico, mayor peso y talla y mutaciones genéticas; los gíneco-obstétricos son la menarquía temprana, la menopausia tardía y la nuliparidad; y los ambientales incluyen fármacos, hábitos de vida, procedimientos médicos y alimentación. Mientras que, entre los factores protectores, los factores fisiopatológicos son el hipotiroidismo, el asma y la rinitis alérgica; los gínecoobstétricos son la multiparidad, el primer embarazo a una edad temprana y dar lactancia; y los ambientales incluyen fármacos, procedimientos médicos y alimentación.
Conclusiones: El conocimiento de los factores protectores y los factores de riesgo permitiría hacer un abordaje más integral en el diagnóstico y tratamiento del cáncer de mama.
Tricobezoar gástrico gigante: reporte de un caso clínico-patológico
Authors: Vilela-Desposorio Carlos , Cabanillas-Tarazona Elena
Published: April 2023

Un tricobezoar es una masa compacta de pelo que se aloja generalmente en el estómago. Es frecuente en mujeres jóvenes que comen su propio pelo (tricofagia) debido a trastornos psicológicos. Presentamos el caso de una adolescente de 13 años de edad quien es traída por emergencia por presentar dolor abdominal persistente desde hace 3 días. La ecografía abdominal fue sugestiva de tricobezoar, hallazgo que fue confirmado mediante una endoscopia digestiva alta. Desde hace dos años antes de su ingreso, presentaba, masticación de cabello y consumo del mismo que asocia a viaje de su hermano al extranjero y a la separación de sus padres. Al noveno día, se realizó laparotomía exploratoria con gastrostomía extrayendo tricobezoar gástrico, que en el estudio anatomopatológico pesó 1033,8 g y midió 31,5 x 18 cm. en sus dimensiones mayores. Estos casos son sumamente raros. En nuestro caso el tricobezoar alcanzó el tamaño más grande de los hasta ahora reportados. Contradictoriamente la sintomatología fue mínima.
Consideraciones críticas alrededor del proyecto de ley para legalizar el consumo recreativo de marihuana en Costa Rica
Authors: Herrera-Amighetti Luis Diego
Published: April 2023

El gobierno de la República ha enviado al Congreso Nacional un proyecto de leypara legalizar el uso recreativo de la marihuana. Antes de analizar lo que considerolos aspectos más relevantes de este proyecto, es conveniente recordar que el primerdía de marzo del año en curso la Asamblea aprobó el proyecto de ley que permitey regula el uso “medicinal y terapéutico del cannabis y sus derivados y… autoriza laproducción, industrialización y comercialización del cáñamo…y cannabis psicoactivocon fines exclusivamente medicinales y terapéuticos.” (Expediente No. 21.388).
INJHSR Rajapaksha et al 2022 Predictive Analysis of COVID-19 Spread in Sri Lanka using an Adaptive Compartmental Model Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered-Dead SEIRD Model
Authors: Rajapaksha R. M. Nayani Umesha , Wijesinghe Millawage Supun Dilara , Jayasooriya Sujith P. , Thomas Toms K. , Gunawardana B. M. W. Indika , Weerasinghe W. M. Prasad Chathuranga , Abeysena Chrishantha , Bhakta Shalini , Alemu Yibeltal Assefa
Published: April 2023

The role of modelling in predicting the spread of an epidemic is important for health planning and policies. This study aimed to apply a dynamic Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered-Deaths (SEIRD) model and simulated it under a range of epidemic conditions using the Python programming language. The predictions were based on different scenarios, from without any preventive measures to several different preventive measures under R0 of 4. The model shows that more weight to personal protection can halt the spread of transmission followed by the closure of public places and interprovincial movement restriction. Results after simulating various scenarios indicate that disregarding personal protective measures can have devastating effects on the Sri Lankan population. The importance of strict adherence, maintain and monitoring of self-preventive measures lead to minimizing the death toll from COVID-19.