bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managerial Techniques Required of Principals of Technical and Vocational Colleges for Quality Assurance and Skill Acquisition
Authors: Odo Moses
Published: June 2023

The study is on the Managerial Techniques Required of Principals of Technical and Vocational Colleges for Quality Assurance and Skill Acquisition. The study was carried out in Lagos State. It covered all the six (6) technical colleges in the state. This study aimed to obtain information from respondents about the management of technical and vocational high school principals to ensure quality and skills are recognized. The population of the study included all the Principals, and Vice Principals, departmental and unit heads. A total of six principals, twelve vice principals, five departmental heads and fifteen unit heads were used for the study. A pilot study was conducted to ascertain the reliability of the questionnaire items which was calculated to be 0.69. Five research questions were raised for the study and the data collected analysed with mean and standard deviation. The result of the study showed that Principals of technical and vocational colleges apply some levels of managerial skills though do not involve teachers in policy and decision making, Most of the managerial techniques of Principals of technical and vocational colleges are not very adequate to enhance the quality of technical and vocational education.
Strategies for Improving the Utilization of E-Learning in the Teaching and Learning of Accounting
Authors: Obidile Jacinta Ifeoma
Published: June 2023

The electronic learning (e-learning) as a mode of teaching and learning has come to stay in the history of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, but due to several challenges confronting its technological operations in the country, e-learning is yet to be fully implemented in the teaching and learning processes in Nigeria, including the teaching and learning of accounting. This study therefore ascertained the strategies that could be used to improve the utilization of e-learning in the teaching and learning of accounting. Census survey research design was used for the study. A total of 116 final year accounting students made up of 62 males and 54 females were used. A questionnaire which was validated by three experts with a reliability coefficient of 0.76 was the instrument for data collection. Data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions and z-test for the hypotheses. Findings revealed that; provision of adequate IT support, provision of well-equipped ICT centre in every tertiary institution, provision of IT standard for implementation, among others were strategies for improving the utilization of e-learning. Also, there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of the respondents on the strategies that could be used to enhance the utilization of e-learning in the teaching and learning of accounting as a result of gender. Recommendations were also proffered.
Indonesian EFL Teachers’ Use of Code Mixing in Classroom Interactions
Authors: Nurpiana Zanna , Fithriani Rahmah
Published: June 2023

Code Mixing (CM) is generally a communication strategy that is often used by teachers in the process of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This study aims to describe the types and categories of CM used by teachers in the context of teaching EFL in Indonesia, as well as investigate the perspectives of teachers and students regarding the use of code mixing in classroom interactions. This research uses case studies with a qualitative approach to analyze data. Data collection was carried out through recorded interviews with three teachers and seven students as well as observing the teaching and learning process during six meetings at one of the senior high schools in Medan, North Sumatera. The results of the study show the teachers use three types of CM, namely Insertion, Alternation and Congruent Lexicalization. There are 177 mixed code data found. There are 188 data classified as insertion type, 49 data classified as alternation type and 10 data classified as congruent lexicalization type. Then from the results of the interviews, the teacher considered that the functions of CM in students were 1) Improving student’ comprehension, 2) Encouraging students' independence in learning new vocabulary. Furthermore, students agreed that code mixing was an effective and effective learning strategy in increasing their understanding of English. This happened because 71.5% of students used English most often with some Indonesian language CM and 67.2% said the use of CM can help understand topic discussions in the learning process.
ANÁLISE DA RELAÇÃO ENTRE ENDIVIDAMENTO E DESEMPENHO FINANCEIRO NA MARFRIG: UMA ABORDAGEM DA REGIONALIDADE
Authors: Paiva José Fernando Martins , Pereira Vinícius Silva , Penedo Antônio Sérgio Torres
Published: June 2023

O objetivo deste estudo de caso foi de analisar a relação entre o endividamento da empresa Marfrig Global Foods S/A e o seu desempenho financeiro no período de 2008 a 2019, em uma nova abordagem da regionalidade. A correlação estatística entre as variáveis indicou relação significativa entre a receita líquida total da empresa e o endividamento, sugerindo que a alavancagem impulsionaria os seus resultados. Para a relação entre o endividamento e a variável exportações, os resultados não apresentaram significância. Possivelmente, os recursos captados não seriam usados para financiar clientes importadores. Quanto às variáveis de desempenho financeiro ROA e ROE, não houve significância com o endividamento da empresa, sugerindo que os recursos captados não estariam sendo direcionados para geração de lucros. Para as variáveis de controle, identificou-se correlação positiva entre o endividamento da empresa e a variável Câmbio, justificado pela predominância do endividamento em moeda estrangeira.
TRANSLATION: A FAMILY OF “MOVES” IN DISTINCT LANGUAGE-GAMES
Authors: Oliveira Paulo
Published: June 2023

O interesse na obra de Wittgenstein nos estudos da tradução aumentou de modo significativo nos últimos anos, com contribuições de pesquisador@s eminentes (p. ex., TYMOCZKO, 2014 [2007]) e até mesmo uma abordagem declaradamente wittgensteiniana (WILSON, 2016). Tymoczko assume uma perspectiva "pós-positivista" semelhante à das ciências cognitivas, recorrendo às 'semelhanças de família' de Wittgenstein — compreendidas como cluster concepts. Isso ecoa um uso pioneiro de conceitos wittgensteinianos nos estudos da tradução (TOURY, 1980), mas a discussão ainda precisa ser aprofundada. Retomando e aprofundando a discussão de alguns tópicos, sustento aqui que 'concepção de linguagem' é logicamente anterior a qualquer 'teoria da tradução' que possamos elaborar, a primeira dimensão sendo, então, uma 'condição de possibilidade' para a segunda. Minha abordagem é informada pela Epistemologia do Uso de Arley Moreno, na compreensão de que a 'gramática' dos conceitos tem uma 'função transcendental', ainda que a 'descrição do uso' só possa ocorrer após o ato, ou a parte post, no sentido do epistemólogo francês G.-G. Granger. Nessa perspectiva, a proximidade de Toury com Wittgenstein é muito maior do que prima facie, o que pode ser útil no diálogo dos estudos da tradução com a filosofia.
ANOTHER STRAND IN THE RULE-FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS
Authors: Ianni Segatto Antonio
Published: June 2023

ABSTRACT: In this paper, I intend to show, first, that there is a misconception underlying two opposing readings of Wittgenstein’s rule-following considerations, notably Kripke’s sceptical reading and Baker and Hacker’s reading. I believe that the correct characterization of this misunderstanding is the first step towards the correct way to read the rule-following considerations, since these readings are still subject to a philosophical confusion that Wittgenstein wants to dissolve. Then I present a commentary on the rule-following considerations inspired by the so-called resolute reading, more precisely, by the idea that Wittgenstein’s main purpose is to undermine the philosophical illusion according to which we could contemplate our own practices from sideways on, that is, from a standpoint independent of all the human activities and reactions. In my reading I stress an often-neglected aspect of the rule-following considerations, namely the temporal aspect of language.  

KEYWORDS: Rules; Scepticism; Agreement; Time.  

RESUMO: Neste artigo, pretendo mostrar, em primeiro lugar, que há um equívoco subjacente a duas leituras opostas das considerações de Wittgenstein sobre seguir regras, a saber, a leitura cética de Kripke e a leitura de Baker e Hacker. Acredito que a caracterização correta desse mal-entendido é o primeiro passo em direção a uma maneira correta de compreender as considerações de seguir regras, uma vez que essas leituras estão sujeitas a uma confusão filosófica que Wittgenstein deseja dissolver. Em seguida, apresento um breve comentário das considerações sobre seguir regras inspirado na chamada leitura resoluta, mais precisamente, na ideia de que o principal objetivo de Wittgenstein é minar a ilusão filosófica segundo a qual poderíamos contemplar nossas próprias práticas de fora, isto é, de um ponto de vista independente de todas as atividades e reações humanas.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Regras; Ceticismo; Acordo; Tempo.
AVALIAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DE CAFÉS TORRADOS E MOÍDOS EM DIFERENTES GRANULOMETRIAS
Authors: Eduardo de Almeida Silva Filho  , Luiz Severo da Silva Junior
Published: June 2023

O café é uma das bebidas mais consumidas no Brasil e nos demais países pelo mundo, basicamente, pelo fato do produto possuir um aroma e sabor característicos. Composto por duas espécies de grãos de café que são as principais, olhando de um ponto de vista comercial, são Coffea arábica L. e Coffea canephora, conhecidas também como café arábica e café robusta ou conilon. As espécies se diferenciam em valores de mercado, qualidade e demanda; estas espécies apresentam diferenças, tanto na composição química, quanto no comportamento de seus componentes durante o processo de torra (CONTI et al., 2013; RIBEIRO et al., 2014; SCHOLZ et al., 2011).
Networking assessment of ROADM architecture based on a photonics integrated WSS for 800G multi-band optical transport
Authors: Masood Muhammad Umar , Tunesi Lorenzo , Khan Ihtesham , Correia Bruno , Sadeghi Rasoul , Ghillino Enrico , Bardella Paolo , Carena Andrea , Curri Vittorio
Published: June 2023

The capacity of the optical transport network must be expanded to support the increasing demand due to bandwidth-intensive applications. Multi-band transmission solutions can achieve this goal by exploiting the low-loss optical spectrum windows while maintaining the same existing fiber infrastructure, increasing the network’s capacity, and minimizing the operator capital expenditure (CAPEX) by limiting the need for a new fiber deployment. In the context of multi-band transmission, this work proposes a novel reconfigurable optical add–drop multiplexer (ROADM) architecture using a modular photonic integrated multi-band wavelength selective switch (WSS) that operates over multi-bands (S + C + L). This study focuses on conducting a comprehensive network performance analysis of different settings, enabling operation from 400G up to 800G using the proposed multi-band WSS on two real network topologies: German and Italian. The results provide the potential benefits of transitioning from traditional C-band transmission to multi-band transmission based on overall network performance.
Tunable wide rectangular red fluorescence spectrum based on gradient temperature method
Authors: Yang Fugui , Ren Haike
Published: June 2023

The Mn4+ -doped Li3LaMgTiO6 phosphor is synthesized via the solid-state reaction technique. Through the utilization of a gradient temperature synthesis method, we have observed a "blue shift" phenomenon in the fluorescence peak, whereby the most intense fluorescence peak shifts from 711 nm to 680 nm as temperature increases. When the sintering temperature reaches 1150 0C and the gradient temperature between the top and bottom of the sample reaches 50 0C, a rectangular fluorescence spectrum with full widths at half maximum (FWHM) up to 100 nm and peak width up to 31 nm can be achieved. Drawing on energy level theory, crystal physics, and luminescence theory, this work delves into the fluorescence mechanism underlying the ‘blue shift’ phenomenon. This study demonstrates the significant practical implications of both the gradient temperature method and phosphors in the field of fluorescent materials.
A biologist’s guide to planning and performing quantitative bioimaging experiments
Authors: Senft Rebecca A. , Diaz-Rohrer Barbara , Colarusso Pina , Swift Lucy , Jamali Nasim , Jambor Helena , Pengo Thomas , Brideau Craig , Llopis Paula Montero , Uhlmann Virginie , Kirk Jason , Gonzales Kevin Andrew , Bankhead Peter , Evans Edward L. , Eliceiri Kevin W. , Cimini Beth A.
Published: June 2023

Technological advancements in biology and microscopy have empowered a transition from bioimaging as an observational method to a quantitative one. However, as biologists are adopting quantitative bioimaging and these experiments become more complex, researchers need additional expertise to carry out this work in a rigorous and reproducible manner. This Essay provides a navigational guide for experimental biologists to aid understanding of quantitative bioimaging from sample preparation through to image acquisition, image analysis, and data interpretation. We discuss the interconnectedness of these steps, and for each, we provide general recommendations, key questions to consider, and links to high-quality open-access resources for further learning. This synthesis of information will empower biologists to plan and execute rigorous quantitative bioimaging experiments efficiently.
PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy
Authors: Joshi Shivali , Namuddu Catherine , Kasujja Francis Xavier , Mirembe Miriam , Homsy Jaco , Seeley Janet , King Rachel
Published: June 2023

Pregnant young women who exchange sex for money or commodities are at elevated biological and social risk for HIV acquisition. PrEP serves as an effective means of HIV prevention, including during pregnancy. This study aimed to explore attitudes, experiences and challenges with PrEP to understand what motivates or limits PrEP uptake and adherence specifically during pregnancy among this population of young women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants, recruited from the Prevention on PrEP (POPPi) study in the Good Health for Women Project clinic in Kampala, Uganda. POPPi’s inclusion criteria comprised of HIV-uninfected women, aged 15–24, who exchange sex for money or commodities. Interviews focused on experience with PrEP and pregnancy. Data were analyzed utilizing a framework analysis approach. Key themes were comprised of participant barriers to and facilitators of PrEP uptake and adherence. Reasons for PrEP initiation included desire for autonomy and agency, mistrust of partners, and social support. Participants expressed challenges with initiating or sustaining their use of PrEP, including pregnancy, PrEP access and perceived or felt stigma. During pregnancy, participants’ primary motivators for altering PrEP use were either understanding of PrEP safety for their baby or changes in perceptions of their HIV risk. Many of these factors were similar across participants who had experience with pregnancy and those who did not. This study highlights the importance of addressing barriers to and facilitators of PrEP uptake and persistence, especially during pregnancy where risk is elevated, with a multi-level approach. Community-oriented education, stigma reduction activities alongside access to PrEP, can serve as means for adherence. The development of robust PrEP support services and guidelines regarding PrEP use during pregnancy among high-risk women, and strategies for their implementation, are of utmost importance for the control of HIV in key populations and the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Derivation and external validation of a clinical prognostic model identifying children at risk of death following presentation for diarrheal care
Authors: Ahmed Sharia M. , Brintz Ben J. , Talbert Alison , Ngari Moses , Pavlinac Patricia B. , Platts-Mills James A. , Levine Adam C. , Nelson Eric J. , Walson Judd L. , Kotloff Karen L. , Berkley James A. , Leung Daniel T.
Published: June 2023

Diarrhea continues to be a leading cause of death for children under-five. Amongst children treated for acute diarrhea, mortality risk remains elevated during and after acute medical management. Identification of those at highest risk would enable better targeting of interventions, but available prognostic tools lack validation. We used clinical and demographic data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) to build clinical prognostic models (CPMs) to predict death (in-treatment, after discharge, or either) in children aged ≤59 months presenting with moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD), in Africa and Asia. We screened variables using random forests, and assessed predictive performance with random forest regression and logistic regression using repeated cross-validation. We used data from the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS) and Kilifi County Hospital (KCH) in Kenya to externally validate our GEMS-derived CPM. Of 8060 MSD cases, 43 (0.5%) children died in treatment and 122 (1.5% of remaining) died after discharge. MUAC at presentation, respiratory rate, age, temperature, number of days with diarrhea at presentation, number of people living in household, number of children <60 months old living in household, and how much the child had been offered to drink since diarrhea started were predictive of death both in treatment and after discharge. Using a parsimonious 2-variable prediction model, we achieved an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.82, 0.86) in the derivation dataset, and an AUC = 0.74 (95% CI 0.71, 0.77) in the external dataset. Our findings suggest it is possible to identify children most likely to die after presenting to care for acute diarrhea. This could represent a novel and cost-effective way to target resources for the prevention of childhood mortality.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Italy: A systematic review of epidemiology, quality of life, treatment adherence, and economic impact
Authors: Orso Massimiliano , Migliore Antonio , Polistena Barbara , Russo Eleonora , Gatto Francesca , Monterubbianesi Mauro , d’Angela Daniela , Spandonaro Federico , Pane Marika
Published: June 2023

Objective

This systematic review aims to update the evidence on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in Italy, describing the epidemiology, quality of life (QoL) of patients and caregivers, treatment adherence, and economic impact of DMD.

Methods

Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science up to January 2023. Literature selection process, data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. Study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021245196).

Results

Thirteen studies were included. The prevalence of DMD in the general population is 1.7–3.4 cases per 100,000, while the birth prevalence is 21.7–28.2 per 100,000 live male births. The QoL of DMD patients and caregivers is lower than that of healthy subjects, and the burden for caregivers of DMD children is higher than that of caregivers of children with other neuromuscular disorders. The compliance of real-world DMD care to clinical guidelines recommendations in Italy is lower than in other European countries. The annual cost of illness for DMD in Italy is € 35,000–46,000 per capita while, adding intangible costs, the total cost amounts to € 70,000.

Conclusion

Although it is a rare disease, DMD represents a significant burden in terms of quality of life of patients and their caregivers, and economic impact.
Contemporary Art from Cyprus: Politics, Identities, and Cultures across Borders, Elena Stylianou, Evanthia Tselika and Gabriel Koureas (eds) (2021)
Authors: Markidou Tereza
Published: June 2023

Review of: Contemporary Art from Cyprus: Politics, Identities, and Cultures across Borders, Elena Stylianou, Evanthia Tselika and Gabriel Koureas (eds) (2021)

London: Bloomsbury, 272 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35019-864-7, h/bk, $108
Reflection: Ohara’s ‘Flow Line’
Authors: Ruthven Sarah
Published: June 2023

This reflection explores the connection between art and the lived experience offering insight into the topic of phenomenology and visual culture through the work ‘Flow Line’ by Daijiro Ohara. Popular posters like this one, designed for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games can support learning in foundational art history courses. The poster design by Ohara is explored visually through formal analysis and thematically to highlight the way in which interpretation of the poster can be constructed using an important postmodern methodology.
An Extraordinary Cause of Colonic Obstruction: Merkel Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary
Authors: Ganjineh Brandon , Abel William , Reddy Shravani , Fagan Kiley , Grider Douglas
Published: June 2023

Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive and rare neuroendocrine skin cancer with documented metastases to the liver, lungs, and, seldom, the gastrointestinal tract. Metastases to the colon are rare but are seen with primary skin lesions or recurrent disease. Presented is a patient with large bowel obstruction secondary to a large hepatic flexure mass. Pathologic workup revealed Merkel cell carcinoma, and a dermatologic evaluation did not identify a primary cutaneous lesion. This is the first reported case of Merkel cell carcinoma of unknown primary presenting as large bowel obstruction.
Strokovna podpora neformalnim oskrbovalcem v domačem okolju
Authors: Drnovšek Rok , Milavec Kapun Marija , Kvas Andreja
Published: June 2023

Uvod: Starejši odrasli v domačem okolju pogosto potrebujejo pomoč neformalnih oskrbovalcev, katerih vloga postaja pomembna pri zagotavljanju oskrbe na domu. Namen pregleda literature je ugotoviti možne načine za izboljšanje strokovne podpore neformalnim oskrbovalcem starejših odraslih.Metode: Opravljen je bil integrativni pregled literature v podatkovnih bazah CINAHL, PubMed in PubMed Central®. V kvalitativno analizo je bila vključena literatura, osredotočena na intervencije, ki so zajemale aktivnosti zdravstvene nege za podporo neformalnim oskrbovalcem starejših odraslih v njihovem domačem okolju oziroma domačem okolju njihovih oskrbovancev.Rezultati: V končno analizo je bilo vključenih deset izvirnih znanstvenih člankov, ki so ustrezali vključitvenim kriterijem. Med analizo je bilo oblikovanih devet kategorij, ki opisujejo potrebe neformalnih oskrbovalcev in značilnosti zaznanih intervencij za podporo neformalnim oskrbovalcem.Diskusija in zaključek: Pomembne značilnosti intervencij za podporo neformalnim oskrbovalcem v domačem okolju so prilagojenost posamezniku, fleksibilnost in promocija aktivne vloge neformalnih oskrbovalcev. Pri načrtovanju in implementaciji teh intervencij je treba izhajati iz potreb neformalnih oskrbovalcev. Prav tako je pomembno, da se predhodno zagotovi izobraževanje in usposabljanje izvajalcev intervencij.
The Road Network of the Russian Far East: Current State and Regional Price Differentiation of Construction
Authors:   Economic Research Institute FEB RAS, Bardal Anna , Shitova Irina ,   Economic Research Institute FEB RAS
Published: June 2023

The paper considers the road network of the Far Eastern Federal District, which determines the possibilities of road transport, and assesses its role in the transport complex of the macroregion. The purpose of the work is to analyze the key parameters of the road network and regional features of the formation of the cost of road construction. The dynamics of the road network in the period 2015–2021 and its qualitative characteristics are considered. There is a predominance of regional roads in the northern regions of the Far East, while in the southern regions local roads predominate; as well as the lag of the macroregion in terms of the quality of the road network from the average Russian indicators. The increase in the intensity of trunk transit in 2022 against the backdrop of the reorientation of the main part of export cargo to the Pacific regional direction led to the tendency to transfer part of the intraregional cargo from rail to road transport. This actualizes the need for the development of roads and the assessment of the rise in the cost of road construction, taking into account the conditions of the Far Eastern regions of the Russian Federation. To analyze the differences in the conditions of road construction between the territories of the Far Eastern Federal District, 38 price zones were identified. Using the basic-index method for each price zone, the coefficients of appreciation of costs for the construction a conditional road facility were calculated (standard works for the construction of 1 km of a category II highway was taken into account). As a result, the interval of the coefficient of appreciation of costs for the construction and installation works (relative to the base facility) in the Far East ranged from 1,02 (Republic of Buryatia; price zone V) to 1,93 (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug; price zone II). The obtained estimates of cost differentiation for the selected price zones of the Far Eastern Federal District are presented on the cartogram
Assessing the Impacts of Tourism Climate Index and Holiday Climate Index on Tourism Demand in Malaysia
Authors:   Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia, Jong Meng-Chang , Puah Chin-Hong ,   Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia, Arip Mohammad Affendy ,   Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
Published: June 2023

This study aims to investigate the impacts of climate change on tourism demand in Malaysia. To date, this is the first study to employ the tourism climate index (TCI) and the holiday climate index (HCI) to examine the linkage between climate variables and tourism demand in Malaysia. Both the TCI and the HCI were constructed by integrating several climatic variables – temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloud cover, duration of sunshine, and wind speed into a single numerical index. The climate indexes were theoretically based on the biometeorological literature to reflect human thermal comfort. This paper utilized the effective temperature to measure human thermal comfort based on the ASHRAE-55 standard and employed monthly data from 2010 through 2020. The weather data were gathered from The Weather Online. Meanwhile, the number of international tourist arrivals to Malaysia was collected from the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia. The empirical outcomes of this study show that both the TCI and the HCI illustrated similar trends with the tourist visitation pattern in Malaysia. These results indicate that the climatic conditions potentially affect demand in Malaysia’s tourism industry. Therefore, both the TCI and HCI provide valuable insights to the Malaysian government and key industry players to design tourism policies and products. Lastly, this study also contributes to the literature related to tourism studies.
Peroxidase activity as a biochemical marker of insecticide use in vegetables
Authors: SENANI Nassima , BEDOUHENE Samia , HOUALI Karim
Published: June 2023

The insecticides use is important for crop improvement and protection, but in excessive amounts, they would induce a dysfunction of metabolic enzymatic systems in plant tissues, leading to undesirable qualitative changes. In this context, we are interested in peroxidase (POD), an important enzyme in plant physiology but whose activity seems to be conditioned by the presence of insecticides in the soil. This work aims to study the impact of locally used insecticides (chlorpyrifos and dimethoate) on the activity of POD in parsley, onion, celery and garlic grown in soils treated or not. POD extraction was performed using Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.3); its activity was measured using the substrate o-dianisidine in the presence of H2O2. Our result showed that POD activity for insecticide treated parsley, celery and onions increased by 30 % 127 % and 341 % respectively, however did not change significantly for garlic. Thus, the action of these chemicals is not trivial because they may alter non-target pathways, especially when doses are not adjusted accordingly. We found that insecticide stress would increase POD activity in all vegetables except garlic, which showed tolerance to insecticides. Our findings suggest that organic farming conditions could minimize peroxidase activity in parsley, celery and onion. We add that overproduction of POD negatively affects the quality and reduces the shelf life of vegetables, thus would be a very interesting biomarker of insecticide stress.
Water use efficiency, morpho-physiological and biochemical reactions of some bedding plants to drought stress
Authors: BEHESHTI Shaghayegh , NAZARIDELJOU Mohammad Javad , SALEHI Mohammad Ali
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this experiment is to compare the growth and water consumption efficiency of five garden plants (marigold (Tagetes erecta ‘Red Brocade’), moss-rose (Portulaca grandiflora ‘Sun Rose’), dahlia (Dahlia sp. ‘Double Opra’), gazania (Gazania splendens ‘New Day’), and Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella. ‘Sun Dance’)) during the warmer seasons of the year under various levels of drought stress based on field capacity (FC; 25, 50, 75, and 100 %). The interaction effect of plant × drought stress (FC) on the fresh and dry mass of aerial and underground organs was significant. Decreased water availability resulted in a drop in growth parameters (leaf fresh and dry mass and leaf area). In compared to the growth of aerial organs, root biomass increased in response to drought stress. Marigold, Indian blanket, and dahlia plants had the highest root-to-shoot ratio in extreme stress, i.e., FC 25 %. The plant × drought stress interaction significantly influenced flower number, whereas flower diameter was influenced by the main effect of plant and drought stress (not their interaction). The FC 100 % and FC 25 % treatments had the highest and the lowest accumulations of proline and soluble sugars, respectively. Moss-rose, gazania, and marigold ornamental plants had the highest water use efficiency at 75 %, followed by Dahlia at 50 % and moss-rose at 25 %.
Prawa pacjenta w dobie pandemii COVID-19 – wybrane zagadnienia
Authors: Kulikowska-Kulesza Justyna E.
Published: June 2023

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic has changed how almost every sphere of our lives functions. Its greatest impact can be seen in the functioning of the health care sector, whose task was not only to care for the sick or people suspected of infection, but also to take all measures to prevent the spread of infections. The imposition of a state of epidemic threat in Poland, and then the state of epidemic, provided a basis for imposing a number of restrictions that had a significant impact on the realisation of patients’ fundamental rights. The purpose of the considerations is to present and analyse the limitations of selected patient rights during the SARSCoV-2 pandemic. This article first presents issues related to patient rights in genere, emphasizing their importance for the proper functioning of the health care system in the country. Next, the limitations of selected patient rights, which unquestionably occurred in the era of COVID-19, are presented. It is shown that the rights indicated were not only limited, and sometimes even excluded. The article also presents an analysis of the annual reports of the Patients’ Rights Ombudsman, which in their content confirms the great increase in the number of violations of patient rights in the period of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Consequently, this resulted in a far-reaching negative impact on the perception of the health care system in our country.
Early changes in S100B maternal blood levels can predict fetal intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Abella Laura , D’Adamo Ebe , Strozzi Mariachiara , Botondi Valentina , Abella Ernesto , Cassinari Maurizio , Mazzucco Laura , Maconi Antonio , Testa Michela , Zanelli Cristian , Patacchiola Roberta , Librandi Michela , Osmelli Jacopo , Carabotta Maura , Chiarelli Francesco , Gazzolo Diego
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) represents one of the main causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Nowadays, IUGR early diagnosis is mandatory in order to limit the occurrence of multiorgan failure, especially the brain. Therefore, we investigated whether longitudinal S100B assessment in maternal blood could be a trustable predictor of IUGR.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study in 480 pregnancies (IUGR: n=40; small for gestational age, SGA: n=40; controls: n=400) in whom S100B was measured at three predetermined monitoring time-points (T1: 8–18 GA; T2: 19–23 GA; T3: 24–28 GA).

Results

Lower S100B in IUGR fetuses than SGA and controls (p<0.05, for all) at T1–T3. Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that S100B at T1 was the best predictor of IUGR (sensitivity: 100 %; specificity: 81.4 %) than T2, T3.

Conclusions

The early lower S100B concentration in pregnant women lately complicated by IUGR support the notion that non-invasive early IUGR diagnosis and monitoring is becoming feasible. Results open the way to further studies aimed at diagnosing and monitoring fetal/maternal diseases at earliest time.
Русский язык в доминантной коммуникативной сфере образования Казахстана
Authors: Сулейменова Элеонора Дюсеновна , Аканова Дана Халеловна
Published: June 2023

Приведены данные (1991–2019) об изменении контингента учащихся школ на казахском (32.35 % → 66.0 %), этнических (уйгурский, узбекский, таджикский и др.), иностранных (2.6 % → 4.5 %) и русском (66.05 % → 29.5 %) языках, а также доли учащихся техникумов и колледжей, а также университетов, обучающихся на казахском (8.65 % → 58.9 %; 13.65 % → 65.20 %) и русском (91.2 % → 40.8 %; 86.30 % → 30.20 %) языках. Обнаруженные тенденции позволяют прогнозировать дальнейшее сокращение русского языка как языка обучения на всех уровнях образования в Казахстане. Это в последнюю очередь коснулось высшего образования, где позиции русского языка традиционно оставались высокими вплоть до 2009 года.
International Students’ Experience of Remote Teaching and Learning in Portugal
Authors: Aguiar Joyce , Sin Cristina , Tavares Orlanda
Published: June 2023

This article analyzes international students’ assessment of remote teaching and learning (T&L) during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. While all students have suffered the consequences of campus lockdowns and distance teaching, international students represent a particularly vulnerable group since, even under normal circumstances, they already have to deal with the challenges of new academic and living conditions. In Portugal, most international students come from Portuguese-speaking (designated as Lusophone) countries. Students’ experiences were gathered via an online cross-sectional survey (N = 672), and the quantitative analysis compared Lusophone and non-Lusophone students and undergraduate and postgraduate students. Non-Lusophone students were more negative about remote education than Lusophone ones, being less interested in continuing to study online and giving a more negative assessment of the T&L experience than their counterparts. For them, cultural immersion is probably as important as degree attainment. Postgraduate students reported a lesser increase in study time and rated the pedagogical aspects better than undergraduate students, which suggests, by comparison, a better adaptation to the remote regime. Implementing flexible and hybrid education solutions is critical to maintaining international students’ interest.
Effect of Particle Shape on Dynamic Characteristics of Artificial Rockfill
Authors: Yang Gui , Wu Jiexin , Chen Zhuanzhuan , Zhang Yanmei , Zhu Jin
Published: June 2023

The particle shape of rockfill materials varies greatly, and their dynamic characteristics under cyclic loading are important parameters in dynamic response analysis and construction design. In this study, three types of artificial rockfills with different particle shapes (cylinder, cube, and prism) were prepared by the cement slurry casting method. Cyclic triaxial tests were conducted to investigate the effects of confining pressure, loading frequency, and consolidation stress ratio on the dynamic behavior and particle breakage characteristics of artificial rockfill (AR). It was found that the prepared AR can approximately simulate the shear modulus and damping ratio of natural rockfill. The shear modulus decreased with the increase of particle shape coefficient regularity. The maximum shear modulus and the particle shape coefficient regularity can be approximately fitted by a power function. Particle shape does not affect the relationship between the normalized shear modulus and normalized shear strain, whereas it has an impact on the damping ratio of AR. The larger the confining pressure and the larger the particle shape coefficient, the more significant the particle breakage is.
ZnPc photosensitizer-loaded peony-shaped FeSe2 remotely controlled by near-infrared light for antimycobacterial therapy
Authors: Wu Peng , Liu Xiaoning , Duan Yuheng , Pan Liping , Sun Zhaogang , Chu Hongqian , Zhu Chuanzhi , Liu Bei
Published: June 2023

The development of novel antimicrobial agents is highly desirable for treating bacterial infections. Here, a smart photodynamic therapy (PDT) system based on a combination of peony-shaped ferroselite FeSe2 particles and zinc (II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) photosensitizers was constructed. Effective energy transfer occurred from ZnPc to FeSe2, because of their proximity, thus eliciting the OFF state of ZnPc photosensitizers. Under 808 nm NIR light irradiation, the photothermal effect of FeSe2 promoted the release of ZnPc, thus turning on the photodynamic effect of the photosensitizers (ON state). In vitro, FeSe2-ZnPc exhibited high photo-to-thermal conversion efficiency (26.4%) and effective generation of reactive oxygen species for combined photothermal/photodynamic therapy. Therefore, the FeSe2-ZnPc hybrids have great potential to serve as alternatives to antibiotics for eradication of pathogenic bacteria.
Thermal and morphological properties of polyhydroxyalkanoate/ nanosilver composite
Authors: S. Kandasamy  , S. Ghazali  , Jamari Saidatul Shima
Published: June 2023

Conventional plastic can lead to endless pollution as it took millions of years to be disposed of, hence an alternative to using biodegradable plastic replacing regular everyday plastic has highly participated. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have the characteristics of a biodegradable plastic however, it exhibits low heat distortion temperature. The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of nanosilver additions on the thermal properties of the PHA composite and its morphology behavior. Initially,4 wt/v of PHA was dissolved into 30mL dichloromethane at room temperature. After that, the nanosilver particle was added with 10mL dichloromethane and it was ultrasonicated at 10 minutes. Ultrasonicated nanosilver in dichloromethane mixture was mixed with PHA in dichloromethane for 20 minutes using a magnetic stirrer. Then, thin polymeric films with a thickness of 10 µm were obtained by the solution casting method. The obtained films were then carefully dried at room temperature for 24 hours. These steps were repeated with the addition of 0.25 wt% and 0.5wt% nanosilver suspension in dichloromethane to PHA  solution. The thermal properties and morphology analysis of PHA/nanosilver composite will be investigated using thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Based on thermal properties, PHA/0.5wt% nanosilver has shown a lower onset temperature compared to the pure PHA. This indicates that PHA/0.5wt% nanosilver has a slower degradation rate and higher thermal stability. In conclusion, nanosilver has greatly improved PHA properties into promising biodegradable plastics.
Conceptual Risk Assessment for New Township Infrastructure Expansion at Kuantan
Authors: Affendy Omardin O.M. , Ishak M.F. , Omar N.F. , Abd Hamid K.J. , Mansur F.Z. , Lau P.D. , Tutur N.A. , Mustafa M. , Mansor K. , Teo M.Y. , Lee J.X.
Published: June 2023

This paper intends to contribute about the risk assessment on New Township located at Kuantan. Researchers found that, it has a lot of risk that will occur at that area. Researchers found that it have 5 possible risk like disease, flooding, traffic risk, soil erosion and the improper drainage system. Then, researchers will choose the top 3 major risk to do the risk assessment. So, researchers choose traffic risk, soil erosion and the improper drainage system as our major risk in this project. Lastly, researchers also have implement the solution to solve the risk..
LEAN CULTURE FOR A SUCCESSFUL LEAN MANUFACTURING IMPLEMENTATION: AN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
Authors: Aripin Norhana , Nawanir Gusman , Hussain Suhaidah
Published: June 2023

Although lean has gained many accomplishments, 90% of the manufacturers that implemented lean failed to sustain the implementation, and these results have led academics to consider lean culture as a soft lean approach for successful lean implementation. This research is aimed to investigate the role of lean culture for a successful lean implementation. This survey-based was a cross-sectional study with 151 final respondents from discrete manufacturers in Malaysia. The samples were selected using a cluster sampling procedure from medium and large manufacturing companies registered with the Federation of Manufacturers Malaysia (FMM). The data was analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0 software. The result showed evidence that lean manufacturing implementation is positively impacted by lean culture. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and widens the bounds of the current literature, and offers insight to the lean practitioners on lean implementation techniques to strategize the roadmap and assure continuous execution by considering the role of lean culture.
TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT CAPABILITIES FOR SURVIVAL OF MICRO BUSINESS DURING POST COVID-19
Authors: Nur Faqihah Mohd Rafee  , Norhadilah Abdul Hamid  , Md Fauzi Ahmad  , Ahmad Nur Aizat Ahmad
Published: June 2023

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is causing widespread concern and economic hardship for consumers, businesses, and communities across the globe. This caused significant financial losses to the business entrepreneurs especially minority-owned enterprises in the fashion industry. This circumstance has pushed foresight as a prominent concept for organizations operating in this current environment. This study aims to identify the level of technology foresight amongst business survival in local fashion retailers and also to determine the relationship between technology foresight towards business survival in the fashion retail industry during post-Covid-19. This research adopts a quantitative, descriptive, and correlation study.  Data were collected through an online questionnaire, which involved 170 fashion retailers in Bangi, Selangor. A Spearman’s Rho correlation analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The result shows that there is a significant relationship between industry dynamism, environmental scanning, and networking ties toward business survival. This study concludes that micro-business or fashion retail businesses should highlight the importance of technology foresight in their ability interprets environmental changes to assure the company's continued existence over the long term.
DAVAOEÑOS’ PREFERRED CHARACTERISTICS OF SHOPPING MALLS DURING COVID-19
Authors: Akio Van James P. Montizo  , Sairon Paul P. Mahinay  , Vinsem B. Mindog  , Joanna Lynn Mercado
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this study is to determine the preferred selected characteristics of shopping malls among Davaoeños during Covid-19. It specifically seeks to determine the level of preference among Davaoeños’ preferred shopping mall characteristics according to (1) service experience, (2) internal environment, (3) convenience, (4) utilitarian factors, (5) proximity, and (6) demonstration. This study also seeks to determine if there is a significant difference in the preference level for shopping malls when respondents are grouped according to their profiles. Quantitative research design was used, and simple random sampling was utilized with 100 respondents. As for the major findings, there is a significant difference in the shopping mall’s internal environment when respondents are grouped according to their age, occupation, and civil status.
Modal Analysis of an 8/6 Pole Switched Reluctance Motor Core with Different Materials and Assembly Method Using FEA
Authors: Rosli Danial N. , Rasid Mohd Azri Hizami
Published: June 2023

Vibration causes acoustic nuisance, aggravating fatigue etc. Knowing that resonance is caused by amplified deformation when a structure is excited at natural frequency, modal analysis is important to identify the natural frequency and mode of deformation that may be excited in electrical machine. This study analyzes the natural frequency and mode shape of major components in 120v 4-Phase 8/6 Pole Switched Reluctance Motor. The material selected are materials that are commonly employed for electrical machines components. It was found that gray cast iron core has the lowest natural frequency for each mode from 1 to 3. This is mainly due to its lower elasticity modulus (10 times smaller in comparison to other materials). Solid and slinky rotor has a very low first mode natural frequency at tens of Hz, which is very susceptible to mechanically induced excitation vibration.
Improving Images in Turbid Water through Enhanced Color Correction and Particle Swarm-Intelligence Fusion (CCPF)
Authors: Syamsul Amri Syafiq Qhushairy , Abdul Ghani Ahmad Shahrizan , Kamarul Baharin Mohd Aiman Syahmi , Abu Mohd Yazid , Fusaomi Nagata
Published: June 2023

When light travels through a water medium, selective attenuation and scattering have a profound impact on the underwater image. These limitations reduce image quality and impede the ability to perform visual tasks. The suggested integrated color correction with intelligence fusion of particle swarm technique (CCPF) is designed with four phases. The first phase presents a novel way to make improvement on underwater color cast. Limit the improvement to only red color channel. In the second phase, an image is then neutralized from the original image by brightness reconstruction technique resulting in enhancing the image contrast. Next, the mean adjustment based on particle swarm intelligence is implemented to improve the image detail. With the swarm intelligence method, the mean values of inferior color channels are shifted to be close to the mean value of a good color channel. Lastly, a fusion between the brightness reconstructed histogram and modified mean particle swarm intelligence histogram is applied to balance the image color. Analysis of underwater images taken in different depths shows that the proposed CCPF method improves the quality of the output image in terms of neutralizing effectiveness and details accuracy, consequently, significantly outperforming the other state-of-the-art methods. The proposed CCPF approach produces highest average entropy value of 7.823 and average UIQM value of 6.287.