bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PROMOÇÃO DA SAÚDE E SEUS PRIMEIROS FUNDAMENTOS: QUESTÕES HISTÓRICAS E FENOMENOLÓGICAS
Authors: Ferrete Yuri Alexandre , Holanda Adriano Furtado
Published: April 2024

A presente investigação teve como objetivo realizar uma análise histórica e epistê-mica do conceito de Promoção da Saúde e sua respectiva compreensão de Sujeito. Tomou-se como objeto de estudo a Carta de Ottawa, de 1986, e suas influências históricas-políticas do século XX. Como Método de investigação, realizou-se uma análise hermenêutica, tomando como suporte a estratégia metodológica de Gadamer com o auxílio de uma revisão bibiliográ-fica de historiadores do mesmo século, usufruindo destes segundos dados como um crivo ana-lítico ao documento. Como resultado, foi possível identificar que a Saúde Pública transformou o seu Sujeito em uma individualidade, fixado no mundo por determinantes. Por sua vez, não se pode afirmar indubitavelmente quem é o tal Sujeito da saúde pública, mas crê-se fielmente que transformando seu contexto social, a partir de uma idealidade posta anterior à própria pessoa, chegar-se-á em uma perfeição. O que se pode afirmar sobre este Sujeito é que o mesmo é tratado como o sujeito da técnica, indivíduo estático no mundo, mero produto das aplicações.
Investigation and recording of livestock waste for the creation of biogas plant
Authors: Triantafyllou Christos , Dounavis Athanasios , Tassopoulou Christina
Published: April 2024

In this paper, the research focuses on the recording of livestock waste and the investigation of the views of cattle, sheep and goat farmers of the Municipality of Amyntaio (Region of Western Macedonia in Greece) regarding renewable energy sources and more specifically biogas plants which can contribute to waste management. In order to achieve the research goal, a quantitative survey was carried out on a sample of 38 livestock farmers, which showed that the farmers are not negative towards the prospect of creating a biogas plant in their area, but they do not have sufficient knowledge about it, thus requiring training in the area.
Teaching trends in data, technology, and society - finding a new balance
Authors: Stryker Jay
Published: April 2024

In the Fall of 2020, a First-Year Seminar that discussed various trends in the applications of data and technology to society was taught at Stetson University for the first time. It covered exciting trends in data analytics in identity theft, marketing, fraud detection, and accounting. Data visualization of large data sets was explored. The course also covered aspects of ethics related to data privacy and data governance, especially social media and medical records. Companies such as Cambridge Analytica and their ability to use personal data to target specific ads at small groups of individuals and the ensuing impact on voters were investigated. Machine learning and its potential to automate processes previously only able to be performed by humans and its potential to disrupt various job markets were considered. The implications of data usage in generative adversarial networks and the application to "deep fakes" were also explored. This class was also taught in a modified form in the Fall of 2021. This paper will briefly discuss some of the topics covered in those classes. Additionally, the ongoing process of developing the course, along with lessons learned related to student engagement, an "overcorrection" between the first and second time teaching the classes, along with a plan to attempt a "flipped classroom" structure next fall to improve student engagement will be discussed.
On-Machine Coordinate Measuring for In-Situ Quality Control
Authors: Goheen William D. , Towner Ridge D. , Moscoso-Kingsley Wilfredo , Carstens Deborah S.
Published: April 2024

The capability of a computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool equipped with direct computer control coordinate measuring software and high accuracy contact probing is validated for in-situ machine health monitoring and in-situ part quality control. The validation conforms to international standards for performance evaluation of commercially available coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). The capability of the CNC system to perform CMM-type measurements is demonstrated via a case study. The equivalency between part dimensional measurements obtained directly from the use of the CNC machine tool as a CMM and from part dimensional measurements performed using commercially available CMMs is established via a correlation study.
The Identification of Environmental Loads and Key Issue to the Home Appliances in the Disposal Phase by the LCA
Authors: Park Pil-Ju , Noh Jae-Sung , Lee Kun-Mo
Published: April 2024

Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) is a procedure evaluating environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity from raw material aquisition to disposal. Disposal phase as well as manufacturing or use phase should be considered as an important process in order to evaluate confidence in the LCA results. In this study, we examined the application of management method involved with manpower-capital conbined recycling technique on home appliances in disposal phase. Database, considered as national specific situation, recycling processes and incineration has been established. Also, we carried out the LCA on a refrigerator in the disposal phase and identified the key issues. Two methods for the identification of key issues were studied, one for impact category and the other for whole system. As a result, Identified key issues are disassembly, cabinet foam, urethane. So are coolant, PCB incineration. These are more than 50% of whole environmental burdens. Also, The value of global warming, human toxicity of air emission, and acidification are high.
LCA tool for Designer
Authors: Huh JinHo , Hwang TaeYeon , Chung YounHa , Hwang JongSu
Published: April 2024

The completion of quantitative environmental analysis is a prerequisite to environmentally conscious design of products. Life cycle assessment is one of the most important tools for environmentally conscious design of products because of its ability for quantitative analysis through whole life cycle of products. Generally, life cycle assessment requires much more time and cost than other tools to be applied to product design. Especially, the worst problem in that Life cycle assessment much time to apply to product design. For tide over a defect of life cycle assessment, using the simple tool is necessary for a designer to assess his designing products or parts in designing step existing life cycle assessment results. We made SPEED for our companys designer, which is easy to use for the first LCA Tool of designer in KOREA. Also we will develop SPEED as a general supporting tool for design, which can assess products environmental implications.
Life Cycle Assessment for Steel Sheet Processing
Authors: Lee Sang-Yong , Lee Chang-Gun , Lee Kun-Mo
Published: April 2024

Environmental performance of steel sheet processing processes was investigated by implementing a Life Cycle Assessment(LCA). The inventory analysis was performed with data obtained from four major companies within the country. The selected processes were welding, cutting and pressing process. In welding process, there were gas metal arc welding(GMAW), flux cored arc welding(FCAW), submerged arc welding(SAW) and spot welding. In cutting process, there were oxygen-acetylene cutting and oxygen-plasma cutting. In pressing process, there was 3500 ton press. Especially for cutting and pressing process, we made some equations with regard to each input such as electric power and mineral oil to activate the utilization of the life cycle inventory database. As for welding process, environmental impacts vary according to the kind of parents metal, however, the most significant impact was the abiotic resource depletion. In the case of cutting and pressing process, eco-toxicity and abiotic resource depletion were identified as the most contributing impact respectively.
Life Cycle Assessment of End of Life Vehicles Treatment System
Authors: Hong Seok Jin , Kim Ik , Hur Tak , Hong John Hee , Yun Ju Ho , Kim Young Myung
Published: April 2024

In Europe, the final recycling rate of ELV(End of Life Vehicle) has been regulated by 95%(by 2015). To meet this satisfaction, countries such as Germany, Japan and Sweden are introducing various ways of system in dealing ELV. This study mainly focuses on providing the comparable information between the improvement of system processed by unit process and the environment-friendly system, which will be adopted later in ELV. It classifies a treatment system into fluid draining, disassembly, shredding & sorting and processes by including recycling process of each unit output into the system boundary. Also, it divides treatment scenario which is satisfied the recycling rate regulated by ELV directive into two parts: One is at the stage of disassembly and the other is at that of shredding & sorting so that they can assess the environmental effect on ELV by applying the improved scenario respectively. In conclusion, treatment system of ELV is an environmental profit derived from recycling outputs in unit process(-6.04E+01 Eco-indicator) and the gain from the old metal has a large portion of profit by 77%. For improvement in recycling and sanitary landfill, scenario 2 is inferior to scenario 1, in that it produces additional inputs/outputs. However, further examination on the environmental effect about landfill should be taken into account more clearly.
Life Cycle Assessment on Incineration Process of Waste Paper
Authors: Jeong Soojeong , Ryu Ji-yeon , Hur Tak
Published: April 2024

This study is about practicing LCA on the incinerating waste paper. One kilogram of waste paper needs a 0.089kwh of electricity, 0.86kg of water and 0.0086kg of various chemicalswhile burmed. As a result, 1.13kg of CO2, 0.0015kg of NOx are eliminated as the outcome to the air. Also, 0.1kg of ashs and 0.013kg of arsenic acids are produced. Steam caused by using waste heat is recovered by 3.42MJ. The exhaust of CO2 in the stage of incinerating itself is 1.13kg/f.u. but it gets 0.32kg/f.u.from the energy recovery, so, the total counts 0.82kg/f.u.
The order of impact categories from the LCA result is global warming(77.7%), abiotic resource depletion (6.3%) and acidification, eutrophication, ecotoxicity. Even though it might somewhat reduce the bad effect on ecology to cut back the amount of carbon, which is the main ingredient in CO2, however, given that the amount of carbon in paper remains unchanged, that is not the proper plan. Now we can suppose that promote energy recovery would help minimizing the overall burden on the environment. One solution to increase the rate of energy recovery is reducing the content of water in food waste came along with waste paper. And this results in lessening the burden on the environment. Promoting the recycling rate of waste paper, which accounts 56% now, might be the basic solution to reduce the burden on ecology generated from the incineration of paper.
Environmental comparative evaluation of Hollow sintered cam shaft and Lightweight Aluminum cam shaft using LCA
Authors: Lee Moongu , Jung Jae-soo , Lim Song T. , Kim Shae K. , Lim Chang-ho , Cho Youn-haeng
Published: April 2024

This study demonstrated environmental impacts caused by material impact and reduced weight, comparing the life cycle environmental impacts of hollowed sintered cam shaft and lightweight aluminium cam shaft studied through material development. It also demonstrated the relations between the environmental impact and the distance covered using the sensitivity analysis. The LCA result shows that the environmental impact of the lightweight aluminium cam shaft is much higher than the hollowed sintered cam shaft in the raw material gathering and manufacturing stage and less in the using and waste stage.
Environmental Assessment s of Tin-lead Soldering and Lead-Free Soldering Using LCA
Authors: Kim Young Hee , Hong Ki-Jeong , Hur Tak , Lee Ji-Won , Moon Young-June , 문 영준
Published: April 2024

Recently, Tin-lead solder to involve lead is converting to lead-free solder that is developed and produced because of hazardous substances restriction in electronics industry. Lead-free solder to be developed has an effect on the potential human toxic impact and ecological toxic impact less than Tin-lead solder. However, lead-free solder has an effect on the potential global warming and resource depletion more than Tin-lead solder. Therefore, this paper analyzes and compares changes in the following impact categories; potential human toxic impact, ecological toxic impact, global warming and resource depletion due to a conversion from Tin-lead solder to lead-free solder such as Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu, Sn-0.7Cu or Sn-8Zn-3Bi. As a result, it shows that using lead-free solder in soldering decreases a potential human toxic impact but increases both potential global warming and resource depletion, since a process temperature of lead-free soldering is increased by rising a solder melting point.
Environmental Impacts Assessment of Spent LIBS (Lithium Ion Batteries) Recycling System Using Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Choi Yong-ki , Jeong Soojeong , Lee Ji-yong , Hur Tak , Sohn Jeong-soo
Published: April 2024

This study intended to identify the environmental aspects associated with the lithium ion battery recycling system. The potential environmental impacts were evaluated by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The leaching test of heavy metals was conducted for tracking their long-term effects on the environment after recycling process. The recycling system was a level of pilot plant scale. Hence, it was expected to perform more positive consequence which was ultimately reduced environmental burdens due to the recycling system if the system optimized as a Cu and Al separated, feasibly.
Life cycle assessment on porosity film in YK's supply chain green partnership
Authors: Suh ChangSeok , Lee JunHo , Ahn JoongWoo , Huh JinHo , Lee GilJung , Choi KiSeok
Published: April 2024

Green Partnership with suppliers becomes more important in that the better environmental aspect leads better quality of products. So it is expected that the Life Cycle Assessment of Porosity Film manufactured in a supplier is helpful to understand Self Environmental Evaluation and the analysis of improvements. Single environmental point was 3.20E-01 after the Life Cycle Assessment through weighting stage. Material Input stage represented as the biggest environmental loads factor, over 97%, in the Porosity Film's manufacturing process system. 10% of the environmental benefits resulted from the waste recycling during Slitting & Winding manufacturing process. Both the manufacturing process and material of Porosity Film was relatively simple. Therefore, smaller material-input and higher recycling rates of wastes was recommended as a conclusion.
The Concept and Application of Material Flow Cost Accounting
Authors: Kim Chung-Nam
Published: April 2024

The purpose of this paper is to examine MFCA (Material Flow Cost Accounting), accounting analysis method, that provides the company which is committed to reduce environmental burden and cost in the process of implementing environmental management with useful decision-making information. In addition, in order to find the way of MFCA's practical use, MFCA was applied to the domestic middle & small company manufacturing car parts. This case study was conducted as a part of the project, "Construction and Application of S IEM Model for the Middle & Small Company in the automobile industry," funded by Korea National Cleaner Production Center of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, a subsidiary of Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
Development and application of material flow analysis in a national scale
Authors: Kim Ik , Kim Mann-Young
Published: April 2024

Material flow analysis (MFA) is one of representative methods that can evaluate the sustainability of country, company and product in the environmental aspect. This study developed the MFA method in a national scale. It proposed the detailed direct and/or indirect material flow indicators per each life cycle stage in order to support the effective management of material in a national level. Also a case study on steel was conducted to analyze the feasibility of the proposed method. As a results of MFA on steel, the life cycle material flow chart and the indicator results on both resource productivity and domestic material input per capita from 1992 to 2004 were presented.
Life cycle assessment of drinking water treatment process
Authors: Kim yong yeon , Oh geum seon , Park dong hak
Published: April 2024

This study is about practicing LCA on the water treatment plant. The Environmental impact categories used is Abiotic resource depletion potentials, Global Warming potentials, Ozone depletion potentials, Acidification potentials, Photochemical oxidant creation potentials, Eutrophication potentials, Freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity potentials. Terrestrial ecotoxicity potentials, Human toxicity potentials. As a result of LCA, The most impact categories to produce clean water is abiotic resources depletion potentials(27.13%).
The most burdening stage in the entire production and supply system is transportation process of dehydrated sludge (89.2%) and chemicals(16.28%). It is important for Go-San WTP to shorten the transport distance for reducing environmental impact.
Development of Life Cycle Assessment Program for Apartment House and Case Study
Authors: Jeong Young Sun , Lee Seung Eon , Huh Jung Ho
Published: April 2024

The purpose of this research is to develop method and tool that are available to quantitatively estimate CO2 exhaust, energy consumption and resource for an apartment house. This study provided life cycle assessment program for estimating carbon dioxide emission of an apartment housing and composed database of energy consumption unit and carbon dioxide emission unit outputted by input-output analysis. This study fixed the basic guidelines as provided by ISO 14040's. Hereafter, we have to expand database of a unit of environmental load for building materials and verify logics and composition of life cycle assessment program by estimating sample building.
A Study on Comparative Scenario Analysis of Cement Manufacturing Process with Waste Utilization
Authors: Koo Hee Jun , Park Eun Kyu , Chung Chan Kyo , Choi Woo Zin
Published: April 2024

In case of cement industry, large amounts of waste by-products are effectively utilized as alternative sources for fuel and raw materials. The objective of this study is to assess environmental effects on cement manufacturing process in utilization of wastes compared to the alternative waste treatment systems, such as landfill and/or incineration, etc. Both LCI and LCIA were conducted with a perspective of gate to grave as well as scenario analysis in order to figure out more detailed environmentally key issuses. The seven major manufacturing companies were chosen for portland cement - Type I and conducted LCI. Generally, site-specific data was applied. If it's not impossible, database was used. Impact assessment was carried out consecutively as classification, characterization, normalization and weighting by Eco-indicator. The eco-indicators of cement system, scenario A(bituminous coal), B(raw material), C(landfill/incineration/recycling) were 53.4288, 2.0307, 0.00077, respectively. The key issues of cement system is a GWP by CO2 released kiln. The scenario analysis is performed in order to compare the reduction of environmental impact when recycled resources make used of kiln and treatment system. The environmental burden of kiln system is lower than landfill and/or incineration system.
Material Flow Analysis of lead with Input-Output table in Korea
Authors: Jang Seok Do , Shin Mi Ji , Jeon Ahn Sang
Published: April 2024

This study conducts the dynamic-material flow analysis (D-MFA) of Lead (Pb) with the Input-Output Tables issued by The Bank of Korea. As a result, an efficient material cycle system is formulated for the Pb flow (Raw materials and production-a primary production-Intermediate products-The final product-waste), stock and waste flow in 2008. The major conclusions are (1) Korean lead waste ratio was peak in 2005 but little by little after that, (2) stock ratio was peak in 2002, and (3) material recycling rate was 30% in 2008.
Life Cycle Assessment for Open field and Greenhouse Peppers
Authors: Park Jeong a , Jung Soon chul , Huh Jin ho , So Kyu ho , Roh Kee an
Published: April 2024

Demographic and economic growth leads naturally to an increase in demand for resources, with the extraction, processing, use and disposal of these resources causing a wide variety of environmental problems such as wastes and emissions in the air and in the water. To analyze and manage the subsequent impacts on the environment, tools such as life cycle assessment (LCA) is being widely used. Due to the increasing of interest about food safety and environmental performance, life cycle assessment for agri-food sector is being essential part. So this paper carries out life cycle assessment for open field and greenhouse peppers. The results of assessment, open field peppers are more environmental friendly at four impact categories; abiotic resource depletion, global warming potential, fresh water aquatic eco toxicity potential and terrestrial eco toxicity potential. And the other impact categories show reverse trends. Key issue of environmental burden for open field peppers are production of inorganic fertilizer and other greenhouse material, and for greenhouse peppers are direct air emission from energy use and crude that oil extracted for diesel production.
The Proposal & Application of Eco-effectiveness using the concept of Vector
Authors: Park Pil Ju , Jeong In Tae , Kim Mann young
Published: April 2024

Eco-efficiency refers to a ratio between environmental impact and value(or cost) and it has been used as a sustainable index widely. However, the debate on eco-efficiency has somehow left behind the question of limits; no consideration of a relative size as well as the impossibility of weighting among evaluation factors (parameters). Therefore, eco-effectiveness using a vector concept which represents the position of an object in space in relation to an arbitrary reference point is proposed as a new evaluation index. The case study of washing machine in the end of life stage was performed and the comparative analysis with the eco-efficiency was conducted. Although frame(steel) is the most economic material (or part) in the washing machine, the priority is low in eco-efficiency but the highest priority in eco-effectiveness. As shown in eco-effectiveness formula, it is possible to consider the relative size which can not be considered in the eco-efficiency. Furthermore, it has a benefit to give a weighting factor among evaluation factors (parameters). Although the concept of eco-effectiveness is more beneficial than that of eco-efficiency, there still needs to confirm whether distortion occurs in the result when convert the normal value into the relative value.
Substance Flow Analysis of Mercury and Human Risk Assessment
Authors: Jang Eun Sil , Kim Kyung Hwan , Hwang Yoon Yung , Hur Tak
Published: April 2024

Concerned about the harmful effects of mercury on human, the flows of mercury need to be analyzed to trace where it is used and decide how to manage it. In the study the substance flows of mercury are identified through the SFA (Substance Flow Analysis) and the effects of mercury on human are examined using HRA (Human Risk Assessment).
The MFA study shows that the total consumption of mercury in 2009 is reduced by 42%, compared to 2000. It is used mainly in lighting appliances such as HID (High-Intensity Discharge) lamp, fluorescent lamp, and cold cathode fluorescent lamp. It is mainly input to construction and electronic & electricity industry and waste mercury is recovered from descarded lighting appliances. At present, however, the collected mercury from the discarded products is disposed because of technical and economical difficulties. In the past the domestic demand of mercury was much larger than now and thus, the environmental emission of mercury is mainly from the 'manufacturing' stage. On the other hand, at present proper management of waste mercury becomes critical, since recently the demand of mercury decreases significantly and at the same time the increased amounts of mercury containing products are discarded.
The HRA is carried out to examine the probability and likely-hood of hazardous impact of mercury to human for each region. The disposal plant of mercury-containing products shows much higher potential risks on human than more populated place with high consumption of mercury-containing products. It is due to that the amounts of discarded products with contain mercury increase, while the amounts of new mercury-containing products decrease because of international regulations. Thus, the management of waste mercury is critical in order to reduce the risks of mercury to human. In addition, the amounts of mercury emission are analyzed for 16 cities/provinces in Korea using the factors which consider the characteristics of different mercury containing products. Human exposure assessment is performed. considering the amount of mercury exposed by air inhaled and water intake. The results of risk characterization show that the most harmful place for human risk is different from the place with the largest amount of mercury emission.
Study on Life-Cycle Assessment for Recycling Process of Used Small Household Appliances
Authors: Choi Woo Zin , Park Eun Kyu , Park Ki Hak
Published: April 2024

This study aims at evaluating the environmental impacts on recycling process for used small household appliances. The recycling process mainly consists of 1st-stage crushing, manual dismantling, magnetic separation, 2nd-stage crushing, eddy-current separation and near-infrared ray(NIR) separation. The overall capacity of the process is about 15 ton per day to treat used small household appliances. In this study, life-cycle assessment(LCA) methodology is applied to analyze major environmental parameters such as GWP, ADP, POCP, EP, etc. One of the major impact categories on the weight basis in the recycling process is global warming(GWP) 57.1 %, next to ADP 35.4 % and POCP 4.8 %, respectively. As a result of environmental impact on recovery of valuable resources/ton, the GWP of plastics for ABS is highest(51.41 %) compared to ferrous(8.61 %). The effects of environmental and economical benefit are also analyzed to compare with the amount of virgin materials to be recycled by recycled materials. In addition, recycled materials are also more economical in comparison to virgin materials due to the environmental avoiding effect by recycling. In conclusion, the key environmental issues related to the recycling of e-wastes are analyzed and therefore, the effective recycling process will contribute to mitigate global warming potential in the near future.
Analysis of Environmental and Economic Value through Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) on Recycling Technologies for Flat Panel Display Devices
Authors: Son Min Jung , Cha Kyoung Hoon , Ahn Joong Woo , Choi Aran , Lee Chan Gi , Yoon Jin Ho , Park Jae Layng , Cho Bong Gyoo , Cho Young Ju
Published: April 2024

This study analysis of environmental and economic value through Life Cycle Assessment(LCA) on recycling technologies for flat panel display devices. Environmental impacts were assessed for the five categories of impacts: global warming, resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, and photochemical oxide production. When recycling 1kg of waste glass, global warming impact was 1.93E-02 kg CO2-eq., resource depletion impact was 1.26E-04 kg Sb-eq., acidification impact was 3.29E-05 kg SO2-eq., eutrophication impact was 6.13E-06 kg PO43--eq., and the photochemical oxide production impact was 1.64E-05 kg C2H4-eq. When 1kg of recycled glass is produced, the result of analysis of environmental and economic value can be taken as 72 won. When producing 3,800 kg of recycled glass, it is possible to obtain 275,076 won of gain and 3,471,750 won in annual amount of waste glass.
In-Depth Study for Environmental Impact Assessment of EPS(Electric Power Steering) using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Authors: Chung Jin Won , An Hee Chul
Published: April 2024

This study was quantified using LCA about EPS　limited system boundary from raw material extraction until it leaves the factory and assessed six environmental impact categories; Abiotic depletion; Acidification; Eutrophication; Global warming; Ozone layer depletion; and Photochemical oxidants creation. The contributions of raw material extraction to the six environmental impact categories were determined to be as follows:Abiotic depletion 85.2%, Acidification 93.8%, Eutrophication 89.7%, Global warming 86.3%, Ozone layer depletion 99.5%, and Photochemical oxidants creation 93.1%.　Sensitivity analysis was performed for data and assumptions to confirm the results reliability of this study. The results of this study confirmed that raw material extraction stage and aluminum material part is the most important environmental impact factors in EPS.
A Contextual Model Towards Understanding Information Technology Governance: Principles, Structure & Mechanisms
Authors: Yaokumah W. Yaokumah
Published: April 2024

Although the board of directors and top executives depend on information technology (IT) to achieve strategic and operational goals and to meet legal and regulatory compliance requirements, IT governance is often not well understood by the board of directors and top executive management. The intent of this paper is to provide guidelines and understanding of the context of IT governance to organizational leaders. The study employs a qualitative examination of peer-reviewed journals, published documents, and IT practitioner sources containing IT standards and frameworks to (1) identify, classify and discuss the high-level view of the inter-related components of IT governance, and (2) develop a contextual model of IT governance. The contextual model integrates corporate governance theories, IT governance mechanisms, and IT governance domains. The strength of this model is its simplicity, which is devoid of complexities that normally confound the boards of directors and top executives when implementing IT governance. Therefore, the model provides guidance to the top executives and IT leaders the choices to initiate IT governance according to governance principles, IT governance mechanisms, statutory and regulatory compliance, and standard IT governance practices. The study recommends that the Government of Ghana should set up an IT governing board to guide the various arms of government as well as organizations and institutions that aim to strengthen their IT governance.
The Effect of Supply Chain Management on Firm Performance: The Case of Selected Commercial Banks in Ghana
Authors: Ofori-Nyarko E. Ofori-Nyarko
Published: April 2024

This study examined the effect of supply chain practices in firm performance. The population of this study was supply chain professionals in selected commercial banks in Ghana. A quantitative research technique was employed. The simple random sampling method was used to select 178 respondents from four (4) commercial banks. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Pearson’s correlation test and linear regression analysis were used to analyse data. Findings indicated that supply chain practices significantly influence firm performance, with supply chain practices accounting for 67.7% of the total variation in firm performance. Moreover, supply chain practices significantly influence each dimension of firm performance. Thus, it accounts for 89% of the total variation on market performance, while it accounts for 30.1% and 9.2% of the total variation on operational performance and financial performance respectively. It is therefore concluded that firm performance would improve when supply chain practices in the banks are enhanced. Generally, supply chain practices positively influence firm performance among the banks. This means that improved practices of supply chain would enhance firm performance among the banks.
Professioanl accountant: The challenges of the next decade (Agenda 2015 plus)
Authors: Omane-Antwi K. B.
Published: April 2024

In the next 10 years, professional accountants will need to modify the way they perceive and carry out their mission. They will have to join the ranks of decision makers while keeping their roles of support and constructive critic to managers. They will need to extend their information management skills to the handling of non financial data to support a new definition of performance that is reflected in the Total Quality Monagementand value chain cultures. The mission will change because the context or management has changed, e.g., flat organizations, fuzzy organizational boundaries reflecting partnerships with customers and suppliers, globalization, and a new emphasis on service activities. The time horizons the professional accountant is used to will no longer be applicable. Such changes as target cost management, life-cycle thinking, and anticipatory crisis management ore some of the reasons that will require professional accountants to become proactively involved in "managing for the future." Based on a greater attention to the understanding and analysis of the causes of resource consumption, the professional accountant will become more interventionist and will be involved in both organizational engineering and becoming a change agent in the whole product cycle, from strategic intent identification to strategic performance analysis, through change management and communication. The picture depicted of the professional accountant of the year 2015 plus is radically different from what • PENTVARS BUSINESS JOURNAL* is seen today, Training for these professionals will need to encompass this new mission in its new context. Managers also will have to embrace and value the rich potential that resides in their close cooperation with this "new" professional accountant.
Farmer training and household labour use
Authors: Osei R.D. Osei , Osei-Akoto I. Osei-Akoto , Kyere-Boateng R. Kyere-Boateng
Published: April 2024

The question has always been asked as to whether training leads to a change in farmer behaviour in terms of labour for farm production. This question forms the main thesis of this paper. The paper investigates this question, among others, using panel data obtained from about 3,000 farmers and collected over the period February 2010 to January 2011. The paper employs a difference-in-difference estimator to test whether training provided to beneficiary farmers under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Ghana programme did change labour use on the farms of these farmers. The main findings of the study are that the training seems to have impacted positively on households'decision to allocate labour hours to harvesting related activities for both the major and minor seasons. The study concludes by noting that there are significant differential impacts with respect to the type of labour, and/orzonefor which the estimates were generated. In general, the impact is positive for all the cases where evidence of impact is found. It is therefore suggested that farmers increased their labour use because of their expectations of positive returns due to the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) intervention.
The medicinal plant Berberis aristata and its endophytes for pharmacological applications: Current research and future challenges
Authors: Sharma Sheetal , Chaitanya M. V. N. L. , Sharma Sarika , Kumar Sanjeev , Rustagi Sarvesh , Singh Sangram , Shreaz Sheikh , Rai Ashutosh Kumar , Negi Rajeshwari , Yadav Ajar Nath
Published: April 2024

Exploring medicinal plants for their natural products to benefit humanity has been a practice since ancient times. Berberis aristata, also known as tree turmeric or Indian barberry, has a dominant spot in conventional medicine for 2500 plus years. In the latter years, this particular species has gained prime attention in pharmaceutical zone due to its scarcity. The plant and its formulations are used to treat numerous human health threats including cancer, diabetes, diarrhea, wound relieving, infections of eyes and ears, gynecological disorders, and HIV-AIDS. The bioactive compounds present in B. aristata are found to contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties. The plant is critically jeopardized species of Indian Himalaya due to the collection of its roots at a large scale for obtaining berberine alkaloid and its conservation is of great concern. At present, isolation of endophytic entities from remedial plants revolutionized the path of discovering drugs from medicinal plants. Endophytes can produce the same bioactive as their host plant as well as another bioactive to address a variety of human health issues. The review examines the bioprospecting of B. aristata, a medicinal shrub from the family Berberidaceae, and its associated endophytes for the production of bioactive compounds with application to human health. Finally, the review provides a comprehensive outlook on the current status and future prospects of bioprospecting B. aristata and its endophytes to combat future human health threats is an exciting area of research that should be further explored.
La pérdida de la riqueza: un mito embera sobre el origen de las razas y la desigualdad social
Authors: Restrepo Campo Andrés Ricardo , Turbay Sandra
Published: April 2024

This article analyzes an Embera myth from northwest Colombia that sheds light on the origin of racial disparities and the poverty experienced by indigenous communities in comparison to “whites.” Methodologically, the myth was collected using ethnographic techniques in the Jaikerazabi community, located in the municipality of Mutatá, Antioquia. The interpretation involves identifying the myth’s structure and analyzing the historical and social context that perpetuates inequalities between the Embera and other groups. According to the myth, the subordinate status of indigenous peoples stemmed from their perceived weakness and the decree of the god Karagabí, who supposedly favored the abilities of whites and mestizos. The article concludes that this myth offers insights into racial hierarchies and socio-spatial, economic, and political dynamics resulting from colonization and the country’s development model. The myth legitimizes the historical domination over the Embera people by presenting modern rationality as canonical, diminishing the value of traditionally inhabited spaces and condemning indigenous people to poverty for not conforming to the Western model. However, it also serves as an attempt to comprehend and potentially transform these inequalities. The originality of the article lies in providing insight into Embera culture through the lens of myth to provide a perspective on how indigenous people perceive the inequality they experience. This approach also recognizes myths as evolving narratives that adapt to historical changes experienced by these societies.
Multi-tiered actions of Legionella effectors to modulate host Rab10 dynamics
Authors: Kubori Tomoko , Arasaki Kohei , Oide Hiromu , Kitao Tomoe , Nagai Hiroki
Published: April 2024

Rab GTPases are representative targets of manipulation by intracellular bacterial pathogens for hijacking membrane trafficking.
Legionella pneumophila
recruits many Rab GTPases to its vacuole and exploits their activities. Here, we found that infection-associated regulation of Rab10 dynamics involves ubiquitin signaling cascades mediated by the SidE and SidC families of
Legionella
ubiquitin ligases. Phosphoribosyl-ubiquitination of Rab10 catalyzed by the SidE ligases is crucial for its recruitment to the bacterial vacuole. SdcB, the previously uncharacterized SidC family effector, resides on the vacuole and contributes to retention of Rab10 at the late stages of infection. We further identified MavC as a negative regulator of SdcB. By the transglutaminase activity, MavC crosslinks ubiquitin to SdcB and suppresses its function, resulting in elimination of Rab10 from the vacuole. These results demonstrate that the orchestrated actions of many
L. pneumophila
effectors fine-tune the dynamics of Rab10 during infection.
N-terminus of Drosophila melanogaster MSL1 is critical for dosage compensation
Authors: Babosha Valentin , Klimenko Natalia , Revel-Muroz Anastasia , Tikhonova Evgeniya , Georgiev Pavel , Maksimenko Oksana
Published: April 2024

The male-specific lethal complex (MSL), which consists of five proteins and two non-coding roX RNAs, is involved in the transcriptional enhancement of X-linked genes to compensate for the sex chromosome monosomy in Drosophila XY males compared with XX females. The MSL1 and MSL2 proteins form the heterotetrameric core of the MSL complex and are critical for the specific recruitment of the complex to the high-affinity ‘entry’ sites (HAS) on the X chromosome. In this study, we demonstrated that the N-terminal region of MSL1 is critical for stability and functions of MSL1. Amino acid deletions and substitutions in the N-terminal region of MSL1 strongly affect both the interaction with roX2 RNA and the MSL complex binding to HAS on the X chromosome. In particular, substitution of the conserved N-terminal amino-acids 3–7 in MSL1 (MSL1GS) affects male viability similar to the inactivation of genes encoding roX RNAs. In addition, MSL1GS binds to promoters such as MSL1WT but does not co-bind with MSL2 and MSL3 to X chromosomal HAS. However, overexpression of MSL2 partially restores the dosage compensation. Thus, the interaction of MSL1 with roX RNA is critical for the efficient assembly of the MSL complex on HAS of the male X chromosome.
Automated workflow for the cell cycle analysis of (non-)adherent cells using a machine learning approach
Authors: Hayatigolkhatmi Kourosh , Soriani Chiara , Soda Emanuel , Ceccacci Elena , El Menna Oualid , Peri Sebastiano , Negrelli Ivan , Bertolini Giacomo , Franchi Gian Martino , Carbone Roberta , Minucci Saverio , Rodighiero Simona
Published: April 2024

Understanding the cell cycle at the single-cell level is crucial for cellular biology and cancer research. While current methods using fluorescent markers have improved the study of adherent cells, non-adherent cells remain challenging. In this study, we addressed this gap by combining a specialized surface to enhance cell attachment, the FUCCI(CA)2 sensor, an automated image analysis pipeline, and a custom machine learning algorithm. This approach enabled precise measurement of cell cycle phase durations in non-adherent cells. This method was validated in acute myeloid leukemia cell lines NB4 and Kasumi-1, which have unique cell cycle characteristics, and we tested the impact of cell cycle-modulating drugs on NB4 cells. Our cell cycle analysis system, which is also compatible with adherent cells, is fully automated and freely available, providing detailed insights from hundreds of cells under various conditions. This report presents a valuable tool for advancing cancer research and drug development by enabling comprehensive, automated cell cycle analysis in both adherent and non-adherent cells.
Targeting resident astrocytes attenuates neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury
Authors: Zhao Qing , Zhu Yanjing , Ren Yilong , Zhao Lijuan , Zhao Jingwei , Yin Shuai , Ni Haofei , Zhu Rongrong , Cheng Liming , Xie Ning
Published: April 2024

Astrocytes derive from different lineages and play a critical role in neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). Whether selectively eliminating these main origins of astrocytes in lumbar enlargement could attenuate SCI-induced neuropathic pain remains unclear. Through transgenic mice injected with an adeno-associated virus vector and diphtheria toxin, astrocytes in lumbar enlargement were lineage traced, targeted, and selectively eliminated. Pain-related behaviors were measured with an electronic von Frey apparatus and a cold/hot plate after SCI. RNA sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, molecular experiment, and immunohistochemistry were used to explore the potential mechanisms after astrocyte elimination. Lineage tracing revealed that the resident astrocytes but not ependymal cells were the main origins of astrocytes-induced neuropathic pain. SCI-induced mice to obtain significant pain symptoms and astrocyte activation in lumbar enlargement. Selective resident astrocyte elimination in lumbar enlargement could attenuate neuropathic pain and activate microglia. Interestingly, the type I interferons (IFNs) signal was significantly activated after astrocytes elimination, and the most activated Gene Ontology terms and pathways were associated with the type I IFNs signal which was mainly activated in microglia and further verified in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, different concentrations of interferon and Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist could activate the type I IFNs signal in microglia. These results elucidate that selectively eliminating resident astrocytes attenuated neuropathic pain associated with type I IFNs signal activation in microglia. Targeting type I IFNs signals is proven to be an effective strategy for neuropathic pain treatment after SCI.
Age-Related Decline in BBB Function is More Pronounced in Males than Females
Authors: Shao Xingfeng , Shou Qinyang , Felix Kimberly , Ojogho Brandon , Jiang Xuejuan , Gold Brian T. , Herting Megan M , Goldwaser Eric L , Kochunov Peter , Hong L. Elliot , Pappas Ioannis , Braskie Meredith , Kim Hosung , Cen Steven , Jann Kay , Wang Danny JJ
Published: April 2024

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS), shielding it from potential harmful entities. A natural decline of BBB function with aging has been reported in both animal and human studies, which may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Limited data also suggest that being female may be associated with protective effects on BBB function. Here we investigated age and sex-dependent trajectories of perfusion and BBB water exchange rate (kw) across the lifespan in 186 cognitively normal participants spanning the ages of 8 to 92 years old, using a novel non-invasive diffusion prepared pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (DP-pCASL) MRI technique. We found that the pattern of BBB kw decline with aging varies across brain regions. Moreover, results from our novel DP-pCASL technique revealed a remarkable decline in BBB kw beginning in the early 60s, which was more pronounced in males. In addition, we observed sex differences in parietotemporal and hippocampal regions. Our findings provide in vivo results demonstrating sex differences in the decline of BBB function with aging, which may serve as a foundation for future investigations into perfusion and BBB function in neurodegenerative and other brain disorders.The blood-brain barrier (BBB) serves as a critical protection mechanism for the CNS. A natural decline of BBB function with aging has been reported in both animal and human studies, with possible differences in BBB function by sex. Using our novel MRI technique, DP-pCASL that measures water exchange rate (kw) without contrast in 186 participants from diverse race and age groups, we identified age and sex-specific patterns in BBB kw especially in parietotemporal and hippocampal regions. We observed of a decline in kw beginning in the early 60s, especially in males. Our study unveils the dynamic spatiotemporal pattern of kw differences with age and sex, which serve as a foundation for understanding aberrations of BBB function in neurodegenerative and other brain disorders.