Search results for: emotional recognition
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 3278

Search results for: emotional recognition

308 Coprophagus Beetles (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera) of Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India

Authors: Subhankar Kumar Sarkar

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Scarab beetles composing the family Scarabaeidae is one of the largest families in the order Coleoptera. The family is comprised of 11 subfamilies. Of these, the subfamily Scarabaeinae includes 13 tribes globally. Indian species are however considered within 2 tribes Scarabaeini and Coprini. Scarab beetles under this subfamily also known as Coprophagus beetles play an indispensable role in forestry and agriculture. Both adults and larvae of these beetles do a remarkable job of carrying excrement into the soil thus enriching the soil to a great extent. Eastern and North Eastern states of India are heavily rich in diversity of organisms as this region exhibits the tropical rain forests of the eastern Himalayas, which exhibits one of the 18 biodiversity hotspots of the world and one of the three of India. Buxa Tiger Reserve located in Dooars between latitudes 26°30” to 26°55” North & longitudes 89°20” to 89°35” East is one such fine example of rain forests of the eastern Himalayas. Despite this, the subfamily is poorly known, particularly from this part of the globe and demands serious revisionary studies. It is with this background; the attempt is being made to assess the Scarabaeinae fauna of the forest. Both extensive and intensive surveys were conducted in different beats under different ranges of Buxa Tiger Reserve. For collection sweep nets, bush beating and collection in inverted umbrella, hand picking techniques were used. Several pit fall traps were laid in the collection localities of the Reserve to trap ground dwelling scarabs. Dung of various animals was also examined to make collections. In the evening hours UV light, trap was used to collect nocturnal beetles. The collected samples were studied under Stereozoom Binocular Microscopes Zeiss SV6, SV11 and Olympus SZ 30. The faunistic investigation of the forest revealed in the recognition of 19 species under 6 genera distributed over 2 tribes. Of these Heliocopris tyrannus Thomson, 1859 was recorded new from the Country, while Catharsius javanus Lansberge, 1886, Copris corpulentus Gillet, 1910, C. doriae Harold, 1877 and C. sarpedon Harold, 1868 from the state. 4 species are recorded as endemic to India. The forest is dominated by the members of the Genus Onthophagus, of which Onthophagus (Colobonthophagus) dama (Fabricius, 1798) is represented by highest number of individuals. Their seasonal distribution is most during Premonsoon followed by Monsoon and Postmonsoon. Zoogeographically all the recorded species are of oriental distribution.

Keywords: buxa tiger reserve, diversity, India, new records, scarabaeinae, scarabaeidae

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307 Photography as a Medium Of Communication within the Campaign for Raising Awarenes of Controlled Consumption of Television Contents

Authors: Jelena Kovačević Vorgučin, Sibila Petenji Arbutina

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The postmodern age brings a rapid development of technology which inevitably leads to man's need to adapt to modern lifestyle. On the one hand, technological achievements have made human life easier, but there are numerous risks involved. Moreover, man's awareness and perception is changing and adapting unconsciously to the world we live in, while communication in the 21st century is predominantly based on the consumption of images. This paper presents sociological aspects of a community which is confined due to turbulent political-economic circumstances and its impact on the development of media literacy in Serbia. Previous researches led to the conclusion that the media culture is on an extremely low level, and that it can have a strong influence on the general development of the society, starting from the youngest segment of the population. Our aim is to use the conceptual authorial photographs inspired by the obtained research results to emphasize the importance that the impact of visual art has in delivering the message, its role in education and in raising awareness of universal social problems. The paper presents a number of stages involved in the conceptual project which is designed to last over a longer period of time in order to facilitate dissemination of information. First, a survey was carried out in several preschool institutions. This resulted in obtaining the necessary information on the habitual use of the medium of television in children and their carers-parents. The second stage focused on the relationship between the parent and the child in TV consumption. Further, an overview of the visual part of the project was made, which consisted of photographs in various dimensions, ranging from miniature to large dimensions, and following various exhibition principles in both gallery and alternative spaces. This stage of the project placed particular emphasis on the non-standard exhibiting formats and alternative exhibition principles which are increasingly present in all kinds of visual art aimed at achieving a higher level of information noticing and memorizing. The motif on the authorial photographs is children's portraits taken while they are watching different television contents, with emphasis on their emotional response. The importance of the medium of TV is particularly emphasized due to the fact that its consumption is the highest, even though there are newer and more advanced information-technological achievements. The already realized part of the project was used for an analysis of the results in the last stage of the project, which led to the conclusion that the response to the entire visual expression campaign was extremely positive, and action as such very useful indeed. The results obtained speak in favour of widening and continuation of the project, both on a greater number of sites locally as well as in other communities in Serbia with the aim of guiding people towards meaningful consumption of the television medium.

Keywords: alternative space exhibiting, children and TV, conceptual portrait photography, media literacy

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306 The Invisible Planner: Unearthing the Informal Dynamics Shaping Mixed-Use and Compact Development in Ghanaian Cities

Authors: Muwaffaq Usman Adam, Isaac Quaye, Jim Anbazu, Yetimoni Kpeebi, Michael Osei-Assibey

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Urban informality, characterized by spontaneous and self-organized practices, plays a significant but often overlooked role in shaping the development of cities, particularly in the context of mixed-use and compact urban environments. This paper aims to explore the invisible planning processes inherent in informal practices and their influence on the urban form of Ghanaian cities. By examining the dynamic interplay between informality and formal planning, the study will discuss the ways in which informal actors shape and plan for mixed-use and compact development. Drawing on the synthesis of relevant secondary data, the research will begin by defining urban informality and identifying the factors that contribute to its prevalence in Ghanaian cities. It will delve into the concept of mixed-use and compact development, highlighting its benefits and importance in urban areas. Drawing on case studies, the paper will uncover the hidden planning processes that occur within informal settlements, showcasing their impact on the physical layout, land use, and spatial arrangements of Ghanaian cities. The study will also uncover the challenges and opportunities associated with informal planning. It examines the constraints faced by informal planners (actors) while also exploring the potential benefits and opportunities that emerge when informality is integrated into formal planning frameworks. By understanding the invisible planner, the research will offer valuable insights into how informal practices can contribute to sustainable and inclusive urban development. Based on the findings, the paper will present policy implications and recommendations. It highlights the need to bridge the policy gaps and calls for the recognition of informal planning practices within formal systems. Strategies are proposed to integrate informality into planning frameworks, fostering collaboration between formal and informal actors to achieve compact and mixed-use development in Ghanaian cities. This research underscores the importance of recognizing and leveraging the invisible planner in Ghanaian cities. By embracing informal planning practices, cities can achieve more sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant urban environments that meet the diverse needs of their residents. This research will also contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between informality and planning, advocating for inclusive and collaborative approaches that harness the strengths of both formal and informal actors. The findings will likewise contribute to advancing our understanding of informality's role as an invisible yet influential planner, shedding light on its spatial planning implications on Ghanaian cities.

Keywords: informality, mixed-uses, compact development, land use, ghana

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305 Make Populism Great Again: Identity Crisis in Western World with a Narrative Analysis of Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech

Authors: Soumi Banerjee

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In this research paper we will go deep into understanding Benedict Anderson’s definition of the nation as an imagined community and we will analyze why and how national identities were created through long and complex processes, and how there can exist strong emotional bonds between people within an imagined community, given the fact that these people have never known each other personally, but will still feel some form of imagined unity. Such identity construction on the part of an individual or within societies are always in some sense in a state of flux as imagined communities are ever changing, which provides us with the ontological foundation for reaching on this paper. This sort of identity crisis among individuals living in the Western world, who are in search for psychological comfort and security, illustrates a possible need for spatially dislocated, ontologically insecure and vulnerable individuals to have a secure identity. To create such an identity there has to be something to build upon, which could be achieved through what may be termed as ‘homesteading’. This could in short, and in my interpretation of Kinnvall and Nesbitt’s concept, be described as a search for security that involves a search for ‘home’, where home acts as a secure place, which one can build an identity around. The next half of the paper will then look into how populism and identity have played an increasingly important role in the political elections in the so-called western democracies of the world, using the U.S. as an example. Notions of ‘us and them’, the people and the elites will be looked into and analyzed through a social constructivist theoretical lens. Here we will analyze how such narratives about identity and the nation state affects people, their personality development and identity in different ways by studying the U.S. President Donald Trump’s speeches and analyze if and how he used different identity creating narratives for gaining political and popular support. The reason to choose narrative analysis as a method in this research paper is to use the narratives as a device to understand how the perceived notions of 'us and them' can initiate huge identity crisis with a community or a nation-state. This is a relevant subject as results and developments such as rising populist rightwing movements are being felt in a number of European states, with the so-called Brexit vote in the U.K. and the election of Donald Trump as president are two of the prime examples. This paper will then attempt to argue that these mechanisms are strengthened and gaining significance in situations when humans in an economic, social or ontologically vulnerable position, imagined or otherwise, in a general and broad meaning perceive themselves to be under pressure, and a sense of insecurity is rising. These insecurities and sense of being under threat have been on the rise in many of the Western states that are otherwise usually perceived to be some of the safest, democratically stable and prosperous states in the world, which makes it of interest to study what has changed, and help provide some part of the explanation as to how creating a ‘them’ in the discourse of national identity can cause massive security crisis.

Keywords: identity crisis, migration, ontological security(in), nation-states

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304 Speech Acts of Selected Classroom Encounters: Analyzing the Speech Acts of a Career Technology Lesson

Authors: Michael Amankwaa Adu

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Effective communication in the classroom plays a vital role in ensuring successful teaching and learning. In particular, the types of language and speech acts teachers use shape classroom interactions and influence student engagement. This study aims to analyze the speech acts employed by a Career Technology teacher in a junior high school. While much research has focused on speech acts in language classrooms, less attention has been given to how these acts operate in non-language subject areas like technical education. The study explores how different types of speech acts—directives, assertives, expressives, and commissives—are used during three classroom encounters: lesson introduction, content delivery, and classroom management. This research seeks to fill the gap in understanding how teachers of non-language subjects use speech acts to manage classroom dynamics and facilitate learning. The study employs a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected through direct classroom observation and audio recordings of a one-hour Career Technology lesson. The transcriptions of the lesson were analyzed using John Searle’s taxonomy of speech acts, classifying the teacher’s utterances into directives, assertives, expressives, and commissives. Results show that directives were the most frequently used speech act, accounting for 59.3% of the teacher's utterances. These speech acts were essential in guiding student behavior, giving instructions, and maintaining classroom control. Assertives made up 20.4% of the speech acts, primarily used for stating facts and reinforcing content. Expressives, at 14.2%, expressed emotions such as approval or frustration, helping to manage the emotional atmosphere of the classroom. Commissives were the least used, representing 6.2% of the speech acts, often used to set expectations or outline future actions. No declarations were observed during the lesson. The findings of this study reveal the critical role that speech acts play in managing classroom behavior and delivering content in technical subjects. Directives were crucial for ensuring students followed instructions and completed tasks, while assertives helped in reinforcing lesson objectives. Expressives contributed to motivating or disciplining students, and commissives, though less frequent, helped set clear expectations for students’ future actions. The absence of declarations suggests that the teacher prioritized guiding students over making formal pronouncements. These insights can inform teaching strategies across various subject areas, demonstrating that a diverse use of speech acts can create a balanced and interactive learning environment. This study contributes to the growing field of pragmatics in education and offers practical recommendations for educators, particularly in non-language classrooms, on how to utilize speech acts to enhance both classroom management and student engagement.

Keywords: classroom interaction, pragmatics, speech acts, teacher communication, career technology

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303 Chatbots and the Future of Globalization: Implications of Businesses and Consumers

Authors: Shoury Gupta

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Chatbots are a rapidly growing technological trend that has revolutionized the way businesses interact with their customers. With the advancements in artificial intelligence, chatbots can now mimic human-like conversations and provide instant and efficient responses to customer inquiries. In this research paper, we aim to explore the implications of chatbots on the future of globalization for both businesses and consumers. The paper begins by providing an overview of the current state of chatbots in the global market and their growth potential in the future. The focus is on how chatbots have become a valuable tool for businesses looking to expand their global reach, especially in areas with high population density and language barriers. With chatbots, businesses can engage with customers in different languages and provide 24/7 customer service support, creating a more accessible and convenient customer experience. The paper then examines the impact of chatbots on cross-cultural communication and how they can help bridge communication gaps between businesses and consumers from different cultural backgrounds. Chatbots can potentially facilitate cross-cultural communication by offering real-time translations, voice recognition, and other innovative features that can help users communicate effectively across different languages and cultures. By providing more accessible and inclusive communication channels, chatbots can help businesses reach new markets and expand their customer base, making them more competitive in the global market. However, the paper also acknowledges that there are potential drawbacks associated with chatbots. For instance, chatbots may not be able to address complex customer inquiries that require human input. Additionally, chatbots may perpetuate biases if they are programmed with certain stereotypes or assumptions about different cultures. These drawbacks may have significant implications for businesses and consumers alike. To explore the implications of chatbots on the future of globalization in greater detail, the paper provides a thorough review of existing literature and case studies. The review covers topics such as the benefits of chatbots for businesses and consumers, the potential drawbacks of chatbots, and how businesses can mitigate any risks associated with chatbot use. The paper also discusses the ethical considerations associated with chatbot use, such as privacy concerns and the need to ensure that chatbots do not discriminate against certain groups of people. The ethical implications of chatbots are particularly important given the potential for chatbots to be used in sensitive areas such as healthcare and financial services. Overall, this research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of chatbots and their implications for the future of globalization. By exploring both the potential benefits and drawbacks of chatbot use, the paper aims to provide insights into how businesses and consumers can leverage this technology to achieve greater global reach and improve cross-cultural communication. Ultimately, the paper concludes that chatbots have the potential to be a powerful tool for businesses looking to expand their global footprint and improve their customer experience, but that care must be taken to mitigate any risks associated with their use.

Keywords: chatbots, conversational AI, globalization, businesses

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302 Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Health Product E-Commerce Market in Singapore

Authors: Andrew Green, Jiaming Liu, Kellathur Srinivasan, Raymond Chua

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Introduction: The size of Singapore’s online health product (HP) market (e-commerce) is largely unknown. However, it is recognized that a large majority comes from overseas and thus, unregulated. As buying HP from unauthorized sources significantly compromises public health safety, understanding e-commerce users’ demographics and their perceptions on online HP purchasing becomes a pivotal first step to form a basis for recommendations in Singapore’s pharmacovigilance efforts. Objective: To assess the prevalence of online HP purchasing behaviour among Singaporean e-commerce users. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study targeting Singaporean e-commerce users recruited from various local websites and online forums. Participants were not randomized into study arms but instead stratified by random sampling method based on participants’ age. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used to explore participants' demographics, online HP purchasing behaviour, knowledge and attitude. The association of different variables with online HP purchasing behaviour was analysed using logistic regression statistics. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of HP e-commerce users in Singapore (%) and variables that contribute to the prevalence (adjusted prevalent ratio). Results: The study recruited 372 complete and valid responses. The prevalence of online HP consumers among e-commerce users in Singapore is estimated to be 55.9% (1.7 million consumers). Online purchasing of complementary HP (46.9%) was the most prevalent, followed by medical devices (21.6%) and Western medicine (20.5%). Multivariate analysis showed that age is an independent variable that correlates with the likelihood of buying HP online. The prevalence of HP e-commerce users is highest in the 35-44 age group (64.1%) and lowest among the 16-24 age group (36.4%). The most bought HP through the internet are vitamins and minerals (21.5%), non-herbal (15.9%), herbal (13.9%), weight loss (8.7%) and sports (8.4%) supplements. While the top 3 products are distributed equally between the genders, there is a skew towards female respondents (12.4% in females vs. 4.9% in males) for weight loss supplements and towards males (13.2% in males vs. 3.7% in females) for sports supplements. Even though online consumers are in the younger age brackets, our study found that up to 72.0% of HP bought online are bought for others (buyer’s family and/or friends). Multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant association between purchasing HP through online means and the perceptions that 'internet is safe' (adjusted Prevalence Ratio=1.15, CI 1.03-1.28), 'buying HP online is time saving' (PR=1.17, CI 1.01-1.36), and 'recognition of HP brand' (PR=1.21 CI 1.06-1.40). Conclusions: This study has provided prevalence data for online HP market in Singapore, and has allowed the country’s regulatory body to formulate a targeted pharmacovigilance approach to this growing problem.

Keywords: e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, pharmacovigilance, Singapore

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301 Nursing Experience in the Intensive Care of a Lung Cancer Patient with Pulmonary Embolism on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Authors: Huang Wei-Yi

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Objective: This article explores the intensive care nursing experience of a lung cancer patient with pulmonary embolism who was placed on ECMO. Following a sudden change in the patient’s condition and a consensus reached during a family meeting, the decision was made to withdraw life-sustaining equipment and collaborate with the palliative care team. Methods: The nursing period was from October 20 to October 27, 2023. The author monitored physiological data, observed, provided direct care, conducted interviews, performed physical assessments, and reviewed medical records. Together with the critical care team and bypass personnel, a comprehensive assessment was conducted using Gordon's Eleven Functional Health Patterns to identify the patient’s health issues, which included pain related to lung cancer and invasive devices, fear of death due to sudden deterioration, and altered tissue perfusion related to hemodynamic instability. Results: The patient was admitted with fever, back pain, and painful urination. During hospitalization, the patient experienced sudden discomfort followed by cardiac arrest, requiring multiple CPR attempts and ECMO placement. A subsequent CT angiogram revealed a pulmonary embolism. The patient's condition was further complicated by severe pain due to compression fractures, and a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer was unexpectedly confirmed, leading to emotional distress and uncertainty about future treatment. Throughout the critical care process, ECMO was removed on October 24, stabilizing the patient’s body temperature between 36.5-37°C and maintaining a mean arterial pressure of 60-80 mmHg. Pain management, including Morphine 8mg in 0.9% N/S 100ml IV drip q6h PRN and Ultracet 37.5 mg/325 mg 1# PO q6h, kept the pain level below 3. The patient was transferred to the ward on October 27 and discharged home on October 30. Conclusion: During the care period, collaboration with the medical team and palliative care professionals was crucial. Adjustments to pain medication, symptom management, and lung cancer-targeted therapy improved the patient’s physical discomfort and pain levels. By applying the unique functions of nursing and the four principles of palliative care, positive encouragement was provided. Family members, along with social workers, clergy, psychologists, and nutritionists, participated in cross-disciplinary care, alleviating anxiety and fear. The consensus to withdraw ECMO and life-sustaining equipment enabled the patient and family to receive high-quality care and maintain autonomy in decision-making. A follow-up call on November 1 confirmed that the patient was emotionally stable, pain-free, and continuing with targeted lung cancer therapy.

Keywords: intensive care, lung cancer, pulmonary embolism, ECMO

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300 Health Care Teams during COVID-19: Roles, Challenges, Emotional State and Perceived Preparedness to the Next Pandemic

Authors: Miriam Schiff, Hadas Rosenne, Ran Nir-Paz, Shiri Shinan Altman

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To examine (1) the level, predictors, and subjective perception of professional quality of life (PRoQL), posttraumatic growth, roles, task changes during the pandemic, and perceived preparedness for the next pandemic. These variables were added as part of an international study on social workers in healthcare stress, resilience, and perceived preparedness we took part in, along with Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. (2) The extent to which background variables, rate of exposure to the virus, working in COVID wards, profession, personal resilience, and resistance to organizational change predict posttraumatic growth, perceived preparedness, and PRoQL (the latter was examined among social workers only). (3) The teams' perceptions of how the pandemic impacted them at the personal, professional, and organizational levels and what assisted them. Methodologies: Mixed quantitative and qualitative methods were used. 1039 hospital healthcare workers from various professions participated in the quantitative study while 32 participated in in-depth interviews. The same methods were used in six other countries. Findings: The level of PRoQL was moderate, with higher burnout and secondary traumatization level than during routine times. Differences between countries in the level of PRoQL were found as well. Perceived preparedness for the next pandemic at the personal level was moderate and similar among the different health professions. Higher exposure to the virus was associated with lower perceived preparedness of the hospitals. Compared to other professions, doctors and nurses perceived hospitals as significantly less prepared for the next pandemic. The preparedness of the State of Israel for the next pandemic is perceived as low by all healthcare professionals. A moderate level of posttraumatic growth was found. Staff who worked at the COVID ward reported a greater level of growth. Doctors reported the lowest level of growth. The staff's resilience was high, with no differences among professions or levels of exposure. Working in the COVID ward and resilience predicted better preparedness, while resistance to organizational change predicted worse preparedness. Findings from the qualitative part of the study revealed that healthcare workers reported challenges at the personal, professional and organizational level during the different waves of the pandemic. They also report on internal and external resources they either owned or obtained during that period. Conclusion: Exposure to the COVID-19 virus is associated with secondary traumatization on one hand and personal posttraumatic growth on the other hand. Personal and professional discoveries and a sense of mission helped cope with the pandemic that was perceived as a historical event, war, or mass casualty event. Personal resilience, along with the support of colleagues, family, and direct management, were seen as significant components of coping. Hospitals should plan ahead and improve their preparedness to the next pandemic.

Keywords: covid-19, health-care, social workers, burnout, preparedness, international perspective

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299 Reading and Writing of Biscriptal Children with and Without Reading Difficulties in Two Alphabetic Scripts

Authors: Baran Johansson

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This PhD dissertation aimed to explore children’s writing and reading in L1 (Persian) and L2 (Swedish). It adds new perspectives to reading and writing studies of bilingual biscriptal children with and without reading and writing difficulties (RWD). The study used standardised tests to examine linguistic and cognitive skills related to word reading and writing fluency in both languages. Furthermore, all participants produced two texts (one descriptive and one narrative) in each language. The writing processes and the writing product of these children were explored using logging methodologies (Eye and Pen) for both languages. Furthermore, this study investigated how two bilingual children with RWD presented themselves through writing across their languages. To my knowledge, studies utilizing standardised tests and logging tools to investigate bilingual children’s word reading and writing fluency across two different alphabetic scripts are scarce. There have been few studies analysing how bilingual children construct meaning in their writing, and none have focused on children who write in two different alphabetic scripts or those with RWD. Therefore, some aspects of the systemic functional linguistics (SFL) perspective were employed to examine how two participants with RWD created meaning in their written texts in each language. The results revealed that children with and without RWD had higher writing fluency in all measures (e.g. text lengths, writing speed) in their L2 compared to their L1. Word reading abilities in both languages were found to influence their writing fluency. The findings also showed that bilingual children without reading difficulties performed 1 standard deviation below the mean when reading words in Persian. However, their reading performance in Swedish aligned with the expected age norms, suggesting greater efficient in reading Swedish than in Persian. Furthermore, the results showed that the level of orthographic depth, consistency between graphemes and phonemes, and orthographic features can probably explain these differences across languages. The analysis of meaning-making indicated that the participants with RWD exhibited varying levels of difficulty, which influenced their knowledge and usage of writing across languages. For example, the participant with poor word recognition (PWR) presented himself similarly across genres, irrespective of the language in which he wrote. He employed the listing technique similarly across his L1 and L2. However, the participant with mixed reading difficulties (MRD) had difficulties with both transcription and text production. He produced spelling errors and frequently paused in both languages. He also struggled with word retrieval and producing coherent texts, consistent with studies of monolingual children with poor comprehension or with developmental language disorder. The results suggest that the mother tongue instruction provided to the participants has not been sufficient for them to become balanced biscriptal readers and writers in both languages. Therefore, increasing the number of hours dedicated to mother tongue instruction and motivating the children to participate in these classes could be potential strategies to address this issue.

Keywords: reading, writing, reading and writing difficulties, bilingual children, biscriptal

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298 Access to Education and Adopted Identity of the Rohingya Amid Government Restrictions in Bangladesh

Authors: Ishrat Zakia Sultana

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The consistent persecution, ethnic cleansing, and genocide against the Rohingya in Burma resulted four major influxes of the Rohingya people to the neighboring country Bangladesh. After the latest influx of October 2016 and August 2017, the total number of Rohingya in Bangladesh stands somewhere between 900,000 to over one million, placing Bangladesh much ahead with the number of refugees compared to Dadaab and Kakuma in Kenya, Bidibidi in Uganda and Zaatari in Jordan. While Bangladesh received recognition and appreciation for receiving a huge number of the Rohingya, one of the fundamental human rights of the Rohingya – education – has never been fulfilled in Bangladesh. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief of the government of Bangladesh has been looking after the Rohingya and managing various programs for the Rohingya. On its website, the Ministry claims that it provides the basic supports/services to the Rohingya, including providing education. In practice, however, education for the Rohingya include only the provisions for registered Rohingya refugees – who are a very small number of populations among the entire Rohingya hosted in Bangladesh – and that is only up to grade 7 within the registered camps at Teknaf and Ukhia of Cox’s Bazar district of the country. There is no answer of the question, ‘What’s next’? Although refugees in Canada, Sudan, Turkey and other countries have been allowed to go to mainstream schools, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are not allowed to do so legally. Due to the lack of proof of nationality of the Rohingya, the government of Bangladesh imposes restrictions on their access to Bangladeshi schools. However, despite their vulnerability and statelessness, many Rohingyas are desperate to pursue education outside the camps and find their own way not only within Cox’s Bazar but also even in the capital city of the country. But they must hide their refugee identity to accomplish this. My research aims to explore how they manage to get admission amid government restrictions on their access to education in the mainstream institutions in Bangladesh. It will reveal how Rohingya people use adopted identity to get access to education in Bangladesh, and how they apply their own techniques to achieve their goals without having government approved identity. This research examined the strategies the Rohingya applied to manage documents related to their identity to ensure their admission to Bangladeshi education institutions – in schools, colleges, and universities. The research employed a qualitative approach. It used semi structured individual interviews and Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) with 20 male and female Rohingya refugees who are 18 years old and above, and have enrolled in Bangladeshi education institutions with adopted identity. Also I interviewed 5 local community members and policy makers to understand their perceptions and roles in this process. The findings of this research will allow the policy makers to rethink the outcomes of the restrictions on Rohingya’s education in Bangladesh, the ramifications of the denial of Rohingya’s access to education, and initiate policy dialogues on how to allow Rohingya refugees to pursue education in Bangladesh in legal way.

Keywords: Rohingya, Refugee, Bangladesh, Education

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297 Development of National Guidelines for Conducting Research and Development of Herbal Medicine in Thailand According to International Standards

Authors: Patcharaporn Sudchada, Nuntika Prommee

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Background: Herbal medicines constitute a vital component of Thailand's healthcare system and possess significant potential for international recognition. However, the absence of standardized clinical research guidelines aligned with international standards, coupled with unique local challenges, has hindered the development and registration of Thai herbal medicines in the global market. Objective: To establish comprehensive research and development guidelines for herbal medicine formulations that comply with international standards, with particular emphasis on enhancing research quality, scientific credibility, and facilitating both domestic registration and international market acceptance. Methods: The research methodology comprised eight sequential phases: (1) systematic collection and review of relevant documentation and regulatory frameworks; (2) development of preliminary content structure and template designs; (3) systematic analysis and synthesis of scientific evidence and regulatory data; (4) creation of detailed research guidelines and accompanying templates; (5) execution of domestic and international consultation meetings and study visits involving nine stakeholder groups; (6) systematic expert review of the draft guidelines; (7) incorporation of feedback from relevant regulatory and research agencies; and (8) finalization and validation of the comprehensive guidelines. Results: The study produced comprehensive research and development guidelines for herbal medicines that meet international standards, encompassing the complete development pathway from initial concept through pre-clinical studies, product development, preparation protocols, clinical trial conduct, and product registration procedures. The guidelines include standardized templates and forms specifically designed for clinical research documentation. Conclusion: The established guidelines represent a significant advancement in standardizing clinical research for Thai herbal medicines, enhancing their scientific credibility and potential for international acceptance. Nevertheless, Thailand continues to face specific challenges, including insufficient specialized personnel in herbal research (particularly in clinical trials), challenges in integrating traditional Thai medicine principles with modern scientific methodology, limited research infrastructure, inadequate funding mechanisms, complex registration procedures, and public skepticism toward herbal products. The policy recommendations outlined in this research provide a strategic framework for addressing these challenges and promoting sustainable development of Thai herbal medicines within the national context.

Keywords: herbal medicine, clinical research, international standards, research guidelines, drug development, traditional thai medicine, regulatory compliance

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296 Examining the Drivers of Engagement in Social Media Brand Communities

Authors: Rania S. Hussein

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This research mainly focuses on examining engagement in social media brand communities. Engagement in social media has become a main focus in literature affirming that the role of social media in our daily lives is growing. (Akman and Mishra, 2017;Prado-Gascó et al., 2017). Social media has also become a key medium for brand communication and brand building relationships(Frimpong and McLean,2018;Dimitriu and Guesalaga, 2017). Engagement on social media has become a main focus of many researchers who tried to understand this concept further and draw a link between engagement and various social media activities (Cvijikj and Michahelles;2013), Andre,2015; Wang et al., 2015). According to Felix et al. (2017), the internet and social media have provided better digital resources to improve brand loyalty and customer interactions, thus leading to social media engagement within brand communities. The aim of this research is to highlight the importance of social media and why it is important to maintain engagement within social media. While the term ‘engagement’ is widely used in scholarly literature, there isn’t a common consensus about what the term exactly entails, according to Kidd, (2011). On one hand, it was seen as something that includes factors such as participation, activation, empowerment, devotion, trust, and productivity (Zhang et al, andBenyoucef, M. (2016), ). Other scholars held different viewpoints. For example, Lim et al. (2015) has chosen to break down engagement into three types: operational engagement, emotional engagement, and relational engagement. Chandler and Lusch (2015) further studied engagement as a means to measure commitment to a brand. Fernandes&Remelhe (2016) had a more technical view, measuring engagement through comments, following, subscribing, sharing, enjoying, writing, etc., in the social media context. ustomer engagement has become a research focus for understanding how consumer relationships are developed, retained, and improved within a digital context. Based on previous literature, it is evident that many customer engagement related studies are limited to the interaction between firms and consumers on social media. There is a clear gap in the literature regarding consumer-to-consumer interaction and user-generated content and its significance. While some researchers, such as Alversia et al. (2016), touched upon the importance of customer-based engagement, a gap still remains: there is no consistent and well-tested method for defining the factors that affect consumer interaction. Moreover, few scholarly research papers such as (Case, 2019; Riley, 2020;Habibi, 2014) provided to assist businesses understand their customers' interaction habits as well as the best ways to develop customer loyalty. Additionally, the majority of research on brand pages concentrated on the drivers of Consumer engagement, with just a few studies example, Lamberton, Cc(2016), Poorrezaei, (2016). (Jayasingh, 2019), looking into the implications. This study focuses on understanding the concept of engagement and its importance, specifically engagement within social media brand communities. It examines drivers as well as consequences of engagement, including brand knowledge, brand trust, entertainment, and brand page interactivity. Brand engagement is also expected to affect brand loyalty and word of the mouth.

Keywords: engagement, social media, brand communities, drivers

Procedia PDF Downloads 163
295 The Influence of Nutritional and Immunological Status on the Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer

Authors: Ching-Yi Yiu, Hui-Chen Hsu

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Objectives: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a big global health problem in the world. Despite the development of diagnosis and treatment, the overall survival of HNC is still low. The well recognition of the interaction of the host immune system and cancer cells has led to realizing the processes of tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. Many systemic inflammatory responses have been shown to play a crucial role in cancer progression. The pre and post-treatment nutritional and immunological status of HNC patients is a reliable prognostic indicator of tumor outcomes and survivors. Methods: Between July 2020 to June 2022, We have enrolled 60 HNC patients, including 59 males and 1 female, in Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Taiwan. The age distribution was from 37 to 81 years old (y/o), with a mean age of 57.6 y/o. We evaluated the pre-and post-treatment nutritional and immunological status of these HNC patients with body weight, body weight loss, body mass index (BMI), whole blood count including hemoglobin (Hb), lymphocyte, neutrophil and platelet counts, biochemistry including prealbumin, albumin, c-reactive protein (CRP), with the time period of before treatment, post-treatment 3 and 6 months. We calculated the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) to assess how these biomarkers influence the outcomes of HNC patients. Results: We have carcinoma of the hypopharynx in 21 cases with 35%, carcinoma of the larynx in 9 cases, carcinoma of the tonsil and tongue every 6 cases, carcinoma soft palate and tongue base every 5 cases, carcinoma of buccal mucosa, retromolar trigone and mouth floor every 2 cases, carcinoma of the hard palate and low lip each 1 case. There were stage I 15 cases, stage II 13 cases, stage III 6 cases, stage IVA 10 cases, and stage IVB 16 cases. All patients have received surgery, chemoradiation therapy or combined therapy. We have wound infection in 6 cases, 2 cases of pharyngocutaneous fistula, flap necrosis in 2 cases, and mortality in 6 cases. In the wound infection group, the average BMI is 20.4 kg/m2; the average Hb is 12.9 g/dL, the average albumin is 3.5 g/dL, the average NLR is 6.78, and the average PLR is 243.5. In the PC fistula and flap necrosis group, the average BMI is 21.65 kg/m2; the average Hb is 11.7 g/dL, the average albumin is 3.15 g/dL, average NLR is 13.28, average PLR is 418.84. In the mortality group, the average BMI is 22.3 kg/m2; the average Hb is 13.58 g/dL, the average albumin is 3.77 g/dL, the average NLR is 6.06, and the average PLR is 275.5. Conclusion: HNC is a big challenging public health problem worldwide, especially in the high prevalence of betel nut consumption area Taiwan. Besides the definite risk factors of smoking, drinking and betel nut related, the other biomarkers may play significant prognosticators in the HNC outcomes. We concluded that the average BMI is less than 22 kg/m2, the average Hb is low than 12.0 g/dL, the average albumin is low than 3.3 g/dL, the average NLR is low than 3, and the average PLR is more than 170, the surgical complications and mortality will be increased, and the prognosis is poor in HNC patients.

Keywords: nutritional, immunological, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, paltelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.

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294 Disaggregating Communities and the Making of Factional States: Evidence from Joint Forest Management in Sundarban, India

Authors: Amrita Sen

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In the face of a growing insurgent movement and the perceived failure of the state and the market towards sustainable resource management, a range of decentralized forest management policies was formulated in the last two decades, which recognized the need for community representations within the statutory methods of forest management. The recognition conceded on the virtues of ecological sustainability and traditional environmental knowledge, which were considered to be the principal repositories of the forest dependent communities. The present study, in the light of empirical insights, reflects on the contemporary disjunctions between the preconceived communitarian ethic in environmentalism and the lived reality of forest based life-worlds. Many of the popular as well as dominant ideologies, which have historically shaped the conceptual and theoretical understanding of sociology, needs further perusal in the context of the emerging contours of empirical knowledge, which lends opportunities for substantive reworking and analysis. The image of the community appears to be one of those concepts, an identity which has for long defined perspectives and processes associated with people living together harmoniously in small physical spaces. Through an ethnographic account of the implementation of Joint Forest Management (JFM) in a forest fringe village in Sundarban, the study explores the ways in which the idea of ‘community’ gets transformed through the process of state-making, rendering the necessity of its departure from the standard, conventional definition of homogeneity and internal equity. The study necessitates an attention towards the anthropology of micro-politics, disaggregating an essentially constructivist anthropology of ‘collective identities’, which can render the visibility of political mobilizations plausible within the seemingly culturalist production of communities. The two critical questions that the paper seeks to ask in this context are: how the ‘local’ is constituted within community based conservation practices? Within the efforts of collaborative forest management, how accurately does the depiction of ‘indigenous environmental knowledge’, subscribe to its role of sustainable conservation practices? Reflecting on the execution of JFM in Sundarban, the study critically explores the ways in which the state ceases to be ‘trans-national’ and interacts with the rural life-worlds through its local factions. Simultaneously, the study attempts to articulate the scope of constructing a competing representation of community, shaped by increasing political negotiations and bureaucratic alignments which strains against the usual preoccupations with tradition primordiality and non material culture as well as the amorous construction of indigeneity.

Keywords: community, environmentalism, JFM, state-making, identities, indigenous

Procedia PDF Downloads 199
293 Nurse Participation for the Economical Effectiveness in Medical Organizations

Authors: Alua Masalimova, Dameli Sulubecova, Talgat Isaev, Raushan Magzumova

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The usual relation to nurses of heads of medical organizations in Kazakhstan is to use them only for per performing medical manipulations, but new economic conditions require the introduction of nursing innovations. There is an increasing need for managers of hospital departments and regions of ambulatory clinics to ensure comfortable conditions for doctors, nurses, aides, as well as monitoring marketing technology (the needs and satisfaction of staff work, the patient satisfaction of the department). It is going to the past the nursing activities as physician assistant performing his prescriptions passively. We are suggesting a model for the developing the head nurse as the manager on the example of Blood Service. We have studied in the scientific-production center of blood transfusion head nurses by the standard method of interviewing for involvement in coordinating the flow of information, promoting the competitiveness of the department. Results: the average age of the respondents 43,1 ± 9,8, female - 100%; manager in the Organization – 9,3 ± 10,3 years. Received positive responses to the knowledge of the nearest offices in providing similar medical service - 14,2%. The cost of similar medical services in other competitive organizations did not know 100%, did a study of employee satisfaction Division labour-85,7% answered negatively, the satisfaction donors work staff studied in 50.0% of cases involved in attracting paid Services Division showed a 28.5% of the respondent. Participation in management decisions medical organization: strategic planning - 14,2%, forming analysis report for the year – 14,2%, recruitment-30.0%, equipment-14.2%. Participation in the social and technical designing workplaces Division staff showed 85,0% of senior nurses. Participate in the cohesion of the staff of the Division method of the team used the 10.0% of respondents. Further, we have studied the behavioral competencies for senior sisters: customer focus – 20,0% of respondents have attended, the ability to work in a team – 40,0%. Personal qualities senior nurses were apparent: sociability – 80,0%, the ability to manage information – 40,0%, to make their own decisions - 14,2%, 28,5% creativity, the desire to improve their professionalism – 50,0%. Thus, the modern market conditions dictate this organization, which works for the rights of economic management; include the competence of the post of the senior nurse knowledge and skills of Marketing Management Department. Skills to analyses the information collected and use of management offers superior medical leadership organization. The medical organization in the recruitment of the senior nurse offices take into account personal qualities: flexibility, fluency of thinking, communication skills and ability to work in a team. As well as leadership qualities, ambition, high emotional and social intelligence, that will bring out the medical unit on competitiveness within the country and abroad.

Keywords: blood service, head nurse, manager, skills

Procedia PDF Downloads 244
292 Immunomodulatory Role of Heat Killed Mycobacterium indicus pranii against Cervical Cancer

Authors: Priyanka Bhowmik, Subrata Majumdar, Debprasad Chattopadhyay

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Background: Cervical cancer is the third major cause of cancer in women and the second most frequent cause of cancer related deaths causing 300,000 deaths annually worldwide. Evasion of immune response by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the key contributing factor behind cancer and pre-cancerous lesions of the uterine cervix, makes immunotherapy a necessity to treat this disease. Objective: A Heat killed fraction of Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP), a non-pathogenic Mycobacterium has been shown to exhibit cytotoxic effects on different cancer cells, including human cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study is to decipher the mechanism of MIP induced HeLa cell death. Methods: The cytotoxicity of Mycobacterium indicus pranii against HeLa cells was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was detected by annexin V and Propidium iodide (PI) staining. The assessment of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and cell cycle analysis were measured by flow cytometry. The expression of apoptosis associated genes was analyzed by real time PCR. Result: MIP could inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cell in a time and dose dependent manner but caused minor damage to normal cells. The induction of apoptosis was confirmed by the cell surface presentation of phosphatidyl serine, DNA fragmentation, and mitochondrial damage. MIP caused very early (as early as 30 minutes) transcriptional activation of p53, followed by a higher activation (32 fold) at 24 hours suggesting prime importance of p53 in MIP-induced apoptosis in HeLa cell. The up regulation of p53 dependent pro-apoptotic genes Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa followed a lag phase that was required for the transcriptional p53 program. MIP also caused the transcriptional up regulation of Toll like receptor 2 and 4 after 30 minutes of MIP treatment suggesting recognition of MIP by toll like receptors. Moreover, MIP caused the inhibition of expression of HPV anti apoptotic gene E6, which is known to interfere with p53/PUMA/Bax apoptotic cascade. This inhibition might have played a role in transcriptional up regulation of PUMA and subsequently apoptosis. ROS was generated transiently which was concomitant with the highest transcription activation of p53 suggesting a plausible feedback loop network of p53 and ROS in the apoptosis of HeLa cells. Scavenger of ROS, such as N-acetyl-L-cysteine, decreased apoptosis suggesting ROS is an important effector of MIP induced apoptosis. Conclusion: Taken together, MIP possesses full potential to be a novel therapeutic agent in the clinical treatment of cervical cancer.

Keywords: cancer, mycobacterium, immunity, immunotherapy.

Procedia PDF Downloads 250
291 Nuclear Near Misses and Their Learning for Healthcare

Authors: Nick Woodier, Iain Moppett

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Background: It is estimated that one in ten patients admitted to hospital will suffer an adverse event in their care. While the majority of these will result in low harm, patients are being significantly harmed by the processes meant to help them. Healthcare, therefore, seeks to make improvements in patient safety by taking learning from other industries that are perceived to be more mature in their management of safety events. Of particular interest to healthcare are ‘near misses,’ those events that almost happened but for an intervention. Healthcare does not have any guidance as to how best to manage and learn from near misses to reduce the chances of harm to patients. The authors, as part of a larger study of near-miss management in healthcare, sought to learn from the UK nuclear sector to develop principles for how healthcare can identify, report, and learn from near misses to improve patient safety. The nuclear sector was chosen as an exemplar due to its status as an ultra-safe industry. Methods: A Grounded Theory (GT) methodology, augmented by a scoping review, was used. Data collection included interviews, scenario discussion, field notes, and the literature. The review protocol is accessible online. The GT aimed to develop theories about how nuclear manages near misses with a focus on defining them and clarifying how best to support reporting and analysis to extract learning. Near misses related to radiation release or exposure were focused on. Results: Eightnuclear interviews contributed to the GT across nuclear power, decommissioning, weapons, and propulsion. The scoping review identified 83 articles across a range of safety-critical industries, with only six focused on nuclear. The GT identified that nuclear has a particular focus on precursors and low-level events, with regulation supporting their management. Exploration of definitions led to the recognition of the importance of several interventions in a sequence of events, but that do not solely rely on humans as these cannot be assumed to be robust barriers. Regarding reporting and analysis, no consistent methods were identified, but for learning, the role of operating experience learning groups was identified as an exemplar. The safety culture across nuclear, however, was heard to vary, which undermined reporting of near misses and other safety events. Some parts of the industry described that their focus on near misses is new and that despite potential risks existing, progress to mitigate hazards is slow. Conclusions: Healthcare often sees ‘nuclear,’ as well as other ultra-safe industries such as ‘aviation,’ as homogenous. However, the findings here suggest significant differences in safety culture and maturity across various parts of the nuclear sector. Healthcare can take learning from some aspects of management of near misses in nuclear, such as how they are defined and how learning is shared through operating experience networks. However, healthcare also needs to recognise that variability exists across industries, and comparably, it may be more mature in some areas of safety.

Keywords: culture, definitions, near miss, nuclear safety, patient safety

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290 The Use of Punctuation by Primary School Students Writing Texts Collaboratively: A Franco-Brazilian Comparative Study

Authors: Cristina Felipeto, Catherine Bore, Eduardo Calil

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This work aims to analyze and compare the punctuation marks (PM) in school texts of Brazilian and French students and the comments on these PM made spontaneously by the students during the ongoing text. Assuming textual genetics as an investigative field within a dialogical and enunciative approach, we defined a common methodological design in two 1st year classrooms (7 years old) of the primary school, one classroom in Brazil (Maceio) and the other one in France (Paris). Through a multimodal capture system of writing processes in real time and space (Ramos System), we recorded the collaborative writing proposal in dyads in each of the classrooms. This system preserves the classroom’s ecological characteristics and provides a video recording synchronized with dialogues, gestures and facial expressions of the students, the stroke of the pen’s ink on the sheet of paper and the movement of the teacher and students in the classroom. The multimodal register of the writing process allowed access to the text in progress and the comments made by the students on what was being written. In each proposed text production, teachers organized their students in dyads and requested that they should talk, combine and write a fictional narrative. We selected a Dyad of Brazilian students (BD) and another Dyad of French students (FD) and we have filmed 6 proposals for each of the dyads. The proposals were collected during the 2nd Term of 2013 (Brazil) and 2014 (France). In 6 texts written by the BD there were identified 39 PMs and 825 written words (on average, a PM every 23 words): Of these 39 PMs, 27 were highlighted orally and commented by either student. In the texts written by the FD there were identified 48 PMs and 258 written words (on average, 1 PM every 5 words): Of these 48 PM, 39 were commented by the French students. Unlike what the studies on punctuation acquisition point out, the PM that occurred the most were hyphens (BD) and commas (FD). Despite the significant difference between the types and quantities of PM in the written texts, the recognition of the need for writing PM in the text in progress and the comments have some common characteristics: i) the writing of the PM was not anticipated in relation to the text in progress, then they were added after the end of a sentence or after the finished text itself; ii) the need to add punctuation marks in the text came after one of the students had ‘remembered’ that a particular sign was needed; iii) most of the PM inscribed were not related to their linguistic functions, but the graphic-visual feature of the text; iv) the comments justify or explain the PM, indicating metalinguistic reflections made by the students. Our results indicate how the comments of the BD and FD express the dialogic and subjective nature of knowledge acquisition. Our study suggests that the initial learning of PM depends more on its graphic features and interactional conditions than on its linguistic functions.

Keywords: collaborative writing, erasure, graphic marks, learning, metalinguistic awareness, textual genesis

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289 Telogen Effluvium: A Modern Hair Loss Concern and the Interventional Strategies

Authors: Chettyparambil Lalchand Thejalakshmi, Sonal Sabu Edattukaran

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Hair loss is one of the main issues that contemporary society is dealing with. It can be attributable to a wide range of factors, listing from one's genetic composition and the anxiety we experience on a daily basis. Telogen effluvium [TE] is a condition that causes temporary hair loss after a stressor that might shock the body and cause the hair follicles to temporarily rest, leading to hair loss. Most frequently, women are the ones who bring up these difficulties. Extreme illness or trauma, an emotional or important life event, rapid weight loss and crash dieting, a severe scalp skin problem, a new medication, or ceasing hormone therapy are examples of potential causes. Men frequently do not notice hair thinning with time, but women with long hair may be easily identified when shedding, which can occasionally result in bias because women tend to be more concerned with aesthetics and beauty standards of the society, and approach frequently with the concerns .The woman, who formerly possessed a full head of hair, is worried about the hair loss from her scalp . There are several cases of hair loss reported every day, and Telogen effluvium is said to be the most prevalent one of them all without any hereditary risk factors. While the patient has loss in hair volume, baldness is not the result of this problem . The exponentially growing Dermatology and Aesthetic medical division has discovered that this problem is the most common and also the easiest to cure since it is feasible for these people to regrow their hair, unlike those who have scarring alopecia, in which the follicle itself is damaged and non-viable. Telogen effluvium comes in two different forms: acute and chronic. Acute TE occurs in all the age groups with a hair loss of less than three months, while chronic TE is more common in those between the ages of 30 and 60 with a hair loss of more than six months . Both kinds are prevalent throughout all age groups, regardless of the predominance. It takes between three and six months for the lost hair to come back, although this condition is readily reversed by eliminating stresses. After shedding their hair, patients frequently describe having noticeable fringes on their forehead. The current medical treatments for this condition include topical corticosteroids, systemic corticosteroids, minoxidil and finasteride, CNDPA (caffeine, niacinamide, panthenol, dimethicone, and an acrylate polymer) .Individual terminal hair growth was increased by 10% as a result of the innovative intervention CNDPA. Botulinum Toxin A, Scalp Micro Needling, Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy [PRP], and sessions with Multivitamin Mesotherapy Injections are some recently enhanced techniques with partially or completely reversible hair loss. Also, it has been shown that supplements like Nutrafol and Biotin are producing effective outcomes. There is virtually little evidence to support the claim that applying sulfur-rich ingredients to the scalp, such as onion juice, can help TE patients' hair regenerate.

Keywords: dermatology, telogen effluvium, hair loss, modern hair loass treatments

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288 Kansei Engineering Applied to the Design of Rural Primary Education Classrooms: Design-Based Learning Case

Authors: Jimena Alarcon, Andrea Llorens, Gabriel Hernandez, Maritza Palma, Lucia Navarrete

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The research has funding from the Government of Chile and is focused on defining the design of rural primary classroom that stimulates creativity. The relevance of the study consists of its capacity to define adequate educational spaces for the implementation of the design-based learning (DBL) methodology. This methodology promotes creativity and teamwork, generating a meaningful learning experience for students, based on the appreciation of their environment and the generation of projects that contribute positively to their communities; also, is an inquiry-based form of learning that is based on the integration of design thinking and the design process into the classroom. The main goal of the study is to define the design characteristics of rural primary school classrooms, associated with the implementation of the DBL methodology. Along with the change in learning strategies, it is necessary to change the educational spaces in which they develop. The hypothesis indicates that a change in the space and equipment of the classrooms based on the emotions of the students will motivate better learning results based on the implementation of a new methodology. In this case, the pedagogical dynamics require an important interaction between the participants, as well as an environment favorable to creativity. Methodologies from Kansei engineering are used to know the emotional variables associated with their definition. The study is done to 50 students between 6 and 10 years old (average age of seven years), 48% of men and 52% women. Virtual three-dimensional scale models and semantic differential tables are used. To define the semantic differential, self-applied surveys were carried out. Each survey consists of eight separate questions in two groups: question A to find desirable emotions; question B related to emotions. Both questions have a maximum of three alternatives to answer. Data were tabulated with IBM SPSS Statistics version 19. Terms referred to emotions are grouped into twenty concepts with a higher presence in surveys. To select the values obtained as part of the implementation of Semantic Differential, a number expected of 'chi-square test (x2)' frequency calculated for classroom space is considered lower limit. All terms over the N expected a cut point, are included to prepare tables for surveys to find a relation between emotion and space. Statistic contrast (Chi-Square) represents significance level ≥ 0, indicator that frequencies appeared are not random. Then, the most representative terms depend on the variable under study: a) definition of textures and color of vertical surfaces is associated with emotions such as tranquility, attention, concentration, creativity; and, b) distribution of the equipment of the rooms, with emotions associated with happiness, distraction, creativity, freedom. The main findings are linked to the generation of classrooms according to diverse DBL team dynamics. Kansei engineering is the appropriate methodology to know the emotions that students want to feel in the classroom space.

Keywords: creativity, design-based learning, education spaces, emotions

Procedia PDF Downloads 142
287 Multi-Labeled Aromatic Medicinal Plant Image Classification Using Deep Learning

Authors: Tsega Asresa, Getahun Tigistu, Melaku Bayih

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Computer vision is a subfield of artificial intelligence that allows computers and systems to extract meaning from digital images and video. It is used in a wide range of fields of study, including self-driving cars, video surveillance, medical diagnosis, manufacturing, law, agriculture, quality control, health care, facial recognition, and military applications. Aromatic medicinal plants are botanical raw materials used in cosmetics, medicines, health foods, essential oils, decoration, cleaning, and other natural health products for therapeutic and Aromatic culinary purposes. These plants and their products not only serve as a valuable source of income for farmers and entrepreneurs but also going to export for valuable foreign currency exchange. In Ethiopia, there is a lack of technologies for the classification and identification of Aromatic medicinal plant parts and disease type cured by aromatic medicinal plants. Farmers, industry personnel, academicians, and pharmacists find it difficult to identify plant parts and disease types cured by plants before ingredient extraction in the laboratory. Manual plant identification is a time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lengthy process. To alleviate these challenges, few studies have been conducted in the area to address these issues. One way to overcome these problems is to develop a deep learning model for efficient identification of Aromatic medicinal plant parts with their corresponding disease type. The objective of the proposed study is to identify the aromatic medicinal plant parts and their disease type classification using computer vision technology. Therefore, this research initiated a model for the classification of aromatic medicinal plant parts and their disease type by exploring computer vision technology. Morphological characteristics are still the most important tools for the identification of plants. Leaves are the most widely used parts of plants besides roots, flowers, fruits, and latex. For this study, the researcher used RGB leaf images with a size of 128x128 x3. In this study, the researchers trained five cutting-edge models: convolutional neural network, Inception V3, Residual Neural Network, Mobile Network, and Visual Geometry Group. Those models were chosen after a comprehensive review of the best-performing models. The 80/20 percentage split is used to evaluate the model, and classification metrics are used to compare models. The pre-trained Inception V3 model outperforms well, with training and validation accuracy of 99.8% and 98.7%, respectively.

Keywords: aromatic medicinal plant, computer vision, convolutional neural network, deep learning, plant classification, residual neural network

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286 Neuroprotection against N-Methyl-D-Aspartate-Induced Optic Nerve and Retinal Degeneration Changes by Philanthotoxin-343 to Alleviate Visual Impairments Involve Reduced Nitrosative Stress

Authors: Izuddin Fahmy Abu, Mohamad Haiqal Nizar Mohamad, Muhammad Fattah Fazel, Renu Agarwal, Igor Iezhitsa, Nor Salmah Bakar, Henrik Franzyk, Ian Mellor

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Glaucoma is the global leading cause of irreversible blindness. Currently, the available treatment strategy only involves lowering intraocular pressure (IOP); however, the condition often progresses despite lowered or normal IOP in some patients. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) excitotoxicity often occurs in neurodegeneration-related glaucoma; thus it is a relevant target to develop a therapy based on neuroprotection approach. This study investigated the effects of Philanthotoxin-343 (PhTX-343), an NMDAR antagonist, on the neuroprotection of NMDA-induced glaucoma to alleviate visual impairments. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided: Groups 1 (control) and 2 (glaucoma) were intravitreally injected with phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and NMDA (160nM), respectively, while group 3 was pre-treated with PhTX-343 (160nM) 24 hours prior to NMDA injection. Seven days post-treatments, rats were subjected to visual behavior assessments and subsequently euthanized to harvest their retina and optic nerve tissues for histological analysis and determination of nitrosative stress level using 3-nitrotyrosine ELISA. Visual behavior assessments via open field, object, and color recognition tests demonstrated poor visual performance in glaucoma rats indicated by high exploratory behavior. PhTX-343 pre-treatment appeared to preserve visual abilities as all test results were significantly improved (p < 0.05). H&E staining of the retina showed a marked reduction of ganglion cell layer thickness in the glaucoma group; in contrast, PhTX-343 significantly increased the number by 1.28-folds (p < 0.05). PhTX-343 also increased the number of cell nuclei/100μm2 within inner retina by 1.82-folds compared to the glaucoma group (p < 0.05). Toluidine blue staining of optic nerve tissues showed that PhTX-343 reduced the degeneration changes compared to the glaucoma group which exhibited vacuolation overall sections. PhTX-343 also decreased retinal 3- nitrotyrosine concentration by 1.74-folds compared to the glaucoma group (p < 0.05). All results in PhTX-343 group were comparable to control (p > 0.05). We conclude that PhTX-343 protects against NMDA-induced changes and visual impairments in the rat model by reducing nitrosative stress levels.

Keywords: excitotoxicity, glaucoma, nitrosative stress , NMDA receptor , N-methyl-D-aspartate , philanthotoxin, visual behaviour

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285 The Home as Memory Palace: Three Case Studies of Artistic Representations of the Relationship between Individual and Collective Memory and the Home

Authors: Laura M. F. Bertens

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The houses we inhabit are important containers of memory. As homes, they take on meaning for those who live inside, and memories of family life become intimately tied up with rooms, windows, and gardens. Each new family creates a new layer of meaning, resulting in a palimpsest of family memory. These houses function quite literally as memory palaces, as a walk through a childhood home will show; each room conjures up images of past events. Over time, these personal memories become woven together with the cultural memory of countries and generations. The importance of the home is a central theme in art, and several contemporary artists have a special interest in the relationship between memory and the home. This paper analyses three case studies in order to get a deeper understanding of the ways in which the home functions and feels like a memory palace, both on an individual and on a collective, cultural level. Close reading of the artworks is performed on the theoretical intersection between Art History and Cultural Memory Studies. The first case study concerns works from the exhibition Mnemosyne by the artist duo Anne and Patrick Poirier. These works combine interests in architecture, archaeology, and psychology. Models of cities and fantastical architectural designs resemble physical structures (such as the brain), architectural metaphors used in representing the concept of memory (such as the memory palace), and archaeological remains, essential to our shared cultural memories. Secondly, works by Do Ho Suh will help us understand the relationship between the home and memory on a far more personal level; outlines of rooms from his former homes, made of colourful, transparent fabric and combined into new structures, provide an insight into the way these spaces retain individual memories. The spaces have been emptied out, and only the husks remain. Although the remnants of walls, light switches, doors, electricity outlets, etc. are standard, mass-produced elements found in many homes and devoid of inherent meaning, together they remind us of the emotional significance attached to the muscle memory of spaces we once inhabited. The third case study concerns an exhibition in a house put up for sale on the Dutch real estate website Funda. The house was built in 1933 by a Jewish family fleeing from Germany, and the father and son were later deported and killed. The artists Anne van As and CA Wertheim have used the history and memories of the house as a starting point for an exhibition called (T)huis, a combination of the Dutch words for home and house. This case study illustrates the way houses become containers of memories; each new family ‘resets’ the meaning of a house, but traces of earlier memories remain. The exhibition allows us to explore the transition of individual memories into shared cultural memory, in this case of WWII. Taken together, the analyses provide a deeper understanding of different facets of the relationship between the home and memory, both individual and collective, and the ways in which art can represent these.

Keywords: Anne and Patrick Poirier, cultural memory, Do Ho Suh, home, memory palace

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284 Video Analytics on Pedagogy Using Big Data

Authors: Jamuna Loganath

Abstract:

Education is the key to the development of any individual’s personality. Today’s students will be tomorrow’s citizens of the global society. The education of the student is the edifice on which his/her future will be built. Schools therefore should provide an all-round development of students so as to foster a healthy society. The behaviors and the attitude of the students in school play an essential role for the success of the education process. Frequent reports of misbehaviors such as clowning, harassing classmates, verbal insults are becoming common in schools today. If this issue is left unattended, it may develop a negative attitude and increase the delinquent behavior. So, the need of the hour is to find a solution to this problem. To solve this issue, it is important to monitor the students’ behaviors in school and give necessary feedback and mentor them to develop a positive attitude and help them to become a successful grownup. Nevertheless, measuring students’ behavior and attitude is extremely challenging. None of the present technology has proven to be effective in this measurement process because actions, reactions, interactions, response of the students are rarely used in the course of the data due to complexity. The purpose of this proposal is to recommend an effective supervising system after carrying out a feasibility study by measuring the behavior of the Students. This can be achieved by equipping schools with CCTV cameras. These CCTV cameras installed in various schools of the world capture the facial expressions and interactions of the students inside and outside their classroom. The real time raw videos captured from the CCTV can be uploaded to the cloud with the help of a network. The video feeds get scooped into various nodes in the same rack or on the different racks in the same cluster in Hadoop HDFS. The video feeds are converted into small frames and analyzed using various Pattern recognition algorithms and MapReduce algorithm. Then, the video frames are compared with the bench marking database (good behavior). When misbehavior is detected, an alert message can be sent to the counseling department which helps them in mentoring the students. This will help in improving the effectiveness of the education process. As Video feeds come from multiple geographical areas (schools from different parts of the world), BIG DATA helps in real time analysis as it analyzes computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behavior and interactions. It also analyzes data that can’t be analyzed by traditional software applications such as RDBMS, OODBMS. It has also proven successful in handling human reactions with ease. Therefore, BIG DATA could certainly play a vital role in handling this issue. Thus, effectiveness of the education process can be enhanced with the help of video analytics using the latest BIG DATA technology.

Keywords: big data, cloud, CCTV, education process

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283 Making Sense of C. G. Jung’s Red Book and Black Books: Masonic Rites and Trauma

Authors: Lynn Brunet

Abstract:

In 2019 the author published a book-length study examining Jung’s Red Book. This study consisted of a close reading of each of the chapters in Liber Novus, focussing on the fantasies themselves and Jung’s accompanying paintings. It found that the plots, settings, characters and symbolism in each of these fantasies are not entirely original but remarkably similar to those found in some of the higher degrees of Continental Freemasonry. Jung was the grandson of his namesake, C.G. Jung (1794–1864), who was a Freemason and one-time Grand Master of the Swiss Masonic Lodge. The study found that the majority of Jung’s fantasies are very similar to those of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, practiced in Switzerland during the time of Jung’s childhood. It argues that the fantasies appear to be memories of a series of terrifying initiatory ordeals conducted using spurious versions of the Masonic rites. Spurious Freemasonry is a term that Masons use for the ‘irregular’ or illegitimate use of the rituals and are not sanctioned by the Order. Since the 1980s there have been multiple reports of ritual trauma amongst a wide variety of organizations, cults and religious groups that psychologists, counsellors, social workers, and forensic scientists have confirmed. The abusive use of Masonic rites features frequently in these reports. This initial study allows a reading of The Red Book that makes sense of the obscure references, bizarre scenarios and intense emotional trauma described by Jung throughout Liber Novus. It suggests that Jung appears to have undergone a cruel initiatory process as a child. The author is currently examining the extra material found in Jung’s Black Books and the results are confirming the original discoveries and demonstrating a number of aspects not covered in the first publication. These include the complex layering of ancient gods and belief systems in answer to Jung’s question, ‘In which underworld am I?’ It demonstrates that the majority of these ancient systems and their gods are discussed in a handbook for the Scottish Rite, Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike, but that the way they are presented by Philemon and his soul is intended to confuse him rather than clarify their purpose. This new study also examines Jung’s soul’s question ‘I am not a human being. What am I then?’ While further themes that emerge from the Black Books include his struggle with vanity and whether he should continue creating his ‘holy book’; and a comparison between Jung’s ‘mystery plays’ and examples from the Theatre of the Absurd. Overall, it demonstrates that Jung’s experience, while inexplicable in his own time, is now known to be the secret and abusive practice of initiation of the young found in a range of cults and religious groups in many first world countries. This paper will present a brief outline of the original study and then examine the themes that have emerged from the extra material found in the Black Books.

Keywords: C. G. Jung, the red book, the black books, masonic themes, trauma and dissociation, initiation rites, secret societies

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282 Mood Symptom Severity in Service Members with Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms after Service Dog Training

Authors: Tiffany Riggleman, Andrea Schultheis, Kalyn Jannace, Jerika Taylor, Michelle Nordstrom, Paul F. Pasquina

Abstract:

Introduction: Posttraumatic Stress (PTS) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) remain significant problems for military and veteran communities. Symptoms of PTSD often include poor sleep, intrusive thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and trouble with emotional regulation. Unfortunately, despite its high prevalence, service members diagnosed with PTSD often do not seek help, usually because of the perceived stigma surrounding behavioral health care. To help address these challenges, non-pharmacological, therapeutic approaches are being developed to help improve care and enhance compliance. The Service Dog Training Program (SDTP), which involves teaching patients how to train puppies to become mobility service dogs, has been successfully implemented into PTS/PTSD care programs with anecdotal reports of improved outcomes. This study was designed to assess the biopsychosocial effects of SDTP from military beneficiaries with PTS symptoms. Methods: Individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 with PTS symptom were recruited to participate in this prospective study. Each subject completes 4 weeks of baseline testing, followed by 6 weeks of active service dog training (twice per week for one hour sessions) with a professional service dog trainer. Outcome measures included the Posttraumatic Stress Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5), Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), social support/interaction, anthropometrics, blood/serum biomarkers, and qualitative interviews. Preliminary analysis of 17 participants examined mean scores on the GAD-7, PCL-5, and PHQ-9, pre- and post-SDTP, and changes were assessed using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests. Results: Post-SDTP, there was a statistically significant mean decrease in PCL-5 scores of 13.5 on an 80-point scale (p=0.03) and a significant mean decrease of 2.2 in PHQ-9 scores on a 27 point scale (p=0.04), suggestive of decreased PTSD and depression symptoms. While there was a decrease in mean GAD-7 scores post-SDTP, the difference was not significant (p=0.20). Recurring themes among results from the qualitative interviews include decreased pain, forgetting about stressors, improved sense of calm, increased confidence, improved communication, and establishing a connection with the service dog. Conclusion: Preliminary results of the first 17 participants in this study suggest that individuals who received SDTP had a statistically significant decrease in PTS symptom, as measured by the PCL-5 and PHQ-9. This ongoing study seeks to enroll a total of 156 military beneficiaries with PTS symptoms. Future analyses will include additional psychological outcomes, pain scores, blood/serum biomarkers, and other measures of the social aspects of PTSD, such as relationship satisfaction and sleep hygiene.

Keywords: post-concussive syndrome, posttraumatic stress, service dog, service dog training program, traumatic brain injury

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281 Growth and Bone Health in Children following Liver Transplantation

Authors: Faris Alkhalil, Rana Bitar, Amer Azaz, Hisham Natour, Noora Almeraikhi, Mohamad Miqdady

Abstract:

Background: Children with liver transplantation are achieving very good survival and so there is now a need to concentrate on achieving good health in these patients and preventing disease. Immunosuppressive medications have side effects that need to be monitored and if possible avoided. Glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors are detrimental to bone and mineral homeostasis in addition steroids can also affect linear growth. Steroid sparing regimes in renal transplant children has shown to improve children’s height. Aim: We aim to review the growth and bone health of children post liver transplant by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan and assessing if there is a clear link between poor growth and impaired bone health and use of long term steroids. Subjects and Methods: This is a single centre retrospective Cohort study, we reviewed the medical notes of children (0-16 years) who underwent a liver transplantation between November 2000 to November 2016 and currently being followed at our centre. Results: 39 patients were identified (25 males and 14 females), the median transplant age was 2 years (range 9 months - 16 years), and the median follow up was 6 years. Four patients received a combined transplant, 2 kidney and liver transplant and 2 received a liver and small bowel transplant. The indications for transplant included, Biliary Atresia (31%), Acute Liver failure (18%), Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (15%), transplantable metabolic disease (10%), TPN related liver disease (8%), Primary Hyperoxaluria (5%), Hepatocellular carcinoma (3%) and other causes (10%). 36 patients (95%) were on a calcineurin inhibitor (34 patients were on Tacrolimus and 2 on Cyclosporin). The other three patients were on Sirolimus. Low dose long-term steroids was used in 21% of the patients. A considerable proportion of the patients had poor growth. 15% were below the 3rd centile for weight for age and 21% were below the 3rd centile for height for age. Most of our patients with poor growth were not on long term steroids. 49% of patients had a DEXA scan post transplantation. 21% of these children had low bone mineral density, one patient had met osteoporosis criteria with a vertebral fracture. Most of our patients with impaired bone health were not on long term steroids. 20% of the patients who did not undergo a DEXA scan developed long bone fractures and 50% of them were on long term steroid use which may suggest impaired bone health in these patients. Summary and Conclusion: The incidence of impaired bone health, although studied in limited number of patients; was high. Early recognition and treatment should be instituted to avoid fractures and improve bone health. Many of the patients were below the 3rd centile for weight and height however there was no clear relationship between steroid use and impaired bone health, reduced weight and reduced linear height.

Keywords: bone, growth, pediatric, liver, transplantation

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280 Soft Power Contestation in South Asia: Analyzing Bollywood and Chinese Cinema as Strategic Tools in the India-China Rivalry and Their Impact on Cultural Diplomacy and Regional Identity

Authors: Julia Mathew

Abstract:

This paper explores the use of Bollywood and Chinese movies as soft power instruments within the larger context of India-China contention in South Asia. As India and China compete for influence in South Asia, they have increasingly relied on cultural diplomacy, using cinema to change perceptions, promote goodwill, and build cultural linkages. Bollywood, with its long-standing popularity and cultural resonance, has been a powerful instrument for projecting Indian ideals and identity throughout South Asia. In contrast, China has made concerted attempts in recent years to promote its own films, showing Chinese culture and values in a positive manner to offset Bollywood’s effect. This study examines the ways in which Chinese and Bollywood films influence public opinion and appeal to South Asian audiences while also supporting their respective countries’ soft power goals. To learn about this, we take a mixed-methods approach that incorporates content analysis of popular Bollywood and Chinese films released in South Asia, focussing on issues such as cultural identity, nationalism, and social values. In addition, we use sentiment analysis and surveys to map how these two cinematic traditions are received in various South Asian countries. This study takes into account government activities and cultural policies that promote each country’s cinema industry as a diplomatic instrument. The present study uses case studies from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan to demonstrate the subtle ways in which Bollywood and Chinese movies influence regional attitudes. For example, in Nepal and Bangladesh, Bollywood’s deep cultural ties have historically given India an advantage, but China’s growing economic relations and media presence have presented Chinese cinema as an alternative cultural influence. In contrast, Sri Lanka exemplifies a complicated relationship in which Bollywood’s cultural attraction is strong, but Chinese state-backed media diplomacy is making inroads, altering the cultural landscape. Due to limited cultural interchange and Bhutan’s historical alignment with India, Chinese cinema has a small presence in the country. The findings highlight cinema’s significance as a soft power tool in India and China’s regional ambitions. Bollywood’s emotional resonance and cultural familiarity have long bolstered India’s prominence, but Chinese cinema’s expansion reflects China’s desire to shift cultural narratives in its favour. This paper closes by presenting insights into the broader implications of cultural diplomacy within the India-China competition, arguing that as India and China continue to compete for influence in South Asia, film will play an increasingly crucial role in defining the soft power environment.

Keywords: soft power, China, India, Bollywood, Chinese cinema

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279 Factors Associated with Hand Functional Disability in People with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Best-Evidence Synthesis

Authors: Hisham Arab Alkabeya, A. M. Hughes, J. Adams

Abstract:

Background: People with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) continue to experience problems with hand function despite new drug advances and targeted medical treatment. Consequently, it is important to identify the factors that influence the impact of RA disease on hand function. This systematic review identified observational studies that reported factors that influenced the impact of RA on hand function. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAL, AMED, PsychINFO, and Web of Science database were searched from January 1990 up to March 2017. Full-text articles published in English that described factors related to hand functional disability in people with RA were selected following predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pertinent data were thoroughly extracted and documented using a pre-designed data extraction form by the lead author, and cross-checked by the review team for completion and accuracy. Factors related to hand function were classified under the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework and health-related factors. Three reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the included articles using the quality of cross-sectional studies (AXIS) tool. Factors related to hand function that was investigated in two or more studies were explored using a best-evidence synthesis. Results: Twenty articles form 19 studies met the inclusion criteria from 1,271 citations; all presented cross-sectional data (five high quality and 15 low quality studies), resulting in at best limited evidence in the best-evidence synthesis. For the factors classified under the ICF domains, the best-evidence synthesis indicates that there was a range of body structure and function factors that were related with hand functional disability. However, key factors were hand strength, disease activity, and pain intensity. Low functional status (physical, emotional and social) level was found to be related with limited hand function. For personal factors, there is limited evidence that gender is not related with hand function; whereas, conflicting evidence was found regarding the relationship between age and hand function. In the domain of environmental factors, there was limited evidence that work activity was not related with hand function. Regarding health-related factors, there was limited evidence that the level of the rheumatoid factor (RF) was not related to hand function. Finally, conflicting evidence was found regarding the relationship between hand function and disease duration and general health status. Conclusion: Studies focused on body structure and function factors, highlighting a lack of investigation into personal and environmental factors when considering the impact of RA on hand function. The level of evidence which exists was limited, but identified that modifiable factors such as grip or pinch strength, disease activity and pain are the most influential factors on hand function in people with RA. The review findings suggest that important personal and environmental factors that impact on hand function in people with RA are not yet considered or reported in clinical research. Well-designed longitudinal, preferably cohort, studies are now needed to better understand the causality between personal and environmental factors and hand functional disability in people with RA.

Keywords: factors, hand function, rheumatoid arthritis, systematic review

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