Search results for: culture of well-being and engagement

Authors: Bianca Suárez Puerta

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Multimodal discourse refers to a method of study the media continuum between reality, screens as a device, audience, author, and media as a production from the audience. For this study we used semantic differential, a method proposed in the sixties by Osgood, Suci and Tannenbaum, starts from the assumption that under each particular way of perceiving the world, in each singular idea, there is a common cultural meaning that organizes experiences. In relation to these shared symbolic dimension, this method has had significant results, as it focuses on breaking down the meaning of certain significant acts into series of statements that place the subjects in front of some concepts. In Colombia, in 2016, a tool was designed to measure the meaning of a multimodal production, specially the acts of sense of transmedia productions that managed to receive funds from the Ministry of ICT of Colombia, and also, to analyze predictable patterns that can be found in calls and funds aimed at the production of culture in Colombia, in the context of the peace agreement, as a request for expressions from a hegemonic place, seeking to impose a worldview.

Keywords: semantic differential, semiotics, transmedia, critical analysis of discourse

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Authors: José Francisco Urrutia Reyes, Judith Espinosa Real

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This paper is meant to re-examine the role of street art in the contemporary world. By studying this form of art in Brussels, it can be explained how murals show the socio-political reality of a given community and influence on its interaction. Through the definitions of street art, murals and street artists, and analysing their role in Brussels, it is possible to understand how this counter culture movement serves as an engine of social development, as it interacts with its surroundings sending a clear message to a wider audience. Street art impacts on its environment because it interacts with the people who occupies the day-to-day public space. This has proven to be effective in the arouse of social consciousness, up to the point of being adopted by the government of Brussels to promote social movements such as the AIDS-HIV campaign along with the Plate-Forme Prévention Sida. It can be concluded that street art has evolved since its vandalic beginnings, to become a form of art that has not lost it counter official status, but now has a critical vision that can promote social awakening. Street art is now a global trend that uses visual inputs to create a positive impact.

Keywords: street art, Brussels, social impact, political perspective

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Authors: Kristen Emory, Jerry Flores

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Purpose: We explore the unique and underrepresented experiences of Indigenous women living in Toronto, Canada, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to better document the impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health and well-being of Indigenous women in Toronto, Canada, in order to better understand unmet needs, as well as lay the groundwork for more targeted research and potential interventions based on these needs. Background: It has been fairly well documented that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health concerns among various populations globally. There have also been numerous studies indicating increases in substance use and abuse in response to the stress of the pandemic. There is also evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted a variety of historically marginalized populations in Canada, the US, and globally, including Indigenous populations. While these studies provide some insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the global population, much less is known about the lived experiences of Indigenous populations during the time of COVID-19. Better understanding these experiences will allow public health professionals, governments, and non-governmental organizations better combat health inequities related to the pandemic. Methods: In-depth qualitative semi-structured virtual (due to COVID-19) interviews with 13 Indigenous women were conducted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by team members using Dedoose qualitative analysis software. Findings: COVID-19 negatively affected Indigenous females identifying participants’ mental health and corresponding reported increases in substance use. In addition to the daily stress of the unpredictability of life in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants cited job loss, economic concerns, homeschooling, and lack of access to medical resources as primary factors in increasing their stress and decreasing mental health and wellbeing. In response to these stressors, a majority of participants cited coping mechanisms such as increased substance use to help deal with the uncertainty. In particular, alcohol and tobacco emerged as coping mechanisms to help participants cope with stress related to the pandemic (as well as its social and economic toll on respondents' lives). We will present qualitative data to be presented, including participant direct quotes, explaining their experiences with COVID-19, mental health, and increased substance use, as well as analysis and synthesis with the existing scientific evidence base. Conclusion: This research is among the good studies to our knowledge that scientifically explore the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and well-being and corresponding increases in reported substance use.

Keywords: mental health, covid-19, indigenous, inequity, anxiety, depression, stress

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Authors: Diana Grguric, Robert Svetlacic, Vladimir Simovic

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Scientific research analytically explores database playlists by studying the memory culture through Croatian popular radio music. The research is based on the scientific analysis of databases developed on the basis of the playlist of ten Croatian radio stations. The most recent Croatian song on Statehood Day 2008-2013 is analyzed in order to gain insight into their (memory) potential in terms of storing, interpreting and presenting a national identity. The research starts with the general assumption that popular music is an efficient identifier, transmitter, and promoter of national identity. The aim of the scientific research of the database was to analytically reveal specific titles of Croatian popular songs that participate in marking memories and analyzing their symbolic capital to gain insight into the popular music experience of the past and to develop a new method of scientifically based analysis of specific databases.

Keywords: specific databases, popular radio music, collective memory, national identity

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Authors: Ahmad Al Aboudi

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The Department of Archaeology at King Saud University conduct a long Term excavations since 2004 at the archaeological site of (Qurh) in Al-Ula area. The history of the site goes back to the eighth century AD. The main aim of the excavations is the training of the students on the archaeological field work associated with the scientific skills of exploring, surveying, classifying, documentations and other necessary in the field archaeology. During the 12th Season of Excavations, an area of 20 × 40 m2 of the site was excavated. The depth of the excavating the site was reached to 2-3 m. Many of the architectural features of a residential area in the northern part of the site were excavated this season. Circular walls made of mud-brick and a brick column drums and tiles made of clay were revealed this season. Additionally, lots of findings such as Gemstones, jars, ceramic plates, metal, glass, and fabric, as well as some jewelers and coins were discovered. This paper will deal with the main results of this field project including the architectural features and phenomena and their interpretations, the classification of excavated material culture remains and stratigraphy.

Keywords: Islamic architecture, Islamic art, excavations, early Islamic city

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Authors: Amir Ikram, Qin Su, Muhammad Fiaz, Muhammad Waqas Shabbir

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Women entrepreneurship witnessed a healthy rise in the last decade or so, and the scenario in Pakistan is not different. However female leaders are facing various, cultural, career oriented, and professional challenges. The study investigates the impact of social and industry-specific challenges on female entrepreneurship; social challenges was evaluated in terms of culture, and industry-specific challenges was measured in terms of team management and career growth. Purposive sampling was employed to collect data from 75 multicultural organizations operating in the culturally diverse and historic city of Lahore, Pakistan. Cronbach’s alpha was conducted to endorse the reliability of survey questionnaire, while correlation and regression analysis were used to test hypotheses. Industry-specific challenges were found to be more significant as compared to cultural factors. The paper also highlights the importance of female entrepreneurship for emerging economies, and suggests that bringing women to mainstream professions can lead to economic success.

Keywords: cultural challenges, emerging economy, female entrepreneurship, leadership

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Authors: Saeed Ullah Jan, Muhammad Zahid

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Purpose of study: The main theme of this study is to scrutinize and evaluate the available research on “role of libraries and librarians during COVID-19”. Design/Methodology/Approach: The quantitative research tool Bibliometric was used for the analysis of collected data. All the retrieved articles have been analyzed through MS office, MS Excel. Findings: It was depicted that 48 papers were published in 2021. The researchers from international countries have been published 45 and Pakistani researchers published only3 research papers on the subject cited above. Delimitations of the study: This study is delimited to the research articles published on the role of libraries and librarians during COVID-19. Practical implications: The findings of this study will be guideline for policy makers, higher ups and authorities of various facets of the libraries to revisit their priorities and work for the betterment of effective library culture in the country. Contribution to the knowledge: To the best of author's knowledge, no significant study has been done on this important topic of Library and Information Science research in Pakistan. This study will. add valuable literature the available literary world related to research development on the role of libraries and librarians during COVID-19.

Keywords: role of libraries, COVID-19, libraries, librarians, Pakistan

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Authors: Martin Bloomfield

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This paper examines frictions that lie at the heart of any pragmatist conception of religion and moral progress. I take moral progress to require the ability to correctly analyse social problems, provide workable solutions to these problems, and then rationally justify the analyses and solutions used. I take religion here to involve, as a minimal requirement, belief in the existence of God, a god, or gods, such that they are recognisable to most informed observers within the Western tradition. I take pragmatism to belong to, and borrow from, the philosophical traditions of non-absolutism, anti-realism, historicism, and voluntarism. For clarity, the relevant brands of each of these traditions will be examined during the paper. The friction identified in the title may be summed up as follows: those who, like Cornel West (and, when he was alive, Hilary Putnam), are theistic pragmatists with an interest in realising moral progress, have all been aware of a problem inherent in their positions. Assuming it can be argued that religion and moral progress are compatible, a non-absolutist, anti-realist, historicist position nevertheless raises problems that, as Leon Wieseltier pointed out, the pragmatist still believes in a God who isn’t real, and that the truth of any religious statement (including “God exists”) is relative not to any objective reality but to communities of engaged interlocutors; and that, where there are no absolute standards of right and wrong, any analysis of (and solution to) social problems can only be rationally justified relative to one or another community or moral and epistemic framework. Attempts made to universalise these frameworks, notably by Dewey, Gadamer, and Bernstein, through democracy and hermeneutics, fall into either a vicious and infinite regress, or (taking inspiration from Habermas) the problem of moral truths being decided through structures of power. The paper removes this friction by highlighting the work of Christian pragmatist Cornel West through the lens of the philosopher of religion Eleanore Stump. While West recognises that for the pragmatist, the correctness of any propositions about God or moral progress is impossible to rationally justify to any outside the religious, moral or epistemic framework of the speakers themselves without, as he calls it, a ‘locus of truth’ (which is itself free from the difficulties Dewey, Gadamer and Bernstein fall victim to), Stump identifies routes to knowledge which provide such a locus while avoiding the problems of relativism, power dynamics, and regress. She describes “Dominican” and “Franciscan” knowledge (roughly characterised as “propositional” and “non-propositional”), and uses this distinction to identify something Bernstein saw as missing from Gadamer: culture-independent norms, upon which universal agreement can be built. The “Franciscan knowledge” Stump identifies as key is second-personal knowledge of Christ. For West, this allows the knower to access vital culture-independent norms. If correct, instead of the classical view (religion is incompatible with pragmatism), Christianity becomes key to pragmatist knowledge and moral-knowledge claims. Rather than being undermined by pragmatism, Christianity enables pragmatists to make moral and epistemic claims, free from troubling power dynamics and cultural relativism.

Keywords: Cornel West, Cultural Relativism, Gadamer, Philosophy of Religion, Pragmatism

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Authors: Wenting Pan, Fang Chen

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The aim is to increase understanding of the potential effects of religion and economy development in East and Southeast Asia. Religion developed in the east, and southeast Asia is connected with community intensively, especially the activities by women. It could facilitate spiritual awakening in the community and economic empowerment. The theories were assessed by using survey information for Wenzhou which is the legendary city of Chinese economic development, measuring attendance at formal religious services, religious beliefs, and self-identification as religious. Wenzhou’s chamber of commerce is all over the world. Apart from large and small processing factories, Wenzhou is dotted with temples and Taoist temples. In the survey four of the control variables (size of temples, profitability, multiple densities, type of industry and so on) were significant issues to find a relationship between local people and the culture of local religion. What’s more, women should be taken into account seriously. This study has social economy implications for Wenzhou as well as a number of other countries in the East and Southeast Asia.

Keywords: East and Southeast Asia, economy development, Religion, Wenzhou

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Authors: Frances Turner

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Gloves are significant physical objects, being one of the oldest forms of dress. Glove culture is part of every facet of life; its extraordinary history encompasses practicality, and symbolism reflecting a wide range of social practices. The survival of not only the gloves but associated articles enables the possibility to analyse real lives, however so far this area has been largely neglected. Limited information is available to students, researchers, or those involved with the design and making of gloves. There are several museums and independent collectors in England that hold collections of gloves (some from as early as 16th century), machinery, tools, designs and patterns, marketing materials and significant archives which demonstrate the rich heritage of English glove design and manufacturing, being of national significance and worthy of international interest. Through a research glove network which now exists thanks to research grant funding, there is potential for the holders of glove collections to make connections and explore links between these resources to promote a stronger understanding of the significance, breadth and heritage of the English glove industry. The network takes an interdisciplinary approach to bring together interested parties from academia, museums and manufacturing, with expert knowledge of the production, collections, conservation and display of English leather gloves. Academics from diverse arts and humanities disciplines benefit from the opportunities to share research and discuss ideas with network members from non-academic contexts including museums and heritage organisations, industry, and contemporary designers. The fragmented collections when considered in entirety provide an overview of English glove making since earliest times and those who wore them. This paper makes connections and explores links between these resources to promote a stronger understanding of the significance, breadth and heritage of the English Glove industry. The following areas are explored: current content and status of the individual museum collections, potential links, sharing of information histories, social and cultural and relationship to history of fashion design, manufacturing and materials, approaches to maintenance and conservation, access to the collections and strategies for future understanding of their national significance. The facilitation of knowledge exchange and exploration of the collections through the network informs organisations’ future strategies for the maintenance, access and conservation of their collections. By involving industry in the network, it is possible to ensure a contemporary perspective on glove-making in addition to the input from heritage partners. The slow fashion movement and awareness of artisan craft and how these can be preserved and adopted for glove and accessory design is addressed. Artisan leather glove making was a skilled and significant industry in England that has now declined to the point where there is little production remaining utilising the specialist skills that have hardly changed since earliest times. This heritage will be identified and preserved for future generations of the rich cultural history of gloves may be lost.

Keywords: artisan glove-making skills, English leather gloves, glove culture, the glove network

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Authors: Edilei Reis, Jose Carlos Felix

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This paper explores Waldir Dupont’s translations of William Faulkner’s novels to Brazilian Portuguese language in order to comprehend how his translation project regarding Faulkner’s works has addressed modernist traits of the novelist fiction, particularly the ambivalence of language, multiple and fragmented points of view and syntax. Wladir Dupont (1939-2014) was a prolific Brazilian journalist who benefitted from his experiences as an international correspondent living abroad (EUA and Mexico) to become an acclaimed translator later in life. He received a Jabuiti Award (Brazilian most prestigious literary award) for his translation of ‘La Otra Voz’ (1994), by Mexican poet, critic and translator Octavio Paz, a writer to whom he devoted the first years of his carrier as a translator. As Dupont pointed out in some interviews, the struggles in finding a way out to overcome linguistic and cultural obstacles in the process of translating texts from Spanish to Portuguese was paramount for ascertaining his engagement in the long-term project of translating to Brazilian Portuguese the fiction of William Faulkner. His first enterprise was the translation of Faulkner’s trilogy Snopes: The Hamlet (1940) and The Town (1957), the first two novels, were published in 1997 as O povoado and A cidade; in 1999 the last novel, The mansion (1959), was published as A mansão. In 2001, Dupont tackled what is considered one of the most challenging novels by the author due to his use of multiple points of view, As I lay dying (1930). In 2003, The Reivers (1962) was published under the title Os invictos. His enterprise finishes in 2012 with the publication of an anthology of Faulkner’s thriller short-stories Knight’s Gambit (1932) as Lance mortal. Hence, in this paper we will consider the Dupont’s trajectory as a translator, paying special attention to the way in which his identity as such is constituted through the process of translating Faulkner’s works.

Keywords: literary translation, translator’s identity, William Faulkner, Wladir DuPont

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Authors: G. H. B. Dilhari, A. A. D. T. Saparamadu

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The coir is one of the by-products of the coconut and the coir industry can be identified as one of the traditional industries in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is one of the prominent countries for the coir production. Due to the labour insensitiveness, the labourers are the significant factor in the coir production process. The study has analyzed the determinants and its impact on income of the household level coir yarn labourers. The study was conducted in the Kumarakanda Grama Niladhari division, Galle, Sri Lanka. Simple random sampling was used to generate the sample of 100 household level coir yarn labourers and structured questionnaire, personal interviews and discussion were performed to gather the required data. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis test were carried out. The findings revealed that the household level coir yarn industry is dominated by the female workers and fewer amounts of workers have engaged this industry as the main occupation. In addition to that, elderly participation of the industry is greater than younger participation and most of them engaged as an extra income source. Level of education, the methods of engagement, satisfaction, labour’s children employment in the coir industry, support from the government, method of government support, working hours per day, employed as a main job, no of completed units per day, suffering any job related diseases and type of the diseases were related with income level of household level coir yarn labourers. The recommendations were formulated in respect to these problems including technological transformation for coir yarn production, strengthening of the raw material base and regulating the raw material supply, introduction of new technologies, markets and training programs, the establishment of the labourers association, the initiation of micro credit schemes, better consideration about the job oriented diseases.

Keywords: coir, coir yarn labourers, income, Galle

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Authors: Dharam Bhugun

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The growth of immigration and social diversity and advances in global technology, have contributed to an increase in intercultural marriages and relationships in Australia. Consequently, intercultural parenting experience is shaping as an important issue within society. Parenting experiences can be both challenging and rewarding for the intercultural couple and their children. Much of the Australian literature has focussed on parenting styles among different cultural groups and the experiences of children, with more research needed on the parenting experience of intercultural couples, with emphasis on those who have not sought professional help. This study employed a qualitative research design consistent with humanistic approaches in social sciences. A social constructionism theoretical framework was used to explore the experience of intercultural parents. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and semi-structured interviews in English were employed to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to examine participant’s experiences. It is anticipated that the research will generate insights and findings that may assist current and future intercultural parents, add to the family systems theory to inform practice, and suggest possible professional strategies for clinicians and other government and community agencies.

Keywords: culture, intercultural couples, parenting styles and practices, conflicts resolution

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Authors: M. Mehani, N. Salhi, T. Valeria, S. Ladjel

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Red River Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is a tree of the genus Eucalyptus widely distributed in Algeria and in the world. The value of its aromatic secondary metabolites offers new perspectives in the pharmaceutical industry. This strategy can contribute to the sustainable development of our country. Preliminary tests performed on the essential oil of Eucalyptus camendulensis showed that this oil has antibacterial activity vis-à-vis the bacterial strains (Enterococcus feacalis, Enterobacter cloaceai, Proteus microsilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungic (Fusarium sporotrichioide and Fusarium graminearum). The culture medium used was nutrient broth Muller Hinton. The interaction between the bacteria and the essential oil is expressed by a zone of inhibition with diameters of MIC indirectly expression of. And we used the PDA medium to determine the fungal activity. The extraction of the aromatic fraction (essentially oil- hydrolat) of the fresh aerian part of the Eucalyptus camendulensis was performed by hydrodistillation. The average essential oil yield is 0.99%. The antimicrobial and fungal study of the essential oil and hydrosol showed a high inhibitory effect on the growth of pathogens.

Keywords: essential oil, Eucalyptus camendulensis, bacteria and fungi, red river gum

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Authors: Ali Aldakhil

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This paper explores the many faces of the barriers and exclusionary attitudes and practices that disabled teachers and students experience in a school where they teach or attend. Critical disability studies and inclusive education theory were used to conceptualise this inquiry and ground it in the literature. These theories were used because they magnify and expose the problems of disability/disablism as within-society instead of within-individual. Similarly, disability-first language was used in this study because it seeks to expose the social oppression and discrimination of disabled. Data were generated through conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with six disabled teachers who teach disabled children in a Saudi mainstream school. Thematic analysis of data concludes that the school is fettered by disabling barriers, attitudes, and practices, which reflect the dominant culture of disablism that disabled people encounter in the Saudi society on a daily basis. This leads to the conclusion that overall deconstruction and reformation of Saudi mainstream schools are needed, including non-disabled people’s attitudes, policy, spaces, and overall arrangements of teaching and learning.

Keywords: disablism, disability studies, mainstream schools, Saudi Arabia

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Authors: Hestiasari Rante, Leonardo De Araújo, Heidi Schelhowe

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Usability testing with children is similar in many aspects to usability testing with adults. However, there are a few differences that one needs to be aware of in order to get the most out of the sessions, and to ensure that children are comfortable and enjoying the process. This paper presents the need to acquire methodological knowledge for involving children as test users in usability testing, with consideration on Piaget’s theory of cognitive growth. As a case study, we use BatiKids, an application developed to evoke children’s enthusiasm to be involved in culture heritage preservation. The usability test was applied to 24 children from 9 to 10 years old. The children were divided into two groups; one interacted with the application through a graphic tablet with pen, and the other through touch screen. Both of the groups had to accomplish the same amount of tasks. In the end, children were asked to give feedback. The results suggested that children who interacted using the graphic tablet with pen had more difficulties rather than children who interacted through touch screen. However, the difficulty brought by the graphic tablet with pen is an important learning objective in order to understand the difficulties of using canting, which is an important part of batik.

Keywords: batikids, children, child-computer interaction, usability test

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Authors: Fangfei Li

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Studies on teacher feedback have produced a wide range of findings in aspects of characteristics of good feedback, factors influencing the quality of feedback and teachers’ perspectives on teacher feedback. However, perspectives from students on how they perceive and respond to teacher feedback are still under scrutiny. Especially for Chinese overseas students who come from a feedback-sparse educational context in China, they might have different experiences when engaging with teacher feedback in the UK Higher Education. Therefore, the research aims to investigate and shed some new light on how Chinese students engage with teacher feedback in the UK higher education and how teacher feedback could enhance their learning. Research questions of this study are 1) What are Chinese overseas students’ perceptions of teacher feedback in courses of the UK higher education? 2) How do they respond to the teacher feedback they obtained? 3) What factors might influence their’ engagement with teacher feedback? Qualitative case studies of five Chinese postgraduate students in a UK university have been conducted by employing various types of interviews, such as background interviews, scenario-based interviews, stimulated recall interviews and retrospective interviews to address the research inquiries. Data collection lasted seven months, covering two phases – the pre-sessional language programme and the first semester of the Master’s degree programme. Research findings until now indicate that some factors, such as tutors’ handwriting, implicit instruction and value comments, influence students understanding and internalizing tutor feedback. Except for difficulties in understanding tutor feedback, students’ responses to tutor feedback are also influenced by quantity and quality of tutor-student communication, time constraints and trust to tutor feedback, etc. Findings also reveal that tutor feedback is able to improve students’ learning in aspects of promoting reflection on professional knowledge, promoting students’ communication with peers and tutors, increasing problem awareness and writing with the reader in mind. This paper will mainly introduce the research topic, the methodological procedure and research findings gained until now.

Keywords: Chinese students, students’ perceptions, teacher feedback, the UK higher education

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Authors: Kiara Lawrence, Robynne Hansmann, Clive Greentsone

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Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to store, analyze, visualize, capture and monitor geographic data. Built environment professionals as well as urban planners specifically, need to possess GIS skills to effectively and efficiently plan spaces. GIS application extends beyond the production of map artifacts and can be applied to relate to spatially referenced, real time data to support spatial visualization, analysis, community engagement, scenarios, and so forth. Though GIS has been used in the built environment for a few decades, its use in education has not been researched enough to draw conclusions on the trends in the last 20 years. The study looks to discover current and emerging trends of GIS in built environment education. A bibliometric review analysis methodology was carried out through exporting documents from Scopus and Web of Science using keywords around "Geographic information systems" OR "GIS" AND "built environment" OR “geography” OR "architecture" OR "quantity surveying" OR "construction" OR "urban planning" OR "town planning" AND “education” between the years 1994 to 2024. A total of 564 documents were identified and exported. The data was then analyzed using VosViewer software to generate network analysis and visualization maps on the co-occurrence of keywords, co-citation of documents and countries and co-author network analysis. By analyzing each aspect of the data, deeper insight of GIS within education can be understood. Preliminary results from Scopus indicate that GIS research focusing on built environment education seems to have peaked prior to 2014 with much focus on remote sensing, demography, land use, engineering education and so forth. This invaluable data can help in understanding and implementing GIS in built environment education in ways that are foundational and innovative to ensure that students are equipped with sufficient knowledge and skills to carry out tasks in their respective fields.

Keywords: architecture, built environment, construction, education, geography, geographic information systems, quantity surveying, town planning, urban planning

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Authors: S. O. Uwaifo

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The paper examines the pivotal role of the library in university education through the provision of a wide range of information materials (print and non- print) required for the teaching, learning and research activities of the university. However certain impediments to the effectiveness of Nigerian university libraries, such as financial constraints, high foreign exchange, global disparities in accessing the internet, lack of local area networks, erratic electric power supply, absence of ICT literacy, poor maintenance culture, etc., were identified. Also, the necessity of repositioning Nigerian university libraries for effective information provision and delivery was stressed by pointing out their dividends, such as users’ access to Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), Institutional Repositories, Electronic Document Delivery, Social Media Networks, etc. It therefore becomes necessary for the libraries to be repositioned by way of being adequately automated or digitized for effective service delivery, in this age of globalization. Based on the identified barriers by this paper, some recommendations were proffered.

Keywords: repositioning, Nigerian university libraries, effective information provision and delivery, globalization

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Authors: Yi H. Wong, Li L. Chan, Chee O. Leong, Stephen Ambu, Joon W. Mak, Priyadashi S. Sahu

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Background: Acanthamoeba is a free-living opportunistic protist which is ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Virulent Acanthamoeba can cause fatal encephalitis in immunocompromised patients and potential blinding keratitis in immunocompetent contact lens wearers. Approximately 24 species have been identified but only the A. castellanii, A. polyphaga and A. culbertsoni are commonly associated with human infections. Until to date, the precise molecular basis for Acanthamoeba pathogenesis remains unclear. Previous studies reported that Acanthamoeba virulence can be diminished through prolonged axenic culture but revived through serial mouse passages. As no clear explanation on this reversible pathogenesis is established, hereby, we postulate that the epigenetic regulators, DNA-methyltransferases (DNMT) and histone-deacetylases (HDAC), could possibly be involved in granting the virulence plasticity of Acanthamoeba spp. Methods: Four rounds of mouse passages were conducted to revive the virulence potential of the virulence-attenuated Acanthamoeba castellanii strain (ATCC 50492). Briefly, each mouse (n=6/group) was inoculated intraperitoneally with Acanthamoebae cells (2x 105 trophozoites/mouse) and incubated for 2 months. Acanthamoebae cells were isolated from infected mouse organs by culture method and subjected to subsequent mouse passage. In vitro cytopathic, encystment and gelatinolytic assays were conducted to evaluate the virulence characteristics of Acanthamoebae isolates for each passage. PCR primers which targeted on the 2 members (DNMT1 and DNMT2) and 5 members (HDAC1 to 5) of the DNMT and HDAC gene families respectively were custom designed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to detect and quantify the relative expression of the two gene families in each Acanthamoeba isolates. Beta-tubulin of A. castellanii (Genbank accession no: XP_004353728) was included as housekeeping gene for data normalisation. PCR mixtures were also analyzed by electrophoresis for amplicons detection. All statistical analyses were performed using the paired one-tailed Student’s t test. Results: Our pathogenicity tests showed that the virulence-reactivated Acanthamoeba had a higher degree of cytopathic effect on vero cells, a better resistance to encystment challenge and a higher gelatinolytic activity which was catalysed by serine protease. qPCR assay showed that DNMT1 expression was significantly higher in the virulence-reactivated compared to the virulence-attenuated Acanthamoeba strain (p ≤ 0.01). The specificity of primers which targeted on DNMT1 was confirmed by sequence analysis of PCR amplicons, which showed a 97% similarity to the published DNA-methyltransferase gene of A. castellanii (GenBank accession no: XM_004332804.1). Out of the five primer pairs which targeted on the HDAC family genes, only HDAC4 expression was significantly difference between the two variant strains. In contrast to DNMT1, HDAC4 expression was much higher in the virulence-attenuated Acanthamoeba strain. Conclusion: Our mouse passages had successfully restored the virulence of the attenuated strain. Our findings suggested that DNA-methyltransferase (DNMT1) and histone deacetylase (HDAC4) expressions are associated with virulence potential of Acanthamoeba spp.

Keywords: acanthamoeba, DNA-methyltransferase, histone deacetylase, virulence-associated proteins

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Authors: Liam Martin, Martha Watson

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Patients with learning disabilities (LD) are at increased risk of physical and mental illness due to health inequality. To address this, NICE recommends that people from the age of 14 with a learning disability should have an annual LD health check. This consultation should include a holistic review of the patient’s physical, mental and social health needs with a view of creating an action plan to support the patient’s care. The expected standard set by the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) is that each general practice should review at least 75% of their LD patients annually. During COVID-19, there have been barriers to primary care, including health anxiety, the shift to online general practice and the increase in GP workloads. A surgery in North London wanted to assess whether they were falling short of the expected standard for LD patient annual reviews in order to optimize care post Covid-19. A baseline audit was completed to assess how many LD patients were receiving their annual reviews over the period of 29th September 2020 to 29th September 2021. This information was accessed using EMIS Web Health Care System (EMIS). Patients included were aged 14 and over as per QOF standards. Doctors were not notified of this audit taking place. Following the results of this audit, the creation of learning disability clinics was recommended. These clinics were recommended to be on the ground floor and should be a dedicated time for LD reviews. A re-audit was performed via the same process 6 months later in March 2022. At the time of the baseline audit, there were 71 patients aged 14 and over that were on the LD register. 54% of these LD patients were found to have documentation of an annual LD review within the last 12 months. None of the LD patients between the ages of 14-18 years old had received their annual review. The results were discussed with the practice, and dedicated clinics were set up to review their LD patients. A second pass of the audit was completed 6 months later. This showed an improvement, with 84% of the LD patients registered at the surgery now having a documented annual review within the last 12 months. 78% of the patients between the ages of 14-18 years old had now been reviewed. The baseline audit revealed that the practice was not meeting the expected standard for LD patient’s annual health checks as outlined by QOF, with the most neglected patients being between the ages of 14-18. Identification and awareness of this vulnerable cohort is important to ensure measures can be put into place to support their physical, mental and social wellbeing. Other practices could consider an audit of their annual LD health checks to make sure they are practicing within QOF standards, and if there is a shortfall, they could consider implementing similar actions as used here; dedicated clinics for LD patient reviews.

Keywords: COVID-19, learning disability, learning disability health review, quality and outcomes framework

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Authors: Sharifa Alshahrani

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Comics is a multimodal text wherein meaning is created by taking in all modes of expression at once. It uses two different semiotic modes, the verbal and the visual modes, together to make meaning and these different semiotic modes can be socially and culturally shaped to give meaning. Therefore, comics translation cannot treat comics as a monomodal text by translating only the verbal mode inside or outside the speech balloons as the cultural differences are encoded in the visual mode as well. Due to the development of the internet and editing software, comics translation is not anymore confined to the publishing houses and official translation as scanlation, or the fan translation took the initiative in translating comics for being emotionally attracted to the culture and genre. Scanlation is carried out by volunteering fans who translate out of passion. However, quality is one of the debatable issues relating to scanlation and fan translation. This study will investigate how the dynamic multimodal relationship in comics is exploited and interpreted in the translation by exploring the translation strategies and procedures adopted by the publishing houses and scanlation in interpreting comics into Arabic using three analytical frameworks; cultural references model, multimodal relation model and translation strategies and procedures models.

Keywords: comics, multimodality, translation, scanlation

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Authors: Widayat Widayat

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Nowday, in the modern investment era, household behavior on investment is a topic that is quite warm. The development of the modern investment, indicated by the emergence of a variety of investment instruments, such as stocks, bonds and various forms of derivatives, affected on the complexity of choosing an investment, especially for traditional societies. Various studies show that there is more than one factor acting as a behavioral antesenden decide to choose an investment instrument. One of the factors, which contribute in determining the investment option is ethnic. Society with a particular sub-culture tend to prefer investing their particular instrument. This is because they have the values, norms and different social environmental. This article is designed to test the impact of sub-cultures between Osing-Java as moderator, in investing. The study was conducted in Banyuwangi, East Java Province of Indonesia. Data were collected using questionnaires, which is given to the head of the household respondents were selected as samples. Sample of households selected by multistage sampling method. The data have been collected processed using SmartPLS software and testing moderating effects using grouped sample test. The result showed that sub-ethnic and has a significant role in determining the investment.

Keywords: investment behaviour, household, moderating, sub ethnic

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Authors: Jacquelyn Irene Eidson

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Women who leave the workforce due to motherhood and wish to return are a valuable, untapped resource for organizations. Levinson’s theory of adult development defines life as a sequence of transitions requiring difficult decisions that prompt humans to question their identity and their self-efficacy. The experience of being a working mother and the experience of workplace mentorship have received extensive research attention. Merging the two experiences and focusing on feelings of identity and self-efficacy provides a unique and focused opportunity for learning. Through one-on-one interviews and focus group discussion with working mothers that had previously left the workforce for an extended leave due to child-rearing, a meaningful description of their experiences will be obtained. Data is currently being collected via a collaboration with state banking associations in the United States. Results from the study will enable organizations worldwide to more effectively provide mentorship opportunities built around a culture of understanding while more effectively recruiting, supporting, developing, and retaining this valuable talent pool.

Keywords: identity, mentorship, self-efficacy, working mother

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Authors: Omuvwie R. Ewien

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Palm oil production in Delta State, Nigeria, is a significant economic activity. However, ensuring its sustainability is crucial to mitigate environmental impacts, promote social equity, and maintain long-term economic viability. This abstract provides an overview of palm oil production sustainability in Delta State, focusing on environmental, social, and economic aspects. In terms of environmental sustainability, the impact of palm oil plantations on deforestation and biodiversity loss is explored. The adoption of sustainable land use practices and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as conserving high conservation value areas and utilizing methane capture systems, are highlighted. Social sustainability considerations encompass the inclusion and empowerment of smallholders, ensuring fair labor practices and community engagement. Supporting small-scale farmers, promoting fair working conditions, and investing in local infrastructure and services are identified as key strategies. Economic sustainability is emphasized through yield improvement, efficiency, and value addition. Enhancing productivity and profitability for farmers, promoting downstream processing and market diversification, and building economic resilience is crucial for long-term sustainability. Government policies, including regulatory frameworks and public-private collaborations, play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable palm oil production. Enabling policies and partnerships with industry stakeholders and NGOs facilitates the adoption of sustainable practices. Challenges such as illegal activities, the need to balance economic development with environmental conservation, and leveraging technology for sustainability are discussed. The abstract concludes by emphasizing the importance of stakeholders' commitment to prioritize sustainable palm oil production in Delta State, Nigeria, for a sustainable future.

Keywords: palm oil production, environmental sustainability, community development, yield improvement, future outlook

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Authors: Shidratul Moontaha Suha

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Violence is organized and utilized differently in various communities across the globe. The capacity to employ violence in numerous societies is largely limited to the apparatus of the state, like law enforcement officers, and in a small share of contexts, it is controlled within the state institutions as per the rule of law. Contrastingly, in many other societies, a broad array of players, mainly organized criminal gangs, are using violence on a substantial scale to agitate against social ills or attain personal interests. The present paper examined the role of social injustice in driving children living off and on the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, into joining organized criminal gangs and committing crimes. The study entailed a comprehensive review of existing literature with theoretical analyses based on three theories: the Marxist’s theory of capitalism and class struggle, the Weberian model of social stratification theory, and the social disorganization theory. The analysis revealed that, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, criminal gangs emerged from social disorganization of communities characterized by absolute poverty, residential mobility, and population heterogeneity, which promote deviance among the youth, and subsequently, led to the rise of organized gangs and delinquency. Although the latter was formed as a response to class struggle, they have been employed by the state and police as the tools of exploitation and oppression to rule the working class. The criminal gangs exploit the vulnerability of street children by using them as sources of cheap labor to peddle drugs, extort, or kill specific individuals who are against their ideals. In retrospect, the street children receive individual, group, and social protection. Therefore, social class struggle plays a central role in the proliferation of organized criminal gangs and the engagement of street children in criminal activities in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Keywords: cheap labor, organized crimes, poverty, social stratification, social children

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Authors: Mahla Azimi

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Introduction: Post-bladder catheter infection is a common and significant healthcare-associated infection that affects individuals with indwelling urinary catheters. These infections can lead to various complications, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), bacteremia, sepsis, and increased morbidity and mortality rates. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of post-bladder catheter infections, including their causes, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment options, and preventive measures. Causes and Risk Factors: Post-bladder catheter infections primarily occur due to the colonization of microorganisms on the surface of the urinary catheter. The most common pathogens involved are Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus species. Several risk factors contribute to the development of these infections, such as prolonged catheterization duration, improper insertion technique, poor hygiene practices during catheter care, compromised immune system function in patients with underlying conditions or immunosuppressive therapy. Clinical Presentation: Patients with post-bladder catheter infections may present with symptoms such as fever, chills, malaise, suprapubic pain or tenderness, and cloudy or foul-smelling urine. In severe cases or when left untreated for an extended period of time, patients may develop more severe symptoms like hematuria or signs of systemic infection. Diagnosis: The diagnosis of post-bladder catheter infection involves a combination of clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations. Urinalysis is crucial in identifying pyuria (presence of white blood cells) and bacteriuria (presence of bacteria). A urine culture is performed to identify the causative organism(s) and determine its antibiotic susceptibility profile. Treatment Options: Prompt initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy is essential in managing post-bladder catheter infections. Empirical treatment should cover common pathogens until culture results are available. The choice of antibiotics should be guided by local antibiogram data to ensure optimal therapy. In some cases, catheter removal may be necessary, especially if the infection is recurrent or associated with severe complications. Preventive Measures: Prevention plays a vital role in reducing the incidence of post-bladder catheter infections. Strategies include proper hand hygiene, aseptic technique during catheter insertion and care, regular catheter maintenance, and timely removal of unnecessary catheters. Healthcare professionals should also promote patient education regarding self-care practices and signs of infection. Conclusion: Post-bladder catheter infections are a significant healthcare concern that can lead to severe complications and increased healthcare costs. Early recognition, appropriate diagnosis, and prompt treatment are crucial in managing these infections effectively. Implementing preventive measures can significantly reduce the incidence of post-bladder catheter infections and improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to explore novel strategies for prevention and management in this field.

Keywords: post-bladder catheter infection, urinary tract infection, bacteriuria, indwelling urinary catheters, prevention

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Authors: Paul E. Priester

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The Twelve Step approach to recovery from substance use and addictive disorders is considered an evidence-based model that assists many who recover from a chronic, progressive, fatal disease. Two key processes that contribute to the success of obtaining recovery from substance use disorders (SUD) are meeting engagement and the development of spiritual beliefs. Beyond establishing that there is a positive relationship between the development of spiritual beliefs in recovery from SUD’s, there has been a paucity of research exploring individual differences among individuals in this development of spiritual beliefs. One such personality variable that deserves exploration is that of the need for cognition. The need for cognition is a personality variable that explains the cognitive style of individuals. Individuals with a high need for cognition enjoy examining the complexities of a situation before coming to a conclusion. While individuals with a low need for cognition do not value or spend time cognitively dissecting a situation or decision. It is important to point out that a high need for cognition does not necessarily imply a high level of cognitive ability. Indeed, one could make the argument that a low need for cognition individual is not “wasting” cognitive energy in perseverating the multitude of aspects of a particular decision. This paper will present two case studies demonstrating the development of spiritual beliefs that enabled long-term recovery from SUD. The first case study presents an agnostic individual with a low need for cognition cognitive style in his development of spirituality in support of his recovery from alcoholism within the context of Alcoholics Anonymous. The second case study represents an adamant atheist with a high need for cognition cognitive style. This second individual is an intravenous cocaine addict and alcoholic who recovers through the development of spirituality within the contexts of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. The two case studies will be contrasted with each other, noting how the individuals’ cognitive style mediated the development of spirituality that supported their long-term recovery from alcoholism and addiction.

Keywords: spirituality, twelve step recovery, need for cognition, individual differences in recovery from addictions

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Authors: Naomi Huang Wenya, Xin Xiaohui, Vijaya Rao, Wong Ting Hway, Chow Kah Hoe Pierce, Tan Hiang Khoon

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Background: The majority of the cancelled elective surgeries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic globally were estimated to occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where surgical services had long been in short supply even before the pandemic. Therefore, minimising disruption to existing surgical care in LMICs is of crucial importance during a pandemic. This study aimed to explore contributory factors to the continuity of surgical care in LMICs, in the face of a pandemic. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted over zoom, with surgical leaders of 25 tertiary hospitals from 11 LMICs in South and Southeast Asia, from September to October 2020. Key themes were subsequently identified from the interview transcripts, using Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic affected all surgical services of participating institutions but to varying degrees. Overall, elective surgeries suffered the gravest disruption, followed by outpatient surgical care, and finally, emergency surgeries. Keeping healthcare workers safe and striving for continuity of essential surgical care emerged as notable response strategies observed across all participating institutions. Conclusion: This study suggested that four factors are important for the resilience of surgical care against COVID-19: adequate COVID-19 testing capacity and effective institutional infection control measures, designated COVID-19 treatment facilities, a whole-system approach to balancing pandemic response and meeting essential surgical needs, and active community engagement. These findings can inform healthcare institutions in other countries, especially LMICs, in their effort to tread a fine line between preserving healthcare capacity for pandemic response and protecting surgical services against pandemic disruption.

Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, LMICs, continuity of surgical service

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Authors: Pratiwi Retnaningdyah, Sofie Dewayani

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Foreign domestic workers are arguably one of the most exploited and subordinated groups of women in the labor division under global capitalism. However, foreign domestic workers (FDWs) actively engage in activities to negotiate the prevailing structures of power in the transnational labor market. This paper seeks to understand the significance of Indonesian Domestic Workers (IDWs) cultural representations in relation to the themes of literacy and space. In particular, this paper addresses the issue of how IDWs in Hong Kong make use of the practice of suitcase libraries to make meaning of space within material limits. The term ‘suitcase libraries’ is used to refer to a literacy practice of book borrowing at outdoor public spaces in Hong Kong during IDWs’ days off. The books are displayed in open suitcases and mats, with IDWs both as administrators and consumers engaged in the practice. This paper argues that suitcase libraries can be considered representing Thirdspace in the form of a vernacular, grassroots literacy practice that creates a productive space of resistance and community empowerment. Employing participant observation and a textual analysis of IDWs’ literacy narratives, the study traced IDWs’ literacy trajectories to the period of IDWs’ permanent return to Indonesia. Through extended engagement in community literacy practices in their hometowns, former IDWs develop their literacy capital and break the stereotypes of uneducated and passive maids and change them into literate figures. In the context of literacy movement that has gained momentum in Indonesia recently, the practice of IDWs’ suitcase libraries is also useful as a reference point to further investigate how community literacy sponsors in Indonesia also create Thirdspace and develop literacy capital through community libraries (TBM, Taman Baca Masyarakat).

Keywords: identity, Indonesian domestic workers, literacy narratives, Thirdspace

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