Search results for: new literacy studies
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 11831

Search results for: new literacy studies

11021 Studies on the Feasibility of Cow Dung as a Non-Conventional Energy Source

Authors: Raj Kumar Rajak, Bharat Mishra

Abstract:

Bio-batteries represent an entirely new long-term, reasonable, reachable and ecofriendly approach to produce sustainable energy. In the present experimental work, we have studied the effect of generation of power by bio-battery using different electrode pairs. The tests show that it is possible to generate electricity using cow dung as an electrolyte. C-Mg electrode pair shows maximum voltage and SCC (Short Circuit Current) while C-Zn electrode pair shows less OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) and SCC. We have chosen C-Zn electrodes because Mg electrodes are not economical. By the studies of different electrodes and cow dung, it is found that C-Zn electrode battery is more suitable. This result shows that the bio-batteries have the potency to full fill the need of electricity demand for lower energy equipment.

Keywords: bio-batteries, electricity, cow-dung, electrodes, non-conventional

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11020 Both Floristic Studies and Molecular Markers Are Necessary to Study of the Flora of a Region

Authors: Somayeh Akrami, Vali-Allah Mozaffarian, Habib Onsori

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The studied region in this research, watershed Kuhkamar river, is about 112.66 square kilometers, it is located between 45º 48' 9" to 45º 2' 20" N and 38º 34' 15" to 38º 40' 28" E. The gained results of the studies on flora combinations, proved 287 plant species in 190 genera and 51 families. Asteracea with 49 and Lamiaceae with 27 plant species are the major plant families. Among collected species one interesting plant was found and determined as a new record Anemone narcissiflora L. for flora of Iran. This plant is known as a complex species that shows intraspecific speciation and is classified into about 12 subspecies and 10 varieties in world. To identify the infraspecies taxons of this species, in addition to morphological characteristics, the use of appropriate molecular markers for the better isolation of the individuals were needed.

Keywords: Anemone narcissiflora, floristic Study, kuhkamar, molecular marker

Procedia PDF Downloads 488
11019 Qualitative Profiling Model and Competencies Evaluation to Fighting Unemployment

Authors: Francesca Carta, Giovanna Linfante, Laura Agneni, Debora Radicchia, Camilla Micheletta, Angelo Del Cimmuto

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Overtaking competence mismatches and fostering career pathways congruent with the individual skills profile would significantly contribute to fighting unemployment. The aim of this paper is to examine the usefulness and efficiency of qualitative tools in supporting and improving the quality of caseworkers’ activities during the jobseekers’ profile analysis and career guidance process. The selected target groups are long-term and middle term unemployed, job seekers, young people at the end of the vocational training pathway and unemployed woman with social disadvantages. The experimentation is conducted in Italy at public employment services in 2017. In the framework of Italian labour market reform, the experimentation represents the first step to develop a customized qualitative model profiling; the final general object is to improve the public employment services quality. The experimentation tests the transferability of an OECD self-assessment competences tool in the Italian public employment services. On one hand, the first analysis results will indicate the user’s perception concerning the tool’s application and their different competence levels (literacy, numeracy, problem solving, career interest, subjective well-being and health, behavioural competencies) with reference to the specific target. On the other hand, the experimentation outcomes will show caseworkers understanding regarding the tool’s usability and efficiency for career guidance and reskilling and upskilling programs.

Keywords: career guidance, evaluation competences, reskilling pathway, unemployment

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11018 Developing an Automated Protocol for the Wristband Extraction Process Using Opentrons

Authors: Tei Kim, Brooklynn McNeil, Kathryn Dunn, Douglas I. Walker

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To better characterize the relationship between complex chemical exposures and disease, our laboratory uses an approach that combines low-cost, polydimethylsiloxane (silicone) wristband samplers that absorb many of the chemicals we are exposed to with untargeted high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to characterize 1000’s of chemicals at a time. In studies with human populations, these wristbands can provide an important measure of our environment: however, there is a need to use this approach in large cohorts to study exposures associated with the disease. To facilitate the use of silicone samplers in large scale population studies, the goal of this research project was to establish automated sample preparation methods that improve throughput, robustness, and scalability of analytical methods for silicone wristbands. Using the Opentron OT2 automated liquid platform, which provides a low-cost and opensource framework for automated pipetting, we created two separate workflows that translate the manual wristband preparation method to a fully automated protocol that requires minor intervention by the operator. These protocols include a sequence generation step, which defines the location of all plates and labware according to user-specified settings, and a transfer protocol that includes all necessary instrument parameters and instructions for automated solvent extraction of wristband samplers. These protocols were written in Python and uploaded to GitHub for use by others in the research community. Results from this project show it is possible to establish automated and open source methods for the preparation of silicone wristband samplers to support profiling of many environmental exposures. Ongoing studies include deployment in longitudinal cohort studies to investigate the relationship between personal chemical exposure and disease.

Keywords: bioinformatics, automation, opentrons, research

Procedia PDF Downloads 117
11017 Sex Difference of the Incidence of Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Death in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Authors: Lingxia Li, Frédéric Schnell, Shuzhe Ding, Solène Le Douairon Lahaye

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Background: The risk of sudden cardiac arret/death (SCA/D) in athletes is controversial. There is a lack of meta-analyses assessing the sex differences in the risk of SCA/D in competitive athletes. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate sex differences in the incidence of SCA/D in competitive athletes using meta-analyses. Methods: The systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration ID: CRD42023432022) and was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, SPORT Discus and Cochrane Library were searched up to July 2023. To avoid systematic bias in data pooling, only studies with data for both sexes were included. Results: From the 18 included studies, 2028 cases of SCA/D were observed (males 1821 (89.79%), females 207 (10.21%)). The age ranges from the adolescents (<26 years) to the elderly (>45 years). The incidence in male athletes was 1.32/100,000 AY (95% CI: [0.90, 1.93]) and in females was 0.26/100,000 AY (95% CI: [0.16, 0.43]), the incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 6.43 (95% CI: [4.22, 9.79]). The subgroup synthesis showed a higher incidence in males than in females in both age groups <25 years and ≤35 years, the IRR was 5.86 (95% CI: [4.69, 7.32]) and 5.79 (95% CI: [4.73, 7.09]), respectively. When considering the events, the IRR was 6.73 (95%CI: [3.06, 14.78]) among studies involving both SCA/D events and 7.16 (95% CI: [4.93, 10.40]) among studies including only cases of SCD. The available clinical evidence showed that cardiac events were most frequently seen in long-distance running races (26, 35.1%), marathon (16, 21.6%) and soccer (10, 13.5%). Coronary artery disease (14, 18.9%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (8, 10.8%), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (7, 9.5%) are the most common causes of SCA/D in competitive athletes. Conclusion: The meta-analysis provides evidence of sex differences in the incidence of SCA/D in competitive athletes. The incidence of SCA/D in male athletes was 6 to 7 times higher than in females. Identifying the reasons for this difference may have implications for targeted the prevention of fatal evets in athletes.

Keywords: incidence, sudden cardiac arrest, sudden cardiac death, sex difference, athletes

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11016 A Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy and Safety of TRC101/Veverimer 6g/Day in Increasing Serum Bicarbonate Levels of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients with Metabolic Acidosis

Authors: Hazel Ann Gianelli Cu, Stephanie Co, Radcliff Cobankiat

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Objectives: TRC101/Veverimer is an orally administered, non absorbed, sodium- and counterion-free hydrochloric acid binder for the treatment of metabolic acidosis associated with chronic kidney disease. The main objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of TRC 101/ Veverimer 6g/day in increasing serum bicarbonate levels of chronic kidney disease patients with metabolic acidosis. In this meta analysis, we also aim to look at safety outcomes, adverse effects and if the level of serum bicarbonate reached metabolic alkalosis when given TRC101/Veverimer. Methodology: Pubmed, Cochrane, Google Scholar and Science direct were used to search for randomized controlled trials about TRC101/Veverimer use in Chronic kidney disease patients with metabolic acidosis. Search strategy according to the Prisma checklist was done with evaluation of biases and synthesis of results using the Cochrane Review Manager software 5.4. Results: Two randomized controlled trials involving 371 chronic kidney disease patients were included in this study. Results show there was a significant increase in the serum bicarbonate level when given TRC101/Veverimer compared to the placebo. Both studies had a significant number of participants who completed the studies until the end. P value of <0.00001 was used in both studies with a confidence interval of 95%. Conclusion: TRC101/Veverimer 6g/day was shown to effectively and safely increase serum bicarbonate or achieve normalization in chronic kidney disease patients with metabolic acidosis as compared with a placebo. This was associated with delayed progression of kidney disease with improvement of physical functioning, however longer duration of future studies is ideal in order to assess further the long advantages and consequences of TRC 101/Veverimer.

Keywords: chronic kidney disease, metabolic acidosis, Veverimer, TRC101

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11015 Numerical Studies on Thrust Vectoring Using Shock-Induced Self Impinging Secondary Jets

Authors: S. Vignesh, N. Vishnu, S. Vigneshwaran, M. Vishnu Anand, Dinesh Kumar Babu, V. R. Sanal Kumar

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The study of the primary flow velocity and the self impinging secondary jet flow mixing is important from both the fundamental research and the application point of view. Real industrial configurations are more complex than simple shear layers present in idealized numerical thrust-vectoring models due to the presence of combustion, swirl and confinement. Predicting the flow features of self impinging secondary jets in a supersonic primary flow is complex owing to the fact that there are a large number of parameters involved. Earlier studies have been highlighted several key features of self impinging jets, but an extensive characterization in terms of jet interaction between supersonic flow and self impinging secondary sonic jets is still an active research topic. In this paper numerical studies have been carried out using a validated two-dimensional k-omega standard turbulence model for the design optimization of a thrust vector control system using shock induced self impinging secondary flow sonic jets using non-reacting flows. Efforts have been taken for examining the flow features of TVC system with various secondary jets at different divergent locations and jet impinging angles with the same inlet jet pressure and mass flow ratio. The results from the parametric studies reveal that in addition to the primary to the secondary mass flow ratio the characteristics of the self impinging secondary jets having bearing on an efficient thrust vectoring. We concluded that the self impinging secondary jet nozzles are better than single jet nozzle with the same secondary mass flow rate owing to the fact fixing of the self impinging secondary jet nozzles with proper jet angle could facilitate better thrust vectoring for any supersonic aerospace vehicle.

Keywords: fluidic thrust vectoring, rocket steering, supersonic to sonic jet interaction, TVC in aerospace vehicles

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11014 Exploring Utility and Intrinsic Value among UAE Arabic Teachers in Integrating M-Learning

Authors: Dina Tareq Ismail, Alexandria A. Proff

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a nation seeking to advance in all fields, particularly education. One area of focus for UAE 2021 agenda is to restructure UAE schools and universities by equipping them with highly developed technology. The agenda also advises educational institutions to prepare students with applicable and transferrable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills. Despite the emphasis on ICT and computer literacy skills, there exists limited empirical data on the use of M-Learning in the literature. This qualitative study explores the motivation of higher primary Arabic teachers in private schools toward implementing and integrating M-Learning apps in their classrooms. This research employs a phenomenological approach through the use of semistructured interviews with nine purposefully selected Arabic teachers. The data were analyzed using a content analysis via multiple stages of coding: open, axial, and thematic. Findings reveal three primary themes: (1) Arabic teachers with high levels of procedural knowledge in ICT are more motivated to implement M-Learning; (2) Arabic teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy influence their motivation toward implementation of M-Learning; (3) Arabic teachers implement M-Learning when they possess high utility and/or intrinsic value in these applications. These findings indicate a strong need for further training, equipping, and creating buy-in among Arabic teachers to enhance their ICT skills in implementing M-Learning. Further, given the limited availability of M-Learning apps designed for use in the Arabic language on the market, it is imperative that developers consider designing M-Learning tools that Arabic teachers, and Arabic-speaking students, can use and access more readily. This study contributes to closing the knowledge gap on teacher-motivation for implementing M-Learning in their classrooms in the UAE.

Keywords: ICT skills, m-learning, self-efficacy, teacher-motivation

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11013 Leveraging Mobile Apps for Citizen-Centric Urban Planning: Insights from Tajawob Implementation

Authors: Alae El Fahsi

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This study explores the ‘Tajawob’ app's role in urban development, demonstrating how mobile applications can empower citizens and facilitate urban planning. Tajawob serves as a digital platform for community feedback, engagement, and participatory governance, addressing urban challenges through innovative tech solutions. This research synthesizes data from a variety of sources, including user feedback, engagement metrics, and interviews with city officials, to assess the app’s impact on citizen participation in urban development in Morocco. By integrating advanced data analytics and user experience design, Tajawob has bridged the communication gap between citizens and government officials, fostering a more collaborative and transparent urban planning process. The findings reveal a significant increase in civic engagement, with users actively contributing to urban management decisions, thereby enhancing the responsiveness and inclusivity of urban governance. Challenges such as digital literacy, infrastructure limitations, and privacy concerns are also discussed, providing a comprehensive overview of the obstacles and opportunities presented by mobile app-based citizen engagement platforms. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for scaling the Tajawob model to other contexts, emphasizing the importance of adaptive technology solutions in meeting the evolving needs of urban populations. This research contributes to the burgeoning field of smart city innovations, offering key insights into the role of digital tools in facilitating more democratic and participatory urban environments.

Keywords: smart cities, digital governance, urban planning, strategic design

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11012 The Influence of Perinatal Anxiety and Depression on Breastfeeding Behaviours: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Authors: Khulud Alhussain, Anna Gavine, Stephen Macgillivray, Sushila Chowdhry

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Background: Estimates show that by the year 2030, mental illness will account for more than half of the global economic burden, second to non-communicable diseases. Often, the perinatal period is characterised by psychological ambivalence and a mixed anxiety-depressive condition. Maternal mental disorder is associated with perinatal anxiety and depression and affects breastfeeding behaviors. Studies also indicate that maternal mental health can considerably influence a baby's health in numerous aspects and impact the newborn health due to lack of adequate breastfeeding. However, studies reporting factors associated with breastfeeding behaviors are predominantly quantitative. Therefore, it is not clear what literature is available to understand the factors affecting breastfeeding and perinatal women’s perspectives and experiences. Aim: This review aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of women with perinatal anxiety and depression, as well as how these experiences influence their breastfeeding behaviours. Methods: A systematic literature review of qualitative studies in line with the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ). Four electronic databases (CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, and Google Scholar) were explored for relevant studies using a search strategy. The search was restricted to studies published in the English language between 2000 and 2022. Findings from the literature were screened using a pre-defined screening criterion and the quality of eligible studies was appraised using the Walsh and Downe (2006) checklist. Findings were extracted and synthesised based on Braun and Clark. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (Ref: CRD42022319609). Result: A total of 4947 studies were identified from the four databases. Following duplicate removal and screening 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies included 87 pregnant and 302 post-partum women from 12 countries. The participants were from a variety of economic, regional, and religious backgrounds, mainly from the age of 18 to 45 years old. Three main themes were identified: Barriers to breastfeeding, breastfeeding facilitators, emotional disturbance, and breastfeeding. Seven subthemes emerged from the data: expectation versus reality, uncertainly about maternal competencies, body image and breastfeeding, lack of sufficient breastfeeding support for family and caregivers’ support, influences positive breastfeeding practices, breastfeeding education, and causes of mental strain among breastfeeding women. Breastfeeding duration is affected in women with mental health disorders, irrespective of their desire to breastfeed. Conclusion: There is significant empirical evidence that breastfeeding behaviour and perinatal mental disturbance are linked. However, there is a lack of evidence to apply the findings to Saudi women due to lack of empirical qualitative information. To improve the psychological well-being of mothers, it is crucial to explore and recognise any concerns with their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Therefore, robust research is needed so that breastfeeding intervention researchers and policymakers can focus on specifically what needs to be done to help mentally distressed perinatal women and their new-born.

Keywords: pregnancy, perinatal period, anxiety, depression, emotional disturbance, breastfeeding

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11011 International Counseling Learning: The Need for Suitable Training within Counselor Education and Counseling Students

Authors: Paula Lazarim

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As global mobility thrives, researchers emphasize the urgency of global literacy through training qualified counselors to serve internationally in a culturally competent manner. However, the focus thus far has been on how counselors’ preparation to approach international populations fuses with study abroad experiential learning short-term immersions. Looking for better solutions for cultural competency and skills learning related to international counseling, the author of this manuscript examines international counseling's current status, learning scope and goals, and educational opportunities. A guiding framework grounded on relational pedagogy (Reeves & Le Mare, 2017), relational cultural theory (Jordan, 2017), and intercultural education (Nastasi et al., 2020) is applied with four long-term educational modality projects designed to benefit cultural competence, attitude, relational skills development, and learning an intercultural counseling approach. Suggestions that encourage innovative instruction in counselor education and counseling programs at master and doctoral levels, stimulate self-learning, and educate in intercultural relational competence are linked to strategies for engaging in international counseling based on findings of a literature review and training-projects implementation. Ultimately, the author highlights theoretical and practical implications of suitable training to improve counselors' performance and discusses long-term teaching-learning opportunities that positively impact the international counseling community by sending out internationally culturally competent counselors.

Keywords: international counseling, counselor education, counseling, relational pedagogy, intercultural education, counselors’ training

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11010 Cloud Effect on Power Generation of Grid-Connected Small PV Systems

Authors: Yehya Abdellatif, Ahmed Alsalaymeh, Iyad Muslih, Ali Alshduifat

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Photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems, mainly small scale, are rapidly being deployed in Jordan. The impact of these systems on the grid has not been studied or analyzed. These systems can cause many technical problems such as reverse power flows and voltage rises in distribution feeders, and real and reactive power transients that affect the operation of the transmission system. To fully understand and address these problems, extensive research, simulation, and case studies are required. To this end, this paper studies the cloud shadow effect on the power generation of a ground mounted PV system installed at the test field of the Renewable Energy Center at the Applied Science University.

Keywords: photovoltaic, cloud effect, MPPT, power transients

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11009 Reception Class Practitioners' Understandings on the Role of Teaching Assistants, in Particular Supporting Children in Mathematics

Authors: Nursel Bektas

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the roles of teaching assistants (TAs) working in reception classes through practitioners’ perspectives. The study has two major purposes; firstly to explore the general roles of TAs, and secondly to identify their roles in supporting children for mathematics. A small-scale case study approach was adopted for this study. The research was carried out in two reception classes within a primary school in London. The qualitative data were gathered through observations and semi-structured interviews with four reception class practitioners, comprising two teachers and two TAs. The results show that TAs consider their role to be more like a teacher, whereas classroom teachers do not corroborate this and they generally believe that the role of TAs depends on their personal characteristics and skills. In regard to the general role of TAs, the study suggests that reception class TAs are deployed both at the classroom level to provide academic support for children’s learning and development, and at the school level they are deployed as support staff such as Midday Meal Supervisor or assistants. In terms of the pedagogical roles of TAs, it was found that TAs have a strong teaching role in literacy development, with notable autonomy if conducting their own phonics sessions without teacher direction, but a negligible influence in numeracy/ math’s. In addition, the results show that the TA role is perceived to be quite limited in planning and assessment processes. Linked to their limited roles in such processes, all participants agree that all the responsibility regarding the children’s learning and development, planning and assessment lies with the teacher. Therefore, data suggest that TAs’ roles in these areas depend on TAs’ their own initiatives.

Keywords: early years education, reception classes, roles, teaching assistants

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11008 Urban Agriculture in a Scandinavian Context as a Tool for Climate Adaption and for Empowering Communities through Food Production

Authors: Signe Voltelen, Kristin Astrup Aas

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In the Scandinavian cities, there is a raised focus on the potential of using urban agriculture in city development, both as a tool for handling challenges provoked by climate change and to develop new, and stronger social communities. During the last couple of years, Copenhagen has experienced an increase in extreme weather resulting in dramatical floods with huge humanitarian and economic consequences. As an approach for climate adaption and mitigation the government has made a strategy for changing a significant amount of the cities hard surfaces into green and absorbing surfaces. Including urban farms and gardens. In close collaboration with the municipality, it has been possible to implement citizen-run gardens under the different concepts climate adaption and food literacy. Like other European cities, Copenhagen has a historical tradition of small-scale farming for food security inside the city, and in the outskirts of the urban area. Lately, this tradition has gotten new relevance, and new initiatives are popping up. In addition to providing local food, the urban farm becomes a semi-public, semi-private room that invites to community and integration across ethnicity, social background, and age. The direct interaction in the process of farming creates a connection between the urban and the rural and are educational for people growing up and living their whole life in the dense city. In the paper, three local example models of urban agriculture are presented, and the experiences of their potential as tools for developing social and environmental sustainable cities is examined.

Keywords: city development, climate mitigation, community building, urban agriculture, urban- rural transition, food security

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11007 Role of Family in Child Behavior Problems: A General Overview of Dissertations and Thesis at Turkey

Authors: Selen Demirtas Zorbaz, Ozlem Ulas

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Examining the reasons of child behaviour problems has been one of the focus of psychology and related disciplines for so long. It can be said there is a lot of reasons of child behaviour problems and familial factors might be the leading ones. When taking into account the prevalence of the children having behaviour problems in Turkey, it can be said that it is important to carry out studies putting forward the reasons of behaviour problems. From this point of view, the aim of this study is to examine dissertations and thesis putting forward the relationship between problem behaviour of the children (12-year-old and younger) and teenagers (12-18 years old), and familial factors. For that purpose, 46 dissertations that were chosen according to the study criteria out of 141 dissertations scanned by using the keywords of ‘behaviour problems’ and ‘behaviour disorder’ at Higher Education Thesis Centre between the years of 1989 and 2016 have been taken into the scope of the study. ‘Thesis Examination Draft Form’ has been prepared for the purpose of being used for data collecting tool. For the analysis of the data, percentage, and frequency analysis methods have been used. When the results of these studies are evaluated on the whole, it is seen that all the dissertations and thesis done are descriptive study, and it was not encountered any studies designed as experimental. When looked at the distribution of dissertations by years, it is seen that the first thesis was done in 1989 and the most number of dissertations were done in the years of 2014 and 2016. When looked at the department in which the dissertations were done, it can be said that dissertations and thesis were done in many different fields of disciplines ranging from psychology and special education. In addition to this, when investigated the group taken into the scope of dissertations and thesis research, it is seen that the children mostly worked with are below the age of 12 and types of studies are master’s thesis. When the dissertations and thesis are examined by means of topics, it is seen that mostly-studied topics are demographic variables such as gender, whether the family is fragmented or not, education level of the family and the parents’ attitude. Obtained findings have been examined in the light of literature.

Keywords: family, child behaviour problem, dissertations, thesis

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11006 Gut-Microbiota-Brain-Axis, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain: Pathophysiology of Second Brain Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease- A Neuroscientific Riddle

Authors: Bilal Ahmad

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative illnesses. However, how Gut-microbiota plays a role in the pathogenesis of AD is not well elucidated. The purpose of this literature review is to summarize and understand the current findings that may elucidate the gut microbiota's role in the development of AD. Methods: A literature review of all the relevant papers known to the author was conducted. Relevant articles, abstracts and research papers were collected from well-accepted web sources like PubMed, PMC, and Google Scholar. Results: Recent studies have shown that Gut-microbiota has an important role in the progression of AD via Gut-Microbiota-Brain Axis. The onset of AD supports the ‘Hygiene Hypothesis’, which shows that AD might begin in the Gut, causing dysbiosis, which interferes with the intestinal barrier by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and making its way up to the brain via the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Molecular mechanisms lipopolysaccharides and serotonin kynurenine (tryptophan) pathways have a direct association with inflammation, the immune system, neurodegeneration, and AD. Conclusion: The studies helped to analyze the molecular basis of AD, other neurological conditions like depression, autism, and Parkinson's disease and how they are linked to Gut-microbiota. Further, studies to explore the therapeutic effects of probiotics in AD and cognitive enhancement should be warranted to provide significant clinical and practical value.

Keywords: gut-microbiota, Alzheimer’s disease, second brain aging, lipopolysaccharides, short-chain fatty acids

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11005 An Examination of the Effects of Implantable Technologies on the Practices of Governmentality

Authors: Benn Van Den Ende

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Over the last three decades, there has been an exponential increase in developments in implantable technologies such as the cardiac pacemaker, bionic prosthesis, and implantable chips. The effect of these technologies has been well researched in many areas. However, there is a lack of critical research in security studies. This paper will provide preliminary findings to an ongoing research project which aims to examine how implantable technologies effect the practices of governmentality in the context of security. It will do this by looking at the practices and techniques of governmentality along with different implantable technologies which increase, change or otherwise affect governmental practices. The preliminary research demonstrates that implantable technologies have a profound effect on the practices of governmentality, while also paving the way for further research into a potential ‘new’ form of governmentality in relation to these implantable technologies.

Keywords: critical security studies, governmentality, security theory, political theory, Foucault

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11004 Ethnic-Racial Breakdown in Psychological Research among Latinx Populations in the U.S.

Authors: Madeline Phillips, Luis Mendez

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The 21st century has seen an increase in the amount and variety of psychological research on Latinx, the largest minority group in the U.S., with great variability from the individual’s cultural origin (e.g., ethnicity) to region (e.g., nationality). We were interested in exploring how scientists recruit, conduct and report research on Latinx samples. Ethnicity and race are important components of individuals and should be addressed to capture a broader and deeper understanding of psychological research findings. In order to explore Latinx/Hispanic work, the Journal of Latinx Psychology (JLP) and Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences (HJBS) were analyzed for 1) measures of ethnicity and race in empirical studies 2) nationalities represented 3) how researchers reported ethnic-racial demographics. The analysis included publications from 2013-2018 and revealed two common themes of reporting ethnicity and race: overrepresentation/underrepresentation and overgeneralization. There is currently not a systematic way of reporting ethnicity and race among Latinx/Hispanic research, creating a vague sense of what and how ethnicity/race plays a role in the lives of participants. Second, studies used the Hispanic/Latinx terms interchangeably and are not consistent across publications. For the purpose of this project, we were only interested in publications with Latinx samples in the U.S. Therefore, studies outside of the U.S. and non-empirical studies were excluded. JLP went from N = 118 articles to N = 94 and HJBS went from N = 174 to N = 154. For this project, we developed a coding rubric for ethnicity/race that reflected the different ways researchers reported ethnicity and race and was compatible with the U.S. census. We coded which ethnicity/race was identified as the largest ethnic group in each sample. We used the ethnic-racial breakdown numbers or percentages if provided. There were also studies that simply did not report the ethnic composition besides Hispanic or Latinx. We found that in 80% of the samples, Mexicans are overrepresented compared to the population statistics of Latinx in the US. We observed all the ethnic-racial breakdowns, demonstrating the overrepresentation of Mexican samples and underrepresentation and/or lack of representation of certain ethnicities (e.g., Chilean, Guatemalan). Our results showed an overgeneralization of studies that cluster their participants to Latinx/Hispanic, 23 for JLP and 63 for HJBS. The authors discuss the importance of transparency from researchers in reporting the context of the sample, including country, state, neighborhood, and demographic variables that are relevant to the goals of the project, except when there may be an issue of privacy and/or confidentiality involved. In addition, the authors discuss the importance to recognize the variability within the Latinx population and how it is reflected in the scientific discourse.

Keywords: Latinx, Hispanic, race and ethnicity, diversity

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11003 Algorithmic Skills Transferred from Secondary CSI Studies into Tertiary Education

Authors: Piroska Biró, Mária Csernoch, János Máth, Kálmán Abari

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Testing the first year students of Informatics at the University of Debrecen revealed that students start their tertiary studies in programming with a low level of programming knowledge and algorithmic skills. The possible reasons which lead the students to this very unfortunate result were examined. The results of the test were compared to the students’ results in the school leaving exams and to their self-assessment values. It was found that there is only a slight connection between the students’ results in the test and in the school leaving exams, especially at intermediate level. Beyond this, the school leaving exams do not seem to enable students to evaluate their own abilities.

Keywords: deep and surface approaches, metacognitive abilities, programming and algorithmic skills, school leaving exams, tracking code

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11002 A Qualitative Study on Metacognitive Patterns among High and Low Performance Problem Based on Learning Groups

Authors: Zuhairah Abdul Hadi, Mohd Nazir bin Md. Zabit, Zuriadah Ismail

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Metacognitive has been empirically evidenced to be one important element influencing learning outcomes. Expert learners engage in metacognition by monitoring and controlling their thinking, and listing, considering and selecting the best strategies to achieve desired goals. Studies also found that good critical thinkers engage in more metacognition and people tend to activate more metacognition when solving complex problems. This study extends past studies by performing a qualitative analysis to understand metacognitive patterns among two high and two low performing groups by carefully examining video and audio records taken during Problem-based learning activities. High performing groups are groups with majority members scored well in Watson Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA II) and academic achievement tests. Low performing groups are groups with majority members fail to perform in the two tests. Audio records are transcribed and analyzed using schemas adopted from past studies. Metacognitive statements are analyzed using three stages model and patterns of metacognitive are described by contexts, components, and levels for each high and low performing groups.

Keywords: academic achievement, critical thinking, metacognitive, problem-based learning

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11001 Education Management and Planning with Manual Based

Authors: Purna Bahadur Lamichhane

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Education planning and management are foundational pillars for developing effective educational systems. However, in many educational contexts, especially in developing nations, technology-enabled management is still emerging. In such settings, manual-based systems, where instructions and guidelines are physically documented, remain central to educational planning and management. This paper examines the effectiveness, challenges, and potential of manual-based education planning systems in fostering structured, reliable, and adaptable management frameworks. The objective of this study is to explore how a manual-based approach can successfully guide administrators, educators, and policymakers in delivering high-quality education. By using structured, accessible instructions, this approach serves as a blueprint for educational governance, offering clear, actionable steps to achieve institutional goals. Through an analysis of case studies from various regions, the paper identifies key strategies for planning school schedules, managing resources, and monitoring academic and administrative performance without relying on automated systems. The findings underscore the significance of organized documentation, standard operating procedures, and comprehensive manuals that establish uniformity and maintain educational standards across institutions. With a manual-based approach, management can remain flexible, responsive, and user-friendly, especially in environments where internet access and digital literacy are limited. Moreover, it allows for localization, where instructions can be tailored to the unique cultural and socio-economic contexts of the community, thereby increasing relevancy and ownership among local stakeholders. This paper also highlights several challenges associated with manual-based education management. Manual systems often require significant time and human resources for maintenance and updating, potentially leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies over time. Furthermore, manual records can be susceptible to loss, damage, and limited accessibility, which may affect decision-making and institutional memory. There is also the risk of siloed information, where crucial data resides with specific individuals rather than being accessible across the organization. However, with proper training and regular oversight, many of these limitations can be mitigated. The study further explores the potential for hybrid approaches, combining manual planning with selected digital tools for record-keeping, reporting, and analytics. This transitional strategy can enable schools and educational institutions to gradually embrace digital solutions without discarding the familiarity and reliability of manual instructions. In conclusion, this paper advocates for a balanced, context-sensitive approach to education planning and management. While digital systems hold the potential to streamline processes, manual-based systems offer resilience, inclusivity, and adaptability for institutions where technology adoption may be constrained. Ultimately, by reinforcing the importance of structured, detailed manuals and instructional guides, educational institutions can build robust management frameworks that facilitate both short-term successes and long-term growth in their educational mission. This research aims to provide a reference for policymakers, educators, and administrators seeking practical, low-cost, and adaptable solutions for sustainable educational planning and management.

Keywords: educatoin, planning, management, manual

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11000 Learning Compression Techniques on Smart Phone

Authors: Farouk Lawan Gambo, Hamada Mohammad

Abstract:

Data compression shrinks files into fewer bits than their original presentation. It has more advantage on the internet because the smaller a file, the faster it can be transferred but learning most of the concepts in data compression are abstract in nature, therefore, making them difficult to digest by some students (engineers in particular). This paper studies the learning preference of engineering students who tend to have strong, active, sensing, visual and sequential learning preferences, the paper also studies the three shift of technology-aided that learning has experienced, which mobile learning has been considered to be the feature of learning that will integrate other form of the education process. Lastly, we propose a design and implementation of mobile learning application using software engineering methodology that will enhance the traditional teaching and learning of data compression techniques.

Keywords: data compression, learning preference, mobile learning, multimedia

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10999 The Effect of Pregabalin on Postoperative Pain after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

Authors: Emad Kouhestani

Abstract:

Background: Despite the enormous success of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, acute neuropathic pain can develop postoperatively and is both distressing and difficult to treat once established. Pregabalin, as an anticonvulsant agent that selectively affects the nociceptive process, has been used as a pain relief agent. The purpose of this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to evaluate the pain control effect of pregabalin versus placebo after ACL reconstruction. Method: A search of the literature was performed from inception to June 2022, using PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Cochrane, and EBSCO. Studies considered for inclusion were RCTs that reported relevant outcomes (postoperative pain scores, or cumulative opioid consumption, adverse events) following the administration of pregabalin in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. Result: Five placebo-controlled RCTs involving 272 participants met the inclusion criteria. 75 mg and 150 mg of oral pregabalin were used in included trials. Two studies used a single dose of pregabalin one hour before anesthesia induction. Two studies used pregabalin 1 hour before anesthesia induction and 12 hours after. One study used daily pregabalin 7 days before and 7 days after surgery. Out of five papers, three papers found significantly lower pain intensity and cumulative opioid consumption in the pregabalin group compared with the placebo group. However, a decrease in pain scores was found in all trials. Pregabalin administration was associated with dizziness and nausea. Conclusion: The use of pregabalin may be a valuable asset in pain management after ACL reconstruction. However, future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are required.

Keywords: pregabalin, anterior cruciate ligament, postoperative pain, clinical trial

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10998 A PRISMA Systematic Review: Parent Sensitivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Relationship With Child and Parent Characteristics

Authors: Gabrielle Veloso, Melanie Porter, Kelsie Boulton, Adam Guastella

Abstract:

The aim of the current systematic review was to examine child and parent factors and their associations with parent sensitivity towards children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Eight bibliographic databases were used to identify peer-reviewed journal articles examining these associations via quantitative analyses, with parent sensitivity measured via validated and reliable observation coding systems. Thirty-one studies were finalized as having met full criteria for inclusion. The review found agreement across studies that parent sensitivity was positively associated with the child’s initiations and responsiveness toward their parent, with more frequent parent-directed behaviors providing greater opportunity for parents to act and react in sensitive manner. There was also substantial evidence that parent sensitivity predicted later growth in child language ability and child social skills. Other factors such as child attachment, parent insightfulness toward their child, and parent resolution of the diagnosis were also identified across a number of studies as being positively associated with parent sensitivity, however, interpretations of these findings were limited by the absence of covariates identified in the literature as explaining much of the variance in parent sensitivity. With respect to non-significant associations, the literature reliably found that parents showed sensitivity toward their child with ASD, regardless of child age, ASD symptomology, concurrent child social skills, and concurrent child cognitive abilities. The robust associations found in this review and their potential explanations can serve as a jump off point in identifying an understanding protective and risk factors for families of children with ASD. With regard to future directions in research, assessment of the studies’ methodological quality identified points for improvement with respect to the measurement of parent sensitivity, as well as the consideration of several important methodological confounds that may be controlled for in statistical analyses.

Keywords: ASD, autism, parenting, parent sensitivity

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10997 Analysis of the Main Concepts and Discussions Involving Sustainable Tourism

Authors: Veruska C. Dutra, Mary L. G. S. Senna

Abstract:

The development of tourism is on the use of landscapes, natural or constructed, which involves a number of factors that contribute to the deterioration of nature. Tourist activity coupled with sustainable development has led to the emergence of many questions about these terms, since they are not well defined in this sense through literature searches. The present study was to analyze the main concepts and discussions involving sustainable tourism, providing reflections that can cause answers about one of the main questions in today's activity sector on whether its sustainability is a myth or reality. The methodology of this study is discussions, theoretical studies and bibliographic research. The results showed that the scholars who address the issue, often leave uncertainty about some discussions that demonstrate that there are still many studies to be conducted in order to prove that the claims so as to form the basis of what will be Tourism sustainable.

Keywords: tourism, sustainability, development, discussions

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10996 A Literature Review on the Effect of Financial Knowledge toward Corporate Growth: The Important Role of Financial Risk Attitude

Authors: Risna Wijayanti, Sumiati, Hanif Iswari

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This study aims to analyze the role of financial risk attitude as a mediation between financial knowledge and business growth. The ability of human resources in managing capital (financial literacy) can be a major milestone for a company's business to grow and build its competitive advantage. This study analyzed the important role of financial risk attitude in bringing about financial knowledge on corporate growth. There have been many discussions arguing that financial knowledge is one of the main abilities of corporate managers in determining the success of managing a company. However, a contrary argument of other scholars also enlightened that financial knowledge did not have a significant influence on corporate growth. This study used literatures' review to analyze whether there is another variable that can mediate the effect of financial knowledge toward corporate growth. Research mapping was conducted to analyze the concept of risk tolerance. This concept was related to people's risk aversion effects when making a decision under risk and the role of financial knowledge on changes in financial income. Understanding and managing risks and investments are complicated, in particular for corporate managers, who are always demanded to maintain their corporate growth. Substantial financial knowledge is extremely needed to identify and take accurate information for corporate financial decision-making. By reviewing several literature, this study hypothesized that financial knowledge of corporate managers would be meaningless without manager's courage to bear risks for taking favorable business opportunities. Therefore, the level of risk aversion from corporate managers will determine corporate action, which is a reflection of corporate-level investment behavior leading to attain corporate success or failure for achieving the company's expected growth rate.

Keywords: financial knowledge, financial risk attitude, corporate growth, risk tolerance

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10995 Production, Quality Control, and Biodistribution Studies of 141ce-Edtmp as a Potential Bone Pain Palliation Agent

Authors: Fatemeh Soltani, Simindokht Shirvani Arani, Ali Bahrami Samani, Mahdi Sadeghi, Kamal Yavari

Abstract:

Cerium-141 [T1/2 = 32.501 days, Eβ (max) = 0.580 (29.8%) and 0.435(70.2%) MeV, Eγ=145.44 (48.2%) keV] possesses radionuclidic properties suitable for use in palliative therapy of bone metastases. 141Ce also has gamma energy of 145.44 keV, which resembles that of 99mTc. Therefore, the energy window is adjustable on the Tc-99m energy because of imaging studies. 141Ce can be produced through a relatively easy route that involves thermal neutron bombardment on natural CeO2 in medium flux research reactors (4–5×1013 neutrons/cm2•s). The requirement for an enriched target does not arise. Ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid (EDTMP) was synthesized and radiolabeled with 141Ce. Complexation parameters were optimized to achieve maximum yields (>99%). The radiochemical purity of 141Ce-EDTMP was evaluated by radio-thin layer chromatography. The stability of the prepared formulation was monitored for one week at room temperature, and results showed that the preparation was stable during this period (>99%). Biodistribution studies of the complexes carried out in wild-type rats exhibited significant bone uptake with rapid clearance from blood. The properties of produced 141Ce-EDTMP suggest applying a new efficient bone pain palliative therapeutic agent to overcome metastatic bone pains.

Keywords: bone pain palliative, cerium-141, EDTMP, radiopharmaceutical

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10994 Review of Literature: Using Technology to Help Language Learners at Improving Their Language Skills

Authors: Eyup Bayram Guzel, Osman Tunc

Abstract:

People have been fairly interested in what technology offers to them around a scope of human necessities and it has become a part of human life. In this study, experimental studies were reviewed for the purpose of how technology helps language learners improve their phonemic awareness, reading comprehension and vocabulary development skills. As a conclusion, experimental studies demonstrated that students showed significant improvements up to 70% in phonological awareness, while they demonstrated up to 76% of improvements in reading comprehension and up to 77% in vocabulary development. The use of computer-assisted technologies and its positive outcomes were encouraged to be used more widely in order to meet the diverse needs of students.

Keywords: technology, phonemic awareness, reading comprehension, vocabulary development

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10993 A Comparative Study of the Challenges of E-Learning in Nigerian Universities

Authors: J. N. Anene, A. A. Bello, C. C. Anene

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The paper carried out a comparative study of the challenges of e-learning in Nigerian universities. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the challenges faced by students in e-learning in Nigerian Universities. A total of two hundred and twenty-eight students from nine universities constituted the sample for the study. A simple random sampling technique was employed in selecting thirty–two students from one of each university in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. The questionnaire based on 'yes or no' and column charts constituted the instrument employed in the study. Percentages were used to analyse 'yes or no' while column charts were used to compare responds of the students. The finding of the study revealed that majority of students in all the universities under study claimed that their universities lacked appropriate software, that good quality educational content online was lacking, they also agreed that sustainability of e-learning was not prioritized, that they had no access to appropriate content for ICT-enhanced learning and training and that they had access to affordable and reliable computers. For lecturers, the computer certification should be the first on the list of promotion requirements. The finding of the study revealed that students from seven out of nine universities confirmed that their universities lack of appropriate software whereas the other two claimed that they have appropriate software. Also, out of nine universities, two disagreed to the fact that good quality educational content online lacked, whereas seven agreed that they lacked good quality educational content online. The finding of the study also revealed that most of the respondents in almost all the university under study agreed that sustainability of e-learning was not prioritized. The study recommended among other that the Nigerian Government should make concerted effort to provide the enablement for all lecturers and students to become computer literate. This should be done within a time frame, and at the end of the computer course, certificates should be issued, and no student should graduate in his or her field of study without passing the computer course.

Keywords: e-learning, developing countries, computer literacy, ICT

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10992 Violence against Children Surveys: Analysis of the Peer-Reviewed Literature from 2009-2019

Authors: Kathleen Cravero, Amanda Nace, Samantha Ski

Abstract:

The Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) is nationally representative surveys of male and female youth ages 13-24, designed to measure the burden of sexual, physical, and emotional violence experienced in childhood and adolescence. As of 2019, 24 countries implemented or are in the process of implementing a VACS, covering over ten percent of the world’s child population. Since the first article using VACS data from Swaziland was published in 2009, several peer-reviewed articles have been published on the VACS. However, no publications to date have analyzed the breadth of the work and analyzed how the data are represented in the peer-reviewed literature. In this study, we conducted a literature review of all peer-reviewed research that used VACS data or discussed the implementation and methodology of the VACS. The literature review revealed several important findings. Between 2009 and July 2019, thirty-five peer-reviewed articles using VACS data from 12 countries have been published. Twenty of the studies focus on one country, while 15 of the studies focus on two or more countries. Some countries are featured in the literature more than others, for example Kenya (N=14), Malawi (N=12), and Tanzania (N=12). A review of the research by gender demonstrates that research on violence against boys is under-represented. Only two studies specifically focused on boys/young men, while 11 studies focused only on violence against girls. This is despite research which suggests boys and girls experience similar rates of violence. A review of the publications by type of violence revealed significant differences in the types of violence being featured in the literature. Thirteen publications specifically focused on sexual violence, while three studies focused on physical violence, and only one study focused on emotional violence. Almost 70% of the peer-reviewed articles (24 of the 35) were first-authored by someone at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were very few first authors from VACS countries, which raises questions about who is leveraging the data and the extent to which capacities for data liberation are being developed within VACS countries. The VACS provide an unprecedented amount of information on the prevalence and past-year incidence of violence against children. Through a review of the peer-reviewed literature on the VACS we can begin to identify trends and gaps in how the data is being used as well as identify areas for further research.

Keywords: data to action, global health, implementation science, violence against children surveys

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