Search results for: health sciences

Authors: Mahlet Nigussie Worku

Abstract:

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different leadership styles on employee engagement in Ethiopian Airlines headquarters located in Addis Ababa. Specific objectives of the study were stated to examine the effects of five leadership styles, namely transformational, transactional, democratic, lassies fair and autocratic leadership styles on employees’ engagement. The study was conducted on 288 sample sizes, and a simple random sampling technique was employed. The quantitative findings were presented and analyzed by table, ANOVA, bivariate correlation and regression model through SPSS software version 23. Out of 288 total distributed questionnaires, 280 were returned, and 8 of the returned were rejected due to missing data, while the remaining 280 responses were used for data analysis. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study employed both descriptive and explanatory research design. Correlation and regression were used to analyze the relationship and its effect between leadership Style and employee engagement. The regression results showed that transformational, transactional and democratic leadership Styles have significant contributions to employee engagement. Similarly, the transformational, transactional land democratic leadership style had a positive and strong correlation with employee engagement. However, lassies-fair and autocratic leadership styles showed a negative and insignificant effect on employee engagement. Finally, based on the findings, workable recommendations and implications for further studies were forwarded.

Keywords: leadership, autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style, employee engagement

Procedia PDF Downloads 53

Authors: Xue Bai, Ranran He, Chang Liu

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Care planning before the onset of intensive care needs can benefit older adults’ psychological well-being and increases families’ ability to manage caregiving crises and cope with care transitions. Effective care planning requires collaborative ‘team-work’ in families. However, future care planning has not been substantially examined in intergenerational or family contexts, let alone among immigrant families who have to face particular challenges in parental caregiving. From a family systems perspective, this study intends to explore the extent, processes, and contents of intergenerational care planning of Mainland immigrant ageing families in Hong Kong and to examine the intergenerational congruence and discrepancies in the care planning process. Adopting a qualitative research design, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 adult child-older parent pairs and another 33 adult children. In total, 50 adult children who migrated to Hong Kong after the age of 18 with more than three years’ work experience in Hong Kong had at least one parent aged over 55 years old who was not a Hong Kong resident and considered his/herself as the primary caregiver of the parent were recruited. Seventeen ageing parents of the recruited adult children were invited for dyadic interviews. Scarcity of caregiving resources in the context of cross-border migration, intergenerational discrepancies in care planning stages, both generations’ struggle and ambivalence toward filial care, intergenerational transmission of care values, and facilitating role of accumulated family capital in care preparation were primary themes concluded from participants’ narratives. Compared with ageing parents, immigrant adult children generally displayed lower levels of care planning. Although with a strong awareness of parents’ future care needs, few adult children were found engaged in concrete planning activities. This is largely due to their uncertainties toward future life and career, huge work and living pressure, the relatively good health status of their parents, and restrictions of public welfare policies in the receiving society. By contrast, children’s cross-border migration encouraged ageing parents to have early and clear preparation for future care. Ageing parents mostly expressed low filial care expectations when realizing the scarcity of family caregiving resources in the cross-border context. Even though they prefer in-person support from children, most of them prepare themselves for independent ageing to prioritize the next generation’s needs or choose to utilize paid services, welfare systems, friend networks, or extended family networks in their sending society. Adult children were frequently found caught in the dilemma of desiring to provide high quality and in-person support for their parents but lacking sufficient resources. Notably, a salient pattern of intergenerational transmission in terms of family and care values and ideal care arrangement emerged from intergenerational care preparation. Moreover, the positive role of accumulated family capital generated by a reunion in care preparation and joint decision-making were also identified. The findings of the current study will enhance professionals’ and service providers’ awareness of intergenerational care planning in cross-border migration contexts, inform services to alleviate unpreparedness for elderly care and intergenerational discrepancies concerning care arrangements and broaden family services to encompass intergenerational care planning interventions. Acknowledgment: This study is supported by a General Research Grant from the Research Grants Council of the HKSAR, China (Project Number: 15603818).

Keywords: intergenerational care planning, mainland immigrants in Hong Kong, migrant family, older adults

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Authors: Hilary Modir, Kyle Dutton, Michelle Swab, Shabnam Asghari

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Since its emergence, the cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 have been documented in the literature. However, the majority are case reports with significant limitations in appraisal quality, thus leaving the role of dermatological manifestations of COVID-19 erroneously underexplored. The primary aim of this review was to systematically examine clinical patterns of dermatological manifestations as reported in the literature. This study was designed as a systematic review of case reports. The inclusion criteria consisted of all published reports and articles regarding COVID-19 in English, from September 1st, 2019, until June 22nd, 2020. The population consisted of confirmed cases of COVID-19 with associated cutaneous signs and symptoms. Exclusion criteria included research in planning stages, protocols, book reviews, news articles, review studies, and policy analyses. With the collaboration of a librarian, a search strategy was created consisting of a mixture of keyword terms and controlled vocabulary. Electronic databases searched were MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, LILACS, PsycINFO, WHO Global Literature on Coronavirus Disease, Cochrane Library, Campbell Collaboration, Prospero, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, U.S. Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register, AAD Registry, OSF preprints, SSRN, MedRxiV and BioRxiV. The study selection featured an initial pre-screening of titles and abstracts by one independent reviewer. Results were verified by re-examining a random sample of 1% of excluded articles. Eligible studies progressed for full-text review by two calibrated independent reviewers. Covidence was used to store and extract data, such as citation information and findings pertaining to COVID-19 and cutaneous signs and symptoms. Data analysis and summarization methodology reflect the framework proposed by PRISMA and recommendations set out by Cochrane and Joanna Brigg’s Institute for conducting systematic reviews. The Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine’s level of evidence was used to appraise the quality of individual studies. The literature search revealed a total of 1221 articles. After the abstract and full-text screening, only 95 studies met the eligibility criteria, proceeding to data extraction. Studies were divided into 58% case reports and 42% series. A total of 833 manifestations were reported in 723 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The most frequent lesions were 23% maculopapular, 15% urticarial and 13% pseudo-chilblains, with 46% of lesions reporting pruritus, 16% erythema, 14% pain, 12% burning sensation, and 4% edema. The most common lesion locations were 20% trunk, 19.5% lower limbs, and 17.7% upper limbs. The time to resolution of lesions was between one and twenty-one days. In conclusion, over half of the reported cutaneous presentations in COVID-19 positive patients were maculopapular, urticarial and pseudo-chilblains, with the majority of lesions distributed to the extremities and trunk. As this review’s sample size only contained COVID-19 confirmed cases with skin presentations, it becomes difficult to deduce the direct relationship between skin findings and COVID-19. However, it can be correlated that acute onset of skin lesions, such as chilblains-like, may be associated with or may warrant consideration of COVID-19 as part of the differential diagnosis.

Keywords: COVID-19, cutaneous manifestations, cutaneous signs, general dermatology, medical dermatology, Sars-Cov-2, skin and infectious disease, skin findings, skin manifestations

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Authors: Ratchadaporn Ungcharoen, Lily Ingsrisawang

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Capture-recapture methods are popular techniques for indirect estimation the size of wildlife populations and the completeness of cases in epidemiology and social sciences. The aim of this study was to estimate the completeness of pulmonary tuberculosis cases confirmed by two sources of hospital registrations and surveillance systems in 2013 in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand. Several estimators of population size were considered: the Lincoln-Petersen estimator, the Chapman estimator, the Chao’s lower bound estimator, the Zelterman’s estimator, etc. We focus on the Chapman and Chao’s lower bound estimators for estimating the completeness of pulmonary tuberculosis from two sources. The retrieved pulmonary tuberculosis data from two sources were analyzed and bootstrapped for 30 samples, with 241 observations from source 1 and 305 observations from source 2 per sample, for additional exploration of the completeness of pulmonary tuberculosis. The results from the original data show that the Chapman’s estimator gave the estimation of a total 360 (95% CI: 349-371) pulmonary tuberculosis cases, resulting in 57% estimated completeness cases. But the Chao’s lower bound estimator estimated the total of 365 (95% CI: 354-376) pulmonary tuberculosis cases and its estimated completeness cases was 55.9%. For the results from bootstrap samples, the Chapman and the Chao’s lower bound estimators gave an estimated 347 (95% CI: 309-385) and 353 (95% CI: 315-390) pulmonary tuberculosis cases, respectively. If for two sources recoding systems are available, record-linkage and capture-recapture analysis can be useful for estimating the completeness of different registration system. Both Chapman and Chao’s lower bound estimator approaches produce very close estimates.

Keywords: capture-recapture, Chao, Chapman, pulmonary tuberculosis

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Authors: Alba Barbara-i-Molinero, Rosalia Cascon Pereira, Ana Beatriz Hernandez Lara

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Our general motivation in undertaking this study is to propose alternative measures to lighten students experienced tensions during the transitions from high school to higher education based on the concept of professional identity strength. In order to do so, we measured the influence that three different factors external motivational conditionals, educational experience conditionals and personal motivation conditionals exerted over students’ professional identity strength and proposed the measures considering the obtained results. By using hierarchical regression analysis we addressed this issue, across disciplines and bachelor degrees, allowing us to gain also deeper insight into first-year university students PID. Our findings suggest that students’ from the different disciplines are influenced by personal motivational conditionals; while students from sciences are also influenced by external motivational conditionals. Based on the obtained results we propose three different alternative educational and recruitment strategies which aim to increase students’ professional identity strength and reduce the tensions generated during high school-university transitions. From this study theoretical contributions regarding the differences in the influence of these factors on students from different bachelor degrees arise; and practical implications for universities, derived from the proposed strategies.

Keywords: professional identity, transitions, higher education, strategies

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Authors: Claudio Clemente, Valentina Gargiulo, Alessio Occhicone, Giovanni Piero Pepe, Giovanni Ausanio, Michela Alfè

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Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions represent a serious risk to human health and the integrity of the ecosystems, especially at high concentrations. For this reason, it is very important to continuously monitor environmental quality and develop fast and reliable portable sensors to allow analysis on site. Chemiresistors have become promising candidates for VOC sensing as their ease of fabrication, variety of suitable sensitive materials, and simple sensing data. A chemoresistive gas sensor is a transducer that allows to measure the concentration of an analyte in the gas phase because the changes in resistance are proportional to the amount of the analyte present. The selection of the sensitive material, which interacts with the target analyte, is very important for the sensor performance. The most used VOC detection materials are metal oxides (MOx) for their rapid recovery, high sensitivity to various gas molecules, easy fabrication. Their sensing performance can be improved in terms of operating temperature, selectivity, and detection limit. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a lot of attention also in the field of gas sensing due to their high porosity, high surface area, tunable morphologies, structural variety. MOFs are generated by the self-assembly of multidentate organic ligands connecting with adjacent multivalent metal nodes via strong coordination interactions, producing stable and highly ordered crystalline porous materials with well-designed structures. However, most MOFs intrinsically exhibit low electrical conductivity. To improve this property, MOFs can be combined with organic and inorganic materials in a hybrid fashion to produce composite materials or can be transformed into more stable structures. MOFs, indeed, can be employed as the precursors of metal oxides with well-designed architectures via the calcination method. The MOF-derived MOx partially preserved the original structure with high surface area and intrinsic open pores, which act as trapping centers for gas molecules, and showed a higher electrical conductivity. Core-shell heterostructures, in which the surface of a metal oxide core is completely coated by a MOF shell, forming a junction at the core-shell heterointerface, can also be synthesized. Also, nanocomposite in which MOF structures are intercalated with graphene related materials can also be produced, and the conductivity increases thanks to the high mobility of electrons of carbon materials. As MOF structures, zinc-based MOFs belonging to the ZIF family were selected in this work. Several Zn-based materials based and/or derived from MOFs were produced, structurally characterized, and arranged in a chemo resistive architecture, also exploring the potentiality of different approaches of sensing layer deposition based on PLD (pulsed laser deposition) and, in case of thermally labile materials, MAPLE (Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation) to enhance the adhesion to the support. The sensors were tested in a controlled humidity chamber, allowing for the possibility of varying the concentration of ethanol, a typical analyte chosen among the VOCs for a first survey. The effect of heating the chemiresistor to improve sensing performances was also explored. Future research will focus on exploring new manufacturing processes for MOF-based gas sensors with the aim to improve sensitivity, selectivity and reduce operating temperatures.

Keywords: chemiresistors, gas sensors, graphene related materials, laser deposition, MAPLE, metal-organic frameworks, metal oxides, nanocomposites, sensing performance, transduction mechanism, volatile organic compounds

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Authors: Mahlet Nigussie Worku

Abstract:

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different leadership styles on employee engagement in Ethiopian Airlines head quarter located in Addis Ababa. Specific objectives of the study were stated to examine the effects of five leadership styles namely transformational, transactional, democratic, lassies fair and autocratic leadership styles on employees’ engagement. The study was conducted on 288 sample size and a simple random sampling technique was employed. The quantitative findings were presented and analyzed by table, ANOVA, bivariate correlation and regression model through SPSS software version 23. Out of 288 total distributed questionnaires 280 were returned and 8 of the returned were rejected due to missing data while the remaining 280 responses were used for data analysis. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study employed both descriptive and explanatory research design. Correlation and regression were used to analyze the relationship and its effect between leadership Style and employee’s engagement. The regression results showed that transformational, transactional and democratic leadership Styles have significant contribution for employee’s engagement. Similarly transformational, transactional land democratic leadership style had a positive and strong correlation with employee’s engagement. However lassies-fair and autocratic leadership style showed negative and insignificant effect on employee engagement. Finally, based on the findings, workable recommendations and implications for further studies were forwarded

Keywords: leadership, leadership style, employee engagement, autocratic leadership styles

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Authors: Fazlul Karim, Esa Al-Islam

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Many problems in oceanography and environmental sciences require the solution of shallow water equations on physical domains having curvilinear coastlines and abrupt changes of ocean depth near the shore. Finite-difference technique for the shallow water equations representing the boundary as stair step may give inaccurate results near the coastline where results are of greatest interest for various applications. This suggests the use of methods which are capable of incorporating the irregular boundary in coastal belts. At the same time, large velocity gradient is expected near the beach and islands as water depth vary abruptly near the coast. A nested numerical scheme with fine resolution is the best resort to enhance the numerical accuracy with the least grid numbers for the region of interests where the velocity changes rapidly and which is unnecessary for the away of the region. This paper describes the development of a boundary fitted nested grid (BFNG) model to compute tsunami propagation of 2004 Indonesian tsunami in Southern Thailand coastal waters. In this paper, we develop a numerical model employing the shallow water nested model and an orthogonal boundary fitted grid to investigate the tsunami impact on the Southern Thailand due to the Indonesian tsunami of 2004. Comparisons of water surface elevation obtained from numerical simulations and field measurements are made.

Keywords: Indonesian tsunami of 2004, Boundary-fitted nested grid model, Southern Thailand, finite difference method

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Authors: Suresh Salla

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In this paper, author explores for most sustainable last mile transport mode addressing present problems of traffic congestion, jams, pollution and travel stress. Development of energy-efficient sustainable integrated transport system(s) is/are must to make our cities more livable. Emphasis on autonomous, connected, electric, sharing system for effective utilization of systems (vehicles and public infrastructure) is on the rise. Many surface mobility innovations like PBS, Ride hailing, ride sharing, etc. are, although workable but if we analyze holistically, add to the already congested roads, difficult to ride in hostile weather, causes pollution and poses commuter stress. Sustainability of transportation is evaluated with respect to public adoption, average speed, energy consumption, and pollution. Why public prefer certain mode over others? How commute time plays a role in mode selection or shift? What are the factors play-ing role in energy consumption and pollution? Based on the study, it is clear that public prefer a transport mode which is exhaustive (i.e., less need for interchange – network is widespread) and intensive (i.e., less waiting time - vehicles are available at frequent intervals) and convenient with latest technologies. Average speed is dependent on stops, number of intersections, signals, clear route availability, etc. It is clear from Physics that higher the kerb weight of a vehicle; higher is the operational energy consumption. Higher kerb weight also demands heavier infrastructure. Pollution is dependent on source of energy, efficiency of vehicle, average speed. Mode can be made exhaustive when the unit infrastructure cost is less and can be offered intensively when the vehicle cost is less. Reliable and seamless integrated mobility till last ¼ mile (Five Minute Walk-FMW) is a must to encourage sustainable public transportation. Study shows that average speed and reliability of dedicated modes (like Metro, PRT, BRT, etc.) is high compared to road vehicles. Electric vehicles and more so battery-less or 3rd rail vehicles reduce pollution. One potential mode can be Cycleloop PRT, where commuter rides e-cycle in a dedicated path – elevated, at grade or underground. e-Bike with kerb weight per rider at 15 kg being 1/50th of car or 1/10th of other PRT systems makes it sustainable mode. Cycleloop tube will be light, sleek and scalable and can be modular erected, either on modified street lamp-posts or can be hanged/suspended between the two stations. Embarking and dis-embarking points or offline stations can be at an interval which suits FMW to mass public transit. In terms of convenience, guided e-Bike can be made self-balancing thus encouraging driverless on-demand vehicles. e-Bike equipped with smart electronics and drive controls can intelligently respond to field sensors and autonomously move reacting to Central Controller. Smart switching allows travel from origin to destination without interchange of cycles. DC Powered Batteryless e-cycle with voluntary manual pedaling makes it sustainable and provides health benefits. Tandem e-bike, smart switching and Platoon operations algorithm options provide superior through-put of the Cycleloop. Thus Cycleloop PRT will be exhaustive, intensive, convenient, reliable, speedy, sustainable, safe, pollution-free and healthy alternative mode for last mile connectivity in cities.

Keywords: cycleloop PRT, five-minute walk, lean modular infrastructure, self-balanced intelligent e-cycle

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Authors: Tennyson Samraj

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The intent of this paper is threefold: (1) to propose the Epicurean tenet that beliefs associated with God are to be detached from the transcendent God, as the basis to end religious conflicts; (2) to project John Hick’s advice that no one has monopoly over religious claims, as the basis for religious tolerance and (3) to present the common sense approach to respect religion without disrespecting science. Religious claims create societal tension on two matters: conflict between believers and conflict with the sciences. Anyone interested in the two fundamental questions related to consciousness and cosmology as to how and why the universe exists will have to deal with science and religion. However, while science addresses the question of how the universe came into existence and how it works, religion addresses the question of why the universe exists. If religion is a quest to understand why the universe exists, then we must address the question as to when religion is considered meaningful and when is it considered detrimental. Is there a relationship between why we choose to live and why the universe exists? Science and Religion are partners in defining our life in the context of the universe. Science without Religion limits itself to knowing ‘how’ the universe came into existence without questioning ‘why’; Religion without Science limits itself of knowing ‘why’ the universe exists without knowing ‘how.’ Is it possible to detach beliefs about God from God? When religious claims are understood in the context of the questions that necessitates the answers, religious claims can be understood as being separate from the transcendent God. This paper purports that this Epicurean tenet provides the impetus to address the questions that necessitate religious claims. This helps us to explain the relevance of why we believe in what we believe; define the relationship between the self, soul and the sacred; and establish the connection between this life and the after-life in the context of life-beyond-this-planet.

Keywords: religion, epicurus, John Hick, relevance of religion

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Authors: Eduardo Lanzagorta Garcia, Chaitra Venkatesh, Romina Pezzoli, Laura Gabriela Rodriguez Barroso, Declan Devine, Margaret E. Brennan Fournet

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New antimicrobial interventions are urgently required to combat rising global health and medical infection challenges. Here, an innovative antimicrobial technology, providing price competitive alternatives to antibiotics and readily integratable with currently technological systems is presented. Two cutting edge antimicrobial materials, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and uncompromised sustained Ag+ action from triangular silver nanoplates (TSNPs) reservoirs, are merged for versatile effective antimicrobial action where current approaches fail. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exist widely in nature and have recently been demonstrated for broad spectrum of activity against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. TSNP’s are highly discrete, homogenous and readily functionisable Ag+ nanoreseviors that have a proven amenability for operation within in a wide range of bio-based settings. In a design for advanced antimicrobial sustainable plastics, antimicrobial TSNPs are formulated for processing within biodegradable biopolymers. Histone H5 AMP was selected for its reported strong antimicrobial action and functionalized with the TSNP (AMP-TSNP) in a similar fashion to previously reported TSNP biofunctionalisation methods. A synergy between the propensity of biopolymers for degradation and Ag+ release combined with AMP activity provides a novel mechanism for the sustained antimicrobial action of biopolymeric thin films. Nanoplates are transferred from aqueous phase to an organic solvent in order to facilitate integration within hydrophobic polymers. Extrusion is used in combination with calendering rolls to create thin polymerc film where the nanoplates are embedded onto the surface. The resultant antibacterial functional films are suitable to be adapted for food packing and biomedical applications. TSNP synthesis were synthesized by adapting a previously reported seed mediated approach. TSNP synthesis was scaled up for litre scale batch production and subsequently concentrated to 43 ppm using thermally controlled H2O removal. Nanoplates were transferred from aqueous phase to an organic solvent in order to facilitate integration within hydrophobic polymers. This was acomplised by functionalizing the TSNP with thiol terminated polyethylene glycol and using centrifugal force to transfer them to chloroform. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Polylactic acid (PLA) were individually processed through extrusion, TSNP and AMP-TSNP solutions were sprayed onto the polymer immediately after exiting the dye. Calendering rolls were used to disperse and incorporate TSNP and TSNP-AMP onto the surface of the extruded films. Observation of the characteristic blue colour confirms the integrity of the TSNP within the films. Antimicrobial tests were performed by incubating Gram + and Gram – strains with treated and non-treated films, to evaluate if bacterial growth was reduced due to the presence of the TSNP. The resulting films successfully incorporated TSNP and AMP-TSNP. Reduced bacterial growth was observed for both Gram + and Gram – strains for both TSNP and AMP-TSNP compared with untreated films indicating antimicrobial action. The largest growth reduction was observed for AMP-TSNP treated films demonstrating the additional antimicrobial activity due to the presence of the AMPs. The potential of this technology to impede bacterial activity in food industry and medical surfaces will forge new confidence in the battle against antibiotic resistant bacteria, serving to greatly inhibit infections and facilitate patient recovery.

Keywords: antimicrobial, biodegradable, peptide, polymer, nanoparticle

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Authors: Ajaz Shaheen, Jawaid Ahmed Siddqui

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This world has purely become scientific and technological, and therefore it demands more from our young learners to be more intellectual in learning sciences. A point of concern that is dragging the attention of educationists is that young learners are gradually detaching from science and scientific theory. To deal with this matter, we must arrange such engaging activities that may improve the imaginative skills of our young learners. Our ongoing research program highlights the effects of such activities that demand the learners to interpret scientific information in the form of text they possess. These mixed stories are also known as what we call BioStories. Learners upload their narratives on different websites to let their peers go through their manuscripts. That, as a result, brings more refinement to their works. Moreover, stories allow the learners to read, understand and learn on a broader spectrum. We have conducted separate studies with learners from Grades 6, 9, and 12 that involve case studies and quasi-experimental designs. The conclusion we drew from the analysis of Grade 6 learners was that the alignment of stories helped them become more familiar with the scientific issue. Not only this but also the learners of the respective grade built up their interest in the subject and also developed a clear understanding of related subject topics. On the other hand, results from the 8th and 9th grades study support the argument that learners reflected a positive attitude toward writing scientific information. Lastly, we concluded from the 12th-grade learners that they took pride in their writing skills and built up their strength, determination, and interest. The students became self-conscious as they wrote hybridized scientific narratives in science.

Keywords: BioStories, hybridized writing, scientific literacy, scientific method

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Authors: Roseanne Sharon Borromeo, Mariana Carvalho, Mariia Karizhenskaia

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Healthcare providers need to comprehend cultural diversity for optimal patient-centered care, especially near the end of life. Although a universal method for navigating cultural differences would be ideal, culture’s high complexity makes this strategy impossible. Adding cultural humility, a process of self-reflection to understand personal and systemic biases and humbly acknowledging oneself as a learner when it comes to understanding another's experience leads to a meaningful process in palliative care generating respectful, honest, and trustworthy relationships. This study is a systematic review of the literature on cultural humility in palliative care research and best practices. Race, religion, language, values, and beliefs can affect an individual’s access to palliative care, underscoring the importance of culture in palliative care. Cultural influences affect end-of-life care perceptions, impacting bereavement rituals, decision-making, and attitudes toward death. Cultural factors affecting the delivery of care identified in a scoping review of Canadian literature include cultural competency, cultural sensitivity, and cultural accessibility. As the different parts of the world become exponentially diverse and multicultural, healthcare providers have been encouraged to give culturally competent care at the bedside. Therefore, many organizations have made cultural competence training required to expose professionals to the special needs and vulnerability of diverse populations. Cultural competence is easily standardized, taught, and implemented; however, this theoretically finite form of knowledge can dangerously lead to false assumptions or stereotyping, generating poor communication, loss of bonds and trust, and poor healthcare provider-patient relationship. In contrast, Cultural humility is a dynamic process that includes self-reflection, personal critique, and growth, allowing healthcare providers to respond to these differences with an open mind, curiosity, and awareness that one is never truly a “cultural” expert and requires life-long learning to overcome common biases and ingrained societal influences. Cultural humility concepts include self-awareness and power imbalances. While being culturally competent requires being skilled and knowledgeable in one’s culture, being culturally humble involves the sometimes-uncomfortable position of healthcare providers as students of the patient. Incorporating cultural humility emphasizes the need to approach end-of-life care with openness and responsiveness to various cultural perspectives. Thus, healthcare workers need to embrace lifelong learning in individual beliefs and values on suffering, death, and dying. There have been different approaches to this as well. Some adopt strategies for cultural humility, addressing conflicts and challenges through relational and health system approaches. In practice and research, clinicians and researchers must embrace cultural humility to advance palliative care practices, using qualitative methods to capture culturally nuanced experiences. Cultural diversity significantly impacts patient-centered care, particularly in end-of-life contexts. Cultural factors also shape end-of-life perceptions, impacting rituals, decision-making, and attitudes toward death. Cultural humility encourages openness and acknowledges the limitations of expertise in one’s culture. A consistent self-awareness and a desire to understand patients’ beliefs drive the practice of cultural humility. This dynamic process requires practitioners to learn continuously, fostering empathy and understanding. Cultural humility enhances palliative care, ensuring it resonates genuinely across cultural backgrounds and enriches patient-provider interactions.

Keywords: cultural competency, cultural diversity, cultural humility, palliative care, self-awareness

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Authors: Sara Corvino

Abstract:

The aim of this study is to explore the potential of inclusive learning and assessment strategies to foster students' engagement with historical debates surrounding the field of graphic design. The goal is to respond to the diversity of L4 Graphic Design students, at Nottingham Trent University, in a way that instead of 'lowering standards' can benefit everyone. This research tests, measures, and evaluates the impact of a specific intervention, an assessment task, to develop students' critical visual analysis skills and stimulate a deeper engagement with the subject matter. Within the action research approach, this work has followed a case study research method to understand students' views and perceptions of a specific project. The primary methods of data collection have been: anonymous electronic questionnaire and a paper-based anonymous critical incident questionnaire. NTU College of Business Law and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee granted the Ethical approval for this research in November 2019. Other methods used to evaluate the impact of this assessment task have been Evasys's report and students' performance. In line with the constructivist paradigm, this study embraces an interpretative and contextualized analysis of the collected data within the triangulation analytical framework. The evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative data demonstrates that active learning strategies and the disruption of thinking patterns can foster greater students' engagement and can lead to meaningful learning.

Keywords: active learning, assessment for learning, graphic design, higher education, student engagement

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Authors: B.L. España-Sánchez, E. Luna-Hernández, R.A. Mauricio-Sánchez, M.E. Cruz-Soto, F. Padilla-Vaca, R. Muñoz, L. Granados-López, L.R. Ovalle-Flores, J.L. Menchaca-Arredondo, G. Luna-Bárcenas

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Treatment of burn injured has been considered an important clinical problem due to the fluid control and the presence of microorganisms during the healing process. Conventional treatment includes antiseptic techniques, topical medication and surgical removal of damaged skin, to avoid bacterial growth. In order to accelerate this process, different alternatives for tissue regeneration have been explored, including artificial skin, polymers, hydrogels and hybrid materials. Some requirements consider a nonreactive organic polymer with high biocompatibility and skin adherence, avoiding bacterial infections. Chitin-derivative biopolymer such as chitosan (CS) has been used in skin regeneration following third-degree burns. The biological interest of CS is associated with the improvement of tissue cell stimulation, biocompatibility and antibacterial properties. In particular, antimicrobial properties of CS can be significantly increased when is blended with nanostructured materials. Silver-based nanocomposites have gained attention in medicine due to their high antibacterial properties against pathogens, related to their high surface area/volume ratio at nanomolar concentrations. Silver nanocomposites can be blended or synthesized with chitin-derivative biopolymers in order to obtain a biodegradable/antimicrobial hybrid with improved physic-mechanical properties. In this study, nanocomposites based on chitosan/silver nanoparticles (CS/nAg) were synthesized by the in situ chemical reduction method, improving their antibacterial properties against pathogenic bacteria and enhancing the healing process in thermal burn injuries produced in an animal model. CS/nAg was prepared in solution by the chemical reduction method, using AgNO₃ as precursor. CS was dissolved in acetic acid and mixed with different molar concentrations of AgNO₃: 0.01, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 M. Solutions were stirred at 95°C during 20 hours, in order to promote the nAg formation. CS/nAg solutions were placed in Petri dishes and dried, to obtain films. Structural analyses confirm the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (nAg) by means of UV-Vis and TEM, with an average size of 7.5 nm and spherical morphology. FTIR analyses showed the complex formation by the interaction of hydroxyl and amine groups with metallic nanoparticles, and surface chemical analysis (XPS) shows low concentration of Ag⁰/Ag⁺ species. Topography surface analyses by means of AFM shown that hydrated CS form a mesh with an average diameter of 10 µm. Antibacterial activity against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa was improved in all evaluated conditions, such as nAg loading and interaction time. CS/nAg nanocomposites films did not show Ag⁰/Ag⁺ release in saline buffer and rat serum after exposition during 7 days. Healing process was significantly enhanced by the presence of CS/nAg nanocomposites, inducing the production of myofibloblasts, collagen remodelation, blood vessels neoformation and epidermis regeneration after 7 days of injury treatment, by means of histological and immunohistochemistry assays. The present work suggests that hydrated CS/nAg nanocomposites can be formed a mesh, improving the bacterial penetration and the contact with embedded nAg, producing complete growth inhibition after 1.5 hours. Furthermore, CS/nAg nanocomposites improve the cell tissue regeneration in thermal burn injuries induced in rats. Synthesis of antibacterial, non-toxic, and biocompatible nanocomposites can be an important issue in tissue engineering and health care applications.

Keywords: antibacterial, chitosan, healing process, nanocomposites, silver

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Authors: Maria Luisa Nozawa Ribeiro, Maria Teresa Miceli Kerbauy

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This paper aims to present the theories of public participation in order to understand the context of the public GMO (Genetic Modified Organisms) policies in Brazil, highlighting the characteristics of its configuration and the dialog with the experts. As a controversy subject, the commercialization of GMO provoked manifestation of some popular and environmental representative groups questioning the decisions of policy makers and experts on the matter. Many aspects and consequences of the plantation and consumption of this crops emerged and the safety of this technology was questioned. Environmentalists, Civil Right's movement, representatives of rural workers, farmers and organics producers, etc. demonstrated their point of view, also sustained by some experts of medical, genetical, environmental, agronomical sciences, etc. fields. Despite this movement, the precautionary principle (risk management), implemented in 1987, suggested precaution facing new technologies and innovations in the sustainable development society. This principle influenced many legislation and regulation on GMO around the world, including Brazil, which became a reference among the world regulatory GMO systems. The Brazilian legislation ensures the citizens participation on GMO discussion, characteristic that was important to establish the connection between the subject and the participation theory. These deliberation spaces materialized in Brazil through the "Public Audiences", which are managed by the National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio), the department responsible for controlling the research, production and commercialization of GMOs in Brazil.

Keywords: public engagement, public participation, science and technology studies, transgenic politics

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Authors: Sonja Goegele, Petra Kletzenbauer

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The FH JOANNEUM- a university of applied sciences based in Austria - cooperates in teaching and research with well-known international universities and thus aims to foster so-called strategic partnerships. The exchange of university lecturers and other faculty members is a way to achieve and secure strategic company goals, in which excellent research and teaching play a central role in order to improve both the development of academics and administration. Thanks to mobility not only the university but also the involved people truly benefit in their professional development which can be seen on several levels: increased foreign language proficiency, excellent networking possibilities within the scientific community as well as reinforced didactic competencies in the form of different teaching and learning methodologies. The paper discusses mobility in the light of the university’s strategic paper entitled ‘Hands on 2022’ by presenting results from an empirical research study among faculty members who participate in exchange programmes on a regular basis. In the form of an online questionnaire, mobility was discussed from different angles such as networking, collaborative research, professional training for academics and the overall impact of the exchange within and outside the organization. From the findings, it can be concluded that mobility is an asset for any university. However, keeping in constant dialogue with partner universities requires more than the purpose of the exchange itself. Building rapport and keeping a relationship of trust are challenges that need to be addressed more closely in order to run successful mobility programmes. Best Practice examples should highlight the importance of mobility as a vital initiative to transfer disciplines.

Keywords: higher education, internationalization, mobility, strategic partnerships

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Authors: Nilofar Mohammadi Ahvazi, Somayeh Ansari, Mohammad Hossein Haghighizadeh, Zahra Abbaspoor

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Introduction: Dysmenorrhea is one of the common causes of decreased efficiency at work, education and decreased quality of life of women. The aim of this study was to compare virtual and face-to-face training programs in reducing pain and improving the quality of life of female students with primary dysmenorrhea in Ahvaz. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 112 female students living in the dormitories of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences with moderate to severe primary dysmenorrhea were divided into two face-to-face and virtual groups using blocks of size 4. The educational intervention was carried out in two groups at a specific hour before the start of the first menstrual cycle. Data were collected with the help of a quality-of-life questionnaire (Sf-36), visual analog scale (VAS), and McGill questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive and analytical tests with the help of SPSS version 25 software. Findings: The average age of the research subjects was 25.93±2.00, and the average duration of dysmenorrhea in each period was 2.49 days. There was no statistically significant difference in the quality of life of the students before the intervention, but after the educational intervention, a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the quality of life and its dimensions (p<0.001). They were the same before the intervention, But after the intervention, the difference became significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: The virtual training method, like face-to-face training, can improve the quality of life and reduce the severity of primary dysmenorrhea pain in students. Therefore, depending on the conditions, both educational methods can be used.

Keywords: primary dysmenorrhea, face-to-face training, virtual, training

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Authors: Riddhi Shukla, Rajeshri Patel, Prakruti Buch, Tejas Sharma, Mihir Raval, Navin Sheth

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Many classical drugs are claimed to have blood sugar lowering properties that make them valuable for people with or at high risk of type 2 diabetes. Vijaysar (Pterocarpus marsupium) and Gaumutra (Indian cow urine) both have been shown antidiabetic property since primordial time and both shows synergistic effect in combination for hypoglycaemic activity. The study was undertaken to investigate the hypoglycaemic and anti-diabetic effects of the combination of Vijaysar and Gaumutra which is a classical preparation mentioned in Ayurveda named as Pramehari ark. Rats with Type 2 diabetes which is induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 35mg/kg) given a high-fat diet for one month and compared with normal rats. Diabetic rats showed raised level of body weight, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and D-glucose concentration and other serum, cardiac and hypertrophic parameters in comparison of normal rats. After treatment of different doses of drug the level of parameters like TG, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and D-glucose concentration found to be decreased in standard as well as in treatment groups. In addition treatment groups also found to be decreased in the level of serum markers, cardiac markers, and hypertrophic parameters. The findings demonstrated that Pramehari ark prevented the pathological progression of type 2 diabetes in rats.

Keywords: cow urine, hypoglycemic effect, synergic effect, type 2 diabetes, vijaysar

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Authors: Waqas Mehdi, Muhammad Umar Hassan, Khadeeja Mustafa

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Objective: Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is a medical term used to point out the complicated combination of physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral signs and symptoms associated with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury(mTBI). This study was conducted to assess the improvement or debilitating effect of behavioral therapy in addition to the conventional treatment and to document these results for increasing the efficiency of treatment provided to such cases. Method: This was primarily an interventional prospective cohort study which was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Hospital Lahore. The sample size was 200 patients who were randomly distributed into two groups. The interventional group with Cognitive behavioral therapy was added in addition to the conventional treatment regimen and the Control group receiving only conventional treatment. Results were noted initially as well as after two weeks of the follow-up period. Data were subsequently analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software and associations worked out. Result and conclusion: Among the patients that were given therapy sessions along with conventional medicine, there was a significant improvement in the symptoms and their overall quality of life. It is also important to notice that the time period taken for these effects to wane is cut down by psychiatric solutions too. So we can conclude that CBT sessions not only speed up recovery in patients with post-concussion syndrome they also aid in the efficiency improvement in functional capability and quality of life.

Keywords: neurosurgery, CBT, PCS, mTBI

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Authors: Masek A., Diakowska K., Zaborski M.

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Polymeric materials have found their use almost in every branch of industry worldwide. Most of them constitute so-called “petropolymers" obtained from crude oil. However literature information sounds a warning that its global sources are running out. Thus, it seems that one should search for polymeric materials from renewable raw materials belonging to the group of green polymers. Therefore on account of environmental protection and the issue of sustainable technologies, nowadays greater and greater achievements have been observed in the field of green technology using engineering sciences to develop composite materials. The main aim of this study was to research what is the influence of biofillers on the properties. We used biofillers like : cellulose with different length of fiber, cellulose UFC100, silica and montmorillonite. In our research, we reported on biodegradable composites exhibitingspecificity properties by melt blending of polylactide (PLA), one of the commercially available biodegradable material, and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) containing 50 mol.%epoxy group. Blending hydrophilic natural polymers and aliphatic polyesters is of significant interest, since it could lead to the development of a new range of biodegradable polymeric materials. We research the degradation of composites on the basis epoxidized natural rubber and poly(lactide). The addition of biofillers caused far-reaching degradation processes. The greatest resistance to biodegradation showed a montmorillonite-based mixtures, the smallest inflated cellulose fibers of varying length.The final aim in the present study is to use ENR and poly(lactide) to design composite from renewable resources with controlled degradation.

Keywords: renewable resources, biopolymer, degradation, polylactide

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Authors: Sanusi Abubakar Sadiq

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Despite the significance of tourism as a key revenue earner and employment generator, it is still being disregarded in many areas. The prospects of existing resources could boost development in communities; region, etc. are less used. This study is carried out with the view of developing Pandi-Tekki in Tanglang in Billiri Local Government Area as a Tourism Destination. It was primarily aimed at identifying features of Pandi-Tekki that could be developed into tourism attraction and suggest ways of developing the prospective site into a tourism destination, as well as exploring its possible contribution to tourism sector in Gombe State. Literature was reviewed based on relevant published materials. Data was collected through the use of qualitative and quantitative methods which include personal observation and structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software. Result based on the data collected shows that Pandi-Tekki has potentials that can be developed as an attraction. The result also shows that the local community perceives tourism as a good development that will open them up to the entire world and also generate revenue to stimulate their economy. Conclusions were drawn based on the findings with regard to the analysis carried out in this research. It was discovered that Pandi-Tekki can be developed as a tourism destination, and there will be a great success towards achieving the aim and objectives of the development. Therefore, recommendations were made on creating awareness on the need to develop Pandi-Tekki as a Tourism Destination and the need for government to provide tourism facilities at the destination since it is a public outfit.

Keywords: attraction, destination, developing, features

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Authors: Sozon, Pok Wei Fong, Sia Bee Chuan, Omar Hamdan Mohammad

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Owing to the widespread phenomenon of plagiarism and cheating in higher education institutions (HEIs), it is now difficult to ensure academic integrity and quality education. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the issue by shifting educational institutions into virtual teaching and assessment mode. Thus, there is a need to carry out an extensive and holistic systematic review of the literature to highlight plagiarism and cheating in both prevalence and form among HEIs. This paper systematically reviews the literature concerning academic plagiarism and cheating in HEIs to determine the most common forms and suggest strategies for resolution and boosting the academic integrity of students. The review included 45 articles and publications for the period from February 12, 2018, to September 12, 2022, in the Scopus database aligned with the Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines in the selection, filtering, and reporting of the papers for review from which a conclusion can be drawn. Based on the results, out of the studies reviewed, 48% of the quantitative results of students were plagiarized and obtained through cheating, with 84% coming from the fields of Humanities. Moreover, Psychology and Social Sciences studies accumulated 9% and 7% articles respectively. Based on the results, individual factors, institutional factors, and social and cultural factors have contributed to plagiarism and cheating cases in HEIs. The resolution of this issue can be the establishment of ethical and moral development initiatives and modern academic policies and guidelines supported by technological strategies of testing.

Keywords: plagiarism, cheating, systematic review, academic integrity

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Authors: Anita De Melo

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Today we live in a crucial time of ecological crisis, of environmental catastrophes worldwide, and this scenario is, arrogantly, overlooked by powerful economic forces and their politics. Thus, a critical pedagogy that leads to action and that fosters ecoliteracy, environment education, is now inevitable, and it must become an integral part of the school curriculum across the disciplines, including the social sciences and the humanities. One of the most important contemporary and emerging movement of today is ecopedagogy, a movement that blends theory and ethics towards a curriculum that focus on an environmental education that will promote ecological justice, respect, and care by educating students to become planetary citizens. This paper aims, first, to emphasize the need for discussions and investigations regarding ecoliteracy within our field of teaching foreign languages, which will consider, among others, the of role language in stimulating sustainability, and the role of second language proficiency in fostering positive transnational dialogues conducive to fighting our current planetary crisis. Second, this paper suggests and discusses some critical ecopedagogical practices -- in the form of project-based learning, service-learning and environmental-oriented study abroad programs – apropos to ecoliteracy. These interdisciplinary projects can and should bring students in contact with communities speaking the target language, and such encounter would facilitate cultural exchanges and promote positive language proficiency whilst it would also give students the opportunity to work with finding ideas/projects to fight our current ecological catastrophe.

Keywords: critical pedagogy, ecoliteracy, ecopedagogy, planetary crisis

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Authors: Mohammadreza Akbari, Sara Akbari, Davood Domiri Ganji, Pooya Solimani, Reza Khalili

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In this paper, three complicated nonlinear differential equations(PDE,ODE) in the field of engineering and non-vibration have been analyzed and solved completely by new method that we have named it Akbari-Ganji's Method (AGM) . As regards the previous published papers, investigating this kind of equations is a very hard task to do and the obtained solution is not accurate and reliable. This issue will be emerged after comparing the achieved solutions by Numerical Method. Based on the comparisons which have been made between the gained solutions by AGM and Numerical Method (Runge-Kutta 4th), it is possible to indicate that AGM can be successfully applied for various differential equations particularly for difficult ones. Furthermore, It is necessary to mention that a summary of the excellence of this method in comparison with the other approaches can be considered as follows: It is noteworthy that these results have been indicated that this approach is very effective and easy therefore it can be applied for other kinds of nonlinear equations, And also the reasons of selecting the mentioned method for solving differential equations in a wide variety of fields not only in vibrations but also in different fields of sciences such as fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, chemical engineering, etc. Therefore, a solution with high precision will be acquired. With regard to the afore-mentioned explanations, the process of solving nonlinear equation(s) will be very easy and convenient in comparison with the other methods. And also one of the important position that is explored in this paper is: Trigonometric and exponential terms in the differential equation (the method AGM) , is no need to use Taylor series Expansion to enhance the precision of the result.

Keywords: new method (AGM), complex non-linear partial differential equations, damping ratio, energy lost per cycle

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Authors: Xavier A. Conlan

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Speed of analysis is a significant limitation to current high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC)/MS systems both of which are used in many forensic investigations. The flow rate limitations of MS detection require a compromise in the chromatographic flow rate, which in turn reduces throughput, and when using modern columns, a reduction in separation efficiency. Commonly, this restriction is combated through the post-column splitting of flow prior to entry into the mass spectrometer. However, this results in a loss of sensitivity and a loss in efficiency due to the post-extra column dead volume. A new chromatographic column format known as 'parallel segmented flow' involves the splitting of eluent flow within the column outlet end fitting, and in this study we present its application in order to interrogate the provenience of methamphetamine samples with mass spectrometry detection. Using parallel segmented flow, column flow rates as high as 3 mL/min were employed in the analysis of amino acids without post-column splitting to the mass spectrometer. Furthermore, when parallel segmented flow chromatography columns were employed, the sensitivity was more than twice that of conventional systems with post-column splitting when the same volume of mobile phase was passed through the detector. These finding suggest that this type of column technology will particularly enhance the capabilities of modern LC/MS enabling both high-throughput and sensitive mass spectral detection.

Keywords: chromatography, mass spectrometry methamphetamine, parallel segmented outlet flow column, forensic sciences

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Authors: Saeed Ullah Jan

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This study has examined the e-readiness in libraries of public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Efforts were made to evaluate the availability of human resources, electronic infrastructure, and network services and programs in the public sector university libraries. The population of the study was the twenty-seven public sector university libraries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A quantitative approach was adopted, and a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect data from the librarian/in charge of public sector university libraries. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22 (SPSS). The mean score of the knowledge component interpreted magnitudes below three which indicates that the respondents are poorly or moderately satisfied regards knowledge of libraries. The satisfaction level of the respondents about the other components, such as electronic infrastructure, network services and programs, and enhancers of the networked world, was rated as average or below. The study suggested that major aspects of existing public-sector university libraries require significant transformation. For this purpose, the government should provide all the required resources and facilities to meet the population's informational and recreational demands. The Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure of public university libraries needs improvement in terms of the availability of computer equipment, databases, network servers, multimedia projectors, digital cameras, uninterruptible power supply, scanners, and backup devices such as hard discs and Digital Video Disc/Compact Disc.

Keywords: ICT-libraries, e-readiness-libraries, e-readiness-university libraries, e-readiness-Pakistan

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Authors: Michael Udey Udam

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Background: This study investigated the impact of cloud resources, a component of cloud computing, on science teachers’ effectiveness in secondary schools in Cross River State. Three (3) research questions and three (3) alternative hypotheses guided the study. Method: The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 1209 science teachers in public secondary schools of Cross River state. Sample: A sample of 487 teachers was drawn from the population using a stratified random sampling technique. The researcher-made structured questionnaire with 18 was used for data collection for the study. Research question one was answered using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation, while research question two and the hypotheses were answered using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The results of the study revealed that there is a positive correlation between the utilization of cloud resources in teaching and teaching effectiveness among science teachers in secondary schools in Cross River state; there is a negative correlation between gender and utilization of cloud resources among science teachers in secondary schools in Cross River state; and that there is a significant correlation between teaching experience and the utilization of cloud resources among science teachers in secondary schools in Cross River state. Conclusion: The study justifies the effectiveness of the Cross River state government policy of introducing cloud computing into the education sector. The study recommends that the policy should be sustained.

Keywords: cloud resources, science teachers, effectiveness, secondary school

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Authors: Kanchan Yadav, Ai-Chuan Chou, Rajesh Kumar Ulaganathan, Hua-De Gao, Hsien-Ming Lee, Chien-Yuan Pan, Yit-Tsong Chen

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Optogenetics is an innovative technology now widely adopted by researchers in different fields of the biological sciences. However, due to the weak tissue penetration capability of the short wavelengths used to activate light-sensitive proteins, an invasive light guide has been used in animal studies for photoexcitation of target tissues. Upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs), which transform near-infrared (NIR) light to short-wavelength emissions, can help address this issue. To improve optogenetic performance, we enhance the target selectivity for optogenetic controls by specifically conjugating the UCNPs with light-sensitive proteins at a molecular level, which shortens the distance as well as enhances the efficiency of energy transfer. We tagged V5 and Lumio epitopes to the extracellular N-terminal of channelrhodopsin-2 with an mCherry conjugated at the intracellular C-terminal (VL-ChR2m) and then bound NeutrAvidin-functionalized UCNPs (NAv-UCNPs) to the VL-ChR2m via a biotinylated antibody against V5 (bV5-Ab). We observed an apparent energy transfer from the excited UCNP (donor) to the bound VL-ChR2m (receptor) by measuring emission-intensity changes at the donor-receptor complex. The successful patch-clamp electrophysiological test and an intracellular Ca2+ elevation observed in the designed UCNP-ChR2 system under optogenetic manipulation confirmed the practical employment of UCNP-assisted NIR-optogenetic functionality. This work represents a significant step toward improving therapeutic optogenetics.

Keywords: Channelrhodopsin-2, near infrared, optogenetics, upconverting nanoparticles

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Authors: Nihad Chakri, Btissam El Amrani, Faouzi Berrada, Halima Jounaid, Fouad Amraoui

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In the context of the increasing water resource scarcity in Morocco in recent years, the use of unconventional resources has become imperative. Although efforts have been made in the field of sanitation in urban areas, rural areas, due to their specificities, such as scattered dwellings and limited accessibility, suffer from a lack of basic infrastructure. This work focuses on replicating the Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock (FSAC) model for the treatment and reuse of wastewater from a peri-urban traditional hammam in Casablanca, specifically in the municipality of Dar Bouazza. This initiative is part of the Eco-Hammam project, which aims to minimize the negative impacts of traditional hammams in terms of irrational and uncontrolled consumption of water and wood energy resources. To achieve this, a comprehensive environmental diagnosis of all hammams in the municipality of Dar Bouazza, our study site, has been undertaken. Then, a feasibility study is also conducted to assess the possibility of replicating the FSAC mini-station to treat the wastewater of the selected pilot hammam, namely, My Yacoub II.

Keywords: water resource scarcity, unconventional resources, sanitation, per-urban areas, rural areas, basic infrastructure, replication, reuse of wastewater, traditional hammam, Casablanca, Municipality of Dar Bouazza, negative impacts, environmental diagnosis, feasibility study, pilot hammam, My Yacoub II

Procedia PDF Downloads 43