Search results for: promote
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 2301

Search results for: promote

921 Research on the Spatio-Temporal Evolution Pattern of Traffic Dominance in Shaanxi Province

Authors: Leng Jian-Wei, Wang Lai-Jun, Li Ye

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In order to measure and analyze the transportation situation within the counties of Shaanxi province over a certain period of time and to promote the province's future transportation planning and development, this paper proposes a reasonable layout plan and compares model rationality. The study uses entropy weight method to measure the transportation advantages of 107 counties in Shaanxi province from three dimensions: road network density, trunk line influence and location advantage in 2013 and 2021, and applies spatial autocorrelation analysis method to analyze the spatial layout and development trend of county-level transportation, and conducts ordinary least square (OLS)regression on transportation impact factors and other influencing factors. The paper also compares the regression fitting degree of the Geographically weighted regression(GWR) model and the OLS model. The results show that spatially, the transportation advantages of Shaanxi province generally show a decreasing trend from the Weihe Plain to the surrounding areas and mainly exhibit high-high clustering phenomenon. Temporally, transportation advantages show an overall upward trend, and the phenomenon of spatial imbalance gradually decreases. People's travel demands have changed to some extent, and the demand for rapid transportation has increased overall. The GWR model regression fitting degree of transportation advantages is 0.74, which is higher than the OLS regression model's fitting degree of 0.64. Based on the evolution of transportation advantages, it is predicted that this trend will continue for a period of time in the future. To improve the transportation advantages of Shaanxi province increasing the layout of rapid transportation can effectively enhance the transportation advantages of Shaanxi province. When analyzing spatial heterogeneity, geographic factors should be considered to establish a more reliable model

Keywords: traffic dominance, GWR model, spatial autocorrelation analysis, temporal and spatial evolution

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920 Evaluation of Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity in Amaranth Seeds Grown in Latvia

Authors: Alla Mariseva, Ilze Beitane

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Daily intake of products rich in antioxidants that scavenge free radicals in cell membranes is an effective way to combat oxidative stress. Last year there was noticed higher interest towards the identification and utilization of plants rich in antioxidant compounds as they may behave as preventive medicine. Amaranth seeds due to polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and tocopherols are characterized by high antioxidant activity. The study aimed to evaluate the total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity of amaranth seeds cultivated in 2020 in two farms in Latvia. One sample of amaranth seeds came from an organic farm, the other – from a conventional farm. The total phenol content of amaranth seed extracts was measured with the Folin-Ciocalte spectrophotometric method. The total phenols were expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 g dry weight (DW) of the samples. The antioxidant activity of amaranth seed extracts was calculated based on scavenging activities of the stable 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH˙) radical, the radical scavenging capacity (ABTS) was demonstrated as Trolox mM equivalents (TE) per 100 g-1 dry weight. Three parallel measurements were performed on all samples. There were significant differences between organic and conventional amaranth seeds in terms of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Organic amaranth seeds showed higher total phenolic content compared to conventional amaranth seeds, 65.4±6.0 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ DW and 43.4±7.8 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ DW respectively. Organic amaranth seeds were also characterized by higher DPPH radical scavenging activity (7.9±0.4 mM TE 100 g⁻¹ of dry matter) and ABTS radical scavenging capacity (13.2±1.5 mM TE 100 g⁻¹ of dry matter). The results obtained on total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of amaranth seeds grown in Latvia confirmed that the samples have a high biological value; therefore, it would be necessary to promote their consumption by including them in various food products, including vegan products, increasing their nutritional value.

Keywords: ABTS, amaranth seeds, antioxidant activity, DPPH, total phenolic content

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919 Autism Management in Ghana: Comparative Analyses of Creative Art forms

Authors: Edwina Owusu Panin, Kwame Baah Owusu Panin

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This abstract intends to demonstrate multiple strategies of autism management in Ghana by exploring the possibilities. The advantages of adopting creative art forms as a therapeutic method. Autism is a developmental disorder that includes social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviours. In Ghana, as in many other countries, there is a rising demand for effective intervention and support for people with autism and their families. Creative arts such as music, dance, drama and visual arts have shown promise in promoting communication, social interaction and inclusion of people with autism. These art forms provide alternative channels for self-expression and can be powerful tools for autistic people to interact with the world, their friends and families around them. Creative art forms interventions have been found to improve social skills, improve emotion regulation, promote creativity and increase self-confidence in people with autism. This study examines existing programs and interventions in Ghana involving creative art forms for people with autism through a comparative analysis. It explores the different approaches, methods and results of these interventions. By comparing and evaluating these programs, the study aims to identify best practices, challenges and areas for development in managing autism through the creative arts in Ghana. Although many schools and rehabilitation centres employ various forms in therapeutic approaches for autism. There is no comparative analysis of which type of autism and which creative art forms is suitable. The results of this study will contribute to the development of evidence-based practices for the management of autism in Ghana. It provides valuable information about the effectiveness of creative arts interventions and helps inform policy makers, educators, therapists and other stakeholders involved in autism support. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the well-being and quality of life of people with autism in Ghana and their families by promoting inclusive and accessible interventions that harness the power of creative art forms.

Keywords: autism, therapeutic, creative art, art form

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918 Hydraulics of 3D Aerators with Lateral Enlargements

Authors: Nirmala Lama

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The construction of high dams has led to significant challenges in managing flow rates discharging over spillways, resulting in cavitation damages on hydraulic surfaces. To address this, aerator devices were designed and installed to promote fore aeration, thereby controlling and mitigating damages caused by cavitation. Consequently, these aerator types, three-dimensional aerators (3DAEs), have demonstrated superior efficiency in introducing forced air into the flow.This research focuses on the installation and evaluation of three-dimensional aerator devices at the high discharge spillway surface. In the laboratory, the air concentration downstream of the hydraulic structures was extensively measured, and the data were analyzed in details.Multiple flow scenarios and structural arrangements of the aerators were adopted for the study. The outcomes of these experiments are listed as In terms of air concentration value, the comparison between 3 DAE (three-dimensional aerator) with offset only and offset with ramp reveals significant differences. The concentration value on the side wall was justified. The side cavity length was found to increase with higher approach Froude numbers and lateral enlargement widths. Furthermore, 3DAE exhibited shorter side cavity lengths compared to three-dimensional aerator devices without ramps (3DAD), a beneficial features for controlling water fins. An empirical formula to express the side cavity length was derived from the measured data. Also, the comparison were made on the basis of water fin formation between the different arrangements of 3D aerators. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the performance of three-dimensional aerators in mitigating cavitation damages and controlling water fins in high dam spillways. The findings offer practical implications for designers and engineers seeking to enhance the efficiency and safety of hydraulic structures subjected to high flow rates.

Keywords: three-dimension aerator, cavity, water fin, air entrainment

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917 Prevalence and Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome in Adults of Terai Region of Nepal

Authors: Birendra Kumar Jha, Mingma L. Sherpa, Binod Kumar Dahal

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Background: The metabolic syndrome is emerging as a major public health concern in the world. Urbanization, surplus energy uptake, compounded by decreased physical activities, and increasing obesity are the major factors contributing to the epidemic of metabolic syndrome worldwide. However, prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its risk factors are little studied in Terai region of Nepal. The objectives of this research were to estimate the prevalence and to identify the risk factors of metabolic syndrome among adults in Terai region of Nepal. Method: We used a community based cross sectional study design. A total of 225 adults (age: 18 to 80 years) were selected from three district of Terai region of Nepal using cluster sampling by camp approach. IDF criteria (central obesity with any two of following four factors: triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dl or specific treatment for lipid abnormality, reduced HDL, raised blood pressure and raised fasting plasma glucose or previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes) were used to assess metabolic syndrome. Interview, physical and clinical examination, measurement of fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were conducted for all participants. Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression were employed to explore the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Result: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 70.7%. Hypertension, increased fasting blood sugar, increased triglycerides and decreased HDL were observed in 50.7%, 32.4%, 41.8% and 79.1% of the subjects respectively. Socio-economic and behavioral risk factors significantly associated with metabolic syndrome were gender male (OR=2.56, 955 CI: 1.42-4.63; p=0.002), in service or retired from service (OR=3.72, 95% CI: 1.72-8.03; p=0.001) and smoking (OR= 4.10, 95% CI: 1.19-14.07; p=0.016). Conclusion: Higher prevalence of Metabolic syndrome along with presence of behavioral risk factors in Terai region of Nepal likely suggest lack of awareness and health promotion activities for metabolic syndrome and indicate the need to promote public health programs in this region to maintain quality of life.

Keywords: metabolic syndrome, Nepal, prevalence, risk factors, Terai

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916 Community, Identity, and Resistance in Minority Literature: Arab American Poets - Samuel Hazo, Nathalie Handal, and Naomi Shihab Nye

Authors: Reem Saad Alqahtani

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Drawing on minority literature, this research highlights the role of three contemporary Arab American writers, considering the significance of the historical and cultural contexts of the brutal attacks of 9/11. The focus of the research is to draw attention to the poetry of Samuel Hazo, Nathalie Handal, and Naomi Shihab Nye as representatives of the identity crisis, whose experiences left them feeling marginalized and alienated in both societies, and reflected as one of the ethnic American minority groups, as demonstrated in their poetry, with a special focus on hybridity, resistance, identity, and empowerment. The study explores the writers’ post-9/11 experience, affected by the United States’ long history of marginalization and discrimination against people of colour, placing Arab American literature with that of other ethnic American groups who share the same experience and contribute to composing literature characterized by the aesthetics of cultural hybridity, cultural complexity, and the politics of minorities to promote solidarity and coalition building. Indeed, the three selected Arab American writers have found a link between their narration and the identity of the exiled by establishing an identity that is a kind of synthesis of diverse identities of Western reality and Eastern nostalgia. The approaches applied in this study will include historical/biographical, postcolonial, and discourse analysis. The first will be used to emphasize the influence of the biographical aspects related to the community, identity, and resistance of the three poets on their poetry. The second is used to investigate the effects of postcolonialism on the poets and their responses to it, while the third understand the sociocultural, political, and historical dimensions of the texts, establishing these poets as representative of the Arab American experience. This study is significant because it will help shed light on the importance of the Arabic hybrid identity in creating resistance to minority communities within American society.

Keywords: Arab American, identity, hybridity, post-9/11

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915 Disaster Education and Children with Visual Impairment

Authors: Vassilis Argyropoulos, Magda Nikolaraizi, Maria Papazafiri

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This study describes a series of learning workshops, which took place within CUIDAR project. The workshops aimed to empower children to share their experiences and views in relation to natural hazards and disasters. The participants in the workshops were ten primary school students who had severe visual impairments or multiple disabilities and visual impairments (MDVI). The main objectives of the workshops were: a) to promote access of the children through the use of appropriate educational material such as texts in braille, enlarged text, tactile maps and the implementation of differentiated instruction, b) to make children aware regarding their rights to have access to information and to participate in planning and decision-making especially in relation to disaster education programs, and c) to encourage children to have an active role during the workshops through child-led and experiential learning activities. The children expressed their views regarding the meaning of hazards and disasters. Following, they discussed their experiences and emotions regarding natural hazards and disasters, and they chose to place the emphasis on a hazard, which was more pertinent to them, their community and their region, namely fires. Therefore, they recalled fires that have caused major disasters, and they discussed about the impact that these fires had on their community or on their country. Furthermore, they were encouraged to become aware regarding their own role and responsibility to prevent a fire or get prepared and know how to behave if a fire occurs. They realized that prevention and preparation are a matter of personal responsibility. They also felt the responsibility to inform their own families. Finally, they met important people involved in fire protection such as rescuers and firefighters and had the opportunity to carry dialogues. In conclusion, through child led workshops, experiential and accessible activities, the students had the opportunity to share their own experiences, to express their views and their questions, to broaden their knowledge and to realize their personal responsibility in disaster risk reduction, specifically in relation to fires.

Keywords: accessibility, children, disasters, visual impairment

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914 Transforming Educational Leadership With Innovative Administrative Strategies

Authors: Kofi Nkonkonya Mpuangnan, Samantha Govender, Hlengiwe Romualda Mhlongo

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Educational leaders are skilled architects crafting a vibrant environment where growth, creativity, and adaptability can flourish within schools. Their journey is one of transformation, urging them to explore administrative strategies that align seamlessly with evolving educational models and cater to the specific needs of students, educators, and stakeholders. Through this committed effort to innovate, they seek to enhance the effectiveness and influence of educational systems, paving the way for a more inclusive and forward-thinking educational environment. In this context, the authors explored the concept of transforming educational leadership with administrative strategies in alignment with the following research objectives. To find the strategies that can be adopted by transformation leaders to promote effective administrative practices in an educational setting and to explore the roles of educational leaders in promoting collaboration in education. To find answers to these questions, a systematic literature review underpinned by the transformational leadership model was adopted. Therefore, concepts integrated from a variety of outlets, including academic journals, conference proceedings, and reports found within SCOPUS, WoS, and IBSS databases. A search was aided using specific themes like innovative administrative practices, the roles of educational leaders, and interdisciplinary approaches to administrative practices. The process of conducting the search adhered to the five-step framework, which was subjected to inclusion and exclusion of studies. It was found that transformational leadership, agile methodologies, employee wellbeing, seminars and workshops could foster a culture of innovation and creativity among teachers and staff to transform administrative practices in education settings. It was recommended that professional development programs be organized periodically for educational leaders in educational institutions to help them revitalize their knowledge and skills in educational administration.

Keywords: educational leadership, innovative strategies, administrative practices, professional development, stakeholder engaement, student outcome

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913 Psychopathy Evaluation for People with Intellectual Disability Living in Institute Using Chinese Version of the Psychopathology Inventory

Authors: Lin Fu-Gong

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Background: As WHO announced, people with intellectual disability (ID) were vulnerable to mental health problems. And there were few custom-made mental health scales for those people to monitor their mental health. Those people with mental problems often accompanied worse prognosis and usually became to be a heavier burden on the caregivers. Purpose: In this study, we intend to develop a psychopathy scale as a practical tool for monitoring the mental health for people with ID living in institute. Methods: In this study, we adopt the Psychopathology Inventory for Mentally Retarded Adults developed by professor Matson with certified reliability and validity in Western countries with Dr. Matson’s agreement in advance. We first translated the inventory into Chinese validated version considering the domestic culture background in the past year. And the validity and reliability evaluation of mental health status using this inventory among the people with intellectual living in the institute were done. Results: The inventory includes eight psychiatric disorder scales as schizophrenic, affective, psychosexual, adjustment, anxiety, somatoform, personality disorders and inappropriate mental adjustment. Around 83% of 40 invested people, who randomly selected from the institute, were found to have at least one disorder who were recommended with medical help by two evaluators. Among the residents examined, somatoform disorder and inappropriate mental adjustment were most popular with 60% and 78% people respectively. Conclusion: The result showed the prevalence psychiatric disorders were relatively high among people with ID in institute and the mental problems need to be further cared and followed for their mental health. The results showed that the psychopathology inventory was a useful tool for institute caregiver, manager and for long-term care policy to the government. In the coming stage, we plan to extend the use of the valid Chinese version inventory among more different type institutes for people with ID to establish their dynamic mental health status including medical need, relapse and rehabilitation to promote their mental health.

Keywords: intellectual disability, psychiatric disorder, psychopathology inventory, mental health, the institute

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912 Sustainable Thermal Energy Storage Technologies: Enhancing Post-Harvest Drying Efficiency in Sub-Saharan Agriculture

Authors: Luís Miguel Estevão Cristóvão, Constâncio Augusto Machanguana, Fernando Chichango, Salvador Grande

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Sub-Saharan African nations depend greatly on agriculture, a sector mainly marked by low production. Most of the farmers live in rural areas and employ basic labor-intensive technologies that lead to time inefficiencies and low overall effectiveness. Even with attempts to enhance farmers’ welfare through improved seeds and fertilizers, meaningful outcomes are yet to be achieved due to huge amounts of post-harvest losses. Such losses significantly endanger food security, economic stability, and result in unsustainable agricultural practices because more land, water, labor, energy, fertilizer, and other inputs must be used to produce more food. Drying, as a critical post-harvest process involving simultaneous heat and mass transfer, deserves attention. Among alternative green-energy sources, solar energy-based drying garners attention, particularly for small-scale farmers in remote communities. However, the intermittent nature of solar radiation poses challenges. To address this, energy storage solutions like rock-based thermal energy storage offer cost-effective solutions tailored to the needs of farmers. Methodologically, three solar dryers were constructed of metal, wood, and clay brick. Several tests were carried out with and without energy storage material. Notably, it has been demonstrated that soapstone stands out as a promising material due to its affordability and high specific energy capacity. By implementing these greener technologies, Sub-Saharan African countries could mitigate post-harvest losses, enhance food availability, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable resource utilization.

Keywords: energy storage, food security, post-harvest, solar dryer

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911 Family Planning Programming for Youths and Adolescents in Nigeria

Authors: Ashimolowo Olubunmi

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Contraception use helps prevent pregnancy as well as health-related challenges, most especially among youths and girls. Our communities are bedeviled with many problems, including rape, defilement, neglect by the spouse, and intimate partner violence. Current interventions target only adults, with most facilities having youth and unfriendly adolescent services. To further support the need for this research, especially with our target beneficiaries, the partnership embarked on qualitative evidence-finding research through focus group discussions and in-depth-interview in Abeokuta and Ibadan (the capital cities of Ogun). The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) sessions were held in the state with adolescents (10-18 years) and young women (18-30 years). The result revealed that teenagers and youths who receive formal and sexual education on abstinence, and birth control methods, are likely to have healthier sexual behaviours through the promotion of abstinence and the use of condoms and other forms of contraceptives at their first intercourse, thereby protecting themselves against HIV/AIDs (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The result further revealed that parents do not discuss issues around Adolescent and Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) with their adolescent girls, leading to gaps in knowledge of ASRH. Stakeholders’ involvement and trust are low. Respondents noted that there were few outreaches on ASRH and that youth-friendly adolescent centres are not common in the community. Respondents noted that there were few outreaches on ASRH organised within the community. Also, youth-friendly services were not common. There is a need to work with all stakeholders to promote those foundational life skills on pubertal changes, menstruation, and sexual life to prepare youths and girls for challenges ahead through sex education; we should work to institutionalize youth and adolescent-friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in our communities.

Keywords: contraception, family planning, focus group discussion, adolescents

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910 A Modularized Sensing Platform for Sensor Design Demonstration

Authors: Chun-Ming Huang, Yi-Jun Liu, Yi-Jie Hsieh, Jin-Ju Chue, Wei-Lin Lai, Chun-Yu Chen, Chih-Chyau Yang, Chien-Ming Wu

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The market of wearable devices has been growing rapidly in two years. The integration of sensors and wearable devices has become the trend of the next technology products. Thus, the academics and industries are eager to cultivate talented persons in sensing technology. Currently, academic and industries have more and more demands on the integrations of versatile sensors and applications, especially for the teams who focus on the development of sensor circuit architectures. These teams tape-out many MEMs sensors chips through the chip fabrication service from National Chip Implementation Center (CIC). However, most of these teams are only able to focus on the circuit design of MEMs sensors; they lack the key support of further system demonstration. This paper follows the CIC’s main mission of promoting the chip/system advanced design technology and aims to establish the environments of the modularized sensing system platform and the system design flow with the measurement and calibration technology. These developed environments are used to support these research teams and help academically advanced sensor designs to perform the system demonstration. Thus, the research groups can promote and transfer their advanced sensor designs to industrial and further derive the industrial economic values. In this paper, the modularized sensing platform is proposed to enable the system demonstration for advanced sensor chip design. The environment of sensor measurement and calibration is established for academic to achieve an accurate sensor result. Two reference sensor designs cooperated with the modularized sensing platform are given to show the sensing system integration and demonstration. These developed environments and platforms are currently provided to academics in Taiwan, and so that the academics can obtain a better environment to perform the system demonstration and improve the research and teaching quality.

Keywords: modularized sensing platform, sensor design and calibration, sensor system, sensor system design flow

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909 Study of Evaluation Model Based on Information System Success Model and Flow Theory Using Web-scale Discovery System

Authors: June-Jei Kuo, Yi-Chuan Hsieh

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Because of the rapid growth of information technology, more and more libraries introduce the new information retrieval systems to enhance the users’ experience, improve the retrieval efficiency, and increase the applicability of the library resources. Nevertheless, few of them are discussed the usability from the users’ aspect. The aims of this study are to understand that the scenario of the information retrieval system utilization, and to know why users are willing to continuously use the web-scale discovery system to improve the web-scale discovery system and promote their use of university libraries. Besides of questionnaires, observations and interviews, this study employs both Information System Success Model introduced by DeLone and McLean in 2003 and the flow theory to evaluate the system quality, information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction, flow, and continuing to use web-scale discovery system of students from National Chung Hsing University. Then, the results are analyzed through descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling using AMOS. The results reveal that in web-scale discovery system, the user’s evaluation of system quality, information quality, and service quality is positively related to the use and satisfaction; however, the service quality only affects user satisfaction. User satisfaction and the flow show a significant impact on continuing to use. Moreover, user satisfaction has a significant impact on user flow. According to the results of this study, to maintain the stability of the information retrieval system, to improve the information content quality, and to enhance the relationship between subject librarians and students are recommended for the academic libraries. Meanwhile, to improve the system user interface, to minimize layer from system-level, to strengthen the data accuracy and relevance, to modify the sorting criteria of the data, and to support the auto-correct function are required for system provider. Finally, to establish better communication with librariana commended for all users.

Keywords: web-scale discovery system, discovery system, information system success model, flow theory, academic library

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908 Workplace Development Programmes for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Europe and Singapore: A Conceptual Study

Authors: Zhan Jie How

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With the heightened awareness of workplace learning and its impact on improving organizational performance and developing employee competence, governments and corporations around the world are forced to intensify their cooperation to establish national workplace development programmes to guide these corporations in fostering engaging and collaborative workplace learning cultures. This conceptual paper aims to conduct a comparative study of existing workplace development programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe and Singapore, focusing primarily on the Swedish Production Leap, Finnish TEKES Liideri Programme, and Singapore SkillsFuture SME Mentors Programme. The study carries out a systematic review of the three workplace development programmes to examine the roles of external mentors or coaches in influencing the design and implementation of workplace learning strategies and practices in SMEs. Organizational, personal and external factors that promote or inhibit effective workplace mentorship are also scrutinized, culminating in a critical comparison and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the aforementioned programmes. Based on the findings from the review and analyses, a heuristic conceptual framework is developed to illustrate the complex interrelationships among external workplace development programmes, internal learning and development initiatives instituted by the organization’s higher management, and employees' continuous learning activities at the workplace. The framework also includes a set of guiding principles that can be used as the basis for internal mediation between the competing perspectives of mentors and mentees (employers and employees of the organization) regarding workplace learning conditions, practices and their intended impact on the organization. The conceptual study provides a theoretical blueprint for future empirical research on organizational workplace learning and the impact of government-initiated workplace development programmes.

Keywords: employee competence, mentorship, organizational performance, workplace development programme, workplace learning culture

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907 Strategies to Enhance Compliance of Health and Safety Standards at the Selected Mining Industries in Limpopo Province, South Africa: Occupational Health Nurse’s Perspective

Authors: Livhuwani Muthelo

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The health and safety of the miners in the South African mining industry are guided by the regulations and standards which are anticipated to promote a healthy work environment and fatalities. It is of utmost importance for the miners to comply with these regulations/standards to protect themselves from potential occupational health and safety risks, accidents, and fatalities. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate strategies to enhance compliance with the Health and safety standards within the mining industries of Limpopo province in South Africa. A mixed-method exploratory sequential research design was adopted. The population consisted of 5350 miners. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in the qualitative strand and stratified random sampling in the quantitative strand. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among the occupational health nurse practitioners and the health and safety team. Thematic analysis was used to generate an understanding of the interviews. In the quantitative strand, a survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0. A descriptive statistical test was used in the analysis of data including frequencies, means, and standard deviation. Cronbach's alpha test was used to measure internal consistency. The integrated results revealed that there are diverse experiences related to health and safety standards compliance among the mineworkers. The main findings were challenges related to leadership compliance and also related to the cost of maintaining safety, Miner's behavior-related challenges; the impact of non-compliance on the overall health of the miners was also described, the conflict between production and safety. Health and safety compliance is not just mere compliance with regulations and standards but a culture that warrants the miners and organization to take responsibility for their behavior and actions towards health and safety. Thus taking responsibility for your well-being and other miners.

Keywords: perceptions, compliance, health and safety, legislation, standards, miners

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906 Role of English Language Teachers in Fostering the Culture of Peace in ELT Contexts: A Literature Review

Authors: Maliheh Rezaei

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As demand for learning English as the global language remains high, scholars are increasingly encouraged to explore the potential of this medium for creating hegemony and positive changes in human communities. This makes English Language teachers the potential agents of positive change who play a major role in fostering the culture of peace in their classes. The purpose of this literature review was thus evaluating the implementation of peace pedagogies by English language teachers. More specifically, it addressed a) the role and characteristics of English language teachers as peace agents and b) the pedagogies that they used to construct the culture of peace. Literature review was used, and several inclusion criteria were applied. Only papers published in English, which contained the keywords of English language teaching (ELT) and other related terms and acronyms such as teaching English to speakers of other languages, and teaching English as a second/foreign language as well as peace, peace education, and similar derivatives such ‘peacebuilding’ in their title and/or abstract were included in this review. Moreover, only papers that dealt with the actual implementation of peace education theories were investigated. Findings highlighted that most English language teachers relied on pedagogies adopted from social justice, global citizenship, and positive psychology. They specifically aimed to foster positive human traits such as resilience, empathy, and reflection that were also believed to play an important role in peacebuilding efforts. Nevertheless, the role of English language teachers in educating for peace was found to be peripheral. The main challenge to incorporate the tenets of peace education was the shortage of English language teachers who were skilled and qualified enough to incorporate and promote the culture of peace in their classes. This literature review presents the body of research that has linked peace education to ELT; therefore, it informs language teachers about the potential roles they have in creating a peaceful and sustainable future. It also presents them with more effective pedagogies and practices to successfully integrate peace-related activities in their classes.

Keywords: English language teachers, English language teaching, culture of peace, peace pedagogies

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905 Utilization, Barriers and Determinants of Emergency Medical Services in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Authors: Goitom Molalign Takele, Tsegalem Hailemariam Ballo, Kiros Belay Gebrekidan, Birhan Gebresilassie Gebregiorgis

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Background: Emergency medical services (EMS) are services that provide out-of-hospital emergency medical care to injured or ill peoples, and transporting to definitive care. EMS is an integral part of the emergency medical system and has been associated with decreased morbidity and mortality related to emergency cases. The aim of this study was to assess the utilization, barriers, and determinants of EMS in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in selected sub-cities of Mekelle. A multistage sampling method was employed to recruit study participants, and data were collected by trained data collectors using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the statistical association of the determinants of EMS utilization. Results: Half (50.5%) of the respondents had experienced or witnessed an emergency incident in the past year. The common means of transportations used were Bajaj’s (39.2%) and ambulances (22.7%). Majority (88.1%) of the respondents did not knew the EMS access phone number of an ambulance. As their preferred mode of transportation in case of emergency conditions, 42.2% of the participants reported an ambulance, followed by Bajaj 33.7%. Where participants who had gynecologic emergencies were 9.4 times (AOR=9.4, 95% CI: 1.04, 85, p=0.046), and those who knew any ambulance numbers were 3.6 times (AOR=3.6, 95% CI: 1.22, 10.8, p=0.02) more likely to use ambulance services in case of emergencies. Conclusion: The ambulance utilization level in Mekelle city was low and victims of emergency conditions were being transported mainly using public transports such as Bajaj’s and taxis. Even though the perception of the public towards EMS services is favorable, lack of awareness of EMS access, and lack of integrated EMS system in the city are the barriers that may have contributed to the low utilization. Actions to improve EMS access and integrating the system are warranted to promote the services utilization.

Keywords: emergency medical services, utilization, Mekelle, barriers

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904 Using of M Health in MCH Service during COVID-19: Application of Diffusion of Innovation Theory

Authors: Mikiyas Yonas Fufa

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- Maternal and child health service was a critical service which may have many risks and many maternal and newborn mortality is there if not managed properly. In middle and low countries like Ethiopia accessibility and quality of MCH service is low. During this COVID-19 Pandemics even the pervious access of MCH will be decreased. So many pregnant mothers are not attending their ANC, Delivery and other services in the hospital because they think they are more vulnerable to COVID-19. This condition may make an increase of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The innovation is an idea (which is development of a mobile app prepared by Maternity Foundation organization that focuses on midwifery care. The app has detailed videos on danger signs in pregnancy and procedures during labor and delivery). By telling this to clients it is planned to explore the perception, attitude towards this innovation and barriers to accepting it. What is planned to study is to explore the perceptions and barriers towards using of new idea which is innovation of mHealth on the MCH services. It is planned to interview the pregnant mothers who come for ANC at health facility and mothers who are absent from their appointment of services. In this way it is planned to explore how the mothers accept this idea and what barriers make them from accepting this idea. This is a phenomenological qualitative study and application of diffusion of innovation theory on the MCH services. The participant will be selected by using quota sampling methods for the mother who are interviewed at hospitals and snowball/quota sampling methods for the mother who are absent from their appointment/visits. Sample size of the participant depends on the saturation of data/idea. Each participant will be interviewed based the open-ended questionnaires, and the interview will be recorded then transcribed then finally analyzed by the open code 4.03. Beneficiaries: The federal ministry of health prepares them to develop the apk of mhealth. Health professionals in the MCH will have a low overload and accessibility and the quality of care will be increased during COVID-19 Different collaborations will be participated and promote the mother to enjoy the new idea.

Keywords: COVID-19, m health, MCH, diffusion of innovation

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903 A Framework for Building Information Modelling Execution Plan in the Construction Industry, Lagos State, Nigeria

Authors: Tosin Deborah Akanbi

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The Building Information Modeling Execution Plan (BEP) is a document that manifests the specifications for the adoption and execution of building information modeling in the construction sector in an organized manner so as to attain the listed goals. In this regard, the study examined the barriers to the adoption of building information modeling, evaluated the effect of building information modeling adoption characteristics on the key elements of a building information modeling execution plan and developed a strategic framework for a BEP in the Lagos State construction industry. Data were gathered through a questionnaire survey with 332 construction professionals in the study area. Three online structured interviews were conducted to support and validate the findings of the quantitative analysis. The results showed the significant relationships and connections between the variables in the framework: BIM usage and model quality control (aBIMskill -> dMQ, Beta = 0.121, T statistics = 1.829), BIM adoption characteristics and information exchange (bBIM_CH -> dIE, Beta = 0.128, T statistics = 1.727), BIM adoption characteristics and process design (bBIM_CH -> dPD, Beta = 0.170, T statistics = 2.754), BIM adoption characteristics and roles and responsibilities (bBIM_CH -> dRR, Beta = 0.131, T statistics = 2.181), interest BIM barriers and BIM adoption characteristics (cBBIM_INT -> bBIM_CH, Beta = 0.137, T statistics = 2.309), legal BIM barriers and BIM adoption characteristics (cBBIM_LEG -> bBIM_CH, Beta = 0.168, T statistics = 2.818), professional BIM barriers and BIM adoption characteristics (cBBIM_PRO -> bBIM_CH, Beta = 0.152, T statistics = 2.645). The results also revealed that seven final themes were generated, namely: model structure and process design, BIM information exchange and collaboration procedures, project goals and deliverables, project model quality control, roles and responsibilities, reflect Lagos state construction industry and validity of the BEP framework. Thus, there is a need for the policy makers to direct interventions to promote, encourage and support the understanding and adoption of BIM by emphasizing the various benefits of using the technology in the Lagos state construction industry.

Keywords: building information modelling execution plan, BIM adoption characteristics, BEP framework, construction industry

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902 Family Quality of Life in the Context of Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease in Oman

Authors: Wafa Al Jabri

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that is characterized by a severe painful crisis. SCD among children requires long term dependencies and high caregiving demands that increase the overall family burdens. It is, therefore, essential to examine, support, and promote the well-being of families of children with SCD. Although there has been considerable progress in the international research on family quality of life (FQOL) in recent years; however, research in this field is relatively recent and diverse. Oman is a country in which family quality of life has definitely been under-researched. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to describe the FQOL in families of children with SCD in Oman. The study will also examine the relationships between child, mother, and family-related factors that may influence the overall FQOL. Theoretical Framework: The study is guided by the unified theory of family quality of life to help in understanding the concept of FQOL and the factors that shape it. Method:A convenience sample of 98 mothers of children with SCD will be recruited from the pediatric hematology clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman to participate in this descriptive, cross sectional, correlational study. Data will be obtained using a self-administered questionnaire that includes child and mother socio-demographic data, questions about the number of visits and admissions to health care facilities for vaso- occlusive crises (VOCs), the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and the Beachcenter-FQOL scale. Anticipated Results: It is expected to find an association among frequency of VOCs, mother’s perceived stress level, and FQOL in families of children with SCD in Oman. Family type, socio-economic status, and number of SCD children in the family are also expected to influence the overall FQOL. Conclusion: The findings of the study might be pivotal in designing and implementing tailored family-based interventions to improve families’ wellbeing.

Keywords: family quality of life, sickle cell disaes, children, family well-being

Procedia PDF Downloads 137
901 Development of a Robust Protein Classifier to Predict EMT Status of Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Endocervical Adenocarcinoma (CESC) Tumors

Authors: ZhenlinJu, Christopher P. Vellano, RehanAkbani, Yiling Lu, Gordon B. Mills

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The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics, such as profound disruption of cell-cell junctions, loss of apical-basolateral polarity, and extensive reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton to induce cell motility and invasion. A hallmark of EMT is its capacity to promote metastasis, which is due in part to activation of several transcription factors and subsequent downregulation of E-cadherin. Unfortunately, current approaches have yet to uncover robust protein marker sets that can classify tumors as possessing strong EMT signatures. In this study, we utilize reverse phase protein array (RPPA) data and consensus clustering methods to successfully classify a subset of cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) tumors into an EMT protein signaling group (EMT group). The overall survival (OS) of patients in the EMT group is significantly worse than those in the other Hormone and PI3K/AKT signaling groups. In addition to a shrinkage and selection method for linear regression (LASSO), we applied training/test set and Monte Carlo resampling approaches to identify a set of protein markers that predicts the EMT status of CESC tumors. We fit a logistic model to these protein markers and developed a classifier, which was fixed in the training set and validated in the testing set. The classifier robustly predicted the EMT status of the testing set with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.975 by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. This method not only identifies a core set of proteins underlying an EMT signature in cervical cancer patients, but also provides a tool to examine protein predictors that drive molecular subtypes in other diseases.

Keywords: consensus clustering, TCGA CESC, Silhouette, Monte Carlo LASSO

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900 Indoor Air Quality Analysis for Renovating Building: A Case Study of Student Studio, Department of Landscape, Chiangmai, Thailand

Authors: Warangkana Juangjandee

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The rapidly increasing number of population in the limited area creates an effect on the idea of the improvement of the area to suit the environment and the needs of people. Faculty of architecture Chiang Mai University is also expanding in both variety fields of study and quality of education. In 2020, the new department will be introduced in the faculty which is Department of Landscape Architecture. With the limitation of the area in the existing building, the faculty plan to renovate some parts of its school for anticipates the number of students who will join the program in the next two years. As a result, the old wooden workshop area is selected to be renovated as student studio space. With such condition, it is necessary to study the restriction and the distinctive environment of the site prior to the improvement in order to find ways to manage the existing space due to the fact that the primary functions that have been practiced in the site, an old wooden workshop space and the new function, studio space, are too different. 72.9% of the annual times in the room are considered to be out of the thermal comfort condition with high relative humidity. This causes non-comfort condition for occupants which could promote mould growth. This study aims to analyze thermal comfort condition in the Landscape Learning Studio Area for finding the solution to improve indoor air quality and respond to local conditions. The research methodology will be in two parts: 1) field gathering data on the case study 2) analysis and finding the solution of improving indoor air quality. The result of the survey indicated that the room needs to solve non-comfort condition problem. This can be divided into two ways which are raising ventilation and indoor temperature, e.g. improving building design and stack driven ventilation, using fan for enhancing more internal ventilation.

Keywords: relative humidity, renovation, temperature, thermal comfort

Procedia PDF Downloads 215
899 Countering Violent Extremism in Pakistan: Case Study of Sectarian Divide

Authors: Muqarrab Akbar

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Pakistan is considered as a state confronting different internal and external challenges. Extremism is one of the most vital internal challenges faced by Pakistani society. The state’s contradictory policies, political instability, socio-economic injustice, absence of the rule of law are the major reasons behind the proliferation of violence and extremism in society. The fall of the Shah of Iran, the Iranian revolution, the 1979 Afghan war of 1979, the emergence of Al-Qaeda, Talibanisation, war against terrorism, and involvement of Saudia and Iran have further aggravated the culture of violence and extremism in Pakistan. The absence of a narrative of peaceful coexistence and harmony has created a vacuum for youth in Pakistani society. In the contemporary era, civil society and the government of Pakistan has initiated different steps to introduce a narrative to counter violent extremism. These narratives have helped a lot in creating community resilience to promote peace and harmony among Pakistani society in general and to bridge the gap between the Sunni Shia divide in particular. This paper will highlight those factors in detail that threw the society into extremism and violence, particularly with reference to Sunni Shia divide in Pakistan. This paper explores the impact of sectarian violence in Pakistan and highlights the different initiatives and their impacts on Pakistani society at large. A quantitative method has been adopted to explore the results. Empirical study used in the paper was based on the survey conducted by distributing questionnaires among 300 people from both community Sunni and Shia in Pakistan. Some interviews of the religious scholars of both communities are also conducted for this research. The recent developments on the government level and society levels have created community resilience. The results of the survey show that Pakistani society in the contemporary era is more peaceful and tolerant as compared to the past. The research concludes that the counter-narrative approach is positively affecting the peaceful environment in Pakistan.

Keywords: extremism, Pakistan, Shia, Sunni, violence

Procedia PDF Downloads 133
898 Relearning to Learn: Approaching Sustainability by Incorporating Inuit Vernacular and Biomimicry Architecture Principles

Authors: Hakim Herbane

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Efforts to achieve sustainability in architecture must prove their effectiveness despite various methods attempted. Biomimicry, which looks to successful natural models to promote sustainability and innovation, faces obstacles in implementing sustainability despite its restorative approach to the relationship between humans and nature. In Nunavik, Inuit communities are exploring a sustainable production system that aligns with their aspirations and meets their demands of human, technological, technical, economic, and ecological factors. Biomimicry holds promise in line with Inuit philosophy, but its failure to implement sustainability requires further investigations to remedy its deficiencies. Our literature review underscores the importance of involving the community in defining sustainability and determining the best methods for its implementation. Additionally, vernacular architecture shows valuable orientations for achieving sustainability. Moreover, reintegrating Inuit communities and their traditional architectural practices, which have successfully balanced their built environment's diverse needs and constraints, could pave the way for a sustainable Inuit-built environment in Nunavik and advance architectural biomimicry principles simultaneously. This research aims at establishing a sustainability monitoring tool for Nordic architectural process by analyzing Inuit vernacular and biomimetic architecture, in addition to the input of stakeholders involved in Inuit architecture production in Nunavik, especially Inuit. The goal is to create a practical tool (an index) to aid in designing sustainable architecture, taking into account environmental, social, and economic perspectives. Furthermore, the study seeks to authenticate strong, sustainable design principles of vernacular and biomimetic architectures. The literature review uncovered challenges and identified new opportunities. The forthcoming discourse will focus on the careful and considerate incorporation of Inuit communities’ perceptions and indigenous building practices into our methodology and the latest findings of our research.

Keywords: sustainability, biomimicry, vernacular architecture, community involvement

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897 Assessing Adoption Trends of Mukau (Melia volkensii (Gürke)) Enterprises in Eastern and Coastal Regions of Kenya

Authors: Lydia Murugi Mugendi

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The promotion of tree growing as a lucrative enterprise is the focus of this paper as management practices have shifted focus from protection of natural forest resources to community/government partnerships with the aim of resource conservation, management and increase of on-farm tree growing. Using KEFRI as (the source) of information pertaining Melia volkensii (the medium or message) being transferred, this paper investigates the current perception towards forestry and the behavioural attitudes of recipients of forest intervention activities. The two objectives explored in this paper are to find out the level of adoption of Mukau in Kitui, Kibwezi and Samburu/Taru and secondly, to find out the characteristics of the adoption process between Kitui, Kibwezi and Samburu/Taru. The methodologies used during data collection were participatory rural appraisal tools in conjunction with the social survey questionnaires. Simple random sampling and snowball sampling were used to identify respondents within the three target sites and analysis was done using SPSS. Results of the study of indicating that adoption rates of the Mukau in Samburu/Taru, where forestry-related activities were introduced within the past one decade had significantly increase despite initial resistance. The other areas, which had benefited from numerous decades of intense forestry extension projects and activities, indicated a decline in re-adoption rates of Mukau as an enterprise. This study has brought out the reality of adoption trends and state of Mukau population within the three counties while providing a glimpse towards the communities’ perception in regards to adoption of forestry and other environmental innovations. The outcome of the study is to provide a guideline for extension/ dissemination officers in KEFRI and related stakeholders to promote seamless cohesive interaction between the recipient communities of the proposed interventions.

Keywords: adoption, innovation, enterprise, extension, DOI Theory

Procedia PDF Downloads 111
896 Emotional Skills and Musical Performance in the Elementary Music Education in Conservatoires: An Exploratory Study

Authors: Emilia A. Campayo-Munoz, Alberto Cabedo-Mas

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Music students have to face the challenges of musical practice -such as discipline in study, competitiveness, or performance anxiety- that require good emotional management to enable successful performance. However, few rigorous implementations focused on studying the influence of emotional skills in student's musical performance. Responding to this gap in the literature, this study aims to explore the relationship between emotional skills and musical performance in the context of elementary music education in conservatoires. Given the individual nature of the instrumental studies and the difficult availability of teachers to be trained in emotional education, it was decided to conduct a multiple case study in a Spanish music conservatoire. Author 1 carried out the implementation of the research with three 10-year-old students who were selected from her piano class. All of them attended the third year of their piano studies. The research processes consisted of the implementation of a set of specific and cross-sectional activities designed 'ad hoc' to be articulated in the subjects of individual instrument -piano- and ensemble in parallel to the contents of musical nature. The CE-360º questionnaire was used to measure different aspects of the students' emotional skills from a multi-angle perspective, each of the questionnaires being responded by oneself, three teachers and three peers, before and after the implementation. The data from the questionnaire were compared with the grades that the students obtained during the first and last quarter of the school year in the attended subjects. Acknowledging the complexity of emotional development, the results indicate possible relations between emotional skills and musical performance in music education in conservatoires. The results show that for the cases explored; there exists a relationship between emotional skills and musical performance. Although generalizations cannot be made, this study reinforces the need to further explore emotional development in instrumental teaching and suggest the importance of inviting teachers to reflect on the pedagogical practices extended in the conservatoires and to develop and implement those that promote the work of the students' emotions.

Keywords: conservatoires, emotional skills, music education, musical performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 242
895 Palm Oil Production Sustainability in Delta State Nigeria

Authors: Omuvwie R. Ewien

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

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

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894 Is Class Struggle Still Useful for the Street Children Who Are Working and Committing Crimes in the Urban City of Bangladesh?

Authors: Shidratul Moontaha Suha

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

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

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893 The Integrated Urban Regeneration Implemented through the Reuse, Enhancement and Transformation of Disused Industrial Areas

Authors: Sara Piccirillo

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The integrated urban regeneration represents a great opportunity to deliver correct management of the territory if implemented through the reuse, enhancement, and transformation of abandoned industrial areas, according to sustainability strategies. In environmental terms, recycling abandoned sites by demolishing buildings and regenerating the urban areas means promoting adaptation to climate change and a new sensitivity towards city living. The strategic vision of 'metabolism' can be implemented through diverse actions made on urban settlements, and planning certainly plays a primary role. Planning an urban transformation in a sustainable way is more than auspicable. It is necessary to introduce innovative urban soil management actions to mitigate the environmental costs associated with current land use and to promote projects for the recovery/renaturalization of urban or non-agricultural soils. However, by freeing up these through systematic demolition of the disused heritage, new questions open up in terms of environmental costs deriving from the inevitable impacts caused by the disposal of waste. The mitigation of these impacts involves serious reflection on the recycling supply chains aimed at the production and reuse of secondary raw materials in the construction industry. The recent developments in R&D of recycling materials are gradually becoming more and more pivotal in consideration of environmental issues such as increasing difficulties in exploiting natural quarries or strict regulations for the management and disposal of waste sites. Therefore, this contribution, set as a critical essay, presents the reconstruction outputs of the regulatory background on the material recycling chain up to the 'end of waste' stage, both at a national and regional scale. This extended approach to this urban design practice goes beyond the cultural dimension that has relegated urban regeneration to pure design only. It redefines its processes through an interdisciplinary system that affects human, environmental and financial resources.

Keywords: waste management, C&D waste, recycling, urban trasformation

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892 Big Data’s Mechanistic View of Human Behavior May Displace Traditional Library Missions That Empower Users

Authors: Gabriel Gomez

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The very concept of information seeking behavior, and the means by which librarians teach users to gain information, that is information literacy, are at the heart of how libraries deliver information, but big data will forever change human interaction with information and the way such behavior is both studied and taught. Just as importantly, big data will orient the study of behavior towards commercial ends because of a tendency towards instrumentalist views of human behavior, something one might also call a trend towards behaviorism. This oral presentation seeks to explore how the impact of big data on understandings of human behavior might impact a library information science (LIS) view of human behavior and information literacy, and what this might mean for social justice aims and concomitant community action normally at the center of librarianship. The methodology employed here is a non-empirical examination of current understandings of LIS in regards to social justice alongside an examination of the benefits and dangers foreseen with the growth of big data analysis. The rise of big data within the ever-changing information environment encapsulates a shift to a more mechanistic view of human behavior, one that can easily encompass information seeking behavior and information use. As commercial aims displace the important political and ethical aims that are often central to the missions espoused by libraries and the social sciences, the very altruism and power relations found in LIS are at risk. In this oral presentation, an examination of the social justice impulses of librarians regarding power and information demonstrates how such impulses can be challenged by big data, particularly as librarians understand user behavior and promote information literacy. The creeping behaviorist impulse inherent in the emphasis big data places on specific solutions, that is answers to question that ask how, as opposed to larger questions that hint at an understanding of why people learn or use information threaten library information science ideals. Together with the commercial nature of most big data, this existential threat can harm the social justice nature of librarianship.

Keywords: big data, library information science, behaviorism, librarianship

Procedia PDF Downloads 381