Search results for: illuminating human identity

Authors: Felix Y. Mahenge, Abiud L. Kaswamila, Davis G. Mwamfupe

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Grapevine is a drought resistant crop, although in recent years it has been observed to be affect by climate change. This compelled investigation of grapevine farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Dodoma, Tanzania. A mixed research approach was adopted. Likewise, purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select individuals for the study. About 248 grapevine farmers and 64 key informants and members of focus group discussions were involved. Primary data were collected through surveys, discussions, interviews, and observations, while secondary data were collected through documentary reviews. Quantitative data were analysed through descriptive statistics by means of IBM (SPSS) software while the qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. The findings indicate that climate change has adversely affected grapevine production leading to the occurrence of grapevine pests and diseases, drought which increases costs for irrigation and uncertainties which affect grapevine markets. For the purpose of lessening grapevine production constraints due to climate change, farmers have been using several adaptation strategies. Some of the strategies include application of pesticides, use of scarers to threaten birds, irrigation, timed pruning, manure fertilisers and diversification to other farm or non-farm activities. The use of pesticides and industrial fertilizers were regarded as increasing human health risks in the study area. The researchers recommend that the Tanzania government should strengthen the agricultural extension services in the study area so that the farmers undertake adaptation strategies with the consideration of human health safety.

Keywords: grapevine farmers, adaptation, climate change, human health

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Authors: Bellinda R. Chinowawa

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As part of a wider strategy to stifle civil society, Governments routinely resort to judicial harassment through the use of civil and criminal to impugn the integrity of human rights defenders and that of perceived political opponents. This phenomenon is rife in militarised or autocratic regimes where there is no tolerance for dissenting voices. Zimbabwe, ostensibly a presidential republic founded on the values of transparency, equality, freedom, is characterised by brutal suppression of perceived political opponents and those who assert their basic human rights. This is done through a wide range of tactics including unlawful arrests and detention, torture and other cruel, inhuman degrading treatment and enforced disappearances. Professionals including, journalists and doctors are similarly not spared from state attack. For human rights defenders, the most widely used tool of repression is that of judicial harassment where the judicial system is used to persecute them. This can include the levying of criminal charges, civil lawsuits and unnecessary administrative proceedings. Charges preferred against range from petty offences such as criminal nuisance to more serious charges of terrorism and subverting a constitutional government. Additionally, government sponsored individuals and organisations file strategic lawsuits with pecuniary implications order to intimidate and silence critics and engender self-censorship. Some HRDs are convicted and sentenced to prison terms, despite not being criminals in a true sense. While others are acquitted judicial harassment diverts energy and resources away from their human rights work. Through a consideration of statistical data reported by human rights organisations and face to face interviews with a cross section of human rights defenders, the article will map the incidence of judicial harassment in Zimbabwe. The article will consider the multi-level sociological and contextual factors which influence the Government of Zimbabwe to have easy recourse to criminal law and the debilitating effect of these actions on HRDs. These factors include the breakdown of the rule of law resulting in state capture of the judiciary, the proven efficacy of judicial harassment from colonial times to date, and the lack of an adequate redress mechanism at international level. By mapping the use of the judiciary as a tool of repression, from the inception of modern day Zimbabwe to date, it is hoped that HRDs will realise that they are part of a greater community of activists throughout the ages and should emboldened in the realisation that it is an age old tactic used by fallen regimes which should not deter them from calling for accountability.

Keywords: autocratic regime, colonial legacy, judicial harassment, human rights defenders

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Authors: Akintayo E. Akinsunmade

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The digestion optimization algorithm is a novel biological-inspired metaheuristic method for solving complex optimization problems. The algorithm development was inspired by studying the human digestive system. The algorithm mimics the process of food ingestion, breakdown, absorption, and elimination to effectively and efficiently search for optimal solutions. This algorithm was tested for optimal solutions on seven different types of optimization benchmark functions. The algorithm produced optimal solutions with standard errors, which were compared with the exact solution of the test functions.

Keywords: bio-inspired algorithm, benchmark optimization functions, digestive system in human, algorithm development

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Authors: S. O. Okoro

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Some words become the catch phrase of a particular decade. Globalization, Openness, and Privatization are certainly among the most frequently encapsulation of 1990’s; the market is ‘in’, ‘the state is out’. In the 1970’s, there were many political economists who spoke of autarky as one possible response to global economic forces. Be self-contained, go it alone, put up barriers to trans-nationalities, put in place import-substitution industrialization policy and grow domestic industries. In 1990’s, the emasculation of the state is by no means complete, but there is an acceptance that the state’s power is circumscribed by forces beyond its control and potential leverage. Autarky is no longer as a policy option. Nigeria, since its emergence as an independent nation, has evolved two macroeconomic management regimes of the interventionist and market friendly styles. This paper investigates Nigeria’s growth performance over the periods incorporating these two regimes and finds that there is no structural break in Total Factor Productivity, (TFP) growth and besides, the TFP growth over the entire period of study 1970-2012 is very negligible and hence growth can only be achieved by the unsustainable factor accumulation. Another important finding of this work is that the openness-human capital interaction term has a significant impact on the TFP growth, but the sign of the estimated coefficient does not meet it a theoretical expectation. This is because the negative coefficient on the human capital outweighs the positive openness effect. The poor quality of human capital is considered to have given rise to this. Given these results a massive investment in the education sector is required. The investment should be targeted at reforms that go beyond mere structural reforms to a reform agenda that will improve the quality of human capital in Nigeria.

Keywords: globalization, emasculation, openness and privatization, total factor productivity

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Authors: Jitendra Singh, Vivek Kumar

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In this paper, a susceptible infective susceptible mathematical model is proposed and analyzed where the migration of human population is given by migration function. It is assumed that the disease is transmitted by direct contact of susceptible and infective populations with constant contact rate. The equilibria and their stability are studied by using the stability theory of ordinary differential equations and computer simulation. The model analysis shows that the spread of infectious disease increases when human population immigration increases in the habitat but it decreases if emigration increases.

Keywords: SIS (Susceptible Infective Susceptible) model, migration function, susceptible, stability

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Authors: Zakari Mustapha, Clinton Aigbavboa, Wellington Didi Thwala

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Majority of the incidents and accidents in complex high-risk systems that exist in the construction industry and other sectors have been attributed to unsafe acts of workers. The purpose of this paper was to asses Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) in construction accident prevention. The study was conducted through the use of secondary data from journals, books and internet to achieve the objective of the study. The review of literature looked into details of different views from different scholars about HFACS framework in accidents investigations. It further highlighted on various sections or disciplines of accident occurrences in human performance within the construction. The findings from literature review showed that unsafe acts of a worker and unsafe working conditions are the two major causes of accident in the construction industry.Most significant factor in the cause of site accident in the construction industry is unsafe acts of a worker. The findings also show how the application of HFACS framework in the investigation of accident will lead to the identification of common trends. Further findings show that provision for the prevention of accident will be made based on past accident records to identify and prioritize where intervention is needed within the construction industry.

Keywords: accident, construction, HFACS, unsafe acts

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Authors: Laura Otto

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Sargasso algae currently threatens both livelihoods and marine eco systems along the Riviera Maya in Mexico. While the area was previously known for its white beaches, pristine waters, and intact, colorful reefs, the algae has turned the beaches into ‘stinky stretches of sand,’ made the water brown, and has led to reef degradation causing coral colonies to die off in vast amounts. Drawing on ethnographic research in the area, this paper shows how the reef was exploited for tourism before the Sargasso algae landed, and reef protection played a minor role among hoteliers, tourists, and tour operators. However, since Sargasso began arriving in large quantities, the reef has taken on new significance. Both natural science research and the everyday handling of Sargasso along the coast show that an intact reef provides a natural barrier for the algae and keeps them from reaching the beaches. Clean beaches are important to various local actors–among them, hotel operators, tourists, environmentalists – and against the backdrop of beach commodification, reefs are now taking on new meaning. The paper consequently discusses the commodification of beaches as more-than-human entanglements and illuminates which new human-environment relationships are currently emerging in the Anthropocene.

Keywords: anthropocene, human-environment-relations, fieldwork, mexico

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Authors: Khiddir Iddris, Martin Oteng – Ababio, Andreas Bürkert, Christoph Scherrer, Katharina Hemmler

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Agbogbloshie, as an informal settlement and economy where the e-waste sector thrives, has become a global hub of complex urban contestations involving sociocultural, economic, and environmental dimensions due to the implication that e-waste and informal economic patterns have on livelihoods, urbanisation, development and sustainability. Multi-author collaborations have produced an ever-growing body of literature on Agbogbloshie and the informal e-waste economy. There is, however, a dearth of an assessment of Agbogbloshie as an urban informal settlement's intricate nexus of socioecological contestations. We address this gap by systematising, from literature, the context knowledge, navigating the complex terrain of Agbogbloshie's challenges, and employing a multidimensional lens to unravel the sociocultural intricacies, economic dynamics, and environmental complexities shaping its identity. A systematic critical review approach was espoused, with a pragmatic consolidation of content analysis and controversy mapping, grounded on the concept of ‘sustainable rurbanism,’ highlighted core themes and identified contrasting viewpoints. An analytical framework is presented. Five categories – geohistorical, sociocultural, economic, environmental and future trends - are proposed as an approach to systematising the literature. The review finds that the sociocultural dimension unveils a mosaic of cultural amalgamation, communal identity, and tensions impacting community cohesion. The analysis of economic intricacies reveals the prevalence of informal economies sustaining livelihoods yet entrenching economic disparities and marginalisation. Environmental scrutiny exposes the grim realities of e-waste disposal, pollution, and land use conflicts. The findings suggest that there is a high resilience within the community and the potential for sustainable trajectories. Theoretical and conceptual synergy is limited. This review provides a comprehensive exploration, offering insights and directions for future research, policy formulation, and community-driven interventions aimed at fostering sustainable transformations in Agbogbloshie and analogous urban contexts.

Keywords: Agbogbloshie, economic complexities, environmental challenges, resilience, sociocultural dynamics, sustainability, urban informal settlement

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Authors: Ghimire K., Mehta R. S., Parajuli P., Chettri R.

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Background: Malnutrition is a common hallmark of Human Immuno Virus (HIV) disease. It plays a synergistic role in immunosuppression which is initiated by Human Immuno Virus itself, and malnutrition forms an independent risk factor for disease progression. Objectives: The objective of the study is to assess the nutritional status of the people living with Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome attending the Anti-Retro viral Treatment Clinic and find the association of nutritional status with different socio-demographic variables. Methods: A total of 101 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were selected by convenient sampling technique. The study was conducted at the ART clinic of BPKIHS. A subjective global assessment tool was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The study demonstrated that the mean age of the respondents was 40.97+8.650 years. 65.3% were well-nourished, and 34.7% of the participants were mildly/moderately malnourished, whereas none of them were severely malnourished. BMI was statistically significant with education status, family income, and duration of illness of the participants, and nutritional status was statistically significant with gender, marital status, education status, and family history of HIV. Conclusion: On the basis of the result, it can be concluded that more than half of the respondents were well nourished. Gender, marital status, and education are associated with nutritional status.

Keywords: nutritional status, people living with HIV/AIDS, ART treatment, Nepal

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Authors: Roya Morad, W. Eirik Heintz

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The identity of a neighborhood is inevitably shaped by the architecture and the people of that place. Conventionally the streets within each neighborhood served as a semi-public-private extension of the private living spaces. The street as a design element formed a hybrid condition that was neither totally public nor private, and it encouraged social interactions. Thus through creating a sense of community, one of the most basic human needs of belonging was achieved. Similar to major global cities, Tehran has undergone serious urbanization. Developing into a capital city of high rises has resulted in an increase in urban density. Although allocating more residential units in each neighborhood was a critical response to the population boom and the limited land area of the city, it also created a crisis in terms of social communication and place attachment. District 10 in Tehran is a neighborhood that has undergone the most urban transformation among the other 22 districts in the capital and currently has the highest population density. This paper will explore how the active streets in district 10 have changed into their current condition of high rises with a lack of meaningful social interactions amongst its inhabitants. A residential building can be thought of as a large group of people. One would think that as the number of people increases, the opportunities for social communications would increase as well. However, according to the survey, there is an indirect relationship between the two. As the number of people of a residential building increases, the quality of each acquaintance reduces, and the depth of relationships between people tends to decrease. This comes from the anonymity of being part of a crowd and the lack of social spaces characterized by most high-rise apartment buildings. Without a sense of community, the attachment to a neighborhood is decreased. This paper further explores how the neighborhood participates to fulfill ones need for social interaction and focuses on the qualitative aspects of alternative spaces that can redevelop the sense of place attachment within the community.

Keywords: high density, place attachment, social communication, street life, urban transformation

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Authors: Chia Yu Chen, Shu Fen Wu, Chen-Fuh Lam, I-Ling Tsai, Shu Jiuan Chen, Yen Ling Liu

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Aim: It remains undetermined that whether increased work stress may affect the job satisfaction and career loyalty among nursing staffs in the operating room. The long-term goal of this study is to lengthen the professional life of operating room nurses by attenuating the work stress and enhancing their contentment in work. Method: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study performed in a metropolitan teaching hospital in the southern Taiwan between May 2017 to July 2017. A structured self-administered questionnaire, modified from the Occupational Stress Indicator-2 (OSI-2) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) manual was collected from the operating room nurses. Chi-square test was used to analyze the categorical data and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the association between two numerical datasets (SPSS version 20.0). Results: The response rate was 80% (80/100) and a total of 73 (73%) completed forms were eventually proceeded for analysis. The average scores for work stress and job satisfaction of the operating room nurses were 145.96±32.91 and 47.38±6.07, respectively. The correlation coefficients of work stress versus job satisfaction and organizational identity were (r=-0.338, p=0.003 and r=-0.354, p=0.002), respectively. There were more nurses who took rotating shift quitted works from the operating room than those who took only dayshift (2＝5.176, p<0.05). Nurses who reported of having lower job satisfaction were associated with significantly higher turnover intention (t=3.714, p< 0.01). Following multivariate regression analysis, rotating shift and low job satisfaction were identified as the two independent predictors of intention to quit from working in the operating room. Conclusion: Our study clearly demonstrates that increased work stress significantly attenuates job satisfaction and organizational identity. Rotating shift is associated with higher work stress, lower job satisfaction, and higher turnover intention, which is consistent with the previous surveys carried out in the department of medical technology. Therefore, improvement of working quality in the operating rooms is essential to increase the retain intention of the well-trained nursing staffs. Further investigation into types of work shifts and other strategies of attenuating stress in workplace is currently undertaken in order to improve the job satisfaction and to decrease turnover intention in the operating room.

Keywords: rotating shift, work stress, job satisfaction, turnover intention

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Authors: Brahim Bellali, Fatima Bellali

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The integration of information technology systems (ITS) into a company's human resources processes seems to be the appropriate solution to the problem of evolving and adapting its human resources management practices in order to be both more strategic and more efficient in terms of costs and service quality. In this context, the aim of this work is to study the impact of information technology systems (ITS) on the recruitment process. In this study, we targeted candidates who had recruited using IT tools. The target population consists of 34 candidates based in Casablanca, Morocco. In order to collect the data, a questionnaire had to be drawn up. The survey is based on a data sheet and a questionnaire that is divided into several sections to make it more structured and comprehensible. The results show that the majority of respondents say that companies are making greater use of online CV libraries and social networks as digital solutions during the recruitment process. The results also show that 50% of candidates say that the use of digital tools by companies would not slow them down when applying for a job and that these IT tools improve manual recruitment processes, while 44.1% think that they facilitate recruitment without any human intervention. The majority of respondents (52.9%) think that social networks are the digital solutions most often used by recruiters in the sourcing phase. The constraints of digital recruitment encountered are the dehumanization of human resources (44.1%) and the limited interaction during remote interviews (44.1%), which leaves no room for informal exchanges. Digital recruitment can be a highly effective strategy for finding qualified candidates in a variety of fields. Here are a few recommendations for optimizing your digital recruitment process: (1) Use online recruitment platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook ; (2) Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) ; (3) Develop a content marketing strategy.

Keywords: IT systems, recruitment, challenges, constraints

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Authors: Morgan Kuligowski, Marientina Gotsis

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Extended reality (XR) technologies share an intertwined history with spaceflight and innovation. New advancements in XR technologies offer expanding possibilities to advance the future of human space exploration with increased crew autonomy. This paper seeks to identify implementation gaps between existing and proposed XR space applications to inform future mission planning. A review of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality technologies implemented aboard the International Space Station revealed a total of 16 flown investigations. A secondary set of ground-tested XR human spaceflight applications were systematically retrieved from literature sources. The two sets of XR technologies, those flown and those existing in the literature were analyzed to characterize application domains and device types. Comparisons between these groups revealed untapped application areas for XR to support crew psychological health, in-flight training, and extravehicular operations on future flights. To fill these roles, integrating XR technologies with advancements in biometric sensors and machine learning tools is expected to transform crew capabilities.

Keywords: augmented reality, extended reality, international space station, mixed reality, virtual reality

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Authors: Victoria G. Mountford-Brown

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The concept of the Entrepreneurial University and emphasis on higher education institutions as both hives of innovation and as producers of future innovators accord special significance to the role of academic researchers in future economic and social prosperity. Researcher development in the UK has embedded an emphasis or ‘enterprise lens’ on developing the capabilities of researchers to support a stable economy whilst providing solutions to societal challenges. However, the notion of the ‘entrepreneurial university’ and what that represents to many academics is met with tension and (dis)engagement in the premises of the ‘knowledge economy’ or ‘academic capitalism.’ Set in a landscape of UK higher education wherein the increasing emphasis on research impact, coupled with increasing competition for scarce funding, has created a ‘climate of performativity’. This research seeks to better understand the ways in which academic identities are (re)constructed in the everyday experiences of doctoral (PGR) and early career researchers (ECRs) as they navigate what is referred to by some as the ‘academic hunger games’. These daily pressures and high expectations of success are part of the identity work PGRs/ECRs undergo. This is often fraught with tension and struggles to adapt to the research environment suggesting a reason for imposter phenomenon to be rife in academia – particularly (but not exclusively) in the early stages of development. This pilot study involves qualitative semi-structured exploratory interviews with a mixed gendered sample of participants from a variety of subject disciplines who have taken part in an intensive 3-day innovation and enterprise program for PGR and ECRs premised on developing personal and research impact. The research seeks to better understand the processes of identity formation of becoming academic and offers a commentary on the notions of ‘imposter phenomenon’ and the exchange and development of resources or capital needed to ‘play the game’ in academia in the context of the ‘entrepreneurial university’. It explores ongoing (re)constructions of what it means to be an academic and the different ways in which social identities may embody and challenge the development of entrepreneurial academic identities. As such, it aims to contribute to our understanding of the innovation ecosystem of academia and the prosperity of academic researchers.

Keywords: entreprenruial development, higher education, identities, researcher development

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Authors: CM van der Bank, Marjoné van der Bank

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International and domestic environmental law has evolved quite rapidly in the last few decades. At the international level the Stockholm and Rio Declarations paved the way for a broad based consensus of the international community on environmental issues and principles. At the Domestic level also many states have incorporated environmental protection in their constitutions and even more states are doing the same at least in their domestic legislations. In this process of evolution environmental law has unleashed a number of novel principles such as; the participatory principle, the polluter pays principle, the precautionary principle, the inter-generational and intra-generational principles, the prevention principle, the sustainable development principle and so on.

Keywords: environment, human rights, international law, protection

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Authors: Hani M. M. Alothaid, Louise Robson, Richmond Muimo

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This study will investigate cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) dependent calcineurin (Cn), known as protein phosphatase 2 B (PP2B) as well, regulation of chloride ion (Cl⁻) secretion and the release of pro-inflammatory molecules in immune cells such as cytokines. THP-1-derived monocytes, primary human monocytes and the bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE14o-) were used in this study. The 16HBE14o- cells were chosen as positive control. Hence, to further confirm the expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), calcium binding protein (S100A10), annexin A2 (AnxA2) and calcineurin A subunit (CnA) in all three cell types, cell lysate was probed against corresponding primary antibodies by immunoblotting. Western blot analyses show the expression of CFTR, AnxA2, CnA and S100A10 in THP-1-derived monocytes and primary human monocytes. In conclusion, CFTR, S100A10, CnA and AnxA2 are expressed in THP-1-derived monocytes and primary human monocytes and regulate Cl⁻ secretion. Also, they may play a role in the pro-inflammatory molecules release. The ongoing work will confirm interaction between these proteins in the cell lines.

Keywords: annexin A2, calcineurin, CFTR, chloride, monocytes, pro-inflammatory molecules, S100A10

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Authors: Urvi Panwar, Kanchan Mishra, Kanjaksha Ghosh, ShankerLal Kothari

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Background: Day-by-day the increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases have become a global issue to manage them by medical sciences. The adult neural stem cells are rare and require an invasive and painful procedure to obtain it from central nervous system. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) therapies have shown remarkable application in treatment of various cell injuries and cell loss. MSCs can be derived from various sources like adult tissues, human bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and cord tissue. MSCs have similar proliferation and differentiation capability, but the human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) are proved to be more beneficial with respect to cell procurement, differentiation to other cells, preservation, and transplantation. Material and method: Human umbilical cord is easily obtainable and non-controversial comparative to bone marrow and other adult tissues. The umbilical cord can be collected after delivery of baby, and its tissue can be cultured using explant culture method. Cell culture medium such as DMEMF12+10% FBS and DMEMF12+Neural growth factors (bFGF, human noggin, B27) with antibiotics (Streptomycin/Gentamycin) were used to culture and differentiate mesenchymal stem cells into neural cells, respectively. The characterisations of MSCs were done with Flow Cytometer for surface markers CD90, CD73 and CD105 and colony forming unit assay. The differentiated various neural cells will be characterised by fluorescence markers for neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes; quantitative PCR for genes Nestin and NeuroD1 and Western blotting technique for gap43 protein. Result and discussion: The high quality and number of MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cord via explant culture method. The obtained MSCs were differentiated into neural cells like neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The differentiated neural cells can be used to treat neural injuries and neural cell loss by delivering cells by non-invasive administration via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood. Moreover, the MSCs can also be directly delivered to different injured sites where they differentiate into neural cells. Therefore, human umbilical cord is demonstrated to be an inexpensive and easily available source for MSCs. Moreover, the hUCMSCs can be a potential source for neural cell therapies and neural cell regeneration for neural cell injuries and neural cell loss. This new way of research will be helpful to treat and manage neural cell damages and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson. Still the study has a long way to go but it is a promising approach for many neural disorders for which at present no satisfactory management is available.

Keywords: bone marrow, cell therapy, explant culture method, flow cytometer, human umbilical cord, mesenchymal stem cells, neurodegenerative diseases, neuroprotective, regeneration

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Authors: Lukas Stiburek, Jana Cesnekova, Josef Houstek, Jiri Zeman

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Cellular function depends on mitochondrial function and integrity that is therefore maintained by several classes of proteins possessing chaperone and/or proteolytic activities. In this work, we focused on characterization of LACE1 (lactation elevated 1) function in mitochondrial protein homeostasis maintenance. LACE1 is the human homologue of yeast mitochondrial Afg1 ATPase, a member of SEC18-NSF, PAS1, CDC48-VCP, TBP family. Yeast Afg1 was shown to be involved in mitochondrial complex IV biogenesis, and based on its similarity with CDC48 (p97/VCP) it was suggested to facilitate extraction of polytopic membrane proteins. Here we show that LACE1, which is a mitochondrial integral membrane protein, exists as part of three complexes of approx. 140, 400 and 500 kDa and is essential for maintenance of fused mitochondrial reticulum and lamellar cristae morphology. Using affinity purification of LACE1-FLAG expressed in LACE1 knockdown background we show that the protein physically interacts with mitochondrial inner membrane protease YME1L. We further show that human LACE1 exhibits significant pro-apoptotic activity and that the protein is required for normal function of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Thus, our work establishes LACE1 as a novel factor with the crucial role in mitochondrial homeostasis maintenance.

Keywords: LACE1, mitochondria, apoptosis, protease

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Authors: Aisling De Paor

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Scientific and technological developments are driving genetics and genetic technologies into the public sphere. Scientists are making genetic discoveries as to the make up of the human body and the cause and effect of disease, diversity and disability amongst individuals. Technological innovation in the field of genetics is also advancing, with the development of genetic testing, and other emerging genetic technologies, including gene editing (which offers the potential for genetic modification). In addition to the benefits for medicine, health care and humanity, these genetic advances raise a range of ethical, legal and societal concerns. From an ethical perspective, such advances may, for example, change the concept of humans and what it means to be human. Science may take over in conceptualising human beings, which may push the boundaries of existing human rights. New genetic technologies, particularly gene editing techniques create the potential to stigmatise disability, by highlighting disability or genetic difference as something that should be eliminated or anticipated. From a disability perspective, use (and misuse) of genetic technologies raise concerns about discrimination and violations to the dignity and integrity of the individual. With an acknowledgement of the likely future orientation of genetic science, and in consideration of the intersection of genetics and disability, this paper highlights the main concerns raised as genetic science and technology advances (particularly with gene editing developments), and the consequences for disability and human rights. Through the use of traditional doctrinal legal methodologies, it investigates the use (and potential misuse) of gene editing as creating the potential for a unique form of discrimination and stigmatization to develop, as well as a potential gateway to a form of new, subtle eugenics. This article highlights the need to maintain caution as to the use, application and the consequences of genetic technologies. With a focus on the law and policy position in Europe, it examines the need to control and regulate these new technologies, particularly gene editing. In addition to considering the need for regulation, this paper highlights non-normative approaches to address this area, including awareness raising and education, public discussion and engagement with key stakeholders in the field and the development of a multifaceted genetics advisory network.

Keywords: disability, gene-editing, genetics, law, regulation

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Authors: M.Younus, M. Athar Khan, Asif Adrees

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The present research endeavour was made to investigate the Public Health impact of Salmonellosis through consuming the meat and eggs of the carrier’s birds and to see the prevalence of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium from poultry feed, poultry meat, and poultry eggs and their role in the chain of transmission of salmonellae to human beings and causing food poisoning. The ultimate objective was to generate data to improve the quality of poultry products and human health awareness. Salmonellosis is one of the most wide spread food borne zoonoses in all the continents of the world. The etiological agents Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium not only produce the disease but during the convalescent phase (after the recovery of disease) remain carriers for indefinite period of time. The carrier state was not only the source of spread of disease with in the poultry but also caused typhoid fever in humans. The chain of transmission started from poultry feed to poultry meat and ultimately to humans as dead end hosts. In this experiment a total number of 200 samples of human stool and blood were collected randomly (100 samples of human stool and 100 samples of human blood) of 100 patients suspected from food poisoning patients from different hospitals of Lahore area for the identification of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium through PCR method in order to see the public health impact of Salmonellosis through consuming the meat and eggs of the carrier birds. On the average 14 and 10 stool samples were found positive against Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium from each of the 25 patients from each hospital respectively in case of suspected food poisoning patients. Similarly on an average 5% and 6% blood samples were found positive from 25 patients of each hospital respectively. There was a significant difference (P< 0.05) in the sero positivity of stool and blood samples of suspected food poisoning patients as far as Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium was concerned. However there was no significant difference (P<0.05) between the hospitals.

Keywords: salmonella, zoonosis, food, transmission, eggs

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Authors: Hafsa Memona, Farkhanda Manzoor

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Cockroaches are termed as medically important pests because of their wide distribution in human habitation including houses, hospitals, food industries and kitchens. They may harbor multiple drug resistant pathogenic bacteria and protozoan parasites on their external surfaces, disseminate on human food and cause serious diseases and allergies to human. Hence, they are regarded as mechanical vector in human habitation due to their nocturnal activity and nutritional behavior. Viable eggs and dormant cysts of parasites can hitch a ride on cockroaches. Ova and cysts of parasitic organism may settle into the crevices and cracks between thorax and head. There are so many fissures and clefts and crannies on a cockroach which provide site for these organisms. This study aimed with identifying role of cockroaches in mechanically transmitting and disseminating gastrointestinal parasites in two environmental settings; hospitals and houses in urban area of Lahore. Totally, 250 adult cockroaches were collected from houses and hospitals by sticky traps and food baited traps and screened for parasitic load. All cockroaches were captured during their feeding time in natural habitat. Direct wet smear, 1% lugols iodine and modified acid-fast bacilli staining were used to identify the parasites from the body surfaces of cockroaches. Among human habitation two common species of cockroaches were collected i.e. P. americana and B. germanica. The results showed that 112 (46.8%) cockroaches harbored at least one human intestinal parasite on their body surfaces. The cockroaches from hospital environment harboured more parasites than houses. 47 (33.57%) cockroaches from houses and 65 (59.09%) from hospitals were infected with parasitic organisms. Of these, 76 (67.85%) were parasitic protozoans and 36(32.15%) were pathogenic and non-pathogenic intestinal parasites. P. americana harboured more parasites as compared to B. germanica in both environment. Most common human intestinal parasites found on cockroaches include ova of Ascaris lumbricoides (giant roundworm), Trichuris trichura (whipworm), Anchylostoma deodunalae (hookworm), Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), Taenia spp. and Strongyloides stercoralis (threadworm). The cysts of protozoans’ parasites including Balantidium coli, Entomoeba hystolitica, C. parvum, Isospora belli, Giardia duodenalis and C. cayetenensis were isolated and identified from cockroaches. Both experimental sites were significantly different in carriage of parasitic load on cockroaches. Difference in the hygienic condition of the environments, including human excrement disposal, variable habitat interacted, indoor and outdoor species, may account for the observed variation in the parasitic carriage rate of cockroaches among different experimental site. Thus a finding of this study is that Cockroaches are uniformly distributed in human habitation and act as a mechanical vector of pathogenic parasites that cause common illness such as diarrhea and bowel disorders. This fact contributes to epidemiological chain therefore control of cockroaches will significantly lessen the prevalence of illness in human. Effective control strategies will reduce the public health burden of the gastro-intestinal parasites in the developing countries.

Keywords: cockroaches, health risks, hospitals, houses, parasites, protozoans, transmission

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Authors: Ana Campina, José Caramelo Gomes, Maria Emília Teixeira, Cristina Costa-Lobo

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In the pursuit of educational equity within Human Rights and European Fundamental Laws, the reality presents serious problems based on the psychologic, social understanding. Take into account the miscellaneous cultures in the global context and the nowadays numbers of Human mobilities, there are serious problems affecting the societies. This justifies the diagnosed need of a renew pedagogical and social education strategy to achieve the integration positive context preventing violence and discrimination, especially in Education systems. Consequently, it is important to have in mind the respect, acceptance, and integration of special needs students in all study degrees, as it is law but a complex reality. Despite the UN and International Human Rights, European Fundamental Chart, and all EU Treats, as the 28th EU State Member’s fundamental laws forecast the right of Education, the respect, the action and promotion of different cultures and the Education for ‘Difference’ integration – cultures; ideologies, Special Needs Students/Citizens – there are different and severe problems. Firstly, there are questions/contexts/problems not denounced by the lack of investments, political, social or ‘powers’ pressures, so, consequently, the authorities don’t have the action as laws demand and the transgressors haven´t any juridical or judicial punishment. Secondly, and our most important point: Governments, authorities and even victims hide these violations/violence/problems what disable the effective protection and law enforcement. Finally, the official and non-official strategies to get around the duties, break away the laws, failing the victims protection and consequently enable the problems increase dramatically. With this research, we observed that there are international Organizations/regions and States acting without respect to the Education right despite their democratic ideology and the generated external ‘image’ of law-abiding and Human Rights defenders. Nevertheless, it is urgent to develop a consistent Human Rights Education program aiming to protect, promote and implement the Right to be different and be respected by the law, the governments, institutions official and non-official, adapted to the needs in each society. The background of this research is the International and European laws, in accordance with the state’s legal systems. The approaches and the differences of the Education for Human and Fundamental Rights execution in the different EU countries, studying the pedagogy and social inclusion programs/strategies, with particular analysis of the Special Needs students. The results aim to construct a European Education profiling, with the governments and EU interventions need, as well as the panorama of the Special Needs Students effective integration achieving a renewed strategy to promote the respect of the Differences and an Inclusive School life.

Keywords: international human rights, culture, differences, European education profiling

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Authors: Insaf Ajili, Malik Mallem, Jean-Yves Didier

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Human motion recognition has been extensively increased in recent years due to its importance in a wide range of applications, such as human-computer interaction, intelligent surveillance, augmented reality, content-based video compression and retrieval, etc. However, it is still regarded as a challenging task especially in realistic scenarios. It can be seen as a general machine learning problem which requires an effective human motion representation and an efficient learning method. In this work, we introduce a descriptor based on Laban Movement Analysis technique, a formal and universal language for human movement, to capture both quantitative and qualitative aspects of movement. We use Discrete Hidden Markov Model (DHMM) for training and classification motions. We improve the classification algorithm by proposing two DHMMs for each motion class to process the motion sequence in two different directions, forward and backward. Such modification allows avoiding the misclassification that can happen when recognizing similar motions. Two experiments are conducted. In the first one, we evaluate our method on a public dataset, the Microsoft Research Cambridge-12 Kinect gesture data set (MSRC-12) which is a widely used dataset for evaluating action/gesture recognition methods. In the second experiment, we build a dataset composed of 10 gestures(Introduce yourself, waving, Dance, move, turn left, turn right, stop, sit down, increase velocity, decrease velocity) performed by 20 persons. The evaluation of the system includes testing the efficiency of our descriptor vector based on LMA with basic DHMM method and comparing the recognition results of the modified DHMM with the original one. Experiment results demonstrate that our method outperforms most of existing methods that used the MSRC-12 dataset, and a near perfect classification rate in our dataset.

Keywords: human motion recognition, motion representation, Laban Movement Analysis, Discrete Hidden Markov Model

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Authors: Yolanda Ramírez, Ángel Tejada, Agustín Baidez

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of voluntary intellectual capital disclosure by public Spanish universities on their websites. To this end, a content analysis was used to analyze the websites of 50 public Spanish universities i 2016. The results of this study show that human capital was the most disclosed category with relational capital being the least frequently disclosed in Spain. However, the quality of structural capital disclosures was higher than relational and human capital. Finally, most IC disclosures were narrative in nature.

Keywords: intellectual capital, quality disclosure, websites, universities, Spain

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Authors: Addisu Teshama

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The existing criminal procedure law which is the main determinant of the phenomena of pre-trial detention is under revision in Ethiopia. The drafting work is completed and submitted for approval to the House of Peoples Representatives. The drafters of the draft law claim that the existing law is not in harmony with the constitutionally and internationally recognized principles pertinent to pretrial detention regulation. Further, the drafters allege that the drafting process is dictated by human rights principles recognized in the FDRE constitution and international human rights instruments ratified by Ethiopia. This article aims to the asses the plausibility of the claims of the drafters. For that purpose, this article uses the standards and guidelines articulated by international human rights standard setters as bench marks to juxtapose and judge the existing law and the draft criminal procedure and evidence code (DCrimPEC). The study found that the many aspects of the pre-trial detention law of Ethiopia are not in compliance with international law standards in the existing criminal procedure law. The DCrimPEC is aimed to harmonize the existing law with the constitution and international law standards. In this regard, the study found that the DCrimPEC has made significant changes on pre-trial detention policies which are not in harmony the principle of presumption of innocence. However, there are still gaps.

Keywords: pre-trial detention, right to personal liberty, right to bail, Ethiopia

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Authors: Lin Zou

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This paper explores how the development of science and technology in the recent decades has created new conditions for literature and aesthetics. These are epistemological conditions that not only offer empirical understandings of the human mentality, behavior, emotions, and humanity in general, but reshape how value and the ontological questions are understood and linked with humanity. This paper will discuss the implications of these epistemological conditions for the depiction and interpretation of human subjectivity in literature. The paper will first seek to present the argument that science and technology have created new conditions for literature and aesthetics. It then outlines the implications of these new conditions for literature and aesthetics. The main methodologies used are close reading and case studies.

Keywords: epistemological conditions, literature and aesthetics, science and technology, subjectivity

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Authors: Brahim Bellali, Fatima Bellali

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The integration of information technology systems (ITS) into a company's ‘human resources processes seems to be the appropriate solution to the problem of evolving and adapting its human resources management practices in order to be both more strategic and more efficient in terms of costs and service quality. In this context, the aim of this work is to study the impact of information technology systems (ITS) on the recruitment process. In this study, we targeted candidates who had recruited using IT tools. The target population consists of 34 candidates based in Casablanca, Morocco. In order to collect the data, a questionnaire had to be drawn up. The survey is based on a data sheet and a questionnaire that is divided into several sections to make it more structured and comprehensible. The results show that the majority of respondents say that companies are making greater use of online CV libraries and social networks as digital solutions during the recruitment process. The results also show that 50% of candidates say that the use of digital tools by companies would not slow them down when applying for a job and that these IT tools improve manual recruitment processes, while 44.1% think that they facilitate recruitment without any human intervention. The majority of respondents (52.9%) think that social networks are the digital solutions most often used by recruiters in the sourcing phase. The constraints of digital recruitment encountered are the dehumanization of human resources (44.1%) and the limited interaction during remote interviews (44.1%), which leaves no room for informal exchanges. Digital recruitment can be a highly effective strategy for finding qualified candidates in a variety of fields. Here are a few recommendations for optimizing your digital recruitment process: (1) Use online recruitment platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook ; (2) Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) ; (3) Develop a content marketing strategy.

Keywords: IT systems, recruitment, challenges, constraints

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Authors: Bellali Brahim, Bellali Fatima

Abstract:

The integration of information technology systems (ITS) into a company's ‘human resources processes seems to be the appropriate solution to the problem of evolving and adapting its human resources management practices in order to be both more strategic and more efficient in terms of costs and service quality. In this context, the aim of this work is to study the impact of nformation technology systems (ITS) on the recruitment process. In this study, we targeted candidates who had recruited using IT tools. The target population consists of 34 candidates based in Casablanca, Morocco. In order to collect the data, a questionnaire had to be drawn up. The survey is based on a data sheet and a questionnaire that is divided into several sections to make it more structured and comprehensible. The results show that the majority of respondents say that companies are making greater use of online CV libraries and social networks as digital solutions during the recruitment process. The results also show that 50% of candidates say that the use of digital tools by companies would not slow them down when applying for a job and that these IT tools improve manual recruitment processes, while 44.1% think that they facilitate recruitment without any human intervention. The majority of respondents (52.9%) think that social networks are the digital solutions most often used by recruiters in the sourcing phase. The constraints of digital recruitment encountered are the dehumanization of human resources (44.1%) and the limited interaction during remote interviews (44.1%), which leaves no room for informal exchanges. Digital recruitment can be a highly effective strategy for finding qualified candidates in a variety of fields. Here are a few recommendations for optimizing your digital recruitment process: (1) Use online recruitment platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook ; (2) Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) ; (3) Develop a content marketing strategy.

Keywords: IT systems, recruitment, challenges, constraints

Procedia PDF Downloads 26

Authors: Marek Pawlikowski, Krzysztof Jankowski, Konstanty Skalski, Anna Makuch

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Nanoindentation or depth-sensing indentation (DSI) technique has proven to be very useful to measure mechanical properties of various tissues at a micro-scale. Bone tissue, both trabecular and cortical one, is one of the most commonly tested tissues by means of DSI. Most often such tests on bone samples are carried out to compare the mechanical properties of lamellar and interlamellar bone, osteonal bone as well as compact and cancellous bone. In the paper, a relation between stress and strain for human trabecular bone is presented. The relation is based on the results of nanoindentation tests. The formulation of a constitutive model for human trabecular bone is based on nanoindentation tests. In the study, the approach proposed by Olivier-Pharr is adapted. The tests were carried out on samples of trabecular tissue extracted from human femoral heads. The heads were harvested during surgeries of artificial hip joint implantation. Before samples preparation, the heads were kept in 95% alcohol in temperature 4 Celsius degrees. The cubic samples cut out of the heads were stored in the same conditions. The dimensions of the specimens were 25 mm x 25 mm x 20 mm. The number of 20 samples have been tested. The age range of donors was between 56 and 83 years old. The tests were conducted with the indenter spherical tip of the diameter 0.200 mm. The maximum load was P = 500 mN and the loading rate 500 mN/min. The data obtained from the DSI tests allows one only to determine bone behoviour in terms of nanoindentation force vs. nanoindentation depth. However, it is more interesting and useful to know the characteristics of trabecular bone in the stress-strain domain. This allows one to simulate trabecular bone behaviour in a more realistic way. The stress-strain curves obtained in the study show relation between the age and the mechanical behaviour of trabecular bone. It was also observed that the bone matrix of trabecular tissue indicates an ability of energy absorption.

Keywords: constitutive model, mechanical behaviour, nanoindentation, trabecular bone

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Authors: Adineh Tajmousavilangerudi, Ali Zein Alabiden Tlais, Raffaella Di Cagno

Abstract:

The SARS-Cov-2 pandemic has exposed our vulnerability to new illnesses and novel viruses that attack our immune systems, particularly in the elderly. The vaccine is being gradually introduced over the world, but new strains of the virus and COVID-19 will emerge and continue to cause illness. Aging is associated with significant changes in intestinal physiology, which increases the production of inflammatory products, alters the gut microbiota, and consequently establish inadequate immune response to minimize symptoms and disease development. In this context, older people who followed a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in polyphenols and dietary fiber, performed better physically and mentally (1,2). This demonstrates the importance of the human gut microbiome in transforming complex dietary macromolecules into the most biologically available and active nutrients, which in turn help to regulate metabolism and both intestinal and systemic immune function (3,4). The role of lactic acid fermentation is prominent also as a powerful tool for improving the nutritional quality of the human diet by releasing nutrients and boosting the complex bioactive compounds and vitamin content. the PhD project aims to design fermented and functional foods/beverages capable of modulating human immune function via the gut microbiome.

Keywords: functional bevarage, fermented beverage, gut microbiota functionality, immun system

Procedia PDF Downloads 112