Search results for: physical culture
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 9186

Search results for: physical culture

7446 Perception of Neighbourhood-Level Built Environment in Relation to Youth Physical Activity in Malaysia

Authors: A. Abdullah, N. Faghih Mirzaei, S. Hany Haron

Abstract:

Neighbourhood environment walkability on reported physical activity (PA) levels of students of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Malaysia. Compared with previous generations, today’s young people spend less time playing outdoors and have lower participation rates in PA. Research suggests that negative perceptions of neighbourhood walkability may be a potential barrier to adolescents’ PA. The sample consisted of 200 USM students (to 24 years old) who live outside of the main campus and engage in PA in sport halls and sport fields of USM. The data were analysed using the t-test, binary logistic regression, and discriminant analysis techniques. The present study found that youth PA was affected by neighbourhood environment walkability factors, including neighbourhood infrastructures, neighbourhood safety (crime), and recreation facilities, as well as street characteristics and neighbourhood design variables such as facades of sidewalks, roadside trees, green spaces, and aesthetics. The finding also illustrated that active students were influenced by street connectivity, neighbourhood infrastructures, recreation facilities, facades of sidewalks, and aesthetics, whereas students in the less active group were affected by access to destinations, neighbourhood safety (crime), and roadside trees and green spaces for their PAs. These results report which factors of built environments have more effect on youth PA and they message to the public to create more awareness about the benefits of PA on youth health.

Keywords: fear of crime, neighbourhood built environment, physical activities, street characteristics design

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7445 A Blockchain-Based Privacy-Preserving Physical Delivery System

Authors: Shahin Zanbaghi, Saeed Samet

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The internet has transformed the way we shop. Previously, most of our purchases came in the form of shopping trips to a nearby store. Now, it’s as easy as clicking a mouse. But with great convenience comes great responsibility. We have to be constantly vigilant about our personal information. In this work, our proposed approach is to encrypt the information printed on the physical packages, which include personal information in plain text, using a symmetric encryption algorithm; then, we store that encrypted information into a Blockchain network rather than storing them in companies or corporations centralized databases. We present, implement and assess a blockchain-based system using Ethereum smart contracts. We present detailed algorithms that explain the details of our smart contract. We present the security, cost, and performance analysis of the proposed method. Our work indicates that the proposed solution is economically attainable and provides data integrity, security, transparency, and data traceability.

Keywords: blockchain, Ethereum, smart contract, commit-reveal scheme

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7444 The United States Film Industry and Its Impact on Latin American Identity Rationalizations

Authors: Alfonso J. García Osuna

Abstract:

Background and Significance: The objective of this paper is to analyze the inception and development of identity archetypes in early XX century Latin America, to explore their roots in United States culture, to discuss the influences that came to bear upon Latin Americans as the United States began to export images of standard identity paradigms through its film industry, and to survey how these images evolved and impacted Latin Americans’ ideas of national distinctiveness from the early 1900s to the present. Therefore, the general hypothesis of this work is that United States film in many ways influenced national identity patterning in its neighbors, especially in those nations closest to its borders, Cuba and Mexico. Very little research has been done on the social impact of the United States film industry on the country’s southern neighbors. From a historical perspective, the US’s influence has been examined as the projection of political and economic power, that is to say, that American influence is seen as a catalyst to align the forces that the US wants to see wield the power of the State. But the subtle yet powerful cultural influence exercised by film, the eminent medium for exporting ideas and ideals in the XX century, has not been significantly explored. Basic Methodologies and Description: Gramscian Marxist theory underpins the study, where it is argued that film, as an exceptional vehicle for culture, is an important site of political and social struggle; in this context, it aims to show how United States capitalist structures of power not only use brute force to generate and maintain control of overseas markets, but also promote their ideas through artistic products such as film in order to infiltrate the popular culture of subordinated peoples. In this same vein, the work of neo-Marxist theoreticians of popular culture is employed in order to contextualize the agency of subordinated peoples in the process of cultural assimilations. Indication of the Major Findings of the Study: The study has yielded much data of interest. The salient finding is that each particular nation receives United States film according to its own particular social and political context, regardless of the amount of pressure exerted upon it. An example of this is the unmistakable dissimilarity between Cuban and Mexican reception of US films. The positive reception given in Cuba to American film has to do with the seamless acceptance of identity paradigms that, for historical reasons discussed herein, were incorporated into the national identity grid quite unproblematically. Such is not the case with Mexico, whose express rejection of identity paradigms offered by the United States reflects not only past conflicts with the northern neighbor, but an enduring recognition of the country’s indigenous roots, one that precluded such paradigms. Concluding Statement: This paper is an endeavor to elucidate the ways in which US film contributed to the outlining of Latin American identity blueprints, offering archetypes that would be accepted or rejected according to each nation’s particular social requirements, constraints and ethnic makeup.

Keywords: film studies, United States, Latin America, identity studies

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7443 Research the Causes of Defects and Injuries of Reinforced Concrete and Stone Construction

Authors: Akaki Qatamidze

Abstract:

Implementation of the project will be a step forward in terms of reliability in Georgia and the improvement of the construction and the development of construction. Completion of the project is expected to result in a complete knowledge, which is expressed in concrete and stone structures of assessing the technical condition of the processing. This method is based on a detailed examination of the structure, in order to establish the injuries and the elimination of the possibility of changing the structural scheme of the new requirements and architectural preservationists. Reinforced concrete and stone structures research project carried out in a systematic analysis of the important approach is to optimize the process of research and development of new knowledge in the neighboring areas. In addition, the problem of physical and mathematical models of rational consent, the main pillar of the physical (in-situ) data and mathematical calculation models and physical experiments are used only for the calculation model specification and verification. Reinforced concrete and stone construction defects and failures the causes of the proposed research to enhance the effectiveness of their maximum automation capabilities and expenditure of resources to reduce the recommended system analysis of the methodological concept-based approach, as modern science and technology major particularity of one, it will allow all family structures to be identified for the same work stages and procedures, which makes it possible to exclude subjectivity and addresses the problem of the optimal direction. It discussed the methodology of the project and to establish a major step forward in the construction trades and practical assistance to engineers, supervisors, and technical experts in the construction of the settlement of the problem.

Keywords: building, reinforced concrete, expertise, stone structures

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7442 Shelf Life of Frozen Processed Foods for Extended Durability

Authors: Manfreda Gerardo, Pasquali Frederique, Pepe Tiziana, Anastasio Aniello, Ianieri Adriana

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The aim of the research was to evaluate the shelf life of a REPFED’s product (lasagna alla bolognese), developed as a product to be marketed fresh after defrosting. Three different samples were prepared: A, B and C, which presented differences in relation to the recipe, pasteurization technique and packaging on which the trend of the shelf-life indicator parameters was evaluated during a period of prolonged shelf life. The analytical plan involved the measurement of microbiological, chemical-physical and organoleptic parameters over 7 moments of storage selected in a period of 33 days. CBT, LAB, enterobacteria, E. coli, yeasts, molds, S. coagulase positive, B. cereus, Salmonella spp and L. monocytogenes, pH, Aw, Kreiss test, peroxides, atmosphere inside the packages, and organoleptic characteristics were determined. The results demonstrated the effect of post-packaging pasteurization on the shelf life of fresh from frozen products. However, the products pasteurized at 95°C in the absence of steam showed microbiological parameters that were not appropriate for an extended shelf life of up to 60 days. On the contrary, the samples pasteurized at 98°C with steam saturation and counterpressure showed values compatible with an extended shelf life. The results of the chemical-physical analyses highlighted how recipe and packaging affect the chemical-physical and organoleptic parameters. In conclusion, this preliminary study confirmed the effectiveness of post-packaging pasteurization treatments aimed at extending the shelf life of the product, helping the food company to occupy market niches even very distant from the production sites.

Keywords: shelf life, REPFED’s product, extended durability, pasteurization

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7441 Relationship of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Factors and Entrepreneurial Cognition: An Exploratory Study Applied to Regional and Metropolitan Ecosystems in New South Wales, Australia

Authors: Sumedha Weerasekara, Morgan Miles, Mark Morrison, Branka Krivokapic-Skoko

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This paper is aimed at exploring the interrelationships among entrepreneurial ecosystem factors and entrepreneurial cognition in regional and metropolitan ecosystems. Entrepreneurial ecosystem factors examined include: culture, infrastructure, access to finance, informal networks, support services, access to universities, and the depth and breadth of the talent pool. Using a multivariate approach we explore the impact of these ecosystem factors or elements on entrepreneurial cognition. In doing so, the existing body of knowledge from the literature on entrepreneurial ecosystem and cognition have been blended to explore the relationship between entrepreneurial ecosystem factors and cognition in a way not hitherto investigated. The concept of the entrepreneurial ecosystem has received increased attention as governments, universities and communities have started to recognize the potential of integrated policies, structures, programs and processes that foster entrepreneurship activities by supporting innovation, productivity and employment growth. The notion of entrepreneurial ecosystems has evolved and grown with the advancement of theoretical research and empirical studies. Importance of incorporating external factors like culture, political environment, and the economic environment within a single framework will enhance the capacity of examining the whole systems functionality to better understand the interaction of the entrepreneurial actors and factors within a single framework. The literature on clusters underplays the role of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial management in creating and co-creating organizations, markets, and supporting ecosystems. Entrepreneurs are only one actor following a limited set of roles and dependent upon many other factors to thrive. As a consequence, entrepreneurs and relevant authorities should be aware of the other actors and factors with which they engage and rely, and make strategic choices to achieve both self and also collective objectives. The study uses stratified random sampling method to collect survey data from 12 different regions in regional and metropolitan regions of NSW, Australia. A questionnaire was administered online among 512 Small and medium enterprise owners operating their business in selected 12 regions in NSW, Australia. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyzing techniques and partial least squares - structural equation modeling. The findings show that even though there is a significant relationship between each and every entrepreneurial ecosystem factors, there is a weak relationship between most entrepreneurial ecosystem factors and entrepreneurial cognition. In the metropolitan context, the availability of finance and informal networks have the largest impact on entrepreneurial cognition while culture, infrastructure, and support services having the smallest impact and the talent pool and universities having a moderate impact on entrepreneurial cognition. Interestingly, in a regional context, culture, availability of finance, and the talent pool have the highest impact on entrepreneurial cognition, while informal networks having the smallest impact and the remaining factors – infrastructure, universities, and support services have a moderate impact on entrepreneurial cognition. These findings suggest the need for a location-specific strategy for supporting the development of entrepreneurial cognition.

Keywords: academic achievement, colour response card, feedback

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7440 Mitigation of Offshore Piling Noise Effects on Marine Mammals

Authors: Waled A. Dawoud, Abdelazim M. Negm, Nasser M. Saleh

Abstract:

Offshore piling generates underwater sound at level high enough to cause physical damage or hearing impairment to the marine mammals. Several methods can be used to mitigate the effect of underwater noise from offshore pile driving on marine mammals which can be divided into three main approaches. The first approach is to keep the mammal out of the high-risk area by using aversive sound waves produced by acoustic mitigation devices such as playing-back of mammal's natural predator vocalization, alarm or distress sounds, and anthropogenic sound. The second approach is to reduce the amount of underwater noise from pile driving using noise mitigation techniques such as bubble curtains, isolation casing, and hydro-sound dampers. The third approach is to eliminate the overlap of underwater waves by using prolonged construction process. To investigate the effectiveness of different noise mitigation methods; a pile driven with 235 kJ rated energy diesel hammer near Jeddah Coast, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was used. Using empirical sound exposure model based on Red Sea characteristics and limits of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; it was found that the aversive sound waves should extend to 1.8 km around the pile location. Bubble curtains can reduce the behavioral disturbance area up to 28%; temporary threshold shift up to 36%; permanent threshold shift up to 50%; and physical injury up to 70%. Isolation casing can reduce the behavioral disturbance range up to 12%; temporary threshold shift up to 21%; permanent threshold shift up to 29%; and physical injury up to 46%. Hydro-sound dampers efficiency depends mainly on the used technology and it can reduce the behavioral disturbance range from 10% to 33%; temporary threshold shift from 18% to 25%; permanent threshold shift from 32% to 50%; and physical injury from 46% to 60%. To prolong the construction process, it was found that the single pile construction, use of soft start, and keep time between two successive hammer strikes more than 3 seconds are the most effective techniques.

Keywords: offshore pile driving, sound propagation models, noise effects on marine mammals, Underwater noise mitigation

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7439 The Effectiveness of Kinesiotaping Methods in Rehabilitation Therapy

Authors: Ana-Katarina Nikich

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Background: The kinesiotaping method is often used in physiotherapy and rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of taping in the rehabilitation process of patients. Materials and methods: The study involved 90 male and female patients (the average age was 40-50 years) with various conditions requiring rehabilitation, such as injuries of the musculoskeletal system, sports injuries and other ailments. All patients were divided into two groups: experimental (n=40) and control (n=50). Both groups received 20 days of standard rehabilitation. In the experimental group, kinesiotaping methods were used, taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient. The control group performed regular exercises and physical therapy, but without using kinesiotape. During the study, physical parameters were monitored, interviews were conducted and the conditions of patients from both groups were compared. Results and discussion: The use of the kinesiotaping method in the rehabilitation process led to a significant improvement in physical parameters and pain reduction in patients. Significant improvement (p <0.005) was observed in all evaluated parameters among the patients of the experimental group. The control group also showed sufficient improvement (p <0.005), but the percentage of the experimental group was higher. As a result of the observation, the patients of the experimental group showed faster and more complete rehabilitation compared to the control group. The use of the kinesiotaping method allows to reduce the load on the damaged areas, improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, as well as increase stability and coordination of movements. Conclusions: Kinesiotaping as one of the modern therapeutic methods has shown its effectiveness in the rehabilitation process, contributing to the optimal recovery of patients with various conditions requiring rehabilitation. The use of tapes should be included in a comprehensive rehabilitation program to achieve the best results and reduce recovery time.

Keywords: kinesiotaping, rehabilitation, therapy, pain

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7438 Effect of Aquatic and Land Plyometric Training on Selected Physical Fitness Variables in Intercollegiate Male Handball Players

Authors: Nisith K. Datta, Rakesh Bharti

Abstract:

The purpose of the study was to find out the effects of Aquatic and Land plyometric training on selected physical variables in intercollegiate male handball players. To achieve this purpose of the study, forty five handball players of Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujarat were selected as players at random and their age ranged between 18 to 21 years. The selected players were divided into three equal groups of fifteen players each. Group I underwent Aquatic plyometric training, Group II underwent Land plyometric training and Group III Control group for three days per week for twelve weeks. Control Group did not participate in any special training programme apart from their regular activities as per their curriculum. The following physical fitness variables namely speed; leg explosive power and agility were selected as dependent variables. All the players of three groups were tested on selected dependent variables prior to and immediately after the training programme. The analysis of covariance was used to analyze the significant difference, if any among the groups. Since, three groups were compared, whenever the obtained ‘F’ ratio for adjusted post test was found to be significant, the Scheffe’s test to find out the paired mean differences, if any. The 0.05 level of confidence was fixed as the level of significance to test the ‘F’ ratio obtained by the analysis of covariance, which was considered as an appropriate. The result of the study indicates due to Aquatic and Land plyometric training on speed, explosive power, and agility has been improved significantly.

Keywords: aquatic training, explosive power, plyometric training, speed

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7437 Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Reducing Corona Disease Anxiety in the Staff Working in Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Shiraz

Authors: Gholam Reza Mirzaei

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This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing corona disease anxiety in the staff working at Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Shiraz. The current research was a quasi-experimental study having pre-test and post-test with two experimental and control groups. The statistical population of the research included all the staff of Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Shiraz in 2021. From among the statistical population, 30 participants (N =15 in the experimental group and N =15 in the control group) were selected by available sampling. The materials used in the study comprised the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS). Following data collection, the participants’ scores were analyzed using SPSS 20 at both descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (analysis of covariance) levels. The results of the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is effective in reducing Corona disease anxiety (mental and physical symptoms) in the staff working at Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Shiraz. The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on reducing mental symptoms was 25.5% and on physical symptoms was 13.8%. The mean scores of the experimental group in the sub-scales of Corona disease anxiety (mental and physical symptoms) in the post-test were lower than the mean scores of the control group.

Keywords: acceptance and commitment therapy, corona disease anxiety, hospital staff, Shiraz

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7436 Distribution and Characterization of Thermal Springs in Northern Oman

Authors: Fahad Al Shidi, Reginald Victor

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This study was conducted in Northern Oman to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of 40 thermal springs distributed in Al Hajar Mountains in northern Oman. Physical measurements of water samples were carried out in two main seasons in Oman (winter and summer 2019). Studied springs were classified into three groups based on water temperature, four groups based on water pH values and two groups based on conductivity. Ten thermal alkaline springs that originated in Ophiolite (Samail Napp) were dominated by high pH (> 11), elevated concentration of Cl- and Na+ ions, relatively low temperature and discharge ratio. Other springs in the Hajar Super Group massif recorded high concentrations of Ca2+ and SO2-4 ions controlled by rock dominance, geochemistry processes, and mineralization. There was only one spring which has brackish water with very high conductivity (5500 µs/cm) and Total Dissolved Solids and it is not suitable for irrigation purposes because of the high abundance of Na+, Cl−, and Ca2+ ions.

Keywords: alkaline springs, geothermal, HSG, ophiolite

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7435 A Lexicographic Approach to Obstacles Identified in the Ontological Representation of the Tree of Life

Authors: Sandra Young

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The biodiversity literature is vast and heterogeneous. In today’s data age, numbers of data integration and standardisation initiatives aim to facilitate simultaneous access to all the literature across biodiversity domains for research and forecasting purposes. Ontologies are being used increasingly to organise this information, but the rationalisation intrinsic to ontologies can hit obstacles when faced with the intrinsic fluidity and inconsistency found in the domains comprising biodiversity. Essentially the problem is a conceptual one: biological taxonomies are formed on the basis of specific, physical specimens yet nomenclatural rules are used to provide labels to describe these physical objects. These labels are ambiguous representations of the physical specimen. An example of this is with the genus Melpomene, the scientific nomenclatural representation of a genus of ferns, but also for a genus of spiders. The physical specimens for each of these are vastly different, but they have been assigned the same nomenclatural reference. While there is much research into the conceptual stability of the taxonomic concept versus the nomenclature used, to the best of our knowledge as yet no research has looked empirically at the literature to see the conceptual plurality or singularity of the use of these species’ names, the linguistic representation of a physical entity. Language itself uses words as symbols to represent real world concepts, whether physical entities or otherwise, and as such lexicography has a well-founded history in the conceptual mapping of words in context for dictionary making. This makes it an ideal candidate to explore this problem. The lexicographic approach uses corpus-based analysis to look at word use in context, with a specific focus on collocated word frequencies (the frequencies of words used in specific grammatical and collocational contexts). It allows for inconsistencies and contradictions in the source data and in fact includes these in the word characterisation so that 100% of the available evidence is counted. Corpus analysis is indeed suggested as one of the ways to identify concepts for ontology building, because of its ability to look empirically at data and show patterns in language usage, which can indicate conceptual ideas which go beyond words themselves. In this sense it could potentially be used to identify if the hierarchical structures present within the empirical body of literature match those which have been identified in ontologies created to represent them. The first stages of this research have revealed a hierarchical structure that becomes apparent in the biodiversity literature when annotating scientific species’ names, common names and more general names as classes, which will be the focus of this paper. The next step in the research is focusing on a larger corpus in which specific words can be analysed and then compared with existing ontological structures looking at the same material, to evaluate the methods by means of an alternative perspective. This research aims to provide evidence as to the validity of the current methods in knowledge representation for biological entities, and also shed light on the way that scientific nomenclature is used within the literature.

Keywords: ontology, biodiversity, lexicography, knowledge representation, corpus linguistics

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7434 Feminising Football and Its Fandom: The Ideological Construction of Women's Super League

Authors: Donna Woodhouse, Beth Fielding-Lloyd, Ruth Sequerra

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This paper explores the structure and culture of the English Football Association (FA) the governing body of soccer in England, in relation to the development of the FA Women’s Super League (WSL). In doing so, it examines the organisation’s journey from banning the sport in 1921 to establishing the country’s first semi professional female soccer league in 2011. As the FA has a virtual monopoly on defining the structures of the elite game, we attempted to understand its behaviour in the context of broader issues of power, control and resistance by giving voice to the experiences of those affected by its decisions. Observations were carried out at 39 matches over three years. Semi structured interviews with 17 people involved in the women’s game, identified via snowball sampling, were also carried out. Transcripts accompanied detailed field notes and were inductively coded to identify themes. What emerged was the governing body’s desire to create a new product, jettisoning the long history of the women’s game in order to shape and control the sport in a way it is no longer able to, with the elite male club game. The League created was also shaped by traditional conceptualisations of gender, in terms of the portrayal of its style of play and target audience, setting increased participation and spectatorship targets as measures of ‘success’. The national governing body has demonstrated pseudo inclusion and a lack of enthusiasm for the implementation of equity reforms, driven by a belief that the organisation is already representative, fair and accessible. Despite a consistent external pressure, the Football Association is still dominated at its most senior levels by males. Via claiming to hold a monopoly on expertise around the sport, maintaining complex committee structures and procedures, and with membership rules rooted in the amateur game, it remains a deeply gendered organisation, resistant to structural and cultural change. In WSL, the FA's structure and culture have created a franchise over which it retains almost complete control, dictating the terms of conditions of entry and marginalising alternative voices. The organisation presents a feminised version of both play and spectatorship, portraying the sport as a distinct, and lesser, version of soccer.

Keywords: football association, organisational culture, soccer, women’s super league

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7433 Course Perceiving Differences among College Science Students from Various Cultures: A Case Study in the US

Authors: Yuanyuan Song

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Background: As we all know, culture plays a pivotal role in the realm of education, influencing study perceptions and outcomes. Nevertheless, there remains a need to delve into how culture specifically impacts the perception of courses. Therefore, the impact of culture on students' perceptions and academic performance is explored in this study. Drawing from cultural constructionism and conflict theories, it is posited that when students hailing from diverse cultures and backgrounds converge in the same classroom, their perceptions of course content may diverge significantly. This study seeks to unravel the tangible disparities and ascertain how cultural nuances shape students' perceptions of classroom content when encountering diverse cultural contexts within the same learning environment. Methodology: Given the diverse cultural backgrounds of students within the US, this study draws upon data collected from a course offered by a US college. In pursuit of answers to these inquiries, a qualitative approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews conducted in a college-level science class in the US during 2023. The interviews encompassed approximately nine questions, spanning demographic particulars, cultural backgrounds, science learning experiences, academic outcomes, and more. Participants were exclusively drawn from science-related majors, with each student originating from a distinct cultural context. All participants were undergraduates, and most of them were from eighteen to twenty-five years old, totaling six students who attended the class and willingly participated in the interviews. The duration of each interview was approximately twenty minutes. Results: The findings gleaned from the interview data underscore the notable impact of varying cultural contexts on students' perceptions. This study argues that female science students, for instance, are influenced by gender dynamics due to the predominant male presence in science majors, creating an environment where female students feel reticent about expressing themselves in public. Students of East Asian origin exhibit a stronger belief in the efficacy of personal efforts when contrasted with their North American counterparts. Minority students indicated that they grapple with integration into the predominantly white mainstream society, influencing their eagerness to engage in classroom activities that are conducted by white professors. All of them emphasized the importance of learning science.

Keywords: multiculture education, educational sociology, educational equality, STEM education

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7432 The Effects of Culture and Language on Social Impression Formation from Voice Pleasantness: A Study with French and Iranian People

Authors: L. Bruckert, A. Mansourzadeh

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The voice has a major influence on interpersonal communication in everyday life via the perception of pleasantness. The evolutionary perspective postulates that the mechanisms underlying the pleasantness judgments are universal adaptations that have evolved in the service of choosing a mate (through the process of sexual selection). From this point of view, the favorite voices would be those with more marked sexually dimorphic characteristics; for example, in men with lower voice pitch, pitch is the main criterion. On the other hand, one can postulate that the mechanisms involved are gradually established since childhood through exposure to the environment, and thus the prosodic elements could take precedence in everyday life communication as it conveys information about the speaker's attitude (willingness to communicate, interest toward the interlocutors). Our study focuses on voice pleasantness and its relationship with social impression formation, exploring both the spectral aspects (pitch, timbre) and the prosodic ones. In our study, we recorded the voices through two vocal corpus (five vowels and a reading text) of 25 French males speaking French and 25 Iranian males speaking Farsi. French listeners (40 male/40 female) listened to the French voices and made a judgment either on the voice's pleasantness or on the speaker (judgment about his intelligence, honesty, sociability). The regression analyses from our acoustic measures showed that the prosodic elements (for example, the intonation and the speech rate) are the most important criteria concerning pleasantness, whatever the corpus or the listener's gender. Moreover, the correlation analyses showed that the speakers with the voices judged as the most pleasant are considered the most intelligent, sociable, and honest. The voices in Farsi have been judged by 80 other French listeners (40 male/40 female), and we found the same effect of intonation concerning the judgment of pleasantness with the corpus «vowel» whereas with the corpus «text» the pitch is more important than the prosody. It may suggest that voice perception contains some elements invariant across culture/language, whereas others are influenced by the cultural/linguistic background of the listener. Shortly in the future, Iranian people will be asked to listen either to the French voices for half of them or to the Farsi voices for the other half and produce the same judgments as the French listeners. This experimental design could potentially make it possible to distinguish what is linked to culture and what is linked to language in the case of differences in voice perception.

Keywords: cross-cultural psychology, impression formation, pleasantness, voice perception

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7431 The Connection between Heroism and Violence in War Narratives from the Aspect of Rituals

Authors: Rita Fofai

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The aim of the study is to help peacebuilding by analyzing the symbolical level of fights in the war. Despite the sufferings, war heroism still represents such a noble value in war narratives (especially in literature and films, whether it is high- or popular culture) which can make warfare attractive for every age-group. The questions of the study will revolve around the events when heroism is not a necessary and unselfish act for a greater good, but when the primary aim is to express strength in order to build self-mythology. Since war is a scene where the mythological level can meet reality, and even modern narratives use the elements of rituals and sacral references in even secular contexts, understanding the connection between rites and modern battles will ground this study, and the analysis will follow the logic of the violent rites. From this aspect, war is not merely the fight for different countries and ideas, but the fight of mankind with superhuman and natural or supernatural phenomena, as well. In this context, enemy symbolizes the threat of the world which is unpredictable for mankind, and the fight becomes a ritual combat; therefore the winner’s symbolic reward is to redefine himself or herself not only in the human environment but in the context of the whole world. The analysis of the study reveals that this kind of violence does not represents real heroism and rarely results in recruitment, on the contrary, conserves fear and the feeling of weakness, which is the root cause of this kind of act. The result of this study is a way to reshape the attitude toward so-called heroic war violence which is often a part of war narratives even nowadays. Since stepping out of the war tradition is mainly a cultural question, redefining the connection between society and narratives which has an effect on mentality and emotions, giving a clear guide to making difference between heroism and useless violence is very important in peacebuilding.

Keywords: war, ritual, heroism, violence, narratives, culture

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7430 Manufacturing the Authenticity of Dokkaebi’s Visual Representation in Tourist Marketing

Authors: Mikyung Bak

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The dokkaebi, a beloved icon of Korean culture, is represented as an elf, goblin, monster, dwarf, or any similar creature in different media, such as animated shows, comics, soap operas, and movies. It is often described as a mythical creature with a horn or horns and long teeth, wearing tiger-skin pants or a grass skirt, and carrying a magic stick. Many Korean researchers agree on the similarity of the image of the Korean dokkaebi with that of the Japanese oni, a view that is regard as negative from an anti-colonial or nationalistic standpoint. They cite such similarity between the two mythical creatures as evidence that Japanese colonialism persists in Korea. The debate on the originality of dokkaebi’s visual representation is an issue that must be addressed urgently. This research demonstrates through a diagram the plurality of interpretations of dokkaebi’s visual representations in what are considered ‘authentic’ images of dokkaebi in Korean art and culture. This diagram presents the opinions of four major groups in the debate, namely, the scholars of Korean literature and folklore, art historians, authors, and artists. It also shows the creation of new dokkaebi visual representations in popular media, including those influenced by the debate. The diagram further proves that dokkaebi’s representations varied, which include the typical persons or invisible characters found in Korean literature, original Korean folk characters in traditional art, and even universal spirit characters. They are also visually represented by completely new creatures as well as oni-based mythical beings and the actual oni itself. The earlier dokkaebi representations were driven by the creation of a national ideology or national cultural paradigm and, thus, were more uniform and protected. In contrast, the more recent representations are influenced by the Korean industrial strategy of ‘cultural economics,’ which is concerned with the international rather than the domestic market. This recent Korean cultural strategy emphasizes diversity and commonality with the global culture rather than originality and locality. It employs traditional cultural resources to construct a global image. Consequently, dokkaebi’s recent representations have become more common and diverse, thereby incorporating even oni’s characteristics. This argument has rendered the grounds of the debate irrelevant. The dokkaebi has been used recently for tourist marketing purposes, particularly in revitalizing interest in regions considered the cradle of various traditional dokkaebi tales. These campaign strategies include the Jeju-do Dokkaebi Park, Koksung Dokkaebi Land, as well as the Taebaek and Sokri-san Dokkaebi Festivals. Almost dokkaebi characters are identical to the Japanese oni in tourist marketing. However, the pursuit for dokkaebi’s authentic visual representation is less interesting and fruitful than the appreciation of the entire spectrum of dokkaebi images that have been created. Thus, scholars and stakeholders must not exclude the possibilities for a variety of potentials within the visual culture. The same sentiment applies to traditional art and craft. This study aims to contribute to a new visualization of the dokkaebi that embraces the possibilities of both folk craft and art, which continue to be uncovered by diverse and careful researchers in a still-developing field.

Keywords: Dokkaebi, post-colonial period, representation, tourist marketing

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7429 Gulfnet: The Advent of Computer Networking in Saudi Arabia and Its Social Impact

Authors: Abdullah Almowanes

Abstract:

The speed of adoption of new information and communication technologies is often seen as an indicator of the growth of knowledge- and technological innovation-based regional economies. Indeed, technological progress and scientific inquiry in any society have undergone a particularly profound transformation with the introduction of computer networks. In the spring of 1981, the Bitnet network was launched to link thousands of nodes all over the world. In 1985 and as one of the first adopters of Bitnet, Saudi Arabia launched a Bitnet-based network named Gulfnet that linked computer centers, universities, and libraries of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries through high speed communication lines. In this paper, the origins and the deployment of Gulfnet are discussed as well as social, economical, political, and cultural ramifications of the new information reality created by the network. Despite its significance, the social and cultural aspects of Gulfnet have not been investigated in history of science and technology literature to a satisfactory degree before. The presented research is based on an extensive archival research aimed at seeking out and analyzing of primary evidence from archival sources and records. During its decade and a half-long existence, Gulfnet demonstrated that the scope and functionality of public computer networks in Saudi Arabia have to be fine-tuned for compliance with Islamic culture and political system of the country. It also helped lay the groundwork for the subsequent introduction of the Internet. Since 1980s, in just few decades, the proliferation of computer networks has transformed communications world-wide.

Keywords: Bitnet, computer networks, computing and culture, Gulfnet, Saudi Arabia

Procedia PDF Downloads 241
7428 Identification of Factors Influencing Costs in Green Projects

Authors: Nazirah Zainul Abidin, Nurul Zahirah Mokhtar Azizi

Abstract:

Cost has always been the leading concern in green building development. The perception that construction cost for green building is higher than conventional buildings has only made the discussion of green building cost more difficult. Understanding the factors that will influence the cost of green construction is expected to shed light into what makes green construction more or at par with conventional projects, or perhaps, where cost can be optimised. This paper identifies the elements of cost before shifting the attention to the influencing factors. Findings from past studies uncovered various factors related to cost which are grouped into five focal themes i.e. awareness, knowledge, financial, technical, and government support. A conceptual framework is produced in a form of a flower diagram indicating the cost influencing factors of green building development. These factors were found to be both physical and non-physical aspects of a project. The framework provides ground for the next stage of research that is to further explore how these factors influence the project cost and decision making.

Keywords: green project, factors influencing cost, hard cost, soft cost

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7427 Stemming the Decline of Cultural Festivals as a Way of Preserving the Nigerian Cultural Heritage: A Case Study of Kuteb and Idoma Cultural Festivals

Authors: Inalegwu Stephany Akipu

Abstract:

A cultural festival is characterized by feasting and celebration, with a day or period that has been set aside solely for this reason. Often expressed by an organized series of acts and performances, it forms a very important part of man’s cultural heritage. Nigeria is a country with many ethnic groups and diverse languages. Each of these ethnic groups has a plethora of festivals that depict their culture which is exhibited in many forms ranging from dancing to feasting and celebration. Being a very important aspect of man’s life, it is pertinent to document and optimally harness it. However, there is a significant decline of these practices in some areas in Nigeria while some areas have registered a total loss of same. It is the aim of this paper therefore, to appraise the factors responsible for this and also, to project ways of resuscitating these festivals which by the way are viable tools for revenue generation through tourism. Not only do festivals serve as a source of revenue, they also aid in national integration which in turn further enhances sustainable development. The interest of this paper will focus on the Kuteb people of Taraba State and the Idoma people of Benue State. The methodologies applied include primary (oral interviews) and secondary (consultation of written records on the subject matter) sources of data. It finally concludes by comparing the approaches that are in use by the ethnic groups in Nigeria who have successfully preserved this aspect their culture and suggestions are made as to how to apply same approaches to these two communities that form the subject of this paper.

Keywords: festival, cultural heritage, Nigeria, national integration, sustainable development

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7426 iPSCs More Effectively Differentiate into Neurons on PLA Scaffolds with High Adhesive Properties for Primary Neuronal Cells

Authors: Azieva A. M., Yastremsky E. V., Kirillova D. A., Patsaev T. D., Sharikov R. V., Kamyshinsky R. A., Lukanina K. I., Sharikova N. A., Grigoriev T. E., Vasiliev A. L.

Abstract:

Adhesive properties of scaffolds, which predominantly depend on the chemical and structural features of their surface, play the most important role in tissue engineering. The basic requirements for such scaffolds are biocompatibility, biodegradation, high cell adhesion, which promotes cell proliferation and differentiation. In many cases, synthetic polymers scaffolds have proven advantageous because they are easy to shape, they are tough, and they have high tensile properties. The regeneration of nerve tissue still remains a big challenge for medicine, and neural stem cells provide promising therapeutic potential for cell replacement therapy. However, experiments with stem cells have their limitations, such as low level of cell viability and poor control of cell differentiation. Whereas the study of already differentiated neuronal cell culture obtained from newborn mouse brain is limited only to cell adhesion. The growth and implantation of neuronal culture requires proper scaffolds. Moreover, the polymer scaffolds implants with neuronal cells could demand specific morphology. To date, it has been proposed to use numerous synthetic polymers for these purposes, including polystyrene, polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid, and polylactide-glycolic acid. Tissue regeneration experiments demonstrated good biocompatibility of PLA scaffolds, despite the hydrophobic nature of the compound. Problem with poor wettability of the PLA scaffold surface could be overcome in several ways: the surface can be pre-treated by poly-D-lysine or polyethyleneimine peptides; roughness and hydrophilicity of PLA surface could be increased by plasma treatment, or PLA could be combined with natural fibers, such as collagen or chitosan. This work presents a study of adhesion of both induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and mouse primary neuronal cell culture on the polylactide scaffolds of various types: oriented and non-oriented fibrous nonwoven materials and sponges – with and without the effect of plasma treatment and composites with collagen and chitosan. To evaluate the effect of different types of PLA scaffolds on the neuronal differentiation of iPSCs, we assess the expression of NeuN in differentiated cells through immunostaining. iPSCs more effectively differentiate into neurons on PLA scaffolds with high adhesive properties for primary neuronal cells.

Keywords: PLA scaffold, neurons, neuronal differentiation, stem cells, polylactid

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7425 Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Substrate Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cell Performances

Authors: Mekhannene Amine

Abstract:

In this paper, we began in the first step by two-dimensional simulation of a CIGS solar cell, in order to increase the current record efficiency of 20.48% for a single CIGS cell. Was created by utilizing a set of physical and technological parameters a solar cell of reference (such as layer thicknesses, gallium ratio, doping levels and materials properties) documented in bibliography and very known in the experimental field. This was accomplished through modeling and simulation using Atlas SILVACO-TCAD, an tool two and three dimensions very powerful and very adapted. This study has led us to determine the influence of different environmental parameters such as illumination (G) and temperature (T). In the second step, we continued our study by determining the influence of physical parameters (the acceptor of concentration NA) and geometric (thickness t) of the CIGS absorber layer, were varied to produce an optimum efficiency of 24.36%. This approach is promising to produce a CIGS classic solar cell to conduct a maximum performance.

Keywords: solar cell, cigs, photovoltaic generator, illumination, temperature, Atlas SILVACO-TCAD

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7424 Factorial Validity for the Morale Sprit Scale: The Case for Physical Education Faculty Members at Jordanian Universities

Authors: Abedalbasit M. Abedalhafiz, Aman Kasawneh, Zyad Altahynah, Ahmad Okor

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to determine the construct validity of the morale sprit scale (MSS). Ninety faculty members from colleges of physical education at Jordanian universities were chosen to participate in this study. The design of this study was an ex-post facto. The MSS consists of (48) items that measure different dimensions of morale spirit among faculty members. Principle axis factoring with oblique rotation was utilized to uncover the underlying structure of the instrument. The findings revealed eight factor solution explaining (72.825%). Seven factors were accepted according to the conditions of accepting factors. The seven factors were named morale as reflection of faculty and department's administration, regulations and instructions, working environment and conditions, promotions and incentives and salaries, relations between the faculty member's, the trend toward the college and university, the trend toward self factors.

Keywords: Factorial validity, morale sprit, faculty members, Jordanian Universities

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7423 Challenges in Self-Managing Vitality: A Qualitative Study about Staying Vital at Work among Dutch Office Workers

Authors: Violet Petit-Steeghs, Jochem J. R. Van Roon, Jacqueline E. W. Broerse

Abstract:

Last decennia the retirement age in Europe is gradually increasing. As a result, people have to continue working for a longer period of time. Health problems due to increased sedentary behavior and mental conditions like burn-out, pose a threat in fulfilling employees’ working life. In order to stimulate the ability and willingness to work in the present and future, it is important to stay vital. Vitality is regarded in literature as a sense of energy, motivation and resilience. It is assumed that by increasing their vitality, employees will stay healthier and be more satisfied with their job, leading to a more sustainable employment and less absenteeism in the future. The aim of this project is to obtain insights into the experiences and barriers of employees, and specifically office workers, with regard to their vitality. These insights are essential in order to develop appropriate measures in the future. To get more insights in the experiences of office workers on their vitality, 8 focus group discussions were organized with 6-10 office workers from 4 different employers (an university, a national construction company and a large juridical and care service organization) in the Netherlands. The discussions were transcribed and analyzed via open coding. This project is part of a larger consortium project Provita2, and conducted in collaboration with University of Technology Eindhoven. Results showed that a range of interdependent factors form a complex network that influences office workers’ vitality. These factors can be divided in three overarching groups: (1) personal (2) organizational and (3) environmental factors. Personal intrinsic factors, relating to the office worker, comprise someone’s physical health, coping style, life style, needs, and private life. Organizational factors, relating to the employer, are the workload, management style and the structure, vision and culture of the organization. Lastly, environmental factors consist of the air, light, temperature at the workplace and whether the workplace is inspiring and workable. Office workers experienced barriers to improve their own vitality due to a lack of autonomy. On the one hand, because most factors were not only intrinsic but extrinsic, like work atmosphere or the temperature in the room. On the other hand, office workers were restricted in adapting both intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors. Restrictions to for instance the flexibility of working times and the workload, can set limitations for improving vitality through personal factors like physical activity and mental relaxation. In conclusion, a large range of interdependent factors influence the vitality of office workers. Office workers are often regarded to have a responsibility to improve their vitality, but are limitedly autonomous in adapting these factors. Measures to improve vitality should therefore not only focus on increasing awareness among office workers, but also on empowering them to fulfill this responsibility. A holistic approach that takes the complex mutual dependencies between the different factors and actors (like managers, employees and HR personnel) into account is highly recommended.

Keywords: occupational health, perspectives office workers, sustainable employment, vitality at work, work & wellbeing

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7422 Examining Employee Social Intrapreneurial Behaviour (ESIB) in Kuwait: Pilot Study

Authors: Ardita Malaj, Ahmad R. Alsaber, Bedour Alboloushi, Anwaar Alkandari

Abstract:

Organizations worldwide, particularly in Kuwait, are concerned with implementing a progressive workplace culture and fostering social innovation behaviours. The main aim of this research is to examine and establish a thorough comprehension of the relationship between an inventive organizational culture, employee intrapreneurial behaviour, authentic leadership, employee job satisfaction, and employee job commitment in the manufacturing sector of Kuwait, which is a developed economy. Literature reviews analyse the core concepts and their related areas by scrutinizing their definitions, dimensions, and importance to uncover any deficiencies in existing research. The examination of relevant research uncovered major gaps in understanding. This study examines the reliability and validity of a newly developed questionnaire designed to identify the appropriate applications for a large-scale investigation. A preliminary investigation was carried out, determining a sample size of 36 respondents selected randomly from a pool of 223 samples. SPSS was utilized to calculate the percentages of the demographic characteristics for the participants, assess the credibility of the measurements, evaluate the internal consistency, validate all agreements, and determine Pearson's correlation. The study's results indicated that the majority of participants were male (66.7%), aged between 35 and 44 (38.9%), and possessed a bachelor's degree (58.3%). Approximately 94.4% of the participants were employed full-time. 72.2% of the participants are employed in the electrical, computer, and ICT sector, whilst 8.3% work in the metal industry. Out of all the departments, the human resource department had the highest level of engagement, making up 13.9% of the total. Most participants (36.1%) possessed intermediate or advanced levels of experience, whilst 21% were classified as entry-level. Furthermore, 8.3% of individuals were categorized as first-level management, 22.2% were categorized as middle management, and 16.7% were categorized as executive or senior management. Around 19.4% of the participants have over a decade of professional experience. The Pearson's correlation coefficient for all 5 components varies between 0.4009 to 0.7183. The results indicate that all elements of the questionnaire were effectively verified, with a Cronbach alpha factor predominantly exceeding 0.6, which is the criterion commonly accepted by researchers. Therefore, the work on the larger scope of testing and analysis could continue.

Keywords: pilot study, ESIB, innovative organizational culture, Kuwait, validation

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7421 The Effect of the Calcination Temperature and SiO2 Addition on the Physical Properties’ of Sol Gel TiO2 Thin Films

Authors: Nour El Houda Arabi, Aicha Iratni, Talaighil Razika, Bruno Capoen, Mohamed Bouazaoui

Abstract:

In this paper, we report the effect of the calcination temperature and SiO2 addition on structural, optical and hydrophilicity of TiO2 films deposited by deep-coating sol-gel process. XRD investigation of the structural TiO2 films with increasing the temperature calcination, reveals that rutile phase will appear for the high temperature (>1000°C). However, the addition of SiO2 relate the densification of TiO2 films. Ellipsometric and UV-visible measure show that the refractive index grow with increasing temperature, against the film thickness decreases. On the other hand, the addition of SiO2 decreases the refractive index and increases the TiO2 film thickness. Finally, the hydrophilicity is assisted by contact angle measurement. It is found that addition of 50% of SiO2 to TiO2 is most effective for reducing the contact angle of water.

Keywords: physical properties, sol, gel, TiO2/SiO2 composite films

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7420 The Phenomenology in the Music of Debussy through Inspiration of Western and Oriental Culture

Authors: Yu-Shun Elisa Pong

Abstract:

Music aesthetics related to phenomenology is rarely discussed and still in the ascendant while multi-dimensional discourses of philosophy were emerged to be an important trend in the 20th century. In the present study, a basic theory of phenomenology from Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) is revealed and discussed followed by the introduction of intentionality concepts, eidetic reduction, horizon, world, and inter-subjectivity issues. Further, phenomenology of music and general art was brought to attention by the introduction of Roman Ingarden’s The Work of Music and the Problems of its Identity (1933) and Mikel Dufrenne’s The Phenomenology of Aesthetic Experience (1953). Finally, Debussy’s music will be analyzed and discussed from the perspective of phenomenology. Phenomenology is not so much a methodology or analytics rather than a common belief. That is, as much as possible to describe in detail the different human experience, relative to the object of purpose. Such idea has been practiced in various guises for centuries, only till the early 20th century Phenomenology was better refined through the works of Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty and others. Debussy was born in an age when the Western society began to accept the multi-cultural baptism. With his unusual sensitivity to the oriental culture, Debussy has presented considerable inspiration, absorption, and echo in his music works. In fact, his relationship with nature is far from echoing the idea of Chinese ancient literati and nature. Although he is not the first composer to associate music with human and nature, the unique quality and impact of his works enable him to become a significant figure in music aesthetics. Debussy’s music tried to develop a quality analogous of nature, and more importantly, based on vivid life experience and artistic transformation to achieve the realm of pure art. Such idea that life experience comes before artwork, either clear or vague, simple or complex, was later presented abstractly in his late works is still an interesting subject worth further discussion. Debussy’s music has existed for more than or close to a century. It has received musicology researcher’s attention as much as other important works in the history of Western music. Among the pluralistic discussion about Debussy’s art and ideas, phenomenological aesthetics has enlightened new ideas and view angles to relook his great works and even gave some previous arguments legitimacy. Overall, this article provides a new insight of Debussy’s music from phenomenological exploration and it is believed phenomenology would be an important pathway in the research of the music aesthetics.

Keywords: Debussy's music, music esthetics, oriental culture, phenomenology

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7419 Comparative Effect of Self-Myofascial Release as a Warm-Up Exercise on Functional Fitness of Young Adults

Authors: Gopal Chandra Saha, Sumanta Daw

Abstract:

Warm-up is an essential component for optimizing performance in various sports before a physical fitness training session. This study investigated the immediate comparative effect of Self-Myofascial Release through vibration rolling (VR), non-vibration rolling (NVR), and static stretching as a part of a warm-up treatment on the functional fitness of young adults. Functional fitness is a classification of training that prepares the body for real-life movements and activities. For the present study 20male physical education students were selected as subjects. The age of the subjects was ranged from 20-25 years. The functional fitness variables undertaken in the present study were flexibility, muscle strength, agility, static and dynamic balance of the lower extremity. Each of the three warm-up protocol was administered on consecutive days, i.e. 24 hr time gap and all tests were administered in the morning. The mean and SD were used as descriptive statistics. The significance of statistical differences among the groups was measured by applying ‘F’-test, and to find out the exact location of difference, Post Hoc Test (Least Significant Difference) was applied. It was found from the study that only flexibility showed significant difference among three types of warm-up exercise. The observed result depicted that VR has more impact on myofascial release in flexibility in comparison with NVR and stretching as a part of warm-up exercise as ‘p’ value was less than 0.05. In the present study, within the three means of warm-up exercises, vibration roller showed better mean difference in terms of NVR, and static stretching exercise on functional fitness of young physical education practitioners, although the results were found insignificant in case of muscle strength, agility, static and dynamic balance of the lower extremity. These findings suggest that sports professionals and coaches may take VR into account for designing more efficient and effective pre-performance routine for long term to improve exercise performances. VR has high potential to interpret into an on-field practical application means.

Keywords: self-myofascial release, functional fitness, foam roller, physical education

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7418 Physical Planning Strategies for Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness in Coastal Region of Andhra Pradesh, India

Authors: Thimma Reddy Pothireddy, Ramesh Srikonda

Abstract:

India is prone to natural disasters such as Floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides frequently due to its geographical considerations. It has become a persistent phenomenon as observed in last ten decades. The recent survey indicates that about 60% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities with reference to Richard scale, over 40 million hectares is prone to floods; about 8% of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68% of the area is vulnerable to drought. Climate change is likely to be perceived through the experience of extreme weather events. There is growing societal concern about climate change, given the potential impacts of associated natural hazards such as cyclones, flooding, earthquakes, landslides etc. The recent natural calamities such as Cyclone Hudhud had crossed the land at Northern cost of AP, Vishakapatanam on 12 Oct’2014 with a wind speed ranging between 175 – 200 kmph and the records show that the tidal waves were reached to the height of 14mts and above; and it alarms us to have critical focus on planning issues so as to find appropriate solutions. The existing condition is effective is in terms of institutional set up along with responsive management mechanism of disaster mitigation but considerations at settlement planning level to allow mitigation operations are not adequate. This paper deals to understand the response to climate change will possibly happen through adaptation to climate hazards and essential to work out an appropriate mechanism and disaster receptive settlement planning for responding to natural (and climate-related) calamities particularly to cyclones and floods. The statistics indicate that 40 million hectares flood prone (5% of area), and 1853 kmts of cyclone prone coastal length in India so it is essential and crucial to have appropriate physical planning considerations to improve preparedness and to operate mitigation measures effectively to minimize the loss and damage. Vijayawada capital region which is susceptible to cyclonic and floods has been studied with respect to trajectory analysis to work out risk vulnerability and to integrated disaster mitigation physical planning considerations.

Keywords: meta analysis, vulnerability index, physical planning, trajectories

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7417 Strong Down-Conversion Emission of Sm3+ Doped Borotellurite Glass under the 480nm Excitation Wavelength

Authors: M. R. S. Nasuha, K. Azman, H. Azhan, S. A. Senawi, A. Mardhiah

Abstract:

Studies on Samarium doped glasses possess lot of interest due to their potential applications for high-density optical memory, optical communication device, the design of laser and color display etc. Sm3+ doped borotellurite glasses of the system (70-x) TeO2-20B2O3-10ZnO-xSm2O3 (where x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mol%) have been prepared using melt-quenching method. Their physical properties such as density, molar volume and oxygen packing density as well as the optical measurements by mean of their absorption and emission characteristic have been carried out at room temperature using UV/VIS and photoluminescence spectrophotometer. The results of physical properties are found to vary with respect to Sm3+ ions content. Meanwhile, three strong absorption peaks are observed and are well resolved in the ultra violet and visible regions due to transitions between the ground state and various excited state of Sm3+ ions. Thus, the photoluminescence spectra exhibit four emission bands from the initial state, which correspond to the 4G5/2 → 6H5/2, 4G5/2 → 6H7/2, 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 and 4G5/2 → 6H11/2 fluorescence transitions at 562 nm, 599 nm, 645 nm and 706 nm respectively.

Keywords: absorption, borotellurite, down-conversion, emission

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