Search results for: design studies

Authors: Rehan Ullah

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The primary purpose of the study is to observe the relationship that exists between the organizational information technology (IT) capabilities and the organizational performance in China and Pakistan. Nations like China and Pakistan utilize modern techno-how to enhance their production endeavors. Therefore, making a wide-ranging comparison of the manufacturing services between China and Pakistan was chosen due to numerous reasons. One reason for carrying out this comparison is to determine how IT of the two countries enhances organizational competency on small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs). The study hypothesized that organizational IT capabilities (IT infrastructure, IT competence) have a positive influence on organizational performance and the strategic benefits of IT have a mediating effect on the relationship between IT capability and organizational performance. To investigate the relationship between IT capabilities and organizational performance, surveys were sent to managers of small, medium-sized manufacturing organizations located in the southwestern region, Sichuan province of China, and Pakistani companies, which are located in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. These cities were selected as typical representatives of each country. Organizational performance has been measured in terms of profitability, organizational success, growth, market share, and innovativeness. Out of 400 surveys distributed to different manufacturing organizations, 303 usable and valid responses were received that are analyzed in this research. The data were examined using SPSS and Smart PLS computer software. The results of the study, including the descriptive statistics of each variable, are used. The outer model has been measured with considerations to content validity, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. The path coefficients among the constructs were also computed when analyzing the structural model using the bootstrapping technique. The analysis of data from both China and Pakistan yields an identical but unique result. The results show that IT infrastructure, IT competence, strategic benefits of IT are all correlated to the performance of the organizations. Moreover, strategic benefits of IT have been proved to mediate the relationship between IT capabilities and organization performance. The author, concerning the role of IT on the performance of an organization, highlights the different aspects as well as its benefits in an organization. The overall study concludes several implications for both managers and academicians. It also provides the limitations of the study and offers recommendations for future studies and practice.

Keywords: organizational performance, IT capabilities, IT infrastructure, IT competence, strategic benefits of IT, China, Pakistan

Procedia PDF Downloads 94

Authors: Obadire F. O., Obadire, S. O., Adeoti R. F., Pirgozliev V.

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An experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of utilizing African black plum seed nut (ABPNBD) meal on hematological and biochemical indices of broiler chicken ration formulated to substitute wheat offal. A total of 150- 1day-old, male Agrited birds were reared for 28 days of the experiment. The birds were assigned to five dietary treatments, with ten birds per treatment replicated 3 times. Experimental diets were formulated by supplementing the milled African black plum nut at (0, 5, 10, 12.5, and 15%) inclusion levels in the starter broiler’s ratio designated as T1 (control diet containing no ABPBD), Treatments (T2, 3,4 and 5) contained ABPNBD at 5, 10, 12.5, and 15%, respectively, in a completely randomized design. The hematological and biochemical indices of the birds were determined. The result revealed that all hematological parameters measured were significant (P <0.05) except for WBC. Increasing inclusion levels of ABPNBD decreased the PCV, HB, and RBC of the birds across the treatment groups. Birds fed 12.5 and 15% ABPNBD diets recorded the least of the parameters. The result of the serum biochemical indices showed significant (P < 0.05) influence for all parameters measured except for alanine transaminase (ALT), (AST), and creatinine. The total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, and glucose values were reduced across the treatment group as ABPNBD inclusion increased. Birds fed above 10% ABPNBD recorded the lowest value of TP, albumin, globulin, and glucose when compared with birds on a control diet and other treatments. The uric acid ranged from 3.85 to 2 .13 mmol/L, while creatinine ranged from 62.00 to 53.50 mmol/l. AST ranged between 8.50 u/l (5%) to 7.90 u/l (10%). ALT ranged between 7.50 u/l (12.5%) to 5.50 u/l (5 and 10%). In conclusion, dietary inclusion of African black plum up to 10% has no detrimental effect on the health of the starter chickens. Meanwhile, inclusion above 10% revealed a negative effect on some blood parameters measured. Therefore, African black plum should be supplemented with probable probiotics or subjected to different processing methods if to be used at a 15% inclusion level for optimal results.

Keywords: African black plum seed, starter broiler chickens, hematological and serum biochemical indices, (Vitex doniana)

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Authors: Zineb Emrane

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This abstract addresses the issue of radicalization of young people in a context with background of radicalization, in North of Morocco, 5 terrorist of Madrid's Attacts on 11th March, were coming from this context. It were developed a study pilot that describing young people perception about the main causes that lead and motivate for radicalization. Whenever we talk about this topic, we obtain information from studies and investigations by specialists in field, but we don’t give voice to the protagonists who in many cases are victims, specifically, young people at social risk because of social factors. Extremist radicalization is an expanding phenomenon, that affect young people, in north of Morocco. They live in a context with radical background and at risk of social exclusion, their social, economic and familiar needs make them vulnerable. The extremist groups take advantage of this vulnerability to involve them in a process of radicalization, offering them an alternative environment where they can found all they are looking for. This study pilot approaches the main causes that lead and motivates young people to become radicals, analyzing their context with emphasis on influencing factors, and bearing in mind the analysis of young people about how the radical background affect them and their opinion this phenomenon. The pilot study was carried out through the following actions: - Group dynamics with young people to analyze the process of violent radicalization of young people. -A participatory workshop with members of organizations that work directly with young people at risk of radicalization. -Interviews with institutional managers -Participant observation. The implementation of actions has led to the conclusion that young people define violent radicalization as a sequential process, depending on the stage, it can be deconstructed. Young people recognize that they stop feeling belonging to their family, school and neighborhood when they see behavior contrary to what they consider good and evil. The emotional rupture and the search for references outside their circle, push them to sympathize with groups that have an extremist ideology and that offer them what they need. The radicalization is a process with different stages, the main causes and the factors which lead young people to use extremist violence are related their low level of belonging feeling to their context, and lack of critical thinking about important issues. The young people are in a vulnerable stage, searching their identity, a space in which they can be accepted, and when they don't find it they are easily manipulated and susceptible to being attracted by extremist groups.

Keywords: exclusion, radicalization, vulnerability, youth

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Authors: Himalaya Patir, Bitupon Baruah, Sanjay Gayary, Subhajit Ray

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In recent age significant importance is given for the development of nutritious and health beneficial foods. Fruit juices collected from different fruits when blended that improves not only the physicochemical and nutritional properties but also enhance the sensorial or organoleptic properties. The study was carried out to determine the physico-chemical, nutritional, microbiological analysis and sensory evaluation of mixed fruit juice blend. Juice of orange (Citrus sinensis), apple (Malus domestica), mosambi (Citrus limetta) were blended in the ratio of sample-I (30% apple:30% orange:40% mosambi), sample-II ( 40% apple :30% orange :30% mosambi), sample-III (30% apple :40% orange :30% mosambi) , sample-IV (50% apple :30% orange :20% mosambi), sample-V (30% apple:20% orange:50% mosambi), sample-VI (20% apple :50% orange :30% mosambi) to evaluate all quality characteristics. Their colour characteristics in terms of hue angle, chroma and colour difference (∆E) were evaluated. The physico-chemical parameters analysis carried out were total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), pH, acidity (FA), volatile acidity (VA), pH, and vitamin C. There were significant differences (p˂0.05) in the TSS of the samples. However, sample-V (30% apple: 20% orange: 50% mosambi) provides the highest TSS of 9.02gm and significantly differed from other samples (p˂0.05). Sample-IV (50% apple: 30% orange: 20% mosambi) was shown the highest titratable acidity (.59%) in comparison to other samples. The highest value of pH was found as 5.01 for sample-IV (50% apple: 30% orange: 20% mosambi). Sample-VI (20% apple: 50% orange :30% mosambi) blend has the highest hue angle, chroma and colour changes of 72.14,25.29 and 54.48 and vitamin C, i.e. Ascorbic acid (.33g/l) content compared to other samples. The nutritional compositions study showed that, sample- VI (20% apple: 50% orange: 30% mosambi) has the significantly higher carbohydrate (51.67%), protein (.78%) and ash (1.24%) than other samples, while sample-V (30% apple: 20% orange: 50% mosambi) has higher dietary fibre (12.84%) and fat (2.82%) content. Microbiological analysis of all samples in terms of total plate count (TPC) ranges from 44-60 in 101 dilution and 4-5 in 107 dilutions and was found satisfactory. Moreover, other pathogenic bacterial count was found nil. The general acceptability of the mixed fruit juice blend samples were moderately liked by the panellists, and sensorial quality studies showed that sample-V (30% apple: 20% orange: 50% mosambi) contains highest overall acceptability of 8.37 over other samples and can be considered good for consumption.

Keywords: microbiological, nutritional, physico-chemical, sensory properties

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Authors: Orly Sela

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The lecture discusses a Language Teaching program in a Teacher Education College in northern Israel. An on-line course was added to the program in order to keep on-campus attendance at a minimum, thus allowing the students to keep their full-time jobs in school. In addition, the use of educational technology to allow students to study anytime anywhere, in keeping with 21st-century innovative teaching-learning practices, was also an issue, as was the wish for this course to serve as a model which the students could then possibly use in their K-12 teaching. On the other hand, there were strong considerations against including an online course in the program. The students in the program were mostly Israeli-Arab married women with young children, living in a traditional society which places a strong emphasis on the place of the woman as a wife, mother, and home-maker. In addition, as teachers, they used much of their free time on school-related tasks. Having careers at the same time as studying was ground-breaking for these women, and using their time at home for studying rather than taking care of their families may have been simply too much to ask of them. At the end of the course, feedback was collected through an online questionnaire including both open and closed questions. The data collected shows that the students believed in online teaching-learning in principle, but had trouble implementing it in practice. This evidence raised the question of whether or not such a course should be included in a graduate program for mature, professional students, particular women with families living in a traditional society. This issue is not relevant to Israel alone, but also to academic institutions worldwide serving such populations. The lecture discusses this issue, sharing the researcher’s conclusions with the audience. Based on the evidence offered, it is the researcher’s conclusion that online education should, indeed, be offered to such audiences. However, the courses should be designed with the students’ special needs in mind, with emphasis placed on initial planning and course organization based on acknowledgment of the teaching context; modeling of online teaching/learning suited for in-service teacher education, and special attention paid to social-constructivist aspects of learning.

Keywords: course design, in-service teacher-education, mature students, online teaching/learning

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Authors: Bharat Sapkota

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Nepal is the one of the victim country of climate change. Decreasing snow line, sometimes higher and sometime non-rain fall are common phenomena in hill area. Natural flood disaster and drought is also common every year in certain place of the country. So this paper analyze the effect of climate and natural water sources for sustainability of water sanitation and hygiene of Tanahun district. It is one of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project Western Nepal Phase-II (RWSSP-WN Phase-II) project district out of 14 project districts of western and mid-western Nepal. RWSSP-WN II is a bilateral development cooperation of governments of Nepal and Finland. Big investment is still going on in water sanitation and hygiene sector but sustainability is still a challenge throughout the country. So RWSSP-WN has started the strengthen of the capacity of local Governments to deliver services in water supply, sanitation and hygiene and its sustainability through the implementation of cross cutting approach of climate change and disaster risk reduction. The study shows that the average yield in 685 natural point sources were around 0.045 l/s in 2014 but it was twice as high in 2004 i.e. 0.09 l/s. The maximum measured yield in 2014 was 1.87 l/s, whereas, the maximum yield was 3 l/s in 2004. Likewise, spring source mean and maximum yield measured in 2014 were 0.16 l/s and 3.33 l/s respectively, whereas, mean and maximum yields in 2004 were 0.204 l/s and 3 l/s respectively. Small streams average yield measured in 2014 was 0.32 l/s with the maximum of around 4.99 l/s. In 2004, mean and maximum yields of streams were 0.485 l/s and 5 l/s respectively. The overall climate between years 2002 to 2013 and measured yield data between 2004 and 2014 shows climate as one of the causes of water source decline. The temperature is rising with pace of 0.041°C per year and rainfall is decreased by 16.8 mm/year. The Khosla’s empirical formula shows decrease of 1.7 cm/year in runoff. At present sustainability of water, sanitation and hygiene is more challenge due to sources decreasing in the district. Sanitation and hygiene total behavior change and watershed conservation as well as design and implementation of recharge pound construction are the way forward of sustainability of water, sanitation and hygiene.

Keywords: water sanitation, hygiene, sustainability, climate change

Procedia PDF Downloads 337

Authors: Marisol Rodriguez-Duarte, Aide Saenz-Galindo, Carolina Flores-Gallegos, Raul Rodriguez-Herrera, Juan Ascacio-Valdes

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The plant known as tarbush (Fluorensia cernua) is a plant originating in northern Mexico, mainly in the states of Coahuila, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Chihuahua. It is a branched shrub that belongs to the family Asteraceae, has oval leaves of 6 to 11 cm in length and also has small yellow flowers. In Mexico, the tarbush is a very appreciated plant because it has been used as a traditional medicinal agent, for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, skin infections and as a healing agent. This plant has been used mainly as an infusion. Due to its traditional use, the content and type of phytochemicals present in the plant are currently unknown and are responsible for its biological properties, so its recovery and identification is very important because the compounds that it contains have relevant applications in the field of food, pharmaceuticals and medicine. The objective of this work was to determine the best extraction condition of phytochemical compounds (mainly polyphenolic compounds) from the leaf using ultrasound/microwave assisted extraction (U/M-AE). To reach the objective, U/M-AE extractions were performed evaluating three mass/volume ratios (1:8, 1:12, 1:16), three ethanol/water solvent concentrations (0%, 30% and 70%), ultrasound extraction time of 20 min and 5 min at 70°C of microwave treatment. All experiments were performed using a fractional factorial experimental design. Once the best extraction condition was defined, the compounds were recovered by liquid column chromatography using Amberlite XAD-16, the polyphenolic fraction was recovered with ethanol and then evaporated. The recovered polyphenolic compounds were quantified by spectrophotometric techniques and identified by HPLC/ESI/MS. The results obtained showed that the best extraction condition of the compounds was using a mass/volume ratio of 1:8 and solvent ethanol/water concentration of 70%. The concentration obtained from polyphenolic compounds using this condition was 22.74 mg/g and finally, 16 compounds of polyphenolic origin were identified. The results obtained in this work allow us to postulate the Mexican plant known as tarbush as a relevant source of bioactive polyphenolic compounds of food, pharmaceutical and medicinal interest.

Keywords: U/M-AE, tarbush, polyphenols, identification

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Authors: Ana Bilandzic, Marcus Foth, Greg Hearn

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In a narrow sense, innovation is the invention and commercialisation of a new product or service in the marketplace. The literature suggests places that support knowledge exchange and social interaction, e.g. coffee shops, to nurture innovative ideas. With the widespread success of Internet, interpersonal communication and interaction changed. Online platforms complement physical places for idea exchange and innovation – the rise of hybrid, ‘net localities.’ Further, since its introduction in 2003 by Chesbrough, the concept of open innovation received increased attention as a topic in academic research as well as an innovation strategy applied by companies. Open innovation allows companies to seek and release intellectual property and new ideas from outside of their own company. As a consequence, the innovation process is no longer only managed within the company, but it is pursued in a co-creation process with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Quirky.com (Quirky), a company founded by Ben Kaufman in 2009, recognised the opportunity given by the Internet for knowledge exchange and open innovation. Quirky developed an online platform that makes innovation available to everyone. This paper reports on a study that analysed Quirky’s business process in an extended event-driven process chain (eEPC). The aim was to determine how the platform enabled crowdsourced innovation for physical products on the Internet. The analysis reveals that key elements of the business model are based on open innovation. Quirky is an example of how open innovation can support crowdsourced and crowdfunded product ideation, development and selling. The company opened up various stages in the innovation process to its members to contribute in the product development, e.g. product ideation, design, and market research. Throughout the process, members earn influence through participating in the product development. Based on the influence they receive, shares on the product’s turnover. The outcomes of the study’s analysis highlighted certain benefits of open innovation for product development. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research to look into opportunities of open innovation approaches to be adopted by tertiary institutions as a novel way to commercialise research intellectual property.

Keywords: business process, crowdsourced innovation, open innovation, Quirky

Procedia PDF Downloads 230

Authors: Nji Clement Bang, Rosemary Shafack M., Kum Henry Asei, Yaro Loveline Y

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Scholars perceive learner-centered teaching-learning reform as roles and resources in teacher education (TE) and professional outcome with transformative learning (TL) continuum dimensions. But, teaching-learning reform is fast proliferating amidst debilitating stakeholder systemic dichotomies, resources, commitment, resistance and poor quality outcome that necessitate stronger TE and professional continuums. Scholars keep seeking greater understanding of themes in teaching-learning reform, TE and professional outcome as continuums and how policymakers, student-teachers, teacher trainers and local communities concerned with initial TE can promote continuous holistic quality performance. To sustain the debate continuum and answer the overarching question, we use mixed-methods research-design with diverse literature and 409 sample-data. Onset text, interview and questionnaire analyses reveal debilitating teaching-learning reform in TE continuums that need TL revival. Follow-up focus group discussion and teaching considering TL insights reinforce holistic teaching-learning in TE. Therefore, significant increase in diverse prior-experience articulation1; critical reflection-discourse engagement2; teaching-practice interaction3; complex-activity constrain control4 and formative outcome- reintegration5 reinforce teaching-learning in learning-to-teach role-resource pathways and outcomes. Themes reiterate complex teaching-learning in TE programs that suits TL journeys and student-teachers and students cum teachers, workers/citizens become akin, transformative-learners who evolve personal and collective roles-resources towards holistic-lifelong-learning outcomes. The article could assist debate about quality teaching-learning reform through TL dimensions as TE and professional role-resource continuums.

Keywords: transformative learning perspectives, teacher education, initial teacher education, learner-centered pedagogical reform, life-long learning

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Sonia Sassi, Mostapha Tarfaoui, Hamza Ben Yahia

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In this investigation, an experimental technique in which the dynamic response, damage kinetic and heat dissipation are measured simultaneously during high strain rates on adhesively bonded joints materials. The material used in this study is widely used in the design of structures for military applications. It was composed of a 45° Bi-axial fiber-glass mat of 0.286 mm thickness in a Polyester resin matrix. In adhesive bonding, a NORPOL Polyvinylester of 1 mm thickness was used to assemble the composite substrate. The experimental setup consists of a compression Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB), a high-speed infrared camera and a high-speed Fastcam rapid camera. For the dynamic compression tests, 13 mm x 13 mm x 9 mm samples for out-of-plane tests were considered from 372 to 1030 s-1. Specimen surface is controlled and monitored in situ and in real time using the high-speed camera which acquires the damage progressive in specimens and with the infrared camera which provides thermal images in time sequence. Preliminary compressive stress-strain vs. strain rates data obtained show that the dynamic material strength increases with increasing strain rates. Damage investigations have revealed that the failure mainly occurred in the adhesive/adherent interface because of the brittle nature of the polymeric adhesive. Results have shown the dependency of the dynamic parameters on strain rates. Significant temperature rise was observed in dynamic compression tests. Experimental results show that the temperature change depending on the strain rate and the damage mode and their maximum exceed 100 °C. The dependence of these results on strain rate indicates that there exists a strong correlation between damage rate sensitivity and heat dissipation, which might be useful when developing damage models under dynamic loading tacking into account the effect of the energy balance of adhesively bonded joints.

Keywords: adhesive bonded joints, Hopkinson bars, out-of-plane tests, dynamic compression properties, damage mechanisms, heat dissipation

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Authors: Rebecca K. Blais, Lindsey Monteith, Hallie Tannahill

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Military sexual trauma (MST) includes sexual harassment or assault that occurred during military service. Studies conducted to date on the association of MST with mental health and suicide outcomes are generally circumscribed to either active duty or veteran samples, precluding a thorough analysis of developmental trajectories of distress following MST within the context of ongoing (vs. discharged from) military service. The Military Social Science Laboratory has collected data on mixed service samples of men and women service members, addressing this important literature gap. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of MST, suicide risk, PTSD, depression, alcohol use, and posttraumatic cognitions using two separate samples, which collectively allow for a comprehensive examination of the development of distress following MST. The first sample consisted of 1389 men and women service members and veterans with varying levels of MST severity, including no MST, harassment-only MST, and assault MST. The second sample consisted of 400 men and women service members, all reporting the highest severity of MST, assault MST. In both samples, roughly half reported being discharged from service. Participants completed self-report measures of MST exposure severity, suicide ideation, suicide risk, PTSD, depression, alcohol misuse, and posttraumatic cognitions, as well as perceptions of how the military responded to their MST. Relative to those still serving in the US military, veterans were more likely to endorse suicidal ideation, higher PTSD symptoms, and higher depression symptoms if they felt the military mishandled their experience of MST (referred to as perceived institutional betrayal). However, among those reporting the most severe MST, veterans reported lower alcohol misuse and more adaptive posttraumatic cognitions. These findings suggest that those separated from the military experience different posttraumatic aftermath following MST relative to those who are currently serving in the military. Such findings suggest critical differences in the developmental trajectory of distress, necessitating different interventions to successfully reduce distress and dysfunction. Additional analyses will explore the impact of gender on these associations and explore full mechanistic models of distress grouped by discharged status.

Keywords: military sexual trauma, PTSD, suicide, developmental trajectories, depression

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Authors: M. Gowri, E. K. Girija, V. Ganesh

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Background and Significance: Among the dental infections, inflammation and infection of the root canal are common among all age groups. Currently, the management of root canal infections involves cleaning the canal with powerful irrigants followed by intracanal medicament application. Though these treatments have been in vogue for a long time, root canal failures do occur. Treatment for root canal infections is limited due to the anatomical complexity in terms of small micrometer volumes and poor penetration of drugs. Thus, infections of the root canal seem to be a challenge that demands development of new agents that can eradicate E. faecalis. Methodology: In the present study, we synthesized and screened silver-curcumin nanoparticle against E. faecalis. Morphological cell damage and antibiofilm activity of silver-curcumin nanoparticle on E. faecalis was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Biochemical evidence for membrane damage was studied using flow cytometry. Further, the antifungal activity of silver-curcumin nanoparticle was evaluated in an ex vivo dentinal tubule infection model. Results: Screening data showed that silver-curcumin nanoparticle was active against E. faecalis. silver-curcumin nanoparticle exerted time kill effect. Further, SEM images of E. faecalis showed that silver-curcumin nanoparticle caused membrane damage and inhibited biofilm formation. Biochemical evidence for membrane damage was confirmed by increased propidium iodide (PI) uptake in flow cytometry. Further, the antifungal activity of silver-curcumin nanoparticle was evaluated in an ex vivo dentinal tubule infection model, which mimics human tooth root canal infection. Confocal laser scanning microscopy studies showed eradication of E. faecalis and reduction in colony forming unit (CFU) after 24 h treatment in the infected tooth samples in this model. Further, silver-curcumin nanoparticle was found to be hemocompatible, not cytotoxic to normal mammalian NIH 3T3 cells and non-mutagenic. Conclusion: The results of this study can pave the way for developing new antibacterial agents with well deciphered mechanisms of action and can be a promising antibacterial agent or medicament against root canal infection.

Keywords: ex vivo dentine model, inhibition of biofilm formation, root canal infection, silver-curcumin nanoparticle

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Authors: Manuela Nayantara Jeyaraj, Senuri Sucharitharathna, Chathurika Senarath, Yasanthy Kanagaraj, Indraka Udayakumara

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PostgreSQL is an Object Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS) that has been in existence for a while. Despite the superior features that it wraps and packages to manage database and data, the database community has not fully realized the importance and advantages of PostgreSQL. Hence, this research tends to focus on provisioning a better environment of development for PostgreSQL in order to induce the utilization and elucidate the importance of PostgreSQL. PostgreSQL is also known to be the world’s most elementary SQL-compliant open source ORDBMS. But, users have not yet resolved to PostgreSQL due to the facts that it is still under the layers and the complexity of its persistent textual environment for an introductory user. Simply stating this, there is a dire need to explicate an easy way of making the users comprehend the procedure and standards with which databases are created, tables and the relationships among them, manipulating queries and their flow based on conditions in PostgreSQL to help the community resolve to PostgreSQL at an augmented rate. Hence, this research under development within the context tends to initially identify the dominant features provided by PostgreSQL over its competitors. Following the identified merits, an analysis on why the database community holds a hesitance in migrating to PostgreSQL’s environment will be carried out. These will be modulated and tailored based on the scope and the constraints discovered. The resultant of the research proposes a system that will serve as a designing platform as well as a learning tool that will provide an interactive method of learning via a visual editor mode and incorporate a textual editor for well-versed users. The study is based on conjuring viable solutions that analyze a user’s cognitive perception in comprehending human computer interfaces and the behavioural processing of design elements. By providing a visually draggable and manipulative environment to work with Postgresql databases and table queries, it is expected to highlight the elementary features displayed by Postgresql over any other existent systems in order to grasp and disseminate the importance and simplicity offered by this to a hesitant user.

Keywords: cognition, database, PostgreSQL, text-editor, visual-editor

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Authors: Akram Sadat Jafari Roodbandi, Farzaneh Akbari, Vafa Feyzi, Zahra Zare, Zohreh Foroozanfar

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Introduction: Circadian rhythm or sleep-awake cycle in 24 hours is one of the important factors affecting the physiological and psychological characteristics in humans that contribute to biochemical, physiological and behavioral processes and helps people to set up brain and body for sleep or active awakening during certain hours. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of circadian rhythms on the sleep quality and sleepiness according to their demographic characteristics such as age. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was carried out among the general population of Kerman, aged 15-84 years. After dividing the age groups into 10-year demographic characteristics questionnaire, the type of circadian questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality questionnaire and Euporth sleepiness questionnaire were completed in equal numbers between men and women of that age group. Using cluster sampling with effect design equal 2, 1300 questionnaires were distributed during the various hours of 24 hours in public places in Kerman city. Data analysis was done using SPSS software and univariate tests and linear regressions at a significance level of 0.05. Results: In this study, 1147 subjects were included in the study, 584 (50.9%) were male and the rest were women. The mean age was 39.50 ± 15.38. 133 (11.60%) subjects from the study participants had sleepiness and 308 (26.90%) subjects had undesirable sleep quality. Using linear regression test, sleep quality was the significant correlation with sex, hours needed for sleep at 24 hours, chronic illness, sleepiness, and circadian rhythm amplitude. Sleepiness was the meaningful relationship with marital status, sleep-wake schedule of other family members and the stability of circadian rhythm. Both women and men, with age, decrease the quality of sleep and increase the rate of sleepiness. Conclusion: Age, sex, and type of circadian people, the need for sleep at 24 hours, marital status, sleep-wake schedule of other family members are significant factors related to the sleep quality and sleepiness and their adaptation to night shift work.

Keywords: circadian type, sleep quality, sleepiness, age, shift work

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Authors: Bao Chen, Frederic Kuznik, Matthieu Horgnies, Kevyn Johannes, Vincent Morin, Edouard Gengembre

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The contradiction between energy consumption, environment protection, and social development is increasingly intensified during recent decade years. At the same time, as avoiding fossil-fuels-thirsty, people turn their view on the renewable green energy, such as solar energy, wind power, hydropower, etc. However, due to the unavoidable mismatch on geography and time for production and consumption, energy storage seems to be one of the most reasonable solutions to enlarge the use of renewable energies. Thermal energy storage (TES), a branch of energy storage solution, mainly concerns the capture, storage and consumption of thermal energy for later use in different scales (individual house, apartment, district, and city). In TES research field, sensible heat and latent heat storage have been widely studied and presented at an advanced stage of development. Compared with them, thermochemical energy storage is still at initial phase but provides a relatively higher theoretical energy density and a long shelf life without heat dissipation during storage. Among thermochemical energy storage materials, inorganic pure or composite compounds like micro-porous silica gel, SrBr₂ hydrate and MgSO₄-Zeolithe have been reported as promising to be integrated into thermal energy storage systems. However, the cost of these materials, one of main obstacles, may hinder the wide use of energy storage systems in real application scales (individual house, apartment, district and even city). New studies on ettringite show promising application for thermal energy storage since its high energy density and large resource from cementitious materials. Ettringite, or calcium trisulfoaluminate hydrate, of which chemical formula is 3CaO∙Al₂O₃∙3CaSO₄∙32H₂O, or C₆AS̅₃H₃₂ as known in cement chemistry notation, is one of the most important members of AFt group. As a common compound in hydrated cements, ettringite has been widely studied for its performances in construction but barely known as a thermochemical material. For this study, we summarize available data about the structure and properties of ettringite and its metastable phase (meta-ettringite), including the processes of hydration, thermal conversion and carbonation durability for thermal energy storage.

Keywords: building materials, ettringite, meta-ettringite, thermal energy storage

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Authors: Pampita Chakraborty, Sukumar Mukherjee

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Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is commonly encountered metabolic disorder in clinical practice. An estimated 25 percent of DM patients develop foot problems. Foot ulceration and infection are one of the major causes of morbidity, hospitalization or even amputation. Objective: To isolate and identify bacterial pathogens in Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) and to observe its antimicrobial sensitivity pattern. Methodology: A prospective study was conducted for a period of 9 months at the Department of Microbiology, GD Hospital & Diabetes Institute, Kolkata. 75 DFU patients were recruited in the study. Specimens for microbiological studies obtained from ulcer base were examined as gram stained smear and was cultured aerobically on Nutrient agar, Blood agar and MacConkey agar plates. Antimicrobial sensitivity test was performed by disc diffusion techniques according to CLSI guidelines. Result: In this study out of 75cases, 73% (55/75) were male and 27% (20/75) were females with mean (SD) age of 51.11(±10) years. Out of 75 pus cultures, 63(84%) showed growth of microorganism making total of 81 bacterial isolates with 71.42% of monomicrobial infection and 28.57% of polymicrobial infection. Out of 81 isolates 53(65.43%) were gram negative and 21(25.92%) were gram positive. E.coli was relatively common isolate 21(26%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus 15(18.5%), Klebsiella pneumonia 14(17.28%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 12 (14.81%), Proteus spp. 3 (3.70%), and Enterococcus faecalis 6 (7.40%). 75% of Gram-negative microorganism were extended Beta-lactamase enzyme (ESBL) producer and around 20 % of Klebsiella and Proteus spp. were carbapenemase enzyme producer. Among Gram positive, around 50% of S.aureus was MRSA, sensitive only to Vancomycin, Teicoplanin & Linezolid. Conclusion: More prevalence of monomicrobial gram-negative bacteria than gram-positive bacteria in DFU was observed. This study emphasizes that Beta-Lactam group of antibiotics should not be the empirical treatment of choice for Gram-negative isolates; instead alternatives like Carbapenems, Amikacin could be a better option. On the other hand, Vancomycin and Linezolid are preferred for most of the infection with gram-positive aerobes. Continuous surveillance of resistant bacteria is required for empiric therapy.

Keywords: antibiotic resistant, antimicrobial susceptibility, diabetic foot ulcer, surveillance

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Authors: Jude Harrison

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Child protection is a complex and sensitive practice. The core responsibility is the care and protection of children and young people who have been subject to or who are at risk from abuse and neglect. The work involves investigating allegations of harm, preparing for and making representations to the legal system, and case planning and management across a continuum of complicated care interventions. Professionals’ learning for child protection practice is evident in a range of literature investigating multiple learning processes such as university preparation, student placements, professional supervision, training, and other post-qualifying professional development experiences at work. There is, however, very limited research into how caseworkers learn in and through their daily practice. Little is known, therefore, about how learning at work unfolds for caseworkers, the dimensions in which it can be understood or the ways in which it can be best facilitated and supported. Compounding this, much of the current child protection learning literature reflects an orthodox conception of learning as mentalistic and individualised, in which knowledge is typically understood as abstract theory or as technical skill or competency. This presentation outlines key findings from a PhD research study that explored learning at work for statutory child protection caseworkers from an alternative interpretation of learning using a practice theory approach. Practice theory offers an interpretation of learning as performative and grounded in situated experience. The findings of the study show that casework practice is both a mode and site of learning. The study was ethnographic in design based and followed 17 child protection caseworkers via in-depth interviews, observations and participant reflective journaling. Inductive and abductive analysis was used to organise and interpret the data and expand analysis, leading to themes. Key findings show learning to be a sociomaterial property of doing; the social ontological character of learning; and teleoaffectivity as a feature of learning. The findings contribute to theoretical and practical understandings of learning and practice in child protection, child welfare and the professional learning literature more broadly. The findings have potential to contribute to policy directions at state, territory and national levels to enhance child protection practice and systems.

Keywords: adiult learning, workplace learning, child welfare, sociomaterial, practice theory

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Authors: Andleeb Zahra, Itrat Rubab, Sumaira Malik, Amina Khan, Muhammad Jawad Khan, M. Qaiser Fatmi

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Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Recent studies have highlighted the role of miRNA in disease pathology, indicating its potential use in an early diagnostic tool. miRNAs are small, double stranded, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by deregulating mRNAs. miRNAs play important roles in modifying various cellular processes such as cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and immune response. Dis-regulated expression of miRNAs is known to affect the cell growth, and this may function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in various cancers. Objectives: The main objectives of this study were to characterize the extracellular miRNAs involved in oral cancer (OC) to assist early detection of cancer as well as to propose a list of genes that can potentially be used as biomarkers of OC. We used gene expression data by microarrays already available in literature. Materials and Methods: In the first step, a total of 318 miRNAs involved in oral carcinoma were shortlisted followed by the prediction of their target genes. Simultaneously, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of oral carcinoma from all experiments were identified. The common genes between lists of DEGs of OC based on experimentally proven data and target genes of each miRNA were identified. These common genes are the targets of specific miRNA, which is involved in OC. Finally, a list of genes was generated which may be used as biomarker of OC. Results and Conclusion: In results, we included some of pathways in cancer to show the change in gene expression under the control of specific miRNA. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) provided a list of major biomarkers like CDH2, CDK7 and functional enrichment analysis identified the role of miRNA in major pathways like cell adhesion molecules pathway affected by cancer. We observed that at least 25 genes are regulated by maximum number of miRNAs, and thereby, they can be used as biomarkers of OC. To better understand the role of miRNA with respect to their target genes further experiments are required, and our study provides a platform to better understand the miRNA-OC relationship at genomics level.

Keywords: biomarkers, gene expression, miRNA, oral carcinoma

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Authors: A. Fathianpour, M. B. Jelodar, S. Wilkinson

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This paper outlines the approaches taken to assess multi-hazard assessments. There is currently confusion in assessing multi-hazard impacts, and so this study aims to determine which of the available options are the most useful. The paper uses an international literature search, and analysis of current multi-hazard assessments and a case study to illustrate the effectiveness of the chosen method. Findings from this study will help those wanting to assess multi-hazards to undertake a straightforward approach. The paper is significant as it helps to interpret the various approaches and concludes with the preferred method. Many people in the world live in hazardous environments and are susceptible to disasters. Unfortunately, when a disaster strikes it is often compounded by additional cascading hazards, thus people would confront more than one hazard simultaneously. Hazards include natural hazards (earthquakes, floods, etc.) or cascading human-made hazards (for example, Natural Hazard Triggering Technological disasters (Natech) such as fire, explosion, toxic release). Multi-hazards have a more destructive impact on urban areas than one hazard alone. In addition, climate change is creating links between different disasters such as causing landslide dams and debris flows leading to more destructive incidents. Much of the prevailing literature deals with only one hazard at a time. However, recently sophisticated multi-hazard assessments have started to appear. Given that multi-hazards occur, it is essential to take multi-hazard risk assessment under consideration. This paper aims to review the multi-hazard assessment methods through articles published to date and categorize the strengths and disadvantages of using these methods in risk assessment. Napier City is selected as a case study to demonstrate the necessity of using multi-hazard risk assessments. In order to assess multi-hazard risk assessments, first, the current multi-hazard risk assessment methods were described. Next, the drawbacks of these multi-hazard risk assessments were outlined. Finally, the improvements to current multi-hazard risk assessments to date were summarised. Generally, the main problem of multi-hazard risk assessment is to make a valid assumption of risk from the interactions of different hazards. Currently, risk assessment studies have started to assess multi-hazard situations, but drawbacks such as uncertainty and lack of data show the necessity for more precise risk assessment. It should be noted that ignoring or partial considering multi-hazards in risk assessment will lead to an overestimate or overlook in resilient and recovery action managements.

Keywords: cascading hazards, disaster assessment, mullti-hazards, risk assessment

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Authors: Oustani Mabrouka, Halilat Med Tahar

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The physico-chemical properties of poultry droppings indicate that this waste can be an excellent way to enrich the soil with low fertility that is the case in arid soils (low organic matter content), but its concentrations in some microbial and chemical components make them potentially dangerous and toxic contaminants if they are used directly in fresh state. On other hand, the accumulation of plant residues in the crop areas can become a source of plant disease and affects the quality of the environment. The biotechnological processes that we have identified appear to alleviate these problems. It leads to the stabilization and processing of wastes into a product of good hygienic quality and high fertilizer value by the composting test. In this context, a trial was conducted in composting operations in the region of Ouargla located in southern Algeria. Composing test was conducted in a completely randomized design experiment. Three mixtures were prepared, in pits of 1 m3 volume for each mixture. Each pit is composed by mixture of poultry droppings and crushed plant residues in amount of 40 and 60% respectively: C1: Droppings + Straw (P.D +S) , C2: Poultry Droppings + Olive Wastes (P.D+O.W) , C3: Poultry Droppings + Date palm residues (P.D+D.P). Before and after the composting process, physico-chemical parameters (temperature, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, total carbon and total nitrogen) were studied. The stability of the biological system was noticed after 90 days. The results of physico-chemical and microbiological compost obtained from three mixtures: C1: (P.D +S) , C2: (P.D+O.W) and C3: (P.D +D.P) shows at the end of composting process, three composts characterized by the final products were characterized by their high agronomic and environmental interest with a good physico chemical characteristics in particularly a low C/N ratio with 15.15, 10.01 and 15.36 % for (P.D + S), (P.D. + O.W) and (P.D. +D.P), respectively, reflecting a stabilization and maturity of the composts. On the other hand, a significant increase of temperature was recorded at the first days of composting for all treatments, which is correlated with a strong reduction of the pathogenic micro flora contained in poultry dropings.

Keywords: Arid environment, Composting, Date palm residues, Olive wastes, pH, Pathogenic microorganisms, Poultry Droppings, Straw

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Authors: LaRon A. Scott, Donna M. Gibson

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Data indicate that counselor education programs in the United States do not prepare their students adequately to serve students with disabilities nor provide counseling as a related service. There is a need to train more school counselors to provide related services to students with disabilities, for many reasons, but specifically, school counselors are participating in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and transition planning meetings for students with disabilities where important academic, mental health and post-secondary education decisions are made. While school counselors input is perceived very important to the process, they may not have the knowledge or training in this area to feel confident in offering required input in these meetings. Using a conceptual research design, a model that can be used to prepare school counseling students as related service providers and effective supports to address transition for students with disabilities was developed as a component of this research. The authors developed the Collaborative Model of Preparing School Counseling Students as Related Service Providers to Students with Disabilities, based on a conceptual framework that involves an integration of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and evidenced-based practices based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to provide related and transition services and planning with students with disabilities. The authors’ conclude that with five overarching competencies, (1) knowledge and understanding of disabilities, (2) knowledge and expertise in group counseling to students with disabilities, (3), knowledge and experience in specific related service components, (4) knowledge and experience in evidence-based counseling interventions, (5) knowledge and experiencing in evidenced-based transition and career planning services, that school counselors can enter the field with the necessary expertise to adequately serve all students. Other examples and strategies are suggested, and recommendations for preparation programs seeking to integrate a model to prepare school counselors to implement evidenced-based transition strategies in supporting students with disabilities are included

Keywords: transition education, social cognitive career theory, self-determination, counseling

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Authors: Dante Jose R. Amisola, Glenford M. Prospero

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'Driving What’s Next' is a strong campaign of the new administration of De La Salle Lipa in promoting social innovation in quality education. The new leadership directs social innovation in quality education in the institutional directions and initiatives to address real-world challenges with real-world solutions. This research under study aims to qualify the commitment of the institution to extend the Lasallian quality human and Christian education to all, as expressed in the Institution’s new mission-vision statement. The Classic Grounded Theory methodology is employed in the process of generating concepts in reference to the documents, a series of meetings, focus group discussions and other related activities that account for the conceptualization and formulation of the new mission-vision along with the new education innovation framework. Notably, Driving What’s Next is the emergent theory that encapsulates the commitment of giving quality human and Christian education to all. It directs the new leadership in driving social innovation in quality education initiatives. Correspondingly, Driving What’s Next is continually resolved through four interrelated strategies also termed as the institution's four strategic directions, namely: (1) driving social innovation in quality education, (2) embracing our shared humanity and championing social inclusion and justice initiatives, (3) creating sustainable futures and (4) engaging diverse stakeholders in our shared mission. Significantly, the four strategic directions capture and integrate the 17 UN sustainable development goals, making the innovative curriculum locally and globally relevant. To conclude, the main concern of the new administration and how it is continually resolved, provide meaningful and fun learning experiences and promote a new way of learning in the light of the 21^st century skills among the members of the academic community including stakeholders and extended communities at large, which are defined as: learning together and by association (collaboration), learning through engagement (communication), learning by design (creativity) and learning with social impact (critical thinking).

Keywords: DLSL four strategic directions , DLSL Lipa mission-vision, driving what's next, social innovation in quality education

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Authors: Riccardo Cacciotti, Jiri Frankl, Benjamin Wolf, Michael Machacek

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Moisture fluctuations govern the occurrence of fungi-related problems in buildings, which may impose significant health risks for users and even lead to structural failures. Several numerical engineering models attempt to capture the complexity of mold growth on building materials. From real life observations, in cases with suppressed daily variations of boundary conditions, e.g. in crawlspaces, mold growth model predictions well correspond with the observed mold growth. On the other hand, in cases with substantial diurnal variations of boundary conditions, e.g. in the ventilated cavity of a cold flat roof, mold growth predicted by the models is significantly overestimated. This study, founded by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GAČR 20-12941S), aims at gaining a better understanding of mold growth behavior on solid wood, under varying boundary conditions. In particular, the experimental investigation focuses on the response of mold to changing conditions in the boundary layer and its influence on heat and moisture transfer across the surface. The main results include the design and construction at the facilities of ITAM (Prague, Czech Republic) of an innovative device allowing for the simulation of changing environmental conditions in buildings. It consists of a square section closed circuit with rough dimensions 200 × 180 cm and cross section roughly 30 × 30 cm. The circuit is thermally insulated and equipped with an electric fan to control air flow inside the tunnel, a heat and humidity exchange unit to control the internal RH and variations in temperature. Several measuring points, including an anemometer, temperature and humidity sensor, a loading cell in the test section for recording mass changes, are provided to monitor the variations of parameters during the experiments. The research is ongoing and it is expected to provide the final results of the experimental investigation at the end of 2022.

Keywords: moisture, mold growth, testing, wood

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Authors: Zbigniew Szklarz, Aldona Garbacz-Klempka, Magdalena Bisztyga-Szklarz

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Typical metallic alloys bases on one major alloying component, where the addition of other elements is intended to improve or modify certain properties, most of all the mechanical properties. However, in 1995 a new concept of metallic alloys was described and defined. High Entropy Alloys (HEA) contains at least five alloying elements in an amount from 5 to 20 at.%. A common feature this type of alloys is an absence of intermetallic phases, high homogeneity of the microstructure and unique chemical composition, what leads to obtaining materials with very high strength indicators, stable structures (also at high temperatures) and excellent corrosion resistance. Hence, HEA can be successfully used as a substitutes for typical metallic alloys in various applications where a sufficiently high properties are desirable. For fabricating HEA, a few ways are applied: 1/ from liquid phase i.e. casting (usually arc melting); 2/ from solid phase i.e. powder metallurgy (sintering methods preceded by mechanical synthesis) and 3/ from gas phase e.g. sputtering or 4/ other deposition methods like electrodeposition from liquids. Application of different production methods creates different microstructures of HEA, which can entail differences in their properties. The last two methods also allows to obtain coatings with HEA structures, hereinafter referred to as High Entropy Films (HEF). With reference to above, the crucial aim of this work was the optimization of the manufacturing process of the multi-component metallic layers (HEF) by the low- and high temperature electrochemical deposition ( ED). The low-temperature deposition process was crried out at ambient or elevated temperature (up to 100 ᵒC) in organic electrolyte. The high-temperature electrodeposition (several hundred Celcius degrees), in turn, allowed to form the HEF layer by electrochemical reduction of metals from molten salts. The basic chemical composition of the coatings was CoCrFeMnNi (known as Cantor’s alloy). However, it was modified by other, selected elements like Al or Cu. The optimization of the parameters that allow to obtain as far as it possible homogeneous and equimolar composition of HEF is the main result of presented studies. In order to analyse and compare the microstructure, SEM/EBSD, TEM and XRD techniques were employed. Morover, the determination of corrosion resistance of the CoCrFeMnNi(Cu or Al) layers in selected electrolytes (i.e. organic and non-organic liquids) was no less important than the above mentioned objectives.

Keywords: high entropy alloys, electrodeposition, corrosion behavior, microstructure

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Authors: Maliha Ahmed Suleman, Sidra Ahmed Suleman

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Introduction: The use of pacifiers is common amongst infants and young children as a comforting behavior. These non-nutritive sucking habits can be detrimental to the developing occlusion should they persist while the permanent dentition is established. Orthodontic pacifiers have been recommended as an alternative to conventional pacifiers as they are considered to have less interference with orofacial development. However, there is a lack of consensus on whether this is true. Aim and objectives: To review the prevalence of malocclusion associated with the use of orthodontic pacifiers. Methodology: Literature was identified through a rigorous search of the Embase, Pubmed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases. Articles published from 2000 onwards were included. In total, 5 suitable papers were identified. Results: One study showed that the use of orthodontic pacifiers increased the risk of malocclusion, as seen through a greater prevalence of accentuated overjet, posterior crossbites, and anterior open bites in comparison to individuals who did not use pacifiers. However, this study found that there was a clinically significant reduction in the prevalence of anterior open bites amongst orthodontic pacifier users in comparison to conventional pacifier users. Another study found that both types of pacifiers lead to malocclusion; however, they found no difference in the mean overjet and prevalence of anterior open bites amongst conventional and orthodontic pacifier users. In contrast, one study suggested that orthodontic pacifiers do not seem to be related to the development of malocclusions in the primary dentitions, and using them between the ages of 0-3 months was actually beneficial as it prevents thumb-sucking habits. One of the systemic reviews concluded that orthodontic pacifiers do not seem to reduce the occurrence of posterior crossbites; however, they could reduce the development of open bites by virtue of their thin neck design. Whereas another systematic review concluded that there were no differences as to the effects on the stomatognathic system when comparing conventional and orthodontic pacifiers. Conclusion: There is limited and conflicting evidence to support the notion that orthodontic pacifiers can reduce the prevalence of malocclusion when compared to conventional pacifiers. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are required in the future in order to thoroughly assess the effects of orthodontic pacifiers on the developing occlusion and orofacial structures.

Keywords: orthodontics, pacifier, malocclusion, review

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Authors: Chih-Yang Liao

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Baseball is usually played outdoors in the warmest months of the year. Therefore, baseball players are susceptible to the influence of the hot environment. It has been shown that hitting performance is increased in games played in warm weather, compared to in cold weather, in Major League Baseball. Intermittent cooling during sporting events can prevent the risk of hyperthermia and increase endurance performance. However, the effects of cooling during baseball games played in a hot environment are unclear. This study adopted a cross-over design. Ten Division I collegiate male baseball players in Taiwan volunteered to participate in this study. Each player played two simulated baseball games, with one day in between. Five of the players received intermittent cooling during the first simulated game, while the other five players received intermittent cooling during the second simulated game. The participants were covered in neck and forehand regions for 6 min with towels that were soaked in icy salt water 3 to 4 times during the games. The participants received the cooling treatment in the dugout when they were not on the field for defense or hitting. During the 2 simulated games, the temperature was 31.1-34.1°C and humidity was 58.2-61.8%, with no difference between the two games. Ratings of perceived exertion, thermal sensation, tympanic and forehead skin temperature immediately after each defensive half-inning and after cooling treatments were recorded. Ratings of perceived exertion were measured using the Borg 10-point scale. The thermal sensation was measured with a 6-point scale. The tympanic and skin temperature was measured with infrared thermometers. The data were analyzed with a two-way analysis of variance with repeated measurement. The results showed that intermitted cooling significantly reduced ratings of perceived exertion and thermal sensation. Forehead skin temperature was also significantly decreased after cooling treatments. However, the tympanic temperature was not significantly different between the two trials. In conclusion, intermittent cooling in the neck and forehead regions was effective in alleviating the perceived exertion and heat sensation. However, this cooling intervention did not affect the core temperature. Whether intermittent cooling has any impact on hitting or pitching performance in baseball players warrants further investigation.

Keywords: baseball, cooling, ratings of perceived exertion, thermal sensation

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Authors: Mário Silva, Filipa Gomes, Filipa Oliveira, Simone Morais, Cristina Delerue-Matos

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Brown seaweeds are abundant in Portuguese coastline and represent an almost unexploited marine economic resource. One of the most common species, easily available for harvesting in the northwest coast, is Saccorhiza polyschides grows in the lowest shore and costal rocky reefs. It is almost exclusively used by local farmers as natural fertilizer, but contains a substantial amount of valuable compounds, particularly alginates, natural biopolymers of high interest for many industrial applications. Alginates are natural polysaccharides present in cell walls of brown seaweed, highly biocompatible, with particular properties that make them of high interest for the food, biotechnology, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Conventional extraction processes are based on thermal treatment. They are lengthy and consume high amounts of energy and solvents. In recent years, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) has shown enormous potential to overcome major drawbacks that outcome from conventional plant material extraction (thermal and/or solvent based) techniques, being also successfully applied to the extraction of agar, fucoidans and alginates. In the present study, acid pretreatment of brown seaweed Saccorhiza polyschides for subsequent microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of alginate was optimized. Seaweeds were collected in Northwest Portuguese coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean between May and August, 2014. Experimental design was used to assess the effect of temperature and acid pretreatment time in alginate extraction. Response surface methodology allowed the determination of the optimum MAE conditions: 40 mL of HCl 0.1 M per g of dried seaweed with constant stirring at 20ºC during 14h. Optimal acid pretreatment conditions have enhanced significantly MAE of alginates from Saccorhiza polyschides, thus contributing for the development of a viable, more environmental friendly alternative to conventional processes.

Keywords: acid pretreatment, alginate, brown seaweed, microwave-assisted extraction, response surface methodology

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Authors: Tarek Soliman Mostafa Soliman Al-Nana'i

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There are non-steady voiced augments in the Semitic languages, and in the morphological and structural augmentation, two sounds were augments in all Semitic languages at the level of the spoken language and two letters at the level of the written language, which are the hamza and the ta’. This research studies only the second of them; Therefore, we defined it as “The Voiceless Dental- alveolar common augment” (VDACA) to distinguish it from the glottal sound “Hamza”, first, middle, or last, in a noun or in a verb, in Arabic and its equivalent in the Semitic languages. What is meant by “VDACA” is the ta’ that is in addition to the root of the word at the morphological level: the word “voiceless” takes out the voiced sounds that we studied before, and the “dental- alveolar common augment” takes out the laryngeal sound of them, which is the “Hamza”: and the word “common” brings out the uncommon voiceless sounds, which are sīn, shīn, and hā’. The study is limited to the ta' alone among the Arabic sounds, and this title faced a problem in identifying it with the ta'. Because the designation of the ta is not the same in most Semitic languages. Hebrew, for example, has “tav” and is pronounced with the voiced fa (v), which is not in Arabic. It is called different names in other Semitic languages, such as “taw” or “tAu” in old Syriac. And so on. This goes hand in hand with the insistence on distance from the written level and the reference to the phonetic aspect in this study that is closely and closely linked to the morphological level. Therefore, the study is “morphophonemic”. What is meant by Semitic languages in this study are the following: Akkadian, Ugaritic, Hebrew, Syriac, Mandaean, Ge'ez, and Amharic. The problem of the study is the agreement or difference between these languages in the position of that augment, first, middle, or last. And in determining the distinguishing characteristics of each language from the other. As for the study methodology, it is determined by the comparative approach in Semitic languages, which is based on the descriptive approach for each language. The study is divided into an introduction, four sections, and a conclusion: Introduction: It included the subject of the study, its importance, motives, problem, methodology, and division. The first section: VDACA as a non-common phoneme. The second: VDACA as a common phoneme. The third: VDACA as a functional morpheme. The fourth section: Commentary and conclusion with the most important results. The positions of VDACA in Arabic and other Semitic languages, and in nouns and verbs, were limited to first, middle, and last. The research identified the individual addition, which is common with other augments, and the research proved that this augmentation is constant in all Semitic languages, but there are characteristics that distinguish each language from the other.

Keywords: voiceless -, dental- alveolar, augment, Arabic - semitic languages

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Authors: Shannon Glaspy, Gerald Boon, Jack Lambert

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Studies on AE of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in children and adolescents are rare. The aim of this study is to observe the frequency of treatment limiting adverse drug reactions against years on ARVs and specific ARV regimen. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in East London, South Africa. All patient files in the pediatric (0 – 18 years) ARV cohort were examined, selecting only those patients started on HAART. ARV regimen changes explicitly due to AE, age on ARV treatment onset, age of AE onset, and gender were extrapolated. Eligible subjects were obtained from patient folders, anonymized and cross-referenced with data obtained from electronic records. A total of 1120 patients [592 male (52.9%) and 528 female (47.1%)] were charted by incidence and year. Additional information was extrapolated in cases where the patient experienced lipodystrophy and lipoatrophy to include the number of years on ARVs prior to the onset of the AE. Results: Of the 1120 HIV infected children of the hospital cohort, a total of 105 (9.37%) AE (53.3% male) observed were deemed eligible for the study due to completeness of medical history and agreement between electronic records and paper files. The AE cited were as follows: lipoatrophy 62 (5.53% of all subjects), lipodystrophy 27 (2.41%), neuropathy 9 (0.8%), anemia 2 (0.17%), Steven Johnsons Syndrome 1 (0.08%), elevated LFTs 1 (0.8%), breast hypertrophy (0.08%), gastritis 1 (0.08%) and rash 1 (0.08%). The most prevalence ARV regimens associated with the onset of the AE are: D4T/3TC/EFV 72 cases (64.86% of all AE), D4T/3TC/LOPr 24 cases (21.62%). Lipoatrophy and lipodystrophy combined represent 84.76% (89 cases) of all adverse events documented in this cohort. Within the 60 cases of lipoatrophy, the average number of years on ARVs associated with an AE is 3.54, with 14 cases experiencing an AE between 0-2 years of HAART. Within the 29 cases of lipodystrophy, the average number of years on ARVs associated with an AE is 3.89, with 4 cases experiencing an AE between 0-2 years on HAART. The regimen D4T/3TC/EFV is associated with 43 cases (71.66%) of lipoatrophy and 21 cases (72.41%) of lipodystrophy. D4T/3TC/LOPr is associated with 15 cases (25%) of lipoatrophy and 7 cases (24.14%) of lipodystrophy. The frequency of AE associated with ARV regimens could be misrepresented due to prevalence of different 1st line regimens which were not captured in this study, particularly with the systematic change of 1st line drugs from D4T to ABC in 2010. Conclusion: In this descriptive study we found a 9.37% prevalence of AE were significant enough to be treatment limiting among our cohort. Lipoatrophy accounted for 59.04% of all documented AE. Overall, D4T/3TC/EFV was associated with 64.86% of all AE, 71.66% of lipoatrophy cases and 72.41% of lipodystrophy cases.

Keywords: ARV, adverse events, HAART, pediatric

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Authors: Md. Abdul Aziz

Abstract:

Sulfide ion is water soluble, highly corrosive, toxic and harmful to the human beings. As a result, knowing the exact concentration of sulfide in water is very important. However, the existing detection and quantification methods have several shortcomings, such as high cost, low sensitivity, and massive instrumentation. Consequently, the development of novel sulfide sensor is relevant. Nevertheless, electrochemical methods gained enormous popularity due to a vast improvement in the technique and instrumentation, portability, low cost, rapid analysis and simplicity of design. Successful field application of electrochemical devices still requires vast improvement, which depends on the physical, chemical and electrochemical aspects of the working electrode. The working electrode made of bulk gold (Au) and platinum (Pt) are quite common, being very robust and endowed with good electrocatalytic properties. High cost, and electrode poisoning, however, have so far hindered their practical application in many industries. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a sulfide sensor based on an indium tin oxide nanoparticle (ITONP)-modified ITO electrode. To prepare ITONP-modified ITO, various methods were tested. Drop-drying of ITONPs (aq.) on aminopropyltrimethoxysilane-functionalized ITO (APTMS/ITO) was found to be the best method on the basis of voltammetric analysis of the sulfide ion. ITONP-modified APTMS/ITO (ITONP/APTMS/ITO) yielded much better electrocatalytic properties toward sulfide electro-οxidation than did bare or APTMS/ITO electrodes. The ITONPs and ITONP-modified ITO were also characterized using transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Optimization of the type of inert electrolyte and pH yielded an ITONP/APTMS/ITO detector whose amperometrically and chronocoulοmetrically determined limits of detection for sulfide in aqueous solution were 3.0 µM and 0.90 µM, respectively. ITONP/APTMS/ITO electrodes which displayed reproducible performances were highly stable and were not susceptible to interference by common contaminants. Thus, the developed electrode can be considered as a promising tool for sensing sulfide.

Keywords: amperometry, chronocoulometry, electrocatalytic properties, ITO-nanoparticle-modified ITO, sulfide sensor

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