Search results for: management of people in the public sector

Authors: Katarzyna Olejko

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The need to redefine the goals and adapt the operational activities carried out in accordance with the concept of sustainable management to these goals results in the increasing importance of information on the company's activities perceived from the perspective of the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental goals implementation. The narrow scope of reporting data on a company's impact on the environment is not adequate to meet the information needs of modern investors. Reporting obligations are therefore imposed on companies in order to increase the effectiveness of corporate governance and to improve the process of assessing the achievement of environmental goals. The non-financial reporting obligations introduced in Polish legislation increased the scope of reported information. However, the lack of detailed guidelines on the method of reporting resulted in a large diversification of the scope of non-financial information, making it impossible to compare the data presented by companies. The source of information regarding the level of the implementation of standards in Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) is the report on compliance with best practices published by the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The document Best Practices of Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) Listed Companies (2021), amended by the WSE in 2021, includes the rules applicable to this area (ESG). The aim of this article is to present the level of compliance with good practices in the area of ESG by selected companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange The research carried out as part of this study, which was based on information from reports on the compliance with good practices of companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange that was made available in the good practice scanner, have revealed that good practices in the ESG area are implemented by companies to a limited extent. The level of their application in comparison with other rules is definitely lower. The lack of experience and clear guidelines on ESG reporting may cause some confusion, which is why conscious investors and reporting companies themselves are pinning their hopes on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) adopted by European Parliament.

Keywords: reporting, ESG, corporate governance, best practices

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Authors: Dmitriy Berillo, Areej K. A. Al-Jwaid, Jonathan L. Caplin, Andrew Cundy, Irina Savina

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Chlorophenols (CPs) are used as a precursor in the production of higher CPs and dyestuffs, and as a preservative. Contamination by CPs of the ground water is located in the range from 0.15-100mg/L. The EU has set maximum concentration limits for pesticides and their degradation products of 0.1μg/L and 0.5μg/L, respectively. People working in industries which produce textiles, leather products, domestic preservatives, and petrochemicals are most heavily exposed to CPs. The International Agency for Research on Cancers categorized CPs as potential human carcinogens. Existing multistep water purification processes for CPs such as hydrogenation, ion exchange, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption by activated carbon, forward and inverse osmosis, electrolysis, sonochemistry, UV irradiation, and chemical oxidation are not always cost effective and can cause the formation of even more toxic or mutagenic derivatives. Bioremediation of CPs derivatives utilizing microorganisms results in 60 to 100% decontamination efficiency and the process is more environmentally-friendly compared with existing physico-chemical methods. Microorganisms immobilized onto a substrate show many advantages over free bacteria systems, such as higher biomass density, higher metabolic activity, and resistance to toxic chemicals. They also enable continuous operation, avoiding the requirement for biomass-liquid separation. The immobilized bacteria can be reused several times, which opens the opportunity for developing cost-effective processes for wastewater treatment. In this study, we develop a bioremediation system for CPs based on macroporous materials, which can be efficiently used for wastewater treatment. Conditions for the preparation of the macroporous material from specific bacterial strains (Pseudomonas mendocina and Rhodococus koreensis) were optimized. The concentration of bacterial cells was kept constant; the difference was only the type of cross-linking agents used e.g. glutaraldehyde, novel polymers, which were utilized at concentrations of 0.5 to 1.5%. SEM images and rheology analysis of the material indicated a monolithic macroporous structure. Phenol was chosen as a model system to optimize the function of the cryogel material and to estimate its enzymatic activity, since it is relatively less toxic and harmful compared to CPs. Several types of macroporous systems comprising live bacteria were prepared. The viability of the cross-linked bacteria was checked using Live/Dead BacLight kit and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy, which revealed the presence of viable bacteria with the novel cross-linkers, whereas the control material cross-linked with glutaraldehyde(GA), contained mostly dead cells. The bioreactors based on bacteria were used for phenol degradation in batch mode at an initial concentration of 50mg/L, pH 7.5 and a temperature of 30°C. Bacterial strains cross-linked with GA showed insignificant ability to degrade phenol and for one week only, but a combination of cross-linking agents illustrated higher stability, viability and the possibility to be reused for at least five weeks. Furthermore, conditions for CPs degradation will be optimized, and the chlorophenol degradation rates will be compared to those for phenol. This is a cutting-edge bioremediation approach, which allows the purification of waste water from sustainable compounds without a separation step to remove free planktonic bacteria. Acknowledgments: Dr. Berillo D. A. is very grateful to Individual Fellowship Marie Curie Program for funding of the research.

Keywords: bioremediation, cross-linking agents, cross-linked microbial cell, chlorophenol degradation

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Authors: Eric Dede, Marcus Tindall, John W. Cherrie, Steve Hankin, Christopher Collins

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Current exposure models used in contaminated land risk assessment are highly conservative. Use of these models may lead to over-estimation of actual exposures, possibly resulting in negative financial implications due to un-necessary remediation. Thus, we are carrying out a study seeking to improve our understanding of human exposure to selected toxic elements in soil: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) resulting from allotment land-use. The study employs biomonitoring and physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling to quantify human exposure to these elements. We recruited 37 allotment users (adults > 18 years old) in Scotland, UK, to participate in the study. Concentrations of the elements (and their bioaccessibility) were measured in allotment samples (soil and allotment produce). Amount of produce consumed by the participants and participants’ biological samples (urine and blood) were collected for up to 12 consecutive months. Ethical approval was granted by the University of Reading Research Ethics Committee. PBPK models (coded in MATLAB) were used to estimate the distribution and accumulation of the elements in key body compartments, thus indicating the internal body burden. Simulating low element intake (based on estimated ‘doses’ from produce consumption records), predictive models suggested that detection of these elements in urine and blood was possible within a given period of time following exposure. This information was used in planning biomonitoring, and is currently being used in the interpretation of test results from biological samples. Evaluation of the models is being carried out using biomonitoring data, by comparing model predicted concentrations and measured biomarker concentrations. The PBPK models will be used to generate bioavailability values, which could be incorporated in contaminated land exposure models. Thus, the findings from this study will promote a more sustainable approach to contaminated land management.

Keywords: biomonitoring, exposure, PBPK modelling, toxic elements

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Authors: Elsayed A. Elkhatib, Ahmed M. Mahdy, Mohamed L. Moharem, Mohamed O. Mesalem

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Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic and bio-accumulative heavy metal in the environment. However, cheap and effective in situ remediation technology is lacking. In this study, the effects of water treatment residuals nanoparticles (nWTR) on mobility, fractionation and speciation of mercury in an arid zone soil from Egypt were evaluated. Water treatment residual nanoparticles with high surface area (129 m 2 g-1) were prepared using Fritsch planetary mono mill. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the nanoparticles of WTR nanoparticles are spherical in shape, and single particle sizes are in the range of 45 to 96 nm. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) results ascertained that amorphous iron, aluminum (hydr)oxides and silicon oxide dominating all nWTR, with no apparent crystalline iron–Al (hydr)oxides. Addition of nWTR, greatly increased the Hg sorption capacities of studied soils and greatly reduced the cumulative Hg released from the soils. Application of nWTR at 0.10 and 0.30 % rates reduced the released Hg from the soil by 50 and 85 % respectively. The power function and first order kinetics models well described the desorption process from soils and nWTR amended soils as evidenced by high coefficient of determination (R2) and low SE values. Application of nWTR greatly increased the association of Hg with the residual fraction. Meanwhile, application of nWTR at a rate of 0.3% greatly increased the association of Hg with the residual fraction (>93%) and significantly increased the most stable Hg species (Hg(OH)2 amor) which in turn enhanced Hg immobilization in the studied soils. Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated the involvement of nWTR in the retention of Hg (II) through OH groups which suggest inner-sphere adsorption of Hg ions to surface functional groups on nWTR. These results demonstrated the feasibility of using a low-cost nWTR as best management practice to immobilize excess Hg in contaminated soils.

Keywords: release kinetics, Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, Hg fractionation, Hg species

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Authors: Fae Princess Bermudez

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Background: One of the least significant leads on a 12-lead electrocardiogram is the augmented right lead (aVR), as it is not as specific compared to the other leads. In this case series, the value of lead aVR, which is more often than not ignored, is highlighted. Three cases of aVR ST segment elevation on 12-lead electrocardiogram are described, with the end outcome of demise of all three patients. The importance of immediate revascularization is described to improve prognosis in this group of patients. Objectives: This case series aims to primarily present under-reported cases of isolated aVR ST-segrment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), their course and outcome. More specific aims are to identify the criteria in determination of isolated aVR STEMI, know its clinical significance, and determine appropriate management for patients with this ECG finding. Method: A short review of previous studies, case reports, articles and guidelines from 2011-2016 was done. The author reviewed available literature, sorted out those that proved to be significant for the presented cases, and described them in conjunction with the aforementioned cases. Findings: Based on the limited information on these rare or under-reported cases, it was found that isolated aVR STEMI had a poorer prognosis that led to significant mortality and morbidity of patients. The significance of aVR ST-elevation was that of an occlusion of the left coronary artery or a severe three-vessel disease in the presence of an Acute Coronary Syndrome. Guidelines from American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation in 2013 already recognized ST-elevation of lead aVR in isolation as a STEMI; hence, recommended that patients with this particular ECG finding should undergo reperfusion strategies to improve prognosis. Conclusion: The indispensability of isolated aVR ST-segment elevation on ECG should alert physicians, especially Emergency physicians, to the high probability of Acute Coronary Syndrome with a very poor prognosis. If this group of patients is not promptly managed, demise may ensue, with cardiogenic shock as the most probable cause. With this electrocardiogram finding, physicians must be quick to make clinical decisions to increase chances of survival of this group of patients.

Keywords: AVR ST-elevation, diffuse ST-segment depression, left coronary artery infarction, myocardial infarction

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Authors: Lintle Mohase, Ninikoe Lebusa, Mpho Stephen Mafa

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Wheat is an economically important cereal crop. However, the changing climatic conditions that intensify drought in production areas, and additional pest infestation, such as the Russian wheat aphid (RWA, Diuraphis noxia), severely hamper its production. Drought and pest management require an additional water supply through irrigation and applying inorganic nutrients (including silicon) as alternative strategies to mitigate the stress effects. Therefore, other approaches are needed to enhance wheat productivity during drought stress and aphid abundance. Two wheat cultivars were raised under greenhouse conditions, exposed to drought stress, and treated with silicon before infestation with the South African RWA biotype 2 (RWASA2). The morphological evaluations showed that severe drought or a combination of drought and infestation significantly reduced the plant height of wheat cultivars. Silicon treatment did not alleviate the growth reduction. The biochemical responses were measured using spectrophotometric assays with specific substrates. An evaluation of the enzyme activities associated with oxidative stress and defence responses indicated that drought stress increased NADPH oxidase activity, while silicon treatment significantly reduced it in drought-stressed and infested plants. At 48 and 72 hours sampling periods, a combination of silicon, drought and infestation treatment significantly increased peroxidase activity compared to drought and infestation treatment. The treatment also increased β-1,3-glucanase activity 72 hours after infestation. In addition, silicon and drought treatment increased glucose but reduced sucrose accumulation. Furthermore, silicon, drought, and infestation treatment combinations reduced the sucrose content. Finally, silicon significantly increased the trehalose content under severe drought and infestation, evident at 48 and 72-hour sampling periods. Our findings shed light on silicon’s ability to induce protective biochemical responses during drought and aphid infestation.

Keywords: drought, enzyme activity, silicon, soluble sugars, Russian wheat aphid, wheat

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Authors: Semire Yekta

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Many online retailers set up manual review teams to overcome the limitations of automated online fraud detection systems. This study critically examines the strategies they adapt in their decision-making process to set apart fraudulent individuals from non-fraudulent online shoppers. The study uses a mix method research approach. 32 in-depth interviews have been conducted alongside with participant observation and auto-ethnography. The study found out that all steps of the decision-making process are significantly affected by a level of subjectivity, personal understandings of online fraud, preferences and judgments and not necessarily by objectively identifiable facts. Rather clearly knowing who the fraudulent individuals are, the team members have to predict whether they think the customer might be a fraudster. Common strategies used are relying on the classification and fraud scorings in the automated fraud detection systems, weighing up arguments for and against the customer and making a decision, using cancellation to test customers’ reaction and making use of personal experiences and “the sixth sense”. The interaction in the team also plays a significant role given that some decisions turn into a group discussion. While customer data represent the basis for the decision-making, fraud management teams frequently make use of Google search and Google Maps to find out additional information about the customer and verify whether the customer is the person they claim to be. While this, on the one hand, raises ethical concerns, on the other hand, Google Street View on the address and area of the customer puts customers living in less privileged housing and areas at a higher risk of being classified as fraudsters. Phone validation is used as a final measurement to make decisions for or against the customer when previous strategies and Google Search do not suffice. However, phone validation is also characterized by individuals’ subjectivity, personal views and judgment on customer’s reaction on the phone that results in a final classification as genuine or fraudulent.

Keywords: online fraud, data mining, manual review, social construction

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Authors: Pierre Mintom, William Djeukeu Asongni, Michelle Moni, William Dakam, Christine Fernande Nyangono Biyegue.

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Background: In order to prevent congestive heart failure, control of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia is necessary because those risk factors frequently occur in combination. Objective: The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and double burden HTA-Hypercholesterolemia in patients with congestive heart failure. Methodology: A database of 98 patients suffering from congestive heart failure was used. The latter were recruited from August 15, 2017, to March 5, 2018, in the Cardiology department of Deido District Hospital of Douala. This database provides information on sociodemographic parameters, biochemical examinations, characteristics of heart failure and food consumption. ESC/ESH and NCEP-ATPIII definitions were used to define Hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol ≥200mg/dl), Hypertension (SBP≥140mmHg and/or DBP≥90mmHg). Double burden hypertension-hypercholesterolemia was defined as follows: total cholesterol (CT)≥200mg/dl, SBP≥140mmHg and DBP≥90mmHg. Results: The prevalence of hypertension (HTA), hypercholesterolemia (hyperchol) and double burden HTA-Hyperchol were 61.2%, 66.3% and 45.9%, respectively. No sociodemographic factor was associated with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and double burden, but Male gender was significantly associated (p<0.05) with hypercholesterolemia. HypoHDLemia significantly increased hypercholesterolemia and the double burden by 19.664 times (p=0.001) and 14.968 times (p=0.021), respectively. Regarding dietary habits, the consumption of rice, peanuts and derivatives and cottonseed oil respectively significantly (p<0.05) exposed to the occurrence of hypertension. The consumption of tomatoes, green bananas, corn and derivatives, peanuts and derivatives and cottonseed oil significantly exposed (p<0.05) to the occurrence of hypercholesterolemia. The consumption of palm oil and cottonseed oil exposed the occurrence of the double burden of hypertension-hypercholesterolemia. Consumption of eggs protects against hypercholesterolemia, and consumption of peanuts and tomatoes protects against the double burden. Conclusion: hypercholesterolemia associated with hypertension appears as a complicating factor of congestive heart failure. Key risk factors are mainly diet-based, suggesting the importance of nutritional education for patients. New management protocols emphasizing diet should be considered.

Keywords: risk factors, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, congestive heart failure

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Authors: Mohammed Seyam, Faridah Othman, Ahmed El-Shafie

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The early warning of high stream flow events (HSF) and floods is an important aspect in the management of surface water and rivers systems. This process can be performed using either process-based models or data driven-based models such as artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. The main goal of this study is to develop efficient AI-based model for predicting the real-time hourly stream flow (Q) and apply it as early warning tool of HSF and floods in the downstream area of the Selangor River basin, taken here as a paradigm of humid tropical rivers in Southeast Asia. The performance of AI-based models has been improved through the integration of the lag time (Lt) estimation in the modelling process. A total of 8753 patterns of Q, water level, and rainfall hourly records representing one-year period (2011) were utilized in the modelling process. Six hydrological scenarios have been arranged through hypothetical cases of input variables to investigate how the changes in RF intensity in upstream stations can lead formation of floods. The initial SF was changed for each scenario in order to include wide range of hydrological situations in this study. The performance evaluation of the developed AI-based model shows that high correlation coefficient (R) between the observed and predicted Q is achieved. The AI-based model has been successfully employed in early warning throughout the advance detection of the hydrological conditions that could lead to formations of floods and HSF, where represented by three levels of severity (i.e., alert, warning, and danger). Based on the results of the scenarios, reaching the danger level in the downstream area required high RF intensity in at least two upstream areas. According to results of applications, it can be concluded that AI-based models are beneficial tools to the local authorities for flood control and awareness.

Keywords: floods, stream flow, hydrological modelling, hydrology, artificial intelligence

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Authors: Barry D. Kyle, Jessica Boyd, Robin Pickersgill, Nicole Squires, Cynthia Balion

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Background-Aim: Fentanyl is a highly-potent synthetic μ-opioid receptor agonist used for exceptional pain management. Its main metabolite, norfentanyl, is typically present in urine at significantly high concentrations (i.e. ~20%) representing an effective targeting molecule for immunoassay detection. Here, we evaluated the NCS^TM One Step Fentanyl Test Device© and the BTNX Rapid Response^TM Single Drug Test Strip© point of care (POC) test strips targeting norfentanyl (20 ng/ml) and fentanyl (100 ng/ml) molecules for potential risperidone interference. Methods: POC tests calibrated against norfentanyl (20 ng/ml) used [immunochromatographic] lateral flow devices to provide qualitative results within five minutes of urine sample contact. Results were recorded as negative if lines appeared in the test and control regions according to manufacturer’s instructions. Positive results were recorded if no line appeared in the test region (i.e., control line only visible). Pooled patient urine (n=20), that screened negative for drugs of abuse (using NCS One Step Multi-Line Screen) and fentanyl (using BTNX Rapid Response Strip) was used for spiking studies. Urine was spiked with risperidone alone and with combinations of fentanyl, norfentanyl and/or risperidone to evaluate cross-reactivity in each test device. Results: A positive screen result was obtained when 8,000 ng/mL of risperidone was spiked into drug free urine using the NCS test device. Positive screen results were also obtained in spiked urine samples containing fentanyl and norfentanyl combinations below the cut-off concentrations when 4000 ng/mL risperidone was present using the NCS testing device. There were no screen positive test results using the BTNX test strip with up to 8,000 ng/mL alone or in combination with concentrations of fentanyl and norfentanyl below the cut-off. Both devices screened positive when either fentanyl or norfentanyl exceeded the cut-off threshold in the absence and presence of risperidone. Conclusion: We report that urine samples containing risperidone may give a false positive result using the NCS One Step Fentanyl Test Device.

Keywords: fentanyl, interferences, point of care test, Risperidone

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Authors: Mehrzad Soltani, Pegah Rezaei

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In response to the escalating challenges posed by resource scarcity, urban congestion, and the dearth of green spaces, contemporary urban areas have undergone a remarkable transformation into smart cities. This evolution necessitates a strategic and forward-thinking approach to urban development, with the primary objective of diminishing and eventually eradicating dependence on non-renewable energy sources. This steadfast commitment to sustainable development is geared toward the continual enhancement of our global urban milieu, ensuring a healthier and more prosperous environment for forthcoming generations. This transformative vision has been meticulously shaped by an extensive research framework, incorporating in-depth field studies and investigations conducted at both neighborhood and city levels. Our holistic strategy extends its purview to encompass major cities and states, advocating for the realization of exceptional development firmly rooted in the principles of sustainable intelligence. At its core, this approach places a paramount emphasis on stringent pollution control measures, concurrently safeguarding ecological equilibrium and regional cohesion. Central to the realization of this vision is the widespread adoption of environmentally friendly materials and components, championing the cultivation of plant life and harmonious green spaces, and the seamless integration of intelligent lighting and irrigation systems. These systems, including solar panels and solar energy utilization, are deployed wherever feasible, effectively meeting the essential lighting and irrigation needs of these dynamic urban ecosystems. Overall, the transformation of urban areas into smart cities necessitates a holistic and innovative approach to urban development. By actively embracing sustainable intelligence and adhering to strict environmental standards, these cities pave the way for a brighter and more sustainable future, one that is marked by resilient, thriving, and eco-conscious urban communities.

Keywords: smart city, green urban, sustainability, urban management

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Authors: Kwan Hee Han

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External environment of enterprise is rapidly changing majorly by global competition, cost reduction pressures, and new technology. In these situations, production scheduling function plays a critical role to meet customer requirements and to attain the goal of operational efficiency. It deals with short-term decision making in the production process of the whole supply chain. The major task of production scheduling is to seek a balance between customer orders and limited resources. In manufacturing companies, this task is so difficult because it should efficiently utilize resource capacity under the careful consideration of many interacting constraints. At present, many computerized software solutions have been utilized in many enterprises to generate a realistic production schedule to overcome the complexity of schedule generation. However, most production scheduling systems do not provide sufficient information about the validity of the generated schedule except limited statistics. Process mining only recently emerged as a sub-discipline of both data mining and business process management. Process mining techniques enable the useful analysis of a wide variety of processes such as process discovery, conformance checking, and bottleneck analysis. In this study, the performance of generated production schedule is evaluated by mining event log data of production scheduling software system by using the process mining techniques since every software system generates event logs for the further use such as security investigation, auditing and error bugging. An application of process mining approach is proposed for the validation of the goodness of production schedule generated by scheduling software systems in this study. By using process mining techniques, major evaluation criteria such as utilization of workstation, existence of bottleneck workstations, critical process route patterns, and work load balance of each machine over time are measured, and finally, the goodness of production schedule is evaluated. By using the proposed process mining approach for evaluating the performance of generated production schedule, the quality of production schedule of manufacturing enterprises can be improved.

Keywords: data mining, event log, process mining, production scheduling

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Authors: Akbar Nawaz Khan, Abdul Ghaffar, Muhammad Naeem Riaz

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The study was conducted to investigate the phenotypic features, morphometry and production potentialities of indigenous naked neck chicken (NN) of Pakistan under intensive management condition. A total of 35 NN chicks were randomly selected, and the experiment was performed at Poultry and wildlife research section NARC Islamabad for a period of 22 weeks. The predominant plumage color was black and golden while skin color was observed white. The average shank length, leg length, thigh length, keel length, chest breadth, head width, wing space, wing length, body length, body girth, body height and pubic bone width in adult males and females were 69.19 ± 3.34mm, 117.93 ± 4.42mm, 117.93 ± 4.42mm, 90.87 ± 6.53mm, 95.03 ± 4.56mm, 49.77 ± 2.53mm, 30.63 ± 1.50cm, 27.24 ± 2.71cm, 18.88 ± 0.65cm, 17.77 ± 1.01cm, 25.96 ± 0.56cm, 47.81 ± 1.41cm and 35.69 ± 4.09mm respectively. The average age and live body weight of NN chicken at sexual maturity were recorded as 165.85 days and 1269.38 g. While hen-day egg production of NN was recorded as 45%. The present study was aimed to investigate the existence of polymorphism at IGF-I gene in indigenous naked neck chicken through PCR based Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. Based on restriction analysis using Hinf I restriction enzyme, three genotypes were detected designated as AA, AC, and CC. Restriction analysis of PCR amplified product showed the presence of DNA fragments of 622, 378, 244 and 191, (genotypes). The PCR-RFLP analysis is easy, cost effective method which permits the easy characterization of IGF-I gene. This showed the investigated IGF-I genes can serve as good molecular markers for marker assisted selection (MAS) concerning growth related traits in chicken.

Keywords: Desi chicken, naked neck, morphology, morphometry, production potential, egg traits, egg geometry, IGF-I, growth, PCR- RFLP, chicken

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Authors: James Beringer

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Switzerland’s ability to forge a strong national identity across linguistic barriers has long been of interest to nationalism scholars. This begs the question of how this has been achieved, given that traditional explanations of luck or exceptionalism appear highly reductionist. This paper evaluates the theory that successful Swiss management of linguistic diversity stems from the strong integration of multilingualism into Swiss national identity. Using archival analysis of Swiss government records, historical accounts of prominent Swiss citizens, as well as secondary literature concerning the fundamental aspects of Swiss national identity, this paper charts the historical evolution of Swiss national identity. It explains how multilingualism was deliberately and successfully integrated into Swiss national identity as a response to political fragmentation along linguistic lines during the First World War. Its primary conclusions are the following. Firstly, the earliest foundations of Swiss national identity were purposefully removed from any association with a single national language. This produced symbols, myths, and values -such as a strong commitment to communalism, the imagery of the Swiss natural landscape, and the use of Latin expressions, which can be adopted across Swiss linguistic groups. Secondly, the First World War triggered a turning point in the evolution of Swiss national identity. The fundamental building blocks proved insufficient in preventing political fractures amongst linguistic lines, as each Swiss linguistic group gravitated towards its linguistic neighbours within Europe. To avoid a repeat of such fragmentation, a deliberate effort was made to fully integrate multilingualism as a fundamental aspect of Swiss national identity. Existing natural symbols, such as the St Gotthard Mountains, were recontextualized in order to become associated with multilingualism. The education system was similarly reformed to reflect the unique multilingual nature of the Swiss nation. The successful result of this process can be readily observed in polls and surveys, with large segments of the Swiss population highlighting multilingualism as a uniquely Swiss characteristic, indicating the symbiotic connection between multilingualism and the Swiss nation.

Keywords: language's role in identity formation, multilingualism in nationalism, national identity formation, Swiss national identity history

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Authors: Lun Lou, Jintu Fan

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While personal protective equipment (PPE) prevents the healthcare personnel from exposing to harmful surroundings, it creates a barrier to the dissipation of body heat and perspiration, leading to severe heat stress during prolonged exposure, especially in hot environments. It has been found that most of the existed personal cooling strategies have limitations in achieving effective cooling performance with long duration and lightweight. This work aimed to develop a lightweight (<1.0 kg) and less expensive wearable air cooling and dehumidifying system (WCDS) that can be applied underneath the protective clothing and provide 50W mean cooling power for more than 5 hours at 35°C environmental temperature without compromising the protection of PPE. For the WCDS, blowers will be used to activate an internal air circulation inside the clothing microclimate, which doesn't interfere with the protection of PPE. An air cooling and dehumidifying chamber (ACMR) with a specific design will be developed to reduce the air temperature and humidity inside the protective clothing. Then the cooled and dried air will be supplied to upper chest and back areas through a branching tubing system for personal cooling. A detachable ice cooling unit will be applied from the outside of the PPE to extract heat from the clothing microclimate. This combination allows for convenient replacement of the cooling unit to refresh the cooling effect, which can realize a continuous cooling function without taking off the PPE or adding too much weight. A preliminary thermal manikin test showed that the WCDS was able to reduce the microclimate temperature inside the PPE averagely by about 8°C for 60 minutes when the environmental temperature was 28.0 °C and 33.5 °C, respectively. Replacing the ice cooling unit every hour can maintain this cooling effect, while the longest operation duration is determined by the battery of the blowers, which can last for about 6 hours. This unique design is especially helpful for the PPE users, such as health care workers in infectious and hot environments when continuous cooling and dehumidifying are needed, but the change of protective clothing may increase the risk of infection. The new WCDS will not only improve the thermal comfort of PPE users but can also extend their safe working duration.

Keywords: personal thermal management, heat stress, ppe, health care workers, wearable device

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Authors: F. Sahnoune, M. Belhamel, M. Zelmat

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Solar thermal systems available today provide reliability, efficiency and significant environmental benefits. In housing, they can satisfy the hot water demand and reduce energy bills by 60 % or more. Additionally, collective systems or large scale solar thermal systems are increasingly used in different conditions for hot water applications and space heating in hotels and multi-family homes, hospitals, nursing homes and sport halls as well as in commercial and industrial building. However, in situ real performance data for collective solar water heating systems has not been extensively outlined. This paper focuses on the study of real energy performances of a collective solar water heating system using the remote monitoring technique in Algerian climatic conditions. This is to ensure proper operation of the system at any time, determine the system performance and to check to what extent solar performance guarantee can be achieved. The measurements are performed on an active indirect heating system of 12 m2 flat plate collector’s surface installed in Algiers and equipped with a various sensors. The sensors transmit measurements to a local station which controls the pumps, valves, electrical auxiliaries, etc. The simulation of the installation was developed using the software SOLO 2000. The system provides a yearly solar yield of 6277.5 KWh for an estimated annual need of 7896 kWh; the yearly average solar cover rate amounted to 79.5%. The productivity is in the order of 523.13 kWh / m²/year. Simulation results are compared to measured results and to guaranteed solar performances. The remote monitoring shows that 90% of the expected solar results can be easy guaranteed on a long period. Furthermore, the installed remote monitoring unit was able to detect some dysfunctions. It follows that remote monitoring is an important tool in energy management of some building equipment.

Keywords: large-scale solar water heater, real energy performance, remote monitoring, solar performance guarantee, tool to promote solar water heater

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Authors: Ali Mohammed Yimer, Ayalew Assen, Youssef Belmabkhout

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Environmental remediation is a pressing global concern, necessitating innovative strategies to address the challenges posed by industrial waste and pollution. This study aims to advance environmental remediation by developing cutting-edge functional porous materials from phosphorite residue tailings. Phosphorite mining activities generate vast amounts of waste, which pose significant environmental risks due to their contaminants. The proposed approach involved transforming these phosphorite residue tailings into valuable porous materials through a series of physico-chemical processes including milling, acid-base leaching, designing or templating as well as formation processes. The key components of the tailings were extracted and processed to produce porous arrays with high surface area and porosity. These materials were engineered to possess specific properties suitable for environmental remediation applications, such as enhanced adsorption capacity and selectivity for target contaminants. The synthesized porous materials were thoroughly characterized using advanced analytical techniques (XRD, SEM-EDX, N2 sorption, TGA, FTIR) to assess their structural, morphological, and chemical properties. The performance of the materials in removing various pollutants, including heavy metals and organic compounds, were evaluated through batch adsorption experiments. Additionally, the potential for material regeneration and reusability was investigated to enhance the sustainability of the proposed remediation approach. The outdoors of this research holds significant promise for addressing the environmental challenges associated with phosphorite residue tailings. By valorizing these waste materials into porous materials with exceptional remediation capabilities, this study contributes to the development of sustainable and cost-effective solutions for environmental cleanup. Furthermore, the utilization of phosphorite residue tailings in this manner offers a potential avenue for the remediation of other contaminated sites, thereby fostering a circular economy approach to waste management.

Keywords: functional porous materials, phosphorite residue tailings, adsorption, environmental remediation, sustainable solutions

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Authors: Lazarus Joseph Goje, Asamau Yusuf, Simon Gabriel Mafulul, Nabiha Garba, Nura Abubakar

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The emergence of insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato poses a significant challenge to malaria control efforts, particularly in endemic regions like Gombe, Nigeria. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying pyrethroid resistance and identify the prevalent Anopheles species in the area. Morphological identification was performed using keys from Gille and Coetzee, confirmed by molecular techniques employing SINE200 PCR for precise species characterization. The results revealed that the Anopheles gambiae complex comprised 75% of the mosquito population, indicating its dominance in the region. Knockdown rate bioassays demonstrated a time-dependent increase in resistance to insecticides, with notable exceptions observed with deltamethrin. Susceptibility testing conducted 24 hours post-exposure confirmed that the population exhibited resistance to all tested insecticides, with DDT showing the highest resistance level. Molecular analysis identified Anopheles coluzzii as the most prevalent species in Gombe, followed by Anopheles arabiensis. Additionally, the prevalence of kdr alleles was assessed, revealing a significant correlation between the L1014F mutation and resistance phenotypes. Specifically, the frequency of the L1014F allele was linked to increased resistance levels, while the homozygous susceptible allele was also prevalent, suggesting the potential influence of other resistance mechanisms. In conclusion, this study highlights the critical need for ongoing surveillance of insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae populations. It underscores the importance of understanding the genetic basis of resistance to inform effective vector control strategies. The findings emphasize that adaptive management of insecticide use, considering the dynamics of resistance and species composition, is essential for enhancing malaria control efforts in Gombe State, Nigeria and similar regions.

Keywords: pyrethroid insecticide, resistance, susceptible, PCR, malaria

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Authors: Ahmet Erdoğan, Şahin Kesici, Mustafa Baloğlu

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Information technologies have lead to changes in the areas of communication, learning, and teaching. Besides offering many opportunities to the learners, these technologies have changed the teaching methods and beliefs of teachers. What the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) means to the teachers is considerably important to integrate technology successfully into teaching processes. It is necessary to understand how to plan and apply teacher training programs in order to balance students’ pedagogical and technological knowledge. Because of many inefficient teacher training programs, teachers have difficulties in relating technology, pedagogy and content knowledge each other. While providing an efficient training supported with technology, understanding the three main components (technology, pedagogy and content knowledge) and their relationship are very crucial. The purpose of this study is to determine whether motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning strategies are significant predictors of mathematics teacher candidates' TPACK perceptions. A hundred seventy five Turkish mathematics teachers candidates responded to the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and the Technological Pedagogical And Content Knowledge (TPACK) Scale. Of the group, 129 (73.7%) were women and 46 (26.3%) were men. Participants' ages ranged from 20 to 31 years with a mean of 23.04 years (SD = 2.001). In this study, a multiple linear regression analysis was used. In multiple linear regression analysis, the relationship between the predictor variables, mathematics teacher candidates' motivational beliefs, and self-regulated learning strategies, and the dependent variable, TPACK perceptions, were tested. It was determined that self-efficacy for learning and performance and intrinsic goal orientation are significant predictors of mathematics teacher candidates' TPACK perceptions. Additionally, mathematics teacher candidates' critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation, organisation, time and study environment management, and help-seeking were found to be significant predictors for their TPACK perceptions.

Keywords: candidate mathematics teachers, motivational beliefs, self-regulated learning strategies, technological and pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge

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Authors: Lazhar Belkhiri, Ammar Tiri, Lotfi Mouni, Fatma Elhadj Lakouas

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This research aims to present a surface water quality assessment of hydrochemical parameters in the Kebir Rhumel Basin, Algeria. The water quality index (WQI), Mann–Kendall (MK) test, and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used in oder to understand the spatio-temporal distribution of the surface water quality in the study area. Eleven hydrochemical parameters were measured monthly at eight stations from January 2016 to December 2020. The dominant cation in the surface water was found to be calcium, followed by sodium, and the dominant anion was sulfate, followed by chloride. In terms of WQI, a significant percentage of surface water samples at stations Ain Smara (AS), Beni Haroune (BH), Grarem (GR), and Sidi Khlifa (SK) exhibited poor water quality, with approximately 89.5%, 90.6%, 78.2%, and 62.7%, respectively, falling into this category. Mann–Kendall trend analysis revealed a significantly increasing trend in WQI values at stations Oued Boumerzoug (ON) and SK, indicating that the temporal variation of WQI in these stations is significant. Hierarchical clustering analysis classified the data into three clusters. The first cluster contained approximately 22% of the total number of months, the second cluster included about 30%, and the third cluster had the highest representation, approximately 48% of the total number of months. Within these clusters, certain stations exhibited higher WQI values. In the first cluster, stations GR and ON had the highest WQI values. In the second cluster, stations Oued Boumerzoug (OB) and SK showed the highest WQI values, while in the last cluster, stations AS, BH, El Milia (EM), and Hammam Grouz (HG) had the highest mean WQI values. Also, approximately 38%, 41%, and 38% of the total water samples in the first, second, and third clusters, respectively, were classified as having poor water quality. The findings of this study can serve as a scientific basis for decision-makers to formulate strategies for surface water quality restoration and management in the region.

Keywords: surface water, water quality index (WQI), Mann Kendall (MK) test, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), spatial-temporal distribution, Kebir Rhumel Basin

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Authors: Xiao Chen, Alice Ho, Mabel Tie, Xiaoheng Xu

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Background and Significance of the Study: School-enterprise cooperation has been the cornerstone of vocational education in China and many other countries. Researchers and policymakers have paid much attention to ensuring the implementation and improving the quality of school-enterprise cooperation. However, many problems still exist on the implementation level of the cooperation. On the one hand, the enterprises lack the motivation to participate in the cooperation. On the other hand, there is a lack of effective guidance and management during the cooperation. Furthermore, the current literature focuses greatly on policy recommendations on the national level while failing to provide a detailed practical understanding of how school-enterprise cooperation is carried out on the ground level. With emerging social problems, such as the aging population in China, there is an increasing need for diverse nursing services and better nursing quality. Methodology: To gain a deeper understanding of the influencing factors of the implementation of school-enterprise cooperation, this work conducted 37 exploratory interviews in four Chinese cities spanning first-tier to fourth-tier cities with hospital department directors, vocational school deans, nurses, and vocational students. Multiple critical policy documents that founded the current vocational education system in China were analyzed, along with the data collected from the interviews. Major Findings: Based on the policy and interview analyses, this work reveals a set of influencing factors for school-enterprise cooperation implementation. Findings from each region contribute to an overall model of influencing factors for implementing school-enterprise cooperation in vocational nursing education in China, which leads to practical insights for policy recommendation. The key influencing factors are found based on the policy, hospital, school, and social levels. Following practical policy recommendations were presented. Moving forward, further research on the implementation of school-enterprise cooperation in specific industries will become increasingly critical to improving the effectiveness of educational policies and the quality of vocational education.

Keywords: nursing, policy recommendation, school-enterprise cooperation, vocational education

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Authors: Mahdi Allaoua Seklab, Süleyman BaşTürk

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In the quest to enhance coastal environmental health, this study introduces a fully autonomous beach cleaning machine, a breakthrough in leveraging green energy and advanced artificial intelligence for ecological preservation. Designed to operate independently, the machine is propelled by a solar-powered system, underscoring a commitment to sustainability and the use of renewable energy in autonomous robotics. The vehicle's autonomous navigation is achieved through a sophisticated integration of LIDAR and a camera system, utilizing an SSD MobileNet V2 object detection model for accurate and real-time trash identification. The SSD framework, renowned for its efficiency in detecting objects in various scenarios, is coupled with the lightweight and precise highly MobileNet V2 architecture, making it particularly suited for the computational constraints of on-board processing in mobile robotics. Training of the SSD MobileNet V2 model was conducted on Google Colab, harnessing cloud-based GPU resources to facilitate a rapid and cost-effective learning process. The model was refined with an extensive dataset of annotated beach debris, optimizing the parameters using the Adam optimizer and a cross-entropy loss function to achieve high-precision trash detection. This capability allows the machine to intelligently categorize and target waste, leading to more effective cleaning operations. This paper details the design and functionality of the beach cleaning machine, emphasizing its autonomous operational capabilities and the novel application of AI in environmental robotics. The results showcase the potential of such technology to fill existing gaps in beach maintenance, offering a scalable and eco-friendly solution to the growing problem of coastal pollution. The deployment of this machine represents a significant advancement in the field, setting a new standard for the integration of autonomous systems in the service of environmental stewardship.

Keywords: autonomous beach cleaning machine, renewable energy systems, coastal management, environmental robotics

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Authors: D. Osborn, L. Easthope

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The increasing threat of ‘marauding terror,' utilising improvised explosive devices and firearms, has focused the attention of policy makers and emergency responders once again on the treatment of the critically injured patient in a highly volatile scenario. Whilst there have been significant improvements made in the response and lessons learned from recent disasters in the international disaster community there still remain areas of uncertainty and a lack of clarity in the care of the critically injured. This innovative, longitudinal study has at its heart the aim of using ethnographic methods to ‘slow down’ the journey such patients will take and make visible the ethical complexities that 2017 technologies, expectations and over a decade of improved combat medicine techniques have brought. The primary researcher, previously employed in the hospital emergency management environment, has closely followed responders as they managed casualties with life-threatening injuries. Ethnographic observation of Exercise Unified Response in March 2016, exposed the ethical and legal 'vacuums' within a mass casualty and fatality setting, specifically the extrication, treatment and care of critically injured patients from crushed and overturned train carriages. This article highlights a gap in the debate, evaluation, planning and response to an incident of this nature specifically the incapacitated, unidentified patients and the ethics of submitting them to the invasive ‘Disaster Victim Identification’ process. Using a qualitative ethnographic analysis, triangulating observation, interviews and documentation, this analysis explores the gaps and highlights the next stages in the researcher’s pathway as she continues to explore with emergency practitioners some of this century’s most difficult questions in relation to the medico-legal and ethical challenges faced by emergency services in the wake of new and emerging threats and medical treatment expectations.

Keywords: ethics, disaster, Disaster Victim Identification (DVI), legality, unidentified

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Authors: Pablo Cid Galache, Laura Zamorano Bonilla

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Mauriac syndrome (MS) is a rare complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). It is rela-ted to low insulin concentrations. Therefore is a complication mainly found in developing countries. The main clinical features are hepatomegaly, edema, growth and puberty delay, and the presence of elevated transaminases and serum lipids. The MS incidence is de-creasing due to the new types of insulin and intensive glycemic control. Therefore is a rare diagnosis in Europe nowadays, being described mainly in developing countries or with so-cioeconomic limitations to guarantee an adequate management of diabetes. Edema secondary to fluid retention is a rare complication of insulin treatment, especially in young patients. Its severity is variable and is mainly related to the start of a proper treatment and the improvement in glycemic control after diagnosis or after periods of poor metabolic control. Edema resolves spontaneously without requiring treatment in most cases. The Pediatric Endocrinology Unit of Hospital Motril could diagnose a 14-year-old girl who presented very poor metabolic control during the last 3 years as a consequence of the socioeconomic conditions of the country of origin during the last years. Presents up to 4 admissions for ketoacidosis during the last 12 months. After the family moved to Spain our patient began to be followed up in our Hospital. Initially presented glycated hemoglobin figures of 11%. One week after the start of treatment, the patient was admitted in the emergency room due to the appearance of generalized edema and pain in the limbs. The main laboratory abnormalities include: blood glucose 225mg/dl; HbA1C 10.8% triglycerides 543 mg/dl, total cholesterol 339 mg/dl (LDL 225) GOT 124 U/l, GPT 89U/l. Abdominal ultrasound shows mild hepatomegaly and no signs of ascites were shown. The patient presented a progressive improvement with resolution of the edema and analitical abnormalities during the next two weeks. During admission, the family received diabetes education, achieving adequate glycemic control at discharge. Nowadays the patient has a good glycemic control having glycated hemoglobin levels around 7%.

Keywords: Mauriac, diabetes, complication, developing countries

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Authors: Fredrick Olatunji Ajegbomogun, Bello Modinat Morenikeji, Okorie Nancy Chituru

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Electronic information resources are highly relevant to students' academic and research needs but are grossly underutilized, despite the institutional commitment to making them available. The under-utilisation of these resources could be attributed to a low level of study behaviour coupled with a low level of computer self-efficacy. This study assessed computer self-efficacy, study behaviour, and the use of electronic information resources by students in selected polytechnics in Ogun State. A simple random sampling technique using Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) Table was used to select 370 respondents for the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on respondents. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression analysis. Results reveal that the internet (= 1.94), YouTube (= 1.74), and search engines (= 1.72) were the common information resources available to the students, while the Internet (= 4.22) is the most utilized resource. Major reasons for using electronic information resources were to source materials and information (= 3.30), for research (= 3.25), and to augment class notes (= 2.90). The majority (91.0%) of the respondents have a high level of computer self-efficacy in the use of electronic information resources through selecting from screen menus (= 3.12), using data files ( = 3.10), and efficient use of computers (= 3.06). Good preparation for tests (= 3.27), examinations (= 3.26), and organization of tutorials (= 3.11) are the common study behaviours of the respondents. Overall, 93.8% have good study behaviour. Inadequate computer facilities to access information (= 3.23), and poor internet access (= 2.87) were the major challenges confronting students’ use of electronic information resources. According to the PPMC results, study behavior (r = 0.280) and computer self-efficacy (r = 0.304) have significant (p 0.05) relationships with the use of electronic information resources. Regression results reveal that self-efficacy (=0.214) and study behavior (=0.122) positively (p 0.05) influenced students' use of electronic information resources. The study concluded that students' use of electronic information resources depends on the purpose, their computer self-efficacy, and their study behaviour. Therefore, the study recommended that the management should encourage the students to improve their study habits and computer skills, as this will enhance their continuous and more effective utilization of electronic information resources.

Keywords: computer self-efficacy, study behaviour, electronic information resources, polytechnics, Nigeria

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Authors: Rumana Keyani, Haleema Sadia, Asia Nosheen, Rabia Naz, Humaira Yasmin, Sidra Zahoor

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Tomato is a significant crop of the world and is one of the staple foods of Pakistan. A vast number of plant pathogens from simple viruses to complex parasites cause diseases in tomatoes but fungal infection in our country is quite high. Sometimes the symptoms are too harsh destroying the crop altogether. Countries like our own with continuously increasing massive population and limited resources cannot afford such an economic loss. There is an array of morphological, genetic, biochemical and molecular processes involved in plant resistance mechanisms to biotic stress. The study of different metabolic pathways like Jasmonic acid (JA) pathways and most importantly signaling molecules like ROS/RNS and their redoxin enzymes i.e. TRX and NRX is crucial to disease management, contributing to healthy plant growth. So, improving tolerance in crop plants against biotic stresses is a dire need of our country and world as whole. In the current study, fungal pathogenic strains Alternaria solani and Rhizoctonia solani were used to inoculate tomatoes to check the defense responses of tomato plant against these pathogens at molecular as well as phenotypic level with jasmonic acid and spermidine pretreatment. All the growth parameters (root and shoot length, dry and weight root, shoot weight measured 7 days post-inoculation, exhibited that infection drastically declined the growth of the plant whereas jasmonic acid and spermidine assisted the plants to cope up with the infection. Thus, JA and Spermidine treatments maintained comparatively better growth factors. Antioxidant assays and expression analysis through real time quantitative PCR following time course experiment at 24, 48 and 72 hours intervals also exhibited that activation of JA defense genes and a polyamine Spermidine helps in mediating tomato responses against fungal infection when used alone but the two treatments combined mask the effect of each other.

Keywords: fungal infection, jasmonic acid defence, tomato, spermidine

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Authors: Amina Beldjazia, Djamel Alatou, Khaled Missaoui

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The forest of Mahouna is a part of the mountain range of the Tell Atlas in the northeast of Algeria. It is characterized by a significant biodiversity. The management of this resource requires thorough the understanding of the current state of the vegetation (inventories), degradation factors and ongoing monitoring of the various long-term ecological changes. Digital mapping is a very effective way to in-depth knowledge of natural resources. The realization of a vegetation map based on satellite images, aerial photographs and the use of geographic information system (GIS), shows large values results of the vegetation of the massif in the scientific view point (the development of a database of the different formations that exist on the site, ecological conditions) and economic (GIS facilitate our task of managing the various resources and diversity of the forest). The methodology is divided into three stages: the first involves an analysis of climate data (1988 to 2013); the second is to conduct field surveys (soil and phytoecological) during the months of June and July 2013 (10 readings), the third is based on the development of different themes and synthetic cards by software of GIS (ENVI 4.6 and 10 ARCMAP). The results show: cork oak covers an area of 1147 ha. Depending on the environmental conditions, it rests on sandstone and individualizes between 3 layers of vegetation from thermo-mediterranean (the North East part with 40ha), meso-Mediterranean (1061 ha) and finally the supra-Mediterranean (46ha ). The map shows the current actual state of the cork oak forest massif of Mahouna, it is an older forest (>150 years) where regeneration is absent because of several factors (fires, overgrazing, leaching, erosion, etc.). The cork oak is in the form of dense forest with Laburnum and heather as the dominant species. It may also present in open forest dominated by scrub species: Daphne gniduim, Erica arborea, Calycotome spinosa, Phillyrea angustifolia, Lavandula stoechas, Cistus salvifolius.

Keywords: biodiversity, environmental, Mahouna, Cork oak

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Authors: Jonathan Nash, Allen Hartt, Catherine Plante

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In many nations, community colleges, or similar institutions, play a crucial role in higher education. For example, in the United States more than half of all undergraduate students enroll in a community college at some point during their academic career. Similar statistics have been reported for Australia and Canada. Recognizing the important role these institutions play in educating future accountants, the American Accounting Association has called for research that contributes to a better understanding of these members of the academic community. Although previous literature has shown that community colleges and 4-year institutions differ on many levels, the extant literature has provided data on the characteristics of introductory accounting courses for four-year institutions but not for community colleges. We fill a void in the literature by providing data on the characteristics of introductory accounting courses offered by community colleges in the United States. Data are collected on several dimensions including: course size and staffing, pedagogical orientation, standardization of course elements, textbook selection, and use of technology-based course management tools. Many of these dimensions have been used in previous research examining four-year institutions thereby facilitating comparisons. The resulting data should be of interest to instructors, regulators and administrators, researchers, and the accounting profession. The data provide information on the introductory accounting courses completed by the average community college student which can help instructors identify areas where transfer students’ experiences might differ from their contemporaries at four-year colleges. Regulators and administrators may be interested in the differences between accounting courses offered by two- and four-year institutions when implementing standardized transfer programs. Researchers might use the data to motivate future research into whether differences between two- and four-year institutions affect outcomes like the probability of students choosing to major in accounting and their performance within the major. Accounting professionals may use our findings as a springboard for facilitating discussions related to the accounting labor supply.

Keywords: Accounting curricula, Community college, Descriptive study, Introductory accounting

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Authors: Nebiyou Masebo

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The severities of land degradation in southern Ethiopia has been increasing due to high population density, replacement of an age-old agroforestry (AF) based agricultural system with monocropping. The consequences of these activities combined with climate change have been impaired soil biota, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil glomalin, soil aggregation and aggregate stability. The AF systems could curb these problems due it is an ecologically and economically sustainable. This study was aimed to determine the effect of agroforestry practices (AFPs) on soil glomalin, soil aggregate stability (SAS), and aggregate association with SOC. Soil samples (from two depth level: 0-30 & 30-60 cm) and woody species were collected from homegarden based agroforestry practice (HAFP), cropland based agroforestry practice (ClAFP), woodlot based agroforestry practice (WlAFP) and trees on soil and water conservation based agroforestry practice (TSWAFP) using systematic sampling. In this study, both easily extractable glomalin related soil protein (EEGRSP) and total glomalin related soil protein (TGRSP) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in HAFP compared to others, with decreasing order HAFP>WlAFP>TSWAFP>ClAFP at upper surface but in subsurface in decreasing order: WlAFP>HAFP>TSWAFP>ClAFP. On the other hand, the macroaggregate fraction of AFPs ranged from 22.64-36.51% where the lowest was in ClAFP, while the highest was in HAFP, moreover, the order for subsurface was also the same but SAS decreased with the increasing of soil depths. The micro-aggregate fraction ranged from 15.9–24.56%, where the lowest was in HAFP, but the highest was in ClAFP. Besides, the association of OC with both macro-and micro-aggregates was greatest in HAFP and followed by WlAFP. The findings also showed that both glomalin and SAS were significantly high with woody species diversity and richness. Thus, AFP with good management practice can play role on maintenance of biodiversity, glomalin content and other soil quality parameters with future implications for a stable ecosystem.

Keywords: agroforestry, soil aggregate stability, glomalin, aggregate-associated carbon, HAFP, ClAFP, WlAFP, TSWAFP.

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Authors: Antoifi Abdoulhalik, Ashraf Ahmed

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The ever growing threat of saltwater intrusion has prompted the need to further advance the understanding of underlying processes related to SWI for effective water resource management. While research efforts have mainly been focused on steady state analysis, studies on the transience of saltwater intrusion mechanism remain very scarce and studies considering transient SWI in heterogeneous medium are, as per our knowledge, simply inexistent. This study provides for the first time a quantitative analysis of the effect of both inland and coastal water level changes on the transition zone under transient conditions in layered coastal aquifer. In all, two sets of four experiments were completed, including a homogeneous case, and four layered cases: case LH and case HL presented were two bi-layered scenarios where a low K layer was set at the top and the bottom, respectively; case HLH and case LHL presented two stratified aquifers with High K–Low K–High K and Low K–High K– Low K pattern, respectively. Experimental automated image analysis technique was used here to quantify the main SWI parameters under high spatial and temporal resolution. The findings of this study provide an invaluable insight on the underlying processes responsible of transition zone dynamics in coastal aquifers. The results show that in all the investigated cases, the width of the transition zone remains almost unchanged throughout the saltwater intrusion process regardless of where the boundary change occurs. However, the results demonstrate that the width of the transition zone considerably increases during the retreat, with largest amplitude observed in cases LH and LHL, where a low K was set at the top of the system. In all the scenarios, the amplitude of widening was slightly smaller when the retreat was prompted by instantaneous drop of the saltwater level than when caused by inland freshwater rise, despite equivalent absolute head change magnitude. The magnitude of head change significantly caused larger widening during the saltwater wedge retreat, while having no impact during the intrusion phase.

Keywords: freshwater-saltwater transition-zone dynamics, heterogeneous coastal aquifers, laboratory experiments, transience seawater intrusion

Procedia PDF Downloads 241