Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Technology And Traditional Systems In Regional Revitalisation; Insights From Japanese Practices, Fathelalem Ali Hija, Yasuki Shima, Yuji Arakaki

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

This study examines the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions and advanced technology practices and their coexistence with conventional systems and initiatives that have been operating in different regions of Japan to address some of the socio-economic challenges. The methodological approach of the study includes three facets, namely government initiatives, technology involvement and local society actors. The study examines government visions and initiatives that emphasize the use of advanced technology as a key factor and tool to enable solutions and realize the target vision. The ageing population and economic stagnation are common challenges in different regions of Japan. …

Molybdenum Versus Tungsten Based Polyoxometalates For Highly Effective Methylene Blue Removal, Roula Abi Saad, Ghassan Younes, Mohammad H. El- Dakdouki, Rami Al-Oweini

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

[SiW₁₂O₄₀]^4-(SiW₁₂) and [Mo₈O₂₆]^4- (Mo₈) were synthesized and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The prepared polyoxometalates were studied as potential adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from an aqueous solution. Various operational parameters—contact time, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration, pH, and temperature— were meticulously assessed by UV/Vis spectrophotometry to study its impact on the adsorption efficacy. An inverse relationship was observed between the percentage dye removal and the initial dye concentration, highlighting the complexes' superior adsorption capabilities under lower dye loads. The …

Preliminary Water Quality Assessment Using Canadian Water Quality Index Of Ras El-Ain Ponds, South Lebanon, Hussien Ali Fayad, Safaa Baydoun, Mohamad Reda Soliman

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Water quality deterioration in Lebanon is a pressing national issue and there is a high need for continuous water quality assessment and monitoring of water bodies in the country. This study aims at assessing water quality of Ras El-Ain Ponds, a major natural water resource for domestic use in Tyre district, South Lebanon by using the widely applied Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI). Sampling was conducted during February-March, 2023 and physiochemical and microbiological water quality parameters were determined using standardized methods. Assessed parameters in our study are temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total …

Volar V-Y Advancement Flaps In Reconstructing Fingertip Injuries, Sawsan Abiad

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Fingertip injuries with exposed bones and joints require immediate or early closure for the preservation of function and avoidance of complications. The ideal procedure should maintain the length of the finger and cover the defect with non-tender, well-padded skin with normal sensation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the different types of volar V-Y advancement flaps in reconstructing and resurfacing injuries of the fingertips at different levels and angles. Thirty patients (N=30) sustaining fingertip injuries of variable etiology and lost components, type III & IV according to Allen’s classification were divided into two groups (n=15) …

Human Gender Classification Using Kinect Sensor: A Review, Hesham Adnan Alabbasi, Florica Moldoveanu, Alin Moldoveanu

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Human Gender Classification using Kinect sensor aims to classifying people’s gender based on their outward appearance. Application areas of Kinect sensor technology includes security, marketing, healthcare, and gaming. However, because of the changes in pose, attire, and illumination, gender determination with the Kinect sensor is not a trivial task. It is based on a variety of characteristics, including biological, social network, face, and body aspects. In recent years, gender classification that utilizes the Kinect sensor became a popular and essential way for accurate gender classification. A variety of methods and approaches, like machine learning, convolutional neural networks, sport vector machine …

Spotlights: Care For Life, Sesi Technologies, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Research Summaries: Food Insecurity, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Food Insecurity And Solutions: Full Issue, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Qualitative Study Exploring The Risk Factors Of Burnout: Pennsylvania Social Work Professionals In Child Welfare, Nicole Ukaegbu

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Burnout is a concern that impacts many professionals in the workplace. This study focused on the risk factors of burnout for social work professionals in Pennsylvania’s child welfare industry. The study was conducted with 10 professionals at children and youth services (CYS) agencies in Pennsylvania, where each of the professionals were interviewed to gain perspective on the problem of burnout. This study used a qualitative approach and was rooted in grounded theory to unravel the findings.

Four risk factor themes, nine risk factor subthemes, and two additional findings themes were generated during the data analysis process. Findings from the 10 …

The Interaction Of The Cotton Piece With The Piles Of The Scrabble Cotton Drum, Fazliddin Egamberdiev, Ilkhom Abbazov, Oybek Kholmuratov, Rashid Kaldybaev

Technical science and innovation

This article presents the results of an analytical study of the process of loosening and cleaning raw cotton from small debris by pileging working bodies of purifiers, on the basis of which directions for further research were chosen to optimize the parameters of the developed pile drum with spherical piles and rubber strips. Cotton entering production contains impurities. The processes of loosening and cleaning the fiber shreds are key in the initial stages of ginning, as they prepare the raw cotton for ginning and directly affect the reliability, productivity of these processes and the quality of the resulting fiber. Weed …

Adaptation Algorithm For Self-Tuning Of Parameters Of Models Of Multi-Stage Flotation Processes, Nilufar Sharifzhanova, Maksadhan Yakubov, Francesco Gregoretti

Technical science and innovation

Modern methods for solving problems of planning the execution of batches of tasks in multi-stage systems are characterized by the presence of restrictions on their dimensionality, the impossibility of guaranteed obtaining better results in comparison with fixed packages for different values of the input parameters of the problem. In the article, the author solved the problem of optimizing the composition of job packages running in multi-stage systems using the branch and bound method. Research has been carried out on various ways to form package execution orders tasks in multi-stage systems (heuristic rules for ordering packages tasks in the sequence of …

Potential Applications Of Encoders, Erkin Uljaev, Utkirjon Murodillayevich Ubaydullaev

Technical science and innovation

This article explores the applicability of diverse sensor types—such as optical, magnetic incremental encoder and potentiometric sensors—for controlling the turning angle of tractor steering wheels, specifically addressing the control challenges faced by semi-mounted cotton pickers. The discussion encompasses fundamental principles, operational aspects, advantages, and limitations of turning angle sensors prevalent in the industry. Emphasizing advancements in sensor technology, the article recommends sensor options for controlling the steering wheel's turning angle, crucial for enhanced maneuverability and operational efficiency of semi-mounted cotton pickers. Various sensor types, including optical and magnetic encoders and potentiometers, are evaluated for their suitability in this context. Optical …

The Impact Of Isil And Covid-19 On The Financial Performance Of Banks Listed On The Iraq Stock Exchange: A Comparative Study, Farqad Faisal Jadaan Sallal

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This study aims to demonstrate the impact of the ISIL crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on the financial performance of banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange by comparing the profitability ratios of the banks in the research sample. In order to achieve this aim, a sample of 10 banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange was selected for the period 2011-2021. Using annual financial reports for the periods before and after the emergence of ISIS. Before and after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the profitability ratios were extracted (represented by return on assets, equity, and deposits). The …

الدور الوسيط لسـلوكيات التسيس التنظيمي فى العلاقة بين الأنومية التنظيمية والانحراف التنظيمي: دراسة تحليلية لأراء عينة من الأفراد العاملين في مستشفيات جامعة المنصورة بمصر, سامر احمد محمد

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

أن الغرض من هذا البحث هو تحري عن العلاقة بين الأنومية التنظيمية وسلوكيات التسييس التنظيمي والانحراف التنظيمي لعينة من جميع العاملين بمستشفيات جامعة المنصورة، وبالاعتماد على عينة عشوائية طبقية من العاملين بالجهة محل الدراسة تم توزيع عدد (360) استمارة استبانة وبلغت قوائم الاستقصاء الصحيحة (277) قائمة بمعدل اســــتجابة (77٪)، وتم تحــليل البيانات باســــتخدام أســــلوب نمذجة المعـــادلة الهيكلية (PLS-SEM)، بواســـــطة برنامج (26.V AMOS)، (26. (SPSS V، وتبرز أهمية البحث من ندرة الدراسات التي اهتمت بتحديد طبيعة العلاقة الأنومية التنظيمية وسلوكيات التسييس التنظيمي والانحراف التنظيمي ووجود مشكلة واقعية تؤثر بشكل كبير على الأداء بمستشفيات جامعة المنصورة، وأظهرت النتائج النظرية وجود فجوة معرفية …

Environmental Sustainability Research And Future Directions For Events And Facilities: An Assessment Of The Field, Brian Mccullough, Anne Dietrich, Rafael Rocha, Yongjoon Bae

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Environmental sustainability among sport facilities and events is the focus of this piece. The authors focus on three areas: (1) the environmental impacts of sport facilities and events, (2) the progress that can be made through strategic initiatives, and (3) how these entities engage fans and the surrounding communities to be more environmentally sustainable. The authors stress how these three aspects must be considered in tandem rather than in isolation as ways to advance the environmental sustainability movement among sport facilities and events.

Venue Safety Strategies: Guardrails And The Line-Of-Sight Exemption, Gil Fried, Aneurin Grant

Journal of Applied Sport Management

This piece represents a focused article on safety issues connected to railings at sporting events and why there needs to be considerable action taken to protect fans. Specifically, the authors believe the current line-of-sight exception (minimum 26") allows for railings that are dangerously inadequate to protect fans. It is argued that if sport facility managers and or venues do not proactively address this railing height issue, then architects, building inspectors, and others should seek to change the building code to eliminate the fans continued exposure to unnecessary hazards.

Advancing Polymer Sustainability Through Custom Interpenetrating Polymer Network Synthesis, Processing, And Design, Alexandra Maria Lehman-Chong

Theses and Dissertations

The need for improving polymer sustainability is as ubiquitous as the role of polymers in modern society. Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) design flexibility offers opportunities for improved polymer sustainability while balancing desired polymer properties for various applications. This work investigates the structure-property-processing relationships of IPNs judiciously designed under the framework of the polymer life cycle. Sustainable polymer design was largely considered at the feedstock and manufacturing stages while considering overall polymer performance. Chemicals from bio-based feedstocks were used to design a full simultaneous polybenzoxazine-epoxy IPN, focusing on the effects of monomer and polymer structure on polymer properties. Processing-property relationships were …

West Tennessee River Basin Authority (Wtrba) 2023 Annual Report, Samuel D. Smith

WTRBA Annual Report

No abstract provided.

Fungal Empyema Thoracis, A Rare But An Emerging Entity: A Retrospective Case Series From Pakistan, Nousheen Iqbal, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Aqusa Zahid, Kauser Jabeen, Muhammad Irfan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

Background and objective: Fungal empyema is a rare entity which is associated with high mortality. It is mostly seen in immune-compromised hosts. However, there is limited data available on fungal empyema from developing countries regarding risk factors, treatment, and outcome. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors, clinical features, treatment, and outcome of fungal empyema.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed on proven fungal empyema cases, admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan during January 2018 to May 2021. We excluded all those patients with polymicrobial bacterial and fungal empyema or with negative pleural fluid cultures. …

Obesity, Overweight Rates, And Related Factors Among Adults In The Rustic Realm Of Western India, Monika Patel, Jimmy Kagathara, Eshwar Kumar Gupta, Nancy Kagathara, Jitesh Mehta, Dipesh Parmar

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Obesity and overweight pose significant challenges in developing countries, underscoring the need for evidence-based prevention strategies. This study focuses on assessing the prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity in the rural areas of Jamnagar district, Gujarat, India.

Methods: Data collection encompassed six tehsils within Jamnagar district, with primary health center selection via simple random sampling. Individual selection employed the consecutive sampling approach. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Regression analysis was employed to identify the independent factors linked to overweight and obesity.

Results: The analysis included 408 participants, revealing a higher obesity prevalence …

Walking With Helena: An Examination Of A Gendered Model For Women And Medieval Pilgrimage In Northern Spain, Katharine Scherff

Peregrinations: Journal of Medieval Art and Architecture

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Iraqi Banking Sector’S Concentration And Competitiveness With The Herfindahl-Hirschmann Index, Mohammed Kaml Mzher, Hossein Sharifi Renani, Mostafa Mostafa Rajabi

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This research delves into the intricacies of the Iraqi banking sector, focusing on its concentration and competitiveness using the Herfindahl-Hirschmann Index (HHI) as a pivotal tool. In the backdrop of modern financial dynamics and the rapid globalization of banking systems, understanding the concentration and competitiveness of the banking sector becomes paramount, especially for developing nations such as Iraq. Drawing data from government and private banks operating in Iraq from 2005 to 2020, this study provides a comprehensive view of the sector’s evolution over these 15 years. The research reveals significant insights into the relationship between banking concentration, as measured by …

Age, Body Mass Index, Physical Activity And Quality Of Life In Turkish Pregnant Woman With And Without A Diagnosis Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Comparative Study, Yaren Nur Tayyar, Hatice Kahyaoglu Sut

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to examine and compare the age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and quality of life (QOL) of third-trimester Turkish pregnant women with and without a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A comparative study was conducted in the obstetrics clinic of a university hospital in Turkey, and it included 210 women (GDM women = 105 and non-GDM women = 105). Personal Information Form, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-Short Form-Turkish (WHOQOL-Bref-TR) were used.

Results: The age and BMI of GDM women were higher …

Associated Factors Related To Self-Management Behaviors Among People With Type 2 Diabetes In Myanmar, Aye Nyein Oo, Jiraporn Lininger, Sirirat Leelacharas

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Diabetes is a global health concern that affects individuals and the healthcare system. This study aimed to describe the relationships between personal and environmental factors and self-management behaviors in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This research included 100 individuals with T2DM who were recruited through convenient sampling from three government hospitals in Myanmar. Data collection was fulfilled using a standardized interviewer-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic information, the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale, the New Short-Form Health Literacy Instrument, the 24-item version of the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire, the Social Support Questionnaire, and the Summary of Diabetes …

Unveiling The Most Delicious Foods In The World By Artificial Intelligence And Google Trends, Betty Masruroh, Aji Prasetya Wibawa, Lisa Ramadhani Harianti, Ahmed Djoumoi, Fuad Maysa, Vira Setia Ningrum, Nissa Mawarda Rokhman, Prananda Anugrah

Bulletin of Culinary Art and Hospitality

Food holds significant importance in human existence, serving as the source of energy, as well as the cultural expression, media, and identity of a nation. Currently, gastronomy, or the art of cooking, has gained greater popularity, fueled by an awareness of the importance of healthy and delicious food, along with easy access to culinary information from around the world. Following this popularity, questions concerning the most tasty meal arise, but the answer is subjective in nature. Therefore, this study adopts a novel approach that combines artificial intelligence (AI), consisting of ChatGPT, Bard, and Google Trends, to identify the best global …

Analysis Of The Effect Of Adding Avocado Seed Flour On Proximate, Physical, And Hedonic Properties Of Traditional Semprong Cake, Mohammad Farhan Prakasa, Mazarina Devi, Laili Hidayati, Norrina Din

Bulletin of Culinary Art and Hospitality

Several studies have revealed that avocado seeds contain various compounds that benefitthe body. Avocado seeds can be made into avocado seed flour, which has the potential to be used in making semprong cakes. This research aims to analyze the effect of adding avocado seed flour on the proximate, physical, and hedonic properties of traditional semprong cake. The researcher's method used is method experiment with the objective analysis of characteristic chemistry, physical properties, as well as organoleptic tests on cakes semprong with the addition of flour seed avocado on three different levels, namely 10, 15, and 20 percent of the total …

Overview Of Global Food Insecurity And Solutions, Lakell S. Archer, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

A Vision For A Food-Secure Future Through Permaculture, Jim Gale

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

In response to the pressing challenges of food security, sustainability, and resilience, Food Forest Abundance, led by visionary CEO Jim Gale, emerges as a beacon for permaculture-based agriculture and community development. This editorial explores the organization's pivotal role in advocating for a future where individuals, families, and communities thrive through sustainable practices and localized food systems. Central to Food Forest Abundance mission is the conviction that permaculture principles can revolutionize our approach to food security, health, and wellness by uniting agricultural and community leaders.

The catalyst for this movement was the World Farmers Market Coalition report, revealing the tangible economic, …

Review Of Steve Taylor’S Disconnected, Zeke Floro

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This article presents a review of Steve Taylor’s (2023) book, DisConnected: The Roots of Human Cruelty and How Connection Can Heal the World. Taylor makes a significant contribution to the study of psychological development, spiritual growth, and the overall evolution of consciousness by thoughtfully examining the disconnection that underlies violent crime, terrorism, dishonest business practices, authoritarianism, religious extremism, surrender of autonomy, culture wars, and polarized politics. He convincingly argues that disconnection is not the default state of humanity, but rather an aberration, and that dark aspects of human nature emerge from an environmentally conditioned sense of separation and inability to …