IMPACT OF ACADEMIC LIBRARY SERVICES ON STUDENTS SUCCESS AND PERFORMANCE

Libraries play an important role as a reliable and beneficial information provider in the students academic success and performance. The aim of this study is to investigate the students satisfaction with library resources and services provided by the academic library. Random surveying was conducted to find out the problem and difficulties faced by the students in accessing the library resources and its impact on their academic success and performance. The finding in the study showed that there is a significant and remarkable relationship between the library usage and the students’ academic performance and success. the major finding of the study is to conduct the information literacy programme for the students to promote awareness about the resources, services and facilities available in the library so that the students can take maximum advantage of the benefits provided by the library . One way to overcome this problem is to encourage the students to embrace using the library in their academic studies and explain its benefits

Study of the Applicability of the Restriction Theory and the Value Stream Mapping in the Management of Processes of the Legal Practice Nucleus of a Law Faculty in Rondônia, Brazil

This article aims to discuss, based on the researcher’s observation during the years 2017 to 2019, about the flow of lawsuits from a Legal Practice Nucleus of a law faculty, in the city of Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil, highlighting the lawsuits of the family court, because these processes need urgency and usually take time in the elaboration of their pieces. This research will present a study on how the Value Stream Mapping and the Restriction Theory help to decrease or eliminate time losses in the process of this NPJ. For the development, used an analytical literature review methodology on the Restriction Theory and Value Stream Mapping. The research subjects were the agents involved in the activities of the NPJ and the data collected by the participant’s observation method

The Contributions of Certain Variables in Determining Room Rates

Background: Researchers have given enormous importance to the hospitality industry, especially through studies that have analyzed the factors that affect traveler' decisions to book accommodation in hotels (e.g. room rate, amenities and location). However, data are generally examined from a guest's or a manager's point of view. Objective: This study examines factual data aiming to understand the extent to which the occupancy rate, quality, location and organizational form explain the room rates of hotels classified as four and five star. Data from hotels established in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, for a period of eleven years were gently provided by hoteliers and analyzed by multiple regression tests. Results: Among the six models obtained, the best model shows that the predictor variables explain 72.8% of the fees charged by the hotels examined in our research, and that the 'hotel quality' and 'occupancy rate' variables are those that contribute most positively to the configuration of the response variable. Conclusion: The models delivered by this study are the outcome of the multiple regression tests performed with five variables. There are other variables which might be included. However, the five variables explain 72.8% of the fees. The study is relevant to hoteliers because it analyses variables that directly affects the revenues of hotels. Knowing its contributions, hoteliers can decide investments to enhance outcomes

Hybrid Adaptive Computational Intelligence-based Multisensor Data Fusion applied to real-time UAV autonomous navigation

Nowadays, there is a remarkable world trend in employing UAVs and drones for diverse applications. The main reasons are that they may cost fractions of manned aircraft and avoid the exposure of human lives to risks. Nevertheless, they depend on positioning systems that may be vulnerable. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that these systems are as accurate as possible, aiming to improve the navigation. In pursuit of this end, conventional Data Fusion techniques can be employed. However, its computational cost may be prohibitive due to the low payload of some UAVs. This paper proposes a Multisensor Data Fusion application based on Hybrid Adaptive Computational Intelligence - the cascaded use of Fuzzy C-Means Clustering (FCM) and Adaptive-Network-Based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) algorithms - that have been shown able to improve the accuracy of current positioning estimation systems for real-time UAV autonomous navigation. In addition, the proposed methodology outperformed two other Computational Intelligence techniques

International standards for early fetal size and pregnancy dating based on ultrasound measurement of crown-rump length in the first trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: There are no international standards for relating fetal crown-rump length (CRL) to gestational age (GA), and most existing charts have considerable methodological limitations. The INTERGROWTH-21(st) Project aimed to produce the first international standards for early fetal size and ultrasound dating of pregnancy based on CRL measurement. METHODS: Urban areas in eight geographically diverse countries that met strict eligibility criteria were selected for the prospective, population-based recruitment, between 9 + 0 and 13 + 6 weeks' gestation, of healthy well-nourished women with singleton pregnancies at low risk of fetal growth impairment. GA was calculated on the basis of a certain last menstrual period, regular menstrual cycle and lack of hormonal medication or breastfeeding in the preceding 2 months. CRL was measured using strict protocols and quality-control measures. All women were followed up throughout pregnancy until delivery and hospital discharge. Cases of neonatal and fetal death, severe pregnancy complications and congenital abnormalities were excluded from the study. RESULTS: A total of 4607 women were enrolled in the Fetal Growth Longitudinal Study, one of the three main components of the INTERGROWTH-21(st) Project, of whom 4321 had a live singleton birth in the absence of severe maternal conditions or congenital abnormalities detected by ultrasound or at birth. The CRL was measured in 56 women at < 9 + 0 weeks' gestation; these were excluded, resulting in 4265 women who contributed data to the final analysis. The mean CRL and SD increased with GA almost linearly, and their relationship to GA is given by the following two equations (in which GA is in days and CRL in mm): mean CRL = -50.6562 + (0.815118 × GA) + (0.00535302 × GA(2) ); and SD of CRL = -2.21626 + (0.0984894 × GA). GA estimation is carried out according to the two equations: GA = 40.9041 + (3.21585 × CRL(0.5) ) + (0.348956 × CRL); and SD of GA = 2.39102 + (0.0193474 × CRL). CONCLUSIONS: We have produced international prescriptive standards for early fetal linear size and ultrasound dating of pregnancy in the first trimester that can be used throughout the world

Estudantes Surdos no IF Sudeste MG – campus Barbacena: percepções docentes

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar e analisar a visão e prática docente relacionadas à contribuição da comunicação para a inclusão e formação omnilateral dos discentes surdos no IF Sudeste de MG – campus Barbacena. A pesquisa foi realizada nos meses de novembro e dezembro de 2020 e consistiu na realização de entrevista semiestruturada a quatro docentes do Núcleo de Informática do campus Barbacena. A entrevista versou sobre a comunicação/interação no processo de ensino-aprendizagem, inclusão e formação omnilateral. As entrevistas foram transcritas e procedeu-se a análise de conteúdo. Foi verificado que os docentes não têm formação adequada para lecionar para surdos, dependem da participação do intérprete/tradutor de Libras, desenvolveram iniciativas didático/pedagógicas individuais e foi verificada a falta de articulação entre docentes e equipe pedagógica. A comunicação com os alunos, a necessidade de recursos humanos e de material adaptado foram as principais dificuldades apontadas pelos docentes para a inclusão dos alunos surdos. Na opinião dos docentes, a instituição está, lentamente, se instrumentalizando para receber esses discentes. Pode-se concluir que não há a inclusão completa e nem a educação integral dos alunos surdos, sendo necessário promover a capacitação dos servidores, para uma comunicação significativa com esse público; são necessários momentos de trocas de experiências entre docentes e equipe pedagógica e investimentos em projetos que objetivem o desenvolvimento de material didático aplicado

Naturally acquired antibodies to polymorphic and conserved epitopes of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 3

Many studies on the role of merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) in immunity against malaria have focused on a conserved section of MSP3. New evidence suggests that polymorphic sequences within MSP3 are under immune selection. We report a detailed analysis of naturally-acquired antibodies to allele-specific and conserved parts of MSP3 in a Kenyan cohort. Indirect and competition ELISA to heterologous recombinant MSP3 proteins were used for antibody assays, and parasites were genotyped for msp3 alleles. Antibody reactivity to allele-specific and conserved epitopes of MSP3 was heterogenous between individuals. Overall, the prevalence of allele-specific antibody reactivity was significantly higher (3D7-specific 54%, K1-specific 41%) than that to a recombinant protein representing a conserved portion of C-terminal MSP3 (24%, P < 0·01). The most abundant IgG subclass was IgG3, followed by IgG1. Allele-specific reactivity to the K1-type of MSP3 was associated with a lower risk of clinical malaria episodes during a 6-month follow-up in individuals who were parasitized at the start of the malaria transmission season (Relative risk 0·41 with 95% confidence interval 0·20–0·81, P = 0·011). The potential importance of allele-specific immunity to MSP3 should be considered in addition to immunity to conserved epitopes, in the development of an MSP3 malaria vaccine

TRANSFERÊNCIA DE CONHECIMENTO TECNOLÓGICO: análise dos fatores indutores e restritivos à aquisição de conhecimento em dois hospitais do Norte de Angola

O artigo se propõe a investigar a dinâmica da transferência de conhecimento entre fornecedores de equipamentos médico-hospitalares para os hospitais. Partindo-se de uma perspectiva teórica sobre a transferência de conhecimento, discutiram-se os diversos fatores que podem induzir ou dificultar tal processo. A pesquisa de natureza qualitativa abrangeu dois estudos de casos de hospitais de referência da região Norte de Angola, que possuem equipamentos tecnológicos adquiridos de fornecedores estrangeiros. Os resultados apontam que os fatores como qualidade do relacionamento entre fonte e receptora e proximidade cultural exercem influência importante na transferência de conhecimento entre as empresas fornecedoras e os hospitais. A capacidade para transferir o conhecimento e a motivação da fonte, a capacidade absortiva e motivação da receptora emergem também como fatores relevantes para a transferência de conhecimento.

TRANSFERÊNCIA DE CONHECIMENTO TECNOLÓGICO: análise dos fatores indutores e restritivos à aquisição de conhecimento em dois hospitais do Norte de Angola

O artigo se propõe a investigar a dinâmica da transferência de conhecimento entre fornecedores de equipamentos médico-hospitalares para os hospitais. Partindo-se de uma perspectiva teórica sobre a transferência de conhecimento, discutiram-se os diversos fatores que podem induzir ou dificultar tal processo. A pesquisa de natureza qualitativa abrangeu dois estudos de casos de hospitais de referência da região Norte de Angola, que possuem equipamentos tecnológicos adquiridos de fornecedores estrangeiros. Os resultados apontam que os fatores como qualidade do relacionamento entre fonte e receptora e proximidade cultural exercem influência importante na transferência de conhecimento entre as empresas fornecedoras e os hospitais. A capacidade para transferir o conhecimento e a motivação da fonte, a capacidade absortiva e motivação da receptora emergem também como fatores relevantes para a transferência de conhecimento