A Three-Step Guide to Shut it Down in Your Social Science Class

This satirical comic seeks to highlight various classroom power dynamics and colonial knowledge hierarchies in higher education. It also touches upon the pedagogies of shame that both students and educators often internalize and perpetuate in the classroom. In terms of the medium, a hand drawn comic, the intention is to utilize methods beyond those considered normative and traditional to academia, such as the written word, while still offering academic analysis and contribution to scholarship and discourse on education

Evaluation of the resistance of few citrus rootstocks to alkalinity by applying a faste test of secreening

Alkalinity of Moroccan soils is the major abiotic constraint on citrus production area. The best choice of citrus rootstocks adequate and resistant is a better solution to avoid this problem. The aim of this study is to develop a fast test of citrus rootstocks screening towards alkalinity. The alkaline stress was applied on ten citrus rootstocks two month old, using irrigation with a Hoagland and Arnon solution added with 1 g CaCO(3)/L and adjusted at various pH levels 6, 7 and 9. Observations concerned symptoms incidence and severity of iron chlorosis after two months of rearing. Results permitted to classify Poncirus trifoliata and Flying dragon as the most sensitive to alkalinity stresses, whereas, Citrus volkameriana and Citrus macrophylla were resistant. These conclusions are equivalent with those obtained with old citrus rootstocks in field trials

Sleep quality and obesity in young subjects: a meta-analysis

Objectives: To assess the effect of poor sleep quality on Overweight/Obesity (Ow/Ob) in young subjects, and explore if this association is independent of sleep duration. Methods: Pubmed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases were searched for papers on sleep quality and overweight/obesity, focusing on children, adolescents, and young adults. Studies based on subjects with medical/psychological problems or published in languages other than English were excluded. Quality effects model was used to pool studies for meta-analysis. Results: Findings from the systematic review suggest a link between poor sleep quality and Ow/Ob in young subjects. Pooled estimate (from 26,553 subjects) suggest a role of inadequate sleep (including both short duration and poor quality) in Ow/Ob (OR: 1.27 95% CI: 1.05-1.53). Sub-group-analyses suggest considerably higher odds of Ow/Ob (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.24-1.72) in young subjects with poor sleep quality (independent of duration). Conclusions: Poor sleep quality seems to be associated with Ow/Ob, and some studies indicate this association to be independent of duration. Therefore, considering only sleep duration might not help in disentangling sleep-obesity association. However, this review is mostly composed of cross-sectional studies. Therefore, a causal link or the stability of the sleep quality and Ow/Ob association could not be established

HaLow Wi-Fi performance in multiusers and channels environment with MATLAB Simulink

HaLow Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11ah) wireless networking standard. As opposed to 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz-based conventional Wi-Fi networks, it leverages 900 MHz frequencies license-exempt for enabling networks Wi-Fi with a longer range. Lower energy usage makes it possible to build extensive networks of sensors or stations that work together to communicate signals, which is another advantage. In this paper IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi system design and implemented using MATLAB Simulink and tested under multiusers and channels environment in terms of Spectrum analyzer and constellation Diagram where 4 users, 2 MHz and 4 MHz channels bandwidth used to perfume the test also power of coarse synchronization, fine synchronization and initial channel estimation, to make Wi-Fi networks with a greater range possible were illustrated in space time stream

ACHIEVING VISUAL COMFORT IN UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL SPACES:A DESIGN FRAMEWORK FOR RESPONSIVE KINETIC SKIN

Achieving human comfort in a space is an architectural necessity. Feeling comfort is related to the sense organs network, such as the eyes, ears, nose, tactile sensors, heat sensors and brain. In fact, last few decades has witnessed the integration of many technologies and trends into the field of responsive architecture; among which kinetic architecture has been significant. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to achieve visual comfort in educational spaces in universities, while arguing that a responsive kinetic skin is to be an effective mean for achievement. That should help refreshing student and enhancing their educational spaces visually, by considering various factors, such as the light transmitted through the kinetic system and the colors of kinetic units. Consequently, student health will be enhanced mentally and psychologically. In the thesis, several kinetic skin alternatives will be simulated digitally, to choose one of them that will be applied and tested as a physical model (scale1/1) in one of the universities spaces. The outcome of this thesis is giving a framework for designers and architects to design responsive kinetic skin in universities respecting visual comfort of students. This framework will be presented through a graphical user interface (GUI) that can be easily used by architects

Working capital management and financial performance of listed conglomerate companies in Nigeria

This study examines the impact of working capital management on the financial performance of listed conglomerate companies in Nigeria for a period of ten (10) years (2005-2014). Data for the study were quantitatively retrieved from the annual reports and accounts of the studied companies. The study employed descriptive statistics to describe the variable while the relationships among the variables were established via correlation. Variable Inflation Factor (VIF) was used to determine the existence or otherwise of multi-collinearity while Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression was used to analyze the data. It was found that debtors collection period, creditors payment period and firm size were negatively related to return on investment while cash conversion cycle has positive but insignificant relationship with the financial performance of the studied companies. The study however, recommends among others that listed conglomerate companies should maintain the current debtors’ collection period or further reduce it in order to continue to enhance financial performance.peer-reviewe

Substantiation of the Priorities and Factors of the Formation of Competitive Advantages of the Process Industries of the Regional Agroindustrial Complex

Among the many distinctive features of the modern technical and economic situation of the reclamation industry, such as financial volatility, inconsistency of regulatory documents, there is also no effective mechanism for ensuring the country’s food security, there are flaws in the organizational, financial and credit policy, which brought down the technical level of production and technological processes ...In view of this, there is a need to mainstream a detailed study of the key problems of the agroindustrial complex (AIC) and the development of new theoretical and methodological principles and approaches to the organization of agroindustrial production. Such an approach should ensure the development of modern systems of resource-saving technologies, which will make it possible to carry out timely and deep processing of agri supplies, advance the facilities for attracting investments in priority production and agroprocessing, improve the quality and competitiveness of food and process industries, etc.The protracted transition in the agrarian sector to market relations can be explained by a narrow understanding of the essence of the market economy, measures and methods of their state regulation, which led to undesirable tendencies, ignoring national-historical features in the agrarian sector, etc., which makes it necessary to find an appropriate economic mechanism capable of guaranteeing the production of competitive products and ensuring high quality of production.On account of insufficient elaboration of many theoretical and methodological, methodical and practical aspects, the need for further research in the field of forecasting the sustainable development of the processing industry, complexity and non-systemic knowledge of the competitive functioning of the processing industries of the agroindustrial complex, we have determined its purpose and objectives

Cultural adaptation of self-management of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia (qualitative study)

Background: Saudi Arabia is continuously working on developing its health care system, however with the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and comorbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases, self-management education programmes are essential. As part of a planned series of studies to develop a culturally sensitive type 2 diabetes self-management programme, this study explores the need versus barriers and facilitators relevant to implementing a national programme for type 2 diabetes self-management education within the community and health care system in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A qualitative methodology was used to explore the views of a multidisciplinary group of diabetes health professionals and adult patients with type 2 diabetes. The views of nine health professionals working at a specialised diabetes care centre were gathered at two focus groups (four and five) that included doctors, nutritionists, health educators and nurses. Individual interviews with 12 patients with type 2 diabetes (six females and six males) attending the centre were also carried out. Recurring themes through the translated transcripts were studied and treated by the research group under pre-set protocols. Results: Focus groups with health professionals revealed three main themes. 1. Resources: availability of resources and how they impacted on performance and patients’ care; 2.Familiarity with self-management education programmes: educating patients and raising awareness among them; and 3. Lifestyle: patients’ lifestyle and how it could affect their compliance with self-management programmes. Interviews with patients also revealed three main themes. 1. Habits: post diagnosis changes in patients’ attitudes and behaviours towards diet and physical activity; 2. Health education: awareness of managing type 2 diabetes through health centre advice or self-education; and 3. Culture and society: a lack of cultural or social support created by some social practices or conventions. Conclusion: The findings from this study highlight a gap in type 2 diabetes care system that can be breached through the development of a Saudi specific self-management programme for type 2 diabetes. The identified barriers and facilitators can be used for adapting a self-management programme to the Saudi context. However, initial training is needed for local health professionals to understand the mechanisms of self-management programmes. Such programmes will need to infiltrate to the society, and the patients’ families, in particular to tackle the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia and provide a friendlier, more supportive environment for the current patients to self-manage their diabetes

Correlates of type 2 diabetes and glycaemic control in adults in Saudi Arabia a secondary data analysis of the Saudi health interview survey

BACKGROUND:There is evidence that type 2 diabetes self-management programmes may have a positive impact on health outcomes of adults living in Gulf countries. However, none of the programmes evaluated were developed using evidence about the specific needs of adults with Type 2 diabetes living in the Gulf countries. This study is part of a wider programme of research, which uses a cultural adaptation framework to generate information on how to tailor type 2 diabetes self-management to the Saudi context. METHODS:Secondary data analysis of the Saudi Health Interview Survey (SHIS) (N = 10,821) was conducted. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression modelling assessed factors associated with type 2 diabetes and its control / self-management including sociodemographic factors (e.g. age, gender), lifestyle (e.g. diet, physical activity), and health seeking behaviours (e.g. chronic illnesses, health services). RESULTS:7% (N = 808) of all participants had type 2 diabetes (59% male), however it represents 35% at or above 55 years. In multivariate analysis at older age, being overweight or obese, male, having hypertension, and reporting a reduction in health status in the 12 months prior to questionnaire completion, were significantly associated with having type 2 diabetes. Participants who reported walking for more than 10 min per day were less likely to report type 2 diabetes. Unexpectedly there was a significant association between type 2 diabetes and lower frequency of fast food intake, while increased fruit and vegetable intake was associated with poor glycaemic control. CONCLUSIONS:Being overweight and/or hypertensive are concomitant with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Any self-management programmes for type 2 diabetes patients with either of these conditions should be tailored accordingly. Walking behaviours should be prioritised in Saudi self-management programmes. Prediabetes management programmes may be of special importance to the Saudi community

Comparison of high- versus low-intensity community health worker intervention to promote newborn and child health in Northern Nigeria

In Northern Nigeria, infant mortality rates are two to three times higher than in the southern states, and, in 2008, a partnership program to improve maternal, newborn, and child health was established to reduce infant and child mortality in three Northern Nigeria states. The program intervention zones received government-supported health services plus integrated interventions at primary health care posts and development of community-based service delivery (CBSD) with a network of community volunteers and community health workers (CHWs), who focus on educating women about danger signs for themselves and their infants and promoting appropriate responses to the observation of those danger signs, consistent with the approach of the World Health Organization Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness strategy. Before going to scale in the rest of the state, it is important to identify the relative effectiveness of the low-intensity volunteer approach versus the more intensive CBSD approach with CHWs. We conducted stratified cluster sample household surveys at baseline (2009) and follow-up (2011) to assess changes in newborn and sick child care practices among women with births in the five prior years (baseline: n = 6,906; follow-up: n = 2,310). The follow-up respondents were grouped by level of intensity of the CHW interventions in their community, with “low” including group activities led only by a trained community volunteer and “high” including the community volunteer activities plus CBSD from a CHW providing one-on-one advice and assistance. t-tests were used to test for significant differences from baseline to follow-up, and F-statistics, which adjust for the stratified cluster design, were used to test for significant differences between the control, low-intensity, and high-intensity intervention groups at follow-up. These analyses focused on changes in newborn and sick child care practices. Anti-tetanus vaccination coverage during pregnancy increased from 69.2% at baseline to 85.7% at follow-up in the intervention areas. Breastfeeding within 24 hours increased from 42.9% to 59.0% in the intervention areas, and more newborns were checked by health workers within 48 hours (from 16.8% at baseline to 26.8% at follow-up in the intervention areas). Newborns were more likely to be checked by trained health personnel, and they received more comprehensive newborn care. Compared to the control communities, more than twice as many women in intervention communities knew to watch for specific newborn danger signs. Compared to the control and low-intensity intervention communities, more mothers in the high-intensity communities learned about the care of sick children from CHWs, with a corresponding decline those seeking advice from family or friends or traditional birth attendants. Significantly fewer mothers did nothing when their child was sick. High-intensity intervention communities experienced the most decline. Those who did nothing for children with fever or cough declined from 35% to 30%, and with diarrhea from 40% to 31%. Use of medications, both traditional and modern, increased from baseline to follow-up, with no differentiation in use by intervention area. The community-based approach to promoting improved newborn and sick child care through community volunteers and CHWs resulted in improved newborn and sick child care. The low-intensity approach with community volunteers appears to have been as effective as the higher-intensity CBSD approach with CHWs for several of the key newborn and sick child care indicators, particularly in the provision of appropriate home care for children with fever or cough