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Bio-Based PLA Membranes for Ion Transport and Ion Filtration
Get PDFLithium-ion batteries require battery separators for both safety and electrochemical performance. Due to that, they have received a lot of attention. In order to prevent any electronic current from moving within the negative and positive electrodes and allow ions to flow through while avoidance of electric contact between them, a porous membrane used as a separator is positioned between the electrodes with opposing polarities. Accordingly, the objective of the present work is to build a biodegradable PLA based battery separator, which has exceptional thermal capabilities and can endure temperatures of up to 300°C. They also seem to serve as the least degree of barrier for the flow of an ionic current. In this study bio-polymer battery separator membranes were developed using PLA as matrix material and fillers such as Copper slag (CS) and Cardanol resin (CNSL). CS and CNSL were preferred for the reason to realize the concept of a wealth reclaimed from wastes that act as toughening and pore forming agent for PLA matrix. It is found that at PLA-CS film has more brittleness when compared to neat PLA and PLA-CNSL resin. On the other hand, PLA-CNSL films are the toughest ones. Overall, it has been demonstrated that obtaining more sustainable and high-performance is possible by the usage of such sustainable materials for futuristic developments
The Impact of Taking into Account Information Asymmetries and the Credit Market Structure in the Assessment of Borrowers' Credit Worthiness: Case of Tunisia
Get PDFWe attempt to assess borrowers’ credit worthiness in three scenarios one heralding prevalence of information asymmetries the second heralding absence of information asymmetries and the third a realistic scenario encompassing both features for the sake of determining which one gives the best outcome in terms of goodness of fit and adequacy of the model specification with the corresponding market structure of the credit market in purview.
The added value of this research is that, when we want to estimate any entity, the explanatory variables carrying market imperfections must be manifested and not implicitly invocated because of the endogeneity of market imperfections and the market structure should be specified clearly; otherwise, the estimation is inadequate and the empirical results do not correspond to the theoretical predilections.
In other words, the conformity of empirical results with theoretical predilections does not rely on the absence of information asymmetries, whose full recognition does not introduce spuriousness into empirical results.
The research is a comparative cross investigation of scenarios highlighting the best fit to borrowers' Creditworthiness assessment and deducing through logical analysis the role payed by information asymmetries and the banking market power in shaping this fit
Psychological Service for Ukrainian School Students during the Russian Invasion: Experience of School Psychologists from Kryvyi Rih
Get PDFIntroduction: After eight years of the war in the East of Ukraine, two years of the COVID-19 pandemic with relevant lockdowns, and two months of bomb alerts, school students and school psychologists from Kryvyi Rih have been dealing with new brutal military actions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine since the 24th February 2022.
Purpose: This paper focuses on School Psychological Services' changes and challenges caused by the Russian invasion. It assesses war-related psychological effects on school students and school psychologists from Kryvyi Rih.
Method: Brief non-structured interviews and the survey.
Results and Conclusions: After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, School Psychological Services in Kryvyi Rih continued their work remotely, often combining it with in-person meetings (48.5%) and other volunteer activities (27.9%). The surveyed school psychologists (n=48) informed they conducted more individual consultations and psychoeducation and fewer diagnostics than usual to address school students' changing needs in response to wartime. School psychologists felt more effective and involved with students when they believed they got enough support from colleagues and supervisors, learned crisis interventions, received clear guidance, and did not feel burnout. They appreciated current governmental guidance and felt their post-traumatic growth more when they were safe. After 1.5 months of the war, 43.8% of psychologists experienced burnout. At least a quarter needed additional education, psychological support, easily accessible supervision (especially short and rapid), and guidance for specific cases
The Perfect Storm? Political Instability and Background Checks During COVID-19
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has been observed to have increased aggressive behavior and violence in the United States. This study tests whether political instability events propelled gun purchasing behavior through a temporally sensitive analysis based on data drawn from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and monthly data from the FBI’s NICS National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It utilizes a multi-methodological framework featuring both regression modeling and qualitative comparative analysis. While results from statistical inquiry do not lend support to significant associations of any single variable on the outcome, the comparative configurational inquiry does identify three salient pathways that brought about background check increases during COVID-19. All three solutions feature the conditions of political instability and presidential election events. Alongside these factors, mass shooting occurrences are present in two of the identified solutions. These findings reveal that COVID-19 fostered a set of conditions and the formation of a “Perfect Storm” which resulted in the greatest number of annual gun purchases in recorded history
Growth Rate and Body Size Mapping of Male Buffaloes during the Fattening Phase
Get PDFBackground: Buffalo is an animal that really likes water. Generally, buffalo like to soak in muddy waters and swamps around the cage. This behavior appears because buffalo have very few sweat glands. Therefore, if one wants to develop buffalo farming, he/she should look for special habitats or existing buffalo breeding centers. Differences in growth rates are caused by physiological factors and functional demands. Growth in animal body size usually follows an exponential function, with the growth rate varying from one body size to another. An animal's body size that functions earlier will grow faster with a greater growth rate than an animal that functions later. Differences in the growth rate of animal body size are also influenced by the constituent components of these body parts. Body parts composed primarily of bone will develop earlier than those composed of muscle or fat. During fattening, the body size of male buffaloes will have a different growth rate, where this difference indicates the potential for body size. The body size of a buffalo with a high growth rate has relatively large growth potential, while those with a small growth rate have small growth potential, or the body part has stopped growing because it has reached its maximum point. The purpose of this study is to determine the body size growth rate of male buffaloes, which have high potential during fattening. Mapping the body size of male buffaloes during fattening aims to help breeders determine at what age the buffaloes start to be fattened and slaughtered for meat production purposes so that they are economically quite profitable.
Methodology: Data was collected using a saturated sampling technique, in which the livestock taken were all buffaloes kept by the Sumber Sari Livestock Group in Kalianget village, Seririt District, Buleleng Regency, Bali, which met the requirements in terms of their health and physical condition. The data obtained were analyzed using the power model regression analysis to determine the growth rate of the body size of the buffaloes. To map the growth rate, Biplot analysis was carried out with a Promax rotation of 90, as the variable is the estimated body size of the buffaloes based on the equation of the power regression line, and the object is the age of the male buffaloes.
Conclusion: The results showed that the fastest growth rate or the greatest potential was chest width, followed by hip width, chest depth, body length, chest circumference, and shoulder height. At the same time, the slowest part of the lowest potential was the height of the hips. The results of mapping the body size growth rate of male buffalo aged 11-74 months with biplot charts showed that their growth potential was still quite high. However, there was a tendency for male buffalo over 30 months to have a slower growth rate in body size than those under 30 months
Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Undernutrition in Southern Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textBackground: Undernutrition is one of the main causes of child mortality and morbidity in Bangladesh. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of undernutrition among children aged six to fifty-nine months in the Jashore and Khulna districts of southern Bangladesh.
Methods: The random sampling technique was used to select 400 children of 6–59 months of age. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. The weight and height of children were taken using a digital weighing scale, measuring tape, and stadiometer following standard protocols. Children’s undernutrition was estimated by stunting, wasting, and being underweight. The logistic regression analyses were done to assess the factors associated with undernutrition.
Results: The prevalence of stunting was 57% (95% CI: 52.1–61.8) which was positively associated with diarrhea, illiterate mothers, absence of sanitary latrine, and no antenatal care (ANC). The wasting prevalence was 13% (95% CI: 10.1–16.7) which remained directly associated with family size (≥6 members), low household income, and family planning methods. The rate of prevalence of underweight was 27.8% (95% CI: 23.6–32.3) which was significantly associated with illiterate mothers, low household income, family size (≥6 members), lack of pure drinking water, and complementary feeding started before six months. Stunting was more prevalent (74.7%) in the age group of 42–53 months compared to other groups, and boys (60.7%) were more stunted than their counterparts (52.9%).
Conclusions: The magnitude of childhood undernutrition was high among the studied participants. Nutritional interventions should be implemented on the basis of significant factors in the local context to tackle this problem in Bangladesh effectively
The Impact of Parents' Role on the Motivation and Achievement of Gifted Children with Special Needs: A Review
No full textBackground: Some unusual children experience prolonged distracted stress or risk factors that prevent them from maximizing their potential without specific treatment or support. Therefore, it appears that studying parental motivation and its impact on gifted children is very important.
Objectives: The primary goal of this paper is to determine the impact of parental involvement on the development and motivation—of gifted children with special needs education (double exceptional). The paper also indicates the impact of parental involvement on children's educational outcomes.
Results: The findings of this paper indicate that parental involvement significantly influences the motivation of children with special needs in terms of their achievement in the arts and how much they affect the academic achievement of double-exceptional students related to various aspects of science and life.
Conclusion: As we found that parents are the initiators of double-differentiation in their children, future studies could explore knowledge and awareness of double-differentiation in parents. But our study reading how parents came to know their children twice unusually is essential as a first step in assessing parental thinking
A Digital Diagnosis Tool for Children with Dyslexia against Similar Criteria DSM-5
No full textBackground: we stand on the fact that what makes diagnosing dyslexia difficult is that students with dyslexia are of very normal or even extraordinary intelligence. It is important to prepare a tool that enables the initial diagnosis of this disorder, and in the light of its results, a report is formulated on the degree of injury of the person being tested.
Aims: The aim is to develop a reliable and validated tool for children with dyslexia.
Methods: A convenience sampling method was used to select children aged 4-8 years as the study population. Inclusion criteria were (1) age between 4 and 8 years; (2) be able to speak; and (3) Keep attending kindergarten and school. Children's parents and teachers were given full information about the study, and all signed an informed written consent form. Ninety children were included in this study. Word spelling Test, Letter rapid automatized naming Test, Recognition of a first sound test, Deletion of a first sound test, Blending test, and Segmentation test was developed and used.
Findings: The content validity of all tests was measured. The correlation coefficients between each subscale and the total scale ranged from 0.54 to 0.58.
Conclusion: This tool is expected to assist teachers in identifying, accurately assessing, and formulating a learning program that fits the abilities and needs of the children
International Norms: The Impact of Women in Peace Building Processes
Get PDFThis study points out that the rules of positive international law need to be more effectively enforced in practice. It explains the absence of women from peace processes as a result of a lack of effort to include them in official peace processes rather than women’s lack of experience in negotiation or conflict resolution. It emphasizes women as crucial agents in the transition from war to peace in order to promote social cohesion and political legitimacy. An excellent first step would be to use gender-sensitive language in a peace agreement and to create a platform for women to discuss the importance of including women in peace processes
In Vitro Embryo Production in Water Buffalo
Get PDFIn vitro embryo production (IVEP) is a promising tool with many applications in producing calves from genetically superior animals desired for propagation and in the conservation and revival of endangered species. The techniques of IVEP were adopted from cattle and refined to suit the water buffalo requirements. From the collection of ovaries from a local abattoir and the collection of oocytes by ovum pick up from live animals, gamete storage, collection techniques, handling of ovaries and oocytes to keep the viability and developmental competence, selection of oocytes to the type of culture media and in vitro culture condition, and treatment of the sperm cells for in vitro fertilization are all-important components of the process that requires careful and precise action to ensure success. Trials on intracytoplasmic injection, the use of sex-sorted sperm cells as a tool for producing sex-predetermined embryos, and the somatic cell nuclear transfer are methods that can be used to produce embryos in vitro. This paper provides the important considerations involved in the production of healthy live calves out of in vitro-produced water buffalo embryos