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The invoicing process is critical to the financial management of organizations. However, modeling this process presents challenges such as data updating, information availability, and aligning planned activities with the actual execution of the process. One difficulty is that designing the invoicing process requires extensive knowledge of the activities involved, and process representations based on organizational repositories are not necessarily aligned with the actual invoicing processes in the organization. Process Mining is complemented by the use of dashboards, which are inherent to business intelligence and allow for visual tracking of process behavior. This paper explores how the combination of process mining and business intelligence can enable a new level of process modeling that addresses specific issues in constructing processes that are aligned with real-world activities. To accomplish this, we first propose the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, which outlines how a researcher or practitioner should approach the task of modeling a specific process using Process Mining augmented with dashboard resources. The research strategy was to identify the most appropriate methodology to construct the actual billing process, which led to the identification of the DSR methodology. This methodology, with its 12-step plan, allowed the construction of an artifact representing the actual invoicing process. Ultimately, the objective of constructing a real invoicing process in the Colombian pharmaceutical sector is achieved through the development of an artifact, complemented by business intelligence dashboards that ensure the alignment of the execution of activities within the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, water has become a resource that generates controversy due to shortage alarms and high consumption by production companies. Making good use of water has become the main objective of government institutions. The food industry generates a large amount of wastewater, concentrating the largest number of contaminants originated in its processes. Wastewater from the food industry is characterized by having a large amount of organic matter, especially fats and oils, as well as suspended solids. The objective of this research is to carry out a characterization of effluents generated in a wastewater treatment plant in the food sector based on Mexican and international regulations to determine whether it is reusable. This article addresses Mexico's lag in the reuse of treated wastewater in the face of the water crisis, highlighting the urgency of adopting these practices to mitigate water scarcity. For the development of this investigation, samples were collected at the discharge point produced by the company's effluents, followed by an evaluation of their physical, chemical, and biological parameters, and finally, it was determined that the effluent follows the regulatory standards for discharge into the city sewer but outside the range for reuse in productive processes or irrigation of green areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the application of judicial processes for individuals with disabilities. The research method employed is normative legal research. The findings of this study are as follows: The implementation of criminal sentencing for offenders with special needs often requires adjustments to ensure fairness. The judicial system typically considers these special needs, such as accessibility or more humane treatment, and may offer alternative sentences or specialized care to safeguard their well-being throughout the legal process. In applying criminal penalties to offenders with disabilities, it is advisable to use a normative descriptive method, which involves collaboration between judges and psychiatrists. Psychiatrists determine the presence of a mental illness, while judges evaluate whether this illness affects the individual's capacity to be held criminally responsible for their actions. The normative method assesses whether the defendant is able to understand that their actions are wrongful or contrary to the law.

The Workflow model links ICTs with organizational and managerial management processes, with the aim of assisting decision-making in a hierarchical framework in companies, being a tool that contributes to business productivity, which should be empowered by all direct actors in the organization, in this sense the present research is carried out, The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of the Workflow model in the associative management of agricultural organizations in Manabí, in order to establish the optimal workflow model for associative management and to analyze the impact of the model on the exchange of information between the hierarchical levels of agricultural organizations.. Regarding the methodological design, the analytical-heuristic method is used to determine the components of this research, starting from the characterization of the variables under study, also as a tool to obtain data, a survey of 15 questions is used, applied to 30 agricultural organizations in Manabí, which are organized into latent variables in order to ensure a structured measurement of the information. As conclusions, it was possible to establish that there is a significant and positive relationship between the Workflow Model and the associative management of agricultural organizations.

Abstract Introduction Contraceptive use is known to have a positive impact on maternal and child health outcomes; however, its use is still low in low-income countries, especially among people in humanitarian situations. This study explored decision-making processes towards the use of contraceptives by people in humanitarian situations to inform program design and uptake. Methods A qualitative exploratory study was conducted among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) and men (15–60 years) living in three refugee settlements of Pagirinya, Nyumanzi, and Mirieyi and the surrounding host communities in Adjumani district, Uganda. Data were collected using 49 in-depth interviews (IDIs), 11 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs,) and 20 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Inductive thematic analysis was done with the aid of Atlas ti. Version 14. Results We found that the decision-making processes entailed linear and nonlinear internalized cognitive and contextual processes involving four dynamic pathways. In the linear pathway, participants reported starting with 1) idea inception, 2) followed by cognitive processing, 3) consultation, and 4) decision-making for contraceptive use. The complex linear pathway happened when participants did not go through consultation but went straight to decision-making. However, participants who followed the non-linear pathway repeatedly went back to cognitive processing. Some women after consultation, or those already using and those not using contraceptives, decided to go back to cognitive processing to reconsider their current positions. This study found that some women who were not using contraceptives ended up using, while some who were using contraception ended up dropping out. Conclusions This study showed dynamic decision-making processes involving both internal and external environments as triggers to decision-making for contraceptive use. Interventions to increase contraceptive use should target both users and significant others who influence the decision to use particularly among refugees. Trial registration This study was registered by Makerere University School of Public Health Higher Degrees Research and Ethic Committee (HDREC) #188 and approved by Uganda National Council of Science and Technology on 15th/7/2021, Registration number—SS809ES.

Background. The significance of studying resource-based thinking is due to its important role in the organization and successful implementation of various types of activities. The study of the relationship between humor and resourcefulness of thinking can provide the ways to find resources for a subject to more effectively resolve the difficulties arising in the course of his life activities. Objective. The study had its purpose to investigate the interrelation between humor style and resourcefulness of thinking. Study Participants. The study sample (N = 150) included senior psychology students (50 people), high school students profiled in social science, humanities, etc. (50 people), working people aged 30–45 years (50 people). Methods. “Martin's questionnaire of humor styles” and “Methodology for diagnosing the resource-based thinking” (for professions of a socionomic type) by Serafimovich, Medvedeva, Surina. The Pearson correlation coefficient and the Student's parametric t-test were used to process quantitative data. Results. The study revealed that a self-supporting style of humor is prevailing among students and adults, while minimally manifested among schoolchildren. Significant differences were found in the indicators of self-deprecating humor: they are significantly higher among students compared to adults. The study discovered some age-related specifics in the development of resource-based thinking: in adults, its general level as well as the motivational-goal component is significantly higher than in schoolchildren. It has been shown that self-supporting style of humor is positively correlated and self-deprecating style of humor is negatively correlated with almost all components of resource-based thinking. Besides, the self-supporting style of humor and the general level of resource-based thinking are positively interrelated, while aggressive and self-deprecating styles of humor are negatively related to the general level of resource-based thinking. Conclusions. For the first time, the relationship between humor and resourcefulness of thinking is shown as the ground for autocreative processes, i.e. processes of self-formation of new states. There exists a significant relationship between the prevailing style of humor and the level of resource-based thinking. A high level of resource-based thinking corresponds to the self-supporting style of humor, while its low level corresponds to the self-deprecating style of humor.

Pesticide was considered complex substances intended for preventing, destroying, or controlling any pest including vectors of human or animal diseases. They are specific chemicals, which contain both “active” or energetic and “inactive” or inert ingredients. The term pesticide includes herbicide, insecticide, nematicide, sanitizer, bactericide, insect repellent, animal repellent, antimicrobial, fungicide, disinfectant, molluiscide, and avicide among others. They are classified based on the mode of entry, mode of function and action, and their chemical composition. These pesticides played a key role in controlling and mitigating variety of agricultural pest and diseases in farm, garden. They contrary, affect soil functional service and great biological biodiversity including human and his environment. Many factors and processes are involved in the transfer, transport and degradation or biochemical conversation of pesticides in soil. The soil factors are the soil organic matter, soil pH, temperature, nutrients, moisture, infiltration rate, aerobic and anaerobic, soil texture and structure. The combined processes are physical, biological, and chemical with great conversion on weathering, hydrolysis, oxidation-reduction, photolysis humification, cheluviation, organic sorting, translocation, eluviations, illuviation, calcification, podsolisation, gleying, and leaching. Seven important subjects have been treated in a synopsis manner – major groups of pesticides, pesticide toxicity (acute and chronic effects), processes affecting pesticides in soil, pesticides and its ecological effects (soil, crop, biota and human), step by step procedure and soil sampling, techniques involving analysis of pesticides residues in soil, and bioremediation and biodegradation approaches.

The statistics on work-related accidents published by the responsible organizations reveal that the average rate of work accidents within the construction sector is more than double that in other industrial sectors. This serious problem has been analyzed by numerous international organizations and institutes dedicated to occupational safety, health and welfare. Therefore, in this article, some results of a research project that aims to reduce workplace accidents through the standardization of safe work processes and procedures in construction sites are summarized. The proposed methodology consisted of the analysis of national and international bibliographies to analyze the different annual variations in the accident rate, allowing a common pattern to be located, as well as its association with the work processes carried out in construction projects to standardize each of the processes which are present in the execution and life phases of the building. It is possible to conclude that the accident rates can be reduced and/or eliminated with the application of each of the processes thanks to the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Contraceptive use is known to have a positive impact on maternal and child health outcomes; however, its use is still low in low-income countries, especially among people in humanitarian situations. This study explored decision-making processes towards the use of contraceptives by people in humanitarian situations to inform program design and uptake. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) and men (15–60 years) living in three refugee settlements of Pagirinya, Nyumanzi, and Mirieyi and the surrounding host communities in Adjumani district, Uganda. Data were collected using 49 in-depth interviews (IDIs), 11 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs,) and 20 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Inductive thematic analysis was done with the aid of Atlas ti. Version 14. Results: We found that the decision-making processes entailed linear and nonlinear internalized cognitive and contextual processes involving four dynamic pathways. In the linear pathway, participants reported starting with 1) idea inception, 2) followed by cognitive processing, 3) consultation, and 4) decision-making for contraceptive use. The complex linear pathway happened when participants did not go through consultation but went straight to decision-making. However, participants who followed the non-linear pathway repeatedly went back to cognitive processing. Some women after consultation, or those already using and those not using contraceptives, decided to go back to cognitive processing to reconsider their current positions. This study found that some women who were not using contraceptives ended up using, while some who were using contraception ended up dropping out. Conclusions: This study showed dynamic decision-making processes involving both internal and external environments as triggers to decision-making for contraceptive use. Interventions to increase contraceptive use should target both users and significant others who influence the decision to use particularly among refugees. Trial registration: This study was registered by Makerere University School of Public Health Higher Degrees Research and Ethic Committee (HDREC) #188 and approved by Uganda National Council of Science and Technology on 15th/7/2021, Registration number—SS809ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motivation behind this paper and the underlying research is to shed light on how companies deal with interdisciplinary innovation activities, especially looking at the development of radical and potentially disruptive innovations. This includes the analysis of methods, processes, and organizational structures applied to support interdisciplinary innovation activities as well as challenges faced. Whereas this thematic field has been widely investigated for academic institutions and, in companies on a team level, there is only a little information on industrial companies' current state. This understanding is especially important as shortening development cycles, and technological convergence combined with intersectoral innovations might lead to increases in radical and potentially disruptive innovations and thereby create the need for improved methods and structures throughout the innovation process. To gain insights into challenges and current practices of interdisciplinary collaboration in innovation activities, semi-structured exploratory interviews were carried out with representatives from seven industrial companies. Among others, the results of the study revealed that whereas many methodologies are said to support interdisciplinary innovation activities, a wide majority of these methodologies are applied for other reasons which make supporting interdisciplinarity seem like a kind of byproduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are now widely exploited for multiple applications, from portable electronics to electric vehicles and storage of renewable energy. Along with improving battery performance, current research efforts are focused on diminishing the levelized cost of energy storage (LCOS), which has become increasingly important in light of the development of LIBs for large transport vehicles and power grid energy storage applications. Since LCOS depends on the battery's lifetime, understanding the mechanisms responsible for battery degradation and developing strategies to increase the lifetime of LIBs is very important. In this review, the latest developments related to the performance and degradation of the most common LIBs on the market are reviewed. The numerous processes underlying LIB degradation are described in terms of three degradation loss modes: loss of lithium inventory (LLI), active positive electrode material loss and degradation, and active negative electrode material loss and degradation. A strong emphasis is placed on the most recent strategies and tactics for LIB degradation mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Describe the times associated with the evaluation and ruling process of the research protocols submitted to the Committees on research for the health of Instituto Nacional de Pediatría. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative, longitudinal, observational, retrospective study was carried out where the information from the protocols submitted for evaluation in the period from January to December 2022 was analyzed. The following information was collected: titles of the protocols, dates of receipt by committees, evaluation dates, types of opinions, dates of sending the opinion and dates of the researcher's response. RESULTS: 88 protocols were evaluated, of which 67 (76.1%) were approved; of these, the majority were approved on their second or third review (55.2% and 34.3% respectively, total 89.5%). The median number of days between the submission of the protocols and their approval was 47 days (RI: 30-87), of which 21 days (RI: 16-32) correspond to Committees and 25 days (RI: 8-56) to the researchers. CONCLUSIONS: The approval time of a research protocol at the institution analyzed was a shared responsibility between the committees and the principal investigator. Important consideration when establishing institutional support programs for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Signos is the property of Universidad Santo Tomas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Signos is the property of Universidad Santo Tomas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We present a formalism for Petri nets based on polynomial-style finite-set configurations and etale maps. The formalism supports both a geometric semantics in the style of Goltz and Reisig (processes are etale maps from graphs) and an algebraic semantics in the style of Meseguer and Montanari, in terms of free coloured props, and allows the following unification: for P a Petri net, the Segal space of P-processes is shown to be the free coloured prop-in-groupoids on P. There is also an unfolding semantics à la Winskel, which bypasses the classical symmetry problems: with the new formalism, every Petri net admits a universal unfolding, which in turn has associated an event structure and a Scott domain. Since everything is encoded with explicit sets, Petri nets and their processes have elements. In particular, individual-token semantics is native. (Collectivetoken semantics emerges from rather drastic quotient constructions à la Best–Devillers, involving taking π0 of the groupoids of states [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Malaria is one of the most devastating tropical diseases, resulting in loss of lives each year, especially in children under the age of 5 years. Malaria burden, related deaths and stall in the progress against malaria transmission is evident, particularly in countries that have moderate or high malaria transmission. Hence, mitigating malaria spread requires information on the distribution of vectors and the drivers of insecticide resistance (IR). However, owing to the impracticality in establishing the critical need for real-world information at every location, modelling provides an informed best guess for such information. Therefore, this review examines the various methodologies used to model spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal patterns of IR within populations of malaria vectors, incorporating pest-biology parameters, adopted ecological principles, and the associated modelling challenges. Methods The review focused on the period ending March 2023 without imposing restrictions on the initial year of publication, and included articles sourced from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. It was also limited to publications that deal with modelling of IR distribution across spatial and temporal dimensions and excluded articles solely focusing on insecticide susceptibility tests or articles not published in English. After rigorous selection, 33 articles met the review's elibility criteria and were subjected to full-text screening. Results Results show the popularity of Bayesian geostatistical approaches, and logistic and static models, with limited adoption of dynamic modelling approaches for spatial and temporal IR modelling. Furthermore, our review identifies the availability of surveillance data and scarcity of comprehensive information on the potential drivers of IR as major impediments to developing holistic models of IR evolution. Conclusions The review notes that incorporating pest-biology parameters, and ecological principles into IR models, in tandem with fundamental ecological concepts, potentially offers crucial insights into the evolution of IR. The results extend our knowledge of IR models that provide potentially accurate results, which can be translated into policy recommendations to combat the challenge of IR in malaria control. Graphical Abstract

In the process of studying the conceptual bases of managing the transparency of enterprise development in the context of convergence of investment processes, methods of analysis and synthesis, empirical methods, procedures of induction and deduction, graphical and logical method, method of financial and economic, cluster and statistical analysis are used. The methodological ground of the study is parametric and integral methods of evaluation, the results of which allow to improve the conceptual bases for managing the transparency of enterprise development in the context of convergence of investment processes. The article improves the conceptual bases for managing the transparency of enterprise development in the context of convergence of investment processes, which provide for an empirical study of the convergent features of the functioning of industrial enterprises and the identification of problems of transparency in the development of their individual divisions, allowing for making sound managerial decisions and creating conditions for the implementation of potential investment reserves, focusing on the formation of intellectual, informational, analytical and material resources, as well as on the interaction between the links of the organizational structure and the regulatory framework. This determines an increase in the interest of the administrative apparatus in ensuring continuous and stable development, as well as a strategic orientation, which necessitates an analysis of the impact of management and investment target programs on the level of transparency in the development of industrial enterprises, defining the role of the mechanism of radical changes in the development management system; establishing renovation requirements for strategically relevant parameters of change; creating the basis for the implementation of radical changes at the level of strategic management which requires a systematic reformatting of interaction with the external environment and the internal organization of processes, technologies, and structure.

The industrial revolution has improved living standards while destroying the natural world, and as a result, environmental pollution has become a serious concern for both developed and developing countries. Furthermore, photocatalysis is a chemical process that uses light energy to accelerate thermodynamically demanding operations, such as photosynthesis, which makes it a viable substitute for deep solar energy storage. Reduced exposure to chemicals and toxins released into the environment by industrial activity is another great benefit of this method. First and foremost, photocatalysis allows fossil fuels to be used for other purposes by substituting low-temperature pollution removal processes with high-temperature ones. Since they may exist in numerous valences and have excellent catalytic efficiency, various photocatalytic materials such as AgCl, P-doped g-C3N4, and Z-scheme photocatalysts coupled with Fe3O4/H2O2 have received interest as photocatalysts. One issue covered in the reviews is the Z-scheme strategy, which focuses on creating heterojunctions with appropriate band alignments to improve electron transport pathways and increase MnO2's photocatalytic activity. The review discusses the latest developments in photocatalysis, MnO2-based composites for photocatalytic capabilities, and the Z-scheme charge carrier mechanism. The electrical, photoelectric, and crystallographic properties of MnO2 are discussed in the review article, with a focus on the relevance of the Z-scheme electron transfer pathway in augmenting photocatalytic activity. Exploring several electron transport channels in MnO2-based composites, various characterization approaches offer insights into the Z-scheme mechanism. Moreover, we have reviewed various Photocatalysis, basic principles, processes, and materials.

AbstractThis article analyzed the processes of (un)making interregional boundaries and described the actors in the Ethiopian federation going back to the Transitional Period. It employed interview and document analysis to organize the data collected. For interview purpose, liberation fronts’ representatives and political party leaders, as well as professionals in the field of federalism were selected purposively because of their life experiences and exposure to the field. The data was analyzed qualitatively using content analysis, and secondary data obtained from secondary sources were meticulously reviewed and triangulated to ensure that the primary data were as valid as possible. It found out that since 1991, Ethiopia has passed through at least four phases of the (un)making processes. It started with making 14 National/Regional Self-Governments in 1992. The motives of the liberation movements, data collected by the Institute of Nationalities, the borders of Woredas, and ‘forceful’ amalgamation are among of the guiding principles identified in the study. The Transitional Period Boundary Commission, liberation movements/fronts, etc. were found to be the major actors involved in the (un)making processes. Currently, 12 regions exist and additional region(s) may emerge in the future. The (un)making of constituent units undertaken so far imply that such trends can contain some recurring claims, but may not resolve it in a sustainable way. It should be understood that federalism is a working progress, not a onetime panacea.

This study reports on a survey on project managers' priorities. The survey used ISO 21500 as a scaffold to ask various respondents, like junior, experienced, and senior project managers, project sponsors, and students, to share their perceptions on the priorities for junior project managers. The respondent groups shared similar perceptions. Furthermore, project type and sector had little effect on junior project managers' priorities. Experienced and senior project managers shared their own priorities as well. The perceptions of priorities for junior, experienced, and senior project managers were mostly alike. However, experienced and senior project managers' priorities seemed slightly more affected by project type and sector. A session with experts in project management and teaching project management highlighted that the results for junior project managers could provide accents for introducing project management to students in higher education, provided the entire playing field of project management is also introduced.

An international consensus report in 2019 recommended a classification system for limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic changes (LATE-NC). The suggested neuropathologic staging system and nomenclature have proven useful for autopsy practice and dementia research. However, some issues remain unresolved, such as cases with unusual features that do not fit with current diagnostic categories. The goal of this report is to update the neuropathologic criteria for the diagnosis and staging of LATE-NC, based primarily on published data. We provide practical suggestions about how to integrate available genetic information and comorbid pathologies [e.g., Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic changes (ADNC) and Lewy body disease]. We also describe recent research findings that have enabled more precise guidance on how to differentiate LATE-NC from other subtypes of TDP-43 pathology [e.g., frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)], and how to render diagnoses in unusual situations in which TDP-43 pathology does not follow the staging scheme proposed in 2019. Specific recommendations are also made on when not to apply this diagnostic term based on current knowledge. Neuroanatomical regions of interest in LATE-NC are described in detail and the implications for TDP-43 immunohistochemical results are specified more precisely. We also highlight questions that remain unresolved and areas needing additional study. In summary, the current work lays out a number of recommendations to improve the precision of LATE-NC staging based on published reports and diagnostic experience.

Use of industrial equipment at high performance and productivity parameters leads to ensuring their productivity and the precision generating the quality of the products manufactured. In this sense, an important role at the organizational level is represented by the activity of maintenance, as a support process that ensures the smooth running of the manufacturing process, respectively manufacturing products. The article presents some aspects regarding the structured approach to the maintenance of production equipment with an emphasis on proactive maintenance and its advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Administración is the property of Universidad del Valle and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Cicada Game encourages students to discover through gameplay how the cicada came to have such a unique periodic life cycle. Using a 100s chart, players take the role of cicada or predator and try to choose a life cycle period that will be most advantageous for their species. The players secretly decide the number of years that will represent their cycle of emerging from underground. Without telling each other, the players choose a number with these conditions: cicadas choose a number between 10–20 and predators choose a number between 2–10. Placing markers on the 100s chart to represent years of emergence, players discover which years both cicada and predator overlap, or emerge simultaneously. If there are fewer than 4 overlaps, the cicada wins! Four or more overlaps and the predator wins. Students will discover through game play that the prime number life cycle periods are most advantageous for the cicada. Then they will learn that periodical cicadas actually do have life cycle periods of 13 and 17 years, which are both prime! In addition to the game itself, this article also includes several additional curricular integration suggestions for connections with language arts, engineering, and visual arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of recalcitrant dyes from agroindustrial wastewater produced in flower processes represents a significant environmental challenge for flower industries worldwide. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) emerge as a clean and effective costly alternative for removing dye contaminants in wastewater. This study used an electro-Fenton technique as an alternative for the treatment of colored wastewater from flower-producing crops in Colombia. Initially, the physicochemical characterization of the wastewater was carried out by Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), color, pH, conductivity, temperature, and oxidation-reduction potential. Subsequently, an electrochemical process was carried out through a power source and six iron electrodes. Variables, such as hydrogen peroxide concentration (500 and 700 mg/l H2O2), amperage (1 and 2 A), and treatment time (60 and 90 minutes), were controlled. Based on a desirability function for multiple response analysis, the electro-Fenton process allowed a maximum COD removal of 80.9% and 88.5% for color (desirability criterion of 86%). Residence time in the reactor, voltage, current density, and concentration of hydrogen peroxide were the most significant variables. Finally, the role of other physicochemical variables involved during the dye degradation process was explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health organizations are challenged every day to manage their projects in a dynamic context of multifactorial complexity, are intrinsically linked to the organizational competences for PM and project success (on time and budget, with quality, in alignment with the requirements defined by the project owner and stakeholders), through articulation between people, resources, processes and project support structures. The aim of this research was to study the Competence of Portuguese Public Hospitals in PM, carrying out a diagnosis of organizational competences in PM, reflecting on the existing competences and those that are needed, proposing strategies for its development. This study was carried in three public hospitals (51 respondents) and evidence that they can improve their organizational competence in PM. It also shows that there is a statistically significant association between the organizational competence in PM, the role of professionals in projects and their experience. On the other hand, the results also show that the success of projects is influenced by the existence of a PMO dedicated to supporting the project management activity in the organization. Likewise, the existence of a PMO, combined with certification or specific training in PM, and having already managed projects in the organization, didn´t revealed a strong influence on the state of development of organizational competence to manage projects. The results demonstrate that these health organizations need to invest in the development of organizational competence for the success of their projects and that there are not many professionals with certification or specific training in PM. Hospital´s need to improve people´s competences and create internal structures to support PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaria is one of the most devastating tropical diseases, resulting in loss of lives each year, especially in children under the age of 5 years. Malaria burden, related deaths and stall in the progress against malaria transmission is evident, particularly in countries that have moderate or high malaria transmission. Hence, mitigating malaria spread requires information on the distribution of vectors and the drivers of insecticide resistance (IR). However, owing to the impracticality in establishing the critical need for real-world information at every location, modelling provides an informed best guess for such information. Therefore, this review examines the various methodologies used to model spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal patterns of IR within populations of malaria vectors, incorporating pest-biology parameters, adopted ecological principles, and the associated modelling challenges. Methods: The review focused on the period ending March 2023 without imposing restrictions on the initial year of publication, and included articles sourced from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. It was also limited to publications that deal with modelling of IR distribution across spatial and temporal dimensions and excluded articles solely focusing on insecticide susceptibility tests or articles not published in English. After rigorous selection, 33 articles met the review's elibility criteria and were subjected to full-text screening. Results: Results show the popularity of Bayesian geostatistical approaches, and logistic and static models, with limited adoption of dynamic modelling approaches for spatial and temporal IR modelling. Furthermore, our review identifies the availability of surveillance data and scarcity of comprehensive information on the potential drivers of IR as major impediments to developing holistic models of IR evolution. Conclusions: The review notes that incorporating pest-biology parameters, and ecological principles into IR models, in tandem with fundamental ecological concepts, potentially offers crucial insights into the evolution of IR. The results extend our knowledge of IR models that provide potentially accurate results, which can be translated into policy recommendations to combat the challenge of IR in malaria control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) remains relatively understudied in Latin America. Methods: In this observational study, we enrolled 64 patients with a median age of 3 months, of whom 60% were male. Patients included had a history of IgE‐mediated reactions with IgE sensitization or non‐IgE‐mediated reactions or symptoms following exposure to cow's milk. They underwent skin prick test, ImmunoCAP, fecal calprotectin (FC), and fecal eosinophil‐derived neurotoxin (EDN), in addition to double‐blinded placebo‐controlled oral food challenges (DBPCFC), with clinical evolution and tolerance acquisition observed over 1 year. Results: Malnutrition was present in 78.1% of patients, and 87.5% had a family history of atopy, with 51.6% receiving exclusive breastfeeding. Gastrointestinal manifestations were prevalent in 90.6% of patients, followed by dermatological manifestations (10.9%), with only 2 experiencing anaphylaxis. IgE‐mediated CMPA was observed in only six patients. In those with non‐IgE‐mediated CMPA, FC had a median of 284 mg/dL (IQR: 138.5–415.5), while EDN had a median of 508.5 mg/dL (IQR: 160.25–868). One year after diagnosis, median FC significantly decreased (p < 0.0001), and malnutrition prevalence reduced to 17.1%. Moreover, 81% of patients acquired tolerance following DBPCFC, with 52% utilizing nutritional replacement formulas at diagnosis. Notably, 94% of those extensively hydrolyzed casein‐based formulas achieved tolerance (p = 0.08). Conclusion: Our findings provide a foundational framework for future investigations into CMPA diagnosis, tolerance acquisition, and the utilization of hypoallergenic formulas tailored to the unique characteristics of our region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to find the most suitable type of oral narrative in order to assess the transitivity system being used by hearing-impaired students of ordinary schools with their hearing counterparts. Methods: Three types of oral narratives, including personal narration, storytelling, and story improvisation has been documented. The participants were eighteen hearing-impaired students along with control group of eighteen students. Oral narratives were transcribed and analyzed by Halliday's transitivity system framework. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 26 based on the normality of the data in each of the transitivity indicators. Two-independent samples t-tests and U Mann-Whitney tests were conducted. Results: Findings revealed that all three types of oral narratives of hearingimpaired students contained transitivity indicators lower than average, this difference was significant for processes (p=0.041) and participants (p=0.029) in improvisation, and for circumstances only in personal narrative (p=041). However, in the totality of narratives, the median difference between the two groups is significant in all transitivity indices (p= 0.024, p=0.022, and p=0.001 for processes, participants, and circumstances respectively). Conclusion: In light of the results of this research, the storytelling task, which is the most widely used form of assessment in communication disorders, cannot capture the narrative weaknesses of hearing-impaired students enrolled in regular schools, and it is necessary to use more spontaneous narrative tasks such as personal narration and improvisation of narrative in evaluating and rehabilitating these students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to identify startup opportunities in the sports industry by developing a conceptual framework for the sports ecosystem in Iran. Despite increased interest by researchers in sports startup opportunities, few studies have examined these opportunities based on the sports ecosystem framework. The research approach was qualitative, with participants consisting of professors, experts in sports sciences, and entrepreneurs active in sports startups. Data was collected using review articles and Delphi techniques. The findings indicated that stakeholders, infrastructure, and processes such as support processes, policies, planning, and institutional factors, including the development of the public, championships, and professional and educational sports, could effectively achieve developmental goals. Hence, the challenges of each of these sectors can provide opportunities for developing sports startups. Therefore, recognizing sports startup opportunities can pave the way for investing and creating entrepreneurial potential in sports and make the sports economy more dynamic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has been playing a major role on the world stage. As with everything, in the beginning, it was aligned with purely environmental contexts, but with the passing of the years, this concept has encompassed other aspects, such as the way of producing products and services. In this article, to obtain information on the implementation of sustainable innovation, a search equation was formulated in the SCOPUS database, focusing on the period from 2018 to 2023, with a total of 62 articles that are related to the topic addressed. Once the search of the published articles was carried out, seven categories were formed to classify the research topic of each of the publications with Bibliometrix software version 4.1.1 and the PRISMA method, according to the main objective and methodology used in each one. In this sense, 44% of the articles published are related to open innovation, and 26% of the articles are focused on sustainable business models. At the end of the analysis of the implementation of innovation according to the articles consulted, it was possible to establish the fact that sustainable innovation gave rise to some important work in the mitigation of adverse impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Including students with disabilities in higher education is a global political objective and is considered a human right. However, many students do not feel included and hesitate to ask for the help they need to succeed in their education. This study aims to investigate the processes of requesting accommodation for students with disabilities in higher education from the perspectives of both students and support providers. Six co-creation workshops were held, with a total of 46 participants from various backgrounds relevant to exploring pathways for students with disabilities in higher education and into the workforce. The audio recordings of the workshops were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach to identify and explore processes. Three interconnected processes were identified: determining whether to disclose, asking for accommodations, and studying disability. The analysis showed that these processes could be time-consuming and riddled with barriers, and they did not always result in granted accommodations. Some students ended up using their study time to research their disability and potential accommodations instead of studying their subject matter. To eliminate barriers and promote disclosure, universities should ensure a universally designed education and that staff have the necessary knowledge to assist students in obtaining accommodations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems and processes play a vital role in understanding physics, chemistry, and biology. Systems may be of different sizes and they are characterized by their structure, stability, properties, bonding, reactivity, interactions, etc. The state of a classical N-particle system is defined in a 6N-dimensional phase space, while a related wave function is generated in a 3N-dimensional configuration (or equivalently momentum) space for a corresponding quantum system. On the other hand, a process takes a system from one state to another, like going from 'being' to 'becoming'. Depending on the different length scales for the former and time scales for the latter, one needs to resort to appropriate theoretical frameworks like classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, molecular mechanics, statistical mechanics, molecular simulation, multi scale-modeling, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) sensing devices is growing rapidly due to their ability to provide real-time services. However, it is constrained by limited data storage and processing power. It offloads its massive data stream to edge devices and the cloud for adequate storage and processing. This further leads to the challenges of data outliers, data redundancies, and cloud resource load balancing that would affect the execution and outcome of data streams. This paper presents a review of existing analytics algorithms deployed on IoT-enabled edge cloud infrastructure that resolved the challenges of data outliers, data redundancies, and cloud resource load balancing. The review highlights the problems solved, the results, the weaknesses of the existing algorithms, and the physical and virtual cloud storage servers for resource load balancing. In addition, it discusses the adoption of network protocols that govern the interaction between the three-layer architecture of IoT sensing devices enabled edge cloud and its prevailing challenges. A total of 72 algorithms covering the categories of classification, regression, clustering, deep learning, and optimization have been reviewed. The classification approach has been widely adopted to solve the problem of redundant data, while clustering and optimization approaches are more used for outlier detection and cloud resource allocation.

The invoicing process is critical to the financial management of organizations. However, modeling this process presents challenges such as data updating, information availability, and aligning planned activities with the actual execution of the process. One difficulty is that designing the invoicing process requires extensive knowledge of the activities involved, and process representations based on organizational repositories are not necessarily aligned with the actual invoicing processes in the organization. Process Mining is complemented by the use of dashboards, which are inherent to business intelligence and allow for visual tracking of process behavior. This paper explores how the combination of process mining and business intelligence can enable a new level of process modeling that addresses specific issues in constructing processes that are aligned with real-world activities. To accomplish this, we first propose the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, which outlines how a researcher or practitioner should approach the task of modeling a specific process using Process Mining augmented with dashboard resources. The research strategy was to identify the most appropriate methodology to construct the actual billing process, which led to the identification of the DSR methodology. This methodology, with its 12-step plan, allowed the construction of an artifact representing the actual invoicing process. Ultimately, the objective of constructing a real invoicing process in the Colombian pharmaceutical sector is achieved through the development of an artifact, complemented by business intelligence dashboards that ensure the alignment of the execution of activities within the process.

Recently, water has become a resource that generates controversy due to shortage alarms and high consumption by production companies. Making good use of water has become the main objective of government institutions. The food industry generates a large amount of wastewater, concentrating the largest number of contaminants originated in its processes. Wastewater from the food industry is characterized by having a large amount of organic matter, especially fats and oils, as well as suspended solids. The objective of this research is to carry out a characterization of effluents generated in a wastewater treatment plant in the food sector based on Mexican and international regulations to determine whether it is reusable. This article addresses Mexico’s lag in the reuse of treated wastewater in the face of the water crisis, highlighting the urgency of adopting these practices to mitigate water scarcity. For the development of this investigation, samples were collected at the discharge point produced by the company’s effluents, followed by an evaluation of their physical, chemical, and biological parameters, and finally, it was determined that the effluent follows the regulatory standards for discharge into the city sewer but outside the range for reuse in productive processes or irrigation of green areas.

Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is an important cytokine in the intestinal environment. IL-22 is mainly produced by immune cells and targeted at nonimmune cells such as epithelial and stromal cells in a broad array of tissues such as - but not restricted to- the liver and adipose tissue. IL-22 therefore connects immune functions with metabolic functions of the host, and since it is induced by the microbiota, connects host functioning to the outside environment. IL-22 induces epithelial cell proliferation aiding in rapid epithelium regeneration and wound healing. Additionally, IL-22 activates antiapoptotic genes and DNA damage response pathways, enhancing epithelial cell survival. Recently, it has also been shown that IL-22 induces Paneth cell differentiation in humans. However, IL-22 can also contribute to intestinal epithelium damage and reduces microbial diversity in the intestine directly or indirectly by inducing excessive antimicrobial peptide production by epithelial cells. Moreover, IL-22 enhances angiogenesis and may therefore support tumorigenesis in the intestine. In conclusion, it appears that whether IL-22 has a beneficial or harmful effect in the mammalian intestine largely depends on its regulation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current literature and emphasizes that IL-22 signaling outcome depends on the timing and duration of IL-22 production, the presence of it regulators such as IL-22BP, and the specific location of the cytokine production in the gastrointestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the complex nexus between technological innovation, Industry 4.0's transformative paradigm, and the emerging concept of Industry 5.0, highlighting the critical role of integrating sustainability into factories to enhance organizational competitiveness. In this context, confusion arises between the terms "sustainable technologies" and "technological sustainability" due to two factors: the misuse of the terms as synonyms and the misattribution of conceptual meaning to each term. To clarify this ambiguity, this study validates a conceptual framework for technological sustainability by examining the processes of a ceramic manufacturing company. This assessment highlights the potential of technological sustainability and its associated measurement model to facilitate the transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0. This research provides fundamental insights into technological sustainability and serves as a guide for future empirical efforts aimed at achieving a balanced and sustainable integration of technology into manufacturing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The contact center industry is one of the world's fastest expanding, and it has become a vital basis for businesses communicating with clients, whether through information sharing (inbound) or telesales (outbound). The goal of a contact center is to handle existing and future client queries, product support, and regular transactions. Objectives: The purpose of the article was to examine the effectiveness of ICT in improving service delivery at the public sector contact centre and to determine the non-technical and technical factors that influence the effectiveness of the contact centre service delivery. Methods: This article adopted a quantitative approach, using a survey questionnaire to solicit data from respondents. Convenience sampling method was deemed fit to sample contact centre agents and team leaders and managers in the contact centre of the Department of Home Affairs. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: Both the literature review and the empirical results revealed that the role of effective technology in service delivery has a significant influence on the quality-of-service results. The findings support the notion that many service failures are caused by a lack of technology training for employees. Conclusion and contribution: It is concluded that the use of technology in the contact centre has significantly altered how employees perform their roles and responsibilities. Contribution: The study found that training on new technological systems can help with service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating accessibility in software development brings significant benefits such as the inclusion of people with disabilities. Recognizing the diversity of users with different requirements and needs within software development facilitates its use by the greatest number of users regardless of their individual conditions. The objective of this research is to obtain a knowledge base to identify those practices for which there is evidence of their use in the development of accessible software. A Systematic Literature Mapping (SLM) focused on identifying practices that incorporate accessibility activities in the software life cycle was conducted, resulting in 29 studies that met the selection criteria. The results show that the phase with more evidence of incorporation of accessibility activities in software development is the testing phase, when testers are used to verify accessibility within web pages, followed by the construction phase, when methodologies that include accessibility within the software development process are used; in the design phase it is common to incorporate artifacts that guide the development of accessible software and, finally, in the requirements phase it is common to use the requirements description to obtain and document accessibility requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presenilin 1 (PS1) is a transmembrane proteolytic subunit of γ-secretase that cleaves amyloid precursor proteins. Mutations in PS1 (mPS1) are associated with early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). The link between mutated PS1, mitochondrial calcium regulation, and AD has been studied extensively in different test systems. Despite the wide-ranging role of mPS1 in AD, there is a paucity of information on the link between PS1 and neuronal cell death, a hallmark of AD. In the present study, we employed the selective mitochondrial uncoupler carbonyl cyanide chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and compared the reactivity of mPS1-transfected cultured rat hippocampal neurons with PS1 and control neurons in a situation of impaired mitochondrial functions. CCCP causes a slow rise in cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium in all three groups of neurons, with the mPS1 neurons demonstrating a faster rise. Consequently, mPS1 neurons were depolarized by CCCP and measured with TMRM, a mitochondrial voltage indicator, more than the other two groups. Morphologically, CCCP produced more filopodia in mPS1 neurons than in the other two groups, which were similarly affected by the drug. Finally, mPS1 transfected neurons tended to die from prolonged exposure to CCCP sooner than the other groups, indicating an increase in vulnerability associated with a lower ability to regulate excess cytosolic calcium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral food challenges (OFCs) are used to confirm or reject a diagnosis of food allergy. However, younger children may encounter difficulties in consuming all offered doses during an OFC in the absence of symptoms, resulting in inconclusive outcomes. Our aim is to assess the eliciting dose for objective symptoms among various age groups and determine the necessity of consuming the final dose step during an uneventful OFC to avoid false negative outcomes. Methods: OFCs for common food allergens performed between 2012 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The primary outcome was the association of age with stop dose for OFCs with inconclusive outcome. Secondary outcome measures were the association of age with eliciting dose and the potential number of false negative outcomes. Results: A total of 1327 OFCs were performed in 707 patients. Of these, 514 (38.7%) were positive, 589 (44.4%) negative, and 224 (16.9%) inconclusive. In OFCs with inconclusive outcome, age appeared to be a significant predictor of the stop dose only for almond (p =.005). Objective symptoms occurred after the last dose step in 2%–13% of all OFCs with positive outcome. In our cohort, potential false negative outcomes may have been drawn in 27.6% of uneventful OFCs. Conclusions: Two third of children under 6 years of age successfully consumed all the provided doses during OFCs with a negative outcome. The eliciting dose for objective symptoms was not associated with age, and in a substantial number of OFCs with positive outcome, symptoms occurred after eating the final dose. These findings suggest that in case of an uneventful OFC, the outcome should be drawn only after a cumulative dose of 4.4 g has been consumed to avoid the risk of a potential false negative outcome. Key points: Younger children may encounter difficulties in consuming all doses during an oral food challenge (OFC).Symptoms occur after the final dose in a substantial number of patients, irrespective of age.The final outcome of uneventful OFCs should be drawn after all doses have been consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to improve the application effectiveness of discrete hydraulic actuators. The desired result is achieved by increasing the motion speed of the working body under limited technical conditions. One of the significant factors that limit the motion speed is the dynamic nature of the working body during the braking process. The braking process depends on the parameters of the actuator, the working speed and the inertial loads. The working speed and inertial loads may change during the operation process of the actuator, so they need to be adjusted accordingly. The braking process can also significantly affect the pressure in the hydraulic system of the actuator, therefore, it also needs to be considered during the design. The characteristics prediction of the braking process contributes to maximizing the working speed of the actuator under specific operating conditions, and it also lays the foundation for designing the new actuator scheme according to the specified requirements. The conducted study is based on the developed mathematical model of the discrete hydraulic actuator. The model is characterized by considering the nonlinear friction based on the LuGre model, the bidirectional motion of the asymmetric hydraulic cylinder, and the elastic properties of the fluid. A series of simulation experiments on the braking process of the hydraulic actuator in the discrete control mode were carried out. The quantitative relationship between the rod braking time, the maximum peak pressure in the hydraulic cylinder chambers, the value of the initial rod velocity and the inertial mass of the moving parts are determined. Based on the research results it is possible to predict the braking time of the rod and the maximum peak pressure in the hydraulic cylinder chambers under various operating conditions and inertial loads. These predictions can be used in the settings and design process of hydraulic actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water treatment processes in chemical engineering play a critical role in addressing environmental challenges and ensuring the sustainability of water resources. This paper examines simulation-driven strategies aimed at enhancing water treatment processes within the domain of chemical engineering. By leveraging advanced simulation techniques and methodologies, engineers can optimize the design, operation, and performance of water treatment systems, thereby mitigating environmental impacts and improving overall efficiency. The review highlights the importance of addressing environmental challenges through innovative approaches in water treatment processes. It underscores the role of simulation-driven strategies in chemical engineering to achieve sustainable solutions for water management. Through a comprehensive review of simulation techniques and case studies, this paper elucidates how simulation-driven approaches can enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of water treatment processes. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of this research, bridging chemical engineering principles with environmental science and technology. By integrating simulation tools with knowledge of water chemistry, fluid dynamics, and process engineering, engineers can develop robust strategies for optimizing water treatment processes while minimizing environmental footprints. Key topics covered include the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), process simulation software, and advanced modeling techniques in the analysis and design of water treatment systems. Case studies illustrating the successful implementation of simulation-driven strategies in various water treatment applications are presented to provide practical insights and demonstrate the potential benefits. Overall, this paper underscores the pivotal role of simulation-driven strategies in advancing water treatment processes in chemical engineering. It advocates for the adoption of innovative approaches to address environmental challenges and promote sustainability in water management practices within the oil and gas industry and other sectors reliant on chemical engineering processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article explores a lesson on structure and function in an inclusive first grade classroom. The class is cotaught by a general and special education teacher. The lesson describes how the teachers co-teach through team teaching to plan for possible barriers and use universal design principles to ensure their lesson is accessible to all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]