Exploiting an Ontological Model to Study COVID-19 Contagion Chains in Sustainable Smart Cities

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the deaths of millions of people around the world. The scientific community faces a tough struggle to reduce the effects of this pandemic. Several investigations dealing with different perspectives have been carried out. However, it is not easy to find studies focused on COVID-19 contagion chains. A deep analysis of contagion chains may contribute new findings that can be used to reduce the effects of COVID-19. For example, some interesting chains with specific behaviors could be identified and more in-depth analyses could be performed to investigate the reasons for such behaviors. To represent, validate and analyze the information of contagion chains, we adopted an ontological approach. Ontologies are artificial intelligence techniques that have become widely accepted solutions for the representation of knowledge and corresponding analyses. The semantic representation of information by means of ontologies enables the consistency of the information to be checked, as well as automatic reasoning to infer new knowledge. The ontology was implemented in Ontology Web Language (OWL), which is a formal language based on description logics. This approach could have a special impact on smart cities, which are characterized as using information to enhance the quality of basic services for citizens. In particular, health services could take advantage of this approach to reduce the effects of COVID-19.

Reinforcement of Humanitarian Policies to AID Displaced Population in Nigeria and Africa through Coordination, Collaboration and Integration Mechanism

Humanitarian programmes within Africa should be collaborative and integrative in nature, this would easily address the issue of displacement and abandonment, as it shall aid the promotion of the instrumentality of integration within Member states in Africa. Nigeria has over the years played a leading role in Africa affairs based on its foreign policy objectives. The servitude of brotherhood being demonstrated by Nigeria in Africa is a way of uplifting and promoting humanitarian aids in Africa. The problems of displacement of persons, who then becomes refugees in other climes within Africa cannot be overemphasized. People still bear the brunt of the conflict in the north-eastern part of Nigeria, which has resulted in widespread displacement, lack of protection, destruction of infrastructure and collapsed of basic services. The neglect for a concerted effort towards promoting humanitarian services within Africa, has open the doors for the United Nations or International communities to averred that aids and humanitarian services can only be sourced within their domain, thus making African states to be dependent. This study explores the possibilities of enhancing and promoting humanitarian policies in Africa through collaboration and integration. The study further identified areas of neglect in humanitarian services, as policies geared towards humanitarian services has to be sustained, to meet desired objectives. The study employed the secondary data analysis, and adopted the humanitarianism approach. The study recommended that existing humanitarian policies should be strengthened, sustained and adequately implemented to address the issues of humanitarian problems in Africa, while adequate measures are also put in place to monitor its’ implementation.

Resourcing local government in Ghana: the potential of volunteering to deliver basic services

Both local and foreign volunteers have been involved in community development activities in Ghana. However, there is a dearth of research on the perceived and real impacts of volunteers in delivering services, reasons for volunteering, the potential of volunteering to supplement the human and financial resources of local governments in Ghana, and the conditions required for more successful outcomes. This qualitative study examined volunteering activities across 15 communities of the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem (KEEA) Municipality in Ghana’s Central Region. It found that volunteering empowered the people, triggered self-help initiatives and improved local people’s knowledge on health and environmental issues. However, there are challenges in finding political and social space for volunteers within the current local government system. The study recommends efforts to address that issue.

Sanitary conditions diagnosis in vulnerable communities in the City of Recife and its influence on Covid-19 cases

The Covid-19 pandemic calls into question deficiencies in current public policies and infrastructure of basic services to the population in large urban centers. From health systems, environmental sanitation and social protection, particularly for the low-income population, this opens the debate of the values and priorities at different scales. The research study area are subnormal settlements located in the neighborhoods of Pina and Brasília Teimosa in the Metropolitan Region of Recife. The aim was to assess the sanitary conditions in ZEIS, by conducting semi-structured interviews and assessing secondary data. Among the interviewees, only 56.3% said they had sanitary sewage collection and another 74.4% (n=1041) had access to water supply by Compesa, showing a significant deficit in the provision of basic services. With the pandemic, the necessary production of detailed empirical field data from the perspective of the peripheries faces great scientific challenges. Ensuring access to ideal sanitary conditions is a right for all and is related in an integrated way to multiple SDGs of the 2030 agenda. Demanding safe, adequate and affordable housing, and inclusive and sustainable urbanization, with capacity for planning and management of participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlements.

Community Response to Village Information System (SID) in Basic Services In East Lombok Regency

This study aims to determine the public's response to use SID as a medium for basic social services, SID as a source of information, and SID as a community medium. This research can provide information about the readiness of the community to face the 4.0 revolution era, especially people in rural areas. If the community is ready and accustomed to using SID as a basic social service center and the other hand, managing resources continue to increase their capacity both in human resources and infrastructure, then SID can become a reliable database and can provide basic social services one-stop service in the village. This study used a qualitative descriptive method, data collecting on informants was carried out using in-depth interviews, direct observation, sampling techniques, documentation, and FGD. Then simultaneously carried out data analysis with interactive analysis methods. Key informants were the Village Head and SID Managers in Rarang Selatan and Kalijaga Timur Villages; as well as informants from village residents as many as 50 informants each 25 informants per village (consisting of elements of teachers, students, agricultural extension workers, heads of farmer groups, farmers, heads of farmer groups, Posyandu cadres, hamlet heads, housewives, traders). The results showed that the public response to SID as a service medium was positive, as a source of information was positive, and as a community medium was positive. This is shown by the behavior of the community using SID intensively, participating in disseminating the existence of SID, inviting villagers to take advantage of SID, even taking part in providing information (filling in content) to be conveyed to the community (especially village communities) through SID.Keywords: Response, Village Information System (SID), resources, community media, basic social services

Peningkatan Minat Wirausaha Siswa Melalui Layanan Dasar Bidang Bimbingan Karir

<em><span lang="EN-US">The purpose of this study is that researchers want to see how much an increase in student entrepreneurial interest in SMK 1 Kec. Guguak through basic services in the field of career guidance. The population is all grade XII students of SMKN 1 Kec. Guguak, amounting to 236 people, while the research sample were students of class XII multimedia 2, amounting to 20 people. Which is indicated to have low student entrepreneurial interest based on a purposive sampling technique. The data collection instrument is a Likert scale. Data analysis techniques using, normality test, homogeneity test, and hypothesis testing using Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) version 22. The results of research that have been done there are differences between the pretest value and the posttest value. From the results of statistical tests it is known that tcount 4,737&gt; from ttable 1,729 with df 19 at a significance level of 0.05, it can be said that Ha is accepted meaning that there is an increase in student entrepreneurial interest for pretest and posttest through basic services in career guidance.</span></em>

Key factors for ensuring sustainable development of rural regions of Kazakhstan

Main problem: Currently, there are various socio-economic and environmental problems in the development of rural regions, among the key ones: access to basic services, lack of transport connectivity, inadequate social, housing infrastructure, and others. Achieving sustainable development of the territory is one of the important priorities, which is of great importance for any state. Sustainable development is understood as harmonious development from the perspective of the economy, social sphere and ecology. At the same time, the sustainable development of socio-economic and natural systems is not possible if many factors and conditions are not taken into account that can directly affect the current state and long-term sustainability of their functioning and interference is not created on these processes within the framework of the implementation of various policies by the state. Purpose: In this regard, the purpose of this study is to identify and study the key factors that determine and contribute to the balanced development of rural regions of the country in the context of sustainable development goals and objectives. Methods: Empirical methods of economic cognition, methods of induction and deduction, synthesis, as well as logical methods were used in the framework of scientific research. Results and their significance: When classifying significant factors that influence the formation of sustainable rural development, it is necessary to take into account an essential feature of sustainable development – a harmonious combination of economic, social and environmental components of social development. Taking into account the logic of this study, based on the variety of factors contributing to the sustainable development of rural a reas, their systematization has been carried out.

Appropriate Technology for Access to Universal Basic Services: A Case Study on Basic Electricity Service Provision to Remote Communities in the Napo River Basin

Appropriate technologies (ATs) refer to technologies that are controlled by the communities that benefit from their implementation. Technologies have become a fundamental element in projects aiming to solve problems related to poverty and access to basic needs in some areas in emerging countries, and appropriation of these technologies is necessary to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and sustainability. However, due to the lack of consensus on the definition of ATs, there is a need to clarify and define the scope and boundaries of the term to facilitate the implementation of technology in projects in developing countries. This study addresses this gap by means of a scoping review, which presents a detailed analysis of 17 journal articles (from an initial selection of 95 articles) and provides a comprehensive definition of ATs. To guide AT-oriented interventions in technology-intensive cooperation projects, this study proposes an Action Framework based on that definition of ATs. The Action Framework provides guidance on how to implement technology in these projects to ensure that the technology is appropriated. To facilitate the understanding of the Action Framework, the study showcases its application in a real project of rural electrification in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.

Analysis of Fundamental Services in Kupang City NUSA Tenggara Timur

This study analyzes people's access to the use of basic service facilities in Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara. Research on the portrait of basic service functions in Kupang City. Kupang City has a high enough potential to advance basic service facilities, but it is not supported by adequate facilities and infrastructure. The absence of these supporting facilities will certainly reduce the quality of basic services in Kupang City. This research provides benefits for the NTT provincial government and can be used as a reference in improving facilities and improving basic services from bureaucrats, because the innovation of this study is the SPM of basic services that are good in accordance with the low conditions of basic service facilities. Research Approaches and Types the implementation of this research uses quantitative descriptive methods using schalogram analysis, because the aim is to describe and describe what it is about a particular variable, symptom, state or social phenomenon. So it is hoped that with better basic services from the bureaucrats, it is expected to improve the bad image of bureaucrats in Kupang City.

The COVID-19 – related problems encountered by nursing homes in Poland and the steps undertaken to prevent disease spread in the first phase of the epidemic

Nursing Homes (NHs) are institutions of social assistance run by local governments or non-government organizations. Their purpose is to provide individuals with basic services. On March 20, 2020, the Regulation of the Minister of Health issued the declaration of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland. The introduction of legal regulations allowed the authorities to take actions to prevent infections at NHs. The aim of the study was to analyze the COVID-19 – related problems encountered by nursing homes in Poland and the steps undertaken to prevent disease spread in the first phase of the epidemic. The survey was conducted with use of an original questionnaire e-mailed to 532 NHs throughout Poland in May 2020. Results were analysed by way of the IBM SPSS Statistics program. A total of 89 completed questionnaires were received from: 40 NHs organized by local government (44.9%), 24 run by churches (27.0%), 13 established by non-governmental organizations (14.6%) and 12 operating privately (13.5%). Among them, 78 NHs had less than 100 employees (87.6%) and 11 had more than 100 employees (12.4%), while 68 had up to 100 inhabitants (76.4%) and 21 had more than 100 inhabitants (23.6%). All NHs had problems with recruiting and retaining enough nursing staff. The most commonly used method of COVID-19 spread prevention at NHs in the first phase of the pandemic was establishing an increased sanitary regime, monitoring of temperature of residents and staff members and preparing isolation rooms. The greatest problem was personnel shortages.