Background: Citation metrics and total publications in a field has become the gold standard for rating researchers and viability of a field. Hence, stimulating demand for citation has led to a search for useful strategies to improve performance metric index. Meanwhile, title, abstract and morphologic qualities of the articles attract researchers to scientific publications. Yet, there is relatively little understanding of the citation trend in disability related fields. We aimed to provide an insight into the factors associated with citation increase in this field. Additionally, we tried to know at what page number an article might appear attractive to disability researchers needs. Thus, our focus is placed on the article page count and the number of authors contributing to the fields per article. Methods: To this end, we evaluated the quantitative characteristics of top cited articles in the fields with a total citation (³50) in the Web of Science (WoS) database. Using one-way independent ANOVA, data extracted spanning a period of 1980-2015 were analyzed, while the non-parametric data analysis uses Kruskal-Walis test. Results: Articles with 11 to 20 pages attract more citations followed by those within the range of zero to 10. Articles with upward 21 pages are the least cited. Surprisingly, articles with more than two authors are significantly ( P <0.05) less cited and the citation decreases as the number of authors increased. Conclusion: Collaborative studies enjoy wider utilization and more citation, yet discounted merit of additional pages and limited collaborative research in disability field is revealed in this study.

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Impact of Article Page Count and Number of Authors on Citations in Disability Related Fields: A Systematic Review Article

Effect of aromatherapy on coping with premenstrual syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

Spontaneous lavender growing in uncultivated fields in Portugal have been used in traditional medicine for internal and external uses. The essential oils (EOs) of Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri are characterized by the presence of trans-α-necrodyl acetate and trans-necrodol. These EOs are able to prevent the generation and deposition of neurotoxic β-amyloid peptide in Alzheimer's disease. The EOs also present antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-Leishmania, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifeedant effects. In the case of hydrodistillation, the predominant compound of Lavandula viridis EO was 1,8-cineole, nevertheless in the case of supercritical fluid extraction, the main constituent was camphor. In in vitro shoots EOs, 1,8-cineole and α-pinene were the most important compounds. The EOs presented anti-fungal activity particularly against Cryptococcus neoformans and dermatophytes. The antioxidant and anti-protozoal activities of L. viridis EOs were lower than L. stoechas subsp. luisieri EOs, with hydrodistillation being the best method for obtaining samples with higher antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities. The presence of fenchone, 1,8-cineole and camphor was a common trace of the Lavandula pedunculata subsp. pedunculata EOs and in in vitro axillary shoots EOs. Lavandula pedunculata subsp. lusitanica EOs were predominantly constituted of fenchone and camphor. The antioxidant activity of L. pedunculata subsp. lusitanica EOs was poorer than other Lavandula EOs from Portugal.

Essential oils of spontaneous species of the genus Lavandula from Portugal: a brief review

Lavender crops have had an impressive continuous development in recent years, being currently a suitable alternative to other traditional crops because they can yield a high profit per hectare. This can be especially useful in Romania, with its high prevalence of subsistence and semi-subsistence farms. This study aims to analyse the issue of small emergent lavender farms in the context of the current Romanian agricultural background, including the framework mechanisms for implementing the Common Agricultural Policy at a national level. The research uses the qualitative survey method to provide broad, synthetic, analytical insights into small lavender farms/businesses in Romania, considering the perspective of the following two target groups: farm owners and civil servants with agricultural expertise. The main results show that both sample groups agree that lavender farms can be successful and satisfactory solutions. Increasing participation in information and training sessions may improve farmers’ access to financing mechanisms, but both small farmers and civil servants with agricultural expertise identify a series of problems, mainly regarding the absence of a dedicated market for lavender-based products and a lack of labour force, both essential for maintaining the farming–processing–commercialising chain. The authors also conclude that a more flexible and future harmonisation between Romania’s agricultural realities, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the National Rural Development Programme would improve lavender farming’s social and economic impact. Follow-up research may envisage more in-depth market analyses for this emerging sector in Romania, facing obvious competition, but which could also benefit from good practice exchanges in the region.

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Could Lavender Farming Go from a Niche Crop to a Suitable Solution for Romanian Small Farms?

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to establish how educators integrate instructional technologies during teaching in Malkerns primary schools, located in the Manzini region of the Kingdom of Eswatini. The main focus of this study was on the training and support that educators receive towards the integration of instructional technologies in teaching as well as strategies to be put in place in order to curb the challenges faced. The study employed a qualitative approach and a descriptive research design in which face-to-face interviews and focus group discussion were used to collect data. Purposive sampling was used to select the five head teachers, ten educators as change leaders and two computer educators from five selected schools in the Malkerns cluster.  The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The main conclusions of the study were that the availability of instructional technologies in schools does not mean that they are integrated during the teaching process. The study also concluded that educators have inadequate technological training and inadequate support which hinder effective instructional technologies integration in teaching. It is recommended that appropriate training programmes for educators, establishment of fully-fledged computer laboratories and an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy to support instructional technologies should be put in place to ensure successful integration of instructional technologies in teaching.

Altaf Bashir Wani

Papers

Research output on Lavender, 2008–2012