bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Steroid 5 Alpha Reductase Enzyme Levels and Its Correlation with Sex Hormones in Infertile Iraqi Men
Authors: Fakhry Gazal Mohammad  , Adnan F. AL-Azzawie
Published: February 2021

This study aims to evaluate the 5-alpha reductase enzyme (SRD5A2) levels in serum and it’s association with some sex hormones such as Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin and testosterone hormone and the infertility type in some infertile Iraqi men. Blood and seminal fluid samples from (60) idiopathic male infertile and (30) healthful individuals as a control group aged (18 to 60 year) are collected from private clinics. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) has been used for estimation of serum SRD5A as enzymes and FSH, LH, prolactin and testosterone as hormones.According to types of sperm count patients have been divided to two group 49 person as azoospermia group (zero /ml) and 11 person as oligospermia group less than 20 million/ml. The levels of SRD5A2 and testosterone are significantly decreased to (P≤0.01) in the infertile men as compared with control group. While the level of FSH, LH and prolactin are significantly higher (P≤ 0.01) in the infertile men than control group. The results of SRD5A2 are non-significant, while, levels of FSH, LH and prolactin are higher significant (P≤ 0.01) except testosterone level which has significant differences (P≤ 0.05) in the age groups <20-30 year, 31–40 year and ≥ 40 year. There are significant differences (P≤ 0.01) in levels of SRD5A2, FSH and prolactin, but the levels of LH are non-significant in the infertility period ≤ 10 year, 11 – 20 year, ≥ 20 year. Smoker infertile men have low levels (P≤ 0.01) in the SRD5A2 and prolactin while have high levels in the LH hormones compared with control. Patients with family history have shown significant differences (P≤0.05) in the levels of SRD5A2, testosterone, LH and prolactin. In conclusion, this study revealed significantly decrease in the levels ofSRD5A2 in the Azoospermic and oligospermic infertile men and significant negative correlation (P<0.05) between SRD5A2 pg/ml and FSH (mIu/ml) R factor-0.328. Therefore, SRD5A2 has important role in the diagnosis of idiopathic male infertility and it's one of the important markers in the diagnosis of normal spermatogenesis.
A Comparative Study of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Surface Modified Using Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Archana S.
Published: February 2021

In the last decade nanotechnology has greatly developed in many research fields such as engineering, electronic, biological and many others. They can offer several possibilities to design tools, to create new techniques or improve the already existing ones, to discover innovative applications. Nano-science is one of the most important research and development frontiers in modern science. Nanotechnology is now widely used throughout the pharmaceutical industry, medicine, electronics, robotics, and tissue engineering. For biological and biomedical applications, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are the primary choice because of their biocompatibility, super-paramagnetic behavior and chemical stability.

The purpose of this work is the design, development and surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles. Naked iron oxide nanoparticles have high chemical activity, toxicity and aggregate in the body fluid therefore providing surface coating for the stability of the magnetic nanoparticles. These protective shells not only stabilize the magnetic iron nanoparticles but also can be used for further functionalization. Here the iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method, then this nanoparticle is modified using acids- oleic acid and succinic acid and a comparative study is carried out. The TEM, FTIR and DSC characterization techniques were used to confirm the surface modification. After which, it was found the iron oxide nanoparticle with succinic acid gives a uniform coating of the three and can be used for further functionalization for various applications.
Degradation of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Waste on Landfills Due to Rainwater Infiltration
Authors: Suljić Azra , Suljić Nedim
Published: February 2021

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a large number of non-sanitary landfills and landfills where pharmaceutical waste from households is being disposed, as well as the medical waste from different health institutions. Expired pharmaceuticals are mostly being disposed there, because there is very little attention paid on waste sorting at the place of its origin. Now days, there are thousands of different medicine, and mainly, along with the other household waste, expired antibiotics are disposed of too. Degradation of expired pharmaceuticals in the environment very often leads to formation of products with completely different properties in regards to the original compound, but also it is not uncommon for those newly formed products to be more toxic than the original ones. This paper analyses the impact of rainwater infiltration on the body of the landfill where expired pharmaceuticals are being disposed of, as well as other medical waste at municipal landfills in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Field studies on the size of the rainwater infiltration as a function of different parameters have been conducted, and also degradation analysis of different expired drugs that are being disposed of in landfills has been performed.
Screening of Microflora Associated with Brinjal Seeds (Solanum melongena L.) in Western Part of India
Authors: Dr. D K Sharma  , Dr. Nandini Sharma
Published: February 2021

Total 110 seed samples of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) were collected from 12 major growing districts of Rajasthan and subjected to dry seed examination (DSE). DSE revealed asymptomatic (07.75-97.5%), moderately discolored (04.50-67.50%) and shriveled discolored (03.25-38.75%) seeds. Symptomatic seeds in DSE showed various types of discolorations, deformation like white crust on seed surface. The seeds with water soaked symptoms and spots on seed surface were also observed such seeds on incubation yielded bacterial species. The incubation of symptomatic seeds about 21 fungal species of 14 genera and 3 bacterial species were observed viz. Alternaria alternata, A. solani, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Cladosporium oxysporium, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium oxysporium, F. solani, Rhizoctonia bataticola and Rhizopus nigricans etc and bacterial species like Xanthomonas axonopodis var. vesicatoria, Ralstonia solanacearum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The microflora severely affects seed germination (failure or delayed germination), wilting and rotting of seedlings, bacterial oozing, collapse of hypocotyls and cotyledonary leaves which resulting seedling mortality. High yield of microflora was obtained on standard blotter method (SBM) and agar plate method (APM).
Study of Population Growth Impact on Economic Growth during (2003-2017) in Afghanistan
Authors: Ahmad Farid Morwat
Published: February 2021

Achieving high economic growth is one of the significant purposes, which all countries seek to achieve, and achieving it requires a realistic analysis of country’s economy and a better understanding of the principles and rules of economic growth. Meanwhile, demographic changes over time, as one of the most important issues impacting different parts of societies gaining special importance so that demographic changes can be tangible in investment, saving, and overly in economic growth. The relationship between population growth and economic development has been analyzed theoretically and empirically over time by different economists. Some economists believe which fast population growth prevents economic growth; while others believe, that population growth leads to economic growth due to increased demand, level of production and national income. The aim of this study was to investigate impact of population growth on economic growth during (2003-2017) in Afghanistan. In this study, it has been used the data which provided by World Development Index (WDI) Central statistics, books, journals, scientific and research journals and other related articles. For measuring the GDP growth and simple model squares estimation method from programs such as Excel, Eviews and Pass have been used indeed. Economic growth as a dependent variable, population growth, unemployment average, and foreign direct investment as an explanatory (independent) have been implemented.

The outcomes showcase that population growth has a positive effect on economic growth (1%) increase in population growth which causes economic development in order to increase 2.4%. On the other hand, according to obtained results from model summary; gained determination is 0.921. It means the dependent variable of economic growth is elaborated almost 92% by independent variables of population growth, unemployment, and foreign direct investment. This demonstrates strong population growth impact on economic growth and its correlation intensity is almost 1.
Genetic Metabolism Disorders in Newborn
Authors: Owayes Muaffaq Hamed  , Amjad Abdul-hadi Mohammed  , Raed Salem Alsaffar
Published: February 2021

Babies with any type of metabolic disorders lack the ability to break down the food well, which may induce too little amino acids, phenylalanine and blood sugar to the body, there are numerous kinds of this disorders, most of babies with a genetic metabolic disease have many mutation in gene that coded an enzyme which results a deficiency in same enzyme are hundreds of these disorders and they were diagnosed by their symptoms and the treatment method. The treatment methods of the metabolic disorder depend on the specific type of disorders, inborn metabolic disease are some-time  treated with dietary guidance, and other childcare choices, many hereditary metabolic disease are initially caused by gene mutations and that transferred from parents to offspring.
PMS1 is a differentially expressed gene in brain metastatic human breast cancer.
Authors: Mamoor Shahan
Published: February 2021

Metastasis to the brain is a clinical problem in patients with breast cancer (1-3). We mined published microarray data (4, 5) to compare primary and metastatic tumor transcriptomes for the discovery of genes associated with brain metastasis in humans with metastatic breast cancer. We found that the homolog of postmeiotic segregation increased 1, encoded by PMS1, was among the genes whose expression was most different in the brain metastases of patients with metastatic breast cancer as compared to primary tumors of the breast. PMS1 mRNA was present at decreased quantities in brain metastatic tissues as compared to primary tumors of the breast. Expression of PMS1 in primary tumors was significantly correlated with patient overall survival. Modulation of PMS1 expression may be relevant to the biology by which tumor cells metastasize from the breast to the brain in humans with metastatic breast cancer.
Discussion points on the early days of crowdfunding research in Vietnam
Authors: Ho Tung Manh
Published: February 2021

In this essay, I reviewed some of the early days of crowdfunding research in Vietnam and pointed out there is a lack of a theoretical framework for analyzing this phenomenon.
TTF1 is a differentially expressed gene in both lymph node and brain metastases in human breast cancer.
Authors: Mamoor Shahan
Published: February 2021

Metastasis to the brain is a clinical problem in patients with breast cancer (1-3). We mined published microarray data (4, 5) to compare primary and metastatic tumor transcriptomes for the discovery of genes associated with brain metastasis in humans with metastatic breast cancer. We found that transcription termination factor 1, encoded by TTF1, was among the genes whose expression was most quantitatively different in the brain metastases of patients with metastatic breast cancer. TTF1 mRNA was present at decreased quantities in brain metastatic tissues as compared to primary tumors of the breast. Importantly, expression of TTF1 in primary tumors was significantly correlated with patient distant metastasis-free survival in patients with breast cancer. Modulation of TTF1 expression may be relevant to the biology by which tumor cells metastasize from the breast to the brain. These data are one piece of evidence suggesting a common ancestor or tumor clone for brain and lymph node metastases that originate from the primary tumor, alluding to patterns in developmental origin and migratory pathways through the lymph node in human brain metastatic breast cancer.
The COVID States Project #37: Gun purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Simonson Matthew , Lazer David , Perlis Roy H. , Baum Matthew , Green Jon , Gitomer Adina , Ognyanova Katherine , Druckman James , Lin Jennifer , Santillana Mauricio , Quintana Alexi , Uslu Ata
Published: February 2021

2020 was a record breaking year for gun purchases, with major spikes in March when the pandemic and lockdowns became widespread and in June during the peak of the Black Lives Matter protests. People who attended protests against police violence and rallies in support of President Trump were much more likely to buy guns than everyone else. As in past years, crime remained the biggest reason for gun-buying, but nearly a third respondents cited COVID-19, lockdowns, the election, or protection against the government. Republicans were more than twice as likely as Democrats to buy a gun. Existing gun-owners who became ill with COVID-19 were more likely to buy additional guns than non-infected gun-owners. Whites bought more guns overall, but Blacks were more likely to become new gun-owners (after adjusting for income, ruralness, and other demographic factors).
Jual Viagra Asli Usa Original 082125111816 | Ciri Ciri Obat Viagra Asli Dan Palsu
Authors: Abian
Published: February 2021

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The COVID States Project #28: Public support for measures aimed at curbing COVID-19 in Massachusetts
Authors: Baum Matthew , Ognyanova Katherine , Uslu Ata , Lazer David , Perlis Roy H. , Santillana Mauricio , Druckman James , Quintana Alexi , Gitomer Adina , Simonson Matthew , Green Jon , Chwe Hanyu , Lin Jennifer
Published: February 2021

In November, we find quite high levels of support for all seven restrictive measures, ranging from lows of 63% of Massachusetts residents supporting closing most businesses and 71% supporting prohibiting in-person teaching in K-12 schools, to highs of 89% and 88% supporting restricting international travel to the US and imposing stay-at-home requirements, respectively (Figure 1). Between the extremes, 76% support restricting domestic US travel, 79% support restricting restaurants to take-out only, and 82% support canceling major sports and entertainment events. These numbers are generally slightly higher than national support for these measures (identical for restricting international travel, and up to six points higher in every other case).1The percentages varied only modestly from October levels, with the largest change being a 3-percentage point decline in support for closing businesses. For all other measures, the difference from October to November is 2 points or less.
The COVID States Project #11: Perceptions of school reopening safety in the US
Authors: Baum Matthew , Perlis Roy H. , Ognyanova Katherine , Chwe Hanyu , Lazer David , Druckman James , Green Jon , Santillana Mauricio , Volpe John D. , Quintana Alexi , Simonson Matthew
Published: February 2021

An increasing number of school districts across the United States have announced that they will provide entirely remote learning when school resumes this fall. Others, like New York City, continue to consider alternatives, including hybrid models in which students attend school part-time. While many other countries have succeeded in reopening schools without a resurgence of cases (with some notable exceptions), they reopened in a very different context, with rates of infection in the community far lower than in many places in the United States. On the other hand, the federal government, and some state governments, continue to focus on the importance of reopening. Another complication is the role of teachers’ unions, who have expressed discomfort about their teachers’ safety and their ability to provide a safe environment for students. And among schools already reopening, some students have already tested positive for COVID-19.Parents of school-age children thus confront difficult decisions about their children’s education - decisions that will hinge on whether they believe schools can be made safe. We surveyed 19,058 adults in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia for 2 weeks beginning July 10 and ending July 26, asking about their perception of the safety of returning to school. We also asked a subset of respondents whether they support reopening schools for in-person classes in the fall. We further aimed to understand whether these comfort levels vary depending on rates of infection in their community, and on other attitudes about COVID-19.
The COVID States Project #24: The trajectory of health-related behaviors in Massachusetts
Authors: Lazer David , Santillana Mauricio , Perlis Roy H. , Baum Matthew , Ognyanova Katherine , Druckman James , Quintana Alexi , Simonson Matthew , Gitomer Adina , Green Jon , Chwe Hanyu , Lin Jennifer , Uslu Ata
Published: February 2021

This report summarizes the trajectory of individual behaviors in Massachusetts related to the spread of COVID-19 - that is, the way individual behavior has changed over the past 7 months in the Commonwealth. These summaries are based on a large-scale survey that our team has regularly conducted in all 50 states since April of this year.
UPAYA MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR IPA MELALUI METODE RESITASI PADA SISWA KELAS V SD INPRES BORONG JAMBU II KOTA MAKASSAR”
Authors: Inafebriyanti
Published: February 2021

UPAYA MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR IPA MELALUI METODERESITASI PADA SISWA KELAS V SD INPRES BORONG JAMBU II KOTA MAKASSAR”
Jajar genjang
Authors: YUSPIDA
Published: February 2021

Catatan terkait materi jajar genjang beserta contohnya
PENINGKATAN PEMAHAMAN KONSEP KONVERSI SATUAN LUAS MELALUI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF STUDENT TEAMS ACHIEVEMENT DIVISIONS
Authors: Tanti Ris
Published: February 2021

The aims of this study was to improve output comprehension concept vast unit conversion using an cooperative learning model with type Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD). The kind of this study was action class research (ACR), teacher as a learning executor then student as a learning observer. This study used 2 cycle action class. Every cycle consisted of four stage that is planning, action implementation, observation and evaluation. This study was held on even semester, on February. The subject of this study was student at VI Mina class SD Islam Al Azhar 17 Bintaro consist of 35 students. The data obtained from observation, interviewed and written test. Data analysis used descriptive and presented in a table. The study indicated increase comprehension concept vast unit conversion of student. The first cycle showed 63% student’s score above Minimum Completeness Criteria (MCC), then on second cycle the student’s score increased up to 100% above MCC. Accordingly, cooperative learning model Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) application can improve comprehension concept vast unit in math story telling question.
PENERAPAN MEDIA SOSIAL WHATSAPP TERHDADAP HASIL BELAJAR IPA PADA SISWA KELAS V SD INPRES BORONG JAMBU II KOTA MAKASSAR
Authors: Sari Nur Indah
Published: February 2021

PROPOSAL PENERAPAN MEDIA SOSIAL WHATSAPP TERHDADAPHASIL BELAJAR IPA PADA SISWA KELAS VSD INPRES BORONG JAMBU IIKOTA MAKASSAR
The COVID States Project #14: Misinformation and vaccine acceptance
Authors: Baum Matthew , Ognyanova Katherine , Chwe Hanyu , Quintana Alexi , Perlis Roy H. , Lazer David , Druckman James , Santillana Mauricio , Lin Jennifer , Volpe John D. , Simonson Matthew , Green Jon
Published: February 2021

Scholars and public health officials have expressed growing alarm over what some have termed a “misinfodemic” − a parallel epidemic of misinformation − around COVID-19. Indeed, conspiracy theories, from the Plandemic pseudo-documentary to QAnon, fuel rising skepticism about scientific facts across many areas of public life, and in recent months especially with respect to COVID-19. Misperceptions, which can rapidly spread from obscurity to mass exposure via social media, may have the capacity to hinder the efficacy of public health efforts aimed at slowing the spread of the pandemic. Especially concerning, encountering false claims online may ultimately reduce the willingness of some Americans to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.In this report, we assess respondents’ acceptance of 11 false claims that have circulated online since the beginning of the pandemic. The statements we use include six false claims about conspiracies or risk factors and five false purported preventive treatments for COVID-19. For the conspiracies/risk factors, we asked respondents whether or not they thought each claim was accurate, or whether they were unsure about its accuracy. For the false preventive treatments, we asked participants whether or not they believed the purported treatment was effective, or whether they were unsure about its efficacy.Here, we explore some of the factors associated with higher or lower likelihood of believing false claims. We then consider the association between believing false information about COVID-19 and vaccine acceptance.
The COVID States Project #22: Executive approval update
Authors: Lazer David , Quintana Alexi , Uslu Ata , Green Jon , Ognyanova Katherine , Baum Matthew , Chwe Hanyu , Simonson Matthew , Gitomer Adina , Druckman James , Santillana Mauricio , Lin Jennifer , Perlis Roy H.
Published: February 2021

Despite the headwinds confronting the country in facing COVID-19, approval of most governors’ and President Trump’s COVID-19 response did not change greatly between September and October in our survey. President Trump’s approval has ticked up a point to 35%, which is still problematically low approval for the most salient issue in the 2020 election by far (in 49 out of 50 states, Alaska being the one exception, COVID-19 is ranked as ”the most important problem”). More generally, after suffering a decline in the spring, the President’s approval rating has been flatline around his October rating of 35%. (For all approval ratings for the President and all of the governors, see the tables in the appendix.) To compare, governors, as a group, have seen a gradual decline in their approval ratings between late April and September; a 1 point increase from September (47%) to October (48%) marks the first time they have improved, or even held steady since our initial survey wave. Despite this, approval of governors is generally higher than that of the President. In 42 states, the governor has a higher approval level than the President, and in 2 states the levels are the same; in 6 states, the President has a higher approval level, but in no state does the approval of the President exceed that of the governor by more than the margin of error for the survey in that state.1 Per-state approval of the President roughly tracks partisanship of the state, and the only state where his approval is above 50% is Alabama. In most of the 10 swing states, the President hovers around 35%, from a low of 29% in New Hampshire to a high of 42% in Ohio. Alaska and Iowa stand out as states that he won handily in 2016, but now finds very low approval -- 34% and 32%, respectively. Other states he won in 2016 and now lingers at the national average or below are Michigan and Wisconsin. Pennsylvania --perhaps the most pivotal state in the 2020 election -- runs against the trend somewhat, showing approval ratings below the national level in April, and now several points above (at 38%).
Replicating the Resource Curse: A Qualitative Replication of Ross 2004
Authors: Becker Megan , Markowitz Jonathan , Orsborn Sarah , Dasaraju Srividya , Lauder Lindsay , Nazha Isabelle
Published: February 2021

What are the causal pathways through which natural resources are linked to civil conflict? The most comprehensive answer to this question comes from Ross (2004), who conducted the first qualitative causal pathway analysis on this issue. Despite the study's prominence, its findings have never been replicated due to the challenge of re- coding thirteen hypotheses across thirteen cases. To overcome this, we conduct the first qualitative replication in Political Science to employ an original codebook, a team of coders, and inter-coder reliability checks. We find that 24% of Ross' codings fail to replicate, a large enough share to alter his core findings. Contrary to Ross, we find that resources affect conflict onset through the pathways of both greed and grievance. Additionally, we find that resources generally increase conflict intensity and duration. Our methods and approach can be broadly applied to future qualitative research, especially medium-N causal pathway analysis.
Injector and Combustion Chamber Design for a Nitrous Oxide and Ethanol Rocket Engine
Authors: Ceotto Giovani , Tavares Guilherme Castrignano
Published: February 2021

The basic design of a rocket engine injector and combustion chamber for saturated nitrous oxide and liquid ethanol is presented. At first, an oxidant-fuel mixture is selected based on a thermochemical analysis that explores several existing options and other combinations that have not yet been studied. As a result, nitrous oxide is chosen as an oxidant and ethanol as fuel. Then a simplified methodology is proposed for the design of a pressure-swirl injector responsible for ethanol. Computational fluid dynamics is used to verify the validity of the above-mentioned analysis, using Volume of Fluid (VOF). For the nitrous oxide injector, the flash-boiling phenomenon is investigated, verifying its importance for the ongoing project. The effect is treated analytically using the Dyer model to account for non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Simplified zero-dimensional and one-dimensional combustion models are explored as tools to design the rocket combustion chamber. Furthermore, combustion instability due to acoustic phenomena is studied, with the first spinning tangential mode being computed for the herein developed motor and an ensemble of acoustic cavities being developed to suppress the aforementioned mode. Finally, a diagram of the static test bench which will be used to validate the injectors and the designed engine is also presented.
Cooperation, Interaction, Search: Computational Approaches to the Psychology of Asking and Answering Questions
Authors: Boyce-Jacino Christina , DeDeo Simon
Published: February 2021

This chapter argues that question-asking should be studied as a process of interactive search between social agents, and shows how new tools in machine learning, combined with large-scale data sets on question-asking ``in the wild'', can give us new insights into how it works beyond the confines of the laboratory. We introduce the technical aspects of these tools, new mathematical frameworks that can use them to gain insights into psychology of asking and answering questions, an examples of their application to the online forums Stack Exchange and Mumsnet, and archives of crosswords and quiz questions. We draw attention to the accompanying challenges, including the difficulty of using metadata as dependent variables, and determining the construct validity of the tools themselves.
Unemployment-Study_PREPRINT
Authors: Van den Bergh Nathan , Marchetti Igor , Hoorelbeke Kristof , Lopez Alvaro Sanchez , de Raedt Rudi , Koster Ernst H. W.
Published: February 2021

Important individual differences exist in how people respond to major stressors. Despite the key roles attributed to emotion regulation and cognitive control in resilience and vulnerability to stress, relatively few studies have directly investigated these relationships upon confrontation with major stressors, such as unemployment. The current pre-registered study thus set out to prospectively test mediational hypotheses, in which baseline cognitive control (indexed by performance on a cognitive task) and self-reported effortful control predict emotion regulation (follow-up 1), in turn predicting internalizing symptomatology or resilience (follow-up 2). Data of 84 people confronted with unemployment were analyzed using path models: one based on primary outcome measures (repetitive negative thinking and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress) and one based on secondary outcome measures (positive thinking style and resilience). The results show that effortful control and cognitive control are relevant distal factors to consider when investigating emotional symptoms and resilience in the unemployed.
An Autocatalytic Network Model of Conceptual Change
Authors: Gabora Liane , Beckage Nicole , Steel Mike
Published: February 2021

In Reflexively Autocatalytic Foodset-generated (RAF) networks, nodes are not just passive transmitters of activation; they actively galvanize, or ‘catalyze’ the synthesis of novel(‘foodset-derived’) nodes from existing ones (the ‘foodset’). Thus, RAFs are uniquely suited to modeling how new structure grows out of currently available structure, and analyzing phase transitions in potentially very large networks. RAFs have been used to model the origins of evolutionary processes, both biological (the origin of life) and cultural (the origin of cumulative innovation), and may potentially provide an overarching framework that integrates evolutionary and developmental approaches to cognition. Applied to cognition, the foodset consists of information obtained through social learning or individual learning of pre-existing information, and foodset-derived items arise through mental operations resulting in new information. Thus, mental representations are not just propagators of spreading activation; they trigger the derivation of new mental representations. To illustrate the application of RAF networks in cognitive science, we develop a step-by-step process model of conceptual change (i.e., the process by which a child becomes an active participant in cultural evolution), focusing on childrens’ mental models of the shape of the Earth. Using results from (Vosniadou & Brewer, 1992), we model different trajectories from the Flat Earth model to the Spherical Earth model, as well as the impact of other factors, such as pretend play, on cognitive development. As RAFs increase in size and number, they begin to merge, bridging previously compartmentalized knowledge, and get subsumed by a giant RAF (the maxRAF) that constrains and enables the scaffolding of new conceptual structure. At this point, the cognitive network becomes self-sustaining and self-organizing. The child can reliably frame new knowledge and experiences in terms of previous ones, and engage in recursive representational redescription, and abstract thought. We suggest that individual differences in the reactivity of mental representations, i.e., their proclivity to trigger conceptual change, culminate in different cognitive networks and concomitant learning trajectories.
Queen Square Guided Self Help for Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder
Authors: Humblestone Sue , Roelofs Jacob , Selai Caroline , Moutoussis Michael
Published: February 2021

Abstract Objective: Functional Neurological Symptoms (FNS) are disabling symptoms without macro-structural cause. While inpatient treatment confers important benefits, it is resource intensive and hence it is important to optimize its efficiency. Methods: We developed a brief, internet-based preparatory therapy based on psychoeducation and CBT, termed the Queen Square Guided Self-help (QGSH) to maximize the efficacy of the inpatient FNS treatment at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. Results: The QGSH aims to ensure that prior to admission the patient understands 1) The diagnosis of FNS , 2) The five areas CBT model and 3) The use of Goal setting in rehabilitation. It has now run since 2017 and 191 patients have taken part in the inpatient FNS program, with 122 of these have participated in the QGSH. It runs for up to twelve weeks and includes original videos and patient worksheets, as well as signposting to existing published resources. Information is sent weekly by e-mail and content is delivered in the form of eleven modules built around online video sessions.Conclusion: We believe that the set of materials used in QGSH has the potential to benefit patients with FNS and can support clinicians wishing to develop their expertise. It could help with the development of new FNS services, and we are in the process of developing it into a standalone service. We hope that the experience of the Queen Square team can be used to help patients and clinicians to improve the provision of FNS services.
Critical psychologies and climate change
Authors: Adams Matthew
Published: February 2021

This article is a review of recent contributions in critical psychology, and its close cousins, critical social psychology, critical community psychology and liberation psychology, to understandings of the human response to climate change. It contrasts critical psychology with mainstream psychology in general terms, before introducing a critical psychological perspective on climate change. Central to this perspective is a critique of the framing of individual behaviour change as the problem and solution to climate change in mainstream psychology, and a related emphasis on identifying ‘barriers’ to pro-environmental behaviour. This framework is argued to be reductive, obscuring or downplaying the influence of a range of factors in shaping predominant responses to climate change to date, including social context, discourse, power and affect. Currently, critical psychologies set out to study the relative contribution of these factors to (in)action on climate change. A related concern is how the psychological and emotional impacts of climate change impact unevenly on communities and individuals, depending on place-based, economic, geographic and cultural differences, and giving rises to experiences of injustice, inequality and disempowerment. Critical psychology does not assume these to be overriding or inevitable psychological and social responses, however. Critical psychologies also undertake research and inform interventions that highlight the role of collective understanding, activism, empowerment and resistance as the necessary foundations of a genuine shift towards sustainable societies.
When Does it Pay Off to Learn a New Skill? Revealing the Complementary Benefit of Cross-Skilling
Authors: Stephany Fabian
Published: February 2021

This work examines the economic benefits of learning a new skill from a different domain: cross-skilling. To assess this, a network of skills from the job profiles of 14,790 online freelancers is constructed. Based on this skill network, relationships between 3,480 different skills are revealed and marginal effects of learning a new skill can be calculated via workers’ wages. The results indicate that learning in-demand skills, such as popular programming languages, is beneficial in general, and that diverse skill sets tend to be profitable, too. However, the economic benefit of a new skill is individual, as it complements the existing skill bundle of each worker. As technological and social transformation is reshuffling jobs’ task profiles at a fast pace, the findings of this study help to clarify skill sets required for designing individual re-skilling pathways. This can help to increase employability and reduce labour market shortages.
Myopic reallocation of extraction improves collective outcomes in networked common-pool resource games
Authors: Schauf Andrew , Oh Poong
Published: February 2021

When individuals extract benefits from multiple resources, the decision they face is twofold: besides choosing how much total effort to exert for extraction, they must also decide how to allocate this effort. We focus on the allocation aspect of this choice in an iterated game played on bipartite networks of agents and common-pool resources (CPRs) that degrade linearly in quality as extraction increases. When CPR users attempt to reallocate their extraction efforts among resources to maximizetheir own payoffs in the very next round (that is, myopically), collective wealth is increased. Using a heterogeneous mean-field approach, we estimate how these reallocations affect the payoffs of CPR users of different degrees within networks having different levels of degree heterogeneity. Focusing specifically on Nash equilibrium initial conditions, which represent the patterns of over-exploitation that result from rational extraction, we find that networks with greater heterogeneity among CPRdegrees show greater improvements over equilibrium due to reallocation. When the marginal utility of extraction diminishes, these reallocations also reduce wealth inequality. These findings emphasize that CPR users’ adaptive reallocations of effort—a behavior that previously-studied network evolutionary game models typically disallow by construction—can serve to direct individuals’ self interest toward the collective good.
Developing initial programme theory: COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium Hospital-Onset COVID-19 study (COG-UK HOCI)
Authors: Flowers Paul , Mapp Fiona , Blackstone James , Stirrup Oliver , Breuer Judith
Published: February 2021

Intervention programme theory enhances the development, evaluation, optimisation and translation of complex interventions. It clearly specifies the ways intervention context and content combine to produce intervention outcomes. We report the development of initial programme theory for a SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence-report tool (SRT). The SRT translates genome sequencing data to drive changes in the intensity and location of infection prevention and control (IPC) and related cleaning activities within UK NHS hospitals to reduce nosocomial infections. The SRT is being trialled within the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium Hospital-Onset COVID-19 study (HOCI). Within the HOCI study, we will assess the impact of the SRT, and its timing, when compared to no sequence data, on the occurrence and transmission location of nosocomial infection, reducing its incidence rate and identifying previously undetected nosocomial transmission. To develop the initial programme theory we used documentary analysis (e.g. trial protocol, case report forms, drafts of the SRT), informal discussions with trial team members, and the iterative development of logic models. The intervention’s causal mechanisms were conceptualised using combined insights from behavioural, implementation science and complex adaptive systems perspectives. Our initial programme theory will subsequently be used to shape a process evaluation within a diverse sample of trial sites. The planned process evaluation will use the initial programme theory and assess SRT acceptability, support for its putative causal mechanisms, issues of fidelity and adaptation, and examine how the planned intervention has worked, or not, in relation to intended and unintended consequences.
'छाउपडी' उपन्यासका नारी पात्रमा प्रतिनिधित्व, पहिचान र प्रतिरोध
Authors: पौड्याल शालिकराम
Published: February 2021

छाउपडी उपन्यासमा प्रयुक्त पात्रहरूको कार्यात्मक भूमिकाका आधारमा प्रतिनिधित्व, पहिचान र प्रतिरोधको स्थिति स्पष्ट रूपमा देख्न सकिन्छ । प्रस्तुत उपन्यासमा जातीय, लैङ्गिक, क्षेत्रीय, वर्गीय तथा संस्कार र सांस्कृतिकतालाई प्रतिनिधित्व र पहिचान गर्ने मूल आधार मानिएको छ । उपन्यासमा सीमान्तकृत वर्गमा नारी र पुरुषहरू रहे पनि यस लेखमा नारी पात्रहरूको मात्र प्रतिनिधित्व, पहिचान र प्रतिरोधको स्थितिको खोजी गरिएको छ । उपन्यासका पात्रहरूको सामाजिक आर्थिक हैसियत र तिनको जीवनशैली, आचार, व्यवहारले पनि तिनीहरूले भिन्न भिन्न वर्गीय पात्रका रूपमा विविध ढङ्गले प्रतिनिधित्व गरेका छन् । उपन्यासका सीमान्तीय पात्रहरूले सामन्तवादी सांस्कृतिक उत्पीडनको अवस्थामा पुगेका श्रमिक नारीहरूको प्रतिनिधित्व गरेका छन् । ज्ञान र शक्ति विहिनताले शक्तिको परिधिमा पुर्याइएका, नारी अस्मिता र अस्तित्व पहिचान निर्माणमा सचेत हुँदाहुँदै पनि आफ्नो स्वपहिचान र आत्मपहिचानलाई जोगाउन नसकेका नारी पात्रहरू आएका छन् । सीमान्त वर्गका नारी पात्रहरूले आफ्नो स्वपहिचान र आत्मपहिचानलाई जोगाउन सङ्घर्ष गर्दागर्दै पनि प्रतिरोधमा सफल नदेखिएको सन्दर्भ उपन्यासमा चित्रित भएको छ । यसमा सामाजिक अवस्था र लैङ्गिक उत्पीडनका कारण सीमान्तीकृत वर्गमा रहेका नारी पात्रको प्रतिनिधित्व, पहिचान र प्रतिरोधको अध्ययन गरिएको छ ।
Pierce Similarity Algorithm In Detection Of Jar Letter In Al-Quran As Basic Media For Learning Arabic Language Structure
Authors: Jannah Miftahul , Nababan Adli Abdillah
Published: February 2021

Al-Quran is the basic reason someone should understand the rules of Arabic. One of the basic rules is knowing the jar type which we generally often encounter in Arabic, but we do not understand that this letter has its own duties and functions. In this study, samples of Jar letters were used as many as 7 jar letter patterns which are generally often encountered in the Al-Quran. The purpose of this research is to build a system that can recognize Jar letters using the Pierce Similarity method and performs the performance on the algorithm. The research method used is the theory of pattern recognition in image processing with 2 processes, namely the Training Process and the Testing Process. The value of each letter pattern obtained in the Training Process will be the weight benchmark for the Testing Process, so that we can measure the performance level of Algortima Pierce Similarity in detecting the Jar letter pattern. The results can vary for each letter pattern ranging from 60% to 80%.
Material Deprivation: Measuring Poverty by Counting Necessities Households Cannot Afford
Authors: Notten Geranda , Kaplan Julie
Published: February 2021

Unique data from a 2013 Canadian survey were used to measure material deprivation. This outcome-based indicator of poverty was constructed of 17 necessities. When persons who cannot afford two or more items are considered materially deprived, material deprivation is found to affect 18.6 percent of Canadians. Of those, only 43 percent also have low income. Of Canadians with low income, only 50 percent are materially deprived. The experience of poverty-level living conditions thus regularly coincides with an income above the poverty threshold, and having low income does not guarantee material deprivation. Outcome-based poverty indicators such as material deprivation therefore offer new and relevant insights into understanding poverty and its policy solutions in Canada.
Perceptions of Canadian Federal Policy Responses to COVID-19 among People with Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions
Authors: Pettinicchio David , Maroto Michelle , Lukk Martin
Published: February 2021

This study examines how people with disabilities and chronic health conditions—members of a large and diverse group often overlooked by Canadian public policy—are making sense of the Canadian federal government’s response to COVID-19. Using original national online survey data collected in June 2020 ( N = 1,027), we investigate how members of this group view the government’s overall response. Although survey results show broad support for the federal government’s pandemic response, findings also indicate fractures based on disability type and specific health condition, political partisanship, region, and experiences with COVID-19. Among these, identification with the Liberal party and receipt of CERB stand out as associated with more positive views. Further examination of qualitative responses shows that these views are also linked to differing perspectives surrounding government benefits and spending, partisan divisions, and other social and cultural cleavages.
O efeito da moderação da inovação frugal sobre a orientação estratégica para eco inovação e manufatura verde em países emergentes e desenvolvidos
Authors:   , Tarraço Elisângela
Published: February 2021

No contexto das estratégias de mobilização das capacidades das empresas e de governos para alcançar o crescimento econômico, diante da escassez de recursos e das pressões do ambiente institucional por produtos e processos ambientalmente conscientes, tem-se elevado a importância da inovação frugal – uma das soluções potenciais para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Estratégias empresariais orientadas para a inovação frugal, com a aplicação em processos produtivos, para resultados ambientais mais sustentáveis, necessitam de compreensão. Nesse sentido, este estudo objetiva validar o efeito da moderação da inovação frugal nas seguintes dimensões: (a) quanto maior a presença de inovações frugais nas organizações, maior a relação existente entre a orientação estratégica para a ecoinovação e a manufatura verde; e (b) se existem evidências de diferenças comportamentais entre países emergentes e desenvolvidos. Como objetivos específicos, busca-se verificar a influência: (a) das pressões institucionais de mercado e regulatórias, e da orientação estratégica para a ecoinovação, quanto maior a estratégia de inovação frugal na organização; (b) da relação entre a manufatura verde e o desempenho da organização, quanto maior a estratégia de inovação frugal; e (c) comparar os resultados das relações entre as pressões do ambiente institucional e a orientação estratégica para a ecoinovação, e entre a manufatura verde e o desempenho organizacional, nos mercados desenvolvidos e emergentes, quanto maior o efeito de moderação da inovação frugal. Para tanto, utilizou-se uma abordagem quantitativa, por meio do modelo de equações estruturais (PLS-SEM), para analisar 303 organizações do setor de manufatura, sendo 173, em países emergentes (Brasil e Índia), e 130 de países desenvolvidos (Alemanha e Estados Unidos da América). Como resultado, as organizações mais frugais têm maior relevância na relação entre a orientação estratégica para a ecoinovação e a manufatura verde, do que as menos frugais. Tal inovação, portanto, estabelece-se como um potencial alavanca para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Esse resultado também é encontrado na análise das organizações em países emergentes, nos quais a inovação frugal, mesmo sob um cenário de restrições, pode impulsionar os esforços voltados aos objetivos ambientais. Nos países desenvolvidos, em contrapartida, não há evidência de que esse efeito seja significativo para as organizações mais frugais. Este trabalho contribui, então, com a teoria acadêmica sobre o papel da estratégia de inovação frugal para o fortalecimento da relação entre a orientação estratégica, a ecoinovação e a manufatura verde, e confirma os estudos sobre a importância da inovação frugal para os mercados emergentes, como solução às limitações de recursos destinados às estratégias de sustentabilidade.