bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embodied Ways of Knowing, Pedagogies, and Social Justice: Inclusive Science and Beyond
Authors: Wilcox Hui Niu
Published: February 2024

This paper explores the implications of embodied ways of knowing for research, teaching, and activism. The concept of embodied knowledges/pedagogies draws attention to bodies as agents of knowledge production. I first outline a theoretical framework that connects embodied knowledges to lived experiences, performance, and bodily intelligence. This theoretical framework has emerged from the collaboration among four groups and institutions: Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT hereafter), environmental justice researchers/advocates, the College of St. Catherine (CSC hereafter), and the 2008 Inclusive Science Conference (ISC hereafter). By evaluating this collaborative project, I develop three pedagogical models that foreground embodied knowledges. Qualitative evidence suggests that embodied pedagogies foster a sense of community and challenge Eurocentric and male-centered systems of knowledge production predicated upon the body/mind binary. In the civic arena, activists use embodied pedagogies to provide emotional access to science-based information, and to mobilize for social change. I invite artists, activists, and educators to consider the potential of embodied knowledges to forge creative alliances, and to radically transform our work, our institutions, and knowledge production in general.
Sexual Harassment Policy, Bureaucratic Audit Culture, and Women's Studies
Authors: Slagter Janet Trapp , Forbes Kathryn
Published: February 2024

In an era of waning public funding and growing assumptions within the academy that gender has been integrated into curricula, Women's Studies Programs work under the monitoring eye of a corporate model of budget-slicing, bureaucratic, audit-culture accountability. Programs come under increasing assault on the grounds of obsolescence and cost-effectiveness. This article documents the institutional setting of a Women's Studies Program under threat and traces how program faculty have attempted to counter antifeminist obsolescence and individualist rhetoric, using as an example the struggle over institutional sexual harassment policy and its successor at the authors' state university. In participating in re-writing policy, the authors discovered possibilities and blockades in professors' and students' attempts to position the Program as more than a curricular remedy. We reveal the limitations of valuing departments solely on quantitative grounds and insist that feminist work in transforming academic culture is far from complete.
A "Daughter of the Occident" Travels to the "Orient": Ida von Hahn-Hahn's The Countess Faustina and Letters From the Orient
Authors: O'Brien Traci S.
Published: February 2024

This article analyzes the relationship between feminist content and racializing discourse in two works by Ida von Hahn-Hahn (1805-80). Susanne Zantop's exploration of race and gender in Germany's "colonial fantasies" provides an important point of departure. However, this article argues that the masculinist boundaries of such fantasies must be reexamined to include an author such as Hahn-Hahn. In Countess Faustina (Gräfin Faustine , 1841), Hahn-Hahn connects female development with the Orient through the metaphor of slavery and a fictional trip to the Orient that appropriates the site for her heroine. In Letters From the Orient (Orientalische Briefe , 1844), the author-traveler continues to advocate female development, but her racially charged descriptions of the people she encounters leave no doubt that they are not included in her progressive worldview. Her works serve as a reminder that relationships of domination and notions of power are not limited to men or masculine fantasies. (TSO)
Woman as Biocontrol: Rereading Donna Haraway through German Science Fiction
Authors: Simon Sunka
Published: February 2024

This article critically juxtaposes Donna Haraway's concept of the feminist cyborg with the remote controlled female cyborg figure in the 1984 German science fiction short story "Biocon" by Reinmar Cunis. It shows how both authors investigate their current societies' adaptation of the cyborg as a figure through which female sexuality and the disavowed fears and desires around self-engendering technology can be "both exorcized and reaffirmed" (Huyssen 81). In their writings, Cunis and Haraway demonstrate the continued sway that this structural paradox holds. Both are deeply committed to analyzing and representing the inequalities, anxieties, contradictions and potential of mass culture in the 1980s. Rereading Haraway's influential "Manifesto for Cyborgs" through Cunis's German SF-scenario helps to highlight the different role recent national history plays in both cyborg manifestations. It shows how, all attempts to the contrary, postwar German society employs the production of hybrids and the conceptualization of hybridity as a means to purification. (SS)
Access to Digitized Knowledge: Education, Consolidation, Maintenance
Authors: Hosek Jennifer Ruth
Published: February 2024

This article combines library and field research to explore access to digitized knowledge now and in a probable future. It focuses on the winning side of the so-called digital divide to highlight aspects of particular concern for "technofeminist" sensibilities. The very market forces currently driving digitalization of knowledge stand to simultaneously create some of the largest barriers to participation in these emerging structures. As humanities scholars we should further critical examination of these technological changes that impact all of us. (JRH)
Gender and the Generations of Difficult Knowledge: Recent Responses to Familial Legacies of Nazi Perpetration
Authors: Luhmann Susanne
Published: February 2024

Over the last decade the children and grandchildren of Nazi perpetrators have produced a wave of autobiographical and semi-autobiographical books in which they seek to publicly work through the affective aftermath of repressed familial guilt. Two books are the focus of this article: Margret Nissen’s 2005 memoir of growing up as the daughter of Hitler’s star architect and armament minister Albert Speer, and Alexandra Senfft’s 2007 memories of her mother, the oldest daughter of Hitler’s representative in Slovakia, Hanns Ludin. My reading focuses on the gendered narratives the authors employ as they constitute their respective generational identities vis-à-vis the difficult knowledge of silenced and denied family histories. Because of their families’ fame, Nissen and Senfft mobilize frames of reading and narration beyond themselves, thus paving the way for a new generation of respondents to such stories. (SL)
A Learned Dog: Roman Elegy and the Epitaph for Margarita
Authors: Funsten Grace
Published: February 2024

Abstract: The epitaph for Margarita ( CIL 6.29896) consists of six elegiac couplets in Latin engraved on a small marble plaque in commemoration of a domestic dog. It was discovered in Rome and likely made in the second century CE. In this paper I examine its allusions to Augustan elegy and verse epitaphs for humans, arguing that it humorously applies eroticizing and literary language to a dog. I then consider Margarita’s status as an import from Gaul, arguing that the epitaph fits into a broader tendency of Augustan elegy to use foreign luxuries to eroticize and naturalize Roman imperialism.
A policy review on the visibility of migrant women exposed to, and at risk of gender-based violence: Considerations for inclusive and equitable policies and programs in Canada
Authors: Chadambuka Cyndirela , Essue Beverley
Published: February 2024

Gender based violence (GBV) has had distinct and disproportionate impact on the health and wellbeing of migrant women in Canada. Currently, there is dearth of documented information concerning the inclusion of migrant women in GBV-related public policies in Canada. The present study examines the extent to which Canadian public policies reflect and address the needs of migrant women who have experienced GBV. We conducted a policy review of publicly available documents at federal and provincial (British Columbia and Ontario) levels. Migrant women’s visibility in the Canadian policy landscape remains limited, as their unique needs are often grouped into broader categories such as ‘newcomers, or visible minorities’. This approach fails to acknowledge their distinct lived experiences. Regardless of the federal and provincial efforts in developing policies targeted at GBV prevention, several significant policy gaps came to light. These include the absence of well-defined protective measures for migrant women in precarious employment as well as the hurdles posed by immigration restrictions that pose a significant challenge for those seeking to leave abusive relationships, particularly in cases of dependent migration status. The highlighted policy gaps have negative impact on migrant women’s social functioning, including limiting access to services and opportunities, and this has adverse effects on their overall health and wellbeing. To ensure the effectiveness and significance of GBV policies, it is imperative that policymakers acknowledge and target the distinct vulnerabilities and needs of migrant women who experience GBV. The inclusion of an intersectional perspective in the formulation and implementation of policies is essential, as it facilitates the recognition of the distinct needs of migrant women. Failure to acknowledge these varying needs and the real-life experiences of this diverse group can jeopardize the comprehensive and successful implementation of GBV response policies, not only in Canada but also worldwide. Prioritizing this aspect is crucial.
‘Con poporos y guacamayas’: Representaciones indígenas y el traje típico colombiano en el Miss Universo
Authors: Piza Leonardo Caballero
Published: February 2024

This article addresses in five examples, the participation of Miss Colombia and her Indigenous-themed costumes at the Miss Universe pageant. First, the methodology used for this research is approached, from the use of images as a historical document and visual culture. Then, we approach a definition of the typical or national costume and its different denominations, to finally analyse a set of costumes representing Colombia and alluding to the Indigenous at the Miss Universe pageant. It is concluded that the typical Indigenous costumes presented in this international beauty contest are invented costumes that recreate stereotypes and establish identities that can be related to the idea of creating imaginaries that can present a good image of Colombia both nationally and internationally. The research was also based on a dialogue with authors who have addressed issues related to the creation of national identities and their construction from the history, culture, and heritage of a country, related to popular contemporary culture and media.
Más es más: Cómo el éxito del Carnaval de Barranquilla se mide a través del ajuar de su reina en la era digital
Authors: Varela Rodríguez-Licata Jeniffer , Bandera Melissa Zuleta
Published: February 2024

Declared by UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Barranquilla’s Carnival gathers thousands of dancers, performers, artists and carnival doers for months leading to the four official days of the festivity, and it is all traditionally led by a Queen. Her commitment to the city of Barranquilla and its most important event is tested from the moment of her election until Ash Wednesday, when the Carnival ends. Her performance is scrutinized now more than ever thanks to the immediacy of social media: her dancing abilities, enthusiasm, charisma and, in great detail, her wardrobe. Traditionally chosen among the wealthiest and deepest-rooted families in the city, her reign is often measured by the purchasing power of her clan, represented in the variety and quality of her dresses and costumes. This article examines the social perception of the Queen through the lens of her wardrobe, using as case studies the Carnivals of three young women in the years 2014, 2016 and 2020. We look to determine how the quality, quantity and luxury of a queen’s festive outfits throughout her reign shape the public opinion of the queen herself and the opinion of her Carnival overall.
COMPLEXES OF WATER-SOLUBLE LOCAL PLANT POLYPHENOL DERIVATIVES AND THEIR BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY
Authors: Rezhepov Kuralbay Zhadigerovich , Alimbayeva Shiyrin Bekniyaz kizi
Published: February 2024

The article is devoted to obtaining water-soluble complexes of iminoazo derivatives of gossypol, studying their physicochemical properties and biological activity. Aromatic, heterocyclic amines and sulfanilamide preparations were used as amine components in obtaining iminoazo derivatives of gossypol and their water-soluble complexes. The maximum values of wavelengths and the corresponding optical densities were determined in the UV spectra of compounds in acetone solvent. In order to determine the structure of the compounds, the infrared spectrum was taken and analyzed: the shift of the fundamental vibrational frequencies up to 31 cm-1 showed that the water-poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone in the compound is connected to a lesser extent as a result of hydrogen bonding. Obtaining complexes of azoderivatives of gossypol imines with poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone is related to the multi-functionality of the reactive groups of the ligand compound; formed hydrogen bonds due to the oxygen of the cycloamide group. For the first time, six new water-soluble complexes iminoazo derivatives of gossypol with poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone were obtained. The results of determination of interferon-inducing activity of compounds were analyzed. The activity was compared with the effectiveness of azo-, iminoazo derivatives of gossypol. According to the obtained results, it was shown that the effectiveness of water-soluble complexes iminoazo derivatives of gossypol.
Az időbeli elhatárolások módszertani kérdései, változásuk 2018–2021 között Magyarországon és elhagyásuk következményei
Authors: Fábics István , Kovács Csaba
Published: February 2024

A szerzők kutatásukban arra keresték a választ, hogy az időbeli elhatárolások alapelvének alkalmazása meghatározó-e a gazdálkodó vagyoni, pénzügyi és jövedelmi helyzetének képalkotásában, elhagyása lényegesen befolyásolná-e a beszámoló felhasználóit döntéseikben. Egy rövid történeti bevezető, az államháztartásban elfoglalt helye és az időbeli elhatárolások működési mechanizmusának (általános és 2022-től hatályos) szemléltetése után áttekintettek két speciális csoportot, a mikrogazdálkodói beszámolót készítőket és az egyházi jogi személyeket, amelyek külön kormányrendelet szerint részlegesen vagy egyáltalán nem alkalmazzák az időbeli elhatárolásokat, továbbá mérlegelték a könyvvizsgálati szempontjaikat. Vizsgálatukban felhasználták a Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal társasági adóbevallások alapján összeállított adatbázisát a magyar gazdálkodók körében a 2018–2021. években, amelyet leíró statisztikai módszerekkel elemeztek az időbeli elhatárolások állományának változásáról és összetételéről. Kutatásuk eredménye azt mutatja, hogy elhatárolások nélkül a képalkotás jelentősen torzulna, vagyis az időbeli elhatárolások szükségszerűek a pontos időszaki eredmény megállapításához. Hiányuk csak akkor nem okoz gondot, ha a képzésük alapjául szolgáló gazdasági események a véletlennél fogva nem érintik az időszakot.
The Association Between Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection and Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ong Leong Tung
Published: February 2024

Background

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infection, affecting 0.6% of all livebirths. Symptomatic and asymptomatic congenital CMV infections are frequently associated withneurodevelopment impairment, motor, and cognitive deficits. Intrauterine infection such as CMVinfection is a risk factor for developing cerebral palsy, which is one of the most common physicaldisability in children. This study aims to investigate the association between congenital CMV infectionand the development of cerebral palsy.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted in EMBASE, MEDINE, and Google Scholar from January2000 to December 2020 to identify relevant studies. The quality of studies was assessed using theNewcastle-Ottawa-Scale. The random-effect model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence.Statistical analysis was conducted using the generic reverse variance method in Cochrane ReviewManager v5.4.

Results

A total of 12 studies involving 3665 patients were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis.The overall pooled prevalence (random effect) of cerebral palsy among patients diagnosed withcongenital CMV infection was 25.0% (95% CI, 0.12-0.38). The overall pooled prevalence (random effect)of congenital CMV infection among patients with cerebral palsy was 10.0% (95% CI, 0.04-0.15). Themost common type of cerebral palsy caused by CMV infection in children was spastic, followed byataxic, dyskinetic, and hypotonic.

Conclusions

CMV infection is significantly associated with the development of cerebral palsy in children. Earlyneonatal and pregnancy screening of CMV is essential to improve the outcome of CMV infection.Moreover, children diagnosed with CMV infection require regular clinical follow-up and comprehensiveneurological examination for early detection of cerebral palsy.
Exploring the relevance of sustainability values and principles
Authors: Thoennessen Joachim , Christensen Jonas
Published: February 2024

This article explores the relevance of sustainability in international social education (ISE). Our empirical data is based on a survey of 30 social work students from Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Sweden. Theoretically, we draw on Bronfenbrenner's theory of social ecosystems and Dewey's emphasis on democratic learning. We use a qualitative approach based on Strauss' Grounded Theory, which allows us to dig deep into the meanings of the students we interviewed. The interviewed students experienced more or less continuously that learning in an international context is learning with all senses, is a "24/7 learning", and is learning in another language (at least most of the time). The results of our survey underline that acquiring knowledge in an international context contributes to a comprehensive understanding of social work as a profession and to the formation of a broad and professional identity. This includes a broad range of critical and systemic thinking skills that enable enquiry, integration and holistic thinking, i.e. sustainability.
Pembelajaran Melalui Video Proyek Islami di Madrasah Aliyah: Membangun Kreativitas dan Pemahaman Islam Holistik
Authors: Khoiriyatul Muyassaroh Iffah , Khamim Siti , Hamami Tasman
Published: February 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan model pembelajaran berbasis proyek (PBjL) dalam konteks Pendidikan Agama Islam (PAI), yang diterapkan melalui Video Project Islami di Madrasah Aliyah (MA). Tujuannya adalah untuk menumbuhkan kreativitas holistik dan pemahaman mendalam tentang Islam. Melalui Metode Tinjauan Pustaka, penelitian ini memeriksa berbagai sumber literatur relevan terkait topik, dengan identifikasi dan evaluasi berdasarkan kriteria yang jelas dan objektif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penerapan pembelajaran video berbasis proyek dalam PAI dapat membantu meningkatkan kreativitas siswa dan pemahaman mereka tentang Islam. Konteks proyek yang diberikan melibatkan pembuatan video Islami yang estetis, bermakna, dan informatif. Siswa secara intensif memanfaatkan internet untuk mengumpulkan informasi dan bahan yang diperlukan dalam produksi video, serta untuk menyimpan dan mendistribusikan video Islami hasil proyek tersebut. Diharapkan, temuan ini dapat memberikan kontribusi yang signifikan terhadap peningkatan kualitas pembelajaran PAI di Madrasah Aliyah. Ini juga dapat memfasilitasi peserta didik dalam mengembangkan pemahaman konseptual tentang agama dan penerapan nilai-nilai Islam dalam konteks sosial dan budaya.
Internalisasi Nilai Nilai Pembelajaran Al Qur'an Hadis dalam Kehidupan Siswa: Studi Kasus MTsN 1 Bantul
Authors: Aulia Muhammad Ghozil , Nafiisah Jauharotun
Published: February 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami pelaksanaan pembelajaran dan cara guru mengaplikasikan nilai-nilai Al-Quran Hadis dalam kehidupan sehari-hari siswa di MTsN 1 Bantul. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran direncanakan dengan baik, pelaksanaan dan penerapan nilai-nilai kehidupan sejalan dengan Al-Qur’an dan Hadis telah terlaksana secara efektif, meski ada hambatan dari sisi personal siswa. Infrastruktur sekolah telah mendukung proses pembelajaran ini. Kendala dalam penelitian ini mencakup faktor pribadi siswa yang bisa mempengaruhi penerapan nilai-nilai ini. Pelaksanaan pembelajaran Al-Quran Hadis juga didukung oleh sarana dan prasarana yang memadai di sekolah. Dengan demikian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa pembelajaran Al-Quran Hadis di MTsN 1 Bantul telah dilaksanakan dengan baik dan mampu menerapkan nilai-nilai Al-Quran Hadis dalam kehidupan sehari-hari siswa. Keterbaruan pada pengaplikasian nilai-nilai Al-Quran Hadis dalam kehidupan sehari-hari siswa di MTsN 1 Bantul. Penelitian ini dapat memberikan kontribusi untuk pengembangan pembelajaran Al-Quran Hadis di sekolah-sekolah lainnya dan dapat menjadi bahan referensi bagi para pengajar yang ingin meningkatkan kualitas pembelajaran di sekolah.
Metode Role playing dan Pengaruhnya dalam Meningkatkan Akhlak Siswa SD Negeri Balecatur 2
Authors: Parwanti  , Junanah  , Andi Musthafa Husain
Published: February 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi dampak implementasi metode role playing terhadap perkembangan moral siswa di SDN Balecatur 2, yang telah diidentifikasi menghadapi masalah dalam perilaku dan interaksi sosial. Metode yang digunakan adalah pendekatan mixed methods yang menggabungkan kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Dalam penelitian ini, pendekatan kualitatif digunakan untuk mendalamkan pemahaman terhadap bagaimana metode role playing diterapkan, sementara pendekatan kuantitatif digunakan untuk mengukur efek role playing terhadap perkembangan moral siswa, melalui observasi, wawancara, dan survei. Instrumen dibuat dan diuji validitas dan reliabilitasnya, diikuti oleh uji regresi linier sederhana. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa metode role playing meningkatkan kegembiraan dan antusiasme siswa dalam belajar, serta memiliki pengaruh signifikan terhadap perkembangan moral siswa di SD Negeri Balecatur 2 (nilai signifikansi < 0,05). Kendati penelitian ini memiliki keterbatasan dalam sampel dan konteks spesifik, temuan tersebut berpotensi menjadi bahan pertimbangan penting dalam pengembangan strategi pendidikan moral di sekolah. Praktik role playing dapat diintegrasikan lebih lanjut dalam kurikulum untuk meningkatkan interaksi positif dan perkembangan moral siswa.
Analisis Nilai-nilai Pendidikan Islam Humanis pada Konsep Kurikulum Merdeka: Telaah Pemikiran Abdurrahman Mas’ud
Authors: Nurdin Muh Nur Islam Nurdin , Irfan Jaya
Published: February 2024

Tujuan penelitian ini ialah mengkaji secara mendalam tentang nilai-nilai Islam humanis dalam konsep kurikulum merdeka. Jenis penelitian yaitu basis kepustakaan menggunakan metode deskriptif-kualitatif dengan paradigma kritis.  Penelitian ini terdiri dari dua sumber data utama yakni website Kemendikbudristek tentang Kurikulum Merdekai sebagai sumber primer dan artikel-jurnal, buku-buku, dan sumber lain yang relevan sebagai sumber sekunder. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan Kurikulum Merdeka mengandung nilai-nilai Pendidikan Islam Humanis yaitu nilai pengembangan akal sehat yang terdapat dalam karakteristik pengambangan kompetensi, prinsip memperhatikan hasil kajian umpan balik dan pembelajaran yang berfokus kepada peserta didik, nilai humanisme menuju kemandirian yang terdapat dalam paradigma kurikulum merdeka, nilai semangat keilmuan yang terdapat dalam salah satu aspek dalam mewujudkan tujuan kurikulum merdeka yaitu menumbuhkan kemauan untuk belajar, nilai simbol yang terdapat dalam projek penguatan profil simbol, nilai mengedepankan fungsi daripada simbol yang terdapat dalam aspek prinsip kurikulum yaitu prinsip berfokus pada kompetensi dan prinsip bergotong royong, dan nilai Keseimbangan reward dan punishment yang terbaca dari pengurangan konten dan pembelajaran yang berfokus kepada peserta didik. Diharapkan, temuan ini memberikan kontribusi signifikan dalam memahami nilai-nilai yang terdapat dalam kurikulum merdeka.
Epistemology of Islamic Education: Criticism and Alternative Solutions
Authors: Hellen Tiara  , Danu
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study is to critique the epistemology of Islamic education in the 21st century, analyze existing problems, and propose alternative solutions. This research employs a qualitative approach, using descriptive analysis methods and a literature review to explore various discussions on the epistemology of Islamic education. Data is validated through source triangulation and then analyzed through collection, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that, despite rapid advancements in education due to technology and globalization, there remain unresolved issues. Critiques of Islamic education epistemology still focus on the dominance of source and tool aspects in studying Islamic epistemology, which tends to be static and non-exploratory. Proposed solutions include an emphasis on empirically-based epistemology, theoretical intellectual knowledge, and a focus on student creativity. Furthermore, in the development of Islamic education curriculum, aspects that are dogmatic and transcendental need to be connected with the empirical world. This research has limitations in terms of scope and depth of analysis, but it has practical implications for the development of more relevant and contextual Islamic education.
Computational study of ADME-Tox prediction of selected phytochemicals from Punica granatum peels
Authors: Batool Aneeqa , Parveen Shagufta , Shafiq Nusrat , Rashid Maryam , Salamatullah Ahmad Mohammad , Ibenmoussa Samir , Bourhia Mohammed
Published: February 2024

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the oldest well-known edible fruits, which has originated in Central Asia but now it has a widespread geographical distribution throughout the world. Phytochemicals are isolated from the pomegranate peels that show different nutritional and pharmaceutical properties. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADME-Tox) were performed to check the adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity of compounds. Previous studies mainly focused on the physico-chemical properties but other parameters are also important for the ADMET study. Six active phytochemicals B9, B29, B30, B45, B55, and B70 show good ADMET properties and can be used for drug discovery in the future.
Predicting Time to Graduation of Open University Students: An Educational Data Mining Study
Authors: Santoso Agus , Retnawati Heri , Kartianom  , Apino Ezi , Rafi Ibnu , Rosyada Munaya Nikma
Published: February 2024

The world’s move to a global economy has an impact on the high rate of student academic failure. Higher education, as the affected party, is considered crucial in reducing student academic failure. This study aims to construct a prediction (predictive model) that can forecast students’ time to graduation in developing countries such as Indonesia, as well as the essential factors (attributes) that can explain it. This research used a data mining method. The data set used in this study is from an Indonesian university and contains demographic and academic records of 132,734 students. Demographic data (age, gender, marital status, employment, region, and minimum wage) and academic (i.e., grade point average (GPA)) were utilized as predictors of students’ time to graduation. The findings of this study show that (1) the prediction model using the random forest and neural networks algorithms has the highest classification accuracy (CA), and area under the curve (AUC) value in predicting students’ time to graduation (CA: 76% and AUC: 79%) compared to other models such as logistic regression, Naïve Bayes, and k-nearest neighbor; and (2) the most critical variable in predicting students’ time to graduation along with six other important variables is the student’s GPA.
Isolation, screening and optimization of alkaliphilic cellulolytic fungi for production of cellulase
Authors: Zainuddin Nor’Izzah , Makhtar Muaz Mohd Zaini , Gunny Ahmad Anas Nagoor , Gopinath Subash Chandra Bose , Ahmad Abdul Aziz , Pusphanathan Kavita , Siddiqui Masoom Raza , Alam Mahboob , Rafatullah Mohd
Published: February 2024

This study concerns with the production and partial characterization of alkaline cellulase from alkaliphilic cellulolytic (AC) fungi isolated fromsoil in Perlis, Malaysia. The best fungi strain was selected on the basis of producing the highest cellulase at high pH conditions. Cellulase from the selected fungi strain was further characterized under saccharification but varies in operating parameters. Finally, the kinetic model describing the growth of the AC fungi strain was studied by employing the logistic model. Among the tested fungi strains, Basidiomycetes strain (BK1) showed high potentiality for the production of maximum alkaline cellulase production at pH 9 after 72 h of incubation at 30°C containing 6 g·L−1 carboxyl methyl cellulose. The saccharification process showed that the enzyme favour high alkaline condition and proves thermotolerant properties, while 15% (v/v) enzyme loading and 1% substrate concentration recorded the highest glucose production at about 1.2–1.3 mg·mL−1. The novelty of the study is to identify and optimize a unique indigenous fungi that emit alkaliphilic cellulase as alternative usage in biotechnology industries due to its capacity to adapt to the extreme conditions of specific industrial processes. There are revolutionary options for use in biotechnological businesses that involve high pH and therefore have substantial biotechnological promise.
Social media addiction and depression and their predictors among university students
Authors: Shanshal Sadeel A. , Al-Qazaz Harith Kh. , Saadallah Dalal A. , Mohammed Shaimaa Y. , Saber Qater Al-nada Y. , Ali Modur M. , Mahmmod Wasan N.
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Social media facilitate the interaction between individuals without regard to the distances between the users. Everybody who has access to internet can suffer from social media addiction. During COVID-19 pandemic there was an increase in social media usage among all population types and especially the university students, which would negatively affect their mental health. Therefore, this study aims at assessing social media addiction and depression among pharmacy students by using questionnaires specifically designed for this purpose.

Methods

A cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted from the start of November to the end of December 2021 among undergraduate pharmacy students in Mosul city, Iraq. An online questionnaire was adopted; it consisted of three parts, the first was for collecting socio-demographic and social media usage information, Social Media Addiction Questionnaire (SMAQ) was used in the second part to assess social media addiction of the participants, and the third part was comprised of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depression among students.

Results

Six hundred-three students completed the questionnaire and constituted the final study sample. Instagram was the most used social media program among the students. About 38 % of the students were at risk of becoming addicted on social media, with only 8.4 % of them being minimally or not depressed. Additionally, positive significant correlation was observed between social media addiction and depression. Using social media for more than 4 h and poor academic performance were found to be predictors for social media addiction and depression.

Conclusions

Addiction to social media and depression are prevalent among pharmacy students in Iraq and the two are related to each other.
Integrative pathway analysis with gene expression, miRNA, methylation and copy number variation for breast cancer subtypes
Authors: Linder Henry , Zhang Yuping , Wang Yunqi , Ouyang Zhengqing
Published: February 2024

Developments in biotechnologies enable multi-platform data collection for functional genomic units apart from the gene. Profiling of non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) is a valuable tool for understanding the molecular profile of the cell, both for canonical functions and malignant behavior due to complex diseases. We propose a graphical mixed-effects statistical model incorporating miRNA-gene target relationships. We implement an integrative pathway analysis that leverages measurements of miRNA activity for joint analysis with multimodal observations of gene activity including gene expression, methylation, and copy number variation. We apply our analysis to a breast cancer dataset, and consider differential activity in signaling pathways across breast tumor subtypes. We offer discussion of specific signaling pathways and the effect of miRNA integration, as well as publish an interactive data visualization to give public access to the results of our analysis.
Characterization of single-crystal phenothiazine synthesized using the vertical Bridgman method
Authors: Periyasamy Velusamy , Ramraj Ramesh Babu , Hasan Imran , Subramanian Prabhakaran , Kim Ikhyun , Paramasivam Sivaprakash
Published: February 2024

A bulk organic single crystal of phenothiazine measuring 65 mm in length and 10 mm in width was grown using the single zone vertical Bridgman technique (VBT), which was visible to the naked eye. Powder X-ray diffraction, also known as XRD, was used in order to perform crystal structural verification on the manufactured crystal. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) approach was used in order to ascertain the crystals’ respective vibrational frequencies. In order to evaluate the single crystal’s crystalline perfection and optical quality, high-resolution X-ray diffraction rocking curve measurement (HRXRD) and UV transmittance spectrum analysis were used. So as to investigate the nonlinear optical (NLO) activity of the generated single crystals, a Q-switched and pulsed Nd: YAG laser was used in the research. This led to the discovery of the SHG efficiency. The single crystal’s mechanical strength was evaluated using Vicker’s microhardness measurement, which provided an approximation of the true value. Furthermore, the single crystal was examined and reported for its optical birefringence, photoluminescence, and refractive index.
As políticas públicas de enfrentamento do trabalho infantil no Brasil
Authors: FREITAS H. N. , CUSTÓDIO André Viana
Published: February 2024

The main objective of this research is to analyze how public policies in Brazil are interconnected to prevent and eradicate child labor. It seeks to understand the legal protection against the exploitation of child labor, explore the Program for the Eradication of Child Labor and the National Policy related to it, and examine the responsibilities of the entities of the Rights Guarantee System in combating this issue. The central question of the research is: how does intersectoral coordination of public policies for this purpose occur in Brazil? The initial hypothesis suggests that there is a shared responsibility between the bodies of the Rights Guarantee System, organized through care, protection and justice policies, enabling joint and networked action through the National Plan and the Child Labour Eradication Programme, aimed at combating the causes and effects of child labour exploitation. The method used was deductive and monographic, using documentary and bibliographic research techniques.
Assessment of the impact of direct in vitro PFAS treatment on mouse spermatozoa
Authors: Calvert Leah , Martin Jacinta H , Anderson Amanda L , Bernstein Ilana R , Burke Nathan D , De Iuliis Geoffry N , Eamens Andrew L , Dun Matthew D , Turner Brett D , Roman Shaun D , Green Mark P , Nixon Brett
Published: February 2024

Graphical abstract

Poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic environmentally persistent chemicals. Despite the phaseout of specific PFAS, their inherent stability has resulted in ubiquitous and enduring environmental contamination. PFAS bioaccumulation has been reported globally with omnipresence in most populations wherein they have been associated with a range of negative health effects, including strong associations with increased instances of testicular cancer and reductions in overall semen quality. To elucidate the biological basis of such effects, we employed an acute in vitro exposure model in which the spermatozoa of adult male mice were exposed to a cocktail of PFAS chemicals at environmentally relevant concentrations. We hypothesized that direct PFAS treatment of spermatozoa would induce reactive oxygen species generation and compromise the functional profile and DNA integrity of exposed cells. Despite this, post-exposure functional testing revealed that short-term PFAS exposure (3 h) did not elicit a cytotoxic effect, nor did it overtly influence the functional profile, capacitation rate, or the in vitro fertilization ability of spermatozoa. PFAS treatment of spermatozoa did, however, result in a significant delay in the developmental progression of the day 4 pre-implantation embryos produced in vitro. This developmental delay could not be attributed to a loss of sperm DNA integrity, DNA damage, or elevated levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species. When considered together, the results presented here raise the intriguing prospect that spermatozoa exposed to a short-term PFAS exposure period potentially harbor an alternate stress signal that is delivered to the embryo upon fertilization.

Lay summary

PFAS are synthetic chemicals widely used in non-stick cookware, food packaging, and firefighting foam. Such extensive use has led to concerning levels of environmental contamination and reports of associations with a spectrum of negative health outcomes, including testicular cancer and reduced semen quality. To investigate the effects of PFAS on male reproduction, we incubated mouse sperm in a cocktail of nine PFAS at environmentally relevant concentrations before checking for a range of functional outcomes. This treatment strategy was not toxic to the sperm; it did not kill them or reduce their motility, nor did it affect their fertilization capacity. However, we did observe developmental delays among pre-implantation embryos created using PFAS-treated sperm. Such findings raise the intriguing prospect that PFAS-exposed sperm harbor a form of stress signal that they deliver to the embryo upon fertilization.
Orientación profesional para la efectiva inserción laboral del estudiantado de educación comercial, periodo 2017
Authors: España Chavarría Carolina , Arce Soto Fabian
Published: February 2024

This qualitative descriptive study took up the challenge of analyzing the professional guidance for the effective labor insertion: of students from the commercial education major, term 2017. To achieve this purpose it was necessaryto diagnose the connection between vocational guidance and employability in the university level of education, as well as, to determine the added value that provides vocational guidance and working context acknowledgment forprofessional projection of the target group. Without a doubt, inputs obtained in this study served as the basis for rethinking training activities in the field of vocational guidance as job placement support.
Análisis de la relación que tiene la Planificación y la Ejecución Presupuestaria en las Municipalidades de Costa Rica
Authors: Armas Vallejos Gabael
Published: February 2024

The objective of this study is to analyze the incidence that planning has on budget management in the municipalities of Costa Rica, given that they presentsome deficiencies such as: low-qualified human resources, planning problems, centralism in political and financial practices, and low budget execution.To achieve what was proposed, a descriptive investigation was carried out, taking as a reference the database of the Municipal Management Index 2018,of the Comptroller General of the Republic of Costa Rica.As a result, it is obtained that in the variable Obligations for financing, there is a positive relationship between compliance with the operating plan andbudget execution. Additionally, there is a positive relationship between the participatory budget and budget execution. Otherwise, the municipalities witha regulatory plan cause a negative effect of -8.99 on financing obligations.In the variable Investment in local projects, the municipalities that comply with the operational plan have a negative effect (-0.89%) on the investment in localprojects. There is also a negative relationship between the participatory budget (-0.89%) and budget execution. There is a positive relationship between theexistence of regulatory plans and budget execution, with a positive effect of 4.3% on investment in local projects.It is concluded that, , the operational plan and participatory budget compliance variables positively affect financing obligations, but in local project investments, both have a negative effect.
Identificación espacial del riesgo por deslizamiento de tierra en el municipio de Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, México
Authors: González-Bolaños Fátima , Olguín-López José Luis , Palomera - García Carlos , Guevara-Gutiérrez Rubén Darío
Published: February 2024

The municipality of Autlán presents problems of land use change and erosion that favor landslides. Spatial identification of these phenomena (5 risk classes) shows that 3 localities are located in high and very high risks areas (Autlán, Ahuacapán and Mezquitán), mainly due to the influence  of Regosol soils, annual and maximum precipitation in 24 hours with a statistically significant relationship of P < 0.05, R2 = 0.99, 0.66 and 0.86. Landslides represent a risk for infrastructure and the population, finding a significant relationship (α = 0.001) between the number of houses and population density per locality only for regular to high threat to landslide. In the absence of land use planning by the municipality, attention and remediation activities are proposed, mainly in urban areas located in landslide-sensitive structures, taking into account the results obtained
Variación espacio temporal del stock de carbono orgánico y su relación con los cambios en el uso del suelo. Partido de Tandil, Región Pampeana Austral, Argentina
Authors: Somoza Ailín , Vazquez Patricia Susana
Published: February 2024

Transformations in land use are drivers of Global Change and environmental impacts associated with the provision of ecosystem services linked to the edaphic resource. The change in land use strongly affects the soil organic carbon stock, a fundamental force for soil quality and services. The objective of this work has been to estimate the variation in the soil organic carbon stock associated with the trends of the agriculturization process in the Environmental Units of the Tandil department in the period 1989 - 2004 - 2019. It was determined, in each Unit, the soil organic carbon stock using the IPCC method. The resulting data with the variation of the agricultural area in the analyzed period allowed to determine the effect of the transformations in the use of the land in each land- scape. It is evidenced that agriculturization is a key driver in the deterioration of the soil’s capacity to maintain the provision of associated ecosystem services
Análisis espacial de mortalidad por cáncer de próstata y su relación con el acceso geográfico a los servicios de salud por cantón en Costa Rica, 2010-2016
Authors: Murillo-González Adrián , Chamizo García Horacio
Published: February 2024

This paper aims to explain the distribution and behavior of prostate cancer mortality in Costa Rica based on geographic access to health services by municipalities. Methodologically, an ecological analysis is presented; its information source is the death database of the National Institute of Statistics and Census. To study the association between mortality and access to health services, the authors designed the Geographic Access Index to Health Services (GAIHS) and implemented Poisson regression models and the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). As a main result, an increasing trend of the disease in the population was found. The GAIHS shows that access to health services is not evenly distributed in the territory and is associated with PCa mortality. It is concluded that the northern zone of the country presents the greatest disadvantage in access to health services and that the territories with the worst GAIHS tend to increase mortality from PCa.
Análise espacial das chuvas no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil
Authors: Luna Lucena Rebecca , Monteiro Francisco , Mariz Faria Raila , Santiago Reis João
Published: February 2024

The main goal of this research was to perform a spatial analysis of precipitation in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) through geostatistical techniques, comparing the historical average data with rainy and dry standard years. Three indicators called Moran's Global Index, Moran Map, and Moran's Scattering Diagram were used for geostatistical analysis. The results showed that precipitation has a more evident pattern in the Eastern Potiguar mesoregion since both in the year considered rainy and, in a year considered dry, most of this mesoregion presented a (HH) pattern, that is, the municipalities form a cluster that represents spatial autocorrelation associated with higher values of precipitation in the state. The regions of Agreste and Central Potiguar were the driest.
Passivo habitacional e condições inadequadas de moradia em municípios brasileiros: a realidade dos aglomerados subnormais e os desafios da Agenda 2030
Authors: Ribeiro Mello Andrea Justino , Menezes André da Silva , Motta Wladmir Henriques , Rodrigues Alba Regina Pereira
Published: February 2024

This article addresses the issue of housing and subnormal agglomerations in selected municipalities within the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and verifies the feasibility of achieving target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on a regional scale. Recent studies commissioned and released by the Brazilian Federal Government and Census data are used as data sources. In the reality studied, the municipality of Belford Roxo, with alarming rates of communities and households in the context of subnormal agglomerations, shows a tendency to deteriorate the housing situation. Japeri and Queimados, due to the demographic growth rates of recent decades. Conversely, Nova Iguaçu, Mesquita, and Nilópolis, with smaller proportions of their populations living in subnormal agglomerations, present a favorable condition for achieving target 11.1 of the SDGs by 2030.
Difusión Espacial de la Devoción a Toribio Romo por Migrantes Mexicanos a Estados Unidos
Authors: Medina Gallo César Eduardo
Published: February 2024

The spatial diffusion of the devotion to Toribio Romo has intensified due to the migration of Mexicans to the United States. It will be discussed how, from the experience of mobility of believing migrants, the devotion to the saint extends to new territories and believers across different geographical scales, influenced by historical and socio-cultural contexts, which are reinforced and establish connections with their places of origin through religious practices and traditions through the image of Toribio Romo. To achieve this purpose, a bibliographical review of the spatial diffusion is presented to explain the expansion of the devotion.

Additionally, the expansion of the devotion between Mexico and the United States will be mapped through fieldwork conducted under the methodology of multi-sited ethnography.