bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chinese investments in Russia in the context of China’s foreign economic strategy
Authors: Volinsky Andrey , Kruglova Maria
Published: November 2024

The article analyzes the problem of Chinese investments in the Russian economy. Despite the intensive development of Russian-Chinese trade and economic relations, which is especially characteristic of the last two years, the development of investment cooperation between the countries lags significantly behind other areas of interaction. The problem of the low level of investment by Chinese companies in the Russian economy is considered in the context of the PRC’s foreign economic strategy; it is shown that the Russian economy mainly attracts Chinese investors seeking natural resources. However, there is a reason to assume a change in the existing paradigm in the perception of the Russian economy.
Distribution and ecological features of the weevil Ptochus porcellus Boheman, 1834 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Entiminae) in the Russian Plain and the Urals
Authors: Dedyukhin S. V.
Published: November 2024

An analysis of the distribution and ecological features in European Russia of the weevil Ptochus porcellus Boheman, 1834 (Curculionidae), an Eastern Euro-Caucasian — Kazakhstan southern steppe species, is provided. The northern boundary of its range has been established, on the Russian Plain it mainly passes through the very south of the forest-steppe zone, and in the Urals, — along the middle part of the steppe zone. It is shown that in the north of the range the species is associated with the most xerothermic extrazonal habitats with sparse vegetation cover. Information on the host plants of this species has been supplemented.
Modern Climate Changes in the Selenga Mid-mountain Region and their Reflection in Rivers Runnow and Tree Ring Chronologies
Authors: Vahnina Vahnina L. , Noskova Elena V. , Obyazov Viktor A. , Kurganovich Konstantin A. , Myglan Vladimir S.
Published: November 2024

Based on data from 7 meteorological stations, the main parameters (surface air temperature, precipitation, aridity and humidification indices) characterizing climate trends for 1950–2021 were considered on the territory of the Selenga midlands (The Republic of Buryatia), and their influence on river flow and radial growth of Scots pine. A significant increase in surface air temperature is shown, occurring with a high degree of consistency at different weather stations. The average value of the linear trend for the territory for the general period was 2.1°C. The most intense increase in temperature and increase in the frequency of above-zero anomalies has been observed in the last 11 years (2011–2021). In the precipitation regime during the study period, two complete moistening cycles were identified (1961–1981 and 1982–2018) lasting 21 and 37 years. Currently, there is a humid phase, which began in 2019. An increase in temperature leads to increased aridity of the region, which is especially noticeable during the arid phases. The cyclicity characteristic of the precipitation regime is also manifested in long-term changes in river flow. The river’s water flows are most dependent on precipitation. Selenga. However, the synchronicity of their changes is not observed throughout the entire time series. In the precipitation regime, the phase of reduced moisture at the beginning of the 21st century is not as clearly expressed as in the runoff regime. The same differences were revealed in the flow regime of different rivers, which is due to the location of their catchment areas. The watersheds of only two rivers — Dzhida and Orongoy — are located entirely in the Selenga midlands. Most of the catchments of the Selenga and Chikoy rivers are located outside the study area. This circumstance determines to a large extent the good consistency of long-term changes in the water flows of these rivers and the differences from the river flow regime. Orongoya and especially r. Jids. The dynamics of the width of the annual rings of Scots pine trees growing in the Selenga midlands reflects changes in its hydrothermal regime during the current and previous growing seasons. The influence of atmospheric precipitation is pronounced, so the amount of precipitation for May–June explains about 40% of the increase for the residual (without autocorrelation component) tree-ring chronology.
Modelling the Identification and Classification of Military Air Objects Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Uhryn Dmytro , Shved Danylo
Published: November 2024

The article is devoted to the urgent problem of developing systems for intelligent identification of military aircraft based on artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning technologies as an important task for ensuring national security and increasing the efficiency of military operations. The necessity of such systems capable of automatically accurately recognizing and classifying aircraft in images is substantiated. Their advantages over traditional methods are highlighted: higher performance, speed, accuracy, elimination of the human factor. The critical importance of implementing innovative deep learning solutions to identify threats and increase the effectiveness of military operations is emphasised. Modern methods and tools for object recognition in visual data are analysed. The proposed method of collecting and pre-processing data for model training is described in detail, and a diagram of the key stages of developing a high-precision recognition system based on YOLOv8 is presented. The process of forming a high-quality training dataset from public sources and own aerial survey/satellite images using Roboflow for object annotation, creating subsets for training/validation/testing in the YOLO format is presented. Satisfactory results of fast recognition of military aircraft with high classification probabilities are demonstrated. A comparative analysis of the YOLOv8, R-CNN and GPT-4 models is presented, which shows the advantage of YOLOv8 in terms of forecasting accuracy and speed. The created model management system for setting hyperparameters, selecting object categories, and launching training/prediction processes is described. The results of testing the trained YOLOv8 are presented, which confirmed its high efficiency in accurately detecting targets in difficult conditions due to advanced deep learning algorithms. The optimality of YOLOv8 for solving the problem of military aircraft identification is substantiated.
THE STATE OF THE ADVANCED TRAINING SYSTEM OF THE HIGHER-EDUCATION TEACHING PERSONNEL AT A MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
Authors: SHAKAROVA I.S.
Published: November 2024

The article considers topical issues related to advanced and vocational upgrade training of the higher-education teaching personnel. In the process of research, the results of questionnaire survey of the teaching personnel of A. I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (Russian University of Medicine) are presented. The analysis of the data obtained is the basis for the formation of a new vision and improvement of the organization of transdisciplinary approach to the teacher's professional development.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE ASPECT OF PATRIOTIC EDUCATION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Authors: KUROCHKIN S.V.
Published: November 2024

The purpose of this article is to analyze digital technologies in the aspect of patriotic education of high school students, identify their advantages and disadvantages, generalize theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of this issue, and to give proposals for their further development. The factors that have a negative impact on the motivation of high school students, in terms of patriotic education, are considered. It is substantiated that it is possible to reverse the current situation by means of informational lectures, conversations, discussions, competitions, etc., conducted by teachers, which will have an impact on understanding the importance of patriotism in the context of the student's development as an individual in the future. It has been proven that in the current realities, innovation is becoming the main component of the educational process, and the help of teachers and parents is becoming an important positive factor in the formation of patriotic values of schoolchildren. It is also noted that wide access to information creates favorable conditions for a deep and effective acquiring of the history and culture of one's country, as well as the development of patriotic feelings and respect for one's homeland. The main results of the study confirm the fact that digital technologies can definitely be considered an effective tool for enriching traditional education, allowing high school students to develop information competencies in combination with national values.
THE SOCIO-PHILOSOPHICAL CONTENT OF THE DISCIPLINE “FUNDAMENTALS OF RUSSIAN STATEHOOD”: THE APPROBATION OF PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES CASE STUDY STUDENTS WITHIN THE COURSE OF THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE STUDY
Authors: ERMOLENKO G.A. , KOZHEVNIKOV S.B.
Published: November 2024

The article analyzes the socio-philosophical and ideological content of the discipline “Fundamentals of Russian statehood”. The authors consider pedagogical tools aimed at forming students' civic position, social responsibility, skills of philosophical reflection, analysis, and comprehension of current political, spiritual and moral orientations. Mastering this discipline makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of educational work in the higher education system, and also contributes to the development of a national strategy for the development of higher education. The testing of pedagogical technologies was carried out from September, 1 to November, 30, 2023 in groups of undergraduate students of Moscow Pedagogical State University and the National Research University - Higher School of Economics.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE STYLE OF PEDAGOGICAL COMMUNICATION ON THE SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTANCE IN RELATIONS WITH TEACHERS IN SENIOR SCHOOLCHILDREN
Authors: LOLENKO E.V.
Published: November 2024

The article discusses the definitions of styles of pedagogical communication in different authors' works. The influence of the style of pedagogical communication on the presence of socio-psychological distance (cognitive, communicative, emotive, behavioral and activity) in high school students is considered. The results of the study of the style of pedagogical communication and education are presented. The method of diagnosing interpersonal relationships and the results of the study of proximity (remoteness) in the interaction of high school students of Tyumen region with teachers are described.
THE MASTERY OF A MODERN UNIVERSITY TEACHER
Authors: ALEKSEEVA P.M.
Published: November 2024

The article examines the concept of “mastery of a higher school teacher”, analyzes approaches to definition, reveals the structure of pedagogical mastery of a teacher, attempts to identify the place of mastery of a higher school teacher in the socio-professional consciousness, and identifies practice-oriented areas of skill development, their interrelationship in the university academic environment, among which - meaning formation, movement towards harmony and sustainability, continuous professional development and proactivity. The article presents the results of the analysis of what is understood by the term “the skill of a teacher of a modern university” in the public and professional consciousness.
GROUPS OF SOURCES ON THE STUDY OF THE PROBLEM OF ACCESSIBILITY OF EDUCATION IN RUSSIA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XX CENTURY
Authors: KILYACHINA A.I.
Published: November 2024

The issue of accessibility of education in Russia in the pre-revolutionary years remains one of the most difficult and controversial in the works of researchers of the history of Russian education. This is primarily due to the insufficient breadth of the materials involved for a serious analysis of this problem and the lack of their in-depth analysis. Meanwhile, without involving the maximum available number of published sources in the study and carefully comparing them with a wide list of archival materials, significant inaccuracies in the statistical information involved and its evaluation are allowed in many publications. The proposed article examines the main groups of sources necessary for a comprehensive analysis of the problem of accessibility of education in Russia at the beginning of the XX century. Attention is also drawn to the special importance of not only the measures taken by the government in the field of education, but of the study of the demand for these measures by representatives of various groups of the population as well. Consideration and analysis of these two aspects of the problem of accessibility of Russian education at the beginning of the XX century on the basis of a comprehensive study of various groups of published and archival materials will allow us to obtain very important results for historical and pedagogical science.
LEVERAGE DAN LIKUIDITAS DALAM MEMPENGARUHI PROFITABILITAS
Authors: Andriani Ratih , Yunita Resmi Rita
Published: November 2024

Tujuan penelitian untuk mengevaluasi dampak leverage dalam profitabilitas, dampak likuiditas dalam profitablitas yang dijalankan di perusahaan otomotif kompenen industri yang masuk Bursa Efek Indonesia. Penelitian ini memanfaatkan metode kuantitatif dengan mempergunakan data sekunder dari pelaporan keuangan Perusahaan sektor otomotif serta industri komponen lain yang ada pada BEI. Dengan 14 perusahaan dalam populasi dan 5 perusahaan sebagai sample. Metode pengambilan sample yang dipergunakan pada studi ini yakni purposive sampling. Metode analisis data melibatkan penerapan Analisis Regresi Linear Berganda setelah sebelumnya dilakukan Uji Statistik Deskriptif, Asumsi Klasik, serta Hipotesis. Penelitian dari Uji t menunjukkan bahwa Debt to Equity Ratio mempengaruhi Return On Asset serta Current Ratio mempengaruhi ROA. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Debt to Equity Ratio dan Current Ratio dengan simultan mempengaruhi Return On Asset. Koefisien determinasi R square adalah 29,7%, sedangkan 70,3% sisanya diakibatkan dari variable lain
PENGARUH KEPEMIMPINAN, MOTIVASI DAN PENGALAMAN KERJA TERHADAP KINERJA PEGAWAI PADA BADAN KEPEGAWAIAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN SUMBER DAYA MANUSIA KABUPATEN PONOROGO
Authors: Chandrawati Ruchita , Natsir Mokhamad
Published: November 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendiskripsikan kinerja karyawan di Badan Kepegawaian dan Pengembangan SDM Kabupaten Ponorogo dipengaruhi oleh pengalaman kerja, motivasi, dan kepemimpinan. Studi ini menerapkan pendekatan deskriptif kuantitatif. 52 orang yang menjawab adalah ASN dari Badan Kepegawaian dan Pengembangan SDM Kabupaten Ponorogo. Dalam metode pengumpulan data yang dikenal sebagai purposive sampling, peneliti memberikan kuesioner kepada responden untuk menentukan sampel. Peneliti menggunakan uji simultan (uji f), uji parsial (uji t), dan uji validitas dan reliabilitas. Hasil uji parsial menunjukkan bahwa variabel Kepemimpinan (X1), Motivasi (X2), dan Pengalaman Kerja (X3) secara bersamaan berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Kinerja Pegawai (Y) di Badan Kepegawaian dan Pengembangan SDM Kabupaten Ponorogo. Untuk variabel kepemimpinan, t hitung sebesar 2,144 lebih besar dari t tabel sebesar 2,006; untuk variabel motivasi, t hitung sebesar 1,210 lebih besar dari t tabel sebesar 2,006; dan untuk variabel motivasi, t hitung sebesar 0,230 lebih kecil dari 0,05, yang menunjukkan bahwa motivasi tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan. Sedangkan signifikansi sebesar 0,601 lebih besar dari 0,05, yang menggambarkan bahwa variabel pengalaman tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja karyawan Badan Kepegawaian dan Pengembangan SDM Kabupaten Ponorogo.
KASUS PERBAIKAN LIFT BERBASIS SIX SIGMA PADA APARTEMEN SKYLAND CITY JATINANGOR
Authors: Katon Fadhila Larasati , Kaltum Umi
Published: November 2024

Tujuan dilakukan panelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi akar penyebab masalah pengoperasian lift yang kurang optimal dan merancang solusi perbaikannya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian deskriptif dengan pendekatan studi kasus. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah kerangka kerja DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) dari Six Sigma. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa akar permasalahan dari masalah perbaikan lift yang berulang adalah prosedur pelaporan yang tidak efisien yang mengakibatkan keterlambatan atau kegagalan dalam pengadaan suku cadang. Dengan demikian penulis merekomendasikan untuk mengimplementasikan platform kolaborasi SharePoint untuk meningkatkan komunikasi dan koordinasi antara departemen terkait. Dengan implementasi SharePoint, diperkirakan proses perbaikan lift akan menjadi lebih efisien, dengan waktu proses yang berkurang sekitar 4 hari.
RUANG TERBUKA HIJAU : SEKADAR HIASAN KOTA ATAU SARANA BERKUMPUL YANG MENARIK?
Authors: Rawa Ricola Dewi , Arweni Arweni , Hidayat Nur
Published: November 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji dan menganalisis pengaruh fasilitas, faktor sosial, dan aksesibilitas terhadap minat berkunjung ruang terbuka hijau di Pontianak. Penelitian ini menggunakan kuesioner skala likert untuk pengumpulan data. Populasinya adalah masyarakat Pontianak. Sampel diambil menggunakan rumus Hair et al., yaitu Jumlah Indikator x 10, dengan sampel minimal 130 responden. Jumlah sampel aktual adalah 190. Analisis data menggunakan Structural Equation Model (SEM) dengan metode Partial Least Squares (PLS) melalui WarpPLS 8.0. Hasil pengujian hipotesis menunjukkan bahwa fasilitas, faktor sosial dan aksesibilitas berpengaruh signifikan terhadap minat berkunjung pada ruang terbuka hijau di Pontianak.
Supported employment: The coming of full circle
Authors: Wayne C. Barbour
Published: November 2024

In this manuscript, the author focuses on the history of supported employment, tracing its origin from the late seventies into the nineties. As a basis, the author calls upon the resources of a literature review. Surprisingly, there is notable similarity found in the issues addressed by the various authors, notwithstanding the passage of time. The author provides an account of the similarities and finally suggests how the field of supported employment could profit from revisiting its history as the field attempts to respond to its critics.
Longitudinal outcomes in Vermont's Consumer Choice Demonstration	Project (1993--1999)
Authors: Hartnett Johnette T. , Collins Michael , Tremblay Tim
Published: November 2024

This study explored strategies for providing service recipients with increased choice in the state vocational rehabilitation process. This study compared costs, services received and outcomes achieved for people served in the Standard Program of the Vermont Division Vocational Rehabilitation (Section 110) and its Consumer Choice Demonstration Project. The Choice group was more than two times more likely to have completed rehabilitation compared to the Section 110 group. The mean cost for paid services for the Choice group was 11% higher than the Section 110 group ($1,838--$1,635). The mean quarterly earnings for the Choice group not receiving SSI or SSDI was 2.7 times higher for people receiving SSI or SSDI ($3,351--$1,168). The mean quarterly earnings for the 110 group not receiving SSI or SSDI was 2.3 times higher for people receiving SSI or SSDI ($3,369--$1,446).
The Vocational Cognitive Rating Scale: A scale for the assessment	of cognitive functioning at work for clients with severe mental illness
Authors: Greig Tamasine C. , Nicholls Sarah S. , Bryson Gary J. , Bell Morris D.
Published: November 2024

The Vocational Cognitive Rating Scale (VCRS) is an instrument designed to measure cognitive impairment in the workplace. The VCRS is designed specifically for use with people with chronic mental illness. Test construction yielded 16 items that are rated after a workplace observation and brief interview with the supervisor. Inter-rater reliabilities of the individual items and total score were in the good to excellent range. Validity is supported by Cronbach's Alpha which indicates strong internal consistency. Strong predictive validity was demonstrated by beginning VCRS scores predicting work hours and work performance at 6 months. Results derived from two independent samples suggest that The VCRS has the potential to become a valuable tool in the vocational rehabilitation of people with severe mental illness.
The impact of vocational evidence in ERISA lawsuits and the	court's reliance on the opinions of vocational experts
Authors: Sleister Stephanie L.
Published: November 2024

This article examines the vocational evidence used in determining disability in ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) claims. Since federal law governs the interpretation of ERISA insurance policies [2], if a dispute arises under an employer-sponsored long-term disability plan, it falls under the jurisdiction of ERISA litigation. The primary issue in an ERISA denial of benefits action is whether the plan administrator's final decision was arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion. Disability determinations in these policies rely on vocational evidence. This article reviews (a) the standards of disability determination in long-term disability policies and (b) the vocational evidence used to determine disability.
A comparison of equal employment opportunity commission case	resolution patterns of people with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities
Authors: Conyers Liza , Unger Darlene , Rumrill, Jr. Phillip D.
Published: November 2024

This article describes findings from an empirical investigation of the pattern of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title I case resolutions by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) involving people with HIV/AIDS (n = 2,078) in comparison to the pattern of ADA Title I case resolutions involving all other people with disabilities between 1993 and 2002 (n = 187,684). Chi-square analysis revealed that people with HIV/AIDS are significantly more likely than other complainants to receive settlement benefits from their employers, to have their cases resolved with findings of reasonable cause, and to have their cases closed administratively by the EEOC. People with HIV/AIDS are less likely than other complainants to have charges resolved with a finding of no reasonable cause and to have their complaints resolved via other closures. Implications of these findings for vocational rehabilitation practice are presented.
Self-employment: An under-utilised vocational rehabilitation	strategy
Authors: Kendall Elizabeth , Buys Nicholas , Charker Jill , MacMillan Sarah
Published: November 2024

Over the last two decades self-employment has become an increasingly attractive option for many individuals, including people with disabilities. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that vocational rehabilitation service providers continue to hold negative views about self-employment as a service delivery option for their clients. Given the lack of Australian research in this area, this study examined attitudes of rehabilitation counselors towards self-employment. Data were collected from 143 rehabilitation counsellors across Australia using a survey instrument developed by Ravesloot and Seekins. Results indicated that rehabilitation counselors generally held positive attitudes towards self-employment as a vocational outcome for their clients, providing it was financially viable and clients possessed requisite social skills. However, they also reported a lack of organisational support for self-employment as a placement option. The implications of these results for policy and practice are discussed, including the need for more government intervention in this area to encourage rehabilitation providers to offer self-employment to consumers.
Arthritis and self-employment: Strategies for success from the	self-employment literature and from the experiences of people with	arthritis
Authors: Adam Paul M. , White Margaret A. , Lacaille Diane
Published: November 2024

This qualitative analysis identifies factors that individuals with arthritis should take into consideration prior to pursuing self-employment (SE). Subjects were recruited from a database of all patients who had used the services of a provincial, out-patient arthritis treatment program between January 1999 and December 2000. Letters screening for SE experience were sent to 4414 individuals. Of the 1695 (38% individuals who responded, 442 (26% reported current or previous SE experience and 247/442 (56%) agreed to participate and completed a mailed survey. Three open-ended questions asked respondents what advice they would give to someone with arthritis who was considering SE, and to provide their general thoughts on SE as an option for people with arthritis. Respondents provided a range of practical advice on determining the suitability of SE, choosing the type of SE in which to become engaged, and potential strategies for success. Advice for improving the chance of business success included the importance of formal and informal support, self care, maintaining close contact with one's medical team, pacing, and finally, planning the business.
Do LLMs Overcome Shortcut Learning?An Evaluation of Shortcut Challenges in Large Language Models
Authors: Yuan Yu , Zhao Lili , Zhang Kai , Zheng Guangting , Liu Qi
Published: November 2024

Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown remarkable capabilities in various natural language processing tasks. However, LLMs may rely on dataset biases as shortcuts for prediction, which can significantly impair their robustness and generalization capabilities. This paper presents Shortcut Suite, a comprehensive test suite designed to evaluate the impact of shortcuts on LLMs’ performance, incorporating six shortcut types, five evaluation metrics, and four prompting strategies. Our extensive experiments yield several key findings: 1) LLMs demonstrate varying reliance on shortcuts for downstream tasks, significantly impairing their performance. 2) Larger LLMs are more likely to utilize shortcuts under zero-shot and few-shot in-context learning prompts. 3) Chain-of-thought prompting notably reduces shortcut reliance and outperforms other prompting strategies, while few-shot prompts generally underperform compared to zero-shot prompts. 4) LLMs often exhibit overconfidence in their predictions, especially when dealing with datasets that contain shortcuts. 5) LLMs generally have a lower explanation quality in shortcut-laden datasets, with errors falling into three types: distraction, disguised comprehension, and logical fallacy. Our findings offer new insights for evaluating robustness and generalization in LLMs and suggest potential directions for mitigating the reliance on shortcuts. The code is available at https://github.com/yyhappier/ShortcutSuite.git.
SimLayerKV: A Simple Framework for Layer-Level KV Cache Reduction
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Du Cunxiao , Du Chao , Pang Tianyu , Gao Wei , Lin Min
Published: November 2024

Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) have extended their capabilities to handle long contexts. However, increasing the number of model layers and the length of input sequences significantly escalates the memory required to store key-value (KV) cache, posing challenges for efficient inference. To mitigate this issue, we present SimLayerKV, a simple yet effective method that reduces inter-layer KV cache redundancies by selectively dropping cache in identified lazy layers. Our approach is based on the observation that certain layers in long-context LLMs exhibit “lazy” behavior, contributing less to modeling long-range dependencies compared to non-lazy layers. By analyzing attention weight patterns, we find that the behavior of these lazy layers is consistent across tokens during generation for a given input. This insight motivates our SimLayerKV, which identifies lazy layers and reduces their KV cache accordingly. SimLayerKV is training-free, generalizable, and can be implemented with only seven lines of code. We conduct extensive experiments on three representative LLMs, e.g., LLaMA2-7B, LLaMA3-8B, and Mistral-7B across 16 tasks from the LongBench benchmark. The results demonstrate that SimLayerKV achieves a KV cache compression ratio of 5\(\times\)with only a 1.2% performance drop when combined with 4-bit quantization. Our code is available at https://github.com/sail-sg/SimLayerKV.
LoLDU: Low-Rank Adaptation via Lower-Diag-Upper Decomposition for Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning
Authors: Shi Yiming , Wei Jiwei , Wu Yujia , Ran Ran , Sun Chengwei
Published: November 2024

The rapid growth of model scale has necessitated substantial computational resources for fine-tuning. Existing approach such as Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) has sought to address the problem of handling the large updated parameters in full fine-tuning. However, LoRA utilize random initialization and optimization of low-rank matrices to approximate updated weights, which can result in suboptimal convergence and an accuracy gap compared to full fine-tuning. To address these issues, we propose LoLDU, a Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning (PEFT) approach that significantly reduces trainable parameters by 2600 times compared to regular PEFT methods while maintaining comparable performance. LoLDU leverages Lower-Diag-Upper Decomposition (LDU) to initialize low-rank matrices for faster convergence and orthogonality. We focus on optimizing the diagonal matrix for scaling transformations. To the best of our knowledge, LoLDU has the fewest parameters among all PEFT approaches. We conducted extensive experiments across 4 instruction-following datasets, 6 natural language understanding (NLU) datasets, 8 image classification datasets, and image generation datasets with multiple model types (LLaMA2, RoBERTa, ViT, and Stable Diffusion), providing a comprehensive and detailed analysis. Our open-source code can be accessed at https://github.com/SKDDJ/LoLDU.
Cultural and Regional Influences on Global AI Apprehension
Authors: Frimpong Victor
Published: November 2024

The discussion surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is primarily influenced by Western viewpoints, often neglecting the cultural, regional, and socio-political factors that affect global perceptions of AI. This study examines how these factors shape AI apprehension in various regions, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. A qualitative literature review was conducted, analyzing peer-reviewed articles, policy reports, and gray literature from multiple regions. The study used a comparative approach to assess the cultural, political, and economic contexts shaping AI perceptions. It found significant regional differences in AI concerns: Western countries emphasize privacy, surveillance, and ethics, while regions like Africa and Asia focus on technological dependency, state control, and socio-economic issues, such as job displacement. Brazil and Argentina were noted for their AI governance models, while South Africa and Kenya leverage AI to tackle socio-economic challenges. The findings underscore the need for inclusive AI governance frameworks that respect diverse local contexts and values. These frameworks would contribute to a better understanding of AI's global impact and inform future policy development.
Partnership with educational institutions and social institutions in the context of socio-pedagogical support and accompaniment of children and youth: materials of the 3rd All-Ukrainian Round Table.
Authors:   Institute of Problems on Education of the NAES of Ukraine, Kunytsya Tetiana
Published: November 2024

The collection of materials of the 3rd All-Ukrainian Round Table presents the results of research into strategies for partner interaction of scientific institutions, educational institutions, and social institutions, technologies of social and pedagogical support, social and pedagogical trends in the professional training of social work specialists, etc. These are presented in the author's edition. The authors of the published materials are not responsible for the accuracy of the given facts, quotations, references to sources, etc.
Sense of belonging Black middle school transfer students in St. Louis
Authors:   , Davis Destiny S
Published: November 2024

This dissertation-in-practice investigates the development of belonging among Black middle school students transitioning from predominantly Black to predominantly White schools in the St. Louis region. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Sense of Belonging research, the study seeks to illuminate the complex interplay between race, racism, and power in these students' experiences.
Increasing teacher capacity in identifying the potentially gifted from low-socio-economic backgrounds
Authors:   , Genova Kelly Hayes
Published: November 2024

As a gatekeeper for gifted and talented programs in the United States, teachers are often those charged with beginning the student testing referral process. This qualitative case study examined whether localized professional development could increase teacher capacity to identify potentially gifted and talented students from lower socio-economic backgrounds through a lens of growth mindset theory. The research was conducted in a public school district in Missouri, serving approximately three thousand students, nearly 40 percent of whom qualify for a free or reduced school lunch. Data showed increased student referrals after multiple targeted professional development opportunities focused on student needs and teacher adoption of a growth mindset. Data provided evidence that the identification of gifted students who also receive a free and reduced lunch increased. This increase resulted from research-based, targeted professional development, using districtspecific data, and introducing and adopting strategies aligned with the growth mindset theory. The results serve as a guide for districts as gifted and talented education moves toward implementing programs more democratically representative of their unique student populations.
Is more truly better? The relationship of professional development dosage and effective teacher interactions in early childhood (ECE) classrooms
Authors:   , Huang Anna Teresa Baizas
Published: November 2024

Early childhood experiences set the foundations for health, well-being, and learning; quality interactions at this stage of development improve outcomes for young children. Teacher qualifications, training, and professional development (PD) are important components of best practice in early childhood education (ECE) and are frequently used as indicators of program quality as they are believed to improve teacher skills in the classroom. Research on the effectiveness of PD yield mixed results, often indicating that the intensity (dosage) and type of training may matter more than teacher qualifications in improving teacher practice, specifically with teacher-student interactions in the classroom. However, most studies with modest effects of training on improved classroom interactions have been conducted among preschool teachers of publicly funded schools and centers. Furthermore, not much is known about how teachers' beliefs and perceptions influence transfer of learning from PD into their teaching practice. This mixed methods research examines the relationship of training dosage on classroom interactions of teachers for children from birth-5 years old in non-publicly funded ECE centers. It also explores the beliefs and perceptions of teachers about best practice in ECE and how that influences application of training into classroom practice.
Reciprocities market : John Bartram's 18th century botanical subscription service and the seeds of independence
Authors:   , Mason Shannan
Published: November 2024

This dissertation "Reciprocities Market: John Bartram's 18th Century Botanical Subscription Service and the Seeds of Independence," delves into the evolving social and economic relationships of 18th-century colonial America through the lens of John Bartram's work and network. Bartram (1699-1777), a Pennsylvanian-born Quaker farmer and naturalist, developed a transatlantic botanical subscription service. An exemplar of the broader shift from traditional patronage systems of obligation and reciprocity or deference to market-based egalitarian exchange. This study explores how Bartram's economic and scientific endeavors mirrored the changing dynamics of his time, contributing to the intellectual and economic development of an emergent nation. Through the analysis of Bartram's correspondence, geography, and network, this research uncovers the ways he and his contemporaries navigated and reshaped the conventions of reciprocity and market exchange. The dissertation argues that Bartram's market-oriented approach was part of a larger trend among colonial Americans, who used market mechanisms to negotiate and assert their economic and social positions. Through John Bartram as a representative figure, this dissertation contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between science, commerce, and society in early America, revealing how individual initiatives and market mechanisms aided by and as extensions of empire were integral to the dissemination of natural knowledge and the development of a distinct American identity, challenging European hierarchical norms and contributing to the seeds of independence.
What about us? A qualitative case study of the effects of administrative empathy modelling on teacher stress, burnout and professional development in Bermuda
Authors:   , Miller Theresa LaVerne Eve
Published: November 2024

Empathy is an emotional intelligence skill that has been known to make significant impacts in various professional environments. Teachers have always been expected to work at high levels in the midst of difficulties. Educators are constantly inundated with increasing workloads, added responsibilities, ever changing expectations and regular mandates to remain sharp by elevating their professional practices for the overall benefit of student learning and growth while simultaneously battling against behaviors, learning gaps and the emotional traumas that exist in educational spaces. This then begs the questions; How are teachers doing? How are educators coping under the strain of constant demands? If teachers are supporting students, who supports teachers? This study aimed to shed light on the empathy practices of school administrators and how empathy modelling by school leaders impacted the daily experiences of teachers in the concentrated areas of stress and burnout as well as professional development. The qualitative case study focused on the workplace experiences of educators in Bermuda in conjunction with the empathy modelling practices of the school administrators and leaders they worked with in an effort to uncover how empathy can be a tool that is used to reduce teacher stress and burnout as well as improve attitudes and efforts toward professional growth. Empathy was found to be highly valued among the study participants. The lack of empathy modelling by administrators in the areas of relationship building, understanding, inclusion, and development was found to be largely influential to the increase of stress, stress related feelings and behaviors among participants.
Dialectical behavior therapy-mindfulness training with healthcare trainees and employees : a quality improvement study
Authors:   , Vebares Tayler
Published: November 2024

During the global health pandemic, burnout and turnover were historically high among healthcare trainees and workers (HCWs). Burnout puts individuals, at all points in their career, at risk of dropping out or quitting, particularly individuals from oppressed communities. This crisis is also an opportunity to explore ways to support our HCWs better. Mindfulness-based interventions have often been used in healthcare settings to help prevent and decrease burnout and increase care competence and career longevity. Dialectical Behavior Therapy - Mindfulness (DBT-M) skills training may help HCWs cope with stress and burnout and improve well-being. This quality improvement study aimed to evaluate the reach, feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and preliminary efficacy of the DBT-M skills training workshop with HCWs. Fifty-six individuals, majority White women in healthcare professions or training, participated in a five-week DBT-M skills training. A mixed methods approach was utilized to address the study questions. To examine differences in measures of mindfulness, well-being, and burnout from pre- to post-workshop, within- (e.g., multilevel models) and between-person (e.g., t-tests) analyses were utilized. Participants also provided qualitative feedback, which was summarized, and recommendations followed. The results of these analyses suggested that the DBT-M training significantly increases mindfulness and well-being and decreases aspects of burnout from pre- to post-workshop. Analyses also suggested that the workshop was well-received, feasible, acceptable, and appropriate for the population. DBT-M skills training is an effective way to support HCWs.
State preemption of land use regulations : the case of accessory dwelling units
Authors:   , Wielga Christopher
Published: November 2024

While land use regulation has traditionally been the purview of local government, states are becoming increasingly involved in this area. One example is state preemption of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The first chapter records the history of state policy in this area, showing that state ADU preemptions have increased in strength and prevalence. The second chapter focuses on how local governments in California responded to a state preemption on maximum ADU size. Local governments do respond to this policy change. Both those that had policies impacted by the new standard and those that did not changed their policies to meet the new standard. The final chapter focuses on how the public views land use reform. In a national survey experiment, I test how policy favorability is impacted by the level of government conducting the policy, along with partisanship, and upzoning intensity. Partisanship and preemption have limited impact on approval, while upzoning intensity, particularly upzoning for apartments, has a negative impact on approval. Respondents said that ADUs were more likely to benefit certain politically advantaged groups, including current residents, homeowners, and seniors. This research suggests that accessory dwelling unit preemption can be a politically effective approach to alter land use policy. However, state governments will need to deal with reaction from local governments, which may require repeated legislation. It is not clear if the relative success of ADU preemption will be replicable with other forms of land use preemption, as ADU's are seen as benefiting certain, politically important groups, and opposition increases with more intense forms of upzoning.
Understanding sexual risk among men who have sex with men : a qualatative analysis
Authors:   , Woods Charles Walter
Published: November 2024

Counseling psychology has expressed the necessity for more social justice within our research (Buchanan & Wiklund, 2020; Moradi & Grzanka, 2017). One of those areas that need expanding includes the impact of oppressive label usage. This project examined how sexual risk labels might affect men who have sex with men (MSM). Using semi-structured interviews and a phenomenological approach, twelve MSM were interviewed about their experiences being labeled as sexually risky and what they might consider when defining sexual risk. Participants highlighted a plethora of themes including negative impacts of mental health, emotional health, social status, judgment and intracommunity dynamics. Participants also discussed the need to expand the definition of sexual risk for MSM while citing that the label should be focused on behaviors, not people. Participants encouraged professionals to use a label of sexual risk for education and prevention to discontinue the oppressive impact of the label for MSM. Future directions and implications for research, medical providers, and social justice outreach are discussed.
Diagnosing news deserts : a path towards scalable assessment. An exploration of crictical information needs news ecosystems in Missouri.
Authors:   , Babel Aaron
Published: November 2024

For over a decade, there has been a crisis of local journalism growing within the United States. Beginning as technological changes undermined the business model of the local newspaper, this market failure was felt across all news mediums. With the current state of local news in crisis and parties interested in preventing this crisis, there is a need to assess the availability of local news and identify communities at risk of becoming news deserts in a way that is reflective of the evolving local news ecosystem. Within the scholarship, the term "news deserts" emerged to describe geographical areas lacking in adequate information from local news outlets. The concept is often measured by the presence of local newspapers, but this operationalization may be an inaccurate reflection of how local news is produced by outlets or consumed by audiences. Instead, expanding the definition, and measurement, acknowledges that news deserts do not appear randomly but are the byproduct of multiple social processes resulting in a lack of quality of local news available to the community. The research presented in this thesis is based on two frameworks used in prior efforts to examine the state of local news on a community level. These frameworks are Critical Information Needs (CINs) and a local news ecosystem approach. Extending these two theories, I pilot a scalable approach to analyzing the health of local news. In this thesis, I present two studies to understand the health of local news ecosystems in Missouri. The first diagnostic study examines how CINs are produced in Missouri both collectively and on a community-to-community basis. This study reconceptualizes a traditionally dichotomized measure of CIN (needs met or needs not met) into a four tiered measure of CIN performance. With this operationalization of CIN performance, we can classify counties at different levels of risk of becoming news deserts using terminology reflective of and extending the environmental metaphor of local news ecosystems and the (news) desert analogy. The second study uses exploratory analysis as a test case for this newly established measure of CIN risk from the diagnostic study and to identify relevant associated sociological measures. This study utilizes statistical methods (ANOVA and correlations) to compare the presence of CINs information to other attributes of the community to identify what types of communities are at risk of not having their CINs met. In this research, I present a new scalable approach to examine local new ecosystems while also providing insights into the landscape of local news within Missouri. These studies provide a template for examining the health of local news which allows for potential news deserts to be identified and supported before reaching the point of extinction or desert status. The studies and methods presented throughout this research are not limited to Missouri, but can also be applied to other regions, nationally or internationally.