bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of various storage condition to maintain Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) seeds viability
Authors: Kholibrina C R , Susilowati A , Kusuma Y S , Aswandi
Published: July 2019

Macadamia integrifolia is an exotic species in Indonesia. However, based on planting trials in Lake Toba, this species also well adapted on critical land dominated by Imperata cylindrica and produce high economic value fruits, so that potential as a forest and land rehabilitation tree species and community development. Unfortunately, the information on its seed handling for propagation still very limited. Therefore, our research was conducted to determine the effect of various storage condition to maintain the seeds viability. Research was designed using factorial in complete randomized design with three factors and 36 treatments. Each experimental unit consisted of 15 seeds. Results on variance analysis showed that, interaction of Natrium benzoate and charcoal powder treatment with different storage periods over 3 months (12 weeks) was significant on germination value and growth rate. The interaction effects with different storage conditions and different storage periods over 3 months was significant on 50 % limit of germination. During storage of seed, storage treatment and storage period play an important role in determining seed viability.
Preliminary Study of Local Bacteria Isolates in Decolorizing Liquid Waste from Boiling Process of Batik Industry
Authors: Noviar I , Munir E , Nurtjahja K
Published: July 2019

Liquid waste from boiling process of batik industry contains toxic compounds including wax, dye, soda ash, metal, cloth etc. If it is disposed into the environment without any treatment it will pollute the environment and threaten lives. Several methods to treat liquid waste of batik industry have been implemented, including by physical, chemical, and biological processes. The study to obtain potential bacteria in decolorization of liquid waste from boiling process of batik industry has been initiated. Bacteria were isolated from ditch soil around local batik industry in Medan. Fifteen bacterial isolates were obtained. Screening to obtain potential isolates to decolorize waste was done by culturing the isolates in solid minimal salt media containing increases concentration of liquid waste starting from 25%, 50% to 75%, no any other carbon source added to the media. Six isolates showed the growth in media containing 75% waste. All six isolates were then tested for the growth in minimal salt medium broth containing 75% of waste. Three isolates SP2, SP3, and SP4 exhibited good growth at this waste level media. These isolates were considered as potential bacteria and are subjected to be used for further decolorization analyses. Molecular identification of isolates based on 16S rRNA is also in process.
The effect of bokashi rice straw on the increase in production of three purple sweet potato varieties (Ipomoea batatas L.)
Authors: Ginting Jonatan
Published: July 2019

This research was conducted in the agricultural area of Pasar Kawat Village, Beringin District, Deli Serdangn Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Conducted from June to November 2015. The study aimed to find purple sweet potato varieties that produced high and optimal bokashi rice doses. The experimental design used was a randomized block design with two treatment factors and three replications. The first treatment factor is the variety consisting of : Antin - 1, Antin - 2 and Antin - 3. The second treatment factor is the bokashi dose of rice straw consisting of four treatments: 0 tons/ha, 5 ton/ha, 10 tons/ha, and 15 tons/ha . The results showed that the highest variety of purple sweet potato which gave the highest production was found in the treatment of Antin 2 varieties and bokashi doses of rice straw 5 tons/ha with tuber production that could be achieved 908.07 g/plot (4.54 tons/ha).
The effect of the additional of Moringa leaves flour (Moringa oleifera) on the physicochemical properties of cup cake from composite flour
Authors: Nurminah Mimi , Sinaga Hotnida , Gultom Nelly Sahrina
Published: July 2019

Moringa leaf (Daun kelor) is a local plant that can be used for food and medicine in Indonesia, like vegetable and drug for bone. This study was to find nutritional of cup cake made from mocaf and wheat flour with the additional of Moringa leaves flour and to find the formulation of making cup cake. This research was performed using completely randomises design. Addition moringa leaves flour had effect on phisicochemical properties of cup cake. The best cup cake was made from 100% of wheat flour and 0% mocaf flour and the additional of 2% Moringa leaves flour.
Bioinformatics approach of predicted polyprenol reductase in Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.)
Authors: Basyuni M , Hayati R , Sihaloho M A , Slamet B , Bimantara Y , Habsyah T S , Hanafiah D S , Julianti E
Published: July 2019

Durio zibethinus Murr. (Malvaceae) is well known to produce secondary metabolites and has been described to contain several biological activities. The present study reports the bioinformatics approach to determine ten probably polyprenol reductase from durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.). The length of the gene was varied from 1313 to 1702 bp with protein length from 317 to 412 amino acid. Several physicochemical parameters of polyprenol reductase in D. zibethinus were varied among the genes observed. Based on stability coefficients, ten D. zibethinus genes were unstable proteins except for X5 variant. The genes were mostly stored in the plasma membrane, chloroplast thylakoid membrane, Golgi body, and endoplasmic reticulum (membrane). In contrast to this observation, a few genes existed to the microbody (peroxisome), mitochondrial inner membrane, and endoplasmic reticulum (lumen). To clarify the homology in the group of the polyprenol reductase gene in D. zibethinus, a dendrogram tree was constructed. A clustering showed that polyprenol reductase in D. zibethinus consisted of three branches. The present results indicated the prominence of understanding the disparity and function of physical and chemical features of the different amino acids in plant polyprenol reductase genes in D. zibethinus.
Mangrove vegetation supports milkfish production in silvofishery pond
Authors: Basyuni M , Nasution KS , Bimantara Y , Hayati R , Slamet B , Sulistiyono N
Published: July 2019

The present study reports mangrove vegetation to support the milkfish (Chanos chanos) production in the silvofishery pond. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the densities of mangrove vegetation on C. chanos cultivation in a silvofishery pond and to determine the factors that influence milkfish production. 10,000 milkfish fries with a size of 3-4 cm were cultivated for six months in the silvofishery pond on sapling and seedling density based. The collection of milkfish production data was observed when harvesting was carried out. There are three mangrove vegetation inside the pond detected, including Rhizophora apiculata, R. mucronata, and Avicennia marina. Average water temperature measured in sapling dominance pond was 29-31.5 °C and seedling dominance pond 2 was 3031.5 °C. The density of mangrove sapling domination was 870 individual, 265 fish average weight of 147.4 g/milkfish yielding 39.1 kg while on seedling dominance has a density of mangrove of 695 individuals, with the level of fish was 436, average fish weight 95 g/milkfish yielded 41.4 kg. This research provided consideration for decision makers in implementing sustainable mangrove management policies.
DNA extraction from Ganoderma isolates of PT Socfindo collections
Authors: Hayati R , Basyuni M , Purba A , Arifianto D , Syahputra I , Chalil D , Bimantara Y
Published: July 2019

Method of CTAB (cetyltrimethylethylammonium bromide) is prevalent for low-cost DNA extraction with many published variations for other plants and tissues, including fungi Ganoderma. The quantity of DNA extracts from the Ganoderma sp fungus from a coconut tree and rubber tree with concentration extraction efficiency and the quality of purity wholeness varied with different DNA characterizations. DNA purity was measured using UV spectroscopy, where a ratio of 260 nm, 280 nm 320 nm was an indicator of different contaminants. The quantity of DNA from the isolate is indicated by 31 ng/ul until 133 ng/ul and range of ratio from 1,279 until 3,6654. The DNA extraction quantity ratio value obtained is below, and above the average, for absorbance 260 nm, 280 nm and 320 nm varies between 1.5 until 1.8 which is an indicator of DNA purity. Pure DNA isolate without contaminants is only found in sample isolate Ganoderma sp 141.1 from coconut tree with a ratio value of 2.2707. Furthermore on the other samples thought to be still contaminated with phenols, salts, proteins, polysaccharide or RNA still co-extracted with phenolic acid (chloroform phenol).
Selection of Character of Yield Component in M2 Aromatic Rice Mutant
Authors: Okasa A M , Sjahril R , Riadi M
Published: July 2019

Toraja has diversity of rice germplasm. Aromatic rice is very popular today because of its good quality and fragrant aroma. However its long harvesting period is not comparable to its low yield (2-3 ton ha-1) in 6 month planting season. Efforts to increase production through mutation breeding has been proposed here. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of 19 mutant (M2) lines on yield atributes.The study was conducted at Alla District, enrekang regency, South Sulawesi from May to October 2017 using mass selection method consisting of two irradiation treatments, namely: irradiation with Carbon ion dose 150 Gy (PB-C), irradiation with 10 Gy Argon ions (PB-A), and control as a comparison. The result showed that lines that have the best production components is PB-A-14.2.14. Whereas, there are 14 lines that have better production components than controls. Cluster analysis showed that there were 3 main componenets of lines formed into further 5 sub-groups with similarity level 66.67%.
Preliminary Phytochemical, Antioxidants, and Antibacterial Properties of Eucalyptus Aqueous Leaf Extract Against Streptococcus pyogenes
Authors: Syukri Dwi Marlina , Nwabor Ozioma , Ergantara Rani Ismiarti
Published: July 2019

Streptococcus pyogenesis one of the exclusive human pathogenic bacterial, it causes diverse diseases such as pharyngotonsillitis, impetigo, necrotizing fasciitis, bacteremia or sepsis, and often leads to complications such as acute rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. In this study, the antimicrobial activity ofEucalyptusaqueous leaf extract against 15 clinical isolates ofStreptococcus pyogenesand reference strain DMST 17020 was evaluated using the standard microdilution technique.Eucalyptusshowed antibacterial activity against all the isolates with minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations of 64μg/ml and 64256 μg/ml respectively. The extract further showed free radical scavenging ability as detected using DPPH and ABTS assays. Phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of bioactive compounds.
Biodegradation process of crude oil and bioemulsifier activity by a bacterial consortium culture
Authors: Rangkuti M N S , Idramsa  , Pulungan S S
Published: July 2019

This study reports the analysis of biosurfactant production by a bacterial consortium culture (CC) during biodegradation of crude oil. The ability of CC (5% v/v), grown in Minimal Medium (MM) added with 1% (v/v) Tapis crude oil, to produce biosurfactant under different incubation times (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 week) was investigated. Biosurfactant activity was estimated by water surface tension changes and emulsification index (E24). Maximum biosurfactant production was observed at 2 weeks incubation period, after which the yield gradually decreased. The biosurfactant produced by the CC significantly decreased the surface tension of water from 72 dynes/cm to 52 dynes/cm (p < 0.05) at week 4. Emulsification test indicated that this biosurfactant effectively emulsified the crude oil with an emulsification index (E24) of 85% (p < 0.05). This is significantly better (p < 0.05) when compared to other chemical surfactants tested namely SDS (53.3%), Tween-20 (50.8%) and Triton X-100 (55%). These results indicate the capability of CC to produce biosurfactant during crude oil degradation and this can be exploited for enhanced bioremediation in oil contaminated areas.
Endophytic Colonization and Plant Growth Promoting Effect by Entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana to Red Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) with Different Inoculation Methods
Authors: Saragih Magdalena , Trizelia  , Nurbailis  , Yusniwati
Published: July 2019

Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill is one of entomopathogenic fungus, that be able to endophytically colonize different plants. Beauveria bassiana can promote the growth of red chili following their endophytic establishment within plants through seed treatment, soil drenching and foliar spraying. The aims of this study were: (i) To get the best colonisation B. bassiana from different isolates and to differentiate inoculation methods, i.e. seed immersion, soil drenching and foliar spraying, for the endophytic inoculation of B. bassiana in red chili; and (ii) to assess the effect of B.bassiana to stimulate or trigger plant growth from isolate Wheat, Coffea, Cacao and Leptocorisa acuta. Our result showed that all of B. bassiana isolate were able to colonize seedling of chili and B.bassiana of wheat isolate was the best isolate giving spuring seedling or plant growth. From the three inoculation methodes, inoculation B. bassiana by foliar spraying was the highest colonisation. The highest colonization was in leaves, and the second were in stem. Root plant was the poorly colonized by B. bassiana fungus.
Transformation efficiency in Chrysanthemum from various sources of explants
Authors: Jamaluddin I , Sjahril R , Haring F , Nadir M , Asman A.
Published: July 2019

Nowadays, Chrysanthemum is one of the most popular ornamental plants. However their production is constrained by problems with pests and diseases, mainly white rust disease (Puccinia horiana P. Henn). One potential alternative is the development of plants through genetic engineering, namely disease resistant transgenic plants. Problem that often occurs in the process is the inhibition of regeneration of calli from the transformation that makes it difficult for researchers to carry out DNA testing from leaves. Calli regeneration is regulated by several factors, such as the use of explant sources and media composition. This study aims to find best explant sources for transformation results into shoots, for DNA analysis. The study was carried out at the level of transformation with three types of explants namely leaves, lateral shoot buds, and internodes. Genetic transformation was carried out by two-stage co-cultivation method using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 which contained pEKB-WD binary vector T-DNA construct. Results showed that the most appropriate genetic transformation of explants originating from internodes was 69.33%, but the explants had the lowest regeneration efficiency (1,92%). The highest regeneration efficiency was obtained in explants originating from lateral shoot buds, which amounted to 77.78% with transformation efficiency 54,00%. Both lowest efficiencies were found in leaves (27,31%) for transformation efficiency and regeneration efficiency of 6,45%.
Effect of Turmeric Rhizome Extract (Curcuma longa L.) on Liver Histology of Preeclampsia Rat (Rattus norvegicus L.)
Authors: Ilyas S , Hutahaean S , Elimasni  , Ar-roisyi D K
Published: July 2019

Turmeric is usually consumed routinely and for a long time, so it cannot be ascertained that the use of turmeric is safe or toxic especially in the liver because there are as many as 64 compounds in turmeric which are thought to be hepatotoxic, The prevalence of preeclampsia is around 5% -15% of all pregnancies in the world, where cases of hypertension in pregnancy including preeclampsia are found in numbers that tend to increase and are the most common medical complication in pregnancy. About 70% of women diagnosed with hypertension in pregnancy are cases of preeclampsia. This study used a type of analytic research with quasi-experimental design in pregnant female rats consisting of 4 treatments with 6 replications each. This study consisted of a negative control group (k-) with only feed given ad libitum, positive control (k +) in injection of LPS intervena with a group dose of 0.2 / kgBW and a group giving turmeric extract (Curcuma longa L.) with doses of 400mg / kgBW (P1) and 600mg / kgBW (P2) respectively. After that, histological preparations were carried out on the liver of rats (Rattusnovergicus). From the results of observations of the liver morphology in the negative (-) and P2 treatment the liver color was found to be dark red, whereas in the positive control group (k +) a pale red color was found. Then histological observations showed an increase in the percentage of liver necrosis from P1 and a decrease in necrosis in P2.
Effect of Mahkota Dewa Ethanolic Extract (Phaleria macrocarpa) to Kidney Histology of Preeclampsia Rats
Authors: Ilyas S , Tanjung M , Nurahyuni I , Zahara E
Published: July 2019

Hypertension is an increase in systolic and diastolic pressure, the height of which depends on the age of the individual affected. Hypertension can also cause terminal kidney failure (GGT). One of the herbs that has the effect of reducing blood pressure is the mahkota dewa. This study aims to determine the effect of mahkota dewa extract on histological and morphological features of the kidneys in preeclampsia rat. In this study using a type of analytic research with quasi-experimental design in pregnant rat (Rattus novergicus) as many as 24 rats and consisted of 4 treatments (each treatment was divided into 6 rats). control group, P1 (pregnant rats injected by LPS) P2 (pregnant rats injected with LPS given 100 mg / BW of mahkota dewa extract once a day) and P3 (pregnant rats injected with LPS and given 200 mg/BW of deity extract twice a day). On the 17th day the pregnancies of the rat were dissected and taken by kidney organs and then made a paraffin method preparation using Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining. Morphological observations showed a change in color in group K (control) = blackish red, at P1 = pale red, P2 = brownish red and P2 = thick red While the results of kidney histology on tubular narrowing and necrosis obtained significant results (P <0,05) between P1 and P3. This shows that the mahkota dewa is very influential on kidney damage in preeclampsia models.
The experimental and numerical study of fracture behavior of 58s bioactive glass/polysulfone composite using the extended finite elements method
Authors: Pazhouheshgar Arang , Sadough Vanini Seyyed Ali , Moghanian Amirhosein
Published: July 2019

The composites derived from the bioactive glasses, such as BG/polysulfone, have better mechanical properties and their characteristics are closer to human bone. In this paper, the fracture behavior of 58s BG/PSF composite has been investigated. The extended finite elements method (XFEM) was used as an alternative numerical method to the FEM, in order to model the fracture behavior of 58s BG/PSF composite with greater accuracy. The XFEM doesn’t require remeshing at each step and achieves the precise approximation of singularities by incorporating discontinuity behavior into the elements using enrichment functions. The aim of using the XFEM was to obtain stress intensity factors, displacements, stress and strain around the crack tip, fracture toughness as well as strain energy release rate of BG/polymer composite. Moreover, the 58s BG/PSF composite with 30% volume ratio of bioactive glass particles was synthesized using solvent casting method. Meanwhile, the SEM micrographs were prepared, and the fracture mechanic tests were accomplished based on ASTM D5045 standard test method. The obtained fracture toughness was in the range of 1.4 to 1.6

MPa

m

,

and the strain energy release rate is in the range of 1600 to 1900 J.m−2, which is comparable to the same properties of natural human bone. Also, the stress intensity factors and strain energy release rates were calculated by coding in MATLAB and modeling in ABAQUS, and the numerical results were validated with the analytical and experimental results.
Atom-projected and angular momentum resolved density of states in the ONETEP code
Authors: Aarons J , Verga L G , Hine N D M , Skylaris C-K
Published: July 2019

Local and angular momentum projected densities of states (DOS) are invaluable sources of information that can be obtained from density functional theory calculations. In this work, we describe a theoretical framework within ONETEP’s linear-scaling DFT formalism that allows the calculation of local (atom-projected) and angular momentum projected density of states l-p-DOS. We describe four different bases that can be used for projecting the DOS with angular momentum resolution and perform a set of tests to compare them. We validate the results obtained with ONETEP’s l-p-DOS against the plane-wave DFT code CASTEP. Comparable results between ONETEP’s and CASTEP’s charge spilling parameters are observed when we use pseudo-atomic orbitals as the projection basis sets. In general, the charge spilling parameters show remarkably low values for projections using non-contracted spherical waves as the angular momentum resolved basis. We also calculate the d-band and d-band centres for Pt atoms in (1 1 1) facets of cuboctahedral Pt nanoparticles of increasing size, which is an example of l-p-DOS application commonly used as an electronic descriptor in heterogeneous catalysis. Interestingly, the different projection bases lead to similar conclusions, showing the reliability of the implemented method for such studies. The implementation of these methods in a linear-scaling framework such as ONETEP provides another tool for analysing the electronic structure of complex nanostructured materials.
Racial Inequality in Punishment
Authors: Omori Marisa , Johnson Oshea
Published: July 2019

There have been two major approaches to studying racial and ethnic inequality in punishment: The first approach comes from the sociology of punishment and social inequality literatures, and considers how the carceral state, including criminal justice institutions, create racial inequality through policies and practices broadly, or how racialized narratives are embedded in these policies and practices. This includes how scholarship has been drawn from institutional racism and other race literatures and integrated these ideas into how punishment policies and practices are racialized, as well as how the criminal justice system is both a consequence of and a contributor to increasing racial inequality. In particular, the social inequality literature has also been concerned with the rise of mass incarceration and its consequences for racial inequality in individuals, families, and communities.

The second approach is drawn from the criminology literature on courts and sentencing, and generally focuses on the magnitude and location of racial disparities for individuals being processed in the criminal justice system, with a particular attention to sentencing outcomes. There are several complementary frameworks that have been used to frame racial inequalities in punishment outcomes; most of them focus on individual-level decisions and decision-makers, with some considerations of organizational-level factors. Most often, this literature also quantitatively tests racial disparities of court processing and court case outcomes, with a particular focus on sentencing of convicted defendants, including whether a defendant was sentenced to prison or not (the “in/out” decision), and the length of prison sentence. The two perspectives can inform each other; the sociology of punishment focuses on policies and practices that drive racial inequality, and the courts and sentencing literature focuses on the consequences of these factors in case processing outcomes.
Educational Qualitative Research in Colombia
Authors: Echeverri-Sucerquia Paula Andrea , Tobon Carlos
Published: July 2019

The historic agreement signed between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government, as well as the peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), mark the beginning of an end to decades of raw violence in Colombia. Against all odds, Colombia has found ways to survive the pain, to heal, and to begin anew. The Colombian experience mirrors that of many other Latin American nations, as well as others around the world, where a history built in the midst of war, violence, and resilience has shaped people’s ways of interpreting the world and building knowledge. Evidence of this is the focus of conference papers, theses, and dissertations presented at international conferences by and about Latin Americans.

Undeniably, in spite of the particularities that describe the Latin American social experience, the hemispheric North has exerted a great epistemological influence in the South. However, Southerners have imprinted their idiosyncrasies, their own ways of understanding, creating, and transforming. A review of educational qualitative research in Colombia illustrates this tension: on the one hand is the focus on evidence-based research, highly influenced by academic work in the North, and, on the other hand, there is a struggle for research that strives for social justice. Such complex tension entails both challenges and opportunities for qualitative research in education.
John Dewey and Teacher Education
Authors: Schmidt Margaret , Allsup Randall Everett
Published: July 2019

John Dewey’s writings on schooling are extensive, and characteristically wide-ranging: teachers are expected to think deeply about knowledge construction, how we think and learn, the purpose of curriculum in the life of the child, and the role of school and societal reform. He worked throughout his life to develop and refine his philosophy of experience, describing all learning as defined by the quality of interactions between the learner and the social and physical environment. According to Dewey, teachers have a responsibility to structure educational environments in ways that promote educative learning experiences, those that change the learner in such a way as to promote continued learning and growth. The capacity to reflect on and make meaning from one’s experiences facilitates this growth, particularly in increasing one’s problem-solving abilities.

While Dewey wrote little that specifically addressed the preparation of teachers, his 1904 essay, “The Relation of Theory to Practice in Education,” makes clear that he grounds his beliefs about teachers’ learning in this same philosophy of experiential learning. Dewey argued that thoughtful reflection on previous and current educational experiences is especially important in teacher preparation; teacher educators could then guide beginners to examine and test the usefulness of the beliefs formed from those experiences. Teacher educators, therefore, have a responsibility to arrange learning environments for beginning teachers to promote sequential experiences leading to increased understanding of how children learn, “how mind answers to mind.” These experiences can then help beginning teachers grow, not as classroom technicians, but as true “students of teaching.”

Dewey’s ideas remain relevant, but must also be viewed in historical context, in light of his unfailing belief in education and the scientific method as ways to promote individual responsibility and eliminate social problems. His vision of a democratic society remains a fearless amalgam of human adaptation, continuity, change, and diversity: public schools are privileged locations in a democracy for the interplay and interrogation of old and new ideas. Teacher preparation and teacher wellbeing are crucial elements; they can provide experiences to educate all children for participation in their present lives in ways that facilitate their growth as citizens able to fully participate in a democracy. Despite criticism about limitations of his work, Dewey’s ideas continue to offer much food for thought, for both research and practice in teacher education.
Understanding Relational and Responsible Leadership for School Leaders
Authors: Smit Brigitte , Mabusela Mapula
Published: July 2019

Relational leadership and responsible leadership are important subjects in the literature, and more attention can be paid to these leadership practices in educational leadership. Most educational leadership studies focus on distributed, instructional, teacher, and transformational leadership using mostly quantitative research. The aim is to explore and describe relational and responsible leadership in the context of educational leadership. Qualitative research methodology such as narrative inquiry is not often used for inquiries into educational leadership studies. Moreover, the scholarship on narrative inquiry as a relational methodology for relational and responsible educational leadership is scant, and there is a need to broaden the discussion to include appropriate the concepts of relational leadership and responsible leadership for educational leadership in a context of relational narrative inquiry. Relational and responsible leadership theories can be appropriated through a relational research methodology using narrative inquiry. These scholarly lenses may add value to school leadership research and to school leaders who wish to transform and change leadership practices, specifically in diverse school communities with challenging and problematic educational landscapes.
The Uses of Qualitative Research Methods in School Counseling
Authors: Griffin Dana
Published: July 2019

School counselors conducting qualitative research is not a novel idea. Indeed, school counselors are required to use data to develop and incorporate counseling programs to meet the needs of all students. However, large caseloads and school counselors’ involvement in non-counseling-oriented tasks leave little time for involvement in research. However, by collaborating with school, family, and community stakeholders, school counselors could incorporate qualitative research into their roles, which would then enable them to be more effective in their jobs. Participatory action research (PAR) is a research paradigm that allows school counselors to collect data to pinpoint the needs of the school, collaborate with key stakeholders to address the identified needs, and then use that data to develop and implement data-based programs. In essence, school counselors, using this qualitative research method, could be better informed on how to best address these issues in their schools. By the nature of their training, school counselors are adept at the qualitative techniques of in-depth interviewing, observing, analyzing the data, and making informed decisions from the data, which is why collective qualitative research could be a natural extension of their job duties.
Sociocultural Perspectives in Science Education
Authors: Tolbert Sara , Grino Paulina , Sonam Tenzin
Published: July 2019

Since the late 20th century, scholarship in science education has made considerable shifts from cognitive psychology and individual constructivism toward sociocultural theories of science education as frameworks for science teaching and learning. By and large, this scholarship has attended to the ways in which both doing and learning science are embedded within sociocultural contexts, whereby learners are enculturated into scientific practices through classroom-based or scientific learning communities, such as through an apprenticeship model. Still, science education theories and practice do not systematically take into account the experiences, interests, and concerns of marginalized student groups within science and science education. Critical sociocultural perspectives in science education take up issues and questions of how science education can better serve the interests of marginalized groups, while simultaneously creating spaces for marginalized groups to transform the sciences, and science education.

These shifts in science education scholarship have been accompanied by a similar shift in qualitative research methods. Research methods in science education are transitioning from a focus on positivistic content analysis of learners’ conceptions of core ideas in science, toward more robust qualitative methods—such as design experimentation, critical ethnography, and participatory research methods—that show how learners’ identities are constituted with the complex spaces of science classrooms, as well as within larger societal matrices of oppression. The focus of this article is to communicate these recent trends in sociocultural perspectives on science education theory, research, and practice.
Observing Schools and Classrooms
Authors: LaGarry Alison
Published: July 2019

Qualitative observation is an attempt to view and interpret social worlds by immersing oneself in a particular setting. Observation draws on theoretical assumptions associated with the interpretivist paradigm. Thus, researchers who engage in qualitative observations believe that the world cannot be fully known, but must be interpreted. Observation is one way for researchers to seek to understand and interpret situations based on the social and cultural meanings of those involved. In the field of education, observation can be a meaningful tool for understanding the experiences of teachers, students, caregivers, and administrators.

Rigorous qualitative research is long-term, and demands in-depth engagement in the field. In general, the research process is cyclical, with the researcher(s) moving through three domains: prior-to-field, in-field, and post- or inter-field. Prior to entering the field, the researcher(s) examine their assumptions about research as well as their own biases, and obtain approval from an Institutional Review Board. This is also the time when researcher(s) make decisions about how data will be collected. Upon entering the field of study, the researcher(s) work to establish rapport with participants, take detailed “jottings,” and record their own feelings or preliminary impressions alongside these quick notes. After leaving an observation, the researcher(s) should expand jottings into extended field notes that include significant detail. This should be completed no later than 48 hours after the observation, to preserve recall. At this point, the researcher may return to the field to collect additional data. Focus should move from observation to analysis when the researcher(s) feel that they have reached theoretical data saturation.
de Sousa, Noémia
Authors: Owen Hilary
Published: July 2019

Noémia de Sousa (1926–2002) is traditionally designated as the founding mother of Mozambican national poetry. She was the only woman poet in Mozambique to play a major role in shaping the cultural imaginary of the Portuguese African nationalisms that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s. Her early life as a woman of mixed African, European, and Goan racial heritage, and the education this racial status afforded her, drew her into writing and journalism in opposition to the colonial regime of the Portuguese New State. Her first and only poetry collection, Sangue Negro (Black blood), was completed and circulated clandestinely in 1951. She was subsequently exiled to Lisbon, and from there to Paris, returning to Portugal in 1973, shortly before the April 1974 Revolution. The contents of Sangue Negro were circulated, in the original and in translation, largely through specific selected poems in African nationalist anthologies. Divided into five sections, the poems of Sangue Negro mix oral and literary tropes and influences. They deal with issues of racial hybridity and colonial assimilation, African American and Pan-Africanist influences in Mozambique, Portuguese Neorealism and Marxist resistance, autobiographical memories and testimonies, and the specificity of women’s political voice. The literary establishment’s reception of de Sousa in 1960s Mozambique was generally dismissive. Her work was also afforded relatively minor status in foundational anglophone accounts of the Lusophone African canon, such as those by Russel Hamilton and Patrick Chabal. The Marxist sociologist critic, Alfredo Margarido was an important exception in this regard and an early champion of her work. In the 1990s, de Sousa was progressively validated and incorporated into the canonization of black, Pan-Africanist, and Negritudinist writers by critics such as Pires Laranjeira in Portugal. Since the 1990s she has received more in-depth, gender-informed attention in Mozambique, Portugal, Brazil, the United States, and the United Kingdom, consolidating her international status as a pioneering woman’s voice in Africa’s literary history of national liberation struggle. Her poetry collection Sangue Negro was reprinted by the Mozambican Writers’ Association (AEMO) in a new edition in 2001, for the first time since the 1951 original.
Evaluation of Mental Health Interventions
Authors: Knapp Martin
Published: July 2019

Mental illnesses are highly prevalent and can have considerable, enduring consequences for individuals, families, communities, and economies. Despite these high prevalence rates, mental illnesses have not received as much public policy commitment or funding as might be expected. One result is that mental illness often goes unrecognized and untreated. The resultant costs are felt not only in healthcare systems, but across many other sectors, including housing, social care, criminal justice, welfare benefits, and employment.

This article sets out the basic principles of economic evaluation, with illustrations in this mental health context. It also discusses the main practical challenges when conducting and interpreting evidence from such evaluations.

Decisions about whether to spend resources on a treatment or prevention strategy are based on whether it is likely to be effective in avoiding, reducing, or curing symptoms, improving quality of life, or achieving other individual-level outcomes. The economic evaluation question is whether the outcomes achieved are sufficient to justify the cost that is incurred in delivering the intervention.

An economic evaluation has five elements: clarification of the question to be addressed; specification of the intervention to be evaluated and with what alternative it is being compared; the outcomes to be measured; the costs to be measured (including the cost of implementing the intervention and any savings that might accrue); and finally, how outcome and cost findings are to be blended to make a recommendation to the decision-maker. Sometimes, if an evaluation finds that one intervention has better outcomes but higher costs, then the evaluation should also how one (the outcomes) might be trade-off for the other (the costs).

The article illustrates how economic evaluations have been undertaken and employed to address a range of questions, from the very strategic issue to the more specific clinical question. The purpose of the study can, to some extent, determine the type of evaluation that is needed.

Examples of evaluations are given in a number of areas: perinatal maternal mental illness; parenting programs for conduct disorder; anti-bullying programs in schools; early intervention services for psychosis; individual placement and support; collaborative care for physical health problems; and suicide prevention. The challenges of economic evaluation are discussed, specifically in the mental health field.
2. What physics covers and what it doesn’t
Authors: Perkowitz Sidney
Published: July 2019

Physics can be defined as the study of matter, energy, and the interaction between them. This is concise and seemingly clear, but physics is a sprawling and dynamic science and this basic definition needs to be amplified to truly reflect what physics is all about. ‘What physics covers and what it doesn’t’ considers the different meanings of matter and energy; and also explains how physics can be defined and described by scale, and how it deals with different aspects of the universe by their size. From quarks to atoms to galaxies, the components of the universe span many orders of magnitude in size. The different sub-divisions of physics are also considered.
2. The adviser to princes
Authors: Skinner Quentin
Published: July 2019

‘The adviser to princes’ considers The Prince, completed in 1513, but not published until 1532. Machiavelli wrote it partly to recommend himself to the new Medici rulers of Florence. The book is concerned with gaining and holding principalities and provides advice on how to rule a state. Its principal dichotomy is that between virtù and fortuna. Machiavelli’s understanding of princely virtù is shown to be radically different from prevailing classical and humanist moral theory. For Machiavelli, a virtuoso ruler is someone who is willing to do anything dictated by necessity in order to maintain his state.
The Periodic Table: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

The periodic table of elements provides an arrangement of the chemical elements, ordered by their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties. The Periodic Table: A Very Short Introduction considers what led to the table’s construction and shows how the deeper meaning of its structure gradually became apparent with the development of atomic theory and quantum mechanics, which underlies the behaviour of all of the elements and their compounds. This new edition celebrates the completion of the seventh period of the table, with the ratification and naming of elements 113, 115, 117, and 118 as nihonium, moscovium, tennessine, and oganesson, and incorporates recent advances in our understanding of the origin of the elements.
2. A quick overview of the modern periodic table
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

‘A quick overview of the modern periodic table’ explains the arrangement of elements in the periodic table, and introduces the concept of periodic law. Elements were originally ordered by their equivalent weight, but this was superseded by atomic weight, and then atomic number. There are many versions of the periodic table, but all obey periodic law, which states that after certain regular, but varying intervals, the chemical elements show an approximate repetition in their properties. Developments in physics, especially quantum mechanics and relativity, have changed the way we think about elements and periodicity. The number of known elements has increased to 118 as the result of the synthesis of artificial elements.
6. Physics invades the periodic table
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

‘Physics invades the periodic table’ assesses the impact of key discoveries in physics on the understanding of the periodic table. Ernest Rutherford provided evidence for the nuclear structure of atoms, and also determined that the charge of an atom is equal to half its atomic weight. Anton van den Broek linked this principle to the number of protons in a nucleus, thus devising the notion of atomic number. Henry Moseley quantified this principle, and used it to show exactly how many elements would fill the gaps in the periodic table. Radioactive experiments created new forms of elements with different weights but the same charge, which Frederick Soddy identified as isotopes.
7. Electronic structure
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

‘Electronic structure’ examines the work that went into determining the properties of electrons in atoms. Quantum theory was devised by Max Planck in 1900, and was applied to hydrogen atoms by Niels Bohr in 1913. Bohr hypothesized that electrons existed in set shells around a nucleus and then extrapolated this theory, using chemical rather than physical observations, to other elements. G. N. Lewis hypothesized a cube model of electron arrangement around the nucleus. Despite this not being correct, Lewis concluded that chemical bonding was due to the pairing of electrons, an idea still central to modern chemistry. Finally, Charles Bury determined that electron shells around a nucleus did not need to be filled in a particular order.
8. Quantum mechanics
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

‘Quantum mechanics’ shows how Bohr’s quantum theory was a stepping stone for the development of quantum mechanics. Bohr’s quantum theory worked well in single electron systems, but not in multi-electron systems. Quantum mechanics allowed the development of Schrödinger’s equation, which could theoretically predict the determination of electron energy levels in any system. The advantage of quantum mechanics over quantum theory lies in its treatment of electrons as waves. This allowed Schrödinger to apply mathematical boundary conditions to his equation and quantize the energy levels of electrons. Further work by Heisenberg showed that electrons are spread around a spherical shell. New developments on atomic configurations by Eugen Schwarz are also discussed.
10. Forms of the periodic table
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: July 2019

‘Forms of the periodic table’ discusses some of the different periodic tables that have been published and asks whether there is an ‘optimal’ periodic table. Meaningful differences only occur when one changes the order of the elements. Examples include moving the positions of hydrogen and helium to better reflect their chemical properties, or the shifting of elements to form triads of similar behaviour. Whether an optimal periodic table exists depends ultimately on one’s philosophy. Realists believe that the repetition of chemical properties is an objective fact, and so strive for the most accurate depiction of it. Instrumentalists believe that such depictions are simply a human construct and not ultimately important.
Powder Intrinsic Properties as Dustiness Predictor for an Efficient Exposure Assessment?
Authors: Shandilya Neeraj , Kuijpers Eelco , Tuinman Ilse , Fransman Wouter
Published: July 2019

Dustiness is not an intrinsic physically defined property of a powder, but the tendency of particles to become airborne in response to mechanical and/or aerodynamic stimuli. The present study considers a set of 10 physical properties to which the powder dustiness can be attributed. Through a preliminary investigation of a standardized continuous drop test scenario, we present first set of results on the varying degrees or weights of influence of these properties on the aerosolization tendency of powder particles. The inter-particle distance is found to be the most dominant property controlling the particle aerosolization, followed by the ability of powder particles to get electrostatically charged. We observe the kinetics involved during powder aerosolization to be governed by two ratios: drag force/cohesive force and drag force/gravitational force. The converging tendencies in these initial results indicate that these physical properties can be used to model dustiness of falling powder, which can eventually be used in risk assessment tools for an efficient exposure estimation of the powders.