bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conservation status of sea turtles in Spain (review of the period 2013-2018)
Authors: Camiñas Juan Antonio , Báez José Carlos , Ayllón Enrique , Marco Adolfo , Hernández-Sastre Luis , López María Isabel , Moreno Helena , Macías David , Cardona Luis , Belda Eduardo , Bellido Juan Jesus , Tomás Jesús , García de los Rios y de los Huertos Alvaro , Lopez Alfredo , Zaldua Nagore , Liria Ana , Varo Nuria , Gonzalez Carballo Marta , Carrillo Manuel , García Barcelona Salvador
Published: December 2021

El presente documento revisa la situación y aporta nuevos datos para las tortugas marinas en España durante el periodo 2013-2018. Se revisa el estado de conservación para el periodo 2013-2018 en cada una de las demarcaciones marítimas españolas: Levante –Baleares y Estrecho-Alborán para el Mediterráneo, y Noratlántica, Sudatlántica y Macaronesia en aguas del océano Atlántico. Se incluyen análisis de tendencias, las presiones y amenazas que afectan a cada especie y bibliografía actualizada. Para Caretta caretta, se recopila la información de los nidos en las costas mediterráneas españolas desde 2013 hasta 2018 y los movimientos de juveniles nacidos en España, tras su liberación.

This document reviews the situation and provides new data for sea turtles in Spain during the period 2013-2018. The conservation status for such period is reviewed in each of the Spanish maritime demarcations: Levante -Baleares and Estrecho-Alborán for the Mediterranean, and Noratlántica, Sudatlántica and Macaronesia in waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Analysis of trends, pressures and threats that affect each species and updated bibliography are included. For Caretta caretta, information is collected on nests on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts from 2013 to 2018 and the movements of juveniles born in Spain, after their release.
Bilingual resources in English-medium instruction lectures
Authors: Velilla Sánchez M. Angeles
Published: December 2021

English is increasingly used as a lingua franca (ELF) for academic activities in Spanish higher education institutions. The notion of ELF is now being redefined including in its conceptualization a multilingual nature of communication (Jenkins, 2015). This conception is interesting for researchers in English-medium instruction (EMI). Therefore, this paper reports on a study which focuses on the multilingual resources most frequently used by higher education lecturers to achieve comprehensibility in EMI courses at the University of Zaragoza. It regards them as part of the pragmatic and strategic behaviour of the participants. The corpus for the study consists of 14 hours of audio-recorded lectures in two different disciplines that have been analysed from a discourse-pragmatic approach, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. The analysis of the data reveals that lecturers use their multilingual resources, mainly their own first language, as a pragmatic strategy that enables them to achieve various conversational goals such as clarifying meaning.
Bibliotek för alla?
Authors: Engström Lisa
Published: December 2021

The Swedish Library Act states that “Library activities shall be available to everyone” and other policy documents in Sweden promote the public library as a place making information and culture accessible to all. The Library Acts of Denmark, Finland and Norway include similar statements, as well as the core values of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. However, the concept of accessibility is seldom defined or discussed. During recent years, the concept of participation is widely used in the context of accessibility in cultural policies, including policies related to public libraries. Even so, this concept also lacks a clear meaning. Accessibility and participation are closely related to democracy; by making information accessible and by enabling participation libraries are considered as promoters of democracy. Thus, when the meaning of accessibility and participation changes, the understanding of democracy is affected. In this article, I explore the meaning of the concepts accessibility and participation in Swedish library policies. Eleven library policies are analyzed utilizing Arnsteins “ladder of participation” and Fraser’s critique of Habermas notion of the public sphere. The article also discusses how the notion of democracy is affected by the different meanings accessibility and participation hold in the respective policies.
Geoinformation Methodology of Agricultural Land Evaluation for Agricultural Economic Growth
Authors:   Federal Scientific Center of Agroecology, Integrated Land Reclamation and Protective Afforestation of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Volgograd, Russia, Denisova Elena
Published: December 2021

The formation of an economically developed management system for the country's agro-industrial complex cannot be considered only from the point of view of a separate science. Land resources are the source of profit, which is involved in almost all sectors of society. Land preservation and improvement is required to ensure an economic security and competitiveness of each region of the Russian Federation). The dynamics of changes in the areas of Svetloyarsky district of the Volgograd region in the context of municipalities is analyzed. The actual deviation of the area of Privolzhsky rural settlement amounts to 2,3 % of the statistical data. The boundaries and areas of the used plots of arable land in the Raigorod settlement do not coincide with the data of the state cadastral registration, the discrepancy of only one land plot is 422,44 hectares. By implementing GIS-technologies, the data were obtained for 2355 arable land plots, whereof the irrigated land area amounts to 52138 hectares, instead of the potentially possible 19455 hectares, that exceeds the settlement's capabilities by 2,7 times according to the statistical data.
Analysis of Calculation Methods Currently Practised at V4 Agricultural Holdings
Authors:   Faculty of Economics, Technical university of Košice, Slovakia, Hudáková Stašová Lenka
Published: December 2021

This paper assesses calculation methods in the Visegrad 4 countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and, based thereon, recommends and considers activity-based costing (ABC) in the agricultural sector, while evaluating manager knowledge of ABC as an appropriate alternative to outdated, “conventional” methods of calculating costs that are used in practice. It was found that a majority of agricultural holdings in the V4 are currently using conventional cost calculation methods and the most frequent reason for their failure to incorporate ABC is low awareness among managers. Farms and agricultural holdings that have introduced ABC and utilise it to assign their costs evaluate its benefits highly positively, in particular, ABC’s more accurate identification of costs, mainly overheads; more effective cost management and the accuracy of price estimates. From this analysis and assessment, introduction of ABC is recommended for companies in order to obtain the different benefits associated with the method. Successfully implementing ABC leads to a number of advantages, especially in the inevitable decision-making agricultural holdings face about high overhead costs. From the information obtained, managers at agricultural holdings have little information, in most cases, about ABC as an appropriate alternative to the outdated “conventional” cost estimate methods practised today. It is therefore important to work on raising managers' awareness of new approaches to costing by publishing scientific articles with specific examples from practice, pointing out the advantage of the ABC method, especially with high overheads, which are almost the rule in agricultural holdings.
¿Qué sentido tiene la educación?
Authors:   Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Creus Amalia
Published: December 2021

Sí, la pregunta quiere ser provocadora. De hecho, siempre resulta algo perturbador preguntarnos sobre el sentido de las cosas, y más cuando nos referimos a dimensiones de la vida que están plácidamente incorporadas a nuestra existencia, que damos muchas veces por sentadas o por buenas. Entonces, muy pocas veces nos paramos ante ellas y preguntamos: pero… ¿por qué?, ¿para qué?, ¿con qué sentido?
A zebrafish embryo screen utilizing gastrulation identifies the HTR2C inhibitor pizotifen as a suppressor of EMT-mediated metastasis
Authors: Nakayama Joji , Tan Lora , Li Yan , Goh Boon Cher , Wang Shu , Makinoshima Hideki , Gong Zhiyuan
Published: December 2021

Metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of cancer-associated mortality but few models exist that allow for rapid and effective screening of anti-metastasis drugs. Current mouse models of metastasis are too expensive and time consuming to use for rapid and high-throughput screening. Therefore, we created a unique screening concept utilizing conserved mechanisms between zebrafish gastrulation and cancer metastasis for identification of potential anti-metastatic drugs. We hypothesized that small chemicals that interrupt zebrafish gastrulation might also suppress metastatic progression of cancer cells and developed a phenotype-based chemical screen to test the hypothesis. The screen used epiboly, the first morphogenetic movement in gastrulation, as a marker and enabled 100 chemicals to be tested in 5 hr. The screen tested 1280 FDA-approved drugs and identified pizotifen, an antagonist for serotonin receptor 2C (HTR2C) as an epiboly-interrupting drug. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HTR2C suppressed metastatic progression in a mouse model. Blocking HTR2C with pizotifen restored epithelial properties to metastatic cells through inhibition of Wnt signaling. In contrast, HTR2C induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through activation of Wnt signaling and promoted metastatic dissemination of human cancer cells in a zebrafish xenotransplantation model. Taken together, our concept offers a novel platform for discovery of anti-metastasis drugs.
BNP facilitates NMB-encoded histaminergic itch via NPRC-NMBR crosstalk
Authors: Meng Qing-Tao , Liu Xian-Yu , Liu Xue-Ting , Liu Juan , Munanairi Admire , Barry Devin M , Liu Benlong , Jin Hua , Sun Yu , Yang Qianyi , Gao Fang , Wan Li , Peng Jiahang , Jin Jin-Hua , Shen Kai-Feng , Kim Ray , Yin Jun , Tao Ailin , Chen Zhou-Feng
Published: December 2021

Histamine-dependent and -independent itch is conveyed by parallel peripheral neural pathways that express gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and neuromedin B (NMB), respectively, to the spinal cord of mice. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been proposed to transmit both types of itch via its receptor NPRA encoded by Npr1. However, BNP also binds to its cognate receptor, NPRC encoded by Npr3 with equal potency. Moreover, natriuretic peptides (NP) signal through the Gi-couped inhibitory cGMP pathway that is supposed to inhibit neuronal activity, raising the question of how BNP may transmit itch information. Here, we report that Npr3 expression in laminae I-II of the dorsal horn partially overlaps with NMB receptor (NMBR) that transmits histaminergic itch via Gq-couped PLCβ-Ca2+ signaling pathway. Functional studies indicate that NPRC is required for itch evoked by histamine but not chloroquine (CQ), a nonhistaminergic pruritogen. Importantly, BNP significantly facilitates scratching behaviors mediated by NMB, but not GRP. Consistently, BNP evoked Ca2+ responses in NMBR/NPRC HEK 293 cells and NMBR/NPRC dorsal horn neurons. These results reveal a previously unknown mechanism by which BNP facilitates NMB-encoded itch through a novel NPRC-NMBR cross-signaling in mice. Our studies uncover distinct modes of action for neuropeptides in transmission and modulation of itch in mice.
Technology and ethnography – will it blend? Technological possibilities for fieldwork on transformations of teacher knowledge with videography and video diaries
Authors: Wieser Clemens
Published: December 2021

Knowledge transformation drives changes in teaching practice. It takes place when a teacher mobilises personal knowledge for teaching. Technology can inform research on how knowledge transforms in practices of distancing from classroom teaching, and how a teacher draws on them to engage with a class. The paper introduces three fieldwork approaches that blend ethnographic fieldwork with technological possibilities: (1) Videographies of classroom interaction document practical educational knowledge of teachers and the orientations they use in classroom interaction. (2) Stimulated recall allows teachers to re-view classroom interaction. In talking about what has happened, teachers can present rationalisations of classroom events and explain how they addressed these events. Stimulated recalls also allow teachers to construct narratives in which they detail lived teaching experiences. Both stimulated recall and narratives document personal educational knowledge of teachers. (3) Video diaries allow teachers to tell stories from places outside of school, places in which they think about teaching and prepare for classes. There, teachers operate with self-technologies that scaffold the transformation of personal knowledge into practical knowledge. A conclusion outlines how data from these three technology-enhanced fields can be integrally analysed.
Seminar.net - 10 years
Authors: Nordkvelle Yngve
Published: December 2021

In January 2005 we were a group of enthusiastic academics who wanted to publish critical papers about media, technology and lifelong learning. We found a technological platform for publishing journal articles, did the necessary preparatory work for the journal to be registered, referenced and accepted as a formal Norwegian publication. Over the last decade we have published about 100 papers from Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. We have developed the video abstract as a genre and set some standards for open access publishing in Norway. We have collaborated with academics, groups and activists in the field of media education in order to promote new and challenging topics, and have managed, in our own opinion, to publish papers of wide interest and relevance. By using “Seminar.net” as the formal name of the journal, we intended to honor the idea of the seminar, which was first introduced as a teaching method at the university of Halle, in Germany in the late 17thcentury. The Seminar was a successful method, which opened for the voice of the participants, not only the professors, but for everyone taking part in the discourse.In this issue we introduce four papers who are all significant contributions to the field.
Teacher education as design: technology-rich learning environments and trajectories
Authors: Lund Andreas , Bakken Jonas , Engelien Kirsti Lyngvær
Published: December 2021

Traditional school subjects are being challenged by the accelerating production and development of knowledge in all domains. This creates a need to educate student teachers not only to appropriate existing practices but to be prepared to take the initiative in designing and developing new ones. This paper examines the challenges that confront teacher education when both the amount of information and its complexity are increasing due to the growing use of technology. We argue first that we need a richer view of technology than is often found in decision documents and in some of the didactics literature. We then introduce the concept of design as both an analytical and a didactic concept that links technology-rich environments and learning trajectories to knowledge development. From an activity-theoretical perspective, we approach the notion of design as a key component in teacher education and consider how it materializes through the use of a wiki, and in a new type of exam. The aim is to contribute to enhancing the quality of teacher education by making visible some of the more underlying qualities of what professional ICT competence can entail.
Key Concepts in Education: Critical Issues beyond Definition and Discursive Practices
Authors: Hug Theo
Published: December 2021

Along with the processes of digitization, medialization and the globalization of communications and lifeworlds, new topics, subject matters, conceptualizations and methods have been deve­loped in educational research and practice. On the one hand, from a diachronic perspective we can notice how new aspects of education (Bildung), upbringing (Erziehung), learning and communication have been addressed. On the other hand, from a synchronic perspective we can see a simultaneity of the non-simultaneous in terms of understandings, approaches, methodologies and forms of mediation and collaboration. Although more and more open initiatives and open educational resources (OER), as well as international collaborations and transnational intellectual networks, are being brought forward, epistemological aspects about using different key concepts are widely underestimated. The paper starts with: (1) an outline of selected understandings of education and literacy, followed by (2) a discussion of critical epistemological aspects by way of contrasting and correlating conceptual dimensions. Lastly, the contribution aims at (3) a sketch of polylogical design principles for educational knowledge organization.
Experiences from Blended Learning, Net-based Learning and Mind Tools
Authors: Staupe Arvid
Published: December 2021

My experiences described in this article are based on lecturing at the intermediate level at Department of Computer and Information Science (IDI) at NTNU. The primary cause for initiating the research projects, which lasted several years and with a gradual increase in the use of ICT, was the tenfold increase in number of students over only a few years, from barely 20 to more than 250. Two positive results were a significant improvement in grades and a large increase in the proportion of students completing the course compared to earlier years, despite a strong increase in number of students and a decline of resources. Seventy percent of the students registered for the course completed and passed the exam, compared to forty nine percent the year before. For two other similar courses the completion percentages for this pilot year were thirty two percent and forty five percent, respectively. The average final grade improved from 3.2 to 2.5, where 1 is the highest grade in a scale from 1 to 6. The course was structured applying blended learning, net-based learning, and mind tools. The course was comprehensively evaluated with an external examiner and the results were compared to corresponding courses within the program with more traditional formats, and also to a more traditional format within the course itself. A traditional format includes lectures in an auditorium and approved/not approved when it comes to exercises in an obligatory exercise arrangement. The course was organized with a subject teacher, an exercise teacher (assistant teacher), and student assistants. There was one student assistant for each exercise group of 30 students.
Making time for storytelling; the challenges of community building and activism in a rural locale
Authors: Copeland Sarah , Miskelly Clodagh
Published: December 2021

The uneven projection of voices from or within a community can be addressed, in part, by methods such as digital storytelling in a technology and media-savvy society. Whilst the use of digital storytelling to facilitate constructive dialogue has proved successful for those who participate, instilling a sense of motivation to become involved at the outset can pose a challenge. Members of different types of community groups, whether geo-physical or practice-based, will not necessarily be drawn to involvement in social action through group workshops without prior personal engagement. This paper considers which other participatory media techniques can be employed to encourage involvement in community digital storytelling workshops to inspire activism, and examines barriers to participation, with emphasis on the necessity of mandate, for project success. To help answer these issues, one particular workshop in a case study in North Yorkshire, UK will be used to identify the importance of place and incorporation of methods when undertaking community digital storytelling.
The Rhetoric of Multi-Display Learning Spaces: exploratory experiences in visual art disciplines
Authors: Bligh Brett , Lorenz Katharina
Published: December 2021

Multi-Display Learning Spaces (MD-LS) comprise technologies to allow the viewing of multiple simultaneous visual materials, modes of learning which encourage critical reflection upon these materials, and spatial configurations which afford interaction between learners and the materials in orchestrated ways. In this paper we provide an argument for the benefits of Multi-Display Learning Spaces in supporting complex, disciplinary reasoning within learning, focussing upon our experiences within postgraduate visual arts education. The importance of considering the affordances of the physical environment within education has been acknowledged by the recent attention given to Learning Spaces, yet within visual art disciplines the perception of visual material within a given space has long been seen as a key methodological consideration with implications for the identity of the discipline itself. We analyse the methodological, technological and spatial affordances of MD-LS to support learning, and discuss comparative viewing as a disciplinary method to structure visual analysis within the space which benefits from the simultaneous display of multiple partitions of visual evidence. We offer an analysis of the role of the teacher in authoring and orchestration and conclude by proposing a more general structure for what we term ‘multiple perspective learning’, in which the presentation of multiple pieces of visual evidence creates the conditions for complex argumentation within Higher Education.
On the hidden curriculum of the mouse click: An anthropologically drama
Authors: Werler Tobias
Published: December 2021

Any process of education is media based. But the advent of computer based media in the classroom caused a qualitative change. This new type of media serves as a bodily and cognitive extension of man. The aim of the article is to demonstrate educational consequences of these new anthropologically premises. The article discusses the structure and concept of digital communication culture as it denies the existence of spatial distance. The click option of the mouse will be framed as digital communications hidden curriculum. In order to navigate in the digital world of education the texts concludes with that man has to develop sign-literacy to be able to master the iconic turn in education.
Guest editorial - Networked collaboration, sharing and response
Authors: Skundberg Olav
Published: December 2021

This issue of Seminar.net contains three articles that were written in connection with a Norwegian e-learning conference titled “Networked collaboration, sharing and response”. The conference was held in Mars 2008 in Trondheim, and the presentations from the conference is available (in norwegian language) at http://www.nvu.no. Networked collaboration was chosen as a theme because collaboration is important to achieve learning, according to the social-constructivistic pedagogy that has a strong standing in Norway, but how should this occur on the net? Sharing of content, as in digital learning resources, is a phenomenon with increasing popularity as described in the OECD-report “Giving Knowledge for Free”. But to achieve reuse of content, not only publishing it, it is important with a networked community where the plethora of information can be sorted with relevance to specific topics. Response is about guiding, coaching and tutoring. In what ways may resources and tools be used to move in the direction of solving Bloom’s two sigma problem/challenge? The first article, by Morten Flate Paulsen, shows how cooperative learning can be implemented successfully so that students have optimal individual freedom within online learning communities. The second article, by Carl F. Dons, shows how student teachers can be prepared to deal with pupils who have a wide range of experiences of the digital world. The third and last article, by Kristin Dale, is sharing experiences with multiple choice-tests to give midterm responses to students. In addition, this issue has a commentary article by Rune Krumsvik discussing the need to develop new practices for teachers and students on the background of the digital developments. The conference and articles covers three big themes. It may be difficult to find more important issues, apart from finding money and time to support its development. Olav Skundberg, guest editorAssociate professorSør-Trøndelag University CollegeEmail: olav.skundberg@hist.no
Editorial - Open Access and accessing openness
Authors: Nordkvelle Yngve
Published: December 2021

Seminar.net enters it’s fourth year, and has reached a state of maturity in a number of meanings: it receives manuscripts from all continents, the articles are read from 134 countries, of which India represents the highest number of readers, a number of articles have been read by more than 10 000 interested persons, and the frequency of issues is now three per year, and will reach four by next year. Interested parties now approach us in order to learn about our policies and practices.It takes time to become established and influential in the sense that articles are cited and referred to in prestigious publications. Still, the most prestigious publications are on paper. Many countries now embark on a policy that rewards researchers that publish in international journals, preferably in English. National languages are rendered less significant. In the UK, the research assessment exercise (RAE), and several other countries with a publication or citation based reward system in research, tend to favour quantitative dimensions at the expense of the quality of the publication. International publishing houses are huge profit-making companies that over years have increased their profit rates, charging increasingly economically pressured higher education institution with high subscription rates. With the advent of electronic publishing their position is severely challenged. It has been noted that the most significant publication of the last couple of decades was an electronic publication: Tim Berners Lee published the protocol for the World Wide Web in 1990. It was never refereed, nor was controlled by appointed gatekeepers of the “establishment”. The number of Open Access publications is rising every day, and the number of e-journals for academic publishing is reaching higher and higher numbers. In a recent case The Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University decided, that Harvard employees must publish all their material simultaneously on the electronic archive in their home institution. This means they should avoid publishing in articles that refuse parallel publishing. This is one of many encouraging events that might pave the way for more Open Access journals. In this issue of Seminar.net, we present four articles and a book review.
-And twelve months later, we are still waiting-: Insights into teaching and use of ICT in rural and remote Australian schools
Authors: Anderson Neil , Timms Carolyn , Courtney Lyn
Published: December 2021

This paper presents an analysis of the combined data sets from a large ARC (Australian Research Council) funded study on the declining enrolments of female students in high school information technology subjects, and a SiMERR (Science, ICT and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia) study of 9 rural or remote schools in the state of Queensland. The aim of examining the combined data set was to investigate any apparent differences between girls’ perceptions of studying higher level ICT subjects in rural areas compared to metropolitan areas. The findings of the study highlighted some problems experienced by female students studying outside of metropolitan areas. They perceived the subject offerings to be ‘more boring’ than their city counterparts and reported a lower level of home ownership. The paper offers possible explanations for the findings and strongly recommends that strategies need to be implemented to overcome these problems.
Media Pedagogy: Media Education, Media Socialisation and Educational Media
Authors: Qvortrup Lars
Published: December 2021

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between education and media. These two concepts can be combined in three ways: one can think of media education, i.e. education in the subject of mass media. One can think of media socialisation, i.e. education within the context of a media society in which pupils and students are experienced media users. Finally, one can think of educational media, i.e. media used for educational purposes. After having specified these three subject areas, the paper focuses on the third subject: Media used for educational purposes. According to the paper teaching can be defined as a specialised form of communication, and the basic point of the paper is that all communication is mediated. One cannot talk about such a thing as “non-mediated” communication. Also talking or touching implies media: Language or body language. Consequently, the introduction of new, digital media for teaching does not imply to make teaching more artificial or non-authentic. The introduction of new, digital media for teaching implies that other and older educational media are re-mediated.
The Everyday Use of ICT in Norwegian Flexible Education
Authors: Rønning Wenche M , Grepperud Gunnar
Published: December 2021

Much of what we have learned about the use of ICT in teaching and other educational settings is based on limited case studies which primarily serve as examples. We know relatively little about how ICT is used on an everyday basis, particularly in higher education. A comprehensive national survey of adult flexible students’ learning situation helps to throw light on some aspects of this. The survey was carried out in 2004-05. The database includes 1477 respondents from a total of 74 “classes”, all following flexible higher education courses of a duration from ½ year to 4 years. The survey shows that Internet access is generally good, but clear disparities are shown for example between different occupational groups. Our results also show that in the course of the studies, simple basic functions are those primarily used by the students. Internet plays a less dominant role than expected as a channel of communication between students, or between students and their teachers.
Trends in the Digitalization of K-12 Schools: The Australian Perspective
Authors: Masters Jennifer
Published: December 2021

Although Australian children have plenty of access to digital technologies in school, a common perception is that this hasn't made a difference to the quality of education in Australia. In fact, it is widely considered that educational standards are in decline and schools are failing to teach children the skills that they will need for the future. The Australian Government, however, do recognize that the road to digitalization is long and they have invested in a new digital technologies curriculum and the provision of equipment and teacher professional development to support this goal. While this is a positive move and exciting projects are being implemented in schools, there is less focus on educational research in this area. This is a missed opportunity because research outcomes can provide an additional level of credibility that is required to justify why ‘new literacies’ are essential in a contemporary school curriculum.
Long-term follow-up of mandibular dental arch changes in patients with complete non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate
Authors: Sumardi Sariesendy , Latief Benny S. , Kuijpers-Jagtman Anne Marie , Ongkosuwito Edwin M. , Bronkhorst Ewald M. , Kuijpers Mette A.R.
Published: December 2021

Background

Treatment of cleft lip and palate (CLP) requires a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach and long-term follow-up. Only a few studies are available that reported on changes after treatment, which showed that in particular the transverse dimension, in patients with CLP is prone to changes after treatment. However, those studies did not pay attention to concomitant changes in the mandibular arch that occur after treatment.

Objectives

To evaluate mandibular transverse dental arch dimensions and interarch transverse changes in patients with complete non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate (CUCLAP) up to five years after treatment.

Material and Methods

Retrospective longitudinal study in 75 consecutive patients with CUCLAP directly after comprehensive treatment (T0), two (T2), and 5 years after treatment (T5). Great Ormond Street, London and Oslo (GOSLON) scores were available for all patients. Three-dimensional scans of all dental casts were made. Inter premolar and intermolar distances between the mandibular contralateral teeth were measured. The modified Huddart Bodenham (MHB index) was applied to assess the transverse interarch relationship. Paired t-tests and ANOVA were used to analyze transverse and interarch transverse changes. Linear regression analysis was done to define contributing factors.

Results

Paired t-tests showed a significant decrease of the mandibular inter first and second premolar distances (p < 0.05) and an increase of the inter second molar distance, whilst the MHB Index deteriorated at all time points for all segments and for the total arch score (p < 0.05). Linear regression showed no significant contributing factors on the decrease of the transverse distances. However, inter arch transverse relationship was significantly affected by age at the end of treatment, missing maxillary lateral incisor space closure, and the GOSLON Yardstick score at the end of treatment (p < 0.05), especially during the first two years after treatment.

Conclusions

Changes occurred in the mandibular arch expressed as changes in the transverse dimensions and interarch relationship measured by the MHB Index. A younger age at the end of treatment, space closure for a missing maxillary lateral incisor and a higher GOSLON score at the end of treatment negatively influence the interarch transverse deterioration especially in the first two years after treatment. For the transverse dimensional changes in the mandibular arch such influencing factors could not be determined.
Is Auditory Steady-State Response Testing the Key for Diagnosing Non-Organic Hearing Disorders? Implications for Current Audiological Practice
Authors: Plioutas John , Vlastarakos Petros V. , Delidis Alexandros , Vasileiou Alexandra , Nikolopoulos Thomas P. , Maragoudakis Pavlos
Published: December 2021

Background and Objectives: To describe all possible facets of non-organic hearing disorders (NOHD) and emphasize the superiority of auditory steady-state response (ASSR) over previously employed hearing assessment tools. Subjects and Methods: A series of seven patients consisting of three males and four females with NOHD were assessed at Attikon University Hospital (age range: 17-59 years). Three patients had Munchausen syndrome, three intentionally feigned hearing loss, and one intentionally feigned normal hearing. The audiological evaluation consisted of tympanometry, pure-tone audiometry, and ASSR testing.Results: The hearing of all patients was accurately determined using ASSR. The results were confirmed by auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and otoacoustic emissions. Conclusions: NOHD is a multi-faceted condition encompassing various etiologies. ASSR testing represents an objective and reliable method of hearing assessment, which can serve as a gold standard method for distinguishing NOHD from actual hearing loss. It can reliably indicate the hearing levels at the four main frequencies (500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz) by obtaining a valid estimated audiogram through statistical measures. Compared to ABR testing, ASSR thresholds are closer to the actual audiometric thresholds in the presence of hearing impairment and are superior when the corresponding pure-tone audiogram is widely ranging between the adjacent frequencies or when the obtained ABR curves are not easily distinguished. A non-confrontational approach should be adopted by ENT doctors towards cases of suspected NOHD as the use of ASSR could reliably assess hearing even when medical or medico-legal implications are involved.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Long-Term Follow-Up of Central Auditory Processing After Auditory Training
Authors: Buriti Ana Karina Lima , Gil Daniela
Published: December 2021

Background and Objectives: Even a mild traumatic brain injury can impair the peripheral and central parts of the auditory system. The objective was to compare the performance of individuals with mild traumatic brain injury in behavioral and electrophysiological central auditory tests before and after formal auditory training, and to verify the stability of these measures over time. Subjects and Methods: Ten 16- to 64-year-old individuals diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury underwent behavioral and electrophysiological assessment of the central auditory processing in three stages: before, right after, and six months after formal auditory training. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed for speech by white noise, synthetic sentence identification, sound localization, verbal sequential memory, and duration pattern tests in the assessment six months after formal auditory training. No statistically significant differences were observed between the P300 assessments, either with tone-burst or speech stimulus, in N2 and P3 latencies, and P3 amplitude. Conclusions: The results of the behavioral assessment of the central auditory processing improved, while the P300 remained stable with both stimuli, six months after completing formal auditory training. This demonstrates that auditory training has long-term benefits for people with mild traumatic brain injury.
The Environmental Implications of the Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh
Authors: Halim Md. Abdul , Rinta Sumiya Majumder , Amin Md. Al , Khatun Azmira , Robin Adnan Habib
Published: December 2021

Purpose: The main focus is to find out the environmental challenges that Bangladesh is dealing for the huge influx of Rohingya refugee people to Bangladesh. The research also aims to assess the dynamic situation of the crisis, identify the roles of Bangladesh government, NGOs as well as the International Organisations’ for Rohingya refugee crisis.

Methodology: This study is context-dependent on information and an inductive data analysis. The paper uses a descriptive qualitative approach case study design that focuses on primary and secondary data showing the real ground of crisis. Data has been collected from the interviewees and experts. This research sets multiple methods of data collection including documents, policy, and historical analysis.

Findings: Environmental imbalance occurred due to allocating 1,000 acres forest land for providing shelters to the refugees. Reserve forest has been destroyed endangering wild elephants. And it is causing landslides in the area, soil erosion, water scarcity, extreme heat wave, extreme rainfall, drought, deforestation, air pollution, and so on.

Conclusion: This research leads to identifying the areas which have already been affected. The plans that need to work on to overcome the problems and that could provide necessary and sustainable solutions for Rohingya refugee. This study also could let people know the catastrophe Bangladesh is dealing and the impacts which can cause the ecological imbalance and failure the biodiversity of the areas in a greater way. This paper could bring benefit to society and make people conscious about the environment and also make them raise voices for the conservation of environment.
Anti-hyperglycemic Efficiency of the Aqueous Seed Extract of Mucuna pruriens in Nicotinamide-Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Wistar Rats
Authors: J. I. Reuben-Kalu , R. Renuka
Published: December 2021

This study was undertaken to evaluate the remedial effect of the aqueous seed extract of Mucuna pruriens (ASEMP) on the endocrine region of pancreas of nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetes in Wistar rats. The anti-hyperglycemic efficiency of two varieties of Mucuna pruriens var utilis; IIHR Selection 3 and Arka Dhanvantari was investigated. Oral administration of ASEMP against the nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetes in the Wistar rats showed anti-hyperglycemic effect on the blood glucose level (94 ± 0.2 mg/dl ASEMP 400 mg/kg) when compared with the control group (92 ± 0.2 mg/dl glibenclamide 5 mg/kg), (248 ± 0.3 mg/dl Diabetic control) and (90 ± 0.3 mg/dl Normal control). Significant reduction in creatinine level of the nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with ASEMP was also recorded. Histopathology examination of the endocrine region of pancreas of the rats revealed restoration of pancreatic islet cells in the diabetic-ASEMP treated rats as the beta cell mass increased and necrotic changes was reduced significantly in contrast with the diabetic control group which showed degenerated pancreatic islet cells. Therefore, this study supports and recommends the exploration of the aqueous seed extract of M. pruriens as an alternative medicine for the management of type-2 diabetes.
Alternative Thermal Processing Technique for Liquid Foods-membrane Processing
Authors: Shahir S.
Published: December 2021

Liquid foods are sensitive to temperature and concentration by conventional methods results in product deterioration. Alternative processes, such as freeze concentration, have the drawback with respect to the maximum achievable concentration (only up to 40 to 45°Brix). In recent years membrane processes such as Microfiltration, Ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis are gaining importance for the concentration of liquid foods. Since heat is not involved in this process, it is also called Alternate thermal processing technique. This process can be employed as a pre-concentration step to reduce water load on subsequent processing steps and can be easily scaled up. Liquid foods such as fruit juices are of high nutritive value as they are naturally enriched with minerals, vitamins and other beneficial components required for human health. When extracted from their sources fruit juices have low solid content, color strength and high-water load. Recent advances and developments in this membrane processing used for the concentration of liquid foods are discussed here.
Real-time Optimization and Implementation of Multi-rate Digital FIR Kernel Filter
Authors: U. Ufoaroh Stephen , Nnamani Kelvin N. , N. Aniedu Azubuike
Published: December 2021

One ideal performance of this design is in the areas of decimation where a decimation factor of 10, 45-order and pass band ripple of 1dB and interpolation of sampled rates where a sinusoidal signal input produced a ripple free output with interpolation factor of 10, 52-order and stopband attenuation of 60dB. Owing to the multiple samples of filter length of 200, the filter performed down sampling preceded with filtering as well as up sampling preceded with filtering, hence multi-rate filter by allowing a low threshold of frequency of  to be passed, blocking a high threshold of   and vice versa. There was resampled output increased to 150% preceded by filtering. The filter coefficients for low pass and high pass Digital FIR filter, through the least square regression method, parks McClellan Algorithm and window methods were employed for easy optimization. More so, there was creation of 2-4-5 filter channel banks through the 2nd-level convolution of their down sampling and up sampling filtering techniques during the multi-irate filtering to ensure the design of error-free Digital FIR Filter using MATLAB File editor(M-File) and tool boxes for writing the C-programming of the design. In the analysis, the mean and standard deviation of the low pass Digital FIR Filter output during decimation and interpolation are (0.26, 6.13) and (0.004,1.22) respectively.
FLEXIBLE HOUSING SCHEMES ON HOUSING TYPE 36 IN YOGYAKARTA
Authors: Frisky Hendra , Pramitasari Diananta
Published: December 2021

Flexible housing has the potential to be applied in housing type 36 in Indonesia, especially with a focus on the modeling of the flexible housing scheme. But beforehand, potential redundancies and trend patterns of occupant needs must be identified. The research stages are spaciousness, spatial complexity using statistics, and perceptual clarity using repeated modeling and evaluation. There are 28 research data samples taken from type 36 housing developed by Perum perumnas Regional V of Yogyakarta branches i.e. Perumnas Minomartani, Perumnas Condong Catur, Perumnas Guwosari, and Perumnas Trimulyo. The results of the research are change of rooms needs for the inhabitant, transformation of tipology from the house layout, the priority setting of rooms for the inhabitants, linkage among rooms that is efficient for the inhabitant, limitations of flexible housing, and flexible housing schemes.
Multiple Team Membership (MTM) Implementation in the Construction Industry at D.K.I Jakarta, Indonesia; A Case Study Analysis
Authors: Ramadhani Jennyamor , Yuniawan Ahyar
Published: December 2021

The number of activities in construction projects is increasing where the pace of development follows the development of rising funds with shorter time constraints. As a result, businesses have reacted by allocating people to numerous teams simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation of multiple team membership and the performance of workers as individuals and teams in the construction industry, especially in DKI Jakarta. In addition, this study also explores the appropriate approach to use so that projects carried out using MTM can run smoothly. This research employed qualitative research with a case study approach also used a structured interview method with purposive sampling of 20 workers. The location is in the construction industry in DKI Jakarta. It was found that the implementation of MTM on employees with higher positions provided more benefits than employees with lower positions. The benefits for higher employees are getting paid more, more insight, more relationships, and bids for future projects. Meanwhile, employees in lower positions only get broader insights. In addition, it was also found that the appropriate approach to use so that MTM projects can run smoothly is to improve multitasking abilities and manage schedules and strategies.
Metal–Organic Frameworks as Enzyme Mimics
Authors: Liebing Phil , Kulak Nora
Published: December 2021

In this article we are presenting the design of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for applications as enzyme mimics (artificial enzymes). MOFs have been the topic of current and intense research for various applications ranging from gas storage, catalysis, to sensing. Their biocatalytic activity, however, has been discovered and investigated only recently—literature exists only for the past decade. High stability also at harsh conditions, low cost, and activity that can be tailored are advantages that compete oftentimes lower activity in comparison to the natural enzymes. Among the nanomaterials with enzymatic activity (nanozymes), MOFs are of special potential, since it is possible to mimic not only the active site of an enzyme but also its microenvironment.

We firstly introduce MOFs along with synthetic strategies and secondly give an overview of their nanozymatic activity for oxidation and hydrolytic reactions. This activity has found many applications in biosensing and biomedicine, which are presented in the last chapter of this article. Medicinal applications cover cancer and antimicrobial therapy.