bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric Properties of Assessment Instruments for Reactive Attachment Disorder and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder in Minors under Protective Measures
Authors: Talmón-Knuser Florencia , Soler Miriam , González-Sala Francisco , Lacomba-Trejo Laura , Samper-García Paula
Published: December 2023

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) manifest in individuals facing attachment system chal-lenges, particularly observed in minors under protective measures. The lack of standardized tools for assessing these difficulties and uncertainty about the most effective instruments from a psychometric perspective prompted this study. Using the COSMIN checklist, we systematically reviewed instruments assessing RAD, adhering to PRISMA and COSMIN guidelines. Examined tools included the Disturbance Attachment Inter-view, Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment, Relationship Patterns Questionnaire, Assessment of RAD and DSED, Development and Well-Being Assessment, and Reactive Attachment Disorder Question-naire. Of the 11 articles analyzed, results highlight a research emphasis on internal consistency, structural and construct validity, sidelining other properties. While the instruments demonstrate strong structural validity, excellent internal consistency, and generally satisfactory error measurement results, the study concludes a dearth of investigations into psychometric properties for children and adolescents under protective measures.
Modeling Blood Vessels Lumen from 3D Images with the Use of Deep Learning and B-Splines
Authors: Materka Andrzej , Jurek Jakub
Published: December 2023

Accurate geometric modeling of blood vessels lumen given their 3D images is a basis for vessel quantification in support of cardiovascular diseases diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. Unlike other approaches, which assume circular or elliptical vessel cross-section, the proposed method employs parametric B-splines combined with the image formation system equations to accurately localize the highly curved lumen boundaries. No image segmentation is involved which might reduce the localization accuracy in effect of spatial discretization. It is shown that the model parameters can be reliably identified by a feedforward neural network which, driven by the cross-section images, predicts the parameter values many times faster than a reference least-squares (LS) model fitting algorithm. Two example applications: modeling the lower extremities artery-vein complexes visualized in steady-state contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images (MRI) and the coronary arteries pictured in computed tomography angiograms (CTA), are presented and discussed to demonstrate the method potential. Besides application to medical diagnosis, blood-flow simulation and vessel-phantom design, it can serve as a tool for automated annotation of image datasets required to train machine-learning algorithms.
Coarse grid corrections in Krylov subspace evaluations of the matrix exponential
Authors: Botchev Mikhail Aleksandrovich
Published: December 2023

A coarse grid correction (CGC) approach is proposed to enhance the efficiency of the matrix exponential and phi matrix function evaluations. The approach is intended for iterative methods computing the matrix-vector products with these functions. It is based on splitting the vector by which the matrix function is multiplied into a smooth part and a remaining part. The smooth part is then handled on a coarser grid, whereas the computations on the original grid are carried out with a relaxed stopping criterion tolerance. Estimates on the error are derived for the two-grid and multigrid variants of the proposed CGC algorithm. Numerical experiments demonstrate the efficiency of the algorithm, when employed in combination with Krylov subspace and Chebyshev polynomial expansion methods.
A Comparison of the Classification Performances of the DINO Model, Artificial Neural Networks and Non-Parametric Cognitive Diagnosis
Authors: YAVUZ Emine , ATAR Hakan Yavuz
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to compare the attribute (ACR) and pattern-level (PCR) classification rates of the Deterministic-Input, Noisy-Or Gate (DINO) model, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and Non-parametric Cognitive Diagnosis (NPCD) from datasets of simulation in various conditions such as the number of attributes, sample size, the number of items and missing data rate. A further purpose was to examine the similarities between the classification rates of the DINO model ANNs, and NPCD on the PISA 2015 collaborative problem-solving (CPS) datasets in various numbers of attributes and sample sizes. For the purpose of the study, simulation datasets were generated on the basis of the complex Q matrix structures and the DINO model. The conditions for the sample size factor for the real datasets were determined by simple random selection among the participants in the PISA 2015 administration. As a result, it was found that there was a similarity between the DINO model and NPCD classification rates in both simulation and real datasets. In addition, regarding the increase in sample size in both simulation and real datasets, no consistency was found in the increase or decrease of the classification rates of ANNs and NPCD and the similarities of these rates.
METHOD COMPARISON IN THE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM OF A SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION
Authors: Bachtiar Mohammad Iqbal , Suyono Hadi , Purnomo M. Fauzan Edy
Published: December 2023

Commonly, the current scholarship selection process has different targets and various criteria for its prospective scholarship recipients. This causes the decision-making process for scholarship selection to be complex, whereas in the general scholarship selection is time-limited. The solution that can be done is to use a DSS (Decision Support System) to improve consistency and speed up decision-making. The available methods for making a DSS used in this study are the Analytical Hierarchy Process, TOPSIS, and the second model using a deep learning approach. The performance of the DSS will then be evaluated using a Confusion Matrix to determine the cost level of each DSS and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each DSS. The DSS model with the AHP-TOPSIS approach has been successfully created, with the accuracy performance for introducing data on merit, bidikmisi, and independent scholarship schemes are 56.72%, 65.21%, and 95.87%, respectively. While the DSS model with a deep learning approach has been successfully created with accuracy performance of 71.93%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. There are considerable differences between these two approaches. This may be due to the weighting process in the AHP approach which cannot be carried out with precision.
ANALYSIS OF FATIGUE AMONG BAGGAGE HANDLERS USING THE FACIAL ACTION CODING SYSTEM (FACS)
Authors: Goesniady Samuel , Latuny Wilma
Published: December 2023

Baggage workers is a livelihood in the informal sector which is carried out by selling services to transport goods/materials from one place to another. The workload carried by the workers will determine how much income they receive in a day. For this reason, baggage workers tend to scramble to transport goods to earn more income, so sometimes baggage workers will carry goods beyond their capacity. The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) is a comprehensive anatomy-based system for visually describing all visible facial movements. It breaks down facial expressions into individual components of muscle movement, called Action Units (AUs). Given the fact that FACS can identify fatigue by analyzing human facial expressions, the authors took the initiative to explore the facial expressions of workers' fatigue with FACS automation on CERT. In this research, it was found that there was an indication of fatigue in baggage workers. This can be seen from the significant changes in the value of action units indicating fatigue for baggage workers before and after work, including an increase in the value of AU 01, AU 15, AU 20 and AU 23, while the AU 12 which is identical to the smile expression experienced a decrease in intensity in most of the subjects and the different test results from the five Action Units showed that there were significant differences between the Action Units before and after work.
A Deep Reinforcement Approach for Computation Offloading in MEC Dynamic Networks
Authors: Fan Yibiao , Cai Xiaowei
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we study the dynamic time-slot scheme server selection problem in mobile edge computing (MEC) system, which takes into account the dynamic access of users at edge servers and introduces the dynamically changing factors affecting the workload of edge servers, such as offloading policies, offloading ratios, user’s transmitting power, and reserved capacity of the servers. However, the above factors make it tricky to achieve
long-term optimization in the edge server selection process. To cope with the above challenges, we model the server selection problem faced as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) and propose a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) based algorithm to solve it. Selection strategy learning is performed based on the observed server selection performance in previous phases. Simulation results show that the DRL-based algorithm proposed in this paper has the lowest average latency compared to benchmark algorithms.
Fatigue life prediction under mean stresses using
critical plane approach
Authors: Santos Simelia Dos , Ferreira Jorge L. de A
Published: December 2023

This paper suggests that multiaxial fatigue criteria can serve as damage parametersin the formulation of critical plane theory. We propose that by incorporatingstrain rate effects, critical plane approximation parameters can be effectivelyused to estimate fatigue life under various test conditions. Unlike the classicalapproach, this improvement offers the advantage of building the parameter versuslife relationship, regardless of the type of test used for calibration. To definethis new relationship, we present a calibration strategy that considers criticalplane models based on the Fatemi-Socie and Smith-Watson-Topper criteria. Theaccuracy of the method is verified using data sets extracted from the literature.A study on the impact of the stress ratio on the parameter versus life curve isincluded, indicating that although the relationships obtained depend on the valueof the stress ratio (R) used in the calibration, the life predictions derived fromthese relationships are statistically similar.
Distributed WSN Vulnerability Remediation System Based on Mobile-N Policy
Authors: Zhou Zihan
Published: December 2023

Wireless sensor networks are widely used in military reconnaissance, environmental monitoring, and other fields. Due to its characteristics such as high node deployment difficulty, limited energy, etc. makes the network coverage area appear vulnerability, etc. leads to serious security problems, the study proposes a distributed wireless sensor network vulnerability repair system based on the Mobile-N strategy, through the vulnerability detection to determine the location of the vulnerability edge node, and at the same time proposes an energy and performance optimization strategy, through the mobile distance, redundancy and the remaining energy of the comprehensive comparison to select the optimal repair node. Experimental results show that the Mobile-N strategy performs well in repairing network vulnerabilities and can effectively repair vulnerabilities while minimizing energy consumption and maximizing network stability. Specifically, the effective repair area ratio and node repair rate of the Mobile-N strategy in each experiment are higher than those of other algorithms, with an average effective repair area ratio of 94.9% and an average failed node repair rate of 94.9%, which indicates that the strategy has obvious advantages in terms of repair energy efficiency and repair node rate. Therefore, the distributed WSN vulnerability repair system based on Mobile-N strategy is of great research significance for improving the security and efficiency of wireless sensor networks and ensuring their stable operation.
Aspect and root trench effect of Eucalyptus globules boundary plantation on barley yield and soil physicochemical properties in the Gummer district, Central highlands of Ethiopia
Authors: Ameha Neway , Asfaw Zebene
Published: December 2023

The expansion of Eucalyptus globules boundary plantation (EGBP) along farm boundaries considered to have effects on yield of underneath crops. Tree root pruning or trench is a potential tool for managing belowground competition. We evaluated aspect and trench distance effect of EGBP on barley yield and soil physicochemical properties in Gummer woreda, central Ethiopia. Two months before sowing, on one side of each aspect of EGBP trenches were prepared at distances of 0.5m, 1m and 1.5m using split-split plot design with three replications. At 1.5m trench distance, the North faced field showed 20.4–31.2% additional yield variation respect to South, East and West faced fields. Also 15.2–43% additional yield was observed as the field distance from EGBP increased from 3m to 12m. Relative to un-trenched field, trenched fields showed 31.9–73.4% additional yield variations. Regarding to soil physicochemical properties, aspect of EGBP had no significant effect. However, except for texture, pH and extractable potassium, trench showed a significant difference on soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available Phosphors and CEC status. Relative to un-trenched fields of 6m and 9m, 1.5 m trenched field of 3m field distance showed 48% and 15% additional yield variations. That means root trench minimized on average 24% of the field distance effect of EGBP on barley yield. Therefore, root pruning at 1.5m distance from EGBP using 0.5m x 0.5 m trench is an applicable and advisable method that will help farmers to maximize barley yield with higher land-use efficiency.
Non-invasive quantification of 18F-florbetaben with total-body EXPLORER PET
Authors: Holy Emily Nicole , Li Elizabeth , Bhattarai Anjan , Fletcher Evan , Alfaro Evelyn R. , Harvey Danielle J. , Spencer Benjamin A. , Cherry Simon R. , DeCarli Charles S. , Fan Audrey P.
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Kinetic modeling of 18F-florbetaben provides important quantification of brain amyloid deposition in research and clinical settings but its use is limited by the requirement of arterial blood data for quantitative PET. The total-body EXPLORER PET scanner supports the dynamic acquisition of a full human body simultaneously and permits noninvasive image-derived input functions (IDIFs) as an alternative to arterial blood sampling. This study quantified brain amyloid burden with kinetic modeling, leveraging dynamic ¹⁸F-florbetaben PET in aorta IDIFs and the brain in an elderly cohort.
Methods
¹⁸F-florbetaben dynamic PET imaging was performed on the EXPLORER system with tracer injection (300 MBq) in 3 individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 3 with mild cognitive impairment, and 9 healthy controls. Image-derived input functions were extracted from the descending aorta with manual regions of interest based on the first 30 seconds after injection. Dynamic time-activity curves (TACs) for 110 minutes were fitted to the two-tissue compartment model (2TCM) using population-based metabolite corrected IDIFs to calculate total and specific distribution volumes (VT, Vs) in key brain regions with early amyloid accumulation. Non-displaceable binding potential (\({BP}_{ND})\) was also calculated from the multi-reference tissue model (MRTM).
Results
Amyloid-positive (AD) patients showed the highest VT and VS in anterior cingulate, posterior cingulate, and precuneus, consistent with \({BP}_{ND}\) analysis. \({BP}_{ND}\)and VT from kinetic models were correlated (r² = 0.46, P < 2\({e}^{-16})\) with a stronger positive correlation observed in amyloid-positive participants, indicating reliable model fits with the IDIFs. VT from 2TCM was highly correlated (\({r}^{2}\)= 0.65, P < 2\({e}^{-16}\)) with Logan graphical VT estimation.
Conclusion
Non-invasive quantification of amyloid binding from total-body ¹⁸F-florbetaben PET data is feasible using aorta IDIFs with high agreement between kinetic distribution volume parameters compared to \({BP}_{ND}\)in amyloid-positive and negative older individuals.
Analytical analysis of the effects of the porosity distribution on liquid-water management in the cathode of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell
Authors: Khemili Faycel , Najjari Mustapha
Published: December 2023

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) technology has been receiving more attention recently and can play a more expanded role in space missions with low gravity or microgravity. The liquid water generation in the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) increases the resistance to oxygen flow toward the catalyst layer. Water flooding inside the GDL can affect the PEMFC performance especially at higher current densities. Therefore, a good understanding of the effect of liquid water amount in the GDL is crucial to water management and, subsequently, to the performance of the fuel cell. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of the microstructure characteristics of the GDL on the water flooding and liquid water distribution inside the GDL. A one-dimensional theoretical model has been developed. Results indicate that the porosity gradient has a significant effect on the liquid water saturation and the performance of the PEM fuel cell.
Epichloë endophyte enhances intraspecific competition of Achnatherum inebrians under nitrogen stress
Authors: Huan Liu , Wang Meijun , Cui Xuelian , Nan Zhibiao , Xia Chao
Published: December 2023

Background and aims Drunken horse grass (DHG, Achnatherum inebrians) is a perennial grass widely distributed in the grasslands of northwestern China, forming a symbiosis with the Epichloë endophyte, and has a strong growth advantage in the community. However, the mechanism of its competitive success remains unclear.
Methods Endophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) DHG were employed in greenhouse experiments. EI plants served as competitive species, while EF plants were the target species. Aggressivity was employed to quantify the competitiveness between EI and EF plants. The effects of endophyte, plant density, and three different nitrogen levels in pot on the competitiveness of DHG plants were investigated.
Results The presence of Epichloë endophytes significantly improved growth performance, photosynthetic capacity, and nitrogen uptake efficiency of the host grasses, especially under low nitrogen conditions. the competitive abilities of DHG. Importantly, the gain effect of the endophyte on the competitiveness of DHG gradually weakened with the decrease in the number of EI plants.
ConclusionThe Epichloë endophyte enhances DHG competitiveness under nitrogen limitation but diminishes as soil nitrogen content increases. These results provide insights into the strong competitive advantage of EI DHG and the high infection rate of DHG in natural grasslands with harsh habitats.
How can forest management can regulate noise level from wind turbines?
Authors: HEINONEN Tero , SELKIMÄKI Mari , RANA Parvez , TOKOLA Timo
Published: December 2023

Forest can effectively serve as noise barrier, with their noise attenuation capacity varying based on the forest’s characteristics. Specifically, the attenuation level depends on the sound’s travel distance through the forest and the size and density of trees. Our study findings indicate that forest can provide up to 10 dB of additional noise attenuation. This was achieved by integrating a forest structure-based model into forest planning calculations, aimed at mitigating noise pollution from wind turbines. Incorporating this noise model as a management objective significantly reduced noise levels in the pilot study area, outperforming traditional business-as-usual management strategies. Furthermore, adapting a combination of uneven-aged and even-aged forest management approaches resulted in more forested landscape, which was more effective in mitigating higher noise levels. Our results contribute important insights that, along with further research, can guide future forest planning and management towards enhanced sustainability.
A fast and enhanced shallow learning framework for solving free boundary options pricing problems
Authors: Nwankwo Chinonso , Ware Tony , Dai Weizhong
Published: December 2023

We consider various non-standard and non-linear free boundary options pricing problems comprising the non-linear free boundary local volatility model, exotic options, and dividend-paying pricing model and present a fast and enhanced shallow learning framework for solving free boundary options pricing problems with auxiliary neural operators (ANOs). To this end, we first rigorously explore the efficacy of some featured activation functions (FAFs) for solving these models with ANOs. We observe that some existing and ad-hoc activation functions perform well, but are not suitable for generalization. Rather, they should be enhanced to be adaptable to specific model characteristics and conditions based on their positivity, boundedness, convexity, vanishing points, discontinuous points, exploding points, etc. By adapting some of the existing activation functions and accustoming new ones, we then obtain a fast and enhanced shallow learning method which substantially improve the performance of neural network methodologies for non-standard options pricing models.
Traditional Fermented Drinks: Korefe, Borde, and Booka and their Safety, Nutritiousness, and Usefulness in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Hirbo Hirbo Geremew , Hola Roba Nebi
Published: December 2023

Ethiopia is among the nations where a vast array of traditional fermented drinks are made and long-consumed. Native to a region, traditional fermented drinks are made by the locals employing age-old methods and readily available ingredients. They are also very popular there. In this study, the ingredients were sorghum, barely, and maize, in that order. Borde, Booka, and Korefe are a few examples of the naturally occurring, traditionally fermented beverages produced by Ethiopian indigenous people. These products are made with a combination of microbe cultures. Yeast and lactic acid bacteria, the two most prevalent fermenting microorganisms, are employed as a catalyst to enhance nutritional quality, good organoleptic qualities, and safety. The following ranges were observed: 78.9–83.4, 0.97–4.8, 7.3–9.75, 6.71–2.33, 2.31–5.47, and 78.05–125.95 for moisture, ash, protein, fat, CHO, and energy, respectively. Ethiopian beverage preparation practices involve traditional home processing, which is linked to lower microorganisms in fermented beverages and their potential for improvement. Standardizing the procedures for beverage fermentation processes is crucial now and in the future to raise the quality of the product.
Women's Political Participation in City Council, Debretabor City Administration, Ethiopia: An Exploration of Barriers
Authors: Kebede Agenagn
Published: December 2023

Introduction
Women have traditionally been marginalized within the political sphere, notwithstanding their significant achievements. The study looks at the barriers that stand in the way of women participating actively in politics, with a particular emphasis on the Debretabor City Administration Council.
Method
A case study research design was used in the study. The sample techniques used were maximum variation, deviant case, and intensity sampling. Semi-structured interviews, life histories, and focus group discussions (FGD) were also used to obtain the data.
Results
The findings showed that women's political engagement in city council was in danger due to a variety of factors, including gender bias in decision-making processes, the country's shifting political landscape, and Islamic religion fellows' perspectives.
Conclusion
Women faced certain obstacles when attempting to participate in city council politics. This case was critical in city administration, particularly, in city council.
Policy implication
In light of this, the research findings urged the need for gender-sensitive policy formulation within the city administration council.
A New Approach to Teaching Concepts: A Case of Teaching Derivative Concepts in Calculus for High School Students Based on Realistic Mathematics Education (Rme) Approach With the Support of Geogebra Software
Authors: Nguyen Da
Published: December 2023

This paper aims at the following goals: (1) Providing teachers with confidence in a new approach to teaching Calculus concepts, creating lively, intuitive lessons that can attract participation. students' positivity; (2) Provide teachers with ways to use GeoGebra software to teach concepts in Calculus (Limits, derivatives, integrals); (3) Support students to improve their understanding of the nature of concepts in Calculus through visual images and movements of mathematical objects (points, lines) that are impossible to practice on paper. ; (4) Provide students with opportunities to explore Calculus concepts with the support of technology and teacher guidance; (5) Enhance students' interest, confidence, stimulate curiosity and arouse curiosity in learning mathematics; (6) Help students have the opportunity to practice and develop skills in using technology in studying Mathematics in general and studying Calculus in particular; (7) Raise students' awareness of the role of technology in learning Mathematics.
A Discounted-Cashflow Based Discussion on Price Rent Ratios From a Lifecycle-Investor Perspective.
Authors: Vogt Jonas
Published: December 2023

The price-rent ratio is as a widely employed metric for evaluating and assessing real estate investment opportunities. This article presents a derivation of this metric from the perspective of a life-cycle investor contemplating the purchase of a property for owner-occupation, anchored in a discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation. Subsequent discourse on pertinent input parameter values and resulting ratio values is based oninsights drawn from both academic research and practical literature.
Cartoons in the Genre Spectrum of Political Discourse
Authors: Movchan Diana , Ushchapovska Iryna , Savchuk Alina
Published: December 2023

The article examines cartoons as an effective means of political influence aimed at changing the emotional state and behaviour of the addressee, restructuring certain elements of their ideology, modifying the value hierarchy, and forming extralinguistic activity motives. The research theoretically substantiates the cartoons' multimodal nature, as their verbal and non-verbal components form a single visual, structural, semantic, and functional whole aiming at a complex pragmatic impact on the recipient. This article emphasizes that a cartoon not only appeals to the mind and aesthetic beliefs of a person but also the sense of humour, thus creating a comic effect often in the form of sharp, caustic satire.Having analyzed various examples from American and British media the research proves that political cartoons have a wide range of techniques and means for creating a comic effect, namely, irony, sarcasm, hyperbole, metaphor, and symbols. Individually or together, these techniques and means add a special colour to the cartoon, reveal the author's dissatisfaction with political realities, and enhance the emotional impact on the addressee.Having the ability to encourage the audience to abandon the automatic perception of reality and look at certain political decisions, events, or facts from an unexpected angle, political cartoons serve as an effective means of manipulation and persuasion.
A KHARKIV-POLTAV WRITERIN THE BRNEN-OLOMOUT PERSPECTIVE Dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Prof. Mykhailo Hetmanets
Authors: Zvinyatskovsky Volodymyr , Zhylenko Iryna
Published: December 2023

The present article shows how deep studies of the literary work of Anton Makarenko were carried out by three countries: Ukraine, Germany and Czechoslovakia, thus resulting in a synthetic approach provided to the studies of the literary and pedagogical heritage of the outstanding teacher of the 20th century.A special emphasis lies on Anton Makarenko's being Ukrainian: he lived in the Ukraine, wrote about Ukrainians, worked tirelessly organizing children's colonies for Ukrainian minors, and therefore his name as a teacher and writer belongs to Ukrainian, European, and world literatury heritage of the 20th century.The authors of scientific research build a "bridge" from the "Makarenko department" at the University of Marburg (Germany), chaired by Prof. Goetz Hillig to Ukraine, led by Prof. Mykhailo Hetmanets, to Moravia and Brno and Olomouc (Prof. Libor Peha) and prove the importance of the latter's scientific work, which allows to see Makarenko's pedagogy and its researchers in a new light.It is claimed that Professor Libor Peha, who studied Makarenko's pedagogy thoroughly, had a great respect for the outstanding contemporary researcher of Makarenko's heritage Mykhailo Hetmanets. The latter was the first one to draw attention to the importance of Makarenko's "Pedagogical Poem" as a work of art. At the same time, both the Olomouc researcher, as well as the Ukrainian scientist, insist on the need to study Makarenko's legacy as "common sense" pedagogics.
The Dichotomy of the Modern American Dream (based on the CACS 2000-2021 Corpus of American Ceremonial Speeches)
Authors: Honhalo Viktoriia
Published: December 2023

The American Dream is a set of beliefs that have been deeply ingrained in the American consciousness since the nation's founding. It is also the idea that anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can succeed through hard work and determination. While stories of the American dream generally refer to achieving success in America through hard work and persistence, the definition of the American dream varies widely, as it can be determined by many different factors. For some, it could mean achieving financial wealth, self-fulfilment, social justice or equality, while others may perceive it as a journey of failure, hardship, poverty and huge debt. The ambiguity of the American dream also reflects the fact that success in America is not always determined solely by hard work and determination. Other factors such as luck, opportunity and social networks can also play a significant role. This can make it difficult to ascertain the extent to which individual effort truly determines a person's destiny. The purpose of this study is to analyse the dichotomy of the modern American dream, which encompasses not only success and wealth, but also disillusionment with achieving goals, debt, and consumerism.To achieve the goal of the research specially created Corpus of American Commencement Speeches was used –CACS (2000-2021), which contains 100 commencement speeches from 2000–2021. AntConc Corpus Manager was used to work with the CACS.
Narrative Game in the Context of Ian McEwan’s Genre Searching
Authors: Keba Oleksandr
Published: December 2023

The article analyzes the peculiarities of narrative experiments in the novels by Ian McEwan, which aims to reveal the author's genre and poetical innovation. The writer's works demonstrate numerous variants of «multiple coding»,one of the most characteristic tendencies of contemporary literature. The deceptiveness of the genre specification of McEwan's novels lies in the fact that on the surface level they are perceived as a traditional realistic narrative with an exciting plot, detailed psychological characteristics of personages, deterministic motivation of their behavior, numerous descriptions, etc. At the same time writer's works demonstrate plot uncertainty, complicated narrative organization with changes in focalization perspectives, dialogues with readers, ingenious use of various fictional comments, and implication of metatextual reflections. Therefore, to a large extent, it is due to the narrative game the traditional genre matrix is changing, filled with new meanings and possibilities. One of the productive methods of complicating the plot and narrative is the inclusion in main text a number of nested fictional texts and numerous references to classical and modern literature works. The combination of the principles of classical poetics and postmodern techniques opens up a way beyond the purely «playful» function of narrative experiments, makes it possible to pose important social, cultural, moral and philosophical problems of nowadays, and contributes to the expansion of the genre paradigm of modern novel.
Effect of marketing strategy on organizational efficacy via managerial accounting
Authors: Huynh Quang Linh
Published: December 2023

A marketing strategy has been used by enterprises to achieve the best possible organizational efficacy. In the current research, contingency theory, the theory of resource dependency and experiential learning theory are applied to establish the research model. Marketing strategy has been regarded as one of the determinants of managerial accounting; whereas the adopting of managerial accounting in business can lead to improved organizational efficacy. Therefore, the linkage between marketing strategy and organizational efficacy can be mediated by managerial accounting. The objective of the present research article is to explore the influence of marketing strategy on organizational efficacy, considering the mediating effect of managerial accounting in the research model, which has been previously ignored. The research data were collected from 352 publicly listed enterprises on the main Vietnamese Stock Exchanges, represented by executives involved in marketing and managerial accounting. Vietnam was selected as a study case for research, because it is one of the most rapidly developing countries in Southeast Asia; accordingly, enterprises operating there as a developing economy are supposed to exploy as many sound managerial practices as possible to be able to struggle squarely with the competitors in developed nations. The AMOS analytical technique was applied to test the causal linkages,whereas the mediating procedures were employed to investigate the mediation of managerial accounting in the casual relation from marketing strategy to organizational efficacy. The empirical findings indicate that the elements of product, price, promotion and place of marketing strategy impose statistical influences on organizational efficacy and also on the adoption of managerial accounting in business. Importantly, managerial accounting is found to be a mediator in the relationship between marketing strategy and organizational efficacy. This work has implications for how executives make better decisions about planning marketing strategies in business, which should match the managerial accounting applied in business. Consequently, they could achieve the best possible organizational efficacy. The current research contributes to the existing study of marketing and managerial accounting by supporting a link between marketing strategy and organizational efficacy, which is mediated by managerial accounting in Vietnam.
Innovative Management of Biomass Cost Value Based on Accounting and Analysis of Production Costs of Agricultural Activities
Authors: Zadorozhnyi Zenovii-Mykhaylo , Muravskyi Volodymyr , Bila Yuliya , Ivasechko Uliana
Published: December 2023

The newest directions for evaluating the ecological and economic behaviour of agricultural enterprises involve the full use of by products, such as biomass. The main items of biomass costing (for the example of baled corn) are identified: the cost of corn waste in the field, the cost of twine for forming bales, the cost of fuel and lubricants, wages and social contributions, the cost of operation and depreciation of agricultural machinery, and other production and logistics costs. Based on the study of the structure of production costs that form the cost of biomass, it was found that the main share is made up of labour costs. With the purpose of complex optimization of the operating costs of agricultural activities, the necessity of introducing an innovative biomass cost management system based on automated accounting and analysis with the use of global positioning technologies, aerial monitoring with the help of drones, and the Internet of Things has been proven. The use of technologies for collecting and processing accounting information on agricultural activities for the formation of information arrays on the planned volume of harvested crops, salaries of operating personnel, fuel and lubricants, equipment depreciation and the need for routine maintenance of agricultural machinery, as well as additional operating and transportation costs, has been proposed. An innovative analytical model has been developed to study the impact of agricultural conditions (harvest volume, average wage of a production worker, distance from fields to storage or processing facilities, level of logistics organization, quality of agricultural products, level of use of the latest agricultural technologies and agricultural machinery) on production costs, which is the basis for operational and predictive innovative management of biomass costs. The innovation of the model lies in the use of linguistic variables, i.e., factors that are not quantifiable but can be economically evaluated. For the practical implementation of an innovative biomass cost management system, the use of the information scheme, which includes all the information components, on the basis of which managers develop and offer the best management solutions to minimize the cost of biomass, has been proposed. The need to reflect accounting and analytical information on the cost of biomass in integrated reporting (sustainability reporting) to inform internal and external stakeholders about the formation and use of alternative energy sources determines the prospects for further research in this area.
Collaborative problem-solving design in large-scale assessments: Shedding lights in sequential conversation-based measurement
Authors: HE Qiwei
Published: December 2023

Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is inherently an interactive, conjoint, dual-strand process that considers how a student reasons about a problem as well as how s/he interacts with others to regulate social processes and exchange information (OECD, 2013). Measuring CPS skills presents a challenge for obtaining consistent, accurate, and reliable scale across individuals and user populations. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)’s 2015 cycle first introduced an assessment of CPS in international large-scale assessments in which computer-based conversational agents were adapted to represent team members with a range of skills and abilities. This study draws on measures of the CPS domain in PISA 2015 to address the challenges and solutions related to CPS item design and shed lights on sequential conversation-based measurement. Specifically, we present the process of CPS item design, the development of scoring rules through CPS conversation paths, and discuss the possible approaches to better estimate CPS beyond item response models.
Türk ve Rus Dillerinde Ateş Konseptinin Anlamları ve Çağrışımları Üzerine Bir İnceleme
Authors: AYDIN Onur
Published: December 2023

Bir dile ait konseptin ya da konseptlerin çözümlenmesi, o dilin konuşulduğu toplumun kültürü ve dil dünya görüşü hakkında önemli veriler sunar. Halkların dünyayı algılama biçimleri ise başta deyimler ve atasözleri olmak üzere kültür dil bilimsel birimler aracılığıyla açıklanabilir. Araştırmamızın konusunu, ateş konseptinin Türk ve Rus halkları tarafından nasıl algılandığı sorunsalı oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmamızda söz konusu konseptin deyimler aracılığıyla dile nasıl yansıdığı ve her iki dilde ne tür anlamsal benzerlikler bulunduğu sorularına yanıt verilmesi amaçlanmıştır. İnceleme gerçekleştirilirken karşılaştırmalı-betimleyici yöntem, temel bileşenler analizi ve Rus araştırmacılar Zinaida D. Popova ve İosif A. Sternin’in konsept çözümleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Yürütülen araştırma ışığında ateşin her iki kültürde kutsal sayılıp saygı duyulan ya da korkulan bir konsept olarak hem olumlu hem de olumsuz ortak bir anlam katmanına sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca ateş konseptinin mitolojik, tarihsel, kültürel ve edebi alanlarda Türk ve Rus dillerinde çok anlamlı bir yapısının olduğu ve her iki dil üzerine yapılan karşılaştırmalı incelemede birbirine yakın anlamlar taşıdığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Kültür dil bilimi bağlamında gerçekleştirilen bu çalışmanın her iki toplumun kültürlerarası etkileşimine ve iletişimine olumlu katkı yapması hedeflenmektedir.
Examples of Culinary Diplomacy in Late Era Ottoman Diplomacy
Authors: ÇETİN Emrah
Published: December 2023

Throughout history, not only have meals served people as a source of nutrition, but they also have served as both an individual and official tool of diplomatic agreement between people. In being representative of the culture and traditions of the host country, they serve to establish effective communication with the counter party, create a positive atmosphere, and strengthen relationships. Today, politicians still employ the unifying effect of meals as one of many tools of diplomacy. Since the dawn of man, many a statesman had employed this method with the intent of giving a positive impression both on friend and foe alike; Ottoman statesmen were no exception to this rule. One can observe many examples of culinary culture having been employed in diplomatic affairs towards the final years of the Ottoman Empire. When we look at banquets that Ottoman Sultans had prepared for their foreign guests, not only do we see that they had offered them the crème de la crème of delicacies highlighting Turkish culinary culture offered, we also see that had been treated to dishes from their own gastronomies as well. Ottoman Sultans had hosted many banquets because of their power to unify, both in terms of foreign and domestic politics. This study has reviewed and exemplified how culinary diplomacy had been used during the late era of Ottoman diplomacy.
Determinants of labor productivity in the USA
Authors: Kuzior Aleksandra , Koibichuk Vitaliia , Drozd Serhii , Grytsyshen Dymytrii , Vasylieva Tetiana
Published: December 2023

This study aims to examine whether the labor productivity of the US population directly depends on public or private insurance coverage of people, employment level, life expectancies, spending on the public health system as a percentage of GDP, and spending on the public health system in natural terms. Empirical testing was carried out on the USА statistical data for 1987–2021 using a regression model with the fitting procedure backward stepwise selection (in Statgraphics software), and a multivariate adaptive regression spline MARS (using Salford Predictive Modeler software). The research hypothesis was confirmed for only two indicators: life expectancies and spending on the public health system in natural terms. Their impact on labor productivity appeared to be directly proportional. As an indicator, spending on the public health system has a greater impact on the change in productivity (0.0058%), whereas life expectancy has a lesser effect (0.0047%). The study showed that the MARS model provides more objective and accurate results compared to the regression model with the fitting procedure – backward stepwise selection. This conclusion is based on a comparison of real data modeled by both methods. The study proved that labor productivity in the USA grew yearly from 1987 to 2021 (the constant term in the MARS model’s regression equation is +0.48428). To calculate the specific values of labor productivity for each year, a model was developed depending on the optimal basic functions (automatically generated by the MARS model depending on the current values of life expectancies and spending on the public health system in natural terms).
AcknowledgmentThis study is funded by Department of Applied Social Sciences of the Faculty of Organization and Management of the Silesian University of Technology for the year 2023 (grant number 13/020/BK_23/0081).
TikTok como nueva plataforma tecnopolítica de comunicación hacia la campaña presidencial de 2024 en México. Una aproximación al contenido de Claudia Sheinbaum
Authors: Cerón Hernández Cyntia , Pérez Álvarez Thelma , García Villatoro María José
Published: December 2023

Tiktok se ha posicionado como la nueva plataforma de comunicación tecnopolítica dentro del ecosistema digital hacia las próximas elecciones presidenciales en México. Lo anterior, en un contexto social controvertido, que involucra la praxis cuestionada de las organizaciones políticas, la polarización social y cierto desinterés entre la juventud en la política partidista y los procesos electorales de México. Este trabajo realiza una propuesta teórica aplicando una metodología para obtener conocimientos sobre el uso de TikTok como plataforma de comunicación de marketing y política para candidatos a la presidencia de México en 2024, específicamente dirigida a la población joven como principal perfil de usuarios de la plataforma. La propuesta se desarrolla con el interés de investigar las transformaciones en torno a procesos, estrategias y prácticas generadas a partir de la construcción y difusión de videos en la plataforma. Este artículo presenta los resultados de una prueba piloto basada en análisis cuantitativo que analiza el contenido de la cuenta oficial de Claudia Sheinbaum donde, a partir de las interacciones de la audiencia, los temas y funciones estratégicas en el contenido publicado, así como la autorepresentación de la candidata, obtenemos una aproximación a los patrones estratégicos de uso de esta plataforma.
CONCEPCIONES DE EVALUACIÓN DEL APRENDIZAJE. UN ANÁLISIS PARA LA TRANSFORMACIÓN DE LAS PRÁCTICAS EVALUATIVAS
Authors: Flores Flores Emmanuel , Croda Borges Gabriela
Published: December 2023

Los cambios sociales recientes han generado la necesidad de transformar la praxis docente de los profesores en las universidades. Sin embargo, la evaluación se observa como uno de los procesos que aún no se logra modificar totalmente. Si bien existen aspectos que los profesores ya realizan, se observa que todavía prevalecen prácticas tradicionalistas, basadas en la memorización y el examen, como vías para la asignación de una calificación. Tomando esto en consideración, el artículo reporta los resultados obtenidos en una investigación realizada desde un enfoque cualitativo. La información se recolectó mediante la técnica de grupo de discusión, en el que participaron 17 profesores universitarios. El análisis se llevó a cabo a la luz de la teoría reciente. Entre los resultados más sobresalientes se identifican rasgos de los nuevos enfoques evaluativos en el discurso de los profesores, pero también se reconocen algunas de las razones por las que no los llevan a cabo en la práctica. Finalmente, se observan ciertas acciones a realizar por parte de los profesores y otras más por parte de los directivos en las universidades.
PROBLEMS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN THE STATE AND RELIGION THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN NATURAL AND POSITIVE LAW
Authors: Yakusha Viktoriya
Published: December 2023

The article attempts to outline the current state of the conflict between the state and the individual as a bearer of a unique religious experience. With the help of references to the judicial practice of national courts and international judicial bodies, attention is focused on the points of confrontation between the natural human right to freedom of religion and the positive rights of the citizen, the fulfillment of which is required by the state.
Camelina Sativa in Milking Ration
Authors: Filippova Olga , Frolov Alexander , Betin Alexander
Published: December 2023

Milk cows need high metabolic energy sources that are often to be found among plant crops with high fat content. This study featured Camelina sativa, an oilseed crop, as an energy supplement in the diet of lactating cows: 5 % thermally-treated C.sativa seeds were introduced into the grain feed mix. The experiment lasted 35 days and increased the total polyunsaturated fatty acids in milk fat by 1.1 % while the fat content in the milk increased by 0.35 %. The average daily milk yield increased by 3.7 %.