bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sanya climatic-treatment cohort profile: objectives, design, and baseline characteristics
Authors: Guan Haidao , Yang Guiyan , Gao Jiashi , Lin Xiaoya , Liu Chao , Ren Han , Chen Duyue , Zhou Lingyao , Hu Qian , Huang Yongzhen , Zhao Yumei , Tong Shilu , Lu Zhaohui , Liu Shijian , Wang Dan
Published: October 2023

Background

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased globally, climate and environment also have important effects on respiratory or allergic diseases. However, population-based studies investigating the impact of tropical climates and environments on migratory-bird old people (MBOP) are lacking.

Methods/Design

For this prospective cohort study, we recruited 756 participants from the community in Sanya City, Hainan Province, China. In addition to the completed baseline survey, a follow-up survey will be conducted during the periods of October–December and March–April for the next 3 years of MBEPs from northern China who spend the winter in Sanya. We will continue to record the height, weight, and blood pressure of all participants, as well as lung function for those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Venous blood at baseline and urine samples will be collected during follow-up.

Results

A total of 756 volunteers were recruited. Their average age is 66.1 years; 32.1% of them have high-school educations, while 37.3% have graduated from college or done undergraduate studies. The top five diseases in this cohort are allergic rhinitis (57.9%); eczema, urticaria, or dermatitis (35.6%); bronchitis and bronchiectasis (35.6%); asthma (14.7%); and emphysema (11.7%). Compared with their symptoms while at their summer places of residence, rates of remission reported by participants while living in Sanya were 80.4% for allergic rhinitis, 82.3% for bronchitis and emphysema, 85.2% for asthma, 96.0% for COPD (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The baseline survey has been completed. The preliminary findings support that a tropical climate may relieve the symptoms of allergic diseases in migratory-bird old people.
Estimating Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) of the cognitive process in strategic thinking using eye-tracking
Authors: Li Xiaomin , Henning Thomas , Camerer Colin
Published: October 2023

Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) are used to study language, sleep, macroeconomic states, and other processes that reflect probabilistic transitions between states that can't be observed directly. This paper applies HMMs to data from location-based game theory experiments. In these location games, players choose a pixel location from an image. These players either have a common goal (choose a matching location), or competing goals, to mismatch (hide) or match (seek) in hider-seeker games. We use eye-tracking to record where players look throughout the experimental decision. Each location's numerical salience is predicted using an accurate, specialized vision science-based neural network [the Saliency Attentive Model (SAM)]. The HMM shows the pattern of transitioning from hidden states corresponding to either high or low-salience locations, combining the eye-tracking and salience data. The transitions vary based on the player's strategic goal. For example, hiders transition more often to low-salience states than seekers do. The estimated HMM is then used to do two useful things. First, a continuous-time HMM (cHMM) predicts the salience level of each player's looking over several seconds. The cHMM can then be used to predict what would happen if the same process was truncated by time pressure: This calculation makes a specific numerical prediction about how often seekers will win, and it predicts an increase in win rate but underestimates the size of the change. Second, a discrete-time HMM (dHMM) can be used to infer levels of strategic thinking from high-to-low salience eye-tracking transitions. The resulting estimates are more plausible than some maximum-likelihood models, which underestimate strategic sophistication in these games. Other applications of HMM in experimental economics are suggested.
Finnish and Swedish riding school pupils' motivation towards participation in non-riding education
Authors: Nyberg Lina , Linnavalli Tanja , Hartmann Elke , Kalland Mirjam
Published: October 2023

Many horse enthusiasts have insufficient knowledge about horse behavior and welfare (BW) and learning and human-horse communication (LC), which poses a risk for both horse welfare and human safety. The main objective of this study was to investigate why riding school pupils participate or do not participate in non-riding education in BW and LC, using Self-determination theory (SDT). SDT posits that the quality of motivation is related to the individual's basic psychological needs. A convenience sample of 568 riding school pupils from Finland and Sweden completed an online questionnaire. The results showed that forty percent of the riding schools offered education in BW, and thirty-two in LC. Twenty-seven percent of the respondents participated in education in BW, and twenty-five in LC at their riding school. The respondents were autonomously motivated to participate in education, i.e., they would participate because it is interesting and personally important. Perceived needs satisfaction at the riding school predicted autonomous motivation to participate. Education was offered to a greater extent in Swedish riding schools and Swedish respondents participated more often, as well as experienced more autonomous motivation, relatedness and competence satisfaction compared with Finnish respondents. To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore riding school pupils' motivation towards non-riding education.
Effect of mineral-vitamin premix supplementation on behavioral, performance, hormonal, oxidative stress, and serum biochemical profiles on rutting male Camelus dromedarius in Egypt
Authors: Nasreldin Nani , EL-Shoukary Ramadan D. , Abdel-Raheem Ghada S. E. , Gharib Heba S. , Zigo František , Farkašová Zuzana , Rehan Ibrahim F. , Senosy Waleed
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The rutting period imposes a stressful condition on male camels, which results in elevated serum cortisol levels and alterations in their sexual behavior. Therefore, the current work was carried out to investigate the effect of mineral-vitamin premix supplementation on behavior, reproductive performance, hormones, serum oxidative stress profile, and other serum biochemical parameters of Camelus dromedarius during the breeding season.

Methods

Fourteen mature, fertile male Camelus dromedarius were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 7) and a mineral-vitamin premix group (n = 7). The present study lasted for 95 days during the rutting period (1st February to 5th May). Each camel in the premix group received a daily diet of 50 g of mineral-vitamin premix throughout the whole rutting period, during which the frequencies and durations of the following behaviors: maintenance, posture, aggressiveness, and sexual activity were collected every 20 min. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected.

Results

Results revealed that the premix group showed higher (P < 0.05) maintenance (feeding and rumination), standing, and overall sexual desire-related behavior frequency, besides more times (P < 0.001) for rumination, standing, walking, and lying while showing lower (P < 0.001) frequencies of overall aggressive behaviors than the control group. The serum concentration of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, cortisol, blood glucose, and urea evidenced a significant decrease in the premix group compared with the control one, while significantly elevated levels of reduced glutathione, testosterone, total antioxidant capacity, triiodothyronine, and thyroxin, total protein, albumin, globulin, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium were recorded in the premix group in comparison with the control.

Conclusion

It could be concluded that daily dietary supplementation of 50 g of mineral-vitamin premix to male camels during the breeding season is necessary to overcome the oxidative stress and serum cortisol concentration with a subsequent decrease in aggressive behavior and improvement to testosterone level in blood, body condition score and body weight gain.
Impact of Canopy Coverage and Morphological Characteristics of Trees in Urban Park on Summer Thermal Comfort Based on Orthogonal Experiment Design: A Case Study of Lvyin Park in Zhengzhou, China
Authors: Xue Sihan , Chao Xinfeng , Wang Kun , Wang Jingxian , Xu Jingyang , Liu Ming , Ma Yue
Published: October 2023

As an integral part of urban forests, urban parks play a vital role in mitigating urban heat islands (UHI) and providing residents with comfortable outdoor recreational plots. For high-quality use of the trees in regulating the thermal comfort of urban parks, previous studies primarily focused on the microclimate variations caused by tree coverage and morphological features separately. However, there is still a lack of systematic understanding of how tree canopy coverage (TCC) and its morphological elements, including leaf area index (LAI), trunk height (TH), and crown diameter (CD), combined affect the thermal comfort in the urban park. This study employed an orthogonal experiment design and ENVI-met software to simulate the microclimate of various multi-factor combination models in the case of a typical urban park in a temperate continental climate zone in China, analyzing the simulated result through physiological equivalent temperature (PET). Results show that the contribution ratio of various elements to the thermal environment vary over time. In studied elements, the contribution ratio of TCC to PET is consistently higher than 50% during the morning, midday, and evening periods, reaching a peak of 67% in the evening. The maximum contribution ratios for CD, TH, and LAI occur during midday, morning, and midday, respectively, with corresponding contribution ratios of approximately 22%, 10%, and 9%, respectively. The ranking of elements affecting thermal comfort in the urban park generally is TCC, CD, LAI, TH throughout the day, apart from the morning, when the influence of TH is greater than LAI. The optimal combination of elements is 85% TCC, 4m TH, 3.9 LAI, and 7m CD, and thirteen combinations of element cases meet the thermal comfort requirements during summer. The research findings highlight the significance of optimizing the configuration of trees in creating a more comfortable and inviting space for human activities.
Blockchain Application to Financial Market Clearing and Settlement Systems
Authors: Agarwal Nipun , Wongthongtham Pornpit , Khairwal Neerajkumari , Coutinho Kevin
Published: October 2023

Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative force in the financial industry, offering the potential to streamline and enhance financial markets’ clearing and settlement processes. This paper explores the application of blockchain technology in these critical areas. We examine traditional clearing and settlement procedures, the challenges they pose, and how blockchain can address these issues. Through case studies and technical insights, we illustrate the benefits and limitations of implementing blockchain solutions. This paper utilizes the PRISMA method to survey papers related to blockchain-based clearing and settlement systems, while using Science Direct to identify papers that have been published in this area. These papers were reviewed to identify themes that relate to extending blockchain development for clearing and settlement system in financial markets. As a result, this paper also shows how the Layer One X (L1X) blockchain can be applied to develop financial markets clearing and settlement systems.
On the Solution of the Dirichlet Problem for Second-Order Elliptic Systems in the Unit Disk
Authors: Bagapsh Astamur , Soldatov Alexandre
Published: October 2023

The role played by explicit formulas for solving boundary value problems for elliptic equations and systems is well known. In this paper, explicit formulas for a general solution of the Dirichlet problem for second-order elliptic systems in the unit disk are given. In addition, an iterative method for solving this problem for systems with respect to two unknown functions is described, and an integral representation of the Poisson type is obtained by applying this method.
HUMAN CREATIVE POTENTIAL AS A DRIVING FORCE OF MODERN SOCIETY
Authors: Novikov Boris , Potishchuk Olha , Bubon Tetiana
Published: October 2023

The statement of basic materials. The concept of creativity is multifaceted, which is why it is studied in different ways. But we should pay attention to the philosophical aspect of creativity. Because it is philosophy that reveals the phenomenon of creativity in terms of ontological content and the generation of something new. Plato emphasized that the fruit of God's creativity is the world order, which is based on divine contemplation, which in turn is revealed as reasonable in the process of human creativity. This idea was developed as “creation out of nothing”, which justified the idea of the divine creation of the world in the realm of pure spirit. It should be noted that philosophers of the Middle Ages considered the concept of creativity in two aspects: theistic and pantheistic. The former is based on the understanding of creativity as the command of a divine personality - God is the creator of the world and man, and he not only created the world but also controls it through divine providence. The latter aspect of creativity is based on the Platonic understanding of creativity as the mind contemplating itself. Creativity is a social phenomenon; it is not possible without a carrier, that is, an individual or society as a whole. An individual, in turn, reveals himself or herself through creativity; he or she has a certain creative potential, capabilities that establish his or her ability to create. In addition, creative potential is an important resource for creative activity. It is also important to take into account that creativity can be considered on different scales and in different spheres of human activity. The concept of a “creative person” means not only the presence of creative potential, but also the ability to use this potential to implement creative ideas. Thus, an individual's ability to transform the surrounding reality, i.e. the socio-cultural environment, is possible only if he or she has creative potential. Creative potential, in its turn, is characterized by a combination of creative abilities, peculiarities of creative thinking and internal resources of a person. It should be noted that creativity and creative potential are key success factors in areas where creative approaches are required, such as science, philosophy, art, etc. It is important to support and develop people's creative abilities so that they create new ideas and products that will change the world around us. Thus, the contradictions that arise between society and individuals in solving social problems can be overcome by actualizing the creative potential of the individual.
SOCIAL ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY: ITS RELEVANCE AND MODERN CHALLENGES
Authors: Kyvliuk Ihor
Published: October 2023

Urgency of the research. It is well known that a university has three main functions: providing education, developing science, and supporting the community. But social changes in the world have changed the role of the university. Its social role is growing in diversity and complexity. In a knowledge-based society, the public has high expectations of the university's performance and impact. Its traditional roles are no longer valid. This change in the role of the university is reflected not only in the way knowledge is produced, which has become more transdisciplinary and applied, but also in the active involvement of different institutional spheres, universities, firms, government and end users, creating new hybrid spheres to manage innovation dynamics.
Target setting. The system of higher education in modern Ukraine is undergoing significant reforms and modernization, which are caused by many factors, including the war to the greatest extent. It is quite difficult to assess the prospects for the qualitative results of the program of education renovation in Ukraine, as well as the changes that have created the current conditions.
The statement of basic materials. Despite the established aspects of the role of the classical university, the article considers topical issues and consequences caused by the social needs and challenges of today.
COMMUNICATIVE PRACTICES OF THE 19TH CENTURY, OR SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR BENEFITS AND HARMS FOR THE POST-INDUSTRIAL ERA
Authors: Radinova Nataliia
Published: October 2023

The statement of basic materials. Communication, encompassing a wide range of social, political, cultural, and educational meanings, acquires special status and significance in the post-industrial society. However, few pay attention to the role played by the phenomenon of “simultaneous non-simultaneity” in the modern world. The communicative practices of the 19th century provide a conceptual key to understanding why Ukraine's integration into the global cultural space as a unique subject encounters difficulties resulting from previous development.
PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN BEING IN MODERN CONDITIONS
Authors: Marynets Nadiіa , Pugachov Volodymyr , Balynska Olha
Published: October 2023

The statement of basic materials. Attention is drawn to the fact that a person lives in society, not isolated from others. The knowledge of being a separate individual will be directly influenced by different individuals with their cultural and value orientations, stereotypes. The issue of the relationship between man and society was taken into account in the article (social and cultural philosophy, legal, political, etc.). The problem of the meaning of human life, the ratio of freedoms and responsibilities is separately investigated.
PENERAPAN PRINSIP AKUNTABILITAS DALAM INDEPENDENSI HAKIM DI INDONESIA
Authors: Pudjiastuti Diah
Published: October 2023

Putusan hakim merupakan wujud penegakan hukum, keadilan dan kebenaran. Sehingga dengan besarnya kewenangan yang dimiliki oleh Hakim dalam memutus perkara, maka sangat menarik untuk dilakukan penelitian terkait kebebasan dan tanggungjawab Hakim dalam memutus perkara. Berdasarkan uraian latar belakang tersebut diatas, maka yang menjadi permasalahan yaitu, pertama sejauhmana kebebasan hakim dalam memutus perkara dalam upaya mewujudkan keadilan dan kedua bagaimana tanggungjawab hakim dalam memutus perkara dalam upaya mewujudkan keadilan. Metode pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan yuridis normative. Spesifikasi penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif analitis. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa Independensi Hakim merupakan hal yang diatur dan dilindungi oleh Konstitusi. Oleh karenanya, ketentuan perundang-undangan harus jelas dan tegas dalam mengatur batasan-batasan sistem hukum dalam rangka penegakan hukum yang berkeadilan, seperti terhindarnya ketentuan perundang-undangan yang tumpang tindih terkait fungsi pengawasan dan evaluasi yang bersifat sederajat dan saling mengimbangi, Sementara akuntabilitas seorang Hakim merupakan hal yang sangat penting guna mewujudkan putusan yang berkeadilan. Berkaitan dengan hal tersebut, maka untuk dapat menghasilkan putusan berkualitas dan memenuhi rasa keadilan dalam masyarakat penting dilakukannya peningkatan pengetahuan seorang Hakim di berbagai bidang serta kewenangan pemanggilan saksi menjadi kewenangan dari Hakim.
Molecular Phenotyping and Mechanisms of Myocardial Fibrosis in Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Narayanan Gayatri , Halim Arvin , Hu Alvin , Avin Keith G. , Lu Tzongshi , Zehnder Daniel , Hato Takashi , Chen Neal X. , Moe Sharon M. , Lim Kenneth
Published: October 2023

Key Points

Myocardial fibrosis in hearts from patients with CKD is characterized by increased trimeric tensile collagen type I and decreased elastic collagen type III compared with hearts from hypertensive or healthy donors, suggesting a unique fibrotic phenotype.

Myocardial fibrosis in CKD is driven by alterations in extracellular matrix proteostasis, including dysregulation of metalloproteinases and cross-linking enzymes.

CKD-associated mineral stressors uniquely induce a fibronectin-independent mechanism of fibrillogenesis characterized by formation of trimeric collagen compared with proinflammatory/fibrotic cytokines.

Background

Myocardial fibrosis is a major life-limiting problem in CKD. Despite this, the molecular phenotype and metabolism of collagen fibrillogenesis in fibrotic hearts of patients with advanced CKD have been largely unstudied.

Methods

We analyzed explanted human left ventricular (LV) heart tissues in a three-arm cross-sectional cohort study of deceased donor patients on hemodialysis (HD, n=18), hypertension with preserved renal function (HTN, n=8), and healthy controls (CON, n=17), ex vivo. RNA-seq and protein analysis was performed on human donor hearts and cardiac fibroblasts treated with mineral stressors (high phosphate and high calcium). Further mechanistic studies were performed using primary cardiac fibroblasts, in vitro treated with mineral stressors, proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines.

Results

Of the 43 donor participants, there was no difference in age (P > 0.2), sex (P > 0.8), or body mass index (P > 0.1) between the groups. Hearts from the HD group had extensive fibrosis (P < 0.01). All LV tissues expressed only the trimeric form of collagen type I. HD hearts expressed increased collagen type I (P < 0.03), elevated collagen type I:III ratio (P < 0.05), and decreased MMP1 (P < 0.05) and MMP2 (P < 0.05). RNA-seq revealed no significant differential gene expression of extracellular matrix proteins of interest in HD hearts, but there was significant upregulation of LH2, periostin, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 gene expression in mineral stressor–treated cardiac fibroblasts. Both mineral stressors (P < 0.009) and cytokines (P < 0.03) increased collagen type I:III ratio. Mineral stressors induced trimeric collagen type I, but cytokine treatment induced only dimeric collagen type I in cardiac fibroblasts. Mineral stressors downregulated fibronectin (P < 0.03) and MMP2 zymogen (P < 0.01) but did not significantly affect expression of periostin, MMP1, or cross-linking enzymes. TGF-β upregulated fibronectin (P < 0.01) and periostin (P < 0.02) only.

Conclusions

Myocardial fibrosis in advanced CKD hearts is characterized by increased trimeric collagen type I and dysregulated collagen metabolism, and is differentially regulated by components of uremia.
CONTENT ANALYSIS OF A1 LEVEL LALE 1 TEXTBOOK LISTENING-COMPREHENION TEXTS IN TEACHING TURKISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Authors: yucel DOGAN
Published: October 2023

Özellikle 1990 sonrası başlayan ve son yıllarda ekonomik, kültürel ve siyasi gelişmelerin etkisiyle yabancılar tarafından oldukça ilgi gören Türkçe, dünyada en çok öğrenilen diller arasına girmeyi başarmıştır. Yabancı dil öğretiminde dört esas dil becerisi vardır. Bunlar; okuma, anlama, yazma ve dinlemedir. Dinleme becerisi diğerlerine göre farklı bir öneme sahiptir. Çünkü dinleme, insanoğlunun anne karnında duyduğu seslerin anlam kazanmasıyla elde ettiği ilk dil becerisidir. Bundan dolayı dinleme becerisinin gelişmesi ile diğer beceriler de gelişir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, yabancılara Türkçe öğretiminde kullanılan Lale Türkçe Ders Kitabı 1 kitabındaki dinleme metinlerinin, A1 seviyesine uygunluğunun incelenmesidir. Döküman incelemesi çalışmada başvurulan yöntemdir. Lale Türkçe Ders Kitabı 1 kitabında bulunan dinleme metinleri, Diller İçin Avrupa Ortak Başvuru Metninde yer alan kriterlere göre incelenmiştir. Kitapta bulunan dinleme metinleri; dinlemenin içeriği, dinlemenin soru tipi, dinlemenin dilbilgisi yönünden seviyeye uygunluğu, dinlemede kullanılan kelimelerin seviyeye uygunluğu, dinlemede kullanılan görseller ve görsellerin metne uygunluğu, dinlemenin hızı ve anlaşırlılığı, dinlemenin kültür aktarımı boyutu yönlerinden incelenmiştir. Araştırmada, Lale  Türkçe Ders Kitabı 1’deki okuma metinleri ve dinleme metinleri arasında içerik bağlamında birbirleri ile ilişkili olduğu, dinleme etkinliklerinde doğru ve yanlışı işaretleme, eşleştirme yapma, boşluk doldurma, uygun seçeneği işretleme, açık uçlu sorular  şeklinde  farklı soru tipleri kullanıldığı, dinleme etkinliklerinde kullanılan dil bilgisi genel olarak Avrupa Dil Portfolyosuna uygun olduğu, dinleme etkinliklerinde kullanılan kelimeler genellikle Avrupa Dil Portfolyosuna göre A1 seviyesi için uyumlu olduğu, etkinlerin hepsinde de görseller bulunduğu ve metinlerin görsellere uygun olarak verildiği, dinleme hızı ve anlaşılırlığın A1 seviyesine uygun olduğu, dinleme etkinliklerinde Türk kültürüne ait unsurlara önemli ölçüde yer verildiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
A ludicidade como ferramenta pedagógica na educação infantil inclusiva
Authors: Cintra Rosana Carla Gonçalves Gomes , De Novais Tamyres Borges
Published: October 2023

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo investigar qual a contribuição da ludicidade na educação infantil frente a perspectiva da inclusão, utilizando como base teórica as contribuições de Vygotsky com a Teoria Histórico-Cultural. Partimos das discussões no campo da Educação Especial na perspectiva da inclusão tecendo a seguinte problemática: qual a relevância da ludicidade como facilitadora de aprendizagem e inclusão na educação infantil? A fim de encontrar respostas, organizamos nossos procedimentos metodológicos por pesquisas em documentos, periódicos, livros, dissertações, teses e, análise do questionário intitulado “Inquérito para professores do Brasil que atuam na educação da infância e possuem crianças inclusas”, respondido por 21 profissionais da educação infantil do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul na cidade de Campo Grande. Como resultados, mostramos o desafio do trabalho pedagógico com a diversidade de sujeitos, bem como a dificuldade de práticas mais democráticas, quanto ao trabalho docente.
e-Learning Interactions and Academic Outcomes: an Analysis of Undergraduates in Sri Lanka
Authors: De Silva Tiloka , Karunarathne Buddhika , Nanayakkara Vishaka , Karunarathne Buddhika , Ranasinghe Malik , Ranasinghe Eshana
Published: October 2023

The shift to online teaching and learning following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a large increase in the usage of online learning platforms. Student interactions with these platforms provide an important source of information on student progress on a course during periods of distance learning. However, in resource constrained settings where students face difficulties in accessing stable and quality internet, it is unclear to what extent interactions with the learning platform influence academic outcomes, especially for programmes that were not originally intended to be delivered online. This study makes use of data on four cohorts of undergraduate students at the University of Moratuwa, where each cohort was exposed to different periods of online teaching and learning. The data covers interactions with Moodle course pages and assessment marks for multiple courses with diverse subject contents offered in two faculties. Interactions with the learning platform are measured using clicks on different types of objects on the course page as well as the distribution of clicks over the course of semester. To account for the confounding effect of prior ability on the relationship between learning platform interactions and academic outcomes, we also use results from courses that the students have taken a priori. We find that while the switch to online teaching and learning led to a dramatic increase in the level of student interactions with the learning platform, the level of interaction has remained above the pre-COVID levels even after resuming on-site, face-to-face delivery. While differences among the subjects and cohorts exist, results from a multiple regression model suggest that the association with certain types of learning platform interactions and academic outcomes are significant even after controlling for prior ability and differences in course design. Specifically, the volume and consistency of access both improve outcomes with the timing of clicks more strongly associated with the final examination mark whereas the type of content clicked on is more associated with continuous assessment marks. The findings have important implications for the continued adoption of blended learning methods and course design for the programmes under study.
Challenges of Using Social Media as a Teaching Tool in Secondary Schools
Authors: Jaffer Rafeeq , Davids Zane , Seymour Lisa
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant shift towards the use of social media platforms to support teaching with educators being responsible for integrating social media into their pedagogical practices. Yet its use has many challenges. This research aimed to describe the challenges secondary school teachers shared about using social media as a teaching tool. This descriptive multiple case study followed an interpretive, inductive, and qualitative approach. Four secondary schools were selected as cases and teachers who used social media as a teaching tool were interviewed. Multiple challenges are described that impact teachers and students. Many are due to the features of social media, and some are due to school infrastructure and policies. Practically this research can help teachers have a better understanding of these challenges before using social media for their own teaching. Policies, curricula, applications, and pedagogies can also be adapted and changed based on the finding of this research.
Student Perspectives on WhatsApp Support for Developing School Experience e-Portfolios on Google Sites
Authors: Nkonki Vuyisile , Tsipa-Booi Nobulali , Mqukuse Bongo
Published: October 2023

This paper sought to reflect on the task of putting together an e-Portfolio of evidence under conditions of imposed emergency remote online teaching and learning with WhatsApp support. Student teachers in one institution had to undergo their school experience and practice teaching under emergency remote online teaching and learning. Further, these students had to produce and submit portfolios of evidence in an electronic format. Given that there were no contact lectures and tutorials during this period, WhatsApp support had to be relied on to assist these students with the development of their school experience portfolios. Informed by the e-learning ecologies framework, this study analysed the affordances of WhatsApp support in the development of e-Portfolios by student teachers in one university. First and fourth-year education students on school experience provided data through a qualitative survey in which their accounts and evaluations of interactions and support through WhatsApp were expressed narratively. Meaning units were extracted through content analysis and allotted to themes and categories suggested by the affordances framework. This study reports on the usefulness of the framework to evaluate WhatsApp support as well as the affordances that are most and least served by WhatsApp support on the development of an e-Portfolio of evidence on practice teaching. Recommendations on the efficacious use of WhatsApp support for e-Portfolio development, the practices that would foster the realisation of all the affordances, and enhancement of e-Portfolio development for the school experience are furnished.
Analysing Gaming Behaviour: Insights on Personality Traits
Authors: Chatziavgeri Aikaterina , Satratzemi Maya
Published: October 2023

Educational games have become an integral part of the educational process at various levels, with their usage rapidly increasing as innovative e-learning methods. These games have proven to be highly engaging and effective in knowledge retention. Previous research primarily focused on the impact of violent video games on behaviour and the correlation between game behaviour and personality. Traditionally personality assessment relies on psychometric questionnaires, with the Big Five Inventory (BFI) being a widely used tool. However, these approaches often have certain drawbacks as respondents tend to carefully consider their answers, prioritizing correctness over authenticity. To address these limitations, novel approaches are being developed that incorporate gaming elements to indirectly measure personality. Therefore, an intriguing question arises: Can the subconscious moves, choices, and behaviours exhibited during gameplay serve as indicators of players' personality? In this case study, we developed an educational game focused on Databases courses for university students. The game aims to capture everyday life experiences at the university such as social connections and curiosity or willingness to try new things, based on the Five-Factor Model (OCEAN). The educational content is presented in the form of a quiz with four possible answers, providing appropriate feedback based on the selected responses. The objectives were to strengthen the knowledge and comprehension of Databases subject and also to gather information about players' gaming behaviour and thus predict their scores on two personality traits: Extraversion and Openness to Experience, based on the Five-Factor Model. A total of 149 computer science students of the University of Macedonia participated in the study by playing the game and completing the BFI questionnaire. We utilized classification algorithms to develop a model to predict student’s personality. The goodness of the model was assessed using different metrics and the results showed that it is effective to model both the extraversion and openness personality dimensions using serious games instead of questionnaires. These findings can be used by educators and game designers to develop personalized educational games taking into account learner’s personality and thus provide valuable insights for future research in this domain.
Curriculum design in higher education: A reflection
Authors: Ramdass Kemlall Ramsaroop , Mokgohloa Kgabo
Published: October 2023

The ideology of curriculum design is believed to be the core of teaching and learning, yet it is in direct opposition to current notions of curriculum development. The contextual factors that underpin teaching and learning are derived from curriculum design. The principal factors that influence what is being taught may be categorised into three levels: the macro, meso and micro. At the macro level, there are national and international influences such as globalisation, massification, and marketization. Also, socio-economic, and political influence may be included. At the meso-level the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and institutional level influence is forthcoming. Issues such as policies, culture, location, student profile and so forth are examined. Also, external influence from employers, professional bodies, accreditation bodies, quality agencies as well as political redress is evaluated. The micro-level examines individual academics and support staff concerning personal theories, beliefs, and professional knowledge. Systems theory in the educational context views the institution as a system where there is an interaction of variables of input, process and output that enable learning to take place. Because of the complexity and nature of curriculum design, there is limited change in this critical sphere of the education system. This paper reflects on the design and development of a curriculum in an open distance learning higher education institution.
Knowledge building through academic development
Authors: Ramdass Kemlall Ramsaroop
Published: October 2023

In order to counter-act obsolescence, an important aspect of organisational well-being in turbulent times, is the collective responsibility and capability of all workers to co-create organisational knowing -- in other words, what constitutes quality in the open distance learning (ODL) context. This implies a culture of innovation in an environment that is continuously changing. In this context where social change is the norm the organisation cannot depend on existing practices. Rather, it requires the ability to re-invent the collective understanding of the organisation; this is known as contextual knowledge building. Knowledge building is the creation of ideas and the improvement of ideas that have a life out in the world where they are subject to social processes of evaluation, revision and application. Within such an organisational culture, learning refers to ongoing reflective work which brings innovation closer to the central work of the organisation. This, in turn, leads to a shared community in which an individual contributes to the shared intellectual property of the organisation as a whole. Therefore, learning is necessitated by this process and integral to it. The resulting community knowledge is a form of new information that other community members can all build on together. There is continual movement beyond current understanding and best practice toward “lifelong innovativeness”. Thus, capacity development and knowledge building involve everyone in the institution, not only the academic staff. The paper reflects the importance of academic development in a continuously changing environment through a reflective case study analysis.
Lasting Effects: What the Post Pandemic Return to In-person Teaching Tells Us About the State of e-Learning and its Future Trajectory
Authors: Charbonneau-Gowdy Paula , Frenzel Mónica
Published: October 2023

An outpouring of studies on the forced move to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed deep concerns with teaching and learning online. Yet, now that most learning is returning to pre-pandemic environments, it seems naive to assume that teachers and learners in these settings, are, or will ever be, the same. A deeper understanding of the impact of those online experiences on teachers and learners before, during and immediately after the pandemic can provide insight into how to move forward in our educational systems, where technology is increasingly implicated. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the three key features of contemporary e-learning theory: learner-centred, community-based, constructivist-driven.  We mapped this framework against course design, teaching approach and the use of technology to conceptualize the conditions that existed in returning to in-person teaching in a blended learning setting. This framework uncovers the developments, constraints, openness, and fears of a group of Higher Education (HE) EFL Chilean teachers in leading students into technology-enhanced, 21st century learning environments. A qualitative case study methodology was employed. Findings are based on written responses to an 8-item open questionnaire (n=32) and individual, oral-based (n=13) interviews along with field notes. Evidence of a significant advancement in digital literacy skills on the part of teachers, and indeed students was uncovered. Untypical in the Chilean educational context, a strong shift towards valuing more social constructivist teaching practices and an awareness of the importance of fostering relationship-building in learning ecologies, both in person and online, was also revealed. Changes attributed to both positive experiences online and reactions to negative ones, bode well for those long seeking a shift away from a traditional educational mindset that existed prior to the pandemic. At the same time, the findings that reveal hesitancy and in some cases fear of the rapidly encroaching new technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, indicate that for some teachers the embrace of technology has its limits. We discuss both encouraging and more concerning results in terms of the insight they offer and their implications for further e-learning research and for educational stakeholders operating in increasingly technology-dependent learning spaces.
Impacts of COVID-19 on Higher Education in Developing Countries and the Strategy of Using ICTs for e-Teaching from Catholic University of Mozambique
Authors: Rhongo Domingos , Gerente Bianca
Published: October 2023

COVID-19 has tested the organizational capacity of the education system in Mozambique, including the higher education level when it became mandatory to close all face-to-face teaching activities. To respond to this challenge and continue with the noble mission of teaching, the Catholic University of Mozambique implemented a hybrid model, specifically through digital platforms, even though it was aware of the various resource limitations on the part of teachers and students. This strategy would be determinant for a successful path to the purpose of "never stop teaching and learning." This paper attempts to answer questions that arose at introducing this new teaching model during the COVID-19: (i) What skills did teachers have to respond to ICT-mediated teaching? (ii) What strategies were used to circumvent the difficulties arising from COVID-19 for Teaching and Learning? (iii) What kind of skills, difficulty, and behaviour characterized the students to correspond to a 100% online teaching system? and (iv) What platforms and instruments were used to respond to this teaching model? The paper first seeks answers from exploratory interviews with teachers about the use of ICTs in teaching and learning and subsequently presents some challenges in three dimensions (institutions, teachers, and students) of which their consideration can lead to a path in the immersion of the technologization of teaching. In methodological terms, a qualitative approach was used, where interviews were conducted with a sample of teachers from this university who were part of the frontline of the process. The results show that for the case study it was possible, to teach and learn through Moodle platforms, Google Classroom, interacting through Zoom, Google Meet, and using Skype as a communication tool with students.
TÜRKİYE’NİN NARENCİYE SEKTÖRÜNDE KARŞILAŞTIRMALI REKABET GÜCÜ
Authors: ÖZÖZEN Serdar
Published: October 2023

Narenciye, portakal, limon, mandalina, greyfurt gibi ekonomik değeri yüksek meyve türlerini içine alan ürün grubudur. Bu ürün grubu aynı zamanda, turunçgiller olarak da isimlendirilmektedir. Narenciye, dünyada en fazla üretilen, tüketilen ve ekonomik değer açısından uluslararası meyve ticaretinde birinci sırada yer alan meyve grubudur. Türkiye narenciye ürünlerinin üretimi ve ihracatında dünya’da sayılı ülkeler arasında bulunmaktadır. Dünyada en önemli turunçgil ihracatı yapan ülkeler incelendiğinde Türkiye'nin en çok narenciye ihracatı yapan ülkeler arasında ilk 5'de yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’nin narenciye sektöründe rekabet gücünü karşılaştırmalı olarak analiz etmektir. Çalışma 2000-2020 dönemini kapsamaktadır. Yöntem olarak Balassa’nın Açıklanmış Karşılaştırmalı Üstünlük Endeksi kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada, narenciye sektörü SITC 05711 Portakal, SITC 05712 Mandalina, SITC 05721 Limon ve SITC 05722 Greyfurt olmak üzere 4 alt ürün grubunu kapsamaktadır. Endeks sonuçlarına göre, Türkiye’nin narenciye sektöründe güçlü karşılaştırmalı üstünlüğe sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Analiz sonuçları narenciye ihracatında İsponya ve Güney Afrika’nın Türkiye’nin başlıca rakipleri olduğunu göstermiştir. Türkiye'nin Mandarin (SITC 05712), Limon (SITC 05721) ve Greyfurt (SITC 05722) alt ürün gruplarında güçlü bir karşılaştırmalı üstünlüğe sahip olduğu görülmüştür. Portakal alt ürün grubunda (SITC 05711) ise Türkiye'nin orta düzeyde karşılaştırmalı üstünlüğe sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir.
TOPOLOGY INDEX OF THE COPRIME GRAPH FOR DIHEDRAL GROUP OF PRIME POWER ORDER
Authors: Gayatri Marena Rahayu , Fadhilah Rifdah , Lestari Sahin Two , Pratiwi Lia Fitta , Abdurahim Abdurahim , Wardhana I Gede Adhitya Wisnu
Published: October 2023

In the field of molecular chemistry, graph theory is utilized to represent the structure of a molecule, where the set of nodes corresponds to its chemical elements and the set of edges represents the bonds within the chemical molecule. Graph theory, a mathematical discipline, finds application in various domains, one of which is group representation. This research will delve into the topic of the topological indices of the coprime graph of dihedral groups. The methodology employed involves reviewing several references related to dihedral groups, coprime graphs, and topological indices. This study yields results in the form of Harmonic index, Harary index, first Zagreb index, Gutman index, and Wiener index.
Evaluación del ácido nicotínico y riboflavina en hígados de vaca, ternera y cerdo de procedencia argentina por el método microbiológico
Authors:   , Fleiderman Gabriel
Published: October 2023

Se desarrollan los siguientes temas en relación con el ácido nicotínico, nicotinamida y riboflavina: reseña histórica, propiedades físicas y químicas, distribución, biogénesis, importancia biológica, relación entre estructura química y actividad vitamínica, acción farmacológica, contenido en diversos productos, métodos de evaluación. Parte experimental: evaluación del contenido en ácido nicotínico y riboflavina en hígados de vaca, ternera y cerdo de procedencia argentina por los métodos microbiológicos de Snell y Wright y de Snell y Strong.
O uso público no Parque Nacional da Serra do Gandarela
Authors: Silva Eduardo Henrique Passos da , Ribeiro Gabriel Lage , Nunes Junior Tarcisio Tadeu
Published: October 2023

O uso público pode ser considerado aliado estratégico da conservação, possibilitando desenvolvimento econômico e geração de emprego. Porém, sem o devido planejamento e monitoramento, é capaz de causar impactos negativos, muitos já experienciados pela gestão do Parque Nacional da Serra do Gandarela, em Minas Gerais. O presente artigo analisa o estado do uso público no Parque, expondo as ações e desafios da gestão da pasta, apontando também as potencialidades que o planejamento e gestão do uso público podem trazer ao Parque, municípios em que está inserido e população do entorno. A partir de um levantamento de dados georreferenciados nas plataformas Google Maps e Wikiloc, foram identificados atrativos e malha de trilhas do Parque. A malha de trilhas apontou os padrões, a extensão e a localização dos fluxos no Parque, constatando também a disseminação do trânsito de veículos motorizados em grande parte do território. O somatório de fatores apresentados coloca a unidade de conservação em destaque no cenário nacional quanto ao potencial do uso público. Mostra também a urgência em implementar um planejamento que regulamente o uso público no Parque visando a proteção dos atributos que justificam sua existência, como o geossistema ferruginoso e o caráter hídrico.
EDUCAÇÃO NAS PRISÕES
Authors: Fidalgo Fernando Selmar Rocha , Oliveira Maria Auxiliadora Monteiro
Published: October 2023

A compreensão do desenvolvimento da formação de recursos humanos e da constituição dos grupos de pesquisa no Brasil, entre os anos 1987 e 2019, sobre a temática da educação nas prisões é a contribuição principal deste artigo. A constatação preliminar era de que o campo temático das prisões enfrentava muitas dificuldades para se estabelecer em todas as áreas do conhecimento e, sobretudo, na área da educação. Primeiramente, foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico exaustivo no Banco de teses e Dissertações da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), seguindo um modelo já desenvolvido no âmbito de uma cooperação técnica entre a UFMG e o DEPEN-MJ (2010-2012) que deu origem ao ONASP (Observatório Nacional do Sistema Prisional). As informações coletadas são aquelas disponibilizadas pelo referido Banco de Teses e dissertações defendidas entre os anos de 1987 a 2019, junto aos Programas de Pós-Graduação das redes pública e privada e que trataram de questões concernentes ao universo prisional brasileiro. Os caminhos e descaminhos para a constituição da sub-área Educação nas prisões no Brasil são evidenciados. Foram também utilizadas como fonte a Plataforma Lattes e o Diretório de Grupos de Pesquisas do CNPq. Ao final são apresentadas algumas conclusões sobre as possibilidades e dificuldades de desenvolvimento deste campo temático na formação de quadros.