bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Escuelas “privadas” financiadas con fondos públicos: Un estudio de los casos de Inglaterra y España
Authors: Pulido-Montes Cristina , Lázaro Luis Miguel
Published: August 2023

Inglaterra y España son dos de los países del continente europeo que cuentan con uno de los porcentajes más elevados de matriculación de su alumnado en escuelas privadas financiadas con fondos públicos. En este artículo se comparan las políticas de ambos países que han impulsado la proliferación de este tipo políticas “híbridas” (público-privadas) de privatización de la educación. En primer lugar, se realiza una comparación entre los diferentes objetivos por los que han sido desarrolladas las políticas de las escuelas privadas financiadas con fondos públicos, en segundo lugar, se ofrecen los resultados sobre el crecimiento o equilibrio de este tipo de escuelas en la última década. Finalmente, se ofrecen los resultados de la investigación que permiten reflexionar sobre la particularidad de ambas políticas, ya que en el caso de Inglaterra este tipo de escuelas surgen en un contexto marcado por la filosofía neoliberal, y en el caso de España nacen previa irrupción de las políticas neoliberales como parte de la historia del sistema educativo del país, que las hace fundamentalmente diferentes. La puesta en relación de las diferentes fuerzas políticas en el poder y las políticas desarrolladas por las mismas, marcan la tendencia en su proliferación en Inglaterra a diferencia de España.
Flipping the script? Native-speaker linguists and colonial orthographies in nineteenth-century Senegal
Authors: Calhoun Doyle
Published: August 2023

Throughout the nineteenth century, Senegal was the site of some of the most extensive French experiments with alphabetic print literacy in African languages, especially Wolof. Before the advent of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), authors such as Jean Dard, Jacques-François Roger, Aloïs Kobès, David Boilat, Louis Faidherbe, and Louis Descemet experimented with Latin-scripted orthographies for representing the sounds of Wolof. This article focuses on the contributions of Boilat and Descemet, both members of prominent multilingual métis families in Saint-Louis and native speakers of Wolof. Even as they expressed deference to their predecessors, Boilat and Decemet asserted their intuitions as native speakers, challenging dominant colonial “scripts” by authoring their own texts and proposing their own orthographies. I read their nineteenth-century analyses of Wolof as important, if understudied, contributions to the history of phonetics by situating their works within the politics of colonial alphabet schemes.
Weighted sparsity regularization for source identification for elliptic PDEs
Authors: Elvetun Ole Løseth , Nielsen Bjørn Fredrik
Published: August 2023

This investigation is motivated by PDE-constrained optimization problems arising in connection with electrocardiograms (ECGs) and electroencephalography (EEG).
Standard sparsity regularization does not necessarily produce adequate results for these applications because only boundary data/observations are available for the identification of the unknown source, which may be interior.
We therefore study a weighted

ℓ
1

\ell^{1}

-regularization technique for solving inverse problems when the forward operator has a significant null space.
In particular, we prove that a sparse source, regardless of whether it is interior or located at the boundary, can be exactly recovered with this weighting procedure as the regularization parameter 𝛼 tends to zero.
Our analysis is supported by numerical experiments for cases with one and several local sources.
The theory is developed in terms of Euclidean spaces, and our results can therefore be applied to many problems.
Innovációs ökoszisztémák betelepülési intenzitásának vizsgálata
Authors: Tóth Csilla , Háry András
Published: August 2023

A TANULMÁNY CÉLJA

Az innovációs ökoszisztémákat a kapcsolódó kutatások rendszerint az innovációs környezet leírásának egyik módjaként tekintik. A kifejezés mára nemcsak egyes technológiai cégek programjaihoz és ágazatokhoz kötődő térségfejlesztési kezdeményezésekhez köthető, hanem földrajzilag koncentrált ökoszisztémák jellemzésére is szolgál. Az innovációs ökoszisztémákkal kapcsolatos korai kutatások vezettek el a tudományos és innovációs parkok fogalmi megalapozásához. Ezek olyan innovációs környezetet teremtenek, amely keret ad a különböző szereplők tudásalapú, innovációorientált fejlődéséhez, különös tekintettel a közöttük kialakuló együttműködésekre. A kapcsolódó kutatások és irodalmi definíciók alapján megállapítható, hogy az innovációs ökoszisztéma nem egy abszolút fogalom, annak a gyakorlatban többféle megjelenési formája létezik. A jelen kutatás a tudományos és innovációs parkok oldaláról vizsgálja az innovációs ökoszisztémák egyes sajátosságait. A kutatás célja megvizsgálni, hogy milyen összefüggés van a különböző típusú innovációs ökoszisztémák és a parkba betelepülők száma és az ökoszisztéma kora között.

ALKALMAZOTT MÓDSZERTAN

Elsőként a kapcsolódó kutatások fogalmi megközelítéseinek áttekintése alapján meghatározásra kerültek az alapvető innovációs ökoszisztéma típusok. Ezt követően a vizsgálat feldolgozta 92 európai tudományos és innovációs park jellemző adatait és a releváns információkat, amelyek alapján a parkok besorolásra kerültek a meghatározott ökoszisztéma típusokba. A vizsgálat során az egyes típusokhoz kapcsolódóan vizsgálta a kutatás a parkok kora és a betelepültek száma közötti összefüggést, és ennek alapján értelmezte a parkok típusai közötti eltéréseket.

LEGFONTOSABB EREDMÉNYEK

A kutatás eredményei az egyes innovációs ökoszisztéma típusokhoz kapcsolódóan rámutattak az eltérő betelepülési intenzitásra, mint egyik fontos jellemzőre. Ennek kutatási jelentősége, hogy ad egy támpontot a park jellegű innovációs ökoszisztémák megkülönböztetésére, és az eltérő jegyek alapján a különböző parki fejlődési pályák jobb megértésére, mint a szakirodalomban kevésbé kutatott terület.

GYAKORLATI JAVASLATOK

A kutatás eredményei nyomán, a vizsgálat eredményei alapján kijelölhetők azok a további kutatási irányok, amelyek mentén az ökoszisztémák típusai, a betelepülési intenzitáshoz kapcsolódó faktorok vagy egyéb ökoszisztéma jellemzők tovább vizsgálhatók. A kutatás gyakorlati szerepe, hogy indikációt ad a parki menedzsment számára a mérvadó betelepülési rátára, illetve egy támpontot park fejlesztési stratégiájának kialakításához.

 

Köszönetnyilvánítás: „Jelen kutatás Az Innovációs és Technológiai Minisztérium KDP-2021 kódszámú Kooperatív Doktori Program Doktori Hallgatói Ösztöndíj Programjának a Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovációs Alapból finanszírozott szakmai támogatásával készült.”
Dynamic capabilities developed by the interaction of individuals
Authors: Farkas Tamás
Published: August 2023

THE AIMS OF THE PAPER
The existence of dynamic capabilities is key for newly created organizations. However, the development of these capabilities is less researched, especially in the case of start-ups. The primary aim of the study is to explore the characteristics of the development of dynamic capabilities through the case study of a domestic start-up, to illustrate the relationship between organizational and individual capabilities, while providing insights into the interaction between individual capabilities that can lead to the development of dynamic organizational capabilities.
METHODOLOGY
The primary data collection took place at a domestic start-up. The chosen methodology is the case study, in which three data sources were used. The in-depth interview served as the primary data source, personal or online interviews for at least 45 minutes were conducted with all members of the organization. The in-depth interviews were supplemented by document analysis to gather information from other sources. At the end of the study, the results were validated in a management workshop.
MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS
During the development of dynamic capabilities four types of interactions between individual capabilities could be identified: complementation, merging and extending similarities, searching and selecting alternatives and acceptance. Each type of interaction provides a solution in different situations, but all of them ultimately contribute to the development of dynamic capabilities.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Development of dynamic organizational capabilities (hence flexibility) is at least partly rooted in individuals and the interactions between them. It is therefore worthwhile for organizations to emphasize the acquisition of employees with good dynamic managerial capabilities and their involvement in interactions.
Female Soccer Periodization on Anaerobic Power/Capacity
Authors: Purdom Troy M. , Levers Kyle S. , Ryan Gregory A. , Brown Lindsey , Giles Jacob , McPherson Chase
Published: August 2023

Purdom, TM, Levers, KS, Ryan, GA, Brown, L, Giles, J, and McPherson, C. Female soccer periodization on anaerobic power/capacity. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2023—The purpose of this study was to observe changes in anaerobic power and capacity (resistance to fatigue) over an annual training cycle (ATC) in 14 Division I female soccer athletes (19.4 ± 1.0 years, 60.8 ± 5.4 kg, 164.9 ± 6.2 cm, 19.5 ± 3.2% body fat, and 48.9 ± 3.9 kg fat free mass). All subjects were evaluated across the ATC at 5 testing blocks (B1–B5) representing seasonal transitions: postcompetition I (B1), prespring (B2), postspring training (B3), precompetition (B4), and postcompetition II (B5) using 3 tests: countermovement vertical jump to measure peak vertical power (PVP), 40-yard sprint to measure peak horizontal power (PHP), and 35-m running anaerobic sprint test to measure anaerobic capacity via fatigue index (FI). Repeated measures analysis of variance was used with the Bonferroni post hoc test when relevant along with Cohen's d to evaluate effect size. Data are represented as mean ± SD; significance set to p < 0.05. Significant performance increases were observed from postseason I to spring season training (B1–B3) in PVP (6.61 ± 3.18 and 7.71 ± 3.20; p < 0.01, d = 1.12) while changes occurred from prespring season to postspring season (B2–B3) in PVP (6.84 ± 3.15 and 7.71 ± 3.20; p = 0.03, d = 0.93) and PHP (6.65 ± 0.97 and 7.55 ± 1.26; p < 0.01, d = 1.06) with no change in body composition. No other significant changes were observed across the ATC (p > 0.05). Increases in PHP and PVP occurred with directed training after B3 and then declined remaining so across the competitive season. Peak horizontal power and PVP may be more sensitive to coaching style and seasonal transition compared with FI and body composition changes.
Strength and Deformation Behavior of Equestrian Riding Surfaces Improved with Recycled Geosynthetics
Authors: Souza Bruma , van der Heijden Ryan , Benoît Jean
Published: August 2023

Recycled geosynthetic materials can be incorporated into sand-based soils to improve their shear characteristics and enhance surface response in different engineering applications. This paper summarizes research undertaken to explore the effect of recycled geosynthetic components added to silica sand, whose complex and engineered soil matrix is currently used in the equestrian riding industry. Approximately 120 direct shear tests were used to evaluate the shear strength and compressibility behavior of several riding surface mixtures blended with a combination of short polymer fibers and cut-up pieces of geotextile fabric along with other components such as crumb rubber and binding agents. As expected, results suggest that the shear characteristics of these surfaces are very sensitive to changes in material composition as geosynthetics are incorporated into the soil matrix. It was demonstrated that the addition of geosynthetics can significantly increase the shear strength of granular materials. Although these tests were initially performed for equestrian riding surface applications, the findings of this research could be used for other engineering applications (e.g., lightweight fills, temporary roadways, etc.).
Le Langage SACCADE ConceptuelMC en tant que stratégie de communication novatrice avec des élèves autistes : point de vue d’intervenantes et de parents
Authors: Brabant Francine , Moreau André C.
Published: August 2023

La présente étude de cas s’intéresse à une approche complémentaire et novatrice permettant aux élèves autistes de développer leur compétence à communiquer. Le cadre théorique explique les caractéristiques de communication complexe de ces élèves atypiques en lien avec le Langage SACCADE ConceptuelMC (LSC). La méthodologie et l’analyse croisée étayent les données tirées des outils de collecte, soit un journal de bord, des entrevues individuelles et un entretien collectif. Les résultats mettent en évidence les enjeux de l’implantation du LSC dans une école spécialisée.
Les politiques institutionnelles d’évaluation des apprentissages : moteur ou frein à la qualité de l’évaluation au collégial?
Authors: Michaud Nathalie , Roy Martin , Leroux Julie Lyne
Published: August 2023

Cet article présente les résultats d’une recherche qualitative qui s’intéresse aux critères de qualité de l’évaluation certificative dans une approche par compétences (APC) tels que véhiculés par des politiques institutionnelles d’évaluation des apprentissages (PIEA) en enseignement collégial. Dix politiques sont analysées afin de cerner si elles sont un moteur ou un frein à la qualité de l’évaluation certificative au collégial. Les résultats obtenus démontrent par les qualités véhiculées et les caractéristiques associées à l’évaluation certificative que les PIEA sont encore teintées de l’approche par objectifs (APO) et constituent un frein au déploiement de pratiques évaluatives alignées selon l’approche par compétences.
Switching between External and Internal Attention in Hippocampal Networks
Authors: Poskanzer Craig , Aly Mariam
Published: August 2023

Everyday experience requires processing external signals from the world around us and internal information retrieved from memory. To do both, the brain must fluctuate between states that are optimized for external versus internal attention. Here, we focus on the hippocampus as a region that may serve at the interface between these forms of attention and ask how it switches between prioritizing sensory signals from the external world versus internal signals related to memories and thoughts. Pharmacological, computational, and animal studies have identified input from the cholinergic basal forebrain as important for biasing the hippocampus toward processing external information, whereas complementary research suggests the dorsal attention network (DAN) may aid in allocating attentional resources toward accessing internal information. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the basal forebrain and DAN drive the hippocampus toward external and internal attention, respectively. We used data from 29 human participants (17 female) who completed two attention tasks during fMRI. One task (memory-guided) required proportionally more internal attention, and proportionally less external attention, than the other (explicitly instructed). We discovered that background functional connectivity between the basal forebrain and hippocampus was stronger during the explicitly instructed versus memory-guided task. In contrast, DAN–hippocampus background connectivity was stronger during the memory-guided versus explicitly instructed task. Finally, the strength of DAN–hippocampus background connectivity was correlated with performance on the memory-guided but not explicitly instructed task. Together, these results provide evidence that the basal forebrain and DAN may modulate the hippocampus to switch between external and internal attention.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTHow does the brain balance the need to pay attention to internal thoughts and external sensations? We focused on the human hippocampus, a region that may serve at the interface between internal and external attention, and asked how its functional connectivity varies based on attentional states. The hippocampus was more strongly coupled with the cholinergic basal forebrain when attentional states were guided by the external world rather than retrieved memories. This pattern flipped for functional connectivity between the hippocampus and dorsal attention network, which was higher for attention tasks that were guided by memory rather than external cues. Together, these findings show that distinct networks in the brain may modulate the hippocampus to switch between external and internal attention.
The Tensions of the New Marcos Presidency
Authors: Claudio Lisandro E.
Published: August 2023

In 2022, the presidential candidacy of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator, raised fears the Philippines would slide further toward illiberalism. Marcos vowed to follow the example of his populist predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, enlisting Duterte’s daughter, Sara, as his running mate to create a powerful winning coalition. But Marcos was also the most socially liberal candidate. Since taking office, he has governed with relative moderation, repairing relations with the United States, pulling back on Duterte’s brutal drug war and persecution of critics, and restoring a sense of bureaucratic stability and normalcy.
Is ‘Economic Security’ Making the Asia-Pacific Safer?
Authors: Vekasi Kristin
Published: August 2023

Trade agreements and production networks have made the Asia-Pacific an area of peaceful economic interdependence. An accelerating trend of protectionist measures in the name of economic security could pull the region apart.
Translation‐coupled mRNA quality control mechanisms
Authors: Monaghan Laura , Longman Dasa , Cáceres Javier F
Published: August 2023

mRNA surveillance pathways are essential for accurate gene expression and to maintain translation homeostasis, ensuring the production of fully functional proteins. Future insights into mRNA quality control pathways will enable us to understand how cellular mRNA levels are controlled, how defective or unwanted mRNAs can be eliminated, and how dysregulation of these can contribute to human disease. Here we review translation‐coupled mRNA quality control mechanisms, including the non‐stop and no‐go mRNA decay pathways, describing their mechanisms, shared trans‐acting factors, and differences. We also describe advances in our understanding of the nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway, highlighting recent mechanistic findings, the discovery of novel factors, as well as the role of NMD in cellular physiology and its impact on human disease.
The effect of serum from calorie-restricted mouse on mTOR signaling in C2C12 myotubes
Authors: Shirai Takanaga , Iwata Tomohiro , Uemichi Kazuki , Tanimura Riku , Iwai Ryoto , Takemasa Tohru
Published: August 2023

Graphical abstract

Calorie restriction (CR) is a widely recognized dietary approach with beneficial impacts on the entire body, including enhancements in oxidative metabolism and life span extension, while maintaining nutritional balance and calorie intake. However, CR leads to reductions in skeletal muscle and fat mass due to decreased food intake. Consequently, CR significantly modifies the metabolic profile of the entire body and its tissues. The observed benefits in skeletal muscle during CR may be attributed to CR-induced signaling mediators or significant changes in blood profiles associated with CR that regulate homeostasis maintenance. This study aimed to examine the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and mitochondrial function of skeletal muscle from mice that undergone 8 weeks of CR and cells cultured in their serum to determine whether changes in blood secreted factors during CR affect skeletal muscle cells. C57BL6/J male mice were used. For 8 weeks, these were subjected to ad libitum (AL) or 40% CR. C2C12 myotubes were subsequently treated with media containing 10% mouse serum from AL or CR for 24 h. The results indicated that 8 weeks of CR decreased muscle mass and protein synthesis response compared with the AL group. Interestingly, myotubes conditioned with CR serum exhibited an elevation in the protein synthesis response compared with those treated with AL serum. Furthermore, mitochondrial function was enhanced in both CR mice and cells treated with CR serum. These findings suggest that while CR decreases the protein synthesis response, secretory factors present in the blood during CR can activate protein synthesis and promote mitochondrial function.
The Importance of Preschool Children’s Portfolios in Kosovo and Their Meaning for Elementary School Teachers
Authors: Hajrullahu Adelina , Sylaj Vlora
Published: August 2023

As a transition country, Kosovo faces many problems and challenges, especially in the field of the preschool education. As an issue of the early childhood education, among the new forms of child labor documentation, the portfolios are mentioned. Teachers build a rich picture of each child, combining strategies such as using the traditional tools of child study (for example, observations, anecdotal records, checklists) with newer documentation technologies such as photos, portfolios, and recorded conversations (New & Cochran, 2007). Purpose of this research was to gather data from preschool teacher, school teachers and parents regarding the children’s portfolios: the children portfolio in the preschool? How important are they for the primary school and for the parents? What the content? re some of issues that we research with this article.
Effect of Particulate Matter of Natural and Anthropogenic Origin on Growth Indicators and Sensitivity to Antibiotics of Escherichia coli B906
Authors: Korbush М.Yu. , Serhiichuk Т.M. , Yumyna Y.M. , Borisova T.O. , Tolstanova G.M.
Published: August 2023

Particulate matter (PM), which is among the main components of polluted air, can contribute to the development of gastrointestinal diseases and alter the composition of gut microbiota and its metabolic properties. Objective. The study focuses on analyzing the influence of different concentrations of PM derived from the combustion of cottonwood (PMC) and medical masks (PMM) on the growth intensity, biofilm formation capability, and antibiotic susceptibility of lactose-positive Escherichia coli strain B906. Methods. The MPA medium was inoculated with a culture of E. coli B906 at a concentration of 105 CFU/mL, followed by the addition of PMC and PMM at concentrations of 18 μg/mL, 36 μg/mL, or 72 μg/mL. The growth intensity was determined by measuring the optical density using a spectrophotometer over a period of 72 h. To determine the number of viable cells and their ability to ferment lactose, seeding on the Endo medium was performed. The biofilm-forming ability was determined on polystyrene plates using a staining and desorption method. The antibiotic susceptibility (ampicillin, levomycetin, meropenem, norfloxacin, and ceftriaxone) was determined using the disc-diffusion method for 24, 48, and 72 h of cultivation. Results. Both PMC and PMM exerted suppressive effects on the growth of E. coli B906: at a concentration of 72 μg/mL, the biomass increase was virtually absent. The number of viable cells on the medium with PMC decreased by 1—2 orders of magnitude at concentrations of 18 μg/mL and 36 μg/mL compared to the control and by 6 orders of magnitude at a concentration of 72 μg/mL. At this concentration, no growth was observed at 48 and 72 h. PMM exerted bacteriostatic effects: when seeded on the Endo medium, the number of viable cells decreased by 1—2 orders of magnitude at concentrations of 18 μg/mL and 36 μg/mL from 24 to 72 h, and by 3—4 orders of magnitude at a concentration of 72 μg/mL. At 48 h cultivation, PMC stimulated biofilm formation at concentrations of 18 μg/mL and 36 μg/mL, while inhibiting it at a concentration of 72 μg/mL. In contrast, PMM reduced the biofilm density at all concentrations. Both types of PM induced resistance to ampicillin, but the effect was stronger for PMM, which also led to resistance to norfloxacin. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that both PMC and PMM have a direct impact on lactose-positive E. coli strain B906, reflected in decreased growth intensity at moderate and high concentrations (36 μg/mL and 72 μg/mL) and increased aggressiveness through reduced enzymatic activity, enhanced biofilm formation, and the emergence of resistance to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, and norfloxacin.
Underground Development of Mineral Subsoil Using Microorganisms: A Mini-Review
Authors: Jandieri G. , Sakhvadze D. , Schukin B.
Published: August 2023

This mini-review is devoted to the analysis of the current state of the relatively rarely used underground bio-mining of natural minerals. On the basis of this analysis, it is substantiated that bacterial leaching technology has no alternative for environmentally safe and economically break-even mining of ore-bearing rocks and off -balance metal-bearing formations that are difficult to access, or unprofitable for traditional methods. It is emphasized that the efficiency of biotechnology depends on the accuracy of modeling and operational control of the working parameters of the process of biological extraction of metals, for which it is necessary to develop a new combined hydro-technical system with the possibility of the reverse technological influence on the regimes of leaching. Such controlled modes of the process are the intensity of forced aeration, pH level of the bacterial solution, amount of nutrient medium, and duration of leaching. To improve the accuracy of prediction and control of underground microbiological development, the use of a control method based on an adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is recommended.
THE AGE OF ZIRCON FROM METASEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF THE TERNUVATE STRATA (WEST AZOV BLOCK OF THE UKRAINIAN SHIELD)
Authors: Artemenko G.V. , Shumlyanskyy L.V. , Dovbysh L.S.
Published: August 2023

In the West Azov the Ternuvate strata comprises metamorphic rocks that builds up the Haichur arcuate structure, which is about 72 km long. Its western part lies within the Andriivka fault zone, which separates the Vovcha and Huliaipole blocks, while the eastern part is located within the Ternuvate fault zone, which is traced on the Remivka block. The rocks composing the Haichur structure have irregular and laterally variable composition and changeable thickness, and show dynamometamorphic structures of boudinage and schistosity. The upper part of the Ternuvate strata is composed mainly of metasedimentary rocks — gneisses and biotite schists, garnet-biotite, magnetite-amphibole and feldspar quartzites. The lower part comprises volcanogenic rocks — amphibolites, metaultrabasites and biotite-amphibole gneisses. Using the LA-ICP-MS method, 38 zircon crystals from muscovite-biotite gneisses of the upper part of the Ternuvate strata were analyzed. According to geochemical data, they are metamorphosed greywacke. Zircon belongs to several age populations (3.65—3.45 and 3.3—2.95 Ga), corresponding to the major stages of the formation of the Archean crust in the West Azov domain, i.e., formation of the oldest basement and granite-greenstone complexes of the Paleoarchean and Mesoarchean ages. Identical populations of the detrital zircon were established in the early Precambrian metaterrigenous rocks of the Krutobalka Formation of the Sorokyne greenstone structure. The similarity of the Paleoarchean crust (3.45—3.65 Ga) of the West Azov block (Ukrainian Shield) and the Kursk-Besedine granulite-gneiss area of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA) block is obvious, whereas the Paleoarchean and Mesoarchean complexes (3.3—2.95 Ga) correspond to the rocks of Mykhailiv and Orel-Tim granite-greenstone area of the KMA block. The Archean complexes of the Sarmatia are of the same age as similar formations of the Kaapvaal craton in South Africa, Bastar craton in India, North China Craton, Slave craton in Canada and others, which were formed since the Eoarchaean.
GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SALTYCHIAN GRANITES (WESTERN AZOV AREA) ACCORDING TO THE ICP-MS RESEARCH RESULTS
Authors: Kozar M.A. , Kryvdik S.G. , Sietaia L.D. , Panova O.A. , Proskurka L.I. , Shvaika I.A. , Shvaika I.D.
Published: August 2023

The ICP-MS research results of the interesting from a metallogenic point of view Saltychian granites of the Azov geoblock western part are presented. Compared to the surrounding granitoids, the Saltychian granites can be enriched in Nb and Ta. It is assumed that vein pegmatites and pegmatoid granites with minerals of rare metals (Nb, Ta, REE, Y) are genetically related to them. For the first time, the results of ICP-MS analysis for the determination of the full REE spectrum as well as elements, such as Hf, Ta, Sc, etc., are presented. The main impurity elements in rocks and minerals from them (apatite, ilmenite, biotite, titanite, orthite) were determined in seven samples. Such specific features of the Saltychian granites as the presence of orthite and an increased amount of titanite, are highlighted. These are the main concentrator minerals of REE, Th, U, and Y. Based on the results of our research and the materials of the predecessors, detailed comparative characteristics of orthite and titanite in various rocks are provided. A significant part of REE and Y is concentrated in apatite and titanite, and Nb, Ta, Zr, V — in ilmenite and biotite. The geochemical features of these minerals are considered by comparing the author's results and literature data. Possible reasons for some discrepancies are analyzed. The research results presented in the article confirm the current ideas postulating the genetic connection of Saltychian granites and pegmatites of the Azov with rare metal mineralization (Nb, Ta, REE, Y).
ECOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL FEATURES OF MANGANESE DISTRIBUTION IN GROUNDWATERS OF UKRAINE
Authors: Kоshliakova T.O.
Published: August 2023

The results of hydrogeochemical studies on the identification of the features of manganese distribution in drinking groundwater of conditionally clean and technologically polluted territories of Ukraine are presented, as well as the assessment of the influence of inorganic ligands characteristic of the investigated groundwater on the behavior of Mn2+ depending on the initial conditions of the water environment. The Kyiv city, as well as Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, and Rivne regions were selected as conditionally clean territories; Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions — as technologically polluted territories. According to domestic and foreign literary data, the range of medical, biological, and toxicological properties of manganese is outlined, and the key features of the element prevalence in natural aqueous solutions and underground waters are clarified. Manganese and ferrum concentrations in the samples of the studied groundwater were determined using the high-precision method of mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS). As a result of the statistical processing of the studied samples, it was established that the median manganese content for most of the examined territories does not exceed the maximum permissible concentration. The exception is the underground water of the Pidhirtsi village (Kyiv region), where the concentration of the element exceeds the standard by almost 4 times. A comparative analysis to determine the relationship between the manganese and ferrum concentrations and the depth of water intake structures did not show any regularities characteristic of natural waters undisturbed by technogenic activity. It was revealed that the largest deviations from the background values for manganese are typical for the Dnipropetrovsk region, and for ferrum — for the Kyiv city. Statistically significant relationships between the concentrations of manganese and ferrum in the examined samples were not found, which indicates the different geochemical nature of the elements concentration processes in the studied groundwater. Using the specialized software tools Hydra and Medusa, the finding forms of manganese depending on the pH of the water environment in studied samples were calculated. The obtained ratios of the element soluble forms for conditionally clean and technologically polluted territories of Ukraine made it possible to establish that in the water of conditionally clean territories, manganese migrates mainly in the form of free Mn2+ ion, and to a much lesser extent (11%) in the form of MnSO4. On the other hand, within the technologically polluted territories, the key role belongs to the inorganic ligand SO42–, the ratio of soluble compounds MnSO4 and Mn2+ is, respectively, 56% to 44%. The obtained results can serve as a basis for the selection of criteria when performing biogeochemical zoning of the territory of Ukraine.
Vision Screening Among Children With Private Insurance: 2010–2019
Authors: Oke Isdin , Lutz Sharon M. , Hunter David G. , Galbraith Alison A.
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVES

To describe trends in vision screening based on insurance claims for young children in the United States.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used administrative claims data from the 2010–2019 IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database. We included children aged 1 to <5 years at the beginning of each calendar year. The primary outcome was a vision screening claim within 12 months for chart-based or instrument-based screening. Linear regression was used to evaluate trends over time in vision screening claims and practitioner payment.

RESULTS

This study included a median of 810 048 (interquartile range, 631 523 – 1 029 481) children between 2010 and 2019 (mean [standard deviation] age, 2.5 [1.1] years; 48.7% female). The percentage of children with vision screening claims increased from 16.7% in 2010 to 44.3% in 2019 (difference, 27.5%; 95% confidence interval, 27.4% to 27.7%). Instrument-based screening claims, which were identified in <0.2% of children in 2010, increased to 23.4% of children 1 to <3 years old and 14.4% of children 3 to <5 years old by 2019. From 2013 to 2018, the average of the median practitioner payment for instrument-based screening was $23.70, decreasing $2.10 per year during this time (95% confidence interval, $0.85 to $3.34; P = .009).

CONCLUSIONS

Vision screening claims among young children nearly tripled over the last decade, and this change was driven by increased instrument-based screening for children aged <3 years. Further investigation is needed to determine whether the decreasing trends in practitioner payment for screening devices will reduce the adoption of vision screening technology in clinical practice.
Los orígenes del Estado de Bienestar en Costa Rica
Authors: Gutiérrez José María
Published: August 2023

El libro “Los orígenes del Estado de Bienestar en Costa Rica: salud y protección social (1850-1940)” de Ana María Botey es un trabajo monumental de gran valor por la amplitud y la profundidad en la cobertura del tema, así como por la multiplicidad de planos de análisis y de fuentes, que terminan ofreciendo un rico material para la comprensión de la compleja evolución de la gestación del Estado de bienestar y, en general, de la salud pública en Costa Rica. El libro, además, abre puertas y deja entrever múltiples aristas para futuras investigaciones en este campo.
Como en un cuento de hadas, ¿o no?
Authors: Salas Alvarado Jonnathan
Published: August 2023

Sofía, una chica buena e inocente, conoce al hombre que sería el amor de su vida. Este le crea un verdadero cuento de hadas que, de repente, da un giro inesperado y deja de ser lo que Sofía esperaba. Esta obra de teatro nos adentra en el mundo de esas relaciones idílicas que, en medio de una sociedad patriarcal, terminan no siendo lo que una mujer esperaba. Sin embargo, la obra, nos termina llevando a un desenlace inesperado.
Remote Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Opinion of Students
Authors: Kwiatkowska-Ciotucha Dorota , Załuska Urszula
Published: August 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic forced an immediate switch from the traditional form of education to a remote one, which caused various problems. Comparative studies conducted among students and academic teachers have shown the complexity of the situation and the ambiguity of assessments concerning the effectiveness of the solutions applied. This article presents an analysis of the results of a survey carried out in Q4 of 2021, using own questionnaire, among students from universities in Poland, Hungary and Greece, and a group of attendees of the Adult Education Centre in Finland (N = 769). The presented area of research embraces students’ experiences of distance learning during the first stage of the Covid-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistics and tests of the equality of means were used to analyse the students’ opinions in order to check for differences in assessments based on the selected metric characteristics of the respondents. Possible differentiation of opinions due to respondent characteristics such as gender or country of study was also searched for. The study results can be used to develop solutions which can be used to improve the quality of distance learning.
Digitalization and the Information Society in Algeria: Digital Transformation Actors and Key Variables
Authors: Bouberka Maria , Fadel Sabah , Derrar Hassan
Published: August 2023

The information society is a product of the intersection of socio-historical-technological contexts, where the development of science and industry has a global reach. The pervasiveness of new information and communication technologies makes it an essential component of a new civilization, affecting every country in varying degrees. Although this techniques approach is grounded in some truth, it neglects other vital aspects that challenge the idea of an information society that prioritizes human needs. The leading nations have achieved this through active research and development, driven by government involvement and the significant contributions of universities. Furthermore, the collaboration of diverse economic, institutional, social, and civic actors has played an essential role in its advancement. However, constructing and promoting an information society transcends infrastructure. It involves political actions that consider the socio-technological nature of this development and its impact on society and other sectors of activity. The objective of this article is twofold. On the one hand, the study analysed the situation of Algeria and its position in relation to other countries regarding the information society, and the other examined the factors that influence the development of the information society in Algeria, trying to identify the most important ones. Finally, the authors proposed a development strategy in this area. The research thesis was formulated as follows: What are the key variables that have an impact on the development of digitalization and the information society in Algeria? Thus, the regulatory frameworks of the most advanced countries are central to the initiatives aimed at its development. To foster the emergence of an information society in Algeria, solidarity must be strengthened, diversity promoted, and the potential of all citizens catalysed.
Occurrence and human exposure risk assessment of brominated and organophosphate flame retardants in indoor dust in Ha Noi, Viet Nam
Authors: Hoang Thi Tue Minh  , Duong Thi Hanh  , Phan Quang Thang  , Trinh Thu Ha
Published: August 2023

The widespread use of flame retardants in commercial and industrial products has led to their increased presence in the environment. Recently, indoor dust has been identified as a major human exposure route for flame retardants. In the present study, brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were examined in indoor dust samples collected from apartments in Hanoi, Vietnam. OPFRs were detected at the highest concentrations with the mean concentration of ∑OPFRs was 8700 ng/g (ranged from 1400 to 18000 ng/g). Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) were the most abundant OPFRs in all indoor dust samples, accounting for 50 % (ranged 22 – 69 %) and 33 % (ranged 16 – 63 %) of the total OPFRs levels, respectively. The mean concentrations of total polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and total novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in these samples were 200 ng/g (ranged 67 - 480 ng/g) and 310 ng/g (ranged 56 - 1500 ng/g), respectively. Polybrominated diphenyl ether congener 209 (BDE 209) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were the most predominant components in PBDEs and NBFRs, respectively. Other BFRs were only found in some samples at very low levels. The estimated daily intake doses (IDs) of FRs via dust ingestion were calculated for both adults and children. The results revealed that the estimated levels of compound exposure through dust ingestion, even under the high-exposure scenario were also below their reference dose (RfD) values, indicating that human health risks from exposure to flame retardants (FRs) via indoor dust ingestion are not significant.
Improvement of Bacillus clausii cell HH1 density via culture medium optimization and pH-stat fed batch fermentation
Authors: Pham Tuan Anh , Nguyen Thi Phuong , To Kim Anh
Published: August 2023

In this study, the culture medium and fermentation modes were studied aiming to improve the cell density of Bacillus clausii. Firstly, the factorial design method using Minimum Run Resolution IV design was used to evaluate the relative importance of culture medium components to the growth of Bacillus clausii. The results showed that three components peptone, yeast extract and malt extract were the components significantly affecting the bacterial biomass. Then, the optimization of these three ingredient concentrations using a response surface methodology with the Box-Behnken design resulted that the maximal biomass had been achieved using the medium containing 7.64 g/L peptone, 10 g/L yeast extract and 6.36 g/L malt extract. Finally, the pH-stat fed batch fermentation was conducted in a 2-liter bioreactor where the 9X concentrated optimal culture medium was feed into the bioreactor based on the pH signal. As a result, the microbial cell density increased by 2.9-fold compared to that achieved through batch fermentation.
A colorimetric assay with leuco crystal violet for the detection of inorganic phosphate in water
Authors: Ahmed Minhaz Uddin , Arshad Fareeha
Published: August 2023

Phosphate enters the aquatic system through runoff from pastures, croplands, urban areas, and sewage treatment systems and fosters algal bloom causing eutrophication at higher concentrations in water. Therefore, controlling its concentration through routine monitoring of water quality in aquatic ecosystems is essential. Using a smartphone camera and colour analysis app, a simple colourimetric technique was developed to quantitatively detect inorganic phosphate in natural and treated drinking water samples using colourless leuco crystal violet (LCV). Upon reaction with phosphate (PO43−), LCV forms leuco crystal violet phosphate (LCV-P) complex with a violet colour and shows maximum absorbance at 583 nm. A light-sensitive colourimetric box with in-built LED light was constructed to maintain the consistency of the image quality for precise and accurate measurement. The Red, Green and Blue (RGB) analyses of the digital images were done to determine the linear response of the intensity of G against the concentration of the LCV-P complex. A microplate reader was also used to analyse the UV-Vis absorbance of the samples to validate the results further. Under optimum conditions, the colourimetric assay achieved a detection limit of 0.25 μM with a linear range between 0.1 and 1 μM. Thus, the proposed colourimetric assay was highly sensitive and selective towards phosphate in natural and drinking water samples.
The development of a scale to measure the influence that school administrators have on the adaptation of newly appointed teachers in Turkey
Authors: Usta Mehmet Emin
Published: August 2023

In Turkey, teacher appointment is made centrally by the Ministry of National Education and is made without considering where the teachers want to work. Many teachers are assigned to places very different from the cultural environments in which they grew up resulting in them encountering very different school types and administrator habits. The negative situations encountered affect the motivation of newly appointed teachers and weaken their organisational commitment. The draft scale was created with a pool of questions obtained as a result of examining the legal texts and similar studies on the subject. This draft scale includes 28 items and was developed for the adaptation of new appointed teachers to the profession. The rotated principal component analysis was used to test the construct validity of the scale. As a result of the analysis, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was determined as 0.949, while the Bartlett test was found to be significant. The analysis showed that 2 of the 28 items were loaded on more than 1 factor and as their load values were low, the 2 items were removed from the scale. The remaining 26 items formed a 3-factor structure with an eigenvalue higher than 1.00. Factor 1 of the scale is called “Compliance with the profession”; Factor 2 “Environmental compliance” and Factor 3 “Compliance with school.” While Factor 1 with an eigenvalue of 5.86 explained 22.55% of the total variance, Factor 2, with an eigenvalue of 4.97 explained 19.13% of the total variance. Factor 3, with an eigenvalue of 4.71 explained 18.11% of the total variance. The alpha reliability coefficient of the composite scale was found to be .955. Internal consistency coefficients of the factors of the scale were .91 for all 3 factors.
Popular conceptions of democracy in a mathematics teacher-education programme
Authors: Olawale Babawande Emmanuel , Mncube Vusi , Harber Clive
Published: August 2023

While the meaning of democracy remains multi-faceted centuries after the concept was first conceived of and subsequently formulated, democratic principles have spread to the extent of bringing about democratisation in all fields of education. Thus, with this study we sought to examine the popular conception of democracy in mathematics-education programmes at South African universities. A qualitative research approach and a case study research design were used in this study. Six mathematics teacher educators and 75 second- to fourth-year mathematics education student teachers from 3 different universities constitute the sample for the study. The findings from the study revealed that participants had a contested notion of democracy, since the majority understood it as involving deliberative participation, a shared decision-making process, as well as freedom of expression. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that participants were aware of what democracy should look like and were willing to live according to democratic tenets. This understanding was, however, greatly influenced by their experiences and way of life in a democratic South Africa.
Lateral force–displacement relationships for shallowly buried pipe reinforced by geocells
Authors: Sawada Y. , Kitada M. , Ling H. I. , Kawabata T.
Published: August 2023

Geocell reinforcements are proposed as a thrust countermeasure for shallowly buried pipeline bends and tees. The proposed method is easy to construct and has shorter construction time than the use of conventional concrete blocks since it does not require curing. Lateral loading tests were conducted on plates reproducing pipe bends or tees to verify their effectiveness while understanding deformation mechanisms. In addition to changing the plate width and geocell pocket size, additional experiments were conducted with different geocell reinforcement dimensions, geocell tensile stiffnesses and tensile properties of the seams. An equation for predicting the force–displacement relationship was developed as part of the proposed design method. The experimental results showed that the sides of the reinforced ground were not fully integrated when the width of the geocell reinforcement was large relative to the plate width. It was also found that the maximum force hardly decreased, although the displacement increased slightly due to the reduction of the tensile stiffness of the geocells and the tensile force at the geocell seams. Moreover, a hyperbolic approximation of the force–displacement relationship of the geocell reinforcement was developed and the calculated values agreed well with the experimental values.