bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence rate of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis and the effect of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors
Authors: Kwon Oh Chan , Lee Hye Sun , Jeon So Young , Park Min-Chan
Published: October 2024

Background

Patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) are at increased risk of incident cardiovascular events. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) have shown a protective effect against incident cardiovacular events. However, the incidence of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with r-axSpA with a history of cardiovascular events, and the effect of TNFi on recurrent cardiovascular events remain unclear. We aimed to assess the incidence rate of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with r-axSpA with a history of cardiovascular events and evaluate the effect of TNFi on the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events.

Methods

This nationwide cohort study used data from the Korean National Claims Database. Data of patients with r-axSpA who had a history of cardiovascular events after being diagnosed with r-axSpA were extracted from the database. The outcome of interest was the recurrence of cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction or stroke). Patients were followed from the index date (date of the first cardiovascular event) to the date of cardiovascular event recurrence, the last date with claims data, or December 31, 2021, whichever occured first. The incidence rate of recurrent cardiovascular events was calculated. An inverse probability weighted Cox model was used to assess the effect of TNFi exposure on the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events.

Results

This study included 413 patients (TNFi non-exposure, n = 338; TNFi exposure, n = 75). The incidence rate of recurrent cardiovascular events was 32 (95% confidence interval [CI] 22–42) per 1,000 person-years (TNFi non-exposure, 36 [95% CI 24–48] per 1,000 person-years; TNFi exposure, 19 [95% CI 2–35] per 1,000 person-years). In the inverse probability weighted Cox model, TNFi exposure was significantly associated with a lower risk of recurrent cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.12–0.94).

Conclusions

The incidence rate of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with r-axSpA is substantial. TNFi exposure was associated with a lower risk of recurrent cardiovascular events.
Assessing the dynamic vitality of public spaces in tourism-oriented traditional villages: a collaborative active perception method
Authors: Liu Sheng , Zhu Zhenni , Gao Yichen , Wang Shanshan
Published: October 2024

Public spaces in traditional villages are the root of the development, preservation, and inheritance of rural cultural heritage. However, these spaces in tourism-oriented traditional villages continue to suffer from issues such as inconsistent vitality, more competition than cooperation, and inefficient revitalisation. Limited by the low precision of spatiotemporal data in rural areas, previous static and materialised vitality evaluation methods have failed to explore the dynamic nature of the flow of people in traditional village public spaces. This study investigated a collaborative active perception method using Wi-Fi probes and static snapshots to assess their dynamic vitality. An empirical study was conducted using Yantou Village in Lishui City, China, as an example. The empirical results indicate that this method can qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the spatiotemporal variations and the scenarios of the dynamic vitality of small public spaces in traditional villages, deepening the cognitive depth of their vitality from time and humanity, providing a basis for the spatiotemporal synergistic enhancement of their public spaces, and offering insights for their revitalisation.
Enhancing resilience in complex energy systems through real-time anomaly detection: a systematic literature review
Authors: Aghazadeh Ardebili Ali , Hasidi Oussama , Bendaouia Ahmed , Khalil Adem , Khalil Sabri , Luceri Dalila , Longo Antonella , Abdelwahed El Hassan , Qassimi Sara , Ficarella Antonio
Published: October 2024

As real-time data sources expand, the need for detecting anomalies in streaming data becomes increasingly critical for cutting edge data-driven applications. Real-time anomaly detection faces various challenges, requiring automated systems that adapt continuously to evolving data patterns due to the impracticality of human intervention. This study focuses on energy systems (ES), critical infrastructures vulnerable to disruptions from natural disasters, cyber attacks, equipment failures, or human errors, leading to power outages, financial losses, and risks to other sectors. Early anomaly detection ensures energy supply continuity, minimizing disruption impacts, an enhancing system resilience against cyber threats. A systematic literature review (SLR) is conducted to answer 5 essential research questions in anomaly detection due to the lack of standardized knowledge and the rapid evolution of emerging technologies replacing conventional methods. A detailed review of selected literature, extracting insights and synthesizing results has been conducted in order to explore anomaly types that can be detected using Machine Learning algorithms in the scope of Energy Systems, the factors influencing this detection success, the deployment algorithms and security measurement to take in to consideration. This paper provides a comprehensive review and listing of advanced machine learning models, methods to enhance detection performance, methodologies, tools, and enabling technologies for real-time implementation. Furthermore, the study outlines future research directions to improve anomaly detection in smart energy systems.
ESG and climate-related risks versus traditional risks in commercial banking: A bibliometric and thematic review
Authors: Korzeb Zbigniew , Niedziółka Paweł , Szpilko Danuta , di Pietro Filippo
Published: October 2024

The aim of this study is to classify scientific research on the impact of ESG and climate-related risks on the conduct of the banking business. The systematic literature review was based on a bibliometric analysis of articles found in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The search was confined to materials published between 2000 and August 2023. After applying criteria limiting the search, the final result was 869 unique literature items which were later analysed towards establishing the relationship of ESG and climate-related risks (‘new banking risks’) with other (so-called ‘traditional’) banking risks and identifying research gaps at the interface between traditional and new banking risks. This article introduces a variety of findings, including the most productive authors, organisations, countries and journals, the most cited articles and keyword distribution. In addition, a map of the evolution of the approach to ESG risk in banking was constructed on the basis of the literature review. The study identified 11 clusters of banking risk influenced by ESG risk and 10 clusters of banking risk affected by climate-related risk.
A non-invasive cfDNA fragmentomics assay for differentiating malignant and benign thyroid nodules.
Authors: Shan Zhen , Chen Wanna , Lin Bo , Tang Wanxiangfu , Chen Xiaoxi , Wu Xuxiaochen , Yang Ruowei , Chang Shuang , Zhu Dongqin , Bao Hua , Lv Weiming
Published: October 2024

6110

Background:
Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy in the world. Although it has a high survival rate, distinguishing between the common benign thyroid nodules and malignant ones remains a clinical challenge. We introduce a non-invasive assay based on cfDNA fragmentomics, aimed at accurately identifying TCs, thus reducing the discomfort and risks linked to surgical biopsies.
Methods:
We conducted a study involving 322 participants, comprising 161 early-stage thyroid cancer patients (154 stage I and 7 stage II) and 161 patients with benign thyroid nodules, of whom 68 were high-risk (Ti-Rads: 4/5) and 93 were low-risk (Ti-Rads = 2/3). The training cohort contained 94 TC and 98 BN patients, while the independent test cohort included 67 TC and 63 BN patients. Malignant and high-risk benign conditions were confirmed pathologically from surgically removed biopsy samples. Pre-operative plasma samples were collected from all patients and used for cell-free fragmentomics feature generation through low-pass WGS. A stacked machine learning model was developed using three fragmentomics features and three machine learning algorithms.
Results:
The machine learning model excelled in differentiating thyroid cancer from benign nodules, achieving area under the curve (AUC) scores of 0.973 in the training cohort and 0.965 in the independent test cohort. The model demonstrated high sensitivity (94.7% in the training cohort and 95.5% in the test cohort) and specificity (89.8% in the training cohort and 77.8% in the test cohort) after applying an optimized cutoff determined by cross-validation of the training cohort. Notably, the model was particularly effective in detecting malignant nodules smaller than 1cm, a task challenging for conventional methods, with sensitivities of 92.4% in the training cohort and 91.6% in the test cohort. For nodules larger than 1cm, the model achieved a perfect 100% sensitivity in both cohorts. Our predictive model showed universal excellent performance for accurately detecting TC patients with different histology, sex, and age in both the training cohort and the independent test cohort. Finally, the high-risk BN group showed higher risk scores compared to the low-risk BN group as expected, further validating the robustness of our model.
Conclusions:
Our study presents a non-invasive liquid biopsy assay, which utilizes fragmentomics profiling derived from low-pass WGS for differentiating between malignant and benign thyroid nodules, showcasing remarkable sensitivity and specificity. Our assay was able to accurately detect thyroid malignancies, especially in nodules smaller than 1cm, illustrating great clinical potential and therefore offers a promising alternative to surgical biopsies, potentially reducing patient discomfort and associated risks.
INTEGRATE IIa Phase III Study: Regorafenib for Refractory Advanced Gastric Cancer
Authors: Pavlakis Nick , Shitara Kohei , Sjoquist Katrin , Martin Andrew , Jaworski Anthony , Tebbutt Niall , Bang Yung-Jue , Alcindor Thierry , O'Callaghan Chris , Strickland Andrew , Rha Sun Young , Lee Keun-Wook , Kim Jin-Soo , Bai Li-Yuan , Hara Hiroki , Oh Do-Youn , Yip Sonia , Zalcberg John , Price Tim , Simes John , Goldstein David
Published: October 2024

PURPOSE

Treatment options for refractory advanced gastric and esophagogastric junction cancer (AGOC) are limited. Regorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo in the INTEGRATE I phase II trial. INTEGRATE IIa was designed to examine whether regorafenib improved overall survival (OS).

METHODS

A double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial compared regorafenib and best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo and BSC for participants with confirmed evaluable metastatic/advanced AGOC who failed ≥two prior therapies on a 2:1 random assignment, stratified by tumor location, geographic region (Asia
v
rest of world), and prior vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors. The primary end point was OS. Treatment efficacy on OS was first tested in the pooled INTEGRATE I + INTEGRATE IIa cohort and, if significant, then in the INTEGRATE IIa cohort. Secondary end points were PFS, objective response rate, safety, and quality of life (QoL).

RESULTS

INTEGRATE IIa enrolled 251 participants: 157 from Asia and 94 from rest of world and 169 received regorafenib and 82 received placebo. No significant heterogeneity was observed between INTEGRATE I and INTEGRATE IIa studies on OS. Pooled OS analysis hazard ratio (HR) was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.56 to 0.87;
P
= .001; 361 events). INTEGRATE IIa alone OS HR was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.90;
P
= .006; 238 events), the median OS was 4.5 months versus 4.0 months, and 12-month survival rates were 19% and 6%, for regorafenib versus placebo, respectively. After a preplanned adjustment for multiplicity, there were no statistically significant differences across regions or other prespecified subgroups. Regorafenib improved PFS (HR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.40 to 0.70];
P
< .0001) and delayed deterioration in global QoL (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.52 to 0.89];
P
= .0043). The toxicity profile was consistent with that of previous reports.

CONCLUSION

Regorafenib improves survival compared with placebo in refractory AGOC.
Dangerous Disturbances
Authors: Edwards Nadi
Published: October 2024

This essay examines Carolyn Cooper’s intellectual project as a practice of noisy disturbance that anchors her conceptualization of Jamaican literary and cultural discourses within the concrete materiality and exteriority of the island’s historical, cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic realities. Using Edward Said’s notion of worldliness, the essay argues that Cooper articulates this via three related tropes—noises, border clashes, and the vulgar body—that address the politics of Jamaican linguistic and cultural hierarchies. Cooper’s two groundbreaking publications, Noises in the Blood: Orality, Gender, and the “Vulgar” Body of Jamaican Popular Culture (1993) and Sound Clash: Jamaican Dancehall Culture at Large (2004) are read schematically as strategic interventions that privilege a multifarious disturbing and transgressive orality. Cooper’s work is deliberately and self-consciously invested in disturbing and disrupting cultural and linguistic shibboleths that accord epistemological nullity and ontological invalidity to Jamaican vernacular discourses such as Jamaican Creole/Patwa and the musical genres of reggae and dancehall.
Styling Subversion
Authors: Kabir Ananya Jahanara
Published: October 2024

Carolyn Cooper’s influence as an academic converges with her important work as tastemaker and trendsetter for Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. In this personal homage to Cooper, charted through their meetings in Haiti, Jamaica, and London, the author proposes that we see this convergence in historical continuity with the resistive potential of swag as manifested in Caribbean expressive performative traditions, including Jamaica’s Junkanoo. The same subversive style ties together the Junkanoo reveler captured by Isaac Belisario and Carolyn Cooper’s verbal wit and sartorial elegance. Her embodied wor(l)ds convey a powerful message that coolly brushes aside middle-class timidity and conformism to inspire postcolonial people not just in the Caribbean but across the global South, empowering people to wield the beauty of creolized language, music, and movement as decolonial weapons infused with pride and joy.
Patería and Contemporary Puerto Rican Queer/Trans Performance
Authors: La Fountain-Stokes Lawrence
Published: October 2024

Patería is a Puerto Rican Spanish-language vernacular synonym for “queerness” as a sign of gender and sexual transgression. It invokes stigmatized LGBTQIA+ local language practices that coexist in tension with the modernity, paradoxes, and challenges of other words such as mariconería, locura, and faggotology. Patería signals a universe associated with the condition of being a pato (duck, faggot) or pata (female duck, lesbian, dyke) or even loca (effeminate homosexual, madwoman) and of moving through the codes of gender nonconformity, of inhabiting the realm of other Spanish-language words like maricón (Mary), its diminutive mariquita (ladybug), mariposa (butterfly), and marimacha (a macho Mary). In this keyword essay, the author engages a SPIT! (Sodomites, Perverts, Inverts Together!) manifesto, a column by Karla Claudio-Betancourt, and scholarly pieces on queer language. He also analyzes Macha Colón’s song “Jayá” (2012), Eduardo Alegría’s song “Farifo” (2004), and Villano Antillano’s song “Pájara” (2020).
Erotic Synergies and Variances in the Sexual Vernacular of the Postcolonial Dutch Caribbean
Authors: Isenia Wigbertson Julian
Published: October 2024

This keyword essay traces the historical trajectory of the term kambrada. It argues for a broader understanding of Caribbean sexual dynamics, utilizing sources ranging from travelogues and novels to modern activist interviews. Kambrada, which is akin to mati in Suriname, represents a spectrum of women’s relationships. This essay compares kambrada and mati, exploring their sociosexual meanings within the Dutch Caribbean. It traces the usage of kambrada through four historical periods, beginning with its negative portrayal in the late nineteenth century and subsequent reassessment through mid-twentieth-century social sciences during demographic and industrial changes. Employing a nuanced analysis, the essay challenges historical biases to reveal the complexities of kambrada and further charts kambradanan (plural) role during the women’s liberation movement. The essay concludes with the 2021 Kambrada collective in Curaçao, which represents a movement toward autonomy and decolonization. It underscores the dynamic nature of the Dutch Caribbean sexual vernacular while questioning Western labels imposed on the region’s sexual cultures.
Kith and Kin
Authors: Ghisyawan Krystal Nandini
Published: October 2024

This keyword essay discusses how the terms friend and family are used by same-sex-desiring women in Trinidad to mask and facilitate queer becoming. For many, friends can be like family; for some, those words might be synonymous. The paper questions how cultures of exclusion within Trinidadian society and its queer communities facilitate the women’s formation of kin and kin-like bonds. In Trinidad, the term friend has multivalence, suggesting a sexual relationship, an inevitable betrayal, a confidante, or a go-between. Finally, the essay draws on other models of female homosociality, cooperation, and desire, such as zami and mati, as well as sakhi, Indo-Caribbean traditions of ritual friendship, to help contextualize women’s passionate friendships.
“Ziggy, sé an makoumè”
Authors: Couti Jacqueline
Published: October 2024

The French Creole term makoumè does not belong to the political and cultural discussions by French Caribbean LGBT communities seeking protection against abuse using the laws sanctioned by the French government. One would also be hard-pressed to find local and Caribbean theorizations of the term makoumè that reclaim the word defiantly, like the fathers of negritude such as Aimé Césaire have done with the word nègre, to conceptualize liberatory practices or set of principles. In this keyword essay, the author asks, Could theorizing makoumè as a marker of difference, of lack, of excess, of gender disturbance—namely, queerness—rather than as only a sign of masculine homosexuality in the Caribbean, expose a very French malaise around questions of genre and issues destabilizing heterosexual norms? This French Creole word could thus help us examine and (re)imagine queerness in the French Caribbean, even if queerness is not explicitly named.
Efficiency of the treatment of epilepsy in adolescent children according to indicators of evoked potentials
Authors: Gekova M. , Tantsura L.
Published: October 2024

The aim: to identify the peculiarities of the indicators of evoked potentials in epileptic children against the background of anticonvulsant treatment. Methods: auditory long-latency, visual flash-evoked potentials.  Epileptic children were divided into two groups. The first group received monotherapy, the second group received polytherapy. Results: The study of average values of latencies showed that children with polytherapy had a more pronounced lengthening of latencies compared to those of the first group. According to the latencies analysis in the group of monotherapeutic children there were no ties between various anticonvulsant drugs and results of examination. There was a tendency towards normalization of latencies, mainly for visual evoked potentials in the group of children with a positive response to treatment. Conclusion: It is advisable to use the method of evoked potentials to assess the functional state of sensory systems in children with epilepsy, in order to predict the course of the disease and assess the effectiveness of treatment.
Complex preparation of patients with recurrent implantation failure for the transfer of good quality embryos in ivf-et cycles
Authors: Nosenko O. , Demidchik R.
Published: October 2024

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method of complex preparation of patients with RIF with the restoration of the profile of vaginal microbiota and the functions of the main systems of sanogenesis with the help of adjuvants before the next attempt to transfer vitrified / warmed embryos of good quality in segmented IVF-ET cycles. Material and methods. 68 women of reproductive age with infertility and RIF, who were repeatedly but unsuccessfully treated in IVF-ET cycles with transfer of good quality embryos, and 32 fertile control women were comprehensively examined. A method of preparing patients with RIF for IVF-ET was developed, which included extended profiling of the vaginal microbiome, combined use of oral and vaginal antibacterial drugs against the background of the use of enzyme agents and antibiotic-resistant probiotics, as well as progestogens, melatonin, vitamin D, adjuvants for the correction of oxidative, nitrosative stress and restoration of endothelial function. The patients of the group with RNI were divided into 2 groups: 35 women who were prepared for the next attempt of IVF-ET according to the proposed method, and 33 patients who received the standard method of preparation. The microbiological, laboratory and clinical results of the training were evaluated. The results. Improvement of the composition of the vaginal microbiota, hormonal, nitrosative and oxidative status, functional activity of the endothelium of patients with RIF according to the proposed method of preparation for IVF-ET led to an increase in the frequency of clinical pregnancy by 2.26 times (45.71% vs. 21.21 %; OR 3.1278 [95% CI 1.0759-9.0930], p<0.04) and termination of induced pregnancy by delivery 3.30 times (40.00 % vs. 12.12 %; OR 4.8333 [95% CI 1.3916-16.7870], p<0.02). Conclusions. The proposed complex method of preparing patients with RIF before IVF-ET is effective and can be recommended for use in clinical practice.
Advances in Targeted Therapies and Combination Approaches for Melanoma: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Przestrzelska Magda , Ślesicka Iga , Zozula Natalia , Tomczewska Zuzanna , Rykucka Aleksandra , Wąs Marcin , Latała Aleksandra , Kiełbasa Justyna , Kowalczyk Agata , Bil Katarzyna
Published: October 2024

Introduction and Purpose: Melanoma, an aggressive malignancy from melanocytes, has a poor prognosis. Despite advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, drug resistance remains a challenge. This review examines the molecular pathways involved in melanoma and therapeutic strategies targeting them, aiming to improve patient outcomes and overcome treatment resistance by understanding genetic alterations and signaling cascades driving melanoma progression.
State of Knowledge: Melanoma arises from genetic predisposition and UV radiation exposure, involving mutations in pathways like RAS/RAF/MAPK and PI3K/AKT. Targeted therapies, such as BRAF and MEK inhibitors, are effective, especially in BRAF-mutant patients. However, resistance mechanisms, including alternative pathway activation and immune evasion, limit their long-term success. Combination therapies with immunotherapies show promise in overcoming resistance. Emerging targets like NRAS, c-KIT, and c-MET offer new treatment possibilities. Ongoing challenges include identifying biomarkers for patient stratification and managing treatment-related toxicity.
Conclusions: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of melanoma is crucial for advancing therapies. Targeted therapies and combination approaches have improved outcomes, especially in advanced cases. However, challenges like treatment resistance and toxicity require ongoing research. By exploring signaling pathways and new targets, treatment efficacy and durability can be enhanced. Continued research and clinical trials are essential to translate these advancements into practice, improving survival rates and quality of life for melanoma patients.
Orthoses and other conservative methods in hallux valgus
Authors: Pawłowski Bartosz , Madej Aleksandra , Haczkur-Pawłowska Karolina , Kowal Alicja , Jasiński Kacper , Kuzio Agnieszka , Cieplińska Aleksandra , Ziojła-Lisowska Kinga , Gawłowicz Łukasz
Published: October 2024

Introduction and objective: Hallux valgus is a common deformity (about 23%) in adult population. Deformation of the fist ray and pain causes gait pattern changes and lower life satisfaction. There are many suggestions how to treat bunion. The method of first choice is conservative treatment. One of the most popular option are orthoses of different kinds and functions. The aim of this article is to review the conservative methods of treatment and orthotic management of bunionsand its effectiveness.
 
Materials and methods: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched. The criteria for qualifying the articles for the review were the following keywords: bunion, hallux valgus, orthoses, foot deformity. 21 articles from 2018 to 2023 were analyzed.
 
Description of the state of knowledge: Conservative treatment includes orthoses, shoe modification, analgesics, and exercises. But the most popular are the first two methods. There are many types of orthoses used for hallux valgus, i.e. dynamic and static orthoses, separators, insoles and splints. Orthoses are used to reduce hallux valgus angle (HVA) and pain, and inhibit the progression of deformity in a long term. Studies show that dynamic orthoses have a greater effect on reducing HVA and pain compared to static orthoses. In addition, they are more frequently and willingly chosen by patients. Also, toe separators have a significant impact on minimizing pain and improving toe alignment.
 
Summary: Significant reduction of pain and HVA are observed in both short-term and long-term effects when using dynamic orthoses and toe separators.  Dynamic orthoses are also more likely to be chosen by patients for their convenience. However, all types of orthoses are beneficial to patients' well-being. A change of footwear also helps to stop the progression of the deformity and prevents recurrence after surgery.
Impact of Intermittent Fasting on Alzheimer's Disease Risk: A Literature Review
Authors: Stencel Nicola Joanna , Szczot Jakub , Krala-Szkaradowska Magdalena , Skrzypczak Katarzyna Oktawia , Stuczyński Sebastian Krzysztof
Published: October 2024

Introduction and purpose: In the face of an aging population, the increasing number of elderly individuals raises the incidence of age-related conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is a leading cause of global disability and a significant burden on society. The lack of effective treatments for AD underscores the importance of prevention. Recent reports suggest that intermittent fasting (IF) may counteract the disease processes associated with AD and serve as a potential preventive strategy. This review aims to outline the impact of IF on the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted using the medical databases PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles were retrieved in English, employing the keywords: “Alzheimer’s disease”, “dementia”, “intermittent fasting”, “ketone bodies”, “cognition”.State  of  knowledge: IF is a dietary regimen involving cyclic restriction of food intake, practiced in many cultures and religions. The interest in IF has increased due to its numerous health benefits, and recent studies indicate its potential in delaying and preventing pathological processes associated with AD, such as β-amyloid accumulation, neuroinflammation, and vascular damage, making IF a potentially protective intervention against neurodegeneration.Summary: IF is a promising strategy for improving cognitive function and brain health. Due to the limited number of studies conducted on humans, further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in preventing AD.
Guía para fabricación y ensayo de probetas de lechada de Spinor A12
Authors: Fernández Ancio Fernando , Hortigón Fuentes Beatriz , Rodríguez Mayorga Esperanza , Santiago Espinal José Antonio
Published: October 2024

En esta guía, desarrollada gracias al trabajo conjunto de investigadores de los departamentos de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras y Estructuras de Edificación e Ingeniería del Terreno de la Universidad de Sevilla, se describe detalladamente el proceso que debe seguirse para elaborar y ensayar probetas de lechada a base de cementos ultrafinos, concretamente el microcemento Spinor A12. La escasez de normativa al respecto conduce a la extensión de normas relativas a ensayos de hormigones o morteros al caso de las lechadas. A pesar de ser el Spinor A12 un conglomerante hidráulico, las diferencias inherentes debidas a la ausencia de áridos en la mezcla dan lugar a numerosas dificultades en la aplicación de esta normativa. Así pues, resulta especialmente interesante la publicación de experiencias como esta, que facilitan a otros grupos el trabajo con lechadas, lo que permite el avance en su conocimiento.
EFL Learners' Preference for Corrective Feedback Strategies in Relation to Their Self-Perceived Levels of Proficiency
Authors: Wiboolyasarin Kanokpan , Wiboolyasarin Watcharapol , Jinowat Nattawut , Kamonsawad Ruedee
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this work was to address the overarching questions of how EFL Thai learners preferred corrective feedback strategies and whether there were any significant differences in preferences across learners’ language ability levels. The quantitative study collected 418 Thai EFL learners’ preferences for corrective feedback via a closed-ended Likert scale questionnaire. The survey showed that learners desired to edit when their speech or writing contained errors, particularly when the wrong utterance was responded to with a metalinguistic comment regarding the error’s nature. Statistical analysis found significant differences in students’ preferences for metalinguistic clues and public feedback between intermediate and elementary levels. It appeared that beginner-level learners would almost certainly experience embarrassment if they were corrected in front of their peers. Conversely, self-correction, which was necessary once the student’s erroneous remark was explained in terms of grammar usage, probably made advanced students uncomfortable. While teachers should examine their EFL students' corrective feedback preferences, this study found that their proficiency levels were slightly relevant.
“Don’t, never no”: Negotiating meaning in ESL among hearing/speaking-impaired netizens
Authors: Parmisana Venus Rosales , Badilla Cristine Grace
Published: October 2024

Negotiating meaning can be difficult for the deaf-mute people when being in the hearing and speaking world. Social media offers a platform where the deaf and the mute can engage in meaningful conversations among themselves and between people with hearing and speaking abilities. This paper determined the paralinguistic signals that the deaf-mute students employed in their Facebook posts. Using descriptive-qualitative research design, the study analyzed the lexico-semantic features of their language and how both paralinguistic and linguistic aspects contribute to the negotiation of conceptual meaning. The results revealed that paralinguistic signals are found in emojis, punctuation mark repeats, onomatopoeic spelling, accent stylization, intensification, hashtag and combinations. These signals function to give emphasis or intensify intonation. An emoji is the predominant paralinguistic signal used to compensate the lack of words to express feelings. In addition, distinct lexico-semantic features observed in the data include the incorrect position of words, incorrect lexical choice, redundancy, and insertion of prepositions or the lack thereof. These features do not carry a specific function in negotiating meaning because understanding the semantic content of a message is possible either with or without comprehension of the syntax. Semantic comprehension is not expected to help in the acquisition of the syntactic system because it may be accomplished through the recognition of isolated lexical items and interpretation of non-linguistic cues. Finally, paralinguistic signals and computer-mediated communication for the deaf-mute across generation and race can be considered for future directions of the study and appropriate technological tools may be designed to automate errors found in the social media posts of the deaf-mute.
Developing Islamic-values-based PowToon learning media for Muhammadiyah kindergarten teachers: COVID-19 and TEYL
Authors: Wijayati Rifky Dora , Khafidhoh Khafidhoh
Published: October 2024

In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, this study intends to establish a digital learning media for children based on Islamic values utilizing PowToon for Muhammadiyah kindergarten teachers. Online learning has replaced traditional classroom for teaching and learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online discussion with TK ABA Nitikan teachers established the significance of this research. They were concerned about propounding digital learning materials with Islamic values to students. The Islamic fundamentals, such as greetings and du'a (prayer), are crucial for the development of Islamic character in young learners. In addition, the digital learning resources were transformed into videos that could be easily accessible, shared, and used publicly to promote the da'wah practice in accordance with Muhammadiyah's guidance. This research employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach utilizing the ADDIE model known as system approach developed by Dick and Carey (2015), which entails a development process comprising five primary stages, namely analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate. The research findings indicate that the digital learning materials created using PowToon met the needs of TK ABA Nitikan teachers were relevant. The manufactured product provides a solution to teachers' needs by merging both general English knowledge and Islamic beliefs. Based on the review, it has been determined that the created content is of excellent quality. This material allowed teachers to teach English in an engaging manner.
Teachers’ knowledge: Teachers’ perceptions and their sources of knowledge in vocabulary instruction
Authors: Shube Bekele Daba , Hanshu Alemu Hailu
Published: October 2024

The study investigated EFL teachers’ perceptions and their sources of knowledge in vocabulary instruction at the secondary school level in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. To fulfill this purpose, an explanatory research design and mixed data analysis methods were employed. The study involved thirty-six English teachers from three representative secondary schools. Data was collected from the participant teachers through a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The findings show that participants in the study generally have positive perceptions about vocabulary teaching and learning. According to the participants’ perspectives, vocabulary is central to language and it is important to language learners in their language learning. This thought was affirmed by participants in both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study. The finding also revealed teachers’ sources of knowledge in vocabulary instruction. These knowledge sources include teachers’ teaching experience, their disciplinary background, apprenticeship of observation, and others. The discussion of these findings suggests implications for practices and recommendations for future research to improve vocabulary instruction in secondary schools.
Intertextuality as semiotic mediation for youth’s enactment of agency and identity in everyday digital literacy practices
Authors: Budairi Ahmad
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this research is to investigate the practice of intertextuality of Farah (pseudonym) a 20-year-old female university student who engaged in a variety of culturally shaped digital literacy practices. In particular, it seeks to elucidate how Farah’s practice of intertextuality serves as a semiotic mediation for her exercise and enactment of agency and identity during her everyday literacy practice on Instagram. This research was framed as a case study design with a connective ethnography approach specifically suited to the online environment and digital communication where the researcher’s physical presence as an observer is no longer required. Data were collected by means of digital media and technology such as WhatsApp Message Service, informal phone interviews, and online observation. The collected data comprised online snapshots of quote bots, pictures, drawings and comments that Farah produced and shared as part of her everyday digital literacy practice. The data analysis entailed examination of Farah’s practice of intertextuality through the lens of sociocultural perspective on text production and interpretation. The findings revealed that Farah’s use of quote bots and doodles posted on Instagram involved the act of borrowing texts from other sources as well as mixing English with Indonesian language. Farah’s practice of intertextuality was pre-mediated, calculated and purposeful, allowing her to engage in digital authorship involving creativity, improvisation and consciousness as ingredients of agency. In the same vein, Farah’s practice of intertextuality allowed her to author the self as a contemplative religious individual. The research concluded with an appeal to policy makers and educational practitioners to respond to the learners’ changing learning landscape by re-defining the way we view learners/students, from merely a recipient of knowledge to an individual who has agency, identity and funds of knowledge that have to be acknowledged and appreciated in any process of curriculum design and its implementation on a daily basis.
Enhancing speaking skills amidst and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic: Innovative strategies from teachers' perspectives for high school EFL learners
Authors: Suryanto Suryanto , Purwanti Eko , Dewanti Felansonia Azhima
Published: October 2024

The success of English language learners is determined by their capacity for effective English communication. The purposes of this study are firstly to examine what activities university teachers employ to enhance students' speaking skills during and post-COVID-19 pandemic and secondly investigate the differences in teaching speaking skills during and post-COVID pandemic. The researchers select seven English instructors as participants using a qualitative descriptive research design. All participants were English lecturers at a Yogyakarta private university. Participants include three female and four male teachers taken using purposive sampling method. Using an interview guide, the researchers conducted interviews with the participants to collect data. The findings show ten activities lecturers utilize to instruct speaking skills during and post-pandemic. The activities include giving speaking practices, making group work activities, retelling stories, or experiences, assigning role play and presentations, asking students to record activities, providing communicating exposures, practicing interviews, and producing a vlog. During and post the pandemic, the second set of findings highlights the differences in teaching speaking during and post pandemics, covering the nature of the activities in terms of flexibility, degree of control, and engagement.
Examining teachers' motivation in conducting teacher professional development: A self-determination theory perspective
Authors: Purwanti Eko , Octavia Salma
Published: October 2024

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) can be referred as any activities that can improve the quality of teacher professionalism. This study aims to find out various activities of English Secondary School teachers regarding their teacher professional development and to investigate their motivation in conducting TPD based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Underpinned by qualitative approach, this research used descriptive qualitative research design. Three English Secondary School teachers were involved as the participants, and individual interviews were used to collect the data. The findings showed that TPD activities done by the participants were 1) attending workshop and seminar, 2) joining English Subject Teacher Forum, 3) having informal peer discussions, and 4) reading teaching resources.  The next findings regarding the teachers’ motivation in conducting TPD proves that the three aspects of SDT emerged from the participants, comprising 1) self-awareness, 2) in line with profession, and 3) the need to be competent. These findings imply that various activities of TPD driven by internal motivation can be conducted by English Secondary School teachers. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers have internal motivation in order to carry out TPD.
Using Augmented Reality technology to improve English language learning by identifying objects around us
Authors: Endahati Nafisah , Wardani Setia
Published: October 2024

Educators are expected to be aware of information technology development. However, many teachers have not integrated technology into teaching strategies. This research aims at developing English learning media by using Augmented Reality (AR) technology and analyzed its effectiveness in learning. The researchers employed Microsoft Solution Framework (MSF) tool to develop the media which consisted of requirement definition, and system & software design. The developed media was evaluated through tests to 30 seventh graders of junior high school. Interview and observation were conducted to know users’ learning needs. Data was obtained by distributing questionnaires and quantitatively analyzed. The results show; 1) AR-based English media has 12 markers which can be downloaded in the application menu. The application display consisted of pre-elemi nary, marker, information, and theory pages. The chapter theory included 8 chapters; 2) The mean score of enthusiasm by implementing AR-based media is 27.07, but the score of non-implementing AR-based learning media is 22.33. It can be scientifically stated that AR-based media is effective to increase students’ enthusiasm in learning English. The AR technology can potentially be utilized to generate English media in productive skills. Thus, further researchers should investigate the integration of English material and AR technology effectiveness in receptive language skills.
Integrating global Englishes activities in a regular English classroom
Authors: Sangpetch Sirinmas , Kewara Punwalai , Prabjandee Denchai
Published: October 2024

The purposes of this qualitative study were to integrate Global Englishes (GE) activities into a regular classroom and to explore how GE activities influenced: a) students’ attitude toward Global Englishes, b) respect for the variety of English, and c) the use of English in daily life. The participants were 31 Grade 9 Thai students. Designed GE lesson plans, adapted from the Global Englishes Language Teaching (GELT) framework, video recordings, were used to explore the classroom environment and to observe each activity. The researcher’s reflections were used to see the participants’ attitudes and reactions toward GE activity. The findings revealed that integrating GE-oriented activities in a regular English classroom is possible. The participants respect and tend to have positive attitudes toward the varieties of Englishes. The results, however, revealed that most participants hardly ever use English to communicate in daily life outside of what they learn in the classroom. Furthermore, this study offers examples of GE activities and materials that teachers can use as a model for designing and implementing GE activities that are appropriate for various classroom settings.
Metaverse magic: Unveiling the pedagogical potential and transformative effects on intercultural communication in English language teaching
Authors: Hatmanto Endro Dwi , Pratolo Bambang Widi , Sari Mariska Intan
Published: October 2024

The emergence of Metaverse, a three-dimensional virtual space that enables users to interact in computer-generated environments, has opened up new possibilities for language learning and instruction. This study explored the pedagogical potential and transformative effects of incorporating Metaverse environments in English language teaching, with a specific focus on intercultural communication. Drawing on theories such as social constructivism, intercultural communication, and autonomous language learning, this research investigated the impact of Metaverse on language acquisition, intercultural competence, and learner autonomy. The study employed a qualitative approach, including interviews with experts in Metaverse development and English language instructors. The findings revealed several pedagogical implications, including the promotion of immersive language learning experiences, enhanced interaction and collaboration, personalized learning opportunities, and increased motivation. Additionally, the study uncovered the positive impacts of Metaverse environments on intercultural communication and cultural understanding in English language learning. The research contributed to the understanding of how Metaverse could support language education and provides valuable insights for language teachers and students to optimize their language learning experience in virtual environments.
Enhancing Student Learning Autonomously: Exploring the Global Impact of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Sutrisno Djoko , Inawati Iin , Hermanto Hermanto
Published: October 2024

This study investigates the global impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on enhancing student learning autonomously through a mixed-method approach. By combining both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of AI in autonomous learning as perceived by teachers. The study involves 25 teachers from SD Muhammadiyah Kebumen as participants, representing a diverse educational context. The qualitative analysis delves into the rich tapestry of educators' experiences and perspectives, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of their interactions with AI in the classroom. This qualitative component allows for an in-depth exploration of how teachers perceive and engage with AI in their teaching practices. Additionally, the quantitative analysis quantifies teachers' perceptions and offers statistical evidence of the impact of AI on student learning outcomes. Through surveys and data-driven analysis, the study assesses the extent to which AI influences student learning autonomously. The triangulation of these findings validates and complements each other, reinforcing the positive perception of AI's role in education. However, the research also highlights the need for addressing ethical concerns surrounding AI implementation and the importance of providing comprehensive support mechanisms for teachers navigating the integration of AI in the classroom. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on AI in education, offering insights into its potential benefits and challenges while emphasizing the importance of teacher training and ethical considerations in leveraging AI for autonomous student learning.