bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Effect of 21st Century Skills on the Relationship Between Digital Literacy and Teaching Performance
Authors: Cortez Resyn Faye C. , Ponsades Oliver
Published: January 2024

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, the integration of technology has become pivotal, emphasizing the significance of both digital literacy skills and 21st century skills for educators. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of 21st century skills in the association between digital literacy skills and teaching performance. Drawing on a theoretical framework encompassing digital literacy, 21st century skills, and teaching performance, a quantitative research approach was employed. Data was collected from a diverse sample of educators. The research study purposely identified 300 senior high school students who are enrolled in the 2 identified national high schools under the division of Panabo City, Davao Region. The results showed that even though digital literacy skills, teaching performance, and 21st century skills got high/very high ratings, teachers must enhance their information and data literacy skills, digital content creation skills, and problem-solving skills. This study revealed that there is no significant relationship among the variables since the correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2- tailed). Using the Sobel test, the result further indicates that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that there are significant effects of the moderating variable on teaching performance. Moreover, the study showed that there is no significant association between the independent variable to the teaching performance thus, there is no direct effect of these variables. Lastly, there is not enough evidence to conclude there are significant total effects of literacy skills on teaching performance thus, there is no indirect effect of digital literacy skills on teaching performance.
Dynamic Interaction Between Food and Fuel Markets in India: Has India Joined the Global Race?
Authors: Shahani Rakesh , Taneja Anishka , Das Biki
Published: January 2024

The study makes an attempt to investigate co-integrating relation between crude and three energy crops, namely sugarcane, soyabean, and wheat, for India for a sampled period from Jan 2011 to Dec 2020 by taking log-transformed daily closing spot prices. The dynamic relation between crude and energy crops is established using ARDL and non-linear ARDL (NARDL) co-integration techniques. The results revealed co-integration being established only for sugarcane with crop’s critical region improving from 5% to 1% when dummy representing break was included in the ARDL model. The asymmetric impact of crude on sugarcane was visible both in short and long run. Further, short-run results were in one direction only, i.e., a rise in crude was impacting prices of two crops, namely sugarcane and wheat, with no visible impact of any of energy crops on crude. The coefficient of error correction term (ECM(−1)) term for sugarcane was −0.005 which was negative and significant showing stability of equilibrium; however, adjustment speed was rather slow at 0.5% per period. The study recommends policy makers to harmonize and synergize energy and agricultural policies as both sugarcane and wheat are food staples in India. The country needs to develop a pre-warning and a crisis response mechanism regarding biofuel policies so as to avoid any food crisis situation as seen in early 2000 in some of the countries where energy crops significantly make way to biofuels.
 
Received: 22 August 2023 | Revised: 29 October 2023 | Accepted: 5 January 2024
 
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.
 
Data Availability Statement
Data are available on request from the corresponding author, Rakesh Shahani, by email.
 
Author Contribution Statement
Rakesh Shahani: Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision. Anishka Taneja: Conceptualization, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing - review & editing, Project administration. Biki Das: Conceptualization, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Resources, Project administration.
Surveying the Motivation of Pre-service Teachers and the Performance of Nigerian Primary School Pupils
Authors: Okeke Tobechukwu Ebele
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the crucial interplay between the motivation of pre-service teachers and the academic performance of primary school pupils in basic science and technology subjects within the Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey method was used. The sample comprised 200 pre-service teachers and primary six students in government primary schools in Oyi Local Government Area. The researchers also constructed questionnaires and administered them to the sampled population in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State. Preliminary findings underscore the significance of pre-service teacher motivation in shaping the academic success of primary school pupils. These attributes contribute to a more conducive and effective learning environment, ultimately benefitting the academic performance of primary school pupils. However, challenges persist in providing consistent settlements, recognition, instructional materials, and retraining opportunities for pre-service teachers. Addressing these challenges is crucial for sustaining teacher motivation, improving teaching quality, and enhancing the educational experience for students.
 
Received: 10 November 2023 | Revised: 29 December 2023 | Accepted: 25 January 2024 
 
Conflicts of Interest
The author declares that she has no conflicts of interest to this work.
 
Data Availability Statement
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.
 
Author Contribution Statement
Tobechukwu Ebele Okeke: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization.
Research Status and Trend of Axis-torsion Two-Component Force Senso
Authors:   School of Mechanical Engineering, LI Lijian , YANG Penglin ,   School of Mechanical Engineering, FU Chong ,   Henan Institute of Metrology and Testing, LI Bing ,   School of Mechanical Engineering, TANG Shouqian ,   School of Mechanical Engineering
Published: January 2024

Axis-torsion two-component force sensor can simultaneously detect axial force and torque component information. With the progress of modern engineering technology and the improvement of the requirements for measurement accuracy and dynamic response ability, the sensor is widely used in many fields such as industry, national defense science and technology, and medical treatment. The axis-torsion twocomponent force sensor based on the measurement principles of resistance strain type, capacitance type and magnetostrictive effect is introduced. Because the resistance strain type axis-torsion two-component force sensor has a high degree of accuracy, good stability, simple structure and strong anti-electromagnetic interference ability, the resistance strain type axis-torsion two-component force sensor is the most widely used and the most technologically mature class of sensor. The structural characteristics of the elastic body of the combined and integral axis-torsion two-component force sensor are summarized. At present, the elastic body structure of the axis-torsion two-component force sensor is mainly studied and improved. The purpose is to improve the sensor’s measurement accuracyand reduce the inter-dimensional coupling error, so as to achieve accurate measurement in practical applications. The application status of the axis-torsion two-component force sensor in the cutting force detection, torque coefficient detection of high-strength bolted joints, and quantitative analysis of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture techniques were analyzed. Finally, combined with the research and application status of the axis-torsion two-component force sensor, the development trend of the axis-torsion two-component force sensor is prospected.
Transformation of the EU Sovereignty: Political, Economic and Military Aspects
Authors: Korepanov B. , Levandovsky N.
Published: January 2024

The authors analyze the rethinking of the concept of «sovereignty» by the Western military and political elites and the prospects of transformation of the economy, political regimes and military construction of the European Union. The article considers the possibility of the renaissance of fascist ideology in Europe, as well as the prospects of military construction and mutual integration of the armed forces of European countries.
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION
Authors: Sergeev N. M. , Volkov G. Yu.
Published: January 2024

The article examines various aspects of the impact of a Special military operation on the internal political processes in the Republic of Belarus. The changes in the socio-political system of the Republic of Belarus, issues of anti-terrorist security, the attitude of the Belarusian society to its own and related foreign policy problems are considered.
ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Prokhorova O. V.
Published: January 2024

The article considers the effects of foreign direct investment, analyzes the dynamics and structure of foreign investment in Russia, as well as mutual investment between the CIS countries, assesses the macroeconomic situation in the EAEU countries.
THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND A REVIEW OF MODERN RESEARCH
Authors: Inshakov A. A. , Egorov V. G.
Published: January 2024

Video games are one of the most popular and affordable types of entertainment. They attract the attention of people of all ages and interests, from children to adults. However, with the development of technology and the emergence of new game genres, video game research is becoming more and more relevant. Video game research is conducted in various fields, including psychology, sociology, economics, media studies, and others. One of the main research topics is the impact of video games on the mental health of players. Many studies show that a long time spent playing games can lead to a decrease in concentration, poor sleep and other problems. However, not all studies confirm the negative impact of video games. Some point out that games can help develop social skills, improve coordination of movements and increase the level of intelligence. Others show that video games can be useful for improving cognitive functions in older people. Video game research can help understand how players interact with games and how they perceive game content. For example, research can examine how players use game mechanics, and which elements of games they like the most. In general, as a new social reality, video games are an important area of scientific research. Researchers are trying to understand how games affect people and how they can be used to solve various socio-economic problems. The purpose of the article is to determine the main directions of research in the field of video games based on the analysis of scientific literature.
RUSSIA’S PLACE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION IN THE ERA OF DIGITALIZATION
Authors: Dzarasov R. S.
Published: January 2024

The paper raises the crucial for the modern Russia issue of the influence of the position of the country at the world market for its economic development. Methodological framework of analysis is based on the world-system theory, which puts emphasis on domination of the developed countries (the core) over the developing countries (the periphery). Basing on a large body of empirical data the authors demonstrate such negative repercussions of the semi-peripheral position of the country in the world economy as: structural shifts in favor of extracting industries at the expense of the manufacturing, low scale and quality of the productive investments of the Russian enterprises, weak interest of the Russian business in innovations and digitalization of economy. The authors conclude that in conditions of unprecedented pressure on Russia through sanctions there are prospects for our country to break free from the shackles of unfavorable external economic ties.
PEACEFUL ATOM DIPLOMACY
Authors: Seregina A. A.
Published: January 2024

One of the priorities for the development of Russia’s foreign policy at present is the establishment of a long-term and high-quality perspective on project activities and dialogue. In the course of this research, the author sets himself the task of determining the very basis (industry) on the basis of which it is possible to build the most sustainable format of interaction - cooperation, as well as to give the definition of the format itself better, measurable characteristics. The author comes to the conclusion that joint work on the popularization and further development of projects in the field of nuclear energy can become a reference point for Russia, since the country has extensive experience and competencies in this area: there are currently 11 nuclear power plants operating in the country, a portfolio foreign projects total 35 power units. In the total share of energy generation, nuclear power plants in Russia account for 20 %, while in the European part it is about 40 %. Additionally, it is concluded that the joint implementation of such large-scale technological projects is more resistant to changes in the geopolitical situation, since it serves as a guarantor of energy security, and in addition contributes to the achievement of a number of sustainable development goals: economic growth, assistance in providing the population with quality education, with climate change, etc.
ON THE ACTIONS OF CHISINAU TO DISMANTLE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA IN THE GAS SECTOR
Authors: Lavrenov S. Ya.
Published: January 2024

The article examines the current situation on the Moldovan gas market, analyzes the actions of Chisinau in an attempt to «finally» free itself from Russian gas dependence by purchasing gas from alternative sources in European markets, as well as the role of Energocom in this process. It is stated that European gas supplies are unreliable for Moldova due to the growing shortage of «blue fuel» in the EU. As a result, here, already in the practical plane, the issue of expanding coal mining and resuming the construction of nuclear power plants is being considered. Moldova does not have any significant coal deposits, not to mention the funds needed for the construction of nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, Moldova has slipped to the last place in Europe in terms of gas supply to the population.Prospects of transit of Russian gas for Pridnestrovie through the territory of Ukraine are also considered, possible routes of Russian gas supplies in case of termination of Ukrainian transit are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the history of the implementation of the Third Energy Package in Moldova, the reasons for the accelerated implementation of this procedure this year and the likelihood of Chisinau seizing Moldovagaz under the pretext of implementing the Third Energy Package, as well as the prospects for the return of the «historical» debt to Gazprom.
Shoe for Blind People
Authors: Prof Mahesh Ashok Vyavahare  , Parag Patil  , Yash Ganjale  , Varad Kulkarni  , Pranav Pawar
Published: January 2024

Eyes play important role in our day to day lives and are perhaps the most valuable gift we have. This world is visible to us because we are blessed with eyesight. But there are some people who lag this ability of visualizing these things. Due to this, they will undergo a lot of troubles o move comfortably in public places. Hence, wearable device should design for such visual impaired people. A smart shoe is wearable system design to provide directional information to visually impaired people. To provide smart and sensible navigation guidance to visually impaired people, the system has great potential especially when integrated with visual processing units
IoT Based Smart Energy Meter
Authors: Mahananda N. Pukale  , Manisha K. Raichurkar  , Shivani S. Aousekar  , Nikita S. Rapelli  , Prof. Sachin A. Malvekar
Published: January 2024

In Modern day smart grid technology relies heavily on communication networks for two way communication between load, generation, transmission, and control centre. As a part of the smart grid, smart meters use advanced metering infrastructures (AMI) that are widely distributed and interconnected to the communication network. In modern Technology the smart grid plays very important role for two way communication between Supplier and consumer. Smart meter is main component of smart grid. Currently we are paying electricity bill like one person came to home to read the electricity board and handover the bills to the owner of that house. The drawback of this it requires more man power, time, and many times it has error in bill amount. To eliminate this error smart energy meter is introduced. This system also helps in detecting and control over power theft. this smart energy meter helps us in home automation using IoT and enabling wireless communication which is a great step towards Digital India .Efficient energy utilization plays a very vital role for the development of smart grid in power system By providing real-time monitoring and control of energy consumption, it can help users to reduce their energy usage, save money, and promote sustainable energy consumption. As a first step towards such cyber-attack related researches and searching for possible mitigation techniques, it is necessary that a smart meter be developed that has the feature of network integration. The present contribution reports the design, fabrication, and operation of an Internet of Things (IoT) based smart meter using Arduino to serve as an integral part of a smart grid system.
Android App for People with IDD to Report Abuse
Authors: Prof. Rucha Agrawal  , Aboli Choudhari  , Anjali More  , Snehal Shinde  , Rutuja Trivedi
Published: January 2024

Abuse is a significant concern within the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) community, often accompanied by communication challenges and vulnerability. Our project, the "Speak Up IDD" Android application, is designed to empower and safeguard individuals with IDD by offering a platform to educating them, reporting abuse and seek assistance. This innovative app addresses the urgent issue of abuse within the IDD community. "Speak Up IDD" focuses on providing individuals with IDD a means to express their concerns, ensuring their safety and well-being. The app features a user-friendly interface that caters to varying communication abilities. It offers diverse reporting options, including text-to-speech capabilities, symbol-based communication boards, and voice recognition, ensuring accessibility for users with diverse communication needs. The central function of the app revolves around abuse reporting. Users can confidentially report instances of abuse, whether physical, emotional, or neglect, through a secure and private channel. The app guides users through the reporting process, providing prompts and assistance while safeguarding their anonymity and protection. To further support users, "Speak Up IDD" includes real-time alerts and notifications that can be sent to designated contacts, such as caregivers, family members, or support organizations, ensuring swift responses to reported incidents. The "Speak Up IDD" app is more than just a reporting tool; it is a lifeline for those in the IDD community who are at risk of abuse. Its mission is to create a safer environment, raise awareness, and ensure that no individual with IDD suffers in silence. By providing them with the means to speak up, we aim to empower individuals with IDD, protect their rights, and foster a more supportive and secure community for all
Diseño de investigación social
Authors: Brito Paredes Patricio , Jaramillo Concha Julio , Rodríguez Chiles Fulton , Sánchez Flores Francisco ,   Universidad Técnica de Machala
Published: January 2024

La investigación social promovida y desarrollada desde la academia universitaria en los procesos de formación preprofesional y de especialización de postgrado, es un ejercicio de investigación científica que posibilita el auscultamiento de la realidad de los fenómenos humanos y sociales. Los conocimientos generados contribuyen a la construcción de propuestas con fines prácticos, ampliando los conocimientos en Ciencias Sociales.
Influencia de la edad de los administradores en la toma de decisiones éticas en Mypymes
Authors:   Universidad Técnica de Machala, Plaza Guzmán Jorge Javier , Palomeque Solano María Eugenia ,   Universidad Técnica de Machala, Ramón Ramón Dolores Isabel ,   Universidad Técnica de Machala, León-Serrano Lady Andrea ,   Universidad Técnica de Machala
Published: January 2024

En la actualidad la ética ha recobrado gran importancia en las empresas a causa de divulgados casos de corrupción en el sector público y privado. De acuerdo con el Informe elaborado por Transparencia Internacional (TI, 2021), sobre el Índice de Percepción de la Corrupción -IPC-Ecuador tiene una puntuación de 36/100 puntos, ubicándose en el puesto 105 de entre 180 países evaluados. Las prácticas alejadas de la ética traen consigo cuantiosas pérdidas económicas y quebranto de la reputación de las empresas, que se desenvuelven en ambientes de mucha competencia y necesitan construir confianza y credibilidad ante sus consumidores, clientes potenciales y stakeholders.
GAMIFICACIÓN PARA EL DESARROLLO DEL CAPITAL HUMANO
Authors: Carrasco Roberto , Almengor Seyna
Published: January 2024

El artículo identifica el uso de la gamificación para el desarrollo del capital humano, en una investigación diseñada desde el paradigma cualitativo a partir de un enfoque no experimental, documental, descriptivo e inductivo, utilizando las variables gamificación y recursos humanos. Los resultados se presentaron a partir del desarrollo del capital humano desde su ingreso a la empresa, donde se responde a la atención del mercado de trabajo y sus necesidades, con la gamificación vista como herramienta y como técnica, así como sus riesgos inherentes. El estudio concluye que los métodos tradicionales para reclutamiento, selección y desarrollo de la productividad con las técnicas de gamificación, aunque no sea un método nuevo, iniciaron un auge debido a las tendencias actuales para el desarrollo del capital humano y han sido acogidas en su totalidad por los departamentos de recursos humanos que buscan fomentar las prácticas más eficientes para atraer, seleccionar y retener al colaborador.
INSTAGRAM COMO ESTRATEGIA DE MARKETING DIGITAL EN COMERCIOS MINORISTAS
Authors: Campines Barría Francisco Javier
Published: January 2024

El objetivo del presente estudio consiste en diagnosticar el uso y manejo de la red social Instagram y su influencia como estrategia de marketing en comercios minoristas. El enfoque de la investigación es de carácter mixto de tipo descriptiva, la información fue recabada por medio de un cuestionario. La población estuvo conformada por 17 empresas minoristas localizadas en una plaza comercial del distrito de Santiago, Provincia de Veraguas. Los resultados obtenidos destacan que el 94%, el cual está conformado por 16 comercios minoristas revela utilizar Instagram como parte de sus estrategias de marketing, en contraparte solo un 6% el cual está representado por una empresa indica no utilizar Instagram. La mayor parte de los encuestados (50%) da a conocer que realiza sus publicaciones de forma semanal, en cambio el 38% indica que las hace de forma diaria y por otra parte un 13% publica por medio de Instagram de forma quincenal. Por otra parte 10 de las empresas minoristas lo cual representan el 63% destacan como bastante la influencia que ha tenido Instagram en el incremento de las ventas.
Application of the Dynamic Standard for Assessment and Construction of Scenarios of Economic Development of the Region
Authors: Balgarina L. A. , Jumabayev S. A. , Shokamanov Yu. K.
Published: January 2024

The article discusses an approach to forecasting trends and development of a particular region based on a dynamic model. The purpose of the work was to understand how the method of dynamic regulation is applicable to the construction of future scenarios, assessment and analysis of the economic sphere of the regions. The following methods were used in the study: analytical, statistical, computational-analytical, dialectical, search methods, as well as such general scientific methods as deductive and inductive methods. The main method of constructing the model is the dynamic standard method. The study is based on statistical data on the economic development of the regions of Kazakhstan for the period from 2017 to 2021. The proposed approach makes it possible to quantify the growth and development rates of regional systems and to make estimates of the achievability of the set goals. In turn, understanding the current level of development of a particular system within the region allows for forecasting the development of the system and its elements. The conducted research has shown that in the studied region there is a rather unstable situation in the field of economy, which means there is a risk of increasing social vulnerability. As a continuation of the presented research, dynamic standards for characterizing the ecological and social development of the region are supposed to be calculated.
History of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College
Authors: Gibbs Warmoth T.
Published: January 2024

History of The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College records the history of the university from its beginnings as a land grant institution to 1966. Gibbs discusses the growth and development of the College, its administrative organization, course of study, and the College’s successes and failures. This book aims to be a reference for administrators and the generations of oncoming students.
Analysis of the Operational Performance of International Aviation Institutions with the EIFTOPSIS Method
Authors: ÖZDEMİR Mustafa
Published: January 2024

Purpose: The main goal of this study is to rank the operational performance variables used in aviation according to their importance levels and to measure the operational performance of international aviation institutions.

Methodology: An extended intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS method with maximum deviation is used in criterion weighting and performance measurement, which is relatively new and has no use case in aviation.

Findings: According to the results obtained in the study, it is understood that the total airport movements controlled among the variables used in the operational performance evaluation are the criterion with the highest importance. DSNA (France), ENAIRE (Spain), and DHMI (Türkiye) are in the top three in the best operational performance rankings.

Originality: The operational performance variables offered by EUROCONTROL have been tested for the first time with the extended intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS method.
Radiative effect of thin cirrus clouds in the extratropical lowermost stratosphere and tropopause region
Authors: Spang Reinhold , Müller Rolf , Rap Alexandru
Published: January 2024

Abstract. Cirrus clouds play an important role in the radiation budget of the Earth; nonetheless, the radiative effect of ultra-thin cirrus clouds in the tropopause region and in the lowermost stratosphere remains poorly constrained. These clouds have a small vertical extent and optical depth and are frequently neither observed even by sensitive sensors nor considered in climate model simulations. In addition, their short-wave (cooling) and long-wave (warming) radiative effects are often in approximate balance, and their net effect strongly depends on the shape and size of the cirrus particles. However, the CRyogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere instrument (CRISTA-2) allows ultra-thin cirrus clouds to be detected. Here we use CRISTA-2 observations in summer 1997 in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes together with the Suite Of Community RAdiative Transfer codes based on Edwards and Slingo (SOCRATES) radiative transfer model to calculate the radiative effect of observed ultra-thin cirrus. Using sensitivity simulations with different ice effective particle size and shape, we provide an estimate of the uncertainty in the radiative effect of ultra-thin cirrus in the extratropical lowermost stratosphere and tropopause region during summer and – by extrapolation of the summer results – for winter. Cloud top height and ice water content are based on CRISTA-2 measurements, while the cloud vertical thickness was predefined to be 0.5 or 2 km. Our results indicate that if the ice crystals of these thin cirrus clouds are assumed to be spherical, their net cloud radiative effect is generally positive (warming). In contrast, assuming aggregates or a hexagonal shape, their net radiative effect is generally negative (cooling) during summer months and very likely positive (warming) during winter. The radiative effect is in the order of ±(0.1–0.01) W m−2 for a realistic global cloud coverage of 10 %, similar to the magnitude of the contrail cirrus radiative forcing (of ∼ 0.1 W m−2). The radiative effect is also dependent on the cloud vertical extent and consequently the optically thickness and effective radius of the particle size distribution (e.g. effective radius increase from 5 to 30 µm results in a factor ∼ 6 smaller long- and short-wave effects, respectively). The properties of ultra-thin cirrus clouds in the lowermost stratosphere and tropopause region need to be better observed, and ultra-thin cirrus clouds need to be evaluated in climate model simulations.
Investigating the differences in calculating global mean surface CO2 abundance: the impact of analysis methodologies and site selection
Authors: Wu Zhendong , Vermeulen Alex , Sawa Yousuke , Karstens Ute , Peters Wouter , de Kok Remco , Lan Xin , Nagai Yasuyuki , Ogi Akinori , Tarasova Oksana
Published: January 2024

Abstract. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) coordinates high-quality atmospheric greenhouse gas observations globally and provides these observations through the WMO World Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG) supported by Japan Meteorological Agency. The WDCGG and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) analyse these measurements using different methodologies and site selection to calculate global annual mean surface CO2 and its growth rate as a headline climate indicator. This study introduces a third hybrid method named GFIT, which serves as an independent validation and open-source alternative to the methods described by NOAA and WDCGG. We apply GFIT to incorporate observations from most WMO GAW stations and 3D modelled CO2 fields from CarbonTracker Europe (CTE). We find that different observational networks (i.e. NOAA, GAW, and CTE networks) and analysis methods result in differences in the calculated global surface CO2 mole fractions equivalent to the current atmospheric growth rate over a 3-month period. However, the CO2 growth rate derived from these networks and the CTE model output shows good agreement. Over the long-term period (40 years), both networks with and without continental sites exhibit the same trend in the growth rate (0.030 ± 0.002 ppm yr−1 each year). However, a clear difference emerges in the short-term (1-month) change in the growth rate. The network that includes continental sites improves the early detection of changes in biogenic emissions.
The effect of different Climate and Air Quality policies in China on in situ Ozone production in Beijing
Authors: Nelson Beth S. , Liu Zhenze , Squires Freya A. , Shaw Marvin , Hopkins James R. , Hamilton Jacqueline F. , Rickard Andrew R. , Lewis Alastair C. , Shi Zongbo , Lee James D.
Published: January 2024

Abstract. In recent years, clean air policies have led to reductions in air pollution across China. Alongside this, emerging carbon neutrality (CN) policies that aim to address the impacts of climate change may also deliver air quality (AQ) co-benefits or climate penalties. Different CN policies will lead to different changes in volatile organic compound (VOC), NOx, and particulate matter (PM) emissions, which will in-turn impact the photochemical production of secondary pollutants such as ozone (O3). It is currently unclear how different combinations of AQ and CN policies may impact in situ O3 production across China in the future. A detailed chemical box model incorporating the Master Chemical Mechanism was developed to investigate the impact of combined AQ and CN policies on O3 formation in Beijing. The Multi-resolution Emission Inventory model for Climate and air pollution research (MEIC) and the Dynamic Projection model for Emissions in China (DPEC) were used to estimate future pollutant mixing ratios, relative to ambient observations of 35 VOCs, NOx, CO and aerosol surface area (ASA) during the APHH-Beijing 2017 summer campaign. The most ambitious policy scenario, “Ambitious Pollution 1.5D goals", led to the largest reduction in O3 production by 2060, but was not the most impactful scenario for reducing O3 production between 2030–2045. Larger reductions were observed under the “Ambitious Pollution Neutral goals” policy which focuses on achieving net zero by 2060. O3 production was found to be most sensitive to changes in the OLE2 group of VOCs (alkenes where kOH > 7 x 104 ppm-1 min-1;  a 5 % increase in OLE2 increased simulated O3 production by 1.12 %). However, reducing less reactive but higher concentration species in Beijing (including methanol and short-chain alkanes) led to larger reductions in O3 production under all scenarios. O3 production was not sensitive to changes in ASA, with a 69 % decrease in ASA leading to a change of < 1 % in O3. However, doubling biogenic VOCs in the model further increased O3 production in 2060 under all future scenarios by up to 18 %, indicating that the influence of future climate-induced changes in biogenic emissions may have a significant impact on in situ O3 formation in Beijing. This study highlights that the emission trajectories of certain specific VOCs are highly influential in determining possible future O3 air quality effects that may arise from increasing ambient temperatures and decarbonisation in Beijing.
High Resolution Land Surface Modelling over Africa: the role of uncertain soil properties in combination with temporal model resolution
Authors: Oloruntoba Bamidele Joseph , Kollet Stefan , Montzka Carsten , Vereecken Harry , Hendricks Franssen Harrie-Jan
Published: January 2024

Abstract. Land surface modelling runs with CLM5 over Africa at 3 km resolution were carried out and we assessed the impact of different sources of soil information and different upscaling strategies of the soil information, also in combination with different atmospheric forcings and different temporal resolutions of those atmospheric forcings. FAO and SoilGrids250m were used as soil information. SoilGrids information at 250 m resolution was upscaled to the 3 km grid scale by three different methods: (i) random selection of one of the small SoilGrids250m grid cells contained in the model grid cell; (ii) arithmetic averaging of SoilGrids soil texture values and (iii) selection of the dominant soil texture. These different soil model inputs were combined with different atmospheric forcings model inputs, which provide inputs at different temporal resolutions: CRUNCEPv7 (6-hourly input resolution), GSWPv3 (3-hourly) and WFDE5 (hourly). We found that varying the source of soil texture information (FAO or SoilGrids250m) influences model water balance outputs more than the upscaling methodology of the soil texture maps. However, for high temporal resolution of atmospheric forcings (WFDE5) the different soil texture upscaling methods result in large differences in simulated evapotranspiration, surface runoff and subsurface runoff at the local and regional scales related to the higher resolution representation of rainfall intensity in the model. The upscaling methodology of fine scale soil texture information influences land surface model simulation results, but only clearly in combination with high temporal resolution atmospheric forcings.
Synthesis of jadarite in the Li2O–Na2O–B2O3–SiO2–NaCl–H2O system: FTIR, Raman, and Li and B K-edge XANES characterizations and theoretical calculations
Authors: Xie Xiu-Zhen , Kuang Huiyao , Wiens Eli , Deevsalar Reza , Tunc Ayetullah , Purdy Sarah , Zuin Lucia , Tse John S. , Mi Jin-Xiao , Pan Yuanming
Published: January 2024

Abstract. The occurrence of jadarite (LiNaSiB3O7OH) as a major ore mineral in the world-class lithium–boron deposit of the Miocene Jadar lacustrine basin (western Serbia) raises interesting questions about its formation conditions and potential associations for lithium mineralization in other sedimentary basins. This contribution reports on the first successful synthesis of jadarite in the Li2O–Na2O–B2O3–SiO2–NaCl–H2O system at temperatures from 180 to 230 ∘C and pH values from 6 to 12. Synthetic jadarite has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy, and synchrotron Li and B K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES). First-principles theoretical calculations reproduce the measured FTIR and Raman spectra and allow definitive assignments of vibration modes. Similarly, the measured Li and B K-edge XANES spectra are reasonably reproduced by first-principles theoretical calculations. Our synthesis results, together with its association with searlesite in the Jadar basin, suggest jadarite forms in deep sediments derived from Li-rich alkaline brines under high-temperature diagenetic conditions.
Performance and process-based evaluation of the BARPA-R Australasian regional climate model version 1
Authors: Howard Emma , Su Chun-Hsu , Stassen Christian , Naha Rajashree , Ye Harvey , Pepler Acacia , Bell Samuel S. , Dowdy Andrew J. , Tucker Simon O. , Franklin Charmaine
Published: January 2024

Abstract. Anthropogenic climate change is changing the Earth system processes that control the characteristics of natural hazards both globally and across Australia. Model projections of hazards under future climate change are necessary for effective adaptation. This paper presents BARPA-R (the Bureau of Meteorology Atmospheric Regional Projections for Australia), a regional climate model designed to downscale climate projections over the Australasian region with the purpose of investigating future hazards. BARPA-R, a limited-area model, has a 17 km horizontal grid spacing and makes use of the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM) atmospheric model and the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model. To establish credibility and in compliance with the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) experiment design, the BARPA-R framework has been used to downscale ERA5 reanalysis. Here, an assessment of this evaluation experiment is provided. Performance-based evaluation results are benchmarked against ERA5, with comparable performance between the free-running BARPA-R simulations and observationally constrained reanalysis interpreted as a good result. First, an examination of BARPA-R's representation of Australia's surface air temperature, precipitation, and 10 m winds finds good performance overall, with biases including a 1 ∘C cold bias in daily maximum temperatures, reduced diurnal temperature range, and wet biases up to 25 mm per month in inland Australia. Recent trends in daily maximum temperatures are consistent with observational products, while trends in minimum temperatures show overestimated warming and trends in precipitation show underestimated wetting in northern Australia. Precipitation and temperature teleconnections are effectively represented in BARPA-R when present in the driving boundary conditions, while 10 m winds are improved over ERA5 in six out of eight of the Australian regions considered. Secondly, the paper considers the representation of large-scale atmospheric circulation features and weather systems. While generally well represented, convection-related features such as tropical cyclones, the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ), the Northwest Cloudband, and the monsoon westerlies show more divergence from observations and internal interannual variability than mid-latitude phenomena such as the westerly jets and extratropical cyclones. Having simulated a realistic Australasian climate, the BARPA-R framework will be used to downscale two climate change scenarios from seven CMIP6 global climate models (GCMs).
Meteorological Analysis of the Forcett-Dunalley Wildfire in 2013 in Tasmania, Australia
Authors: Čavlina Tomašević Ivana , Fox-Hughes Paul , Cheung Kevin , Vučetić Višnjica , Marsden-Smedley Jon , Beggs Paul , Telišman Prtenjak Maja
Published: January 2024

Abstract. A major bushfire occurred during January 2013 near the towns Forcett and Dunalley in southeast Tasmania, Australia. Several records were broken by this wildfire, in terms of impacts to eco-systems, infrastructure and lives, as well as the first documented fire storm development in Tasmania in the form of pyrocumulonimbus. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology high-resolution regional reanalysis for Tasmania (BARRA-TA), with 1.5-km spatial resolution, together with in-situ observations, was applied to reconstruct the wildfire event. The antecedent climatic conditions in Tasmania included large increase in fuel load due to abundant rain one to two years before the event, followed by a heatwave during the summer of 2012/13. In the three periods we identified during the event reconstruction, the second period was the most dramatic, in which a low-level jet was directed downslope in southeast Tasmania to accelerate the fire spread. Moreover, spotting of over 3 km was observed, and pyrocumulonimbus developed in this period with lightning up to 13 km from the fire. A cold front crossed the fireground during the third period, and thus played a different role compared with some past extreme fire events in terms of lifting and wind direction change. Our analyses conclude that climatic conditions, synoptic patterns and mesoscale convective environment all contributed to this wildfire event.
Variability and drivers of winter near-surface temperatures over boreal and tundra landscapes
Authors: Tyystjärvi Vilna , Niittynen Pekka , Kemppinen Julia , Luoto Miska , Rissanen Tuuli , Aalto Juha
Published: January 2024

Abstract. Winter near-surface air temperatures have important implications for ecosystem functioning such as vegetation dynamics and carbon cycling. In cold environments, the persistence of seasonal snow cover can exert a strong control on the near-surface temperatures. However, the lack of in situ measurements of both snow cover duration and surface temperatures over high latitudes has made it difficult to estimate the spatio-temporal variability in this relationship. Here, we quantified the fine-scale variability in winter near-surface air temperatures (+2 cm) and snow cover duration (calculated from temperature time series) using a total of 441 microclimate loggers in seven study areas across boreal and tundra landscapes in Finland during 2019–2021. We further examined the drivers behind this variation using a structural equation model and the extent to which near-surface air temperatures are buffered from free-air temperatures during winter. Our results show that while average winter near-surface temperatures stay close to 0 ∘C across the study domain, there are large differences in their fine-scale variability among the study areas. Areas with large topographical variation, as well as areas with shallow snowpacks, showed the greatest variation in near-surface temperatures and in snow cover duration. In the tundra, for example, differences in minimum near-surface temperatures between study sites were close to 30 ∘C and topography was shown to be an important driver of this variability. In contrast, flat topography and long snow cover duration led to little spatial variation, as well as long periods of decoupling between near-surface and air temperatures. Quantifying and understanding the landscape-wide variation in winter microclimates improves our ability to predict the local effects of climate change in the rapidly warming boreal and tundra regions.
Development and Validation of Self-Evaluation Tool to Assess Teaching- Strategies (SETT) of Medical Teachers: A Modified Delphi Study
Authors: Aamer Sidra , Khan Rehan Ahmed , Abbas Beenish , Anwar Fizza Sahar , Nazir Rozina , Tahir Manya
Published: January 2024

Objective: The objective was to develop and validate a tool for self-evaluation of teaching strategies for medical teachers (SETT). Study Design & Setting: A mixed method study was conducted at Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan Methodology: A mixed method study was conducted at Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan from January 15, 2019, to July 15, 2019. Modified Delphi technique was used to establish the content validity of preliminary instrument with 28 items. The response process validity was explored through cognitive interviews. Confirmatory factor analysis was done to confirm the factor model and the reliability of the tool was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: A 28-items preliminary draft instrument was reduced to 14-items final instrument after administering content validity, cognitive pretesting, and confirmatory factor analysis. Content Validity Scale was 0.97. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a model with a good fit and an acceptable internal consistency. These statistical values signify that the tool developed has a good validity and good reliability which means that the tool rightly measured what it was supposed to measure and is reliable to evaluate the required question every time. Conclusions: A self-evaluation tool of teaching- strategies (SETT) questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate teaching strategies of medical teachers.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Chest X-Ray for the Diagnosis of Interstitial Lung Disease Keeping High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) as Gold Standard
Authors: Sadiq Nosheen , Iftikhar Ammara , Khan Muhammad Usman , Ehsan Hussain Rashid , Hussain Naveed
Published: January 2024

Objective: To determine diagnostic accuracy of chest x-ray for the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease keeping high resolution computed tomography as gold standard. Study design and setting: Comparative cross sectional study, Department of Radiology PNS Shifa Karachi Methodology: Study done over the period of 1 year and two months. 160 Patients were included by using non-probability consecutive sampling all underwent CXR and HRCT chest. Sample size was calculated using sensitivity and specificity calculator for sample size with expected sensitivity of 80%7, expected specificity of 82.98%7and expected prevalence of 76%7 Results: In this 160 patients were included by using non probability sampling. Among all 116(72.50%) were males while 44 (27.50%) were females. Sensitivity (SE),specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) negative predictive value(NPV) and diagnostic accuracy of CXR vs HRCT in cases of ILD was 88.89%, 87.50%, 88.89%, 87.50% and 88.24% respectively. Conclusion: Chest x-ray has high diagnostic accuracy and simultaneously readily available and cost effective modality, therefore it can be effectively used as alternative to HRCT