bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding and managing wildlife jams in national parks: An evaluation in Grand Teton National Park
Authors: Monz Christopher , Kidd Abigail M.
Published: July 2020

As recreation and tourism in parks and protected areas continues to increase, managers face rising concerns of degradation of natural resources and the visitor experience. Many park visitors are seeking opportunities to view or photograph wildlife. Visitor behavior in prime wildlife-viewing areas often involves visitors parking along roadways and exiting their cars to view wildlife. This creates a phenomenon known as a “wildlife jam”, as visitors park informally along a roadway, often becoming pedestrians as they view wildlife, while other motorists attempt to drive through. To date, no studies have comprehensively investigated this phenomenon. Our study characterizes the nature of wildlife jams on the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was used to collect high-accuracy data on location and duration of the jams. Observations during jams characterize size (how many visitors and cars were involved) and visitor behaviors during jams. Preliminary results suggest that jam characteristics including presence of park staff, species involved, and location, can affect the duration, extent, and visitor behaviors that occur. Understanding the nature of these jams will enable park managers to minimize the potential negative effects of jams on wildlife and the visitor experience.

 

Featured photo by letdown102 on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/57jUok
Using LiDAR imagery to locate historic-era homesteads and irrigation features of the Mormon Row, Antelope Flats, and dry farms historic landscapes, Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming
Authors: Schroeder William
Published: July 2020

GIS analysis of LiDAR imagery facilitated a modified NHPA Section 110 Class II survey and inventory performed in the summer of 2016 resulting in the identification of hundreds of fragmentary, relict, and extant cultural resources located in the vicinity of the Mormon Row Historic District (MRHD; 48TE1444) between June 6 and August 10, 2016. Correct identification and association of newly located cultural resources with persons, historic-era homesteads, and historic events is a complex and lengthy process requiring thorough artifact analysis and substantial background, ethnologic, and archival (contextual) research to make recommendations of significance, eligibility, and/or inclusion as contributing elements or not to the MRHD. Moving from the artifact scale to the site, feature, or historic district scale is a scalar process. Once at the site or historic district scale, it may be appropriate to ask whether the cultural resources can be addressed at a landscape scale, and ask new research questions such as: What if one were to consider all the cultural resources–prehistoric, historic, and natural–together? Are there theories and/or methodologies that can accommodate multiple layers of cultural resources and time frames and result in interpretations that are meaningful for present and future cultural resources management praxis?

 

Featured photo by Tim Peterson on Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/Ab6ksdu5Q7k
The positive effects of caring for family carers of older adults: a scoping review
Authors: Pysklywec Alex , Plante Michelle , Auger Claudine , Mortenson William B. , Eales Jacquie , Routhier François , Demers Louise
Published: July 2020

The negative effects of caring are well documented; however, positive effects have received less attention. A scoping review of 22 studies published between 2000 and 2018 was conducted regarding the positive effects of family caring for older adults. Our analysis revealed that positive effects are embedded in relationships, summarised in three themes: in relationship with one’s self (the carer), for example, personal growth; in relationship with the care recipient, for example, a deepened dyadic relationship; and in relationship with others, for example, new care-related relationships. Seeing the positive effects of caring relationally may shape environmental factors, such as assistive device, social policy or health services development.
Ultrashort inverted tapered silicon ridge-to-slot waveguide coupler at 1.55  µm and 3.392  µm wavelength
Authors: Butt M. A. , Khonina S. N. , Kazanskiy N. L.
Published: July 2020

Herein, a compact and efficient inverted tapered ridge-to-slot
waveguide coupler design based on the
silicon-on-insulator platform is presented. The proposed device
consists of three segments such as ridge waveguide, inverted taper
segment, and slot waveguide. The coupling segment resembles a V shape,
which provides good mode-matching between the ridge and slot
waveguide. Two significant aspects of the proposed coupler design are
discussed. In the first part of the paper, the coupler design
optimized at 1.55 µm is suggested for optical interconnect. The
propagation loss and coupling efficiency of 1.69 dB/µm and 91% are
obtained for the 100 nm long tapered segment introduced between the
ridge waveguide and slot waveguide, respectively. This propagation
loss of the device includes the loss suffered by the ridge waveguide,
tapered segment, and slot waveguide. Our proposed device design can be
used in integrated optical platforms, where the efficient coupling of
light to slot waveguides is required. Whereas, in the second part, the
coupler design is optimized at the mid-infrared of 3.392 µm for an
evanescent field absorption methane gas sensor. Slot waveguide offers
excessive light–matter interaction due to its strong mode confinement
in the low index material. The evanescent field ratio of

∼

0.73

is obtained for the optimized
waveguide geometry. As a result, 3 dB decay in the transmitted power
can be obtained at 60% of gas concentration present in the ambient
medium.
Machine learning for composition analysis of ssDNA using chemical enhancement in SERS
Authors: Nguyen Phuong H. L. , Hong Brandon , Rubin Shimon , Fainman Yeshaiahu
Published: July 2020

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an attractive method for bio-chemical sensing due to its potential for single molecule sensitivity and the prospect of DNA composition analysis. In this manuscript we leverage metal specific chemical enhancement effect to detect differences in SERS spectra of 200-base length single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecules adsorbed on gold or silver nanorod substrates, and then develop and train a linear regression as well as neural network models to predict the composition of ssDNA. Our results indicate that employing substrates of different metals that host a given adsorbed molecule leads to distinct SERS spectra, allowing to probe metal-molecule interactions under distinct chemical enhancement regimes. Leveraging this difference and combining spectra from different metals as an input for PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and NN (Neural Network) models, allows to significantly lower the detection errors compared to manual feature-choosing analysis as well as compared to the case where data from single metal is used. Furthermore, we show that NN model provides superior performance in the presence of complex noise and data dispersion factors that affect SERS signals collected from metal substrates fabricated on different days.
Moxifloxacin based axially swept wide-field fluorescence microscopy for high-speed imaging of conjunctival goblet cells
Authors: Lee Jungbin , Kim Seonghan , Yoon Chang Ho , Kim Myoung Joon , Kim Ki Hean
Published: July 2020

Goblet cells (GCs) in the conjunctiva are specialized epithelial cells producing mucins on the ocular surface. GCs play important roles in maintaining homeostasis of the ocular surface, and GC dysfunction is associated with various complications including dry eye diseases. Current GC examination methods, which are conjunctival impression cytology and confocal reflection microscopy, have limitations for routine examination. Fluorescence microscopy using moxifloxacin was recently introduced as a non-invasive and high-contrast imaging method, but further development is needed to be used for GC examination. Here we developed a non-invasive high-speed high-contrast GC imaging method, called moxifloxacin based axially swept wide-field fluorescence microscopy (MBAS-WFFM). This method acquired multiple fluorescence images with the axial sweeping of the focal plane to capture moxifloxacin labeled GCs on the tilted conjunctival surface in focus and generated all-in-focus images by combining the acquired images. The imaging field of view and imaging speed were increased to 1.6 mm × 1.6 mm and 30 fps. An image processing method was developed for the analysis of GC density. MBAS-WFFM was applied to alkali burn mouse models and detected GC damage and recovery via longitudinal imaging. MBAS-WFFM could assess the status of GCs rapidly and non-invasively. We anticipate MBAS-WFFM to be a starting point for non-invasive GC examination and the diagnosis of GC associated diseases. For example, MBAS-WFFM could be used to classify dry eye diseases into detail categories for effective treatment.
Adaptive photonic RF spectral shaper
Authors: Liu Qidi , Fok Mable P.
Published: July 2020

The radio frequency spectral shaper is an essential component in emerging multi-service mobile communications, multiband satellite and radar systems, and future 5G/6G radio frequency systems for equalizing spectral unevenness, removing out-of-band noise and interference, and manipulating multi-band signal simultaneously. While it is easy to achieve simple spectral functions using either conventional microwave photonic filters or the optical spectrum to microwave spectra mapping techniques, it is challenging to enable complex spectral shaping functions over tens of GHz bandwidth as well as to achieve point-by-point shaping capability to fulfill the needs in dynamic wireless communications. In this paper, we proposed and demonstrated a novel spectral shaping system, which utilizes a two-section algorithm to automatically decompose the target RF response into a series of Gaussian functions and to reconstruct the desired RF response by microwave photonic techniques. The devised spectral shaping system is capable of manipulating the spectral function in various bands (S, C, and X) simultaneously with step resolution of as fine as tens of MHz. The resolution limitation in optical spectral processing is mitigated using the discrete convolution technique. Over 10 dynamic and independently adjustable spectral control points are experimentally achieved based on the proposed spectral shaper.
In vivo imaging of the depth-resolved optic axis of birefringence in human skin
Authors: Li Qingyun , Sampson David D. , Villiger Martin
Published: July 2020

Recent progress has enabled the reconstruction of the local
(i.e., depth-resolved) optic axis (OAx) of biological tissue from
measurements made with polarization-sensitive optical coherence
tomography (PS-OCT). Here we demonstrate local OAx imaging in healthy
human skin in vivo. The images reveal
dense, weaving patterns that are imperceptible in OCT intensity
tomograms or conventional PS-OCT metrics and that suggest a mesh-like
tissue organization, consistent with the morphology of dermal
collagen. Using co-registered polarization-sensitive optical coherence
microscopy, we furthermore investigated the impact of spatial
resolution on the recovered OAx patterns and confirmed their
consistency. OAx orientation as a contrast mechanism merits further
exploration for applications in dermatology.
Dispersion-like lineshape observed in cavity-enhanced saturation spectroscopy of HD at 1.4  µm
Authors: Hua T.-P. , Sun Y. R. , Hu S.-M.
Published: July 2020

Precision measurement of ro-vibrational transitions in the electronic ground state of the hydrogen molecule can be used to test quantum electrodynamics and also to determine the dimensionless proton-to-electron mass ratio. Saturation spectroscopy of the 2-0 overtone transitions of hydrogen deuterium (HD) were measured with three cavity-enhanced spectroscopy methods. With a sensitivity at the

10

−
13

c
m

−
1

level, we revealed a dispersion-like lineshape instead of a conventional Lamb “dip,” which explains the significant discrepancy among previous independent measurements. The spectra can be fit well by using the Fano profile. Centers of R(1) and R(3) lines were determined as 217 105 182 111

(
19

)

s
t
a
t

(
240

)

s
y
s

k
H
z

and 220 704 305 234

(
20

)

s
t
a
t

(
240

)

s
y
s

k
H
z

, respectively.
A pleasant coach journey across the political frontier: Public art and suburban dissensus
Authors: Cross David , Bishop Cameron
Published: July 2020

‘Six Moments in Kingston Town’ was an art project developed by the Public Art Commission in May 2019 that sought to collectively speak to the diverse cultures and shared histories of the City of Kingston, south of Melbourne. A series of leading Australian artists were commissioned to work with local community groups to develop projects that spoke to the complex, rich and interwoven social fabrics of this region, concentrating on the period of the mid-1970s to early 1980s. Using as key case studies events such as the election of Moorabbin’s first female councillor in 1976, a selection of nationally famous political protests in 1982, and the disappearance of aviator Fred Valentich who flew out from Moorabbin airport in 1978 never to be seen again, the project sought to highlight hidden or obscured historical moments that impacted well beyond the Kingston region. This text examines how curatorial practice via the commissioning of a series of iterative, place-specific, temporary projects can serve to nurture resilient communities while showcasing adventurous, challenging contemporary art. In picking up on local gestures, materials and events that clearly resonate with our contemporary milieu, we bring into question art’s repeated teleology – one that eschews resistance in favour of its own disappearance into a kind of utopic consensus, where politics, art, culture and the economy fuse into a life of communal accord. In this article, we argue that the making of public artworks as dissensus serves to resist the collapse of art into life and, therefore, the danger that, with the disappearance of art, politics is doomed as well. As the article progresses, we pick up on a number of theoretical threads that present the works as ruptures in our conventional approaches to these sites and their histories.
Pattern Interrupt
Authors: Roberts Lynda
Published: July 2020

Operating in contested fields often requires agile and lateral actions to keep a project moving. Pattern Interrupt was an autonomous, discursive mobile artwork, located outside and between the institutional surroundings of RMIT University. It speculated on the tactical actions needed to work creatively within Melbourne’s public realm via a playful discussion series, augmented through a card game that stimulated the sharing of experiences between AAANZ Conference delegates, drawing on their various roles in the field. The cards distilled my accumulated insights from provisional experiments, workarounds and shortfalls as a transdisciplinary practitioner working in public art. They harnessed the language and format of artist instructions such as Oblique Strategies (1975) by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt and early management games, such as Distant Early Warning (1969) by Marshall McLuhan. Operating at the intersection of publication and game, the deck of cards specifically challenged the linear format of a book or presentation as a way to distil findings from the field. Instead, it was a dynamic set of chance operations that could be reapplied within practice while remaining open to multiple interpretations. As a live laboratory, it articulated and activated knowledge/s drawn from the public realm. It offered participants an opportunity to find play in bureaucratic systems, and to work around intractable public art predicaments together.
India at the Venice Biennale: Collateral Events From and Beyond the Nation
Authors: Querol Nuria
Published: July 2020

iCon: India Contemporary (2005) was not only the first collateral event of India at the Venice Biennale, but it also began as a bid to become a national pavilion – an ambition that was ultimately unsuccessful. Drawing on original research and interview data surrounding the exhibition, this article examines the collaborations and conflicts between private art institutions, artists and the state in the context of India’s participation in the Venice Biennale since the 2000s. The article foregrounds a transversal approach – that is, an analytical framework that unsettles the conventional dichotomy between national pavilions and collateral events – and demonstrates how commercial galleries and private art institutions have acquired an important role in the production and exhibition of Indian contemporary art in global biennial circuits.
Possessing Nature: The Mexican Pavilion as a Site of Critical Analysis
Authors: González Rueda Ana Sol
Published: July 2020

This article examines the complexities of sustaining a critical curatorial approach in the context of the national pavilions at the Venice Biennale. It discusses Possessing Nature, the 2015 Mexican pavilion, from the author’s insider perspective as Project Coordinator. Curated by Karla Jasso, the exhibition presented an installation by Tania Candiani and Luis Felipe Ortega, and was conceived as a site of critical analysis focused on Venice’s and Mexico City’s environmental crises. This case study sheds light on the contradictory politics of the Biennale by exploring the challenges of introducing an experimental approach to mediation and of constructing the exhibition as a site of active research.
Dividend Behaviour of Quoted Companies of the Douala Stock Exchange Market, Cameroon
Authors: Akume Daniel Akume , Njimanted Godfrey , Yakum Ivan
Published: July 2020

For over sixty years now, finance researchers have concentrated on conducting studies on dividend behaviour as well as its determinants in different countries in the world.Some have exploited the effects of dividend payout on the performance of quoted companies with particular interest on current and previous levels of dividends as it is also the case with the level of profits, most of which give divergent conclusions. It is based on the above that this study was designed to examine the determinants of dividend behaviour ofquoted companies in the Douala Stock Exchange market using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) regressiontechniques based on secondary quarterly data from the Douala Stock ExchangeReports. The findings reveals thatearnings per share, the previous level of dividend and capital structure determine the current dividend behaviour in the Douala stock exchange market.While the previous level of dividend serves as a central bench mark when deciding on the dividend policy, increases in earnings per share and/or decrease in debt to equity ratio have potentials of significantly increasing dividend per share. Based on this finding, it is strongly recommended that policy measure by the government or corporate management aimed at providing and controlling a consistent pattern of dividend payment should take the previous level of dividends into consideration and should also pay special attention to earnings per share and capital structure of the listed companies.Therefore the capital structure which must be tilted towards indigenous equity should be put in place to avoid excessive capital flight.
Socio-economic Comparison of Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea: Implications for Doing Business
Authors: OZER Ayhan , Li Mingyang , Diadhiou Fatima , Fu Likun , Vanthillo Niels
Published: July 2020

Both South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore are part of an exclusive group called ‘The Asian Tigers’. They are high-income economies that offer some of the world’s best living conditions and most competitive business environments. In the following paper, the history, socio-economic environment and industry of Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea will be compared and relevant differences highlighted. Through our research, we hope to provide a comprehensive summary for everyone with an interest in conducting business in Asia.
The impact of market drops is different for investors before and after retirement
Authors: Samsa Greg
Published: July 2020

As applied to investing for and during retirement, the popular financial press has promulgated two memes about the impact of market drops: (1) for those investing for retirement market drops aren’t problematic; and (2) for those in retirement market drops are.    We use simulation to illustrate the logic behind these memes, to demonstrate that they are mostly but not entirely true, and finally to restate them more precisely.  Although sequence of returns risk is not present during the accumulation phase as an investor plans for retirement, it can have a significant (and perhaps underestimated) impact during retirement.  This, however, can place the retiree in a predicament – namely, settle for lower returns and lower distributions during retirement or gamble on stocks.  However, it does not necessarily imply that retirees must abandon the expected returns associated with stocks, because of the ability to write deep-in-the-money covered call options, which harvest the expected market return (but no more than this) with limited variability.
Blockchain in Healthcare
Authors: Veuger Jan
Published: July 2020

Healthcare is a key factor in deciding people's physical and mental well-being, which is why it is often widely recognized as a major contributor to the economy of a country. The quality of society's healthcare system and facilities is considered one of the most important factors in the development of a country. Today almost all medical records are stored in an Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) system which improves access to clinical data intended to streamline costs. However, EHRs are essentially non-portable and kept on the networks where they were created mainly for purposes of interoperability, security, and liability. This results in a loss of medical quality for the patient and a rise in healthcare costs as the sharing of information between multiple healthcare facilities, spread around different places, is highly dependent on the patient who is not known as the data owner and might not be aware of such treatments obtained.The objective of this article was to investigate is Blockchain relevant to the healthcare system and benefits when it was applied to the medical sector. Considering if Blockchain can help patient be the owner and have the control of their medical records. With its functions and effectiveness, Blockchain could be the key to change the current health system. While it is not yet a 100% perfect technology, what Blockchain offers can help the healthcare system develop or at least alleviate problems that are occurring.
PPI inflation rate from 1% to 6% – Mathematical Reasoning of Economic Intervening Principle Based on Yin Yang Wu Xing Theory in Traditional Chinese Economics (II)
Authors: Zhang Yingshan
Published: July 2020

PPI (Producer Price Index) is useful in understanding industry economic disease. By using mathematical reasoning based on Yin Yang Wu Xing Theory in Traditional Chinese Economics (TCE) or Traditional Chinese Science (TCS), this paper demonstrates that for the PPI inflation rate of industry economic society, the normal range of theory is  nearly to . The first or second transfer law of economic diseases changes according to the different PPI inflation rate whether in the normal range or not. The treatment principle:“Don’t have economic disease cure cure non-ill” () is abiding by the first or second transfer law of economic diseases. Assume that the range of PPI inflation rate is divided into four parts from small to large. Both second and third are for a healthy economy. Our works are the prevention or treatment for a more serious relation economic disease which comes from the first transfer law. And both first and fourth are for an unhealthy economy. Our works are the prevention or treatment for a more serious relation economic disease which comes from the second transfer law. Economic disease treatment should protect and maintain the balance of two incompatibility relations: the loving relationship and the killing relationship.
Public Library Services & information Literacy Level for Curriculum Implementation: A Case Study of Language Education Students in Ambrose Ali University
Authors: Alufohai Peace Joan , Alufohai Odion
Published: July 2020

The study investigated some of the public library services and information literacy level amongst students. The study was guided by four research questions and one hypothesis. The study adopted the descriptive survey designs. The population for the study consisted of all the 718 English and French language education students while the sample consisted of 168 language education students who patronize the library. The instrument used for data collection is a questionnaire titled Public Library Services and Literary Level Questionnaire (PLSLLQ). The study adopted Descriptive survey design. Statistics of the mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to answer the hypothesis. The study revealed amongst others that there is a positive relationship between the services offered in the library and information literacy level, thus revealing that when the services are poor, information literacy will also be poor. Based on the findings, recommendations were made amongst which is that the Nigerian government and stakeholders should ensure adequate funding of public library
Somatic Culture in Colombia: beginnings and transformations of the concept in 27 years of research
Authors: Gonzalez-Posada Carlos Mauricio
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this article is to present succinctly, how the concept of somatic culture was born in our environment, and how it has been the evolution and transformation of the concept itself, that has resulted in interdisciplinary work around the dimensions of somatic culture (sexuality-eroticism, motor expressions, health, aesthetic ideal, semiotics, work, biopolitics, emotions). The exercise allowed not only to trace the origin of the somatic culture concept, but also made it possible to cover the methodological scenario on which somatic culture has made its foray, that is, the educational and social spheres, thus allowing that during the 27 years of the group's existence, many research and intervention projects were born, which have founded and consolidated two lines of research: somatic culture and educational context; and somatic culture and sociocultural construction.
Bilinguals, Monolinguals and their Choices of Metacognitive Strategies in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking
Authors: Falla-Wood Julia , Varghese Keciya
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this explorative study is to compare the choices of metacognitive strategies made by bilinguals and monolinguals in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Kovelman, Baker & Petitto (2008) compare bilingual and monolingual brains and observe that there is a differential activation in the syntactic process between bilinguals and monolinguals. Could there be a difference between monolinguals and bilinguals in the choice of metacognitive strategies too? The data, collected in three private institutions, one in Quebec, and two in Alberta, consists of 144 students, 72 monolinguals, and 72 bilinguals. The instrument of research is a questionnaire. The results of this study show that 63.8% of all participants are unaware of the concept of metacognition. This lack of awareness is found not only in high school students but also in senior university students. In the category of bilinguals, the students acknowledge being bilinguals, but the percentage of those who feel comfortable in both languages is only 47.2%. Regarding the choices of metacognitive strategies, there are more similarities than differences between bilinguals and monolinguals. The implications of these results could lead educators to be intentional in bringing awareness of the concept of metacognition in a more efficient manner. Further research is needed to determine if the choice of specific metacognitive strategies would improve the four language skills.
Modeling Of Stunting Prevelence Reduction In Toddlers By Securing Household Waste (Based On The Health Belief Model Theory)
Authors: Fadilah Mariatul , Andrean Andy , Trinita Melros
Published: July 2020

Stunting is a condition of nutritional deficiencies caused by insufficient long-term nutritional intake. It is estimated that one in four children under the age of five fails to grow along the optimal trajectory set in the World Health Organization's Child Growth Standards. This study aims to find a model of reducing the prevalence of stunting in children under five in the city of Palembang through processing household waste. This research was an analytic observational study through a quantitative approach and cross-sectional study design.  In this study, the population is all mothers who have children under five (0-59 months) who check the condition of their children in the working area of ​​Palembang city health center. Each increase in 1 unit of perception of seriousness increases 0.074 units of Securing Household Waste Behavior (p value = 0.024) On the perception of benefits obtained every increase of 1 unit it will increase 0.135 units of Securing household waste behavior (p value = 0.001). Every increase of 1 unit of perception of eating problems will decrease 0.067 units of Securing Household Waste Behavior (p value = 0.049). Cue unit to act increases 0.078 units of CTPS behavior (p value = 0.023) Every increase of 1 unit of ability / efficacy increases 0.518 units of Securing household waste behavior (p value = 0.001). Each increase of 1 unit of Securing Household Waste Behavior will decrease stunting of 0.071 units (p-value = 0.039) From this study conclusions can be drawn from the perception of vulnerability, perception of seriousness, perceived usefulness, gestures to act, ability / self-efficacy has influence uh positive about household waste management behavior, but the perception of obstacles has a negative influence on Securing household waste. The most influential component of gesture for action is family support.
Challenges and Opportunities of Developing an ESP University Course without a Textbook – a multiple case study
Authors: ROMAGNUOLO Anna
Published: July 2020

The growing demand for ESP courses, due not only to the use of English as a lingua franca in a globalized professional world but also to the relatively recent requirements of “internationalized” university degrees, has made the teaching of English for Special Purposes, with the areas and the language teaching approaches (EOP, EAP, EVP) it has come to include, increasingly reliant on the use of specialized EFL textbooks. However, the ESP books available in the market still might not cover all the non-linguistic specialized university disciplines, or they might be too costly and time-consuming for short, elective, and pass/fail EFL courses worth few ECTS credits.This paper will report on the author’s experience of teaching a University Business Communication course without the use of textbooks, and with significant resort to online free educational resources and “non-desktop” technologies, materials and tools, which have also been exploited to involve students in the preparation of flipped lessons and the creation of their own educational material. The course-specific features and students’ outcomes, especially in terms of competence and skill development, will be described with a brief analysis of the pros and cons of transforming a formal educational setting in an informal language learning experience.
A Life Skills Assessment Scale for High School Students in Tehran
Authors: Saraee Soheila , Shabani Somayeh , Pasnak Robert
Published: July 2020

A life skills questionnaire was developed based on existing theories. The content validity of the questions was evaluated by educational experts. The resulting life skills questionnaire had 83 questions and ten subscales: empathy, emotion regulation, self-awareness, problem solving, effective communication, interpersonal communication, stress and critical thinking, creative thinking and decision making.  It had good reliability (r = .91) and validity. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the proposed ten factor model of the questionnaire. Given its reliability and validity, this scale of life skills can be used as a tool by researchers.
The comparison between repeated measures ANOVA and multilevel modeling to investigate the effectiveness of language instruction
Authors: Park Eunjeong
Published: July 2020

The purpose of the current study is to compare two different statistical analyses—repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multilevel modeling (MLM)—with regard to international second language (L2) students’ lexico-grammatical writing gains in the interventions. Fifty college students’ lexico-grammatical writing gains in the pre-test, immediate and delayed post-tests were collected from three groups—one control and two intervention groups. Research questions include: (1) Is there a change in the dependent variable over time through repeated measures ANOVA?; (2) How much on average do the individuals change over time through MLM?; and (3) What are the differences of the results between repeated measures ANOVA and MLM? Repeated measures ANOVA and MLM were conducted separately to answer the research questions. Both analyses revealed that there was no difference of the interventions over time. In terms of methodological considerations, however, the two analyses exhibited the results in a different manner. Repeated measures ANOVA requires several assumptions (e.g., homoschedasticity and sphericity) while MLM does not need the requirement of the data as long as it contains different periodic datasets. Furthermore, MLM enables researchers to investigate the rate of individual growth. This paper offers methodological insight into adequate quantitative analyses to investigate the effectiveness of language acquisition and learning.
Operational alteration of the Labor Capacity Index measurement model for qualitative work
Authors: Linke Knut
Published: July 2020

The Marx term Labour capacity contains the ability to handle change, imponderables and complexity and is personal part of an employee. The Labour Capacity Index (LCI) is developed to measure the use of labour capacity at work places and from employee itself. The index helps to understand the handling and dealing of complexity and imponderables at work. For the index itself is assumed that the index itself news small adjustment to be more valuable.

A critic point of the LCI seems to be the existing scale and the used values, do to limitations on the available record set. This paper displays the results of a hopeful useful change in the operationalization of the measurement of labour capacity to increase the understanding of workers and their personal and experienced input to work. The comparison of the results is based on a survey with the working environment of IT employees.

From the analysis of the results and out of the following comparison between the new and the old approach for the LCI, it can be displayed that the change in the operationalization can be done successfully. The including of new variable values also allowed a more detailed and distributes view on the labour market and the research labor capacity.
The rise and fall of the Khalistan Movement: A chronology of events
Authors: Kataria Shyamal
Published: July 2020

The Khalistan Movement was an armed secessionist struggle led by the Sikhs of Punjab, in northern India. Perhaps the most haunting memories associated with the insurgency relate to the Indian Army’s brutal raid upon the ‘sanctum-sanctorum’ of the Sikh faith, the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. While the support for Sikh political separatism pre-dates India’s independence, many scholars, albeit somewhat synthetically, attempting to place a fixed timeframe around the Khalistan movement tend to commence their chronology of events from 1981 and end them in 1993. This is largely because it was during this time period that Punjab endured a heightened level of Sikh militancy. What this article aims to do is to carefully detail the significant events that occurred during that period.
Collective Teacher Efficacy: A Critical Review of Education's Top Influence
Authors: Hoogsteen T.J.
Published: July 2020

Statements claiming that efforts of policy makers, system and school leaders, and staff developments toward education reforms might be better served  by strategically and intentionally considering how to foster collective efficacy throughout the conceptualization, design, delivery, and assessment of change initiatives (Donohoo, 2018, p. 340) require continued attempts to provide critical reviews of the available literature, as does this review. Furthermore, Donohoo (2018) discussed the need for reviews of research to examine what is known about the causal directions amongst the outcomes of collective efficacy, and the current article does this as well.  This is especially important and timely considering that collective teacher efficacy (CTE) is regarded by many as the top influence on student achievement.  This review undertakes an examination of articles related to CTE and achievement, leadership, teacher outcomes, and professional learning communities.  It draws attention to important future directions for collective efficacy research as well as valuable insights for school and district leaders responsible for determining school and system priorities.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS BEFORE AND AFTER COMPANY ACQUISITION: CASE STUDY IN PT. INDOSAT TBK
Authors: Daryanto Wiwiek Mardawiyah , Alfathan Irfan Rizky , Siregar Yunandra Reza Nugraha
Published: July 2020

Telecommunications companies in Indonesia have increased revenue from data services. This is due to the increased penetration of smartphones in Indonesia and the wider coverage of 4G LTE services. Indosat Ooredoo, company name is PT Indosat Tbk. with the previous name Indosat is one of the companies in Indonesia who provides telecommunications services and networks. In 2013, the Qatar telecommunications company controlled 65% of Indosat's shares and planned to replace all of its owned companies with the name Ooredoo Asia Pte. Ltd. On November 19, 2015 Indosat finally changed its identity and logo with the name Indosat Ooredoo. Because of that, the intent of this case is to know the financial performance of Indosat Ooredoo and to verify the significant differences between financial performances before and after the acquisition in 2015. Data collected from Indosat Ooredoo financial statements are taken with two periods: before the acquisition (2012-2015) and after the acquisition (2016-2019). Paired sample t-test and financial ratio analysis method were used to analyze the entire data. The research proves that Indosat Ooredoo is in a very good financial condition with good performance after the acquisition. Even if several factors are not significantly improved. The author believes that the research will be useful to prove the true effect of acquisition decisions within Indosat Ooredoo Company.
Measuring Pro-environmental Attitude among Women in Osun State of Nigeria
Authors: Oyegoke Bolatumi
Published: July 2020

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Reformy uniwersytetów europejskich. Państwo dobrobytu jako brakujący kontekst badań i polityki publicznej
Authors: Kwiek Marek
Published: July 2020

This paper is focused on the links between reform agendas and their rationales in higher education and in welfare state services across Europe. Lessons learnt from past and ongoing welfare state reforms can be useful in understanding ongoing and future higher education reforms. Research on reforming European welfare states is a missing context in research on reforming European universities. We intend to fill this gap and briefly explore possible links between these two largely isolated policy and research areas. European universities and European welfare states are closely linked today because they are heavily dependent on public funding – and the competition for public funding between the different claimants to it is on the rise. Reforms of both sectors are also closely linked to increasing intergenerational conflicts over public resources in aging societies, and pressures on both sectors are linked to the shrinking tax base, the power of the neoliberal ideology, and changing social attitudes to both welfare and universities. Problems of both sectors and solutions to them are increasingly being defined at a global level through transnational reform discourses.
Filozofia ekspercka – nieakademicka kontrofensywa filozofii?
Authors: Rogacz Dawid
Published: July 2020

This article is the first Polish presentation of the project of expert philosophy, perceived as a non-academic response to the contemporary crisis of humanities. In the field of metaphilosophy and methodology, expert philosophy tries to cooperate fruitfully with science and market, coming across fundamental research of economy and management studies. Refering to the Sophistic movement, it wants to return to the practical dimension of logic and philosophical ethics. Its crucial issue is how to describe expert knowledge, what is reflected in the didactics.
Ideowy wymiar badań religioznawczych
Authors: Sławomir Sztajer Sławomir Sztajer
Published: July 2020

Ideology is often perceived as an impediment to advancing the scientific study of religion. The rhetoric of scientificity, which is present in many academic publications in religious studies, seems to conceal a fear of a marriage between science and ideology. The article argues that it is neither possible nor necessary to build religious studies freed from ideological influences. It is not entirely possible because no researcher can isolate herself from ideological factors which are a result of his participation in social life. But it is also not necessary because one can conduct careful and rigorous research in some ideological frameworks. There are situations in which the ideological factor can play a considerable and positive role. What is import_ant, however, is to develop an unceasing critique of ideological influences which aims at uncovering and then controlling them both on the scientific and institutional plane.
Blow-up criteria and instability of normalized standing waves for the fractional Schrödinger-Choquard equation
Authors: Binhua Feng , Chen Ruipeng , Liu Jiayin
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we study blow-up criteria and instability of normalized standing waves for the fractional Schrödinger-Choquard equation

i

∂
t

ψ
−
(
−

Δ

)
s

ψ
+
(

I
α

∗

|

ψ

|

p

)

|

ψ

|

p
−
2

ψ
=
0.

$$\begin{array}{}
\displaystyle
i\partial_t\psi- (-{\it\Delta})^s \psi+(I_\alpha \ast |\psi|^{p})|\psi|^{p-2}\psi=0.
\end{array}$$

By using localized virial estimates, we firstly establish general blow-up criteria for non-radial solutions in both L
2-critical and L
2-supercritical cases. Then, we show existence of normalized standing waves by using the profile decomposition theory in Hs
. Combining these results, we study the strong instability of normalized standing waves. Our obtained results greatly improve earlier results.
Curves in the Lorentz-Minkowski plane with curvature depending on their position
Authors: Castro Ildefonso , Castro-Infantes Ildefonso , Castro-Infantes Jesús
Published: July 2020

Motivated by the classical Euler elastic curves, David A. Singer posed in 1999 the problem of determining a plane curve whose curvature is given in terms of its position. We propound the same question in the Lorentz-Minkowski plane, focusing on spacelike and timelike curves. In this article, we study those curves in

L

2

{{\mathbb{L}}}^{2}

whose curvature depends on the Lorentzian pseudodistance from the origin, and those ones whose curvature depends on the Lorentzian pseudodistance through the horizontal or vertical geodesic to a fixed lightlike geodesic. Making use of the notions of geometric angular momentum (with respect to the origin) and geometric linear momentum (with respect to the fixed lightlike geodesic), respectively, we get two abstract integrability results to determine such curves through quadratures. In this way, we find out several new families of Lorentzian spiral, special elastic and grim-reaper curves whose intrinsic equations are expressed in terms of elementary functions. In addition, we provide uniqueness results for the generatrix curve of the Enneper surface of second kind and for Lorentzian versions of some well-known curves in the Euclidean setting, like the Bernoulli lemniscate, the cardioid, the sinusoidal spirals and some non-degenerate conics. We are able to get arc-length parametrizations of them and they are depicted graphically.
Crystal structure of (4aS,5S,6aS,6a1S, 10aS)-4a,5,6a,6a
1,9,10-hexahydro-7H-4,5-methanocyclobuta[4,5]naphtho[8a,1-b]pyran-6(2H)-one, C15H16O2
Authors: Zhai Shengxian , Yu Youzhu , Niu Yongsheng , Han Chuchu
Published: July 2020

C15H16O2, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 5.6034(7) Å, b = 8.7105(11) Å, c = 12.5661(16) Å, α = 92.790(7)°, β = 100.516(7)°, γ = 106.105(6)°, V = 576.15(13) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0476, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1348, T = 296.15 K.
Chelating polymers with valuable sorption potential for development of precious metal recycling technologies
Authors: Tofan Lavinia , Wenkert Rodica
Published: July 2020

A special attention is currently focused on the recovery of Au, Ag, Pt, Pd and Rh from both primary and secondary sources. From the wide range of sorbents that have been used in this respect, the required selectivity is proved only by the chelating polymers containing donor N, O and S atoms in their functional groups. This work presents the recent published researches on this topic, pointing out the capabilities of chelating sorbents based on organic synthetic polymers for a sustainable development. The chelating sorbents are differentiated and reviewed according to their synthesis strategy and compatibility with synthetic and real matrices. First, an overview on the novel functionalized polymers and impregnated resins with good selectivity for the recovery of most valuable precious metals from synthetic leach solutions is given. Subsequently, the performances of these materials in the selective and preconcentrative recovery of Au, Ag, Pt, Pd and Rh from simulated and real leachates are discussed. The viability of an integrated approach for the determination of precious metals from simulated solutions by solid phase spectrometry is highlighted. The transposition of chelating polymers’ potential in challenging technologies for precious metal recovery-reuse-recycling needs further research on directions that are proposed.
Practical Postexercise Recovery Strategies in Male Adult Professional Soccer Players: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ribeiro João , Sarmento Hugo , Silva Ana F. , Clemente Filipe M.
Published: July 2020

The aim of this article was to systematically review and provide practical recommendations, where possible, for recovery strategies that are currently in use in soccer-specific practices among adult male professional players. A systematic search was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines on Web of Science, SPORTdiscus, Scopus, and PubMed databases. The effects of cold-based recovery techniques on performance recovery and attenuating the muscle soreness were evident. Complementarily, some evidence was found that favors foam rolling and massage and compression garments. The active recovery and electronic recovery instruments presented little evidence supporting their usefulness in accelerating the recovery process of soccer players.