bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Background-free single-beam coherent Raman spectroscopy assisted by air lasing
Authors: Zhang Fangbo , Xie Hongqiang , Yuan Luqi , Zhang Zhihao , Fu Botao , Yu Shupeng , Li Guihua , Zhang Ning , Lu Xu , Yao Jinping , Cheng Ya , Xu Zhizhan
Published: November 2021

We develop a background-free single-beam coherent Raman scattering technique enabling the high-sensitivity detection of greenhouse gases. In this scheme, Raman coherence prepared by a femtosecond laser is interrogated by self-generated narrowband air lasing, thus allowing single-beam measurements without complex pulse shaping. The unique temporal and spectral characteristics of air lasing are beneficial for improving the signal-to-noise ratio and spectral resolution of Raman signals. With this method, SF6 gas present at a concentration of 0.38% was detected in an SF6–air mixture. This technique provides a simple and promising route for remote detection due to the low divergence of Raman signals and the availability of high-energy pump lasers, which may broaden the potential applications of air lasing.
Systematic exploration of Escherichia coli phage–host interactions with the BASEL phage collection
Authors: Maffei Enea , Shaidullina Aisylu , Burkolter Marco , Heyer Yannik , Estermann Fabienne , Druelle Valentin , Sauer Patrick , Willi Luc , Michaelis Sarah , Hilbi Hubert , Thaler David S. , Harms Alexander
Published: November 2021

Bacteriophages, the viruses infecting bacteria, hold great potential for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and other applications due to their unparalleled diversity and recent breakthroughs in their genetic engineering. However, fundamental knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying phage–host interactions is mostly confined to a few traditional model systems and did not keep pace with the recent massive expansion of the field. The true potential of molecular biology encoded by these viruses has therefore remained largely untapped, and phages for therapy or other applications are often still selected empirically. We therefore sought to promote a systematic exploration of phage–host interactions by composing a well-assorted library of 68 newly isolated phages infecting the model organismEscherichia colithat we share with the community as the BASEL (BActeriophage SElection for your Laboratory) collection. This collection is largely representative of naturalE.coliphage diversity and was intensively characterized phenotypically and genomically alongside 10 well-studied traditional model phages. We experimentally determined essential host receptors of all phages, quantified their sensitivity to 11 defense systems across different layers of bacterial immunity, and matched these results to the phages’ host range across a panel of pathogenic enterobacterial strains. Clear patterns in the distribution of phage phenotypes and genomic features highlighted systematic differences in the potency of different immunity systems and suggested the molecular basis of receptor specificity in several phage groups. Our results also indicate strong trade-offs between fitness traits like broad host recognition and resistance to bacterial immunity that might drive the divergent adaptation of different phage groups to specific ecological niches. We envision that the BASEL collection will inspire future work exploring the biology of bacteriophages and their hosts by facilitating the discovery of underlying molecular mechanisms as the basis for an effective translation into biotechnology or therapeutic applications.
A nowcasting framework for correcting for reporting delays in malaria surveillance
Authors: Menkir Tigist F. , Cox Horace , Poirier Canelle , Saul Melanie , Jones-Weekes Sharon , Clementson Collette , M. de Salazar Pablo , Santillana Mauricio , Buckee Caroline O.
Published: November 2021

Time lags in reporting to national surveillance systems represent a major barrier for the control of infectious diseases, preventing timely decision making and resource allocation. This issue is particularly acute for infectious diseases like malaria, which often impact rural and remote communities the hardest. In Guyana, a country located in South America, poor connectivity among remote malaria-endemic regions hampers surveillance efforts, making reporting delays a key challenge for elimination. Here, we analyze 13 years of malaria surveillance data, identifying key correlates of time lags between clinical cases occurring and being added to the central data system. We develop nowcasting methods that use historical patterns of reporting delays to estimate occurred-but-not-reported monthly malaria cases. To assess their performance, we implemented them retrospectively, using only information that would have been available at the time of estimation, and found that they substantially enhanced the estimates of malaria cases. Specifically, we found that the best performing models achieved up to two-fold improvements in accuracy (or error reduction) over known cases in selected regions. Our approach provides a simple, generalizable tool to improve malaria surveillance in endemic countries and is currently being implemented to help guide existing resource allocation and elimination efforts.
Alternative poly-adenylation modulates α1-antitrypsin expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Lackey Lela , Coria Aaztli , Ghosh Auyon J. , Grayeski Phil , Hatfield Abigail , Shankar Vijay , Platig John , Xu Zhonghui , Ramos Silvia B. V. , Silverman Edwin K. , Ortega Victor E. , Cho Michael H. , Hersh Craig P. , Hobbs Brian D. , Castaldi Peter , Laederach Alain
Published: November 2021

α1-anti-trypsin (A1AT), encoded by SERPINA1, is a neutrophil elastase inhibitor that controls the inflammatory response in the lung. Severe A1AT deficiency increases risk for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), however, the role of A1AT in COPD in non-deficient individuals is not well known. We identify a 2.1-fold increase (p = 2.5x10-6) in the use of a distal poly-adenylation site in primary lung tissue RNA-seq in 82 COPD cases when compared to 64 controls and replicate this in an independent study of 376 COPD and 267 controls. This alternative polyadenylation event involves two sites, a proximal and distal site, 61 and 1683 nucleotides downstream of the A1AT stop codon. To characterize this event, we measured the distal ratio in human primary tissue short read RNA-seq data and corroborated our results with long read RNA-seq data. Integrating these results with 3’ end RNA-seq and nanoluciferase reporter assay experiments we show that use of the distal site yields mRNA transcripts with over 50-fold decreased translation efficiency and A1AT expression. We identified seven RNA binding proteins using enhanced CrossLinking and ImmunoPrecipitation precipitation (eCLIP) with one or more binding sites in the SERPINA1 3’ UTR. We combined these data with measurements of the distal ratio in shRNA knockdown experiments, nuclear and cytoplasmic fractionation, and chemical RNA structure probing. We identify Quaking Homolog (QKI) as a modulator of SERPINA1 mRNA translation and confirm the role of QKI in SERPINA1 translation with luciferase reporter assays. Analysis of single-cell RNA-seq showed differences in the distribution of the SERPINA1 distal ratio among hepatocytes, macrophages, αβ-Tcells and plasma cells in the liver. Alveolar Type 1,2, dendritic cells and macrophages also vary in their distal ratio in the lung. Our work reveals a complex post-transcriptional mechanism that regulates alternative polyadenylation and A1AT expression in COPD.
Consumption of coffee and tea and risk of developing stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia: A cohort study in the UK Biobank
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Yang Hongxi , Li Shu , Li Wei-dong , Wang Yaogang
Published: November 2021

Background

Previous studies have revealed the involvement of coffee and tea in the development of stroke and dementia. However, little is known about the association between the combination of coffee and tea and the risk of stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associations of coffee and tea separately and in combination with the risk of developing stroke and dementia.

Methods and findings

This prospective cohort study included 365,682 participants (50 to 74 years old) from the UK Biobank. Participants joined the study from 2006 to 2010 and were followed up until 2020. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between coffee/tea consumption and incident stroke and dementia, adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity, qualification, income, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol status, smoking status, diet pattern, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), history of cancer, history of diabetes, history of cardiovascular arterial disease (CAD), and hypertension. Coffee and tea consumption was assessed at baseline. During a median follow-up of 11.4 years for new onset disease, 5,079 participants developed dementia, and 10,053 participants developed stroke. The associations of coffee and tea with stroke and dementia were nonlinear (Pfor nonlinear <0.01), and coffee intake of 2 to 3 cups/d or tea intake of 3 to 5 cups/d or their combination intake of 4 to 6 cups/d were linked with the lowest hazard ratio (HR) of incident stroke and dementia. Compared with those who did not drink tea and coffee, drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee and 2 to 3 cups of tea per day was associated with a 32% (HR 0.68, 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.79;P< 0.001) lower risk of stroke and a 28% (HR, 0.72, 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.89;P= 0.002) lower risk of dementia. Moreover, the combination of coffee and tea consumption was associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke and vascular dementia. Additionally, the combination of tea and coffee was associated with a lower risk of poststroke dementia, with the lowest risk of incident poststroke dementia at a daily consumption level of 3 to 6 cups of coffee and tea (HR, 0.52, 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.83;P= 0.007). The main limitations were that coffee and tea intake was self-reported at baseline and may not reflect long-term consumption patterns, unmeasured confounders in observational studies may result in biased effect estimates, and UK Biobank participants are not representative of the whole United Kingdom population.

Conclusions

We found that drinking coffee and tea separately or in combination were associated with lower risk of stroke and dementia. Intake of coffee alone or in combination with tea was associated with lower risk of poststroke dementia.
Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Brazilian version of the Cystic Fibrosis Knowledge Scale (CFKS)
Authors: Monteiro Karolinne Souza , Santino Thayla Amorim , Pakhale Smita , Balfour Louise , Pereira Pinto de Mendonça Karla Morganna
Published: November 2021

Background

Information on the level of knowledge about cystic fibrosis (CF) among affected people and their families is still scarce.

Objective

This study aimed to translate, cross-culturally adapt and analyze the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of Cystic Fibrosis Knowledge Scale (CFKS).

Materials and methods

The translation and cross-cultural adaptation involved the stages of translation, synthesis of translations, reverse translation, synthesis of reverse translations, review by a multi-professional committee of experts and pre-testing. The reliability, viability, construct, predictive, concurrent and discriminant validity were investigated.

Results

The sample consisted of 40 individuals with cystic CF, 47 individuals with asthma, 242 healthcare workers and 81 students from the health area. The Brazilian version of the CFKS presented high internal consistency (α = 0.91), moderate floor and ceiling effects, without differences in the test-retest scores. An analysis of factorial exploration identified three dimensions. Confirmatory factor analysis led to an acceptable data-model fit. There was good predictive validity, with a difference in the scores among all the evaluated groups (p <0.001), as well as good discriminant validity since individuals with asthma had greater knowledge of asthma compared to CF (r = 0.401, p = 0.005; r2 = 0.162). However, there was no difference between the diagnosis time and knowledge about CF (r = -0.25, p = 0.11; r2 = 0.06), either between treatment adherence and knowledge about CF (r = -0.04, p = 0.77; r2 = 0.002).

Conclusion

The Brazilian version of the CFKS indicated that the scale is able to provide valid, reliable and reproducible measures for evaluating the knowledge about CF.
Content-based user classifier to uncover information exchange in disaster-motivated networks
Authors: Babvey Pouria , Gongora-Svartzman Gabriela , Lipizzi Carlo , Ramirez-Marquez Jose E.
Published: November 2021

Disasters strike communities around the world, with a reduced time-frame for warning and action leaving behind high rates of damage, mortality, and years in rebuilding efforts. For the past decade, social media has indicated a positive role in communicating before, during, and after disasters. One important question that remained un-investigated is that whether social media efficiently connect affected individuals to disaster relief agencies, and if not, how AI models can use historical data from previous disasters to facilitate information exchange between the two groups. In this study, the BERT model is first fine-tuned using historical data and then it is used to classify the tweets associated with hurricanes Dorian and Harvey based on the type of information provided; and alongside, the network between users is constructed based on the retweets and replies on Twitter. Afterwards, some network metrics are used to measure the diffusion rate of each type of disaster-motivated information. The results show that the messages by disaster eyewitnesses get the least spread while the posts by governments and media have the highest diffusion rates through the network. Additionally, the “cautions and advice” messages get the most spread among other information types while “infrastructure and utilities” and “affected individuals” messages get the least diffusion even compared with “sympathy and support”. The analysis suggests that facilitating the propagation of information provided by affected individuals, using AI models, will be a valuable strategy to pursue in order to accelerate communication between affected individuals and survival groups during the disaster and aftermath.
Anger among Chinese migrants amid COVID-19 discrimination: The role of host news coverage, cultural distance, and national identity
Authors: Li Xiaoyuan , English Alexander S. , Kulich Steve J.
Published: November 2021

As the early COVID-19 outbreak sparked xenophobia against people of Asian and Chinese background, we collected data from Chinese migrants worldwide to test how discrimination at a macro-level was perceived by the Chinese during COVID-19 globally. Specifically, we examined (1) whether/how the Chinese migrants were aware of discrimination against their co-nationals during COVID; (2) if so, whether anger was a predominant reaction of these Chinese towards certain exposure to relevant information; (3) how responses of anger transcend across the group of Chinese migrants. Integrating the ecological approach to media and cultural psychology, as well as the intergroup perspective of social psychology, we conducted a study that explored the impact of traditional media exposure to discrimination on collective anger—a process mediated by national identity among the Chinese migrants. Findings provide some evidence that geographically dispersed mono-cultural groups may share or identify with collective emotions when facing xenophobic threats in a macro context. Further examination of cultural distance (between China and the host country) among the Chinese migrants also revealed a particular interaction between host newspaper coverage and cultural distance on national identity. These findings suggest further research to examine the emotional norms of similar cultures bonded via strong collective identities in times of intergroup threat and the theoretical possibility for diasporic identity processes.
Assessing the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) on the dynamics of COVID-19: A mathematical modelling study of the case of Ethiopia
Authors: Ejigu Bedilu Alamirie , Asfaw Manalebish Debalike , Cavalerie Lisa , Abebaw Tilahun , Nanyingi Mark , Baylis Matthew
Published: November 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020 and by November 14, 2020 there were 53.3M confirmed cases and 1.3M reported deaths in the world. In the same period, Ethiopia reported 102K cases and 1.5K deaths. Effective public health preparedness and response to COVID-19 requires timely projections of the time and size of the peak of the outbreak. Currently, Ethiopia under the COVAX facility has begun vaccinating high risk populations but due to vaccine supply shortages and the absence of an effective treatment, the implementation of NPIs (non-pharmaceutical interventions), like hand washing, wearing face coverings or social distancing, still remain the most effective methods of controlling the pandemic as recommended by WHO. This study proposes a modified Susceptible Exposed Infected and Recovered (SEIR) model to predict the number of COVID-19 cases at different stages of the disease under the implementation of NPIs at different adherence levels in both urban and rural settings of Ethiopia. To estimate the number of cases and their peak time, 30 different scenarios were simulated. The results indicated that the peak time of the pandemic is different in urban and rural populations of Ethiopia. In the urban population, under moderate implementation of three NPIs the pandemic will be expected to reach its peak in December, 2020 with 147,972 cases, of which 18,100 are symptomatic and 957 will require admission to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Among the implemented NPIs, increasing the coverage of wearing masks by 10% could reduce the number of new cases on average by one-fifth in urban-populations. Varying the coverage of wearing masks in rural populations minimally reduces the number of cases. In conclusion, the models indicate that the projected number of hospital cases during the peak time is higher than the Ethiopian health system capacity. To contain symptomatic and ICU cases within the health system capacity, the government should pay attention to the strict implementation of the existing NPIs or impose additional public health measures.
A machine learning model of microscopic agglutination test for diagnosis of leptospirosis
Authors: Oyamada Yuji , Ozuru Ryo , Masuzawa Toshiyuki , Miyahara Satoshi , Nikaido Yasuhiko , Obata Fumiko , Saito Mitsumasa , Villanueva Sharon Yvette Angelina M. , Fujii Jun
Published: November 2021

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by the pathogenic bacterium Leptospira. The Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) is widely used as the gold standard for diagnosis of leptospirosis. In this method, diluted patient serum is mixed with serotype-determined Leptospires, and the presence or absence of aggregation is determined under a dark-field microscope to calculate the antibody titer. Problems of the current MAT method are 1) a requirement of examining many specimens per sample, and 2) a need of distinguishing contaminants from true aggregates to accurately identify positivity. Therefore, increasing efficiency and accuracy are the key to refine MAT. It is possible to achieve efficiency and standardize accuracy at the same time by automating the decision-making process. In this study, we built an automatic identification algorithm of MAT using a machine learning method to determine agglutination within microscopic images. The machine learned the features from 316 positive and 230 negative MAT images created with sera of Leptospira-infected (positive) and non-infected (negative) hamsters, respectively. In addition to the acquired original images, wavelet-transformed images were also considered as features. We utilized a support vector machine (SVM) as a proposed decision method. We validated the trained SVMs with 210 positive and 154 negative images. When the features were obtained from original or wavelet-transformed images, all negative images were misjudged as positive, and the classification performance was very low with sensitivity of 1 and specificity of 0. In contrast, when the histograms of wavelet coefficients were used as features, the performance was greatly improved with sensitivity of 0.99 and specificity of 0.99. We confirmed that the current algorithm judges the positive or negative of agglutinations in MAT images and gives the further possibility of automatizing MAT procedure.
Atrial fibrillation detection in outpatient electrocardiogram monitoring: An algorithmic crowdsourcing approach
Authors: Bahrami Rad Ali , Galloway Conner , Treiman Daniel , Xue Joel , Li Qiao , Sameni Reza , Albert Dave , Clifford Gari D.
Published: November 2021

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia associated with stroke, blood clots, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and/or death. Multiple methods have been proposed for AFib detection, with varying performances, but no single approach appears to be optimal. We hypothesized that each state-of-the-art algorithm is appropriate for different subsets of patients and provides some independent information. Therefore, a set of suitably chosen algorithms, combined in a weighted voting framework, will provide a superior performance to any single algorithm.

Methods

We investigate and modify 38 state-of-the-art AFib classification algorithms for a single-lead ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device. All algorithms are ranked using a random forest classifier and an expert-labeled training dataset of 2,532 recordings. The seven top-ranked algorithms are combined by using an optimized weighting approach.

Results

The proposed fusion algorithm, when validated on a separate test dataset consisting of 4,644 recordings, resulted in an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.99. The sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive-value (PPV), negative-predictive-value (NPV), and F1-score of the proposed algorithm were 0.93, 0.97, 0.87, 0.99, and 0.90, respectively, which were all superior to any single algorithm or any previously published.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates how a set of well-chosen independent algorithms and a voting mechanism to fuse the outputs of the algorithms, outperforms any single state-of-the-art algorithm for AFib detection. The proposed framework is a case study for the general notion of crowdsourcing between open-source algorithms in healthcare applications. The extension of this framework to similar applications may significantly save time, effort, and resources, by combining readily existing algorithms. It is also a step toward the democratization of artificial intelligence and its application in healthcare.
How Constructivist Theories of Development can be used to Re-conceptualise NAPLAN as an Opportunity to Develop Student Resilience
Authors:   Central Queensland University, Vanderburg Robert , Trotter Paul ,   Central Queensland University
Published: November 2021

Teachers have come under increased pressure to improve educational outcomes as Australia has sought to meet the challenges of competing on an international level. This intensified pressure has been accompanied by improved levels of funding, a National Curriculum for all Australian states, and territories, along with assessments to measure these key outcomes. However, this increased level of scrutiny has affected the pedagogical choices of teachers. Traditional modes of instruction have been reinforced, with teachers moving away from effective constructivist approaches to learning. This article will propose that a reinterpretation of constructivist theories of development is needed to arrest this decline, so that increased accountability measures, like NAPLAN, can be perceived as constructivist opportunities to build both core subject knowledge and broader 21st Century skills, such as resilience.
Achieving Teacher Professional Growth Through Professional Experimentation and Changes in Pedagogical Practices
Authors:   University of Tasmania, Muir Tracey , Deed Craig ,   Latrobe University, Thomas Damon ,   University of Tasmania, Emery Sherridan ,   University of Tasmania
Published: November 2021

To facilitate the professional learning of teachers and bring about changes in pedagogical practices, it is necessary to understand the process by which teachers grow professionally. Professional growth can be achieved when teachers work together to engage in professional experimentation and see results in terms of salient outcomes for their students. This paper reports on a study of teachers’ pedagogical practices as they introduced adaptations to focus on personalising students’ learning in mathematics. Two cases are presented to demonstrate how teachers in two schools used student mathematics test data to determine students’ strengths and needs, in order to personalise learning experiences. The findings highlight how shared responsibility and purposeful use of student data can lead to positive professional growth for teachers and improved learning outcomes for students.
Second Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Pedagogical Practices, Collaborations, and Relationships with Other Teachers through Professional Development
Authors:   University of Queensland, Smata Simone , Gillies Robyn ,   University of Queensland, McLay Katherine ,   University of Queensland, Ngyuen Huong ,   University of Queensland
Published: November 2021

This paper reports on the relationship between language teacher practices and their collaborations with other teachers through professional development. The paper argues that there is a link between the disposition to use evidence-based practices in language teaching, and ongoing reinforcement of such practices through dialogic exchange in professional practice sessions. Furthermore, the paper understands the learning and development of such disposition as a career-long endeavour, first encountered in quality teacher education programs and then continued by committing to ongoing professional development. Survey data were collected from a group of language teachers from various second languages in primary and secondary schools in [state removed], Australia after they had participated in a workshop on language teaching methodology. The teachers reported extensive use of evidence-based language learning strategies in their classrooms. The paper argues that this disposition is grounded in the ongoing commitment of these teachers to stay in dialogic exchange with colleagues during professional development.
THE CASE FOR USING ACTIGRAPHY GENERATED SLEEP AND ACTIVITY ENDPOINTS IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE CLINICAL TRIALS
Authors: Mc Carthy M. , Muehlhausen W. , Schüler P.
Published: November 2021

More and more people in the industrialised world use wearables and smartphones to monitor their health and fitness. These devices are often used in combination with special apps to monitor and document daily activities and sleep. It would appear to be a logical step to assess the relevance of these devices in drug development trials. In contrast to the consumer devices, the technology used in clinical trials needs to be validated and compliant with the relevant regulations. Even under these complex requirements, wearables offer a number of new opportunities to objectively capture clinically relevant outcome measures –potentially with lower burden for patients and site staff. As an example, we describe the use in Alzheimer’s disease drug development studies. This is an indication where there have been a number of failures, in part due to the difficulties this patient population has in reliably completing existing tools. In addition rater scales add complexity due to inter- and intra-rater variability.
PENGAYAAN BAHASA INDONESIA MELALUI ISTILAH BARU TERKAIT COVID-19
Authors: Lapasau Merry
Published: November 2021

The present study aims to analyze new word formations in Indonesian related to COVID-19 and identify its function in online newspapers. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach by adapting generative morphological theories as the framework. The research objects are 32 new word formations found in various texts in online newspapers in Indonesia collected between April 2020 to August 2020. The data were analyzed using the top-down technique distribution method. This method uses a determinant in the language element itself, namely the data selection technique based on specific categories in terms of grammarism in accordance with the natural characteristics of the research data. The study shows that the new word formation in modern Indonesian related to COVID-19 can be obtained by coining roots, compounding, abbreviation, and acronym. Those unique word formations are originated primarily from Indonesian and English. The function of its usage is mainly referential (abbreviation and acronym) and expressive (roots and compounding). We create new words to fulfill the designation needs of new issues that appear in society. Furthermore, the development in society, especially in coping with global health issues, has also contributed to the enrichment of Indonesian vocabulary.
Policy and principal turnover: The impact of the Texas special education cap
Authors: Mandel Zoë , Pendola Andrew
Published: November 2021

Accountability policies in education play a significant role for the principals tasked with facilitating the implementation of these reforms at the school-level. While these policies are most often intended to improve student outcomes, this is not always the case. In some instances, these policies can prove detrimental to schools, yet principals are still responsible for compliance. In Texas, a federal investigation found the Texas Education Agency (TEA) was restricting access to special education services by incentivizing districts to enroll fewer than 8.5% of students, utilizing these numbers as a measure of district performance. The implementation of the “8.5% cap” in 2004 resulted in a sharp decline in special education enrollment. Employing a sample of all principals in Texas before and after the 2004 law, this paper examines how the 8.5% cap impacted school leader attrition during its implementation. Prior to the implementation of the cap in 2004, we find little association between the proportion of students receiving services and principal turnover. After its implementation however, we find that principals in schools enrolling more than 8.5% of students in special education had a .39 higher odds ratio of switching districts and a .14 higher odds ratio of exiting the profession. We conclude by highlighting the scarcity of school labor market research that accounts for state-level education policies and note that policy may be more associated with principal turnover than student characteristics themselves.
Democracia e educação: Dewey em tempos de crise da educação democrática
Authors: Lima Licínio C.
Published: November 2021

As relações entre democracia e educação são um tema clássico não só no campo das teorias da democracia mas também no pensamento educacional moderno. O presente artigo segue essa tradição de investigação relativamente a Democracia e Educação, livro de John Dewey, compreendendo ainda o estudo de cinco obras anteriores e de cinco obras posteriores a 1916, data de publicação daquele livro clássico. Baseado numa sociologia política da educação, o autor problematiza as concepções de democracia e de participação de Dewey e toma-as como referência para a compreensão das políticas educacionais em tempos de crise da educação democrática. Sob políticas baseadas na educação, formação e aprendizagem para a competitividade económica e a busca global por talentos, de acordo com os valores do novo gerencialismo, do espírito empreendedor e da meritocracia, a crise atual da democracia na educação e a perda de confiança na escola pública parecem mais próximas de uma pós-democracia e de formas mínimas de participação do que dos ideais educativos de democracia, participação e liberdade propostos por Dewey há mais de um século.
Green-synthesized silver nanoparticles with aqueous extract of green algae Chaetomorpha ligustica and its anticancer potential
Authors: Al-Zahrani Sabah Ahmed , Bhat Ramesa Shafi , Al Rashed Sarah A. , Mahmood Amer , Al Fahad Ahmed , Alamro Ghadah , Almusallam Jamilah , Al Subki Roua , Orfali Raha , Al Daihan Sooad
Published: November 2021

Marine green algae are rich in various bioactive components with known anticancer activity. Some anticancer drugs present in green algae are in clinical trials nowadays. Algae-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been of a great interest in cancer treatment due to their unique physico-chemical properties. In this study, we evaluate the anticancer efficiency of marine alga Chaetomorpha ligustica collected from the Arabian Gulf against colon cancer cell lines HT29 and HCT116. The anticancer potential of biosynthesized AgNPs from C. ligustica extract is also reported. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses were used to identify the phytoconstituents present in algae extract. The synthesized AgNPs were confirmed via UV-Vis spectroscopy, whereas their morphology and stability were recorded by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and zetasizer. We recorded absorption peak at 420 nm; TEM images showed an average size of 8.8 nm, whereas zeta potential and zetasizer study showed aggregation of nanoparticles. FTIR spectroscopy peaks of C. ligustica AgNPs were a little different from those of the C. ligustica extract. Both extracts showed cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, but nanoparticles were found to be more toxic than algae extract. HT29 was found to be more sensitive than HCT116. For the first time, species of C. ligustica have been used and reported for the synthesis of nanoparticles. C. ligustica and its biogenic nanoparticles need to be scaled up for many biomedical applications especially in cancer research.
Creation, Fall and Political Order — Prussian Conservatism and the Old Testament
Authors: Achtelstetter Laura C.
Published: November 2021

This article examines differences within the theological basis of early nineteenth-century Prussian conservatism. By exploring the usage of the Old Testament in the writings of conservative thought leaders Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg, Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach, and Friedrich Julius Stahl, this article contributes to scholarship of both traditions of biblical interpretation and that of the relation of theology and political theory. The focus of this article centers on three concepts of the Old Testament and their implementation in conservative political doctrine. I will discuss Hengstenberg’s concept of biblical historicity and unity of Scripture, Gerlach’s use of the Old Testament as the source of a role model for just religious wars and a theocratic concept of law, as well as Stahl’s bible-based political philosophy of history and the resulting model of political order. Thus, the basis for different, resulting concepts of church, state, and nation that were merged into an overall religion-based political conservative doctrine in pre-1848 Prussia are analyzed.
Crossing the light line
Authors: Pendry John , Huidobro Paloma , Silveirinha Mario , Galiffi Emanuele
Published: November 2021

We ask the question “what happens to Bloch waves in gratings synthetically moving at near the speed of light?”. First we define a constant refractive index (CRI) model in which Bloch waves remain well defined as they break the light barrier, then show their dispersion rotating through 360° from negative to positive and back again. Next we introduce the effective medium approximation (EMA) then refine it into a 4-wave model which proves to be highly accurate. Finally using the Bloch waves to expand a pulse of light we demonstrate sudden inflation of pulse amplitude combined with reversal of propagation direction as a luminal grating is turned on.
Path to digital transformation: start of the EU's "Digital Decade"
Authors:   Institute of Europe of Russian Academy Sciences, Kondratieva Natalia
Published: November 2021

On September 15, 2021, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the start of "ten-year" digital transformation of economic and social spheres. The action plan was presented in the "State of the Union" address. This development was preceded by the official announcement on March 9 of the "European Digital Compass". These strategic documents deepen the understanding of parameters of long-term digital transformation and new governance structures, and reveal the persistence of EU officials’ high hopes for digitalization. Authorized agencies in Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union should use this development for evaluation and comparison of their target settings for adjusting the course of their own progress.
The Arctic Strategy of the European Commission: a challenge for Russia or a measure of forced integration?
Authors:   Institute of Europe of Russian Academy Sciences, Timoshenko Diana
Published: November 2021

The article analyses the priorities, goals and objectives of the European Union in the Arctic macro-region at present. The European vision of the processes taking place in the Arctic has been explored. The EU proposals to improve the situation in the region, primarily in the environment, are being considered from the standpoint of activities of the Arctic Council and Russian-European relations in the Arctic.
Dardania in late Antiquity
Authors: Rama Zana
Published: November 2021

Late Antiquity, known as a transitory phase between Antiquity and the Middle Ages that encompasses the 4th-6th centuries, was characterized by major historical events that led not only to political and administrative changes, but also social, cultural and religious changes. This paper will elaborate the impact of these changes in the province of Dardania, of which the central territory corresponds to today’s Kosovo, with a specific focus on the spread of Christianity and Christian architecture and changes in settlement patterns, as people moved from field settlements to hillforts. Moreover, it will present architectural features and the role of fortifications in Late Antiquity.
Pedagogical Ideas and Practices of the Jesuits of The Late Middle Ages (XV–XVII Centuries)
Authors:   Moscow State Pedagogical University, Dzhurinskiy Alexander Naumovich
Published: November 2021

The article examines the pedagogical activity of the Jesuits at the first stage of the development of the Order of St. Loyola. The Jesuit Order intended to monopolize the education and training of the young generations of the ruling strata. The Jesuits were looking for a “third way” between the formulas of Roman Catholic pedagogy and secular approaches to education and training. The congregation of Jesuits used the ideological pedagogical potential of the Renaissance and the Reformation, interpreting it from a conservative standpoint. The article examines the activities of Jesuit colleges: management, programs, methods of teaching and upbringing. A number of European thinkers of the XVI-XVII centuries. positively assessed the pedagogical activity of the Order of St. Loyola. Criticism of Jesuit pedagogy grew. A number of researchers find a lot of positive things in this pedagogy.
Innovative design of modern mortise and tenon structure under the concept of green reduction
Authors: Wu Wei , Zhu Jian'gang , Xu Wei , Han Fei , Wu Xinghuan , Wang Xu
Published: November 2021

In the furniture industry, some traditional Chinese mortise and tenon joints are not suitable for the current requirements for carbon reduction and environmental protection of furniture products. This article aims to explore new ideas and new methods of modern mortise and tenon structure design. The reduction principle in the green design concept is introduced for the furniture modern mortise and tenon structure design. Based on modern furniture, a systematic analysis of the modern mortise and tenon structure design is carried out. Additionally, this review discusses the method of applying the reduction principle in modern tenon and tenon structure design in the context of green design. The development status and trend of modern mortise and tenon structure design is summarized and an innovative design practice of modern mortise and tenon structure is carried out. The combination of green design and furniture design has important practical significance in a modern context.
Chemical modification of pectin and polygalacturonic acid: A critical review
Authors: Würfel Hendryk , Geitel Katja , Qi Haisong , Heinze Thomas
Published: November 2021

Pectin, as a sustainable biopolymer with its two complementary functionalities (carboxyl and hydroxyl moieties) imparted in the α-1,4-galacturonic acid repeating unit, has gained increasing attention in the last few years. The interest in this ubiquitously occurring plant originating polysaccharide (PS) has shifted slowly from applications as a food additive to a broader range of potential applications in medicine, cosmetics, and other industries. Due to the increasing interest in alternatives for petrochemical materials, PSs as biomaterials have gained increasing attention in industrial processes in general. In the last decade, an increasing number of chemical transformations related to pectin have been published, and this is a prerequisite for the design of the structure and hence properties of novel biopolymer-based materials. This work aims to review the chemical modifications of pectin by covalent linkage of the last decade and analyze the materials obtained with these chemical methods critically.
Translation skills required by Master’s graduates for employment: Which are needed, which are not?
Authors: Hao Yu , Pym Anthony
Published: November 2021

There is ongoing debate about which skills translation students require for employment. Numerous “bridge the gap” studies draw on translation professionals in order to list the skills that graduates should have acquired. However, many of the available surveys indicate, with some regularity, that only a minority of graduates from Master’s programs in translation actually find stable employment in the translation industry. Here we report on a survey of graduates from the University of Melbourne and the skills that they say they require once in employment. The graduates who are employed in the translation industry prioritize skills that are significantly different from those prioritized by graduates employed in other sectors. This raises an underlying question of whether we are training for an industry or for society.
Ways to Improve Vietnam’s Competitiveness and Economic Recovery in the Context of a Pandemic
Authors: Quang Phan , Buyanova Marina
Published: November 2021

There is currently no official research and publication by an authoritative organization on the state of the world economy in crisis. The economic downturn and negative growth of many leading countries show the huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world economy. Solving the problem of Vietnam’s economy’s recovery from this situation actualizes the issue of justifying effective development strategies. This is indeed a complex process that results in achieving a competitive position compared to the ASEAN region. The content of the scientific paper is based on the materials from current sources, i.e. international organizations and periodicals, summary data from publications of the Vietnamese statistical office, as well as historical and economic literature. The factors ensuring the country’s competitiveness were analyzed on the basis of ratings of international organizations whereby it is possible to determine the most competitive elements of the Vietnamese economy and propose priority directions for state development. Key recommendations include structural reforms aimed at changing the growth model from a factor to productivity, improving the quality of technologies and human resources, as well as improving the business environment, ensuring macroeconomic stability, upgrading infrastructure and encouraging innovation.
Awareness level of climate change among paddy farmers
Authors: Sangeetha S. , Indumathy K. , Parameswari K.
Published: November 2021

This study examined the awareness level of paddy farmers on climate change. Among the 29 districts of Tamil Nadu, Nagapattinam district was selected to conduct the present study. This is situated in coastal area and very often subjected to natural calamities which were mainly reflected on the rice cultivation to the worst status. Data for the study were collected from 200 respondents selected through simple random sampling technique. The study revealed that majority (71.50 %) of the respondent had medium level of awareness of climate change followed by high (17.00 %) and low (11.50 %) category. More than eighty per cent of the respondents were aware about the issues viz., receipt of low rain fall (90.50 %), uneven distribution of rain fall (89.00 %), frequent cyclone (87.00 %) and reduction in number of rainy days (86.50 %). The awareness level was found to be minimum in the issues like acid rain (34.50 %), variation in wind speed and direction (44.50 %), increasing heat and cold waves (48.00 %). The study concluded that the majority of farmers were aware of climate change but some of them were lacked in detail information about climate change. Therefore, it is suggested that extension education should be strengthened to boost farmers’ awareness level on climate change in detailed and prepare them for adaptation measures and that appropriate technologies be promoted for adaptation by farmers.
Impact of environmental factors on infestation of cashew leaves by leaf miner, Acrocercops syngramma Meyrick in Gujarat
Authors: Damasia D.M. , Patel Z.P. , Dholariya H.P. , Thesiya N.M.
Published: November 2021

Studies were conducted in a cashew plantation at Waghai, Gujarat, India during 2017 – 19 on cashew variety vengurla- 4 throughout two consecutive years to determine the pest status of leaf miner, Acrocercops syngramma Meyrick and their relation with environmental factor. Damage to cashew leaf by leaf miner was prevailed only from July to December with maximum damage (2.19%) in the month of November 45th SMW in hilly area of the Dangs. Further, pest infestation on leaves found to have significant positive correlation with maximum temperature, mean temperature, bright sunshine and evaporation, while negative with morning relative humidity, evening relative humidity, mean relative humidity and wind speed.